MMGM: Jonathan Auxier

I first heard about Auxier in a MMGM blog post a few years ago when someone was praising The Night Gardener. Although it sounded intriguing, I thought it might be too dark for my tastes, so I stayed away.

Last summer, one of my friends recommended Auxier as an author her kids like. (And she is the last person to recommend scary books.) So, I checked out everything by him from our library and thought I’d finally give his books a try.

My younger son devoured Peter Nimble, Sophie Quire, The Night Gardener and Sweep in days.

I am a bit slower of a reader than him, so I only got through Peter Nimble, The Night Gardener, and Sweep.

But I loved these books and am so excited to find a new favorite author. And as far as being scary—yes, these books have some scary parts, but the good part is that evil is always vanquished by fantastically wonderful protagonists.

Auxier writes books that are everything a middle grade book should be: full of adventure, nods to classic literature, well-rounded characters, high stakes, lyrical language, and meditations on the meaning of life and death.

There is much to love for kids and grownups alike.

Here are my individual reviews:

Sweep is probably my favorite, although it’s tied with The Night Gardener. I loved the Victorian English/Dickens-esque setting, which reminded me of Oliver Twist. It was easy to root for the main character, Nan, a chimney sweep, and her Golem, Charlie, who is anything but scary. I also loved what this said about love and loss, and how those we love remain a part of us even after they are gone.

The Night Gardener reminded me of Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury with a Victorian twist. Molly and Kip, brother and sister, had incredible gumption and drive, and the mystery had many layers, always keeping you at the edge of your seat. The message of this book about the power of stories was very satisfying.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes: The world building is fantastic, and I loved all the layers of mystery. And then there's the knight who's been turned into a cat! The violence was more intense in this one, and the climax didn’t have the same resonance as his other books. But I’d still recommend this for kids (or adults) who like fantasy and adventure.

Have you read any books by Johnathan Auxier? Which one is your favorite?

*As we just finished the school year around here and my older son graduated from high school, I will be taking a break next week from blogging to spend some time with my family and celebrate my birthday. I will be back the first week of July to co-host the July ISWG!

If You Love Agatha Christie, Meet Dorothy Sayers

I stayed away from Dorothy Sayers for years. I tried one of the Peter Wimsey books several years back, but found it too intellectual for my tastes. (Now that's a fancy way of saying her books made me feel stupid.) And the dialect! I have a pet peeve about reading dialect. So I never picked it up again.

Then I read Mind of the Maker. I loved how she connected creativity to faith in God. That warmed my feelings toward her a bit. I knew she was friends with C.S. Lewis, too, so I swore I’d try her again at some point.

Then my son was reading Gaudy Night for English last year, and I usually read the books my sons are reading if I can. I read it last summer while my younger son was taking swimming lessons. I’ll never forget a stranger approaching me and saying, “That is my favorite book. You’re going to love it.”

And I did.

Since then I’ve been hooked on this detective who is like Wooster (of the Jeeves and Wooster series) with a brain. I love how he knows a little bit about everything and isn’t afraid to allude to the classics or theology. Your brain can’t go to sleep while you’re reading Sayers, but it’s well worth the exercise.

Here are my favorites:

Have His Carcase

All the books with Wimsey and his love interest, mystery writer friend Harriet Vane are good, but this one is my favorite, maybe because it's a puzzle mystery with Russian undertones. Harriet finds a body on the beach, and she and Wimsey solve the case together, interviewing a cast of well-developed secondary characters. The best thing about this couple is their conversations. They have deep, meaningful discussions and aren’t afraid to argue about real things.

Murder Must Advertise

This novel is probably the most humorous of Wimsey’s novels. He goes undercover at an ad agency, while at the same time, pretending to be a harlequin to infiltrate a dope ring. The mystery itself is interesting, but what Sayers has to say about advertising, its psychology, and its effect on culture is fascinating as well.

The Nine Tailors

One thing I love about Sayers work is that you always learn something—whether it’s about advertising, gentlemen's clubs, the moors, or Scottish art colonies. In this novel, which centers on a rural parish, you learn about bell ringing. Nine tailors refers to the nine bells that are rung when a man dies. I loved how the back story enriched the main story and all the different Biblical allusions like the Flood, cherubim, which tie into the mystery. Very rich.

TV Adaptions:

Most of her novels have been made into BBC/Masterpiece productions. The Harriet Vane/Wimsey books (Strong Poison/Have His Carcase/Gaudy Night) from 1987 feature Harriet Walters (Mrs. Dashwood from the 1995 Sense and Sensibility) and Edward Petherbridge. *This is my favorite adaption.

The productions of the Wimsey only by the BBC (1972-1975) featuring Ian Carmichael are wonderful as well.

