Every year about this time, I enjoy watching TV's coverage of The Little League World Series. These teams of eleven through thirteen year old boys are exposed to national and international fame through the world of baseball. It is an exciting time for everyone connected with all the teams who are good enough to make it through their own division championships and journey to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
I identify with the moms and dads. There is nothing more dramatic than watching your child - son or daughter - compete at a high level for their age group in the sport of their choice. Matt lettered in track and field in high school. Courtney lettered in softball, basketball and track and played as a summer leaguer/travel ball-er in softball. For many years we occupied camp chairs or squirmed on metal bleachers to watch our kids compete. I remember it as a time of shared empathy for disappointing losses and racing pulses and wet palms for close wins. Great companionship, too, among parents and players. We were fortunate not to run into mean players who bullied and intimidated teammates; or negative parents whose children could either not preform well enough for their approval or who could, alternately, do nothing wrong (!); or the crazy fan who screamed obscenities at refs.
And FUN. Road trips (how long does a bathroom stop take when teenage girls are involved?) Ballpark eateries (hotdogs, hotdogs, hotdogs). The smell of HOT - sunscreen, dust, and sweat! The sounds - crack of the bat, shatter of glass when the ball finds a windshield, the sound of cleats on sidewalks, and the encouragement of parents' from the stands! And especially the thrill of seeing your child - hitting a homerun, throwing out a runner at the plate, catching that pop-up - then turn and give you that heads-up that reads HAPPY.
"Good Eye! You can do it! One More, One MORE! Three up, three down! Batter, batter!" I went to a few local ballgames this year. It doesn't matter whether the players are six, twelve or seventeen years old. You hear the same chants, the same phrases, the same yells from the field and from the stands! Some things just don't change.
Last fall, Goodlettsville, TN (near Nashville) won the southern division and went to Williamsport, Pa to go all the way to the top. They won the US Championship, but fell to Japan in the final game. A great showing! This year it is the South Nashville team (Brentwood) who won the division and are competing in the LLWS. At the current time they are fighting for survival against Washington. A loss is elimination. A win sends them one more step up the ladder toward the final game. I'm following them on Twitter and watching them on ESPN, hoping they'll make a comeback and win!
But whether they do, or whether they don't, I still love that they made it this far. I'm so happy for their experiences, and I still get choked up when I see the parents so excited for their kids.
And I remember! <3
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
GREAT Expectations
Today is July 21st, and Kate is overdue (so some say). At any rate, it is edging past Buckingham Palace's "middle of July" due date for Kate and Prince William. I am amazed at the World Wide Web Frenzy on the arrival of this small babe. But not really. Even if it isn't worth the hype, the birth of Baby Cambridge - any birth - is exciting. The Royals are a story, even if you are not a Royal fan.
Matt was a week early, but Court was way overdue. I remember well the feelings of frustration when friends kept asking, "Are you STILL HERE?" "WHAT, NO BABY YET???" As if there was something I could actually DO about it. (Humorous now, but not so funny when I was THISSSSS BIG and couldn't see my toes.) And that "abuse" was just from my friends and family. Imagine what it would feel like if questions like that screamed at you from newspaper headlines all over the world and on every manner of social media! Not fun in the best of circumstances.
Just before my first baby was born, a friend who was already a mommy, warned me, "You know THIS is the easy part, right?" THIS being the state of pregnancy. No, I didn't know that. I couldn't conjure it up, couldn't look past the physical discomfort, to understand how it would feel to be so responsible and to have so much love for one little baby boy who didn't sleep through the night for two years. But I had great expectations and much anticipation and thought I was ready. I can relate this to Kate. Though she'll have a nanny and all manner of help and no financial worries, she'll still be mommy to a baby girl or boy (they say they don't know the gender yet). She'll still know what it feels like to fuss over her baby and wonder why he's crying or what should be done if he feels warm or ... any manner of things. And she'll have other things to contend with; like, for one, having to leave him with someone else while she goes off and does Royal Things for long stretches of time. Like, for another, having a camera living large in your face and no privacy. I imagine it feels like having two 24/7 jobs. But, royalty aside, Kate is still a young woman who is expecting her first child. She's awaiting the birth with great expectations (pun intended) and anticipation; she's nervous and she's happy. To misquote a beloved movie that's set in Kate's country, She's just a girl, loving a boy, and ... having her first baby.
