http://greetings-from-nowhere.blogspot.c
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| Waiting anxiously for Martha to arrive |
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| Heading to her new home |
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| With new sis, Ruby |
The European Song Contest is over for 2013, thank God! What expensive rubbish! It has been going on now for the last 57 years and still no end of it in sight.In fact, Ireland has won it 7 times in all - more than any other country. What is that saying about us I wonder? And we have hosted the show 7 times. I understand that this time we ended up last. To add insult to injury it has been commentated on for RTÉ by Marty Whelan. Enough said!
It must be my age!
However, I think these posts might be a bit too dire. Way back when I got my first book deal in 1997, it was for $12,000 for the first book and $15,000 for the second, so far more than the $5,000 or $6,000 that many of these examples start with. Maybe mysteries pay a little better than the horror or science fiction they were talking about in the linked articles. And as your career moves along, hopefully your career is building and your backlist is still selling.
Plus there are other ways you can make money as a writer, although none of them are sure things. Audio books, foreign rights, book clubs, movie options. If you write books for kids, especially younger kids, you can get paid to do school visits. (My first five books were for adults, so it was a real shock to learn this.) And books for kids tend to stay in print for a long time. My first YA came out in 2006 and is still, as of today, in print. Anything that has gone out-of-print I have put back up as ebooks. A few times when things were lean I taught classes at my local bookstore.
Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but for past couple of years I have made well more than I did when I worked in corporate communications for a big health care company. I will say that my husband has helped tremendously by having a job with health insurance and regular bi-weekly paychecks. I've also learned that money you don't expect to come in does and money you did expect to come in ends up being delayed for months, but somehow it all balances out.
The one thing I don't like is that it's very hard to crystal ball it, hard to look more than a year into the future. I'm getting better at living with that uncertainty. If you are self-employed, I highly recommend The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed: The Only Personal Finance System for People with Not-So-Regular Jobs. You need to get good at paying your retirement, your taxes, and your emergency fund up front. This book has helped me do that.
Author Jim Hines looked at his finances for 2012 here. He also has a full-time job in addition to his writing.
Anyway, if you are thinking of quitting your day job, don't despair. I believe it is possible. You may find yourself working like a dog, but you'll also be making up stories, your commute will be from your bed to the computer, and you will be your own boss. Even if I was making less (and who knows, I might soon be), I would still say it was worth it.
http://kathleenduey.blogspot.com/2013/05/t
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| The massive trunk of my Phytolacca tree. Every part of it, bark, flower, leaves and sap, is poisonous. |
On Wednesday, Belmar, New Jersey, is opening its brand-new, rebuilt-after-Sandy boardwalk.The Belmar Public Library invited me to attend so I could read my book to school kids as part of the event. Of course, I said "yes".
Turns out that there's going to be a BIG to-do on Wednesday, including the schools closing early (or at least running field trips) so that the kids can all be there for the grand (re)opening, and a visit from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. And sometime after he's done speaking, I'm supposed to read AT THE BOARDWALK to some subset of the school kids.
I am going with "Chris Christie is my opening act." Also, I am wishing I had someone to tag along with me to take photos during the event. My sweetheart is teaching classes, and can't make it, and Maggie has a full school day. Anyone? . . . Buehler?
- Current Mood:
nervous - Current Music:White & Nerdy by Weird Al Yankovic (brainradio)
Look at the steps she talks about from SHOCK DOCTRINE by Noami Klein.My comments follow the statement of the steps.
Step One: impose ridiculous standards and assessments on every school. NCLB, CCSS, and our own state standards have accomplished this already. Add to this the fact that ELAR standards were writeen without input from literacy organizations who begged to be included.
Step Two: create cut points on the assessments to guarantee high rates of failure. How many parents understand how the passing score for STAAR is determined? Do they really think it is a set pecentage?
Step Three: implement draconian accountability systems. And change the standards and forms and reporting schemes often. Changes keep anyone from getting too comfortable, right?
Step Four: use the accountability system to undermine the credibility and trust that almost everyone gave to public schools. increase the difficulty of reaching goals annually. At the outset of testing, especially as we moved into NCLB, many of us warned that scores would drop and that eventually even high-performing schools could not meet AYP. With CCSS and RttT, the same thing is occurring. Scores are plummeting thus making the case that schools are awful.
Step Five: de-professionalize educators with alternative certification, merit pay, evaluations tied to test scores, scripted curriculum, attacks on professional organizations, phony research that tries to make the case that credentials and experience don’t matter, etc. Our state forced colleges of education to cut the number of required hours to complete the degree quite a few years ago. Now, they are talking about poorly prepared teachers. How do we battle this sort of attack?
