A Monday Alternative

I know Mondays are for Middle Grade Mania, but I have a very special treat for you today.

PICTURE BOOKS!!!

Please welcome picture book author Elaine Kaye and a few of her characters as they take you on a journey through her work.

Gregory the Boy: Hi everyone! My name is Gregory.

Sammy the Teddy Bear: *waves* Don't be scared, but I can talk, too. I'm Sammy.

Gregory: Sammy is my best friend in the whole wide world. We go on a lot of adventures together. Don't we, Sammy?

Sammy: Yup! Like the time when Gregory turned green at school.

Gregory: And you came to tell my friends and me about bulling.

Sammy: Someone had to.

Gregory: Then there was the time when you ripped your leg, Sammy, and Mom had to fix you up.

Sammy: *rubs leg* I don't want to talk about that.

Gregory: Let's not forget about what happened on Halloween night!

Sammy: We rode on a broom! *pretends to be an airplane*

Gregory: Now we have a brand new adventure to share with everyone.

Sammy: We do! But maybe we should let Elaine Kaye share the details about the story of The Missing Alphabet.

Elaine Kaye the Author: Thanks, boys!

OMGosh, Elaine. They are adorable. I'm so glad you asked them to join us. Now, let's take a look at your books.

NEW RELEASE FROM ELAINE KAYE:

The paper alphabet letters in Gregory Green’s classroom have gone missing, and it’s up to him and his friends to find those missing letters. They go on a hunt through the school, hoping to find them. They spot letters next to things that start with those letters, like B for Bananas in the cafeteria. But will they be able to find the entire alphabet?

The Missing Alphabet is a great story for children learning to associate letters with objects, and four activities throughout the book will further help children to get familiar with the alphabet.

General Age Range - Kids 5-8 (Story Picture Book)

EBOOK: Amazon / Nook / Kobo

PRINT: Amazon 

A GREGORY GREEN ADVENTURE SERIES:

“Bullying is not fun and, with colorful illustrations and interesting characters, the author handles the topic in a simple manner, giving a clear message about how the color of one's skin is not important." - Readers' Favorite (5-Star Review)

EBOOK: Amazon / Nook / Kobo

PRINT: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

“Tutors and educators can use it in classrooms and school libraries for read aloud sessions.” – Readers’ Favorite (5-Star Review)

EBOOK: Amazon / Nook / Kobo

PRINT: Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

“This is a perfect story for children and it will make them imagine, dream, and become adventurous. The illustrations are whimsical and they bring out the spookiness and eeriness of the adventure.” – Readers’ Favorite (5-Star Review)

EBOOK: Amazon / Nook / Kobo

PRINT: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher's assistant in elementary schools. She currently lives in Florida, but has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home.

Website / Goodreads / Amazon / Instagram / Facebook

Congratulations, Elaine, on all your success! And a big thank you goes out to Gregory and Sammy for sharing your stories with us.

Did you have a favorite picture book as a child?

EBooks & Picture Books~Momma Don't You Worry

Picture books possess a light, energy, and hope for opening the doors of knowledge and life to young children. And their authors have a passion to share just that.  Today's picture book author loves creating stories and writing, but not just books. He's also a lyricist, who's work appears in many areas of music from rock to country. So make sure you check out his bio at the end. 

AMAZON | SMASHWORDS

MOMMA DON'T YOU WORRY by Louie Lawent
Publisher: Ladybee Publishing Release Date: January 2015 Format: eBook Words: 360
Description: This illustrated books tells a poetic story from a six year old's viewpoint. His mother worries too much in his opinion, until they go on a shopping trip and he gets a real appreciation for just how right his mom is.   Excerpt: She watches me with eagle eyes  Like I’m a treasured jewel  She cramps my style, oh man alive  “MOM, THIS JUST AIN’T COOL” 
I'd like to thank the author for supplying me with an eCopy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

