How Do You Know You Don't Like It?

When I was a little girl, my parents had one hard and fast rule at the dinner table. We weren't allowed to say that we didn't like it if we hadn't even tried it. And because our taste buds change over time, we had to give our least favorite foods a try every now and again, just in case. Because we were encouraged required to keep an open mind and to try new things, I discovered a love for many foods I otherwise wouldn't have tried, based on the look/smell/texture alone. (FYI: It took me 23 years to learn to like cantaloupe, and I hate shrimp every time I try it, but even though I'm no longer living with my parents, I still make myself try it at least every 18 months, just in case my taste buds have changed.)

Over the years, I've learned that my parents' dinner time rule applies to much more than exotic new foods. Any time we make up our minds about someone or something without "trying it" first, we run the risk of missing out on something wonderful.

When I was in elementary school, there was a girl in my class who had been terribly burned when she was very small. She had disfiguring scars across her face, and most of my classmates avoided her because she looked strange. But if they had taken time to get to know her, they would have discovered what I already knew: Tammy was amazing! She was sweet and kind, and she had a way of always seeing the best in people. She had a way of looking past the superficial and seeing the good inside a person's soul. My life wouldn't have been the same without her influence.

A few years ago, when we moved to Maryland, I spent quite a bit of time researching the schools in the area and chose my home in part based on where my children would attend school.  I prayed about it and felt certain that this would be the best environment for my family. And so I bought a house, secure in the conviction that my children would receive the best education possible.

But then several of my new friends and acquaintances questioned my decision to send my children to the middle school for which we were districted. One of my best friends moved to a neighboring town mainly to avoid the very school I'd picked. And many people urged me to do the same. Apparently, the middle school I'd researched so thoroughly had a reputation. Everyone in town knew that it simply wasn't a good school. The academics were substandard (no matter what the standardized test results said), the extracurriculars were laughable and the environment was downright scary. I couldn't afford to move, and we arrived in Maryland too late in the year to apply for one of the available magnet schools. We were stuck with the undesirable middle school, and I sent my oldest child off to his first day of 6th grade with a healthy dose of trepidation.

Our first few months were rocky, to say the least. I spent much of my time looking for confirmation that the school's reputation was deserved. And I found it. The teachers were uncommunicative, my son's grades were slipping... he was floundering and they didn't seem to care... we were miserable.

But then, something happened. A major miscommunication between me and my son's teachers - one that confirmed in my mind every single negative thing I'd ever heard about this school. And I decided I had no choice but to home school my children. I walked into the principal's office and demanded to speak to her. I laid out all of the issues, all of the problems, every reason I felt justified in pulling my son out of her horrible school. And she listened to my concerns without lashing back at me. Then she called a meeting with my son's entire team of teachers to discuss the issues. And we talked.

Almost overnight, this "horrible" school became the best thing that ever could have happened to my son. He was excited about learning again. He couldn't wait to get to school in the morning. And his grades steadily improved, until he was back on the honor roll. By the time my daughter started 6th grade, we were thrilled with this absolutely amazing middle school!

No, I didn't single-handedly fix a troubled school. As it turns out, the school was already pretty amazing. I simply didn't see the great things because I was so determined to believe the negative. I had decided I didn't like it without really trying it. Just like when I was a child, determined to abhor the suspicious-looking casserole Mom served for dinner, and I would choke down tiny bites of food, careful not to let the tiniest morsel touch my tongue. Once I stopped the drama and really took a taste, I discovered that it was actually delicious.

As you know, we've recently moved again. And again, our new house puts us smack dab in the middle of the school zone for the middle school and high school in the scary part of town. For about 3 months prior to our move, we heard about how terrible these schools are. When we arrived and checked in on base, we were presented with the name and number of the military advocate who could help us get permission to transfer to other schools. Everyone told us we were crazy for even considering enrolling our children there. I wondered. I wavered. I vacillated. I started researching the other options.

But then, my children reminded me of our experience in Maryland. "Let's just try it, mom. If we don't like it, we can think about trying to transfer later. But it might be better than everyone says."

We just finished our first week of school. And I'm so glad I "took a taste!" Because my kids were blessed with such great teachers in Maryland, they are more advanced academically than many of their classmates, which has necessitated some extra work in setting up their schedules. As a result, I've spent an hour or two each day at both the middle school and the high school. I've met the administrators and counselors, and I've had the opportunity to watch the students as they move from class to class and interact with their teachers. These "scary schools" are the cleanest middle school and high school I've ever seen. I didn't see any litter on the ground or graffiti on the walls. The students are courteous and considerate, and as a whole, they seem to be very respectful. I didn't hear the f-bomb (or really any profanity) ringing through the halls. And everyone - students, teachers, administrators - seems driven to help each other succeed! (Disclaimer: Of course the kids at these schools aren't perfect. It's not like they're automatons or something. I did witness one incident at the high school where a student was trying to get a teacher to take care of some paperwork for him, but the teacher was in the middle of rushing to the assembly he was conducting and couldn't do it right away. There was a slight argument and semi-raised voices on both sides of the disagreement, but I was impressed to note that neither the student nor the teacher lost their tempers, and after less than a minute of discussion, the matter was resolved - the student would return in about 15-20 minutes, and the teacher could help him at that time.)

Yes, I'm sure there are problems that crop up from time to time at these "problem schools." Is there a high school or middle school anywhere that doesn't have its share of fights in the hallways or students who feel like they're being picked on? I'm sure these schools aren't the exception. They aren't perfect. But I wonder how many of those who warn me about these schools have actually visited the campuses? How many of them are relying on the rumors they've heard? How do they know they won't like it if they haven't even tried it?

I'm grateful for the lesson my parents taught me at the dinner table so long ago. And I'm glad my children had the wisdom to remind me of this universal truth this week. You'll never know how good something might be if you don't even give it a chance. (FYI: brussels sprouts are delicious!)

