NaNoWriMo!

So it's here. The dreaded (or anticipated . . . however you look at it) month. I'm not sure how I'll fit it all in, but after the great experience I had last year, I'm jumping in with two feet again this year.

As a result, I will not be around on the blog much, but I will be back in December, and I promise to report.

In the meantime, enjoy the view with me:

So are any of you joining in? If yes, shoot me your NaNo username and I'll add you as a buddy. Mine is MsVerbose.

Have a happy Thanksgiving! See you on the other side. :)

Revealing My Secret and an Interview

So I have this secret.

 

Okay, maybe it's not as secret as I like to think. I love picture books. Like LOVE. I check them out at the library by the dozens, and tell myself they're "for the kids." Ha! Nope. Definitely for me.

 

But the real secret is that I want to write picture books. I have played at it for years. Studied the greats endlessly. Taken classes at conferences. Paid for critiques by professionals. Even written several ugly drafts of would be stories. But I could tell I had a long way to go.

 

So when my lovely CP (Dee Romito) told me she had signed up for an online picture book writing class called "Making Picture Book Magic," I was all ears. And then, THEN, she told me it was by one of my favorite author/bloggers (who I also consider a friend), Susanna Leonard Hill. I didn't even know she had a class! So of course I signed up right away.

 

Her class is so popular, I had to wait a few months to get in, but let me tell you, it blew me away! It's not even that she told me anything I didn't already know. But the way she broke everything down into the perfect sized daily lessons was awesome. It felt like I had a friend walking me through the process from start to finish. I felt productive. Capable. Excited to write!

 

And even better, as part of the lessons, there was a facebook group where we could share and discuss with the other participants and get feedback from Susanna (and each other). And let me tell you, the feedback was pure gold. GOLD. And not just the feedback on my work. I learned tons reading the feedback on the others' work.

 

Honestly, the money I paid for Susanna's class is the best spent money I have ever put into my writing career.

 

I was so excited by the class, that I asked Susanna if she would be my guest on the blog and answer a few questions. And she said yes! So I welcome Susanna to my blog.

 

Me: When did you begin your Making Picture Book Magic class, and what inspired you to do so?

 

Susanna: I started Making Picture Book Magic in February 2012, after I'd spent the better part of 9 months writing the course, beta testing it, and commissioning art to decorate the lessons and inspire writers.  I got the idea for the class because I do critiques for people on a pretty regular basis, and I found that many of the manuscripts I received from beginning writers were showing similar types of problems.  It got me to thinking that maybe I could offer a class that covered some of the basics.  I wanted the class to be interactive so that people would have the opportunity to ask questions, not just generally about writing, but specifically about the stories they were working on.  I wanted writers to be able to learn from each other as well as from me.  I wanted the class to be affordable, because lots of writers don't have a lot of money to spend on such things.  I also wanted it to be something the average person could manage in the small amounts of time they could find in their busy life.  So that was my aim.  You've taken the class, so you can say if you think I succeeded or not :)

 

Me: Yes! You definitely succeeded. I particularly loved being able to ask specific questions about my work. So helpful!

 

So let's talk about your writing. One of my favorite books of yours is Can't Sleep Without Sheep. My kids and I (and my husband) were cracking up! I think the cows were my favorite. Where did you get your inspiration for that book? How long did it take you to write it?

 

Susanna: I'm so glad you like Can't Sleep :)  I owe that story to my son and a mattress commercial.  (And yes, I know the main character in the story is a girl, and there are no mattresses to be seen :))  When my son was little, he wasn't big on sleep.  Every night he'd get in bed and have what he called his "thinking time."  Many nights, long after I thought he was asleep and had gone to bed myself, he'd come into our room wide awake and full of questions.  "What's the temperature of the sun?"  "How many teeth does a t-rex have?"  "Where does the wind come from?" To which I would answer knowledgeably, "Uh...."  I'd take him back to bed, tuck him in, and tell him to count sheep, sitting beside him in the dark while he did so until he finally drifted off.  When I got to writing the story, for some reason (maybe so he wouldn't know I was talking about him :)) I changed the main character to a girl.  But by itself a story about a child with a busy mind who couldn't fall asleep was not enough.  I had that part rolling around in the back of my mind for a while, unwritten, unfinished, because I knew it needed more.  Then one day, when I was driving the kids to school, a commercial came on the radio.  It said something like, "Tired of counting sheep?  Buy our mattress!"  And I thought to myself, what if instead of getting tired of counting sheep, the sheep got tired of being counted?  And that's when I finally had a story :)  The actual writing only took a few hours, but I'd been thinking about it for ages.

 

Me: It amazes me how much of 'writing' is really 'thinking.' And I love hearing how a story is born. So fascinating!

 

Seven of your picture books have been published. Have you ever considered dabbling in longer stories? Why or why not?

 

Susanna: I have considered it!  In fact, I have attempted it!  I have 4 completed novels (and by completed I mean I got to "The End" but boy do they need work!) and about 10 others in various stages.  I am the queen of jumping in, writing 30-45 pages, and then realizing I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm going.  But I would love to figure it out, so I'm still working on it :)

Me: Haha! Sounds familiar. I always feel bad about the unfinished books of mine. Maybe someday I'll go back. :)

 

Through your blog, you began the Perfect Picture Book database a couple of years ago. It is so useful, and I've learned of so many great books through it. Can you tell us a little about this, and what inspired you to start it (I seem to be all about inspiration today!)?

 

Susanna: My younger sister-in-law is actually responsible for inspiring Perfect Picture Books.  She asked me a couple different times if I knew of good picture books about one topic or another, and it got me to thinking that there were probably a lot of parents out there who didn't have the kind of background we writers have in what's out there for kids to read.  I thought it might be helpful if they had a place to go where they could find excellent, highly recommended picture books on various topics and themes.  Then I thought I could take it a step further (as long as I was doing it anyway :)) and add resources to the reviews so that parents, teachers and homeschoolers could easily find ways to expand on the use of picture books at home and in the classroom.  I knew it would take me a REALLY long time to build up a data base by myself, so I threw it out into the blogosphere to see who might want to do it with me, thereby finding a terrific group of people who show up every week with great picture books to share.  (I have to publicly confess, though, that keeping the list properly updated is a HUGE job and I have fallen woefully behind.  I am working on catching up, but the data base always lags well behind the books that have been done!  If anyone happens to be looking for an unpaid job, call me :))

 

Me: Hmmm . . . I might just be contacting you myself. What a great thing to be a part of!

