Ugh -don't ask. When it rains in your neck of the woods, it dumps 10 inches of snow on us in October (kids are in heaven though!).

Here's what seems to be a very non-writing related topic, but it eats up so much of my writing time lately that it is making itself one.

Lots of family needs happening now, which leads me to spinning about hotel rooms. We have 3 kids and almost all rates (and those cool Expedia/Cheap Room sites) are for 2 adults, 2 kids max. Most of the time we have to call for the rate for 5 people, double checking if it is OK or not. When my kids get big and burly, we won't mind getting two rooms, but for now, we are happiest in one.

I found some great sites to help though:

http://sixsuitcasetravel.com/
http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/familyresorts/qt/family_of_five.htm
For when we get some free time http://www.vacationkids.com/famfive.php
and finally, uber activism! http://minnemom.com/2010/02/06/hotel-room-large-family-fire-code/

Blog-a-rama

School is back in session and its time to find that oh-so-necessary routine and start writing again. I'm giddy!!

I posted earlier about Blog overload. So much amazing information is out there for writers - agents, editors, fans, writers - all are putting up tips that can make your work shine. Once it reached the tipping point for me though, I had to stop reading them. Too. much. information.

BUT! I found that even with my hiatus, I kept reading a few blogs. Janet Reid's blog is not only high entertainment, but delivers need to know information with gentle sass and piazzaz.

Nathan Bransford comes across in his blog as a REALLY NICE GUY, who happens to know a lot about the publishing industry and wants to share. He has a huge following and even runs a great forum page for support.

Finally, Mary Kole is one agent who overwhelms me a bit, but who delivers honest, straight facts about writing and publishing. I never find her posts preachy, but instead really important and useful and go back to them a lot (even if I wear shades to hide myself - she's probably a very kind person, but she knows her stuff - and I'm just learning!!).

Query 101

Here's how to write a query: Don't sell me your plot or your wild child, sell me your power. Pant, growl, howl - make fingers creep to my wallet. Feed me. Let me know you are in the top level and let it roar.

Holy cow there are a lot of writing blogs and publishing advice out there. A few months ago I dove into them and slurped all the hints and tips I could find. I'm feeling pretty full right now and took a break. I just checked my Google Reader and there are weeks of advice that I have not read, and really, can't process right now.

Thankfully I just read Stephen King's On Writing and believe IT IS OK not to read them! He said conferences and workshops are a wonderful, delightful break, but not really what you need to do if you want to write (that is -you need to write!).

I love the information I got from the blogs and hope to return to devour them later, and maybe one day go to a conference so I don't feel so alone. Right now, I'll be on the fringe, and maybe do some writing!

Mini-Publishing Company

Ideas on how to motivate and inspire kids to do things we want fly like kite tails around our house. They are bold, beautiful, a bit daring and . . . often fleeting. We're all in need of improving attention, aren't we?

Well, I could go on a soapbox for hours (days, weeks my close friends will say) about the woes of organized education, with public education being the worst offender. But, I'll spare you and just point out that American kids are not WRITING like they used to. Handwriting and writing skills are minor considerations in the world of No Child Left Behind, where reading and math reign supreme.

I decided to get my kids to write more this Summer to make up for this atrocious change to schools (if you don't believe me, here's a snippet: my fifth grade son's class tossed out a monthly book project requirement to work on blogging skills and etiquette . . .). My brainstorm (here goes one of those kite tails): I started my own publishing company! I open for business every Saturday and will buy only stories that I feel like republishing (usually sending to grandma and grandpa). If they are super duper excellent, I will publish them to a wider audience and pay more. Any real profits go to the kids (a zero commission publisher!). Each kid got a notebook and are off and running.

Now the funny thing for me as a wanna-be published author is to be on the "other side." Granted there are no real pressures (like an agent or editor having to pay a mortgage), but I am looking at the stories wondering if I can find an audience. It is a very interesting perspective. I'm telling my 8 year old what I would find boring, when usually I would take his work and scream, "Print!"

If my quarter or dollar is going to his piece, I want it at least to connect with me (don't worry, I have a very generous acceptance policy once you get past the "must be related to me" requirement). Maybe one will be good enough for this blog!

The dark and failure

Darkness, kids, books - hot topics recently. I just read an article about how the latest Harry Potter movie got the darkness "right." The article stated the filmmakers were not afraid to delve into the creepy side of the books, and claimed Rowling never achieved that level of darkness herself. It says her strength was as a world builder, and not a plot builder. Hmm - something to think about.

