Whadaya Think About Blog Awards?

There are some pretty cool awards floating around the blogosphere. It’s true that accepting an honor, fulfilling its requirements, and passing it on can add yet another serving to your already overflowing “to be done” plate. Sometimes we just can’t respond to an award. I’ve been guilty of losing an award because I didn’t bookmark or write down the generous giver, and I feel bad. Thank you and I’m sorry to anyone that feels I snubbed them.

Lisa Gail Green presented a clever solution to passing on an award in her Paranormal Point of View blog.

We have to guard our writing time fiercely, but if you find a sliver of a moment, I think adding a link to the award chain can send some positive vibes out there to cyberspace.

Here are a few reasons why,

Awards –

• may send you to a blog you otherwise wouldn’t visit
• connect writers and give a sense of the peer community that’s out there
• let you learn details about a blogger you might never know thus providing a giggle or the occasional guffaw
• help build followers for a fellow blogger
• encourage new bloggers to stick with it

Two Thank Yous I didn’t lose, go out to Lacie Myers and Prerna Pickett for gifting me with the Liebster award (the name makes me crave lobster) that goes out to blogs on the way to the 250 followers goal.

So I'm sending lobster, I mean the Liebster to these delicious voices:

Caryn Caldwell

Pat Newcombe

D.M. Cunningham

Michelle Brown

Augusta Scattergood

Pass the butter, and share your opinion on blog awards. Happy Fall and welcome to my new followers.

View From the 5th Grade Trenches - August 2011 - The Scieszka Zone

You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, 

The Scieszka Zone

Where else can a math cursed kid escape by putting two halves together to make a hole in the wall?

Where else can the Big Bad Wolf plead his case?

Where else can a cowboy crack up about a head of lettuce?

Where else can Chicken Licken seek an audience with Obama?

Nothing tops the giggles of a roomful of kids. That is why I start every school year sharing the witty and hilarious words of Jon Scieszka and the crazy-perfect pictures of Lane Smith with my class. Their stories are every bit as guffaw-inducing for adults as they are for the kids.

Jon Scieszka has clocked time as a teacher in the elementary school trenches and he proves over and over his special magic for communicating with kids. As a teacher I appreciate everything Scieszka for the teachable moments the works provide above and beyond engaging kids with their solid gold humor.

MATH CURSE – Introduces the Fibonacci sequence: 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 (Have you cracked the code?) as well as empathizing with students about the mind boggling math concepts they have to conquer each new school year.

THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS – Is an approachable and entertaining example of teaching voice and point of view.

COWBOY AND OCTOPUS – Is Diversity 101. The relationship and tolerance between these two unlikely amigos exemplifies the joy of putting differences aside and being friends with someone unexpected.

THE STINKY CHEESE MAN AND OTHER FAIRLY STUPID TALES – Besides the perk of getting to say “stupid” for the guaranteed laugh, these quick spins on traditional tales are ripe for teaching the elements of a story.

Thank you Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith for all the lesson plan blanks you’ve filled in for me, and above all else, for making kids crave books.

Look for the signpost up ahead – your next stop, 

The Scieszka Zone

The Twilight Zone introduction is written by Rod Serling.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

The term “butt in chair” is the endearing way of saying you need to dedicate yourself to a routine of writing. I think we can all agree forming a writing habit is the best way to be productive, but what about the chair? Our creative streams deserve the perfect pedestal from which to flow.

I have recently graduated from a discarded kitchen chair with a thin pad to a super-deluxe, turbo desk chair. Viva la difference! I could keep my butt in this baby all day!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THE CHAIR:  

• Padding
• Swivel (If it spins – even better – not to say I spin when I’m mulling a manuscript – okay I do)
• Arms (not too high or your fingers get stuck under your desk. OUCH!)
• Fabric that your legs don’t stick to if it gets too hot
• Neutral color (So you aren’t distracted)
• Wheels
• Unattractive to cats who like to claw everything
• Back support (In case any doctors are checking my list)
• Not so awesome that another family member will steal it
• Easy to assemble (My son had to do mine)

“Say hello to my little friend.”

