Retreat!!!

“You’re going on a writing retreat?” my son asked. “I don’t get it. Retreat means backward.” He then raised his arms, adopted a panic-stricken face and shouted, “RETREAT!” as if commanding a thousand foot soldiers. To further prove his point, he bolted from the kitchen and dashed across the living room to hide behind the couch.

As I giggled at his sense of enthusiasm and wild imagination, two thoughts entered my mind.

1.       I desperately hoped that I would not embody his run, duck and cover methods while taking a break from life to accomplish some writing. I want to be bold, strong, courageous, and steadfast when approaching my words.

2.       Our English language is a beautifully and frustratingly complex phenomena.

Retreat, defined.

Allow me to switch gears for just a second. I promise I will return to the topic at hand, once I have meandered around it for a paragraph or two…

The D3 college baseball season starts this week. Four solid months of hard work, double headers, late night speculative conversations, hundreds of line up possibilities, thrilling wins, agonizing defeats, team dinners, road trips and excitement… for my husband. Ours sons and I enjoy the ride and show up to be a part of it as often as we can. It’s a great time of year, but it’s not my time to shine, it’s his.

We are very lucky, each having an extreme passion that fuels our heads and hearts and spirits. Throughout the entire fall and early winter, my husband has supported me and cheered me on. He has not complained a bit while I attended conferences and weekend workshops, while I set up after school meetings and spent more time looking at my computer screen than his face. He has been, to say the least, incredible, content to let me do my thing, knowing his time will come.

Now it’s my turn to do the same for him. Like I said, we are lucky, not to mention the fact, that we make a great team.

So, knowing full well that my “time” was coming to an end, I planned not one, but two writing retreats in January. (4 months is a long time people! I needed to stock up!) See I told you I’d make it back on track!

For the first, I went to a middle-of-no-where cabin with my writing group. The time was short, the agenda was even shorter. 24 frozen hours with only a wood burning stove, our ideas and our companionship to keep us warm. Trust me when I say we more than survived. We thrived! Sometimes, less is more. The space to escape, the freedom that comes without a watch to keep you accountable to regular meal times and plenty of sounding boards with in an arm’s reach all made this quick trip truly wonderful. I was able to rewrite 3 chapters of a YA fantasy novel that has been “in-progress” FOR-EV-ER. I left feeling rejuvenated, and like I had made some solid progress. I also had a lot of fun getting to know the women I write with bi-monthly. It’s amazing what you can discuss and solve and muse when you put 7 smart, talented and generous women in a cabin in the woods. This is an experience that I would highly recommend! I can’t wait until my Wwink friends and I adventure out of town again.

(If you’d like another writer’s take on this retreat, you can read about it from my fellow word-nerd Christy’s perspective HERE.)

The second retreat was an urban one. Well, urban in the sense that I was in a city, staying at a hotel, surrounded by restaurants that serve food fancier than PopTarts and homemade mac n’ cheese… my usual menu. (At our hotel I couldn’t even order Moscato or Disarrono… neither qualified as trendy enough to keep in stock! Sigh, I guess I’ll drink the French75 instead.)  

This urban retreat had an entirely different feel. A jam-packed agenda kept me from calling home or even texting much. Each minute was stuffed (in a good way!) with an awesome learning, writing, networking or collaborating opportunity. At this retreat I wrote, work-shopped, revised and publicly read a brand-new piece! I stayed up late chatting at the hotel bar and made new friends. It was surreal and magical in a way that only happens when a group of committed and passion-sharing people convene. Heading home I felt tired, but in a way that was satisfying rather than defeating. Again, this is a retreat I will look forward to repeating in the future.

While both experiences allowed me to get away and write, both were entirely different. As you look to fit a retreat into your schedule, think about which type you would prefer. What kind of writing are you in the mood to do? The kind you do in your sweats on a couch next to a fireplace? Or the kind that involves business cards and a microphone? There is no wrong way to retreat (unless you are going backwards!) but there is probably a right way for YOU. Take time to consider this as you search for conferences, workshops and writing classes. But know this. Choosing to spend your time, money and energy on a retreat will not lead you astray. The time I have spent over the last few years at events like these has improved my craft, helped me meet career influencing writers and professionals, given me time to do my work, and fed my soul by spending time on myself and something I love to do. Take it from me, take the time to find a retreat that works for you. Then save up your money… and GO!!!

Here are a few retreats coming up this spring and summer that you might be interested in. I’m hoping to be at a few of them myself!

Novel in Progress Boot Camp, hosted by Wisconsin Writer’s Association

Location: West Bend, WI

Dates: May 20-26, 2018

Write by the Lake, hosted by UW Continuing Studies

Location: Madison, WI

Dates: June 11-15, 2018

Cirenaica Summer Retreats, hosted by the Chippewa Valley Writer’s Guild

Location: Fall Creek, WI

Dates: several to choose from

Writing at the River House, hosted by Amanda Zieba

Location: Desoto, WI

Dates: Thursday, August 16- Sunday August 19, 2018

Cheers!

A coffee cheers is the fist bump of the professional world.

Each morning I walk around my place of employment and greet people. I say good morning to the secretaries as I walk through the office to pick up my copies. I greet co-workers in the lounge when I put my lunch in the fridge. I stop by my friends’ classrooms and say hello. Odds are, that if you have a cup of coffee in hand (as I do in mine – usually cappuccino with a splash of cocoa) I will quickly touch my cup to yours. Cheers!

This quick motion can mean one of a hundred different things.

On a good day, it could mean…

Good morning!

Nice to see you!

Have a great day!

On a tough day it could mean…

Hang in there!

You’ve got this!

Don’t listen to them, you rock!

On a bad day it could mean...

Another day, another dollar.

Is it 3 o’clock yet?

Forget this $h!t.

The people I cheers probably have no idea what my message is each day. Sure my facial expression might give them a few clues, but they are not privy to my internal monologue. But you know what? It probably doesn’t matter. That single clink that is made when I touch my cup to theirs means something larger as a whole. It symbolizes unity. We’re in this together. And really, that is what is most important.

So cheers to you today. Life can be wonderful an tough and ugly – but we are all on the same team, and together we can do anything.

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P.S. I know this isn’t a typical blog post topic for me. Usually I write about writing, and this post… is not about writing. This week I took a page out of the Kimberly Brubaker Bradley blogging habits. I mentioned in this past post, that one thing I love about this author is the way she blogs about real life… whether or not that real life is featured in her novels. I admire her honesty and ability to be candid about adult topics, even though her typical audience is much younger. So today I tried something different. I’d love to know what you think.

Time to Read

I came to the sad realization about a year ago that because I devote so much of my free time to writing, and the business of making my writing a business, I read a LOT less than I used to. (Note, I haven’t stopped buying books… I have just ceased to have as much time to read them.) However, in the past few months, I’ve managed to do a bit more reading, and to celebrate, I’m going to share some of these amazing titles with you.

I am lucky that part of my job is to read to children aloud daily. At any given time I am reading four different books at school, and recently, we have enjoyed a few incredible stories. I also picked up a book during my girl’s weekend in Madison… one that I had previously coveted while in the tech college library as I waited for my students to finish checking out books. I discovered a few more treasures in my sons’ book order and $65 later we were the owners of said treasures. And of course, I got a few books for Christmas.

In today’s blog post, I’d like to share some of these amazing titles with you. If you are a voracious reader, you’ll perhaps add these to your epic list of books to read on Goodreads. If you are addicted to Amazon (hey, I’m not pointing any fingers!) you’ll maybe consider adding them to your cart. Or as a devoted library patron, you might rush the shelves of free reading material to snatch a copy and cozy up on the couch. No matter how you get your hands on these books, I hope you do. And then, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

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Madeline Finn and the Library Dog

by Lisa Papp (Picture Book)

Okay, confession. I don’t like dogs. Any animal actually. I know, I am a cold-hearted beast and you probably hate me now, but wait… I just might redeem myself by introducing you to this beautiful book. Madeline Finn does not like to read. Not at all.

But one day she goes to the library and is given the opportunity to read to Bonnie, a dog. And even though Madeline dos not like reading, Bonnie doesn’t giggle when she makes a mistake. Bonnie doesn’t get impatient while she waits for Madeline to read all the way to the bottom of the page. And through this unlikely partnership, Madeline learns a few beautiful things. In addition to this sweet and touching story, the pictures are absolutely to die for. Do yourself a favor, find a copy of this book, and a child who likes to read (or maybe one who doesn’t) and enjoy this book together.  

Alibi Junior High

by Greg Logsted (Middle Grade Fiction)

Cody has only ever known the life of a spy. His dad is a top level member of the FBI and since his mother is dead, the result of a terrorist, Cody travels with him. He speaks half a dozen languages, is a master at martial arts, and prefers fancy cuisine to cheeseburgers. He sees nothing wrong with this life, but things are getting dangerous. There was a bomb, in a café. People died. Cody’s father is no longer certain their living arrangement is what is best for Cody, so he sends him to live with his Aunt Jenny. And thus, Cody starts his most difficult mission ever… living life as an actual teenager in Junior High. This book is a hilarious look at life in junior high, the perils of complying with incompetent authority, the slippery slope of social acceptance, and gasp, girls. If the constant laughs aren’t enough to entice you, the promise of an action-packed plot and beautifully eloquent word choice should seal the deal.