What have you been reading or watching lately? What are your favorite mysteries?

ISWG: Art v. Craft

At the first writing conference I attended, one of the editors said something that has stuck with me: “Master the craft, and the art will come.” (This is a loose paraphrase.)

And I tend to agree. I have been working very hard on that craft. Writing. Having my work critiqued. Reading craft books. Attending conferences.

But recently I got one of my short stories published in a local anthology as a winner of a local contest. This contest is only open to residents of my county, and the whole purpose is to encourage writers, who often work in isolation.

Of course, it’s always a boost to see your work in print and to think the hard work of learning the craft is paying off.

But I learned the most from reading other people’s stories and poems.

What struck me is these stories were written out of people’s experiences with a lot of skill, but they were not written to sell many copies or appeal to a wide audience.

Some of the stories talk about sad experiences, weird happenings, or just reflect ordinary life. Half the stories and poems are written by children and teens.

As Picasso said, “Every child is an artist, the problem is to remain an artist once we grow up.”

What I see at most writing events and conferences is a huge emphasis on getting an editor's or agent's attention. (Or in self-publishing, how to make a lot of sales.) But when we focus too much on pleasing other people, we forget to see writing as an art,  an expression, as part of who we are.

My county’s art association also sponsors a writing festival, which is not a conference in the usual sense. Yes, there are workshops by writers on improving the craft, but there are also readings by local artists, and no agents or editors are in attendance. Although there is a place for the regular type of conference, going to this agent-less festival feels like going on a retreat. I get to focus on why I’m writing in the first place, without worrying if “I’m good enough.”

I just get encouraged to “make great art.”




How do you get rejuvenated as a writer? How do you balance the tension of art v. craft?

Sorry I didn't answer the question this month! I don't have any big secrets to reveal. :)

To sign up for Insecure Writer's Support Group, go HERE.

MMGM: The Hippo at the End of the Hall

I picked up this book when our library was still open. I was immediately taken with the illustration and knew from the description that it would appeal to my animal-loving 15 year old. I was right. He loved it, especially the talking animals.

It took me awhile to get to it myself. First, I had to read through my whole TBR list. (One good benefit of the libraries being closed is that I can’t keep checking out more and more books.)

I loved it. It’s been compared to Edith Nesbit, and the description is apt. This is good, old-fashioned British fantasy with a modern twist.

The invitation was delivered by bees. It wasn’t addressed to anyone at all, but Ben knew it was for him. It would lead him to an old, shambolic museum, full of strange and bewitching creatures. A peculiar world of hidden mysteries and curious family secrets . . . and some really dangerous magic.

Filled with her own wonderful illustrations, The Hippo at the End of the Hall is Helen Cooper's debut novel. (from Amazon)

What I loved:

1. Illustrations: The illustrations by the author-illustrator added a lot of whimsy and fun to the story. Who can be scared of a witch when she’s so tiny? The illustrations of the animals and their expressions made this story come to life.

2. Talking animals with distinct personalities: Usually I’m not a fan of talking animals, but these animals had personality and drive and agency of their own. This is how talking animals should be done.

3. An involved parent: So many children's books make parents the enemy. I loved how this mom was involved in this story (even in the climax!) in a way that was realistic, yet did not take away from the main character’s ability to solve his own problems.

4. Layers of mystery: I loved how the book started with a strange invitation, which led Ben to find a very unusual museum, which led to…There’s a lot of layers to peel back in the story, which kept me engaged as a reader.

5. Whimsical/lyrical writing: The metaphors and images in this are so kid-lit and unique. It’s always nice to see an author who can straddle unique metaphors without lapsing into purple prose. I also loved the little details that reminded us this story is written by a British author and set in England.

Have you read The Hippo at the End of the Hall? What books or movies do you think do talking animals well?

To participate in MMGM or find more MG reviews, please check out Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle.

When You Can’t Travel, Dream

In Vermont in 2017--my first plane trip in over 20 years!

If you look at my bio, you’ll think I’m a world traveler. But most people don’t know that most of my world traveling was done in my 20s. After I returned from Honduras, it was over 20 years before I got on a plane again.

I know a lot of people are feeling disappointed about not being able to travel right now. If you’ve had to cancel plans, what to do?

Here are a few things I’ve done over the years when I wanted to travel, but couldn’t for one reason or another.

1.    Explore your own town: Right now, it may not be possible to do much locally, except walk local trails. We are taking in all of our city’s parks, which are still open. Getting take out treats from our favorite bakeries and ice cream stores can feel like a vacation.

2.    Do research for your next vacay: Make a Pinterest mood board or an old-fashioned collage or idea journal. Before all this happened, I was planning a trip to the Redwoods. I can still read travel books and collect ideas, even if the trip is not as soon as I hoped.