GOLDEN NUGGETS FROM THE SCBWI LA 2011 CONFERENCE

Here is some treasure I’m carrying in my pocket from this year’s SCBWI LA Conference.

Don’t throw anything away. You never know what might be “mineable” material. BRUCE COVILLE, Author

A big mistake is submitting your manuscript too early. TRACEY ADAMS, Agent from Adams Literary

Readers are not trends. They want a story full of heart and soul. LIBBA BRAY, Author of BEAUTY QUEENS (You have to listen to the audiobook. I’m still laughing.)

Know what came before you – classics and current works. STEVEN MALK, Agent Writer’s House & JON SCIESZKA, Author of STINKY CHEESE MAN (And a stack of other books I share with the kids in my class every year)

COWBOY AND OCTOPUS by JON SCIESZKA (I dare you not to giggle for days.)

Start a book on the day something different happens. JUDY BLUME, Author of countless amazing books

Help kids know there is more than one way to look at things. NORTON JUSTER, Author of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

Be the kid you were when “it” happened. ALAN SILBERBERG, Author of MILO, STICKY NOTES AND BRAIN FREEZE (I dare you not to feel your heart fill with laughter and your eyes with tears when you read MILO.)

History repeats in every human heart. RICHARD PECK, Author of A YEAR DOWN YONDER

The seed of my art was spinning in my soul. LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON, Author of SPEAK

I'm still floating on a cloud of inspiration. Sell the cat if you have to in order to go to SCBWI LA 2012. You'll never regret it.

Music As A Writing Partner

I adore the way different art forms compliment each other in the creative world. As a designer I have to see a scene visually in my head as I write it in order to understand the lines, textures, and colors of characters, settings, and emotions. Another beloved partner in my writing process is music.

How do I use music?

A LESSON IN CONCISE STORYTELLING: “Augie Nieto,” by Five For Fighting and Taylor Swift’s, “Love Story,” each tell a complete tale in under four minutes apiece.  Often for me, a line in a song will give me an “Ah ha!” moment for a character or action. Maybe we should start singing our loglines.

THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG: It is great fun to find a specific song to convey the emotions between two characters in love. “Far Away,” by Nickelback, and “Falling In,” by Lifehouse are currently turning my characters to mush in different stories. Breakup songs can be cool as well. “Not Meant To Be,” by Theory of a Deadman hits that note.

FEEL THE BEAT: I like to assign each chapter of my MS a song that matches its emotional context, action, or intention. Listening to the playlist can take you on an auditory journey though your story. You hear beats, builds, tension, conflict, joy, sorrow, and resolution. The playlist supplies a textural soundscape that hopefully matches your character and story arcs. When I have trouble finding a piece of music to compliment a chapter, more often than not, it’s the chapter that has issues.

MIX IT UP: When you are finding musical matches for your stories it is important to tap into multiple genres. I have never heard a more beautiful song than the classical piece, “Siegfried Idyll” by Wagner. “Stand” by Rascal Flats and “Live Like You Were Dying,” by Tim McGraw are fantastic country songs that scream to be character anthems.

How do you use music in your writing process?

Note: The links will take you to iTunes so you can taste snippets of these super songs.

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Teens Rule

Many of my friends were surprised when I "stepped out from behind the curtain" as a writer two years ago. Little did they know of the boxes and boxes of journals and story notes from the past 30+ years I had tucked away all over the house. Some pals remembered my playwriting days and were baffled that my focus was now on young adult stories. 

Why did I finally step up to the writing plate and start swinging again? Two reasons – Melissa and Cameron, my kids had become teenagers. Suddenly I was immersed in the sticky tangled world of teens, and it was fantastic. Conflict, love, confusion, angst, invincibility, frustration, and madness had landed on my doorstep and I could no longer resist the pull of my own teen memories.

Teen snapshots:

FEMALE:

Why doesn’t ______________ like me?

Can I have some gas money?

What’s wrong with my hair?

Can I have money for the movies?

Why won’t you let me wear this?

