Odds & Ends and Fun Writer Posts

Hello All!

It's been some time since I've last seen you. I haven't forgotten you, I've been writing. Lots. And when I'm productive in the writing department, I try to stay away from distractions -because the goal is, after all, to get published!

I did write one post and not share it. I think I got distracted. Which, if you know me, doesn't surprise you one bit.


So here is a Late January Post:

As I pulled into the garage today after school, a skateboard magically flew from its perch on the peg wall, hit the side of the van, and landed under the wheel. I backed over the skateboard and out of the garage. (There was no other way to do this since everything in the garage only fits one way.) Then I put the skateboard back in place. (The van was not wounded). As I walked under the eaves and back to the driver's seat, someone slammed the front door of the house causing much of the snow on the roof to land on my head, in my hood, and down my shirt.

The van is in the garage, and I have decided to spend the rest of the day indoors.

And a Crock Pot Recipe I Thought Sounded Good:

BBQ Sauce - Pork Loin w/ Dr. Pepper & lots of garlic. Skim fat. Let cool. Add tomato paste and spices to taste.

And Some Great Blog Posts!

Just One More Page - A new blog by Dave Richardson. All of you Verlakay people know him as "dave r." Dave is an indie bookbuyer/seller for The Blue Marble Bookstore in Ft. Thomas, KY, and he writes a regular book review column for The International Reading Association's READING TODAY. His posts are informative, fun and funny! 

Jennifer Represents -Nancy Drew and the Case of the Guilty Silence - Have you ever wondered why an agent hasn't responded back to a request for a manuscript? 

Also from Jennifer - When to Keep Your Trap Shut? Almost Always. This has some excellent advice for bloggers and others with an online presence. 

Jules Watson - Historical Fiction Workshop - Have you always wanted to attend a writing workshop, but it's never been in the budget? Jules Watson has posted a complete Historical Fiction Workshop, and it's FREE!

Jill Corcoran - How to Sub Queries & Full Manuscripts in the Digital Age "Subbing your ms to agents has definitely changed. No more do you print out reams of paper and ship them off in a box. Now you query and send full requested manuscript via email. And we agents then forward your email with the requested full manuscript to our e-reader, which for me is a kindle. So here are some important tips to help you sub successfully in the digital age."

Finally, because it made me laugh, and because it's TRUE, a video from Jackson Pearce, author of Sister's Red and As You Wish.

Keep Writing!

Nora

I

Chautauqua, Writer Stuff, and New Blog Bling!

Chautauqua Writer's Workshop starts Saturday.  Bring it on, I'm ready!

Today I received an email from my workshop mentor, award-winning author, Donna Jo Napoli. She's giving us her written comments on our manuscripts after the Saturday opening banquet so we can have a look before our individual discussions. I've sent in my current WIP, a YA fantasy that is just shy of the half-way finished mark. I'm looking forward to this. I love critique sessions. I always come away feeling like I've had a creative power charge.

I'm hoping to blog my experience while I'm there, but several past attendees have told me not to make promises. The days are full, and when they're over I'll want to crash early. That's what they tell me, but I'm a SERIOUS night owl. Which probably means that come mid-week, I'll crash and burn from the early days. Never fear. I've planned ahead. Yup. I've worked a mid-week power nap into my schedule.  If it turns out you don't hear from me during the week, I DO promise to blog my experience when I return.

I've been blog surfing again, and I'd like to share some of my favorites.

Alice Pope, former editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, is the new SCBWI blogger. Here are a few things you can find on her blog:

• Interviewing editors and agents
• Featuring SCBWI success stories/debut authors and illustrators
• Highlighting great industry blogs
• Featuring markets/new markets/new imprints
• Getting your questions answered by industry experts
• Reporting on SCBWI news and events
• Hosting writers stopping by on blog tours
• Sharing my favorite tweets for children's writers
• Offering general publishing news

Mike Duran wrote a must-read post about The Craft Of Routine.  He discusses why productivity matters in publishing, and productivity is about mastering a routine. 

