A Conversation with Carol Ann Soisson + Giveaway!

Here is the description of Snowmallows from Amazon: Twelve-year-old, David Griffin, is a baseball fanatic and a sixth-grade student. The weather in coastal Connecticut is unseasonably warm at the beginning of March, so David is distracted by his daydreams of being a star baseball pitcher. But then David learns that he has to pass Monday’s test on weather in order to pass science and live out his dream. David’s parents are doctors and his Grandpa is a weather scientist, so there will be no baseball season or season tickets to see his favorite baseball team play if David fails. David and his best friend, Jon, decide to search Grandpa’s lab in the family basement for something to help him pass his test. In the process, they discover the Snowmallows – marshmallows shaped like snowflakes that were scientifically altered by Grandpa to make it snow when they are put into mugs of hot cocoa. Unfortunately, David and Jon don’t read all the instructions on the bag and use too many Snowmallows. They set off a snowstorm that doesn’t stop – where snow piles reach 6 feet high in some places. David and Jon work with David's little sister, Emily, to stop the Snowmallows, but their solution, called Lemonthaw, causes a time shift. No one remembers the snow except the three of them. David fails science, is grounded, and will miss out on baseball season. Grandpa's the only person left who can help David stop the Snowmallows. Unfortunately, Grandpa's the last person he wants to ask. Snowmallows is a story for young people ages 8-12. Subjects included in the book are weather, blizzards, meteorology, family relationships, baseball, friendship, and faith.

Carol, heartiest congratulations! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me about Snowmallows. I loved it so much and am delighted that we can talk about it. I only wish this were happening in person, as we drink a cup of iced tea on my porch. Sorry, no hot cocoa in our 80 deg weather! 
Hi, Vijaya. Thank you very much for your interest in Snowmallows. I’m glad you enjoyed it and I’m excited for this – my first ever author interview – with you! I would love it to be in person, too. Not only because I’d love to see you, but also because 80 degrees on a porch with lemonade would be a lovely change. Although Emily’s favorite purple crocuses are blooming, we’re still having some cold days up here.

I’m a sucker for the story behind the story, so please tell me how you came about the idea and how it developed over the years. I want to know your background. Were you a dreamer like David or a nature-lover like Jonathan (love that they are friends, just like in the Bible) or like Emily, smart, or all of the above? 
To be honest, I’ve been working on Snowmallows for so long (since the late 1990’s) that some of the details are a bit blurry now. The original story was written as an assignment for a course I took at the Institute for Children’s Literature in West Redding, CT and the original manuscript was about 4,000 words. It was the longest creative piece I’d ever written. It included only the portion of the story about the children developing the Lemonthaw. I love these whimsical names. 
The original idea for the Snowmallows themselves came from my friend, Sharon. It seemed that whenever she drank hot cocoa with marshmallows, we would get snow. “The power of the cocoa” became a joke between us and Snowmallows emerged from that.
Another friend of mine, Cay, was so kind about reading the story through its various versions and changes. After one reading, she mentioned that she thought we needed to meet Grandpa. Grandpa was a great addition! And I like seeing multi-generational families in fiction. 

Having him as a real character in the story and not just a subplot was an idea I’d tossed around myself before that, so with that encouragement, I decided to go with it. The rest of the story – now about 40,000 words – developed. At first, I couldn’t imagine writing anything that long. But, as we both know, with God all things are possible. Amen!
As for my background, I would say that there is some of my personality in each character.  I was a good student like Emily, but I’m nowhere near as neat as her! I do have my head in the clouds at times, like David, but I’m not as brave at chasing my dreams. That’s why my college degree is in Accounting rather than writing – something with more stability – and why it took me so long to finish Snowmallows. I do love a good zoo, so in that way I’m like Jon. I also used to belong to an astronomy club.
It’s funny that you mention the biblical connection in the names. That was not done intentionally. I heard those readings of King David and his friend Jonathan one day many years into the writing of the story and realized that happened. It was a “God Moment” for me.
It is amazing, isn't it, how much your soul knows! I do so love these "God Moments."

