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Katie and I met via the blogosphere several years ago. We've followed a similar agent to sale to publication time frame. I'm happy to share Katie and her book, Wildflowers in Winter, with you today.
What inspired you to write this story?
In the wee hours of the morning, while nursing my son, the voice of a twelve-year old girl came into my head and wouldn’t leave. So I sat down and wrote the prologue, only I didn’t have any story to go with it.
At the same time, I was thinking a lot about my best friend growing up. We’d lost touch in college. Her life went in one direction. Mine went in another. And I remember thinking that even though we’d grown apart, even though we didn’t know each other that well anymore, our memories and our past bonded us. I also remember wondering what, if anything, might draw us together again. All these thoughts made me want to write a story that explored the bonds of friendship.
So I decided to squish those two stories together and Wildflowers from Winter was born.
What was your publication process like, from initial idea to sale?
14 Comments on Katie Ganshert Interview+Giveaway, last added: 5/21/2012
I loved reading about her process from having the idea for the book to actually seeing it published. I'm walking away with hope to see some of my goals accomplished!
I'm incredibly encouraged to hear that there are publishers interested in Christian fiction that grapples with the dark and difficult. Lighthearted and sweet is ok sometimes, but meaty stories appeal to me more.
Thanks for sharing about your journey, Katie! This book sounds intriguing.
I appreciate Katie sharing that her novel began with a 12 year old girl's voice in her head that she couldn't ignore. Then she wrote what she could even though there didn't seem to be anything else to go with it quite yet. As someone just beginning this journey of writing for publication, I am inspired by Katie's honesty. I am encouraged that she kept moving forward even if the next steps weren't real clear. This means I can keep moving forward even on the days when it seems like I have no idea what's going on. Thanks, Katie! -Heidi
I hope you enjoy the story when you get around to reading it! And YES, you really need to read The Phantom Tollbooth. I can't wait until my son is old enough so I can read it to him. :)
I just judged a contest. There's a writer who is SO CLOSE. It never occurred to me to offer to mentor. I think I will! Love that someone did this for Katie.
I also know the perfect reader for Katie's book.
Thanks for sharing, Caroline, and congratulations, Katie!
What an amazing opportunity that judge gave you! ... And what a great story to publication. Congratulations on your two-book deal. I'm glad that long wait paid off! :)
You know, I appreciate the level of hope that she's shared. I hear so much from authors advising people to stick with the craft because it took them years and years of submitting manuscripts before an agent even considered publishing them. It's a welcome relief to hear that sometimes it's not years and years, it's just down to the author being proactive and having faith and working hard. Thank you. :)
50 Book Pledge | Book #16: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I’m thrilled to be hosting Ursula Poznanski on The Pen Stroke today for a stop on her whirlwind Erebos Blog Tour.
Welcome Ursula!
What inspired the world of Erebos?
On the one hand, I had watched some YouTube videos of current games and I had played myself (Diablo, for example). I wanted the “look” of the game to be recognizable and attractive to gamers. On the other hand, I had something very real to inspire me, something very crucial to the plot. This element needed to be hidden inside the game, so in a certain way it formed the world of Erebos, too.
How important was it that your characters be able to practice free will?
I wanted to give them the possibility to stop playing whenever they wished to—not without obeying the rules that are connected with backing out, of course. The game needs enthusiastic players, not forced ones.
How difficult was it for you to tow the line between the virtual world of Erebos and the real world of London?
That was pure fun, no difficulty at all. I loved switching between the worlds, accompanying Nick and Sarius by turns. I really loved to write everything that took place in London—I had a city map on my desk and Google Maps opened in my browser, so it almost felt like being there myself.
Why did you choose Greek mythology for the foundation of Erebos and its founding characters?
I was looking for a dark deity with an impressive name, so I came across Erebos. It would have been a terrible waste not to use all the cross connections that offered themselves, once I had found the “name of the game” and so I happily integrated them into the plot.
Were you ever hesitant to employ such incredibly dark imagery in Erebos?
No. I really felt that the game had to be dark. It had to have a threatening look and to be appealing and mysterious at the same time. Erebos doesn’t pretend to be an innocent amusement—it shows its spirit from the very beginning, but of course the players do not take that seriously.
A special thanks to Ursula for dropping by The Pen Stroke!
