Worried

Has anybody noticed how many people listed worrying as one of their bad habits on the meme that's going around?

I'm worried about that....

Gardens and Liars

I've had a couple of perennial gardens for almost 19 years.

Last fall, we had some new walls put in.

Me to Wall Guy: I'm concerned about my flower gardens.

Wall Guy to Me: Oh, Mrs. O'Connor, you don't have a thing to worry about. I'm always very careful and never ever destroy gardens.

Me to Wall Guy: Liar liar pants on fire

Me to Wall Guy: $#%&

So now I'm starting from scratch, which is actually fun (as long as I have plenty of money and Motrin).

Happy Birthday to Willy.

Foundation for Children's Books

New England Voices: Three Area Authors Read from their New Books

Free & Open to the Public

Tuesday May 20, 2008 7:30 p.m.

Join us for an evening of readings from Barbara O'Connor, Susan Goodman and Lita Judge


Barbara O'Connor will read from her latest middle-grade novel Greetings from Nowhere. Barbara has written 14 novels and biographies for children and her books have won the Massachusetts Book Award and the Parents' Choice Award.

"O'Connor's knack for well-developed characters and feisty protagonists is evident, as is her signature Southern charm."-School Library Journal

Susan Goodman will read from See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes and the Race to the White House. Susan is the author of dozens of non-fiction books for kids.

Using witty anecdotes and clear explanations, Goodman takes readers from the birth of democracy to the Electoral College; from front-porch campaigning to hanging chads. Illustrated by Ellwood Smith.

Lita Judge will read from One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II, a 2008 ALA Notable Children's Book, which she wrote and illustrated.

"Based on a true story of the author's grandmother and mother, this touching bit of history humanizes war and demonstrates the difference a few people can make."- Kirkus Reviews

Note: new location at Walsh Hall, Boston College (behind Vanderslice Hall)

This event includes book sales from the Children's Book Shop and signing, as well as refreshments.

Free and Open to the Public. No registration necessary. Bring your friends and colleagues to introduce them to the FCB!

Where and When:
Walsh Hall, Boston College

Tuesday, May 20 7:30 p.m.

For more information:
The Foundation for Children's Books

The Foundation for Children's Books
P.O.Box 320284
21 Stratford Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02132-0003
617-469-7222

The Foundation for Children's Books (FCB), a nonprofit, educational organization, was founded in 1983 to assist the professionals who most directly influence young readers: teachers, librarians, and parents. We achieve this through professional development programs, including a dynamic speaker series, innovative conferences and workshops, as well as through author visits and residencies in under-served schools.

Meme

I've been tagged by teacher extraordinairre, Megan Germano, for the following meme:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing ten years ago?

The exact same thing I'm doing now - only thinner and less wrinkled - and I could stay up later. I had one novel published (Beethoven in Paradise) and another on the way (Me and Rupert Goody).

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

1. Go to the liquor store.
2. Go to Trader Joe's.
3. Go to the bank.
4. Pick up son's photographs at frame shop.
5. Work in the garden.

(I got my revisions FedExed to New York yesterday - so today was my first FREE day in a long time.)

What are some snacks you enjoy?

Goldfish crackers
Almonds
Anything chip-related (pototo, nacho, corn, etc.)
Anything with peanut butter

What would you do if you were a billionaire?

Celebrate our retirement.
Move.
Rescue a bunch of dogs.
Donate to charities that are important to me.
Travel with my family.
Throw away my GPS and hire a chauffeur.

What are three of your bad habits?

Worrying too much.
Over-organizing.
Not eating enough vegetables.

What are five places where you have lived?

Greenville, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Kenner, Louisiana
Venice Beach, California
Duxbury, Massachusetts

What are five jobs you have had?

Cocktail waitress
Pots and pans salesperson
Lifeguard
Insurance manual editor
Dance teacher

What three people do you want to tag? (I reduced it from six....just in case everybody I know is already tagged.)

Kim Marcus
Kerry Madden
Augusta Scattergood

Writing Tip Tuesday

I've been travelling (IRA and TLA) and have revisions due yesterday.......so Writing Tip Tuesday is going to be short and sweet.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Resist the urge to explain.

(To remember that - think RUE.)

