My next guest blogger was nervous when he learned that he would be following Tom Angleberger & John Auxier. He shouldn't be. Colby Sharp of
Sharpread has rocketed to the top of the kidlit blogosphere. I don't know how he does it- he reads everything, he tweets, he blogs, he teaches
and he has a family. Does he ever sleep? Is he a droid? Is he crazy? Yes, he is crazy. I offer proof:
He is my kind of crazy. He is passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable. He is funny and kind. It doesn't hurt that he likes the same books that I do. We are both obsessed with Mr. Angleberger and his paper dolls to the point of stalker status. (Colby, does Tom have a restraining order out on you yet? No? Give it time.) I was thrilled when Colby said he'd post today. I agree with Colby Sharp- there is no better time to be involved in the world of children's literature. It is a scary time too- tiny budgets, closing libraries, e-books, internet, video games, crazy book banners, the dwindling test scores... When that all adds up, you should thank your lucky stars that Mr. Sharp is your child's teacher. Thanks, Colby!
********
The Golden Age of baseball took place from about 1945-1960. This was when baseball was at it’s best. World War II was over, and people were starving for America’s pastime. The league was littered with future hall-of-famers, and war heroes. It is hard for me to imagine any players today going to war and being a fighter pilot.
In my opinion we are in the “Golden Age” of being a kid reader. There has been no better time to be a young reader. Here are my top 5 reasons why it is the best time ever to be a kid reader:
1. Book Trailers
Book trailers grab young readers, suck them in, and leave them begging to read the book. Every morning in my class we watch one book trailer after morning announcements, and I hear kids talking about it throughout the day. After the trailer I walk to the front of the room, and hands shoot up like crazy. We are only in the second week of school, and they already anticipate what I am goi
In honor of my 1 Year Blogiversary, I have a GREAT week of guest bloggers lined up! Check back every day this week to see what I have in store for you! My very first guest is author Kirby Larson. Kirby won The Newbery Honor Award for Hattie Big Sky. Her newest book is The Friendship Doll. Thank you Kirby for your post, and thank you for your online friendship! I am so glad that cyber-fate brought us together!
I am so pleased to help celebrate both the first birthday ofthe Lemme Library blog and a truly amazing librarian, Kelly Butcher. She hasnot only been an enthusiastic cheerleader for my books, she has even given meblogging lessons, especially in how to manipulate graphics. Despite all thecoaching, I will never be able to create images as cute as the ones Kelly does.My particular favorite is the one she created of my famous light sword battlewith fellow author, Tom Angleberger:
I love librarians, for reasons you willdiscover below, and am happy to honor this library blog’s first birthday eventhough, sadly, there is no cake.
People often ask me why I became a writer, a question that Ican easily answer: books saved me. I grew up in a home with lots of love butlittle money and we moved nearly every single year as my dad searched for newways to support our family of six. This took place in the olden days whenpeople didn’t move around much so, at each new school, I was an oddball fromthe get-go. In addition to being the new kid, I was the new kid with a reallybad home-permanent, cats-eye glasses and a name that would make any bully thinkhe or she had won the lottery: Kirby Miltenberger. (My folks might as well havepainted a target on my forehead!) As a kid, however, I soon learned that, nomatter where I went, I could quickly find a friend in the school library,between the pages of a book.
Books allowed me to imagine myself tracking a thief, likeEmil in
1 Comments on Librarians and Chocolate Cake, last added: 9/16/2011
The celebration of our TeachingAuthors Second Blogiversary continues!
You can still enter to win one of our two Critique Giveaways!
Click on the link to learn the Contest details.
As always, we’re cheering you on.
Our Second Blogiversary got the six of us thinking: what nugget, what Truth, do we wish we’d known when we began writing for children?
For me, “nugget” was the operative word, literally and figuratively.
I knew my answer instantly.
All I had to do was read (for the gazillionth time) the inscription on the one-of-a-kind gold and silver ring that’s adorned my right hand’s fourth finger for longer than I can remember:
the journey is the reward.(Note: poetically-inscribed jewelry is
Jeanine Payer’s trademark.)
Of course, learning that Truth took a whole lot of years, underscoring the very nature of the word “journey.”
Back in 1977, when I first naively tried my hand at writing a picture book for my then two-year-old son, I shared the mindset of every beginning student and writer I’ve since encountered.
How hard could writing a picture book be, really?
I mean, I’d earned a Journalism degree and wrote for a newspaper!