Harold Underdown has compiled a supplementary resource for the Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, 3rd Edition. It includes guides to writing children's books, writers writing about writing, guides addressing a particular genre, topic, or problem, and guides to creativity.

Save the Words made me giggle, AND it's a challenge.

And finally (drumroll).... I've got new blog bling! (That's important, and reason to celebrate)

  Alex Gartner has given me The Versatile Blogger Award (Thanks Alex!). I'm supposed to thank and link back to the person who gave this to me and share 7 things about myself (which I'll do in another post since this one is getting long...).

And Medeia Sharif gave me the Trendy Blog Award (Thank you, Medeia!).  

Both awards require me to pass it along, and I will. But first I need to start packing for Chautauqua! 

Keep Writing,

Nora

Writing and Must Read Resources

School's out!

I've been writing quite a bit this week. It feels good to have uninterrupted time to do so. I'm working towards having a complete 1st draft before leaving for Chautauqua. Wish me luck!

I've read quite a few interesting blog articles lately, and I'd like to share some of my favorites.

For those of you who blog and use social networking to market yourselves, here are two articles you might be interested in reading. The first is from SocialMedia Examiner: 5 Easy Steps to a Winning Social Media Plan.

On the flip side, I found this article about The Hidden Costs of Social Networking posted on Chip's Blog (MacGregor Literary)

This post left me hopeful... How the Intern Reads Your Proposal, by Lauren at BookEnds, LLC - A Literary Agency.

Query Tracker Blog has a terrific post about Providing Better Critiques: Being Detailed in Your Feedback.

Marissa Graff and Martina Boone have a wonderful blog called Adventures in Children's Publishing. Their Pre-submission Checklist is an excellent piece of advice to anyone beginning the submission process.

And finally, Sara B. Larson had Elana Johnson as a guest poster on her blog. The topic: "Finish Strong!!!" Elana includes her "embarrassing stats" on her way to publication. This is a MUST read for any writer who is discouraged about rejections.

Keep Writing!

Monday Montage

The end of the school year for teachers is a crazy busy time, especially if you travel and have more than one building to close. I have three to shut down this year, and I'm preparing to implement a brand new program for next year. It is a fabulous opportunity for the kids, and I'm excited! Don't tell anyone, but I've got the best job in the district.

I've neglected my blog in May. Sorry! But today I've some things to share. It's a bit of a hodgepodge. No real theme, just some catch up items.

Forty-Seven days until I leave for the Writer's Workshop at Chautauqua (dances with glee in between severe bouts of anxiety).

I'm now on Twitter! That's right, one more writing distraction has been added to my life. You can thank Alex, a former student and current Novel Workshop attendee. He informed me that I needed to join because of the contacts, the information, and the literature chats - specifically #YALitChat, every Wednesday night from 9PM - 10:15 PM. He then proceeded to sign me up, give me a username and password, and emailed the information to me. I asked him if that made us both twits. He laughed, kind of, then forwarded to me a list of Tweet vocabulary. I am now ready for Twitterland, and I promise not to call any fellow tweeters twits.

I am reading a new book called HARMONIC FEEDBACK, by debut author Tara Kelly. You can find out more about her at her website, and on Twitter @AuthorTaraKelly.

Here are some recent posts I've read with terrific writing advice:
Wordiness, Wordiness, Wordiness List
The Ten Best Things You Can Do For Your Manuscript
NaNoReVisMo #1: the electric kool-aid conflict test
Nine Questions & Answers, by Cheryl Klein

Kim Kasch posted a beautiful poem on her blog today: Memorial Day - Let's Take a Minute to Remember

Thanks to author Rena Jones who awarded me the Blogger Buddy Award. (Sorry it took me so long to post). I love this, because it came from Rena, and because I'm a sucker for blog bling...

My garden (aka. the jungle) is calling.  I must attempt to tame at least one area before dinner. The rest of the evening is slated for my WIP.  Have a wonderful and relaxing Memorial Day.

And the Winner Is...

It's time to post the winner of the Truth or Lies contest. First, I want to thank Marcia for tossing this my way. It was quite fun!

Confession time...