Step Six: start privatization with public funded charters with a promise that they will be laboratories of innovation. Many of us fell for that falsehood. Apply pressure each legislative session to implement more and more of them. Despite the research that shows charter schools are not more effective, we continue to call for more of them.
Step Seven: use Madison Avenue messaging to name bills to further trick people into acceptance, if not support, of every conceivable voucher scheme. This is also known as the business model for schools. Never mind that kids are not products.
Step Eight: totally destroy public education with so-called universal vouchers. See this web site: http://www.economist.com/node/9119786.
Step Nine: start eliminating the vouchers and charters, little by little. I would add, slowly begin closing sschools, ending school years early, etc.
Step Ten: totally eliminate the costs of education from local, state, and national budgets, thereby providing another huge transfer of wealth through huge tax cuts to the already-billionaire class.
In effect, train an underclass to do the jobs for the waelthy.
Scary? It is here already. Dystopia, anyone?
- Current Location:home
- Current Mood:frightened
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
This week 6000 people attended Canada’s largest children’s literature event, the Forest of Reading, Festival of Trees—two days of award ceremonies, writing workshops, author signings, and other exciting activities that celebrate the shared experience of reading.
Child readers from participating schools across the province of Ontario chose the winning books. The awards in each age category are named for a different Canadian tree, and the winner plaques feature original art by a child reader.
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| Blue Spruce award winner Martin Springett |
2013 Blue Spruce™ Award Winner (K-grade 2): Kate and Pippin by Martin Springett and Isobel Springett (Puffin Canada/Penguin Group)
2013 Silver Birch® Express Award Winner (grades 3-4): Margaret and the Moth Tree by Brit Trogen and Kari Trogen (Kids Can Press)
2013 Silver Birch® Fiction Award Winner (grades 5-6): Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (Scholastic Canada)
2013 Silver Birch® Non-Fiction Award Winner (grades 3-6): No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs by Rob Laidlaw (Pajama Press)
2013 Red Maple™ Fiction Award Winner (grades 7-8): The Vindico by Wesley King (G.P. Putnam’s Sons/ Penguin Group)
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| Red Maple Non Fiction winner Bill Swan |
2013 Red Maple™ Non-Fiction Award Winner (grades 7-8): Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death by Bill Swan (James Lorimer & Company)
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| White Pine winner Jeyn Roberts and nominee Lena Coakley |
2013 White Pine™ Award Winner (grades 9-12): Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (Simon & Schuster BFYR)
Le Prix Tamarac 2013 (French language fiction, grades 5-6): Le mystère des jumelles Barnes by Carole Tremblay (Bayard Canada Livres)
Le Prix Tamarac Express 2013 (French language fiction, grades 3-4): Billy Stuart: 1. Les Zintrépides by Alain M. Bergeron and Sampar (Éditions Michel Quintin)
Le Prix Peuplier 2013 (French language fiction, grades K-2): Le zoo de Yayaho by Geneviève Lemieux and Bruno St-Aubin (Bayard Canada Livres)
Cynsational Notes
She became interested in young adult literature when she moved to Toronto, Canada, and began working for CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, where she eventually became the Administrative Director. She is now a full-time writer living in Toronto.
Witchlanders, her debut novel, was called “a stunning teen debut” by Kirkus Reviews. It is a Junior Library Guild selection and an ABC new voices selection.
See also New Voice: Lena Coakley on Witchlanders.
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| Read the novel by Suzanne Collins |
for Cynsations
From the promotional copy:
"'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a 'Victor's Tour' of the districts.
Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.
"'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' is directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone. 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' opens Nov. 21."
This year's Dawn Chorus Day in Ireland will take place tomorrow with events planned throughout the country.
The best time to hear the birds, of course, is in the twilight period just before the sun comes up. Birds sing throughout the day, so why not just listen to them then? I suppose that is a well-worth thing to do, but the most amazing thing about the period just before dawn, I'm told, is the sheer number of birds that are singing and the high volume of their songs.
Bird Watch Ireland have branches all over the country and will be holding guided dawn chorus events tomorrow. Here in Wexford we have the Evening Dusk Chorus on Forth Mountain at 8pm and at Tintern Abbey near Saltmills at 4.30am. This last will be followed by breakfast at Fethard-on-Sea. This event will be hosted in conjunction with the South Australia Branch of Birds Australia.
