Ink Spot Plot

The Larklight Trilogy a Great Bout of Steampunk Glory

2012-01-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

   Okay, I admit it. I'm caught red-handed... I rarely finish reading a series. It doesn't matter if it's a trilogy, a sequel or one of those cute mystery series with titles that use alliteration. Whatever it is, I rarely finish it. And that, should tell you just how good Phillip Reeve's Larklight Trilogy is. Since I just finished it.

   I'll admit I'm a sucker for anything steampunk. But when you add pirates in space and a variety of alien flora and fauna that only Charles Darwin could have dreamt in his wildest dreams, it's turns this trilogy into something fantastic.

   Art and Myrtle Mumby are average, British citizens living in their modest home in the middle of space. The British empire at this point has of course grown tired of acquiring earthly nations, and has moved onto bigger prospects such as Saturn and Mars. Art and Myrtle are content to practice the piano forte (at least Myrtle is) and practice their studies.

   Their spirits are somewhat dampened when their mother goes missing and turns out to possibly not be human. There's also the matter of having to traipse across the various civilizations in the solar system to reach her. And there's a vicious spider with a bowler cap threatening all the china in the living room. What's a good Brit to do in such times? The only choice is to solider on, and go to rescue mother. Although according to Myrtle, such adventures would be very improper to speak of.

   The series continues with more adventures in Starcross, the second book. The Mumby Family is faced with a number of "curious" top hats that have strange plans for the universe. I think I enjoyed this book the most out of the series, for its crazy characters. For example, the thrells are a race with one goal: to knit an impenetrable cozy for their planet.

   Mothstorm followed up with an enjoyable ending full of Christmas with Queen Victoria and a planet of mermaids. Really all of the books were strong and interesting adventures. David Wyatt's illustrations really added flavor to the entire series. Whether you like steampunk, or have a patron who can't get enough of pirates, this is a series full of good old fashioned British adventures with a dash of space piracy thrown in.

A Little Writing Advice...

2011-12-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

I know I'm probably on the naughty blog list for not having updated my blog in weeks. Sorry about that! It's amazing how much the holidays sucks all of your writing time away with parties, cooking and shopping.

I came across some great writing advice today on Kristin Cashore's website. She's the author of Graceling and Fire, (think medieval X-men.) It was about the process of writing books and the things you learn when you're knee deep in a draft. I thought it deserved a repost, so here's the link:

Things I Thought I knew About Writing....

Here's some things I've learned about writing to go along with her post.

* There are two kinds of writers. Some people do rough drafts where they throw everything onto the page and have to cut half of it later. Other writers have only the bare bones in the rough draft and have to add to it later.

* I have no idea which of those two I am.

* I enjoy writing, but sometimes it's just very frustrating trying to get the scene just write... until the lightbulb goes on and then the world is grand and I'm excited all over again.

* Sometimes, I just don't know what's going on in the story... and that's okay.

* Revision is like exercising.... I like it once I'm doing it, but getting started is murder.

A Poem....

2011-12-04T19:59:00.001-08:00

I was doing a bunch of cleaning today at the apartment while I was feeling stuck with my novel. I came across one of my old poems, so I thought today in lieu of a post, I'd post one of my old poems; for nostalgia sake.

   Saviors In White by Jess E. Stork

   The line snakes past the twinkies and Krispy Kreme,
   where customers
   victims assaulted by the heat
   wait patiently in line
   hot, moist strands pressed against their heads.

   The cool, white counter,
   where ladies with spectacles
   saviors in white
   survey the crowd
   taking stock of damages.

   The children
   reflections of glass and sherbert in their eyes
   the men
   grey and peppered leaning hard against their canes
   the women
   fanning brocheres against the sweat beading on their foundation

   The spectacles nod quietly at the wilted crowd,
   behind a pyramid of cookie cones
   take them one by one
   and ask calmly,
   "what'll you have, Sweety?"

Finding Time to Write and Focus

2011-11-20T18:06:00.001-08:00

Normally, I have a schedule worked out for writing time. But lately, between changes at the job, housekeeping (or lack thereof) and the imminent wedding rearing it's daunting head, I've been finding it hard to find time to write. I've known several people who planned weddings. One of my closest friends who concocted intricate centerpieces using goldfish and flowers. My mentor teacher in grad school who single handedly water colored personal maps for each invitation and proceeded to calligraph addresses onto each envelope. I swore that wouldn't be me. I was intent on a wedding more of my godmother's style, in an open field and the reception a buffet of KFC. At the age of nine this particularly struck me as genius. And then somehow, I got this great idea for favors that would mean so much but would take a wee bit of assembly. And then I decided no way was I going to let those invitation places swindle us with their crazy prices when I used to be a book artist. I would just make the invitations myself. And then, we had a little problem with finding a caterer on the venue's list that might actually fit our budget... and so on.

In all this detailed wedding plan web that I've tangled myself in for the past couple of months, it's getting harder and harder to focus on my writing when I do have time. It used to be that I would come home from work, make some dinner, ignore the housework and get down to writing. Not much has changed in the housework department, I still need to unload the dishwasher and I'm sitting next to a dryer rack full of clothes waiting to be put away. But I find that having the ugly wedding monster hanging over my head, there are little questions that sneak into my head while I'm writing.

For example, I could be writing a chapter about a girl burying a weathered shoebox in a graveyard late at night... When suddenly, I find myself wondering; "What color tablecloths would look good in the reception room? I mean it's a dark room to begin with, so if you stick dark colors in there, it's just going fade into the background. And there's a lot of red too..." Ten minutes later, I realize I wrote a sentence about my character choosing a maroon tablecloth to adorn her dirt hole.

So how to disconnect? I'm pretty sure it's not just me having problems staying focused. There's always going to be a wedding, or a baby, or some big project at work getting in the way of writing time. I know I can't be the only one.

There are a few things that I've found to work. First is to plan bigger chunks of time to write. It used to be that with a half an hour or so, I could get a bunch of writing done. But with a lot on my mind, it takes time to focus. So instead of planning little bits of time, I've started planning longer chunks of time. This way, I spend one night with the dishes and laundry and another night in the Ghost world with my manuscript.

Sometimes, I start with a bit of research to get myself back into the project after coming home from work. Research will help return me to the mindset to write the piece. I have to be careful though. It's easy to get carried away with those links on poisonous plants of South America. But most of the time, it gets my mind in the story so to speak, and out of the wedding centerpieces. The last thing I've found may seem counterproductive. And that is to get something done, before you come to the writing. I found that if I called a possible caterer, afterward I was able to focus more on writing. If I appease the wedding monster a bit, he's willing to yield to other endeavors a bit more.

So in the end, I guess there is no iron clad formula for focusing on writing. Modern life is filled with so many pockets of responsibility, that sometimes it's hard to find a quiet space for yourself to write. But that's why writing is so important. In all the noise and bustle, it's important for there to be someone to record the quiet truths of life. Even the truths about wedding centerpieces and tablecloths.

Winners of the Student Moving Words Poetry Contest Announced

2011-11-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! The winners of the Student Moving Words Poetry Contest have been posted online. I was lucky enough to participate in judging for this contest, and I was impressed by what the kids came up with. Check out the talented winning poems... poems about bees, sharpeners, hand sanitizer and others at the Arlington Commuter's Webpage.

Last Minute Literary Costumes

2011-10-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again. Trick or treating... parties... watching for the Great Pumpkin. Whichever activity you choose, it's best to be dressed for the occasion. For those procrastinators out there who haven't even thought of their costume, I've pulled together some fun costumes of literary characters that can be made just by what you have at home. My beloved carebear that my fiance gave me is modeling each sample costume.

First up is Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor. Although it takes a lifetime to perfect the art of fancy, you too can be fancy for just one night. Certain accessories are required, such as classy sunglasses, feather boa, high heels (preferably red,) and sparkly clothing. Red wig is useful, but not completely mandatory, just pile hair on top of head and accessorize with glittering things.

Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo is another quick idea to put together. Despereaux's main distinguishing feature was his enormous ears. Locate a brown paper bag and a headband to make these. Paper plates can also be used if you have the time to color them brown. Draw a large needle shape on a cereal box and cover it with tin foil for Despereaux's signature sword. If you have eye liner laying around, add some whiskers onto your face.

Darth Paper by Tom Angleberger was one of my favorite sequel books this year. To dress up like Darth Paper, start with black clothing as a base. Then, you'll need a large piece of black paper. (This may be tougher to get last minute, but sometimes you can find black posterboard at drugstores.) You could try using a black trash bag, I didn't have one around, so I couldn't try it. Follow the directions on Tom's site to fold a giant darth paper. Don't forget to add paper light saber. (If you have wrapping paper around, it might be great to use for this.)

Elephant And Piggie by Mo Willems is a early reader series that focuses on two great characters. The entire book is organized into speech bubbies where Willems ingeniously creates an entire story out of a bit of dialogue. This costume is best if there are two trying to dress up. For elephant, you'll need a pair of grey tights or pantyhose and a slinky. Stuff the slinky inside of the pantyhose using safety pins to secure it to the top of the hose. Use posterboard to make a speech bubble and add some dialogue.

The Lunch Lady Comic series by James Krosoczka is another great resource for halloween costumes. Who wouldn't want to be a Lunch Lady superhero? I, myself am envious of her spork phone. Luckily, dressing up like the Lunch Lady can mostly be accomplished with items from your local cleaning cabinet, assuming you have someone in the house who is handy with pinesol. To start with, you'll need a white shirt and grey pants if possible. Next, add on an apron, (yellow if possible.) The last and most important thing is yellow rubber gloves. If you don't have these, I would suggest buying them from the drugstore to complete the look. Hair nets are of course optional, the Lunch Lady isn't normally depicted wearing one, but her sidekick Velma always has one on. If you don't happen to have a hair net just lying around, you can use the netted bag that apples or oranges come in. Just thread a piece of string through the opening like a drawstring. Pull and tie to secure it once on your head. All that's left after that is to arm yourself with a customary implement of kitchen doom, such as a spork phone or jet propelled mixer. If unavailable, arm yourself with a spatula.

And with that, I bid you all Happy Halloween!

Sidekicks by Dan Santat... Not Just the Plucky Tagalongs

2011-10-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

My sister and I used to stay up late at night on Christmas Eve watching reruns of the live action Batman Show of the 1960's. I was always amazed by Robin's ability to use alliteration in every sentence and his unrestrained use of the word, "holy." But as a sidekick, Robin pales in comparison to worthy companions in Dan Santat's graphic novel, Sidekicks.

The sidekicks appear to be just the homely pets of superhero Captain Amazing. They enjoy creature comforts such as television, lounging on the couch and popcorn. But Fluffy the hamster and Roscoe the dog long for more. Captain Amazing is gone long hours fighting crime and avoiding his one mysterious weakness. With an announcement from Captain Amazing that he's searching for a new sidekick, the pets launch into action. With a new pet, Shifty, the chameleon and an old pet, Manny, the cat, the potential sidekicks train for tryouts. They encounter dark alleys and a very fishy problem.

I enjoyed the creative angle of Sidekicks, using pets as sidekicks. But even more, I loved the artwork. Fluffy's tiny disguise is reminiscent of Captain America's suit, but way more dashing. The frames zoom in for added drama and a bit of humor too at certain places. This story was well paced and came together neatly at the end. I'm hoping to use this one for the Graphic Novel Book Club once we get enough copies back into the library. Good for readers of the esteemed Lunch Lady Comics or a reader who just wants a laugh. Don't miss the noble deeds of these faithful sidekicks in their quest for justice, truth and maybe just a bit of loving attention too.

Outlining: What Does Your Line Look Like?

2011-10-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Some interesting conversations came up in my writer's group this week about outlining and synopsis writing. We talked about the dreaded one page synopsis vs. the chapter by chapter synopsis. There was a lot of differing opinions about the best way to outline. So in honor of this discussion, I decided to post a blog post about outlining, so everyone could share their favorite way to outline. I'm going to list some of the ways I've organized my thoughts for writing below. Add on your favorite outline method in the comments.
  - Index cards with chapter headings rubberbanded together at the bottom of my purse
  - scattered scenes jotted onto scrap paper and stuck on my frog magnetic board
  - Webs scribbled on hotel pads
  - Fancy Scrivener Outline with supporting pictures and Character Sketches
  - The Roller Coaster Outline spread across two pages of my journal
  - Plot Spreadsheet to thread together my subplots (Thank you to Cheryl Klien for introducing this one to me. Try it out it's helpful!)

