Jennifer Bertman: From the Mixed-Up Files

A Peek at the Creative Space of Lisa Jahn-Clough

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Lisa Jahn-Clough has published over a dozen picture books and three young adult novels. Her work has won awards from Child Magazine, Parent's Choice, Bank Street, Raising Readers, and Entertainment Weekly. Her latest young adult novel, Nothing But Blue, will be published in May 2013. Here is a summary from the publisher:

All dead. No one survived. All dead. This morbid chant haunts seventeen-year-old Blue as she trudges through the countryside with just the clothes on her back, heading to her childhood home on the ocean. Something absolutely awful has happened, she knows it, but she doesn't know what. She can't even remember her name, so she calls herself Blue. This gripping survival story--peppered with flashbacks to bittersweet times with her boyfriend Jake--strips life down to its bare bones. Blue learns, with the help of a seemingly magical stray dog and kind people along the road, that the important thing is to live.

And the book trailer for Nothing But Blue:

Lisa also teaches writing and is currently Assistant Professor at Rowan University. She earned her BA from Hampshire College and an MFA from Emerson College. She speaks to hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students and teachers as a visiting author.

If you'll be in the area, you can join her for three upcoming events to celebrate her latest novel. One at the Hudson Children's Book Festival on May 4th in Hudson, NY; a reading and launch event with fellow YA author Evan Roskos on May 9 at 7pm at the Rowan University Barnes and Noble in Glassboro, NJ; and another book launch event at Longfellow Books in Portland, Maine, on June 6 at 7pm.

To learn more about Lisa, visit her website.

Describe your workspace.

For the past few years I’ve been splitting my time between two places. During the academic year I am in southern New Jersey where I teach creative writing at Rowan University. In the summers and for the long winter break I am in my home in Portland, Maine. My husband, Ed Briant also writes, illustrates, and teaches which enables us to do this. I do some creative work during the teaching semesters, but the bulk of it is done in my workspace in Maine. So I will focus on that one.

It’s a funky, bright yellow bungalow tucked in the middle of the small, artsy, coastal city of Portland. I bought it in 1999 with money I’d earned from book advances. Friends have commented that it looks like the kind of house my picture book characters live in, and they may be right. The house was built as “temporary” housing in 1864 after a large fire destroyed much of the city. It has odd angles, sloping floors, quirky additions, and big buildings have risen all around it. But there it stands—my little house. There is even a tiny postage-stamp yard for a few flowers and peeing dogs. (Too bad the two the don’t mix better—it’s a constant struggle.) It is not a fancy house, it is not a shipshape house. The floors slope, there are no right angles, the walls buckle, but it is a solid and cozy house. Neither my husband nor I are perfectly tidy, right-angled people, so it suits us.

I lived there by myself for six years, then met my husband and he moved in. People in the neighborhood have coined it the “Elf House,” because instead of being two-story, it is actually one and a half story. A 6’ person is very uncomfortable on the upstairs floor (the rooms are 6'7). With the two of us, two dogs, plus a lot of art and books, it is very full.

My actual workroom is off the kitchen—one of the quirky additions, probably added around the turn of the century. My husband’s studio is upstairs, so we generally don’t hear one another. My room is an office on one side and a studio on the other, but it really all merges together. Pretty much the whole house is an art-writing space. If I’m restless in my study I write in the living room, or at the kitchen table, or on the stoop. I can pretty much write anywhere. In fact I often have to leave the house for a café or library. Whereas, art needs to be done at my art table.

Describe a typical workday:

During the semester I have to squeeze my writing in around classes, committees, etc., and there are some months that are so crazy-busy I know I won’t produce anything. My classes are generally in the afternoon and evening, so this is how a day might go:

6:00 AM—Younger dog whines for food. Husband or I stumble up and give him what he wants, then back to sleep.

7:00—Coffee, read news, respond to emails, take care of school and book-related “business.”

9:00-10ish—walk dogs and husband in wildlife refuge.

11-1 ish—if all caught up on school prep, I manage to get an hour or two of writing time, but usually I’m reading student stories for class.

1:00 PM--shower, try to look presentable, and make a mad dash to school.

In Maine it goes more like this:

6:00 AM—younger dog whines for food. Husband or I stumble up and give him what he wants. Instead of back to sleep, if it’s summer and beautiful I start in right away with coffee.

7:00-9ish—walk dogs and husband on gorgeous Maine shore, about 3 miles away.

9:00-noon-ish—enter studio/office. If I have something underway I get right to work, but if trolling for the next project, I putter about, do more emailing "business," waste time online, make more coffee, annoy dogs, weed garden, walk to favorite bookstore or cafe and try to write there.

Noon-1ish—By this time I have either gotten a lot of work done, a little, or none. Time to meet husband in kitchen for lunch.

2:00-4:00—Back to work. Or nap.

4:00—Bike ride, swim, or another dog walk.

I rarely work after 5 PM, unless I am under deadline, and then all sense of time is out the window.

Bear in mind, not every day is typical—there are times when I have company, am traveling, or filling my creative mind with reading, going to galleries, having meaningful conversations, taking long, long walks, or wandering about. These things contribute to my “work” in all sorts of ways. I tend to be more of a spurt writer than one who writes exactly the same time and the same way every day. But during those spurts when I am writing, this is how it generally goes.

What media do you use and which is your favorite? (If you do digital art, what software do you use?)

I use gouache. I find it more forgiving and versatile than watercolor.

I am a die-hard brush-and-paint artist. I love the feel, I love the smell of paint, plus I have lousy computer skills. Seriously, lousy.

This is probably why I am not doing much book illustration anymore. My art is old-fashioned and sloppy. It has a certain "charm" but it is not spiffy. I think I will have to clean it up considerably to illustrate again. For now I am doing art for gifts and pleasure. I know that sounds defeatist, but I never trained as an artist—it was something I picked up from my artist mom.

I've always thought of myself more as a writer who has art in her life. It was my editor who encouraged me to illustrate my first book, for which I am grateful. That was 1994.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

As you can see from the pictures, I have a lot of toys, books, and art in my studio and all around the house. When my husband moved in he brought his own magnificent collection of clay figurines and paper sculptures, including the Elvis head that he made for an illustration assignment that now sits on top of the corner bookshelf in the living room.

Most of the art is by someone I know or has a personal connection attached to it. I don’t think I can name any one favorite thing. The stuff in the Maine house is more eclectic, a variety of old stuff, stuff we have made, and some newer toys, and it is spread out throughout the house. Luckily we leave the house mostly as is when we go back to NJ so we don’t have to pack it all up. The NJ home has its own clutter, but far less, and it mostly sits all on one shelf. The picture with Felix the cat and the tin robots is from that shelf in NJ, the rest are in Maine. I’ve come to actually appreciate the change in environment, as long as I can be in Maine for a good chunk of the year.

One, or rather two specific things that are worth pointing out are my Alicia and Neptune plush dolls from my first picture book Alicia Has a Bad Day. In the mid-90’s, as a fresh MFA graduate and newly published author/illustrator, I started teaching at Emerson College. A group of students commissioned a professional doll-maker to make these as an end of the semester thank-you gift. It was so unexpected and so touching, it brought me to tears. Alicia and Neptune have always been my favorite of all my characters. Needless to say, it was a fantastic class, full of exceptional writers; several of them have gone on to have careers in the field.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Morning coffee and a dog-walk is a daily ritual.

I like to begin with a clean desk. It doesn't stay that way for very long, but the process of tidying up helps me focus.

Whether I am writing or making art, I usually have to get up and move around a little. Sometimes I lie down in the middle of the floor and stare at the ceiling. This helps me work out plot problems or frees my mind to move on to the next scene. When I get a glimpse of what I need to do, I rise up and write non-stop until I have completed the next chunk.

What do you listen to while you work?

While writing I don’t listen to anything, except the snoring of napping dogs. If there is construction or something going on it drives me crazy.

While doing art I listen to interviews on NPR, or put my iPod on shuffle and listen to whatever comes up.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I bring a cup of coffee into my workroom first thing. I take one sip and forget to drink the rest. It gets cold, so I make another cup. I take one sip and forget to drink the rest, so I go make another, and so on until it's noon and I can't drink coffee anymore (seriously, coffee after 1 PM keeps me up all night). I probably only drink about a mug and a half total, but in any given work morning I can make five new cups.

Snack wise—if I am truly working I don’t eat anything. If I am pretending to work I might have a big bowl of something crunchy that I can grab in handfuls—popcorn, mini carrots, nuts. I have to be careful it's nothing greasy or sweet or it will be counter-productive.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Being so deeply invested in the material that nothing else matters.

But mostly, a deadline.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

It’s become a medley of methods, and it’s slightly different for every book. For my most recent novel, Nothing But Blue, I wrote one scene at a time in a moleskin notebook, almost as if I were the character writing in her journal. I force myself to write until I finish a complete scene. Then I'd transcribe that scene into my laptop, making changes as I went. Honestly, my handwriting is so atrocious I can barely read it, so that means I am almost doing a blind-rewrite as well as composing as I type. Then I print out the pages, sit in a comfy chair (or a cafe) read them with a pen in hand and edit all over the margins, adding new material on the back, wherever. I type those changes into the laptop, again rewriting entire sections that I cannot decipher. So there's not a whole lot of rhyme or reason to it and it’s become a way to trick myself into doing a lot more revising than I think.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I hate the in-between phase. I have so many ideas bumbling about in my brain, that it drives me crazy settling on the one I can totally commit to for a long period of time. I don't use outlines. The best way to find my next book is to write and paint, which means I write and paint a lot of crap. I get frustrated, depressed, restless, think I have nothing left to say, almost give-up, drive my husband batty. But at some point in that process, and I never know when or how, the right spark strikes, and it’s a beautiful thing. It begins with a compelling and deeply personal question, usually having to do with love, loneliness, communicating, surviving—a combination of something current in my life that plagues me and something that has been brewing for a long time.

Once I find this essence of what I want to attempt to say, I write more and more and deeper and deeper to see what I am really trying to say. I have a sense of who my character is and what she wants, and I have to know where I want her to end up, but the rest is all a strange and exhilarating journey, and comes out one scene at a time.

After I have a collection of scenes—usually 30-50, I start storyboarding them on my wall to see if I can give the whole thing cause and effect. Then I will begin to make outlines and lists.

What aspect of illustrating do you find the most challenging?

Keeping everything clean! I spill paint or make smudges all over my art. See those pictures of my workspace?

Also, my ineptitude to make a slick pdf file, without having to ask my husband to do it for me.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

I often share my workspace with one or both of my dogs. I have no problem with either of them taking up couch space. In fact I love it when they come in to say hi, and stay to nap and snore on the couch. I’ve had cats, too, and they are just as pleasing.

Person wise—There was a time when my husband and I needed to share a workroom. It was surprisingly fine (most of the time). We have very different work habits. He is a middle-of-the-night worker. I rarely work after dark. When we were in the room at the same time, it was actually productive. We were quiet and respectful. It kept me from procrastinating as much. However, I don't think either of us would want this on a long-term basis! I'm way too messy, plus I really need the pacing, the lying-on-the-floor moments, and the occasional emotional outbursts when I am deep in my work, which can be embarrassing.

On a side note, I just read Lois Lowry’s answer to this question, and she said Yo-Yo Ma. Now I am fantasizing about Yo-Yo Ma in my space playing Bach concertos while I work. So if I may, I’d like to copy Ms. Lowry’s answer. Although I doubt his cello would fit in my house!

What is the best piece of writing/illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

The question my editor has always asked me about every one of my drafts is: "What are you trying to say?" All stories must say something in order to mean anything.

Also, stop fretting over inconsequential matters. Enjoy the process!

Salina Yoon Giveaway Winners!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:48:00 +0000

The winner of Pinwheel is commenter "Calliope"!

The winner of Penguin on Vacation is commenter "Sarah Grimm"!

Thank you to everyone who commented to win one of Salina Yoon's books! If you are one of the winners, please email me with your mailing address so Salina can mail you your book.

A Peek at the Creative Space of Salina Yoon (and TWO Giveaways!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:21:00 +0000

Salina Yoon is an author, illustrator, and format designer of nearly 200 novelty and board books. If you have or work with little ones, you've no doubt come across some of her wonderful books like Do Cows Meow, At the Beach, and Pretend and Play: Toolbox. Her latest novelty book is Pinwheel from Little, Brown.

Salina is also the award-winning author and illustrator of the Penguin picture book series, featuring Penguin and Pinecone, and the forthcoming Penguin on Vacation and Penguin in Love from Walker Books. Check out this super cute trailer of Penguin and Pinecone:

And Penguin keeps a blog where you can keep up with his adventures, like the time he tried to decorate for Christmas.

Salina is also the creator of another picture book, Found, also forthcoming from Walker, and the picture book, Level 1, forthcoming from HarperCollins. For more information about Salina, visit her website.

GIVEAWAY x2!!!

Salina has generously offered not one but TWO GIVEAWAYS! To celebrate the publication of her two newest titles, Pinwheel and Penguin on Vacation (both available for sale TODAY), she is giving away a signed copy of each. To be entered to win, please leave a comment on this post and the title you would most like to win. (Contest open to United States and Canada.) I will use a random number generator to pick two winners. I'll accept giveaway comment entries up until Sunday, April 21, and will announce the winners in a separate blog post next week. Good luck!

Describe your workspace.

My workspace is . . . open. Open because it has no doors and lots of windows, open 24-hours (for whatever hour I choose to work), and open to new ideas and projects always. It is also open to family traffic, but if I need extra time to work on weekends or after hours, Penguin gets positioned right in the center of my two work spaces. The family knows this means DO NOT DISTURB. When Penguin stands guard, you might hear my husband Chris say, "Boys. Penguin is up. You know what that means." And . . . they do.

Chris made the penguin cut-out for me for book events, and my mom knitted the scarf!

My studio takes up two small rooms in the front of the house. Let's take a tour!

The left room: My library is full of reference books (organized by holiday, theme, and format), picture books, and board and novelty books of all kinds. If I'm doing a book on trucks, I know exactly where to pull my trucks reference book. This room holds my desk, computer, and drafting table (for traditional artwork).

I have limited shelf space. The top two shelves of my main book shelf is reserved for just my published titles. It holds the last 100 published titles or so . . . but books get rotated as new titles come in.

The right room: This used to be a dining room. But guess what. I don't throw formal dinner parties. I throw casual ones in the kitchen or the back patio. So it was converted to my building room. I use this room for engineering formats, building dummies, sketching, packaging, and comes in very handy for wrapping presents. It also has a door to a secret room that Chris built for me (a space underneath the staircase which he finished out) for storage (and a secret play room for the boys). See if you can find the door.

Oh, Penguin! He's always traipsing through my studio!

Describe a typical workday.

The workday officially starts when my husband takes the kids to school at 8:25. I check in with my best writing buds via email, and might hop on over to the Blueboards (message board for children's authors and illustrators) before officially working. My desk is almost always clear of clutter except my to-do list (tucked away in drawer in photo, as they are super-secret!) My desktop (on the computer) is almost always not! There's a lot of misc things I need to do and lots of emails to write. If not, I'm playing online Mahjong. At 2:50, I often make a short drive to Starbucks, get a venti mocha, and take a brisk walk over to school to get the kids. Or my husband will pick them up, but I do enjoy the walk. Our community is very scenic and the nice weather often draws me out. Once the kids are home, and if I have more work to do, the Penguin goes up. If not, I'll still be on my computer (emailing, Blueboarding, Mahjonging, or news reading) but accessible to the family.

What media do you use and which is your favorite?

I mostly do digital artwork nowadays but I've worked with various mediums. I love that I can keep my space clutter free when painting digitally. No paints to put away, no brushes to clean, no illustration boards to store . . . and the biggest issue . . . storing away the final art when it is returned from the publisher. I have massive stacks of final art tucked away in my storage room. Now, all of my final files are on my computer and backed up on my external G-drive. I have an iMac, a Wacom Intuos tablet, and photo printer. I use Photoshop and Illustrator for artwork, and InDesign for final layouts.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

(1) My ceiling. Chris is very good at painting clouds (and pretty much anything else). I asked him to paint them on my ceiling. He used a paint roller, airbrush and paint brush to get this effect. I look up at the ceiling a few times a day, and it just has a lifting affect. If you want to see what else he paints, check out his website: www.christopherpolentz.com The man can paint. :-) (But hasn't attempted children's books . . . yet!)

(2) Moon face. This is the first piece of artwork I've ever purchased. I bought this hand-sculpted hand-painted piece at the university gallery when I was attending college. It hangs at our front entry and greets (or creeps out) our guests.

(3) Magic wand. This was a gift from a good friend who hand-made this beautiful, whimsical, most-magical wand! (Thank you, Mels!) If I have a book submission out, I may wave it around three times over my head and cast the acquisition spell. It has its kinks but it's only because I lost the magic-wand user-manual. The wand is magic, I'm sure!

Sorry, Cat. You didn't make it to my top 3 list. But I do adore you just the same. She sits tall, and enjoys the view.

If I'm not inside, I may work on my back patio. I had 1200 bookplates to sign for my publisher when Penguin and Pinecone was sold to Toys'R'Us for their autograph program, so it was the perfect thing to do outside. I staged most of my penguin and pinecone blog photos out here, including the "snowy" scenes! Clay penguin was also sculpted right on this table.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

If I'm starting a brand new book project, I always do a thorough cleaning of my studio spaces first. I find clutter very distracting, especially for creativity. I don't mind toys all over the family room floor or even a few dishes in the sink (since I don't have to see it while I work), but I DO mind an untidy studio space when I'm about to begin a new project.

What do you listen to while you work?

The voices in my head. :-)

The only time I will listen to music while I work is when it doesn't require as much thinking . . . like cutting, building, printing out things, or packaging up work. Otherwise, it's silent.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Coffee. Lots of it. With chocolate-flavored creamer. At least three times a day. But I'm not a snacker. I stick to just meals . . . big lunch and light dinner.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Knowing that my kids will be home by 3:30! But this doesn't mean I'm always focused. I can easily go through weeks, sometimes months, without feeling like I'm being productive at all, and then BAM! Inspiration hits, and an idea is in the works, and the submission dummy gets done in 3 weeks. Focus is sporadic and spontaneous for me. It is not regular. I do not work on books every day. Sometimes, I just think about it . . . or not. The less pressure I put on myself, the freer my mind will be to create new ideas. Being happy is a key ingredient to creativity! And vice versa.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

A book idea almost always starts on paper before moving onto screen. My initial rough sketches are pretty rough (and tiny). Here is an example of two spreads from Penguin and Pinecone.

The thumbnail sketch was about 2" x 1". The smaller I start, the less intimidating the work is. I write loose notes as I go, but let the picture tell the story before I know what to write. The story is more clear in scenes to me than actual words. As you can see, the final version of the thumbnails stayed relatively the same at finish. I flesh out the details at final stage. (Final spreads were 9" x 18", illustrated on Photoshop).

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I like to look at the whole book layout at once when I develop novelties or picture books. I print out my blank template for a 40-page PB layout, which is just 16 rectangles, each of them numbered. Often times, I end up cutting some of them out, replacing with a revised thumbnail, and taping it back on. In my work bag, I carry small child-safe scissors, tape, a fine mechanical pencil and eraser. These are in my work bag because I often develop story ideas at the library or at my local cafe. If my work requires the computer, I will be home. Whenever I can work outside of my studio, I take advantage of that just to change things up.

Rough thumbnail stage (first 8 spreads): (actual size of thumbnails here are about 3" x 1-1/2")

Sample interior spread:

What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

Creating a captivating and eye catching cover that makes the reader want to open it! The cover is critical, both for my novelties and picture books. How do you capture the essence of the book with just one single image? It's hard.

Kaleidoscope and Pinwheel (Little, Brown)

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

My 9-yr old son, no doubt. In fact, he often uses my drafting table when he's got something he's working on. And I've been giving him more drawer and cabinet space every year, so he's slowly moving into my studio. We love working together, and even help each other out. If he needs a photo reference, I can quickly put it up on the screen for him or grab it from my reference library. Need a space book? Got it. Need a book on sea animals? Have that too. (And some are my own titles.)

Space Walk and Deep Sea Dive (Sterling, 2012)

And if I want his feedback on a book dummy, he's more than happy to read and share his input. His initial thoughts are often surprisingly on the mark, sometimes to my dismay. We both enjoy working in silence, unlike my husband Chris who enjoys TV or music at all times while he works. It's a good thing that his studio is on the opposite end of the house from mine! But he comes to visit me often. :-)

Doors to Chris' art studio. (Oh… look at that. THAT'S where the frisbee went!)

What is the best piece of writing/illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

Don't fall in love with your work. This isn't to say don't love your work. If you didn't, you couldn't develop it and put in all the time it requires. But be willing to accept shelving it because if you're not, you won't be able to move forward and create more work. Each project has its purpose in an artist's/writer's journey, whether they are published or not. Whenever I've sold something, I remind myself that this project would have never been developed if I didn't keep going after the last several that didn't. Don't make yourself stuck by loving one ms too much. Move forward!

Rerun: Aaron Zenz's Creative Space

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Spring is here (although it doesn't feel like it in my neck of the woods as we're having what looks to be our biggest snow storm of the season). Spring makes me think of baby animals, and baby animals makes me thing of Chuckling Ducklings by Aaron Zenz, and so I thought I'd rerun his Creative Spaces interview today. His companion book I Love Ewe: An Ode to Animal Moms was recently published and a second companion book Hug a Bull: An Ode to Animal Dads will be published in April.

I hope you enjoy!

Aaron Zenz is the author/illustrator of Chuckling Ducklings and Baby Animal Friends and The Hiccupotamus, and the illustrator of the Howie the dog "I Can Read!" series (written by Sara Henderson), Nugget on the Flight Deck (written by Patricia Newman), Skeleton Meets the Mummy (written by Steve Metzger), and numerous other books.

He is also the host of my favorite picture book review blog, Bookie Woogie where he reviews children's books with the Z-Kids (his children). Here's the description from their blog: "Here at Bookie Woogie we pick our favorite books, review them, and create some accompanying fan art. We'll alternate week to week between new releases discovered at our local library and older favorites from our own personal collection." It's fantastic--there is a transcript of their conversation about the book and the children's artwork inspired from the talk. It's such a fantastic example of how to make books a family affair and chronicle great childhood moments at the same time.

To learn more about Aaron Zenz visit his website.

Describe your workspace.

I am fortunate to have a whole room in our house to claim as my workin' place. It is full of my favorite things. . . favorite books, favorite knickknacks, prints from my favorite artists. It's as if a bit of what goes on inside my head all day leaked out into the room.

I have drawings from my kids lining all around the ceiling.

I have a nice window with a green leafy view.

We have bookshelves all over the house. . .

I believe there are 10 big bookcases in all, and every inch of them is tightly filled.

My room has a bookcase housing my favorites, and the girls' room has a wall of shelves where the majority of our children's book collection resides.

We have over 3000 titles in just the children's book collection alone. We love books!

Describe a typical workday.

I work a self imposed third-shift. I have six wonderful kids, and my lovely wife homeschools them. And I work from home. So we are all home, all the time. I've tried on numerous occasions over the years to get work done during the day, and it just doesn't happen. About 5 years ago it dawned on me that I had the freedom to set any schedule I wanted. So I work the "other" 9 to 5... that is, 9 at night 'til 5 in the morning. . . and then I sleep until around noon. After that I'm up and can be with the family for the whole rest of the day.

It's great! I get to work while it's quiet. The family gets to have me around longer than if I were holing myself away during typical daytime work hours. It works out swell for everyone!

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

I'd have to pick some treasures that my kids made me...

I love this set of Fraggles that Gracie cut out for me:

This lizard that Isaac sculpted for me is pretty cool:

And it may not seem like much, but this simple cloud that Lily painted once-upon-a-time has been a particular bright spot for me during difficult times:

Do you have any work habits? If so, describe them.

I am very much an "attack one thing at a time" kind of person. I'm the guy that works his way around the dinner plate, eating each item in turn. This shows up in my working life in a few different ways.

I like to wrap things up neatly in single sessions. So rarely will I leave part of an illustration unfinished to pick up the next day. I'll work an extra hour or two in order to get something done on the day I started it. Or I'll quit a little early rather than get part-way through the next item on the list.

I also tackle projects one at a time. I may do the all sketches for one book, then all the final art for another book, and then back to the final art for the first book. But I really can't overlap. I can't alternate between sketches for one and final art for another over the same period of time.

What do you listen to while you work?

During the writing, designing, sketching, planning stages I have to work in silence. But when I launch into creating final artwork, I don't have to be as focused. Then I like to listen to a wide variety of things. I listen to audio books. I'm a huge fan of movie scores, so that's where I turn if I'm feeling musical. I listen to a lot of podcasts: A Way With Words, This American Life, Studio 360. Lately I've been listening to the sermons of John Piper online.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I'm a cereal guy. I always eat a big dinner with the family. But other than that meal, I chow on cereal all throughout the rest of the day.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

If everyone else in the house is asleep, I have no problem keeping focused on work. I easily plow straight through the night.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I start out with lots of notes scribbled on scraps of paper. But when it comes time to pull it all together, I type it up on the computer.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I like to live with stories in my head for a long, long time. In my head, stories grow and flourish and change. Once I take the plunge and commit an idea to paper--when I formulate actual words--then it's very hard for me to imagine the idea any other way. So I live with stories in my head as long as I can.

What media do you use and which is your favorite?

For some projects I create art with colored pencil and for some I create art digitally. I'm a firm believer that "form follows function." So I'll turn to the computer if it makes sense for the subject matter (for instance, if there will be lots of geometrical forms.) I'll also go digital if the deadlines are really tight and speed is required for the project. When I work digitally, I create everything in Photoshop.

However my favorite medium is colored pencil, and I choose it whenever I can. I work completely with Prismacolor colored pencils - no mixed media. And I use them in an unconventional way, pressing extremely hard for solid coverage so that not a speck of paper shows through. People are often shocked to find out they are viewing colored pencil. To achieve the look, I go through a huge number of pencils for any given project and break hundreds of pencil tips along the way.

What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

As a freelancer, I'm constantly working with different people. Each project introduces new art directors, new editors, departments full of new people. It's like getting a brand new boss every couple of months. So in addition to tackling the fresh book on my plate, I also have to figure out all these new people as well--what they like, how they communicate (or fail to), how much control/freedom they expect. The artwork is the easy part.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

It would definitely have to be another Creative. Someone who understands the demands and process of creativity. But I'd want it to be someone whose work inspires me--someone who does things I can't do. Someone who works in a different medium or has a vastly different style. I'd want to be awed at their output and encouraged to step up my own game.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

A person really has to be familiar with their desired field. If you want to write picture books, then read lots and lots and lots and lots of picture books. If you want to write YA, submerge yourself in that world. Learn from both the good and the bad. Figure out where other people fail and why. Learn what works and why.

A Peek at the Creative Space of Susanna Leonard Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:09:00 +0000

Susanna Leonard Hill is the author of numerous picture books including Punxsutawney Phyllis; Not Yet, Rose!; and The House that Mack Built. Her most recent titles are April Fool, Phyllis!, a follow-up to Punxsutawney Phyllis, and Can't Sleep Without Sheep, a story about a girl who takes so long counting sheep to fall asleep the sheep get tired and quit, but then finding their replacement proves to be harder than they thought.

On her blog, Susanna hosts many entertaining and informative features for writers and readers alike. Perfect Picture Books is a collection of picture book recommendations organized by category. Every Friday, anyone is invited to submit their suggestions for the list. Would You Read It? is a weekly feature posted on Wednesdays for writers to try out pitches for their works-in-progress. Visit Susanna's blog to learn more about all the fun resources she offers.

To learn more about Susanna, visit her website, her Facebook page, or Twitter to learn more.

Describe your workspace.

I am a wanderer :) I do--technically--have an office. My printer lives there, as do many books on writing craft, and shelves and shelves of picture books. Also a piano--which helps with writing more than you might think :) But my office only gets sun from an east-facing window in the morning. And I don't like to sit in one place. So I do a lot of work at the kitchen table (where there is sunshine whenever the sun is out).

When I get tired of sitting, I stand at the kitchen counter. If the weather is nice, I sit on the back porch steps, or the mudroom steps--I like steps :) In winter, I sit on the edge of the fireplace a lot (it's warm . . . and just like a step :) ) And since a lot of writing is thinking time, I do a lot of my work out walking or running with my dogs, or while I'm driving--I have a lot of kids and I do a lot of driving :)

Describe a typical workday.

Sometimes I think it would be nice if there WAS such a thing as a typical workday--maybe I'd be more organized and make better use of my time :) But one of the things I like best about writing is that it allows me to work on my own schedule. If I need to make an eagle costume, or serve lion cupcakes for my daughter's birthday, or go to a soccer/football/volleyball/basketball/lacrosse game or a wrestling match, or visit a kindergarten class to share one of my books, or go to a class play or a jazz band concert, or spend the day snuggled on the couch reading stories with someone who has a sore throat, I can. So typical? Not in my house :)

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

#1 Sunshine. Of course I can't control it, so sometimes there isn't any, but I'm convinced my brain is solar powered and I think much better when it's sunny :)

#2 My dogs :) They keep me company. They make me get up and go for a walk. I can read them anything I am working on and they never say anything mean :)

#3 Picture books. I have A LOT. They are beautiful--both words and pictures--and I find them so inspiring. When I feel stuck, it always helps to remind myself of what I'm aiming for.

I also have a bunch of stuffed animals and puppets that represent characters from my books.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I don't really have any rituals. Show up and work--that's about it.

What do you listen to while you work?

I don't listen to anything while I'm working.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I usually have a cup of coffee on my desk. It has usually been reheated way too many times to actually be potable. But I keep it there anyway. It's comforting :)

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

I don't know. When I'm working, I'm working. I am so focused that people can walk into the room and talk to me and I don't notice . . . Maybe I just like my work? :)

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I write picture books, so they aren't that long, and I write all my first drafts longhand and then type them into the computer. I don't know why, but I think better with pen in my hand and I like the physical act of writing.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I don't have a system. I usually get a piece of an idea, and after letting it roll around in my head for a while (an amount of time over which I have no control) it will join up with another piece of an idea and suggest a story that could work. Then I write it and see where it goes. Very scientific, no? :)

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Since, as I mentioned, I tend to move around, I often share my workspace. I like having my kids around, and often do my work while they do their homework. It's companionable.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

Write the stories you want to write, and don't give up.

What a Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 13:06:00 +0000

I had a brand-spanking new Creative Spaces interview to post last weekend, but then we had an unfortunate turn of events with our beloved dog Jack. We had to say goodbye to our old friend, and all things blog related were shelved in the back of my mind. Jack lived a good 11.5 years. He was a rescue puppy and a sweetheart of a dog. He had this bellowing howl that he gave to friends and strangers alike. He went on nightly skateboarding runs with my husband and loved to trot around our court visiting neighbors (howling his greetings, of course).

After our sad Sunday night, I woke up Monday morning to an extremely exciting email: Ammi-Joan Paquette wanted to be my agent! Joan and I have been corresponding for two years. She actually found me through this blog and emailed me because she liked the premise of my middle grade novel. I'll write a more detailed post in the future about signing with Joan, but for now I am doing happy dances.

And as if those two things weren't enough for one week, we also bought a new house. So it's been a busy and surreal week, to say the least. An emotional roller coaster for sure.

A Peek at the Creative Space of Jean Reidy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Jean Reidy is the author of picture books Too Purpley!, Too Pickley!, and Too Princessy!, the Colorado Book Award winner Light up the Night, and Time Out for Monsters!

Her latest picture book, All Through My Town, publishes this week. Kirkus Reviews says "Richard Scarry has some competition" and School Library Journal says "This spirited picture book is as much fun to browse through as it is to read." All Through My Town has also been included on the Kids Indie Next List.

