Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 46

Evan's Notch

"The Basin" at Evan's Notch

Yesterday, I was in between a lot of things and had some time off. So I went to Evan's Notch, on the border of Maine and New Hampshire.



There's a sign for it on Route 2 that I've passed numerous times, and every time I see the sign, I want to take that turn. But I've always been on the way to somewhere else without time to explore. 



Evan's Notch is on a road that's closed in the winter, and those are always interesting roads! 



So yesterday, I went.  It was very beautiful, and I think it would be absolutely stunning in foliage season.

Fall

I'm finding red and orange leaves in the grass now. There's a snap in the air when I let Milo out in the morning, and I bought cider for the first time this week.  I love autumn. 

And I'm heading back to school visits next week. It's shaping up to be a busier year than I expected--which is wonderful.  I'll get to see some states for the first time (Arkansas, South Carolina) and return to lots of favorite places. I'm so excited to meet all the kids and teachers! 

Wordless Wednesday

Errol, New Hampshire

Thank you, Nashua, NH!

Lobster traps and boats, Bailey Island, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

Thank you to the librarians of Nashua, New Hampshire for putting Touch Blue on the Gate City Book Award list! 

Happy Labor Day!

I'm celebrating Labor Day by returning to my speaking work:  hunting up my nametag, opening my folders, and preparing for my upcoming events.  I try to carve the year up with three months of speaking, followed by three months of writing, three more months of speaking, and three more of writing. I can't always keep it to exactly that schedule, but it helps to make sure I have time for both.

My first few events are for Rules. So yesterday, I needed to clear my head of the characters and the world of my new book so I could make room for Catherine, David, Kristi, and Jason again.   



So yesterday, I decided I'd clear my head by doing some things I had wanted to do in New Hampshire this summer that I didn't have the chance to do, including a hike up Black Cap in Conway, New Hampshire. The guidebook said it was an easy hike with beautiful views, but the guidebook failed to mention that the road leading to the trail is winding, narrow, and a 17% grade coming back down into Maine.

If I'd had a Sharpie with me, I'd have been tempted to add a little speech bubble to the grade warning sign with the driver of the truck saying "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Because that's what I was saying.



But the views



Were so worth it.



I may have to do this one again in the fall when the leaves have turned.

I'm here

Even though the house where I grew up in New Hampshire was sold a few years ago, I held onto the key that I was given at age 12. It was the first key I ever owned, and it symbolized being trusted and old enough and my NH childhood to me.
The responsible adult in me knew I shouldn't keep it. But the child in me couldn't let it go. So I let it sit in my pocket that last day, the same place where it had been for all those years.
At home, I took it off my key ring and set it on the windowsill in my writing house, and it has been there as I've worked on this new book. At a certain point in the writing process a book becomes what *I* want it to be, and the book felt mine with this last revision. 

I've always known the key needed to go. It doesn't belong to me anymore and in a strange way, keeping it has held me back--which was good for the book, but not good for me. So to honor this revision, I drove to a very remote place in northern NH (2010 population, 33) that shares the name of some of my NH ancestors and let it go. The book's title is Loonsong, and though I'm not sure if we'll keep that title as we move forward, loons play a big role in the story, including a refrain.
Loons have several calls, but the wail is like a long howl and is used primarily to check in with each other. The first one calls, "I'm here. Where are you?" and the second replies with the same wail, "I'm here."


As I stood completely alone in that wild place, I heard a sound, clear and beautiful from somewhere on the lake. A loon wailed.
Sometimes the universe winks at you and you see the moment for the gift it truly is.
And I whispered back, "I'm here."

September Events

Georgetown, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

Monday, September 10, Lenior-Rhyne University, Hickory, North Carolina

Thursday, September 20, School visit, Roselle Middle School, Roselle, Illinois

Friday, September 21, School visit, Avoca West School, Glenview, Illinois

Monday, September 24, School visit, Pemetic School, Southwest Harbor, Maine

Friday, September 28, School visit, Westlake Middle School, Thornwood, New York

VSP Book Drive

Photo by Jennifer Frances, Bess the Book Bus

From VSP's blog:

"This summer VSP Vision Care, Transitions Optical and Bess the Book Bus teamed up with three nationally recognized bloggers, Meghan Cooper (JaMonkey), Frederick Goodall (Mocha Dad) and Kara-Kae James (The Mom Diggity), to collect books for children in need for the National Eyecare About Reading Book Drive. Each blogger held a book drive in their local markets to work in concert with an online national campaign.

For every three books collected, VSP committed to donate one eye exam (and eyewear fitted with Transitions lenses, if needed). In total, more than 2,800 books were collected resulting in a donation of more than 950 eye exams!

On the local level Kara-Kae James of The Mom Diggity pulled out a last-minute comeback win, collecting 744 books, with large donations made by the Oklahoma Lions Club and the Hilldale Elementary School. In fact, there were so many books, the Boys & Girls Club can’t accommodate them all! We’ll be working with Kara-Kae and Bess the Book Bus to find another local home for the remaining books."

Thank you to everyone who participated! 

Ahhhh.

I gave my novel to my editor yesterday!  We'll do more revisions, but I think I made a nice jump with this draft. So it's a good time to let it go and check in with her.  It always feels a little like I'm sending my book off to kindergarten, though.

"Now remember to listen to Miss Editor and do your best, okay?"

Wordless Wednesday

Thank you, Jennifer at Bess the Book Bus for this wonderful photo!