tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90540818954592941202024-03-13T23:43:27.500-05:00Marcia HoehneReading, Writing and (occasional) ArithmeticMarciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-61193036796160771542015-01-29T10:00:00.000-06:002015-01-29T10:15:00.788-06:00Snippets from the Undone Fear WorkshopI was cleaning out a drawer yesterday. If I had to name my favorite household task, I'd say, "Rearranging closets and drawers." You get to throw out or donate stuff (I'm not the pack rat type), you see what you've got, and you can make new arrangements. Oh, and if you can't fit everything into your fridge, give me a call. I'll make it fit! Even my mother has surrendered her skepticism.<br />
<br />
Well, a year or so ago, I was asked to lead an online discussion on the topic of writing fears. For one reason or another the workshop didn't happen, and in the aforementioned drawer I found my notes. They contain this quote from <i>Art and Fear</i> by David Bayles and Ted Orland:<br />
<br />
"The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your artwork that soars."<br />
<br />
Wow. Impactful way to break the news that your first novel, and very likely your second, third, or even more, won't sell. And shouldn't. This is always a hard point to raise with students, and I do so with relatively few. It would be unnecessarily discouraging to those who are still having struggles with basic craft and are not ready to think about marketing.<br />
<br />
Yet, this quote helps put several writing fears into perspective. "It's not working!" Maybe it isn't, but producing <i>quantity</i> will teach you. "The story is better in my head than on the page!" <i>Vision is always ahead of execution.</i> This is normal. You're producing quantity. You'll begin to close this gap somewhat, but it can't be completely closed. "It's too revealing!" But now you're getting somewhere. You're getting close to taking flight. Maybe you'll even soar.<br />
<br />
There are lots of other fears. One of the more fascinating to me is the fear of putting your potential at risk. It's easier to have potential than it is to risk acting on that potential and finding out you can't live up to it. Of course, if you're defining "can't live up to it" as "I produce a lot of work that stinks," see the <i>Art and Fear </i>quote. Another fascinating fear is the fear of making the final push to make a book all it can be. You're so "almost there," but you drag your feet on a final revision. I've seen this in action. Perhaps it's related to the fear of risking potential. Or the fear that this, too, will not be a piece that soars.<br />
<br />
Your thoughts? Your fear? If you dare, share it here! :)Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-25803997301620830672015-01-22T06:00:00.000-06:002015-01-22T06:00:04.448-06:00Beyond the Laughing Sky, by Michelle Cuevas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BlOLrpsdb7Q/VMB-y4h9vvI/AAAAAAAAA8c/S7aIVmFmmHc/s1600/Beyond%2Bthe%2Blaughing%2Bskyblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BlOLrpsdb7Q/VMB-y4h9vvI/AAAAAAAAA8c/S7aIVmFmmHc/s1600/Beyond%2Bthe%2Blaughing%2Bskyblog.jpg" /></a></div>
The first thing I noticed about this lovely middle-grade book was its trend. Along with <i>Nest</i>, by Esther Ehrlich, <i>Nightingale's Nest</i> by Nikki Loftin, <i>Under the Egg,</i> by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, and others (but the foregoing three are ones I've read), this is about a child who either has a striking affinity for birds, might actually be part bird, or more than likely <i>is</i> a bird. This novel does a wonderful job of letting you know right from the start that you can expect fantasy. The first line reads: "Nashville and his family lived in a house perched in the branches of the largest pecan tree in the village of Goosepimple."<br />
<br />
We learn early on that Nashville wasn't exactly born to his parents. He was hatched from the egg of a Nashville warbler that spilled from a nest outside his parents' window, and from the start he looked like a boy with a beak and feathers on his head in place of hair. Despite a sweet, supportive home with his parents and his younger sister, who came long in the usual way, Nashville wants most of all to have wings. He knows he belongs in the sky, he wants to fly, and the plot has to do with how he finds the way.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of heartwarming moments. For example, though Nashville is teased at school sometimes, and tries to blend in (in one scene, he goes to the barber and has his feathers buzzed off), he also receives some touching acceptance and the beginnings of friendship from the boy he's afraid will be his nemesis. And there are humorous moments. Nashville volunteers at the local pet shop, and when he hatches a scheme to let the birds sample flying by tying them all to strings and holding them like a bunch of balloons, he causes a public sensation and is told by the store owner, "Nashville, you are absolutely, irrefutably, indubitably <i>FIRED</i>." There are more lovely lines, and here's a favorite: "At some point during the night, summer had left town, had packed a suitcase full of fireflies and swimming holes, and whistled on down the road."<br />
<br />
The omniscient point of view is just right for this fantasy with a classic feel, and may remind more than one reader of Kate DiCamillo. While the message of being who you were born to be is a bit obvious, and I thought the POV faltered in a spot or two, overall this is a winner. Definitely recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-28135123981553917662015-01-15T06:00:00.000-06:002015-01-15T06:00:06.930-06:00Quoth the WriterNormally, I've quoted writers I agree with often, even virtually always. Let's change that up a bit today. Mark Twain is a guy I often find entertaining, and I think one of his strengths is the good job he does of communicating that human nature stays the same, even across a couple of centuries. Here are some goodies:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>To succeed in life you need two things: ignorance and confidence.</li>
<li>The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.</li>
<li>Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.</li>
<li>You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.</li>
<li>If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.</li>
<li>Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.</li>
<li>My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Some quotes from Mr. Twain, though, leave me going, "Hmmm." My commentary in parentheses:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. (How I love the first two, but best wake that conscience up.)</li>
<li>Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company. (Nah -- you wouldn't like the company. I don't care how many of them were your friends on Earth.)</li>
<li>If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first. (I know "do the biggest job first" is common advice, but I do the piddly stuff first and then tackle the big one. I like knowing there's not a bunch more to do when I get done with it.)</li>
