WRITE WILD

READ-4-LUCK: Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer (a poet's DREAM)

2012-02-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

READ-4-LUCK is the weekly feature that acts as a book recommendation, book review, teaching tip, and writing lesson for children, parents, teachers, and writers.

= Not bad. Might read twice.
= Fun read first few times. Would get from library again.
= Very enjoyable. Wouldn't mind owning a copy.
= Awesome! Never tiresome for children, parents, teachers, or writers. May just have to buy this book.

This week's pick is Mirror Mirror, A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josee Masse.

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books

Year: 2010

Word Count: not very many (14 poems)
Book Level: unsure

Age: 4-8

Topic: Fairy Tales, Poetry

Theme: N/A?

First Lines:

Who

says

it's true-

down

the only view?

If you believe that,

this poem

will challenge

you.

something new.

RATINGS
CHILDREN: I had to explain some of the poems to my children, but they really enjoy the awesome artwork. It's vibrant and lyrical. Lyrical illustrations? Yes, I think so...

PARENTS: This is one of my new favorite books! I got it for my daughter for Christmas, but I think I like it more than she does. Now I need to find all the original fairy tales so my children will know them, too.

TEACHERS: Perfect for an intro to a poetry or fairy tale unit. Students will love trying out there own reversos! Could even assign one poem to a pair of students and have them do a study comparing the poem to the original fairy tale.

WRITERS: This has got to be one of my new all-time favorite books. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I could re-read it over and over and just soak of Marilyn's masterful command of the English language. AWESOME! I have even tried a few of my own reversos.

Be sure to visit other "perfect picture books" at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Keep on keepin' on...

Two Year Anniversary - Blog Like You Mean It, and Share the Love

2012-02-13T07:58:00.001-05:00

Happy two-year anniversary to me!

Most bloggers blog because they love to write. I'm no different. I also love to connect with others, help others, educate readers about great picture books, and generally just have fun with it all. Don't let anyone lie to you, though. Blogging does take a lot of work. I'm not sure I remember the exact reason why I started my blog. To create a platform? Maybe. For fun - just to see what it would be like? Maybe. To get me into the more-writing-a-day mode? Maybe. Or maybe a little of all three. But I DO remember why I continue to blog.

To be a part of the writing community.
To help me study more picture books (and share them) on a more regular basis.
To give back to others with my fun Saturday features (High Five Interviews, Lucky Clover Contest, Pot-O-Gold Blog Award, and the Pass-the-Paper writing fun; see tabs above).

My blog has evolved over time, as many of yours have as well. At first, I just wrote about me - or writing. Then I starting mingling the two. Then I added picture books. I finally have something I feel benefits me, my style, my personality, and my writing. I hope it also benefits all of you!

In celebration of my two-year anniversary, I'd like to give away two critiques! Picture book, or opening MG chapter.

Here's how to enter the giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post answering one of the following questions (or all three):

Why do you blog?
What is your favorite feature on my blog?
What type of ms would you like me to critique?

I'll randomly select two individuals from all those who comment on this post by 2-14-12, midnight EST. That should give you two days. Share the love. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, after all.

P.S. Looks like I'll be having another giveaway soon, a 300-follower giveaway.

Keep on keepin' on...

Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award #13: Excellent Picture Book Blogs

2012-02-11T08:03:00.001-05:00

Pixel Berry Pie Designs

It's time to award another lucky blogger with the Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award! I created this award for excellent blogs based on interesting and helpful content AND visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design. It's an award that says, "Look at this awesome blog! There's a wealth of information here! If you visit once, you'll want to return again and again." In other words, it's like discovering a pot of gold.

Today's award goes out to the amazing Rob Sanders, author of the Picture This! blog, A Daily Guide to Picture Book Writing. His blog has been around for a little over a year and still going strong. Rob's debut picture book, Cowboy Christmas, will be released from Golden Books/Random House later this year. He is "a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes". His blog has so much excellent content, you'll never want to leave; it's extremely relevant and useful. He posts Sunday through Friday, hence the tagline "A Daily Guide". (I bet he spends all day Saturday writing his posts...) Each of his posts for any given week are thematic. On Sundays, he posts the theme for the upcoming week. For example, the week of Feb 5, 2012 (this week), the theme was "The Power of Critiques". And he also lists the daily topic for the whole week. Check it out! And that's just ONE week! Oh, believe me, there is much, much more to learn from the ever-talented Rob Sanders!

Monday—Finding a Critique Group

Tuesday—Beginning a Critique Group

Wednesday—Strategies for Giving Critiques

Thursday—Receiving Critiques

Friday—Putting Critiques into Action

My ratings (out of 4): Content Design (could be easier to navigate)

I also have three runner-ups this week for excellent picture book blogs, because they share similar features and/or blog titles.

Picture This, by Sarah Frances Hardy, author and illustrator of Puzzled by Pink (Viking Children's Books, Spring 2012)
Picture This! Teaching with Picture Books, by Dawn Little, founder of Links to Literacy, an educational consulting company.
Teach with Picture Books, by Keith Schoch, teacher and blogger at How to Teach a Novel. (Although he hasn't posted since April 2011, he has over 1,000 followers combined.)

The Rules (you can copy and paste them):

Say thank you to the person who gave it to you.
Thank the giver (include image of award, link to the giver's blog and to WRITE WILD).
Award FOUR bloggers this award and tell why each is a Pot-O-Gold!
Share FOUR simple things about yourself:

a time you had to exercise FAITH
something you HOPE for
something you LOVE
a time when you experienced LUCK.

Keep on keepin' on...

READ-4-LUCK: Sing, Sophie! by Dayle Ann Dodds

2012-02-08T09:38:00.002-05:00

READ-4-LUCK is the weekly feature that acts as a book recommendation, book review, teaching tip, and writing lesson for children, parents, teachers, and writers.

= Not bad. Might read twice.
= Fun read first few times. Would get from library again.
= Very enjoyable. Wouldn't mind owning a copy.
= Awesome! Never tiresome for children, parents, teachers, or writers. May just have to buy this book.

This week's pick is Sing, Sophie! by Dayle Ann Dodds, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger.

Although no one else in her family likes her loud voice,
Sophie's singing may be the only thing to soothe her baby brother during a thunderstorm.

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Year: 1997

Word Count: 660
Book Level: 2.7

Age: 4-8

Topic: Singing, Family

Theme: Perseverance

First Page:

Little Sophie Adams had a voice so big folks claimed they could hear her from Corn County clear to the Oklahoma border. "I looooooove to sing!" said Sophie, strumming her guitar.

