Write. Write. Written! -- A Writer's Journal

2010-02-15T10:43:00.001-08:00

As per Joan Broerman's Booklog, Alice Schertle is the winner of the 2010 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for BUTTON UP! Wrinkled Rhymes. Go, Alice!

You can visit Joan Broerman at www.joan-broerman.com.

2010-02-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

Birmingham Sunday is now officially out from Calkins Creek.

2009-11-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

AND THE WINNERS ARE: Jennifer Beasley, Charline Profiri, Lola Woods, Deborah Bates Cavitt, and...and...and...one more!

2009-11-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

BIRTHDAY BASH! Someone once said that it is better to give than to receive, so for my birthday I've decided to have a book drawing. You can think of it as a "contest," but I would hate to be accused of "brain abuse" (to quote one of my former students), so we'll make it a simple drawing. Here are the details:

Enter your name and stats for a chance to win a signed copy of MERRY CHRISTMAS, OLD ARMADILLO (just in time for Christmas). Winners will be chosen at random from e-mailed entries, and each winner will receive a signed copy. Five (5) winners will be chosen at random, one a day, between November 16 and November 20, 2009. Enter only once, please, and the deadline for entries is midnight, November 13, 2009.

Send your entry to:
LDB@BRIMNER.COM

In the Subject Line, write the words: Birthday Bash Drawing

In the body of the e-mail, include:
1. Your name (for example: Jasperino Vicious)
2. Your school affiliation, if any (for example: Nottinghill Elementary)
3. School address, if affiliated with one
4. Your mailing address, if different from #3 above (City, ST ZIP)

Simple, yes? Note: You must be 18 years of age, or older, to e-mail an entry, but teachers/parents may enter on behalf of a child. If entering on behalf of a child, in step #1 include your name "on behalf of Child Name."

Keep checking this blog for future drawings.

2009-10-27T13:04:00.001-07:00

Now that my computer is limping along instead of all-out crippled, I thought I'd try an update. Technology is great...when it works. Frankly, friends, I'd so much prefer writing on an IBM Selectric.

Writer's Tip: Angela asked about tense usage; i.e., present vs. past. Present tense: At this very moment, I am walking. Past tense: Yesterday, I walked. The vast majority of middle-grade and young adult fiction is told in the past tense. This is the traditional way to tell a tale, especially at the middle-grade level. For example, "There was another yell as Roger chucked milk all over his hair. Miss Adderstone snapped her false-teeth castanets and descended upon him like a bad-tempered lobster. 'That's it, Roger Fibbin. For that, you get a nip. And, click-clacking her way toward the quaking Roger, she gave him a nasty nip on the arm." (From Georgia Byng's Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism) I've bolded the past-tense words. (Okay, "bolded" isn't a word, but you get the drift.) You will also notice that there is some present-tense action going on in this passage as well, BUT the present-tense words are limited to the dialogue: 's (for is), get. And also to the dependent descriptive clause: click-clacking and quaking. This is a clue for you: The narrative is told in past tense, while dialogue is told in present tense. Descriptive dependent clauses that are not really necessary to the understanding of the sentence may also be told in the present (and these are almost always set off with commas). So: Larry, while updating his blog, heard his stomach rumble. This is present tense: while updating his blog. This is past tense and the main sentence: Larry heard his stomach rumble.

Over the past several years, a few authors have opted to tell their entire story in present tense. This brings immediacy to a story, a happening-right-this-very-second. Is one approach better than the other? Absolutely not. Listen to your characters. They will usually tell you the tense they prefer. Trust your gut. Just remember that if you begin your story in either past or present tense, don't pull a switcharoo: Miss Adderstone snapped her false-teeth castanets and descends upon him like a bad-tempered lobster. Such a sentence would likely cause an editor's eyes to cross permanently.

2009-09-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to my interview with Michael Spradlin of Five on Friday:

http://michaelspradlin.com/blog/2009/09/five-on-friday-with-larry-brimner/

Enjoy!

2009-08-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

In the Rockies, one must always be concerned with bears. MOST locals understand that. You don't feed the wildlife! You don't leave food in the car or a scavenging bear may rip it apart in search of a snack. You don't throw away kitchen waste outside your door or you'll have a late night visitor. So a woman in the neighboring burg of Ouray, Colorado, decides to feed the bears dog food. She builds a little cage that she can sit in to watch them eat, and the bears do--eat, that is. Over a few weeks, they get very used to this arrangement. But one day, the dog food runs out and there's that woman sitting in the cage. I guess she made a tasty little snack for a bear or two. Yes, she--what was left of her--was pronounced dead at the scene. Humans must rank as the most idiotic of animal species.

Locally, a bear attempted to break through a kitchen door of a neighboring house. The woman inside banged pots together and shouted, scaring the bear off. A few doors away, a bear broke into a car and stole a child's car seat; old-timers are convinced that the milk and other drool on the car seat is what attracted the bear. Of course, it may have been just the smell of child. And another man thought he'd sneak in a bag of potato chips on the way home from work. He destroyed the evidence before he got home . . . but potato chips have a lingering smell. A bear broke into his truck during the night and shredded his upholstery and dashboard. I think he'll be sticking to his diet in the future.

Unfortunately, bears are given only two strikes here. On the first strike, they're captured, tagged, and relocated 50 miles away. But bears roam great distances; they have been known to return to the scene of the crime. If they have a human encounter a second time, even if not at the scene of the original crime, they're put down. AGAIN, DO NOT FEED THE WILDLIFE!

Writer's Tip: When researching nonfiction, keep a log of interesting photographs you encounter, including where found, date of publication, address of publication, art director's name (if given), photographer's name (if given), and any other photo credit information. It may be useful to your own project in the month's ahead. I usually like to keep a photocopy of the photograph, also, as it may help identify it if you wish to request using it.

Happy Writing!

2009-08-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

After taking the day off from writing yesterday to rip off part of the roof so construction can begin, I'm thinking it's time to get back to the WIP. Besides, I'm not so sure my muscles could withstand multiple days of actual physical labor. Physical labor is much more intense and a heck of a lot different than a gym workout!

Writer's Tip: Scenes are core to a story and each one should be an element of action that advances the story toward its ending. By action, I don't necessarily mean a chase scene. Action, in the sense I'm using, is anything that challenges your main character, that tests his resolve, that forces him/her to make a decision. It might be a chase scene, but it just as well might be a decision that he/she is somehow forced to make or a path that he/she is forced to take. Just as a story has a beginning, middle, and an ending, a scene also should have its own arc. It is these many mini-arcs which make up a story. As Martha Anderson writes in her must-have-in-your-collection book, Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple, "A scene is written in moment by moment detail." She goes on to say, "A scene shows. Summary tells." One of the most important points Anderson makes is the following: "All conflict, confrontations, and turning points--all the high points of your story--must be played out in scene on the page, moment-by-moment in real time."

How many scenes should a story have? That depends on how many scenes it takes to tell your story, to bring your characters and their story to a satisfactory conclusion. It will vary. How many scenes should a chapter have? Some writers lump together several scenes per chapter and others allow only one scene per chapter. I've read that each chapter should have three scenes, but if you've done any reading lately--and of course you have--then you know that this simply isn't true. A chapter should have enough scenes--one or several--to bring your character to the next big turning point in your story; in other words, the next crisis in your character's life.

What other writing questions do YOU have? Comment below, and I'll see if I can scramble up some information for you.

2009-08-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Writer's Tip: Agents. One of the questions I'm most asked is "Do I need an agent?" A variation of this has been, "The reason my book hasn't sold is because I don't have an agent."

Many successful children's book authors have never had an agent. Others didn't get one until they'd sold several titles on their own. The question you need to ask yourself is: Why do I think I need an agent? If the answer to that is

1) because it would sound cool at a cocktail party to mention "My agent ..."
2) because everyone expects a writer to have an agent
3) because everybody else has one

YOU DO NOT NEED AN AGENT.

If the answer to that question is

1) because an agent can open doors at publishing houses closed to unsolicited submissions
2) because an agent can drive work my way
3) because an agent can negotiate and I'm a wus who hates talking about money
4) because I am overwhelmed with ideas/work and an agent is likely to have a better handle on where to submit my projects
5) because an agent will help keep me on task

THEN PERHAPS YOU DO WANT AN AGENT.

The two key words are are "need" and "want."

If you want an agent, finding a GOOD one often is more difficult than finding an editor. There are plenty of BAD agents out there, and even agents who are not really agents. Ideally, your relationship with an agent should be that of a team. If it is not, an agent can be a great stumbling block. Does the agent like what you write, your style? An ideal agent will be your cheer squad when they love your work--but will he/she also show enthusiasm when the work is experimental or out of your typical style and content area. How does the agent work? Does he/she edit your work and offer suggestions before submitting it to publishers? Some writers might find this to be an annoyance. Others might welcome another set of eyes. What if you decide to revise according to the agent's comments, assuming he/she comments? Will the work still ring true to your ears? What if you decide not to revise? Will the agent still submit your work to publishers?

Agents control the flow of money, and they control it for the life of the book--whether it be for 1 year or 75 years. Does your agent strike a check to you the minute he/she receives a check from the publisher? Do they hold the check for one month, two months, three months before striking a check to you? The writing life is a tenuous one and sometimes the timely receipt of a check due you can make the difference between being housed and being homeless. Remember, the agent should work for you, and not the other way around.

Other things to consider:
Do you want an agent to hold your hand? Do you want a friend or a business partner? Is the agent that you are considering someone you can have a long-term relationship with (sort of like a marriage) or not? Is the agent an independent operator or does he/she work for an agency? If he/she is an independent agent, what happens to your money if the agent quits the business or, worse, dies? Finally, do you trust the person you are considering to represent you in the marketplace?

The decision as to whether you want an agent or not is up to you, but I cannot state strongly enough that in the field of children's books you do not NEED an agent.

2009-08-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Happy August! A glorious morning here in the mountains. Sun! Lots of wonderful, warming sun.

Writer's Tip: To aid with characterization, give your characters a tag--some little self-conscious habit that they do repeatedly. For example, a character might swipe at his nose with his sleeve or another might chew her bottom lip under specific circumstances. Repeat the tag a few times periodically and it will help readers distinguish one character from another. (Don't over do it, though, or it will become annoying.)

2009-07-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

Writer's Tip: Begin your story with a dramatic, life-altering event.

