Writing Matters

Writing Strategy 101: Get Involved!

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Turns out putting together a writing conference is harder than it looks. I have two years of proof to back that up.

And yet SCBWI volunteers worldwide do this every day and make it look like it’s nothing. Every minute they take to put on those conferences replaces valuable writing time, and, yet, they plan away. For so many years, I sat on the other side of that, slapped my dollars down on the counter (technically, I hit the PayPal button but somehow that image is not as powerful), sat in the audience, and asked myself the whole time if I was getting my money’s worth. Those days are gone, much like before I became a teacher and stood in the doorway of my son’s second grade classroom thinking of how “I’d run that classroom.” (I saw those Karmic eyes staring back at me once I had my own class of second graders.)

In the end, though, when it comes together—often in a string of hard-pressed synchronicities—writing conferences are the fertilizer that writers need to grow. Especially conferences like the Second Annual Shasta County SCBWI Workshop.

What of those hard-pressed synchronicities? The first editor scheduled to attend the workshop left publishing after the initial flyers went out. So that author extraordinaire Charlie Price would not need to put on an eight hour workshop on his own (though I know he could’ve done it and done a smashing job), we began trying to find a replacement. Eventually, the initial editor attempted to contact a former colleague at a previous publishing house and, with the angels smiling down on us, Noa Wheeler of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers intercepted it. With an enthusiastic, “She’s no longer here, but I’d love to come!” we had an editor.

Between Edgar-award winning author, Charlie Price, and delightful Noa Wheeler, writers left at the end of the day with a full slew of questions to ask their characters and a technique for envisioning those characters in action. The workshop atmosphere allowed Charlie and Noa to work with writers in the moment on improving writing techniques in the moment. It allowed writers to write. And it gave all the attendees an opportunity to really get to know Charlie and Noa who made a point of connecting with attendees and finding out about their writing.

The next time you attend a writing conference, here’s my advice. If you really want to grow, get involved. We're all busy, but look for ways to help. It’s a community effort, and the more you actually connect to the community, the more you will evolve as writers--and as people.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:26:00 +0000

Now I've done "first page" sessions before with varying degress of success. In case you are unfamiliar with how this works, there is usually somebody reading first pages of manuscripts which authors have bravely dropped in boxes at the beginning of the conference. Categories are picture book, middle grade or young adult and pages are formatted in accordance with SCBWI standards (ie. start the title half way down and the text at 3/4 with approximately 11 lines on the page.)

The reason for the popularity of "first page" sessions is probably obvious: the almighty real estate of those 11 lines may or may not keep the agent/editor/reader reading. When I say "I've done" these sessions, I mean I've moderated them. I believe this is the fourth time. It's usually not a volunteer task people jump at for several reasons. First, you need to stand up and read "cold" text you are not familiar with that can go in a variety of directions you may not be prepared for, from sexually explicit in the case of older YA to outright bloody carnage, also YA. Secondly, there are inevitably upset writers who thought they were ready to have their masterpiece publicly criticized and then realize at line 6 that indeed they were not. (Trust me, been there.) Third, there are always the writers at the end who "forgot" the pages would not be returned (why are pages not returned? because they are in a big messy, confused pile that nobody can decipher), but become very adamant about having their pages back. The worst part is that all manuscripts do not get evaluated simply due to the lack of time and, although they are chosen at random, authors are often disappointed that their pages are not read. And each time I've done this, each of these dynamics has happened.

So why do we endure this "first pages" ritual? The primary reason is that if you get very experienced readers that each give their own unique veiw point, you can get fantastic insight into upgrading your first-page real estate. Everybody present gets a better sense of how to finesse this skill. This was the case in Rocklin, California at the SCBWI Spring Spirit Conference this April. The YA/MG first page session was 1 hour and 15 minutes with Lin Oliver, author and SCBWI co-founder,and Andrea Tompa, 8-year veteran acquiring editor at Candlewick. Between the two, they managed to be both kind and give valuable feedback to authors seeking to understand what's needed on those all-important lines. Between reading those excerpts and staring at piles (note the confused look in the photo), I jotted down these tips they gave I thought were key.

1. Don't be coy. Be direct. Your reader will get impatient with things like weather, hearing recipes, etc.

2. Make sure you don't tie into famous first lines. (Admittedly, you may never have seen the line...this translates as READ EVERYTHING, then write uniquely!)

3. Don't overwrite with too much description. Lin Oliver: "Be inside your character. Channel them--this is what you should be doing."

4. If the reader feels their heart rate increasing, this is good... BUT...

5. ...Intense scenes on the first page can be too much. You need it to not feel gratuitous, like it's there for the sole purpose to hook.

6. Don't open with a cliche scene.

7. These questions should be answered immediately: Where are you? What's going on? For what purpose?

8. Limit description on first page.

9. Come in at the right place in the scene. Make SURE you're at the right place. (I have struggled with this point on my first manuscript for years, whereas others are crystal clear!)

10. Don't mutter long dialogue.

11. Match your opening to your book's style. Slow starts are created by lots of description, passive voice, description of landscape. If your books moves at a quicker pace, use less less description, active voice and a punchy sentence structure. Either way, don't bait and switch. Keep consistent from word one.

12. Convey: what is character feeling?

13. Avoid too much screaming! in! the! first! line!

Here're some starters from the mouths of these two experienced children's publishing professionals. Take what works for you. And each time you sit through a "first page" session remember: you might just find that one nugget will make all the difference in welcoming readers into your story. Go forth, brave writers, and create the best eleven ever written.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:49:00 +0000

When I laid out my goals for this year, Rutgers One-on-One Conference topped the list. With my son studying in a Masters/PhD program at RU, it only made sense that I was supposed to be there. When the acceptance notice came I was out of town and my husband said, "The note came. Should I read it to you?" Me: "Yeah, really fast. Just read it really fast." That angst of not knowing was worse than the answer.

It read "yes." Best day ever. My debut YA novel First Break has been a work in progress for four years and here was a chance to get a fresh eyes on the millionth revision. To make it that much better, I got to hang out with my son and his friends for a solid week in the RU playground.

The night before the conference, writer friend Sheri Dillard organized a dinner for writers. About 20 "Blueboarders" (referring to the Verla Kay writer scene) showed up, along with Andrea Brown agent Jennifer Laughran. Having some down time to talk with other writers about what they're working on, where they live and sharing in the joys and pains of writing topped my list of R 1-1 take aways.

The actual conference went down the next day. Best tip: get there early and study the folder. I had five wishlist picks for my mentor and thanks to the genius of the RUCCL, I got one: Stacey Barney of Putnam. All the writers sitting at my table seemed very happy with their matches as well so I'm pretty sure somewhere in the matching department is psychic.

A look through this blog will let you know I frequent the conference scene, but R1-1 is like no other conference. Conference starter Vivian Grey says I won't find one. The combination of having a session with a mentor, a session with 4 other mentor/mentee pairs, experienced writers excited about their craft and editors/agents excited to hear what you're working on make this a one of kind venue.

I leave NJ so happy to have spent a week in my son's world and to have survived my first R 1-1. I take back many new friendships and so many ideas--along with an inexplicable urge to open a Muscle Maker Grill in California.

Me: inspired, well-networked and ready to get to work on my next novel.

Thank you, Tiaras.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:39:00 +0000

I recently returned from SCBWI Orange County Agent’s Day where one of the agents who shall remain nameless said it was “creepy” when writers blog only occasionally.

Just before that speech started, the woman behind me and I struck up a conversation about our writing. She’s mainly a blogger, a weekly blogger, and informed me that she had to arrange her flight schedule around her blog entry which she put out every Monday for—her cat. At that point, she whipped a Popsicle stick with a cat’s photo pasted to it out of her purse and told me her cat had over 4,000 followers that got very cranky if the feline didn’t blog first thing Monday morning.

You decide which one’s creepier.

The topic on my once-in-awhile blogging mind is critique groups.

Writers are like only children. They work alone. They create worlds which they can control. They interact with others when they have to, but mainly they’re happy in their writing caves.

But as an only child myself, I know that friends can replace siblings you don’t have. And as a writer, I know that critique partners can bring perspective and inspiration that is so vital to the writing process. A little company to the cave, if you will.

