flipside finds

a fur princess turns seven

2011-08-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Sadie turned 7 years old today. And I did something I've never done before...I bought her an orange, frosted birthday treat. Maybe I sang Happy Birthday to her, maybe I didn't. She was delivered her sugary surprise at the dinner table where she's never ever been allowed to sit before. After sniffing her biscuit with a look of longing, I told her to take it, and what did she do? She left it untouched on its plate and looked up at me with her ears turned down. The voice in her head must've been saying, Is this a trick? What's this lady up to? Am I really allowed to eat off the table? I nudged the treat closer to her mouth. She sniffed and looked up again fixing her brown eyes on me. All those doggie training classes where we practiced the leave it! command must've actually paid off. Who knew! Finally, I picked the cookie up and popped it in her mouth. She sat holding it there as in the picture above, not believing her luck. Eventually, I set her down and she ran like hell to her room where she could enjoy her treat in peace. And now, the carpet where said birthday biscuit was devoured, has never been so clean.

Happy Birthday Sadie!!!

poor little reject

2011-07-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a poem I wrote that has yet to find a home in a children's magazine. It's a poor little reject, but I still like it. And until a door opens to let it in, I thought I'd share it here. I hope my little reject makes you think of summer...hint hint.

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT I LOVE?

by Samantha L. Hagar

Stuck between your fingers,

Glued to your feet and toes,

Itching the bend in your arms,

Scratching inside of your ears and nose.

It can be smaller than a crystal,

Or even tinier than the tip of a pen,

And if you mix it together with some water

You can recreate London, England’s Big Ben.

It can be coarse enough to polish wood,

Or as silky soft as Baker’s flour.

It’s found in glass, paint and concrete,

And it’s also used to tick down the hour.

It runs rampant in the Sahara,

Covers dunes in New Mexico,

And comes in many different colors,

Brown, black, pink, or white as winter snow.

I use it to build castles, mermaids and towers,

Or to bury my brother’s legs just within sea’s reach.

I love to jump and splash at the sparkling, foamy edge,

But mostly I love sand, and I find it at the beach.

love of outdoors

2011-06-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Sadie from this past Memorial Day weekend. Sadie's become quite the little hiker logging just under eight miles in two days. Those three inch legs were moving fast causing people to point and laugh. Funny how we openly tease animals but you'd never point and laugh at a person with really short legs. Anyway, this past weekend being outdoors and soaking up the sunshine made me so happy to be back in California - my home state. I'm getting all nostalgic on you, but I never, or rarely I should say, hiked when I lived in NYC and I always felt like something was missing. I'm glad to be closer to nature again, and glad I have a cute lil' puppy to share it with - even if I do have to carry her up the hills.

sadie, second cutest pet in the east bay

2011-03-29T18:11:00.000-07:00

The votes have been cast, the winner announced, and Diablo Magazine's cutest pet of 2011 is....Duke. But, Diablo Magazine's SECOND cutest pet is...Sadie! Whoo-who! Second by a mere whisker! She's still number one in my book, though. Which means that I'm still going to brag about it. Read all about the winners here.

And a BIG THANKS to everyone who voted. Until next year....

xx,

Samantha (owner of the second cutest pet in the East Bay)

and

Sadie a.k.a. Hollywood (second cutest pet in the East Bay)

vote for Sadie because she likes treats

2011-03-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

(the photo that got her paw in the door)

Something very exciting is in the works...no, not for my writing, but for my dog! Today I learned that Sadie is a finalist in the top 16 of Diablo Magazine's cutest pet contest! My friend Bronwyn took the photo one day when we were goofing around and dressing Sadie in baby socks. We had a laugh at poor Sadie's expense, but she's a good sport...she got treats afterwards too, so don't feel too bad for her. If Sadie wins she'll get an awesome prize at a local dog store and I'll get to brag with more vindication. So please take a second and help us out. Vote for Sadie here. And vote once a day everyday until March 28th.

Sadie says "ruff-roo" and I say thank you!

snowy mountains

2011-03-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

The first day of spring is just days away, so let's see winter out with the tip of a hat and a few snowy peaks. Pictures from photo pops and the mountains near his home in Colorado.

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

birthday wishes to my mom

2011-03-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the beautiful woman who gave birth to me. I'm so glad she was born because without her there would be no me! Thanks for being so great and supportive and for teaching me everything I know.

superstar molly shannon

2011-02-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

Image via EW's Shelf Life (Jeff Christensen/AP Images)

I love Molly Shannon, so I was super excited to read that she's written a picture book called Tilly The Trickster (Abrams) scheduled to be released in September of this year. In an interview with EW's Shelf Life, Shannon talks about being raised by a funny dad who encouraged goofiness, and says she feels it's important to pass on a sense of fun and silliness to kids. She also talks about how writing a picture book was harder than she thought, how it took a lot of trial and error, and that it's important to keep it simple. If you've ever tried writing a picture book I'm sure you can relate (I can) because you may have a spectacular idea, but that means nothing if you can't make it fit within 32 pages and make it compelling and unique.

On a personal note, I saw Molly Shannon once, a few years ago when I lived in New York City. I was at a restaurant/bar near the Hudson River, eating a hot dog and drinking beer, when she zipped by out on an afternoon run. I started laughing when I saw her - you know how some people make you laugh even when they're not doing anything at all? - well that's how adorable she is. I wanted to run out after her and say hi, but that would be scary and weird, so instead I told all my friends but nobody had seen her except me!

Anyway, now we all have something funny to look forward to in September. And if you want to read more about her inspiration for the book - like how when she was little she told other kids waiting for the school bus that the bus had already come so they walked to school while she rode an empty bus - then read the full article here.

a day of love

2011-02-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

Art by Aimee Sicuro

My good friend is moving back to New York City. It's always so sad when a friend moves away, especially to a place so far. But I'm happy for her and excited to see what the next step in her life brings. Above is a special piece she created for Valentines Day.

Today is about smiling, being happy and sending out love....and giving Sadie as many belly rubs as she wants.

sadie cakes

2011-02-07T10:47:00.000-08:00

It's time for a new picture of my little animal that I talk about so much, don't you think? Here's Sadie from this morning. This face either means, "Give me food" or "Stop kissing me mom!" Either way, she's pretty darn cute.

overused ideas and themes in kid's lit

2011-02-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'm sure we're all guilty of at least one of these - both newbie writers like myself and the more distinguished - the overuse of common ideas and/or themes. Oh, don't raise your eyebrow at me Dwayne Johnson, you know what I mean!

(Yeah, sure. There's a character in my book who raises an eyebrow. He peers over his spectacles, too. And he calls them spectacles, not glasses. So what!)

Photo: Dwayne 'The Rock" Johnson. Google Images

I've been meaning to post about this topic since I read a very informative article in the SCBWI bulletin called, "The New Red-Haired Best Friend" by Joelle Anthony. In one year, Anthony read 3 to 4 books a week and was struck by the common themes threaded throughout most YA or MG novels. She says the idea behind the list was "to point out areas where authors seem to think they are being unique, but actually aren't."

In my own reading and critiquing, this is something my writing buddy and I point out to each other all the time. For some reason it's so easy to fall into these cliche-traps, but we all do it. Sometimes people will even unknowingly offer up suggestions to revise a manuscript so that it follows one of these overused patterns. There's a lot of the same out there - book ideas can be like fashion trends, once they catch, they spread like wildfire... to use a cliche.

So what are some of the overused ideas that topped the list? (below, as shown in the Nov/Dec 2010 SCBWI article):

- Stories of irresponsible parents with main characters who end up paying bills, cooking, cleaning, etc.

- Main characters who hate math. (Guilty!)

- Mean cheerleaders.

- Main characters who are the only ones in the world without a cell phone.

Are you guilty of any of these? Want more? The list goes on. Read all about it over on Anthony's red-haired list, here.

(Joelle Anthony's debut YA novel, Restoring Harmony, was released in 2010).

your manuscript's musical score

2011-01-19T19:41:00.000-08:00

(Does it mean I think highly of my novel if I want this soundtrack as its musical score?...or maybe it's just my crush on Johnny Depp)

Last night I was attempting revisions on my manuscript while listening to various Hans Zimmer scores on Pandora, and I got to thinking, if my book Trevelyn's Shimmer was ever made into a movie, what would be its musical score?

After listening to quite a few selections, I decided that The Pirates of the Caribbean might just do the trick. I liked The Last of the Mohica ns, too, and the soundtrack for Inception - but both seemed a little too...intense...although, there are a few hairy scenes in my book where they'd probably work well.

(I haven't, sadly, even seen this movie yet. But I can get a real good sense of what happens by listening to the musical score - well, all those trailers on tv helped, too.)

Do you listen to music while writing? Ever day dreamed and thought about what would be your manuscript's musical score if it was made into a movie? Up? Far and Away? Lord of the Rings (that was a good one, too).

Try going to Pandora to test drive a few while writing. Close your eyes and imagine your characters in real life with the score of say, Gladi ator playing in the background. You might find listening to music takes your writing to a different level and you might just be surprised by what you create.

(I mean, come on, the last scene in the movie when Maximus is drifting off to Heaven and the Celtic music is playing, it doesn't get better than that!)

today show pulls newbery & caldecott interviews for...snooki

2011-01-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Reality tv star Snooki

Wow. Okay, where to begin... I watch reality shows on occasion, I won't lie. I've never watched Jersey Shore....well, that's not true, I tried once, I turned the channel after one minute, that doesn't really mean anything, but it means a lot to a devout group of followers who don't turn the channel after one minute of Jersey Shore, the ones who don't think Snooki's 15 minutes of fame are over and never will be.

2011 Newbery award winner Moon Over Manifest

NBC's Today Show is pulling interviews with the 2011 Newbery and Caldecott award winners to interview reality star Snooki. I don't want to assume the reasoning for pulling the winners of the highest award a children's book writer and illustrator can receive (the Academy Awards, if you will) for a reality tv star, but if I had to assume, it would be because the executives over at the Today Show believe that Snooki will bring in better ratings. If you have children or you read or write children's books, then you know how much precedence is put on Newbery and Caldecott winning books. They are the best of the best, they are the books placed on their own special shelves at book stores. They are the books you purchase when you want a guaranteed good read.

Executive Director of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Lin Oliver expressed her disappointment in a letter to the NY Times and LA Times. If you feel disappointed too, then send an email over to the Today Show letting them know how you feel: TODAY@nbcuni.com

Letter from Lin Oliver to NY Times/LA Times

Dear Editor:

As the Executive Director of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a non-profit international organization of 24,000 professional children's book writers, illustrators, publishers, editors and agents, I have to express dismay at the decision this week of NBC's Today Show not to run the traditional interviews with the winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals. The books that are granted these prestigious awards represent the best of what we have to offer children---great storytelling, strong values, a legacy of literature and hope and high-minded ideals. What they elected to run in that spot, an interview with reality star Snooki, represents the exact opposite.

In choosing not to run the interviews with Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead, television has once again underestimated the intelligence of its audience. Parents are dying to get their hands on good books for their kids. Booksellers are eager to sell and promote good books for kids. It's good business, good broadcasting and good ethics to honor the best books for children.

Lin Oliver

Executive Director, SCBWI

naivete and art

2011-01-03T18:27:00.001-08:00

If I could write music I would. I wish I hadn't quit piano in 8th grade - I wish I remembered a key, any key! I'm continuously fascinated by musicians and how it seems they so effortlessly piece together a new song. How they stack note after note on top of one other to create the perfect melody for their lyrics. I do love my rhymes. And there's really nothing more raw and sincere than poetry.

So in that roundabout way, I suppose, I wanted to share this sweet, little quote from musician Landon Pigg (coincidentally, Landon is the name of the boy in my book Trevelyn's Shimmer...but that's neither here nor there)... Also, this made me think about my own journey into writing children's books. Perhaps you'll find it sweet, too.

"Maybe there is a naivete in my approach. I never had a guitar lesson when I started out. I've always felt that when you don't learn all the rules, you're much more inclined to break them with a smile." - Landon Pigg

nincompoop: a foolish or stupid person

2011-01-02T10:40:00.001-08:00

As I begin the process again of looking for an agent or an editor to represent a manuscript I've recently finished, I'm taking lots of time to research agencies and write query letters where I don't come off sounding like a total nincompoop. It can be real easy - sounding like a nincompoop - when you're trying to impress someone...I like to try and avoid nincompoopesy if at all possible - ok, I'll stop using that word now. So when I read examples of query letters that are far worse than mine, something inside of me starts to feel better. Now I'm no query expert, and maybe it's just me, but one should probably avoid use of the word "hungry" in a query, unless it has to do with the synopsis of the book. Check out "One Way Not To Get Published" over on the Writer Beware's blog, here.

sometimes and always

2011-01-01T12:55:00.001-08:00

image via Uwe Hermann

Sometimes and Always ~

Sometimes clouds don’t part in the sky.

Sometimes water comes up chin high.

Sometimes snow doesn’t melt on your face.

Sometimes life seems no colder place.

But always you should know that the worst is almost over.

Always the storm passes and the wind blows over.

Always you will find that things fall exactly into place.

Always the sun will shine with a smile on your face.

So keep your chin up, your luck’s about to change.

Keep your chin up, my friend, a new beginning is in range.

happy new year!!!

2011-01-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

oliver jeffers - a writer's dream illustrator

2010-12-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

I can't get enough of author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers. He is just the coolest ever. I'd die to have him illustrate one of my books - one can dream, no?

Check out what he is doing with ebooks. This is seriously making me rethink that paper books are the only option in terms of publishing picture books:

...also...check out some of the other things that he is doing here.

untouched ideas

2010-11-19T16:17:00.001-08:00

On December 26th, 2004 there was a magnitude 9.1 earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean. A massive tsunami resulted killing thousands of people. You remember the scenes on television. People trying to outrun the wave, climbing on top of buildings and up into trees, anything to get out of the way. It was terrible, yet I couldn't tear myself away from those images. But out of all of those horrible scenes, I recall seeing one story that was so touching it was heartbreaking. The second I saw it I ran for my writing journal, outlined a synopsis and told myself this is the type of story, taken from true life, that adults and children will all be able to relate to.

Hippo & Tortoise - that's what I initially named it. Owen & Mzee: The True Story Of A Remarkable Friendship (Scholastic Press, 2006), is what someone else named it. Yes, the story of the baby hippo, orphaned and displaced by the tsunami, only to find friendship in a 130 year-old giant tortoise, was apparently a story that caught the eye of a six-year-old at the time as well. She persuaded her father to write Owen & Mzee, while my version, Hippo & Tortoise, sat untouched in my black and white notebook - where hundreds of others stories still sit, untouched.

It's not always easy to write out a fully-fleshed story just as the moment strikes you, and there's not always time. But I think I'm learning that I've got to at least try - especially when it comes to picture books. Although, as I say that I realize that picture books are sometimes harder to get right than a 200-page novel. I guess the tale of Hippo & Tortoise wasn't to be mine. And I can accept that. I won't be able to accept it if happens again and again. So I'm breaking out old journals and half-started stories and trying to get things done. Like spring cleaning in the fall, if you will. So far I've completed one and sent it out. We'll see how far I get....

some days I miss nyc

2010-10-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Some days I get a slight tingle in my gut and a twist in my heart and I start missing New York City. Some nights I have dreams that I still live there in my tiny, shoebox West Village apartment, and I wake up feeling confused and sad. Where are the taxis blowing their horns, the rumble of the subway under the streets, the cool breeze drifting off the Hudson River? The quiet of the museums and the serenity of Central Park? I miss those things some days. That's when I break out old photos and reminisce.

I found these photos in an old email from my dad, known as photo pops here. I used to work down the street from Bryant Park. In the summers I'd take my lunch and sit out at one of the tables - if I was lucky to find an empty table - and I'd read a book or write my book on the huge, 50 pound laptop that I used to lug to work every day. I never could get over the reflection coming off the glass building across the street from the park on 42nd Street. I mentioned it once to my dad who was visiting and he took a picture. Instantly it became a favorite.

bicycle mishap

2010-10-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been borrowing my sister's bike to ride to work, but on Sunday I discovered that riding a man's bike is not really working out for me. Newsflash: skirts + men's bike frame = predictable mishap.

I may have almost had my skirt wrapped over the bike seat whilst my leg was in the air which almost brought me and the bike down to the pavement in a slightly embarrassing tumble while tourists and other passerby were strolling down a busy street. I may have almost had that happen to me. So I've been shopping around for a proper ladies bike, if you will, which should help keep me from developing some sort of reputation around the small town where I live.

These are the bikes that I've got my eye on.

I must admit, this red bike is probably more my style. The handlebars look more comfortable and you can't really go wrong with red, right? Next up, I'll need to get me some lights and a fancy basket or two for carrying Sadie and perhaps some wine...who am I kidding... definitely some wine.

silence and chapter - ugh - one

2010-10-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins

It's happening again. I'm editing Chapter One of my book Trevelyn's Shimmer. Yes. I know, I know. I'm insane. But it had to happen! I changed the age of my main character, Marie. In one morning she graduated from fifth-grade to sixth and Landon, the curious/popular boy who occasionally makes fun of her but also sticks up for her at the same time, has moved from fifth to seventh-grade. Thanks writing buddy for your suggestions (FYI-she's as bad as me).

So that is what I have been working on. I finally got all the way to chapter fourteen with revisions, only to go back to the start - the dreaded chapter one. Since then it's been three weeks, three weeks of stop and go, stop and go, and too many cups of Trader Joe's Duchess Gray tea while I mold chapters one and two into something decent - hopefully decent.

Sadie and I have also moved again to a region known for producing wine, lots and lots of wine. And I've taken a job that involves pouring lots and lots of wine. I'm also involved with the general public in more ways than anyone ever really wants to be, but this has given me lots of material for characters and future books. Thank you general public for being so entertaining.

Nothing else of much interest has been going on except, oh, well except that I was excited to hear that J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit is going forward with production to be made into a movie. And, on an even more exciting note, I have taken to tweeting over on Twitter. Who knew a whole world of informative 150 word tweets could be so interesting and time-consuming? But they are, and that is just one more excuse for me not to have posted anything new on my blog for almost one month.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go upstairs and chain myself to my desk so that I actually finish writing this darn book! Two months to go until the Delacorte writing contest people! Writing buddy and I promised each other that we'd make it happen. Finishing our manuscripts to enter that contest, that is, and maybe, just maybe...winning.

president obama - children's book author

2010-09-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

via Publisher's Weekly

Publisher's Weekly reports that President Obama has written a children's book due out this November. The book is called of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters (Knopf Books for Young Readers). A tribute to Americans like Georgia O'Keefe and George Washington, it celebrates the "characteristics that unite all Americans." Obama wrote the book before he became president. Obama has made a fortune in other books he's penned, but the proceeds for this book are going to a scholarship for children with parents affected by the war who have served our country.

