Seventh Draft Finished

Congrats to all of you NaNoWriMo participants, whether you finished or not. It's a crazy undertaking. I did not join in the fun this year, but I did just finish my seventh draft of TBW (currently at 295 pages, 81,730 words).

And tomorrow, I will start the next one. I'd say the last half of the story is ready to query, but the first half still needs some work. ;o)

For those of you who are querying or almost ready to query, have you heard of Pitch Wars? A group of authors with agents are accepting applications from querying writers in need of a mentor. Wednesday, December 5th is the deadline. If you're trying to query a MG novel, I can't recommend Krista Van Dolzer enough. She really is all that and a Queen of Sheba cake.

Writing Update

I haven't blogged about any of my writing projects for a while, so this post is just to let you know which ones I'm focusing on right now. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them in the comments.

YA Novels: Near the beginning of the year, Star Swans took a backseat to The Binder's Web. TBW comes first, chronologically (same world), and I needed a break from SS. I'd reached a point where I wasn't improving SS so much as I was changing it, and it wasn't turning into what I wanted it to be. Right now I'm nearing the end of my 7th draft of TBW, and I'm hoping to squeeze in an 8th before the holidays. I still like the changes I'm incorporating, and I feel more confident about revising SS (once I have TBW ready to query).

For those of you who remember my NaNoWriMo draft from three years ago, I did print it out in August to see if it's worth salvaging. Set in the 1990's (because the rise and fall of the ratite industry threads through one of the subplots), it's more contemporary than historical. This story is probably the funniest thing I've ever written, and yet the shiny is pitted with darkness. It's also NOT speculative fiction, which makes it a bad choice for my debut novel, since most of my story ideas ARE speculative fiction.

And speaking of story ideas, my next first draft will be loosely based on a fairy tale, though I would rather not say which one. Not yet. It's based as much on a nursery rhyme as it is on a fairy tale. Once again, the sequel idea came first, but the ideas I have for that will make the fairy tale very much my own. I'm not allowing myself to start writing yet, but I have been thinking an awful lot about what the world and characters are like. :o)

Picture Books: I am querying agents with one of these right now, and I'm hoping to polish two of the others once I have TBW off to my critique partners next month. My biggest problem with picture books is that my mind wants to spin them out into novels. I complicate them, and then I have to simplify them.

Poetry: I also have one poem out on submission and another that I just need to write a cover letter for and put in the mail. We've had a lot of sickness at our house this past month, and I haven't made it to the post office at all this week.

So what have YOU been working on lately? Have a great weekend!

Two Fantastic Picture Books

You may have read these picture books before, as they aren't particularly new, but they have been a source of hilarity at our house over the last couple of weeks.

First of all, you should know that my son is a reluctant reader, especially when it comes to reading out loud. This is something that has come up in parent/teacher conferences the last couple of years, but he's been doing better recently.

Anyhow, he loves reading these two picture books out loud with me. He doesn't get all of the words right, and there is a lot of giggling involved, but if it makes reading out loud more fun for him, I don't care. In fact, with Jon Klassen's I WANT MY HAT BACK, sometimes the kids substitute "hairy toe" for "hat." This one also makes an excellent easy reader for little ones who are learning to read. It's right around the same difficulty level as Mo Willem's ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE books. My five-year-old daughter can read it. With my son, I read the bear's part, and he reads all of the other animal parts.

With ONCE UPON A COOL MOTORCYCLE DUDE, by Kevin O'Malley, there's a girl narrator and a boy narrator. So I read the girl's lines (the princess story), and he reads the boy's (the cool motorcycle dude story). It's a lot of fun. If I weren't worried about infringing on copyright laws, I'd post a vlog of us reading together.

Whether you read to your children or with your children, I highly recommend both of these books. :o)

Happy Birthday, Lenny Lee!

Today is Lenny Lee's 13th birthday. And while some of you might not know who Lenny is, I'm confident those who do would agree that he is most positive, most friendly blogger they know. I always picture his sunny avatar when I think of him.

Instead of commenting on this post, I would love for you to click on his name and comment on his blog instead. If you know him, you could comment on something you admire about him. If you don't know him, he'd still love the birthday wishes. Thanks so much! :o)

Happy Birthday, Lenny! Thank you for providing inspiration and encouragement to many!

More on TRINKET and KEEPER

For those of you who still haven't acquired a copy of THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET, by Shelley Moore Thomas, Joanne Fritz has another review and giveaway up on her blog. It's a remarkable book, and I enjoy Joanne's reviews.

Also, Shannon Messenger's KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES releases this week, and if you order through her indie bookstore of choice by October 5th, she'll not only sign your book but throw in drawings of her characters and a recipe. I ordered mine this morning. Go here for more information.

If you're into awesome MG, you don't want to miss either of these titles.

