Time to Reflect

Losing a parent is a time to reflect back on your family life. And when your dad is 93 when he passes on, you have a lot to think back on.
My parents raised three children who were only nineteen months apart. For the twins and me, it was wonderful. We had sibs close to our own age to play with. There were numberless games of Monopoly and Life during the long summers in the fifties.
My folks were like everyone else's folks. Or so I thought. They were hardworking, honest, and devoted to their family. They loved me and wanted the best for me.
You can tell from this picture just how much they loved us.
I learned later that not everyone's family was as perfect as mine.  I have been so blessed.
Getting back into my normal routine has been hard. Due to a variety of circumstances, I spent about a month down South in August. It was a wrenching experience to watch Dad go through difficult surgery. I stayed with him and Momma for a few days after the surgery and then returned home to Pennsylvania. He was doing great when I left.
He died in the hospital three days after I had returned home, so it was back to Shreveport for the funeral.
I learned a whole lot about myself during the experience. Some of the things I learned were painful. All were useful. I learned that I will melt down after twenty hours of no sleep. I also learned I have pretty good stamina when it's needed. I learned just how much harder I need to work at kindness. The people we dealt with were so gracious and lovely in Shreveport. Their kindness meant so much.
I got an even deeper appreciation of my adult children. I knew my husband would be a great emotional support. But I was overwhelmed at how much support I got from my children as well.
The saddest thing of all was to see how lost my mom is without my dad. It's great when people are married for over sixty years. But it's also disaster when one of them leaves the other behind.
My writing has been at a standstill ever since. I keep writing for the newspaper, but the other writing just seems to be on hold. I am hoping that any day now, I will get excited again and start to write book proposals and edit my novel. 
For now, my desk and some of my closets are getting cleaned out.
Maybe these few thoughts will help me move on and write about what I love.

More Music

I'm steeped in Civil War music these days.The progress on my Civil War book included fun research at the Danville Iron Heritage Festival. Look at the bands I got to hear!

Dodworth Saxhorn Band of Ann Arbor, Michigan

Excelsior Cornet Band of New York from Syracuse, New York

The 2nd South Carolina String Band

These three bands are beyond amazing. The Dodworth can be found on the web here: http://www.dodworth.org/ and they stream music all the time.

The Excelsior Cornet Band has this site: http://www.excelsiorcornetband.com/Excelsior_Cornet_band/Home.html
Their E flat cornet player, Jeff Stockham, is a great treasure. Their music was beautiful.

 The 2nd South Carolina String Band is here on the net: http://civilwarband.com/
Note their web address. They are one of the best known civil war music groups in the country. Their music is what might have been heard around the campfire. An outstanding group.


So that was my experience at the Danville Iron Heritage Festival. I'm really getting close to finishing up the book proposal. I cannot wait to start writing this book!

Who would have guessed it would be the Civil War?

Who would have guessed that my chosen topic would be the Civil War? I'm not much of a war history buff. I'm more about biography and social history. But when Michael joined the Hazleton Liberty Band which has been in continuous existence since before the Civil War, I just couldn't find out enough. So the topic's not so much the war but the bands and the music of the Civil War.
Now I know I want to share this information with kids. I've been thinking about this book for several years.
I got such a good response from two editors at the nonfiction conference a few weeks ago, that it's full steam ahead now. And this weekend, I'm off to the Danville Iron Heritage Festival which will emphasize the Civil War period. There will be four of these wonderful reenactor bands present. Can't wait!

Nonfiction Heaven at the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference

I'm just back from the 21st Century Children's Nonfiction Conference at SUNY New Paltz. This is the glass entryway into the student union where all the action occurred.
If you write nonfiction for children, you go to conferences and they spend 95 per cent of the time talking about fiction and 5 per cent talking about nonfiction. But at this conference it was 100 per cent nonfiction.
It's been a journey of discovery for me to learn that I'm better at nonfiction than fiction. Maybe all writers want to write the Great American Novel.
But nonfiction is important too. I remember choosing a book about Annie Oakley when given the choice of any book at my elementary school book fair. I had been in "Annie Get Your Gun" and wanted to know more about the real Annie Oakley.
I met editors, authors and aspiring folk like myself.

The coolest moment was when Lou Waryncia who heads up Cobblestone Publishing gave me a shoutout about my four articles in Calliope last month. How cool was that?
Well, not as cool as the two editors who said they will look at my book proposal on Civil War Bands.
Many thanks are due to Lionel Bender and Star Consulting for bringing the thing together.
We stayed in the dorms. What a trip back in time! 
And did I mention the strawberries? I bought a quart of freshly-picked strawberries on my way into New Paltz and used them for snacks in between sessions.
More info on sessions in my next post.