 

Okay, okay, I've taken enough of your time, but I have to throw out a couple of fun ones. First, I have shared many a dessert with you on your blog. What, amongst all your offerings is your very favorite?

 

Susanna: Asking me to choose a favorite dessert is like asking me to choose a favorite child, Janet!  How can you?!  Let's see...  How about three favorites?  1. Gingerbread with hot fudge sauce and whipped cream.  2. Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.  3. Chocolate mousse cake.  Oh, and brownies with coffee ice cream.  Okay.  That's it.  Oh, except there's nothing like a freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookie!  Okay. That's really it.  Oh, except fresh cider donuts, especially this time of year, which aren't technically dessert, but really you can eat them any time!   Okay.  I'll stop.  But now I'm hungry.  What have you got?  It might be a new favorite :)

Me: Haha! I do ask the hard-hitting questions, don't I? And yum. Now you have me drooling. Fresh cider donuts sound amazing right now! Alas, all I have to offer is a bucket or two of Halloween candy.

 

So, on to the most important question of all (I mean, this is ME, you had to know this was coming) what would your personalized license plate be? Or if you'd rather, you can tell us the personalized license plate for one of your characters. Punxatawny Phillis might have quite an interesting one. :)

 

Susanna: Oh gosh!  This is a hard one!  I'm not good at these. Maybe WRITRGRL?  Or GHOGSRUL?  Or LUVCHOCL8? :)  Maybe you'd better think one up for me!

 

Me: Oh dear. I'm afraid you've used too many letters in those plates. You are only allowed 7. ;) Let me offer some suggestions: PBWRITR; GHOGPWR (Groundhog power); I ROCK; I WRITE or perhaps LVDSSRT (Love Dessert). What do you think?

 

Susanna, thanks again for stopping in! And I hope you all have a great day. :D

 

Susanna Leonard Hill grew up in New York City with her mom and dad, one sister and two brothers, and an assortment of cats. Her first published book was The House That Mack Built, released by Little Simon in 2002. Since then, she has published six more books: Punxsutawney Phyllis (Holiday House, 2005), Taxi! (Little Simon, 2005), No Sword Fighting In The House (Holiday House, 2007), Not Yet, Rose (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2009), and Airplane Flight! and Freight Train Trip! (Little Simon, 2009.) Can't Sleep Without Sheep, released Fall of 2010 (Walker Books), is illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, and Jeff Ebbeler is illustrating April Fools, Phyllis!, released in 2011 (Holiday House).

You can find her on her blog a http://www.susannahill.com

 

Where's Lenny Lee . . . Birthday Bash

Today, a special friend of mine is turning 15, and I wanted to give a shout out:

Happy Birthday

Lenny!

I have known Lenny (via blogging) for almost 5 years now, and it has been a privilege to be even the teensiest part of his life. He spreads sunshine wherever he goes. I only have to see his name to start grinning because that's how powerful his influence is. He inspires me to be better. To be happier. To see the good in others. Thank you, Lenny! Thank you for being my friend!

If you don't know Lenny, you should go meet him (he blogs HERE). Like, now. Okay, maybe like in a few minutes, because you don't want to miss what comes next.

Lenny, just for you, because I love you that much, I have prepared a vlog. A VLOG! I'm afraid it's hard to hear, for which I apologize, but anyway . . . ENJOY! (Seriously YouTube? You made THAT the thumbnail? *sigh*)

We all love and miss you Lenny! Please (super pretty please with sugar and a cherry on top!) come back to blogging!!

Or, as my personalized-license-plate-infatuated-self would say:  CUMBACK

This vs. That: Snowboarding vs. Skiing

So I haven't done this in forever, but I'm feeling in the mood for something light and fun, so here we go. Drumroll, please!

Skiing? Snowboarding? What did the masses choose? . . .

Total votes: 13

Snowboarding: 5 votes; 38%
Skiing: 8 votes; 62%
I voted skiing because I have never been snowboarding, but I'm kindof curious to try it. And at the same time, maybe not interested enough to give up my skis. Because I'm pretty good on skis. So why give up proficiency to learn something new, right? Okay, not right, but there we are.

How about you? If given the chance, would you try something new, or go with the tried and true? Gee, maybe that should be the next This vs. That! (Except I have a better one . . .)

Royals

 

vs.

 

Orioles

Controlling our Destinies

"Our decisions determine our destiny." ~Thomas S. Monson

There is so much in life that we can't control. So much that seems to affect who we are, who we will become, and in fact, our very destinies. I heard a snippet of an interview on NPR with an actor from That Seventy's Show, and they were talking about how much there is out of our control that determines our "success." (I put success in quotes, because that's a matter of definition, isn't it?)

The interviewer commented that making it big is not just about getting out there and working hard. He knows plenty of people who have been there working hard for a lot of years. People who have worked just as hard if not harder than the ones who DID make it big. So it's not just about work. It's about work, and luck, and timing, and the stars aligning, and Jupiter being in its 3rd rotation of the 5th lunar cycle and blah, blah, blah.

I've been thinking about this a lot this past week. In truth, we can work hard and never achieve that "success" that we all dream of. So much of that is out of our control.

But we can control our destinies. How do we react when we get that rejection? Do we throw our notebook across the room and refuse to ever write another word? Do we scream and rant and blame others for not giving us what we wanted? For sabotaging us? Or do we pick our tarnished pride up off the floor, wipe away the dust and move onward? Learn from experience?

Most of us will probably never make it big. But that doesn't mean we can't have bright destinies and leave a trail of shining good in our wake. It doesn't mean that we can't leave the world just a little better than we found it through our actions.

Because we can control that. We can control how we act and react to everything we face . . . good and bad. And that is what determines our destinies.

Have you ever felt proud for how you reacted in a bad situation?

