I've Been All Over The Place!

By now, everyone in the world knows that I'm infatuated with the full moon and I run outside winter and summer to get the perfect picture. But this week, the half full (not half empty) moon got my attention. Look at this!                                                                                                                                                                                                  

So perfect! So what? Well, I stepped out of my shallow little box- maybe?!?!? Maybe not. It's been there all the time. Did I ever particularly notice?  It's kind of like my writing. I'd written a pretty perfect picture book story, or so I thought (and so did Barbara Karlin Grant judges) but it took an agent man's suggestions to make me look at it in a different way. I didn't get it at first. I "couldn't" change a word and keep my lyrical tone. But I had to. So, I stepped away and thought and came back and jotted and pondered and jotted and sent it to my critique group. Now, with not so many changes later, I feel a different strength to the main "character". I "see" that character.  The moral of this story is: Use your senses (s) In this case,  Listen! Look!  

The whole week's been a step outside of my norm...lot's of things going on(hospital visit, worked at flower shop), but the biggest was that my wireless modem stopped. I made my first big mistake when I called the company and asked a simple question-"can these things un-configure if the computer lines were on and off for a few day?"  Wrong! Wrong! Wrong thing to do!  The guy in India gave me a sales pitch and before you knew it I was calling the bank to finance our house to pay for his wonderful service of reconfiguring and boosting my power!!!!!(not really but seemed that way after a few hours and 6 different techies) Anyway, in a few days, I got one for Mother's day and came home and got it all up and going with a bit of help from same company's 'other' tech guy.

But....

don't you just love that for a page turn?

But...

I called another one and told him my wireless printer, iPod and Kindle weren't working. He wanted me to refinance again to get this wonderful service added to my other wonderful service. So I huffed and puffed and frumped and grumped and like the little red hen,  said, "I will do it myself."

And I did! 

So now,  I'm catching up on blogging, writing, critiquing and yes, dancing!

My diehard Zumba friends did a 24 hour dance-a-thon to raise money for a new dance floor. I only joined them and brought coffee and doughnuts at 6:30 this morning. Yes, I had to stop, roll down my window and take this beautiful shot...look at the sun rays that said good morning!

They were still moving slowly slowly slowly.... but boy they made it from 8am to 8am! Congratulations for the accomplishment and to all for the pledges and donations.

Hope all you mothers out there had a wonderful and happy day!                                                          

Happy May Day

     Ever you ever "hung" a May Basket, or been the recipient of one (or more!)? My daughter and I hang them on the "kids" every year. This year was no exception.(velvet beret for T and teal bow tie for C-roll of quarters for each) No running match anymore. they catch us quick!
   Last year a few neighbors and I thought it would be  nice to go to a few of the shut-ins neighbors. We almost left to the wayside until this morning, but we couldn't not do it. So between us, we hurried and  cooked brownies, peanut butter cookies, molasses cookies. We tucked in packets of tea, daffodils and a bit of tissue, tied with curl ribbon. The brown paper bags looked pretty good to the ladies around town who remember the tradition. It didn't take a lot of effort, and I feel good!

      If you don't know the tradition, it's fill a basket with candy or flowers,  "hang" it on someone's doorstep, holler "May Basket" and the recipient has to chase the givers, then give a kiss when they catch them. We got "caught" and kissed and sooooo glad we did this last minute thing. You know what, there's still time for you to play on May Day.

      On Friday night, some of the Zumba girls participated in the local "Dancing with the Stars" Of course, you know I did!  On the way there though, I wondered what I was doing!!!!  Here's our "crew" waiting to go on stage...I'm still shaking my head thinking, "what was I thinking!"

     Turn the page on that... and turn another. And speaking of turning the page, I've been so busy tweaking and retweaking a little 500 word PB per suggestions from one of the professional critiquers at our conference. I'm placing words so the reader will want to turn the page and each word, each sentence has meaning. 500 simple words-how can it be so tough!?!?!?! One of the 'rules' is to set your manuscript aside and let it rest, but that's hard when it's all you can think about. I've got to though...let it rest, let it rest, let it rest...(for a minute anyway)

      I've let things rest enough...just wanted to pop in wish everyone a Happy May Day.
       Be Happy and make someone else happy too.

   


   

   
 
     

more of "My Conference"

I'm still floating on that magical cloud that I came home on after the New England conference.  Others have posted keynote speakers, but the photos I'm showing are quite like me, a patchwork kind of quilt. 

