Marcia Thornton Jones's Blog, page 58

The Scariest Thing (Holly Schindler)

 I'm a big Halloween buff. The costumes, the chilly fall nights, the horror movies and novels...

But those are all fun scares. Play scares. As Charlotte so wisely put it in her post this month, fears change as you age. 

Case in point--this little guy:

I'm not making a small-dog oh-so-ferocious joke. That's my dog, Gus, and he has epilepsy. 

Seizures are scary. They're scary because you never know when they're coming and because you don't know how bad they'll be. He had one in August that sent us to the vet for an emergency visit. He had one last night, and thanks to all the reading I've been doing in canine epilepsy forums, I used an ice pack and eye compressions, and was able to help him out of it relatively quickly, without having to use the heavy-duty cluster buster protocol we got from the vet. (We've also been on daily meds ever since the August episode.)

I think, as you age, your fears for the people and creatures in your life become so much bigger than the fears you ever had for yourself. Seeing them hurt or suffer or worry is its own kind of torture, really. What keeps me up at night are worries about the creatures I love, far more than worries about me ever do.

Gus is a real sweetheart, by the way. He's doing really well; the thing about epilepsy is that, when they're not seizing, they're perfectly fine. (Just got to remember the meds.) One thing Gus has taught me is that luck is relative. Maybe he's not lucky to have epilepsy. But if he was always going to have epilepsy, I hope he's lucky to be with me and my family--where we all work from home, and we're able to care for him.

Maybe that's what fear does--the fear for the important creatures in our lives, anyway. It pushes us to be better people for the ones we love. 

~

Holly Schindler is the author of The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky, which has recently re-released and now comes with a corresponding activity book. Check HollySchindler.com for details.

Does THIS Scare You? I'm Petrified...

 By Charlotte Bennardo

What scares me? If you asked me that when I was five, then twelve, then twenties, and then now- the answers would all be so different. What scared me as a child, monsters under the bed or in the closet, shadows in the corner of the room, obviously as an adult don't. Heck I can even go into the basement in the middle of the night, only a dim light on, and not think anything about it. In later years, seeing The Exorcist gave me nightmares for years. Even in college, seeing the movie Alien likewise gave me nightmares. I was living in upstate New York, by myself, and even though I knew there was no way the alien was on earth, it still affected me. What changed? As we age, reality tells us that no way can a monster fit under the bed with all the dust bunnies and shoes, or in a packed closet. Then, we know for sure Frankenstein and Dracula can't possibly be true. I can watch the entire Alien series and not even twitch when the darn thing bursts out of a crewmember's stomach. 

Photo by Merlin Lightpainting from Pexels

But now, what scares me is reality: not monsters, but death of loved ones and self, suffering from disease or misfortune (being somewhat clumsy, that's a BIG fear), the world my children are inheriting, war, killing the earth, and honestly, the degradation of society as we turn on each other. Monsters always have a weakness (just have to find it in time, but someone always does), but I feel helpless against my current fears. My only hope is that this fear expands enough so that we do something to make our situation better, and I can sleep more peacefully at night. We all need to be reassured.

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 was working on several novels for both children and adults, but is chasing down her MFA in Creative Writing for the next 20 months. She lives in NJ with her family, two demanding cats, and a crazy squirrel couple who just moved into her backyard oak tree.

A Deadlines Haiku

 So many deadlines.

No time for anything else.

Not even to blog. 

Ginger Rue's latest 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.

Cassandra Speaks: Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun

 Cassandra Speaks: When Women are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes by Elizabeth Lesser is will startle your imagination wide open. I'm fascinated that this book about women speaking is also about the many ways, through the myths and stories of history, women have been silenced. Speaking is power. Storytelling is power, because it shapes our world. 

In part one, Lesser discusses origin stories and figures like Eve, Pandora, Galatea. What if Eve had told the story of what happened in the garden? In part two, Lesser examines what it means for women to have power. How do we shape a contemporary, non-dominant, cooperative version of power? In part three, she provides tools for reshaping our ideas about our own voices, stories, and power.

I highly recommend this book for any woman writing, any woman trying to find and speak from the power of her own voice.

A Smile Can Change Your Life Outlook

When I hear about a smile or learning to smile, I always think back to my late teenage years when I met a new friend. She was my supervisor at an office where we both worked. I remember her greeting me at the door with a wide smile that lit her eyes and made her whole person glow. 