A young, bored boy finds a mysterious tollbooth in his room. Hopping into his small, electric toy car, he enters the lands beyond where he meets all sorts of characters in Dictionopolis, the Valley of Sound, the Doldrums, Digitopolis, and more places filled with wonder that open his eyes to the world around him. Click here to read my full review.
0 Comments on Review: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as of 1/1/1900
And then it’s February. How the heckedy heck did that happen? Looks like 2012 is already establishing itself as the Blink and You’ll Miss It year. Well, let’s get to it then.
First and foremost was the announcement of Battle of the Books 2012. Or, as I like to think of it, the place where Amelia Lost gets its bloody due (if there’s any justice in this world). We’re now in the earliest of the early days of the battle, but stuff’s on the horizon. I can smell it.
In other news there was an SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) meeting here in New York this past weekend. I didn’t attend because, apparently, if it’s way too convenient I’m absent. After checking out the recap on this blog, however, I clearly need to change my priorities. Though I had to miss the cocktail party on Friday I did attend Kidlit Drink Night which was PACKED, dudes. Packed to the gills!
In her post Ms. Turner mentions the Mythopoeic Society. By complete coincidence I stumbled over yet another link involving that society in question. Neil Gaiman reprints an old speech he gave to the society in 2004 on C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Chesterton. A great look at how good fantasy can influence kids. Also a good look at how bad television programs lead kids to books. I believe it.
Well The Today Show may have passed up the chance to talk to the Newbery and Caldecott winners but leave it to NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me to speak to Jack Gantos for their Not My Job game. Someone must have tipped them off to the fact that the man is the world’s greatest interview. Love the Judy Blume reference. And though I thought I knew his Hole in My Life story, clearly I missed some details. Thanks to Susan Miles for the link.
Of course Jack and Chris Raschka were interviewed by SLJ about their respective wins. That’s good news about a Dead End in Norvelt companion novel. Ditto the idea of Raschka working on a Robie H. Harris title.
Speaking of musicals, there is a Caddie Woodlawn musical that is not QUITE as cool as the Phantom Tollbooth infographic, but pretty cool nevertheless….
Gwenda said, on 2/2/2012 6:50:00 AM
Thank you, dearie!
Leila said, on 2/2/2012 12:28:00 PM
I’m so surprised that the stupid Giving Tree didn’t make the tattoo list!
NoraH said, on 2/2/2012 1:47:00 PM
Oh my. That wallpaper.
Betsy said, on 2/3/2012 10:55:00 AM
Being both a color fan and an Oliver Jeffers fan, I would TOTALLY use that wallpaper.
Here on the TeachingAuthors blog, we've been discussing the classic children's books we never read till adulthood. The series was inspired, in part, by Esther's interview with Leonard Marcus in honor of the release of The Annotated Phantom Tollbooth last month. When Esther first told me about the new book, I felt a twinge of guilt--I'd never read the original Phantom Tollbooth. So I suggested this topic to motivate me to finally read Norton Juster's masterpiece. If you're wondering what classics and must-reads you may have missed, be sure to check out the links in the Writing Workout below.
I wasn't reading yet in 1961 when The Phantom Tollbooth was first published, but that was no excuse for my not reading this classic. When, as an adult, I became interested in writing for children, I began reading voraciously in the field. Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, which Mary Ann blogged about on Monday, was one of the many children's books I came to as an adult that I fell in love with. (Unlike Mary Ann, I'm somewhat of a Math geek, which made me love L'Engle's book all the more!) Yet, despite a number of fellow children's literature enthusiasts telling me that Tollbooth was one of their all-time favorites, I never made time to read the book, until Esther's interview with Leonard Marcus inspired me to do so a few weeks ago.
I'm happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The wordplay and puns are great fun, but the Math geek in me was especially happy to see the book's celebration of numbers. I was also impressed at how Juster wove important themes about the value of education and action into such an entertaining read. One of my favorite paragraphs (among many) was:
"You must never feel badly about making mistakes," explained Reason quietly, "as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons."
I believe the combination of entertainment and enduring themes contributed to making The Phantom Tollbooth such a classic. I'm grateful to Leonard Marcus for bringing this book back into the spotlight. In case you missed the short video in which Norton Juster, Jules Feiffer, and Leonard Marcus discuss the book's creation, I've embedded it below, or you can watch it at YouTube here.