RATINGS
CHILDREN: Children love to hear the words of Sophie's songs. They're hilarious. And if you actually sing it to your children, they'll love hearing Sophie's songs even more. They can totally identify with being turned away because somebody doesn't like what they're doing.

PARENTS: If you love music and don't mind singing to your kids, then this one's a winner. The word play is so much fun.

TEACHERS: Perfect for an intro to a music unit. Could use to talk about rhyme, family relations, or country western life. Simple story pattern to teach writing.

WRITERS: Can you say "VOICE!" Sophie's is spot on! A real cowgirl! "Yippee-ky-yee! Yippee-ky-yuu!" Try writing your own "song" book in the voice of an astronaut, or paleontologist, or teacher, or mother, or plumber, or carpenter...

Be sure to visit other "perfect picture books" at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Keep on keepin' on...

Inspiration vs. Willpower

2012-02-06T07:48:00.000-05:00

localriding.com

Can't write? Not feeling the MUSE? I know we all feel like there's never enough time, but do you ever feel like you have to be inspired before you can actually write? I know many of us feel this way from time to time. My theory is that the flow, the muse, the inspiration FOLLOWS the WILLPOWER. It's not really a matter of X vs. Y.

Here's a few analogies to help you fight the urge to procrastinate.

PARENTING - Dr. James Lehman is a master at helping parents learn how to parent children with bad or difficult behaviors. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." He likes to say that you can lead a horse to water and you can't make him drink, but you CAN make him THIRSTY. The idea is that you can make a child behave through giving effective consequences. With writing, the thirst is the act of writing. The drink is the muse. It seems backwards, I know, but hear me out...
PRAYER - Brigham Young once said, "If you don't feel like praying, pray until you do." Another quote: "It matters not whether you or I feels like praying, when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray till we do." With writing, simply substitute the word 'write' for 'pray.'
RUNNING - In Chris Crowley's Younger Next Year, he says it's imperative to our health to exercise six days a week. His motto is "Just show up!" I find that I often do not feel like running, but I know if I just show up to the water trough and start walking, I'll get thirsty for the euphoric RUN. Same with writing, if we just sit down to write, even if we're "thinking" for 15 minutes, we'll eventually start writing. OR - if we just start writing (walking), we'll soon start to feel inspired. The story will click and everything will make sense and we'll feel like we're getting some good writing accomplished. We'll be drinking the water, feeling the spirit, and running the race.

If you want to read more about finding the balance of willpower vs. inspiration, read Kristi Holl's post about Writing in the Flow.

Now, go WRITE! And keep on keepin' on...

High Five Interview #13: Julie Fulton Talks About a "Greedy" Picture Book

2012-02-04T07:08:00.003-05:00

Today, I have with me Julie Fulton, author of Mrs. MacCready Was Ever So Greedy. Here’s a big HIGH FIVE congratulations to you!

Title: Mrs MacCready Was Ever So Greedy

Author: Julie Fulton

Illustrator: Jona Jung

Publisher: Maverick Books

Release Date: May 2011

Word count: 364

Summary: A humorous story written in limerick-like rhyme. In the small town of Hamilton Shady there is rather a large problem: Mrs MacCready won’t stop eating. The silliness of the situations carry an underlying message in a very funny way.

"Mrs MacCready is ever so greedy.Her neighbours do what they can, But she gets bigger and bigger Till nothing will fit her.Then everything ends with a bang."

Question ONE: What are five of your favorite picture books? Just five mind you…

Just five? I’ll try!

I could pick any of Julia Donaldson’s rhyming stories. The way she handles the rhythm and rhyme is amazing, but my all time favourite has to be Room on the Broom. We have all the recognised elements of a good picture book - repetition, pace, structure, focused theme and an important life lesson. Most of all, it’s a great story that captivates children!

My next two come from my own childhood. P. D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother? and One Fish, Two Fish by Dr. Seuss. I love all his nonsense verse, which is probably why Mrs. MacCready sprang into my head one day!

Fourth, I’ll settle on The Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French. This works on so many levels and could be for adults or children. It nearly ended up in my husband’s Christmas stocking! As an ex-teacher I can see so much in it that could be used in the classroom, but it’s such a joyous, simple read too.

Finally I would have to choose Not Now, Bernard by David McKee. So few words, so much content. A real cautionary tale that shows no topic need be taboo for children - it’s all about how you handle the material.

Room on the Broom is definitely a fun one! That’s one that begs to be memorized just for the sake of FUN-ness!

Question TWO: How often did you read to your children when they were younger?

Perhaps surprisingly, for a children’s author, I don’t have any children of my own. I think the reason I’m drawn to writing for younger age groups and enjoy it so much is because I’ve never really grown up myself!

I do remember my mother reading to me at bedtime - Lear, A. A. Milne, Dr. Seuss, and the like - which has obviously left a huge impression. My father also used to make up stories for me at night time. Is that where my desire to create stems from? I know those moments spent together were very special and, although other childhood events have faded from memory, these remain strongly imprinted.

I was wondering how that question might be answered be someone who doesn’t have children of their own. Your answer was delightful and insightful. Lucky for you, you have children all over the world!

Question THREE: How might teachers use your book in the classroom?

Mrs. MacCready eats and eats and eats. It’s a modern day cautionary tale I suppose, though that didn’t cross my mind when I was writing it. It just appeared as a silly rhyme on the page!

I’ve been in several schools and worked with different age groups. The most obvious theme is food and eating well. It fits in to topics on health and well being for younger pupils.

I’ve also used it as a starting point for rhyme and poetry. The verses are similar to a limerick, which children always love to try and create for themselves.

I can imagine a classroom full of children writing healthy food limericks. What fun!

Question FOUR: What was your road to publication like?

a) How many revisions did your manuscript undergo, if you kept count? A couple of words and phrases had to be changed, but otherwise the manuscript is pretty much as it was when I first wrote it down!

b) What kind of illustrator notes did you use, if any? None! I had no idea about picture books when I submitted and honestly thought I’d really written a children’s poem. My writing class tutor and fellow members were the ones who said I should send it off to publishers because they saw it as a picture book. I was lucky in that I had a free say in what I did and didn’t like about the illustrations once we got the first sketches. There was hardly anything I thought should change though. Jona did a fantastic job of bringing Mrs. M to life!

c) Do you have an agent? No. I am beginning to look now, as I have a middle grade manuscript almost ready for submission. Maverick is a fantastic publisher to work with and they have asked me for a mini-series about different characters who live in the town of Hamilton Shady.

d) How many publishers/agents did you submit to before getting an acceptance letter? Maverick was only the second publisher I tried. I could not believe it when they contacted to say they wanted to meet me! It all happened so quickly, it was surreal. It wasn’t until I spotted my book on the local library shelves that I really accepted the copies on the bookstore shelves were official and hadn’t just been planted there!

