Summer summer summer...

Summer is just about officially over. Looking back on the writerly things I did, there are a few that top my list. I was thrilled to be a speaker at the SCBWI conference in Maryland along with David, John, Lauren, Betsy, and Edie. Definitely a highlight of the summer.

At the conference, my editor Liz handed me her revision notes for my novel The Raft. I'm happy to report after all my hard ( okay, perhaps a tad obsessive) work the past month, it went to copy edits on Friday. Whew.

The most inspiring thing I did this summer involved my work as the Harney County Writer in Residence. Since my stint started in January, I've been in schools all over the county. In early August, I did workshops at the Eastern Oregon Academy, a court-ordered facility for boys ages 12-16 who have found themselves in trouble for one thing or another. The boys are there for a year. I wasn't sure what to expect, or if they would even want to do any writing.

I was blown away. They had all read The Compound and had so many questions for me. They were so receptive and engaged, and all are amazing souls with heartbreaking stories. One boy brought his piece up for me to read and I wept, I couldn't help it. Those boys may feel like no one listens to them, but through their words on paper, they have discovered their voice. Many were already poets and writers long before I showed up, and the work they shared with me was so powerful.

The week I spent with them was my favorite of the entire Writer in Residence program and I was sorry to have to say goodbye. To me, they were so inspiring and they made me want to go home and be a better writer. They made me realize that, despite wanting to please my agent and my editor and the reviewers, I need to be writing for my readers. That sounds dumb, I know, I mean, who else would I be writing for? But honestly, in the world of YA, there are so many adults you have to make happy that you forget your actual intended audience. I won't be doing that anymore.

A Gathering of Spuds

Last weekend (July 15-17, 2011), six spuds from our "One Potato...Ten" group gathered in Maryland for a SCBWI conference, "Staying On Track." David LaRochelle and his editor, Meredith Mundy of Sterling Children's Books, led the track for picture book writers. Lauren Stringer joined them for the illustrator segment of "Building a Picture Book" and then led an illustrator's track with three hands-on workshop sessions. Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and her editor, Liz Szabla of Feiwel & Friends, led the track for young adult writers, and John Coy and his agent, Andrea Cascardi of Transatlantic Literary Agency, led the middle grade track. Besty Woods rounded out the weekend with three general creativity sessions for the entire group. What an amazing gathering this turned out to be!

I've been trying to get our spuds to Maryland for SCBWI conferences one by one or in small groups as I can afford, but we had so much fun that we decided a Spud retreat or our very own writing conference presented by all ten of the spuds is in order! What do you think, spuds?

Meredith Mundy speaking to the Picture Book Track

Noguchi's California Legacy at the Laguna Art Museum

Come say hello this Sunday, July 17 when I'm appearing at the Laguna Art Museum. A fabulous Noguchi show is on! I'll start the family program at 1 pm with a talk about Noguchi and my book, followed by an art project and book signing.http://lagunaartmuseum.org/childrens-art-workshop-and-book-signing-with-the-east-west-house-author-christy-hale

Our Blog Cousin

I was introduced to a wonderful site that I wanted to share called onepotato. A wide range of thoughtful picture books are contained here and it's organized nicely. Since this blog is spud titled as well, I think it's a good idea to show them some love and spread the word about them. They are interested in suggestions for books as well.

The review of Night Driving at onepotato contains some beautiful images and makes me want to head west. Does anybody else have other sites that they have recently discovered?

http://onepotato.net/index.php/blog/blog_entry/king_of_the_road/

School's Out!

It was a wonderful, rewarding, and busy winter and spring for me, visiting dozens of schools around Minnesota and talking to kids about books, writing, and drawing. Schools welcomed me with paper dogs and dragons, their own photographed "Hidden Alphabets," and backwards stories beginning at THE END and ending with ONCE UPON A TIME.

I visited schools where there were eight students in one grade level, and other schools where there were 8 classes of a particular grade level. There was the school where they chose not to schedule a lunch for me, the school with 8 presentations in one day (what was I thinking!), and the inevitable student who had an "accident" during the middle of one of my talks. But mostly there were students and teachers who were excited about my books and made me feel like a celebrity. Wow. How lucky I am to have a job where an auditorium of students cheers for me!

But as much as I love visiting schools, I am very happy to be on summer vacation, and finally have time again to turn my attention to my own books. It was a joy this last week to work on a brand new book dummy and bring it to my critique group. I didn't realize how much I missed "creating." Spending time working on a new book was nourishment for my soul, and I'm looking forward to having a lot more nourishment in the next months.

I'm interviewed today at HAPA MAMA blog

Take a peek!
http://hapamama.com/

The Origami Author

When I visit a school, I try to bring the students into my studio using slides. I even have a show called "Buster's Studio Visit" where my cat Buster is in nearly every shot, explaining how I make a book. This works especially well with younger grades. Since there are cats in just about every one of my books, it is fun to reveal their names and real life stories. I like to share my creative process as it evolves from book to book, sometimes briefly and sometimes more in-depth, especially if I know I will be workshopping with smaller groups of kids on actually making a book together. I point out how storyboards are like maps of the book and book-dummies establish the flow of the book and the "drama of the turning page". But at the end of every large presentation, I always fold origami with the group. Ever since illustrating FOLD ME A POEM written by Kristine O'Connell George, I have become known as the "Origami Author". Hundreds of paper frogs have been folded in a single day at a school. Teachers of kindergarten look up in fear when I announce we are going to fold together, but by the end, every student of all ages walks out with a paper frog whispering a poem or a story in their ear, which they can write down as soon as they return to their classroom. Whether I am visiting schools close to home in Minnesota or Wisconsin or as far away as India, origami delights and inspires writing and illustrating!