ISWG: To Write in Summer

Two summers ago, my boys were gone for two weeks—one week at camp and one week at grandma’s. I had just received a revise and resubmit. I put in at least forty hours those weeks, and  when my kids were home, I put in many hours a day writing, a record for me. At the end of the summer, though I hadn’t enjoyed my summer much, I finished the R/R. Then I sent it out to betas and learned it was not as ready as I thought. In fact, I had a ton of work left to do. And to think—I had spent almost every minute of that summer writing!

Last summer I had different goals. I made it a goal to do something with my kids each day. I devoted 1-2 hours a day to my writing. I was working on a different project. (In a final touch of irony, the agent who requested the R/R left the business!) At the end of the summer, I hadn’t finished those revisions, but I enjoyed my summer, creating good memories with my kids.

Fast forward to now. I’m doing the same thing. I'm devoting 1-2 hours a day to my writing most days. I am finding that more than that does not accomplish as much.

See, the thing is I won’t get to be a hands-on mom for too many more years. This summer, my oldest turned 14. When I look back over all the time I’ve been writing seriously, I don’t regret the times not spent writing, but I do regret the times I made writing my sole purpose, the big number one in my life to the exclusion of all things. It didn’t make me happy or my family happy. Someday every week, every month will be like those two weeks they were away. I might be able to author full time, 40 hours a week if I wish. Though I don’t think I will. I love to write—don’t get me wrong—but when I do it full time, the other parts of myself, the part that likes to bake or knit or play in the woods, starts to atrophy. And what would I have to write about if the rest of me—the part the gives me all my ideas—starts to die?

So, yes, now that August is here, I’m a little sad. Only one month left of lazy summer days. Of having more time to write, to think, to be. But at least I don’t have the regret of watching a summer pass and not really sucking the marrow out of it. I am glad of that.

August 3rd question: What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

If I don't count "I Am a Queen" and "The Nativity Story" (age 6), my first work is a middle grade novel fantasy set on the San Juan Islands. It's still a story close to my heart, but it would need a lot of work to be ready to submit. I did pitch it several years ago and it got some requests, but I haven't done much with it since. So it's definitely collecting dust.

What is your first piece of writing? Is it easier for you to write in summer or at other times of the year?

MMGM: Sweet Home Alaska

 

I initially saw this book at a library other than my own. I knew from the title and the comparison to Little House that I would love it and went home and put it on hold at my library. But that was three months ago!  Finally, it came in. Of course, long hold times are almost always a sign of a good book.
It certainly was for this one.

Here’s the synopsis (from Amazon):

This exciting pioneering story, based on actual events, introduces readers to a fascinating chapter in American history, when FDR set up a New Deal colony in Alaska to give loans and land to families struggling during the Great Depression.

Terpsichore can’t wait to follow in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s footsteps . . . now she just has to convince her mom. It’s 1934, and times are tough for their family. To make a fresh start, Terpsichore’s father signs up for President Roosevelt’s Palmer Colony project, uprooting them from Wisconsin to become pioneers in Alaska. Their new home is a bit of a shock—it’s a town still under construction in the middle of the wilderness, where the residents live in tents and share a community outhouse. But Terpsichore’s not about to let first impressions get in the way of this grand adventure. Tackling its many unique challenges with her can-do attitude, she starts making things happen to make Alaska seem more like home. Soon, she and her family are able to start settling in and enjoying their new surroundings—everyone except her mother, that is. So, in order to stay, Terpsichore hatches a plan to convince her that it’s a wonderful—and civilized—place to live . . . a plan that’s going to take all the love, energy, and Farmer Boy expertise Terpsichore can muster.

What I loved:

1.  A real historical event that I knew little about. I really enjoyed learning about the Palmer settlement in Alaska as part of FDR’s New Deal. I also enjoyed how the author had cameos with real historical figures, even Will Rodgers!

2.   A setting dear to my heart. I was so excited when I read the author’s bio to see that she lives very near where I grew up. Then the book described Seattle (about an hour from my hometown). And then the settlement is near Wasilla, where my best friend lives. It’s always refreshing to get a break from stories set in New York or the East Coast and see the Northwest and Alaska featured in kidlit.