Sounds like it was pretty smooth-sailing for you. Unfortunately, not all of us will be that lucky. Good luck finding an agent!

Question FIVE: What are some writing tips you can offer to writers seeking publication?

Never give up!

Know your market. Be certain who you are writing for and what age group. Go to your library and read as many of the books that match your style and genre as possible. Talk to the librarian. They know what’s popular and what’s already been done.

Join a writing group. Feedback from like-minded peers is invaluable. See if there are any critique groups near you. The best thing I did was join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. The support, feedback and information you receive is limitless!

Research! There are books out there that can help you hone your craft. For picture books I’ve found Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books very useful. Look through the Children’s Writers and Artists Yearbook to see which agents/publishers are open to submissions and how you should be submitting to them. Attend workshops given by editors/ agents - making that contact is a start. The SCBWI hosts regular events.

And finally, take that chance. I saw a tiny paragraph in The Writers’ Forum magazine about a picture book publisher called Maverick Books who were actively looking for new authors. I summoned up the courage to send a couple of texts off - and now Mrs. MacCready is being read by children all over the globe!

Congratations again, Julie! Thanks so much for taking the time to be with us today. It was a pleasure to hear your story. Anyone have any additional questions for our guest today? Leave a comment…

Interested in reading more interviews with debut picture book authors? Just visit my HIGH FIVE page. Keep on keepin' on...

READ-4-LUCK: The Rooster's Gift by Pam Conrad

2012-02-01T07:55:00.002-05:00

READ-4-LUCK is the weekly feature that acts as a book recommendation, book review, teaching tip, and writing lesson for children, parents, teachers, and writers.

= Not bad. Might read twice.
= Fun read first few times. Would get from library again.
= Very enjoyable. Would like to own a copy.
= So glad I read it. Just gotta have my own! Never tiresome for children, parents, teachers, or writers.

This week's pick is The Rooster's Gift by Pam Conrad, illustrated by Eric Beddows.

"Young Rooster thinks his gift is making the sun rise, until one morning when the sun rises without him."

Publisher: HarperCollins

Year: 1996

Word Count: 1950
Book Level: 3.7

Age: 4-8

Topic: Animals (Roosters)

Theme: Character and Values, Friendship, Self-worth

First Page:

"Once upon a hill, in a brand-new chicken coop, there were ten tiny chicks who had just broken out of their eggs, dried off, fluffed themselves up and looked around.

An old farmer and his wife looked down on them and the chicks heard the woman say, 'Sure hope one of them's a rooster.'

Then the old couple left the chicks to wonder."

RATINGS
CHILDREN: Children love crowing with the rooster. It's a bit long, but they really do love it. So sweet.

PARENTS: The lessons of friendship and understanding are great. The word play in the beginning is lots of fun. Favorite line: "Well I'll be plucked! The sun came up anyway!" The illustrations toward the end are spectacular.

TEACHERS: Great introduction in 2nd grade for animals, especially if you're going to hatch a few hens of your own. (However, I'm not sure every single word is scientifically accurate...about the eggs?) The lesson of believing in yourself and helping others is a wonderful way to teach character development. Just awesome. Have children write down what they want to be when they grow up. How can they achieve their dreams? What can they do to help someone else realize theirs?

WRITERS: I give this a three because the challenge is in re-writing this book in your own words, just for kicks mind you, you know, like a lesson and all. Shorten the word count, add more word play. Pick up the pace a bit. What a FUN exercise! Go ahead, try it, you just might like it!

Be sure to visit other "perfect picture books" at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Keep on keepin' on...

The Big Six Publishers

2012-01-30T07:12:00.007-05:00

I've often heard of "The Big Six Publishers." You know, the ones that everyone dreams of getting a deal with. According to absolutewrite.com, fictionmatters.com, and Beth Revis, author of Across the Universe (I personally asked her at an SCBWI conference), the BIG SIX are... (with some of their imprints - those that publish picture books are in bold)

Simon and Schuster

Aladdin
Atheneum
Atria Books
Beach Lane Books
Folger Shakespeare Library
Free Press
Howard Books
Little Simon
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Paula Wiseman Books
Pimsleur
Pocket Books
Scribner
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster Audio
Simon & Schuster BFYR
Simon Pulse
Simon Spotlight
Threshold
Touchstone

HarperCollins

Greenwillow
Joanna Colter Books
Laura Geringer Books
Katherine Tegan Books
HarperTrophy

Random House

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Bantam Books
David Fickling Books
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Delacorte Press Trade Paperbacks
Dragonfly (paperback picture books)
Yearling Books
Laurel-Leaf
Disney Books for Young Readers
Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Golden Books
Little Golden Books
Knopf Trade Paperbacks
Random House Books for Young Readers
Robin Corey Books (pop-up books, novelty formats, board books, the occasional picture book)
Schwartz and Wade Books
Wendy Lamb Books
Tricycle Press
Wendy Lamb Books

The Penguin Group

G.P. Putnam's Sons
Dial Books for Young Readers
Dutton
Grosset and Dunlap
Philomel
Puffin Books
Viking Children's Books

MacMillan
Hachette (formerly Time Warner)

Little, Brown and Company

So if you want to "make it big," you pretty much have to get an agent. And if you're goal is picture books, then check out my Agents Tab for 50+ agents that represent picture book writers. Good luck!

Keep on keepin' on...

Winner's Circle Saturday: Fall 2011 Winner

2012-01-28T08:56:00.001-05:00

The Lucky Clover Picture Book Contest is announcing the winner for the FALL 2011 contest. Thank you to everyone who entered. It was a lot of fun. You can now enter the WINTER 2012 contest (click above for details). The deadline is March 31, 2012.

Congratulations to...

Catherine Johnson!

Her early picture book manuscript, Big Al, is cute, funny, and clever and comes in at under 150 words (a feat I don't think I could ever accomplish). Big Al is an alligator living in the Everglades, but he's having trouble catching some lunch. Until he comes across an unlikely food source for an alligator. Hilarious! Hope to see this on bookstore shelves one day. And if this one becomes your debut book, I hope you'll interview with me for my monthly HIGH FIVE feature. Congratulations!

Check your inbox for your critique.

Hope to see more entries for the WINTER 2012 contest throughout the coming weeks.

Keep on keepin' on...

