Travelin' Down The Highway

     Travelled to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University One on One Children's Literature Conference. To my writer friends, you know what an honor this is to be accepted to this event. For my other friends, I think the best way to explain is to say it's like a juried show. People submit their best work to fill a number of slots-it's either accepted or not! Mine was.
   My peep, Joyce Shor Johnson did the driving that I didn't dare do....I did well to get to her house 4 hours away. Well anyway, what's that old saying, don't let fear stand in your way? Oh yes I will...I still can't "throw back my shoulders" and drive there but...

I can sit back and take the pictures!
        First thing, after checking into the Sheraton, I called one of my dear online critique buddies who's from Georgia. We immediately recognized each other from online pictures.

   Okay, so she's cute and I look like I just got out of the car from a 9 hour drive!!!! What fun it is to meet up with someone you only ever "talk" to on here. Didn't see her after the conference so now we must do some more of the email kind of chitter chatting.
  Speaking of meeting the ghosts of the internet, here's another person I've only "spoken" to with my keyboard...I almost covered up my glo bracelet that Tara gave us. We had a "glow" all day!

TaDaaaaaaaa... presenting    Tara Lazar .  It was such a pleasure! Besides our finally getting together, Tara was the keynote speaker at the conference. She started out incognito, wearing a full beard and puffing on her pipe! I didn't get that shot.  But I did get this.

   Everyone  listened intently as Tara spoke from her heart and took us on her writing journey. She was  inspirational. I will think of Tara more than she will know, as I strive for more in my own (longer) journey.    wait up...I just got permission to 'borrow' this...

   Then there were a five! Five on five roundtable discussions. Mine was full of energy and fact. Our group of professionals- Vivian Gray, founder of the conference, Marietta Zacker, Nancy Gault Agency,   Marc Aronson, professor, editor, author, Jim Murphy, Author, and Lyn Sirota, author. Now that I'm typing their names, I'm feeling the power, all over again,  of their knowledge and interest in education, children's authors and everything children...wow!!!!  They really feel that the non-fiction market is on the upswing.
      Later, there was one on one sessions. My personal mentor was the well published, non fiction author, Lyn Sirota, also member of the RUCCL council.  Sorry, I didn't get her photo, but click on her link.
   and...panel discussion keeping with the theme of the day-"Keeping it Creative in the Digital Age. Eve Adler moderated the panelists, Janet Wong, author, Mallory Kass, Editor, Scholastic, Samantha Streger, Assistant Editor, Open Road Media, each having their own ideas and examples concerning digital publishing.
     Closing children's author and speaker of the day was Bruce Coville . What a fun and funny man he is. Gave us sound advice...and not a boring word was spoken!!!! Butt joke and all.  A wonderful way to end a successful event. I need to stop right here and publicly thank the council members and all mentors and who made this such a successful event. And kudos to us, the mentees too! Yay! Yay!
    Would I apply again? Most definitely (if Joyce will drive!). Now I must look over "the list" and do a bit of polishing, editing and sending.
    Happy traveling to you this week.

Hi-ho Hi-ho It's Off To Camp We Go

Just got home from a writer schmooze week-end, and what a grand week-end it was. You usually see my posts about the schmooze, twice a year-June and September. Tami Wight hosts our event (with her family's support. Thanks Dave, Alex, Ben)

Saturday is our day to work, and we do that all day, except eating time or meet and greet and share news and Hallelujahs from the months' past. This is the first time we've been together since Tami signed on with Islandport Press for her Cooper and Packrat campground mystery, so what better place than "home" to celebrate with morning toast. (not the crunchy kind you spread peanut butter on!) I don't think we've ever started our day with mimosas and it was pretty obvious because most of us weren't sure how to pop the cork, but someone knew how!

Then it was time to work. We read, critique, get critiqued and discuss each one's manuscript. I'm amazed at the writings and talent we have between us.  Our writings ranged from picture books, historical faction, historical verse, mystery, middle grade, young adult and zebras!

 Christy Webster, assistant editor, Random House was our guest editor. She joined our critique circle, and  when all was said and done, rather, when we were all said and done, she shared a presentation with us. I know that I thanked her in person, more than once, but I must SHOUT out again another BIG Thank You to her for making arrangements to come to Maine, with only a few days notice. Our scheduled editor had an accident and couldn't make it, so while I'm thanking, I must say a loud and clear Thank You to Katherine Harrison, assistant editor, Alfred Knof for finding a replacement. Get better Katherine (this is from all the Schmoozers)

Yup, I look out the window sometimes.

 This photo is an annual event. The group shot in front of the campground book case.

 At night, we sat around the campfire with the campers. Coop is toasting  a marshmallow for Jeanne

 Psssssst, tell you a secret.  See the "big" guy sitting on the right of Anna-....he's in the book!!!!!!!

