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I’m so happy to welcome back my writing friend Lela Davidson (Blacklisted from the PTA) with her second book with another hilarious title, Who Peed on My Yoga Mat?. Need a Christmas present for a mom who needs a good laugh–look no further because you have found it right here. I have laughed as hard at this second book as I did the first one! And I got the chance to talk to Lela a bit about her book. Here’s what she said:

Margo: Welcome, Lela. I’m so glad to have you back with your second book on what it’s really like to be a parent and being able to laugh about it! How would you say this book is similar to Blacklisted from the PTA? How’s it different?

Lela: Thanks for having me! Yes, this book is very similar to my first book in that it is made up of short essays that can be read while you are sitting in the carpool line or pretending to do yoga. The kids are older now, so there are fewer stories about babies and toddlers.

Margo: It’s funny how we forget those baby and toddler times–I think that’s why people have more than one child. . . If readers accidentally missed the chance to read Blacklisted from the PTA, can they start with Who Peed On My Yoga Mat? Do they have to be read in order?

Lela: No, they are fully independent! All of the essays in both books are stand-alone reads. I hope new readers will want to go back and discover my first book.

Margo: I’m sure they will! Do you have a favorite essay or section in your new book? If so, which one and why?

Lela: I have a few pets, and most of them are the ones that star my husband. Marriage is just so hard. It’s easier when you laugh about how hard it is.

Margo: That is such a nice way to say it: “starring my husband!” Not only do you talk about parenting, but you also discuss what it’s like to be married and a parent in the section, “Marital Bliss.” Based on your essays, communication is key (along with calendar scheduling!). What are a couple tips you can share with readers about how to handle your spouse and your kids?

Lela: Oh, my. I don’t think I handle them. I think they handle me. Everyone in the family is good at something different; so, yes, I keep the calendar. I keep food in the house and the kids on their dental schedule. I do 643 loads of laundry every week. These are the basics. Everything else is over-achievement.

Margo: Completely agree! For my readers that are also writers, what tips do you have for getting a series of essays published–whether they are about travel, parenting, teaching, etc?

Lela: It’s just like money: “Watch you pennies, and the dollars will watch themselves.” Work on publishing one essay at a time until you have enough with a common tone that can be called a collection. I have been published hundreds of times in parenting magazines all over the US and Canada. Write an essay, and then get it out into the world. Over and over and over.

Margo: Great advice! Thanks for stopping by. Now let’s clue readers in on the important stuff–where can they get a copy of Who Peed On My Yoga Mat? And where can they find out more about you?

Lela: Thank you! This is fun. Who Peed on My Yoga Mat? is available on Amazon and my website, www.leladavidson.com. My website is a great place to find out more than you ever wanted to know about me, watch my book trailers, and read my blog. Thanks!

It seems like lately I’ve had a lot of books and posts on my theme of “helping women (and children) around the world” instead of kids’ books. This is another great book today, part of a WOW! Women On Writing blog tour, that empowers women and inspires us to figure out what is important in our lives. Destiny Allison wrote an amazing guest post to go along with her book (see below) about how hard it is to be a SAHM and WAHM too! (Now that school is back in session, I do plan to blog a bit more on the children’s/YA book scene AND also I plan to add one more post a week that focuses on things to do with my book coming out, but more on that later. . .) I have either an e-copy or print copy to give away of this really cool book with a title I LOVE–Shaping Destiny. If you are interested in winning this memoir, please leave a comment (or question for Destiny) below by Sunday night 8/26 at 8:00 pm CST. I have a synopsis and guest post by Destiny below, so don’t miss those!

I also have the winners of my giveaway of Hollywood and Catholic Women from last week. The winners are Cathy Hall, Marybeth, and Becky Povich. I’ll be emailing each of you about this prize! Congratulations and thanks for stopping by and commenting on my interview with Kathryn. She has written a fascinating book. Now on to. . . Shaping Destiny!

Synopsis of Shaping Destiny:

Shaping Destiny is the inspiring story of Allison’s life from the creation of her first sculpture to her acceptance into a prominent Santa Fe art gallery. The book, which recounts her journey from traditional female roles to self-actualization and independence, is told with three voices: the emotional, the intellectual and the instructional. Though she had no formal training, Allison moved quickly from small, Plasticine clay sculptures to an apprenticeship at a foundry to teaching in a small museum. Along the way, the author wrestled with shedding and then reclaiming family. To add to the extended metaphor binding her story to the theory and language of sculpture, Allison infuses an ample dose of popular philosophy in lessons culled from childhood days spent with her father. The 22 lessons at the beginning of each chapter intend to guide readers’ passage through the complexities of clay and life; each lesson works with the idea that art is a process, as is life.