Are there any classic children's/young adult books you missed reading as a child or teen? If so, please share their titles in the comments below. And if you need suggestions of children's/YA books now considered "must reads," see the Writing Workout below.
Right now for our bedtime reading, my daughter and I are revisiting an old classic — The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (illustrated by Jules Feiffer), Yearling Books, 1961. I encountered this novel when I was in grade five; it was recommended to me by a friend. I remembered reading it and loving it. It’s a witty and clever book by halves, and I don’t think I ‘got’ everything in it at the time I read it, but following the adventures of this idle and bored schoolboy protagonist Milo “who didn’t know what to do with himself — not just sometimes, but always” was compelling. In reading it now with my daughter, I am enjoying the story again with so much more gusto — this time getting, of course, all the many puns and double entendres throughout the book. My daughter is less enthusiastic. As she puts it herself, “I like listening to it because it puts me to sleep.” (Mind you, this fact alone makes it a worthy bedtime read for the parent!) But while she dozes off, I often continue reading aloud for the sheer pleasure of the story which speaks to the book’s attractive charm and longevity.
The Phantom Tollbooth celebrated the 50th anniversary of its publication this year. There’s a Youtube video I watched recently of Norton Juster and Jules Pfeiffer talking about the genesis of the book. A commemorative annotated edition of the book is now available, and a documentary film, The Phantom Tollbooth Turns 50, is currently being produced, set for release in 2012. I didn’t discover all this information, until after I’d selected this book for our bedtime reading ritual, so I was quite surprised by the serendipity of my choice and hope that my daughter might remember this book fondly herself when she begins reading to her children in the future. (If she doesn’t, Grandma certainly will!)
0 Comments on Books at Bedtime: The Phantom Tollbooth as of 1/1/1900
So I’m at a lovely Little Brown librarian preview earlier this week and the first special guest star of the day turns out to be none other than Daniel Handler a.k.a. Lemony Snicket. A resident of San Francisco, I wasn’t sure why he was in town. Turns out, he was on Rachel Maddow’s show talking about his recent Occupy Wall Street piece that had been making the internet rounds. Maddow says that he’s a “cultural hero of mine” and then later that she is “dorking out” being in his presence. The interview is great in and of itself, plus you get this fun bit at the start about what you do when the police have confiscated your generators.
Of course if I’d known he was in town I would have tried to hook him into saying hello at the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival festivities. Hosted in my library I’ll be blogging about it rather soon. It was rather epic, I have to say. Everything from a children’s musical about the birth of the Newbery Award to kids singing the plot of The Westing Game to Katie Perry’s “Firework” (a song that seems to haunt Mr. Kennedy wherever he may go). Of course we ran out of time so we never got to show this final video. I present it to you now because it’s rather brilliant. As Ira Glass imitations go, this has gotta be up there:
This next link is here only because Travis at 100 Scope Notes spotted it first. According to Reuters, the Japanese have brought The Magic Tree House books to life on the screen. Apparently Mary Pope Osborne has always resisted film adaptations but the filmmakers so wowed her that she gave them the rights. The result pairs nicely with that recent Borrowers adaptation, also out of Japan:
In other news, Newbery Honor winner Kathi Appelt recently interviewed Caldecott Award winner Eric Rohmann about his latest hugely lauded Halloween tale Bone Dog. Perhaps I should have posted this before Hal
5 Comments on Video Sunday: I’m gonna give you some terrible thrills, last added: 11/6/2011
Thanks so much for co-curating the film festival with me, Betsy, and thanks especially for putting up that “This American Life”-style RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT — I was so disappointed that we ran out of time and couldn’t show it! Next year I’ll have a better sense of timing…
Also- that AFP performance was meant for me too I am a long-time fan of Neil, I stood in line for hours to get him to sign Death and Sandman graphic novels for me back in the day! Because of him, I discovered Amanda when they worked together on Who Killed Amanda Palmer? Now I love them both.
Eti Berland said, on 11/6/2011 7:35:00 AM
Thank you so much for sharing my Ira Glass-inspired contribution to the 90-Second Newbery festival! It gave me a wonderful thrill to see it on your blog and I appreciate the lovely compliment. I wish I could have been in New York for the festival, and I can’t wait to see your coverage of the event.