3.  An endearing, bug-loving sidekick. Mendel, one of Trip’s friends, may not mean as much to other readers. But his quoting of bug facts and their scientific names is just like my younger son. I also enjoyed how this amateur entomologist helps Trip with her pumpkin project. It was also refreshing to see a boy and girl this age as friends without any hints of romance.

4. Everyday stakes.  This is one of those novels that remind me that you don’t have to have kids saving the world from an evil villain to have high stakes and an interesting read. I loved how Trip was trying to make life better for her family, especially her mom.

5.  A strong family. So many kidlit authors either kill off the parents or make them horrid, so that the main character can be free to solve his or her problems. I loved how Dagg made Trip independent and feisty, but never truly at odds with her parents—and how her parents are imperfect, but always loving.

My only disappointment with this book was that I  wished Terpsichore had a shorter name, so I hope she will forgive me for referring to her by her hated nickname in this review. But it’s certainly one of the most memorable middle grades I’ve read in awhile. It reminded me a lot of HATTIE BIG SKY, another more “modern” pioneer story, also based on real events.


Have you read  any good historical fiction lately?


To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog. 

Kidlit in Translation

I will never forget being asked by a German once about which German books I’d read. I was studying in the Crimea at the time, and it was a legitimate question. I’d just said I was a literature major.

“Have you read Goethe?”

I had not. For my “reading degree,” we stuck to the American and British classics, except for forays in the Odyssey and Dante. But German literature?

His comment made me think.

But I think the same phenomenon continues. American books get sold all over the world, but it’s rare to see books from other countries even in translation here.

So, today I’m highlighting a few kidlit books I’ve enjoyed in translation.

Young Adult:

An Innocent Soldier by Joseph Holub  (He's a Czech author, but the book was originally in German.) A German farmhand is conscripted into Napoleon's Grand Armee to brutally march to Russia in 1811. There's few books in English about this time period, and even fewer for kids.

A Time of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux (France) After the Soviet Union collapses, a young boy, along with Georgia, his guardian, leave Georgia for France. I featured this book in this post. A lovely, thoughtful book.


 

Ruby Red by Kersten Gier (Germany) A time travel fantasy series about a teen girl who takes a spin through time to 18th century England. This book has everything: time travel, teen angst, romance. A fun read.

 

 

 

 

 

Middle Grade:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke While there are many books about characters from books entering the real world or vice versa, this book is one is a classic and one of the best. The world building alone is amazing. 

The Apprentice Pilar Molina Llorente (Spain)--A thirteen year old apprentices to a moody, vengeful painter during the Renaissance. My son enjoyed getting an insider view of the Renaissance.

Jane, the Fox, and Me (French Canadian) I reviewed this more in depth here, but this is a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre in graphic novel format!

 

 

 

 

 

 
Have you read any books in translation  that you've enjoyed?

To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog. 

ISWG: Querying and Starting a New Project

I’ve been struggling with quite a few insecurities lately. There’s nothing like entering the query fray to shake you up a bit and make you wonder, “Is it me or is it them?” I’ve also found that while it’s good therapy to start a new project while querying, querying makes it hard to concentrate on a new book.

The query insecurities start to seep in. When I’m not querying and just writing, I have an easier time just focusing on story, not on the market. But querying does something to my brain. It makes me feel like every word of the new project is a performance, and I’m not sure I’m measuring up.

There’s another reason I’m insecure about this one. It’s not a genre book. It’s more character-driven than plot-driven. This is such a leap for me, but I feel like it’s best for this story. But I’m deathly afraid that without a genre-based plot, this book will be boring. (And I won't know it.)

I’m glad it’s summer. We just had the Fourth, and there are family birthdays, trips to the beach. Many things to keep my mind off: can I really make it as a writer? Will there be a yes at the long end of my string of nos?

JULY 6TH QUESTION: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

The best thing I’ve heard about my writing was from my first writing instructor and mentor, Meg Jensen.

After delivering the news that my first book still needed a ton of work, she told me: “I think you have a career in this field [kidlit].” I’ve lived off that compliment for years.

How do you keep your focus on a new project and not whether the old one will make it or sell?



Insecure Writer's Group:
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG



The awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG will be Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott!

