tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9370975580825676942024-03-12T18:46:34.840-07:00Richmond Children's WritersWe believe in the indispensable value of good literature in the lives of children. Our mission is to foster the professional development of the creators of children’s literature, promote connections between children’s authors and other members of the literary community, and nurture an environment in which children’s literature can be appreciated by the widest possible audience.Lana Krumwiedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06538049424115986364noreply@blogger.comBlogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-37367977780530764932016-05-20T08:08:00.001-07:002016-05-20T08:08:25.719-07:00Simple Story Starters: #1 Clusteringhttps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simple-Story-Starters-1-Clustering-2554364briantherockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904929309722890436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-52797987585748530822015-06-10T09:24:00.002-07:002015-08-19T17:31:53.859-07:00<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vbxTfEM1974/VXhjl2SRpNI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/vWeCDVk_-rc/s1600/RCW%2Bweb%2Bbadge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vbxTfEM1974/VXhjl2SRpNI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/vWeCDVk_-rc/s200/RCW%2Bweb%2Bbadge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Richmond Children's Writers is moving and expanding. We have our own website now! There are many exciting things happening for us, include an <a href="https://richmondchildrenswriters.wordpress.com/anthology-project/" target="_blank">anthology</a>. We hope you will follow us at our new website to catch up on the latest posts and news. Please click the link below to find us and continue to follow Richmond Children's Writers.<br />
<br />
Thank you so much!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.richmondchildrenswriters.com/">www.RichmondChildrensWriters.com</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o0jmj4jMhNo/VVpDXlS7KbI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Jbtv2EBnBQY/s1600/wevemoved.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o0jmj4jMhNo/VVpDXlS7KbI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Jbtv2EBnBQY/s1600/wevemoved.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Lana Krumwiedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06538049424115986364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-73295775439637370312015-05-18T12:54:00.001-07:002015-05-18T12:54:22.110-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0jmj4jMhNo/VVpDXlS7KbI/AAAAAAAAA4A/WN-G8GcgNx0/s1600/wevemoved.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o0jmj4jMhNo/VVpDXlS7KbI/AAAAAAAAA4A/WN-G8GcgNx0/s1600/wevemoved.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In just a couple of seconds, you'll be redirected to our new website.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://richmondchildrenswriters.wordpress.com/">https://richmondchildrenswriters.wordpress.com/</a></div>
Lana Krumwiedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06538049424115986364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-36707904960101483032015-02-11T11:13:00.001-08:002015-02-11T11:13:35.725-08:00A Fly On The Wall<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Lana Krumwiede</span><br />
<br />
People ask me all the time what we do in our writing group, so I thought I'd put together a highlight reel of sorts. This month we had four manuscripts to critique: One picture book,
and three chapters from middle grade books. All were very unique and enjoyable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNqIrxtAD8g/VNjoxB8Cr4I/AAAAAAAAAxg/0AmUP5jngHE/s1600/bk_tale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNqIrxtAD8g/VNjoxB8Cr4I/AAAAAAAAAxg/0AmUP5jngHE/s1600/bk_tale2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first manuscript we read was a beautifully written chapter from a middle-grade novel, or perhaps a chapter book. The language was gorgeous and quirky at the same time.The visual images were absolutely luscious! This story reminded us of <i>Alice and Wonderland</i>
or <i>The Tale of Despereaux</i>. Most of
our suggestions were about small things that we found confusing and ideas for
more character development.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xY9MDaSM1S8/VNjpsIASs3I/AAAAAAAAAxo/NaSbZXcp-cU/s1600/kapow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xY9MDaSM1S8/VNjpsIASs3I/AAAAAAAAAxo/NaSbZXcp-cU/s1600/kapow.jpg" /></a>Everyone loved the picture book manuscript that was
submitted this month. It was very funny and age-appropriate. One of the things
we all commented on were the sounds the author used. They were written out in
very humorous ways that will make the book a fun read aloud. There was a lot to
love about this book—the character was endearing and the action was paced well. One of the suggestions had to do with consistency. Some of the
animals were real and some of them were fantastical; we wondered if it would be
stronger to have all fantastical animals. Another suggestion was to vary the
settings of each scene. Instead of having them all take place on the beach, one
could take place in a forest, another in a cave, and so on, which would
heighten the visual interest of the story.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83E17CLCwi8/VNjqoCtd7BI/AAAAAAAAAxw/OhaGGCsp0P4/s1600/kidsmystery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83E17CLCwi8/VNjqoCtd7BI/AAAAAAAAAxw/OhaGGCsp0P4/s1600/kidsmystery.jpg" height="200" width="188" /></a></div>
Next on the docket was an opening chapter from a
middle-grade mystery. The writing flowed well and the narrative was clear—that
alone is a major accomplishment for any writer! The suggestions were primarily
about how to ratchet up the tension and end the first chapter on a suspenseful
note. This is an important point: Getting the tension right is often a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">second</i>-draft task. In the throes of the
first draft, writers often sense that the tension is not quite adequate. Tell
yourself it’s okay and don’t let it stop you from completing the first draft.
Once you’ve got everything out on the table, it’s much easier to sense where
the tension needs to be and recognize what you, the author, can utilize as a
source of suspense. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last critique of the night was a chapter from a
middle-grade historical novel. It was an action-packed chapter that everyone
seemed to enjoy. The author had originally written it in third person, then
switched it to first person. There were still a few pesky third-person pronouns
that had cleverly avoided detection, which made it confusing to read (but an easy fix
for the writer). The other comments had to do with character motivations and
making them crystal clear. Not easy to do but very important!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--EndFragment-->Thanks to all the RCW members for a great February Meeting!
