Savannah Hendricks's Blog, page 25

How I Wrote a Picture Book ��� The True Story of Nonnie and I

Xist Publishing, 2014

When I sat down to write Nonnie and I, it was called Nia and I. (I had used a baby name book to help me decide on an African orientated name, I changed the name later to Nonnie after a publisher was interested, but already had a book with that name).

I was intrigued seeing how animals interact with children and in turn how child react to animals. Essentially this is how my picture book started in 2005. Children’s play is always so free and imaginative and I had witnessed this over my years as a nanny. I also saw how new experiences were not always a welcoming part of childhood. I took the love children often have for animals and made it BIG. I had seen a documentary on giraffe adoption in Africa and how people could get close to them much like horses.

The idea sparked. How about a girl and her pet giraffe? The story had originally been more about an adoption, family, and caring for a pet, but that didn’t provide a deep story arc. I later realized school was a pretty traumatic change in a child’s life after seeing children grip onto their parents for dear life when being dropped at day-care or school. (I���ve worked in both settings). I’d also seen it happen to me with the three children I was a nanny for. (Screaming when I left, grabbing hold when I tried to put them on the floor in play group, fearful to nap because I hadn’t been there the last time they woke up).

I put the two together and created a story. The first of a dozen drafts moved from the adoption focus to a friendship focus, but was too much on both sides of the story. I trimmed and trimmed, removing beloved sentences, added new depth. (A big credit goes out to Dawn Young for telling me the giraffe seems like a piece of play ground equipment and not an animal. Also the biggest credit goes to (as mentioned before) Ann Whitford Paul���s Writing Picture Books) After a failed 44 submissions (I had five OH SO CLOSE ALMOST CONTRACTS) I took a total of two months of reading (Writing Picture Books) and editing to get the manuscript into the format (more trimming and editing) I submitted to my now publisher (Xist Publishing).

Nonnie and I means a lot to me for a number of reasons, but what I hope most, and the reason I wrote it was to provide children with the comfort of a story that shows them they are not alone with their feelings.

How I Wrote a Picture Book – The True Story of Nonnie and I

Xist Publishing, 2014

When I sat down to write Nonnie and I, it was called Nia and I. (I had used a baby name book to help me decide on an African orientated name, I changed the name later to Nonnie after a publisher was interested, but already had a book with that name).

I was intrigued seeing how animals interact with children and in turn how child react to animals. Essentially this is how my picture book started in 2005. Children’s play is always so free and imaginative and I had witnessed this over my years as a nanny. I also saw how new experiences were not always a welcoming part of childhood. I took the love children often have for animals and made it BIG. I had seen a documentary on giraffe adoption in Africa and how people could get close to them much like horses.

The idea sparked. How about a girl and her pet giraffe? The story had originally been more about an adoption, family, and caring for a pet, but that didn’t provide a deep story arc. I later realized school was a pretty traumatic change in a child’s life after seeing children grip onto their parents for dear life when being dropped at day-care or school. (I’ve worked in both settings). I’d also seen it happen to me with the three children I was a nanny for. (Screaming when I left, grabbing hold when I tried to put them on the floor in play group, fearful to nap because I hadn’t been there the last time they woke up).

I put the two together and created a story. The first of a dozen drafts moved from the adoption focus to a friendship focus, but was too much on both sides of the story. I trimmed and trimmed, removing beloved sentences, added new depth. (A big credit goes out to Dawn Young for telling me the giraffe seems like a piece of play ground equipment and not an animal. Also the biggest credit goes to (as mentioned before) Ann Whitford Paul’s Writing Picture Books) After a failed 44 submissions (I had five OH SO CLOSE ALMOST CONTRACTS) I took a total of two months of reading (Writing Picture Books) and editing to get the manuscript into the format (more trimming and editing) I submitted to my now publisher (Xist Publishing).