<li>Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect. (Okay, granted. Don't follow the majority blindly. But I've had too much experience with two, five, or ten heads being better than one to swallow this idea whole.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
At one time or another, you've probably part of discussions of what makes humor humorous. (My top answer is <i>surprise</i>.) Mark Twain's quotes remind me of another quality that makes something funny -- for me, anyway: I have to buy into the underlying point or message of the humor. I know "The lack of money is the root of all evil" is supposed to be funny, and on a very surface level it is. I would laugh if someone said it. But since I don't believe that's true (and since I suspect MT might have the original quote wrong, too), the statement loses some of its intended humorous impact. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What do you think of these? Are there any you'd switch to the opposite list?</div>
</div>
Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-11105676477349599632015-01-01T06:00:00.000-06:002015-01-01T06:00:02.737-06:00New Year's Words...as opposed to resolutions. I'm sure I must have been a teenager when I figured out that most New Year's resolutions were little more than whims of a moment. Wishful thinking. Statements that began with "This year, I'd really like to..." and ended right there, with little more thought to them, let alone any action taken, or a few weeks of success at best before old habits kicked in again. Although I love the sense of starting over that accompanies January 1, the day after Labor Day, and sometimes birthdays, I find that most resolutions -- real resolves to do something, or change something -- are not primarily motivated by the calendar.<br />
<br />
Recently, I've seen people settle on *words* to keep in mind for the coming year. Single words like<i> Focus, Patience, Joy, Simplify, Begin, Finish, Persevere,</i> <i>Faith,</i> and even <i>No</i> (for those who need to practice pursuing their own calling instead of constantly letting themselves be talked into staffing someone else's) have been chosen as watchwords for a year. Although I've been just as remiss in choosing a word for an entire year as I have been in making resolutions (and neither neglect bothers me a whit), I am interested in the idea of words for seasons of life, words that sum up where we are right now and where we need to go.<br />
<br />
Have you chosen watchwords or bywords for yourself in recent years (or felt chosen <i>by</i> a word, almost the way a writer is sometimes chosen <i>by</i> the story)? Do you have a word for 2015?<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-38997316334555623122014-12-25T06:00:00.000-06:002014-12-25T06:00:04.904-06:00Merry Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKw2dbyCxjg/VGge6wnboYI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/TgQh5SYEqWE/s1600/Christmas-Nativity-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oKw2dbyCxjg/VGge6wnboYI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/TgQh5SYEqWE/s1600/Christmas-Nativity-3.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
I hope the real stable was as cozy as this looks. I love how even the animals seem hushed and attentive. When I think that even birds and baby chicks, as well as donkeys, sheep, and goats, were privileged to witness the birth of Christ, it's a reminder that no creature on earth can be dismissed as insignificant. We have no idea what destiny may be assigned to such as these.<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas, everyone.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-78204883205388714252014-12-18T06:00:00.000-06:002014-12-18T06:00:04.581-06:00The Swift Boys and Me, by Kody Keplinger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eHhCWG8GLlo/VIT_pskTCZI/AAAAAAAAA7w/Ddhj0N372a0/s1600/SwiftBoysblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eHhCWG8GLlo/VIT_pskTCZI/AAAAAAAAA7w/Ddhj0N372a0/s1600/SwiftBoysblog.jpg" /></a></div>
Nola, age 12, has been friends with the three Swift boys for her entire life. In fact, they live in the other half of the duplex. Brian, the oldest, is sensitive and kind. Kevin, the youngest, is constantly talking. And Canaan, the middle brother, is Nola's age, and he has always stood up for her.<br />
<br />
Then one day, Mr. Swift gets in his car and drives away. He's left his family, without even a goodbye. Ironically, Nola saw him go, waved to him, and received a wave back, which, as she says, was more of a goodbye than the boys got.<br />
<br />
And the Swifts fall apart. Kevin, who we find out blames himself because the last thing his father had told him to do was quit talking, goes mute. Brian tries to run the household for a while after their mother sinks into depression, but it's too much for him and in effect he runs away from home, staying first with one friend and then another. And Canaan takes up with the mean boys. Far from sticking up for Nola, he's now one of her tormentors.<br />
<br />
Nola tries to support the boys, but succeeds only with Brian, and then only temporarily. She also tries to find their father -- mostly because <i>she</i> wants everything to go back to normal, which is no doubt realistic -- and actually does locate him living with another woman in the next town over. But Nola's life is changing, too. Her mom is remarrying, and the couple's plan to buy a house means Nola will have to move out of the duplex. And are the boys there for her? No, they are not.<br />
<br />
My favorite aspect of the book is the characters. I liked Nola, the boys, her mom, the new stepdad, and Nola's other friends, Felicia and Teddy. We become disillusioned with Canaan, which I think is inevitable and probably the author's intent, not only because of how he's treating Nola, but because we come to suspect that Canaan's past bad-mouthing of Teddy was completely undeserved. In fact, now that Nola is less tied to Canaan, she is less dependent on his opinions and more able to stand up for herself.<br />
<br />
The cover is a bit "cuter" than the novel itself, and does not portray Nola's slight overweight, which is often referred to in the story. (But as one of my editors once said, "That's marketing for you!") And it's possible that Nola understands everything just a bit too neatly at the end, although the plot threads are by no means tied up in a perfect bow. Recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-71362297616209052492014-12-13T21:18:00.000-06:002014-12-13T21:18:14.498-06:00It's Saturday Already?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYHECAxKAE8/VIz_2wG6CbI/AAAAAAAAA8A/cVzpIOE5sQY/s1600/oops.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYHECAxKAE8/VIz_2wG6CbI/AAAAAAAAA8A/cVzpIOE5sQY/s1600/oops.gif" /></a></div>
