Fanfare Please

I'm happy to announce my fellow critique group member, Ann Finkelstein, has debuted her own blog. Ann is the author of Science is Golden, a fabulous book about doing science experiments with children. She has also been published in Cricket, Highlights and Spider magazines, and served as Regional Co-Director for Michigan SCBWI. She is currently writing Young Adult fiction. Check out her blog here.

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I'm about to go underground for a ninth revision round of my novel. Another critiquer, Tim, has offered an insight to help me with my next and final re-write. The insight? Focus more on the central problem. This will solve the rest of my problems. I was so concerned about neglecting subplots--whoopsie--I neglected the Plot Plot. Onward ho, then. Pull up them socks and brew some tea. It's going to be a looong night. . . .

This is getting so fun.

Poetry Friday

Haiku Moment

that grassy knoll
pigeons explode
into flight

--Kay Grimnes

Kay Grimnes is a Michigan poet who has published over 300 Haiku poems in various literary journals. This one appears in the March issue of The Heron's Nest, an online publication featuring some of the best Haiku being written today.

You'll notice the syllable count is not the traditional five-seven-five format. This is because that rule originated when all Haiku was written in Japanese. Once these poems are translated to English the syllable count changes, and in many cases decreases. The more progressive philosophy is that Haiku should ideally be shorter than seventeen syllables. Of course, this makes it even harder to write well, but that's kind of the point.

I like this poem because of the political subtext and powerful imagery it evokes. Kay also happens to be just one of the six talents in my critique group. So, yeah, I tried to write some Haiku myself (I mean, really, how hard can it be?) You'll notice I haven't posted any of my efforts here. . . .

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Haiku has a commentary tradition where people write about the emotions and thoughts a poem evokes for them. Here is commentary from the same issue Kay's poem is in.

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A word from Kay about the syllable count:

I think it is easier to say that modern haiku has moved away from the 5-7-5 pattern so useful to third grade syllable counting exercises. Because of differences between Japanese and English, the poems of closer to 12-14 (rather than 17 syllables) seem to match the intent of the Japanese form.

Book Review: The Pout-Pout Fish

Written by: Deborah Diesen
Illustrated by: Dan Hanna
Farrar Straus & Giroux
Age 3-7

Deborah Diesen's The Pout-Pout Fish, with illustrations by Dan Hanna, is sure to leave pouters reconsidering their mood. With this debut offering from both author and illustrator, one is left knowing there will be more to come from both of them.

Pout-Pout thinks his grouchiness is genetic, determined by his enormous and "ever-present" pout. One by one, his ocean pals try to cheer him up, and each one is answered with the fish's weary refrain, "I'm a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place."

Diesen's rhyme echoes the rhythm of rolling waves and the pouty references pour forth with cleverness. "Hey, Mr. Fish, you kaleidoscope of mope," says the squid. Talk about your alliterative insults! Finally, a mysterious silver fish enters the scene and delivers a life-altering surprise.

Hanna's beautifully imagined pictures and ocean inspired palette is an apt pairing with this unlikely fish story. The cartoonish style lends itself to the notion that perhaps, deep down, even Pout-Pout isn't taking himself too seriously. And with a lot of smooching at the end, this is bedtime reading at its best. Pouters take heart! Love does conquer all.

Pop Goes the Easter Bunny

Yesterday my ten year old daughter spent the afternoon with a friend of ours who has no children of her own. She treats our kids like hers, which means they get spoiled and everybody is happy. After yesterday's visit, Daughter came home and we were instructed not to bother her. She was working on an "Easter Surprise" in her room. Before she went to bed last night she firmly told my husband and I that we could not look in the oven or the refrigerator. "Do any looking you need to do right now. Get your snacks, because I have to put some stuff in there before I go to bed."

She's going to be a great mother someday. We honored her wishes. And this morning we were rewarded

With this.

And these (I especially like the bent ears. So authentic.) Our friend took her to get the bunny bread and then my daughter thought of the pop can costumes ("For Daddy, because the bunny was kind of for Mom.") Her older brother said, "I think Mom's gift is a little more meaningful."

As a caffeine addict, my husband would beg to differ.

We were quite touched.

Day Job

I subbed for third grade today, and I love third graders. You can have neat conversations with them, and yet they are still innocent enough to give me unending hope for mankind. Today, as I perused some quite lovely lesson plans, the teacher left me with these parting words, "I'm just going to warn you, they've been squirrely. Good luck."

