Category: writing life

Bear Saga II – This Time It’s Personal!

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(First, if you haven’t had a chance to check out the tension blogfest, check here for my entry and links to all the other really good ones!)

Now.

I have a bone to pick with our bear.

Remember how the he made off with our bird feeder?

(in the interest of full disclosure, this is not actually our bear –
he is far too sneaky to be seen stealing the feeder and too cagey to allow photographic evidence!)

Well, there’s more…

See, it’s been so wet that we left our garage open to air.  In the space of about 5 minutes, a pair of birds decided to set up housekeeping.  They built a nest in the garage rafters and laid some eggs.

Ergo, we could not close the garage – not unless we wanted an international reputation as baby bird murderers… which we certainly did not!

But we keep our trash in the garage until Saturday.  Usually it’s safe from the bear because the garage is closed.  But, baby birds and whatnot (see above.)  So we closed the trash can lid tight, fastened it across the top with two (count them, 2!) sturdy black rubber bungee cords, and figured all would be well.

All was not.

The bear came in the night, removed the bungee cords and the trash can lid with ease, dragged both bags up the hill across from the mud room, and proceeded to go through every morsel of trash, strewing it through the woods for about an acre….

Which I then had to go pick up in the morning….

Not my top choice of activity pre- 6 AM and pre-coffee!

(P.S. Bears apparently love chocolate and will lick out the insides of candy wrappers… even tiny ones like the foil around easter eggs… and leave them in soggy little chewed-up pieces all over the place… ick.  They also think they like orange peels, but change their minds once they start chewing.  You have not known joy until you get to pick up orange peels that have been chewed by a bear and then spit back out!)

Suffice to say, I was not happy with the bear.  But it was kind of my fault for leaving trash in the garage with the door open.  And I get nature.  So I would have been willing to forgive.

Until last night.

10 PM.  Dark.  Quiet.

Suddenly, a small noise.  It could have been a squirrel or a deer.

I ignored it.

But the dogs did not.

They had been flat out asleep on the floor after their hectic, grueling day (you know the difficult kind of life they lead :)) but at the first hint of that noise, both heads went up, all four ears pricked attentively, and Scout growled, low in her throat, the universal dog Warning Growl.

(Given that the dogs consider themselves off duty from 8 PM to 5:30 AM and generally sleep with great devotion and no noise, if they react to something during those hours, it’s usually for real.)

A moment later, the sound of screeching metal had the dogs on their feet and charging down the stairs, barking their ferocious little heads off.

Hmm… screeching metal.  I assumed the bear was in the garage again, messing with the trash can, and I felt very smug.  Being the quick learner that I am, I had stopped putting the trash in the garage.  Instead, it was safely stinking up the mud room.  Take that, bear!  No trash pick-up for me in the morning!

Except it turns out, that’s not what he was doing.

Look what he did!

Bad bear!

Naughty bear!

Now I am personally affronted.  Hurt, even.

This time, it’s personal!

Helping himself to take-away breakfast is one thing.  Breaking and entering my house is quite another.

That bear and I are going to have to have a serious talk!

Actually, I think this calls for drastic measures.  I’m going over his head.  I will be writing a letter to his mother to tell her exactly what I think of her parenting skills – teach him some manners please! – and recommend she take him to a therapist to discuss his boundary issues!

I mean REALLY!

Please feel free to write sample letters – because how do you reason with a bear? – and/or share you own stories of wild animal invasion 🙂

Meanwhile, looks like we’re going to have to keep our trash in the basement…!

BEA OMG TMI

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If you’ve never been to BEA (Book Expo America) you should go if you get the chance.  Here’s the picture I took:

Some might say it doesn’t do BEA justice.  Personally, I think my photography skills are right up there with my fashion sense – one could call this art.  (One could also call it something else, but I’m sticking with art.)

