Books and stuff

Why do it? What is it?

A character interview is an exercise that allows you to get to know your character through and through. Using questions you can learn how your character would react in any situation that comes their way.

As story tellers we place our characters in a setting and situation of our own devising, which is all well and good, but can be limiting. To create a…

Picture Book Critique Fest!

You’ve got to be in it to win it . . .

Do you write or illustrate picture books? Then check out this picture book critique raffle contest! They have 35 picture book critiques to giveaway!

Brian Gehrlein is hosting this annual event to celebrate the critique and revision process and to help build the kidlit community.

The festival is happening October 3rd-25th. The deadline to enter the…

Books at a bargain, need I say more . . .

A second hand book shop that’s a must stop for book lovers of all ages!

Weekends, my husband journeys to the east end of Long Island, NY to cheer up and check on his ailing parents. I often accompany him. It’s a lovely ride as long as you go early enough so as to beat the streams of cars heading out to enjoy harvest festivals, apple and pumpkin picking. So, if you find yourself on Long Island…

Book Giveaway: If You’re Scary and You Know It! by Carole Gerber

Check out this fun book for Halloween!

I’m at the beginning of brainstorming a new story. It’s an important one to me, even though its not written yet, because its about a previous student of mine and what happened to her incredible imagination.

How much is too much imagination for a four year old?

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

Personally, I don’t think there is such a thing. Maybe I’m wrong. I know, at least…

How Do You Choose What You Read?

Is it by genre? Author? The front cover? The back cover? The inside jacket? The first line? The last line? I heard you gasp. I did too, when my friend told me she did that. Is it a mix of a few of those? I’m curious to know.

This is the book I’m reading right now.

Myself, I most often go by genre (historical fiction, mystery is a big draw for me too) and the first line or…

A Little Help from Friends Goes a Long Way!

I was struck this week at how supportive the writing community is. I’d say not a day or at least not a week goes by on Twitter without positive shoutouts that range from book birthday congratulations to representation celebrations. And even when something negative such as a rejection is posted and shared it’s overpowered by the positive support that people who are connected reach out to provide.

This summer I was lucky enough to win a twitter giveaway via GoodReadswithRonna for a picture book manuscript critique from Cathy Ballou Mealey. The critique was so very helpful and through Cathy’s suggestions, and questions I was able to polish my WIP. And that wasn’t all I was lucky to receive, I also found a great book to share with my students.

When A Tree Grows, written by Cathy Ballou…

Book Giveaway: CAN U SAVE THE DAY by Shannon Stocker

What an awesome book journey! I had to share it. It’s an amazing story of perseverance and resilient creativity. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did.

Firsts are hard, first day of school, first day as the new person anywhere, first time meeting someone, etc. They’re filled with the fear of the unknown and a generalized anxiety. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to act? When am I supposed to do whatever it is that is expected? And what is that?

Now that I’ve written my first paragraph, on my first blog post, which is…

posted by Ethan Nichtern on beliefnet

(Something to contemplate while basting turkey or tofurkey)

A Precious Human Life

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it, I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all…

Will you speak friend and answer?

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” J.R.R. Tolkien

Happy Halloween ideas for tactile learners

Tomorrow’s Halloween and here’s a couple of ideas for activities that can allow tactile learners to join in classroom celebrations.

Tactual tracking is a necessary skill for braille readers to learn.  This week in honor of the upcoming Halloween my students will be tracking pumpkins, and exploring textures.  Wikki Stix paths and wiki stix pumpkins,  soft pompom pumpkins  and hard and scratchy…

Most of my ideas have come from personal interactions.  The inspiration for my published picture book, Off Go Their Engines, Off Go Their Lights was my son, his love of cars and his difficulty going to sleep.

  Another story idea came from my daughter’s love of walruses.

            Other,picture book manuscript ideas have come from activities I’ve created to teach my students, or discussions we’ve had.

To teach the discrimination of colors for one student who liked anything with a smiley face, I made up a story about colors and how they came about to form a rainbow.

Another story came from one of my students who always brought her monster to school.

Where do  you get most of your ideas? Do they come to you through interactions, or just out of the blue?  Does something trigger them?  Do you do anything to get the idea engine revving?  I’m curious to know.

Til soon,

Here’s hoping inspiration finds you,

Jan

I’ve been blessed to have found a love to share life’s journey with.   Life hasn’t been so easy and I’ve often found myself in conversations with God expressing my feelings that I’ve/we’ve reached our quota of  trials, obstacles, difficulties. After which I’d rationalize, with the higher being in our one sided conversation, that therefore it was time for us to have a little luck.  Today as I looked back at the memories we made, I realized we’ve had more luck than many. We’ve had happiness every day that we’ve been in love.

Anniversaries are collectors of and often celebrations of memories. There are so many kinds of anniversaries: birth, death, wedding, work, etc.  Today I started to think about a writing anniversary. I’ve never heard any one mention that. I think that’s because when you’re a writer, its almost as automatic as waking, or eating, you’ve just always done it. Its hard to pinpoint when you started. But I think it would be a good idea to have a writing anniversary. It would help to keep alive the memories of your creative journey, and bolster you up when you’re at low points.

So, I’ve decided to think on it and choose a date that for me will be the day I have a yearly celebration of my writing.  It’ll be cause to treat myself to a fancy cup of coffee, a cookie, and maybe even give myself a present, a new pen, notebook, or book to commemorate the day and celebrate my efforts.

Will you join me?  After all, we all could use something to celebrate.

Til soon,

Jan

This was the comic attached to the October 4th Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf.

I read it and related to both characters. I’m in the middle of revisions on an early chapter book that my publisher is interested in. I’m about ready to submit a picture book manuscript to an agent. Both of those are good, positive things. I’m in a good place writerly speaking, yet the last panel of the comic…