BRING ALONG +2

My Splats: This story is a sweet exchange between a boy and his mother. He's assuring her that he'll be okay and that he can handle what comes his way. The main character sounds confident and proud that he can tell his momma not to worry. It's quite cute. But when his world takes a turn and his momma's nowhere to be found, he must use a lesson his momma taught him to make things right.  The tale is told in rhyme and is accompanied by nicely done illustrations that appropriately advance the tale.
Now, let's meet the author. 
Hi Louie! It's great to have you here. Let's begin with an intro to Louie the Younger. Were you a reader or creator as a young child?   Yes, I read many picture books in my early elementary school years.  I recall that in  3rd grade I read  this book about this boy who designed Alaska's state flag. I think his name was Benny. I was so taken by that story that I hand-printed the entire book.
Do you think (the answer above) contributed to your desire to create stories as an adult and how? In 3rd grade a friend and I would write humorous stories about classmates.  We wouldn't show them to anyone. In 4th grade we started writing stories about "Gerty the Pig." Our classmates loved them. As an adult, in the 1990s I wrote a more elaborate story and "Gerty the Pig" was published. It's in many schools across the country in the National Accelerated Readers Program. Unfortunately the book didn't have much of a retail presence. I have written 4 more.  I would love for a series to develop but that's a long shot. I don't know if reading led to me writing.  I would have to guess that it did. I think imagination and the need to be funny played a huge part.
What made you start writing picture books as opposed to older kidlit or adult lit?   I think I'm best at short form.  I also write lyrics which is another short form of writing. It's possible I have one long form work in me and I do have the concept but not right now.
We all know about the eBook explosion that started a few years back. Now, MOMMA DON'T YOU WORRY has been released in ebook form. I'm really intrigued about how this differs from traditional picture book releases in paper form. Would you mind explaining the process such as submitting, editing with an ebook editor & illustrator, releasing, marketing, etc...?  Well, I submit my works via email. Many publishers accept them this way. "Momma Don't You Worry" didn't require editing, although I made some last minute changes before release that I think made it even better.  Rick Radliff is the illustrator. I live in Wisconsin. He's a childhood friend who lives in Seattle. He illustrated Gerty too. So, I was happy that he did this one too!  As far as marketing, this is the tough part.
A very tough part. Many reviewers won't review ebooks. However, I am finding reviewers. I want to continue to find more. To me, unless you're an established author or a celebrity, you have a very slim chance of having a successful book unless it gets reviewed. The odds are not with an author that a reader will rummage through stacks of books in a book store and discover your book.  Or for that matter, scroll through books online and see it.  Of course, I have let my Facebook friends know about it, but of course that's limited. I just hope that people will spread the word. The responses I have received  reviewers have been extremely positive. They like the message of the book and the cute rhymes.
Lastly, what are your future writing plans?  Well, I will continue to write lyrics. Some co-written children's songs will be released down the road. I also write rock, hip hop and folk lyrics. The latest was a folk rock song entitled "One More Father's Son" which is about a homeless veteran. I wrote it with DL Byron who sings it.  It's on his album "Satori." DL won a Grammy for Pat Benatar's hit "Shadows of the Night." I really enjoy writing. I constantly get stuck but unstick myself quickly.

Thanks you for joining us, Louie! Best of luck with future picture book writing as well as all that song writing. Very cool...
Louie Lawent is the author of the picture book "Gerty The Pig" which is in schools across the United States. The book is part of the National Accelerated Readers Program. He is also a lyricist with his works featured on rock, country and children's releases. His co-written song "One More Father's Son" is on Grammy award-winning D.L. Byron's latest CD "Satori." He co-wrote "Slippery Forces" with Boz Boorer which appears on Boz's CD "Some of the Parts." Louie co-wrote 10 children' songs with Steve Goodie which are featured on Steve's "Refrigerator Art" CD. Also, he co-wrote "Worms In The Can, Wieners On The Bun" on Canadian children's recording artist Erick Traplin's CD "A Little More." Louie is an avid Green Bay Packers fan and enjoys table tennis. You can find Louie on FACEBOOK.

The Halloween King & A Few Halloween Fun Facts

Life is in constant motion. Sometimes it pushes us forward, and we're filled with encouragement. Other times it assaults us, forcing us backwards and stripping us of our confidence. Either way, there is growth to be had. 
One lesson I've learned over and over again through both the above types of life elements is that humor and letting go can be therapeutic. Here's some Halloween therapy to lighten your day and feed you a bit of useless knowledge - you know, in case you end up on Family Feud or something.