Happy Monday! ;o) 

Poisonous Words

I've been lucky in that I've never had a problem with trolls on my blog, so please don't think I'm pointing fingers at any of you. However, the casual way that people use words to injure others in all forms of social media bothers me. A difference of opinion on religion or politics, sports, or even a book review on Goodreads makes it okay to attack someone, whether you know them or not.

I don't think so.

A story I read today made me wonder if part of the problem could simply be that people (other than the trolls) aren't aware of what they're doing. Being right or being funny (in that moment) takes precedence over the other person's feelings. In the story I read, Balpreet Kaur (the victim) responded with an explanation of her religious beliefs that garnered an apology. Understanding and goodwill prevailed. Kaur went on to state: "I do not think explaining myself and the way I am is a waste of energy because storytelling in itself is a way to fight the apathy in this world." Explaining leads to understanding. Both require more time and thought than it takes to mock or attack someone who is different than us, but fighting apathy and poison is worth the effort.

This isn't a problem that we can solve by turning off our computers. The poison spills over into our schools and our interactions with others. So, the next time you vehemently disagree with someone (whether you're interacting in person or over the internet), stop to ask yourself whether being right is more important than understanding where the other person is coming from.

I will make more of an effort. 

THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET Winner

Jenilyn Collings, I need your mailing address.

Thanks to everyone who entered. If you love fairy tales, you should read THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET. It's the best fairy tale related story that I've read all year (in several years). Happy reading! :o)

MMGM: THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET Giveaway

Long time readers of this blog won't be surprised that I've been looking forward to Shelley Moore Thomas's MG debut, THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET. I love her picture books. If you have little ones, I hope you've read her Good Knight books to them. In my opinion, they make the Top Three Easy Readers list (along with Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie and Cynthia Rylant's Henry and Mudge).

But you probably aren't here for my easy reader recommendations.

Isn't the cover gorgeous? It reminds me of this portrait that Peter Paul Rubens painted of Helene Fourment and her children.

After her mother dies, an eleven-year-old Trinket takes her father's map and her best friend on a journey to find out why her father, a wandering bard, disappeared when she was six. This larger story is made up of seven smaller ones that Trinket collects (because she wants to be a bard, like her father). They are all beautiful, but my favorite two stories are The Harp of Bone and Hair and The Old Burned Man and the Hound. I love the idea of a magical lullaby, and there was something about Trinket's interaction with the little selkie boy in The Harp of Bone and Hair that tugged at my heart strings. I can't say why I loved the other story without the worst kind of spoilers, so you'll have to discover the nature of that tale on your own.

The writing is flawless, lyrical, and I thought it an interesting parallel that a storyteller would write a story about a girl becoming a storyteller. I highly recommend this one.

The trailer:

I am giving away a copy of THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET  and a seal trinket box. The trinket box reminded me of the sealskins that are featured in The Harp of Bone and Hair, and besides, it's pretty. This giveaway is only for US residents, and it will end this Wednesday, September 19th, at midnight (PDT).

If you're looking for more Marvelous Middle Grades, Shannon Whitney Messenger has the links.

If you'd like to know more about Shelley Moore Thomas and her books, you can check out  her website (where she is otherwise known as the StoryQueen).



Have a Marvelous Monday!

Peaches

About four years ago, I bought a tiny peach tree at our local hardware store. The label referred to it as a Pixie Dwarf something or other, and an employee said that it would probably never reach my height. But I needed a small tree. That first year, it set over 150 peaches. I still don't know how it managed, but I picked them as soon as they appeared. A single ripe peach would have broken any one of its branches. I didn't let the tree keep any fruit the next year, either. Last year, I left six on the tree to ripen, but the birds and insects ate them before we could. I did taste the one peach that was only half eaten, and it was delicious. 

Not long after that, I read a blog post that described how to pick peaches before they ripened and then ripen them between linen napkins. Well, I thought, I have linen napkins. This year, we ended up with over 50 peaches that I picked early and ripened between my napkins, and they tasted every bit as good as if they'd been ripened on the tree. So I'm sharing.

I'm also sharing my peach custard pie recipe. The pie crust recipe was my mother's, and it has spoiled my enjoyment of the pasty, tasteless stuff that usually passes for pie crust. But if you wish to use your own pie crust or the frozen variety, just prick the bottom and cook it for about 10 minutes first.

Mom's Flakey Pie Crust

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup oil

1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and combine, but don't overdo it; mixing for too long will make your crust tough. This should make two pie shells. 

The Finished Product

Peach* Custard Pie (makes two)

I usually peel and slice about eight cups of peaches. Don't ever make this with frozen or canned peaches (yes, I did); this pie is only as good as the peaches you use in it. Arrange your peaches in the two pie shells (that have been baked for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F) so that they fill most of the pan but don't exceed the top. You want them mostly submerged in custard.

Next, I beat four or five eggs (with a fork),

add a cup of sugar (and beat it in),

1/3 cup of flour (still beating),

2 teaspoons of vanilla (beating).