I remember

2010-09-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

In 1999 I went to New York City for the first time. And I fell in love. Fast. There for one week with a group of other fashion students from San Francisco, we toured the city, took the subways, ate dirty-water dogs, shopped and wandered throughout Central Park. I had just turned 21-years-old and the bar scene was like nothing I'd ever seen before. Nothing there was like anything I'd ever seen. Instantly I knew that I would be coming back again one day soon.

The next year, 2000, my gut was right when my boyfriend at the time was asked to go to New York on a business trip. I lucked out when his office purchased two tickets, one of them for me. Again, from the moment I set foot in the city I was infatuated, despite the pint-size hotel rooms and tricky accommodations that later worked out. That was also the summer of my first and only visit to the World Trade Center. Getting to the top of the Trade Center to see the views was on our tourist to-do list. We bought our tickets, waited in line for the elevator and zipped up to the top as the tour guide explained how the system worked. I can't remember what she said because I was too fascinated at how fast we were traveling...and how high. The doors slide open and out we stepped to the amazing, dizzying views of Manhattan. I will never forget the woozy feeling that erupted in my stomach. A feeling like I had to hold onto something or I would fall. I remember glass windows stretched sky high. You could go outside, too. My boyfriend took some convincing, he was having major vertigo and already looked a little pale. Eventually he succumbed, and I took him by the hand, leading him up an escalator, as I remember it, to an area outside lined with high metal fences. The wind was almost deafening. The feeling like you were floating in space, stronger. My boyfriend clutched the interior walls shaking his head that he wasn't going any farther, no matter what I said. I braved walking as close to the edge as I could, telling myself that I would not fall, I would not fall over. After a couple of minutes, when my boyfriend was looking like he was about to cry, we left. Down in the street, we both breathed a sigh of relief. And I remember how we said the feeling of being up so high was strange, so strange.

One year later, September 8th, 2001, I packed up two suitcases, all the money I had - $800 dollars - and moved to Manhattan where I had no job and knew only one person, my old friend from high school. Newly single for the first time in six years, I was now 23-years-old and ready to take on New York. Storm the fashion industry. Things didn't happen like I planned. The jet lag hit me hard and with the three-hour time difference I slept in late. None of my things had arrived - via UPS from California - and they wouldn't arrive for close to two more weeks. They would remain stuck in New Jersey in a holding warehouse.

The morning of September 11th, 2001, I woke up around 11am, groggy but excited about the day. Still not believing that I actually lived in New York. We didn't have a television yet in our small railroad apartment. So I turned on my roommate's clock radio. A man with a solemn voice was talking about how two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. I thought I was listening to an AM radio station where some writer was reading his twisted short story. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I honestly did not believe that what I was hearing was real. So I tied on my sneakers and went outside. The streets were eerie and filled with sirens, even as high up as East 83rd Street. I walked 1 1/2 blocks to the East River and stuck my head out. There it was. A huge white cloud billowing out of lower Manhattan, blowing east. Other people were lined up along the river. All of us holding tightly onto the black rail that bordered the water. All of our heads were turned south, observing the catastrophic cloud. Who knows what it carried with it.

The phone lines were jammed and I had just ridden myself of the burden and cost of a cell phone one week before I moved. Our house phone wasn't installed yet. The only option was the pay phone on York Avenue. I called home and every number that I could remember. I got nothing but a busy signal. My family and friends in California, being unfamiliar with the size and streets of Manhattan, had no idea where I was in relation to the World Trade Center, which was thankfully, quite far away. I think it was my cousin Hope, who had just moved out of NYC two weeks prior, that I reached first. Later that night, I finally got through to my parents. The sense of relief in my mother's voice was palpable. I wondered what she would say? If she would tell me to move back to California? But she didn't. She told me what our president later told our nation. Don't let terrorists and fear make your decisions for you. She also told me that bad things can happen anywhere. You have to live your life. Don't stop living your life.

Later that day, when I was getting too anxious to be alone, my roommate's friend Melissa, who I had never met before, never even spoken to, came over to keep me company. It's funny how fast you connect with people when something catastrophic happens. Her befriending me then was just a small example of how New Yorkers came together. Melissa and I sat on the stoop outside my apartment building and smoked cigarettes. Cigarettes didn't do anything to calm our nerves. But we needed something. I never knew what "normal" was in a city that size, especially having only lived there for three days. But people were like zombies dragging themselves around. Everyone wearing the same lost, numb expression. Sirens filled the streets. I remember seeing firetrucks covered in dust zipping down the avenues. Sirens and news announcers discussed what had happened. That was what I heard for days and days and days. Big trucks with loads of debris from ground zero drove north past my neighborhood, bringing the wreckage and who knows what else somewhere out of the city. A few days later, the smell finally made its way to the Upper East Side. The smell was a fresh reminder of what had happened. And it was strong. Even in mid-town the smell of burnt metal and paper and bodies was unbearably strong.

If I remember correctly, another three or four weeks passed before they started letting the general public back down into lower Manhattan. I visited once, a first date with a boy I had recently met, actually. Mounds of debris were still there. Fences wrapped around the hole in the ground. The sense of sadness was heartbreaking. Hands holding tissue were pressed to eyes and noses. Sniffles and then silence. Thousands of missing pictures of lost loved ones hung from the fences. And candles burned next to flowers and stuffed animals.

After that, firemen and police officers were revered. Before 9/11, I'd personally never given much thought to the jobs that they did. Now, I will never look at them the same. Every time I passed a fire station, the faces of those lost, hung on the walls, were looking back at me. Just to say thank you will never be enough.

Every year on the anniversary of 9-11, two blue beams of light pierce the sky where the towers stood. The first year I saw them, I imagined the souls of the dead captured in the beams, looking down on everyone, on a city full of people who came together to remember them. We will never forget. I will always remember.

Delacorte Press 29th Annual Contest for a First Young Adult Novel

2010-09-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a goal to get your butt in gear - or planted in a chair - like the goal to finish writing a book....

"August. By August my book will be done!" I proclaimed, back in June.

"August 1st isn't that far away," my friend commented. "You'll really have it done by then?"

I could hear the doubt in her voice. "The end of August!" I countered. "I never said August 1st...."

Well, August 31st has come and gone my friends, and I still haven't finished the final revisions on my middle-grade, sci-fi novel, Trevelyn's Shimmer. Ugh! Why is it so damn hard to just sit down and finish? Why did Suzanne Collins have to distract me for weeks with reading The Hunger Games series?! Why is it more fun to Facebook and Twitter!? Excuses, excuses.

But excuses no more. Because now I have a goal. December 31st - no, not the 1st - you have until the 31st. And that is when I will be entering my novel for consideration in the Delacorte Press 29th Annual Contest for a First Young Adult Novel. Yes, you heard it here first. I am going to enter. I probably won't win, but that's okay. I will finish my book and move on to the next one so that I can torture myself with new deadlines. And won't that be nice, for a change.

what kids want - blood, guts and gore... and a bit a'romance

2010-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

(Mockingjay. Scholastic, 2010)

Enough is never enough. And just when you think it's enough, you need more. That's what I learned yesterday listening to a group of eighth-graders talk about Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy. My writing buddy and I, both of us quite older than the small group gathered around a long, wood desk in the back of Borders, took our seats 15 minutes into the discussion. Yeah, we got some funny looks from the kids seated at the table like, "what are these ladies doing here?" but after we all united in our dorky love of sci-fi/fantasy, a bond was formed. And I learned what these kids liked about the book. Three things: Blood, action and romance.

"Guts and gore, I like guts, blood and gore more than anything," one girl said.

"But the book has to have romance, too," two other girls stated.

"I don't really need any of that romance stuff," said the first girl, turning up her nose. "Just give me blood, guts and gore."

"I don't mind a little romance," said the one boy at the end of the table.

Well all right then. Duly noted. And The Hunger Games trilogy delivered all of these things. Blood, action and romance. Funnily enough, the trilogy is meant for the young-adult crowd (14-18 yrs.), but, of course, kids love reading above their age level. Kind of like with anything, if you think about it. A 12-year-old is desirous of her 16-year-old sister who's allowed to wear make-up and date boys. A 14-year-old boy is envious of his 18-year-old brother's license and shiny Mustang, etc. We all want to do something we're not legally allowed to do before we're allowed to do it. Anyone ever want to drink a beer before you turned 21? Be honest. That's desire. Well, the same goes for books. Kids want to read above their age.

But there's a lot of blood, guts and gore - as the first girl said she loved so much - in The Hunger Games series. The kids at Borders yesterday were clearly big sci-fi/fantasy fans, so they tend to like things like this because they can, I think anyway, compartmentalize the killing of people. That is to say, that because the books take place in the future, post-apocalyptic future, they can - and this is just my opinion - set aside, or accept, if you will, the murder, basically, of innocent children because it takes place in a world that does not really exist. For those of you who have not read the series, The Hunger Games takes place, as I've said, in post-apocalyptic America. A Capitol arises out of the ashes, as do 13 Districts who are forced to do the labor and produce goods for the people in the Capitol. When District 13 rebels, they are destroyed. After that, the Capitol reminds the remaining 12 Districts who is in charge and how vulnerable they all are by sending one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to something called The Hunger Games. An arena, eliciting similarities to the Romans' Gladiator era, is constructed, and the 24 children are placed within its confines to a match with the goal to kill one another. The last one standing is the victor who is given a "cushy" life back home where most people live on the brink of starvation. Yeah, heavy. And filled with tension, which Donald Maass will tell you in The Fire in Fiction (Writer's Digest Books, 2009), is what makes a book tick.

A voice went off in my head listening to these kids talk. And believe me, I asked them lots of questions. The voice said, you'd better step it up with your book Trevelyn's Shimmer. You'd better make your main character sweat it out. Push her to the edge and then save her at the last minute. But then I think - is that selling out? My book is only for middle-grade readers, not YA. Would that be taking it too far? What is too far nowadays? Are we so over the top in this age that we have to see someone practically killed in order to get our attention? Think medieval torture devices. In The Hunger Games, the actual games themselves are filmed and the people in all of the Districts are forced to watch. Forced to watch their children die. While the people in the Capitol look at the games as a form of entertainment - a futuristic, reality video game.

"Do you guys think that some of our own reality t.v. shows of late have gone too far? Have showed things that are too violent?" asked the Borders employee MC-ing the discussion.

"I think some of the shows on t.v. like Survivor, where people are almost starving, sometimes goes too far," said one girl.

"Is Hunger Games any different from when gladiators were forced to fight to the death in an arena for others' entertainment?" asked the MC.

"But those were different times and they weren't children," answered one of the girls wearing a headband.

This got me thinking. Are we turning a corner? Is society bending back to its old ways when we watched people get killed for our own enjoyment? What about all of the video games out there where people are getting killed? Okay, they are just video games. But are the growing outbreaks of violence in schools somehow related? Does this desensitize us? It seems very likely. And how do we know that those gladiators back in ancient Greece weren't kids? People didn't live to the ripe old age that they do now. I bet they were only kids, at least for today's standards. They lived much harder lives then. People still do, in many parts of the world.

I have to admit that I fully enjoyed reading The Hunger Games trilogy. It's true. Blood, action and romance definitely drives a novel forward. A number of parallelisms from real life can be drawn. I'm no expert on anything. But the similarities are pretty clear. Propaganda and Vietnam. Nazi propaganda. Differences in class, race and discrimination. Get on the bandwagon and think like people in power tell you to think! That's essentially what takes place for a number of years during the course of the timeline in The Hunger Games books. The carefree people who live in the Capitol, who have everything easily accessible to them, are fed detestable lies about the poor people living in the 12 Districts. And likewise, the Districts are taught to sit and speak when they are commanded, beaten into submission, into believing that they have no choice other than to do what they are told.

But I'm getting a little off track. And I have not yet read the last book so I'm not sure how it all ends. I have heard, though, that there is lots of violence in the final installment. Lots of blood, guts and gore. So is that what it takes these days to sell a book? Is that what it takes to become a successful author? What are the three most famous/popular/media-happy series for kids/young-adults that you can think of which have been published in the last ten years? Here is my list:

1. Harry Potter

2. Twilight

3. Hunger Games

That's my list. Yours might be different. Although, I think Harry Potter might be unanimous.

So, if you've read all of the series above, what do they have in common? Violence and fantasy? That's what I'm thinking. What else? Romance? Action?

Yes. This leads me back to what I wrote at the beginning of this really, definitely too long post....which hopefully you're still reading. Blood, action and romance. That seems to be what the human psyche is drawn to. Is that innate? Entertaining? Love and violence seem to go hand-in-hand, yes? And the violence can't really happen without the action. That's a given.

So other than my point that a novel seems to need to have blood, action and romance to capture the YA and younger audience. I advise newbie, and established writers alike, to get out there and attend seminars at your local bookstores to hear what kids are really saying. Granted, I was only with a small minority of the juvenile population yesterday, but the message was clear. Sometimes the guidelines/industry standards that writers are given to follow, are not always what kids want to read.

r.i.p happy hagar

2010-08-17T23:06:00.001-07:00

My poor sister had to put her dog Happy down today. Happy just made it to her 14th birthday on Sunday. She'd been ill on and off for the last few months, and really ill for the last couple of weeks.

Happy and Amanda

Happy and Sadie last August celebrating their birthdays at the river

Happy trying to squeeze into Sadie's bed

I'll never forget when my sister came home from college to visit one summer with her new pup in tow. Happy was the cutest puppy ever. Her face was all black then. I chased her around the backyard and gave her tons of kisses. She was the sweetest thing.

Happy is with the angels now

Happy's favorite thing in the world to do was to visit the river. She'd bury her face in the water and dig up rocks from the riverbed. She'd chase rocks too. She never exactly came back with the same rock that was thrown, but that didn't matter. Happy the river dog. I like to think that that's where she is now. Playing in the water and chasing rocks.

photo pops in paris

2010-08-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, I've been slacking in the blog department. But I have some nice pictures from photo pops' recent trip to Paris, France to make up for it.

Cops on skates! or police sur les patins! Yep, this is how they do it in Paris.

I've stood outside the Eiffel Tower. I've taken pictures of it, too. But standing in line and working my way up to the top has never seemed very appealing. Not that I doubt the views aren't breathtaking. It's the line. And all of the people. And the waiting. And more waiting. I need some pull on the Eiffel Tower so I can quickly get to the top.

Did he paint these pictures? Or is he simply selling them? I'd like to get to the bottom of this. What made him use pink as his primary color? Does the Eiffel Tower remind him of a beautiful woman? Was it a warm day? I really love this picture - the one my dad took, that is.

One day I'll go back to Paris and I'll find the patience to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The view from the base up was beautiful. The top down must be amazing....

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

gimme shelter jaclyn mednicov

2010-07-09T11:35:00.000-07:00

Vacancy by Jaclyn Mednicov

If you happen to be in New York City anywhere from July 15th til August 20th, then pop on over to the group show Gimme Shelter at Mixed Greens in Chelsea. My good friend, Jaclyn Mednicov, is one of the featured artists. I've seen Jaclyn's art go from good to really, really great over the years - I own several of her paintings myself - and I continue to be impressed by what she produces.

Here's a blurb from the press release: "Mixed Greens is excited to present the group exhibition Gimme Shelter. While shelter is traditionally defined as a structure that provides protection, these seventeen artists present a more complex, multifaceted understanding of the concept. More specifically, the works in this show investigate the delicate balance of perception: whether a space is inviting or uninhabitable, comforting or crumbling, being constructed or consumed.... Many other artists represent structures as having fallen out of use or ceasing to exist. Jaclyn Mednicov’s deserted landscapes, Nicholas Johnston’s ice caves, and Eric Heist’s renderings of post-Katrina New Orleans capture sites that 'once were'..." Read more about Gimme Shelter here.

I remember when Jaclyn and I were just wee-ones living in New York City, trying to navigate through the crowded streets, and equally packed and stinky subway trains. We always talked about what it would be like if Jaclyn were to ever have a show in the Chelsea district...ahhh, memories. Well, Jaclyn has stuck it out and her resume is the proof. I don't think anyone can predict where life will take them, but I think that Jaclyn's 20-something self would be impressed with the artist she's become today.

Since I can't be in NYC to see the show in person, if anyone makes it over there I'd love to hear what you think...

Mixed Greens is located at 531 W 26th Street/ 1st Floor, NYC 10001

the author's world becomes real...or as close as can be

2010-07-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

If I were a kid today I would totally be begging my mom to go to Literary Camp. How come they didn't have stuff like this when I was 11?! When we were kids, my sister and I were busy playing dorky spy games around our backyard, ducking behind bushes hiding from the neighbor mowing his lawn on a summer Saturday, and practicing karate rolls, but now kids can actually go to a camp where having a rather large imagination that one is an actual warrior is accepted and cool. Plus, they get to learn real archery, camouflage, covert movement, and tracking, among other rad things - yes, I said rad. Based on John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series, BookPeople set up camp in Austin, Texas, where 75 lucky kids between the ages of 9 and 14 got to spend five days learning the skills that Flanagan's characters learn in his books. Other literary camps have been based on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series (think Lightning Thief) and Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi's Spiderwick books. (side note, I saw Holly Black speak at Books of Wonder in NYC a few years ago, before I knew who she was. She was awesome!)

a bad guy at Ranger's camp, no doubt

A letter written to the literary campers by John Flanagan in the voice of Will Treaty, a fictional character at the camp, states that the apprentices "...will learn the secrets of putting an arrow exactly where you want it in the target..." and "...to blend into the background so that nobody can see you." They also are told that they will learn "...other important things like loyalty to your friends and companions, like respect for your instructors, like honesty, and perseverance when things seem a little tough."

learning the mad skills from the dude with the breast-plate, ya'll

It seems like more of these literary camps will be popping up over different locations all over the nation, which makes me happy to know that kids are reading books and their imaginations are coming alive. After all, picturing the world that the author creates really is one of the best parts of reading.

only learning the skills of how to be stealth could get kids to sit at such strict attention

photo pops and doggie-in-a-bag series

2010-07-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Happy belated fourth everyone! I hope it was a good one. I spent the weekend up in wine country gallivanting around with my girlfriends, drinking pinot noir and eating lots and lots of Mexican food. I'm ready to tie on my running shoes and hit the pavement, but maybe I'll just relax for one more day...