And then there's Courtney and her career as an author. Great expectations, nervous anticipation, there, too. We're all awaiting the book birthday of "Faking Normal" on February 25th, 2014. It does feel a bit like giving birth. Combine the time spent penning the first draft, editing and revising, time spent pitching the book and acquiring the dream agent, more editing and revising, submission time and finally selling the manuscript to a publisher and More editing and revising. THEN it's all about Hurry Up and Wait. The road to publishing is a slow one - way longer than nine months - and people outside the book community rarely understand how long it takes or why. So you answer a lot of questions about WHEN it will be available on book shelves and you see incredibly amazed expressions appear on peoples' faces when they hear the answer (18 to 24 months from the sale date).
Basically, it is, "So, you've written a book and can I read it tomorrow?"
And every author has to wonder/worry how it's going to fare. Will it sell? Will people love it? Will it measure up to the hype? What if they hate it? (and along the way, WHAT am I going to write NEXT?) It's your baby and you love it; you want it to be perfect. I wonder if authors ever think that WRITING the book was the easy part (and it's hard to write a book) ... once they are touring, signing copies, and promoting book sales, even while they're starting the next novel. And worrying when the book will "sell through" and start paying royalties.
Soooo ... great expectations and great anticipation. Happiness and nerves. Writing books and having babies may be all too much alike.
Eventually, Kate will give birth, the internet and Twitter will heave a huge sigh of relief, and then we'll settle down to Watching the Royal Baby Grow.
And "Faking Normal" will be released to book stores all over the country. Finally.
Trust me on this one. It lives up to its hype. It is worth the labor pains. You will want this book.
Matt was a week early, but Court was way overdue. I remember well the feelings of frustration when friends kept asking, "Are you STILL HERE?" "WHAT, NO BABY YET???" As if there was something I could actually DO about it. (Humorous now, but not so funny when I was THISSSSS BIG and couldn't see my toes.) And that "abuse" was just from my friends and family. Imagine what it would feel like if questions like that screamed at you from newspaper headlines all over the world and on every manner of social media! Not fun in the best of circumstances.
Just before my first baby was born, a friend who was already a mommy, warned me, "You know THIS is the easy part, right?" THIS being the state of pregnancy. No, I didn't know that. I couldn't conjure it up, couldn't look past the physical discomfort, to understand how it would feel to be so responsible and to have so much love for one little baby boy who didn't sleep through the night for two years. But I had great expectations and much anticipation and thought I was ready. I can relate this to Kate. Though she'll have a nanny and all manner of help and no financial worries, she'll still be mommy to a baby girl or boy (they say they don't know the gender yet). She'll still know what it feels like to fuss over her baby and wonder why he's crying or what should be done if he feels warm or ... any manner of things. And she'll have other things to contend with; like, for one, having to leave him with someone else while she goes off and does Royal Things for long stretches of time. Like, for another, having a camera living large in your face and no privacy. I imagine it feels like having two 24/7 jobs. But, royalty aside, Kate is still a young woman who is expecting her first child. She's awaiting the birth with great expectations (pun intended) and anticipation; she's nervous and she's happy. To misquote a beloved movie that's set in Kate's country, She's just a girl, loving a boy, and ... having her first baby.
And then there's Courtney and her career as an author. Great expectations, nervous anticipation, there, too. We're all awaiting the book birthday of "Faking Normal" on February 25th, 2014. It does feel a bit like giving birth. Combine the time spent penning the first draft, editing and revising, time spent pitching the book and acquiring the dream agent, more editing and revising, submission time and finally selling the manuscript to a publisher and More editing and revising. THEN it's all about Hurry Up and Wait. The road to publishing is a slow one - way longer than nine months - and people outside the book community rarely understand how long it takes or why. So you answer a lot of questions about WHEN it will be available on book shelves and you see incredibly amazed expressions appear on peoples' faces when they hear the answer (18 to 24 months from the sale date).
Basically, it is, "So, you've written a book and can I read it tomorrow?"
And every author has to wonder/worry how it's going to fare. Will it sell? Will people love it? Will it measure up to the hype? What if they hate it? (and along the way, WHAT am I going to write NEXT?) It's your baby and you love it; you want it to be perfect. I wonder if authors ever think that WRITING the book was the easy part (and it's hard to write a book) ... once they are touring, signing copies, and promoting book sales, even while they're starting the next novel. And worrying when the book will "sell through" and start paying royalties.
