Virtual Nature Walk: The Coast in Winter

One of my favorite things I did when my kids were younger was go on nature walks. It might be just to our backyard or the nearby park, but we'd look for leaf miners (those interesting bugs that make leaves transparent), mushrooms, the new growth on pine trees, to name a few. It taught us all to notice things.

My son's drawing of our hermit crab molting from '09.

And now, even though they are in their teens, they are still noticing things. My 15 year old likes to call that being a detailist. :)

As writers, isn't that our job too? In my first writing class, we had to keep a journal of details from daily life--interactions with people, descriptions of nature. Doing so teaches you to pay attention.

Here is my online nature journal of our recent trip to the Oregon Coast. The coast itself wasn't very hospitable, so we had to settle for enjoying God's creation at the aquarium. They were having a sea punk exhibit. Combining sea creatures with steam punk. I call that brilliant.

Barnacled log from the one moment we made it onto the beach before the waves attacked.

The Oregon Coast in winter

A porthole of clownfish

Sea nettles

Starfish

Lionfish

A puffin in winter. Fun fact: They don't get their famous plumage till mating season.

All these creatures are native to the West Coast of the United States except for two. Can you guess which?

What I’ve Learned about Managing my Time from I Know How She Does It

Going back to work full-time, albeit from home, was a huge adjustment. There was a huge learning curve, learning how to teach online and a new system for communicating with staff and parents. Every day brought a slew of tasks I’d never done before. I felt like I was always pestering people with questions! Thankfully, my second (and third) year of teaching has been so much easier if only because I know what I’m doing.


Still, I noticed that this year I’m still complaining often about not having enough time to write or that I’m too tired. Often this “lack of time” has got me frustrated.

But then I started reading Laura Vanderkam’s work. See, she actually did a study (I KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT) where she asked professional women to log their time. To her amazement, they were working less than they thought (about 40-50 hours/week), and still managing to squeeze in time with their kids, their husband, and often crafts or hobbies. It turns out that how much time we have has a lot to do with the stories we tell ourselves.

Here are a few tips that I’ve learned from Laura:

1.   Look at your whole week rather than the 24 hours. I know, for example, there’s a lot of writing advice that says to write every day. Instead, Laura talks about looking at your whole week. We each have the same 168 hours. Maybe you can’t write or do your creative hobby every day, but look at what you’re doing the whole week. The weekends count too—if that’s the only time you can find!

2.   Pay yourself first. I use this for budgeting, but this is also a good time management principle. I don’t know about you, but I tend to put the things that matter only to me (writing, hobbies, reading) at the bottom of my list—after I’ve completed everything else. And then I’m frustrated because I’m too tired to write. Instead, she says to make your creative pursuit something you do first. This could mean getting up early and writing before work. It could be making sure you write on Monday instead of waiting till the end of the week.

3.  Use the BTN (Better Than Nothing) Principle. She says she commits to running about 10 minutes a day, but always ends up doing more. How can you lower the bar enough for yourself to be able to do something each day? Maybe it’s committing to writing 200 words or if you’re having trouble finishing books, reading a page each day. If the bar is low, it feels easy to reach it and you’re more likely to do it often.

4.  Be Gentle with Yourself. Being overly critical of yourself will kill the fragile bud of creativity. She told a story about an artist who wanted to paint more, but beat herself up when it didn’t. She suggested the artist tell herself to make art as much as possible, but if she didn’t, that’s okay too. This has revolutionized my way I look at my own art of writing. If it happens, it happens, but I’m trying not to pull my hair out if life intervenes. We all have bad days or bad weeks.

5. Limit TV or endless scrolling on the internet. I found it fascinating that the average American watches 30 hours of TV a week. No wonder no one has any time. Laura emphasizes that you always have a choice—you could binge watch your favorite show on Netflix or write another page in your novel. The choice is yours—but I bet you’ll be happier if you choose the second one.