Anonymous said, on 11/6/2011 2:40:00 PM
I LOVE Bone Dog. I read it to my schoolchildren last week, and they loved it, too. It spans the different ages beautifully, and many children remarked on the beauty of the illustrations. It’s a big, generous book–funny, sad, spooky, imaginative, with a denouement that’s both logical and surprising. It’s my favorite for the Caldecott–quite simply a perfect book.
Kathi Appelt said, on 11/6/2011 7:58:00 PM
Betsy, thank you so much for posting my video with Eric Rohmann. I love BONE DOG, and hope for many good things to happen for it, and for Eric too.
Reading aloud this beloved classic marked the first day of school for every fifth grade class I taught.
My students and I delighted in the story’s cleverness, embraced its “Ahah’s!” and worried so for its unlikely Hero, the oh, so clueless Milo motoring his way through Dictionopolis and Digitopolis.
Once grown and married, many of my students wrote to share how they in turn shared Milo’s tale with their children.
But today, I’m celebrating by sharing my interview with the book’s author and annotator, Leonard Marcus.
I consider THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH a Twofer. There’s the original text, of course, which causes the reader to smile, guffaw and laugh out loud, not to mention marvel at and laud the extraordinarily delicious language. But then bordering that text is Leonard Marcus’ gracefully-written exposition, opening the door to the story’s Back Story – its who, what, when, where, how and why, as well as Norton Juster’s Back Story too. I promise you: you’ll smile, guffaw and laugh out loud a second time and heap even more praise once you see Juster’s original word lists, character write-ups and early drafts, Jules Feiffer’s original sketches and learn how these two friends brought Milo to the page
11 Comments on A 50th Anniversary Q & A with Leonard Marcus, Author of THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, last added: 10/27/2011
The cells that made me where years away from meeting.
I remember where I was when I first read this book, though. Home with the chicken pox. It was a reading assignment from my English teacher that I begrudgingly accepted but then thoroughly enjoyed.
What a fabulous interview! The field of children's literature is lucky to have Leonard Marcus. I'm running out to buy the book!
A note of caution to those who enter our wonderful contest: I've been advised not to share my year of birth on the internet...you don't want this bit of info out there.
My name is Sandra Stiles. I was only three when the book came out. However, I loved the book, especially the land of Digitopolis. I struggled with math but loved books. It is one of the few times my father read with me and he said, "See how much fun math can be?" I kept wishing that numbers would be as interesting as in the book. Thanks for the opportunity
I was a pre-schooler in 1961--but I won't say how 'pre-'I was. I have taken my children to a "Phanton" drama production and am looking forward to reading this new edition with my youngest child. Thanks--Cindy Antene [email protected]
Like many of your other commenters, I was not yet born when this was published. I remember reading it as a child, but a more memorable event happened when I was reading it aloud to my (then) 7-year-old. She interrupted me to say, "He better be careful, or he might fall down a rabbit hole." When I asked what she meant, she replied, "He's just like Alice, isn't he?" She loves this book too and would be thrilled with the annotated version! Carol Eckl ceckl31 at gmail dot com
Thanks, Giveaway Registrants, for sharing where you were - or not! - when THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH entered the World.
As best MY memory serves me, at that particular moment, I was a high school junior, editing my school's newspaper and attending Future Teachers of America meetings.
Speaking of teaching, Leonard Marcus is a TeachingAuthor too! His credentials include New York University, where he currently teaches "The Literature of Children and Adolescents" (offered by the Child Study Center of the NYU Medical Center to the undergraduate school). This past summer, he taught at the University of Illinois'Graduate School of Library and Information Science (a course on the history, current state, and future of picture books.
Keep those entries coming to win your free copy of THE ANNOTATED PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH.
I had heard so much that was so good about A Monster Calls, the Patrick Ness novel inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd, that last night, when my arms were too achy to type a single letter more, I downloaded the book onto my iPad2.
Had I known that this book was so beautifully illustrated, I would have gone out to the store and bought myself a copy instead, so that I could, from time to time, look at these extraordinarily interesting, wildly textured Jim Kay drawings. A Monster Calls would be a very different book without these images, just as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, the Ransom Riggs books enlivened by surreal old photographs, would not be the book it is had not a publishing house decided that teens, too (and the adults who inevitably read teen books) need, every now and then, to stop and see the world not through words but through images. Maile Meloy's new historical YA book, The Apothecary, is due out soon—a book that (if the preview pages on Amazon are accurate) features some very beautiful illustrations by Ian Schoenherr. And let's not forget The Boneshaker by Kate Milford, with its beautiful Andrea Offermann images. (And, of course, there are so many, many more.)
A Monster Calls reminds me, in so many ways, of the great Roald Dahl story The BFG. Dahl's books, illustrated by Quentin Blake, sit beside The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer) on my shelf—books that take me back to some of my favorite mother-son reading days. We loved the stories. We loved the illustrations, too. We loved the entire package.
Maybe we have Brian Selznick to thank for this return to the visual—to ageless picture books. Maybe it was just plain time. I only (with absolute surety) know this: I recently completed a young adult novel amplified by (in my eyes) gorgeous illustrations. I can't wait to see where that project goes, and on what kind of journey it takes me.
5 Comments on The Rise of the Illustrated Young Adult Novel, last added: 9/29/2011
I've been hearing such good things about A Monster Calls. I'll be sure to check it out in book form. I'm curious about your illustrated YA. It really depends on how it's done. I like illustrated scenes but I'd sooner imagine the characters themselves. Still, good illustration is a treat for all ages.
I'm a huge fan of BFG, so I definitely want to check this one out. Thanks for the recommendation! I am quite happy, actually, about this illustrated YA thing.
Scott Westerfeld talked about this very topic at this year's Kidlitcon! It was fascinating to hear how he went back and forth with the illustrator for his Leviathan trilogy.
And I'm very pleased to see illustrations return, especially since the project I'm working on will (if all goes as planned) have chapter illustrations. :)
A few weeks ago, Ben Mikaelsen came to our school as this year's visiting author. Ben was a delight, and I'll write more about his visit in another post, but for now, I want to concentrate on his philosophy about writing.
"Writing," he said, "is storytelling."
Of all of the things that I got out of Ben's visit, and there were many, this simple sentence resonated with me in a way that I never would have expected. It stuck in my brain and kept tap, tap, tapping through my thoughts. You see, in some fantasy world of mine, I consider myself a writer. I always have, from the time I was very young, around seven or eight years old. It's all I wanted to do. Well, that and read.
So, why did the utterance of this sentence have such an effect on me? I think I figured it out. See, the thing is, as much as I love to write, I am not much of a storyteller. What Mr. Mikaelsen was talking about was just letting go of the notion that every word needs to be weighty and special and telling the story you want to tell. That has always been so incredibly hard for me. When I write fiction, I gnaw my knuckles over every syllable and twist of phrase. I get so caught up in trying to make every word the perfect word, I end up writing in nothing but fits and starts. Sometimes I even give up, thinking that it'll just never be perfect so why bother.
Even now, as I write this post, I'm stewing about words. How does one overcome that? Because I think Ben is absolutely right. The story is much more important than the words themselves. If you can tell a great story, you can get around to fixing the words later. Maybe in one of the fifteen full revisions that Ben says he does to each of his books!
I have actually written a book, a YA novel called The Power of Merit Ruhl, which took me two years to write. I'm proud of it. I had a story I wanted to tell, and I told it. But I agonized over words the whole time. Now, I want to try to tell more stories. I want to write a sequel to my book, and even make it into a series. I have the stories to tell, the arc for each of the four major characters, in my head. The question is will I be able to set aside my obssession with words and just tell the stories?
My favorite books tell really amazing stories. Donna Tartt's The Secret History is a good example of this. If you've never read it, go out right now and get yourself a copy. It's the story of a small group of friends at a private college who do a terrible thing and then have to hide their mess. This story left me breathless. There is one point of such delicious suspense that I practically ripped the book because I was holding it so hard. Another example of spectacular storytelling: Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier, a book that, though I've read it many times and even taught it, can still keep me enraptured to the very last page. I don't necessarily remember all of the fancy phrasing and uses of foreshad
Everybody loves THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH. It is many of my friends’ absolute all-time favorite kids book. I know I read it as a kid. I know I didn’t like it. I know I didn’t read it again. And that’s all I remember, and somehow even though everyone was always saying how much they loved it, I never picked it up again until now. Anyway, that’s the back story.