image credit

Did you know that the turnip can claim victory as the first official Jack-O-Lantern?      - Yup. Weird, and I bet it stunk, too.
In the olden days (apply phrase to self as it applies), owls were thought to be witches. Guess what it meant when they hooted?       - Someone was going to die. Mmwwhaaaa...
Any idea what Souling means?       - Poor people would visit homes and instead of receiving treats they offered prayers for the household's dead in exchange for a soul cake.
Yeah. So what's a soul cake?      - Soul cakes are small round cakes that kind of     look like biscuits. 
What's the deal with all the orange and black for the Halloween season?       - Orange was always thought to represent the harvest during the Fall season, where the gruesome side to the holiday is felt through the color black representing death. 
Other titles for Halloween have been...?      - Witches Night, All Hallows Eve, Samhain Eve, Summer's End, All Saints Eve, Snap Apple Night, to name a few.

image credit

Have you ever heard of Samhain Eve? (I've heard of Samhain, but not with the eve.) Want to know why the eve is added here?       - Samhain is the Irish word for November, so technically adding Eve makes the phrase say October 31st. 
And why Snap Apple Night? Kind of a weird way to refer to Halloween, right?       - Snap Apple Night is the title of a painting (1833) by Daniel Maclise depicting a Halloween party. No, really. It is. Google it. 
Now, for my personal fun fact....
We live in a fairly large neighborhood of cul-du-secs and horseshoe streets. It would be safe to say that this area is one of the busiest on Halloween night. Families come by the van-full and park their vehicles along the streets. Kids pile out and are allowed to roam freely, usually in groups or bunches. Most adults walk the streets, too, carrying flashlights. And yes, we as the adults who resided in the neighborhood would have fun too.
When my four children where younger, they'd come home at the night's end with enough candy to literally fill a kitchen garbage bag if not half another one, too. It was crazy. Of course, my mother's radar would go off, thinking their teeth would be rotten within a few weeks if I let them eat all that. 
This is where the Halloween King came into existence, at least in our home anyway. I'd collect all my kids' candy, allowing them each to choose a few favorite pieces to set aside. They'd stack their individual stashes of Halloween pride near the fireplace and head off to bed. Once they were asleep, I'd collect all the candy and replace it with a wrapped present for each child. And just like Christmas morning, the kids would rush downstairs to see what special new gadget, toy, book, or whatever they'd received. Not once did they rush downstairs in the morning and complain about having to give up their candy. 
But the REAL winner was my husband. He got to take all the candy to work with him and become the hero to all his employees - The REAL Halloween King. 
It worked for our family. Maybe it could work for yours. AND btw - this is one of the picture books I'm writing. 
Do you have any Halloween traditions in your family?

I Read YA ~ Say You?

I've created stories my entire life. It started as a youngster, creating alternative endings to movies I watched. The venue then morphed to assigned papers during my schooling years, which extended to collecting personal thoughts in journals. Some of those personal ponderings became part of assigned fiction papers in English class. Other tales I jotted down served as ways to explore my world. And, of course, there are those I've kept in my head my entire life for my own amusement. 
One way I've fueled my creative juices has been to read. Read everything and anything I can get my hands on - or, in our new digital world, my eyes on. I'm sure those of you reading this who are writers will concur that the number one advice wannabe writers are given is to read. 
But the time comes when reading from the cornucopia of possibilities narrows itself down to reading what the writer desires to write about, wants to share his/her thoughts with the world. Write what you know, we've all heard. For me, writing what I know and exploring the world we live in has always steered me to children's literature.
Why?
There are many reasons, and these reasons are personal to me as a writer. I'm sure those of you who write for children have your own motives for choosing to create in the children's market. I could spend a series of posts exploring my 'whys'. Those would differ from the world of picture books to middle grade through young adult. I could say its because I have four children of my own, which would be true. I could also say it's because I enjoy juggling the angst and joys, the adventures and discoveries of all that makes growing up so important. 
So why would anyone tell me because I'm no longer a child it's wrong for me to read children's literature?
Most of you have heard about the recent article bashing those of us who read young adult books. And when I say those of us, I'm referring to adults in general, not just writers. I won't give the article anymore credence than to provide you with its title ~ Yes, Adults Should Be Embarrassed To Read Young Adult Books. Feel free to Google it.
Except for the publishing world and its need to thrive, what I read should matter to no one but me. 