My life-altering event, not that it's that unusual for me, is that I'm holed up in the mountains of Colorado having to exist with mere dial-up. The pain. The agony. The horror of it all. Even though this is an annual event, one forgets from one summer to the next just how SLOW dial-up is. Still, it's quiet here and there's loads of solitude. Loads of it. Mountains of it. So I should be able to make progress on the third and last book of the civil rights trilogy. I've pounded out a first chapter, so far. No doubt it will undergo change, but at least it's there pointing the way. The trick is going to be making this thing fit into the 48-page format that I've assigned myself.

2009-07-12T14:50:00.001-07:00

Saguaro Harvest

http://tv.azpm.org/kuat/segments/2009/7/9/kuat-sahuaro-fruit-harvest/

2009-07-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Every person needs to listen to this:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

2009-07-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

And it's July--the time for patriotic speeches, parades, backyard barbecues, hot dogs, apple pie, fireworks, and politicians pretending they care. It doesn't get more American than that--unless you talk about the sorry state of health care in the good ol' USofA. We truly NEED a PUBLIC HEALTH OPTION--not that our politicians listen to "We the People." As the insurance companies dump millions of dollars into politicians' pockets in an effort to block significant and meaningful health care reform, our politicians only seem to hear "We the Lobbyists." Shame on you, Mr. McCain. Shame on you, Mr. Kyl.

Current Reading: Because of their popularity--popularity is an assumption on my part based on the number of titles in the series--I've just finished reading The Candy Factory Mystery, #18 in the Boxcar Children books. At the risk of sounding a bit like JY when she laid claim to the idea behind the Harry Potter books and criticized them as not being well-written, I must say the same. No, the idea is not mine. My complaint lies with the quality of writing, which is--for lack of a better word--amateurish. The characters are cardboard. The point of view is all over creation. One is never certain who the main character is--if, indeed, there is one. Granted, this is the only title in the series that I've read, but I must also say I won't be hotfooting it to the bookstore to purchase any others if this is representative of the series as a whole. In film critic parlance, I'd give it two thumbs down.

2009-06-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's somersault time! After 48 revisions, false starts, re-starts, humps, bumps, and hair-pulling, I finally have a rough draft for a picture book text--JG, G--that I think I might be able to shape into something to send to my stellar agent. Meanwhile, we're awaiting word from RH/GB on a retold tale for which they are already discussing illustrators. The mere fact that they're discussing illustrators I'm taking as a good sign, but I won't jump for joy until I hold an actual book in my hand. Okay--honestly--I'll do a little dance if it gets picked up. But only a little one.

At long last, Birmingham Sunday is with the designer. Yahoo! All that remains for me to do is to write photo captions and deal with any last minute tweaks (and hopefully the latter will be few). Then, of course, there's the nail biting that comes from awaiting the reviews. (And here I am told to "avoid stress." Keep that in mind, dear reviewers. I am so ready to put this one to bed.

2009-06-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

Remiss. Remiss. Remiss-is-me. That's why this isn't a traditional blog. I've been on vacation/staycation/workation. (How about that vocabulary, Angela F.?

In my absence, though, I did read a great mystery. If any of you are fans of Agatha Christie's Poirot, I've encountered a terrific, new, contemporary writer who writes in the same vein: G. M. Malliet. Her detective is DCI Arthur St. Just. Death of a Cozy Writer is her first mystery. Read it! You'll love it!

2009-05-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

One of my dear friends works for a food service provider, the sort of company that provides food to restaurants. Because 98 percent of all restaurants purchase their food from this company, and others like it, it helps explain why it doesn't matter if you Outback it tonight or have a lobsterfest. Much of the food will largely look and taste the same. What prompts this post, however, is the little message at the bottom of each of her e-mails. It goes like this:

This email message and any attachments are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain information that is proprietary to XYZ, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries or otherwise confidential or legally privileged. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply, and delete all copies of this message and any attachments. If you are the intended recipient you may use the information contained in this message and any files attached to this message only as authorized by XYZ, Inc. Files attached to this message may only be transmitted using secure systems and appropriate means of encryption, and must be secured using the same level password and security protection with which the file was provided to you. Any unauthorized use, dissemination or disclosure of this message or it's attachments is strictly prohibited.

Is this supposed to scare me? Intimidate me? Make me cower? If it should contain information about insider trading, do they seriously think I'm not going to act on it? I mean, cripes, I taught high school students for a long, long time. XYZ, Inc. doesn't know the meaning of fear or intimidation until it has spent time in a gang-infested high school . . . and survived using counter intimidation. Seriously, give me a break, XYZ, Inc.--we were only making a dinner date.

2009-05-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

The Sloppy Copy Slipup by DiAnne DiSalvo. Excellent!

2009-05-20T11:15:00.001-07:00

I've just returned from a delightful school visit at St. Johns Middle School. The children were all delightful and the day highly enjoyable. One youngster, a budding illustrator, especially stands out. During the Q/A portion of my program, one child asked for any advice I might offer somebody who wanted to become a professional writer. I said, "Read. The best way to learn to write is by reading, and reading widely." The budding illustrator screwed up her face and raised her hand. "If you want to be an illustrator," she asked, "do you have to read?" I nearly doubled over and I'm afraid she didn't appreciate my affirmative answer.

Summer has arrived in full form to the desert. It's time to close up the house, pack up my writing materials, and head to cooler climates. On the writing agenda, there's a picture book begging to be written (or finished, as the case actually is) and a biography brewing.

2009-05-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

A friend sent this link to me. If you're a fan of West Side Story, you'll get a kick out of Worst Slide Story . . .

http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/opinion/walthandelsman/blog/2009/04/animation_recession_singalong_1.html

2009-05-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Today marked my first rattlesnake sighting this season. It was a big one, probably 5-feet in length and as big around as my forearm. It was dead and looked as if somebody had bashed it pretty badly with large rocks, but it seves as a reminder to watch where one is walking.

I've been tying up the final school visits and tidying up the copyedited manuscript for Birmingham Sunday. The final confirmations of information arrived today, so I'm ready to slug them in and return the manuscript to my editor, Carolyn. Yahoo! I'm happy that other people--many other people--look over a manuscript before it goes to press. It gives me time to think about how to best cast the sentences I've written and whether or not they need to be recast. For example, every respected source I looked at indicated that Walter Gadsden attended Birmingham's Parker High School. (He was the young man whose photograph was taken with Bull Connor's dogs seeminly attacking him and it transformed attitudes about the civil rights struggle almost overnight.) Walter Gadsden, however, indicates in his oral history at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute that he attended Ullman High School. Details. It's a change I'll make. In another instance I'd said of one civil rights pioneer that he was so daring his followers sometimes thought he might be crazy. The copyeditor objected to the term, but countless individuals used this exact expression. Indeed, the civil rights pioneer himself used this description. I decided it should stay.

Tuesday I'll wrap up the last school visit of the season to Saint Johns, Arizona. Unfortunately, the shortest route between here and there is closed, so I'll have to venture far out of my way--like to New Mexico--to get there. Then after a little rest (which will likely find me painting the bathroom and laundry room), I'll be ready to return to writing afresh. Something new. Something different.

2009-04-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Here it is a few days away from May. It's hard to believe, but the Palo Verde trees and Santa Rita cacti are in full blossom, so those are sure signs. I suppose temperatures that have been flirting with the century mark are another sign. I'm heading off to Alabama to visit a school--Creek View Elementary in Maylene--and to do research on another biography, but I wanted to share an amusing postcard I received from a fan (?) the other day. It began, "Dear Ms. Marion Dane Brimner." All I can say is that Marion Dane Bauer is going to have to stop impersonating me! I don't feel so bad, though, as it continued, "I don't believe I'm familiar with any of your work, but will you send me an autograph?" (I sent him an autographed copy of Snowboarding in the hope that he will at least become familiar with MY work.) Oh, the trappings of fame!

2009-04-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

Wow! I just finished listening to/watching the UTube video of Susan Boyle on "Britain's Got Talent." The woman is amazing. A second recording has surfaced that verifies her talent. You can listen to it here (unless the copyright holder gets stinky and takes it off): http://www.seanpaune.com/2009/04/17/susan-boyle-cry-me-a-river/.

At the end of Susan's performance on "Britain's Got Talent," I was choked up. It is heartwarming when "the little guy" wins or, in this case, when someone with talent gets recognition for it. No gimmicks here (Madonna); no glitz (Britney, Lindsay)...just honest-to-goodness talent. It is refreshing to see someone without "connections" or "lineage" triumph in today's world. It gives me hope that perhaps one day people will cease being judgmental about surface issues and take a deeper look. Good luck, Susan, as you continue in the competition.

Today is my private preview for tomorrow's community "yard sale." Hundreds of books are boxed up in my garage and ready for a select few teachers and librarians to sneak a peek at autographed James Marshall and Tomie dePaola books, among others. What remains will be sold tomorrow to the general public and, beyond that, given to the Colorado library that I support.

Happy Weekend!

2009-04-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's a Red Letter Day here! The counter-signed contract arrived from Mathew Price Ltd for my picture book (Sophie/True Love). And in the afternoon e-mail was something from another picture book editor with whom I've been working (and working and working) on a revision. His comments were brief: "By George, you've done it! This is wonderful! It had me laughing." So, pending the publisher's approval, a contract will be forthcoming on that one (Trick or Treat, Old Armadillo). I don't count my eggs until they're hatched, though, (or until a counter-signed contract is in my hand...and even then I'm cautious, having had a couple of contracts cancelled in the 2009 publishing tsunami, until the published book is in my hands.) Additionally, my much beloved agent emailed yesterday to say, "___ is adorable and . . . I bet I can sell it." So it has been a splendid couple of days in spite of a chest cold that has knocked me flat. (This should serve as a warning to me NEVER to celebrate a cold-free cold season, which I did, because it certainly must relax one's defense system.)

Now it is back to the real world of work. On the latest picture book project, I have an opening paragraph I can live with. It took only two days of work to come up with 20 to 25 words that satisfy me enough to continue. Those of you who know how I approach a book or story, know that I cannot move forward on it until I have a beginning that satisfies. I realize that this defies everything one is taught in Book Writing 101, which states that you really should just sit down, compose, and not worry about the quality of the writing. I have never been able to do that. I need to find satisfaction in the opening paragraph, the beginning chapter, before I can move on. I used to fight it, but not any longer. Now I work and work on that beginning, no matter how long it takes. Then I tackle the rest of the book. You're probably wondering if the opening is set in stone once I'm satisfied with it, if that opening is the one that likely will be published. Absolutely not. I know I will go back and revise it (probably many times) before an editor or anyone else ever sees it. And after an editor sees it, it likely will undergo more changes. But those opening words need to sing to my ears before there's ever a story to go with them.

