Today it’s been a decade since my dad died. At first I started to say it’s been ten years since I lost him, but that didn’t sound right. As much as I miss him, I never feel as if I’ve “lost” him. He never seems absent to me. Rather it feels as if our relationship has been altered to fit our new circumstances–like he’s crossed through a magical wardrobe or passed through a wrinkle in time. He’s no longer huggable, which is a definite downside to this phase in our relationship, but the trade off is that there’s a fluid, intuitive connection between us that exceeds what we had when we were just an arms length away. But despite the continued love between us, I really miss having him here.
In memory of my “old life” with my Dad, my husband helped me find this video. It reminds me of why his absence still feels so big–he’d always showed up in a million small places. He was this guy for so many of us. He’s my role model.
http://youtu.be/632CHpeHYZE
Love you and miss you Dad. <3
Today in the comments, please celebrate someone living who is doing the little things that mean the most.
Happy New Year and don’t forget what’s important in 2015.
Riley is here!!! We got him on Friday and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. I’m tired and inspired. I’m in love with his little face and his adorable personality and extremely sweet temperament. But I miss sleeping and peeing by myself LOL! Knowing what it’s like to take care of a “baby” again isn’t the same as actually doing it. *sigh* But here’s the really good news. I’m very glad I we brought home this puppy. I have a feeling that with the right love, training and diligence, we’ll get everything sorted out in a reasonable amount of time. This cute little face was on the bucket list of FIVE people in my house. That’s a really good reason to make some sacrifices. No one ever died wishing for cleaner carpets and less unconditional love. And although I really like to sleep (a lot) I’m still pretty sure I won’t be wishing for more Zzzz’s when my ticker stops ticking. So, if everyone can bear with my occasional sleep deprived rants and my Oh-My-God-I’ve-Never-Owned-A-Dog-Now-What-Do-I-Do panic attacks, then I think everything will be okay. *paws crossed* Now it’s time to introduce you to Riley…
Fresh out of the car after a two hour ride home. (He was a champ BTW)
Exploring the landscape.
We’ve gotten quite close–he wants to sleep wherever he can touch my foot. <3
Riley gave up after all that playing. Just couldn’t make it up the driveway.
But he had enough energy to be grateful I carried him up the rest of the way LOL!
But if you think we wore out that puppy, you should see what the puppy did to the 11yo in the middle of decorating the tree Zzzzzzz…
And BTW–I can’t believe I was even able to write a blog post for today. So, yay for that! What have you been up to besides writing and sleeping LOL!
Sorry I missed you on Thursday. Boys with half day schedules and teacher conferences were cramping my blogging schedule. But I’ll tell you a secret–I didn’t mind not writing because I’m rather busy with another important aspect of drafting which is being a sponge. I’ve been kicking butt with my writing since buckling down in September and sending those boys back to school. *grin* And it’s been awesome and I’ve been loving it, that is, until my NaNo battery ran out of steam and d-i-e-d.
It was bound to happen. In my excitement to produce prolifically, I forgot what kind of an artist I am at heart. I am a sponge.
I soak up all kinds of stuff floating around me and then I squeeze it to see what kinds of questions pour out. But lately, I’m afraid that in my enthusiasm to write, write, write–I wasn’t absorbing as much as I need to. Writing can only a numbers game when we have thoughts in storage and I realized I was exhausting my supply faster than I could replenish it. My sponge was on the dry side.
But I’m happy to say that my “break” from word count is not a break from my drafting process. It’s very important for me to day dream, observe, read, ponder and experience. What are the more hidden aspects of your drafting process? What stimulates and feeds your artistic process?
Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I’ll be taking the day off. You’ll all be too busy eating turkey and watching the parade to read blogs. But I’ll be back next week in DECEMBER! How the heck did that happen? Guess I can say…see you next month LOL!
I’m as sad as the next person about the end of the summer. *scratches head* Then again maybe I’m not. Sure I’m not looking forward to regularly scheduled morning wake ups, making lunches, three kids whining about homework, after school sports and the logical reduction of my ice cream intake. But gosh darn it–the summer makes me feel so unorganized. And that’s saying a lot–I’m pretty scattered on a regular basis. With a 6th grade orientation today and a bunch of other things, it took me until 2:53 in the afternoon to realize–hmmmm it’s Thursday–I kinda have a blog due. (And I only remembered that because I was thinking about posting a Throwback Thursday photo on FB LOL!)
So, here’s your #TBT pic…
This was me back in the late 90’s on top of a tower in Coppenhagen. :o)
And here is my list of reason why–as lovely as it is–SUMMER NEEDS TO BE OVER!
*I need regularly scheduled wake ups and bed times. My body likes it and this year I don’t have to get up super early so I’m doing a happy dance!
*Making lunches–this is a stretch because I have to make three this year instead of two, but I can start catching up on all those grown-up lunches with friends I haven’t seen all summer.
