Regarding School Visits
Me: I'm visiting your school in a few weeks.
Son: I'm going to be sick that day.
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I won! I'm a winner!
From Catherine J Gardner of The Poisoned Apple
Brian Regan
Dogs and Cough Drops
My dog likes cough drops.
I discover her chewing on something, wrangle her to the floor, and retract tattered wrappers from her unyielding jaws. She wags her tail, licks my face--"I've done nothing wrong"--and I am bathed in the scent of warm mentholyptus.
My kids worry about her.
"I think it's okay," I say. "Look--she's not coughing."
My Favorite Christmas Every Things
My Favorite Christmas Every Things
Movies
Favorite: Elf
Runners up: A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life (which I have to wait at least ten years before watching again.)
TV Special
Favorite: Winnie the Pooh, where Piglet learns to ice skate on a barrel.
Runner Up: Rudolph, first appearance of the Abominable Snowman.
Song
Favorite: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Bruce Springsteen
Runner up: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Dolly Parton
Cartoons of any length
A Christmas Carol, the old, almost black and white cartoon version
The Snowman, brr! so haunting!
Walt Disney Sing-A-Long Songs: Very Merry Christmas Songs
Local Event
Favorite: Light Up Mount Dora
Runner Up: College Park Tour of Homes
Decoration
Snowmen
Food
Favorite: My mom's nutbread
Runner up: The ginger cookies I just discovered at Starbucks!
NCTE 2010--Name Dropping and Pics!
I had a GREAT TIME at NCTE 2010 in Orlando! And not just because it's my home either--I met a famous rodent, some of my favorite authors, and the wonderfully funny people from Walker Books, my publisher.
My time at the conference kicked off Friday, when I presented with Wendy Mass. Our topic: how research plays into fiction. I love talking about my research because I get to share the histories and photos of the places and people who've inspired certain elements in my books. Plus, Wendy autographed my personal copy of A Mango Shaped Space. After that, Emily Easton (Walker publisher) and I headed to the Bloomsbury/Walker booth for signing.
Saturday, I sat at a table during the Author Mosaic with Brandon Mull (Fablehaven) and Suzanne Morgan Williams (Bull Rider) and about eight or nine educators. Brandon and Suzanne were very passionate about their books, and Brandon and I discovered we've both worked with Brandon Dorman. Brandon D. illustrates the Fablehaven series, and he also created the cover art for The Summer of Moonlight Secrets. Then it was off to dinner with Kate Messner, Jaclyn Dolamore, Jessica Warman, and the folks from Walker: Beth Eller, Emily Easton, Melanie Cecka, and Katie Fee.
Sunday, the Florida branch had invited me, along with other authors from Florida, to attend a luncheon honoring outstanding Florida writing students. Alan Sitomer, a three-time Teacher of the Year winner, was a compelling speaker, as was Alex Flinn, who was the keynote speaker. Both were funny and offered stories from their own teenage years that were like universal memories.
I had a three hour gap before dinner. Fortunately, I came prepared with my new Sinbad DVD: Afros & Bellbottoms. Oh, my gosh! It was so funny! There I sat in the hallway, my legs pulled up under me, my earbuds in, LAUGHING OUT LOUD as people passed. I tried to suppress it, but I couldn't. Sinbad is quick, clever. This DVD came out in 2006 and I definitely recommend it, along
with Sinbad: Where U Been?
The ALAN Reception was next. We milled around, spotting people we knew and authors we hadn't met yet. The cheese was good.
Lisa Yee taking a picture of Peepy with the crowd.
Kate Messner taking a picture of Lisa taking a picture.
Kate, me, Lisa Yee, and Ann Angel
Me and Gary Paulsen!Then dinner! My steak was grilled to perfection and my coffee a delicious brew. The walk back to the hotel revealed the yanks from the Floridians: I was freezing! I needed hot chocolate and thermal underwear and campfire to warm up beside. The people from the Great White North deemed the weather pleasant.
All in all, NCTE was fun. I hated to see it end! 'Bye, you guys! We'll always have O-town!
Kate Messner, Jaclyn Dolamore, Katie Fee, Danette Haworth, Beth Eller, Jessica WarmanI'll be at NCTE all weekend!
This year's NCTE will be held right here in O-town--Orlando, the City Beautiful! I'm presenting Friday with Wendy Mass in the company of the wonderful Kate Messner and signing books right after. Saturday, I'm participating in the author mosaic, which is like a speed dating event between authors and conference attendees; and Sunday, I'm honored to sit with accomplished student writers at the FCTE luncheon.