Why do I have to be home by midnight?

I’ll never finish this homework.

Can I have money for dinner?

You said no phone calls after 10:00pm – not texts.

Why is Facebook taking so long to load?

Can I have money to buy a new ringtone?

I don’t have any clothes.

Can I use your credit card for iTunes?

MALE:

I’m wearing it again because it’s not dirty.

What homework?

Do we have anything to eat?

I’m not on Facebook.

Can I have money for a new World of Warcraft game card?

I don’t need a job. I’ll just eat at home.

My room is not a mess. I know where everything is.

My teachers don’t give homework.

There isn’t anything to eat in this house.

Can I have money for a new X-Box controller?

Your car isn’t that dirty. I’ll wash it next week.

I looked in the freezer. There wasn’t anything good to eat in there.

I can’t get a job. I have too much homework.

With inspiration like this, how could I keep my fingers away from the keyboard? It's all in fun. I will be forever grateful to my kids for giving me the spark to re-enter the world of writing.  

What brought you into the writing light?


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Hooray for Comic Con 2011

What is this phenom called Comic Con?

Let me start by sharing their mission statement:

Comic-Con International is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.

To me “The Con” is the place where I can get my fan-geek on without being judged as I soak up the latest on Star Wars, Superheroes, Hobbit, True Blood, Dexter, Big Bang Theory, Vampire Diaries, Glee, Twilight, Torchwood, Dr. Who (list too long to continue) and of course fantastic YA and MG authors/books. It’s an awesome platform to promote your work.

My feelings about Comic Con 2011 are bittersweet. I’m delighted there were multiple panels devoted to MG and YA literature this year, but sad that I didn’t get to see them. To channel my inner-Scarlett O’Hara I say, “As God as my witness, I will never miss Comic Con again.”

As a special treat today, I have an interview with one of this year’s Comic Con attendees, Cameron Rose.

What is the pull of Comic Con for you?

I like being a fan of what some consider “geek culture.” Aside from seeing movies, TV shows, and reading comics there’s really no other way than Comic Con to celebrate my appreciation for the huge umbrella that is popular culture in one place. There is nothing quite like being there in person when something exciting happens like Joss Whedon announcing there will be a DOCTOR HORRIBLE 2.

What were the best costumes you saw this year?

The best, and frankly most exciting was seeing Garrus and Shepard from the MASS EFFECT video game series. I saw more people dressed as the 11^th Dr. Who character than anything else. There were at least three really well put together Dalek costumes from the Dr. Who series.

Did you dress up?

I was Spiderman, my personal favorite superhero, but my goal was to make the worst Spiderman costume possible. I think I succeeded.

What were your favorite panels?

THE best panel was Joss Whedon. He’s my favorite writer and he’s made all my favorite shows like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and FIREFLY. (RIP FIREFLY) What made the panel so great was its format of just a simple Q&A between Joss and the fans. Something a proud Browncoat can appreciate very much.

Note: Browncoats are dedicated fans of the show, FIREFLY.

The Dr. Who panel was also fantastic. I love the show. Being a Dr. Who fan in America can be a lonely pastime. Being in a room with thousands of people cheering and screaming for Matt Smith (the 11^th Dr. Who) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond, his companion) was a totally new and incredible experience.

Anything else you’d like to share about Comic Con?

I think it’s great that the actors, authors, and writers that speak on the panels seem just as excited to be there as us fans. It makes you feel like you have a real connection to these people whose work we love and admire.

Thank you, Cameron.

My lifelong dream is to someday be on a Comic Con panel promoting my own work. What about you?


Did anyone see any of the YA or MG lit. panels at "The Con?"

Many of the Comic Con Panels are available on YouTube. Browse and enjoy. Here is a post from DM Cunningham that guides you to the kid lit. panels.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has a Comic Con story or aspiration. Hope to see you all there next year.

Designing a Character: Using Line

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With the craziness of summer travel engulfing me, I have decided to rerun my series of blogs Designing a Character. Hopefully this is new to most of you. 