So photo pops was in Europe recently and it seems that he's taken a liking to photographing dogs. Maybe his granddogger Sadie has inspired him (my sister told me not to tell people that I use words like granddogger and dogger, but I think it's clever), or maybe there were just lots of people in Paris who carried their little dogs around in bags and my dad thought it was funny - after all, you don't see much of that in Colorado. Sadie and I would fit in well in Paris, except that I don't really speak French, I do know how to ask for a glass of red wine though. Anyway, while I eagerly await photo pops' photographs of the Matterhorn in Switzerland, I wanted to post a couple of pics from what I like to call "The Doggie-in-a-bag Series".....

notice the Sadie-but-smaller lookalike...

yes, lots of Terriers in Paris. I tried putting Sadie in my bag like this once, I almost threw out my shoulder.

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

what do dirty little secrets, sea and cupcakes have in common? this...

2010-06-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

C.J. Omololu (left) & Heidi R. Kling (right)

Young Adult authors Cynthia J. Omololu (Dirty Little Secrets; Walker Books, 2010) and Heidi R. Kling (Sea; Putnam, 2010) might want to consider doing presentations together more often. These two ladies made a marvelous team at a recent SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) event that took place yesterday in Walnut Creek, California.

There really is nothing like being around the like-minded sentimentality of other children's book writers. Something in the air changes, something makes sense as one writer discusses her manuscript pitfalls or triumphs with another head-bobbing scribe, or when someone sings the praises of the latest How To Be A Better Writer life-changing book. This shift, from the ordinary world to the world of congenial peers, couldn't have been more evident than when these two ladies, perched behind big rectangular tables with their books on display, uncloaked the tales of their journeys into becoming published writers.

C.J. Omololu began the discussion saying that she fell into writing accidentally. At the tender age of 7 she penned her first manuscript, but it took her many more years and several more stories - like close to 30 - before she was finally able to sell her words. Now her second book, Dirty Little Secrets - about a 16-year old girl who lives with the secret that her mother is a hoarder, and must make a critical decision to call 911 or keep a new terrible secret to herself after discovering her mother's body inside their crowded house - has been getting great reviews since its debut. My favorite part of C.J.'s story was how she serendipitously met her agent, Erin Murphy. "I researched an agent on Verla Kay and found Erin Murphy, who didn't take queries except if she met you through someone or at a conference." Turns out Erin Murphy was going to be at an upcoming conference in Kansas City, Missouri, so guess where C.J. went. Agent and writer had a freak encounter in an elevator at the hotel where the conference was being held, but C.J. says she blew her chance when all she could discuss was pleasantries and not her in-progress book. No matter though, because back at home she composed a self-described "ballsy query letter" which she shared with us, and sent it off before her novel was completely done - something she says to never, ever do! Her dream agent loved her query, signed her, but they had a difficult time with selling her first book. Eventually the idea of hoarders came along, also quite serendipitously, while reading an article in a gossip magazine, and with that C.J. was on her way.

Now, something I have to point out were the groans and sighs of familiar frustration as C.J. described how when she first started writing seriously, she was going to storm the market of children's books! - pause to look dreamily into the sky. I'm fairly certain that all beginning, hopeful writers think that they're going to nail their first book, land the first agent they query, secure a six-figure advance and a three book contract, and sit at signings with hoards of screaming, young fans begging for their autograph. Yeah, this typically isn't how it works. You're lucky if you can get an agent, land a $5,000 advance and get your own family members to attend your signings. But, like anything worthwhile, writing a good book takes time, and many, many, many tries - for most.

Next, jubilant, easy going Heidi spoke about her debut novel, Sea. Taking inspiration from the pages of journals her husband wrote while working on humanitarian efforts in Indonesia after the catastrophic 2004 tsunami, Sea is the tale of a young girl who reluctantly travels to the disaster-ridden place to aid her father in his own volunteer efforts, and discovers love and the truth about her mother's mysterious disappearance three years before. Heidi's road to published writer was speckled with writing musical theatre, protesting the potential loss of the creative writing major at UC Santa Cruz, where she attended college, moving to New York City and earning a writing degree from the New School, and naively passing on the opportunity to ghost write books as offered by an editor at a major publishing house while in NYC. She eventually learned more about the publishing industry, joined a critique group with the likes of Nancy Farmer (not bad) and after participating in a "speed-dating" for agents event back in San Francisco, was presented with three requests from different agents for her book also before she'd had it done. Like C.J., another no-no they say in the timeline of finding representation for your novel. Eventually, Sara Crowe became Heidi's agent. Heidi says she literally stood on her back deck and screamed when she got the call.

Main points the two authors said to take from their experience:

1) Do your research before submitting to an agent. Don't submit blindly.

2) Surround yourself with other writers.

3) Don't expect to sell your first book, or for that matter, your second or your third.

4) Pay attention to the reactions of people when reading your book. If they're yawning or spacing out, looking bored, then you may be working on the wrong project.

I would be remiss not to mention that both ladies sang the praises of Twitter. C.J. was admittedly anti-Twitter at first, but once she got into it, and got a tweet back from YA super-author, John Green - squeals of delight - she was certain its benefits outweighed anything negative. And Heidi is the "queen of connections." Getting herself on the radar had fellow Tweeters changing their profile photo to the cover of her book, and generating pre-press buzz.

There was a short break to pause for cupcakes to celebrate another SCBWI member's birthday, and that's when I stole over to snap the photo at the top of this post. A Q & A section followed (but this post is getting too long so perhaps I'll mention more on that another time) and then the event was over.

I don't always make it to every local SCBWI event, not all of them appeal to what I'm working on - but I'm really glad that I attended this one. Not only were C.J. and Heidi gracious, funny and forthcoming, but I gained more insight into the mystical world of what it would be like to be a paid, published writer. Oh, and for future projects, both ladies are working on YA paranormal romances, moving away from the seriousness of their last books.

As for me, I'll tell you what's next on my to-do list: reading Dirty Little Secrets and Sea, and getting myself an account on Twitter.

mr. so-and-so said so - computers are gonna be big

2010-06-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

Bert and Ernie (trust me, this will make sense in a minute)

No one would ever confuse me for being a tech-savvy snob. The highlight of my formative computer using years, came in fourth-grade when Mr. So-and-So - I forget his real name - the dreaded, older, only male teacher in my school - brought computers into our classroom in Irvine, California, where my family was living at the time. He told us those big white boxes with yellow, block letters and black screens would be the wave of the future. Mr. So-and-So had to beg the school to purchase computers for our classroom. We were the very first class to use them! No other teacher in the school wanted such silly things. We were lucky, said Mr. So-and-So. We were getting a leg up on the rest of our grade. Those other kids who got the new, nice, sweet, pretty teacher, Mrs. Kennedy, were going to be sorry Sally's that they didn't get computer time! We'd show them! They'd be stuck pumping gas while we were living the life in Palm Springs, all because we got to use computers. That's what he said to a group of scraggly fourth-graders rolling their eyes.

Well, turns out Mr. So-and-So, for all of his evil ways, was right. And the best I've ever been, and probably will ever be, at computers, was in that class when I ardently typed the letters falling from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen, faster than they traveled. The golden years of computers for me - it's never been as good since.

Now, flash-forward to 2010, there are so many applications and reading thingamabobs like iPoodles, Kinkles and Nookies, that I can't keep up! But I think I got it! I think I finally got it when I read a recent article called MeeGenius!: A New Outlet for Picture Book Authors and Illustrators written by Alice Pope (who keeps a well known children's book writers blog here) in the May/June 2010 SCBWI Bulletin.

The MeeGenius! tag line is - Have you ever thought about having your books published on the iPad, iPhone and the web? Why wait to sell your books through a traditional publisher? Go digital today with MeeGenius! and become one of our noteworthy authors, distributing your books immediately to an international audience.

That said, the MeeGenius! people won't take just any joe-schmo writer or illustrator. According to Pope's article, they "plan to employ a MeeGenius! editor to monitor the quality of submissions." They don't want to be a YouTube for picture books. And the co-founder, David Park, says, "We think of ourselves as more of an Etsy type of company. We want to have really high-quality content on the site." Oooh, I love Etsy - this equals good stuff people.

Right now, if you go to the MeeGenius! site, you can view and read a couple dozen picture books for free. Mostly the classics like Jack and Jill, Cinderella, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. And what's super cool, is that you can personalize each book so that Goldilocks becomes Samantha, and the baby bear becomes Sadie. Yes, I personalized GL and her three bear friends. I had to try it out! It was actually really fun and easy. And you know that if I get it then a four year-old definitely will. What's more? There's a read-along voice and each word is highlighted as it's spoken - a couple of the key items that parents told MeeGenius! creators they wanted.

The E-books are sold through the iTunes store and the web, and according to Pope's SCBWI article, MeeGenius! is still working out the kinks in terms of their author/illustrator payouts and pricing models for the E-books, but ultimately it will be left up to the audience to see what the people are willing to pay.

One more thing, MeeGenius! is enabling a "dating service" they say, to connect illustrators with authors. Who knows, they could produce the next Sonny and Cher, Bert and Ernie, Han and Chewbacca, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Ross and Rachel - I could go on - of children's book creators.

I hate to say he was right, but if he's still alive and somewhere out there tormenting a fresh batch of kids, Mr. So-and-So's probably awfully proud of himself for guessing that computers were gonna be a big thing.

Sonny and Cher

Han Solo and Chewbacca

x-city girl rescues a baby bird

2010-06-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Time to ease the vibe a bit, if possible, in regards to yesterday's unfortunate discovery and post. May I just say that I am very sorry to hear what happened concerning the recent story in Texas, and that my thoughts are with the family and friends.

Maybe seeing this little guy will bring a smile to an otherwise sad face...

I found this baby bird - who I named Willie - on my run this morning. I reversed my route and went up a road that I normally end my run with, and out of the corner of my eye spotted something fluffy hoping along the curb in the street. At first I thought it was a ginormous bumble bee - I do wear glasses - then I discovered that it was a little bird. Willie tried to run away from me, but eventually I scooped him up. His nest was nowhere that I could see. The only tree was a tall Oak, which I was not about to climb. Some sort of animal was lurking in the bushes nearby, so either poor little Willie was gonna become road kill, or a neighborhood cat's tasty treat.

Nobody really answers their doorbell anymore, do they? Then again, no one was really around at that hour. So with that, I cupped little Willie in my hands and we started the walk home. Luckily I had only gone about a mile when I found Willie - it would've been a much longer morning had I found him somewhere in the middle of my run, around mile three... Before long, Willie's soft chirps quieted down and his shaking stopped as he settled into my palm. I should mention, by the way, that I got some pretty amused looks from the two or three passerby. With my hands cupped out in front of my waist, I must've looked like some meditative-Buddhist-practicing walker. On top of that, a damn fly kept landing on my hand and then on my ear and then back on my hand, and since I couldn't swat him away I jerked my head from side-to side and blew on my wrist like some crazy, half-possessed lady!

Anyway, back at home, Willie was given the royal treatment - that's how we roll at La Casa de Hagar of animals. Perched in a soft pink blanket inside of a shoe box, Willie snuggled up while I researched where I could take him. Lindsay Wildlife Museum turned out to be the place. They have a whole web page on what to do if you should happen to find a wild animal, like I did. Of course, if you're a mile from home with no cell phone and no one around, it's hard to know how to proceed...it's not like these things occur everyday.

What happened next? Well, Willie was given a bath and he will be nursed until he is strong and ready to be placed back where I found him...at least that's what I think. I'll find out more in a couple days when I call over there to see how he's doing. Oh, and turns out, Willie was a Quail. Yeah, Quails nest on the ground. So while I was looking up in the trees, that thing lurking in the bushes could've been Willie's mom. This is what happens when an x-city girl finds a wild animal. Now I know, should I find a baby bird again, to look for nests on the ground, not only in the trees.....

as if having the same name as sammy hagar wasn't bad enough...now there's this...

2010-06-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

According to Google Analytics, I've been getting a lot of hits from all over different areas of Texas, but none of the visitors are staying on my blog for very long. This got me thinking...what is going on? Is there another Samantha Hagar somewhere out there who's done something newsworthy....?

Yes, actually, there is...

I would just like to say, that this is not me. Unfortunately, my name is notorious in Texas now because of this. I wish the story and arrest was for some silly prank, but it's not. It's a sad story. So just for the record, I have no relation to this Samantha Hagar, or to the singer Sammy Hagar - although, I wouldn't mind having my own parking spot in Cabo and my own brand of tequila...

to kill a mockingbird

2010-06-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

Harper Lee on the set of To Kill A Mockingbird, via Wikipedia

How is it possible that I've gone 32 years without reading Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1960)?! I had good luck again on the free damaged books cart at the library where I snatched up this Pulitzer Prize winning novel, shoved it in my overstuffed laptop bag, set it on my bookshelf for nearly a month, ran out of books to read one night, remembered that I had Mockingbird, cracked it open on BART on the way to work, and have had my nose buried in its brown, withered pages for the last two weeks (yes, I read slow, but two weeks is actually fast for me).

Where to begin? There is so much to admire in To Kill A Mockingbird. Too many things to list here. So for this post, I'm going to focus solely on the protagonist, Jean-Louise Finch, a.k.a "Scout," the six-year old narrator, because she is an inspiration to me, and I'm guessing to all writers. Scout is the type of character that writer's dream of creating. I don't think Scout's physical appearance is noted anywhere in the book, other than that she wears overalls instead of dresses, and it doesn't need to be. Knowing whether or not her hair is brown or red didn't make one difference to me. Her image is crystal clear. Her actions are what set her apart...

Her hot temper and propensity to fight:

"You can take that back, boy!" This order, given by me to Cecil Jacobs, was the beginning of a rather thin time for Jem and me. My fists were clenched and I was ready to let fly.

Her distaste for school:

"Despite our compromise, my campaign to avoid school had continued in one form or another since my first day's does of it: the beginning of last September had brought on sinking spells, dizziness, and mild gastric complaints. I went so far as to pay a nickel for the privilege of rubbing my head against the head of Miss Rachel's cook's son, who was afflicted with a tremendous ringworm. It didn't take."

And further, when she attempts to blame learning swear words as another reason not to go to school:

"Aw, that's a damn story," I said.

"I beg your pardon?"

Atticus said, "Don't pay any attention to her, Jack. She's trying you out. Cal says she's been cussing fluently for a week, now."

Uncle Jack raised his eyebrows and said nothing. I was proceeding on the dim theory, aside from the innate attractiveness of such words, that if Atticus discovered I had picked them up at school he wouldn't make me go.

But at supper that evening when I asked him to pass the damn ham, please, Uncle Jack pointed at me. "See you afterwards, young lady," he said.

See what I mean? Scout exudes personality in everything that she says and does. I couldn't help but fall in love with her innocent observations and naive queries. She is the epitome of childhood. Remember when you were young, and looking into a snow globe the world inside actually seemed real? Or on nights when the tooth fairy was to arrive, her hand could practically be sensed placing a quarter under your pillow. What about when playing international spies and the sound and vibration of enemy footsteps on a bridge overhead from where you hid could be heard and felt... (okay, maybe the international espionage game was unique to me and my sister - we weren't allowed to watch television during the summer, so we came up with some pretty intricate ideas). What I'm trying to get at in my roundabout way, is that Harper Lee's characterizations of Scout are very astute, endearing, and very real. Summon up the way that world looked inside the snow globe. Reach back in time and pull those memories from your head. If you can reconstruct the innocence and feeling of childhood, like Harper Lee did with Scout, then your story will be that much more real.

a summer reading list for the rich

2010-06-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, writers don't make a lot of money, it's true. But that doesn't mean that we can't read like we don't have second and third homes in Paris and Italy. The Wall Street Journal has released the Wealth Report: The Billionaire Book Club: What The Rich Are Reading This Summer by Robert Frank. Yes, the richest of the rich actually have their own summer reading list. The good news is that regular people like me and you don't have to be on Forbes Top 100 to join this book club. JPMorgan bankers from across the globe submitted their top book picks which were then narrowed down to ten by a committee of other financial industry folks, I presume.

The top three books are:

1) On The Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System by Henry M. Paulson, Jr.

2) Life is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment by Peter Buffett.

3) The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company that is Connecting the World by David Kirkpatrick.

Read the full article here. Also, this makes me wonder, if this list is compiled by folks mainly from the financial sector, what would the list look like if top professionals from the worlds of art, music or food, etc., industries put their top picks together....?

here comes the bride...my baby sister

2010-06-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth and Amanda

Sorry I've been so absent lately. I'm trying to pick up some speed with the revisions to my novel Trevelyn's Shimmer, but also, I've been getting ready for my baby sister Elizabeth's wedding.

Lizzy is getting married this Sunday to a man that we all adore, Justin. We - as in all us sisters - like to say that only Justin can handle Liz's big personality. He puts his foot down when he needs to. He tells her like it is. He's the boss! ...at least that's what he/we like to believe. But the truth is, I think they are an equally balanced couple. They've known each other for a number of years, went to high school together but didn't know it until after graduation, and have always loved one another thru thick and thin.

When my mom married Lizzy's dad, I was thrilled to have three new sisters, even if I only got to see them over holidays and during the summer. I remember walking down the street holding Lizzy's hand one summer, when a woman passing us by looked at Lizzy and a huge smile spread across her face. "She's so adorable!" she said. I squeezed my sister's hand tighter and smiled back. I was so proud to be a big sister.

Love you Lizzy and Justin! I'm so happy for you and honored to be in your wedding!

sick day

2010-05-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

I'm too sick to blog about anything with much thought. When I'm sick I have the attention span of a gnat. I started to blog about the beauty of character development in the original Star Wars trilogy, which I watched for over six hours on the Spike network on Sunday, but then my head started to hurt. Watching television without guilt is really the only benefit of being sick, isn't it?

