Joyce Magnin's Blog, page 2

Being a Writer

Here's the thing, being a writer is hard. It involves many things. It's not just sitting down everyday and tapping out words and stories and then sitting back and raking in the cash. HA! Far from it. Being a writer is for most of us a labor of love and if the writer is like me--survival and salvation. It also involves a bit of self promotion and advertising. And I suppose that's what I'm doing. Today and Friday my agent, the amazing Chip MacGregor is running the text of a speech I gave a year or so ago at writer's conference about The Power of Words, in particular the power of words in my life, for good and for bad sometimes. So, hop on over to Chip's blog, take a look and let me know what you think. http://macgregorliterary.com/
And if you like what you read then I hope you'll take a look at my books on Amazon or wherever you buy books and give me a chance.

Conference Special

Here's the thing, it's getting to be the Fall Conference Season. Is your manuscript where you want it to be for all those incredible appointments and pitch opportunities? Well, have I got a deal for you. I am running my now famous $99 Read it and Fix it Special. For just $99 I will read the first fifteen or twenty pages of your ms. including a synopsis and tell you what I think. I'll make suggestions and give you an overall assessment. Don't miss out. I've published nine novels now and I know it is no easy task, so don't just rely on your eyes only. So get in touch and I'll get reading. I love doing this, you know.

Bat Poo Crazy Land

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CaZy5ppPRzA..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CaZy5ppPRzA..." width="169" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Here’s the thing, I’ve been working on new book. It’s part memoir and part fiction and takes place in 1967 when I was eleven years old. I don’t know for sure but I suppose working on this book is the reason I’ve been doing a lot of remembering lately. Remembering stuff about my less than conventional childhood, growing up in the sixties and seventies and the fact that I was not your most conventional child. I did odd things, read odd things, said odd things and most of the time was odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>So was my family. I also knew in my soul of souls that everything I was experiencing would someday land in a book or two, you see, even at the tender age of eleven I knew what I was experiencing was too good to be true and needed to be memorialized. So far, I was right—at least in part. But this new story goes where no other book of mine has gone. To Joyceland—a strange place on the outskirts of Bat Poo Crazy.</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, I thought it would be fun to take you guys, my dear blog readers and fans on the journey with me as I travel down the highway of things gone by, of what were perhaps, better days in some ways and straight into the sewer lines of my existence. </div><div class="MsoNormal">For example, let’s talk about my mother, most of you know her as Flossie. My mother was without a doubt the funniest person I ever experienced—she just didn’t know it. The thing that I remember most about Mom is that she was always busy although she never had a real job, couldn’t drive because my father said she was a menace on the road, and our house was always a mess—clutter from top to bottom. A situation that periodically resulted in my father going a little nuts, hollering to anyone who would listen that the house was a shit house and scared us all into cleaning—although to this day I do not remember my mother ever vacuuming anything, let alone dust or sweep. Yet, the work got done—usually by us kids and my father, who would get sick and tired of needing to move stacks of newspapers and freshly laundered towels off the couch before he could sit down. Said towels now being full of dog hair.</div><div class="MsoNormal">But still, Mom always seemed to be doing something. She spent most of her time in the kitchen singing hymns and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>. . . and doing whatever it was she did. She liked to crochet and made strange things that most people would not consider normal crochet fare. No kidding, for Halloween we set <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBFMpQ5N7JA..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBFMpQ5N7JA..." width="192" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>See, I told you</b></td></tr></tbody></table>out a crocheted Jack-o-lantern with a crocheted candle—complete with flame inside. Our toilet seat cover was a crocheted frog pond complete with lily pads and frogs. I promise you the woman could crochet anything and she did. Yet, this woman who didn’t seem to do anything other than cook—she was a good cook, but more about that another day, and crochet, was the one person everyone in the neighborhood knew they could count on in a crisis. When our neighbors got their electric turned off for non-payment, mom helped stretch a heavy extension cord from our house to theirs to keep their refrigerator running. She was the go-to Mom for medical issues and had no fear of blood or oozing red pustules. She knew what to do. But through it all she never dusted a thing. </div>

