When Picture Books Become Performance

Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall with When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky

Taking a bow with conductor, Courtney Lewis, and the Minnesota Orchestra

Every once in awhile a picture book leaves the intimate environment of reading between parent and child or the shared classroom reading between teacher and students for the big stage. That is what happened to my book When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky.  The story and pictures, inspired by the historic premier of The Rite of Spring and the riot that it caused in Paris, 1913, caught the imagination of Jim Bartsch, a couple of years ago, when he was the director of education and youth outreach at the Minnesota Orchestra. While I was still painting the illustrations and editing the text, we met several times to plan a performance of the book with the orchestra for young people's and family concerts. However, the Minnesota Orchestra was just starting its historic year and a half long lockout, so our plans were shelved until further notice. 

Meanwhile, us Spuds here on this blog, decided to finally organize a retreat, which you can read about in many of the posts below. Thrilled to finally meet everyone in one place; work together, share together, and play together, I did not pay much heed to the possible conflict of The Rite of Spring concerts being the same week as our retreat. The lock-out of the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra seemed endless.

However, in mid-February I was contacted by the orchestra-- the lock-out had ended and there would be twelve performances of The Rite of Spring which would include my reading my book aloud with the orchestra! Meetings with producers, organizers, and the conductor ensued, as well as voice lessons. (Reading aloud to a child in your lap is very different from reading aloud to an audience of several thousand!) While my fellow Spuds gathered for the retreat at the Anderson Center in Redwing, I took to the stage twice a day for six days, reading my story aloud with pacing and drama to go with the accompanist and the illustrations from the book projected on a huge screen, to busloads of school children and families. It was truly the thrill of my life. Listening to the orchestra play The Rite of Spring live twelve times was also thrilling! What a piece of music- no wonder it caused a riot! 

For one night and part of a day between concerts, I was welcomed by my writing Spuds at our retreat. I felt instantly at home, sharing food, conversation, and our writing. It was just a taste of this amazing group of writers, but enough of a taste to want more. I was even able to settle quietly into a chair in the upstairs yellow library to work on some of my stories. A gift. And even more of a gift to see all of the Spuds in the audience at Orchestra Hall on the last day of the retreat. Magnificent!

                                           Old Pelican and I feeling grateful.

The interior work of a writer is private by nature, yet inside of the solitude of creating story, there is a communal, almost universal sense of being that merges with craft.  It’s an opening that allows time, and place to be driven, known, used by character, and the story is born.

The sharing of that experience in the companionship of fellow authors at the Anderson Center was a bit of a metaphor for the writing process, itself.  Together, John, Lauren, David, Stephanie, Mark, Christy, Edie, Carmen, Diane and myself found a private-communal writing home for five days.  Our retreat was the external expression of who we are as a group and how we have evolved through the years shared.  We have become colleagues, friends, a support system, and a word and heart family. 

One potatoes' success is a gift to all of us. 

Since that time spent together, my work has taken root, bloomed, words becoming story and finding its way through me.  The gratefulness I feel to my potato family is deep and heartfelt.

-Potato Number Nine.

A mini gathering of potatoes

My last two school visits of the year took me to Washington state. I turned the trip into a vacation with my friend Gary, and while he was visiting his cousin on Whidbey Island, I was able to have lunch with Mark, who graciously showed me his beautiful home and took me to a deli where I had one of the best meals of the trip. Although I had only met Mark in person for the first time less than two months earlier, seeing him again felt like seeing an old friend. In our short time together, as we sat by the ferry on Puget Sound, we got to talk about our current writing projects, as well as the hope for future spud retreats.

And congratulations to Lauren and Stephanie for having books on the prestigious Kids' Indie next list (DEER DANCER and SHIPWRECK ISLAND), and to John, Lauren, and me for having books listed on the 2014 Bank Street's Best Children's Books list (HOOP GENIUS, WHEN STRAVINSKY MET NAJINSKY, and HOW MARTHA SAVED HER PARENTS FROM GREEN BEANS).

Go Spuds!

Thank you!

My sister and I are ten years apart, but we must have a thing about dressing alike!  Note above photo, and our purple jackets in Redwing!!  Needless to say, we have a good time together, especially when we travel.  What a blessing it was to have her join our group at the Anderson Center.  It was a healing trip in so many ways, and good for our souls.  Thank you all for just being your wonderful potato selves!!

