Summer is upon us!!

At last today is the day of school!! This year has been great and each of my boys have grown in leaps and bounds educational wise. I can't complain, it has been a very productive year for all of us. I always look foreword to summer because my boys become mine again. I don't have to share them with anyone!! I'm a bit greedy with their sweet hugs and kisses.

Being that summer is here I am concerned about them loosing any learning they have gained during the year. I was told by a teacher that the first quarter of the year they actually spend it re-teaching lessons that were learned in the previous grade. A refresher course so to speak. I don't want my boys to jump back a step so I have planned out fun activities that will continue to keep their minds active. If you have kids I would do the same. It could make a huge difference in their grades when school starts again.

Some easy things to do are trips to library's. Public library's offer a whole slew of summer reading activities, and your child's school library may remain open so they can still rack up those accelerated reader points. A trip to the park or zoo can be a two day event that's packed full of fun.

One day at the park or zoo the next day at home make construction paper books about their experience! Let them draw their favorite things you did on separate sheets of paper, color them, and decorate using glitter glue, buttons, rice, macaroni or bits of tissue paper. Once they are dry make a cover and staple them together. Your child will have a book that they made!! This activity encourages creative thinking, fine motor skills use, memory use and team work and not to mention sharing!

A favorite activity here during the hot part of the day is our Alphabet hunt. Make large ABC's and number's out of different colored construction paper. You'll need a treasure box (a small shoe box they have decorated is awesome for this) and of course binoculars. We made ours out of a paper towel tube cut in half and decorated. Place the ABC's and numbers all over the house. Then let the kids loose to find them. It's a hunt they enjoy. Once they find their prey put them in their box and when it's over count up who got the most and make words out of their letters they found! It's a whole slew of activities in one. This one also helps those fine motor skill, creative play, sharing, team work, ABC identification, scissor skills, tripod grip, and color and number recognition.

Be creative and if your having fun then they will too. And if your worried about messes don't be. Messes can be cleaned up by little hands too and most of the time they are eager to help clean up. I feel that the messier a project is the more fun it is!!

Enjoy your summer and if you have some great projects for kids feel free to share them!!

Impressions

I have learned today that one never really knows what kind of an impression you will make on someone. A few weeks ago I took an Eastern Box Turtle that was rescued off of 840 to Charlotte Elemtrary school. I visited 3 classes with London the turtle. London was active and not shy and all the kids loved her. I talked about what kind of Habit and food she liked and how they lay their eggs and other facts. I had a good time and it was a bit sad for us all because once the day was over we knew we had to release her.

I felt that it was wrong to keep her from meeting her dream male turtle in the wild and living out the rest of her days in lovely wood. So we let her go on her way and we cried. My oldest son had grown very attached to her and it was most difficult for him. In my mind I could see having a pet turtle and we would all be a happy family, but in reality I knew that we just did not have the resources to keep her. Turtles require lots of stuff that we couldn't provide. London all left her mark on us.

Now we have a Hamster named Biscuit (from a local pet store) and a Guinea pig named Willie that we adopted from Petco. London is not in our every thought now that we have two new furry friends that my boys adore. And this morning a little girl and her mom brought a hatchling snapping turtle to class. A tiny baby turtle a bit bigger than a quarter.

The mom said that her daughter wanted to show the class the turtle like I did London. The mom said she was all set to let her little girl take it to class by herself and she protested. The little girl said that her mom had to show it to the class like I did. The mother said that I had raised the bar for parental involvement in the class. (I try to be a helper whenever I can at school)

That made me pause. I try my best to be a good mother and help out at school whenever I can. I know that the teachers can't do everything on their own. I don't mind being asked to make cookies or be an extra set of eyes on a field trip. Somehow in my striding to be a good parent I had made an impression upon another parent I had never met before. That is amazing. It shows that sometimes going that extra bit pays off more than you know.

That's my story. Do you have one where you influenced someone without meaning to? I would love to hear about it.

What a name can do for your writing

What you name your characters can mean a lot to you the writer of the manuscript, and it can mean even more to your reader. Most writers do not put thought into naming their characters, but they should. Have you ever read a book and not been able to fully connect to the characters because they have a name you can't pronounce or even think of someone actually naming their child that?

When I am naming my characters I think about their personalities. I have came across certain people in my life that have they same name and every single one of them with that same name were all the same type of person. An example, I know several people named Beth, and almost every single one of them has been bitchy to an extreme point that made me want to lock myself in the nearest bathroom for a bit of peace. As for men I have met several people named James that are very controlling and for some mad reason are obsessed with detail and being able to pin point people, like fitting them into a certain category. One James that I know actually dislikes so much because he can't get inside my head and figure me out. He says that I do things for no rhyme or reason. Which is not true, he just can't seem to understand my way of seeing things.

