Resolutions....

One of my resolutions was to be more organized, but obviously I am failing so far... But what I lack in the day to day stuff I do more than make up for in the big stuff. Like I did turn in Book One of my middle grade series on January 1st...I know I have plenty of revisions facing me (including incorporating a lot of sailing-related things from our resident sailing expert Spud Mark) but I  am well on my way, I think. And I am beginning the draft of Book Two, as well as working on another YA... I have some exciting things happening in 2013, including a new novel that  was about seven years in the making, but more on that my next post.  Happy 2013 to all!

Better Late Than Never

I may be a little slow at the starting gate this year to post my writing-related resolutions for 2013, but that's because I've been busy writing.  2012 was a tough year for me--chock full of family issues and loss.  I admit I did not move forward with my novel.  In fact, I went months without even touching my manuscript.  But, sometime last October I received an email from Audrey Couloumbis, who had recently moved to our MD/DE/WV SCBWI region and was looking for a writer's group.  I wrote back and asked, "Are you THE Audrey Couloumbis who wrote the Newbery Honor book Getting Near to Baby?"  Her humble answer was, "Only in SCBWI would I have name recognition."  Well, to make a long story short, Audrey and two other close writing friends of mine, Lois Szymanski and Sue Poduska, and I have formed a critique group--precisely what I needed to boost my writing spirit, make me accountable, and give me deadlines.

Here's a picture of me, working away in my writing cabin while trying to keep my hands warm on a recent cold day.  At a quick glance, it looks as if I've grown fur on my hands or have become part werewolf in my passion to get back to writing.

By the way, Audrey Couloumbis has a brand new YA out, Not Exactly A Love Story (Random House), if you're looking for a good read!

2013 Writing and Illustrating Resolutions

I spent the final weeks of 2012 taking lessons from my cat, Lucy. Curled by the tree with books, fairytales, journal and pen, I barely moved for days. It was a brief interlude of peace and reflection after a year of constant activity and before starting anew in 2013. Thank you Lucy for showing me the art of stillness. 

Lucy by the Christmas tree.

During this two week interlude I collected words and thoughts that might inspire me throughout the coming year. Here are some of them:

• Take risks
• Trust
• Challenge
• Enjoy, find pleasure
• Be Bold
• Believe
• Discipline

Each of these words carries meaning for all of the things I know are coming up in 2013 and hopefully they will also add meaning and wisdom to all of the unexpected things just around the corner.

Juggling a lot in 2013!

2013 has started with a bang for this one potato of ten! Literally I hopped from the couch on January 1st and cleared my studio of 2012 piles, making room to move with the demands of the new year. I am juggling a lot in the first six months of 2013. I have a new book coming out, which I will talk more about in the next post. (What's New in 2013) With a new book comes planning publication events, activities to create, recordings and slide shows to put together that are both child-friendly and made for adult conferences. I am also painting the illustrations for another book that are due the beginning of April. Painting a book takes an enormous amount of time and concentration, yet I still must juggle this with production meetings for the set construction and painting for OZ, this summer's Circus Juventas show. And in May, I am traveling for a month to teach and research-- (more in the next post!) So I am making reservations, plans, lists, notes on where I must go, what I must see, etc. And there are school and library presentations to juggle too. Those last two weeks of sitting still in 2012 helped me see that all of the above is enormously important, but so are family, friends, and health. Thus, I juggle. Thank heavens I work for a Circus!

For the new year, I have ordered my days with creative painting and writing in the morning and early afternoon followed by business (i.e.: emails, website updating, etc.) starting around 4:00 in the afternoon. I have found that through the "discipline" of timing-- knowing when I read, paint, write, exercise, correspond, and get together with friends that I find more pleasure in what I am doing and can get a lot more accomplished as well. My resolutions for the year are in color coded blocks on my calendar letting me know what and where I need to be during the days ahead. I made a time-line on my studio wall, month-by-month with important dates, quotes, images, and post-its to keep me going. I do not think I will be at a loss for what to do next in 2013.

Timeline in studio-- it can be added to and rearranged as needed.

The only thing I lament is not more "moodling time":

"The imagination needs moodling, --- long, inefficient happy idling, dawdling and puttering."
-- Brenda Ueland

I am confident it will come with the long summer days. For now short winter days of 2013 are full and active and I am ready!

Happy New Year everyone!

To round out 2012....

To round out 2012, which has seen the Spuds put out a lot of books, here is a terrific review over at Fuse 8 for It's A Tiger by David:

http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/12/31/review-of-the-day-its-a-tiger-by-david-larochelle/

Happy New Year all!

Christmas at Misty Hill Lodge

I, too, have been negligent with my blogging posts, but I will be making a few New Year's resolutions to keep up with my writing in 2013.  In the meantime, my extended family (two children and their spouses, six grandchildren, my mother, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and my daughter's mother-in-law) will be celebrating Christmas at Misty Hill Lodge with my husband and me.  It will be a bittersweet holiday this year without my dear father, but he will be with us in our hearts.  As you can see in the photo above, the mantle is decorated, a fire is blazing, and the Christmas tree is lit.  You can't hear it, but the room is filled with music.

Merry Christmas to all my spuds and to all our readers!

I am hitting my chest with my fist three times while saying, "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa." I pray on my knees for you to give me absolution for the mortal sin of not blogging. But hey! Read on.

I finished Dalí: Genious or Madman? I graded finals for my Workshop class at Whidbey MFA, and  read stories from my Writers in the Schools high school students.

We also removed the peed carpets in the living and dining rooms and hallways. No, I am not yet in the habit of peeing on carpets, but my Maltese dog, Lily, is."

Everybody warned me about how difficult it was to work while the floors were being changed from carpet to hardwood. That wasn't too bad. We could hear the hammering in our basement office, but we could work. What was una locura was when the workers took off the wood panels from the walls. The super thin dust was so bad that the smoke alarm went off and on--all day, all night.

That was enough punishment for the mortal sin of not blogging. So, please, send me your absolution.                       

This was the holiday card I sent out my first year of parenting, when our daughter was just seven months old. I cut a window for a sneak peek, but then the card opened to our angel. The lightness of young life contrasts with the darkness of events in Newtown, CT this last week. I am reminded of a poem I wrote at the same time I created this holiday card.


NOVEMBER NIGHT SONG—New York City

The wind is whipping 'round outside,
   the rain is beating down.
My Kate has stirred awake inside
   listening to the sounds.

         Be still, my little one;
         So much remains of night.
         Go to sleep, my sweet one;
         Dream of morning light.

The sirens wail, but don't you too;
   there is no need for fear,
The world is cold and often cruel,
   but you're safe and warm in here.

         Drink deep, my little one;
         Listen only to my heart.
         Shut your eyes, my sweet one;
         Sleep away this dark.

I am savoring this holiday season—our last before Kate leaves childhood and heads away to college. Here she is again as a high school senior. Now I must write a sending-her-out poem to follow the holding-her-in poem written seventeen years ago.