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The Icing on the Cake

6/10/2014

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Today I visited my boys' school.  Two classes and a writing club, to which both of my boys belong.  The woman who runs the writing club began the visit by giving me a plant.  A pineapple lilac or something.  It's purple.  And it looks like a pineapple.  It's a clever name, really.

"I asked your boys if you were a plant person," she said. "They said no."  My boys don't lie.  I used to have plants... until the cats chewed every last one of them to bits.  There's not a sprig of color in my landscaping, either, because DOGS.  And now we have horses in our backyard.  So, yeah, maybe someday I'll try to cultivate life again.  Today is not that day.  Well, except for the really pretty flower thing named after fruit.

The writer's group was great, of course.  There was so much enthusiasm in that small group.  Each of them had written questions on index cards and took turns reading them out loud.  I made my boys blush by sharing the bits of "Daniel" based on them, which may be my favorite part of being invited to the school (but don't tell the boys).  The teacher spun my answers so that they related to concepts she's been teaching the kids.  She left out the part about drinking too much caffeine and popping Cinnamon Fire Jolly Ranchers like they're going out of style.   

The writing group teacher bought copies for each of the kids who weren't able to buy a copy for themselves, so that was really sweet.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say that out loud, but she did it.  I liked it.  I'm telling you about it.  

Then we had cake.  Really, really good cake.  Chocolate with that whipped cream frosting.

I may just sign books for her class, like, every day.

Next I spoke with my 10-year-old's class.  They read the whole book, but they asked me to read a section out loud for them anyway.  We agreed that the part about Whiskers in the tree was the perfect section.  I got to talk like a robot and, for a few seconds, a cat spinning on a ceiling fan.  My life is weird.

One of the kids asked how I came up with the character "Annie", Daniel's best friend.  For several years, my son had only one very good friend, a girl who is still in his class.  When I told the kids that I had based Annie on a girl they knew, I had to quickly make sure they knew she probably didn't eat worms.  

I've said my life is weird, haven't I?  Just checking.

My next stop was my eight-year-old's Second Grade class.  They had only made it through eight pages of the book because their teacher hadn't been able to do more than that due to multiple family emergencies the month before.  As expected, the kids weren't very excited about me being there.  One girl, who spoke in a cute little whisper kept mentioning something about her mom writing a book about ninja ballerinas?  At least, I think that's what she said.  It was hard to hear over the class next door's Kidz Bop version of "Fireworks".

The teacher gave me her microphone thing and let me read a couple chapters of the book.  Once I did that, the kids were much more excited about me and "Daniel the Draw-er".  I got to use my acting skills to read as Daniel, Annie, Whiskers, Pi-zzabot, Tommy, Lila, Ms. Konkle, and Mr. & Mrs. A.  It made me miss drama class.

One of the boys from the writing group was there for the reading, too, and he was actually finishing my sentences as I was reading.  Like, from memory.  

Wait.  Do I have a fanboy?  Because I really want some fanpeople.  That's awesome.

All in all, 19 books found their new homes, and that makes me happy.  I'm pretty sure it would have been more with more notice (or with more reading), but it was a good--and long--visit anyway.

And I got cake.  Thumbs up, friends.  Thumbs up.
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Good Book Day

6/1/2014

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A local fourth-grade teacher read Daniel the Draw-er to her class recently, and invited me in to talk with her kids. I had no idea what I was doing going into this thing, but my friend Courtney helped me make bookmarks and I ordered extra copies of my book.  Just. In. Case.

Last night I went to Kohl's to pick out a new shirt to wear.  It took me an hour.  How come the size I need in the shirt I like is always gone? Like, always.  So annoying.  And then I wake up and my friend texts me to ask if I want to wear my pajamas into the elementary school for my talk because it's pajama day at the school.
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Well, okay. I'll wear the cat pants... If you insist.
So I squeeze myself into my cat pants.  The picture isn't so great, but they are basically the best pants ever.  What's not to love about space cats?  On your legs!!  The lady in the office pauses a few seconds before deciding we probably aren't as shady as we appear in my cat pants and Courtney's owl jammies.  Muahahahaha!  My plan, she works!

While the teacher brings the kids back to the classroom, we admire the projects on the classroom walls.  "Who is your favorite character in DANIEL THE DRAW-ER? And why?" and " What would you draw if you had a magic pencil?"  Courtney's especially happy with these projects because one kid gave Octobear purple tentacles (which is totally crazy, because everyone knows they're green!).  I just think it's awesome because the kids had projects.  About MY book.   

I begin by telling the kids that I had, once upon a time, been a student in their elementary school; and when I wrote the playground scene from the book, I'd pictured their playground.  None of the play structures from my era remain on their current playground.  That's a little sad, but the kids think it's cool that their playground is famous.  And, of course, I tell them about the earthquake that cracked the sidewalk behind the school.  I forget to tell them about the petrified green been that's been clinging to the cafeteria ceiling for the past forty years, though.  Next time...

