2.4.05

We've moved this journal to a LiveJournal site. Come see me there!

 

2.3.05

Busy days at Writerlady...

More reviews are up for PROM. Fellow author and all-around great Texan Cynthia Leitich Smith also weighed in about the book. (Note - if you are a teacher, writer, or lover of children's and teens books, spend your lunch hour (or all afternoon) enjoying Cynthia's incredible website. Cyn is the author who really set the standard for comprehensive author websites, and was the inspiration for the changes on my site. Look at her husband Greg's site, too! His new book, TOFU AND T. REX is getting rave reviews.)

Mer and I had an ab-fab time in NYC. We LOVED Wicked. Had one of those Twilight Zone moments before the play. We were eating dinner at a Cosi near the theater (go and eat S'Mores there) and we couldn't help overhearing the conversation two girls were having at the next table. Nobody within a quarter-mile radius could help overhearing them because they were talking VERY LOUDLY so as to draw maximum attention. Anyway, these were brand-new college roommates who, like us, were stoked because they were about to see Wicked. But they were also busy getting to know each. There was a little sparring and lots of nervous laughter. Who was going to be the alpha roommate? Who was going to call the shots? What made this extra-amusing is that the central premise of Wicked is that Glinda the Good Witch (we're talking Wizard of Oz here) was the college roommate of the Wicked Witch of the West. It was very tempting to ask those girls for their Livejournals so we could follow the state of their relationship over the next five months. But we didn't have the guts to do it.

We saw the play, bought popcorn on the way back to the hotel, and slept like death. Next morning we went out for real bagels and schmear for breakfast, then we shopped down Fifth Ave., until we got to the train station and came home. If you haven't been to a Broadway show or spent a couple days in New York City yet, put it on your To-Do list and start saving money right now.

I also had a long meeting with my Simon & Schuster editor, Kevin. Yes, there are photos, but everytime I try to put any photos in this stupid journal, the program yells at me. So imagine we are looking at Kevin and me conferring about book stuff.

I'll update about the Eagles' plan to win the Superbowl and conquer the world tomorrow.

Oh, wait. Before I sign off, there is an email I wanted to post. This comes from English teacher Joe Gucci of Johnson City High School, Johnson City, NY.

Mr. Gucci writes: In examining your novel, I have provided the students with an excerpt from Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In reading this, the students quickly pick up on the fact that the name of the person that raped Ms. Angelou is Mr. Freeman. They (and I) are curious as to whether or not it was a coincidence that a Mr. Freeman also appears in your book. The kids also wonder if that it supposed to be his real name or if Melinda just gave him that name (similar to Mr. Neck and Hairwoman).

I actually borrowed Mr. Freeman’s name from one of my kid’s science teachers. The name, not the personality. My thinking was that the art teacher in the book is the person who helps Melinda free herself from her prison of silence. When I reread Caged Bird I saw the parallel and decided to leave it stand - not sure why, it just felt right. Your students might want to note that Melinda gives nicknames to the people she feels no connection to. She feels safe with her art teacher and knows that he really cares. Hence, Mr. Freeman is his real name.

Mr. Gucci also writes: I have searched far and wide for information regarding the release of the movie version of Speak. Is there any information available regarding a release date or a way to see this movie? My students have been begging me to get them news about the movie because they loved the book so much.

Theo really beefed up the Speak movie pages. We are posting the release update info here.

Melissa writes: Hi im doing a report on laurie hales anderson for school is you could tell me about ur self alitte that would help me alot thanks. ps im reading ur book speak

If you are doing a report about me, you'll find everything you need in the About Me section.

Note to Heela - Thanks so much for your cool note. It made me smile.

Now I have to write!!!!!!!!!!

 

1.31.05

Meredith thinks I'm a loser because I haven't been updating enough recently. Everybody's a critic. So...

Made it home from Baltimore in one piece. Many thanks to Ellen and Siobhan and all the girls at Notre Dame Prep for ending my Baltimore week so nicely.

Amazing Husband brought the Creature With Fangs down to PA for a weekend visit. She was huge compared to two weeks ago and listened to commands much better. As a matter of fact, she was a blast except for when she nibbled a little too hard on Mer's thumb. They had to go back North last night. In a rare achievement, I emptied my email box before I went to sleep. Go me.

Mer doesn't have school today so we have lots of errands. Tomorrow she and I go to New York City for her Christmas present: we're going to see the Broadway show Wicked and play in the city until Wednesday. (It's kind of a present for me, too, but shhhh, don't say anything.)

The early feedback from PROM continues to be strong and encouraging. Am getting nervous about the release and what "normal" people (teenage readers who don't work in bookstores or have librarians for parents) think about it. When you are waiting the last month before your book comes out it feels just like being eight months pregnant: nervous, excited, scared, and craving strange food.

I had a really sad dream about my Mom last night. Can't stop thinking about it.

Theo has posted a ton of stuff about the movie version of SPEAK. He is the Web God of the Universe as far as I'm concerned.

Off to do errands all morning long. This afternoon and evening are going to be more rewrites on my new historical non-fiction book.

 

1.28.05

I leave in a few minutes for my last Baltimore school visit at Notre Dame Prep. The day at Maryvale was a blast. Their library is in a castle. Not too shabby. Thank you to all the young women at Maryvale (and a big thank you to Helen!), and also to the enthusiastic and fun kids at Kreiger Schechter (hello Laurie and Sonia!), where I spoke yesterday.

The big news of this road trip is that I made it to the hotel fitness center three out of four nights. This officially qualifies as a victory. Now the challenge is NOT to celebrate with pastry.

Almost done with the Philip Dick biography. It's sad because he started as a very creative guy, then he took truck-loads of drugs and found up being seriously messed-up. Duh. Don't do this.

I can't wait to drive home and see my family!!!

I've done more plot development work on the new novel the last two days. What started out as some outrageous ideas have been pared back to reality. When I look at my travel and speaking calendar for February it is very tempting to stomp my feet and declare that there is “no writing time”, but the truth is there is always writing time, even for a paragraph or two. So I'm going to keep plugging away at the story and I will try not to whine.

Time to check out.

 

1.25.05

I'm in a hotel room in Baltimore, getting ready for tomorrow's visit to Maryvale Prep. Today was a writing day - hallelujah! It's one thing to develop a character - which I think I have - but quite another to come up with an interesting, consistent plot. Don't have it yet, but I think I'm headed in the right direction. The other good news from today is that I went to the hotel “fitness center”and worked out a little. It felt great. I wish I did that more often.

Before I left I finished rereading STARDUST by Neil Gaiman. If you haven't read this, you should. He is the King. Right now I'm reading a biography of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick.