In Which the Ten-Year-Old Takes Over

Today, I am going to turn my blog over to my ten-year-old. He is a devourer of books, and tells me he could talk about books for days and days. So without further ado, here he is:

I find books very fascinating because they are able to take you to places you wouldn't be able to go in real life. And when you are focused on a book, it starts to come alive in your mind. Pictures soaring through your thoughts. Personally, I prefer realistic fiction, and fantasy, and historical fiction.

I also enjoy mystery books. A to Z Mysteries are especially enjoyable. I find it quite interesting because in the mysteries they start asking the questions about who it could be and then they take their thoughts into an experiment and go through it like the scientific method.

My favorite book is called ICE FIRE by Chris D'Lacey which is the 2nd book of the Last Dragon trilogy. It is a very enjoyable book and when you read it, it feels like you are entirely swept away to another world.

For generations a family has created clay dragons that live and breathe fire. They can create these dragons because they are descendants of the last dragon. Then one day, a young boy comes to them as an exchange college student, and he discovers their secret. Later on during ICE FIRE, a witch tries to force the family to create her a real dragon, unlike the clay ones. The young boy is caught up in an enchantment by this witch and has to find his way out and save the day.

The reason I like ICE FIRE is because it doesn't reveal everything that's going on in the beginning. It kept me turning pages because I wanted to find out what was going on.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Sunny Days to Come

On the drive from Utah to Missouri, we had this gorgeous view:

 My camera is slow, and by the time the picture took, there was that car. But I kind of love the picture more for that. In life, we all face dark times.

Maybe we have family troubles. Maybe we have health issues. Maybe someone we love is struggling.

Whatever it is, whatever we are going through, there is always light at the end. Sunny days will come. That rainbow will light our way. Things will get better.

I can't help but look at this picture and smile for the good things to come.

Stay strong, my friends! Things will get better.

Summer is Over

Hello! I'm back! Summer has ended and time has sped up. In fact, I blinked and now it's the middle of September. Crazy!

 

Now I'm trying to remember what I actually did this summer. Let's see . . . 

• I worked.
• I drove a quarter of the way across the country.
• I went to a symphony in the mountains (Disney theme)
 
• I went to my 20 year High School Reunion (yes, I am that old).
• I worked some more.
• I played some soccer.
• I chauffeured my kids around.
• I worked even more.

. . . and gosh this list is boring. So instead of babbling on, I'll just bid you all a happy halloo!

 

 What have you all been up to?

Summer Break!

Summer is now in full swing, and rather than fight, I've decided to succumb and embrace the crazy. So I'll be taking a blogging break from now to the end of August.

In the mean time, here are some summer pictures to enjoy:

The last day of school:

The Drive-in:

Fireworks:

And of course, Ice Cream!

Have a great summer!

High Heels and Science: Being Girly is Okay

So this past week or so, this article about a Verizon commercial has been going around:

"Powerful Ad Shows What A Little Girl Hears When You Tell Her She's Pretty"

After watching the commercial, I have all kinds of things going through my head. Things that have been swirling about for a while now, and I am tired of holding it in. First, as a parent, I tell my boys not to get their clothes muddy, too. Because, LAUNDRY. Need I say more? And who are they to tell us what a girl hears when you tell her she's pretty? I'm a girl. I know just fine what I hear.

Because here is the thing: my personal experience as a girl was pretty much the opposite. No one took tools from me and said 'let your brother do that.' Everyone told me how great I was at science and math. From parents, to teachers, to professors. And knowing how much of a braggart I must sound, I was great at it. All my highest test scores and best/easiest grades were in math and science.

Everyone encouraged me to go into a science, depending on what subject they favored: My orthodontist told me I should be an orthodontist. My engineer dad encouraged me to be an engineer. My HS and college math professors said I should major in math. My physical science professor encouraged me to major in science.

And they were all men. They saw potential, they encouraged. Good on them! Exactly what the ad said adults should be doing. And what the ad suggests they aren't doing. Keep in mind, I am old. Like in my 30's *wink,* so this was back in the day women were discouraged from science, right?

By all accounts, I should have been in that 18% mentioned in the ad. Because I liked science. And I STILL liked it when I got to college. Plus, I was encouraged, which, according to this ad, simply doesn't happen for girls. And right up until my first semester of college, I planned to be an engineer.

So what happened? What went wrong???

Nothing.

That first semester, I realized that the classes that I loved were not math and science. So I switched. Majored in English. And I am one of those people who was somehow "failed" by society because I didn't major in science. Or so this study tells me.

Well I am here to tell you that I was not "failed." I did not fall out of love with math and science because society discouraged me or told me I couldn't be good at it. I simply loved other stuff more. I know it is not politically correct to suggest that gender might be an influence, but there it is.

In no way do I mean to suggest that there won't be women out there who love science best. Of course there are. And actually, I know and love quite a few of them. But why make the other 82% feel like crap for not choosing science? MUST we choose it simply because we can? Simply because others aren't?

I read an article where the author makes a conscious effort not to talk clothes or hair or pretty with little girls. And while I love a lot about the article, I was left with a question: What if a girl loves fashion? What if she loves make-up? What if she wants to cut hair? Are those desires unacceptable now? Are those subjects not "smart" enough? Not educated enough?

The coveted high heels

Because I have a little girl who loves all of that stuff. And trust me, this is not me thrusting girliness upon her. I was a Tomboy with a capital 'T.' I loved sports and taking things apart and running around without a shirt because my brothers could. So imagine my surprise when my own daughter is not like that. When my own daughter insists on cute girly froofy skirts that poof when she spins. When all she wants for her birthday is a pair of high heels (I don't even wear high heels!).

 

"But these jeans!" I say, "Don't you want to wear jeans? Like Mama?"

Nope, she's having none of it. She knows what she likes, and who I am to discourage that simply because the world says she should love science, and sports, and stuff that is not cutesy? Stuff that is "educated."

I have just read so many articles and seen so many ads (I'm talking to you, GoldieBlox with your anti-pink Super Bowl ad) on what you should and shouldn't say to little girls, and what you should and shouldn't give. I worry that the swing from healthy encouragement of letting girls be who they choose to be has switched to discouraging little girls from doing things that are esteemed to be "girly." Pink is not okay. Dresses are oppression incarnate. Choosing to teach or study English, or heavens, stay at home to raise children is letting societal stereotypes guide your life.