I never thought weather was all that interesting until I moved to the South—we have hurricanes here (far more exciting than the incessant rain of WA). I even shared David’s lack of interest, yet I was hooked from the beginning and you kept reeling me in. I loved how you wove all the elements, including Griffin’s Greatest Fastball. They all fit neatly like a puzzle. I’m curious—was it easy? Everything came about so naturally.
Thank you for that. I love puzzles and I’m glad everything worked for you in the story. I tried to be careful with the plot because I was worried about things being believable for the reader. I’m glad it looked easy because it wasn’t all the time. I backed myself into many corners during the writing where I’d be stuck for a while. Then something would eventually pop up that would solve the exact problem I was having. Again, many “God Moments” with the production of the book.
One example of this was finding the information about the Chinook. I had no idea there was actually a weather pattern that could make winter weather turn to spring quickly. One day I ran across it in a book. It was just what I needed. I can also credit my ICL teacher with pointing out the term “fanning” in baseball. Lots of little things managed to fit together in the end.

The Chinook! When I read it in the book, I wondered how a woman from the NE would know about this! I lived in Eastern WA for many years and experienced the Chinook!
I'm surprised you experienced an actual Chinook. I hope the book lived up to your experience of it.
Oh yes. It's really amazing how much snow disappears overnight with the Chinook. I was most disappointed the year my snowman disappeared instead of him getting smaller and smaller.

I think the biggest obstacle in the writing, though, was the voice. They talk a lot about voice in writing classes, but I never fully understood what they meant. Snowmallows was originally written in third person and I really liked the story, but something was missing. I finally talked myself into trying a re-write to first person and it gave the story the piece that was missing – David’s voice.

As much as I love the traditional third person/past tense, first person so much easier precisely for staying in character. Did you have any trouble keeping it consistent over the years?  

I only made the change from third to first person a couple of years ago.  I started by just changing the "He did" statements to "I did", so to speak, to test if the first person would work better.  It did, so I continued.  Initially, it was a bit tough to check that I'd gotten all of those changes because I was so used to hearing it in third person in my mind.  But after that, when I could hear David's voice and personality, it was very easy to work on the manuscript in first person.

I love time travel stories and they’re so hard to do well. Yet, you blithely threw in a time anomaly and I was breathless reading how the kids would get out of that pickle! I love what Grandpa says, “…there are some things like time and weather that we should deal with carefully. Playing around with either is dangerous enough, but combining the two—that could be a recipe for disaster. Time is too fragile and important a gift to be used for something selfish.” Wow! So true. Yet, he was busy messing with Snowmallows year after year. How would he explain that? 
Grandpa would probably look toward the ceiling for a moment and rub his chin to think about that question. Then, he’d answer as follows:
“I have used the Snowmallows for two basic reasons. One was to woo the woman who became my wonderful wife. The other was to study winter weather patterns to try and make winter storms less dangerous so accidents like Marie’s wouldn’t happen in the future.” 
Then he would look at you over the top of his glasses and give you a sly smile. “Yes, the first one might have been a bit on the selfish side, but the second isn’t – and that has taken more of my time. I just never thought to approach the issue from the warm weather side. I needed my resourceful grandson for that!” Haha! But I'd still keep a close eye on him. 
I love how you wove in what prayer is and how faith and reason are not incompatible. In fact, they go together! Do you teach Sunday school by any chance? You explain these things really well. 
Thank you for that compliment. I do teach a fourth grade faith formation class at my church, but I’m sure by the looks on the student’s faces that they don’t find me that interesting! 😊 Ah, you don't give yourself enough credit. My kids attended an adult Bible study with us the first year we moved to SC and they'd often slouch or have a bored expression, but they learned a lot and were often eager to share the juicy bits in Genesis!
I revised the prayer scenes in spots because I didn’t want them to be too preachy. In the pre-edit document, in fact, I didn’t directly make the connection between faith and science. I wasn’t sure if I should. Then one of the wonderful people who helped me with editing, Kate, said that she wanted to see me make that connection more directly. That gave me the confidence to do it and I’m happy it worked well for you.
I treasure our time at the Highlights Barn where we met. Since you are within driving distance, have you made more retreats there?
I loved the Sharing Our Hope Workshop weekend, too, and I often pray for the friends we made there. I’ve attended a few more workshops there since then. The Indie Publishing Course was the most recent one I attended and that was invaluable to me in the process of publishing Snowmallows. I took so many notes in that class that my hand was cramped by the end of the weekend. That was a couple of years ago and I haven’t been back since then.
In addition to the Highlights workshops, I’ve taken two correspondence courses with the Institute of Children’s Literature in West Redding, CT and I’ve taken some webinars through Writer’s Digest. I also found the Self-Publishing Blueprint from Children’s Book Insider to be very helpful in explaining the self-publishing process.
I did try for a long time to submit my stories to traditional publishers. Most took a long time to answer and wanted exclusive submissions. After taking the Indie course at Highlights, I knew I could do it professionally myself, so I took a chance and started my own company called Shepherd’s Companion Press, LLC. It’s been a challenge getting everything up and running, but I’m excited with the work and I know it was the right direction for me.
It is really wonderful that we have the option of self-publishing. I've read many independently published books that are well-made. Freelance editors and artists rock!
Yes, I couldn't have done it without great freelance help.
What’s next for you? What are you working on?
What’s next? I’m still trying to let it sink in that Snowmallows is really in print! And, while I do have my own company for self-publishing, I also have a regular accounting job, so my time is split. 
Yes, self-publishing is a huge venture and you have to celebrate all the steps along the way! Congratulations on getting Snowmallows in print! That's a biggie. And it'll be a perfect gift for the Easter season.
I'd love it if people saw Snowmallows as a great Easter book. That would be a wonderful compliment. hope in the future that I can write something about the Rosary for children -- I love the Rosary -- maybe a beginner book like praying a decade a day so it’s not so intimidating or perhaps something where the children delve into the mysteries.  I also have some characters for another story about a princess running around in my mind, but I’m not fully sure yet where that story is supposed to go. I guess we’ll see where the Spirit moves.
The rosary is my favorite prayer, but I remember when I first learned to pray how much I needed to have pictures to help me to focus on the mystery. It took me several years before it became a meditative prayer. I've seen the change in my own children too. 

