There's so much to learn...

Did you know that January's full moon is the Wolf Moon?  Native Americans used each month's full moon to identify the seasons.  

Or, did you know that if you delete all of your pictures, by mistake, from your photo card, there's a recovery program that will restore them? It was a sad day when my friend said she deleted all of her grand daughter's Christmas photos. I was talking about it with another friend and we both said at the same time-"Google"! And guess what???? The photos are back and they are priceless!!!!

I'm a naturally curious person so I'm forever searching and researching and asking question. Yesterday, I went to our local library and sat with a high school boy with a list of questions about my MAC. Poor kid is probably wondering why he ever offered to help people with their computer problems!!!

I'm excited to say that my muse is staying with me. I've talked to my boy character and he's not excited about the Stripper Clippers I bought for him. I've got to find another one (oh Google!)  He's not so excited about the kid that moved in next door-better than he is at skateboarding, though he is excited about the kid's 'kicker'. I learned about kickers this week too. 

There's an inexpensive online class that I plan to sign up for to learn more about Scrivener. For those of you writers that aren't using Scrivener yet or are hesitant to try, they offer a month's free trial

One of the most exciting thing I learned this week is the line-up of events for the upcoming New England SCBWI conference. So many of my friends and people I've met are presenting the professional workshops. It's almost time to sign up. Lookie here.....

NESCBWI 2012 Conference: Keeping it Real | Schedule & Workshops | powered by RegOnline

www.regonline.com

So what's up for this week? What will I learn, what will you learn? Do you listen and really hear? That's actually what I was going to write about this week-Listening! Oh well, it's no secret to those who know me that I'm sort of like a patchwork quilt, trying to fit a stack of colorful pieces together, sometimes using an odd one or two that wasn't in the plan.

    

Have a happy week. Listen, Learn and don't forget to dance !

   

2012!!!!

   Happy Happy New Year to all my family and friends.

   I'm looking forward to the fireworks, the colors and  surprises that 2012 has in store-I love surprises, though I'm forever curious to peek and look ahead, especially when I get hints!
  I've never had much luck with resolutions, so I've made a few plans, set a few goals. and know that it's up to me to follow through.
   On the writing side of things:
        I'll continue to submit my Black Bear picture book story that won a Barbara Karlin Grant Letter of
        Merit from SCBWI-the story that I've received the most positive rejections from. The story
        that one publisher actually said, "we almost accepted it!" And I will write and sub other stories.

         I'll try to stay true to the 12x12 challenge that I've signed up for-write 12 picture book drafts in 12
         months. mmmmm...that's only one story 'draft' for every thirty days.  Are you interested???
         You can go here....
          http://writeupmylife.com/2012/01/01/tara-lazar-launches-12-x-12-in-2012/
          I do have lots of story starters jotted, from having just completed Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo-an idea
          a day! So, I'm off....

          I'm pretty laid back, but I do have to push myself hard to finish the first draft of my middle grade
          manuscript so I can fine tune and get it to friends to review and critique. It's almost there but has
          been sitting almost dormant for months. My picture book muse has taken over and I'm having
          trouble moving back and forth.  The funny thing is, I love the story and I'm forever doing the
          research...like recently buying a "handy dandy" stripper clipper". Now have I got you
          curious?!?!!?!

    Now for a few of my important love and life things:

          I love family, friends and the computer. My family and friends are here for me unconditionally as
          I am for them. My kids are my biggest cheerleaders-that's a reverse role, huh! The computer, well
          that's a very different story, an every day challenge (another one!) I can do what I do
          and nothing else...nothing unconditional about our relationship!

          I'd love to be more organized. My life is like a patchwork quilt. Lots of random and colorful pieces  
          stacked everywhere! Some tucked under others, never to be found again. So yesterday, I found a
          free...yup free book for my Kindle...Organize for a Fresh Start. So I go to download it and nothing
          happened! Tried again, nothing! Even the book ghost must think it's impossible to help get my
          organized and in some sort of order. So I sent for HELP and the Kindle spirit came through!!!! I
         don't know though, will the book help?

         I love the contests that I don't have to do much about except enter. I've won fun books this year-
         whoops, I mean last year!!! Galaxy Games by Greg Fishbone and Princess Posey by Stephanie
         Greene, and  a critique from Tara Lazar (entering a chance to win another from her in 2012).
         There's a contest going on right now for those of you interested in the craft of writing
         books. Donna Martin has a truckload to offer. Go here to enter that one
          http://donasdays.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-yeara-new-easy-contest.html?spref=fb&mid=566734
 
        I love Zumba....yes Zumba!!!!! I dance to the beat and may look like a beached whale at times,  
        floundering and flopping around, but it's okay. Yeah, I know, you get the picture, right?!?!?!  But
        it's fun and a great way to exercise. Makes it not so tough!
       
