tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3211151902561804142024-03-14T12:09:40.033-07:00My Word PlaygroundThe Writing, Illustrating, Reading & Inspiration Blog of Children's Author Lynne MarieLynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-13452496507366311872011-04-20T05:32:00.000-07:002011-04-20T05:32:00.515-07:00Author Perspective/A Visit with Lucine Kasbarian & The Greedy Sparrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHopPAwFfeSsVLlHR1y0FqZNvm1ayD11KJCMYq3IOOlGbK0R9P0cYEsqfVF_tkeOirCscrfAw6324qsEOrL6d3WIIs6zAxkM-ZiuMq4TbAwUK05-NnooDWlTvUfOVpUgpsWKI4W39SEHtB/s1600/Greedy_Sparrow_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHopPAwFfeSsVLlHR1y0FqZNvm1ayD11KJCMYq3IOOlGbK0R9P0cYEsqfVF_tkeOirCscrfAw6324qsEOrL6d3WIIs6zAxkM-ZiuMq4TbAwUK05-NnooDWlTvUfOVpUgpsWKI4W39SEHtB/s320/Greedy_Sparrow_Cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Thank you so much for asking me to submit an item to you for your blog in honor of the publication of my latest book, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span">The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span">(Marshall Cavendish, April 2011). I enjoy reading your blog a great deal and think you're providing a wonderful haven for readers and writers alike.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This folk tale has been handed down orally through the generations of my family and has also existed in the greater Armenian oral tradition for centuries. It has been gratifying to put this time-honored story to paper for posterity. I’m also very pleased that the book is releasing in April, which among other things, is genocide memorial month. For me (and many others), this symbolic release date signifies that in spite of genocide, a culture survives. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I trust that I'll not be touching upon a hackneyed subject by sharing a few thoughts with you and your readers regarding prompts for beating writer’s block and procrastination. It’s an issue that plagues me from time to time, and so I’ve compiled five ways to meet it head-on. I hope that at least one tip is new and useful to you and yours!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) Most often, my writing blocks occur because I have to confront something and don’t realize it yet. Is there something about the project or assignment that’s bothering you? Is there an inconsistency about the plot or character? Is the deadline you’ve set for yourself unrealistic? Once you "name it and claim it," you can resolve it.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">2) </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Once too often, with a whole day ahead of me, I’ve sat at the computer and started out well, only to take a breather and launch the Internet -- which often results in letting precious hours slip by. </span><span class="Apple-style-span"> A timer, in my opinion, is the best way to make use of what would have otherwise been unstructured writing time. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">When I have a large parcel of time or am feeling reluctant to write, I set our kitchen timer for 15 minutes and write until the bell rings. If those 15 minutes successfully put me into the groove, I continue writing. If not, I hopefully got in a good 15 minutes of creative work. Either way, the timer can spur writing discipline.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3) One of my most effective tools has been to write down random word groupings that please the ear or palate. I also jot down aphorisms, fragmented thoughts, interesting episodes I’ve witnessed, dreams, and real conversations shared or overheard. These can and will come in handy in future writings. So that ideas don’t escape documentation, consider outfitting each room of the house (including the bathroom) with notepads. When you feel blocked, re-read what you've written on these notepads to conjure up ideas.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">4) I read as much as I can by authors I admire. Sometimes I’m moved by the cadence of their word groupings, or the sensitivity with which a topic is addressed, or the flow of the narrative. The point is not so much to emulate other authors, but to be inspired by them. Many times I’ve read something so wonderful, it has conjured up a memory or emotion that has put me to work on a writing project almost immediately. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">5) My most effective prompt for writing is to pretend I’m writing a letter to a close, trusted confidant. The language I use is nearly always more descriptive and intimate, and the product need not be sent (but sometimes is)!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kindest regards,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lucine Kasbarian, author</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"> (Marshall Cavendish, 2011)</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">The Armenian-Americans</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"> (Cobblestone magazine/ Carus Publishing, 2000)</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">Armenia: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"> (Dillon Press/ Simon & Schuster, 1998)</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a alt="http://www.lucinekasbarian.com/" href="http://www.lucinekasbarian.com/" title="http://www.lucinekasbarian.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">www.lucinekasbarian.com</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2QvG9i-cFdE2manEF7vz4Z56kN95xGDovewWmUMFpGbSia3IWXNEOi74lYPuCODbKmQQ5EitLCUxEzC6C0Jzjgk8UvZEAMOtvsGC8qMyH6xjTKfLyfJWwMSOrYGnZqRizY4nhYRVkj7u/s1600/LucineKasbarian.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2QvG9i-cFdE2manEF7vz4Z56kN95xGDovewWmUMFpGbSia3IWXNEOi74lYPuCODbKmQQ5EitLCUxEzC6C0Jzjgk8UvZEAMOtvsGC8qMyH6xjTKfLyfJWwMSOrYGnZqRizY4nhYRVkj7u/s320/LucineKasbarian.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Blurb about newest book:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale </i>is from the ancient Armenian oral tradition and culture, which was nearly obliterated during the Turkish genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks in 1915. The author learned the tale from her father, editor and columnist C.K. Garabed, who would recite it to her at bedtime. He had learned it from his own grandmother, a celebrated storyteller from the Old Country. The tale was first put to paper by Armenian poet Hovhannes Toumanian at the turn of the 20<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">th </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>century.<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"> <em> </em></span></span><em>The Greedy Sparrow </em>is the first time this tale has been presented in the English language as a children’s picture book. The story begins in old Armenia with a sparrow who catches a thorn in his foot. As he asks for help, he sets off an intriguing cycle of action that transports him through the Armenian countryside, encountering people engaged in traditional folkways. <i>The Greedy Sparrow </i>ends with a surprising twist and conveys moral messages about greed, selfishness and using one’s judgment. To address the ethical and human components of the tale, a discussion and activity<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"> guide has been prepared and can be accessed here: </span></span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.lucinekasbarian.com/activities.html">http://www.lucinekasbarian.com/activities.html</a></span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-48913655712074457392011-04-01T15:37:00.000-07:002011-04-02T05:32:29.286-07:00Writing Tip / Celebrate Poetry Month with Leslie Bulion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGQm0rq6OaLBYIh8M2gWDK-6BVeC7wpm_XjXleJxLHiuvUHpAuq_T4rKMF184Yeym8646zpDyVz7Nx1LhbOoXQqBx7PszaT20osS5nJ9VZSkeN7Hojv1Aqdu0b-6SMKvfP1ZPS9vPUr6U/s1600/SeaFloorCafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGQm0rq6OaLBYIh8M2gWDK-6BVeC7wpm_XjXleJxLHiuvUHpAuq_T4rKMF184Yeym8646zpDyVz7Nx1LhbOoXQqBx7PszaT20osS5nJ9VZSkeN7Hojv1Aqdu0b-6SMKvfP1ZPS9vPUr6U/s320/SeaFloorCafe.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Four Poetry Writing Tips from Leslie Bulion</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Read reams of poems. Learn which ones move your heart, tickle your funny bone, or sing in your ear. Do you like rhyme? Meter? Certain rhythms? Free verse? Shape poems? Your most successful poems will be those you’d love to read.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you’re working with a known form of poetry, learn the rules (see Tip #1). Be strict with yourself as you practice working within the rules. Once you fully understand how that particular poetry form works, you’ll know how to bend the rules (whee!) without compromising the integrity of the poem. For example, check out this great description of my favorite form, the double dactyl: </span><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-term.html?term=Double%20dactyl"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-term.html?term=Double%20dactyl</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> then try one yourself—they’re addictive, tricksy fun! How to be sure your six-syllable double dactylic word in line 6 has never been used in another double dactyl? (See Tip #3.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Make up words! If you’re writing funny poetry, have at it—play with your language. How often have you read a clever article or poem where the author’s invention of a word adds juice, humor and new meaning to the writing? I might have had my fill of ice storms,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but I thoroughly enjoyed all of the “snowcabulary” invented in honor of the winter of 2011. Of course, there is a caveat to making up words and it is this: every single reader has to be able to infer exactly what your word means on first read.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Read your poem out loud at least a million times. How does it sound? Do you trip over your tongue? Do you have to hurry to fit a word into your established meter? Does your free verse pause and flow at the places you want it to? Do your rhymes rhyme? Now give your poem to a million friends and ask them to read it out loud. Did each friend put the emPHAasis on the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>right syLLAbles? If the answer is yes, then BRAVO! Your poem is done! </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> ABOUT AT THE SEA FLOOR CAFE Odd Ocean Critter Poems:</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This clever collection of poems describes the devious and sometimes surprising methods ocean denizens use to forage for food, capture prey, trick predators, and protect their young. The poems swim effortlessly </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">from page to page, leading us from the snail shell home of the jeweled anemone crab on the ocean floor </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to a violet snail hanging upside down in its bubble house on the sea’s surface. <i>At the Sea Floor Cafe</i> includes science notes with details about each animal's behavior, a glossary, and an appendix explaining the forms of poetry that appear on each spread. Striking linoleum prints round out this title, which can be used across the curriculum.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: auto;" /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> ABOUT THE AUTHOR: </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghir7ku4xDLNEJwN8VaxQ1oHz4MCAjTlRUHIsUrlzxtJjg0DYiMiQc5TJ12dYYYko7TDzjANj-Pt_eTYEkmjmJeHqol9ELAZXO4sVQnGw8DOiiPfLVvLi9A4SaT1heBVVDzjISbcXqhoN/s1600/LeslieBulion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghir7ku4xDLNEJwN8VaxQ1oHz4MCAjTlRUHIsUrlzxtJjg0DYiMiQc5TJ12dYYYko7TDzjANj-Pt_eTYEkmjmJeHqol9ELAZXO4sVQnGw8DOiiPfLVvLi9A4SaT1heBVVDzjISbcXqhoN/s320/LeslieBulion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Leslie Bulion</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> teams a life-long love of poetry and her oceanography background in <i>At the Sea Floor Café </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">(Peachtree 2011), her second collection of science poetry. The first, <i>Hey There, Stink Bug!</i></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> (Charlesbridge 2006)</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">, is an award-winning book of gruesomely humorous insect poems</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">. </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Leslie’s other books include the Bank Street Best Books 2007 middle-grade novel <i>Uncharted Waters</i> </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">(Peachtree 2006),</span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <i>The Trouble With Rules</i></span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> (Peachtree 2008), and the Children’s Africana Book Award Best Picture Book winner, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatuma’s New Cloth</i> (Moon Mountain 2002). A former school social worker, Leslie </span><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 22.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">has written and edited books in the education market and has been a regular contributing writer in national magazines and on the Internet. She gives writing workshops and presentations to students, educators and writers throughout the US. Visit Leslie’s website at www.lesliebulion.com.</span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At the Sea Floor Café</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN: </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">978-1-56145-565-2</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Total Pages<b>: </b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">48 </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Author: Leslie Bulion <a href="http://www.lesliebulion.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.lesliebulion.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Illustrator: Leslie Evans <a href="http://www.seadogpress.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.seadogpress.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Peachtree Publishers <a href="http://www.peachtree-online.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.peachtree-online.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">April 1, 2011</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div><span style="font-size: medium;">In honor of National Poetry Month, Peachtree Publishers is inviting educators to post students' poetry on their facebook page. At the end of the month, Peachtree will hold a drawing. One winner will receive a skype visit with me, and five others will win a copy of AT THE SEA FLOOR CAFE.</span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's a link to the contest rules:</span></div><div></div><div><span family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" ptsize="12" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a alt="http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103596296500-87/Sea+Floor+Cafe+officialrules.pdf" href="http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103596296500-87/Sea+Floor+Cafe+officialrules.pdf" title="http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103596296500-87/Sea+Floor+Cafe+officialrules.pdf">http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103596296500-87/Sea+Floor+Cafe+officialrules.pdf</a> </span></div><div></div><br />
</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-76694379703764993222011-03-13T06:02:00.000-07:002011-03-13T06:07:58.090-07:00The Lovely Blog Award<div class="post-header"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc2gG0QUIR1_PifIMVLwFz8UTgHBtjT9_nLmqfTYkrBAGX9je-yiIRPhBaC4M1QXqkAhpPgYsRfS2UV-WLQGgabG0UPG9zYyJf8Uzawsb5ukvL87C8dpI3OYQsO568wjvMtnGR30gev9c/s1600/onelovelyblogaward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqc2gG0QUIR1_PifIMVLwFz8UTgHBtjT9_nLmqfTYkrBAGX9je-yiIRPhBaC4M1QXqkAhpPgYsRfS2UV-WLQGgabG0UPG9zYyJf8Uzawsb5ukvL87C8dpI3OYQsO568wjvMtnGR30gev9c/s1600/onelovelyblogaward.jpg" /></a>I'd like to thank Gayle Krause of The Storyteller's Scroll (<a href="http://www.thestorytellersscroll.blogspot.com/">http://www.thestorytellersscroll.blogspot.com/</a>) for the Lovely Blog Award. I am pleased to accept this award from Gayle, the author of Rock Star Santa (Scholastic). <br />
<br />
For those of you I nominate, please accept the award, post it to your blog and nominate 5 other blogs that you enjoy or have just found.<br />
<br />
In paying it forward I have nominated the following blogs:</div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Author Rob Sanders</div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.robsanderswrites.com/">http://www.robsanderswrites.com/</a><br />