Do you have any advice for writers? You've had a long and interesting journey. What do you wish you'd known? 

I have had a long journey in regard to the writing, but I believe that God worked it out for His time and not mine. I would not have been the same person and Snowmallows would not have been the same book if it had been published 5, 10, or 20 years ago. I am thankful for how things happened.

This is so true. Sometimes when I wished that I'd not sat on Bound for 5 years after it was ready making the rounds I realized I wasn't ready to take the plunge to publish it myself back then. Everything happens at the appointed time.

What advice would I give? With only one book under my belt, I don't know that I'm in a position to give much advice! And the list of what I wish I'd known is probably too long for your blog.  But, I can tell you what I learned.  I learned that a writer needs to know enough about his or herself inside to be able to find the right path for them.  When I started in writing, I wanted to go the traditional route.  I had no interest in trying to publish myself.  But, as time went on and I learned more about myself and the industry, I found that I didn't share the viewpoint of many traditional publishers in a variety of areas.  I didn't want many of them to publish my book.  Then I took the time to learn about the self-publishing process and found that, as an accountant and a writer, I had the right skill set to do this myself and to do it pretty well.  I'm not saying my way was better than the traditional route, but it was the right path for me.  I think other writers should consider the available options and consider their own personality to help them make the best choice about their own path.

Wise words, Carol. I might have to pick your brain about the business side of things--I've been procrastinating on that front.  
Happy to help with the business side. Believe it or not, it took me a while to make the shift for my personal business. It's a strange transition from working in a larger corporation.
Is there anything else you would like to add/share?
I’d like to let people know about the website I’m developing for Shepherd’s Companion Press, LLC  https://shepherdscompanion.com/  There are free materials on the site related to Snowmallows – a short story about Emily, a quiz to see which character is most like you, suggestions for snow day activities (perfect for covid quarantine too!), and a word find puzzle about people of science who believed in God. I haven’t written a blog yet, but I’m planning for one to show up on the site in the near future and I’m hoping to put more resources for learning about weather on there, too.
I also want to thank you for this interview, Vijaya. You’ve helped me so much with the book so far. And, I’d like to thank everyone who’s taken the time to read Snowmallows. I truly appreciate the support.
Thank you so much.
You are welcome, Carol. It's been such a pleasure. I hope many children will get to enjoy the exciting adventures in Snowmallows. And I pray you and all yours have a very blessed Eastertide. I'm sharing an old picture from our time at Highlights--may our writing dreams sprout like these cheerful johnny jump-ups!

Friends, Carol has generously offered to give away one signed copy of Snowmallows to one lucky commenter. We'll do a drawing May 1, 2020. Thank you.