 A Sunday morning walk to the lake before heading home. Kayaks waiting to be "put up" til next season.

 This is Tami's inspiration island for "the" book.

Oh dear, on my way. So insipired. So psyched to rework my story. So fortunate to have supportive writing friends. My heart's doing the happy dance.

     

Caught Out In The Rain

     "I love a rainy day!" Truly I do-especially a warm summer shower.  Sometimes I forget to use the weather factors in my stories, but was reminded last Friday of how the unexpected downpour can create a twist and a bit of added adventure to a sunny day.

   Mr Weatherman got it completely wrong when he predicted about the hottest, sunniest day of the month. Sherry and I loaded the kayaks and went to Camden Harbor. It was foggy, but the sun was going to break out at any moment-right?!?!?! Curtis Island was straight ahead, and easy paddle, but something we forgot or didn't realize, is that it was Schooner days in Camden, so we had to slow down to let a few of the big guys pass on their way out of the harbor.

 This isn't a black and white photo, it's natural gray and gray-we still kept looking for sun!

It was an easy paddle to Curtis Island Lighthouse. We parked the kayaks, walked up the steps and walked the trail around the island, overlooking the ocean from every angle. Our bonus was seeing the schooners floating below-breathtaking!

We felt drizzle on our arms, but knew the sun was playing games with us and hiding behind the clouds. Not to worry, right!

Wrong!!!!!!!! 

We plan to do this same little paddle again, soon, if anyone wants to join us. For my writer friends, that join me online, do you feel the day? Can you put this unexpected weather in one of your stories? I can, and I guess maybe I should because rain has followed me around this past week. It could be a sign!(it's really pouring right now as I write this)

   We went to the fair! My husband and I love to go to Blue Hill fair on the Sunday of Labor Day week-end. This time, Mr Weatherman did predict possible light showers, so I tucked my little i pod in my pocket, just- in- case. Well the 'just- in- case' happened. My husband sits in the grandstand and watches the horse and oxen pulling. This year, I spent more time sitting there next to him, than usual. It poured, things were postponed for almost 2 hours. I read 22 chapters of a friend's manuscript that she'd asked me to. Here are a few shots of the action when it took place.

 Rain!!!!     The "pit" crew stretched out tarps, while the it belted down. I stayed dry and read.

The horseman son competed against his horseman father

                                      Dad and his horses won the pull.

                                  An unusual breed of steers with a new style of pulling.

 And the up and coming teamster. A seven year old learning to lead and manage her pair of steers.

     Here on the home front, I've been reading, rewriting and tweaking already written manuscripts. I promised myself that I'd make a folder of suggestions, websites, participants, etc, and work on at least one thing a day to prepare for Rutger's Children's Writers Literature Conference.  Writer friends who've been before have offered advice and ideas and ways to be ready.
    Tara Lazar is going to be a keynote at the conference. Can't wait to meet her in person. Here's something she posted on her blog that's been a driving factor, the last few days, in my revision frenzie. Whether you're going to RUCCL or another conference, or writing for kids, this advice is sound. You may say that you know about the power of 3, but Tara expands the power and shares her thoughts here:


http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftaralazar.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F09%2F02%2Fthe-rule-of-three-for-picture-book-writers-with-video-evidence%2F&h=IAQGWPYBq

Now for my cheerleading this week-

Online friend, Carole Brooks has found her dream agent, the lovely Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary. Congratulations Carole and Karen!

Happy Days everyone.

More Good News!!!

  ****  news- I swiped the SASE out of my husbands hand and tore it open thinking that my check would fall out, as it did last year. It didn't happen, so I tipped the envelope and it didn't happen but my heard started to thump, Thump, THUMP! My hands shook while I looked at the letter-my acceptance to RUCCL!!! (Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature). ...Am I excited?!?!?! YES!

 I had my sister-in-law Sherry on call, just in case I got in, to drive me to New Brunswick, NJ in October. I'm such a whimp about driving. I let Sherry off the hook when I found out that one of my writer friends, Joyce Shur Johnson, made it in too. And, one of my online friends will be there too. Can't wait to meet Sheri Dillard, and speaker/author, Tara Lazar, and "everyone" else. I'm doing the happy happy dance again.

                       (grabbed this out of my photos!-We dance in the streets too, rain or shine!)

My writing thoughts have been going back to last year's mid grade that I didn't finish. I'm nearly finished with the boy one that I will complete, but Amethyst keeps calling. So, my friend Molly and I took a little ride to Avena Botanicals in Rockport, ME (www.avenabotanicals.com) and leisurely strolled the garden paths, rubbing, sniffing, identifying the easy plants and flowers, and trying to identify others. When we were walked out, we spent a longer time in the store, looking at products and reading their goodness in the free catalog. Lovely names like Moon Ease and Wise Woman's Tonic.  And I learned that Sacred Basil is not the same thing as pesto basil, and I love African sunflower.