Nonnie and I means a lot to me for a number of reasons, but what I hope most, and the reason I wrote it was to provide children with the comfort of a story that shows them they are not alone with their feelings.

Appreciation Monday

With the release of my picture book last week I have been overwhelmed by people requesting signed copies. I feel like a superstar! But superstar aside I do feel touched. Having family and friends support my work, help promote it and want a copy, even if they don’t have kids to read it to, means a lot to me. Some don’t have as much support as I have received in this very short time. Being appreciative for the support is very important. When I think of appreciation I almost immediately think of Tiger Woods. (No I don’t follow golf). I remember a few times passing by a television and seeing fans cheering Woods on only to see him so very unappreciative towards them. Not a wave or a smile. Focus smocus! While I am sure that Woods might be appreciative for his fans I have never seen it. There are many fans that go out of their way to be appreciative, and there are some that do not. It is something that bugs me. Okay, stepping down from my soapbox.

I am appreciative for my fans, my friends and my family for their support. And THIS…will never change regardless of where I end up in the future.

From Manuscript to Paperback

In 2005 I sat down to write a story. When I started I didn’t have a path, no conflict or climax, no idea about the ending. But in a spiral notebook I wrote sentence after sentence as they came to me.

I’d been intrigued by the beauty of the Botswana landscape from what I saw on television, movies, and in library books. This was the setting I envisioned. It was powerful and colorful. As I wrote my pen felt like a skinny paint brush over the paper.

After a month of editing I sent it out to a big name publisher that at the time was still taking unsolicited manuscripts. Per rules I didn’t include a SASE. About three months later a letter with the publishers logo arrived in my mailbox. The editor wrote that she loved the story, BUT not enough because she was unable to connect with “the voice.”

I submitted again, and again….and again. Receiving several more personal letters from editors that loved it, BUT couldn’t connect with “the voice.”

When I moved to a new state I joined the SCBWI and later a critique group. I edited it and sent it out again. (I couldn’t change my voice, it was my way of writing after-all).

Now I was getting back form rejections…and more and more.

Then during a clearance sale at a book store I finally was able to picked up a copy of Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul (2009).

I did a HARDCORE edit. And made one final submission.

Two weeks later I got an email…THE EMAIL!!! You know….THE E M A I L!!!!!

My book….MY BOOK!!!! Nonnie and I is available on Kindle and paperback.

*Illustrated by Lisa M Griffin. Published by Xist Publishing.

Appreciation Monday

Growing up I was crazy about my Lego collection. I played with my Legos and Hot Wheel cars 80% of the time and Barbies 20% of the time. I would build houses or buildings and incorporate my Hot Wheel cars as visitors coming and going non-stop. I had a bin of Legos so heavy that I had to slide it on the carpet in the house to get it from one room to the other. I believe I only had about ten Hot Wheel cars, most were hand me downs as I liked those better. I remember a few I had; a limo, a Jeep, a black Porsche with doors that opened, a white and blue mini van, and a red Lexus. Fancy cars mostly. I loved the Jeep because it had flex on the axles so you could make it lean if you pushed on it around a corner (it was originally black, but once I started watching MacGyver I pained it green). I have no idea why I thought of this now or why I remember the cars, but I had so much fun playing with these, well past the age I probably should have. I know that those kinds of toys don’t stack up to the technology of today that kids attach themselves to right from the womb. But I couldn’t have grown up at a better time. Those toys were the best! And I am appreciative that my childhood involved long days on the floor “Vrrrooommm” ing and building.

The Central Oregon Way

Over Thanksgiving I went on a trip to chilly and damp central Oregon to visit my father. According to stories told in the car I had been there before. (Back when I was a skiing fool!) While I remember being a skiing fool, I don’t remember central Oregon.

There were a few things I learned during my short trip.

