Where has the Time Gone? And a Fabulous Must Read

So sorry for my long absence. I haven't been here... I haven't been to your blogs... I disappeared from the blog-o-sphere. What's my story? Well, although the real estate market has not improved as far as the buying end, the listing end is as busy as ever. As I always say... For Sale signs pop up like daisies in the spring. And popping they are!

The other copy writer is on maternity, so I am covering her territory as well. AND... I never thought I'd make it this long in my preschool job, but here I am at the home stretch! I am proud of myself but I am being stretched as far as I can (and I am pretty limber). It is the thought of a springtime respite that is getting me through and receiving some very positive feedback on my last chapters submitted to my group for critique.

OK, enough about that... Schooled by Gordon Korman is the BEST book I've read, hands down, in a long time! (I'm onto Savvy now). OK, I know I just said that about Eggs by Jerry Spinelli, but this book is unique, fresh, and so cleverly written, I COULD NOT STOP READING IT. Each chapter moves the story forward but told from another character's POV.

My youngest picked it up at the book fair in school and said, Mommy, listen to this first page.

I was hooked!

I said, Let me see that, and never gave it back. (Sorry honey... you can have it back now.) Maybe it's my quasi hippie up-bringing, maybe it's that I am a '60s baby, maybe because I love rock-n-roll... but whatever the reason, this is your next MUST READ.

Kormon has written, something ridiculous like, 50 books! That's amazing to me. In this book, Capricorn (BTW, that's my sign) Anderson, is the most unusual middle schooler. Raised on the last remaining hippie compound... but today folks, not in the '60s... he is a total throw back to Peace, Love, and Understanding, when a semi-tragedy strikes throwing this home-schooled hippie into Cleaverage Middle School (nicknamed C-Average). As a total joke, he is voted class president. But, the jokes on the in-crowd as Capricorn's non-violent, insightful views, and unique visions slowly change C-Average, the students, and maybe even the teachers.

I loved Capricorn Anderson, felt I knew him, and didn't want the story to end. GO, NOW. Run, don't walk, and buy Schooled. You won't regret it!

Favorite Vacation Destinations and The Scholastic Book Fair

LOOK! My elementary school is having their annual Scholastic book fair and plastered to the lunch room doors was this poster. Do you see what I see?
Danette Hayworth's Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning is featured on the POSTER! Hot dog! Way to go Danette!
Here it is again on the book shelf. I heard they were flying off the shelf and my daughters were bragging, "My mom has a signed copy and "knows" the writer." Funny how blogging with someone constitutes "knowing" these days. But I must admit, I do feel I "know" you guys. We all share the same desire - to be a viable children's author - and when I see a book on the shelf written by one of us, I feel a tremendous sense of pride, a lifted spirit, and that dreams really do come true!

Now shifting gears for a moment...
So sorry for my long disappearance. The spring is a busy time for my freelance writing, so I might be MIA for long jaunts here and there. But not to worry, I am doing fine.

Here's what I'd like to discuss - it's not about writing, sorry for that. I always swore I would keep my blogging focused on my original intention, but this is a burning question and I just need to know!

What is your favorite family vacation destination?

My family and I are trying to plan a trip. It is staggering the amount of info on the web and so hard to discern so I thought with spring and summer breaks looming, this could be a good topic for us to discuss. Where is your favorite family vacation and why? I would love to go to some tropical beach but with all the recent dangers of traveling to Mexico, tourists being held hostage, and the movie TAKEN I just saw, I must admit, I have become a bit of a traveling baby and would prefer to keep it in the USA. Any ideas??? Any suggestions???

To Be Read Lists and Antagonists

Have any of you heard about this book, If I Stay by Gayle Forman (Dutton Juvenile)? it should hit bookshelves April 2, I believe.

It's herald as being a "...simple, (yet) beautifully told story of a girl's experiences after a horrific car crash. Forman deals with this difficult topic in a way that is striking and unusual, and thoroughly impressive.”—Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY

Sounds really interesting to me. I am putting it on my To Be Read List.
Here are my top 4 To Be Reads...

1. Graveyard by Neil Gaiman (I know we've debated the first chapter of this book as being appropriate or not. But I am intrigued and want to decide for myself. I can't make a decision either way until I've read it.) (Harper Collins)
2. The Higher Power of Luck by Susan Patron (Simon & Schuster)
3. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
4. Half Blood Prince by Jk Rowling - OF COURSE! I have to re-read before the movie comes out. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!