Tooting my own horn--Calliope!

I had the amazing opportunity to write four articles for May's issue of Calliope magazine. If you're not familiar with this Cobblestone publication you can find out more about it and see a sample issue here: Calliope magazine website.

For the issue, I wrote an article about music that talks, the piano, and, most fun of all, I got to interview Michael Giacchino, the Oscar and Golden Globe-winning composer. He won the Oscar for Up!

Not only did I get to talk to Mr. Giacchino but I also was sent a page from the original score and a page from the suite he wrote from Up. My annotations on the score are also in the magazine!

Such a fun project! As I'm now preparing to attend the first-ever conference on children's nonfiction, I'm so happy I have this issue to be proud of as I talk with book and magazine publishers.

Update

I've neglected you, my wonderful blog! I've been very busy writing for the Dallas Post, the Times Leader and have even added another regional paper to my list of assignments.
And I've gotten the exciting issue of Calliope Magazine with my five articles including the wonderful interview with Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino.
Life is passing quickly and we've been working on a lot of projects that reflect our desire to retire. So I haven't had the time to devote myself to my long-term writing career. I hope that I'm back on that track soon.
But every time I publish another article, cover another meeting, write another feature, I'm learning more about the writing process and that can't be bad.

The Next Project--Too Many Ideas

Is there such a thing as too many ideas? Yes! I'm far, far from the "I don't know what to write about" stage. I took nineteen, count them, nineteen different book ideas to my writers' critique group the other night and asked them to comment on them in the margins. One person's assessment? Write them all!

I don't think I have time. And these were just the ideas for children's books. I have another long list for grown-up books as well.

So how did I get in this mess?

One thing I do constantly is consider what I will write next. I know that editing is some people's favorite activity. But it's not mine. But it is so, so necessary. So to get through the slog I daydream about what my next book will be.

Here's some of the ideas so you can see how perversely diverse they were:

Yaz Novak is not ever going to live up to his family’s baseball prowess but he discovers that he has a special talent of his own which might just save the team.

Ship de Souza’s parents are anthropologists who send him off to a different relative each summer. But when Ship is packed off to his great uncle’s houseboat in South Louisiana, he discovers his uncle is a pirate.

Through a correspondence begun after the Civil War, two cousins, one from the North and one from the South, come to terms with their feelings about the cruelest war of all.

Eiglenn is a social outcast in her caste called Under which lives in underground caves. When the oppressive society of Up punishes her father unjustly, a surprising act of mercy by the Prince begins her quest to change her world and his.

It’s 2113 and a twin boy and girl are sent from their space station into the past to help their time-traveling parents. They’re sent to eighteenth century France to find an artist named Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun and to fix something in the past that will allow their parents to come back home.

Jack hates a school assignment to write to a pen pal in France. When he bends the truth about himself, he is distressed to hear that his pen pal and her parents are coming to America to meet the wonderful boy he described.

It’s 1906 in South Louisiana. Nine-year-old Simone says goodbye to her father on his way to his barbershop but he doesn’t come home. Even when others give up, Simone decides to find him if she has to search every bayou in South Louisiana.

It’s the annual “Boyfriend for the Day” auction for charity at Tickle Middle School. But somehow the chess club president, Freddy Limongelli, finds his name on the list. What if no one bids for him? Or what if someone does? Either way, it’s going to be social death.

So what do you do when you have too many ideas? I'm thinking of putting these up for bids on eBay for all those people who want to write and who say they don't have a plot. I've got nineteen, thank you, and I don't have time to write them all. 

What I Can Never Write About

Our 42nd Anniversary

Write what you know. Have you ever heard that advice? And yet, folks write historical, science fiction and fantasy novels. And I'm almost sure that most mystery writers have never been involved in a real murder investigation.

So what does it mean? I think when we write what we know, we are looking deep within ourselves for experiences that strike a common chord in our fellow beings. There have been few writers in the history of the world who have been able to cover the entire range of human experience. Shakespeare comes to mind.

The chances of my writing a believable story about a dysfunctional relationship or an unhappy marriage are practically nil. After forty-two years of wedded bliss, I am an expert on how great marriage can be. Unhappy marriages are a closed book to me. That kind of book is just not going to be in my oeuvre.

Novels require you to spend many months thinking about problems and conflict. I wouldn't even want to spend six months to a year thinking about husbands and wives who can't get along.

But I have plenty of other topics to write about with confidence. The joys and heartbreaks of parenthood. The challenges of childhood. The struggle to find that one right person. The process of soul searching. The role of gender in a woman's life.