I assure you, it is not. And with that, I claim pink to be an acceptable color, dolls to be acceptable toys, and dresses to be acceptable attire.

In no way do I mean to belittle women who choose science. I LOVE science! I think it's great when women choose that—as long as it is their choice and not society forcing it upon them. I am sure there are girls who did not get the encouragement that I did. Girls who maybe would have gone into a science. And for that, I am sorry. Just as sorry as I am for girls who are put down for liking pink.

I defend the rights of girls to choose science or NOT. The rights of girls to love pink, blue, orange, black, fuscia, or all of them. To be a girly girl, a tomboy, or a mix of the two as they so choose. Society would vilify these words. Tell you they are insults. But I disagree! To be Girly is a joyous and beautiful thing. I know because I see it daily with my own daughter. To be a Tomboy is exciting and a daily adventure. I know because I lived it.

There is room for all of it, and we need to find a way to encourage the one without denigrating the other (whatever your preference may be).

RED BUTTERFLY Winner!

And the winner is . . .

Jessie Oliveros!

Congratulations!! You've won a pre-order of Amy Sonnichsen's RED BUTTERFLY, which is set to release Feb. 3, 2015.

I have sent an email, and I'll get you all set up as soon as I have your address.

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Passionate Discussions on Social Media

***Five days left to enter for a chance to win a pre-order of RED BUTTERFLY (link)***

I am a person with strong opinions. Only natural considering my family loves to discuss. After meals, we'd sit around the family room and "passionately discuss" (my husband's euphemism for the sport). I never thought much about it until my then-boyfriend, now-husband sat in with us. He was shocked that we hadn't all leaped over the coffee table to beat each other up. I was shocked at his take on the evening.

But since that time, I have thought a lot about how a discussion can come across. Especially in the last few years, given the explosion of social media. I love discussing things passionately, but I have been amazed at how quickly a discussion turns to mud-slinging on the internet.

Instead of discussing issues, people turn to name-calling. Anyone who doesn't agree with them is a jerk, and a whole slew of much more vulgar insults. To make things worse, intent of the Written Word can be much harder to interpret than that of the Spoken Word. Plus, it's easier to be rude when you don't have to look your audience in the eye, and it's double easier when you can post that rudeness anonymously.  The exchanges can leave you feeling like this:

Which is why I've hesitated to join in. Instead, I've kept my posts/tweets/status updates innocuous.

Once, I broke my silence. Expressed my confusion on a current Media to-do. I sincerely wanted to understand and said as much, asking commenters to keep it civil.

From that, I had a "friend" explode on me. It was crazy. She unleashed her anger on me over a slew of subjects that had nothing to do with my post, and before I could even figure out what had gone wrong, she unfriended me. And I don't just friend anyone on Facebook. This was someone I knew well. Someone I truly considered to be a friend. It made me sad.

More thinking ensued, and in the end, I determined that I can't avoid discussion forever. But I refuse to let others dictate my behavior. As such, I have come up with three rules of conduct for social media:

1. Treat others the way you would want to be treated (the Golden Rule, yo).

This means you gotta show respect. People will have different opinions than yours, but going all kinds of piranha-crazy-fish on them isn't going to change anyone's mind. When someone can express their views passionately yet respectfully, I'm much more likely to listen. 

2. Let your work gel before hitting "send."

Does what you are typing really need to be said? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Let it sit for a few hours and see if you still feel that responding to something is the best choice. But ask yourself: What am I accomplishing with this tweet/facebook post/response/social-media-message-of-choice? Are you really convincing others of something, or are you speaking to dead air? Are you venting, or are you defending something that needs defending? Time gives better perspective.

3. Accept that you cannot possibly please everyone.

No matter how nicely you say something, you will find people who just don't want to hear what you have to say. People have their own reasons for doing what they do. I've found people ready to be offended at nothing. We can't change others, we can only change ourselves. But if we are respectful in what we say on social media, try to consider other's points-of-view, well, in my book we will be happier.

What suggestions do you have for engaging in social media debates?

"The Butler" and Standing Up for What You Believe

This weekend I finally saw Lee Daniel's The Butler. Yes, yes, I'm behind in the movie-going world, but that's what you get when you have 3 kids and a husband still in training. (Let's just say the medical path is a long one, my friends).

But getting back to the point, this movie had me all over the emotional chart. You read about the civil rights movement, and the events and the horrors, but it's different seeing it a bit closer. So much courage! So much patience. I am in awe of Martin Luther King Jr. and his conviction and understanding of how to change people's minds. He and Dumbledore would get along great, because the answer really is LOVE. And the world desperately needs more men and women like him.

But I digress. There is so much I could say about this movie, but I won't. I'm choosing to focus on one aspect. One aspect that is the main theme, but I feel gets buried a bit by the end.

You see, the movie does this amazing job of showing the parallel lives of Mr. Cecil Gaines and his son, Louis. Cecil is a butler at the Whitehouse. Louis is a Freedom Rider who takes part in the sit-in at Woolworths, and other infamous events.

Louis is out doing. He is fighting for his freedom, and for the freedoms of all African-Americans. He is brave. He sacrifices his time, his safety, and even his family for what he believes. And he suffers. Countless stints in jail. Beatings. Every time he stands up in protest, he risks death. In short, he is a hero. Very obviously. No question.

And then there is Cecil. He does not fight. He plays the role that society expects of him. Subservient. Soft-spoken. Not allowed to express political views at the risk of losing his job. He is paid less than white men doing the same job, but doesn't even dare express discontent about that (at least at first). In short he fears. Fears for his life. Fears for his son's life. And yet . . .

And yet, he is a noble figure. In his own way he is fighting, too. It is not obvious. It is not brazen. But he is fighting, and his influence is felt. At one point Louis speaks of his father with Martin Luther King, Jr.. Louis has been ashamed of his father his whole life, but Dr. King responds with this:

"Young brother, the black domestic defy racial stereotype about being hard working and trustworthy. It slowly tears down racial hatred because it's an example of a strong work ethic and dignified character. Now while we perceive the butler to be mainly subservient, in many ways they are subversive, without even knowing it."