My weekly post got away on me this week. But, on both my editing job and my own writing, I've been<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gON8GTw43OY/VI0A-PW2W0I/AAAAAAAAA8I/TP36ekGGtIc/s1600/typingblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gON8GTw43OY/VI0A-PW2W0I/AAAAAAAAA8I/TP36ekGGtIc/s1600/typingblog.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I'll be back next Thursday, though. I read another book to share with you. Till then, have a great one. :)Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-77141047754082614682014-12-04T06:00:00.000-06:002014-12-04T06:00:04.593-06:00Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hlp81zDXSk/VH0Qc9v5osI/AAAAAAAAA7g/YiiLMOtp3_E/s1600/Brown%2BGirl%2BDreamingblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Hlp81zDXSk/VH0Qc9v5osI/AAAAAAAAA7g/YiiLMOtp3_E/s1600/Brown%2BGirl%2BDreamingblog.jpg" /></a></div>
Oh, my. This is a simply beautiful book. Books written in verse aren't for everyone, but I tend to like them because the emotion is concentrated and the language precise. I didn't say "verse novels," because this isn't a novel. It's a memoir.<br />
<br />
I think most writer/bookworm types are naturally drawn to a book about how a writer grows. To view the writing through a wider lens, it's about a girl finding her voice and her purpose. It's also about encouragement: I as a reader find myself a bit breathless at the fact that Jacqueline Woodson said, and told herself, that she wanted to be a writer from a very young age, <i>and she did it.</i> Oh, how she did it. And to broaden the scope even more, it's very much about the African-American experience in the days of the struggle for civil rights and beyond.<br />
<br />
There are surprising bits, such as Woodson's upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness, and gut-punching bits, such as her younger brother lying in bed at night, eating paint chips off the walls. There are arresting lines, such as "Even Salome intrigues us, her wish for a man's head / on a platter -- who could want this and live / to tell the story of that wanting?" and lines that raise ire, such as her mother's warning concerning storytelling: "If you lie, one day you'll steal." As a matter of fact, I don't reject that statement in general; I think lying <i>is</i> a form of stealing; it's theft of the truth. But the claim, even by writers (about which I have <a href="http://marciahoehne.blogspot.com/2013/02/soapbox-series-7-or-reading-riting.html">ranted</a> in the past), that storytelling is lies just makes me all kinds of crazy. Tell that to Jesus or to Nathan the prophet.<br />
<br />
Although I'd like to know what Jackie's siblings did with their lives as well, we don't find that out. However, the book cries out for photos and that cry is answered; they're included in the back.<br />
<br />
There aren't many books, when it comes right down to it, that should become required reading; this is one of them. Highly, highly, highly recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-77478462081728403942014-11-27T06:00:00.000-06:002014-11-27T06:00:02.850-06:00Happy Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpVqGxX4tHU/VGgdIwknzOI/AAAAAAAAA7E/8dB7_dOpVuk/s1600/Thanksgivingblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IpVqGxX4tHU/VGgdIwknzOI/AAAAAAAAA7E/8dB7_dOpVuk/s1600/Thanksgivingblog.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
May your lives be fruitful and your baskets overflow. Happy Thanksgiving, all.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-35128916056325727322014-11-20T06:00:00.000-06:002014-11-20T06:00:11.394-06:00SCBWI-WI NE Area Fall Meet-up: "Working with Agents and Editors"I had the pleasure and privilege of being on the panel with these lovely ladies just this past Saturday, November 15. Here we are:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNO72fmuemc/VGgWANvqwpI/AAAAAAAAA6s/yHt0wPdNdGU/s1600/2014SCBWI-WI-NEpanel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNO72fmuemc/VGgWANvqwpI/AAAAAAAAA6s/yHt0wPdNdGU/s1600/2014SCBWI-WI-NEpanel.jpg" height="376" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Oops! Looks like I colored outside the lines a little there. But this way you can see us better.<br />
<br />
We met in a lovely old building with lots of dark wood that houses Harmony Cafe in Appleton, WI. And the event was just what it sounds like: Attendees asked questions about working with agents and editors, and we shared our experiences. Researching, querying, revising, publicizing, deciding when a book is ready to query, when you should or shouldn't do an R&R (revise and resubmit), subsidiary rights -- all these and more were covered. Lunch was included, during which there was plenty of friendly chat; it's amazing how talkative a roomful of introverts can actually be. It would have been great to be able to stay longer and share more, which I guess is very much a sign of a successful event. A good time was had by all!Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-19722498095740581492014-11-13T06:00:00.001-06:002014-11-13T06:00:03.839-06:00Guest Post by Bish Denham, Author of A Lizard's Tail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-40sAm9EHcwc/VF-LKVMAwBI/AAAAAAAAA6c/i_8gOuXSFu8/s1600/Lizard'sTailblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-40sAm9EHcwc/VF-LKVMAwBI/AAAAAAAAA6c/i_8gOuXSFu8/s1600/Lizard'sTailblog.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
Today, let's welcome <a href="http://bish-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/">Bish Denham </a>and let her tell us about her newest release, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lizards-Tail-Bish-Denham-ebook/dp/B00OE6KHE0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415291515&sr=1-1&keywords=a+lizard%27s+tail">A Lizard's Tail. </a></i>If you're like me, you love the look in that lizard's eye! And here's Bish, to tell us all about him.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s All in the Name<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks for letting me visit your blog, Marcia!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People ask me where I get my ideas and how long it’s taken
to get something written. Well, <i>A Lizard’s Tail </i>has been simmering for a long
time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It began around 1977 in the Virgin Islands while I was
working for a friend who had a ceramics shop. She made souvenir ceramic mugs
and other touristy things, for wholesale. I helped with pouring slip, cleaning,
and glazing. One slow days we’d sit around playing with clay, making small
sculptures, beads, or hand-molding bowls.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One day I “sculpted” a lizard. When it was dry, I glazed it
and fired it. It came out looking quite mischievous and obviously needing a
name. Another employee, who helped pack and deliver orders to the various
stores, was a nice, humorous guy name Marvin.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He saw the lizard and liked it so much I decided to name it
after him, to which he replied that Marvin needed a last name. Right then a
wind chime tinkled. From out of the blue his full name came to me. Marvin P.