Please be Patient :)

I'm in the middle of a big move (Maryland to New Mexico), and I haven't had reliable access to the internet for most of this month. I finally have an appointment scheduled to get internet connected at our new house in New Mexico, but the earliest they can get me in is next week. Please be patient with me, as my blog will be silent for a while longer. I hope to be back up and running by the first week of September at the latest!

Leaps of Faith

Today was the first Sunday of the month, a day generally designated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) as "Fast Sunday." This is not, as my sister used to believe when we were young, "the day everyone goes home from church really fast, so they can eat." It is a day when we are asked to fast (go without food and drink) for two meals, while increasing our prayers and turning our focus to the Lord. Often, we dedicate our fasting toward a certain, specific problem we may be facing, or a loved one who is ill and in need of extra prayer. And usually, our Fast Sundays include a testimony meeting during our worship services. In these meetings, instead of the usual prepared messages, members of the congregation are invited to come forward and share their testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel. In sharing our experiences and our insights with one another, we are often able to help each other through trials we might not even know we shared. This was definitely the case for me today.

Today, as I prepared to begin my fast, I prayed for strength and guidance regarding our upcoming move to New Mexico. Although there are many positive aspects to this relocation (we'll be closer to my family, for instance), I freely admit that I don't want to move. I love Maryland. I love my home here, my friends, my neighbors, the schools my children attend... I love it here. This is home. And so, as difficulties have cropped up over the past few weeks (as they always do with a move), I've found myself grumbling more and more: "See? Moving stinks. Can't someone please tell the Air Force we should just stay here??"

This morning, I humbled myself and asked the Lord once more to help me accept this relocation. I asked for strength and guidance as I prepare to face this final week in Maryland, that I might be able to finish all of the unfinished projects quickly to get our house ready to rent, so we'll be able to leave early next week. And I prayed that all would be well with us, even though the unknown adventures waiting for us in Albuquerque scare me to death.

Then, I sat in the testimony meeting, marvelling at the way the Lord sent so many of His children to comfort me in my time of need. First, my sweet 10-year-old daughter stood and stared straight into my eyes as she declared that she knows that Jesus is the Christ and that he loves us, and he has given us a prophet on the earth today, to lead us back to Him. Then, one by one, friends and neighbors stood to testify of the Lord's grace and power as He shepherded them through trials they didn't realize they had been strong enough to face. Over and over again, I heard stories about when my friends had faced great obstacles, and how they had, through faith and trust, found the courage to step into the unknown. Each expressed gratitude that they had been willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, taking a step into the dark and trusting that the Lord wouldn't lead them astray.

As I listened, I remembered many times in my own life that the Lord's path for me differed from the one I wanted to take. And each time, when I followed the scary, unknown path He set for me, I found rewards greater than I could have imagined waiting for me at the end.

* When I was in junior high school, my dad got a job across the state, and I had to say goodbye to my tiny handful of friends. I was certain that I would be unwelcome in my new school, that I'd be the weird new girl who no one would want to be friends with. Instead, I found a large group of friends waiting for me, many of whom I'm still in contact with today.

* When I graduated from high school, I dreamed of going to college at an Ivy League school, far away from home (where I could have a full, fresh start for this next chapter of my life). Instead, I wound up at the University of Wyoming, only 45 miles from home... and I met the love of my life.

* After college, we planned to go to graduate school... but instead, my husband joined the Air Force, and we wound up stationed at Beale AFB, California. And so we were living near one of the top facilities for treating brain tumors when mine was discovered.

I could go on for days, listing all of the times when life took me down a road that seemed to be exactly the opposite of what I had planned, and in every case, without exception, I was grateful for the detour in the end. I'm certain that I'll find countless blessings waiting for me in Albuquerque. Something amazing that I didn't dare hope for. I just need to have the courage to leap into the darkness, trusting the Lord to be my wings.

What's in a Name? Titles Do Matter!

In preparing for our big move, I've been sorting through all of my old files this week, getting rid of the excess. In the process, I've made some fun discoveries (the story with which I won first place in the Wyoming Young Author's contest in first grade) and some eye-opening revelations (turns out, the idea for the YA novel I started writing in 2008 was sketched out in a short story I wrote way back in my junior year of high school!)

Then I came across a stack of clippings from my brief time as a staff writer for a small-town weekly newspaper in Gillette, Wyoming.


Now, I have to admit that choosing titles has never been an easy task for me, but I know that a title can make or break your story. I was particularly proud of the headline I came up with for my first published article: "Wright does it right for Wright Days 96."

The article was just a basic write-up with information on the upcoming festivities, but the headline was catchy enough to draw attention to my small article at the bottom of the page. Response to my first article was positive enough that I received another assignment for the next issue. This time, however, my editor changed the headline just before publication, because my original suggestion (something along the lines of "Runners Enjoy Fajitas after the Annual Nose Run") wasn't catchy enough. However, the headline that appeared in the paper ("Nose runners eat fajitas") conjured up a plethora of unpleasant images. Even though this second article was better written and featured at the top of a two-page spread in the paper, complete with photos, the biggest response received was, "That headline was kind of gross."

I learned two lessons from this experience that influence my writing today:

1. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself! I was very uncomfortable with the re-written headline, but I was young and insecure, and I was afraid to say anything. After the issue was published and public response to my article was less-than-positive, my editor asked why I hadn't pointed out the gross-factor of her headline. My only excuse was fear. If I had spoken up, we probably could have come up with something clever and catchy together.

2. First impressions mean a lot! Even though my second article was the better of the two, most people never discovered that, because they were put off by the headline. You wouldn't wear torn jeans and a stained t-shirt to a job interview. Take the time to dress your stories for success as well, with the best title for the tale.

What My 20-year-old Self Would Tell Me

Going through old boxes of papers in preparation for our move, I discovered this:

This paper was from an exercise I did in one of my college classes. Turns out, the younger version of me had a lot more self-confidence than I do now. I think I need to work on getting back to that!

A Small Dose of Rainbows and Bubbles

If you know me at all, then you know I don't like to dwell on negative things. I've been often accused of living in a world full of rainbows and bubbles. I'm an eternal optimist, and I don't like to think that there might be people in this world who could or would ever intentionally hurt someone else.

