I’m happy to announce that my first Ebook for children, Snow Angels, is available for download from MeeGenius!

You can purchase the book here:

http://www.meegenius.com/store/book/4b39cbf629f69ba1657dce51bec3d4c5

I hope you all enjoy it, and please let me know what you think! Thanks and Happy Reading! Patti

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey caught my attention when I was very young and falling in love with the stacks and stacks of books in the Washington Elementary School library. A long-time favorite of mine, Blueberries for Sal takes me immediately away to the rocky coast of Maine each time I pick it up. McCloskey’s lovely and expressive line drawings keep the pictures as simple and pleasing as the story. Sal and her mother go in search of blueberries to can for the winter and meet up with another mother and child: a bear and her cub. As Sal watches the mother bear get ready for winter in her own way, the cub follows Sal’s mother while she fills her bucket with blueberries. By the end of the story each mother has the right child and all is well as they wait for the first snow to fall. No matter when you discovered Blueberries for Sal for the first time, it’s definitely one to read again and share with all the children in your life. 

Today’s installment of my Top 10 Picture Books is a picture-book lover’s dream. Bear Has a Story to Tell, By Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2012) has the biggest, cuddliest-looking bear I have ever seen as the main character. But Bear has a problem; he’s getting very sleepy and wants to tell a story, but all his forest friends are busy getting ready for winter. He helps Mouse gather seeds, tests the wind for Duck, looks for a warm place for Frog to sleep and checks on Mole before settling down for his own winter rest. When he wakes up, he still has not told his story, but this time his friends help him!

This award-winning, beautifully-illustrated book is everything I love about a picture book. It’s simple story telling at its best, where each perfectly-chosen word moves the story along and brings readers into the forest, ready to hear Bear’s story along with his other friends. The characterization of Bear and all his animal friends, both in picture and text is completely natural and endearing. Children will love Bear’s thoughtful face and eyes, his big fluffy paws and his heart of gold as he helps each friend in just-right ways. Bear Has a Story to Tell is a must for every picture-book lover’s (and bear lover’s) bookshelf!

I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for a well-written, beautifully-illustrated picture book! I love them so much they’re a big part of what I do as a writer. But before everyone starts sending me comments like, “Where can I buy one of your books?” you need to know I have yet to sell one single picture book. Not one. I say yet, because I know my turn is coming, and when it happens, I’ll get to join the ranks of some of the most talented authors out there. It makes me a little misty just thinking about it, because it’s a big dream for an ordinary writer like me.

And why do I think picture book authors are some of the most talented writers out there? Because writing picture books is hard work! Telling a story well to an audience of children with high expectations and short attention spans takes nothing less than Herculean effort. Any writer can tell a story in 50,000 words. It takes something just shy of genius to do it in less than 500.

So in honor of National Picture Book Month, I’ve picked my top-10 favorites. I share these with you because reading them, studying them, looking at every detail of the illustrations, and remembering how I felt the first time I read makes me a better writer. And on top of that, they’re completely fun and beautiful in every way.

Now a little disclaimer here…you won’t see any farting dogs or children wearing underwear on their heads in my picks. Those just aren’t my style; although they work to inspire a love a reading in some that might not otherwise be there. I like stories that sing to me- where each word is poetry and helps children know all is well with the world at least for that moment. I’m inspired by books that celebrate innocence, encourage day dreaming and let kids know it’s OK to be a child for as long as they’d like. So with that said, here’s the first pick in my Top-10! Enjoy! (Stay tuned for more throughout the month of November).  

Sophie’s Squash

By Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf (Schwartz and Wade Books, 2013)

I knew Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf was special when I opened the first page and saw a little girl with big eyes and brown pigtails reaching for a butternut squash like it was the Queen’s tiara. Wilsdorf’s illustrations whisk readers into the world of the famer’s market with all the colors and fun of fall at every page turn. Pat Zeitlow Miller’s text sings with alliteration as Sophie’s squash is not to be served for supper after all, but loved and cared for as the special squash it is. Just right to hold in her arms and love, Sophie’s squash goes everywhere with the little girl- story time at the library, back to visit the farmer’s market, to do somersaults in the garden- until even Sophie realizes that Bernice (that’s the squash’s name) isn’t looking as fit as she used to. But Sophie loves Bernice and sees something in her no one else can, and soon realizes she just needs to love her in a different way. This simple story of friendship, devotion and renewal is the Mary Poppins of picture books: “Practically perfect in every way!”    

A picture-perfect 50th for my in-laws, Norman and Bessie Richards!

I set out a while back to recap last year’s experiences with our son Wesley’s second surgery, and I called it, “The Year of Miracles.” And it truly was. The funny thing is, I never got around to writing the grand finale! But for some reason getting the conclusion right was like trying to end a novel that just wasn’t over. Those of you who know us know that God more than showed up that day and the surgery was a complete success. Wes is currently enjoying his first summer internship as a mechanical engineering major at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, and other than the continued screenings for new tumors, he is living a perfectly normal life.

You might be wondering at the sudden inspiration to add some final thoughts to this series, so I’ll tell you. It was the weather. Yep, you heard right, the weather. Last week our family enjoyed a week at a lake house in what I call “The Pinky of the Mitten” to celebrate Gene’s parents 50^th wedding anniversary. We’d been planning the trip for almost a year, and about three months before we were supposed to go my father-in-law was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. This is devastating news for any family, but after the last few years we’ve had, it was especially difficult to hear. He had to begin treatment right away, and our celebration of their life together looked like it may not happen after all. So we all started praying.

The fact that he was actually strong enough to make the trip would have been miracle enough, but I wanted more. We all wanted more. Our spring in Southeast Michigan had been less than stellar. We’d had more rain, clouds and cools temps than I could remember in a long time, and all I could see were the 10 of us in parkas, huddled together under blankets around a damp campfire. But God the artist had something different in mind, something completely opposite, and we spent a week filled with warm sunshine, billowy beautiful clouds and the biggest, bluest sky you could imagine.