6. Find the space/time you work best (my discovery). Now this isn’t in her book, but this is the best thing I’ve done for my writing: I’ve left my house to write. My town started a “Writing League” that meets every Saturday morning at our cultural center. We don’t talk, except to say what we’re working on. It’s just focused writing time. There’s no internet, no kids to interrupt.  These two hours a week have made such a difference in my creativity. I still try to write during the week, but if that doesn’t happen, I have my Saturday time.

Find what works for you and do it. I’m a happier person when I write—and so I don’t feel bad for taking the time. It makes me a nicer person, which blesses my family as well.

What are some of your time management tips and tricks? How do you manage to write and balance work and/or a family? 

If You Love Jane Austen, Meet Elizabeth Gaskell

With Valentine's this week and a new Jane Austen movie coming out later this month, who is not thinking Austen? Sadly, she only left six finished novels, so if you're hankering for more in the same vein, read on. And check out the trailer for the new Emma below!

If you like Jane Austen, imagine a similar study of manners and romance but with more social consciousness. While I love dear old Jane, she often leaves out the less satisfactory elements of life in her time period. The poor are rarely mentioned, except as an example of what might happen to the protagonist if she makes a few missteps. (Think of the exemplary tale of Colonel Brandon’s niece in Sense and Sensibility or Fanny’s family in Mansfield Park.)

But Elizabeth Gaskell, a contemporary of the Brontës, thinks differently. While she’s still centered on romance and manners, she often shows us people struggling on the outskirts through no fault of their own. She shows us prejudice in a completely different way—not just in the way that Elizabeth misjudges Darcy, but the way we think we know everything about someone’s motives, especially if that person happens to be from a different class or geographical location. She also takes inside mills and courtrooms, somewhere Austen would never go.

Mary Barton—This Gaskell book doesn’t have a film version, although I’ve heard one is in the works. It’s her first book, and in many ways rougher than Wives and Daughters or North and South. But I loved the spunk of Mary. It has a murder mystery, courtroom drama, romance, and a slice of lower class provincial life. This book is also a beautiful meditation on the power of grace, which reminded me of Les Miserables.

Wives and Daughters—If you haven’t seen the movie, this is about two step sisters, Molly and Cynthia, who couldn’t be more different. Think of it as Sense and Sensibility, but Cynthia isn’t in love with love, like Marianne, but instead enjoys playing with men’s hearts. And when Roger, whom Molly loves, falls for Cynthia—it is as heart wrenching as any Victorian novel can be. Another thing I loved about this novel was that Roger was a naturalist. As my son has this bent, I just loved that he collected bugs and specimens.

North and South—This is like Pride and Prejudice, but instead of Mr. Darcy being an independently rich landowner, John Thorton is a man who’s worked his way up from nothing to own a textile factory. What I loved about this is that Margaret teaches Thorton how to have more compassion for his workers, and he teaches her how to have more compassion for men like him. (Not all business owners are monsters). There’s so much incredible depth to this novel (and the film). And Brendan Coyle (of Downton Abbey) is in the miniseries. Not to be missed.

North and South Miniseries (BBC photo)

Have you read any Elizabeth Gaskell? What are your plans  for Valentine's Day?

Little Women—a Writer’s Perspective

I hate to admit that Little Women is one of those books where I watched the movie before I read the book. I saw the Winona Rider version in the 90s, and fell in love with the story. Not just the sister aspect, but Jo's character arc as a writer. 

Jo learns to write what she knows, her story, instead of what she thinks other people want to read. I may be in the minority, but I prefer Bauer to Laurie. Bauer isn't afraid to tell Jo the truth, something every writer needs.

I recently saw the new adaption with its lush New England scenery, cinematography, and acting. The music was beautiful, and the scenes with the sisters were poignant. Overall, the acting was much stronger than the 90s version. Certainly, this is a new classic.
 
Here are a few of my other thoughts. (Spoilers ahead!)

1. The back-and-forth timeline was very jarring, and I was often confused as to which time period we were in. The switching back and forth between Beth getting well (as a child) and dying (as an adult) was overtly confusing. Structure must serve the story.

