Longstanding

After a bit of a hiatus, I have much news to report. I spent a few days in Door County, WI, stayed at one of my favorite places, The Thorp House, and had a wonderful time hiking the trails of Penninsula State Park and meeting with some crazy locals at the Blue Horse coffehouse.

Of course, people always ask for your story. "So what do you do?" That's a question I sometimes hate answering for my answer right now is "writing a novel." And naturally, everyone thinks they can write a book too, and being the helpful kind of people that I meet, they always have the next great idea for me to write about.

So Door County was wonderful, but it was the first vacation I can ever remember being on when I couldn't wait to get home. Maybe it had something to do with my decision to attend the Odyssey workshop in New Hampshire this summer, of which I am so excited to have gotten in and have my manuscript critiqued by a fabulous group of people. The workshop can only be a good thing.

All About Children's Book Writing

I have debated joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for a while now. Author Kashmira Sheth was the first to mention it, telling me she got her agent through an SCBWI contact and that joining would be a great way to meet wonderful people in children's publishing. Still, I dragged my feet. Until finally last Saturday when I attended the SCBWI spring luncheon.

I sat at a table with fellow veggie lovers--authors Eileen Lucas, Anne Bingham, and Silvia Acevedo and illustrator Jeff Miracola. Oconomowoc Lake, one of my old stomping grounds in high school, made for a fabulous backdrop to our conversations. It was wonderful to meet many talented people and to talk specifically about writing and illustrating for children. Everyone was so willing to share their expertise.

The luncheon included a talk with Sarah Cloots, an editor from Greenwillow Books, who talked publishing and marketing. One phrase really hit home. When writers asked what books were selling, she stressed not to focus on what sells but to "write the story you have to tell." Find your own voice. In an industry where your heart can often be clouded by dollar signs, that was thrilling to hear.

As I am now an official SCBWI member, I look forward to meeting up with everyone again at future events.

A Moveable Feast

Just finished A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. When I started that book I figured it would help me with being away from writing while on vacation, figured getting inside Hemingway's head would help me to relate my feelings about writing to his experiences. I thought I'd be fascinated by his lifestyle and the people he met while in Paris. And I was. But mostly, I thrived hearing about his writing habits, both while writing and in daily living, and by the end of the book my thoughts on being a writer in general changed.

While Hemingway was great and very introspective, at least he seems to be in A Moveable Feast, I realized I admired his discipline as a writer, but I don't want to be like him. I love young adult fiction most. A few weeks ago when I had lunch with a friend she asked if I considered myself a YA writer and I had to think about it, not knowing if I liked and appreciated the label. Well, of course I don't want to be boxed in to any one category, but after several trips to the library and book stores where I stood in awe and marvel at the children's classics and new releases lined on the shelves, that is where I see myself. And this is what keeps me working.

At some point I wish to record all of the books I'm reading and have read into Goodreads. For now, a new book shall be added to my reading list.