Annie Cardi's Blog, page 6
March 14, 2017
Going to the Dogs: a Lesson from Olly and the Crufts Dog Show
Recently, a friend and I were talking about the phrase “going to the dogs.” Humans’ relationship with dogs have changed in the last few centuries, and how we think of dogs as great companions. How can something “going to the dogs” still be a bad thing?
And if anyone can teach us about how to deal with the bad things, it’s dogs. Example: Olly the Terrier.
Olly didn’t have a great showing at the recent Crufts dog show–major fail right away, face plant right into the ground.
But Olly didn’t care.
He was “all over the place” after that and ran the wrong way through one of the challenges, but, as the announcer said, he was “having a ball.”
Olly knows a thing or two about how to handle failure.
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Sometimes we don’t have the show we wanted. But that doesn’t mean getting upset or mad at ourselves or quitting. Instead, maybe that means we should find the joy in what we’re doing and go after that. Maybe we’re not going to win the dog show this year, but we’re going to have some fun while we’re there.
Failure is hard. Disappointment is hard. But no one can take that Olly-ish joy away from you when you’re doing something you love.
From now on, if something’s “going to the dogs,” respond like Olly the dog. Find your enthusiasm, find your confidence, and keep at it.
March 10, 2017
Friday Fifteen
Happy Friday, guys! How is it that this week’s felt so long and so short all at once? Also it snowed today and all I want to do is wrap myself in a comforter and not leave the house until April. Fortunately, in that scenario I could still read, so let’s get the weekend started with a few book reviews in fifteen words or fewer.
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
Great collection of essays about race, sexism, education, media, and Scrabble.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Wanted more from Oscar as a character, but Díaz’s writing is stellar.
Fish In A Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Wish I had a fifth grade class to share this with. Heart-wrenching and heartwarming.
March 3, 2017
Friday Fifteen
Happy Friday, guys! It’s been a week, so let’s head into the weekend with some book reviews in fifteen words or fewer:
George by Alex Gino
Hopeful story of a trans girl longing to play Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web class production.
Pieces of You and Me by Erin Fletcher
Charming story of a second-chance romance; Rylee and Chase’s chemistry feels so real. So needed this!
A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
Full-steam-ahead on the Tiffany Aching books. Witchcraft, hard work, common sense and community!
February 28, 2017
YA Passport at Trident Booksellers with Lauren McLaughlin and Annie Cardi
[image error]Hey there, Boston-area YA fans! This Thursday, I’m going to be at Trident Booksellers & Cafe with fellow YA writer Lauren McLaughlin for a conversation about books, writing, and probably how great the sweet potato fries are at Trident. Lauren’s launching her new book, The Free, and I’m so excited to be part of the festivities.
The details:
YA Passport with Lauren McLaughlin and Annie Cardi
March 2, 2017, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Trident Booksellers & Cafe
338 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115
Come say hi, get some tasty food/a refreshing beverage, snag a book, and take part in a fantastic YA conversation!
February 24, 2017
Friday Fifteen
Happy Friday, guys! This week has had some ups and downs, but the ups included beautiful sunny weather and seeing Newsies the Broadway musical movie experience with some awesome author friends, so I’m gonna call this week a win. Let’s kick the weekend off with some book reviews in fifteen words or fewer.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Engaging family drama with strong writing. Lydia and Nath stood out the most for me.
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
Why did it take me so long to read a Discworld book? Tiffany forever!
Running in Literature: A Guide for Scholars, Readers, Runners, Joggers and Dreamers by Roger Robinson
An interesting look at running in myth, poetry, and stories. Atalanta is my new favorite.
February 13, 2017
This One’s for the Girls
Parks and Recreation gave us so many great TV moments, and Galentine’s Day (aka February 13, when we celebrate the great women in our lives) is one of the best.
Although I can’t be brunching with my favorite ladies today, it’s a great excuse to share some of my favorite female non-romantic bookish relationships. My criteria: all members of the relationship have to be well-developed characters with their own stories and motivations (ie, no friends who basically be taken out of the story without it affecting the plot to much). In no particular order:
[image error]Maddie and Julie from Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
The most powerful story of friendship and sacrifice in YA. Or literature. COME AT ME.
