Guest Blogging at LitLinks

I'm thrilled to be today's guest blogger for Patricia Newman's LitLinks, where children's authors, educators, and scientists highlight connections between STEM and language arts.

In "Code Breakers, STEM, and History Inspire Fiction Writing," I've outlined a classroom activity meant to enhance reading comprehension and information retention for readers of my book World War II Code Breakers. Readers will take inspiration from a brief passage about real-life cryptologist Genevieve Grotjan Feinstein to craft their own fictionalized scene about Ms. Grotjan Feinstein's breakthrough discovery of a crucial pattern in Japan's Purple code.

The book, one of four titles I wrote in Lerner's Heroes of World War II series, was designed to cover quite a bit of specific wartime history in a necessarily shorter format. That meant this particular historical Hero Highlight sidebar story had to be told in just a couple of paragraphs. I think there's just enough intriguing factual information in the passage to inspire kids' imaginations and fuel the activity. Readers can use what they've learned about the processes of creating and cracking codes (including the historical context in which they are presented) to take the creative leap of visualizing and writing an exciting fictionalized scene about Ms. Grotjan Feinstein's history-making a-ha moment.

As a complement to the LitLinks piece, I thought it would be fun to offer an add-on activity here at my blog. Treat the following as a warm-up exercise ahead of reading World War II Code Breakers. Or, during the prewriting phase of the main project, use it as vehicle for giving kids some fun hands-on experience to further inspire the writing and illustrating of a fictionalized scene about a real-life wartime code breaker. 

Please enjoy!

My Latest Titles

I'm pleased to share my new titles for Fall 2014 — two books in the Rourke nonfiction series United States Regions: Southern Region and Southwestern Region. These are, as you might guess, state studies books intended for classroom use in Grades 3–5. The content focus is to identify and investigate regions based on their common geography, industry, agriculture, and culture. I enjoyed getting to learn more about my two regions and working to make the information and broader concept used to frame it accessible for young readers.

Pretty covers, don't you think?

The "My Writing Process" Blog Tour Stops Here Today

Dori Hillestad Butler

Have you seen this writing-blog meme making the rounds lately? Well, last week, the talented Dori Hillestad Butler tagged me in her tour post, and I accepted the challenge. Dori and I met this spring when she moved to the Seattle area from Iowa City (my old stomping grounds), and we've discovered that our writing careers and Midwestern roots are just two of quite a few things we have in common. Thanks for putting me on the blog tour hot seat, Dori!

Be sure to visit Dori's author site to learn more about her numerous children's books, including the Edgar Award–winning The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy and her super-fun looking Haunted Library mystery series launching this summer.

And so the time has come for me to answer the tour's four questions designed to give readers a peek at how a writer's work . . . works.

(1) What am I working on?

I just recently finished checking layout proofs for two nonfiction books of mine due out later this summer. They're part of a new Rourke series called United States Regions, and I wrote the titles covering the South and Southwest. I can't wait to see the final copies!

My current works in progress include

• a YA historical novel, aka My Pet. This project is where I focus all my off-the-clock writing energies right now.
• one humorous picture book in revision, three additional picture books at various stages of development, and the dream of writing a YA nonfiction picture book to accompany the novel-in-progress mentioned above. But first things first — like finishing My Pet.
• two middle-grade mysteries I once sold but that were shelved before publication during the economic downturn of 2008. I own the rights to those and will revise, submit, and hope to sell again.

(2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I tend toward writing quieter, character-driven fiction and heavily researched but highly accessible nonfiction (whether it's prompted by a publisher's specific topic request or it grows out of some tidbit that sparks my own need to know/write it). Because I work with a number of genres, markets, and target age levels/audiences, it's difficult for me to make any blanket statements describing my writing. But I do believe my voice comes through in each book. That's the goal, anyway. In my view, voice is the thing that differentiates any writer's output, whether it's a person's body of work or a stand-alone piece of writing.

(3) Why do I write what I do?

At the why-I-write-for-kids level: I feel at home writing for young readers because as a young person I always felt at home while reading and writing. I read so much and wrote so much (in those days I wrote in diary format) that growing up to work with words for a living seemed the only logical result of all that reading and writing. Reading and writing for the win!

