Augusta Scattergood's Blog, page 20
August 8, 2015
More Setting
Or maybe the title should be more ABOUT setting.
Goodness knows, I've blogged a few times about setting.
Just when I think I've got it figured out, I don't. Ever have that feeling?
Maybe I need a WORKSHEET.
Maybe I need a trip. Much as I love New Jersey, I could never set a novel for young readers here. Oh yes, we have our local color, but is it suitable for young eyes?
(seen at the local deli)
And we have great food! But it's not food from my childhood. In fact, my children never cared much for NJ specialties so how could I possibly write about them.
(This is a Sloppy Joe. If you have never lived in NJ, it takes some explaining.)
Where a story takes place is almost as important to me as who is telling the story. That's why I've been noodling around to see what others have to say on the subject. I don't want to overdo the Spanish moss, the lizards, the pimento cheese.
Here's what I'm learning- I'll share a few links:
I love what Barbara O'Connor says about HOLES.
And she's said many things about setting over the life of her blog.
I have a tattered old notebook on a shelf with a few quotes from my favorite books: On the Road to Mr. Mineo's, for example.
("lazy days of summer stretch out before them like the highway out by the Waffle House" says more than most people could say in 3 paragraphs.)
And there's this: http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/settings.shtml
Or this: http://writeitsideways.com/21-writing-prompts-for-setting-a-scene-in-your-novel/
Also in that notebook-
A great memory of the Writers in Paradise week with Ann Hood. I love #1.
A few notes:
In all writing, the focus should be right there at the beginning, in the first sentences. We should know where we are and what we are in for.
1. Picture sentences. Close your eyes. If you can't picture it, it needs help.
2. In non-fiction, use all the devices of fiction: dialogue, setting, character, action, climax, resolution.
3. Find a central metaphor (examples: knitting, fire), something that gives your story meaning.
Okay, writer and reader friends. Can setting by overdone? Does it limit the audience, especially in books for young readers? Do you have tricks to share with the rest of us? How exactly do you bring your scenes alive?
Goodness knows, I've blogged a few times about setting.
Just when I think I've got it figured out, I don't. Ever have that feeling?
Maybe I need a WORKSHEET.
Maybe I need a trip. Much as I love New Jersey, I could never set a novel for young readers here. Oh yes, we have our local color, but is it suitable for young eyes?
(seen at the local deli)
And we have great food! But it's not food from my childhood. In fact, my children never cared much for NJ specialties so how could I possibly write about them.
(This is a Sloppy Joe. If you have never lived in NJ, it takes some explaining.)
Where a story takes place is almost as important to me as who is telling the story. That's why I've been noodling around to see what others have to say on the subject. I don't want to overdo the Spanish moss, the lizards, the pimento cheese.
Here's what I'm learning- I'll share a few links:
I love what Barbara O'Connor says about HOLES.
And she's said many things about setting over the life of her blog.
I have a tattered old notebook on a shelf with a few quotes from my favorite books: On the Road to Mr. Mineo's, for example.
("lazy days of summer stretch out before them like the highway out by the Waffle House" says more than most people could say in 3 paragraphs.)
And there's this: http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/settings.shtml
Or this: http://writeitsideways.com/21-writing-prompts-for-setting-a-scene-in-your-novel/
Also in that notebook-
A great memory of the Writers in Paradise week with Ann Hood. I love #1.
A few notes:
In all writing, the focus should be right there at the beginning, in the first sentences. We should know where we are and what we are in for.
1. Picture sentences. Close your eyes. If you can't picture it, it needs help.
2. In non-fiction, use all the devices of fiction: dialogue, setting, character, action, climax, resolution.
3. Find a central metaphor (examples: knitting, fire), something that gives your story meaning.
Okay, writer and reader friends. Can setting by overdone? Does it limit the audience, especially in books for young readers? Do you have tricks to share with the rest of us? How exactly do you bring your scenes alive?
August 3, 2015
Great Advice/ Happy birthday, Leo ladies.
Happy Birthday, fellow Leos!
Sue Monk Kidd, Kirby Larson, Liesl Shurtliff
and I almost share a birthday. And probably a whole bunch of others I'm leaving out.
(Leos should stick together. We are fierce.)
I hope some of their Writer Mojo rubs off on me--
on all of us this month!
When I first read this, I shared it on my blog.
Years ago.
Sharing again here. Great advice from a fellow August author.
