Marcia Thornton Jones's Blog, page 51

Let's have it Both Ways

by Charlotte Bennardo

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood (Pexels)

This month's prompts are optimism/forward thinking or if snowed in, what would we like to achieve? I'm combining the two. If snowed in (or rained in or 'too cold to go outside' in) I want to finish the first rough draft of my MFA thesis, a novel of approximately 70,000 words which must be written, critiqued, and refined before I graduate in July 2023. By thinking about it now and getting an early start, that's forward thinking. Getting it done makes me optimistic because I believe I will have a novel that's ready to go out on sub even before I take the walk for my diploma. I tend to think like this for all my writing. I get an idea I'm optimistic about, I start thinking and planning even in the midst of working on other projects or situations, and then when I put one project aside to 'rest' before serious editing, I metaphorically go into a cave and get the next story draft done. In today's publishing community, a serious author must be optimistic to keep on writing, forward thinking to create stories with fresh appeal, and realistic about confining ourselves to the writing chair to actually do the writing. For me, it's a routine that works. Talk to almost any author and they can tell you about numerous ideas they have for other works, about the two or three ideas they're working on simultaneously, and how hopeful they are about the stories. 

Whether it's writing, planning a garden, or completing an MFA, optimism, forward thinking, and 'locking' oneself down to do the work is a successful routine.

Charlotte writes MG, YA, NA, and adult novels in sci fi, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal genres. She is the author of the middle grade Evolution Revolution trilogy, Simple Machines, Simple Plans, and Simple Lessons. She co-authored the YA novels Blonde OPS, Sirenz, and Sirenz Back in Fashion. She has two short stories in the Beware the Little White Rabbit (Alice through the Wormhole) and Scare Me to Sleep (Faces in the Wood) anthologies. Currently she is working on several novels for both children and adults. She lives in NJ with her family, two demanding cats, and a crazy squirrel couple who just moved into her backyard oak tree.

My Agent Is Trying to Kill Me (and I Love Her for It)

When asked what I would do if I were snowbound, I immediately thought, "Edit my book, of course," and then I mentally added, "AGAIN." 

My agent, Abi, has become a dear friend of mine. I absolutely adore her, so why is she trying to kill me?

I've been working on a rather ambitious manuscript for over a year now. Every time I think I'm finally done, she has just a few more edits. I forget what round I'm on right now.

A couple of weeks ago, Abi sent me a few more edits, and I thought, "Okay, I can handle this," and then a few days later, she sent me an email. She'd gotten one of her interns to read the manuscript also, and the intern also had a few suggestions. What's kind of irritating about this is that the intern is obviously bright and the suggestions were quite good. Darn you, brilliant whippersnapper! Now I have even MORE work to do!

I'm an impatient person by nature, and a big part of me just wants to be DONE. But every time we do another round together, the manuscript gets better and better. And I love Abi for that because a lot of agents would be fine with just slapping something together and sending it out and trying to make a quick buck instead of putting in the work to make it just right. I'm not the only one putting in the work: Abi is going above and beyond for me. I appreciate her, and the smart up-and-coming intern who will probably become a fantastic editor or agent in the next few years.

But yeah, they are kinda sorta killing me. 

Anybody got a cabin where I can get snowed in for a week or two? 

Ginger Rue's current book, Wonder Women of Science, is co-authored with rocket scientist Tiera Fletcher, who is currently working with NASA on the Mars mission. The book profiles a dozen amazing women (besides Tiera!) who are blazing new trails in their respective STEM fields.

Snow Days (Holly Schindler)

Here in Missouri, winter hits the hardest after Christmas. If you want proof, here's a video I uploaded to YouTube back in '13--about a snow that fell in early May (!)

Snow days are easy to come by this time of year. 

Of course, when I was the age of the kids who read my MGs, snow days meant escape. They meant an unexpected reprieve. No spelling tests. No fights in the cafeteria. 

Even now, they sill feel like escape, to some extent. An escape from the quick pace of everything, anyway. I love the quiet of snow days. I love hot tea and thick socks. I love watching my dog jump in the midst of the falling snowflakes. I love cozying up with a book I've been meaning to read.

I love that the whole world seems to slow down for a bit. That the roads are empty and the neighbors ask if there's anything we need. 

I don't usually write 5,000 words during snow days. Mostly, I brainstorm while shoveling the front walk. 

Then again, sometimes I just breathe deep and listen to the kids playing down the street. 

And maybe, on occasion, I throw a snowball or two myself...

