Kirby Larson's Blog, page 50
May 23, 2012
Remembering Heather
About a year ago, I participated in a fundraiser for the Yuen Lui Guild of Seattle Children's Hospital by visiting kids and reading to them from my books. Each child I met got to choose one of my books to keep, thanks to the generosity of the guild sponsors.
One of the children I met that day was Heather. She listened politely as I read her the Two Bobbies and then she asked me if I wanted to hear the book she'd written. I sure did! The Dog's Point of View completely cracked me up. Here are the opening lines:
Hi. My name is Rex. I'm a dog. I'm going to tell you my point of view of human rules. RULE #1 -- no drinking out of the toilet. You have got to be kidding me! Drinking out of my bowl; that is so disgusting. I am not a pig, gosh!
I loved the story and suggested that Heather's mom and dad get it published. They did, and I am proud to say I own a wonderful hardcover copy, complete with CD of Heather reading the story.
Last July, shortly after the book got published, Heather passed away. She was an adorable spark plug of a kid and deserved a long and crazy and funny life.
This afternoon, I'll join with some other folks at Tumwater Hill Elementary to remember Heather. An artist has built and painted a chair in her honor. And all the kids at her school will be able to sit in that chair when they visit the library.
One of my favorite pages -- Winston's, too!
I hope they all get a chance to read The Dog's Point of View while they sit in that very special chair.
One of the children I met that day was Heather. She listened politely as I read her the Two Bobbies and then she asked me if I wanted to hear the book she'd written. I sure did! The Dog's Point of View completely cracked me up. Here are the opening lines:
Hi. My name is Rex. I'm a dog. I'm going to tell you my point of view of human rules. RULE #1 -- no drinking out of the toilet. You have got to be kidding me! Drinking out of my bowl; that is so disgusting. I am not a pig, gosh!
I loved the story and suggested that Heather's mom and dad get it published. They did, and I am proud to say I own a wonderful hardcover copy, complete with CD of Heather reading the story.
Last July, shortly after the book got published, Heather passed away. She was an adorable spark plug of a kid and deserved a long and crazy and funny life.
This afternoon, I'll join with some other folks at Tumwater Hill Elementary to remember Heather. An artist has built and painted a chair in her honor. And all the kids at her school will be able to sit in that chair when they visit the library.
One of my favorite pages -- Winston's, too!I hope they all get a chance to read The Dog's Point of View while they sit in that very special chair.
May 22, 2012
Good News for The Friendship Doll
Just because I'm slow to post this good news doesn't mean I'm not over the moon about it: The Friendship Doll was honored by a Crystal Kite award!
The Crystal Kite is sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) to "recognize great books from 15 regional SCBWI divisions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers."
Miss Kanagawa was not surprised at the news -- holding her story in high esteem the way she does-- but I certainly was.
Not Miss Kanagawa, but her sister, Miss Miyazaki
Along with the honor comes the opportunity to submit a proposal for a keynote at the mid-winter SCBWI conference in New York. I think I'll give that a whirl!
The Crystal Kite is sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) to "recognize great books from 15 regional SCBWI divisions around the world. Along with the SCBWI Golden Kite Awards, the Crystal Kite Awards are chosen by other children’s book writers and illustrators, making them the only peer-given awards in publishing for young readers."
Miss Kanagawa was not surprised at the news -- holding her story in high esteem the way she does-- but I certainly was.
Not Miss Kanagawa, but her sister, Miss MiyazakiAlong with the honor comes the opportunity to submit a proposal for a keynote at the mid-winter SCBWI conference in New York. I think I'll give that a whirl!
May 21, 2012
Fun Doggy Related Writer's Digest Interview
Author Chuck Sambuchino of the forthcoming Red Dog/Blue Dog: When Pooches Get Political, interviewed Mary Nethery and I for his blog. It was about how we came to get our book, Nubs, published and features some fun questions, including which celebrity Winston most reminds me of.
Check it out!
Check it out!
May 17, 2012
Thursday's Thought for the Day
There is little success where there is little laughter.
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
May 15, 2012
Forsooth, Tis True!
Will Sparrow calls himself a thief and a liar but he is truthful about one thing: he IS a thief, having completely stolen my heart in Karen Cushman's forthcoming book, Will Sparrow's Road.
Sold by a drunken father, and about to be sold again, Will runs away. He is snookered by a dentist and a female purse pincher as he seeks a place to belong, ending up with a motley crew of "prodigies and oddities." Will gets a job drumming up customers to view such curiosities as the Mermaid Baby and Cat Girl. He comes to realize that people are not always what they seem and that even the smallest of men can possess the greatest amount of courage.