So since I'm too congested to put together any concrete thoughts, for now all I can manage to do is post a photo of Sadie. With a little burst of energy this afternoon I tried to get Sadie to play, but she wasn't having it - she's more into food than toys. To get away from me she slid between her bed and the wall. What can I say, she's just not a play motivated dog....or maybe it was my hacking cough...

sadie in an attempt to hide from me

fear of birds

2010-05-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

I was lying in bed with a fever last night, feeling terrible, when Modern Family came on and despite the chills and aches, I laughed...which kind of hurt, but was well worth it.

I'm a big fan of this show. I really admire the talent of the writers who put together such great, funny story lines week after week.

A segment from last night's episode shows Mitchell's partner, Cameron, singing at a wedding, while Mitchell is at home watching their baby, Lily. Somehow a pidgeon gets into the house and Mitchell freaks out. The clip below is when Mitchell decides to take matters into his own hands in an attempt to extinguish the pidgeon, with break-aways of Cameron singing:

race in america

2010-05-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

Has anyone been watching CNN Anderson Cooper's 360 doll study special on Race in America? Tonight was the second installment of the four-day series on how children view skin color. This is just a pilot study performed on a little more than 100 children of different backgrounds and races, but the results were profound. CNN says that the goal of the study was "to determine the status of children's racial beliefs, attitudes and preferences as well as skin tone biases at two different development periods. Specifically, kindergarten children and middle childhood youngsters attending grade schools in either the Northeast or the Southeast regions of the United States of America were tested by same race female testers. However, the post-test interviews conducted with children and/or their parents were not matched either by race or gender of the interviewer." You can read the full results of the CNN doll study here.

For the study, a child was shown a chart consisting of cartoon-like children, all the same in terms of body-type, dress and facial expression, the only difference being the skin color which ranged from white to black in five different shades. The child was then asked a series of questions and told to point to what skin color they thought was the answer. The interviewers asked what skin color would they most like and least like to have? Which skin color belonged to the nice child and which belonged to the mean child? Or which child would you like as your friend, and which not? An overwhelming amount of fingers (both white and black) pointed to the darker-skin cartoon child on the chart in response to the negative questions. There was also a small amount of children - usually the older ones - who said they could not answer which child was dumb or smart based on their skin color because they would need to talk to them first to find out.

Experts in the field were then shown discussing the results with Anderson Cooper. They pointed to social media, lack of parents taking time to discuss race, and/or parents discussing races other than their own in a negative way, as some of the explanations for the astounding results. And on tonight's show, one of the experts talked about the children's answers having to do with Essentialism, or rather, the idea that a child will group herself with other children of similar skin color and characteristics like height, dress and speech, as a way of identifying herself and fitting in.

I tried to imagine how I would have answered these questions as a child, but I'm not really sure what I would have said. That's why a study like this is done on children, because their minds are still quite pure. I don't really remember my parents ever talking to me about race - although I know we had the "birds and the bees" discussion because my sister reminds me, I was just too young to remember. I grew up in a fairly "white" town in Northern California, very close to San Francisco. There were children of other races at my schools, not a lot, but I was always friends with everyone, no matter what their color. That said, I can see how, even if a child has friends of every race, that they might pick their own skin color as a preference because, if they're anything like me as a child, they're most likely scared of giving an answer that will make them look bad. It seems obvious that when a child is asked who is the smart child, that that child will respond with picking the cartoon character most like them, while choosing the child with the opposite skin color as the one who is dumb. They're associating themselves with their answer and most children will want to give the positive traits to someone who looks like them, wouldn't you if you didn't know better? But, if this CNN pilot study is any indication of how the rest of our country's children would respond, I think we really need to start doing a better job of educating children about discrimination and race. That should probably start with more books and positive shows featuring children of all different colors. Watch some of the clips from CNN below and tell me, what do you think?

one was johnny: a counting book

2010-05-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

One Was Johnny: A Counting Book (Harper Trophy, 1991)

One Was Johnny: A Counting Book (Harper Trophy), originally published in 1962 by one of my favorites, Maurice Sendak, is quite a little treasure -and by little I mean that it actually fits in the palm of your hand! I stumbled upon this book when I was browsing the picture book section at Barnes & Noble the other day. I love almost anything Maurice Sendak, but this just might very well sit at the top of my list. One Was Johnny teaches kids to count to ten in a clever, fun, rhyming way. Done with simple illustrations and a minimal use of colors - various shades of blue, green, yellow, gray, black and brown - Johnny is shown as number one, sitting on a small stool near a table in his house, while peacefully reading to himself. A rat appears as number two, jumping on his shelf, followed by a cat, three, who chased the rat, then four, a dog who came in and sat.

Sendak runs through the numbers one through ten, filling up poor Johnny's room with a cast of rowdy characters, until Johnny gets annoyed and tells them that they'd better leave while he counts backwards from ten, otherwise he will eat all of them!

Johnny's facial expressions change from pleased with himself - for thinking of something so clever, while he begins to count - to angry when the monkey steals one of his bananas, to once again at peace as he happily resumes reading his book, all alone - they way he likes it!

I read this to my friend's toddler, Isabella, and she could not get enough. Normally, Isabella tends to have a very short attention span - that of a two year old! - but she planted herself right in my lap while I read One Was Johnny, not once, but twice! By round two I had her pointing to and naming all of the different animals in Johnny's room, and when we got to the picture of the turtle - who enters as number five and bites the dog's tail - Isabella pointed to him and said "Turtle's ornery!" Isabella's mom and I looked at each other and laughed - earlier that morning her mom had called her little brother ornery when he was being stubborn about getting dressed.

Below is a YouTube video showing a singalong version of One Was Johnny. I don't think the illustrations live up to the original ones in Sendak's book - Johnny wears a blue suit, not a cowboy costume - but maybe cowboys were really popular for little boys that year....

model tyra banks pens a YA fantasy series

2010-05-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

Model Tyra Banks has written a book for teens called Modelland (Delacorte Press). The first of the three-book, YA Fantasy series is scheduled to publish in the summer of 2011, according toPublisher's Weekly. Modelland is about a teen girl living in a make-believe society, competing for a way of life that is both revered and out of reach at a model academy consisting of the world's most exceptional models called Intoxibells, of course. I guess we'll have to wait until next year to find out if Banks hit the right notes. Will her tale tell the timeless story of teen angst? Will it be a coming-of-age fantasy-drama? It will be interesting to see if she's mastered the YA voice and genre - as I discuss here.

Model Tyra Banks via TV Fanatic

I guess Banks does get all sorts of hands-on experience dealing with young girls and most definitely models. I caught a couple episodes of this season's America's Next Top Model. The young lady who won, Krista White, had tried out for the show twelve times I think she said, before she even made it on. She never gave up. She stuck it out until the very end, winning a modeling contract and other nice prizes. I'll admit, there's a lot about ANTM that's a bit cheesy and at times hard to watch, but I admire someone who doesn't give up on their dreams. It takes determination and drive to see your dreams become reality - especially when those dream also happen to belong to hundreds, thousands of others. Maybe we can all learn something from that...?

rude, sad and rude

2010-05-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

What makes a person say something rude - unprovoked - to a perfect stranger? Does it make them feel better to put another down? Is there something that reminds them of a bad experience they had which makes it necessary for them to take their anger out on an innocent person?

Today I had my feelings hurt. Today was a crappy day.

I left to run an errand at lunch and saw a blind man tapping his cane against the sidewalk. He wasn't near anything. No crosswalk. No mailbox. No entrance anywhere. Clearly he was lost. People were passing him by left and right, looking at him, but not helping. I approached him and and asked if he was looking for the crosswalk. "I'm just trying not to obstruct the crosswalk," he said, laughing uncomfortably. I felt something drop in my stomach - the crosswalk was at least 100 feet away. So I told him. "The crosswalk is to your left. About 100 feet." He thanked me and seemed uncomfortable, so I left. But I couldn't stop looking over my shoulder. He wasn't moving. I turned the corner. Why didn't I just grab his arm and bring him to the crosswalk? This is what I kept asking myself. But I felt awkward. He didn't seem like he wanted any more of my help. Maybe he was scared because he was lost. I of all people should know what it's like to feel scared so much so that you're frozen and can't react.

So that was on my mind as I walked back to my office. I ascended the steps to the revolving door of my building, where a man wearing a white cap with print was exiting. He had earphones in but I was the only person around. As he passed me I smiled as if to say, "Good afternoon," when I heard him say, "She thinks she's attractive, but she's just plain ugly." I kept walking, knowing full well he was talking about me, before I turned to look at him. But his back was facing me as he continued to walk and mumble about how I was ugly.

I know I shouldn't take it personally because clearly this guy was a nut job. But how could I not take it personally? When someone tells you that you are ugly, it stings.

So my question, as I asked at the top, why do people say hurtful things to someone who they don't even know? What was it about me that made that man feel the need to insult? Was he a little off his rocker? Just got the urge to be mean? Why would I get offended, you ask, by a perfect stranger? I wish I could say that it didn't' bother me, but it did. Mostly his comment made me sad and made me wonder what goes on in a person's mind sometimes. It makes me sad that people can be so negative and callous. I'm not looking for compliments, I'm not. I just don't like being talked to like a piece of garbage by a complete stranger - by anyone for that matter - who does?

Sorry that I'm not my usual positive self tonight. I just feel sad and discouraged. I hope that tomorrow will be a better day....

bugs, bugs all around

2010-05-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sadie recovering from her ordeal....

What a day for bugs! What is it about the month of May that brings them out? Whatever it is, they were in full bloom at my house. Sadie woke me up at 5:45am, jumping on the side of my bed like she was gonna blow, and then after she went out all she wanted to do was eat - what's new? Anyway, her behavior had me all freaked out because she was acting exactly how she did last year when she had a mast cell tumor - bad, bad experience for both of us. So I scanned her over and sure enough found a bump on her side. It didn't feel the same as a tumor, at first I thought it was a skin tag, but when I shined the flashlight on it I realized what I was looking at - a tick! Ahhh! A tick! Nasty little blood-suckers. Sadie's had a tick before, but I've always caught them before they've burrowed into her skin. Eeek, the thought alone gives me the chills. So I iced it, picked it out with tweezers, then dunked the little-sucker in a cup of water. After that I washed all of the sheets and doggie beds in hot, hot, hot water. I called the vet to see if I could get the tick tested but was directed to six different numbers before getting an answer! Can you believe that? Six different numbers only to find out that nowhere in Contra Costa County do they test ticks for lyme disease. Perhaps if I was calling on behalf of myself they would have given my call more precedence. But for my dog.... no. Eventually I was re-directed to the mosquito infection control center where I was supposedly going to be told what to look for in a lyme disease infected tick. Tell me, what does mosquito control have to do with ticks? At this point I threw my hands up. If six different health organizations all within Northern California weren't concerned about my dog getting lyme disease, then why should I? I hope I don't regret my decision. Not that mosquito control could have done anything. Now I'm just going to watch Sadie like a hawk to make sure she doesn't show any signs of the dreaded Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium. I'll be kicking myself if that ever happens.

Meanwhile, while Sadie was resting up from her ordeal, I went on a run where I encountered bees, bees and more bees. Three ginormous bees flew at my face and one tried to crawl into my baseball cap. I must've looked like a freak to the car passing me by as I ripped off my ball-cap like a maniac and shook it out. Then as I neared my house I saw two men standing under a tall, yellow tree looking up. I knew what they were looking at. The week before I had walked under that same tree when I heard a synchronized buuuzzzzzzzz. Bees. Lots of 'em. Sure enough they had a nest. Reminder to stay away from that side of the street.

Now can I help it if I can't stop itching.....

what's your genre, baby?

2010-05-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

The May/June issue of Writer's Digest has some great articles on Mastering your Genre. One article in particular for the YA (young adult) writers called YA Today, had some helpful advice from a round table of agents and editors specializing in the teen market. Even if you don't write YA (I do middle-grade) I think you'll take away something valuable about writing for a somewhat fickle audience - teens. Aimee Friedman, Senior Editor at Scholastic, says that "Today's teens in particular tend to be remarkably mature, articulate and pop-culturally aware." She says that in regards to the styles and voices that YA readers respond to, "...teens have an amazing radar for inauthenticity- for "phonies"...YA readers really respond to an authentic voice- one that doesn't feel pandering or dumbed down in any way." This is the same for middle-grade readers, finding the right voice for that age group can also be tricky, but if you keep it honest and real, fresh and frank, as Wendy Loggia, executive editor at Delacorte Press, says, then you're on the right path to continuing the hallmark of what teen fiction is.

Sloppy Firsts (Random House, 2001) by Megan McCafferty (one of my favorite YA authors)

The Maze Runner (Random House, 2009) by James Dashner (an excellent page-turner)

here's a pretty good book trailer, too...

One of the most creative sci-fi/fantasy series for YAs I've seen in a while, Scott Westerfeld's The Uglies (Simon & Schuster, 2005)...and the illustrator Keith Thompson was one of my ffa's - flipside featured artist, for the artwork in Leviathan...

The esteemed members of the WD article on YA genre offered their opinions on what they'd like to see more of pop up in their inboxes: well-written paranormal; a good gay novel where sexuality is not the issue, only part of the fabric of the story; and dark-edgy fiction, and historical fiction with a paranormal twist. They also discussed what topics have reached a saturation point for YA readers - vampires! One thing that's for sure, according to agent Stephen Fraser, is that "books about disenfranchised teens will always be around... Books about a struggle with the world will always be around."

I also liked Stephen Fraser's thoughts about about being tired of receiving manuscripts with a dystopian view (hmmm, maybe I should query him) - "Let's be more creative and see something more positive. How about humor? How about surprising kindness? And let's give human beings more credit than to think everyone is basically greedy and hateful."

Are you feeling more prepared to submit your manuscript now, all of you YA writers? Are you sure about that? You might want to read Editor Anica Mrose Rissi's list of nine points that every writer should consider before submitting. The top three are: 1) Revise, revise, revise! (hey, I'm doing this!). I don't want to read your first draft ever. 2) Start with conflict and tension to raise questions, arouse curiosity and create the need for resolution. (this is currently why I am so caught up on chapter one of my book Trevelyn's Shimmer. Chapter one needs to be spot on!) and, 3) Start with the story you're telling, not with the backstory. Throw the reader directly into a conflict and let her get to know your characters through their actions. (...also something I'm doing with my book, although it's easier said than done. For some reason we newbie writers like to make sure that our readers really know exactly, precisely, specifically who and what they are reading about! We don't want anyone getting lost in the woods! Providing a road map for someone driving to your house is all fine and dandy, but it doesn't work in writing. So just stop this. Stop it, now. Trust that your readers will figure things out.)

So, what were the top five golden nuggets of advice that I grabbed from the WD Mastering the YA genre article? These:

1) Emotional truth

2) Compelling plot

3) Strong hooks

4) Unforgettable characters

5) and most importantly, Stay focused on and write about what excites you

Now are you ready to start writing the best YA ms ever? Ready. Set. GO! ...and I'll see you on the bookshelves.

life and fate....and happy mother's day!

2010-05-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

Last night my family and I watched my mom perform with her chorus at the local community civic center. Over 100 men and women - the women dressed in black, velvet tops and dark-red skirts, and the men in tuxes with dark-red cumberbums - lined the stage on rows of bleachers. They sang songs from some of the most beloved American jazz singers - Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Before each song, the chorus director gave a little background on each of the classic jazz singers' lives, explaining how their road to success was born. Almost all of them were lead to music through happenstance....

Ella Fitzgerald via Wikipedia

Ella Fitzgerald, for instance, orphaned at a young age, homeless at one point, and in trouble with the police, had a hard life. But one day, her path took her to New York City's Apollo Theatre for amateur night. Armed with a dance routine and ready to perform, her plans to dance took a backseat when a group of girls before her called the Edward Sisters, also dancers, wowed the audience with their performance, forcing serendipity to step in. Ella, knowing there was no way she could compete with the dancing trio, changed her act at the last minute. Yes, she decided to sing. Can you imagine if the Edward Sisters had gone on after Ella, instead of before? She probably would have danced and America and the rest of the world would never have been blessed with all of the amazing recordings of her talented voice.

Duke Ellington via Wikipedia

Duke Ellington also had an interesting story. His mother was overprotective, so when he got hit in the head with a bat during a baseball game, he was given a new activity - one far less precarious - depending on how you look at it, I suppose.... piano lessons. Without those piano lessons that his mother made him go to, do you think he would have discovered his love of music? Maybe. Maybe not. I guess we'll never know unless someone invents time travel and goes back to change the course of history. In any case, he became the musician he was because someone took him by the hand and lead him around a corner where he met a fate that would change his life forever.

The Unforgettable Nat King Cole via Wikipedia

Give your heart and soul to me and life will always be, la vie en rose...Louis Armstrong via Wikipedia

All of these stories made me think of how interesting life and fate is. A book called Outliers by one of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point (2000), Blink (2005) and a new book, What the Dog Saw (2009) - I can't wait to read!) talks about the phenomenon of why people become successful at something. Where do successful people come from? They're not just grown in cabbage patches overnight. No, their talents are harvested over years and years, or hours, 10,000 to be exact, before their practice really pays off and they are appreciated for their talents. Sometimes it just takes getting hit in the head with a bat before one's true destiny steps in. Sometimes it just takes someone doing something better than you, as the case with Ella Fitzgerald, to find your true calling. And sometimes people - family or friends, or maybe a stranger - are there to give you a guiding hand and help you out in life.

Last night was an exciting night for the choir singers...and not all really in a good way. Towards the end of the first act, a woman in the front row got a look on her face like she'd seen an alien in the balcony. Her cheeks went pale. Her eyes got big. And she started to sway. Seconds later and slowly, very slowly, her body went limp and the two women on either side of her, aware that their peer was falling in the middle of singing the song, ironically, When the Saints Go Marching In, caught the woman who had passed out. They held onto her arms tightly as her body continued to fall. She came to for a moment and looked like she was going to be okay, when she passed out again. This time, her two saints caught her and brought her down to sit on the steps of the first row of bleachers. She had a dazed, lost look on her face. The audience was holding their breath. But as the song ended the woman cheered up. She had support on both sides of her. She had strong hands holding her firmly. And she was not alone. Two women sat on either side of her. She was not alone. This just made me think about all of the stories told throughout the night. It's so important to have the right people by your side to catch you when you fall or to help nudge you forward when you need a little push.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

A Katie Couric interview with author Malcolm Gladwell

Not that I am an Ella Fitzgerald or a Malcolm Gladwell - not by far - but I'll never forget the two incidents that I believe helped strengthen my love of reading and writing. Both happened when I was in third-grade. One was when my teacher, Mrs. Laubaucher, read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911). I'd never been so enraptured by a book. And the other was the summer before third-grade when I got in a fight with my sister and I fell off of my dirt bike. I had to get ten stitches in my right knee. It was kind of hard to bend my leg and walk for the weeks that my knee was healing, so instead of playing outside I was in my room reading books. Not that I minded, but I'll never forget how meaningful that summer was and how it strengthened my love of stories.