It was while I was swimming in the lake one day that it occurred to me. It’s what we’d prayed for, pleaded for, and in my case, begged for; that Norman and Bessie would celebrate their 50^th with the best weather our Mitten could muster. But I was still surprised even after every miracle we’d seen over the last three years, big, small and in between. God met us at the lake and painted a miracle-sized backdrop for our trip.

So there you have it. My grand finale had more to do with this vacation than anything else. It reminded me that God wants us to ask, expect His best, recognize it, and be thankful. We’ve had quite a few ups and downs since January with my father-in-law’s health, a change I wasn’t expecting, some test results for Wes that were iffy, and a host of other small struggles that seemed big at the time. But the common denominator in all of them is that God is still God, and we can trust Him to always do what is best for us.

As the curtain comes down on my Year (or so) of Miracles, I can see Him in every step and I’m more than grateful. Thanks for joining me on the journey.     

Happy December! Sorry I’ve kept you waiting so long for the next part of our story, but life breaks in and sometimes even the best stories have to wait. I left you all right after I had found the same doctor for Wes that had done surgery on my sister all those years ago, so that’s where I’ll pick up today…

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We had to wait about a month to get in to see Dr. Bojrab, but as soon as they called us back and he came into the room, I knew God had sent us to the right place. Wes told him his story and he began to tell us how many of these tumors he had seen in his practice over the years and that his was the leading facility in the country right now for this kind of surgery. I shared the story of my sister and how he had been a part of her miracle as well, and even though it had been over 20 years, he remembered her and our family. I felt like I was able to exhale for the first time in weeks, and then the information came pouring out. When he finished speaking and we were asked if we had any questions, I looked straight into the doctor’s face and said, “So, have we come to right place? Can you help us?” He looked right back at me and smiled. “Yes, you’ve come to the right place.”

We all knew that surgery was most likely in Wesley’s future, but we felt compelled to ask about alternatives. That’s when doctor Bojrab and his resident, Dr. Kercher, began to describe a lazer procedure that was showing great promise in treating these types of skull base tumors. The gamma-knife facility at Beaumont Hospital was one of the best anywhere, and Dr. Bojrab felt it might actually be a possibility for us. We were thrilled. The idea that we could choose a short procedure over a lengthy surgery and reduce the risk of permanent facial damage was just too good to be true. But Dr. Bojrab wanted further testing and told us it would take time before a decision could be made. Wes would need testing on his cranial-facial nerves and a new MRI before we could be sure. So we scheduled the needed testing and again, Wes headed back to school.

I think this was probably the hardest part of the waiting for me. We mom’s want things taken care of and made better for our children now- or even better- yesterday. I hated knowing that Wes was there trying to concentrate on school with this thing riding around in his head. I wanted it to just go away, and believe me, I asked over and over for healing for him. But that was not God’s plan.

The testing for the cranial facial nerves was quick and painless, and we were encouraged that none of his nerves were being compromised. The tumor still looked large on the MRI, but it obviously wasn’t wrapping around anything to the point of doing damage yet. We went back for a follow-up appointment and were so surprised and excited when Dr. Bojrab said he thought we could go ahead with the gamma-knife procedure. It seemed like its own miracle, since we had not let ourselves hope that things could be this easy.

So we scheduled the procedure, went to meet the doctors and see the facility, and before we knew it the end of May came and we were headed to the gamma-knife center. The first part of the morning was pretty overwhelming, as Wes had to get a harness screwed into his skull for the procedure. He looked like he was wearing the harness Darth Vader had on when Luke took his mask off at the end of Star Wars. Then they took more pictures of Wes’s head while in the harness so the machine could be calibrated for pinpoint accuracy. Then he came back to the room and we waited while Wes had a little breakfast and for them to come and take him back for the procedure. We had been told it would take a while before they would be ready, so when Dr. Bojrab came in before 30 minutes had passed, we knew something was wrong.

He immediately looked as Wes and said, “We are changing course. Your tumor has grown since the last MRI and the one today, and I don’t feel like it’s safe to go ahead. We need to get in there and get this thing out so we can biopsy it and soon.”

How do you speak when every ounce of air, energy and feeling empties from your body in one cold rush? I kept trying to find my voice, but it just wasn’t there. The doctors left us for a moment and we all cried and held each other and cried some more. The thing we wanted most in the world, dangled so close to our hands, was now gone; the hope we had, shattered. The team took Wes back, removed the harness, bandaged him up and we went home to wait- again- for more tests and a real surgery date this time.

When we got home, Wes went to his room to call his girlfriend, Katie, and Gene and I went out to sit on the swing. You’re probably pretty sure I’m about to say I was angry with God and felt so alone and betrayed, and I’ll admit, there was a little of that. But during times when hope is gone, leaning into God and letting Him carry you when you can’t carry yourself feels so much better. I knew I was about to get back on the emotional roller coaster, but for now it was enough just to cry and feel each emotion completely (thanks to my dearest friend Melissa for reminding me to do that at just the right moment). We didn’t understand, and we didn’t have time to figure it all out because surgery was coming and soon, and we all had to be ready. So there just wasn’t time for much anger or frustration…there was only time to look up and say, “I really hope you’ve got this God, because no one else can make this all OK.”

And that’s where I’ll leave off for now. Christmas is coming, so the rest of my story may have to wait until after the New Year. But know this- we have more to be thankful for this year than ever before, and my best gift on Christmas morning will be having all of my children, healthy and whole, sitting around the Christmas tree. I don’t need anything else- ever! Wishing you much peace and joy this Christmas, and a wonderful season with those you love!

