Rebecca Gomez

House of Bones excerpt

2012-01-29T10:42:00.005-06:00

Taking Chances

Monday morning.

Blue sky

blue sky

inviting me out

into the warmth

of a summer morning.

I have one destination

on my mind:

the house of bones.

My bag is packed—

water bottles, two of them

granola bars, two of them

a can of bug spray

my camera

I grab a banana as I head out the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Just walking.”

“With a back pack?”

“A snack and water.”

“And your camera.”

“And my camera.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Long enough to get

thirsty.”

I don’t tell her

it depends on if he is there.

Winter's gift (belated)

2012-01-22T22:46:00.000-06:00

There is snow on the ground
on the ground!
tonight,

a lustrous
and glorious
blanket of white.

A fresh gift from winter,
though long overdue.

Don't send me to bed,
let me take in the view.

Winter...make up your mind!

2012-01-18T07:45:00.001-06:00

Winter has not been able to make up its mind
on whether it wants to go
or stay.

Personally, I'd like it to stay a while,
make itself at home
so that we can have some winter fun
like sledding
and angel-making
and crunching boot-footed through the snow.

And then,
when we've had enough,
winter will be more than welcome
to go away
and make room for spring.

New Draft for the New Year

2012-01-06T08:02:00.003-06:00

I did it! I finished my NaNoWriMo novel before the end of 2011. About ten minutes before the end, to be precise. I worked feverishly all through the month of December and now I have a very rough first draft of my first YA romance.

I finished the draft of HOUSE OF BONES about ten minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve. Then I closed my journal (I wrote it longhand) and tucked it away.

It is agonizing to ignore something so new and exciting! But if I managed to ignore the iPad hubby got me for Christmas while it sat, unwrapped, in the closet, I can certainly ignore my novel for a few more days.

On Monday, I will visit it again. Not to do any revisions yet, but to type it into Word and make notes of things that will need to be changed/added/cut.

I'm thrilled to have a new manuscript to focus on in 2012!

What are YOU excited about in this new year?

Looking Back (in pictures!)

2012-01-03T12:35:00.000-06:00

I was going to do a picture for each month of the year, as I've seen on a few other blogs. But it was too hard to choose, so I have extras.

Some of my favorite things about 2011:

My Little Guy helping his Dad--he's getting so big!

Lots of fun with my kids, with more than just Legos

Playing in the snow

Daugher #2 rockin' it out in show choir

Catchin' some air at our favorite park

Art projects!

Hangin' with cousins

Daughter #2 as Razoul in Disney's Aladdin

Gettin' crafty

Bike riding, and other outdoor adventures

Watermelon on the Fourth of July

My girls and their friend on a mission trip to Joplin, MO

My Little Guy with his bronze medal he won for his Tae Kwon Do form

Daughter #2 with another piano trophy (lots and lots of music in 2011)

Hangin' with my friend Angie, visiting from Bolivia

Our "Frank-o-lantern"

Daughter #1 with her Christmas present (she cried when she opened it)

Who woulda thought...

2011-12-20T09:34:00.002-06:00

...that I would have been able to squeeze so much into the month of December and not get stressed out at all?

Cooking
baking
candy making,
reading
writing
line reciting,
sewing
mending
toddler tending,
caroling
shopping
picture cropping,
painting
gluing
caramel chewing,
kissing
hugging
scenery lugging,
cutting
wrapping
cozy napping,
directing,
playing,
lots of praying!

sorry excuse for a blog post

2011-12-01T18:06:00.000-06:00

Who has time for a real blog post when they are:

working part time

directing a Christmas play

being wife/mom/chauffeur/Santa's helper

and trying to finish the draft of that verse novel she started in November?

Answers

2011-11-26T08:01:00.004-06:00

Here are the answers to the quiz I posted last week. Only two brave souls attempted it, and neither of them got them all right. So I won't be posting a picture of me and hubby (at least not yet).

Here are the correct answers:

1. I had my first "real boyfriend" when I was 13. His name was Adam. I consider him my first real boyfriend because of the time we spent with each other's families.

2. My first kiss was when I was 16. It was about one month before my 17th birthday.

3. My first heartbreak was when I was 15. I had been "going out" with Ryan for about 5 months when he broke up with me rather suddenly. I wrote a lot of poems in the months that followed...

4. ...until I met my true love when I was 16.

5. Engaged at 17.

6. Married at 18.

(bonus: My true love and I have been married 17 years)

What about you? When did you have your first kiss? Meet your true love?

My First Romance...and a quiz!

2011-11-17T08:50:00.002-06:00

My NaNoWriMo novel has turned out to be a YA romance, written in verse. My other novel in verse, SHARRA'S WAR, has some romance in it, but the romance is not at the heart of the story. This newest book, tentatively titled HOUSE OF BONES, is my first attempt at writing a true teen romance.

In writing this book, I have taken several mental journeys back in time, back to the days of my own teen crushes, romances, and heartbreaks. And eventually, to finding my true love.

So in honor of teen romances and true loves, I decided to post a little quiz about my own past romances. If you think you might know the answers, or if you want to guess, put your answers in the comments. I'll post the answers in next Monday's post. I'm not offering a prize, but you might have a chance to earn some bragging rights!

So, without further ado, how old was I when...

1. I had my first real boyfriend?
2. I experienced my first kiss?
3. I suffered my first heartbreak?
4. I met my true love?
5. I got engaged?
6. I got married?

If anyone gets all of these questions right, I'll post a picture of me and my hubby when we were first dating.

NaNoWriMo Progress

2011-11-09T13:12:00.000-06:00

In case you haven't figured it out already, yes, I am doing NaNoWriMo.

But I am almost certainly NOT going to be a winner.

No, I'm not being negative. I am writing in verse, so my word count will end up being much less than 50,000. My aim for this month is to simply finish this draft of my first ever YA romance, tentatively titled THE SKELETON HOUSE.

I'm 5,355 words in, making steady progress. I have no doubt that I will finish this draft by November 30.

How about you? NaNo or no NaNo?

Picture beginnings

2011-10-31T14:05:00.000-05:00

For me, stories often begin with an image -- a short scene unfolding before my mind's eye. Usually I am completely unaware of what the "rest of the story" is, but the scene is so compelling that I want to find out. I do that by starting to write.

SHARRA'S WAR began that way. I had an image in my mind of a tiger telling a girl to follow him. Why was this tiger telling the girl to follow him? How could the girl understand what he was saying? What was their story?

The story unfolded as I wrote. It was a journey of discovery, not only for my main character, but for me as an author.

I think I am on the verge of another journey of discovery, if only I would dare to take the first step. There is an image in my mind that was inspired by the house in this picture. A teenage girl going into this "skeleton house" because she knows her brother would be there. Why has her brother gone into this house? Does he go there often? What is he trying to escape? What is their story? I want to find out.

Maybe this will be my NaNoWriMo project. But I don't think I will know for sure until I sit down to write tomorrow.

To NaNo or not to NaNo

2011-10-30T10:47:00.001-05:00

November 1st is two days away and I haven't made a decision yet. Do I go for the NaNoWriMo challenge or not?

I have ideas, so that is not a problem. A fantasy involving ancient coins, another one involving a mirror. And a couple others that have been bouncing around in my head for a while. Some are stories that I started to write before. But I didn't get far because I got sidetracked with other projects.

The truth is that I'm chicken. What if I decide to go for it, but I fizzle out? Or get too busy? Or annoy my husband by staying up ~~late~~ later than usual for a month straight?

I want to do it. But I am so full of excuses. I have kids. I have a job. I have other projects.

How hard can it be to write 1500ish words a day for a month?

Pretty darn hard.

So...should I or shouldn't it?

Rewriting

2011-10-24T11:50:00.000-05:00

I rewrote a manuscript, so now it's stronger.
But here's the trouble: it's also LONGER.
So now I've got more work to do:
Cut 100 words (or two).

Making Faces

2011-10-10T20:12:00.000-05:00

Today I found myself sitting at my desk, making faces into Photo Booth. Surprised! Scared. Ecstatic! Worried.

I'm sure it would have been a comical sight had anyone witnessed it. But comical or not, it was more than just a way for me to sit around being goofy.

You see, I have been sketching faces a lot lately in preparation for a new project. And that requires faces! I'm usually a "draw what you see" kind of artist, so I needed to see expressions in order to convey them with any semblance of accuracy (and confidence).

Here's one of my little practice sketches, to prove how goofiness really can be productive.

I am a Thief

2011-10-05T11:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes stolen moments can be the most exciting.

While at work yesterday, as I was contentedly shelving books, an idea struck me.

