White Christmas

Cue music: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas ...

I do so love snow in the winter. I still think it's like magic. And we don't get much of it here in Western Washington so we're eating it all up, literally. That's Pup's first snow and she loves prancing through it, finding a buried branch, tossing it through the air and pouncing upon it again. Such fun to watch her. Pure joy. And a bonus for me is not having to clean up a muddy dog (I did a lot of that in Nov.).

Schools closed three days before official winter break and we've had a lot of fun. We got a foot or more of this fluffy white stuff. It's been perfect for sledding. It's warmed up a bit, so it's perfect for making a snowman. My kitchen smells divine, with soups simmering, cookies baking and Christmas music filling the air.

Here are two BFFs -- best furry friends. They were both watching the birds and squirrels, but turned around politely for a picture. The cat lets the pup know when she's gotten too close.

As this year comes to a close, let me say a heartfelt "Thank You" to all my family and friends, furry or not. You've made our lives richer, sweeter.




Cue music: We wish you a Merry Christmas ... and a Happy New Year!
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Freefall

When I first started writing, I focused on children's magazines, and I'd come across Anna Levine's work in the magazines I enjoyed -- Highlights, Cricket group, etc. So when I came across a book of hers in the library, I immediately checked it out. Running on Eggs was her first book -- a story about the friendship between a Jewish and Arab girl, and the choices they must make.

Fast forward a few years. I was serving as a judge for the SCBWI Magazine Merit Awards and Anna had a touching story about a young girl whose mother battles cancer in "The Wednesday Club" (Cicada, Jan. 2006). She took second place for fiction that year. But she walked away with the grand prize for poetry. "Saxophone Summer" sizzled with the syncopated rhythm of red hot jazz, also published in Cicada (June 2006).

When I contacted her for an article I was writing about judging the awards, I had to know whether she had other books incubating. And she let me know about Freefall. I've been eagerly awaiting it's arrival and what a pleasure it was to stay up late and read it in peace.

As always, you can trust Anna to tell a good story. Here we discover what it's like to serve in the Israeli military. It's not a matter of choice -- it's compulsory. Does Aggie have what it takes to become a combat soldier? Find out in this fast-paced book. A rich cast of characters test their love and loyalty.

Mazel tov, Anna! You've done it again.

If you want to know more about what it's like to be eighteen and serve, check out Anna's blog.

Writing Novels

I haven't been going to our local SCBWI meetings because of all the kiddie sports and activities. Gosh, if there's a night I can hang out at home with my kiddos, that's the thing to do. But not even a headache was going to prevent me this time. Molly drove (thank you). Love my carpool buddies -- Molly, Jeanie and Sue. Always nice to visit and it makes the drive more pleasant.
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What a pleasure it was to meet up with writing friends, celebrate the successes of our local authors and illustrators, especially Kevan and Jolie, eat all those Christmas cookies, and finally, after passing on the SCBWI Co-RA hats to Joni and Laurie, listen to the fabulous, pink-haired Laini Taylor on the strategies she uses to finish books. She is smart, funny and gracious and I urge you all to read Not for Robots. I think there's something there for each and every one of us who is trying to finish a book.
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Thank you Laini, for a wonderful and inspiring talk.
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Guilty

Once someone stole a picture from me. I complained about it here. Upon closer examination, I found myself guilty of doing the same thing -- not checking to make sure that the image was in the public doman. I've removed the two pictures on my blog and will try to get permission or find other pictures.

I urge you all to make sure that the pictures and excerpts you use are in fact allowed. Here's a link to discerning what constitutes fair use. It's not always clear and if in doubt, leave it out.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting ...

It is Advent. The season of waiting. The kiddos can hardly contain themselves with Christmas on the horizon. Both said that Christmas was their favorite holiday, followed by birthdays because of all the presents! Well, who can blame them? They are also excited about celebrating a birth that happened two thousand years ago. I think Jesus is already in their hearts, as He is in mine.

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I'm learning much about patience, as though publishing, with its glacial pace hasn't taught me enough. Hah!

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This is the first (and only) Christmas tree ornament that I ever purchased (the rest are gifts). I bought this when we were living in Belgium. We had gone to the Christmas fair in the little town of Monschau near the Belgian border, and I loved this simple angel, made of a rounded wooden piece, wood shavings and a feather. He reminds me of my guardian angel ...

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I am waiting for the holidays to begin, for my stories to be accepted, for midnight candlelit Mass. Tell me, what are you waiting for?

