Oopsie, I slept right through my well-intentioned plan of waking up early and watching the ALA Webcast. Then I figured out I did not have the required Windows Media Player. The good news is, by the time I woke up, this announcement was posted with all the ALA winners.

Better news? Yuyi Morales won a Belpré Illustrator Honor for illustating “My Abuelita,” written by Tony Johnston . Whoo hoo! The Pura Belpré Awards honor Latino writers and illustrators whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.
See Yuyi's video on Making My Abuelita here:

Making My Abuelita from Yuyi Morales on Vimeo.

More good news from ALA is that Kekla Magoon won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award for her book, “The Rock and the River.”

Hooray for talented award-winning writer and illustrator friends.

Hooray for talented writer and illustrator friends with or without awards.

Hooray for talented writer and illustrator friends, published and not, who keep putting their heart and hope into their craft, their art, their stories.

It all begins with heart and hope, so keep imagining, writing, drawing and creating.

Oh, and while we are in the mood for hoorays, Hooray for publishers who put images of people of color on the covers of books the first time around.

I interviewed Kekla last April right here on The Imaginary Blog (along with Bethany Hegedus as Kekla and Bethany are co-editors of the literary magazine Hunger Mountain's Children and YA section).

You can read the whole interview here.
And here are a few highlights of Kekla's responses:

Kekla:
My novel, The Rock and the River, is set in 1968 Chicago. The civil rights movement is in full swing. Sam Childs (age 13) has been raised in the movement, as his father is a well known civil rights activist in their community. But Sam’s older brother, Stick, grows frustrated with the slow pace of change, as many young people did at that time. When Dr. King is killed, Stick leaves home and joins the Black Panther Party. Sam finds himself torn between the ideals of his father and his brother. He wants to believe in his father, to believe that non-violent protest will lead to the change he desires – but it gets harder for Sa

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Dear Imaginary Readers,

You may (or may not :-) have noticed I've been away a bit. Yes, well, as you know I'm a children's book writer. So I have been doing what children's book writers do--working on my new books. I've been swamped but it's been a good creative swamp and we writers need to venture there alone from time to time to capture more words on the pages.

But what better time to return to the Kidlitosphere than after the holidays, at the beginning of a new year (and a whole new decade!), and right at the start (or a couple of days after the start) of The 2010 Kidlitosphere Comment Challenge. Take a look here, here, or here for more details.

What do you think, Imaginary Readers? Is it possible for me (or you) to make 100 comments on Kidlitosphere blogs in 21 days, creating one new habit of reading and making 5 (or if you are starting late, 5+) comments on various blogs per day?

Forecast: A whole lot of bloggy commenting going on!

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Can you guess what I'm hoping to do in November?
Crazy, right? I know. But why not?

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Press Release:
Hunger Mountain announces winners of Katherine Paterson Prize

September 28, 2009—Montpelier, VT— The winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing is Liz Cook from Roslindale, Massachusetts, the editor of Hunger Mountain announced today. Ms. Cook’s short story for young adults, “Crazy Cat” has earned her a $1,000 prize and publication in Hunger Mountain, the national arts journal published at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

“We received 300 entries—and the talent and dedication apparent in those entries was overwhelming,” says Miciah Bay Gault, managing editor of Hunger Mountain.

Katherine Paterson, the award-winning author of Bridge to Terabithia, judged the contest. Along with a first place winner, she chose three honorable mentions: Susan Hill Long from Portland, Oregon, for her middle grade novel excerpt “Tornado;” Emily Jiang from Palo Alto, California for her young adult novel excerpt “Paper Daughter;” and Tricia Springstubb from Cleveland Heights, Ohio for her story for young children “No Mistake.” Each honorable mention receives $100 and publication on Hunger Mountain online.

Gault called Liz Cook last week to let her know she’d won the much publicized Katherine Paterson Prize. “She couldn’t believe it,” says Gault. “She was so excited to think that Katherine had read—and enjoyed—her writing.”

Hunger Mountain is a print and online journal of the arts showcasing fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, interviews, writing for children, and visual art. Visit Hunger Mountain for more information about the Katherine Paterson Prize and three other writing prizes offered annually.

Vermont College of Fine Arts, which houses the editorial offices for Hunger Mountain, is the first college devoted entirely to low-residency, graduate fine arts programs, offering three MFA
degrees in Writing, Writing for Children and Young Adults, and Visual Art.


(End of press release and back to Lynn).
Congratulations to Liz Cook, Susan Hill Long, Emily Jiang, and Tricia Springstubb as well as the finalists.

Imaginary Readers,
I think you will find great inspiration at Hunger Mountain.
Find out more info about the contest here:
http://www.hungermtn.org/contest-news

and here:
http://www.hungermtn.org

Read an amazing talk by Katherine Paterson here.

Learn about VCFA (Vermont College of Fine Arts) MFA Program here.

Yes, some of you know I earned my MFA at VCFA. People often ask me if the program was worthwhile. I always answer: Yes, yes, YES!!

Read an interview with Bethany Hegedus & Kekla Magoon, co-editors of the Children and YA section of Hunger Mountain here.

Forecast: More great stories from Hunger Mountain, VCFA, Liz Cook, and the honorable mention writers and finalists!

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Hello Imaginary Readers,

There are times as an author when you wonder if anyone is reading your books (or your blog :-). So it was a fun and very nice surprise to receive a google alert pointing me to reviews of SHIFTY on Amazon UK. I'm thrilled with the UK reviews and that readers liked my characters and story. Plus is was super fun to read some of unique words and phrases used to describe SHIFTY. Please take a look.