Why a Writer's Conference is Better than Looking at Naked Mole Rats

Here's the thing, in my humble opinion there is no better place for writers to converge than at a conference. It is good for the body, mind and soul. Nay, I say it is imperative for writers to gather, all of one mind, kindred spirits, a singularity as it were of folks all looking in the same direction. Well, I got to thinking about the words Writer’s Conference—I often think about words—and I came up with a few things that might help you decide to come to the conference or if you are already on board to feel pretty good about it. I know I do. The Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference changed my life, people. I mean it. Changed.  My.  Life. If it had not been for the conference I would My SIL showing as fungus not a naked mole ratnever have met the people who were instrumental in launching my career. I was shy at first but BAM! Success happens. Attending a conference is the best way to network, to begin to land on the radar of editors and other authors who can make a difference. Facebook is great but there ain’t nothing better than face-to-face. Unless you're a naked mole rat and then face-to-face might not be the way to go. I'm not sure if naked mole rats even have conferences. So let’s look at the words Writer’s Conference and see what we can find.Writers. Well stating the obvious is of course the word writer. And you know who you are. You know how many times you think, wow, that’s a great idea or I should really write a story or a book and then sadly the moment is quickly replaced by say, a screaming child or a flat tire or a naked mole rat sighting. Well, here’s the thing, attending a writer’s conference is the one place a writer can be a writer. When that instant of inspiration or a light bulb turns on you can simply reach out and touch another writer who would just love to talk about it with you. Even help you get it on paper. Not to mention the amazing opportunities for a WRITER to bring his or her stuff to a place and have it read by some really talented people. Naked mole rats do not read.Embedded in WRITERS is the word  TER, as in deter. How many times have you been deterred from writing? From starting that novel, finishing that story or submitting? Life is full of detriments to a creative life, but here’s the thing, coming to a conference will be the one place you go this year where you will not find things to deter you but things to TER you on and find your words inTEResting and help you determine where and when to submit. Naked mole rats submit to nothing.Now let’s look at the word CONFERENCE. Hoki smoke Bullwinkle, lots of good stuff here. CONFER, yes, it means to grant or bestow. Here’s the thing, I hereby bestow and grant unto you the title of WRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE and where do writers go? Conferences. That’s right. Ah, but what if we shorten it and wind up with the word CON. Oh boy, how many times have you felt like con artist, a fraud, a person without talent, a person your family kind of humors until you walk away. Here’s the thing, we all feel that way. Even published authors who have published dozens of books feel like a con sometimes. But, attending a conference will do so much to help you feel, well, bestowed upon, granted the title of writer—even if you still have a hard time wearing your WRITER badge at home. We’ll let you take it out, polish it to a fine patina and proudly wear it.Naked Mole Rats have no good place to pin a badge.And that brings us to the back end of the word—ENCE. As in:Confidence – Yeah we can get you some that. But you have to come and please, whatever you do don’t leave your words at home. Bring them. We’d love to see what you’re working on.Audience –Ain’t nothing wrong with having an audience or sitting in the audience and listening to some really amazing speakers. It’s good for you.Bioluminescence—Okay, maybe a stretch but think about it. The word simply means to make your own light and let it shine in dark places. Uhm, isn’t that kind of the point? Naked mole rats live in the dark. Excellence—Personally one of my favorite words. I believe all artists, writers need to strive for excellence. And let me tell you, a conference is the best place to make some headway there.Now I could go on but maybe you should find some of your own words. In fact why not write them down and bring them. Maybe we can find a place to display them. What’s your ENCE or TER?Seriously The Greater Philadelphia Conference is the place to be this summer.Not so much for the naked mole rats.I am leading the Middle Grade and YA clinic at the conference this year. She is the author of nine books including two middle grade novels. Her most recent middle grade was awarded a Kirkus Starred review.