Tinkleberry. What the “P” stood for I had no idea, but we all agreed the name
suited my little lizard sculpture quite well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I knew immediately that I had a character for a story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Early notes indicate that I was thinking of making him a
kind of story teller that explained things like, why hibiscuses are red or why
lizards do push-ups. But none of those ideas felt right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so Marvin slumbered. Later notes talk about him being
vain and full of himself. I was getting closer. Then, about ten years ago, the
actually idea for a story came to me. Marvin had to have conflict, what greater
conflict could he have than dealing with a dangerous feral cat?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thus, <i>A Lizard’s Tale</i> began to take shape. I wrote the first
rough draft in short order. It was the revising and rewriting that took a long
time. I did it in bits and pieces, in fits and starts, because for me, revising
is the hard, boring part, though I’m getting better at it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I self-published <i>Anansi and Company</i>, I was determined
to put Marvin out there too. And now, here he is in all his glory, a vain,
young lizard who believes he has a destiny.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What, you may ask, does the “P” stand for? Well, you’ll have
to read the story to find out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you have ideas that have simmered for years before taking
shape? Do you enjoy revising or is it a part of the job you don’t like? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
*********</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Bish Denham was raised in the U. S. Virgin Islands. Her
mother's side of the family has lived in the Caribbean for over one hundred
years and she still has plenty of family there whom she visits regularly. She says, "Growing up in the islands was like living
inside a history book. Columbus named the islands, Sir Francis Drake sailed
through the area, and Alexander Hamilton was raised on St. Croix. Then there
were the pirates who plied the waters. Life for me was magical, and through my
writing I hope to pass on some of that magic."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bish has known many lizards in her life. Marvin and Leeza
are based on two that lived in her bedroom. She is the author of <i>Anansi and Company: Retold Jamaican
Folk Tales</i> which you can find on Amazon.com.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-2028605510552116472014-10-30T06:00:00.000-05:002014-10-30T06:00:03.482-05:00Short Blog Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GCQJcRzjIOE/VFGqftJwamI/AAAAAAAAA6M/F_-l4sCBskU/s1600/white%2Bflag%2Bblog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GCQJcRzjIOE/VFGqftJwamI/AAAAAAAAA6M/F_-l4sCBskU/s1600/white%2Bflag%2Bblog.gif" height="196" width="320" /></a></div>
Once again, tomorrow is Thursday, it's late, and I have to admit that life has just plowed me under for now. I'm taking a blog break this week and next week. But please do join me back here on <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><u>November 13</u>,</b></span> because there's going to be a <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><u>guest poster</u>,</b></span> and you'll want to find out who it is! Until then, be well, my friends.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-71170645452606049132014-10-23T06:00:00.000-05:002014-10-23T06:00:03.298-05:00Tomorrow (Today) is *Thursday*I usually schedule my posts. I'm scheduling this one, too. Except I'm doing so at 10pm the night before, because I just remembered *tomorrow is Thursday*. Or, as you read this, today is Thursday.<br />
<br />
I'm busy writing, editing, teaching, SCBWI-ing, prepping for Election Day (I'm a pollworker), getting ready to host a grandchild this weekend (aack! Groceries needed!), and planning an upcoming short vacay to Indiana. I am not, frankly, reading much right now. But that's another thing I must do: line up some books for the vacay. My daughter-in-law and I always build reading time into the visits. Really, we're all reading something or other at some time or other, and the girls will ask for stories before bed. I can picture those cozy book-and-ice-cream evenings already.<br />
<br />
I'm writing this now -- it's kind of like being up late to do homework -- because just a little while ago I finished a big scene in my novel. I feel accomplished! But then I realized there's a problem. I want "tomorrow" in the book to be Sunday, and...you guessed it, "tomorrow" is *Thursday*. I'll have to figure out what to do about that.<br />
<br />
But now, I'm going upstairs to make that grocery list. Because I need the food by Friday morning, and *tomorrow is Thursday*.<br />
<br />
Happy Thursday, everyone.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-17715289796115783092014-10-16T06:00:00.000-05:002014-10-16T06:00:00.180-05:00Nest, by Esther Ehrlich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VrMp5MdQJQ8/VD7S53TcS-I/AAAAAAAAA58/I6-0hKK1oLs/s1600/Nestblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VrMp5MdQJQ8/VD7S53TcS-I/AAAAAAAAA58/I6-0hKK1oLs/s1600/Nestblog.jpg" /></a></div>
Naomi, eleven years old in 1972, loves birds so much that she's called "Chirp" by everyone who knows her. She shares a love of dancing with her mother, while her older sister, Rachel, relates better to their psychiatrist father's penchant for counseling, which he does even within their family, often with gently humorous results. At least, at first.<br />
<br />
Early on, Chirp's mom is diagnosed with MS. She can't dance anymore, and with this loss her mental health declines even faster than her bodily health, to the point where she is eventually hospitalized for depression. At this point, I must say that my involvement in the book lay more with the mother than the MC. Because I imagined losing writing the way the mother lost dancing, and even though I know I could not make writing my identity the way the mother made dancing hers, it would still be hard at times not to do exactly that. On top of this, having a therapist husband didn't spare the mother at all, or even really help her any.<br />
<br />
As Chirp goes through the absence of her mother, the acting out of her sister, and the misunderstanding of her well-meaning father who doesn't really get her, she becomes friends with Joey, a somewhat sketchy neighbor boy who in the opening scene is throwing rocks at poles. Joey has problems of his own at home, and the personal pain each one carries makes their friendship fragile, in part because Joey understands Chirp's situation from the start whereas she's mainly blind to his. The 1970s details were a pleasant trip back in time for me, but also a jolting reminder that back then issues such as child abuse and mental illness were both swept under the rug and less gently treated. One example of this is the matter-of-fact way that Chirp refers to her mother's place of confinement as the nuthouse.<br />