And we always hear, “Get in a critique group.” But it’s not that easy. You need to find a good fit. You need to trust each other and to feel assured your darlings won’t be abused by your new clan. It helps if the writers are at similar writing levels, but short of an entry exam, how do you figure that out exactly? How do you find your critique home?

This is where the synchronicity that envelops writing comes in. It’s as if the writing Gods shine down upon you and give you just what you need for the project you are working on right then. It’s pretty magic how it works. And for that, Tiaras, I am grateful.

Mills College SCBWI

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:27:00 +0000

I always come back from conferences with a list about a mile long, and that doesn't include laundry, dishes, groceries and cleaning the entire house. Tim Meyers, author and all-around good guy, said it best, “You are all feeling completely overwhelmed and like you can’t wait to get started.” (Not on the house cleaning, but on the other stuff.) Tim also told us to “take time to notice the sun.” He lifted our spirits at the end of the day by emphasizing the importance of what we do for kids. Thanks, Tim. We needed that.

Mills College, a beautiful, all-female campus where bathroom graffiti is mermaids, sits in Oakland, California. Volunteer Anne Reilly and I arrived before the sun came up to hang up SCBWI signs in the rain in the hopes that members wouldn’t end up at one of the other multiple events on campus. We watched the day open and members arrive ripe with anticipation. It struck me how it takes a village to throw a conference.

There were two sessions to choose from and speakers moved between both tracks. One track focused more on older YA/middlegrade and the other on picture books. In a stroke of brilliance, sessions were staggered to keep hallways, bathrooms and the snack table less jam-packed.

I was in the main session. All the speakers brought unique offerings. Joe Cepeda started the day with a look into his creative process and prefers to “make it up” rather than copy. He says if you can’t remember what it looks like, close your eyes and remember what it “feels” like.

Agents weighed in. Caryn Wiseman (Andrea Brown) discussed specifics of the market—where it’s been, where it’s going. Joan Paquette (Erin Murphy Literary Agency) talked about the writing process and what needs to be in a manuscript.

Editors gave insight. Kaylan Adair gave a look inside Candlewick (Boston). She covered the 5 W’s of the publishing company and by the time she was done, I felt like I had been there. Lisa Yoskowitz talked about what to make sure is in a manuscript and also announced that she is moving from Dutton to Hyperion (both are in New York and fairly close to each other) and will only be able to receive agent submissions there. (Both very nice editors and instrumental in helping me get out of the Mills College campus when my nav system got thoroughly confused by errant locked gates.)

Authors Pam Turner and Ginger Wadsworth covered the world of nonfiction, including matching photos with manuscript. (Kimxa, did you save the original PMS photos? I might know what to do with those now.) Both seem to love where the world of nonfiction takes them, physically and mentally.

Perhaps the most hysterical speaker of the day was Bruce Hale. I think he should hold workshops and teach writers how to present. If he does, I’m signing up! (Think Toastmasters on crack.)

So many synchronicities happen at these events. For example at Mills, I met a new friend named Angie (an SCBWI newbie). Turns out her best friend was my 23-year-old daughter’s 4th grade teacher in Manhattan Beach where I also taught. Random? I think not. SCBWI synchronicity reigns once again!

SCBWI Pioneers Come to Cottonwood

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 21:36:00 +0000

If we define pioneers as those individuals who go out and explore new lands then Co-Regional Advisers, Erin Dealey and Patti Newman, proved themselves SCBWI pioneers today. They made the trek from Sacramento (two hours south) and landed at North Cottonwood Elementary School's multipurpose room, a perfect venue to meet local members and children's book writers and illustrators.

Due to my ongoing camera issues, my camera died immediately after my first shot so I'm lacking on photo support here. In this picture is Patti Newman (left) and Maggi Milton, first timer talk before we get started.

The day began getting to know each other. Beginning, pre-published authors to veteran multi-published authors were represented. Each shared where she is in the process. And it is a process. Nobody learns this stuff in a day. It's encouraging to hear other's stories. It makes us realize there are so many paths to publication.

We covered some points from the Big Momma LA Conference like what editors are looking for, how to get your manuscript publisher-ready and how to get to know your character's voice. Ahh, the mystical voice.

Erin did an awesome exercise on listening, something we can so easily forget to do. She put a bunch of ojects in the middle of the floor and asked people to pick one. My personal favorite was the rainbow-colored mohawk head mask. As you listen to your object, you find voice. (Lou, the bulldog in this picture, was not there, but if you want you can practice with him. He lives at my doctor's office.) One of the most fascinating parts of this exercise was to see how two different people hear such different story from an object. The point: your voice is unique. Find that.

Erin and Patti represent 33 counties in Northern California, and since Cottonwood sits over two (Shasta and Tehama) they can knock a few more off their list. Thanks, Pioneers. We appreciate your pilgrimage to the great North-North.

One Writer's Place: Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:37:00 +0000

So I hit the send button yesterday inadvertently. My mission was to get photos, add them, take out the line about my camera (though I did want to give a shout out to the nice camera man), but "send" was what went out. Best laid plans.

Here's the beach of which I wrote. It's one of those places that's hard to capture on film it turns out. It lies west facing in a bay which I think is where the grass thing comes from. There are lots of paths like this one.

It's a very quiet, meditative place and I really wanted to sit right where this seagull was sitting, but he looked so content I couldn't chase him off.

So instead I went and picked up potentially the best Chinese take out food I've ever eaten in my life at this little hole in the wall place that somebody told me about when I was waiting in the amusement-park length line at CVS for my antibiotics (to cure the ear infection I hope to not take on the plane.) There, I found my new mantra for my book.

And I came back to the cottage to do just that.

One Writer's Place

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:14:00 +0000

Having survived the Bourne Bridge Rotary on the way here (what the...?), I am happy to write to you from the Edna St. Vincent Room at One Writer's Place. As most of you (my three loyal subscribers--Mom, is that you?)know I was selected to come here after going through the application process last year. (Do I get to put that under the "Awards" section of my resume?)

This is only Day 2, but already I must say this is the best idea ever, and I am so thankful to have this space to slog through First Break and let Paige tell her story. Thank you, Jackie Mitchard, for picking me and for providing this type of support for writers. You have inspired me to work towards getting a cabin in the woods where I can do the same for others one day. (Get that, honey, "working towards.")

An interesting venture, this debut novel thing, and sometimes there just needs to be cricket-chirping silence to do it. That's what there is here. I'm on the third floor, surrounded by evergreens and sky, with breeze that flows through the windows just enough to make it nice, but not so much it blows my papers all over.

On Day 1, I never left (butt glue). But today, lest I turn into a hermit, I drove down to Paines Creek Beach. My camera was broken when I arrived in Cape Cod, but some nice fellow down at the South Patriot Square Camera shop fixed it for me today and didn't charge me a dime so now I will go back tomorrow so I can show you this amazing beach. You can walk out a mile it seems and it is only three inches deep. When you look out, it looks like people walking on water. It's not a straight sandy beach, but is filled with wild grasses and a stream running into it. People sit in little coves or out on their own little sand islands. Not a wave to be seen. Truly unique.

Anybody know what's up with all the "we make our own ice cream" places on Cape Cod?

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:27:00 +0000

I’ve attended three SCBWI LA Conferences, and this one was hands-down the best. The faculty always shines, the best of the best in children’s literature, but this year was exceptional. After every breakout session my hand ached from copious note-taking. I also look so forward to seeing friends I’ve made over the past three years and following the storyline of the lives they are living.

The master class with Diane Muldrow, “An Editor Over Your Shoulder” gave permission to writers to use art notes, something nearly every writer in the room had been told not to do at one time or another. When you think about it, telling the story’s subtext is difficult to do if you do not provide those notes unless everything is in the text, which is another mantra you hear to avoid: “Don’t overwrite, leave room for the illustrator.” Muldrow, editor/author of Random House/Golden Books, spoke the obvious: “The illustrator can’t read your mind.” Somehow, we all thought they could and that putting artist’s notes in was taboo, or at least off-putting at best. In a market that is treading just above the surface (some would argue just below), who wants to be off-putting? Whatever the answer, we all found breaking out the text and taking charge of the art notes liberating, whether or not they end up in the envelope in the end. (Show of hands of who will send off single-spaced mss with art notes?)