I write romantic, humorous novels with happy endings because that's what I know. And I thank my husband Michael for that. Ours has a been a very happy journey. But without laughter, we would never have made it this far.

So happy anniversary to us. Forty-two years later, we've still got the fairy tale ending.

One of the greatest tributes ever

I ran across this poem (now in the public domain) by Edith Wharton. She wrote it in January of 1919, the day after Teddy Roosevelt's death. It seems Teddy's second wife was her cousin. You can see the original handwritten copy here: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm031.html

I have no idea how I missed this for so long. 

I believe this is one of the greatest tributes to a human being ever written. And the spiritual truth of it hit me like a brick. Who will help us when we pass the bar? May we all live our lives in such a way that we can leave leave this earth "content upon the ebb tide, with safe hearts."

Photo of Edith Wharton from Wikimedia. 




With the Tide

Somewhere I read, in an old book whose name
Is gone from me, I read that when the days
Of a man are counted, and his business done,
There comes up the shore at evening, with the tide,
To the place where he sits, a boat --
And in the boat, from the place where he sits, he sees,
Dim in the dusk, dim and yet so familiar,
The faces of his friends long dead; and knows
They come for him, brought in upon the tide,
To take him where men go at set of day.
Then rising, with his hands in theirs, he goes
Between them his last steps, that are the first
Of the new life -- and with the ebb they pass,
Their shaken sail grown small upon the moon.

Often I thought of this, and pictured me
How many a man who lives with throngs about him,
Yet straining through the twilight for that boat
Shall scarce make out one figure in the stern,
And that so faint its features shall perplex him
With doubtful memories -- and his heart hang back.
But others, rising as they see the sail
Increase upon the sunset, hasten down,
Hands out and eyes elated; for they see
Head over head, crowding from bow to stern,
Repeopling their long loneliness with smiles,
The faces of their friends; and such go forth
Content upon the ebb tide, with safe hearts.

But never
To worker summoned when his day was done
Did mounting tide bring in such freight of friends
As stole to you up the white wintry shingle
That night while they that watched you thought you slept.
Softly they came, and beached the boat, and gathered
In the still cove under the icy stars,
Your last-born, and the dear loves of your heart,
And all men that have loved right more than ease,
And honor above honors; all who gave
Free-handed of their best for other men,
And thought their giving taking: they who knew
Man's natural state is effort, up and up --
All these were there, so great a company
Perchance you marveled, wondering what great ship
Had brought that throng unnumbered to the cove
Where the boys used to beach their light canoe
After old happy picnics --

But these, your friends and children, to whose hands
Committed, in the silent night you rose
And took your last faint steps --
These led you down, O great American,
Down to the winter night and the white beach,
And there you saw that the huge hull that waited
Was not as are the boats of the other dead,
Frail craft for a brief passage; no, for this
Was first of a long line of towering transports,
Storm-worn and ocean-weary every one,
The ships you launched, the ships you manned, the ships
That now, returning from their sacred quest
With the thrice-sacred burden of their dead,
Lay waiting there to take you forth with them,
Out with the ebb tide, on some farther quest.

Weirdly Wonderful Things to Be Thankful For

It's Thanksgiving Day and I'm not cooking. I made pies yesterday and a lovely family has invited us to share their meal today. It gives me time to make up a list of weird or wonderful things that aren't essential to life but that I'm really thankful for:

1. Guacamole. Seriously, can you imagine life without it? It's the food of the gods and a taste of Texas home far away in the North.
2. Facebook. The pix of my grandkids, the funny things my friends post and the chance to reunited with old friends make it a grand place that's almost as good as real life some days.
3. Google. Oh yeah. I don't have to remember anything like that guy who played in that movie with that girl who has the hair over one eye. Only a tiny sliver of information will get me the answer. No more waking up in the middle of the night with an answer which had been covered with ten layers of newer information in my brain.
4. Wikipedia. So what is the capital of Moldova and where the heck is Moldova anyway? The answer is right at my fingertips.
5. Convertibles. Mine is a red Miata but I'm open to other kinds. The freedom of driving down the highway with your hair in the wind and the sun shining down from above is priceless.
6. Macaroni and cheese. I don't know who thought this one up, but it puts spaghetti and meatballs in the shade. And in Texas, it's a vegetable! Oh yeah!
7. The comic strip "Pickles." It makes getting older something you can deal with because no matter how difficult the process is, it's more difficult for Earl and Opal. A youngish editor canceled it from our local newspaper and the geriatric community almost had him run out of town.
8. Cheesecake. I haven't met one I didn't like.
9.  Cary Grant. No other actor measures up. The only sad thing is that he never got to play Bond, James Bond. Maybe in heaven.
10. Harry Potter. When things are really tough, it's a world I can disappear into again and again. No one (except for the Dursleys) pays income tax, waits around in airports because their plane flight was cancelled or worries about missing their favorite television show.