Soooo ... great expectations and great anticipation. Happiness and nerves. Writing books and having babies may be all too much alike.
Eventually, Kate will give birth, the internet and Twitter will heave a huge sigh of relief, and then we'll settle down to Watching the Royal Baby Grow.
And "Faking Normal" will be released to book stores all over the country. Finally.
Trust me on this one. It lives up to its hype. It is worth the labor pains. You will want this book.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
A Camp for Young Writers
I scribbled stories and illustrated them from the time I could hold a pencil. I did it just because it spiked my imagination and with no end in mind. No one told me (as proud as my parents were) that writing was something grown-ups could do and even make a living doing it. To me, writing was something AUTHORS did - far-away people who were just somewhere "out there." They wrote books that magically showed up in my library for my pleasure. I had no idea what the process was and no idea how hard it was to shape a book from the beginning chapter all the way through to the ending paragraph and, certainly, I had no idea who these authors were. I don't remember ever thinking about authors. I doubt it entered my mind that they had perfectly normal lives in addition to writing books.
Which brings me to this point. Authors have a fan base today. Teen readers want to know about the men or women who write their favorite books. They want to know more about their favorite characters. Some of them want to write as well. The world wide web has made it possible to zoom in on authors, to humanize them and make them interesting and available to all readers. It has also helped to demystify the writing process for children and teens. Teachers in today's classrooms enjoy using authors as a valuable resource to promote writing and reading.
Recently, Courtney C. Stevens (author of Faking Normal- Feb, 2014), Kristin O'Donnell Tubb (author of Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, Selling Hope, The 13th Sign) and Rae Ann Parker (The Devil's Backbone) participated in a Young Writers' Camp. Afterward, the following was published in the local paper.
The teacher reported a students' thoughts after the session with Courtney and Kristin ended. Something like: "Ms. Thomas, you sure have interesting friends!" I only wish I had had experiences like this when I was a pre-teen and older.
Which brings me to this point. Authors have a fan base today. Teen readers want to know about the men or women who write their favorite books. They want to know more about their favorite characters. Some of them want to write as well. The world wide web has made it possible to zoom in on authors, to humanize them and make them interesting and available to all readers. It has also helped to demystify the writing process for children and teens. Teachers in today's classrooms enjoy using authors as a valuable resource to promote writing and reading.
Recently, Courtney C. Stevens (author of Faking Normal- Feb, 2014), Kristin O'Donnell Tubb (author of Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, Selling Hope, The 13th Sign) and Rae Ann Parker (The Devil's Backbone) participated in a Young Writers' Camp. Afterward, the following was published in the local paper.
Herald Citizen July 15, 2013
Camp helps students
develop writing skills
Students at Algood
Middle School had a chance to work on their writing skills and get creative
this summer at the first ever "Mini Mags, Memes and Memoirs: A Summer
Writing Camp."
Teacher Sara Thomas led the week-long camp for students in fifth through ninth grade.
A parent who has two children at the school knew that one of Thomas' hobbies is writing and asked if she knew of any summer camps going on for students interested in writing.
“I didn’t, but I had always wanted to do one,” Thomas said. “I just started talking to different teachers and was very blessed because many people volunteered to help.”
Twenty-one students enrolled in the camp, and a number of language arts teachers volunteered to teach daily lessons to the campers.
“We focused on creative writing, something that unfortunately there’s not as much time during the regular school year to focus on,” Thomas said. “We get to do a lot of writing and some of it is creative but this is specifically for creative writing, to get those juices flowing.”
The students also had a chance to hear from published authors Thomas knows through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Kristin Tubb spoke to the students about writing and her process and shared details about books she has written.
Courtney Stevens is an author whose first book will be released in April and she talked with the students about stretching beyond their comfort zone to create interesting stories and characters.
Campers also had a Skype session with Author Rae Ann Parker who talked about the process of doing research for her books.
“It is special when you get to have authors talk with the students,” Thomas said. “They have loved the opportunity to be enriched by so many different people.”
A favorite activity for the students was creating their own mini magazine. Each student got to select a piece of their own writing to go into the magazine.
Every day brought activities related to art or creative writing.
“It was very open, but every day we had some time to write whatever they wanted to,” Thomas said.