I'm afraid half-four in the morning is a bit early for me, so I'll be giving these formal meets a miss. However I might like to take part I'll have to make do with my own garden lot! But they say you might think that you have a lot of birds in your garden or local park, but until you hear the dawn chorus you honestly have no idea how many are there.
Strange to say there is no officially recognised national bird of Ireland but I especially like the Blackbird, Robin, Wren and Thrush.
Why should anyone feel guilty for stepping back? I wondered. After all, blogs and Twitter feeds and Facebook pages are all optional; most of us are not paid to do them and make no promises about when we'll post. Nobody's going to die over whether we post or not. (OK, if you see a tornado coming and tweet about it, you might save someone's life. But that's an exception!)
But entering the online world is entering a community. Most of us interact with a core group regularly, as well as with whomever else clicks on by. We have a horror of being thought of as the writer who became "too good" for her old blog buddies once she signed a book contract. We hate the idea of losing touch with friends once we tie the knot or have a baby. We don't want to disappear when we change jobs.
We like our friends and don't want to lose touch with them.
There's also the fact that sometimes when people disappear, it's because they've had a crisis, and we know people may worry. I can think of one writer I used to see on LiveJournal. Our relationship was at the "acquaintance" level, and many people migrated from LJ to other platforms, so it wasn't until I heard of her untimely death (from another social-media site) that I remembered her and realized I hadn't heard anything about her in a long while. It made me wonder about all the other people I used to see online but don't anymore. I assumed most of them just got tired of blogging or moved over to Facebook, and I know some of them went back to school or got new jobs or simply got so swamped by book promotion that they stepped back from the blogosphere--but now I wonder. Are they okay? I may never know.
So in one sense, I understand the desire to explain our absences from social media. And I think it's a nice idea to say, "I'm going offline for a while" if that's what we're doing. But I don't think we owe anyone an explanation. I don't think we have to justify our absences. Although I've been disappointed when my favorite bloggers stopped posting, I don't believe they owed me anything. They put up a bunch of free content that I enjoyed; we had some fun interactions; how can I complain about that?
Most of all, I don't think social media should have to be a chore. I do think it's important for writers to have at least one place online where readers can find them if they want, one place that provides a bio and author photo and a list of their books. But that can be a single page and doesn't have to be updated too often. Beyond that, it's all icing on the cake. It's about having fun and connecting with people, and if we're not getting that fun and connection here, or if we simply need to focus attention elsewhere, it's natural to step away. The Social Media Police will not come after us. :-)
Dear Ms. Creech,
This is a thank you note mixed with a confession. Read on, and you’ll understand.
First, I have to say that I loved your talk at the New England SCBWI Conference and was thrilled to finally meet you in person.
So thank you for that. But that’s only part of the thank you. Before I get to the rest, I have to do the confession part.
So…you know that poem you have on your website? The one that explains to teachers why you can’t accept any more invitations for school visits this year? It starts like this:
My phone is ringingand the fax is going
and sometimes I am sick
(I hope you are not sick!)
and my car needs fixing
and I have to go
to the grocery store
and do the laundry
and clean up messes
and I am supposed to be
writing a new book
which takes a lot of time
to think about and
to write all those little words…
(The rest of Sharon’s why-I-can’t-visit poem is here, for those of you who are not Sharon and don’t know how it goes.)
You might not remember this, but a whole bunch of years ago – maybe nine or ten – you got an email from a teacher begging you to requesting that you consider making an exception to your no-more-school-visits-this-year policy. It was written as a poem, too, because she thought you might like that, and she figured it was worth a try. She doesn’t have that exact poem any more, but it went something like this.
That teacher figured it was a long shot. (She used to be a reporter and understood all about deadlines.) But your poem inspired her poem, just like that, and before she knew it, she’d gone and hit the send button.
Your schedule was too busy to visit. (She figured it would be.) But you made time to write back. You told her you loved her poem, that it made you smile.
And that made her whole teacher-day.
That teacher was me.
And that explains why I had to sit down when you tweeted this picture last week, saying you found your book in good company at the bookstore. There’s your book on the left, and beside it, Grace Lin’s book, and then mine. Roald Dahl and Karen Cushman are there, too, just for good measure.
Thanks for making my day. Again.
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A small room was devoted to Smith alum, Sylvia Plath. We see a draft of Among the Narcissi filled with cross-outs and new words, with still more lines and notes from an editor at The New Yorker, then we see it published in the magazine.