*Kids whining about homework means their brains are engaged. By the end of the summer, it has become obvious that my kids will benefit from the mental stimulation. And so will I!
*Yes, after school sports are a bear, but I’ll get my work done while they are at school and that makes me less resentful about my whole evening feeling like we are running non-stop. And all three boys are on the same schedule and out of school early enough for homework and dinner to theoretically get done ahead of time. I’ll keep you posted on how this works out for real.
*Let’s not kid ourselves–there is NEVER a dip in ice cream consumption. Silly reader.
*Jeans!!!!! I love wearing jeans and a sweater. It’s my outfit of choice with a pair of comfy sneakers or clogs. Happy days are almost here.
*Cool night and breezes. Windows open but snuggled under a down comforter. *sigh*
*Autumn leaves. Can’t wait to see the changes at my new house. Pics to come.
*Publishing is back from vacation and bookishness is in the air. And there are stretches of writing time without feeling guilty about having kids home.
*Running!!!! It’s my favorite time of year to run outside. FAVORITE!
*Stew, soup, and chili–YUMMY!!!! And hot chocolate with whipped cream.
*Trading in my air conditioning for my wood stove. Not a big AC girl unless the humidity forces my hand. But I do love to be warm and toasty.
*The kick off to the year’s best stretch of holidays LOL!
*RAIN–I know it sounds weird, but I love a good rainy day when it’s not a chess pool of hot humidity. *see woodstove and throw in slippers and a cozy blanket.
*The “REAL” new year. I always consider the first day of school my new year. September 3rd is a fresh start for me. <3
*And on time blog posts. Why are you laughing? Okay, if not in the fall–definitely in the winter. Ha!
What’s you’re favorite things about kicking summer to the curb?
Yesterday was gorgeous!!! The most perfect weather ever. So I spent the day outside putting in my vegetable garden and starting a butterfly garden. I used to have one and it didn’t make it through the installation of the retaining wall and last year I missed my one gardening window (not too hot, not too buggy) plus the whole impending debut book launch thingy kept me preoccupied. So needless to say–the butterflies got the shaft last year. But this year, not only did I run across the most perfect spring day that just made me want to plant a vacation paradise for butterflies, but my fabulous nephew has been doing some yard work to help me get ready to put the house on the market. This means…I get to pick the flowers and plant them and tomorrow he will do all the unpleasant bed weeding and mulching around my creation. *sigh* Everyone should have a fabulous nephew. <3
But acting like Martha Stewart all day has left me with the need to shower and get acquainted with my couch this evening. Because of this, I have decided to enlist all of you with the job of blog-post-deep-thinking. Of course, there has to be a pay off for you firing your brain cells so mine can rest. So, as a reward for being creative and funny, (myself and the mystery judges) will pick one lucky winner to get a signed copy of TOUCHING THE SURFACE. Keep it for yourself, donate it to the library or use it as a gift. Just get it in the hands of a reader. How to win? Write a caption for this picture in the comments and you will be entered. Every caption is a separate entry. And just so you know, the cat in the picture is named Beans. This contest is open internationally. Have fun.
PS–Just want to remind you that there is still time to enter for a chance to win one of five signed copies of TOUCHING THE SURFACE for your favorite middle school or high school.
Hey everyone, I have my friend Kai Strand writing a guest post today. I expect you guys to be on your best behavior while I’m off doing really fun stuff like cleaning and laundry. If I catch you acting up I’ll make you help just like I do with my kids LOL!
Kai is going to tell us a little bit about writing middle grade. Now I know that my blog mainly focuses on YA Lit, BUT I am a firm believer in the cross pollination of ideas and experiences. So, sit back and enjoy. Take it away, Kai…
The main character of my newly released book, SAVE THE LEMMINGS, is much like my host, Kimberly Sabatini. Happy, positive, uplifting and inspiring.
*Wait…I haven’t started cleaning yet. Okay, so maybe I wasn’t really going to clean. Maybe I was actually going to fart around on the internet. Sue me. If I’d been being domestic I would have missed this lovely compliment. Okay…I’m going…sorry Kai.*
8th grade inventor, Natalie Isabelle Cailean Edwards is the N.I.C.E. girl who finishes last with the kids in school. Sappy inspirational phrases and monochromatic outfits have all but her best friends wrinkling their nose at her. When Natalie’s invention, the Texty-Talky, goes nationwide, she becomes an overnight sensation. Suddenly her days consist of photo shoots and interviews with little time left for her friends. A local reporter shatters her good-girl image by reporting a graffiti incident and the media launches into a smear campaign. It is so bad, even her friends start to believe the stories. Will Natalie be able to overcome the lies being printed about her? Will she be able to SAVE THE LEMMINGS?