My visit to Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, MD was a blast.

Do you live in Michigan? Check out this seminar near Kalamazoo. Terry Trueman, some smart librarians, and I will be speaking there in March.

Thanks to Ashley and Cat Bob for writing!

Oh, and about that Superbowl reference on the 23rd. When I said “We” I did not mean we as in me and somebody else. I meant the Magnificent City of Philadelphia and the Lesser Hamlets Which Surround Her. We have waited a long, long time for this. Should be a good game. The Eagles will win, of course, but the Patriots are a terrific team. I'll be ordering my cheesesteak with on an Amoroso roll and be screaming as loud as I can so they can hear me in Florida.

 

1.23.05

WE'RE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Philadelphia 27 Atlanta 10

 

1.22.05

SNOW....REAL SNOW.... IN PHILLY!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!

No, wait. Eagles game tomorrow. NFC Championship. In Philly. Snow. Cold. Windy. Which bird is tougher, the falcon or the eagle? Got to be the Eagle. Falcons are kept birds. You always see them with those leather straps dangling off their feet, and those cutsie-pie hoods. I mean, falcons wear bells, for crying out loud. Bells! What kind of mascot is that for a football team? On the other hand, Vick is every bit as fast as McNabb. But do we really think the boys from Hotlanta have been spending time in meat lockers to get used to temperatures under thirty degrees? No way. Their city is too pretty, too many things to do. So I'm taking the Eagles all the way.

I ran around and got all those Mom-type weekend errands done before the snow started. Then I made soup. And tea. Hot chocolate is coming soon. It would be easier to stay hydrated in the summer if the liquids were as tasty as the winter's. Need to write the thank-yous to Strath-Haven and post the beginning of a page that will detail the amazing job they did expanding FEVER 1793 across the curriculum. I'll put the Elkins Park production up there, too.

In Horsham right now it's 12 degrees. Up in Mexico, NY, it's 3 degrees. That's right: 3. As in “1..2..” Very, Very Patient And Rather Chilly Husband had to plow a space for the Creature With Fangs, so she could do her business without drowning in the snow. But she doesn't want to do her business when it is three degrees out. Would you? She is apparently good at pretending to do her business, then waiting until the VVPARCH takes her back inside where it is warm and snug. Then she, ahem, finishes the job.

Thanks, Natalie for the nice note about PROM.

Jessica writes: Okay, not to sound obsessed or anything, but I can honestly say that I have read SPEAK 19 times now, and CATALYST 17 times, going on 18 (I'm about 3/4 finished) I just love those two books. Anyway, I read a post from a fan that wanted to know about a sequel to SPEAK, and you said you haven't really been able to think of a plot for Melinda. What if you had the guy come back after her, because she caused much publicity within the school and county? Like, he threatened her, yet remained anonymous, then stalked her or her friends? I'm not sure if you get where I'm coming from. I'm just stuck on the fact of whether she decides to tell people, and if she does, do they believe her, or help, or if she decides just to keep quiet until he's revealed? Yet leave the readers clueless until the end. Sorry if it all seems confusing, and/or stupid, it's just that many thoughts flow inside this 14 yr old mind of mine. Ha, well continue writing amazing stories!

And Samantha writes: .... I have heard some talk that there is going to be a sequel to Catalyst, is that true? If it is I am so excited and cant wait!

Sorry. I don't have any plans to write sequels to anything yet. I'm not dumb enough to swear I'll never do it, but I would have to get knocked off my feet with a plot idea. We don't want another Jurassic Park 2, do we? But thanks for the encouragement.

Note to Seana - I think you are totally right to be upset about the conditions there. Talk to more people and go to the administrators in your school district. Keep speaking up until you get someone in a position of power to pay attention. The kind of stupid stuff you and your friends have to put with is interfering with your education.That's just wrong. Oh, and we'll be posting more details about the SPEAK movie soon.

They've closed the Philly airport for the first time in nine years. Meredith the Weatherwoman just leaned out our front door and reports that we have about nine inches of snow in front of our apartment.

21 hours until game time.

 

1.20.05

I came home from New York with an armload of books to read (thank you, Sharyn!). Hope to sneak in some reading time next week when I'm not speaking. Right now I'm finishing up Don DeLillo's Cosmopolis: A Novel. It has an exceptionally strong voice, through the plot is one of those things that you have to be in the mood for. Which I have been, fortunately. I wonder if he was trying to pull off a 21st century Ulysses. If so, I don't think he made it - too much self-absorption, not enough observation. That's not a weakness of the writing, it's just the limits of the main character. I also finished Sam Fussell's Muscle. It's a memoir about a self-described book nerd turned himself into a competitive bodybuilder. The parts about how he channeled rage and found a hidden, dark, part of himself were interesting. The shooting-up with steroids and who-knows-what-else were disgusting. I wish he had written more about what happened to him after he walked away from the world of bodybuilding.

Still piles of paper on the floor to deal with. Ugh.

 

1.19.05

Yesterday I was back in New York City for a terrific lunch with my editor, Sharyn, and some other very nice book people. I'm not sure why any of us are still alive. I thought I was going to freeze to death in the two minutes it took us to hail a cab. Even the smokers stayed inside to chew their fingernails. Spring, anyone?

The coolest news about the trip was that I was given the prom dress that the cover artist used for the PROM jacket. (This may not thrill you, but I was stoked.) When I pulled it from the bag to show Mer, her face went blank. “That's not my prom dress is it?” she asked, trying to control the terror in her voice. (The dress looks like it was handmade, sometime in the early '80's.) When I explained, that no, she would not be wearing it, she sagged against the wall in relief and muttered something about how nice it was.

I think I'll tack it to the wall in the living room.

Had some really good brainstorming for the new book on the train to NY. Spent the train ride home trying not to drool in my sleep. Crashed early, woke up feeling disgustingly cheerful.

Will post recent email later today. And yes, the Eagles crushed the Vikings Sunday. (dancing around room)

 

1.16.05

The only problem with going away on a wonderful poetry retreat is that when you return, you have to compose the Mother of All Journal Entries.

And so: to work.

First, the poetry retreat was amazing. It was mostly a group of writer buddies, plus a few people I hadn't met before but now like a lot. We gathered at an inn in the Poconos for four days of intense instruction by Angel Poet and gifted teacher, Nancy Willard (her books). Being an author is a lot like most other jobs - you spend more time doing stuff that you don't like, than you do actually doing what you love, which in my case is writing. The retreat let me write for hours and hours a day. It felt like a dam burst in my heart. It was so wonderful I almost cried. My thanks again to all the women who were there, and special thanks to Nancy, and to Susan Campbell Bartoletti for organizing everything.