So there you have it in no particular order. Any more ideas?

Meet Author Gretchen Craig

Meet Gretchen Craig! She's a dear friend from Texas who writes dramatic love stories with a tremendous sense of place. But she recently branched out with a set of light love stories. 

You can find out a lot more about her here. Since she is both a traditionally published and self-published author, I think you will find this interview interesting.

Susan: I know your work and it's been admired for its drama and deep emotion. Your book, Lookin for Luv, is a departure from this. Did the stories come to you all at once or have you been concocting these upbeat tales while you were busy writing your longer, more dramatic novels? 

Gretchen: Yes, these are much lighter stories than what I usually write. I was involved in a novel full of angst and suffering, and I just needed a break. I’ve enjoyed reading light contemporary romance, and I thought I’d just give it a try. So they were done over several months whenever I needed a respite from the sturm und drang of my longer work. I had a lot of fun writing them.
 

Susan: These are all Louisiana stories. Your view of life on a houseboat on a South Louisiana bayou is so detailed and realistic. As a Louisiana girl myself, I know how well you evoke that setting. How do you do that kind of research and how do you get into a sense of place?

On Amazon Kindle

Gretchen: I’ve done a lot of book and library research about Louisiana history over the years, but for the feel of a place, I rely on having actually been to the bayous. I haven’t really spent much time there, just an airboat tour, and lots of driving in the countryside. But I lived near the Everglades for years and I know what humidity and heat and water and swamp are all about. The rest is imagination, and place has always been a strong stimulant for me. Everywhere I go, I see myself living there, especially if it’s combined with a sense of the place’s history (as in my pueblo novel set in 1599). The only place I’ve ever been that I thought I would not like to stay is a terribly poor, barren little town on the high plains of New Mexico. Everywhere else pulls at me to come explore and stay a while.

Susan: As a traditionally published author who's garnered success, awards and great reviews, why did you decide to go into e-book self-publishing?

Gretchen: The e-book question. It’s all so complicated these days. I still do query the major houses with new manuscripts, but I am grateful that in this era we authors do have other options. I do want an audience, and I’m gratified to be able to reach readers this way.

Susan: Do you have a e-book reader yourself?

Gretchen: I have a Kindle. I still love to have a book in my hands, and if it’s a book that I want to study, particularly non-fiction, I want a paper copy so I can check back to earlier passages and easily find sections I want to re-read. And to annotate with a colored marker. The Kindle enables some of that, but for me, it’s clumsier than a pen and dog-eared page. What I especially like about my Kindle, though, is the incredible number of titles available, and I can get them next thing to instantly. That’s pretty cool.

Susan: Do you think more authors will straddle both the traditional publishing and the self-publishing world? And are you planning to publish more books with traditional publishers? 

Gretchen: I do think more authors will pursue self-publishing. And many of us still want to be traditionally published as well. There is a certain validation in having a big house take you on and promote you, and they can reach readers that self-e-publishing does not. I certainly have hopes of continuing to publish in both venues.

Susan: I know that you travel for inspiration. Are there other writers who inspire you?

Gretchen: I’m constantly inspired by other writers, from all different genres. I’ve recently discovered Richard Ford, who’s been acclaimed for a long time, but I hadn’t come across him. His novels are tagged as literary; some of his novels feature the same protagonist, Frank Bascomb, who is a man who constantly struggles to find an equilibrium in life, to find happiness and to accept life as it is. That speaks strongly to me at this particular time in my own life. And there are romance authors who write outstanding novels even though they are seldom given critical respect because they are writing in romance. I admire Mary Balogh and Judith Ivory for depth of feeling and character in their historical romances. I’m very impressed with Michel Faber’s big novel The Crimson Petal and the White, which is a historical set in Victorian times.  I also have just finished another Lee Child novel featuring Jack Reacher – Die Trying – that I couldn’t put down. I read lots of different kinds of books, and the best ones always have something to teach about pacing or characterizations or mood, or best of all, just life.

Susan: What's your next project? 

Gretchen: I haven’t decided on my next topic. I have several possibilities perking in the background, but I might decide to try something new. These light romances have made me smile, myself, as I wrote them. Maybe I’ll think about something longer along those lines, though I’m not as funny as some writers, like Susan Denney, for example. 