See you in March.<o:p></o:p></div>
Lana Krumwiedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06538049424115986364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-545572600830207322015-01-12T10:59:00.000-08:002015-01-12T10:59:01.411-08:00Book Review: Animalium
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Jenny Broom<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Illustrations by Kate Scott<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVRXvSLtwAA/VLQZR7Tnu9I/AAAAAAAAAaw/Q1Qgxs7huLQ/s1600/iAnimalium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KVRXvSLtwAA/VLQZR7Tnu9I/AAAAAAAAAaw/Q1Qgxs7huLQ/s1600/iAnimalium.jpg" /></a></div>
What
is it: a picture book, textbook, coffee table book, reference book or living
history museum? Using a bit of each of these elements, Broom and Scott have put
together a book that explains evolution from the opening galleries of insects
and invertebrates to the closing exhibits of large mammals. Beginning with a
tree of life, an illustration covering two pages, they show how different
groups of animals are related and how the animals have evolved from one
another. Each chapter represents a different museum gallery, each focusing on
one class of animal. Members of each class are described on two-page spreads,
text on the left with the plate of illustrations on the right. A key to the
plate, giving additional information about the animal depicted, is provided
under the text and is linked by number to the illustration. The illustrations
are pen and ink, with color added digitally, a beautiful blend of traditional
and modern illustrative techniques. This choice of media and the arrangement of
images on the plate make reference to established approaches to scientific
illustration and the color reinforces the impression of form and liveliness on
the page. Broom ends her book with an index, a bio of each “curator” and a list
of reference materials labeled “To Learn More.” From <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Candlewick Press/Big
Picture Press (2012), Ages 8 to 12, </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN: 978-0-7636-7508-0. Reviewed by Hazel Buys.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-50103911262650307692015-01-05T13:23:00.001-08:002015-01-05T13:23:50.319-08:00Heard of banned books? How about banned words?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">‘Bae,’
‘Foodie’ and ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ on List of ‘Banished’ Words for 2015<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thank you to SUZAN CLARKE - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from the Jan. 1, 2015 broadcast of</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/"><span style="color: #324fe1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Good Morning America</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">‘Bae,’ ‘Foodie’ and ‘Enhanced Interrogation’ on List of
‘Banished’ Words for 2015 (ABC News)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you grimace when you hear some call a significant other
“bae,” or throw out the word “takeaway” in a meeting? Do you gnash your teeth
when someone describes himself or herself as a “foodie” or take credit for
“curating” something that’s not in a museum?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You’re not alone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those are offenders that have made the list of 12 “banished”
words and phrases issued by Lake Superior State University in Michigan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The list, released today, was created from more than 2,000
submissions from members of the public who take issue with certain words and
believe they should be banned, Thomas Pink, LSSU’s director of public
relations, told ABC News in an interview.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It just seems that language always strikes a nerve with
people,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the university’s 40th annual list of words that are
highlighted for misuse, overuse or uselessness, according to a release from
LSSU.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The 12 words that made the final list were selected by a
university committee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We do look at which words and phrases get the most
nominations, but a word or phrase does not have to get a lot of nominations for
it to make the list if everybody agrees on it, and since it’s lighthearted we
all try to look for things that would make people laugh,” Pink said.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The banishment is by no means official. Dictionaries aren’t
changed, but the publication of the list is definitely noticed, Pink said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In one case in the 1990s, an Arizona State Supreme Court
justice pinned that year’s list on a bulletin board in his office and forbade
any attorneys who had business with him from using the words, Pink said.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Entries to the university’s website came with reasons
supporting detractors’ disdain for the word.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Blan Wright, of Sugar Hill, Georgia, wrote of “bae”: “The
most annoying term of affection to show up in years. Also, the concept ‘before
anybody else,’ developed AFTER the word became popular. Reason enough for it to
be banned.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Below are the eight other vexing words or phrases on this
year’s list along with nominees’ reasons for banning them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hack</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- Suddenly things that once would have been called 'tips' are now being called
'hacks.' It can't be because the one word is shorter or easier to say; and the
actual accepted meanings of ‘hack’ have nothing to do with suggestions for
doing tasks better or more efficiently -- quite the opposite, really.” – Sharla
Hulsey, Sac City, Iowa.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/topics/news/weather/polar-vortex.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #324fe1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Polar vortex</span></b></a></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- “Wasn’t it called ‘winter’ just a few years ago?" -- Dawn Farrell,
Kanata, Ontario, </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/topics/news/canada.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #324fe1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Canada</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Skill set</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- “Why use two words when one will do? We already have a perfectly good word
in ‘skills’ (ending with an s, not a z).” – Chip Lupo, Columbia, S.C<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Swag</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
--“Whether it's a ‘free gift’ (banished in 1988) or droopy clothing, this word
is neither useful nor fancy.” – Jeff Drake, Saint Albans, West Va.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Friend-raising</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- “A horrible word that conflates the real meaning of friendship with usually
hidden motivations to get at the other person's pockets.” – Mary Been, Sidnaw,
Mich.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cra-cra</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
(or “cray cray,” a term which means “crazy.”) -- “I'm sick of hearing myself
say this! Must be banned!” – Roxanne Werly, Traverse City, Mich.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Enhanced </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/topics/news/iraq/interrogation-techniques.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #324fe1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">interrogation</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- “A shameful euphemism for torture.” – David Bristol, Byron Center, Mich.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Nation</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
-- “Although a devout Wisconsin sports fan, I do not belong to Packer-Nation,
Badger-Nation, Phoenix-Nation, or Brewer-Nation. Further, I am not aware of any
team or mascot that has the carrying capacity to be a nation.” – Kelly Frawley,
Waunakee, Wisc.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Among the proscribed words on last year’s LSSU list
were “selfie,” “twerking” and “hashtag."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-65965217246008159922014-12-31T10:15:00.001-08:002014-12-31T10:19:01.698-08:00Happy New Year!<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Hazel Buys</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cmlqnan0ews/VKQ-DKmIBeI/AAAAAAAAAag/51XsvSIRy08/s1600/Happy_New_Year-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cmlqnan0ews/VKQ-DKmIBeI/AAAAAAAAAag/51XsvSIRy08/s1600/Happy_New_Year-2015.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">All of us at Richmond
Children’s Writers wish you and yours a happy, prosperous and creative 2015!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Lana, Hazel,
Deb, Marianne, Stephanie, Brian, Troy, Dan and Chris<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-15240528327733700042014-12-29T13:39:00.002-08:002014-12-29T13:45:28.880-08:00Bad Writing<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Hazel Buys</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wD7eNpIVaWY/VKHKrMec7rI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/VO5OjqlILCQ/s1600/iEmbarassment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wD7eNpIVaWY/VKHKrMec7rI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/VO5OjqlILCQ/s1600/iEmbarassment.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I came across
the following from Ross and Kathryn Petras (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wretched
Writing</i>) over the holidays: “She threw her face over her apron.” By Charles
Reade, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cloister And The Hearth</i>
(1861). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This was actually published, folks. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So, here we are
at New Year’s resolutions time, and I resolve not to commit bad writing. How?
