I arrived at the Conference:  Think Outside the Crayon Box

My first workshop starts at 2:00 pm - Writing Picture Books and Early Readers Like a Poet: Writing Poetry Techniques to Make Your Picture Books Pop!  Presented by:  Jane Kohuth, author of

 

Published by Random House in September, 2013

 

 

Spring Conference

Today is the start of the NESCBWI Spring Conference.  Bags are packed and I am ready to go.  So excited! 

 

Happy!  Happy!  Happy!

 

 

I am reviving my Books With Cookies And Milk!  Here is a cute story I just enjoyed reading.  Check it out :)

Books With Cookies And Milk

 The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

 

Words and pictures by Mo Willems

This is such a cute story!  It says so much in so few words.  Even the title makes you wonder whether the Duckling gets the cookie or not.  Gentle hint of kindness and good manners is behind the Duckling and the cookie.  It is a great story to read or to be read to!  Nice work Mo Willems!

 Chocolate Chip, Raisin, Nut and Oatmeal Cookies

 Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or room temperature
6 tablespoons shortening
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned oats
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup raisins
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray baking sheets with nonstick spray.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter, shortening, eggs, sugars, vanilla and cinnamon in large bowl until well mixed.  Sift in flour, baking soda and salt; beat to blend.  Mix in chocolate chips, nuts, oats and raisins.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough, for each cookie onto baking sheet, spacing 1” apart.  Keep this shape do not flatten.  Bake cookies until lightly golden and soft to the touch, about 14-15 minutes.  Cool cookies on sheets and move to wire racks.

Pour a glass of milk and Enjoy while reading:

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?

 

 

Trying to remember the stories I liked to read as a child.

 

 

Today, while writing I am recapturing my youth!  Here is a picture of me in the 5th grade! 

Trying to succeed as a writer and opening doors

 
I read anything I can find on how to be a writer, seeking that magic phrase to guide me in the right direction.  I realized that inspiration is all around me.  It is in reading books, reading the newspaper or just watching people around me.  Having curiosity is my best inspiration.  Everyone and everything has a background story waiting to come forward. Writing isn’t about waiting for doors to open, it is about wondering what the story is behind the door and creating that story and making others want to open it and see what is happening behind it, too.

I carry a notebook with me wherever I go, jotting descriptions and phrases for later use.  One of my prompts that I use is an image of a closed door, then one slightly ajar and finally a door that is swung wide open.  These “door” prompts are on index cards and I move them along as I write.  It seems to work for me.    

My notebooks are filled with scribbles and sketches, stories complete and incomplete.  I may never get published or never be read by millions, but I feel successful at my attempts because I am doing what I love.  I am writing instead of just hoping to do it one day.  I am always opening my own doors instead of waiting for someone to open them for me.  Careful world, I am opening doors and I don’t always knock first!

Who else is looking forward to attending the Spring Conference?

 

I can't wait!

Just to let you know why I have been among the missing - 

For the over past year I have been taking care of my Stepmom who passed away peacefully last week.  She was a lovely and kind woman.  We will miss her greatly.  Like me, she liked to write; her passion was poetry.  She also loved quotes.  So, in her honor I am posting some quotes from a post from a couple years ago on my blog. 

 

  "Laughter is one of the best medicines around for relieving stress and for creating a more healthy spirit. And, one of the greatest aspects is that it is totally free and can be done by anyone."

- Byron Pulsifer

 

"Anybody can do just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes up his mind to do. We are capable of greater things than we realize."

- Norman Vincent Peale

 

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

- John Quincy Adams

 

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

- Albert Schweitzer

 

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

- Meister Eckhardt

 

I hope today finds you all happy, healthy and writing!

 

Intruding On My Characters

I seem to have a habit of intruding on my characters.  Instead of letting my character lead the story and having their dialogue and their actions tell the story, I seem to be narrating.  It is really a hard habit to break.  I must realize I cannot manipulate my characters, they should have a realism all their own  Learning to let them show the reader what they are doing and where their part in the story will go.  The more I train myself to stay focused and let my characters lead the way, the more readable my stories will be. 

My quest for this week is to re-write, and re-write.  Looking forward to a productive week.  Wishing the same to you!  I leave you with a few quotes that I have pinned up at my desk to keep me on track:

"You have to throw yourself away when you write." - Maxwell Perkins

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." - Beverly Sills

"All profoundly original work looks ugly at first." - Clement Greenberg

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without words
And never stops - at all.".  - Emily Dickinson

"All glory comes from daring to begin." - Shakespeare, 'Coriolanus' 

I dipped my feet into 12x12! 