Seriously, though, no picture could really do BEA justice.  It is 5 city blocks long!!!  Full of publishing houses and books of every kind.  It takes your breath away.  The sheer magnitude is overwhelming.

There are authors signing, and ARCs being given away by publishers, and agents and editors wandering the busy aisles alongside teachers and librarians and independent booksellers.

It is like book heaven.

One minute inside BEA would convince you (if you were wondering) that the publishing industry can’t be in that much trouble  if this many houses and this many books exist!  It is at once inspiring and intimidating to see how much is out there.

I had the privilege of giving away signed copies of Not Yet, Rose yesterday.  I sat at a table at the Mom’s Choice Award booth and people were literally LINED UP waiting for signed copies.  It was such an ego boost (even though I realize it was because they were free it was still fun!  Nobody ever lined up for one of my books before – at least, not a line of more than 2 people :))

Afterwards, I wandered the aisles and said hi to a couple of my editors who were there, and read lots of kids’ books (I lost count, but a bunch of them will get added to my 100 Book Challenge list.)  It was totally fun.

Have any of you ever been to the big conferences?  ALA?  SCBWI New York or LA?  IRA?  What did you think?  Do you recommend going?

Staying Afloat

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I think it’s time to brush off my ark-building skills.

It’s been pouring for 5 solid days, and the forecast shows nothing but rain for the foreseeable future (which in weather forecasting terms is 5 to 10 days.)  Every pair of shoes I own (all 2 of them) is wet because, rain or no rain, you’ve just got to get outside for at least a few minutes every day, don’t you think?

So, while I try to figure out what a cubit is so I can stay afloat, I will share a little tidbit I found on Monday evening when I was finishing Sarah Dessen’s new book, What Happened To Goodbye (an excellent read that I recommend.)

As a writer, it sometimes feels hard to keep your head above water

(you like how neatly I segued from the ark to writing?  That was pretty smooth…)  There are days when the words won’t come, and other days when the words that come aren’t right, or aren’t good enough, and still other days when you send off a ms you think you really nailed to your agent and she replies five minutes later that it’s “cute” but a one-time read better suited for a magazine.  Or that you’d be better off using that one as hamster bedding….

Writing is tough.

But here’s what makes it better: every writer feels the same way.  Really, we’re all in this together.  It’s wonderful to have writer friends, both those you actually see in real life and those who have become friends via blogging, because we all get it and we can all toss each other a life-saver (the boat kind, not the candy, although the candy is good too…) when we need it.

(Really, I’ve got this boat metaphor thing going strong, don’cha think?)

So anyway, here’s what I found in the back of Sarah’s book.  In the acknowledgments she wrote, “Many thanks to my agent, Leigh Feldman, and editor, Regina Hayes, for their support, wisdom, and willingness to be aboard the crazy train that is my writing process.”  I find it so incredibly comforting that a writer of Sarah Dessen’s talent and success refers to her writing process as a “crazy train.”  It makes me feel like I’m in good company, and if she can create such wonderful books from aboard her crazy train, maybe I can create something good from my ark 🙂

What’s your writing process like?  What do you find comforting/helpful?

P.S.  As I don’t usually post on Tuesday, and was away at a school visit all day yesterday, I missed the chance to link to Catherine Johnson’s wonderful blog where I was interviewed.  If you’re interested in reading it, please visit Catherine Johnson.

Books Journey

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I went to a very good, highly regarded all girls private school (back in ancient times) but two things they never did were bring in authors or teach us much about the creative writing process.  (My father also feels they neglected geography, but that’s another story…)

I thought authors were akin to gods – certainly not real people – and to me, a life of writing didn’t seem like an option.  Journalism, OK – but not creative writing.  People from my school became doctors, lawyers, and senators.  Those that became stay-at-home moms tried not to attract too much attention because with an education like ours you were supposed to be out there doing something with it (as if using it to raise happy, well-adjusted, good kids isn’t important… but that’s also another story!)