So when naming people in your writing consider their personalities. Are the bitchy, snooty, laid back or an obsessive type person? Then think about all the people you have met with the name you have picked and see if it fits. It's like naming your children. When my husband and I picked the names for our sons we took a lot of things into consideration. Our boys have two middle names so that they could pick which name they wanted when they got older. We also took in the consideration if it sounded right with our last name. Self is a tricky name to work with. Also their initials have to be considered, does it spell out something nasty? Lots to think on when naming a child, pet, or a character.

If your having trouble picking a name ask some friends, or even google the name to see what come up in the search. You will be surprised. And as always think about what the name means. Names have different meanings in other languages.

In short be considerate. Think of how well your name suits your character and how well the reader will be able to relate to the name. If they can't connect to the name then they most likely wont be able to connect to the book.

Publishing this Week

This is a tidbit of news that I found interesting due to the fact that it is in my genre of fantasy fiction. Knopf is set to publish Christopher Paolini’s Eragon’s "Guide to Alagaësia". It is gaged toward young readers and it is a tie to to his Inheritance cycle of books, which so far is up to four books in the series (consisting of Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr). The fourth book has yet to be published, but is in the works. It's publication date has yet to be announced.

The guide will be released on November 3 2009, and will be simultaneously published in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand, was developed in conjunction with Britain’s Templar Publishing. They are hoping that the book we sell as a companion to his other books in the series due to it will contain landscapes, and inhabitants of Alagaësia. The Inheritance cycle of books has sold over 22 million copies world wide and the first was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox that was released in December of 2006 and The cast included Edward Speleers in the title role, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Joss Stone, and the voice of Rachel Weisz as Saphira the dragon.


"Eragon’s Guide to Alagaësia will take readers deeper into the captivating world Christopher created, offering a visual perspective of the novels that millions of readers across the world have come to love," said Knopf publishing director Nancy Hinkel in announcing the book on May 20th at a press release.

For more information on the author and his work go to his web site at http://www.alagaesia.com/ .

Now for my question if you have read the books, or listened to them on audio book do you foresee this as a purchase for yourself or someone else? Also what other series do you wish had this type of a compaion? I have the Anne Rice companion books and they contain a wealth of information, and it makes me very tempted to see the author's vision in print. Also if J.K. Rowling was to publish a companion of this type would you be interested? I would be.

An update

The Feathered Quill is a handy-dandy blog full of tips for writers and links to resources, but it also a way to let me tell all of my adoring readers about my journey. I try to make the blog fun as well as informational, so if you the adoring reader have a question please leave a comment and ask me. I'm open about things.

Here in the past month I have been editing my first draft of my manuscript. It's a daunting task full of frustrating moments. I am currently up to chapter seven on editing. What am I editing you ask. Everything from sentence structure to character ideas and minor plot lines. The major key elements I am keeping because the are the heart of the book. I have been cutting down the chapters so that they are not twenty pages long, but still keep their core. It's a delicate balance I am striving to achieve. I actually don't mind editing, it's typing the new pages that gives me pause. I have issues finding time to type, and it's not just typing. When I input the new pages I am also adding bits of narrative to the page.
I have had many offers from people to help type, but it just can't be done. It's a vicious circle.

I am actually hoping to have all the chapters edited by the end of June and typed by the end of July. I would love to arrange a meeting with Susan Gilmore to ask her some questions, but I have jury duty coming up and I am not sure when that is or when it will be over. Until that is done I am not making any plans set in stone.

I would like to thank everyone that has read all of my blog posts, and I hope that in some way it is helpful to you.

Workshops, seminars and other activites

I know that writing can be a lonely occupation, but it doesn't have to be. One of the greatest tools (and distraction) for an author is the Internet. We can contact other author's and aspiring writers through on-line writer's groups, and check out other people's blogs. One of my favorite blogs to read is Nathan Bransford's, not only is it informational but you get to see the publishing world through an agent's eyes.

Outside of the world wide web there are slews of workshops, book clubs, classes, seminars, and conventions. I know in mid-state TN in the next four months there are at least 4 different events happening this summer and fall. 1 seminar, 2 conventions, and a few workshops. Now keep in mind these types of events require a bit of fundage and of course registration. If you live in the middle TN area one of the best organizations that offers these types of events with a reasonable cost is the Council for the Written Word, they are based in Franklin TN. They are hosting a seminar/workshop in the fall. Their website is:
http://www.cww-writers.org/

What to do if you are interested in a workshop. Workshops are fun, and are supposed to be relaxing, there is no need to work yourself into a tizzy. Breathe!