Jean's celebrating the publication of All Through My Town this week with all sorts of fun things on her blog. Visit here to find out more!

To learn more about Jean Reidy, visit her website and her blog.

Describe your workspace.

My workspace is a sunny, small room--sometimes a veritable green house -- which sits above the entryway in my house. That sunlight comes from a wall of huge windows that open to my front yard and street, so I can see the comings and goings of my cul-de-sac.

Then through the double doors and more windows on the opposite side, I have a direct shot of my backyard. Lovely--especially in winter.

The space was once a bonus room where we kept a desktop computer, reference books and supplies–my kids took it over as their homework area. But two years ago, when my youngest left for college, I de-cluttered it, bought some inexpensive, durable shelving, an extra filing cabinet and created a space– albeit small–that was all mine.

The rest of my house is a flurry of color, pattern and family pictures–which I love too. But for my office I wanted a clean, composed, calm space. It's my attempt at keeping my mind uncluttered. And sometimes it works.

Describe a typical workday.

Make coffee. Check e-mail. Pray. Take care of business--school visits, promotion, family stuff, finances, etc. Write. Workout. Check e-mail. Write some more.

Do you see an interesting order here? Writing has slipped to fifth place on the list which, after all the "business," often feels like tenth or eleventh or twentieth. But I'm beginning to change that up a bit.

When my kids were young, before social media or even e-mail were big, I used to write first thing in the morning. I've been trying, lately, to put writing before everything else in my day–well, except for the coffee. When I do, the muse sings a little louder. She's not crowded out with my inbox and other competing distractions. The only other thing I'd consider putting first is praying. Both praying and writing seem to start the day in a better and more fruitful way.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. My windows. I'm not good at being holed up. I need a connection to the rest of the world. When I was young I always did my homework at the kitchen table and not at a bedroom desk. I needed to be tapped into the people and life around me. Now, when my husband is home, I'll still work at the kitchen table to enjoy that connection. During the rest of the week, when I'm alone again, the windows provide that. Plus, I have some of the best artwork right there behind the glass.

2. My shelves and shelves of kids books. I gathered up many of my favorite children's books from around the house and tried to squeeze them into my office. Then I tossed some cozy blankets on the floor, complete with a few friends, for young visitors who might stop in.

I'd love to add more bookshelves for the rest of my kids' books, but I'm running out of space. I have one remaining, narrow wall space that could hold either more shelves or more filing cabinets. Tough decision. The filing cabinets might win. Because while I'd love to corral every kids' book into my cozy little space, I also love knowing that they have a grand and visible presence in most rooms of my house. My hope is that in just about any room, a children's book might have a chance of catching a reader.

3. My Roget's Thesaurus. NERD ALERT! I received it when I was young, pre-middle school, as a Christmas gift. My oldest sister mentioned a thesaurus once when she was doing a crossword puzzle and I thought "What is this amazing, magical word book of which she speaks?" And I asked for one for Christmas. I actually asked for a Thesaurus. I warned you--nerd! And Santa (I always knew he was a literary type at heart) brought me the wonderful hardback that sits on my desk.

Surprisingly, it's still my go-to reference. I have other synonym books, but none can compare to my Roget's.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Calling my kids and having them make me laugh. I'm attracted to weird humor. And my kids can really dish it out. My timing isn't always the best, though. For example, I'll call and say, "Tim, what was that thing you said last week that made me laugh?" And he'll be like, "Mom, I'm at work. Can I call you later?" And I'll be like, "Come on. Come on. I think it was something about cottage cheese." Anyway, you get the picture. I love laughing until I cry. And I need doses daily. Then I attempt to translate that feeling into picture books. It's my business way of justifying those silly calls.

What do you listen to while you work?

Nothing. I like quiet. Don't get me wrong, I'm a music freak. But when I'm working, even instrumental music bugs me. When I'm not working, I have fairly eclectic tastes, but the tunes that rise to the top are those that I can sing VERY, VERY LOUD when I cook and do other things. I'm a huge Beatles fan--mostly the oldest stuff, reminiscent of the vinyl 45 with "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" on the flip side. Music, for me is like a little reward at the end of the day, when I'm folding laundry or cooking--not writing.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Yogurt, coffee, tea, carrots, and hummus--pretty boring, right? I used to be addicted to Wheat Thins. But then I regressed to Nilla Wafers. Must be something about the whole writing for children thing. Wheat Thins were feeling way too sophisticated.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Actually, getting away from the computer is the ticket. And that's a bit of a problem because my computer is my tool of choice, most of the time . . . which I guess leads to our next question.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I like to switch it up. When I write longhand it's usually on scrap paper. I relate to that whole psychology of not wanting to get too precious, too early with my writing. So scrap paper and pencil it is.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

For picture books, it's not so much an outline as a list, or in some cases a table. Tables are great for rhyming picture books because they allow me to brainstorm words under categories, play around with order and view text options side-by-side. I also use tables to predict page turns and payoffs--those fundamental scene change-ups that pull readers through a story. But even before that, the bare bones of my picture book ideas are these growing lists of phrases, words, images, and dialog that flesh out the original idea.

For novels, I start with a list--scene ideas, character ideas, bits of dialogue. Then I move into an outline. Then a more detailed outline. Then a draft. Then some free writing in character. Then probably another draft. It's an evolving process. I'll let you know if it works.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

My agent and editors. Then I could simply toss ideas their way and say "What about this?" But most of all, because they are wonderful and wonderfully fun people. I wish we all lived closer.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

I've benefitted from so much great advice over the years. And I'm forever indebted to the people who've shared it. But there is one thing I like to keep in front of me, kind of my go-to quote, where I try to land with all my kidlit writing. It is this simple phrase from editor Allyn Johnston ". . . the true goal of all this work we do together: a child, a story, and a deep and long-lasting connection between them." That, in my mind, says it all.

A Peek at the Creative Space of Tricia Springstubb

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:59:00 +0000

Tricia Springstubb is the author of many books for young readers including the middle grade novels What Happened on Fox Street and its sequel Mo Wren, Lost and Found.

What Happened on Fox Street was an Indie 2010 pick, received starred reviews from Kirkus and The Horn Book, and was named to the Kirkus, Washington Post, and Bank Street School "Best Books of the Year" lists.

Publishing next month is Tricia's picture book Phoebe and Digger, about a little girl who becomes a big sister and relies on her her favorite toy to help her through the transition.

If you enjoy this interview, you might also enjoy reading what Tricia had to say about writing spaces of her past. You can learn more about her and her books by visiting her website and her blog.

Describe your workspace.

I love my work space, especially the windows. They look out on the street, so I can distract myself with all the kids and dogs and bicycles going by. From spring through fall I can see my blooming perennial garden. Over the years I've worked in a lot of spaces, most of them small and barricaded against my children, so it's very luxurious to have a big desk and lots of natural light. Two other things I love about the space are my desk is so beat up spilled coffee doesn't matter, and my cats frequently visit me there.

Describe a typical workday.

My typical workday begins with some cat-petting and coffee-drinking.

one cat on my lap

I check e-mail and always send notes to my three grown daughters, who live (sigh) on the exciting East Coast. I wade into my writing day slowly, re-reading what I've done the day before and the notes I've made for today's work, till finally my feet can't touch bottom any more and I'm swimming forward. I usually write for three or four hours before I take a break for a long walk, where I mull things over and often work out problems (always, always, I carry a pen and paper!). Afternoons, I work on my blog, or a book review. Evenings, of course, are for reading.

my other cat helping me work

What do you listen to while you work?

I never listen to music or anything else (besides my own voice whispering the words out loud) while I write. It's too distracting, and gets stuck in my head.

toys and gifts from friends and readers

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

After writing for thirty years, I don't have any trouble staying focused. I've got a big strong focus muscle. I have to admit, though, that when I'm stuck, checking e-mail is a huge temptation for me. I'm considering getting that software that locks you out of the internet for a certain amount of time for your own good!

Lake Erie rocks--my next book is set on an island in the lake

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I write exclusively on the computer these days. My hand just can't keep up with my brain, and I do so much revising, right from the very beginning.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I've never succeeded in making an outline I could stick to, though I try not to begin a piece unless I know (or think I know) how it will end, and what the general narrative arc is. I'm on the third draft of my new middle grade novel, and each one has been substantially different from the other two. The setting is the one thing that has stayed wholly the same. A sense of place is very important to me, second only to voice. I have a new picture book coming out this March. It's called Phoebe and Digger, and it's about a little girl whose alter ego is her toy digger. Originally, Phoebe's toy was a rubber gorilla--this was straight out of real life with one of my girls. Picture books are just as demanding as novels, and I worked really hard on those 600 words!

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

If I had to share my work place with anyone, it would be my husband, because by now he's very adept at giving me my own space!

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

There is so much good writing advice to be had. I feature some nearly every week on my blog. But my current favorite is from Louise Erdrich, a superb and humble writer. "I'd be paralyzed if I thought I had to write a great novel. I approach the work as if, in truth, I'm nothing and the words are everything."

A Peek at the Creative Space of Sarah Frances Hardy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:19:00 +0000

Sarah Frances Hardy is the author and illustrator of Puzzled by Pink, which was published by Viking Children's Books in April 2012. From the publisher:

Izzy hates pink as much as her sister, Rose, loves it. So when Rose plans an all-pink birthday party with the guests dressed in fairy costumes, Izzy decides to give her own alternative party in the attic, where the guests will be monsters, spiders, ghosts, and the pet cat. But some powerful magic triggers the appearance of yet another guest--an unexpected one. This will be a party nobody forgets!

Sarah's also hard at work on several more books including a YA and middle grade novel. You can learn more about her and her work by visiting her website and her blog.

Describe your workspace.

My workspace is located off the back of our garage where most people have a storage room, so even though it's attached to my house, it has a separate outside entrance. This gives me a bit of psychological distance from my home and the constant nagging of the laundry mountain, dinner, unmade beds . . . but I'm still here if my children need anything or if I need to take the chicken out of the freezer so we have something to eat for dinner.

The style of my space is eclectic. My floors, wonderful beat-up heart pine, are reclaimed from the house where I grew up, and I've populated my studio with things I love--things like my tattered but comfy writing chair and crazy quilt ottoman, artwork, more reclaimed wood lining the walls, my drafting table that I received for my fifteenth birthday, and of course, my Tim Gunn bobblehead ("Make it work!").

Describe a typical workday.

Most days I drop my children off at school and head straight to yoga or the gym. When I get home and fix my second cup of coffee around 9:00, I head out to my studio. I usually spend about thirty minutes checking emails and reading blogs. Next, I do a few sketches (I've been copying Old Masters' drawings lately) just to get warmed up and get my head in a good place. I start off my work day sketching even if I'm going to write; it just helps ground me.

Next, if I'm working on picture book illustrations, then I dig in and either begin painting or sketching. Right now, though, I'm working on revisions of the text of an illustrated middle grade novel, so after my few minutes of sketching, I've been heading to my computer to write.

I work until around 2:40 when I have to hit the carpool lines and pick up my girls from school. If I'm on deadline or really involved in a project, I sneak back out to my studio at night and work for a few more hours.

What media do you use and which is your favorite? (If you do digital art, what software do you use?)

In the planning phases, I use a combination of pencil on paper sketches with digital images. I start with a few sketches on paper and I scan them into my computer using Photoshop and my Wacom tablet to manipulate the images. This is how I create my book dummy which is what I submit to my agent (and later to publishers along with a few final illustrations).

For my final artwork, I've been using gouache on Strathmore illustration board. I water down the pigments and use them much like watercolor paints, but with gouache, I've discovered that you can build up layers and get some intense color. I love color!!

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. The floors in my studio came from the house I grew up in. A few years ago, my mom happened to drive by and the new owners were ripping out the floors and putting them in a dumpster. These are floors that she had salvaged from an old home in Natchez, Mississippi, so she grabbed a truck and did some dumpster diving! Since the workers weren't careful when they pulled up the floors, they're in pretty bad shape with lots of dings and gouges, but that's part of the reason I love them . . . and why they're perfect for my studio.

2. My writer friends Irene Latham and Pat Weaver surprised me with this wonderful (and warm) blanket inspired by my debut picture book which came out last April. One side of it is pink and flowery like my character Rose, and the other side is covered in spiders for my off-beat character Izzy.

3. Um, my bathroom. The fact that I can stay out here for hours and hours without having to go inside and be distracted by the stuff-of-life, is one of my favorite things about my studio. We almost didn't put in a bathroom because of the expense--I was just going to have a sink for washing paintbrushes--but I am so glad we did!

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Only the ones described above in my typical work day . . . although I guess I should add that it's rare to have a typical workday! I have three children, so I'm often on sick duty or taking someone to the orthodontist. Plus, I do some volunteer work (although I'm finally learning that it's important to protect my writing time).

What do you listen to while you work?

If I'm drawing or painting, I love my Van Morrison Pandora mix. If I get tired of that, I have several go-to artists: Ingrid Michelson, Eric Hutchinson, Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac (Rumours), Of Monsters and Men, old R.E.M., Regina Spektor, Taj Mahal . . . and anything blues.

When writing, though, I can't listen to anything with words, so I click on my Pandora yoga radio mix and get in the zone.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Coffee with vanilla soy milk in the morning and a giant Turvis Tumbler full of ice water later in the day. Dark chocolate mid-afternoon.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

I'm not!!! I take lots of tiny breaks all day long (mostly to read non-writing related blogs).

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

For novels, I brainstorm longhand in notebooks, but once I get past brainstorming I write on my computer. I love using Scrivener, especially for the first few drafts.

When I'm working on a picture book, I write the words along with a very rough storyboard with stick-people sketches. I have to be able to see how the words and pictures are going to interact as I'm writing.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I come up with lots of ideas (often when I'm supposed to be meditating and emptying my mind in yoga). But I've learned that ideas are cheap!! It takes a ton of work to develop an idea into a workable plan for a story. I brainstorm ideas in my notebooks, asking myself "what if" over and over again. Few of these ideas make it past the brainstorming stage (maybe 5%). When I've taken the "what ifs" pretty far and think I have a workable concept for a story, I'll run it by my agent before I really start developing it. Then I'll do a rough outline so I know in general where I'm going before I start writing.

What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

My hand is so much slower than my brain! I wish I could take a screen shot of the pictures in my brain and have them magically appear onto my paper. I get frustrated with the amount of time each illustration takes, although in the end it is rewarding.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Quentin Blake. I adore him!

What is the best piece of writing/illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

Join SCBWI. I learned so much from going to conferences and getting to know other writers through SCBWI events.

What's in a Room

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:54:00 +0000

One of my favorite things Mindy Hardwick shared in her Creative Spaces interview was that she keeps a picture of her childhood room near her desk. What a great idea for inspiration! It reminded me of this photo my parents emailed earlier this year when they saw a present-day photo of the cluttered floor of my office. (Which I was in the middle of organizing, to be fair. But to be even more fair, I am perpetually in the middle of organizing something so I guess it often looks like that.)

This was me "cleaning my room". I think it may have looked better before I started.

This photo must look like an insignificant mess to anyone else, but so many memories are represented here. Tigger slippers, artwork, Keds, a stuffed dog my brother won for me at a carnival game (which I never would have remembered without seeing it in the back corner of this pic), letters to or from pen pals, a multi-color changing pen, photo albums and notebooks, our cute cat Gizmo. . .

I'm zapped right back in time looking at this photo. What a useful tool when you're trying to put yourself in the mindset of a child or teenager! I'm also reminded of how important specific details are to characterization. That list of items in the above paragraph probably gives you a much better idea of what I was like as a kid than if I'd simply said "my bedroom floor was often cluttered" or even "cluttered with papers and stuffed animals". The specifics provide clues to my interests, personality, and the time period.

What was (or is) your childhood room like?

A Peek at the Creative Space of Mindy Hardwick

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:23:00 +0000

Mindy Hardwick's most recent novel is Weaving Magic, a young adult novel published last spring. The story is based on her experience running a poetry and young adult literature workshop with teens in juvenile detention.