The Secret Lives of Colors

By Kassia St. Clair

A book cover doesn’t often have polka dots. They caught my eye. In a library full of books, this one book, jumped out at me. I picked it up. Nonfiction. Not usually my jam. But I kept looking. Apparently, the author, Kassia, is into fashion, but as she was reading old fashioned descriptions of fancy wardrobes in black and while catalogs she kept having to reach for the dictionary. Chartreuse? Vermillion? Mauve? She decided not being able to visualize these shades was simply unacceptable. So, she educated herself. She researched 75 colors. How they got their name, what role they played in history, what colors mean… scientifically, culturally, artistically. The final result of all her hard work is this absolutely digestible, collection of color facts, broken down into bite-sized essays on each of the 75 colors. If you are looking to learn something new, read something incredibly interesting, or bulk up on your bank of trivia knowledge, then check out this book.

One Small Yes

by Misty Lown

I love people who do cool things, big things, un-done-before things. I love it even more when these people are regular people. Misty Lown is one of those people. She also happens to have grown up in the town next to mine, making her feats seem even more impressive to me. I remember when she was crowed Miss Oktoberfest. I drive past her dance studio weekly. The dance campus (and empire) she is building is right across the street from the store where my children love to rent videos. She is mom, a teacher, a business owner, a thought leader, a disability over-comer, and also the author of this book, One Small Yes. In this book she lays out her path… the ways she said yes, to herself and her dreams. More than that, she tells readers how they can do this same. This book is encouraging, practical and helpful. If you dream big, if you are a do-er, if you need a little inspiration or encouragement to take a leap, this book is for you!

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Other books I recently enjoyed

Audible version of: The Silkwork by Robert Galbraith (aka: J.K. Rowling)

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Books on my To-Read List

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I’d love to know… what are you reading?

2018 Word of the Year: Evolve

As I wrote my 2017 word of the year recap a majority of my brain focused on reflecting over the past year and the way my choice of the word connections influenced and impacted my actions. Both 2016 and 2017 were tough for me. Not in a sense that they were quote, unquote, bad… but, they were work. My life has seemed to lack flow and ease.

I knew ahead of time that the choices we were making as a family… that the commitments we were making as a family would be… work. I knew that balancing and juggling all of our responsibilities and still managing to hold the humans and dreams we loved close to us, would be demanding. But I also knew that the challenging road we laid out before ourselves would not stretch on forever. I knew that this land-of-in-between would eventually morph into a landscape that would be more manageable, a terrain that was less formidable.

As I move into 2018, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I don’t think that I will arrive in my new reality and instantly shout out that I’ve made it. (Although there are a few momentous milestones I’m planning to celebrate heartily!) I do believe, however, that there will be a morning in 2018 in which I wake up and think about the day ahead and realize in a quiet sort of way that everything I’ve worked for, all the plans I’ve made, and the schemes I’ve schemed and dreams I’ve dreamed… have paid off. And even in that moment, I know life won’t be perfect. It would be silly to think so. There will be new challenges to face and new beasts to slay, but I will be ready to face them head on. Because I’ve made it this far.

For all of these reasons I’ve decided that my word for 2018 is EVOLVE. I tossed around and tried on several other words before committing to this one. Words like: transform, change, clarity, ignite, becoming, expansion, pioneer and transition. But evolve, felt right in a way that these others did not.

Evolve means to develop gradually from a simple to a more complex form.

In 2018 I hope to evolve

·       my writing habits

·       my work and success on Teachers Pay Teachers, an online educational marketplace

·       the way I manage my family’s schedule

·       my work with my writing communities both in person and online

·       my writing financial stability

·       and more!

I hope to slowly evolve from an over worked, scattered, writer, mother and wife to a present, productive and fulfilled writer, mother and wife.

I know this won’t be easy… but I’m looking forward to the journey and the process. I’m looking forward to the evolution of me… and to sharing that process with you.

The process of selecting a word to guide my intentions, reactions, plans and thoughts for the year has been a great exercise for me. If you decide to choose a word for yourself and your year ahead, I’d love to hear what it is. Drop it in the comments below, or send me an email at: wordnerd@amandazieba.com.

Happy New Year to you! I hope that 2018 is your best year yet!

The Hawk and the Storm

I recently submitted a piece to a Wisconsin literary journal looking for a piece that showcased a Midwestern state of mind. I immediately thought of the hardy souls who live in our area, who for me, define the common sense, hard working, nothing flashy attitude that I so admire. Winter was approaching, and I had this fable I'd written, sitting in my notebook, waiting patiently for an audience. Unfortunately for me, it was not accepted into the publication. Fortunately for you, I've decided to share it here instead.

This story is both a lovely piece of writing (if get to say so... and I do... because this is my blog) and also a commentary on how we Midwesterners view Winter, in all her brutal beauty and glory. I hope you enjoy, The Hawk and the Storm. 

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   Photo by Jim Ridley Photography

There once was a beautiful hawk. Her outstretched wings created a dark canvas on the otherwise stark and empty sky. She often liked to spread her wings and fly, paying more attention to the beauty of her intricate feathers, than the patchwork farmland laid out below.

However, when the first fat snowflakes fell, her attention was momentarily diverted. As the flakes gathered on her head and beak and wings the hawk would marvel for hours at their sophisticated patterns and shapes. In her mind, the icy crystals were the only thing in nature that rivaled her own physical appearance. While it would have been easy for her to hate them, she just couldn’t. She loved them too much.

One winter evening, just as the sun was setting behind the distant hills, a snowstorm settled in upon the land that she called home. The hawk soared among the flurries, greeting each flake with a gentle screech as if say hello to a long lost friend. When she tired, the hawk perched upon a branch to watch the storm. When the wind picked up, the hawk fluffed up her feathers, shook the snow off her head and sighed at the beauty surrounding her.

The storm cloud parked between the bluffs and unburdened itself of its snowy load, covering the land as far as the hawk’s eye could see. The steel grey ribbon of the river was the only force powerful enough to maintain its identity. The snow equalized everything else with a blanket of white.

When the snow piled high enough to reach her branch, the hawk stomped her feet. She knew she should fly to safety, but she just couldn’t bear to leave the beautiful flakes. By the time the snow piled up to her neck the hawk knew she had made a mistake. Her wings were frozen solid. Flying away was no longer an option. Instead of wishing for a hero to come to and save her, the hawk reflected that while she would not outlive this storm, at least she would be buried in the most beautiful coffin nature could create.

My 2017 Word of the Year... CONNECTIONS, a recap

Last year my writing club suggested trying something new. Instead of making a few New Year’s resolutions (that we will likely abandon by March) our leader encouraged us to select a word to represent the upcoming year. This word, once selected, would guide our thoughts and actions, goals and plans, interactions and reactions throughout the year.

I am usually pretty gung-ho about goals. In fact, I love them. A goal is like a to-do list on steroids. A goal is a big ol’ dream with a strategic plan that will take me from where I’m at to where I want to be. Thanks to a healthy dose of instilled discipline I learned from my uber-diligent parents… I’ve got some pretty good stick-to-it-tive-ness. Goals work for me. But hey, I’m up for trying something new every once and awhile… and you know I love words. So why not? 

The first word that popped into my mind was MOMENTUM. At the end of 2016 things had started picking up in my writing world. Instead of being the one to reach out and ask to be included in the word-nerd world, sometimes, people were inviting (and paying!) me to attend and lead events. I had been selling more books. I’d found a supportive (and fun!) word-nerd tribe. I wanted more than anything for this to continue. I wanted to keep moving forward, and momentum felt like a good word to promote that.

But it also felt like this word had a single focus. Writing. Despite occupying a large chunk of my brain space - in both my waking and sleeping hours - writing is not the only important thing in my life. I had just moved my family back to my hometown. We had left the comfortable world we had known for a decade and traded it for new jobs, new schools, a new house, a new church… so much new. Momentum didn’t feel like the right word for my personal life. There was already so much movement. I wasn’t certain that adding more movement to an already chaotic time would make things better.

And so I came to my second word choice, CONNECTIONS. A focus on making connections… on a daily basis with my family, with new co-workers and neighbors, and with other word nerds would benefit my life in multiple areas.

Because I couldn’t totally abandon my type A personality ways of goal setting (and achieving!) I made a targeted plan to consistently work on connecting in 2017. While out Christmas shopping last year I stumbled upon the perfect tool to help me create a gateway for my future connection making endeavors. I purchased a page-a-day, motivational calendar and wrote up this simple note.

“I bought myself this calendar for Christmas. Something fun… and motivational. Each day as I looked at the quote, a person’s name popped into my mind and I decided to share these words of wisdom, power and momentum with others.

So today, I want YOU to know, that I thought of you. I hope you are happy, healthy and well, and that you are having a great year. I hope you are kicking ass in the world that you live in and working towards achieving your dreams.

All my love,”

— Amanda

Each morning as I sat down at my desk and tore off a new page of the calendar I asked myself, who does this remind me of? Who would appreciate these words? Who needs to hear this message? 85 times throughout the year someone specific came to mind. 85 times I mailed out a calendar page and my note. 85 times I wrote a person’s name on the calendar page and called out to them: I see you. I’m thinking of you. You rock. Keep fighting. Don’t give in. Shine bright! Be you. Be amazing. Celebrate!

Some of the people I sent notes to I see every day. Some I haven’t seen in months, maybe years. Some are people I’ve never met in person. I gave some notes to my students and some to my idols. Many were mailed out my family members. A few people were recurring recipients, but most were one time-ers. At times I would reverse the action… thinking to myself, who could use a pick-me up? Who is important in my life that hasn’t gotten a calendar page yet? Who would benefit from a connection this week?

Sure, there were days that I saw the quote and struggled to connect the thought to a particular person. Some days the quotes were just plain un-inspiring and therefore took up residence in my recycling bin. But 85 times I sent out these hugs in an envelope, these paper pep-talks.