The Unique Challenge of Being a Woman Artist
Guest Post By Destiny Allison

It was late. The children had long been asleep. My husband was working an overnight shift and I had the house to myself. The dishes were done and put away. Sundry toys, bottles, blocks and bears were back in their appropriate places. For a moment, chaos was tame.

Ahhh, silence, that vast, sweet quiet! It was soft as the skin of my infant, tender as my toddler’s kiss, and limitless as the dark sky sparkling with distant stars outside my window.

As I settled in front of the sculpture I had waited all day to contemplate, I heard only the sound of my own breath. It was rhythmic, a peaceful rise and fall as calming as a sea breaking on distant shores. Finally I was alone–able to engage in my passion and give voice to that part of myself rendered small in daylight hours. Tonight, for a little while, I would speak.

I looked at the tiny face of the clay woman in front of me. With the tip of my finger, I stroked her tangled hair and traced her round belly, full breasts, and the lines of her arms. There, that was it! That was what had been bothering me all day! The proportions were wrong. Her arms were too long for her body. Ape-like and heavy, they robbed this woman of her grace. I grabbed my knife and savagely cut through skin, sinew, and bones. This was a flaw I could fix. This I could render right. This small woman would be the woman I was not–forever still, forever wise, forever. . .

Before I could finish the thought, a piercing wale of unspeakable agony shattered the quiet of my mind. My baby was awake. I sighed and put down my knife. I turned off the light above my table and wearily climbed the stairs, unfastening my bra as I went. My baby was hungry. He was wet. He needed something only I could give him–the sustenance of a mother’s love, the sustenance of my body, mind and soul.

Fast forward twenty years and not much has changed. Today, though I make my living from my art, there are always interruptions. My husband calls me to share some news. My sons, now grown, still need me. Someone has lost something and has to find it RIGHT NOW. Someone wants to know if we are cooking dinner tonight or if he should fend for himself. There are dishes to be done, dogs to feed and walk, beds to be made, and floors to be swept. Because I don’t go to an office or have a “real” job, because I love what I do, it is hard for my family to know that I am not always available to them.

I am better now at shushing them–a low growl in my throat, as I start to respond, gives them the distinct impression that their interruption is not welcome. They are a little more careful about what they ask and when. Still, they are my family. I am mother and wife. I love them. So I do like women the world over. I turn off my machines and give them a minute or an hour. Like a soldier learns to sleep whenever he can, I have learned to work when I can. And work I do because over the years, that small voice of a woman rendered quiet in daylight hours has grown strong, incessant, and exacting. She will be heard. She will shout out to the world. Nothing will stop her.

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Isn’t Destiny great? What terrific writing! If you want to read more, please leave a comment for your chance to win or visit her book page on Amazon by clicking below. If you enter the contest, please leave your comment by 8/26!

The WOW! advanced writing a middle-grade novel online class I teach starts on 8/23. It’s for anyone who has at least three chapters of a middle-grade novel started (or an entire draft is good, too). For more information, please see the syllabus on the WOW! classroom page or email me at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com. Thanks!

Learn To Play The What-If Game
(Guest post by Barbara Conelli)

From Margo: I am so honored to have Barbara Conelli guest post with this wonderfully inspiring essay on turning around those annoying, negative WHAT IF questions and making them positive. Anyone can benefit from this post! She is using the book she wrote, Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore, to its fullest potential and living the best life she can!

To celebrate her latest book about loving life in Italy, she is offering great prizes. Here’s what you need to know before you read her post about those WHAT-IF questions.

1. A downloadable gift bag for every person who comments on this blog! (I love this idea!) So, what is a downloadable gift bag? You will receive this just for commenting (please leave your email address, so we can send these to you): Chique Virtual Tour: The Secret Gems of Italy Every Woman Must Know, First five chapters of Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita (her first book), First five chapters of Chique Secrets of Dolce Amore (her current book), Chique Blog Tour Special Gift (Only for the tour!): E-Book: The Most Romantic Chique Places to Fall in Love in (and with) Milan. (If you are a lover of Italy, leave a comment!)

2. Every person who leaves a comment will also be entered into a larger drawing for 1 Chique Journal (contest open internationally). Please leave your comment before 8:00 pm CST on Sunday, 7/1 for your chance to win. Comments can be questions, something about the what-if game, thoughts on Italy, pick me, etc.

3. Barbara is doing a bunch of fun stuff with her blog tour this summer, plus she has a book trailer video and more. Check out all the contests, book trailer, her website, etc, by going to WOW!’s blog and reading these two posts: Summer in Italy Contests and blog tour launch.