SHIFTY will be published October 1st in the UK by Frances Lincoln.
Here are the four covers of SHIFTY:

UK cover (published by Frances Lincoln)


Australian cover (published by Allen & Unwin)



US covers (hardcover-2008) & (paperback-2010) published by Tricycle/Random House--



The US paperback version, below, comes out in March 2010.


Imaginary Readers, which cover do you like best?

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Lynn: Tavia, thank you for joining us at The Imaginary Blog.

I have to say that I've always been impressed by the creative endeavors of NaNoWriMo. So I was thrilled to learn that there was a Young Writers Program involved with NaNoWriMo too. Then when I saw the nifty free downloadable Novelist Workbooks for teachers and students at various grade levels I just had to meet the responsible enlightened folks involved.

There are some fun facts and FAQ on your website but I'd love a quick update and inside view of the process from your POV. Whose idea was it to include and encourage young writers in NaNoWriMo? Who created and designed the great workbooks?

Tavia: NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program was created after we were inundated with requests from participating educators for a kid- and teen-friendly version of the event. They wanted to share the blissful sense of accomplishment they felt after writing an entire novel in 30 days with their students—to see what would happen if they encouraged their kids to run amok in their imaginations for an entire month.

So did we!

The Young Writers Program launched in 2004, got its own website in 2005, and by 2006 had a thriving international community consisting of both educators teaching our program in classrooms and young writers participating on their own. To meet the demands for more resources and a more kid-friendly site, we launched a redesigned website in 2008 along with dozens of lesson plans for educators and our Young Novelist Workbooks for students. The workbooks were written by a team of writers including myself, and were designed by the talented, Graham Dobson!

I'm proud to say that the word about the workbooks has leaked to the adult site, and they're now being used by writers of all ages! My favorite worksheet is the "Character Questionnaire" from the high school workbook. I feel that knowing everything you can about your characters before November 1 is essential. It allows you to sit back, relax, and let your characters lead you from the beginning to "The End."

Lynn: How many students are you expecting to participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge this year? Any unique locations, students, or groups who've participated in the past?

Tavia: This coming November, we're expecting as many as 25,000 young novelists worldwide to write with us! In the past we've had students participate in every state and in dozens of other countries including South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Holland, Pakistan, Great Britain, Australia, and Ireland, just to name a few. NaNoWriMo has been taught to all grade levels from preschool to 12th grade and has inspired students to write in ESL classrooms, schools for the hearing impaired, and many after school programs for underprivileged children.

Lynn: Can you share any inspiring stories or events that have come about through the Young Writers Program?

Tavia: My favorite story is about a Middle School in Battle Creek, Michigan. Each year, the entire school participates in NaNoWriMo, including the staff! For one month, the hallways are covered with classroom word-count banners, writing prompts, and excerpts from the students' novels. The school hosts pajama write-ins and allows students to write between classes and at lunch in the computer labs. Luke Perry, the teacher who originally introduced the program to the school, wrote in after his first year teaching NaNoWriMo to say that he "will never teach the same way again."

It's great to hear that NaNo not only inspires students to write, but inspires teachers to teach writing in a new and innovative way. We hope to hear more and more of these writing revival stories as our numbers increase.

Lynn: What else is The Office of Letters and Light up to after NaNoWriMo is over?
Did I see something about screenwriting for young writers, too?

Tavia: OLL is a year-round operation! We work all summer and fall updating the NaNoWriMo websites and YWP curriculum, take a short winter nap for a week or two in December, then get right to preparing for our second creative writing event, Script Frenzy, which takes place each April.

Script Frenzy is a lot like NaNoWriMo, but instead of writing novels, we write scripts. We encourage participants to write any kind of script they'd like including screenplays, stage plays, TV scripts, comic book scripts, short film scripts, and radio scripts! Participants can work with a partner if they'd like, which is a ton of fun, and they can write multiple shorter scripts as long as they reach their page-count goal by the end of the month. I think one of the coolest things about Script Frenzy is that, after it's over, participating classrooms can team up with their drama department to have their students' newly-written scripts performed!

To find out more about Script Frenzy's YWP, you can visit http://ywp.scriptfrenzy.org.

Lynn: Please tell us a little about yourself. What brought you to your current position?

Tavia: Never in a million years did I think that I'd actually use my degree in Creative Writing to make an actual living. But I thought I'd give it the old after-college try, so I moved to San Francisco to wait tables and volunteer or intern at any publishing house or literary magazine that would take me. Within a year, I was working two restaurant jobs and three internships. One of my internships was at McSweeney's Publishing, which turned into a paying job in customer service. Though McSweeney's was—and still is—one of my favorite creative companies in the whole wide world, customer service was customer service. Luckily, my boss liked me enough to send along the posting for a position at the Office of Letters and Light. What a wonderful day it was when I went from juggling five jobs to working at one amazing organization.

In my spare time, I volunteer for a small local publisher called Watchword Press. I co-edit their bi-annual literary magazine and curate my brain-child, Whole Story, an event that transforms a conjunctive gallery and theater space into a life-sized, multi-media diorama in reaction to one short story.

In my spare, spare time, I practice yoga, make ice cream, and write short fiction and poetry.

Lynn: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our Imaginary Readers?

Tavia: The writing doesn't need to stop on December 1 or, in the case of Script Frenzy, May 1. Let NaNoWriMo and Script Frenzy be creative catalysts—let the events inspire you to do more and write more. Whether you spend your "off-season" revising your novel or script, or you spend it writing short stories or poetry, remember that you did and still can write everyday…and you should!