These pages weren’t my only attempt to live out my word of CONNECTIONS. I also joined SCBWI this year and made some great new friends as well as a few professional connections at the state conference this fall. I spent three months in an online mastermind group and networked with some amazing creative professionals across the country, one of whom became a good, good friend. In 2017 I made connections to other local entrepreneurs through my business coach and reached out to many small businesses and writing organizations about possible partnerships. But the calendar pages remained the constant throughout the year. Each and every day, I came back to the calendar.

Do you know what happened?

41 times someone responded. With a Facebook message, a voicemail, a snapchat, a text. 41 times someone took the time to say, “I see you too”. And really, in my book, that’s pretty amazing… and in my opinion, what we need a little more of in our world.

I already have my new page-a-day calendar ready to go for 2018. I’m really excited to continue this daily ritual. I’m not sure what my 2018 word will be, but check back to the blog in early January and I’ll let you know.

Until then, I wish you all sorts of wonderful end of the year experiences… and all the words in the world to describe and record them. I’d also encourage you to think about your word for the year, and if you feel so inclined, share it with us in the comments below!

Happy holidays, happy reading and happy writing!

<3,

Amanda

My Champions

For the past month I have tossed around the idea of giving out annual literary awards on my blog. You know, like the Newbery Award or the Caldecott. Or, in the pop culture world, a Grammy or an Oscar. Friends even helped me brainstorm what I might call an award given from one word-nerd to another.

But then I realized, that I don’t have enough money to create and produce little idols of gold, and really, would presenting my real, live and breathing idols miniature statutes really convey how much their words and work mean to me? Probably not. And then there came the whiny voice of reality, showing up, uninvited, in the form of an internal monologue. Who really cares what some geeky girl in Wisconsin thinks? What credentials do I really have to go about claiming anyone’s literary gifts are greater than any others?

So, I’ve abandoned the idea of creating my own literary award. But alas, I have not given up entirely. What I really would want to communicate to the writers that have “spoken” to me this year, is that I value their efforts. I would want in some way to say thank you for allowing me to learn from them. I would want to say thank you for making the thoughts inside their heads visible and tangible.

I thought all of this over and wondered. How could I possibly communicate my gratitude?

One of my gifts is art of inviting. I’m really good at asking people to join me… for a baseball game, for church, for anything really. And so, I have created a new idea. Instead of bestowing an award to my favorite writers of the year, I am going to make a guest list for a fictional dinner party. How better to say thank you, than to invite a person to my home, prepare them a meal, and share conversation and company? (Now granted, I am not a very good cook… I’d probably have my sister or aunties help me out there… or cater… details… details! We can’t all be gifted in all areas!)

But anyway, I digress. If I were to throw a dinner party, for the writers who most inspired me and won my admiration in the year of 2017, here is who I would invite.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Kimberly is the author of several amazing historical fiction novels, but most recently The War I Finally Won (a sequel the Newbery Honor winning: The War That Saved My Life).  Kimberly’s writes about controversial topics in a way that is appropriate and accessible for middle grade audiences, a skill I am very eager to improve in my own writing. In addition to this amazing feat, she manages to write in a way that is heartfelt and honest. Her books often induce reflection, tears, wonderment, joy, curiosity and a dozen other deep reactions. Outside of her novels, Kimberly blogs excessively, sometimes posting several times a week. (I blog weekly and know what a big accomplishment this is! Good job Kimberly!) In these blogs she talks about her work and life, about our world, and about her work and life in our world as a real human being. Kimberly talks bravely about politics, religion and current events, and again, she does so with heart and honesty. I am so grateful for her voice of truth, specifically because her blog posts have taught me that just because I mostly write for young audiences, doesn’t mean that I can’t have (and share) adult feelings with the world. She doesn’t need another accolade to sit at my dinner table, but she’s got them in spades, including volunteering. Her current project is renovating a library for low-income children in the Appalachian Mountains. Kimberly, I thank you for your words, they are changing the world… for good.

Wendelin Van Draanen

Wendelin has written a bunch of amazing books (The Running Dream, Flipped, The Sammy Keys Mysteries), but this year she published my new favorite Van Draanen book, Wild Bird. Word nerds… you have to read this book. It is about the dangers of loneliness and isolation. It is about the struggles young people face. It is about the power of a strong will and a family’s love. It is something every middle schooler, parent and teacher should read. It is a book that I bought four copies of, three of which I gave away to students in situations similar to the main character, Wren. When I told Wendelin what I was doing she sent signed book plates and feather bookmarks to help me make an even bigger impact. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Do you know what Wendelin does on a daily basis? She walks around with copies of her books, and gives them away! No begging for book sales from this woman. She spends her own money, putting words in the hands of young readers, simply saying: “You’ve been booked!” The videos of her handing out books at Halloween (with a mask on, so the people won’t know who lives in the big house at the end of the long driveway) are hilarious. And when people won’t make the trek up to the big house at the end of the long driveway, she takes to the streets, handing out books to all that she encounters. I admire Wendelin’s passion. It is always my goal for people (students, readers, workshop participants) to love words just a little bit more after spending time with me. I think I could learn a thing or two about this from Wendelin as we share a meal together. Somehow, I get the feeling she’d be generous with her advice and wisdom.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

I know, everybody and their brother wants to eat dinner with Lin-Manuel. As a social studies minor, a lover of witticism and a fan of music… this incredibly intelligent man would add volumes to my fictitious literary dinner party. The soundtrack of Hamilton was a constant presence in my car this spring and the musical skyrocketed straight to the top of my favorites list after I saw it performed in Chicago this summer. Now, quotes of the musical hang in my classroom. What most impresses me about Lin-Manuel is his ability to present old information in a new way. I also am envious of his ability to turn a phrase. When compared to the other writers on this list, his work and life differ from my own more dramatically. Because of this, I would probably be the most nervous around him, but hopefully after a glass of Moscato, I’d be able to leave my star-struck nervousness behind and adeptly discuss the work of infusing historical facts with literary genius. It would come in handy as I attempt to tackle a new idea in 2018… a story that takes place in a land familiar to the Founding Father he knows so much about.

The Roaming Poet

The Roaming Poet is used to talking to strangers. He does it for a living. He parks himself outside of bookstores and writes poems for passersby. Give him a topic and a few dollars and he’ll give you a poem. I met The Roaming Poet in Denver, his home base. As we chatted he told me about all the places he had been in the last year, the types of poems he had written, and about the poems that had been commissioned and left behind. This man taught me that really, if you want to do what you love for a living bad enough… you can. He taught me that you can quit the practical day job, get creative with how your life and finances work, and be happy crafting your new life one line, one stanza at a time. The Roaming Poet would bring a plethora of conversation topics and national perspectives to the table. If we were lucky, he might even write a poem describing our dining experience, so that I could forever remember the magical evening that I spent with my word nerd heroes.

I’ve waxed on plenty long enough. If this were a real awards show, they would have already started playing the background music and be attempting to usher me off the stage. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t quickly mention my affinity for Kate DiCamillo, J.K. Rowling, Jennifer Wiener, Mark Parsons and Helen Frost and the positive impact that they have made to my reading and writing life this year. Thank you, authors extraordinaire, for your words and your belief in a story well told. Thank you for sharing your life and writing lessons with me in the form of novels, blogs, audiobooks, Facebook posts, interviews, tweets, and email responses.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Wendelin VanDranned, Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Roaming Poet, Kate DiCamillo, J.K. Rowling, Jennifer Wiener, Mark Parsons and Helen Frost… you are my champions. If I could give you a golden statue to prove my admiration, gratitude, appreciation, thanks and love… please know that I would. It might even be too big to place on the mantle. Instead, I offer you what you have given me… words.

** I'm curious. Who would you invite? Please, share your guest list with me in the comments!! **

Writing... For the Health of It

Today on my weekly Writing Wednesday Blog I am honored to share the words of Virgil Anderson. His choice to see the good, even in tough situations, is one I admire, and wish was more readily found in our world. 

Today, I ask you to reflect on your own experiences, and then write about them. Today, I ask you to write, not because the world needs your words, but maybe, because you do. Today, I invite you to sit back, relax and read the wisdom of a fellow writer.

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I was diagnosed with mesothelioma a couple of years ago, and the journey has been one of disbelief, anguish, struggle, and finally acceptance. I developed this terrible cancer only because I was exposed to asbestos on the job. In addition to coming to terms with fighting cancer, I had to live with the fact that it all seemed so unfair. What has helped me so much on this journey has been my family, but also my writing.

My Cancer Story
I grew up in a great family and town, but we weren’t financially well-off. I had to start working at a young age. In high school my first job was back-breaking demolition work. I was young and strong, though, and I didn’t mind it. After high school I worked with cars, again doing physical work like tearing out old hood liners. Later I learned the skills needed to be a mechanic and really enjoyed that work too.

What I was unaware of as I did those jobs to earn a living was that I was surrounded by asbestos. It was in the old buildings I helped to tear down and in the liners, brakes, and clutches of all the cars I worked on. I was frequently surrounded by clouds of dust that contained asbestos fibers. Inhaling those fibers led to the damage in my lungs and surrounding tissue that ultimately led to a diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma. I was diagnosed at the age of 50 and I didn’t even know what mesothelioma was. I soon found out, and I also began to deteriorate quickly. I was once active and fit and now I can barely walk short distances without assistance. I have been able to get support and assistance from the National Cancer Institute, and my family has been an invaluable support system. But what I never expected to help me so much
has been writing.