Oh and lately, some of us have been talking about covers... if you like the ones with people or things on it? I have to say looking at the cover for If I Stay and Jerry Spinelli's Eggs, I have decided unequivocally, that I find I am much more drawn to covers with things on it. I love this cover. I love it's soft blue hue and the while tree and the dash of orangy-red. I love it's simplicity. The same holds true for Eggs. That cover doesn't even say the title on it. And yet, it is still clear and simple.

Presently, I just, just began reading Savvy by Ingrid Law. I am not yet loving it. But, again, I'm not far enough into it yet that I can give my full opinion. I've had my predictions for the ending since, I don't know, around page 1. If it ends exactly as I've already predicted, I might be disappointed that there was no surprise or tension. BUT... I wonder would a ten year old be able to figure it out so early? Not sure. I'll have to give it to my ten year old when I'm done.

As usual, I'll keep you posted as soon as I finish. If I finish. I might just go onto another of my MUST READS.

If you've read any of the above mentioned books, please let us know how you felt about them without giving anything away. Thanks!

Who are the Bad Guys, Anway - more on Antagonists

Recently, in my work in progress, my MC is struggling with who the "bad guy" is. She is realizing that everyone, herself included, has a dark side and that everyone has a reason to do the things they do (except for really heinous criminals). She is wrestling with the idea that who she has always believed to be the "bad guy" just might not be after all. So, now I turn our discussion over to something we've talked about before, but in a different light... Bad Guys.

I love writing bad guys. The true antagonist in my story is truly evil and my MC doesn't even know of her existence yet. But the people in her life who she has always seen as "against" her, she will soon figure out, they've always had her best interest in mind, even if their ways of expressing it have been jarring at times.

Let's talk about examples in literature (or in life) when this might have been true. Have you read a book (or experienced in life) where this is the theme? There are many examples of a twist. THis is not exactly the same thing... where you think someone's bad and you think someone's good and then at the end you discover quite the opposite is true. I am speaking more about the grey areas in life, about prespective, about mitigation.

For me, a prime example is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult. Here, in chapter one, you believe the "bad guys/gals" are the parents and older sister. You HATE them. You question how they could do such a thing. THEN a few chapters later, you read from the mother's POV and you understand. You then read from the sister's POV and you are thoroughly confused. Who are the bad guys anyway, you wonder. THIS is what I am talking about. Grey.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka, a picture book, brilliantly explores the wolf's side of the story. He wasn't evil. He was hungry. He is a carnivore, after all. Mitigation.

I believe ALL our characters need areas of grey and mitigation, especially our "bad guys." What do you think? Have any suggestions on more books with blurred line between good and bad, right and wrong?

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

I must admit, I have not read every Jerry Spinelli book out there. Not yet. But this one is so far my absolute favorite, Eggs. I don't normally think Jerry Spinelli has the most poetic phraseology but this book surprised me. Usually, Spinelli says it like it is and in as few words as possible. He is never overly flowery with his phrases. But here are some of my absolute favorite sentences:

"As on that night, fears he could not name blew chills upon him from a window left open to his soul."

(Speaking of the sunrise upon the water) "Orange at first, then butterscotch, then yellow, a plump breakfast yellow of egg yolk; and then, as if poked with a fork, it suddenly broke, spilling, flooding, the river and the city and the trees and the sky and every dark corner of the world."

Eggs made me laugh, wonder, cry... It told a story simply and beautifully and everything you hoped would happen did to a fulfilling way.

Now, what was so interesting to me is this... (spoiler alert) David, the MC, a 9 year old boy befriends a somewhat broken 13 year old girl named Primrose. Both want something - a mother. David's is dead and Primrose's is there but "not there," if you know what I mean.

The interesting thing to me is that, although this is a story about coping with grief and disappointment, although it is in everything the boy does and the girl wants and the way they interact with each other, it is not in your face "there." It is not, woe is me, the motherless child... A lesson learned for me who is also writing a story about a motherless child, but my grief permeates every page, not in what she does, or what she says, but in the back story and the actually missing of Mama. Too much telling and not enough showing.