I’d taught fifth grade in the finest of schools!
A picture book is but 32 pages.
The story, too, is for very young children.
And hadn’t I studied my favorite picture books from the inside out? Hadn’t I typed them out, cut them apart, repasted the text, read for the pictures?
And anyway, wouldn’t the illustrations fill in any details I missed?
Once the writing part was done, I’d use my Library’s publishing directories to gather names of editors at those houses I wanted to publish me.
I’d submit my story to the right person, and just like that, or rather, after a considerable (but certainly understandable) waiting period, I’d receive a letter requesting purchase of my story.
Voila. Abracadabra. My dream would be realized.
I would become a Children’s Book Author.
Right?
Wrong!
(Of course.)
I see now: I was only just beginning.
Beginning an education.
Beginning my writer’s story.
Beginning a journey for which I’m grateful every day.
But back then?
After each and every failed effort, I simply picked myself up, dusted myself off, filed away the form and growing personal rejection letters and began another story, my format explorations paralleling my growing son’s new interests and reading expertise.
I’d bravely sought out other children’s book writers, via SCBW (it was so new, the I hadn't been added yet!), local writing classes and lectures.
And I adjusted the carrot that swung in front of my nose.
You know the one – the one labeled “Publication.”
I honestly didn’t see the Light – or rather, the path I’d undertaken, until 1989 when I bravely left my Writing Room for (the sadly no longer in existence) Vassar College’s Summer Children’s Book Publishing Institute.
That’s where and when I learned, thanks to the Institute’s Director Barbara Lucas: that First Step I took back in 1977 brought me to a World - the Children�
Hooray! Today is our Second Blogiversary! Where does the time go? Can you believe it's been two years since we launched this blog? Once again, we will celebrate by giving you, our loyal readers, a present:
Our Second Annual TeachingAuthors Critique Giveaway!
Full details are posted below. But first, since today is also
Poetry Friday, I'd like to share a special blogiversary poem by my amazingly talented co-blogger April Halprin Wayland. If you'd like to read the story behind this poem, along with more of April's Poetry Month poetry,
visit her website. And don't forget to check out today's Poetry Friday roundup at the
Book Aunt blog.
OUR BLOGIVERSARY!
by April Halprin Wayland
We six who ride our blog horse here
are rather like that Paul Revere
“One if by land, two if by sea,”
was revolution's poetry
We TeachingAuthors gallop, too,
to share our lantern light with you
we aim to help, support and cheer
so you can write with joy, not fear
in this New Land: Kidlitosphere
(c) 2011 April Halprin Wayland, all rights reservedAnd now for our
Giveaway Details:For our blogiversary last year, we offered our first ever critique giveaway. This year we decided the best way to "
help, support and cheer" would be to do it again. Only this time,
TWO winners will have their choice of a critique of one of the following by a
TeachingAuthor:
- fiction picture book up to 750 words
- nonfiction picture book up to 1000 words
- first five pages of a novel (chapter book, middle grade, or young adult novel): up
soapylovedeb, evgie/flickr.
Ready, set, go!
A-B-C. 1-2-3.
Zee leetle blog, she is three!
Hard to believe. Time sure flies. Why do I keep talking in three's?
Can't help it. Oops. Did it again ☺.
Kallie♥TheBeatles,nicogenin, dag/flickr.
Wow. We're up to 950+ posts, 14,000+ comments received, and 5500+ images uploaded. I'm happy to report that although blog reading in some circles is down, my readership has doubled in the past year. By now, I should own stock in flickr, Campbell's Tomato Soup, and Earth's Best Organic Alphabet Pasta. And of course, I'm pretty sure Sir Paul, Bobby Dylan (wearethisclose), and George Clooney have all been asking about me.
This past year, I served as a Cybils Poetry Judge, attended my first KidLitCon in Washington, D.C., threw a Pajama Party, hosted my first Poetry Potluck, read and reviewed a slew of cool books, made lots of celebratory soup, and ate thousands a few cupcakes. Most important, I've met some new friends, both online and in person.
One of those friends asked me how much time I spend on this blog. I won't lie to you: it's a lot of work -- I devote several hours every day, seven days a week, to keep the posts coming at a steady clip. Perhaps a younger, snappier, less cognitively-impaired person could accomplish the same tasks in much less time (i.e., someone on high octane java, or who has Brad Pitt at her beck and call).