Writing and Telling My Story
I was never a writer. I was a blue collar worker, but when I got sick and learned more about my illness it motivated me to try to help warn and protect others. Asbestos is still out there in so many places, and there are a lot of workers vulnerable to being harmed by it. I began writing to tell my story, to share my experiences as far and wide as I could. I did it as an obligation to help others, but soon enough I found that it really helped me.

The process of writing has helped me to focus my thoughts and to devote my energy to something positive, which feels good. Each day has become a struggle living with this cancer, but writing gives me something to look forward to and a purpose. It is a personal process but it is also something that I feel driven to do, that makes me still feel useful as I share my story to support and protect others.

Another great benefit I have seen from my writing is all the positive feedback and support. By sharing my writing I have gotten responses from people around the world. There are people going through similar experiences, who have loved ones with cancer, or just people touched by my story who want to give me a boost. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that so many people care and are moved by what I have to say and by my journey.

Writing can’t turn back the clock or change my cancer diagnosis. But, what it can do and what it has done is to give me a purpose and a way to reflect and process my situation. This has been invaluable, and second in importance only to my family and the love and support they have given me along the way. I will continue to write and I will continue to share for both my own benefit and to connect with others.

                          Virgil Anderson

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I am so grateful to Virgil for stopping by my blog today and sharing his story. I wish him many wonderful days, as well as the words to record those memories. Thank you Virgil.

If you would like to get started on your word journey... if you want your words to help you heal... if you have a story inside of you that needs to get out... I'm inviting you to join my writing community. In an experience I call Story Seedlings participants will engage in a month of story prompts, constructive feedback, and all sorts of word nerd fun. It starts January first, and I'd love to have you join us. Learn more by clicking here. 

Until next time word nerds, happy writing, happy holidays and happy healing. 

Christmas Collaboration

In the education world, the word collaboration is used a lot. Like, probably over used. It has been so procedural-ized and monitored that often the amazing opportunity to communicate and plan with teammates feels like a chore. After a dozen years in the education profession, I am starting to cringe whenever I hear the word collaboration. But recently, in my writing world, a new partnership has restored my faith in the act of collaboration. In fact, it’s made me downright excited about it.

Google says collaboration is "the action of working with someone to produce or create something". Business Dictionary defines collaboration as "a cooperative arrangement in which two or more parties (which may or may not have had any previous relationship) work towards a common goal".  

Both of these definitions accurately define the work I have done with Jen Barney, owner of Meringue Bakery, and more recently the local baker we are all cheering for on the Food Network's Holiday Baking Championship! Jen and I met at an entrepreneur co-working meet up, sponsored by our business coach, Chynna Haas. As we sat and plunked away at our lap tops and learned a few marketing tips from Chynna we struck up a conversation. We learned a little more about each other’s businesses and products. It didn’t take us long to figure out that a book about chocolate and baker’s line of sweets would make a good pair. So we teamed up.

First, we planned the items we would include and priced out each box, adding in an acceptable margin of profit for each partner. Then, we went our separate ways to gather, make and order materials. 

Next came the packing. One November morning we spent three and a half hours in Jen’s industrial kitchen packing up the boxes while we sang and swayed to the (premature) Christmas songs we played to get in the holiday spirit.

For the final step, we set to work selling. This was one area where our collaborating kicked into high gear. I’ve been writing books for 4 years and Jen has been in the baking business for longer than that. Throughout our professional careers we have been able to make a lot of connections, find a lot of Facebook friends, and create a lot of relationships. By combining our networks and working together, we were able to create a quality collection of places and people to buy our little holiday treasure.

Since the morning we got together to pack, we have sold out of our first batch of boxes. 100 boxes have been purchased by local businesses and individual customers alike. This weekend, we’ll get together to make 100 more. The holiday gift box has surpassed both of our expectations and initial goals… and I can tell you that this is only because we worked together. We hope that the holiday box has made our customers just as happy as it has made us! (We feel pretty confident that they do... what's not to love about a Hallmark-esque holiday romance and a delicious cup of hot cocoa?!?!)

This Christmas, one of the gifts I am most thankful for, is the opportunity to collaborate with Jen - a creative, fun, generous and talented entrepreneur. I am also grateful for future collaboration opportunities that await my words and the world… but that’s another blog post… for another time. Watch out 2018, my talented friends (Jen included) and I are looking to do big collaborative things in the new year!

P.S. If you would like one of our holiday gift boxes, you can find them online on Jen’s website,   or in person at these fine local stores!

Full Circle Supply (LaCrosse) 

Journey On Boutique (Wilton) 

Elmaro Vineyard (Trempealeau) 

Bean Juice Coffee (LaCrosse) 

Roadkill

Many people and cultures believe, that as humans, we travel through life with a collection of spiritual guides. Some believe that these helpers show up in the form of spirit animals, and that through them we can learn life lessons and wisdom. For the past month my spirit animal has been roadkill.

I have been feeling ugly, squished, caught unaware, and flat out spiritually assaulted. Just when I feel like I can drag myself back onto my feet, a semi truck comes along and knocks me flat again. These situations have left me a mess on the inside, as well as the out. My brain has been full of hateful, horrible things that find their way out of my mouth.

Now normally I would tell you that I love a good, properly placed swear word. Exclaiming, “shitballs!” helps me release stress and acknowledge the craziness of a moment like few other words can. Cussing gives movement to my frustration, expression to my feelings, and once I’ve said it – I can move on. 

But lately, in my state of strife, those swear words have taken up a greater percentage of my brain space, and consequently my vocabulary. As you can imagine, roadkill does not have a lot of pleasantries to share about their position in the world. For the last month I would wake up and fall asleep with the f-word in my thoughts. As I showered and got ready for the day I would mumble my half of a hate filled conversation. Often, I would tell myself to stop, and literally shake my head, trying get rid of the negativity. But I just couldn’t. The ugly thoughts were there… always there. Let me tell you, these thoughts and words did nothing to improve my defeated, puffy-eyed, tear-stained appearance.

Last week I was with a co-worker who doesn’t often swear. Her newbie-young-elementary-teacher vibe simply glows and radiates from every, sweet, pore of her body. In a moment of (justified) venting frustration she exclaimed that something was “bullshit!”. The phrase, uttered with such feeling and vehemence, was shocking. From her lips it was so ugly. And in that moment, I thought. “Wow, I must look so, so, SO, much worse.”

Earlier that week, in an effort to console and motivate me, my husband had said, “Amanda, you are better than this.” And a friend had said, “This rage does not look good on you.” But their kind words of encouragement and support, their honesty and gentle prodding, didn’t have the effect of seeing (a fraction) of my reflection in another. And so, I’ve made a choice. I’m taking a break from swearing.

Sometimes people do a cleanse of their body, getting rid of the toxins and chemicals they had been harboring. Following that principle, I’m going to do the same with my mind. If I can’t say the ugly words out loud, and I am forced to replace them with alternative, positive descriptors, maybe, just maybe they’ll disappear from my mind as well. At least, that’s the hope. Maybe, through sheer determination and mindfulness I can re-landscape my field of vision to be a more pleasant place to live.   

Hate and anger are powerful emotions, and honestly ones that are difficult to control. I’m not afraid to confess that I could use a little help in this swearing sabbatical. So, I am in search of a new spirit animal. No longer do I want to inhabit the body of the demoralized roadkill. I tried to come up with something on my own to represent this rebirth, but struggled. A phoenix, who rises again? Too cliché. A butterfly, more beautiful after a difficult transformation? Too fragile. I took a quiz online to see if it would offer me any insight in my quest to discover a new spirit animal. 

I got snake. According to the website, it means that my life is in a transitional phase and that there are opportunities for healing. Pretty dang accurate if you ask me.  “The snake animal meaning is powerfully connected to life force and primal energy. In many cultures, it is revered as a powerful totem representing the source of life. When the snake spirit animal appears in your life, it likely means that healing opportunities, change, important transitions, and increased energy are manifesting.”

But a snake with its forked tongue seems too reminiscent of the wicked words I’m trying to leave behind… and so, I’m not ready to take up this spirit as my own. I’m still searching. If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them. Shout them out in the comments below.

But spirit animal or not, I’m turning the page… moving forward… and leaving this ugliness behind… for good.

Give the Gift of Writing

Guest Blog Post from Sarah Krosschell

Tis’ the season to be thinking about gift giving...and what better gift to give someone than the gift of your writing?

You might be thinking that your family and friends don’t want your writing as a gift, but I’m not talking about giving them a story or a book that you would market to the masses. I’m talking about using your writing talents to give them something personalized. Our society is largely moving towards electronic communication, and that’s fine... but I still value a handwritten note far more than an email any day. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets excited when I open the mailbox and see a card that has my name handwritten on it. (It’s not a bill- yay!!)

I can think of many cards, letters, and notes that I still have and keep to this day. I pull them out every so often, reread them, and enjoy the memories. I have cards that my husband gave me when we were busy falling in love. I have cards from my dad that he used to send me when I was at summer camp, which are made even more special because he is no longer here with us...but those cards feel like a little tiny piece of him that got left behind.

I think there’s something to be said about having the written word down on paper. If you put letters in front of me written by close family and friends, I could identify all of their handwriting styles. Even your handwriting style is a gift that you can give to someone.

So, if you’re thinking about someone special this holiday season and you don’t know what to give them, consider the suggestions below.

• This is going to seem very basic, but a beautiful card with a heartfelt message is still one of my favorite gifts to receive. If the card is for a friend, tell them why you value their friendship. If it’s for a family member, recall one of your favorite family memories for them and tell the story.