I should be able to post the details of my PROM tour in a few days. It looks like I'll be doing two events in every city, mostly at bookstores. The first reviews for PROM have been posted. And yes, I am thrilled with them.

Speaking of proms, look at what two girls in Oswego, NY are doing to make their prom special.

Speaking of speaking, look what they're doing in Appleton, WI. I'll be visiting there in April. More SPEAK news: the film version will be screening at the Sarasota International Film Festival. Sun, Jan 30 2:00 pm, and Mon, Jan 31 3:00 pm.

(As I write this, Philadelphia is playing the Vikings. We just scored, making it 7-0. Given that Pittsburgh won yesterday, we could be looking at an all-Pennsylvania Superbowl...)

Very Patient Husband is doing a great job with the Cute Creature With Fangs. I have fallen in love with the CCWF (I already loved the Husband) - one of her ears is up, the other flies at half-mast. She is nine weeks old and very good at chasing her tail and biting everything. But she's learning that if she bites the large people, she winds up in her crate, so that habit is fading. I love watching her try to figure things out. Gravity is a new concept. And stairs are still scary. She likes to steal papers. She'll pull them off a table (if we're dumb enough to leave then in reach) and trot away with her head up proudly. Only problem is that the paper is in front of her face and she can't see where she's going, so she walks straight into a wall. She'll figure it out soon.

Thank you to Jesse in Elkins Park, Nikki at F-M, and Kara at Point Park University for writing me wicked nice notes.

Jessica writes about Fever 1793: ... You explained everything well enough for me to understand and enjoy reading, but not to the point where I wanted to scream, "I wish this part would just be over!" I felt, at times, as if I were Matilda. This book was the only one to make me cry; I mean I cried like a baby. You brought the characters alive. ... I had a question for you about the book. My question is, why didn't you make it clear what kind of relationship Matty and Nathaniel had? It was obviously that they were cozy with each other and that they both liked each other, but never clearly stated what they "were"officially. Nothing else in your book was questionable. Other than that one, you book was easy to understand. It had a very nice flow to it and it was an "easy read". I had only one problem with it, your vocabulary. Not only did I not know the meaning of about 20 words, but it was important to know them because you used them all like twice. I am not sure the age your book was intended for, but the vocabulary was intense and I am sure anyone in my grade would agree. Besides that, I love your book. It was one of the best ones that I have ever read.

The social rules of 1793 were different than what we have today, Jessica. I never came across phrases like “going steady” or “hooking up” in the primary source documents I researched. At the end of the book, Mattie tells us that they have an “understanding”, meaning that they are committed to each other and will one day marry, but not until they are older. You are exactly the age the book was intended for. I was careful about which new words I included. My goal was to give you a taste of how people spoke back then without choking the book to death on old-fashioned words. Believe it or not, you'll be looking up new words for the rest of your life (I still do). You might as well try to enjoy the process. And I'm sorry we couldn't work out the dates so I could visit your school.

(Philly just scored again: Eagles 14 Vikings 0.)

Aunt Barb sent me a link to another organization site. You know your aunts love you when they help you deal with chaos.

Hang in there, Mer.

(Eagles 14 - Vikings 7.)

AMAZING fumble by Philadelphia - after a great pass, the Philly player was hit, the ball popped loose, soared through the air and landed in the hands of another Philadelphia player standing in the endzone. Eagles 21 - Vikings 7!)

Half-time. Must eat popcorn.

 

1.9.05

I went to an organizational workshop yesterday to learn how to manage my time better. The lessons have not quite sunk in yet, but I'm trying. Am frantically trying to get out the door to a four-day poetry workshop. Definitely don't feel organized.

From there, I head North to my Patient Husband and the Creature With Fangs (puppy Kezzie). I have loads of things to post here, but won't be able to get to them until next weekend. I know a couple of you are waiting for a response to your email here. I'll get to those on Saturday, too.

Before I dash off, I want to make sure you know that January is International Creativity Month. Thanks, Mer, for the tip.

Writer buddy Joyce McDonald told me about this good news about reading. YES!

 

1.6.05

I didn't go to Writer's Group today. It bummed me out, but I had too much to do at home. School visit tomorrow, more work this weekend, then off to the poetry workshop Monday.

Overheard while running errands yesterday: "I took a graduate course in breathing." (The woman said in a serious tone of voice.)

I want to read more this year. So far I've gotten through Portnoy's Complaint, by Philip Roth, The Radioactive Boy Scout: The True Story of a Boy and His Backyard Nuclear Reactor, by Ken Silverstein, and Getting Mother's Body: A Novel by Suzan-Lori Parks. I listened to the last on audio. Not only can Ms. Parks write like a genius, but she has a great storytelling and singing voice. (There are songs in the book that she performs on the audio. Remarkable.) I don't know if teenagers would like it, but most adult women I know would.

Sherri writes: Is their any cliff notes for this book? If so could you give me the web sight.

Sorry, Sherri. You have to do it the old-fashioned way. Read it. (It won't take long.)

A teacher named Ashley writes: Dear Ms. Anderson, I love your book Speak, and have just concluded teaching it for the first time to my high school freshman. They absolutely loved it. One comment, on pg 165 it reads: “Then I watched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and fall asleep. A trip to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe would be nice. Maybe I could stay with Daniel Striped Tiger in his tree house.” It is a lovely tie in to the tree motif and Melinda's nostalgic draw to a time in her life when she wasn't dealing with the things she is in the book, but Daniel Striped Tiger live in the big clock, Henrietta and X the owl lived in the tree. I cherish this book so much and deeply thank you for writing it -- what an extraordinary gift it is to the world.

BUSTED! Great catch, Teacher Ashley! Ever think about being a copy editor? You are the first person I know of who noticed my mistake there. And I'll be honest, I didn't know it was a mistake until I read your note and checked it out with the authority. Maybe I can pretend that Melinda messed up, too. That's one of the advantages of an unreliable narrator.

June writes: I just finished Speak, and it only took me 4 days considering it was so good. You should be really proud you wrote a book that really speaks to teens. I think the ending is the best!!!!! IÕve always thought of writing books but I never seem to get any ideas. My question is do all of your ideas just come to you or does it usually take a while to think of it?

It always takes a lot longer than I want it to take. But that's OK. If writing were easy, I don't think I'd care about it as much. One idea leads to the next which leads to the next, week after week after week, like I'm walking through a giant palace opening up a series of doors.

A shy reader writes: How was your family life as a child?

It was great. We lived on a street with a ton of kids and we walked to school. Things got ugly when I was a teenager, but my childhood was a dream.

An English teacher named John pointed out the great website of author L.M. Elliott. He's a big fan of hers. Check out the site and her books!