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Thankful

I am thankful for my faith, family and friends. They have given me love and laughter to last a lifetime. And to think that some people lose these three essential things is heartbreaking. I just finished reading The Outsider: A Journey into my Father's Struggle with Madness by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer and it shows how this can happen. It is beautifully written, and I can only imagine the lumps the author had to swallow as he wrote this book. It is an honest book.





The rest of this author's books are for children and they are just as thoughtfully and beautifully made. His most recent one is The Origami Master. It's an unusual tale of friendship and freedom with gorgeous illustrations by Aki Sogabe.

I am also thankful for good books to stretch my mind.

Thanksgiving and Birthdays

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite American holiday and not just because the focus is on thanks and giving and food, lots of food. See, my mother's birthday falls near Thanksgiving and I can't help but think about her and what an extraordinary woman she was.
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Recently, my uncle emailed me some old pictures (I don't have a scanner) so it's lovely to share this picture of my mom at age 22. Isn't she simply beautiful? I can almost hear her voice, her silvery bell laugh. She's married, keeps house, is a mother of two boys already. My sister and I haven't yet arrived on scene. She died over twenty years ago at the age of 51. I still miss her.
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I share stories about her with my children and she will live in their hearts long after I'm gone. I'm writing a few vignettes -- things I remember, things she told me -- and I hope it will paint a fuller picture.
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Not only was she a character in real life, but I've borrowed many of her traits for mothers in my stories. Driving Lessons, my young-adult short story contest winner (Children's Writer) a few years ago, captures her voice. I really should find a home for that story ... ah, the writing life. I am thankful to have one. Very much.

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Gates of Excellence

A couple of years ago, I read Gates of Excellence by Katherine Paterson. Since I had read many of her books, it was like visiting a good friend. So many things she said in that book have stuck in my head ... but one statement in particular (thank you, Darcy for getting the exact quote) resonates:

I was writing — learning and growing along with the children — until eventually I was writing fiction worthy of publication. It might have happened sooner had I had a room of my own and fewer children, but somehow I doubt it. For as I look back on what I have written, I can see that the very persons who have taken away my time and space are those who have given me something to say.

This is so true for me. My children, my pets, the very responsibilities that I wish I could take a break from are the ones that inspire me to write. My very first magazine pieces that were accepted are actually family stories about quite mundane things, like sorting socks, weeding, mending clothes. And I'm delighted to have these stories beautifully illustrated.

I have put away my novel for the remainder of the year. I've been juggling so many new activities since this summer -- teaching, an insane football practice schedule, the new pup who is now entering her doggie teens (she's 5 mo. old), and church -- that I am not able to focus on the novel at all. I was surprised that I don't feel bereft, rather enriched a hundredfold by all these experiences.

Giving myself permission to stop working on my novel has freed up my mind to work on other things ... and I'm again writing short pieces. Oh, it's wonderful. I've missed this. And thanks go to Kathryn Galbraith for inviting me to speak to her class about magazine writing. It was a fantastic reminder to get busy myself. I tell you, teaching really lets you learn those lessons well.
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Journey

I think of writing as a lifelong journey. What I didn't realize when I began writing for children is how profoundly it would change me, and how it would cause me to take another journey. I can't precisely pinpoint the transition, but for the past couple of years, much of the writing I've done hasn't been for publication, but solely for myself. I've been examining my faith or lack thereof. And there are places in my notebook where the ink runs because of the tears -- tears of sadness for the lost years and tears of joy because I am the prodigal daughter ... and I'm returning not just by myself, but bringing my entire family back into the welcoming arms of God. And so, I embark on another journey ... and this time I know I'm not alone. I am blessed.
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Go Vote!

Tomorrow will be a busy day. My son is sick but I'll cart him to the polling booth anyway. I was nineteen years old when I was naturalized as a citizen of this great country. And I've been proud to cast my vote every election since that time. So do your duty -- go vote tomorrow -- even if it's with a sick kid in tow!

And later that night, I will fight traffic to give a talk on writing for children's magazines at the University. I feel like a magazine-evangelist. But I truly believe that writing for magazines has much to offer a beginning or seasoned writer. This past year I haven't spent as much time on magazine pieces and I've truly missed it. There's never enough time to work on all the projects but as I slog through my novel revision, I am tempted more and more to set it aside and work on little poems and articles that bubble up to the surface. A confession: last week I did put aside my novel. Sigh. But I know I'll pick it up again.

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