<br />
This is a beautiful book, well written and with affecting emotions. While I don't really want to issue spoilers, I feel some obligation to point out that the book gets a lot harder, sadder, and darker before the story's through, and it could be a bit too much for a very sensitive middle-grader. Other than that, though, this is highly recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-2397864988092481172014-10-09T06:00:00.000-05:002014-10-09T06:00:07.976-05:00Writing RetreatLast week, I said I'd post next about my writing retreat. That place that's a little more "civilized" than the wi-fi-less getaways some of my friends prefer. Last spring, my friend Anne and I found The Audubon Inn in Mayville, WI, and after our second stay there just this past week, I think it's become our permanent semi-annual retreat spot for several reasons. First, it's about as equidistant between our homes as you can get -- about an hour's drive for each of us. Second, and highly important, we got great discounts for weeknight stays through <a href="https://www.livingsocial.com/">Living Social</a>. Third, it's lovely, every room has its own whirlpool, the staff members are friendly and accommodating, there are wonderful eateries in the area and in the inn itself, every room has its own whirlpool, there are writing desks with Tiffany lamps, there's wi-fi, and every room has its own whirlpool! Here it is:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-330s6ruFhaU/VDWQSgcTEQI/AAAAAAAAA5s/kHMRxVWLrUs/s1600/Audubon%2BInn%2Boutside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-330s6ruFhaU/VDWQSgcTEQI/AAAAAAAAA5s/kHMRxVWLrUs/s1600/Audubon%2BInn%2Boutside.jpg" height="346" width="400" /></a></div>
Toward the left, by the tree, you can see the sign that says NOLA. This is a New Orleans themed restaurant where we ate once for a meal and twice for dessert, and it was great. (The other two nights of our three-night stay we ate Chinese and Italian.) My windows on the second floor, right side, overlooked the side street, as did Anne's. I did nothing but write, sleep, whirlpool, and throw my clock away except for meeting Anne for dinner at our chosen hour. Anne took a walk, too. Next time, which will probably, hopefully, be in spring, I will do the same, unless the winds of spring are too raw for my indoor-girl sensibilities.<br />
<br />
The immersion benefits have carried over. I'm determined to recreate retreat conditions at home whenever I get the chance, and October looks pretty favorable. At this point I should probably pause and sing my husband's praises. This retreating business doesn't work only because we're empty-nesters; it's also that he strikes the most wonderful balance between attentiveness and self-sufficiency, and cheerfully does more than his share of household tasks. He and our sons have an event planned for this weekend, and I'm actually going to have two days and two nights to myself, so I sense another retreat coming on. Still, longing for another return to the Audubon come spring.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-27880920894230468312014-10-02T06:00:00.000-05:002014-10-02T06:00:04.347-05:00Writing Process Blog TourI was tagged for this by my friend <a href="http://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/">Vijaya Bodach</a>, who, as she says, has powers of persuasion. And besides, this means getting to talk writing, so why not?<br />
<br />
1. <b>What are you working on?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Middle-grade fiction, in general. A MG contemporary literary mystery, in particular.<br />
<br />
2. <b>How does your work differ from others of its genre?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Oh boy. Possibly by breaking too many rules. I may come across as basically just a nice girl, but at any given moment I'm probably pushing the envelope, and a rule or two are probably being broken. :)<br />
<br />
3. <b>Why do you write what you do?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Good grief, even for someone who likes to ruminate at length, these questions are tough. I can give answer-fragments. Part of it is that my inner 12-year-old is very much alive and well, but she'd like to do a better job of being 12 this time around. Part of it, I'm sure, is that I'm dredging up from my spirit dilemmas and themes that I find important. Part of it is that I love and respect the power and the far reach of truly great MG fiction. And part of it is just mysterious: I do because I do because I do.<br />
<br />
4. <b>How does your writing process work? </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
When an idea starts, I'm usually scribbling on a legal pad. When there's enough there that it looks like the thing has legs, I get it a three-ring notebook. That's like the commitment stage. I say to it, "You are henceforth a novel." I have sections labeled Characters, Plot, Research, Revision, Setting, Themes, Titles, and any other headings that might apply. This becomes the book's bible. I make notes in each section as the book comes together, in whatever order things come. I spend a lot of time working out the backstory and logic framework: How things got this way and exactly how they hold together. I find a floor plan for any important buildings, sketch maps, make calendars, and at the point where I really feel like I want to start writing, I don't hold back. I start.<br />
<br />
I have a sense of the plot when I start, but I never outline fully. That ends up being too much like a pattern I have to follow. I <i>love</i> Larry Brooks's <i>Story Engineering</i>, and I fill out his four-box plot structure on a sheet of 11x17 paper as I write the first draft. So the outline doesn't precede the first draft; it grows alongside it. I loathe index cards.<br />
<br />
I do research any and every time a question comes up. Some writers leave holes and come back to those spots later; not me. I find I might learn something that makes or breaks the whole scene, or the whole plot. Better to learn that now. This means that when I go on a writing retreat, I need an internet connection. I have friends whose major purpose for going on a writing retreat is to get offline. For them, a remote cabin with no wi-fi works. I need just a tad more civilization.<br />
<br />
Tune in next week, and I'll show you what that "civilization" looks like!Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-1288794504884511802014-09-25T06:00:00.000-05:002014-09-25T06:00:01.569-05:00The 14 Fibs of Gregory K, by Greg Pincus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf4R36goW80/VBTa7pEyXuI/AAAAAAAAA5U/NJdzqemP6H4/s1600/the%2B14%2Bfibs%2Bof%2BGKblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf4R36goW80/VBTa7pEyXuI/AAAAAAAAA5U/NJdzqemP6H4/s1600/the%2B14%2Bfibs%2Bof%2BGKblog.jpg" /></a></div>