Lynn: Thanks, Tavia, for joining us on the Imaginary Blog.

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A couple of fun things to note as I head back to town from a great writers' retreat.

Z Dad and Z Kids reviewed SEYMOUR on Bookie Woogie. If you haven't had a chance to see their Bookie Woogie site, where "Three kids and their dad talk about books," please check it out. The talented kids there (Lily, Grace & Isaac) do amazing art in response to the books they read. ZDad (Aaron Zenz) captures their conversations. The result? Consistently wonderful, funny and spontaneous responses to books from the children's points of view. Thanks to ZDad, Lily (age 6), Gracie (age 8) and Isaac (age 10) for their thoughts on The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail, and their totally cool snail art.


You can see more of the kids' wonderful art at Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty (Selected pictures from Isaac, Grace, and Lily including "Illustration Friday" posts).

I was recently interviewed by Amanda at The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers site. Please take a look.

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Seymour has his own profile on Twitter--
That's Silly, I Know!

Plenty silly, in fact. But then, Seymour is a funny and creative snail.
Seymour will share his sense of humor and unique worldview as he ventures slooooowly onto the high-speed web.
You can follow Seymour at: http://twitter.com/SeymourSnail (Or his author, Lynn) at: http://twitter.com/LynnHazen


Do you know any children's book characters on Twitter? Please comment below with their Twitter ID's. I'd be curious to see what these characters have to say. Seymour and I will start a list. Thanks for helping us.

Forecast: More Seymour Snail Silliness at NOT the typical Twitter pace! (He's a snail after all)

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Please join our 4-Day MG & YA workshop at Stanford Continuing Studies and jump-start your summer revisions. Completed, nearly completed, & half-done but slightly stuck novelists welcome! Pre-registration required. For more info and to register, please see:
http://bit.ly/StanfordNovel

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel Revision Intensive: A Four-Day Boot Camp

Course schedule:
June 22, 24, 26 and 29
10:00 am – 4:00 pm

This four-day intensive workshop with both in-class and between-class time for revision will explore how successful middle grade and YA novels hook an audience to keep them reading, and how writers can apply techniques to achieve the same. Students should bring their complete or nearly complete draft of a middle grade or YA novel.

We will analyze exemplary novels for middle grades (eight to twelve years old) and young adults (twelve to eighteen years old). Students will then focus on their own manuscript. We will practice writing and revision techniques looking at creating a unique, believable voice and crafting vivid scenes. We will discuss chapter endings, symbolic language, humor, emotion, dialogue, details, beginnings, and perfect endings. Students will check their manuscript for signs of a solid structure, plot, subplots, pacing, tension, and fully developed characters.

For more info and to register, please see:
http://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/course.php?cid=20084_EGL%20308

Feel free to tell your middle grade and YA writer friends about this class.
Thanks,
Lynn

http://www.ShiftyTheBook.com

SHIFTY was chosen for VOYA'S Top Shelf Fiction, as a CCBC Choice, and a Smithsonian Notable!

"...a realistic story that resonates. Smart writing and an engaging narrative keep the story fresh, while an interesting plot will keep readers turning the pages." --KIRKUS REVIEWS

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Dear Imaginary Readers,

It's my lucky week for being interviewed. First the Carma's Window interview. Now, Angele Sionna, Early Childhood Parenting Examiner at Examiner.com, interviewed me for her Do It All Mamas (& Papas) column. Please take a look.

Jim Averbeck read it and said it sounded like I am a big fan of bedtime. I am a big fan of bedtime. My own--of course--after long busy days, and my family's, too. Oh sure, now my kids are grown. But when they were young, late at night when everyone in the family was asleep and the house was quiet--was when I could write without interruption. I'm still a bit of a night owl.

Angele's interview includes my responses to:

Examiner: What secret do you have to share with other parents about "having it all" with your family and business?

Lynn: First of all, there is no "having it all." There is usually a shortage of something--not enough time, not enough money, not enough relaxation and "quality time" with family, not enough sleep, a house that's not clean enough, and not enough energy to carve out one's creative endeavors. We're constantly making choices about what we (and our family) need and want. It's a juggle for sure. The secret? Perhaps knowing that nobody "has it all." Then do your best juggling it all while appreciating what you have. A sense of humor helps, too.

Examiner: What is the number one piece of advice you have for other parents?

Lynn here again. You can read the rest of my responses to these and other questions at Do It All Mamas (& Papas)

Here are more interviews with me around the web. Thanks for taking a look.

Lynn on Cynsations (3/2009)

Lynn at ForeWord Magazine (2009)

Lynn on Cynsations (3/2006)

Lynn interviewed at Through the Tollbooth (4/2008)

Q & A with Lynn at www.LynnHazen.com

Here are pics of a very young Lynn. If you scroll down on that page you'll see my Kindergarten & 2nd Grade report cards! Uh-oh!

Lynn interviewed at Carma's Window

For interviews of fellow authors, illustrators and more, check out the side bar over there on your right.

Forecast: Bedtime & more writing!

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May's Carnival of Children's Literature is up, hosted by Tarie at Into the Wardrobe. I like how she organized the posts into distinct categories. Take a look.

Carma over at Carma's Window reviewed SHIFTY and posted an interview of me. Thanks, Carma. It's always interesting to be interviewed. Sometimes questions feel similar to previous author interviews, but then a particular phrasing of a question or perhaps the mood I'm in when answering creates an unexpected response. This happened with one question in particular that Carma asked me. I responded with "top-of-my-head-truth" of course--actually lots of little truths-- but the combined truth I had not quite pulled together in my mind until she asked. Carma mentioned my Shifty Card video http://vimeo.com/4556993, then asked:

Q: The use of video's in blogs and websites are gaining in popularity. I love the way you made yours. I am sure you have experienced many memorable moments in your career. Is there one that stands out more?