Anyway, the point is, I visit a lot of public schools whose reputations probably can’t hold a candle to my alma mater, but they do invite authors and illustrators and put a lot more effort into showing kids first hand that the creative life is an option.

One local school in particular has been running a terrific program for 4 or 5 years now.  They call it Books Journey, and it’s a program for fourth graders.  It is kicked off by local authors and illustrators (and we are lucky – there are a lot of us in the Hudson Valley!) coming in to talk about their creative process and the creative spark – how they generate ideas.

The kids are then each given a journal, and during dedicated class time, they begin writing their own books.  After a couple of weeks, I come in – and that’s what I’m doing today and tomorrow!  My job is to help them keep going after the initial spark has worn off and they are stuck.  We talk about characters, setting, obstacles, raising the stakes, crafting a satisfying ending etc., and how to keep going when you’re not sure what to do.

The kids then go back and finish their stories.  Then the school has a couple of professional editors come in and talk about editing, followed by a book cover designer who teaches the kids about the importance of cover design.  Finally, they have a marketing specialist come in and teach them about how professional authors market their books.

At the very end, they have a book fair, where all 100 or so of the books are on display for students, teachers and parents to look at.

It’s an amazing program, one I wish more schools could do.  It does take a lot of organization, but it is so worthwhile for the kids.  You should see how proud they are of their finished books!

So today and tomorrow, I’m off to teach fourth graders.  Wish me luck and good communications skills so I can be really helpful to them – who knows?  A future great novelist may be among them 🙂

Do you know of schools who do a particularly good job of teaching writing?  What do they do?

Buns Afire

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Yes, I know Tuesday is not a usual posting day for me, and yes, given my cooking skills, “buns afire”  could be referring to a catastrophic kitchen incident – that would not be at all out of the realm of possibility… or even probability…

But actually, it’s all about the fact that today, I will be in THE HOT SEAT on Cally Jackson’s fabulous blog, Cally Jackson Writes.

And, yowza! the stars must be aligned or something because 3 of my books are also being reviewed on Catherine Johnson’s poetically perfect blog, Catherine Johnson, Writer!

Please take a moment to click over to these lovely ladies’ blogs, since they were so kind as to write about moi, and see how awesome they are!

And then, if you haven’t read my actual post from yesterday, please feel free to read that too and share your organizational insights (or nightmares :))!

A Little Help From My Friends

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I wonder if there is a gene for organization?

If so, I don’t have it.

I WANT to be organized.  But I think, when it comes to organizing, I have ADHD.

Here’s what happens: I walk into my office.  I look around.  I take in the books piled on every available surface, the reams of papers waiting to be filed, the Christmas wrapping paper still lying on the floor by the closet, the school supplies that I was told were crucial to this year’s learning efforts (yet are somehow still in a Staples bag in the corner – and it appears the kids may be learning without them), and a whole lot of other stuff that I’d be hard-pressed to even identify.  Truth be told, I feel a mite panicky.

But I plunge bravely in.  I start on the books.  Onto the shelf they go.  But should they be alphabetized?  Or organized by genre?  Or topic?  Or size?  Or paperback vs. hardcover?

Hmm…

While I decide, maybe I should file some of the papers.  There’s a pile of royalty statements (don’t confuse this with actual royalties – these are just pages that say how many books have sold – not usually as many as the pages of paper they use up writing about it!)  But should I file them by the book they’re related to?  Because if I do that, I’ll have to make copies of some because all the books from Little Simon, for example, are on the same statement.  Or maybe I should file them by publishing house?  But then I’ll need some new file folders…

Hmm…

While I decide, maybe I’ll put the wrapping paper away in the closet.  So I open the door….

Do you see what I’m up against?

So I go to the cookie cupboard to fortify myself and decide maybe I should blog about organizing instead of actually doing it!