So what's your story? Was there someone at your side to catch you when you fell, or to propel you in a different direction of life? What or who helped to get you where you are today?

flipside finds face lift

2010-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

via She Knows

I'm making some changes to the ole' blogaroo. First, I've performed a little face lift. I got rid of the polka dots. I'm trying to keep things simple. Also, you'll notice (if you've ever read this blog, anyway) that I've added a sub-title called ...and naive advice from a newbie writer. Yes, naive advice, because like many a new writer who is trying to find her way in the writing world, I often stumble upon little treasures of advice that I feel help me as an aspiring one-day-hopefully-in-this-lifetime-to-be-published writer, and I like to share them with you.

Between my naive advice (which actually sometimes isn't naive at all, but, rather, advice I gather from very established professionals writing in very professional magazines and blogs, etc.) and examples of what other published and esteemed writers are doing and writing and saying, I think that, eventually, all of these little golden nuggets of wisdom might actually pay off for me and you (if you happen to be a writer). And by pay off I mean that one day I might finally get paid for something that I write...wouldn't that be nice.

And one last thing....I know that a couple of months ago I said that I was going to add some chapters from the three middle-grade novels I've written (Avondale, Hipster the Crime Sniffer, and Trevelyn's Shimmer). I was also going to include a timeline and agent/editor count to show how many times my novels have been rejected, and a revision count to show, well, how many times I've revised them. I know I said that I was going to do something like that. And I plan to! I'm just not very technically savvy. Also, I'm not ready to share with you the first chapters from my three books. Trevelyn's Shimmer is on her way, but not quite ready yet...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the face lift and thanks for staying tuned!

futuristic clothing

2010-05-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

Glowing dresses, sparkling t-shirts, flashing silk chiffon...the future of clothing is here. I like to refer to Back to The Future Part II, as you'll notice, when talking about the future, especially when it comes to fashion. I was particularly fond of the self-drying jacket Michael J. Fox wore in the second BTTF movie, and his self-lacing Nike Kicks. Futuristic clothing is something that I get really excited about, so when I saw the footage of singer Katy Perry in a light-up CuteCircuit dress at the Met Gala in New York City last night, I was very happy....

via Crunch Gear

via Couture Snob

Katy Perry's dress, made by the London based company CuteCircuit, was done in silk chiffon and decked out with over 3,000 LEDs hidden inside the fabric. Throughout the night, Perry's dress morphed from something simple to something magical. She was definitely the bell of the ball, if you ask me. Now I want my own Twirkle t-shirt!

another encouraging rejection

2010-05-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

I think I might be one of the world's healthiest writers, because when I receive a rejection I don't run and cower inside of a small, dark hole. Maybe I should want to? Maybe that means I'm not sending out enough work to get rejected therefore I haven't earned as many form letters as one needs to wallpaper a room? Or maybe it's just because I honestly believe that if I work hard enough, one day, this writing thing will actually happen for me, so why exile myself to a dark room?

I got a fresh rejection from Highlights Magazine today for a short story I wrote called The Amazing Deirdre. This was the first piece I've ever sent them, so I guess I can't get too discouraged. And I feel like the rejection was promising - one that makes me think that my writing doesn't totally suck (another reason against self-inflicted exile). Highlights' form letter lists a slew of reasons why your manuscript is being returned. A check mark indicating the reason that applies to your story gives you more insight into the whys. Reasons listed vary from: "It lacks a fresh approach," to, "It has too much narration or description," to, "It involves stereotyped roles," or "It lacks a tight focus." The reason my manuscript was rejected: "It is not suited to our present needs." Okay. I'll take that! I feel like that was one of the more benign reasons. Plus, the editor who reviewed my story wrote me a personal note thanking me for thinking of them.

So what do I do with The Amazing Deirdre now that she's been rejected from my top two picks? Hmmm....that's a good question. Well, I send her onward to the next appropriate magazine. I've got a whole list of em'. I'll wait the average 3 to 6 months that it takes a magazine to reply, and I'll work on other stories and revisions for my book Trevelyn's Shimmer - when will I not be revising Trevelyn's Shimmer? Geesh. One day that book will be all cleaned up and it will rock and you will like it! In the meantime, I'll also be continuing to repress the urge to crawl into any small, black holes.

wrinkle in time goes graphic novel style

2010-04-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: photo by J. Culkin on Publisher's Weekly

Publisher's Weekly announced on Monday that Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time is going to be adapted into a graphic novel. Author and cartoonist Hope Larson is the talented, lucky lady who gets to give Wrinkle an edgy overhaul. I wasn't familiar with Larson's work until I read the PW article - I'm not really a graphic novel connoisseur, although I do appreciate the work that goes into them - but I'm very excited to see what Larson comes up with. What will the three Mrs. W's (Who, Whatsit and Which) look like? And the Happy Medium? How about Aunt Beast? one of my favorite characters. And I'm very curious to see what Larson does with IT. Graphic Wrinkle is scheduled to debut in the fall of 2012, in time to coincide with the 50th anniversary of A Wrinkle In Time's original pub date.

i'm a mac girl now

2010-04-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yippee! I'm happy to say that my new MacBook has finally arrived. In fact, this post is coming to you directly from the white keyboard of my beautiful, new purchasesay! I've got a lot to learn. It took me a minute of browsing thru the guidebook to figure out how to use the touchpad -oh, sorry, the trackpad. Now I need to learn how to backspace delete, how to skype my buddies and more importantly, how to transfer my documents and photos over to this fancy new gizmo so I can get my writing on?! In case you were wondering about my old PC, which supported me loyally for the last two years before it decided it'd had enough...the old Notepad did sputter back to life briefly before going into blackout mode again, and now the old gal, seeing her competition, is up and running. But I don't trust her. One bad move and that thing will go black again. Besides, onwards and upwards...I'm a Mac girl now :)

seven reasons why a reader stops reading

2010-04-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

There's an interesting article written by Chuck Sambuchino over on the Writer's Digest site titled 7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter. This is interesting for any of you newbie writers hitting road blocks with chapter one (like me).

The first three reasons agents say they stop reading a manuscript are:

1) Generic Beginnings. Agents state that stories which open with the date or the weather do not hold a reader's interest or attention. My writing buddy recently gave me a copy of Donald Maass's The Fire In Fiction (Writer's Digest Books, 2009) where Maass talks about weather as an opener. He says, "Weather openings are common - and dull. At my office, we toss them aside with grunts of impatience." He goes on to say that there are some instances where weather as an opener works and he gives an example. But the only way weather has an affect on readers is "not because it is an outward portent but because it is tied to an inward storm. A lighting flash in the sky is a cliche until it is fused to a bolt of interior tension. Describe the plain old weather and who cares? Provoke anxiety in the readers first and then - brrr- the icy November drizzle gives us a chill."

2) Slow beginnings. Nothing puts the kabosh on chapter one faster than unnecessary backstory (well, except weather, apparently) Maass says backstory is a low-tension trap that keeps the action from movin' along.

3) Trying too hard. Too many big words = classic newbie writer mistake. If you find yourself turning to your thesaurus more often than not, give it a rest. Or I like to say, if you go back and read your story and forget the definition of the big word you used, you might want to omit it. Remember the Friends episode where Joey writes a letter of recommendation to the adoption agency for Monica and Chandler? He changes "hearts" to "aortic pumps."

Hop on over to the Writer's Digest site to read the four other reasons agents stop reading your first chapter. And happy writing ~

homeless man left for dead

2010-04-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is off the subject of this blog and what I try to focus on, I'm hesitant to even write this, but I feel like I need to comment on the recent story about the homeless man who was left for dead on the sidewalks of NYC after trying to help someone. I hate to say this, but I'm not surprised that no one stopped to help the man, Mr. Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax. It's sad that this is forever how his name will be remembered. My heart goes out to his family and friends.

I say that I am not surprised, because I was once hit by an SUV when I was living in New York City, and numerous people walked right on by me before one person (reluctantly) stopped to see if I was okay. I was waiting in a crosswalk on the Upper East Side, directly across from the 77th street subway station (and a hospital) when I heard a woman scream. Traffic was going south so I was looking right, and when I looked to my left where the woman was pointing, all I saw was a big bumper and then wham. I was standing just at the edge of the curb and was knocked a few feet out into the cross street. My purse and my umbrella went flying from my hands. I thought that both of my arms were broken. I was completely in shock and couldn't move. The owner of the SUV, who was illegally parked and had backed up into a pedestrian crosswalk, stopped for a split second, didn't get out, then just drove away. The light turned green and people started crossing the street. One group of 20-somethings passed me laughing and a girl pointed behind her saying "There's a hospital right there." Several other people walked by and all of them just stared. No one stopped the SUV from driving away. I was still sprawled out in the street and couldn't move. I tried to get up but my arms were useless. One young man asked if I was okay. When I didn't reply because I was still in shock, he began to walk away (I guess he thought I was being rude for not answering quickly). When I realized that I could be lying there for who knows how long because I couldn't push up off my arms to stand, I yelled out after him and asked him if he could help me to my feet. He picked me up under my arms, then quickly walked off.

I did go to the hospital after that. Amazingly, I didn't break anything but I had to wear a sling on my right arm for a couple of days. The x-ray technician at the hospital was disgusted when I told him my story, and amazed that I hadn't broken any bones. I was told later, when I tried to report the hit-and-run to the local precinct, that I should have called an ambulance even though I was just feet from an emergency room. They couldn't make a report because I hadn't called 911.

So reading this article about Mr. Tale-Yax brings back fresh memories. In fact I'm shaking as I write this I'm still so angry about what happened to me. It's a reminder, a terrible one, that we should all be paying better attention to our fellow human-beings. I'm trying not to judge the people who walked past Mr. Tale-Yax without intervening. I know there is a fear for some in getting involved. But are we so jaded and busy that if a person is bleeding to death, or gets hit by a car, we can't stop to see if they are okay? If this had happened anywhere else, in a suburb or smaller city, do you think Mr. Tale-Yax might still be alive?

plastiki going strong

2010-04-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: check out Plastiki's flickr photos

The Plastiki has been at sea for over one month now. You can read the latest updates from the mastermind behind the recycled plastic bottle boat, David de Rothschild, here. He talks about missing his dog (I would be so sad to leave my Sadie for that long), what it's like sharing such a small space with six other people, how the boat is handling the sea, and there's also an awesome trailer to watch about the Plastiki voyage and discoveries....

from when I was a kid - how do I love thee?

2010-04-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, the above color-pencil drawing was done by me...in junior high. Although, something I would draw now would look very similar. This is why I'm so envious of all you illustrators - I WISH I could draw! Just like I wish I could play the piano and speak fluent French.

But you can't be good at everything, and this isn't the 1800's when women were expected to know how to sew a dress while playing the violin and making dinner at the same time. I digress...

So I'm ashamed of my art, yet it also gives me a giggle. Anyway, I wanted to share another poem I wrote in junior high called, How Do I Love Thee? By the way, this is from the same book of poems where my teacher wrote that I should think about majoring in writing in college...and I earned an A. Read more about that here.

On the self-evaluation page I wrote that this poem was my favorite: "I like it because I love the ocean and the beach. It's a nice place to be and you can have lots of fun going there and writting about it." I spelled writting with two T's back then. oops. Maybe it's because I'm a Pisces, but I still have a fascination with the ocean. I could literally sit on the beach all day and stare at waves...

How Do I Love Thee?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways

I love the color, the depth, the beauty

My mind can glide with your beautiful waves

I love the freshness and the solitude

I love the touch of the warm golden sand

My hands can sift through salty water

I love the sound you make when you crash down

I love the smell of your morning dew

The seagulls that gracefully fly around

I love the oceans blue, soft, silky waves

My feet slip on your green, slimy seaweed

I love to run on the ocean front waves

I love thee mountains that stretch around you

Mostly I just love being around you.

man of the woods: gary paulsen

2010-04-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

"Go home and kill your t.v.'s. Television is carbon-monoxide for the mind." That was just one of the statements made by famed Newbery Honor writer, Gary Paulsen, at last night's reading for his new book Woods Runner (Wendy Lamb Books, 2010). You might know Paulsen for some of his other works like Hatchet (1987), probably the most famous and beloved of all his books and one that is adored by millions of young readers, or Dogsong (1985) (another Newbery Honor winner). In fact, the first three books he wrote for kids were Newbery Honor winners.

After a month of touring with Woods Runner, Mr. Paulsen, gray-bearded, wearing a baseball cap, navy suspenders, a turtleneck and blue jeans, wound down the tour in the town of Danville, CA, where my critique partner and I saw him last night. We arrived early and stepped into a fast-growing line filled with excited kids holding various Gary Paulsen books in their eager little hands. And I'm happy to say that the majority of kids last night were boys. No surprise there really (if you've ever read a Paulsen book you know they're filled with weapons, woods and wounds) but great to see, nonetheless, given the fact that boys are notoriously reluctant readers. In fact, Paulsen said that when he first approached a major publisher back in the 1980's, "You'd know his name if I said it," the editor told him that a book for boys would never sell because boys don't read. "Why not?" Gary asked. "Because," said the editor, "there are no books for boys." Mr. Paulsen laughed and hit his forehead.

Gary Paulsen signing a book

Mr. Paulsen admits that he was a terrible student when he was younger. "I'd like to stand up here and tell you that I went to Harvard and got a degree in literature. I'd like to tell you that, but it wouldn't be true," he said. No, instead he found himself, raised by poor drunk parents who didn't really care, repeating grades and skipping the majority of 9th grade to escape to the woods - the one place, he says, where he can always go, despite what's happening in his life, to feel better. The tipping point in Mr. Paulsen's young life was the day he stumbled into a library and was given a library card. "I'd never been given anything in my life," he said. "That librarian changed my life." She gave young Paulsen a book. He took it home to the basement in his apartment building to read. Six weeks later he'd finally finished the book. He brought it back to the librarian. She gave him another book. This time it took him five weeks to read. Then he was given another, until eventually he was reading two books a week.

When he was 17-years-old, Paulsen forged his parents signature and enlisted in the Army. There he met a man who would further change his life - a rough man who didn't have a problem putting his hands on you. Paulsen found himself pushed down to the ground numerous times when disobeying orders, but each time he was walloped, he'd pick himself back up again. After the Army, he married and aimed high, getting a job as an engineer and making more money than most people in those days. He was living the American dream, yet something was still missing...

Eager readers lined up to get their Paulsen books signed

He quit his high-paying job and comfortable life, and moved to Hollywood, CA where he auspiciously discovered that two of his neighbors were editors. They made him write one short story a night and over 60/cent martinis they'd critique his work. They tore it up, but he learned. The best thing was that he learned. While in Hollywood, he met actor Steve McQueen, worked on scripts and got sucked into the "Hollywood scene" which was not for him. So what did he do? He escaped to the woods...

Fast-forward a bit and now living in a remote part of the Minnesota woods, Paulsen wrote his first two stories (and sold them for about $350/each). While there he also tells us how his love of dog racing began, and his feeble start, "I was saying 'Mush! Mush!' but these dogs had no idea what I was talking about." In fact, it was in the woods, while competing in the 1,180-mile Alaskan dog-sled race called the Iditarod, that he wrote the first draft of Hatchet. A funny side note was his story about the first time he competed in the Iditarod. His lead-dog, Cookie, was panicking the first day of the race, so someone loaned him another lead-dog who he was told had done races before. "Instead of turning, that dog went straight, cutting a path through the crowd." He laughs. The audience pictures sixteen dogs and Paulsen being dragged on a sled over pavement and through streets and neighborhood yards. "We passed a cocker-spaniel who I'm sure never left his yard again."

At one point, Paulsen mentions what inspired him to write for children and about the woods. He was out with his dogs, during one of the races, and while passing over a hill and cluster of trees, he saw the dogs' breath rise up and fall over their backs in a ghostly mist. He stops to remember and takes a deep breath "I've never seen anything so beautiful."

Paulsen didn't read from his new book, I was hoping he would, but he didn't. And at the end of telling his life story, he only had time for a couple of questions. He mentioned how he never knew Hatchet would become such a success and was honored, when in 2007 the book actually helped save a young boy's life. The 12-year-old boy wandered off from his North Carolina boy scout troop and was lost in the woods for several days. His father said he was hopeful that some of the lessons his son had learned from reading Hatchet, had sunk in - most importantly, staying calm. Paulsen said that he was in the middle of butchering some of the catches from his trappings in the Alaskan woods, when he was called in to be interviewed by Anderson Cooper on CNN. He said he showed up at the studio in Alaska covered in blood. "It would have been really interesting if I'd been carrying my axe, too," he laughs. You can read a transcript of that CNN interview, here.

Paulsen signing away

I didn't stay to get my copy of Hatchet signed. I brought it with me but the line was filled up quickly with kids. I always love going to author events like this, especially with writers as well-known as Gary Paulsen, because it's interesting to see the writer's interaction with his fans. At the beginning of the night, the principal of the school where the event was being held, told the kids they could come up to the front and sit on the ground. Wow did they move fast! Before you knew it the entire floor in front of Mr. Paulsen was covered with little Indian-style sitting bodies. As I mentioned, I wished there'd been more time for Paulsen to answer questions. Dozens of anxious hands were waving in the air. But in the end only three questions were asked (and only two of them I remember): "What was your favorite book to write?" a little girl with black hair asked. "Woods Runner, and Hatchet." "What was your favorite dog?" asked a round-cheeked boy in white. "Cookie," said Paulsen, matter-of-fact. "No doubt, Cookie."

d.o.g.s

2010-04-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

If you read this blog you know that I love dogs. So how could I not absolutely love the book by that title, Dogs by author/illustrator Emily Gravett. That is why I would like to appoint Ms. Gravett as my newest pick for flipside featured artist. Not only is her story about loving all types of dogs adorable, her illustrations are fantastic, too. Pencil and watercolor make up the winsome pictures of all different types of dogs from "stroppy dogs to soppy dogs," to "dogs that play and dogs that won't" (ah, Sadie falls into the latter).

