. . . drum roll please

It's almost here . . . REGISTRATION for the upcoming

One of my mostest favoritest authors is coming back, Martine Leavitt-- and openings are VERY limited--
But, I must say, that it really is unfair to say Martine is so great when honestly, I haven't had anything but excellent experiences with all my authors in the past. I mean you've got ALL these authors, agents and editors to learn from . . .

Cheri Pray Earl	Introduction to Writing for Children Class
Sharlee Glenn	Picture Book Class
Steve Bjorkman	Illustration Class
J Scott Savage	Middle Grade Class
Kris Chandler	Novel Class
AE Cannon	Novel Class
Martine Leavitt	Specialty Novel Class (more info to come)
Matt Kirby	Advanced Class
Mette Ivie Harrison	Full Novel Class (Limited to 6 participants)
Carol Lynch Williams	Writer's Boot Camp
Utah State Poet Laureate Lance Larsen	Keynote Speaker
Alyson Heller	Editor for S&S
Ammi-Joan Paquette	Erin Murphy Literary Agent
Stephen Fraser	Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency

Seriously, you get a lot of bang for your buck going to this conference. I highly recommend it. Don't miss out.

More information HERE

Plotting and Planning

I am truly blessed.

The community I work in, the people I work with, and the projects I get to work on . . . it's simply amazing the opportunities I am able to take advantage of by virtue of being where I am --

One of these is the chance to work with the brilliant Katherine Farmer. I've just worked with Katherine in her Mid-Winter Timpanogos Storytelling Festival workshop on Script and Text Analysis.

Someday soon there will be a Katherine Farmer Script and Text textbook. Someday soon more people will have the ability to study what I have been learning for the last several years.

I can't really go into deep details here, it's not my intellectual property, but I'll share a bit of how Script and Text has changed the way I write.

As a writer that hears voices first, I pretty much just follow my character's conversations.

It's all middle of the night scribbled dialogue. Lights off, still asleep scribbling.

Eventually I drag myself to the computer where I translate and transcribe the notes.

After a batch of dialogue is done, I'll find a day to sit at the computer and this is where some magic starts to happen, I become my character. My vision narrows and I am inside the story. I hear, smell, and feel. I am literally blind and deaf to anything around me--proven fact, I had a worker come in my house, start using an air compressor and hammering away on the mantle we were having him build, and it was a full hour before I realized it.

I feel great when I'm writing. I am energized and empowered. I am filled with ideas.

I save the file and go back to scribbling new midnight conversations.

HERE is where it gets hard -- I re-read what I wrote. And I hate it. I know I'll never be a writer, I'll never be published because this stuff is complete crap.

THIS is where I need script and text analysis--see image above--I analyze. I identify role functions, I make sure my win/loss scenario matches up to the kind of story I am writing. I look for my supporting characters, I determine if I have any missing characters. Did I place a body in as a SYC (my antagonist). I refuse to have any weakly embodied functions. I want power, I want conflict! From the beginning I have an exact idea of how this book is going to end, it's why I write, to get that ending. Analysis puts me back on track and keeps me focused.

And now I start over. I rewrite what I wrote. And repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

Maybe someday I'll have more than picture books to show for it.

...in the meantime, I want a big wall-sized white board where I can do my analysis on a full scale--like this analysis of Enchanted :)

EDIT:

HA HA HA! I've found a new illustration that is so me!!

Busy
I've noticed that when life gets the busiest, my ever present planner does not reflect my life accurately - and the same goes for my blogs!

The busier I am, the less I blog (which only makes sense) but my planner entries also dry up.

Looking back I see these huge blank spots, days and weeks of what looks like vacation - no entries, no appointments, no notes. I haven't fiugred out if this is a bad thing, yet.

You would think that when I am swamped that I could benefit from some organization, some lists of things the need to get done. Or, is it that I am running from one thing to the next so fast that the time it takes to sit and think and write it all down is a luxury I cannot afford. Either that or it's too scary a prospect to actually look at it all. I just might have to give up if I were to see it all in print!

All that to the side, have to update here because  . .  well, just because.