On days like today, when the whole Internet is exploding with reactions to the tragic shootings in Aurora, Colorado, it's not so easy to see the rainbows, and the bubbles pop far too easily.

On days like today, my natural smile fades, and I start to wonder if people aren't as good as I like to believe.

On days like today, I sometimes need to take a moment to refocus my filter - to look through the lens of all the goodness that's everywhere around me, so I'm not discouraged by the tragedy. So, this post will not be about what I'm feeling in reaction to today's news. Instead, I want to take a moment and remember that most people really are trying to make this world a better place for everyone in it.

My mother told me about her recent trip to help two of my sisters. First, she stopped in Utah to help out my youngest sister, who is struggling with a very difficult pregnancy and having trouble keeping up with her very active little girls. Mom cleaned the kitchen and caught up on the laundry - all of the little things that mean so much but seem so impossible when you're sick.

When she got to the airport to fly out to my other sister's house, Mom discovered that, due to a miscommunication and a few wrong clicks online, she had missed her flight. The lady at the check-in counter was super helpful and managed to book Mom on the flight she thought she was scheduled for. But by the time the ticket was changed and bags checked, Mom had only 10 minutes to get to the gate - and the line for security was LONG! Mom said she was on the phone with my dad as she ran to the security check, and when she saw the line, she nearly cried. She explained to him that she was going to miss her flight after all.

But then, a minor miracle occurred. Someone in the line overheard her conversation. He let her go ahead of him. And then another person did the same. And another. And another. The crowds of people waiting in line to get through security (many of whom, I'm sure, were in a hurry to get to their own flights) stepped aside and let my mom pass through to the front of the line.

And she made her flight on time.

Because people are basically pretty wonderful, and when given the opportunity, most people will choose to do the kind thing. Most people want a chance to serve their fellow men. Most people would be quite happy in my little world of rainbows and bubbles.

A little closer to home, I also experienced a minor miracle yesterday.

Yesterday was extremely stressful for me. Trying to pack and sort and pare down in preparation for a cross-country move that's coming at me far too quickly, I was overwhelmed and afraid that I'd never be able to do it all on time. My well-meaning friends and family members, who tried to help me by pointing out all of the things I wasn't doing right... didn't help. By late afternoon, I collapsed in tears and gave up. I decided I'd never get it all done, and I'd have to pay extra fees for going over our military moving weight limit. And I'd probably not be able to find a renter for my house, and so I should expect to quickly drain my savings and watch my home go into foreclosure, ruining my credit and losing my house in the process. And I wouldn't have any time to see any of my friends to say goodbye before we move, and so they'd probably all be angry with me and never speak to me again. And I didn't even know what to make for dinner!

But then, I realized: one of my friends had offered to make dinner for us. I didn't have to worry about that!

The love involved in that one small act of service was enough to stop my downward spiral of fear and worry. And when I started to look at things a little bit more clearly, I realized that nothing was as bad as I feared. I've made a lot of progress on my moving to-do list. I'll be able to finish on time. And I have over a week between the day the movers come to pack up our things and the day we leave Maryland. Over a week where my only commitments will be saying goodbye to friends here (and a little bit of painting and touch-ups on the house to get it ready for renting).

I can do this.

All it took was one small act of service from a friend who didn't even know how much I needed it.

So today, as I'm struggling with sorrow and despair over the news coming out of Colorado, I've decided to look for the good. To focus once again on the rainbows and bubbles - the beauty of the world that still shines, even in the midst of great tragedy. And I'll look for something that I can do to pass those rainbows forward. Because love is the greatest power on Earth, and it can heal the deepest hurts.

What about you? How will you show love today? How have others shown love to you?

Book Review: BEWARE THE NINJA WEENIES by David Lubar

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. I failed to take that into account when I picked up BEWARE THE NINJA WEENIES: AND OTHER WARPED AND CREEPY TALES by David Lubar. This is the sixth book in Lubar’s “Weenies” series of short stories, and in all honesty, I've been avoiding this series, because I don't like "that kind of book." But this wasn't the book I thought it would be! I expected to find stories rife with potty humor and crass jokes, similar to the Captain Underpants series of books. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find a collection of clever and thought-provoking speculative fiction stories.

In this collection, the reader will find a boy who is so involved in his video game that he doesn’t notice a real alien invasion and a girl who might destroy the universe in the process of discovering its secrets. Children will meet broccoli that learns how to talk and pleads for its life, an alien who performs in a sideshow act, and many more fascinating characters. Lubar’s tales include plenty of the gross factor to appeal to young readers*, but he doesn’t rely on the “ewww, gross” response to carry the stories forward. Like Isaac Asimov for young people, this collection of short stories is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever wondered, “what if?”

* (I was going to say that the gross factor appeals to young boys, but then I thought of my own dear daughter, who loves stories that make everyone around her cringe. Let's face it: Love of gross things is a universal kid trait and not gender-based at all!)

Yippeee!

Yay!!

Yippeee!!

WooHoo!!

Hooray!!

I finished all of my writing goals! Now, I can take a little bit of a writing break (I'm cutting back to only thirty minutes or at most, one hour per day, and I'm NOT starting any new projects!) while I get ready to move to Albuquerque in less than a month. Thanks, everyone, for your love and support!!

Can We Be Serious for a Moment? (Ummm.... Probably Not)

As promised, last night I finally sat down and tackled pre-conference challenge #6 on the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog, in preparation for the upcoming regional conference. I've been procrastinating this one for almost two weeks now, not because it was a particularly difficult challenge, but because I had too many possibilities! The challenge? Take a famous quote (from a movie, a book, a song, a well-known saying) and use it as a first line to a story. Write the openings for two different stories using that same well-known quote. One should be light and humorous, while the other is dark and serious.

I spent over a week trying to decide which quote to use!! I considered:

* You can't judge a book by its cover.
* Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
* Nobody's perfect.
* The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
* Time flies when you're having fun.
* Laughter is the best medicine.
* Reading in the dark will ruin your eyes.
* Actions speak louder than words.