 

Actually, my toes in 12x12!  Time to take on the challenge.  I do have some stories that I have been working on and several more ideas in my head waiting to get on paper. Writing Picture Books is a challenge in itself.  Now, to add writing one a month into the scheme of things 'UPS' the challenge.  There is no magic formula for writing.  At least, not one that I have discovered.  So, time to see if I can hold up to the challenge.  I used to think that my goal was to be published, but I am looking at my goal in a new light.  I now keep a picture of a child reading a book on my desk.  That is my new focus, to one day see a child with my book, opened in their hand, excitedly reading away! 

If you are interested in checking out the 12x12, you can check it out here:
http://www.juliehedlund.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/12-x-12-new-banner.jpg

Has anyone else signed up for the challenge? 

Happy Writing!

Happy New Year! I'm Back!

I have been trying to figure out how to get back on the blogging track after being away for a considerable time.  Sometimes life just gets ahead of you.  As I sat down at my desk today, I had the overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start.  That’s what happens when you have been away from blogging for so long.  I have been having the feeling of discontent and disconnect so, I am jumping back in. J

Even though I haven't been on my blog, I have been writing and doing some illustrating.  I have finished the pencil illustrations for one of my picture books and have completed six color illustrations.  My next step will be to do the same for another picture book that I have finished writing.  My plan is to bring them to the Spring Conference and hopefully have the opportunity to sit in on a critique.  

I am glad I am back!  What have you been up to? 

   

Am I making progress or not?

     Mondays are hard! It is hard to pick yourself up sometimes and start the week, especially, when you receive a letter back on your submission and it wasn’t exactly the response you were hoping for, but it was a personal letter with some helpful criticism, for which I am extremely grateful.

     The letter stated that she is not taking on many new projects at this time, however, she found my story very engaging; and couldn’t wait to get to the end! I was given a couple of suggestions to enhance my story. So, that is what I am going to do. I appreciate the advice and I am going to start working on it this week!

     Hope you all have a great week!



A View Outside My Back Door!

I just wanted to share with you a picture my daughter took outside my back door!  I love this time of year!  You can find inspiration even by just looking out your door.  Hope you are all having a wonderful week. 



Happy New Year! 

 

     I have been away from my blog for so long!  The past few months have been busy.  My husband had a fall over the summer and broke 4 ribs, punctured his lung and broke his elbow in several places.  He is now well on the mend and back to his full daily schedule.  I have also been taking care of my step-mom, she is 88 years old and has had a tough year and she, too, is doing better.  So, that in short, is why I have not been on my blog. 

     I love New Year’s Day.  There's something exciting about turning over the calendar page on January 1st. I'm always full of anticipation, wondering what things the New Year will bring, and hoping it will be a good year.  This day holds so much promise.  It is like the first page of your newest book.  The page lies blank before you, waiting for you to let it know where it is going.

 

     I am not making any New Year’s Resolutions this year.  I am taking each day and page as it comes.  So, with this New Year, I am offering to you a blank page.  Where will it take you?  What will you do with it?    

Best wishes for a Very Happy and Safe New Year!

Hi Everyone! 

Happy Monday!

I finished another Picture book draft!  Yay for me.  This one I am actually going to try to illustrate.  I'll keep you posted on how that goes. 

How was your weekend?  I hope you had the opportunity to get some writing done.  I hope this week you hit the ground running (as far as writing goes)!  Have a great start to your week!  Here are a few quotes to get you going:

"A writer is, after all, only half his book.  The other half is the reader and fromthe reader the writer learns." - P. L. Travers

"I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning." - Peter De Vries

"The writer, when he is also an artist, is someone who admits what others don't dare reveal." - Elia Kazan

"The true function of a writer is to produce a masterpiece and no other task is of any consequence." - Cyril Connolly

Inspiration For The Week

     Do you know why a car’s windshield is so large and the rearview mirror is so small?  Because your Past is not as important as our Future.  Look ahead and move on.

     Old friends are gold!  New friends are diamond!  If you get a diamond, don’t forget the god!  Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

     Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.

     I chose these particular inspirational phrases because the author is unknown to me.  I hope that you become the author of these phrases during your upcoming week. 

Happy Monday to you all!