Stained Glass Summer, an upper middle grade novel from Musa Publishing, was most recently listed as a 2013 EPIC ebook Finalist in the children’s category. The audio book version of Stained Glass Summer is now available. Visit the Stained Glass Summer Facebook page for more information and to see photos of teens working in glass art.

Mindy holds an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College and is a member of SCBWI. She is hard at work on a memoir about her experience running the juvenile detention poetry workshop. You can learn more about her by visiting her blog or following her on Twitter @mindyhardwick.

Describe your workspace.

Most of my work is done at my desk in a second floor loft. I try to keep everything organized! Next to my desk, I have two bookshelves. One holds all my writing craft and style books. The other bookshelf holds research for my current work-in-progress, notes for my current-works-in progress, as well as two shelves full of books about teaching poetry to youth. I also keep all my notes and journals about running a poetry and YA literature workshop with teens in juvenile detention on those shelves.

In front of me is a bulletin board. This is my favorite place of my workspace. I keep notes and cards kids have sent me about my books, a list of my goals for the next six months, and positive emails sent from editors or others about my books. Next to the bulletin board, is a wall with a picture of me presenting a poetry workshop to eighth graders at the middle school where I attended in St Louis. My grandfather took the picture and we found it when he passed away recently. I also have a picture of the house I lived in when I was in Kindergarten through third grade. That was one of the happiest times of my life and the times when I remember being the most creative. I like to look at that picture and think of my creative self at age seven as I write.

But, sometimes that space gets a little overloaded with the “business” of writing. (Workshop schedules, invoices, blogging, etc), and I need to free my creativity. Then, I take my laptop to my dining room table. I have an amazing view of the Cascade Mountains and Lake Stevens. It’s very inspiring to look at as I work through a draft of a story.

Describe a typical workday.

I get up at 6 A.M. This is my dog Stormy’s favorite time of the morning. I make coffee, do a little bit of journaling, and read an inspirational daily reading. Often when I make coffee, I scroll through my blogs on my Google reader on my phone. I spend the first part of the morning answering emails and responding to blogs, tweeting, or checking Facebook. I have a good friend from graduate school who lives in Cyprus. We email almost every day about writing and life. Two times a week, I go to yoga in the morning, so I take a break on those mornings for yoga.

I also spent the morning responding to my teacher student work (I teach distance learning classes to educators for Seattle Pacific University.). If I have edits from an editor, I may also work on those. Or, if I am teaching a class that week, I use the morning to work on the class or workshop material.

The afternoon is my creative time and when I write. It seems to quiet down in my email at that time of the day and I can free my mind a bit more. If I can’t write in that time, I will try to read.

Evenings are for family, friends, and a variety of social groups I belong to including a young adult book group where we read only YA books.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

I have a picture of myself with Norma Fox Mazer and a group of teens at a National Book Foundation Summer Writing Camp. That was the first workshop I ever attended and it was what kicked off my writing journey.

I have a card with an illustration of a girl, arms outstretched, standing on the beach in front of Haystack rock at Cannon Beach. The illustration is from Steidel’s Art Gallery in Cannon Beach. The Northern Oregon Coast is my favorite place and that picture represents how I feel when I am on the coast—free and filled with unlimited possibilities.

I have a picture of my bedroom when I was in second grade. It is a snowy, Central Illinois day and the snow is piled high outside my window. On my desk are crayons and paper. Next to the desk is a bookcase filled with my favorite childhood books. That picture reminds me of how I loved to read, draw, and write as a child, and reminds me to bring that same spirit into my work today.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I don’t have any rituals except sitting down and getting to work!

What do you listen to while you work?

The dogs barking in the neighborhood. I’ve never been one to listen to music or anything when I work. I hear the story as I write and that seems to fill up my mind and ears.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Coffee with vanilla flavored cream! Always!

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Deadlines and when I don’t have a deadline, my goals. I revise and readjust my goals on a regular basis, but I also post them on the bulletin board in front of me. They keep me focused and going.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Most of what I write is on the computer. My mind races too fast with the story and words and I can’t keep up writing longhand. But, I do write longhand to flesh out characters or plot ideas or to get a story idea. Once I feel the story or character begin to come together, I move to the computer.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I used to just let the character guide me. However, the romance writers at RWA Conferences taught me a lot about outlining and plotting beforehand. I find plotting to be extremely valuable. I can outline a story plot, and then it gives me a map to follow as I draft. I don’t have to do nearly as many drafts when I outline. But, I do revise and revise my outline as needed.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

My sister! She’s very creative and she does a lot of different creative things from scrapbooking to writing to art.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

Every story will be different and it’s important to keep learning how to write. I used to think that if I figured out how to write one story, I would know how to write all stories. While it’s true that all stories have some similarities, each story has its own challenges and issues. It’s important to keep learning by reading, attending workshops, talking to other writers, and listening to the work-in-progress.

15 Days of Giveaways Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:20:00 +0000

Congratulations to all the 15 Days of Giveaways winners! Thank you everyone for revisiting these interviews with me and commenting. If you are the winning commenter listed below and have not already done so, please email me with your mailing address so I can send your book out to you.

Brand new Creative Spaces interviews will begin again this week, with a new one posted each week. I hope you all enjoy!

15 Days of Giveaways Winners:

Trauma Queen: Becky

The Snow Show: Linda

Faithful: Veronica

That Girl is Different: Amy C.

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything: Joanne

The Two Bobbies: Amy C.

The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister: Portia

The Candymakers: Adriana

Hot, Hot Roti: Andrea

Buglette: Carrie

Busing Brewster: Michelle

Pirate vs. Pirate: Beth

Square Cat: Mrs. Brown

I So Don't. . . mysteries: Dawn

Nightshade City: Veronica

15 Days of Giveaways: Hilary Wagner

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in October of 2010. The White Assassin, the follow up to Nightshade City, was published in 2011. ~~To win an advanced reader copy of Nightshade City leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Veronica! You've won the ARC of NIGHTSHADE CITY!

This week we get to peek at the creative space of debut author Hilary Wagner. Her first middle grade novel, Nightshade City, was published this month.

Nightshade City is about an underground kingdom of rats where three orphan rats band together to overthrow an oppressive ruler. No less than author Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series) recommended the novel saying, "Fans of Redwall and the Warrior series will love this heroic tale of good versus evil in a subterranean society of rats. The world of the Catacombs is so compelling readers will wonder if it really might exist under our city streets."

To learn more about Nightshade City you can visit the book's website where you can view the trailer, read reviews, and learn some cool rat facts. (I was fascinated to learn that rats can learn their names and will come when called, and that they have belly buttons!)

In addition to writing, Hilary is also a talented painter. (I believe the piece on her wall is one of her own.) She has a degree in fine art and her paintings have appeared in numerous galleries and exhibitions in the Chicago area, where she lives with her family.

And now let's learn a little about Hilary and where and how she writes:

Describe your workspace.

I write on my favorite couch in the family room, nice and cozy in the corner. This room always seems to give me inspiration. It lets just enough natural light in and has all my favorite colors. Note the glaringly red painting on the wall! ;) 

Describe a typical workday. 

A workday with me is never typical! I have family, which includes two small children, a job, and a neurotic dog, who always seems to need to go outside when I'm at a pinnacle point in my writing! ;)

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. I love my Acer laptop, sounds silly, but it's my baby! I can't imagine having to replace it.
2. My statue guy--David. He's thoughtful, quiet and digs all my ideas!
3. My stone rat, Juniper. My daughter named him after one of Nightshade City's main characters. He's the one on the cover. 

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them. 

The only ritual I can think of is emailing myself my MS, even if I only add one paragraph! I'm always worried about losing data, even with a zip drive because I had one fail before, but luckily I could retrieve everything from email. Email is the poor man's (or in my case, the lazy woman's) zip drive!

What do you listen to while you work?

I usually keep the TV on very, very low--just audible. I like to have a little background noise or my mind will only concentrate on the silence. Many times, I have my 2 and 7 year old playing in the background, who frequently mimic stampeding elephants, so you can imagine how deafening pure silence would be! 

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I'm a coffee snob! I have one of those amazing grind and brew pots. I've got to have fresh coffee--sad I know, but I like to blame Starbucks. They've totally spoiled me. In the afternoon, Diet Pepsi Max is my main man, I'm slightly addicted! I only have one though or I get way too cold! 

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Gosh, I suppose the pure drive to create! If only I had the same focus when it came to housework, my husband would be so thrilled! ;) 

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Usually on my laptop, though late at night, I've been known to write an entire scene longhand and then add it to the MS in the next day. 

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I don't outline, in fact I'm not quite sure what an outline is. Ha, ha! I guess the best way to describe my technique is "scene building". I let one scene build onto the next and the best way for me to create those scenes is through research. It really opens up my mind, especially when I'm stuck. Research is my solution to writer's block--always seems to spark an idea. I always picture a story like a house, something you build brick by brick. 

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Someone who doesn't talk a lot! ;) Seriously though, I'd love to work alongside Rick Riordan. I would think he does a lot of research for his novels and would love to see how he keeps it all organized, though I think he would be far from impressed in regards to my note taking, unless he's a major fan of random scribbled on paper scraps and old envelopes scattered about the house! 

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

As writers, it's hard not to let noise from the outside world have an effect on your writing. Whether you are on the hunt for an agent or your first book has just released and you're worried about sales, you have to take a step back, breathe, and write. My agent and I had a long talk about this at one point and it's really helped me. At some point you have to realize you're doing this because you love writing and that love has to be your main focus.

15 Days of Giveaways: Barrie Summy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in November of 2011. Since then I So Don't Do Famous, the fourth installment in the series, has been published. ~~Today's winner will win TWO books by Barrie Summy: I So Don't Do Spooky and I So Don't Do Makeup. Simply comment on today's post to be entered to win.~~

Congratulations, Dawn! You've won the I SO DON'T books! Please email me with your mailing address and I will send the books out to you.

Joining us this week for Creative Spaces is author Barrie Summy. Barrie is the author of a series of middle grade mysteries including I So Don't Do Mysteries, I So Don't Do Spooky, and the latest installment, I So Don't Do Makeup.

In I So Don't Do Mysteries, seventh-grader Sherry (short for Sherlock) is spending spring break in San Diego with her best friend when she is contacted by the ghost of her mom who was shot in the line of duty and needs Sherry's help in solving a case. Sherry juggles mystery sleuthing, tension with her best friend who thinks Sherry's lost it when she confides that she's been communicating with the ghost of her mother, and a serious crush on Josh the eighth-grade cutie. The story is peppered with lots of funny bits (like the ghost of her mother being summoned by coffee), and is a fun twisty-turny ride.

The second book in the series, I So Don't Do Spooky, was just released in paperback in October, and the fourth book in the series, I So Don't Do Famous, will be published next May.

To learn more about Barrie Summy and her books, visit her website and blog.

Describe your workspace.

My workspace changes depending on how close I am to a deadline and how far away I am from the end of the book!

This is my normal working space: a wide La-Z-y Boy in my living, a laptop, an end table and our dog, Dorothy. Dorothy sleeps in the chair, squished up next to me, whenever I’m writing.

This is my working space if a deadline is looming large, and I still have a bunch of words to go: a hotel!

Describe a typical workday.

Dorothy and I walk Child #4 to school. Once I get home, I make a cup of tea and my breakfast (if I didn’t eat with the kids), and write for the morning. I often write again at night when the house is dark and quiet.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

Dorothy: She is completely nonjudgmental about what I write.

My blue mug: It is not too big, so my tea doesn’t get cold quickly.

Pencils that don’t need sharpening.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Well, I tidy the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea. While the tea is steeping, I throw in a load of laundry. I like the background noise AND I like multi-tasking, so it’s win-win. Then I feed our veiled chameleons. By now my tea is at the perfect temperature, so I settle down to write.

This is our female veiled chameleon, Lotta, munching on a cricket. I tried to snap her actually catching the cricket with her tongue, but I just couldn’t get the timing.

What do you listen to while you work?

The sound of the washer, the dryer and maybe the dishwasher. I only listen to music if I need to write faster.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Ice water (with or without flavoring), tea, diet Coke with tons of ice.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Getting off the internet! Sometimes I resort to my ancient laptop, which doesn’t have internet access.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I write on a computer, but I do keep a running notebook per manuscript, where I jot down thoughts, things to fix, etc.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I outline. Big time. Which doesn’t mean I don’t stray from the outline, but I like to write with a roadmap.

I start off with a recipe box with dividers for the main sections of the book. Then I slot in note cards with scene ideas wherever I think they’ll fit in the story.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Besides Dorothy? Hmmm…John Cusack, perhaps.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

Plow through the first draft, no matter how horrible you think it is. Because you need something to revise, and you can’t revise a blank page.

15 Days of Giveaways: Elizabeth Schoonmaker

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in July of 2011. ABC Square Cat, a follow up to Square Cat will be published in 2014. Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Square Cat!

Congratulations Mrs. Brown! You've won the copy of SQUARE CAT. Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

Joining us today is author and illustrator Elizabeth Schoonmaker. She is sharing not one but two creative spaces with us. Her indoor space where she creates her illustrations and her outdoor space where she creates. . . well, you'll just have to scroll to the end of the interview to see.

Square Cat, her picture book debut, is in bookstores now:

"Eula is the only square cat in town. Everything that normal cats do is hard for her--she can't get her square paw into mouseholes, she can't wear her favorite circle skirt, and all of her friends are round! Eula is sad until her two best friends show her how well a square cat can fit into this round world."

Elizabeth got the idea for Eula one day after she finished a sketch of her cat Stanleigh, who is a round cat:

Soon after, Eula the Square Cat was born:

You can learn more about Elizabeth Schoonmaker here, and you can learn more about Eula the Square Cat on her website and blog.

Describe your workspace.

My workspace is on the second floor of my home, perched on a hillside in rural upstate New York. I work at an old oval table placed perfectly for natural light and continuous looking out of the window.

Describe a typical workday.

I like to draw and paint in the morning. I work from eight to eleven followed by a three-mile walk. I love my walks. They energize my mind and my body, and reward me with ideas and directions. After lunch I write, keeping in mind the images of the day. Then it is supper, a bit of relaxation, music, books, movies, and sleep. My work is always with me.

What media do you use and which is your favorite?

I work in pencil, oil, watercolors, graphite, pen and ink, gouache, and luma ink on a variety of surfaces. I love materials. Hand to utensil to medium to paper is a lovely experience.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

(1) My Table (covered with my cut marks, paint, and memories); (2) My plate of watercolors, which have become little castles nestled together on a plate like a faraway island; and (3) My many magnifiers. (They really help me see better!)

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Keeping with my Dutch last name Schoonmaker, which means cleaner in Dutch, I do like a clean and organized work area. I always clean before I work.

What do you listen to while you work?

The hum of my refrigerator.

One of Elizabeth's oil paintings.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Green tea with honey from the bees my family keeps.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

The pure excitement and joy of experiencing all of the basic elements of paintings and drawing coming to life.

What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

For me, making the dummy book is the easiest aspect of developing a picture book, but I find it very challenging to keep the spontaneity of the dummy book in the finished book.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I write longhand notes and compose on a computer.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I develop most all of my story lines on my walks. I then sketch first and add the words later.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

I would eagerly invite George and Martha, magnificently created by the late James Marshall, to my studio. I am one of their lifelong fans.

What is the best piece of writing/illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

“Write and illustrate what you know.” Wise words of wisdom well received from my two darling daughters.

P.S. This is my outside creative space where I use nature’s finest willows and wild grapevines to make magical roadside attractions for all to enjoy.

15 Days of Giveaways: Mary Quattlebaum

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in June of 2011. ~~To win a copy of Pirate vs. Pirate leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Beth! You've won the copy of PIRATE VS. PIRATE! Please email me with your mailing address and I will get the book out to you.


A dog is a great muse! I always get many ideas while walking the family dogs.

