And yes, I actually have a velveteen cheetah-print chaise longue in my living room in lieu of a couch. It's fabulous and glamorous and (best of all) the perfect spot for reading, as long as nobody's down in the family room with the TV blaring ( Read more... )

I woke up early this morning to drive to Lancaster, PA, where I moderated critiques all day at a table of ten picture book writers as part of the Eastern PA SCBWI's first-ever Critique Fest (attendees got three private critiques, one each from an experienced author, an agent and an editor, plus another group critique, one of which is what I ( Read more... )

On Saturday, I spent the day at the Busch Campus Center of Rutgers University, in Piscataway, New Jersey. I started my day in bed with the lovely Angela DeGroot, a local writing friend. Minds out of the gutters, folks-I was sharing a hotel room with Angela and my friend Colleen Rowan Kosinski, and there were three bodies and two beds. And Colleen ( Read more... )

My friend Angela, also a local children's writer, emailed me today to ask me how to go about critiquing rhyming poetry, since someone in her spiffy new critique group submitted some this month. Below are my initial thoughts on the topic, although I'd love to know what the rest of you look for as well:

1. Read it to yourself.See if the words make ( Read more... )

No, I haven't sold a book or anything. But I just got the most flattering, beautiful letter from Lee Bennett Hopkins that I could imagine. He is warm and encouraging and if all works well, I will someday have some of my poems in one of the (many) anthologies he puts together.

Wheeee!

And I'm not saying much about it, except to say that even in first-draft form, it's awesome. Take that, juliewinkler.

At least it's true of my writing group (myself included), and I use the term with affection.

We met for dinner last night at a lovely Italian restaurant to celebrate another year of writing together and for a Pollyanna gift exchange. The Pollyanna rules: Buy a $10 writing-related gift for the person whose name you pick.

I was thrilled when ritajr ( Read more... )

J.K. RowlingMy kids came home insisting that Ms. Rowling is going to write another 6 Harry Potter books. I've not heard it anywhere reputable, and chalk it up to wishful thinking on the part of whomever started the rumors ( Read more... )

Yay! It's the first Wednesday of the month ( Read more... )

Two weeks ago tonight was our monthly critique meeting. I received feedback on 4-5 poems. Yesterday, I spent an hour and a half or so revising one of them, and it is now a much stronger piece. Even I can see that.

So thanks again, writing group. You make me a better writer, and I appreciate you very much.