There are two rules in writing middle grade. 1.) Make sure the reader can relate. 2.) Exaggerate the heck out of everything. One common issue to a kid in middle school is feeling like they don’t fit in. Natalie Edwards is an incurable priss. She walks around spouting things like, “Be pleasant to your neighbor and they’ll water your garden when you’re out of town,” and “A task performed is most rewarding when it is in service to others.” Luckily for our main character, she doesn’t let the groans and eye rolls from her fellow 8th graders bother her. So even though Natalie should feel like an outcast, she has the security of her three close friends and the love of her parents to shelter her from the meanness of others.
However, when her Texty-Talky invention makes her an overnight sensation, nothing can protect her from the meanness of the headline hungry media. Being accused of things like stealing her invention from aliens and coming up with the invention in a drug induced stupor, Natalie finally knows what it feels like to be picked on – even though she has been her whole life.
How she overcomes the media bullying and takes control of her life again will inspire readers who might be struggling under similar circumstances. Though hopefully nothing involving aliens!
About the author: Kai Strand writes fiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Her debut novel, The Weaver, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. The Wishing Well: Another Weaver Tale is set in the same storytelling village as The Weaver. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, “Do your dishes!” She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home.
To find out more about Kai’s books, download companion documents, find links to her published short stories and discover all the places to find Kai both virtually and in person, visit her website: www.kaistrand.com. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to send her an email or visit her facebook page, Kai Strand, Author.
Yes, I’m back? So now that you’ve had a mini lesson in MG I’m wondering what you think the biggest similarity between MG and YA is? What’s the difference? Are there any books out there that you think should be YA instead of MG or visa versa? What’s your favorite MG book? Does anyone write both? Any thing about MG that really makes you crazy? Come on…lets talk.
I have another Class of 2k12 preview for you!!!! INNOCENT DARKNESS by Suzanne Lazear is a Steampunk Faerie Tale, but if you’re anything like me, you might not really know exactly what steampunk is. To help you out, I’ve grabbed Lazear’s explanation straight from her website to get us started.
What is Steampunk?
Steampunk. You hear the term more and more. But, what is exactly Steampunk, other
than an excuse for people to wear bustles and brass goggles?
I commonly describe Steampunk as “Jules Verne on Crack” – which I’m sure would
make my high school English teacher sigh in despair. Steampunk is imagining a world
where steam and natural gas, not coal and electricity, are still the primary power
sources, yet technology continues to advance. It’s a world abounding with airships,
gas lamps, gears, cogs, and brass goggles and populated with mad scientists,
philosophers, adventurers, brass robots, and air pirates.Steampunk stories can be set in the past, in the future, or on another planet. They
don’t even have to be Victorian. The Wild West is a very popular place for
Steampunk and I’ve even been hearing about Steampunk set in the Regency Era.
Steampunk transcends genres, creating genre-blending and bending at its finest.
Steampunk stories can be dark or light and funny, scary or romantic, for kids or
adults, they can even feature the supernatural or paranormal elements.
It’s in the setting, the gadgets, and the characters–who could speak like Victorian
ladies or fast-talking American teenagers. Steampunk characters often desire to make
the world a better place in some way shape or form–even if it’s by blowing up
parliament. Their adventures are often about figuring out where they fit even if it’s
means bucking the system.
With Steampunk, anything is possible. Steampunk offers an opportunity to be creative
and make amazing worlds ranging from gritty to opulent.
But Steampunk doesn’t stop at writing. Steampunk can be found in comics and
movies (League of Extraordinary Gentleman, anyone?) music (Emilie Autumn is my
favorites), clothes (if you haven’t seen the boots at Clockwork Couture, you should),
and jewelry (I am partial to tiaras made of clockhands). There are entire Steampunk
online communities dedicated to making rayguns, writing Steampunk, and Steampunk
in general.
So, now that you know all about Steampunk are you ready to write?
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock’s hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer’s eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.
INNOCENT DARKNESS is available for Pre-order here…
Recently I went to a writer’s conference where everyone was debating what the “next big thing” in YA literature was going to be. Some people argued that contemporary is on the rise and it was also suggested that steampunk has yet to see it’s day. But what everyone seemed to think was the most probable was a mash-up of some of our perennial favorite genres–a blending of some of our best loved reads. The first thing that came to mind when I heard this was INNOCENT DARKNESS–a steampunk faerie tale. Now, I have to admit that this was my first foray into steampunk and I found it to be very interesting, but what I loved the most was how creative Lazear got with this story. It was very clear that she has her finger on the pulse of this new type hybrid. It is also obvious that INNOCENT DARKNESS is a mix of topics that Lazear really loves and feels passionately about. Steampunk meets the fae is just fun. I can’t wait for the next installment to see what happens. Oh–and Dollymop is my new favorite word!
Suzanne Lazear’s young adult steampunk dark fairytale, INNOCENT DARKNESS, book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux in August of 2012. Suzanne lives in Southern California with her daughter, the hubby, and a hermit crab, where she’s currently attempting to make a raygun to match her ballgown. She’s also part of the Steampunk group blog Steamed.
You can find out more about Suzanne Lazear and INNOCENT DARKNESS here…
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