Ms. Gravett has also written numerous other books for kids like The Odd Egg, Orange Pear Apple Bear, and Monkey and Me. Of course I think Dogs is my favorite, even if she didn't add any Norwich Terriers... ;)

Check out her website where you will enter through the door of an old library and inside find all kinds of wonderful things. And if you know anyone who loves dogs as much as me, this book would make a great gift for adults and kids alike.

(All photos from Emily Gravett. Gravett, Emily. Dogs. London: Macmillan, 2009).

photo pops and three of the four corners

2010-04-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

On the road again, photo pops was on the road again... This time we're taking a trip through Arizona, Colorado and Utah... a little factoid, did you know that along with New Mexico, the three previous states mentioned all touch at one corner making up the only such geographical point in the United States called the Four Corners.

Spring storm over sandstone rocks near the border of Arizona and Utah.

Sandstone rocks in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona.

Looking west towards Buckskin Mountains.

Gobble-gobble-gobble. Turkey's crossing the road in Zion National Park. By-the-by, have I mentioned how the turkeys are out in my own neighborhood? I come across them almost every day that I go for a run, and lemme tell you, they're not always so pleasant. They are quite beautiful when they spread their wings, but when they do that it usually means they're upset or being protective about one thing or another. One of them even hissed at me the other day. I swear I was minding my own business, these birds just have a bit of attitude..if you ask me.

Waterfall in Zion National Park.

Tree amongst red rock. (This is my favorite).

(Okay, I like this one, too). Sandhill Cranes migrating to Yellowstone for their summer break.

Where can you find sand, snow and water all in one place? The Great Sand Dunes National Monument at 8,000 feet, near Alamosa, CO. That's where.

Sand dunes. Thirty-square miles to be exact. Some as tall as 750 feet.

Sand dunes at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in Southern Colorado.

Good stuff, right? Please feel free to share which photo you liked the best. Next, photo pops is headed for Switzerland- that is only if Iceland's volcano stops erupting...

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

what's a writer to do when she's not writing?

2010-04-17T17:58:00.001-07:00

On Thursday my laptop finally decided it'd had enough. One minute the screen was filled with words - my book Trevelyn's Shimmer, to be exact - and the next nothing but a black screen. I'm really trying not to freak out because I've been pretty consistent with backing-up my work. Of course, the one day I didn't back-up the edits of my manuscript was the day my computer went ka-put. Luckily, I had been procrastinating that day so I didn't make any major changes, and I'm still hoping my work can be recovered... So now, I'm pulling together some savings, which totally sucks and really hurts, and trying to decide what kind of laptop I should get (your suggestions are totally welcome, by the way).

I've had two free days to spend not-writing. Two days that I would normally be glued to my computer. Two days, too long. See, I'm not one of those writers who waits around for inspiration to strike. If I have a day off to write, I write. Yes, sometimes I spend chunks of time staring into space, but my mind is always working and thinking about what to do next in my story.

I was talking with my step-mother this morning about my laptop issue. "I feel so helpless," I said. "I don't know what to do with myself and all of this free time not writing."
"Read," she said. "Why don't you just sit down and read?"

And she's so right! I do read. I read quite a lot, actually. But I haven't been reading enough. I've been so hyper-focused on revising my book, that any time spent away from it makes me anxious. Yet, I know it's so important for writers, published or not, to keep abreast on the news in our industry. I've cut back on some of the subscriptions I used to buy - probably like most people - however, I still get Writer's Digest - a must-have for writers, in my opinion. That said, there's a pile of unread Writers Digests collecting dust in my room. I also have the March/April 2010 SCBWI bulletin (Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators) to read. And countless websites like Publisher's Weekly, and agent blogs with invaluable information like Nathan Bransford's and Jill Corcoran's, as well as the Children's Book Council site, where I was happy to learn of the Children's Choice Awards - that's the most popular books for kids decided upon by kids. Plus, so many more websites, that are sadly saved on my dang busted laptop under My Favorites...ah! I'm trying not to freak out....

One day Spider, one day....

Inside, such good advice from my peers...

Oh, Cricket. You know you want one of my stories!

It could be so easy to sit around and snack and watch episodes of Top Chef Masters and Vampire Diaries, while I decide on which laptop to buy (I clearly don't make quick decisions). But I know I need to be doing more. So I will go to my local bookseller and buy the latest issues of magazines that I dream of being in - a la Cricket, Spider and Highlights. I buy them, the cashier asks if I am a teacher, I say no, sometimes they give me a strange look (I guess I don't look like a person with kids), then I'll go home and read and study. Hey! You want to know a great place to find suggestions on pieces to write?...straight from the mouths of babes, as a matter of fact? The Letterbox section in Cricket Magazine. Yeah! That's the place where readers write in on what they really liked reading, what they want to read more of, and what outside books they're currently loving, or not. Kids chime in on topics ranging from their favorite animals to chronic diseases affecting their family or friends. Seriously, check it out. Letterbox, and the-like, gold-mine for writers.

So, now that I'm more caught up on my reading, I realize I need to make a calendar to set aside "reading-time" and "writing-time." It's just so easy to get sucked into writing a book or short story for one of my dream magazines.

And by the way, I really would appreciate any suggestions anyone has on what kind of laptop I should buy. I'm torn between biting the bullet and investing in a Macbook Pro, or going the less expensive route and getting another PC...?

"U @ 50"

2010-04-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

"A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite."

A friend of mine sent me this link for a video that a 20-year-old created for a contest called "U @ 50" by AARP. Very clever. I'm always so impressed when someone that young creates something so deeply insightful.

Watch the short video here: Lost Generation.

who? which one? why, mrs. whatsit, dear lamb

2010-04-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that I'm pretty obsessed with Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, right now. I'm reading it again. I've only read Wrinkle three times before, so not a lot...yet. But every time I open it up I like it better and better. I can't get enough of little Charles Wallace and I love Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe's sweet friendship. Sometimes in my own writing I struggle with writing believable relationships. I like the quirks and peculiarities of the characters in Wrinkle. How can you not admire Ms. L'Engle for creating such unique, forward-thinking kids before their time?

That said, my word-of-the-week posts should be renamed word-of-the-month, or every-other-month, because I've been such a slacker! Sorry about that. In any case, here's a new word straight from the pages of A Wrinkle in Time...

Supine (adj): Lying on the back or with the face upward. Lethargic. Sluggish.
Used in a sentence: “Oh, dearie me,” Mrs. Whatsit said, lying on her back in the overturned chair, her feet in the air, one in a red and white striped sock, the other still booted... “If you have some liniment I’ll put it on my dignity,” Mrs Whatsit said, still supine.

(L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinke in Time. New York: Square Fish, 1962).

queries and personal ads...

2010-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

I thought this post called "Love is Like a Bottle of Query" on the Rejectionist was quite clever. It's about how manuscript queries that literary agents receive from writers are similar to the personal dating ads found on Craigslist. I think number 4 is my favorite. The whole scenario of being inundated with letters like these literary agents receive from hopeful writers, reminds me of when I worked at Christie's auction house. Every day my inbox would be flooded with adamant letters from people claiming to have found an unknown Picasso in the dumpster behind their house. I can relate to the OMG! Give me a break! moments these literary agents must constantly have......I just hope I'm not one of the writers giving it to them! lesson learned....

what makes a word popular?

2010-04-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I hear certain new words in my friends' or acquaintances' lexicon, words that have suddenly become popular, and I wonder how or why they've become so common? Why, all of a sudden, is everyone I know saying "doppelganger" "napalm" or "gravy" when those words didn't even exist in their vocabulary five months ago? (And yes, those are the actual words that have inspired this post...)

popular culture

This is what I've come up with: Pop culture. Yeah, pop culture. Seems obvious, right? So far, people in their 20's and 30's seem to be the main-abusers of the above words, and I figure the major reasons are because we're watching the same shows, reading the same magazines, and viewing similar commentary from friends on social networking sites, like Facebook. You ever read an email from someone and then reply using a word that you haven't used before thinking to yourself "I'm so clever," only to realize that that same word was right there in your friend's email? I have. I revise and delete when that happens so my friend doesn't think I'm an echo, but then I'll use the word in a future email to someone else (sometimes without even thinking), thus creating a chain of popular vocabulary.

popular words, man

A dear friend of mine says "man" a lot. As in, "I worked on this project today that was really tough, man." or "I don't know, it's one of those tricky things, man." After hearing her say this several times, I now find myself using "man" much more frequently...man.

East Coast vs. West Coast

Maybe it's regional? Californians use some interesting slang (like man, although I think that started from an East-Coaster?). When I first moved to New York I worked with people from nearby towns associated with heavy, nasal accents - Long Island, the Bronx, Brooklyn and New Jersey. When I started saying "Bless" after someone sneezed, instead of "Bless you", and pa-jahmas instead of pah-jamas (as I'd been saying it) I realized that my transition into a New Yorker had officially begun...it's since reversed.

what about you?

So why do you think some words suddenly become popular? Is it pop culture? Regional? Age? What are some of the popular words that you currently hear, and where are they being used?

every doggie has a soul and this one smiles

2010-04-01T20:15:00.001-07:00

(photo of Smiley Riley courtesy of www.msn.com)

You've probably seen the photo of "Smiley Riley" by now. No? I hadn't either until this morning when I opened the Internet and there he was!

Riley's owner, a San Jose, CA resident, gave her pooch a slice of birthday cake for his 1st birthday, and this human-like smile was the result.

This photo made me laugh but then kind of freaked me out at the same time. Doesn't it look like a human is behind those pink-rimmed eyes? This just proves that animals have souls, too.

Now if I could only get Sadie to do something cool like pout...hmmm.

water made out of thin air

2010-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

The April 2010 issue of Diablo Magazine has a section dedicated to Eco Awards. The East Bay of Northern California is proud to boast that it is the epicenter of the eco-arena with an abundance of eco-friendly entrepreneurs and jobs.

There were some pretty incredible inventions, but I really liked the Ecoloblue water cooler winning for "Causing Plastic Bottles To Disappear." This is really amazing. The Ecoloblue's tag-line is "pure perfect water made out of thin air." Working similar to a dehumidifier, the Ecoloblue takes water vapor and condenses it into drinkable water. Pro tennis player Wayne Ferreira invented the water bottle-less cooler after seeing the amount of plastic bottles discarded by players after events.

What's even more amazing, other than the technology, is that this water cooler could potentially reduce water shortages and provide clean water for people in places that lack drinkable H2O. The Ecoloblue produces up to eight gallons of water a day. Not bad.

car of the future

2010-03-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

In Shanghai, GM, in partnership with the makers of Segway, unveiled a concept for future cars. These cars are for city-use, seat two people, run on electricity from a regular home electric outlet, they communicate with other cars on the road to reach destinations faster and avoid traffic or accidents, and they go up to 25mph.

Reading the comments section of the full article, here shows that there are a lot of mixed reviews. Most people think the future car is too small to be safe, makes for lazier people (why not just walk) and don't like that there is no storage space, or they think it's just another harebrained idea from GM. Others think it's high time we put our environment first, some think this car is the perfect solution for the overcrowded polluted streets of China, where the future car concept is aimed - "GM says an EN-V is about one-third the length of a traditional car. A parking lot could hold 10 times the number of EN-Vs as regular cars."

What do you think?

"rear gear butt cover"

2010-03-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

When someone invents something like this it's either pure genius or, or not... in this case it might border on genius - they're sold out... Rear Gear Butt Covers for your Cat and Dog.

(photo from Etsy shop RearGear)

the plastiki sets sail!

2010-03-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

(photo from Flickr Farewell Plastiki photosteam)

The Plastiki (the boat made out of 12,500 plastic bottles and other waste materials) set sail on Saturday, March 20th out of a harbor in Sausalito, California. I sadly missed the launch (I was out of town celebrating my birthday). If you missed the launch too, you can watch it on the Plastiki blog.

It looks like the crew got a bit of a slow start since they are using mainly wind power, but now they are on day 3 and things are speeding up. Skipper Jo Royle writes on the Plastiki blog that the they've been getting some rogue waves pushing them around, but that they're doing a good job of recovering.

It's crazy to think that "roughly 50% of plastic bottles end up in the ocean" thus the creation of the Plastiki to open our eyes..... read more FAQ on the Plastiki here.

it is a two-letter word

2010-03-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

"it"

That's right, the word "it" is not my friend. For that matter "but" likes to bully my writing, too (I'll get to that word another time, though...)

For now I'd like to focus on how using too much of it can be a bad thing - a detriment to your writing. It is a lazy filler for better, more descriptive words, words that can help move your story forward and draw your readers in.

It was pointed out to me a few weeks ago while my manuscript, Trevelyn's Shimmer, was being critiqued. Apparently I'm partial to the word and I didn't even know I was using it so much. Using the word it instead of describing what it is, is lazy writing. Of course, sometimes you can't avoid using it. When you're using it to represent an inanimate object, a person, animal, or a thing with no distinguishable gender previously mentioned in a sentence, there's really no better choice? Or is there...?

adjectives - easy! not too many!

I'm not suggesting painting your manuscript with floor-to-ceiling adjectives to replace it. But why not try to use them where you can? Or if you have an object with an unassigned gender, assign it one. Why not? Foreign languages, other than English, assign every word a gender. In Spanish a table is a she, a car is a he. In French a book is a he and a bike is a she. And universal knowledge holds that a boat is a she - she's a beauty!

Here's an example of a passage from my manuscript where I clearly used the word it one too many times: "The balloon had grown – again. It pinched against the corners of the closet as though it were a giant ducking its head and hunching its shoulders. It squeaked and rubbed against the walls attempting to wiggle loose, but I threw the weight of my body against it and closed it back in, hoping that it wouldn’t pop."

It count = 8. You probably didn't need me to highlight the its to realize how many there were - an annoyingly high amount.

Now here's the sentence revised with adjectives and gender assigned to replace it: "The balloon had grown – again. The swollen, red rubber pinched against the corners of the closet like a giant ducking his bulbous head and hunching his aching shoulders. The balloon squeaked and rubbed against the walls attempting to wiggle loose, so I threw the weight of my body into the spongy material and closed it back in."

It count = 1. Better, right? At least I hope so! In assigning a gender to the balloon and describing the balloon as "swollen, red rubber", or having a "bulbous head", I've turned the balloon from an inanimate object to an actual character in the book - which was something that I had been trying to do!

Let's face it - the word can be like cancer eating away at your prose. If you are like me and let it rob your story, go through your manuscript and highlight the word so you can see where it is unnecessary. Then think outside of the box and stop being a lazy writer! :)

If you're partial to it, what are some of the tricks you use to bag this naughty two-letter word?

(it count in this post = 31)

say it with a wave

2010-03-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Staying on the topic of the beach and the big beautiful blue, I spotted a wordless picture book at Copperfield's bookstore the other day that blew me out of the water.... Wave by Suzy Lee (Chronicle Books, 2008). I can't really explain this book, you just have to see it for yourself. Not only is Wave my new favorite wordless picture book, I'm making Suzy Lee flipside's featured artist this month.

"A sunny day."
"A curious little girl."
"A playful wave."

"Artist Suzy Lee has taken these three simple elements and created a visual tour de force that needs absolutely no words to tell its universal story." I couldn't say it any better than that. I love wordless picture books because you can make up your own story, or you can just enjoy the illustrations. I think it would be fun to sit with a group of children and ask them to write one word for each picture which they feel best describes that picture. I'd be curious to see what they'd come up with. Play along yourself with the three pictures posted below if you like. I've added my own words.....

Almighty

Carefree

Mistrust

Suzy Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea and now lives in Singapore. She has also produced several other beautiful wordless picture books like La Revanche des Lapins (Revenge of the Rabbits) and ALICE in Wonderland, both of which I'm itching to buy.

(Lee, Suzy. Wave. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2008).

we got more bounce in california...

2010-03-16T09:48:00.001-07:00

As I said in an earlier post, photo pops was in town the other week road-tripping through California. Living amongst the trees and rivers of Colorado, he was in need of some serious beach time and he found it. The following photos were taken in Newport Beach in Southern California, and along the Sonoma Coast winding along Highway 1 from the Russian River to Bodega Bay. 4-18-10: UPDATE: Photo Pops tells me that the elephant seals were near Hearst Castle just a few miles North of Cambria, not at Newport Beach. Oops! Sorry about that.

Blind Beach along the Sonoma Coast.

Goat Rock Beach on the Sonoma Coast.

The clouds are moving in. Nature-made water tunnel at Goat Rock Beach.

The Elephant Seals were out in full force near Cambria (see update above). If you've ever been around these guys during mating season then you've heard the loud roaring noises the bulls make.

Ah, I like to think that they're cuddling here, but something tells me this is a protective pose..... Never get too close to a cow and her pups. Don't let the blubber fool you, they can move faster than me and you on sand.

"Feed me!"

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

critique groups - are they for you?

2010-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago I attended an SCBWI workshop on forming and running a critique group given by Becky Levine, author of The Writing and Critique Group Survival Guide.

My own critique group experience has been varied. The first group I joined was an extension of a 6-week course on writing for children, taught by an editor from a major publishing house. The three other students and I sent a chapter to each other every week which we’d read and review then discuss at the following class. This was great because most people stuck with the deadlines, but looking back, my only criticism would be that everyone was too nice. Yes, too nice. Not to say I wanted anyone to be mean – nobody wants an evil CG partner beating up their prose – we were just too nice in the sense that our feedback was too timid. If critiques are passive then nothing substantial gets done. After that CG ended, I started a group of my own with one of the girls from the class. We met every Sunday and once a week to critique, bounce ideas off of each other, challenge ourselves with on-the-spot writing exercises, and ended the day with a glass of wine or two... sometimes three - Thursday nights weren’t always so productive, but they sure were fun! And finally, my latest CG is one I joined through the list of interested critiquers provided by SCBWI. My writing buddy and I have been posing the tough questions to one another about our novels. Rewrites are constant. Thinking so hard about plot changes that my brain actually hurts, has become normal. But learning more about myself as a writer has been the reward. When you’re pushed to work harder than you ever have before on your book, the image of it bound together by a hardcover with the name of a respected publisher on the spine becomes that much more realistic. Like boot camp for your novel - how can it not get stronger?