The Penderwicks sisters from The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall
The Penderwicks girls are smart and thoughtful and supportive. Part of why I love this series is just getting to spend time with all of them.
Hermione and Polly from Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston
Even in the truly worst of experiences, Hermione and Polly’s supportive friendship shines through. I don’t have the upper body strength to be part of their cheerleading team, but I would totally hang out with them after practice.
Nikki and Maya from This Side of Home by Renée Watson
Genuine and thoughtful look at two twin sisters who are growing up and growing apart, but always have each other’s backs.
Mary, Scarlett, Tansey, and Emer from A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle
Touching story about a girl, a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother as they deal with life and death.
Elizabeth and Christina from Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty
This was one of my favorites as a teen reader. I love how Elizabeth and Christina get to be friends through their schools’ pen pal program. Great story showing how friendships can evolve over time.
Other suggestions for great Galentine’s Day reads? Share them in the comments!
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February 10, 2017
Friday Fifteen
Happy Friday, everybody! We’re digging out of a snowstorm here in the Boston area, which means all I want to do this weekend is curl up with a lot of books and baked goods. (Gotta get a run in there, too.) In the meantime, let’s kick things off with a couple of book reviews in fifteen words or fewer.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
A beautiful story about family and kindness and the power of stories.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Epic and engaging look at the history of cancer. Literally cried at some parts.
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
Whether it’s poetry or books for adults or YA, Woodson more than delivers.
February 9, 2017
Links Galore
The links I’ve been saving for a snowy day:
In the latest episode of Crossover Appeal, I talk about my new bookish obsession, The Wee Free Men and the rest of the Discworld series.
Wahoowa for Margot Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures!
Because as fun as buying books is, giving books away can feel really good.
The Penderwicks and bibliotherapy.
Langston Hughes feels particularly necessary these days.
Famous writers on revision.
Playing around with writing exercises.
On sharing banned books with your kids.
Rita Dove speaks the truth.
Psyched feels like the wrong word for how I feel about The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation.
Finding the balance between writing and life, and how little actions build up.
I need all of these bookish puzzles.
Be gentle with yourself.
And to keep calm, take a few tips from to a bomb disposal expert.
February 2, 2017
Registration Opens Saturday for NESCBWI 17!
I’ve talked before about the annual NESCBWI conference. It’s where I connected with my crit group; where I see lots of writer friends; where I’ve heard inspiring keynotes; where I’ve taken awesome workshops; and where I go every year in April.
This year, I’m especially excited, because I’m teaching two workshops! They are:
J1 – Stories Without Stigma: Writing About Mental Health
Sunday, 10:50 am – 11:45 am
This workshop will focus on crafting nuanced, realistic characters who are struggling with mental health. Topics covered will include the importance of talking about mental health in fiction for young readers; questions to ask when researching a particular mental health issue; creating dynamic characters and avoiding stereotypes; mental health issues vs. neurodiversity and intersectionality in mental health; avoiding romanticizing mental health struggles and providing hope for readers. We will look at examples from work such as Laurie Halse Anderson’s The Impossible Knife of Memory (PTSD), Other Broken Things by Christa Desir (addiction), OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu (OCD), Pointe by Brandy Colbert (eating disorder), and Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (depression).
M8 – Write Like a Runner: Training Your Writing for the Long Haul
Sunday 3:05 pm – 4:00 pm
Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that’s the essence of running, and a metaphor for life — and for me, for writing as whole.”—Haruki Murakami. Writing a novel and running a marathon require a lot of time, focus, dedication, and can also feel like pretty intimidating. But with a little planning and a lot of motivation, you can approach the novel writing process with the focus and heart of a marathoner. Learn how to craft a schedule, deal with setbacks, and focus on short-term goals to get yourself to the finish line.
Registration opens this Saturday (February 4) at 2pm. NESCBWI fills up fast, so make sure to be at your computer this weekend. And hey, maybe sign up for my workshops while you’re at it! (I promise I won’t make you run.)
January 30, 2017
Quote of the Day
I’ve been listening to the audiobook of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (my first Discworld book), and this quote felt particularly relevant to me:
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Keep speaking up.