At the why-I-write-things-like-my-personal-WIPs level: Because I have no other choice but to write those things. The stories I create come from my needs to

• express thoughts and ideas
• shine a light on small details and big concepts
• weave compelling tales
• present new information (or known information in a new way)
• examine universal feelings and experiences
• experiment with different types of writing
• share my heart

(4) How does my writing process work?

It's the same for every project! Oh, and it's different for every project!

That constancy mixed with variety is one of my favorite things about writing.

But let me go into at least a little bit of detail:

I've yet to write anything that didn't involve some type of research, so after my idea takes hold, the research is where I start. This is true whether I'm working on fiction or nonfiction, and the amount of research I need to do varies. I might research a setting detail, potential character name, or biographical fact and get straight to writing — or I might spend months gathering and vetting piles of research before keying in Word One.

Sometimes I do the research and set it aside for the rest of the writing process. For my humorous picture book in development, for example, I did a quick check on the developmental appropriateness of my protagonist's dilemma relative to her age. I didn't need that information to write a draft, but that took no time to investigate, so why not.

Then there's the other end of the spectrum: Sometimes the research continues all the way to the bitter end. For the Neptune title in my Space Neighbors series, I monitored NASA's live feed of breaking Neptune research until probably an hour before turning in my final draft. A true nail-biter!

Once I've done some cursory research, I outline or outline/plot, depending on the type and expected length of the work. Then I start writing. If I have a deadline, I write to that. Deadline is here? Then the writing is done. If I'm writing on my own and plan to pursue publication, I set writing goals — and reset them if/when needed.

Now, if I'm writing on my own and have no particular plans for the work beyond trying it, I write until I stop getting anywhere. I may set it aside and pick it up again later. Or I may forget the writing ever existed. I know this can happen because I've had occasion to stumble across work I have no recollection of creating. What can I say. Life happens and things slip through the cracks. Besides, fellow writers, I'll bet you've done the same thing, too. OK, let me revise to plead: Please, fellow writers, PLEASE tell me you've done the same thing, too!

Thanks a bunch for reading my writing-process tour entry. For next Monday, I'm passing the blogging baton to my friend Wendy Wahman, the award-winning author-illustrator of some of my favorite picture books, including Don't Lick the Dog: Making Friends with Dogs, A Cat Like That, and Snowboy 1, 2, 3 (this one was illustrated by Wendy and written by Joe Wahman).

Don't Lick the Dog was selected as a 2010 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, starred for Outstanding Merit, and accepted to the Society of Illustrators Original Art show. Her book trailer for A Cat Like That was selected from over 7,000 entries for the Walker Art Center’s Catvidfest 2013. Wendy’s editorial illustrations have appeared in major publications including Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and the Harvard Business Journal. She teaches art classes through the nonprofit organization Powerful Schools, and she enjoys sharing creativity exercises with both children and adults. 

Look for Wendy's post July 14!

What's News?

Yes, I did take back my blog, as I so bloggily declared I would in July. Sometimes, though, no blog news is good news. Other times — as is the case here — no blog news is really just no news in particular. That I felt like sharing. On the blog.

Oh, I was working, always working (a freelancer's gotta eat) — and writing, always writing (my YA WIP or whatever else I wrote to avoid it). But here's the thing about the writing: The process and my response to it turned downright rocky over the long Seattle summer. So I believe I did readers a favor by not blogging my way through it all. Seriously, no one but the dog needed to see that.

Now I've come back to the blog to share a merry milestone moment on my path to finishing my current novel-in-progress:

Speaker clipart
from Clker.com

I have begun to revise the dang thing. (Psst. That means there is a dang thing to work with.)

I'll admit that I share this news with some trepidation. One feels that doing so could possibly cause one's manuscript, computers, external hard drive, and online backup accounts to burst into flames.

But by the time you see this, I will have trusted Blogger's "Publish" button, and you, to handle my news with care.

A Dickens of a Day

I just spent about 20 minutes rifling through my bookshelves, book stacks, book bags, and other potential book-hiding spots/receptacles. I wanted to share an excerpt from the book at left — my 2005 title Tales of Charles Dickens — in honor of today, the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth.

But, alas, I cannot find my copy.