Then I sprinkle the mixture with nutmeg and cinnamon, 

stir in 2 cups of milk,

and pour the mixture over the peaches.

Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees fahrenheit, and cool thoroughly to let the custard set up. I like it best cold. But whether you eat yours warm or cold, make sure you store it in your refrigerator.

*You may substitute other fruits. I certainly have. Mixing fresh cherries with peaches is especially good. 

  

TBW Revision Finished!

Well, this draft is finished anyway. There will be more.

I've added over 20,000 words, so now TBW (which is a YA fantasy) has 80,108 words, 291 pages. And I've transferred it from the dinosaur (my old PC without internet) to Mount Doom (the MacBook I'm writing this post from).

"So, why is a raven like a writing desk?"

Do any of you know where this question comes from? Perhaps you have an answer. Mine would have something to do with dreams at the moment. That might have something to do with the story I've been working on, or it might be that I'm longing for my pillow.

Happy August! 

MMGM: THE FALSE PRINCE

THE FALSE PRINCE, by Jennifer Nielson, released on April 1, 2012, and I love it so much that I've given it as a birthday present twice. It reminds me of THE WHIPPING BOY, by Sid Fleischman, and of THE THIEF, by Megan Whalen Turner.

The blurb on Goodreads tells the stakes without giving away too much information about Sage and Conner:


"THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.


In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.


As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.


An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats."


I highly recommend this one (for about fourth grade on up) to anyone who enjoys adventure mixed with intrigue. I'd place it in the top three books I've read this year, along with THREE TIMES LUCKY (which is available now) and KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES.

If you're looking for more middle-grade, Shannon Messenger has the links. Have a Marvelous Monday!

Ironing Squirrels*

If you've seen Pixar's UP, you're already familiar with using squirrels as a metaphor for distraction. You could say I've been chasing squirrels in my manuscript more than usual this year, trying to find the right beginning. One of my CPs and I thought we'd figured out the perfect place to start. I still love that beginning. But it ended up being too far into the story. I couldn't figure out a way to incorporate the necessary backstory without adding a major info-dump or a lot of little distractions. I moved my beginning around until I actually came back to the first thing I'd written from the point-of-view of the character whose story I chose to tell. There were three characters I could have told the story through. And even though I've started in the same place, it has little in common with my first attempt.

Through all of these drafts, the story has evolved. This month, I've added around 20,000 words, and that doesn't include the thousands that I've deleted. I'd say that I'm about 50 pages away from finishing my current draft, but I already know I'll be adding more pages tonight. I'm catching squirrels, ironing wrinkles, and trying not to mix my metaphors. ;o)

Seriously, I've been moving plot points around, redefining who my characters are, and setting up the ending. I've also been removing the word "looked" a lot. I am so grateful for brilliant readers (CPs) who are willing to share their reactions and suggestions, especially Krista (whose sharp eyes caught every "looked" and "turned to look" in my manuscript) and Q (whose rants directed at the MC have inspired character revision, laughter, and a deep seated suspicion that she prefers the boy to my main character). Mwah! :D

If you're looking for feedback on your own writing, WriteOnCon (a free online conference for writers) is open for registration. This will be their third year. I participated in both of their previous conferences, and I highly recommend it. I loved their addition of Ninja Agents last year, and they've said they'll have them commenting in the forums again this year.

I realize that not all of you are writers. Thank you for bearing with my string of posts on revision and for my lack of posts in general. Whether you're a writer or not, what have you been up to this month? I'm SO not ready for summer to be over. Are you?

*No squirrels were harmed in the writing of this blog post or during the revision of my current draft.   

Instant Gratification

No. This post isn't about self-publishing. It could be. I can't think of anything instant about traditional publishing. Wait! *shakes head* Nope. If you want instant gratification, you'd better grab a bag of Swedish Fish or a jar of Nutella. You're not going to find it in the publishing world.

That said, I like writing poetry and tiny stories. A few years ago, I hypothesized that my little writing projects were probably sucking away time and energy that I should be devoting to larger projects, and I quit making them a priority. If inspiration struck, I still wrote the story or poem, but looking through my records, I just realized that I haven't been submitting anything to editors. The last poem I had published, the one published by Highlights High Five, I submitted in 2009.

I also realized that my experiment has not reinforced my belief that these side projects take away from my writing as a whole. On the contrary, writing the little stuff and interacting with editors has been and will continue to be an important part of my writing journey.

Aside from the obvious fact that perfecting stories on a smaller scale is good practice for perfecting them on a larger scale, I like having something out on submission. Most of the writing I send out gets rejected, and rejections aren't so fun. But knowing that editors are reading my work keeps me focused, infuses me with hope. And with smaller projects I feel the gratification that comes from finishing something. It's a good feeling. And opening up an envelope to find a contract from an editor who wants to buy your work? That's a great feeling. The only thing better than receiving a contract is looking over complimentary copies of your finished work. It's worth the rejection and the time spent because it makes me better; it makes me happy. It's time for a new experiment.

