Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 21

Celebri-Dots

When T.J. Shay first asked me to do a dot for the Celebri-dots blog in honor of International Dot Day, I thought, "I can't do that. I'm not an artist." But author Barbara O'Connor inspired me by making her dot using a bird's nest. So I looked around me to see what objects that I've saved reflect me. Here's what I wrote about my dot:

"Like most people who live near the ocean in Maine, I have a jar of sea glass at home. It plays a role in my novel, Touch Blue, and it always makes me think of this rule in my novel, Rules:

Not everything worth keeping has to be useful.
  Sea glass started off as trash: broken bits of bottles and dishes. And yet, every time I find a piece on the beach, worn-smooth and shining, it reminds me that there is always another chance and beauty to be found, even in unlikely places or in unlikely people. You only have to look for it."
http://www.celebridots.com/2013/08/cynthia-lord.html

Turning to Fall

Bristol, Maine. Photo by my husband

I didn't get all the way through a first draft of a new novel this summer, but I am close. I did write four other shorter books in the past three months and helped move my four 2014 books along in their publication stages. So I can say that it's been a productive writing summer.

Now I have to let it all go for awhile and turn my attention to fall things: visit details, answering mail, and thinking about what I want to do for those upcoming books since the first one is now six months away.

It's always bittersweet to end one season and start another, but it's an adventure, too. So I'm looking at this photo my husband took one fall day in Bristol, Maine, and imagining myself in a kayak, gliding under that bridge from summer into fall. Maybe I'll buy some cider today.

Boston

Yesterday, I spent a sunny day in Boston with my daughter. We went on the Duck Boats, had lunch on Newbury Street, bought fancy cupcakes and ate them at her apartment, and went to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.

Our Duck Boat (one of the original 1940s ones) reflected in the John Hancock Tower with Trinity Church behind us.

Into the water!



Cruising in our Duck Boat on the Charles River.

The Boston Public Library. I wanted to go inside, but they are closed on Sundays

The weathervane on Faneuil Hall

  Quincy Market has a fun carnival atmosphere. The upside down man in the middle was escaping from ropes and a straight jacket. There were dancers and drummers and human statues. All very cool.

  I love how Boston is a mix of old and new.

Five Things on a Friday

My husband took this photo last night in Harpswell, Maine.

1. Hot Rod Hamster had very nice mentions on The Reading Kingdom Blog and What is ML Reading?

2.  Lately, the weather in Maine has gone back and forth between summer and fall, and my mind is doing the same. My first school visit is less than two weeks away. So I've started thinking in that direction. This fall, I have 12 events. Those events are in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, Virginia, and Michigan.

3.  On Sunday, I'm off to Boston to spend the day with my daughter. For my birthday back in June, she bought us tickets to take a Duckboat Tour, and I'm really looking forward to that.  But mostly, I'm looking forward to seeing her!

4.  I love school supplies! So it's been fun to go to Staples lately.

5.  A few days ago, I stopped working on my novel to write a picture book. I don't get picture book ideas very often, so when one comes, I have to jump on it.  I sent a draft off to my agent. We'll see what she says. . . .

Now it's back to the novel today.

Pageants and Pies!

I've been to two blueberry festivals in the past week!  These photos are from the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival in Machias, Maine.

Wordless Wednesday

Machias, Maine

Congratulations, Tami!

Mary Morton Cowan, Denise Ortakales, Anna Boll, Tamra Wight, Carrie Jones, me, Cindy Faughnan, Mona Pease, Nancy Cooper, Jeanne Bracken, and Jo Knowles.

My friend, Tamra Wight, has a brand new book out: Cooper and Packrat: Mystery on Pine Lake.  We belong to a writing group together and we meet at Tami's campground a few times a year for a writer's retreat. Here we are at her launch with Tami and Carl DiRocco, the illustrator.

At the launch, her editor announced Tami's book was chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection! 

Walking with Sally!

I spent the last two nights at this lovely farm on the ocean in Addison, Maine. I was Downeast for a meeting with Island Readers and Writers, and then I stayed on to do some research and to attend the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival.

At this farm, there are llamas. Joan, the wonderful B&B owner, allows guests to take one for a walk!  So, of course, I had to try that!  Joan said Sally was the best walker, so she chose Sally for me to walk.

"It'll be like walking your dog," Joan said.

My dog is tiny, so I replied, "You have not seen my dog."

The other llamas were curious!

At first, Sally wasn't sure she wanted to go!  But I used the same voice that I use with the dogs at the animal shelter and said "Come on now," and she came.

Thank goodness!

We went where I wanted to go, but I let her decide how fast we went.  Sometimes we stopped for a bite to eat.



The B&B is a gorgeous salt water farm with dirt roads and trails on the property. So Sally and I walked along and enjoyed the sun and salt air. Once she was out of sight of the barn, she was happy to walk with me.



Thanks, Sally!  It was a great walk!

Wordless Wednesday

Bear River, Newry, Maine. Photo by my husband.

Llamas and Blueberries

On Thursday, I have another meeting up on Mt. Desert Island. This time I thought I would spend a few days doing research up in that area, including visiting the Machias Blueberry Festival. It's funny to see the new directions a book will send you.

In the summer, it can be hard to find a place to stay in that area, but I found a B&B that is also a llama farm! And for an extra $15, the innkeepers let you take a llama for his morning walk on the trails around the inn (weather permitting). So (weather permitting), I'm going to do that! When else in my life am I going to have the chance to walk a llama? They are pretty big, so I suspect we will be going wherever HE wants!



The blueberry barrens are beautiful this time of year.



These are wild blueberries on barrens owned by Wyman's, a Maine blueberry company.