Marcia Thornton Jones's Blog, page 72

Publishing Process Playlist

Before I signed with my first agent, the song "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay was popular at the time, and it seemed to sum up my feelings: "How long before I get in? Before it starts, before I begin?" I naively thought that once I was agented, everything would move at lightning speed. Um, not so much.  

Probably a better song to sum up the whole publishing journey is Tom Petty's "The Waiting." So much of the publishing process is waiting: waiting to finish the book, waiting for an agent to sign you, waiting for publishers to respond to the agent, waiting for a deal, waiting to reviews, and waiting for the book to finally come out. 

But there's also another song that I associate with the publication process, and that's Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself." Whenever I get good news that I've gotten an offer or a starred review or something else wonderful, I just want to dance around the house alone. One, because I'm a terrible dancer and no one should have to witness that; and two, because I usually can't tell anyone about the deal or review until it is made public. So I have to have my joyous moment mostly by myself and with close family. But every single time, it's just as exciting as the first. 

Ginger Rue's next book, Wonder Women of Science, is now available for pre-order. 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.  

 

 

 

Hair Band Love (Writing Playlists) Holly Schindler

Back in the late '80s, early '90s, I was a hair band addict. 

Not just any addict. I mean serious. If I wasn't glued to MTV, I was listening to the radio or trying to get my hands on a concert ticket.

If I couldn't actually go to a show, I was autograph hunting. I had a friend of a friend who worked at the hotel where all the big names stayed in town. I knew the check-in times and what block of rooms were usually reserved for them. I've been kicked out of this particular hotel more times than I can count. 

Me and a member of Tesla.


Do we ever get over our first-music love? I, for one, don't think so. To this day, when I get really sluggish and need to rev myself up again, I watch a few hair band videos on YouTube. 
It's a guilty pleasure. A second wind.
And this time, I don't kicked out of the room. 

The Tension of Order and Disorder Held in the Imagination--Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun

This grabbed my attention:

“When . . . Frost defines poetry as ‘a momentary stay against confusion,’ he is acknowledging the significance of thresholds as a place where disorder and order meet and are held in dynamic tension by the power of the poet’s imagination.”
--A Primer For Poets Gregory Orr. Page 49

Maybe this resonates with me because of all the order and disorder tumbling through the country right now. I am fascinated to consider how my own imagination might be a container for, or perhaps a resolution of, order and disorder. Orr also quotes Theodore Roethke: “The edge is what I have.” Then Orr writes:

“Each of us has his or her own personal threshold: the place where order passes over into disorder.…"

“In poetry, the threshold is that place in the poet where disorder and order meet…"

Most of the time my imagination feels chaotic or disordered. But imagination is more than the raw streams of the unconscious bursting forth. Imagination is also a shaper of that streaming over the edge, using the tools of intellect, craft technique, and experience. (Revision!) When I think of Orr’s idea that way, then I feel more persuaded that perhaps my writing--fiction, memoir, poetry--is some kind of container, some kind of momentary resolution caught in form of the tension between my own order and disorder.

Here, for your further consideration, is more of Orr’s idea.

“Poets tend to go to their thresholds to create their best poems. Why? The first reason would be that the thresholds are places where energy exchange is happening, or something real is at stake for the poet. In his essay “The Figure a Poem Makes,” Robert Frost put it this way: “no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise for the reader. “The poet must go to his or her threshold and authentically experience the disorder… in order to move the reader… The threshold that poets must approach is a place where the ordering powers of imagination are responsive to the stimulus of disorder. When, in the same essay, Frost defines poetry as “a momentary stay against confusion,” he is acknowledging the significance of thresholds as a place where disorder and order meet and are held in dynamic tension by the power of the poet’s imagination.”

Yes, the imagination has the power to hold great tension, to hold opposites, and resolve them into that third, new thing: a piece of art, compassion, understanding. We need that now in so many ways. So artists, writers, poets--go to the edge and bring back a container for the rest of us.

Music in my Work

Writers work hard to make their writing authentic.  They work to create characters who connect with each other on the page, and they endeavor to cultivate reader familiarity by tapping into universal experiences and emotions.  There are many ways to do all of that, and music is one of them.  

Music plays an important part in each one of my middle grade novels.

In This Journal Belongs to Ratchet, Oldies play on the radio in the background of the garage where Ratchet fixes cars with her dad, and it's these songs that end up being one of the important ways Ratchet connects with Hunter, the boy who becomes her first friend.  

Abigail in Always, Abigail, connects with her best friends, Ali and Cami, through their dance routine music, as they chase their dream to become middle school pom pom girls.  