I hope that these contract offers are signs that publishing's tide is changing.

2009-04-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

Last week at the San Diego Authors' Fair I had the honor of visiting with four groups of young people from Pacific Beach Elementary School. What a fine bunch of children! Their teachers had prepared them well, and their questions were thoughtful--not the typical "How much do you make" or "What's it like living in a mansion." Also included, because their author failed to show, was a terrific group from St. Didacus School, who--although the children had prepared to see another author--asked some equally thoughtful questions. If these children are typical, then our future is in good hands.

I took the train back to Tucson via Los Angeles. It marked my first stateside train excursion in probably 40 years. It made sense, especially because the San Diego condo is directly across the street from the Santa Fe station. The trip was made with no hitches, no glitches. True, I could have driven it in less time and I could have flown and made the trip in slightly over an hour. But the train afforded the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy some scenery I wouldn't have otherwise seen. And...it did get in one and a half hours early. I must have been slightly delirious upon arrival because I decided to walk from Tucson's train depot to my house in the west hills. At midnight. Hmmm. An hour and one set of luggage wheels later, I was home. You think I'm kidding about the luggage wheels? Nope. Need to figure out how those can be replaced because the bag itself is new.

Larry Rosler, my picture book editor at Boyds Mills, and I have been working on a revision since January. The poor thing has gone back and forth, and with his last transmittal he said, "I think it's almost there." So the last few days I've been busy at work on that and I think, I hope, I pray that this version will be the one that triggers a contract.

2009-03-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

March 14 & 15--The First Annual Tucson Festival of Books. What a grand time! I got to sit in (or "stand" in since I gave up my seat to a participant with no chair in which to place her bum) a session presented by the haute-coutured Juanita Havill, Charline Profiri, and Marge Pellegrino. This dynamic trio dispersed valuable information and kept things lively with their q/a format. I may borrow it in the future! I also got to renew my friendship with Richard Peck, one of children's literature's true gentlemen. Richard and I know each other from years of conferences and a few lunches in San Diego, where he and I both hang our hats on occasion. It was great to see him again. Other fun sightings of famous literati included Joan Sandin, Jennifer J. Stewart, Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Janni Lee Simner, and mystery-writer Susan Cummins Miller. Festival organizers hoped to draw 50,000 visitors during the two-day event, but Tucson really pulled out the stops; this goal, I'm told, was met the first day. The second day was equally packed with youngsters and oldersters and in-betweensters, book-lovers all. Tomorrow, I'll visit St. Michael's Day School. Thank you Kathy Short and crew for organizing this wonderful event.

2009-03-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

We writers are so seldom praised that when we receive any--even the most miniscule amount--it bowls us over. A few days past, an editor called to say he found my story, SOPHIE, irrestible. Other editors have told me the same thing about other stories, but then, somehow, managed to find the strength to resist offering me contracts. This one, however, not only found SOPHIE irrestible, but also offered a contract. Over the next several days, we thrashed out an agreement, and today it was finalized. Yippee! Yahoo! The title, of course, will have to be changed. (The editor suggested TRUE LOVE.) And an illustrator needs to be assigned, one that will work quickly because the book's scheduled release date is Valentine's Day 2010. Even more interesting, it will be released in the US as well as in Great Britain. Revisions are inevitable, but I'll cross that bridge later.

Counting down to the Tucson Festival of Books.

Later the same day: And then the other shoe dropped...two rejections from a publisher seeking "more contemporary" stories.

2009-03-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." So wrote B. Franklin, but I prefer to look at these two entities through Will Rogers' eyes: "The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets." And with the economy in a shambles, every Tom, Dick, and Arnold wants his cut. Apparently, the "new" rules require us to declare the state in which each dime was earned and to pay proportionate taxes to those states. Lovely! So not only did I have to pay federal and Arizona tax, I had to file in every state where I spoke. I do not want to hear anybody complain about the complexity of the tax codes, not until he's had to file in state after state after state. (New York was the worst!) It's enough to make one want to take up residence in a charnel house.

I've been reading P.D. James' The Private Patient. Entertaining. No one writes mystery like the British.

I missed my buddy, Pam Munoz Ryan, in Tucson over the weekend. She was here, and I was in Oceanside, just up the 5 from where she lives. Drat! Next weekend is the first-ever Tucson Festival of Books and, yes, I am on the program--although my Sunday session is at 2:30 and for a children's workshop on using first person, so I'm doubtful that anyone will be there. I just hope the weather warms up by then.

I have not started 2009 in the best of blogging fashion. I'll try to do better, and that's about all I can promise right now.

P.S.: If anyone has MEGA HEALTH INSURANCE, I'd love to hear what your experience has been. Mine has left me stunned.

2009-01-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

Happy Inauguration Day, Mr. Obama!

Good Read

2008-12-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas is behind us and a new year is waiting in the wings, bringing with it a new president. It's a job I would not want, what with so many problems to be tackled.

Here in Tucson we're experiencing a cold, Arctic blast--well, cold for us anyway, with temperatures that flirt with the 20s. So last night I went to bed early and snuggled under the comforter with Grow: A Novel in Verse by the amazing Juanita Havill. About a Minneapolis community that comes together and grows when it plants a community garden, Juanita has so perfectly captured the voices of Berneetha and twelve-year-old Kate...a definite tour de force. You should read it.

2008-12-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday that it was June and the temperatures were toying with 105. I did manage to put up some Christmas lights outside yesterday and installed a boxy moose decked out in holiday finery by the fireplace. That will probably be it as far as decorating for the season. I just can't seem to get excited about unpacking a lot of decorations, only to repack them in a few weeks' time. Could it be that it's a Bah Humbug year? Maybe so. Maybe so.

The "sold" manuscript now seems in limbo. The editor isn't quite sure that today's kids are smart enough to get it. I pointed out some teaching strategies and uses for it in the classroom, so he's back to the "considering" stage. Zounds! I think it's time to send the project out to the next three publishers on my list. Of course, the publishing business--like so many others--is in the toilet right now. No one seems to be acquiring and editors are dropping left and right. It will be interesting to see 1) how long this recession/depression lasts and 2) what the world looks like when the economy rebounds (if it rebounds). Meanwhile, I think I'll start dusting off my teaching credentials.

2008-11-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

Could it be GOOD news on the publishing front? Quite possibly. If it pans out, more details will follow.

2008-10-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

Dia de los Muertos is fast approaching.

2008-10-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

I just returned from accepting the Jane Addams Book Award in New York City. What a wonderful event! Held on the second floor overlooking the United Nations Plaza and flags from all the member countries, it couldn't have been a more spectacular setting. It was nice meeting the other honorees and visiting with long-time friends whom I haven't seen in ages. After a lovely reception, which followed the ceremony, my publisher hosted a dinner in my honor at Remi--a fine Italian restaurant. So with an award and full tummy, I got a good night's sleep in order to explore the city one more time on Saturday. New York is unlike any other city in the world and no matter how many times I explore it, something new pops up in front of me--this Russian church, for example. I'd been on my way to Central Park's Conservancy Garden when I stumbled upon it.

I was surprised to learn that 85 percent of Central Park's care comes from volunteers donating their time, energy, efforts, and money. Only 15 percent is allotted for upkeep in the city's annual budget. Here are a few images I captured:

2008-09-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

It pays to be deliberate in your actions. I was sweeping the patio yesterday afternoon when I noticed the prettiest twig with red, black, and yellow bands. I couldn't imagine what plant it would be from and assumed it had blown in on the wind. I started to reach for it to set it aside, thinking it would make a nice desert artifact for one of the tables. Then I noticed it had a tail. It had a head. It...was a coral snake. I found a small hand-rake and picked it up. I seriously thought it was dead. But the second the hand-rake touched it, the snake came to life and wrapped itself around the rake. I pitched the rake--snake and all--into the yard then, which had been my intention all along. I just hadn't planned on chucking it quite so suddenly or with such force. Most definitely, it pays to give some thought before acting.

2008-09-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

How about a little truth in political advertising. Truth would be that concept the McCain/Palin campaign hasn't heard of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH0xzsogzAk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c&NR=1

And then there's the Bush consortium:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alAbt987F3A

2008-09-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

In late August I visited Desert Star Elementary School in Goodyear, Arizona. Today, a packet of letters arrived. Among them was this one:

Dear Mr. Brimner,

Thank you so much for coming to Desert Star. We bearly [sic] get any authors. Many of the kids loved you. I found your stories very interesting. I [might] actually consider being an author. It sounds like easy money. Congrads [sic] on finishing your book you've been working on for two or three years. Also congrads on winning those awards. Well thank you again for coming to Desert Star. We really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Frankie W.

I feel I must respond.

Dear Frankie,

Thank you for your congratulatory letter. It means a great deal to an author to be recognized for the work he (or she) struggles with for so long. It has been an amazing year filled with accolades.

I feel I must also respond to your comment about writing being "easy money." Nothing worthwhile in this life is easy, and writing is no exception to that rule. Writers write because they are driven to it. Sometimes the monetary rewards are there and sometimes they are not. Either way, writers write. The real reward for an author is to have completed the story. If you think that toiling on a book for three or four years after working at the craft of writing for twenty-plus years and taking writing course after writing course translates to "easy money," then I guess it is. However, I hope you will sense that an awful lot of effort and years of preparation goes into each book a writer writes. While the resulting book may look easy (a great compliment to a writer, by the way), the actual task of writing a book isn't as easy as it appears. I can't think of a job that provides "easy money," except perhaps being a politician, so if you hear of any I hope you'll let me know.

Your friend,
Larry

2008-09-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

When the phone rang this afternoon, I didn't recognize the number and almost didn't answer. Thank goodness I did! It was good news about We Are One. It's a finalist, but beyond that I am sworn to secrecy. Drat!!!

2008-08-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

For those blogophiles out there, here's one for you with lots of tips for writers from a writer who seems to have her finger in lots of different pies: http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com/. Enjoy!

2008-08-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

The annual rattlesnake migration has begun here in Arizona. Thousands upon thousands of snakes have begun their yearly ritual of "chasing" tens of thousands of scorpions hither and yon. The scene outside my office window is amazing: the roadway literally undulates with each slither and crawl, giving the asphalt the appearance of melting, oozing tar. Watch where you step...if you dare step at all.