How do you outline?

The Bones of the Holy...Gilda Joyce is Back Again

2011-10-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

I'd like to take a moment to gush about a great local author in the DC area. Jennifer Allison's newest book just came out. Bones of the Holy is the latest adventure of Gilda Joyce, the Psychic Investigator. Not only is Gilda a spunky and highly entertaining narrator, but she is also a talented sleuth as well. Her flare for outrageous disguises and interesting fashion choices paint her story with an extra layer of humor. In addition, Gilda is constantly on the lookout for signs of psychic activity.

In Bones of The Holy, Gilda's mother has gotten engaged on a short vacation to St. Augustine, Florida. Gilda is suspicious of her mother's mysterious fiance who lives in an antique shop. He calls her mother weird nicknames like "Patty-Cakes" and seems to genuinely like her mother. But worse than that, her mother doesn't even wait for Gilda's approval of her new fiance before planning a quick wedding a few weeks later.

When they arrive in Saint Augustine, a town known for its rich ghost history, Gilda is overwhelmed with the exciting ghost stories around her. Maybe moving to Saint Augustine wouldn't be so bad after all. But when weird things start happening to Gilda's mom, Gilda is forced to wonder, is she about to star in a ghost story herself?

The fantastically humorous character of Gilda always keeps me laughing, and I loved the bits of local legend and lore that peppered this book. When I read Allison's books, it always feels like I'm visiting the place, since they have such details about the setting. A great read for mystery lovers and anyone who has a special affinity for cat eye glasses.

Does a Different Book Cover Change the Experience of Reading the Book?

2011-09-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

As I was browsing the bookstores in London for...ahem... research, I realized how many books have different covers in the UK. It was odd for me, seeing a different cover on Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones or And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. While it was a bit disorienting to me, it made me wonder: does a different cover change the experience of a story?

In some ways, I think it would. Browsing the shelves, I came across a different edition of The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. Instead of illustrations by Dave McKean, it had illustrations by Chris Riddell. I love Dave McKean, he gave an ethereal quality to the Sandman comic books. But I was drawn into Riddell's illustrations as I flipped through the pages. The cover features the main character, Bod, and his guardian looking sleek, tall and antique. Would I have experienced the characters differently if I experienced Riddell's version first? I think so. Just considering the first page, there's a big difference. In McKean's version, there is a disembodied hand that hovers with a knife. It accompanies the famous first line of this Newbery winner, "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." Immediately I, as the reader am wondering what this knife is going to do. After all, knives sneaking around in the darkness are up to no good.

Riddell's version has a drawing of a severely elongated man with hair arched like a crow's. His shadow curls around the page as his hand is threaded through a knife. "The man Jack paused on the landing." It says below the illustration. This is a different approach. I'm suddenly interested in this character Jack with crow hair and what is he going to do with that knife? It makes me think about the character more than the knife itself. The difference in the two versions is that one directs my attention to focus on the actions of the knife, and one focuses on the actions of The Man Jack.

Italy

No less dramatic are the different covers in each country for the famed Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Any reader seriously has to be under a rock to have not heard of Harry Potter at this point. But before readers grace the first sentence, there is the impression of the front cover. I was surprised at how much the character depictions took on their own life depending on which country they were from. The Philosopher's Stone in Italy depicts Harry Potter with a sort of rat hat puzzling over a game. In France, the same book has a different title. A L'Ecole Des Sorciers, translates to "At the School For Sorcerers". The Czech cover has a wacky line up of Harry's teachers in the background. I imagine all these changes would put a reader in a different mindset before they even picked the book up.

France

Czech Republic

Another book cover that would have a dramatic impact on the reader is the cover to Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In America, the cover depicts the famed Mockingjay pin that is central to the symbolism of the story. But in Italy, this same story has a darker mood. Katniss peers out of a hood with menace. Not someone I would want to sit with in the cafeteria. Instantly, I have a preconception about the story before I've even read a word.

United States

Italy

How far do preconceptions about stories go? In Scumble by Ingrid Law, the different covers give you two separate ideas about the same character. In the American version it shows an abstracted colorful illustration of Ledger Kale and his metallic personality. It's eye catching and whimsical.

United States

The German cover of Scumble still transfers the same information about Ledger, but gives the impression of a more mature character with more subdued colors and shaggy neo-Beatles hair. With his hair around him in a curtain, it makes me think of the quiet teens at the computer in the library, the ones who look stricken when I ask their name.

Germany

So in the end, do different covers and illustrations change the reading of the story? I think they do. Just in the way that the background of the readers will influence how they experience the story. These covers create impressions about the character, impressions that it is difficult for words to change. But then, that's not the purpose of words. Words lead us into places, take us into scenes or settings. How we get there and what we think once we're there... that's our own business.

Kat, Incorrigible, a book of sisterly love

2011-09-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

Ah, sisters. The person who you eat ice cream out of the container with when your mom isn't watching, or will play with headless barbie dolls with you. Katherine Stephenson and her sisters do not have this type of a relationship. (Although I admit most people probably don't, I was a weird child.) The first glimpse we have of Kat in Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis with her sisters is Chapter 1 as Kat's hand is poised on the gate door. She is footsteps away from leaving her home forever, when a screeching cry of alarm interrupts her. Her sisters have discovered her absence.

With a stepmother in the house and a somewhat aloof father, Kat's sisters have taken it unto themselves to raise Kat. And they take her attempted escape personally. What I love so much about this book is how well developed the characters are. Although there were three sisters, I could easily tell them apart in their dialogue and actions. Kat was the youngest, the fearless adventurer. I loved Elissa as the self proclaimed gothic heroine and Angeline shined as an independent and strong minded sister.

Set in proper England, during a time of marriage proposals and magic, this book is full of laughable situations and downright heart. Kat and her sisters are challenged by a number of obstacles in this book: highwaymen, unintended magical consequences, possible marriages to evil men and even boring dinner conversations. A great book for strong female characters who get things done and live happily ever after.... until Book Two comes around.

Literary Sightseeing in London

2011-09-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm back from the city of London after a nice week vacation touring around. As I have books on the brain, I made a point to see several sights of literary interest while I was there. So for anyone who gets the chance to go London and take a look around, here are some sights you might want to check out.

First off is Jane Austen's door....

Ironically, there's a dentist office there now, but if you're interested in seeing where Austen lived in Bath, England, the place she lived is still there. Bath strives to upkeep the history in its buildings, so a lot of things in Bath are just as they were in Georgian times when they were built. There's also a Jane Austen Center to check out for the really diehard fans.

And on to Harry Potter....

There are any number of tours in London to show you the various Harry Potter film locations. Although we didn't make it to platform 9 3/4, we still were able to see the front of Gringott's bank (the first picture,) and an alley that could perhaps be the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It started out wide under an archway, until the end when we had to push through single file.

Outside of London was another Harry Potter site....

In a small town called Lacock, England, was Harry Potter's parent's house. The town is often used for filming as the buildings don't belong to those who live there, but are government owned. While it would be cool to have my house in movies, I have to say having to move my car off the street to film BBC's Pride and Prejudice might get old after awhile.

Of course I visited a bookstore in London....

Hatchards is the oldest bookstore in London and has been around since the 1700's. It had five floors complete with twisting staircases and I could have spent the next week just in here. The children's section turned out to be on the top floor. I was winded by the time I got up there, but it was worth it, I found an edition of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Chris Riddell. Awesome!

I visited a library while I was there too....

I'll admit the British Library didn't have the elegance that I'd come to expect from British buildings. It was a sadly disappointing modern, brick building. Inside the King's Library is in encased in glass in the center. The Reading Rooms are off limits unless you have a pass, but that's okay because I was more interested in the exhibits. Pages from Da Vinci's journal, the original lyrics from the Beatles song A Hard Day's Night (written on a birthday card) and a special exhibit on the history of Science Fiction.

And who could forget Shakespeare's Globe Theater?

I sure can't, because I saw a play there. I was impressed by the staging that took into account the shape of the theater. We were off to the sidelines, but from our seats there were things we saw from the actors, (hiding on stage from other characters) that those front and center couldn't see.

A lesser known site would be Brown's Hotel....

Brown's Hotel is the inspiration for Bertram's Hotel for all the Agatha Christie fans out there. A hotel that was currently frequented by the author, she used it in her novel, At Bertram's Hotel. Miss Marple is described as sitting quietly next to one of the fireplaces with her knitting. Perhaps the one in the background? You never know...

Okay, so this last one is not strictly literary... but the nerd in me couldn't resist posting a picture of the tardis since they're so far and few between. Yes for all you Dr. Who fans out there, there are still a couple of these old police boxes around in London. You too can have the locals stare at you as you squeal in joy at finding this coveted relic.

And so ends the literary tour of England. There are tons of other sites that I didn't even mention. So for those looking for a book lover's paradise, England is a good bet for a vacation.

Old Story of Mine Online....

2011-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

In November 2009, I published a story in Cleveland's Literary Mag, The Muse. They've since digitized their archives, so anyone who is interested in reading my "economic fable" called From The Sky, is more than welcome. The pdf for the November 2009 issue can be found here. I'm on page 18.

Writing Warmups?

2011-08-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I haven't posted in awhile. Things got a bit busy at work this summer, and I had some house guests too... so time slipped away. Lately it seems like it's tougher to find time to write, and get into my writing groove. Does anyone else have that problem over the summer?

Normally, I have set times to write over the week, and a routine to sit down. Generally, I need three things to get started writing.

1. a cup of something hot

2. notes or an outline

3. be half awake

I start out either with a sentence in my head, or by googling some concept I'm going to write about. Sometimes seeing images in particular or doing research helps me get into the story more. And when you're in the middle of a novel, it's particularly a good idea to get into the story before writing. I've heard a lot of people say they should just write until something good comes out. It can be useful, but I find research is an easier way for me to warmup. How do you warm up for writing?

Out With the New, In With The Old....

2011-07-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

Recently, I turned 28. There was the usual... cake... cards... the sorting hat from Harry Potter. But in addition, I acquired a shiny, new Nook e-reader. My parents were the ones who decided to bring me into the 21st century of reading; in particular my dad who enjoys shiny, new gadgets or anything with a circuit board inside. We spent some quality father/daughter time debating the different types of e-readers. Should we go for a kindle and sail the vast but confining Amazon seas? Or the Nook whose ability to read e-pub documents allows me to borrow e-books from my employer, the DC Public Library. (P.S. You're Not required to work there for this privilege. E-books and Audiobooks are available for loan through the website.) I wasn't interested in color, or the eye bending effects of the ipad. I don't buy comics as much as my dad does. The ipad is great for those. I spend an awful lot of time at work in front of a computer screen at work, and with my writing. I just wanted to give my eyes a rest with the e-ink technology e-readers have been developing. And so a package arrived at the end of this week, with a Nook nestled in styrofoam.

Once I got it up and running, my first thought was, "Okay, what do I read now?" Eventually, I'll buy some books to put on it, but I thought I'd try some of the public domain books I'd heard about first. There are quite a few websites you can find actual e-books of books with expired copyright on. Some of them include:

www.gutenberg.org - The Gutenberg Project

www.archive.org - Million Books Project

I started with the Gutenberg Project. As I puttered around the website search function, I was blown away by the quality of the book selection. Few people know about Peter In Kensington Gardens, by J.M. Barrie, a book about Peter Pan's early adventures as an infant who escapes out of his window to be live with the fairies in the park. He is, like all infants, is "part bird" and so has no difficulty with his flying escape. Few people know this book exists. I mention it to adults who want Peter Pan to read to their children. My branch owns a copy, but we're one of the only in the district. The Gutenberg project not only had Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, but many others by J.M. Barrie.

Other treasures include Andrew Lang's version of Arabian Nights, The Orange Fairy Book. (I have a tattered copy of The Green Fairy Book,) and Katherine Pyle's Folk and Fairy Tales. I've devoured folk tales and the like since I was a kid, and you just can beat the old compilations. I can't say how excited I was to discover copies of these great works online. I've been slowly watching some of our copies at the library deteriorate, and as a lot of these books are out of print, I doubt we could get another copy. So to know that wisdom of the Olive Jar or the magic of the three citrons lives on somewhere on the internet is quite simply: a relief.

So here are my kudos to the great Gutenberg Project and its commendable work to gather together these worthwhile out of print works. It's so sad to see our culture lose great books, simply because they are forgotten with time. Amazingly, possibly the only thing to save these old books, is new technology.