The author of said article argues one point using the ever and currently popular book The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, stating that it was "... a nicely written book for a 13-year-old...", but "Oh brother..." Which lead the author to ask the audience if this made her heartless or grown up. 
Must an adult be heartless when reading a young adult tale? Should adults downplay the true emotions of a book simply because the main characters are earlier on in their life's journey of learning? Because as adults we've lived and seen more, felt tragedy, and been tarnished by the harsh realities of the real world? Or should an adult reader of YA take the wisdom he/she has learned and let it fuel the story for their own personal read? Does being a grown-up mean tossing all youthful feelings to the wind? 
I dare say NOT. I will continue to read young adult literature, as I will continue to write it.
Gosh, what would the author of said article say to those Picture Book authors who read picture books? Or to the bazillion, responsible parents (ADULTS) out there who read middle grade books before their kids read them?
Here's a little badge I created for you. Feel free to use it on your site, as an avatar, or even a profile pic. 
HEARTS,

National Apraxia of Speech Day 2014!

Imagine sitting in a room with a group of people. Conversation murmurs to your left. Laughter bubbles to your right. A lady shares a story about an amusement park ride she enjoyed during her last vacation. 
You shift in your chair. 
Another person chimes in and chuckles over the last county fair he went to, where he ate too much cotton candy and had the worse stomachache ever. You want desperately to tell everyone that your favorite ride is the Tilt-A-Whirl and that you love cotton candy, too. 
But you can't. 
That's what it's like for a child with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. They have so much to say, yet lack the ability to do so. 
Apraxia of Speech is a neurilogical disorder, where the pathways from the brain to the mouth muscles (approximately 100) are nonexistent, rendering the brain unable to send its messages for speech. Typically, these children are extremely bright and have a zest for learning. But in order for them to exercise that zest intensive therapy is needed to create those pathways from the brain to the muscles needed for speech. 
My youngest was diagnosed at age 22 months. We were extremely fortunate to catch it early. Lots of kids aren't diagnosed until they reach elementary school, causing delayed development. I've written about our family's experience before (published elsewhere), but here's a snippet of one of my articles I'd like to share: 

As a family, we dedicated ourselves to learning sign language and used amazing DVDs to do so. Once CJ was given his “Picture” book, he could hand us little images of his wants and needs. It was then that I finally understood what he had been telling me all along. 
Hearing CJ’s diagnosis being described as a neurological disorder could have crippled me. Instead, I collected research and questioned his two therapists on ways I could help him at home in addition to his therapy regiment. I searched magazines, the internet, and any other source to find pictures of everything under the sun. Shrinking the images and laminating them into a deck of cards made it easy to take to any ice rink or field my older kids were playing at. We would use car rides as therapy by flipping pictures to CJ and encouraging him to form the sounds. My older children helped, too. Slowly we saw improvement.CJ had lots to say. He only needed help finding his voice.
My greatest joy was the first time I heard him say, “Mama.” (Full article can be found HERE.)

Recently, Apraxia of Speech Awareness was awarded its very own national calendar day ~ May 14th. I couldn't be more thrilled. 
Let's help all children everywhere find there voice. 
(NOTE: CJ is currently a bright and thriving ten year old. He stopped therapy a few years ago and loves playing ice hockey, soccer, video games, and reading loads of books. He's one of my beta readers for my MG novel.)
I'd be honored if you'd share this post and help raise awareness for Apraxia of Speech. This is a disorder that, with therapy, children can overcome and live long, healthy, productive lives. 

OH, The Travels My Motherhood Reading Has Gone ~ A to Z Challenge

My A to Z Challenge.  What I'm doing: OFF the CUFF ~ Basically, I'll be keeping posts short and writing about whatever moves me~themes, inspirations, causes, and silliness. I'll stick to my normal posting of Mondays & Wednesdays (possibly an occasional other day), highlighting the appropriate letter for said day. But I will visit blogs throughout the week. I am looking forward to reading your words!

READING: A SHERISM

For those who are already Alleywalkers, this is old news. So I'll address this introduction to our newbies or visitors: I'm the mother of four children--current ages of 20, 17, 15, & 10. Each developed the skill of reading in a different way. Needless to say, I've had my share of hands on experience when it comes to reading with children and getting them to read. 
So I decided to share with you my Sherisms aka personal experience/advice for reading with children. My wisdom is not scientifically based. It hasn't undergone some litmus test, either. The chart I've created below is from my motherly experiences and mine alone. I do, however, believe it's quite accurate and could apply to many. 