David Trinidad had given us a brief introduction to both Sylvia Plath and tulips in his amusing and profound poem The Red Parade. Here we find Sylvia Plath’s Tulips on the wall and can also listen to a recording on a television. The poem tells of a red gift in a stark hospital room at a time when the narrator felt as if of nurses were claiming her clothes, the anesthetist her history, and the surgeons her body, so that I believed the line near the end: “Tulips should be behind bars like dangerous animals.” I like the poem, but am glad I’m a person who can receive tulips and simply say “Thank you, what a gorgeous color!” The recording was made in 1961, two years before Plath would die by her own hand at age thirty, leaving two children.
This heart-tugging show is open until the first weekend of September.
2. This weekend is crazy-busy...but it should be the last one this bad for a while (maybe until August, when school stuff begins again). We have (including tonight) 6 'events' going on this weekend -- ack!
3. My work is mostly over for the next two weeks -- yay! I've been thinking about various issues with my revision, so I'm hoping I'll actually have time to work through them (on paper). The challenge comes because DH also works from home part of the time, and I have a hard time writing when he's in the office too (he talks to his computer while he works -- and sometimes that talking turns to muttered curses -- plus, he listens to heavy metal, which isn't my favorite). I have a laptop, though, so I'm thinking I need to take that somewhere and work that way...plus, then I'd feel less confined. That might be the ticket (though I love our home office when DH isn't around, heh).
4. One of our 'events' this weekend is the final game for D's flag football. I'm relieved it's over, though I do think it was a mostly good experience for D. But a couple of the boys on his team are so unathletic that it's almost painful to watch them out there. I'm helping the coach with their certificates, and we're struggling to come up with a positive, sporty term for one of those, especially -- what do you say about someone who truly has no athletic ability?? I want to use the word 'heartfelt,' but the coach really wants something related to sports... Of course, D is getting the award for 'Best All-Around Player,' so he'll be happy. :)
5. Both my kiddos have colds right now. I think D's came from his allergies (which flared up again as soon as the snow melted). Poor E, though, has one of those annoying coughs that won't stop. She *hates* being sick (doesn't everyone?), and she spends her time sighing dramatically (which is kind of funny) when she's not coughing.
Well, I need to get busy with stuff -- happy Friday! Anything fun planned for your weekend?
Once again, there is so much here that needs to be addressed, that it is tough to know where to begin, But let's start with what the reviewer calls the Bennett Hypothesis:
What killed it is explained by the “Bennett Hypothesis,” which by now should be elevated to the status of a theory or a law: “College tuition will rise as long as the amount of money available through federal student aid continues to increase with little or no accountability.”
In one short sentence are so many flaws of logic. How to begin? Okay, tuition has risen. So has the cost of EVERYTHING, I think. I can speak from the vantage point of one of those elitist folks with a doctorate in education (NRO criticizes us for using what is essentially not an honorific we should use. It is pretentious.). State funding of colleges and universities has dropped precipitously in the past couple of decades. We were told by the politicians to increase tuition to make up the cost of running the university and the funds they stole from us (so they could boast about balanced budgets AND so they could begin to control who could afford a college education). When there was a hue and cry about tuition increases, these same politicians threw blame on us and our high salaries and apparent lack of running on a budget (do jnot get my started on those high salaries when the highest paid state employee is a football coach and not a teacher at any level).
But back to the hypothesis (the one this reviewer thinks should be elevated to a law; how objective is this review do ya think?). Federal student aid, in case no one has been paying attention, has also been cut in recent years. How do you take that into accont then? And student aid is one way kids from less than affluent backgrounds have any sort of chance to attend college. It is not the only way; there are many students who take loans, work 2-3 jobs, lay out a semester to save up for tuition, etc. And is college dead? Hardly if one is to accept latest enrollment numbers.
But moving on in this "review," we have more. There is a call to return vocational education to schools. It might be interesting to see when those courses were cut. I can tell you why they are not present now: they are not about scoring well on the tests.
And more: liberal arts is pointless if one wants get a job that will pay money. Better to do STEM classes. Never mind the research that suggests we do not need nearly the number of STEM folks as some politicians would have you believe.
More: college kids live in luxury. I do not know where these guys visited of late, but I can assure you luxury is not the term I would use at all. Zagat worthy dining? Really?
Still more: the "real" teachers are doing the research whole courses are being taught by grad assistants. I never once had a grad assistant for anything other than a Poli Sci lab. My college sophomore says the same thing is true for her. This painting with too broad a brush is part and parcel of those who are currently calling for reform.
Want even more: college presidents' salaries. I saw the map recently that indicated that in all but a handful of states, the highest paid employee was a coach, not a university president. Let's try yo get facts straight, shall we? And how much does former Secretary Bennett get for one speech? There is something about living in glass houses....