This is long-ago England and times -- and people! -- are hard and cruel. Will Sparrow's road is full of bumps and bruises, but also moments of joy and hope. I am so looking forward to re-reading this so that I can fully savor and appreciate Karen Cushman's story-telling gifts. No one else I know could put so much meaning behind a single pair of boots.
I'm sorry you'll have to wait until November to read this grand adventure (I received an ARC from the publisher). Trust me -- it is worth the wait!
Sold by a drunken father, and about to be sold again, Will runs away. He is snookered by a dentist and a female purse pincher as he seeks a place to belong, ending up with a motley crew of "prodigies and oddities." Will gets a job drumming up customers to view such curiosities as the Mermaid Baby and Cat Girl. He comes to realize that people are not always what they seem and that even the smallest of men can possess the greatest amount of courage.
This is long-ago England and times -- and people! -- are hard and cruel. Will Sparrow's road is full of bumps and bruises, but also moments of joy and hope. I am so looking forward to re-reading this so that I can fully savor and appreciate Karen Cushman's story-telling gifts. No one else I know could put so much meaning behind a single pair of boots.
I'm sorry you'll have to wait until November to read this grand adventure (I received an ARC from the publisher). Trust me -- it is worth the wait!
May 14, 2012
Yee-Haw
[image error]Thanks to a facebook post by Cynthia Lord, Mary and I have learned that Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle has won the 2012 Wyoming Buckaroo Award! Knowing these awards are voted on by kid readers makes them doubly rewarding.
May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day
Quinn and her beloved Grandma Burger KingToday I am grateful for my mom, Donna Miltenberger, whose perfect Palmer method penmanship always conveys the loveliest thoughts and who never minded when we built forts with all the couch cushions, and for my daughter, soon-to-be-mother of the Donna kind.
Lucky me to be sandwiched between two such amazing women!
May 11, 2012
Lessons from a Log
This morning, I got up early to walk the beach with Winston. We came upon the perfect log to add to my border garden (I'm trying to create a buffer between the wild and the planted). Of course, I had to find it a ways down the beach but I cannot let a good log go by. I lugged it back, and up the 25 steps from the beach, and over to the garden. By then, I was EXHAUSTED so I simply dropped the log about where I wanted it.
One point to mention here: my little border garden butts up against a bank. A steep bank. It does not take much imagination to conjure up what happened next. My precious log went rolling merrily back toward the beach below, finally stopped by a sturdy Nootka rose.
Sigh.
I clambered down the dew slick bank (taking a hard fall along the way) and, using the log as sort of a fulcrum/walking stick, got both myself and it back up to the top.
As I cleaned up from said (mis)adventure, it occurred to me that I have done this kind of thing in my writing, too. I pick up something that seems perfect, overlooking the fact that it may be hard to manage and won't want to stay put. Being more purposeful and less impulsive is something I've been working on lately. Rather than spontaneously plopping something into a story, I'm trying to plan ahead for good fits. And, at least for me, for now, it seems a good discipline.
That doesn't mean I won't continue to keep my eyes peeled for the perfect log or perfect and unexpected story element. I'm just going to think first before I lug something down the beach and up the stairs!
One point to mention here: my little border garden butts up against a bank. A steep bank. It does not take much imagination to conjure up what happened next. My precious log went rolling merrily back toward the beach below, finally stopped by a sturdy Nootka rose.
Sigh.
I clambered down the dew slick bank (taking a hard fall along the way) and, using the log as sort of a fulcrum/walking stick, got both myself and it back up to the top.
As I cleaned up from said (mis)adventure, it occurred to me that I have done this kind of thing in my writing, too. I pick up something that seems perfect, overlooking the fact that it may be hard to manage and won't want to stay put. Being more purposeful and less impulsive is something I've been working on lately. Rather than spontaneously plopping something into a story, I'm trying to plan ahead for good fits. And, at least for me, for now, it seems a good discipline.
That doesn't mean I won't continue to keep my eyes peeled for the perfect log or perfect and unexpected story element. I'm just going to think first before I lug something down the beach and up the stairs!
May 10, 2012
Thursday's Thought for the Day
"Faith is not being sure where you're going but going anyway."
Frederick Buechner
Frederick Buechner
May 7, 2012
See You Tonight!
If you're in the Lake Forest Park area, please stop by and help Deb Caletti and me celebrate National Children's Book Week! We'll be there at 7 pm. Not signing, but willing to talk books will be two special guests of mine: Mary Casanova, the author of the McKenna books about the American Girl Doll of the Year, and of The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town, and Sheryl Peterson, author of many wonderful nonfiction books, including her most recent The Great Depression and World War II. These two Minnesotans -- both above-average! -- have spent the past few days with me up at Shangri-Lar in a writing retreat.
If you come tonight, be sure to ask Sheryl about doorbells ringing at 3 am. . .
If you come tonight, be sure to ask Sheryl about doorbells ringing at 3 am. . .