A Book About Money, Books, and Hard Times

2012-01-25T07:28:00.004-05:00

Published in 2003 (2020 words)

This week's Read-4-Luck pick (the feature that acts as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is The Hard-Times Jar by Ethel Footman Smothers, illustrated by John Holyfield.

"Emma, the daughter of poor migrant workers, longs to own a real book, and when she turns eight and must attend a new school, she is amazed to discover a whole library in her classroom."

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Year: 2003
Word Count: 2020
Book Level: 3.1
Age: 4-8
Topic: Money
Theme: Doing what's right (integrity)

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  I was surprised that my son wanted this book a second time over another book we had previously read. He identifies with Emma's longing for something she loves. It's a great book with a good lesson, but a little long for younger children.

PARENTS:  Teaches good morals. Fun to read in a thick southern accent, which isn't hard to do coming from North Carolina.

TEACHERS:  Great introduction to a money, saving, or social studies unit about migrant workers. Great way to incorporate values into a character development lesson. Activity: have children write a story on torn pieces of brown paper bags.

WRITERS:  This is a good one to study to see how the word count works. More than 2,000 words for a picture book is pretty rare, even for the year 2003. Comb through the pages and make a list of cool phrases and action verbs. It is such a wonderful story! THAT'S why it was published. I'm looking forward to reading it again.

YOUR TURN: Think of a time when you had to make a tough moral decision as a child. How did you handle it? What did your parents do? Now compare your story to that of Emma's.

Be sure to visit other perfect picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Keep on keepin' on...

Spilled vs. Spilt

2012-01-23T07:49:00.001-05:00

I wrote a story that utilizes a cliche, horror of horrors (no that's not the one), and it was brought to my attention the spelling of a word by one of my lovely critique partners. The cliche is "don't cry over spilled milk," but I wrote "it looked like spilt milk." So do I spell it S-P-I-L-L-E-D or S-P-I-L-T?

So I thought I'd do a little research and share with everyone. According to The Grammarist, spilt was once accepted as the past tense usage for spill. Very interesting graphs that show when the change took place. Now it is more commonly accepted to use spilled.

Spill is actually considered an irregular verb. Among others. A regular verb is one that uses "-ed" as an ending to make the verb past tense. Such as end (I ended the game), jump (I jumped on the bed), or toss (I tossed it in the trash). Irregular verbs end differently, such as write (I wrote a story), run (I ran in a race), and eat (I ate all the grapes). It's no wonder we hear children say, "I writed, I runned, and I eated." (I'm constantly correcting my 5-year-old daughter. She's still learning). That's part of why we lovely Americans want to write spilled, burned, etc. because the regular verbs are easier to say and spell.

spilled - spilt

burned - burnt

learned - learnt

smelled - smelt

spelled - spelt

spoiled - spoilt

dreamed - dreamt

leaped - leapt

kneeled - knelt

These verbs are considered irregular. This is for the past simple and past participle form of the verbs. Both spellings are acceptable in both forms of English, however the irregular "-t" ending is more acceptable in British English, and the regular "-ed" ending is more acceptable in American English.

Part of the confusion, I believe, is that we sometimes like to pronounce these words with the "-t" sound and therefore want to spell it to match the pronunciation. Anyway, I have spelt my last word for this post because I dreamt about the toothfairy and I leapt for joy. I hope you learnt something. Have fun!

Keep on keepin' on...

Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award #12: The Word is My Oyster

2012-01-21T08:19:00.001-05:00

Pixel Berry Pie Designs

It's time to award another lucky blogger with the Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award! I created this award for excellent blogs based on interesting and helpful content AND visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design. It's an award that says, "Look at this awesome blog! There's a wealth of information here! If you visit once, you'll want to return again and again." In other words, it's like discovering a pot of gold.

Today's award goes to Lydia Kang over at The Word is My Oyster. She is a doctor and a writer. Her debut, The Fountain, is a sci-fi YA novel due to be released in 2013 by Dial/Penguin. The most popular feature of her blog is Medical Mondays, where she discusses everything from Achondroplasia (whatever that is) to Willow Bark, by answering questions related to fictional scenarios. Lydia is coming up on her two-year blogging anniversary and has over 1,100 followers.

My ratings (out of 4): Content Design

The Rules (you can copy and paste them):

Say thank you to the person who gave it to you.
Thank the giver (include image of award, link to the giver's blog and to WRITE WILD).
Award FOUR bloggers this award and tell why each is a Pot-O-Gold!
Share FOUR simple things about yourself:

a time you had to exercise FAITH
something you HOPE for
something you LOVE
a time when you experienced LUCK.

Keep on keepin' on...

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by Lisa Wheeler

2012-01-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

Little, Brown & Co. 2004

This week's Read-4-Luck pick (the feature that acts as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith.

A variety of animals get stuck in bubble gum melting in the road.

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Year: 2004
Word Count: 352
Book Level: 1.6

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  This book is so fun and does not get boring! Kids enjoy predicting the next animal and the rhymes.

PARENTS:  What parent wants to read a short rhyming book to their children over and over again? I do! I'm telling you, there is so much rhythm and word play in this book, it will not get old.

TEACHERS:  Can use this to help teach rhyme, animals, cooperation, or basic story-telling skills.

WRITERS:  Analyze word play. A MUST for any rhymers out there.

YOUR TURN: If you were to write a line for your own bubble gum book, how might it read? "Bubble gum, bubble gum, juicy fruity bubble gum. Grow me a watermelon in your tummy tum." Anyone else?

Keep on keepin' on...

From Walking to Jogging in 4 Weeks Flat

2012-01-19T12:02:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! One of my recent goals is to start running again. Last year, I decided I would run two races a year to help me stay focused on my exercise. My last race was in September 2011, a half marathon. I really have not run much since then (maybe 5 times?). So, I set myself a schedule to get back up to speed. I thought I'd share a similar plan with the rest of the world. My next race will be a 10k (6.2 miles) at the end of March.

If you can walk 3 mph for 20-30 minutes or more, and you feel like you could jog for 2 minutes at a time, then this is the plan for you. (If you have any doubts, check with your doctor.)

The Goal: to run 20 minutes nonstop without a walking break by slowly adjusting your run/walk ratio over time.

The Time Table: EVERY single day for 4 weeks. Then you can simply run 4x a week.

The Speed:

If you feel like a slow walker, choose 3.0 mph for your walk breaks and do 4.8 for your jogging.
If you can handle 3.5, do that speed for walking and do 5.0 for your runs.

The Warm-up and Cool-down:

Always walk for a 3-minute warm-up. Do a quick 1-minute stretch (30 seconds for each leg). Start with your calf for about 6 seconds, then your shins, then your hamstrings, then hip, then quads. Switch legs.
Cool down for 2-3 minutes at a slower walking pace. Slowly get your heart rate to come back down. Stretch again, but 1-2 minutes per leg, this time.