The teacher asks me about my writing process. I'll have to work on my answer for next time, because I don't think mine is currently all that great. She uses my answer to emphasize the importance of revising and having friends look over your work. Then she lets the kids ask questions.  

How did you come up with Whiskers?
Was Annie based on someone?
How do you make your characters sound different?
How do you think up these characters?
When did you publish your book? 

And, most importantly, will there be another book?

Yes, there will be another book.  <cheers>.  And when I hint about what Daniel's up to next, their hands shoot up with all of their ideas.  So many ideas, and several of them fall very close to what I have in mind. That's pretty impressive.

Then the kids--nearly 2/3 of the class--buy their books and I sign them.  Heck, Courtney even signs a few because the kids know she must be awesome, too (Duh! Owl jammies!).  Each of the kids receive a cool autographed bookmark because I wanted them to have something, even if they couldn't get a book.
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You know you want one.
After that, the kids start bringing me random things to sign.  I sign crumpled scraps of paper, a notebook cover, a pencil case, and I'm pretty sure a contract of some kind, but I'm not 100% on that last one.  A few kids ask me to write notes to their siblings.  One wants me to draw Octobear; another, Whiskers. That's a newbie mistake because then ALLLLLLL of the kids want me to draw something, and there just isn't enough time. I would've done it if there had been time.

Before the kids run off to lunch, one boy drops a note in front of me.  On his note, he thanks me for coming, then there's a sketch of the pencil from my book cover.  I flip the paper over (as instructed), and he's given me his phone number so I can call him when book #2 is finished.  



"Look!  I scored some digits!" I shout to Courtney and the teacher. That's so awesome.

One of the girls tells me she's going to frame my autograph.  "You're her favorite author," the teacher says.  Another boy agrees.  I'm someone's favorite author?  Someone who doesn't know me? Really? Is that possible?

I ask the teacher if I can donate a copy of "Daniel the Draw-er" to the school library, and she says sure, and she'll introduce me to the school librarian.  On the way to the library (and then the office, because the librarian isn't in the library), we pass a neatly-dressed woman exiting the school through the main doors.  I mean, this chick's in a dress, pearls, and heels--the whole nine.  She obviously didn't get the pajama memo.  


The teacher whispers, "that's the head of the township children's library.  Want me to introduce you?"  

Uh, yeah. I wanna meet ALLLLLL the book people. 

The poor prim and proper librarian looks confused by the lady in the totally awesome cat pants (me) handing her an unknown but equally awesome book.  It makes me smile just remembering it.  Oh, cat pants.  Making friends and influencing people, as always.


So, I'm going to go ahead and call that a huge success.

In other news, today I decided to celebrate my first author event by offering the Kindle version of "Daniel the Draw-er" for free for one day only.  So far, 544 people have downloaded it.  
Picture
Resulting in this.
While I wish that meant royalties for me (on 544 copies!  Sweet), what it really means is more exposure for this fun story... maybe a few reviews.  But, really, the sharing is all I'm hoping for.  The more people who read Daniel's story, the more chances I have to make someone smile or prove that someone else can do what I've done.  

My sixth-grade self wouldn't have believed that one day I'd walk into my old elementary school wearing cat pants with my published book tucked under my arm.  
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Children's Book Week Blog Hop 2014 + Giveaway!

5/11/2014

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 I didn't know there was a Children's Book Week, but, whaddya know, there is.  I also didn't know I was going to write and publish a children's book just in time for Children's Book Week. My life is full of lots of surprises lately, I guess. And here I thought nothing exciting ever happened to me!  ;-)

To celebrate Children's Book Week, March 12-18, I'm giving away an autographed paperback copy of my children's book, "Daniel the Draw-er". Check out how you can enter to win by scrolling down to my Rafflecopter giveaway below all of this wordy goodness.  Please note that my giveaway is open to U. S. residents only.  

I'm only one of a bunch of other authors and KidLit enthusiasts participating in something called "The Children's Book Week Giveaway Hop 2014.  Be sure to visit the blog hop hosts, Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews and scroll to the bottom of this blog post for links to other awesome giveaways.  Tell 'em S. J. sent ya!  
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a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to pop in and visit more lovely peeps involved in this year's Children's Book Week Blog Hop, listed below!  
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Joy

11/6/2013

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Do you know joy?  I do.

I hear it in the giggle of the girl bouncing along with her pony's trot.

Do you know joy?  I do.

I see it in the grin of the man whose legs cannot move him, but his horse can.

Do you know joy?  I do.

I feel it in the happy step of an animal connecting with their human.

Do you know joy?  You should.
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Grab On and Go For It! - An Interview With Author Rebecca Lamoreaux

11/1/2013

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Three-year-old Rebecca Lamoreaux wanted to be a writer.  Writing, at her young age, translated into etching circles into the margins of her books with crayon.  She loved dreaming up fantastic tales and then retelling them to others.  The magic of stories had clearly captured her heart.     

