Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I got twittered by a teacher!

I am not much of a twitterbrain or a twitterbug or a twitterbird or whatever you call it because I don't have the time nor the inclination, and would rather invest same in my books and art and LIFE...

But...today...I got twittered by a teacher I know who vaguely knows me and knows my kids well ...who has taught my kids...well.

Not a writertwitterati, mind you, but a twitterteacher.

Someday sweet teacher I will be reading my pb biography to your students.

How cool is that? What a way to start the dreary day.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Why it is so hard for people like me to get noticed

I saw this on Craig's List today:

I am in need of a publisher who can publish my children's book.
Thanks,

blah blah blah blah blah

blah blah

(this was in the NJ Bergen County jobs section)

Saturday, September 26, 2009

A kinder, gentler keyboard

Finally, a keyboard I can live with. And type with.

The kind that produces quiet clicks, a gentle touch and a springy action.

It feels good on the finger pads. It bounces the letters along.

It is responsive.

And I finished the dummy of an old and majorly overhauled script. Only took a few years but it is here and it is so much better than the original. I like it.

Progress.

I have a lot of irons in the fire and a few of them are gonna get bought. I know it.

Including this one if I can help it.

Thank you critique groups. Thank you editors.

Now back to retyping the manuscript on my new keyboard.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Momming in the Morning

On the pleasant, stress-free drive to school today I tried to have a love-in, tender 'mom'ent with my thirteen year old son.

"Did you remember to bring your lunch?"

"Yeah...whatever..."

"Did you remember to brush your teeth?"

"Yeah...whatever..."

"Did you finish all of your homework?"

"Yeah...whatever..."

"You look nice today!"

"You don't."

"Hey, watch your mouth!"

"How do I watch my mouth? I am too busy watching yours."

"True dat, Henry."


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Double entendre anyone?

"I am up for renewal myself, and probably will not renew. I rarely read the discussion board anymore, have established contacts, know how to write and submit, realize the importance of hooks and market knowledge, and can find pretty much anything on the net if I dig enough. And I know my local SCBWI conference coordinators for possible events....

And from this....

I also have a kid in college and thus much less expendable income. Ouch. (Those dummies cost a lot to send out!)"

...a reply from a friend of mine on the Blue who shall remain anonymous here was:

"Ok, obviously it's been a long day (six hours pressure-washing my fence & deck)--but I thought those sentences had something to do with each other! "


Waking up to a laugh is the best way to start a day.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Are you supposed to work on Labor Day?

Got a funny email from my college kid today asking if was going to work today.

Well, no. You don't work on Labor day. Technically, no one works on Labor Day. That actually applies to one of our computers as well.

And everyone around my house seems to be doing something constructive right now.

But I am working. I am redoing a dummy after a ms critique. Except it is not just work. It is fun. Especially when I start laughing uncontrollably at some of the scenarios I've created. This is why I do what I do. Because it gives great pleasure

I love humor and devising funny situations. And angry, sad, confused and curious ones. Because that is what life is. I have a hard time with illustrations where everyone is smiling all the time. People don't smile all the time. They are not wooden and plastic. Or sheep. Or computers.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Guts

I want all of my characters to have real guts.

Maybe because I don't. I am too emotional. But I can give them what I have always wanted in myself.

So all of my characters will be heroes.

I finished a second page of my continued pb doll book...my Christmas story. I thought it would be easy in that I could just fill a template using the first, but no that is not true. 

These books look simple but there is so much going on not only in the plotting but the art. This is not a language driven story probably because it is first person. But the language is snappy and brisk and lyrical.

Now figuring how the individual dolls work in this one, the important doll and how to bring the spirit of Xmas thru. A challenge but a fun one.

I love writing and plotting and structure of such more than ever.  But my characters must be just as important.



Tuesday, September 1, 2009

If Walls Could Talk

Once upon a time there was a little girl who moved into a small dorm room at a big university. 
She had big plans to make her small room complete. But she was going to be sharing her room with someone else.

So she emailed and Facebooked her roommate weeks before the big day to see what her roommate would bring.

On move-in day the little girls moved big and little things around and talked refrigerator and microwave and printer and scanner talk. Everything fit nicely. Fans and cables and outlets and surge protectors worked seamlessly, and bedspreads and rugs didn't clash too much.

But the real test presented itself with the finishing touches.

The posters!

Charlotte was warned.

Erika was warned.

The face off began (and as far as I know is still going strong)

The stare down between Edward and Harry continues. Who will win?

(My guess is Harry. Because Harry will be a classic. It probably already is.)