Spinelli, however, has taught me volumes in this novel. The grief, the want, is still on every page but without being in your face. Do you know what I mean? He shows and so he doesn't need to tell. For example, David stabs his sandwich with his carrot at lunch one day. Grief. He roams the streets at night with Primrose. Denial. He's mean to his grandmother. Anger. He resoles to never break a rule. Bargaining. He learns to love his grandmother. Acceptance. Spinelli took all steps of grief and thought, how can my character SHOW these stages without me the writer TELLING about them?

For any of you who are writing about a motherless child, Eggs is a MUST read!

Breaking Dawn

It seems like eons ago that I read about this book on one of your blogs, the last in the 4-book series by Stephenie Meyer, Breaking Dawn. It was the debate of readers that sparked my interest all those many, many months ago to read all four books.

I've shared my honest opinions of Stephenie Meyer and her Twilight series as I've finished each one and as promised, here is my final opinion on her last book in the series.

A word of warning though...

1. This is my OPINION - I don't want hate mail. Although all comments are welcomed, please know, I am not bashing Stephenie Meyer. I respect her success and her ability to do what I still dream of - becoming published.
2. There WILL be spoilers.
3. I might not agree with Meyer but that does not mean you are not allowed to still love this book. That would be your opinion and we are all entitled to that.

So, if you are a true die-hard Meyer fan, you might not want to read further. If , however, you are opened to a writer's debate - one writer trying to learn from a published writer - then read on; this posting is for you!

What I've Learned Top Three Count Down

3. Pacing. Don't have one day span over 100 pages (give or take)

2. Don't start from your MC's voice, get the reader completely going, set a fast, intense pace, and then BOOM kill it with a switch of POV and then let that new POV span the entire mid section of the novel. For me, this was "whiplash reading." I was jolted and disturbed and didn't want to read from Jacob's POV. Maybe I could have handled it better if it switched back and forth more frequently right from the start. But for me, the sudden switch in POV and then its lasting effect, was jarring and I had a hard time wanting to read after that. I did eventually get used to Jacob's POV. But the damage was done.

On a side here - Don't think for one minute that I don't like books that switch POVs. I do. The first to come to mind is "My Sister's Keeper," by Jodi Picoult. Or any of her books for that matter. She is the master of switching POV's and I find this technique powerful and fascinating both as a reader AND a writer. Maybe Meyer just didn't - for me - produce that technique well enough.

1. But the number 1 problem for me (cue drum roll please...) is NEVER and I mean NEVER promise your reader something and then don't deliver it. UGH!!!!!! Harrumph! *blowing bangs up in an angry huff* I think my exact angry, frustrated words when I was finished reading was "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????? I DON'T GET IT! HOW DID NO ONE, NOT ONE EDITOR, NOT HER AGENT, NOT ONE PERSON SAY.... You know, you did promise the ultimate batter scene, and well, er... um... You really have only had "kind of sort of" battle scenes in your books. Maybe, just maybe, just this once you should really deliver a true battle scene to your readers. Ya know, just this once... NO ONE SAID THIS TO HER? NO ONE?" *growl*

So, in case you couldn't tell, this was infuriating for me, to say the least. What... since like book 2 we were PROMISED a battle scene between the Cullens and the Vulturi and this promise was echoed through-out ALL of the books.

Sorry to bring up JK Rowling again here folks for the umpteenth time, BUT JK promised for 7 books, not 4, not 3, but 7, a fight between Harry - a mere child and Voldemort - the ultimate evil prince of darkness. Did she have Voldemort cowardly back away? Did she set the stage and then tear it down? Was it hard for us, the reader, to imagine how JK would be able to deliver this promise and how Harry would hopefully triumph? WOULD Harry Triumph??? The world held its breath in anticipation.

THIS IS THE JOB OF A WRITER PEOPLE!!!!!!! To figure this out! To set the stage and then DELIVER! JK did it. And JK did it in a way I never imagined. She tied up every loose end, our hero remained triumphant, fought evil and won, and we, the reader, were satisfied!

