Winter Gathering

Woke up to frost all around, sparkling and beautiful, on the grass and trees and glimmering on my strawberry plants.

Winter solstice here, once again. Had a holiday party Sunday night, with food and drink and caroling and lighting the menorah, all to drive back the dark, and glory in the cozy center in the depths of winter.

And before the cold could strike everything, we'd brought in the bounty of the back yard. The persimmons gathered, hung and drying, thanks to our son Felix. These ridiculously large squash, cut and stewed and pureed.





And flourishing in the garden, the sturdy, defiant Meyer's lemon tree, perseveres despite the cold.

Folk and blues singer Odetta dies

Last week, the astonishing folk singer Odetta died. There's a lovely review of her life in the New York Times... They title it "Odetta, voice of Civil Right Movement Dies at 77." Please scroll down on the NYT page to the video of a recent interview with her. She's already old, very old, for the interview, but when asked to sing, she closes her eyes, dips down her chin, and then, up with her chin and she sings... incredibly. Her voice is so percussive and rich. She is a big part of my family lore. When I was little, she came to visit us on the farm we lived on and my dad took astonishing photos of her. We often had her music playing.

As I've been writing books, she's been with me. A friend gave me a tape of her original recording at the Blue Angel in Sausalito. I worked my father's photo into my book on Woody Guthrie. And just two days ago, I wrote about her discovering Pete Seeger asleep in a big tent on the march they had both joined, Dr. King's Selma to Montgomery march for the vote in 1965.

There is lots of end-of-life joys and trials around me right now. My parents live about a mile away, and my mother is bed-bound, and on hospice. The great grace is that she is no pain. Our brother-in-law, Bernard, is very, very ill. He and my sister live with my parents. And in a separate apartment, our son Felix and his girlfriend live at the house. Felix gardens with my dad in the day (they have a ripping garden full of winter vegies and two huge, homemade greenhouses), and goes upstairs to check on my mom every evening, taking his guitar and singing songs to her. Today Felix called me from his cell phone. He and Sasha were just taking a walk in the Mountain View cemetery nearby, and he wanted to know where the family plot was.

Dying can involve a whole family, the sadness and hopeless waiting and caretaking and beautiful, unexpected moments of grace in it all.

NCTE photos

Run right over to Laurie Halse Anderson's blog for terrific photos of NCTE/ALAN authors. I knew I'd find good photos soon!

Thanks so much, Laurie!

NCTE San Antonio, financial melt down in publishing

Just back from San Antonio, and the exhilaration of NCTE, National Council of Teachers of English. I did a panel with some fantastic non-fiction children's writers: Marc Aronson, (very cool blog on School Library Journal) Tanya Bolden, and Tanya Stone. Great writers, highly opinionated. Fast-paced discussion about how we work, how to use our books in the classroom, all moderated by Teri Lesesne, who managed to keep us all on track!

Of course, the one thing I forgot to pack was my camera. So I don't have any pictures to show. But spirits were high as I rambled around the floor.

But I think everyone was wondering what NCTE would be like next year with the financial melt down that is going on. Want some info and ideas what you can do? Zip over to Editorial Ass today to check out her blog on what's happening in the publishing industry and how each of us can do one. small. random. act. of. kindness. to keep the kettle boiling. She's an amazing blogger, an editor who writes beautifully and with heart and lots of info. I always love her posts.

Selma Alabama and Obama's unsung heros

This week I've been in Alabama interviewing people who were children and young adults on the 1965 civil rights march for the vote. These people are some of the unsung heros Obama praised in his presidential acceptance speech ("and on a bridge in Selma..."). They marched and sang and were beaten and jailed. Released, they went out and marched again. Their courage provided the news coverage to outrage Americans and give President Johnson the power to get the Voting Rights Act through Congress.

On Tuesday November 4th I was in Selma. It was a historic day to be waiting to hear the outcome of our election. People excited, anxious, hopeful.

Getting out the vote, in the original get-out-the-vote town.

At eight pm I joined a silent candlelit vigil walking across the Pettus Bridge. Faces beautiful in the flickering candlelight. We gathered at the foot of the bridge in a circle, moving in together as Amelia Boynton, in her 90's, walked to the center to share her memories. On the original Bloody Sunday march in 1965 she was struck down by the sheriff's posse and lay by the side of the road in a swirling mist of tear gas.

Check out this wonderful photo taken by Rene Johnston of the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/fpLarge/photo/530676

We listened, quiet and hushed. Suddenly someone called out: "Obama's taken Pennsylvania!" People yelled and cheered and wept and we clambered back across the bridge, noisy and relieved and joyous.

David Almond, his book Skellig and music

I love the feeling when a book clings to me -- I finish it, put it down, and find I am still partly in the imaginary book world days later. Lovely.

And a big favorite of mine is Skellig. Even thinking of Almond's book right now, I can slip into Skellig's world. I just found this great interview by Almond where he talks about the importance of sounds and the music in his head -- part of how he creates the magic.

"When I wrote Skellig - set in the streets of Newcastle - my mind was filled with sounds: the creaking of a dilapidated garage, the scuttlings and scratchings inside, a baby's heartbeats, her breath, the songs of blackbirds, the cheeping of chicks, the hooting of owls, the dawn chorus, the voice of a girl quoting William Blake, the sound of the city beyond a small suburban garden. At the centre of it was Skellig himself: his surly almost-animal squeaks and growls becoming more coherent, turning into a confident human voice. And when the book was published and people began to ask questions about it - about the repetition of certain phrases, for instance, or its rhythms, or its composition as a series of scenes, or its use of Blake's poetry, I often found myself referring to music."

Full interview is posted in The Guardian.