Okay, so that's my little fiction. It was inspired by an "On Star" commercial I happened upon where a couple having car trouble rely on their On Star system to contact a tow truck because they are too afraid to get out of the vehicle and change the tire themselves. "Why?" you ask. Well, because of all the slithering snakes that are waiting to attack. The commercial, of course, is a bunch of hooey. Don't get me wrong. There are snakes here in Arizona. I see two or three every week. But then I live at the edge of a wild area where one expects to see snakes periodically. They are not everywhere, however; they do not lie in wait. On the other hand, a little snake lore can go a long way toward expediting the departure of visitors who have made too long a stay of it.

2008-08-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

My doctor's medical advice: Increase your workout routine. So today I "cardio-ed" for forty-five minutes. This is in addition to my twenty-minute bicycle ride to the gym and thirty-minute ride back home (it's uphill in this direction)...in Tucson...in August...in the heat. I can tell your hearts are pumping peanut butter for me. Okay, it wasn't that bad, even if I don't have any sensation below my kneecaps. The various equipment in a gym never ceases to amaze me, and most of it looks like it would be right at home in Abu Ghraib. Still, people aren't satisfied that a piece of equipment is torturous enough as is; they have to tinker with it to make even more so. Two young chaps--one tall, one short; one Anglo, one Latino--devised a rig this morning that consisted of two heavy-duty elastic bands that they draped over the chin-up bar. Standing on a stool (which was later kicked out from under them), they inserted their arms through the straps and then proceeded to raise their feet over their head. This gives new meaning to a "crunch" routine. I watched in complete and utter awe. I think they were about to ask if I wanted to give it a go, but then I guess they realized I was having enough trouble completing my third set of flies. Hanging from a strap and getting my feet anywhere near my head would be a feat of fantasy.

2008-08-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last night's party at the home of Monica and her sons, Charlie and R.J., was festive. Charlie is an architectural student at the University of Arizona and had won a scholarship to study architecture in any country in the world. He selected China "because it's on the cutting edge of doing great things architecturally" and was there for the entire month of July. Also an outstanding photographer, Charlie had a wall display of both modern and historic buildings in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing. At the same time that we were admiring Charlie's photographic work, we were watching the Olympic opening ceremonies. Absolutely spectacular. I was captivated. And to think they achieved it all without floor marks! I have difficulty hitting my marks in a well-lit television studio. During the evening, we were asked to pick a number from a bowl. My number was 8. It must be my lucky number because it was the first one called, and I found myself the winner of a dragon plaque that is supposed to avert evil from entering my home and bring good luck if hung on my wall. You can see it here. It's a wee bit gaudy (says the man with a turquoise, sea foam green, purple, yellow, and orange stripped floor cloth) but, hey, if it brings luck and scares off evil maybe I can live with gaudy.

2008-08-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am going to a party to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games. Yippee! Of course, when Monica and Charlie invited me my first reaction was to say, "Are the Olympic Games going on? I thought I heard something about them in July." (I guess now that was just some hoopla over GWB planning to attend them.) Sometimes I can be so out of it. Anyway, Monica's son, Charlie, took a trip to China and has "thousands of pictures" (according to Monica) and decided 08-08-08 would be a good evening to share them with everyone because of the start of the Olympic games. The guests are supposed to bring their favorite beverage--mine is DC (Diet Coke)--but I also decided to bring some bacon-wrapped, almond-stuffed dates to share with everyone. (They can keep their mitts off my DC.) Stuffed dates are simple, quick, elegant, and delicious. (Best of all, they seem so exotic that people think you've spent days preparing them, and I don't tell them any different!)

2008-08-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

What a start! I logged into my blog spot and discovered photographs of three babies, and my heart almost stopped. Then I remembered that before my blog spot comes up, I'm sent to another page--which is where the three babies were. Phew! Had me going there for a minute.

Yesterday was the first day of school here in this part of the Grand Canyon state. The neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. It usually is, but now it is more so. I always think of a "year" as running from the start of school one year to the start of school the next. The next time we revise our Gregorian calendar, I think it might be wise to keep this in mind. Or is it just me? Am I the only one who measures time by the school year? I suppose it could just be a hold-over from my days in the classroom.

I keep up with the comings and goings of a lot of my friends by checking into their websites from time to time. This morning I visited Helen Foster James's website and blog (http://www.helenfosterjames.com/). Helen is one of those efficient types who actually took a blogging class, so you really must check it out.

2008-07-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

I think I have a new take of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity: How much a one hundred pound barbell at the gym weighs is relative to the day it is bench-pressed, weighing more on Monday than it does on Wednesday. I am convinced of this.

2008-07-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Spare us, please! My publisher--that would be HarperCollins--just sent me a memo to remind me to help promote Brooke Shields' latest tome, a children's book, entitled Welcome to Your World, Baby! As if! Gag! Gag! Gag! I think I'll just toddle over to the basin and throw up, or slit my wrists. I'm sorry. I'm sure it's just something in my makeup that prevents me from seeing the...the...the uniqueness of celebrity books, but they just don't do it for me. I don't often comment in the negative on books, but celebrity books touch a special nerve. No, thank you, Ms. Shields. No, thank you, HarperCollins.

2008-07-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

Stop living accidentally and start living intentionally.

2008-07-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sue Alexander August 20, 1933-July 3, 2008. Let tonight's fireworks be in celebration of a life force and true friend, who passed away suddenly last evening.

I love you, Sue.

2008-06-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well, the monsoon did not arrive on time, but waited twenty-four hours. Then it arrived with a wallop. Rivers of rain came down. I watched my down-the-hill neighbor filling sandbags to keep the run-off out of his garage. Fortunately, by the time I got out to offer assistance, he'd pretty much finished. He probably would have declined my help anyway since he's half my age.

Birmingham Sunday was shipped out to my editor yesterday. I need to remember to ask her not to abbreviate it inhouse as BS, but rather B'ham. I really should have thought about this possibility when working on a title. We Are One was known inhouse as WAO; I just don't think I could bear a work of mine being called BS. Now I will turn my attention to securing permissions and banging out a few more scenes in my mystery.

Somebody asked me the other day how I celebrate when I've finished a book. I'm not sure I ever have, although sometimes I will take a week off from writing and play. More often, I just move on to the next project. I don't uncork a bottle of champagne, board the next flight to an exotic locale, shout it from the balcony, or have breakfast at Tiffany and Company. That's the stuff of movies. Writers--working writers--generally...ah...well...WORK.

2008-06-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

What a BEAUTIFUL morning! It's cool--and the AC isn't even on. The eastern sky is a lovely shade of pink and blue and gray. Today is supposed to be the start of Tucson's monsoon, so heavy rains, thunder, and lightning are anticipated. This is the BEST time of year here. An interesting article about the monsoon was titled "First You Fry." And it is so true. With temperatures in the triple digits for a couple of weeks, we were frying. Now...we cool off (at least part of the day).

It's time to return to Castle--the mystery I've been working on in spurts. I would like it to be a chapter book rather than a full-blown novel, and maybe it will be. But I'll have to rein in my writing and cut some detail to make it so. We'll see.

2008-06-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Today is my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad! He's 91 years young today and in his second week of radiation treatment for a cancer that has sprung up. So far he's holding his own with the treatment--such a trooper.

I haven't posted anything recently because I've been busy tweaking my manuscript. Adding bits here. Deleting spots there. Rephrasing and rephrasing. And rephrasing. I realized that I'd completely written around one critical event without mentioning the event itself, so today I will add that bit. Then I think I'll let it rest a day before giving it one more pass. Then--with luck--it should be ready to send off to Carolyn and her trusty pen for comments. And while she is hacking it to pieces--in a good way--I will send out dozens of letters requesting permission to use quotes from this source and that and start giving some thought to photographs. Another trip to Birmingham for those? Possibly, but I'd like to do as much of it from home as possible.

Speaking of "home," it has been hot as a furnace here in Tucson. Okay, it's not so unusual that it is warm. But this has been scorching. Days and days of 105 (F) and 109 (F) degree temperatures. Getting my electric bill should be cardiac causing. And my dear, sweet brother sends me an e-mail the other day: Fox says 111 in Tucson today. First of all, he should have his hands slapped for watching the Fox network, which skews and mis-reports the news terribly. Second of all, do I really need to know that it's going to be 111 degrees?

2008-06-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

As I finish the last section of my book, weather reports indicate that storms are barreling across the plains states and into the northeast. Here, it is sunny, windy, and warm. Typical, except that the forecasters are saying the temperature will rise to 104 degrees today. I tend to believe that this might be true given that usually when I wake in the morning--that would be night for some of you since I wake at around 3:00 every morning--the temperature has dropped to the upper 60s, making the morning walk nice and cool. This morning, however, it was still in the 70s, so I buttoned up the house to try to hold on to that tempered air for as long as possible. But by 9:00 and AC had kicked in--telling me it is indeed HOT outside.

I am ready to send off the next proposal. I shared it with my agent but have not heard back from her about it. Yet. I think I will send it out myself and hope for the best. Keep your fingers crossed for me, please.

2008-06-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

The view of Tucson from here. Evening. (It looks farther away than it is. It's actually only about two miles from my garage to the tall, dark highrise. And as you can tell, it's pretty much a straight shot.)

At least when I'm slaving away at the computer, there's a view outside my window. Of course, the last two days all I've had to watch are palm trees swaying in the 50 mph winds and dust. It was so dusty yesterday morning that I thought it was fog. I guess that's what I get for all those years on the California coast.

Speaking of the California coast, I may be calling it home again in the next couple of years. Nothing definite. But it's certainly playing on my mind. What's the adage? You can take the boy out of California, but you can't take California out of the boy...or something like that.

IRA is in Phoenix in February 2009. I think that just dawned on me. I guess I need to make preparations to attend. I hadn't planned on it but it's so close, it would be crazy not to go.

2008-05-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

For two days now a family of quail has been visiting my yard--an adult and a dozen chicks. The adult perches on top of a rock in the yard while the younglings hunt and peck around its base. When mom decides they've explored enough, she hops off the rock and scurries across the road. At first, the younglings don't seem to notice. Then she calls and, lemming-like, they dash after her--a wave of brown-gray bobbing and weaving toward their protector. Very amusing to watch.