Come by and say hi! I'll be wearing black. (Oh, right--we'll all be wearing black.)
See you there!
Sexiest Man Alive
Well, it looks like we all have to wait till Friday to find out who are the remaining 88 sexiest men alive--according to People Magazine, that is. Ryan Reynolds is holding the crown this year. Hmm . . . I don't know. I just don't know.
But I will know this Friday! Talk to you then!
ME & JACK cover!
The pub date for ME & JACK is June 2011, so when my editor sent me the cover, I thought I'd hold onto it for a while. Then I saw it on AMAZON! So here, making its debut on my blog, is the gorgeous cover illustration by Greg Swearingen:
| Twitter blurb: Me & Jack: New kid has problems: he’s an outsider; no one likes his dog; and his dad’s a recruiter for Vietnam. Done talking—time to fight. Longer blurb later! |
I know it looks like I escaped a knife attack, but
My arms look like I've run through briars at high speed or like I have defense wounds from fending off a knife attack.
Neighbor: Hi Da--what happened to your arm? (Note: This was before other arm was utilized.)
Me: Oh, we have a new puppy.
Husband: You really need to put something on those, like Neosporin.
Me: I already did.
Kid in neighborhood: You need to scream really loud to make her stop when she does that.
Me: I am already doing that naturally.
I had an epiphany the other day: The dog ate my homework is true. I saw her do it as I applied BandAids to my arms.
Procrastination and Getting Stuff Done
Getting ready to get your stuff done--this short video captures it perfectly!
Answers to Comedy Quiz--Press Links To Cause Mirth and Pleasure with an Audible, Vocal Expulsion of Air from the Lungs
How's your day going? Want to make it even better? Check out these bits; most are short, all are funny.
Without further ado, the answers to the comedy quiz:
1. "Rice is good food, if you're hungry and want 10,000 of something."
MITCH HEDBERG
Oh, my gosh, watch the whole thing, TOO FUNNY! Fishsticks, club sandwiches, OMG, excellent! Saw him in person, so great. Humor is a gift, and he had it.
2. "Dad is great; he gave us chocolate cake."
BILL COSBY
This whole CD is great.
3. "Will do."
KEVIN MCDONALD, KIDS IN THE HALL, King of Empty Promises. So dry!
4. "A dingo ate your baby."
ELAINE, feeling uncomfortable at a party on SEINFELD. Good line to use at conferences if you feel awkward!
5. "They're just dumb old donkeys; they don't have a show to put on."
BRIAN REGAN, master of comedy, anything by him is my favorite. Check out Pop Tarts, Emergency Room, and I think we lost Bobby back there (don't know the name of this bit).
6. "You old guys don't need a young woman; you need a woman who recognizes the signs of stroke."
SINBAD, SINBAD, WHERE U BEEN? Excellent comedy! Clever, observational, and his improvisation is quick and spot-on. YOU MUST WATCH THIS BIT!
7. "I'm ready to go."
JAMIE FOX as WANDA, Living Color. I don't think she says it in this skit, but she's funny on the DATING GAME.
8. "I gotta have more cowbell!" Who doesn't know this one!
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, SNL
9. "Sausages . . ."
SCOTT THOMPSON, Kids in the Hall. This skit is strange and oddly literary.
10. "Am I smiling?"
JOAN RIVERS, Geico commercial. Haha!
11. "Go to sleep, tiny dancer."
OWEN WILSON as HUTCH, STARSKY AND HUTCH. After the dance-off between Starsky and some club boy, Hutch finds out what Starsky has been putting in his coffee.
Do You Know Your Comedy: A Quiz
Charles Gramlich has posted a series of quizzes at which I have failed miserably. After post-quiz sackcloth and ashes, I realized that the only way to redeem myself was to post quizzes I ALREADY KNEW THE ANSWERS TO!
So, with that in mind, I begin my quiz series with a subject close to my heart: comedy. Charles makes his quizzes user friendly by giving you a matching set of mixed-up answers from which to choose. I do no such thing. If you want to be deemed The Armchair Queen/King of Comedy, you must recognize these quotes like sight words. Hey, if winning were easy, losers would do it.
Who said these funny lines? Post your answers in the comments! I'll post answers later!
Here we go:
1. "Rice is good food, if you're hungry and want 10,000 of something."
2. "Dad is great; he gave us chocolate cake."
3. "Will do."
