My son has decided to watch all of the Best Picture Academy-Award winning movies, starting at the beginning. We are up to 1938, which was Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You.

I love the title. I love the reason for the title (but you'll have to watch the movie to learn what it is). I even (not to be morbid) don't mind thinking about what I will and won't take with me when... well, in the future.

Anyway, it's a very thought-provoking phrase, and I kept thinking about it as I watched the movie, and even after, and then again when I woke up this morning. And I thought it would make a great prompt this morning to get you thinking about your main character and some of the things he or she cares deeply about. Or, in contrast, some of the things another character cares deeply about but that your character doesn't.

So, for your Monday Morning Warm-up today, begin a scene with the line "You can't take it with you." This can be in dialog (as if someone is saying it to your main character, or something your character is saying to someone else), or a thought your character is having.

Remember to let go and have fun!

Hi teachers!

Hope you all had a wonderful first week of Teachers Write!

I spent last week on vacation with my family in Maine. One night, I went to dinner at the Flatbread Company in Portland. Outside, they have these chalkboards for people to write their hopes on.

Some were silly. Some were poignant. Some were unsurprising. And some were beautifully unselfish.







And some, were very familiar.



Your Monday warm-up today is to finish this statement yourself, and then finish it for each of your main characters. Do this whether your writing fiction, nonfiction, a novel, or a picture book.

Think carefully about how each character might respond to this board. Would he/she write the answer in public? Answer in his/her head? Or, would the person be too afraid to answer? Write the scene for each one, carefully describing the person's reaction to seeing the statement, and then the thought process for filling it in.

And remember, as always, to have fun. :)

Hooray! Teachers Write is here!!!!!

Don't know what Teachers Write is? Read all about it HERE.

Pretty great, right?

This summer I'll be posting my Monday Morning Warm-Ups with all of you teachers in mind as we work toward our writing goals, whatever they may be.

To start us off, I thought I'd ask you what I asked many of my new students at the SNHU Summer Residency I just returned from:

In one sentence, tell me why this story is important to you.

If you haven't started a story yet, tell me why writing is important to you. In fact, you should answer this question either way. :-)

Once you have your sentence(s), post them in your workspace or on your computer/in your writing notebook. Somewhere you will see your statement(s) every time you sit down to write. Let these words guide you every day as you work toward reaching your goal.

If you're willing, it would be great if you shared your statements in the comments below, or on your own blog, too, to help inspire others!

I'm so excited to be taking this journey with you! We're going to have a great time!!!!!!

This weekend, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

This is my mom with her dear friends, kicking up their heels at the party. I grew up with these women and their children. They showed us how to have fun. How to be adventurous. And how to stay connected. I am very grateful to these ladies for standing by my parents through all their ups and downs, happy and sad times. And for showing me the true meaning of friendship.



Keep on dancing, ladies!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Describe a friend of one of your parents who influenced you in some positive way. Share a story about him or her!

This past Tuesday I was invited to speak, along with three other Vermont authors (S.S. Taylor, Phoebe Stone, and Rebecca Rupp), at the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Ceremony. This is Vermont's state award list of children's books. This year's winner was unable to attend, so Grace Worcester Greene invited the four of us to come speak because our books are on the new list. At the end of the year, students all around the state will vote for their favorite books.

The ceremony is really special for the kids because a lot of them have to read a certain number of books in order to attend. Some also get to go by lottery. The point is, the kids who attend love books and want to be there.

The day before, we were informed that over 500 kids had signed up! Here are some of them:



And hey! Do you recognize the two famous authors in the front row? That's Linda Urban and Kate Messner, who kindly came to support us! (THANK YOU Linda and Kate!!!!)

This will shock you, but I was a little nervous. (That is one of the biggest understatements I've ever made.)

But you know what? Something happened to trump my racing heart. As we were sitting at our table waiting for things to start, all these kids started to swarm around us, asking us to sign their books, their bookmarks, pieces of paper, journals. They liked us before we even spoke! I felt this incredible warmth and sense of gratitude filling me up and my nerves went right out the window.

After we all spoke and answered questions, we were asked to sign some books.

Now. I'm usually the author sitting alone at a table while all the other famous ones are mobbed with long lines of adoring fans.

But here, we were ALL mobbed:



I could NOT stop smiling. The kids just couldn't get close enough. They surrounded the signing tables from all sides and we signed and signed and signed. :-)

Then, groups asked to take pictures. Here are a few I got, thanks to my friend Cindy Faughnan, who took all these photos for me.









Before we left, Amy Kolb Noyes from VPR (also a writer!) asked me a few questions. I was still so excited from all that kid love I didn't even have time to get freaked out that I was being recorded!



When I got home, I loaded my photos and discovered a whole series of photos Cindy had taken of kids who had found quiet spots amid the noise to get back to what they love: reading. :-)


This day was a gift I'll never forget. I know how lucky I am to have found a publisher who supports me and continues to publish my books. To a committee who believed in See You At Harry's, and wanted the children in their state to read it, too. To Grace, for inviting us to this wonderful event. To the teachers, who took a day out of school during what is probably the busiest time of year, in order to bring their students to an event that celebrates reading for the pure joy of it.

I sit and look a these photos and think of my own child self, who never in her wildest dreams or farthest reaches of her imagination would have thought that some day, she would be standing in front of a group of readers, sharing her book, her voice, her passion, her love.

Nope, I never would have. But there I am. Here I am. And I'm forever grateful.

Today I am facing a big revision. I spoke with my editor on the phone on Friday to go over her notes, took the weekend to mull, fret, freak out and calm down, and now I need get to work.

One of the things writers ask me over and over again is "How do you revise?" It's a tough question because my approach has been a bit different with every book. For this book, I have a lot of incredibly helpful notes from friends/critique partners and my editor. These range from general feedback...



...to chapter to chapter feedback...



...to feedback on individual characters.