Across the board, one thing I heard many different authors say was a practice I am taking up immediately. When I revise, I always have the “dump file” where parts that are cut go to live and rarely--okay, never--are seen again. What many authors use, though, is a third document, a sort of hybrid emotional-informational dumping ground called “notes.” They drop in constantly while writing to say, “I have no idea what I’m doing here,” or cathartic ramblings like that. Pure brilliance. I’m getting one.

The other repetitive theme threaded through the weekend concerns revisions. I am just happy to know so many other writers with piles of published books on the table in front of them revise relentlessly and throw huge clumps of text into the dump page. In college/grad school, I wrote a paper (draft 1), turned it in and got it back with an “A” more times than not. So when it comes to the concept of rewriting, I am a bit of a newcomer. Listening to authors at the conference made me feel like part of a club, the Rewriters Club, and I wondered why SCBWI wasn’t SCBRWI if rewriting is really the bulk of writing. (Is it strikingly obvious what stage of my YA I’m in?)

But that’s the thing about SCBWI LA. As Marion Dane Bauer said in her keynote, “The Shape of Our Stories”, “You will hear what you are ready to hear. Relax, and let the rest fall away.”

The most prophetic comment of the weekend came in Rubin Pfeffer’s keynote. He challenged SCBWI, a 39 year-old organization rooted in the traditions of the publishing industry, to consider the moment we are in with creative content, appoint a steering committee and consider e-publishing as a legitimate form of publication. (In Redding, we have seen several well-published writers turning to this option, holding seminars on the subject and creating excitement with the idea.) Pfeffer has been around the industry for years and has always seemed to me prophetic. Time will tell.

Immersed: SCBWI Nevada

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 24 May 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Who knew it snowed like this in May in Tahoe? At the Novel Immersion workshop at the Granlibakken just over Donner Pass (remember the one where people died?), dainty little snowflakes danced amongst the cherry blossoms. Hours later they turned into what seemed like a blizzard right before my eyes.

I asked my roommate Susan if she wanted a ride back down the hill to our room. What should have been a one minute drive morphed into a 30 minute ordeal with us sliding sideways down a hill and nearly into a rocky ditch with no control whatsoever over my car. At one point she jumped out and made tracks with her shoes so my car could get some traction. It worked and we made it to our room.

I couldn't help thinking how similar that was to writing. You take off often unprepared for where your story might go. Sure you have some semblance of an outline (maybe), but characters evolve and make choices you may not have seen coming. You go with it and you write your story. You think it makes sense. You think it's beautiful. Then you pick it up after some time and it's a mess and you wonder whose eyes read this before because it certainly couldn't have been yours.

And so you invite someone to read your work, critique it, give you feed back. You think there might be a quick fix to your 100th revision. But as you sit and listen, you suddenly realize that writing years are like dog years and there is nothing quick about this process. What helps you get there, to that point when you see what needs to be done, is someone hopping out of the car and helping you make tracks in the muddle so you can get some traction and stop sliding down the hill.

That's what makes weekends like this one invaluable. A group of writers, editors, agents--people who care about books--helping each other make each story the best it can be. It may be magical at first, then a bit stormy and perhaps feel a little out of control. But in the morning, when the sun comes up and the day shows what the storm has created, it's back to magical--times five.

That's why I write.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 04:04:00 +0000

Since beginning my "serious" writing career four years ago, I have attended multiple writing events, both SCBWI and other (Book Expo America, Independent Book Store Events, Library Conferences, you name it). Truth be told, I've become a bit of a conference junkie. Last year I cooled it a bit, what with selling one house, moving across the state and trying to find another one in our ruthlessly small town. But this year I'm back. My second event of the year was my second NorCal SCBWI event and what an event it was.

First, let me just say my writing buddy, Linda Boyden, and I wore tiaras on the way there keeping with her family tradition. It's a good way to begin.

Writers conferences are just plain inspiring and this was no exception. What this one had that many don't have though, was such a sense of friendly mixed with professionalism, that I am stumped to find a comparison.

First time Co-RAs Erin Dealey and Patti Newman were organized and inclusive as proved by the the matrix of volunteer duties! The conference sold out at 175 and they managed to incorporate about 16 volunteers into the mix.

First time Spirit Conference goer, I was pleased to be included. (Not everybody is as good at delegating as the Nor Cal Co-RAs.) The night before the conference, volunteer Catherine Felt had a group of fellow helpers over to her house for spaghetti. We met a group of new friends and were able to have some circle time talking to a group of other writers over dinner.

The next day started very early with us picking up Brian Farrey (Flux) and Mary Rodgers (Lerner) at their hotel and driving them to the Rocklin Sunset Center where we would then pitch them in a pitch-a-thon. Luckily, they were both very friendly and easy to be with although that did not stop my voice from shaking at an 8.4 while delivering my pitch. (Embarrassing!) Throughout the conference, both Mary and Brian added so much with their perspectives on their respective houses and with those details you don't get by reading blog interviews. While this looks like it could be an improv act, here they are explaining the ins and outs of their houses in "Meet the Editors".

The conference appealed to writers and illustrators at all levels because breakout sessions were carefully calibrated. There was a pitch-a-thon for PAL (published and listed) members at the same time as nuts and bolts for beginners. Breakout sessions covered building a plot, synopsis, book trailer, first page, artists' best of show, art sample critiques, an inside look at publishing houses and what the editors are looking for, how to use social media and a packed out revisions. (When I say packed out I mean sitting on the floor room only, as proved by this shot of Jean DuPrau, author of City of Embers, which ironically I had just finished reading with my eleven year old son. I told Jean I would always remember her by her feet because that's where I was sitting.)

The conference wrapped with a Q&A, manuscript consult handout and clean up. A post conference dinner at PF Changs was a great way to debrief, cheers to a great conference and talk about what to do next year. I'll be first to sign up.

(In this shot Kris McLeod--artist extraordinaire; Cheri Williams, writer and my co-shepherd in the first page synopsis session; and Brian Farrey, Flux.)

Transitional Youth (Young Adult) Resources

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:30:00 +0000

The Child Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF)is a stellar resource for parents of children with bipolar disorder. During our early years following Amanda's diagnosis, I relied heavily on the list serve parents in this organization across the country: they were the ones that told me about NAMI and Family-to-Family, about various docs, about things to watch out for that I hadn't thought of and gave tons of support.

I continue to look to them as a resource both for my writing and for random questions that inevitably pop up. Our family is proud to be a lifetime member. On a regular basis, they hold chats. Today's chat focused on transitional youth (18-25) and the special challenges faced by both young adult and parents. The professional at the helm: Cinda Johnson, Ed.D.

As you probably know, I am passionate about this topic and it is the subject of my soon-to-be completed (as in revised 80 billion times over and completed at One Writer's Place) young adult novel and Amanda's accompanying screenplay. Listening to this chat today inspired me to pass on resources that Cinda most excellently offered.

Two points really stuck out as "take aways."

First, the evidence-based characteristic that helps young people cope with mental illness that could happen later in life is self-determination. Cinda gave this definition of self-determination: "Define and reach goals based on foundation of knowing and valuing oneself" (Field & Hoffman, 1998, 2006).

Cinda points out that starting this skill-building early is essential. It seems to me this is a tool necessary for many purposes, mental illness or no. But how to teach this?

"Model it. Help the child know their strengths and barriers."

One example Cinda gave was gaining the confidence to interview therapists (or any authority figure), a process that takes time and skill-building. The earlier you start teaching these skills, the less you have to jam in that senior year of high school!

The second point. Why not proactively get an Advanced Directive? When children turn 18, parents are not able to help them because of various state and federal laws which strive to effect privacy, but often just result in disaster for the compromised individual. If a child turns 18, gets into a car accident and sustains a brain injury, his parents would be limited in the help they could give that child. But if an Advanced Directive were in place, that could be avoided. (The Advanced Directive is a legal document in which an individual designates another person to make health care decisions if he or she is rendered incapable of making their wishes known. http://www.medicinenet.com/advance_medical_directives/article.htm)
Just do this proactively for your child and make sure to initiate when they are thinking clearly so they understand the importance of this collaborative process.

Mostly what I liked about the chat was uncovering the mother/daughter team of Cinda and Linea Johnson behind the scenes. It's like we have new stigmabusting friends! Healing happens when we are able to share and through sharing, help someone else along their journey.