Hazen: Oh, it is hard to choose one. Here are a few:

• Dancing around the living room in a fit of happiness singing along with the lovely loud music of Joni Mitchell, "�go to the Mermaid Café, Have fun tonight…" when I found out my first book had sold (MERMAID MARY MARGARET)

• A much quieter happy moment many months (years?) later--getting all unexpectedly teary-eyed when seeing the same first book available for check out at my San Francisco Public Library.
  
  
• Meeting so many creative kindred spirits in the sometimes wacky world of children's books--fellow authors, illustrators, editors, agents, booksellers, teachers, librarians and of course, readers, all of whom care deeply about books.

• Speaking of readers--high on the memorable moments list is meeting children and teens, and getting fan mail, email, and drawings from children and youth who have liked my books.
  
  
• Doing the Bunny Hop with an enthusiastic library full of young children with CINDER RABBIT.
  
  
• Connecting with youth at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center and local high schools about reading, writing, and my book, SHIFTY.

Wow, so many memorable moments. I’m thankful to have experienced them. I guess it is good to reflect on these moments from time to time, especially in the inevitable “less than inspiring” times as an author. I might just have to print this list, post it on my bulletin board and reread it in times of “writer frustration” so I don’t forget!
---
After the interview I did print up my memorable moments list and I'm adding to it: funny things that happened on school visits, brief pauses for celebration, small but so meaningful kindnesses from readers, connections to people and books. There are many ups and downs, lots of waiting and time warps in a writer's career. So I'm sure my Memorable Moments List will come in handy soon.

Imaginary Readers, please tell me what is on your Memorable Moments List?

Forecast: Cloudy “less than inspiring” times, increased wackiness, chances of ups and downs, waiting & time warps--as well as brief pauses for celebration, misty eyes at the public library, intermittent meaningful kindnesses, funny things, and sporadic fits of happiness, dancing & singing!

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I spent some time on my SHIFTY My Space page this afternoon trying to remember how to edit my SHIFTY profile there. Whew! I figured it out and updated the page.

Now I just need more teens, tweens, librarians, teacher-types, fellow authors and friends to drop in, become friends and say hi!

Do YOU know any teens, tweens, teachers or librarians? Please send them my way. www.MySpace.com/ShiftyTheBook

Thanks!
There's a catchy tune playing there, too. Please come listen.

Forecast: Foot-tapping!

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Imaginary Readers, we are in for a great treat. Today I'm interviewing Doug Cushman. As you know, Doug illustrated my latest book, THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL. I couldn't be happier with his creative and fun portrayal of Seymour, Mr. Stink Bug, Coco La Roach, all the other characters, and of course, the whole story. Here we go.



Lynn: Have you always enjoyed drawing and painting? What kinds of things did you create as a child?

Doug: I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t drawing or writing. I made books when I was eight or nine years old. One was called SPACE CAT; a cat in a space suit who crash landed on a prehistoric planet and battled dinosaurs. Forty-plus years later I published SPACE CAT (with some changes) for my 100th book for HarperCollins. I haven’t changed all that much!

Lynn: That's such a great story. Do you have any quirky habits or rituals that feed your creative process?

Doug: I listen to a lot of music and draw a lot of pictures in my sketch books to get the juices flowing. I find going to a café sometimes in the afternoon with my notebook or laptop helps; it’s a change of scenery.

Lynn: What is your workspace or studio like? Are you well organized or surrounded by creative clutter? Do you have any toys that inspire you?

Doug: The place is a mess. ‘Nuff said.

Lynn: How did you first hear from Holt about illustrating Seymour? What were the initial steps? What media did you use for this book?

Doug: I was visiting Holt and chatting with Reka (our editor). She said she might have something to show me. That was pretty much it. I’ve known the folks at Holt for years, they’re old friends.

My usual process is to design the characters then launch into the sketches, pacing the text out. The finishes were done in watercolor and ink, my usual working method.

Lynn: Was there any character or part of the story of The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail that you particularly enjoyed illustrating?

Doug: Your story so reminded me of all the crazy nonsense that was going on in the art world with the big galleries and artists back in the 70s; I wanted to play with all those images and characters.

Lynn: What was most challenging part of the process? How did you overcome that challenge?

Doug: Pacing out the book, figuring out what I wanted to illustrate and “enhance” (the text really told the story, my drawings were just decorations really). Trying to balance the text and pictures on each page is always difficult.

Lynn: When you were working on Seymour, did any children give you any input on any characters or scenes?

Doug: Nope, no kids, no one really. I had lots of bug books and a large snail shell that I found in the countryside in Burgundy. That shell was my main inspiration.

Lynn: Kirkus Reviews praised The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail with:

"Engaging characters and winning art create a solid addition to the field of transitional literature…"
&
"Cushman’s anthropomorphized bugs from the art gallery are a hoot..."

Could you please share any secrets of how you made Seymour and the other buggy characters so fun and expressive?

Doug: I draw what I see ;-)

Lynn: Did anyone you know become a knowing or unwitting model for one of the characters in The Amazing Trail of Seymour Trail?

Doug: No one I know personally but there’s probably a little of me in Seymour.

Lynn: Please tell us a little about your career as an artist and illustrator. How did you get started?