MMGM: The BFG

Of course, I picked up this title because of the new movie coming out on this week. But also, I wanted to relive a bit of my childhood. Along with the Little House books and Ramona, I devoured anything by Dahl as a kid.
One of the benefits and challenges of having sons in the middle grade age range are that we often share books. So, every time I dove into BFG, it would disappear. So, finally, I did finish it, well after my boys. And though I don’t remember my childhood impressions, I can say that as an adult, I enjoyed it very much.

If you want to revisit this before (or after) you see the new movie, I highly recommend it.

The synopsis (from Amazon):

The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

What to love about BFG:

1. A nice giant: I love how Dahl plays against type in all his books, but I especially enjoyed how BFG is a “runt” compared to the other giants and is willing to eat icky snozzcumbers instead of humans. He’s endearing, he’s lovable—ah!

2. Incredible world building: Dahl creates an interesting world that’s a lot like ours. There’s still a queen of England, but giants live in Giant Country, they eat humans, BFG collects dreams, the bubbles in giant soda goes the opposite direction of ours, and so much more. What I love about Dahl is the tinge of magic in all his tales—I think this really appeals to kids.

3. Language and word plays: This was probably my 11-year-old’s favorite part of BFG: the giant doesn’t talk like ordinary humans. As he says, he never went to school. So instead of right and wrong, it’s right and left. And there’s frobscottle and whizpoppers… I have a feeling I’ll be hearing BFG’s words about my house for awhile.

4. The Queen of England! Some of my favorite parts of the book are where the queen appears. She’s unflappable and incredibly calm, even when a giant appears in her window…so like Queen Elizabeth, although we never learn her name.

5. Humor. Dahl’s humor, his way of not taking himself or his characters too seriously, always shines through. Splashes of humor make the scary parts more palatable and fun to read.

Caveat: I thought the book was a little slow going at first, as the world building takes up a huge chunk of the first half. This didn't seem to bother my sons, who really enjoyed that section. For me, the book picked up in the middle, when Sophie and the giant hatch their plan.

What are your favorite Dahl books? Are you going to see the movie?

To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog. 

If You Loved Little House…Try the Birchbark House

Now this is a book I picked up for one reason: my son was studying the Native Americans this year in our homeschool. I had never read this book, but I thought it would be a good way to get a deeper feel for the life of Obijwe. As I was reading, it reminded me of the Little House books: a character who’s always getting in trouble, a warm family life, and stories told by parents or relatives interspersed throughout the narrative. I read it aloud to both my kids, and this will be one we won’t long forget.

You have to smile as a parent when you hear your son saying “Gaygo” (stop it in the Ojibwa language) after reading this book.

The synopsis (from Amazon):

Nineteenth-century American pioneer life was introduced to thousands of young readers by Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved Little House books. With The Birchbark House, award-winning author Louise Erdrich's first novel for young readers, this same slice of history is seen through the eyes of the spirited, 7-year-old Ojibwa girl Omakayas, or Little Frog, so named because her first step was a hop. The sole survivor of a smallpox epidemic on Spirit Island, Omakayas, then only a baby girl, was rescued by a fearless woman named Tallow and welcomed into an Ojibwa family on Lake Superior's Madeline Island, the Island of the Golden-Breasted Woodpecker. We follow Omakayas and her adopted family through a cycle of four seasons in 1847, including the winter, when a historically documented outbreak of smallpox overtook the island.
 What to love about The Birchbark House:

1.   An imperfect character. I think this what we all love about Laura: she gets in trouble; she gets jealous; she gets in a bad mood. So does Omakayas. And that is why she is so easy to relate to. All of us have felt that way, either now or as a child. I think that’s why my boys also liked her.

2.  A strong family and community. Although Omakayas gets jealous of her older sister and annoyed by her younger brother, you see the deep love the family has for each other and the strong ties of the community.

3.  Detailed depiction of everyday life. Another reason we read the Little House books is to learn about the past: churning butter, butchering pigs, building a log cabin from scratch. Birchbark House has these same details about Obijwe life: tanning hide, scaring crows away from corn, healing the sick.

4. Folklore and family stories woven in throughout. Like in the Little House books where one of Pa’s stories becomes a story in itself, Omakayas’s grandmother and others often tell stories, most of them semi-magical, about things that happened. My kids liked debating whether they were true or not. They added a lot of richness.