Ahoy and avast, ye mateys! If there's a wee pirate enthusiast in your life, have I got a book recommendation for you: Pirate vs. Pirate by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. Bad Bart is the biggest, burliest pirate this side of the Atlantic, and Mean Mo the maddest, mightiest pirate that side of the Pacific. When Bart and Mo decide they won't settle for just one measly ocean, they want to conquer the world, they meet their competitor in the middle and have one of my favorite exchanges of the book:

"Rogue, am I?" Bad Bart spat. "Deck swabber."
"Grog Swiller."
"Landlubber."
"Bilge rat."
"Sea skunk."
"Gentleman," Mean Mo sneered.
"Lady."
Such insults!

Mean Mo and Bad Bart duke it out pirate style with shark-swimming competitions, cannonball throwing, and mast climbing until a winner is finally declared.

Mary Quattlebaum has two more picture books being published this year, The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans (illustrated by Patricia Castelao) and Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond (illustrated by Laura J. Bryant). Other titles by Mary Quattlebaum include Family Reunion, Underground Train, and Winter Friends. To learn more about Mary, visit her website. And to learn more about Mary's creative space and writing process, read on!

I write in a small, cluttered home office. It's stuffed with mementos and cozy with snoozing dogs.

Describe your workspace.

Well, most of the time, I work in my very cluttered home office. Sometimes, though, I write at my kitchen table, which is close to several windows and has lots of natural light (and is away from my computer and the temptation to check email and troll the internet). And then sometimes I work at nearby coffeeshops. But my FAVORITE workspace is outdoors, while walking our dog, Yoshi. That's where I do my best thinking/mulling.

For a change of scenery, I move to the table in the kitchen, where I often jot notes and revise.

Describe a typical workday.

I lounge in bed until noon and then skip lightly downstairs to discover that my dear family has made me a delicious breakfast of fluffy pancakes and fruit salad before slipping quietly out of the house for work and school. After lingering over my hot tea and perusing the newspaper, I am struck by a *brilliant* idea, which is quickly and decisively fashioned into a charming manuscript, which I email to my agent, who gets right back to me with some delightful news: the publisher accepts, with no revisions. They want to bring the book out *immediately*. The advance? Six figures. No, seven. The president of the company insists. Meanwhile, the busy dogs, which never shed, have been dusting the furniture and sweeping the floor and--oh, lucky me--have whipped up some delectable scones with their dainty paws. The cheerful guinea pigs have done all the laundry. Can it be tea time already? Three o'clock. I put aside my computer and pens and prepare to greet my returning family with a happy smile. I can't believe how much I did today!

Oh, wait . . . you asked about a typical workday, not typical dream day. Whoops. Typical day: pretty much the opposite of the daydream. Certain things hold true for both dream and day, though: dear family, hot tea, busy dogs, cheerful guinea pigs, computer, pens.

"It's important to take breaks for grog and hardtack (or your writerly refreshment of choice)." Mary and her husband dress as "book buccaneers" at Booktopia in Bethesda, Md.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. Ratty, plush collie dog, about 38 years old. A Christmas gift from my Nana, whom I loved very much.

2. Photos of family.

3. Paper crane and painted ceramic bunny, both made by my daughter.

4. Mime doll, one of the first gifts from my husband.

(Okay, that's 4 things but, then, my office is very cluttered. I could list more!)

Finally, out of all that chaos, calm, clutter and dog-and-buccaneer breaks comes ... the finished book.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

For creative work, I like to draft in longhand with blue pilot pens (extra-fine point) on yellow legal pads, then type into my trusty laptop. Sometimes, though, the laptop is less than trusty and so I have to scold it. Then I call my husband to see if he knows why the computer is acting up. This is part of the daily ritual. Oh, and I drink hot tea. Lots of it.

What do you listen to while you work?

Real bird song and the snuffle-snores of sleeping dogs.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Have I mentioned hot tea? Lots of it. And popcorn.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

That would be hot tea. Popcorn. Bills (certainly keep me on task with the teaching and freelance writing that I do). Also, an exciting idea, a compelling character.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Scribbled notes and messy longhand first draft for creative work. Articles and book reviews, I type directly into the computer.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

Rudimentary outline, recalcitrant muse. A combination of the two.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

My husband. Actually, we had to share when we were newlyweds and he was in grad school and I was working from home as a freelance writer. We had one computer in a nook in our apartment. He's a night owl and I'm a morning robin and so we never had to argue over who would work when. The only downside: that poor computer never got a break and would sometimes just shut itself down.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

From author Kathi Appelt: Commit to writing five minutes every day. Just five minutes. Often, you may find yourself writing more but all you have to do is five minutes worth of writing. Every day.

15 Days of Giveaways: Richard Michelson

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in August of 2010. Since then Richard Michelson has published Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King in 2011 and Twice as Good: The Story of William Powell and Clearview, the only golf course designed, built, and owned by an African-American. ~~To win a copy of Busing Brewster leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Michelle! You've won the copy of BUSING BREWSTER! Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

This week author Richard Michelson is giving us a tour of his writing space. Richard Michelson is a both a poet and a children's book author. Some of his children's books include As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom, illustrated by Raul Colón; Tuttle's Red Barn, illustrated by Mary Azarian; and Across the Alley, illustrated by E. B. Lewis. As Good as Anybody won the Sydney Taylor Award, and in the same year his book A is for Abraham was awarded the Silver Medal. This was the first time in the award's 41-year history that both top honors went to the same author.

His latest book is Busing Brewster, illustrated by R. G. Roth. This is a historical fiction picture book about desegregation in the 1970s. Brewster is about to start first grade when his Mama announces that he and his older brother will be taking the bus to a new school this year, the one in the white part of town. The transition to the new school isn't an easy one as Brewster and his brother aren't given a warm welcome, but Brewster finds sanctuary in the school library and kindness in the librarian. The story gives a very focused, individual perspective of this time period, with an author note at the end to expand on the history.

I'm embedding a video interview with Richard Michelson in the Rockstars of Reading series put together by JustOneMoreBook.com, which I highly recommend if you have 15 minutes to spare. In the video Richard shares some of the manuscript drafts and work that went into creating one of his picture books. He also talks about his first children's book, Did You Say Ghosts?, illustrated by Leonard Baskin, and how after that book went out of print he was approached by Harcourt who wanted to reissue the book but with new illustrations. And so an adapted version of that story lives on now with illustrations by Adam McCauley. I thought it was particularly interesting to hear what Richard had to say about seeing his words illustrated in two different ways.

In addition to being an author, Richard is also the owner of R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, MA, and the curator of exhibitions at The National Yiddish Book Center. For more information about Richard Michelson and his writing, visit his website.

Describe your workspace.

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I had a large sunny upstairs room overlooking the woods in front of my Amherst home.

Then my daughter was born.

Next upon a time I was moved to a smaller, less sunny upstairs room overlooking the backyard of my Amherst home.

Then my son was born.

So here is the window in the back corner of the unfinished basement where I have my study.

Come on in. Let's walk downstairs. Watch your step.

Turn left at the ping pong table and left again at the boiler.

Here it is. Come on in. Look around. Leonard Baskin's bronze Sentinel sits in the window sill. Neil Waldman's cover illustration for Too Young for Yiddish is above my desk (my son posed as "the young me" in the book).

This bookshelf is where I keep children’s books.

And this shelf is for poetry (top 2 rows), history (next 2) and novels (bottom 2).

BTW: The woodcut (by Cyril Satorsky) was above my desk when the study was upstairs. When I moved out, I neglected to transfer the art, until a friend suggested that a picture of the father, Abraham about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, was an odd choice to be hanging above my son's crib for the first two years of his life.

So now that my kids have grown up and moved out--my daughter has been living in NYC for ten years, and my son, for seven, will I ever move back upstairs?

No. Their bedrooms upstairs remain empty, but I’ve come to love it down in my cozy dark burrow, where sunny skies cannot distract me from my work.

Describe a typical workday.

I'm up at 7:30—or maybe 8:30. I drink coconut water and eat my oatmeal in bed while I read the paper and check morning email on my computer.

8:30 (or maybe 9:30) to 11 in my study, whether writing or just sitting. Then off to the gym (Pilates) or out on my bike.

1 to 6 (or 9 Fri/Sat) I am at R. Michelson Galleries, where I get to hang out with the work of many of our greatest illustrators and artists—(you can check out www.RMichelson.com) but yes, it is still a job, and keeps me from my writing.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. The Poem Book my daughter wrote for me is on the window sill, blocking out what little light there is. . .

2. The ducks my son made for me. . .

3. And my family photos:

They are all meaningful for the same reason. They remind me – when work is going badly—what life is really about.

And also, coming in at #4, I like my old typewriter, retired in the corner.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I sharpen pencils before I begin typing (still do this though I write on my computer).

What do you listen to while you work?

The silence and my imagination.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Baby carrots. Hummus and crackers. Bananas. Sounds boring but I have reached the age where I follow doctor's orders.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Who’s focused? Check email, write sentence, check email, check email again, write sentence, check Facebook, answer questions about what keeps you focused for a blog entry, take pictures of workspace, check clock, write sentence.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Computer. Can’t read my own handwriting.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I would be happy to let the muse lead me, were she/he to visit. Unfortunately, my address must be unlisted. So I plow ahead word by word and line by line. It is a bit like building a road by laying bricks in front of myself as I walk. And each time a new line is added, I go back to the beginning and start reading all over again from the first word, until I forge on a little bit further. Fortunately I write poetry and picture books. I could not imagine constructing a novel in this manner.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

I need total solitude. I get distracted enough as it is. But my dog Mollie is always welcome at her usual spot.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

I tend to overwork, not under-work, so I need to apply the brakes, and give myself perspective, more than I need a prod. Here are a few reminders I keep in my desk drawer:

“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important.” --Bertrand Russell

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. --Thomas Alva Edison

“It is harder to live one day with honor, than write a book as great as any the world has known.” --Stefa Wilczynska to Janusz Korczek

15 Days of Giveaways: Bethanie Deeney Murguia

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in May of 2011. Since then she's published Zoe Gets Ready. This year she will have two additional titles published: Snippet, the Early Riser and Zoe's Room (No Sisters Allowed). ~~To win a copy of Buglette the Messy Sleeper leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Carrie! You've won the copy of Buglette! Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

Joining us this week for Creative Spaces is author/illustrator Bethanie Deeney Murguia. Bethanie's picture book debut, Buglette the Messy Sleeper, published this month from Tricycle Press.

Buglette is an adorable ladybug who has ambitious, adventurous dreams while she sleeps which result in her being a messy sleeper. From the publisher, "Buglette's quirky sleeping habits worry her family--what if her messy sleeping wakes the scary crow?--until her big dreams help her to save the day."

Bethanie received an MFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. She was an art director for Hearst Magazines, and now lives in Sausalito, California, with her husband and two little buglettes of her own.

To learn more about Bethanie, visit her website at www.aquapup.com and her blog about writing and illustrating at bethaniemurguia.blogspot.com.

Describe your workspace.

I work in the corner of my kitchen. I have serious studio envy. I love to dream about the REAL studio I will have someday. But for now, being in the kitchen has its benefits. I am a stay-at-home mom with two children under five and most of my day revolves around the kitchen. I keep my sketches and work in progress on the wall. That way, even if I am not technically working, I am subconsciously solving problems every time I glance at my art table. My desk is next to a sliding door that opens onto our lovely little backyard deck. On warm days, I open the door to the smell of jasmine and the conversations of our neighborhood chickens.

This is my kitchen before I began to use it as a studio.

And after:

When I am writing, I typically try to escape to the café. I prefer to write in an environment that supplies coffee and a certain amount of energy and bustle. Plus, there is an element of danger in entering my favorite café that keeps me alert. Is it because I was not born in California that this sign actually makes me think twice before entering?

Describe a typical workday.

As a stay-at-home mom, there is no typical workday. I have childcare for a few hours each week. I always plan ahead for that time to be sure it is used well. I find that I am extremely productive during those short periods because they are so limited and so valuable. Otherwise, I work primarily at night and on the weekends. The bulk of my work is done after the kids go to bed.

On some days, my eldest daughter works with me while my youngest naps.

What media do you use and which is your favorite?

I work traditionally. I spent many years working digitally when I was a designer. Getting away from the computer to make art is freeing—I am a very tactile person. I love the ritual of painting with watercolor. I stretch my paper onto boards. Each painting becomes precious because I’ve taken the time to stretch the paper. When I work digitally, I don’t have that sense of investment. It is too easy to start over again and again because I don’t thoroughly think things through before beginning. Over the years, I’ve combined watercolor with a variety of media—pen and ink, colored pencil and crayon. Right now, I am really digging pen and ink.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

I keep letters from art directors, editors, and illustrators nearby for inspiration. I won this drawing from Mo Willems last year during the ripple blog fundraising effort. Extra credit if anyone can recognize the handwriting on the postcard to the right that says: “To Bethanie”)

I have a drawer filled with swatches and palettes that I’ve used for previous paintings. When I’m getting ready to begin a painting, I spread out my palettes and choose color combinations. It’s a great way for me to find my way into a painting. Plus, they help me to remember which paints I’ve mixed to make specific colors in the past.

In anticipation of Buglette, The Messy Sleeper’s release, I made a Buglette doll. She keeps me company.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I always have my iPad at my side. I keep reference photos in the iPad photo library and I keep PDFs of my work in progress on the iPad bookshelf. I download music, podcasts and, just recently, I’ve discovered the joy of listening to audiobooks while I paint.

What do you listen to while you work?

I listen to music when I’m sketching and/or writing and I listen to podcasts or audiobooks when I’m painting. These days I’ve been playing a lot of Lucinda Williams, The Wailin’ Jennys, The Be Good Tanyas, and The Head and the Heart. I tend to get into ruts and listen to the same things over and over again. Is that bad? (You don’t have to answer.)

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I don’t eat much while I’m working. It distracts me. When I’m writing, I love coffee. Confession: I just drink decaf because that’s enough to get me totally wired.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

I try to set goals for myself ahead of time. I have always been a list keeper and goal setter. Depending on the task at hand, listening to something helps to keep me focused.

What aspect of writing/illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

I am always very daunted when it is time to make the leap from sketches to final illustrations because there are so many decisions to be made about color, value, details and so on.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I keep a “seed” notebook of things that strike my fancy: situations, words, phrases, quirky behaviors, and so forth. My kids provide quite a bit of inspiration. When I have quiet moments, I read the notebook. Every so often, one of those seeds begins to grow. Once that happens, I usually do character sketches and/or thumbnail illustrations. I worked as an art director for many years so it feels very natural for me to think of a story in terms of spreads.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Well, I already have quite a bit of company in my workspace (two kids and one dog) and I honestly can’t imagine it any other way. In fact, my studiomates are so thoughtful that I often find gifts on my drawing table. The tally from last week includes two barrettes, one stuffed bear, and one half-eaten PB&J sandwich.

What is the best piece of writing/illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

This is somewhat practical and utilitarian, but it’s something that I go back to again and again. When you are struggling with a work in progress, write the flap copy. Force yourself to summarize the book in two or three sentences. This helps me to find and focus on the heart of the story.

Thank you for inviting me to stop by, Jennifer!

15 Days of Giveaways: Ken Min

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in April of 2011. Hot, Hot Roti for Dad-Ji was named an APALA Honor Book for 2012. ~~To win a copy of Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations Andrea! you are the winner of HOT, HOT ROTI! Please email me with your mailing address and I will send the book out to you.

Joining us today for Creative Spaces is illustrator Ken Min (pictured at left in his last officially sanctioned photo). Ken's debut picture book, Hot Hot Roti for Dada-Ji (written by F. Zia) was recently published by Lee and Low Books. From the publisher,

"Aneel’s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother’s incense, and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world’s best stories.

When he was a boy, adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir! He could shake mangoes off trees and wrangle wild cobras. And what gave him his power? Fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti, with a bit of tongue-burning mango pickle. Does Dada-ji still have the power? Aneel wants to find out—but first he has to figure out how to whip up a batch of hot, hot roti.

Overflowing with family, food, and a tall stack of fun, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is sure to warm the heart and tickle the tummy. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir!"