Doug: As I said, I’ve always been drawing and writing stories so it wasn’t any stretch to decide to make my living as an author/illustrator. I went to a private art school in Connecticut and, after graduating, just showed my portfolio to anyone that was willing to look at it. It took 3 or 4 years to get my first book. Even after 120+ books under my belt, I still feel I have A LOT to learn about drawing and story-telling.

Lynn: 120 Books! Wow. Please tell us about any of your other upcoming projects.

Doug: I’m always working on two or three things at any given time; but I’m of the school of not saying anything about works in progress, the old superstition about jinxing the work, etc.

Lynn: Thanks Doug. Do you have any final advice for aspiring children's book illustrators?

Doug: Just keep drawing and painting and learning. And try to stay focused. And eat your vegetables.

Lynn: Seymour would agree with all of that! Imaginary Readers can find Doug at his website: www.doug-cushman.com


Forecast: Writing, drawing, painting, learning, focus, and of course, vegetables!

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Books, Berets, Friends & Fun!

Yes, last Saturday was fun with a celebration for my new book, THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL illustrated by Doug Cushman. It was doubly fun because it was a double book launch party for Elissa Haden Guest and her new book, HARRIET'S HAD ENOUGH! Here come some pics of the celebration.

(Below) Mr. Stink Bug in the window holding a copy of THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL.


Me, my son Mike & Liz. Mike helped with the mechanics of Seymour zipping around and around the window display on a hidden Lego train. Thanks, Mike! See the video below. What fun!


Seymour Slimes His Way from Lynn H on Vimeo.

I love the illustrations in THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL. Stay tuned for an interview with the illustrator, the wildly talented Doug Cushman. Thank you, Doug for bringing Seymour and his pals to life.

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Seymour Slimes His Way from Lynn H on Vimeo.

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I hope you can make it to the Double Book Launch Party on Sat. May 16th at Cover to Cover.
Saturday May 16th
10 a.m. to noon
Cover to Cover in San Francisco
1307 Castro St (between 24th St & Jersey St)
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 282-8080

And of course if you have a beret (or other fun hat), please wear it!
Be like Seymour, And Monet, Be creative, And wear a beret.

My friends Ryoko & Shannon went with me recently to the Berkeley Hat Store in search of the perfect beret. Take a look at some of the wonderful hats we found. Come to the book Launch Party to see what we ended up with!


















Forecast: Hat Fun! And stay tuned for the vid of Seymour as he slimes his way around and around Cover to Cover's window display. What fun!

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Check out my latest videos on How to Make a SHIFTY Card.
The first one is a short (90 seconds) video of the completed SHIFTY Card. The next one is the 8 minute "How To."

You can download the free pdf pattern to make your own SHIFTY Card at www.ShiftyTheBook.com. Once you are there, click on the Students & Teachers link.

Thanks for taking a look. And if you make your own SHIFTY Card, please post a vid and let me know where so I can see your personal artistic touches. Thanks!

The SHIFTY Card Completed (short version) from Lynn H on Vimeo.

How to Make a Cool SHIFTY Card from Lynn H on Vimeo.

SHIFTY was chosen for VOYA'S Top Shelf Fiction, as a CCBC Choice, and a Smithsonian Notable. More info about my YA novel, SHIFTY, can be found at www.ShiftyTheBook.com. Please forward to interested teens, teachers and librarians. And tell them I'm available for high school, middle school, and library visits!
I have a few other author videos I created on Vimeo. You can see more info on my profile there.

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Hello Imaginary Readers,
I know "Seymour's Pub Date" sounds like our little snail is off to have a beer with his buggy buddies. But really, a book's "pub date" is the date a book is released for publication, the date it is available to order or purchase from your favorite store. Kind of like a book's birthday!

Today's the day! Happy Pub Date to Seymour!

If you're in the San Francisco area, please join me for Seymour's Book Launch Party this Saturday, May 16th, from 10 a.m. to noon at Cover to Cover Booksellers. 1307 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114. You can call to order signed copies after the event. (415) 282-8080

You should see the colorful window display there. What fun! My son Mike lent his electric Lego train and creative mechanical engineering expertise so that a hidden Lego-powered train car zooms slimy Seymour round and around the window. My friends Charlesie & Ryoko helped paint a colorful platform and create flowers, snails and funny bugs. I'll try to get some pics and a video or two up soon. Thanks everybody. It takes a village to launch a book!

If you are far from San Francisco or have other Saturday plans,
Please order SEYMOUR from your local independent bookstore at Indie Bound.

Here is what Kirkus has to say about my favorite snail...
"Seymour Snail is an endearing artist..."

"Cushman’s anthropomorphized bugs from the art gallery are a hoot..."

"Creative wordplay abounds..."

"Engaging characters and winning art create a solid addition to the field of transitional literature."
KIRKUS REVIEWS, April 1, 2009

SEYMOUR loves Indie Bookstores!

Or if you are Amazon-inclined you can order SEYMOUR here.
Thanks!

Forecast: Something to celebrate! Please celebrate with me this Saturday. And wear your beret! Be like Seymour, And Monet, Be creative, And wear a beret!

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Stanford Continuing Studies Writers Studio just posted their summer courses. I'm happy to say I'll be co-teaching:

Middle Grade and Young Adult Novel Revision Intensive: A Four-Day Boot Camp
with my good friend & author, Ellen Yeomans.

Here is the course description:

This four-day intensive workshop with both in-class and between-class time for revision will explore how successful middle grade and YA novels hook an audience to keep them reading, and how writers can apply techniques to achieve the same. Students should bring their complete or nearly complete draft of a middle grade or YA novel.