 

1.5.05

I woke up thinking about giant muffins, probably because I'm eating carefully to get rid of the holiday flab that now cheerfully decorates my body. I wish I could live in a muffin, that's how much I love them. So I was poking around for muffin facts and I stumbled across this horrible article.

Here is some of the weirdness that goes on around our house. If you say "muffins," Stef and Mer are likely to burst into this song. Visitors run screaming for the door. And then we laugh.

Last night I dreamt I went to China on one of those Cleopatra barges and when I got there it was so noisy I had to cover my ears. At least they weren't singing about muffins.

Here's the promised mail call:

Max writes with more questions: Do you sometimes find it hard to write conversations between certain people? I also sometimes find it hard to choose which objects to describe really specifically. Do you have any advice? And another thing. Do you pick the title of the chapters and book before or after or in between writing?

Writing dialogue is easy for me. I honestly hear the characters talking in my head and I write down what they say. Yes, I know some people think this is weird. But it's why I'm a writer. If you are struggling with a conversation between two characters, you probably don't yet understand why they're talking. What's at stake? What are they feeling? Why are they wasting time together? What are they doing while they're talking? Which one wants the conversation to end first?

I describe those objects that have the most significance to the story. Set the scene quickly with a paragraph or two of description and then move on. This can be a lot harder than it looks. There are some descriptions in my books that I have spent days and days rewriting, even though they are only six or seven sentences long.

The title of the book is often the last thing I figure out. If I have a good idea for a chapter title, I'll jot it down. If not, I'll make it up during revisions.

Carolyn writes: I was wondering if you are adding any more books to your wild at heart series? I like it so much and I have all 12. If there is another book to the series when is it coming out?

The publisher of Wild at Heart, Pleasant Company Publications (owned by Mattel), has decided to cancel the series. I am very, very, very sorry about this. Please accept my apologies.

 

1.4.05

Home again in PA. Spent the day catching up on mail and talking to teachers and librarians about the schedules for upcoming school visits. I can't wait to visit Elkins Park on Friday. It sounds like they've been doing amazing things with FEVER 1793. I also got to watch Stef try out her sewing machine, which was weird because I started sewing when I was pregnant with her and now she's all grown up. I will never understand this time thing.

New Father Husband brought Kezzie home (in NY) after I left, so I haven't seen her yet. On the other hand, I am not having my toes chomped on with needle-sharp puppy fangs, so distance does have some advantages.

I had lunch with a good friend today. It was one of those fantasy author lunches that you always think the rest of the world is having every day while you sit - alone - in your cold apartment eating a stale peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, today it was my turn - me, in a restaurant, with clean plates and everything. We talked about books, and then about books, and books, and then kids, and then writing and books and books and writing. We talked so long they booted us out of the restaurant, so we went to a coffee shop so we could talk some more. Mostly about writing and books.

I have decided on my New Year's resolution: I will focus on what every situation offers me, not what it takes away. Example: I have been whining about how impossible its going to be to get in steady, full writing days the next four months because of all the traveling I'm doing. This is not helping me at all. And the people I live with want to slap me because of the whining. So now I am going to focus on the fact that along with meeting lots of new people, for the next four months, I'll be able to sneak in journal writing and gym time. (Those are the two things that vanish when I get on a novel-writing streak.) Stay tuned and I'll tell you how it works.

Some email has come in recently that I want to answer here, but I can't keep my eyes open any longer. I'll try to get to it tomorrow.

 

1.2.05

I love the New Year!

We had dinner with friends New Year's Eve, checked in with family, and made it home before the crazy people took over the roads. Stars drenched the sky. The moon turned itself down so we could enjoy the starlight show. Woodsman Husband built a roaring fire and we listened to our favorite CDs long into the night. Way long into the night. Way too long into the night. You'd think that by my age, I'd have enough sense to go to bed before dawn. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong.

So now it is 2005. Last year had a lot of hurdles for us, and I am glad to see it gone. This year brings its own challenges - balancing family and work, and making writing time are the two hardest and most important things for me. I'm still pondering my resolutions. Will report back on those later in the week.

Tsunami update: one of Meredith's teachers and her husband were vacationing in Sri Lanka and barely escaped. You can read the article in the Philadelphia Daily News.

The biggest news here is that our puppy is arriving eight days early - she'll be here tomorrow, we think. Expectant Father Husband is racing around puppy-proofing the house. I head back to the PA homestead tomorrow, so EFH gets to deal with the early days of paper training. He-he-he. But he also gets the joys of new puppy watching, so he wins. I'll be back up here in a couple of weeks, so I'll get to play with her then.

After weeks of debate, discussion, ballot stuffing, and bribery, the puppy's name is (drum roll, please): Keziah, aka Kezzie. I'm sure the peanut gallery (our kids) will complain about this for years to come, but the papers have been filed and its official.

Note to Max: No word yet on the Showtime release of the film version of SPEAK. And yes, if you send copies of my books to the PO box, with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope, I'd be happy to sign it and return it to you.

Note to Gregory in Idaho - Thank you very, very much. Your note meant a lot to me. It also motivated me to put down my tea and get back to the character development notes for the new book.

Hi, Aunt Barb!

 

12.30.04

Feeling almost good about the revisions. More today and through the weekend. I hate researching "facts" that "experts" disagree on!! ARGH! Can't they all get together for pancakes and flip a coin and whoever wins the toss gets to decide once and for all what the "fact" will be?

Note to Paul in a Nebraska library - I've forwarded your request to the Powers That Be and they'll be in touch soon.

I'll be heading into Oswego to hang out at The River's End, my favorite bookstore, this afternoon. It is my reward for fighting all these pesky facts.

I keep trying to understand the scope of the tsunami tragedy. The pain and suffering of one person is overwhelming. How can we think about that pain multiplied a quarter million times? How to make sense of it? I find myself reading a lot of firsthand accounts and looking for all the information I can find.

LATER -

Won't get to the bookstore until tomorrow, but I finished a major chunk of the revision. Doting Husband brought me cookies and tea mid-afternoon. That was the fuel I needed. Am going to keep hammering on the text tonight. Am harboring a secret dream to finish before the New Year's celebrations begin.

Philadelphia-area teachers - wouldn't it be cool to do a National History Day?

 

12.29.04

I've been bouncing upstairs and down; hanging out with the teenagers for a while, eating leftovers, working on revisions, hanging out, eating, working, eating, etc. I should just be working, but the kids are way more fun.

We watched the Lemony Snicket movie on Monday. A couple of us were disappointed that Jim Carey was given a role disproportionate to Count Olaf's role in the books. That didn't bother me, maybe because I was so enchanted by the scenery and costumes that I didn't care. We had a good debate during the ride home. If you see the movie, make sure you stick around for the credits at the end. They are a masterpiece short film all on their own.