The Ten Most Helpful Things I Could Ever Tell Anyone About Writing
(Thinking about Kidd's collages reminds me of my Pinterest boards. That's where I gather things to help my writing. I'm not much of a collage maker.)
One of my favorites from her list of helpful things:
Hurry slowly.
"Getting the pace of a story right keeps me up at night. I have a horror of sitting on a plane, next to someone reading my book, and seeing her flip over to see how many pages are left in the chapter. You want a reader so caught up in the spell of a story it would never occur to her to pull herself away and count how many pages she had to read before she could stop."
Sue Monk Kidd, Kirby Larson, Liesl Shurtliff
and I almost share a birthday. And probably a whole bunch of others I'm leaving out.
(Leos should stick together. We are fierce.)
I hope some of their Writer Mojo rubs off on me--
on all of us this month!
When I first read this, I shared it on my blog.
Years ago.
Sharing again here. Great advice from a fellow August author.
The Ten Most Helpful Things I Could Ever Tell Anyone About Writing
(Thinking about Kidd's collages reminds me of my Pinterest boards. That's where I gather things to help my writing. I'm not much of a collage maker.)
One of my favorites from her list of helpful things:
Hurry slowly.
"Getting the pace of a story right keeps me up at night. I have a horror of sitting on a plane, next to someone reading my book, and seeing her flip over to see how many pages are left in the chapter. You want a reader so caught up in the spell of a story it would never occur to her to pull herself away and count how many pages she had to read before she could stop."
July 28, 2015
Leaning In
I hope non-Facebook people will be able to see this link to Kate DiCamillo's Author Facebook page. But I'll cross my fingers and share because it's so truly wonderful.
I, too, was told to stand up straight. I was the tallest girl in my class for a very long time. My godfather was an orthopedic surgeon. I loved ballet.
All those things "told" me to stand up straight.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertcorm219373.htmlBut Kate reminds us that if we're looking closely, it's okay to lean down.
The better to see with!
And leaning in is a sure sign of paying attention.
Paying attention and writing slowly= two lessons I'm taking away from Facebook today.
(Maybe it helps that I'm looking at a lot of trees this week?)
Here's Kate DiCamillo's Facebook post. What do you think?
I, too, was told to stand up straight. I was the tallest girl in my class for a very long time. My godfather was an orthopedic surgeon. I loved ballet.
All those things "told" me to stand up straight.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertcorm219373.htmlBut Kate reminds us that if we're looking closely, it's okay to lean down.The better to see with!
And leaning in is a sure sign of paying attention.
Paying attention and writing slowly= two lessons I'm taking away from Facebook today.
(Maybe it helps that I'm looking at a lot of trees this week?)Here's Kate DiCamillo's Facebook post. What do you think?
"I took this picture when I was up at the cabin. I like this tree. It leans. I was always told to stand up straight; and..."
Posted by The Official Kate DiCamillo Page on Thursday, June 25, 2015
July 20, 2015
It's Monday! What I'm reading today.
A first for me.
A book with a possum character named- TA DAH!
AUGUSTA
Here she is, dancing with joy with one of her twelve siblings in Appleblossom the Possum.
(Thank you, Dial Press.)
Lots of bloggers and readers and writers share books on Monday.
Here's the hashtag if you're tweeting what you're reading:
#IMWAYR
The blogs?
Find them all over the place!
Here are two I often check.
Alyson Beecher is here at Kidlitfrenzy.com.
And Kellee Moye is here at Unleashingreaders.com.
In addition to APPLEBLOSSOM THE POSSUM by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Yes, the same author who penned COUNTING BY 7s), I am not only reading but loving so very much-- the new Calpurnia Tate novel.
More to come on that one.
What are you reading?
A book with a possum character named- TA DAH!
AUGUSTA
Here she is, dancing with joy with one of her twelve siblings in Appleblossom the Possum.
(Thank you, Dial Press.)Lots of bloggers and readers and writers share books on Monday.
Here's the hashtag if you're tweeting what you're reading:
#IMWAYR
The blogs?
Find them all over the place!
Here are two I often check.
Alyson Beecher is here at Kidlitfrenzy.com.
And Kellee Moye is here at Unleashingreaders.com.
In addition to APPLEBLOSSOM THE POSSUM by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Yes, the same author who penned COUNTING BY 7s), I am not only reading but loving so very much-- the new Calpurnia Tate novel.
More to come on that one.
What are you reading?
July 14, 2015
Books Needed!