1. When I was 15, I found 47 four-leaf clovers in one summer. I still have them. They're pressed in wax paper and stored in a Dr. Suess "Go, Dog Go" book.

This one is a lie. I did find 17 four leaf clovers one summer. They were all in one spot next to a corn field behind my Dad's shop. I stuck them between the pages of a novel I was reading then forgot about them. I found them again several years ago - then promptly lost them.

2. I once fed 35 Texans chili so hot it'd burn a hole in your cheek and make your tongue drop out, but they still added their own habanero peppers that they carried in their pockets; ran into Kris Kristofferson's belt buckle (he's really tall); chatted up with Johnny Cash (he was a true gentleman), and talked to Johnny Paycheck on the phone - all in one day.

True! I spent a couple of summers cooking for the roadies and band members that performed at Timberwolf Theater at Kings Island theme park near Cincinnati. I got to meet some memorable characters. Some of my favorites were - Mick Fleetwood, who showed up in the green room wearing leggings and fringed boots up to his knees. He was traveling with Pat Benetar, who kept her washer in a road case. She wheeled it into the bathroom, hooked it up to the sink, and proceeded to do her laundry all afternoon. Meanwhile, there were lots of ladies with crossed legs... Mark Chestnutt was the warmup band for Clay Walker. Mark kept to himself that day, but Clay was out and about - riding rollercoasters and greeting people all over the park. The Highway Men were my very favorite. The roadies called me 'mam and darlin' all day. I cooked everything they wanted. ;) I really did make the chile hot. My own crew smothered theirs with LOTs of sour cream and cheese. I had to laugh when the road crew asked if I'd be offended if they doctored their chile with their own peppers. They pulled them right out of their pockets! When I answered the production phone for Johnny Paycheck, he wanted to know, "Is Willie there? I'm across the highway with my eight kids and wife, and need to get into the park." I had to tell him Mr. Nelson hadn't arrived yet, but I'd get a manager to see if they could help him. Funny, most of Willie Nelson's road crew looked just like him. All in the family? The best thing about cooking for 10 hours? Getting to watch the concert for free in the wings.

3. I rode the Tilt-A-Whirl 42 times in a row at Coney Island in Cincinnati, because I love my daughter.

Heck no! I did watch my daughter and one of her friends accomplish the feat. The ride's line was empty. They would get off and run right around to get back on. Made me ill watching them.

4. My husband and I were arrested on our first date.

Nope, but my Mom and Dad were. Dad was in the Air Force and stationed at Wright Patt. He and Mom were on a blind date, and Dad ran a stop sign. At that time, the town of Fairborn expected the military to pay their fine on the spot. That way an offender couldn't get transfered out without paying their fine. Dad didn't have the $5 for the ticket, and Mom had to call her sister to come bail him out of jail. She must have forgiven him. Dad proposed two weeks later, and they were married six months after that.

5. I sang a singing saw part in Aram Khachaturian's "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" with the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. The guy who was supposed to play the saw got sick, and there was no back-up saw player. I was the only one who could sing that high.

Yes. I really did. I got a call from the conductor who said I'd been recommended by the University, and could I please come right away for a quick rehearsal. It was insane. The highest note was the G above high C (two octaves above middle C). The lowest note wasn't low. At all. When I listened to the recording later, it sounded almost like a synthesizer. It was a pretty cool experience.

6. I competed at the Grape Stomp Competition at the Hollister Grape and Fall Festival in Branson, Missouri. It was over a week before my toes were no longer blue.

I've never been to Missouri, but if I go, I'd like to try this.

There you have it! And now for the winner... (drumroll.......) Nikki! She guessed both truths and became a follower. (The drawing was done by my husband. I had nothing to do with it other than getting the right number of votes in for everyone) Congratulations Nikki, and thanks to everyone who played!

Nikki, please contact me at nora.macfarlane@yahoo.com so I can get your gift card to you.

February Critique Giveaway

Hey All,
Marsha Hoehne, an Institute of Children's Literature instructor, is having a February Critique Giveaway. She will critique the first 1000 words of two manuscripts -children's magazine story, chapter book, mid-grade novel, or YA novel. Visit her blog for the details!