In short, Cecil is more powerful than either of them realized. Cecil's honest decency. His care and concern for others regardless of their personal views. He influenced people. He changed them.

There are so many parallels to this story in today's world. We are called on to stand up for what we believe in (whatever that may be). Sometimes we think there is only one way to do that. That we must fight. We must be brazen heroes like Louis, with courage that is obvious.

But quiet heroism. Love for others. Treating others kindly, even when you know their views diametrically oppose yours. That is power, too.

**Don't forget to enter for (link-->) a chance to win a Pre-order of RED BUTTERFLY**

THE RED BUTTERFLY's Cover Reveal!! + Win a Pre-order

Not quite two years ago, my blogging friend and I exchanged manuscripts. I knew hers was a novel-in-verse, but I didn't know quite what to expect. Well. Let's just say, I was blown away. Blown!

That, of course was a draft of Amy Sonnichsen's RED BUTTERFLY. It was touching and delicate. Beautiful and surprising! I still think about this story. And even though Amy didn't have an agent at the time, I knew it wouldn't be long.

Last Summer it was picked up by Simon & Schuster, Books for Young Readers, and is slated for publication in Winter 2015. And I'm THRILLED to be part of her cover reveal! Go Amy!! [And I'm sure she'd love it if you stopped by her blog, The Green Bathtub, to congratulate her!]

So first, the book blurb:

Kara never met her birth mother. Abandoned as an infant, she was taken in by an elderly American woman living in China. Now eleven, Kara spends most of her time in their apartment, wondering why she and Mama cannot leave the city of Tianjin and go live with Daddy in Montana. Mama tells Kara to be content with what she has … but what if Kara secretly wants more?

Told in lyrical, moving verse, Kara’s story is one of a girl learning to trust her own voice, discovering that love and family are limitless, and finding the wings she needs to reach new heights.

And if that doesn't have you dying to read it, just look at this beautiful cover!
 

 