 Thanks to Gretchen for insights into her writing process and the changing world of publishing!

Kids' magazines --Gotta love them!

http://www.cobblestonepub.com/magazine/cal/

Have I said how much I love writing for children's magazines? The pay is not spectacular. But knowing that thousands of children will read what I wrote is still a thrill. And I've even had an article translated into other languages. I like the succinctness of writing for a children's magazine. You can't be wordy and you can't pad either. It's all content or die trying.

There's also the memories of having a subscription to Jack and Jill  many years ago, and the vivid recollection of My Weekly Reader  in elementary school. 

If the only experience you have with kids' magazines is in doctors' waiting rooms, I encourage you to look around. There's a lot more out there.

I just finished several articles for Calliope, a world history magazine for 9-14-year-olds. It's published by Carus which also publishes Cricket, Cobblestone, and a ton of other magazines.

The topic was "The Orchestra" and I really got into it. I'll reveal more about what the articles are like when we get closer to publication date.

But I learned a lot and got to talk to some seriously amazing  people about the music they make.

Look at the cover of September's issue. Pretty cool, huh?

If you want to give a child a perfect gift, think of a subscription to a magazine. Getting mail is beyond cool when you're a kid. The thrill of getting a new issue every month adds to the excitement that all children should feel about reading.

Interview with Braden Bell--Middle School Magician

I enjoyed learning more about Braden Bell, author of Middle School Magic: The Kindling. I hope you will too.

His book has the fabulous premise that middle school students with magical powers "kindle" as their powers show themselves. And some of their teachers have super powers too. Cool! Braden teaches middle school himself which proves he's a brave man.

The story revolves around three "kindling" students, Conner, Melanie and Lexa. It's action packed and sets up a distinct and fascinating magical world. Thanks to Braden for taking the time to answer my questions.

Susan: Since you're a middle school teacher yourself, you have an amazing window into that environment. How hard was it to keep "real" people you work with or the memory of your teachers from middle school out of your manuscript? Are those teachers in The Kindling an amalgam of other teachers you've known or did they come from somewhere else?

Braden: That's an excellent question, one I'm glad to be asked. The reality is that the teachers and students very quickly took on a life of their own. I know that may sound strange to people who have not written a book, but it's really quite true. Many writers feel that their characters tell them what to do rather than vice versa, and that was the case. I had a few people in mind when I started, from whom I borrowed some vocal inflections or a personality trait, but the characters very quickly evolved into their own people. Now, when I imagine them or am writing their dialogue they don't resemble anyone I know. 

Susan: I loved  that the French teacher was important to the story and also very nice since I was one myself. Any reason why you picked French?

 

Braden: If you were to take a poll at my school among parents and students of the person who is most beloved and influential, it would be our French teacher. She's taught for many years and has a special gift. She's one of the people I most admire professionally and I wanted to pay tribute to that. But there's a more practical reason. In an early draft, all the teachers were Mrs. and Mr. It looked repetitious and a little boring. I felt like I needed to break it up. So, I gave the choir teacher a doctorate so he could be Dr. instead of Mr. And I figured if I used a French teacher I could use Madame instead of Mrs. Finally, the character just taught French. I knew that from the beginning.  

 

Susan: I can see that two of your characters are setting up for some romance. Did you have that idea from the beginning or did it develop as you created the book? And did putting that attraction Conner feels for Melanie in make it harder or easier to write the book?

Braden: That was there from the beginning. one of the funniest things about teaching middle school is watching these kids start to muddle their way through romantic relationships and feelings. It's confusing, exciting, and frightening for them--and the parents, but it is a very real part of the experience. I felt like it had to be there in order to be authentic. It was also fun to write and it helped bring dimension to the characters. In early drafts I think there was less. But as I had students read it and give me feedback, the girls all wanted a little more so I put in a little more. 

 

Susan: There are some strong moral and even spiritual values coming out in your book. J. K. Rowling aimed directly at prejudice in her Harry Potter series and also focused on the importance of love and family. Is there something very important to you that you'd like readers to take away from this book?

Braden: Interesting question. I don't think I had anything specific in mind--it was just a story I wanted to write because it came to my mind. I am sure that there are things that influenced me at a level beyond what I was consciously aware of, but my intent was to write a fun story about teachers and students. 

 

Susan: You've obviously set us up for a sequel. Can you tell us how many more we can look forward to or would that be telling?