We will analyze exemplary novels for middle grades (eight to twelve years old) and young adults (twelve to eighteen years old). Students will then focus on their own manuscript. We will practice writing and revision techniques looking at creating a unique, believable voice and crafting vivid scenes. We will discuss chapter endings, symbolic language, humor, emotion, dialogue, details, beginnings, and perfect endings. Students will check their manuscript for signs of a solid structure, plot, subplots, pacing, tension, and fully developed characters.

Course schedule:
June 22, 24, 26 and 29
10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Find out more details and registration information on the Stanford Continuing Studies site.
Registration begins May 18th.

Some of my Imaginary Readers may recall that I visited Ellen on a different farm last summer.
http://lynnhazenimaginaryblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/city-author-visits-country-author.html

and

http://lynnhazenimaginaryblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/day-two-of-city-author-visits-country.html

Now Ellen has a chance to visit The Farm here in California.

Click here to for an interview and photos of Ellen on the other farm where she works (when she is not writing).

By the way, if you feel you are not quite ready for the Stanford course above, I'm teaching a 2-Day class at UC Berkeley Extension with Elissa Haden Guest May 30-31st. Take a look:

Writing the Young Adult Novel: A Two-Day Intensive Workshop

What exactly is a Young Adult novel? How does it compare with middle-grade children's literature or adult literature? How do you get started, keep going, and once you've written it, find the right publisher? In this two-day intensive workshop, students are introduced to various Young Adult genres, including traditional, edgy, verse, and graphic novels. We look at successful examples of the Young Adult novel, focusing on specific writing techniques. Participants explore voice, character development, and plot-point ideas through in-class writing exercises.

Forecast: More fun on The Farm and at UCB Extension

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Hello Imaginary Readers,
On this last Friday in April I'm bravely posting my own bad poem and a silly challenge for you for the 31 days (and 5 Fridays) in May.

First, the Bad Poetry Friday Challenge for all brave bad (and so-bad-you're-good) poets--

For May, please compose your poems to include at least one rhyming couplet with words that rhyme with May. A quick peek at your rhyming dictionary or at RhymeZone.com's selection of May rhyming words will give you a clue of how silly and fun this will be. Bad poetry writing opportunities abound!

Rhyme Zone has organized hundreds of May-rhyming-words from one syllable to ten syllables just for you and your Bad Poetry Friday Muse. How could you not be inspired with such words and phrases in English and French as:
dismay
souffle
toupee
dog sleigh
rate of pay
yap away
exponential decay
alphanumeric display
and of course--
jean baptiste pierre antoine de monet...
plus hundreds more--take a look!

So send your Rhyming-with-May Poem ( 8 lines or less, related to writing, publishing or reading children's books in some way) without delay--today (or any day of the week) to [email protected]

I'll post the best or worst every Friday on The Imaginary Blog. Don't forget the amazing imaginary prize opportunites! Here is how to play.

And now--
To celebrate the arrival of a boxful of my new books (my author copies of The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail just arrived!!) and for today's Bad Poetry Friday I am posting my own poem.

For Imaginary Readers in the San Francisco Bay Area, please come to Seymour (and Harriet's) Double-the-Fun Book Launch Party on May 16th 10:00-noon at Cover to Cover. For more fun, please wear your beret!

Misplaced your beret?
Here is a good place to find all kinds of berets--every possible color, all styles imaginable, wool or cotton, with sequins perhaps(!!!) and of course the Che beret (complete with red star and fake hair). Take a look!
http://www.berkeleyhat.com/basqueberets.html


Forecast: More bad poetry fun, of course. Plus creative artists, writers and poets all wearing berets! I wonder who will show up at Seymour's launch party sporting a sequinned beret?

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Hello Imaginary Readers!
We are in for a treat. Today we are interviewing Bethany Hegedus & Kekla Magoon, YA novelists and co-editors of the literary magazine Hunger Mountain's Children and YA section.


(Bethany left, Kekla right)

Lynn: Hi Bethany and Kekla. Please tell me a little about Hunger Mountain and how you got involved.

BH:
Hunger Mountain is the well-established and respected literary journal that is affiliated with Vermont College of the Fine Arts. Recently, the decision was made to bring Hunger Mountain online and with it to add a Children’s and YA section to the journal. Miciah Bay Gault, Managing Editor of HM invited alumni to send in a resume or CV for the editor position. I responded quickly but knew the job would be large and that if I took it on I would want to partner with someone. Kekla and I have been doing joint school visit presentations and we have a good working relationship balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses (in this case two minds and four eyes are better than one!). We each sent in our materials, expressing a desire to work together and the HM board met and went over all the applicants and surprise, surprise selected us! We were thrilled and excited and are now glassy-eyed. Or at least I am!

KM:
I’m excited, too! Like Bethany I was intrigued by the position announcement, but worried about the volume of work it would be for just one person. Our partnership enables us to share tasks, problem-solve jointly, and generate more and better ideas. I knew I wanted to be involved in the new children’s and YA section because I realized it could be a fresh and unique resource for the children’s writing community. Writing and editing are such solitary activities, and it’s easy to become isolated, so another part of the appeal of working on HM is the opportunity for me to engage with a larger community of writers. So far it has been a neat process.


Lynn: As editors, what kinds of content are you looking for?

BH:
Content! The meat of the magazine! What we are doing is something new in literary journals and for our field, and we are excited about this. The intended audience for the Children’s and YA portion of Hunger Mountain is adults and not children. It is lovers of our craft, industry professionals, working authors and illustrators as well as teachers, librarians, and anyone who admires the work that those in the children’s field produce.