The Visual Storyteller's Studio (of Lisa J. Michaels)<br />
<a href="http://vstorytellersstudio.blogspot.com/">http://vstorytellersstudio.blogspot.com/</a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Yellow Brick Road (of Lisa J. Michaels)<br />
<a href="http://www.welcometoybr.blogspot.com/">http://www.welcometoybr.blogspot.com/</a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">From the Mixed-up Files of Jennifer Bertman</div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/">http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/</a><br />
Deborah Cuneo Illustration<br />
<a href="http://deborahcuneo.blogspot.com/">http://deborahcuneo.blogspot.com/</a><br />
</div><div class="post-body entry-content" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thanks again, Gayle, for the nomination. Happy blogging, everyone! </div><div class="post-body entry-content">Lynne Marie</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-84802355634924588622011-02-20T10:27:00.000-08:002011-02-20T10:27:11.869-08:00Illustration Tip/Keeping it Real with Mary Peterson<div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWXa26rNH1EMCtXj8OWviagIPj_aosoVjsNXsjmxMXNvkGy61F1_fthyphenhyphenoxaHO85JsLUp49rXdyLLEIhRha1WWgj9agYOSBeeM-nIm1QD5cKUe1nr2LPi-2PfCNYWStJDX65hwgFk8dNR/s1600/Piggies_cover_sm.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nWXa26rNH1EMCtXj8OWviagIPj_aosoVjsNXsjmxMXNvkGy61F1_fthyphenhyphenoxaHO85JsLUp49rXdyLLEIhRha1WWgj9agYOSBeeM-nIm1QD5cKUe1nr2LPi-2PfCNYWStJDX65hwgFk8dNR/s1600/Piggies_cover_sm.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Keeping It Real (Or At Least Full of Life)!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">by Mary Peterson</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">My favorite picture books to illustrate are full of action and expression. The two little piglets in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span">PIGGIES IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"> race around the farm, make a mess, get into trouble, jump, run, and skid. They are happy, startled, scared, mad and finally, exhausted.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Here's the problem--I'm a very tedious drawer. I tend to get bogged down in details so keeping the action fresh and lively is a challenge. If you love your sketches (as I do) but find the finished art looks over worked and static (as I did), try this: quick sketch from life. Go to places where there's lots of commotion, a swimming pool, train station, construction site, basketball game or dog park and draw as fast as you can. Sketch what you see on the television. Keep a small notebook with you to capture unexpected action. At first capturing the chaos will be frustrating but keep at it. Over time you will hold the memory of those quick responses in your hand and eye and learn to trust their authenticity. Of course, old habits die hard---so if you get bogged down in the studio, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span">YOU</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"> be the mover! I keep a jump rope close by for when I need a little action.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyblmagjQbO0Te1huDMntnuQ3pXUEze9KtDZrrMSg5p_nBY7kkI8WGdJ-wUFS5tFH8uY2-TS3vkFqsKKX6e_9YquO6PCLZP1CNokWZB1NH-JT2CnAKQbSJQPcyqcpIU6_kkFfehXf1Soq/s1600/MaryPeterson.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="200" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyblmagjQbO0Te1huDMntnuQ3pXUEze9KtDZrrMSg5p_nBY7kkI8WGdJ-wUFS5tFH8uY2-TS3vkFqsKKX6e_9YquO6PCLZP1CNokWZB1NH-JT2CnAKQbSJQPcyqcpIU6_kkFfehXf1Soq/s200/MaryPeterson.jpeg" width="164" /></span></a></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mary Peterson was born and raised in Iowa on a small farm surrounded by cornfields and lots of animals. Those early years in the company of critters large and small continue to provide inspiration for her art. These days she lives in Los Angeles with her husband.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </div><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mary is the co-author and illustrator of PIGGIES IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH (Charlesbridge), which was included in the 2010 Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. She is the illustrator of OCEAN SOUP (Charlesbridge) and WIGGLE AND WAGGLE (Charlesbridge), a Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year and recipient of the Early Childhood News Directors Choice Award. Mary's other illustration credits include NO TIME TO NAP (Heyday Books) and CAT ON WHEELS (Boyds Mills Press).</span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">mary peterson<br />
--------------------</span><a alt="http://marypeterson.com/" href="http://marypeterson.com/" title="http://marypeterson.com/"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">marypeterson.com</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">facebook.com/marypeterson.illo</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJOEkYm7O_neDM75pVJjtDldJhoYlMP8ilgRoQBcuNP7pNhHR8zsylJIFDeXfzWWWzqaqIP11X9OhHmru9_xB5KDm-NQuMxSAFKG2wuCftvmb0Rvdb3mvs0f-Kr2hXkkjkNREoWB72U3w/s1600/dogpark_2-13-11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJOEkYm7O_neDM75pVJjtDldJhoYlMP8ilgRoQBcuNP7pNhHR8zsylJIFDeXfzWWWzqaqIP11X9OhHmru9_xB5KDm-NQuMxSAFKG2wuCftvmb0Rvdb3mvs0f-Kr2hXkkjkNREoWB72U3w/s320/dogpark_2-13-11.jpeg" width="157" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div></span>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-54078420835690519062011-02-19T11:28:00.000-08:002011-02-19T11:29:51.844-08:00Writing & Illustrating Prompt/Animal Math with Illustrator Will Strong<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTtp2E9E5YZEL5yJ36puL2PgxOS81FihwyVdHX0eYO9vA8jdvff0Ou2YJ7-LW-HrCHF55c84TPv1qi7d664xpGx8YbK4NPl2rzVHUScOaWSbWkGGj6qMp_yO-DTC4kz_QBrPSCxfPabHu/s1600/the+best+intentions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTtp2E9E5YZEL5yJ36puL2PgxOS81FihwyVdHX0eYO9vA8jdvff0Ou2YJ7-LW-HrCHF55c84TPv1qi7d664xpGx8YbK4NPl2rzVHUScOaWSbWkGGj6qMp_yO-DTC4kz_QBrPSCxfPabHu/s320/the+best+intentions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My Writing Tip by Will Strong:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When speaking with both children and adults, the question I am most often asked about writing and illustrating is, "Where do you get your ideas?" People are sometimes shocked when I answer them. I tell them there is nothing magical about new ideas. Ideas don't just happen; they don't just pop into your head unbidden. Ideas are created and cultivated. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div><br />
</div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I talk to kids about making stories I try to focus on simple concepts. One concept that can work for pretty much everybody is what I call "Animal Math." You take any boring old animal and add something new to it.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0Fa350NRGMkKEBdmWNV58M8MziBDexpV0hlwMVmA34EksmoxTVjRBPGNOSmq-Hgf13UTIwgpitt1eA2D43_GJLOycm3-iySV2NyV3hO55Vt-H7Yb-9y_Nc-eoWdfoHeIheYy7CLXFYoD/s1600/Animal+Math+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0Fa350NRGMkKEBdmWNV58M8MziBDexpV0hlwMVmA34EksmoxTVjRBPGNOSmq-Hgf13UTIwgpitt1eA2D43_GJLOycm3-iySV2NyV3hO55Vt-H7Yb-9y_Nc-eoWdfoHeIheYy7CLXFYoD/s320/Animal+Math+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiUMme1sHtkoqWnATjKcd3pYUrXjNzaI_fOT4A_IKkVNOOKHD5IgVsrBZGiyQZRuQgha_O7pXXUUamgntdgmjUOBwSc9-dnakqdhIbV2YBR-mjMF-M7lsGcJoOm56HFSmjiWYDXuiv8xQ/s1600/Animal+Math+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQiUMme1sHtkoqWnATjKcd3pYUrXjNzaI_fOT4A_IKkVNOOKHD5IgVsrBZGiyQZRuQgha_O7pXXUUamgntdgmjUOBwSc9-dnakqdhIbV2YBR-mjMF-M7lsGcJoOm56HFSmjiWYDXuiv8xQ/s320/Animal+Math+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Animal + Object = An Interesting Idea </div><div><br />
</div><div>It can be that simple.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_MXvK8LrV_-VvjW7QtDAuYEMPgfQQFhwKbbzsTjEO3UY6djJML4CIdYnuAwokl1IQ6tLSPveSgfAVb71ZHGYMJ1__rqeHS6KRkYHuwlhKKqXUsKwmqVS6Ygbs4Cm8W37VG17kXlmwNT7/s1600/scavenging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_MXvK8LrV_-VvjW7QtDAuYEMPgfQQFhwKbbzsTjEO3UY6djJML4CIdYnuAwokl1IQ6tLSPveSgfAVb71ZHGYMJ1__rqeHS6KRkYHuwlhKKqXUsKwmqVS6Ygbs4Cm8W37VG17kXlmwNT7/s320/scavenging.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>And it's not just animals. You can take any two dissimilar things and put them together to come up with a new idea. Take a caveman and put him in space. Take an ordinary bath time and add an invasion of sea creatures. Take a hippopotamus and put him on a bicycle. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Not all of your ideas are going to be brilliant but that's okay. I create terrible ideas all the time. Though I know that if I keep brainstorming and tweaking things around I will eventually come up with something great.</div><div><br />
</div><div></div><div>So, that's where I get my ideas. Once I have an idea that I'm really psyched about then it's time to get down to the tough stuff. It's time to actually write the thing. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lPc8UPxJPNeuwqX0cHZoYIL_j002KAkzkgGP2kEQfS865onI97jnIptD5wsMnwD-O03hsUIRXVweK3jkX9-wEP3fA3h7vxiPjRanJ5m9UEPIoG1srfjC1i86iWLohv8WIbTDm55ocyji/s1600/a+foxy+encounter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lPc8UPxJPNeuwqX0cHZoYIL_j002KAkzkgGP2kEQfS865onI97jnIptD5wsMnwD-O03hsUIRXVweK3jkX9-wEP3fA3h7vxiPjRanJ5m9UEPIoG1srfjC1i86iWLohv8WIbTDm55ocyji/s320/a+foxy+encounter.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div>So, remember to make it fun (for you <i>and</i> the kids.)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div><div>My name is Will Strong. I'm a recent graduate from the BYU Illustration Program. I'm currently illustrating my first picture book. It's a collaboration with author Rick Walton called "I'm Not Afraid of Bunnies." It will be released as an e-book this summer.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I also run a non-profit website for teachers (and everybody else) called <a alt="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/" href="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/" target="_blank" title="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/">http://www.creativekidcentral.com/</a>. Creative Kid Central is dedicated to making creativity a part of children's lives. My favorite part of C.K.C. is the Creative Writing Prompts section. It's full of open-ended stories and other ideas to get kids to enjoy writing.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dP0Aj-K7psNwhfUoRky5a5gdFEg-XoJ0-cVEtXAmYJet61hYMeajCG7qVbY0zZD7mP8OAqbw6naVMPnHu7jydAmnk4buWDj-LcN3FQUPXO1N2PZgcqsCWxrUTrgDWMt4kfvsDqpy1Al7/s1600/melon+munch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dP0Aj-K7psNwhfUoRky5a5gdFEg-XoJ0-cVEtXAmYJet61hYMeajCG7qVbY0zZD7mP8OAqbw6naVMPnHu7jydAmnk4buWDj-LcN3FQUPXO1N2PZgcqsCWxrUTrgDWMt4kfvsDqpy1Al7/s320/melon+munch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div></div><div>My motto in all the work I do is "Make It Fun." When you are working with kids, fun is always the key element.</div><div></div><div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>My websites: </div><div><br />
</div><div><a alt="http://www.willstrongart.com/" href="http://www.willstrongart.com/" title="http://www.willstrongart.com/">http://www.willstrongart.com/</a></div><div><a alt="http://willstrongart.blogspot.com/" href="http://willstrongart.blogspot.com/" title="http://willstrongart.blogspot.com/">willstrongart.blogspot.com</a></div><div><a alt="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/" href="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/" title="http://www.creativekidcentral.com/">http://www.creativekidcentral.com/</a></div></div></div></div></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-46024694411361373512011-02-17T05:58:00.000-08:002011-02-19T15:11:34.462-08:00Writing & Illustrating Tip/Developing Character with Leslie Helakoski<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2HorVSrnmwkI5W24VChl5WzEhap7EBQFnM6kTmKszDyoZvaWAKZugrJx37hGIbnuI64Kry5UVcTSy0Un82izoNPYgkYS3BjUxBWJrItCI2XG1Zi61R9Di7x_lhXjSdVwR-hkVNeAqiWd/s1600/Fair+Cow+Cover+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2HorVSrnmwkI5W24VChl5WzEhap7EBQFnM6kTmKszDyoZvaWAKZugrJx37hGIbnuI64Kry5UVcTSy0Un82izoNPYgkYS3BjUxBWJrItCI2XG1Zi61R9Di7x_lhXjSdVwR-hkVNeAqiWd/s320/Fair+Cow+Cover+.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>"We like this story, but we don't like the art." I heard this comment for years. Each time I sold a picture book, I held out hope that I would be able to illustrate my own work. I knew I could draw, so what was the problem?<br />
<br />
The problem was that good design and execution are not the same thing as good children's book illustrations. For me, the answer lay in better character development.<br />
<br />
Just as we strive to develop strong characters when we write, we must develop them even further when we illustrate. We have to do more than show what the text is saying, we have to show something extra about the character than can be seen visually.<br />
<br />
Authors often fill out character trait forms to get to 'know' their characters. I do the same sort of thing when I start drawing. I make many rough sketches until I start noticing specific character traits that come out as I work. Here are some questions I ask myself when I start <br />
sketching a character: <br />
<br />
1. How is this character different from others of his species. (What physical traits make him/her stand out? Big feet, nose size, crazy hair? Bowlegged?) <br />
2. What does the character's stall/home look like? (Neat, messy, extravagant?) <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. What does she love/hate to eat? <br />
4. What does she look like as he moves? (Graceful, clumsy, joyous? This can lead to showing her tripping in a scene or maybe wearing toe shoes and mooning over pictures of ballerinas) <br />
5. What is the predominant emotion in each scene? <br />
6. What fears/strengths does she have? (Does she shrink back from others? Tower over them? Have a nervous tick?) <br />
7. Show attitude! <br />
8. Will I know something personal about this character just by looking at her in this scene or is she a generic space filler? <br />
9. Can I emphasize emotion from the way I place her on the page? If she's feeling uplifted, should I show her high up on the page? If she's feeling left out, maybe I can show her far from the others in the spread? Or, <br />
using perspective, show her small and other characters large to emphasize how she feels? <br />
10. Is she intentionally doing something contrary to what the text says? <br />
11. Do I show different view points and vary the size of the characters? <br />
12. Are there any bigger than life characters I can compare mine to, that help me amp up my character? (Is my wanna-be beauty more of a Zsa Zsa Gabor or more of a Phyllis Diller?) <br />
13. Can I exaggerate a point or understate it? <br />
14. Does something about my character change over the course of the story? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U99ioZu50f_WQhRHPCU5YxEJMO6YcDgZ20chtRHx5YunScf0QVZWE4Ucg2QxNLBxZ3MZ9LxOXTZLFSThG-ePEvFZSG7pvZWpQOY37Az9ZO4f1rAoYcUceSydFyUkDw5VgXH-NrZu7zHa/s1600/bigchicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U99ioZu50f_WQhRHPCU5YxEJMO6YcDgZ20chtRHx5YunScf0QVZWE4Ucg2QxNLBxZ3MZ9LxOXTZLFSThG-ePEvFZSG7pvZWpQOY37Az9ZO4f1rAoYcUceSydFyUkDw5VgXH-NrZu7zHa/s320/bigchicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I finally started developing my characters more on the drawing board, my art was picked up along with my text. </div><br />
Of course, I also spent a lot of time viewing other's illustrations and learning just by absorbing--which sometimes just takes time. But I did find that as an illustrator, I have to do all the things I do as a writer. <br />
Revise, develop strong characters, show changes, show humor and emotion. Include more information than you see at first glance. And I thought all I had to do was draw. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMrNavbjahpT1gM_SjIa3zfqF1OjaWlNGXoAFJInWkghwSKVEouAbmjtyOYTVp0TAmulNcHNoOq2SVfHS3Bbd9owSWp9Sf_SAzO_Q-4IUVVdWmRKMprGibzNV3RnQzXnGlvwJq6TvSjMc/s1600/leslie_new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMrNavbjahpT1gM_SjIa3zfqF1OjaWlNGXoAFJInWkghwSKVEouAbmjtyOYTVp0TAmulNcHNoOq2SVfHS3Bbd9owSWp9Sf_SAzO_Q-4IUVVdWmRKMprGibzNV3RnQzXnGlvwJq6TvSjMc/s320/leslie_new.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>ABOUT LESLIE: Leslie Helakoski writes humorous picture books and sometimes (but not always) illustrates them. She lives in Michigan with her husband, three large (as opposed to small) children, and one literally small dog. Her latest book, Fair Cow, is about a dairy cow who dreams of winning blue ribbons at the state fair. She gets beauty advice from a pig but finds something is wrong with her shape, her hair, her hooves and even her walk. How can she compete? <br />
<br />
<br />
Book trailer for Fair Cow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7Ok7haxPWw <br />
Book trailer for Big Chickens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RStUVypk4gQ <br />
Website: helakoskibooks.com <br />
<br />
Previous books: <br />
Woolbur (Harper Collins, illustrated by Lee Harper) Nominated for 9 state <br />
book awards. <br />
Big Chickens (Dutton, illustrated by Henry Cole) Michigan Reads Award, <br />
Great Lakes Great Books Award <br />
Big Chickens Fly the Coop, 3 state book awards <br />
Big Chickens Go to Town <br />
The Smushy Bus <br />
<br />
PERSONAL NOTE FROM LYNNE MARIE: I had known Leslie previously from an online critique group, but you can imagine what a pleasure it was to meet her in person at the <a href="http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/">Highlights Foundation Writer's Workshop at Chautauqua</a> in 2001. Just another example of the fabulous(!), talented(!) people you can meet at those spectacular(!) writing retreats, which you have noticed, I cannot say enough about (LOL). <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-18716149202983050812011-02-16T04:23:00.000-08:002011-02-16T05:00:07.062-08:00ILLUSTRATION TIP/Capturing Action & Emotion with Layne Johnson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>LAYNE JOHNSON, on Illustrating Action <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDam7B2qmoc17DZBZz9Sn0q5dG3iKuSzffVMrn8351YOCfYGQvSNFPBv6mhljAtxuC1QciUWZz5kphKilwSKORVopnA5B3OUOkUqxct17SEVrwuzWvSWSDmEG5Yl1zLnW1n1PfOrv7Ufpe/s1600/RideLiketheWind1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDam7B2qmoc17DZBZz9Sn0q5dG3iKuSzffVMrn8351YOCfYGQvSNFPBv6mhljAtxuC1QciUWZz5kphKilwSKORVopnA5B3OUOkUqxct17SEVrwuzWvSWSDmEG5Yl1zLnW1n1PfOrv7Ufpe/s320/RideLiketheWind1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Well I just found out my book <b><i><a alt="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#p/u/4/yB7VF-U_T38" href="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#p/u/4/yB7VF-U_T38" title="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#p/u/4/yB7VF-U_T38">OFF LIKE THE WIND!<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span>The First Ride of the Pony Express</a></i></b>, written by author Michael Spradlin, won this year’s <i>Western Heritage Award</i> from The National Cowboy Hall Of Fame and Museum in Oklahoma City. How exciting! When I think back to working on that book, I recall certain ideas I had as I first read the manuscript, and later as I was designing each spread for the art. The first thing that made me really want to illustrate the story was a biggy. It had loads of <i>ACTION</i>. How many times have authors been told, “Give the artist something to illustrate!” What illustrators hate to see in picture book manuscripts are the dreaded “talking heads.” Or no change of location. With OLTW, that was definitely not a problem! The action varied from location to location with various perilous interactions. When I paginate a manuscript the question is what to illustrate on each spread or page. It was especially challenging but fun with OLTW, because there was so MUCH to choose from. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">When faced with this most exciting phase of a book, I must look at what or what not to illustrate. A picture book doesn’t have the luxury of video where multiple thing can be acted out. I must choose that wonderfully magic “moment” which can relay the <i>essence</i> of the scene. Am I asking the reader to think, react, or simply be a part of a scene? Do I illustrate what’s about to happen, what’s happening now, or what just happened, i.e. anticipation, excitement, or reaction. These are all valid things to paint, but must be balanced throughout the book. This is where the true art comes in . . . pacing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0DtelClzSJ6_qkViPcHodifwP37MVbTXEdjVZSEq7q0mvYgU0WEgOwAorbhtL6QR4_PDtcb54tKlLMXHjf_Sn1cYGPmiweIfFtPZT4o-vCD_NBe2ZOq5LPMtpxTW5tHC4UO-Qkk7-FNw/s1600/RacetheWild2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0DtelClzSJ6_qkViPcHodifwP37MVbTXEdjVZSEq7q0mvYgU0WEgOwAorbhtL6QR4_PDtcb54tKlLMXHjf_Sn1cYGPmiweIfFtPZT4o-vCD_NBe2ZOq5LPMtpxTW5tHC4UO-Qkk7-FNw/s320/RacetheWild2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I don’t believe in talking or writing down to children. They are smarter than we give them credit for. And they aren’t delicate flowers, though we try to make them that at times, usually for our own overprotective reasons. The children of yesteryear knew more about life because they grew up with it. And the children of today deserve to know what the past was really like. Knowledge is strength.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Once I decide what to illustrate, I then look at how to build tension, create empathy, make a scene explode, or the opposite – how to create a resting point, something serene. Ultimately I want to make a child <i>feel</i> like he or she is <i>there</i>. Empathy is everything. Panoramic skies can make you <i>feel</i> like you’re really in an expansive environment. Dangerous critters or weather may threaten. There may be hostile people. This is GREAT! Stories must overcome real obstacles; otherwise it can be a boring read.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">So look at the scenes below with these things in mind. Also, watch for point of view, perspective, directional elements that guide to focal points, color, etc. They aren’t accidental, but hopefully somewhat invisible. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMCBOFBSyZnWhAbPLGeMyVOq8I3gcpqzxqqJWo0ezvXF2XkPaO3puaFy_IiSRKpYRMW4NbuUCW0Z0W43WvmE6zMsENBJe08po4oj6pc8WTxxpT5ay4TiBqtZPLmM_mTS4gEsgArNDhrJ8/s1600/RideLiketheWind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMCBOFBSyZnWhAbPLGeMyVOq8I3gcpqzxqqJWo0ezvXF2XkPaO3puaFy_IiSRKpYRMW4NbuUCW0Z0W43WvmE6zMsENBJe08po4oj6pc8WTxxpT5ay4TiBqtZPLmM_mTS4gEsgArNDhrJ8/s400/RideLiketheWind.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CiSDvVh3BD_0bGglY2fc_qEJSsSnKCjpEPEkFZ-mYq382aS4r6QRCZ-K18sQCgwRX-Us-POQhBmunFbMZxs1F-9-ZQMbERVTWfAIfyKSOj7lGCuBum-RYSoQ8JhjquEFiDsixWhRQuYJ/s1600/RideLiketheWind3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CiSDvVh3BD_0bGglY2fc_qEJSsSnKCjpEPEkFZ-mYq382aS4r6QRCZ-K18sQCgwRX-Us-POQhBmunFbMZxs1F-9-ZQMbERVTWfAIfyKSOj7lGCuBum-RYSoQ8JhjquEFiDsixWhRQuYJ/s400/RideLiketheWind3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWezKAk72Bey7RiZUdforTiJM0lMwrzURusX__C0w_cio2WqjHRfPcs0J89xDmncLuYE8V0ZkYIctcNqa4zkAPipQBaxmn2hyphenhyphen7tYaebahNroOgOcPvE_0l-PZvVn2_iawWRFI7PLsOAjZ/s1600/RideLiketheWind4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPWezKAk72Bey7RiZUdforTiJM0lMwrzURusX__C0w_cio2WqjHRfPcs0J89xDmncLuYE8V0ZkYIctcNqa4zkAPipQBaxmn2hyphenhyphen7tYaebahNroOgOcPvE_0l-PZvVn2_iawWRFI7PLsOAjZ/s400/RideLiketheWind4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Visit my website at <a href="http://www.laynejohnson.com/">http://www.laynejohnson.com/</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">See my <a alt="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#g/u" href="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#g/u" title="http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laynejo#g/u"><span style="color: blue;">book trailers</span></a> on YouTube!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">COMING SOON....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_3EQUinrQ-HgdZcV8opIeCBUNp1TefyYymhWT0YIzHBkVzsnySelEbabBrDe3GmgQOnUMpSDVL8399s3dUxAoipPvzewG5aApCov6VVJGpxEU_PuNs7qfHxSTk8UEqeRUl_iUMHmAQPi/s1600/RacetheWild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_3EQUinrQ-HgdZcV8opIeCBUNp1TefyYymhWT0YIzHBkVzsnySelEbabBrDe3GmgQOnUMpSDVL8399s3dUxAoipPvzewG5aApCov6VVJGpxEU_PuNs7qfHxSTk8UEqeRUl_iUMHmAQPi/s320/RacetheWild.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">ON A PERSONAL NOTE FROM LYNNE MARIE: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: left;"></div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tRemahxnHby0jQ569bm8OzK2HTDWaApYeQfpuZB9mRZV1P_IHAybmsKR6S2rp3yNPKCSZ5dmVEBkSnZA6JaIWfZ7RzVrimES_epXUcB6O23GC0Wu1yDsSTKzqnizF9Q4g8p5KGKjnGYn/s1600/Highlights+Clan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tRemahxnHby0jQ569bm8OzK2HTDWaApYeQfpuZB9mRZV1P_IHAybmsKR6S2rp3yNPKCSZ5dmVEBkSnZA6JaIWfZ7RzVrimES_epXUcB6O23GC0Wu1yDsSTKzqnizF9Q4g8p5KGKjnGYn/s320/Highlights+Clan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom Row: L to R, Layne Johnson, Jennifer Ward, Me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">I think one of the best things about the Highlights Foundation Writer's Workshop at <a href="http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/">Chautauqua</a> (besides the fabulous mentors, invaluable learning experiences, wonderful opportunities, absolutely delightful staff and beautiful, quaint & relaxing location) is the people. </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">At Chautauqua 2002, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Layne Johnson, Jennifer Ward and Matt Faulkner (not pictured) as attendees and becoming pals for the week. </span></span><br />
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Here were are, admiring one of Layne's projects at the Welcome Center. I am still a great fan of his remarkable work and am pleased to be able to showcase it here. <br />
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</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-53241979796053611342011-02-15T06:32:00.000-08:002011-02-15T06:32:15.775-08:00Writing Prompt/Pondering Possibilities with PB Writer Samantha Vamos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolde95Ebue-pbprxT43ZctbQ_72LM-Wfl9AKcQ6ek17hjQyXJOky6DjPcKj-GBGXIpkRNeSOjXYi9tp7NQU7eqZChtDSoHaNp7J77qS11pE-Z-Ns73grQBoMswaXZPGVo0Qdeag2uabBL/s1600/CAZUELA+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolde95Ebue-pbprxT43ZctbQ_72LM-Wfl9AKcQ6ek17hjQyXJOky6DjPcKj-GBGXIpkRNeSOjXYi9tp7NQU7eqZChtDSoHaNp7J77qS11pE-Z-Ns73grQBoMswaXZPGVo0Qdeag2uabBL/s320/CAZUELA+Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UuWOgYpwFiBCTZVSL0EaLIJVyp1pS6lK-zWIC4BjbZfX18Rx7AcYI9_ou13DshsaKhCERyvCID2kAjJqPCahTh5BdflSfQcLGAOmCrHW_8hJo9exmP5lr0AAefLScC2EWcjSdbrAIu2s/s1600/before+you+were+here+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ask "What If?" by Samantha R. Vamos</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I have an extremely simple “What if” writing exercise, which I typically perform several times a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost every day, I hear a little voice in my head pose the question, “What if _________” in response to a situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s an example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other day I peered out my front door and discovered a box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I neither recognized the labeling, nor the sender’s name, and the idea occurred to me – instead of opening the box to find an item I had ordered online, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what if</i> all that I found inside was a mysterious code and a cryptic note from a friend, or a telephone number and a photo of a friend in a setting I did not recognize?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I answer my “What if” questions by writing my imagined responses and evaluating whether any of the answers evolve into threads that may be sewn together as a storyline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The <span class="yshortcuts">idea for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred</i></b></span> occurred to me after performing my “What if” exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in the kitchen gathering ingredients to make pancakes and realized I lacked both milk and eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, my husband and I lived in Chicago, Illinois and did not own a car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That morning was bitter cold with gusty winds and the prospect of walking to the subway or waiting for a bus to the nearest grocery store was not appealing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, I thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what if</i> I lived on a farm and I could simply call one of my animal “neighbors” for a pail of milk or a basket of fresh eggs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Envisioning myself a farm maiden, I smiled and my story took off from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never finished making pancakes that morning, but I did manage to write a first draft of our story! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One more thing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there is a recipe at the end of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred</i></b>, but it’s not for pancakes!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UuWOgYpwFiBCTZVSL0EaLIJVyp1pS6lK-zWIC4BjbZfX18Rx7AcYI9_ou13DshsaKhCERyvCID2kAjJqPCahTh5BdflSfQcLGAOmCrHW_8hJo9exmP5lr0AAefLScC2EWcjSdbrAIu2s/s1600/before+you+were+here+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UuWOgYpwFiBCTZVSL0EaLIJVyp1pS6lK-zWIC4BjbZfX18Rx7AcYI9_ou13DshsaKhCERyvCID2kAjJqPCahTh5BdflSfQcLGAOmCrHW_8hJo9exmP5lr0AAefLScC2EWcjSdbrAIu2s/s200/before+you+were+here+2.JPG" width="180" /></a><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Samantha’s Picture Books</span></u><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Before You Were Here, Mi Amor</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">(Viking, 2009, illustrated by Santiago Cohen)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">2010 Washington State Book Award for Picture Book</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Best for Babies” - Parents Magazine</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> (Charlesbridge, 2011, illustrated by Rafael L</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ó</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">pez)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Alphabet Trucks</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> (Charlesbridge, Fall 2013)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><u>Website</u>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><a href="http://www.samanthavamos.com/"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">www.samanthavamos.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><u>Book Trailers</u>: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Cazuela That The Farm Maiden Stirred</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://samanthavamos.com/books-trailers-cazuela.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://samanthavamos.com/books-trailers-cazuela.aspx</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Before You Were Here, Mi Amor</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://samanthavamos.com/books-trailers-bywh.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://samanthavamos.com/books-trailers-bywh.aspx</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><u>Book Contest</u>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://samanthavamos.com/contest.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">http://samanthavamos.com/contest.aspx</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlUTUE5Qdsea9vIuVTKrb7Zw91Xs5J46UKA-WuBgGlQ0tlfLTqp0IOP7VG2AmeoCo6vhatzS4CIieu6rErZyThAkeReHbDLKaiU6iTq2KHS0xox4CI8J48oha_mDORxZtJ6Uv4fn5SiIT/s1600/SamVamos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlUTUE5Qdsea9vIuVTKrb7Zw91Xs5J46UKA-WuBgGlQ0tlfLTqp0IOP7VG2AmeoCo6vhatzS4CIieu6rErZyThAkeReHbDLKaiU6iTq2KHS0xox4CI8J48oha_mDORxZtJ6Uv4fn5SiIT/s320/SamVamos.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><u>More About Samantha and Her Books</u>:</span></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Samantha<span style="color: black;"> attended Georgetown University Law Center, and once upon a time, practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she’s a full-time mom and part-time writer, who, upon moving to the Pacific Northwest, has added coffee to her already significant chocolate addiction!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Before You Were Here, Mi Amor</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">(Viking, 2009), her first children’s picture book, won the 2010 Washington State Book Award for Picture Book and was featured as “Best for Babies” by Parents Magazine (May 2009).