Edit, revise, get my work reviewed by my (wonderful!) writing group, send it out to (carefully selected) beta
readers, read it out loud to myself, edit, revise and edit some more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In other words, keep
working at my craft, remember it’s never perfect but that with enough work, it might
get to a state of ‘done.’ <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Repeat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Happy New Year!<o:p></o:p></span>Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-69469248511425093312014-11-04T07:03:00.000-08:002014-11-04T07:03:08.476-08:00Deconstructing the 2014 JRW Conference
<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Hazel Buys</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">“If speaking is silver, then listening is
gold.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> Turkish proverb<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Wow! Another
great James River Writers conference! This year, I only participated in a
Friday master class and a critique session on Sunday. Those two events were
praise-worthy and if they were any indication, the whole conference was a
winner. Upbeat energy hummed throughout.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The new venue
was attractive and busy with conference-goers and hotel guests. The coffee was
hot, the staff friendly and the lobby was easy to navigate. Can’t do much
better than that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It was wonderful
to catch up with writing friends, some of whom I see only occasionally during
the year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The
pre-conference workshop presented advice and ideas on how to get your novel
published. Even though I’ve heard a lot of the advice before, there were
several excellent ideas that were worth the price of admission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My critique
session was especially good because the agent gave me specific ideas on how to
make my novel better and encouraged me to take it to the next level. I have
homework and I intend to do every bit of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Back to the
advice I opened with: LISTEN! I overheard one agent/editor saying that some of the
authors she’d met with rejected her advice and didn’t want to change their work.
It’s important to not close your mind to ideas that differ from yours. If you
ask for someone’s advice, take time to consider it carefully. It may be just
what you need to rise to the top.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-25466553861039030662014-10-12T14:45:00.000-07:002014-10-12T14:46:23.171-07:00Countdown!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Hazel Buys<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aeBz5FnFHf4/VDr2OzsVGUI/AAAAAAAAAZk/ae-qXnZJpyA/s1600/jrw_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aeBz5FnFHf4/VDr2OzsVGUI/AAAAAAAAAZk/ae-qXnZJpyA/s1600/jrw_logo.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">There’s a list I
check in the fall. It’s a bit like Santa’s run up to his big day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_3"
o:spid="_x0000_s1035" style='position:absolute;flip:y;z-index:251660288;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="320.25pt,23.05pt" to="327.75pt,34.3pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 18px; margin: 29px auto auto 426px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 12px; z-index: 251660288;"><img height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_3" width="12" /></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But my list goes like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_1"
o:spid="_x0000_s1034" style='position:absolute;z-index:251659264;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;
mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="316.5pt,9.35pt"
to="320.25pt,13.1pt" o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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==
" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 8px; margin: 11px auto auto 421px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 7px; z-index: 251659264;"><img height="8" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_1" width="7" /></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Register for James River Writer’s
Conference<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>check!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="height: 7px; margin: 11px auto auto 420px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 7px; z-index: 251668480;"><img height="7" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_6" width="7" /></span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line
id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1032" style='position:absolute;
flip:y;z-index:251662336;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="320.25pt,.75pt" to="327.75pt,12pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 17px; margin: 0px auto auto 426px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 12px; z-index: 251662336;"><img height="17" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_2" width="12" /></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Register for Pre-conference workshop<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>check!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_7"
o:spid="_x0000_s1031" style='position:absolute;z-index:251670528;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;
mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin' from="318pt,7.5pt" to="321.75pt,11.25pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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=
" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 7px; margin: 9px auto auto 423px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 7px; z-index: 251670528;"><img height="7" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_7" width="7" /></span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line
id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" style='position:absolute;
flip:y;z-index:251664384;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="321pt,.75pt" to="328.5pt,12pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 17px; margin: 0px auto auto 427px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 12px; z-index: 251664384;"><img height="17" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_4" width="12" /></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Prepare & pack all workshop materials<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>check!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="height: 8px; margin: 8px auto auto 421px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 7px; z-index: 251672576;"><img height="8" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_8" width="7" /></span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line
id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1028" style='position:absolute;
flip:y;z-index:251666432;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="318.75pt,.7pt" to="326.25pt,11.95pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout; position: relative; z-index: 251666432;"><span style="height: 18px; left: 424px; position: absolute; top: -1px; width: 12px;"><img height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_5" width="12" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Research agent/editor for pitch session<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>check!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_9"
o:spid="_x0000_s1027" style='position:absolute;z-index:251674624;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;
mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="318pt,6.7pt"
to="321.75pt,10.45pt" o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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=
" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="height: 8px; margin: 7px auto auto 423px; mso-ignore: vglayout; position: absolute; width: 7px; z-index: 251674624;"><img height="8" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_9" width="7" /></span><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:line
id="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" style='position:absolute;
flip:y;z-index:251676672;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text' from="321pt,.7pt" to="328.5pt,11.95pt"
o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF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" strokecolor="#ed7d31 [3205]" strokeweight="1.5pt">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
</v:line><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout; position: relative; z-index: 251676672;"><span style="height: 18px; left: 427px; position: absolute; top: -1px; width: 12px;"><img height="18" src="file:///C:/Users/au/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.png" v:shapes="Straight_x0020_Connector_x0020_10" width="12" /></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Look up conference and workshop
locations; plan route<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>check!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Like Santa, I
check it twice and pack up the night before. I know I’ll be more relaxed and
have a better experience at the workshop and conference if I’m well prepared. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Have you
completed YOUR checklist? Only five more days to <s>Christmas</s>, I mean the