Which one to choose? I couldn't make up my mind.

So I asked my husband for help. He suggested: "I reject your reality and substitute my own." or "Failure is always an option." (both quotes - Adam Savage from Mythbusters) But which one should I use? More choices did not make the decision easier! I needed someone to provide me with ONE quote that I would have to stretch my brain to work into a story.

So I turned to my son. As I should have expected, he suggested "Luke, I am your father." Okay, I could work with that. I sharpened my story pencil and pulled out my notebook. But before I could begin writing, he changed his mind and gave me a different quote.

The most disturbing movie quote EVER....

"I know. Somehow, I've always known." (Bonus points if you know what movie that line is from and WHY it is the most disturbing, shudder-inducing movie quote ever!!)

So I started with the light/humorous:

I know. Somehow, I've always known. Probably because my mom has been drilling it into my head for like, my entire life. Still, I'm always amazed at how many people just don't get it. You should never combine plaids and floral prints in the same outfit!

Moving on to the dark/serious:

I know. Somehow, I've always known. It's not a feeling you can describe, really. Knowing the exact day and time your pet turtle is going to make a break for it....

Ummmm..... yeah. Turns out, I'm not so good at the dark/serious kind of writing. (As my family told me last night: "Duh!") I like to laugh too much to ever take things very seriously!! But I'm also stubborn. As you know, I can't let a challenge go lightly. So I worked and agonized until I came up with this:

I know. Somehow, I've always known. That doesn't make any of this easier. George said he would come back for me after, but the truth is, there is no 'after.' Not for George.

Yep, it's cheesy and cliche. I could probably improve it by working farther into the story. But I had to stop myself before it became another story about a pet turtle making a run for freedom. My son told me that the funniest part about this whole challenge was watching me try to be serious, because it's such a difficult/unnatural state for me. I'm too upbeat and happy. I think I can live with that kind of reputation. :)

Conferences, Contests and Challenges

As you know from my previous post, I've had a pretty full to-do list lately. I haven't been very active on any of my social media accounts, and I've recently discovered that I apparently don't know how to schedule a blog post in advance, because the book review I tried to schedule didn't go up.

I'm pleased to report, however, that I'm making great progress on my writing goals, and I hope to be able to report on Friday that I've finished all of the projects I'd hoped to complete before the SCBWI MD/DE/WV regional conference this weekend. I promised myself (and my family) that starting next week, I'll cut back on the writing time slightly to focus more fully on our move. I've decided that, if I can get all of these polishing revisions finished by this weekend, I can designate my writing time for the next several weeks, until we're settled in Albuquerque, to sending out query letters, entering contests and accepting a (small) writing challenge or two. I'll let my other established works in progress wait until the dust settles a bit.

Of course, there were a few contests and challenges I couldn't let go until next week.

At the end of June, I entered my YA contemporary novel, KISSING FROGS into Brenda Drake's Doggone Voice Workshop, and I've received some valuable critiques from that. I can't wait to polish my manuscript a little bit more with these responses in mind!

This morning, I woke up before my alarm and submitted my polished picture book manuscript to the Christmas in July agent blog contest, sponsored by Michelle Krys and Ruth Lauren Steven. I'm determined not to obsess (much) about the results, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. (That's the benefit of an overflowing to-do list. No time to think!) - Update! I got an honorable mention on Michelle Krys' site!! Yay!!

I've also entered for a chance to win one of THREE chapter critiques from Lisa Burstein (and her editor, Stacy Cantor Abrams!! and her agent, Susan Finesman!!) in celebration of her newly-published YA contemporary novel, Pretty Amy.

And I put my name in the virtual hat for a chance to win a query (or first page) critique from Agent Amanda Lewis on the I Write for Apples blog.

Of course, I'm still working on the Pre-Conference challenges on the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog as well. (Update! I finished all 8 challenges!! Yay!!) In fact, I finished up #7 (of 8) this morning. (I still haven't tackled #6, but I'm going to do that as soon as I post this - I promise!) Challenge #7 was to write several ho-hum sentences to describe your 4th of July celebration, and then rework those sentences into vibrant, active paragraphs for a sparkling mini-story.

My sentences:
* The streets were packed with people waiting for the parade to begin.
* The sun was hot.
* We had no shade, other than the umbrellas we brought.
* The parade was long, but it was fun.

Boring, right? Hopefully, this is much better:

Chairs popped up along the sidewalks in the second week of June, patiently waiting through rain and shine to reserve the best spots for viewing the Catonsville 4th of July parade. By the time we arrived downtown, fifteen minutes before start time, we were already two weeks too late to grab a good spot. The sun blazed overhead and not a single cloud took pity on us. Even the shadows cast by our umbrellas offered little relief from the sweltering heat. Sweat trickled down my back, drenching my shirt, and the slight breeze that danced through the flags hanging from street lights wasn't enough to cool my skin.

"Maybe we should go out for ice cream instead," I thought. "I've seen parades before."

But before I could say anything, with a flash of lights and the scream of sirens, a line of firetrucks rumbled down the street. Marching bands, classic cars, bagpipes, stilt walkers and even a drag racer paused to entertain us as they passed by our chunk of sidewalk. Handcrafted floats, led by tired but enthusiastic elementary school students promenaded past our little corner. As the sun dipped below the roof line of the downtown Catonsville buildings, casting long shadows over us, the final parade performers marched past. Two and a half hours sweltering in the sun was never quite so satisfying. Nothing beats the Catonsville 4th of July parade!

Taking a Break... Sort of

Update! I am almost finished knitting the samples for my Recycle Knit book. Most of the pictures are now up on my website. Take a look and tell me what you think!!

 

I'm sorry for the silence on my blog recently. I've been extremely busy lately, and the craziness isn't likely to let up for the next few weeks. On my to-do list:

* Revise/polish my picture book manuscript Done!
* Revise my MG novel  Done!
* Knit up samples of all projects in my Recycle Knit book (and finish writing the proposal) Done!
* Finish all pre-conference challenges from the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog - Done!
* Organize my house in preparation for our upcoming move - I'll tackle this next week!