Since our content is aimed at adults and not children, children’s writers are encouraged to be experimental; find a place for their “odder” and “edgier” work. However, it isn’t all about being “odd” or “edgy.” Those in the kid lit community know and respect craftsmanship both inside and outside the box.

Basically, for me, I want to publish work by up-and-comers, as well as established writers who take creative risks, create and demonstrate the range of adolescent emotion from PB age to YA. Also we will be publishing a number of craft-related essays and industry interviews and we see HM as adding to the content and scholarship that is published by Horn Book, SLJ and other journals that cover children’s literature. However, the fact that we publish fiction and creative-non fiction, not reviews, sets us apart.

KM:
Our vision for HM is to be a point of information and connection for YA and children’s writers online. As editors, we hope to create a space where writers can experiment, share ideas, and be inspired. We will publish short fiction, including novel excerpts, poetry, and short non-fiction pieces. Even though the journal’s audience is adults, the fiction that we publish will still be of a style and quality that would appeal to children and teens. Like Bethany said, this places us in a rather unique position, where authors can test out their material on a knowledgeable adult audience. As a writer, the opportunity to submit short fiction to HM would appeal to me because, as it stands, there are a limited number of places where short fiction for children and teens can be submitted. We are open to an unlimited variety of material and subject matter for new fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction, as long as it represents your best work. In addition to highly-polished new pieces, we’d love to see deleted scenes from published books, the short story that launched a novel, or samples from a picture book artist’s sketchbook.

On the article side of our publication, we’re also launching something unique. We’ll seek personal essays, objective/journalistic articles and opinion articles. We’ll include pieces on basic craft issues, the writing life, and children’s publishing, but we’ll also explore opposing points-of-view on industry trends and even controversial topics related to writing. As a reader, the journal would appeal to me because it fills a need for a public space in which to explore these craft and industry issues. Many writing advice and craft books exist that deal with these issues, but it can be hard to engage other people in conversation about hard-copy writings. There are also many blogs and websites out there for YA and children’s writers that promote discussion, but blogs are a more informal medium than what we are trying to create. HM will offer published articles and fiction PLUS the opportunity for reader feedback and discussion, which will enable us to spark dynamic conversations about hot-button issues and trends in our field.

Lynn: What's the payment for selected work? And what rights are you buying?

BH:
HM believes in paying authors and illustrators for their work. Our payment range varies between $25-75 and often well-known contributors volunteer their pieces. The major payment is in contributing to the literary community and being affiliated with such a quality journal. We buy first time world wide serial rights only; and upon publication rights revert back to the author.

Soon the submissions will be open to all. HM will be using an online submission manager, so fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction can be sent in online.


Lynn: I hear Hunger Mountain is also launching the Katherine Paterson Writing contest. Can you tell us a little more about that?

BH:
Newbery winner Katherine Paterson has long been affiliated with VCFA and sits on the board of the institution but in her own words she is not a teacher. Which may be true; she isn’t on faculty but teach and inspire she does with her novels and characters from Gilly Hopkins to Rosa, from Bread and Roses.

As a local Vermonter, when HM was looking to create the contest and give it a name, the Bridge to Terabithia author was the first that came to mind. Katherine Paterson kindly agreed and now we have The Katherine Paterson Prize. Ask me, it has as nice a ring to it as Pulitzer!

Here is the official announcement and contest rules.

Lynn: I know you both have new novels. Please tell us about your books.

BH:
In my debut novel, Between Us Baxters (WestSide Books/09) Polly Baxter has always been friends with Timbre Ann Biggs. It may matter to everyone else that their skins are different colors, but they don’t mind being the only “salt and pepper” friends in town. Or at least Polly doesn’t. Raised firmly with her mother’s belief that “you can’t pick your family but you can pick your friends” Polly clings to her friendship with Timbre Ann. After all, it is Timbre Ann who quizzes her on her vocabulary words and whose hand-me-downs she wears. It is also Timbre Ann who Polly begins to keep secrets from, including her daddy’s drinking. However, Timbre Ann has a way of knowing things about the Baxter’s, even when it isn’t Polly who shares them with her. When black-owned businesses begin to burn to the ground, Polly struggles to cope with the implications that her family may be involved and to understand the true meaning of friendship.

KM:
My novel, The Rock and the River, is set in 1968 Chicago. The civil rights movement is in full swing. Sam Childs (age 13) has been raised in the movement, as his father is a well known civil rights activist in their community. But Sam’s older brother, Stick, grows frustrated with the slow pace of change, as many young people did at that time. When Dr. King is killed, Stick leaves home and joins the Black Panther Party. Sam finds himself torn between the ideals of his father and his brother. He wants to believe in his father, to believe that non-violent protest will lead to the change he desires – but it gets harder for Sam to stand by as his community is being ravaged by police brutality and poverty. He begins to explore the Panthers with Stick, though he still struggles to decide what is right. Will Sam follow his father or his brother? His mind or his heart? The rock or the river?

Lynn: How do you juggle your time creating new work, promoting your published work and now editing your section of Hunger Mountain?

BH:
I just try to focus on the work at hand: whether that may be an upcoming school visit, a novel deadline, a check-in call with my agent, work with Kekla on Hunger Mountain, a revision of a picture book or working on my website or other promotional materials. I tend to rely on instinct in terms of my daily priorities. Somehow, some way it all gets done! (My laundry, now that’s another thing!) And, my writer’s group keeps me honest and keeps me producing new work weekly. That is key!