2014 James River Writers’ Fall Conference!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-85907803338412871492014-08-25T14:22:00.000-07:002014-08-25T14:28:38.024-07:00A Brave New World: Comic Books as School Textbook<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Hazel Buys</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Imagine! Comics were all but outlawed
in the classroom after World War II, but today, they have clearly gone
mainstream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indeed, comics are explicitly recommended for use in the classroom
if the content supports the state and national curriculum standards. Responding to this opportunity, Josh
Elder has put together an anthology of comic-book style stories, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reading with Pictures</i>, b<span style="color: black;">illed as</span> “Comics that make kids smarter.” </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comic book style short
stories address topics in a variety of subject areas such as Social Studies, Math,
Language Arts and Science, preceded by a useful section at the front, “How to
Read a Comic.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The comic book format means the visuals change with the author
so the reader is treated to a sampling of some of the best comic book art being
produced today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some of the topics are straightforward (how to read Roman
numerals) while others are abstract (probability theory). The biography of
George Washington brings out little known facts (he required his valet to wear
a turban) while embedding his journey to becoming the first President of the
United States in the culture and mores of the times, making it easier for a
young person to relate to him. The Language Arts section includes a story about
the invention of the printing press, an accomplishment of the day that rivals
the development of any modern computer technology. The variety of story-telling
styles matches the wide range of illustration styles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is this an expanding
opportunity for fiction or non-fiction author-illustrators? You bet. Josh Elder’s company,
Reading With Pictures, is counting on it. Learn more at
www.readingwithpictures.org.</span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-52663099828048668402014-07-01T14:14:00.001-07:002014-07-01T14:14:31.381-07:00Book Review
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IN THE SHADOWS</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Kirsten White<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vR-Sn9Q8UBE/U7MkKyuEyvI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ge9F1zS0MmU/s1600/iIn_The_Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vR-Sn9Q8UBE/U7MkKyuEyvI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ge9F1zS0MmU/s1600/iIn_The_Shadows.jpg" height="200" width="136" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Reviewed by Hazel Buys</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bartolo
and White redefine the illustrated novel in this story of devil’s disciples
that transcends genre. A little bit gothic, a little bit sci-fi and a whole lot
fantasy, this layered story of romance, adventure and time travel covers a
century in two slip-streams, one delivered in eloquent prose and the other in illustrations,
boldly drawn and painted images of fear and flight, combat and pursuit. In the
early years of the twentieth century, the lives of four teenagers converge at
an inn in Maine. Two of them, Cora and Minnie, are the daughters of the
innkeeper, a widow. The other two, Thom and his younger brother Charles, who is
slowly dying, arrive in flight from an unnamed danger, sent by their father
under the pretense of seeking respite from city life for the summer. Their
story is told in the prose chapters, beginning with their witness of a hanging
and the disappearance of the body which then reappears, unable to die. The
fifth voyager is Arthur, kingpin and secret-keeper, who understands the danger
that pursues them all. His story unfolds in the illustrations, comprising
chapters that alternate with the prose. Much of the plot unfolds in predictable
ways: parents disappear, bodies come back to life, a secret society of immortals,
the Ladon Vitae, is revealed. These immortals have appropriated power from an
imprisoned devil-child and use it to control people and events, always for evil
ends. The two stories converge at the conclusion where the patience of true
love is rewarded. This is not a novel for readers who prefer their stories in
strictly linear form. But for those willing to read “outside the box,” it
offers an intriguing and imaginative variation on the usual formula. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISBN: 978-0-545-56144-0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-11249624037790152702014-06-17T16:28:00.000-07:002014-06-17T16:28:16.902-07:00Looking in on RCW<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Hazel Buys</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br />
<o:p><br />
</o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aJwb5hDGReU/U6DMpqWLQhI/AAAAAAAAAYI/JgUFpu-q3h8/s1600/Scared_dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aJwb5hDGReU/U6DMpqWLQhI/AAAAAAAAAYI/JgUFpu-q3h8/s1600/Scared_dog.jpg" height="190" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">
</span>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For the past three
to four years I have been working on mystery novels for middle grade.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Recently our
fearless leader at the RCW set out a challenge: write <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">short stories</i> for middle grade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Why do I find
that scary? As I said, I write mystery NOVELS for middle grade. Uh, oh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But I remembered
an artist friend of mine complaining about an exhibition opportunity he’d offered
to his painting friends. He needed small works (I’m talking inches here) for an
exhibit in a small space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">‘I don’t work
small,’ came the reply. My friend’s response was, ‘neither do I, but I’m going
to give it a try.’<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Give it a try.
Powerful wisdom in those four words. I believe I will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Is there
something new and different you’ve dodged lately? Rethink that and give
it a try. <o:p></o:p></span>Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-20675185830627510092014-06-03T13:57:00.000-07:002014-06-03T13:58:53.055-07:00Anatomy of a Writing Retreat<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Chris Sorensen<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Originally posted by
Chris Sorensen at casorensenwrite.wordpress.com, 6/2/14<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cFccM-NhkM0/U442KL7h-tI/AAAAAAAAAX0/9CxLk67oYps/s1600/WritingProcessJune3PostChrisSorensen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cFccM-NhkM0/U442KL7h-tI/AAAAAAAAAX0/9CxLk67oYps/s1600/WritingProcessJune3PostChrisSorensen.jpg" height="120" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had the privilege this
past weekend to attend my first ever writing retreat. Four writers from my
writing group – <a href="http://richmondchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Richmond Children’s Writers</span></a>
– and three from another local group made our way an hour and a half south of
Richmond to Lake Gaston. One of the members had an <i>in </i>with a
condo owner so we got to stay for free (yeah, big plus).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The goals of the retreat
were to:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) have time for writing
and critiquing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) to learn and grow as a
writer through sharing and discussion<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) to have fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mission accomplished. It
was a wonderful experience and couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I
find myself getting comfortable or unmotivated about every 3-4 months and need
that little spark to keep me going. It was perfect!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a pretty
organized schedule, but it was not set in stone. There was time for writing,
critiquing, discussion sessions, eating and just enjoying each other’s company.
Over a two day period, there was probably 10 hours for writing and 10 hours for
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The top 3 things I learned
at the retreat:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- it’s a very positive
experience to sit with other writers and just…write! I’m used to being by
myself and leaving all the distractions behind when I write. But sitting in the
same room with other writers was very rejuvenating and encouraging. All the
clacks of the keyboard, the periodic discussion…there was a great energy. We
were very blessed to have a great group that melded well together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- I need to take more time
to brainstorm and discuss my writing projects with other writers. I am very
blessed to have a critique group, but I need to take more time to interact
about ‘big picture’ subjects and other mechanics of the craft.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- good readers make good
writers! I have fallen out of the habit of reading for pleasure and need to get
back in the groove.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Considering going to a
writing retreat? While this was a group organized retreat and somewhat
informal, I imagine all writing retreats are similar in goal and organization.