What makes you happy? Do you ever experiment, or is my inner-nerd shining through? 

Wanted: A Pensieve

Earlier tonight, Robyn was asking me about a fairy tale that has several major variations. The funny thing is that both of us originally read the same variation, and it isn't the popular one that I've read several times in novel form. I don't own the collection it came from, either. As we were discussing the different variations, I remembered that when I was in college I had a great idea for a sequel to the fairy tale that came from reading a nursery rhyme.

Back then, I had a writing notebook where I played around with ideas, but I have no idea where that notebook is now. I've had and still have quite a few of those notebooks. I'm sure I still have it. Somewhere. But if I spent the amount of time writing that I could spend searching, I'd probably come up with something better than my original notes.

But *sigh* I am still revising TBW.

I need a pensieve. That way, I could just pull shiny new ideas out of my head and store them in it until I'm ready to spin them out.

Or maybe I need to organize my writing notebooks. *gasp* If I put dates or titles on my covers (the ones that still have covers), I might actually be able to find stuff. How do you keep track of your story ideas? Don't tell me you have a pensieve; it'll just make me insanely jealous. ;o)

I won't be around until Saturday. Robyn and I are going camping in the morning with a large group, mostly teenaged girls, and we're not allowed to take electronics. No phones. No computers.

But please, bring on the organizational tips. :o)   

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES Winner

Congratulations to Britney Wyatt and thanks to all who entered!

So, this is unrelated, but UPS left something fun on my doorstep last week.

Highlights turned one of my poems into a poster! A PLACE ON MY BED is one of six poems they've turned into posters (the others aren't mine) for teachers to use in their classrooms. They published this poem in Highlights High Five two years ago. I'd love to get my hands on the whole set.

MMGM: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES Interview and Giveaway

About fifteen years ago, I took a job at a dry cleaners because they told me that I could read or study, as long as I had my work done. One day I was reading a Harry Potter novel when a customer walked in. He grinned and asked me which of the characters was my favorite, that his were the Weasley twins. I had to agree.

So, you can imagine my delight a few months ago, when I discovered a pair of characters that I enjoyed every bit as much as Fred and George. They aren't twins. In fact, Dex and Keefe don't even like each other, but they both become friends with Sophie Foster in Shannon Messenger's debut novel, KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. And Sophie? I love Sophie.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm just going to link to the Goodreads description, give you a short interview with Shannon, and say that it's the best book I've read this year. I've pre-ordered a copy for my daughter's fourteenth birthday (which happens to be in October), and I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with the characters. If you like middle grade, you'll love it!

My questions are in blue. Shannon's answers are in black.

You've been sleeping with a blue elephant since you were four, and you probably have all kinds of stories about her. Is there one you'd be willing to tell us?

Ha! Oh, there are so, so, SO many it's hard to pick. I've already blogged about the time I thought I'd lost her--it was a very dark day--and rather pathetic considering I was an adult (or pretending to be one anyway.) But I guess one that stands out in my mind was when I was traveling to Europe a few years ago. Ella always goes in my carry-on (what? She is PRECIOUS cargo!) and the security person was clearly suspicious of the 20-something girl carrying the bright blue stuffed elephant with her. So he made me take Ella out of the bag so he could scan her alone--likely searching her for weapons of mass destruction. Alas, all he found is that I really am that big of a nerd. As did all the people around me, who did *quite* a bit of staring. *shrugs*

Okay, so it's interesting that you shared your comfort toy with Sophie. Were you making up for the hard stuff you had to put her through? 

Wow, that's a good guess--and you're totally right!! I knew that Sophie would have a lot of difficult things happen to her in her story--and that she would find herself losing everything and having to start over several times. So I wanted to give her one thing she could hold onto and keep with her. And naturally I thought of Ella. 

I totally get that. And last, you post pictures of the most amazing looking (and probably tasting) cupcakes. Do you have a favorite?

Hm... I want to be a brat and say ALL OF THEM ARE MY FAVORITE since I've honestly never met a cupcake I didn't love. But, I'll narrow it down to two. ANY type of chocolate cupcake is always an amazing idea. Or, if I can find it, I absolutely adore banana cupcakes, either with cream cheese or peanut butter frosting. *drools*

Mmmm. I've never had banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. I'll have to take care of that! Thanks so much!

The release date for KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES isn't until October, but Shannon just happens to be giving away three advance reader copies. You should go enter.

But just in case you don't win, you can enter for finished copy here that will most likely surprise you when it shows up in October. I'm also giving away your choice of a used 1987 Baby Elephant Puffalump with the original Hawaiian shirt (like the ones that Shannon and Sophie own) or this brand new (if you have an aversion to used stuffed animals) blue elephant and either a pair of van Gogh Starry Night socks (because stars are an important part of the story) or cupcake socks (because Shannon keeps her local bakeries in business). Here's the recap: one pre-order of Shannon's book, one blue elephant, one pair of cool socks. This giveaway has a lot of parts, so I'm not going international with it. To enter,  comment before midnight on Friday.