(In addition, I have electronic notes from another critique partner which I'll have open on my screen.)

It's a lot to take in, process and organize. This book has ten points of view and takes place in one day, with all of the characters' stories overlapping. Timing, pacing and point of view are a bit complicated (I have just made an understatement).

This is when my storyboard comes in handy. It helps me stay grounded and remember the core importance/significance of each chapter (probably not abundantly clear to you from the image below, but it is to me).



I can look at each square after I read the comments and then take additional notes on what I need to address. I'm going to print out a clean copy of each chapter and mark up the changes, as there are a lot of notes I need to keep track of as well. Some chapters need to be completely rewritten so in those cases, I'll just start a new blank file (I just whimpered).

I also have a more basic chart (listing character and chapter title) that helps me see at a quick glance how the characters are connected, and which side characters appear in each chapter. In this revision, I need to make more connections, so this will help me keep track of that as well.



As I go, I plan to create a new page like this for each chapter/character.

Sometimes, I wonder what I was thinking when I started this project. Did I try to do too much? Is it just a big mess? I have been working on this book in bits and pieces since I got the idea ten years ago.

I don't want to give up.

I hate giving up.

So, I have made some comfort tea, with milk and honey.



And dug up an old promise from a friend.



There's only one way to make this project come together and be that thing I want it to be.

I have to do the work. Starting... now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Share one of your tools of the trade! :-)

Well today I've been a bit stressed and overwhelmed. It is also Monday, and I am supposed to blog here and give you a writing prompt.

Dear reader, I have a confession to make:

I almost blew you off.

I am sorry. But it's been one of those mornings when I try to think creatively and the phrase, "I got nuthin" is all that comes to mind.

So I was doing what one does when one's got nuthin. I was wasting time on #$!@ing Facebook. And I came to a link provided by the brilliant writer and teacher, Leda Schubert. It's called "The Keeny-Mo" And it is both a beautiful tribute to her father and an inspirational lesson in character development. I ask you to go read it now.

Wasn't that just perfect?

And now you have your...

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Choose a person you miss and make a list of all the special Keeny-Mo-type memories you have of him or her. This could turn into a list poem, or even an outline for a story about the person. Have fun! And thank you, Leda, for the much-needed inspiration!

WHO DONE IT? Is out today!



There's a party.

There's a murder.

There are way too many sketchy alibis.

In an "Investigation of murder most foul" children's and YA authors will try to convince you, dear reader, of their innocence. Just because they write for kids doesn't make them angels!

My own alibi involves stolen cow hooves, stinky cheese, and an unfortunate train ride to NYC.

Order your copy today to benefit 826nyc: "a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write."

This morning my carpool duties took me up Town Farm Hill Road and then over to Weed Road and then back to Town Farm Hill. These are narrow dirt roads near my home. Fun to run on during the summer, challenging at best in winter. But they are always beautiful.

If you live in Vermont, and most especially if you live in Hartland, Vermont, I would recommend getting up just before sunrise and driving over Town Farm Hill Road, facing the rising sun. It will change your life. No really. OK, well maybe it will at least change your perspective for the day. Seeing the beauty of the earth will make you feel small, perhaps, but at the same time, the great privilege of seeing it will make you feel like one of the luckiest people on earth, if only fleetingly. It's a gift.

Now that the sun rises before carpool time, I don't get to see the purple sky changing to pink and orange on our drive over the hill. I miss it.

But today, as we were navigating the snowy drive, two deer stepped in our path. I slowed to a stop and waited for them to cross, but they only stared at us. Hesitant. Still.

I rolled down my window. I don't know why I do this whenever I see wildlife near the road, but I do. I think in some crazy way, I expect us to have a conversation. I would warn them to go back to the woods and they would tell me how lovely the weather is.

Instead, they sniffed the air and watched, and we watched, too. They blinked. And we blinked. The quiet surrounded us as we studied each other. Branches cracked in the woods beyond, and birds tweeted overhead. But we stayed quiet, waiting for each others' next move.

You're looking-well fed for February. I'm glad to see it.

We ate bark for breakfast. We sure miss apple season.

Are you going to cross the road?

We aren't sure. No. I think we'll stay on this side. Bye.

Bye.

And off they went, into the snowy woods, silent, silent silent.

I rolled up my window and off we went, too, in my tiny red car.

As we drove along, slipping here and there, three cars came up behind me. Was I driving too slow? Maybe. They seemed in a great hurry to get somewhere. Maybe they were late for work. Maybe if they'd gotten up earlier, they would have seen the sunrise. But instead, they were pushing the limits of getting too close on the slippery, snowy road, trying to hurry me along.

I wanted to stop and have a conversation with them, too.

Hey! Don't you know how lucky you are, to be barreling along on this gorgeous, peaceful road? Don't you know what a privilege it is? Couldn't you slow down just a little bit? You'll be amazed by what you've been missing.

But then I imagined them saying

!&%^$#!

So I kept driving along at my own pace instead.

Sometimes it's best to limit conversation to the deer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Have a conversation with wildlife. What would you say to the bird or squirrel outside your window?

Goal #11: Continue to improve at public speaking

I kept this goal for 2013 because it is an ongoing challenge for me. I am self-conscious. I am shy. I love people and I love talking about books, but I get nervous and tongue-tied. It's not fun when this happens. And I spend a lot of time beating myself up about it after.

A few weeks ago, I posted about my theme for 2013, which focuses on living your life.

Shortly after that post, I received a message from the editor of Author Magazine, asking if I was interested in doing a live interview on the Author2Author site.

I was flattered! I was excited! And I was also terrified. Live???? Oh my. No no no no no. This I cannot do.

I waited to reply. Then I postponed. But then I asked myself, "What's the worst that could happen?"

And so I said yes. And spent the next several days trying not to think about it.