4. "A dingo ate your baby."
5. "They're just dumb old donkeys; they don't have a show to put on."
6. "You old guys don't need a young woman; you need a woman who recognizes the five signs of stroke."
7. "I'm ready to go."
8. "I gotta have more cowbell!"
9. "Sausages . . ."
10. "Am I smiling?"
11. "Go to sleep, tiny dancer."
Update on Our New Puppy!
The woman who owns the cockapoo family emailed me new photos of our puppy. We get to pick up this cute little bundle this weekend!
.....
Kathy Carmichael and Her Pitch Generator
On her website, Kathy Carmichael provides all kinds of guidance on query letters, synopses, and elevator pitches. She even hosts a pitch generator--just fill in the blanks and it spits out your pitch! Try it! Here's the link.
Walker Editor Stacy Cantor Talks about Covers
My FABULOUS editor, Stacy Cantor of Walker Books, is guest posting on From the Mixed Up Files today. Check it out! http://bit.ly/aTYm9P
Listen to Me! (Literally!)
The good people at TeachingBooks invited me to record myself explaining how to pronounce my name. Want to hear it? Click here, then go to "Author Pronunciation."
I listened to lots of other authors saying their names and I'm proud to say I can now correctly pronounce"Maggie Stiefvater."
Afraid of Conferences? Got Something for You!
I'm not normally in the business of telling you where to spend you money, but I believe the service I'm about to mention is truly worth it:
On September 23rd, Writers Digest is hosting an ONLINE WORKSHOP with CRITIQUES. The seminar runs ninety minutes and is run by Mary Kole from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, an agency specializing exclusively in children's books for the past thirty years.
For those of who haven't attended a conference, this online workshop might be equally as good: it's cheaper; it's closer; you know the food will be good; and you're going to receive instruction and personal feedback on your work from a publishing insider.
The critique alone is an excellent service. If you've never exposed your work before, if you've been afraid to submit, this, I think, would be a good answer for you.
Here's the link:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/product/Publish_Your_Childrens_Tween_Teen_Fiction_webinar/?r=wdpb091910
Good luck!
NO, I'm Not Pregnant!
*Ring, ring*
Mom: Hi, Danette. [Actually, she used my super secret nickname.]
Me: Hi, Mom. Did M tell you? My family's getting bigger next month!
Mom: YOU'RE PREGNANT!
Me: No, we're getting a dog.
Mom: That's great!
Baby girl cockapoo is 3 1/2 weeks--we get to pick her up next month. Here's her picture:
Win Origami Yoda!
From The Mixed-Up Files blog:
And now, dear readers, an exciting giveaway we will have! Tom [Andleberger] has generously offered *this* ORIGINAL illustration from THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA to accompany the already fabulous prize of an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of his BOOK. Make a comment between now and September 1 to enter. A winner will be announced September 2.
Not your Mother's Yoyo--World 2010 Yoyo Contest
Remember those yoyos you'd get as part of the birthday favor bag, your departing gift after playing musical chairs and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey? Back then I thought the object was to throw the yoyo down and return it to my hand. That, I thought, was talent. If you could do it.
Oh, how wrong I was.
I spent the weekend at the World 2010 Yoyo Contest in Orlando. For those of you in the know, I met Patrick Mitchell, Mateusz Ganc, Andre Boulay, Paul Han, Jensen Kimmitt, Jon Martin, Will Neimier, Zach Gormley, many more--all talented guys (very few female yoyoers).
This competition was to yoyers what a weekend conference is to writers. My son was among his own as soon as we stepped into the ballroom. Black clothes, busy fingers, yoyos of every shape, size, and color everywhere. Incredible talent. Three days of yoyo excellence.
For those of you who think "Walk the Dog" is the height of yoyo tricks (as I once did), I give you Paul Han (from CA).
Brian Regan in September!
YES! We're going to see my favorite comedian, Brian Regan, this September!
I just bypassed Ticketmaster who only wanted to give me seats way in the back--stupid lottery system! Instead, I called the venue directly and got closer seats, which happen to be on the inside aisle. For those of you who are not 5'2", let me explain: that aisle will leverage out the height of the tall men I must strain to see over.
Hooray!
Once again, my goal is to out-yell the other audience members during the encore for Brian to do his "Flipper" bit.
I got a hair cut and I do not like it.
I got a hair cut today and I do not like it.
The bangs
are chopped too high,
and hair that was once long
is now chopped short to become one with the bangs.
I know you feel sorry for me
but secretly you want to see the picture.