Domiriel/flickr
But I'm a slow writer to begin with, and there always seems to be a ton of "little behind-the-scenes things": researching food topics, procuring interviews, seeking permissions, emailing publicists for review copies and spreads, the very time-consuming process of searching for appropriate images (or taking my own), then downloading, sizing, crediting, and linking the images.
Chocolate mousse tarts by
On June 11, 2005, just over five years ago, I made my first blog post. I had already been writing reviews for Wands and Worlds, a site I founded with my son, and posting them in a homegrown database. But I had started reading kidlit blogs (there were a lot less back then!) and, inspired and encouraged by the talented Tasha Saecker, who blogs at Kids Lit, I decided to take the plunge and start blogging. My first post was a look at BEA 2005, which I had recently attended. It was a pretty good post, but the posts that followed were a little insipid, and it took some time for me to find my voice.
In honor of my fifth blogiversary, I decided to do something that I should have done, er, five years ago: I wrote up my blog and review policy. So now publishers, authors, and publicists don't need to guess what I review and what my policies are. You can see it at the "Blog & Review Policy" tab above, or at this direct link. Comments, questions, and critique are welcome.
A lot has changed in five years, but a good book is still a good book. I haven't started running out of books yet, so I hope to be blogging for a long time to come.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. So let me begin this post with a little classroom humor:
A child comes home from his first day at school.
Mother asks, "What did you learn today?"
The child replies, "Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow."
This joke is courtesy of the
Teacher Appreciation website. In addition to teacher/student jokes, the site contains ideas for showing our teachers how much we appreciate them. Please don't let this week go by without saying "thank you" to a teacher.
This post is later than usual for me because I spent the morning visiting
Union Ridge Elementary School in Harwood Heights, IL. The students were so attentive and enthusiastic, and they made me feel very welcome. Thank you, Huskies! And I have to commend and thank the teachers and staff at Union Ridge for celebrating their marvelous young authors. I had the honor of presenting a writing workshop to the winners of their Young Authors competition. What a creative group!
Speaking of winners, today I have the pleasure of announcing the winners of not one, but two
Teaching Authors contests. As it turns out, both our winners are teachers--how appropriate for Teacher Appreciation Week! Before I tell you their names, I want to thank everyone for celebrating our First Blogiversary with us. Your response was phenomenal, and we're thrilled to welcome so many new readers.
The winner of our First Blogiversary Critique giveaway is Tricia, who blogs at
The Miss Rumphius Effect. Tricia is a former middle school teacher who now prepares future teachers. She's going to have to decide between having a critique of her poetry or a nonfiction picture book manuscript.
The critique giveaway was such a huge success that we will definitely do it again. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a critique, you may want to consider placing a bid for one in the
Hunger Mountain Critique Auction going on through May 9. Here's how Cynthia Leitich Smith described the auction on her blog,
Cynsations:
"Bid to win full length manuscript critiques with Tanita Davis, author of the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Mare’s War (Knopf, 2009), Michelle Poploff, Vice President, Executive Editor at Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, and picture book writer Tanya Lee Stone, who won the Sibert Award for Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream (Candlewick, 2009). In addition, National Book Award finalist Deborah Wiles and Jacqueline Kelly, author of Newbery honor book The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt, 2009), will offer young adult and middle grade manuscript critiques. Bidding ends at midnight EST May 9."
Visit
Ebay to place your bid.
Our second winner is Sandra, a middle-school te
Happy Poetry Friday! There's a poem for you at the end and a Writing Workout for you, too. But before we begin, I want you to know that I'm still in the thick of the Poem-A-Day Challenge for Poetry Month. In fact, it's TAKEN OVER MY ENTIRE LIFE!...please don't click on this next link yet...today's poem is the same one I'm discussing in this post. You've gotta read the story behind the poem first. It's the law. And one more thing before we begin: Tricia has just posted an interview with me at her marvelous The Miss Rumphius Effect. Come celebrate our blogiversary!
Enter to win a critique of your work, in honor of our blog’s first birthday! And please note: Your first entry must say how you follow us—via Google, Networked blogs, or email. You must post a SEPARATE comment to get a second entry. This makes tracking entries much easier. Entry deadline is 11 pm (CST) Tuesday, May 4, 2010.
Birthdays. Earth Day.
Poetry Month. Poetry Friday. The world turns. What was cloudy becomes clear. The patterns in our lives rise to the surface. We lean towards structure. Forks, spoons and knives separated by dividers. Children in a choir arranged by height. Blouses at my local thrift store (yay, thrift stores!) arranged by color.