I do remember knowing at some point that I had just one copy in my possession, but I don't recall ever knowing that number had dwindled to just none. I'm thinking I left it behind during a school visit at which I displayed a number of my titles. So, darn that all.

The tales in this book are my retellings of favorite Dickens stories: "The Signalman," "Births: To Mrs. Meek, a Son," "Please, Sir, I Want Some More," "Hunted Down," and "To Be Read at Dusk." I wrote them specifically for reluctant readers (RL 3.2 / IL 4–9), and I enjoyed every minute of making the stories more accessible for younger kids. What writer or editor wouldn't love to work with a master storyteller's original tales?

Do you love that cover illustration as much as I do? The talented Sue Cornelison created it.

While I can't share a snippet from my book honoring Mr. Dickens, I can now stop beating around the bush (or maybe I've been beating a dead horse, given the anticlimactic nature of the extended mention of my own book I do not own) and share this delightful Washington Post piece giving props to Dickens's expert command of the verbose.

Please enjoy.

And, thank you for the stories, CD!

You're Invited to SCBWI WWA's Spring Inside Story!

It's time for SCBWI Western Washington's always-lively Spring Inside Story salon!

Tomorrow night at 6:30, 15 Seattle-area children's authors and illustrators will present and sign their latest books at University Bookstore in Bellevue. I'll be there to introduce The Sun, a book from my 10-title Space Neighbors series.

SCBWI sends invitations to about 300 librarians, booksellers, teachers, and media types — but, naturally, everyone is welcome. If you love and/or create kids' books, you'll enjoy the evening. Attendees get to hear "the story behind the story" associated with each featured book, shop for their favorites, meet local authors/illustrators, and support independent bookstores. Oh, and by the way, the party includes both SNACKS and PRIZES. What's not to love?

Hope to see you there — it's gonna be fun!

Introducing Space Neighbors — My New Picture Book Series!

It is Nonfiction Monday in the KidLitosphere, and I am thrilled to announce that my latest picture book series has officially launched! It's called Space Neighbors, and its 10 nonfiction titles about the solar system were a joy to work on.

The 10 books are Earth, The Sun, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto and Other Dwarf Planets, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus.

This project marked my first time writing for Child's World. The work involved some fast-and-furious research — and even faster/furiouser writing. I signed my contract in July 2010 and by September 2010, all 10 manuscripts had been written, revised, approved, and shipped off to design.

I'm not sure I can even tell you what else went on in my life during the initial writing phase of the project, but let me think on that for a minute. Hmm . . . well . . . oh wait, yes, I do know exactly what else I did: Not a thing. Or, if you like, no other things. Which is, as you know, aka NOTHING.

I was a writing fool. And anyone who talked to me then probably remembers me as a plain-old fool-fool, too. My brain was so focused on the writing that forming intelligible sentences with my mouth was frequently challenging.

In all seriousness, keeping up with the surprising-to-me influx of late-breaking solar system news was a full-time job in itself. I do a ton of nonfiction work, but typically I write about historical figures (dead), landmark events (over) and already-well-understood concepts (long fully processed). The pressure to get it right reminded me of my stint as a reporter back in the early 1990s. With this work, as happened then, my burning desire to provide the most current and the most accurate information possible really made me sweat. And lose sleep. Despite my overall satisfaction with the project — now that the work is but a memory — I can't say that I would ever again consent to working on so many titles in such a short window of time. But I can say that I am quite pleased with how my Space Neighbors babies turned out.

This series is presented in a photo-illustrated format, and each book is just stunning. I've added all 10 covers here, and you can explore the books' innards at the publisher's site. The series page lists the full set — just click on the "Read excerpt" text from any given title's page to scroll through several spreads. It looks to me like a few excerpts actually feature the entire book, so that's a great way to really see what you're getting before you buy.

Space Neighbors titles are currently available individually and in set form from the publisher (*cough, cough* better prices *cough, cough*) and online through Amazon.

Hoping the books make it into eager young readers' hands — and many thousands of libraries — soon!

My Essay in a Holiday Anthology

A few years ago in autumn, an editor connection emailed asking whether I knew any Florida writers. She needed at least one new personal essay for a book called A Florida Christmas. The catch? She was calling on a Monday needing final copy on Wednesday for a book going to press on Friday. (!!!)