Resources for transitional youth (18-25 years)from Dr. Cinda Johnson:

NICHCY: http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/transition_adulthood/Pages/Default.aspx

Summary of transition services for students with IEPs

PACER: http://www.pacer.org/

PACER is the Minnesota Parent Training and Information Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs.

YouthHood: http://www.youthhood.org/index.asp

This Web site was built to help you plan for the future.

Adolescent Health Project: http://depts.washington.edu/healthtr/

University of Washington project, transition and students with health care needs

Full Life Foundation: http://www.fulllifeahead.org/

Connecting students with life after high school

Wrights Law: http://wrightslaw.com/

http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/10/nl.0316.htm (latest publication on preparing kids with disabilities for life after high school)

P.A.V.E : http://www.washingtonpave.org/

Sedonalicious

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:12:00 +0000

Ahh, Sedona. Where New Age meets Naturalist. Where geologist meets Reiki Master. Where Native American tradition weaves with modern culture. Where metaphysical conversation is the norm. What is it about the place?

Maybe it was my high school fascination with Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged that draws me here. Maybe it's the azure sky against the red rock moutains and the way the light plays on both. Or maybe it's that I just feel a unique blend of creativity, peace and balance in Sedona. It just feels really good.

In fact when you chat with people in Sedona that's what you find. They came there on vacation and they felt so good they never left. That's a fairly common response.

That's the case with our mountain guide, Kurt.

Kurt visited Sedona from Wisconsin 13 years ago and stayed. He knows the land and he knows people. We learned about the indigenous tribes from Kurt as he hiked us to the top of a mesa behind Big Thunder Mountain (yeah, just like Disneyland but better) and lead us in a meditation, followed by a Hopi ceremony. Here we are basking in the glow of our mesa-top sage bath. He explained this is where you take in the “big picture” of life, like the eagle flying high above who sees below. Kurt is a great storyteller and told us about the various tribes that believe this canyon is the beginning of all creation.

We spent my birthday with Kurt and his partner, Mariposa, a Reiki Master and all-around energy guru. Kurt took us to several gorgeous spots and taught us about the medicine wheel while Mariposa made sure all chakras were in good working order.

Each time we visit Sedona it is different. We usually stay at Enchantment in Boynton Canyon and never want to leave. This time we stayed on the creek at the Creekside Inn B&B and were mad explorers. We hit the wineries (Javelina, Oak Creek and Page Springs.) Wineries in Arizona? A little weird and no competition for California, but we did enjoy Page Springs, the subject of a new limited release film called "From Blood to Wine." Sadly, it didn't make the top 10 at the Sedona Film Festival so not sure how far that will go.

We visited the art galleries in Tlaquepaque, drove along Oak Creek where snow was still on the ground, visited the Holy Cross Church built into the cliffs, found some new shops we liked and hiked the cliff dwellings of Montezuma Well. There an underground lake was once covered with rock. The Synagua people built their homes in the cliffs and laddered down to get in? Here is one of their homes.

Our favorite restaurants? We were right across the street from Shugrues in the Hillside Galleries and highly recommend the clam chowder, but Yavapai at Enchantment is our favorite! Their food is art.

One of my favorite things was just sitting down by the creek with our new locally made Navajo blanket wrapped around us and watching the creek flow. I could do that for hours. It seems to me that's how we should live--in the flow. When we start to feel like we are salmon swimming upstream, we need to re-evaluate our choices. In contrast, when we are moving in conjunction with our life purpose, the journey is clear, directed, sometimes shallow and sometimes deep, but directed and synchronistic.

Here's to happy flowing! Namaste.

SCBWI Asilomar - Day 3 - The Book List & Thinking Like an Editor

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:51:00 +0000

What I like most about being at a literature conference of any type is that you are surrounded by people who love books. At SCBWI conferences, that focus becomes children's literature. As Sunday morning opened with a panel of the amazing Asilomar faculty, a great take-away was the reading list. RA Amy Laughlin asked, "What books (that you don't represent) were your favorites over the last year?" Here's the list:

When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead
Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story and The True Meaning of Smekday, Adam Rex
Tales of Outer Suburbia, Shaun Tan
Red Sings for the Tree Tops, Joyce Sidman and Pamela Zagarenski
All the World, Liz Garten Scanlon
Lips Touch, Lani Taylor
How to Say Good-bye in Robot, Natalie Standiford
Charles and Emma, Deborah Heiligman
Ages and Angels, Adam Gopnik
Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan
The Hotel Under the Sand, Kage Baker
Diego, Bigger Than Life, Carmen Bernier and David Diaz
Jeremy Draws a Monster and Henry in Love, Peter McCarty
Marcello in the Real World, Francisco X. Stork

And there you have it. The books the agents, editors and authors liked.

Tracy Gates, senior editor at Viking's Children (she's blurry in top right because I didn't want to flash her), presented "Thinking Like an Editor" with visuals via PowerPoint that gave you a real feel for what an editor does. Her favorite part of the job is the reading (not necessarily the emails which can suck up a whole day), but her responsibilities extend far beyond that. She covered topics like how to get her attention (attend conferences, get an agent), what she is thinking when she reads a manuscript (is it as good as these?) and whether or not she can work well with the author (do we have a connection?) Also, are you ready to revise, Revise, REVISE? She looks for people who are ready to work. I've seen editors talk before, and I've worked with editors in my freelance work, but Tracy's insight into the thought process of an editor was outstanding and very helpful to both newbies and veterans alike.

The conference ended with a commitment ceremony. People wrote out a commitment for the year on two cards--one they took home to remind them what they selected and the other they burned in the fire. I was reminded of GirlScouts. Before the cards were burned, everybody stood in an energy circle as if to say, "We're all in this together."

And, really, we are.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:35:00 +0000

Meals at Asilomar are a great way to get to know other SCBWI members and conference faculty. Many have been coming to this conference for a very long time and come with their whole critique groups. This, however, did not keep them from warmly engaging with me. This is a friendly group and I so enjoyed everyone I got to know.

Saturday started out with agent Sarah Davies (Greenhouse Literary Agency) giving the recipe for a breakout novel. The first ingredient: write the story you are excited about. Work out the “USP” or unique selling point and avoid information dumps. (A light sprinkling, perhaps, but no dumping.) She addressed six aspects of a successful novel: larger than life characters, inspired concept, high stakes story, deeply felt theme, setting as character and voice.

Ken Wright (Writers House agent/New York office) followed with a question and answer approach, allowing the session to take its own unique form. (Ken, I learned in my private critique session, prefers his synopsis to look like a book jacket and he would rather not know the ending.) An interesting tidbit: 70% of his clients come from referrals from other industry professionals. He also emphasized the subjective nature of evaluating manuscripts.

Breakout session speaker AnnMarie Anderson (Scholastic editor) spoke next on paperback series. She gave examples of series (Goosebumps, Baby Sitters Club, Geronimo Stilton for reluctant readers, The Amazing Adventures of Nate Banks and the Poison Apple series which she described as supernatural chick lit for 8 – 12 year olds.) She described the paperback series as the mac and cheese of the publishing world. Each series needs to have a hook (which was certainly the thematic word of the weekend launching with Erin Dealey’s rap, “You Gotta Have a Hook”). That hook can be recurring characters (Babysitters Club) or thematic continuity (Goosebumps). Plots must resolve from book to book. My social media session with Greg Pincus was scheduled during this session so I needed to leave before it was over. On the way to my session, three deer walked in front of me as if to say, “Really? Social Media?”

Greg took quite a bit of time to inventory what portals were being used and how they may work together more efficiently. He let me know what I was doing wrong (never status both Facebook and Twitter through Tweetdeck) and offered suggestions in extensive notes on how to zero in on what you are trying to achieve with the social media (make it easier for people to subscribe to your blog and subscribe to other blogs which you can centralize and read from one place with http://www.google.com/reader) Just having someone to ask questions was great.

Following lunch, I found new friend and another first timer, Kristi Wright. We were both wandering around trying to figure out which way to walk in the conference grounds maze. We ended up deciding to take a walk down to the gorgeous coastline and see the great Pacific. Kristi and I discovered we had much overlap in our lives and I was reminded of the synchronicity that reigns over these SCBWI events.

After our speed walk down the beach, my two hours of sleep was starting to show. Sleeping in a tiny bed next to my poor, sick coughing roommate who was very close by in her tiny bed made for very little sleep on Friday night causing me to reevaluate Saturday’s sleeping arrangements. All cabins are different, but I think we picked the short straw. I didn’t want to be a zombie Sunday, so I jumped on Hotwire and found the most charming hotel in Monterey with a king bed called Pacific Hotel. Friendly people, cute place. Officially, a diva.

Sleeping arrangements in place it was back to class. Social media was the next topic presented by Greg Pincus. Greg asks writers to ask questions like “Who do I want to read my blog?” If you can’t answer that, he suggests you wait to blog until you can. Greg tracks who is reading his blog and suggests you do the same. He talked about his success with social media using poetry and how he was able to land a double book deal with Arthur A. Levine without actually having books. Way to go, Greg!

Ellen Klages (The Green Glass Sea (2006) won the Scott O’Dell for historical fiction and the sequel, White Sands, Red Menace (2008) won the California and New Mexico Book Awards) and whom I had the pleasure of dining with Friday night talked about the young adult crossover novel and not being pigeon-holed. She is quite funny and her refrain was “the interesting things happen on the edges.” When asked why she writes for children, she says, “I don’t. It just happens that way.” I can relate to that.

Following a fun dinner where I got to know Linda Joy Singleton and Nathalie Mondo, my Twitter buddy, for the first time, we headed back to the Fred Farr Forum which is where most everything happened.

The keynote speaker Gary Schmidt was incredible (Wednesday Wars won the 2008 Newbery and he has written more than fifteen books for children/ young adults and has won numerous other awards). I thought he might be a religious leader because he had this hypnotic and inspiring way of capturing his audience and telling them, “what happens next.” Master storyteller, he began his talk by reading a pile of recipes. (Later we find out they were recipes written down by Holocaust prisoners who wanted to leave part of their legacy behind.) He told the story of Humphrey the whale. The message was not just what was said, but the way he delivered it, modeling for listeners how to stay awake and tell a good story. My favorite story was one he told where he was taken to a “book group” by a librarian following a talk and ended up in a prison with some fans. Despite his success, Gary does not have a website, an agent or cards and maintains a humble, encouraging demeanor.

What an amazing day.

Stay tuned for Day 3: the entire faculty weighs in on their favorite books of the year and Tracy Gates puts on a power point presentation with some great visuals that show us what "thinking like an editor" looks like.

SCBWI Asilomar Conference - Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:11:00 +0000

Day 1 at Asilomar – SCBWI Nor Cal Conference

Driving into the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove/Monterey for my first SCBWI Nor Cal SCBWI event brought me back to the ocean smells and ever-present mist of Central California. I never tire of it. Asilomar sits next to the Inn at Spanish Bay just off 17 mile drive. You can see the golf course and hotel from the beach on the Asilomar property which is like dangling ice cream in front of a toddler and saying “Don’t you wish you could have some?”

The grounds are beautiful, quite rustic—and HUGE. During the course of the conference I lost my room on several occasions, once in the dark, which my roommate warned was not good because there are “Beware of Mountain Lion” signs. (On the second day, I saw three deer standing in front of the sign…but no mountain lions.)

What an excellent program San Francisco South put out. Friday launched around 4ish with Ari Lewin of Disney Hyperion taking the audience through the multiple steps an editor must move through with a pitched piece that the editor wants to buy. The number of meetings alone the piece must travel through (sales, acquisition, launch, marketing, blah, blah, blah) makes me appreciate the miracle of each publication. She wrapped up with a list of “don’t evers” and “do-s”. (Don’t ever complain to a bookstore that they don’t have your book and do establish yourself online.)

A shout out to writer Beth Graubert who mentioned the critique time was on the back of my name tag so that I did not miss my Friday session with Ken Wright of Writer’s House which I easily could have done just having just arrived from a fun Thursday night of dancing with my daughter and her friends in San Francisco the night before. Not accounting for the size of the grounds made check in take longer than planned, but having the early time was great. Thanks, Beth, for the heads up.

Every time I have a critique I learn something new. Ken’s encouragement and suggestions were both helpful and inspiring. (Yay! My Young Adult novel First Break is very marketable!) It can be a mysterious industry and it was nice just to be able to sit down with a real live agent and ask questions that roll around a newcomer’s mind in an agent demystified sort of way.

Up after Ari was illustrator Yuji Morales. Her unique and stunning art has won numerous awards. Harvesting Hope is one of my favorites. Can you imagine how beautifully she could illustrate “Sunshine’s Song?” Sadly for the writers of the world, I learned in a conversation later with Yuji that after finishing out her contracts she will stick to illustrating her own writing.

Watching Yuji’s thumbnail sketches transform into images and hearing how she blends mediums using her magic tools (pencil and eraser) then later photo shop and paint, building layers from the background forward, was fascinating. It made me want to be an artist. To hear her in her charming way say that she did not think she could draw anything at one point inspired the audience to its core. I swear you could hear "I think I can, I think I can" and the sound of wheels screeching up a track.

The evening concluded with a cocktail party giving me a chance to meet a couple of the savvy San Fran South organizers, Kristin and Naomi, who were quite warm and welcoming. What a fantastic job they do. I wondered if they start planning next year’s conference today.

After wandering the grounds in search of my room, I arrived back in my room. (I vow never to sleep in a twin bed again in this lifetime). I met my roomie Katharine Wright. The picture is Katharine hard at work editing her photos. Even though she had laryngitis and flashed me an index card saying she couldn’t talk, we managed to stay up until 1:00 talking.

I lay in bed thinking how thankful I was to have been touched by so many creative, talented people during the course of the day.

Next post: Day 2 at Asilomar...when I check into a hotel room.

NAMI Book Signing - Voices of Bipolar Disorder

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:36:00 +0000

Tonight was my first book signing. I was invited to come sign books at the Redding NAMI meeting last month and agreed to do that. With the release of their monthly newsletter, it became clear not only was I going to be signing, but I was the main speaker as well. Public speaking has never been my fave; I'd rather write out my thoughts which probably makes sense since I'm a writer. But I have endured my share of Toastmasters meetings during my marketing career (I would actually sit in my office and cry before I had to do my speeches--true story)so I was okay with the evolving role I would play in the meeting. As my daughter had written in the anthology in a side-by-side perspective of what living with bipolar disorder during adolescence feels like it only seemed right she would be with me to talk. But she was working 3 hours away, in work she's loving, and I did not want to interrupt that in anyway. I would speak alone (and drag my husband along for moral support.)

The day of the reading, the NAMI President told me they would be expecting 40 people, more than their usual group. I had ordered books from LaChance Publishing, but really was not sure how many to order. All I knew was I couldn't have a book signing without books to sign. But I also didn't want that "inventory" writers are always talking about trying to clear out.

We got to the meeting and I wondered how I was going to fill up two hours. I didn't so much have a speech as index cards with bullet points. Those bullet points never got read. Fifty five people came (helpers were scrambling to find chairs)and after I read, there were so many questions people had to take numbers. I signed far more books then I had planned. People traveled from outlying rural areas. And everyone was so thankful.

What this says to me is that there is a thirst for knowledge about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. My husband and I often say the statistics are inaccurate: the prevalence of mental illness in our society is much higher than is talked about in the literature. At least it seems that way from the street. Stigma can prevent people from speaking up, but once people know I write mental health material, they often open up with their stories or concerns about a loved one.

What I am always struck with at NAMI meetings is the incredibly, heroic work that is being done by people who have a mental illness, and people who love people that have a mental illness. It feels rock solid honest and it's inspiring.

If this is what all book signings are like, I'm in. Especially the NAMI ones.

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:16:00 +0000

*** MEDIA ALERT ***

Local Author and Daughter Featured in New Anthology,“Voices of Bipolar Disorder”
--Upcoming Reading at National Alliance on Mental Illness Meeting in Redding—

WHAT: LaChance Publishing announced today the release of Voices of Bipolar Disorder: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength. With a forward by the creators and cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Next to Normal, a play that explores the challenges faced by those with the disorder, this new anthology is the first-of-its-kind publication to openly share the experiences of some of the approximately 1-2 percent of the people in the U.S. that suffer with bipolar disorder.