Wow! It’s hard to believe that almost two weeks have flown by since my last post, but life at the Richard’s house gets pretty busy, as I know it does at yours, so I’m sure you can understand! More than busy is a great way to describe how we were feeling at the beginning of 2012 when we had learned a few weeks earlier that Wes had another tumor at the base of his skull; and it was just like the one he had removed from his abdomen in early 2011. If felt just like a repeat of that event that had left us reeling and wondering why God had sent us down this path again. We knew we had to at least get an opinion and some options before Wes began his second semester of school, so we made an appointment with neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

The First Appointment

Wes attends Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he studies mechanical engineering. They have a really great thing between semesters called Interim. Students can take classes for three weeks outside of their major or get caught up on other needed classes. It’s a more flexible time than a regular semester, so Wes was able to come back home again for a day to see a neurosurgeon at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. We had such a great experience there with his first surgery and simply love the doctors and staff that work miracles with kids each day. So we felt really comfortable starting there. We were grateful that they could get us in so quickly, because sometimes it takes weeks or even months to get in to see such a highly specialized doctor.  The appointment didn’t take long, and he confirmed what our oncologist had told us- that this was in fact another type of paraganglioma called a glomus jugulare tumor. It was sitting at the base of his skull. The surgery would be long and difficult and Wes could lose his hearing and the ability to swallow and to speak. He might also have some facial drooping. These things could be temporary or permanent, depending on the amount of damage done to the nerves during the procedure. We knew all of this was true before going in for the appointment, but it was really hard to hear it all again. The good news was that the tumor was very slow growing, or so we thought, and that he could schedule the surgery for when school was out for the summer. The doctor thanked us for coming, said there were a few more tests he would like to order and told us they would be in touch.

A Strange Feeling

After the appointment, we all had a great deal to digest, but the biggest question in all of our minds was, “Is this the doctor we should use?” If you’ve ever had a seriously ill child you will understand how important it is to feel completely comfortable with the doctors you work with. And this time, even though everyone was very nice and we liked the team well enough, the connection simply wasn’t there. Wes, Gene and I all felt it and talked about it not long after the appointment. Since we had no other options and Wes had to get back to school, we decided to go forward but keep an open mind to whatever else God might have planned for us. We knew we weren’t in any particular hurry, so Wes went back to school and we waited and prayed.

An Unlikely Connection

Anyone who knows me well understands that waiting without doing (aka being patient) is not one of my strengths. Waiting for me usually involves lots of researching, analyzing and riding an emotional roller coaster- and this was no exception. But this time instead of looking for another doctor, I was looking for information about Wesley’s tumor. I figured since God was in charge of leading us to the right doctor, I needed to be as informed as possible before our first meeting. So maybe that was as much of a miracle as what happened next.

While researching everything “glomus tumor” one day between writing jobs, I kept reading the same name, “Dr. Dennis Bojrab.” It seemed like the most important reports and research I found on the subject had his name on them. I kept looking and reading and then it hit me, “I know this guy.” This was the same doctor who had diagnosed and treated my sister’s tumor more than 20 years ago. “Wow,” I thought, “he must be retired by now.” I had never met him during the course of her treatment, so I had no idea how old he was, but I did know that he had been connected with Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak at the time. “I just wonder,” I said out loud and did a search for his name. The very first entry on the search included his name and the name of The Michigan Ear Institute. I clicked on it, and there, right in front of my eyes was Dr. Dennis Bojrab, head of the Michigan Ear Institute, still practicing and located right down the street from Gene’s office. The doctor who had treated my sister 20 years earlier for the very same condition Wes had was practically in my back yard! I did a little more research and found that he was now one of the leading experts in the country on glomus jugulare tumors and other diseases of the ear and skull. I have to tell you, my hands were trembling as I continued to read. I texted Gene and Wes immediately, “I found the doctor that took care of Susie. He’s right on Northwestern. I’m calling him now.”

A Miracle? Really?

As I am writing this, the emotions I felt when I found that name and started connecting the dots are still very real. If you’ve ever had a moment when you were sure you heard a small whisper like I did that day, you’ll know what I mean. Sometimes miracles are big, like when a person has a near-death experience or you get a check in the mail that’s enough to cover your house payment on the day they are coming to foreclose. And sometimes miracles are more like a thought, a breath and yes, even a whisper. God doesn’t always speak or show up in the same way all the time, but the point is, He always shows up.

So, I made the appointment and we waited…but that part of the story is for another day, so be sure to come back. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Always ready for an adventure!

Back to the Beginning

I’m not quite sure where to begin a blog series about miracles. But in order to make sense of some of the things that have happened to us recently, I’ll have to go back about 22 years. You might think the story begins with my son Wes, but it really begins with my sister Susie. When she graduated from college, Susie felt mission work in South America was her life’s calling and began a year-long journey of preparation. About two months before she was scheduled to leave the States, during a physical that was one more thing to check off her “to-do” list, the doctor found that she had a tumor at the base of her skull. It was a very rare tumor, usually benign, but the surgery required to remove it was risky, and she could lose her ability to swallow, speak, sing and smile. Basically, she could come out of the procedure looking like a stroke victim, with little hope of regaining the use of important cranial and facial nerves. Our family was devastated, but Susie’s strength, courage and faith through the process of testing and getting things scheduled gave us all hope. Susie was in God’s hands, and if this was part of His plan for her, He would see her through whatever the outcome. During those difficult days she kept traveling, meeting people, sharing her passion for the work she felt called to do and raising support. At one church in Beaufort, North Carolina, she met and fell in love with a young man named Clint. After her surgery and recovery they were married, and she went to live by the ocean instead of across it! During her years in North Carolina she has touched many lives; the three most important are her sons Sammy, Tony and Christian, brought into their lives through the foster care system where they live. Susie still sings and plays the piano, speaks, smiles and encourages everyone around her. What we thought was the end of a ministry before it got started was just the beginning of a new and better journey.