My mother could always count on me to put her pencils, rubber bands and paper clips in order. All my marbles grouped themselves into marble villages. The treasured plastic dinosaurs my sister and I got from a junk shop (all for a dime) quickly found their families.
And something beautiful happens in my brain when a word goes “click,” fitting into a poetic pattern.
There’s an elegant website called
Patterns in Poetry researched, written and created by Constance Curran, of Cranberry Designs. I hope one day she’ll add more types of poetry.
So let’s play with patterns in poetry today, in honor of the patterns of our lives. I’ll take you on the behind-the-scenes tour on how I wrote today’s poem.
I was thinking about how Earth Day and our Blogiversary were both on April 22nd. I thought back to last year, how I almost told my
potential blogmates, “Thank you for inviting me to join your blog, but I’m waaaay too busy to take on another project.”
I thought about the hands of five authors reaching out to me, all the way to the West Coast, and how for some reason I reached back. THANK GOODNESS! I wanted to catch that “thank goodness” feeling in a poem.
I began goofing off, thinking of trees and of leaping across the country, across cyberspace. A first and then a second line came to me:
What does it mean to have made this leap?
To swing from tree to tree to you?<
The first time I read the word "blogiversary" was on editor
Cheryl Klein's blog.
My first thought: "What a great word!"
My second thought: "What a great cause for celebration!"
Then I learned some bloggers spell it "blogoversary." But no matter how you spell it, it's a milestone we're looking forward to commemorating tomorrow. I've mentioned that we'll be offering a special giveaway in conjunction with the celebration. Meanwhile, I've been adding some new features to our site. You may have noticed a new link under our logo labeled "
About Us." We've wanted to personalize our blog with photos of all the
TeachingAuthors, but we didn't want to clutter up our already busy sidebar. Now you'll be able to see our smiling faces any time you like by clicking on the above link. That page also contains brief biographies of each of the
TeachingAuthors. Another thing I've been meaning to do for some time is acknowledge and thank all the wonderful readers who've nominated us for various blog awards. So I've also added a new page called "
Blog Awards," with a link in our sidebar. I apologize for being so late in thanking our readers for these awards. All the
TeachingAuthors are honored by your thoughtfulness, and we're pleased that you've found our blog helpful.
Speaking of finding the blog helpful, as we close out our first year of blogging, we'd love to have some feedback from you, our readers. What are some of the features you like best? What would you like to see more of? Do you have any suggestions for topics you'd like us to address in the future? Please post your feedback as comments to this blog entry.
Blogosphere Buzz
Today I'd like to introduce a new feature called the "Blogosphere Buzz." I often come across online events, interviews, and blog posts related to children's/YA literature, writing, or teaching that I think may be of interest to our readers but that don't fit in with our scheduled topic. This section will be a place for us to share links to such items. I have three bits of "buzz" today:
- If you're a picture book writer, it's time to gear up for National Picture Book Writing Week ("NaPiBoWriWee"), which takes place May 1-7 this year. This is a challenge where you attempt to write 7 picture books in 7 days! You can read all about it here on Paula Yoo's blog. Paula is also providing 30 days of inspiring posts to prepare for the challenge, so be sure to read her blog.
- Do writers really ne
There are many angels in my life, the most recent flock being my blogger buddies. I never would have thought such meaningful, heartfelt friendships could have evolved from this virtual space. I'm truly blessed.
One of the first angels I made friends with is Joss, aka Soulbrush.
She and I share many things in common including personal (inner) battles.
We will always feel that 'sister' connnection.
As most of you know she does this amazing art with a bit of an African influence. I was lucky enough to nab this beautiful ATC in a recent trade with her. I take the blame (proudly) for getting her started on them and for her deep addiction in creating them! Thanks Jossie! xoxoxoxo
Another angel I met along the way is Margaret from Waterblossoms. She does the most amazing series of ATC's with Zentangle flair like nothing I've ever seen before! Each new series takes my breath away. The other day I went to my P.O. box and there was a large package from Margaret. We're doing a journal project together ( ArtySoulSisters) but I'm not supposed to be the one that gets the journal after her so I was confused as to what the box was all about. This folder was on top with instructions not to throw it away because there were goodies inside! I love the little monagrammed notepad...
...and also this matching magnet and the notecard with the sweetest message.