2. I did not like the emphasis on money being the be all, end all for women. Money is Jo's main motive for writing, and Amy gives a speech about marrying for money. This didn't feel true to the story, but a modern interpretation of life back then. Marriage was more than a contractual agreement (even in those days!), and the idea of writing for money is almost laughable. (Louisa Mae Alcott was financial successful, but even in those days that was very rare, especially for female writers.)

3.  The ending. I  didn’t get the ending until a few days after I’d seen it. I thought Jo had gotten her book and married Bauer. Instead, it’s a choose-your-own adventure. It reminded me of  La, La Land in that way. I disagree that following your dream means you must give up love or a family. It’s not either/or. And if I truly had to choose, I’d choose my husband and family over writing.



However, as a writer, my favorite scene was her book being printed!

Have you seen the new Little Women? Do you think someone must choose between making art and having a family?

All Quiet on the Blogging Front

Hello dear friends! I have started a new job this fall. I am now teaching full time again as a special educator for an online school. It is a joy, a dream job in so many ways, and I'm incredibly grateful to get to work with such amazing students and their families. And I get to teach reading and writing again! 

However, it's been a big adjustment--the first time I've worked full time in over a decade. Needless to say, blogging and social media are taking the back burner for now and probably for awhile. Never fear--I am not laying aside writing; it's just blogging and keeping up an online presence that I can't manage right now. Thanks for understanding--and I do hope to be back at some point sharing about writing and reading again. So long for now! 

Flowers from a pumpkin patch near us

MMGM: Mari’s Hope

Don't you just love this cover? It just exudes hope!

While I love the modern books I’ve discovered that very few have the kind of characters that I think of as friends. As a child, Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls, and Betsy Ray (of Betsy-Tacy fame) were not just characters to me; they were real people. So much of why I became a children’s writer and still read children's books is because of those books. When my friends didn’t understand me, Anne or Betsy did.

In the vein of those beloved classics is a modern series that has the same effect on me. In the Odin’s Promise series, Mari, a girl resisting the Nazis during the Norwegian occupation, is a valiant successor to my favorite characters of old. I’ve enjoyed not only reading Mari’s journey, but supporting its author, Sandy Brehl, through the whole series. So, with sadness I’ve finished the last book, but this is a series I won’t soon forget.



The synopsis (from Goodreads):

Mari’s Hope delivers the dramatic conclusion to the middle-grade historical fiction trilogy begun with Odin’s Promise, awarded the 2014 Midwest Book Award for Children’s Fiction, and Bjorn’s Gift (released in 2016).

In Mari’s Hope, set in a small village in occupied western Norway in the final years of World War II, young Mari has become a valued helper to the village doctor. She also plays a role in her family’s efforts in the local resistance, despite everpresent dangers, especially from the snooping soldier called Goatman and from Leif, her one-time school friend, now a German collaborator.

As the German war efforts falter, the pressure increases on the occupying troops to hold Norway firmly in their grip. But freedom-loving Norwegians will do their best to thwart those plans.
What to love:

1. Getting to spend time with people characters we love. The wonderful thing about reading the last book in a series is that you already know the characters so well. We get to see Mari, her parents, Besternor (her Norwegian grandmother), the various townspeople we’ve grown to love, the enigmatic Leif, Goatman, and many others.

2. An opening ending. Normally I don’t like open endings, but this fit this particular story—and one storyline that ran through the whole series. It fit Mari’s character so well, and had this book ended in a more typical way, I wouldn’t love her or this book quite so much.

3.  A main character who never whines. A lot of historical novels have a heroine who complains about her lot, as if she's been transported from modern times. Mari is completely different, and that’s what makes her historically authentic. Like many people in the World War II generation, Mari faces circumstances far more difficult than I can imagine, yet she never feels sorry for herself.

4.  A girl who is more focused on family than romance. I love, love this about Mari. Many of my friends who have daughters complain that so many books for kids, especially those marketed to girls, have romance as a strong theme. It’s refreshing to see that Mari’s focus is on saving her family and culture.