First thing to do is to find out their registration deadline is, then mail in your information or submit it on-line if that option is available. Next is check what type of materials you will need. I attended a workshop in march and the guest speaker was Susan Gregg Gilmore and it was recommended we read her book before hand and to bring it with us. Which I did, (it was a good read!) and surprisingly she even signed the book for me. It was also recommended that we bring our own writing tools(pen, paper, ect.) A must for attending any conference, workshop, or any event is to make sure you know the TIME and PLACE of the events. Most workshops have a pre-event get together usually at a book store the night before. Check your information, and if it seems unclear ask them about it. I assure you that they will not bite.

If you are feeling a bit shy about going to a workshop all willy-nilley and meeting new people take a friend with you. I asked a friend to go with me in March and she benefited from it also since she is in college and is taking creative writing courses. I have learned that jeans and a comfy shirt is okay apparel to wear. Wear what ever you are comfy in, (not pj's though, make sure you do look professional)especially if your going to be sitting for long periods of time. But as always check the event listing, a ballroom party might not be a good function to wear jeans to unless it's themed.

So in short, relax and enjoy the function. Don't worry the other author's at the event, they are people just like you, and are possibly more nervous than you are. Enjoy the fall and summer workshop season.

Chidren's Book Week

Starting today May 11- 17 2009 is Children's Book Week. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week. In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. The CBC has developed materials and promoted and encouraged local celebrations of Book Week ever since.

Celebrate this special week by taking a child to a library, reading them a book, or even let them make their very own book out of construction paper or copy paper. Nobody is too old to play with crayons and glitter glue.

Reading a child a book encourages them to read on their own and improves their imaginative play and the grades in school. A win-win situation I'd say. You get to spend quality time with your child minus the T.V., and they pick up a GOOD habit. Amazon.com has a wide assortment of children's books if you are unsure what to begin with. My personal favorite is the "Three Billy Goat's Gruff", gotta love that grumpy, hungry troll.

Oral History to your publishing history

I know that in any given family there is a story, a story of a crazy neighbor that might be a witch because she turned her wayward husband into a goat, or a legend about a lost family treasure. These stories that are told on camping trips can be a goldmine for a writer. They can be easily expanded, detailed and even researched to make it fuller and more compelling.

These types of stories are always the best because most of the time they do have a sliver of truth in them. What makes me thrilled is how a simple story of grand dad loosing a watch can turn into a full blown treasure hunting themed story. Simply amazing how stories can evolve and become something amazing and intriguing.

Rain, Gloom and Doom

I know that in most books there is at least once scene that it all gloom and doom, not every scene can be sunny and on a lovely stretch of beach. In our imaginations we have the memory of certain storms that sacred the crap out of us when we was younger, and we use those memories to help us write our doom and gloom settings. Sometimes in our daily lives we miss the details of our landscapes we bypass on the way to school or work. To help me have better narrative in my writing I pay close attention to the details around me. If I see a hawk winging overhead as I'm waiting for school to dismiss I try to describe it out loud (I know you may worry about the other parents thinking your a loon because your talking to yourself, but it works). If the description is a good one I write it down and save it to use in my writing. Easy, and it gives me something to build on later. Same goes for weather, describe a bolt of lightening, a thunderhead,does the window panes rattle when the thunder booms? What does the air smell like after the storm? Simple details that we can extract from our daily lives to aide us in writing narrative.

Narrative in writing is important, it allows us to SHOW the scene, not tell the scene. Think of it as your telling you Best friend about a movie that your watching but they can't watch it because they are temporarily blind. Show them, let your words paint the scene in their minds. I cannot stress this enough. an example:

A; The sky over head was rolling with thick black clouds that announced that rain was surely on the way. I was racing towards home in my cherry red jeep wrangler trying to beat the rain. I had not checked the local news this morning and assumed that the weather would be good, and now I was driving like mad through town without the top on my jeep getting battered by the wind praying that the rain would hold off for another fifteen minutes. It did not. I cringed as the few raindrops splattered on my windshield, I was going to get drenched. As I pulled to a stop at a red light beside Food Lion the bottom fell out. No need to hurry home now.


B; I got caught in the rain without the top on my jeep, and I got drenched.


which one did you like best? Which one would you prefer to read in a story? I like A, it showed that the character was stressed and regretful. A simple detailed narrative can show the reader what kind of emotional range the character has, and what their personality type is. Narrative is your best friend as a writer.