A.L. Sonnichsen grew up in Hong Kong and then spent eight years in China as adult. She now lives on the dry side of Washington State with her dashingly handsome sidekick, five talented children, and a luxury cat. Red Butterfly is her first novel. Learn more at alsonnichsen.blogspot.com. Twitter: @alsonnichsen


~~~

And because I love this book so much, I want to give away a pre-order of it! Just enter in the Rafflecopter below, and feel free to spread the word. This contest is open to US and Canada addresses, and will close June 27th at midnight EDT. Best of luck!

Congratulations, Amy! I'm so excited for you and your beautiful book.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In Which I Impatiently Await Amy's Cover Reveal

This is my normal posting day, but I'm kind of excited, because Amy Sonnichsen is having her cover reveal this week for RED BUTTERFLY, and I get to be part of it!

Sooooo, I need ya'll to come back here on Friday, June 6 to see Amy's beautiful cover. It's beautiful guys. And perfectly perfect! I can't wait for you to see it, and I even more can't wait for you to read it. Will Winter of 2015 never come?!! :)

I'm so in love with this book, I just can't even . . . yeah. I can't.

See you on Friday! and P.S. if you aren't following Amy on twitter, you seriously should be. She tweets here: @alsonnichsen

Happy Memorial Day!

Just wanted to remember all the men and women who have served our country in the military, and give thanks.

Thank you, for your sacrifice! Thank you, for fighting for our freedoms!

Below is a picture of my grandpa:

Grandpa Sumner is circled (in case you wondered)

He had a limp from a horse-riding accident as a youth and so when he tried to join the Army during World War II, they wouldn't take him. The Navy wouldn't. The Marines wouldn't. The Airforce wouldn't.

But he felt so strongly about serving our country, that he kept trying. Finally, he was accepted into the Merchant Marines. During his service, his ship was torpedoed and he had to abandon it in shark-infested waters. Despite the chaos, he had the presence of mind to stop and grab his wallet, and because of that, he was able to help out his fellow soldiers when they got back to land (loan them money so they could get a hotel room, and eat and stuff).

I'm so proud of him and all others like him who give and have given of themselves selflessly. Thank you!

When You Have Nothing Left: On Soccer and Writing



So I started a soccer team. After watching my boys play, all the love for the game came rushing back until I couldn't stand it. I had to play. That's all there was to it.

 

There I am, circled. :)

My husband found an indoor soccer place with a women's league, and I convinced all my friends that they needed this in their lives. And it's kindof been awesome.

It doesn't matter that most of the women I play with have never played before. It doesn't matter that our team is terrible (if we can keep the other team to single digits, we feel pretty good!). We are out there taking a risk. Doing something different and having fun!

And being on the field has reminded why I love this sport so much. You have to dig deep, and run harder and faster than you think you can. Even when you have nothing left, you push yourself, because if you don't, you're not just letting yourself down, you're letting your teammates down.

The ball rolls free and it's a race. Muscles tense, you fly to beat your opponent. In that moment, you forget the ache, forget the scream in your lungs, because if the other team gets it, the opportunity is gone.

If you don't give it everything you have, you wind up like a puppet--yanked around while you, half-heartedly chase something you will never catch.

Writing is like this. As an author, you have to push yourself harder and dig deeper than you think is possible. It takes will power to make yourself sit in that chair and write. It takes focus to get those words from your brain onto paper.

And once it's down, that's only the beginning. Then you have to push yourself to find the story that's hiding in there. The one that wants to come out and shine if only you can dig deep enough. If only you can get past that voice that says it's too hard. Or that you aren't good enough. Or that your story's not good enough.

Push yourself! That ball is bouncing just out of reach, and if you don't give it your all, you will wind up chasing a dream that is always just out of reach. Always so close, but never in your grasp. Instead of shining, you become a shadow of what you could be.

We won't always win, but that doesn't matter. What matters is knowing you gave it your all. You gave it everything you had and then you gave more. You didn't quit. You focused. You conquered yourself and came out just a wee bit better.

And all those wee bits add up.

How do you push yourself?

Fun With License Plates

I don't know what it is, but April is akin to December at our house. Busy with all kinds of fun and crazy activities. I fully plan to tell you about my travels and the awesome writing conference I went to, but not today.

Today I wanted to share a little license plate fun.

First there was the one on the gray infiniti:

See it? In front of that white car? . . .

Okay, I was driving, and just couldn't get the picture, but this was the license plate:

NB3YOND

 

Awesome, no?

 

And then I saw this other gray car:

 

I don't know why it struck me as so funny, that the car wasn't pink. But now I need to know the story!

 

I ask this all the time, but I think the answer can change, so I ask it again: What would your personalized plate say today?



Winners!

The contest is over, and we have two winners of GABY, LOST AND FOUND by Angela Cervantes:

Sharon Mayhew

 

&

 

Akossiwa Ketoglo

Congratulations!! I've contacted you both with instructions for receiving your signed copy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Also, I'll be taking a blogging break in the month of April as most people are busy with the A-Z blogfest, and life is extremely busy with kids activities and end-of-the-school-year stuff. You know how it is. :)

Have a happy April, and I'll see you in May!

What I'm Reading: 10-y.o. Edition

We make frequent trips to the library at our house (luckily it's super close), and 10-year-old always leaves with stacks and stacks of books. I try to limit him to what will fit in the library bag--but it doesn't always happen that way. I think it's really interesting to see what others are reading, so here is a snapshot of just a few of his recent selections*:

What does your TBR (to-be-read) pile look like?

P.S. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a signed copy of Gaby, Lost and Found. You can find the Rafflecopter HERE.

*I may have read some of these, too. ;)

An Interview with Girlie: Angela Cervantes (+Giveaway!)

Back in August, one of my super sweet CP's (Critique Partner's), Angela Cervantes, published her debut middle-grade novel, Gaby, Lost and Found with Scholastic Press. If you haven't read it yet, you should! It is a touching story about a girl trying to find her place when her life is flipped up-side down. Here's the blurb:

Gaby Howard Ramirez loves volunteering at the local animal shelter. She’s in charge of writing adoption advertisements so that the strays who live there can find their forever homes: places where they’ll be cared for and loved, no matter what.

Gaby has been feeling like a bit of a stray herself lately. Her mother has recently been deported to Honduras, and Gaby is stuck living with her inattentive dad. She’s confident that her mom will come home soon so they can adopt Gaby’s favorite shelter cat together. But when the cat’s owners turn up at the shelter, Gaby worries that her plans for the perfect family are about to fall apart.

I'll be honest, I'm not a crier, but this one had me all choked up. I'm not an animal person, but she had me falling in love with each stray as I read the adoption advertisements. Gaby is a spunky character full of heart, and I'm certain you'll fall in love with her like I did.

 

I begged asked Angela if she'd be willing to do an interview with Girlie (my 4-year-old daughter), and she obligingly agreed.

 

So this is Girlie, and I'm going to let her take it from here:

 

Girlie: I don't know who you are. Who are you?

Angela: I'm Angela Cervantes and I'm author of Gaby, Lost and Found, which was published by Scholastic Press. :)

Girlie: I like to play Diego Wii with my friends. What do you like to do with your friends?

Angela: I enjoy going for coffee with my friends and playing tennis or baseball with them.

Girlie: I'm trying to make people happy by playing with them and sharing my stuff. How do you make people happy?

Angela: I think sharing things is a great way to make people happy. I'm going to have to do more of that. I also think people really like it when you're a good, honest friend to them and you remember their birthdays.

Girlie: People can be nice to each other and don't throw a fit. Is the girl with the cat in the backpack nice and doesn't throw fits?

 