A Conversation with Hope

I met Hope Fulliam at a Highlights Workshop on Sharing our Hope. She shared a couple of prayer poems that I tucked in my notebook. Everyone present encouraged her to share these poems more widely and I am proud to say she has taken the plunge. I asked Hope for an interview and she has been gracious in answering my many questions. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Hope.

I enjoyed your book Pray Today: Christian PrayerPoems for Every Day. So many resonated with me, especially the ones about being patient, trusting in His will, and during times of distress. You remind us He’s with us always. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions.

I am happy to answer your questions and so gratified to know that the prayers stirred something in you. I might have written them, but they seem to have much to teach me still.

How long have you been working on this book?

The prayers in the book were written over a period of about two years.

I often find myself writing prayers in my journal, but never did I think of trying to make them beautiful. How did the first prayer poem come about?

The very first prayer poem I wrote is not included in the Pray Today collection. I wrote it maybe three years ago. I didn’t call it a prayer poem at the time. For me, it was just something quirky that happened by chance one night, when I felt an overpowering need for God’s help. I wrote it and forgot about it.

Were you an especially poetic child? A religious one? Who were your mentors? Please do share a little bit about your writing and faith journey. They seem so intertwined.

If you call reciting “Mary Had a Little Lamb” poetic, then yes! My appreciation for poetry was limited to nursery rhymes and I was not religious. As a matter of fact, I do not call myself religious now. Growing up, I was forced to attend church and I resented it. I used to sit and watch the clock creep towards the time when I could escape. And I had no mentors to speak of.

I felt the urge to write when I was in my early twenties and it ate at me. I tried. I did a course with the ICL; attended workshops. But everything I wrote fizzled. The passion just wasn’t there and I never really completed anything, except a few short stories, which weren’t very good.  Year after year, the frustration built. I felt strongly that I should be a writer and I knew this was what I was meant to be, because every time I told myself that I should give up, something inside me would hurt badly.

In 2010, things seemed to be boiling over inside me. I was very unhappy and this worsened when I picked up some of my journals and read some old entries. All I could see was complaints and morose rambling. Those entries seemed to encapsulate my life – no joy, no achievements, but a whole lot of misery, mostly of my own making. I tried books, meditation, exercise and other things. Nothing helped.

One Sunday, probably at my lowest point, I turned on the TV, trying to distract myself. I saw a preacher and my habit at the time was to immediately change channels, but for some reason I didn’t that morning. The preacher was saying that it was not too late to bring your dreams to pass. I was enthralled, glued to the words and to my seat. It was like he was speaking directly to me. I felt hope stirring for the first time in what seemed like forever. The preacher was Joel Osteen and every Sunday afterward, I sat myself in front of the TV and started to learn about having a relationship with God.

Though I never reached the previous level of sadness again, my life wasn’t magically fixed. I felt almost tortured, because I had the feeling that there was something I should be doing but I just couldn’t figure it out. I felt out of place in my job and sometimes even physically.

One night in 2012, I was reading a book by Joel Osteen and he said that perhaps the reason God didn’t bring a dream to pass was that we were asking too small and God had something better in mind. I kind of scoffed. I felt I was asking for some pretty huge things and I turned the page in the book, but the idea that I wasn’t thinking big enough kept whirring around in my brain.

Later that night, I was writing in my journal, thinking about a prayer I had written in prose earlier in the day and about the possibility that I was missing something by not being bold enough in my prayers, and I wrote, “Maybe He wants me to write a book of prayers”. Those words left my hand hanging and set the rest of me on fire. The idea just felt right and this wild excitement gripped me. I decided to try right away and turned on my laptop. I had a couple of false starts, but once I got going, I kept going and I was awed to realize I had a prayer written in verse. Then came the shock that I had already written something like it a year or so before.

I finally felt that I had found my place and the relief was tremendous. That night I told God that this hadn’t been what I had been looking for, but to please let me have it; that I would be extremely grateful and thrilled to write prayers.

So, yes, for me the spiritual journey and the writing are inextricably linked. I had to find God before I could find my place in the writing world and in life, generally. And the prayers were born of personal experience – challenges and revelations and learning. I couldn’t have written them if I hadn’t gone through certain things.

Bless you, Hope, for giving your testimony. I truly believe God places dreams in our hearts for us to follow. Your story confirms for me, yet again, that when we are following God’s will, we are happiest. And He doesn’t just want to tweak our lives, but to transform it. It takes great courage to abandon yourself to His will. It’s something I have to do over and over.

