Anne Carter's Blog, page 13

Big Day at Barnes & Noble

Pam & Kwei

To lighten the tone after my last cranky post, here's a snapshot taken yesterday at Barnes & Noble, Valencia, California. Kwei Quartey is the author of the Inspector Darko Dawson Mystery series, the most recent of which is CHILDREN OF THE STREET. Kwei is a delightful guy and I'm always glad to see him. He periodically sends me lighthouse photos he snaps while traveling, most often from Ghana, his home country.

Big thanks to Jackie Vick and Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles for setting up our panel discussion. Also to Lori Christian of Barnes and Noble, a most gracious and knowledgeable hostess! We're hoping to put together a lighthouse discussion in the future.

If you missed this event, all of our books are available at Barnes and Noble, as well as that other big online bookseller you might know about.

Respect in the Classroom

I don't often use my blog as a soapbox, but today I feel like sharing. At the risk of sounding like a whiny parent, I need to relate an incident that recently happened at my daughter's school. It goes something like this:

Syllabus states that student will keep all schoolwork in a 3 ring binder. Doesn't have to be singular, it could be a section in a larger notebook. Daughter then proceeds to organize her work neatly, in said binder, taking special care the night before a scheduled "notebook check".

The next day, daughter is paired with another student to do interactive classwork. The notebook check commences, with the teacher calling individual students to his desk for said check. Daughter, for some unknown reason, has taken all the organized work out of her binder, perhaps for use with the partner as they work on classwork together. She is then called to the teacher's desk, so she sweeps up the neatly prepared papers and approaches the teacher. He takes a look at her pages, and asks where her binder is. She gestures, saying it's on her desk.

Teacher: "Well, you've just earned yourself a fail on this assignment."

Daughter: "Excuse me?"

Teacher: "What's the matter, you can't read?"

Daughter, mortified because the entire class is watching and listening. "I'm sorry."

Teacher: Babbles on about her not being able to follow simple instructions, etc.

~~~~~

This "teacher" – in quotes because I'm using the term loosely – has just lost an opportunity to teach. He's lost it because he's lost the respect of his student. This student, my daughter, has been taught to respect her teachers, but in the instant that he chose not to respect her, he's severed the very relationship he needs in order to teach her. He will likely argue that he did teach her; he taught her not to make this foolish mistake in the future. He taught her that she is not worthy of respect because she messed up something so monumental as placing her classwork back into her binder for inspection.

Across the hall, in another classroom, another teacher would have handled this very differently:

Teacher:  "Hey, what's up with this? Where is your notebook?"

Daughter:  "Oh crap. It's on my desk!"

Teacher, with one raised eyebrow:  "So you know, right, that it's supposed to be in the binder? I'll let it go this time, but next time please be prepared…" (or) "Go get it. I'll have to deduct 10 points." (or even) "What's the matter, you can't read?" with a smile and a sigh.

~~~~~

When I learned about this "incident," I was, naturally, enraged. My daughter is sensitive enough without being humiliated by this instructor. Worse, this seems a repeat of the scenario she faced two years ago, in another school with another teacher.

Now, she must go back into a classroom with a teacher who has treated her unkindly, in a subject where her grade was already suffering. She explained to me that he has treated other students similarly, especially girls, and she thinks he's a sexist. She and I discussed options, including my intervening again with the counselor and/or principal. But my daughter correctly pointed out that it would likely only result in the teacher going on the defensive. There could be repercussions. After all, what does he have to lose? He's tenured. And don't even get me started on that issue.

No, my daughter said, the only way to get back at him would be to excel in the subject. Prove she was better than what he thought. But therein lies the paradox, doesn't it? How can she excel when she feels at odds with this person, the one who's supposed to teach her?

I guess the bottom line is, my girl did learn something that day. She learned you can't expect to be treated with respect if you make a mistake. She learned that teachers are allowed to get angry, and to make judgment calls while angry. She learned there is no consistency in the way she is treated from classroom to classroom, and that teachers just can't be trusted.