No wonder she wanted me to make sure I looked in the folder! There were 2 exquisite cards with this image. It took my breath away! And she was so thoughtful to ask me to send the extra one to none other than my "Raven Sister", Renee! Yes Renee, it's in the mail ;) xoxo
But wait, there's something else in the box!
Margaret said she was in her favorite store in Illinois when something called out to her..."Lolo!!!"
OH-MY-GOSH!!!!
I gasped when I uncovered this beautiful wooden raven. I was speechless!
I photographed her next to my Jobi Pottery dish from my dear old friend Barbara for taking care of her kitty. They look great together but I know Miss Raven will be happier under my beautiful birth mandala by Marianne.
Perfect choice!
Margaret, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sending me all of these goodies. I feel like you know me so well. I hope we meet one day! xoxo
Before I end this post I also want to thank KJ for her wonderful cards that make me smile and for her daily emails just checking in with me.
Many of you know I met KJ once and this weekend we're going to Provincetown for 4 days of fun. We'll be meeting up with Debra Kay (yay!) and maybe Suki??? We'll have to work on her. We'll be missing Mim who is by her MIL's side post surgery along with her hubby. Big hugs Mim!!
Soulbrush and Marianne were hoping to make the long journey, but work and other things have made it impossible. We'll share our memories with you when we get back. I know we'll meet one day!!
Oh, I almost forgot. It's my 3rd Blogiversary!!
Thanks for coming along for the ride ;)
xoxoxo
Lolo
Today is alphabet soup's second blogiversary!
I'm up to 665 entries, 3200+ images, and 8700+ comments. And boy, have I made a lot of soup!
Thanks for visiting today. Please help yourself to the cupcake that looks most like you!
(photo by specialcakes/tracey)
This past year, I've interviewed some of my favorite authors and illustrators, discovered some new-to-me poets and blogs (*waves to new blog friends*), read and reviewed some amazing books, and learned all kinds of fun, life-essential stuff, like: where to find the best cupcakes in the country, what the White House kitchen looks like, if Banbury cakes are as good as I remembered, and which images I post are the most viewed (teddy bears). Plus, I'm pretty sure both Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan have been asking about me. ☺
To think, once upon a time, I was really afraid of blogging, or even commenting on other people's blogs! There are a lot of scary-bad things about the internet, but being able to start your own blog, and do whatever you want with it, is a fine thing and a great privilege.
Oh! There's cookies, too! (photo by Lily's Homemade)
When I started two years ago, I thought it would be fun to combine food and books. The best part of this blogging journey, aside from all the great people I've "met," has been discovering how much I love learning about the many ways food and life intersect. Examine what, where, or how a person or fictional character eats, and your intellectual meal can include the flavors of family, personality, culture, and history. I never thought I would get so excited about Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake, or finding out who invented the potato chip, but there you have it. Now that I've got my kettle on the stove, I'll keep my soup simmering with ideas as long as you're here to taste it.
Thought I'd share some random thoughts about some of the regular features on alphabet soup:
SOUP OF THE DAY: I love celebrating new books and welcoming them to the world because each is a miracle. My intention at first was to post about all the new books by writers on my LJ friends list, but I soon discovered I couldn't keep up. You guys are such a prolific bunch; some of you pub on the same day, have several books in the same year, and things get totally crazy in February and September with so many new releases. But, since I now own stock in Campbell's Tomato Soup and Earth's Best Organic Alphabet Pasta, I'll keep doing as many as I can, and continue to also include books by some non LJers.
BOOK REVIEWS: My reviews are really recommendations. Since this is still a young blog, I don't automatically receive loads of ARCs or review copies from publishers. I post about old and new books; most are library or personal copies. For new releases that seem promising, I've requested ARCs, and received them 80% of the time. I subscribe to the "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," school of thought. Call me Pollyanna, but I don't think anyone sets out to write or publish what he/she perceives to be a bad book. Besides, I don't want to spend my time tearing something down. My mantra has always been, "focus on the positive."
Can't have too many cupcakes! (photo by buttercupandfriends)
My purpose in reviewing is to share, recommend, and celebrate good writing and illustrating. If you have written or know of a good food-related book, please let me know about it, so I can consider reviewing it or possibly setting up an interview.
ALPHABETICA: I'm excited about finding new ways to celebrate all 26 of my closest friends. I've only done about 10 posts so far, and they've ranged from book review to poetry to artist spotlight to memes. Again, if you know of/run into any cool alphabet-related stuff, please let me know (thanks for your great suggestions, Sara)!