In my summer camp story, Just Like Me, I remind readers of their own summer camp experience by describing the songs Julia and her cabinmates sing around the campfire. 

In Elsie Mae Has Something to Say, Elsie and her cousin, Henry James, while chasing the hog bandits they hope to capture in their endeavor to become heroes, listen to the crooks singing "Suwannee River" as they hideout in their shelter.  The song gives an authentic detail about the time and place where the story happens, putting the reader right in the middle of the plot.  

And the music in When I Hit the Road, a story of Samantha traveling on a widow's bucket list karaoke road trip with her Gram, exemplifies how music in life and in books is just plain fun.  

Music, no matter what style or kind, no matter how old or new, no matter how slow or fast can be used by writers to connect characters and readers by adding a layer to writing which, though often unnoticed, can be a powerful thread woven into the fabric of a story.

Happy Reading & Writing,

Nancy J. Cavanaugh

www.nancyjcavanaugh.com  

Stories are in the Music

Life is full of stories. From our novels to newspapers, to magazine articles and the back of a bottle of wine, and over to music lyrics and poetry - stories are everywhere, in so many forms.

As a middle grade and young adult novel-writer, I didn’t initially expect to apply a playlist to my writing routine. The more I became embroiled in the plots of my books-in-progress, however, the more I saw and heard my story all around me. I learned that music was a great way to bolster my book-writing process and listen for my characters in other ways than I expected. 
I became a person who keeps playlists.
So much like I have playlists for running or sad days or summer vacations, I structured playlists for each book. They usually started with just one or two songs as I worked on building up my idea and starting that first draft. By the time I was editing, I typically had a full list established. I don’t typically listen to music as I’m writing. Which isn’t to say the playlists haven’t been helpful. Because even if I don't listen to the playlist as I am editing, I  listen in the car or out walking and I can feel the story unfolding and hear my characters in the ways that I needed to know them for later. It keeps me in the mood of the book, in that same place I need to be as the writer. 
The playlist is that world in that book, so when I hear it, I’m instantly taken there. If I need to switch gears, I can change the station or the playlist and easily slip from world to world. 
Songs evoke nostalgia, feeling, attachment, emotion. Just like each book or chapter we pen.
Part of the joy of playlists is that when the songs come on randomly, I smile as I’m taken back to some world-building I wrote years ago or maybe just months ago. It’s like hearing from old friends. 
Happy reading!
AM Bostwick

Oliver Twists!

I’ve written about how, a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, before the first Enterprise took flight, before the TARDIS was stolen, there lived a sickly child. And, as it turns out, this sickly child read a lot.

Way back then, I lived in the wild, wild west on the front range of Colorado. Colorado Springs was small then, full of open spaces. The public library was way, way on the other side of town. There were no bookstores. The only library available to me was my school library. I checked out every book I could read. By fourth grade, my favorite authors were Anne McCaffery (dragons are my patronus!) Jack London, and Charles Dickens. 

                         Frontispiece and title page, first edition 1838. Illustration and design by George Cruikshank

One of the first and favorite books was Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens. You may remember, Charles Dickens wrote the story in part to expose the hypocrisy and cruel treatment of orphans in mid-19th century London. Dickens blended a grim realism with satire to describe the effects of industrialization, creating a story of an innocent child trapped in a life with no hope. What better story to entertain a sickly child!

One of my favorite characters in Oliver Twist was Jack Dawkins, otherwise known as the Artful Dodger. The snub-nosed, flat-browed, common faced pickpocket and leader of the gang of child criminals. He was not without heart, however.

         George Cruikshank original engraving of the Artful Dodger (centre), here introducing Oliver (right) to Fagin (left)


It is the nature of reading that every story we’ve read stays with us, and its characters become a part of our lives. We are the product of all the stories read and lived. Even as we become characters in each other’s story. These stories settle within us, blend with our experiences – for why else could we become so attached to these characters, unless we see them as friends– and work their magic on us. They engage, and encourage, and guide.


And, when we least expect it, especially as one becomes a writer, such persistent characters ooze to the surface in some form found in our own works. Many light years down the road, when I read about the history of San Francisco, about the plight of the poor and that gallery of characters that walked those cobbled streets along the Barbary Coast, it was no accident that I envisioned Oliver Twist meets the wild, wild west.

My character became Jack London, in honor of my old friends, and not by coincidence:

“Jack of all trades, Lady Jane had called her. Pickpocket, escape artist, and a bold little rascal. A kid after her own heart, said Lady Jane. 
“Despite being so common, she carried herself with the dash of one standing six feet tall. She wore a man’s coat over her tattered dress, one that nearly touched her boot heels. She had turned the cuffs back so she could use her hands, and stuff them comfortably into the large pockets.”