The workshops were fantastic. Here are Cindy Faughnan-www.cindyfaughnan.com  and 

Jo Knowles, our writing camp councilors. Believe me, they used their whistles more than once, but in defense of the group, they gave us exercises and we couldn't stop chatting until...well you know, the whistle thing! I didn't think that someone else's writing prompt would help me with my writing, but I was wrong. The prompts were given, few minutes to write the story, and then the readings. I was amazed that with each prompt, each writer came up with totally different ideas. So I'm stuck on prompts and when I'm stuck I'll turn to them. A good place to find prompts is at www.joknowes.com/prompts.html   See what you come up with!

         This is the crowd in the dining hall where we ate surrounded by editors and agents. I had the good fortune to have the seat right beside the lovely Julie Ham, assistant editor from Charlesbridge. And on Sunday, Denise and I had breakfast and conversation with independent editor, Harold Underdown. Nice! Nice! Nice!
           

There were books sold and authors signing. Do you recognize anyone at the tables?

 The next few photos are in a full house Real Revision workshop with Kate Messner. Kate is so smart and nice-oh, did I say nice up above....Yes, everyone there was nice!

Besides the fabulous, fantastic workshops I attended, I had critiques of my manuscripts. One of them was an new (for us) and interesting concept-on the spot critique. "You" take a manuscript to the assigned agent or editor, he/she reads it there and gives a crit on the spot! I was leery of this, but person and I had a chat, I presented one of 2 manuscripts we talked about. Brainstormed it, with pencil notes and suggestions, then he/she asked if I had the other one with me! I did and I received an email yesterday about that one. I was worried about the process, but it was a pretty cool. First read, first impressions count!

This is what I'm reading right now. It's Jennifer Carson's Hapenny Magick. I love the cover and title. Don't you just want to pick it up and read?!?!? I didn't buy this book though. Jennifer gave it to me because she said I'm nice! Thank you so much Jennifer. (I'll try not to say nice again) 

I did buy a few books but will post them when I get them back. I lent them out to a teenager  this morning.

And this-I thought I was keeping secrets from my roommates. I made a plan and removed my birthday from my facebook page but wishes started filtering in. I didn't say anything, thinking it's conference time, not my time, but on Sunday morning they presented me with a card and lovely journal-they knew all the time!

I can't say enough about the conference experience and how I wish everyone could attend one and come home as upbeat and refreshed and motivated as I am. It's spring conference season, so if you get to go to one-

*Take advantage of the offerings. Paid critiques are invaluable. Don't expect editor/agent to gush over  

      your manuscript and want it right there on the spot. You may get a request though/or not, but the 

      critique usually gives you an overview of what that person sees and hears from the pages subbed.

*Be prepared with a few manuscripts. I've never had anyone ask to take a story with them until this   

        year, but I had it with me in a small portfolio.

*Dress comfortably.

*Have business cards.

*Socialize and be friendly.

*Volunteer if you can. 

*Attend your workshops with pencil and notebook or computer in hand.  Some have detailed handouts. *You've heard lots of this stuff before, but keep your mind open. You will learn something, I promise!

*Fill out the evaluation form. It helps with planning the next event.

*Miss Zumba for a few times!!!!

Now that I'm home,  it's time for me to dance! Have a great week.

"My" Conference

Our New England SCBWI conference doesn't officially begin until this afternoon,

but four writer friends decided to come to Springfield a day early to have our own little writing retreat. Tami Wight and I drove from Maine, Val Giogas from MA and Denise Ortakales from NH yesterday "retreating"! After the update chit chat, we pulled out our computers and stretched out and immersed in our own manuscripts.

Then our friend Joyce Johnson came by and talked writing and shared her newly released book...

You can check her out at thewritejoyce.blogspot.com. And...when we looked inside, she gave us, her "Schmoozer" critiquers acknowledgement!!!! I'm humbled.

 The inside of our hotel-looking down and all around-     The sign that lets the world know who's here!

Our room view is the mini apple orchard on the roof next door.

 And this, well it's Denise after a very special presentation from Val, The Rosemary Frye Award.  Rosemary has a long story but the short of it is that each year,  the Rosemary muse and journal is passed on from one deserving children's writer to another, to see them through their writing journey for a year. Congratulations Denise!!! You're special.

Now a quick note to my Zumba girls before I  get back to story writing....I've been reading your updates and singing and dancing- in my head. I shared the first video with my roomies and I danced again -in my head! So dance dance dance on your feet and I'll see you soon!!!!

Honey I'm Home

I know I missed posting last week. Did anyone notice?!?!? We were in St. Augustine checking out our son's FL home. I was in glory land enjoying the beach and being inspired every morning before we went on our other daily adventures.  Here's an early morning sunrise on St Augustine Beach on Anastasia Island.

...and the chair I bought to relax, read and write in after I took my power walk along the beach. That's my bag of writing tricks under the chair! 

Zumba friends, I thought of you too. I didn't dance, but while I walked, I held my shoulders back and tightened the middle, and thought core, core, core! And neighbors and friends, I never talked as much on my cell phone especially while beach walking-thanks for the calls. 

