Irene Latham's Blog, page 168

A FEW THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD (FOR CASEY ANTHONY)

Debra's post at Four Angels Momma on the Casey Anthony verdict made me want to write a post of my own.

First, I should admit that I haven't followed the court case AT ALL. I try to avoid news as a general rule, but I do read the headlines on my internet home page. Sometimes I even click through for more details.

I haven't done that once with the Casey Anthony trial.

I don't know if she had any part in her daughter's death and can't speak of evidence or lack thereof.

All I know is that a child's life ended too soon and for no reason.

I also know that I have always considered motherhood to be one of the greatest blessings in my life. Like Debra, I cannot imagine waiting 31 days to report my child as missing. Most moms I know are super-caring and take the task of motherhood very seriously. They make sacrifices, they do the best they can to meet the needs of their children -- many times placing those needs above their own individual needs.

There are all sorts of ways to do motherhood right, so many paths to being a responsible parent raising responsible children. We all put our individual stamp on it, and that stamp shifts and changes as we learn and grow and the needs of our children change.

I've always believed that motherhood is the most important thing I will ever do in my life. Motherhood is my opportunity to make a difference in the world. Like the bumper sticker says, MOTHERHOOD IS SACRED.

And this is not to say that those who aren't mothers don't have their own important life journeys and opportunities. I just know motherhood is mine. I am so very grateful for the experience -- hardships and all.

And so I'm sad today for that little girl who will never grow up. And I'm sad for Casey Anthony's mother (and father) too. Look at what they have endured in the name of parenthood. So much grief.

INDEPENDENCE: ONE OF MY FAVORITE WORDS

Why, you ask?

It's an "I" word, like Irene, so that's cool.

And hello, colonialism?? Not for me.

FREEDOM, baby. That's what I'm talking about! I like to make my own choices.

Hope your 4th of July is filled with things that make you happy.

And if you need a good YES story, check out my post at SmackDab in the Middle entitled "When YES is Not Quite Fireworks." (The monthly theme is on our biggest YES moments during the publication journey. Good stuff!)

TWO NOVELS IN VERSE ON MY NIGHTSTAND

Question for those who love words:

Is there a better name than novels in verse for these books with short lines that may or may not be poetry?

There MUST be.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Because I adore books in this format. But I think "novel in verse" sets the expectation for poetry. And I don't think many novels in verse actually ARE poetry. Nor do they need to be.

And really, if you want to chase the mainstream reader away from a book, tag it with "verse" or "poetry." I'd love to see a new name emerge!

Meanwhile, here's what's waiting for me:

THE DAY BEFORE by Lisa Schroeder. Have been waiting and waiting for this one! Lisa's YA books are always so romantic... can't wait.


And SONG OF THE SPARROW by Lisa Ann Sandell. Not sure how I missed this one, but it's from 2007. And it's a take on the Arthurian legend, which I lovelovelove! VERY excited to read.


For more poetic goodness, visit Andromeda for Poetry Friday Roundup!

CONFESSIONS OF A CHRONIC SCRAPAHOLIC

Ever since the rise of Creative Memories, I have been a scrapbooker. (This should come as no surprise to those of you who read this blog regularly-- I've often described our many Scrapbook Retreats.)

I love arts and crafts.
I love photography.
And I'm a wee bit nostalgic. (Although, for a great argument AGAINST nostalgia, see Woody Allen's new film MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. If the nostalgia keeps you from fully engaging in the present, then, yes, out with the old!)

So. Combine 16 years and 3 sons and 4 brothers & sisters who come complete with families, that's a lot of scrapbooks! (I estimate 2500 pages, all told.)

And those are just the family albums.

Okay, so, all great and wonderful. Until those tornadoes whipped through Alabama two months ago.

It got me thinking: what if?

What if that happened to my house, me, my scrapbooks??

So I decided I needed to make a digital record.

I decided to remove the plastic covers and photograph each page of each scrapbook.
Here's my stack for today:

It requires natural light. No shadows. So I set up shop in my bathroom. And I try to make myself available for the window of time when the light is just right.

So far I've gotten through all the family albums. Today I hope to finish with the vacation albums. Then there are the kids' baby books, which will be labor intensive, as they contain documents I'll want to remove and photograph as well.

Here's a double page spread I'll photograph (as singles) later today, from our 2002 trip to Wyoming:

And that's pretty much the end of my scrapbooking days. At least of the cut and paste variety. For 2011, I'm going all-digital. It just makes sense, you know?

Except these crafty hands MUST. HAVE. A. PROJECT.

Suggestions, anyone?

BOOKS THAT FEATURE IMAGINARY FRIENDS

I've read two books in recent days that feature protagonists with imaginary friends. These characters are not young children, as you might expect. One is 14, the other 31. Both girls.

Okay. The best book first: THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine McCaughrean.
When I heard my friend/fellow writer/former clown/current brilliant person Ashley rave about this one, my interest was piqued. Ashley don't play; she likes GOOD books. And oh boy, THIS ONE IS GOOD.

It's Sym's story. Sym who's 14 and has an imaginary friend she calls Titus.

Titus is also Oates, one of the explorers in Scott's expedition to the South Pole. He died. But in Sym's mind, he is very much alive. He is both anchor and guide for Sym. He's funny, and he gets her. In short, Titus is her very best friend.

THE WHITE DARKNESS is a book for language lovers. And it's for those of us who crave that sense of transportation in a reading experience. You will feel the fierce beauty of the ice, you will hear see taste touch it.

This book is also for those who love adventure, history, obsession. Because doesn't discovery take all three? Ultimately it asks the question, how far should one go for their obsessions? Is discovery worth death?