 As she skips away, down the road, tipping her bowler, she sings out to me, “ Once a villain, you’re a villain to the end!”

And I call out: “And you, Jack London, you’re my friend! To the end!”

What favorite reads did you have as a child? How did they influence your life?

Thank you for spending time with me!

--Bobbi Miller

Modern Mixtapes

I have been a teacher for roughly 17 years and a lot has evolved in the profession during that time.  As a student, I was taught to sit in rows silently, and that was still the expectation when I did my student teaching.  That was the approach I used when I first started teaching. It was familiar and I thought it was the correct way to properly educate my students.  Somewhere along the way, the stuffy rows and lack of “fun” was a little too stifling for me.  That is where music comes into play.  I think it became apparent to me that music was something to incorporate into my classroom when I was teaching first grade.  Kids loved adding music to the day and it provided me a source of enjoyment too.  We started with “calendar and days of the week” songs and graduated to a daily song we sang together, will i am’s song “What I Am.”  https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/william/whatiam.html

From that point on, I moved to starting the day with music as the kids enter the room.  I think there is something to be said about walking into a room playing music versus a silent room.  Fridays are typically reserved for Disney playlists, and singing is encouraged.  The school that I work at also has “dance party Friday” pre-COVID we would play music in the halls and students would dance before the day began.  It was such a fun way to start the day with students. Hopefully we will be able to get back to that.

Friday dance party

Another time I play music during the day is when students are writing.  I like to play quiet instrumental music to set the tone for the piece of writing we are currently working on.  It has also been fun when we read/write poetry and set up our “coffee shop” to have music in the background.

(pictures were taken pre-COVID)

        Poetry Reading                                          

For me, music wasn’t something I naturally embraced in the classroom to begin my career because it wasn’t something that was modeled for me.  However, I believe the benefits of music in the classroom are worthwhile. This new way of thinking makes me never want to go back to a completely silent room.  Music can set the tone for a calm work environment or it can make a Friday seem like a magical Disney getaway.  

One of my favorite things to do is have students submit their favorite songs (school appropriate of course) and I create a playlist of their songs.  School should feel like a comfortable place to be, and what is more comforting than familiar fun songs!   

There are always ways to enhance day to day experiences and grow with students on the educational journey. I’m glad to have found music to be one of them!

My Ultimate Playlist Might Surprise You

by Debbie Smith

The theme this month is playlists and the fact that they get inside a person’s head. Yep, I’d have to agree with that. Mine is continually in my head. Do people listen to playlists while working, exercising, driving? Yep. 

Since I am retired, my work is the fun job of reading, creating pictures with books (bookstagram),  and reviewing books. Plus the not-so-fun job of exercising, laundry, cooking, cleaning the house,  etc.

 

Here is where we might come to a Y in the road. You might turn on your music playlist, while I might travel the path less traveled. I work so much better if I turn to my audiobook playlist. 

 

Do I love music? Yes! But when push comes to shove the winner will always be a book. When I drive, cook, clean, and work outside . . . my books follow me.

 

 

 

Nothing gets inside a person's head quite like a playlist,

 and this month I've shared my unique playlist.

Do You Have An Unusual Playlist?

 

2020 Book Reviews. My Best of List, by Darlene Beck Jacobson

 

 

Welcome to the third annual list of some of the books I've read in 2020. AS AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR, I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT FELLOW AUTHORS AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT GOOD BOOKS THAT MAY OFTEN GO UNRECOGNIZED. All 45 of these books were noteworthy and exceptional enough that I posted reviews for them on Goodreads, Amazon, and my blog. http://www.darlenebeckjacobson.wordpress.com

The order of the list is the order in which I read these gems. So, if you are looking for good books to read, to gift, or to add to your own list, take a look at these kidlit wonders. Some of our Smack Dab Authors are on this list!

 

·  CRUSHING THE RED FLOWERS (MG) - Jennifer Voigt Kaplan

·  MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD (PB) - Vivian Kirkfield

·  NUMBERS IN MOTION (PB) - Laurie Wallmark

·  ROOSEVELT BANKS:GOOD KID IN TRAINING (CB) - Laurie Calkhoven

·  WAY PAST MAD (PB) - Hallee Adelman

·  PIRATES STUCK AT "C" (PB) - Brooke Van Sickle

·  THE LAST SENSOR (YA) - Josh Bellin

·  THE BOLD, BRAVE, BUNNY (PB) - Beth Ferry

·  TWO BICYCLES IN BEIJING (PB) - Teresa Robeson

·  DIG (YA) - A. S. King

·  TODAY IS A BEACH DAY (PB) - Nancy Viau

·  WE ARE THE WATER PROTECTORS (PB) - Carole Lindstrom

·  FOR SPACIOUS SKIES (PB) - Nancy Churnin

·  BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN (PB) - Nancy Churnin

·  SWASHBY AND THE SEA (PB) - Beth Ferry

·  OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG (CB) - Lauren Castillo