I returned to a book signing at Barnes & Noble, as well as our local bookstore, Frugal Frigate.  Still struggling with the last 15 words for my latest book, but my agent is pitching a book to Peachtree this week.  School is almost over and my eyes are worn out from reading so many papers.  This summer will be recovery, reading some classics and some y.a., and letting my old brain rest for a little.  It will also involve looking at my sister's book about our retreat, remembering conversations at the dinner table - thanks for making us laugh so hard, John, reliving the wonderful taste of Mark's fresh salmon and Betsy's garlic potatoes, relishing the secret passageway to the magnificent works of art, smiling at the height difference between Tall Dave and Tall Carmen, quiet talks with Edie, wonderful advice from Christy about playing with art, getting lost with Stephanie on the way to Vasa, and reading stories with my fellow potatoes. I will also remember the symphony to beat all symphonies, and Lauren so bravely reading her story on that giant stage.   You all are so talented.  It is an honor to be a part of this group.  When can we do this again??

Community

Right now I am in the midst of the Spalding University MFA residency in Louisville, Kentucky, relishing the intensity of daily workshops, lectures, readings, panel discussions, and individual meetings with my students,
                                                                                                                     ...and enjoying the elegant surroundings of the Brown Hotel.

But just over a month ago, I was basking in the serene and inspiring atmosphere of the Anderson Center in Red Wing, Minnesota with my fellow spuds and writing up a storm.

What we as writers need is community--whether it be the intensity of a writing program or a quiet, more inspiring time to gather with a trusted group of writer friends, who give freely of their wisdom, expertise, and encouragement.  As other spuds have mentioned, the Saturday afternoon workshop session was a favorite part of our 5-day retreat.  I will always treasure the sharing of voices, the honest feedback, the brainstorming of ideas, and the camaraderie of our group.


                                       

This was our first gathering of all ten spuds, but I know it won't be our last.

P.S.  And if it weren't for the Spalding MFA program, where I met Stephanie and Betsy, I would never have been a part of One Potato...Ten!

A Different Menu

Anderson Center

Mis diez papitas

 

In my house in Portland, Oregon I have half a basement for an office. The room has two large desks, a love sofa, and a bookcase packed with books. I am often alone in the house, so I can write anywhere. But sometimes a writer needs a change of menu.

I wasn't going to attend our blog retreat at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN. My father had diedthe previous month and I thought I'd missed the retreat. But as soon as I heard otherwise, I began to plan.

I'd met Stephanie, Lauren, and Edie. Even though Mark lives in Whidbey Island, where I teach for the Northwest Literary Arts MFA, I'd never met him. I felt I knew Christy because she illustrated a Juan Bobo book for Felix Pitre. My grandsons love David's books, so I felt I knew him, too. The other papitas  I didn't know as well. Meeting them tempted me to take the trip. I wasn't disappointed. What a warm and talented group!

I could go on and on praising the group and telling about the fun moments we had together, but my intention here is to tell what happened when we were not socializing.

I've been for years trying to write a middle grade novel. Actually, I've written multiple terrible drafts. I knew that, if I could write a satisfying first chapter, the rest would follow smoothly. But despite the silence in my house, the first chapters had too many characters, told too much, lacked action, didn't entice the reader to keep on reading. That was the project to take to the blog retreat.

There are inspiring writing vibes at the Anderson Center. We all wrote and wrote and wrote. We wrote all morning every morning. We wrote all afternoon every afternoon. On Saturday, the ten papitas got together to share what we'd written. As I read my chapter, I glanced to see the reaction of my listeners. I knew then that I got it! I came home and finished another draft of the novel. A draft, all right, because I know an editor would ask for changes here and there. But this is the first time I am satisfied with a draft. I even added Doña Estafanía (Stephanie), Doña Laura (Lauren), and little David to a scene that talks about things they said at the critique.

For this I thank not just the papitas but the Anderson Center for their inspiration.              

Balance

This past year has been filled with many, many school visits and lots of book events for me, and I'm truly grateful for each one. But doing all these events has come at the expense of working on new projects, spending time with friends, and even unpacking at my new town home.

Spending five days at the Anderson Center with the other Potatoes gave me a break in my busy spring schedule. One of the things I enjoyed most during our retreat was just taking time for some long walks along the Canon River. It reminded me of how much I miss spending time outside, and how good that is for my soul.

It's difficult for me to say "no" when asked to speak at a school or a library. It seems that everyone around me can juggle so many things (families, jobs, multiple book projects, dozens of speaking engagements); shouldn't I be able to do the same thing as well? Once again I'm learning not to judge myself by what others can do, and to respect the slow pace at which I work.

I promised myself not to agree to any new speaking events for this summer and to give myself time to be creative again. For the most part I'm following through on this promise. I had a taste of that leisurely pace today, when after a morning book event I allowed myself to attend a friend's art show, then go for a walk around one of the lakes in Minneapolis. This afternoon of leisure helped me relax a bit, and I came home with a new idea for a picture book. Whether that idea goes anywhere or not, I don't care, but it felt good to experience that spark of creativity. I hope a slower-paced summer will give me lots of those sparks, because those sparks make me happy.