• This gift takes a little more forethought, but write down on little strips of paper things that you love and appreciate about a person. Put these in a decorative jar or vase. Add some ribbon or embellishment to the outside, maybe some candy on the inside...and give it to them and let them know that whenever they need a little boost, they can pull out a slip and read the note.

• Put together a photo album or a photo book, but make sure to add captions and/or funny stories to go along with the photos. A picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes a few words below the picture can make it magic too. When I saw my dog’s picture on a rescue web site, with the caption “I will love you more than you can imagine”- I was sold. Consider that dog adopted!!

• If you’re feeling less creative, there are journals that you can purchase where you answer questions about a person. The ones that I’ve seen normally tend to be for significant others, but that doesn’t mean others aren’t out there. Simply fill in the journal with your responses, and there you have it; a personalized written gift from yourself.

• If you have children, write them a note that lists all the reasons you love them and why you love spending time with them. Parents often tell children these things, but having it on paper is special and something to be saved.

• Want to give your child’s teacher a gift but your holiday budget is already worn thin? As a teacher myself, one of my favorite gifts to receive is a letter, card, or even email that lets me know why I’m appreciated by the child and/or the family. Take this one step further by helping your child write an acrostic poem for the teacher, picking out one special characteristic or admirable trait for each letter of their name. Add a little color to this visual masterpiece and this will surely make for a memorable gift.

• If you are a writer and are musically inclined, you could take a favorite song and rewrite the lyrics to flatter a lover or shower a special person with affection. If you are brave (braver than me!) you could also sing/record/perform this for the recipient.  

• Writing a poem and framing it is the perfect gift for someone with a desk job. Place the poem in one half of a folding double photo frame, and a photograph in the other. Then, each time your special person sits down at their desk, they will be in close proximity to your warm thoughts and sentimental present. (Much better than that sweater you gave last year that only makes one annual appearance!!)

One of the ways I have given the gift of writing to my husband is through something I started just after we got married. I wanted to do something unique for my husband on our first anniversary, so I wrote a book for him that I simply called “The Story of Us.” On our first anniversary, I gave him this book. It had a prologue, where I wrote about how we met and fell in love. The first chapter talked about our dating years, and led up to our wedding. Each chapter after that recounted the year we’d had together, talking about family events and personal accomplishments. My husband looks forward to getting his new chapter each year. Oftentimes, he sits down and reads the whole thing from the beginning to where we’re at now. (He may have to skim soon, as we’ll be celebrating our 10 year anniversary tomorrow and the book is growing in length.)

Words have power, and you have the power to leave a loved one or friend with a special memory. Choose to give the gift of your writing this season!

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Sarah Krosschell is a teacher, mom, and writer. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, three kids, and her dog. She is currently working on a young adult novel, and she really enjoys working with other writers. If you would like to work with Sarah, check out her revising and editing business at www.sarahkrosschell.com. 

Wisconsin Authors You NEED to Know AKA: A Shout Out to My WI Author Friends

Despite the fact that the winters are pretty cold and we have little else to do besides read and write to pass the time, people might not consider Wisconsin a very literary state. Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C. made National Geographic’s Ten Ten Literary Cities of the World. And a study done bi-annually by Quartz, a self-dubbed creative and intelligent journalism news outlet, found that only 50% of Wisconsin’s population had reported reading a piece of poetry, fiction and play in the last 12 months, while 15 other states could claim 60% of their population had met those criteria, and one state, New Hampshire, boasted 70%.

But despite these statistics, I have found, and am proud to share with you, the names, works, accolades and wisdom of three amazing writers from our great state. If you are looking for your next read, or a new favorite author to fangirl, then look no further.

Jane Kelley is the middle grade author of The Desperate Adventures of Zeno and Alya, and Nature Girl. My second-grade son adores her Clint McCool series.

I met Jane at a state level library conference last spring and we immediately struck up a friendship while chatting after our panel. Since then, Jane has convinced me to join SCBWI, introduced me several other Wisconsin writers, and sat with me at dinner when I knew no-one else at my first state SCBWI conference. She is a wonderful author, and a wonderful friend.

Jane, like me, began writing stories as a child and holds a strong affinity for infusing stories with the importance of persistence and the power of the imagination. I wish there were more people on the planet like Jane. Maybe if we all read her books, her ideas and good character will find a way to our hearts and minds.

Blair Braverman is everything her name suggests… namely BRAVE. This woman is fierce! Training for the Iditarod? Check. Interviewing a real-live-Viking who was about to get kicked out of an entire continent… in a hot tub? Check. Living on a glacier? Check.

In the winter Blair is a dog sledder and outdoor adventurer, but in the summer she turns her attention to documenting those events (while she waits for the temperature to drop and the snow to fall). I don’t normally read non-fiction, but Blair’s personal stories caught my attention. Plus, I love swearing, so how could I not buy (and read) a book called, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube? When I met Blair for the second time, a few weeks ago, at a Great River Writes event, I couldn’t write down her witty quips and writing wisdom fast enough. Truly this woman is a treasure trove of stories, adventure and technical prowess.

Nickolas Butler is the real deal. He’s sold thousands of books, in a handful of countries. He is a product of the highly acclaimed and sought-after Iowa Writer’s Workshop. He’s won all sorts of literary awards and is a really, really big deal, in France. But you know what else? Nick is a REALLY NICE GUY.

The first time I met Nick was at Untitled Town last spring. Even though I had left school the second the clock struck 3, and driven to Green Bay without stopping, I had missed author packet pick up for the weekend of events... by 10 minutes. I knew NOT A SOUL at this conference (except later discovered Jane was there!), but had promised myself that networking and making connections were high on the priority list. I knew of Nick, and knew that he had been scheduled to speak to my writing group in La Crosse earlier in the year. And when I walked into the author social (sans the official credentials and badge that would proclaim to all that I BELONGED) he was the only person I recognized. I got myself a drink, gave myself a pep talk in the bathroom and walked right up to him and introduced myself. His cronies, other successful authors, that stood with him stopped talking, looked at me, the new name-less, credential-less person before them, and then at him. And then… Nick politely made small talk with me for ten minutes before I excused myself to talk to other not-yet-famous writers hanging out by the wall of the dimly lit bar. He didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to ask me what I had recently, or what I was writing at the moment. He didn’t have to nod his head as I answered and his friends waited for him to return, but he did.

When he spoke to a group of writers in La Crosse earlier this month he didn’t have to tell us that his best work came from desperation. “I had to be hyper-focused. There was so much pressure to produce something – or we were in big trouble financially. While everyone else was partying or having super elitist literary conversations, I was writing.” He could have pretended his talent was a gift bestowed upon him, could have projected that his kind of success was only for a certain kind of writer… but he didn’t. He was honest and real and vulnerable.

And that is why I think you should read his books. Because yeah, he is a really good author, who tells a damn good story (I love the short story: Apples, in Beneath the Bonfire), but also, he is a just a plain, good, midwestern human being.   

Have you heard the quote, “When you do what you love, the universe conspires on your behalf?”

I truly believe it. It is through this mindset, open eyes and a pure passion for words that have put me in close contact with so many word nerd rockstars. These three writers are just the tip of the talented Wisconsin writing iceberg. I could tell you about a dozen more! Valerie Biel, Melissa Gorzelanczyk, Miranda Paul, Silvia Acevedo,  and Patrick Rothfuss are all products of Wisconsin. And of course, there are the many household name authors from our great state as well! Did you know, Jennifer Chiaverini, Kevin Henkes, Lois Ehlert, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Marguerite Henry and Ellen Raskin all call/called Wisconsin home?

Who here wants to add their name to this growing list of Wisconsin writing talent? I know I do! Inspirational examples are all around us! So, pick up your pen, and get going! You can do this! Just follow those who have paved the way.

Who is your favorite Wisconsin author? Show them some love in the comments below!

Co-Writing

Most people view writing as a solo-affair. I assume the general public views a writer in one of these ways.

Moody, brooding, lonely… it dark, quiet places. Or maybe you’ve seen a writer exhibit an array of eccentric qualities in public, out and amongst the crowds, all while they ignore the rest of humanity and slave away at their keyboard.

It’s true, there are a lot of solitary hours in a writer’s world. It’s also true that to get the work done, writers need to forget large portions of the world actually exists so they can create new ones. But if you are a social butterfly interested in the industry of writing, it doesn’t have to be this way… all the time. (Side note, not all writers are the sycophantic, antisocial beings you might imagine them to be. Some of us are really nice people!)

One new popular trend is co-writing a book. Many people are already doing this. For example, Erin Hunter, author of the beloved middle grade Warriors series, is actually four different women. And get this, they’ve never met in person! James Patterson has started a co-writing revolution by co-authoring books with previously unknown writers. Author Shannon Hale co-writes with her husband Dean Hale. Another great example is the mother-daughter trio of Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed and Larkin Reed who wrote a YA book! 

Two more authors following the co-writing method are the duo of Helena Echlin and Malena Watrous, featured in Once Upon a Book Club’s November YA box novel choice: Sparked. 

“Fifteen-year-old Laurel Goodwin wakes up to find her older sister Ivy missing from their Airstream trailer in the Oregon redwoods. A recurring nightmare convinces her that Ivy was abducted, but no one takes her dream seriously, including her mom. Laurel, a loner, has to learn to ask for help, and Jasper Blake, a mysterious new kid who shares her love of old books, quickly becomes her ally. Together they find their quiet town holds a deep secret and is the epicenter of a dark prophecy. 