"Oh," I said, "Don't worry, we'll be fine," as is my standard response. And we really didn't have a bad day. They were a bit rodent-like in the energy department, but this is par for the course. I have a lot of energy, too, so we took plenty of little breaks during transitions and sang a little and shook our sillies out before sitting down to do serious math problems.

No. Squirreliness doesn't get to me. It's classic exchanges like the following that kind of do.


Me: I want you all looking at me for directions. (waits for eyes) When you are finished with your math quiz you are to turn it in here (points to table). There is also paper right here for you to make your story illustration on. So, you turn your quiz in here (pointing) and get another paper for your picture. Any questions? (Shaking of heads) Go ahead and get started, put your name on your paper first thing.


(They get to work. Then a student raises her hand)


Student #1: Where do I turn it in when I'm done?

Me: Like I said, right here. (points again, good naturedly, at the table).

(Time passes)

Student #2: (Handing me paper) What do I do when I'm done?

Me: (Kindly) Put the quiz over there.

Student #2: Where is the paper for my book illustration?

Me: (Understandingly) In the same spot.

Student #2: Oh.

Student #3: I'm done!

Me: Okay, can I have your eyes on me again? (Waits for eyes) You were all looking at me when I gave the instructions, but I guess some of you didn't have your ears turned on. (points, elaborately, at the table) Put your quiz Here. When you are done. Do you all see? I really would rather everybody know what to do now instead of twenty-three people asking me where to put their paper. It disrupts those who might still be working. So, where are you going to put your paper?

Class: On the table by the sink!

Me: Okay, good luck. Raise your hand if you have any questions while you're working.

(Time passes. Student #4 raises his hand. I am delighted that he is following directions. Finally, somebody's listening.)

Student #4: Um, so, what do I do with this when I'm done?

Me: I would like you to fold it into an origami leprechaun, please.

Student: Huh?

Me: Just kidding, go put it on that table.

At this point I have to hide by the pencil sharpener and have a little giggle to myself. Probably because when I was in the third grade I was a combination of students #1-4.

Oy.

So two Tabs walk into a Space Bar. . . .

I've recently been told of certain standards in text formatting and thought it my duty to present the following as a public service announcement.

Should anyone else be so ignorant as I was to these latest distinctions in style elements, I present them to you here:

You mustn't use a font without a serif on printed documents. It's too difficult to read; however,

on the web, serif-less is the way to go.

You mustn't tab five spaces at the beginning of paragraphs. One half-inch indent, if at all, is the standard practice. And Word will automatically do this for you--hence, the Tab button has been downsized right out of a job. Good old Tab, he had such a great work ethic and, while he was occasionally beaten down and taken for granted, he never failed to execute flawless measurement.

You mustn't double-space after periods. This is a very twentieth century way of doing things. Only one space after periods. One space. Is this because of Space-Bar related injuries? Is there a Space Bar union creating labor laws for Space Bars? Perhaps the Space Bars became angry over the Tab fiasco and lobbied for limited use in support of Tabs who now stand in unemployment lines, exactly five paces apart. Old habits die hard.

Which is my point exactly.

Update: My friend, Debbie Diesen, has an amusing little post of her own about this topic. Long live the old dogs. We like our old tricks.

Poetry Friday

Signs of Spring

The laugh
of the brook
as it flows
to the sea,

The warmth
of the sun
and the bud
on the tree,

The song
of the bird
and the blue
of the sky--

Are nature's
sure signs
cold winter's
gone by.

--May Frost Stover


When I was nine years old my grandmother gave me a book of poetry by Michigan poet, May Frost Stover. The title is "Snores" and Other Poems for Children. This author is no longer living, her book is long out of print, but she was the first author I ever wrote a letter to. I recently came across the postcard she sent me in return.

She thanked me for my comments on her poems and encouraged me to keep writing stories and plays. As a nine year old, to have a "real" author take me seriously evoked much awe. I've had many "real" authors urge me on me since then, but Ms. Stover's encouragement stands out in my mind compared to similar adult experiences. It is a little golden childhood moment, polished even shinier with remembering, I suppose. This is why I write for kids. The art of growing up is a struggle. To potentially affect a childhood through art is an honor.

Waiting. . . .

Let's think of something to do while we're waiting
While we're waiting
Anticipating. . . .
I don't remember the rest of the words to this Mr. Roger's classic, but I am waiting. Yesterday I mailed a grant application for my novel in progress. This looming deadline has been the heart of my motivation for a couple of months, most recently pushing me to finish just one more complete rewrite before I submitted.