I managed to finish a new nonfiction proposal yesterday, but haven't decided if I'll send it out yet or not. I've been so overwhelmed with the current project that the thought of diving straight into another deep subject gives me pause. Maybe what I need is something that's pure fancy, totally imaginative and playful. I think I'll just let things sit on my desk for a while and see what time tells me to do.

Sunday I'll be going to an open house at my friend Sloan's new casa. She has been busy working on it and pulling it together since January or February. With her great sense of design, color and style, it will be exciting to see what she has done with her mid-century residence. I saw it early-on, before she'd begun casting her magic on it, so it will be interesting to see the renewed space.

2008-05-26T18:18:00.001-07:00

So many people think the desert is devoid of life. Tonight as I sat having dinner--lemon chicken and fresh asparagus--movement caught my eye outside the dining room window. I got up to look and, sure enough, a mountain lion was sauntering through the yard, crossed the street, and moseyed up the road and out of sight. I decided that Kubric and I would wait a while before taking our evening walk, since this cat looked skinny and hungry, and it obviously was on the prowl.

The book is progressing. If I can stay on schedule, I should have it completed--round one, anyway--by the first of June. Then I'll have to tweak it for my editor's eyes.

Hope your Memorial Day was a pleasant one.

2008-05-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

As long as I'm posting some photos this morning, here's a hint about my next book.

2008-05-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

Chuck George, our local weather guy, tells us that it's going to cool off by Friday. Hope so. It has gotten HOT early, and I'm not ready for it--if one can ever be ready for HOT. Still, the nights and mornings are spectacular and coolish and wonderful for walking. This is a shot of the moon setting over my backyard at 5:00 A.M. this morning when I was out with the dog.

2008-05-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Bakersfield was a blast! Five schools, a young authors' conference, a barbecue, and a banquet in six days. The weather was cooperative and spared us the sometimes brutal temperatures that sometime plague the area. Best of all was getting to meet up with long-time, dear friends and newer friends: Debbie and Lloyd Wakelee, Sandra Yoon, Helen Foster James, Susan Goldman Rubin, and others. The children in the schools were all well prepared and eager to ask their questions. At Berkshire Elementary, one young man laughed when I explained that I'd tried BMX freestyle myself. When asked why he laughed, he got wide-eyed and said rather timidly, "Because you're old and grumpy." I'm sure he meant that he just didn't think somebody as old as me could do any tricks on a bicycle without serious injury. But "old and grumpy" is what came out of his mouth. At Stockdale Elementary, a student wrote me a thank you note that began, "Dear Larry Dane Grimner." Angie, from the same school, wrote: "Thank you for coming to are school and waisting your time." She went on to say, "You were great... ." So that made up for the "waisting your time" comment. But "Grimner" and "old and grumpy"? I was beginning to feel like the Rodney Dangerfield of children's literature--gettin' no respect!

Now I have a deadline hanging over my head, and I want to get a query off to my agent.

2008-05-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

By now most of you know the new award, which was officially announced Monday: The Jane Addams Book Award. You can read more about it here: http://home.igc.org/~japa/jacba/index_jacba.html

Thanks for all your good wishes.

I leave in about an hour to do a school visit in Phoenix. Then I travel west for a week of school visits in Bakersfield.

Good books to read: Delicious: The Life & Art of Wayne Thiebaud, by Susan Goldman Rubin; Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali, by Charles R. Smith, Jr.; and Dizzy, by Jonah Winter. Not only are they great books to read, the authors are wonderfully nice people, too.

2008-04-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

Thursday I received the Norman A. Sugarman Award for Biography at a gala event replete with great food, live jazz, and freedom songs--all beautifully presented. Chrystal Carr Jeter (spelled correctly this time, Chrystal) outdid herself by organizing a multi-day event that included meeting the gracious Joan Sugarman, who made the award possible through a generous endowment to the Cleveland Public Library. Chrystal's staff--Vicki, Cathleen, Jaime, and others whom I can't name only because of the whirlwind of activity the last few days--and her boss, Andrew Venable, all went to great efforts to make me and the other authors feel welcome at their beautiful library and in their historic city. I came away feeling as if I'd made many new and good friends, although I'm still pinching myself and staring at the award (which is now sitting on the bookcase in my office) to convince myself that the last few magical days actually happened. The only thing I forgot to pick up were the lovely Sugarman stickers (hint, hint) which will proudly be displayed on my books in the future. Tomorrow another award will be announced.

2008-04-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of writing books for children is that children sometimes write back. This past week, several such epistles flew into my mailbox. Here's a sampling (as they were written) of some of what they had to say, with my comments in parentheses:

Dear Mr. Larry Dane Brimner (It's always the entire name!):
Calamity Jane is my favorite. You inspired me to be an author when I grow up.
Your Number One Fan,
Naomi

Dear Larry Dane Brimner:
When you came to our school you said there will be no more Corner Kids books. They're everybodies favrite, especially mine. I am so sad there will be no more Corner Kids. Can't you change your mind? (I'd be willing to write more, but Scholastic would have to make me a fair offer.)
From your Fan,
Caroline

Dear Mr. Larry Dane Brimner:
You inspire me with your great books. When you write you are so intelligent, incredible, fablous, and wonderful. (They must have been studying adjectives--I guess this means that when I'm not writing, I'm stuck on stupid and not very wonderful!)
Your friend,
Tatiayna

Keep those letters coming. They really brighten my day.

2008-04-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

A librarian, whose school I'll be visiting in August--a first author visit for this librarian--e-mailed to ask what she could do to make the visit successful for her students and for me. Since there might be other librarian's in this situation, I thought I'd post my response for others to read. It follows:

The best thing you can do to prepare for any author visit is to acquaint the children with at least some of the author's work. Have them read (or read to them) several of the author's titles in the weeks prior to the visit. This will build enthusiasm. Mount some displays, not only in the library but also in other parts of the building. Try to involve the teaching staff in the process as well--perhaps they could tie some of the author's books to their curriculum or do an author study. Some schools have hosted an author reception or tea, while others have promoted a writing competition--with a couple winners from each class getting to have a pizza lunch with the author. Others have used the pizza lunch idea as a reward for their most talented writers or top students or best citizens. Offering a booksale will also garner interest and enthusiasm. The more acquainted the children are with the author's work and the more enthusiasm instilled, the more successful the visit will be.

* * *

Some of the schools that I've visited over the years have blown me away with their preparation activities. One (Robertsdale in Alabama) had the stage behind my presentation area set up as a teddy bear's picnic (for Country Bear's Good Neighbor). Another (Tate Elementary in Kern County) had life-size re-creations of the characters from several fiction titles decorating the hallways and raindrops (from the Rookie Reader Raindrops) dangling from the ceiling. The children created artwork panels based on my books and a volunteer parent stitched them together into a king-size quilt. (Yes, I use it!) At another (Smallwood Elementary, Buffalo, New York), every grade level selected a title and tied it to curriculum...with one grade level reading my tall tales and creating their own and another reading my Corner Kids titles (Rookie Choices) and doing projects with each character trait discussed in those books. It never ceases to amaze me at how creative teachers can be at using books in their classrooms when given the chance.

2008-04-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

Wind. Dust. Gosh, I thought I might blow away this morning when I was out for a walk with the dog at 5:00. We ended up chasing my baseball cap half a block before we caught up with it. Kubric thought that was great fun.

It hit the 90s yesterday. Finally--a chance to get warm! Of course, I also know what lies ahead...from warmth to HOT.

Yesterday, I woke at 2:00 with a brainstorm about the current book project. I'd been troubled that perhaps I was going into too much detail. So as I lay in bed thinking about it, the "fix" (or at least I hope it's the fix) came at 2:00 and I was up typing notes to myself so I would not forget. (I learned the hard way not to rely on memory when such inspiration strikes. I swear I've written the Great American Middle-Grade Novel in the night, only to have it evaporate by morning.)

2008-04-09T12:05:00.001-07:00

Today finds Tucson under gray and cloudy skies. Wet skies. It has been raining for about the last hour. And you thought it never rained in sunny Arizona. Ha! Ordinarily, I can see from my hillside, across the valley, to the Catalina Mountains. Today the clouds are so thick I can't even see the house across the street, let alone the high-rises downtown.

It has been a morning to catch up on some desperately needed house cleaning. My sinks and counters now sparkle. The floors will have to wait. Tomorrow, the work crew will finish the office and den--yay! Then I'll be able to move back into my office and work on a REAL desk--instead of on a board suspended between two sawhorses.

The newest book is progressing well, but I was prompted to comment to a friend last night over dinner: "I feel as if I'm writing the entire history of the South from the flood forward." And somehow, I have to make it fit into a 48-page format. (Write now, cut later.)

2008-04-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful morning here in Tucson! I was up long before sunrise and out with Kubric (the schnauzer) for our morning constitutional. We were the only ones out that early, except for birdlife--which seemed to be welcoming the new day in full force. Lovely!

There's much to do: make some progress on the Birmingham book, put together an agenda for an upcoming board meeting, think about a picture book idea that has been nagging me--I need to find the window in (not to mention the window out!)--and start putting together a 'thank you' talk.

For Michael, who e-mailed to ask how a writer takes command of 'kid-speak' when writing dialogue: listen. Listen to children where you find them. When I taught at ICL, I used to advise students to visit the neighborhood park and jot down phrases and glimpses of children's dialogue when they were at play. But not in today's world. Instead, listen to kids wherever you might find them: in line at the grocery store, at your neighborhood video store, when you're out for a walk with the dog. It doesn't take much to add realism to the dialogue you write.

2008-04-03T19:54:00.001-07:00

Plans have been finalized for my trip to Cleveland from April 23rd to 26th to accept the Norman A. Sugarman Award for Children's Biography. They tell me I'll be speaking to a couple of school and civil rights groups, having dinner with the committee, and meeting the Sugarman family, whose generosity makes the award possible. Also, I'll possibly get to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--which fabric artist Nancy Polster tells me will knock my socks off (and possibly damage my eardrums). I'm looking forward to it (the museum, not the eardrums part).

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (or Casa de los Cuentos, as my house is called), my office is taking shape (this for writer, Helen Foster James). The cabinets, bookcase, and desk were installed today. I'm still waiting for the tops to arrive--possibly tomorrow, possibly not until early next week. Then I will finish painting and move back into this room of my own (and--the Cosmic Coordinator willing--finish the current tome). I recall that my dear friend, Lois Sims, used to have a coffee mug that read: So many men; so little time. Sometimes I feel that way about books: So many writing ideas; so little time to write them! Also what comes to mind--as long as I'm tripping back over favorite sayings of old friends--is a something that friend and teaching colleague (from San Diego State University) used to say: I could have a great social life, if it weren't for the need to work. So true. So true.