Here it is.
Wait.
I'm working up
my nerve
to show you.
I really don't like it.
I know
it will grow out,
but in the meantime I will know
it looks ugly
every time I pass a mirror, storefront, back of a spoon, or see the reflection
in my neighbor's special tooth.
I know you want to see it.
I don't want you to.
But
This being
a free state and
July 4th only just passed, reconfirming our freedoms
(even though
I don't think
you seeing my ugly hair
counts as a freedom).
I got a hair cut today and I do not like it.
School Library Journal likes The Summer of Moonlight Secrets!
My editor sent me this review from School Library Journal; after reading it, I felt like dancing in the streets! YAY! Hooray!
The Summer of Moonlight Secrets
"Allie Jo Jackson, 13, lives with her parents in the famous, fading Meriwether hotel, near Hope Springs , FL. She is ready for a less-than-stellar summer when Chase arrives with his travel-writer dad and proceeds to break his arm while skateboarding down a hotel hall. He is soon followed by sweet Sophie and a beautiful mystery girl, Tara , whose gleaming hair, shining skin, startling good looks, and penchant for midnight swims start the others wondering about her identity. The old hotel, with its grand staircase, long halls, crumbling upper floors, secret passages, and abandoned speakeasy, is just as much a character in the book as the young teenagers, all of whom face personal problems. The cast also includes a group of mean girls who taunt Allie Jo, calling her “hotel rat,” and a creepy man who insists that Tara is his runaway niece. Described in chapters that are alternately narrated by Allie Jo, Chase, and Tara, the summer flows along, filled with ordinary activities like card games and polishing the hotel’s brass fittings. Then Allie Jo and Chase discover Tara ’s identity, but are not sure whether to believe her strange story. There is a touch of summer magic and a dollop of mystery in this compelling story."–School Library Journal
Six Word Stories
Don't have time for that novel? Come, dear reader, I have 5 six-word stories for you!
Shot cheating husband. Jail not bad.
Suicide noose broke. Must lose weight.
God: I knew they'd do that.
Woman travels time. World now fabulous.
Armstrong: "One small step—" Director: "Cut!"
Grand Prize Winner, Middle School
Karen is the middle school student who earned the Grand Prize with her catchy essay. Click on the pic to enlarge. Good job, Karen!
My note to Karen: Here’s what I loved about your essay and why it stood out from among so many other well-written essays: You captured the elusive quality known as voice. What I mean by voice is while reading, I got a strong sense of the narrator’s personality. The way you expressed sadness, hopefulness, and even the mischievous desire for chocolate chip cookies was breezy and humorous. I liked that voice!
My favorite line in the whole essay was “I was even going to miss the sidewalk.” What an excellent line! You used an example that demonstrated just how sad you were, rather than merely saying, “I was really sad.” That’s called “showing, not telling,” and that’s an important concept in creative writing. Your essay contained many details, many examples, and I loved your use of hyperbolic statements, such as the one above and “filled to the brim with only old people,” and “awaiting my fate.” By over-exaggerating your feelings in this way, you created a thread of humor that ran all throughout your essay. I’m pretty sure you didn’t spend hours gazing at a framed photo of the sidewalk, but I got what you meant and it made me laugh. In fact, I spent a couple of days reading all the essays, and the next day, I kept thinking about that sidewalk line. It was so funny that I had to rifle through all the papers just so I could read it again.
The things you worried about and the observations you made struck me as true. As someone who moved around a lot as a young person, I know that you really do feel the loss of the physical home because of all the good times and friends it represents. I liked that you worried about being surrounded by old people and then—oh, no!—it seemed like it was true when all you observed in the lines of apartments was the occasional old man watering his yard. I’m laughing about that even as I type this!
I loved your descriptions: the pale green paint, being committed to finding the cookies, and lines of apartments. (That one word shows your initial displeasure with what you saw because it makes the apartments sound like barracks.) In addition to expressing your feelings, you also appealed to senses one doesn’t normally associate with a story about moving: smell, taste, and hearing.
Karen, I am pleased to give you the award for Grand Prize Winner. I’m certain you must be planning to be a writer because your talent already shows. Stay true to your voice, and your writing will always be authentic. It was a pleasure to read your essay.
Interview and Book Giveaway!
The new site for all things middle-grade, From the Mixed-Up Files, is hosting me today: an interview, Q&A, and best of all, a chance to win a free hardcover of The Summer of Moonlight Secret! Come on over!
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