I have not seen many of the movies, but have read all the books. I loved them (and am not alone), and did find the last book the darkest, most difficult to read on an emotional level. It was compelling for an adult and enough to make me pause about whether my ten year old should read it (he did, pulled out the spells he wanted and didn't register the dark). So personally I say she did achieve it, but was not in competition with Hollywood and visual effects, and was WRITING FOR CHILDREN. For a ten year old, the book is dark enough.

Recently YA books have come under fire for their stark portrayal of life. But have the movies that YA audiences see? I'm not a fan of dark lit, but come on, if the movies these children are shown are over the top in violence, evil and pain why should their books be held to a different standard? Are we kidding ourselves about what is OK to put in our children's heads?

My point is that there is a weird situation now where movies can push whatever envelope they would like (and lots of tickets are sold, and the images long lasting), while books are chastised for doing so. In my ideal world, it would all be reined in and children's literature and films could stay children's (not cross market for adults); but I advocate more strongly a fairness to writers about what is acceptable and what is not. Rowling did not "fail" because she didn't do a full on Hollywood book.

If movies can push the limit, so can books. If books are not doing that in a gargantuan way, perhaps we need to understand it is because they are working for their audience (CHILDREN) and not adults.

Books for the Mall Set?

Brand new blog, so I get to play with backgrounds!

Summer is here and I'm thrilled to be surrounded by my boys full time again, but not writing or blogging so much.

We are big reading family and have books popping out of every nook, but I do know that lots of other families struggle to keep their kids reading, especially during the summer. Having just visited with some girl relatives who are NOT into reading at age 13, I began to wonder what books are being marketed to them? Seriously, I know about Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid for younger kids, especially boys; and light graphic novels for older ones, but what about these girls? Easy, quick reads that make them laugh? Something about the Mall? Anyone know any books for these girls?

Completely different

I found this site and love it - sometimes I just need to know that movies for my kids won't end with the hero dead, dying, or unloved; and sometimes I just want to know if my movie is worth finishing!

http://www.ruinedendings.com/index.php

Lessons from different styles

Fiction has been a hobby for me for a long time, but this year I decided to dive in and learn about the craft - and finish something! Edits, readers, classes, books - there is so much to learn.

But I'm also learning more about writing in general. I just finished a great Memoir class (something VERY out of my comfort zone). We had a cozy group and our teacher gave us writing suggestions, then we would return each week and read a piece (if we wanted). Lots of comments were about the content of the work, because it was so interesting, but some were on the way the story worked.

What I learned is that specific details are not boring, and a reader can handle a lot of them. The generalizations (I felt sad, it was a tough time), left you craving for more. I still see images of some of the details my group wrote. It is a good lesson for fiction writers and expands on that "tell/show" thing. A laundry list of details is hard to absorb, but when specific details are woven into the story, the effect is powerful.

Lamb's Quarter

Lamb's Quarter or Goosefoot














Do you know this lovely weed? I help weed for my CSA and carry a container just for Lamb's Quarter. Vitamin A and C, phosphorus, calcium, thiamin, iron, niacin and riboflavin - what more do you want? Oh, good taste? Try a yummier version of Spinach. Fantastic.

If you have kidney issues, ask your MD, but otherwise, enjoy. We eat our fill then parboil and freeze the rest for the winter. Yum.

Dating . . .

OK MG writers - I have the evidence. Fifth grade, middle school, the dating bug has started according to my child. It is funny because when I wrote my story with a 12 year old main character, I thought I would put a tiny dose of romance in, but wondered if it were correct. The kids "talked" about going out in 4th, but it just ramped up. *Sigh* it is easier to look at this fact from a MG writer research perspective than as a mom . . .

Haha- Invasive Species Fashion

Check out this store! I am definitely shopping there for next Christmas!

Creativity

I had fun helping my kids' school for Art Day today. Lots of projects happening all day, with grades and classes mixed up. I love it.

I was with the Lego builders (did they see the Legos busting out of my house? Or do I have some stuck in my hair?). We dumped tubs of Legos out for the kids and said, "Get busy!"

Well the good news for our world is that most kids said, "Yee-Haw!" and dove in. Out of three sessions, just one little girl sat quietly, not touching a brick. I asked her what kinds of things she liked (trying to get an idea for building) and she said, "I just watch T.V. at home." BAM - I knew I had a tough one. "OK," I said, "what's your favorite show?" "I watch whatever is on." Double BAM! So I hunted out the object pieces (trees, doors, windows, a horse) and threw out ideas about building a farm, or a house for the horse. With no love for the task, she picked up the horse and sighed. I knew my BAM limit was full, so I went to ask the wild alien and fighting ship builders if they needed help. But here's the cool thing. Five minutes later she was rummaging through the pile, hunting out special bricks with all the other kids. She ended up building a funky little house-thing, but she built it!