Interview with Ingrid Law, author of Savvy and Scumble

2011-07-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

I didn't think today could get any better after I got my favorite sushi for lunch... and then it did. My email box revealed answers to the interview questions from exciting Newbery Honor author, Ingrid Law. I met Ingrid at the ALA Conference in New Orleans, and she had some thoughtful answers at the panel on Newbery authors, particularly on research and how it fits into the fantasy genre. Ingrid graciously offered to answer a few questions for me regarding her new book, Scumble and other tidbits of writing lore. If you get a chance, please check out Scumble. I read it from cover to cover on the plane home from the conference and enjoyed it throughly. But it would be better to hear about it from the author herself, so here are Ingrid's thoughts:

Could you tell us a bit about how Scumble is different from your first book, Savvy?

While both books are about children who belong to a family of people who come into extraordinary talents on their thirteenth birthdays, the two books do have some differences. From the outset, I knew I wanted to write a companion to my first book, Savvy, not a sequel. I did this because my 'savvy' books are, at their core, coming-of-age stories. In my second book, Scumble, I felt it was important to show the challenges of growing up from a new point of view. Savvy is told in the voice of a girl named Mibs. Scumble is from the point of view of Mibs's cousin, a boy named Ledge.Scumble also takes place nine years after Savvy. So, while Scumble is (in my opinion) richer if one reads Savvy first, the two books can stand alone. I'd I've heard from people who have read Scumble first and still loved both books.

Which one of your characters in Scumble was the most challenging to write?

At first, I thought my main character in Scumble, Ledger Kale, was going to be the most challenging to write because I'd been writing from a girl's POV for so long while working on Savvy. It took me a few months of writing before the voice patterns of Mibs, my main character in Savvy, let go and Ledge stepped forward with his own unique character and tone. But after that happened, he became great fun. I loved writing him.

Your characters bring to mind the likes of Pecos Bill and Calamity Jane. Grandpa's ability to move mountains even calls Paul Bunyan to mind. Was your intention to recall tall tales to reader's minds since they relate so heavily to setting that your book is written in?

Most definitely! When I started working on Savvy, I knew right away that I wanted to write a book about magical children and 1) never use the word 'magic,' and 2) present what I imagined American Magic to look like. So instead of leaning toward wands, spells, and potions, I relied a whole lot more on the tall tale tradition here in the U.S. instead. The voice of the tall tale also lent itself to the overall tone of both books.

Did anything in Scumble change as you were editing it?

Ha! Did anything NOT change? In all honesty, I spent a long time making sure this book was just the way it needed to be. The final book is very different from my first draft. It's almost easier to say what stayed the same: the wedding, for one. The wedding scene shifted places a few times... sometimes it was in the very first chapter, sometimes it came a lot later. But the wedding was always there. The basics around Ledge's character never changed much either--I always knew that his savvy would--in the words of his little sister, Fedora--"Bust! Things! Up!"

If you could spend a day with any of your characters who would it be and why?

Probably Rocket... because I admit to having a creator-crush on him. Or Momma, because she makes perfect pie.

What savvy do you think you need? (vs. what savvy do you want)

This is a very good question, since the talents my characters receive are sometimes the ones they need in order to learn important things about themselves, rather than the talents that they most desire or dream about.

So, while I want to be able to be in three places at the same time so that I can be simultaneously writing, reading, and watching a movie... I think I need a larger-than-life ability that will help me be more confident in public (sometimes I'm very shy)--maybe my savvy would make me glow!

Are there things about your favorite fantasy books as a child (such as Diana Wynne Jones) that inspired your writing as an adult?

I recently re-read a couple of my favorites by Diana Wynne Jones--Charmed Life and The Lives of Christopher Chant (two of her many Chrestomanci books)--and I can say that there are elements in her writing that may certainly have influenced me without my realizing it. Diana Wynne Jones uses robust and playful words and imagery, and her Chrestomanci books (along with Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels--more personal favorites) may have been instrumental in inspiring me, subconsciously, to write companion novels in the same 'world' rather than direct sequels. I love seeing crossover characters in books, and seeing a world or characters from a different point of view.

Why did you choose to write a fantasy book? What do you like about the genre?

I think in metaphors. I see the world, and understand it, through metaphor. Fantasy, beyond being sheer delight and fun, and an escape from the humdrum of ordinary life, gives me the opportunity to explore real-life issues and challenges through metaphor. I would say that metaphor is my palette, fantasy is one of the colors on that palette. Or maybe the other way around? But, see? I just did it again.

When on school visits, do you find that students have interpreted your books in ways that you haven't even thought of?

Oh, yes! That is one of the coolest things about writing a book and having others read it. I've quickly come to see that, while I initiate a story, providing the plot, setting, and characters, my readers finish the story when they fully realize it all inside the realm of their imaginations, adding their own personal touches. No one ever reads the same book in the exact same way. I think that's one of the biggest reasons people can have such trouble with book-to-film adaptations--a film presents a different person's vision.

But students make some amazing connections--I had a fourth grader tell me recently that he thought that the antagonist in Scumble, a man who keeps foreclosing on people's houses, is himself 'emotionally foreclosed'--brilliant!

What kind of stories can we expect to see from you in the future?

I am working on a new savvy book right now. But it will be some time yet before anyone other than my editor and I see even a little bit of it. After that? Who knows? Maybe a little voyage into science fiction just to shake things up a little...

*****************************************************

I'm excited to see what comes next from this stellar fantasy author. It would be great to see some Sci-fi. We have a serious drought in our Children's section for that particular genre. Whatever she ends up writing next, I'd like to thank Ingrid for her insightful answers. I look forward to the next savvy adventure!

Harry Potter Feast....

2011-07-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a Harry Potter week for me. This weekend I subjected my friends to a Harry Potter marathon of Deathly Hallows to celebrate my birthday. Earlier this week, we had a Harry Potter Feast at the library. Emphasis on the feast part. My coworker and I had no idea how many people to expect. Seeing as how it was a Thursday night, we were thinking thirty five people maybe... the most we've had for a program during a Thursday evening. And then, one hundred and fifty people showed up. My coworker and I first got an inkling this might be the case, when people started calling in and asking about the program. We looked at our menu of Shepherd's Pie and Butter Beer, and decided we would need to up the ante.

Two days later, we emerged from the kitchen with pumpkin pasties, Jelly slugs (gummy worms), rolls with butter, Shepherd's Pie, mixed vegetables, butter beer and my coworker even whipped up a pot of spaghetti. In the end, we had a bit of food left over, just enough to let us know we'd made enough.

For the feast, kids were seated at tables according to house. Our manager dressed up for the occasion and sorted kids into houses with a sorting hat, so they would know where they were sitting. They pulled stickers with the house crests out of a cauldron to find out which house they would be in for the evening. And yes, there was a Slytherin table. The kids really got into the spirit. Several of them were wearing costumes and carrying wands. They proceeded to jump around the library shouting, "expecto patronis" at the bookshelves. Who knew that dementors like the poetry section so much? Certainly not me.

After dinner, everyone left for the various classes and stations we set up. First off, as a library, we had to make a Restricted Section. We pulled a bunch of Fantasy and Harry Potter materials for the display, and set up a tent on the carpet area. We added a table with paper draped over it for a tunnel and embellished with devil's snare. As a last minute addition, my coworker threw twisted newspaper inside the tent and tunnel with the books, so it would crunch as the kids were crawling through it. I am happy to report that some of the books were checked out that night.

For the classes, we held Flight Instruction, Tea Leaf Reading and Potions Class.

I put together Potions Class, using known ingredients in the Harry Potter Universe to make up a potion for Felix Felicius, since the ingredients are not given in the books. I included, Essence of Belladonna, Leech Juice, Powdered Moonstone, Scarab Beetles and Runspoor Eggs, (which the kids informed me looked suspiciously like pop rocks to them.) And yes, at the end everyone drank their potion.

I made potion textbooks the week before, including my made up ingredient list for Felix Felicius, Polyjuice Potion, a Glossary of some ingredients in the Harry Potter world, and a page for the kids to make up their own potion, (which I gave them as homework at the end of class.) We had fun, and got Leech juice all over everything, including some of the textbooks, which was sad to me considering I hand dyed all the pages in tea, but at least they enjoyed it.

Next to the Wizard's Chess, the Young Adult librarian conducted a tea leaf reading classes. Afterward, I peeked in the cups and found something shaped like a grim... luckily it wasn't my cup.

Outside on the lawn, my coworker, Colleen was having Flight Instruction. She wrangled a couple of brooms and set up an obstacle course for the kids. At the end, she hung golden snitches in the trees. They conveniently had a lollypop center. My favorite was the feathers, they were all colored and caught the dying sun rays as they hung in the trees.

All and all, it was a memorable evening, and a nice end to the Harry Potter saga for us. I would like to believe that things will quiet down at work after this, but I have a feeling that won't happen.

Awards and Tidbits....

2011-07-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

I was pretty surprised yesterday when I found out fellow blogger, Libby Heily has awarded me with two tasty blogger awards. Libby has some fun Flash Fiction Friday posts that I always enjoy on her blog, Libby Heily.

Luckily, this award does not require a speech, dressing up or standing for long periods of time and smiling. It's a good thing, because I'm not very good at speeches. It does however, require me to follow the Official Rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who passed on the award.
2. Share 7 random tidbits about yourself.
3. Pass on the award to others (the number can be from 3-10) and link to their blogs.
4. Let those people know you’ve given them the award.

So here goes my tidbits:

1. I read Writer's Market in the Sixth grade during silent reading.... yes I was an odd child.

2. The kids at the library call me "Miss Jess". I like it because it's a hybrid of my teaching name (Miss Stork) and the name I used for helping out with youth group in church (Jess). And honestly, it just feels like me.

3. I have a shameless addiction to potato chips.

4. I started out freshman year in college with a major in French and a minor in Japanese, thinking I was going to be an interpreter.

5. I love the sound of the ocean.

6. I did not own a pair of jeans till the sixth grade, when I finally went out and bought a pair with my birthday money.

7. I miss the Cleveland Poetry Scene. Luckily, I have a shelf full of Daniel Thompson, Nin Andrews and Maj Raigain here with me in DC.

So for winners of this award, I'll be passing it on to:

The lovely YA ladies, Pam and Quita over at: Y (A)? Cuz We Write! They have some sensation posts on YA books.

Next is Joanna at her social conscious blog: http://joannacastlemiller.com/ Her thought-provoking posts always alert me to new perspectives on different social issues. Phenomenal.

Last is the ladies at http://penciltipswritingworkshop.blogspot.com/ They have some wonderful ideas for writing workshopping ideas. Very Practical for any teachers, and honestly, I've gotten some good ideas for myself as well.

Play if you like, skip if you don't. Happy Sunday !

Catchy Opening Lines...Part 2

2011-07-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

So I've kept you all in suspense for about a week. It's time to reveal which books began with the opening lines from the last post. My hope is that looking at the books and opening lines will help those pondering about the connection between the beginning and its book. Maybe it will help you as you're revisiting your own beginnings.

1. Dealing With Dragons by Patricia Wrede - A princess who is tired of cross stitch and curtseying. She decides to go off and find a dragon, so the princes will leave her alone.

2. Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick - A story of two boys who together have one brain and a lot of heart.

3. Feed by M.T. Anderson - What if in the future there was a feed implanted in your head to bombard you with advertising and keep you connected to those around you. What would happen if you met someone who didn't have a feed?

4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - It's like The jungle book......only it's in a graveyard

5. The Trolls by Polly Horvath - The sitter begs out when she sick, so the parents in this story are forced to call an aunt they haven't spoken to for years to babysit the kids while they are on a trip.

6. Prom And Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg - A YA re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice.... if it took place in a private girl's school in modern day.

7. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - A moving castle, wizards, witches, a hat shop, and a girl who is never expected to amount to anything, since she's the third daughter.

Catchy Opening Lines...

2011-07-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of rewriting the beginning of one of my novels right now and it's inspired me to take a look at other beginning lines. So I did a bit of nosing through some of my favorite books and found a list of catchy beginning sentences. I've listed them below.... try and guess in the comments which book each line came from. I'll post the answers later this week. I think the best thing about seeing the first line without knowing the book, is that it really gives you the tune that the story will follow for the rest of the book. So first lines in a way, are a bit like tuning forks. Feel free to post the first line of something you've been working on in the comments.