Happy April, y'all. (This term popped out of my mouth while speaking to school children in Buffalo, New York, and after only a month in Birmingham. I think I understand now why and how my Los Angeles-born friend and now Chicagoan John Kendryna came back from a few years in Atlanta sounding as if he'd spent his entire life in the South. It's catchy!)

2008-03-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite times of year here in Tucson. The days are pleasantly warm (mid-80s) and the nights are wonderfully cool enough for a blanket on the bed. What I like most, I think, is that in the early morning when I take Kubric (the schnauzer) out for his morning stroll (some would say he takes me), there's lots of wildlife to observe: coyotes, rabbits, quail, and roadrunners--and that was just this morning. Also, this morning a most beautiful red bird flew across our trail. I'm not a birder or I might be able to tell you what it was, but it was stunning. At night, with the windows cracked, a symphony of crickets and the faraway, haunting wail of a passing train lulls one to sleep.

I know a lot of you think that you've been to Tucson if ever you've been to Phoenix, but the two destinations are completely different. Tucson is higher (and, thankfully, cooler) than Phoenix and, although it's unfortunately growing, it hasn't yet reached Phoenix's sad status of being called "Los Angeles East." Tucson is still a "cowboy town," as evidenced by the corral of horses at the bottom of the hill and the lone cowboy I sometimes see moseying along behind my house.

Happy Trails! (I need to get some work done on a book.)

2008-03-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from visiting Smallwood Drive and Windermere Boulevard schools in Amherst, New York (think Buffalo). What dedicated teachers and wonderful children! It was a delightful four days with hostesses Freda Orosz and Nancy Kane, inspite of snow, wind, rain, sleet, cold, ice, and cloudy skies. Everyone made me feel so welcome and very much like a "star." As a bonus, I came home with a couple of mementos of Buffalo (a lovely tie and a crystal ornament) and a recipe for a delicious spinach/strawberry salad that I'm looking forward to trying out on my friends. Of course, I was there when the Spitzer affair made the news, and that was quite fun to talk about (with the teachers, people, not the students). And, of course, now there's Patterson and his wife. Politics is so salacious these days; it makes me happy I didn't follow my parents' advice to enter politics!

I knocked out some captions for the illustrations in my book about Booker T. Washington, due out in 2009. The book layout is fantastic and looks rich. My editor, Joyce Stanton, is a gem. If ever you have the opportunity to work with her, jump at it.

It is time to dig into the next major art piece, a book tentatively titled Birmingham Sunday. I've been researching like crazy, spending a lot of time in Birmingham. But all good things must come to an end--and the real work of writing must begin. (Especially if I'm going to meet my June 1 deadline.) It looks as if I'll be alternating between Sunday and a chapter book mystery for a while. We'll see where it all leads. Interestingly, after several weeks in Birmingham, y'all seems to have crept into my vocabulary.

Also, I finally raised my school visit fees. My Smallwood Drive librarian informed me that I was selling myself short by not charging what everyone else is charging. I give more; I charge less. There's something strange with that picture, but true to the Brimner investment strategy of buying high and selling low. So after thinking it over, I raised my school visit fees but will also continue to cover my own transportation and lodging when schools book me for four days or longer. That seems fair to me. The truth is that with airfares on the rise and hotels following suit, I was just barely covering my expenses. I've tried to keep my fees reasonable so that more schools and children would be able to experience an author visit, but it's time for a readjustment. The 2008-2009 fee schedule is posted on my "Programs" page.

Off to a South of the Gila Gang meeting of writers.

2008-03-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

I spent yesterday in Casa Grande, Arizona, at the Arizona Young Authors' Conference. What fun! I met with several outstanding young writers, talked a bit about some of my books, did a writing activity with them, and fielded their questions. Questions. It never ceases to amaze me what passes through young minds. One of the cutest questions that I was asked was as follows: "Don't you get tired of the paparazzi following you all the time?" I chuckled because the mere notion of the paparazzi or, more likely, the singular paparazzo, following a writer--especially a children's writer--around is a bit off the wall. And I answered: "Most of the time it isn't a problem, but just the other night when I was trying to have a peaceful dinner about 500 paparazzi crowded around my table and I became so upset that I left the restaurant and crashed my brand new limousine in the parking lot." Of course, I immediately confessed to pulling their leg--especially when I realized the teacher thought I was serious--and said, "The nice part about being a writer is that we are not plagued by paparazzi. A crazed teacher or librarian now and then, but not the paparazzi. When it comes to fame and the writer, people tend to know a writer's work and not the writer." (The teacher seemed very much relieved that I didn't have a limousine to crash in a parking lot.)

Now I am off to San Diego for an Authors' Festival and then will leave there for Buffalo. Pweeze let it not be snowing in Buffalo. This reminds me that I need to contact Freda and Nancy to let them know that I'm on my way.

2008-02-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

I'm back from another delightful and productive visit to Birmingham, but I think I left my wallet and likely future royalty income in the copy machine in the archives at the Birmingham Public Library. After a little organization, I'll be ready to review my notes and write.

I saw long-time friends, Neal and Joan Broerman, who took me to Dreamland for some down-home Alabama barbecue. Yummy! And that day, my Calkins Creek editor told me that We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin has gone into its second printing. Already. I'm not complaining.

Later this week I will visit Mesquite Elementary School in Gilbert, Arizona. School visits are almost always fun, so I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at Mesquite. Gosh, can it be mid-February already? I just realized today that 2008 is a leap year. Who knew?!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

I'm packed for Birmingham--almost. What I hope to find there on this trip? Transcripts for the trial of Robert Chambliss. Also, I hope to return to the FBI files so I can photocopy information about their investigation into the 16th Street bombing in 1963. I hate ferreting out this primary source stuff--but it's necessary for the type of book I'm hoping to write. I've already read books (adult variety) that summarize all this information, but there's nothing like having the original sources.

Swapped e-mail with Joan Broerman, and we plan to see each other while I'm in B'ham this trip. She's doing research at the BCRI (where I spent a week during my last visit), so she'll be right in the neighborhood.

When I return, there will be work to do on behalf of my homeowners' association. It's simply amazing to me that a shifty builder can come into a neighborhood, ruin it, and somehow wiggle out of his obligations to correct the damages. We--the association--turned to the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, the state's oversight organization, and the builder boasted that we could file all the complaints in the world and he'd never be cited for wrong-doing because he had them in his pocket. The AZ ROC IS funded by contractors and their may be truth to his statements, but I've been asked to file an appeal on behalf of the association. Somebody really needs to shut this builder down before he victimizes other neighborhoods. Enough grousing.

I'm looking forward to a February 15th visit to Mesquite Elementary in Gilbert, Arizona. It should be great fun!

2008-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Last evening I received a phone call from a lovely editor at Scholastic Library telling me that Quiet Wyatt is to be included in an anthology and not to be too upset or surprised or puzzled when the check arrives. I explained that I have never been known to be upset or surprised or puzzled at the arrival of a check--just in a hurry to make a deposit. So that's something to look forward to in the mail. With any luck, this may re-open the door to more work with Scholastic Library. I always enjoyed working on the Rookie Reader and True Book series for them, and would welcome the opportunity to continue the relationship.

The Benchmark books on Booker T. Washington and Chief Crazy Horse have been edited and revised and returned. Booker T. has gone to layout, so it will be exciting to see "the look" of the book. One more to go: Pocahontas. This should come in from my editor for revision and page breaks in short order. These titles were fun to research, and my Benchmark editor is a gem to work with. I need to think of some new ideas to pulse her with.

I took time yesterday afternoon to view the tape of my "Arizona Illustrated" segment. It aired on MLK day (but since I was in B'ham on MLK day I had not seen it). Except for a couple of stand out flubs on my part--they stood out to me, anyway--and for the fact that they told me to lean forward which tended to give me a hunchback appearance, it wasn't too horrible. Still, I'd rather not see myself televised. Aaargh!

2008-01-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

I'm back from doing research in Birmingham, Alabama. While I've had many enjoyable trips to Birmingham in the past--usually staying at the Broerman Hilton in Hoover or in lodging in Vestavia Hills, Homewood, or Five Points--this is the first time I've actually been "in" Birmingham proper. But this is where my research contacts were, so I parked myself in downtown B'ham near the library archives and the B'ham Civil Rights Institute. What strikes one first and foremost about downtown B'ham is how clean it is. Unlike many residents in Tucson or San Diego or in other urban areas with which I'm familiar, people in B'ham seem to take pride in their city and dispose of trash and cigarette butts in the many receptacles that dot the landscape. Another thing one notices is the massive parking garages frequenting practically every block in the city center. Obviously, it is a commuter city. The result is a limited number of choices in restaurants--especially after 2:30 in the afternoon. Breakfast and lunch options are pretty much limited to corporate dining; i.e., the food court in the Alabama Power building or the food court in the Regions Bank building. Stand-alone restaurants are few, and those that do exist also usually close by 2:30 because once the worker/commuter population leaves for the day, the streets are deserted. B'ham has a lot of potential, but still much of the city reminded me of East Berlin before the fall of the Wall--desolate and gray and run down. (Having said that, I'll also add that it looks ripe for loft space development.)

I'll return to B'ham the first week of February to finish up (he says with hope) my research.

2008-01-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

I was having one of those mornings when nothing was going right. Then around 11:00 the phone rang and it was Nancy Hogan from Boyds Mills Press. She was in LA with somebody--Crystal Jeeter (with apologies for any misspellings)--on the line who wanted to share some good news with me. Well, thinks I, it's a day too early for the Newbery and Sibert awards. So what can this good news be? Here's the gist of what I recall from our conversation: We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin has won the Norman A. Sugarman Biography Award for the most outstanding biography published in the United States in the last two years. All I can say is that a little bit of glitter can do a lot to turn a person's day around.

Now, if you're like me, you've never even heard of the Sugarman Biography Award, so I did a little online digging. It seems that Joan Sugarman contributed a substantial endowment to establish the Norman A. Sugarman Biography Award in honor of her late husband--a distinguished attorney and author. The award is administered by the Cleveland Public Library, and the award ceremony is held in Cleveland. This year, in addition to the award winner, three honor books were chosen.