If you are looking for a conversation and simple chats head over to central Oregon. I was not aware such random conversations with smiling faces could exist.
If you are in the mood to be cold and surrounded by trees in the winter, but don’t want to drive all the way to Washington stop at central Oregon.
If you want to see deer that don’t care you are sharing their land, go to central Oregon. But watch where you step.
If you follow rodeos apparently central Oregon is the place to be.
If you don’t own a 1) truck 2) tractor 3) or are selling a tractor, then you are out-of-place.
If you are into travel brochures and flyers galore central Oregon has many road-side information booths not under any supervision.

 

Appreciation Monday

June 20, 1992

Every once in a while two of my favorite and most wonderfully warm teachers from school pop into my mind. I looked up to my female teachers a lot when I was young, I connected with them as I was not happy with my home life situation. While I have all but forgotten most of my teacher’s names and their horrible comments that spewed from their lips, two remain.

Pat Morgan and Valerie Vanderport

Mrs. Morgan taught me how to cross-stitch. She formed an after school club at our middle school. We met once a week during the early spring. The club was not popular amongst others but I sure loved it! She was also a very firm but fair teacher. And she was a great sport on April Fool’s Day too.

Mrs. Vanderport was a teacher I had in elementary school. She was so positive and kind towards me. She sent me a postcard once during summer break from Wisconsin. (Yep I still have it, that’s the front of it in the picture).

I am appreciative to have had two outstanding teachers that not only worked with me as I struggled in class, but also went far beyond the role of a teacher. Great memories.

Appreciation Monday

Fall in Arizona feels more like the summers I grew up with in California and Washington. And winter feels more like the fall I knew as a child.

It is nice to put on a cozy sweater. Pull out the fuzzy socks, and put on gloves in the morning (even if they don’t ever keep my fingers warm). Cold air feels weird when it arrives after a long 110 degree summer.

As a bonus, fall means the dogs are NOT trying to stay cool on the tile floor, thus NOT sprawled out in the middle of the night, causing me to NOT trip over them.

I am appreciative for the crisp air, soft socks, and warm sweaters.

WISHING EVERYONE A YUMMY AND WARM THANKSGIVING! :)

 

Appreciation Monday

Since my last two posts were about the SCBWI conference I figured I would conclude the conference posts with this Appreciation Monday post.

I am not one to chit-chat and put myself out there to meet people. I am an introvert and love who I am. But I know it is important to connect without others, especially as a writer, as we need a lot of support from others in our challenging field.

I don’t go around shaking hands with everyone and other ways of mass connection. I like to connect with one or two people, max. (I sat next to an agent during the entire conference and didn’t even say HI!) I’ve been lucky enough to meet and grow friendships this way in the past with several wonderful creative women.

This year, at the SCBWI conference I connected with a lovely lady named Lynn. Since the conference we have remained in contact through social media. This is what matters to me over twenty hand shakes and nothing remembered.

I am appreciative for networking and ultimately making connections and future friendships with other writers and artists.

Writing Self Discoveries

This year I attended the annual AZ SCBWI Welcome to Our House conference. (As I mentioned in my Appreciation Monday post). I didn’t leave there feeling peppy. I didn’t leave there feeling motivated either. As days passed since the conference, and with some feedback from different levels it made me think more in-depth about my writing. With some self-realization and poking I discovered that I have a great deal to learn about my craft. That…and this might be the most important…when I start to struggle on a story I start a new one. I have a large file of half started stories and stories that need full attention that I have not, and can’t give them at this time. All of these things ultimately play into writer self-doubt.

Writing is not like “Funny Farm.” Well it’s not like the wife’s version (get an idea, write a story, sell it, get it published)…it’s more like the husband’s version (sit, think, think, think, throw hot coffee on the chirping bird, throw the manuscript in the roaring fire).

For me, focusing on only one story proves a challenge for me, and when I switch to a new story it allows me to bypass the last story’s glaring flaws. Learning to work on this “processing error” and change it will help me hone my craft and hopefully provide a grand story, not to mention a complete one too.