An Armature and a Block Walk into a Bar: Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun

An armature and a marble block walk into a bar--oops, make that my writer's imagination stealing metaphors from sculpture. Some sculptors start with a block of marble and chip away to find the shape waiting in the block. Others create an armature out of metal, for example, and then pack on clay to build up the shape.

In a recent discussion about finding the shape of a story or poem (not in a bar!) one writer described her process as the armature method of building up a sculpture. I realized my own process is the block method. I feel the whole story is hidden in the block waiting for me to find it. My job is to set it free.

If I were writing a story from an outline, the armature process would make more sense to me. I never begin with an outline, more of an idea. I don't know what my story or poem is until my imagination uses the tools and engages with the actual materials--the words, the specifics of details, characters, actions.

However, in later drafts, once I have the story into a shape, my process changes to the armature method. I have my structure, so I start adding a bit more muscle to the bicep, more depth to the eyes. An action here, a detail or scene there. Now I'm molding the clay.

What are you? An armature or a block? Contemplating this metaphor can help you understand your writing process better, and how you might augment it by trying the other approach.

Now let me buy you a drink . . . 

Interview with Tina Wells, Author of The Zee Files

I (Holly Schindler, administrator of Smack Dab) was thrilled to chat with Tina Wells, the author of the utterly delightful Zee Files:

Let’s start with the elevator pitch. Short and sweet: Tell us what The Zee Files is all about.

The Zee Files is a coming-of-age series that follows Mackenzie “Zee” Carmichael from sunny LA to boarding school outside of London. She’s trying to balance a personal transformation with a lot of newness - new friends, new school, new home city.

Tell us a bit more about your protagonist. How did you go about crafting her? (As a side-note, I was instantly sucked in by the picture of her on the cover. I was one of those kids who got stuck in glasses early, and I never saw main characters in them. Even a little thing like glasses would have been so important to me as a young girl.)

I've been writing about Zee for almost 15 years. First in my series, Mackenzie Blue, and now in The Zee Files. What I love about Zee is that she is not perfect and she is not trying to be. She realizes she has struggles just like anyone else, and she’s just trying to manage while enjoying her life. Her style is unique and her approach to different situations is unique as well. 

And I’m glad you picked up on that! I’ve worn glasses since I was Zee’s age, and mine were not stylish at all! I still have nightmares about those hideous glasses! I have always wanted Zee to feel relatable to my readers, and I hope that she does.

I think all kids are afflicted by the fish-out-of-water feeling to some extent. Is that why you chose to send Zee on an international adventure?

Definitely. When I’m writing a series, I always think about the 40% of content that should feel very relatable and the 60% that should be fun and pure escapism. So you end up with fancy boarding school but just like me vibes.

You address some serious issues here as well. Did you find it difficult to address those issues without breaking the tween voice? 

Not at all. I just love tweens. I have a niece who’s a tween. She can have a very adult conversation in one moment and then need a bit of a boost in another. I’ve spent over 20 years marketing to a younger demographic and I always felt we shouldn’t talk down to them or make them grow up too fast. That’s the area I like to live in.

What’s your writing process like? Plotter or pantser?

Oh goodness! Depends on the day. For me, it’s characters first and creating the strongest group of personalities I can to keep the stories going for books and books.

How was it working with a writing partner? Does it change your approach to a book?

I’m on my 10th book with my writing partner, Stephanie Smith. She and I really work like yin and yang and she is just so brilliant and what she does. She has such great instincts and She takes my big ideas and builds beautiful stories and arcs. She is really a dream collaborator.

We have many authors who follow Smack Dab. They’re always curious: What was the acquisition process like?

Well, I have a very unorthodox path with this series. I partnered with Target and this series lived there exclusively for over a year. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to debut there (on the back cover of the weekly ad, no less!). It has been great to really build the audience there, but the highlight was the inclusion of the book in a holiday television ad! We took a chance on a big idea and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the partnership.

What’s next for Zee?

Oh, I have so many more stories to write for Zee. But there’s a lot of other things to explore, too. TV, film, merchandise…so much more to come. 

What’s next for you as an author?

More books to come in The Zee Files and Honest June, as well as the debut of a new series this fall, called The Stitch Clique. I really hope my readers enjoy all of these books as much as I do!

Where can we keep up with you online?

www.tinawells.com, @tinawells_ on Instagram.

Snowing into March

In Wisconsin, it’s an ongoing joke that the state will go through all its seasons in one week. Or for those with a really dark sense of humor, seasons will go through a whole day. 