Book Passage Kid Lit night

Had a wonderful time Monday night at Book Passage, where I had the privilege of being on a panel with Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Egypt Game, Headless Cupid, Witches of Worm), Gennifer Choldenko (Al Capone Does My Shirts, If a Tree Falls At Luch Period) and Christina Meldrum (Madapples).

Here's Christine, and Gennifer talking, with Zilpha seated.


Lissa Rovetch has put together an incredible once-a-month Kid Lit Salon. Her line-up of Kid-Lit stars is awesome! Check it out.

Here she is, chumming up the crowd. (Lissa is very funny and is responsible for getting all of us going).




We had one of those intense, informational, can't-stop-laughing evenings. The room was full of people in a cheery mood, and the energy just hit a high spot. Thanks to all.

SCBWI talk at Mills College

A terrific day today. I did the keynote at SCBWI Norcal meeting: UnMask Your Character: Reveal Your Story. A wonderful group of people, wonderful speakers. We were on the beautiful, serene campus of Mills College in Oakland, which right away made everyone want to give up their usual lives and go live on campus in a dorm. Gretchen Hirsch, associate editor at HarperCollins gave a great talk on first pages she likes and why, and Eric Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agence talked about queries that work for her and those that don't. Both of them were smart and funny. I also moderated a YA panel with Carrie Watson, author of Quad, and Leigh Purcill, author of Love Meg.
Here's a nice (OK, a little bit blurry) shot of Gretchen, where you can get a feel for how cool she is. She like YA novels that are a little bit dark. In case you're looking for someone to query, she also has that excellent editor trait of being both enthusiastic and very tactful.

Huge thanks to Margaret Speaker Yuan and Colette Weil Parrinello who did tons of heavy lifting to make the day work so smoothly. My only regret is that I had to leave early, and missed the afternoon speakers.

David Macaulay and color fest at the San Fracisco Public Library

David Macaulay spoke at the San Francisco Public Library last night about putting together his book, The Way We Work. He showed us his process of doing the book -- sketch after sketch after sketch. Amazing to see how he thinks and draws. He loves looking at each body system every way he can -- from underneath, above, outside, inside. Astonishing. Going over the hand and all the finger joints he said, "what a very clever contraption we are." Indeed.

Here he is talking with a young fan. I just loved her skirt and the way she was standing as she talked with him.

There is an exhibit up of Robert Sabuda's original artwork for his picture books. If you live anywhere in the Bay Area, do yourself a favor and go see it. The details of his work and the materials he uses are incredible. They are the kind of images you want to reach right through the glass and run your fingertips over.


And upstairs outside the children's room was another beautiful exhibit, this one French illustrator Olivier Tallec. The evening turned into a color fest for me. Thanks to all the librarians at SFPL for the talk and the exhibitions.

autumn

I love how the light shifts in the fall. I took this photo a mile from my cabin. I'd just driven down the dirt road to Highway One, where the land meets the water and the sky.Day ends as the sun slips into the water, night comes. Summer ends, autumn pauses, slides into winter. Crisp air, light so rich you can scoop up handfuls and pour it inside you.

Word picture from the Farmer's Market

Went to the farmer's market today, which was lovely and relaxed, with an old-time music festival in the adjoining park. People flowed back and forth between the two, eating plates of delicious smelling food, and biting into apples and peaches. Small dancing children, chatting adults, young ccouples on blankets.

If-I'd-Had-A-Camera Moment: A grey haired lady who had a small table covered with little cobalt blue bottles and a sign saying "homemade healing herbals." Standing in front of her table, a woman held opened her blouse while the grey haired lady earnestly rubbed an oil between her breasts. The woman getting the mini-healing-massage had her eyes closed, her face up to the sun and such a deep look of surrender, while we all walked around her, in the warmth and the music and the smells of cooking food. What was the story here, I wondered. Breast cancer? Heartache?

A few days ago I ran into a friend and asked about something he'd told me about a few weeks earlier. How can you remember I was doing that? he asked.

Easy. The stories are so endlessly interesting. I go around gleaning moments, as lives brush up against mine, and just for a few seconds, or a year, or a lifetime, our stories flow together.

Odd book titles, finishing touches on Big Cat Pepper

My blog today should be "read, write, laugh."

One of the things I don't do well is come up with titles. I admire people who do short snappy titles -- Laurie Halse Anderson is incredible at this with titles like Speak and Chains. I seem to prefer ten words or more....

So here's a contest for oddest book title of the year, started at the international Bologna Book Fair. Read to the end (it's a short article) for a good laugh.

We're getting down to the details on Big Cat Pepper. Melanie Cecka at Bloomsbury just sent me flap copy to check over, and asked for my dedication. Lauren Castillo's artwork is all done and is absolutely gorgeous.

Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz

My dad and I had a great evening in Santa Cruz, due in part to a great write-up in Metro Santa Cruz beforehand, we had a lively audience and rocking party at the Museum of Art and History .
Gathering beforehand in the Sculpture Garden:

Wonderful audience:
My cousin Rym and his beautiful wife Winnie showed up: (Okay, he looks like a pirate in this shot, as in "arrrgh, Matey," but he's not. He does love the ocean -- he's a fantastic surfer who actually has a stretch of surf named after him in Santa Cruz called after him: Rym's Reef.)

My dad's photo show at the Santa Cruz Museum and We Visit the Cemetery

For the past couple of years, a show of my father's photos, From the Byways to the Highways, has been touring around California, thanks to CERA. My dad's name is Rondal Partridge, and he's been photographing for about 75 years.