But Meyer did not do this. Finally, the long, awaited ultimate battle scene was upon us. The Cullens were lined up with their friends and witnesses. The Volturi were lined up with their witnesses. Characters were taking dibs on enemies... "Leave her. She's mine..." etc. WE WERE READY! We were good fans. We stuck with book. We trusted the writer. We went along with her (most of the time). We earned our right for the final battle scene. We EARNED it! But did she deliver? NO. Sadly, she did not. Now, we've talked about this here before. And we've concluded that:

1. She got away without a battle scene in book 1 because it was written in first person so if Bella was unconscious, we the reader had to be unconscious too.
2. We realized these books were written based on a fairy tale paradigm and not a hero's journey.

But here's my beef! If you don't write battle scenes well, or you don't believe in violence because you're... I don't know... say, a Mormon... then don't write a book where battle scenes are called for!!!

I, for one, could NEVER write about harm coming to a child. I mean serious harm. Now that I am a mother, I just could not, would not, want to get in touch with those stories of kidnapped children or children who are killed. Maybe one day, maybe I will want to write a story like that, but for now I know I can't. To me, this is like if I started writing a story about a child being kidnapped and killed, but never really got to the telling of that part.

It would be like if I don't want to write racy love scenes but write a romance novel.

If I can't write a mystery, but set one up with no resolution.

A sci-fi novel taking place here and now with nothing sci-fi about it.

These are vampires, people. Vampires. The Volturi are blood-thirsty, murderous vampires who show no mercy and the Cullens are "vegetarian" vampires who have been known to show mercy. The Cullens were willing to fight, but the Volturi back away???? OK, OK, OK! I know what you are saying... The Volturi had never before faced a group of vampires that they couldn't out right defeat... OK. I hear you. I see that. BUT STILL!!!!!! I thought there would be a changing of the guards. The Cullens would be the new power in the vampire world. But maybe they wouldn't want that title. Perhaps they'd give it away... There was literally no battle scene. AGAIN.

Clearly, Meyer does not write battle scenes. She does not believe in violence and she does not want her beloved Cullens to rise to power through violence. That's all fine. I completely agree. But why then, why, ever seed and promise one???? Her story, her premise, her vision of vampires were new and fresh and existed fine on their own. She never needed to make such a promise. Teen age girls would have still loved the story. They would have still loved Edward and would have still wanted to be Bella. The Volturi, or at least a promised battle between them, was not necessary at all!

So, I am going to add a new number to my list of what I learned....

Write what you write well.

2009 Winner of the Tomie DePaola Portfolio Award goes to...

Leeza Hernandez!!!

Congratulations, Leeza! In truth, I am not surprised one itty bitty bit. Upon first meeting Leeza you immediately know she is someone very special! I am so very proud of her growth, determination, and stamina! And I admire her talent and positive disposition in life and art. I feel very lucky to know her, to be her friend, and to know that she is my friend too.

So what does winning this award mean to Leeza? Leeza says ...

After the shock and delight of receiving the award, I think I truly felt like winning was a sign that I was finally on the right track. I've spent the past few years wondering where I could fit in, what my style was, where I was headed, and even if children's books was the right path for me. For the past twelve months though, this has all started to come together and shown me my desires and passions for working in children's literature. I spent many an early day and late night sketching, painting, doodling, researching, networking, crying and illustrating -- and somewhere in that time, everything clicked. To have two such prestigious names in the children's book world -- legendary Tomie dePaola and Penguin Putnam's art director Cecilia Yung -- describe my work as "Fresh" and "Superlative" is the icing on the cake. I cannot express my gratitude enough to them or to everyone who has been a part of my life since I began this wonderful journey. The feeling is simply AWESOME!

Check out Leeza's new website. Her new work and website are really amazing and fun, so go on over and say hi.

Leeza is represented by Rachel Orr of Prospect Agency.

An Illustration of the Insane Pace of my Life

As of lately, my life has taken on, well... a life of its own... that is to say, without me. And it's very irritating, to say the least. I have been moving at the speed of light since Jan 1 and have not had a break. It's been one thing after another. A car accident, a heavy schedule, a stomach virus... ... ...

The reasons this annoys me...

1. I haven't written a single new page the whole month of Jan. (OK, let's back up... actually I didn't write a single new page the whole month of Dec either. (I might as well be honest.))
2. I feel like I have no control over my day and what I want to do with it. Before I know it, my day is over, my To DO list is still two pages long, and again, no writing got done

As, I've posted before, I write for real estate. The winter is the time I get my own personal writing done as it is usually a very slow time for the market. People don't usually list their homes now. They wait for the spring when for sale signs pop up like daisies. BUT... I've actually been busy this winter and the momentum is building. I can feel it.