Are you stuck in your writing? Do you find yourself lacking writing friends to
brainstorm and commiserate with? Do you have a goal but aren’t sure how to get
there? Are you at the point in your writing where you can give honest critiques
and receive them as well?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 140%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you answered yes, then
it sounds like a writing retreat might be for you! Have a look <a href="http://www.retreatsforwriters.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> for a great tool to help you look for
retreats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know I am looking forward
to doing it again next Spring!</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span>Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-53570675768908294512014-05-13T05:03:00.001-07:002014-05-13T05:03:09.403-07:00Writing Lessons From Old Movies
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Hazel Buys<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEK1fRMaZ3E/U3IJl0I-VPI/AAAAAAAAAXk/orNf3MIETTE/s1600/Casablanca5_12_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEK1fRMaZ3E/U3IJl0I-VPI/AAAAAAAAAXk/orNf3MIETTE/s1600/Casablanca5_12_14.jpg" height="200" width="114" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Remember that
scene in CASABLANCA when the piano player in Rick’s Cafe turns to look at Rick
before playing the accompaniment to the Marseillaise, the French national
anthem? Rick gives an almost imperceptible nod. Rick’s nod was a small
movement, but it set the course for the rest of the movie. Up until then we
weren’t quite sure which side, that of the French Resistance or the occupying
Nazis, Rick would choose. And he had to choose. In that time and place there
was no truly neutral position available. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A tiny gesture,
a short phrase: these can have huge power in your writing. I recently had the
pleasure of reviewing a fellow writer’s story that has a similar turning point.
The protagonist experiences unsolvable problems, confusion, angst, then more
confusion and angst. Just at the perfect moment, a two word sentence describing
a very small action shows us the answer. The rest of the story flowed from that
deceptively subtle and very brief phrase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’ve read that
the pivotal scene described above was an afterthought. The scene was actually a
call back to Humphrey Bogart who thought he’d finished shooting the film. No
other actors were needed. Bogart stood alone on the set, in the shadows at the
edge of the room and nodded. The scene was cut into the film at the proper
place and history was made.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Do you have
history making potential in your story that is waiting for you to discover just
the right words to put in exactly the right place? Work to uncover that moment
and your writing will leap ahead.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-64023248897719843222014-04-17T07:38:00.000-07:002014-04-17T07:42:09.195-07:00Looking in on RCW<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Hazel Buys</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ymaktwQZ9kQ/U0_n1c2ZYBI/AAAAAAAAAXU/exzCwTe6-e4/s1600/text_with_strikethroughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ymaktwQZ9kQ/U0_n1c2ZYBI/AAAAAAAAAXU/exzCwTe6-e4/s1600/text_with_strikethroughs.jpg" height="135" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">
</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It goes without
saying, the words you choose, their power, subtlety, variety and nuance will
elevate your writing or drop-kick it into ho-hum, or worse. At our recent
critique meeting, the members of the RCW were reminded that sometimes we don’t
consider seriously enough <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">each and every</i>
word we write. And that can make a big difference to the success of our
writing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Case in point: the
author of one submission asked if the time period suggested was clear (it was
not set in the here and now). Each of us suggested a time frame for the story
based on clues in the narrative. We all got it exactly right.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What was that
magic? Carefully placed clues and descriptive words pointed directly to the
time frame the author meant to convey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Similarly, making
precise word choices plays an important role in making a story’s setting,
environment and social milieu clear. For example, can the reader tell if a
story is set in the deep south, the northeast or in a village bordering Mexico just
from the vocabulary used? That should be a ‘yes.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The group also
revisited the importance of hooking the reader right away, especially the young
adult reader. We discussed the ingredients of a successful hook. What grabs a
reader from the first word? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Those of us who
write picture books talked about how to make abstract concepts concrete. This
is especially important when writing for the very young. If a character is
loyal, how does the author show this quality without saying so? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What are your
thoughts? What comments would you have made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-7869992464513645032014-04-02T09:14:00.000-07:002014-04-02T09:18:37.037-07:00Book Review<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Hazel Buys</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE SLEEPWALKERS</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh-ztbt0kLE/Uzw2_nuhwWI/AAAAAAAAAW8/GZvdAg9cnH8/s1600/iSleepWalkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zh-ztbt0kLE/Uzw2_nuhwWI/AAAAAAAAAW8/GZvdAg9cnH8/s1600/iSleepWalkers.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Text and Illustrations by Viviane
Schwarz<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
this graphic novel, a child calls a champion to vanquish monsters under the bed
and dreams so bad sleep won’t come, by putting a letter under her pillow. A dog
and two sheep arrive who spirit the dreamer away to a safe house where a third
sheep waits. The sheep and dog give the dreamer a strategy to use the next time
the nightmare comes, giving her control of the dream. The sheep, however, are
ready to retire so they create three apprentices whom they train to take their
places. The apprentices must learn to work together to conquer their own fears
before they can take on the work of the sleepwalkers. The comic book format
uses a loosely drawn and subtly colored illustration style to seamlessly blend
images and words. The narrative operates successfully on several levels as the
sleepwalkers demonstrate how to conquer fears in dreams and in life. Visual
references to the power of writing as a coping mechanism (one of the
apprentices is a pen nib on a bird body), the affirmation of putting on a brave
front (the bear apprentice creates a mask that helps him feel powerful) along
with the strategy of turning a monster into an object of ridicule, create a
faceted approach to conquering bad dreams and monsters that children will relate
to. The hint at the end of the book that the sleepwalkers are as old as human
history is a deft, delightful finish to the story. (Candlewick Press, 2013,
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6230-1).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-85121351458693818482014-03-17T14:32:00.001-07:002014-03-17T14:41:31.953-07:00And The Winner Is.......!<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Hazel Buys<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PpFxjdJ2W38/UydhTdKos5I/AAAAAAAAAVs/wMfp5aJpWp0/s1600/iarrivals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PpFxjdJ2W38/UydhTdKos5I/AAAAAAAAAVs/wMfp5aJpWp0/s1600/iarrivals.jpg" height="189" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On