POETRY FRIDAY: I have a love/hate relationship with these posts, because unlike many of the other Poetry Friday participants, I don't write poetry, own a gazillion poetry collections, or hob nob with cool, bohemian types in cafés. I struggle to find poems that really resonate with me, always using "accessibility" as my primary criteria. I know, I should just relax and enjoy it -- and I do enjoy seeing what others have posted every week. Still, I keep wishing more cool poems would just magically fall into my lap. Important: these posts have taught me the most about "my own way of looking at the world."
I love polka dots! Please take two! (photo by specialcakestracey)
INTERVIEWS: Another love/hate thing. LOVE getting to know authors and illustrators better. HATE delays and waiting on people. LOVE interviewees who take my questions and run with them. HATE technical problems which force me to retype the entire interview. LOVE including awesome illos or personal photos. LOVE the fact that because of this blog, I am able to connect with people I've admired but would never be able to approach otherwise.
Some pink lemonade to wash it all down. (photo by toriejayne)
GENERAL THOUGHTS: I miss the blogs of friends who have chosen to spend more time on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I miss the unique voices and nuances of personal expression that you just can't get in 140 characters or less. I like knowing more of the real person, not just the abbreviated version. Personally, I find it more stressful and time-consuming trying to process a bunch of random tweets than it is to read a coherent paragraph. Are we writers or telegraph operators?
Ours is a culture of more more more in the least amount of time. I wonder what this is doing to attention span and meaningful, soul-nourishing reflection. I wonder why we all feel so compelled to reveal the minutiae of our daily lives in an age rampant with identity theft, and why it's so easy to get sucked into the "I don't want to miss anything/everything is critically important" mindset. Just sayin'.
YOU: The best readers (and good looking, to boot!) I could ever ask for. Thank you so much for your support! If you have any suggestions for alphabet soup, please feel free to share them. And if there are any lurkers out there, please say hello!
SOME FAVORITE POSTS FROM THE PAST YEAR:
A Grand Adventure, Part One (Bob Dylan concert)
Soup's On Interview with Author/Illustrator Melissa Sweet
Soup of the Day: Mouse Was Mad
Spotlight on Author/Illustrator Allen Say
Secret Garden (Part Two): Yorkshire Culinary Treats
Review of Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: The Story of Edna Lewis, by Robbin Gourley
Friday Feast: Yum yum dim sum!
Seven Layer Picture Book Cake (a thematic book list)
© 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.
I forgot, with all the hubub about 4/20 [Hitler's birthday, the Pirate Bay decision, other stuff] that my blog is now ten years old. Older than most, younger than some. I’ve become a much less frequent updater, and often on Fridays for some reason, but I’m still enjoying writing it, reading it, interacting on it and being immersed in blog culture generally.
Thanks readers, for a decade of sharing library information here. Here’s a link to the first ten days of librarian.net.
Wow, I can't believe it was 2 years ago (yesterday) that I began participating in Illustration Friday! I also can't believe how much it has changed my life. It was just the kick in the pants I needed to start illustrating again. The friends I've met along the way have been an integral part of this journey, for without your encouragement I would have felt defeated again. This Friday will be a big day for me too, because it will be my 200th post. Stay tuned! My thanks to all of you who make me want to be here and share art with you, and to those of you who have been there for me in deeper ways, bless you.
I feel like this is only the beginning!
Let me also mention the two splinter groups that I joined; Cactus Monday started by Teri C (yay Teri!) and Animal Wednesday started by Mim (yay Mim!) It's been a delight to have these extra groups to join to share common interests. The cactus one is a challenge for me to try to keep it creative and fresh, and the animal one is a natural for me because I draw animals 90 percent of the time! Please check out their blogs...we're always looking for new members!
Today's painting is a tiny piece of a 33 foot (22 panel) mural I painted for a bank in Carmel, California. That was a tough, but rewarding job! I don't have a picture of the entire mural anymore. It's in a drawer somewhere! Someday I'll find it and scan it for you. The scene was a mother bear and her cub nestled among the Monterey Cypress trees with the Carmelite Monestery along the Carmel River in the background. This bear is one of 2 curious ones that were approaching mom and her baby. This is my favorite bear of the bunch!
Happy Animal Wednesday everyone! This is a nice anniversary day for me!
from left to right: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, and mixed berries -- enjoy!
Happy Birthday alphabet soup!
So glad you're here today. Make yourself comfortable and help yourself to a cupcake!