KM:
It’s a very big struggle for me to prioritize. Lately I’ve been using a series of to-do lists to help me organize my activities. I write the tasks right into my calendar each week. My writers’ group sits down every January to outline goals for the year, which I find really useful in targeting my long-term goals. On my own, I then break down the goals by month, and each month I break them down by week. This is not to say it that it all gets done! But it has helped me understand my work pace and process better, when I can look back and compare my intentions vs. my accomplishments. It has helped me understand what I can realistically accomplish in a day/week/month, which in turn has helped me stop putting pressure on myself to accomplish too much in too short a time. I’ve become better at saying NO to outside activities that will draw me away from my writing and professional goals. The hardest thing for me lately is to focus on producing new writing, since book promotion and editing are new and exciting adventures for me. But my writers’ groups definitely help me keep on task with my latest draft!

Lynn: Do you do school visits, too?

KM:
Yes! We each do school visits on our own book, but we also developed a joint presentation. It’s another area of our partnership that works really well. Since our books are set in 1959 and 1968, we are uniquely positioned to provide students with an in-depth presentation about the beginning and end of the civil rights era.

Our presentation is called “The Movement: Civil Rights in America 1959-1968.” It’s subtitled: “Two Books. Two Authors. One Powerful Presentation.” We lay out a timeline of civil rights movement, beginning with Bethany’s Between Us Baxters, which occurs at a time when segregation was still in effect in the South. She discusses Jim Crow laws, Brown vs. Board of Education, the Klan and the Citizen’s Councils, and the kinds of events that occurred that ultimately drove the black community to organize and launch the civil rights movement. Using a photo montage, we fast-forward through the parts of the movement that students more typically study in school, until we reach 1968 and the assassination of Dr. King. I talk about the effect that Dr. King’s death had on black communities around the country, and the new militancy and community organizing efforts that rose up in the wake of his murder. It’s a topic students don’t normally get to study, but is an area that needs more attention if we ever hope to understand the civil rights era as it truly happened.


Our presentation is fun and interactive, using audience participation and readers’ theater to engage students in the material. There’s a lot about our books that make them complement each other. Together, we cover the gamut of civil rights issues: Polly’s a white working class girl in a Southern rural setting, early in the movement. Sam’s a black middle class boy in a Northern, urban setting, late in the movement. The divergent perspectives and settings give us a means to examine the civil rights era from two fresh angles. We provide teachers’ guides and classroom material as a follow-up to our presentation.

We also both do interactive writing workshops for smaller groups.

BH:
It is wonderful to partner with Kekla on the school visits, as well. We brainstorm, work on promotional materials, rehearse with one another and keep each other laughing throughout the process of whatever is thrown our way.

Lynn: Do you have any tips for authors in the time management juggle?

BH:
Give up television! I am serious! I no longer have a TV! But I do catch episodes of my faves online (gotta see Lost and Damages!) but truly cutting back on the television has given me a lot more time than I once did. Now instead of watching American Idol I just hop over to facebook and follow editor Elizabeth Law’s witty banter and takes on the performances. I am caught up in five minutes.

KM:
Ha. Bethany’s quite right. But I love my TV, so that solution doesn’t entirely work for me. (Though, I will say that having DVR makes a big difference…) My suggestion is to include your writing activities in your calendar or schedule in advance, as if they are fixed events, with a date and time attached. Lately I have been managing my time this way, especially since I work from home full-time, which to the outside world often reads as if I’m not working. People have no qualms about calling me to do things in the middle of the day, as if I don’t have anything better to do. I find it easier to say no when I can open my calendar, see my writing plans, and decide if the other activity is actually more important to me.

Lynn: Since this is an imaginary blog, can you please tell us in what ways your writing and now editing career is different than you originally imagined?

BH:
Hmmm…I originally imagined writing someday would cease to be work, and I mean work with a capital W. It continues to be and though I wish the process was easier some days; and that the brick walls didn’t always appear when I least expect them (or even when I do expect them); but I have come to like the brick walls. I do my best to breathe deep and craft-wise dismantle the walls knowing it will take time, energy and careful thought (and emptying the mind, too!) In my own emotional life, my brick walls didn’t get as high as they were overnight and they didn’t come down overnight either. And I know this is the same for my characters. I have to show their emotional brick walls being built brick-by-brick and then see how they break through them or live inside them. Either way it takes time and plenty of patience.

Enough with the bricks before you throw them at me! Editing, on the other hand, is new to me although critiquing is not. Studying for my MFA at VCFA we were trained in providing valuable feedback to fellow authors. I rely heavily on that training and also the work I have done in my writer’s group over the last ten years. And, I trust Kekla! We think differently; and have different opinions and the discourse between us is invaluable.

KM:
Well, depending on how far I look back, the fact that I’m a writer/editor at all is something different from what I imagined my life would be like. As a child/teen I imagined myself as a doctor or teacher – all my varying career interests were much more “traditional” than the creative life I’ve patched together for myself in reality. Even looking back just to the time I started writing seriously, which was about eight years ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself making a full-time living this way. My previous professional jobs were very disappointing to me, and I quickly came to believe that any job I ever had would be messy and stressful and painful. As my writing life has evolved, I’ve learned that it doesn’t have to be that way. Although writing bears its own messes and stresses and pains, that energy now feeds my work instead of detracting from it. I feel lucky these days to be doing something I love.

Lynn: Thank you Bethany and Kekla. Congratulations on your novels and best of luck on your new venture as co-editors of Hunger Mountain's children's and YA section.

Imaginary Readers, you can find out more about Bethany Hegedus and Kekla Magoon by visiting their websites:

www.keklamagoon.com

www.bethanyhegedus.com

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