I had been thinking about monsters (not surprising considering all the Halloween books on display), when suddenly a very specific monster barged in on my thoughts.

The moment oozed with significance. "Grab onto this idea and DO NOT LET GO," I told myself.

I hurried to the computer to send a quick email reminder to myself. This was not a first for me, since I had been struck with sudden inspiration at work before. But this time was different. This time, I actually started writing a draft.

I felt like a sneaky little thief, stealing moments away from my day job. But I couldn't help myself. My little monster friend had me completely under his spell.

The spell lasted for about three minutes. That's not very long, but it was plenty to give me some momentum. And today I have a complete draft! Not only that, but also a rough story-board on the back of a used sheet of card-stock.

Who says being a thief doesn't pay?

We have a winner!

2011-09-30T23:01:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all my new followers and to everyone who entered the 100th Follower Contest! After drawing a name the old fashioned way (little papers and a hat), I am happy to announce the winner of my first official blog contest:

Corey Schwartz!

Congratulations, Corey! I will be sending your $10 Amazon gift card first thing in the morning.

To all my followers: You are the best! I wish I could give each of you a thank you prize, but hopefully my blog is an award in itself (I know...cheese alert).

Don't be such a grown-up!

2011-09-30T08:05:00.000-05:00

After a long and busy day, I was lying on my bed with the lights out, my two girls sprawled across the bed with me, chatting. A moment later we saw the bouncing beam of a flashlight in the hallway. It was my little guy, happily toting around the flashlight that his father had just given to him. "Dad said he didn't need this!" he said as he swung the beam back and forth before our faces.

The light flashing in my eyes was a bit annoying, but it was Daughter #2 who spoke up. "You know, those flashlights are supposed to be used for emergencies and stuff. The batteries aren't gonna last."

I turned to her, aghast! "Are you really being such a boring ol' grown-up?"

"Well," she said, "the light was bugging me so I thought I would give him a logical reason to turn it off."

He did turn it off. Maybe so that he could preserve battery power for those times when he goes exploring the depths of the crawl space under his bed.

There is a lesson in this story for us children's writers. Don't be such a grown-up! We've got to hold on to those little bits of childishness, because they are an essential part of every children's writer's toolbox.

So, go ahead. Play with your emergency flashlight. Although it might be a good idea to have back-up batteries.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my 100th Follower Contest, which ends tonight at 10:00 CST!

100th Follower Contest!

2011-09-27T16:47:00.000-05:00

First of all, a big THANK YOU goes to Emily for being my 100th follower!

And now, I'm sure you're all itching to know what you will have a chance to win. Right?

The prize will be a $10 Amazon gift card.

For a chance to win, all you have to do is:

1) Follow my blog
2) Comment on this post
3) Be willing to give me your email address if you win

The contest will end at 10:00 p.m. CST on Friday, September 30. At 10:01(ish) p.m. I will randomly select a winner from my followers who comment on this post. So tell your friends! And comment! Because I know you're just dying to get your hands on those 10 bucks!

On the verge...

2011-09-26T08:01:00.002-05:00

...of having 100 followers! So, to say "Thank you!" to all those who find my blog worthy of following, I will be having a contest as soon as that number changes from 99 to 100.

When that number reaches 100, I will put up a CONTEST POST explaining the details. For now, all you have to do is:

1) be a follower
2) watch to see when the CONTEST POST appears
3) comment on that post to let me know that you want to win

That's it! Now we just have to wait for that 100th follower...

Tuesday Tip: Brainstorm while you wait

2011-09-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

I know. It's been forever since I've put up a Tuesday Tip!

Tip for today: Brainstorming or list writing--which is just another form of brainstorming--can be a great "waiting" activity. So, keep your journal in your purse or man bag, and the next time you find yourself waiting for your kid's practice to be over, or the nurse to call your name, or the line at the DMV to dwindle down below infinity, take that thing out and get writing. You never know when a little exercise like that will spark your next great idea. It's worked for me!

Misused, abused apostrophes

2011-09-14T12:02:00.001-05:00

There seems to be an epidemic of misused apostrophes lately. Blog posts, church bulletins, signs--they're everywhere! So here is a little reminder, all in good fun:

Apostrophes are maddening

and frankly, it’s quite saddening

to see misuse and harsh abuse

before my very eyes!

Punctuation is oppressive—

Did you know “its” is possessive?—

and contractions are distractions

that elicit anguished cries.

This may be quite depressin’

but you just might need this lesson

on when you ought to use (or not)

that little curvy mark.

So in the interest of prevention

(I don’t mean to cause contention)

I now will show what you should know,

not leave you in the dark.

If you want to show possession

it would be an indiscretion

to cause distress for little “s”

with no apostrophe.

But when you’re showing many,

in most cases, don’t use any.

For more than one (butts, days or suns)

just let those fellas be.

I hope you don’t feel queasy,

but contractions can be easy

if you just recall to write them all

apostrophes included.

Don’t fall into deception.

There are very few exceptions.

With Strunk and White, you’ll get it right.

My lesson’s now concluded.

I've been lost in revisions

2011-09-08T08:10:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I spent my day off doing what I was supposed to be doing: writing! I spent the entire day (from (8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and part of the evening) working on my novel in verse, SHARRA'S WAR.

My most recent revision of SHARRA'S WAR started out a couple weeks ago, with me going through and tweaking the line breaks to make it easier to read. But as I went through it, I realized that the ending needed work. The solution to Sharra's problem worked out a little too easily. I needed her to struggle just a bit more for what she wanted. Yesterday, I finally got to the point where I think it works.

Poor Sharra. If she were real, should would most certainly hate my guts.

36

2011-08-30T07:27:00.004-05:00

Me.

If only I were as cute at 36 as I was at 6.

Fun with Legos and Books

2011-08-24T17:42:00.000-05:00

My kids and I love to play with Legos. And we love to read. And we love the book Unwind by Neal Shusterman. So, one of the things we did over the summer was create this movie, inspired by Neal's incredible book.

Enjoy.

I Love the Mailbox

2011-08-19T08:02:00.001-05:00

This week I got a few fun things in the mail.

Two copies of the September 2011 issue of Highlights for Children, with my poem "Summer Day" on page ten (look for it!).

An acceptance from Highlights for Children for yet another of my poems, this one titled "Cloudy." (an aside: it seems the poems that the folks at Highlights like the most are the ones that come by way of sudden, untimely inspiration).

AND, a note from my BFF who lives in BOLIVIA. (pen-pal-ing is fun--try it!)

Guess which one made me smile the biggest?

My life, elevator-pitch style

2011-08-08T20:08:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be a fun exercise to write about my life (my real life) as an elevator pitch, and try to make it sound as exciting as possible.

Here goes:

While struggling to find her place in the publishing world, a married mother of three must overcome the challenges of everyday life in order to follow her dreams. Will chaos smother her passion for writing a future bestseller, or be the fuel she needs to make her dream a reality?

Ha. No wonder I write fantasy.

Anyone else wanna give it a try?

On Summer and Writing

2011-07-27T14:38:00.001-05:00

It's happened every year since I went back to work. At the beginning of the summer, I think about how much time I'll have. How much writing I'll get done. How many queries and submissions I'll send out before school starts and I go back to work.

But during the summer, life gets in the way. And that's okay.

Summer is for the kids. It's meant to be filled with days of doing little or nothing, of playing in the sun or relaxing in the shade. Staying up late, going to the movies, taking trips near or far, doing projects we might not have time for during the school year.

So what if I'm having fun with my kids instead of writing as much as I wanted to? Soon enough my kids will be grown up and I'll have more writing time that I'll know what to do with!

Weakness is my weakness

2011-07-12T08:26:00.003-05:00

I finally figured it out. That elusive something that was missing from my novel in verse, SHARRA'S WAR:

Weakness.

My main character, Sharra, is too perfect. Too faithful, too determined, too selfless. Sure, she's a little insecure and has no clue how to use her unique ability. But that is SO not enough. And I've finally realized it (or, finally admitted it to myself).

During this realization, I have seen a pattern emerge. Many of my characters don't have big enough flaws. They don't have the room they need to stretch and grow and overcome their weaknesses.

I knew I had hit on something when I discussed this with daughter #2. She once told me that SHARRA'S WAR was perfect and that she would be mad at me if I changed it. But when I told her the other day that I think the problem with SHARRA'S WAR is that Sharra isn't flawed enough, she looked at me with a mildly pained expression and said, "Yeah," with a little nod of her head.

I've always known that characters need to be flawed. And now I am seeing what that really means for my own characters. We all need plenty of growing room, after all.

Ups and ups

2011-07-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

Time's up!
Staying up.
Following up...?
Email popping up.
Looking up.
Reading up.
Keeping chin up.
What's UP???