 

Braden: I have a rough outline for about 4 books, and I know where I want it to go. Whether they happen is ultimately a function of whether the publisher feels this one does well enough. Pending sufficient sales, the sequel is slated to be released a year from now and I'm feverishly working on it. It picks up just a week or two after the Kindling. The kids are starting to understand the implications of their new powers, trying to learn how to use them, and Conner and Melanie are trying to figure out their relationship. Conner specifically has to work through some things that happened in Book 1. I'm quite excited about it--and I hope it becomes a reality.

Find out more about Braden at his blog here.

Interview with Connie Sokol--Author and Real Live Wonder Woman

One of the best things about being an author, is that you inevitably meet other authors. Connie Sokol is a new friend of mine whose energy makes me think of her as Wonder Woman.

Just reading a list of what Connie Sokol does makes you breathless. And knowing she's just had her seventh child adds to your amazement. And if you've seen her on TV, you can't help but be amazed by her boundless energy and positive outlook. 

In addition to writing, she is a national and local presenter, a monthly contributor on Salt Lake City television station KSL. She's been a radio and TV host and produces talk CDs and podcasts. Whew! You can find out all about her here at her website: 8basics.com

Connie has written several nonfiction self-help books for women, but has branched out recently into fiction. Her new novel, called Caribbean Crossroads, is the story of Megan who is recovering from a broken heart. Her best friend talks her into joining her on a dance crew on a cruise ship. She'll meet someone wonderful but will have to overcome her bitterness over her last breakup.

I asked Connie a few questions about her latest venture into fiction.

Susan: You've gained so much success as a nonfiction writer. What made you take the leap into fiction?

Connie: So many times I've been done with the day and just want something to read that isn't violent, graphic, or emotionally turbulent--I just want to check out of life for a bit! I have three other fiction manuscripts that I've been working on over the years but nonfiction took priority. Then one night I had that same feeling of where's a good chill out book and I thought, "Why not write one?" So that's what happened. Out of the blue I had this core idea for a plot and then scenes kept coming to me so I wrote them as fast as I could. I wrote the core book in about 60 plus hours, but then almost as much time in rewrites and revisions with critique groups. And now I have a romance I love to read. Ironically, one night a few months ago I was in the mood to read a romance and couldn't find something that was the right fit and then I thought, "Oh, Caribbean!" and it hit the spot. 

Susan: How did you come to the decision to self-publish?

Connie: I first self-published about ten years ago and did a total of three books.. Then I opted for the traditional publishing route with two books. Now that I've seen both sides, I felt it wise to self-publish this one, especially since it's in such a different genre. There are so many fabulous options today that weren't available even ten years ago. I wanted to see what could be done with it using those new avenues. It's my sort of experiment book. I've given myself permission to play around with it.

Susan: Caribbean Crossroads talks about a world unfamiliar to me. Were you ever on a cruise dance team? If not, how did you get all that wonderful information to create that world for us?

Connie: It's so nostalgic, and enjoyable, to write something that you're somewhat familiar with but not fully. As I wrote, I found myself pulling from a variety of experiences--a cruise my husband and I took, plays and musical groups I was in during college, things and people I've observed over the years. While writing passages, different ideas would come to mind from those personal experiences, and those of other people who had randomly shared during the years. For example, Mrs. Van De Morelle's name came from a fourth-grade teacher (Mrs. Van De Mortelle, so a little change), and the final Broadway number is an amalgamation of something my mom and I watched years ago with Cyd Charisse, etc. And the premise of the story is very loosely based on an experience of a dear college friend about 25 years ago.  

Susan: I can tell from your main characters that you admire people who help other people. Do you think that even lighthearted fiction should try to make a difference in people's lives?

Connie: I really do. You can tell from my nonfiction that I feel strongly about each person finding their purpose then sharing it with others. How vital that is for all of us to help one another grow and become! So I was surprised how much of  that came out in my fiction. But especially in romance, I think it's vital that we show it's more than just hot guy meets beautiful girl, a little angst, and then it's all solved. I wanted to show that real relationships work because they are able to not only develop themselves, but have a desire to help others. Being a good person is what helps make a relationship work, especially when someone has been deeply hurt before.

Huge thanks to Connie for sharing her thoughts! Look for my next author interview with Braden Bell, author of Middle School Magic: The Kindling.

Me and George Eliot--Pseudonymous

I am a huge fan of George Eliot. Her real name, Mary Anne Evans, is unknown to most people. Sadly those who do know her may only know that too-sappy-for-me tale, Silas Marner. I consider her masterpiece to be Middlemarch which you can download at Gutenberg.org in written form here or in recorded form here. It has made many lists as one of the greatest novels written in English. It's sure on mine.