The show is finally on it's last stop, in Santa Cruz at the Museum of Art and History. We'll be having a party to close it down and to thank the museum and their donors for doing such a great job with the presentation. It's been fun to watch the progress of the show. Several times my dad and I have gone to the museum where the show currently was to give a talk. (See my post of Sunday, march 9, 2008 for our Hayward visit.)

This talk just happens to be on Ron's birthday, so we'll celebrate with champagne and cake as he turns 91. Still photographing, still talking, still cooking, still going to exercise class, still beetling down to the back yard to check on his zuchinni and chard and tomato plants. Did I mention, still talking? A man who loves life.

I recently went for the first time to visit the cemetery where our family has had a plot for years. I do mean years -- my great-great grandfather bought a nice spot on a sunny slope in the late 1800s. He and his family are buried there, in a grassy plot with low granite walls around the outside. My grandparents, whom I adored, are there, tidily set in one corner. It's called Mountain View Cemetery, designed by Frederick Law Ohlmsted, and it's big, 250 acres of rolling hills covered with old weathered headstones and a few ancient gray crypts, listing slightly.

My father and I happened to be driving by a few days later, and I asked if he'd like to go see the family plot. He'd never seen it either, though it has figured in our family lore for years, and is only a few miles from my parents' house. We drove in through the formal gates, and I told him the people in the office, who'd showed me where to look for the family gravesite, had asked me if we had "placed" anyone yet. My dad thought that was as funny as I did. Such a carefully neutral word, "placed."

He liked the spot -- up on a hillside, looking across the valley. He shaded his eyes, looked from one side of the valley to the other. "Sunlight all day," he said, approving, like he was a sun loving plant being put in just the right place.

He rambled around for awhile, reading headstones, getting a feel for the neighborhood. Then he turned to me. "Okay," he said. "Let's go."

Blogging threads, the beauty of expressions

Sometimes I wonder if blogging is just entirely self-referencing -- running in little circles around a small group. My last post was about Lois Lowry. A teen, reading my blog, gave a report on it to her group at the YMCA. "A writer's blog, by a writer for other writers." That's pretty succinct, and accurate.

This teen is from Guatemala and has only been here a few years. After she read my post she went to the library and read a couple of Lois Lowry's books.

Score.

And a lovely expression from a friend of mine from El Salvador as we were talking about how much you need your friends and family around when you are very old. "Money doesn't walk to your bed," she said.

Lois Lowry's magical touch, and how fantasy and non-fiction come from the same place

Lois Lowry has a recent wonderful blog post on July 24th. In a short paragraph she pulls together everything I love about writing: transforming the world into a magical place with imagination, a few twigs and stones, and a paper crane. She condense it all into a few beautiful sentences, ending with her acknowledgment of the ephemeral nature of the process.

Really, this isn't just about writing fantasy. It's about any writing. It's what I do when I'm doing non-fiction: take myself back, back, back there, write with emotion and passion, holding tight to the facts, to what people have said they felt, to how it smelled and looked and sounded. When it goes well, I'm not in the present, sitting hunched over my keyboard, a flurry of paper scraps all around me. I am there, as much as I can be there. I come out of those great writing sessions slightly confused and blinking, like an owlet exposed to sudden bright light.

Check out Lois Lowry's post. She's brilliant. Scroll down to her post, "All Kinds of Narrative."

Five Years On for the Martha Weston Grant

For the past five years, I've been the chair of the Martha Weston Grant through SCBWI. I'm turning the reins over to Lissa Rovetch now. I wrote to all the past winners to hear how they are doing, and got back lovely replies from all of them.

Reading over these replies has made me feel proud and gratified what an award like this can do to encourage people. Publishing is not an easy business, and it's wonderful to see how people can soak up a little bit of juice and transform it into book making. In the end, authors and illustrators, teachers and parents, and especially kids benefit.

I feel incredible grateful to Martha's family for funding and supporting this award.

And Martha, wherever your spirit is these days, I love you. You're still touching us here through your books and your grant.

Steve Mooser and Lin Oliver will give a presentation on the previous winners at this year's SCBWI conference.

ROBERTA COLLIER-MORALES
Hi Betsy-

Since winning the award, I've submitted a book dummy and have had 6
people turn me down. I'm working on a series of board book ideas that
I'm writing and illustrating and am still working on "The Running
Quilt" manuscript for the teen crowd. I have to support myself and
family as an illustrator and because much of the educational
illustration work is now being outsourced to Korea, South Africa and
India, many of us who depended on that work to support ourselves are
scrambling to find ways to make a living. As a result, I've been
learning about and pursuing Licensing my art so have been in two trade
shows - CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) as well as the International
Licensing Show and will have booths in both of those shows again in
2009. I'm determined to continue supporting myself in the arts and
one of my major goals is to have at least two more manuscripts and
book dummies ready to present before the end of 2008, I'm
concentrating on the board books as I think I have a bet
ter shot at getting these published than my chapter book. I'm still
the Illustrator co-ordinator for the RMC-SCBWI and am getting ready
for our fall conference, followed by my daughters wedding in New York
City, followed by Open Studio's here in Boulder- it's going to be
quite a ride!
Winning the Martha Weston Award was one of the highlights of my life
- I will make you proud- it's just taking longer than I'd hoped due to
the turn of events in the publishing arena. Life is always full of
unexpected turns, and learning to ride the waves is a life-long
challenge for all of us! My motto is "onward and upward", I'm not one
to give up, I just dig my heals in and become more determined than
ever!
Thank you again, for the honor! Roberta


FIONA BAYROCK
Hi Betsy,

The four years since I received the Martha Weston Grant
have been full ones for me. In this business that always seems to move
glacially and be riddled with rejection and wishes, it's good to stop and
reflect about all that *has* gone well. So thank you for sparking that
reflection in me this week. :^)

Since I received the Martha Weston Grant four years ago I've continued to
enjoy successes in my established genre of science writing, including 14 books
published for education and specialty markets for Scholastic U.S., Scholastic
Canada, and Capstone Press; articles in Highlights for Children, YES Mag,
KNOW, and Hopscotch for Girls; and a contract for my first trade book, BUBBLE
HOMES AND FISH FARTS (Charlesbridge, 2009 Carolyn Conahan, Illus.), which
I've just found out has been named a Junior Library Guild Selection.