Laurel soon learns that her worst enemies, mean girls Peyton Andersen and Mei Rosen, are developing powers that she needs to find and save Ivy. With time running out, Laurel realizes that power doesn’t always take the form that you expect. And once she learns to look beyond her snap judgments, she develops an unexpected gift of her own. ”

— http://www.bay-ata.com/sparked/

 

 

 

I was able to catch up with Helena and Malena (mid-book tour!!) and ask them a few questions about their writing process. Here’s what they had to say.

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How did you ladies meet and decide to work together?

Helena: We went out for a drink about five years ago. It happened to be a Friday the thirteenth. We actually barely knew each other – we’d just met at a wedding and were becoming friends. We had a lot in common: we both had young children, and had both published novels for adults. I told Malena I wanted to write a YA novel for a change. Malena told me the idea for Sparked—girl wakes up to find her old sister missing, etc. I immediately started riffing: Obviously we have to have a love interest. Why don’t we throw in ancient prophecy? And by the end of the night, we had the whole plot outline. The next day, I couldn’t stop thinking about our story, so I wrote a scene and sent it to Malena,

Malena: I wrote back with an edited version, and before we knew it we were both totally obsessed. We wrote the first draft in five months, which the writers among you know is record time.

Helena: Then we reread that first draft and discovered that it relied too much on well worn YA tropes. In some ways, readers of the YA supernatural genre are way more demanding than readers of adult literary fiction because they expect a story full of magic, mystery and romance, but they’re also too smart to stand for clichés like a gratuitous love triangle or a brooding, unnecessarily standoffish hero. We’re both perfectionists, and we had to do more rewrites than I like to think about to get this book just the way we wanted it. We did our best to write a suspenseful thriller, but with flawed, complicated, real characters.

“Used to writing alone, we had no idea how co-writing would work out, but we pounded out the first draft in a white-hot frenzy of inspiration we called “the Vortex.” One of us would write a scene and send it to the other with a note: “My apartment is a pigsty and I haven’t eaten all day. #inthevortex.”

— Malena Watrous

Do you each have a strength or weakness as a writer that you felt was complimented or compensated for by your writing partner?

Helena: I’m British, so when I write mean-girl dialog, my characters sound like BBC actors from Masterpiece Theater. Malena, who grew up in Oregon, has got a real flair for writing bitchy teenage banter, despite being a lovely person in real life.

Malena: I hate lists - Helena constantly marvels at the fact that I run my entire life without any to-do lists at all - while she loves making lists. This is important to our writing because when we have our epic brainstorming sessions, Helena takes notes and organizes all of our ideas into an outline. Sparked is a thriller, and to have that many twists and turns, you pretty much have to have an outline—even if you don’t end up sticking to it.

What tips do you have for others who are considering co-writing?

1. Meet weekly for caffeine-fueled brainstorming. Face-to- face meeting has a creative magic that just doesn’t happen via email or over the phone.

2. Give each other assignments. At each meeting, we’ll talk through the next couple of scenes and then we each pick one to write. If there’s one scene that seems like the lesser assignment, that’s a clue it’s probably not a good scene yet.

3. Let go of your ego. Co-writing is like co-parenting. You are going to disagree about things (“Why do you get up every time he cries? You’re just teaching him not to sleep through the night!”). But you can’t have your ego invested in being right. You have to put what is best for your shared creation first.

4. Get an objective eye. You may think that because there are two of you, you can see your work clearly. But this is your baby, and you can only see it with the biased eyes of love. Ask an outsider to read it and give you feedback. Every novel has to go through many revisions before it’s done. Don’t think that your collaboration means you can skip this step. Writing a book with a friend isn’t half the work—though it’s definitely twice the fun.

Would you co-write a book again? Are you working on another book together?

Malena: In a heartbeat. In fact, we just had a road trip to Oregon for a couple of book events and spent most of the ride there and back – ten hours each way – chugging kombucha and iced coffee and brainstorming the entire plot of the next book. I drove and Helena took notes.

Helena: The second book is mainly Ivy’s book – this time, she’ll be the one to rescue Laurel, and from a very, very different predicament. We’ll still have some sections from Laurel’s point of view, of course – we’ve got to find if she gives up her power in order to find true love with Jasper. We don’t know the answer ourselves, yet – and we’re definitely interested to hear thoughts on this from Sparked readers!

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So there you have it. If you are interested in writing a book, but afraid of going it alone. Find a friend. Or, if you love to write, but can’t stand the idea of spending a year (or two… let’s be honest, possibly the next decade) alone, co-writing might be the perfect fit for you!

Just for fun, if you could co-write a book with anyone, which author would you choose to work with and why? What would you write about?

Until next time word nerds, happy reading and happy writing!

Love,

Amanda

No NaNo For Me... This Year

For many writers in the world, today starts a month-long pilgrimage. Through daily diligence, and a healthy dose of anxiety-induced-pressure, writers will attempt to write 1,667 words a day throughout the month of November. These efforts total to a mind-blowing 50,000 words, or the basic length of a novel. This pleasure fest has been dubbed: National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short.

I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo twice. Neither time was I successful in reaching the holy grail of 50,000 words, but I did do a lot of writing, on a solitary project. The daily social media posts, community of writers, and word count goal were great motivators for me to get a project closer to done. But this year, it just isn’t going to happen for me.

That doesn’t mean I won’t be writing, however. Back in the beginning of October I decided to track the amount of time I spent honing my writing craft. I kept track of my hours on this document, and I’ll be sharing my overall thoughts of the process in a Funds For Writers Newsletter in January. (Stay tuned!)

Part of my focused attempt was to just get words on the page. Sure, it would be great if they were words for my YA Fantasy novel, now in its sixth draft. But sometimes, that is heady work… more work than my working-1.5-jobs, raising-two-kids brain can handle at 8pm, or in the span of a lunch hour. Instead of stressing about the lack of speedy progress on a single project, I committed to writing (and reading) whenever I could, for as long as I could. Sometimes that meant getting creative... like tonight, for example, when I partially formatted this blog post while I watched my son at swimming lessons. 

But you know what? I got a lot of writing done. In the month of October, I wrote 8 journal writes… on daily thoughts, life and musings. I drafted 2 future blog posts. I wrote 10 one-page flash fiction stories (rough drafts only, of course). Keeping track of my hours kept me accountable. It can be a bit of a memory game (How long did I read last night before bed?), and a bit tedious… but overall, I’m happy with the results.

To prove this system’s worth, I’m going to share with you a quick little story I wrote with my students (while they were journaling on the same prompt). Nothing long or fancy, but it made me think from an interesting perspective… and it got words on the page. (**Side note, I tried to stay in first person, present tense... which is something I struggle with. I feel like I should get bonus points for attempting to improve a weakness!**) 

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Credit: http://photoprompts.tumblr.com/page/4                       More writing prompts HERE. 

              The note is written on the counter in jelly and punctuated with an assortment of utensils. Strike is spelled out in big letters at the top. Apparently, my long hours at work are taking a toll on my kitchen as well as my cat.

             Last night Mr. Whiskers had refused to cuddle with me on the couch when I finally got home just after eleven. So instead I sat alone, shoveling thirty-second, microwave nachos into my mouth. That plate lay soaking in the sink – the once crustified, overheated cheese now soggily floating just above the surface of the plastic plate. Maybe the cat and kitchen are in cahoots – teaming up to demand some attention.

              And I had better give it to them, or else. That part is clearly spelled out as well. Underlined in butter knives is the phrase: will quit at midnight if not cleaned properly. Properly had two knives beneath it.

              I look around the kitchen. The counter next to the refrigerator is covered with mail and stacked to a precarious height. The stove top is splattered with spills and grease. An unidentifiable smell sneaks out of the garbage disposal and even the window blinds hang in a wonky, tilted position. My cheeks color with embarrassment, even though Mr. Whiskers and I are the only ones to witness this hazmat zone of disorder and decay.

              “Okay!” I holler out, holding my hands out in front of me, ready to block any assaults headed my way. “You’re right. This is gross.” My foot crunches on a stray Cheerio as I move forward, farther into the kitchen. I wince. “I’ll clean this… tonight! When I get home from work.”

              The toaster starts to hum, building up energy, buzzing louder and louder, despite the fact that it isn’t even plugged in. Sparks begin to shoot out of the four metal slots, setting the collection of crumbs in the bottom tray on fire.

              I rush forward with a towel and swat at the flames until they are extinguished.

              “Okay,” I say panting. “I hear you. Loud and clear. I’ll clean… right now.”

              The toaster let out a final hiss, emitting a single tendril of smoke. The grey line hangs in the air for a moment before twisting and turning on itself.

              “Strike over,” it spells.

              I shudder and immediately decide it will be good to clean and be able to protect myself at the same time. I race to the closet for the broom and get to work before the toaster and Mr. Whiskers can gather anymore recruits.

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I’d love to hear from you. What tips or tricks work for you when you are trying to get words written? Maybe if we share enough ideas, we can help talk those NaNoWriMo-ers off the ledge and towards their desks!

Best of luck to you all, and happy writing!

Writer Friends

Today for Writing Wednesday, my forever friend, and also writing friend, Sarah, is going to share some great ways to connect with other word nerds. Through thick and thin, track teams and choirs, organ transplants and new jobs, wedding and babies, Sarah has been there for me... in everyday life, as well as in my writing world. I echo the sentiments she shares below, mostly because I'd be next to nowhere without my writing friends. Read on, write on, and then go meet some new word nerd friends!

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Writing can be a lonely business...but it doesn’t have to be.

Sometimes it is nice to be all by yourself, just you and your thoughts and your computer or notebook...putting words to paper or screen. I enjoy the solitude of writing and the quiet of it. (I am a mom to three young kids; silence is golden.)