"I can't think of anyone," I replied, continuing as any enterprising freelancer might . . . "but I've been to Florida for the holidays, and I'd be happy to provide an essay." 

I pitched my premise that evening and wrote the essay as soon as I'd met another deadline the next afternoon. No moss grew under this particular project! The book did go to press that week, but they couldn't get it printed in time for that holiday season and so released it the next year, in 2008.

The book itself is quite nice, with a lovely design and a good selection of stories old and new. I'm happy with the essay, but mostly because it's fun to write fast, it's fun to write about personal experiences, and it was fun to give the finished book to my dad. I will say, though, that had I had another day with the writing, I'd like to think I would have cut it down by quite a bit (with a little distance, one easily sees one's ramblings and redundancies) and fixed the typo I see. But, then again, I did have a specific word count to meet and not a lot of time to work with, so who knows!

I thought my fellow freelancers would enjoy the backstory — and that, perhaps, blog readers might like to see the published piece.

"Snowbirds in Paradise"

I have never lived in Florida, but one set of my Midwestern grandparents wintered there for years. My first visit at Christmastime 1975 left its mark on me. And, as often happens with memorable events or eras worthy of reflection, that “mark” continues to shift and grow.

The family trip itself — an unheard-of winter vacation — was something to revel in. It was HUGE compared to the other trips I had been on. I enjoyed seeing the sites and trying to make sense of the different climate (it was unseasonably cold during our stay yet still nothing like any Christmas weather I’d seen). But as we crammed a host of quintessential Florida activities into a few short days, I also paid close attention to the way Grandma and Grandpa passed the time at their Winter Haven retirement community. I had grown up visiting their busy Iowa farm, where they worked long, hard days for more than 40 years. Theirs was the first retirement lifestyle I had ever seen up close, and I was fascinated.

In those days Florida was held up as the place to vacation. I mean, what landlocked people who aren’t out of their severe-winter-surviving minds don’t dream of taking a break from all the snow and ice and gray? On any given day in Iowa from November through March you can bet that most cold, weary natives are likely spending at least a few moments daydreaming of walking barefoot on a sandy beach, splashing in the ocean, or lazing under a swaying palm tree in a tropical paradise. Iowa has its finer points, but you do have to leave it to enjoy any of those pleasures. And Florida was just plain easier for us to get to then than, say, California, Hawaii, or the Bahamas.

Even as a young child I was drawn to the idea of visiting the Sunshine State. In the late 1960s and early 1970s it frequently starred in books, movies, magazines, and everyone else’s vacation slideshows. Classic TV fare such as Flipper, The Everglades, and Sea Hunt highlighted Florida’s breathtaking scenery and spun many exciting adventures across its sand, surf, and vibrant, rainforested turf.

Naturally the influence of a certain mouse called Mickey cannot be ignored. Every Sunday evening until the series ended, I sat glued to The Wonderful World of Disney. All the kids of my generation did the same, and at one time or another probably every last one of us nursed a desire to visit one (or both!) of the two most incredible amusement parks imaginable. How could we not want to see the magic for ourselves after soaking up the weekly footage from the parks and all the other cartoons, movies, and otherworldly wonders conceived by the Disney machine? Perhaps my attitude simply grew out of being old enough to remember when Walt Disney World’s® Magic Kingdom first opened in Florida. I’m not at all sure now. But it’s comical to recall my staunch childhood opinion that the Florida-based theme park was superior to California’s in every possible way. In my mind, it was newer, bigger, brighter, and all-around better. And Florida just seemed like a more interesting place to visit.

I’m 42 now, making me all of 10 years old when I first set foot on Florida soil December 26, 1975. I was excited to be there, no doubt about it. (Truth be told, I was excited to be anywhere.) Air travel was still a relative novelty, and the swanky-as-far-as-I-knew Delta flight from O’Hare to Orlando did not disappoint. The holiday spirit was palpable, and it was so festive onboard: champagne and decks of cards for the adults, Shirley Temples and plastic wings for the kids. The pretty stewardesses cheerfully offered chewing gum if your ears needed popping (check) and rustled up extra napkins advertising “Your Choice of Cocktails, Just $1.50” and Delta/Camay soap wrappers for kids on the hunt for stuff to cram into a scrapbook (double-check).