March 5<sup>th</sup>, a year of planning, promoting, writing and reading came
to a celebrated conclusion. Richmond Children’s Writers wrapped up their
first-ever writing competition for 3<sup>rd</sup> through 8<sup>th</sup>
graders in Chesterfield County with an awards ceremony.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yj_MrQ5rabc/UydhmveRzhI/AAAAAAAAAV4/hEySb0UuhbA/s1600/iBriansOpeningRemarks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yj_MrQ5rabc/UydhmveRzhI/AAAAAAAAAV4/hEySb0UuhbA/s1600/iBriansOpeningRemarks.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Brian Rock emceed the event with wit and
</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">enthusiasm. He introduced the finalists for each grade level and also
introduced our fearless leader, Lana Krumwiede, who gave opening remarks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ml9qjW-3dGM/UydiBn4wXiI/AAAAAAAAAV8/9awH6i6vPig/s1600/iLanasIdeaBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ml9qjW-3dGM/UydiBn4wXiI/AAAAAAAAAV8/9awH6i6vPig/s1600/iLanasIdeaBox.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After finalists for each grade level
were recognized, Brian announced the winner for each grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following students received awards for
Best Entry for their grade levels:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vzJWV7DKLRc/UydjSuTALHI/AAAAAAAAAWM/g5AjcbnJ7co/s1600/iGrandPrizeFinalists.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vzJWV7DKLRc/UydjSuTALHI/AAAAAAAAAWM/g5AjcbnJ7co/s1600/iGrandPrizeFinalists.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 3rd - Bruce Yanovitch –
Winterpock Elementary<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 4th - Matthew Klausner –
Greenfield Elementary<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 5th - Katelyn Domke –
Greenfield Elementary<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 6th - Talyah Rawls –
Midlothian Middle School<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 7th - Rachel Bybee –
Robious Middle School<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 8th - Megan Lee –
Mantoaca Middle School<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hIq8-m-Jgz4/Uydi9sFY8rI/AAAAAAAAAWE/WXY21QhVaYo/s1600/iGuestSpeaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hIq8-m-Jgz4/Uydi9sFY8rI/AAAAAAAAAWE/WXY21QhVaYo/s1600/iGuestSpeaker.jpg" height="200" width="168" /></a> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Bird Cox, Co-Director of Richmond Young
Writers, presented RYW’s generous donation, a grand prize scholarship to one of
the Richmond Young Writers week-long summer camps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXekM5wtPZY/Uydj5YJ-ttI/AAAAAAAAAWU/Cj_nobS40pI/s1600/iGrandPrizeWinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JXekM5wtPZY/Uydj5YJ-ttI/AAAAAAAAAWU/Cj_nobS40pI/s1600/iGrandPrizeWinner.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">An imaginary drum roll announced the
grand prize winner, <strong>Rachel Bybee</strong>, for her story, <strong>JUST OVER THE MOUNTAIN</strong>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vwt1Fiih18k/UydksrSYt4I/AAAAAAAAAWo/lVdnLTa5Xb8/s1600/iClosing_Refreshments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vwt1Fiih18k/UydksrSYt4I/AAAAAAAAAWo/lVdnLTa5Xb8/s1600/iClosing_Refreshments.jpg" height="105" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed cupcakes and punch and talked about the
incredible level of talent and creativity in the submissions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Well done, everyone!!!</span></div>
<br /></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-28931597536701480812014-02-17T13:04:00.001-08:002014-02-17T17:07:17.047-08:00Dinner and PerseveranceThe Richmond Children's Writers and friends had dinner with a visiting author: <a href="http://www.lyndamullalyhunt.com/index.php" target="_blank">Lynda Mullaly Hunt</a>, author of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12926804-one-for-the-murphys?from_search=true" target="_blank">One for the Murphys</a></i>. She was in Richmond doing some author visits, and we had the good fortune of spending an evening with her.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQTIDzQ98XU/UwJ4lLA96fI/AAAAAAAAAcs/DRf2uVSZgZk/s1600/OnefortheMurphys_low-Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQTIDzQ98XU/UwJ4lLA96fI/AAAAAAAAAcs/DRf2uVSZgZk/s1600/OnefortheMurphys_low-Res.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
First of all, have you read <i>One for the Murphys</i>? If not, put it on your to-be-read pile right away. And make sure you have tissues handy. <i>One for the Murphys</i> is an honest look at a girl who finds herself living with a foster family for the first time while her mother is hospitalized. Good stuff!<br />
<br />
Lynda told us an interesting story. She had been working on her manuscript (the original title was "Clip") for many months and was beginning to feel discouraged. She had escaped to a Dunkin Donuts shop to write, and it wasn't a good writing day. She had to struggle to get the words out, and what did come out wasn't that great. She was seriously considering scrapping the whole project.<br />
<br />
As she walked out to the parking lot on her way out, she passed a car with the a customized license plate. It read, simply, "CLIP." She took it as a sign that she needed to persevere, which is exactly what she did. Her book was published by Penguin in 2012, and it has done very well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TxL80ZQsWEw/UwJ4zRF2NYI/AAAAAAAAAc0/CKCwIfCXzWk/s1600/FREAKLING+cover+web+use+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TxL80ZQsWEw/UwJ4zRF2NYI/AAAAAAAAAc0/CKCwIfCXzWk/s1600/FREAKLING+cover+web+use+(2).jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a></div>
Every writer I know has felt like giving up. I was about two-thirds of the way through <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13438522-freakling?from_search=true" target="_blank">Freakling</a></i> when seriously questioned the worth of going on. I had convinced myself that the story was too strange, that no one would ever "get" this story, and that it wasn't marketable. I was ready to forget about the whole thing. Then I read Patrick Ness's <i>The Knife of Never Letting Go</i>--the strangest book I'd ever read, but I loved it. If that book is marketable, then maybe my story has a chance, I thought. It was a slim chance, but enough to keep me going. I finished writing the book and by the following year, an agent found the book not strange but original, and signed me as a client. Soon, I had a book contract for <i>Freakling</i>, and--interestingly enough--it was with the same publisher and the same editor as <i>The Knife of Never Letting Go</i>. Crazy!<br />
<br />
Our message to you is to keep writing! Keep trying new things. If one thing doesn't work, try it a different way. If one project stalls, put it on the back burner and start something else. Must. Keep. Writing!<br />
<br />
To show how serious we are about this, we're hosting a giveaway. The prize is two books, both signed by the authors. The winner will receive <b><i>One for the Murphys</i></b> and <i><b>Freakling</b></i> (newly available in paperback!). Login below to Rafflecopter and enter by following us on Twitter/Facebook and/or sharing the giveaway with your friends! (NOTE: Login information is used to verify valid entries and to contact winners. Your personal email WILL NOT be shared or stored).<br />
<br />
Good luck and don't give up!