To be honest, I can't even really explain what exactly is making me so hurried, but I feel I can't catch my breath. Here's a typical day of the week, for example.

1. wake up at 7, get the kids and myself ready for the day
2. kids missed the bus, now I have to add driving them to school to my list
3. drive them to school, pick up my coffee (this is a MUST)
4. go to work
5. 12:30 see a house or two for copy review
6. pick up kids from school
7. drive number one to flute lessons
8. grab dinner on the go
9. go to the library for my writer's group meeting
10. finally come home at 10:00 pm

Today, my planner was a beautiful thing. See, under the date, Friday, January 30th, 2009, it was blank! NOTHING - that's right, nada, bupkus, empty. Plus, I don't have a car - it's being serviced, so I can't go anywhere. It's not only a beautiful thing, it's a RARE thing, as well. I couldn't WAIT for today. All week I just kept thinking of Friday. I'll get through today and it will almost be Friday. Two more days and it will be Friday. Go to bed and when I wake up, it will be Friday.

My plans for today...

1. write copy
2. work on novel
3. do laundry
4. pack (child number 2 and I are going away this weekend)

I woke up my normal time. Got my kids off to school AND on the bus - sorry, no exceptions today - Mommy doesn't have a car! *insert maniacal laughter* Read a ton of work emails, answered all of them. That's when I started to veer... Hmm, I thought, I have some time. I haven't read or commented on any of my friend's blogs in a while.... a few hours later... I felt the whiz and whir of life speed up again. With hurry in my heart, I jumped in the shower, rushed to get dressed and ready, ran down stairs, made lunch, ate so fast, I barely tasted it when all of a sudden...

...lunch wasn't agreeing with me. My stomach didn't feel so hot. Oh, no. I couldn't have caught the stomach virus... I gazed up at the clock -

10:30 AM????

THIS is my point! I have become so accustomed to rushing and time flying by, that I assumed it was lunch time! I just can't seem to slow myself down even when life has given me the chance. I am THAT used to the rush.

So, how do you slow down your life when it wheels out of control?

2009 Newbery Award Winner

Did you hear that the American Library Association just announced their 2009 children's literature award winners? And among them was Neil Gaiman, author of “The Graveyard Book,” illustrated by Dave McKean and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. Gaiman won the coveted 2009 John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature.

Have any of you read this book yet?

I have read only the first few pages. I am confused. A book written for children... begins with a man and a sharp knife who has broken into a house and has killed the mother, father, and oldest child. And so the youngest child, is the only survivor and I'm not sure why at this point, but he must live in a graveyard.

Like I said, I have not read this book. It strikes me as inappropriate for this young age group and so I want to hear from those of you whom have read it. Please fill us in. Would you have given it your vote for a Newbery? Is it less gruesome than its beginning? Is it gruesome in an appropriate way - seems an oxymoron to me... Very paradoxical - writing a tale of a heinous murder for kids. At first glance, I put the book down, deciding I didn't want my kids to read it, but clearly I have missed something very huge! And now I am intrigued and filled with wonder...



Have you read it? What do you think? And let's share our views on when we think we've gone too far and have crossed that line that maybe we shouldn't cross in children's literature... Or maybe we have to cross - to make big, bold choices - in order to say something just as big and as bold...

Jason Tagged Me!

Jason tagged me and I'm grateful for a fun and lighthearted topic to write about.

In the words of Jason, the rules are to:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Write down six things that make you happy
3. Post these rules
4. Tag six others
5. Notify me that you've tagged six others--or that you're not in a happy place right now...

Happy Things

1. The feel of the warm summer sun on my skin
2. tickling my kids
3. a long, loving hug from my family
4. being outside in nature, among the trees, or by water
5. (hasn't happened yet but...) hearing the words "We'd like to buy your book and we'd like to also offer you a movie deal" (it can happen...)
6. being with fellow writers who inspire me and I inspire in return

Now I tag...

Well, instead of making it specific... if you're looking for a topic to write about, consider yourself TAGGED. Let us know you are going to play along in the comment section... of just answer your happy 6 in the comment section.

Thanks Jason!