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-Ji earned a starred review from Kirkus who wrote, "Min echoes the narrative’s exuberance with bright, blocky acrylic scenes of an Indian family in Western surroundings. . . . A natural for reading aloud, laced with great tastes, infectious sound effects and happy feelings."

You can learn more about Ken by visiting his website and blog at kenminart.com.

And now let's step into Ken's studio!

(The Ken Min disclaimer: "Some aspects of this photo-documentary may have been reconfigured or cropped so as not to portray the inhabitant as a possible candidate for the show Hoarders.")

A friend gave me a large light box that can be propped at different angles. As I draw and refine my sketches, the box has become an invaluable tool. But, since it's so big, I also tend to just do all my drawings on it because there is nowhere I can set it aside.

Describe your workspace.

I work primarily out of my bedroom in an apartment, which I share. So, "cozy" would be a good word to describe it. But I like the fact that I don't have to commute to work like I used to back when. Don't have to brave that LA traffic.

Because space is rather limited in my room, the box also doubles as the place I paint. I drop my painting board on it but to keep the board from sliding off, I use a couple of erasers to hold it in place. It's an odd arrangement, but it works for me.

Describe a typical workday.

I'm generally up by 7am. From there I like to read the newspaper. Yes, "paper". I like the feel of printer's ink on my fingers. I'm rather old-fashioned that way. Need to keep up with my sports teams, the entertainment page, and comics. (Oh, Cul de Sac, you kill me.) I'll stretch and exercise after that. (If I don't work out then, it's a lost cause, as the day gets long.) Afterwards, I'll have breakfast while surfing the net for a bit; catching up with emails, favorite blogs, Facebook, etc. I try and get the art part going by 10am. If I'm painting, I can really focus in and keep at it till around 6pm. (Minus lunch around noon) After dinner, if there is something I didn't complete for the day, I'll come back to it then. The next day--lather, rinse, repeat.

The tools of the trade. My painting pan, brushes, water cup, color pencils, pens (if I need them), sharpener and my favorite cup that reads, "My 2 favorite teams are USC and whoever is playing UCLA".

What media do you use and which is your favorite?

I like working in traditional medias. Acrylics and color pencils being my favorite and my primary tool right now. I've dabbled in watercolors and some gouache but I keep coming back to acrylics.

Lately, I've been doing color work on a graphic novel for a friend, which is going to be published by Chronicle Books. Here, I've had an opportunity to "paint" using Photoshop, which has been an interesting experience. Just getting a feel for what I can do on it (and of course, loving to delete mistakes without ruining the whole piece). It's been fun and I can see why a lot of people gravitate towards it, but I still like getting my hands dirty and having an actual, original "hardcopy" at the end of the day.

The computer station (when I need it)
1. The laptop and monitor
2. One will rarely ever find a picture of me. If there is a camera about, I go the other way. Recently a friend made a birthday card of me as a sort of paper doll with different moustaches to affix to it. This is the "Capt. Hook".
3. Post-its. Lots of post-its. I write lots of notes to myself and being a visual person, I need to 'see' my notes around me. None of this having to reach for some electronic organizer to look up memos. I would just forget to read my organizer.
4. My trusty wacom tablet. Going strong for 10 years now.
5. A lampshade I need to paint for a charity event. If anyone has any suggestions on subject matter, I'm open to it.
6. A check! Now I can pay the rent. Woohoo.
7. Mom
8. My scanner. Which also doubles as a nightstand for my nightly reading material.
9. Invariably, I have a lot of reference material around me. Here is a stack of comics for color ideas on the graphic novel I'm coloring.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

Hmm, this is kind of a hard question for me. I don't know if I really have 3 favorite things per se. My biggest pleasure comes from my collection of books. They are a great source of inspiration and reference for me. If I'm having a hard time coming up with a composition, I'll look at some books to spark an idea. Or if I'm having a hard time thinking of a color combination, I like to flip through a book. It's also nice to be able to scan the shelves and then light up on a title that I might not have looked at in awhile, but remembering that there might be something in it that will inspire me.

What I could do is name 3 of my favorite books. One would be George Shrinks by William Joyce. It is because of this title that I really started looking at what was happening in children's literature today and it made me think that I would like to work here. The next would be my treasury of Ezra Jack Keats’s stories because I came across this book and it really gave me ideas on how I would like to approach my art--the clean lines and textures playing within the color fields. The last would be any copy of a "Calvin & Hobbes" book for its humor, sentimentality, interesting compositions, and characters.

Book addiction?!? What book addiction?

A close up on my children's book collection. This area probably constitutes 80% of what I have.

Another angle on them. If anyone recognizes a favorite title, sound off.

This set of books represents the ones I keep near my table. When I'm writing, I like to read a book to get my head in the right mind space. Some just have pretty pictures of a mood I like to achieve.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

When faced with a particularly daunting piece or just something I haven't totally figured out but know the first few steps, I like to say a little prayer to myself. It calms my nerves and collects my thoughts.

One of the artists that inspired my style is Charley Harper and I found these game pieces with his images on them. It's like that match game where the tiles are upside down and you have to guess and match the same two images. Anyways, I like having them nearby to look at for color ideas.

What do you listen to while you work?

I don't imagine you get this answer very often, but I like to listen to sports talk radio during the day. I'm a big sports guy and like to keep up with how my home teams are doing and what the scuttlebutt is going around. (Does this kill any "art cred" I might [or might not] have had? :) ) Tho, on weekends when I'm working, I will play music from iTunes. My favorites lately have been Pete Yorn, Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis, Shawn Colvin, Liz Phair, and because she sparked a good painting groove some time back--Belinda Carlisle. (Yeah, I'm that old.)

A lot of files of story ideas, postcards I've collected of friends & art I like and yes, that is a VCR. (I'm really that old.)

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I'm not a huge snack person while I'm working, but I will say I prefer salty snacks compared to sweets. So chips, pretzels, etc. are good. And water . . . why do I feel as if I just described myself like an inmate?

Little known fact, it actually does get cold in LA. Enough so that I will break out the space heater to keep my toes warm. (And yes, those are more books. Really, I don't have a problem . . .)

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Once I get going on a painting, I can find myself in a zone. It's a great place to be in. There's no sense of "time" and the rhythm is smooth especially if the art is going well.

One of my favorite children's book illustrators is William Joyce. This is a print from the dinner scene in A Day with Wilbur Robinson. I'm also a big comic book guy and this is an ink drawing done by Darwyn Cooke.

What aspect of illustrating do you find most challenging and why?

I guess, finding an interesting composition. It's got to tell the story--simply--first, but if it can have an interesting angle or perspective to it or a creative solution, so much the better. In fact, I would say, the composition needs to be the most thought out and the tightest aspect of your piece. If not, than it's a lost cause before it's even begun and the end result will generally reflect that. I probably spend the most amount of time with the sketch (or rather, numerous sketches) finding it and refining it cause that, to me, is the whole battle. Once you have a really good line drawing in hand, the rest is easy as pie.

Some fun knick-knacks from around the room. And no, these items are not microscopic in size if compared to that paper clip. That paper clip is 13" long.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

When I started out learning about the children's book market, I met some people who were also new to the field. We formed a critique group where we would share our projects and story ideas. I've known them a long time now and we all have an easy (and rather silly) rapport and I think it would be a pleasure to share more time with them. (Tho, I don't know if we would get any work done. :)

What is the best piece of illustrating advice you’ve heard or received?

This thought probably was directed more towards the children’s book field as a whole, but would also apply to a career in illustration. While attending one of the SCBWI Summer Conferences, I sat in on one of Steve Malk’s workshops and he said a lot of great things but the two that I remember best are, “Be patient, don’t get discouraged” and “Enjoy the ride. Your passion will carry you through. Good things will happen.”

15 Days of Giveaways: Wendy Mass

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in October of 2010. Since then Wendy Mass has published 13 Gifts, the latest book in the Willow Falls series, and Beauty and the Beast, the latest book in the Twice Upon a Time series. Look for her next book, Pi in the Sky, in bookstores June of this year. ~~To win a copy of the advanced reader copy of The Candymakers leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations Adriana! You've won the copy of THE CANDYMAKERS! Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

Joining us this week to share her creative space is author Wendy Mass! Wendy Mass is the author of ten novels including A Mango-Shaped Space, Leap Day, the Twice Upon a Time fairy tale series, Every Soul a Star, 11 Birthdays, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, and Finally. Her books have been translated into 12 languages and nominated for 41 state book awards, and A Mango-Shaped Space was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award by the American Library Association.

Her latest book (out in book stores this week!) is The Candymakers, a puzzle mystery about four 12-year-olds who enter a candymaking contest. Kirkus reviews writes: "Set in a candy factory as tantalizingly fragrant as Willy Wonka’s, this half-mystery, half–jigsaw-puzzle novel is a mild-mannered cousin to The Westing Game and When You Reach Me. . . . Sweets fans will love the gooey sensory details. Earnest and sweet, with enough salty twists not to taste saccharine." The Candymakers has its own website where you can learn more about the book, watch a video of Wendy talking about writing and researching the book, and find out more about the "I Want Candy!" sweepstakes.

A movie is being made of her novel Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, scheduled to come out in 2011. Wendy wrote about visiting the set on her blog which you can read about here. You will find an abundance of fun and useful information on her website. For writers, she has a great essay on her outlining method (which she refers to below) posted here. And now let's take a peek inside Wendy Mass's creative space:

Describe your workspace.

Ah, a room of one’s own. My house is overrun with toddlers so about six months ago I started renting an office about ten minutes away from my house. It’s located right on the boardwalk that surrounds a lake. I love having a place I can go to that’s just for writing. I’ve decorated it with things that remind me why I love what I do, even on the days where the ideas and the words just aren’t coming. Sometimes the door to my office is blocked by an outdoor table from the restaurant next door who set them up each morning and each morning forget about me. It’s always fun asking people to move while they’re eating. Once some nice women felt sorry for me and offered me wine. Here is the view from my window:

Describe a typical workday.

Drop off the twins at Pre-K, do the typical suburban mom stuff—CVS, supermarket, post office, then get to my office and settle in. If I’m in the research stage of a book I might go to the library first, otherwise I’m pretty much in front of the laptop until school gets out. Having written half the books before I had kids, it’s hard to adjust to writing on such a tight schedule. Knowing I have a shorter time each day does make me focus more, so there’s that. Still, if anyone has any secrets on juggling the two successfully, send ‘em my way.

I call this part of the office Contemplation Corner. More accurately, it's where i go when the words start to swim on the screen and I curl up on the black and white chair and take a 10-minute power nap. Or 20.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

I found this mirror with the colorful ceramic tiles down in Key West, Florida. I was there about ten years ago for a writing workshop to work on what would a few years later become my first novel A Mango-Shaped Space. I met Judy Blume there, and gave her a copy of a nonfiction book I had written called Great Authors of Children’s Literature, which included a chapter on her. I got up the nerve (I don’t know from where!) to slip a short story into the front with my email address on top. She emailed that night and invited me to her house for lunch. Whenever I look at the mirror, it reminds me of her warmth and generosity, and how grateful I am to have someone I admire so greatly as a friend.

This sign that spells W-R-I-T-E in symbols rather than letters, was from lovely Cedar Falls, Iowa where I spent a week doing school visits last year. It’s over my desk and whenever I’m tempted to start surfing websites about who celebrities are dating/breaking up with/getting a restraining order against, I look at the sign and remember why I’m sitting here.

Most of the other stuff was made for me by kids. The sign with my name spelled out of candy bar wrappers makes me hungry every time I look at it (as does the constant wafting of food smells from next door). I love the Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life boxes, because no two are ever the same. This one is filled with the kids’ own thoughts on what the meaning of life is. I wish I had them before I wrote the book because they are really smart.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits?

Nope. I wish I had a ritual of remembering my computer chord, since I forget it every other day and have to drive all the way home.

Everyone should have a larger-than-life-sized stick-on of Johnny Depp on their wall.

What do you listen to while you work?

I never listen to music when I’m in the early note-taking or outlining stage. Sometimes I’ll put it on when I’m further along into the book, and then it’s something fast and upbeat (currently Lady Gaga is in heavy rotation on my iTunes) in an attempt to get my fingers moving faster along the keyboard.

Don't Piss off the Fairies. 'Nuff said.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Water and candy. Then more candy.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

The looming deadline of whatever I’m working on and the wish to not let my editor down by being late.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I take notes and write the outline in a spiral notebook (each novel gets its own notebook). Then I write the actual book on the computer. I think putting pen to paper for the initial steps is a more direct route from your brain.

How do you develop your story ideas?

Once I find the topic that I want to write about, I go to the library and find every book or magazine on the subject. I start in the children’s room with the simplest books. Learning about how a solar eclipse works is much easier in a book for 5-year-olds than one for grownups. Then once I understand the basics, I’ll dive deeper into the subject, with the goal of approaching the topic in a way I haven’t seen before. I could have basically put my local librarian’s children through college with all my fines.

Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I always outline. Sometimes if I have enough time, I’ll outline the entire book first. Mostly now I do a rough outline of the story, then outline each chapter before I write it. If I had a choice, I’d rather outline the entire book first. If I let the muse lead me, she would lead me to wander the streets aimlessly, bemoaning my career choice. The books would wind up way too long and would stray off the topic too much. Some people complain that outlining a novel takes the fun out of writing it, but I gotta say, staring at a blank screen without knowing what’s coming next is a lot worse. Especially on a deadline.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Someone quiet. An artist might be a nice companion. No clacking of the keyboard keys and I’m in awe of the creative process of people who can paint or draw so it would be fun and inspiring to see that process close up. If it didn’t have to be someone human, my cat Fang was a great officemate (may he rest in peace in cat heaven with all the tuna fish he desires). He used to sit on top of my computer and purr all day. Guess that wouldn’t work with a laptop. I miss him.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

I heard the wonderful Paula Danziger speak once at my local library and she told the story of how she and her good friend Avi would set a goal for the amount of words or pages they would write in a certain time period, and if they didn’t meet their goals, they had to donate a small sum to the other person’s political party. Now THAT’S motivation for you! I need to do something like that. Another thing that has stuck with me is early on in my career, I asked my agent (the wonderful Ginger Knowlton) if she thought I should write any specific kind of book, like any trends that might be coming up, or any topics editors mentioned they were looking for. She said I shouldn’t think about that, that I should only write the books that were inside me, that I was passionate about. At the time I remember being a little frustrated by that, thinking it would be a lot easier if someone just told me what to write, but over the years her advice has proven to be right on target.

15 Days of Giveaways: Linda Ravin Lodding

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in October of 2011. Linda has two more picture books forthcoming: Hold That Thought, Milton! and The Perfect Yellow Rose. Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister.

Congratulations Portia! You've won the copy of THE BUSY LIFE OF ERNESTINE BUCKMEISTER! Please email me with your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

Creative Spaces is back, and today we're going international!

Linda Ravin Lodding is celebrating her U.S. debut as a picture book author with this month's publication of The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, illustrated by Suzanne Beaky (Flashlight Press). Soon to follow will be her UK picture book debut with Hold That Thought, Milton!, illustrated by Ross Collins (Gullane Children's Books) and Oskar's Perfect Present, illustrated by Alison Jay (Gullane Children's Books).

Originally from New York, Linda Ravin Lodding has lived in Europe for the past fifteen years and currently lives in The Netherlands. The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister is already earning praise and rave reviews. From Darrell Hammond, best-selling author and CEO of KaBOOM!, "This book is a joyful and funny reminder to kids and parents alike about the importance and power of play."

To give you a taste of The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, here is the book trailer:

Linda has two upcoming book events in the U.S. if you are interested in meeting her and learning more about Ernestine. She'll be in New Jersey on Oct. 29 at The Town Bookstore from 2 to 4, and at Books of Wonder in New York City on Nov. 5 from 12 to 2.

To learn more about Linda, visit her website or follow her on Twitter at @lindalodding.

Describe your workspace.

I’m a fairly nomadic writer, but for the past three years I’ve lived in a tiny one-windmill town called “Wassenaar” in The Netherlands, outside of The Hague.