I can't believe it's been a year since my very first public post here on Live Journal. As I mentioned back in February, this whole blogging thing was an act of great courage for me.
Over the past year, I've participated in Robert's Snow: Blogging for a Cure, Poetry Friday, Nonfiction Monday, and two Carnivals of Children's Literature. I've interviewed authors and illustrators I've long admired, tested some new recipes, posted lots of my favorites, reviewed some picture books, and ladled out celebratory bowls of alphabet soup. Most important, I've had the distinct pleasure of meeting you!
As of today, I've written 363 public posts and received over 3600 comments. I'd say that's pretty good for someone with limited computer skills, social anxiety, and a big old case of writer angst. Blogging is liberating, but scary. I've still got a lot of growing and learning to do here, but I'm proud to have taken the first step.
Recently,
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beckylevine asked me why I decided to do monthly themes. The answer to this is related to why I decided to focus on food in addition to children's books. I don't consider myself a great cook, by any means, but I needed some kind of hook so people would remember my blog. In the kidlit blogosphere, there are so many outstanding book review blogs, industry info blogs, agent/editor blogs, and a million trillion personal writer blogs. Even if someone doesn't like to cook, everyone has to eat. Even if someone doesn't know me from Adam, they just
might remember
the blog with all those dang recipes that I have to keep scrolling through.
I didn't realize until recently how much of my reading and writing naturally seems to revolve around food. Since my first book was called,
Dumpling Soup,
alphabet soup seemed a good name for a blog. My current writing projects include a chapter book about a girl who orders an uncle via mail order for her alphabet museum, and an easy reader/picture book series about duck and panda chefs. This year, as I blogged my way through
soup,
chocolate,
chickens,
eggs,
tea, and
pie, I collected all kinds of tasty ingredients for new projects.
Besides feeding my other writing, the monthly blog themes keep me on track, and reduces some of the "what am I going to blog about today?" stress. I stay flexible, though, and without prior notice, will "lapse" into such topics as
Bob Dylan,
Paul McCartney, and my muse,
Tom Selleck. It's always good to add spice and stir the pot.
What are some of my favorite posts, aside from the interviews? Well, I like
this photo blog,
this bookish one, and
this Poetry Friday post. Blowing off steam with my official
2008 No Soup List, felt good. As for food posts, I salivated the most writing
this one.
Surprising things I learned:
A lot of writers and artists don't cook.
Often when you think you've written something interesting or worthwhile, nobody comments. Yet you can throw something random out there, like a meme, and lots of people comment.
Live Journal sometimes feels like high school. Will I ever fit in?
Just when you feel like your blog is a total failure, someone will say or do something really nice.
If you are brave enough to ask, most people are more than willing to help.
I don't think any earth-shattering changes are in store for
alphabet soup in the coming months. I'm still trying to find my sea legs. Previous to coming online, I had lost touch with the children's publishing world. Because of health issues, I had stopped writing and submitting for at least 7 years. When I returned, I found it was a whole new ball game with different rules. So I'm starting from scratch. I think trying to rise from the ashes is more difficult, emotionally, than breaking in as a new writer. That's why I'm grateful for all the resources available online, especially the blogs of teachers, librarians, and, of course, other writers.
alphabet soup is more than just a blog, it's my coming-out party.
Since I don't have a sitemeter on this blog, my only indication that anybody (other than my devoted father) is reading anything are your comments. I know how many wonderful blogs there are out there to keep track of. So if you've taken the time to read any of my posts and/or leave a comment or two, thank you very, very much. You alone helped me get through this first year. And thanks for
your blogs, which continue to inspire and delight.
Now, since you've been such great guests and didn't drop any cupcake crumbs on my keyboard, here are some photos of the official
alphabet soup kitchen, the first kitchen I actually designed all by myself!
The cabinets were custom made in New Hampshire and trucked down to Virginia. They are painted maple and stained birch and cherry. I had to draw all of them on graph paper to scale (a very hard thing to do for someone who isn't good at math). I was SO afraid everything wouldn't fit together in the end. Although this is my favorite room in the entire house, I'd love to have a personal chef working there instead of me!
I named every room in the house, using stand-up letters. Kitchen = patty cake.
Len, aka sous chef, busy grating carrots at the sink.
Eating and sitting area opposite the island (Albert and Ursula at the table.)
Behind me = baking center. Special tea corner cupboard on the counter, right of sink.
Close-up of baking center, inspired by the cupboard in the Waltons' kitchen!