1. "Linderwall was a large kingdom, just east of the Mountains of Morning, where philosophers were highly respected and the number five was fashionable. "

2. "I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for awhile, and that's the truth, the whole truth."

3. "We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck."

4. "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife."

5. "The week before Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were to leave Tenderly, Ohio, for the somewhat more bustling metropolis of Paris, their babysitter, who had just returned from far-off climes herself, came down with a mild case of bubonic plague and called tearfully to say she didn't want to spread the buboes around."

6. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date."

7. "In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three."

Some Quick Notes from the ALA Conference.

2011-06-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Just a quick hello from New Orleans. I'm down here for the ALA Library Conference taking in a new city, trying some new crustations and getting my Star Wars fix for the month. Fellow Librarian Lorraine and I flew in early this morning and spent the afternoon poring through the course books to see what the conference had in store for us. Finally, the exhibit hall opened up, and we dove into the treasure trove of authors and new books awaiting us. Lorraine was pleasantly surprised to find a plush version of Pete the Cat hanging out. We had to stop and take a picture.

Afterward, I stopped by the amulet booth for Tom Angleberger's signing. I made a Princess Leia bookmark to thank him for posting the directions to make Leia on the site. He gave Leia a place of honor on the page announcing the author signing. It sure beats sitting next to Jabba the Hut!

Later Darth Vadar wandered by to take a picture with the author and a Darth Paper.

Everyone who was in line got a Darth Paper. Lorraine and I were so starved after all this book exhibit rampage, that we decided to get some good New Orleans food. Darth Paper decimated an entire plate of crayfish. (Okay with a bit of help from me.) And now, it's time for bed. I have to be up at 8 am for a session on e-books.

My Response to the WSJ Article

2011-06-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

The following is some of my thoughts regarding Wall Street Journal's recent article on Young Adult fiction, called Darkness Too Visible. To read the original article, click here.

Dear Ms. Meghan Cox Gurdon,

I was saddened to read your recent article, Darkness Too Visible. I felt that your portrayal of Young Adult literature was unfair and unrealistic. I would like to mention some of my thoughts in reading the article, to provide you with another perspective to view this issue. Although the article condemned the teen fiction for the amount of “explicit abuse, violence and depravity” held in its pages, some teens do live through these events and they deserve a voice.

You mentioned that you were concerned about the amount of violence contained in young adult books. I would answer that I am concerned about the amount of violence I see on the evening news. I think that authors react to what they see around them, and use words to paint situations they see in our society. They give words to those who have none, or who need to know that what they live through does not go unnoticed.

You described teen fiction as a “hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is.” I was frustrated with this statement. Please consider those who live in these “distorted” mirrors. I would like to believe different- that teens do not suffer abuse, incest, hazing, thoughts of suicide and self-mutilation, but I am sad to report that this is not the world we live in. There are teens who live in those halls of mirrors every day, and for some of them, these books are their only voice.

Some of the books that you mentioned as instances of violence in Young Adult Literature, are curious examples. Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, which was described in the article as “hyper violent” has always struck me as a book meant to show how society has become desensitized to violence. The members of the Capital city in the book, stand by and watch the Hunger Games on television idly, as countless young people are murdered in cold blood. It says a lot about our own relationship with violence, whether it’s okay to stand by and watch a violent act. It says something about the voyeuristic quality of reality television. I believe that Suzanne Collins asks the question of her readers, What would you do in the face of violence?

I also was concerned about singling out, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton as launching “an industry” of these dark books you have condemned. After all, there are so many points in this book that S.E. Hinton points out the meaninglessness of the violence between the greasers and the Socs. By the end, the main character, Ponyboy, realizes how little difference there is between the greasers and socs. Ponyboy is also a laudable character, for his perseverance in school, when he lives in an environment that doesn’t normally value academic success. It’s for these reasons that I was frustrated to hear the book painted in such a bleak perspective.

I am not saying that there isn’t violence in young adult books, or that any teen should be forced to read these books. But I believe that every teen has a right to read a book that speaks to them. It’s true that sometimes finding the right book is tough. You mentioned a parent, Amy Freeman, was overwhelmed trying to find a book at the bookstore surrounded by “dark, dark stuff.” I will agree that sometimes the Young Adult section holds enough vampire titles to give Buffy the Vampire Slayer a heart attack. But there are other books there too. I firmly believe there’s a book out there for every teen. I could name a number of books which, to my knowledge, have never included a vampire in their pages. Sarah Dessen narrates the struggles of the teenage heart. Francisco Stork’s Marcelo and the Real World chronicles the experiences of a teen compelled to do the right thing. There are countless other examples of unique reads in the young adult department. Although it is overwhelming, there are several people to help navigate the seas of Young Adult titles. Librarians and staff members of bookstores often have great ideas of titles that will fit individual readers, all they simply need to do is ask.

You lamented a book being left on the shelves. But if we are to take books off of the shelves, who decides what books are left? Which individual would be entrusted with passing judgement on books? I feel this is a dangerous subject to broach. There are such a variety of life experiences. How can one person, or even a group of people choose for everyone? We need to have more respect for the teens, respect them for their ability to choose books that speak to them. The fact of the matter is that hiding a book will not change who a teen is or the world they live in.

Sincerely,

Jess Stork, a writer and library worker

Conferences: A Necessary Part of the Writing Process?

2011-06-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

How can I improve my writing?

It's an excellent question and it comes up a lot among writers. Most of the time, beyond the obvious suggestions such as, writing and reading books within your genre, the inevitable “going to conferences” option comes up. I’ve heard a lot of people debate whether or not conferences actually help your writing. Well, this weekend I attended a conference packed with useful frameworks about novel writing. I can't say how excited I am about the techniques I took away from this weekend.

“As you know Bob,” (warning information dump follows) the SCBWI Midatlantic Novel Revision Retreat of 2011, was set in the Shenandoah National Park amid the cerulean mountain range. Nestled in the Big Meadow’s Lodge, thirty participants enjoyed talks by Cheryl Klein of Scholastic books, on such topics as Character, Plot and Voice.

I had a lot of fascinating conversations with writers on such topics as, critique groups, sub plots and (my favorite) the steampunk genre. I met fellow bloggers, Pam and Quita from Y (A)? Cuz we write!. They unwittingly convinced me to sign up for twitter. (More adventures and mishaps with hashtags to follow.) I was also struck by the diversity among the manuscripts in the group. We had everything from a YA novel about a muslim teen coming terms with her identity in a tough situation, to an early chapter book with a Christmas theme. It really is remarkable the number of dynamic stories you can create in Children’s Writing. By the end of the weekend, my brain felt like a wrung out sponge. My hand is cramped, but I feel like I have a new perspective to approach revision.

Revision, that ugly beast, is lurking somewhere on the horizon. But for right now, all I’m worried about is a nap.

Warp Speed

2011-06-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Okay. I have to admit it. I probably could recite the plot of every episode of Star Trek: Next Generation. It was prime time television watching in my household growing up, and I will admit to harboring a crush on Wesley and also wishing to have telepathic powers like Diana. This heightened knowledge of the Star Trek universe came in handy as I read, Warp Speed by Lisa Yee.

Although the narrator Marley was a "purist" and identified more with The Original Series, I was still able to enjoy his star trek metaphors. I really liked his hangout place, "The Transporter Room," his label for a pack of bullies at school, "The Gorn," and his penchant for carrying around Star Trek action figures for use in daily life. (See links for original Star Trek counterparts.)

They are almost like his talismans, helping him in everyday life. I myself, could use a Dr. McCoy every once in awhile. But it seems that Marley needs it even more, as he goes up against a plethora of school bullies, a crush on the girl in his home ec class, and a boy who threatens his father's business. But Marley stands tall. He provides a voice in this book, for so many kids at school who rarely have a voice.... the invisible. If the point of books is to bring to light the truth, I would say that Lisa Yee succeeded with this book. She brought a voice to the lower stratosphere of the social realm in school. And they deserve a voice too.

Marley lays it out for the reader, explaining the school's social make-up in a planetary chart. From Mercury (the popular planet) to Pluto (the habitation of the AV Club), Marley's chart made me wonder where I was in middle school. On Mars with the artsy types? But I was klutzy to a tee, so probably Neptune instead? Either way, I think Yee captured the dynamic of middle school. Marley is a character who warrants a second look, even if he doesn't get it at school.

Writing Rules...

2011-06-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

I ran across a post on a blog the other day about the plethora of writing rules out there. It was interesting, seeing rules from Kurt Vonnegut to Elmore Leonard, side by side. Writing Rules are like that well meaning aunt who always has advice for you, on how to find a husband or eating habits. In the end, it's better to go with your gut. The author of the post, Cheryl Klien, encouraged readers to pen their own writing rules. So I have given it some thought, and here are mine.

1. Let your characters be who they are, not who you want them to be.

2. Rewrite. Stories are like adolescents. They have an awkward phase before they become who they are really are. Give them a chance to change into themselves.

3. Read it, in your head, and out loud. I think reading out loud really helps me find the voice in a piece. And it sounds different out loud. It really helps polish a piece if you hear it both ways.

4. Be inquisitive. Writing is a way of life. It's a perspective that you take with you day to day as you walk around. Writers are people who notice details or truths around them. They paint the world for readers through words, and show us what we can't see.

Feel free to leave your own rules in the comments section or follow the link to post your rules at Cheryl Klien's original post.

Everybody Loves a Good Pirate...

2011-05-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

I don't need the collective five year old boys of my library to tell me how cool pirates are, luckily I can figure some things out for myself. I have always enjoyed a good sea faring yarn, (perhaps it's the parrots, I've always loved parrots.) So when Mary Quattlebaum told me that her next book was an adventure of two rival pirates.... how could I resist.

It's a special day when we get an author to visit the library, I think it's great inspiration for our readers, (and young writers). And when it comes to an author that's as passionate about her work as Mary, I knew it would be a great experience for the kids. Luckily, Mary was willing to come to the library and talk about her new book, Pirate Vs Pirate.

The night of, she even showed up with her husband. He was dressed in full pirate gear right down to a classy, silver belt buckle. Mary took on the name of, "Captain Q" and her husband was called "Crabclaw". Captain Q started out with instructing us in a bit of pirate lingo. For those interested in pursuing the great field of pirate speech, see the Talk Like a Pirate Day website for more detailed instructions.

A number of the kids were highly enamored with Crabclaw. At one point I saw him comparing boots with another girl who came to the event dressed up like a pirate. All the pirate lingo, and swashbuckling attire really helped pull the everyone into the story. Although it's a bit tougher to read wearing an eye patch. I did discover that.

Two theatrically minded audience members acted out the parts of the story as Mary told it. Pirate Vs. Pirate is about Mean Mo and Bad Bart, two rival pirates. They decide to have a contest to see who is the best pirate. Of course, tasks worthy of a pirate would only do. They swam with the sharks and threw cannon balls. I certain that I would have been stuck on the first task if I was competing to be a pirate. I would have been looking for my googles while they were swimming with the sharks. But for the night, Mary made me an honorary pirate, and dubbed me, "Captain Jess."

And it all ended with some cupcakes. We always have to have cupcakes... I think it's the signature dish of Washington D.C. Every good program ends with a cupcake. And in this case, it ends with an aargh too....

Word Art Attack...

2011-05-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love Art Club at the library because it follows a general pattern. I tell the kids what we're doing for the day. We have a discussion or exercise, usually involving (surprise) a book, and then they do something completely different. And as I tell them when they ask me if they can change what they're doing, my standard answer is: "I'm not grading you, so you go where your creativity takes you." And as long as their creativity doesn't take them into paint on the ceiling, it's generally a good day when that happens. I've always been amazing at how they take a project and make it their own.

Last week, we were doing a visual poetry theme, so it was time to whip out the magazines and scissors. I cut out words, ala magnetic poetry style, and the fun began. The kids found words they liked and started rearranging them into poems. Twenty minutes in, we were to the point that puddles of words were gathered in circles around the kids on the tables. Every couple of minutes, someone would call out, "do you have 'queen' or 'stylish' ?" By the time we were done, they had bookmarks of words, laminated in plastic with glossy magazine images staring out between the text. Awesome. I encourage anyone to steal this idea for your classroom. It's a great way to have fun with words!