Oh, and I didn’t even mention organizing time!  I appear to be missing the gene for that, too.  Although not in the same way.  When it comes to time, it’s not a matter of ADHD, but of BTE (I’m a Bad Time Estimator!)

I am convinced that I can do anything, or get anywhere, in 5 minutes.  This has turned out not to be true.

I know.  It boggles the mind.

Is there anyone else out there who feels that organization should be an Olympic sport?  Or anyone who has advice for the terminally disorganized?

Please share.  Feel free to comment with schedules, lists, useful categories for filing, and/or organizational tips of any kind.  I need all the help I can get.  Or you can commiserate with your own organizational woes and then, even if I’m still disorganized I will feel better for knowing I’m not alone 🙂

P.S.  Speaking of organization, those of you who have visited before may notice some new tabs across the top.  As yet, they are blank, but as soon as my organizational ADHD alights here for a moment, they will be extremely useful in the organization of this blog 🙂

Coming Up Roses

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The writing life is not for the faint of heart.

Writing is hard work.

Creativity, rather surprisingly, takes what feels like a physical effort.

The ability to be creative on demand takes years of butt in chair, and even then, it doesn’t always happen.  (Although writers may corner the market on the sensation of having their butt fall asleep…)

In today’s marketplace, it isn’t enough to write well.  There are so many wonderful, talented authors and illustrators out there whose work is as good if not better than mine.  The recipe for success requires a healthy dose of luck along with the hard work.  (Maybe a healthy dose of pigheadedness, too, although I prefer to call it by its euphemistic moniker – determination :))

Even if you get published, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd.  A book can be well written, beautifully illustrated, well-reviewed, and still not sell.

And with publishing and the economy in their current states, not only the writing, but the marketing and promotion are almost completely up to the writer.  I think I speak for all of us when I say $%^&*^!!!

(Lest you think I’m trying to depress you and/or ruin your day, I assure you I am not!  I do actually have a point… which I’m getting to… in my own round-about way… 🙂  Look!  Here it is!)

In spite of these difficulties, those of us who write can’t imagine doing anything else.  While it’s entirely possible that, at heart, we’re all incurable optimists 🙂 it may also be because we have stories to tell – stories we hope to share with readers.  We love words and language and writing.  We love the excitement, the thrill, of a new idea.  We love the creativity.  When it’s going well, it’s so amazing that it makes up for a lot of slogging time.  For those of us who write for children the opportunity to interact with our readers on school visits is priceless.  Even without publishing, most of us would still write, though there are few moments that rival the phone call saying, “I’d like to publish your book!”

And every once in a while, when you least expect it, you might get a little bonus 🙂

Last week, I received notification that Not Yet, Rose, my new baby story that was published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers in August of 2009, was awarded a Gold Mom’s Choice Award!

(I would have told you immediately, but we were in the middle of Ryan’s week, and I didn’t want to steal his thunder!)

It’s true!  My little story is going to have one of those beautiful gold medal stickers on the front!  I can’t believe it 🙂  Maybe not the Newbery or the Caldecott, but when it comes to this story – a story about a little girl who is waiting for her new sibling and doesn’t know what to expect – maybe even more valuable.  Because moms are the ones who do most of the choosing when it comes to making purchases, and moms are most likely the ones who might be looking for ways to help their preschoolers understand what having a new sibling will be like, and comfort them with the knowledge that conflicting emotion is normal, healthy, and completely OK.  I hope this award, which is like the highest form of recommendation from other moms, will garner a little much-wanted attention for Rose.  It’s a story that is near and dear to my heart because, underneath, it’s about my own two-year-old daughter struggling to re-imagine her world to include a younger sibling.

I don’t have the actual stickered copies yet, but look how pretty…

Thank you all for indulging my moment of excitement 🙂  I’m a little uncomfortable shouting it out – it feels like bragging – so please feel free to brag about your own accomplishments in the comments to balance it out – I will cheer loudly – I love to hear about your successes! –  and the next time I’m complaining about something, give me a swift kick in the pants and remind me that one of my books has a gold sticker 🙂

Children’s Book Giveaway Contest – Meet Ryan Sias Part 2!