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6634d18/" id="rc-6634d18" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Lana Krumwiedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06538049424115986364noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-90312860565664117802014-02-11T14:01:00.000-08:002014-02-11T14:01:07.656-08:00Looking in on RCW
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Our critique
group gathered for its regular meeting last week. Members submitted a variety
of genres and topics which resulted in lively discussions with lots of give and
take.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">One discussion
centered on the different issues a writer has when starting a piece compared to
the process needed for polishing a finished piece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">When a writer wants
to work with an idea (we’re talking fiction here) some kind of outline is developed
(if that is the way the writer works). At the very least, the writer must have
clear ideas about what genre, what time frame, what POV, what setting best suits
a particular idea. Where will the writer start the story and where will it end?
How will the plot unroll so that it is logical but also encompasses twists,
turns, surprises and suspense? This part of the writing process establishes the
underlying structure, or armature, of the piece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">At the other end
of the process, it’s time to polish. The story has setting, plot, characters
and a solid form with a beginning, middle and end. How to get it to shine?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-woZ3aN6Zlc8/UvqdWh8KTsI/AAAAAAAAAVU/Xa3Jv6LX5PU/s1600/text_with_strikethroughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-woZ3aN6Zlc8/UvqdWh8KTsI/AAAAAAAAAVU/Xa3Jv6LX5PU/s1600/text_with_strikethroughs.jpg" height="135" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Take a bird’s
eye view. Look at the writing as a whole, keeping in mind the overall story arc
while carefully reviewing word choice, pacing and consistency of action. Are
the characters well served by every element in the dialogue, does the story
move exactly at the right speed or does the pacing need to be tightened,
loosened? Does the end follow solidly from the beginning? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The writer needs
to let go of his/her ego and make decisions that serve the story best, a story
that, by now should be “speaking” so strongly that it will be fairly easy to
know what to keep and what to change or drop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What about you? How
do you start? How is that process different from putting on the finishing
touches? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">An even bigger
question: how do you know when the polishing is done? That’s a question for
later… stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-71371205321325816792014-02-03T11:46:00.000-08:002014-02-03T11:56:49.495-08:00On the Virtues of Time and Distance<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tkTYMVA8BYA/Uu_0cIylWdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/CPx4Xfhz0h8/s1600/ihourglassHMBpost2-3-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tkTYMVA8BYA/Uu_0cIylWdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/CPx4Xfhz0h8/s1600/ihourglassHMBpost2-3-14.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I’m revising my
first novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>. Golly, did I
really think it was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">done</i>? How did I
miss that awkward phrase, the passive voice and those run-on sentences? I’d
only gone through it about a million times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It has been a
while since I looked at this novel closely. And in the intervening months, I’ve
attended several conferences, had a private critique session with an editor, completed
a second novel and worked deep into a third.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Heck, I’d almost
forgotten what the first novel was all about. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Precisely!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I came back to my
first novel with as fresh a pair of eyes as I’m likely to have. Add to that
perspective, a review of the comments from my critique group (yep, better hang
on to those even after you think you’ve finished with them), advice from the
agent who critiqued the first ten pages of the novel, and the bits and pieces
of wisdom from the presentations, panels and craft-building sessions at the
conferences. I’m astonished at what I didn’t see before. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Which is exactly
what time and distance do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So, how do you
space out your revisions? Are you ever done? Perhaps the real question is not
‘am I done’ but ‘is it done enough’?<o:p></o:p></span>Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-33996949472285737962014-01-27T07:32:00.000-08:002014-01-27T07:32:57.956-08:00Here's to snow days...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HwElDtfvSE/UuZ7vE0mV2I/AAAAAAAAAUo/wexAYGsaG7E/s1600/iSnowDay1-27-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6HwElDtfvSE/UuZ7vE0mV2I/AAAAAAAAAUo/wexAYGsaG7E/s1600/iSnowDay1-27-14.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Soot-black
night retreats, leaving<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Unexpected
gift<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In
grey morning’s frozen white<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I confess to being a creature of habit.