Yesterday, before the interview, I kept having these moments of panic. What if I stumble? What if I don't know how to answer a question? What if.... Wait. What if WHAT??? This is what I'm talking about. I worry a lot--A LOT--about stuff I don't even know why I'm worried over. It's kind of insane, I know.

When it was time to call in, I took a deep breath and went up to my office and shut the door. Immediately, Fred my cat started crying on the other side. I let him in. He then continued to wail and play with papers and make Fred-noises. I was juggling the phone and petting Fred so he'd shut up! I did this through most of the interview. And even though at the time that cat was driving me nuts, I think he helped me stay calm and focused. Thanks Freddy.

Well anyway, this all to say that I survived. And I actually had fun! Anne Marie Pace told me the host would do his best to make it easy and she was right.

Bill and I talked about social networking, plotting vs. plunging, writing what you love, getting through the murky middle, my writing partners, what it means to write our "emotional" truths, and so much more. If you'd like to listen,

CLICK HERE! :-)

It starts with a circle

We share a church pew
You bounce on your mother's lap
And wiggle and squirm of boredom
There is a small box of crayons between us
And a tiny pad of paper
Waiting to be filled
It starts with a circle
I hand it to you
And say, "Draw something"
And you turn the circle into a peace sign
And I add a green border
And you say, "It's a tree!"
So I add a trunk
And you add a giant bird
And I make leaves
And you draw a dog
And I make another bird
And you make your bird KING
And I make a flying pig
And you make an egg
And I add a rainbow
And you add a pterodactyl
And I add a fox
And you say, "The bird pooped!"
And I say, "Here is a nest,"
And we keep on like that
Filling the page
With colors
And life
Until it's time for you
to go

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Find a friend to draw with. It can be a child, a student, a partner, a friend, any age will do. Get a piece of paper and draw a shape. Hand the paper over and let the other person make something out of it. Now you make something, now the other person, etc. and on and on until you fill the page. Now each of you choose one image and use it as a story starter. Have FUN. :)

I had an unexpected, last-minuteish chance to get away this weekend to reunite with my long-time writing partners Debbi and Cindy. I met Cindy 9 years ago when I moved to Vermont, and Debbi 9 years ago on LiveJournal, and then in person not long after that. Since then the three of us have been working together via e-mail every week (with very few exceptions).



We try very hard to see each other once a year. Since we've been together, Debbi has lived in New York, China, California and now Connecticut. Somehow, we still manage to find each other.



When we work online, we share our goals in the morning and then check in every half hour via e-mail until we've all reached them. When we get together on our retreats, we pretty much do the same thing, but add in walks, talks, eating a lot of chocolate, drinking a lot of wine, and reading our work to each other.

We also get a little goofy.



But we do work. It's just a lot more fun to do it together in person.



Thank you Debbi, for hosting the retreat. And thank you both, for your friendship, love, and support.

I hope our lucky ladybugs work their magic for both of you this year. And always.



I love you!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

This one comes to you via another writing pal, Kate Messner, who tweeted last night:

"I should not have left that banana in my backpack"

Use this phrase to start a scene. :)

It has been a week since my last post and I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who left such thoughtful comments, and who shared the link far and wide. Many of you are dear friends, many of you I've never met but have known online for years, and many are complete strangers. But I am touched and humbled by your responses near and far. It fills me with hope to know that we can all be moved by the same sentiment. Moved enough to reflect on our own lives with a little more purpose. A little more compassion. A little more thankfulness. And with a little more gratitude for the people we see everyday, whether in person or online, who help shape who we are, but also who help ground us and make us feel like we belong.

Yesterday I had the wonderful gift of holding a new life in my arms.

She wiggled and squirmed and had that baby smell that makes you breathe deeply and smile.

She made me laugh and feel ALIVE. She was pure joy. Her entire body shook with it.

Holding her felt like one of those "I am living my life" moments. And I savored it.

It was hard to let her go.

Her name is Penny.



That look on my face? That's what I wish for all of you.

Joy.

Thank you again.

<3

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write about a favorite pet (doesn't have to be yours), from your childhood, or from now. What made him/her unique? Special? Funny? Memorable?

Every year, in addition to writing a list of goals and dreams, I also pick a "theme" to help guide me in reaching them. This year's theme came as a gift from Maurice Sendak.

A few weeks ago, I came across this very sad interview with Sendak and Terry Gross, illustrated by Christoph Niemann.



I won't lie. It depressed me. And watching it again now, I cried even harder than the first two times.

I have a confession. Years ago, when I was in college, I heard Maurice Sendak speak at the Boston Public Library. He wasn't very nice. He didn't seem to want to be there and he didn't seem to mind letting the audience know that. He was rude to the people who asked questions. Worse, these were teachers and librarians who were holding his books to their chests with love. Some could barely get out their questions they were so excited to see Sendak in person. He didn't respond in kind. It made me angry. I think, being as young as I was, I didn't try to understand why Sendak behaved the way he did. I only felt offended.

For years, whenever people gushed about his books to me, I would secretly think, Yes they're lovely, but he's not a very nice man.

I am ashamed of those secret thoughts.

Later, I would see and hear Sendak in other interviews, and my opinion softened. When he gave his fantastic interview with Stephen Colbert not long ago, I have to admit, I fell in love with him. He had spirit and humility and most important, a lightness I hadn't seen before. A lightness I wish I had myself. He was not the dismissive man I had seen all those years ago. He had changed.

Sometimes I think we forget people can do that. Sometimes I think we forget we can do that.

With this in mind, when I heard this latest and maybe last interview, I was a little devastated by the sadness that emanates in his voice. He says he is happy, but he says it through tears. "There's something I'm finding out as I'm aging," he says. "That I am in love with the world."

How sad to only find this out so late in life.

I think that's where the sorrow in this interview comes from. And why he sounds so desperate when he repeats those last three lines at the end: Live your life. Live your life. Live your life.

A desperate plea to anyone who would listen: Don't wait until you are aging to fall in love with the world.