We're having spaghetti tonight, if you'd like to stay.
If not, thanks again, and see you next time!!
Special thanks to:
Sara Lewis Holmes (
saralholmes), of
Read*Write*Believe, for inspiring me to blog, and for commenting
every day when I first started out.
Jules and Eisha of
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, for mostly everything I've learned about interviewing, and for setting the gold standard for in-depth, passionate, spontaneous reviews. Their reviewing is an art form, taken to the next level.
I can't believe it. My one year blogiversary is here! What's really weird is how much has changed over the past year, but how much things haven't changed at all.
My first post was about my Christmas preparations, or not...and I find myself in the strange position of being in Groundhog Day. I'm still in the same place when it comes to Christmas. Candace tagged me for a meme, which I haven't gotten around to, and probably won't get to due to my sheer panic of to do's.
What was amusing about my first post is how thrilled I was that people commented. It wasn't until a few months later, my sister admitted to writing a couple of comments to encourage me. And I'm so glad she did. Because blogging has been a wonderful experience, and I have loved every moment of it. And you, my blogsphere friends, have enriched my life, more than you can ever know. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Back to my Christmas preparations. In my mind, I have a magical Christmas ready and waiting for my family....great holiday music echoing throughout the house; amazing presents bought, wrapped and mailed out if necessary; the house totally decked out in all it's Christmas splendor; the heavenly smells of baking underway. Instead there is total chaos in my house. Santa's elves certainly did not visit here yet. No great music blaring away. A few little presents bought. None wrapped. Some mailed out thanks to Amazon.com. Still haven't taken pictures of kids to show everyone how cute they've gotten. Thus, no holiday cards mailed out. My kitchen is a total mess since I decided to do a kitchen makeover by painting the gross cabinets. And I'm expecting 18 people over on Christmas Eve. What was I thinking? (This paragraph is straight from my first post. And a year later, I'm still at this same point. Even to the kitchen cabinets--which I finally painted an off-white, but never got the cabinet doors to align the right way--thus, all of my mess is exposed for all the world to see.)
I love Christmas. What I don't love are the expectations, the pressure of having the perfect Hallmark holiday, when chaos is filtering in everywhere my eye can see.
I love Christmas music. Our current family favorite, is the Celtic Woman - A Christmas Celebration. The kids even like it, which surprised me.
I love baking cookies and making my mother-in-law's secret chocolate sauce to deliver to friends and neighbors. The smiles and gratitude are worth all the effort of a messy kitchen.
I love finding gifts for people that I know they will appreciate. And that's tough, in this land of materialism, where it seems the more expensive things are, the better. This makes me sad and I have a strange need to try to shelter my children from it.
But I am then hopeful when I read books like Frindle by Andrew Clements, and am encouraged by how much a great teacher can impact a child's life. Frindle, by the way, is a wonderful book. I would recommend this for your child's reading list. I read this book last night, and it of course reminded me that I needed to find a special gift for the teachers in my children's lives.
So tell me, what teacher gift ideas can you share with me?
Hey! It's my blogiversary. 2 years if you count my 2 posts in Feb 2005 (and no posts in March 2005). In reality, I should count May 2005 as my start date, but still...the first post was in Feb. 2005.
To celebrate, I have a new template up today and am looking for feedback. Can you read everything? Does it load fast enough? Are there BIG problems you can see here and there? Please let me know...I'm still tinkering...
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3 Comments on Why Children's Books?, last added: 9/23/2011
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Sounds like a TERRIFIC bookstore, JM. And I love the name, too!
I love reading about bookstores, and am sometimes disappointed when I visit a town without one-sad for me & for those who live there! Your 'Turn The Page' sounds wonderful, Jeanne Marie. In addition to Tattered Cover, we have a small Indie bookstore also in Denver that caters to teachers and children, with some adult inventory. It's called The Bookies, and is a marvelous place to hang out. Thanks for your memories!
Hi, Jeanne Marie. Bookstores are just the best, I agree. Here in my part of NH, we have Gibsons, just about to expand to a wonderful new space, and Main Street Bookends, a cozy bookstore that does so much with the community. On my one trip to Denver, I saw the Tattered Cover bookstore as I was LEAVING on the bus. No one had told me about it or I would have been there in a heartbeat.
Linda, thanks for the recommendation! The Bookies might be the best bookstore name ever. I can't wait to visit.
Joyce, I hope you get back to Denver to visit The Tattered Cover. And I hope to get visit your corner of NH someday!