**** news- Two of my other writing friends, Tamra Wight and Brenda Reeves Sturgis met with their new editor, Melissa Kim from Islandport Press, right here in Maine. I love love love that they have contracts with a "home town" publishing company. Makes my heart sing for them.

    Now for other kind of  ***news. Our house is being painted for the first time ever-for us. It's an old old farm house with lots of cracks and holes and the original wood doors and brass door knobs. The kids gave us gift certificates for paint and painter man and his painter girl have been here scraping, caulking and filling in clapboards. I can't say the word excited again so I'll try and hold back and tell you what my week-end job was. I painted the (farmer) porch ceiling.  What was I thinking when I said I'd get it done?!?!? I did, but or Lordy!!!! Matchboard jigging and jagging with the paint brush-finished, hallelujah!  With all this house fixer upper stuff, I've given up 2 kayaking trips and Saturday Zumba event. I'm loyal, huh!

       What will this new week bring to my corner of the world? I don't know, but I wish that you each have a week full of joy and adventure.  

       

Good News - Other Things To Share!

I'm still singing and dancing for my friend dear friend   TamraWight  
who sold her first middle grade novel, 
"Cooper and Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake" to Islandport Press right here in our home state of Maine. 

Tami and her family own Poland Spring Campground where she hosts a writer's schmooze both spring and fall. I'm fortunate to be one of the participants of this "working" schmooze, so I've read, seen and done a bit of critiquing on this (baby) manuscript of Tam's. You're going to love it. It's due to debut in August, 2013.

Yay Yay Yay Yay Yay Yay Yay!!!!!!


She's one happy camper!!!!


**** Here's another note for my writer friends. It may be a bit helpful when plotting out your picture book.
The first part of this was posted by another writer, critiquer, friend, Elliah Terry on her blog
 The Itsy Bitsy Writer   I will add my tips at the end because they seem to follow in line with hers.
1. Grab a picture book off your shelf.
2. Flip past the end pages and title page until you come to the first page of story text.
3. Begin reading aloud from YOUR pb manuscript. (As if you are reading it to a group of children).
4. When you get to a pause in your manuscript, turn the page in the book you are holding. Although editors ultimately have the say on when page turn occur, this is a great exercise.
5. Keep reading and keep turning the pages until you have finished reading your manuscript.
6. Analyze your findings. Do you need more scenes? Do you have too many? Does the story flow well?
By pretending my manuscripts are actual books, ie, turning real pages between my fingers, I see things in a whole new light. And sometimes, I even discover new words or scenes that find their way out of my mouth while I am doing it.

Okay, so here's my two cents to add to Elliah's. 
What you need is a pad of sticky notes and a pencil.(with an eraser, just in case!)
Read as she suggested, but when you pause, and it comes time to turn the page- Stop!
Grab a sticky note and write down every word that you just read from your manuscript. Stick it on that page.
Continue reading the book. Each time you pause, write that portion of your manuscript on a sticky.
Then go back and read "your" whole book. How's the pacing? Do the page turns seem to be in a good place? 
Good thing about stickies and pencil is that you can work them around and make changes to your own manuscript along the way.
Try it. See how it comes out.
I usually do this with a similarly written kind of book. (action, quiet, poetic, funny, non-fiction etc)

That's it for writing stuff, for now....what else?
My little kitchen garden is providing us with fresh food daily. My friends are reaping too. Most of the girls grab at least one ripe tomato on their way in. Some eat 3 or 4, I kid you not!!!!! But the real bad guys have come to visit too. They want my tomatoes.

 I'm not willing to share with them. Even as big as they are, they manage to stay camouflaged and hidden. They do leave lots of evidence.  My friends tell me that their stripes glow in the dark if a black light is shone on them. I don't have one so I hunt! When I find them....well, don't ask!

I show favoritism with my garden thieves because these three creatures are devouring all of my parsley and I'm letting them. They're the Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. We've had lots of the butterflies hanging out, but these guys came in the night! This photo was taken the other day and you wouldn't believe how few leaves there are left for them to munch on. I'm curious if they'll hang around or move on before they turn into their chrysalis. (on a side note, the monarch caterpillars I gave the twin nephews became butterflies. They were happy to show me.)

I did something yesterday that I hope is as clever as I think it's going to be. Called the neighbor plumber 
guy and had him turn the hot water temp down. While he was here he told us that he turns his furnace off every day, then turns it back on in the morning to heat the water. My husband didn't "hear" me when I suggested this a few months ago, but he heard plumber man when he said how few gallons of oil he uses in the summer....done-trying it-will see!!!!(hot water baseboard)
Been doing the same usual things here in the 'ville, kayaking, writing, herbal wellness clinic, walking, zumbaing, playing baby girl, listening to grandkids backyard band concert.
Life is not boring!!!!!