I listened. And I heard. And I have been thinking about those words ever since. I have asked myself, How am I living my life? Am I living my life? What does that even mean, really?

My reflections seem to shift throughout the day.

It means hug your son even if it makes him flinch.

Pick up your cat and blow a raspberry on his belly. (As long as he is the type of cat that purrs when you do this.)

Squeeze your husband's shoulder as you scoot past in a crowded kitchen.

Bundle up and go outside, no matter how cold it is. And BREATHE. Let the cold air sting your lungs and be glad for it.

Stop saying no to fun stuff in order to finish the drudgery. Does anyone really care if the sink is full of dishes a few more hours? I could care less if my friends' houses are messy or clean when I visit, so why do I stress so much about my own? My mother's best friend always says, "Love me, love my mess." Yes.

Sing.

Live your life. Live your life. Live your life.

Simple. Inspiring.

And yet…

What about the days when you aren't sure you can do it anymore? The days when everything you read or hear feels like it is shoving you deeper into the darkness.

What about the days when you feel invisible?

Overlooked. Left out.

Forgotten.

I know those days. I do.

Some days, it is so hard to want to live your life.

Some days, you hate your life.

You want to stay in bed and close your eyes and sleep it all away.

And yet, you know, eventually you will have to wake up. You will have to wake up and live.

You will have to live your life.

On Saturday I went to the memorial service of a friend. I've known her since we first moved here. We shared a love of writing and nature, books and poetry. Sheila also joined my JoNoWriMo Challenges, and was always commenting on my Facebook updates with sweet, short lines, like "Go Jo!" I loved her, even though we weren't especially close. She came to all of my book launches with her husband Joe, and she once came to my house after winning a critique session with me that I auctioned off at the church we both attend. One of the pieces we worked on together was shared at her memorial service. It was about the creative spirit. Sheila wrote:

"The creative spirit is in all of us. It is obvious to some, but others never realize the spirit that is in them. It is the core of my being. I have been aware of it for the better part of my life. Only recently did I become aware of it as being a form of spirituality. It is at the heart of who I am. It is what makes me want to get out of bed in the morning. It excites me, drives me, and at times infuriates and overwhelms me. I am so glad to be aware of it, and to use it." – Sheila Drury, December 14, 1956-December 23, 2012

I think it was that creative spirit that helped Sheila live her life the way that she did, even when she was suffering from chronic pain.

Maybe the most challenging part of embracing this theme is that it requires something very big. And Sheila reminds me, that no matter how difficult, we each have the capacity to do it.

In order to live your life, you have to love your life.

And sometimes, that is very hard.

We live in a culture that bombards us with messages about how much better our lives could be. If only we wore this. Or ate here. Or vacationed there. It is a culture that wants us to feel like we need more than what we have. Always more. As if more is the ticket to good living.

It's true a warmer coat might make my life a little better right now--especially when I need to go out to the woodshed in the morning to gather the day's firewood. But I have a sweater I can wear underneath. It's true that new Crate & Barrel place settings would make our table less shabby-looking when guests come over. But I don't think the kind of guests we have over would notice or be all that impressed. They love us, not our silverware. That is not the kind of more any of us need. That kind of more does not help us live our lives better.

On Saturday night I received a request to write a "character witness letter" from a young friend who is facing jail time in Texas for her civil disobedience in objection to the Tar Sands project. Hannah and her sister Sophie have chosen to live their lives as activists, working to help educate people about ways we are hurting our planet and each other. They are living their lives on the edge sometimes. Camping out at Occupy Wall Street for weeks and weeks was just a start. They know what they risk each time they stand in protest. Each time they try to stop machines from digging into the earth and poisoning her, and us. When I read Sophie's descriptions of sleeping in the woods, or Hannah's description of snow falling through "lanky pines" I feel deeply how they are living their lives, fully aware of the natural world around them. When they stand outside and breathe, it is with an awareness and gratitude of all they are taking in, and with a deep passion to save it. Hannah ended her letter with a request for us to send her "an extra surge of protection on the 5th of January and the 8th of February: Free of bars, Held in Love, Returning to the wild." I hope you'll join me in doing that.

I honor these sisters, for the work they do. I am thankful they are doing it for us. And honestly, there are days when I envy them for following their hearts so completely. For letting go of everything else to focus on something bigger. But then I realize, what keeps me from doing those things are big, too. We all have our own "big things."

Live your life.

Live your life. Live your life.

Yesterday at church the sermon was called, "Active Hope: Awakenings." As our minister, Paul Sawyer, talked about Buddha and Epiphany (we're Unitarians, everything goes together :-) ), I began to think about my own awakenings and moments of clarity. I realized that those opportunities are constant. It's me who doesn't look enough.

Terry Pratchett has a wonderful line in the Tiffany Aching series in which he describes opening your eyes, then opening your eyes again. I used to tell my writing students to try this. Open your eyes. Look around you. Now open them again. What do you see that you didn't see before? The details in a person's face become more clear. The trees outside your window feel more alive. The cracks on the sidewalk in front of you that you've stepped over and on a thousand times are suddenly full of life.

This is how I want to live my life. Awake and aware and in love.

Sendak notes sadly, "I cry a lot because I miss people. I cry a lot because I can't stop them. They leave me. And I love them more."

I have done my fair share of crying for friends who have left me recently. They have left me, and, like Sendak, I have loved them more.

I don’t want that to happen any more. I want to love my friends more now. I want to be aware of who and what they are now, not when I'm missing them.

And I want to be in love with the world now, not when I'm facing leaving it.

Live your life. Live your life. Live your life.

It means something different to all of us. And yet if all of us try harder to do it with purpose, the world will be even more loveable.

I hope you'll join me in trying.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Monday morning warm-up:

How do you want to live your life?

Happy New Year!!