This revision is crawling, but at least it is crawling forwards, not backwards. I can't get into the details of the book here (yet) except to say it is historical non-fiction along the lines of THANK YOU, SARAH. The challenge is to present five or six layers of facts in a simple, fun way. I've been ripping out giant hunks of hair about this book. If you see me and I'm bald, just ask if I need a hat, OK? I really want to have this draft wrapped up by New Year's for my very patient editor, Kevin. Not sure if he is still talking to me.

Chef Husband made spaghetti sauce from scratch last night. He's pondering tonight's menu as I type this.

Note to Charlene: I don't think Y100 ever said anything, but that's OK. I just love the station. I listen to WMMR (93.3) a lot, too. BTW, I'll be visiting the middle schools in Bensalem this spring - check the schedule. If you are there, make sure you introduce yourself.

Joann writes: Hi –I am the mother of an 11 year old daughter who has said she is going to be a vet from the time she could speak. She is crazy about animals and reads constantly, so I thought the Wild at Heart series would be the perfect gift for her. I ordered what I thought was the complete set from American Girl only to find out I am missing three books, which have turned out to be the most expensive three books in the set (Trapped, Fear of Falling, and End of Race) Why is that? I am trying desperately to find these books to complete her set but can't find any that are affordable. Can you please help me? Thank you so much.

I wish I had better news, Joann. I really loved working with the people at American Girl, but since Mattel bought them, several things have changed. They recently announced that they are taking the entire series out of print. (Pause for sobs.) The books that you are looking for were very popular and went out of print a few months ago. I don't even have copies of them. Your best bet is to work through an independent bookseller or try Ebay. I apologize profusely for all of this. I did not want the series to go out of print, and frankly, I think it is a big mistake. This series has been wonderful for young animal lovers like your daughter. A number of elementary school teachers across the country had started to use the books as bridges from their science curriculum to reading and writing skills. I get the sweetest fan mail in the world from Wild at Heart readers. They usually include pictures of their pets.

Time to get out my giant eraser and scissors and head back into the revision jungle. I'll try to give a progress report tomorrow.

 

12.27.04

I took my new snowshoes and boots for a test-ramble this morning. It was thirteen degrees and the air was clean and bright. I didn't see any critters, but I saw tracks in the snow and a good hiding place for foxes. I learned that my snowshoes grip very well on snow and pretty good on ice. They do not grip at all on large, frozen boulders. I had an exciting moment while I fought gravity. I won; skated off the boulder and ran downhill without diving face-first into the snow. It was an excellent ramble.

Salimha wrote: Will you write a second part to Speak? I think you should, that was a very interesting book, and I'd like to know what happens in Melinda Sordino's life next. Well, yeah that's all, bye!

And before that, Danielle wrote: Laurie, I loved your book. I just finished reading Speak not 5 minutes ago and I want more. I have to know what happens to Malinda, and if Rachel/Rachelle and her ever become friends again.

I get a lot of requests to write a sequel to SPEAK. I'll never say never, but so far, I haven't been able to come up with a strong enough plot idea that would take Melinda through another novel-length adventure. SPEAK and CATALYST both take place in the same high school. (Yes, that was on purpose) So many readers wanted know what happened to Melinda after the end of SPEAK, that I gave her a cameo appearance in CATALYST. She shows up in one scene, and you can see how she's doing in tenth grade.

Revision work for the rest of the day. I'm on another Tori Amos kick, but I'm using my headphones so the family doesn't flip out on me.

 

12.26.04

And just like that, it's over. Six weeks of buildup, way too many tacky commercials on the radio, Christmas Eve singing at church, Christmas morning frenzy of unwrapping and squealing, twenty-four hour carbohydrate marathon, and not enough sleep. It was wonderful and perfect. Chef Husband put on an awesome spread for the four hundred relatives that crammed into the NY house. The youngest was eighteen months old. The highlight of her day was running around with deviled eggs in both fists. The highlight of my day was watching the defiled eggs squish out between her fingers, and then following her with a paper towel.

The new camera worked like a charm, but I am still not smart enough to figure out how to post any photos to the site. Next year I will ask Santa for the gift of understanding technology as well as a five-year-old.

I love holidays, even the over-commercialized ones. I love my husband's cooking and the fact that he works so hard to make our life so awesome. I love all our kids because they are the funniest people on the planet and they put up with my weirdnesses. And I really, really, really love leftovers, an entire fridge full of leftovers (all my favorite things) plus a couple of extra pies.

 

12.24.04

So it's 6:30 in the morning and I'm thinking: wouldn't it be nice to take a picture of the angel on top of the tree in the early morning darkness and post it to the Journal? Here is what happened:

Step 1 - Find the camera. (Note to self - must clean supply closet.)
Step 2 - Heat up coffee from yesterday.
Step 3 - Try to take picture.
Step 4 - Replace batteries because camera is dead.
Step 5 - Try to take picture.
Step 6 - Turn on computer and Googlesearch "Nikon Coolpix 3100 that keeps turning self off."
Step 7 - Adjust all settings to recommended places.
Step 8 - Put in more fresh batteries.
Step 9 - Try to take picture.
Step 10 - Remember that this camera's "problems" are the reason we don't have many wedding photos.
Step 11 - Take batteries out of camera and shake them. Know that this won't help. Think about going back to sleep.
Step 12 - Make more coffee.
Step 13 - Take out a THIRD set of fresh batteries and install.
Step 14 - Try to take picture. Think about throwing camera against a wall.
Step 15 - Sip coffee while watching camera. It looks so innocent, just sitting there with its promise of fun, photography, and a hip, cool life. Stupid. Camera. Stupid, evil, lying camera.
Step 16 - Decide to ignore camera in hopes it will start to play nice.
Step 17 - Start cooking for Christmas Eve dinner. Cold, raw chicken is more fun than stupid, evil, lying camera.
Step 18 - Wash hands.
Step 19 - Pick up camera while it's not looking, turn it on, point and shoot.
Step 20 - Bellow in rage at stupid 7-ounce camera that won't stay on long enough to take more than one or two pictures.
Step 21 - Vent in Journal.

Stay tuned.

5 hours later …

The guy at the camera store said it would cost minimum $125 to get the evil camera repaired, with no guarantees it will work. It is a vampire camera. It sucks the life out of any batteries put in it as soon as you turn it on. I don't know about you, but the thought of taking family pictures with a vampire camera does not bode well. Plus, they'll get tired of me saying “Hang on! Don't move! I just have to change the batteries again.” Not to mention the cost of batteries.