Every student said they wanted to take part in the camp again next year, and Thomas has already started plans to make it happen.
“I would like to expand it because I have had so much positive feedback,” Thomas said. “I would like to be able to include all of the middle schools next year.”
Teacher Sara Thomas led the week-long camp for students in fifth through ninth grade.
A parent who has two children at the school knew that one of Thomas' hobbies is writing and asked if she knew of any summer camps going on for students interested in writing.
“I didn’t, but I had always wanted to do one,” Thomas said. “I just started talking to different teachers and was very blessed because many people volunteered to help.”
Twenty-one students enrolled in the camp, and a number of language arts teachers volunteered to teach daily lessons to the campers.
“We focused on creative writing, something that unfortunately there’s not as much time during the regular school year to focus on,” Thomas said. “We get to do a lot of writing and some of it is creative but this is specifically for creative writing, to get those juices flowing.”
The students also had a chance to hear from published authors Thomas knows through the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Kristin Tubb spoke to the students about writing and her process and shared details about books she has written.
Courtney Stevens is an author whose first book will be released in April and she talked with the students about stretching beyond their comfort zone to create interesting stories and characters.
Campers also had a Skype session with Author Rae Ann Parker who talked about the process of doing research for her books.
“It is special when you get to have authors talk with the students,” Thomas said. “They have loved the opportunity to be enriched by so many different people.”
A favorite activity for the students was creating their own mini magazine. Each student got to select a piece of their own writing to go into the magazine.
Every day brought activities related to art or creative writing.
“It was very open, but every day we had some time to write whatever they wanted to,” Thomas said.
Every student said they wanted to take part in the camp again next year, and Thomas has already started plans to make it happen.
“I would like to expand it because I have had so much positive feedback,” Thomas said. “I would like to be able to include all of the middle schools next year.”
The teacher reported a students' thoughts after the session with Courtney and Kristin ended. Something like: "Ms. Thomas, you sure have interesting friends!" I only wish I had had experiences like this when I was a pre-teen and older.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Forever YA
On Sunday, June 30, Ron and I traveled to the Edmondson Road branch of the Nashville Public Library to attend an author event, the Forever YA Panel of 5 authors. It wasn't my first time to hear authors discussing their work, but it was the First Time to see and hear My Daughter on a panel reading from her ARC and discussing her debut novel, Faking Normal!
Courtney C. Stevens. Author of Faking Normal. I might have been more excited than she was. (My heart rate accelerates just a little just to type those words!)
The other authors were Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, Sharon Cameron, Heather L. Reid and Amanda Havard. They each had their previously published books with them. Sharon also had the ARC for her second book. Courtney had her very first (and only copy so far) ARC of her novel. She had just received it a few days before. The moderator was Lauren Thoman, who did an excellent job pacing the panel and asking the questions prepared by Hannah Courtney, the event's organizer.
Hannah - an avid reader, reviewer and writer herself - used her blog, The Book Vortex, to plan and spread the word about the event, providing great PR for these girls.
Laughter, understanding grins, personal stories, informative replies. "All the Feels," as Twitterees like to say. Each author had a different road to success; they wrote in various genres and displayed different interests, styles and even age recommendations for their novels. But all of them are storytellers.
One thing I truly admire is that the writing community is so supportive of its own. People - writers - show up. They listen, they learn, they share, they laugh and all of them, from the reader to the journal-er t the writer to the published author, enjoy themselves.
I had two bonuses that day. There was the obvious fact that Courtney was there. Not just there, but THERE. So gratifying, so delightful, such a pleasure to see how far she's come. And so exciting to enjoy an itty-bitty part in her career. But also ... my forever friend from childhood came to surprise me! It was such a joy to look up and see her smiling face at the door! Thank you, Linda, for taking the time to share such an awesome afternoon with me! We enjoyed reading as children and shared the same taste in books. (so many memories!) We are still so much alike. As we were leaving, we discovered that we have even bought the SAME CAR. <3
I look forward to many more afternoons spent in the company of good books and brilliant authors and not the least, great friends! What better way to enjoy a summer Sunday.
Courtney C. Stevens. Author of Faking Normal. I might have been more excited than she was. (My heart rate accelerates just a little just to type those words!)