As many of you know, each year I encourage everyone to join me in making a list of goals and dreams for the year (not "resolutions"), as well as to think about a theme you'd like to guide you in reaching them. 2012 was my "Year of Doing The Work." A lot of my goals were related to this theme. Some in relation to carving out time and finishing projects, others to "dreams" that would help make being a full-time writer possible.

In the past, I have only shared goals/dreams that have come true. A lot of the things I write are private and a little (actually a lot) embarrassing, and have very little chance of coming true. But sometimes I still feel the need to write them anyway. I think it's good to have big dreams. It's good to allow yourself to imagine good things happening to you. But sharing/admitting them to other people??? That's, oh, a little uncomfortable. BUT... in an effort to inspire YOU to dare to dream, I'm sharing mine here. I hope I don't regret it. :)

OK. Here we go...

GOALS & DREAMS FOR 2012

1. Finish draft of READ BETWEEN THE LINES and submit it to my editor.
Done! I got the idea for this book NINE years ago and have been working on it on and off ever since. I never thought it would become a book. It was one of those projects I never thought I'd be ready or able to write. But thanks to the encouragement of writer friends at a retreat several years ago in which we all shared our "dream" project, I didn't give up. I'm happy to report that my editor has approved and accepted the book! *squeeeeee*

2. Earn out with Pearl.
Not even close. Not even… well no. Not even close. *sad face*

3. Press for getting Pearl into paperback with a new cover.
My agent and I queried several times but never got an answer on plans for this. I think Pearl is going to quietly slip away. This makes me very sad. It's true what they say about Barnes & Noble, sadly. Not getting your book into the major chains shouldn't have such a devastating affect on sales, but it does. Ah well.

4. Earn out with See You at Harry’s.
As far as I know, this has not happened. My November statement only covered the first month of sales, so I really have no clue how things are going. This is a little crazy-making, but I'm trying to remind myself to focus on the next project and not worry about things I can't control. Being an author is so different from other careers, in that you know what your paycheck will be each week. Authors' incomes fluctuate so drastically, it is a huge challenge to stay afloat. 2012 is my first year as a full-time writer and while amazing in terms of having lots of time to write, it has been incredibly stressful financially.

5. Get two (or more?? Too hopeful??) starred reviews.
I know. That seems a bit… I don't know. Pushy? Stuck up? Yuck. This is one of the embarrassing dreams I mentioned above. But... I decided to be honest here and yup, that's what I wrote on my list. Who doesn't want a starred review, anyway? :-) SEE YOU AT HARRY'S got a starred review in Kirkus and a 5Q (highlighted) review in VOYA. VOYA doesn't do stars but that's their equivalent so I decided to count it. :-) The audiobook also got a star in School Library Journal. And, the book was chosen as a New York Times notable book of 2012 and Amazon Best Books of the Year. So, I think all of this counts. Yay!

6. Sell foreign rights of anything.
SEE YOU AT HARRY'S will be published in a UK edition via Walker Books. Technically, this isn't a "sale" but it IS being published with a different cover (which I LOVE) so it feels like a foreign edition. It was also picked up by Scholastic Book Clubs! (I realize this is not foreign but in my wildest dreams I never imagined one of my books would be bought by Scholastic, so it FEELS foreign to me!)

7. Continue to spend time with friends (both writer and non).
We've been gathering with a group of local friends about once a month for potluck meals and music-making. It's been a blast! I love them all so much. And doing this has made us feel like members of our community at last. I've also started going out with some lady friends roughly once a month and that has been really great too. I continue to meet in person with my writing partner once a week, and also another writer friend at my house almost once a week, as our schedules work out. Working at home can be very isolating and I'm not good at being alone for too long. Now that I've recognized this, I can work hard to make sure I see friends in person. My mental health is far better for it, and I am really happy to have these special friendships.

8. Read more.
I've read fewer books but tons more manuscripts/galleys this year. I don't know if this counts. I really want to get back to reading a book a week at least. I fell far short of that this year, mainly because I've been reading galley's for blurbs and things. But one of my writing partners and I are trying to read all of the Newbery winners starting in 1960 so that should keep me on my toes. So far we've read 4 or 5 and it has been fascinating.

9. Make BBYA and Quick Picks.
I know, I know. This is another embarrassing one to share. It sounds so pretentious of me or something. But again, who doesn't want/hope to be on these lists? :-) PEARL made BBYA but not Quick Picks. BBYA was a total shock and a huge honor. I'm thrilled! See, sometimes you have to admit to the universe you hope for something and that allows you to work harder to make it happen. Even though you have no control of committee choices, you have control over doing your best. And that's something.

10. Go to BEA and try to do more effective promo stuff for Harry’s.
Boy did I fail miserably on that one. I'm so bad at promo. I've been extremely fortunate that Harry's has been acknowledged as much as it has this year since I did so little to promote the book and there was no advertising or anything like that going on. Word of mouth has really helped get this book into readers' hands so THANK YOU to everyone who has read and reviewed and shared this book with others. I am humbled and very, very grateful. Those words sound trite and overused, I know. But they are also the truest I can think of to express my gratitude. I am honored beyond words that so many people have given Harry's such love and attention.

11. Continue to improve at public speaking.
I don't know if I've improved but I did a lot MORE speaking in 2012. I still get crazy-nervous but it feels a little different than it used to. Now that I've survived it enough times, I know it will all be OK. I guess that's the difference. I'm getting there.

12. Continue to exercise regularly. Aim for 4 miles.
I ran 5 miles on my birthday! My new goal is to run 6 by my next birthday.

13. Worry less.
Oof. This year my theme was "Do the work" and I quit all of my teaching and freelance jobs to be a full-time writer. Money has been extremely tight, but we survived. That was my biggest and constant worry this year. I really hope I can worry a little less in 2013. Did you hear that, Universe? :-)

14. Have more fun.
Definitely had a lot fun in 2012 (see 7 above).

15. Have and go to more parties.
Yup! (see 7 above again).

16. Work on creating more thought-provoking blog posts.
Oops. Terrific fail. I feel like here on LiveJournal, I am writing into an abyss. I am not even sure if anyone will read this post. Maybe that's why I've been a little more brave with it! ;-P

17. Renew passport.
Done! But didn't have enough money to leave the country.

18. Do more volunteer work.
This started out great! We joined a local volunteer group that found something to do as a team once a month. But then the organizers moved away and the group dissolved. We really need to find a way to get back to regular volunteering.