It all has to be done by mid-July! At least, that's the plan. I'd like to complete my writing goals before the regional SCBWI conference on July 14th, and since our move is coming up right on the heels of the conference, I need to get the moving checklist in order by the same time.

So I won't be writing any long, insightful blog posts for the next several weeks. And I probably won't be hanging out on twitter and facebook as much as usual for now. I'll probably have a few short book reviews to post in the meantime, and I'll be back online as soon as I can whittle the to-do list down to only one or two projects.

Thanks for understanding!

Book Review: JUST FLIRT

JUST FLIRT by Laura Bowers

Dee Barton loves to flirt. It’s fun, and she’s good at it. Flirting makes everyone involved, flirter and flirtee, feel good. And a  little fun is exactly what Dee needs in order to forget her sorrows. It’s been a rough fifteen months, with her father dying, her ex-boyfriend dating Sabrina Owens, and the financial strain on the family campground she and her mother are trying to keep up. A little harmless flirting seems to be just what the doctor ordered. But when a blog called the Superflirt Chronicles puts her in the middle of a devastating lawsuit, she’ll have to team up with her biggest enemy, Sabrina, to make things right.

Bowers weaves an intricate story of fun and flirty summer days, riddled with miscommunications and misconceptions that are sure to keep the readers guessing. Touching on tough issues like grief, abuse and deception in a real and fully approachable way, this book is a fun and lighthearted, "summer beach read" with plenty of substance to carry through to the rest of the year.

Disclaimer: I've gotten to know Laura Bowers through my local chapter of SCBWI, and she's an amazing person as well as an amazing writer. But I don't think I'm biased in my review. Read the book and judge for yourself. You won't be sorry you did. :)

Woo Hoo!

As I promised yesterday, I spent today tackling Challenge #3 from the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog: As the Eraser Burns. This challenge was another "easy" one that turned out to be not quite so easy. (Are you noticing a trend here? I'm starting to suspect there might be a reason my dear, sweet hubby always accuses me of making everything more complicated than it needs to be.)

The challenge was to take a moment to give yourself a "Woo Hoo!" for all of the things, both big and small, that you've accomplished recently. Too often, when we're doing well, we only focus forward on the next big hurdle. "I'll stop and celebrate after..." But we never stop to celebrate. Once we clear the hurdle, we're looking forward to the next one, and then the next... and the only time we ever stop to look back at what we have done is when we stumble and fall. Then, we only look back and see what we should have done better.

That's the idea behind this week's challenge. We were supposed to take some time to make a list of everything we have done - all of our recent accomplishments - and then take a little bit of time to stop and celebrate. Simple, right?

I set aside the whole day for this challenge!

First, the list:

In the past month, I have:
  * Written a new first draft of a middle grade novel - in 72 hours!
  * Done a full revision on my young adult novel... then sent it to a friend for critique... then started another revision
  * Revised one of  my picture book manuscripts... submitted it to my critique group... had a brilliant brainstorming session with the critique group, where they totally helped me fix my flat ending... revised the manuscript again and sent it back to the group for more feedback
  * Figured out how to add comments and a search feature to my author website... and figured out how to link my blog and my author website together!
  * Developed two new patterns for the Recycle Knit book I'm writing (pictures of the finished products to be posted soon - probably early next week, but maybe sooner)
  * More consistently updated my website and blog
  * Signed up to attend the regional SCBWI conference next month

... and that's just my writing accomplishments! On top of all that, I have:
  * Knitted 2 tote bags, several necklaces, four bracelets and a hat from recycled plastic bags
  * Made 3 wooden decorative signs as end-of-the-year teacher gifts for my daughter's favorite teachers
  * Coordinated all of the medical paperwork/appointments I need to do before we can get clearance for our next assignment
  * Chaperoned an all-day (6am to 10pm) field trip to the Eastern Regional Music Festival with my daughter
  * Attended end-of-year awards assemblies / picnics for all four children (2 of which happened in the middle of my 72-hour middle grade madness challenge!)
  * Volunteered to serve goodies at the elementary school 5th grade farewell
  * Started sorting through things to get ready for our move

... and that doesn't include all of the every day accomplishments, like making dinner, folding laundry and playing referee when the kids are at each other's throats.

I've accomplished A LOT!!

Woo Hoo!!!!

To celebrate, I set aside most of the day today to relax. I went to the Temple this morning (I try to go once a week - it really helps to rejuvenate me and give me the strength I need to get through the busy days), and I planned to spend the afternoon baking bread with my daughters before settling down to watch a movie with the family.

It was a great plan.

Unfortunately, I was running late this morning, so I didn't get to the Temple as early as I'd planned. This set my schedule back a bit, but I wasn't concerned. Still plenty of time to get in lots of relaxing - and I enjoy my time at the Temple so much that I really don't mind when it takes longer than I plan.

But then I got stuck in traffic (all 4 lanes of highway completely closed for some reason for more than an hour) on the way home, and by the time I got through the mess, there was no time for baking bread. And I was planning on using the bread for sandwiches to eat for dinner while we relaxed together with a movie!

I was tempted to grumble and complain and grump about the kink in my plans.... And, yeah, I admit it... I gave into temptation. I grumbled quite a bit before I realized this is NOT what Challenge #3 was all about! The point was to have fun and acknowledge the things I've done, not to have some perfectly coordinated moment I could brag about later!

So, we made whole wheat waffles (with the homemade mix I threw together on Sunday afternoon) instead of bread, and we still had yummy chicken sandwiches for dinner while we watched "Pure Country" - one of my favorite movies from when I was in high school.

Woo Hoo!!

(And one more Woo Hoo! for the fact that I am now ALL CAUGHT UP on the pre-conference challenges. Now, I'm ready to tackle challenge #4 when they post it tomorrow!)

My Favorite Books: Why Do I Love Them?