My wishes for 2012:
May we all be happy and safe and our lives full of fun and surprises in 2012.

And when they come,  may we see the gifts, feel their power,  hear the music and...let's always  DANCE!!!!
xoxo
   



       

 
       

       
 
       

Holiday Greetings......

   I want to wish all of my friends and family a happy and joyous holiday season-It's a Merry Christmas day here in my world. My heart and home had been filled with the spirit of love and giving, thankfulness and groups of nativity sets that remind me of a special baby's birth- my 'reason'.
   I've been cooking all the seasonal sweety things for neighbors and friends and they've been doing the same for me.  And then, two days ago, Mother nature spread the royal icing on the Christmas cake and brought the snow miracle, just in time!

                                                                                   

Beautiful!

  Well of course I had to stop everything and go out and play. Some of you have seen this but continue on to see 'the rest of the story'!

   After I coaxed Santa to hang out hang around here, I got back to being busy: cooking, wrapping, delivering and sitting with neighbors for tea along the way. Last night niece Tiff and family came for supper, and the baby kept us entertained throughout the evening. Today, is a day to get together with the other kids (mine)...happy happy happy!!!!
         Here's my card for you. I hope you're all filled with this season's love and hope.

And speaking of hope, here's a wish to all of you, especially my writer friends - May all of our dreams come true in 2012.

Oh, and for  the rest of the story above, poor guy had a  busy busy night! He can hardly stand up!

    

     HO HO HO!!!!!!

What Does MAX Say and Lots of Surprises

When I grow up I want to be a writer just like...well it changes at least monthly but today it’s...Oh wait, I’ll tell you in a minute!

It’s December and Christmas is in the air filled with many traditions. But it’s unbelievably year’s end too though I’m not about to rush it. 

PiBoIdMo is sadly winding down after a November of intense jotting and filling pages and pages of of picture book ideas and chatting. I’m so excited about some of the ideas I came up with. I’ve actually completed a story from one of those sparks and will send it off to my critique friends for their ideas.

 Having completed the challenge made me a winner too, so went over and collected my badge. Looking at this really excites me to think that I have more than thirty picture book ideas to flesh out.

and...because my lucky # was drawn at the end of this little journey, I’ll be receiving a beautiful photo of my choice!  Tara Lazar kept us motivated for the month with all the posts and  guest presenters. I think that so much of what we know and learn is review and reinforcement. I met lots of new friends there too. I'm kind of sad it's over, but it's time to write!    

Speaking of winnings, I won another prize that I all I had to do was enter, at www.readerkidz.com . 
They're having a holiday giveaway and Stephanie Greene signed this and sent it quicker than a blink! How easy was that! It’s a delightful chapter book that I intend to pass on to a princess as soon as I finish “studying” it! 

A few more prizes that I received this week were

a home made rice pack

and hand crafted wreath

Beautiful surprises from beautiful friends.

Had the baby girl yesterday so the nieces could do a bit of shopping. She’s such a busy body,  so aware of what’s going on around her and here! I often read to her, but only have one board book that I leave out for us to “read” together. Yesterday, after her mom came home and we were sitting here chatting, my husband asked baby (she’s 14 months), “What does Max say?”

And she surprised all of us when she answered , “BANG!” 

The words and structure of the Max books by Rosemary Wells seem almost too simple. I wonder if maybe I try to write things too complicated and explanatory. I’ve studied all 58 words in Max’s First Word because our Marissa gave her uncle her first real answer to a question. A direct quote "right out of the book - "Bang!" 


And that takes me right back to the beginning. When I grow up, I want to be a writer like Rosemary Wells!   Now I guess I'd better get busy. 

What a Month!

It's the 30th of November and the challenges are over for now anyway. I kind of flunked a few, but the one I completed with flying colors is the Picture Book Idea Month (aka PkBoIdMo) 

  PiBoIdMo 2011  hosted by the lovely Tara Lazar. I've kept a notebook beside me and my computer and have posted one or more picture book ideas every day this month. I haven't officially counted the dabs and scribbles and doodles and paragraphs and sentences but there are waaayyyy more than 30, thank you very much!