12.23.04

Here is a Secret Parent Confession: when it is pitch black outside at 6:45 am,and so cold your breath tries to crawl back into your mouth, and you watch your high school senior stumble around putting together her bookbag and her purse and her bag of presents for friends and the brownies she baked at 11 pm the night before for a class party and - oh, yeah - all the notes she was studying until Who Knows What O'clock in the morning... when you watch that kid pull it all together and go to school, you feel really, really guilty that all you have to do is to make a living and pay taxes. It's about a million times easier to be a grown-up than it is to be a teenager. Don't let anyone tell you different..

Am going to spend the day looking for the camera so I can take pictures of the decorated houses near our apartment. Astounding. Stef and I were out last night because she wanted to see the new library here. We pulled into the parking lot just as they were locking the doors. ARGH!! If I were Queen of the World, libraries would be like churches, open 24/7.

Is there something in eggnog that makes people drive badly? (Besides the alcohol, I mean). The drivers of Greater Philadelphia seem to think that if they are doing Christmas errands, they get to ignore all traffic laws.

More picture book work today. This is a non-fiction book and the challenge is sticking to the facts while structuring the story so that it has tension and a character arc. When I write non-fiction, I always wish I were writing fiction, so I wouldn't have to worry about those pesky facts. When I'm writing fiction, I long for the world of truth and order that non-fiction offers.

My list of To-do notes for the website update is only five feet long now. I think that's called progress. I've gotten some very nice notes about the changes. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. All praise should go to Theo Black, Web Master Extraordinare and connoisseur of fine popcorn.

I realize this is sort of a cranky post. Cranky and guilt-ridden. I need cookies and hot chocolate.

 

12.22.04

Our kids are home from college. I can't begin to explain how good that feels. Stef and I are playing dueling laptops right now after eating a disgustingly healthy meal in anticipation of serious feasting this weekend.

All of the publishing world and people with any sense have already gone on holiday for the rest of the year. But the nice people at Hodder (my British publisher) sent me the cover art for the UK version of PROM. I'll post it as soon as I figure out how to work the scanner. Edit that - I'll post it as soon as Meredith helps me work the scanner. When she goes to college, I won't be able to operate anything more technical than a light switch.

Do you teach middle school?

In a Battle of the TV Christmas Specials, who wins - Rudolph or Charlie Brown? Would the Grinch swoop down with Max and steal all the stage props when nobody was looking? Hey - that's a great bracelet idea - WWGD - What Would the Grinch Do? For people who can't get into a holiday mood.

I've been jotting down plot notes for the new book on the back of grocery store receipts. That's always a good sign.

 

12.21.04

Back in PA for a few days. It is not as cold here as it was in NY, but it feels colder because our apartment has horrible, awful, rotten windows that actually invite the cold air to come in and settle on our feet. I have blue toes. Honest. I'm thinking I should go to Home Depot and buy some of that plastic wrap stuff you put on the inside of your windows. But I'm afraid that will make this place feel like the inside of a dry cleaning bag and that would be worse.

So I have cold toes.

The Eagles beat the Cowboys but not by much, so all respect to Mer's favorite team. We lost Terrell Owens for the rest of the season... <pause to hang head and weep>.

Dr. Lee Brown of Arizona State University has given me permission to post his curriculum guide to SPEAK to the site. It should be up by tomorrow.

Theo put some very classy art on the FEVER 1793 pages, plus a spooky home page for that book. Take a look.

Happy Winter Solstice to all. Here's looking forward to more sunshine and warmer toes.

 

12.19.04

Winter Wonderland! It's been snowing here (Mexico, NY) since breakfast. These are my favorite kind of days. Doesn't hurt that the Eagles are playing the Cowboys. One of our kids is at the game ... we love her even though she supports the "other" team.

Nora wrote: I am a middle school student who is having a slight conflict of interpretation with her English teacher. A couple of months ago, our class had an exam on the plot, characters, and themes of your book Fever 1793. One of the questions was to identify the climax, and I thought that it was at the part in the novel when Eliza and Mattie are caring for the children at the coffeehouse; Mattie goes outside in the night to fetch water, feels that she cannot go on, collapses on the ground, and wakes up with frost covering the earth and her. However, my teacher thinks that the climax of the novel is the part when Matilda becomes ill with the Fever, collapses, and is taken to Bush Hill. I am quite steadfast in my opinion and have had many people back me up on the issue. I would most appreciate any of your thoughts on this matter to settle this once and for all. Thank you so much for your help. I enjoyed your book.

My hat is off to you, Nora, for being smart and resourceful. I was not a great English student, so I'm not sure you should take my word on this subject. But I wrote the book and I should know a few things about the plot's structure. I'll give it a shot.

I respectfully disagree with both you and your teacher. Mattie falls ill with yellow fever about halfway through the story. To me, that incident is one in a series of escalating conflicts. Each rise in the conflict level makes Mattie's situation more and more desperate. The conflict continues to rise after she recovers, what with the robbers, the hunger, the very sad death scene, etc. If the conflict level keeps rising, I don't think one can say the climax has passed.

I can see why you think that the first frost is the climactic scene. It feels a little downhill from there, as the threats to Mattie and her friends recede. In a way, the first frost represents the "exterior" climax of the story.

What do I mean by that?

Most books have a couple different layers of plot. In FEVER 1793, we have the events of the yellow fever epidemic raging through Philadelphia - the exterior plot. (I don't know if “exterior plot” is a real literary term. I just made it up.) Then there is the interior plot of Mattie's growth. She starts the book as a likable, but slightly lazy and ornery teenager. She does a lot of growing up as she copes with the tragedies of the epidemic.

So where is the climax? To me, the climax is when Mattie announces she will be running the coffeeshop on her own and she asks Eliza to be her partner. This scene shows how Mattie has matured, and that she has applied the lessons of coping with the epidemic to her daily life. She moves herself out of being an adolescent, and into her life as a young woman.

I am sure plenty of people will disagree with me. Email us here at Writerlady with your opinions - which scene in FEVER 1793 represents the climax of the book? We'll tally the responses and report back in this Journal in a month or so.

Regardless of the outcome, I'm really impressed that both Nora and her teacher are having an honest disagreement about how to interpret a novel. That's one of the things that makes reading books so much fun. You guys rock.

In other news, Carpenter Husband (he did finally come home from the mall,) is hammering something on the back porch. I'm going to make more tea and go back to my picture book revisions.

The debate continues about what we should name our little bundle of joy, who is scheduled to make an appearance in mid-January. We have six people voting and seven different names. Stay tuned.