If you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, you can catch the links over at Shannon's blog. Have a Marvelous Monday!

"Knocking on the Sky"

Saturday night, I watched TRON for the first time, and there was this part where the creator of the grid goes off alone, "knocking on the sky and listening for the sound."

This is where I'm at in my revision process right now. I am all over the manuscript, knocking on different aspects of it. I'm reading aloud, making plot notes on post-its, deleting scenes and characters, adding conversations and descriptions, asking characters questions to figure out what motivates them. I'm listening. 

I'm not asking other people for their opinions. I have critiques I've taken into account that are helping me shape this revision, and I'll want more when I'm finished. But at this point, I have to trust that the story and I will come to an understanding. Outside opinion is more of a distraction than help (first drafts are the same way for me). It's coming together. I've taken some false turns that I've had to correct. It's hard to erase those, to move on, but the story is so much stronger than it was a few months ago. 

Do you go through this with your own creative process? 

And if you've seen TRON, what did you think of it? I really liked it. 

BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS Winner

Gwenyth picked little g's paper out of the bowl. So, if you would please e-mail me your address, I'll send you your new book.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post!

Party! Party! Party! Party!

Krista Van Dolzer (my writing bestie) signed with her favorite agent, Kate Schafer Testerman, and they're giving away critiques! If you're not interested in a critique (Krista gives brilliant critiques), you can always congratulate them! Hurry! Hurry! You don't even need to comment* here! :o) :o) :o)

*unless you want to call me out for excessive** use of excitable punctuation 

**which (as Krista could tell you) you may never see on this blog again 

Whitewashing Discussion (and a giveaway)

I still haven't seen The Hunger Games, but I have seen so many different reactions. This one caught me off guard. Call me crazy, but I find it shocking that people who have obviously read the books are angry that Rue is portrayed by someone with dark skin. She looks exactly the way that Collins described her. In fact, when I saw the first preview, I knew her immediately. She's hiding, and she looks way too young. I thought, Wow, she's perfect.


I almost didn't write this post because Adam Heine beat me to it: "If we want to fix racism, we do need to point these things out, but we need to keep our anger in check. If we don't, then we're as much a part of the problem as they are. Racism isn't killing us. Hate is." 


No one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses that are part of who we are, and racism is something that can be unlearned. I've seen it happen. But it's the kind of lesson you have to learn through love. Love. Education. We have to be aware.


For some time it's bothered me that most of the covers in the YA section feature skinny white girls. Seriously, most of them look like they have eating disorders. I suppose the vampires and zombies do. And where picture books, middle-grade, and adult sections have a beautiful variety of skin tones, the teen section looks pasty. I don't think editors are doing this on purpose. At least, I hope they're not. But those of us who care could say we'd like to see more variety reflected on the covers.


Ahem. I'd like to see more cultural diversity reflected on YA covers, please. Thank you. 


If this is not something that has ever bothered you, please read this post, by Ellen Oh. Or if it does bother you, you could read it anyway and tell her you agree and maybe continue this discussion in another time and place.


To celebrate the YA covers that DO reflect cultural diversity, I would like to give away a signed paperback of BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS, by Shannon Hale. 

Dashti is one of my favorite characters, not because she's beautiful, but because she's clever and loyal and honest, even when she's pretending to be someone she's not. "I'm right aware of the red birth splotches on my face and arm, not to mention my dull hair and lips thinner than the edge of a leaf." But as a reader, you fall in love with Dashti's character and you think she's beautiful in spite of the way she's described herself. 


Is that not how we should fight racism? Once you love someone, you see past the differences between you to how beautiful they were all along. 


To enter, all you have to do is comment (no hate or spoilers, please). If you tweet, FB, or blog about the contest, I'll give an extra entry for each. You have until midnight on Wednesday, April 4th, to enter. 


Thanks for reading my longish post! 

MMGM: BOBBY THE BRAVE

The first book in Lisa Yee's series is actually BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY), and I like it a lot. It made me laugh and cry (always a good sign).

But I absolutely love BOBBY THE BRAVE. It has so much funny, and Bobby is someone that kids can relate to. So many of his insecurities are things that I remember bothering me as a kid. I read the first few chapters to my reluctant reader and then let him finish the rest on his own. He didn't want to put it down. And he finished it. He hardly ever finishes novels.

Some of my favorite things:

The scary cat
His relationship with the fish
His dad's cooking
Their Halloween costumes


I'll be reading more of Lisa Yee's books. If you know a boy who likes funny books, these would probably be a good fit. The main character is a fourth grader.


If you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, the following people would love to oblige you:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (our founding mother)

Joanne Fritz 

Shannon O'Donnell 

Barbara Watson

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Natalie Aguirre

Deb Marshall

Karen Yingling

Have a Marvelous Monday! 

Writing for Charity

Friday afternoon, Robyn (my thirteen-year-old writer) talked me into taking her to Writing for Charity. We'd been talking about it for a weeks without coming to a decision. So, yeah, I dropped Dax and Gwen off at my sister's, and we drove and drove and drove until midnight (when we reached my other sister's house in Pleasant Grove).

Too early the next morning, we headed for the Provo library. :o)

The event started with an impressive author panel. You can click here to find the whole list of authors that attended. Shannon Hale always seems to end up with the mic at these kind of things. She's hilarious. And she can stop the long-winded ones without offending anyone. "Novelists, keep your answers to a paragraph. Picture books authors already have this down." Heheheh. Some of my favorite tidbits from the panel:

1. Brandon Sanderson wrote 13 first drafts before he sold ELANTRIS.
2. You have not yet written your best work. Keep writing.  ~Tracy Hickman
3. Matthew J. Kirby doesn't outline. *grins at CPs*
4. Shannon Hale sets goals of 1,000 words/day or 20 pages of revison.
5. Mette Ivie Harrison sets time goals (2 hours).

Then we split into critique groups with our author of choice (Matthew J. Kirby). There were only seven people in our group, and we had two hours, so we had lots of time to discuss the beginning pages we brought and our manuscripts in general. This was my favorite part. His suggestions just felt right. And when he was asking if I'd tried to sell it yet (I haven't), he said something about reaching a point where there's not much difference between a published and an unpublished writer. They do the same things. And that felt right too.

Robyn chose the workshops we attended: The Psychology of Characterization (Jennifer Nielsen), Rewriting the Crap Out of It (Dean and Shannon Hale), Fantasy Panel (Mette Ivie Harrison, Laura and Tracy Hickman, Dene Low, and Brandon Sanderson), and The Do's and Don'ts of Dialogue (Janette Ralison). I learned something new in each of them. Many of the authors have websites where they go into the same things they covered, so if you're interested, click on their names. I just wish we could have fit Brandon Sanderson's workshop on Advanced Plot Structure in there somewhere.

If you live in (or close to) Utah, this is an amazing event. It cost $45 for the whole day (including lunch and a snack) because the writer's all volunteer their time. The money always goes to some kind of charity. I spent more on gas money than I did on registration for the event, but then I spent more on books than I did on gas money.

We came home with a lot of notes and an unwieldy stack of signed books (Happy 100%).

Also, we learned about a new series that's being written by multiple authors. Have any of you heard of THE INFINITY RING series? The first one is by James Dashner. It sounds like fun. :o)

THREE TIMES LUCKY Winner!

I've just picked a piece of paper that has Barbara Watson's name on it. Barbara, I'll mail you your ARC of THREE TIMES LUCKY as soon as I get your mailing address in an e-mail. Thanks, everyone, for your comments! 

MMGM: THREE TIMES LUCKY (Review and Giveaway)

This one doesn't release until May 10th, but I'm giving away my ARC to one lucky commenter. ;o)

THREE TIMES LUCKY, by Sheila Turnage, refers to how Mo (short for Moses) is lucky that, when she was a baby, her mother's tying her to a makeshift raft saved her during a terrible hurricane, lucky the Colonel was handy to save her from the flood, and lucky that Miss Lana decided to keep her. The reader is lucky that Mo has spent so much time piecing together her past that she's practically a detective; by the end of the fifth chapter there's a murder to be solved, and her best friend is the only real suspect.

And this isn't one of those stories where you find out it was just an accident or a misunderstanding. Those tend to make me crazy. There's at least one seriously scary person running amok in Tupelo Landing, and Mo has to figure out out who the bad guys are before they hurt or kill the people she cares most about. THREE TIMES LUCKY is a wild ride. I loved it: beginning, middle, and ending. Oh, how I loved the ending! If you're into middle grade and murder mysteries, this book is a happy combination.


As I mentioned before, I'm giving away my ARC to one commenter. This contest is open internationally and will close at midnight on Thursday. I'll announce the winner on Friday. If you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, the following people would love to oblige you:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (our founding mother)
Joanne Fritz 
Shannon O'Donnell 
Barbara Watson
Michael Gettel-Gilmartin
Natalie Aguirre
Deb Marshall
Karen Yingling


Have a Marvelous Monday! 

Have You Read INCARNATE?

If you haven't read INCARNATE, by Jodi Meadows, you'll want to find a copy. I won mine by participating in the treasure hunt that I mentioned in my last post. This story kept me up into the wee hours of the morning, and then, as soon as I had a moment to myself the next day, I picked it up to read the ending all over again. I wish I had the sequel, not that she leaves you hanging. She doesn't. I just wanted more. Some things, they make you happy, you know?

There are so many things I loved about this book, but explaining them would spoil it. For instance, page 104 is so perfect that I read it three times, but it's only perfect because the previous pages led up to it. I loved the personality quirks of the characters, but there again, you'll want to discover those on your own. I will tell you that music is important. My favorite line (a response to X telling Y not to die): "And leave you alone with my piano? Not a chance." There isn't an emoticon to convey how that line made me feel, but maybe your favorite line will be different.

The premise: Ana is born into a world of people whose souls are reincarnated. Everyone remembers their past lives, everyone but Ana. She's new. She's replaced one of the the old souls. And you can see how it would follow that logically it might be frightening for the others to realize they could cease to exist. There might be some resentment. Some fear. But there might be others who will accept her for who she is.

And there might be a lot of scenes that center around playing a piano. :o)

Did I mention that there's a blurb from Robin McKinley on the back of the book? *sigh* "INCARNATE has an eerie and intriguing premise and I am looking forward to seeing where Jodi Meadows takes it next."

Yeah. What she said.

On a more personal note, my hand is NOT broken. I'm typing and playing the piano again, and I wanted to share a piece that I'm working on. No, I'm not inflicting my playing on you, but Mitsuko Uchida's version of Mozart's Sonata in A Major, K. 331 is lovely. The bit in my lesson book is only the beginning of this, but even that little bit is uplifting, peaceful and energizing at the same time. I love playing it.

Are there any books or songs that just make you feel happy? If so, please share in the comments! :o)

   

Monkeys, Wrenches, and Mount Doom: The Problem With More

The problem with taking more time for one thing (or more than one thing) is that it means taking that time from something else. That is why I tried to balance my Mores with Lesses, and I still think it could work. I just need better self-control (especially when it comes to the internet).

But have you seen Jodi Meadow's INCARNATE Theater Treasure Hunt? It's kind of like getting sucked down a rabbit hole (in a good way). You have until February 6th to play. :o)

Speaking of monkeys and wrenches or monkey wrenches or wretched monkeys, if exercising is one of your Mores, make sure you're getting enough iron. Yeah. Working out so much that you make yourself anemic (sick and exhausted) is counter-productive. I know. You probably could have told me that. But I'm feeling a lot better now that I'm taking iron supplements. Unfortunately, the boy picked up a wicked cough, this week, and now everyone is snuffling. And I may have broken my hand, yesterday, but really, I hope not. Le sigh.

On a more positive note, I don't hate the revision I'm working on at the moment. The last couple of months have been rough, but I've given myself permission to save draft six (as is) and move on to draft seven. This allows me to use the delete button (copiously) without feeling like I've wasted the last two or three months of my life.

It's funny. This laptop has never had a nickname, but ever since the conversation that led to abandoning draft six, I can't help calling it Mount Doom. :o)

Have a great weekend!  

MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND Winner

First of all, I want to thank everyone who entered this contest. Reading your comments made me smile. I felt like I could relate to each of you, whether you wanted to design your own fabric or learn to draw or play a musical instrument or slam dunk a basketball. I let Daxton pick the winner out of a bowl this time, and he chose Pica (who wants to learn a new language). So, Pica, please e-mail me your address, and I'll order your copy. Hopefully it will get there by the release date.

Thanks again, everyone! I really hope that you go after the dreams you listed in your comments. And I hope you get your hands on a copy of Shannon Hale's MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND. It's wonderful. :o)

MMGM: DARTH PAPER STRIKES BACK

I'm cutting back to one Marvelous Middle Grade Monday a month (on the fourth Monday), this year, mostly because I felt like, last year, they took over my blog.

This week, I am (respectfully) disagreeing with those reviewers who didn't like Tom Angleberger's DARTH PAPER STRIKES BACK as much as they liked his THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA. If you haven't read the first one, you can click here for my review.

I put off reading this one because I didn't want to be disappointed (sequels are often disappointing), but this one is delightful. Seriously, if my middle-school-aged self had gone to school with Dwight, there's a good chance I'd have been crushing on him. I thought the ending even more brilliant than the first book's. The way Angleberger portrayed the student interaction with the various teachers and administrators reminded me of E. L. Konigsburg's THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY (my favorite Konigsburg novel). Angleberger captures the emerging independence (problem solving), the cruelty, the awkward compassion, and the defiant loyalty that set this age group apart. And he does it with humor.

I highly recommend this one, especially for Star Wars geeks. It even includes a 5-Fold Origami Yoda that converts into a 10-Fold Darth Paper. But . . . read THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA, first, you must.


If you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, the following people would love to oblige you: 

Shannon Whitney Messenger (our founding mother)

Joanne Fritz 

Shannon O'Donnell 

Barbara Watson

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Natalie Aguirre

Deb Marshall

Have a Marvelous Monday! 