The eighth in a series of books that brings to light the real-life accounts of those living with chronic illnesses, Voices of Bipolar Disorder is intended to provide support and comfort to those living with the disease and those who care for them.

The anthology includes more than 34 stories of parents, spouses, children and loved ones who have flet the impact of the disease. These tales of courage, strength and compassion offer insight into the challenges of living day by day with the disorder and the terrible isolation experienced by its victims , but most importantly, the writers’ hopes for the future and the strength of the human spirit.

WHO: Local author Jamie Weill says, "My daughter, Amanda, and I believe the best way we can bust stigma and help other families dealing with brain disease is to share our story. We hope that through our story others will find inspiration and know they are not alone. And, honestly, the best pathway we have found to recovery is in looking outside our own internal chaos and serving others."

Diana Clayton, NAMI President – Redding, "The membership is so excited to have Jamie Weil come to our February 1 meeting, tell her story to the group and sign books. Talking openly and honestly about mental illness helps to erase stigma and discrimination which is a giant barrier that gets in the way for finding early treatment."

SPECIFICS: Redding National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) meeting
Monday, February 1, 2010
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Northern Valley Catholic Social Service
2400 Washington Street, Redding

CONTACT:
For more information, contact Jamie Weil at jamie@jamieweil.net or Diana Clayton, President, NAMI Redding at Dianaeclayton@aol.com

New Bipolar Anthology (featuring Jamie and Amanda Weil along with 32 personal stories on living with bipolar disorder)

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:57:00 +0000

First-Of-Its-Kind Anthology Voices of Bipolar Disorder Available

Jamie Weil, Cottonwood Resident, and Amanda Weil, San Francisco Resident, Published in Book--

Cottonwood, CA December 10, 2009 – LaChance Publishing announced today the release of Voices of Bipolar Disorder: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength Jamie Weil, a local resident of Cottonwood, shares her story about discovering her daughter, Amanda, had early onset bipolar disorder at age twelve. Amanda gives her perspective on what it feels like to grow up with bipolar disorder.

With a forward by the creators and cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Next to Normal, a play that explores the challenges faced by those with the disorder, this new anthology is the first-of-its-kind publication to openly share the experiences of some of the approximately 1-2 percent of the people in the U.S. that suffer with bipolar disorder.

“Amanda and I feel the best way to bust stigma related to mental illness is to share our story,” says Weil. “Bipolar disorder is a brain disease, not a character flaw, and early intervention is critical.”

The eighth in a series of books that brings to light the real-life accounts of those living with chronic illnesses, Voices of Bipolar Disorder is intended to provide support and comfort to those living with the disease and those who care for them. Story highlights include:

• Carrie McCarter, wife and mother of three, who was diagnosed in the early years of her marriage, after years of emotional outbursts and mood swings;
• Jamie and Amanda Weil, a mother and daughter, who share their separate perspectives on how Amanda’s struggle with bipolar disorder impacted their family;
• Lisa Fisk, who tells the story of her brother, who lost the battle to this disease by ending his own life.

The anthology includes more than 34 stories of parents, spouses, children and loved ones who have felt the impact of the disease. These tales of courage, strength and compassion offer insight into the challenges of living day by day with the disorder and the terrible isolation experienced by its victims , but most importantly, the writers’ hopes for the future and the strength of the human spirit.

The Voices Of book series was created by Debra LaChance who, when diagnosed with breast cancer, sought out the personal stories of those who had been through what she was experiencing and from which she could take comfort and find the strength to survive. Debra has provided a new avenue for support for all of those who are coping with chronic and life-threatening disease. To date, the series has tackled some of the most pressing healthcare issues, including autism, breast cancer, lung cancer, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Voices of Bipolar Disorder and all of the Voices Of books are available at bookstores everywhere and online at LaChance Publishing Web site, www.lachancepublishing.com.

Media Inquiries:
Carrie Goldstein
Impact Image, Inc.
954-712-2300
carrie@impactimageonline.com

Where to go in Napa

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:53:00 +0000

Mike and I have been collecting wine for 13 years, but living in LA, Napa was too far to drive and who wants to fly when you are going on a wine purchasing rendezvous? Not us. We like to baby our bottles. So we settled for Santa Ynez, Paso and Temecula, all easily accessible by car.

Now in the North State, Napa is only three hours away. When we planned Mike’s birthday trip, Napa was the winner.

When we were trying to figure out where to stay and go we were a bit lost. So many choices and we only had four days. Our research paid off—we had an amazing time so I share it here with you if you are planning to go.

Calistoga is the perfect place to stay. Here you are centrally located to about—um, 8,000 wineries or so—and some fantastic dining options. The Pink Mansion is walking distance from town and was the home of the Calistoga water man back in the day so bustles with historic flare. A B&B ran by Toppa and Leslie Epps, the Master and Honeymoon Suite are huge (actually have two sleeping areas) and are steps away from the outdoors hot-tub. (There is also an indoor-heated pool so bring your suits.) We met some great couples from other states, two of which were celebrating their honeymoon. Most notable, were Jim and Pamela from Houston. They met on Match.com (though they were not matched) a year prior. Their first morning there, Pamela was sick and Jim decided to go on an early jog through the vineyard where he found a doe with two broken legs. He called the vet paramedics who came and tried to rescue the doe. Jim told them he would pay the vet bill and take the doe back to Texas as a gift for his new grandson. (Sadly, the doe didn’t make it.) We enjoyed listening to their stories, including the one where Pamela’s had to swim to her house in Texas (past snakes) after Hurricane Ike took down her entire neighborhood last year. The first thing she checked when she got there was her Harley to make sure it still worked. Miraculously, her house survived and now she has no neighbors.

Breakfast at The Pink Mansion is the best in town.

Down the street from The Pink Mansion is the Lavender Hills Spa. (All about the pastel colors in Calistoga.) There, in a little cottage looking up into a lush green forest, you can get side-by-side hygienic mud baths in one-time use volcanic baths instead of the reused mud in some of the other places in town which we thought was just a little gross. A bath attendant gives you remotes to control your bubbles (Note: just make sure your husband doesn’t get your remote) and comes in asking, “Would you like a cool compress?” After a half hour, you move to side-by-side tables for a renewing foot massage and then to separate rooms for a full-body massage. Use this event to detox from the ridiculous amounts of wine that seem to pour from the hills. (Note: do this BEFORE drinking. There are plenty stories of people who don’t and end up curled up next to the tub in the fetal position, which just doesn’t seem like much fun.)

Best restaurant picks: Brannon’s for short ribs, Calistoga Inn for the peanut butter pie, Go Fish for the sushi (all excellent-especially the spicy tuna roll and poke) and Flat Iron for the Meatloaf.

If you are coming from the North State, take Butts Canyon Road and go by Langstry in Lake County. This was one of our favorite stops because a nice Italian guy named Scott, hospitable as all get out, took us through the barrels using his turkey baster (or “thief”) to sample a whole variety of wines. His knowledge ran deep and we had much fun with him. Down the road is small, family-owned Pope Winery which is worth stopping at to see the old blacksmith shop (all with original tools) and the barrel-room built into the side of the mountain.

Then, of course, there is the vast number of wineries in Napa. Many of these require appointments based on an old law which tried to address the traffic and drunk driving issues in town. Many also have larger tasting fees then we are use to paying. Here are the ones that are worth it: Cakebread and Joseph Phelps (need appointment for both), Prager Ports (ports only-colorful), Mumm (all sparkling wine--has nice photography gallery with rotating exhibit—currently Ansel Adams originals and save the planet theme), Frank Family (both champagne and still wines) and Merryvale. We went to more, but these stand out the most. At Joseph Phelps, we carried a bag of cheese, salami, fig & olive compote and crostini from the Oak Street Market in with us so it wouldn’t get warm in the car. As soon as the check-in lady saw it she said, “Would you like to picnic?” and set up at a beautiful table (usually members only but going on weekdays has its benefits) overlooking a hillside of grapes. She even put out a beautiful Tuscan-like tablecloth with a reserved sign. We felt like we were alone in Italy.

In November, the Valley turns a menagerie of fall color. Most of the grapes have been harvested, and the leaves of deep reds and yellow prepare to fall. Where grapes still hang, the deep purple contrasted to the red is pure beauty. The weather for our trip was perfect, though we were told it can be touch and go this time of year.