You've gotta be crazy to do this

2011-07-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Writing a picture book can be an agonizing experience. It is nothing less than a form of self-inflicted torture (SIT)!

When writing a picture book, the author must squeeze enormous themes and concepts into a tiny package. She must develop characters, create tension, and build a plot, using vivid language and bold imagery to tell a complete story--all in less than 1000 words. Often in less than 600 words!

On the surface, this process may not seem very daunting. But the emotional trauma caused by SIT can be excruciating. A picture book author is often forced to cut beloved lines from her story, perhaps never to see them again. She is subjected to a storm of harsh criticism from her peers. She will agonize for hours over a single word, stress out over her growing word count, worry that after all her efforts she'll have to scrap the story and start again from scratch. She suffers from discouragement, self-doubt, and, sometimes, an overwhelming feeling of failure.

And then there are the physical effects of SIT. A picture book author spends hours on end "on her end," all too often with little or no tangible progress to show for it. She may be sleep-deprived, malnourished, and appear disheveled. She may also suffer from tension in her neck, shoulders and back, writing cramps and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Occasionally, the picture book author may come to her senses and realize that she is a crazy nut-ball for doing this to herself, but that moment of clarity rarely lasts long. The truly determined picture book author toughs it out, because she knows that telling a great story is worth the struggle it takes to get there.

Poetry Friday: Sugar Snow, an original poem

2011-06-24T11:21:00.002-05:00

Sugar Snow

I spilled some sugar

on the floor

and as I watched it

drifting

down

I thought,

"This must be

what God sees

when it snows."

Random stuff found on my desk

2011-06-16T23:00:00.007-05:00

What does a person's desk say about them? These are snapshots of random things found on my desk. I promise that none of these shots were staged in any way.

Nothing against self-publishing, but...

2011-06-15T10:01:00.006-05:00

I recently read a short excerpt from a self-published YA fantasy novel. It was, I'm sorry to say, kind of awful.

I'm not going to say what book it was because, in all fairness, I haven't read the whole thing and there is, I suppose, a chance that the rest of the book is better than the excerpt.

What was so horribly wrong with the excerpt?

Overly wordy sentences. For example, this line of dialogue is similar to something I read in the book: "The reason why I want you to come with me is because those guys make me really nervous." That same line, vastly improved: "Please come with me! Those guys freak me out!"
Long, unbroken sections of dialogue. In the excerpt that I read, a single character rants on and on FOR TWO DRAWN-OUT PARAGRAPHS! There is no action breaking up the dialogue. No facial expressions, sighs, or scratching of the head. Also, there is no response from the 1st person narrator until the teacher is done speaking.
Lack of emotion. That character may as well have been a robot speaking in monotone. No hint of emotion in the way he speaks. No tension in the scene. I want to know: Is he is storming back and forth, enraged? Is he cool and collected, yet deadly serious?

Overall, the excerpt seemed like it came right out of a first draft.

As it says in the post title, I have nothing against self-publishing. It is a perfectly viable option for authors who want to see their books in print. But it is not an excuse for a poorly written story. If an author chooses to self-publish, it is still their responsibility--their duty!--to make their book the best that it can be. I have a suspicion, however, that some self-published authors are simply lazy and/or impatient and can't be bothered with all the "nonsense" that traditionally published authors put themselves through. Or, I suppose they might simply be naive enough to think that their story couldn't possibly be better than it is. I've met authors who have this attitude, and it's nothing short of annoying.

So if you are considering self-publishing, do yourself, your future readers, and the self-published community a huge favor: DO THE WORK. Write. Rewrite. Get critiques. Rewrite again (and again if necessary). Get your book PROFESSIONALLY edited and HEED ADVICE (and revise again). Then, if you still believe in your story, go for it. Sure, there will still be some people that don't like your book. But at least it won't be because you were lazy/impatient/naive.

Am I being harsh? Possibly. But sometimes that's just the best way to make a point.

Divergent, by Veronica Roth

2011-06-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love books. I don't love reviewing them. But when I read a book as awesome as Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT, I can't help but want to spread the word.

This is the first book I picked up from my summer reading list. A book I was hungry for from the first time I heard of it. And it didn't disappoint.

What I loved about it: I loved the perfectly flawed main character. I loved her painful and scary journey of self discovery. I loved the action and the suspense. I loved the sweet romance that complimented this sometimes jarring and violent tale. And I loved that this story kept my attention from start to finish. I think I read it in three sittings.

What it reminded me of: The writing style and feel of the story reminded me of one of my favorites: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. If you are a fan of The Hunger Games books, you will probably love DIVERGENT.

Anyone who reads YA fiction should see the book trailer and then read this book! If you doubt me, you can read the first 100 pages here.

Life: It's Where Stories Come From

2011-06-02T08:15:00.001-05:00

The other night I was sitting at the computer when I heard the familiar thump-thumping of little feet heading down the steps. Sniffles accompanied the thumps, and I turned around to see the distraught face of my nine-year-old boy as he rounded the corner. "Bugs!" he whisper-yelled.

"What?"

"Bugs in my bed!" Sniff-sniff. "I felt them crawling all over me and when I turned on my light I saw a spider-looking thing on my bed!"

Stifling chuckles, I followed my frantic son upstairs and inspected his bed. Sure enough, there was a little black tick crawling on his blanket. I gave the unfortunate insect a ride down the toilet drain, inspected my son and his bed, and changed the covers. He crawled back into bed, slapping his shoulder where he was sure he felt something.

But if there was something, it probably made its way down the hall into my daughter's room. Just don't tell her I said that!

I don't know if this little anecdote will ever make it into one of my stories (though maybe a poem....hmm...), but the point is that life is full of moments like this. Life is where stories come from. So the next time you find yourself stuck without an idea, maybe you just need to go out and live a little.

Summer's here! (almost)

2011-05-31T07:15:00.001-05:00

Today is my last day of work until August! Tomorrow is the last day of school. And yesterday, the weather actually felt like summer (fitting for Memorial Day). It was warm and humid and wonderful, even though I ended up in bed with a migraine for three hours in the afternoon. The thing about pain, though, is that once it's gone I feel twice as great as before it showed up.

I am very much looking forward to summer and hope that it will be as pain free as possible. I have no major plans besides reading a lot, writing a lot, and most importantly, spending lots of time with my kids. We're planning on heading to Minnesota for a family reunion in June, and my two girls and hubby will be going on a church trip in July, but no big vacations planned this year (unlike last year's big road trip, which kinda seems like it was only last week).

What are you looking forward to this summer (or this winter, for my readers on the southern half of the globe)?

facing rejection

2011-05-28T07:50:00.001-05:00

One of the questions I was asked at career day a couple of weeks ago was this:

"How do you feel when you get rejected?"

This is a hard question to answer simply, because there are so many emotions involved. And even those vary depending on the type of rejection it is.

There's the standard "no thanks" form letter. These letters cause an immediate, yet temporary, emotional deflation. My shoulders sag, my heart settles a little heavier in my chest and I get quiet and pensive. Then comes a decisive moment: Give the story another hard look? Or send it out again? The answer will depend on a few things, including how many times the story has been sent out and what (if any) kind of feedback I've received. But once a decision is made, I feel energized!

Then there's a step up from a form letter. It's still a pretty basic "no thanks" letter, but with the added courtesy of a personal address and actual signature (in snail mail replies, anyway). In the case of this kind of rejection, there's still the temporary emotional deflation. But my shoulders sag a little less. I think this is because seeing "Dear Rebecca" shows me that someone took at least a little time to make it personal.

A rejection that includes actual feedback (we liked _____ about your work, but...) is also disappointing. But the disappointment is tempered by the fact that THEY LIKED SOMETHING ABOUT MY WORK! It gives me hope that I'm doing something RIGHT and could help me fix what I might be doing wrong. Occasionally this type of rejection includes the delightful phrase, "We would be happy to see more of your work." Even better!

The worst type of rejection is the one that follows a reply like, "We would like to hold your story for further consideration," or "Yes, please send the full manuscript. I would love to keep reading." Even though I know that those replies are not a definite "yes," it is so easy to get my hopes up. So, to receive a letter later that says something like "...ultimately, we decided that this story does not fit..." Ouch! That is the worst. To come so close only to have my hopes crushed, like a birthday cake that crashes to the floor before I can even blow out the candles. Not fun. BUT...this type of rejection is also the best. It shows me that I've grown as a writer. That I've come this far and there's no reason why I won't make it all the way.

This is what it takes to be a writer. Talent is important. But to believe in my work, to have the drive to face rejection after rejection, to pick myself up out of the rejection pile threatening to smother me--these are the things that will help me reach my goal.