Don’t skip this article below. It’s wise!

From Barbara on the What-If game!

There are a few words I left out of my vocabulary many years ago, when I realized my verbal habits were my biggest creative roadblocks: I can’t. I should – I shouldn’t. I have to. And the most toxic verbal turn-off: WHAT IF.

For some reason, our ego, traditionally threatened by dreams, visions, aspirations, and creative endeavors of all kinds, seems to thrive on what-if scenarios. They are the fastest tool your inner gremlin uses when it wants you to fall off the wagon, hide under the duvet and cry, delete the new chapter, burn the submission package, cut your hair and swear off high heels.

“What if I’m no good? What if it doesn’t work out? What if my book doesn’t sell? What if I never make it? What if I can’t write? What if everyone hates my story? What if I get the worst reviews in history? What if my family gets upset?”

When your mind decides to play this dirty trick, it hurts. It stings.

I’m writing today’s post as part of the WOW! Women on Writing’s “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” mass-blogging event celebrating the release of Finding Emma by Steena Holmes (www.steenaholmes.com).

Steena is a woman who believes that “in the end, all things succumb…to the passions of your heart.” Steena’s life revolves around her family, friends, and fiction. Add some chocolate into the mix, and she’s living the good life. She took those passions and made them a dream come true by pouring her heart into each of her stories.

Finding Emma, a novel about a mother who cannot accept her daughter is missing in spite of her life crumbling around her, has quickly become a bestseller. Proceeds from each book will be donated to The Missing Children’s Society of Canada – an organization dedicated to reuniting families. Visit www.mcsc.ca for more information.

If you comment on this post by Friday night 11:59 pm CST or any of the others participating in the “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” day, you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of Finding Emma!

To read Steena’s childhood memories and view a list of other blogs participating in the “Everybody’s Talking About Favorite Childhood Memories” day, please visit The Muffin (WOW!’s blog).

So, what’s my childhood memory I’m going to write about?

Well, I’m going to write about the first time I can remember that I started to READ THESE BOOKS and USE THEM (of course). My mom stayed home with me before I went to kindergarten, and I was an only child. I stopped taking an afternoon nap when I was in the twos. As any stay-at-home mom can tell you, this is not a good thing–every mother, no matter how much they love their children, needs an afternoon break. So, I had a rule that I didn’t have to sleep, but I had to stay in my room for a certain amount of time each day in the afternoon.

So, what would I do with this “in my room, entertain myself” time? Well, I would line up ALL of my stuffed animals on my bed, (about 20 to 25), get out all of my books off my bookshelf, and read to them in bed. Even at 4 years old, I knew that books were important and they needed to be used–even if they were being used to NOT TAKE A NAP and entertain a trunk load of stuffed animals!

If this is the first time you’ve visited my blog, welcome! I generally blog about children’s books and how to use them with kids and teens. I like to participate in events like today–it keeps blogging fun and makes you feel part of a community.

I would love for you to share a favorite childhood memory with me in your comments. Remember, one lucky winner from all the participating blogs will win a signed copy of FINDING EMMA! (If you don’t have time to leave a memory, we would love to even hear HI! and you’ll be entered to win.)

Here’s the book on Amazon. Happy reminiscing!

Forget-me-nots by ThirdHandArt www.flickr.com

So, I was in the bathroom, just home from the Little Gym with my daughter and thinking about nap time, when I realized, OH MY GOD! I FORGOT TO DO MY BLOG!

I never forget to do my blog. On Sunday and Wednesday nights, I always read a book or prepare a guest post, blog tour, etc and schedule them to appear the next day. I’ve been doing this for about 14 months now. (That tells you about how old my daughter is–before her, I blogged a little more.) Yesterday, I forgot.

So in the bathroom, I thought of all these things I could do–read and do it real quick during nap–no, I had to finish my critique group critiques. Okay, I could do it tonight–no, I have critique group and then some other stuff to take care of when I get home. Okay, what can I do?

How about. . .be honest? I am tired. I am staying home with my daughter AND working from home on writing. I have editing clients, am teaching two online classes, and had to clean my house. I had bills to pay, photos to order from Walmart since October 2, and I can go on. I don’t want to bore you. IN all of this, I forgot my blog.

So I decided to do this quick, honest post and leave you with two meaningful things. One, I did manage to remember to do a blog interview for WOW! with Lori the Change Agent who is helping people just LIKE ME change their lives. She has a book, an audio series, a free video coaching series and more that she offers women to figure out what they want their lives to look like and change them to get there. It is a great interview, and she is an inspiration. You can check that interview out at this link! You can USE her book to change YOUR life!