The other authors were Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, Sharon Cameron, Heather L. Reid and Amanda Havard. They each had their previously published books with them. Sharon also had the ARC for her second book. Courtney had her very first (and only copy so far) ARC of her novel. She had just received it a few days before. The moderator was Lauren Thoman, who did an excellent job pacing the panel and asking the questions prepared by Hannah Courtney, the event's organizer.
Hannah - an avid reader, reviewer and writer herself - used her blog, The Book Vortex, to plan and spread the word about the event, providing great PR for these girls.
Laughter, understanding grins, personal stories, informative replies. "All the Feels," as Twitterees like to say. Each author had a different road to success; they wrote in various genres and displayed different interests, styles and even age recommendations for their novels. But all of them are storytellers.
One thing I truly admire is that the writing community is so supportive of its own. People - writers - show up. They listen, they learn, they share, they laugh and all of them, from the reader to the journal-er t the writer to the published author, enjoy themselves.
I had two bonuses that day. There was the obvious fact that Courtney was there. Not just there, but THERE. So gratifying, so delightful, such a pleasure to see how far she's come. And so exciting to enjoy an itty-bitty part in her career. But also ... my forever friend from childhood came to surprise me! It was such a joy to look up and see her smiling face at the door! Thank you, Linda, for taking the time to share such an awesome afternoon with me! We enjoyed reading as children and shared the same taste in books. (so many memories!) We are still so much alike. As we were leaving, we discovered that we have even bought the SAME CAR. <3
I look forward to many more afternoons spent in the company of good books and brilliant authors and not the least, great friends! What better way to enjoy a summer Sunday.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Guest Post - A Chat with Courtney Stevens
The following is a reprint of Myra McEntire's interview with Courtney on her author blog. It is special to me in about a zillion ways (as you can guess), but one particular thing is that I also remember that day from the past when Courtney ( agentless and still writing FN) met Myra (who's 1st book I had already read and loved!) at a friend's breakfast. She called me later that day to say that she'd met a special person she knew would become a friend. And Court said those words to me that she quoted in the interview: "Myra is one of my people." (I'm thinking in total fan girl mode, Courtney, you just had breakfast with a BOOK STAR!) And it was true.
So fast forward and Courtney finished FN, acquired her dream agent, went on submission and then got the call on her 33rd birthday that her book had sold, all in less than a year. When it was time for Courtney's Faking Normal cover reveal this year, Myra did this blog interview with Courtney. And it is an awesome thing. AWESOME.
So I remember all that and am thankful for good friends and special people. And blessed that the writing community is so strong and so encouraging and so special. Thanks, Myra!
Faking Normal and a Chat with Courtney Stevens
Today I
have a guest who’s also a dear friend. I love her for lots of reasons, and I
think you will, too. Welcome Courtney Stevens, author of the upcoming FAKING
NORMAL. This is such a special book, y’all. Trust me.
M:
OKAY. Questions. I’d just like the give the reader a taste of your personality
– the way I see you. How did we meet?
C: We
met via Twitter (first) on the weekend I wrote the first fifty pages of Faking
Normal. One of my friends saw you on a panel and said you used to be a
youth/children’s minister. I DM’d you after that because I was also a writer
and a youth minister. Later on, one of our mutual buddies threw a breakfast
par-tay and we bonded. BEGINNING. Woot!
M: What
about that time we ate Mexican food and you told me about the heart book that
was so special to you?
C: Post
breakfast par-tay, we met at Chuy’s to share creamy jalapeno and
stories. (Both being awesome and addictive.) I know we connected over books,
but I remember thinking … Myra is one of my people. That has proved to be true
in so many ways. That day we talked a little bit about 23 (the former title
of Faking Normal) and how it was “the book I had to write.” The
encouragement, laughter, thoughtfulness, listening ear, and suggestion that I
meet one of your friends (CJ Redwine), was a gift and half. I am so very
thankful for that day.
M: How
long did it take you to draft FAKING NORMAL?
C: I
had the idea for Faking Normal on August the 8th. I put the final draft in
the mail to an agent on October 18th. (Yes, of the same year.)
M: Did
it come out in one burst or was it a slow process?
C: It
actually came out in three bursts. I wrote the last 170 pages longhand at the
beach in 13 days. (In a lovely red chair that I sometimes set up in the living
room if I’m having a writing crisis.) Some books come out like old syrup; some
come out like Niagara Falls. Faking Normal was my Niagara Falls.