All in the Family

So fast forward 22 years…my son Wes had just recovered from a surgery where a tumor the size of a butternut squash was removed from his abdomen. It took nine long hours and the replacement of his entire blood volume before they were able to completely remove it. He spent five days in Children’s Hospital of Michigan, a place that will always be dear to our hearts. We saw God move in amazing ways during that process and felt confident Wes was well and ready to head back to college. In August he began complaining of a full feeling in his ear and a pulsating sound. We passed it off as sinus pressure and I told him to take a decongestant and see if it made any difference. By October the noise in his ear was constant, and we all knew something else must be going on. He scheduled an appointment with an ENT doc in Grand Rapids who said he had what looked like a glomus tumor forming in his ear. I knew right away this was the same type of tumor my sister had all those years ago because of some genetic testing we had done on Wes. Glomus jugulare tumors are a type of paraganglioma…the same type as his abdominal tumor. After meeting with his oncologist, regular doctor and getting an MRI, the diagnosis was confirmed. Once more we were dealing with a large tumor, but this one could change his life forever. We were all overwhelmed and went through another Christmas and New Year’s wondering how we would deal with this latest challenge. After talking with one neurosurgeon, we felt that it was safe to send Wes back to school and schedule the surgery for May, and we went ahead with plans to celebrate the New Year with friends.

Happy New Year?

So the miracles really began on New Year’s Eve. It seems kind of funny to think of it now, but losing our little dog for two hours just after midnight was really the start to what has been an amazing year. Gracie is an Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler), and hands down one of the smartest dogs we’ve ever had. Just after midnight Gene let Gracie and our other dog out and stepped back into the kitchen for just a minute. When he went back out Shadow was there and she was gone. People around here like to shoot off fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve, and when she heard the noise and couldn’t get back in the house, she just bolted. If you know anything about Blue Heelers, they are strong enough to flip a fully grown cow over on its back to get its attention, but they can be skittish and become fixated when afraid. We immediately put on our coats and split up- Gene and Olivia in the car, Wes and Julia in the truck and me walking up and down the street in case she came back. Our neighbors heard us calling her name and came out to help. We walked and called and drove and walked and called for over an hour. When I came in to get warmed up a little I noticed a message on my cell phone.

“Hi, I think we have your dog here. Her name is Gracie. She’s wet, cold and frightened, but she’s OK,” said the voice mail. I immediately called Gene and Wes to tell them the good news and to come home. Then I called the family who had left the message and found out Gracie had run nearly three miles away from home. When she finally stopped she found the first friendly porch light she could. I was so proud of that little dog for knowing she could find help at a place where a light was shining. The family found her sitting there just waiting as guests were leaving their home after a New Year’s Eve party. They brought her in, got her dried off and gave her something to eat.

Once we got Gracie and everyone else back home and headed to bed, I asked my daughter Olivia how she was doing. You see, Gracie is really her dog…a gift to replace another pet that had died a few years earlier. “Were you scared Olivia?” I asked.

“No, not really,” she replied. “I knew God would bring her back home Mom.”

“You did?” I said. “How did you know that for sure?”

“Well, I prayed and asked Him and He told me He would. I just knew.”

I gave Olivia a hug and before I turned out her light I stopped to look at them- Olivia snuggled down under the covers and Gracie sleeping at her feet. That Gracie was home was a miracle in every sense of the word, but not really to Olivia. She just asked God, expected Him to answer and He did. I’m not sure why I was surprised that her faith had been so much greater than my own, but it really was. We all stayed in the next day, and I don’t think Gracie and Olivia woke up until late in the afternoon; a well-deserved rest for a tired dog and her girl.

So that’s how our year began. I can’t tell you how many times over the months that followed I remembered the journey of a little dog that night and the faith of my daughter. It carried me through the search for just the right doctor (the next miracle), terrible disappointments, waiting for the surgery date and then the long day in June when God gave Wes back to us- but I’m getting ahead of myself, and you should never rush a miracle. Thanks for letting me share this journey with you. I hope as you read you’ll begin to see some miracles in your own life. I hope you’ll come back next week for more of our story.

I began in September of 2009 writing about my son’s senior year in high school and the process of getting him into college. I thought some of the things we were experiencing as a family would be helpful to others just starting on this journey. But life crept in, and before I knew it, something unexpected happened. After the Christmas rush, I noticed I had pain in my knee. Knee pain isn’t something uncommon for most of us, but it wouldn’t go away, so I finally went to the doctor. She took x-rays and diagnosed me with a pulled ligament, gave me 6 weeks of physical therapy, some anti-inflammatory meds and sent me on my way. After a few weeks of physical therapy, I wasn’t getting any better, and other joints in my body began to hurt as well. At one point, I couldn’t use my hands. I went back to the doctor, and after several blood tests, I was diagnosed with RA. This was devastating news, but at least I had a diagnosis and could start on a treatment plan. The first medication made me terribly ill, but after changing medicines and going on a gluten free diet, I began to see great improvement. I’m almost back to my old self again, and I even have days where I’m nearly pain-free.

Obviously this was not the way I’d planned to spend my son’s senior year. Our plans are not often God’s plans, but that’s so like Him isn’t it? People spend lifetimes looking for God or trying to figure Him out and determine if He’s real. So He shows up in the places we least expect Him; right in the middle of our storm, instead of keeping up from it. It’s only there He can really show us His comfort, power and love. All the keeping us from hardships in the world can’t replace the lessons learned during a difficult time. He was right there, waiting for me in mine. It wasn’t as if I expected Him to reach down and heal me immediately. That would have been nice, but I did want Him to fix it right away, this minute. I mean, I was a mom of a high school senior. Did He know I had parties to plan and a family to take care of? The timing couldn’t have been worse. But God came; not like some super hero or play station tough guy, but in those moments when I was all alone in bed wondering if I’d be able to get up at all. Those time when I longed to be outside planting my own flowers, but having to sit in a chair and watch my kids do it. He was there. Whispering, talking, listening to my heart, saying, “It’s OK. I’m here. I won’t leave you. Trust me. I’ve got this.”