As promised, tonight I am tackling Conference Challenge #2 from the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog. The challenge?
"I want you to make a list of all your favorite children’s books throughout the years: When you were a kid, when you were in middle school, as a teenager, and as an adult.
Then ask yourself. Why do I love this book?...How can I use these elements to improve my current work-in-progress?"

It seems like a fairly easy challenge, but I've been putting it off and kind of dreading it for nearly two weeks now. Because choosing favorite books is like choosing a favorite food. I can't do either one. Sometimes, I'm in the mood for something sweet and soft. Sometimes, I want something a little bit salty. Sometimes, I really need something that has a kick to it. My favorites have always changed from moment to moment, depending on my mood. So to truly pick my favorite books throughout the years, I would have to list 75% of all the books I've ever read.

But of course, I can't list them all. Once again, I'm grateful for the wisdom of the blog administrators who advised: "Set your timer for thirty minutes, dig deep with this one, and have fun!" The timer is set. For the next thirty minutes, I'll walk you through my life in books, and we'll see where it takes us. :)

My very first favorite book was THE FIRE CAT by Esther Averill. I loved this book so much that I wanted to read it constantly! Of course, at four years old, I couldn't read yet. So I would bring it to my big sister and beg her to read it to me - sometimes 7 or 8 (or more) times in a row!! She got tired of it really quickly, and she started skipping words on the page to make the story go faster. Unfortunately, I had the book memorized by this time, and I called her on it every single time she tried to skip a word. So finally, she simply taught me how to read so that I could read the book to myself!

Why did I love this book so much? Pickles, the fire cat, was a character I could identify with. He was a cat that was destined for greatness... but he was a little bit awkward and felt like he didn't quite belong, and sometimes, he made wrong choices, because he didn't know what else to do with himself.  But his friends didn't give up on him, and eventually, he learned to channel his energies into something good.

When I was in 5th or 6th grade, I loved DAPHNE'S BOOK by Mary Downing Hahn. I wanted to be a writer, and I was thrilled to find a book about someone my own age who was a writer too. But even more than that, I felt Jessica's struggle as she tried to be a friend to Daphne, but worried about what the other kids in class might say about her. Jessica wanted to be someone great, but she didn't know how to get there. And so she made choices that hurt her friend. Once again, I connected with an awkward character who wanted to be more than she felt she was capable of. I cried when she chose to shut Daphne out, and I rejoiced when she got a second chance to try to fix her mistakes. Because it's a middle grade book, and not an early reader, the story is more complex than THE FIRE CAT. Things aren't so simple in this book. Not everything turns out perfectly and happily ever after in the end. But once again, a flawed and awkward main character chooses to embrace the greatness she has within.

As I got older, I loved (and still love) ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll and THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain. I loved A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L'Engle and THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster. I adored WORD CHANGER by ?? and NIGHTFALL by Isaac Asimov (actually, I'm not sure if that last one is considered children's literature, so maybe I'm cheating...) And one of my newest favorites is SPECTRAL by Shannon Duffy. (You can read my review here.)

I could list hundreds of books... but my thirty minutes are up. Suffice it to say, I've realized that there is one common thread that binds together all of my favorite books over the years. I'm drawn to books with characters who have a seed of greatness within them, even though they may not see it themselves at first. I love characters who are flawed and awkward, who want to do Big Things but fumble and stumble and mess everything up because they don't know how to be the person they want to be. I love to step into their stories and cheer them on as they find the courage to make the hard choices... to become the great people they were destined to be. But I wouldn't love them so much if they were perfect. They are the loveable geeks, the misunderstood and quiet folks that others might overlook, the characters that might someday grow up to be powerful, influential people. But not yet.

Now, I just need to make sure my characters are adorkable, and not simply awkward. As a former adorkable character, I'm ready to take on that challenge!

It's All a Matter of Perspective

It's been a crazy, busy few weeks, but I promised myself that I would do it, so I'm finally playing catch-up on the Conference Challenges issued by the MD/WV/DE chapter of SCBWI. I tackled Challenge #1 last week, but I'm just getting around to blogging about it. (I plan to do Challenge #2 today and #3 tomorrow, so I can be caught up before #4 is posted on Wednesday.)

The first of 8 weekly challenges given to prepare us for our upcoming regional conference was to think about the way a change in perspective alters the voice of the story. We were given the challenge to tell three classic fairy tales, each from a different point of view from the original story. (A 30-minute time limit for writing each retelling kept me from overthinking.)

I will probably post the other two stories later in the month, but for now, please enjoy my retelling of "The Princess and the Pea" from the pea's perspective.

Almost everyone knows the story of the Princess and the Pea. At least, almost everyone knows the story about the shallow, spoiled prince and his domineering, stuck-up mother. Chances are, you already know all about how the pretty, little diva who calls herself a princess “proved” it by feeling a tiny, little pea through a thick pile of mattresses.

But come on, people! The story is called the princess and the PEA, for goodness’ sake! Let’s give credit where credit is due, already! I mean, if it wasn’t for me, that little diva wouldn’t even be a part of the fairy tale.

It all started when Prince Lazybones decided he wanted to get married. Of course, he declared that he could only marry the most beautiful girl in the world, because that’s the kind of thing that princes do.

Queen Bea couldn’t wait to start planning a royal wedding. It would be the perfect excuse to throw a huge party with flowers and balloons and fancy dishes, to which she would only invite the Most Important People. Because everyone knows that the best parties always have a long list of people who are NOT invited, who can watch from a distance, green with envy, wishing they could be a part of the in crowd.

But the more the Queen planned for the ultimate party, the more she worried. She’d noticed a growing trend in fairy tales, where common, but beautiful girls were winning the hearts of princes everywhere, completely messing up the purity of the royal bloodlines. She couldn’t risk allowing Prince Lazybones to marry a commoner. Why, what would her friends think?

So she came up with a great plan. She put me, a tiny, little, insignificant pea, on the frame of the giant bed in the guest chambers and piled dozens of mattresses on top of me. Then, she invited the princesses, one at a time, to spend the night at the castle, in the guest bed.

I was just supposed to lie there, like a lump, all night long. The princess who guessed I was there would prove she was sensitive enough to win Prince Lazybones.