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Holy Swiss Cheese, Batman!  As if Monday wasn’t awesome enough, today we get to finish our interview with author/illustrator Ryan Sias AND we will have a contest so that not one but two of our lucky readers will win signed copies of Ryan’s books!

Deep breaths!  No hyperventilating, please!  We certainly don’t want anyone to faint from an overdose of excitement!

It’s true.  Ryan has most generously offered not only a signed copy of Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend, but also a signed copy of Are You Eating Something Red?  So read on, enter the contest, and we will have two lucky winners on Friday!

Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend, ages 4-8,  hardcover, 40 pages
Are You Eating Something Red?  Ages 0-3, board book, 5 pages

Welcome back, Ryan!

SLH:  What kinds of things have you done to publicize your work?  (Website? Blog? FB? Twitter? Flyers, promotional postcards? School visits? Etc…?)
RS:  Over the years my main promotion tool has been my website. I have done comic conventions, licensing shows and some web advertising. I hand out postcards to every person I meet. Facebook, live journal and twitter have all been good tools also.
With my books I’ve been going to more book events.  I’ve got a bunch of festivals lined up and have started working on getting signings for Zoe and Robot. I can’t wait to get out there and promote the books!
SLH:  Do you have an agent?  If so, who, and how did you get him/her?
RS:  Yes, Judy Hanson is my agent. She works with a lot of my friends and I knew her pretty well. So it was natural that I work with her.
SLH:  The world of children’s books is in a state of flux right now.  Do you have plans for writing/illustrating stories for ipad, iphone, kindle, nook or other apps?

RS:  I am talking to my publisher about doing an App for our book Are You Eating Something Red? and I’ve been getting requests for a Zoe and Robot app. I think it would be cool to see it on the ipad. So hopefully soon!
An interior shot of Are You Eating Something Red?

Interior shots of Zoe and Robot (above and below)
Seems like Ryan’s books would make great apps!

SLH:  What are you working on now?
RS:  I have just signed a contract for a companion book to Are You Eating Something Red? It is related to healthy eating, but I can’t tell you any more, it’s a secret!  Shhhhhh.
My agent is showing a totally new series pitch to editors. Hopefully I can announce something soon!
SLH:  Do you have advice for aspiring authors, illustrators, or author/illustrators (kids or grown-ups :))?
RS:  Practice, practice, practice. Do your homework, join SCBWI (the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), go the library or book store every week, and write every week. Same goes for drawing. When you are ready to submit, target the editors and publishing houses you want to work with.
I see a lot of people who get hung up on one story. I suggest, write three to six ideas and show them to friends. Then pick the one that seems to be working the best. Also don’t work in isolation. I did this for many years and got nowhere.  Show your work to friends or join a writing group to get feedback. It will automatically make your work stronger. Same rules apply to artwork. Show it around and get notes about colors, composition and concepts.
Also, STAY positive; don’t let negative thoughts get in your way. Stay focused on the goal and make it happen. It will not be easy, you will get a lot of rejection, but use that to learn and improve. It is totally possible to do picture books and it’s so great when the first one comes out. So stay positive and keep trying! You will get there.
SLH:  Are you available for school visits?  What is your preference for audience age, size etc.  Where can interested people get information?

RS:  Yes I am. I have two different talks. One is about growing up and becoming a professional cartoonist. The other is called “Sketch a story” where I teach creative storytelling and we create a book as a class. I seem to go over best with kids ages 5-10. They’d need to contact me for more information.
I am also looking to do readings at book stores and libraries, where I can do the same thing.
Ryan’s school visits look awesome!

SLH:  Do you have any else to say?