The second thing I’ll leave you with is an activity I liked to do with my students when I was teaching. You could do it in a classroom or at home with home school. Find 5 books you like and your child knows. Read the beginning and rate it on a scale of 1 to 5. A beginning is SUPPOSED to introduce the reader to the character/problem/setting and KEEP THE READER INTERESTED, so he or she will keep reading. Some GREAT books have AWFUL beginnings. It helps your child to be a more critical reader and to write better beginnings, which is a 6 + 1 traits of writing organizational trait exercise.

Must run–nap is over. I will have a regular blog post for on Monday.

Today I’m participating in a mass blogging day! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about “Special People We Know and Love.” Why? We’re celebrating the release of Joanne Lewis’s and Amy Lewis Faircloth’s debut novel. Wicked Good (Telemachus Press, LLC, 2011) is about the unconditional love between a mother and her adopted, special needs (Asperger’s Syndrome and Bipolar Disorder) son and the adventure that brings them closer together. Visit The Muffin at http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/ to read what Joanne and Amy have to share about their special people and view the list of all my blogging buddies. Then be sure to visit http://www.amyandjoanne.com/ to learn more about the authors.

So who am I blogging about today then?

In keeping with the theme of this blog–education and helping women and children around the world, I thought I would take a minute to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart, the organization Made By Survivors. Although many of my fellow bloggers will be blogging about special people in their lives–family members, friends, neighbors–and I sure have many of those–(I couldn’t do as much as I do without my husband and my parents! And I could go on and on about my wonderful daughter and stepson), I really want to share with you this wonderful site since the holidays are almost upon us.

Human trafficking and the sex slave industry is something I’ve written about many times on here ever since I went to the human trafficking information night at the U of I a couple years ago. Then I read a book about women’s issues in the world, and it changed my life. If you haven’t read the book Half the Sky yet, please put it on your list. It is a book that will make a huge difference in your life. What goes on around the world and in our own country with the abuse of young girls in brothels is horrifying, and Made By Survivors is doing something to help women and children who have been victims of this abuse. Here’s more info:

From their website (http://www.madebysurvivors.com): Made by Survivors is “the core program of Made By Survivors Network, a US based NGO that works internationally with survivors of slavery and human trafficking. Founded in 2005, our mission is to end slavery through economic empowerment and education, giving survivors and people at the highest risk the tools they need to build safe, independent, slavery-free lives. MBSN currently operates programs in six countries, with a concentration of programming in India and Nepal. We offer job training and fairly paid employment to survivors, and provide intensive business development support to our core programs and partners. We market and sell the survivors’ products in the US, and also assist them in finding other buyers.”

And here is another amazing thing about this organization: (from the website) “We currently sponsor 200 child survivors and children born into brothel communities to attend school for the first time. We lead volunteer trips to provide therapeutic arts and life skills workshops to survivors. We provide funding for medical and emergency needs, start-up capital for employment programs, and whenever possible, we fund projects to increase capacity at our partner shelters for rescuing and housing more survivors.”

I have bought the jewelry and notecards, and both are beautiful and make perfect presents for your loved ones. You can make someone happy and make a di

I am writing today’s post as part of the WOW! Women on Writing Blanket Tour for
Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris. This debut novel is the story of three young women during World War II and the identity misunderstandings they and the men in their lives have. Ask yourself: Can a soldier fall in love with a woman through letters? What happens if the woman writing the letters is different from the woman he met the night
before he shipped out, the woman he thought was writing the letters? Is it still love or just a lie?

The first thing I thought of when I read this prompt–talking about surprises–was how my daughter was born 6.5 weeks early. My water broke one morning; and that night, there she was. That was one heck of a surprise!

But in keeping with the theme of my blog, I decided to write about the SURPRISE of finally finding a publisher for my middle-grade novel, Finding My Place. I remember writing and rewriting that book when I would take it to my critique group. That was the first step. Then I talked to an agent at a writing conference, and she told me to send it to her. I had established a relationship with this agent, and so she sent me back a personal letter with WONDERFUL advice for making the novel better. I followed her advice, and to my SURPRISE, the book was a TON better. Even my critique group thought so. (Those agents do know what they are talking about. (wink) )

However, that agent stopped representing what I wrote, (which was no surprise), and so I started sending out the manuscript myself. Soon, I queried, and Walker and Company in New York requested the entire manuscript. I sent it with high hopes, which were soon shattered when the editor wrote me back a lovely letter that basically said there was no money in this book. Well, did I ever think I wanted to be rich and famous? She suggested I try the school and library market.