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Samantha’s second picture book, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred</i></b> (Charlesbridge, 2011, illustrated by Rafael López) released February 1, and is an amusing tale of five farm animals, their farmer, and a farm girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">From the book jacket:</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">"When<span style="color: #262626;"> a farm girl starts cooking, all the animals want to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cow contributes milk, the hen offers eggs, and even the duck makes a special trip to the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the pot is bubbling merrily on the stove, everyone dances and sings - but who is watching the <i>cazuela</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Samantha R. Vamos and Rafael López serve up a spicy tribute to the classic nursery rhyme "The House That Jack Built" in this bilingual celebration of community and food.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">, as t</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">he action builds, the Spanish words repeat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the book's end, a glossary with pronunciation and recipe are provided.</span></span></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-83472842428935511622011-02-14T18:15:00.000-08:002011-02-14T18:15:44.337-08:00Picture Book Marathon Update: Day Thirteen & Fourteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBWpG-DBqyNd8F_JA2nwMgvjEq0fz-97l6WZnxPwOXPTOQs7bxyPODwnlzQXfAT4GXElN-TI1bVWHHN4xVtVfsrgCQRDNeMwYxpGSWcJhxbT9mkNg3uqHHHCFtxKiannygpdDyzum5mjF/s1600/Scan10003R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBWpG-DBqyNd8F_JA2nwMgvjEq0fz-97l6WZnxPwOXPTOQs7bxyPODwnlzQXfAT4GXElN-TI1bVWHHN4xVtVfsrgCQRDNeMwYxpGSWcJhxbT9mkNg3uqHHHCFtxKiannygpdDyzum5mjF/s320/Scan10003R.JPG" width="320" /></a>My <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a> tally spelled out "Sweet" success as I handed in my count of 7 completed picture book drafts on Sunday for the week, a total of 12 since the Marathon started on February 1st! It hasn't always easy to find the time to write a complete draft each day. I have given up some of my favorite t.v. shows, checked Facebook less, and as Lora and Jean recommended, made it a daily task to ponder and list three possible ideas to work on the next day. I have noticed myself finding a rhythm, and more and more, doing productive work on my writing and storytelling has become part of my daily routine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think being in the holiday spirit got my creative juices flowing, as a holiday book poured out of me on Sunday, but it wasn't a Valentine's Day book! Of the 14 picture book drafts I've written, there are 7 that I consider worth pursuing with more revisions, and this one is definitely one of them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of Lora and Jean's recent blogposts discussed writing what you know. Monday's picture book draft was inspired by my little one, who has neurological tics and makes humming noises or perhaps something else, when the tic shifts over time. It's about a little hippo who blinks, hums and flicks his tongue and his attempt to convince the other animals to let him play with them in the watering hole. I am happy that even in the first draft I feel it has humor, compassion, tension, and ultimately, understanding. I hope that after much thought and many revisions, it will one day be a GOOD story. Read on, to see what I mean...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4a4Mbck9wQvz3zeAzX0XAu66fbM0ZdoxErpJP6VlULZ1ZCkIpqbSBatOKv98ks-wfoS4klzPC9FjnKlsH1-3YBwXBDU73sMV6Tp1jc5itkoRyv3YwfVRgCLaOVTCebCZz0-0nzm6ypYf/s1600/Flora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4a4Mbck9wQvz3zeAzX0XAu66fbM0ZdoxErpJP6VlULZ1ZCkIpqbSBatOKv98ks-wfoS4klzPC9FjnKlsH1-3YBwXBDU73sMV6Tp1jc5itkoRyv3YwfVRgCLaOVTCebCZz0-0nzm6ypYf/s1600/Flora.jpg" /></a>This weekend, I asked my 6-year old daughter (who has been reading picture books and chapter books unassisted for some time) what topics she liked to read about in picture books. She replied, "Well, just about anything that's good." I asked her what she meant by good, and tried to get her to pick some topics in particular. She titled her head and said, "Didn't you understand? Anything that's GOOD!" She gave me examples...FLORA'S VERY WINDY DAY (by Jeanne Birdsall), DESERT ROSE AND THE HIGHFALUTIN' HOG (by Alison Jackson), JULIUS, BABY OF THE WORLD (by Kevin Henkes), SUCH A SILLY BABY (by Steffanie and Richard Long). All these books are extremely different in style and topic, but I think I know what she means. A good story, well-told!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">So keep on writing those drafts every day -- you're stretching your creative muscles, exploring new things (situations, characters, voices, places, conflicts). You're on the right path to creating that good story, well told! </div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-75202929200589322922011-02-14T06:32:00.000-08:002011-02-14T09:00:44.253-08:00Writing Advice from Illustrator Will Terry/How Not to Kill 'Em with Color<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8LiTjOYVtFH4j84ICMw-GDW1SwFY9lRolJ5W1G9szY0M7vR2ClIDBgiGlW3swcr7SxcnNvQXAbXIxqYpi9TEAQdRHuB7wB4s2NQkGkOmNEp9WngVo37_Vm1TyCKgo49TdsZGM2jdN54T/s1600/VideoClassCoverSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8LiTjOYVtFH4j84ICMw-GDW1SwFY9lRolJ5W1G9szY0M7vR2ClIDBgiGlW3swcr7SxcnNvQXAbXIxqYpi9TEAQdRHuB7wB4s2NQkGkOmNEp9WngVo37_Vm1TyCKgo49TdsZGM2jdN54T/s1600/VideoClassCoverSmall.jpg" /></a></div>Ok -- I admit it. I am an author who is a wanna-be illustrator. I study art and pictures probably just as much as I study words and text. You might not even know that about me, so maybe I am a "closet" wanna-be illustrator. Then, one of my favorite picture book illustrators, Will Terry, releases his video series "How to Illustrate Children's Books" and "Digital Painting in Photoshop" and I tell myself I must have him Guest Blog over at my blog pond so that other writers who are closet wanna-be illustrators can come out and stretch their wings along with me. But does sweet, humble Will mention it in the following post? No. So here's the link. Enjoy the creative process (and the color aspect - but in moderation, of course)! <a href="http://www.willterry.com/store.php">http://www.willterry.com/store.php</a><br />
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And without further to-do, here are some enlightening anecdotes from Will Terry:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB5AdKecMXZTOmPdOCAAjP-5-m8MLgSfVjZS1Z0K-Y3khdqRBnEZShGkl6MPYN-iJuqWubCgrfzU5A4yoR3AHvQeRD8hfjHPvI83cnHL2qHfn0kKs3pr-1femNTqcJScwnmHF8njzGhMw/s1600/paintcoursecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUB5AdKecMXZTOmPdOCAAjP-5-m8MLgSfVjZS1Z0K-Y3khdqRBnEZShGkl6MPYN-iJuqWubCgrfzU5A4yoR3AHvQeRD8hfjHPvI83cnHL2qHfn0kKs3pr-1femNTqcJScwnmHF8njzGhMw/s1600/paintcoursecover.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr54VsITvDNJ3Yz9WAGctOECwfrMjbQQ_BOIoVGXds3akJRFK3VRAdIurT2fI16AbsNqeyedDTGiW3EJ2O6c5Y1CUXig1ANfttLJPPYSxvCl4nfniRdzfehbV_pIaulk7M7dDbuRVn-Wc/s1600/FrogCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I feel like the brother of three sisters all over again sneaking into their bedroom with one mission – get to the barbie dolls, rip as many heads off as possible before their screams forced me to run and hide. Part of me feels that I don't belong here. I got horrible grades in school. I'll bet that most of you did well in school. I'll bet that most of you enjoyed writing as a child – I didn't. I'll bet most of you have no trouble with reading comprehension – I did and still do. I lived in the shadow of an older sister who over-achieved in school. Why am I confessing all this? Because it's part of who I am and I feel lucky to have found what I'm good at. It pains me to realize that the world is littered with souls like mine but who never found themselves or were never rewarded for their talents. I grew up feeling inferior to those who excelled in reading, writing, and math. I was afraid of you guys.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ok, that was a very heavy way to start out but I feel I owe it to my counterparts to push this message whenever I can for awareness. The public school system is broken – it looks to strip mine a few skills from those who posses them while leaving the rest feeling unwanted and discarded.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I thought I would talk about a very important lesson I learned a few years ago. It was very painful but I'm so glad I allowed myself the opportunity to open up to new possibilities. Often we get to a comfortable place in our craft and we don't want to receive criticism – we stop practicing what we preach. I'm in a critique group called Brotique (a bunch of guys trying to write picture books) and I have no trouble accepting criticism on my writing. I think it's because I have very few hours writing in relation to the time I have spent refining my illustration style. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTnxAz_cIPtzoDaHxoBW4OUiCEWjshRO4nLxlWN1TwbKt480JiB-3UxfvMy-YQPXBnZKowrNkTVNNH8VnqrMZqiO4xPNgws1ZC4sPcWH1OhrirZOIxpuXJqyDQsGagqG72JNN1Qlmu3Y2/s1600/DavidSmalltype+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTnxAz_cIPtzoDaHxoBW4OUiCEWjshRO4nLxlWN1TwbKt480JiB-3UxfvMy-YQPXBnZKowrNkTVNNH8VnqrMZqiO4xPNgws1ZC4sPcWH1OhrirZOIxpuXJqyDQsGagqG72JNN1Qlmu3Y2/s320/DavidSmalltype+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A few years ago I met David Small (caldecott winner for <a alt="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You_Want_to_Be_President%3F" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You_Want_to_Be_President%3F" title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_You_Want_to_Be_President%3F"><i>So You Want to Be President?</i></a> ) at a writing conference out here in Utah. I had the chance to go to dinner with him after the conference and he started talking about professional critiques. He said most professionals don't really want an honest critique. I gulped because I realized that I was in that camp. Why would I want a professional critique? After all I'm a professional right? I know what's good about my work and I don't need anyone telling me different. As he talked I thought about it and one thing I learned early in life is that whenever you're confronted with an opportunity that seems painful or difficult it usually is followed by growth. Also life is too short to say “no” to new experiences – I know too many “no” people and they're boring – I don't ever want to be accused of being boring.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So I found myself volunteering for his critique – almost like I was hearing my voice from across the table. Mr. Small then looked through me - “Ok, but let me warn you.” Uh oh. “I'm too old and I've wasted my breath telling artists what they want to hear to long to sugar coat my feelings any more – in other words I'll tell you exactly what I think of your work.” GULP - ok. What had I got myself into?! Luckily he didn't do it right at the table so everyone could see me melt into my chair. “I want you to send me the book you're most proud of and I'll look it over and get back to you.” Sheesh – what a relief – I could still back out gracefully – at least nobody at the table would know that I chickened out.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr54VsITvDNJ3Yz9WAGctOECwfrMjbQQ_BOIoVGXds3akJRFK3VRAdIurT2fI16AbsNqeyedDTGiW3EJ2O6c5Y1CUXig1ANfttLJPPYSxvCl4nfniRdzfehbV_pIaulk7M7dDbuRVn-Wc/s1600/FrogCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr54VsITvDNJ3Yz9WAGctOECwfrMjbQQ_BOIoVGXds3akJRFK3VRAdIurT2fI16AbsNqeyedDTGiW3EJ2O6c5Y1CUXig1ANfttLJPPYSxvCl4nfniRdzfehbV_pIaulk7M7dDbuRVn-Wc/s320/FrogCover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This would be a boring story if I had chickened out so of course I didn't. That which does not kill me makes me stronger – so after a trip to the post office (I sent him “The Frog with the Big Mouth”) I waited to hear from David. A few weeks later I summoned the courage to call him and take my flogging. After the small talk I said so what did you think of my book? His response came with another disclaimer. “Ok, but there are illustrators I've lost touch with after I've commented on their work – some people can't handle criticism.” I assured him I was well prepped and ready for my lashes – not in those words but you get the point. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Anyway quite simply he said that I have beautiful illustrations but I don't give the reader any rest from my fully illustrated color spreads. He went on to ask, “Are you trying to kill your audience with color and visuals?” “Not everything is as important as you're making it.” “In order to have a crescendo you have to have rest – a place to build from.” </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">WOW! He was right. I was trying to kill the viewer with color. How did he see through me so easily. In fact I remembered looking at picture-books in college wondering why every illustration wasn't treated with equal value? I remember thinking that most books were lacking a consistency in image quality. But I was making a horrible mistake. I wasn't looking at the book as a project but more as an excuse to showcase artwork. I felt silly. Was I trying to kill the viewer with fully illustrated color spreads? I was trying to wipe out the planet with my color! “I wanted to blow the viewer off their chair with color – If you gaze upon my work I'll burn your retinas kind of color – and the funny thing is that I can't stand movies that have 20 min action scenes where the story fall apart. Talk about blind.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yJhYHdPbjhRlv8VczMvxsoLo6WTkSRQtTWrUkPDaeWXkegjrg9g_XBwDevkS1TSBOUrk29TMX0qhZphdfZos2WVgDKNJ6oC762gx8FepBauisAKHdeXQR9U1A5ENQcZhCcwZmikXRgE4/s1600/CapibaraSpread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yJhYHdPbjhRlv8VczMvxsoLo6WTkSRQtTWrUkPDaeWXkegjrg9g_XBwDevkS1TSBOUrk29TMX0qhZphdfZos2WVgDKNJ6oC762gx8FepBauisAKHdeXQR9U1A5ENQcZhCcwZmikXRgE4/s320/CapibaraSpread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So I thank you David Small – I have to admit that it took me a few months to fully accept your gift but it has changed me in a good way. I'm trying to be more sensitive to the story. Ask myself more questions. What can I do to enhance the plot, characters, etc. When should I underplay the illustrations? When should I unleash my powers? </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What did the author intend? Will the reader understand the text better if I put this or that in the pictures? </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the end I now look at each manuscript as the first half of the completed project. And I'm happy to share this experience with you – perhaps you too can improve your craft if you let go a little and allow for the fact that you just might not know it all. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I'm now working on another book (Senorita Gordita) for Albert Whitman by Helen Ketteman (a total sweetheart) and this time I'm going to get it right – or as right as I can with my current skills.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a alt="http://willterry.blogspot.com/" href="http://willterry.blogspot.com/" title="http://willterry.blogspot.com/">http://willterry.blogspot.com/</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a alt="http://willterry.com/" href="http://willterry.com/" title="http://willterry.com/">http://willterry.com/</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-48801361926010196402011-02-13T11:29:00.000-08:002011-02-13T11:29:32.120-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Twelve / On the Twelfth Day of Marathon...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ahKj9Nx8cTwUZyrEljROXAh4CwEO7tvIDdEjth5sqS1MSyEEOAjiGMQuz_66-JoJoZ7OI34QG0fLkcSZTNhpr8drPzaSLDFSbGJ-A6CZ_pXYH79xHui5m_eT9jXMjPa5wh7l__4n3NTm/s1600/2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ahKj9Nx8cTwUZyrEljROXAh4CwEO7tvIDdEjth5sqS1MSyEEOAjiGMQuz_66-JoJoZ7OI34QG0fLkcSZTNhpr8drPzaSLDFSbGJ-A6CZ_pXYH79xHui5m_eT9jXMjPa5wh7l__4n3NTm/s320/2381.JPG" width="320" /></a>On the 12th Day of Marathon, my true love (my little sweetheart Kayla) gave to me...another great idea to pursue <3</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And, to be truthful, I think this one is one of the winners! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Lora and Jean mentioned in their Day 11 Marathon Post that Katherine Paterson recommends to "Write what you know," or "would like to know." At the recent SCBWI NY11, Newbery award-winning author Lois Lowry gave similar advice. "Things that happened way back when. Then told and shaped, and told again." And "What if? What if? Alway there. So many answers. Be aware." Another snippet included: "a phrase and little more -- imagination, take wings, soar!" <br />
