I'm a pretty supersticious person. For the past several years, I've made it a point on the first of the year to do the things I hope to do throughout the year. It hasn't seemed to work any of these years. This year, I just took the day as it came. I did what our schedule allowed. I had no preconceived plans (ok, so I had plans, just didn't get to ( Read more... )

I’m just coming down from the most awesomest writing weekend EVER! My soul needs these things more often ( Read more... )

I've been keeping busy lately with many different crafts - most involving ribbon. I now have a ribbon addiction. I love crafts and I figured it would distract me from the fact that my muse has been hibernating. In addition to braided headbands, reversible headbands, ribbon wreaths, corkers, etc., I now have really good guts to a new picture book. ( Read more... )

I've been reading in cyberspace that many had nice, quiet, relaxing holidays. They feel recharged and roaring to go in 2011. Me? Not so much. We had a flood in the basement last spring so we've been without one since then. That means the kids lost their play space and access to most toys. You can imagine what my house looked like during that time ( Read more... )

Aren't Tuesdays book talk days around here? If so, here goes. If not, well here goes anyway ( Read more... )

Speak is a book I've tried to write. It would have been semi-autobiographical. This was the first stumbling block. They say write what you know, but that's not as easy as it sounds. The second was no one could write that book better than Laurie Halse Anderson!! NO ONE. Speak is an important book for our time, and unfortunately our children's time. ( Read more... )

This one's for Kate Messner since she loves revision so much. lol ( Read more... )

It may be late in coming, but the gratitude remains. HUGE thanks to Anindita, Greg and all the faculty/volunteers of last weekend's New England SCBWI conference. While I didn't get to go to much of the breakout sessions on Sat, I was filled to the brim with information, friendship and inspiration ( Read more... )

Many of my writing friends are heading off to the Hudson Book Festival. While I'm excited for them, and wish I could go, I'm sad for me. I sent an application to attend, and never heard from the organizers. I guess I should take the blame for not following up more, but I didn't want to be a stalker. Have TONS of fun, everyone ( Read more... )

So I don't normally post on special days (Thankful Thurs, Poetry Fri, nonfiction Mon, etc), but I felt the need today. Yeah, yeah, I know... I don't normally post. lol ( Read more... )