The Plan:

Day # Run-Walk Repeat Total Run Time

1, 2, 3 2-2 5x 20

4, 5, 6 2-1 7x 21

7, 8, 9 3-1 5x 20

10-12 4-1 4x 20

13-15 5-1 3x 18

16-18 6-1 3x 21

19-21 7-2 2x 18

22-24 8-2 2x 20

25-27 9-1 2x 20

Day 28! 20-0 1x 20

Congratulations! You've just walked yourself into 20 minutes of running! Now you can start working on speed OR distance, if you want. Happy running!

Keep on keepin' on...

Best Book of 2011, 2012, 2013...

2011-12-31T23:31:00.001-05:00

2003, 2007. Third edition, 2009.

It's not even a children's book, but it should be part of the required reading in Civics/Economics classes in High School (and in college, too)! The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey gripped me from the very beginning. When I got near the end, I didn't even want to check my emails for a week!

This book is FULL of real-life examples of regular people who have gotten out of debt, saved for their children's college funds, set up for retirement, paid off their homes, and built wealth. It is SO awesome, and I'm only on step 3! If one of your goals for 2012 is remotely related to money, then please read this book. It will change your life if you choose to implement his 7 baby steps. The examples are the BEST part of the book. I'm thinking about reading it again!

I'm all fired up. I love to save money, even as a child. Once, I cried because my mom bought me some clothing. I didn't want her to spend all her money on me. I was probably 9 or 10. My sisters all came to me to borrow money (a big no-no, according to Dave, but hey, cut me some slack, I was only 16). $5 here and $10 there. I did a lot of babysitting. It wasn't until I was 18 and working, actually a couple years later, until I started to love to SPEND money. Learning to budget can be tricky. There are so many different ways to approach it. This book doesn't go into detail about how to set up a budget, but it is a very important component of it. The book's motto is "Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else." It's true. If that's what you want, then you have to make sacrifices, but only temporarily.

I'm looking forward to 2012 to see how much fun I'll have following my yearly budget. Hope it goes well. Another companion book is Suze Orman's The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom. She does go into detail about how to set up a budget. That's what I did, before I ever heard of Dave's book. I'm saving up to buy a "new" (3-5 years old) car in 8 years. Can't wait to pay cash for it! 2020, here I come!

Happy New Year!

Keep on keepin' on...

Merry Christmas! and a Wordless Picture Book

2011-12-24T06:37:00.000-05:00

I'm still alive. Haven't blogged in over a month. Next year, I think I'll take December off. I visited my dad for Thanksgiving. We had a great time. For Christmas, we're staying home. I think I'll Skype-visit family for Christmas. With all the visiting, decorating, partying, shopping, wrapping, baking, and caroling, I haven't wanted to do any blogging, although I have thought about it some. I've missed it, so I wanted to drop in and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas (or another happy holiday) and a Happy New Year, too!

Today, I'm roasting a turkey. Haven't done that since Home Ec. in 9th grade. I didn't sleep well last night, but not because of my turkey anxiety. My daughter (just turned 5) climbed in the bed with me and I had to sleep squished in the middle all night long. So I'm up bright and early getting ready for the day. Hope to get some laundry done, too.

A cute book to read this season is Peter Spier's Christmas! It is a wordless picture book. Published in the 80's and brings back some fun memories and a feeling of nostalgia. I hope a lot of families still follow these traditions. My family never used real trees, but I often wished we did. Either way, it's such a cute fun little book that honors family togetherness at Christmas. If you get a chance to view a copy, enjoy!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Beautiful Writing Is Punful

2011-11-17T12:31:00.003-05:00

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick is Martina the Beautiful Cockroach by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Michael Austin.

"In this humorous retelling of a Cuban folktale, a cockroach interviews her suitors to decide whom to marry."

Publisher: Peachtree Publishers

Year: 2007

Word Count: 1020
Book Level: 3.1

RATINGS
CHILDREN: Children love the animals: cockroach, rooster, pig, lizard, mouse. [Disclaimer (hee-hee): This is the second book I've chosen recently for READ-4-LUCK that has cockroaches in it. I promise I don't have roaches in my home, or a secret love for them. Although, Martina IS beautiful.] Does anyone know "who" is the one marrying (performing the ceremony) Martina to her chosen suitor? My kids say it's a praying mantis. I said maybe a grasshopper. Son said maybe it was Martina's dad? Any guesses?

PARENTS: The illustrations are WONDERFUL! I hope my books will be illustrated this beautifully some day. Full of awesome puns, too. My seven year old is learning the art of puns.

TEACHERS: Great for teaching a lesson on puns, whether for reading OR writing. Also has a great character development component to it about acceptance, kindness, and understanding. Also great to include in a folktale unit.

WRITERS: Did I mention I love puns? What a great retelling of a Cuban folktale! The author of this book is one of my favorites. Carmen Agra Deedy also wrote Library Dragon, which I LOVE, and 14 Cows for America, which is very touching.

Keep on keepin' on...

Roller Coaster Writers

2011-11-09T10:42:00.001-05:00

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick is Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee.

"Twelve people set aside their fears and ride a roller coaster, including one who has never done so before."

Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.

Year: 2003

Word Count: 238
Book Level: 1.8

RATINGS
CHILDREN: This is definitely a book for picture looking. The people's faces are a hoot! SO much fun to read and LOOK at! We've read it several times.

PARENTS: Easy book to spark conversation. So much fun to talk about people's feelings. I'm telling you, you won't get tired of reading this one.

TEACHERS: A great book for a writing lesson. Or even a reading lesson. Do a picture walk. Talk about what you think will happen next. Have your students write about something they did for the first time.

WRITERS: A great book with very low word count. If you aim for the same, study this one. Read it slowly, see what phrases strike you, and pay attention to pacing and page turns. You could even write about something YOU did for the first time. Who cares if it's never published, when you write, you are honing your craft.

What's your favorite roller coaster? (Mine is the one at Ghost Town in Maggie Valley, NC. When I rode it, there were no lines and I did it 4-5 times in a row. Laughed the whole time!)

Keep on keepin' on...

Halloween Helps Prepare for PiBoIdMo

2011-10-31T07:16:00.002-04:00

With all the Fall festivities and Trick-or-Treating galore, I find the scheduling of parties and events preparing me for the rigors of PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month). Not for the ability to receive creativity, but for the daily assignments of reading, writing, thinking, planning, and creating. Good thing PiBoIdMo is in November. See ya'll there!

