Jo Knowles's Blog, page 37

Home is where we are

Seven years ago today, we packed up our car and moved to Vermont. It was snowing when we arrived to sign the papers and get the keys. The movers wouldn't arrive until the next day, so the house was empty. It was dark by the time we got to the house, and we turned on all the lights and walked from empty room to empty room, imagining filling each one with our things. Our life. All we had was a futon on the floor with sleeping bags and one of those tiny TVs that has a VCR built in. I think we watched Shrek with our then 4-year-old cuddled between us, the cat at our feet. Late that night, in the quiet, sleepy breathing of my family, I listened to the new night sounds of this house that felt so far from home. And I wondered, as I always wonder whenever we make a big change, "Did we do the right thing?"

Today, I'm sitting in front of the fire, two cats by my side, gently purring and picking at the throw blanket to make a bed. The rooms are full of our things. Our life. Filled with memories made with friends and family. Love. Heartbreak. Joy. Worry. Celebration. But most important, love. And I realize as long as we have that, it will always be the right thing.

Happy anniversary, house Home.

2 things :-)

First, jonowrimo +1.5 ends tomorrow! I hope you're all doing better than I am. Don't forget to check in by the end of the day tomorrow. We'll all need some cheers, I'm sure.

More importantly, the Bridget Zinn auction is up! There are TONS of wonderful things to bid on, including lots of manuscript critiques from talented authors and agents. You can also bid on a set of signed first editions of my books, LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL and JUMPING OFF SWINGS, here. And thanks to whoever bid already so that I don't feel useless. Though I wish I could do more.

And a bonus thing, care of Kara LaReau, who does NOT endorse the product, but brought them to my attention:



My favorite sell point: "And they even have brass rivets so they look like they were made by some European designer!"

Will Pajama Jeans replace Jeggings? Stay tuned.

Making lists and checking them twice

Busy. It's the word that continues to define my life. Every time I open my e-mail and see messages I need to reply to. Forms to fill out. Descriptions to write. Manuscripts to read. Friends to catch up with. Questions to answer. Essays to submit. Freelance work. School work. They are all wonderful things. But all at once, they feel like a wave threatening to pull me out to sea. And yet today, I sit here in the quiet house and realize how lucky I am for that in-box and the messages inside.

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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write a list poem describing the things you are thankful for this morning. If you'd like, share it on your own blog. But please let us know so we can read it. :-)

Here's mine:

Things To Do Be Thankful For Today:

The sun rising up behind the trees, no clouds in sight
A fire in the wood stove
A child being well enough to go to school
Leftovers in the refrigerator
Ad-free news on the radio
A pretty white dust of snow covering the ground
The little dog riding next to his farmer on the green tractor that just drove past
Ice on the pond that brings the promise of skating soon
The creak of the cat basket as one cat turns his belly to the sun coming through the window
The tiny snore of another as he stretches in front of the wood stove
A toy catalog, wrinkled and torn, edges folded over on almost every page
The joy that he's not too old to believe and dream and wish
A clean house, for now
A stack of books to wrap
Hot tea with milk
Warm bread with raspberry jam
Holiday plans to see family and friends
A freelance job in time for holiday shopping
Teachers who understand the power of books written for kids and teens
Writer friends who understand and listen
Nonwriter friends who love you anyway
Family memories
You and you and you and you
Love

NCTE/ALAN Report

NCTE/ALAN is such a fantastic conference. I'm well aware of how lucky I am that I got to attend. Mainly, it's amazing because you are surrounded by hundreds—maybe thousands—of people who love teaching and love children's literature. And really, that is wonderfully good for the soul.

The other thing that is very good for the soul? Catching up with friends.

Here I am with cfaughnan at cindachima 's signing.



And here I am with my hero, Risha Mullins, the teacher who stood up to the censors and fought for many YA books, including LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL. We had a lovely chat in the sun overlooking the lake (really I would call it a pond) at the conference center.



Here's kmessner with cfaughnan at the food court, where we had a wonderful time catching up with life, with writing, and everything in-between.