My sister, my niece, much of my Mississippi family lives in Batesville, MS.
This week, one of their schools burned to the ground, overnight. While they were able to save the historic brick school building next door, it was devastating to the 15 kindergarten and 2 Pre-K classrooms.
They've set up a Google Doc for donations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCmnCSaMdY-7p0RFHVM3a1GYnonijcfqkip_Tqa4XW8/edit?usp=sharing
(On that google doc, there's a link to order via the Scholastic Store. CLICK HERE-- They're having a big summer sale right now.)
For my writer friends whose books are K and Pre-K, scroll down for the address to send a copy of your own book, if you're so inclined.
Here's the memo from the school and the volunteers who are working to supply those classrooms:
On July 10, the Kindergarten classrooms at Batesville Elementary in Batesville, Mississippi, were completely destroyed by fire.
Please help us replenish their children’s book collection.
What You Can Do:
Follow the directions on the attached Google Spread Sheet.
Choose a book or books to donate.
Place an order. Most are found on Amazon.
Have the books shipped here:
Lydia Aderholt
211 Jones Street
Batesville Mississippi 38606
Thank you so much!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCmnCSaMdY-7p0RFHVM3a1GYnonijcfqkip_Tqa4XW8/edit?usp=sharing
Mississippi Bloggers
Lydia, Kacey, Jessica, and Laura
LaSherry Irby, Principal
Batesville Elementary School
This week, one of their schools burned to the ground, overnight. While they were able to save the historic brick school building next door, it was devastating to the 15 kindergarten and 2 Pre-K classrooms.
They've set up a Google Doc for donations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCmnCSaMdY-7p0RFHVM3a1GYnonijcfqkip_Tqa4XW8/edit?usp=sharing
(On that google doc, there's a link to order via the Scholastic Store. CLICK HERE-- They're having a big summer sale right now.)
For my writer friends whose books are K and Pre-K, scroll down for the address to send a copy of your own book, if you're so inclined.
Here's the memo from the school and the volunteers who are working to supply those classrooms:
On July 10, the Kindergarten classrooms at Batesville Elementary in Batesville, Mississippi, were completely destroyed by fire.
Please help us replenish their children’s book collection.
What You Can Do:
Follow the directions on the attached Google Spread Sheet.
Choose a book or books to donate.
Place an order. Most are found on Amazon.
Have the books shipped here:
Lydia Aderholt
211 Jones Street
Batesville Mississippi 38606
Thank you so much!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pCmnCSaMdY-7p0RFHVM3a1GYnonijcfqkip_Tqa4XW8/edit?usp=sharing
Mississippi Bloggers
Lydia, Kacey, Jessica, and Laura
LaSherry Irby, Principal
Batesville Elementary School
July 10, 2015
Teachers Write
As if you teachers didn't have enough to do over the summer, here's another thought.
Click on over to KATE MESSNER'S blog and follow along with her fantastic fellow writers.
No, wait. This is fun! It's not another chore. You will love this.
And hey, you don't have to be a teacher. You can write for the fun of it and learn so much.
Start with JO KNOWLES'S Monday Warm-ups. CLICK HERE for the first prompt.
I love the idea of that blank piece of paper. Jo asks her writing readers to fill her comments with their ideas for a work-in-progress. Super idea for a Monday warm-up prompt.
Kate has a whole lineup of writers ready to give great suggestions. So far (and the summer is young), my absolute favorite, and one I hope to put into practice, is THIS. Click to go to Sarah Albee's hilarious post about writing funny.
Here's a small sample from Sarah:
1. Surprise your reader with the unexpected.
Last week I heard Dave Barry on the radio. Terry Gross was interviewing him about his new book. He was talking about the good old days when he was a kid, in the pre-helicopter-parenting days when parents basically ignored their kids. “On a summer morning we’d leave the house,” he said, “and my mom would say, ‘Be sure you’re back by September.’” It’s funny because your brain is expecting “by dinner” of course, and he jolts you with the unexpected.
Funny is crucial, even in serious stories. Especially in those. And Sarah writes true stories. Not necessarily humorous non-fiction. And yet it is.
We can all learn a lesson, teachers, students, just plain writers.
Thanks, Kate Messner, for this summer fun.
Click on over to KATE MESSNER'S blog and follow along with her fantastic fellow writers.
No, wait. This is fun! It's not another chore. You will love this.
And hey, you don't have to be a teacher. You can write for the fun of it and learn so much.