Meowing Good Haiku

2011-05-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's May 1st, and I have that sad feeling I get every year when I realize that Poetry Month is officially over. We had a lot going on at the Library this month. The Poetry Carnival with Acrostic Bean Bag Toss, the Poetry Community Scavenger Hunt, the Poetry Contest and the Haiku Easter Egg Hunt. It's time to take a deep breath. In honor of the end of National Poetry Month, I'm going to write about a promising new poetry book that just came in. Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw, mixes up some good poetry mojo. There are sadly, so few good haiku children's books out there. I was skeptical when I opened it. Some of the haiku children's books end up leaning on the cutesy side and don't really respect haiku as an art form.

I'm happy to report this is not the case with Won Ton. The haiku tell the story of a cat named Won Ton who is stuck at a shelter and looking for a home. The haiku format is perfect for the book, as Won Ton records his feelings in short quips that stand alone well. Several of the last lines in the poems such as, "we are all alone," and "snags, clings to what's known" really invoke that separate rhetorical thought that haiku are so famous for.

I also enjoyed the book design. The illustrations stretched over the gutters (the binding) of the pages and arched around the text. It reminded me of the Japanese prints that inspired the impressionists, how their sense of design had a tendency to continue off the page and disappear into empty space. There's one in particular of Won Ton the cat twisting towards a bowl of food from off the page... his tail and hind legs aren't visible, they're cut off by the edge of the page like the Japanese courtesans of printmaking. I think in the end, that's what makes this book so successful--- it knows how to make some elements of the story disappear off the side of the page and leap into the imagination.

Something NEW

2011-04-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

I know, I haven't posted in awhile. I've been working on a couple new things for the blog. I've added in a couple of new pages:

About Me - If you would like to know more about who is writing

My Writing - If you would like to read one of my stories

My Poetry - Some of my haiku and free verse poetry

Contact Me- If you do not like the comment section and want to email me instead.

More book reviews and events coming soon! I have pictures from an awesome art project the kids did yesterday in honor of poetry month. It'll be up in the next post.

Top Secret: Author Event....

2011-04-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

I love author events. There's nothing that gets people excited about reading, like meeting a real live author. And Rachel Wildavsky really got the kids hyped up. By the end of the event, they kept asking her over and over, "but what is the secret of Rover?" The answer is my favorite thing to hear inside or outside of a library, "in order to find that out, you'll just have to read the book."

And wouldn't you know it, after all that was over, I saw kids sprawled all over the Children's Room with their noses stuck in a copy of Wildavsky's book, "The Secret of Rover".

But it's not surprising. Anything that involves government secret projects, kidnapped parents and a nanny with a secret identity is bound to catch the attention of any reader.

I was also excited when the author got into a talk with the kids about plot and characterization. These are of course, things that all Library Staff dream about at night, but kids tend to regard with the same enthusiasm as a plate of creamed spinach.

They started talking about characters, and how they're named; how the names sometimes give you clues about the character. Take for example the name "Trixie", it brings to mind a couple other words. My favorite was when one boy raised his hand and mused that perhaps Harry Potter was hairy.

I have to admit it, I had a lot of fun dressing up and decorating. I was worried becoming a government secret agent with my ear buds for an ear piece would be too over the edge for such sophisticated older kids, but I was wrong. As it turns out, pulling my interview suit out of the back of my closet was worth it.

We also put up some fingerprints bearing the character's names: Katie and David Bowden, nearby classified files.

Here's the author right before the event. She really engaged the kids!

Secret recipe cupcakes, that self destructed about 15 minutes after the program began, into the kids stomachs.

I love these drawings that the kids made on the white board. It just goes to show how excited they were about Rachel Wildavsky's book. I particularly like the girl with the bow and magnifying glass. It reminded me of Nancy Drew from my day.

All in all, it was a wonderful event. One More Page Books came and did a fantastic job with the book sales, and Rachel patiently answered all the kids questions, even though she had a meeting shortly after the event. Here's to the spirit of reading and the thrill of spy adventures: mission accomplished.

Great Fantasy from Gennifer Choldenko

2011-04-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

I've always been a sucker for any kind of traveling fantasy story. Maybe it's the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter that started that, who knows. Either way, I throughly enjoyed No Passengers Beyond This Point. This is Gennifer Choldenko's first shot at fantasy, and I felt like she hit it right on the nose.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, of vastly different siblings. Finn, Mouse and India are in danger of losing their house. Their mother, finally accepting foreclosure, sends the siblings on ahead to their uncle's house while she finished out the year in her teaching job. Pockets of hilarity are inserted everywhere, as the characters shine in their own distinctive way. Mouse, the youngest, tries to fill her suitcase with the materials for a science project volcano and chaos ensues as they try to go through airport security. It's these little episodes of brilliance between the masterfully developed characters which really bring the book to life in the reader's hands.

After landing at the wrong airport, Mouse, Finn and India are lured into their own perfect homes. Only if they learn to work together using their differences can they escape Falling Rock and go home. The question that Choldenko balances to the very end is... do they want to go home?

Up on Stage at Iota!

2011-04-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

The last time I read poetry at a Reading, there were three people in the crowd: my boyfriend, my friend Cory, and a random guy who wandered into the basement looking for the history section. This past Sunday, I was up on stage looking out at about sixty people reading my poems. What a rush. I think the greatest thing about the Moving Poetry Competition Reading, was that all the winners were different. It was amazing to listen to the variety of subjects. One of poets was inspired by her past with activism, another with her Bulgarian in-laws and their experiences buying bread. I've always believed that poetry is one of those elusive things that you can't define. Can anyone really wrap their fingers around what a good poem is? I've heard lyrical, academic poets with translations from other languages and strong imagery in their poems. And then I've heard poets that are so literal, every line holds a play of words for double meaning. And it all speaks volumes I think. There's a a Billy Collin's poem called Introduction to Poetry, that I really think examines this issue well. Sometimes, people think that you have to dig for the meaning in a poem, and dissect it line by line, and if you can't do that, it's not a good poem. I disagree. I think poetry varies more than other branches of fiction. And part of understanding poetry, is knowing that sometimes you won't understand poems.

Either way, I had a blast reading. I got to a ten minute set. It was amazing afterwards to have complete strangers come up to me and say that they enjoyed my eyeball poem, or that they enjoyed using extraneous commas too. I even got a high five from the waiter! In the end, it was a great experience, and I was touched by how many people showed up to support me. Thank you Arlington Writer's Group, you rock! Anyways, I'll end here with one of the poems I read, "the eyeball poem" as it became called the rest of the night.

Westside Market: The Butcher's Stand

by Jess E. Stork

Passing among the market stands,

they locked your gaze.

The raw lamb heads

were there,

staring out of the glass display case.

They were missing skin

casually

like a lost sock

that disappears in the dryer.

Opaque eyeballs,

hanging loose in the eye sockets.

It was as if the heads had simply,

wandered by and decided

to rest their chins

among the kielbasa

and chorizo sausage.

The butcher swiped a hand across her apron

and told me

they made fine stews

these eyeballs

a treat that are juicy at first bite.

I wondered if while simmering,

the eyeballs rose to the top of the broth

and blinked in the steam,

with one last

defiant glance to the word.

What If my Favorite Book Characters went wedding dress shopping?

2011-04-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine pointed out to me that I never write about how my wedding experiences have affected my writing. Well, aside from penning a very heart wrenching mystery kidnap story set in a bridal shop, where a ring bearer is kidnapped and a bridal sales associate must unravel the bridal mayhem to find the culprit... really nothing else came to mind.

And then last Saturday, I went dress shopping. I know this image draws to mind champagne, ball gowns and little feathered hair fascinators. However, I am not that kind of person. While I like dresses and would like to look nice on my wedding day, I'm adverse to spending a huge amount of money that could be put to better use elsewhere. (Such as with my addiction to Agatha Christie Novels.) The Sales Associate though had the cunning of the Big Bad Wolf. She inserted small comments in the right places such as, "but what if it's "the one"? You'll always be wondering if you never try it on." A short, crisp woman, she had all the lines down pat. So fifteen minutes later, I found myself trying on a $1300 dress, that I might mention was well out of my price range. And as I stared into the mirror at a dress that didn't look half bad, I found myself wondering: how would my favorite book characters find wedding dresses?

First, I thought about Cimorene from Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede. As a girl who refused to sit around and learn to curtsey and embroider, Cimorene also struck me as someone who would also scoff at the traditional colors of white. Also, I think she would need a dress that could comfo

rtably accommodate a dagger, or carrying buckets of soapy water for vanquishing wizards, would be somewhat useful as well. Luckily, I've come across a dress like this.

This dress came from a bride on the Blog Offbeat Bride, who was a fan of video games. It's got enough of an edge for Cimorene I think, without messing up her ability to cook for the dragons.

Pippi Longstocking, I also

remember as a rebel. With her trademark crazy braids and striped socks, she'd probably draw attention to her hair and turn the socks into a classy statement.

This ensemble is from Canada.

Nancy Drew was too busy solving crimes to bother with a wedding dress. I would imagine her forgoing shopping altogether and showing up in her usual getup. Then when someone gets murdered at her reception, she'll be all set for crime detection.

Perhaps I'm being influenced by the wedding drama... but thinking about this is refreshing. After awhile, a lot of the dresses in the store start to look the same. So perhaps I just need a headband and some striped socks to spice up the ole wedding outfit. (Hopefully, my sister is not reading this.) I did actually end up buying a dress, but that is top secret at the moment. :)

Princess Leia makes it to the Big Time....

2011-03-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

I was mightily surprised when the author of "Strange Case of Origami Yoda," offered to put up my Princess Leia on his website. Honestly, if you're going to have your five minutes of fame in life, having it be about a Star Wars Origami figure, is not a bad way to go. You can click to see Princess Leia on his site here.

Sadly, I'm still working on directions for Princess Leia Origami. Work has kept me a bit busy lately planning for Poetry Month at the Library. (Hint here: I love poetry month, so I go a bit crazy.) So between the Haiku Easter Egg Hunt, The Poetry Carnival, The front window poetry display and the Community Poetry Scavenger Hunt... things have been a bit crazy. But I'm hoping to get some instructions done soon, and then they might go up on his site too! Exciting stuff.

I won a Poetry Contest!!!

2011-03-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming, bees are humming, and I'm sure one of the first things you're thinking about doing this weekend is riding around in one of those bright green Arlington Transit Buses. No? Well you'll miss some good poetry. I just found out I'm one of the six winners of the Arlington Moving Words Competition for 2011. My poem, "The Musician's Suitor", was selected for display on buses in Northern Virginia along with the other winners. And what better place for a poem than in a free moving vehicle? It's almost better than a book. It's also slightly ironic in a way, since I'm organizing a community poetry scavenger hunt at the library, and I'm trying to stick poems out in the open for that too. Anyways, if you don't happen to frequent the Virginia Transit Authority, they also posted the poem on their website, here.

Or, you could come and hear me read my poem at a reading featuring the winners at Iota Club and Cafe in Clarendon, on Sunday, April 10th around 6pm. I go there regularly for their sunday poetry series, and even if you aren't moved by my poems, there are plenty of other word bending poets there.

Happy Star Wars Origami Day

2011-03-09T18:23:00.000-08:00

I am in a Star Wars mood today. But dressing up with socks on your ears as Princess Leia can do that to a person. The kids at the library have been doing some origami at school, so I thought for Art Club, we'd do some Star Wars Origami. I got most of the plans off Strange Case of Origami Yoda website, online hub for the famed Strange Case of Origami Yoda. I also did some searching online and found millienium falcons, and X-wings. I even found a rudementary Chewbacca. But there was one character from Star Wars that I was shocked to find did not make it into origami online fame. (At least not as far as I could tell from google searches.) Seriously people, Princess Leia was awesome, how could you forget her??? Didn't you run around the house when you were eight with bagels on your ears like Miss Piggy? Or was that just me? Hmm... either way, as I was making plans for origami with the kids, I came up with my own version of some star wars origami....

Yoda....
And Princess Leia! (I think her buns actually turned out better than my sock buns on ear muffs... Vote in comments for which hair buns are more true to the Leia style.)

The kids had a blast, making Darth Papers (The Sequel to Strange Case of Origami Yoda!) and my version of Princess Leia... I posted some of their efforts below. Some of the pictures I can't post because the kids are entering them in the Origami Yoda Darth Paper Contest.

Okay, so this one isn't Star Wars... it's the smallest origami Fortune Teller that I've ever seen. One of the girls folded it, (and sadly lost it in the threads of the carpet). In this picture, she's holding it in the palm of her hand.
Yoda goes for a vacation... he looks very relaxed to me...
After a long day, my Darth Vadar and Princess Leia decided to have some fun.