Dumpster Divers Are Environmentalists: Teach Your Kids How to Recycle by Reading

2011-10-26T08:00:00.005-04:00

Remember to add to the skunk adventure story with Jared and his younger sister. They're trying to get to school. Jared has a big test. He's all pumped up from his coffee that sis says stinks like skunk. What happens next? It's all up to you!

This week's Read-4-Luck pick is (the feature that acts as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is The Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by David Roberts.

Steve, the electrician, dons special gear, and with the help of youngsters who live in his building, dives into a dumpster seeking useful objects that they can transform into imaginative new ones.

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Year: 2007
Word Count: 559
Book Level: 3.9

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  Roaches? You betcha! Kid-friendly creations? You betcha! The illustrations really bring this one alive!

PARENTS:  Roaches? No thank you. And who wants their child digging through the trash? No thank you. But, recycling? Yes, yes, YES!!!

TEACHERS:  Could definitely use in a recycling unit or to introduce a unit on inventions. Character-building lessons included too!

WRITERS:  Just a fun read. Illustrations too fun. Great opening line: Anyone knows you can dive for treasure in the ocean, but our neighbor Steve the Electrician dives for buried treasure RIGHT SMACK HERE in our backstreet alley. Great verbs: slink, dive, splash, measured, drilled. Favorite page? The diving team. Funniest page? The rules page. Favorite invention? An old blender turned into a lava lamp. Best page to read with kids? The inventions pages. Favorite phrase? "Steve says, 'Junk is GOOD!'" The "So, ha!" page? It's in the illustration at the very end when the kids do something sweet.

YOUR TURN: Not that we can all run out and write a Steve story of our own, but perhaps you could sharpen your writing skills by writing a list of things you wished you'd invented, or things you could invent with the trash in your "dumpster" right now. Now choose one item from your list and put it in a story. Use lots of action words. It's okay if it's stupid, just write for fun and if you get a few great phrases, then you have succeeded in today's writing lesson!

Keep on keepin' on...

Where, oh, where has my little dog gone? (Talent vs. Skill)

2011-10-24T08:39:00.000-04:00

Okay, so not really my little dog, but how about my motivation? I skipped TWO posts last week! What's wrong with me? Alas, today is the beginning of a fresh new week. I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotes:

"Talent is way down on the list of things you need to write; it comes in a distant fourth, after motivation, discipline, and persistence. And the reason is that "talent" is as common as mud; what's rare is the motivation to sit down and actually do something with it, the discipline to do it regularly, and the persistence to stick with it until it's finished." ~ Patricia Wrede

And another motivational quote:

"Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way you turn a phrase. You have a very important job - one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings - and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same." ~ Brian McDonald, The Golden Theme: How to Make Your Writing Appeal to the Highest Common Denominator

The purpose of my blog is two-fold:

To get me to write more, to study more picture books more often, and to have fun by connecting with readers.
To educate, inform, and inspire my readers to learn, grow, and connect.

One more quote:

Talent alone doesn't get you anywhere - you need hard work, perseverance and patience. Talent without the work is a missed opportunity. Wasted potential. But that's what talent is - potential. ~ Ava Jae

You can read more about that quote in the blog post titled Talent is Overrated at the blog Writeability.

So have a good day, a GREAT week, and fulfill your potential. Go write!

Keep on keepin' on...

Winner's Circle Saturday: Summer 2011 Winner

2011-10-22T14:03:00.000-04:00

istockphotos

The Lucky Clover Picture Book Writing Contest is announcing its winner for the Summer 2011 contest. Thank you to everyone who entered. It was a tough decision and lots of fun. You can now enter the Fall 2011 contest (click above for details). The deadline is December 24, 2011.

Congratulations to...

Caterina Malerba!

Her book, Jungle Jam, is cute, funny, and clever. Jungle friends are trying to jam out to music in the jungle, but the conductor is unhappy with the results of each practice. When monkey interrupts with a startling discovery, the results aren't what you think.

Your critique should arrive in your e-mail within a couple of weeks.

Hope to see more entries for the Fall 2011 contest throughout the coming weeks.

Keep on keepin' on...

Pass the Paper #4: I Love the Smell of Skunk

2011-10-15T22:58:00.004-04:00

Here's story #4 for our Pass the Paper the fun. Let's see how well we do during the coming month. The more the merrier!

"Mmm..." Jared plunked down at the breakfast table and inhaled his cup of morning java. "Nothing like a good cup o' Joe to start off a Friday full of tests."

Jared's little sister whined, "Why do you insist on stinking up the house with your cheap skunky coffee?"

"I love the smell of skunk! It reminds me of my coffee."

"Well, I don't. Do you think it will actually..."

Disclaimer: I don't drink coffee, but sometimes it DOES smell of skunk.

When you leave a comment, remember to subscribe by e-mail so you can keep up with the story and add to it again, if you like.

Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award #11: Two Writing Teachers

2011-10-08T10:25:00.004-04:00

Pixel Berry Pie Designs

It's the second Saturday of the month, and that means it's time to award another lucky blogger with the Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award! I created this award for excellent blogs based on interesting and helpful content AND visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design. It's an award that says, "Look at this awesome blog! There's a wealth of information here! If you visit once, you'll want to return again and again." In other words, it's like discovering a pot of gold.

This month's award goes out to Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers: Teaching Kids. Catching Minds. 565 Miles Apart. They have been blogging about the teaching of writing since 2007. Their blog has had nearly 1.5 million hits to date. Even if you're not a teacher, you'll love their site! Tons of writing lessons about the writing process and more. Very informational and inspirational. Love their quote page, and their Slice of Life Story Challenge. They also co-authored Day by Day, an excellent resource for writing workshops. Congratulations, Ruth and Stacey!

The "Rules:"

Say thank you to the person who gave it to you.

Write a short "thank-you" post (including image of award, link to the giver's blog, and a link to WRITE WILD).

Award four bloggers this award and tell why each is a Pot-O-Gold!

Share four simple things about yourself: 1-a time you had to exercise FAITH, 2-something you HOPE for, 3-something (or someone) you LOVE, and 4-a time when you felt LUCK.

P.S. You can copy and paste the rules in your post. If you receive this award more than once, you may award one blogger instead of four.

Keep on keepin' on...

Pictures Only: Wordless Picture Books

2011-10-05T21:25:00.002-04:00

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick (the feature that acts as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is The Secret Box by Barbara Lehman.

Times change. Cities may grow large. Summers may come and go. And people might grow old, but the one thing that always remains the same is the desire for adventure. You'll never know what you'll find when you look inside.