Start with JO KNOWLES'S Monday Warm-ups. CLICK HERE for the first prompt.
I love the idea of that blank piece of paper. Jo asks her writing readers to fill her comments with their ideas for a work-in-progress. Super idea for a Monday warm-up prompt.
Kate has a whole lineup of writers ready to give great suggestions. So far (and the summer is young), my absolute favorite, and one I hope to put into practice, is THIS. Click to go to Sarah Albee's hilarious post about writing funny.
Here's a small sample from Sarah:
1. Surprise your reader with the unexpected.
Last week I heard Dave Barry on the radio. Terry Gross was interviewing him about his new book. He was talking about the good old days when he was a kid, in the pre-helicopter-parenting days when parents basically ignored their kids. “On a summer morning we’d leave the house,” he said, “and my mom would say, ‘Be sure you’re back by September.’” It’s funny because your brain is expecting “by dinner” of course, and he jolts you with the unexpected.
Funny is crucial, even in serious stories. Especially in those. And Sarah writes true stories. Not necessarily humorous non-fiction. And yet it is.
We can all learn a lesson, teachers, students, just plain writers.
Thanks, Kate Messner, for this summer fun.
July 4, 2015
Hot Dog!
Food from books- what could be more fun?
Check out these pictures and menus from some of our favorites:
http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/04/16/fictitous-dishes-dinah-fried-book/
One of my first writing gigs was a column on BOOK CLUBS for Skirt!
(a regional magazine, and yes, that exclamation point is in the title.)
Book Clubbers loved to write about the food that complimented their book discussions.
Like these:
(You can find a few good ones, HERE.)
And while I'm at it, how about raising a glass to your favorite book and cook with this one?
Now I'm hungry.
I'm off to eat my semi-annual slaw dog, in honor of July 4th weekend. Happy holiday, everybody!
Check out these pictures and menus from some of our favorites:
http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/04/16/fictitous-dishes-dinah-fried-book/
One of my first writing gigs was a column on BOOK CLUBS for Skirt!
(a regional magazine, and yes, that exclamation point is in the title.)
Book Clubbers loved to write about the food that complimented their book discussions.
Like these:
(You can find a few good ones, HERE.)And while I'm at it, how about raising a glass to your favorite book and cook with this one?
Now I'm hungry.
I'm off to eat my semi-annual slaw dog, in honor of July 4th weekend. Happy holiday, everybody!
June 30, 2015
LOST IN THE SUN
I'm a fan of Lisa Graff's books.
You can plug her name into my blog's search box and find several mentions.
Check it out HERE.
I finished her newest novel right after we sat next to each other at our BOOKS OF WONDER panel. Really, you won't find a nicer, funnier person to share a table with than Lisa. We had some great questions that day from the audience.
(One young book enthusiast asked what books had influenced or inspired us. Lisa answered HOLES, among others.)
Three Things I really like about LOST IN THE SUN:
1. Fallon Little. What a great character. Unusual girls are not easy to write, let me just say (from experience).
Lisa has created a likeable, funny, smart, but not necessarily the expected sassy and spunky girl.
I love Fallon.
2. The emotions in this book are so true to middle-graders, especially one who's angry at himself, at life, at his family. Writing kids' honest reactions to situations can be difficult.
Check p. 138 to see what I mean.
For example:
Fire in my chest.
Intestines boiling.
Fingertips twitching with heat.
Pull.
Smack
Kick and yell.
Trent is mad. And with a good reason. Lisa writes it so well.
3. A teacher who isn't perfect, isn't universally loved, but is exactly what Trent needs, even if he doesn't realize it. Love Ms. Emerson.
And now, of course, there has to be a follow-up to this book. I'm hoping Fallon's story is going to be told.
Okay, Lisa?
How long do I have to wait?
You can plug her name into my blog's search box and find several mentions.
Check it out HERE.
I finished her newest novel right after we sat next to each other at our BOOKS OF WONDER panel. Really, you won't find a nicer, funnier person to share a table with than Lisa. We had some great questions that day from the audience.
(One young book enthusiast asked what books had influenced or inspired us. Lisa answered HOLES, among others.)
Three Things I really like about LOST IN THE SUN:
1. Fallon Little. What a great character. Unusual girls are not easy to write, let me just say (from experience).
Lisa has created a likeable, funny, smart, but not necessarily the expected sassy and spunky girl.
I love Fallon.