Okay, I need to slap myself in the face a few times to make myself focus on work at hand.

2008-01-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

What a hoot! I just read that the Allen County Public Library (Fort Wayne, IN) sponsors a Mock Sibert reading list and award. It was thrilling to see We Are One on the reading list (even if it didn't win, Fort Wayne--even if it didn't win).

I'm deep into revision territory on my Crazy Horse text. I stared at one section so long I couldn't tell if it made sense or not, so I cut and pasted the much revised paragraph into an e-mail to my editor and asked her. Do you ever have those writing moments when you've tweaked something so many different ways and back again that you just don't know if it conveys what you think it does? I think it's time to clear out the cobwebs by hitting the kitchen and losing myself in cooking for the evening. Hopefully, I'll have an editorial e-mail tomorrow...and/or a fresh brain to analyze the troubling paragraph again.

2007-12-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

Writers' Tip: Make a writing goal list by January first and hang it over your work station. Keep a copy of it in another location where you'll see it on a daily basis--just as a reminder. (My "other" location is on top of my sock drawer.)

At the top of my list: Finish the nonfiction book I just sold by deadline.
Number two on my list: Write, submit, and have accepted another picture book.

Usually, my goal list has four or five items on it. I rarely achieve them all, but the list serves as a constant little nudge to be working toward achieving them.

Happy New Year, all!

2007-12-28T13:09:00.000-08:00

Another year bites the dust--almost. Gathered with friends--Sylvia, Nancy, Joan, Jim...artists all--for an early year end luncheon at Cafe a la C'art in Tucson. Joan had extra cause to celebrate: three paintings sold while out of town over Christmas. Yahoo! Sylvia is a playwright; Nancy, a fabric artist; Jim works in metal mostly, and I, of course, sculpt with words. It was a grand way to usher out 2007 and look forward to 2008. As for New Year's Eve itself, it will likely be a quiet one at home as I hesitate to be out on the roads--especially with my eyesight. The retina reattachment in my sighted eye doesn't seem to have taken, so the first two weeks of '08 will be blurry and spent at one specialist or another having things re-reattached, stitched together, and/or fabricated anew. The blind eye is as healthy as ever; it just doesn't see. Once upon a time way back when, I remember wishing for the day when I'd be old. Well, as I rapidly approach that milestone, let me just say it isn't what it's cracked up to be--although I guess it beats the alternative, to paraphrase many.

2007-12-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

It's not Oprah, Larry King, or even Maury (Thank goodness!), but it is good news. I received word the other day that I'll be taping a 5 to 10 minute interview about We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin with Bill Buckmaster of "Arizona Illustrated." The program airs at 6:30 P.M. weeknights on KUAT, the Southern Arizona PBS affiliate. We'll be taping on 3 January for a broadcast on Monday, 21 January, which also just happens to be MLK Day. I've alerted local booksellers, so maybe if I stop in at a Borders or B&N around that time frame I might be able to find a copy out in public.

My shopping is done. I baked scones (my special recipe) for local neighbors. Now all we need to do is survive the day and make it through to New Year's Eve.

2007-12-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

Last Monday I met with my writers' group, the Blind Orphan Ponies (or BOP, for short). The core group consists of Helen Foster James (who shared news of a new award and newer book contract), Paul Brewer (with a new joke book), Kathleen Krull (with F&Gs of her book, Fartiste! [co-written with husband Paul Brewer]), Jean Ferris (an amazing YA author), Pam Muñoz Ryan (with tales of NCTE), and moi (although, I don't get to as many BOP lunches as I'd like since giving up San Diego for Tucson). The company was grand; the Delmar restaurant was a bust. Really, we should have had a clue when we discovered only four other people in the entire place. Now it's home, prepping for Christmas, slipping out of the country, and going to Alabama in the new year to research a book project.

Happy Holidays!

2007-11-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

Friday. Rain. The NCSS conference. What a pleasure to meet all the dedicated social studies teachers at NCSS today. Perhaps the rain drove many of them into the exhibit hall, but by noon we were out of WE ARE ONE. Carolyn, my editor at Calkins Creek, shared a new review of the book (VOYA--December 2007) that was a great way to start the day. Then she and I spent the afternoon calling around to see if we could magically produce some copies for tomorrow. Alas, our efforts came up a bust. I guess tomorrow I'll be like a Wal-Mart greeter just saying "Howdy do" and pointing to the book's listing in the catalog.

2007-11-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

I spent Thanksgiving bicycling around and through Tubac, Arizona. If you don't know Tubac, you really should. It's an artists' colony, and art abounds everywhere. When I first started coming to Southern Arizona ten years ago, or so, Tubac was a sleepy little village of working artists. It was a place where people interested in the various art media might talk to the folk who actually create the art. It was a place where struggling artists could find an affordable place to live and create and thrive. Unfortunately, it was discovered. Most of the struggling artists have been forced out. Affordable housing has been replaced by developments of $600K and $700K tract homes. Even so, it is a nice place to visit and look.

Now it is back to the grind for a few days before zipping off to San Diego for the NCSS conference. I'll be signing books there on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday...Lunch with my Writers' Group on Monday...And back to Tucson on Thursday.

I read an interesting blog review of We Are One yesterday. The blogger worried that it is a "sophisticated" book and that children might not understand the terms "black" and "Negro" when used interchangeably. To that I say give children credit for being intelligent beings that have the ability to think. They really can be a sophisticated audience if they're allowed to be. As an educator and writer, I'm tired of so called "experts" and others working to dumb down books because they worry that children won't be able to understand multi-syllabic words. She worried that older readers would be put off by the "picture book format." To that I say that it is a photo-essay and if she--I'm assuming the blogger was a she--still has reservations, she needs to sit in on my talk about using picture books with older readers. End of rant. End of discussion.

2007-11-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I should go away on tour more often. I spent the last several days in Buffalo, New York, visiting the delightful students and dedicated faculty at Union East Elementary School. Colleen Goodwin, the Union East librarian extraordinaire, arranged for me to check my e-mail and there was a message from my publisher that WE ARE ONE: THE STORY OF BAYARD RUSTIN is nominated for the 2007 Cybils Award, an award bestowed by literary bloggers. The last time I left town, I discovered it was given a starred review by School Library Journal. Okay, I'm getting ready to continue the tour--this time to New York City and NCTE. Maybe another wonderful something will happen to the book while I'm away.

It was snowing in Buffalo when I landed. Colleen had promised me beautiful fall weather. I think she was as surprised as I about the snow and chilly temperatures. It was quite different from Tucson in the mid-80s. Still, it was pleasant and the company of Union East students and faculty, and SLAWNY members, helped to make it even more so. I'm looking forward to another trip to Buffalo in the spring.

2007-11-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

November 2 (Friday) marked the Day of the Dead, so I went to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, to see what it is all about. Mind you, I've read about Day of the Dead activities and mentally knew it was a festive celebration, but all the reading in the world couldn't have prepared me for the spectacle. At the Panteón Nacional (National Cemetary), El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a rich, elaborate, colorful, multi-day happening--a sharp contrast to the somber, quiet, reflective cemetaries in the United States. El Dia de los Muertos is not a time for sadness, as the belief is that the spirits of departed loved ones return--so families bring offerings of food and beverage (those that were favorites of the departed) and spend their days and nights at the gravesite feasting and remembering. The gravesites are weeded, cleaned, and scrubbed. Then they are decorated with fresh and paper flowers, photographs, stuffed animals, toys, and trinkets. Bands play. Singers sing. Children play, scampering about the graves. At one end of the cemetary, a carnival is in full swing, while at another, a mercado (market) offers everything from "fast food" to rugs to bracelets depicting saints to fashion wear. Strolling vendors hawk their cotton candy and candied apples and pan de muerto (literally, "dead bread," but actually it is a slightly sweet bread prepared for this occasion). And everywhere one sees calacas, skeleton figures, doing everything the living do and reminding all that rich and poor, beautiful and plain, talented and untalented, ultimately share an equal fate. At market stalls, children select calaveras, sugar skulls, that are personalized with their names and gobbled up--a sweet, cementery (spanglish, for "cemetary") treat, and another reminder of human-kind's shared fate.

2007-10-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

Saturday marked my return to AzRA; i.e., the conference of the Arizona Reading Association held in Casa Grande. I've spoken at this conference on numerous occasions and have usually had numbers in my session that could justify the time, effort, and expense involved in putting together a presentation and getting there. This time, I wonder. Of the nine people present, five were fellow writers who were there to show their support, and for that I was grateful. But that left four "real" people, meaning librarians and teachers. Of those four, two were retired and one of those was an old friend who attends all of my workshops and sessions. So that left two people. As a PR effort, this is sadly disappointing, and I will have to give serious thought before submitting a proposal again. It reminds me of my experience at the California Reading Association.

I always thought it was a struggle to get people to attend author sessions at California Reading because the author track is flooded at this conference, which "hosts" -- term used loosely, since we authors have to pay our own way as well as conference fees unless a publisher sponsors us -- as many as fifty or sixty authors at any given event. Even so, I usually managed to have a friendly and welcoming crowd until it was held in Long Beach. At the first Long Beach experience I was placed in a room behind the exhibit hall, through which people had to pass in order to get to the sessions. The exhibit hall opened at 9:00AM. My session started at 8:00AM. Zero people attended. The only reason I was able to get to my room was that I had an exhibitor's badge, courtesy of my publisher, and was able to enter the exhibit hall. The following year it was again held in Long Beach. My session was in the same room at the same time. The results were identical. I decided I could find better ways to spend my time and energy, but then CRA held its conference in San Diego and at the request of a friend I agreed to be a speaker. Unfortunately, whoever was in charge forgot to include my session in the conference program. No one remembered to list my name and session title on the marquee outside my presentation room. I was scheduled to speak during the last slot of the day. I was so thrilled when one person wandered in and surprised that she'd found me. That bubble soon burst, however, when she explained that she was tired and since the room (set up for 250) was empty, she'd wandered in to rest and not to listen to a speaker. It was a huge let down, not to mention about $300 out of pocket.