 

12.18.04

The SPEAK Classroom Guide and Resources page is up. So are my thoughts about College Pressure, though I am sure Theo will want to tinker with the layout of the page and throw some art at it. While I was putting these pages together, the Steelers beat the Giants, but Eli Manning made it a real game. If you have to work on a Saturday, it helps to have a good game on TV.

Santa Husband is still at the mall. It is a very big mall. Yikes. I wonder if I should send out a search party.

A number of our family's Christmas traditions come from Denmark, where I lived my senior year in high school. This explains some of those traditions. My kids love the ris a l'amande (Danish rice pudding - here's a recipe). We always leave some outside on Christmas Eve for the nisse, the house elves.

 

12.17.04

Chef Husband has been at it again. This time he made venison chili. It was so good, I lapsed into incoherent babbling and drooling. It's time for us to prepare for the Clan Larrabee gathering the day after Christmas. I can't help myself. I keep grinning.

I've finally blasted through the mountain of paperwork that was spread around the house into confetti. We are still waiting for the details of the PROM book tour. As soon as I know what cities and bookstores they are sending me to, I'll post them. I am going to be the Road Warrior Author in March and April. It would be ideal if I could have a first draft of the new book done before that insane season, but I don't know yet. The only problem with being an author is that you don't get to spend nearly as much time writing as you want. But I guess every job has a downside.

Bri wrote me a very, very nice note (thank you!) and asked a bunch of questions:

1. What really made you want to become a writer?
My imagination is always making stuff up, so I figured I might as well take notes.

2. What made you want to write the book Catalyst?
I was (still am) frustrated that too many high school students who think that their worth as human beings is measured by the caliber of college that accepts their application. By this reasoning, the "best" kids get into Ivy league schools, the next "best" the second tier schools, and so on and so on. Most adults realize that your value as a human being - your integrity, moral code, the way you treat others - has nothing to do with where you go to college. This doesn't mean I think everybody should slack off and drop out of school. I just wish we could be more honest about the reasons we go to college, and what we hope to get out of the experience.

3. Was there ever a point that you wanted to give up?
I want to quit writing at least once a week. Don't let anybody fool you - this is hard. But I am wicked stubborn, so I haven't quit yet!

4. Who is your biggest supporter?
My husband and our kids.

5. Did anybody ever tell you, you would never make it?
Yes, but not in a mean way. When I started writing (and collecting rejection letters) friends would caution me not to get my hopes up and to keep my options open. They didn't want me to get hurt.

6. How old were you when you knew this was your path?
I'm still not convinced.

7. How do you understand teenagers so well?
If I do understand them (I can be an idiot, too), it must be because I can remember so clearly what it feels like to be a teenager.

I posted a description of and the beginning of PROM. Today's task is to write and post teacher pages for SPEAK.

A slightly belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sharyn!!

 

12.13.04

Call me SantaMom. I finished shopping today. Normally, crowded malls make me break out in hives and foam at the mouth and hide under racks of pajamas. Not this year. This year I had my iPod. I iPodded my way through the snarling crowds, past screaming mothers, frightened children, murderous store clerks. I bebopped my way through check-out lines. I came out of the mall with normal blood pressure - that's got to be a first. All because of my lovely, sweet iPod and the music that kept me calm. This is true love.

I mailed the secret surprise to the various aunts, cousins, and parents. I wonder if they'll like them... At the post office I found a package waiting for me from a school in British Columbia, Canada. That was pretty neat.

Theo has started work on the PROM and CATALYST pages. More text is coming soon. I'll try to get the opening pages of PROM posted before I go to sleep.

 

12.12.04

We went to the Vespers service at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA last night - hours of music and candlelight. The church was packed. I had Stef on my left and Meredith on my right and I got to sing at the top of my lungs. (Apologies to the people sitting around us.) After the service we stood in the crowd outside to watch the trombone players give a concert from the top of the bell tower. Honest. It's a cool tradition. My favorite part was when we were walking back to the car. The girls and I sang "Angels We Have Heard on High" in three-part harmony. It was a transcendent moment.

It's official. My Grinchiness is gone

Spent the morning getting caught up on fanmail. Still have to finish revising an article I promised a month ago. The afternoon will be sorting through my nonfiction picture book questions and figuring out precisely what needs to finished in the next few days. Eagles play the Redskins at 8:30!!

An elderly friend died on Saturday night, Regina Peasley. True to her name, Regina was a regal and sophisticated lady. She helped me a great deal when I was struggling with issues of faith and theology. Her life has been an example to several generations of men and women in and around Gwynedd, Pennsylvania. Rest in peace, dear Friend. And thank you.

Her death has slowed me down today, but in a healthy way. I'm going to take time to read some poetry.

OK, switching topics. Looking for the intersection of pop culture and libraries? Sophie Brookover knows where it is.

10:20 pm - I've updated and added a bunch of links to the FEVER 1793 teacher resource page. There will soon be full-blown resource pages for SPEAK and CATALYST as well. Spent a bunch of time on the secret present for my older family members (aunts, mainly). I'm pretty sure they don't know this page exists, so they'll have no clue.

 

12.10.04

Christmas/holiday/winter solstice cards are in the mail, the tree is still green, and my shopping is almost done. I am dangerously close to baking gingerbread cookies. December 25th approacheth.

Here is the latest from Showtime about the release date for the film version of SPEAK: they are (still) saying it will be aired on the Showtime channel in the spring of 2005. They are (still) not saying if it is going into theaters or when the DVD will be available. That sound you hear? That's me grinding my teeth down to stubs. Without teeth, it's going to hard to eat those cookies. Maybe I'll just eat the dough.

If you are putting together a conference and would like to screen the film at it, email this website and we'll forward it to the Powers That Be at Showtime. Then we'll cower in a corner waiting for the imperial thumbs up or thumbs down. They have allowed several conference screenings (thank you!), but that is not a guarantee or a promise that they will do it again. And sorry, but I have absolutely no pull or clout or influence with Showtime. Authors have the status of teenage interns who fetch coffee. Maybe less.

I am reading everything I can get my hands on by Alice Munro. That lady can write. I bet Showtime would listen to her.

I'm listening to Renaissance Christmas by The Boston Camerata.

Rant of the day - all well-meaning parents in America who deeply love their children MUST read this article. True self-esteem comes from falling on your butt and learning how to stand up again, among other things. Overprotecting children from the realities of life only hurts them in the long run. Thanks, Sharyn for the link.

<rant over>

Let me just say for the record that online shopping is the greatest invention since the Mute button on the remote.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESS!

 

12.9.04

We had a marathon Writer's Group session today. Thanks, guys, for all the feedback. Deb pointed us to The Literacy Site. Take a peek if you want to help.