I applied for the Martha Weston Grant to support my branching out into
humorous fiction. Let me express again my gratitude for being selected for
this grant. It was a huge boost to my fiction writing. The 2004 SCBWI-LA
conference was chock full of award-winning humour writers---Bruce Coville, Jon
Scieszka, Sid Fleischman, Gordon Korman...wow. To listen to each of them talk
about their process and approach, and to benefit from their tips and advice
was an amazing education. It put a lot of things in perspective and unlocked
many doors in my head. Since then, I've been hard at work learning the craft
and developing my fiction skills on several projects, two of which I've just
begun to submit to publishers (a surprisingly scary thing to do! :^). No
fiction book contracts yet, but I have had one encouraging humorous fiction
success---a poem sale to Highlights for Children.

An interesting anecdote from the conference...
You know how you hear stories about an author who meets an editor in an
elevator and they go on to sign a book contract together? I thought it was an
urban myth, but it turns out it really does happen---it happened to me at the
2004 SCBWI-LA conference! As I was heading up to my room for 20 minutes of
quiet time before the next conference session, one other person waited beside
me for the elevator. As is the delightful custom at these conferences, we
introduced ourselves and struck up a conversation. After we'd established
names and hometowns, she asked what I did. "I'm a children's science
writer." "Oh?" she said, "What a coincidence. I'm a children's science editor.
Say, would you like to find a quiet place to talk?" By this time, we were in
the elevator and on the way up, so we exited at the next floor, called an
elevator car going down, and found a corner in the main hall, where we
proceeded to have a 45-minute chat, The editor later treated me to supper in
the hotel restaurant. I ended up writing eight books for her publisher. :^)

Sincerely,

--Fiona


BARBARA JEAN HICKS
Hi Betsy,

It's been almost a year since the Martha Weston Grant sent me to the
SCBWI Summer Conference, and it's been a busy and fulfilling twelve
months!

You probably remember that as a picture book author, the new genre I
was interested in pursuing was picture book illustration. As a result
of the grant, I put together my first art portfolio and displayed it
at the conference—the first time I had ever shared my artwork in
public.

Since that time, I've also had my first portfolio review from an art
director at a major publishing house (extremely instructive!), printed
and sold a line of greeting cards through my local children's
bookstore, and developed a series of visually appealing marketing
materials to sell my visiting author services. I'm even using one of
my cut-paper illustrations as a personal "brand" to help potential
clients remember me—an idea I picked up at one of the workshops at the
conference!

I have an idea for an author-illustrated book I'm very excited about,
but it's still in the "thinking" stage. Meanwhile, after a long dry
spell, I've signed a contract for my fifth children's book, a picture
book called MONSTERS DON'T EAT BROCCOLI illustrated by British artist
Sue Hendra and scheduled for release in Summer 2009. I have another
picture book manuscript ready to send out and several more that are in
various stages of revision.

Also, after participating in 33 promotional events last year, from
bookstore signings to school and library visits to charitable events,
I've recently hired a booking agent to help me find and manage
additional speaking opportunities around the country. I'm very excited
about the possibilities!

I feel as if my career as a children's author and speaker has jumped
into high gear since last year's conference. Although I'm not there
yet, for the first time I feel as if it might really be possible to
make a living in this crazy children's book business! I am so grateful
for having been the recipient of the Martha Weston Grant. Thanks again
to you and Anna and Martha's family for giving me a chance to explore
and develop my gifts as an author, artist, speaker and entrepreneur!

Barbara Jean


LUPE RUIZ-FLORES
Hello Elizabeth,

How wonderful to hear from you. Yes, I do have some good news since my Martha Weston Grant. My second bilingual picture book, The Woodcutter's Gift, came out in October 2007. I just signed a contract for a third bilingual picture book, The Battle of the Snow Cones, due out in 2010 by Arte Publico Press. I have a historical fiction middle-grade manuscript being looked at by an agent in New York (keeping my fingers crossed).

I've been doing a lot of school visits and my latest one was on July 8 in Weslaco, Texas. It was a Title I Migrant Summer Program. Since I was a migrant worker myself at one time, the children could relate to that when I did my reading/presentation. Every student got one of my books (over 250). It was great. The pic is on my website.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have attended the LA SCBWI. It was an experience I will never forget. Maybe one of these days, I'll be able to attend another one. Best of luck in your new venture. And thank you for your dedication and wonderful work on the committee.

How is Writing a Book Like Falling In Love?

Every writer I know does completely unique work. But the weird part is... the process is so similar. In my on-line reading/writing/illustrating group, we've been having a good round of dark humor over the fickleness of the muse -- when this angelic creature doesn't hover over us, glitter and inspiration drifting down from her gently beating wings, we get pissed off. We get whiney, annoyed, demanding. We want to drag her out of the sky, sit her down (hard) and force her to dictate! her! inspiring! words! I'm betting we aren't the easiest people to live with when we're in muse-strangling mode.

Here's Libba Bray, with her totally unique take on the oh-so-painfully-similar process writers go through. It'll either give you shivers of recognition, or make you laugh so hard you snort coffee up your nose, like Editorial Ass. Or both.

Martha Weston Grant winner!

Our grant committee received a fantastic group of applications for the Martha Weston grant. There are so many people doing such wonderful work, taking leaps in their creative endeavors. After careful reading, rereading, sifting and weighing, we chose Betsy James. Martha (Hairston) Weston's family provides the grant, which will fund Betsy James' trip to the national SCBWI conference this August.

The author of more than a dozen picture books and three YA novels, Betsy's interested in exploring the kind of books that made her a reader in the first place: illustrated middle-grade novels. She wants to experiment with combining words and images that can be less culture-bound and serve as access to new words and new worlds, particularly for kids who don't have strong literacy skills.

Check out her website; betsyjames.com.

Congratulations to Betsy, and thanks to all of you who sent in such heartfelt apllications.

American Library Association

Flew down to ALA for just one day. A wonderful whirlwind of people, books, bubbling excitement, bright lights, chattering conversation, and my favorite: the smell of all those new books, crisp and inky and promising.

Here's the wonderful Melanie Cecka at Bloomsbury showing the working dummy of my upcoming book, Big Cat Pepper, to Sheldon Fogelman, and no, he's not my agent. I never met him before, but he's lovely. Out for lunch with Regina Hayes and Catherine Frank, we came upon a Quinceanera Party. Beautiful young women and men in full celebration. The attendants in gorgeous red vests. And here's a hand dressed and styled Barbie. Love the way she morphs for different times and cultures. This is especially for Tanya and Catherine. Seeing friends is one of the big bonuses for us shut-in writers, right? I was supposed to meet Tobin Anderson for a cup of tea, ended up with a lovely group. Got a great shot of Linda Sue Park, who is so good with a camera you never get to see HER in the photos. Here you are, Linda Sue, with Tobin and Norton Juster, author of Phantom Tollbooth and many more books. Linda Sue and Tobin were fresh from their reader's theater presentation. Check out another awesome reader theater participant, and fellow Bloomsbury author, Shannon Hale for her report of the event.
End of the day, waiting to get picked up for my ride back to the airport. Couldn't resist this shot of someone -- guessing he is a librarian!-- just reading. Quietly, while the vans and taxes and chattering groups swished by.

Dinner party

Last-minute dinner parties are my favorite. Throw together some people and food and let the party happen. For a couple of months I've been wanting to meet Casey Scieszka, who moved here recently from Mali (and before that China), but having Kerry Madden in town put the fire under me and I jumped on my e-mail for some quick invites. Gathered up Lissa Rovetch, Julie Downing and her husband Scott Slotterback , Julie Romeis and Mary Colgan.

Here's Casey, Julie D., Julie R., and Scott.

We stood around in the kitchen eating hors d'oeuvres, finally moved to the table, ate and laughed and laughed some more. Of course, we authors begged Julie R and Mary, both editors at Chronicle Books, for stories about slush piles, and the funny things people sent in with their stories. Casey had a few good stories too, as she spent a summer internship cleaning out a slush pile, returning original art. Kiss of death? A cover letter insisting grandchildren/children/students/people on the street loved this story. Funny objects? glitter, chocolate, and our favorite, a six pack of beer.

The two Julie's, Scott, Lissa and my husband Tom.
Mary and Kerry.
Julie Downing brought a copy of her new book, No Hugs Till Saturday. Special book for me, as she borrowed/swiped my son Felix's name for her main character. (Our Felix showed up for the party, but I missed getting a shot of him! Says he doesn't look a thing like the dragon Felix.) Lissa Rovetch brought her new book, There Was a Man Who Loved a Rat: and Other Vile Little Poems. Hysterically funny poems written by her mother, with Lissa's wonderfully wacky illustrations. And Casey had just sold a book to Roaring Brook. Kerry dancing with joy after getting her biography on Harper Lee in to Viking. Plenty to celebrate all around!

A super smart, funny, lovely group of people. Both Julie R. and Lissa are starting regular gathering of children's writers and illustrators in the Bay Area. I'll keep you posted with the places and dates-- there are so many talented people here!

And last photo, late in the night -- guests gone home, dishes done. Shhh and good night.

Big Cat Pepper illustrations

Just went over to Lauren Castillo's blog..... she has posted another spread from our upcoming book, Big Cat Pepper (Bloomsbury, spring 2009).

I'm so awed and thrilled to see what she is doing. This is the huge honor of writing down a poem and having an illustrator make those words into a whole world. Truly, it doesn't get better than this.

Now, I have the home-court advantage of knowing what the text is on the spread she has posted, but check out those slippers sliding off the boy's feet. They say it all. And the sad, tender look on his face. And the beautiful textures and colors.

Gorgeous.

Do you believe in magic?

I have a big old cactus in a pot in my garden. Every couple years it does this amazing thing. It did it today, when our hot and sweltering afternoon cooled to a delicious, balmy evening.

Here it is this afternoon, and a few hours later.

You want to know what this has to do with writing? Everything. Just for a moment, to feel how wonderful it is to be alive, breathe in a bit of beauty, and breathe out love and thanks.

Laurie Halse Anderson live chat

Authors and hoping-soon-to-be-published-authors-- want to see a pro in action? The most awesome and forthright Laurie Halse Anderson will be chatting live on the MySpace readergirlz forum this Thursday, June 19th. For those of you who love to read YA literature, Laurie is inspiring when she talks about why and what she writes and her hopes for youth today. Check this out!

<http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz>
<http://www.readergirlz.com/issue.html>

The chat will start at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour. We're featuring her book PROM but the discussion goes in every direction. To whet your appetites, here are a few things we've found out about Laurie:

On your nightstand: Flashlight, notebook, pen (all for middle of the night ideas) and my inhaler.

Favorite drink while you write: Tea or coffee

Favorite bookstore: River's End Bookstore, Oswego, NY

Favorite library: Mexico Public Library, Mexico, NY

Pet: Kezzie (my German Shepherd)

Place to write: The loft of our house

Inspiration: My readers

Dream book tour: One that includes Paris, Edinburgh, and Tokyo

Author-buddies: Sarah Dessen, Chris Crutcher, Holly Black

Cure for writer's block: Run 5 miles

Favorite outfit: Jeans and hoodie sweatshirt, sneakers

Long-hand or laptop? Laptop

Stilettos or Uggs? Uggs!!!

Author idol: Francesca Lia Block

Next up: Chains (Fall 2008), Wintergirls (Spring 2009)

Awesome Martha Weston Grant applicants, PEN article with Susan Bartletti and Markus Zusak

I've got a wonderful stack of letters from people applying for the Martha Weston Grant through SCBWI. I'll wait a couple more days for the last few to wend their way through the mail, and then send them all off to the two other people on the award committee, Anna Grossnickle Hines and Susan Bartoletti. This is very exciting -- I can see we have a really strong applicant pool this year. Thank you to everyone who applied.

A special shout-out to Laurie Halse Anderson for spreading the word via her blog post. She rounded up a bunch of cool applicants who might never have even heard of the award! Thank you!! And a special, excited congratulations to Laurie who was JUST honored with the 2008 ALAN Award. Read about it here.

And there's a fantastic article up on PEN's site with Markus Zusak and Susan Campbell Bartoletti. They are the first-ever authors featured in PenPals, an e-mail conversation between writers and illustrators of Children’s and Young Adult books. Writing on different continents, they both covered Nazi Germany in their books: The Book Thief (Zusak), and Hitler Youth and The Boy Who Dared (Bartoletti).

Here's how Bob Lipsyte describe their conversation: "Read Markus on “the magic act” of creating fiction that you come to believe is true and Susan on the writer’s job of finding and describing that place where “darkness and light…smack up against each other.” I found the amazing document that follows funny, wrenching and ultimately comforting and inspiring."

One more story: Markus Zusak and I both honored at first YA Author Breakfast at ALA Annual last year. We went from table to table with an incredible group of YA authors in a wonderfully crazy author speed-dating. I followed Markus, and have to admit, I was as star struck as anyone, and had a tendency to want to stop and listen to him rather than talk about my books! I just found a lovely cache of photos of the breakfast right here.

Here we all are, and here's what we saw: Fun morning!

SCBWI Martha Weston Grant deadline approaching!

Nearly five years ago our wonderful friend Martha Weston died unexpectedly in her sleep. She was an illustrator with more than 60 books to her name. Shortly before her death, she'd written her first novel, Act I, Act II, Act Normal. To honor her memory, her family set up an annual grant of $1,500 to attend the national SCBWI conference.

Because Martha was really excited about her new writing career, the grant is awarded each year to a published author or illustrator in SCBWI who'd like to try a new genre within children/young adult publishing.

Applications must be postmarked by June 10th. Too good to be missed! Full details on the grant are available on the SCBWI website.

Above, Gary Hines, Martha and me looking very Three Musketeer-ish. Thanks to Anna Grossnickle Hines website where I swiped this photo!

New Mexico desert and my friend Dyanna Taylor

When I was at Ghost Ranch in the New Mexico desert for Kindling Words West I couldn't get over the sky and clouds. I keep leaving my little room where I was supposed to be writing to see what was happening in the wide open sky. Here's a few of the photos I took:

Day breaks full of light.


Cool quiet day smelling of wet, promising rain.

Day folding up.


Night comes, the desert at rest.

And after the wonderful sky-filled week, I went to visit my friend Dyanna who lives in the prickly cactus and tumble weeds of the desert outside Santa Fe in a house with windows that stretch floor to ceiling. She's a cinematographer (and excellent still photographer) and lives and breathes the desert light. She had just returned from a week-long shoot on Alzheimer's and was about to head out again, so I was lucky our times clicked.

New Mexico desert

I have a new understanding of why artists move to the New Mexico desert to paint, draw, photograph, write, sculpt, whatever. There is such a magnificence here.

In a big bus driving to Ghost Ranch, the desert unfolded in front of us, and the colors of the dirt and craggy cliffs filled me up. I though, inexplicably, of Judy, my older sister Joan's childhood friend. Judy had a sturdy frame, and was tawny skinned with dark shiny hair, in a family of blondes. She had a realness I loved. When she grew up, she moved to the New Mexico desert on a sheep ranch down a long, long dirt road. She got pregnant, and had her baby at home. The baby died during the birthing, and was buried in the dark red desert dirt.

Judy would show up from time to time at my parents house to visit, her face and hands weathered to a dark mahogany, and I would look at her and wonder: does she wish she'd had her baby in a modern hospital? But I never asked. My parents went to visit, and came back with photographs of the small adobe house she'd built with her own hands. Kerosene lamps, kitchen tools hanging from the wall, strands of dried plants from the ceiling. I pored over those photos. Does she wish? Does she ever stand over the baby's grave and wonder?

But now, all these years later, I understand. The desert claims you. You become part of the desert and its vastness, the red dirt and the unending sky, and you and your babies live and die in harmony with the breathing and sighing, giving and taking, of the desert.

Kindling Words West, incredible illustrator

Want a look at an exquisite illustrator's site? Check out Catia Chien's website. Her colors will make you all swimmy inside. You will tumble into her illustrations. And the emotion she conveys! How does she do that? Thanks to Katherine Tillotson (another so-beautiful-you-tumble-in illustrator) for the link.

I'm getting ready to go off the Kindling Words West for a week of hanging out with other authors, getting inspired, looking at my writing in a whole new way (no pressure.) We start the retreat with a visit to Ten Thousand Waves for a communal public hot tub Japanese style, under the amazing New Mexico night sky. Then off for a week of encouraging, challenging talks by the funny and wonderful Tim Wynne Jones, and lots of time tucked away in our writing rooms at Ghost Ranch.

Just for today, imagine I am a food blogger

I never used to be into cooking. I considered it the greatest tyranny of raising children -- they needed to be fed, multiple times per day. Three square meals and a couple of snacks. One of our sons was especially tough to feed -- we called him the Hydroponic Kid, because he preferred drinking to eating. His favorite vegetable? Celery.

But when my boys were teenagers, I wanted them around. I discovered if I filled the kitchen with foods they and their friends liked, and hid my chocolate, there were teenagers everywhere, clomping around on big feet, yelling, playing music and eating everything, like a swarm of locusts.

I made huge vats of beans and rice on the weekends so the meal could expand. Our other son became the identified Feeding Problem. Vegetarian. I adjusted. He went vegan. He had to help with dinner three nights a week. Only so much chopping of vegetables I was willing to do.

And now? Without any kids to feed constantly, I'm into cooking. It's become a pleasure. Tonight for dinner I made Parchment Paper Chicken, following my friend Karen Kashkin's relaxed recipe. It's basic: boneless skinless chicken breast, some vegetables (I used potatoes I dug up in the garden planting new vegetables over the weekend, fava beans wintered over, onions and carrots). Chopped up some oregano and sliced some Meyer's lemons on top, and rolled the whole thing into parchment paper. I'd never done this before and wasn't sure the paper would stay rolled up, but it did. 20 min at 425, and the moistest, most delicious meal emerged from the paper. Easy.

Besides, the little packets are gorgeous, and kind of like getting a present, right there on your plate. You get to open it up and see what's inside.

Writers: want to laugh-till-you-cry?

Zip over to Elizabeth Bird's wonderful blog on School Library Journal. She's posted a Mitchell and Webb YouTube routine of a writer going over his novel with the editor. Who's making suggestions. Lots of them.

Lest my editor friends feel disparaged, I have to say I found this scene hysterical in a squirmy way because it is like being inside my mind right now, both editor and writer.

Check it out. See what I mean? Ring any bells, writer pals?

Quiet week

Mid-week. I'm down to very basic author-self-coaching. Get butt in chair. Fingers on keyboard. Let the world fall away. Slip into novel-land.

Come out once in awhile to feed husband, recovering from hernia surgery, being attended by faithful dog Penny. See that slightly crazed look in his eyes? He wants to be out working. He's not the kind of guy who likes to lay around and eat in bed and watch TV. Penny is happy. Very, very happy.

Illustrator Lauren Castillo interview

Over at Seven Impossible Things there's a fantastic interview with Lauren Castillo, who's illustrating my manuscript, Big Cat Pepper, (Bloomsbury, summer 2009) right now. Jules Danielson came up with terrific questions and posted lots of images. I especially loved seeing the thumbnails, and Lauren's studio where she's working on Pepper. What is it about seeing people's work spaces? I'm always curious where people work. And artists always have really cool stuff up on their walls. Writers tend to just get buried in paper. (Okay, I should just speak for myself here. Totally. Buried. In. Paper.)

And Lauren's got her first contract as author-illustrator! Congratulations, Lauren!

St. Francis de Sales school visit

I just had the most awesome school visit at St. Francis de Sales in Sherman Oakes (part of metropolitan Los Angeles). Everyone was terrific. Kind, helpful staff, lots of volunteer parents, and the greatest kids. They were spunky and full of energy -- clearly they've been given lots of support in creative writing, thinking, and speaking up. And my new projector worked just fine -- thanks to all the Gods of Tech for this miracle!

The only group I was a little bit nervous about was my first presentation: 100K-1-2 kids in the auditorium. those auditoriums can be really tough -- they're big, can be noisy, and sometimes it's hard to keep the little wigglers paying attention. But I read one of my books, Pig's Eggs, and we talked about the story, and then using a white board, we brainstormed a story about a dog who felt unloved. We came up with a repetitive phrase "No, no, no!" as he tried to get attention, then became, "Oh, no!" and at the happy ending, "Yes, yes, yes!" 100 enthusiastic kids yelling out "Yes, yes, yes," in the auditorium. Delightful.

To mellow everyone back out, I read my short goodnight book, Moon Glowing, and sent them off.

With the older kids I showed slides of photos from my biographies and talked about my writing process, and the people I did the biographies on, and used a couple of really cool photos as prompts to get them to do a quick write. Just to get the idea that nothing is perfect when you start. In the immortal words of Bruce Coville (who had just been here two years earlier), "Barf on the page." Always good advice, no matter where you are in the writing process.

Speaking at SCBWI and CLC

Yesterday I had the amazing experience of speaking at two different conferences, both on biography, both in LA, not far from one another.

First up was Children's Literature Council of Southern California, to a group of mostly-librarians. Diane Stanley, who both illustrates and writes her books, was the first speaker. She was incredible. The details she puts in her work are amazing. Susan Goldman Rubin followed Diane. As she explained, her biographies stem from her two interests, Judaism, and creative, artistic people. Both incredible women, wonderful speakers. I went third, and somehow our total was more than the sum of our parts.

I was camera-less, but Lisa Yee, who is always a blast to be around, took great photos, and had her famous little yellow bunny, Peepy, enjoying the conference and making mischief. You can even catch a picture of Peepy peeking out from behind my head on Lisa's funny and touching blog.

A big shout-out to all the organizers of the conference, especially Pamela Greene, Helen Boomer, and Laurie Reese, who moderated.

Then I drove over to SBWI Southern California's conference (miraculously not getting lost) and did a presentation on biography for writers. More focus on how-tos, and who-does-what and what-I-learned-the-hard-way. Another terrific audience, despite the wilting heat. Stupendous organizing, especially by Claudia Harrington (so mellow and grounded) and Edie Pagliasotti (enough love and hugs to make the world go round.)

Writer's retreat, another illustrator at work

I'm just back from a week away at a writer's retreat. We're a small group -- this time there were six of us. Anna Grossnickle Hines, Gary Hines, Patricia Wittman, Tom Birdseye, Suzanne Johnson, and me. We write in the mornings, write again after lunch, take a long walk, then dinner and critiquing or a movie. Lots of laughing and chocolate eating are an important part of the week, of course! We keep the costs down by meeting at Anna and Gary's house in the Mendocino woods. We take turns cooking, then Patty (dubbed Dr. Stretchology for her incredible way with leftovers), orchestrates whatever remains in the fridge into a gourmet feast.

Anna Grossnickle Hines was finishing up some art work, caught on camera by her husband Gary. We had a extra raucously celebratory night when the first review of her new book came in. Starred review for 1,2, buckle My Shoe! Time for more chocolate for everyone! Here's Anna's story of how she put together her book. (Note especially the adorable Violet!)

And a terrific shout-out for Buckle My Shoe (with great images of the interior) on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. And to read how Jules and Eisha came up with their great blog name, check them out right here. Yes, related to the clever White Queen.

I laid out my roughy-toughy pre-first draft on my clean desk and tried to make sense of what I am doing. Standing back to look at the big picture is always really hard for me. It looks so neat and organized all laid out like this, doesn't it? I brought to the group after dinner one night, laid it on on the dining room table and told them the whole story. They listened, questioned, made lots of positive noises, then put the blender on frappe and came up with suggestions -- lots of them -- about how to make it better.

No picture of me sitting in bed the next morning, tea mug in hand, dazed look, mind buzzing with ideas. I'd written myself into some kind of corner, attached to everything I'd already done (if it worked or not!) and now my imagination has been set free to roam in new ways through the manuscript.

Thanks to all for a lovely week, and the thoughtful suggestions.

Illustrator at work

One of the most wonderful things about writing a picture book is seeing what the illustrator brings to life. It's the most exciting sense of anticipation... what will my main character look like? Where will she live? Will she be made of delicate water colors or carefully cut paper, or combinations of art supplies that only illustrators and art directors know how to talk about?

My manuscript, Big Cat Pepper, is in the hands of illustrator Lauren Castillo. Her drawings are delicate and whimsical and touching all at the same time. She's posted a few incredible cat sketches on her blog as she finds her way into the manuscript. Which one will turn into my beloved Pepper?

People often don't realize that the editors get to choose the illustrators. There are a lot of good reasons for this. Editors see lots of portfolios, know who is fun to work with, who gets their work in on time, and all kinds of things I know nothing about. But if you are really, really lucky, your editor will ask you how you feel about someone they are thinking of approaching. When Jill Davis told me she was considering Lauren, I went to her website and starting shouting, "Yes! Yes! Ask her!"

And Lauren said yes, and here I am, eagerly waiting to see what Big Cat Pepper looks like, where he lives, and the boy and his mom who love him.

Children's Book Week poster by Mary Grandpre

A great poster by Mary Grandpre for this year's Children's Book Week (May 12-18 2008). It's energetic and wacky, and yes, done by the great Harry Potter illustrator. Everything in the poster looks alive!

For me, her poster is a great example of the Hun (Dream Spirit) in action, which I wrote about in this article in the Hornbook.

The poster is free, so go check out the Children's Book Council website for how to score one.

Children's Book Week is in May this year, moved from November in previous years. Lots of totally cool events, and a great wrap-around theme.

And you might also check out the books they've nominated as favorites. Over at the Hornbook, Roger Sutton has his knickers in a knot.

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan, and how to get ready for spring

Spring wanting to burst out.
What to do?
Send son into the fig tree,
with a small saw and clippers.

Meanwhile, I read the most wonderful book. It's The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. My niece Jessica recommended it to me -- she and Kelly are friends. It's a beautiful, tender memoir-style book (Corrigan is a fantastic essayist) of her life as a mother of two little girls, dealing with a very scary breast cancer, as well as her father's cancer. Touching. It will make you think about your own life and your family relationships and everything you value. I highly recommend it.

Purple mountains majesties

Last week my sister Meg and I drove north to visit our other sister, Joan, and her husband, Bernard. They live at the very top of California in a gorgeous valley where people mainly grow alfalfa and raise cattle. The cowboys drive either really big, fancy trucks, or old beaters. Joan and Bernard run a little cafe there and one night while we were there the Cowboy Christians met. They came in, young and old, the women bearing trays of brownies and other treats, the men stopping to put their hats on one of the round cafe tables, upside-down. Then they all sat in a big semi-circle and shared their stories about Jesus in their lives.

I wanted to take a photo of that table covered with cowboy hats, the beautiful round circles made by the inside of the headbands and then the wide brims, touching, and behind the table all the people in the circle. I didn't want to disturb them though, so you'll just have to imagine it.

And in the mornings and the evenings, the hills were purple and, yes, way majestic. I have a heart full of the tender, earnest people there, and beauty of this amazing country.



Big thanks to my sister Meg for the photos.