I am curious, have you given up your work to do this full-time and are you discovering that God is providing for your needs?

I did leave a job to write full-time. I do not exaggerate when I say that I might have found myself in ill-health if I hadn’t. Don’t get me wrong; I wasn’t working at some terrible place. I had a good job and I worked with good people. But I was in the wrong place. I felt caught and didn’t know how to free myself. It had reached the point where I had to force myself to go into work and some days I would leave at lunchtime and go home, where I cried for an hour before forcing myself back to the office. Not too long after, I got an opportunity to leave gracefully and I took it. Events worked out magnificently. Only one person could have planned that.

It wasn’t just emotional distress that ousted me from my job. I looked at my life and saw a small person who had made no mark on this world. I couldn’t be that person anymore.

Money has been a challenge. I have learnt to turn that over to God too and I no longer worry about funds. I believe He will provide in the days ahead, just as He has in the past. And another thing I have learnt is that I can ask God for anything – big or small – and I do. If He takes the time to find me a prime parking spot in a lot that’s already bursting with cars on Christmas Eve, you can rest assured that He will at least look after my basic needs too. But I tend to believe that God will provide much more than just my basic needs.

Now that you are writing full time, what does your writing schedule look like? Do you write at home, or go to a café or park? What does a typical day look like for you?

I write at home. I find that I cannot focus if there are other people around me. I have learnt that it is best to start writing almost directly after getting out of bed - even before breakfast. My mind is clearest early in the morning, and if I start the day by doing housework or running errands, it is hard to get into writing afterward. But every day is not the same. Some days writing is hard and there are dry spells. These are the days when it is so easy to find a host of things to do to away from my desk and I have to sternly tell myself to go sit in front of the computer. 

I confess that although I have dreamed of having all day to write, the few times it has happened, I've frittered it away walking the dog, browsing the net, cleaning house, and whatnot. I suppose you can say I have high resistance to writing, but I always love it when I do. Your answer is a great reminder to do the writing first thing.

I entered the psalms by praying the liturgy of the hours. Your poems give me a new appreciation for the songs King David wrote. Have you ever read the psalms and seen some parallels with your own poems?

I love it that King David was bold in his petitions and spoke directly to God and he was certainly someone I could look up to. His psalms are used as prayers by so many. I hope that one day my prayers will inspire and comfort as well as King David’s.

I often sing hymns and was wondering if any of your prayer poems would fit some of the well- known hymns, like O God our Help in Ages Past, Amazing Grace, Tantum Ergo, etc.?

I’m not musically inclined in the least. You are not the first to mention hymns in relation to my work and I have written a couple of poems where certain phrases repeat like a refrain to put a point across strongly, but I wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to fit the prayers to music. Then again, the fact that a person who used to dislike poetry is writing prayers in that genre is proof of God’s sense of humour. Anything is possible!

Yes, God makes me laugh too! Can you share some tips on writing poems?

I have no technical tips to offer because I don’t pay attention to that stuff. I’d say that writers should do whatever comes naturally. Poetry is meant to be read aloud, so read yours out loud and that’s the best way to judge if it works.

So you are a natural! I am so happy you found this way to talk to Him. Would you share one or two favorite poems?

My favourite prayer is “Sit with Me”. It has an amazingly soothing effect on me.

SIT WITH ME

Will You sit with me, Father, as I take a break

From the sapping of this world, for renewal’s sake?

Let me reconnect with Your Holy Spirit’s peace

As my tension and weariness find their release.

Join me as I relax in the truth of Your word

And dismiss all the lies the enemy whispered.

Take hold of my hand and remind me of Your love

That looks down on malice and helps me walk above.

Flow into me, Lord, and share the strength that equips

To conquer this world with Your praises on my lips.

Thank you. It is also one of my favorites because my thoughts turn so often to Him.

What are you working on now?

I’m building another collection. This one will focus on perspective – seeing things from an angle beyond the obvious. I have most of the content already but I think I need at least a few more pieces.

Wonderful! I will look forward to reading them, Hope.

Any parting words; things you’d like to share?

I hope that my prayers will touch people and encourage them to move closer to God. The prayers are meant to travel with you – to be memorized and said and used. But if my words don’t quite fit what you want to say, open your mouth and talk to God anyway.  He’s interested in everything His children have to say. However, if your audience would like to purchase my collection, they can do so from Amazon in the Kindle store. And I do appreciate the support.