My feeling on recent reading is this: good book, but I totally can see why it hit wrong with me as a kid. Because the number one adjective I want to use for THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH is clever. Its incredibly clever. Its witty. The wordplay and puns are great, and I’m sure I would have picked up on them and enjoyed them back then as well.* But clever and witty alone does not a great book make. And that I think is my problem with this one. I did enjoy it. But I wasn’t really engrossed at all – there’s very little character-building, the characters are all kind of purposefully caricatures, and even when feelings or reactions by people were described, they were just kind of stated very matter of fact. I never actually found myself identifying with anyone. And while the constant humor kept the story from feeling like there was too much moralizing, it was nevertheless very clear that at each place, and with each character, a not-so-subtle point was being made about modern life, the way people behave, etc; to the point where those points felt in and of themselves to be the purpose of the story. Again, not something that really draws you (or at least me) in.
My other issue was that even plot-wise, the story kind of reads like a litany of “and then this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened.” Not much variety in pacing, and no time spent once the “point” of each episode had taken place – just “ok, that happened, next.” I’m being a little more negative than I really felt while I was reading the book – I really did enjoy it. But I can also totally see how as a kid I would have gotten bored. Puns are funny. A few pages or even a few chapters of clever wordplay and obvious-but-still-fun set-ups are fun. But a whole book of that and nothing else just isn’t enough.
Actually, now that I’m writing this and thinking it through further, I feel like a lot of the pieces of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH would make for great picture books – short, clever, funny stories, with imaginative premises, and a lot of great illustrations already included. But a whole series of those just strung together one after another doesn’t quite do it for me. And that’s why I can’t summon the love of this book that so many folks have (although I’m glad that I now see why they do love it. Especially as so many of my friends are language-loving types), and why I probably read it once, was kind of amused and kind of bored, and was left without a strong enough impression to lead me to pick it up again.
*I was raised in a very pun-filled household. In my family, birthdays and other card-giving occasions are basically a standing competition to see who can find the card with the best pun or bad joke. There have been some real prize finds over the years.
Posted in Books I felt I ought to have liked but really didn't, Childhood Reading, Feiffer, Jules, Flawed does not preclude Interesting, Juster, Norton, Phantom Tollbooth, The
10 Comments on Books I felt I ought to have liked but really didn’t: The Phantom Tollbooth, last added: 6/10/2009
I liked it when I first read it, but haven’t felt compelled to go back as I have with others. It’s kind of more, oh yeah I remember that. Not like, “Must reread every year or so,” like with Harriet the Spy or Madeleine L’Engle or others.
Lenore said, on 6/7/2009 5:31:00 PM
I totally get where you are coming from. It is clever, but the story itself leaves much to be desired.
Elizabeth said, on 6/7/2009 7:20:00 PM
You know, I get what you’re saying, but I think… clever is really enough for me. At least, if it’s clever enough. The worst is books that think they don’t have to do much else because they’re clever, but they really aren’t so much. But yeah, I loved the Phantom Tollbooth, and suspect I still would. (I read it many times as a child, but certainly not in the last decade.)
Also, don’t you like the name Milo?
Rhiannon Hart said, on 6/7/2009 7:55:00 PM
Great post Emily. You’ve inspired me to pen a similar post on my blog!
Becki said, on 6/8/2009 10:36:00 AM
I’m with you. The librarian at my elementary school was always pushing this book and everyone else seemed to love it, but I hated the thing. Your review totally summed up my feelings.
wickle said, on 6/8/2009 1:22:00 PM
I love The Phantom Tollbooth, I’ve read it four times in my adult life — including once out loud to my sons and once to record it.
Still, different strokes and all that …
If it helps, I’m a science fiction geek who thinks that Dune is agonizingly tedious. This brings much disdain from friends of mine, who insist that if I’d read it again I’d see how brilliant it is.
Let’s just say … no.
Kelly said, on 6/9/2009 1:35:00 AM
I’m not sure if I read it as a kid, but I read it as an adult and didn’t love it. Clever is the perfect word for it!
Emily said, on 6/9/2009 9:28:00 AM
Its so nice to find kindred spirits on this one – thanks guys. Elizabeth, I’m pretty sure you would still love this book now – I can see you just enjoying each funny bit and insisting on reading something aloud every couple of pages. Hmm, perhaps when you do pick it up again it would be best if you were in a room by yourself.
Rhiannon, I’m flattered! Going over to read your post now.