I gave a workshop on Monday with Kate, David Gill and Chris Crowe which was a real honor. I was incredibly inspired by what the others had to say about teaching writing. After my talk, I escaped with another miscreant who shall remain nameless to the pool to de-stress, since yes, I still get so unbelievably nervous before these things. While we were warming up in the hot tub (it was cold and actually raining), we saw this (it did seem rather magical, though I don't like referring to that place as the magic kingdom, as it was kind of depressing):



And finally, our last evening there, we finally met marperez !!!



I was disappointed to learn that there were only 10 PEARL ARCs to give away, but I did run into one of the teachers who got a copy and told me she'd started reading it. She said she just wanted to give Beany, the main character, a "big ol hug." So she gave one to me. Now that's magic.

I also received official word that JUMPING OFF SWINGS made the Texas Library Associations 2011 Tayshas list for High School Reading!!!! And more magic.

:-)

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!!!

NCTE/ALAN, Operation Fangus, and Turnin' my Swag On with Neil*

Hello! :-)

Boy. I have become a craptastic blogger. I don't know why. I miss you. But life has been really hectic with some personal things going on and teaching and other life stuff. But hello! Is anyone still here?

Today I'll be teaching my second-to-last class. I am sad. I am going to give my students lots of advice about revising. If you have any gems you'd like to share, I'd love to hear! Revising seems to me such a personal thing, once you get down to it. But it starts with the help of trusted readers.

Tomorrow, I leave with my pal cfaughnan for Orlando, Florida to attend the NCTE/ALAN convention. I'll be speaking at the ALAN conference in a breakout session on Monday at... uh oh. I think it's 12:30... with kmessner , thunderchikin , and Chris Crowe. If you'll be there, here's the description in case you think you might like to attend:

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower Writer: How Writing Helps Teens and Tweens Discover—and Share—Their Voices”

This panel will address the positive outcomes each presenter has had in using creative writing exercises to help tweens and teens discover their voices and gain confidence in writing and sharing their work with peers. Panelists will share ideas for using creative writing exercises in the classroom, modeling peer critique groups, using author-mentors and virtual writing workshops, and finding ways to inspire even the most reluctant student writers.

I'm really excited to be going to this conference because it's a conference for people who love YA literature. So, in other words, AWESOME. Plus, it's somewhere warm. But I am going to miss my family a lot. And yes, my cats.

Speaking of Cats, amazing author Maureen Johnson recently had to say good-bye to her beloved family cat. To help her parents, she is getting them a new kitten. But she needs your help. If you participate, you'll be helping her parents as well as lots of others. So please check it out here: http://www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/20...

OK. Must go pack now. I'm already getting nervous, which kind of stinks because my nerves kind of ruin my fun. What I think we all need for these times is a little music for inspiration.

Keep my head up i know I'll be fine...



No????

Well, thanks to Kara LaReau, there's always this version:


All my Ladies if you feel me... come on do it do it whip your hair.

OK? :-)

xo

*OK, not the real Neil. But I can pretend.

Potter Party Pics :-)

Last Friday my mom hosted a Harry Potter party at her library.

Here's what we saw in the lobby.


My sister and I decided to go as brothers:


One kid said to us, "Nice hair! Who are you?"

We put our heads together and said, "Ummmm, what do you think?"

He said,' OH! Right! Which one's Fred and which one's George?"

We kind of had to fight over it, given what happens in book seven.

Here's one of the other moms as Professor Sprout.

Isn't she great??

We each got sorted into houses with a real sorting hat!


I was Ravenclaw. Very relieved I didn't get put in this house:

(My sister and son weren't so lucky.)

Here's my mom as Madam Hooch.


We played Quiddich inside with a balloon and feather dusters. Believe it or not, it got kinda ugly! Professor Sprout pulled my hair off! My my house still tied for first!

We also had to take OWL's. I think my house tied for second place. And then, we had a scavenger hunt for the Sorcerer's Stone, which involved visiting Moaning Murtle's bathroom.

After the house cup winners were announced (my house tied for first! yay!) and the prizes were given out (Burtie Botts Every Flavor Beans), we had some refreshments.