A Strange Predicament

I find myself in a rather strange predicament; I have nothing to say lately.

Now, some philosophers might argue that saying "I have nothing to say" is technically saying something. And I suppose I'd have to agree. But, even with that said, I find myself rather subdued these days and with nothing fascinating or interesting to report.

I am in a very quiet and contemplative place. But that quiet contemplation is not describable with words. It's just quiet. This is not an easy feeling for a writer who, as I've said in the past, flies on wordy wings - the wordiest of all, most times.

I have been wondering though lately... do you think the classics would be successful if written today? I don't think they would. I don't mean written today with today's style. I mean if they were written as they were then but tried to be sold today.

I recently saw Charles Dickens' David Copperfield and although I know watching a movie and reading a book are often more dissimilar than similar, I found David a boring character. It was all the periphery characters that were most interesting, flawed, and grew/changed. Even though David had a horrible childhood, as many of Dickens' child character do, he grew up well, despite his horrors and never showed any sign of being affected.

Secondly, he didn't even bring about or solve the battle scene. He was just simply the sun of some strange universe filled with other more remarkable planets.

So, I reflect on what sells today... what sold yesterday... and how they are different.

Today, readers expect or anticipate that your main character will be the most flawed or unique and will go through the most change, there-by changing those around him/her. Was that always true of the classics? No. Yet, they've survived the test of time. Is that always true of today's characters? No. Look at Twilight. Bella didn't really "change" until the last book. And I would argue that her "change" wasn't even really a "change?" She was still the same character but stronger, more balanced, and prettier. (Of course I still have about 100 pages to go before I am done, so perhaps I am premature in my conclusion...)

Well, look at that! I guess, I had something to talk about after all. But even still... in this very wintry of winters... my mind seems to be hibernating. Quiet and contemplative, like the snow, once again falling outside my window....

Do you think the classics would sell in today's market? Why or why not?

Writer's Resolutions 2009

Hope 2009 is treating you all well. And if it started out rough, like it did for me, I hope you are in a better place mentally now. I began my new year by angrily questioning the Universe, "Why THIS lesson again? WHY??????? I thought I learned it already!"

Once I calmed down, I was able to see that it is not the lesson that shows us what we've learned, but how we deal with the trials and tribulations of life that REALLY illustrate what we've mastered. And so, now that I am in a proper frame of mind once again, I want to talk about resolutions.

But I am not speaking about resolutions to lose weight or exercise more… Those are important goals too. After all, your health IS important. I am speaking about my favorite kind of resolutions - Writer's Resolutions of course!

Whether it be to sell a magazine article, finish three dummies in the year, or polish your manuscript, setting goals is the first step to obtaining them. Without setting a goal in writing, it is too easy to forget or forgo. Something magical happens when you put something in writing. We all know this - after all, we're all writers! But when you put something in writing, you automatically become accountable. Don't know where to start? Start small and obtainable.

Feel free to borrow any of these goals if you can't come up with your own…

1. Make a space that is just for you and your writing. A place where you and only you go to write.
2. Decide on an amount of time you will try to write each day or each week. For example…. I will write two hours five days a week, rain or shine. Or… I will write ten hours a week.
3. Some novelists like to work with word count instead of time. So maybe your goal could be… This year I will strive to write 5,000 a week. (Believe me, that goes fast! Take it from a past NaNoWriMo contestant!)
4. Maybe you've had a novel (harrumph!) you've been working on for quite sometime so your goal is to (once and for all, for crying out loud, G-d willing) finish the (darn!) thing.
5. Maybe it's to read more books in your sub-genre… This year I will read 20 books in my field.
6. Maybe it's to test your book to a live audience… This year I will reach out to schools or libraries to see if I can read my books to a classroom and test it out on a live audience.
7. Or here's my favorite… I will treat my writing like a business and be present each day, ready to work as if my livelihood depends on it.

Whatever your dreams are, turn them into goals. And then watch your goals become reality!

Happy Writing!

Start at the End

The secret is to start a story near the ending. — Chris Offut

I really like this quote from Chris Offut.

It's like my screenwriting professor once told me, "Come in a scene late and leave early." I think it's the same mentality. Start so the reader has to think - No. WANTS to think - wants to figure it out. And end the story so the reader feels s/he has done so successfully, and yet is satisfied, perhaps, by the things s/he couldn't figure out that you, the writer explained.