I was also worried about how the visit with my grandparents would play out. My worry had nothing to do with not wanting to see them. It was just that I liked to know what to expect before I had to live it, and I couldn’t quite figure out what was in store in Winter Haven. Oh, I’d heard all about my grandparents’ life there, but I needed to see it for myself to understand.

For example, the concepts of retirement community and trailer park were abstract to me. Talk of the many organized activities (which seemed compulsory, to my ears, as imposed by the ominous-sounding Park Association) — coupled with my impression that Grandma and Grandpa’s trailer had wheels and movable walls (huh?!) — also left me concerned. I’d heard them talk about living on a budget and slowing down in their “old age” and pictured them possibly living in some sort of camper parked in a strange nursing home–state campgrounds hybrid. Would there be electricity? A working bathroom? Would the Association make us all play Monday shuffleboard and eat prune Danish at the clubhouse?

All of those thoughts swirled around in my 10-year-old head. But the biggest question going for me was, Will we get there to find Grandma and Grandpa looking and acting like the really old people who go to Florida for the winter? Never mind that I had just seen them looking vibrant and healthy and perfectly normal at Thanksgiving. In my mind, Florida was where all the old people went to, well, get even older. Scary stuff!

So, I confess that I stepped off that plane with trepidation. When at last we exited the freeway and drove through the trailer park’s entrance, I couldn’t have been more relieved. We’d landed in a neighborhood that had streets and everything. There were real buildings and paved drives. The trailers were shaped like regular houses, and many sported strings of holiday lights. My grandparents’ home had a carport, shutters, carpeting, a real kitchen, and yes, a bathroom. Whew!

The next day after breakfast and a round of Florida-themed welcome gifts for the three kids (mine was a silver palm-tree charm), Grandma and Grandpa gave us a guided tour of the park. We met what seemed like everybody I already knew from their hometown, plus a few outsiders from Michigan and maybe a Dakota or two. We saw the “shuffle” courts where Grandpa was, reportedly, King; the sparkling, bustling, well-furnished clubhouse; and the murky swimming hole/swamp where — to my horror — “mature” gals in industrial-strength bikinis and real-live alligators routinely sunbathed. I only caught an eyeful of the former, but apparently neither sight was cause for alarm to the park residents.

This place, I learned, was neither campground nor nursing home. It was Club Med for the thrifty, settled set eager to enjoy some well-deserved R&R. Grandma and Grandpa were there to take full advantage. It amazed me that they did absolutely whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Every day. Kind of like a typical Christmas break for me, except they obviously knew how to make every minute count for something. I also marveled that they seemed unfazed by the disconnect of putting up a tree (theirs was a foil tabletop number), singing carols, and welcoming Santa in shorts, all while the lawn needs mowing.

Each of my grandparents’ days in Winter Haven boasted a nonstop string of leisurely pursuits — enough to make them a tad tired, even harried, from all that concentrated recreation, but none of it was too over the top to complain about. They enjoyed morning coffee at the clubhouse, giant-tricycle rides around their trailer park, and late-morning golf outings. They loved their afternoon shuffleboard tournaments, early-bird dinners, and evening bridge-and-dessert parties. And then there were the group day trips to the tourist traps, weekend pilgrimages to the flea markets, and tons of “neighboring” to keep up with. Their Florida life was full, and naps were encouraged!

I’d never seen them look happier or act more carefree and the truth is, I probably never did again. They had earned their Snowbird wings, and they were smart enough to cherish them for all they were worth.

During our stay we hit as many family hotspots as time allowed. Sea World® was one of my favorites. And it was Holiday Fantasy season at Disney World®. I loved the huge nighttime parade capped off with fireworks and Santa in his sleigh. The impressive water-skiing shows at Cypress Gardens made up for my youthful lack of anything resembling interest in the whole gardens aspect of the place. And, even though we needed long sleeves and blankets the day we hit Clearwater Beach, I was beyond thrilled just to see the ocean and sit under a cabana. Let’s see, I also see from my scrapbook that we visited the Waverly Citrus Packing House. Hmm, that’s odd. Not one memory of that one. Wait . . . uh . . . nope. Nothing. (Who picked that, anyway?)