I need to finish up thank you notes from Tuesday, then I'm off to a neighbor's Christmas party. I have got to get this carcass to the gym soon.

Scot wrestled the tree home yesterday. The apartment smells heavenly. I almost don't want to decorate it. It looks perfect just green.

 

12.8.04

Happy Hanukkah!

I'm home from a busy couple of days in New York City. "Whirlwind" doesn't begin to describe it. I fell asleep on the train at one o'clock yesterday afternoon. I was befuddled when I woke up because the sun was still out. My body thought it was close to midnight.

The biggest news from the trip is that SPEAK has been chosen as the 2005 New York Reads Together book. I'll post more details on the What's New page. Many, many thanks to all the gracious women of the New York Women's Agenda both for honoring the book and for treating Meredith, Scot and I so well yesterday.

I also enjoyed writerly meetings with Editress Sharyn and Agent Amy. (Hello Gen and Jodi!) Came away from the meetings feeling like a real author, which is a rare sensation for me.

Today is a "deal with the piles of paper and email" day. Oh, and we have to get a Christmas tree. That will make the apartment smell nice.

Mark wrote: As Christmas gift, I would like to obtain a copy of Speak and have it signed by you if. I realize Christmas might be pushing the envelope of the amount of time required to make this happen. If not Christmas, I would still like to do this ... if and when it is possible. I imagine that most literature for young adults makes its debut in paperback. Is there a hardcover edition available? Do "first edition" copies exist? Your input on the best way to go about my endeavor would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for asking, Mark. Actually, most YA literature debuts in hardcover. The hardcover of SPEAK is published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. It is still in print and you should be able to buy or order it from any bookstore. Or you can shop online. The first print run was only a few thousand copies, so your chances of finding one are slim.

I am happy to sign books or bookplates that are sent to my post office box. You must include two things: a piece of paper with the printed name of the gift recipient on it, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the proper amount of postage so I can return the package to you. Please note: I travel a great deal. Send early.

That said, I'll be around the next couple of weeks and promise to visit the post office faithfully if anyone needs something signed for Christmas.

 

12.4.04

Meredith pointed me to a humbling website. Take the quiz and see how much you know (or don't know) about the world. I have a lot to learn.

There is an online fan club for the movie version of SPEAK.

Melissa wrote: hi i loved your book "speak" it really surprised me at the end though that we did not get to read what happens to that guy andy evans because i thought he would be gone or something i hope u can reccomend me a simaler book like this one you wrote.I really want to read more because after i read this one book i wanted to read more. I would never like to read but now that i read this book it encouraged me to like reading that is why i want you to reccomend me another book like this one. please.

This is a great idea! We'll add a list on the SPEAK page: "If you liked Speak, try..."

If you want to recommend a title for this booklist, email your suggestions to Comments.

 

12.3.04

Thank you to all the kind folks at the New Jersey Educational Media Association who treated me so kindly last night! Along with all the very nice (and hardworking!) librarians, I ran into Joyce McDonald and Pam Swallow from my writer's group and Linda Oatman High and David Lubar, two writer buddies I haven't seen in years.

Linda reminded me of the first public presentation we did together at the Morgantown Public Library back in 1996. We had just had our first books published, and were invited to talk about them. We were paralyzed with fear and could barely choke out any words. And now we both speak all over the country. Funny how things turn out. I'm not sure either one of us would have believed back then that we would ever get to the point where we'd be invited to speak at library conferences.

 

12.1.04

It was a hard writing day. I'm working on an early chapter in the new book, and it is an ugly, nasty chapter filled with pain. Been crying on and off all day. I finally took a break to return a few things to library. (On time! How rare!) Driving home, the sky looked like a Maxwell Parrish painting, and it just blew all my sadness away. I love when that happens.

Today is World AIDS Day. Please, please, please learn the facts about this disease. The National Institutes of Health gives the harsh statistics. The Kaiser Family Foundation has a terrific timeline that shows how this monster got out of control. You are all way too important to die from a disease that can be prevented!!!

In other health news, yellow fever is still killing people. We don't have outbreaks in the United States, but it is a serious problem in other parts of the world. The current estimate is that 200.000 people are infected each year, and 30,000 people die from it.

 

11.30.04

Heard an NPR story this morning about the pressures felt by high schools students in Fremont, CA. The piece also includes interesting comments from students about their immigrant experience. It is part of a series by reporter Claudio Sanchez. Be sure to listen to the entire series.... I think the rest will be online by tonight.

Another good day hammering out words and paragraphs. Aaaahhhh.....

 

11.29.04

Long day spent working on a new project. Have to get back to picture book revisions tomorrow and finish preparing for the New Jersey speech on Thursday. Getting excited about next Tuesday's announcement. Even more excited about getting to bed early. Pathetic, eh?

Finally finished listening to 1968: The Year That Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky. As an audiobook it takes up 15 disks, about 900 miles of driving and listening. Absolutely fascinating. I was seven years old back then. We lived on a college campus, so I was more exposed to the political currents of the day than most. But I had to attend my second grade classes, so I missed a few things. The book filled in the holes for me. 1968 changed many things in America.

 

11.28.04 (later)

Just learned about the death of Ted Hipple, a man who changed your world and mine. Ted was most recently a professor of Education at the University of Tennesee. He was a founding father of The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE (ALAN). His other accomplishments would fill pages.

Here is what mattered about Ted Hipple - he thought teenagers were important enough to deserve quality literature that spoke to their concerns.

He was a good man and a passionate and influential teacher, and he will be sorely missed by all who love him. The next time you reach for a YA book, remember to say "thanks" to Ted.

 

11.28.04

The Eagles beat the Giants, 27-6, and won their fourth consecutive NFC title. E-A-G-L-E-S!!! (Somebody please get Eli Manning some aspirin. Ouch.)

I spent the entire day rewriting the School Visit page, which you can temporarily find by clicking on the Media button. Theo will give it a brand-new button soon. And some art, I hope. It looks a wee bit dry, though it is packed with content. It is the digestive biscuit of webpages.

Along with the Eagles triumph, I watched a pastry competition on television. No, really. Does it get any better than that? Judges, stopwatches, and arena (well, sort of), and food. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Roadtrip!

I'd really like to see the World Cup of Doughnuts. Does anybody know if that exists?

 

11.27.04

Working on website content. Sigh. I spent an entire day last week carefully crafting the text of a page devoted to the details of my school visits and conference appearances. A WHOLE DAY. And where is it? Good question. Apparently I saved it to some black hole set aside for newbie website tinkerers.

Won't make that mistake again.

At least, I hope I won't.

Thanksgiving was quiet, sacred, and wonderful. Thank you again, Sarah Hale!