But once you’ve written those beautiful words of yours, you need someone to share them with. What you need are your “writer friends,” as I like to call them. Even world famous author have a host of professional friends who help them from first draft to final copy. I have found writing friends in a variety of venues. Below are some of the ways that I have shared my writing with other people, whether it be with one friend or a large group. If you are looking for ways to reach out and make some writer friends, give one of these ideas a try.

• The most obvious way to make writing connections is to find the people that are already in your life that like to write. I can think of four friends that that are my established “writer friends.” I have Amanda, Julie, Jodi, and Anna. One of these ladies I grew up with, and we still share writing info/ideas/inspiration all of the time. The other three ladies I met because I taught with them. We were all English teachers at the same middle school, and we shared a love for writing. I have read work written by all four of these ladies, and they have read mine. It’s nice to share your writing with friends, because you know they will be gentle with your writing! However; be cautious of the friend that says “Everything is great! Don’t change a thing!” Call your mama for that kind of praise. Most, if not all of us, can improve our writing. Look for friends that are positive and honest if you want helpful feedback.

• Establish a regular writing club. With three of the ladies mentioned above, we formed a writing club. During the school year we met in someone’s classroom after work, and we each brought something to share. We took turns reading out loud, and giving honest, on-the-fly critiques. We laughed, shared, and got inspired by each other. It was soooo fun. We didn’t do any prep work because we were all too busy to commit to that. If you have a little more time on your hands, find a group and share five pages of your writing with them a week before your meeting, so that you can come with prepared, insightful comments. However you do it, keep it fun. Bring snacks. Go out to dinner and share your work. Make it a priority to keep your scheduled time sacred.

• If you can’t get together in person, or you want to work with writers who don’t live near you, form an online writing club. I have also tried this route to gather feedback on my writing. Our writing group sent each other a certain number of pages each month, and we gave each person feedback. You can have everyone share each month, or take turns having just one person share. Really, this is based on how much time you all have. Set clear expectations for everyone involved and then, GO!

• Look for writing workshops, writing residencies, or other venues that bring writers together. This option will normally require a little financial investment, but the money that I have put towards these experiences has come back to me tenfold. Not in the form of money, but in inspiration, valuable critiques, and new writer friends. I attended a three night, four day writing residency at Cirenaica, sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild in Eau Claire, WI. It was amazing- like summer camp for adult writers. We wrote, we workshopped, we shared ideas and cheered each other on. I even participated in my first public reading of my (still a rough draft) work. I hope to do it again next summer. Working with writers in person, with your writing in hand, can be an eye opening experience.

• If you are hesitant to share your work or have a tendency to be shy, try an online course. I took an online course in which all of the writers were working towards starting a young adult novel. I got great feedback, gave plenty of it back to the other writers...but with the anonymity of a screen. If you have money to spare, you can also hire a book coach or an editor. They come in all different price ranges and levels of experience, but it can be a very valuable investment if you are serious about a piece of writing.

These are a few ways to reach out and build your community of writer friends, and I hope some of these have given you some insight into how you can share your writing with others. Putting beautiful, meaningful, or funny writing to paper is good...but sharing it with the wider world is even better. Make someone laugh, relate, ponder, or cry because of your words.

Don’t keep your words for yourself - stories are meant to be shared.

Happy Writing! ~ Sarah

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To close, I'm going to chime in with a few of my favorite and friendly writing organizations! If you are in the local La Crosse area like I am, then looking into Wwink (Women Writers Ink- not just for women!) is a great start! I love my twice a month meetings and all of the writing friends I have meet through this organization. This month to celebrate NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) they have organized an amazing line up of events... the perfect place to meet local word nerds and introduce yourself. 

I also recently joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and am so happy I did! This incredible nation-wide organization has state and local events including workshops, conferences and a resource-packed website. If kids are your audience... you NEED to be friends with these people. 

If you are nervous about getting out there with your words... let me be your friend, or Sarah! Reach out to us and we promise we'll be the nicest, friendlies, most helpful word nerds you've ever met! Happy writing! ~ Amanda

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Sarah's Bio

Sarah Krosschell is a teacher, mom, and writer. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, three kids, and her dog. She is currently working on a young adult novel, and she really enjoys working with other writers. If you would like to work with Sarah, check out her revising and editing business at www.sarahkrosschell.com. 

The River Road

There is a road in my hometown that changes names four times between my house and my destination. To simplify things at my house, we call it “the River Road”. I love this road because it is a straight shot from one end of town to the other (actually it cuts through/connects three towns), and also because it is complemented by beautiful natural scenery. (It has taken me two decades of training to stop at the rest area look outs, instead of getting lost in my gazing and veering onto the rumble strips!)

I also love this road as a word nerd because it is enshrined with signs from start to finish. Now, you might find these signs hokey or cheesy or small town, but I find that they are a wonderful showcase to what words can do. Words can inform. Words can lift spirits. Words can encourage. Words, when used positively, can make you laugh, smile, ponder, and reflect.

The River Road has taught me to pay attention… not just to my driving, but to the world and words around me, and the affect they have on my life. So today for my blog post, I’d like to offer you a photo essay to illustrate my point. I hope that you enjoy this small glimpse of the River Road and the words (and views) it has to offer.

In conclusion, I’ll ask you to open your eyes. Pay attention. Drive safe. Find good words, and then... share them.

P.S. In the comments below, I’d love to see a sign from your hometown.

Fall Favorites

In a 2013 government survey, 29% of Americans reported that Fall was their favorite season. For a teacher, summer is hard to beat, but for me, Fall comes close. I love the feeling of productivity, and the guilt-free hours I spend inside (instead of admonishing myself to go out and enjoy the weather while it lasts). I love wearing jeans and sweaters and vests and boots. I love candles, and soup, and Football on the TV in the background. Fall is also a great time to curl up with a good book. 

For today's blog post I've rounded up a few of my picture book favorites to share with you. I hope that my suggestions create many happy hours of reading for you during this festive and comforting time of year. Happy reading! 

** Disclaimer: the age ranges were suggested by Amazon. Really, I love all of these books and still read them to my sons and even some to my middle school students. I believe you are never too old for a picture book! **

Grab your copy here.

Grab your copy here.

Grab your copy here.

Grab your copy here.

Grab your copy here.

Graby your copy here.

If you are a teacher and are looking for a fun way to incorporate some of these titles in your classroom, email me! I have reader's theater scripts (and accompanying language based activities) for The Ugly Pumpkin (grades 2-4) and The Perfect Pumpkin Pie (grades 4-6) to send your way (for FREE)!

Happy Fall! Happy Reading!  

Author Interview with Once Upon A Book Club Author: Hannah Bucchin

If you follow my social medias posts and blog, you’ll know that I’ve recently fallen in love with a book subscription box called Once Upon a Book Club. In case you haven’t been following along, no worries, here is the quick recap.

For $35 a month, a box is shipped to your home containing a book and several gifts that connect to the story. As you read, you’ll come upon these cute little post-it notes, telling you the precisely perfect moment to open the gifts. It is super fun on so many levels and I am thrilled to be experiencing new novels this way.

The author of this month’s YA book, Paintbrush, was kind enough to answer my interview questions and give a little insight into her writing world. So, word nerds, I’d like to introduce you to new YA author, Hannah Bucchin. 

Hannah grew up on the Eastern half of the US, but has spent much of her life since, traveling. In addition to her wanderlust she loves daydreaming, listening to 60’s music, hiking and spending time with her family.

Hannah’s debut novel, Paintbrush, is the story of two teens living in a North Carolina mountain community village. Joise and Mitchell aren't particularly close―at least, not anymore. Josie wishes she could spend all of her time at Paintbrush planting tomatoes, hiking the trails, or throwing giant communal birthday parties, while Mitchell can’t wait to escape the bizarre spiritual sharing and noisy community dinners. Luckily for both of them, high school graduation is just around the corner.

But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that rocks the close-knit Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister starts to make some dangerously bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support―and looking at each other in a whole new light. Their childhood friendship blossoms in to something more as they deal with their insane families. As graduation approaches, and with it, life in the real world, Josie and Mitchell need to figure out what, exactly, their relationship is―and if it can survive their very different plans for the future.

Read on for my Q and A session with author, Hannah Bucchin.

Word Nerd: You have spent your life falling in love with beautiful places. Which place inspired the artistic mountain community in Paintbrush? How much of this real place did you use in the setting of your story? Was it difficult to decide which details of the place to include?

Hannah: The setting and story of Paintbrush were inspired by the beautiful scenery and unique culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I currently live in Asheville, NC, and I love the mix of country living and hippie living that is so commonly found here. I did some research on a number of communal living communities in and around the area, and Paintbrush came to life in my head. I developed the characters first, and as their personalities grew, the details of the Paintbrush community fell into place as well.

Word Nerd: Of all the places you have traveled, which is your favorite and why?

Hannah: This is such a hard question! Every place I've been is so unique that it's hard to choose. I'd probably have to say that New Zealand has been one of my very favorites so far. It's amazing how much amazing scenery - from pristine beaches to volcanoes to snowy mountains - is packed into two small islands. It's the perfect place for adventure.

Word Nerd: Have you ever considered combining your two passions for a career in travel writing?

Hannah: I have thought about this, and definitely wouldn't rule it out in the future (especially since it would be awesome to get paid to travel). However, my favorite kind of writing is fiction, and writing fiction comes much more easily to me than writing non-fiction. 

Word Nerd: In a world where you can write anything, why did you choose to write YA?