It’s funny, because even though I have photos and souvenirs from all the big must-sees, it’s Grandma and Grandpa’s “Florida” that left the deepest, most lasting impressions on me. They had citrus trees in their backyard, ’gators in the swamp a short walk from their place (again, no big deal!), and ready access to the beach, shopping, and nice restaurants. They indulged in such exotic regional fare as lobster, shrimp scampi, and Key lime pie. They learned new crafts and played new sports. And clearly, absolutely none of it was worth taking seriously as long as they had plenty of good friends, family visitors, and each other to share it with.

More than 30 years later, it is still a joy to remember my Snowbird grandparents as they were that Christmas in Florida: active, relaxed, and contented. Lucky for me, I got to see their slice of paradise up close — and I am confident I’ll find my own piece of the Key lime pie when the time is right.

My New PB Series — Let's Be Social!

FAMILY GATHERINGS

Just out from Magic Wagon is my new nonfiction picture book series called Let's Be Social! Written specifically for the school and library market (RL 3, IL PreK–4), these six books introduce young readers to the various social groups they encounter and must learn to navigate in their community: family, friends, school, teams, worship groups, and neighborhoods.

From the publisher's description:

MAKE FRIENDS

"The Let’s Be Social series explores the social settings that have a special role in a young reader’s life and community. Easy-to-read text and bright illustrations explore the
relationships, diversity, and interactions that can be found in the world around them. Introduce your students to the groups, places, and people around them. And let’s be social!"

GO TO SCHOOL

Concepts are correlated to state standards, and the vocabulary is appropriate for readers in Grades 2–3, as well as younger children experiencing the books as read-alouds. Illustrator Chris Davidson's fun, cheerful artwork will appeal to kids throughout the interest-level range.

Each 32-page book includes a TOC, glossary, and index, and the series was fully vetted by content consultants.

GO WORSHIP

JOIN A TEAM

Naturally, I enjoyed writing the books! I hope teachers, counselors, librarians, and parents will enjoy sharing them with the young people in their lives. And, above all, I hope young readers will have fun exploring my take on the many forms of community.

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

A huge P.S. You know it's Nonfiction Monday in the kidlitosphere, right? That means you can learn what nonfiction books (or related topics) other kidlit bloggers are buzzing about by checking out this week's host blog, Rasco from RIF. Head on over there to see a listing of Nonfiction Monday posts. You can even add your own link if you're so inclined!

If You Can Dream It

Rough night here last night — it was July 4, which always means that — in addition to the known fireworks show from sundown till midnight — random firecrackers must be set off around the neighborhood from about 10:00 a.m. through the wee hours of today. (In this wee case, the last cracker KA-POWed at around 4:00 a.m.)

Anyhoo, I finally got some actual sleep between 4:30 and Later, and my hard slumber produced one of those crazy-real full-blown-storyline dreams I adore:

See, in my dreams, I was hosting a glamorous pool shindig — a launch party for my as-yet-to-be-sold WIP, which will be my first YA novel distributed in the TRADE MARKET. Yes, Universe, I'm shouting to YOU. Seemed like fun with beautiful food, live music, and 70s-chic attire. Guests included friends, family, and . . . Chevy Chase. (Delirious much, Lisa?)

What fun it was to wake up remembering the vision and knowing there was some truth to it.

I will finish and publish this novel. And a celebration will follow. I doubt the party will look exactly like the one in my dream. But that is not the point.

New Picture Book Series Coming Soon!

Early last year I wrote (and blogged about doing so) a six-title picture book series for Magic Wagon Books based on the theme of community. Finally, the series has a ballpark release date of September 2010!

Funny thing is, I only know this because I saw that the books had been added to Amazon. That means they have ISBNs and everything. Oh, and final-final titles, too, all under the series name Let's Be Social:

• Make Friends
• Family Gatherings
• Go to School
• Go Worship
• Join a Team
• Meet Your Neighborhood

Wish I had covers or other illustration samples to share, but right now I'm just excited to know that the books are, in fact, coming soon. This was a challenging project for me — six books in six weeks — but I had lots of fun working on it.

More later, of course!