19. Spend more quality time with Eli.
Also done. We had a great summer and this winter vacation was all about reading and hanging out.

20. Go on a family trip.
Sadly, we didn't have enough money this year to go anywhere.

21. Have more “dates” with Peter.
Ugh. No again. See #20.

22. Go on at least one writing retreat.
I spent a weekend in Providence, RI with amazing writer friends and got a ton of writing done.

23. Host at least one writing retreat.
A friend came for a few days this summer to write and talk about our careers. It was extremely helpful.

24. Go to the dentist.
I TRIED but then found out my insurance didn't cover the office I made an apt. at and then I got scared again. I have a horrible fear of the dentist. Definitely adding this to my list again for 2013. :(

25. Have a mammogram.
Finally! And it didn't hurt. I did get a call back but was told 90% of women get called back after their first time and not to worry.

26. Adopt a puppy?!?!?!
We didn't adopt a puppy but some friends did so I am looking forward to living vicariously through them. :-)

27. Write the way I used to, without fear.
This has been a big one for me, and I think over the summer I was finally able to let go and write raw. It can be so hard to turn off the noise sometimes. Whether the noise is critical talk online, bad reviews, or my own negative self-talk. But the one thing that does come out of hearing criticism is the desire to figure out what went wrong and try harder to improve my craft. I am not the writer I long to be. I'm not even sure who she is! But there are so many stories to tell and my dream of telling them better keeps growing.

Well, that's everything! I haven't decided on a theme for next year, but I will tomorrow. I hope you will too!!!

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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Make a list of goals and dreams for 2013, and pick out a theme for the year!

Many years ago in graduate school, our professor showed us two versions of Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow. We were speechless after watching the second. Speechless and heartbroken, the change was so powerful. So moving and sad. From time to time, I've searched for that second video because I wanted to share it with my own students. But I never could find it until today, when someone posted it on Facebook. Whether acting or not, the contrast speaks for itself. Innocence. Experience. Hope. Despair. Dreamy. Gritty.

Here, I give you those two versions I saw and was moved by all those years ago.







Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write to the prompt, "Why can't I?"

“'Discover something new every day,' he said. That advice changed me as a writer and as a person.I give it to you now and hope that you will take it out into the waiting world, pushing forth through all of your daily work and joys and struggles with a bit of your mind focused on reality and the larger part of it quiet, still, and always thinking like a writer." For more on this, check out the essay here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/the-art-of-being-still/


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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

For the past 24 hours, I have been struggling with something I've wanted to blog about for months. The issue keeps popping up and each time strong emotions bubble to the surface and I find myself feeling frustrated, disappointed, intimidated and confused. I would like to have a discussion about it, and yet... I admit I am a little afraid. Afraid of conflict. Afraid of hurt feelings. Afraid of causing a stir. And so... I try to quiet it in my mind. Again and again. Each time though, I get closer to bringing this up. If I don't, who will? How do we make change if we stay quiet? Today, I will at least try. I will try to put these thoughts into words. And hope to be brave enough to take the next step.

What do you want to talk about, or write a story about, but have been too afraid? Write a private note about it to yourself.

Last week at this time I was attending the NCTE/ALAN conference. I had lots of fun sharing meals with Candlewick staff (including my wonderful editor!), teachers and librarians. I met so many incredible, dedicated people. We talked about books and family and education and reading and the future of publishing. And you know, it was all very hopeful. We will always need stories. The format may change, but the need won't.

I also spent a lot of time walking the exhibit floor drooling over new books. My rule was for every ARC I picked up, I had to buy a book. I ended up buying more books than picking up ARCs, so that's good. One I'm particularly excited about is BOOT AND SHOE, by Marla Frazee. I'm a sucker for dogs and friendship and this book is perfect on both counts.

Walking the exhibit floor, you run into tons of teachers and authors. I met so many! I can't believe I didn't get photos. But I got to meet Janni Lee Simner! And April Henry! And Kathleen Duey! Shannon Hale! Alan Gratz! Varian Johnson! And so many others! It was crazy and wonderful.

On Sunday, there was a fun cocktail party where authors meet lots of teachers attending ALAN. But because a lot of us authors are shy, we tend to stick together in packs until we get more comfortable in the crowd. I also heard from teachers that they are shy too, so they hesitate to approach the authors. It's like the middle school dance where the boys stay on one side of the room and the girls on the other. Until everyone has had some wine. ;-P

Here are Deborah Heiligman, me, Sara Zarr and Emily Wing Smith. I love these ladies. They are so brilliant and NICE and FUN. :-)


And here are Cindy Faughnan, Lauren Myracle and David Macinnis Gill, same words can be used to describe these guys.


And Kate Messner!! Again, same. The theme of the weekend: Lovely people. I spent the whole time smiling and feeling like the luckiest person to be surrounded by these special people.


I spent Monday listening to lots of panels of authors talking about their books, their readers, the future, and hope. I was inspired over and over again.

On Tuesday, I spent most of the day getting more and more nervous because I had two panels scheduled one after the other. Right before my signing, I had lunch with a group of authors and teachers and showed them my shaking hands. It was pretty bad. I haven't felt that nervous in quite a while.

Before you go "on stage" the organizers have you sit in a special "holding area" and while there I was getting more and more nervous. Then sweet Kate Messner came over and sat behind me and said she was offering some calm. It was so kind of her I got teary and then MORE nervous because I was afraid I was going to cry. Basically, I was a wreck. But I love you, Kate! For doing that and being such a good friend.