I hail from the most northern county of Wisconsin, which sees snow much of the year. Now that I’ve moved about two zones southwest, I’m amused that there is not nearly the amount of snow there is up north. As I write this, snow is melting off the porch into puddles that the birds are splashing in. 
A good snowstorm has its romantic sides as well - that sort of isolation is a topic I often choose in my writing. What will people do when trapped by the weather? What will it unlock in them? How will people react with people they barely know under such frightening white-out conditions. 
My work in progress keeps getting pushed back in lieu of other writing deadlines, but its focus is on a snowstorm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Lake Superior. A group of teenagers becomes snow-stuck on an island during an early raging great lake winter storm. Snow means power is often lost, and cold sets in at a dangerous level. Food supplies can run low and driveways closed in.  
Those of raised under such conditions can either crumble or thrive under such a storm. I tend to find myself on the opposite than most when the flurries begin. I enjoy it - though I’m fortunate to have grown up with both a mother and father would could operate and cook on a wood stove, who always kept jugs of water in the basement for bathing, cooking, flushing, washing. We always had stocks of candles and batteries and flashlights. The walls were always covered in book shelves in the rec room - with also had a wood stove. We read and ate stew off the fire and played games by candlelight. 
As we launch into spring, I’m sad to see the flakes go, but excited for what spring will bring (probably more snow, it’s Wisconsin). 
AM Bostwick

"It's just my favorite time of year. The world changes when it snows. It's quiet. Everything softens.” -Gilmore Girls

Snowbound? Not Here

If I'm not mistaken, I'm the only Alaskan contributor to this blog, and to be honest, the idea of being snowbound plays very differently here. With our four-wheel-drive vehicles, studded tires and vast experience in winter driving, even with the heaviest of snows, we are seldom truly stuck. This past Christmas, however, was a little different.

We hadn't had a great deal of snow by December. Four of my children are downhill skiers, and the youngest, especially, was desperate for some good snow. We finally got a large snowfall over Christmas break, and everyone rejoiced! What came next - an unseasonably warm spell with heavy rainfall - is something that was unheard of when I was a kid, but is becoming depressingly regular. The rain created a heavy ice crust over the top of the new snow, ruined the roads, the ski runs, and made the snowload on roofs dangerously heavy.

My library ended up with a leak caused by an ice dam on the school roof, which caused wet ceiling panels to collapse on my circulation desk, killing my computer but miraculously only damaged two books. That was a pain, certainly, but the worst part about the storm was that all the places I drive to in order to walk my dogs off-leash remained unplowed for weeks. When the back roads finally got plowed enough, we were able to get out on some beautiful and isolated walks. Pictured above is my third favorite walk. (Yes, I rank my walking places!) We were never truly snowbound, but our lives were affected and, in some ways, we are still feeling it. The roads, which got heavily iced, are still bumpy and rough three months later. The entrance to my very favorite dog-walking trail never did get plowed out, and so I haven't been able to get out there all winter. 

When the storm was predicted and arrived, I most certainly had fantasies about what I'd do. I would curl up with a fuzzy blanket and a bottle of wine and read all those books I'd brought home over break. I would finally get my writing groove back and sit down to revise the new-adult romance I've been working on. I would exist on canned soup and ice cream. My house would stay miraculously clean with no effort. Of course, none of those things happened. Because the ski area was closed, I had a very bored 12 year old on my hands. Keeping him entertained became my job because I'm Mom, and that's what Moms do. He had received a pair of plastic pop guns that shot big foam balls. We ended up turning off all the lights and having epic battles where we raced around the house and the dogs chased us and barked and tried to eat the foam balls. Was this what I had planned? Certainly not. But it ended up being the most memorable part of a very strange Christmas break, and one that I will never forget. 

We always have those pipe dreams . . . what would I do if the family all went on vacation and left me blissfully alone in the house for three days? What if my husband and I could actually go on a vacation together somewhere without any kids? What if I could get the house completely organized and keep it that way? The dreams seldom come to pass. What we are left with is our own messy realities, and while they may not measure up to what we'd imagined, there is much loveliness to be found if you only look. While my days of wine and reading didn't happen, I created a happy childhood memory for my son and chalked up a parenting win for me. And each time I continue to find one of those foam balls around the house - yep, still finding them - I will remember.

History In The Making

 History is knowledge, identity, and power, said Lerone Bennett Jr.,  senior editor and in-house historian of EBONY magazine. “History is knowledge because it is a practical perspective and a practical orientation. It orders and organizes our world and valorizes our projects.” 

In these historic times, as an independent people fight for their sovereignty, I am reminded of our own internal struggle that continue the ongoing complex struggles to define  and maintain democracy.  

For today’s post, I share these resources for children that may help them understand more about the war and about Ukraine.