·  SHIFTER SERIES (all 3 books) (YA) - Louise Cypress

·  THE ONE AND ONLY BOB (MG) - Katherine Applegate

·  HELLO FROM RENN LAKE (MG) - Michele Weber Hurwitz

·  THE CASE OF THE BAD APPLES (CB) - Robin Newman

·  IN A JAR (PB) - Deborah Marcero

·  ARIA JONES AND THE GUARDIAN'S WEDJA (MG) - Malayna Evans

·  I AM ENOUGH (PB) - Grace Byers

·  WAITING TOGETHER (PB) - Danielle Dufayet

·  THE SMUGGLER'S DAUGHTER (adult) - Claire Matturo

·  SYCAMORE LANE (YA) - Stacey Horan

·  TWO TOUGH TRUCKS (PB) - Corey Rosen Schwartz

·  MOOTILDA'S BAD MOOD (PB) - Corey Rosen Schwartz & Kirsti Call

·  THE STORY OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS (MG) - Annette Whipple

·  THE STORY OF SIMONE BILES (MG) - Rachelle Burk

·  OPERATION FROG EFFECT (MG) - Sarah Sheerger

·  A PLACE AT THE TABLE (MG) - Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan

·  GURPLE AND PREEN (PB) - Debbie Ohi & Linda Sue Park

·  LIBBY LOVES SCIENCE (PB) - Kimberly Derting

·  MY MONSTERPIECE (PB) - Amalia Hoffman

·  THE CANYON'S EDGE (MG) - Dusti Bowling

·  PIPPIN PALS (PB series) - Donna Marie

·  WHOOO KNEW - THE STORY OF OWLS (PB) - Annette Whipple

·  WAY PAST WORRIED (PB) - Hallee Adelman

·  THE ROOSEVELT GHOSTS (MG) - Diane Salerni

·  THE GIFT THAT IS RUBY'S PLACE (adult) - Holly Schindler

·  PLANET EARTH IS BLUE (MG) - Nicole Pantaleakos

·  THE GREAT FOREST (YA) - Josh Bellin

·  THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE RETURN OF THE MAGIC HAT (MG) - Deborah Kalb

·  DARING DARLEEN, QUEEN OF THE SCREEN (MG) - Anne Nesbet

 

If you want to know more about these books, please check out my reviews. 2020 was a crazy year for all of us, but great books came out and are still being written. Spread the word and give a gift to your favorite authors by posting kind reviews of their books. I guarantee it will make their day!

In the Process, Music! (or not)

by Jody Feldman

As a person who came in 3rd place in an all-campus Name That Tune contest back in my college days, you'd think that I'd be in the forefront of building playlists for all my works-in-progress. It hasn't worked that way for me. Several reasons.

1. Whenever I listen to music while I draft or revise, I get lost in the music and accomplish way too little.

2. If I were to go down the rabbit hole of assembling a playlist to inspire me, I might as well skip ahead and change my occupation to Playlist Creator.

3. The only time I managed to drum up a brief playlist, the book never went anywhere, in that it never made it past my agent. Not that I believe that the playlist tanked it. It was more that, honestly, it didn't do anything to make me a better, more inspired writer. 

That said, I occasionally happen upon a song that becomes the anthem of my main character or the premise of the book itself. 

In The Seventh Level, Travis Raines is not only small for his age, but he’s that kid whose antics make it hard for people to take him seriously ... until. I was still in brainstorming mode for 7th when John Mayer's Bigger Than My Body played somewhere. That song – throughout my process from first draft through revisions, copy edits, everything – kept reminding me that even kids like Travis have all the qualities to become a force in life.  

Next was the instance of a yet-to-be-published-because-I-messed-up-but-will-eventually- revisit-it book. The Fool on the Hill by the Beatles became the atmospheric anthem of this story. Whenever I hear it, even now, it reignites my passion and makes me want to drop everything and go through the arduous task of rewriting this story from the POV of the right main character. (Yes, it was that type of mess up.)

As for my current WIP, so young that I haven't yet named my MC, maybe, hopefully, I'll stumble across the right anthem for her or for the story. Or maybe, just maybe, I'll try that playlist thing again. 

Nah.