My village, Wassenaar -- notice the policeman on bike!

Our 1930s house is a typical, 4-floor Dutch townhouse and my "office" is on the second floor. My desk faces glass doors that open up to a balcony overlooking a small brick-walled garden. I put my desk in front of the window so I can see the birds gathering in the trees, watch the neighbor's cat jump from roof-top to roof-top and gaze at the ever-changing Dutch sky.

The front of our house.

Family room which is the central hub-bub of our family life.

The back garden.

Sometimes, when I need a change of scenery, I’ll bike over to Bagel Alley or the local public library.

Our neighborhood hangout, Bagel Alley (notice that Oreo Cake. Heavenly sinful!)

In the summer, my writing workspace is in our summer house in a small fishing village on the west coast in Sweden. The room where I write was a later addition to the house and was previously used as a café for the summering guests that served coffee and "kanelbullar" (cinnamon buns) and fresh strawberries.

Describe a typical workday.

I don’t have very typical days, but most mornings involve getting my daughter off to school (which doesn't require a lot of effort). Once she’s off, I usually grab a cup of coffee and head up to my desk while still in my bathrobe and my hair looking like a wigged-out madwoman (which is why I'm not submitting a photo of this. But, if you do notice the position of my desk, you'll see that everyone else in the neighborhood is able to see me in my full wigged-out state).

After some quick emailing (who am I kidding? This is NEVER quick), I get on my "Oma Fiets" (Grandma Bike) for errands or to the gym. I then scurry home to check and respond to more emails. Once I become thoroughly disgusted with myself for not having good focused work habits, I start to “work”.

My Dutch "Oma Fiets" -- in Holland, the rustier and beat-up the bike, the better!

At the moment I'm spending time promoting my debut, The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister, preparing for school visits, putting final touches on my second picture book, Hold That Thought, Milton!, and working on polishing other texts.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1) Photos of my far-flung family and places that I've visited are some of the most meaningful things in my space.

2) My handmade Ernestine doll that my friend Paulette Kingsbury-Quimby recently sent me. She made Ernestine with a gorgeous belted purple coat (which I wish came in my size!), sneakers, and a beautiful daisy crown just like the one Ernestine wears in the book.

3a) Wire head scratcher. It looks like a medieval torture device but it’s great at stimulating my brain creativity. But sometimes my husband goes running off with it.

3b) And when I'm writing at Bagel Alley, my favorite thing is the Oreo cake which drives me to distraction!

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I don’t have any rituals but if I'm feeling creatively sluggish, one thing that is certain to get me in the writing groove is to read a big stack of picture books. Even though I don't read Dutch, I love going to our local Wassenaar library to pour through their section of Dutch children's picture books. I become absorbed with the illustrations which usually tell their own story. (And the library is located right next to Bagel Alley. How convenient!)

Dutch children's books which offer me inspiration (even though I don't read Dutch :) ).

What do you listen to while you work?

Seagulls, kids as they bike by the house, and the clip-clop of horses heading for an outride to the beach. For a New Yorker, these are very exotic sounds!

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

A crunchy apple with crunchy peanut butter. Green ice tea or coffee.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

It's a constant struggle--so many things call to me--emails to read, Facebook statuses to update, Etsy things to buy, food to be eaten. But usually, two things work for me: 1) A deadline! and 2) Being in the "zone" with a piece of work. There's nothing more wonderful than to be sucked into a story and realize that hours have gone by (and I haven't answered, purchased, or eaten any of those things that usually scream my name.)

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Always on my Mac. It's by far the quickest way for me to get my thoughts down "on paper" and, periodically, check on word count. I also love to highlight things in different colors and change fonts so in the end my draft can look like a crazy quilt (but when I send the draft to my editor it's back to basic black text and Times New Roman).

Conversely, I like to edit in longhand. Printing out the draft and sitting with a pencil for edits helps me slow down and tap into another, quieter, part of my brain.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I have a file full of story ideas, possible book titles, character names, opening sentences–all of which I like to think are sitting and marinating in their own juices until they’re ready to be cooked. The difficult thing, for me, is turning those ideas into fully-developed stories with a beginning, middle, and satisfying end.

I don't have any elixir other than just to start writing. At some point I usually hit the wall and have to put the story down. That's when I live with the story off the page--mulling over plot points or word choice while I'm on the treadmill or chopping veggies. I'll also bounce ideas around with my wonderful writing buddies.

Once the story is in reasonable shape, I find that making a dummy book from the text to be quite helpful. The dummy helps me see how the page turns work as part of the story and I can assess whether or not I have enough material for unique visuals on each page--key for picture books writers.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

My 13-year-old daughter, Maja. Fortunately, I usually am sharing my work space with her. She's either doing homework at the big Parson's table behind my desk or practicing the piano (to the right of my desk.) She's such lovely company and great critique partner. (I think I'm going to have to move into her college dorm room!)

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

My picture book texts became exponentially stronger when I began to think visually. As Verla Kay says, every sentence, every phrase, needs to bring up a visual picture. Read all the great picture books and study the form--look at what the text “says”, and what the visuals "say". Picture books, ultimately, are a dance between words and illustrations and it’s key to understanding how the two work together. It’s like learning to waltz alone.

15 Days of Giveaways: Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in November of 2011. Since then, Kirby Larson has also published The Friendship Doll, a novel about four girls and the Japanese Friendship Doll who changes their lives. ~~To win a copy of Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations Amy C.! You've won the copy of Two Bobbies!

Kirby Larson

Mary Nethery

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My husband and I spent our holiday with my side of the family in California and are full of gratitude for the time spent with family and friends, lots of great food, and returning home to our pets who were spoiled and incredibly well taken care of by my in-laws.

The feelings of gratitude continue today as we have a special treat with a joint Creative Spaces interview with authors Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery. Together they have collaborated on two award-winning nonfiction picture books, Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival (illustrated by Jean Cassels) and Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle (a collaboration that also included Major Brian Dennis).

Two Bobbies is a wonderful, tear-jerker of a story about a dog and a blind cat (both with bobbed tails, hence the names) who helped each other survive Hurricane Katrina. Their story was featured on Anderson Cooper 360º, which is where Kirby and Mary first learned about the Bobbies and got the idea to turn their story into a picture book. In addition to being a heartwarming story of friendship and survival, Two Bobbies also celebrates the hard work of animal rescue organizations and the many volunteers who traveled to New Orleans to help in the aftermath of Katrina. If there is an animal-lover you are buying gifts for this holiday season, I highly recommend this book. (And Mary and Kirby are donating a portion of their proceeds from this book to Best Friends Animal Society.)

In addition to their collaborations, Kirby and Mary also work on solo projects. Kirby Larson is the author of the 2007 Newbery Honor book, Hattie Big Sky, a young adult historical novel inspired by her great-grandmother, Hattie Inez Brooks Wright, who homesteaded by herself in eastern Montana as a young woman. Kirby's latest book, The Fences Between Us, is leading off the relaunch of Scholastic's Dear America series. The Fences Between Us is about 13-year-old Piper who lives in Seattle in 1941 during the bombing of Pearl Harbor where her brother has recently been stationed. Her father is the pastor for a Japanese Baptist church and when Piper's Japanese neighbors and her father's congregants are sent to an incarceration camp, her father follows, bringing Piper with him. Also make sure to keep an eye out May 2011 for Kirby Larson's next novel, The Friendship Doll.

Mary Nethery is a best-selling author of several picture books. In addition to her collaborations with Kirby, she is the author of Mary Veronica's Egg, illustrated by Paul Yalowitz, and Hannah and Jack, illustrated by Mary Morgan. Mary Nethery's newest picture book is The Famous Nini: A Mostly True Story of How a Plain White Cat Became a Star, illustrated by John Manders. Set in Venice in the 1890's, a plain white cat, left to fend for scraps, makes his way into the heart of a cafe owner who has nothing to spare. From the School Library Journal, "Before there was Dewey Readmore Books, there was Nini, also a humble stray, practicing random acts of kindness in 19th-century Venice . . . At the heart of Nini's appeal and talent is the fact that he is simply a charming stray. Nethery has a lot of fun with Nini's story, creating characters openhearted enough to be touched by a purr or a nudge against the shins; she provides an analysis of the fact versus her fiction in the author's note."

To find out more about these authors and their books, visit Kirby Larson's website and blog, and Mary Nethery's website.

Kirby Larson's writing space

Mary Nethery's writing space

Describe your workspace.

Kirby: When our son went off to college, I took over his bedroom (I had been relegated to a corner of the guest room/sewing room previously). The walls are a soft gold which glow warmly on our gray Seattle days. Two windows bring in light and a spectacular view of two enormous Katsura trees, whose delicate heart-shaped green leaves blaze red and gold in the fall (and also smell like cotton candy!). My office has two bookcases and needs at least two more, a desk, a file cabinet, a rolling file cabinet for work in progress and a dog bed for Winston the Wonder Dog.

Winston the Wonder Dog

Mary: My office is in a loft area, with two windows to my right. Two rows of white shelving flow along the long wall I face each morning as I sit at my computer. My baby muse, Dash, has a basket on the bottom shelf for musing in. Against the wall to my left stand two Tuscan cabinets filled with books. The ceiling is painted white. Three walls are a chameleon-like magnolia that sometimes looks the softest hue of pink, and the fourth wall behind the cabinets is painted a deep berry called Crushed Velvet, as directed by my Feng Shui Master!

Describe a typical workday.

Kirby: Ha! No such thing exists. When I’m home, however, I am generally in my office by 8:30 or 9, coffee to my right, work in progress on the screen. I shouldn’t, but I answer emails first thing. When I’m in the thick of things, I do turn off my email and find I get ever so much more accomplished. Most days I’m in my office until it’s time for dinner—though Winston is adamant that, rain or shine, we take a walk around 3 p.m. each afternoon.

Mary: The typical day I fantasize about begins with a lovely breakfast on a terrace in the morning sun, followed by a massage, after which I sit in my office and write twenty pages with ease and no interruptions and then enjoy a nutritious yet tasty lunch prepared by anyone but me! However, back to reality. I have a Pilates class at 8:30 a.m. After that I write or return emails, do promotional tasks, etc. until noon. I return to my office around 2 and write until 4 or 5. Then I return again in the evening for another couple of hours of work. It works best for me to break up my day and not sit for long hours at a time.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

Kirby: I look across the room at one of my bookcases to a shelf holding a photo of my Write Sisters, women I’ve known for ages who have been key encouragers in my writing career (one of them is Mary). The windowsill to the right of my desk is home to an acorn from Walden’s Pond, a wishing rock from our beach house, and stones I have picked up from various beaches I’ve visited. These mementos remind me of travels and adventures that have enriched my life. On my desk sits a shabby copy of The Synonym Finder, ed. by J. I. Rodale, which I use daily.

Mary: I adore my baby muse, Dash. He sits in his basket as I write. He came to us from what he likes to call an orphanage in Atlanta, Georgia. He really is a godsend—slipping me a great detail when I need it the most, and now that he’s getting Dr. Dictionary every morning via email, he even suggests word replacements! Pictures of people I love, like Kirby, adorn the top shelf above my computer. My other favorite thing is my ever faithful iMac which allows me to work with the least amount of frustration possible.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Kirby: It’s not my ritual, but Winston’s: he generally sleeps on my lap while I work so is always trying to get me upstairs to my office as soon as breakfast is over in the morning.

Mary: I wish I had a ritual, but I don’t. I think rituals can be happy things that bring you comfort and safety and assure you that yes, you can get through this really difficult chapter where you’ve got your main character, alone in her bedroom without her cell phone, with a possible intruder, and nothing but a baseball bat for protection, and how am I ever going to be able to write it so it scares the pants off my readers, and . . . Yes, I believe I need to put together a ritual ASAP.

What do you listen to while you work?

Kirby: Nothing, aside from Winston’s snores. I prefer quiet while I work.

Mary: I like silence and the sound of the water tinkling over the rocks in the fountain downstairs. The only time I like music is if I’m writing a particular scene and need the playlist that I think would accompany it—for inspiration. But I’m too easily moved by music—music can be hazardous to my psyche!

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Kirby: Coffee or a homemade latte are fairly essential and, most afternoons, a cup of tea (I like Harney & Son’s African Autumn or Paris) and a Trader Joe’s Fig Bar, which gets shared with a certain four-legged muse.

Mary: I have a Jura Capresso that grinds the French Roast beans and makes one cup of coffee at a time with a lovely crema. And almost everyday, my husband bakes sunflower seeds for me—they’re excellent for increasing seratonin.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

Kirby: My love for what I’m doing! And the fact that I really do see it as a job.

Mary: I’ve learned to be really disciplined. You can’t create unless you produce something, and what could possibly be more heady than creating a universe? And I know I’m meant to write—I feel like the real “me” when I’m writing.

Do you write longhand, or on a computer, or another way?

Kirby: Always on the computer (old habit from my journalism degree), though I print off drafts and hand revise on them.

Mary: I always write on the computer. But sometimes I need to trick my brain into moving out of the box by writing long hand. I revise both on the computer and via printed drafts.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

Kirby: It depends on the story. With the nonfiction picture books, because Mary is so great at seeing the story arc and plot points, we tend to write in scenes. With my own work—which has come to be fairly exclusively historical fiction—historical events are the dots that I try to connect with characters and action. I am not an outliner, but I do spend a lot of time writing about the story. I have just this summer used a program called Scrivener to write a historical novel and I liked the rhythm and discipline of it so I'm using it again for the current WIP.

Mary: I spend a lot of time just cogitating and writing down ideas that may seem disparate but begin to work together in some odd way. When I think I’ve got a handle on the story, I begin to shape it by writing a brief sketch of each scene with major plot points, on a big piece of butcher paper—at some point, everything that’s on the butcher paper is transferred to a document. I don’t like outlining. It bores me. But fashioning the shape of a story to the point where I can no longer hold back from beginning to write it, keeps me intrigued and works for me.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Kirby: Couldn’t do it anymore. Not even with Mary! I’m too spoiled.

Mary: I think I’d enjoy sharing a workspace! But it would have to be with someone really fun-loving with an offbeat sense of humor—like my husband or my son or maybe even Stephen Colbert! I take myself way too seriously and that can impede my writing. I’d like to be interrupted with goofy ideas and just plain old happiness and laughter. But they’d have to settle down on command!

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

Kirby: Don’t listen to advice! ;-) I think if a writer reads voraciously and learns the basics of her genre, she should avoid using other people’s road maps and create her own.

Mary: Hmmm, follow your muse, write about what makes your passions burn, and create your own path.

15 Days of Giveaways: Uma Krishnaswami

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in May of 2011. The Problem With Being Slightly Heroic, the follow-up to The Grand Plan to Fix Everything will be published in August of this year. ~~To win a copy of The Grand Plan to Fix Everything leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations Joanne! You've won the copy of The Grand Plan to Fix Everything. Please email me your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

Today we step inside the writing space of Uma Krishnaswami. Uma is the author of Out of the Way, Out of the Way (illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy--same name, different person); Remembering Grandpa (illustrated by Layne Johnson); The Happiest Tree: A Yoga Story (illustrated by Ruth Jeyaveeran); and many other titles. Her latest novel, The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, was published this month and has received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Here's a bit about The Grand Plan:

Eleven-year-old Dini loves movies--watching them, reading about them, trying to write her own--especially Bollywood movies. But when her mother tells her some big news, it does not at all jive with the script of her life she has in mind. Her family is moving to India . . . and, not even to Bombay, which is the center of the Bollywood universe and home to Dini’s all-time most favorite star, Dolly. No, Dini is moving to a teeny, tiny village she can’t even find on a map. Swapnagiri. But Swapnagiri is full of surprises like mischievous monkeys and a girl who chirps like a bird—and the biggest surprise of all: Dolly.

So now, Dini is hard at work on a new life's script, the script in which she gets to meet the amazing Dolly Singh. But, life is often more unpredictable than the movies and when Dini starts plotting her story things get a little out of control.

Uma also teaches for the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. To learn more about her visit her website and follow her blog.

Describe your workspace.