Owl droppings:


Olivander's wands:


And Aragog's babies:


It was such a fun night. I was so impressed with all the kids' costumes and the way my mom put it all together. Hopefully she'll have another party this summer to kick off the final movie. I'm sure there will be tears. Do any of us really want to let go of the magic?

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Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write to the prompt, "I knew it was finally over when..."

Katherine Paterson, Robert Cormier, My Mom, and You

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday post in a while and today in particular I'm feeling especially thankful. So... this week, I am thankful for:

1. Katherine Paterson.

I went to her talk at the Eric Carle Museum last night. She said so many smart things about reading and writing and education. Here are two of my favorites:

I want to write a book that will do for a child what THE SECRET GARDEN did for me 70 years ago.
I have yet to meet a person who has tweeted themselves to wisdom.

2. The YA Lit Class at Mount Holyoke College, and once again, my hero Robert Cormier.

On Tuesday I visited my friend's class. Their assignment was to read one of my books, and THE CHOCOLATE WAR. If you know my past with this book, you know how touched I was by this assignment. The students asked so many thought-provoking questions. They really made me dig deep to find answers. But the best question was about Robert Cormier. I had brought my own tattered copy of The Chocolate War, as well as the copy of the book he'd written his address in when he told me to send him my first manuscript. That was in 1995. And it was the moment I put my first foot forward on this very long journey. At the end of the class, I read the first chapter of PEARL for the first time. As I read, I could feel myself starting to get a little nervous, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see my well-loved copy of THE CHOCOLATE WAR right there in reach. And I remembered that challenge inside that I read so, so long ago when I was just sixteen. Do I dare disturb the universe? And how I thought to myself, Yes. But I just didn't know how. Only now, I do. And it was Robert Cormier who showed me the way. It starts with a blank page, and the bravery to fill it. With words.

3. My Mom
She is a children's librarian and tomorrow night she organized a Harry Potter party at her library. My mom is very brave. She needed some adults to help volunteer so my sister and I agreed. The catch is, we have to dress up. Soooo... we bought orange wigs and are going as the Weasely twins. :-)

I love that my mom is doing this for all the crazed Harry Potter fans she knows and loves (and I include myself in that group). All the kids come in costume. They get sorted into houses. They play quidditch. They... well, they pretend. They escape. They use their imaginations and really believe, just for a couple of hours. Isn't it a wonder, what a good book, and a good librarian, can do?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

4. Our JoNoWriMo+1.5 community!

Today is an official check-in day, so please head on over to jonowrimo and let us know how you're doing!

5. A free day
Today my son's school is closed for parent-teacher conferences so the boy and I are just hanging out. After a crazy, crazy three days, I can't wait to snuggle up with a good book together. And maybe of course some Halloween candy, too. :-)

How can you make it get better?

All of these moving It Get's Better videos show up every day. Every time I watch, I cry. And I keep asking, what can we do to make it get better now?



For kids standing on the edge, I wonder if vague promises of things getting better are enough. I know they are a good start. Maybe all these videos are promoting the idea that bullying is uncool. Maybe kids watching will see how one tiny act of kindness really can make a difference. Even save a life.

But just in case they don't, lets pledge to perform those acts ourselves. Every chance we get.



Thanks, and have a great weekend!

She's here!!

It seems so early, since the book doesn't come out until July.

And yet...

PEARL's here!

And the best part? This is my first book my son is old enough to read! (Along with his very patient cat.)



On the back:
 "Meet Pearl and Henry: misfits, best friends,
and—possibly—one another's first love."
Henry Holt, July 19 (ages 12 and up)
I'm hoping there will be ARCs available at NCTE/ALAN, which (holy cow!) is in just a few weeks! Will you be there? I'm not scheduled to do any signings but I'll be around to meet up. My workshop is on Monday at 12:30. I am determined NOT to let my nerves ruin the weekend. Ahem. *plans escape to the Wizarding World*  :-)

Please vote! Wise words from a 17 yr old

Here is some smart advice from saraclaradara 's son about why everyone, especially young people, should vote!

"Stop letting these old gits ruin the country for us and go out and vote!" -Brilliant 17 yr old