I know some will be critical of my tantrum and say that my daughter should be reprimanded for being unprepared. Yes, she can be an airhead sometimes. Yes, she was mistaken in thinking that the binder was just a place to keep the papers organized, and she probably should have understood better. I don't dispute her error. I do, however, believe that her teacher is a bully. There is no place for sarcasm and personal attacks in the classroom. And as I've said many times before:  for students to be successful, they must feel safe and respected in school. Once those elements are lost, learning ceases.

All comments and opinions welcome.

Fall for a Good Mystery Author Panel

[image error]Barnes & Noble Valencia
Author Event

Sisters in Crime is back to host another up-close and personal chat with a panel of captivating mystery writers. This month we'll be joined by authors Anne Carter and Kwei Quartey, so don't miss it!
Saturday September 17, 2011 2:00 PM 

Valencia

Creekside Place, 23630 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355, 661-254-6604

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Happy September

[image error]"To live you have to experiment, to have the ability to experiment you have to have confidence, to have confidence you have to be loved, to be loved you have to love." --Pete Seeger

I hope Mr. Seeger won't mind my use of his photo and wonderful words. It just seemed fitting today. Aren't we all experimenting somehow, every day?

Welcome to September.

The Loss of a Friend and Mentor

Lorraine Stephens

I woke up in a bad mood to begin with. Groggy, tired, I squinted at my cell phone as I staggered into the kitchen in search of some coffee and dog food. The kibble was for Sandie and Dolce, the coffee, well, for me. But I paused when I saw an email subject line from an old friend in the east:  "Sad news." And I knew.

Lorraine was my first real editor. While that in itself is important, what was even more valuable was her belief in me as a writer. As an author. She loved my stories, praised them time after time. The edits were grueling; after all, these were my early romance novels and I was still developing my skills. But she once said, of StarCrossed Hearts, "I must have read this manuscript seven times by now, and I still love reading it. Your characters are like old friends of mine."

She once pitched my book to John DeSalvo, who happened to be sitting at the same table during a romance book convention. For those not in-the-know, John is one of the most popular romance novel cover models ever–he's appeared on over 1500 books! So John mentioned he was going to become a movie producer and was looking for a big, epic romance to film. Lorraine handed him a copy of my book. Bless her heart.

Lorraine was a founding partner of Wings ePress, which opened its publishing doors just ten years ago next month. StarCrossed Hearts was one of their four launch titles. I was quite proud of that fact. Later, I went to work for Wings, managing their cover art department. It was a lot of work for very little pay, but I enjoyed working with Lorraine, the other partners and staff members. And, of course, the authors, all realizing their dreams of becoming published.

We always worried about how hard Lorraine worked. She would often sit in her recliner until the wee hours, reading and editing on her Rocket eBook device. She was exhausted, but she almost never missed a deadline. She was firm but kind to her authors. She loved her dogs, her friends, her sons (not necessarily in that order). She spoke with a little bit of urgency, but with a Southern inflection I loved. Writing under the name Margaret B. Lawrence, Lorraine was also a fine author of romantic and historical suspense.

I'm sure the long hours and stress took its toll; a few years back, Lorraine had a debilitating stroke that left her unable to work like she had before. Regrettably, at first because I didn't want to bother her, we lost touch. I'd been meaning to write her. Always thought I would, one day, talk to her again. But last night, her heart decided to take a well-deserved rest.

Lorraine, you did good, girl. You went after a dream and made it come true. You made it possible for hundreds of struggling writers to become published authors. I've seen their tears of joy upon getting that first copy, that first tangible evidence of their success. You accomplished that. All those nights of burning the midnight oil, all those aches and pains, the tired eyes, sacrifices—it was all worth it. And in case I didn't say it enough before…

Thank you, LOLly. I miss you.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It read like a historical memoir, rich with authentic detail. I like that it is set in Seattle. The bouncing back and forth between the 1940′s war years and 1986 reminded me of my own book (Cape Seduction) and was well done. Story moves at an easy pace; there is a lot of thought and day-to-day life.