Hannah: I have always been an avid, voracious reader, from the moment I learned to read until now. Because of this, I read a lot of YA throughout middle school and high school. It really helped me get through so many rough patches in my teen years. Now, I read books in almost every genre, but I always come back to YA. There's something about the voice in YA books that feels so genuine and real to me, It's also the voice that I find comes most naturally to me when writing.

Word Nerd: What advice would you give to young writers?

Hannah: Start writing now! Train yourself to write at least a little bit every day. Thinking about writing and talking about writing and planning out your story are the easy parts; the hard part is sitting down and actually doing it. 

Word Nerd: Can you talk at all about your publishing process? How did you choose Blaze Publishing? Or did they choose you? Did you ever consider self publishing?

Hannah: Once I finished Paintbrush, I began the query process, sending my manuscript to a few different agents. When I was looking around at different publishing houses, I found out that Blaze was specifically looking for "YA contemporaries with heart". I thought that sounded like a perfect fit for me, so I sent my manuscript in, and the rest is history! I'm so glad I found Blaze - they did such a good job of polishing up my manuscript and helping me round out the story and characters of Paintbrush. 

Word Nerd: How do you feel about being included in Once Upon a Book Club’s subscription box this month?

Hannah: I LOVE the Once Upon a Book Club box! I've been following along on Instagram, and the gifts that go along with Paintbrush are so perfect. It's such a unique idea for a book box - items that correspond to certain page numbers. It adds an entirely new dimension to reading Paintbrush, and I hope readers are loving it as much as I'm loving seeing all the pictures.

Word Nerd: What is your favorite part about being a debut author? What is your biggest challenge in this role?

Hannah: My favorite part of being a new author is how exciting and new everything is! The blog interviews, the book signings, the Instagram posts - all of this has been so fun to discover. The biggest challenge has probably been building my presence online. It's difficult to start from scratch, with no prior reputation or readers, but that's also part of what makes everything so exciting!

Word Nerd: What’s next for you?

Hannah: I'm currently working on my next novel, another YA contemporary, that takes place in Maine and follows the lives of two sisters over the course of a summer.

Thank you so much Hannah for your time, and also for this spunky tale of quirky relationships. I’m several chapters in… and can’t wait to get through a few more after I publish this post! Not gonna lie… those unopened gifts still sitting in the box are taunting me! If you would like to get in on the fun, with this novel, click HERE.

Happy reading book-box lovers!

10,000 Hours

You know those moments when the stars align? When the fates have you in their grasp, and are making it blatantly obvious the path you should choose? I am finding myself in that moment.

Let me set the stage.

Two weeks ago I attended an amazing conference. While there, a new friend told me what she wished someone would have told her when she was just starting out. “Don’t submit too early. Don’t be in a rush to get to success. Take your time and learn your craft. Make sure your story is really, really good before you send it out.” She suggested an incredible BOOK. I wrote it down. I thanked her for her advice. 

Just hours after I returned home from the conference a book coach emailed me a highly anticipated evaluation of my YA manuscript. The book coach loved it. But there was oh-so-much work to be done. There were some cool characters, and apparently my dialogue rocks. But there were some massive plot considerations, and the in-story romances needed some serious attention. It was also about 20,000 words short for a YA fantasy. My story had a good foundation, but it needed WORK.

That evening I sat down to work, not on these changes, but my lesson plans for class the next afternoon. While in a search for a way to prove the sentiment that “practice truly does make perfect” I stumbled upon this VIDEO.  In it, the you-tuber Evan Carmichael, discusses the 10,000 hour theory proposed in Malcom Gladwell’s book OUTLIERS. The theory is, that to achieve mastery level of a skill and success in a given field, you must spend 10,000 hours perfecting your craft. Gladwell uses The Beatles and Bill Gates as case studies to prove his point. Over the course of the semester I would have my students in my precious presence for a total of 108 hours. A far cry from Malcom’s requirement for mastery. In order to improve their reading and writing skills they’d need to do some work on their own.

And then, those stars I mentioned before, they lined up.

“Hey Pot, this is Kettle. Black, we are both black.”

Gottcha Kettle. Heard you loud and clear.

Maybe I could use some practice of my own.

What would happen if I kept track of the hours I spent improving my writing craft?

Practicing?

Reading craft books?

My time at my writing club and critique group?

How long would it take me?

10,000 hours is a long time. Over 416 days.

If I spent 8 hours a day on your craft, it would take me 3.42 years to reach the hourly goal.

Would I notice a difference in my abilities at the end of the 10,000 hours?

Would paying attention to using my time in a targeted fashion make a difference?

In all honesty, I will probably spend the rest of my life writing, in a constant pursuit of improving my skills. It isn’t the amount of time that is holding me back from buying into this plan of improvement. What is giving me pause is the consideration proposed by Evan in the video. What if hours spent with an expert counted for more than free writing? What if taking a class of targeted skill instruction was more beneficial than slugging through the revision process of honing a manuscript’s plot on my own?

Let’ say it does. Let’s say that the time spent with an expert counts double. For example, let’s look at my weekend at the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Conference. The ten hours I spent in workshop sessions or listening to keynote presentations would really count for twenty hours. This doesn’t even count the wisdom gleaned during meal time conversations or tips and tidbits shared by professional writers at the social events. I learned exponentially more in this one weekend than I had in the entire summer.

So, I’m gonna put my money where my mouth is. I’m answering the kettle’s call and stepping up to the plate. (Apparently I’m also going to use a lot of cliche phrases in the process.) During the month of October, I am going to document my hours of practice, my hours with an expert, my hours learning, writing, reading, revising… all of it.

At the end of the month I’ll report back. I’ll let you know…

1. Was the process of documenting THE WORK beneficial? Was it tedious? Motivating?

2. Do I see a difference in my level of skill after one month of dedicated and focused practice?

3. Do I still think that an hour with an expert is worth double? Is it worth more? Less?

4. Will I continue documenting my practice time in pursuit of the mountain top view earned by 10,000 hours?

In case you’d like to chart your own hours… whether they be  hours spent writing, horseback riding, cooking, yoga posing or painting… here is the chart I plan to use. Here is a link to the GOOGLE DOC which you can make a copy of and then use yourself. 

If writing is the skill you’d like to improve, consider joining me in October for Story Seedlings, a one month online writing class that is part challenge, part community. You can learn more about in HERE. 

I’d love to know your thoughts on this! Have you tried it before? Do you want to try it now? What skill would you like to improve? Share in the comments below!

Sidenote: I showed my student the video mentioned in this blog post, and it really made an impact. Apparently calling myself their “reading trainer” or “writing coach”, was seen has more valuable than “teacher”. After class, students actually asked questions, and wanted to complete the practice work… and have me look it over. Trainer. Coach. Not Teacher. Huh, go figure. Ah… another blog topic, or another day.

Invitations

I have to warn you. If you spend any amount of time with me… I will most likely… invite you somewhere. Church, a baseball game and a family dinner/parade/party/tradition usually top the list. But this invitation habit doesn’t stop at my personal life. It extends far and wide, and today I’m inviting you, yes all of you, to some really cool word nerd events. For the record, you’ve been warned. Proceed at your own risk. Fun, opportunities, merriment and writing improvement may lay ahead.

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Wine and Words, Books and Beer 

Love a good story? How about a good cold adult beverage? Good news, you can get them both in the same place this Thursday night, September 21. At The Brick House in downtown LaCrosse, 12 local authors, including yours truly, will be reading short excerpts from their book, and also selling their titles at this second annual event. Sponsored by my writing club, Women’s Writers Ink, this is sure to be a fun night.  Click here for more info. 

Story Seedlings

During the entire month of October I will be facilitating an online writing community. If you have an idea for a story, but aren’t sure what to do with it or how to get started… this is for you! If you need a kick in the pants to get your daily writing habit back on track, this is for you. If you have a sequel that should have been started yesterday… guess what? Story Seedlings is for you! During the month you will write 22 scenes for your story and be given feedback (by myself and other participants) on your work. You will also get the opportunity to virtually hang out with some pretty awesome word nerds and make some new writing friends. If you are interested in learning more and signing up, click here. Only 8 spots still remain!

Teen Read Week Writing Workshop

Calling all young writers! You are invited to come to the La Crosse Public Library to celebrate Teen Read Week by flexing your writing muscles. In this two hour, interactive workshop, we work to improve our writing by looking at some of our favorite YA Authors. The evening will end with an opportunity for teens to read their work aloud for a small audience of parents and interested members of the public. This event will take place on Monday, October 9 from 5:30-7:30 pm. ** If you have a work in progress, bring it along! **

Girl Scout Expo 

On Saturday, October 21 from noon to 2pm, I will be sharing information about the Girl Scout programs I offer to help individuals and troops earn their badges. The expo will take place at Onalaska High School and is sponsored by the Badgerland Girl Scout Organization. If you are a troop leader, stop by and learn all about the fun reading and writing experiences I can offer. Click here for more info. 

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 

Okay, so this one isn’t an event. It’s the opportunity to be a part of hundreds of events over the course of your writing career. This past weekend I attended my first SCWBI conference. It was three days of glorious word-nerdiness infused with the power of beautiful art. Through my time at the conference I was able to forge new connections, make new friends and create new possibilities. I would love to invite you to join this incredible organization so that next year at the fall conference, and at a bunch of other SCBWI events in between, you can do the same.

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Alright. That's all I got. I think. To be sure you don't miss any opportunities, check back on my events page from time to time. I hope you take me up on my invitations and that our paths are able to cross in the near future. Happy nerding friends!