Perhaps there are too many conferences. Perhaps authors need to think of other alternatives and/or venues to promote their books. Ideally, conferences enable an author to present his/her newest titles to the broadest possible audience--but not always. I enjoy talking with teachers about books--my own as well as those of others. But there really should be a way to minimize an author's expenses. I know. I know. Authors are all rich. Write a book and you're an instant millionaire--until you stop to consider that authors actually only make, on average, ten percent of the purchase price of a book. If there's an illustrator involved, then that ten percent gets cut--and rightly so--in half. So on a book that retails for $15.00, the author typically is making only $1.50. Give the illustrator half of this, and you can see why registration fees and $300 for give-away materials at a conference where nobody shows up to hear the author is a big impact. Don't mind me--I'm just musing today. Happy Halloween, all!

2007-10-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Oh, my gosh! I didn't mean to be away from this blog for so long, but I've been busy-busy. Queries for the novel went out today. Also, I've stopped in at a couple of schools to talk about the importance of reading and writing, and to reinforce the notion that all people--including students--are writers. We--students and professional writers--go through the same process when we're trying to think about something to write. It's was especially nice to be invited to my neighborhood school, Menlo Park Elementary. More recently, I visited Freshwater, Garfield, and Redway schools in Humboldt County, California (Eureka). What a joy! Freshwater even arranged for me to have my own parking space in the school lot AND gave me the "RESERVED" sign to bring home with me. I WILL use it.

While I was in Humboldt County, Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek notified me that WE ARE ONE: THE STORY OF BAYARD RUSTIN will receive a starred review in School Library Journal--November issue. Yahoodle! I'd been sitting on needles and pins and spikes and prongs waiting for this one--all while holding my breath. I can't tell you the feeling when somebody actually gets what artistically you were trying to do. Thank you. Thank you.

There's a lot of travel coming up, so I'm not sure how diligent I'll be at checking in but I'll give it my best shot. Until next time, keep writing...keep reading.

2007-09-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

Snow! A storm blew through on Sep 23/24 and left us with a coating of the white stuff. Pretty to look at. Cold to feel. Not fun to shovel.

The biography talk is complete...there's even a PowerPoint version of it, although I'm not found of PP. Now I will focus on updating my picture-books-with-older-readers talk. If anybody had told me when I left teaching and teacher-training to write full-time that I'd be spending a great deal of my effort on developing and delivering talks (as in public speaking), I'd have found another avenue to invest myself.

2007-09-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sudden Aspen Die-off will likely impact the color this fall in the San Juans. SAM (Sudden Aspen Mortality) or, my own acronym, SAD (Sudden Aspen Death) is likely caused from years of drought. Beyond that, researchers seem to be at a loss. It is striking to drive down the highway and see whole stands of aspens withered and brown, most with no leaves at all. Various measures are being tried to remedy the situation, but at this point everything seems to be experimental. Whatever is tried, I just hope and pray that it isn't another case of man sticking his spoon into Mother Nature's pot and creating something ghastly. In spite of this news, don't think that fall in the San Juans will be lackluster; there are plenty of healthy specimens to give one the sense of fall and they are beginning to turn golden with shorter hours of daylight and cooler (much cooler) nights.

2007-09-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

There was frost this morning. That's the second time this month, so soon there will be snow. The earliest I recall that it snowed here was on September 24th--a light dusting that was picture perfect. Soon it will be time to fold up my tent and head south--just in time to head north to northern California, then east to New York (two weeks in a row) and west to San Diego.

2007-09-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

The novel is complete, although I'll let it rest a few days and give it another pass before sending it off to my agent for submission to my editor. Have to log off at the present time because lightning is zooming all around.

Sorry about that interruption. It's just that I've learned--the hard way--to disconnect my computer when lightning is flying around. Even with surge protectors, I fried--quite literally--a modem by simply turning off my computer during a lightning storm rather than disconnecting everything. Anyway, as I was saying, the novel is finished...20,000+ words. It's a mystery, and with any luck it will keep my agent's and my editor's interest through to the end.

Local friend Laurie stopped by this morning--midwork, midlaundry--to say hi. She'll be leaving for Utah in a couple of days to teach a class in dance. A Tucson friend, Sloan, e-mailed to tell me about "losing" her dog, Princess Maggie. Her story has the makings of a perfect young mystery--so I'm thinking about it.

Now I need to turn my attention to two upcoming presentations--one on biography at the Arizona Reading Association at the end of October, followed by one on picture books with older students in New York in early November. That will do it for presentations this fall. The spring is another story; I'll be living at the airport.

There's a little bit of Sibert buzz about We Are One, which would be a hoot and a half. But as with publishing contracts, I never hold my breath or get excited until the ink is dry on the contract or official announcements are made. With some 5,000 books published annually--I don't know how many of those are nonfiction--I figure it's a long shot at best. Even so, it's nice to hear my title and the word "Sibert" in the same sentence, at least on some fronts.

2007-09-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

One rainy morning. Dirt roads. One white dog. They don't mix well.

Have been busy with the revision of the mystery, and it's almost done. Then we'll see what I have.

2007-08-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

A red-letter day! The middle-grade novel is finished. 18,487 words. Of course, this is only the first draft, and it needs to be edited and revised--only because I think a novel's beginning is somehow supposed to be connected to its ending, and this one's beginning has only a vague connection to the ending. Oh well, revision is fun. The hard work is actually over. I at least have something now I can work with. My three editors who have been awaiting nonfiction proposals (long overdue) will cheer at this news because while the middle-grade beast rests, I'll turn my attention to those.

Also, another glowing review of We Are One arrived. It's so cool that at least some people are paying attention to it.

2007-08-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

A most excellent and laugh-filled read last night: Roxie and the Hooligans by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. You absolutely MUST read it.

2007-08-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

The Kirkus review of We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin was just forwarded to me. Phew! I can almost breathe again. It glows, saying, "An effective mix of major historical events and small, telling anecdotes, along with the attractive photo-essay format, make this a fascinating volume, informative and well written." So no bloodletting today!

On the other hand, yesterday afternoon the Read/Write disk I use to compose my books on suddenly and without warning turned into a Read-Only disk. This means I cannot edit/delete/or add to the 12 chapters that already exist. To say I was not a happy camper is putting it mildly. Pam Munoz Ryan, my buddy, e-mailed to say that maybe I could find a local computer geek in town to remedy the problem. I explained to her that in this town of 100 living folks, I'm the geekiest one around. I did, after much hair pulling, figure out a way around the problem. It's not pretty, but it will have to do until I return to Tucson in October.

2007-08-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was big-brother Wayne's birthday in Grand Junction--I won't say which birthday. I trust it was a grand one with something chocolate to consume. Happy Birthday!

2007-08-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Last night's reads: The Blue Ghost, by Marion Dane Bauer. If you like intergenerational stories with a ghostly element, this one's for you--a fascinating chapter book. Also, Paint the Wind, by Pam Munoz Ryan. I'm predicting this one will catch the eyes of the Newbery Committee.

2007-08-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Coolish after Tucson's summer temperatures--highs in the low to mid-70s and lows in the 50s. I can live with it. Perfect weather to be working in the yard, tidying up before the leaves begin to change color and drop. Every other house seems to be on the market here, and I don't know if that's a sign of a strong economy or one that has bitten the dust. Probably the latter, given the uncertain climate in the wake of the mortgage lending debacle. Donated a copy of We Are One to the local library, whose total book budget is $1,000 annually. Pitiful. But unfortunately, not uncommon in the United States. The U.S. gives a lot of lip-service to valuing children and education. Unfortunately, that's all it is: lip-service.

We came home to visitors. A family of mice had set up housekeeping in the downstairs bathroom, so they had to be relocated before we could really start any projects here. Cute little critters, but definitely not the sort you find in children's picture books. What a mess they left! But bottles of bleach later, everything is relatively back to normal. And as of today, Kubric and I have even been able to return to our usual writing routine...starting and finishing chapter 10. 13,800 words at this point; 2 more chapters to go (I think). I don't know why at this point in a book I start to get so excited because all it REALLY means is that I get to start all over with editing and revision...even if I can clearly see the end in front of me.

Until next time...

2007-08-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

12,800 words. Next up is Chapter 10, and a change in viewpoint. But there's a little road trip to Sitges over the next couple of days, so I don't anticipate getting any work done or any new posts until things settle down a bit.

2007-08-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Was stumped by a plot point, so didn't get much (if any) writing done today. The good news is I think I've figured out how to extract my lead characters from their situation and where in the manuscript to set it up so that they have the tools to do it. I'm packing for a short road trip, so I doubt that much physical work gets done on it in the next few days. But maybe.

Recent fun reads: Clementine by Sara Pennypacker and the sequel, The Talented Clementine.

2007-08-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last night my editor sent e-mail. "Did you see the Booklist review?" she asked. That was it. An editor should never say that to a writer without some sort of preface or appendage, as we're an insecure lot. The whole notion of reviews is nerve-racking because--like many writers--I always assume the worst. But I don't even like reading reviews when they're starred, glowing, and wonderfully accurate and articulate--just because reviews, whether good or otherwise, are unsettling. It has oft been said that writers forget the great reviews the second they've been read, but can quote verbatim every word of every single less-than-glowing review. For me, that's true. Now by "preface" or "appendage," I'm thinking something along the lines of the following: Congratulations! Have you seen the Booklist review? or Did you see the Booklist review? It's wonderful! or even How disappointing! Did you see the Booklist review? You know...something to give us an inkling of whether we should be heading to the bathroom to open a vein or not. But no, there it was: "Did you see the Booklist review?"

Someone--another writer--once asked me what I did when I received a review that was less than flattering. I should have been offended that this writer, who is now a friend, assumed that I might have experience with unflattering reviews. But the fact is, I did and do. What did I do? Upon receiving a lukewarm review once, I swallowed a bottle of pills and after puking up my guts for four solid days, I decided there had to be a more constructive way to handle the disappointing news. Just kidding--except for the part about deciding there had to be something constructive I could do. I looked up every review that I could find written by this particular reviewer, and guess what. They were all lukewarm or, worse, flat-out negative. The next thing I did is I looked up the reviews of several books that I particularly enjoyed and written by authors whose work I admired, and almost every one of those had negative or lukewarm reviews. So on the one hand, I learned something about the reviewer and on the other, I rationalized that I was in very good company.

"Did you see the Booklist review?" I e-mailed my editor immediately saying I had not. And then I added: Do I want to? Before the night was out she responded: "YES! It's great!" And she copied the review into her e-mail. I read it and am happy to report that We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin is off to a good start. I'm not sure I'd call the review "great," but it is solid. Great would have been seeing a star next to it, and I didn't see a star...unless it got lost in the scanning. No star. No star. Do you see what I mean about reviews being unsettling?