The subject matter itself is a strong reminder of a another world of prejudice too easily forgotten. Japanese-heritage Americans were rounded up and removed in much the same manner as the Cherokees a hundred years before. The strong but conflicting goals and philosophies of Henry's Chinese father are another reminder of the plight Asian immigrants faced in their new country. American-born Henry and his son Marty evolve but maintain their Chinese cultural ties. Especially interesting to me as I have a half-Chinese grandson who will be learning Mandarin.

And, of course, the love. Henry and Keiko's is a poignant story. All of the characters are well-drawn, realistic and interesting.

This was a fast read for me and kept me entertained throughout. I'll read more from Jamie Ford.

Take a moment to read an interview with Jamie Ford here.

View all my reviews

Friends For Education

I think enough time has passed (about 8 weeks) since I asked you to help us eradicate cancer. Now I'm asking you to help us eradicate illiteracy. Well, something like that. The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation has just created "Friends For Education", a simple way for you to support excellence in education here in the SCV. In case you didn't know, or have just forgotten, the SCVEF is that modest group of business owners, educators and advocates responsible for honoring SCV's best at Teacher Tribute; providing Student Enrichment awards to local public schools; awarding scholarships to future educators; pairing community members with school administrators at Principal For a Day; bringing an appreciation for books and the fine arts at Santa Clarita's Literacy and Arts Festival; and much more.

While some of our programs and events have a limited number of generous sponsors, we could still use some help. For $100.00, "Friends" get a seat at our Principal For a Day luncheon, where past keynote speakers have shared lively, valuable "state of the districts" information about our five school districts. Also included is a ticket to Teacher Tribute, an enjoyable evening at the Performing Arts Center where one teacher from each of our public schools is honored. Along with a listing on our website, a book will be donated in your name to our "Bag of Books" as part of our Read With Me! program.

The SCV Education Foundation is the only one of its kind, serving all five SCV school districts. Originally a part of the SCV Chamber of Commerce, this education committee was created in 1984 to develop partnerships between local business and the public schools. In order to focus solely on education and to be eligible for foundation grants and more corporate support, the Chamber and the Education Committee decided to form a foundation. In November 1995, the Chamber Education qualified as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation and is now called the Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation. For more information on the Foundation, its programs, events and board members, visit their website at http://www.scveducationfoundation.org. To join the Friends For Education, contact me, or click here and don't forget to mention my name so I'll get my Brownie points.

And by the way, if you or your company are looking to become a strategic partner or sponsor for educational endeavors, I hope you will consider talking with us. Your tax deductible donation aids in our mission "to provide support, programs and leadership for the promotion and welfare of K-12 public school education in the Santa Clarita Valley".

 

My Other Life: Keeping Track of Money

As shocking as it may seem, not all published authors support themselves on their royalties. I know, huh? Yeah, I was a little surprised, too, when I first discovered that little known fact. So, to answer the many questions I get about how I earn income between blockbusters, here's the scoop:  I make sure that OPM handled by my clients is all accounted for. No, that's not opium. It's Other Peoples' Money. Trust funds. If you've ever been a homeowner or played one on TV, you'll know that real estate transactions require good faith deposits, down payments and loan proceeds – all of which are placed into bank accounts in trust. Escrow and title companies, real estate brokers, banks and attorneys act as disinterested third-party facilitators, and the regulations imposed upon them are quite strict when it comes to the bookkeeping part. Every penny must be accounted for and recorded—daily. Their bank statements must be reconciled by the 15th of each month, and any discrepancies must be identified and corrected by month-end.

Enter moi.

For the past 20 years, I have made it my business to help escrow holders keep track of their trust funds. I balance checkbooks with running balances in the millions of dollars. I've been forced to become proficient at computer networking, various software programs and banking systems. I have excellent clients, some of whom have been with me for 14, 15 and 20 years. The business is pretty much arranged so that I don't have to leave my office; my customers don't need me interrupting their days anyway. I don't spend a lot of time marketing my business because I've never had to—word of mouth has been very good to me. But still, I'm always open to new customers and appreciate referrals.