So, I sent a query to smaller presses and actually received a letter from two that wanted to read the whole thing. One of those happened to be White Mane Kids, and they offered me a contract in July of 2007. I sent in my revisions in December 2007. And to my surprise, I am still waiting for the book to be published. (There’s a lot of surprises, huh?) The problem is the economy, and White Mane Kids put a hold on publishing new material until the economy improved. Last I checked, I was third in line. I will one day hold my book in my hand–and I can’t wait for the surprise of what that feels like.

Like many authors, Kristina (author of Letters From Home) has had a wild selection of “real jobs”–everything from wedding planner to actress to publicist. She finally added novelist to the list after she got a peek at the letters her grandfather wrote to his sweetheart (a.k.a. Grandma Jean) while he was serving in the Navy during World War II. That got her wondering how much two people could truly know each other just from lette

For today’s Monday post, where I like to highlight a book or organization that is spotlighting or helping girls and women around the world, I have chosen Extraordinary Girls (Charlesbridge Publishing). The photos alone are fantastic, showing girls of different ages and races, smiling and doing amazing things. It targets girls in the upper elementary/lower middle school grades and speaks directly to them, which I love!

Extraordinary Girls is divided into different topics such as “Different Ways to Learn,” “Making a Difference,” “Religion and Spirituality,” “The Arts,” “Sports and Play,” and “Friendship.” Within each of these sections are photographs of real live girls doing something positive related to the topic. Also, each section highlights a girl who is active in this field/topic in the real world. Take for example in the “Making a Difference” section, young girls can read about Arlys Endres, from the United States, whom when she was 10 years old became an advocate for “herstory.” This means she wanted to fight for women’s stories–women who were important to American history–to be heard such as Susan B. Anthony. She joined the Susan B. Anthony campaign to reinstall statues of Anthony and two other feminists in the Rotunda (U.S. Capitol building). She wrote more than 2000 letters and raised almost $2,000!

In “The Arts,” Alexandra Nechita is highlighted. She is from Romania and has been painting since she was four years old and creates abstract art where she tries to express herself. By age 11, she published a book of her art work.

The book reminds me a little of a magazine format–which young girls should really like. They can skip to the sections that they are most interested in or read the book from cover to cover. This would be a perfect non-fiction selection for a mother daughter book club or for a fourth grader to do a book report on. I found my copy at our local library or you can order one online! Teachers and homeschoolers, you will LOVE the list of adjectives in the two-page spread after the title page. I would love to see a poster of it hanging in every classroom and library!

Today, I’m so excited to tell you about this book When Ties Break: A Memoir About How To Thrive After Loss by Margaret Norton. I’m so excited because this is a book that I helped Margaret edit from its first manuscript stages, and now it’s a reality. It’s official release date is August 3 from Tate Publishing, although you can already order it here from their website. (Once you are on Tate’s website, click search our store in the left-hand side bar, and then type in When Ties Break.

But there are even cooler things about this book besides the fact I saw it in its early stages! When I decided that not only would I talk about children’s and YA books and education issues on this blog, but also I wanted to share ways to help women and children around the world, I knew Margaret’s book would be a great addition to that goal. You can read Margaret’s book When Ties Break and really use it (the purpose of this blog, of course!). You can learn from her life story. You can see how someone actually took terrible situations and turned them into positives. You can see how someone made it through those tough life transitions, and you can do all this by reading her book! That is what is REALLY so cool about Margaret’s book.

*****What’s even better is that she has agreed to give away one PDF copy of her book to a lucky winner. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment or question for Margaret below. One person will be randomly chosen from these comments. Contest ends Friday, July 9 at noon CST.

So, what will you learn about in Margaret’s memoir? Well, here are just some of the issues that Margaret has faced and learned from in her life: sibling abuse, family estrangement, spousal abuse, abortion, divorce, death of loved ones, drug recovery, financial duress, illness, sexual exploration, and career change. If you are experiencing or struggling with any of these issues or know someone who is, Margaret’s memoir can serve as a guide through these difficult times. And she made it through with her faith. When Ties Break is a memoir that explores the universal themes of loss and recovery, and answers the question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

In the foreward, Janet Grace Riehl, author of The Sightlines collection, states: “Margaret turned the lessons gained during a tumultuous life into a source of wisdom for women struggling with past pain and future directions.” So, if you have a question for Margaret about any of the issues she faced, writing a memoir, or even about her life coaching business (Life Transitions), leave it in the comments, and you might just win a free copy of the book. We’ll also just take comments or even “PICK ME!”

(By the way, did you know you can read PDF copies on a Kindle? Just found that out–so maybe I’m behind the times!)