That first day at the office with my new supervisor, I watched as she walked through the large offices and saying hello to so many people, always with that big beautiful smile. 
As a child, I was serious and a bit solemn. I was shy and often on guard and defensive.  Smiling was not my thing. 
But seeing my new friend and how much joy and light she gave and received in return, I slowly tried to try the same approach. A smile made me feel better most days, and I noticed how much easier it was to go about the social world with a bit of openness. There are times when someone else’s smile has made my day, and I hoped I did the same, the same way my friend did for me. Going out and about through life and school and work had much more grace and, I think, made me more friends than I would have otherwise. 
Today, all these later, we are still friends. We live a distance apart, but write letters and catch up over lattes every summer. She's a teacher and - with a smile - introduces her middle school students to my middle grade books. I'm even smiling on the back cover. 
Happy reading! 

What Makes Librarians Smile?

 There are all kinds of librarians in this world. Research librarians, digital librarians, music, science, archival. For any kind of information out there, there's a librarian for that. There are probably all different kinds of things that make those librarians smile; a perfectly organized shelf, a beautifully crafted MARC record, weeding egregiously outdated tomes. Myself, I am a children's librarian, and what makes me smile the most is when kids love books. 

I want to tell you all about one of my favorite students. I'll call her Joy (not her real name) for the happiness she brings to this librarian's heart every Monday. Joy is in sixth grade this year. She started at my school in second grade, and I had her again for third and much of fourth grade. Then . . . . Covid happened, and her family opted to homeschool her and her twin sister (who is also a peach!) for all of fifth grade. She is back this year, and I am so glad I get to have one more year with these girls before they move on to middle school. 

The specific reason that Joy is such a delight, is that every week, after the lesson, she comes up to me and asks me for recommendations. And, with only a very rare exception, she reads every single book I push into her hands. I can't tell you how thrilling it is to a librarian to have a child consistently take your suggestions. By now, I know just the type of book she likes, although I do try to push her into other genres just a bit. I find myself pondering before her class comes in, 'which books will I recommend to Joy this week?' The only difficulty for me now, is that she has read so many books that it's hard to find things she hasn't read. More and more, I can only recommend my newest titles. After we wander around the library and I hand her books, we walk over to check them out, and she has a nice pile of about five or six. Usually, she is done with all of them by the next week.

I work with 400+ children every week. For the most part, it's fun, but it can be complicated, busy and stressful, and not every child is completely lovable, well-behaved or fun to be around. It's kids like Joy and her sister that make every bit of difficulty worth it.

For this elementary school librarian, smiles abound whenever those girls come into the library, and whenever a child truly loves a book.

My Kind of Smile!

 

Another MFA class begins, and once again I’m deep diving into story structures. I have to admit, this is my kind of smile. And, it so happens, I came across a new book that is my perfect cup of tea.

Considered “a master class in novel writing,” Story Engineering,  by Larry Brooks (Writer’s Digest Books, 2011), takes a deep dive into story architecture. As Brooks offers, “…in their execution, stories are every bit as engineering driven as they are artistic in nature.” In other words, the technicality (or criticality) of the story is as fundamental as the creative.

Exploring the ongoing debate of pantsing (otherwise called organic writing) vs. plotting, Brooks offers that both strategies serve the same function: to find the heart of the story, the one that begs to be told. Pantsing tends to take the scenic route, going through revision after revision (after revision) to eventually and hopefully find that essence of story. As such, pantsing tends to be inefficient, as the writer stumbles  through various drafts that too often miss the mark.  What if there was a way to identify the core elements before  you dive into the deep end?

 Brooks calls these elements the six core competencies. Concept. Character. Theme. Story Structure. Scene Execution. Voice.  These are the essential ingredients to a successful story.

Every creative cook understands that the “most delicious of ingredients require blending and cooking – stirring, whipping, baking, boiling, frying, and sometimes, marinating – before they qualify as edible…” It is the delicious sum of these ingredients that turns your story into a “literary feast.”

Story engineering is that recipe that brings these ingredients together in a cohesive , satisfying dish. It differs from formulaic writing in that the process of story engineering serves to bring clarity to your story, but you bring the art. A pinch of this, a dash of that, stirred not shaken, and you make the story your own.

Brooks’ detailed explorations into each of these competencies decode the abstract. He provides a practical model that gives writers a profound new understanding of story structure that is accessible, and doable. One of my favorite passages in his definition of story:

“A story has many moods. It has good days and bad days. It must be nurtured and cared for lest it deteriorate. And it has a personality and an essence that defines how it is perceived. Just like human brings.”

As Books explains, a body cannot function without a heart. So it is with stories. These certain competencies support  the heart of the story. To continue with the analogy of cooking, if an essential ingredient is missing, or soured, the resulting dish leaves behind a bad taste.