Well, do you know how hard it is to get comfortable when you’re squished underneath a stack of heavy mattresses, topped with princesses who aren’t always as dainty as they look? By the twelfth night, I couldn’t take it any longer. I started rolling around, trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep in.

I guess my tossing and turning woke up the diva, because the next morning, she announced that she’d had the worst night of sleep ever. She said that she couldn’t get comfortable, because it felt like there was something in her bed.

And that’s how I made the diva Princess a star.

(Return to my list of "just for fun" stories)

Book Review: Little Kitchen: 40 Delicious and Simple Things That Children Can Really Make

With the kids home from school for the summer, you might be looking for a way to keep them busy. LITTLE KITCHEN: 40 DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE THINGS THAT CHILDREN CAN REALLY MAKE by Sabrina Parrini is a perfect cookbook for summertime, when things are a little less rushed and you have more time to experiment together in the kitchen.

Parrini has compiled a collection of delicious recipes for real food, not just simple snacks constructed from ready-made items, as most cookbooks for children have.  Inside, you’ll find recipes for minestrone, potato croquettes, meatballs, crunchy chicken fingers, perfect potato gnocchi, sticky rosewater dumplings, mini chocolate soufflés, shortbreads, and more.  The recipes are truly delicious, and children learn real cooking skills with real ingredients.  Parrini also includes 2 introductory letters, one written to the children and one to parents, as well as a “safety first” section and a rundown of the kind of ingredients and equipment needed for the recipes in the book.  (I recommend you read these introductory letters with your child, as they contain great advice for using the book. Don't be tempted to skip the introduction and move straight to the recipes.)

The recipes were well-written, with clear instructions that the child could easily follow.  The potentially dangerous steps in each recipe are flagged with the phrase “Ask a grown-up” to remind young children and parents alike of the importance of adult supervision.   This is not, however, a beginner’s cookbook.  While nothing is too difficult for a child to handle (with appropriate adult help), the recipes aren’t necessarily what I would call “simple.”  Parrini warns, in her introductory letter to parents, that you should “plan to cook when you have plenty of time,” and she isn’t joking.  Most of these recipes take at least an hour to prepare, in addition to cooking time, so cooking with children takes patience.  (This is what makes it an ideal cookbook for summer time. We tried a few recipes on school nights, and it made for late nights and grumpy mornings, but in the summertime, you don't have such time constraints!)

The time commitment for these recipes is much more than most cooking-with-kids cookbooks. However, in the end, the kids learn real skills in the kitchen and are better prepared to tackle real recipes on their own as they grow. It's a great way to learn together and a great activity to fill those summer days when kids say "I'm bored. I have nothing to do."

I Won! (Even Though I Lost)

As you know, last week, I participated in the May Mid-Grade Madness challenge, to write a 20,000-word Middle Grade novel within 72 hours. I completed the manuscript with 38 minutes to spare before my official 72 hours were up. A full first draft of a novel, start to finish, with an actual plot and developed characters and everything. The only problem? I still didn't know whether or not I actually "won" the challenge. I write my first drafts in pencil, so I wouldn't know until I finished typing up my pages if I actually wrote 20,000 words or more. I'd taken time out on Wednesday evening/Thursday morning to type up my pages from the first two days, so I knew I had only about 7,300 words left to write on Thursday... And I'd written more pages on Thursday than I had written on Tuesday or Wednesday, so I was cautiously optimistic. Actually, I was pretty sure I had gone over the required word count, but just in case I hadn't, I started tallying up all of the OTHER things I accomplished during my 72 hours of writing time.

Yes, as always, I had some added challenges thrown into my 72 hours. My original plan, to avoid all other distractions so that I could concentrate solely on the challenge, fell to pieces when my medical clearance interview (scheduled for 9:30 am on Tuesday - 13 hours into my challenge) stretched out to gobble up approximately 5 hours of my time, rather than the 45 minutes I had allotted. Then, my 2nd grade daughter came home to tell me that her end-of-the-year picnic/fun day for school was scheduled from noon to three on Thursday (when I should be finishing up my manuscript)... and then, my 4th grade daughter informed me that her end-of-the-year picnic/fun day was on Wednesday, from noon to three. And I promised my sweet, super-supportive husband that I would not let this challenge cultivate unhealthy habits, so he was really good about telling me to turn off the lights at 10:30 each night (and for once, I was actually really good at listening to him!)

Then, of course, there was the time I had to take to allow the contractor to come take measurements for the new door/windows we'll be installing in the house before the move... and there was the exciting field trip my 7th grade daughter wanted to tell me about when she came home from school... and the video of her latest music competition that she brought home and we had to watch together with the family right away... and there was a crisis when everyone realized that Mommy really meant it when she said she wasn't planning to cook dinner, and no one had planned a menu for Tuesday night (or Wednesday night or Thursday night), so they had to come find me for suggestions...

As I started typing up my final pages, I told myself repeatedly that, just in case I didn't make it, I had plenty of valid reasons why not!

Since I typed the pages from the final day AFTER the 72 hours were finished, I decided it would be cheating to type up my story in my normal way. Usually, I write the draft in pencil, and then, as I type up the pages, I add in a word here, a sentence there... the ideas that hit me after I had already filled the page and didn't have any more room in the margins to squeeze in an extra thought. That way, by the time I type up my first draft, it's not quite at the second draft stage, but more than a first draft - we'll call it draft #1 1/2. But adding to the word count after the 72 hours would be cheating, right? I wasn't sure, so I played it safe. I changed the color of my text (so I'd know where I still had to go back and add the thoughts I'd missed on the page) and typed only the words that were actually written on the page (with the exception of a few spots where I'd written in my own special form of "shorthand" for phrases and thoughts that are common enough to me that I can write a few letters to symbolize the actual words that are supposed to be in the manuscript). And when I was all finished typing....

I was about 500 words short of my 20,000-word goal!! Tears! Devastation! Heartbreak! All of that work, for nothing!!

But wait! It wasn't for nothing!!!