As writers she and I have little in common. My fiction is of the fluffiest. Hers delves into the very heart of man. But we do have something in common: pen names.

She chose a masculine pen name because she wanted to be taken seriously as a writer. Women writers in the Victorian Era were associated with light fiction. (Which is exactly what I'm trying to do.)

I have had to use pen names twice now. When my darling daughter and great son-in-law owned a bilingual magazine that reached out to a Hispanic population, I wrote for them but they felt I needed to use a Hispanic name. I chose an outrageous one, "Esperanza del Sol", which my son-in-law actually liked. So I've been published under that one.

Another magazine will publish an article and a story of mine next year but they usually do not use the same writer twice in an issue. Lo and behold! I need another pen name. Somehow Esperanza was too over-the-top for this very conservative children's magazine. So I reached into the family archives and pulled out Ann Argyle Fox, my great-great-great grandmother. She's buried here in the valley where I now live. I know almost nothing about her but I thought her name would look great in print.

It's way cool having a pseudonym. It's like having an alias or a secret identity. I highly recommend it. Plus, picking them out is a hoot. 

I wasted a lot of time looking into the whole issue of pen names and discovered quite a few which I thought were folks' real names. Probably the most interesting thing I learned is that nom de plume (literally "name of pen") didn't come from the French at all. The English made it up. The French used nom de guerre (name of war) instead and today use "pseudonyme."

When I published my novel last October, my mom asked me if I was going to use my real name. This worried me a bit. Perhaps she was afraid that I was going to shame myself in public? I went with the real McCoy but still have reasons to use another name from time to time.

I'd love to see a comment if you've had to use one yourself or if you have a favorite writer who uses one!

Books Banned from the Bedroom

Our number one banned book (from Amazon)

 It's been a tough week. Sometimes living in a happier and funnier world through a book is the key to success during such a time.

So I've been thinking about the authors who are banned from our bedroom because one person laughing out loud makes it impossible for the other to sleep.

Here's our list of writers whose wit keeps our partner awake.

1. Terry Pratchett. Michael is definitely not allowed to read Sir Terry when I'm tired. There's no way Michael can control his laughter unto tears. Any book with Nanny Ogg in it is especially banned.

2. P. G. Wodehouse. Although Michael loves his stuff too, I'm the one who gets the giggles every few pages or so. I'll go along for a few pages holding in the laughs successfully and then he hits me with a simile which reduces me to hopelessly giggling jelly.

3. Dave Barry. Neither of us can hold back the laughter here. The man feels our pain and we feel his.

4. Peter Egan. For those not in the know, Mr. Egan writes for Road and Track. His funniest columns are those that make Michael laugh in empathy in memory of painful car repair experiences.

Please, please add your banned authors in your comments. I need all the laughs I can get right now.

Ten Reasons Why Writers Need Vacations

Slowly I turned!

My husband's job has been overwhelming. So when he realized he had a true three-day weekend with no projects, he said, "Let's get out of town."
We took a wonderful trip to New York and saw Watkins Glen, Palmyra, and ...Niagara Falls! Niagara Falls has been top on my "must see" list for some time.
Now I'm back to work and I thought I'd share the top ten reasons (in no order) I needed a vacation. (I think most of them apply to writers in general.)



1. I needed to be humbled and reminded that there are experiences for which there are no words. Standing ten feet away from the bottom of Niagara Falls would count here.
2. I needed to spend time reading without feeling guilty about not writing.
3. I needed to learn more stuff. I learned a lot about hydroelectric power, geology and history. I even learned the origin of that silly Three Stooges skit "Slowly I turned."
4. I needed to reconnect with nature. A writer spends an awful lot of time inside.
5. I needed to meet more people. Even brief encounters add to my knowledge of human nature.
6. I needed adversity. No vacation is without trials. Even minor adversity adds to a writer's bank of emotional experiences.
7. I needed more visual memories.
8. I needed to experience child-like curiosity and wonder and surprise.
9. I needed a break from daily chores. Not worrying about housekeeping duties I neglect when I write was refreshing and revitalizing.
10. I needed to spend more time with my brilliant husband. It was enriching to talk with him and to see how he brought a different outlook to the new experiences we were having.

Michael with a hero, the great Tesla

Behind a waterfall in Watkins Glen

All photographs copyrighted by Michael Denney. Please ask for permission to reproduce any of them.

Watkins Glen

Inspiration and Temptation

First, a bit about inspiration. When I think about what children teach you, the word "patience" usually comes to mind. Either you learn patience from your children or you become a really lousy parent.

But I didn't know just how much a child can inspire you.