I couldn’t agree more. The Lord loves to hear from us, no matter if they are broken words. Thank you for your time in sharing so generously. How can people get in touch with you?

Thanks for having me here.  People can reach me via e-mail at contact@hopefulliam.com. I would be happy to hear from them.

Highlights Fiction Contest and Foundation Workshops

Are any of you working on the Highlights Fiction Contest? The theme is holiday stories. Deadline is at the end of Jan. Note the prize: $1,000 or tuition to one of their workshops! I can't say enough good things about the folks at Highlights -- great vision, dedicated people, beautiful location. I've been very blessed to have the opportunity to nurture my writer-self once in Chautauqua and once at Boyds Mills. Intrigued? Good! Sharpen those pencils, flex those wrists and get writing! Here's a message from Kent Brown:



 

Make 2014 a turning point in your creative life. Join us as we celebrate thirty years of serving writers and illustrators and choose from programs have never been livelier. Whatever your genre, whatever stage in your career, we have a wide variety of workshops designed to help you meet your creative goals.

This year, our stellar faculty includes Chris Crutcher, Jerry and Eileen Spinelli, Linda Sue Park, Patricia Lee Gauch, Pat Cummings, Joy Cowley, Donna Jo Napoli, Paul Zelinsky, and many others.

Our workshops and retreats take place in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. We conduct them in our rustic-looking conference center known as The Barn. You'll not only listen to famous authors and illustrators, you'll have the opportunity to meet, mingle, and sit down to farm-style meals with them. Plus, you'll stay in a cozy cabin, surrounded by a 1,300-acre forest. It's the perfect place to write or let your imagination take flight.

Visit our Website to find a workshop or retreat that suits your needs.

For more information about this workshop, contact Jo Lloyd at 570-253-1192, e-mail jo.lloyd@highlightsfoundation.org, or visit www.highlightsfoundation.org to request an application.

Please feel free to share this e-mail with others who might have an interest or to include the information in blog posts or through other social networking forums.

The Highlights Foundation is a public, not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization. We dedicate our efforts to connecting, nurturing, and inspiring children's book writers and illustrators.

Rufus Goes to School

Photo taken by Paula Morrow

As I begin to create a summer writing routine with children and pets, I return to the memories of the people who made the Highlights Workshop unforgettable.

I had met Kim Griswell several years ago, and didn't think she'd remember me, but how lovely it was when she flung her arms around me Sat. evening. We had a great time catching up. Here she is proudly holding her first picture book: Rufus Goes to School. He is an adorable character and I was delighted to learn he is based on her younger self. Kim is a character herself and I'm not surprised she's working for Uncle John's Bathroom Readers. She showed us their latest books, and I'm itching to write for them too.

I wish I could return to the serenity of the cabins, especially when life gets chaotic. Below is Julia, a modern-day psalmist enjoying the fresh air and a good book. She graciously shared a couple of prayers that I keep close to my heart. One day I hope to buy a copy of her books. In the meantime, we continue to pursue our writing dreams amidst the joyful chaos of family life.

Happy reading and writing, all. And remember, don't give up!

Highlights and Boyds Mills Press

We got a lovely tour of Highlights the day we arrived. Their offices are spacious and full of cover art and yes, even this replica of a dinosaur skull. Of course, I missed some of what the editors spoke because I wanted to spend more time sticking my head in its jaws. A part of me will never grow up ... 

It was great to meet some of the new editors  at Highlights and Boyds Mills Press, and to reconnect with my old ones. It's been a great pleasure to work with them. I encourage you to write for this crème de la crème of children's magazines. And the best way to get a feel for it is to read it. Get a subscription, check it out from the library, or go to the pediatrician's office.
 
Current fiction needs: holiday stories with religious significance, esp. Easter; folktales, rebus stories, mysteries, historical, and always: humor. Current nonfiction: poetry, career profiles (subjects must be squeaky clean), and religious nonfiction. I asked about lives of the saints, given that so many were teenagers, but I'll need to pick and choose carefully because the readership of the magazine is for 2-12 and being impaled, roasted alive, and drawn and quartered are not exactly appropriate fare for young children. Read complete guidelines on their website.

And for those of us anxiously waiting to hear about the annual contest results, Joelle said that they'll make the final decision by the end of June. Happy writing, all!

