Monday, April 20, 2009

Mondays: Yay or Yecch?

For the longest time, I’ve loved Mondays. My family--who of course, I adore, but sometimes enough is enough--goes back to work and school and I get to spend quality, uninterrupted time with my characters and my on-line friends.

I’ve always figured I was alone in this (insert The Bangles singing “Manic Monday” and The Mamas and the Papas harmonizing about how you “can’t trust that day”) until I started talking to an author friend or two.

So that spurred on to an Author Round-up with some of our favorite YA FRESH guests. And let’s see what they had to say.

So...Mondays: Yay or Yecch?

Simon Pulse author Wendy Toliver calls it a YAY because, she says, “I can get back into some semblance of a routine."


"My two oldest boys go to school," Wendy says, "and my youngest and I go to the gym. I like exercising and the other women have become good friends. I usually get to write (or do other authorly things) after lunch time and when my youngest naps. I love making nice dinners for my family, and my husband seems particularly thankful after a hard day at work (Mondays are almost always that).”

Debut author Deborah Pape Kerbel concurs. “I have a six year old son and a three year old daughter, both of whom I love more than life itself. But being 'high energy' children, they keep my husband and me so busy on the weekends, there's no chance to do anything for ourselves."


"When Monday morning rolls around," Deborah continues, "I breathe a sigh of relief, send them back to school with hugs and kisses, and then reclaim the silence of my home and the freedom to write.”

Two time RITA finalist Rosemary Clement-Moore is in the YAY camp, too.


“Since writing is my day job," Rosemary tells us, "when a book is really calling to me (or, ahem, on deadline), I work just as hard on the weekends as the weekdays. And on those times, as much as I love my family, I'm sort of glad when the house clears out and I have it to myself!”

The always funny Ben Esch offers us a different take.


“One of the cool parts about being a writer," says Ben, "is that the days of the week kind lose their significance pretty quick. So, Monday is pretty much the same as any other day of the week in that I get to sleep in until noon and eat cereal in my underwear until I feel like getting to work. I understand this arrangement might change should I ever get married and/or have kids. Anyway, I'm going to say Monday is a yecch mainly because there's nothing that good on TV that day, which really bums me out.

"But do you know what day gets a double big yay? Wednesday. That day is either South Park or Top Chef and for a few magical weeks, both South Park and Top Chef. God I miss Top Chef.”

Never having seen either show, I'll just have to take Ben's word on that!

The creator of the Aspen Brooks series, Stephanie Hale, remembers when she lived in the real world of 8-5, how she used to give Garfield a run for his money on hating Mondays.


“But now that I stay home,” Stephanie says, “it doesn't really matter. My hubby has weird days off that rotate every week, so usually his days off feel like the weekend anyway. Luckily I have a calendar in the kitchen so I can figure out what day it is. It is kind of a bummer to send my son back to school on Monday mornings though so I guess I'm still with the other yecch Mondayers. Yeah, I just made that word up. I can do that stuff cuz I'm a riter.”

PAY IT FORWARD author, Catherine Ryan Hyde is on the fence.


"The thing I love most about being a writer is the freedom to make my own schedule," Catherine tells us. " So if I want to work all day Sunday and kayak all day Monday, it just means less traffic on the water. The only slight downer about Monday is that the email (I "just say no" to the phone) starts up again. Over the weekend it's either delete-able junk or from friends. On weekdays I get slammed again, usually with requests from total strangers. Then again, I can answer it any day I want, so why fault Monday?”

All great answers. Thanks to our six fantastic visitors today. And now it's your turn-- jump in and now tell us your opinion! Monday: Yay or Yecch?




16 fresh comments:

Janie Emaus said...

Good question. Since I work from home, Monday isn't much different in terms of getting up, but then my schedule changes. But when I had to leave the house..Mondays were NOT fun at all!

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

I'm in the middle! Yay, to get back to writing and routine with the family off to work and school, yecch, because the weekend is over!!

Thanks to all the authors for sharing with us! Great blog, Tina!

Sydney said...

Hey Mrs. Ferraro!

I absolutely loathe Mondays. They drive me insane. I always think, "Great, now I have to get up and survive yet another week of school/work. Hope the weekend gets here soon." I usually drag through Mondays too. Oh well, at least every Monday isn't like today where I have my last two finals of the semester.

The Golfing Librarian said...

Mondays are a Big Yecch! If it's Monday, it means I'm getting up again at 6am to make lunches for the kids, get them to the bustop by 7am, then again at 7:30am, then it's a quick shower before I drive into "the city" so I'm at the Library by 9am.
BTW, is there a picture of Wendy where she doesn't have a "head tilt"? ;)
Of course , if I looked that good I'd stand on my head!

TinaFerraro said...

Yes, Janie, I imagine things changed drastically for you when you started working from home.

Kelly, I love that you're one of those glassful people, who loves every day!

Hi, Sydney! And for those of you who don't know her, Sydney is a college student, avid reader (can you say "Twilight?") and a talented, aspiring writer herself! And I GET how Mondays can be long, but for you, summer's here soon, huh?

And Chuck, yeah, I think Wendy looks up in every pose and on every day of the week. But we love her anyway...

stephhale said...

Great post, Tina! You definitely made my yecch Monday better! ;)

Erika Powell said...

for Mondays are a YAY because I work doubel shifts Fri-Sun at a restaurant and Monday means I get to catch up on sleep and I don't have to work until 5:30!!!

Diana Dang said...

Nay cause it's the start of another school week. And what student loves Mondays? Definitely not moi!

Antonio said...

Yay for Mondays! I like them. Monday is actually my day off, so Monday is like my Saturday. No writing, no researching, no rehearsals, no shows. Monday is good. Gives me a chance to recharge my batteries and relax, or just wander aimlessly around Manhattan. It's a very funny thing, because when I worked in the 9-5 world, I dreaded Mondays! Now I greet Mondays with a smile!
P.S. Big hugs to Tina and Kelly from your pal in NYC.

TinaFerraro said...

Hey, Steph, thanks for sharing with us, and dropping by to comment!

Erika, I can sure see why Mondays are a YAY for you!

But Diana, I feel your pain about going back to school...

And thanks for visiting, Antonio! Our readers will remember Antonio Pagliarulo from an interview here a while back, and his wonderful series, The Celebutantes. We're happy to see you here again, Antonio, and be sure to let us know what's next from you!

Casey M said...

Mondays are definitely a Yay for me too! At least they will be in two weeks when it's summer!

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks, Casey. Yep, summer's coming, and for many people, it makes the Monday question moot! =)

Me said...

Well, since I don't have a day job to dread (yay writing!) or a hubby or kids to get out the door, then I'll have to weigh in by saying: Whatever. For me, Monday is just another day.

Psychologically, though, I guess I like Mondays because they're like a fresh start. A mini New Year's where I can say, "This week I'm going to write 500 pages, post 32 blogs, and answer every email that comes in!" Um, yeah, that never happens, but a girl can dream.

TinaFerraro said...

Thanks, Tera! I love the mini-New Years idea.

And for those of us who are into classic rock, your comments brought up some lyrics from a Paul McCartney and Wings song, "It's just another day..."

Jennifer Rummel said...

I like mondays now. for 2 reasons, one i go to work early and have the night off. plus I adore 24 and Castle. Is that a bad reason for liking Mondays?

TinaFerraro said...

There's NO bad reason for liking Mondays, YABookNerd! In fact, in my house, Monday is a favorite because of Heroes!