I may be panting and ragged, but I'll get there.

My Summer Reading List

2011-05-25T09:38:00.003-05:00

Reading is going to be a big focus for me this summer. My plan is to read one book each week. So the other day I had Daughter #1, who enjoys making lists, write up a list of books that she thinks I should read this summer. Of course, I had a few books in mind too. Here is the list that resulted from both of our efforts (in no particular order):

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling

Everything on a Waffle, by Polly Horvath

The Canning Season, by Polly Horvath

Flyte, by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap, book two)

The Beyonders, by Brandon Mull

The Sea of Monsters, by Rick Riordan

Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow, by James Rollins

Divergent, by Veronica Roth

Matched, by Ally Condie

Just Listen, by Sara Dessen (went to her book signing last week--fun!)

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (my daughter insists!)

Everfound, by Neal Shusterman

The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas (my son's favorite)

Well, that's a little more than one book per week, but it's good to aim high, right? I think I will start with Divergent, once I finish reading Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson. What books are you planning to read this summer?

Thank-You Awesomeness!

2011-05-20T19:20:00.003-05:00

Thank-you notes from the kids who were in my group on career day!

Ideas are like puppies

2011-05-16T10:27:00.003-05:00

Ideas are like puppies. If you chase them, they'll just run you ragged until you're so frustrated that you wonder why you ever wanted them in the first place!

But most of the time, if you are relaxed and casual, the puppy--like an idea--will come to you and curl up in your lap, beg for treats, jump up for an ear scratch, or otherwise beg for attention.

Those are the kinds of ideas I want as a writer. Ideas that come naturally, often as a surprise, and demand my attention. Not some elusive thing that I have to chase down and force into submission.

Career Day

2011-05-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

I survived career day on Thursday!

After all my drama and nervousness, it turned out to be a lot of fun. Once the panel questions were over with, that is. And once that was over, I got to meet with two great groups of kids (and a couple parents).

I started out by asking them if they liked to read. Every hand went up! That's great, I told them, because if you think you might want to be a writer some day, one of the most important things you can do is read. A lot.

Then I talked about what I do. That is, what I write and what I do with what I write. I explained the submissions process, talked about rejection, stressed the importance of patience and persistence, and even shared two examples of actual rejections I had received--one form and one personal.

Lots of questions came after that. I was delighted that the group was so interested. They asked things like: Where do you get your ideas? How do you know which publisher to choose? What books have you written? What is your favorite book you have written? How do you feel when you get rejected? And lots more.

Of course, I also shared examples of my published work. They were genuinely impressed as they passed around copies of Highlights, Fun for Kidz, and Pockets. They applauded when I read one of my poems aloud. And when the announcement came that the session was over, they were almost as disappointed as I was (well, maybe I imagined that part).

It was a good time. I could totally get used to visiting with kids about my writing. Here's to lots of future author visits!

What was I thinking?

2011-05-04T12:10:00.003-05:00

Being uncomfortable seems to be a theme for me lately.

It's May 4th, and I've STILL got cold hands and feet.

I signed on to do an actual illustration project, which freaks me out just a little bit.

AND I've agreed to show up as an "author" for career day at school tomorrow. What was I thinking? I'm suppose to answer questions about my "career," along with a panel of other career people. And then break into smaller groups and talk more about my "career" with a bunch of 3-5 graders (and possibly some parents).

I know! Maybe I should answer my "career panel" questions here. Just to practice.

Q: What is your job?

A: Ummm...I'm a poet/author/artist type person. That is, I write stuff. For kids. And sometimes it gets published.

Q: What was your training/education?

A: AP English class? And life? I do have a high school diploma...

Q: Why did you choose this job?

A: Because I figured I might as well DO something with all the poems and stuff I was writing. Plus, I was staying at home with my kids so I had TONS of free time (okay, not really, I had hardly any free time). Or maybe it was because I wanted to torment myself by pursuing a career while not really getting paid for it...yet.

Alrighty. Well, maybe those aren't the best answers yet. Trying again...

My job? I'm a children's writer.

My education/training? No college degree, but writing has always been one of my strengths. Also, using the many resources that are out there (websites, books) and developing relationships with other writers has helped me get better at what I do.

Why do I do this? Easy. Because I love it. I love to write and I love to see my work in print and know that kids all over the country or the world can enjoy it.

Okay, I feel a little better now.

What I've been up to

2011-05-03T07:02:00.001-05:00

Been working on illustrations for Vacation Bible School curriculum for my church. This is my first illustrating project that I've ever done for something I didn't write myself (perhaps God's way of pushing me out of my comfort zone?).
Designed a new block print/stamp (a turtle) and made notecards for a friend with them.
Started a new super secret Lego project with my girls.
Worked on a costume for the upcoming school play.
Entered into the end-of-the-year school concert season (three musical kids=lots of concerts).
Helped sort and price items for an upcoming church rummage sale.
Sent out a few submissions, including an agent query for a new picture book manuscript.
Waited for the weather to match the month on the calendar (it's May and I've still got cold feet--something's wrong there!)
Avoided blogging, but not on purpose. Just been busy!

National Poetry Month: Jack Prelutsky

2011-04-22T06:57:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows anything about children's poetry knows about Jack Prelutsky. He is the author of several books of poetry, including A Pizza the Size of the Sun and It's Raining Pigs and Noodles. He's also the author one of my favorite poems ever, The Troll. I used to read that poem to my daughter just for the delight in spooking her.

Jack Prelutsky has also written a neat little book called Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme. This book is a great way to get kids interested in reading AND writing poetry. Along with poems to read just for fun, this book has "poem starts," which are exactly what they sound like: the starts of poems. A few lines of a poem are written on the page, with the final line (or lines) to be completed by the reader.

Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme is a fun, no pressure way to encourage kids to begin writing their own poems. Check it out!

National Poetry Month: Submissions!

2011-04-20T20:36:00.003-05:00

In the spirit of National Poetry Month, I have decided to get some of my poetry out on submission. I've sent FIVE poems out in the past week!

Two to Highlights

Two to Pockets

One to Stories for Children

It feels good to be sending out something that's not a picture book.

National Poetry Month: A Poetry Journal Excerpt

2011-04-18T10:20:00.004-05:00

In the spirit of the Easter season:

Imagine

Imagine the sun

in fiery wonder,

imagine the rain,

the voice of the thunder,

imagine the space

that contains our green earth,

imagine a mother

somewhere giving birth,

imagine a snowflake,

its delicate frame,

imagine a God

who knows you by name.

Imagine, just once,

that it all could be true--

that God, who formed worlds,

battled death just for you.

Brian Selznick's amazing art

2011-04-16T14:20:00.005-05:00

Today I went to the art museum and saw an amazing, inspiring exhibit. From Houdini to Hugo: The Art of Brian Selznick.

As my daughter would say: Wow. Just...wow!

You may be familiar with Brian's art from the covers of books by Andrew Clements, such as Frindle. Or the cover and illustrations in the Doll People books. Or his written/illustrated books like The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Houdini Box.

I've always admired Brian Selzick's art, especially his attention to detail in The Doll People. But to see the ORIGINALS in person was not only way cool, but also inspiring. It made me want to run home and do two things: Blog (brag) about what a treat that was, and get out my sketchbook!

If you have a chance to see this exhibit, do not miss it!

National Poetry Month: Constance Levy

2011-04-13T08:01:00.000-05:00

Simply put, I like her poems. At least, those that I have read, including the poems in her books SPLASH! Poems of Our Watery World and A Crack in the Clouds.

They share the wonders of the world in a simple, yet delightful way. Constance's poems bring an experience to the reader, helping them to share the wonder right along with her. And the poems in this book are fairly short, so even the most poetry-phobic child (or adult) can handle them.

Finished!

2011-04-06T22:09:00.003-05:00

I spent a little too much time hunched over the work table to finish this, but that's how it goes when you can't stop working on something. I am very pleased with the finished product! Now I need to title it...

National Poetry Month: Austin Kleon

2011-04-05T10:36:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard of this guy, Austin Kleon, and his Newspaper Blackout poems, you should check this out. He's even made them into a book. Fun stuff!

Art project update

2011-04-04T18:48:00.004-05:00

A picture of what I've been working on for much of today (plus more evidence of my disorganizational skills):

It's turning out quite snazzy, don't you think?

Poetry and Planning

2011-04-03T12:24:00.001-05:00

April is National Poetry Month, and I had hoped to be all planned and organized for all the cool things I would do to celebrate this month. So far, that hasn't happened. Three days into April and I have yet to produce a blog post worthy of the occasion.