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Year: 2011
Word Count: 0
Book Level: 1.2 ?

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  Can't read? No problem! Story-telling skills will be challenged and enhanced. Great pictures and lots of fun!

PARENTS:  Absolutely delightful. Very fun to "read" WITH your children, for sure! You'll be turning the pages back and forth, over and over again. A great mystery to discover.

TEACHERS: Teachers can use this to generate stories. Students will HAVE to tell it in their own words. Could even be used in conjunction with an art lesson, a history lesson, or to introduce the importance of memory.

WRITERS:  Sometimes it's fun to take a break from words. This is a fun visual delight!

YOUR TURN: Think of a time when you found something you treasured and write about it. Or write about the first time you visited the beach. Or write about a secret that you and a friend still share. Or go page by page and summarize each scene...with words. I bet the magic just fades away. Although when reading it with my children, I did tell them the story verbally with my own words to help them internalize the events taking place.

"Triangle Man..." and Career Writers

2011-10-03T14:58:00.001-04:00

"Don't quit your day job," right? Just because we ARE writers doesn't mean we can quit our day jobs, at least not yet. If you want a CAREER as a writer, you have to stick with it for possibly a very long time.

This is a crazy little chart I made. It's the triangle path to three different careers: a special ed teacher, a picture book author, and a literary agent. These are real people. Well, the picture book author is me; I'm just waiting for the center to emerge in real life. Sometimes, the paths we take in life will lead us to other roads. It has me.

We can send our characters on these wild paths, too. So your character has to reach this point in which he understands how to solve his problem. Make him jump through hoop A first. Then make him learn a new language. Then he must face his fears in a new light. Then, finally, he solves his problem and becomes the strong character we want him to be.

What has your "Triangle Man" path to authorship looked like so far?

HIGH FIVE: Linda Lodding and her Commentary on Too Much to Do

2011-10-01T09:04:00.011-04:00

Flashlight Press - Oct. 1, 2011

Here with us today is Linda Ravin Lodding, author of her debut book, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister (details below). Welcome, Linda! And a big HIGH FIVE to you!

Title: THE BUSY LIFE OF ERNESTINE BUCKMEISTER

Author: Linda Ravin Lodding

Illustrator: Suzanne Beaky

Publisher: Flashlight Press

Month/year of release: October, 2011

Word count: just the right number!

Short summary or blurb:

If you think you’re busy, just take a look at Ernestine’s week: tuba with Mr. Oompah, yodeling with Little Old Lady Hoo, yoga with Guru Prakesh Pretzel, and more. Her well-meaning, busy parents have packed Ernestine’s after-school hours. But Ernestine is about to opt out and do what no Buckmeister has done before: JUST PLAY.

Take a look at Ernestine's book trailer.

Question ONE: What is your bedtime routine like; how do books play a part in that? How often did you read to your children when they were younger; do you feel like you have a special bond with your children because of books?

When my daughter Maja was younger (she’s now 13) reading before bedtime was one of the best parts of the day! Since my husband is Swedish, and my daughter is being raised bilingually, my husband and I would alternate reading to her – one evening I would read English books aloud, the next night he read to her in Swedish. This way she heard stories in both her languages and became familiar with the stories of her two cultures.

We even kept up this reading routine for quite some time even after she learned to read to herself. One of the reasons I gravitated towards writing picture books is because it’s not only about reading a story, but aboutsharing time (and laughs) – together.

Well said, Linda!

Question TWO: What are five of your favorite picture books? Just five mind you…

Only five?! Okay, then. Today’s favorites five are:

1. Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty (2007)

2.The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord (1987)

3.Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (1993)

4.Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell (2001)

5.This Plus That – Amy Krouse Rosenthal (2011)

I've read Stellaluna and heard of The Giant Jam Sandwich. I'll have to check out the others.

Question THREE: (multi-part question for us "to-be-published" writers out there)

A. How did you come up with the idea for your debut book?

Ashamedly, when my daughter was younger, I don’t think I was too wildly different from Ernestine’s mother, Mrs. Buckmeister. My daughter was way over-scheduled for her age and she ultimately dropped out of her African drumming class at the age 4 because she was too exhausted. Fortunately for me, I found this trend of over-scheduling our kids to be quite funny and I channeled this theme into writing “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister.” I added in a heaping teaspoon of wackiness, and the book was conceived. Of course it took another ten years for her to be born!

B. What was your road to publication like?

Like many authors, my road to publication was a long and winding one – at times the road offered glimpses of beautiful vistas, at other times I encountered fire-breathing dragons that made me want to run and cower in my writing cave. But I always found myself back on the road because I love to write more than I hate rejection letters.

My debut book, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, was one of the first picture books that I wrote and polished. I took that manuscript to an SCBWI conference in Winchester, UK and signed up for a manuscript critique. The editor who critiqued the book loved it. She wasn’t, however, in the position to acquire the book, but she gave me some wonderful editorial suggestions and, most importantly, gave me confidence that I was on the right track. I then started to submit the book to large publishing houses and the manuscript bubbled out of the slush pile and into the acquisition meeting at two large publishing houses… only to be rejected. But I knew it was just a matter of finding the right publisher and, along the way, “Ernestine” was getting stronger and stronger.

From my publishing research, I had heard wonderful things about this boutique publishing house, Flashlight Press. The book made it’s way to the editor’s desk where it sat for over a year. Eventually, the editor contacted me about working on revisions, and over a year later, she sent me THE E-MAIL! The one that offered me a contract! Since then, my amazing editor, Shari Dash Greenspan, and her partners at Flashlight Press have been my own dream team. They took my vision for the story and improved upon it in ways that I hadn’t imagined. And Suzanne Beaky, “Ernestine’s” illustrator, brought the story to life with such skill, warmth and whimsy (and the book was a tremendous challenge to illustrate!). I couldn’t have landed at a better publishing house.

While it took about 9-years to get a picture book contract, during those years I wrote fiction and non-fiction for children’s magazines and continued to write oodles of other picture books. And I now have two more picture books coming out – “Hold That Thought, Milton!” and “Oskar’s Perfect Present” both with Gullane Children’s Books (London).

So we really can get discovered from the slushpile! It just might take two years...er...nine!

C. How many revisions did your manuscript undergo, if you kept count?

I stopped counting at some point – ha ha! But suffice it to say that it went through a lot! Each word of a picture book has to be perfect and it has to work perfectly with the illustration. It does take time to get the harmony just right.

D. How many publishers/agents did you submit to before getting an acceptance letter?

I have a spreadsheet somewhere on my computer which keeps track of all my submissions but off the top of my head I’m sure it was near the 15 mark.