5.  A realistic portrayal of Obijiwe life. What I enjoyed about this book is that it didn’t make the Obijwe into perfect people. It showed the hardships of things like small pox (brought by the white man) and the prejudices on both sides. In this way, even though it’s from the Native American point of view, I thought it depicted a more well-rounded view of Native-white relationships than you see in the Little House books.

The MG Meter (my sons' take): Good, but a little sad.

What do you think makes a character memorable?



To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog. 

MMGM: If You Loved Anne of Green Gables… Meet Pat Of Silver Bush

 

Are you an Anne fan? From the moment I discovered her in my teens, that little red headed character has seemed more like a best friend than a character in a book. Like Anne, I write and often misuse big words. And my oldest friend (we’ve been friends since we were six) call each other bosom friends.

Although I’ve always loved Anne, I haven’t ventured to read L.M. Montgomery’s other work until recently. A few years ago, I read The Blue Castle, and while it isn’t as sparklingly perfect as Anne, it was a delightful read with all of the stock Montgomery characters: well-meaning, but strict (without imagination) relatives and a sweet love story.

More recently, I heard of Pat of Silver Bush on Faith E. Hough’s blog. It was the first I’d heard of this book, and I had to check it out. What a pleasant surprise. Pat is so different from Anne—or from Emily, Montgomery’s other well-known protagonist, but interesting in her own way.

Synopsis (from Amazon):

There's no place like home

Do fairies really come for the dish of milk we leave them? Is Mrs. McClenahan really a witch? How is it possible to find a new baby in a bed of parsley? These are all questions Pat Gardiner wants to know. And it seems her Irish housekeeper, the incomparable Judy Plum, always has an answer...
For Pat, there is no place more magical on earth than her home of Silver Bush, with its majestic birch trees and enchanting gardens. If it were up to her, nothing there would ever change. But of course if nothing changed, she'd never get a new baby sister, see her Aunt Hazel's wedding, or meet the only boy who truly understands her. Yes, there is change coming for Pat―some of it joyous and some of it heartbreaking. But no matter what, her favorite house in the world will always be waiting for her...

What to love about Pat:

1. A homebody child character: This is one of the things I most enjoyed about the series. Pat, unlike practically any other character in children’s literature, just wants to stay home. She never wants anything to change, sometimes to a rather extreme degree. Though I was adventurous as a teen and young adult, I was much more like Pat as a child. I think a lot of kids would relate to her as well.

2. An irascible, storytelling adult character: Most of the story centers on Pat’s relationship with Judy, the housekeeper. In fact, every other adult, including her parents, are mists in the background. I loved how Judy took center stage. Her exaggerated stories and her fervent love for her pet, Pat, really shines.

3. Childhood friendships: Like Anne, Pat has a bosom girlfriend, and a boy, Jingle, for a friend. I loved how memorable events brought these people into Pat’s life and the lovely job Montgomery always does with friendships. Both Bets and Jingle have more heartache than Gilbert or Diana, but I loved them all the more for being real.

4. An interesting time period: It took me a long time (till the end of the book) to place the time period, because it wasn’t clearly stated till then.  I loved reading about the 20s in a place where most of the people still had their feet firmly in the Victorian era and were debating whether bobs and pajamas were immoral.  :)


5. Montgomery is a master at In media res. One of the things I liked about this book is how right from page one, you are thrown into this wonderful family with little explanation. It gave the book an eavesdropping feel and helped me bond with the characters right away. Although this book was published in 1933, this made it feel modern.

Caveat: I had a couple bones to pick about this series:

1. There is heavy use of dialect by Judy. While it did make it clear that she was Irish, it also made for hard reading at time. This doesn’t appeal to the modern ear.

2. I didn’t enjoy book 2 as much as book 1. In the second book, Pat’s desire to keep her home at all costs, even as a young adult, got to be annoying (and unbelievable) at times. Although I’m glad I preserved through book 2 to the wonderful ending of the series.

I think this book would appeal to fans of Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon. Readers who love character-driven books centered on family, like The Penderwicks, would enjoy this as well.

Have you came across any undiscovered gems by favorite authors? Would you relate to a character who was adverse to change?

(This post contains an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!)

To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog.