Author: Cindy Faughnan

Three great blue herons flew out of the fog by the churchyard this morning. They slowly circled the field and headed for the brook.

I’ve only seen them one at a time before (except in their nesting grounds) so was surprised to watch them fly together. Surprised and awed. It made me think of Annie Dillard and her statement about “one show to a customer”. These moments in nature are a gift.

A juvenile yellow-bellied sapsucker landed on the apple trees when I got home.

A pair of Carolina wrens trekked back and forth across my backyard yesterday.

A hummingbird flitted from the apple trees to the willows to the flowers, pausing to sit on on a wisp of willow.

I enjoy these moments. Each one gives me something to write about.

If you’re looking for something to write about, observe nature. Go outside and sit quietly for fifteen minutes or so. It’s amazing what you will see.

          One Day I Went Rambling

by Kelly Bennett, illustrated by Terri Murphy, Bright Sky Press, 2012

 

Zane knows how to ramble. He knows how to turn everyday objects like hubcaps and paper bags into stars and shields in his imagination. At first his friends don’t understand, but soon more and more of them are rambling right along with Zane. This is a great picture book to share with your younger friends. They’ll love the rhythm of the words and the imaginative pictures, and they’ll beg you to go rambling with them! I bet you’ll find amazing treasures on your own ramble!

 

Kelly and Terri offered to stop by my blog to answer a couple questions.

 

Hi, Kelly! Hi Terri! I’m glad you could take time out of your rambles to stop by!

 

I love this book! I have always been one to turn found treasures into something else, so I know exactly how Zane feels. When I was very young a long time ago, our neighborhood gang created spaceships from fallen trees. My own children brought home objects that held some magic for them and never wanted to get rid of these finds.

 

I’m guessing the text came first as it does with many picture books, but, obviously, there’s some of each of you in this story. When you started working on this, did you each think of specific objects you or your children found while out rambling?

 

Kelly: Serendipity! That’s how I describe this whole amazing experience. I never met Terri, or even spoke with her until after our first book together, Dance, Y’all, Dance (Bright Sky Press, 2009) was a fait accompli. The whole experience of working with Lucy and Ellen at BSP was fabulous, so I knew I wanted to do more books with them; and, after seeing her imaginative, detailed, humor-filled illustrations for Dance, I wanted to work with Terri. So I sent them the manuscript. I had been working on some version of One Day I Went Rambling for at least 10 years—just ask my critique partners…. It’s been One Day I Went Roamin’(in the wild west); Exploring (the world); Wandering (rural setting); there’s even a “weather” version (indoors). And prior to finding its home at Bright Sky Press, other publishers had expressed interest in publishing Rambling, but it never panned out (2 went out of business). Can you say fate? BSP was definitely the right publisher for this story and Terri was first choice—and the absolutely right choice—of illustrator! She got it! Terri gets me, maybe precisely because we are kindred spirit—both ramblers.

Terri: A few years ago I started rambling with a camera, shooting extreme close-ups of patterns in nature…the veins in leaves, feathers, butterfly wings, ice crystals…without really knowing why other than I like discovery. In sketching out One Day I Went Rambling, I realized I was a lot like Zane finding extraordinary things….and got the idea to incorporate these textures into the art via photoshop.  Sometimes they are bold as in the word “Rambling” on the cover, and sometimes more subtle. Like Zane’s pet chameleon, it’s another hide-and-seek game built into the book!

 

I love the fancy print used for the found items. How did you come up with this idea?

 

Kelly: Totally Terri (with maybe a sprinkling of Ellen Cregan and Lucy Chambers). My only input, design-wise, was to say WOW! and WONDERFUL!

 

Terri: The main character Zane boldly declares what his re-imagined object is as soon as he finds it. I sought to reward his spontaneity with words of color and size and fanciful flight, and let it stand apart from the rest of the text.  It then became a design element I had to work with.

 

I’m always fascinated by how authors and illustrators work together without necessarily meeting. Did you have a lot of illustrator notes in the manuscript, Kelly? For example, did you specify that it was a brown paper bag used for the warrior’s shield or did Terri figure that out? Did the text need to be revised after seeing the illustrations? How do you work together?

 

Kelly: So funny! Aside from a brief overview note—what I think of as catalogue copy—introducing the story, and an ending art note about Zane and his friend’s final creation (since it is not mentioned in the text), the warrior’s shield scene you singled out, Cindy, is the only scene for which I made illustration notes on the Rambling manuscript. Because people are always curious about it, I’ll share that portion of the manuscript:

 

 I went right on rambling

and found a smooth, brown vest.     [a grocery sack]

A mighty warrior’s shield.

“Hey that’s cool!” called Jess.

I’m proud and pleased that I didn’t have to explain or describe anything else. Terri has a gift for being able to interpret and translate words into pictures and then fly with it! (The downside of this is that I didn’t have any excuse to visit Terri and “discuss” the story with her.)

 

For non-illustrator picture book authors, this to-make-or-not-to-make art notes dilemma is huge! Definitely, absolutely, no doubt about it, the hardest part about submitting a picture book manuscript is not being able to “explain” our illustration vision. The urge to submit copious illustration notes is strong. But, it is also a huge no-no. Not only are illustration notes distracting, and will pull a reader out of your story and make it feel choppy and longer, they also raise a “red flag” that a writer hasn’t done his/her job properly. (And the need for them ought to prompt writers to ask: Am I trying to tell the illustrator how to do his/her job?) After the premise and basic story for One Day I Went Rambling was set, I spent hours, days, months, years choosing the best words to conjure the mind-images I envisioned and convey them: first for my agent, then my editor, and then for the illustrator. But, playing with words and sounds, finding just the right ones to describe what we want readers to see and feel and taste and touch, that’s what writers do. It’s our job and our joy.

 

Terri: The wonderful thing about working with Kelly is she fashions her stories to suggest scenes without insisting on them.  Notice how she never says where any action is taking place in this book but trusts the illustrator to know where the story should go.

 

What are each of you working on next?

 

Kelly: Watch out! Vampire Baby, a picture book, published by Candlewick Press, is coming in 2013!

 

Terri: I’m finishing up a huge project for the Illinois Library Association summer reading program in 2013, then hope to take some time this summer to work on a picture book dummy for a story I wrote, and to find new and inventive ways to ramble!

 

Kelly and Terri, thanks so much for visiting. I love what I’ve learned from your answers! Enjoy your rambles!

 

Anyone who comments on this post will be entered to win prizes from Kelly and Terri’s blog tour that include an original illustration from the book, autographed copies of the book, and more. See more information here: http://terrimurphy.typepad.com/mermaid_waves/2012/05/l.html

Kelly and Terri and One Day I Went Rambling are featured on other blogs noted here: http://terrimurphy.typepad.com/mermaid_waves/

 

To purchase the book, look here or visit your local bookstore: www.brightskypress.com/infostore/ca.cart.asp?sAction=DisplayDetails&pid=219

 

And links to Kelly’s and Terri’s own blogs are here:

www.kellybennett.com

www.terrimurphyart.com

 

       Bluefish by Pat Schmatz, Candlewick, 2011

I had no idea what to expect when I opened the cover of this book. Bluefish? What is a bluefish? I might not have picked it up at all except it’s on the DCF list for next year and it was in the half of the list I was talking about at the DCF booktalk at the Norwich Library.

I’m so glad I read it! I loved the characters and how their lives intertwined. I loved the realistic look at school and bullying and friendship. And I loved the literary references to other books readers would love.

Eighth grader Travis has been living with his grandfather since his parents died when he was 3. They’ve just moved from a house in the country to a cramped place in town. Travis misses his faithful old hound who disappeared right before they moved, his grandfather drinks too much, and he’s starting a new school.

This year is different. His grandfather has stopped drinking and is paying attention to Travis’s schoolwork. Travis meets Velveeta–a scarf-wearing movie-watching 8^th grade girl with secrets, Bradley Whistler–a nerdy picked-on student, and Mr. McQueen–a teacher who doesn’t accept failure as an option. Secrets come out and life changes for each of these characters. Excellent, excellent book!

 

 

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Lamb Books, 2009

 This isn’t really an “old” book to fit my recommending one new and one old, but the way it uses another book is similar, so I thought I’d put these two together.

Sixth graders Miranda and Sal live in New York City and know their way around and how to stay safe. But, there are the notes she finds in her pocket—notes that tell her things no one should be able to know—and then Sal is punched by a stranger and stops talking to Miranda. As Miranda helps her mother study to be on the $20,000 Pyramid show, she tries to work out who is leaving the notes, how this person knows the future, and what is going on with Sal. And everything is tied to another book in a great way.

Don’t miss this book—or the other book mentioned in it!

 

 

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles (Candlewick, 2012) is so full of heart that it will touch your heart and forever change it. The characters are so real you’ll feel sure you’ll run into them the next time you’re out. And, you’ll know them so well, you’ll be sure they know you too.

Fern’s family runs a restaurant that keeps them busy. Her older sister and parents spend most of their time working or caring for her baby brother. Fern’s older brother is the one she’s closest to, but he’s dealing with being bullied and is sensitive to her witnessing that. Fern feels almost invisible in this big family. And then a tragedy happens, and the family must learn all over again how to be a family and what each of them means to the others. These characters will live in your heart long after you read the last page.

Read an amazing interview with Jo on Libba Bray’s blog and enter to win a copy of See You at Harry’s!

Interview with Jo Knowles

 

Another literary family I love is Dicey’s family in Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt (Harper Collins, 1981). This is a family I have followed through several volumes, including books that focus on minor characters that Dicey meets in her life. I always love the glimpse of Dicey and her brothers and sister in the books about the other characters. It feels like a secret the author and I share when I recognize them.

Dicey and her two younger brothers and younger sister spend a day waiting in the car in a mall parking lot for their mother. When Dicey realizes her mother is not going to return, she’s afraid the family will be split up in the foster care system. She decides to take her family to relatives they’ve never met. The book follows their journey—on foot—from Connecticut to Maryland. This is another family I feel I could meet on the street and know. I’m sure Dicey and Fern and I would be great friends.

 

Who are your favorite families in books?

Spilling Ink has a great website full of writing ideas for teens. This month, they have a writing contest for ages 13-16. They want to see your best short story up to 1000 words. Shorter is fine.

Prize information and how to enter is on their website:

Spilling Ink Writing Contest

I hope you enter!

In my current work-in-progress, a librarian gives the main character two books every time she visits: one new one and one older one. I thought I could recommend the same!

 

The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman, Knopf, 2012

             I love good first lines, and this book has a great one:

I should probably start with the blood. (p. 3)

             And I love mystery and suspense. And international intrigue. Throw in a little love story and great writing and I’ll read it more than once. That’s how I feel about this book. I read it the first time in big gulps—faster than I’ve read anything recently because I couldn’t stop. I can’t wait to read it again.

Nora Kane is a high school student in a private school. She and her friends are translating old Latin manuscripts with a professor at the local college when her best friend Chris is killed, his girlfriend Adriane who witnesses the murder stops speaking or responding, and Nora’s boyfriend Max disappears and is believed to be the murderer. Nora feels the ancient manuscripts hold the key and convinces Adriane to help her translate and follow the clues in them. Travel, intrigue, secret societies, fake cousins, and danger keep you turning the pages of this amazing, smart novel.

 

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman, HarperTeen, 2001

 I recently received a note from a friend asking about this book because a school district near her was trying to ban it from being read in 7^th and 8^th grade. First, I have to say I don’t think there needs to be censoring of what people read. If readers are not ready for the issues/language/material in the book they are reading, they will stop reading. Or they will take in what they’re able to take in and be satisfied with that. When you read a book at different times in your life, you will respond to it differently and you’ll understand it differently.

I read the letters from the people taking the issue to the school board and the letters from people answering their concerns. It’s hard to know exactly what the agenda of the group was. I think sometimes it’s hard for people to know for sure what it is they object to when a book touches a nerve. This group mentioned strong language (swearing), euthanasia, and murder as reasons middle school readers shouldn’t be reading it.

Sadly, middle school readers can’t be protected from any of these things. They see the news on TV or the Internet. They read newspapers. They watch movies and television shows. They’re around people. But, I’ve found that middle school students are among the most thoughtful and compassionate people there are. Reading about these issues lets them look at other people differently and think about why people behave the way they do.

Stuck in Neutral is narrated by Shawn, a teen confined to a wheelchair by severe cerebral palsy. He can’t do anything for himself or communicate with anyone. But, trapped inside his non-functioning body is a smart boy and he tells about the world as he sees it. He’s worried that his father wants to kill him because Shawn must be suffering. And Shawn can’t tell him that’s not true. This book explores what it might be like to be trapped inside a body that doesn’t work.

 Let me know if you read either of these and what you think! What would you recommend for me?

Jo Knowles and my workshop (“Writing Camp for Adults”) at the conference went very well. Our campers arrived and were treated to bug juice and s’mores and then we did exercises that have been particularly successful at writing camp. People shared some excellent writing and seemed to get lots of ideas. Many people stopped us afterwards to say how much fun they had. We hope they fill out the evaluations!

Saturday morning Sara Zarr gave a keynote that connected a Frog and Toad book with what it’s like to be a writer. It was excellent. She showed us through the story how it’s good to have a plan but be flexible, and how if things are not going as planned, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It was a great way to look both at life as a writer and at a character’s life.

At lunchtime, Kate Messner gave a talk about what it was like to speak at the TED talks along with her talk about creating worlds. She has so much faith in kids which came through in every part of her talk. Check out her new website kid-sourcing.com for ideas of how kids can get involved in the world right now.

I attended three workshops. The first was a panel on author/agent relationships and covered the usual questions. I went to that because I’d like to be on a similar panel someday. The next was a panel about quiet novels which I attended because my VC crit group partner, Erin Moulton was on it. She (and the others on the panel) did a great job presenting and answering questions about quiet novels. The workshop “Add Depth and Emotion to Your YA Novel” given by Jo Knowles and Sarah Darer Littman got people exploring and writing about a sensory image or object from their childhood, but turning it into fiction. I got a new scene for my work-in-progress from that workshop. And, finally, I attended Cinda Williams Chima’s workshop on “Building Believable Magical Worlds” where I jotted down lots of questions to answer as I create worlds based in reality.

The best thing about the conference is the chance to spend time with lots of other writers, editors, agents, etc. I loved the meals where I was able to talk to old friends and make new ones. Evenings found people moving from one cluster to another, talking, talking, talking about writing and books. I talked with people on the stairs, in line at registration, in the elevators, everywhere. It was a great weekend!

For two weeks every summer, my teaching partner Rick S. and writing partner Jo Knowles and I run a writing day camp for students in grades 7-12. The camp meets from 9-12 Monday through Friday for 9 days and finishes with a reading for parents and guests on the last day.

I look forward to these two weeks for lots of reasons.

• former students—I’m glad to see them again.
• repeat campers—people I’ve gotten to know through camp. It’s exciting to see their writing grow and change each year.
• fun—spending time with 20+ teens who are excited to write, try all kinds of exercises, and read to each other is exhilarating.
• food—Rick provides a great variety (dill pickles with your morning bagel, anyone?) Writing chat around the food table is always fun to hear.
• writing—We start with a quick prompt, then a longer exercise followed by free writing, and finish up with a reading. I love the surprises—mine and the campers’—of writing just for fun. You never know what you’ll come up with. I’ve had ideas for whole novels born of these moments.

I also love that we get campers from several different school districts and from all different grades—and that they tend to keep in touch with each other through the year. I would have loved a camp like this when I was their age. I would have loved knowing there were other people around who liked to write as much as I did.

This year’s camp runs from July 3-11. Let me know if you want more information!

The Vermont Novel Writing Retreat was terrific! I loved spending the weekend with authors Holly Black and Coe Booth and editor Alvina Ling. They were excellent presenters and fun to be with as well! I enjoyed getting to know the participants. I feel like I have many more friends in the writing community.

I’m always surprised by that, but it always happens. I remember the first conference I ever attended—the New England Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators regional conference about 15 years ago. Somehow, I convinced myself to go. I think I had decided that if I ever really wanted to write, I needed to move forward. I needed to try new things.

I remember walking into the bustling lobby of the hotel where people were getting their conference materials and greeting each other. I didn’t know anyone. But I picked up snippets of conversation around me—snippets of talk about books and writing and authors—and knew I had found my people. I walked through that whole first conference in awe.

I’ve been there every year since. Now when I arrive, I run into people who have become my friends, people I stay connected with throughout the year. It’s a reunion of sorts and a chance to connect in person for writing which is such a solitary activity.

In two weeks the NESCBWI conference happens in Springfield, MA. This year, for the first time, I’m presenting a workshop with my friend and writing partner Jo Knowles. I know there will be first time attendees wandering around the same way I did that first conference long ago.

I can’t wait to meet them!

Finally, some of the books I’ve been waiting for have shown up in the bookstore! You might not be able to get these at your library yet, but request them. If you can’t wait, visit your bookstore.

 

        Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner

I love all of Kate’s books. She has great historical fiction in Spitfire which is about a Revolutionary War battle on Lake Champlain. She writes wonderful realistic fiction: The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z about a girl doing a leaf project and dealing with her grandmother’s beginning Alzheimer’s, and Sugar and Ice about competitive figure skating, sugaring, and friendship. And now she has a terrific, edge-of-your-seat science fiction, Eye of the Storm, about a future where people live inside weather-controlled areas, and scientists use a machine to control dangerous storms. There’s mystery, wild out-of-control storms, danger, and a little nudge to think about what our changing weather means–and what it could lead to. I highly recommend this book!

 

     Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Most people are at least somewhat familiar with Robin Hood stories. In this one, Will Scarlet is actually Scarlet, a girl in Robin’s band made up of the other familiar characters all about age nineteen. Great chases, acrobatics, knife-throwing, and danger follow the band as they participate in their familiar escapades. And then there’s the problem of love interest—whom will Scarlett choose, and who wants to choose Scarlet. I’m just over halfway through this one and enjoying it!