It’s the end of an old year, the beginning of a new one. It’s a good time to look back and see how things have changed. This picture is from my first post, Swimming with Dolphins, 11/16/16. I had 25 visits back then. Last week I had over 600. My best day was over 300, and my best week was over 800. Wow! Thank you, readers! You are so appreciated! This picture is from my post, My Achy Breaky Ankle or A Tale of Two Machines, 6/3/16. It was all about what happened when my ankle swelled, and I had trouble walking. After using 2 machines, I would up with no diagnosis, but we’d eliminated DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and broken bones. It flared up again in July. My husband got me to check for Lyme disease. I did, no Lyme. Only a suggestion to see a Rheumatologist. Two x-rays later, I had the answer…osteoarthritis…arthritis in my knees. There’s nothing tp do about it, but, it’s nice to know what it is. Now I avoid stairs as much as possible. In December, I got a tip from my family doctor—use shoes with arch support. That I can do that! Here’s to living with osteoarthritis! With today’s medicine, maybe they’ll come up with something tomorrow to make my knees ache less. Here’s to hope! This post is from 7/10/17, Tracing Rinda’s Roots. I wrote about never seeing a picture of my grandmother and namesake, Rinda, till middle school. Last July a cousin sent me this picture. I had to guess who’s in it. From left to right, Grandma Rinda, Leo, Mary, Grandpa Richard, Opal Lee, and Grant. My mother and her next-older brother aren’t there…they haven’t been born yet. The only one who’s still alive is my Uncle Leo. Seeing my grandparents so young, and my uncles/aunts as children, it’s priceless! But…it gets better! After posting this on the website, the most amazing thing happened, and it’s been happening ever since. Can you guess? The picture is your clue. If you guessed this picture shows up every time I turn on my computer, you’re right! I think it’s amazing, after spending so much of my life never seeing my grandmother, now I see her every day. It feels like a miracle, from Rinda 1.0 to her granddaughter 2.0. It’s lovely! This is the most recent post, 12/4/17, DIY Your Own Crafts. It was a show-tell-and-teach you how to DIY some of my favorite crafts. My favorite crafts were in Christmas boxes, and I knew I wouldn’t get them out for a couple weeks…So, yes, I planned to do this update! These crafts mean the most to me because they were either done for my kids, or made by them. My son Alex made the Christmas tree in 1st grade (it’s on the back). It was a simple school project, plastic frame, paper tree colored by my son, and his picture. Simple, timeless, precious! My kind of craft! I made the red-and-green stocking for my 2nd class of 2nd graders. I didn’t do it for my 1st class. I was pregnant and didn’t know if it was a boy or girl, so it HAD to be my 2nd class. My colleagues talked me into painting. I…HATE…PAINTING! They said it’d be easy-peasy. I was so scared, but I did it! I got the wooden sock from a craft fair. I did all the painting and lettering. I practiced on Alex’s. So if you got a stocking from me, it was Christmas, 1987, and you were my 2nd set of 2nd graders. It was the only year I dared to paint, no LOL! (Obviously this isn’t my kind of craft, LOL, this time!) These are 3 class projects. The top one is my favorite. Ashley made it at school. I love how they recycled the puzzle pieces, but I was never willing to paint with 2nd graders. YUCK! I made the other 2 with my class. These were my samples. They came from Oriental Trading. Their projects are individually packaged, easy to make, and look great. Even the messiest kid can make a neat one. That’s why I made the switched. Easy, simple, and always neat. My kind of project! These are my favorite ornaments. My mother made them with my kids when they were little, and she was their babysitter. I loved it so much I made it with my classes. It was easy! My kind of project! I used a basic bell pattern. The kids traced the pattern onto cardboard and covered it with foil. We took pictures and glued them down. We added glitter, punched holes, and added a string. The only drawback was is the mess. Glitter + Kids = A Mess…but you wind up with projects the kids are proud of. That’s priceless too! PS- Do all glitter in a cardboard lid, and there’s only a teeny-tiny mess. This trick also works if you let kids decorate cookies with sprinkles. Kids loved it too!