Now, go back to the article and see if you can spot the racism, sexism, and anti-elitism. It should not take you very long.
I am not saying there is not a need for us to change at the university level. Change we have in the 20 some odd years I have been among the elite who do not teach (sarcastic font, folks). Our classes are online. Before that, though, we traveled to where our students lived, often an 8 hour drive, to take courses and materials to them instead of vice versa. We find monies to assist students in completing graduate degrees. We have graduated 60 students on full scholarships, many of them Hispanic.
But we need to do more. We recognize that this is about more than the bottom line. We keep our eyes on the prize: graduating students to go out into schools and become school librarians. We talk the talk, but we also walk the walk. It is simple to sit in a studio or at a writing desk and call for "reform" and decry the state of affairs. What we need is more Noah Principle that Bennett Hypothesis: no prizes for predicting rain; prizes for building arks. You want to "fix" something? Come on and join us. Help us explore ways to make college affordable to ALL who have, in the words of the reviewer, the requisite gray matter.
As for me, I will go back to writing, reading, and teaching.
- Current Location:office
- Current Mood:
angry
for Cynsations
Divya Srinivasan on Octopus Alone: an interview by Chris Barton from Bartography. Peek: "'Loner' seems such a negative word, and so definitive. I liked showing a character who loves her home, but realizes she needs some space, and who then ends up finding a place that feels all her own, like a precious secret."
Finding the Perfect First Sentence by Jessica Brody from Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. Peek: "Sometimes, as a writer, all you get is one page, one paragraph or even one sentence to hook a reader. So it’s crucial to pick the right opening."
Physical Attributes Entry: Butts from The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: "Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image."
Saying "No" to an Editor by Darcy Pattison from Fiction Notes. Peek: "You can refuse a contract for any number of reasons. Money, vision for the published manuscript, an unkind word. You never have to sign a contract."
Where Are All the Black Boys? by Varian Johnson from They Call Me Mr. V. Pek: "Either people will think it's not relevant to them because it features a black boy. Or they won't buy it because they'll think it's about slavery or racism. Or people won't buy it because it's not true Black History Month material." Note: don't miss the continuing conversation in the comments. See also 2013 Middle Grade Black Boys: Seriously People? and Judging Covers by Andrea Davis Pinkey.
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| Will Konigsberg's "influential" choice |
An Ongoing Discussion, an Ongoing Question by Charlesbridge editor Julie Ham for CBC Diversity. Peek: "Can authors or illustrators write about or illustrate cultures and races different from their own?" See also Diversity in the Caldecott Winners & Honors (Or Lack Thereof) from Children's Literature Network.
What If? A Method for Developing Ideas by Elizabeth S. Craig from Mystery Writing is Murder. Peek: "You can brainstorm this way. You can even outline this way. You can get yourself out of plot holes this way."
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in Children's Literature from Colorín Colorado. Peek: "...celebrates family traditions and the rich diversity of Asian and Pacific Americans with books, activities, and a variety of resources and ideas for ELL (English language learners) educators."
Genre Bending/Blending by Brian Yansky from Brian's Blog. Peek: "There's something inherently rebellious about writing fiction. And there are writers who find themselves, even if they begin writing in a certain genre they love to read, wandering."
Guest Editor Danny Fingeroth on Submitting Graphic Novels from DearEditor.com. Peek: "...having pages of the story drawn and lettered to include with the proposal is generally a good idea, although there is the chance that some editors may not like the look of the art, and so may reject the story even if they like the writing, and even if you make it clear you would be willing to work with another artist."
Cynsational Giveaways
- Ball by Mary Sullivan (PB)
- Nothing But Blue; Me, Penelope & Country Girl, City Girl by Lisa Jahn-Clough (YA)(3 books!)
The winner of Feral Nights by Cynthia Leitich Smith was Amanda in London, and the winner of Eternal: Zachary's Story by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Ming Doyle, was Brandon in Florida.
See also Interview with Joy Preble & Giveaway of The Sweet Dead Life from Cari's Book Blog.
This Week at Cynsations
- Sharron L. McElmeel on Creating an Author/Illustrator Website with Teacher-Librarian Appeal
- New Voice Tamera Will Wissinger on Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse
- Shirley Reva Vernick on Defining Success
- New Voice Kit Grindstaff on The Flame in the Mist
More Personally
Here's a peek at my comings-and-goings last week in the Austin children's-YA lit scene.