I really don't think of myself as competitive, but I do very well when challenged or put to a deadline test. 

Now that I've completed this phase of the PiBo... I have a plan. Instead of starting to weed out and start writing the stories tomorrow, I'm going to write everything over again in a cute little hard covered journal notebook. I'll put the dates and ideas, and the ****s I've noted in red. Those ****s beside the meaningful quotes that I took out of our "special guests" posts. I'm not thinking of this as a repetitious act, but more like a review of thoughts and reenforcement ideas.

    It's been a wonderful month for participating picture book writers to "think". Now it's time to "write"!

    Thank you to Tara Lazar and all the rest of you for a fabulous month.

Thanks!

The blessing of Thanksgiving and all the goodness in my life has flowed over from yesterday. I have so much to be thankful for that my list would go way off the page so I’ll just say that the one thing that stands out besides the love and warmth of family and friends is tradition. And one of our holiday traditions  is one that my mother, the matriarch, passed on to us - the making of “tootalings”(tortellini) from scratch. 

 No matter what else is on the menu, we always manage to get together a week or so before the holiday to make our favorite dish. 

Another annual thanksgiving tradition is wreath making. Right after we stuff ourselves overfull, and before we let things settle, the dishes and fancy tablecloth come off and the rings, wire and greenery go on the long table! Everyone makes their unique Christmas wreath and garland. Sorry I didn’t take photos of the finished products. Each one was unique- glitzy, of the sea and traditional. Next year I’ll try to remember to take shots of the finished products.

I’ve decide not  to play Black Friday anymore. There isn’t anything I need to “save” money on with the sales, and I’m not loving the fact that stores are trying to outdo each other with the early openings - some on Thanksgiving Day! What’s up with that? Doesn’t it just take the fun out of the Friday, 4:00AM rush! That was mostly why I’d been going for so long...the RUSH!!!!!

So today, "that" Friday has been a quiet kind of day. Fresh cinnamon buns for coffee with the girls. Took down the outside autumn decorations, did a bit of laundry and worked on a picture book story that I thought I had in order but NOT. 


My picture book writing friends have taken up the challenge of writing at least 30 picture book ideas in 30 day. I've got a scribbly notebook beside me and have managed to jot many more than one a day throughout November. I've even written a few rough drafts and SFDs! If you're interested in seeing what's going on, go over to-

PiBoIdMo 2011        

So here's a special announcement to all my Maine friends. My friend, Cynthia Lord, children's author (Rules, Touch Blue, Hot Rod Hamster books) has lovingly offered, to the media specialists in our state, to do a few free school visits. It’s her way of giving back, giving thanks, so she randomly drew the winners on Thanksgiving morning. She was going to do only two visits in the spring, but was so overwhelmed by the people who signed up, that she chose six schools! Sadly, none of them in my area, but I bet these librarians and their schools are overjoyed.  Cindy is such a heartfelt giving author.

Phippsburg Elementary School, Phippsburg, Maine
York Middle School, York, Maine
Washburn Elementary School, Washburn, Maine
Long Island Community School, Long Island, Maine
Samuel Wagner Middle School, Winterport, Maine
Glenburn School, Glenburn, Maine

Lucky! Lucky! Lucky!!!!

Until I blog again...be happy, be funny, give thanks, be nice, be you! 

Where Do Writing Ideas Come From?

November is the month to sign up for  different writing challenges, so I did. Two of them are meant for the novelist, and I am working on a MG manuscript. But, the muse has put me into Picture Book writing mode and I can't do much about it!

PiBoIdMo is the challenge that's grabbed my attention-Write at least thirty picture book ideas for the month. So what's a writer going to do? Stare at lines in a notebook hoping an idea will pop into mind, or go for coffee with the girls? Can that be a productive way to put story idea to paper? Take a look at this.

It's not a dog that the baby's kissing! Pretty good story starter, right-and the story is more than started!!!

I love to take walks and I always take my camera just in case. In case of what? I don't know but there are

all kinds of pictures to take, all kinds of things to write about.

What's in those woods of mine? 

This is one of my favorites.

If you know me, you know I have an obsession with the sky and all the colors, the old sayings and dreams. 

Pink sky in the morning...

Or

What's at the end of that rainbow?

A Pot of Gold?

Have you found it yet or are you like me, still looking, still dreaming, but knowing that it's there? I know it is. Sometimes I doubt, but I know I can reach out to a friend and get the boost or boot I need to keep the dreams alive.  And my hand is here for them. 

Dreams come true!