Writing Conference

The Writing and Illustrating or Young Readers Conference was AWESOME! If you are a writer, are getting started or just want to make those all important connections that are vital to getting published, you should not miss this one-of-a-kind event. There is not another conference I know where you get to spend 4 hours every day for a week with only 12 other students and a highly qualified published teacher/published author. Martine Leavitt is amazing! Seriously read Keturah and Lord Death, you will see why I am in awe.


Fabric Arts Boutique

Closely following the conference (as in that Saturday) the Orem Library held it's first annual Fabric Arts Boutique. This was a starter year, and things did not happen like I dreamed, but if you didn't score some incredible fabric and textile deals you really missed out. I don't think we can pull those kinds of deals off again. My pocketbook is not happy, but my little crafter soul is.

Plus, we raised funds for the Center for Story along with educating the public with exactly why we need to build onto the library.

Rock Canyon Literary

Next, The Rock Canyon Literary Agency L.L.C. is officially 'outed'. We've opened up submissions, although it's still fairly restrictive--we have high expectations from our clients--we will accept proposals for representation,we've got Facebooking and Twittering started (albeit, not a lot of chatter going on yet) and...of all things (I know, huge run-on sentence going on here) we are brainstorming having an editors conference next February.

After all, it's the editors that authors want to connect with right? It's great authors that editors want to find too. What if we were able to bring the best of the best together each winter in conjunction with what happens at the Timpanogos Midwinter event? What would you (as a professional storyteller, prospective children's author) want from a conference--to get published, right? Let's see what we can make happen shall we? Keep watching!

Writing Librarian

Last - I've been madly writing and planning and working, I even posted in The Writing Librarian. Not a lot, but some updates and a little back story/side story from the novel.

Oh, can't forget the 'regular' stuff!

ie: The FOURTH of JULY!!

It was some fishing and relaxing at the cabin . . .

 Uh oh, Lex has one . . .

Did I ever mention I'm a bit squeamish when it comes to touching the fish?


Not going over there again! No thanks. I'll stay on  this side and just watch from now on.

Caught a few of this little imp - must have been  read too many frog princess stories or something, she was KISSING the worms!

Utah has new fireworks laws - kids in a candy shop, not that I got any of THOSE pictures. Justin did tho'...I'll post when he uploads :)

Ta for now!

Oh my... an endless supply

The latest from Lex . . .
_________________

Mom?

Can you remind me when I'm grown up that I wanted to be an author.

Unless 9 year olds can be authors.

If I can publish books now, you can be my editor.

Oh, and after I finish The Pucker Princess, I have another idea . . .

Everyone thinks dinosaurs are extinct (big raised-brow pause here) but what if they AREN'T??!
_______________

I swear, I should write her as a character in a book.

Interlude...

There is just too much going on for me right now to even begin to cover it all, but I had to butt in here (amongst all the crafty posts) and mention some news . . .

I received a reply on my picture book submission from one of the publishing houses!

First, let me preface by saying that I submitted this manuscript at the editor's request - I had a chance to do a pitch

~this pitch~

(Keep in mind that it was pretty off-the-cuff and not as polished as I would have liked. I was trying to remember my cover letter stuff. I would re-word it if I were to use it later in my cover letter or whatever.)

______

Oliver used to be ordinary--yesterday.
Oliver, to his surprise, has begun to float.
Oliver has lost his gravitational grip.
     (wish I'd phrased these better here)

Unfortunately schools aren't equipped to deal with kids who develop an unusual aptitude like altitude.

Ordinary Oliver, a picture book tale for anyone who has found themselves on their own, and overlooked, by their grown-ups.

     (he then asked for a 'comparison', an "it's this book meets that book" kind of thing)

Ordinary Oliver: It's Tuesday meets The Shrinking of Treehorn with a twist of Bad Case of Stripes.
     (I could not remember Imogene's Antlers - I would have liked to throw that one in there too.)
____________

Excerpts from the reply:

Picture Book Marathon

I have not been posting a lot lately. Call me crazy, but I've been re-directing all my extra time into manuscript writing. I currently have two picture book manuscripts out for submission. I was planning on attending to my much neglected novel writing for the next few months when guess what cropped up - - -

The 2011 Picture Book Marathon!