This is a realistic MG novel about math and writing. How could I not read it?<br />
<br />
Gregory is a middle child. Not only that, he's the middle child math-hater in a family of math lovers. Really, math eaters, breathers, and sleepers, if you're looking at Gregory's father and his older brother Owen, who both won the famed "City Math" competition in their day, and who spend almost all of their time in an attic study devoted completely to math. Mom, whose feet are a bit more on terra firma, is an accountant. (Not the same thing, but to anybody who hates math, it probably is.) Kay, Gregory's younger sister, is just wicked smart, period.<br />
<br />
Gregory loves to write, which he has not dared breathe a word of to anyone except his best friend, Kelly, who shares that love and who wants him to go to Author Camp with her in the summer. Especially since Kelly and her mom are moving away after the school year ends in a few short weeks and they won't see each other much anymore. Gregory promises they will go. Except he hasn't asked his parents, and he can't do that because they'll say no due to his current failing math score. In fact, his parents are going to make him go to Math is Magic Camp if he can't get his grade up. Continuing to fib to his parents about his love for math, because he can't bear to baldly state that he doesn't fit into his family, he recklessly declares that he's going to enter City Math himself.<br />
<br />
In short, the key to Gregory's getting through all this is that he makes up a form of poetry he calls "Fibs." The poems contain 6 lines, a total of 20 syllables, and each line has a number of syllables equal to the first six Fibonacci Numbers: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. (In the Fibonacci Sequence, each number is equal to the sum of the previous two.) The Fibs begin each chapter and are sprinkled throughout, besides, and are delightful.<br />
<br />
Gregory's math teacher is a really good character, and Gregory does have to work for his grade. However, I have this underlying feeling that, despite the great things that happen in the personal study program they devise, Gregory is really leaving 6th grade not knowing what he needs to know. And I'm not sure his teacher, in real life, wouldn't have to face some backlash. Kay, the younger sister, has some wildly precocious dialogue that I had to take with a grain of salt, and I found it odd that the reason for Kelly's move, when her mom already owns a thriving dessert restaurant right here, isn't explained.<br />
<br />
But I loved the emphasis on math that won't bog a non-math reader down, the true kid appeal (these are genuine MG problems and stakes), and I loved this: Studies have shown that boys fall into one of four categories -- they're good at math, writing, both, or neither. Girls, however, fall into three categories -- they're good at writing, both, or neither. What this means is that if a girl is good at math, she's good at language, too. When I first read this research, I thought back through years and years of experience in math classes, and realized my experience fit the statement. Girls who had math talent also had language talent. Gregory is good at language/writing and not math. Kelly is good at both. Kay is good at both. Had the girls been good at math only, I wouldn't have been convinced by them. But for me, all three kids passed the test. :)Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-64143377376390576502014-09-18T06:00:00.000-05:002014-09-18T06:00:12.818-05:00Soapbox Series #9 (or Reading, 'Riting, Ranting) -- Till, Until, and 'TilGrammar Girl says she regularly gets questions about the differences between till, until, and 'til, and how to use them.<br />
<br />
I say: ????? And when exactly did this "'til" thing come about?<br />
<br />
'Til is apparently in the process of becoming accepted (shudder), but it is a totally unnecessary word. I think I know what happened: somewhere along the line people began to assume that "till" (as they heard it pronounced, not necessarily as they spelled it) was an abbreviation for "until," and they couldn't figure out why you wouldn't spell that as<i> 'til.</i> But till and until are actually separate words that are synonymous. Yes, till is a noun meaning cash register and a verb meaning to work the ground (lesser known, it's also a noun meaning a glacial drift or a stiff clay), but its #1 function and definition in my dictionary is as a preposition meaning "up to the time of; before; until." Of the two words, till is actually older. Until came later. 'Til came, well, <i>way, way</i> later, and, I believe, under mistaken circumstances. We don't need it. We already have the one-syllable form <i>till,</i> which is not an abbreviation.<br />
<br />
The Associated Press Stylebook recommends till or until, but not 'til. Bryan A. Garner, of <a href="http://www.lawprose.org/blog/?p=2248">LawProse</a> calls 'til a "little virus," and his quotes of several other usage guides includes this: "'Til is a variant spelling used by those who think (incorrectly) that <i>till </i>is a clipped form."<br />
<br />
I'm pretty open to changes in the English language. I'll go pretty far with verbing nouns, and I think "they" and "them" will become standard singular pronouns for a person of unknown gender within my lifetime. But 'til -- nah. It's going to be a long time<i> till</i> I can go there.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-8523659042334484322014-09-11T06:00:00.001-05:002014-09-11T06:00:00.611-05:00Circa Now, by Amber McRee Turner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fq_mPEZ_2Zc/U7sfoG8CDjI/AAAAAAAAA4k/A6gGS4M7qWQ/s1600/Circa+Nowblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fq_mPEZ_2Zc/U7sfoG8CDjI/AAAAAAAAA4k/A6gGS4M7qWQ/s1600/Circa+Nowblog.jpg" /></a></div>
Someday, I'm getting a book cover this blue. Just saying.<br />
<br />
Twelve-year-old Circa Monroe lives with her parents in a home whose most important room is Studio Monroe, where Mom runs her portrait photography business out of one half and Dad does his photo restoration work out of the other. Circa has a knack for intricate Photoshopping just as her dad does, and she had learned many techniques from him. But most important of all to Circa is the special file called "Shopt," consisting of just-for-fun Photoshopping weirdness and Dad's fun little stories to go along with the fantastical pictures. In creating this cozy, artsy, family atmosphere, Amber McRee Turner wastes no time at all making me want to live in Studio Monroe <i>right now.</i><br />
<br />