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So, be aware! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYduQw7zH9SV63qYiNUACDYJJ1pNBqqwCJVg9cLgOOiH0-9UKLhEHByJqx_J3K_uUp11-e4DdkGFPQcRjSqXWV2_9yywI-xCIxYKkEhVYxZQL0Reh6Nz47YIjJKSj2QHTLMOIulonUn87/s1600/2331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYduQw7zH9SV63qYiNUACDYJJ1pNBqqwCJVg9cLgOOiH0-9UKLhEHByJqx_J3K_uUp11-e4DdkGFPQcRjSqXWV2_9yywI-xCIxYKkEhVYxZQL0Reh6Nz47YIjJKSj2QHTLMOIulonUn87/s320/2331.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>In my own writing, I often include overlay imaginative fiction upon factual events. Events that happen in my life. In my son's life. In my daughter's life. School events. This day's draft was no exception. In a left-handed way, the basis for my inspiration came from making Valentines for my daughter's First Grade Class. Of course, realizing that so many books exist about Valentine's Day, I found a way to approach the school celebration from a different angle, focus on a learning aspect, add some fiction and fun and hopefully learn more about snails in the process! Got you intrigued? Hopefully it will be a book someday and you will get to read first hand what I am talking about. <br />
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But my point is that you can use real-life for inspiration and write about day-to-day things without really writing about those tired topics. Just be aware of the parts that work, then push the box a little further, and think outside of it. <br />
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So, go ahead, write what you know or what you want to know, and give it a twist <3Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-11711413130769947602011-02-13T08:32:00.000-08:002011-02-13T08:36:24.213-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Eleven / Sowing Your Story Seeds All in a Row (Structure)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhBAB3ZS9L4lS1Go0exNcHa4Fkg2Z7vwBlrEq7q5xSLAwnKwWhs36XPChdEn3jB8iZtSGNUjwWo9Ih5z16RDZDxFy_VTJGM1hqlhDLw00UMlz6U6WFmaPyBlaITVD1fFW0Pd9YuQvmSxd/s1600/JackofAll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhBAB3ZS9L4lS1Go0exNcHa4Fkg2Z7vwBlrEq7q5xSLAwnKwWhs36XPChdEn3jB8iZtSGNUjwWo9Ih5z16RDZDxFy_VTJGM1hqlhDLw00UMlz6U6WFmaPyBlaITVD1fFW0Pd9YuQvmSxd/s320/JackofAll.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For Friday, I discussed my top ten methods for finding inspiration. My idea for <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a> Day 11 came from reading the fun and fabulous book, JACK OF ALL TAILS, written by a former critique group partner, <a href="http://www.kimnormanbooks.com/www.kimnormanbooks.com/Kim_Norman_author.html">Kim Norman</a>. Please visit her at her website: <a href="http://www.kimnormanbooks.com/">http://www.kimnormanbooks.com/</a>.<br />
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Of course, my idea really has nothing to do with this wonderful book, in which "Members of the Kibbleman family take on jobs training people to live with their pets, wallowing in mud like the Munson's pot-bellied pig or lying in front of the television and passing gas like Mrs. Philpott's dearly-departed boxer dog MacTavish." That's the beauty of it! <br />
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Just one little detail, if you will, sent my mind flying off in a different direction, to a different place, with a different character and a different situation, and voila -- my story was born! But I digress (and of course wanted to share the title of a thoroughly enjoyable book)...<br />
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Here's where the sowing comes in. Just like every day is different, so is every idea or seed for each story. Some practically grow on their own, some require lots of sun light and water. Others might make you roll up your sleeves, put your arms deep down into mucky earth and pull them out by their roots. The point is, you have to do what it takes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwM7cC2wiVvtlMm7bqTrUDX3zXivjeGkS23ZkpgLPwYixQLOAovjJYoogoiscewSRObnpvavUG-lbQDpcU2OsWFKWZRAW0wqkdh11-R4GZsWeDyJZH-8S3Id09g0AKLme2q3h_Xwu0v9A8/s1600/2385FB.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwM7cC2wiVvtlMm7bqTrUDX3zXivjeGkS23ZkpgLPwYixQLOAovjJYoogoiscewSRObnpvavUG-lbQDpcU2OsWFKWZRAW0wqkdh11-R4GZsWeDyJZH-8S3Id09g0AKLme2q3h_Xwu0v9A8/s320/2385FB.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>With Manuscript #11, a structured format worked easily. I had my flawed but engaging character, setting, situation and problem in my head. All I had to do is let them loose for the fun and frivolity to begin. From there, my character made three aggravated and humorous attempts to solve her problem and finally, when it seemed that all hope was lost, she came up with an unexpected solution -- just like in so many of the books we know and love <3 Structure! It worked for me today, and at the end of it all, I had tapped out a promising first draft. <br />
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Please come back and visit my blog for more Picture Book Marathon Updates and other techniques for letting your ideas turn into drafts (as well as tips, thoughts and tricks from other Published Authors and Illustrators). <br />
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Lynne Marie is the author of HEDGEHOG GOES TO KINDERGARTEN, Scholastic, April 2011<br />
visit <a href="http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/">http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/</a> for updates<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myworpla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0525477934" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-70956514909183942002011-02-13T05:07:00.000-08:002011-02-13T05:07:33.935-08:00Writing Advice/Opening Doors with Ruth Spiro<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghy3bLjC29K49UTZoLdB2sOgpmPI8n05BHoFT2Q0apTtRX4S89AJfnKrxzWcTzaqyuIrYpkDCaWCyQH4CXB9zkik05hyphenhyphenCEenZuGaH4ERdz0w4n860To1RAVsukHgBylh8II2AQhrWeUWiv/s1600/Lester+Fizz+.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghy3bLjC29K49UTZoLdB2sOgpmPI8n05BHoFT2Q0apTtRX4S89AJfnKrxzWcTzaqyuIrYpkDCaWCyQH4CXB9zkik05hyphenhyphenCEenZuGaH4ERdz0w4n860To1RAVsukHgBylh8II2AQhrWeUWiv/s1600/Lester+Fizz+.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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My bubble is about to burst (grin) as I happily introduce to you Picture Book Author and Bubble Gum Day (a FUNdraising holiday) Founder, Ruth Spiro!<br />
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*.*.*.*<br />
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<strong>The “Door Opener” - Your Ticket Out of the Slush Pile </strong><br />
By Ruth Spiro<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One of my favorite picture book manuscripts has made its way through a long list of publishing houses, and it’s been rejected by all of them. But I don’t hide my rejection letters in a drawer. Instead, they’re displayed on a bulletin board above my desk, so I can read the delightful notes hand-written at the bottom: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“You’re welcome to send other manuscripts…”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Please do consider us for future submissions!”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Got anything else up your sleeve?” </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Did you hear that? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Click.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s the sound of a door opening. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ve received nearly a dozen “good” rejections to this one manuscript – personal letters from editors passing on it, but inviting me to submit others. I think of the letters not as rejections, but as invitations. So, although it remains unsold, I fondly consider this manuscript my Door Opener.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My first picture book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lester Fizz: Bubble-Gum Artist</i>, was the first manuscript I ever submitted, and it was acquired by the first editor who read it. (Yes, that’s a lot of “firsts!”) Unfortunately, subsequent sales haven’t come as easily. That picture book editor is now focusing on YA at another house, and since I don’t have an agent, my submissions to other publishers usually landed in the slush pile. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But, my Door Opener became my golden ticket out of that pile. Now I have invitations to send my work directly to those editors, and replies come quicker, sometimes even with helpful comments. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A Door Opener is not a sub-standard manuscript. It’s the very best representation of your writing ability. That means a flawless, intriguing cover letter atop a well-targeted, well-written manuscript. Anything less and you’ll probably find yourself with just another form rejection. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Of course, I still hold out hope for finding my favorite manuscript a home. I’m told that editors sometimes pass on a manuscript for reasons that have little to do with the story or the quality of writing. Perhaps the market will change, or a new editor will see its publishing potential. But even if that doesn’t happen, this manuscript has served an important purpose in my writing career by opening doors that may lead to future sales. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Submit your best work, and then listen for the c<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lick</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Maybe doors will open for you, too!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Your assignment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Create a Wish List for your manuscript.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">1) Print your favorite manuscript and hold it in your hands. Close your eyes. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(On second thought, read these questions <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and then</i> close your eyes!)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">2) Imagine you’re holding, not a stack of papers, but a finished book. Feel the weight of it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3) As yourself these questions:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">What does the cover look like? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Can you see your name? What color is it? How big is it?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <br />
In what style are the illustrations? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Soft and soothing? Bright and bold? Realistic? Playful?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">What size is your book? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Is it tall? Wide? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With that image in your head, visit the bookstore and the library to find books similar to yours. Note the names of the authors, illustrators and the publishers. If you plan to seek representation, go the authors’ websites to find the names of their agents. Otherwise, compare your list of ideal publishers against the Children’s Writers & Illustrator’s Market or the SCBWI Market Survey (<a href="http://www.scbwi.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.scbwi.org</span></a>) to check submissions policies. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Create your Wish List, and start submitting!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaE0BKhmJRoyvwB0-Knc_fuUnZmN5pGwfc7d4iqUiMnaJA5oaKnTZKwsE1Lm2i3sFlrZx5qmzw_UQ2iHyvgxo81GkPjCrD6ixCsVKdDAZjD2S5KLWKCHfFfzFHAOsJJcGcqDHTx9ZRNQH/s1600/Ruth+Spiro.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaE0BKhmJRoyvwB0-Knc_fuUnZmN5pGwfc7d4iqUiMnaJA5oaKnTZKwsE1Lm2i3sFlrZx5qmzw_UQ2iHyvgxo81GkPjCrD6ixCsVKdDAZjD2S5KLWKCHfFfzFHAOsJJcGcqDHTx9ZRNQH/s1600/Ruth+Spiro.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">ABOUT RUTH SPIRO: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruth Spiro’s first picture book, Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist, is published by Dutton. Her essays and articles have appeared in FamilyFun, Child, Woman’s World, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles. Her web site is <a href="http://www.ruthspiro.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.ruthspiro.com</span></a>. </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruth frequently speaks at schools and conferences, and is the founder of Bubble Gum Day, a FUNdraising holiday. Read about it at <a href="http://www.bubblegumday.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.bubblegumday.com</span></a>.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruth Spiro Children’s Book Author & Freelance Writer Writing Ruth never imagined she’d be a writer - until she tried it. Now she writes books for children, including the award-winning Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist. Her articles and essays have been published in CHILD, Disney’s FamilyFun, The Writer, and Chicago Parent. Ruth’s stories have also been included in popular anthologies, notably The Right Words at the Right Time, edited by Marlo Thomas, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.<br />
Speaking Students are surprised to hear that as a writer, Ruth trolls the beach for seashells and story ideas, and also plays with toys so she can write reviews about them! Because of her wide range of<br />
publishing experience, Ruth is uniquely qualified to discuss the many “jobs” a writer can have. Her presentations combine a real-life example of the writing process with a discussion of creativity,<br />
individuality, and artistic expression. Ruth’s previous appearances include the Chicago Tribune Printer’s Row Book Fair, Millennium Park Family Fun Festival, Illinois Young Authors Conference, Illinois Art Education Association, Illinois School Library Media Association and the VA Festival of the Book. She has presented programs and writing workshops for students of all ages, and also developed the Writing for Moms™ program. </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Background: Ruth graduated with a B.S. in Communications from the University of Illinois and worked for advertising agencies in both account management and broadcast production. She earned an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, and coordinated several large-scale research studies, including a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Ruth has attended the Highlights Writer’s Workshop at Chautauqua and the Iowa Summer Writer’s Workshop. Her writing has earned awards from Writer’s Digest magazine, Willamette Writers, Half-Price Books, and Byline Magazine.<br />
