Julie Stiegemeyer's Blog, page 14
February 11, 2009
Books & Coffee Event at Concordia University, Ann Arbor
Tomorrow I'm heading to Concordia University, Ann Arbor for a chat about books and writing. Looking forward to it!
February 10, 2009
A Ridiculous Law
Everyone: please make your voice be heard against this act mandating that every product for children adhere to ridiculously strict standards. Books, toys, clothing, and all other items for children must be tested and checked in such a way that it will severely limit entrepreneurship. Check out more information here from Forbes.com. Carol Baicker-McKee, a children's illustrator/author says on her blog post about this:
"The CPSIA, enacted with good intentions of protecting children 12 and under fro
"The CPSIA, enacted with good intentions of protecting children 12 and under fro
February 9, 2009
A Favorite Children's Book Series
Unlike some authors, I was not a total bookworm as a young child. Until I was a teenager, I didn't LOVE books the way that I do now. Now, I'm always reading at least a couple books at a time, non-fiction, biography, fiction, mystery, thriller, whatever. As a young child, I read a lot. My mom took me to the library very often. But it wasn't until I was a teenager that I found that human connection, that link to the human condition in books. That's when I fell in love with books.But I've always li
February 5, 2009
Remnant Trust at IPFW
An exhibit showing currently at IPFW is well-worth seeing for everyone in the Fort Wayne area. It's called the Remnant Trust and features historical documents of great significance. On display are such documents as: The Emancipation Proclamation, The Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, early editions of landmark works, like Leaves of Grass. A section is devoted to religious works: Wycliffe's translation of the Bible, Thomas Acquinas' Summa Theologicae, the Hebrew Bible, the Koran.The w
January 27, 2009
More Thoughts on Writing Critique Groups
Yesterday I wrote a little bit about the benefits of attending and participating in a writing critique group, but I'm not sure I adequately described just how important it is to have another set of eyes read a manuscript before sending it out before being considered for publication.
Even the most polished manuscripts could be improved by the critique of another reader. Other writers understand your goals and can help guide you through the process of the writing and revising your manuscript. And e
Even the most polished manuscripts could be improved by the critique of another reader. Other writers understand your goals and can help guide you through the process of the writing and revising your manuscript. And e
January 26, 2009
What a Writer Needs
One of the things that I have learned a writer needs is the support and assistance from a writing critique group. This is not a support group, per say, but a group that gathers regularly to review and suggest edits to each other's projects. Tonight my writing group is meeting in a fire station. I've met in church basements, libraries, over coffee at a coffee shop, at a friend's house, at Cici's over potato pancakes (I miss you, Carol!)...it doesn't matter where, but a chance to get together with
January 25, 2009
How to Write a Children's Picture Book
Yesterday I read another section of the Eve Heidi Bine-Stock book, How to Write a Children's Picture Book, and in this chapter on transitioning from one sentence to the next, Bine-Stock focuses on actions and reactions.
What's an action?
A cat walked in front of the dog's house.
What's a reaction?
The dog growled at the cat.
What would be confusing for children at their more basic level of reading comprehension would be to reverse the order of the action - reaction. Bine-Stock instead, like most chi
What's an action?
A cat walked in front of the dog's house.
What's a reaction?
The dog growled at the cat.
What would be confusing for children at their more basic level of reading comprehension would be to reverse the order of the action - reaction. Bine-Stock instead, like most chi
