Tag Archives: middle grade writing

Screens

Posted on November 15, 2014 by

Staring at  my writing, I heard what I thought was our younger cat pulverizing the bedroom window’s screen, as he does when he’d like to be let inside, despite the little Hobbiton upside-down-U’s we had cut in pertinent doors, just for … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, dog, Faction, Writing, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

All Schedules Thrown

Posted on June 12, 2014 by

And, suddenly, for a week, until summer camp started, the newly ex-Kindergartner and I were face to face over our morning pancakes, not an elementary school deadline in sight. “Let’s go to the beach!” he suggested. We did. “Museums!” We went there, … Continue reading →

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Spring Break Snoozing (Wide Awake Edition)

Posted on April 18, 2014 by

During this luscious week of no school for the Kindergartner, we snooze well. Except when we are awakened from chasm-sleep somewhere between 2a.m. and maybe 4:30a.m.—after the bars have closed, but before the rooster across the alley busts its lungs—after we’ve … Continue reading →

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A Weekend Of “Instead-Of’s” (Big Beach Edition)

Posted on April 13, 2014 by

Instead of the LA Times Book Fest, the beginning of my son’s Spring Break: Instead of the LA Times Bookfest Poetry Tent, this: Also a cave (!): This: Er–and this (at a different beach–a short while later–if whiles can be short–why … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Santa Barbara, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Discoveries (Balancing Edition)

Posted on March 26, 2014 by

The huge benefit of being thrown by a horse and not being able to exercise for over a week or lie down on the bed without screaming in pain or do anything in between carrying on as a mother except … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Article At ‘Through The Tollbooth’!!!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by

My writing mentor, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, was interviewed by Catherine Linka (I’ve heard Catherine speak at SCBWI events–she is positively famous in our SCBWI Los Angeles circles) over at Through The Tollbooth. The interview is about Kathryn’s mentoring experience–er, of me! … Continue reading →

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The Women’s National Book Association

Posted on March 1, 2014 by

I was made aware of the WNBA/LA thanks to my middle grade writing mentor, Kathryn Fitzmaurice (ask me if I am lucky to have her as my mentor and you will hear amplified hell yeah’s). She gave one of this … Continue reading →

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Staying The Course

Posted on February 17, 2014 by

Saturday morning I rose when our son (impossible to wake on a school day) woke at 5:30a.m. to begin a weekend of attending birthday parties, completing school projects, and constant verbalized hankering for Minecraft (it was Survivalcraft, until we realized the … Continue reading →

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Double Rainbow (Rainy Day Edition)

Posted on February 7, 2014 by

Not long ago a man left a nasty little comment in my comments section calling my blog piece sophomoric and trite and something else I can’t remember and why this person was so unevolved as to blog-roam and drop his … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, dog, Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Notes From The Retreat #2: Critiques

Posted on January 26, 2014 by

Yes, I am going to go here. Out of the 10 copies of the first 25 pages of my novel returned to me, scribbled on by the writers in my core group at the SCBWI retreat, I kept 4. Those 4 … Continue reading →

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Notes From The Retreat #1: Books

Posted on January 22, 2014 by

At last weekend’s SCBWI retreat, 4 editors imparted useful information–and shared book titles they love–Picture Books (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Non-Fiction (NF) and Young Adult (Y the effing heck A). I know what the abbreviations mean. YOU know what they mean. But, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, middle grade, Santa Barbara, Writing, YA Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2013 Middle Grade

Posted on January 10, 2014 by

Oh, productive, on-the-button-always (not the panic button), well-informed you—you’re already aware of this list. I’m just getting to it. I think I’m most excited about Holly Black’s book. Quite creepy! The Goodreads Best Middle Grade & Children’s  Any flagrant omissions from … Continue reading →

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December Whinny

Posted on December 18, 2013 by

Sitting on the patio at Peddler’s Fork, alone out here as it’s a SoCal pre-Christmas bit of chilly, i.e., 60 degrees, way too cold for the cycling clan packing the tables indoors, brrr, but perfect for me as I’m the … Continue reading →

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Bathroom Reading (Scouring Edition)

Posted on December 4, 2013 by

While holiday cleansing the bathroom, on my knees scrubbing corners usually in my blind spot, I glance up and notice books also, apparently, usually in my blind spot. I have no idea when Dylan Thomas arrived. Definitely wasn’t me who … Continue reading →

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The Truth Is…(Maintenance Edition)

Posted on October 29, 2013 by

The truth is, I’m way too busy to blog—sprawling on the couch eating bonbons takes up a lot of time. And let me make this extremely clear: NOT milk chocolate bonbons with cherries tucked inside them. If I was even … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Pets, Poetry, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

On Roald Dahl’s Birthday

Posted on September 15, 2013 by

Sometimes I let the agent I’m querying know who my literary heroes are. Only ‘sometimes’ as my query letters tend to change. Evolve? Products of endless, restless experimentation…On Roald Dahl’s birthday I was thinking: I always forget to put Roald … Continue reading →

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In the Wake of a Rejection

Posted on July 29, 2013 by

The last day of July hurtles into focus as I prepare for mini-break #4: single-mommying 3 kids for 3 days. Will be intriguing to see how I fit in writing time. I’m thinking between breakfast and the day’s planned outing, all outings … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, middle grade, ocean related, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mini-Break 3: There and Back Again

Posted on July 20, 2013 by

The doctor said a slight fever would come. “Reaction” to a shot. He was feverish for a day. The next, he sneezed and went a little hoarse. But the fever was gone and he was uber-perky and when I meekly told him that maybe … Continue reading →

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Mini-Break 2: Undertow (with Wheels)

Posted on July 16, 2013 by

Children blinking through binoculars, squealing at scuttling lizards, swinging very, very high on playground swings, holding hands, but running too fast towards crosswalks, scaling small boulders, building sandcastles for naked Barbies and a collection of Skylander figurines that should never … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

NaNaNana Hey Hey Hey NaNa

Posted on April 11, 2013 by

Written next to the flower (see previous post): Tipping between lost and grateful; never traveling with grace or without sound doubt; raking up luck-bits when the world sleeps in its stifling old box; kissing the future into strum; hunkering down, … Continue reading →

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Update 2: NaMeSitDif (etc.) Projekt

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Since I forgot to Na on Monday, as I promised myself, and since I didn’t Na on Tuesday due to pressing engagements (Target, the teeth people), upon leaving the stables today I stopped at a No’ridge Starbucks on my way home, hobbling delicately inside, … Continue reading →

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Update: NaMeSiDifStaDaiWri(expletive)Po

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

I forgot to go on Monday. Ummm…And here is a cat.

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NaMeSiDifStarDaiWri%#*Po Week (Partial Week Edition)

Posted on April 3, 2013 by

Next week (because my son resumes PreK after a 2 week spring break) is National PB Sit in a Different Starbucks Daily and Write a (insert expletive) Poem Week. Well, at least monday through thursday. Actually not tuesday because that’s when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Writer's Angst, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Courage! (Neigh Edition)

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

I was late to retrieve the boy from school because I Face Sucked like a fiend AND watched the latest episode of “Once” on hulu AND in another open hulu tab caught up on the latest episode of “Revenge” WHILE checking … Continue reading →

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To All Rejections

Posted on March 14, 2013 by

To all rejections: I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, Writing Publications, Writing Tips, WTF, YA Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments