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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Sloppy Copy Slipup by DiAnne DiSalvo. Excellent!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Weekend!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Counting down to the Tucson Festival of Books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Inauguration Day, Mr. Obama!

Good Read

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dia de los Muertos is fast approaching.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And then there's the Bush consortium:

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

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

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

Dear Mr. Brimner,

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

Sincerely,
Frankie W.

I feel I must respond.

Dear Frankie,

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

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

Your friend,
Larry

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

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