5.  Humor. I love throughout the series, but especially in this book, the small doses of humor, especially when it comes to thwarting the Nazis—priceless!

6.  (Because I can’t just stick to 5) Details. This is what reminds me of Little House or Anne of Green Gables. Brehl spends a lot of time giving us a lot of details about the daily life: the foods, the herbs used for medicine, the school day, train travel, etc. It is all lovingly done, and it makes you feel right there with Mari through it all.

 If you love books with strong, but quiet heroines, little known aspects of World War II, or character-driven historicals, you will love this series. Check out MARI’S HOPE, but if you haven’t read ODIN’S PROMISE or BJORN’S GIFT, get ye to a bookstore now!

A little bit about Sandy:

Sandy Brehl is the award-winning author of a Norway historical trilogy for ages ten-thru-adult. (ODIN’S PROMISE, BJORN’S GIFT, and MARI’S HOPE) She also writes a blog about picture books (http://Unpackingpicturebookpower.blogspot.com) and contributes to a blog about historical works from middle grade readers (https://thestoriedpast.org). She’s an active member and volunteer with SCBWI-Wisconsin. Sandy writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young readers of any age. A retired educator living in the Milwaukee area, Sandy offers programs for schools, libraries, and adult groups. Learn more at www.SandyBrehl.com, follow on Twitter @SandyBrehl and @PBWorkshop, and on Facebook: Sandy Brehl Author. 

 


Have you read any books with memorable characters lately?

For more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reads, please go to Shannon Messenger's website.

A Few Titles for Grown Ups

Ah, summer! Whether I'm stuck inside with the air conditioner or enjoying iced tea on the back porch, I’m often enjoying time with a good book. What better way to celebrate summer than to read outside my usual genre, kidlit.

Here are a few of my favorites for grown ups that I've read lately.

THE OPPOSITE OF FATE by Amy Tan 

I  hadn’t read any Amy Tan before I read this book, although I did see The Joy Luck Club. What I loved about this book is that it is part memoir, part writing advice. The book is not a narrative, but a series of essays, some for other publications about her life and her writing. The essay where she describes finding a Cliff Notes about her book is not to be missed--especially if you need a laugh. Her thoughts on being a multicultural author were interesting. Despite the fact that she writes what she knows, she’s constantly criticized for not portraying Chinese culture in a good light, for not providing good Chinese male role models, etc. I loved her response. Her purpose, as a writer is not to educate or to remake Chinese culture or people’s perceptions of it. Her purpose is to write what is true. May we all have the courage to do the same. 

GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles

I tend not to like most best-sellers, but this one astounded me. It has all the things I love: the backdrop of the Russian revolution, nods to some of my favorite classic literature, and a hero who loves manners and is a true gentleman. This was a book I savored for its lovely turns of phrase, wide scope (though it takes place in one location), well-drawn characters, and wit. Not to be missed!



THE AWAKENING OF MISS PRIM by Natalia Sanmartin Fenorella

This is a translation of a Spanish novel. I first heard about it on Faith's blog, Life is Art, and knew I would love it. It's sort of a modern Jane Eyre-esque novel with a librarian meeting a curmudgeon, who is a cross between Darcy and C.S. Lewis. I loved all the literary allusions, but also the frank discussions of philosophy and Christian thought I rarely see in fiction. I also loved this idyllic town where feminists support women working less hours (yay to that!) so that they can focus on their children and their gifts and passions. And the portrayal of homeschooling as a suitable alternative to regular education spoke to me as well. It's a very different novel--if you like philosophy and Jane Eyre, it might be your cup of tea.




Have you read any interesting books for grown ups lately?

P.S. I'll be taking a break from blogging for the rest of the month and the first week of September. I will be back on September 11th with a post about MARI'S HOPE--the final installment in Sandy Brehl's trilogy about a girl surviving the Nazi occupation of Germany. See you then!