Angela: The girl on the cover is Gaby and she is super nice. She's also brave, smart and a serious animal lover. She'd do anything to help a cat or dog if it were in trouble.  I think the only time she throws a fit is when she feels an innocent animal has been poorly treated. I don't blame her really.

Girlie: I like the kitty on the cover. I don't have a kitty. Do you?

Angela: I don't have a kitty either, but I'm glad you like the cat on the cover. That cat is named Feather. In this book, we find out that Feather was named Feather by the folks at the animal shelter because when she was brought into the shelter she was as light as a Feather. She and Gaby become good friends.

Girlie: You look cute in that picture and I like your skirt. Do you choose your own clothes? I do!

Angela: Thank you! I do choose my own clothes. I love picking out cute stuff to wear. I love bright colors like red, purple, pinks and yellows.

Girlie: Did you sign the book? Do we get to keep it?

 

Me: Sorry Girlie, I know you love this book, but we have our own copy. We're going to give these ones to some people who haven't read it yet.

 

Angela: I am always happy to sign a book for anyone who wants it. :) It's one of the nice perks of being an author.

Me: Angela, thanks so much for answering all of Girlie's questions. She loves your book and keeps sneaking it from my room! But I have a couple of questions for you, too. As you know, I re-joined our critique group shortly after you got the offer from Scholastic, so I missed the whole writing process. How long did it take you to write Gaby, Lost and Found? And would you tell us about your revision process, too?

 

Angela: It took nine months to write Gaby, Lost and Found and another two years of revision. I believe the real magic happens during revision and I enjoy it. For me, it's not as intense as the writing process. I go into revision knowing I have to chop away stuff. I go into writing never knowing what will happen so I definitely prefer revision. Although it can be painful-- especially when you have to take out a character (I had to remove two characters from Gaby, Lost and Found) or remove a favorite scene--but it's necessary if you're committed to making the story stronger.

 

Me: Oooh! I love knowing secret stuff like about books, like characters that didn't make the cut. I may have to hear about these characters at our next meeting. :) Okay, so last question. I kind of have this thing about personalized license plates. So, if Gaby were old enough to drive, what would her personalized license plate be?

 

Angela: Gaby's license plate would be GRLPWR.

Me: I love it! She definitely lives up to that. :)

Angela Cervantes is a poet, storyteller, and animal lover. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in various publications, including Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul. When Angela is not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her husband in Kansas and eating fish tacos every chance she gets. Gaby, Lost and Found is her first middle-grade novel. She is currently at work on her second book.

You can keep up with Angela at her website:

http://angelacervantes.com/

Now for the Giveaway! I have two signed (paperback) copies of Gaby, Lost and Found to give away to two lucky visitors. Just enter in the Rafflecopter below! The giveaway is open through March 31st. Good luck!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pitch Madness! and Giving Back

A year-and-a-half ago on a whim, I entered a little contest (under exaggeration there) called Pitch Madness. Amazingly I got in and had all kinds of interest, all of which led to an offer of representation! Woo hoo!!

Brenda Drake is one of the most giving authors I've ever encountered, and I owe her a lot, so today I want to do some giving back of my own. If you haven't heard, Pitch Madness is open for entries TODAY! Right up until 11:59 EDT. All entries time-stamped before that time will be considered (no cut-offs!). You can find more information HERE. But seriously, if you are seeking an agent, you should enter. Really.

Now, I am not claiming to be an expert, but I have had a lot of success with my past pitches, SO . . . as a way to give back, from now until 4:00 PM EDT (of Monday, March 10th), I am offering to critiquing/helping with anyone's pitch who wants help.

Simply send an e-mail to rjljohnson (dot) janet (at) gmail (dot) com with PITCH CRIT in the subject line, and the pitch you want critiqued in the body (remember, the pitches can only be 35 words). Feel free to ask any specific questions there, too. I will respond in the order they're received.

Please spread the word, and wishing all the Pitch Madness entrants the best of luck!

When Things Aren't Roses and Kittens

So I've been revising . . . revising a work that I have revised A LOT. And I want to tell you something:

It has been hard.

I've spent a lot of time just staring at the screen, begging my characters to do something, because I had no idea what should happen next. I have spent a lot of time not staring at the screen, lost in deep, deep thought as I've reconsidered, oh, pretty much every scene. And then reconsidered it all again.

And mixed in there, there's been a bit of typing, babysteps of progress, and slowly, slowly I'm getting through.

I've asked my husband more than once, "Why do I like this again?" Because in those moments when the plot feels impossible, and the characters feel flat . . . things can seem a bit bleak.

But then I came across this quote from Muhammad Ali:

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'"

-Muhammad Ali

True champions push through the hard times. They don't stop just because things aren't roses and kittens all the time. True champions realize that the reward is greater than the pain.

I will never get one of those belts with the ginormous gold buckle on it. And I may never even get a publishing contract for this book. But when I finish, when I get to that point . . . I will be a champion.

Because I was stronger than the doubts and the fears that tried to hold me back.

What are you battling against right now?

This vs. That: Pancakes vs. Cereal

As I tallied the votes on this debate, I suppose I was not surprised. Disappointed would be a better word for it. But here, I'll let you see for yourself:

Total votes: 15

Pancakes: 9 votes; 60%
Cereal: 5 votes; 33%
Smoothie: 1 vote; 7%

Cereal, people! Cereal. How could you not choose it? So quick to fix. So many different flavors! Good at all hours, night or day. In fact, just typing this up is making me want some.

But you. With your fixation on steamy, butter-melting, syrupy gooey pancakes. Sheer disappointment, that. And a smoothie? I just can't even. (You know I'm teasing, right Amy?)

On the bright side? More cereal for me! Because I want all the cereal. All of it!

And now, in the spirit of the Olympics, on to the next debate:

Snowboarding

vs.

Skiing

Chip On My Shoulder

Seriously guys. Today, I just have a chip on my shoulder. Some days are like that.

Maybe I should eat more carefully.

Has this ever happened to you?

Writing from a POV Outside your Culture

I have long heard the debate of whether a writer should attempt to write from a POV outside their own culture. The question is this: Can an author who is not of a certain ethnicity, do that ethnicity justice? Can s/he give an authentic point of view?

When you consider the works of people such as Amy Tan, Maya Angelou, and Khaled Hosseini, the idea feels pretty daunting if not impossible. How can you hope to capture the heart of a culture you haven't lived?

Yet I believe that if a writer is willing to put in the work, it's possible. Certainly, a character is not Hispanic, Chinese, French, or Russian just because we say they are. Simply giving them an accent is not good enough either.

Writing from the POV of another culture means a whole different way of thinking about the world. To list just a few of the things we must consider:

• Beliefs concerning family/family structure
• Religion
• How the economy affects them
• Monetary systems
• Views concerning money
• Class systems/beliefs
• Measurement systems
• Common animals
• Common foods
• School systems
• Government

Honestly, the list could go on for a long time. But if we want to be authentic, we will take the time to understand how these things work within the culture we are writing from.

To give just a small example, I spent 18 months in a French Territory. I lived with girls from all over the world (France, Tahiti, Vanuatu . . .). When I was preparing to come back to the USA, a girl I knew was interested in buying my bike. She asked how much I wanted for it, and I told her $75. That amount felt like a nice even and reasonable number.

But when we got home, my French roommate shook her head. "I just don't get you Americans. Why $75? Make it $70 or $80, that would be a nice round number. But you Americans insist on such odd amounts!"

I was flabbergasted. I had been going for a nice round number. To me, $70 or $80 felt uneven. But her comment made me think. Why did we see something so basic and seemingly simple in such a different way?