And 15 really isn't considered out of the norm, either.

E. Did you have an agent?

And I didn’t have an agent – nor do I have an agent now. It’s difficult to get an agent for picture books without being published so I put my energies into writing and researching publishers and editors. Doing the leg-work myself, though, taught me a lot about the business. It’s a hard truth that writers need to also do more than just write, they also have to understand the business of publishing.

So true. Publishing is indeed a business.

Question FOUR: How might teachers use your book in the classroom?

I’m just now concocting all the wonderful ways the book can be used in the classroom. Check back on the Flashlight Press website for more information.

The theme of “The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister” is about the freedom and joy of play. The beauty of play is that it’s not only fun, but it also is educationally important – through play we learn to deal with life’s challenges and think more creatively.

Teachers can use the book in several ways. They can encourage imaginative play by, for example, having children build their own “pop-up playground” -- playgrounds which encourage spontaneous play by using materials found in and around the home such as boxes, plastic jugs, wrapping paper tubes, yarn, fabric, tape, sticks, leaves, tubing…you name it! While it may be difficult for adults to envision the play opportunities presented by, say, a wrapping paper tube, children will inevitably turn it into a magic wand, a space rocket or a Knight’s sword.

Teachers can also use the book for a jumping off point to discuss problem-solving skills, emotions and the importance of imagination.

Or even to get children thinking about what they want to be when they grow up...

Question FIVE: What are some writing tips you can offer to writers seeking publication?

1. Be persistent – It took me nearly 10 years to become an “overnight sensation”. And it took JK Rowlings 17 years working on Harry Potter before she finished it. There will come days when you’re bored and frustrated and want to lie down on the floor and thrash your legs like a 2-year-old having a temper tantrum. But hang in there because wonderful things can happen if you only stick it out.

2. Understand story structure – whether it be a 32-page picture book or a dystopian YA series, study story structure. Read (and dissect) the genre you are writing, take a writing course and/or read many of the excellent books out there on story structure.

3. Type out favorite books -- As a sidebar to the tip above, if you write picture books, try typing out stories that appeal to you. This helps you to slow down long enough to study word choice, pacing and see how page turns and visuals are used to complement the text.

4. Learn to take criticism -- and seek it out at every opportunity. Don’t get upset even if you think the criticism is harsh, don’t be offended even if you think it’s wrong, and always thank those who take the time to offer it.

5. Follow the book biz – read trade journals such as Children’s Bookshelf/Publisher’s Weekly (subscribe online), join SCBWI, read editor’s and writer’s blogs, connect with writers and editors on Twitter and Facebook (there’s a wealth of information being passed around through social media channels), attend conferences. And for those who prefer to stay in their jammies here a few online conference options:

November's PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) hosted by the amazing Tara Lazar.

WriteOnCon (every August)

The Muse Online Writer’s conference

But, above all, try not to get so bogged down in the mechanics of writing that you lose sight of why you love to write. Write with passion and pleasure and the rest will follow.

Thanks, so much Linda for all your wisdom. Your journey was a delight to read. I hope to be joining you some day. Be sure and check out Linda's website!

Keep on keepin' on...

Books About Inventions

2011-09-28T09:40:00.001-04:00

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick (my weekly feature acting as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian. This book won the Caldecott Medal in 1999. Her woodblock prints make it very unique.

William Bentley discovers a way to photograph snowflakes.

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Year: 1998
Word Count: 979
Book Level: 4.4

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  SNOW! Need I say more? Children like it when Bentley gets his camera. They like seeing how he gets to do what he loves to do.

PARENTS:  Purely fascinating. Definitely one to check out again.

TEACHERS:  Teachers can use this to introduce a unit about weather, jobs, or inventions.

WRITERS:  I enjoyed the perseverance. YOUR TURN: If you have a story about perseverance, study this one. Another great companion study: My Brother Loved Snowflakes: The Story of Wilson A. Bentley, the Snowflake Man by Mary Bahr, illustrated by Laura Jacobsen (Boyds Mills Press, 2002).   I haven't read this one yet, but I'd like to.

SCBWI Carolinas

2011-09-26T13:48:00.001-04:00

So I went to the SCBWI Carolinas conference this past weekend. It was awesome! Very inspiring, informative, and lots of fun. My first one ever, though I have been to three other writer's conferences that weren't SCBWI. I rubbed elbows with agents, editors, and authors. And lots and lots of fellow writers. Here are a few points I took away:

Dude, write what you want.
Write what you know...to be TRUE.
Connect with your readers through character and emotion.
Voice is attitude, character, and emotion.
90% of all submissions are discarded within the first three pages.

Writers never quit. We might "quit a manuscript" temporarily. Or even stop writing for ten years, but if you are a writer, you WILL return!

I am proud to say, "I AM A WRITER!" Are you?

Keep on keepin' on...

NOW Accepting FALL Submissions

2011-09-24T10:07:00.000-04:00

The Lucky Clover Picture Book Writing Contest is now accepting FALL submissions. Enter in October, November, and December. The Summer deadline is this Friday, September 30th. The winner for the summer contest will be announced on the 4th Saturday of next month, October 22. Thanks to all those who entered. The winner will receive a free critique! Good luck, everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Repetition in Nonfiction

2011-09-22T11:52:00.002-04:00

This week's READ-4-LUCK pick (the feature that acts as a recommendation, review, teaching tip, and writing lesson) is The Wolves Are Back by Jean Craighead George, paintings by Wendell Minor.

This picture book tells the story of how, over a century, wolves were persecuted in the United States and nearly became extinct. Gradually reintroduced, they are thriving again in the West, much to the benefit of the ecosystem.

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Year: 2008
Word Count: 785
Book Level: 3.6

RATINGS
CHILDREN:  The wolves are lots of fun to look at. Raises lots of questions about why they left and why they're back. The book does a great job answering the questions, but I think the children would have to read or hear the book several times (or be older) for the knowledge to really sink in and be meaningful.

PARENTS:  If you love nature, then you'll love sharing this with your children. Great for discussions about wildlife and animals living in their natural habitat.

TEACHERS:  Teachers can use this to teach about animals, biodiversity, animal behaviors, and ecosystems. A great help for a unit on Yellowstone National Park, or national parks in general.

WRITERS:  I enjoyed the repeating phrase, "The wolves were back." If you have a nonfiction ms, you might want to try incorporating a bit of repetition in it. YOUR TURN: If you have a story that isn't working for you, and it doesn't have any repetition, try to think of a repeating phrase. It may not help, but it could. And you'll never know until you try.

Keep on keepin' on...