But that, as we know, is the status quo, and the status quo must change. When Dad heads out into a threatening tornado to deliver a restored photo to a particularly unpleasant family's reunion party, the worst happens. The tornado strikes the reunion site, and Dad is killed. Mom, whose depression and possible agoraphobia have been pretty well controlled by meds and the balance provided by Dad's presence, loses some of her functionality. This year, I have read no end of novels that are about dead parents and/or dysfunctional moms. I tossed some aside because it was just so much of the same that I was truly astonished. Not <i>Circa Now</i>. For one thing, the writing and turns of phrase are truly fresh. For another, the author makes me love the characters in the beginning, as "whole" selves, so that I care when they begin to falter. For yet another, the mother doesn't devolve so completely that she and Circa reverse roles. Besides all this, there is the mystery boy who appears at Studio Monroe out of nowhere, calling himself Miles and having lost his memory. And when random items that have been Shopt into photos start appearing or vanishing in real life -- e.g., a bird's nest appears in the tree outside Circa's window when Shopt into a picture, and a blemish falls off her friend's face when Shopt out of a portrait -- Circa has to wonder if maybe the reason they can't find Miles's home, and Miles can't find his memories, is that he doesn't have any -- because he himself was Shopt into existence.<br />
<br />
Color me hooked.<br />
<br />
This is one of those books where, even amid sad things happening, you want to be part of the characters' world. Add the good writing, the mystery, the light magical realism aspect, and the interspersed Shopt photos with attached stories (and the whole originality of that), and this book comes out a winner. Highly recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-55139550996910737642014-09-04T06:00:00.000-05:002014-09-04T06:00:03.211-05:00Another Book for our Critique Group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
My long-time critique group has celebrated a lot of books over the years. Just a week ago we did it again, when Mary (second from right) brought her new book to our group meeting. <i>Mary's Go Round</i> is a self-published collection of all the short stories she has worked on since...well, since we've been a group. The physical book and its design are absolutely gorgeous, and it's filled with all of Mary's shiny, polished stories. With the release of this book, she has crossed a major item off her bucket list.<br />
<br />
"I don't know what I'm going to write next," said Mary. "But I'll have to write something. You don't want me to leave you, do you?"<br />
<br />
"No," the rest of us said, shaking our heads as one.<br />
<br />
"Well, then I'll have to come up with something," she said. "What about family stories?"<br />
<br />
"Yes!" we chorused.<br />
<br />
So, we'll have to see what Mary has for us next time. Here we are, holding our autographed copies and our bubbly. Congratulations, Mary.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXTV8IH75f4/U_uEzbyV7yI/AAAAAAAAA44/icnsPe5R5Uw/s1600/MaryMarciaSusanConnieMary'sbookblog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXTV8IH75f4/U_uEzbyV7yI/AAAAAAAAA44/icnsPe5R5Uw/s1600/MaryMarciaSusanConnieMary'sbookblog1.jpg" height="340" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-69219168377373055022014-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-31T06:00:03.829-05:00Eclectic MWW Highlights, and a Blog BreakI'm back from the <a href="http://www.midwestwriters.org/">MWW</a> -- Midwest Writers Workshop -- held last weekend at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. I simply had the best time imaginable. I met my agent in person. It was just so spectacular that I don't even know what to say. (Except, "I want to do it again! Preferably now!") Let me say this: If you can meet your agent, do it.<br />
<br />
Things I learned:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>This conference has been going on since 1973! </li>
<li><i>Divergent</i> author Veronica Roth found her agent there in 2009.</li>
<li>Faculty over the years has included Jessamyn West, Madeleine L'Engle, Stella Pevsner, Marion Dane Bauer, Clive Cussler, Lawrence Block, Lois Duncan, William Zinsser, Joyce Carol Oates, and Robert Newton Peck, to name only a few.</li>
<li>I am definitely no longer the complete pantser I once was. My favorite session was called "How to Write a Novel in 7 Steps," in which mystery writer Jess Lourey shared how she writes 60K-word novels in three months in her spare time. </li>
<li>In another session, on setting, William Kent Krueger asked everyone to nail a description of their hometown in a sentence of less than ten words. He said, "Think about everything you don't have to say because you've said one thing really well." His example was a motel room with a dripping air conditioner and moldy carpet underneath it. You've got that room pegged, don't you? Here's what I jotted down about my childhood town: "Paper mill sludge perfumes the river that splits it." (Yes, this was before the first Earth Day. :)) </li>
</ul>
<div>
It's pretty common for writers to come home from conferences ready to write. But while inspiration can come from session content or quotable speakers, it usually comes from the connections we make. I met my wonderful agent in person. I don't truly believe in luck, but the word somehow captures the feeling in the way that loftier, and sometimes smugger, words like "fortunate" or "blessed" just can't: I feel like the luckiest writer on the planet.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And I have plenty of writing to keep me busy. I'll be taking August off, but I'll see you here again on September 4. Have a wonderful rest of the summer!</div>
Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-87564419139643305972014-07-24T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-24T06:00:01.743-05:00Off to the MWW!That's Midwest Writer's Workshop, and it's being held July 24-26, at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. This is a large, annual conference with a fine faculty of authors, agents, and editors -- and this year, MY agent will be there! A link to the whole scoop is <a href="http://www.midwestwriters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/MWW-brochure-2014-for-web.pdf">here.</a><br />
<br />
The conference also happens to be not far from my son's home -- so, yeah, everything aligned for me to go. :) I'll share some tidbits next week!Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-79784134456853571592014-07-17T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-17T06:00:03.060-05:00Every Day After, by Laura Golden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D24I02FK-VE/U6IF2iNSgPI/AAAAAAAAA34/9tDEONCsD1I/s1600/EveryDayAfterBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D24I02FK-VE/U6IF2iNSgPI/AAAAAAAAA34/9tDEONCsD1I/s1600/EveryDayAfterBlog.jpg" /></a></div>
It's the Depression, and Lizzie Hawkins's father has taught her to always be tough and never accept charity. The thing is, Lizzie's father wasn't so tough himself: After losing his job, he's taken off and abandoned his family. Her father's abandonment has in turn caused her mother's, only in a different form. Lizzie's mother is now completely catatonic.<br />
<br />