At the seminar, Levine said there are two fears that keep people from joining critique groups: 1) the writer is afraid their writing will be trashed, and 2) the writer fears they aren't skilled enough to make solid critiques. She also said that the number one most important factor to have is trust, because with trust, respect is born. This is so true. Sharing your novel, your baby, essentially, can be nerve-wracking for many writers.

In the end, to decide if joining a CG is right for you, why not just try and find out? Levine gave good advice saying you don't have to commit right away. Ease your way in to see if it's a fit. There are a lot of factors involved with finding the right group. And when you do find a good fit, Levine recommends adding one person at a time. Go slow.

My own personal experience has been pretty positive...maybe that’s just luck, or maybe it’s part of the theory that you get what you give. If you’re willing to put the time in to give wholehearted critiques, others will likely do the same.

trip to the beach

2010-03-09T08:34:00.001-08:00

Photo Pops was in town this week from Colorado. We took a trip to the beach one day, a Northern California beach which means it was bloody cold and breezy, but green and beautiful. The dog beach was closed. We found a way around that though, and Sadie saw the ocean for the first time.

Here we are walking to the dog beach. I'm struggling to keep my hood on in the wind.

And here we are in the car doing the classic "bunny ears" pose.

afternoon naps

2010-02-26T14:05:00.000-08:00

Early this afternoon when I was out on a run- before the crazy wind and rain started - I ran by a parked post office truck and saw the postman sitting inside taking a snooze. It just made me think, wouldn't it be nice if we could all take siestas during the work week here in America? Makes me want to go to Spain or South America - they get to take siestas there on a regular basis, right?

what would we be without each other

2010-02-25T23:27:00.000-08:00

What would we be without ideas from each other? What would we be without advice from one another? What would we be without a slap on the back? What would we be without some space and some slack? Time to think about the words we share. Time to absorb between here and there. Yes. What would we be without ideas from each other?

nice guys finish last

2010-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

You've heard the expression before, nice guys finish last...well if it's not always true in life, it's certainly true in writing. I'm finding, after various critiques with my witting buddy, that I'm well, sort of a wimp when it comes to hurting any of my characters. "You start the threat, but then don't follow through," that's the critique I recently received about my book Trevelyn's Shimmer, which I've stopped shopping around to work on further, after numerous rejections from editors.

My writing buddy is right, too. I am too much of a wimp when it comes to hurting my characters. Convenient Coincidence is what it's called when your character overcomes a hardship before getting to the real nitty-gritty. I tend to do this a lot. My characters are thirsty - whoosh, water appears! My characters need money - ka-ching, cash appears! You see what I mean. I need to make them work for what they want, and in doing this, the novel becomes more real.

Roald Dahl didn't spare any lives when it came to the mean giants eating little kids in The Big Friendly Giant. Nancy Farmer didn't have her character Tom, in The House of The Scorpion, worry about the frog's feelings when he nailed him to the ground. And Kate DiCamillo didn't show Miggory Sow any mercy when her uncle walloped her against the head making her deaf in one ear in The Tale of Desperaux. Okay, those examples are pretty harsh, but life can be harsh, right?

So in my revised version of Trevelyn's Shimmer, when Marie loses her bag of food and money, and when her balloon gets pooped, she'd better hold on tight. You just have to say to yourself, it's nothing personal, it's a novel and even through hardships know that the nice guys, even when bruised and battered, don't finish last.

common phrases

2010-02-21T15:57:00.001-08:00

He stood as still as a statue.
My face turned white as a ghost.
She was so angry, steam escaped her ears.
I floated along as light as a cloud.
He crouched low like a tiger.
She laughed like a hyena.
She had a face like an angel.
She had the appetite of a bird.
It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
My mouth was on fire.
Her skin was as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
His eyes were as big as saucers.
She was so upset her face turned red.
She was as fresh as a daisy.

Recognize these common phrases? They’re expressions many of us use all of the time to describe feelings or emotions like anger, happiness, sadness, shock, joy, anxiety, etc...and they are way, way over-used by newbie writers. I know this because I’ve used some of them myself and without even realizing it – especially the face turning white one. Oh, it’s so easy to unconsciously slip these phrases into your story – they slide down the throat just like Jell-O.

I was at a conference last year when I heard an agent talk about how frustrating it was for her to receive manuscript after manuscript after manuscript with phrases like “knuckles turning white.” Gulp, guilty – my face turned red. It’s so very hard to be completely original, but it’s so important to try. Sometimes you can’t avoid using a common expression, sometimes they get the point across better than anything else, but I find that if I really sit with the idea of what is easy to say, and think around it, really dig in and turn those mind wheels until I’m practically sweating, I can, surprisingly, sometimes, come up with an alternative phrase. When that happens I feel really, really good and exhausted at the same time. Like hiking to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro! – no? Like reading all the way through War and Peace and understanding the entire book! Better? Like lifting a car over my head with one hand! Like finally understanding a foreign language! Oh, you see what I’m saying. Writing is hard, really hard, it’s when you finally strike oil and discover that original, one-of-a-kind phrase that makes the whole process as sweet as sugar.

What are the common phrases you find yourself using more often than not?

love at the dog park

2010-02-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

Talk about feeling the love yesterday. I could write a story about each visit to the dog park that Sadie and I make. In fact, I'm starting a label called Dog Park Stories to file these under.

So yesterday, Sunday, the dog park was particularly crowded. A hot afternoon, my friend and I sat at a picnic bench soaking in the wonderful sun, and watched the dogs play. Sadie sat at our feet and occasionally greeted a newcomer then poked around the perimeter of the picnic bench looking for food in vain - no food allowed in a dog park. But that's neither here nor there. What made everyone get up off their seats and run with concern, was a skinny, brown dog with short hair and a wiry tail. The dog looked like he was having an episode of some sort. He picked up his feet like thorns were stabbing his pads and then wobbled from side-to-side like he was on a ship. My friend raced towards him as did about ten other people around. "Oh my God! He's having a fit!" "We need to help him!" People called out as the poor little guy continued his wobbly-sideways walk. His owner, realizing the growing concern was directed at his dog, ran over and said that the dog had a neurological disorder which made him walk strange. Poor little guy couldn’t follow a straight line to save his life. “He must constantly be thinking that someone’s playing a mean joke on him,” one woman said.

Everyone relaxed back into place, when a moment later a pack of dogs playing chase stormed by and walloped the dizzy dog, throwing him to the side again.

Oh, it was a hard scene to watch. But once again I was impressed by man's love for our small furry friends.

2010-02-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

My friend Aimee Sicuro-Meade is so talented. She created this beautiful Valentine's Day piece of art that I just had to share with everyone.

A big, full heart isn't just reserved for your special someone on Valentine's Day. It's also about showing the love to your friends, family, neighbors and pets. I think Valentine's Day should be renamed National Share a Smile or Hug Day.

happy birthday kid sister

2010-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my little sister Kat! She's the short one in blue, I have on that lovely pink bathing suit with teddy bears. I was obsessed with teddy bears at one point. Kat turns a landmark age today which makes me feel like time is really going by, especially because I'm two years older. She had a growth spurt around the age of 16 and ever since we've been about the same height...I was a giant by 14- always head of the fire line in school...the only time I was ever picked first for anything!

Kat and I used to sing that song from the commercial for a fake-sister-doll, not because we wanted a fake sister, but because we liked the words, it went "Kid sister, kid sister, wherever you go, I'm gonna go...." yes, we were total nerds - still are. But that's how we were in this photo, always making up stories, singing, dancing and doing the same thing.

Happy birthday kid sister, I'm so proud of you~

ode to sadie

2010-02-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

At the dog park on Sunday, I met a woman who rescued the cutest, little white dog with the most lovable face. The dog’s hind-quarters were shaved and the woman told me that was because when the dog was found running along the side of a road she had mites. The vet guessed that the dog had been abandoned or run away and gotten lost for up to four days. They cleaned her up and got her back to health – shaved her little rump – and when I met her at the dog park she was happily chasing dogs, greeting people and most importantly had a new dotting owner to look after her.

All of this made me think about how quickly life can change. One moment you can be starving and dirty on the side of the street, and the next given a clean home, warm meal and a soft bed. It can go the other way too, which is scary. Good thing for family and friends and people with big hearts.

Speaking of changes - less dramatic ones - Sadie’s been trying to get used to me going back to work. On top of that and missing her cousin Happy and her Aunts, Amanda and Julie, she’s been thinking of ways to try and get me to stay home, like going on a food strike. Sadie didn’t eat for an entire day, not even cheese which is her favorite. The hunger strike plus making me lift her out of bed and physically put her outside to go to the bathroom had me feeling like a terrible owner. Three weeks have gone by and I think she’s starting to get the routine. Happily she started eating with her usual appetite again, and she may even have gained a little weight because I’ve been giving her guilt snacks – those big, brown eyes get me every time! In fact, I just read an article in New York Magazine titled The Rise of Dog Identity Politics, stating that “the dog’s eyes were designed to induce human concern.” Translation = treats.

So as an ode to Sadie, here are some of my favorite photos of her...and Happy, too!

Sadie lying in the sun...her favorite place to be...

Sadie in her ladybug halloween costume. The antennas didn't stay on long...

Sadie in her infamous burping clam bed

Happy and Sadie, probably the closest they've ever sat to each other...

water pollution, the iron curtain and an infamous interview

2010-02-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

When I was 12 years-old, I did a report on water pollution where I state that, “I became interested in the environment when things started to become pretty bad.” I went on to say, “I heard one time that experts say in the year 2000, or later, Los Angeles will not be a suitable place to live. It will be black and with not that much breathing air. The ozone layer will be diminished and the heat will be immense. I don’t think there will be anything living...”

Wow! What books was I reading back then!? My teacher, Miss McIntrye, must’ve got a kick out of this report. Nineteen years later some people may argue, for other reasons, that Los Angeles isn’t a suitable place to live, but luckily it still has breathable air...be it somewhat brownish-gray.

In any case, with the launch of the Plastiki getting near- the boat made out of recycled water bottles, which I’ve mentioned here – I thought it might be informative as well as entertaining to share the interview portion of my Water Pollution report, where I interview my Uncle Rod who was working as an Environmental Engineer at the time in...gulp, 1991. If you know my Uncle Rod, and even if you don’t, you’ll probably find this interview entertaining because it's pretty clear he is talking "adult" to a 12 year-old kid. "Iron Curtain", "Toxicology", "Glasnost", just some of the words that I can still recall going right over my head during that interview, but one of the reasons you gotta love my uncle. Also, Miss McIntyre must’ve told my class to note the body movements of our interviewee, because you'll notice that I wrote down every single motion my uncle made.

But on a more serious note, water pollution, unfortunately, is still making headlines today (a la the Plastiki Expedition). So what I state as the purpose in my 1991 report, is still relevant in 2010: “I would like to find out about the water we drink and how humans can save it. I would also like to know how we can make our future pollution free.”

Interview with Uncle Rod, January 1991:
I came in the room and he was sitting in his chair crossing his legs and putting his index finger on his forehead. I sat down in the chair across from him, hearing the sound of typing and people chattering in the background.
I smiled and my first question was, “How bad do you think the water will be within the next few years?”
He cleared his throat and answered, “I think in the United States the water is actually cleaning up. It’s probably getting better, but I believe that the oceans and third world countries are beginning to worsen because of the terrain number.”
After that he sat forward in his chair and I asked him the next question.
“Do you think the Bay Area and other places in Northern California are going to become as smogged and polluted as Southern California, near the Los Angeles area?”
He smiled and answered. “No. I don’t really see that coming in our future. I think people will continue to clean up like they are starting to now.” He then sat forward in his chair and watched me write down his answer.
After a few seconds, he said, “Did you know that L.A. was polluted even before my future and yours was even born? When population increases, roads are used by more people and the pressure on the environment increases.”
After he told me that, I scribbled it down quickly and asked him, “If people keep littering, by the year 2010 or later, is there still going to be breathing air and suitable places to live? And if so, where would people go to live; and if people stayed, do you think they would start to clean up their own litter?”
He laughed and answered, “That’s occurring right now. People move away from their litter right now, there will probably be no place to live in the future because it will be all clogged up so we’ll move to a different country.”
I asked the next question. “If fish keep getting contaminated by litter in the ocean, and people catch the fish to eat, is it possible the people could get sick by their own litter?”
He uncrossed his legs and sat back and answered, “Oh yeah, if we fried the fish it would still happen.” He told me to write down “toxicology question.” So I wrote it down and he finished answering the question, saying, “Pollutants, especially heavy metals such as mercury, are found in the effluent of many municipal sewage systems and industrial outflows. They are absorbed in the fat tissue of the fish where they concentrate throughout the life of the fish; and when we eat them, we close the circle of the poison.”
After I finished scribbling that down, I asked my next question which was, “In a few years, do you think there is going to be any difference in the world (like if people stop polluting?).
He sat forward in his chair and said slowly, “On a global basis the world will be cleaner.” He turned in his chair and asked me if I knew about the thing behind the Iron Curtain? I said “No.” He turned his chair to a drawer in his desk and took out a magazine. Then he set it on his desk and looked through it. He looked up and said, “Well, I can’t find anything on the Iron Curtain right now.” Then he finished answering the question I had asked before. He said, “The Soviet Union and other eastern countries, have been under extreme environmental duress, now the Glasnost has occurred, they’re facing their problem.” Then looking happy, he sat back in his chair probably feeling satisfied about his answers.
I stood up and thanked him for his time in my interview.

voice is inherited

2010-01-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

Roald Dahl (1916-1990)

Enough of that picture of the lady with the dog carrier, right! On to more interesting things...

I recently finished reading The BFG "Big Friendly Giant" (Puffin Books, 1982) written by Roald Dahl, and I am enthralled. I like almost anything Roald Dahl has written, but The BFG especially itched that whimsical, fantasy scratch. Dahl has that special touch that translates into effortless, old world storytelling that's never short of villains with a darker than normal sense of humor - in The BFG, other giants - mean ones - eat adults and little children. Not the BFG though, remember he is friendly, and captures dreams which at night he blows into the bedrooms of sleeping children via their open windows.

In one passage, the BFG describes dreams saying: "Dreams," he said, "is very mysterious things. They is floating around in the air like little wispy-misty bubbles. And all the time they is searching for sleeping people."

The Big Friendly Giant was never lucky enough to receive a formal education, so many of his words are all mixed-up, yet somehow still make sense: "I is not understanding human beans at all," the BFG said. "You is a human bean and you is saying it is grizzling and horrigust for giants to be eating human beans. Right or left?"

Dahl was born to Norwegian parents in the year 1916. He has said that his mother told him stories of trolls and other mythical Norwegian creatures. I like to dream that some gene from my own Norwegian ancestors (whose last name was Saetre) besides their height, has rubbed of on me, especially in the storytelling arena, and maybe it has. Like eye color, and height, I believe that some aspect of a person's voice is inherited. Your ancestry, where you were born, where your grandparents were from, etc., on some level influences the type of storyteller you are or will be. If you're lucky enough to find letters or school papers, or goldmine - actually have an author in the family -from relatives, it's likely you'll hear some version of yourself, only modernized.

So give it a whirl, look for an old birthday card, a holiday newsletter, a love letter from your granddad to your grandma, and see if you can find your voice in theirs...

(Image of Roald Dahl from Wikipedia.org)

over- the-shoulder-doggie-holder

2010-01-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

Now I'm not one to judge others for the accessories they buy their dogs (Sadie may have gotten a new sweater over the weekend), but this one had me scratching my head. It's an over-the-shoulder-doggie-holder. I remember the first time I passed a lady on the street pushing her dogs in a baby carriage. I thought that was strange. But I'm not sure about this one. I suppose if your dog is old and can't walk far anymore, or is recovering from surgery this could work... All I know is that if I strapped Sadie into this to do some hands-free shopping, one my back would go out, and two, I'd get some funny looks...

writing tips from highlights foundation

2010-01-20T13:38:00.001-08:00

I was roaming around on the Highlights website recently, which sounds pretty strange unless you know that I was looking for the publication guidelines for writers, when I came across some helpful articles written by authors on writing tips. I really liked the two articles on creativity and action and adventure, posted below. If you're a children's book writer, check em' out, they may help you too!

Mary Lou Carney wrote an endearing article on creativity here.

And Dayton O. Hyde writes about action and adventure here.

the unexpected visitor

2010-01-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a funny story that my mom told me which I wanted to share. She works out of her home, and while she was sitting at her desk yesterday, she heard someone jiggling the handle on the front door trying to get in. Suddenly, the door burst open with a gust of wind and in strode a big, yellow lab. The lab, soaking wet from the rain, walked right past her office door and into the kitchen where he shook off and made himself at home. Sadie and my mom's dog, Garfield, were lounging in their beds in the office when the dog came in. They were so shocked that they didn't even bark and just stood up and gawked at the huge intruder. My mom dried the lab off and gave him some food and water, then called the number on his I.D. tag. Turns out his owners were down in San Diego and a dog-sitter was watching him. Somehow he 'd escaped his backyard and found his way to my mom's house. Maybe he could smell that there were other dogs around or maybe he just knew that the person behind the door was home and would help him? Whatever the case, he's now back at his own place and doing fine.

creating a page-turner

2010-01-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

Knowing just when to end a chapter, while leaving your readers wanting more, is a craft. If I were an educator teaching my class the art of creating a page-turner, I would instruct them to read The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Delacorte Press, 2009). I had to force myself to put this book down when the clock struck midnight each night and I found myself still reading. "Just one more chapter, just one more..." the voice inside my head begged me, and I'd usually succumb. I finished the book after about one week, which is fast for me...I'm a slow reader.

The Maze Runner is about a 16 year-old boy who wakes up with no memory of his life, and realizes that he's been sent to a strange enclosure made up of tall, cement walls called the Glade, with about 60 other boys. Outside of the Glade is a maze, which for the last two years the boys have been trying to solve. Every night, the giant, ivy-covered walls close, shutting out deadly, killing hybrid machine-beasts, and every week supplies are sent from an underground elevator until one day it stops completely after the appearance of a girl - the first ever - who shows up with a message of the end.