 I wrote and critiqued pages by the pool too.

David and Ed were our tour guides. With almost every turn, I surprisingly found "signs" that related to many of the stories I'm working on. I truly feel like they mean something. My critique buddies will know what I'm talking about when I show them this once-upon-a-time moat. Not around a castle. It was around the historical fort, but a moat, nevertheless! Then there were the crocodiles on another venture and a black bear too... la la la la....

the moat

and a full moon!!!

What do you think my dear writer buddies? Do you believe in the signs? I'm still feeling the weird connection to all of these intrusions that just happened to be there during my vacation. A good weird!

This tourist also found the fountain of youth. Did I drink from it? You bet. I dumped it over my head and jumped in the magical waters, so wait 'til you see the new me! Okay, so I lie, but sounded pretty good. I did drink a glass of the stuff because I was dry, but that was it. A girl can dream and pretend.

David and I climbed the 215 steps up to the top of the historical lighthouse. Just happened to be near the top when these school kids were going down and around and down and around and down and around! Pretty cool seeing one red shirt following another.

A fitting last photo- sunset on the beach.

Much thanks to David Pease and Ed Tobolski for a glorious week. We landed home on Easter Sunday afternoon, just in time to enjoy the rest of our family for Easter feast.

All I can say is dream, walk in the sunshine and enjoy your journey, no matter where it may take you.

What's The Weather Got To Do With Things?

      I hate that we have to place blame anytime something doesn't go right, but today as I post, I must say that all the blame goes on Mother Nature for the not so good and the good
      It's maple syrup Sunday here in Maine and the not so good is that there wasn't one sugar shack open for business in our county. Why???? Because we've had a week of this kind of weather. It's still March and this is Maine. (shhhh..I've been kind of loving it!)

 The sap runs when the days are warm and the nights are below freezing so my neighbors didn't get much of nature's gold. This is the little house last year.

But this year,  no sap, no syrup, no crowds in our neighborhood. And the bottom line,  no $$$$ for those that depend on making a good part of their living in winter and spring.
   On another twist of Mother Nature's mood we got these-

      And it was the "Mother" that helped me get over the wall and out of my writing slump. Today it's been rainy for real, but my story got heavy showers the other day and my juices started flowing again.  It's really affecting my poor main character though. I know that if he were a real live kid, he'd probably pop me and run away. But he can't put himself in another setting. I'm keeping him in my neighborhood and watching his every move. He can blame me for the recent messes he's gotten into but I am going to say it's Mother Nature. She gave me rain. It was right here in front of me all the time. I know...simple. And this is simple and just a reminder for my writer friends. Look around you-what do you feel, what do you see, what do you hear, what do you smell, what do you taste? All right so try closing your eyes and asking the same questions. Use your senses...use common sense.

    Have a great week. I've got to visit with my "boy" and see where we'll take each other.

       

Beginnings, Endings and the In Between!

   This has been a week of all over agains...the first of the lasts or lasts of firsts! Here are a few firsts.

First time I've made play dough in a forever.  

First sign of geese flying back to their summer home.

First spotting of Mr and Mrs Mallard looking for a nesting spot.

First laundry hung out on the line-April 18th! - 74 degrees, a first for sure!

I had another first. One that I didn't take a picture of. It's that manuscript that's been giving me the headache. The one that's had me stuck in muck for a few weeks.  It's right in the middle of things!

The other night, I started from the beginning. I sat and read every word-out loud. (I had a pen in hand too and scratched and added along the way) TaDa! A new "beginning" for the troublesome chapter just started to flowwwwwww. Then it was time for zumba. I'd been sitting alone in the lobby of the school while my friends suffered through core exercises. Wanted to see if I minded sitting out. I'll tell the truth....my core isn't going to be conditioned anytime soon, but my middle grade manuscript has finally gotten back on track!

   

And then this came across my inbox from the lovely Alison K Hertz. It reinforces everything I needed- outline. In defense of myself, I do have a rough outline, but this is a  look at the whole picture, even if it's only a few hundred words.

http://www.facebook.com/l/QAQEpiPHKAQECAxqliZBqC2Tixchkx4Iy5jwY016mH5tKCw/alisonhertz.blogspot.ca/2012/03/outlining-planning-before-you-write.html

I'm back on track. I may not have my chapters ready to present to my girls again this week, but I'm out of the rut, over that stone wall. I'm in the middle with a new beginning for the old chapter. Yeehaw!!!!!

As far as the end is concerned-not there yet! I think I know where I'm going. At least know where I think I'm headed. For now I'm happy with beginnings and middles and a new outline for a picture book I've been thinking about.

Have a great week.