And He did. In more ways than you can imagine. So, what did I learn during this year when I was going to share how to do something with others? I learned that taking it one day at a time is really all we can do. I learned that the sweetest things in life are not our biggest successes or accomplishments, but moments in the sun with our children. I learned all over the love of a husband who didn’t mind combing out my wet hair for me and putting toothpaste on my toothbrush when I couldn’t do it myself. I also learned that my son was truly a man and more than ready to go off to college because of the way he stepped in and handled things I couldn’t, and that my girls are the most precious gifts any mom could ask for. Would I have liked to learn these things a different way? Yes! But I wouldn’t trade God’s gentle whispers for all the super heroes in the universe.

I could talk all day about the hundreds of little ways He came through for me this year and is still coming through. But I’ve got work to do on books and other projects that just won’t wait. And I’m glad. Glad to be able to sit here and type, smiling at the fact that I can and will go to the grocery store by myself this afternoon. God is good, life is sweet and I’m happy to be in the center of His hand.

On my second installment of senior year advice for parents, I’d like to talk about getting applications in early. Our college financial planner told us how important it was to apply early to colleges for the best scholarships. Of course my main motivation for getting applications in early was to get life back to normal as quickly as possible so we could all start actually enjoying senior year. We finished up in by mid-October, and though it was a lot of work getting it all done that soon, it felt really good.

When the acceptance letters started rolling in a few weeks later, that’s all they were, acceptance letters. Some more personal than others, but nothing in any of them that even hinted at scholarship money or otherwise. Then, to our surprise, we came home from church late last Wednesday night to an envelope from my son’s number one college pick. He’d gotten his acceptance letter from them a few weeks earlier so we knew it wasn’t that. We opened the envelope and were amazed to read that he’d been awarded two scholarships for a total of $8,000, renewable for up to 4 years. We were so excited and so grateful. It made immediate believers out of us that applying early is the way to go.

But it makes sense really. Schools have a certain amount of scholarships available each year. It just makes sense to award them not only based on merit, but also on a “first come, first serve” basis. Colleges are looking for serious students who know what they want to do and where they want to go. Turning in a quality application well before the cut off date speaks volumes to the ones making the decisions about who gets the money.

Once scholarship money is given out, that’s all there is. Financial aid packages and final financial letters come our after FAFSA forms are completed in January, but the dollars that don’t have to be paid back can be awarded well before that date. So, in this sense it really does “pay” to apply early.

Receiving a scholarship doesn’t obligate you to a particular school, but it does make the decision making process so much easier. In our case, it’s confirmation that we’re on the right track as far as his top pick. It gives us one more reason to believe the place he’s already chosen appreciates him for what he’s accomplished in high school. It’s pretty clear he’ll be more than just a number, and that’s what we’re looking for.

So, as you look ahead and make lists of what you need to do as senior year approaches, put “apply early” somewhere near the top. If we weren’t sure how important it was when we started, we certainly are now.

Senior year started off with a bang at our house when I realized exactly how much there was to do. We had no idea the amount of work that goes into doing college visits, getting applications filled out, taking the ACT as many times as it takes and starting to look for scholarships; much of which needs to happen well before senior year begins. Most colleges want applications turned in by mid-November of a young person’s senior year in order to get the most out of school sponsored scholarship programs. The bottom line is students receive scholarship funds on a first come first serve basis. That, among other things, is something most parents do not know about until they start this process. Just so I don’t forget all these crazy details by the time my 7th grader is ready to take on the challenge of getting in to college, I thought I’d start blogging about the senior year experience from a parent’s perspective. Here is hoping it helps me remember everything when it is our turn again, and that it helps some of you who are just getting started.

College Visits

It is a good idea to start these during your son or daughter’s junior year. That way it is not so early that she forgets what she likes about a particular campus, and she is not so busy with senior year that it is impossible to get away. Senior year is a busy time right out of the gate. By the time November or December rolls around, applications really need to be in. If you have not done any visits by then, plan to visit campuses as a way to make final decisions between top college choices.

ACT/SAT Testing

You can never start this learning process too early. Many school systems even offer practice ACT/SAT testing in as early as 8th grade. Take advantage of every opportunity to practice these tests, but find out which test your state looks for most often. We learned that not every state offers both tests in convenient and easy testing locations because states tend to prefer one test to the other. Michigan is predominantly an ACT Test state, so our son took the ACT Test for the first time at his own high school. Not only that, but our school has the entire junior class take the test together over the course of two mornings, while the rest of the students have a late start. It was a great testing environment in familiar surroundings.

Another ACT Test note: Do not send out your scores to any schools until you are happy with them. You have no way of knowing how your son or daughter will do on the test the first time. If you send those scores to colleges automatically, you may not be giving the best first impression. Use as many test opportunities as you need to get a first score you like. Some schools even combine scores from the various batteries to come up with the strongest composite score for admission and scholarship consideration, so it is a good idea to know what the scores are before you send them. It costs a little bit more to do it this way, but it can definitely be to your advantage in the end.

College Application Budget

One thing we did not think about ahead of time was how much money it costs to submit applications and take ACT/SAT tests. College application fees range anywhere from $35 to $50 dollars (and more in some cases), and must be submitted with the application for processing. If you apply to seven different schools as we did, this number adds up quickly. We found one school that waved the application fee if we applied before December 1, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

College tests cost each time you take them, so if you are going to test multiple times, that needs to be in your budget. In addition, if you choose to wait to send out scores, there is an additional fee for that as well.

Do not forget printing costs and travel expenses for resumes and college visits! A resume is not a requirement, but it looks good when one is included with the college application. As far as travel expenses go, try to visit more than one college per day if you are traveling a good di

OK, I sent out a status report on Facebook asking for feedback about the new Star Trek movie. I didn’t give my opinion, because I really wanted to see what fellow Trekkies or almost Trekkies had to say. Since many of you have responded, I thought it was time I threw my two cents in for whatever it’s worth. But since I always have more to say than a status report can do justice, here goes…with apologies to those who loved the rebirth of Star Trek for a new generation.