Deborah Farmer Kris of PBS offers some suggestions about how to talk to kids about Ukraine. As Kris offers, books are a great way to open up younger children’s understanding of the world and foster empathy. These three picture books about refugees can help kids get a better understanding of this and other conflicts around the world:

1. "What Is a Refugee?" (Ages 3-7) by Elise Gravel . This book is a simple, accessible introduction to what it means to be a refugee.

2. "Lubna and Pebble" (Ages 4-8) written by Wendy Meddour and illustrated by Daniel Egnéus. A young girl holds on to her special pebble at a refugee camp — only to give it to a child who needs it even more.

3. "Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey" (Ages 4-8) written by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes; illustrated by Sue Cornelison. The true story of how aid workers in Greece helped an Iraqi refugee family reunite with their beloved pet.

From World KidLit Month Translate This, translators Hanna Leliv and Anna Walden share their recommendations of Ukrainian books: ones already in translation and ones that ought to be translated! 

Patricia Polacco’s many picturebooks  books features Ukrainian folklore and family stories from when she grew up in Ukraine. And for a special treat comes this video From Reading Rhino, performing Rechenka’s Eggs.

Check out these books at your local library from master storyteller, Eric Kimmel.  These include The Spiders Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story (2010) and The Bird’s Gift: A Ukrainian Easter Story (1999).

From Ukrainian-Canadian children’s writer, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch      features Ukraine in her stories, including the riveting story of Silver Threads (1996).  

 

Ukraine Colors From Wikipedia

To create change, states Elizabeth Partridge (2020), “…requires heroic, courageous people who dare to defy the prevailing narrative.”

-- Bobbi Miller

Excited to see a new "normal" -- By Jennifer Mitchell

Two years ago (exactly to the day) I put my daughters on a flight in Springfield, Missouri bound for Florida to visit their grandparents.  By the time the week was over we were panicked that we might not even be able to get them home.  The pandemic took over during that week, and has changed the course of so many things.  

As a teacher, it has changed so many of the “normal” things that we used to do daily (that I had taken for granted).  After that week, we didn’t return to in-person teaching for the rest of the year.  Once we did so many safety procedures were put into place that things didn’t really resemble what they used to be in the classroom.  To be honest, I was just so happy to be back teaching in person anything seemed great though!

Fast forward to where optimism plays in with this month’s topic.  It has been two years, but things are slowly starting to change back to pre pandemic practices (and it feels so great)!  Last month we were able to take a field trip to Kauffman stadium, where the Royals play. That may not seem like much, but for these kids who were in kindergarten when the pandemic shut things down, this was their first experience taking a field trip in elementary school!  Kids are now able to partner read again, sit on the carpet together, have desks in arrangements other than rows, eat in the cafeteria, play together at recess, etc.  It feels so good to be taking baby steps back to what it used to look like in a classroom.  Though I am proud of all of the obstacles we managed to overcome, these last two years in education; I am so excited to make progress towards getting back to some of the things I have missed so much in education.  This is the best kind of optimism I can think of!

(Sitting in the dugout at Kauffman Stadium)

Jennifer Mitchell-- teacher in the Kansas City area 

MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: Rebels, Reformers & Revolutionaries Who Changed the World Through Writing.

    

     In a recent book giveaway, I was the lucky recipient of a middle grade non-fiction book by author ROCHELLE MELANDER (Illustrated by MELINA ONTIVEROS).

 MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: Rebels, Reformers & Revolutionaries Who Changed the World Through Writing seems like a perfect book in keeping with this month's themes. What better inspiration is there than the heroes of the past who used the written word to create changes in their world.

Throughout history, people have picked up their pens and wielded their words--transforming their lives, their communities, and beyond. Now it's your turn! Representing a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, Mightier Than the Sword connects over forty inspiring biographies with life-changing writing activities and tips, showing readers just how much their own words can make a difference. Readers will explore nature with Rachel Carson, experience the beginning of the Reformation with Martin Luther, champion women's rights with Sojourner Truth, and many more. These richly illustrated stories of inspiring speech makers, scientists, explorers, authors, poets, activists, and even other kids and young adults will engage and encourage young people to pay attention to their world, to honor their own ideas and dreams, and to embrace the transformative power of words to bring good to the world.

Here is my review for this interesting and entertaining collection:

"A fascinating glimpse of how history and cultures around the world shared one common trait: the use of the written word to share ideas, change minds, break stereotypes, and blaze trails. This volume highlights these people from all walks of life who used writing to change their world and make a difference during their era. Should be part of every classroom writing program."

Darlene Beck Jacobson hopes that some of the things she's written have made people see the world in a new way.