3.    Read a travelogue: Some of my most memorable reads have been travel accounts.

 

How the Heather Looks by Joan Bodger—A book about a family who takes their children to England to explore all the settings of their favorite children’s books

The Brendan Voyage by Tim Severi—A story of a man who builds a boat trying to replicate the voyage an Irish monk took to the new world.

4.    Watch a travel show. I’ve always loved Rick Steve’s European specials, but I’ve recently discovered Samantha Brown’s Places to Love. All three seasons of her PBS specials are free on her website. She travels to other places besides Europe, and I really enjoy watching her travels in the U.S. as well.

Have you had to cancel any trips due to the current crisis? What do you to quell the travel bug when you have to stay home?

Teaching Writing to Nonverbal Students Online

What I love about my day job as a teacher is that every year holds a new challenge. Often it is how to teach a particular student or a particular subject. It has been an ongoing challenge to teach students who are nonverbal or have low language skills. Especially online.

A few months ago, one of our speech and language pathologists recommended this resource. What struck me about this series of videos on teaching language arts was one phrase: “Writing is communication.”

Now as a writer, I know that’s true.

But I forget that my students are trying to tell me things too, even if they don't always use words. Once I focused on writing as communication (instead of just a rote skill to be learned), my ability to engage and reach my students greatly improved.

Here are things that have worked for me:


1. Make writing engaging, even writing your name: Since so many of my students are working on this skill, I have them practice it often. But now I’ve started making it more exciting by have them sign their name to answer a question.

Photo by Leyla M on Unsplash

2. Enjoy books with your students. Sometimes teachers—and parents—forget that reading is supposed to be fun. Peppering students with questions can overload students who struggle to communicate. Instead make comments. Notice things. Get excited. You are modeling for them what it’s like to enjoy reading.

Photo by Alex Zamora on Unsplash

3. Make writing meaningful. There is a place for worksheets at times, but don’t forget to think outside the box. Recently, I’ve been doing patterned books with my students. I come up with a sentence frame (ex. “I put on…”) and provide pictures or show objects to give the students choices. Students communicate the ending of their sentence in various ways (orally, by pointing or holding up an object, or by writing). We put these sentences together to make a book and read our class book.

Photo by Manasvita S on Unsplash

Resources:

Tarheel books: A great website for finding books with lots of visuals (They even have a version of Holes by Louis Sachar!). You can also make your own books as a class and add photos.


Project Core Professional Development Videos: Videos about teaching language arts to students who have low language and/or use a communication board.

How are you surviving virtual education as a parent or a teacher? For writers: how do you communicate as a writer? Let me know in the comments!

ISWG: How To Get in the Zone

I wish I had a recipe for getting in the zone as a writer. More often than not, I am surprised when my writing flows.

And with my busy, crazy life, it’s hard for me to keep a strict schedule or cultivate a perfect atmosphere. I don’t have an office or a writing space. I’ve learned to write in the midst of a lot of distractions.

Yet here is my ideal:

1. A quiet space: Often this is a corner of my bedroom, but I used to go to our cultural center to write in the lobby on Saturdays. I cannot write in coffee shops. It’s too tempting to listen in to conversations (a.k.a. research).


2. Writing longhand: I have discovered recently that I write better if I write in longhand. I’m less distracted, and a notebook is more portable than a computer. Right now I’m mostly working on my computer because I’m revising, but longhand is ideal.

Longhand draft of this post

3. Music: I’m not a huge fan of listening to music while I’m writing, but I do use it to inspire me or get me immersed in my setting. (Ex: Celtic music while writing about Scotland or Renaissance instruments for a historical.) But if I want to get pumped and inspired, it’s the La La Land soundtrack all the way. Especially this song:

4.  Beverage: If I have a big mug of chai next to me, I feel like writing is a treat. Which it is. It seems the busier I am, the more I cherish my writing time. And when I see it as a gift, not a burden, I tend to focus better.

One of my favorite places to walk: Herbert Hoover actually swam in this pond as a boy.

5.  Walks: Walking, which I don’t do often enough before writing, helps me write better. It’s amazing how many plot holes can be solved once you step away from the computer.

But other than that, the only secret I’ve discovered is that getting in the zone only happens when you show up. I love that moment when plot points come together or a character does something unexpected but just right for the story. Unfortunately, I can’t predict when those moments will happen. But they are more likely to happen if I write as often as I can.


This month's question: Do you have any rituals for getting in the zone as a writer? Please share in the comments!


To find out more about Insecure Writer's Support group or to sign up, go HERE.

Video of "Audition: The Fools Who Dream" from Fandango via Youtube.
Photos are my own.