   

MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND Giveaway

Happiness is curling up with a new Shannon Hale novel. Really. One of my blogging friends shared her ARC of MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND, by Shannon Hale, and I totally loved it. Not as frothy as AUSTENLAND, this one still made me laugh out loud. A lot.

I hate spoilers, so I'll keep the description short. Set in Pembrook Park, a place where women can go for a "Jane Austen experience," MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND is part murder mystery (though whether the murder happened or not is part of the mystery), part romance, and part satire. If you're a fan of Austen's NORTHANGER ABBEY, I think you will especially love it. But I also think this one is more likely (than AUSTENLAND) to appeal to someone who's never read anything by Jane Austen. Charlotte was just so easy for me to relate to.

Reading the novel made me think about how it can be hard for us to say "no" to other people, and yet we tell ourselves "no" all the time. For instance, I've been wanting to take piano lessons for most of my life, but I'd always told myself that I didn't have the time or money. Well, for the most part, we determine what we have time and money for. I already had a piano, and I was signing my son up for lessons. So, I started taking lessons in August, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm not a prodigy, but I love it. Also, when I was in college, I really liked latin dancing (one of those Spanish major things), so when one of my friends started teaching a Zumba class, I wanted to try it. But I told myself "no." Why? I'm not really sure. I started going last week, and it is seriously fun. I come out of the class humming and dancing and in a much better mood than I was when I went in.

Now, I'm not advocating debt or sugar comas, but . . . just try it. Take something you've been putting off, something that will enrich your life, and work towards it. You're worth it.

Oh, and I'm giving away a pre-order for MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND. You don't have to be a follower. To enter, just tell me (in the comments) something you'd really like to do. And if you leave a link in the comments, I'll give you an extra entry for sharing. That's two possible entries per person. The contest is open internationally (as long as The Book Depository ships to your location), and it ends Monday, January 23rd (Chinese New Year), at midnight.

:o)
    

More or Less

Amy Sonnichsen won the picture books! Congrats, Amy! You can thank Gwenyth for choosing your number. :o)

So, 2012 just happens to be the year of the dragon, and I just happen to be . . . a monkey.

Okay, not really. I am a dragon (What are you?), but by Larry's reasoning, a dragon could be a monkey. So far, this year is looking better than 2011. Dragons make everything better. Nope. I'm not prejudiced. It's true. ;o)

At the beginning of the year (or the month, week, or day) I usually make a to-do list to give me direction. I don't beat myself up for not crossing everything off. It helps me prioritize and evaluate how different areas in my life are going. For instance, last year, I crossed off nearly all of my writing goals, but I didn't do so well in the health area. Because of this, I'm taking a more aggressive stance on exercise (which apparently I can't spell when I'm tired), diet, hydration, and especially sleep. Not getting enough sleep is my worst bad health habit. I'm something of an insomniac (with kids and a day job).

I started brainstorming and came up with something I've never had as part of my "New Year's Resolutions" before. It reminded me a bit of playing "What if?" Only, I kept it simple. I compiled a "More or Less" list, and it looked something like this (but longer):

More music
More poetry
More reading aloud
More gardening
More playing with my kids
More exercising
More sleeping
Less internet
Less sugar

You get the idea. I could write whole posts explaining each of those, but I won't (not this month). I won't be on the internet as much this year (if I'm sticking to my resolutions). I'll still be around. I'll still post, but I may schedule a month in advance to let myself play hooky. My writing brain (especially the part that writes poetry) and my blogging brain don't always get along. Also, I've noticed that my kids all want more Mom Time than they're getting, and I need to do something about it. Internet time isn't essential. It just feels that way, especially when I'm tired.

You might not even notice a difference (other than I'll only be posting MMGMs once a month), but hopefully I will.

May your 2012 be filled with More (whatever yours might be).

Picture Book Giveaway!

To celebrate the fact that I wrote (finished drafts of) TWO shiny picture books in December, I'm giving away three picture books I'm loving at the moment (plus a paperback).

 

I love all of Shelley Moore Thomas's GOOD KNIGHT books, but I just gave A COLD WINTER'S GOOD KNIGHT to my four-year-old for Christmas. I've been reading it a lot. However, it isn't the first book in the series, not that it matters if you read them out of order. If you'd like to see the first book, though, here's a video of the author reading it.

Okay, I'll include a paperback of GOOD NIGHT, GOOD KNIGHT in the giveaway.

You're welcome. :o)

HOP! PLOP! is Corey Rosen Schwartz's first picture book, but I'm already looking forward to her second, THE THREE NINJA PIGS, coming out later this year.

LEONARDO THE TERRIBLE MONSTER, by Mo Willems, has been around for a while, but it's such a great one. I'm using it in my classes, later this week. 

If you already own one or more of these, I might be willing to make substitutions, BUT you only have until the end of Wednesday, January 4th, to enter. This one isn't international. I'm sorry, but the shipping for that many hardbacks would be painful. To enter, tell me one of your favorite picture books. That is all.