RS:  Working on picture books is a life long dream. I’m thankful to Blue Apple Books for letting me work on books with them. I hope to do many more fun books for everyone to enjoy. I’d like to end by saying, “Keep drawing, keep writing and never give up on your dreams!”

Thank you so much for joining us, Ryan, and all the best of luck with your new book and your secret projects!  Please visit Ryan at www.ryansias.com!

And now – the moment you’ve all been waiting for – THE CONTEST!!!

Since Ryan’s drawing has a cartoon style, that will be the theme of our contest.

Here’s what you have to do:

1.  Be a follower of this blog (bonus entry if you get someone else to follow the blog and tell me who it is.)

2.  Leave a comment naming your favorite cartoon character.  It can be from comic books, Saturday morning TV, or any other cartoon venue.  The comment should also tell why you would like to win Zoe and Robot and/or Are You Eating Something Red.

3.  Be sure to leave your comment by Friday, April 22, 9 AM EST because that’s when the drawing will take place and the winners be announced!

That’s it!  That’s all you have to do!  I hope we’ll get lots of entries so Ryan will feel loved and appreciated 🙂

Looking forward to hearing who your favorite cartoon characters are!  (That means you too, Ryan!)  I am personally on the fence about my favorite – it’s between Hong Kong Fooey, the Kung Fu crime fighting dog; Muttley, from Dastardly and Muttley of Yankee Doodle Pigeon fame; and Mush Mouse and Punkin’ Puss…. apparently I lean toward animal characters 🙂

Meet Ryan Sias!

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Wow, do I have a treat for you guys today!  Allow me to introduce the one and only Ryan Sias!

Ryan Sias

Ryan is the author/illustrator of  Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend (Blue Apple Books 2011) and the illustrator of Are You Eating Something Red? and Are You Eating Something Green?- placemat books from Blue Apple Books 2010. His story and illustration work have appeared in Nickelodeon magazine, the Flight series (Villard) and Mad magazine.

Ryan earned a B.F.A at the Ringling School of Art & Design in Florida, where he created the puppet troupe, “Patchwork Puppets” and performed in schools, libraries and theme parks. After working for five years at ReelFX in Texas as an art director for videos he moved to New York to pursue his television and children’s book illustration career.

Ryan has considerable experience in the world of television and film. He has directed videos for Barney and Chuck E. Cheese and his storyboarding credits include the movie Bowling for Columbine, as well as Robots and Maya & Miguel for Scholastic Entertainment.  He is currently working with Sesame Workshop (a dream come true!)

Ryan has so much interesting information to share that I will probably divide his interview between today and Wednesday so you can enjoy it fully.  At the end there will be a contest (you know how I love contests!) and the prize will be a signed copy of Ryan’s most recent title:  Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend!

Welcome, Ryan, and thank you so much for joining us!

SLH:  Ryan, how old were you when you started writing stories?  Drawing?

RS:  According to my parents I started drawing when I was 1.5. I’ve seen a drawing I did of Ernie at age three. (I loved Sesame Street!) I have books I made all through school. So I’ve been creating stories my entire life!
Two of Ryan’s early drawings (above and below)

SLH:  Were you encouraged to pursue writing/illustrating?

RS:  Yes, my mom taught Kindergarten and my dad was a Industrial designer. So it was a house of creative people. I remember drawing all the time.  I was diagnosed with dyslexia very young, so I was encouraged to draw since school was tricky for me.

SLH:  How has being dyslexic affected your career?  (Although dyslexia makes writing harder, dyslexics are notoriously original thinkers, often very spatially gifted – more right-brained than the rest of us – are there things you think actually come more easily to you?)

RS:  Being dyslexic made school very difficult for me, and was hard on my ego. I drew all the time because it was easy and I got praise for it. I think that is the main reason I draw all the time still.
I love to write because it is so creative, but it can be hard because I have typos and wrong tenses all over the place. (Probably in this interview!) I  use spell check, but I’ll use the correct spelling of the wrong word. So I have to have everything checked by friends.
I do find I am able to generate ideas very fast, and I am creative all the time. I’m not sure how much of that is the dyslexia or just my lifetime of being creative.  I’m not sure if I do it better than any one else.
I have learned to accept my dyslexia. It is an extra challenge, but I’ve never known any different and I don’t let it get in the way of my dreams!