Contact:" <a href="mailto:ruth@ruthspiro.com">ruth@ruthspiro.com</a> <a href="http://www.ruthspiro.com/">http://www.ruthspiro.com/</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-33425763693798824492011-02-12T18:58:00.000-08:002011-02-12T18:58:12.551-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Ten / Top Ten Places to Get IdeasDue to planning an extremely last-minute vacation which my little one sorely needs, I am behind with my agenda, so please pardon me while I play catch up with Marathon Updates and Guest Author Blogposts. Thanks! <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiiU8K_GQflRhuedhJrVVlqHCa9i5eKN3vCO2bCdPSqyVxf-hA-S-NwGyw2Ntxhvt8cNRcpmKK5TYcTHvjZJtKqIt0vTABZA7VkwBA7wGxmspwDXgmOs6FDy_wfxIFQrtCMtz5BBYjA3D/s1600/HedgehogFINAL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiiU8K_GQflRhuedhJrVVlqHCa9i5eKN3vCO2bCdPSqyVxf-hA-S-NwGyw2Ntxhvt8cNRcpmKK5TYcTHvjZJtKqIt0vTABZA7VkwBA7wGxmspwDXgmOs6FDy_wfxIFQrtCMtz5BBYjA3D/s320/HedgehogFINAL.JPG" width="258" /></a>*.*.*.*</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">On this Tenth day of Picture Book Marathon, I thought it might be good to throw some kindling wood on the fire (for anyone who is struggling for ideas) and discuss my Top Ten Places to Get Ideas. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'll begin by discussing "Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten," which will be my first published picture book from Scholastic (coming April 2011). This idea for this book was inspired by the real experience of my son going to school and being worried about having someone to sit with on the bus, and owning hedgehogs. Hedgehogs tend to be very nervous if they don't feel safe, and, they spike up if they are jostled or hear loud noises, so this fact added further tension to my plot, and provided the perfect main character. Thankfully, I was able to add a lot of other fun and favorite things in this book. Please visit <a href="http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/">http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/</a> in April to find out more about it! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, back to discussing the places where I often get my ideas:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1. Real life problems and experiences</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *Like in "Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten" above</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Talking to people I know / Listening to Conversations</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *I got my idea for "Tooth Truth" from a story my sister told my daughter about something my niece and </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> nephew did when they lost their teeth</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Reading Non-Fiction Books</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *I got the idea for "Pig for President" when I read some factual information about how smart pigs are!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. Real-life Pets</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *"Jump" was inspired by an African bullfrogs we raised from an egg in a kit </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5. Holidays</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *"Woodchuck Woes" was in part inspired by Groundhog Day</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6. Reading Classics</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *I tried my hand at rewriting "There Was an Old ____" with my own unique spin on it!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">7. Giving stories to Characters in other Books</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> *Chomp the Crocodile, who quietly appears in "Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten," has her own story to</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> tell in "Chomp's Picture Day Countdown."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8. Sequel </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Spike the Hedgehog gets off the bus and enjoys Kindergarten in "Hedgehog's 100th Day</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> of School" and other stories</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">9. Sometimes, I just put words (characters, props, actions, dialogue snippets, settings) on little </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">slips of paper and put them into a fish bowl. I'll draw them out one at a time, and build a story</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">from them gets its own momentum. You would be surprised how it works. And you can always</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">cheat a little if you have to! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">10. The ideas just pop into my head! Sometimes I play around with them, sometimes, I let them simmer. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bonus: Take a walk, read a magazine, do some yoga, exercise, soak in the tub! You would be surprised at what ideas can sneak up on you when you relax your mind and aren't looking! </div><br />
I hope you all find this helpful. Please feel free to leave your comments and share any other ideas you may have. <br />
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Lynne MarieLynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-64152457428678689592011-02-09T10:31:00.000-08:002011-02-09T10:31:21.198-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Nine/A Cat Has Nine Lives!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Y31Jrsw4UDNeYiKOe_Vrb4r3t70J-uvtbnGWPfeqlfNns8Xs8bltQ4iMIg8yIeSmEu8EhaQbg5JsJLbFTv6JVMY30ttjcDuSGJOT9Mdv49mESH5wJwBB-3ScZES-QqGchWChzw_8chRu/s1600/cat-rain.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Y31Jrsw4UDNeYiKOe_Vrb4r3t70J-uvtbnGWPfeqlfNns8Xs8bltQ4iMIg8yIeSmEu8EhaQbg5JsJLbFTv6JVMY30ttjcDuSGJOT9Mdv49mESH5wJwBB-3ScZES-QqGchWChzw_8chRu/s1600/cat-rain.gif" /></a></div>Because today was <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a>, Day Nine (and the fact that Cats have nine lives), I took a leap and worked on an idea that had been niggling at me but had never amounted to more than an image. After about an hour and a half, I landed on my feet, with a completed (albeit <em>rough</em>) draft! <br />
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Now my little cat MC is no longer standing out in the rain and cold, all alone -- he has a home on paper!<br />
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I am finding the Marathon to be a valuable and productive tool in moving toward my goals and helping me push past points that I might have just stopped at in the past. This process reminds reminds me of a quote that I would like to share: <br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." Jack London</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And though I leave you today, knowing that my little cat likely has at least eight more drafts in him before he's finished, at least he has begun to live his life!<br />
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Happy Creating!</span>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-5610725493023010292011-02-08T13:13:00.000-08:002011-02-08T13:13:06.947-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Eight/I Wish I Were an Octopus!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrkzx-rl-gPVDJYVargsYh-uWVDGUopEqcRtjXQf2FGW7AkjXsD6SrvKOLARHYY_eemOlU7xoW7suD8E04sWshjqMBGqjPS79G6Oe7ooGUp-TDy05HJtkSaEB-59Con2Jv-SSeNQ6HRYV/s1600/ImtheBestArtist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrkzx-rl-gPVDJYVargsYh-uWVDGUopEqcRtjXQf2FGW7AkjXsD6SrvKOLARHYY_eemOlU7xoW7suD8E04sWshjqMBGqjPS79G6Oe7ooGUp-TDy05HJtkSaEB-59Con2Jv-SSeNQ6HRYV/s200/ImtheBestArtist.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>It's days like today - Picture Book Marathon, Day 8 - that I wish I were an Octopus with 8 arms! Everytime I turned around, someone was knockin', the phone was ringin', or something needed doin'! <br />
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Since I started today with a blank canvas, I figured there must be a message in the invocation of an octopus image. So I took what life had to offer me today, and while I answered the door, spoke on the phone and did what needed doing, I let the seeds take root for a picture book manuscript about -- you guessed it: An Octopus. <br />
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At present this draft may not be as polished or as brilliant as Kevin Sherry's <em>I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean </em>(as a wanna be illustrator, too, I LOVE that book), and it certainly isn't about an octopus in the way that you might expect, but it's a picture book that has an octopus in it. And, even though I first sat down to accomplish this task at 9:05 A.M. and it's now 4:05 P.M. -- I can finally say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED <3<br />
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Here's a quote that speaks to those manuscripts that we may never end up using:<br />
<span style="color: #330000;">"Start early and work hard. A writer's apprenticeship usually involves writing a million words (which are then discarded) before he's almost ready to begin. That takes a while." </span><span style="color: #999999; font-style: italic;">David Eddings </span><br />
So write, write, write, and enjoy the process. Don't worry about which drafts you will ultimately choose and use. That will come later. <br />
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Lynne MarieLynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-15483352228326103492011-02-08T06:51:00.000-08:002011-02-08T06:53:08.347-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Six and Seven/The Good, the Bad & The Ugly!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprC7Vwiobawm1r0oFaamii0vAoPB4W-qE9ZhBLOPMfXSkr6vycvC7ltb-hGU8WHwLU-iZODHKSngWUiwh54f32gU2rru0dpyIcPqNo0wSr2_Ww_XkFrj8qL2rFFvH-8s-B7nM98ZMjx0P/s1600/CatWomanBatmite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprC7Vwiobawm1r0oFaamii0vAoPB4W-qE9ZhBLOPMfXSkr6vycvC7ltb-hGU8WHwLU-iZODHKSngWUiwh54f32gU2rru0dpyIcPqNo0wSr2_Ww_XkFrj8qL2rFFvH-8s-B7nM98ZMjx0P/s320/CatWomanBatmite.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children's Author Lynne Marie and Son Kevin (Now 22) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Of course, we each want to be a superhero in this <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a>, crossing the finish line first, with a satchel of twenty-six publishable picture book manuscripts strapped on our back. <br />
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Rather than get discouraged if looks like things are not going according to that plan, I think it's important to remember that in life, there's the good, the bad and the ugly. It's all part of the process. <br />
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Taking a look at my manuscripts for the past week, I would say that's EXACTLY what I have in the mix: Good, Bad & just plain Ugly. But I am a glass is half full person, and I must admit that two of my manuscripts drafts are rather darn good and I don't think they would have come out if it weren't for this process. It's like a clogged drain. Unclog it and see what comes out, be it good, bad or ugly. Again, process. You can't fight with it, just let it flow!<br />
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And don't be hard on yourself. Andrea Brown Literary <a href="http://kidlit.com/">Agent Mary Kole</a> said in last Thursday's <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/">Writer's Digest</a> webinar that <em>usually</em> only one in every ten picture book manuscripts is saleable, so you have to get your creative juices flowing, write those drafts, and then develop the most promising and publishable of the bunch. Again, that's part of the process. So just flow with it and enjoy it -- all of it, the good, bad and the ugly! <br />
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By the way, anyone who even writes one publishable picture book manuscript is a superhero in my book!Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-17843632976409204752011-02-06T12:39:00.000-08:002011-02-06T12:39:39.117-08:00Writing Tips/Food for Thought from MG Author Rose Kent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtrQbd9tuQl2hA1jfTuXEOUQYrQqeGd-jOLVMf-dR54egeRKTQB7GysPbk4oWu7XQtYy3gC4yMVwBqFmJtVUnkzJcCW8XL-EKPwkrbS0lWHDk84Mjf88LTRw0vpHqWQIeKGylTYy9SH8J/s1600/RockyRoad_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtrQbd9tuQl2hA1jfTuXEOUQYrQqeGd-jOLVMf-dR54egeRKTQB7GysPbk4oWu7XQtYy3gC4yMVwBqFmJtVUnkzJcCW8XL-EKPwkrbS0lWHDk84Mjf88LTRw0vpHqWQIeKGylTYy9SH8J/s1600/RockyRoad_thumb.jpg" /></a></div><div>Sweet Inspirations by Rose Kent</div><div></div><div>Both of my middle-grade novels, <i>Kimchi & Calamari</i> (HarperCollins) and <i>Rocky Road (</i>Knopf Books), have titles & themes related to food. There is quite a bit of food references & symbolism in my stories too. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Kimchi & Calamari</span> refers to not only foods from my character Joseph's Korean birth and Italian adopted family cultures, but how he jokes about himself as an ethnic combo platter. My second book, <i>Rocky Roa</i>d, about Tess, whose family opens up an ice cream shop in the dead of winter, also captures Tess's spirit coping with her mom's mental health challenges.</div><div>I tend to see myself as a foodie -- not necessarily a gourmet cook, but someone who appreciates good food & how food nurtures our spirits. And as a writer I think food is a great tool for "showing" rather than "telling" about my characters' lives.</div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgLIIQlN4Qkq57Z9JVtZKAqJsgS8BvGdLaVwXaER3Q8AzC-Qb4baZWxXhAf49DtbBMC6LX1zWguZmWlOJTSJCBaxjZvrXFb_Y1r2rTGvpmMQZBUB0aM_dHVyQ2Keb8zl5pd-o__7FYcCo/s1600/kimchi_and_calamari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgLIIQlN4Qkq57Z9JVtZKAqJsgS8BvGdLaVwXaER3Q8AzC-Qb4baZWxXhAf49DtbBMC6LX1zWguZmWlOJTSJCBaxjZvrXFb_Y1r2rTGvpmMQZBUB0aM_dHVyQ2Keb8zl5pd-o__7FYcCo/s1600/kimchi_and_calamari.jpg" /></a></div>So of course, I come back to food when the writing gets tough. When I struggle in figuring out what comes next in my story, I tell myself it's snack time. By that I mean I walk</div><div>away from my work-in-progress, put the tea kettle on, and make myself a tasty snack. Then I return to the computer, open a fresh document, and begin an interview with my character as I munch. You know, Q&A, italics for my questions, bold-faced text for my characters' response. I let the questions come naturally, not scripted. This technique relaxes me and doesn't feel as hard work as the writing. </div><div><br />
</div><div>This starts out simple, even silly, with my character commenting on the weather or his favorite cookies as I eat mine. But like every good conversation, the interview moves about and ultimately returns to the story. More often than not, this foodie break I have given myself results in a breakthrough in my story with my character revealing something gets me unstuck. Of course this can be over done with too much snacking and too little writing, so I try to use this technique only occasionally.</div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlV9nFrirXq31JQtvu8b_r9qFoLRI2mOqRk6O7vMaZezBmHEt47HsEtn75y3IB8t_S0uRJVG5oDwj03kZaW8B6Qm_Iq3KBp6lbCNqUBvpMwzWIfqmNIs50x47drzD4CNLshWgWSamFgS8/s1600/rosevisit7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlV9nFrirXq31JQtvu8b_r9qFoLRI2mOqRk6O7vMaZezBmHEt47HsEtn75y3IB8t_S0uRJVG5oDwj03kZaW8B6Qm_Iq3KBp6lbCNqUBvpMwzWIfqmNIs50x47drzD4CNLshWgWSamFgS8/s320/rosevisit7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rose Kent is a former naval officer who now happily writes for children. She has four children & two stepchildren. She is from Long Island, like MOI, and although she no longer lives here, you can never take the Long Island out of the girl! You can learn more about Rose at <a href="http://www.rosekent.com/">http://www.rosekent.com/</a> (there is a link to her blog there, as well) and you can view her trailer for <em>Rocky Road </em>here<em>:</em></div><div><i> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><a alt="http://vimeo.com/11357915" href="http://vimeo.com/11357915" target="_blank" title="http://vimeo.com/11357915">http://vimeo.com/11357915</a></span></i></div><div></div><div><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Enjoy!</span></i><br />
</div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myworpla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0375863443" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-64079616656105327192011-02-05T11:03:00.000-08:002011-02-05T11:03:35.195-08:00Writing Prompt/Interviewing Your MG Character with Kat Yeh<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASn1Hr6QUreiWBZFVLoMkxZxS1jj3UnFPwN-kP4b4YRjEz5rPkGXVLGi7g_wqzpqpFC6pd3fKGlmUhpMtMU8L70wpoGZLj9Fo-qTlOUWK4NAfl7XZerCAw6-f77p-8nsalXcqc4A0p-aQ/s1600/Magic+Brush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASn1Hr6QUreiWBZFVLoMkxZxS1jj3UnFPwN-kP4b4YRjEz5rPkGXVLGi7g_wqzpqpFC6pd3fKGlmUhpMtMU8L70wpoGZLj9Fo-qTlOUWK4NAfl7XZerCAw6-f77p-8nsalXcqc4A0p-aQ/s320/Magic+Brush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On our writing journey, we are often blessed to travel the path and sit a while with many fine spirits. For me, one of them is Kat Yeh, who I am always glad to catch up with, although sometimes she soars quickly on her flying dragon with her magic brush!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here is her wonderful contribution to my blog, for which I am thankful. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">MG Novel Writing Prompt from Kat Yeh: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the midst of a writing frenzy the other day, a strange thing occurred. The protagonist of my middle-grade novel did something I did not plan. Reacted in a way I hadn't expected. I couldn't decide how to feel about this. Betrayed? Pleased? Or simply puzzled? It made me wonder how well I really knew her. She had always been a decidedly complex and secretive little thing, but I realized there was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">one</b> way I could at least begin to figure her out. I would interview her. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ah, but the catch is: I would do it twice. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The first time, I would ask my questions and write down her off the cuff responses. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then (please don't judge me!) when she wasn't looking, I'd slip her a serious dose of Truth Serum, wait for it to take effect, and then see how her answers changed…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We all have several levels of The Truth within us. Things we reveal to anyone - a reporter, a stranger. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Things we reveal only to some - like family and friends. And things that would only see the light of day if a very liberal amount of Truth Serum were to be administered. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">These were some of the questions for my character -- based on what I needed to find out about her…what would you ask yours? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1) What is your biggest dream?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2) What are you most afraid of people finding out about you?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>3) Who are you closest to?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>4) What is your deepest, darkest secret?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>5) Who would you tell this to?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>6) Describe your family and your relationship.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>7) If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? What about your family?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf6jwjSvgXKEiOcFjP8HV89LbdgTPk2ijao_PviYTZAISr8zsh3E1E-bAH65SLi5oqTD3ncr5pYg7t2ZHpL5WmRaQCeAZnoftjMrXB7BSnJtp-UXg-yebqjfSp185j_pXhG7All-9pz6K/s1600/Kat+Yeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVf6jwjSvgXKEiOcFjP8HV89LbdgTPk2ijao_PviYTZAISr8zsh3E1E-bAH65SLi5oqTD3ncr5pYg7t2ZHpL5WmRaQCeAZnoftjMrXB7BSnJtp-UXg-yebqjfSp185j_pXhG7All-9pz6K/s320/Kat+Yeh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Kat Yeh Biography</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Kat grew up reading, doodling and scribbling in Westtown, Pennsylvania. She worked for many years in advertising and sports marketing -- while writing for herself in the wee hours of the night. She currently lives on Long Island where she can see water everyday and explore all the bay and harbor beaches with her family. She is the author of children's books <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You're Lovable to Me (Random House) </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic Brush (Bloomsbury).</i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About <em>The Magic Brush</em>: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Combining a heartwarming family story, a magical adventure, and a </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">multilingual primer on Chinese language, <i>The Magic </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brush</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> tells the story of Jasmine, a young girl who learns </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chinese calligraphy from her Agong, or grandfather. As Jasmine learns </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">how to paint the characters for dragon, fish, horse, friend, and more, </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">she and Agong are magically transported to the wondrous world they are </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">creating. <i>The Magic Brush</i>, beautifully rendered in </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">traditional cut-paper, is perfect for young readers and their parents </span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">to share, steeped in Chinese traditions and full of magical adventure.</span><span style="font-family: "Times", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-5539564152943210922011-02-05T05:10:00.000-08:002011-02-05T11:29:55.242-08:00Picture Book Marathon Day Five!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib0GPZmqRJ_-EJSM7JK6_j5JcF-4G7MPmihC1bSBqiKzCAFSGuiEPlPt0nI7p-VhEeUMeiFDmXtmMJ4_xd5pmwIoMM5aKusUYEC-xy8EtPeJikTn1QLObe9aptcMSbeWNE3QGUT8OfneA/s1600/1398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib0GPZmqRJ_-EJSM7JK6_j5JcF-4G7MPmihC1bSBqiKzCAFSGuiEPlPt0nI7p-VhEeUMeiFDmXtmMJ4_xd5pmwIoMM5aKusUYEC-xy8EtPeJikTn1QLObe9aptcMSbeWNE3QGUT8OfneA/s320/1398.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>With four picture book manuscripts under my belt, I'm excited to begin Day Five of the Marathon. <br />
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I woke up with a terrible, terrible migraine and had to take medicine that makes me woozy and now can't go to my Saturday morning ice skating lessons (RATS!), but I am not going to let that stop me from my using my brain muscles today. I'm eager to press on and make the best of my day! <br />
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I have a whole stash of great ideas from the PIBOIDMO, but I'm feeling a bit antsy from being steered off my course, so I wanted something <em>new</em> to chew on today. So I headed over to the <a href="http://picturebookmarathon.blogspot.com/">Picture Book Marathon Blog</a> to re-read the posts and found just what I was looking for, buried under all the snow...<br />
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Of course, I always have had an affinity for little scurrying creatures! <br />
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No matter what obstacles befall you today, I hope you all can write on...<br />
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And be sure to check out previous posts from this blog for some fabulous writing prompts and inspirations from picture book writers like Lisa Wheeler, Tammi Sauer, Kelly DiPucchio and more! <br />
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UPDATE: I am pleased to say that despite headache and medicine I have completed PB#5 based upon the afore-mentioned inspiration. So far, it is the most promising of the bunch. This proves that you never know when the good ones are going to pop up (if you are paying attention that is a little pun)! And, at Lora and Jean's recommendation, I have generated three ideas to choose from for tomorrow. <br />
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Feel free to guess what my picture book is about. <br />
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Lynne MarieLynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-58466791884507156742011-02-04T18:17:00.000-08:002011-02-04T18:17:15.257-08:00Writing Advice/Taking Over the World with Janice Hardy<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2URU1VM4XxKNJtJKTlpTuuzopM4DnLc2-jmaWLFwX9q0ODfUScXz0RsX1niLHjvJfUxd5dK4j8ZFgx8v8kvREv6ZSqAeGo6kYdt7YbB61pNCB9RTs90TGYVLsbCSS29RhHS_qcLSheYT/s1600/The_Shifter_72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2URU1VM4XxKNJtJKTlpTuuzopM4DnLc2-jmaWLFwX9q0ODfUScXz0RsX1niLHjvJfUxd5dK4j8ZFgx8v8kvREv6ZSqAeGo6kYdt7YbB61pNCB9RTs90TGYVLsbCSS29RhHS_qcLSheYT/s320/The_Shifter_72.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How to Take Over the World</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">by Janice Hardy</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13JxEGelVmVInyykgopSpEtNxJTp6iewnD3F0ZBOGmJYWVlVsqLdgXUvPBlfftujk7DlNA8jMXKQ_Cr1qYdhtz_JhysPNhRH9BC9sdAJarGsCt6vNKM9UDSCIekuVAeuiy87pHTa6ivwy/s1600/JaniceHardy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since I write fantasy, my worlds are one of the first things I create, sometimes even before I flesh out the characters. But it can be hard to create an entire world from scratch. One thing that saves me a lot of time, is to base my worlds on an existing culture or geographic area. This gives me a fully developed locale that offers ready to go details when I need them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I change things to suit my story of course, but having that real-world base means I’ll know what the climate is, the types of flora and fauna, how people in that area make a living. If my protag orders a meal, I know what food she’ll most likely find. If she has to climb a tree, I’ll know if it’s a palm tree or a redwood. Best of all, since the details all come from a real place I know that I won’t accidentally have animals living somewhere they don’t naturally live, so the world works together as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And every time, I discover some really interesting detail I can use in the story I never would have thought of on my own, because it’s unique to that area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So the next time you need a world – real or imagined – consider looking at places that already exist and making them your own. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13JxEGelVmVInyykgopSpEtNxJTp6iewnD3F0ZBOGmJYWVlVsqLdgXUvPBlfftujk7DlNA8jMXKQ_Cr1qYdhtz_JhysPNhRH9BC9sdAJarGsCt6vNKM9UDSCIekuVAeuiy87pHTa6ivwy/s1600/JaniceHardy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13JxEGelVmVInyykgopSpEtNxJTp6iewnD3F0ZBOGmJYWVlVsqLdgXUvPBlfftujk7DlNA8jMXKQ_Cr1qYdhtz_JhysPNhRH9BC9sdAJarGsCt6vNKM9UDSCIekuVAeuiy87pHTa6ivwy/s320/JaniceHardy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bio</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A long-time fantasy reader, Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, and BLUE FIRE. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel. </span>You can visit her online at </span><a href="http://www.janicehardy.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.janicehardy.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> or chat with her about writing on her blog, The Other Side of the Story.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Book Info</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fifteen-year-old Nya is an orphan struggling for survival in a city crippled by war. She is also a Taker—with her touch, she can heal injuries, pulling pain from another person and storing it inside her own body. But unlike her sister Tali and the other Takers who become Healer’s League apprentices, Nya’s skill is flawed: she can’t push that pain into pynvium, the enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it from person to person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from forces occupying her city. If discovered, she’d be used as a human weapon against her own people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rumors of another war make Nya’s life harder, forcing her to take desperate risks just to find work and food. She pushes her luck too far and exposes her secret to a pain merchant eager to use her shifting ability for his own sinister purpose. At first, Nya refuses, but when Tali and other League Healers mysteriously disappear, she’s faced with some difficult choices. As her father used to say, principles are a bargain at any price, but how many will Nya have to sell to get Tali back alive?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=myworpla-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0061747416" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-81005827607139163162011-02-03T17:55:00.000-08:002011-02-03T17:55:41.415-08:00Writing Inspiration / Picture Book Marathon<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZaSWuLAIJWv7wrm4y6sozDLRYdYCrG334TiV-YWo4GU9-BPwFrA9eamGP6XFix_vFPX-sinYZ9g53iB5RKTE0rKIu_YY1cGuZrPVC54itHVgfsaXqjmwKc9W8RTCxC8wDZ0KO3DJY-q4/s1600/2046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZaSWuLAIJWv7wrm4y6sozDLRYdYCrG334TiV-YWo4GU9-BPwFrA9eamGP6XFix_vFPX-sinYZ9g53iB5RKTE0rKIu_YY1cGuZrPVC54itHVgfsaXqjmwKc9W8RTCxC8wDZ0KO3DJY-q4/s320/2046.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Having just landed from a four-day whirlwind of creative inspiration called <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/Conference.aspx?Con=7">NY11 SCBWI</a>, I am thrilled to be a part of the 2011 <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a>. This is my very first Picture Book Marathon, in which my goal is to write one complete draft of a picture book for twenty-six days in the month of February. I'm going for the gold (all 26)!<br />
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Even with just one day falling between the <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/Conference.aspx?Con=7">NY11 SCBWI</a> and the <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a>, I am pleased to share that I am on track with three (3) picture book manuscript drafts completed so far! My very first picture book draft, A LETTER TO BEAR, was inspired by my little one and the little lovey she carries around. Although bear friends are often overdone, hopefully I found a way to make this idea fresh! I guess we'll see...<br />
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I wanted to share something I ask myself when things (like perhaps writing twenty-six picture book manuscripts in one month, or even something else) feels overwhelming. <br />
QUESTION: How do you eat an elephant? ANSWER: One bite at a time!<br />
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Hope you can see the wisdom in this and that it helps you work your way toward your goal in times of stress.<br />
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Have a great day, and good luck to all who are participating in the <a href="http://www.picturebookmarathon.org/">Picture Book Marathon</a>!<br />
<br />
Lynne Marie<br />
<a href="http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/">http://www.hedgehoggoestokindergarten.blogspot.com/</a>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-33729666686667408872011-01-19T19:00:00.000-08:002011-01-19T19:06:19.728-08:00Writing Prompt - Inside Your Character's Head with 2010 National Book Award Winner Kathryn Erskine<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It is my privilege to share a writing tip from the <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2010_ypl_erskine.html">2010 National Book Award</a> Winner Kathryn Erskine. In addition, recent announcements reveal that Mockingbird made the 2011 <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestficya/bfya2011.cfm">YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults List</a> and the <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb/index.cfm">2011 ALA Notable Children's Books List</a>!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGy-4TNMzIh-DxVkOUx2he6S6MZIPfdMqkItoNJU3Ttw3Ac_7rlLYx2lqyH_TZP4q_nrDxd7D1Z5oImWrJ4P-f5EQHSNhEid_oUuDTAWn5rQuyUbFo1xZ7CqzTjfOErYUr5_qhuEGkM6PX/s1600/mockingbird_win_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGy-4TNMzIh-DxVkOUx2he6S6MZIPfdMqkItoNJU3Ttw3Ac_7rlLYx2lqyH_TZP4q_nrDxd7D1Z5oImWrJ4P-f5EQHSNhEid_oUuDTAWn5rQuyUbFo1xZ7CqzTjfOErYUr5_qhuEGkM6PX/s1600/mockingbird_win_2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho";">☆</span>•*¨*•.¸¸<span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho";">❤CONGRATULATIONS❤</span>¸.•*¨*•<span style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho";">☆ Kathryn, on these well-deserved honors!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">GETTING INSIDE YOUR CHARACTER'S HEAD</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">by Kathryn Erskine</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">How well do you know your characters?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, really know them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you been inside their shoes, their skin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To write truly authentic characters you want to experience the world through their eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">being</i> your character and knowing him or her inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So go all the way (short of illegal activities, that is!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does your character get crammed in a locker?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try it out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How does it feel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where does it hurt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does it look like, sound like, from inside that locker?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about the smells?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there are things you can’t or won’t experience (I will never try skydiving, for example) talk with those who have.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So here’s my challenge:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be your character for a day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try walking and talking like your characters and wearing those character’s clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if you can’t use the language your character uses while you’re at school or at work, ask yourself what, exactly, would my character say/do in this situation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to the music your character listens to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eat the food and drink the beverage he or she does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are the mannerisms and nervous habits?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your characters dreams and hopes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And at the end of the day, ask yourself (i.e., your character) the key question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you really want?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyyUt6NaQFgWNPzl77lrbT2XO3tzf94L4W2k0qNsVFLTFCrHg2pGfR1mSSgFKVBg8HKBD-R5GT6Kv38ehElKhHtsgu_a9hCyP0yrbQyikcTF1K7HaZ21BT31FEdEUBGoKbm6tx5vgTmj2/s1600/erskine_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyyUt6NaQFgWNPzl77lrbT2XO3tzf94L4W2k0qNsVFLTFCrHg2pGfR1mSSgFKVBg8HKBD-R5GT6Kv38ehElKhHtsgu_a9hCyP0yrbQyikcTF1K7HaZ21BT31FEdEUBGoKbm6tx5vgTmj2/s320/erskine_2.jpeg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande";">Kathryn Erskine, a lawyer-turned-author, grew up in six countries, an experience that helps her view life, and her writing, from different perspectives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her novels include <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mockingbird </i>(Philomel 2010), the 2010 National Book Award Winner for Young People’s Literature, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Quaking</i> (Philomel 2007), an American Library Association Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and upcoming, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Absolute Value of Mike</i> (Philomel, June 2011), described as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cannery Row</i> meets <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seedfolks</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While covering weighty topics, her books have warmth and humor, making difficult issues approachable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is a writing instructor and frequent workshop presenter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande";">For More About Kathryn, visit:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Website: <a alt="http://www.kathrynerskine.com/" href="http://www.kathrynerskine.com/" title="http://www.kathrynerskine.com/">http://www.kathrynerskine.com/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div>Blog: <a alt="http://kathyerskine.wordpress.com/" href="http://kathyerskine.wordpress.com/" title="http://kathyerskine.wordpress.com/">http://kathyerskine.wordpress.com/</a></div><div>Facebook: <a alt="http://www.facebook.com/kathy.erskine" href="http://www.facebook.com/kathy.erskine" title="http://www.facebook.com/kathy.erskine">http://www.facebook.com/kathy.erskine</a></div><div>Twitter: <a alt="http://twitter.com/#!/KathyErskine" href="http://twitter.com/#!/KathyErskine" title="http://twitter.com/#!/KathyErskine">http://twitter.com/#!/KathyErskine</a></div><br />