Line is one of the essential elements of design.  The type of line used in a drawing or composition creates a psychological impact on the viewer.  Imagine the theoretical spine of your character as a certain type of line.  How does that impact their personality and actions?

Vertical lines, especially substantial mechanically drawn ones, convey strength.  In nature, we relate the vertical line to trees or buildings that define a city’s skyline.  The horizontal line cannot help but be associated with the horizon, where sky meets sea, i.e. peace, tranquility.  The diagonal line needs support to keep it from toppling, but is oh so exciting to slide down.

            

Let’s not forget our friends the curved lines.  The half-circle, not so thrilling, but the spiral conjures the power of a tornado.  The meandering curved line takes us on an easy but not always purposeful journey, like the course of a river.

            

What kind of lines do your characters represent?  

I am a huge Harry Potter fan.  I’ve always seen Harry as an active spiral, sometimes loose, but having the potential to pull in tightly at any moment.  Harry can also be a straight line that rapidly changes direction such as the readings on a seismograph.  Hermione is definitely a vertical, and Ron, meandering.

            

Time to share.  What kind of lines do you see in some of your favorite characters?

Pardon Me, Mr. Frost...

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

This final stanza of Robert Frost’s poem, "The Road Not Taken" has a special place in my heart. Metaphorically, it is the voice in my head encouraging me to go my own way creatively.

I spent the last week in and around Yosemite National Park, so Frost’s words had a more literal meaning as I hiked through the beauty of the Sierras.

Here are some images along my “roads.”

The road MORE travelled by (AKA scary mountain yard art):

The road LESS traveled by (AKA *Sigh*):

Happy travels on your summer roads.

Delightful Excesses of a First Draft

On my journey into a frightening, cluttered cabinet in the kitchen, I came across an old recipe book from my childhood called,Southern Cookbook *250 Fine Old Recipes*.  It is filled with pages and pages of deliciousness that would make a Weight Watcher’s coach keel over in shock.

The recipe that caught my eye was for Kentucky Burgoo. It’s a special stew that is traditionally served on the day of the Kentucky Derby. Burgoo is the quintessential definition of excess. (Recipe to follow – brace yourself.)

In a non sequitur way, my writing brain shifted to a first draft where excess rules supreme.

(This is the portion of the post where plotters wring their hands and gnash their teeth, while pantsers dance naked in the forest.)

Where else in our writing process can we toss everything lying around the corners of our brain into the story? The first draft is the “try anything” canvas. We jump from the high dive. The “editor has left the room sign” should be blinking when we pour out our heart and soul into the birth of our manuscript. We should break out into the song “Anything Goes.”

FIRST DRAFT RECIPE

Sprinkle in similes

Mess with metaphors

Align audacious alliteration

Electrify your eloquence

Scintillate the story stakes

Offer up onomatopoeia

Mesmerize your MC 

Quantify your quest

Hold nothing back and fall in love with your story.

There is plenty of time – and necessity - in the revision process for trimming, slashing, rethinking, changing, changing, and changing again.

My wish for you is to taste that wild abandon where you plunge into the garden of excess, writing on the white hot wave of inspiration during your glorious first draft.

KENTUCKY BURGOO

Historically served to huge crowds at political rallies, horse sales, and other outdoor events. (Hmmm – maybe an idea for the SCBWI LA Conference gala?)

600 lbs. lean soup meat (no fat, no bones)

200 lbs. fat hens

2000 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced

200 lbs. onions

5 bushels of cabbage, chopped

60 10lb. cans of tomatoes

24 10lb. cans puree of tomatoes

24 10lb. cans of carrots

18 10lb. cans of corn

Red pepper and salt to taste (are you laughing yet?)

Season with Worcestershire, Tabasco, or steak sauce

Mix the ingredients, a little at a time, and cook outdoors in huge iron kettles over wood fires from 15 to 20 hours. Use squirrels in season…one dozen squirrels to each 100 gallons. (I did not make up the squirrel part. Who knew there was an actual squirrel season?)

And THAT, my friends, is excess. Happy first drafting.