Makes it sound so simple, doesn't it? But we all know it's not. Maybe that's the secret - start near the end - but I wonder where the blueprints are? It's one thing to KNOW something but another entirely to be able to do it.

But as grandiose as it sound, this is what I will strive for in my novel. I don't know at what point I'll accomplish this tall task or if I ever will, but this is my goal. I'm not there yet. I'm a long way from being there. Somehow I feel when I write the ending of my novel, I will know the beginning.

What do you all think about Chris Offut's quote? What ideal do you strive to reach in your craft?

*2009*

I have to say, 2009 has me a bit worried, a bit scared, a bit... well, ill at ease.

So far, 2009 is off to a rough start for me...
I've been in a minor fender bender and have heard just a lot of sad news this first week of the year. I won't go into details because I don't want to be a total downer, but have any of you had a rough start to the New Year?

Here's a funny video to cheer me up and anyone else out there having a rough start to 2009...



Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!!!

Favorite Holiday Recipes

It's that time of year when we are all cleaning and cooking and baking and preparing our holiday meals for friends and family.

I host Hanukkah each year and every other year New Year's. This year is my year for New Year's too, so, I am not out of the woods yet. Since we are all pretty much in the same boat, I thought we could do a Holiday Recipe Game of Open Tag.

Here are my rules:

1. Please no tagging! Everyone is very busy now, so this is purely optional.
2. If you WANT to play, leave a comment here on my blog that you intend on joining in and then just post a recipe on your blog by December 31st.
3. Once you've posted your recipe and the rules for the readers of your blog, then send some linky love, but only to other bloggers who have already posted their favorite recipe. (remember, because it is such a busy time for everyone, no tagging, please. OK?)

Latkes (AKA Potato Pancakes)

Latkes are a traditional food to eat on Hanukkah. Why??? Because they are so darn oily (and yummy) and they remind us of the oil that burned for eight nights. But you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this tasty treat.

Ingredients:

• six medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 medium or large onion
• 1/2 cup matzo meal (if you can't find matzo meal, you can substitute with flour, but it won't have that je ne sais quoi)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• vegetable oil
• cheese cloth
• brown paper bags, ripped open so they can lay flat

Directions:

• First, fill a large bowl with cold water.
• Peel the potatoes and place in bowl of water immediately after peeled. (Potatoes will turn a reddish brown when exposed to the air. Keeping them submerged in cold water, will keep them white.
• Grate each potato (there is debate about grating by hand or using a food processor. I say if your food processor has a grating setting, use it!)
• Oh, you'll need another bowl for the grated potatoes. No water this time.
• Grate or finely chop your onions. (Try this... chop while running the water in your tap, or burn a candle to reduce the tears that onion fumes can bring...)
• Next, cut your cheese cloth into large sections.
• Have another large bowl at your ready or re-use the one that once had the cold water in it...
• Put a handful of the grated potato into the center of one of your cheese cloth pieces. Make sure it is well wrapped and then squeeze all the water from the grated potato. Potatoes naturally contain a large amount of water. This water will get in the way of your mixture, making it too wet when it fries. Squeezing out the natural water with the cheese cloth is the secret to perfect latkes. If you do not have cheese cloth, you can just squeeze it out in your hands. But cheese cloth works best.
• Once you've squeezed out all the excess water, out the grated potatoes into a bowl, (you use a lot of bowls when making latkes. Sorry...)
• Add all the other ingredients and mix well. You can use a spoon, or your hands.
• You want the potato mixture to be able to stick together, like meatballs. So, if it is still too wet, you can add a dash more matzo meal or flour. But you don't want it to be too dry either. So, be careful.
• In a large, flat pan, heat up the vegetable oil. You want to fry, so you will need a lot of oil.
• Once the oil is hot, take about about a palmful of potato mixture and place it in the hot oil. Use a spatula to flatten it out.
• Once the latke is a deep brown on one side, flip it until it is the same deep brown on the other side.
• Latkes are greasy. One tried and true way to rid some of that unwanted oil, is to take the fried latkes and place them on brown paper. Paper towels work well too, but not as well.