The ABCs of Imagination

Here's the thing, one of the many highlights of the Highlights Fiction Workshop was an all too brief visit with Peter Jacobi. He is a completely lovely man with an amazing mind. Peter comes often to Highlights and shares his  insights and sheer joy for words, language, creativity, the arts. Peter JacobiPeter is professor emeritus of journalism at Indiana University and a consultant with magazines and corporations, helping CEOs, writers, and editors learn to express their ideas more effectively. His articles have appeared in World Book, the New York Times, Highlights, and others.
On Thursday evening he spoke on Imagination. In part this is what he presented in  his gentle, smart way. As you look at this list, think of your art whether it is writing, painting music, crafts, whatever your joy, consider these:The ABCs of Imagination.
A            Accurate. Be trustworthy in your writing.B            Buoyant, be optimistic, hopefulC            Convincing – choice of languageD            Discerning, not wildE            EvocativeF            Flexible – be willing to reconsider, listen to your editorG            Generous – don’t hold back. Give readers your best.H            Honesty-Authentic and sincereI            Intense-ImpassionedJ            Jovial, friendly, conversationalK            Knowing-let reader gain enlightenmentL            Luminous – cast light into the shadowsM            Magical – conjure, spellbindN            Near – bring the reader closeO            Original – totally yourselfP            Penetrating – imaginative eye of the soulQ            Quenching – use enough of everythingR            Resonate S            SpecificT            Tuneful – add melody to languageU            Unexpected – surprise your readerV            VisualW            Wise – Clear and perceptiveX            Xorcise – hasty judgmentY            Yearn to improveZ            Zealous           
copyright Peter Jacobi, all rights reserved

Part One: My Highlights Experience

<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} </style> <br /><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s the thing, Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Highlights Children’s Writers Workshop. And what’s the first thing I do? I drop my dental floss into the toilet. I stood there looking at it. I figured if that’s the only thing I drop into the toilet this week I’m in good shape. So I fished it out and deposited it into the trashcan and finished unpacking. Well, unpacking for me anyway. I pretty much lived out of my suitcase. Then I went to explore this new world. This other dimension I had entered. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Scattered cottages, a big huge barn, miles of walkways and pathways and trails, trees and sky as far as the eye can see. Plenty of coffee, tea, chips and chocolate. No shortage of sodas and beer and wine. And best of all a roomful of kindred spirits, hearts and minds all moving in the same direction, toward a singular goal, yet diverse and personal.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3oLoRtEEOp4..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3oLoRtEEOp4..." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My little fairy cabin</b></td></tr></tbody></table>Sound like paradise? Well yes, frankly it was. I spent a week in paradise in the company of writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>The other conferees, Liesbeth who came from New Zealand, Becky who traveled from Singapore. Singapore! Tom, Stacey, Bee and Kate were incredibly talented and enthusiastic both for their work and each others’. Our fearless leaders were Janet Lisle, a Newbery author, Kathy Erskine who has won the National Book Award, Rich Wallace an amazing writer and winner of numerous awards and my mentor for the week—world renown editor Patti Gauch. You know what? It just doesn’t get better than this. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Our first night was a get to know you kind of evening and it didn’t take long before we had all bonded and melded together as a group. There was no need for little games and exercises. Camaraderie just happened. Mutual respect and care and joy just happened. I felt my shoulders relax and my intestines unclench and my heart rate slow as I sat among these folks swapping stories and dreams and successes and failures. By 9:00 that night I knew I was in the company of friends, a Charlotte’s Web of friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Monday Morning: I made a terrible discovery. Now I apologize of this next part makes some of you squeamish but it must be told. I’m sure a number of you women will understand—totally! I showered and dressed and then saw that I had forgotten my Poise pads—that’s right, at my age and having birthed three babies I can’t live without them. I can’t sneeze without them. I can’t laugh or walk or run or stretch without them. Well, mostly it’s the sneezing and I was doing plenty of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>And of course being miles and miles from anything that even smacked of a town or city I felt as though I had dropped my guts in the toilet. Now what? This particular pickle would make the week not impossible but I knew it would make me nervous and perhaps even embarrassed. So I sucked it up and went to inquire about what to do. I asked one of the kitchen ladies. Wow. She jumped right on the problem, they called in an order to the local supplier and within an hour I had not one but TWO packages waiting for me in the kitchen. Now that my dears is going above and beyond. Thank you Sandy and Martha and Jo for saving me and my dignity.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Then we got to work. Tune in tomorrow and I will tell you what it was like to work with Patti Lee Gauch who by the way was the editor for some of the best writers in the world including Tasha Tudor, Brian Jacques, Janet Lisle etc. </div>