So, ordinarily, I object to having my plans changed suddenly even if the change
agent is something uncontrollable like the weather. Earlier this month, the
announcements of school closings and probable accumulation of snow brought my
plans for a day or two to a screeching halt. I feel compelled to disclose that
I have no school-age children, so having toddlers or teens suddenly underfoot wasn’t
the problem. Still, there were appointments and errands to cancel or
reschedule. But my mood improved as I grasped the opportunities presented by
the disruption. The bad weather was really a gift, if I could change my
attitude. I now had an abundance of writing time; time to ponder, hours of
silence to write or revise, opportunities for taking breaks and then to return
again, to plan, ponder, write and revise. It’s not often I’m able to indulge my
muse like that. So here’s to the gift of a long stretch of uninterrupted time,
a silver lining if ever there was one. Because found time is writing time. So…
what did you do with the gift of unplanned time when the cold and snow brought
everyone and everything to a stand-still last week? I hope you wrote!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-83785303287983122692013-12-16T06:06:00.005-08:002013-12-16T06:08:52.947-08:00Finding Peace and Joy with Writing<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QddfOOca4NI/Uq8I47arFYI/AAAAAAAAAUY/rMyuv8AtNYg/s1600/DoveHollyDebDudleyPost12-16-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QddfOOca4NI/Uq8I47arFYI/AAAAAAAAAUY/rMyuv8AtNYg/s1600/DoveHollyDebDudleyPost12-16-13.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Deb Dudley<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I realized last week that I haven’t written a blog post in
months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, when our lives take
an unexpected turn, it’s difficult to balance everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This past year has been very challenging for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad is very sick, and as much as I hoped
and prayed he’d get better, he hasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the midst of my struggle to cope with what is happening, I
accidentally stopped writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I
just skipped a day or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as the
year progressed, and my dad’s condition worsened, a few skipped days eventually
turned into a few skipped weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It took several months for me to realize I was gradually moving
further and further away from writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thankfully, the month of October would be my turning point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attended the James River Writing Conference
with my good friend Lisa (Elle) Blair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
few times leading up to the event I thought about skipping it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t sure my heart was in it, but
something told me I needed to be there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if I could share one piece of wisdom with
you, it would be this – when something deep inside tells you to do something,
DO IT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because by following my instinct
and going to the JRW conference, I had a front row seat to glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched my dear friend Lisa pitch to an
agent, submit her manuscript and eventually receive the CALL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For any new writer who may not be familiar
with the CALL, there are two earth-rocking types.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The CALL is either (1) An agent – wanting to
discuss representation OR (2) An editor – wanting to discuss the option of
publishing your book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point in
my career, I have not had the pleasure of receiving either type of CALL yet,
but thanks to my writing buddy Lisa, I experienced the next best thing: the joy
and bliss of watching her receive her CALL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m delighted to report that Lisa (Elle) Blair is now represented by
Beth Phelan of The Bent Agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Coming out of October, my excitement for Lisa lifted my
spirits and helped me dive back into writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And as luck would have it, November is THE MONTH for picture book
creativity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my favorite picture
book writers on Twitter, Tara Lazar, dubbed November PiBoIdMo (Picture Book
Idea Month).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I dropped by Tara’s website
and joined over a thousand other writers in a fabulous month filled with
inspiring blog posts and fun giveaways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By November 30<sup>th</sup>, I had over sixty new picture book ideas and
a few new complete manuscripts ready to submit to my critique partners at
Richmond Children’s Writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that the holiday season is in full swing, I am swamped
with additional responsibilities and commitments, but I am happy to say I am
still committed to making writing a top priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the chaos of everything, I know writing
brings me peace and joy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For more information on the two talented ladies I mentioned
above, you can visit their websites:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lisa Blair (pen name Elle Blair):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.elleblair.com/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">www.elleblair.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tara Lazar:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.taralazar.com/"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">www.taralazar.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a wonderful holiday season filled with peace, joy, love
and writing!<o:p></o:p></span>Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-21583231946960862092013-12-02T06:22:00.000-08:002013-12-02T06:25:56.241-08:00Rejection as a Growing Experience<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Chris Sorensen<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph3eEJU3iFU/UpyXJEx63gI/AAAAAAAAAUA/NgQ8H5dT2_M/s1600/RejectedStampChrisSorensenPost12-2-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph3eEJU3iFU/UpyXJEx63gI/AAAAAAAAAUA/NgQ8H5dT2_M/s200/RejectedStampChrisSorensenPost12-2-13.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About two months ago I did something that I have never
done before as a writer – I sent out query letters to literary agents (yikes!).
I have taken advantage of several opportunities to meet with and pitch my
project to agents at writing conferences, but never before have I had to hit
‘send’ on the keyboard with my query attached. It has been a learning
experience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Having other writer friends who have been through the
process, I knew enough to be optimistic, without being unrealistic. Following
the advice of some agents who are active bloggers online, I came up with a list
of 20 agents to start with. From there, I divided them into groups of 5,
starting with the 5 I wanted to work with the most. Of those first 5 agents,
these are results I have from my queries:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-
3 flat out rejections – 2 were form rejections and 1 gave honest, encouraging
feedback of why that agent wasn’t the one for me, but gave me hope by saying
that I was “doing everything right.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-
1 request for first 50 pages – from the initial query, the agent was interested
in reading part of the manuscript; still don’t have final word yet<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-
1 still waiting to respond<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It would be easy to get down and discouraged…”if nobody has
picked it up yet, nobody will”, “why does it have to take so long”, etc. And
those feelings are certainly present, especially after you have put all your
blood, sweat, and tears into your story, your baby. But there is silver lining
in all the rejection, if, as a writer, you are open to looking for it. For
myself, I learned that my query was good enough for a couple of requests, but
something must be missing. The 1 agent who told me I was “doing everything
right” was very sincere and really helped me keep a positive attitude. So
before my next round of submissions, I am going to get some critiques on my
query, synopsis, and first 10 pages (usually what agents request). Then after I
send the next round with my submissions tweaked, <i>hopefully, </i>I’ll get a
more positive response. If not, well then it’s back to the drawing board.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When it’s all said and done, be <i>thankful </i>for rejection,
because it means two things: 1) you are willing to submit your work and as long
as you keep doing that it means you are not giving up and 2) even with
rejection, you are still getting feedback on what directions to take next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy writing!</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937097558082567694.post-49502901556404254692013-11-19T16:34:00.002-08:002013-11-19T16:34:49.324-08:00Writing Conferences Redux
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">By Hazel Buys<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Last time I
wrote about my delight at attending two writing conferences in October: the
James River Writers conference in Richmond, VA, and the MidAtlantic Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference, at the Dulles Holiday Inn,
in northern VA. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Did I mention
there was homework?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The antecedent
to this idea was actually visited upon me at the MidAtlantic SCBWI novel
revision retreat held in Richmond, VA, last June. One of the editors at the
retreat invited us all to submit queries BUT we were instructed to wait a
specified number of weeks after the retreat before submitting. Why? To make use
of the information/advice we’d received over the three days in order to
improve/revise/complete our novels <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i>
submitting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In other words,
make the three days count. It was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">revision</i>
retreat, after all. And the teaching staff gave us extensive advice on how to
do just that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This rubric, I
realized, applies to any conference I attend. There is bound to be lots of advice
given out at any conference, no matter how many revisions you have already done
on any given piece, on how to improve your writing. You can imagine the list of
advice/improvements/ideas for rewriting I had coming off two conferences in one
month!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But I did not
shrink from the challenge. I have spent the last month rewriting/revising and
otherwise improving, checking and polishing the submission I thought I was
ready to send off promptly, when the conferences closed. Good thing, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">My submission is
so much better than I thought it could be!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So, how do <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">you</b> continue to profit from writing
conferences you attend, long after they are over? Be sure to include new ideas
for revision and polishing your work in what you take-away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">It’s the gift
that keeps on giving!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Hazel Buyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13841320712880547510noreply@blogger.com0