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| At the YAB Fest reception with Jessica Lee Anderson, P.J. Hoover & Danny Woodfill of The Book Spot in Round Rock. |
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| Julie Dinkel Woodfill of The Book Spot & author-editor Madeline Smoot |
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| Author E. Kristin Anderson & librarian Jen Bigheart |
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| Authors Cory Putnam Oakes & Krissi Dallas |
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| Jen & author Lindsey Scheibe |
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| Authors Lindsey Lane & Shana Burg at the Austin SCBWI monthly meeting |
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| With authors Susie Kralovansky & Bethany Hegedus |
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| Author-speaker Lynne Kelly |
As for this weekend, Joy Preble will speak and sign The Sweet Dead Life at 3 p.m. May 18 and Lindsey Scheibe will speak and sign Riptide at 2 p.m. May 19 at BookPeople in Austin.
See also Cynthia Leitich Smith on Eric Gransworth's If I Ever Get Out of Here (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) from Debbie Reese at American Indians in Children's Literature.
Personal Links
- Krissa Hillman Created Cupcakes for Literacy
- Tarot for Writers
- Carol Lynch Williams & WIFYR
- Blog Tour: Sirens in the Time of Gatsby (featuring Janet S. Fox)
- Launching a Book with a Tea Party by Catherine Stier
- What's the Point? Five Writers Offer Lifelines for MFA Despair
- Astronauts Set to See "Star Trek Into Darkness" in Space
Cynsational Events
Join Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith at 11 a.m. June 11 at Lampasas (TX) Public Library.
Join authors Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, Nancy Werlin and ICM Partners literary agent Tina Wexler at a Whole Novel Workshop from Aug. 4 to Aug. 10, sponsored by the Highlights Foundation. Peek: "Our aim is to focus on a specific work in progress, moving a novel to the next level in preparation for submission to agents or publishers. Focused attention in an intimate setting makes this mentorship program one that guarantees significant progress." Special guests: Curtis Brown agent Sarah LaPolla, authors Bethany Hegedus and Amy Rose Capetta.
By Shirley Reva Vernickfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Funny how we writers shoot ourselves in the foot. I’m talking about the merciless way we pressure ourselves to be successful.
Actually, I’m talking about the way we define success, and how that definition can cripple our creativity.
"Sell more copies!" we command ourselves. "Boost that amazon.com rank!"
How can the creative juices flow on our next project when we’re so worried about the numbers on our current publication?
Clearly, sales figures are important for those of us who are trying to make a living. But obsessing about our stats can trigger productivity-quashing anxiety.
I think we need to expand our definition of success in a way that stimulates a more fertile mindset. A mindset where we give ourselves the freedom, the personal permission, to write from the heart and feel good about it, bestseller list or not.
Here is my new definition of personal success. Aside from the sales reports, I am succeeding if:
- I’m enjoying my work—writing with enthusiasm and honing my craft.
- My teenaged daughters are seeing me working hard in pursuit of my goals.
- I’m getting positive reviews.
- People are visiting my website and Facebook author page.
- I’m receiving speaking invitations.
Take my first book, The Blood Lie, a YA novel based on a real anti-Semitic hate crime that happened in the 1920s. When I first got the idea for the book, some people in my circle tried to warn me off. “Historical Jewish-America—it’s too narrow a subject of interest,” they advised. “No one will buy it.” I, however, saw a broader theme, one with immediate contemporary relevance: intolerance. The book was published and went on to win several awards, including the Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Book Award.
Remember is fanatical about Twinkies. He’s awkward. He watches the weather channel for fun. So Johnny is sure the summer is going to be a bust. But when some jewels go missing...and the local jock gets stuck in the lake during a storm...and a lonely new girl comes to town...things get more exciting than either boy could have imagined.
The story was inspired by the people in my life (some of whom are relatives) who have cognitively-based behavioral differences. I felt I had to write this story, and I think the book’s writing reflects that commitment.
Moving on to the point about positive book reviews. Does this mean that any less-than-stellar review constitutes a failure? No! This is a lesson I’m still learning. I have to remind myself that, no matter the inherent value of my work, there are going to be people who don’t love it and rave about it.
Just as there are professors who never give A’s, just as there are people who like us but don’t want to be our best friend, there are going to be reviewers who criticize. That’s just life.
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| Shirley's window view |
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| Twinkles, the muse |
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| Jiffy, the distraction |
but I don't want to keep you waiting any longer. Here are my TOP FIVE great things this week.