The Best Part of Anything

Santina and the most awesome, delicious book report ever.Here's the thing, I love being a writer. I love writing for adults and I love writing for children. I enjoy the process of writing from idea to that moment when the UPS guy/girl drops a box of fresh books on my porch. I love opening the box and holding the book. I love the reviews and the chatter and I love acquiring at least in my small neck of the woods a modicum of celebrity status. It's great fun to visit book clubs and talk about Bright's Pond and Harriet Beamer. I will probably write more books for grown-ups but right now I am enjoying writing for kids. I hope to do a whole lot more. So, that brings us to today's question. What's the best part? What's the best part of writing for kids. Well, it's getting to meet young folks and young fans. It's visiting schools and watching bright faces and bright smiles when I talk about books and writing. It's seeing the look of astonishment when I show them how many pages I wrote to get to one book. I share all of the drafts of Cake and the kids are amazed. Suddenly rewriting one small class assignment doesn't look so daunting or impossible.
But this week a youngster went over and beyond in honoring Cake and me and I hope scoring an A+ on her book report. This young lady, Santina read Cake and then baked a cake to use as her actually report. She used chicken cutouts and wrote all the character names and usual; book report highlights on the fondant icing. Wow. I was so impressed I just had to share it. Santina, I'm impressed and I would love to come and visit your school soon and meet you. Thank You.
So, yeah, the process is good, the books are good, the money isn't so good but the best part? It's the way a book touches a child. It's been said that the shortest distance between two people is a story.

My Amazing School Visit

This is Sash presenting her teacher with CakeHere's the thing. Say what you will about the condition of the world but visit an elementary school for the day and see the goodness that exists. That's what I did yesterday. I had the joy of teaching three assemblies for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes about editing and revision at the Exton Elementary School in Exton, PA. The kids were terrific, well-behaved attentive and enthusiastic. They were kind and polite and made me smile so many times my jaw hurt. Dottie, the chicken had a great time also. The kids wanted to hold her but well, sometimes you have to say no. Sorry, kids. And my host, Kathy Massey the librarian made the day easy, non-pressured and delightful. Librarians as a rule Rock, teachers as a rule, rock. Anyway, later that day I went to B&N where the school was having their book fair. The fourth grade sang (sweet, very sweet) and I signed a bunch of books for eager kiddoes. There was also a raffle. One of the prizes was a copy of Cake. Well, here's the thing, the student who won the raffle had already purchased a copy of Cake. Yikes, what to do? Well, she was going to take a copy of Carrying Mason instead. But, you know what this dear, kind-hearted child did? She donated it to her teacher. Wow. And she did it with so much joy! Thank you Sasha (Alexandra is her real name). She was there with her brothers Igor and Vladamir. Great names. Anyway, if you need some joy put back into your life or just need to be uplifted, find a way to visit an elementary school. Dottie I look forward to visiting many more.

Some Random pics

How to know when you've been cooped-up too  long. She's fabulous.
Me with the wonderful Bruce Coville. What a joy.
A bird on the head is worth . . . Dottie the Chicken.

It Really Does Take a Village

Here’s the thing, it takes a village—for many things—especially a writing career. This morning I was thinking about ALL the people who had a hand in making Cake a success. It’s some village. I could go ahead and make a huge, long list but that would get a little loooooonnng. Suffice it to say if you know me, know my name or mentioned Cake in some way YOU are on my list.  All my Twitter buds, FB friends, Librarians, Teachers, Editors, Publicists (phew!) included. I am sometimes astonished at the number of people who were clued into Cake just from a simple short Tweet, or a FB mention or a friend’s suggestion, an article, an advertisement. It’s astounding. And so, it’s pretty fair to say that Cake is a hit because of YOU. Even some folks across the ocean! Criminy! So I just want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Cake.It’s an awesome village.Oh, and we're NOT done yet. There is till more Cakey goodness to come so keep the talk going!