SLH:  What was your first published book?  How did you feel/react?

RS:  When Are You Eating Something Red? came out it was very exciting! But I didn’t fully believe it until I had a copy in my hands. The most shocking thing for me was when I saw it in the store of the Museum of Modern Art! Now I tell people that my work is in the MoMa next to the Picasso’s! 😉

SLH:  What books have you published subsequently?

RS:  My brand new book Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend was my next book, it is also with Blue Apple Books. It is part of their Ballon Toons line of books. It just came out April first!

SLH:  Which is your favorite of the books you’ve published so far?

RS:  I like all my books, but at the moment my new book Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend is my favorite. I like the comedy and how the Robot talks in third person. My goal is to do more silly books, so this is a step in that direction.

SLH:  You have been both author and illustrator of your books.  When you create a story, which comes first – the writing or the drawing?  Or do they go hand-in-hand?

RS:  They go hand in hand for me. I’ve started books both ways. I flip between both as I’m developing an idea.

This is how I normally work.  I do pencil sketches for the whole book.
I use a light board, making the lines with water color instead of the ink that many people use.
I scan the finished inked page.
I color in PhotoShop and TA DA!  Finished art!

Wow!  As someone who cannot draw, I am fascinated by Ryan’s process.  I hope you’re finding it interesting too!

Tune in Wednesday for the conclusion of Ryan’s interview, when we’ll learn about his marketing techniques and school visits, among other things, and finish with A SECRET! and our contest for a free signed copy of Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend!  See you then 🙂

And if you have questions for Ryan, please post them in the comments!

Lists of Lists

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What would I do without lists?

I love lists.

Not only do they keep me organized and make sure I don’t forget things, they also give me a sense of accomplishment.  There’s nothing like checking things off your list to make you feel like you’re being productive.  Sometimes I put things on my list like get up or brush teeth just so I can check them off right away and feel like I’m off to a good start 🙂

The thing is, I have so much to do in so many different areas that I really need several lists.  Which leads to needing a list of my lists.  I am pretty organized (assuming I haven’t imbibed too much caffeine…)

but I am not tidy.  Seriously, look at my desk

When it comes to writing, though, the lists are of limited use.  It’s all well and good to have a list that says:
1. Write an early reader about a boy.
2. Write a chapter of current novel-in-progress (I guess that’s a N.I.P.?)
3. Write a picture book about baseball
etc.

It’s quite another thing to be able to accomplish that list.  It requires:
1. Coming up with viable ideas (not just anything, but something that will actually work and that people will want to read)
2. Actually doing the writing, which seems easy, but so isn’t!
3. Ending up with work that will make it past:
     1. my agent
     2. an editor

in the midst of the housework list
1. scrub bathrooms
2. dust (yeah, right)
3. vacuum everything
etc.

and the schedule list
1. take dog to vet
2. pick up dry cleaning
3. go to child #2’s game
4. take child #3 to the orthodontist
5. revisit colleges with child #1
etc.
oh, and I’m supposed to fit exercise in somewhere…

and the miscellaneous list
1. get car inspected
2. turn over flower beds
3. birthday present for Dad
4. fill out ENDLESS forms for kids’ schools, camps, etc.
5. costume for child #3’s play???!!!
etc.

and this is the short version…. 🙂

Here’s the list I would like to check off this week:
1. Sell one of my currently circulating picture book mss (just one – I’m not greedy!)
2. Finish my N.I.P.
3. Write a new board book, picture book, or early reader that is a definite winner!

No one said the list had to be realistic.  And there’s always that other list that starts out with
1. Keep dreaming!