My office is a large room that is quite central to the house, with the walls lined with books. It often turns into a cluttered space, as I'm constantly battling piles of books that mysteriously pop up around me. But I know where everything is and it's a comfortable space for me.

I have another workspace, however. It's a place I go to when I need it for reasons of both practicality and solace. I'm referring to the landscaped grounds of my local public library. Here's a video that will show you what I mean.

Describe a typical workday.

There isn't one, although I begin every day with a cup of tea. While the kettle boils I do a qigong set, a Chinese therapeutic exercise set I learned in my tai chi class. Three of the four cats usually sit and watch me. Only this one set draws their attention in this way, and I have no idea why. The rest of the day--that depends on whether I'm writing or revising or teaching.

Yoda the cat.

On writing days I potter in the morning and write in the afternoon. This pottering phase (going out for a walk, or cleaning up or washing dishes, whatever) is crucial. When I get stuck writing, I stop and read. When I'm in draft mode I shut my e-mail down so it doesn't get in the way, or I'd never get anything written.

On revising days, I wake up earlier than usual and hit the computer for a couple of mulling hours, reading what I have and thinking about it. I may go for a walk after that. Then I start digging into the work and throwing large chunks away, rewriting to fill the spaces. I'm usually exhausted by 5 or so and not much good for anything the rest of the day. Revision is the most exciting part for me, but it also exhausts me the most and I can really lose track of the real world while I'm in that zone. We have one of those exercise gliders. I moved it to my office and I've set up so that I can walk on it and type at the same time. When I get stiff from sitting at my desk I can just move my laptop over to the table near the glider, and keep on going.

Then there are the teaching days. I teach in the Vermont College of Fine Arts low-residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. On about ten days of each month, I begin by clearing my desk of my own work so I can focus only on my students' stories. I start working at 9 am, stop for lunch, and start again, with a few e-mail checks as needed in between.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. I have a small figure of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, on my desk. She was a bit wobbly and kept falling over until we mounted her on one of those squashed pennies you can get at gift shops. Now she's stable, and can keep an eye on me to make sure I don't slack off.

2. A Louisa May Alcott ornament sent by a friend, with this quote on it: "She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain." Yes, that would be me.

3. A small carved elephant that has been a favorite of mine from my childhood.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I make myself a cup of tea. I log out of e-mail. If she'll cooperate, I pick up one of our cats, Mu, who likes to be walked around. Once she's had a good purr, I feel ready for work.

What do you listen to while you work?

Nothing. I can't abide any sounds when I write, other than the birds outside. No radio, no music, no anything. I'm very easily distractible. I'm one of those people who needs silence in a room if she's talking on the phone.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

I alternate between black tea (I try to limit that on account of the caffeine) and a variety of herbal teas. It has to be hot, whatever it is, never mind the time of year. Snack of choice? That changes, but currently it's sesame sticks, and dried unsweetened mango, or dates.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

It depends on what I'm doing. When I'm preparing to work on a project, that is often best done by not focusing on it at all. I'll do a dozen other things but the work is simmering in my mind all that time. When I'm working on a new draft, it's often word count, pure and simple. If I want to write 500-800 good words a day I probably need to write 1500 bad ones, so word count matters. In revision, it's more the big story picture that keeps me grounded. As for picture books, I'm not even sure what keeps me focused or if I even am. I use them as relief from novels, so to me they feel more like therapy when I wear out over a longer work.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I sometimes start in longhand, and then go to the computer when my mind is working faster than my handwriting can keep up with. I have a really spidery, illegible hand, so it usually doesn't take long.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

I don't outline to begin with. I leap in anywhere and write whatever I know, which in the beginning isn't much at all. As the characters emerge I let them develop. I do write notes off the page, in a notebook, and sometimes I write questions. When I get to the middle of a work, I'll sometimes work up a rough outline just to see what I have so far and where it seems to be heading.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Jane Austen, although heaven knows it's not Chawton and she may be quite shocked at its state of disarray. I'd hope she'd find the hummer feeders diverting, and the view of the oddly shaped rocks on the bluff.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

It was something that was never intended as writing advice. Rather it's something my tai chi teacher's teacher told me. He's Sigong Dug Corpolongo of Lotus Dragon studios in Albuquerque NM, and this is what he said: "Complete every movement. An incomplete action lacks power." Isn't that wonderful? Can't you just see that playing out in writing? I can't tell you how many times I find myself placing a character in a scene, beginning an emotional reaction and then leaving it hanging. James Baldwin talks about protecting ourselves and I'm always doing that in writing. But the notion of the complete action is a really important one and it's as true in tai chi and writing as it is in life.

15 Days of Giveaways: JJ Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in July of 2011. JJ's latest novel, The Theory of Everything, was published in 2012 and has been racking up praise, including being named a 2012 Cybil Award finalist. ~~To win a copy of her first novel, This Girl is Different, leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Amy C.! You've won the copy of THIS GIRL IS DIFFERENT! Please email me your mailing address and I'll send the book out to you.

It's my pleasure to welcome author JJ Johnson to Creative Spaces today. JJ's debut novel, This Girl is Different, was published this spring by Peachtree Publishers. It was recently named as a 2011 Parents' Choice Silver Honor winner. Here is a brief synopsis:

Senior year is about to start, and Evie is starting at a mainstream high school for the first time. Until now, Evie has been homeschooled by her counter-culture mother, which gives her a view of the world unlike you average teenager.

High school is a social minefield, and Evie finds herself confronting new problems at every turn, failing to follow or even understand the rules. Mainly, she is disturbed to encounter teachers who abuse their power and discriminate against their own students. That's when Evie, her best friend Jacinda, and boyfriend Rajas start an anonymous blog to give the students a voice.

Eventually, the three lose control of the blog and a number of students and teachers are attacked through increasingly abusive and anonymous posts. Suddenly, Evie has accidentally gone from providing a forum for free speech to creating a place for online bullying--which is the last thing she wanted to do.

Kirkus Reviews said, "Outspoken Evie, with a voice so endearing and provocative that it will make readers pause often to think, quickly discovers in this witty debut that high school is full of biased rules, abuses of power and a lack of civil liberties. . . . Readers will never look at high school--or life--the same.”

To learn more about JJ Johnson visit her website.

Describe your workspace.

My workspace is my MacBook Air and an imaginary bubble surrounding me. As much as I’d love a home office with an antique desk, bookshelves, art, and dappled sunlight filtering through the windows, that is so not my reality. My house is too tiny for an office, and my daily obligations wouldn’t allow me to spend time there anyway. So I take my work—and my bubble—with me. I write in coffee shops, at my child’s school, the public library, the dining room table while kids light-saber duel around me.

Describe a typical workday.

Honestly, there’s no such thing. I grab time whenever and wherever I can. That said, I usually spend an hour or two on publicity stuff—website updates, interviews, Facebook, e-mails, etc—and when that’s done, I write for a couple of hours. That’s a good day. When I’m up against a hard deadline, though, all bets are off, and the house goes to pot, because I just have to get it done.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

1. I have a sticker on my computer. It’s a stained-glass-ish painting of a kangaroo bounding in front of Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) in Australia. My family lived down under in 2009-2010, and the country there occupies a huge part of my heart. It’s a beautiful reminder that it’s a big world, and that I want to experience as much of it as I can.

2. A postcard of art by Shepard Fairey (2005) that says ‘Make Art Not War.’ It reminds me why I do what I do—because I want to live in a world where people create more than they consume, where art and human kindness are valued over profits and violence.

3. Taped inside my notebook is the Marge Piercy poem “For the young who want to”. The whole poem is great, but the last few lines really speak to me:

The real writer is one / who really writes. Talent / is an invention like phlogiston / after the fact of fire. / Work is its own cure. You have to / like it more than being loved.

To me, it means that your reasons for writing, your motivation, your validation, everything has come from within. By all means, accept critique from trusted friends and editors, but the rest of it you must block out. You can’t get distracted by rejections, bad reviews, or any of the other machinations of the publishing industry. “Work is its own cure.” If that’s true for you—if you can’t not write, then you write.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

I make or buy a yummy drink and I clear off whatever table/couch/bench/rock where I’m sitting. I usually start with editing, so I’m not confronted immediately with the dreaded blank screen of a new chapter.

What do you listen to while you work?

I’ve never been able to listen to music when I work. I listen to the brown noise option from the sanity-saving SimplyNoise.com

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

Each of my novels has its own drink. This Girl is Different was iced coffee. Random was chai. The novel I’m currently writing is unsweetened iced tea. The drink becomes part of the ritual of focusing: make the drink, clear off the table, pop in the earbuds, take a sip, start writing. It becomes Pavlovian.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

The white/brown noise helps. But it’s not an all-or-nothing venture; when I need a little break, I check Facebook or email, or I get up and walk around. I’m not a machine or anything. Really it just comes down to one basic question: Do you want to be an author, or don’t you? A writer is someone who writes. It’s that simple.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

I generally start off a novel by writing notes longhand, although I dread doing so and kick and scream all the way. Then I put it in the computer—I use Scrivener, which is the best novel-writing software known to humans—and off I go.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

The writer Robert Olen Butler says everything you experience goes into a compost heap—everything you think and do and see and feel gets thrown in there, and breaks down into rich, fertile soil. That’s what you grow your novels in.

I’ve learned to respect the time it takes to think up a novel. A few months of busy daydreaming—repainting the house, teaching myself to reupholster furniture—that’s when stories coalesce. My house is filled with things I’ve made while "baking" my novels.

This painting of trees--eucalypts on the right, blending toward north american deciduous on the left, (24 x 36” acrylic)--is a product of my busy daydreaming while "baking" a novel.

When I’m ready, I start scribbling notes in my notebook. Then I take to the computer and get to page 50 or 100, and THEN I realize I probably should have made an outline. So I go back and write each scene on a sticky note and plot out a huge mind-map, which gets taped to the dining room wall for a while.

The map of my current novel. It’s approximately 3x5 feet of newsprint, and the stickies are color-coded. Chartreuse = scenes & plot points (it’s an escalating plot, you can tell by the shape of the line), Blue = "bad guys", Purple = surprises & plot twists, Pink = details to remember and character traits. Bottom right corner is a list of major themes. I’ve fuzzed the writing out because my editor would kill me if I gave away secrets!

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

I’m constantly forced to share my workspace, and I can tell you who I LEAST like sharing it with: ice cube rattlers, cell-phone talkers, compulsive pen-clickers, and heavy sighers. Anyone else I can pretty much deal with.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

A fellow author once told me, “Your words are medicine for someone out there.” On bad days, that keeps me going. Find what keeps you going. And may the Force be with you.

15 Days of Giveaways: Janet Fox

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn (From the Mixed-Up Files)) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This interview originally ran in June of 2010. Janet's second YA novel, Forgiven, was published in 2011 and her third novel, Sirens, was published in fall of last year. ~~To win an advanced reader copy of her first novel, Faithful, leave a comment on this post.~~

Congratulations, Veronica! You are the winner of the advanced reader copy of FAITHFUL! Please email me with your mailing address and I will send it out to you.

This week we're stepping inside the workspace of writer Janet Fox. Janet's debut young adult novel Faithful was published in May of this year. Her novel is one of the 2010 debuts I've been most looking forward to reading, and I must not be alone in thinking that because I've been on my library's waiting list for the book since it was published a month and a half ago! The good news is I'm next in line; the bad news is I can't offer you my personal take on it. But I thought this description from the Class of 2K10 website made it sound particularly intriguing:

Faithful, the story of 16-year-old Maggie Bennet, is a tale of romance and mystery set in 1904 in spectacular Yellowstone National Park.

In 1904 Margaret Bennet has it all – money, position, and an elegant family home in Newport, Rhode Island. But just as she is to enter society, her mother ruins everything, first with public displays, and finally by disappearing. Maggie’s confusion and loss are compounded when her father drags her to Yellowstone National Park, where he informs her that they will remain. At first Maggie’s only desire is to return to Newport. But the mystical beauty of the Yellowstone landscape, and the presence of young Tom Rowland, a boy unlike the others she has known, conspire to change Maggie from a spoiled girl willing to be constrained by society to a free-thinking and brave young woman living in a romantic landscape at the threshold of a new century.

Here is a great review of Faithful and interview with Janet Fox here. An interview of Janet with Cynthia Leitich Smith can be found here. And I also came across this trailer for Faithful:

I mentioned already the Class of 2K10--Janet is a member of this group of some of the 2010 debut authors of middle grade and young adult fiction. But Faithful isn't Janet's first published work. She's also published a handbook for students titled Get Organized Without Losing It, as well as stories and articles in magazines. She lives with her husband, son, and Basset hound in Texas and spends her summers in Montana. If you'd like to learn more about Janet Fox, she has a great website with links to her blog, articles on writing, tips for organizing and more.

Describe your workspace.

I have a small office right now – but it’s snug and friendly. It sits right off the kitchen. I have tons of bookshelves. And some open spreading-out space on tabletops. I work at an old roll-top desk that my husband bought me when we got married. I never roll the top down – it’s always in use! My computer sits at an angle on a marble slab resting on an antique sewing machine base. If I could change one thing about my office, I’d give myself more wall space, because I like to hang up long charts of time-lines and plot-lines and maps.

Describe a typical workday.

I’m so lucky. I can write almost every morning. I get up and exercise, and I’m at my desk by 9. I scan email to put out any fires, then I get to work. I write (or revise) until lunch, take a little nap after lunch, and work again until about 4. I deal with email until dinner. Sometimes I work in the evening if I really want to stretch, and if I don’t have to blog or attend to something else. It’s heaven.

List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.

My cuckoo clock, my chair, and my big bulletin board. My cuckoo clock is my companion. It’s a lovely wooden Swiss clock, with a deer and rabbit and bird carved on the front, and my friendly cuckoo to chime the hours. Most of the time I don’t hear it; but it’s a bit of whimsy. My chair was one I bought when I began writing full time. It’s a big, clunky office chair in my favorite green color. It swivels and leans and supports me just right. And my bulletin board is like a picture view of my mind. It’s not newsy – it’s photos of plants that I took years ago, mingled with drawings my son made at 8, and old postcards (on one with a bicycle: “Ride a Stearns and be content” – if only!) and cartoons and poems, all layered one on top of another.

Do you have any rituals in your work habits? If so, describe them.

Coffee. Two cups of cappuccino, each drunk slowly, before noon. I write two pages and then take a break, even if it’s just to walk out of the room and back. My postprandial nap.

Boomer the Basset Hound

What do you listen to while you work?

Nothing. I cannot listen to anything, not music, not news, not anything. Only my ticking cuckoo clock. Otherwise I need complete silence. I’ve tried music – I wish I could listen – but, nope.

What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?

My coffee in the morning. Sometimes in the afternoon I’ll have a cup of green tea. Occasionally I’ll have dark chocolate. Yum.

What keeps you focused while you’re working?

If the story doesn’t keep me focused, I’m in trouble. That’s usually the first sign of trouble, actually – that my mind is wandering to the mail or the laundry, or what is the dog up to? What’s that noise outside? Then I know my story isn’t working.

Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?

Computer. I type almost as fast as I think, and my writing has slowed down. And my computer is a Macbook (picture me giving it a big kiss.) I love my Mac.

How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?

It has changed and I don’t doubt will continue to evolve. Generally I’m an organic writer – that is, I shoot from the hip and make sense of it all later. But this is problematic and can lead to disaster halfway through a project. So lately I’ve taken to beginning organically and letting the muse take me wherever, and then, just as I’m about to hit the wall, set up a plot chart and start scene-building, but in a free-form kind of way. If I know the ending I can generally make the middle work. Charts are really important to me. My next office will have huge wall space for charts.

If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?

Living? Laurie Halse Anderson. I love her work. Dead? Charles Dickens. I’d be pestering him all the time. “So, Charlie, what would you think if…” “Charlie, I had this idea, and…” “Charlie, how can I make this scene faster/more nuanced/funnier…”

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?

Linda Sue Park: “Read, read, read.” If you want to be a writer, you have to be a reader. There are no shortcuts to this.