Sacred Heart and Corpus Christi

Photo from Wikipedia

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Please pray for Renaurd West as he is ordained to the Sacred Priesthood this evening at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Charleston. Tomorrow he will offer his first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A Solemn High Mass.

 

Last weekend, I was grateful to attend Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi. I picked up an 8x10 image of the Divine Mercy. The priest gave a lovely homily on the real presence of Christ and used the example of kissing between lovers or the nibbling of baby toes to express what this love is. God offers Himself to us and we eat Him up. Oh, I'm not doing justice ...

 

The folks at Highlights are wonderful. I had requested a ride and they arranged one. However, three of the four ladies pictured below also wanted to go, one with a car, so we went on our own. Kristi was on a roll, talking about self-care, but she took a break so that we could attend Mass. This is the atmosphere at a Highlights Foundation workshop. Relaxed. Flexible. Gracious. I know Paula would've liked to come, but she was busy doing critiques. 

 

My husband had taken the children downtown for Corpus Christi and told me of the wonderful procession from the Cathedral to the oldest Catholic Church, St. Mary of the Annunciation, in Charleston. How beautiful it is to confess Christ as King in public and adore Him in His humble form -- that of a wafer. I know that for many, it is just a symbol, and indeed, Mass is full of symbolism, but Catholics believe that through the action of the priest, the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. It's not magic or hocus-pocus, which is a parody of "hoc est corpus meum" (this is my body), the words spoken during consecration. Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ are in consecrated Bread and Wine.

 

 

Photo swiped from Paula Morrow

 

 

I do have a few more thoughts on this. Years ago, when I was a neophyte Catholic, we had a Presbyterian couple who wanted to come to Mass with us. And they wanted to receive Holy Communion. They didn't want to be left out. My first question was: then why aren't you Catholic? But my second question was full of doubt. Who am I to deny Jesus to anybody? And so I didn't press the issue, given that the man was actually a minister.

 

I do not understand a great many things, but I do believe that in everything the Catholic Church teaches. It is what I professed four years ago and I am happy to tell you that obedience does lead to understanding. I always tell the children that Mary is our model. She didn't argue with the angel Gabriel or ask for complete understanding. No. She obeyed. Fiat!

 

Now I realize that it is a grave sin to receive Christ unworthily. Now, if we have not fasted or not had a chance to go to confession, we abstain. We still receive the graces from going to Mass and being in the presence of Christ, but we do not receive His Body. I am acutely aware of this deprivation, but this knowledge orders our lives. It makes me want to be good and pleasing to God so that I may receive Him.

 

So non-Catholics. Do not be offended if a Catholic asks you not to partake in Holy Communion. You can make a spiritual communion. I do invite you to study what Catholics believe. I didn't realize how many misconceptions there are about Catholics. On the trip up to Honesdale I met a lovely young woman with a zeal to evangelize. She was saddened that Catholics were praying to statues, that they had forgotten about Jesus and were too focused on Mary and the saints. I had to let her know that we do ask for the saints in heaven to pray for us, just as I would a friend here on earth. And there is also that hocus pocus I spoke of before.

 

There is a term that is bandied about: Cafeteria Catholic. It is an oxymoron. You are either Catholic or not. You cannot pick and choose the teachings you do not like and still call yourself Catholic. Of course, we have free will, so we may doubt or disagree, but in the end, to be Catholic, one must have total belief in all the Church teaches. And I can tell you that many times it is not easy to be so terribly counter-cultural. But it is the best thing that happened to us.

 

Kristi made an interesting observation. When she realized that Jesus died for her and saved her, she wondered why everybody isn't a Christian. I wonder this too. When you come to know Christ through the Word and the sacraments, it is so powerful, you cannot help but fall in love. In a gathering of Christians, His presence is palpable.

 

Oh, I hope Christian children's writing workshops will continue to grow. Right now, I only know of three: Highlights Foundation, Write 2 Ignite, and Katherine Grace Bond's Call and Response writing workshop. There is a great need to bring the light of Christ in a world that is increasingly dark and in despair.

 

 

On Writing and Editing

I found it extremely instructive to have both a writer and editor leading this workshop: Sharing our Hope. Kristi Holl has written a boatload of books and over the years has amassed a wealth of knowledge on how to write books, during good times and bad, even during the most uncertain of times. She puts her faith in God and lets Him guide her. Her honesty was so uplifting. It made me cry because I also write during difficult times and sometimes it takes a lot of courage to put words on the page. She is one of the first people who wrote a book on the writing life -- Writer's First Aid. Her blog is one of the most helpful because it teaches writers how to have a writing life, how to sustain it. I highly recommend it. I discovered Kristi through ICL and she's been a great blessing. Her books on the writing life and techniques are worth every penny. So go check them out on her website.