I knew after about 10 minutes into the movie that once again, Star Trek writers, producers and directors were monkeying with the space-time continuum. For Star Trek novices, that’s a kind way of saying we’d “been there, done that.” I couldn’t believe Captain Kirk, or at least what would be Captain Kirk, would meet the old, and can I say, very, very old Spock. Lenonard Nimoy is the only Spock I’ll ever respect and love, but this was just way too much. Of course, Gene, my husband, pointed out to me after several lengthy conversations that we’re now set up for a new story line for a new generation of Trekkies everywhere, including a romance between Spock and Uhura (OK…yuck, and BTW, Gene didn’t like the movie either).

Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly joined in with the rest of the audience’s laughter at the antics of Bones, Chekov and Scotty, but seriously, did the under 40 crowd really get it? I certainly did because I’ve known and loved these characters since I was a wee Trekkie watching the show on Saturday afternoon reruns. Today’s budding Trekkies can’t possibly understand what they’re laughing at. So, that leads me to believe the Trek team assumed an awful lot when they really should have been thinking about the big shoes they had to fill.

I’ll agree with Gene, the action was good. But this certainly wasn’t a Star Trek I’d send my kids to. The language, and I mean the four-letter word kind, was out of character for Star Trek and gratuitous at best. And please, seeing young Kirk in his underwear making out with the green goblin’s cousin, was absolutely out of place and unnecessary. I guess the rebirth of Star Trek is no longer of the family friendly version, and I won’t even give the darkness and violence of the Romulans any air time in this review.

As I’ve said, my relationship with Star Trek goes way back. I am still a big fan of The Next Generation, and Captain Katherine Janeway of Voyager is tied for first with Jean Luc in my opinion. I missed the utopian feel that Star Trek movies always promise. This one was gritty, moved way too fast to establish any real story line and I’ve always hated sideways camera angles. But then again, I’m my own type of dinosaur, so to people who know me well this should be no surprise. I still like real wood in my fire place, the feel of well worn book pages turning in my hands (much to the chagrin of my Kindle carrying environmentally conscious friends), and on top of that I’m a Christ following, stay at home mom who sends her kids to (gasp) public school! So, this trip into the future didn’t suit me at all. I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with my Star Trek reruns whose continuing mission is to seek out new life and new civilizations, not back track into the past, which happens to be a present already too full of violence and instant gratification.

See, I told you this was too long for a status update! Live long and prosper…

Budding journalists learn very early on, perhaps even in elementary school, the concept of Who, What, When, Where and Why for story telling. It’s simple: Who did it? What did they do? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Why did it happen? Most writing teachers add the sixth component as well: How did it happen? This is very basic reporting, but it gets a reader to the heart of a story quickly. In some cases reading any further than the first paragraph is unnecessary to get the essentials of any news article before moving on.

I guess when you think of the five most important things, the sixth question of “How” seems like extra information, a few more juicy details, the icing on the cake. But this weekend when I learned of the impending death of a dear friend, “How” was suddenly the most important thing in the world to me. It didn’t matter how she was dying, what mattered was how she lived.

This friend wasn’t one of my “go out to lunch with” friends, or even one of my “call on the phone” friends. Nevertheless, she was a source of light in my life. And it wasn’t just the story of her 30 plus year battle with cancer. It was her countenance when we stopped to visit on Sunday mornings at church. Her sunny smile, the light in her eyes when she talked about her family, they way she spoke of her sweet husband and his tender care for her, her pride in her grandchildren and her thankfulness for each day. Other than right before this last trip to the hospital all those weeks ago, I don’t think I ever saw Caren down or discouraged, even though she had so many reasons to be. She was a person to whom others went when they were discouraged or frightened, knowing they’d leave her presence feeling better, lighter somehow. She carried so much of Heaven with her that her going seemed like the most natural step in the world. The how of her life was her faith in God, her love for her family and the way she took people into her heart. It was as if I had known her my whole life. The Five Ws just never seemed very important after a visit with Caren, but the “How” was everything.

In whatever we do, writing, teaching, loving, living, “How” follows us wherever we go. Walking through this world can be like crossing a minefield, so many places to trip and fall, so many opportunities to make the wrong choices. It’s not about the book contracts, awards or even finishing a first draft, it’s about how we walk in the this world while we’re doing whatever we do. It’s about faith in God, family, friends, love. If “How” is in the right place, everything else will fall in line. Caren knew that, and she wrote the story of her life well. I’m just glad I had the chance to be a very small part of it.

Ah April…new grass, budding flowers, singing birds and spring just “bustin’ out all over.” That is until six more inches of snow fall right before Easter. Then the winter blahs set in, creep up your toes, wrap themselves around your waist and hang on for another two weeks. So much for getting the first draft of the novel done by the end of March! How can a writer write with passion and gusto when everything is cold and gray outside again? My magic formula? Stop! Yep, that’s it. Just stop! It’s time to pick up one of the many books I’m trying to finish reading, the crocheting that’s been calling my name or just one more cup of tea, while I put my feet up. Taking a break is OK. In fact, it’s a good thing. Before long, I know I’ll hear the voices of my characters calling to me to get back to the computer and get their story going again. It’s only been a few days, and already I’m feeling better and getting ready for that next burst of creative energy. I hope it will be enough to keep me going until I finally type the words, The End. Not that I actually have to type them, but it just feels like something I want to do…The End. Yep! That’s sounds nice. I’m closer than I think, so by the time these April snow showers turn to rain, and the rain turns to warm sunshine, I’ll be there…but this time with iced tea and cheesecake!

What do you do when the doldrums put a damper on your writing? Any ideas?