I proved to myself that I could write a full first draft in a three-day period - WITHOUT sacrificing my number one priority: time with my family. And no, technically I didn't win the challenge. I didn't make it to 20,000 words. But I got awfully close, and if I had taken the time to work ONLY on my story during that 72 hours, I would have done it. If I hadn't taken the time to eat dinner with my family, to go to the end-of-the-year picnics (though I admit, I didn't stay for the entire time either day), to watch the video with my daughter... If I hadn't taken the time to take care of the essential items that popped up on the before-we-move checklist... I would have had time to type up those last pages before the 72 hours expired, and I could have added in the extra words as I typed.

But if I had managed to take those extra hours, I would have missed calling my husband's Nana for her birthday. I would have missed the smile on my daughter's face when she saw me walk onto the playground for her picnic. I would have lost, even though I won.

I made the right choice.

I Am Insane

Update: I've completed the May Mid-Grade Madness challenge!! Actually, since I write my first drafts by hand and I haven't finished typing up my pages yet, I'm not 100% sure that I made the goal of 20,000 words in the 72 hours. But I finished my story, and with a little over 18 pages left to type up, I have a word count so far of 15,042. Averaging 250 words per page, I'd come out just under my goal, but so far, I'm averaging about 300 words per page, so maybe... :)

Just in case there was any doubt, I thought I'd put your minds at ease. Yes, I am completely insane.

Not only am I preparing for a move across the country in just a few short weeks (including tons of paperwork/interviews/massive amounts of red tape so that I can get medical clearance before my husband gets his official orders so we can start scheduling things like movers and housing at the next base), but I'm busy with all of the kids' end-of-the-school-year activities. I also agreed to make two of my recycled plastic knitted bags for my primary care doctor's nurses and I've promised several friends and family members that we'll get together for fun stuff before we move away. So I'm a pretty busy lady these days. No time for any extra time commitments. I have enough to do, thank you very much.

But, yeah. I'm insane.

Starting tonight, and for the next 72 hours, I will be participating in the May Mid-Grade Madness challenge from my local SCBWI chapter - to write a 20,000-word middle grade novel in only 72 hours. I've also promised that I will also participate in each of the eight challenges leading up to our next regional conference. And I'm still working on making the rounds in the Query Roundtable event, to comment on all of the entries. (I'll try to finish commenting on those entries this afternoon, before I start my 72-hour challenge.)

Do I have time for all of this? Probably not. Am I planning to scale back and let some of these extra challenges/writing activities go? Nope!

I'm a writer. It's in my blood. And by definition, that means I'm a little bit crazy. And I have to write. Even when it's a crazy time commitment and I have other things that I "should" be doing instead. My story pencils are calling my name, and I am compelled to answer them.

However, I will be letting all of the "non-essentials" go by the wayside this week. I won't be checking my email, twitter or facebook accounts. I won't be sitting in front of the television. I'm not cooking or cleaning. Laundry and dishes can wait. (My daughter made me promise I will stop to eat. - She even offered to pack a lunch each morning to put next to my writing chair so I won't have to stop mid-day for food. Only for a short dinner with the family each evening.)

Rest assured, on Thursday evening, when my 72 hours for the Mid-Grade Madness challenge have expired, I will take a break and check in online before I start playing catch-up on the conference challenges. I'll see you all on the other side! :)

Query Roundtable

This week, I'm excited to participate in the Query Roundtable event through Rachel Horwitz's blog. I've updated and revised my query (and my manuscript too, by the way) after the valuable feedback I received from those participating in The Writer's Voice competition, and I can't wait to hear your feedback on my new, improved query. Thanks so much for looking!


Title: KISSING FROGS

Genre: YA Contemporary

Word Count: 53,007

Alaina Andersen used to dream of growing up to be a princess, not the girl with the biggest boobs at Southbrook High. But other than her good grades, she’s afraid her DD-cup bra is the only thing anyone notices about her. Alaina has never been kissed, she’s never had a boyfriend, and she’s never even been out on a real date. Most boys are only interested in one thing, but Alaina is holding out for true romance.
 

She’s pretty sure that Shane Crawford is the perfect boy she’s been waiting for. Not only is he gorgeous, he’s sweet and sensitive, and he doesn’t gawk at her chest when he talks to her. Alaina believes that if she could win Shane’s heart, she could finally be recognized as more than just the sum of her parts. With the perfect boyfriend at her side, she might even discover where she belongs. But when Shane kisses her, then asks her to pretend nothing happened, she begins to think that nice guys only exist in the fairy tales she used to believe in. Picking up the pieces of her shattered fantasy, Alaina discovers that Prince Charming and perfect, magical kisses, aren’t the key to finding her own “Happily Ever After.”

Book Review: FIRST DESCENT by Pam Withers

FIRST DESCENT by Pam Withers

Rex Scruggs feels more at home out on the river with his kayak than anywhere else.  He’s grown up in the shadow of his famous grandfather, Malcolm Scruggs, who was well-known for being the first to conquer several South American rivers.  Rex dreams of making a name for himself and carrying on his grandfather’s legacy by being the first to paddle down El Furioso, the one river Malcolm never completed.  The river proves itself to be a formidable opponent, but the class V rapids aren’t the greatest danger Rex will face.  As he grows close to Myriam Calambás, the native girl who agreed to be his guide on the river and who dreams of becoming a reporter so that she can tell the world about her families’ struggles, Rex gets caught up in the political struggle that she and the other indígenas face every day.  Struggling to maintain their independence and neutrality in the middle of a struggle between the paramilitaries and the guerillas who want to claim the land for their own use, Myriam’s people face daily threats to their lives, and Rex is soon caught in the middle of a war he didn’t ask to fight. 

Withers tells spine-tingling, adrenaline-pumping, action-packed story of finding your place in the world, even against impossible odds.  I wasn't sure about this book when I picked it up. Action/adventure books aren't usually my thing. But I was pleasantly surprised. Rex and Myriam are such strong characters that I felt like I was living the story with them, and I couldn't put it down!