Goofin' Around...

I'm goofin' around with my blog design. Please let me know if it gets obnoxious or too hard to read. This one is my daughter's favorite. It works thematically. Mine was a little more subtle...

Update - daughter loves it. Hubbie says it's too busy. Since you are the ones who read it, what are your thoughts? Be honest. I've got a tough skin!

For those of you with an online presence...

For those of you who facebook, twitter and blog, here's an interesting editorial from the New York Times. Definitely food for thought.

Book Give-Away!!!

FYI - Do you like free gifts? Tabitha Olsen has a fabulous book give-away contest happening on her blog. The titles are great. Check it out!

Thoughts on Gross...

WARNING: THIS REALLY IS ABOUT GROSS!

You can't be an elementary school teacher and not have a high GTL (Gross Tolerance Level). The type of gross you deal with depends upon the grade level you teach. In my humble opinion, pre-school, kindergarten and primary teachers are saints. The level of gross they deal with each day is daunting. My classroom is right next to a Head Start pre-school room. Not only do those teachers get to wipe runny noses and brush toddler's teeth, they get to change diapers too. That's right. Pre-schoolers don't have to be potty trained to attend public school. Yuck.

First and second graders are all about holes and fingers. Fingers in their ears. Fingers in their noses. Fingers in their mouths. And they like to use their sticky fingers to poke the teacher to get their attention. Thank goodness they're cute. You can forgive a lot when cute is involved.

Gross takes on a whole new meaning once boys reach 3rd and 4th grade. Out-grossing one another becomes the goal. Recess can be quite an educational experience. If you notice a huddle of boys in fits of laughter in the corner of a playground, it's a good bet there's gas coming out one end or the other.

You haven't lived until you've been cooped up in a hot classroom with a group of 5th or 6th graders who just came in from gym or recess. The smell is unbelievable. You can try to talk to them about personal hygiene, but please know that you will lose them at the mere mention of the words "body odor." Uncontrollable laughter will ensue. You'll be lucky to get them to hear they must wash before they put on deodorant. It's a preventative, not a cover up... HAHAHAHAHAHAH...

Lots of people get tickled at gross. My mother-in-law would become incapacitated by silent, gut-wrenching giggles at the word fart. She would laugh so hard she couldn't breathe, and then she'd snort and start all over again. One Christmas someone, probably one of the sisters, got her The Book of Farts. She laughed so hard all day that her sides hurt by dinnertime. I miss that lady.

My mother would not laugh at the word fart. No. Instead, she would tilt her head and raise an eyebrow at you. She probably didn't dare laugh since it would only encourage my dad and brother to raise the gross ante. They're pretty good at that.

If you're wondering why in the world this topic came to mind, you can blame Lisa Yee and her facebook entry from yesterday. That's right. Lisa's facebook entry began: "Regarding snots and boogers, which ones are hard and which ones are soft?" So far 57 people have chimed in with an opinion. Thank you, Lisa, for some very vivid dreams last night.

I'm done with gross for now. Really, I am.

Fabulous Writer Advice

Short and sweet today. Nathan Bransford's March 5th entry is just what I needed to read, so I thought I'd share it with you.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THE HAPPY WRITER

Enjoy!

One Month of Blogging!

So, I've now been blogging for one month, and I've learned a few things:

1. Never make public goals that are impossible to keep (NanoWriMo).
2. Blogging is addicting.
3. Edit before you post.
4. Visit other blogs.
5. Bloggers are fun people!!

I'm looking forward to the next month of blogging!

Awesome Blog Award...

GOES TO...   The Bookshelf Muse!

I am proud to say I am an "Esteemed Stalker" of The Bookshelf Muse: a collection of musings about reading, writing and other randomness. 

Troubles writing a description? Not a problem. A simple trip to Angela and Becca's Setting Description Thesaurus will put your thinker back in gear. Does your character have issues with expression? Visit the Emotion Thesaurus - "an 'idea bank' for the times when you get stuck." 

I have recommended this site not only to my writer friends, but also to my coworkers who teach writing. Keep it coming, ladies! Terrific site!