PLEASE CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE SO YOU CAN READ

I designed this chart using Scrapple. As promised, I'm working on a post describing the programs uses - COMING SOON ...

If you have children or work with them, can you relate to one of my five titles above? 

More Participants

Unicorns - Dream Uniquely

Following my A to Z Challenge theme of childhood, motherhood, and all that eeks in between, I've chosen to highlight a legendary creature today.

When I was a little girl, I had a major obsession with stuffed animals. I was that kid who had to read each of my animals a story, give them a kiss--in order, of course--and then place them ALL in bed with me. This process practically drove my dad nuts.

But there was one stuffed animal that eluded me, one no one ever bought me--the Unicorn.

I wasn't a major horse lover or anything, but there was something about this mystical horse with a sparkly horn that ignited excitement in me. Seeing a unicorn lit my little creative mind. I remember laying in bed, my arms reaching toward my ceiling. I'd trace each shadow made from the glow off my nightlight, and each time, no matter where my make believe story would take me, I'd be riding a unicorn.

Did you know that unicorns originated in Chinese mythology thousands of years ago? Many believed them to be a great omen that came to aid humans with great mission.

I'm thinking I should have one. I'm on a great mission, headed to the grocery store later today. Picture if I walked in with my friend in the picture above. I bet no one would care if I cut line at the check out. Maybe the clerk would even give my unicorn a cookie or some unicorn treat like the tellers do for my little dog at the bank.

CLICK to access the
other A to Z participants.

Many people from numerous cultures around the world believe unicorns existed. It seems the only issue is that no one can agree on their true characteristics. From color to size to purpose, the stories all vary. For instance: the Eastern unicorn is a beast with the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, the hooves of a horse, and of course, a handy-dandy shiny horn. The only unique factor that is agreed upon is a unicorn's horn.

So see, maybe there really is something magical about a unicorn. That was the only factor about the unicorn which fascinated me.

Did you ever want a unicorn, stuffed animal or real?

R is for Red Rover

When I first pondered a post to represent the letter R, I fanned through all my motherly-writer ideas to keep with my childhood theme. I came up with games like rugby and rollerblading, even contemplated rafting--whitewater in Maine, that is. Whoot!

But then I went back to my elementary school days and remembered one game we used to play for hours on the playground - Red Rover. Remember that one, where the object was to line up with your team of kids, wait for your name to be called, then run with all your might, and throw your body into the link of waiting arms in hopes of breaking through without ripping another kid's arm off? And if you broke through, you got to steal one of their kids?

Haha...that always felt so naughty, especially because I attended a Catholic elementary school.

I usually ended up face to face with a kid like the one on the far-right of this picture. Seriously. Not sure what my problem was. I guess I liked a challenge...and bruises.

The only elements needed to play the game were a good number of kids--at least 10, and open space, preferably on soft ground like grass. Playing on asphalt usually led to someone bleeding, which sent the nuns at my Catholic elementary school into a tirade and ended recess early.

CLICK to access the
other A to Z participants.

Over the years, Red Rover has fallen to the waste-side, plagued by the rising cost of playground/school insurances and stricter safety regulations. I am all for safety. But sometimes I believe our society places too many restrictions on given rights, the natural order of things--in this case, growing up--which ends up regulating childhood.

What's your take on the subject? Did you play Red Rover as a kid? 

Seussing IT!!

Right Foot, Right Foot, Left Foot, Too!

Yeah, that's not it. But I thought I'd take a stab at Dr.-Seussing it.

Could any writer have been as ingenious as Dr. Seuss? Check out the images these photos conjure.

This is one of my favorites! It makes
me think of food and traveling to
unknown places.

And this one. Talk about what young
mind can do with these images.

His wit and candor were refreshing, and continue to be today. Whether you're a picture book writer or not, you have to admit he had something special going on. We can all learn lessons from his example.

His ability to delve into the exciting imagination of childhood has always fascinated and inspired me. He captured the freedom of being a child in each of his stories, but challenged young minds to explore, think, and build their own imaginations. What an amazing feat he pulled off with his work. I dream of inspiring the youngest minds like he did with my picture books.

The first way for me to do that is to free my mind and as he said so eloquently,

"Today, you are you. That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you."

And he captured the essence of that statement in each of his works. He put spices of HIMSELF in his stories. That's what made him unique.