The darling in the photo overcame some incredible obstacles to get her MFA in Fiber Arts. I am inspired by her efforts to finish a degree and start a new career. It makes me want to be a harder-working, more persistent, more excellent person. You can find out a lot more about her here. And you can see her artwork there too.

The white-haired guy has been an inspiration to me for many, many years. He too has shown me how important diligence, hard work, and persistence is. Talent is just such a small part of what makes success.

Another inspiration this week was in the form of a blog post by a writer named Rachel Aaron. Here's the post. I found her thoughts interesting but got a lot more inspiration from some of her other posts on editing and plotting. I found that she had mastered some of the things I've learned by trial and error. So I'll be excited to introduce these ideas into my writing life.

Now for temptation. While Michael was gone for Naomi's graduation, I was tempted to wallow in self-pity. I didn't get to go to my baby's graduation? How could life be so cruel? Of course, I had gotten to go to Naomi's MFA art show while Michael stayed home being diligent, hard working and persistent. It was also tempting to feel sorry for myself on Mother's Day since Michael was there enjoying Mother's Day with three of my four children. (And he'd seen the fourth of our kids that week as well.) And I have to admit that I snapped at a few folks about the situation. But I did a lot of self-talk and decided that my life is pretty good. I have been greatly blessed. And so I got through the bumpy parts of last week.

There was another temptation that came in the mail yesterday. Michael and I avoid working on the Sabbath day if at all possible. (He actually works a ton of Sundays, but not by choice.) But when I was invited to go to an author appreciation event given by the Plymouth Historical Society, I felt that it was something I could attend and that it would still be in keeping with my standards. The event is just a thank you for local authors with a Plymouth connection. All four of my great-grandparents on my Dad's side lived there, so I have deep roots in that little town. And I wouldn't be making any money after all.

Then I got the letter yesterday which said that authors were welcome to bring their books to sell and sign! This put a whole new spin on the event. It didn't take a lot of time for me to realize that I could go to the event, but that selling books would be not be in keeping with my beliefs. So I will be going but won't be selling books. I think it will be appropriate to give out business cards to those interested in buying my book.

So lots of inspiration and two temptations pretty well skirted. Not a bad week!

The Kindle Author Now Owns a Kindle

It's official!  After several months of doing very well as a Kindle author, I took the plunge. It didn't hurt that Staples had a $40 dollar rebate going and that I had $40 dollars' worth of Staples credit. I went with the 3G which turned out to be very wise since the Wi-Fi in our house is unpredictable at best.

Surprisingly, both Michael and I (both bibliophiles) love the thing. It's quite fun to play with and very easy to read. And since we are in the process of doing some big-time downsizing, this little device is making us feel much more comfortable getting rid of old paperbacks we used in college English classes. Thanks to Project Gutenberg, we can download all those nineteenth century novels for free. There are also a ton of P. G. Wodehouse novels in the public domain and they're available at Gutenberg as well. Eventually, I suppose, we will get around to actually buying a book on Kindle.


The world is changing  in book publishing today and this little e-book thing is going to be like a small snowball rolling down a mountain.

As I told those wonderful folks who came to hear me speak at a recent Back Mountain Library luncheon, books are not going away. But e-readers aren't either. This is going to be interesting.

Every Family Needs an Artist

My recent trip to Texas was all about attending my oldest daughter's Master's art show. And I can truly say she knocked my socks off. I've seen lots of her art, but this show was just overwhelming.

As a writer, I think a lot about what it means to be an artist. If you write something, it may or may not be art. And if you build a building, it may or may not be art. But the visual arts are pretty clear-cut. If you draw a picture, it's art.

And what Naomi does is the real thing. She proves every day that just talent is not going to get you anywhere. This child has a work ethic like no other. So when you combine natural abilities with a real drive to produce and excel, you end up with the success she has had.

It's very hard to explain her work and I spend a lot of time taking pictures of her quilts from the side. Her work is 3-D and very sculptural. This work called "X" is so brilliant in its color. Both my son (pictured here with his artist sister) and I loved this one best. Her show consisted of a room of handmade books and another room full of these sculptural quilts. You can see more of her work at her website. She has a link there to purchase something if you want to have a piece of her art in your own home.

I love it that art crops up in the most unexpected places. The more I travel, the more surprised I am how public art is finding its way into airports. This gorgeous tunnel in the Detroit airport is a combination of art glass, lights and music. It's truly an experience to walk through.

Have an artistic experience today. Visit her website. Or go to an airport. Or read a book or listen to Brahms.

As the Pirates of Penzance say,  "For what, we ask, is life
               Without a touch of Poetry in it?"