I just love kids

A few words from kids about Greetings from Nowhere:

Greetings from [name of town]! I really love your books, but I think that Greetings from Nowhere was your best yet! My most favorite part of the book was when Loretta got all her mother’s earthly possessions. I liked that part because it was sad for her but good at the same time! Thank you for being an awesome author and thanks for all your hard work.
Love, your biggest fan E

Ello-hay. My favorite part is when they got at the bottom of the pool and talked Pig Latin.
A

My favorite part in Greetings from Nowhere was when Aggie, who used to own the motel, was told by Willow, the daughter of Mr. Dover who now owns the motel, that she could stay at the motel. That’s my favorite part.
C


I really liked Greetings from Nowhere. It was fantastic! My favorite parts were when Kirby finally admitted that he had the poodle dog pin of Loretta’s and the part about Dorothy believing that if you walked into a cobweb that you’d get a letter from somebody that you loved. I could go on and on about this, but I can’t.
A


Greetings from Nowhere is by far my favorite of your books. The character I liked best was Loretta. I am like her because I am peppy and hyper too, and if I was wearing a charm bracelet, I’d jingle it all the time too. Which character do you most relate to? Can’t wait ‘til your next book comes out!
Your friend,
A

IRA Part 2

I finally got to meet the famous Peepy!!!! And look who he brought along!

(l to r) Deborah Garfinkle, Lisa Yee, me, Peepy)

Me and Peepy

IRA Part 1

The panel on Wednesday morning was so much fun - a real diverse group of styles, genres, personalities, etc. It's always great to finally meet authors whose work you've long admired.

The presentation was titled: Engaging Girls with Adolescent Literature: Let's Hear It for the Girls - moderated by Claudia Katz of National-Louis University in Skokie, Illinois.

(left to right) Kelly DiPucchio, Wendi Corsi Staub, Shannon Hale, Lisa Klein, Rachel Vail, me

Rachel Vail (left) and me

(l to r) Shannon Hale, Lisa Klein

Made it

Just arrived - ready for the IRA conference.

Writing Tip Tuesday

I realize that it is rather presumptuous of me to disagree with Mark Twain.

But Mark Twain once said: If you find an adjective, kill it.

I agree that there are some adjectives that deserve a quick and painful death:

1. Adjectives that can be replaced with action.

Kill those guys.

Think action, action, action (which translates to, um, verbs).

Here's an example (albeit, a rather lame one): instead of describing the sidewalk as being icy and slippery - have the character slipping and sliding and falling.

2. Adjectives that can be replaced with showing.

Kill those guys, too.

For example, instead of saying he had a messy bedroom, for pete's sake, just show the darn room - you know, with the bed unmade and the pizza box on the floor and the clothes all over the chair and etc. etc etc.

So where do I disagree with Mr. Twain?

I think that adjectives that are part of the showing process and that are specific...

....and that aid in the job of visualization (i.e., help the reader see the image clearly and specifically)....

...deserve to live.

Do not kill them.

Here's an excerpt from How to Steal a Dog. Imagine this scene without adjectives:

The house smelled damp and moldy. The floor was littered with leaves and corns. In the front room, a lumpy couch stood underneath the plywood-covered window....Stacks of yellowing newspapers were piled in one corner. Two empty cans of pork and beans sat on a rusty wood stove. I followed Mama into the kitchen. The cracked linoleum floor was sticky and made squeaky noises as we walked across it. I wrinkled my nose and peered into the sink. Twigs and dirt that had fallen through a hole in the ceiling floated in a puddle of dark brown water.

Sunday stuff down South

Today I decided to attend church services at a teeny little church my dad belonged to about 7 years ago. It's way out in a teeny little town in South Carolina. I hadn't been there in a while, so I wasn't sure I could find it. So I tried to use the GPS.

There were a lot of churches....

A LOT of churches.... But not the one I was looking for.

I drove and drove. I drove past the Pop-a-Top. (But since it was Sunday, no tops were being popped.)

And then I found it!

On the way home, I saw this. Now, do you suppose this is a class that teaches you how to carry a concealed weapon???

Hey, y'all

Here's where I am. (It's in South Carolina.)

Not much going on....

Southern stuff

I've got one foot out the door, heading to the airport, heading down South.

Here's a great website to help you waste more time. The link takes you to my favorite page of Southern goodies, but check out the other stuff - the great clothes, etc.

International Reading Association

I'll be heading South on Friday.

First, a few days in South Carolina with my mother.

Then to the International Reading Association annual conference in Atlanta.

On Wednesday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 11:45, I'll be speaking on a panel entitled: Engaging Girls with Adolescent Literature: Let's Hear It for the Girls!

Moderator: Dr. Claudia Katz (National-Louis University)

Other authors on the panel:
Rachel Vail
Shannon Hale
Lisa Klein
Kelly DiPucchio
Wendy Corsi Staub

I'll be signing at the FSG booth (#2654) from 1 to 2 p.m. on May 7.

Writing Tip Tuesday

Another handy revision technique is to use highlighters.

Like the focused read-through discussed last week, try reading the entire manuscript with only one element in mind.

But this time, use a highlighter each and every time you find one of the following:

• Interior monologue
• Dialogue tags
• Dialogue beats
• Words you know you tend to overuse
• Any emotions mentioned (e.g., Sarah felt sad. John was surprised. Amanda was furious.)
• All -ly adverbs

Obviously, you will need to use a different color for each item.

This will give you an immediate visual image and give your revision FOCUS.