Artist: Nathan Hale /  follow this link to Nate's blog

For anyone who writes or illustrates for the picture book market - it's not too late. You can still sign up and join in the fun. Just follow this link to the PBM's website. Scroll to the bottom and sign-up instructions are posted.

 The craziness begins Feb 1st

p.s. Check out Nate's posts from the 2010 Picture Book Marathon - here is the start. You'll have to scroll up through February to get the rest - it's worth effort!

Picture Book Map

Just quick...

In my writing I have found that a little chart, that I believe I originally got from the author Debra Frasier, has been tremendously helpful.

For anyone plotting out the pacing of their picture book, for anyone who just wants to visualize their story, for anyone who likes writing picture books... this might be useful to you.

Have fun!

Writing or just plain going nuts?

Notes on writing:

When its 2:00 a.m. and the voices in your head have decided to pull an all-nighter, its probably not a good time to remind yourself that becoming a writer really was a choice you made.

Although, that choice thing is a bit debateable. I personally think that all I ever did was let the toe of the beast in my door, I really can't pinpoint the day I opened the door entirely and allowed it to consume me.

That said, the voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas.

Excitement

Remember when, probably as a kid, but hopefully as an adult too, you were so excited about something that you could hardly breathe?

I'm having a bit of that in triplicate this week.

So, what have I been up to that has me more excited than working on the Summer Reading programming did a few months ago?

1st- I was awarded an employee award yesterday. My incredible co-workers nominated me and I was given a beautiful trophy along with a bit of monetary thank-you. I honestly work with some of the most incredible people. I would be nothing without their constant help. The only reason I got the award is because I had their support to get there.

2nd- I've been taking a writing class at the local college (one of the local colleges) and although it makes me feel ancient, I am having the time of my life! It's nerve wracking, tense and oh so much FUN! Even better than the class are the people I get to work with, in particular author Rick Walton. This guy is amazing. Ask any Utah childrens author, of whom I hope to join in their ranks soon.
...little side note here, Rick, being the brainaic that he is, is starting a literary agency for professional storytellers - in particular, working with the giants of storytelling and getting them published as picture book authors. I get to help! Rock Canyon Literary...

3rd- (oh, but certainly NOT the least)- I am studying (with a professor at the other local college) script and text analysis. I was introduced to the concept last February at the Timpanogos Storytelling Midwinter Conference. It was a life-changing experience. You might ask what script and text analysis is? Well, it's simply the most incredible way of breaking down a script or text (actually just about ANYTHING that has a story) and being able to really know and pinpoint what makes a story work or not work.

Where am I going with all of this? I am a bit unsure at this point, all I do know is that the moon is looking mighty close right now and even if I just land in the stars I'll be there with a huge smile on my face.

As distant and as far...

So, do you ever find yourself wondering what bloggers do when they are out in the 'there' and not blogging? I mean, not everything gets blogged, right?

I mean -  me, you - we can be anywhere. You can access the Internet at any time. We could be thousands of miles apart, and yet, we can be as close as the computer screen in front of you.

Ha! Anyway, if you didn't wodner (Amy hte dyslexic librarian strikes again...let's try that again...) WONDER before, maybe you will now...

I, for one, have been an absentee blogger. I must admit I've been filling my days with other stuff, non-blog stuff, you know, life stuff.

The truth of it is I have been having a blast creatively. Writing, planning, preparing, practicing....

Are you curious as to what it is? Check out the progress here

Stephen King On Writing

On Writing by Stephen King

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved the first half of the book - and I don't totally recommend skipping to the middle and reading from there. Besides, if you love reading as much as I do, you won't skip anything... but WOW to the second half! Incredible book for any want-to-be writer to have in their 'bag'.


View all my reviews.

These are going to be famous people someday!

It's a Class Photo of the fantastic Author Kathi Appelt along with our BYU workshop class of 08 :)



Yep, famousness in the making :)