0 Comments
No questions again, just a twist on my last post. I could only choose books that fit the 12 Days of Christmas theme. I realized with some authors you’d missed their best work. This post will give you three of their latest, most popular books. It may be too late for Christmas, but it’s never too late for a good book! Michelle Houts was my second Christmas author. She gives me hope. When I met Michelle, her first book was out, and she was trying to publish her second. She did, and it’s her most popular title. Winterfrost is what happens to a Danish family when they overlook an important folklore tradition. When Grandma Gatewood Took a Hike is the true story of Emma Gatewood. She was the 1st woman to hike the Applachian Trail. Solo! Lucy’s Lab #3, The Colossal Fossil Fiasco is her 3rd book in the series. It’s coming out Feb. 6, 2018. I can’t wait! My 3rd Christmas author is Darcy Pattison. In the last year she filled my writing tool kit with editing skills. I’ve written reviews for both Sleepers and Nefertiti (picture). Nefertiti is the true story of a jumping spider who learned to hunt in space, without gravity. Sleepers is a 4 book series about an alien teen who’s trying to save his planet, and learn to live on earth. The Nantucket Sea Monster is a true story about fake news, back in the day, in 1937. Some things don’t change! Kell the Alien is another 4 book series. It’s hard enough to be the new kid in 3rd grade, but imagine trying do it and keep your alien identity a secret! Dandi Daley Mackall is my 4th Christmas author. SCBWI made it possible for my words to be reviewed by an author of nearly 500 books. My Boyfriends’ Dog became a Hallmark movie. The Legend of St. Nicholas is his story, with a few Father Christmas traditions from other lands. Wild Thing, Winnie the Horse Gentler #1 is about a tween, learning to gentle a horse, and trust in God again. Dandi has 8 books in this series, and many more horse books. With Love, Where Ever You Are is the story of Dandi’s parents. Their marriage survived a whirlwind courtship, assignments on the front lines of WWII, with only letters for communication. My 5th Christmas author is Laurie Knowlton. She’s so kind that when I sent congratulations on her newest book, she asked about my character Poppy. Laurie’s fun too. Kids and I love Pirates Don’t Say Please, but they just might in her book. Maple Syrup from the Sugar House is her newest story of how Kelsey and her family make maple syrup. Monster Cake comes out Feb.1, 2018. I can’t wait! Mariah’s setting up a party for monsters and needs the perfect cake, with monstrous ingredients, and fractions for good measure. Christmas author #6 is Leslie Helakoski. Her advice made cutting a 600-word manuscript in half easy. Doggone Feet! is life from a dog’s point of view, and how it changes as a family grows. Hoot and Honk is her latest. Two chicks hatch in the wrong nest and somehow find their way home. Coming soon is Willbur’s sequel. Ready or Not, Woolbur Goes to School comes out June 19, 2018. It’s so new the cover isn’t out. I wonder how the lamb who marches to his own beat, can fit in at school. Bruce Hale is my 7th author of Christmas. Kids in K-2 are excited to learn I’ve met Clark the Shark’s author. Bruce is a BIG deal! He writes other books like The Big Bad Detective Agency. Wolf and the 4th pig work together to prove Wolf’s innocence when his brothers, the 3 pigs, charge him with destroying their homes. The Invasion of the Scorp-lions is his latest book, 3rd in the Monstertown series. When a classmate falls into a coma, 2 boys must discover if ghosts are responsible, and, how to exterminate them. His newest series, Class Pets, comes out June 26, 2018. In #1 Fuzzy’s Great Escape, Fuzzy takes the class pets on a field trip to help his run for class president. I love that Bruce’s stories can range from silly to strange to spooky, all in 1 plot. The 8th author of Christmas is Lisa Amstutz. In writing this post and the last one, I discovered Lisa is the queen of nonfiction. If you need a resource, check out Lisa’s books. Applesauce Day is her latest. It’s the nonfiction story of making applesauce, only with a fictional family. The next 2 books come out on New Year’s Day, but you can preorder them now. Fish is part of a new nonfiction series called Our Pets. Each pet book will tell you about their appearance and behavior, and why each one makes a great pet. NASA and the Astronauts will explore the quest to send humans into outer space. Readers will learn about the people and technologhy that make space exploration possible. I wish I were still teaching, I’d buy Lisa’s books! Debbie Dadey is the 9th author of Christmas. Her books were a big part of my chapter book collection, now my daughter’s. I can’t believe I met her, or that I’m part of her critique group. Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots was the 1st Bailey School book. You might not recognize it with a new cover. The 4 main characters got rid of so many teachers that Bailey School went to the Transvanian Alps to find Mrs. Jeepers. #5 Ghosts Don’t Eat Potato Chips has an updated cover too. Ghosts don’t eat the chips. They use them to write clues. Librarians told Debbie her books were the most stolen/never-returned books in the library. That’s success! Fairy Chase is the 18th book in the Mermaid Tales series. It comes out May 29th of 2019. I can’t wait to find out whether fairies are real, or not. The 10th author of Christmas is Lisa Wheeler. Kids love her dino books, and, they’re impressed to discover I’ve met her. She’s a big deal in K-2! Dino-Dancing is her latest dino book. She also has another Christmas book, Where, Oh Where, Is Santa Claus. It’s all about when the unthinkable happens…Santa disappears. Her newest book, People Don’t Bite People, comes out April 3, 2018. If you have a biter, it’s the perfect book for your family. Lisa is the Queen of Dinosaurs, and Great Rhyme! Bernette Ford is the 11th author of Christmas, and my 1st reviewer. It was 2009. I’d just finished my 1st book and taken it as far as possible with teacher friends. I didn’t think it was ready, and I was so right! I went to the Chautauqua Highlights Conference with Bernette as my reader. I am so grateful her kindness, and good advice. She told me what was “good” about my story, and what needed work. She also told me how to get better. Priceless! I still have her autographed copy of No More Diapers for Ducky! No self-respecting 2nd grader would touch it, but maybe someday, a grandchild will, I hope! She also has No More Hitting for Little Hamster! and No More Biting for Billy Goat! These are topics that are important to preschoolers and their parents. The 12th author of Christmas is Tedd Arnold. I met him during a school visit. He never looked at my writing, but gave me a great tip, go to Chautauqua. It was the best thing I ever did! I ran into Tedd and his wife and got a hug. I love telling kids I’ve been hugged by Fly Guy’s author! Parts is about a boy who’s afraid his parts are coming unglued. The horror of loosing teeth! Fly Guy Presents Sharks is the newest entry into his nonfiction series. Fly Guy and the Alienzz, #18, comes out April 24, 2018. Fly Guy’s planning a movie about aliens, but he gets captured by them instead. I hope he escapes! My 13th and final Christmas author is Nancy Poydar. She was the 1st author who thought I could write. We were walking through the cafeteria during her school visit, and the kids burst into spontaneous applause. I’ve never seen that, before or since. Nancy said it could happen to me too. My mouth probably opened wide. I’d never thought of writing, and I was floored, but 16 years later I remember that moment. Words make a difference!
Many of Nancy’s books are out of print, but some are still available like Will there be a Lap for Me? It’s about a little boy whose mom is having a baby. As her lap grows smaller, he wonders if there’ll be room for him. Cool Ali is beating the heat and doing it with chalk drawings. Busy Bea is like me, she’s so busy she forgets and leaves things behind. I need to reread this book. No questions for this post, just Christmas book suggestions for my favorite writers. Each one helped me on my writing journey, so I’d like to say thank you by recommending their books as Christmas gifts. And there’s still time to get them! Happy shopping! If you’d like to listen while you read, copy and paste this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyEyMjdD2uk Blues Bones by Rick Starkey is the perfect book for middle grade boys. Whenever I sub in 3rd and 4th grade, kids pick up this book. Some even write down Rick’s name. Blues Bones is about a boy who wants to play his guitar in front of an audience. Somehow they get the idea that a real finger bone, from a famous guitarist, will do the trick. Read to find out what happens. I met Rick because of the Sevierville writing group. He has a great eye and helps me improve my work! Thanks, Rick! Lucy’s Lab by Michelle Houts is a pair of books about a girl named Lucy who discovers she loves science thanks to her 2nd grade teacher. In book 1, Nuts about Science, Lucy figures out how to help some homeless squirrels after their oak tree dies. In book 2 Solids, Liquids, Who’s Got Gas, Lucy understands solids and liquids, but can’t figure out gas. “Yuck” will clue you in on how she does it. I met Michelle through Northern Ohio SCBWI conferences (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and through her classes. She’s looked at my work and given me great advice (Post- 1/31/17) . I couldn’t ask for a better writing friend/teacher! On the third day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. so are the dog breeds they choose. In I Want a Cat, the cousins pick the perfect cat. And in My Crazy Dog, Dennis is assigned a narrative. He’s lucky…his dog gives him plenty of material. I met Darcy at the Midsouth SCBWI conference. She reviewed the first 10 pages of a book and gave me such great advice I took 2 more weekend classes. One was on shrunken manuscripts (Post- 5/19/17), and the 2nd was on using strong words. Thanks to Darcy, I’m moving closer to getting that first book published. On the fourth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Starlight Animal Rescue. This is a great series for teens, tweens, and animal lovers I met Dandi at an SCBWI Conference when she reviewed the first 10 pages of my ant book. I remember her kindness. She autographed a book for me, writing inside that she expected to see me and my published book at the next SCBWI conference.. It meant the world to me, and now 5 years later, it still gives me hope, which is a great thing! On the fifth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. I met Laurie 6 years ago when I took her writing class. She critiqued my ant story and became my dear friend and writing mentor. She’s always been there to