I just updated my business website and am updating some promo materials. Just in case you know someone whose escrow trust account has fallen into disarray.

Valdata Services, Inc.

Pam Ripling

(Um, President.)

 

The Poached Pair

Photo courtesy of @LadyDucayne

It's not only that I love to support local small business—I do—it's also because these gals know how to serve up the goods. Not only that, they are nice people, too. Let me tell you how nice.

Just over a year ago, as we were struggling to put together our fourth annual fundraiser for Relay For Life and vendors were turning us down right and left, I got an email from Megan Gonzalez. She was "wondering if you're still in need of dessert providers or gift basket donations for the Pop a Cork for a Cure event that you're hosting". I immediately called Megan and she quickly arranged to donate desserts and a basket. On May 8th, she and her partner/mother Marcy showed up with an array of macaroons, mole biscotti and red velvet cupcakes. They also carried in a huge gift basket filled with more of the delectable stuff. They stayed for the event and contributed to our auction and raffle. I was beside myself in gratitude, and I just don't forget kindnesses like that.

Back then, in mid-2010, "the Pair" was still baking on the fly. They didn't yet have a retail establishment, but were working hard toward that end. And recently, just over a year later, they opened their lovely little shop on Lyons Avenue in the Yellow Victorian Building. I caught up with Megan and Marcy on Monday, July fourth, and we had a chance to chat about cupcakes, the weather and the business. Since their shop is smack-dab in the middle of the parade route, they opened on their usual day off and baked up a yummy assortment of scones, cupcakes and cookies, brewed up a pot of coffee and iced down some tea.

What I learned from our talk is that opening a food business is a struggle—no surprise there, but still heart-wrenching to hear the details.

I learned that red velvet cake is originally from the South, and the heavy, cream-cheese laden frosting is not the traditional topping. The Pair painstakingly whips up a much lighter and more authentic frosting for their RV cupcakes, and the result is simply mouth-watering.

I learned the frustration shop owners feel when they can't control loiterers who may cause customers discomfort.

I learned that there is no magical, secret-handshake-insider-info for small businesses trying to survive. No one really knows the winning combination; it's all trial-and-error. Sometimes (probably more often than they would like) there are baked goods left at the end of their very long day. Those leftovers are usually donated to various charitable organizations in Santa Clarita. More thumbs up for that.

Megan and Marcy run a clean, safe, attractive little bakery. They work hard and are doing everything just as right as possible. There are something like six other nouveau bakeries in town, and I applaud them all—it takes a lot of sweat and moxy to open any kind of business in this economy. Not sure Santa Clarita can support that many pastry stores, and I already feel the heartache for the ones that may fail. Positive word-of-mouth is crucial, so we–my fellow coffee-klatchers and I–are doing our best to spread the word for the Poached Pair. Do stop in and pick up a box of scones, won't you?

The Poached Pair is located at 22722 Lyons Avenue, #1, Newhall, California. For you locals, it's where you turn in to park behind the Egg Plantation. Visit their website and be sure to connect with The Poached Pair on Facebook to watch for their daily menu items!

To Boldly Split Infinitives

My extremely cool school.

Okay, I thought that might be kind of funny. Why? Because I have just been offered a job as an English tutor! At my school! My C O L L E G E school!

Yep… [buffing nails lightly on t-shirt] I will be joining the staff at College of the Canyons this fall. I was recommended by my wonderful English professor, and I suppose I've been deemed qualified. Where does the "funny" part come in? Well, it's just that…um…I don't know all that much about the parts of speech. I think I was absent that day. I know how to write, I know what works, what sounds correct – but I'm not well-versed in why. The good news? I get training! The better news? I get paid!

On the serious side, I'm very honored and extremely excited. This is a great opportunity to help others while broadening my own skills. A win-win. The job is part-time, and one that I can easily work around my other jobs:  mother, wife, housekeeper and, uh, business owner. Oh, and student, author and non-prof secretary. Did I miss anything? How about grandmother?

So welcome me to the world of dangling participles, multi-word adverbials and syntactic units! (Wish me luck.)