Tag Archives: children’s literature

Quote For The Weekend

I’ve been so busy writing, I haven’t blogged this week—except for this about my armchair—and now this quote for the weekend. Preschool has started up again at last (which my son loves—who wouldn’t love fingerpainting with chocolate pudding?) and I’ve had the … Continue reading

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Spa Buzz

It sounds silly, but: I survived the MWO. Within an hour of being at our desert spa destination, I toured, floated on rafties in that one charming pool, flew on tiptoes to my chaise, applied Burt’s Bees sunblock to my nose, … Continue reading

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Gypsy Sunset

Now that summer preschool camp has come to an end, life is extremely busy as I organize excursions that will benefit the small mind and help it to expand in positive, utterly enriching ways (I’m talking about the enrichment that … Continue reading

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Notes From SW

Many research scribbles in my notebook, now a crinkled, battered thing from sitting in the soak zones at the marine mammal shows. When you see dolphins, pilot whales and orcas that close, when sharks glide right over your head, when … Continue reading

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Reveries

I’ve been seeing so many people from my past lately—I mean the past past, hazy-rocketing back to elementary school and working up from there—and it’s affected my dreaming. I have hosted reunions in my dream homes, welcoming total strangers to parties … Continue reading

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Avoidance: 10:30a.m.

Terrified to read my latest revisions, terrified to admit terror to self-terrorized Self, I have: Vacuumed, cleaned the parakeet’s cage, vacuumed, watered outside, worked out (oh the lengths my terror shoves me), and almost resorted to brushing the dog. Made … Continue reading

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See World

Soon, this extremely amateur marine scientist, dolphin lover, anti-orcas-in-big-pools-putting-on-shows type, One Who Is Against Ray Petting Whether 2 Fingers Are Used Instead Of Your Whole Hand Or Not As You’re Still Diminishing The Ray’s Mucus Layer And Once That Happens They Get … Continue reading

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Watermelon People, For Instance

My head and my brain are still at the writing retreat, clicking away, processing vitals, etc. I hope they are enjoying themselves. I returned home with my son to a house packed with visitors both human and canine, dinner for 8 … Continue reading

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The Baby Blessing (With Writers)

So the baby blessing took place in my mother’s faintly overgrown backyard, guests’ heads thunked by falling trumpet vine blossoms (they are as large and as heavy as some sandwiches), the mingling of shadows and vines and succulents forcing the … Continue reading

Posted in books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, ocean related, Santa Barbara, Writer's Angst, writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retreat

Tomorrow I go off the grid and to my borrowed writing-house, get-away-pad, writing-retreat-with-fountain for a few days. Since there will be no wireless connection, I will revise sans the usual distractions (Facebook, The Pioneer Woman, Yahoo “News”, hulu) while my son eats … Continue reading

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When I Write

I might wake up many times during any night due to: Nightmares involving fedora-wearing aliens intent on making off with my son. The certainty that I have heard a loud noise, which means rising from bed and checking my son’s room and the rest … Continue reading

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Poetry, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Do I Really Feel

When an agent lets me know why he/she is passing on my manuscript after a request to read more (but not all), do I honestly appreciate the feedback? Do I? As I morph into the spitting image of Munch’s scream subject (obviously a multiply … Continue reading

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Monday Tussle

Welllllllll…Soooooooooooo…It’s one of those mornings when you use that refrain as you do a Trader Joe’s run, a shoestore run for the little guy, a Target run and a Lowe’s run because you can’t live without knowing if they have … Continue reading

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Gentle Jurassic Giant

Largest fish in the ocean Wonderful piece in the June Smithsonian about whale sharks. If, like me, you are an ocean fanatic (often more than just the armchair variety) and in the throes of revising your middle-grade novel that has everything … Continue reading

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Contest Winner

In a previous post I mentioned the YA Muses were holding a very generous contest. Winners would have the first 15 pages of their WIP or NIPR (novel in perpetual revision) read by one of the Muses. The grand prize … Continue reading

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No Whining

No whining when it’s hard to write/revise because: 1. because a dog charged your cats at 6:00a.m. and in her haste to control her animal, the owner, lunging across your front yard and bashing into the wall below your kitchen … Continue reading

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YA Muses Contest

If, like me, you welcome critique on your WIP, which is actually a complete novel you can’t stop revising, then visit the YA Muses and participate in their contest. The prizes are very generous. I hope I win. Something. Thank … Continue reading

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Finished

Perhaps it’s in bad form to compare this novel to the Twilight series, but I am struck by how much more horror-packed credible dystopia is than books with credible, contemporary vampires and their various friends and foes. Yes, I’m still … Continue reading

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There’s No Place Like Hush

It’s April. I’m quiet. I’m revising. Being a vigilant mother. Cooking for house guests (i.e. Costco-ing for house guests). Hulu-ing Parenthood (help me, Obi Wan—it’s my only vice). Typing in my quips on Facebook (help me, O.W.—it’s my only other … Continue reading

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Welcome Vibrations

A striking thing happened this morning after dropping my son off at his preschool. I returned home, did not check email, vacuum up dog hair, make a Trader Joe’s list, stare intently at Yahoo news while groaning at the spelling … Continue reading

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Valuable Information

The ever helpful YA Muses blog has wonderful posts up on the writing process and revision and what the heck writers do to make novels make sense (including cutting mass portions, creating charts—oh, go see, go see). The YAM posts … Continue reading

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Writing Fever

It’s going to take longer for me to reach my number one goal. I can’t rush this revision, even if I wanted to. Yes, domestics ALWAYS come into play when it comes to writing, such as: My son’s flu, this … Continue reading

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Books Interlude

Have you visited YA Muses? They are a lovely, helpful, inspiring quartet, all with backgrounds, current writing-situations and future-talk I appreciate. They inspire me. They give me hope, or remind me that there is hope when it comes to writing … Continue reading

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Hi Ho!

My little shining writing-prize moment of 2010 made the Kite Tales newsletter. I am the giant on the far right. (???) I will never forget hearing the name of my book called out and almost falling off the auditorium chair, … Continue reading

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Ready, Set, Write!

Preschool is a go! (See my other blog—or, not) I now have 3 hours 3 days a week to write. Am very confident that by next week (after the holiday excitement dies down around here) I will have my Number … Continue reading

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