The answer? Our different monetary systems had biased our way of thinking. You see, the USA uses a 25 cent coin so my mind naturally breaks $100 into four 25's. I do it without thinking about it. France, on the other hand, uses a 20 cent coin. My French friend naturally counts by 10's and 20's.

Such a simple thing that leaked from our experience into our way of thinking. This is how cultural bias is formed. Understanding such simple differences is one of the things we must do to successfully write from a POV outside our own culture.

Have you or would you ever consider writing from a POV outside your culture? If you have, what suggestions do you have for achieving an authentic voice?

Challenging Ourselves

With some challenging revisions ahead of me, I've been feeling a bit daunted. Then today, I read this quote:

"Find [work] that challenges you, that raises you to higher levels of performance. It may be harder, but you will grow, develop better, and contribute more good. You really have no idea yet who you are and what you can accomplish in life. You have great potential far beyond what you can imagine today."

-Richard G. Scott

 

Love this! Love the idea that we have all this potential that is buried in us and that we must work to discover. I shall not be afraid of hard work! Because no matter what happens, it will always lead me to a better place.

 

What is challenging you?

 

P.S. Have you all heard of Sharon Mayhew's contest with literary agent Terrie Wolf? February is for Picture Books, but Middle Grade and YA works will each have their turn come March and April. Go check it out! It's a seriously awesome opportunity. :)

Finding Motivation



Middle child at 5, proud of his piano skills,
and oh, so motivated.

Growing up, we had a rule at my house. When you turned 5, you took piano. Hard and fast. I couldn't wait for my turn . . . until it actually came.

 

Then I hated it.

 

Hated that I was forced to waste precious daylight hours practicing the piano when I could be doing something much more important such as playing in the ditch with my friends.

 

I was 9 when I convinced my mom that I was wasting my time and her money (and I believe my piano teacher told my mom the same thing). I got to quit.

 

Which I appreciated until I found a piece of music I really wanted to play.* Suddenly I spent hours at the piano learning how to play it.

 

And then there was another song I loved, but the sheet music was terrible! I wanted to play what I heard on the radio. Next thing I know, I'm begging my dad for lessons on playing by ear.**

 

The point of all this is that when I wanted something, I found the motivation to spend time learning and practicing a skill. And it was FUN.

 

So let's get to the point. I love writing. I do. I love creating a new world that I (and hopefully others) can get lost in. I love meeting my characters and discovering their secrets. I love that feeling of satisfaction at having gotten the words just right . . . of having made someone laugh or cry or think or whatever it is. I love it.

 

Even so, sometimes I lose my motivation. I want to write. I want to immerse myself in that world, but I struggle to make myself actually do it.

 

So the question is why? Why do I struggle to make myself do something I love?

 

Honestly, I don't know why . . . but I have some theories.

• Winter doldrums: Totally real thing.*** It's cold. I'm tired. There's less daylight, and I'm getting less vitamin D. Winter is winter, and aren't we supposed to hibernate or something?
• Sheer laziness: Writing is work.**** Sometimes I just don't want to work. I want to laze about and catch up on those seasons of Sherlock I've missed.*^5 I'm sure you understand.
• My long-term goal is messing with my head: My overall goal is to finish. But when I think of the twenty bajillion more rounds of revisions I have to face in order to reach that goal . . . well, you can see why I just want to curl up in a ball, rock back and forth, and hum Kumbaya. It's overwhelming!
• I have kids: Yeah, this one's pretty self-explanatory. But it never fails . . . I'm just getting in the zone when the call of the wiley one echoes through the house: "MOM! Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum! Can. You. Come. Wipe. My. Bot. Tom." Yep, she yells it just like that. And when I go to her, she tells me that she yelled it just like that. She's pretty proud of that little rhyme. Gosh . . . I should use that in a picture book. ;)

So I could go on.*^6 But the point is, there are plenty of excuses we can use for why we didn't write. We need to find that one thing that keeps us going. We need to find that one song that motivates us. That one challenge that has us begging for more writing time. Because isn't that why we started on this road in the first place?

What is your motivation?

*It may or may not have been "Part of this World" from Little Mermaid, and I may or may not have sung this song incessantly at the time. But you'll never know for sure. ;)

**My dad's an amazingly accomplished musician and I don't mind bragging on him a bit.

***This is actually the reason that I doubt my ability to live in Alaska or anywhere way up North. How do you people do it?

****This it a totally true thing, too. ;)

*^5 That would refer to every season. So you can see why I really need to catch up.

*^6  Seriously. I swear I didn't just stare at the screen for five minutes trying to come up with a fifth theory.

Writing for Middle Graders

My ten-year old got a Kindle for Christmas. I might be a tad jealous since I don't even have one, but I guess Santa was feeling generous and understood just how much that kid loves to read. And encouraging reading? Well, it IS something I try to do.

One of my favorite things about the Kindle is watching how he chooses to spend his Amazon giftcards. At first, there were a couple of recently released books he was dying for (ones that were the latest in a series he'd been reading). The choices were easy. But with all the book suggestions from Amazon based on his buying history, he realized really fast that there were plenty of other books that cost a lot less than the $10 ones he'd been buying.

The kid's good at math, so he figured out that he could get MORE books if he got the books in the  $0.99 to $2.99 range. Unless it's a deal, I found that this range usually means self-published. I know plenty of talented self-published authors who work really hard to make their books awesome, so I had no problem with this. But I tried to go through the reviews before buying, to vet his choices. Because let's be honest . . . there's self-published and then there's self-published. Those who do it right, and those who . . . don't.

There was one book in particular where I found quite a few less-than-complimentary reviews about the quality of the writing: 'the characters are very one-dimensional'; 'the plot meanders completely from where it started in the beginning'; 'the story is very derivative' . . . Big enough issues that were brought up in enough reviews that I strongly discouraged him from getting it. That said, I let him make the final choice (since, you know, it WAS his money).

Of course he got it. "It sounds really good, Mom!" And wouldn't you know it, by the time he finished the book (later that day, I believe), he was RAVING about the thing. "This is my second-favorite book, ever!" And the kid reads A LOT of books.

This experience really made me stop. I've thought a lot about this. I mean, why do we kill ourselves to make our prose shine, when in the end, our younger readers haven't yet learned to discern the difference between excellent and mediocre writing anyway? My son liked this book because it involved dragons (his favorite subject), it had lots of action, and it reminded him of other books he loved.

Isn't that enough to strive for?

I have to conclude that it's not. When I consider the power of a book--a well-written book--how can I settle for anything less than my best? And it's not just about getting it right for the reader. The writing/revising of a book is a transcendent experience that I believe makes me better as a person. I learn to find empathy for the vilest of villains. I learn to consider ideas from all different points of view. I learn what's important to me, and I solidify my beliefs as I spend hours and hours with my characters and their views.

I can't help but think of J.K. Rowling. She wrote for middle grade readers, and she captured them with a fun and adventurous book. But her prose was so excellent, the ideas she tackled so relatable, that she didn't only capture middle graders. She captured the world and caused a revolution in the world of books.

Yes, her story is rare, but isn't that what we all strive for? To write something that leaves people (including ourselves) thinking well beyond the actual reading of it? How can we possibly hope for that if we don't give it our all?

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?