Lizzie feeds the two of them by fishing and tending the vegetable garden. She puts her mom to bed at night and gets her up in the morning. She does the laundry (which procedure is described in detail) and fixes her mom cups of tea. She has always been a top student (another demand of her father's). But now her heavy responsibilities mean her grades are slipping, to the delight of her nemesis, a thoroughly mean girl named Erin Sawyer whose family has recently moved to Alabama from Georgia. Erin wants to be top dog above all else, and, among other unreasonable demands, continually harangues Lizzie to pull out of an essay contest they have both entered.<br />
<br />
Lizzie is not completely likable, and that might be a stumbling block for some readers. Specifically, she is quite self-centered, and when her friend Ben confronts her about it, we root for <i>him. </i>But not only does the author keep many readers (judging by the love this book has gotten) rooting for Lizzie in spite of her rather blatant faults, but she manages, in first-person narration, to convey that Lizzie is a somewhat unreliable narrator. The characterization, setting, and writing itself are nicely done.<br />
<br />
We keep hearing that the Depression era has been overdone in historical fiction, yet here it is again. I would probably read any number of Depression-era novels, and apparently I have lots of company. Minor quibbles: This is yet another mother/child role-reversal story, and I'm honestly full-up on those. Erin is allowed to be much brattier in front of adults than I believe a child of that era could have gotten away with. And I just didn't buy the name <i>Erin.</i> For an obviously Irish character that might have been okay, but Erin was a popular name in the 1970s and '80s, not in 1917, the approximate year of the MC's birth. But as I said, minor quibbles. This is highly recommended.Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-29716785729362947602014-07-10T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-10T06:00:05.023-05:00How to Promote that Non-Debut Novel -- Guest Post by Anna Staniszewski<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GnepwaIaxxY/U7r2InimisI/AAAAAAAAA4I/TvHnBCkC7Kk/s1600/prank+list+cover+2blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GnepwaIaxxY/U7r2InimisI/AAAAAAAAA4I/TvHnBCkC7Kk/s1600/prank+list+cover+2blog.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I'd like to welcome Anna Staniszewski to the blog. Her newest novel is THE PRANK LIST, released July 1 from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. She's here to talk about a subject I'd personally love to hear more about: marketing a novel when it's not your first -- when you don't qualify to join debut groups or otherwise capitalize on "debut" buzz. What do we do when we have to gear up for promo again, but on a second or later novel? Anna has some great tips. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Marketing
a Non-Debut Novel</b> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by Anna Staniszewski</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When
people ask me for advice on promoting their debut books, I tell them to try
anything they can think of. If something works, use it again! If something
fails, you’ll know better next time. But what should you do when your second
(or fifth) book comes out? If you’ve been taking notes on what worked or didn’t
the first time around, you’ll have a better sense of where to start. Here are a
few other things to consider.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--<b>Have
a launch party.</b> Do you feel guilty making your friends and family come out
for yet another book event? Don’t! Think of it this way: wouldn’t you want to
come support your friend or family member’s newest accomplishment? If your
publication dates are close together (like mine are) then it might be fine to
forgo an official launch, but make sure to have some event to help celebrate
the book’s arrival. (I’m hosting a cupcake-decorating party at a local
bookstore, for example.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--<b>Reach
out to your community.</b> Hopefully you’ve been keeping track of enthusiastic
booksellers, supportive bloggers, etc. to contact again about your newest book
baby. If people were excited about your first book, they’ll want to hear about
your new one. Make sure to help promote them in return. Not only is this good
etiquette, but it helps forge relationships for the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--<b>Find
your book’s implied audience.</b> Is your title particularly good for
mother/daughter book clubs, for example? Great! Put together a discussion guide
and reach out to local libraries to see if they might be interested in using
it. Is your book about a robotics competition? Awesome! Maybe there’s a local
club you could team up with. Remember that every book--even if it’s part of a
series--comes with its own marketing opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--<b>Don’t
be afraid to say no</b>. If you know you hate doing school visits, for example,
it’s okay not to do them. Use that time to write, instead. You’ll never be able
to do everything, so you want to make sure that whatever marketing you choose
is enjoyable and worthwhile. Again, keep a list of what you like and what
works, so you can focus on those types of opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are <i>your
</i>marketing tips for debut or non-debut novels? Do you have any fun
out-of-the-box ideas you’d recommend?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4x7dEgmrsu4/U7r5iphl4dI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/vV-UOctltG0/s1600/Anna+Staniszewskiblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4x7dEgmrsu4/U7r5iphl4dI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/vV-UOctltG0/s1600/Anna+Staniszewskiblog.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Born in
Poland and raised in the United States, Anna Staniszewski grew up loving
stories in both Polish and English. Currently, she lives outside Boston with
her husband and their crazy dog. When she’s not writing, Anna spends her time
reading, daydreaming, and challenging unicorns to games of hopscotch. She is
the author of the My Very UnFairy Tale Life series and the Dirt Diary series.
Her newest book, <i>The Prank List</i>, released on July 1st from Sourcebooks.
You can visit Anna at <a href="http://www.annastan.com/">www.annastan.com</a>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054081895459294120.post-44855838124831154582014-07-03T06:00:00.000-05:002014-07-03T08:00:25.452-05:00Happy Independence Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FbfhL-0af0o/U6H9gcvyhtI/AAAAAAAAA3o/dGshy3Ld20I/s1600/4th-of-july-wallpaper-hd-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FbfhL-0af0o/U6H9gcvyhtI/AAAAAAAAA3o/dGshy3Ld20I/s1600/4th-of-july-wallpaper-hd-3.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
A day early. :) Enjoy your weekend!Marciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.com2