At least that’s what it seems like these days, and in my life it has nothing to do with basketball. It’s the beginning of the end-of-school crunch. I know it seems weird to think of the end-of-school crunch starting so early, but it’s the last term of the year, and with each of my kids in music performance groups, it seems we have a concert every week. Beginning with my son’s high school musical, Children of Eden, it’s a marathon until June. So what does that mean in the life of a writer who’s trying to get her first novel draft done by the end of March? An all out sprint! But that’s not altogether bad. It’s a self-imposed deadline, so I know I can adjust it if I need too. Deadlines are important for accountability, even if it’s only to myself. If I don’t set them, my books, and in particularly this novel, become just one more thing I say I’m going to do and never finish. So, even though the end of the school year is in sight, I’ve got to keep moving forward so I’m not standing still at the last mile thinking about crossing the finish line. The first draft really is the first stage. After that, there are multiple revisions, feedback from my critique partner, writer’s workshop and conferences. Finally, when I think it’s really polished I’ll submit. That process can take years. If I don’t meet this first deadline, it makes the road so much longer. So, here’s to the Road to the Final Four and the road to my first draft. Success at the end of March is the goal both in basketball and for my book. Hopefully I won’t be “mad” when it’s over!

I have a great reason for spring cleaning for the rest of my work week. I am hosting a Networks Day for my area for the Michigan Chapter of SCBWI, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. We have an absolutely fabulous group in Michigan and every spring we get together all over the state in different homes for a “spring tonic” for children’s writers and illustrators. This year’s theme is a beach party theme, so I am making lists of how to decorate and what snacks to prepare. The beautiful thing is, it helps me start my spring-cleaning, not only throughout my house, but in my work as well. There is nothing better for writers than getting together to discuss the craft. It helps me clear the cobwebs out of my brain, re-organize and re-energize until the next conference that happens in May. So, even though I may not be working on the novel today, I am still working. There are many ways to improve at writing and getting together for an event like this is one of the best. It’s also just plain fun, so I am looking forward to it. I am off to dust and vacuum, and who knows maybe somewhere in all the clutter clearing, I’ll find a new scene for the book just waiting to get out.

I made a lot of good progress on the novel this week, even though I wasn’t really in the right frame of mind when I started. It seems that when the subject matter turns difficult, a scene needs to come out, but is painful, it’s not writer’s block that stops me, it’s fear. I know that may sound strange, but honesty is hard for me, especially when it comes to writing. Maybe it’s the fear of rejection; not from publishers, but from family and friends who may not approve of what’s on paper. Perhaps it’s the fear of actually taking my writing to places I’ve never been and trying things I’ve never tried. Let’s face it; we all like our comfort zone. Some more than others, and even if it means our success is on the other side of the river, we’d just rather stay on the bank and dream. I’m really working on getting brave enough to cross over, and each day I push through the fear, I get one more toe wet. I know what most of you are thinking, but honest writing doesn’t always mean dealing with adult themes, throwing in the occasional gratuitous four-letter word or being as raw and edgy as possible. Honest writing is simply authentic writing. Children expect that, and since I’m writing for them, I have to give them that. So, sometimes when my writing seems too boring or tame for today’s audiences, even the youngest readers, I remind myself that I can’t change who I am and shouldn’t. Being authentic is essential, and telling my story from my perspective, the way I lived it and remember, is the most honest thing I can do. That’s what has to come through more than anything else. That was my goal this week, and I think I reached it at least a few times. The rest will eventually end up in the garbage in favor of new words, paragraphs and revisions, but the truest parts will stay. That is, after all, what we should want from ourselves in everything we do.

What I mean is, I can’t get anywhere if I don’t get busy. It’s not like there’s a road map to writing the next Great American Novel, but if I don’t get back to work, it just won’t happen. I’ll admit I’ve been distracted for the past couple of weeks. Life kicks in sometimes, kids are out of school, a few days out of town, helping in my daughter’s classroom and boom, it’s been two weeks and I haven’t written anything. The good news is that since my last post, I consider myself two-thirds through my first draft. So, even though the blog posts haven’t kept up with my progress on the book, I am just about where I wanted to be at this point. The only problem is, today it’s quiet in the house, the kids are back to school, there’s not too much that needs doing by way of housework, and I can’t get anything going on the computer today. The scenes that have been screaming to get out the last two week have fallen suddenly silent, and there is just no waking them up at this point. So, I’ve got a couple of options: (writing this blog post is my feeble attempt at getting the creative juices flowing again) I can sit here and wait for my muse to wake up, or I can get up and vacuum, hoping the noise will motivate her to get back to business. I’m thinking vacuuming might do the trick, since sitting here isn’t doing me or my writer’s fanny spread any good. No, I can’t get there from here, but maybe if I take a side path for just a little while, I’ll be able to find my way back to the main road and get closer to my final destination. I’ll let you know how it goes, unless I get lost along the way.

Today is an historic day for our country. As I write this, the inauguration of our new president is my background music. I wonder, if when I complete my novel, I’ll remember the words I type today and always connect them to the event that changed the face of the American Presidency forever. This event has nothing to do with the story I’m writing, but it has everything to do with who I am as a person. So, essentially it will color my story, even if just a bit, because such a profound event in my lifetime has to have an effect on me as a person, and ultimately as a writer. The inauguration is a peaceful transfer of power. It’s the kind of thing people around the world look at and wish for. It’s amazing to me that just across the pond people use high powered weapons to get their point across, while we walk into a voting booth to let our voices be heard. Because of that I’ve got freedom to sit here at my computer and do what I love, and I’m grateful. Today is a good day, a proud day and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Getting behind is something no one wants to do, especially when it comes to goal setting. As writer, there’s no one else to keep us honest but ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, I depend on my faithful critique group, and see and hear them in my head when I’m working. I can’t live without almost daily email exchanges from my writing partner. But when it comes to the day to day, get the words down between loads of laundry kind of motivation, there’s only one place it comes from: me. Yep! Me, myself and I get up each morning, get breakfast, get the kids off to school (with the help of my wonderful husband) and get to the task at hand. There’s no one standing over me saying, “C’mon Patti, get to work. You’ve got 4 hours until lunch. How many words to want by then?” If I don’t set my own goals and stay honest about meeting them, this time next year my novel still won’t be fit for human consumption. And I don’t get this time back. None of us gets to relive one moment of the hours we have. When they’re gone, they’re gone, so making the most of each one is important.