Though we had planned to get to Healdsburg, we never got far from Calistoga. Dang. I guess we’ve got to go back.

In Search of Fall Color in the North State

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:52:00 +0000

Last Friday, Mike and I took a day trip. Our goal: soak up the fall color before the leaves dropped. We found color, but oh so much more.

We mapped out our route to start at Burney Falls. I hadn't been to the Falls in over 35 years, but remembered them being quite majestic. We stood looking at them, channeling John Muir. (Read with Irish accent.) The spray from the white veils of water misted the forest where we stood, knowing this must be one of the wonders of the world.

Near the top the Falls, a doe wandered, giving us a half-stare. After walking to the base of the Falls and back up, we drove further into the park to discover a still Lake Britton. Surrounded by blackberry bushes, fall color hugged the lake. We walked to the end of a pier and soaked up the quiet. With no movemement but the rings in the water from distant ducks, the color of the surrounding trees doubled, reflected by the glassy water.

The solitude was tempting and we could have stayed all day. But alas, the volocano awaited us!

After taking a side street up to Hat Creek and seeing the observatory where the SETI folks from Mountain View base their alien search (and UC Berkeley looks for astronomical discoveries), we drove into Lassen State Park.

Mt. Lassen is the only plug volcano in the Ring of Fire and is currently active. You realize how much is going on under the earth as you pass by portions of mountain with steam barreling out. In some parts of the mountain, large sulfur ponds boil up in a witchy brew like grey matter. We drove through the park, and through the snow splattered mountain, seeing evergreens far beyond the line of sight.

The park is something to see: meadows below the peak, streams running through fields of tall, wheat-colored grass, vast views of the valley extending clear to Lake Almanor, volcanic rock reminders of the explosion some 90 years ago and trees, trees, trees.

As a child, this trip seemed like a long car ride. As an adult, my spirit renewed, I returned home grounded and inspired. The trip reminded me to keep my eyes open to the journey for it is often there that life's purpose lies.

SCBWI Shasta County Schmooze

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:17:00 +0000

I just had yet another conversation with a local writer who will be attending our schmooze at The Elegant Bean on November 15. It's going to be a party. Here's the story.

Shasta County (and Cottonwood in particular)is small and rural. Rodeo is big and folks drink the football koolaid, starting their tykes out playing as early as they can hold themselves up while wearing pads. At the elementary school, they have two teams that play at recess: the Eagles (those on the team) and the "Suckies," those who have not chosen to partake in the koolaid. You get the picture.

When we moved from LA less than a year ago, one of my biggest concerns was small town thinking and the impact that would have on my ability to find critique partners as dedicated as I was, network with other writers, attend conferences, workshops and retreats and so forth. My fear was I would be sitting in the corner reviewing the local practice times (and by default by snack bar shifts) for pee wee football lest my son be ostracized at his new school with no time to write and no writers to behold.

Quite the opposite has occurred.

First, I have written more then I have ever written in my life (and been paid for it as a refreshing change from my pro bono contributions when I started three years ago). The wide open space allows my mind to open somehow, giving me more ideas then I could finish in this lifetime and the quiet to play them out. I am now choosing my projects carefully as to finish revising my YA novel, though did recently have to act on an inspiration from a horse to complete a picture book (my first nonfiction).

Next, I have discovered many talented writers here. They keep a low profile, but have published numerous books and stay true to the craft. I noticed a large number of children's writers around and not just the kind that say, "Yeah, I've always wanted to write a children's book" (which is like, EVERYBODY.)

When I saw an invitation from local SCBWI RAs Patricia Newman and Erin Dealey to start a schmooze in the local area, I thought, why not? A few of us can meet and network. I sent a response with a venue (local joint where I write sometimes) and time. I got a response saying Linda Boyden wanted to do it, too. Linda and I had met through email correspondence before, and I was fairly certain she and I were the only SCBWI members in the North State. I was happy to work with her to find a time that worked for both of us, and the gig was on. That night it posted on SCBWI's site.

"At least we'll have two people there," I thought. "Three, if you count Carly."

I serve on the board of Writers Forum, a writers group in Redding with very strong writers. At the Thursday night board meeting, I asked how they felt about promoting the SCBWI schmooze as many members wrote for children and I thought it would be good if Linda and I had company. They were enthusiastic about the idea of cross-pollination and about promoting writing whatever the type. So I gave them some fliers to hand out at the Saturday meeting.

On Friday Carly called from The Elegant Bean. "I have someone standing in front of me who just came over from the library. Apparently, the SCBWI schmooze was all the talk at toddler story time and there are a number of people that want to come. Do you have fliers?"

Who knew?

Next, I got an email from the RAs telling me we had 8 confirmed schmoozers. (This all before the fliers even went out at the Writers Forum meeting.) Then, in my phone call just now with Maxine she said, "At my writing group last Monday, there were five people who said they wanted to come."

Children's writers, they are emerging! I am thrilled to know that interest is so high and encouraged I will have new writer friends with whom to drive to the conferences in Sacramento and San Francisco. Who knows? Maybe we might even have a workshop in our own neighborhood?

And, by the way, our son will NOT be playing football.

SCBWI Schmooze: Sunday - November 15, 1:00 - 2:00
The Elegant Bean (or next door at the Eagles Nest if we're too many)
20633 Gas Point Road
Cottonwood, CA 96022
jamie@jamieweil.net for more info

Happy Birthday, Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:06:00 +0000

When we made the move north, being close to my Mom was a big consideration. An only child of a single parent, the responsibility of caring for my mom in older years falls on me. While she’s still younger, I want to soak up every opportunity to celebrate life. Our Mt. Shasta birthday get-away was one of those soaks.

We headed out early Thursday morning after school drop with four pillows and 3 bags, and several other ancillary items between us. As we drove north, the gray sky dropped rain making my mom—a bit of a back-seat driver—a little anxious on the roads. When we get in the car, we’re immediately back to 16 and 42. She likes to warn me about “the big trucks, the slippery roads, the merging lanes and whatever else she can think of” somehow not factoring in my 30 years of LA driving which I think should take me out of the “lesson” stage. Since we’ve lived apart for so long it is like losing 30 years of driving credit. Between jumps and gasps, somehow we make it up the highway to Mt. Shasta, still excited about our adventure.

As we headed to the Bed & Breakfast, called the Shasta MountINN, the mountain before us radiated, proud to be wearing her first winter snow. In Mt. Shasta, land of clean air and the best water in the world, skies were blue, temperatures crisp. Innkeeper and friend, David, greeted us and got our bags inside. His garden, breathtaking in every season, showed off her fall colors. With a bit of seasonal remorse, David had “winterized” his garden the day before, bringing in summer’s lawn furniture and getting ready for what seemed like might be a deep snow winter.

“Time for tea?” David asked.
“But of course. Time is all ours,” we said.

We sat, relaxed and talked in the lovely historical home that once belonged to Mt. Shasta’s mayor. Oh, the conversations likely to have occurred from where we sat.

Our next stop was Stewart’s Mineral Springs, a Bohemian mineral bath hangout far from the land of cell phones and flat screens. To get there, you drive past Mt. Shasta, then head out through field and farm, following a white water stream until you hit an area with a one way bridge that you are fairly sure may be facing its last car before the collapse. As you come off the bridge, you see bare butts diving into the creek which that day was 30 degrees. Brrrr. You pass a tee pee used for sweats by a local tribe. (If you’re there on sweat day, you can count on drums galore.) Finding a place to park, and getting out later involves dirt and a thirty point turn.

How to describe Stewarts? Detoxifying. People with names like “Twinkle” helping you. Wrought iron tubs with the sound of the creek coming in the window. The only wood-burning sauna west of the Mississippi that holds about 50 people, some of whom like to stand on their head naked (who does that?) Clothing-optional. Bath, sauna, shower (or creek)—repeat. Relaxing. Renewing. Unique.

After our baths, we headed over to the Spring restaurant where a lady dressed in Indian (eastern) clothes with paint on her forehead like she was celebrating Ramadan and her full abdomen exposed escorted us to a table amongst the trees and next to the creek. A beautiful day for joining nature, a dog was soon up on the deck with us. We watched as he walked in the restaurant, through the kitchen, took a jump in the creek and did the same all over again. Ahh, what different rules here in the land of the spiritual retreat.