But wait. Me? Planned and organized? This really is a laugh when I think about it. Here is how planning and organizing usually works out for me:

I'll plan to write out a thoughtful, detailed grocery list. But half the time I leave my half-written list on the refrigerator when I head out the door.
I'll say that I'm going to plan meals week by week, but I usually end up having to thaw something in the microwave after work or make pancakes and bacon on the busy nights.
I spend the day organizing my desk or linen closet or pantry and tell myself, "Now it will be easy to keep it neat." Guess how that works out.
When I finally get the end of the dining room table clear of papers, it only takes 24 hours or less before the pile grows again.
I once told my hubby he'd never have to search for clean socks in the morning. But how many times has he woken me up to say, "Beck, did you wash any socks?" (oops)

This isn't always a bad thing. The novels I have written from start to finish have not been planned. My favorite picture book manuscripts were written without really knowing where they were going when I started out. My best poems have been those that have come to me when I least expected them. The best blog posts, best meals, best moments have mostly been the result of little or no planning ahead or organization.

So, forget about me planning anything for Poetry Month. I'm sure whatever I come up with will be better for having NOT been planned.

April is here already??

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ummm...today is April 1st and I am totally NOT ready!

I haven't thought of a good April Fool's Day joke to play on my kids and hubby yet. Any suggestions?

I also haven't planned anything for National Poetry Month (besides the bulletin board in the library at work).

Aaaaaa!

I'll try to have something wonderful to kick off Poetry Month by the end of today.

new art project

2011-03-29T19:13:00.004-05:00

I felt like I needed a little break from writing and revising, so I started a new art project. I got a taste for doing collages last summer when I did a big collage with my kids (see it in this post), so I decided it was finally time to start another one. Here is the design I sketched last night:

It feels good to let my creativity flow in another direction now and then.

A bio of sorts

2011-03-26T21:05:00.004-05:00

I recently discovered a site called Wordle, where you can create beautiful little (or not so little) word clouds. What fun! So, the other day I wasted way too much time playing around with that site, making wordles for myself and my three children. Here is the one I created for myself:

Remember that "maybe"?

2011-03-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

The editor wants to see revisions! I spent a good part of Wednesday tweaking the meter in a few stanzas of the manuscript I mentioned the other day. It is a counting book told in rhyme. What fun huh? Also, what a pain!

I love rhyme, but sometimes getting just the right words into just the right metric pattern can be like finding two socks in the laundry with the same shade of whiteness!

Tough job, but worth it!

Boy+dead fish+stick=quality outdoor time

2011-03-22T20:27:00.003-05:00

Ah, boys! They are delightful, aren't they? I love the way my boy, when I lean in to kiss him goodnight, latches onto me and cackles maniacally, saying, "I'm not going to let you go!"

And I love the way he manages to bring a little bit of grossness into my life. Like the other day when we were at the park. Beautiful day. Ducks on the water, birds in the trees, large dead catfish at the edge of the pond. Handy stick nearby. Score!

What better way for a boy to be a boy than to jab a dead catfish in the eye with a stick! I admit it. I treasured every moment of it.

Maybe is better than no

2011-03-17T18:12:00.003-05:00

I sent a manuscript to a publisher last month.

I heard back from the editor a couple of weeks ago.

She wants to hold on to it till the end of the month, when she'll be making her final decisions, if that is okay with me.

Of course it is okay with me!

Now, if the end of the month would come a little sooner, that would be great.

yes, I'm still here

2011-03-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

I've been a negligent blog host lately. I know. But you should be happy to know that I have a good reason for my absence.

When I haven't been at work, or been busy being a wife or a mom, I've been writing.

I've got this new picture book manuscript that I LOVE. It's so cute. And a little gross. And sweet. And funny. And different from just about any other picture book I've ever written, except for it being in rhyme. I write in rhyme a lot, as you know.

Maybe this will be The One. Maybe not. Either way, I'm loving the journey.

Grossness and how it relates to motherhood and writing

2011-02-28T22:08:00.004-06:00

Grossness. It has a certain appeal, don't you think?

I mean, who doesn't at least appreciate the idea of Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy? Especially if you are a boy, or the parent of a boy.

When my boy was learning to read, all I had to do was write a sentence with the word "poop" in it to trick him into enjoying it. Reading, that is. Not poop. Yep, anything gross was delightfully hilarious.

Delightful little bits of grossness have gradually been making their way into my writing. I didn't notice it so much until recently, after drafting my third picture book story that somehow involves a character doing and/or eating something foul.

So why now? It's not because I've finally realized grossness sells. If it were that, I would have written these three stories years ago. No, I think this just shows another way my children have impacted my writing. They've helped me re-realize that grossness really is funny!

Not that I'm going to volunteer to drink snot juice or anything like that any time soon.

Suggest a book for me. Please?

2011-02-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

I'm in the mood for something that reads at an easy pace, but is still engaging. A book that draws me in, but doesn't demand to be read in as few sittings as possible. Something moving and possibly bittersweet (but not completely heartbreaking).

Something like...like...The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt.

Any suggestions?

This is what I have instead of a real blog topic

2011-02-16T08:40:00.007-06:00

For lack of anything especially interesting to blog about, here is one of my poems from my poetry journal.

I built a snowman the other day.

He stood tall and proud out in the snow.

Then the sun came to visit,

some rain stopped by too.

I look out, wondering,

"Where did he go?"

Being creative for the fun of it

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Over at Rebekah Joy Plett's blog, she talked in this post about how she wants to do something creative every day in 2011. And I have decided to join her.

It doesn't have to be my usual creative thing (writing), but can be anything creative. Anything that gets me exploring and using my imagination. Here are a few of the creative things I've done so far in 2011:

Our little snowman (supposed to be an alien)

Revising my new PB manuscript

Cupcakes!

A Lego RV

The waiting (and waiting and waiting) game

2011-02-05T10:03:00.004-06:00

How long will I have to wait? That is a question I ask often in my life.

How long will I have to wait for the test results?

How long will I have to wait for my teenager to get done with choir practice?

How long will I have to wait in line at the post office?

I don't mind waiting. As long as I know what I'm in for. Because then I can be prepared if the wait is going to be long. Bring a book or journal, run a few errands, or find some distractions to take my mind off what I'm waiting for.

It's the not knowing that can drive me crazy. Like a couple of weeks ago when I expected my daughter to be out by 4:00, or 4:15 at the latest. But when 4:20 came around and there was no sign of her, I started to get annoyed. A few more minutes passed. Snow was falling heavier and heavier and I still had to make it home to cook dinner and had no idea how long I was going to have to wait. By the time she made it to the car at around 4:35 I was ready to burst!

If I had known that choir practice would go that long, it would have been different. I would have been prepared. I would have endured the waiting by just "being chill" as we say in my family.

It's not much different in my writing/submitting life. I like to know how long of a wait to expect after sending something to an agent or publisher. And they try to be accommodating by putting in their guidelines something like: Expect a reply within 6 or 9 or 12 weeks/months.

No prob. I can wait six weeks. I can even wait 9 months (done that three times before in another area of my life). It's when one of them "only responds if interested" that it can be a little tricky. It seems simple enough. Wait until that 9 months passes and then put a little "rejected" into the response column in my submission tracker.

What about when the unexpected happens? One of those publishers that says "no SASE" and "responds within 9 months if interested" sent me a nice little rejection saying what they liked about my story (and why they chose to reject it) 10 months after I submitted it. A pleasant surprise. An encouraging surprise! Of course, I sent along another manuscript to the very editor that wrote the lovely note. But now have the rules of the waiting game changed? Do I let the nine months and then count it as rejected? Or do I wait a little longer, just in case?

The nine months have nearly passed. I've decided that I can't count on the unexpected. But I'm not going to discount it either. Who knows? There may be another, better surprise just around the corner!

I'll try to sit back and "be chill" in the meantime.

I'm back! And I feel like a writer again!

2011-01-30T22:15:00.004-06:00

Thursday evening, after weeks of a personal writing drought, I made a decision. "I'm going to write a book tonight," I announced at the dinner table.

"A whole book?" my daughter asked.

"Yes. A draft of a picture book."

I had had enough of this break, enough of not being able to move forward with anything. So I decided that I was going to take this idea that's been in my head for months and get it onto paper where it belongs!

I sat on the sofa with my journal in hand, as my family sat around me watching a movie. I scribbled and erased and thought and scribbled and started over several times. When it came time to go to bed, I brought my journal with me. Soon it was after 11 and my eyes were burning, but I had nearly a whole draft complete. I already had it complete in my head, but I couldn't see well enough to write any more. So I turned off the light and went contentedly to sleep.

I didn't get to finish it until Friday evening. But getting a draft of a picture book done in less than 24 hours was an incredible feeling. And best of all, it didn't totally stink!