2. The emotions in this book are so true to middle-graders, especially one who's angry at himself, at life, at his family. Writing kids' honest reactions to situations can be difficult.
Check p. 138 to see what I mean.
For example:
Fire in my chest.
Intestines boiling.
Fingertips twitching with heat.
Pull.
Smack
Kick and yell.
Trent is mad. And with a good reason. Lisa writes it so well.
3. A teacher who isn't perfect, isn't universally loved, but is exactly what Trent needs, even if he doesn't realize it. Love Ms. Emerson.
And now, of course, there has to be a follow-up to this book. I'm hoping Fallon's story is going to be told.
Okay, Lisa?
How long do I have to wait?
June 24, 2015
Listen Up! and a Giveaway!
True confessions.
It's very strange hearing your own book read by somebody else.
But I'm excited about the new audio versions of GLORY BE and THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY.
Glory's narration is read by Cassandra Morris whose CD of A SNICKER OF MAGIC won an Odyssey Honorable Mention for the best recorded book from the American Library Association.
CLICK HERE for a little sample of her reading my own book.
If you buy the entire audio version, at the end you'll hear ME reading my Author Note and Acknowledgements. Thanks to my friend, Kirby Larson, and my editor Andrea Davis Pinkney, I was brave enough to ask if I could do that.
(Because they did it on their own awesome audiobooks and I loved it.)
And the Scholastic audio guy, the fantastic Paul Gagne, said yes.
THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY is available as a real 4-disc CD.
Michael Crouch is reading. A sample is here.
A quite nice School Library Journal review is HERE.
(I love what it says on the front cover. I'm a BONUS!)
Thanks, Scholastic audio and your great actors. Thanks Paul for your super work.
I gave away a handful of the CDs last week via Twitter. But I have at least one more I can share. I'll pick the winner soon. In a few days. When I think I can get to the post office! Sorry to be so random but it is almost July 4th.
:)
Leave me a comment and let's see what happens.
It's very strange hearing your own book read by somebody else.
But I'm excited about the new audio versions of GLORY BE and THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY.
Glory's narration is read by Cassandra Morris whose CD of A SNICKER OF MAGIC won an Odyssey Honorable Mention for the best recorded book from the American Library Association.
CLICK HERE for a little sample of her reading my own book.
If you buy the entire audio version, at the end you'll hear ME reading my Author Note and Acknowledgements. Thanks to my friend, Kirby Larson, and my editor Andrea Davis Pinkney, I was brave enough to ask if I could do that.
(Because they did it on their own awesome audiobooks and I loved it.)
And the Scholastic audio guy, the fantastic Paul Gagne, said yes.
THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY is available as a real 4-disc CD.
Michael Crouch is reading. A sample is here.
A quite nice School Library Journal review is HERE.
(I love what it says on the front cover. I'm a BONUS!)
Thanks, Scholastic audio and your great actors. Thanks Paul for your super work.
I gave away a handful of the CDs last week via Twitter. But I have at least one more I can share. I'll pick the winner soon. In a few days. When I think I can get to the post office! Sorry to be so random but it is almost July 4th.
:)
Leave me a comment and let's see what happens.
June 21, 2015
Happy Father's Day!
Today I'm thinking about how much my own father sneaked his stories into mine.
My daddy died way too young. But every single Sunday of my life until I left for college, we gathered after church around the dinner table. There were often a few guests. My friend Keith, my own grandmother (always!), Keith's grandmother (frequently) and at least once a month, the preacher came. Oh did those stories flow!
A couple of "dining" scenes from in my first novel, Glory Be, began directly from those memories.
Last week on Twitter, somebody started a hashtag #iwritehere. It was fun seeing the writing spaces of favorite writers!
This is mine.
Yep. That's Dr. Jack, watching and inspiring me every day!
Happy Father's Day to a real-life character!
My daddy died way too young. But every single Sunday of my life until I left for college, we gathered after church around the dinner table. There were often a few guests. My friend Keith, my own grandmother (always!), Keith's grandmother (frequently) and at least once a month, the preacher came. Oh did those stories flow!
A couple of "dining" scenes from in my first novel, Glory Be, began directly from those memories.
Last week on Twitter, somebody started a hashtag #iwritehere. It was fun seeing the writing spaces of favorite writers!
This is mine.
Yep. That's Dr. Jack, watching and inspiring me every day!
Happy Father's Day to a real-life character!