Brooks is quick to admit that a writer can have all the right ingredients, perfectly stirred, and it turns out bland. Or, to put it another way, it’s possible to assemble in perfect order that perfect body. But without that creative spark, there is no life. Think Frankenstein’s monster.

Now that we’re all hungry, I highly recommend this book. 

May you create the perfect feast!

 -- Bobbi Miller

The Powers asked for a bio. I'm never good at these things. Writer, middle grade fiction of various genres, featuring real kids with real emotions dealing with real world issues. Armed with an MA in Children's Literature (Simmons) and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults (VCFA), I have worked with childhood heroes, including the indomitable Marion Zimmer Bradley (my first editor) and the genius that defines Gregory MacGuire, Eric Kimmel and Marion Dane Bauer (all advisors); was a contributing writer to Anita Silvey’s The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators; a contributing writer to American Dissidents: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Subversives ..., Volume 1.( Kathlyn Gay, editor. Books include Big River’s Daughter (Historical Fantasy. Holiday House, April 2013) Recommended by the International Reading Association, the Historical Novel Society, and was nominated for the Amelia Bloomer Project (American Library Association, 2013). The Girls of Gettysburg (Historical Fiction. Holiday House, Fall 2014), a Hot Pick on Children’s Book Council for September 2014, an honor for the 2015 Thomas Jefferson Cup Overfloweth and an honor for the 2015 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People. 'Nuf said.

 

What makes me smile! by Jennifer Mitchell

 What makes me smile.

I would venture to guess that what makes me smile isn’t typical for most adults my age.  With that being said maybe that is why I ended up being a teacher, or maybe I am just a quirky adult.  Also, the beauty of being my age is that I can admit to the things that make me smile without feeling silly.  

I love anything Sesame Street; reading The Monster at the End of the book to my students always makes me smile.  It doesn’t matter what grade I teach, I always share that book with my students.  If I can read that book while wearing a Sesame Street shirt I know I have had a successful day!  Along those same lines when students make me a present themed to the things they know I like it puts a huge smile on my face.  

Along the same lines as enjoying Sesame Street with my students, I also like to incorporate anything Disney.  Last year, I introduced my students to High School Musical, something that always puts a smile on my face. When my kids were growing up we enjoyed the movies, the songs, and all things related to HSM.  After introducing my students to High School Musical last year we played the songs on Friday, and even started a running joke with one of the songs, “What time is it?”  On a trip to Disney I was able to get a High School Musical shirt and hat to wear to school, it put a smile on my face when the kids realized what I was wearing.

Coffee is another way to make me smile. The biggest smile is when someone brings me a surprise coffee though!  I love surprises and you can’t beat a good cup of coffee!

The funny thing about making someone smile is oftentimes it is a small gesture that makes a big impact.

I am a teacher in the Kansas City area :)

Things That Inspire and Make Me Smile by Darlene Beck Jacobson

 In keeping with this month's theme of deadlines or things that make us smile, I am focusing on the latter. Since I am retired from full time employment, the deadlines I set are arbitrarily my own, and they are drawn in the sand. But as I look for new ideas for writing projects, I am inspired by so many things, often in unexpected ways. Ways that make me smile.

Here is a photo collection of some of those things:

 

There is so much in the world to smile about. Smiling is great exercise for the soul. I hope some of these photos made you smile! 

Darlene Beck Jacobson often walks through the world in awe of the many things she discovers. Smiling, and delighting in all sorts of odd and inspiring things.

Help Me Smile (and earn back $$$ in books) :)

by Jody FeldmanOnce upon a time, when I had files and files of book manuscripts and was thisclose to getting a publisher’s YES! – after 350+ NO THANKS including a then-recent bruise from a particularly brutal rejection – I was walking by a school filled with the shouts and shrieks and other sounds that only a schoolyard can bring. And I almost started crying. Please, someone, give me a yes so I can go into these classrooms and talk to these kids. And then ...

It happened!I celebrated books and reading with children across the country (and in certain parts of the world). And then...

IT happened.

But here’s what I hope will happen next. 

World cooperating, I am now booking in-person school visits for 2022... with this deal. If you’re one of the first 10 schools to sign on at my (non-inflated) rate*,  once I visit, you’ll receive a $200 bookstore credit back to use however you want. Yes, I am hoping to give away every penny of that $2,000.00. And if it happens, once again, it will make me...

*You can make it happen here
  (click *brochure* for the downloadable details)
Award-winning middle grade author of The Gollywhopper Games series and The Seventh Level, Jody Feldman, may be taking a brief dip to the other (older) side with a YA thriller coming out next summer, but she's already at work on another middle grade adventure.