This week I’ve gotten a bit sidetracked, but in a good way. Even in the midst of novel writing, there are manuscripts to put in the mail, queries to follow-up on and new contacts to make. All those things happened to me this week, so I don’t consider it time away from the work, but just another aspect of it. Oh, did I mention that not only is there no one to keep me honest, we writers also do our own promotion and try to sell our own work until we find an agent. So, that means sometimes the business of writing has to come first. But now all that’s taken care of for this week and I’m back on track for today. It’s time to revisit the story and pick up where I left off. I’ll have to admit, the sidetracking came at a good time yesterday since I was diving into some tough scenes in the novel and needed to look away for a bit. Drawing from memory means taking the good with the bad, and I just wasn’t quite ready yesterday to deal with some of the bad. However, after a good night’s sleep and a smooth start to the day I’m ready to take another crack at it.

So, whatever project you have today, whether writing or otherwise, don’t worry if something sidetracks you a bit. Take time to deal with whatever it is and get back on the road! Happy Writing!

Days come in the life of every writer when you just have to take time to tend to obligations. That’s today for me. Paying bills, filing, and getting a manuscript out in the mail all take time from the creativity of actually sitting down and doing what I love. But it’s all the little things in life, frustrations, schedules, a messy work space that give me things to write about. Each emotion, each experience, each seemingly insignificant activity is what makes up human life. If I’m paying attention today, I’ll get some good stuff. By just watching others and myself and taking mental notes (and actual ones) on how I respond to them and they to me helps me be a better writer. Like a painter who is always sketching, always looking and always aware of the best light, the best colors and the best setting, good writers observe their subjects carefully and at all times. Our subjects are the people around us living their everyday lives. Today, even though I most likely won’t meet my writing goal, that doesn’t mean my work on the novel stops. It’s all a part of the process and living in the moment and getting all I can from it only serves to make me a better writer. It might also help me be a better mom, wife and friend; more fringe benefits of the journey!

That famous line haunts me each day now as I push myself to meet my daily writing goals. It seems like each day there are things, both large and small, that try and sabotage my writing time. But it’s like anything, if it’s important to me I won’t let anything get in the way. So, here I am on day three of this new journey already wondering if I’ve got enough words in me today to meet my 1500 word goal. So here are some thoughts already rolling around in my head about what I’ve written so far.

The main character in the story is beginning to emerge more as her own person and less of a blending of the three or four people she started out to be. I’m already second guessing my plan of making her a violin player instead of a girl who loves to sing. If she is a singer, I can go with my original plan, but if she’s a violin player it makes the relationship between her and her new best friend had less tension as they go along. If I change it now it will be better than if I wait since I’m not too far in to make a substantial change. The other temptation is to continue writing from this angle and see where the story naturally goes rather than force it into a semi autobiographical account.

Today’s goal is to get more words down. I don’t think I’m up to reworking anything just yet until I get some more thoughts and scenes down. I like how this girl is taking form, even though she’s a bit different than what I’d originally planned.

Here’s to all you folks out there trying to stick to your own New Year’s plan…don’t worry about the mice or the men and just do what you set out to do. That’s what I’m doing today even though it isn’t as easy as it was yesterday! Happy writing.

Woo Hoo! I met yesterday’s writing goal by just a little over 1500 words. I also worked on a couple of short pieces that needed some finishing touches. Funny how what you plan to write just takes on a life of its own in the beginning stages. I had such a clear picture of my main character before I started and then she began to evolve into a combination of two people: one from my past and one from the present. It will be interesting to see what she looks like by the end of today’s session. I love what one of my writer friends calls this stage of the process…”mind doodles.” She’s so right! I’m a big doodler and have been all my life. I used to fill up the margins of all my school papers with eyes, hands, dogs, swirls, boxes and anything that poured out at the time. Sometimes I forgot which papers were going to the teacher and which stayed in my notebook. So my teachers got some very interesting looking papers from me.

Mind doodles, like any kind of brainless activity can easily get out of control though, so that’s why I’m giving myself a set number of words per day as a goal. It seems if I just keep going and going without reigning myself in after a while the story gets lost in memory and feeling before I can turn it all around. This is fine in daydreaming, but some discipline in the thought process is vital, at least for me. We don’t change that much over time, and if my writing becomes like my daydreaming in math class in high school I’ll get a failing grade…or at least a C…in my craft.

So, today’s goal…1500 more words and a little more self-control in what they are. Mind doodles with a purpose! See you tomorrow…

Happy New Year to everyone who visits my blog! I don’t know who most of you are, but I do know that I appreciate your being interested in the life and times of a writer and what I’m up to on a daily basis…well almost daily. That’s my goal for this year anyway. My other major goal is to finish the novel that’s been floating around in my head for a while now. Most writers go through some sort of evolution throughout their journey, and I’m finding that I’m no different. Even though I never thought I had a novel inside me, here I am with one finally screaming to get out. The funny part is, it isn’t the book I thought I’d be writing. The story seems so ordinary and tame given our society and the likes, dislikes and appetites of our culture. However, there is something we learn from every life that passes through this place and the voice in my head needs to tell her story. So, I begin today. The kids are back to school, my other work is on a bit of a hiatus, it’s cold outside and there’s no holiday coming up that requires anything more than a card; so, no more excuses. It’s time to begin. Thanks for coming along with me on my journey.

Today’s writing goal…1500 words of whatever wants to come out first. I was up most of the night rehearsing scenes in my head, so this should be a piece of cake. I’ll just be glad to get them out so maybe tonight I’ll sleep a bit better! And just so you know, my book is about a middle school aged girl named Maddie…more to come.