For more Stars wars fun, check out:

Star Wars Subway - What happens when Star Wars Meets the New York Subway? Hilarious.

Star Wars Legos - We just got this in at the library... there's a lego for everything

Strange Case of Origami Yoda - Is he real or not?

The Ninth Ward

2011-03-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

Good shoes are hard to find. I'm not talking about the cute kind that you wear because you like the way they look. You know what I mean, the pair that has a time limit before it turns into a pumpkin and your feet break out in blisters. It's tough to find that pair that's honest to goodness comfortable to sink your toes into and wiggle around.

Good characters are like that too. When you come across a story with great inner dialogue and a character who you know in your gut is destined to shine, you just want to settle down and wiggle your toes around a bit. Twelve year old Lanesha in The Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes is just that sort of character. Raised by the midwife that birthed her, Lanesha has every right to be indignant with where life left her. Forgotten by her uptown relatives, the only life line she has is Mama Yaya, her guardian. But Lanesha is happy. She enjoys finding symbols in math, the Saturday morning breakfasts she and Mama Yaya cook up and the multi-colored gel pens she got for her birthday.

At the beginning, the reader sees a girl who's cautious to come out of her shell for the rest of the world. But as the story progresses, Lanesha finds strength within herself to make friends, to speak to her mother's ghost, and most of all to brave the Hurricane Katrina as it ravages her neighborhood.

I'd recommend this book highly for classroom discussion, there are so many current event connections here, and in addition the character herself is so accessible. But it's also a good book for any reader who feels like a loner, or needs to realize what strength they have within themselves. Sometimes, everyone needs to be reminded what kind of strength lies inside.

What Happened to the snow?

2011-03-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

It's February, sunny and 60 degrees. What is wrong with this picture? Well, if you're Washington D.C., nothing. But I'm from Cleveland, the land of eight foot blizzards before breakfast. Now don't all descend upon me at once and attack, I'm not a fan of driving through snow drifts either. But I think people overlook the good points of snow. For example, during the last blizzard that happened to descend upon D.C., I was able to get a full edit done of my first novel. For three blessed days, I did nothing but eat, write and cook. (And maybe some x-box thrown in there.)

So here's my hypothesis. Snow is good for writing. When it's snowing outside, I'm not thinking of all the errands I could be outside doing, I'm at my computer writing. So don't scoff at snow, it's good writing weather.

The Worst Query Letter Ever...

2011-02-17T05:47:00.000-08:00

I've read a couple of postings about query letters in the last couple of weeks. Berger & Burger had an interesting post about it, and Nathan Bransford had a posting of the perfect query letter, along with an interesting conversation at my writer's group about the elusive "pitch." It got me to thinking about the worst query letter that I've ever written.

It was at the ripe age of about 12 when I first spotted the call for poetry in the Sunday comics. (Note to writers: this is probably not the best way to find markets for your writing.) As it happened, at the time I was writing particularly horrible rhyming poetry, and had several Shel Silverstienesque poems freshly printed on looseleaf. The one I selected had a first line that went, "There's a future way past our time, that's filled with green, gooey slime..." It was a striking commentary on the state of our planet. At the time it was one of my best works after a very serious work about the state of my babysitting career.

I had read the sections in the Writer's Market about writing query letters, or at least read the sample letters. (I know this seems odd, but it's true. I spent silent reading hour in class perusing the various publishers who might someday publish my novel. Yes, I was a weird child.) So after having read the instructions, I promptly took out of a fresh sheet of notebook paper, a pencil and began to write.

"Dear Publisher,

My name is Jess Stork. I am 12 years old. I have a poem for you to read. It's called, "There's a Future Way Past Our Time." I put it in this envelope.

Sincerely,

Jess Stork"

And yes, I did double space my letter. For extra points, I included one of my school snapshots in the submission. I know this wasn't included in the guidelines in the Writer's Market. I just assumed they had forgotten to mention that.

Strangely enough, I did get an acceptance letter. I brought the letter in to class to show to my two sixth grade teachers. "Read the first paragraph," I told my teacher E who encouraged my writing all the time. I never understood the look on his face until later when I figured out what a vanity publisher was. At the tender age of 12, I didn't understand the concept of vanity publishers, and honestly I was too busy imagining my promising literary future to bother thinking about it. "That's great Jess," E said with this knowing smile.

Ah well, either way, I bring it up to show readers that as much as you think your query and manuscript are swimming in the tempest of the slush pile, remember this: a huge number of submissions have the agent's name spelled incorrectly, or a manuscript from a different genre than they deal with, or even a 12 year old sending in a poem and their school photo. My point is this: Do your homework about the agent/editor you're submitting to. Read their guidelines, and their blog if they have one. Use that information in your query letter, and you'll already be ahead of the game.

Note: For anyone looking for good resources on query letters, I would suggest:

Miss Snark

The Rejectionist

Rachel Gardner, Literary Agent

The Rejecter

The Memory Bank....

2011-02-12T06:39:00.000-08:00

When this book arrived at the library in a shipment of new books, I was drawn to the title, "The Memory Bank" by Carolyn Coman and Rob Shepperson. I was instantly intrigued. I've played around with the idea of a bank that stores memories in my writing as well. And I was interested to see how another writer imagined it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Coman and Shepperson came up with a completely different idea from my vision of a memory bank.

The book has an interesting premise, a girl whose parents force her to leave her sister by the side of the road one day. They insist that Hope simply, "forget her." Hope is devastated after her parents refuse to go back for her sister, and takes to sleeping the entire day. Shortly after, an official letter arrives for Hope, informing her that there are problems with her memory account at the World Wide Memory Bank. A "specialist" arrives to pick her up, and thus her journey to understand the nature of memories and find her sister begins.

There were many points in this book that I found original and intriguing. For one, the book started and ended in multiple pages of wordless illustrations. While this means I finally have another book to suggest to my readers who loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, it also means that the beginning and ending start in a way that leave lots of delicious room for interpretation. The pencil drawn illustrations alternate with the text through the story, and rather than telling the same story as they do in Hugo Cabret, they actually switch to Hope's sister's perspective. At the end the stories of Hope and her sister, Honey converge. This was my only problem with the book. Watching the two stories collide, was like watching the toddlers play with the trains in our library. The events collided at full speed, fell off the track and everything happened too fast for my liking. The resolution was over in a flash.

But the other delicious piece of this story, was the description of different types of memories. In the Memory Bank, not all memories were created equal, and there's a place for all of them. From the first vivid memories of babies to the final lasting memories as a person dies, all these memories take on their own personalities. The memories become almost another character. It was this unique treatment of memories that kept me interested and reading the book to the end.

The Memory Bank was a quick, enjoyable read full of interesting characters. The descriptions of memories are sure to engage imaginative readers with a mood like Roald Dahl's books. And after it's all over the book is slipped back onto the shelf? I'm sure this book will leave "an everlasting memory" in many of my reader's minds.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

2011-02-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

Holy batman. This. Was. An Awesome. Book. I just finished the Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger. I've heard of the new upcoming book by this author, Horton Halfpott: Or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor described by the author as everything he ever wanted in a mystery as a boy. And although I find the premise of his new book pretty darn interesting, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda will be a tough act to follow.

I've heard the term, "books for reluctant readers" thrown around a lot lately at the library. Books such as Diary of A Wimpy Kid get grouped into this category. Books that have visual elements or story lines that really speak to the middle school age group. Well, in my opinion the Strange Case of Origami Yoda hit the ball out of the park. Several of the characters reminded me of people I knew in middle school, back in the ancient decade of the 90's. Dwight's character in particular reminded me of an old friend. Plus the dilemma in this book centered around the hot topic of middle school, young love. All that was missing was those little notepaper footballs that you fold up and pass as notes. Angleberger aptly juggled multiple narrators and through the great wisdom of origami Yoda made all their stories entertwine at the end. It must be the force at work here. Either way, check it out. It's a good read.

Anatomy of a Writer's Desk....

2011-02-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

Although I write a lot of places such as coffeehouses, the easy chair by my fiance's desk (when he forgets to turn the heat back on,) or even the lobby in our apartment building, sometimes I do actually get around to writing on my desk. And today I started looking closely at all the separate organs of my desk. What makes up a good writer's space? The Guardian has a posting with photos of famous writers workspace I decided to take various amateur photos of my workspace and analyze it.

This is my writing desk

Every writer needs some inspiration. I have an old asian vase from my grandma and nesting dolls. My mom used to have some on the shelf at our old house, and they always make me think of Baba Yaga, fantasy's greatest villain. So depending on your genre, having something to set the mood might help the flow of the pen. The chi balls are just extra... something I use to think when I'm stuck...

Laptop and tea. Yes to be a writer, you need some type of writing implement. I used to pound it out on an old manual typewriter, but now that I'm writing mostly novels and not as many poems, I've switched to a mac. At least the ribbon doesn't get twisted on these.

Ominous pile of papers. Really this is more to impress the rest of the household with your advanced literary skills more than anything else. I keep a steady stream of drafts in progress, plot synopsis, bills and the occasional parking ticket to bulk the pile.

Not every writer has this, but plants are nice. They're like the mascot of the writer. This particular bamboo plant has extra fame in my house as it's the only plant I've managed to keep alive for more than a month. Currently, it's about a year and a half old.

So I hardly ever get around to sitting down at it, but when I do, having a writing space is nice.

Authors are fun people too....

2011-01-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

I love working at the library. I'm surrounded by books, kids and every once and awhile, I get invited to some pretty exciting events. Tonight, I was at a book preview for Amulet and Abrams Books. Author signings are great, but getting a chance to fold with another origami enthusiast? Even better. As you can probably guess from the cover of , The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, the author, Tom Angleberger is not a novice when it comes to origami. So we folded some stacking pagodas.

We got to hear each of the authors talk about their upcoming books. While I was listening, it struck me that just like books have a personality, authors have a tendency to match their creations. As a literal example, Erica Perl, the author of the witty, "Chicken Butt," actually has hats that match her books. One for Dotty, and one for Chicken Butt.

Tom Angleberger was donning a bowling shirt with Chewbacca embroidered above the pocket. The drawings that he's prepared for his new book have a humorous yet candid quality to them. He showed us all how to fold an origami yoda.

Rachel Wildavsky the author of the upcoming, Secret of Rover, was clean cut and looked like she could have stepped out of a top secret briefing. I was surprised to find out that she has a background in the newspaper business and knows a lot of details about D.C. It was also clear that she's passionate about writing.

Either way, it was a lot of fun hearing about some new books. It's like being a kid in a candy shop.

Steampunk on the rise....

2011-01-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

I just finished Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel and absolutely loved it. Set in a rather interesting version of victorian England, Clockwork Angel has all the good counterparts of a steampunk adventure. And although I like my cogs and automatons as much as the next person, I have to admit what really drew me in was her masterful character development and description.

I know what you're going to say here, this is just me trying to masterfully disguise the fact that I enjoyed the romantic angle of the book. Of course I had to read Twilight for work... all four books... you know for research (cough, cough). But although I have virtually come to expect a romance in all the young adult books I happen to pick up, I have noticed that not all teen romances were created alike.

For example, in Clockwork Angel, I really appreciated the fact that I was a fourth of the way through the book and had a sense of all the characters before I even got a whiff of romance. Tessa, the main character, is basically kidnapped by a pair of supernatural biddies upon arriving in England. They subject her to tedious experiments and throw her around like a rag doll. I like how through the descriptions of their enclosed house, you get a feel for victorian England. Clare did a lot of research into that time period of England and its layout and included a note in the back with some interesting remarks about it.

So eventually, Tessa somehow escapes the clutches of these supernatural sisters and ends up in the care of a group of half angel protectors of the supernatural underworld. Yes it's a bit fantastical, but I think it's the constant descriptions of the victorian surroundings that keep you grounded and believing in the story. She also does an amazing job of juggling eight new characters at once, somehow giving them equal play.

Did I mention there's a romance? I won't say too much about it, so as not to ruin in for those who haven't read it, but it develops as you get to know the characters. In a way, I feel this reenforces the setting of victorian England again, as love affairs generally developed slowly. Either way, this book would be a good bet for those who have liked the medieval x-men of Graceling by Kristen Cashore or even those that liked twilight (it has more than one tortured male in its pages.) Honestly, there's only one problem with this book. The next one doesn't come out till September.