read my work and to tell me what’s good and what to push. She’s the best! On the sixth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. they face the danger this time taking a walk through the woods. Woolbur is about a sheep who marches to his own beat. I met Leslie at the 2013 Northern Ohio SCBWI conference when she read my dog story. She was so kind and gave me great advice. I ran into her last June at a Highlights class. Leslie’s still wonderful! On the seventh day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. original Clark the Shark, even sharks have school trouble. Dares to Share has Clark learning how to co classroom sharing. In Takes Heart, Clark likes a girl, Angela Angelfish. I met Bruce only once, but he has a special place in my heart, and in my writing journey. He was the first author to say my work was good enough. Bruce read my ant book at the Northern Ohio SCBWI conference. He said “fine tune and finish.” I couldn’t believe it! I was so excited! It’s 6 years later, and I’m still fine-tuning, but, I’ve had a ball learning to do it! Someday, I hope my ants are published! On the eighth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Eight birds a-reading Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Hummingbirds. Read to learn where they live, what they eat, and how to identify each bird and their eggs. The summer of 2016 I was ready to build a web site, but needed help. I found Lisa, and I couldn’t have found a better guide! Thanks to her, this site went live November 2016. She’s been my friend and advisor since then. On the ninth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Nine Bailey Kid Jrs. Eight birds a-reading Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Scooters, Dragons DO Eat Homework, Wizards DO Roast Turkeys, Vampires Do Hunt Marshmallow Bunnies, Cavemen DO Drive School Buses, and Snow Monsters Do Drink Hot Chocolate. I met Debbie at an SCBWI conference and found my way to her house and the Sevierville writing group. I can’t believe someone who’s published 170 books is willing to look at 0-published me, and give me a helping hand. Who could ask for anything more! On the tenth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Ten Dino sport books Nine Bailey Kid Jrs. Eight birds a-reading Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Here’s Lisa Wheeler’s ten Dino sports books. he titles include: Dino- Baseball, Dino-Basketball, Dino-Boarding, Dino-Dancing, Dino-Football, Dino-Hockey, Dino-Racing, Dino-Soccer, Dino-Swimming, and Dino-Wrestling. I met Lisa at the same SCBWI conference as Leslie Helakoski. They both reviewed my dog book. I saw Lisa the next day and said I thought it was ready for an agent. She agreed and asked if I’d stayed up editing. I didn’t. I didn’t even think about it. I was so surprised, to have a well-known author believe in my story, and to do it before me. It was a wonderful moment! That was 3 years later, and I’m still fine-tuning that dog book. Getting an agent is hard work! On the eleventh day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Eleven Chet Gecko mysteries Ten Dino sport books Nine Bailey Kid Jrs. Eight birds a-reading Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Bruce Hale has 11 Chet Gecko titles, really 13. They include: The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse, The Mystery of Mr. Nice, Farewell My Lunchbag, The Big Nap, The Hamster of the Baskervilles, This Gum for Hire, The Malted Falcon, Trouble is my Beeswax, Give my Regrets to Broadway, Murder My Tweet, and From Russia with Lunch. The extra 2 are: Dial M for Mongoose and a Detective Handbook (and Cookbook). I contacted Bruce this year, for an autograph. The year after I met him, I started a collection of books from authors who’ve critiqued my work. I have a Bruce book, but no autograph. I saw him on a Facebook group and contacted him. He was kind of enough to send an autograph. Now my collection is complete! On the twelth day of Christmas My best friend sent to me: Twelve mermaid tales Eleven Chet Gecko mysteries Ten Dino sport books Nine Bailey Kid Jrs. Eight birds a-reading Seven Clark the Shark books Six barnyard animals Five cowboy books Four animal rescues Three pet books Two Lucy’s Labs And an eBook loaded with Blues Bones. Debbie Dadey actually has 17 Mermaid Tales. Here’s the first dozen: #1 Trouble at Trident Academy, #2 Battle of the Best Friends, #3 A Whale of a Tale, #4 Danger in the Deep Blue Sea, #5 The Lost Princess, #6 The Secret Seahorse, #7 Dream of the Blue Turtle, #8 Treasure in Trident City, #9 A Royal Tea, #10 A Tale of Two Sisters, #11 The Polar Bear Express, and #12 Twist and Shout. And, here are 5 more: #13 The Crook and the Crown, #14 Twist and Shout, #15 Books vs Looks, #16 Flower Girl Dreams, and #17 Ready, Set, Goal. I am so grateful to Debbie and to the Sevierville writing group. I have searched for a group for over 6 years. If you want to write better, you need feedback. Knowing what’s good, gives me hope. But it’s more important to discover where I’m off. It helps me improve. In the years with no group, I still had SCBWI where I could find great readers, but that was only once a year. Meeting once a month gives me a community, I’m not alone. I’m with people who think the way I do, who do what I do. I can’t thank the Sevierville group enough for giving me a writing home. You’re the best!
|
AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
All
|