Yesterday (Saturday), I revised. Converted all my prose into rhyme. I tweaked it now and then all day. Even sent it to Corey to get her thoughts on it. Now I had a complete RHYMING picture book draft in less than 48 hours!

Today, day three, I worked on polishing my shiny new PB. Tweaking wording, fixing rhymes, adjusting meter. And I've had a heck of a time doing it!

It feels great to be excited about a project again!

blogging break

2011-01-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've been taking something of an unintentional break from blogging lately. What can I say? Life has just completely taken over my life!

Nothing has really been "normal" since winter break ended. With snow days and hubby's week off and a new puppy and a weekend trip to visit family for a late Christmas party...well, there have just been so many other things to do besides write too seriously or blog.

I've decided to give myself one more week of blogging break. Intentional this time. I hope to have something incredible to share with you to make up for my extended absence, but I make no promises.

See you next Saturday!

Back to Reality

2011-01-05T11:38:00.002-06:00

Winter break is officially over. I've spent the last two weeks spending the least amount of time possible doing what HAD to be done, and the most time possible doing what my kids and I WANTED to do.

We had a lot of fun staying up late, sleeping in later, spending days in our PJs, building with Legos, baking, eating, playing games, watching TV, battling through 100 levels of dungeon with Mario, hanging with family and friends, romping with the new puppy, ice skating down town, walking at the park, snipping paper snowflakes, making family movies...I could go on, but you get the point.

Did I do much writing? Nope. Do I mind? Not at all!

And now, back to work. I've got a list of PB ideas from November that are wanting some attention.

Happy 2011!

A List of a few of my favorites from 2010

2011-01-01T22:24:00.004-06:00

In 2010 I...

Sold two poems to Highlights for Children
Built a sled run in the front yard with my hubby and kids
Became the new "media para" at work
and went from working 4 days a week down to 3
Witnessed my kids' first time swimming in the ocean
Saw my daughter win the district spelling bee
and my other daughter perform in the all state choir
Visited the Grand Canyon
and the Sequoias
Had TWO requests for the full manuscript of Sharra's War
Have seen Daughter #2 living out her faith at school
and Daughter #1 go on her first missions trip
Created a beautiful work of art with my children (with some help from hubby)
Began illustrating my first picture book
Went ice skating with my kids for the first time
Filled the last page in my poetry journal (on the left)
and received a new hand-made journal from my daughter for Christmas (on the right). Isn't it pretty?

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T00:15:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking about what I could write as a Christmas post. Christmas goodies, busyness, vacation? Christmas-related lack of writing time? All of the above?

Then as I was sitting at the Christmas Eve service at church, I thought, "Of course I should share about what Christmas is really all about."

So here it is, straight from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2:

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Merry Christmas!

Where've I been? Lost in the music!

2010-12-14T21:55:00.003-06:00

I know. Two weeks is far too large of a gap to have between blog posts.

Perhaps next year, when the crazy week-and-a-half of school concerts comes along, I'll be better prepared.

Yes, a week and a half of school concerts. And I only have three kids. Three kids, with seven music classes between them!

Daughter #1: Orchestra, choir, jazz choir

Daughter #2: Choir, show choir (oh, and piano lessons)

Little guy: Orchestra, choir

It's over now. No more music events until January! Hurray!

Oh yeah, January is next month.

poetry through tears

2010-12-01T12:22:00.005-06:00

My toy poodle, Robbie, died yesterday. It was sudden and unexpected and caused a lot of tears to be shed by everyone in the house. Even me, though I always tell my kids that I don't cry.

I was shocked at how much the death of that little dog affected me. I was raised with dogs, so it's not like this was the first time I've ever lost a pet. But I guess both of my poodles manage to wriggle themselves into my heart like no other dog had.

So last night while in bed I decided to pick up my poetry journal and write a poem about my much loved, much missed, goofy little dog. And boy, did the tears come then! I bawled like a little tot whose mother just left her in the church nursery!

Here is the poem I wrote, slightly revised and free of tear stains.

Robbie,

I loved the way you would

abandon a lap

as soon as I sat down

just so you could curl up

on mine.

And how you lay down

in protest

when I called you down from the bed.

You made me laugh

when you tried to find the movie dogs

behind the TV,

and made my heart melt

each time you leaped into my arms

whenever I came home,

with your silly grunting squeaks

voicing your excitement.

But last night

you had me concerned

when your breathing was rough.

And this afternoon,

you had me panicked

when you couldn't even run

couldn't even walk

to greet me.

And when you went limp

in my arms,

I fell apart.

I rushed you to the vet,

because you were still breathing-gasping-twitching.

But then the vet saw you

and I saw his face

and I knew

you

were gone.

Just about a month late

2010-11-28T21:55:00.002-06:00

Ideas are funny things.

I have been doing PiBoIdMo (a month's worth of picture book idea generating) in part because of my lack of an idea for NaNoWriMo (a month's worth of writing a 50,000-word novel). I said that I would not to do NaNoWriMo this year because I didn't want to overload my life, though if I had had an idea that I was excited about, I probably would have gone for it.

Sometimes ideas find you when you aren't even thinking about looking for them. For me, this is the rule, not the exception. The ideas that excite me the most are usually the ones that come to me without any effort on my part, in the form of a sudden Aha! or lightbulb moment.

The other night while I was lying in bed I had one of those moments. Born from the random musings in my trying-to-go-to-sleep brain, a concept for a YA fantasy/dystopian novel popped in for a visit. I know that some ideas will leave if you don't give them immediate attention, so I mustered up the nerve to risk waking my husband with sudden midnight scramblings, and soon I had jotted down a two-sentence pitch and info about my main character.

Throughout the past couple of days, other characters have presented themselves to me, as if auditioning for a part in this story. It's been interesting to see who has popped up to say hello.

I'm excited about this story! Had this idea come to me about a month ago, it might be mostly drafted by now. But this way there is no pressure. Just me and my new WIP taking our time getting to know each other.

Collaborating isn't for chickens

2010-11-22T21:58:00.005-06:00

Collaborating with someone on a writing project can be a lot of fun. There is no end to the wackiness and hilarity that can ensue when two children's writers get together to share ideas. Made-up words, colorful characters, comical situations, outrageous action--as fun as all these are, they are twice the fun when bouncing back and forth between two brains!

It's interesting to brainstorm with Corey and see how the sparks of her creativity can feed my own. One phrase or one play on words could be all that's needed to give sudden life to a brand spankin' new character or book idea.

But collaborating doesn't come without frustrations. We may both love a certain concept, but have a hard time agreeing on the direction. We may breeze through a first draft, but have disagreements about what needs to change in revisions. One of us may fall completely in love with a story, and the other just not see it the same way. Sometimes we can debate for an hour or more about a single line, or even a single word!

But the same things that cause frustration are the things that help us write our best together. All the debates and disagreements force us to look at our stories from different angles, to consider every possible option, and to learn to bend a little to make room for the other person's point of view. And that makes our stories even better. Because one thing we always agree on is that we won't settle. We will keep working on a story until we are both happy with every word.

Some things from my PiBoIdMo list

2010-11-14T20:17:00.005-06:00

Hungry ogre,

homeless mice,

two big families,

monsters (twice),

big and teeny,

dinosaurs,

dragons, cats,

and grocery stores,

babysitters,

flying kites,

brothers, sisters,

fearless knights,

an anxious boy,

a girl who flew,

trolls and fleas,

and doggies too.

I'm brimming full

of tales to spin.

Now, to choose one

and begin!

PiBoIdMo Update

2010-11-10T11:39:00.004-06:00

On day 7 of PiBoIdMo (picture book idea month), I had already fallen behind. I only had four ideas on my list!

But here I am at day 10, with seventeen ideas on my list! I owe several of them to my brainstorming sessions with Corey. Any concept that had even the smallest hint of substance to it, I've jotted down. After all, and idea is an idea, right? No need to be too picky.

There has really been no method to my idea generating. Some ideas have come while I was lying in bed with my notebook in hand, just letting my mind wander. Others have come while considering a common phrase and playing with the words until an idea struck. Some have struck suddenly, like a little lightbulb moment. I've thought about my childhood, my kids, and my job. And the ideas have simply come.

The real fun will begin when I pick one idea and start weaving it into a story.

PiBoIdMo, here I come!

2010-11-01T09:53:00.006-05:00

I decided not to do NaNoWriMo, but I don't want to feel left out this month. So I've decided to participate in PiBoIdMo, or Picture Book Idea Month. All I need to do is come up with 30 picture book ideas during the month of November.

This is perfect for me, because I don't want to start any new novels until my WIPs (the past two years' NaNo novels) are finished. Picture books are fun to brainstorm, fun to play with, fun to write. This month should be exciting, productive and, best of all, free of word-count pressure!

Anyone else in on the picture book fun?

No NaNoWriMo (for me)

2010-10-27T21:49:00.002-05:00

I have decided to NOT participate

in NaNoWriMo

this year.

Too busy,

too busy,

with life and family and picture book writing and illustrating and gift-making,

and a sense of being

nearly

though not quite

overwhelmed,

but in a good,

happy,

no-pressure way.

Enjoy the rush, NaNoWriMo-ers.

Me, I'll take it

slow.

Thistle

2010-10-16T13:17:00.006-05:00

Thistle

Unfriendly tower

of green leaves and prickles,

covered in threatening

sharp, pointy stickles,

daring each passerby:

"Come take a nip!

You'll end up with spiny things

stuck in your lip."

But, up at your top

is a soft, purple bloom,

patiently waiting,

with just enough room

for a bright butterfly

to come rest for a while

in prickly, stickly, thistely style.

My Two Loves, Part Two

2010-10-11T09:39:00.005-05:00

If you missed Part One, read it here before reading on.

Before I go forward, I'm going to go back, just briefly. You see, I've talked about how afraid I have been to take a real step toward illustrating a children's book. But here's something funny:

I used to be afraid to write fiction!

I wrote poetry. That was where I was comfortable. I even enjoyed writing research papers in school (I know--weird!). But the few times I tried to write fiction in school, the stories turned out to be total flops. So, once I was done with school, I was done with fiction.

Until I ventured just a little bit out of my comfort zone when my husband and I became volunteer youth group leaders. I began writing Bible study lessons, short stories with Biblical themes, articles for the newsletter, short plays, and before I realized what had happened, I was writing fiction. Did I ever think I would write a novel? No. But I did. Three of them.

It hasn't been all that different for my art. Each little step out of my comfort zone has brought me closer to my goal of illustrating a children's book. In the past, I have ventured near that figurative ledge, doing preliminary sketches and doodles like these:

But I've never dared to take the plunge. Until now.

I chose my book ONE LONE LEAF, which is an autumn/Halloween themed counting book. I'm starting simple, with the very first page. I've got the sketch done, the image transferred to a linoleum block, and I've started the next step--carving.

Here is the preliminary sketch for this illustration:

My plan is to take this project one scene at a time. I would love to eventually sell ONE LONE LEAF and the illustrations as a package. But if the book sells without the pictures, that's okay too. This is only the beginning.

October Acrostic

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Overhead, the

Canopy of green

Turns to gold, breaks free

On autumn

Breezes,

Escaping before the cold winter

Rush

Happy Autumn, everyone!

My Two Loves, Part One

2010-09-27T22:25:00.009-05:00

I don't know which came first, my love of writing or my love for drawing. As a young girl, I wrote poems and drew pictures. Sometimes the poems and drawings went together. Sometimes they didn't. A few times I bound my poems and drawings into books, like this activity book that I made when I was eight(ish):

The poetry and pictures continued into high school, where I poured my heart and soul into my art classes, spending study hall hours in the art room and even joining the Art Club (a big deal for a girl who was not too interested in extra-curricular activities). I loved drawing and painting with watercolors, but enjoyed block printing the most. So it was no big surprise to me that it was one of my block prints that earned me the much coveted (for me, anyway) Gold Key Award in the Scholastic Art Competition.

And I kept writing. I often fantasized about publishing a book of my poetry, but the actual pursuit of publication wouldn't come until after marrying and having two children. I did, however, earn a little bit here and there with my art, selling a few paintings and doing a few commissioned portraits.

I thought about illustrating children's books, but the idea terrified me! So, instead of illustrating, I started writing for children, and left my art behind as little more than occasional sketches and the yearly block print Christmas card:

But, little by little, my art started showing up with my writing. A craft article for Wee Ones, a poem and illustration for Fun for Kidz, a picture puzzle for Highlights, a hidden picture for Boys Quest...to name just a few. My art was slowly making a comeback, complementing my writing rather than pushing it aside. I began to see that I didn't have to give one up. I could have both.

Of course, there was still the problem of being terrified! Drawing or painting for myself isn't scary, of course. I don't have to show it to anyone. Don't even have to keep it! Doing little sketches for my poems is more fun than daunting, and if it gets rejected, that's okay. I've learned to handle rejection. But illustrating an ENTIRE BOOK? Yikes! That task seems overwhelming to me. I have told myself and others countless times that "I can't do it."

Is that really true, though?

No.

The truth is that I have simply been afraid to try. Will I be able force myself past the obstacle of my own terror?

To be continued...

SPEAKing up about SPEAK

2010-09-19T21:59:00.002-05:00

If you haven't heard the buzz about Laurie Halse Anderson's book, SPEAK, check out some of these links and then speak up yourself.

This blog post is a response to an opinion piece in which someone refers to SPEAK as "soft porn." You can also check out Laurie Halse Anderson's blog post, in which she responds to this attack against her book. If you feel moved to, you can also send an email to the editor of News-Leader, in support of Anderson's book.

I understand that not all books are intended for all readers. But can't we be sensible about it? I would go so far as to say that SPEAK is a book every teen age girl should read and talk about with her mother (or another important adult in her life), as I did with my daughter. We can't just sweep these issues under the rug.

Arrr! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys!

2010-09-19T12:33:00.003-05:00

Avast! Today, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day. So, in honor of this festive occasion, here be a few pirate themed picture books for yer readin' pleasure!

How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long.

Everything I Know About Pirates, by Tom Lichtenheld

Pirate Pete, by Kim Kennedy

Matthew and the Midnight Pirates, by Allen Morgan

Maybe some day my own pirate-themed picture book will be added to this list!

Now go enjoy Talk Like a Pirate day, ya scallywags!

The Life of a PB part ten: OUT in the world!

2010-09-12T21:51:00.003-05:00

The last time I updated, I was not in love with my Winifred story. I went back to it and wrote a prose version. I liked that version less. So I went back to the rhyme version and did some tweaking. I ended up completely rewriting a few stanzas and deleting a couple others. Finally, I decided that Winifred was ready!

On Saturday, I sent Winifred on her first foray into the publishing world!

Maybe in a few weeks I'll have some good news. But if I don't, I'll just repeat step ten a few times. And then, who knows? Writing is rewriting, after all.

haiku blogfest

2010-09-03T21:44:00.003-05:00

There's a haiku blogfest going on over at Stephanie Thornton's blog. I thought it would be fun to play along. Here is one about my favorite stop on my vacation road trip.

Redwoods graze the sky

with trunks as wide as houses

creation's giants

September acrostic

2010-09-01T22:02:00.005-05:00

Summer

Escapes slowly

Piece by piece, as leaves become

Tinted with yellow

Edges

Making way for fall's

Brisk chill, and giving

Everyone

Respite from the heat.

Fun with numbers

2010-08-30T08:24:00.006-05:00

Today I turned 35.

I like to joke that 35 is half-way to 70. I can't decide if that makes me feel old or not. Thirty-five years seems like a long time, but when I try to imagine those years into the future, they seem even longer. I still feel young, so that's what really matters.

But enough talk of age. Instead, here are some more fun little numbers about me:

1 - men I've kissed, high school friends I'm still close to

2 - sisters, countries I've lived in

3 - children, novels completed

4 - brothers, poems accepted by Highlights

11 - queries/submissions currently outstanding

15 - picture book manuscripts I really believe in

16 - years married

18 - age when I got married

23 - years since I chose to follow Jesus

46 - SALES (possibly more)

169 - responses in my rejection file (not counting email rejections)

100,000 - more tries before I even consider throwing in the towel

When you think you're done...

2010-08-28T09:52:00.004-05:00

After getting some feedback on SHARRA'S WAR during WriteOnCon, I decided to make some changes to the story's beginning. It was something I had been considering, and the feedback I got was a confirmation for me that it needed to be done.

So, the other day I picked up my journal and started writing a new opening. I brought it with me when I went to pick my kids up from school and worked on it while I waited.

Enter Daughter #2.

I handed her my journal. "Here. Read the new beginning of SHARRA'S WAR."

She looked at me with this horrified expression and said, "Noooo!" as if I was about to cut off my left arm! She doesn't like it when I revise something that she thinks is "perfect." But she read it anyway. And when she got to the end of the new beginning, she said, "Scary." Not that the writing was scary, but that the last line was scary.

To me, her comment was a good thing. It meant that I got across what I was trying to get across.

I haven't gotten Sharra's new opening quite to where I want it to be yet. But when I do get there, I hope Daughter #2 won't need any more convincing.