1) Monday I sat outside on my patio. The sun was beautiful. The temperature perfect. Geese were feeding their young, I did my daily devotional...it was a day that made you appreciate life in all its beauty and simplicity. So often I'm running from one place to the other I don't get so see ALL the great things around me.
2) Though I was trapped inside all day Wednesday because it was raining, I managed to keep myself entertained.
3) Book club meets on Saturday. We read Under the Never Sky by Rossi. It was...nope, I'll show you how I felt about the book.
I grabbed my phone, heart thumping as I dialed A's phone number. I had to tell her. It couldn't wait. "I just finished the book." "That's good," she said. "I was prepared to skip book club this week because I have friends comin in to town. But then I read the book...this book." She laughed. "Oh, I soooo need to talk about this book. I took notes. Notes!" "Wow." She laughed again. "So, I can either bring my friends with me or you and have to meet up to talk about the book. Either way, I need to process. I need to talk."
4) My friends from Texas will be here in...oh, about 4 hours. They are coming to help me as a recover from surgery. (Nothing life threatening. I'm fine. It was a surgery I knew was in my future the minute I turned 30. One word--Genetics.)
5) Okay, this is trypically where I add a writing teaser, but I'm not going to today. (Yes, I wrote some this week.) And sometimes I do a favorite song of the week. But not today. (Though I do have some favorites at the moment.) Today...I'm going shameless. Now, keep in mind, I RARELY watch TV. But since I am stuck at home for one month and can't read and write 24/7...my TV has been on a little more than usual. I saw this commercial and LOVED it. (If you've see it, you may enjoy another look). I actually buy this item...and not because of the commercial. (However, I may keep buying this item BECAUSE of the commercial. *wiggles eyebrows*)
Hugs, Encouragement, and DFTBA (Don't Forget to Be Awesome!)
- Current Location:my sofa
- Current Mood:
amused - Current Music:silence
This was a "conversation" written by my son, Flannery, before his sophomore year in high school to a friend he'd lost suddenly. Please send light and love to my sweet son who is not well.
Love
Kerry
CONVERSATION
By Flannery Lunsford
Mrflanman: Gladys?
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Please, can you answer?
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: I’m sorry.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: I can’t even try to relate what I’m feeling into words.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: But then thinking of your family, your friends, Oh God, I’m sorry.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Come on, I know you're not available. I want tell you that you brightened the room when you were there, I'm not just saying that, please don’t laugh at that, and when I go to your funeral, I'll bet they'll say the same thing. You were too good for this place, I'll bet they'll say that too. This message is a bundle of cliches, but I have to say it. I know you're happy. Oh Gladys, you were the kindest person I've met at Marshall, I love you for being that, for embodying the good things in this world.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Isn't it ironic that I found your screen-name after you left this place. I found it amongst the posts for Mr. O’Connell's class.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Alright, if you won’t talk, I will, ok? I remember when I first met you, you had transferred from Belmont, and you thought that Belmont had a better gym, but that Marshall was a way better school. I remember when you brought that Period book, a collection of stories about women and their periods, to school, and I thought it was the lamest book ever to grace this earth, and I refused to believe whatever you said about it. We argued until you refused to speak to me, because my argument was so pointless. Then when you presented that book for Mr. O’Connell’s class, I was there in the back, groggy from the number of hazy presentations that had preceded yours, and then you started talking. And as I watched, everyone became interested, you always made people smile, happy, speaking eloquently, quickly, a stage presence that no one else was close to having in that class. You dissected any possible argument I could have had with the book in the first place, and as you casually mentioned with a glance in my direction that “some people just can’t understand and refused to…” I knew that you had won.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Mr. O’Connell’s class, we did a lot of projects together, in the end, that disputed Antony and Cleopatra cell project didn’t even count, but you still got an A.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: I’ll just keep talking then. I remember when you told me that you liked Dylan, and you told me not to tell anyone, the sadness in your face behind a strained smile, and your braces, as he described your friend and him together, and how you told him to go for it, and I could feel your pain, even though he still flirted with you. I could see you think, frustrated that you hadn’t tried to see him before, the lost opportunities.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: I wanted to let you know about Nick, because I remember you asking me how he was doing. He’s better now, the disease, juvenile dermatamiositis, is in remission, and he’s getting stronger. He’s on anti-inflammatory steroids, so he’s getting all these weird side effects like swelling in his face and stomach, but I think he’ll be okay. I forgot to tell you that he asked about you a while ago, and wanted me to say hey to you.