Here's a little bit of why I was nervous. There were a lot of people there! That's me on the end on the right wanting to crawl under the table.



Well, when Shannon Collins, our moderator, introduced us, a bunch of teachers from The Nerdy Book Blub (some who'd been at that lunch who saw how nervous I was) gave a big WOOT! It was so sweet and reassuring my nerves went away and I was able to speak without freaking out. At that moment I remembered this was a FRIENDLY audience. Why was I so nervous? THANK YOU NERDIES!!! See? This is what I'm talking about. The teachers there were so incredible. Supportive. Enthusiastic. They gave me so much hope. Their students are lucky kids.

Here are two great Nerdy members and contributors, Kellee Moye (teacher and also contributor of the Teach Mentor Texts blog http://www.teachmentortexts.com) and Donalyn Miller (6th grade teacher and author of The Book Whisperer http://www.bookwhisperer.com)



And another, Teresa Bunner (RdngTeach on Twitter and Nerdy Book Club contributor http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com):



And another, Cindy Minnich (CBethM on Twitter, and another Nerdy contributor as well as blogger at http://chartingbythestars.wordpress.com)



And here is Walter Mayes, who taught me a BIG lesson about saying "small" things. Walter is a librarian and the future ALAN President. He is also awesome. And, he has plans to get the teachers and authors talking more quickly when he is in charge of the conference in 2014. In fact, Walter is so cool when it comes to IDEAS. In the short time we were talking with a group of authors and teachers, Walter came up with a ton of great ideas for helping us all connect and share more effectively. He is such a dedicated librarian. I love him.



Next, it was time for a breakout panel with extraordinary authors Kate Messner, Jody Feldman, Blue Balliett and Rebecca Stead!



We talked about books for kids in the middle (middle school) and how important those books are. I wish we had more time to discuss! Later, I had many more thoughts on the matter. Maybe we can do an encore and keep the conversation going. :)

Finally, it was time to go home. I arrived at just around midnight and got up early the next day to help clean and cook for Thanksgiving. It was the perfect way to spend after being away from home for so long. This is me and my dad, making gravy together. Home sweet home.



As homesick as I got, and as tiring as the constant noise of slot machines and smoke-filled rooms were, I continue to look back on those days with fond, fond memories of the friends I made and the meaningful conversations I had with people making a difference every day, either through the books they write or by sharing books with kids.

If you're worried about the state of the industry, or about kids and reading, take a deep breath. There are good people out there, making a difference. They care. And they will do everything they can to help make sure kids keep reading great books. They will continue to mentor new teachers and help share ideas and inspiration. We have a lot of work to do, but we are willing to do it. We WANT to do it. And we WILL do it. Keep writing, keep reading, keep sharing. That's how we spread the light and love. :-)

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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write up a review for a recent favorite read and share it somewhere (as a blog, a Facebook entry, as a review on one of the book sites). Explain why you want people you care about to read the book.

Mine is BOOT AND SHOE. I want you to read this book because it is the perfect illustration of friendship, loyalty and love. :-)

This weekend I am extremely excited to be attending the NCTE/ALAN convention in Las Vegas! I have never been to Las Vegas. Any must-see, must-do, must-eat-at suggestions???

If YOU are also going to be at the conference and would like to say hello, here's my schedule:

Saturday

7-9am: ALAN Breakfast featuring Scott Westerfeld. We can share OJ and stories of how little sleep we got the night before!

9am-3pm: Exhibit hall wandering. Lets compare ARCs!

3-4pm: Signing SEE YOU AT HARRY's at the Candlewick Booth #629/631. Pleeeeeeeeeease come!

Sunday

9am-1pm: Exhibit hall wandering (if feet still allow me to walk on them)

5:30-7pm: ALAN Reception! Also known as REUNION! Can't wait to see all the cool teachers I met last time, as well as lots of author friends.

Monday

Attending ALAN Workshop to soak up inspiration from colleagues.

Tuesday

8am-12:40pm: Pacing. Fretting. Trying to get over nervous feelings.

12:40pm: Signing SEE YOU AT HARRY's in back of conf. room during the "Dystopias" panel.

2-2:35pm: Speaking with Kate Ellison, Blue Balliett and Susan Vaugh on "CJ's Favorites: Tender Tellings" panel, chaired by Shannon Collins.

2:40-3:40pm: Speaking with Kate Messner, Blue Balliett, Jody Feldman, and Rebecca Stead on "Creating Ripples: Writing for Kids in the Middle"

Hope to see you there!!!!

[OOOPS I Screwed up! Please check in over at the JoNoWriMo page, not here!!!! Thanks! http://jonowrimo.livejournal.com/ ]

Hi Friends!

I'm home from a wonderful weekend in St. Louis where I spoke at the YALSA YA Lit Symposium. Hundreds of dedicated librarians were there, sharing tips and techniques for connecting readers with books. It was incredibly moving and inspiring to see these dedicated, caring professionals encouraging one another and celebrating teen readers. Someday, these amazing people will be putting your books in the hands of their readers!

On that note, I hope you're making lots of progress on your WIPS! Time to let me know and check in!

Amy Fisher Quinn
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boreal_owl
briankell
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The subject line of this post is the subject line of an e-mail I received yesterday. Here is the note that went with it:


Hi Jo,

Congratulations, your book has been nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award! This is a tremendous achievement as the Goodreads Choice Awards are the only major book awards chosen by readers.

Fifteen books have been nominated in 20 categories, including Fiction, Nonfiction, Mystery, Memoir, Young Adult Fantasy, and many more. Voting is open to all 12 million Goodreads members, and winners will be announced in December.