The Mockingbird

2010-10-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

I read Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine in about one day. Now I've read other books unique narrators such as Caitlin, the 10 year old main character with aspergers in this book. But what I haven't seen thus far is where characterization goes so far, that the author embeds the character into the grammar and punctuation of the book.

Caitlin capitalizes certain phrases that she uses a lot, such as "Get It". It emphasizes her struggle to understand concepts that come naturally to her other classmates. Such as a chart with "Your Manners" that she refers back to constantly to understand the emotions and interactions around her.

On the surface, it appears that Caitlin's indifference towards emotions make her immune to the tragedy of her brother's death. While others around her are falling apart with emotion, Caitlin seems straightforward about the situation. But as the novel progresses, it's clear that Caitlin misses her brother just as much as everyone else. She just sees the situation through a different perspective. And in the end it is this perspective that provides the key to healing for Caitlin and her dad.

Top Ten Places Not to Hide your Manuscript...

2010-10-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it's happened to you before. When you finally have been looking at a story or novel so long that you can't remember what was special or interesting about it in the first place. You convince yourself there are tons of other alien turned gym teacher stories out there. Why would your story be special at all? So it's time to hide it. In light of this time honored tactic giving a writer much needed perspective on their project, I have made a list of the top ten places not to hide your manuscript while you're getting some distance from the story.

1. The Dishwasher- Sad to believe but not even the pot scrubber cycle can edit for you.

2. Between the seats on the Bus- I've been here. Hoping that someone will pick up your manuscript and exclaim at the undiscovered genius held within. Possibly they'll even pass it on to their editor friend. It's better to save such fantasies for the query letter.

3. Right on top of your desk - You can see it every single day. And it will taunt you like those little reese peanut butter cups during lent.

4. The Cereal Box - In the morning I am not generally in a complete state of consciousness as I stumble around the apartment. So for anyone with a similar early morning state, you may just eat your words and your prologue of you're not careful.

5. Under the Couch Cushion - I've lost keys under there. It's a inter-dimensional portal to another realm under there. Unless you really hate your manuscript, this is not a good place for it.

So hopefully these cautions will help you in that daunting escapade they call editing. Although it's important to get some distance from a project, make sure it's not too much distance. Don't give up on a story, you never know how it may look to you tomorrow.

And Now for Something Completely Different....

2010-10-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get frustrated staring at that little blinking cursor on the screen trying to force the words out of my brain for a story. (This is on a bad day of writing of course.) Although the words do have days when they flow, I've had days where my words are more stubborn than toddlers.

So I have to say, it was very interesting to try telling the story another way for a change. Storytelling. For someone who generally gets nervous about being in front of big groups of people, I picked a hilarious career. As a Children's Library Associate I spend a lot of time up front talking, reading books and singing more renditions of the itsy, bitsy spider than I can count on a hand. But storytelling was something completely new.

Granted, these weren't my own stories I was telling. It was part of a Thursday night Folktale Program I started. Normally I would choose books to read to the kids. But lately, I've been running out. So when there are no Folktale books for a country.... things get a little.... crazy. Needless to say I found myself last week in front of about 35 people telling the Slovak tale of Strawberries in Winter. This week, it was a Slovenian legend about the Predjama Castle. And something happened when I got up in front of a group to tell the story. They started adding to the story. I had kids come up to play some of the parts. The boy playing Erazem the mischevious knight said have a good meal in Slovenian as he tossed the cow over the castle wall, ( Erazem taunted his pursuerers by tossing them meals over his castle walls.) The small girl barely visible beneath the blanket and crown added a bit of irony to the part of the emperor in the story. It was interesting how much of a life of its own the story took on as we told it. It makes me wonder what kind of different shape the printed story takes in each reader's mind.

The Books of Elsewhere

2010-10-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows by Jacqueline West. It was a good fall read, a creepy, old house, and instead of the run of mill ghosts, Jacqueline West spiced things up a bit by having paintings come to life. I liked her description of the characters inside the paintings, of what it would be like to interact with someone who's made of paint. I also have to admit, it's tough to have an entire novel all in one setting, namely taking place in one house. But somehow, West was able to accomplish this without letting the reader get disinterested in the story. Tons of interesting things going on from attic to basement in that house. And the banter of the cats was great. An interesting combination of characters.

Knee Bone Boy

2010-10-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

Can I post about a book that I thought would be fantasy but turned out not to have anything to do with fantasy? I loved the Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter simply for the reason that so many crazy ironic things happened and all of it ended up having a perfectly logical explanation. Awesome.

In addition to the intriguing charades of these lovable children, the characters themselves were very interesting. Otto, Lucia and Max were distinct characters each with their own motivations. Otto with the scarf that always remained around his neck, Max who still tried to make friends at school despite all the rumors flying around town about his family. Or even Lucia who seems hardened to the whole situation, but just maybe has some feelings somewhere underneath. Out of the fun dynamic of these three characters comes one of the real interesting points of this book. One of the children is narrating this story. However, they don't identify which one is narrating, leaving the reader to guess the narrator's identity.

Underneath this interesting dynamic, there are a wealth of other exotic characters contained in this book as they hunt for their long lost mother. The slightly gothic and curiosity feel to this book makes it a good book to curl up with on a rainy day in October. I've enjoyed Potter's other books with Olivia Kidney, but this one really hit the spot. If the spot was on a six legged dog with one eye that is.

Istanbul and Exotic Inspiration

2010-10-05T08:41:00.001-07:00

So I know it's not July 4th anymore. I know there's been a large gap in my writing for the blog. I guess my only excuses are that I took a rather nice vacation to Istanbul and that I've been furiously working on editing one of my novels. It's funny how novels are like paintings. No matter how much you stare at it, and work on it, there's always something else that can be done to it. It's kind of maddening to think that you'll just have to get the novel to a point at which you unceremoniously put it down and say, "I think it's about right now." It makes me wish I had one of those grading rubrics from my teaching days to measure my writing. "Yes, five points of characterization here, but plot development is a bit shabby."

But aside from the bane and general annoying state that is editing, I also was able to take a trip to Istanbul this summer. It's great how being in another country sparks ideas for your writing. The stray cats alone were giving me loads of ideas for writing. Cats are like Starbucks in Istanbul. They're on ever corner. There were some great characters there too, like a man who sold t-shirts every day on the corner next to our hostel. He always had a smile for us every morning. I think that's the best part of traveling. It expands your grab bag of characters and settings as a writer. I don't know why regular people travel. Anyways, aside from a rather frustrating bout of the stomach flu, (try being on the second floor of Aya Sophia with the runs) I was able to get out some nice haiku about the exotic surroundings. So I've included them below with some of my pictures to show that I wasn't playing hooky for nothing.

A flicker of tail

on persian carpets fur curls

inside Turkish designs.

Half hidden smile

as the lens sharpens on

a chipped mosaic.

Virgin Mary smiles

knowingly as a century

of dust coats her grin.

Blue glass eyes

chattering on string

in the breeze

onyx eyes flicker

to the chink of coin

at her feet

whirling robe

white folds brush nargile

smoke aside

Librarian Pirate for The Fourth of July

2010-07-10T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what you can do with a book cart when you try. Every year for the fourth of July, the neighborhood around my library holds a parade. The librarians always march in the parade, in a costume matching the summer reading theme. This year, we all dressed up as pirates and I changed one of the bookcarts into a pirate ship. It was a lot of fun, handing out old books from the book sale to the people watching the parade. But the next day, one of the kids at the library informed that in fact we were not the best pirates in the parade. Remind me not to quit my day job.

Where does Inspiration come from?

2010-07-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

I always find it interesting to hear what first inspires authors to write their books. I've found that ideas come into your head at the craziest times, like when all you've got near you is a bottle of ketchup and a napkin. So I thought today, I'd talk about some of the research I've done for my novel, Mrs. MacIntyre's Ghost is Missing.

It's a ghost mystery, so I set it in one of the most famous Cemeteries in Cleveland, The Lakeview Cemetery. It was designed after European Victorian Cemeteries that were places to come for picnics. I went back to Cleveland for a visit and took some snapshots to get a feel for the place. Cleveland is such a diverse city with all the immigrants that were drawn to the steel mills in the 19th century, that it's mind boggling to think about the diversity of ghosts that would be in this cemetery. It was fun coming up with characters to reflect that diversity. For example, Signora Rossetti from the 1950's. Lakeview Cemetery is right next to Cleveland's Little Italy Neighborhood, where there are more than a few rumors of past mafia activity.

And then there was Chester, the African American quarry worker from the 1920's. Cleveland has more than a few park dubbed with the name Quarry, specifically because they were built on or near quarries.

Here are some of the snapshots I took for research. It's amazing how many interesting carvings are just in this one cemetery, and I didn't even see all of it.

I couldn't figured out why this stone lion was hanging out next to a grave, but it reminded me a little of bit of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

A lot of the crypt doors are oxidized like this. I think they were originally copper if I remember correctly. There are also a lot of Egyptian carvings hanging out like lotus blossoms and scarab beetles. Prudence, the 1940's roller skating pal of Iris Griffin, the main character was placed in a crypt like this.

In Mrs. MacIntyre's Ghost is Missing, there are angels that are just spirits from human carvings of angels. I saw some pretty awesome angels for inspiration. This one in particular was stellar.

This picture inspired one of the beginning chapters where Iris and Prudence are investigating a broken gravesite. If you look closely on gravestones, there are symbols like ivy, lilies, and broken columns. They all tell different stories about the lives of the people buried there. It's pretty interesting stuff. The Association for Gravestone Studies has a List of Common Symbols. So it's like they say, back to writing to put all this research I've done to good use.

ALA Conference... A Candy Store For Librarians....

2010-06-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

The ALA (American Library Association) Conference was in Washington DC this year. It was my first time going and I was blown away. It had the two things that librarians love most: books and those little werther's candies. If it wasn't enough to frolic among the sea of publishing companies, and see what they've cooked up next, a huge number of authors were there signing books. It was encouraging that I recognized a number of the faces already. Carol Millward was there with Westside Books, (see earlier post on her book.) Moira Rose Donohue was also there signing her book, Penny And The Punctuation Bee. And later on, I finally located Amy Brecount White at the Harper Collin's Pavilion in the afternoon. I'm excited to get the chance to read her book, Forget Her Nots. There were other authors there that I don't know but have read their books. Mitali Perkins was there with her new book, Bamboo People. Grace Lin brought copies of her new book, Wing And Ting. And the list goes on....

For an aspiring writer, it was so heart warming to see so many familiar faces at a signing event. Knowing people who are out there signing books somehow makes the prospect of having a published book of my own more real.

It was also exciting to see a little less vampire and a little more of anything else on the market. Zombies seem to be stepping up to the plate with the new collection of short stories, "Zombie vs Unicorn". Other than being the perfect gift for my friend Ashley, this book pits unicorn and zombie short stories against each other in a battle to the.... undeath? It was so inspiring, I came home with an idea for a short story about a postman in a post-apocalyptic zombie world... how would you deliver the mail with poodles and zombies to worry about? Sadly, I have no fun zombie artwork to put up with this post. Either way, I'm going to sign off now and hopefully get some writing done after this crazy weekend....

What's In A Movie?

2010-06-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight I went to see the new Alice In Wonderland with my boyfriend. And I came away with two thoughts to ponder.

1. There is an unbreakable rule that Johnny Depp is awesome in every movie in which he appears. 2. Can a book turned into a movie ever be good?

And after some late night tea and crochet I have come up with some answers. There have been several instances in which books turned into movies just aren't as good as the book. For example, several of the latest Harry Potter movies, or The Golden Compass. It almost seems like an unalterable truth of the universe that the movie will never be as good as the book. Except... when the movie takes a wild turn down a different path and ends up riding on top of a bandersnatch. Tim Burton, the mastermind director that he is, took the story of Alice In Wonderland and sculpted into something beyond the original story, but working around the same theme and setting. And the results were thought-provoking and magical. So in honor of a successful book-into-movie, I've uncovered other successful movies that played with the book.

1. Peter Pan By J.M Barrie and Finding Neverland - Okay, so maybe this doesn't count exactly. It's a movie about J.M Barrie writing the book. Peter Pan was in fact inspired by Barrie's neighbors as this movie suggests. And once again, Johnny Depp is awesome.

2. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg and Jumanji - I really have to give props to anyone trying to turn a picture book into a movie. But the Jumanji movie took the mood and theme of the picture book and sculpted another story around it.

3. Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Where The Wild Things Are - It's a wild ride either way for this book. One line of this book still sticks in my head. As Max is leaving, the monsters run after him and say, "Don't go, we'll eat you up, we love you so." Sometimes I hear patrons say they don't want their children to read scary books. Well, I think, if you look close enough at some of the classic favorites, they can all be a bit scary.

A Little Farther Up The Beanstalk....

2010-06-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I did a little happy dance when Calamity Jack came in. This is the graphic novel sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, in which Rapunzel gets bored with her tower and goes to off to the wild wild west in search of adventure. Her braid lasso ropes in a companion in Calamity Jack. He's the main focus of the sequel. I love how the author/ illustrator got the feel of the wild west while injecting some fairy tale characters.

Jack's hometown is plagued by giant mobsters and ant people who knock down what fragile livelihood people have left. Jack's mother is forced in his absence to bake the giant's bread from a mysterious bag of flour. (Hmm I wonder what that's made out of?)

Leave it to Hale to create an interesting batch of characters such as a hat-loving pixie, an invention-happy newspaper editor and a giant who's a rich entrepreneur. The end came a bit too close to mushy for me, considering the mood of the rest of the book, but then who am I to get in the way of young love? This is great for those young fairy tale lovers who wonder what ever happened to that beanstalk after Jack chopped it down?

Historical Fiction and Fantasy Get Married

2010-05-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

It's difficult to seamlessly combine two genres in one story so that they work together harmoniously. The Storm In the Barn by Matt Phelan is one of the few graphic novels where I've been surprised. The story is set in Depression ridden America, in the center of the Dust Bowl. Not only does Phelan envelope the reader in the setting, he shows how much the dust seeps into every corner of people's lives. Through an eleven year old boy's eyes we see the details of this era. Rattlesnakes nailed on the fence posts to bring rain, his sick, bed-ridden sister reading stories from the wizard of Oz, and something that lurks in the dark corner's of his neighbor's barn. The personification of rain in this book is simply wonderful. I loved the minimalist illustrations that looked as though they were overcome by dust. Through this fantasy, the dust bowl history comes alive for younger readers. Awesome.

To Be A Librarian Or Not To Be a Librarian...

2010-05-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

Today walking around the community, I ran into one of my kids from storytime at the library. Once she got over the confusion of seeing me outside of the library, (most of the kids think I have a bed somewhere in the back with the overflow books,) she told her parents all about my job at the library. "You're a librarian, but you teach books at art time, so you're a teacher too! And you dress like a princess."

The whole conversation got me to thinking: what is the role of the modern librarian? What with all the social media and blossoming e-book market, there's been a lot of talk among my colleagues about how the library will change in the next decade. Will the librarian become more of a guide to technology than a purveyor of books? Already more of the space in the library is dedicated to computers and time is directed towards e-book resources and databases. I've heard the argument that with all the new technology, librarians will become obsolete. Honestly, I think that it will simply change the role of the librarian. Think about what happens when you google the word bugs. The results are probably in the millions, right? I think the challenge of librarians will be to teach how to filter this information, how to use databases and how to discern what internet resources are reliable. We will become the guides of the internet information realm. And although this will be a drastic rewrite of the role of the library, it could still play an important role in the community. But if not, I could always give princess lessons, as I am apparently an expert.

Cerberus Munches On A Plot

2010-04-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

Okay. I'll admit it. The movie is never as good as the book. It's almost a certainty. The new Lightning Thief movie is no exception. But don't write it off as just another book turned movie. Movies reach a different audience than just the books do and sometimes even encourage movie-viewers to go back and read the book.

I put out a display at the library of books with Greek mythology themes in honor of the Lightning Thief. I've been utterly flabbergasted at how the display is almost empty at the end of each day. Copies of the Iliad and the Odyssey are snatched up and read without a school assignment. So awesome. I almost can't believe how much the Lightning Thief has encouraged readers to explore classic literature. It's moments like this that assure me my library job is the best thing since sliced bread or reese cups. There are other fiction options around with mythology slants such as The Thief By Megan Whalen Turner, Dusssie by Nancy Springer or for younger readers Medusa Jones by Ross Collins. It makes me wonder if I'll wake up tomorrow and there will be a run on the Norse mythology shelves. You just never know.

It Feels Like a Haiku Day...

2010-04-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Looking outside at the lovely cloudy weather here makes me think about poetry again. It's poetry month and I'm visiting Cleveland the home of independent community bookstores like Mac's Backs and comfy poetry readings in basements. There's just something about the acoustics in basements and sitting on a creaky folding chair that somehow makes poems better. Suzanne, the owner of Mac's Backs always updates me on the poetry scene when I come back home for a visit. Right now, the storefronts are lined with posters of the Coventry Poetography project, a collection of photography and poems inspired by the community. Sadly, they were sold out of the books at the store. It was fun to sit and scan through the back shelves of photocopied and handmade chapbooks that line the walls. The perfect place to be during poetry month.

So in honor of National Poetry Month and great independent stores like Mac's Backs, I've added in some of my photos from the woods and silhouettes and some haiku poems that I've written.

damp red envelope

drifting through puddles to drain---

valentine wishes

ink of unseen hand----

the wavering tendrils of

creeping grapevine

sparrow follows the

fickle glance of warm sun---

a branch quivers

bumble bee torso

hovers on glossy berries---

necklace in the sun

forgotten driftwood

plays games with the tide

all day in the sun

The ipad Conundrum

2010-04-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

The ipad is out. And I've been hearing from friends that are smitten over the new features. I can feel my typewriter seething on the shelf at this new impostor. (Yes, I own and occasionally use a typewriter.) I had to wonder when I first saw the ipad if the engineers had forgotten to stick on a keyboard. But of course, there's an on screen keyboard to save room. Well, I hope it's better than the on screen keyboard on my boyfriend's iphone that spits out five q's whenever my finger clearly hits the "a" key once. Give me a solid set of keys any day. It changes writing; not being able to have the grooves of the keys underneath your fingertips and I don't think I'd be able to take it.

However, I did watch a video that Penguin Books put out on possible Children's ebook publishing on the ipad and I have to say the interface was pretty cool. It almost changed the format of Pat The Bunny with these pages where you shake or turn the ipad to interact with the image. It was kind of interesting. But as they asked you to color spot in on one of the pages it makes me think: is it still a book? I mean what is the purpose of a book? Is it to hold a story or engaged the child? I think there's great potential for textbooks and other nonfiction books in the ebook format. But I have to wonder, will books like Good Night Moon have the same silent impact in ebook format?

Front Window Display

2010-04-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

We're having some amazing weather in D.C. The kind of weather that makes you want to wear tank tops and go chase the ice cream truck. I just got the "Get Blown Away by a Good Book" display up in the front window of the library and there isn't even a breeze as my silhouettes are getting blown away by the ends of their umbrellas. We of course put up some windy titles... who could forget, A Wind In The Door By Madelene L'Engle? Especially the Newbury book this year, When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead mentioned L'Engle in her story. And The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame was there next to Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell So in honor of my out of place display, I'm posting some pictures of them on the blog. Maybe there's a wind blowing somewhere on the internet.

The little girl is holding onto a kite string for the kite below.

This guy originally had another arm that didn't quite work so I had to do some amputation.
Here's an interpretation of the north wind. He must feel out of place in all this sun.

Star in the Middle

2010-03-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it’s sad how many good books are overlooked by the public eye. I came across a powerful YA book recently, called Star in the Middle by Carol Larese Millward. It’s sad that not many people will come across this book by a small publishing company. It deals with something that is always in the headlines: teen pregnancy. Don’t write this off as just another book about a teenage girl and a baby. It has a special twist that sets it apart.

The book is told from multiple viewpoints. The teen mother, Star and teen father, Wilson alternate chapters explaining their story as the novel unfolds. I was surprised at how accurately Millward was able to depict a teen mother’s experience. But then looking back at her bio, I realized that she worked as a Parent Educator in the past with teen parents.

The story pulled me in with the ambiguity of the situation and the richness of the characters. Star lives with her grandmother and her baby. There is obvious tension in their relationship that continues throughout the novel. The reason for this tension isn’t fully explained until the end. Wilson is also an interesting character as he tries to separate himself from the story. He comes off as a jerk in the beginning and Millward leaves it up to the reader to judge him at the conclusion of the story. Full of delicious teen drama, this book held my attention to the very last page. Which is not very easy to do, since normally I read mostly picture books.

Poem Published...

2010-03-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Just found out that one of my poems was accepted to be published on a Haiku website called Two Dragonflies. Here's the link:

http://twodragonflies.com/4children2.html

It was originally from an artist book I made of haiku I wrote about my kindergartners. I studied some of my kindergartener's drawings from when I was teaching and used them for inspiration in the drawings.

More Artist Books...

2010-03-12T16:52:00.000-08:00

Here are some other examples of artist books I have made as mentioned in the previous post.

Save The Books

2010-03-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been hearing a lot about the "End of Books". Yes, it's capitalized. That's how daunting it is. I passed by the current Wilson Quarterly at work yesterday and saw those words blazing back at me from the cover. It was also hinted at during the Writer's Conference I went to the other day, the imminent change in the world of publishing. And the Library has been piloting a program that allows patrons to borrow e-books from the safety of their own home. Does this make anyone else sad? I mean, I love the internet just as much as the next person. It has brought me a lot of interesting things. Facebook, instant messaging, and who could forget those delightful videos of keyboard cat?

But at the same time, I would miss the feel of having a book in my hand, and getting lost in one hundred page forest of plot and character. I've heard it argued that digitizing books would open avenues to link other text and expand. But if I just want to get lost in the singular world of my one books, what good are links? If anything, that would be distracting.

Don't get me wrong. I think e-books are a great thing. They fill a niche in the market. I have to wonder if Gutenburg would be crying at how his invention has been discarded, or excited at how his original idea: the mass production of information, has been taken to new heights.

Either way, I would like to mention the still thriving counter-culture of Artist Books. I've had some experience in this art. And I would argue that having books that spin, unfold and light up helps regain some of the prestige they lost when they boarded the train to mass production. If you've never seen any artist books, I've included some pictures below of books that I have made and in followup posts. First up is the accordion book:

When Librarians Go Bad...

2010-03-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I know I’m slightly biased on this one since I work at a library. But I loved Jarrett Krosoczka’s The Lunch Lady and The League of Librarians. I mean how can you go wrong with a spork phone?

Back when I was scribbling misspelled words on notebook paper, I used to love writing wacky stories using my teachers and principals as characters. This is the story I wish I had written when I was a kid.

The evils of the Elementary School never sleep in this sequel to the first Lunch Lady and The Cyborg Teacher. Not only do they use literature in their evil plots, they use good literature. C.S. Lewis anyone? Any author that can make weapons out of novels without the use of paper cuts is genius. Krosoczka takes the hilarity to the max with his ending. Literacy has never been so good. This book is for anyone who likes cool cafeteria gadgets and witty librarian dialogue.

MD/DE/WV Conference 2010

2010-03-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I went to the MD/DE/WV Writer's Conference. I've heard a lot of people argue that writer's conferences are a waste of time. But honestly, I think any event that brings together a large number of hopeful illustrators and writers can't be a bad thing. Kudos to the planners of the conference that arranged the seating at round tables. It made it a lot easier to strike up a conversation with the seven other people sitting at the table around us.

I met some very interesting people at my table. There was an Illustrator from Delaware who told me about the preference in the industry for ink and watercolor drawings. I've never even thought about the illustrator's struggle in book publishing.

There was also a YA author at my table, Carol Larese Milward, and a teacher/ writer named Mindy. Carol published a book dealing with teen pregnancy, (more about this in another post.) I could tell from talking to her that she's very passionate about writing and the subject of her book. And I think that's the best thing to take away from a conference. The knowledge that I am not alone as an aspiring writer.

Third Time is The Charm...

2010-03-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Third time is the charm, right? It's true in fairy tales, so I hope it translates into html. I think this is my third shot at creating a blog to upkeep. Hopefully with a library job under my wing, I'll have a lot more interesting things to talk about than just my writing life. I may throw a book review or two in there as well.

So first off, I should go into a little detail about the name. "Ink Spot Plot" is for everyone who saw faces in the sidewalk cracks growing up. No, you're not crazy. You're probably just a writer. Just like the Rorschach blots inspire a whole host of characters, I think the smudgy mistakes your pen makes have a tale to tell too. You never know where you're going to find a story. And I can think of much less interesting places than a sidewalk crack to find it.