User smileegurlpnay is not available
Mrflanman: I remember when you asked me if I liked a particular girl, even though you already knew, your clever remarks, despite the fact that I never had said anything about her. And your dancing, you could dance. I remember doing the sound for the Dance fiasco where you waited ten minutes for the music cue, while I fumbled, helpless in the audience. But you still pulled it off, always. I remember you said you wanted to be a teacher, you are still the only other teenager who has ever said that to me. I said, you could help my dad anytime. You wanted to teach third grade. I remember when you commented on my sister’s pants when I wore them at Battle of the Bands, because you had the same jeans, Plugg Jeans, with a butterfly on its leather emblem. I can’t believe we wore the same jeans.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: You know, we weren’t really great friends, but we talked, and you always were the most open, sweet person to talk to. And I’m still talking to you, but I don’t know what to say now.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Come on, I’m waiting for a quick comeback, a laugh, you were so good at that. I’ve taken things for granted, all that time in Mr. Jeffries class, waving to you in Mr. Duncan’s class as I left Mr. Wong’s. I’d always pass by, and you’d be there in your desk, listening to Mr. Duncan drone on about Stoichiometry. But then I walk by, and the desk is empty, the teacher’s still talking, the students still aren’t listening, as you’ve slipped away.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: I remember my dad coming in and asking me if I knew you. I first thought that you had called, that would have been cool, Gladys calling me? But then he said that you were in a car accident. I didn’t really know what to say, I called Dylan, he seemed empty, like an old wind up toy, that’s been wound up too many times, and just falls over. I haven’t been able to sleep. This is selfish now, but I had to write this, because Gladys’ don’t come around too often, and I guess you have to embrace them while you can, or they’ll slip away to a better place.
User smileegurlpnay is not available.
Mrflanman: Ok, goodnight Gladys.
Mrflanman has signed off at 2:16:43 AM.
Needs updated and is not an open concept ;op
On Facebook last week, I mentioned that I seem to be collecting D-themed diseases. First diabetes, then depression. Now I have a third one to add to the mix.
During Penguicon, my wife noticed what looked like an elongated callus on my right hand, below the ring finger. (Spoiler: It’s not a tumor.) When it was still there two weeks later, I hopped online to do a little research, then went in to talk to the doctor. His diagnosis confirmed my guess, and the winner is…
That link goes to the Wikipedia page, which includes a post-surgical picture with incision and stitches, so don’t click if that kind of stuff gets to you.
Basically, some connective tissue in my hand is misbehaving, which starts to restrict the extension of the tendon. Right now, it’s just a little vertical speed bump on my palm. Eventually, it will restrict the movement of my ring finger, and I won’t be able to extend it beyond a curved, clawlike position.
I think of this soon-to-be claw as the first step in my very, very slow transformation into a werewolf.
The good news is that it’s not painful, and it’s fairly straightforward to correct. Basically, the doctor said to let him know when it starts to become a problem, at which point he’ll hook me up with a hand surgeon to go in and clean out the affected tissue. Six weeks of recovery and physical therapy, and I’m good to go.
Note: I’m not looking for medical advice.
Dupuytren is less common in people my age. I guess I’m just precocious. There seems to be a correlation to diabetes as well. And it sounds like there’s a decent chance of recurrence in the long run.
Compared to some of the medical complications I’ve seen friends and family deal with, this is little more than an annoyance right now. I am a little anxious about the eventual surgery, though. I’m a writer, which is a much easier job for me to do with functional hands.
Fortunately, I should have a little while–maybe a few years?–before that becomes necessary.
The silver lining: It looks like the surgery leaves a zig-zag scar on your palm, which means after I heal, I’ll be able to tell people I stopped a Killing Curse WITH MY BARE HAND!
Mirrored from Jim C. Hines.
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barbgreetings : Happy Anniversary, Martha [+0] - athgarvan : It's over, thank God. [+5]
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- cynleitichsmith : Movie Trailer: "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" [+0]
- athgarvan : National Dawn Chorus Day [+3]
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- kmessner : Thank you: An Open Letter to Sharon Creech [+1]
- jeannineatkins : Poems in the Greenhouse [+2]
robinellen : Five on Friday... [+7]
- professornana : Duck and Cover [+0]
- cynleitichsmith : Cynsational News & Giveaways [+0]
- cynleitichsmith : Guest Post: Shirley Reva Vernick on Defining Success [+0]
- tracy_d74 : Friday Five [+6]
- mountainmist : CONVERSATION by Flannery Lunsford, 2003 [+3]
- beachdog : (no subject) [+5]
- jimhines : Collect ALL the D-seases!!! [+33]