So today, in honor of his birthday, read one of his books. Read it to a young child or simply read it for yourself, letting the veil of childhood take over. 

Share your favorite Seuss book!! 

I'm On TV!!

There are many ways I could intro this piece, but I'm going to leave it simple. As I mentioned on Friday, there was a reason I wasn't around to blog during Cruising Altitudes fabulous Deja Vu Blogfest.

Most of you know that I entered the Meegenuis Picture Book contest. I'm not a big fan of writing contests via public vote, because they feel more like popularity contests than writing ones; however, when I discovered that one of the main prizes would be the entire Meegenuis Library donated to my local elementary school I just had to enter. Though the contest is over and I didn't make it into the top five, I ended up in the 32nd slot out of 300 other writers. Not bad for a little girl from a small northern town.

What this contest has brought me is just as valuable. The outpouring of support for me and my teeny picture book manuscript has been amazing. I am confident, now, that this story will find a published home. I want to thank all of YOU who voted and have shared encouraging comments with me. Participating in this contest has also enriched my pageant experience. I was interviewed about the pageant and my book via internet TV in between periods at one of my two oldest sons' hockey games. I've also been asked to speak about writing at three different schools in Maine.

This all led me to Friday and the reason I wasn't able to blog. I had to travel an hour and a half from my home to one of Maine's television stations - a FOX station. There, I was interviewed live-on air about my picture book, the contest, and my candidacy for Mrs. Maine 2012. The experience was surreal yet amazing. I guess I'll let you be the judge of that, though. Feel free to pass on watching my clip. I've yet to watch it. *shivers*  

So much for simple.

PiBoIdMo Results & Four WINNERS!!

Participating in Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo was a blast, which was no surprise to me. I participated last year and was totally reeled in as a PB writer. I knew I just had to devote some time to crafting these books for the youngest of our readers. But one might think taking Tara's oath to focus intently on PB ideas for the riggers of an entire month sounds tough. To be honest, I thought the same thing last year when I considered signing up. But the total opposite happens.

Prodding my brain to constantly brew new ideas is stimulating! It this case, it not only gave me a ton of new picture book ideas, but my creative flow tightened in the other arenas where I write, too. What I needed to change within my YA novel to make it unique suddenly appeared. The art of writing two new query letters seemed clearer. And the bio and personal page I needed to write for the Mrs. Maine America pageant finally came together.

To top it off, I got to read amazing posts by amazing PB authors and illustrators all month long! And Tara even served icing on the cake: a handy-dandy new WINNERS badge.

Isn't it cute??

Last year, I shared all 33 of my new PB ideas with you. I won't do that here. I went back and read that post and it felt a bit tedious. Instead, I'll share five of those ideas.

But before I do I must announce the four WINNERS of my Book LOVERS Holiday Hop.

White Cat goes to

BECCA!

The Lovely Bones goes to

THERESA JANKE!

Fade goes to

LATISHA DEPOORTERE!

Across the Universe goes to

NATALIE AGUIRRE!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!

Thank you for participating.

Now, for those ideas.

1. The Lonely Shrimp (a story about bullying)
2. Webbie and The Fly (a story about differences and how important it is to be yourself)
3. Sam & Cam, the Baseball Hams (a story about the life of two baseballs in Little League)
4. Socks Came From Outer Space (a fun mystery about exploration and where socks really disappear to.)
5. Mingy and Onk - The Tale of the Disappearing Blob (I'm leaving the plot of this story a mystery to you. But I will tell you that it's based on humor and it's my favorite one!)

I want to thank Tara for once again hosting such an amazing event, as well as all the participants. I've met some amazing picture book authors and even joined a group on rhyming!

If you haven't read my picture book story that was entered in the Meegenuis Publisher's Contest, head over HERE to read it and help me win books for my local elementary school! I have until the 18th to raise my votes, putting me in the top five. Thank you for all your help!

Picture Book Elements

I've been having a blast writing my picture books ideas. Even purchased myself a brightly-colored notebook, which I entitled - PBs Beyond the Stars. Thanks to Author Tara Lazar and her brilliant PiBoIdMo, I was able to formulate over 40 new PB ideas last year and I'm well into the game this year at 15 new ideas in 9 days.