You never know-at least I never do!

   I took a walk with coffee cup in hand, to check out the wild blackberries on our property. I knew they must be close to picking, but not this close.

   It's a pretty big patch and easy access, so I finished the coffee and filled the cup with the beautiful black beauties that are just ripening.
 

   and then...
       Right beside the blackberry patch is another wild crop, milkweed.
           ....and on that milkweed was a caterpillar, a black and white and yellow caterpillar.

      ...and beside the caterpillar was a ...

                                                               Monarch!

     So in my backyard I discovered the near beginning of a story and the very end of the same tale, but no middle this time. I promised myself early on that I wouldn't capture the things and watch the middle and end evolve-again! But, I did capture a few of the caterpillars and took then out back to the "boys". (twin nephews). I got report this morning that there's already a J hanging from the netting cover. That means with some luck, the kids will "see" the whole story....a show not tell thing!!!!! ((Couldn't help myself last night, but to go out and gather a few more for the little niece next door.)))
 
    Okay writers, we all know the basics of story writing, but this whole gathering thing is just a reminder for us-
       All stories must have:
           Beginning
           Middle
           Ending (with a surprise twist)
   In this case, the butterfly is surely the suspenseful surprise ending for the kids (big and small)....and then it flies away and a new chapter begins. In the meantime, don't give up!
    Whoops! I almost forgot my own surprise ending in my search for caterpillars...I came upon a scary looking porcupine! Let me tell you, I didn't hang around to see what came next. That was enough of a page turner for me. I spun around and followed the path back to the house as fast as my feet would take me!!!

      It's no wonder that almost everything I write has a little sprinkling of nature thrown in, whether it be fiction or non-fiction story. My days are filled with so many things of nature, even when I go kayaking (yes, that was yesterday) Maybe, especially when I go out in the kayak.

   What lurks amongst the lily pads and pickerel weeds? We heard bull frogs croaking and a great blue flew out, only to change his position so there was no photo shots of him. But this guy let me get close. I paddled around him while he stood on guard but didn't plop into the water.

A turtle standing like this always makes me think of one of those water type hunting dog...feet in position and the hind leg pointed out, ready for action. (I don't really know. Is that kind of how a dog stands waiting?)

So those are my stories for this week. Or maybe the story seeds that are never ending around here.
This all reinforces my idea of what "nature" themed story to submit to one of our NESCBWI conference editors-today.

Just one more thing, and I've posted this place many times. It always amazes me as we kayak under. I wonder how the "old timers" positioned that granite to form the arch and make it stay, and how they even got those chunks up there without all the power equipment of today. I think I must ask my friend "google"

Have a happy week. Look around, what do you see? Dance-tonight's one of my nights. (Zumba of course!)

MIA

   I have been MIA, as has been my writer's muse. Few new words have flowed and not new story ideas until last night in the middle of it. It was an exciting PB idea, even had the main character (animal) going to different places, thus a series of fun stories. Yay! Except I only remember "it" was an animal, and the adventures were exciting!!!!
    I don't believe in writer's block, more like writer's rest, so I think we both may have waken up-finally. So what does this children's writer do when the words won't flow? Well write of course! The old stories come out and get reviewed, the online friends send their words over for critique, and another friend sent a reminder that deadline is looming for submitting to  a few conference editors. Deadline time-so I squeaked in the nick of time to send off a few polished manuscripts.
   The vacation from words is over for me and that muse and I have an idea brewing, as I type, from an interesting story I heard on the news.
   But I'll let you know that the rest of my life is on vacation most of the time. Not the go away kind, but the look around and plunge into what's available kind... Like,  last week my daughter called at 6:00 am and asked if I'd help her give out flowers in our 'ville parade. She was able to come over from work and  participate in the 200 year celebration of her hometown. So after my Sat morning Zumba class, I helped! Lots of roses for lots of lovely people.

   I thought that the whole little 'ville was in the parade so was surprised to see so many spectators along the mile stretch. After the parade, there were games for all the "kids" all day long (including horseshoes and volley ball), a supper and an amazing display of fireworks to end the festivities.

 

Then there was the 4 1/2 hour kayaking paddle around Friendship Long Island with daughter and sister-in-law the other day. It was so beautiful with the droning hum of the lobster boats in the water. The lobstermen had parked their boats for a few days because the price is way down and gas and bait prices aren't costing any less. It was good to see them out and about doing what they love best-their job.

We all shared the sea.

 All of the sternmen aren't men!

Then there was the community walk/dance through Camden to benefit the Community Cares (for kids) program. (I volunteered for the kiddos in the 5 surrounding communities)

Babysitting the niece on the spur of the moment. 

But now, it's off to write that great story!

So, as usual, "there's nothing to do" way out here in the country!!!