Kristi spoke on characters -- strong, believable, and flawed characters. She spoke about creating ordinary but complex and unique characters. She hit the nail on the head with "interesting." By the way, she commented that she receives many manuscripts with a character having one brown eye and one blue. We laughed about it. Although I wanted to interrupt her very much to talk about my cat, I exhibited tremendous self-control. You can see why ...

 

So, characters: they must have strong goals, worthy goals, with high stakes. This doesn't mean that every character has to save the world, but we need to think of what the consequences are if the main character does not get what he or she wants. I call it the "So what?" factor. Kristi recommends that we examine the motives of each of our characters. And don't make the character do something on page 50 just because the plot demands it. The plot -- the what happens -- should grow organically out of the characters' strength and weaknesses.

She recommends Creating Characters that Kids will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin. I have not read it, but I've read many of Alphin's books and they are a delight. Paula is holding one of her books that she edited: Ghost Cadet. I must also mention now that she has her own publishing company: Boxing Day Books. I've had the pleasure of owning some of these books, the latest on Rose O'Neill: the Girl who Loved to Draw by Linda Brewster. What a gem of a book. I completely agree with Paula that it needs to be a movie! And Polly Wants a Poem is adorable.



I got to know Paula because she was my editor at Ladybug. I have always appreciated her astute advice. She is logical, thoughtful, and leaves no stones unturned. A writer's best friend. She asks the tough questions that writers must answer, and because of her, I'm a better writer. I've been so blessed in the editor department, and Paula is one of the best. If you need a book doctor, check out her services. She'll grill you, and make you work hard, but you'll be happy.

Paula spoke about the business of writing -- the editor's perspective -- because to get to your intended audience, you have to think about the others -- the editors, the parents who buy books for children. She asked us to think about this quote:

In Essentials, Unity
In Non-essentials, Liberty
In all things, Charity.

We spoke about the essentials. What in our life is non-negotiable? That will be the bedrock of our writing. What are we flexible about? It can open up possibilities.

We discussed the why of this workshop. And it is to share our hope that no matter how dark this world might be at times, there is goodness. It is a Christian worldview. Although this workshop was designed for people of all faiths, we were all Christian. We confess Jesus Christ to be Lord and God, and this unity brought us closer. We could open up and discuss why we write, how faith informs our writing. And of course, how we can plant seeds of faith in others, give hope to young readers in a world that often glorifies the anti-hero.

We discussed the various markets -- secular, religious, inspirational, and crossover. What's odd is that what is called "crossover" now used to the be the norm.

This is getting to be a long post. I have much more to share, but I'll circle back to writing and editing and say this. After meeting these two women whom I've known from afar, I am struck by how well their personalities match their professions. Kristi is emotional, with a great desire to share, and she brings that to her writing. The bottom line is that we read to feel. And Paula, reserved and private, brings her logic to the revision process. Both women are passionate about what they do. And as writers, we need both qualities.

Ciao meow. Only for now.

Sharing Our Hope ... Pictures First

I have returned (a day later than expected) from a Highlights Foundation Workshop led by Paula Morrow and Kristi Holl on Sharing Our Hope: Writing for Religious and Inspirational Markets. I have a great deal to process, laundry to catch up on, and get used to the new computer that my husband and children set up in my absence. I'm a sour grape, only loving new technology once I get used to it.

So, for now, let me just share a few pictures with you ... this place is a writer's paradise. Everyone there, from the woman who was dusting the windows, to the wonderful chefs, the drivers, the office personnel who take care of the logistics, do their work efficiently and with joy, so that you can really focus on relaxing and rejuvenating yourself. I needed this on so many levels and although I did not work on my novel revisions much, save to make some notes, I followed my muse ... I worked on some picture books, read the books available in our cabins (rustic but with all the modern conveniences!), and wrote in my journal. I had such a good time and if it weren't for my family, I wouldn't want to leave.

 

 

 

We were a small group, ideal really, because we got to know each other, and we're praying for one another, so that by the grace of God, our writing dreams and goals might sprout like these cheerful johnny jump-ups.

 

Stay tuned for more ...