*.*.*.*</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As a fellow alumnus of the Highlights Foundation Workshop at Chautauqua, I wanted to share the following press release from the Highlights Foundation regarding Kathryn Erskine:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">If you've heard about the <a alt="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" href="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" title="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&">Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua</a>, it's likely you heard from a fellow writer who has attended and is urging you to go. Our writers celebrate us and we celebrate them in return! This year we're celebrating with Kathryn Erskine, whose amazing novel <em>Mockingbird</em> was the 2010 <a alt="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38018:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" href="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38018:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" title="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38018:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&">National Book Award</a> winner for Young People's Literature.<br />
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Here's what Kathy has to say about her experience attending our Chautauqua writers workshop.<br />
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"Chautauqua is a launching point for your writing career. You'll join a community of authors and editors who want to help you get to the next level. They'll meet you wherever you are and encourage you, challenge you, cajole you to step it up. Soak up as much as you can and don't worry about processing it all in that one week. You'll find what you've learned coming out in your writing–in your own voice–and you'll realize that you carry their wisdom with you long after you leave.<br />
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. . . I will always be grateful to the Highlights family for giving me my start with those wonderful Founders Workshops and Chautauqua."<br />
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–Kathryn Erskine, 2010 National Book Award winner, Young People's Literature for Mockingbird.<br />
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This summer, things will come full-circle for Kathy as she joins <strong>Patricia Lee Gauch</strong>–one of her <em>Mockingbird</em> editors–as a faculty member for the <a alt="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" href="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" title="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&">27th Annual Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua</a>, July 16-23, 2011. For twenty-six years, the Highlights Foundation has been helping children's writers and illustrators like you to reach their goals. We invite you to join us this summer for an unforgettable workshop experience.<br />
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For more information, visit our <a alt="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" href="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" title="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38017:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&">Web site</a> or contact Jo Lloyd, toll free, at 1-877-512-8365.<br />
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<em>Please feel free to share this e-mail with others who might have an interest or to include the information in blog posts or through other social networking forums.</em></div><hr /><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px;">Highlights Foundation, Inc.<br />
814 Court Street<br />
Honesdale, PA 18431<br />
Phone: (570) 251-4500<br />
E-mail: <a alt="mailto:contact@highlightsfoundation.org" href="mailto:contact@highlightsfoundation.org" title="mailto:contact@highlightsfoundation.org">contact@highlightsfoundation.org</a><br />
<a alt="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38019:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" href="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38019:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&" title="http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38019:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&">http://tracking.highlightsfoundation.org/t?r=4&c=41456&l=663&ctl=38019:41A0316BCCAE8A52801C0FF120A2A8B4&</a></div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-88141110350398924672010-12-31T18:43:00.000-08:002011-02-15T05:54:27.957-08:00Writing Goal: Counting to 100, One Book at a Time<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22fXZS9dmHaofheP-5_je-JowoCtNybOLtmhBp3JHiuMg2N-71pH3D0ngbhimKZ-dKiVrPKlL_bCzUlkt9EGX8b7tc2CRiSqai9rJvs5dprYsrmakpWFEZNpBt-_aNq9guDoDaQlU1UbA/s1600/The_Girl_Next_Door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22fXZS9dmHaofheP-5_je-JowoCtNybOLtmhBp3JHiuMg2N-71pH3D0ngbhimKZ-dKiVrPKlL_bCzUlkt9EGX8b7tc2CRiSqai9rJvs5dprYsrmakpWFEZNpBt-_aNq9guDoDaQlU1UbA/s320/The_Girl_Next_Door.jpg" width="207" /></a>One of my favorite things about New Year is that it gives me the opportunity to reflect and redirect so that I can cut out some of the things I wasted time and effort on, and make certain to squeeze in the things I didn't make enough time for. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Reading more this year is among the things at the top of my list. My reading list for last year consists of the Hunger Games Trilogy and that's it! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So you can imagine how thrilled I was to come across a challenge on <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2010/12/100-challenge-sign-up-page.html">Home Girl's Book Blog</a> to read 100 books!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, I can't wait to start tomorrow! I will update this page with my progress, and hopefully will have a 100 booksl by the end of the year.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Who will join me?<br />
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Here's my list so far...<br />
1. FATAL ATTRACTION: THE GODDESS APHRODITE'S TALE by Alicia Fields<br />
2. REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS by Helene Boudreau<br />
3. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis (Currently Reading)</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-321115190256180414.post-3266017060432953512010-12-28T06:33:00.000-08:002010-12-28T14:03:23.976-08:00Run for those Hills/Not Exactly A Writing Tip by Diane Mayr<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkRDBKnN32GmE2G28VTJ8BWNb3EYMtkA9Xwcz4sNXmcVSqSDbRTxq_EwVfkSxWko__MT38KIqFQ5PHXXPXUJYTPxUbITYSEKIbSzs-7Mi_izWnKz7USYgq42fSUQcg2Nuv-djZGBOBTRb/s1600/RunTurkeyRun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkRDBKnN32GmE2G28VTJ8BWNb3EYMtkA9Xwcz4sNXmcVSqSDbRTxq_EwVfkSxWko__MT38KIqFQ5PHXXPXUJYTPxUbITYSEKIbSzs-7Mi_izWnKz7USYgq42fSUQcg2Nuv-djZGBOBTRb/s320/RunTurkeyRun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
I recently finished reading <i>The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains </i>by Nicholas Carr. It confirmed for me what I've seen in my own life, the internet is changing the way I read and comprehend. <em>The Shallows</em> is an interesting read. The implications for the future--what we write, and how we write it--are enormous.<br />
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One point Carr made, came as a surprise to me, although it shouldn't have:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<i>A series of psychological studies over the past twenty years has revealed that after spending time in a quiet rural setting, close to nature, people exhibit greater attentiveness, stronger memory, and generally improved cognition. Their brains become calmer and sharper. The reason, according to attention restoration theory, or ART, is that when people aren't being bombarded by external stimuli, their brains can, in effect, relax. They no longer have to tax their working memories by processing a stream of bottom-up distractions. The resulting state of contemplativeness strengthens their ability to control their mind.</i> (p. 219)<br />
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I've found myself increasingly involved in writing haiku. Haiku, traditionally has been about the natural world. Has my interest in haiku been as a result of an unexpressed need to be out in, and observant of, the natural world? I've become more attentive to nature. I go for walks and bring along my camera. I feel good, both in mind and body. Then I come home to renewed creativity. I win all around!<br />
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The need for nature in the lives of our children has long been recognized in books such as <i>Sharing Nature with Children</i> by Joseph Cornell and <i>Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder</i> by Richard Louv. Louv says, in his introduction, <br />
<br />
<i>This book explores the increasing divide between the young and the natural world, and the environmental, social, psychological, and spiritual implications of that change. It also describes the accumulating research that reveals the necessity of contact with nature for healthy child--and adult--development.</i><br />
<br />
I know I'm the last person on earth to be offering advice about getting away from the computer--between work and home, I spend more hours on the computer than I do sleeping and eating! But perhaps, by making you more aware of what can happen when you do get a dose of nature, you will be able to act on it and save yourself, and your children.<br />
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Here's a haiga that resulted from one of my too infrequent ventures outdoors: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSO0Jc9uuiQcezbOhpSWNC7MxP8mJEHlD_sRGVdw_ncIplwtRQG7-guom7T-INh_ZVR1OVtQ4YbmYu6pt2O1U3Kjga6IJ3s7N9kIjHt35QvozlJwHca7usmHOtanxWehBF9vYVtKZQgsJ/s1600/Haigaoctober.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSO0Jc9uuiQcezbOhpSWNC7MxP8mJEHlD_sRGVdw_ncIplwtRQG7-guom7T-INh_ZVR1OVtQ4YbmYu6pt2O1U3Kjga6IJ3s7N9kIjHt35QvozlJwHca7usmHOtanxWehBF9vYVtKZQgsJ/s320/Haigaoctober.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">(c) Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. First published in <i>S</i><i>ketchbook</i>, Vol. 5, No. 5, September/October 2010</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy-tuRpIApDFhLcMIfQSHOYz6tOX42J-dVfz-5mYInp7Jy6nZAR17JdKxE-DYC2GlPVCil9jn59JSCOknNUVs_0j6YZuYgFQFPsvQlcxWt4QbADLZtLmgSWblV7y1hyzEeO6fCeNJDWfG/s1600/DianeMayr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy-tuRpIApDFhLcMIfQSHOYz6tOX42J-dVfz-5mYInp7Jy6nZAR17JdKxE-DYC2GlPVCil9jn59JSCOknNUVs_0j6YZuYgFQFPsvQlcxWt4QbADLZtLmgSWblV7y1hyzEeO6fCeNJDWfG/s200/DianeMayr.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Personal info:<br />
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Diane Mayr has been a public librarian for nearly 25 years. She spent about 10 of those years in children's services, which explains her origins as a writer for children. <br />
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Diane has three picture books to her credit, the latest being, <a alt="http://www.bloomsburykids.com/books/catalog/run_turkey_run_pb_810" href="http://www.bloomsburykids.com/books/catalog/run_turkey_run_pb_810" title="http://www.bloomsburykids.com/books/catalog/run_turkey_run_pb_810"><i>Run, Turkey, Run!</i></a>, which was illustrated by Laura Rader (Walker Books, 2007). Her first book was nonfiction, <i>The Everything Kids Money Book</i> (Adams Media, 2000). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
The "America's Notable Women" series from <a alt="http://www.apprenticeshopbooks.com/" href="http://www.apprenticeshopbooks.com/" title="http://www.apprenticeshopbooks.com/">Apprentice Shop Books</a> quenches her thirst for research, and she gets to profile some amazing women. Diane also devotes much of her time to blogging through her library blog, <a alt="http://www.kuriouskitty.blogspot.com/" href="http://www.kuriouskitty.blogspot.com/" title="http://www.kuriouskitty.blogspot.com/">Kurious Kitty's Kurio Kabinet</a>, a quote blog, <a alt="http://www.kkskwotes.blogspot.com/" href="http://www.kkskwotes.blogspot.com/" title="http://www.kkskwotes.blogspot.com/">Kurious K's Kwotes</a>, and her personal blog, <a alt="http://www.randomnoodling.com/" href="http://www.randomnoodling.com/" title="http://www.randomnoodling.com/">Random Noodling</a>. She also shares a blog with long-time writing buddies, <a alt="http://thewritesisters.blogspot.com/" href="http://thewritesisters.blogspot.com/" title="http://thewritesisters.blogspot.com/">The Write Sisters</a> and maintains the <a alt="http://www.reads-to-go.blogspot.com/" href="http://www.reads-to-go.blogspot.com/" title="http://www.reads-to-go.blogspot.com/">Reads-To-Go</a> blog for New Hampshire book discussion groups.<br />
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Recently, Diane, a closet poet for many years, has started submitting her short form poems for publication. She has haiku, tanka, and haiga (illustrated haiku/tanka) in recent issues of <i>frogpond</i>, <a alt="http://www.theheronsnest.com/" href="http://www.theheronsnest.com/" title="http://www.theheronsnest.com/"><i>The Heron's Nest</i></a>, <a alt="http://www.geantree.com/indexcover.html" href="http://www.geantree.com/indexcover.html" title="http://www.geantree.com/indexcover.html"><i>Notes from the Gean</i></a>, <a alt="http://www.haijinx.org/III-1/index.html" href="http://www.haijinx.org/III-1/index.html" title="http://www.haijinx.org/III-1/index.html"><i>haijinx</i></a>, <i><a alt="http://cobaltcrowproductions.blogspot.com/2010/09/berry-blue-haiku-september-2010-issue.html" href="http://cobaltcrowproductions.blogspot.com/2010/09/berry-blue-haiku-september-2010-issue.html" title="http://cobaltcrowproductions.blogspot.com/2010/09/berry-blue-haiku-september-2010-issue.html">Berry Blue Haiku</a></i> (for children) and <a alt="http://poetrywriting.org/Sketchbook5-5SepOct2010/Sketchbook_5-5_SepOct_2010_Cover_Photobucket_zz233_Ausblonde.htm" href="http://poetrywriting.org/Sketchbook5-5SepOct2010/Sketchbook_5-5_SepOct_2010_Cover_Photobucket_zz233_Ausblonde.htm" title="http://poetrywriting.org/Sketchbook5-5SepOct2010/Sketchbook_5-5_SepOct_2010_Cover_Photobucket_zz233_Ausblonde.htm"><i>Sketchbook</i></a>. She posts a haiga each Sunday, and a haiku each Tuesday, at <a alt="http://randomnoodling.com/" href="http://randomnoodling.com/" title="http://randomnoodling.com/">Random Noodling</a>, too.<br />
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</div>Lynne_Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13676713337526561189noreply@blogger.com8