Now I know some of you are not PB writers. But give what I write next some thought. Writing a picture book forces the author to plot, develop characters, and structure a story in probably the most concise way he/she ever has. Even if you've never given thought to writing a PB, it can be great practice in teaching your brain to filter out the details of your short story, chapter book, or full-length novel, to develop sharp and intense scenes, and maintain a steady pace. Not to mention, borrowing the mindset of a PB author just might help in writing your pitch, query, and synopsis for your longer works.

During this part of my writing adventure, I've had amazing guidance from some pubbed-up and/or highly-talented picture book authors. (Hi!! Jo Hart, Catherine Johnson, Sharon Mayhew, Laura Chesterson, & Kelly Hashway.)  For the most part, there seems to be collective thoughts among PB authors--essentials in writing picture books.

1. - Repetition. Children learn by simple repeats. And eventually, as the book is read over and over to them, they'll be able to read/sing along.

2. - The Rule of Three. Adding to #1, repetitions in threes flow best and tend to stick with the reader. Children like patterns, and patterns are a simple way to reinforce an idea or concept.

3. - Symmetric in Rhyming. Beats are important. If you do rhyme, which is not my strong point, you probably already know if 9 beats are used in one line and 10 in the next, you want to keep the pattern going. As long as there is continuity in thoughts and rhythm, you're probably okay.

4. - Cause & Effect. Just as in full length novels, something must happen and a result must be shown.

5. - Simple use of language. Choose words wisely and don't be afraid to revise and edit them to find the exact word to communicate your message. In PBs, the words aren't elaborate. Just effective.

6. - Plots down to two characters. More are okay. Just make sure they're not distracting. If their presence isn't necessary, you might want to think about axing them.

7. - Leave most description in the hands of the eventual illustrator. In other words, don't over describe or even use description as you would do in a YA or MG novel. Pictures have a major purpose in playing out and showing the development of a picture book story as well as a little person's mind.

8. - Create a mental picture while writing each line. Ask yourself questions. What could this look like, and who's eyes is it seen through? That last part is so important. Which character (or narrator) sees this story and how will that bee seen from the eyes of the child reading the book?

PLEASE add to my list and/or elaborate on any subject. I'm looking to write up a log and have it permanently linked to the blog to help other writers.


Small side splat: I'll be away next week with the hubs. We'll be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary alone, without the 4 kiddos. Weird. I'll miss you all!! But could you do me one favor? On Monday & Tuesday I'm highlighting Jessica Bell's amazing STRING BRIDGE book. Could you stop by to support her? Maybe tweet for her too? TY!!


~Hearts~ 

The Writer's Head Goes Snap, Crackle, Pop!

image credit

Silly title, I know. But isn't it accurate?

An idea Pops into a writer's head. He/she Snaps to it, scribbling down the idea in the best writer shorthand. Then the fun really begins. The idea Crackles as the writer stews on it, begins to taste it, feel it.

For me, that sums up the month of November, where writing goals are being set and pursued all over the world. Of course, we all know the most famous goal-setting arena among writers - NaNoWriMo. But there are other legitimate NaNo-based battlegrounds created to support, encourage, and drive all kinds of writers to write more. I've opted out of NaNoWriMo, this year, and wish all of you who are participating the best of luck!! Are you?

Instead, I've decided to be a part of two other writing drives, PiBoIdMo and NaNoWriWs4u.

PiBoIdMo is for picture book authors. It's all about letting yourself go and giving into your creative edge. We must come up with one new picture book idea each day. We don't have to develop the idea, although that would be total icing on the cupcake! I'm ahead of myself this year. I've come up with seven ideas and have mapped out two skeletal outlines.

NaNoWriWs4u follows the original NaNo plan closely, except each writer sets his/her personal goals as they see fit. We all have something we've been meaning to write or finish or edit, but life just keeps getting in the way. Or maybe we simply lost our momentum. This arena is to set those goals and report our progress at the end of each day. Accountability yet gently.


Here are my goals:

• formulate a new picture book idea each day and finish drafting two ideas.
• write at least half of the YA dystopian paranormal novel I've been mapping out forever.
• possibly tweak the beginning of MB and the query, yet again.

Feel free to join the group even if you're signed up for NaNoWriMo. Everyone can use a little more support and encouragement.