Let creativity live, and even the most tuned out will hop on - and love it.

Great formula for building mystery

If you are a writer and don't know Nathan Bransford yet, do hop on over and check out his fabulous website and forums. Not only is it chock full of information, tips and support, but the guy does it with a kindness and joy that makes everyone feel - well, OK (which is exactly how a writer needs to feel - not the #1 best, and not the hack-of-the-year). He had a great post yesterday on crafting mysteries.

Next project

Lots of projects milling around in my head while I get some distance (in addition to living my life outside of writing!). But a really fun one I am starting is a kids' book on foraging. I LOVE foraging and my kids are addicts. I think it will be a great book and I am looking forward to working on it! I already have a title! Wild Child, Wild Food. What do you think of it?

Revise, rewrite, press forward, or trunk

I started this blog as a peppy way to involve kids in my new novel, but I've hit a bump. But I decided, bumps are important, especially for kids to see. Before I started writing, I knew good writing and bad writing - and nothing in between. I didn't think it took someone two years to write a novel because they were ripping it apart each time, just slowly working toward the end. Now I understand more, and I think it is good for kids to hear that a novel is hard work - and if they want to write one, stick with it and work hard (it will get better and better!).

This weekend I went to a library talk by a wonderful agent. She reviewed the business of publishing and gave fantastic tips and resources to wannabes (like me!!). Then, she entered full sainthood and offered to spent a half hour with anyone who wished to read some of their novel to her. She promised instant feedback and advice. Wow.

The bad news for me is that she did not like my book. She wanted more of a main character to hang onto, less other characters, and less frenzy. That's big stuff - especially after I have been editing, rewriting, editing (repeat) for at least six months. I said "thank you so much" and went home to pout and search for a health care job.

But, time heals all wounds. Two days later I am able to hear her advice and try to make a rational decision about what to do with my manuscript (that I love!). I have subscribed to more blogs than one hobby writer can handle. Many of them have interviews with published (or soon to be) authors. Some talk about "trunking" (putting away) their first manuscript, and others talk about never giving up on a novel. I start to wonder, what should I do?

First, I need to get some distance between me and this novel - that is clear. But second, I decided that I need to think about her advice and if it makes sense to me. "Making sense" to me happens when 1) I admit I had the same concern, 2) I have heard the same concern from others, and 3) I liked what she was saying. For me, #1 was my tipping point this time. I had sketched out each of my characters and there were a few (most embarrassingly the main character) who had no face. I didn't know what he looked like. Sure I know his hair is blond and eyes are green, but does he smirk, does he worry - what's his deal. The faceless character needs help. I thought I had made it exciting enough that he would just carry through, but I agree with this agent, and must beef him up.

Now I need to decide on the rewrite or trunk. That's where the distance comes in. It's a great story, lots of fun and interesting. But it can be better. After I take a break, we'll see where it goes!

Ah! The Awakening! I first saw this statue at Hains Point during a trip to Washington D.C. when I was in high school. I remember being in back of my dad's car, thinking how bored I was, and then - it took my breath away.

We went to D.C. last summer with our three children and I was so disappointed to learn it had been moved. I'm sure the people who enjoy it in Maryland now are thrilled, but I wanted my kids to experience it surging out of Hains Point just as I did. Maybe through OFF THE MAP, they will.

First Posting!

Exciting day for me! My first posting!

OFF THE MAP started with a trip to the library with my then seven year old son. He is a middle child and a voracious reader. But at seven, he was done with the easy readers, had plowed through the Magic Tree House series in a month, but really could not handle the books that his older brother told him were cool (an eleven year old can process violence and intensity better than a seven year old who spent several nights wide awake after reading a book that his brother called awesome).

We hunted for low-violence, high adventure books that were not too sappy, too short, or full of fairies. He wanted a good mystery, a fast pace and action, but not the frightening factor. The idea popped in my head of a spy-based geography series (originally planned for 13 books covering each region in the U.S. and its territories), with a reality show element thrown in for fun and to help the kids move around the country. Each book was going to have a trouble, move the series plot forward, and cover interesting geographical and historical tidbits along the way (I love travel and trivia!).

After I started outlining the series, I found that I wanted to ramp up the story and the adventure and needed to make it more intricate than a short, early reader chapter book. It was too much fun to stop planning and writing it.

So I wrote and wrote, and then edited, and edited, and edited (did I say edited? Teachers never tell you that one edit is just the beginning of good writing). And now, OFF THE MAP is ready for readers and representation! But, I already have my biggest fan. My son loved the story and still talks about the action scenes. It is worth everything to know that he enjoyed it.