Three Chances to Vote!
Opening Round: October 30 – November 11
Semifinal Round: November 12 – November 18
Final Round: November 19 – November 27

What You Can Do
• Use the "Goodreads Choice Award Nominee" badge on your Web site and blog, and link it to your category. The badge may also be used in advertising campaigns, both on Goodreads and elsewhere.
• In December, we will provide "Goodreads Choice Award Winner" badges for use on your Web sites and blogs and in advertising campaigns.
• You are welcome to use the Goodreads Choice Award nominee or winner badges on the next printing of the book. Young Adult winner Divergent and Romance finalist Fifty Shades of Grey both highlighted their success in the 2011 Choice Awards on subsequent paperback editions.
• Write a blog post thanking your fans and encouraging them to vote for your book.
• Make a short video to rally your fans to vote.
• Offer special content to thank fans for their support. Paranormal fantasy nominee Ilona Andrews even promised fans a short story upon making it to the 2011 finals.
• Encourage fans on Facebook and Twitter to vote. Hashtag: #GoodreadsChoice
• List a giveaway to fuel increased demand for the book.
• Add an excerpt for new readers visiting the book's Goodreads page.

About the Nominations
Instead of consulting publishing experts or a judging panel, we look to readers to find the best books of the year. We analyze statistics from the 170 million books added, rated, and reviewed on the site in 2012 and nominate based on a book's number of ratings and average rating. So a nomination is truly an honor because it comes straight from the readers!

Visit Nominees for Best Middle Grade & Children's to view all of your fellow 2012 nominees!

Good luck!
Jessica and the Goodreads Team

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I am speechless and overwhelmed and thrilled and a bit lost. I am not a huge fan of asking people to vote for you for anything, unless you are running for public office. Books and reading and reader response are mostly such personal things. I don't want you to rate or review or vote for a book unless you really do love the book! :-)

So, I share this here to bring attention to the contest. I don't want to sound ungrateful. I'm psyched! It's amazing! Holy cow! It is INSANE. I can't believe it!!!!!!! I can't stop smiling!

But...

I feel really uncomfortable asking for your vote, even though that's what authors are supposed to do in these cases.

But...

I would also feel really uncomfortable not sharing the news here because it's a huge honor and Goodreads has asked the authors to help promote the awards (see letter above). And I AM incredibly grateful!!! I mean, seriously! Actually, I'm mostly still shocked.

*conflicted*

What do I really want to do?

Say THANK YOU to all the people who I know and don't know who read See You At Harry's and took the time to go to Goodreads to rate and review it. I want to thank all the booksellers and teachers and librarians and friends and relatives and strangers who recommended it to their friends and kids and students and parents. It's because of you that quiet old Harry's is on the same list of books that Rick Riordan, Eoin Colfer, Jeff Kinney and Carl Hiaasen are on. How on earth is that even possible? And why are the children's bestsellers so often men? (Sorry. Totally off topic.)

As you can guess, I really am overwhelmed and thrilled and a bit lost. And very conflicted.

But mostly, just grateful. Really, really grateful, that See You At Harry's is a book at all. That still feels like a miracle itself. :-)

So, if you are a Goodreads user and would like to participate, please visit the page. And if you like to spread the word about such things, that would be lovely too. But please vote for your favorite book. And please keep reading and sharing your favorite books with others. That's what it's really all about.

Thank you!

xo

This weekend I visited my family in New Hampshire. My sister took us on a fun little hike in Center Harbor at the Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest. It was beautiful!

Here are two photos I took of the trail:





For today's Monday Morning Warm-Up, imagine you're a child facing this path. What would go through your mind as you began your journey down the wooded walkway? What would you see? Hear? Smell? Wonder? What would come next?

In honor of Banned Books Week, here are a bunch of essay-ish sorts of things I've written about censorship, being banned, and hope for the future. I particularly love the haiku's many of you wrote way back when. Those were amazing!

"Dear Anonymous: Keep on Shining" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/434403.html
http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/413098.html

"My Essay for Gay YA" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/413098.html

"What is the Opposite of "Clean"? Part II" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/390702.html

"I Could Use A Hug About Now" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/346163.html

"Is it censorship? And a Poetry Friday Haiku Extravaganza!" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/342629.html

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/340750.html

"Challenges" http://jbknowles.livejournal.com/339620.html

Many years ago, I attended a writing workshop with Carolyn Coman, who taught us about her storyboarding process when writing novels. She had us begin our own storyboards during the workshop, and as I worked on mine (it was for Jumping Off Swings), I was floored by how much power the visuals had in helping me "see" the flow of the book. I've used this technique for revision ever since.

Here's a little bit of how it works, with my own modifications (Carolyn's storyboards are much more beautiful and simple, mine are a bit of a mess. But the basic concept remains):

Once I have a solid but messy first draft, it's time to look at the contents of the book. What's happening in each chapter, what the emotional as well as physical arc looks like, and who appears when and where.

To do this, I follow Carolyn's instruction to make one box for each chapter. In this case, my manuscript has 10 chapters.



Then, as I reread my novel I start taking notes. Things to include in your storyboard might be:

A rough sketch of the most powerful moment in the chapter. (This should be the strongest image you think best represents the key moment in that chapter.)



I also include the:
• title of the chapter, if there is one
• names of the characters who appear in the chapter
• strongest emotions that pervade the chapter
And in this novel's case, the time of day, since this novel all happens in one day.



Each day as I revise more chapters, the squares fill up with details and notes which will eventually serve as a cheat sheet, of sorts, to help me keep track of what happens and where, and who is involved.

As I revise more, I will add additional details, but for now, here's my finished storyboard, which I'll use today as I go back to the beginning and start revision round two:



While I also use Scrivener to keep track of details and names and things, I like to be able to see the entire book on one page, with images that work as cues to me. I like to be able to see the book in one splash, and be able to quickly refer to the page or add to it as necessary.

Carolyn Coman, thank you SO MUCH for introducing the basic storyboard idea to me all those years ago. This has been the most important revision tool I've had.

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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

How about you? What's the most helpful tool you use in revision or in creating first drafts? Share here or blog about it! Be sure to give us a link. :-)