The Life of a PB Part Nine: When you're not in love

2010-08-18T07:13:00.002-05:00

Writing a book is a bit like developing a relationship. Love doesn't always come right away, but even when it doesn't, that doesn't mean the potential isn't there. It may just need more time and effort, possibly even a fresh start.

That is the case with my Winifred. The closer I've gotten to a polished rhyming manuscript, the less I like it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Winifred as a character. But the format of her story doesn't seem to be working for me. I don't love it. So I decided to start over.

Last night I began rewriting Winifred in prose. I don't know if this will lead to true love or not. It may be that rhyme really is the way to go and I simply need to change the pattern. But what I do know is that I'm not going to give up on her.

What I Learned from WriteOnCon

2010-08-14T09:47:00.002-05:00

My writing is part of me, poured out in black and white print for all who care to see, to see. Not all will love my writing, or like it, or even get it. But some will, and when they do it's like finding a friend who truly sees me. Or at least part of me.

I don't need a reason to keep writing. I don't need to look for validation to keep doing what I love to do. But when I happen to find it--whether from a friend, or an editor, or a stranger on a conference message board--it helps me to keep putting my best black-and-white-print self forward.

I hope to some day see that part of me sitting on bookshelf, calling out to potential readers, "Hey! Wanna get to know me?" But for now, I'll keep working on making that "me" the best she can be.

WriteOnCon

2010-08-11T22:21:00.004-05:00

I've always wanted to go to a writers conference. But at the same time, I've always been afraid to go to a writers conference. But now, I can go to a conference and not even leave my home!

Yesterday and today I have been participating in the free, online writers conference, WriteOnCon. And so you don't get mad at me for not mentioning this earlier, just know that all the goodies are available on the site, even if you missed the events when they were "live."

I gotta say, this conference has been awesome! I can't begin to share with you all the gems they have offered over at WriteOnCon. Critique boards, live workshops and chats, informative articles from so many different writers, literary agents, and editors. It's been like Christmas!

Some of my favorites so far:

In Defense of a Less Than Huge Advance, by literary agent Michelle Wolfson.

Myths and Misconceptions about the Publishing Industry

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start Revising, by editor Kendra Levin

There is a lot more, so go check out the site and see what goodies you can dig up. You can still register too! The conference continues tomorrow.

Summer Wrap-up

2010-08-05T20:56:00.008-05:00

Tomorrow I go back to work after just a little over two months off. The kids go back to school on Wednesday. Whatever happened to the 3 months of summer vacation from my childhood?

I said before that I wanted this summer to be fun and productive. Just how fun and productive has it been?

I'll start with the fun.

We began our summer with a big road trip. We drove to California, where the kids got to swim in the ocean for the first time. We saw the Sequoia trees, the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest and the Garden of the Gods. Lots of driving. Lots of good times. Lots of pictures. Here are a couple:

The Grand Canyon

The Sequoias

We spent a lot of days sleeping in and being lazy. We played video games and watched movies. Spent some time at the pool, the lake, the sprinkler park. Had some picnics with friends. Spent a couple nights at a cabin, away from TV and computers. Built Lego houses. Celebrated birthdays. Stayed indoors a lot. It was really hot!

How about the productive?

I've done plenty of writing this summer, especially during the month of July. I've kept filling pages in my poetry journal and gotten my latest picture book nearly polished. Corey and I have two new picture books polished up, one drafted, and have done plenty of brainstorming for new ideas.

I also shampooed the family room carpets and did a big art project with the kids. Here's the finished collage:

It was a wonderful summer. Tomorrow, it's back to reality. But reality isn't so bad. I'm sure a lot of great stuff will happen this year.

The Life of a PB part Eight: Reunion

2010-08-04T14:54:00.003-05:00

I have let Winifred sit alone for the past two weeks. Soon it will be time to be reunited with my story and see if the distance has done us both some good.

There is the chance (the fear!) that I'll open that document and see that it is not nearly as good as I thought it was. But if I can be objective and be able to see just what Winifred needs to be great, then the time apart will have been worth it.

August Acrostic

2010-08-01T22:12:00.004-05:00

Approaching summer's end,

Unhappy thoughts of school ignored, we

Gather sun rays and lazy moments

Until that sly calendar

Sends us back to desks and rules

To make us prisoners...again

The Life of a PB Part Seven: Letting it Sit

2010-07-28T11:14:00.003-05:00

I have surprised myself by letting Winifred sit for the past several days. And because I will be unplugging for the next couple of days, it will sit even longer. That's a good thing!

It is important to let a manuscript sit for several days or weeks, while focusing your attention elsewhere. This is because when you finally come back to it, you'll see it with a fresh perspective and be able to be more objective about your story. Problems you didn't see before might suddenly be glaringly obvious. That stanza you really loved might be able to be improved even more. A line you adored might seem even more adorable once you've had some time away.

I'm looking forward to going back to Winifred and see what our time apart has done for our relationship. I wonder if she misses me?

The Life of a PB Part Six: Spit Shining

2010-07-23T21:12:00.004-05:00

Once the first readers were done reading and commenting on my ogress story (we'll call it Winifred from now on), it was time to start revising. That involved addressing any questions or concerns the readers had about the story as well as tweaking language, rhyme and meter and make it as fun and readable as possible.

The first readers read the story knowing that it wasn't polished yet. So their comments primarily had to do with the big picture.

The main thing I had to work on first was the logic of the story line. For one of my readers, the motives of Winifred and the antagonist (Grizelda) were unclear. My solution involved working in some backstory to reveal more about their relationship and also to show how Grizelda feels threatened by Winifred's actions.

Once the big picture problems were taken care of, I went through to fun-up the language, adjust for meter, check for forced rhymes, cut an unnecessary stanza, rewrite other stanzas and (deep breath) make sure this story is as gross as it should be, because it is, after all, about ogres.

The next step will be to have a few fellow writers (and maybe their kids) go through it line by line. And I will force myself to leave it alone for a few days in the mean time.

New art project

2010-07-20T20:31:00.008-05:00

Today the kids helped me take my creativity in another direction. You may know that I like to do art projects with my kids. Today we started a MEGA art project.

For the past few months we have been saving up this kind of stuff...

...so that we could do a big collage. We bought a 24x30 canvas and started this project:

It's a cityscape, and it is turning out great so far! If you look closely you might be able to see what we've used so far (besides a little paint and gel medium).

I'll post more photos as it is further along.

The Life of a PB Part Five: First Readers

2010-07-19T23:38:00.003-05:00

Having a few "first readers" is an important part of the life of a picture book (or any book). In my case, my very first reader is usually one of my daughters. By their reactions I can tell if a story is working or not. While it is likely that they are biased, they aren't shy about telling me when something doesn't seem to make sense. And the younger one has a real eye for proofreading! The next reader is a trusted writer friend, in this case Corey.

So, what did they say about my little ogress?

Daughter #1 said she liked it, but the ending was a little cheesy. She wasn't sure at the time if that was good or bad. After thinking about it, she decided she liked the ending.

Daughter #2 also liked it and didn't find the ending cheesy at all. Of course, she pointed out a spot that needed a comma.

My son liked the story, didn't think the ending was cheesy, and appreciated the gross humor involved in writing a story about ogres.

Corey said that it was cute, but had questions concerning the logic of one character's behavior. Fortunately, the questions should be able to be answered with some fairly minor revisions and additions. Corey did not think the ending was cheesy.

After having them read it, of course I had questions of my own. What did you think of this line? Did it make sense that the characters did this?

I noted the concerns and began taking steps to address them. Soon my little ogress will be ready for a thorough critique!

The Life of a Picture Book Part Four: Full Draft

2010-07-17T10:33:00.003-05:00

I have a complete rhyming draft of my ogress story! I finished it this morning, and then sent the very rough draft to Corey. It will be good to see her thoughts on it before I dive head-first into revisions.

Full draft done. Now the real work begins!

The Life of a Picture Book Part Three: Re-drafting

2010-07-16T09:16:00.003-05:00

Is re-drafting even a word? Well, word or not, that's what I've been doing with my little picture book about an ogress.

The last time you heard about my ogress, she was waiting for me to finish the first draft. I finished the first draft weeks ago, and then set it aside to wait. Again. Then, when I returned home from my recent vacation, I decided it was time to give my ogress some attention.

I began re-drafting the story in rhyme. That's how it had originally started, but I forced myself to write the rest of it in prose so I could get the story straight. I'm so glad I did it that way, because the rhyme, though imperfect so far, has been coming so much more easily than it would have if I had to worry about story and rhyme together.

I can't wait to tell you that this draft is done and ready for revisions!