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!