Latkes are eaten with apple sauce or sour cream (think baked potato and sour cream...) This is a another long-lived debate... Is it better with apple sauce or sour cream? I prefer sour cream... but my kids prefer apple sauce. My DH is an equal opportunist, eating some with apple sauce, and some with sour cream. Both are delicious.

Latkes are best eaten right away! But if you have to make them ahead of time then keep them in a warm oven until ready to eat, but they often loose their crispiness when sitting in an oven. Also, if you want to make them well in advance... you can flash freeze them. Let them cool a bit and then lay them on cookie sheets lined with brown paper and cover with tin foil and then freeze them right away. When ready to use, broil them until hot and crispy. The heat will release all the oil, so no need to add more.

Enjoy!

Oh, just one more tip... make mini versions of these and serve as an appetizer with a tiny dollop of apple sauce or sour cream. These are perfect when made and frozen ahead of time and then just broiled to heat up. Your guests will love the pop of flavor each little mini morsel will provide!

Teriyak Salmon

This is perfect for any holiday meal or a regular family meal. I am making it
for New Year's this year. Don't like salmon? That's OK. This marinade is terrific on any meat - steak, chicken, pork, shrimp... You name it. Just substitute with your favorite meat and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• a half a pound of salmon per adult, less for children (unless they're my children! They love salmon!)
• 1/2 cup teriyaki
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 tsp brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp pepper (optional)

Directions:

• If possible, marinade over night. Make sure you coat the top and bottom of the salmon.
• Cover and put in the fridge over night, or at least for a few hours.
• In a preheated oven, bake at 350* until center of salmon is no longer translucent. Depending upon the thickness, that's usually about 30 - 40 minutes.
• I baste about every 15 minutes and then when I think it's done, I cut into the center with a butter knife to separate the meat to check that the color has become opaque.
• Another way to tell when salmon is done, is if it's flaky to a fork or knife. It should pull apart easily.

This meal is great with rice and fresh veggies. I also love to make a green salad with apples or pears and some kind of nuts... walnuts, almonds, pecans... those flavors compliment the teriyaki perfectly.

So, what about it? Have any great recipes you'd like to share? Anyone have excellent dessert recipes?

Have a happy holiday everyone! Stay warm. Stay dry. Love and be loved!

See you in 2009!

Is it THAT Time Again... (insert whining if you must...)

Oh, boy, here we go! It's New Year's Resolution Time...

Out with the old, in with the new, but first we must reflect back on our year's progress with our goals. I wasn't even sure if I remembered all of mine, so I had to look back here to remind myself of 2008's goals.

Let's see I said I would...

1. Make revisions to a particular picture book.
   
2. Polish pages 1 - 30 in my WIP (MG low fantasy novel)
   
3. FINISH my WIP (the one and the same MG low fantasy novel)
   
4. Save, save, save (for the SCBWI Bologna Children's Fair)
   

So, how did I fare...

I did make those revisions to that particular picture book, showed it to two editors and then pulled it underground, wanting to focus all my attention on my MG novel. This decision came after one editor in particular said, "When I saw your name, I thought this can't be the same Sheri Perl-Oshins (knowing I write novels) and that's when I stopped and asked myself, do I really want to be pulled in two directions, or focus on one? My answer was, focus on one. No matter what led to my decision, the goal was still reached. Check.

Yes, I did polish pages 1 - 30, but this seems like a silly goal to have had since I hadn't even finished writing the darn thing. Looking back, I know why I had that as a goal - an SCBWI conference. So, check to #2.

Finish my WIP. Well, there's still time and with NaNo I did pump out close to 40,000 new words all in one month - more than I've ever done. I've since cut a lot of the dribble and my word count is back down to 34,599, but still, it was a feat that I am proud of and although I have not reached this goal, I know I will. So, let's say half a check.

And what about saving up for Bologna? I can sum that up in one word; Recession. I had to give up that goal - but no hard feeling about it - reality is reality, even if it's not the reality you'd hoped for. So, no check there.

Even though 2008 seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye, and looking back, I do feel a measure of success, it is time to look ahead to 2009. This year's goals will be easy to define. (Hey, I made a rhyme... must be a poet and I don't even know it!)

1. Finish my novel!
   
2. Polish my novel!
   
3. Maybe the later half of the year, if it's ready, begin looking for an agent.
   

And that's it! Three very good goals. How about you? Did you meet your 2008 goals? What goals will you set for 2009?