I won't be around to blog much today, but I will catch up with you this weekend. Heading out of state in search of an evening gown for the pageant. Speaking of which, I've been a horrible pageant guide. I haven't given you any peeks into my journey yet. To be honest, it's been really stressful, but I'm finally finding my center again. I'll share all that with you next Tuesday as well as some writing news and progress. :)

One of my queries is over on the QQQE, today. I'd be great if you could take a gander over and give me your insight into my query letter. I have already used this letter and it has gained me five requests, but I've heard nothing from the other seven that I sent out. So I'd like to tweak it a bit.

Thanks for all your help, and have a fantastic weekend!

GRAFFITI WALL: Kelly Hashway, Picture Book Author of MAY THE BEST DOG WIN!

The GRAFFITI WALL is excited to have our very first Picture Book Author share her writing splats with us!! Plus, she's offering up SWAG & a PB Critique!! Mother, wife, and writer of all that encompasses children's literature--YA, MG, & Picture Books--she's also a supportive critique partner and active member of YAlitchat, offering her suggestions and guidance to other writers.

KELLY HASHWAY

Young Adult, Middle Grade, & Picture Book Author

You're a children's author, in all three realms: young adult, middle grade, and picture books. What made you turn to writing picture books?

I have a four-year-old daughter who has always loved books. So for the past four years, I've spend a good portion of my day reading picture books. I couldn't help but fall in love with them. The first time I even thought about writing for this age group was when my daughter asked me to read her a story about Santa and the Easter Bunny. I didn't know of any, so I wrote one. It was actually a short story and I had it published. But I loved writing for the age group so much that I decided to try picture books next.

Once you wrote your picture book, May The Best Dog Win, what was your next step?

Revise, revise, and revise some more! I gave the story to some trusted individuals to pick apart and the manuscript was much better for it. Then I started submitting to publishers and worked my way through the slush.
 
What is the process of publication for a picture book once a publisher makes you an offer?

You wouldn't believe how much editing goes into a picture book. Every word counts and every scene needs to be able to work with the illustrations. I went through rounds of edits and then more after the illustrator drafted the drawings. And then a few more after that. It was crazy, but in a good way. I'm very happy with the end result.

Did you work personally with the illustrator?

Not really. She and I have talked via email, but she took my writing and brought it to life pretty much on her own. And I couldn't be happier with the way she did it.
 
I can't agree more. The book is so colorful and energetic.


Do you have a method for mapping out a picture book?

I try to picture the book's layout in my mind. I make sure I have enough scenes and that I don't rely completely on the text. It's really a fifty-fifty between the author and illustrator so you have to give up some control, which isn't always easy to do.
 
What was your inspiration for writing May the Best Dog Win? Did you brainstorm?

One of my many many quirks is that I vacuum everyday. My huge German shepherd is afraid of the vacuum. She sniffs it, gets in its way, and then dashes out of the room. Two seconds later she's back doing it all over again. It made me wonder if she thought the vacuum was a strange looking dog. May the Best Dog Win evolved from there as I brainstormed how a vacuum could be viewed as a dog.

Signature Alleyway question: you're going into space with only food, your cat Gomer, and a character from a book. Which character would you bring with you? 

Kate Weatherall from The Mysterious Benedict Society. She always carries around that bucket with helpful things in it. She is allowed to have the bucket in space, right?

You're agent is the fabulous Lauren Hammond (ADA Management). How's it working with an agent?

Lauren's amazing! I'm so lucky to have her on my side. Working with an agent is great because you have someone championing your book. I know Lauren believes in me and my book, and that's such a great feeling. She calms me down when I'm stressing, and she keeps me up-to-date on everything that's going on with my work.

Best advice ever given you that you'd like to pass on.

I was recently at my regional SCBWI conference and Donna Gephart talked about never giving up because you never know when you're on the one-yard line. You may be closer than you think to achieving your goals. Imagine where we'd be today if great writers quit on that one-yard line.


Could we have anymore supportive of an author friend in Kelly?? Awesome.

For more Kelly and Dash, visit Kelly on her WEBSITE, Facebook, Twitter, & Dash's Facebook Page. And even better, support them both on Freado.

Kelly is offer up 2 giveaways: 

~  a SWAG packet: May the Best Dog Win t-shirt, a doggie bag including a pencil, bookmark, bracelet, magnet, sticker, and candy.

~ a PB critique.

ENTER below.