Squawk Radio

A writer who’s organizationally dysfunctional should surprise no one. After all, writers have a reputation as being vague, other-worldly and out of touch with reality.

(Christina to her imaginary friend — “I have no idea why that is.”)

My new house reflects my lack of order. Six months after moving in, I have books piled everywhere, my office is still in boxes, and the framed pictures are everywhere but on the walls.

(Christina to her imaginary friend — “Hey, I’ve been busy!”)

But in one area I’m surprisingly organized. In March, I’ve been published for fifteen years (OMG) and for each book I have a labeled file folder full of every bit of paraphernalia about that book. Cover flats, bestseller lists, photos of autographings, reviews, press clippings, magazine articles … our own Manuelita kindly mailed me the LA Times crossword puzzle with me as a clue (Friday November 18, 2005, #13 down, Romance novelist Christina). This stuff thrills me, so I keep it sorted and waiting for the day when I pull out each piece and make a chronicle of every last moment of my career.

Now — never before have I done anything as creative a scrapbook. Give me a t-shirt, some fabric paint, and some sequins and I will make … a mess.

(Christina’s imaginary friend — “That’s for sure.”)

But other women make scrapbooks, beautiful scrapbooks, so I know it can be done. More important, I have a friend who is a consultant for Creative Memories (Hi, Donna!). She sells the most wonderful stuff — gorgeous albums, scissors that make fancy cuts, pencils that write on photos and don’t smear, and scrapbook kits for the scrapbook impaired. A kit! I don’t have to be creative, someone else did it for me.

What am I going to do with these scrapbooks? When I’m old and gray, I’m going to chain my grandchildren to my bony knees and make them look at the proof of Grandma’s glory days … until I get bored. (Christina’s imaginary friend — “Like the photo of you grinning like a fool?”) Yeah, that’s right. That’s me with my first, hot-off-the-presses copy of THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS, on the shelves January 31. Yes, the photo is going in THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS folder to wait for the day when I actually sit down and make my scrapbooks.

In what ways are you creative? Do you make scrapbooks? Shadow boxes? Do you document your family tree? Do you actual take a t-shirt, some fabric paint and sequins and make something wonderful? If so — who are you and why are you blogging with me?