After a delicious lunch we headed back to David’s for surprise massages, a nice follow up for two hours of bathing.

Meanwhile, Amanda had started her work day early, ended early and was attempting to time her arrival from San Francisco for dinner with us at The Trinity Café. She was Mom’s ultimate surprise. As a child, Amanda spent time with Grandma alone, but as a teen and now young adult, that time was missing in her life.

Amanda, the organized time machine that she is, arrived exactly at 5:45 when she said she would. I saw her pull in from my window upstairs, waved her up and David helped smuggle her in past Grandma’s room. It was so great to hug my first born and we were like two little kids Christmas morning, pleased with ourselves our plan had worked so well.

We snuck down to Grandma’s room. Knock, knock. “Come in,” Mom said. Amanda steps in and there is silence, followed by laughter and giggles and hugs. “This is my best surprise ever!” Grandma said.

The rest of the time was priceless. Talking, eating, cracking up at Wanda Sykes until our sides ached, eating David’s delicious eggs, veggies and potatoes with toast, walking down Mt. Shasta Boulevard and shopping, filling our jugs up with Headwater water, and just being in each other’s presence.

These are the moments that make life an e-ride and not the merry-go-round.

Horse of Another Color

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:43:00 +0000

On Labor Day 2009, I set out to do an interview for an article an editor had asked me to do. My task was to find out about a local afterschool program supported by a local horse sanctuary. What I found was so much more.

Driving to a town I’d only heard of, but never visited, turned out to be visually engaging. Winding my way towards Chico, I watched orchard after orchard glide by and give way to green open space. Destination: Los Molinos. I have never taken my son on an assignment before, but he was off school and wanted to come, and the sanctuary owner said he could come.

We were to follow typical rural instructions: go down a gravel road, turn at the blue post, undo the gate, drive through, redo the gate—that sort of thing. But when we arrived, there was no doubt we were in the right place. Grazing in the tall grasses, stood the most beautiful mare and foal I had ever seen. They were Cremellos, pale in color with bright blue eyes.

Jordan jumped out to open the gate and the pair came to greet us as if they had been told we were coming. I swear I saw them smile.

My own sad story roots itself in my desire for a horse since I was small. My dad was a rancher type (Cal Poly ag guy) and my mom more a city gal out of Long Beach who met dad briefly at Cal Poly before they relocated to the country. My dad built a corral for my horse when I was five, but come six, my parents announced they were getting a divorce. Guess what that meant? No horse. Instead, I got to look out at an empty corral for the next twelve years hoping that one day I’d have my own horse.

As an adult, fresh out of 30 years in the city, I still don’t have that horse, just a longing suppressed by time.

We drove in, but I had to stop again and get out of the car. The horses were beckoning me. As we approached them, they approached us. It felt like coming home. I felt we knew each other. We were connected. Jordan sensed it, too. We could have spent the day there, reconnecting, but there was an interview up ahead.

Sanctuary owner, Christina Nooner, spent four hours with us that morning introducing us to all the horses. Volunteer Chantel Owens took Jordan in a golf cart, saddled up Coconut (followed closely by new colt, Patches) and guided Jordan around the riding ring as three wild horses (in training) watched on as if to learn what they were supposed to do.

Sunshine Sanctuary gets its name from one majestic horse named Sunshine. Conceived on the Santa Cruz Island, Sunshine’s herd was evicted from the island in 1998 because the horses were no longer a fit for plans to develop the island into a tourist attraction. Nearly dispatched due to cost, the 15 horses of Sunshine’s herd were eventually relocated to the Wild Horse Sanctuary in Shingletown, California. Good thing, too, because as geneticists would soon discover, these horses were the last of the breed dubbed the Heritage Horses, or as Chistina calls them, the Heavenly Heritage Herd.

These horses are special beings. Originally hailing from the Iberian Peninsula of Spain, the horses were bred for equine therapy and are known to have a strong intuitive connection with children. Christina would use this ability to connect them with high-risk kids to create a sanctuary where kids and animals learn kindness and compassion from each other. She’s been at this for the past ten years.

“Look up in the trees. Angels are here. They watch over this sanctuary,” says Christina.

Each horse surprised me with its own distinct character, but when I met Sunshine, I was overcome with feeling. Christina says when she met Sunshine, she felt she had been touched by God. I knew what she meant. Sunshine nuzzled her face next to mine and created a space I never wanted to leave.

Known as “the magic white horse with the blue eyes,” Sunshine has teased death and won on several occasions. When she came to the Sanctuary she had only a 1% chance of survival. Today, she is the matriarch of the Sanctuary, and is the horse always chosen for new, young riders.

Money has become an issue at the sanctuary. The herd is now up to 30 and feeding thirty mouths and breeding more in recessionary times proves difficult for Christina and her husband. She is hoping to adopt out some horses under the agreement they will breed them and not let this unique breed die out. I so want to play in that game.

Christina sent me an email after I left and said the horses acted as if they knew us and were connected. I felt I knew them, too. It was as if they stepped out to heal that little girl looking out the window toward an empty corral and said, “We’re right here whenever you need us.”

Cottonwood and San Francisco: What Do They Have in Common?

noreply@blogger.com (writingmatters) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 04:32:00 +0000

The city of San Francisco and small town of Cottonwood can both be found in Northern California. Though they are one three hours apart they are different worlds, both unique and charming in what they have to offer.

As I type this from daughter’s apartment in San Francisco where I am visiting, I can see out over a breathtaking Bay. In about an hour fog will billow in, dipping in and out of pine-green Cypress trees and making the ocean in the distance invisible. It’s cool—55 degrees. When I go out, I grab a scarf and jacket.

In the sleepy small, rural town of Cottonwood at the top of the Central Valley where I live, my son is practicing soccer in 110 degree heat. The weather man is talking of the sought-after cooling trend, while the Bay Area weather people report that all regions (coast, bay and inland) are below record temps. The 55 degrees difference in weather amazes me.

The differences don’t stop with the weather. The City is packed with tons of people and tons of stuff—cool stuff, and lots of it. You can find a Whole Foods on every corner. People like to talk and are helpful. Farmers Markets are a dime a dozen. You can find Power Crunch Bars. And Gloomaway. And anything you want. You can take the BART straight into Bristol Farms at the Westfield Mall and then go to Burke Williams for a massage when you are done shopping at one of the 8 million stores there. (But just try and find a comfy pair of black sweats!) You can go to the food court and get silverware and real plates and 8 different kinds of veggie burgers at one stop. Diversity of all kinds surrounds you, a kaleidoscope of choice. People from all over the world come here as evidenced by the open tour buses flagging Union Square and singing, “Honey, Ahh, Sugar, Sugar” at the top of their lungs in varying accents. You are surrounded by the most entrepreneurial homeless people I’ve ever seen. There are six billion people on the planet and each person is unique. Here, they gather.

Cottonwood, a town of around 2,000, reflects a slower pace. You never have to struggle for a parking spot or pay for one once you’ve parked. You can count on a friendly wave as you drive by another even if you don’t know them. When you go into the store, people chat with you, and are always intrigued by another area code as there is only one area code there (and you don’t have to add a one and dial it.) Neighbors bring you cookies, or pecans, or cherries when you move in, depending on the season. And the seasons are clear. Hot summers. Colorful Autumns. Freezing winters with the occasional snow dust. Fragrant, blooming spring with its unpredictable spring showers and wonderfully predictable lilacs. There are no Whole Foods here, but the Trader Joes (the first and only 25 minutes away in Redding) caused quite a stir and people are still talking about it even though it’s been open 7 months now. The land swells with Native American heritage, rivers and lakes swell with fish, and forests offer beautiful hikes. The independent movie theater uses real butter. The public schools are supported by community pride. Our yard smells like horses.

What I find these two places have in common is that each is beautifully unique. Yet most people I speak with only like one or the other because they are so different. I often wonder why it is hard to appreciate these differences.

Similarly, I wonder what kind of world we would live in if each person could appreciate the differences in each person they meet for it is the differences that add such color and interest to our world. After all, wouldn’t life be unbearably dull if all places and all people were the same?