READ THIS BOOK. You can view a more complete review at TeenReads.com It's no wonder it won the Printz. Totally deserving.

And now for book two that features an imaginary friend: SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S by James Patterson & Garbrielle Charbonnet.
It's a great premise: girl in love with her imaginary friend from childhood. It's told in both the girl's and the imaginary friend's voice.

Do yourself a favor and just watch the Lifetime movie instead. Link to trailer found here.

Any other books you can think of that feature imaginary friends? I'd love to hear about them in comments.

For more book talks,visit the Lemme Library!

POETRY TIPS FROM REBECCA KAI DOTLICH

You know it's a good retreat when two weeks later you're still buzzing with words and ideas. And since I promised to pass along tips picked up at the retreat... and since it's Poetry Friday... well, here it is!

1. Keep a writing notebook. Jot down words you run across in poems, books, life in general.

I have long done this -- in fact the project that's consumed me the past two weeks is one I unearthed in a writing notebook from about a year ago. I had mapped out a whole collection using visual notetaking, which, if you haven't tried it, is a great exercise for writers who spend so much time in the Land of Words. Try pictures. It'll open your mind!

2. For teaching poetry (which I often do), use A CELEBRATION OF BEES by Barbara Jester Esbensen.

3. When considering a subject for the children's market, go back to your own childhood. Ask your 5 or 8 or 10 year old self things like this:

What did I wish for?
What did I dream of?
What was I afraid of?

Use the answers for subjects or content of poems. You basically want to mine the small moments of daily life and pack them with those emotions you remember from your own childhood.

4. If submitting a collection of poems for a picture book, send in 24 poems.

5.If trying to shape your own career as a children's poet, read bios of other children's poets to see how their careers were shaped.

6. Write as if your audience is blind or has never seen what is in your poem.

7. Collect paint chips from paint stores for great color words.

8. Look for the unusual slant, the unique perspective. You want to surprise your reader!

9. For an inexpensive look at what children's poets are currently writing, check out www.poetrytagtime.com, an e-anthology available for download for just 99 cents!

10. When submitting, adopt an "I'll show you" attitude regarding rejections. Allow rejections to inspire you to improve and grow as a writer. Never give up!

And, this one from me: if you ever have the opportunity to learn from Rebecca, DON'T MISS IT! I got exactly what I needed from the retreat, and I am so very grateful. I would have packed Rebecca in my suitcase and carried her home, but... she had new grandsons to meet. I love thinking about Rebecca reading the little fellas lots of poems.

Don't forget to visit Carol at Carol's Corner for Roundup!

INTROVERTED MUCH?

Earlier this week a sweet friend invited me to bring my kids and hang out at the pool with her and some other mutual friends.

Nice, right?

But I don't really enjoy the pool. Nor do my kids.

I don't like sunscreen or sunburn or "laying out." I get cranky in the heat. I don't like the noise or the splashing or the sheer busy-ness of it all. So many people!

And I know, I know, this makes me sound so very un-cool, like what's wrong with that family, don't they know how to have fun?

I assure you, we DO. It's just our definition of fun is highly influenced by the fact that we are family of introverts. (Give us the pool, at night -- or even better, a lake! or ocean! --just us... now THAT sounds like fun!)We like our space. We like quiet. Yes, we like people, but in small(er) doses.

Which is why tonight, I'm going with another friend to see the Birmingham Museum of Art's Who Shot Rock & Roll? It's a photographic journey through the history of rock & roll. Even though there will be lots of people, it will also be intimate as me and my friend experience it together, just us two. It will be stimulating and inspiring. And no sunscreen needed. :)

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

On my own today, as Janet and Jame headed today for home. Miss you, Ladies!




What have I been doing?

Well, I'll tell you: I've been writing more poems. From my balcony. That overlooks the San Diego Bay. If you turn sideways.

Life is good.

But I sure do miss being with my most favorite fathers on Father's Day.

Home tomorrow, kids! Yippee!!

SAN DIEGO, SO FAR

Here we are at YELLOW BOOK ROAD signing books:

Here's the books I brought home: (other authors, do you have this affliction, too? Every signing I go to, I end up buying a slew of books!)

Another pic at the signing, this one with owner-extraordinaire Ann Weiner:

If you're looking for me and Jame at the hotel, go to the 12th floor and look for this Sweet & Low packet. (We are VERY sweet & low, let me tell you.)

Okay, have you ever seen a conference goodie bag with real, ACTUAL books??! Here's what each of the 300 attendees get to take home:

...and not just books. SWAG. Lots.

The best part so far: reconnecting with Jame Richards and Janet Fox. Love those gals!

FIVE FOR FRIDAY

1. I'm in San Diego!


Reading/signing/fun this afternoon with the lovely Jame Richards & Janet S. Fox at The Yellow Book Road, 4:30 pm.

2. Tomorrow we'll be presenting "How to Put the Y in YA Historical Fiction" at 2011 Historical Novel Society conference. For updates,etc., follow #hns11 on Twitter.

3. I have written 8 - that's right: EIGHT!!! - poems since last weekends Poetry Retreat. (Was I in a rut, or was I in a rut?! Holy moly, so very wonderful when the words fly. Or DIVE, as the case may be....)

4. I'm reading Gary Schmidt's LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMISTER BOY. If I'd read this one first, I would have known just what to expect with OKAY FOR NOW. I've already dog-eared a bunch of pages to revisit.

5. After San Diego, no appearances for me for a while. We are homeschooling youngest son, so I will be keeping it close to home for the next calendar year. I'm excited about this new chapter. (Aren't new chapters awesome?)

Happy Friday, all! Don't forget Poetry Friday Roundup with Jone at Check it Out.