So I have to wait several months. I suppose writers need to get used to the waiting, but I suspect (or at least hope) that I'm a better writer than I am a waiter. So let's think of something to do while I'm waiting, shall we? Here are some ideas

Oh, yeah, I know. I could write.

The Frog Prince

Okay, I'm posting a quite disturbing piece of photoshop on my blog because:

A. Worth1000 had a photoshop contest and this was one the entries. A rather startling interpretation of an angel if you ask me.

B. I'm feeling punchy because I've finished my draft and I don't want to think anymore for a couple of days.

C. It's like a car wreck. I mean, as a Muppets fan, I'm appalled and yet I can't take my eyes off them. Kermit just should not have a six pack, folks. And, by the way, who knew Miss Piggy had such dainty little feet?

D. You're right, Kermit, it's not easy being green, and yet I've never seen Miss Piggy look so happy. Thanks to Fuse #8 for the pic.

SCBWI Networks Day

On Saturday I hosted one of the Michigan area "Networks Days." This is an outreach for SCBWI (Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) and the guests were a diverse mix of backgrounds and interests along with people from my own critique group. They seemed so happy to come, and happy people make me happy. Here are some more pictures of happy people.
From left to right: Amy Huntley (In the background) Melissa Shanker, Beth McBride, Maryann Gamel and Ruth McNally Barshaw. You can also see some of Ann's head but there's a better pic of her further down.
From left to right this is Tim Bogar, Ruth Barshaw and Debbie Diesen, my critique group buddies. Debbie's book, The Pout Pout Fish is coming out this month. Ruth's new Ellie McDoodle book is out in July.
This is Ann Finkelstein talking with April, our critique group member who now lives in Iowa. We're thinking of video conferencing her in next time. :o)
Ann started our group about ten years ago. The current mix of seven (except for our new lovely, Amy) has been consistently together for the last eight years. There have been four books published from our members in that time. . . alas, I've not made a contribution as yet :o)
From left to right it's Karen O'Connor, (a former critique group buddy we're happy to be back in touch with) and new friends Charla Yingling and Gay Anderson.
Kay, Ruth, Tim and me (who is trying not to block Ruth's face for the camera), as the last guests depart. Everyone brought so much creative energy and genuine excitement for what we do. What could be better than that? I am blessed to be a part of such a warm, supportive artistic community. When pursuing a living in the Arts, it sure is nice to get together with people who appreciate the joys and challenges, and who agree it's worth the struggle in the end.

Tidbits

I'm taking a little break to post some links to a few interesting things I've seen lately. First, Gary D. Schmidt, one of my all time favorite authors has a new book coming out in April called Trouble. Read a great review at Fuse #8.

Now, onto some really good submission advice from Darcy Pattison. Her blog is full of useful information for all writers.

And finally, John Scalzi, a writer for adults, gives some blog space to the financial realities of the writing life. He's a funny guy, and this is a reality check to those of us who ever indulge in the occasional champagne wish and caviar dream. Thanks to Laurie Halse Anderson for the link.

Now, back to revisions and dinner-making.

Marathon Quick Draft

I am in the homestretch with my WIP rewrite and so posts are going to be in the form of quick updates over the next week or so. 2/3 of the draft is done and with any luck I'll finish by next Wednesday.

Lately I've noticed people putting WIP updates in the sidebars of blogs. I'm trying to decide if I want to feel that accountable. In the past I've put goals up in the kitchen to keep myself meeting self-imposed deadlines. While my kitchen cabinets are probably more public than my blog at this point, it still seems a little risky. I think I'll do it. After I meet this next deadline. . . .

World's Largest Snowman

Well, it's not really "The World's Largest Snowman." That honor goes to a 122 foot high snowwoman in Bethel, Maine, documented yesterday and named after their senator, Olympia.

Our daughter built ours. Those are M&M's for eyes and nose and two orange slices for lips.

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There is much excitement around our house when this type of snow is plentiful. The packy sort. It's kind of like a trip to the beach, only with snow castles instead of sand ones, and the same wistfulness when the work of art is complete. He'll melt soon and leave orange slices for some lucky oriole come spring.

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That's okay, since he's right smack in the middle of the yard where the sprinkler goes. We are ready for spring, but, watching my daughter work so carefully, I'm reminded of the dwindling number of winters we have left to watch her do things like this. I'm snapping her picture and pondering the words of Laura Ingalls Wilder. "Now is now. It can never be a long time ago."