Elizabeth said, on 6/9/2009 9:31:00 AM
Dude, I don’t read things out loud to people! I live with someone who does, and it drives me nuts.
This is why I love our Wednesday Words: you can share the good bits without driving everyone around you to want to invest in better headphones and a white noise machine.
Sadako said, on 6/10/2009 9:12:00 AM
Emily, sometimes I do that. But only if it’s REALLY funny. In general, I sympathize–I hate being read to for the most part. I can’t do audio cassettes…for me reading is all about looking at the words. I always unconsciously tune out whenever anyone has read to me…teachers in elementary school, boyfriends who wanted to read the entire Lord of the Rings…etc.
Hm, maybe that would make a good blog posting. Reading vs. listening.
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Katie and I met via the blogosphere several years ago. We've followed a similar agent to sale to publication time frame. I'm happy to share Katie and her book, Wildflowers in Winter, with you today.
So I decided to squish those two stories together and Wildflowers from Winter was born. 
I’m thrilled to be hosting Ursula Poznanski on The Pen Stroke today for a stop on her whirlwind Erebos Blog Tour. 
Why did you choose Greek mythology for the foundation of Erebos and its founding characters?
By: Kimberly Pauley,
on 3/26/2012
By: Betsy Bird,
on 2/1/2012
And then it’s February. How the heckedy heck did that happen? Looks like 2012 is already establishing itself as the Blink and You’ll Miss It year. Well, let’s get to it then.
Everybody loves THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH. It is many of my friends’ absolute all-time favorite kids book. I know I read it as a kid. I know I didn’t like it. I know I didn’t read it again. And that’s all I remember, and somehow even though everyone was always saying how much they loved it, I never picked it up again until now. Anyway, that’s the back story.
Actually, now that I’m writing this and thinking it through further, I feel like a lot of the pieces of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH would make for great picture books – short, clever, funny stories, with imaginative premises, and a lot of great illustrations already included. But a whole series of those just strung together one after another doesn’t quite do it for me. And that’s why I can’t summon the love of this book that so many folks have (although I’m glad that I now see why they do love it. Especially as so many of my friends are language-loving types), and why I probably read it once, was kind of amused and kind of bored, and was left without a strong enough impression to lead me to pick it up again.
Thanks for having me, Caroline!
I loved reading about her process from having the idea for the book to actually seeing it published. I'm walking away with hope to see some of my goals accomplished!
I'm incredibly encouraged to hear that there are publishers interested in Christian fiction that grapples with the dark and difficult. Lighthearted and sweet is ok sometimes, but meaty stories appeal to me more.
Thanks for sharing about your journey, Katie! This book sounds intriguing.
I appreciate Katie sharing that her novel began with a 12 year old girl's voice in her head that she couldn't ignore. Then she wrote what she could even though there didn't seem to be anything else to go with it quite yet. As someone just beginning this journey of writing for publication, I am inspired by Katie's honesty. I am encouraged that she kept moving forward even if the next steps weren't real clear. This means I can keep moving forward even on the days when it seems like I have no idea what's going on. Thanks, Katie!
-Heidi
Congrats Katie! Looking forward to reading your book.
My take-away is that I really, really, really need to just read The Phantom Tollbooth already.
Glad you're feeling hopeful, Lydia!
I'm so glad it was encouraging to you!
I like the meatier stories more too!
I hope you enjoy the story when you get around to reading it! And YES, you really need to read The Phantom Tollbooth. I can't wait until my son is old enough so I can read it to him. :)
I just judged a contest. There's a writer who is SO CLOSE. It never occurred to me to offer to mentor. I think I will! Love that someone did this for Katie.
I also know the perfect reader for Katie's book.
Thanks for sharing, Caroline, and congratulations, Katie!
Katie, it's lovely to have you here today!
What an amazing opportunity that judge gave you! ... And what a great story to publication. Congratulations on your two-book deal. I'm glad that long wait paid off! :)
Great interview! It's always so interesting the process people go through to get their books to market. Thanks for sharing her story!
You know, I appreciate the level of hope that she's shared. I hear so much from authors advising people to stick with the craft because it took them years and years of submitting manuscripts before an agent even considered publishing them. It's a welcome relief to hear that sometimes it's not years and years, it's just down to the author being proactive and having faith and working hard. Thank you. :)