It's a pretty dark book, all-in-all, but I loved that about it - definitely a "boy read." What I found most impressive, though, was that the author managed to keep the story moving along quickly, even though the majority of the book takes place within the walls of the Glade. It's very, very hard to move a story along and keep it entertaining, when you don't change the characters' locations. Think about it, even in real-life, those of us who work from home all day don't have a lot to tell our spouses or roommates over dinner, unless we had some interesting phone calls or emails. But when we move our bodies from point A to point B, or C and D, unless we keep our eyes closed, we encounter people and/or events and thus have more to tell. Changing locations, say, even something as simple as moving your characters from their home to school, is one of the main tools used to maintain a steady pace, while also adding to the plot. But with The Maze Runner, the farthest the boys go is out into the maze so the author is forced to find other ways to propel the story. He does this by not letting the boys rest (I was actually feeling mentally exhausted toward the end of some chapters) and he also brings us into the head of the protagonist by re-awakening some of his memories, showing us scattered events from his past. He did this so smoothly, that sometimes it felt like the book was written in first-person instead of third-person. Another tool the author used to keep the pace without changing locations, was that he gave the boys things to do. He kept stirring-up trouble inside of the Glade. The boys were constantly working to keep order and were always looking for a way out, their desperation was palpable.

Not to give too much away, but the book does finally end with a change of location, which will be revealed in the second book of the series, due out the end of this year, I believe.

After finishing this book, it's made me want to re-evaluate the ends of the chapters in my book to make sure that they're keeping my readers wanting more. If you're a writer with this problem, I'd suggest reading The Maze Runner, or if you're just looking for a good read definitely go and pick it up!

poetry and some really bad art

2010-01-14T16:17:00.000-08:00

Usually I bug my parents to get rid of things because they tend to hold onto junk for way too long. But for once I'm happy that they didn't listen to me, and kept a box full of poetry, writing and school assignments from when I was in 5th through 8th grades. I rummaged through that box today, and found all kinds of funny stuff. Sometimes I have a tendency to be too honest and I can't lie... it seems that I've always been that way. And I certainly didn't hold back with telling my teachers embarrassing details of things my parents and sister did, even stuff that I did! It also appears that I had an infatuation with the beach, swimming, dogs and flowers and that I was very paranoid about pollution. I wrote that by 2010, Los Angeles, CA would have black skies and be unlivable - hmmm....maybe I was reading too many fatalistic books on pollution. But, in any case, I thought it'd be fun to start a section called from when I was a kid, and share some of these dusty-box-finds.

This first poem comes from a folder of poems I wrote in 8th grade. I got an A and here's what my teacher wrote: "Samantha - Your perception is unusually mature. Your artwork is juvenile. Together, this combines for an interesting collection. We need to work some more on correct punctuation and we will for the class anthology. I like your work, Samantha.
Neatly typed - every poem has a creative surprise! Keep this collection, Samantha - you may decide to major in writing!"

Yep, not much has changed. I still draw terribly, and I'm admittedly not so good at punctuation - but oh, how I try! Now if only I'd had this folder Sophomore year in college when I couldn't decide on a major!

MOOD POEM

The Amazing Friend

On this sunny afternoon I walked one day

Stopping to get a drink in a pond near the bay

I crouched down to quench my thirst

When I heard an outrageous burst

A shirt was hanging in the air

And there was nothing attached

Except some hair

I screamed in horror seeing this thing

What could it be? It started to sing

I stared in awe at this amazing shirt

And my ears really started to hurt

I ran one way but it blocked me

I ran the other and it stopped me

It said, "Hello, how are you?"

I couldn't talk, I couldn't move

I stood there feeling very scared

I didn't know how to act with

This thing with the hair

It said again, "Let's be friends."

And on and on my decision depends

I didn't know what to say

This doesn't happen every day

I have no friends I must confide

They just run off and try to hide

"Ok," I said. "I'll be your pal."

And off we walked down the canal

on the move

2010-01-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, All! Hope the weekend was good. It's been a busy couple of days for me and Sadie. We're on the move again and life is about to take some new turns. So I apologize in advance if my postings become a bit sporadic. Once I get a routine going again things will straighten out. And on top of that, I'm working on some new add-ons for the blog to keep you all updated on the books I'm writing, and my journey to becoming a published writer....so keep checking back!

getting that teen lexicon

2010-01-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

Do you write novels for Young Adults? I haven't tried writing for that age group yet because getting that "teen voice" can be really difficult without sounding cliche. But if I did write for teens, I'd be posting my manuscript on Inkpop. Created by HarperCollins, Inkpop is an online community that connects up-and-coming authors with talent scouts and publishers in the teen market, and once a month, editors at HarperCollins read the most popular submissions (voted on by Inkpop users) to look for the next big thing in YA books. It's sort of like a petri-dish of teen interests and ideas, and a great resource if you ask me, for writers and publishers to utilize for trend-watching. I clicked around the site and I was pretty impressed with the ideas and the quality of work on there, especially coming from such young people. And as far as I could tell, there is no age limit for writers who want to post their own stories; you only have to be over 13 to use the site.

Some authors have a real knack for nailing the teen lexicon - Meg Cabot, Megan McCafferty, Wendelin van Draanen...to name a couple - and they make it seem so effortless! If the equivalent of the Academy Awards existed for writers - Best Teen Voice, Best Teen Antagonist, Funniest Teen Protagonist, etc. - these writers would win them. So just how do they do it? Maybe it just comes naturally for them? I wish I knew! But for those of you who it doesn't, I've heard some advice from other writers like go to a cafe where kids hang out after school and observe them. I agree that that could be useful, but do it too much and you could get a reputation for being that creepy guy or lady always eavesdropping in the corner. So why not do some of your eavesdropping unobtrusively by visiting online communities? Tangst (teen+angst) is another online community created by teens for teens, where kids can go and comment anonymously, vent their frustrations and share their angst - sort of like an online diary, if you will. Read through some of the posts, and you'll get a fresh reminder of all of the raw emotions kids go through which can make you both more compassionate for the teens in your life, and help to guide your writing voice.

On a side-note, I think it's pretty cool how technology has helped bring people with common interests, issues and concerns together. So if you write YA, what do you do or what resources do you use to get in touch with your inner teenager?

adult protagonists in movies for kids

2010-01-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen the movie, Up, from Disney/Pixar? I finally saw it and at about 25 minutes in I was crying! Without giving too much away, the movie begins with Carl, (the old man in the image) as a little boy with an affinity for flight. He meets a little girl, who loves aviation, too, and as they grow up they fall in love and marry. They plan to go on an adventure in South America, but life happens and things never quite go their way. The little boy (in the boy-scout uniform) enters the film when Carl is a 78 year-old man, but the majority of the story still revolves around Carl and his dream to travel.

What I'm trying to get at here, is that I often wonder why films for kids typically feature adults or adult-thinking/talking toys or animals (Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Flushed Away, Ratatouille) as the main characters? (....clearly I watch too many of these movies). In children's literature, you rarely see an adult as the protagonist. In fact, I'm trying to jog my memory right now to think of one, but I can't. Anyone know a book for kids that features an adult as the main character? I'd love to know. Funny thing is, when I first started writing more "seriously", one of my first books was about a 23 year-old, immature guy who went on an adventure with Big Foot. A writer friend-of-a-friend read my manuscript and brought it to my attention that children may not be interested in reading about a person they can't really relate to, both physically and mentally, yet. Good point. But for some reason, back then, this thought hadn't crossed my mind - maybe it was all those movies influencing me? Now, of course, I know she was right and it makes perfect sense, and after our conversation, I re-wrote that book to feature an 11 year-old girl....

I'm curious, though, why does an adult, or an adult-like character, work as the star in a kid's movie, but not in a kid's book? Clearly Disney/Pixar is doing something right, because these movies make loads of money. So is it because there is usually a kid or an anthropomorphised animal as a secondary character? Is it because kids watch these movies mainly for the visual effects and the characters don't really matter so much? Or, is it so that the parents and adults, who are paying to see the film, will be entertained and more able to enjoy the movie? What do you think?

photo booth mystery

2010-01-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

You may notice I posted a new photo of myself under my profile. It's a new year, so I thought a new - well, semi-new- photo was in order. The story behind it is kind of funny, too, or gross, depending on how you look at it. It was taken in a photo booth that my friends had rented for their wedding. The entire bridal party, eight, including me, stuffed ourselves into the photo booth. Being one of the tallest of the group, it was decided that I was to stand toward the back. By this time at night, mind you, everyone had had a lot to drink, and someone got a little too comfortable and relaxed, if you know what I mean. Yes, someone farted. I've never seen drunk people move so fast. Everyone piled out of the booth, but as I was in the back, I got out last. There was still one more picture left, and not one to pass up a goofy photo opportunity, I decided to capture the moment by plugging my nose - the camera clicked and there ya go. We never did find out who the guilty person was.....

winter wonderland photos

2010-01-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first full week of 2010! I hope you all were able to take some time off and relax. My New Year's eve was pretty mellow. I celebrated with family and drank wine and finally finished off that fudge from before Christmas! - not so proud of that, but glad it's gone. I also brought Sadie to the dog park, and this time, instead of being a little sweet-heart, she acted like the dog park bully - not to other dogs, though, but to men with beards! For some reason she has something against facial hair... She barked so hard that she was actually panting. And to top that off, she thought it'd be fun to roll in unidentified wet patches of who knows what...so needless to say, we left shortly after that... we may be blacklisted from there now...?

But, moving on... Monday's after a long holiday break should be eased into slowly, so let's start the day with some pictures from Photo Pops! He lives in Southern Colorado and it's been snowing there a lot! brrr...which is one of the reasons why I like to visit in the spring or summer!

Fog bank over La Plata mountains, CO.

Moon and snow - La Plata Mountains, CO.

Bench overlooking the Animas River in Durango, CO.

Snow-covered rocks on the Animas River, CO.

Thanks again to my Dad for providing us with a nice break for the eyes!

(All photos property of Richard Hagar. Any unauthorized use is prohibited and illegal).

plastiki expedition update

2009-12-31T11:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years Eve, everyone!

The Plastiki is setting sail soon! Remember me posting about this back in June? The Plastiki is a 60-foot catamaran made out of 12,500 plastic bottles and recycled waste products, that is setting sail from San Francisco, California and traveling 10,000 nautical miles to Sydney, Australia.

In line at the grocery store last weekend, I spotted the Dec 2009 issue of Outside magazine , featuring a picture and article on David de Rothschild, head of Adventure Ecology - and the mastermind behind the Plastiki - which kicked a reminder into me to post an update on this impending adventure.

Here's a little model of the boat. It was built in a warehouse on Pier 31 in San Francisco, CA. The crew consists of a handful of people, who will be sharing some tight quarters over the next three months, while they set a course through places of environmental concern. This mission is quite an undertaking; not only is de Rothschild and crew attempting to "galvanize change" by making more of us aware of the damaging effects waste has on our environment, but their journey may be quite arduous, as the catamaran is essentially an experimental boat. Can you imagine: Sailing along in the big bad blue for a little over three months, in a boat that could potentially encounter some serious problems? The crew isn't going to be able to take many personal items with them, they'll be bunking in small beds in shifts, and they'll be eating dehydrated food and hanging out with each other in a close proximity for a quarter of a year!

This got me thinking - you've got to be a person really passionate and serious about creating change to attempt a feat such as this. How many of us would be able to give up the majority of our daily comforts and sail in an experimental boat to state a cause - waste - which if humankind listens and sets new rules, will eventually do us all some good? I'm guessing not many.... Not to mention, you've got to really like the people you're traveling with, considering you're stuck with them on a 60-foot boat. What essentials would you bring with you if you could only take a couple of things on a journey like this? I would pack sunscreen and lip balm, no doubt. I wonder what the crew will bring?

Here's just a section of the thousands of water bottles used, which are filled with a special reinforcement, and placed inside the pontoons. I read that the design was inspired by the pomegranate fruit. Design inspired by nature was a big factor in building the Plastiki.

Visit the website http://www.theplastiki.com/, to follow the crew's adventure. I'll also be posting updates occasionally...

Bon voyage and best of luck, Plastiki!

(pictures borrowed from The Plastiki Expedition page on Facebook).

happy holidays

2009-12-25T15:35:00.000-08:00

Happy, Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas ~

Spread the cheer, smile and have fun!

(Art by Junzo Terada. www.chroniclebooks.com)

my crystal ball

2009-12-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

What a year it's been. What a decade! At times it felt like it went by painfully, bitterly slow, but really, geez, it went by fast! didn't it? Whoosh! In a few days it'll be the year 2010. 2010, people! Remember the film Back to the Future Part II , with Michael J. Fox? That film took place in 2015! There were hover boards, robot dog-walking leashes, dehydrated food and wall screens.... We're not so far off from that technology, I mean, we already have Skype, which I have yet to try and use, among other things...

So instead of looking backwards at the first decade of the 21st century, and bringing up all of the chaos and some truly horrible events that took place, let's focus on how we can make the world better and humankind happier going forward. Shhh, just close your eyes and try. Self-fulfilling prophecy, right?

Here's what I'd like to see over the next 10 years (no matter how implausible and in no particular order):

1) Hover boards. Yes, I am obsessed with hover boards! And they would not only be for skateboard-like devices, but for cars, too. Which would help end our dependency on oil and gas. I just finished reading Scott Westerfeld's Uglies trilogy, and three cheers for hover boards!
2) Space-age clothing. Sleek new designs made out of recycled, eco-friendly fabrics in metallics and other cool prints and colors, that help keep a body warm in cold weather, and cool in hot weather. Wouldn't it be nice to stay warm in 0 degree F temps? You know what I'm talking about, Chicago!
3) Organic everything! NO more food grown with pesticides and other nasty things. If we all only knew the crap that we put into our bodies which can cause cancer and other diseases, perhaps everyone would wake up and stop!?
4) On that note, end the inhumane treatment of animals. I'm not a vegetarian, but I probably should be. Perhaps everyone should start consuming less meat over the course of the next 10 years?
5) Litter-free, clean world. People who throw their trash on the ground like it's a trash can (many incidents I 've witnessed on the NYC Subway, people, you know who you are!), stop already! Let's become more cognizant of this, come on, it's fun.
6) Space travel! Fly me to the moon...totally!
7) Free health care for everyone. (if we take #'s 3, 4, 8 and 9 seriously, society's overall health would improve).
8) Decreased work week and fair pay for everyone. Why are most of us killing ourselves with 50 or 60-hour workweeks? And most likely for something we don't even like to do?! If humankind were happier and well-rested, I am convinced that the world would be a more harmonious place.
9) Respect the elderly. Here's where we should go back in time to the days when people respected their elders. Let's not be scared of the elderly. Yes, getting old is no fun as my Grandma Betty used to say- so why not at least try and enjoy aging and accept wrinkles! Older generations can teach us a thing or two, we can learn from our past. And this coincides with the need for stronger family units. If we had stronger support systems for each other life wouldn't be so hard or so lonely. Everyone could use a hand, am I right?
10) And finally, No more crime. No more war. Ever. Why do we kill our own kind? This I will never understand and deeply saddens me.

Well, there ya go. What I'm saying is not original, I know, and like I said, it's not all plausible, but why can't it be? Humans have proven that we have big imaginations and we have taken some of our seemingly impossible ideas to unimaginable places. So what are some of your ideas?

Let's all push ourselves to be better. Let's take the 2010's to a new and happier place!

Happy holidays everyone and cheers to a peaceful New Year!

real-life carolers

2009-12-19T11:46:00.001-08:00

Last night I heard singing coming from down the street. Joyous, loud singing. I opened my door to see what was going on, and lo and behold there were carolers sitting on hay in the back of an old pick-up truck, singing! I've never seen real-life carolers before. (I don't think I've ever said lo and behold, either....but there ya' go).City people don't do that....to my knowledge. Actually, I thought only people in movies did that? But I was wrong! Here, in this little wine town where I currently reside, people weave in and out of the streets singing Christmas songs, spreading the cheer....and I like it! I wish I'd had a camera, because I know my old city friends' eyes would be as big as mine last night. Maybe they'll come by again later this week....

laugh and be merry

2009-12-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

English Poet Laureate John Masefield (b. June 1, 1878 - May 12, 1967)

Here is a nice poem that made me think of this holiday season, from one of my great-grandfather's old books called Poems of To-Day: An Anthology (London: Published for the English Association by Sidgwick & Jackson, Ltd., 1917):

Laugh And Be Merry

Laugh and be merry, remember, better the world with a song.

Better the world with a blow in the teeth of a wrong.

Laugh, for the time is brief, a thread the length of a span.

Laugh, and be proud to belong to the old proud pageant of man.

Laugh and be merry : remember, in olden time,

God made Heaven and Earth for joy He took in a rhyme,

Made them, and filled them full with the strong red wine of His mirth,

The splendid joy of the stars : the joy of the earth.

So we must laugh and drink from the deep blue cup of the sky,

Join the jubilant song of the great stars sweeping by,

Laugh, and battle, and work, and drink of the wine outpoured

In the dear green earth, the sign of the joy of the Lord.

Laugh and be merry together, like brothers akin,

Guesting awhile in the rooms of a beautiful inn,

Glad till the dancing stops, and the lilt of the music ends.

Laugh till the game is played : and be you merry, my friends.

by
John Masefield

rainy day art tour

2009-12-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

On a rainy day, sometimes there's nothing I'd rather do than stroll through a museum or an art gallery. I like going by myself, or with a friend who loves art as much as me, and I like picking out my favorite piece - the one I'd like to own, or the one which inspires me the most - and afterwards discuss it over a warm drink.

I do so dearly miss some of my old art haunts in New York City, so if I were there today, here's what I'd go see:

Untitled (Picasso Woman) 1980-1990

Tim Burton at NY MoMA, will be up through April 26, 2010. More than 500 of Burton's photographs, paintings, doodles, storyboards, sculptures, stories, and sketches have been collected and displayed for an "out-of-body experience."

The Green Man (1996-1998)

Many of the works on display have nothing to do with Burton's films and some aren't even done on canvas, but rather, on notebook paper or cocktail napkins. His films are also being shown at the exhibit.

Since I missed the show this summer in San Francisco at SFMOMA, the next stop on my rainy day art tour would take me to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see Robert Frank's The Americans. Frank traveled around America for two years starting in 1955, and shot 28,000 pictures of which 83 were chosen for his book, The Americans, first published in 1958. Frank met writer Jack Kerouac at a party, where he agreed to contribute to the introduction of the second edition of the book, published in 1959. Frank was also a lifelong friend of poet Allen Ginsberg and documented the beat subculture through his lens. The exhibit at the Met celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of the book, and is up through January 3, 2010.

Sounds like a good day, right? Now take a load off and have a warm drink.