Her grade school teachers nurtured Rebecca’s love of storytelling.  When she was about seven years old, she was selected to participate in a special program for students who showed promise in writing.  Through this program, Rebecca remembers finishing her first story.  She has been writing ever since.  

Though she has dabbled in all kinds of genres, she mainly writes fantasy, romance, historical fiction, and magical realism.  Her historical romance novel, Lord Hyacinthe, is scheduled for publication through Pandamoon Publishing in April of 2014.  

Rebecca places high value on sharing within the writing community, but she did not always feel that way.  For years she viewed other writers as competition and feared her ideas might be stolen if she confided in the wrong person.  Her perspective changed when a friend contacted her in November of 2012 and invited her to join a group of authors on Facebook.  The Authors Think Tank group on Facebook became Rebecca’s first experience with a community of writers committed to helping other writers.  So impressed with groups such as the Author Think Tank, she sought out more writing communities.  Rebecca joined ANWA, American Night Writer’s Association, a network for women writers who are also affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The best thing she did for her writing career was attending writer’s conferences.  After meeting other writers at an ANWA conference, Rebecca’s writing improved because of the influence of her growing writing community.  And when a publisher came across her novel during a contest on Twitter, a panicked Rebecca turned to her community to help tighten up her story and help her land her book deal.  

Rebecca’s advice to me, a floundering writer staring down self-publishing after turning down a book deal?  “Grab on and go for it!”

She knows what she’s talking about.

***

Check out Rebecca’s blog out at http://rebeccalamoreaux-anauthorinprogress.blogspot.com, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRebeccaLamoreaux 
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Lightning Crashes

10/4/2013

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This morning my husband was in the kitchen while the boys got ready for school.  I chose to hide in the bedroom, mainlining chocolate chip cookies for breakfast.  I tried to ignore their conversations as I hadn't stumbled my way to the coffee pot yet.  Then I heard my husband telling our children - the very same children who insist upon wearing noise-canceling headphones during rainstorms - about his grandfather who was struck by lightning on two separate occasions while sitting in a recliner in his study. 

He clearly hadn't thought this one through.  The kids already practically burrow beneath our skin when they hear the slightest rumble of thunder.  If there is no longer safety indoors, thanks to Great-Grandpa's magnetic legacy, I'm not sure of our next move.  Fall-out shelter? 

"STOP!" I yell.  "DON'T YOU DARE TELL THEM THAT STORY!"  My husband can't hear me or he's become immune to the distinct frequency of my nagging.  Perhaps he can't hear me because I've deafened him over the years.  Whatever the reason, he finished his story (and the kids added their own gems about tornadoes ripping off your skin.  Boys!).

On Fridays I visit my grandparents and clean their house for them so they don't have to.  We chat a little as I work, and then talk more when we sit to eat lunch together.  Today I mentioned my family's desire to record some of their stories so we would be able to hold pieces of them long after they leave us.  My grandmother furrowed her eyebrow and declared that it sounded like a lot of work.  Besides, she and my grandpa remembered things differently. 

Of course you do, Grandma.  You're married, after all.

Somehow conversation turned to my husband's grandfather, the human lightning rod, and then to my friend's mother who was struck by lightning while milking a cow (is that where fried cheese curds come from?). 

"That happened to my mother," Grandma announced.

Before my grandmother came into the world, her mother miscarried another baby.  With no little one to feed, her chest became engorged to the point where fluid gathered in her legs.  They referred to this as "milk leg", and they believed the swelling in the legs was the milk running down and filling up the lower extremities.  My great-grandmother was advised to wear some kind of rubberized stockings, likely some sort of compression stocking, to help with the swelling. 

A storm blew through soon afterward, and she ran outside to bring one of the cows into the shelter of the barn.  Lightning filled the air with electric charge and stung the ground at her toes.  Great-grandma's rubber socks saved her life.  In the years following, she would conceive and give birth to a fiery baby girl, my grandmother.

The more I think about the lightning strike, the compression stockings, the baby lost, the branches of the family tree that may have never sprouted, I am amazed.  And this is why we tell our tales - the good, the bad, the seemingly boring.  In the telling and retelling of our stories, we reveal the everyday tragedies and miracles that affect us all. 

But, still, my husband probably needs to keep that whole lightning striking indoors thing under wraps.
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For My Husband

6/28/2013

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"Wrong lead, Gina!" I called out over my shoulder to the rider on the bay.  He used to be a nice horse.  Heck, they'd all been nice horses. 

"I know!"  She huffed in return, waiting until they had landed after the oxer and lurched into a trot.  "We can't do it any other way.  Charlie's about to drop a leg."

There was that feeling in my stomach again, the mixture of pity and sadness each time we lost one.  I'd had that feeling a lot lately as, one by one, The Change claimed its next victim.
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My Life In One Photo

2/28/2013

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PictureExcept that lady. I have no idea who that lady is.
(Thanks, Tim!)

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