M: You
always send encouraging texts just when I need them. Why do you think you’re so
sensitive to other people’s needs?
C:
First, I’m glad those texts are there when you need them. Second, I don’t know.
Maybe it’s that people are sensitive to my needs, and the only response is to
give back or pay it forward. As much as I believe in the power of the written word,
I believe in the power of the spoken (& texted) word. For me, words act as
anchors. And when I’m drifting around or worried or upset or
need encouragement, I go back to powerful, encouraging things people have
said to me. It would be amazing to think I could give people those anchors.
M: How
do you want to extend that sensitivity to your readers?
C: More
than anything, I hope readers find an authentic and loving me behind the book
of Faking Normal. I don’t know how that love will take shape–probably in many
different ways–but I hope it’s visible no matter where I am or what I’m doing.
This is a very lofty (and probably unobtainable) goal, but I don’t just want to
write books, I want to be someone who impacts readers with love and truth.
M: What
do you want your readership to look like? I mean, all writers want everyone to
love our books, but who’s that one reader you want to reach?
C:
Honestly, I was that one reader. I wrote Faking Normal for me. Maybe that’s
selfish, but I needed it. So everything that’s happened beyond that one girl
channeling brave to write those words down is a bonus. An awesome bonus.
Specifically, and I dedicated the book to them, there are girls and guys out
there who believe the pain they have been through makes them unlovable.
I’d like to drop an anvil and a battle axe on that lie.
M: One
of my favorite things about you is that acceptance and love rolls off you in
waves – it’s such a part of who you are. Does any of your previous job of youth
minister carry over into your current job as author?
C: I
hope so! My previous job was to love students. I still see that as my job. Not
a job, a privilege! I do it a little differently now, but the goal is
still the same: serve God, love people. And I guess what I mean by that is I’d
like to think that the people who meet or read me find a thoughtful,
truth-seeking, grace-giving human being who lives everyday with love on the
agenda and thankfulness in the heart that any of these opportunities ever
happened to her .
A grace-giving human with
love on the agenda. SEE WHY I LOVE HER?
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Bandana Native to release first novel.
Right click on 'link' below to take you to first newspaper article written about Courtney's book. It came about when a high school friend, Rebekah Dowdy Tatum, who works in marketing/sales for West Ky News (Advance Yeoman), saw the Facebook post about the reveal of Court's debut novel. She was excited for her friend and contacted her to get permission to give the information to her newspapers. This article is the result. So thankful for friends who follow through!
Bandana Native to release first novel.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
/benCH mark/
/benCH mark/
Noun
A standard of excellence, achievement, etc, against which similar things must be measured or judged.
6-23-13
Today is the Day Before a Benchmark for Courtney and her writing career. It is the day that way back in 2007 she only hoped would become a reality.
Tomorrow is the first, the one by which all others to come will be measured and experienced and compared. Because tomorrow her debut novel, Faking Normal, becomes Real to the writing world; not just for Courtney and her family and her friends and her editors at Harper Collins.
Ta Da - drumroll, please ~
June 24, 2013 is the cover reveal for Faking Normal. There will be a celebration among friends, there will be blogs and giveaways and surely, many congratulatory tweets.
It was barely one year ago that Harper Collins bought Courtney's books, giving her the means to become a full time writer, as she wanted and dreamed. Eight months from now, on February 25, 2014, her book will be in the hands of people who have supported and encouraged her in the writing community ... and on bookstore shelves and in libraries and blogs.
I always believed it would happen ~ on that nebulous someday. And now, as Twitterdom would say, ALL THE FEELS!
I pray there will be many more cover reveals in the future, but this one is the first and special; there can never be another first. As a wise editor in NYC once asked her about a different manuscript, "Is this the book you want to become your debut? Go home and write the book you are meant to write."
The answer and the action to that question resulted in Faking Normal!
And tomorrow, you all get to SEE.
I'm so excited (oh, yeah), so pleased and happy for Courtney, and I can't wait until tomorrow! Congratulations, my sweet baby girl! I love you.
Noun
A standard of excellence, achievement, etc, against which similar things must be measured or judged.
6-23-13
Today is the Day Before a Benchmark for Courtney and her writing career. It is the day that way back in 2007 she only hoped would become a reality.
Tomorrow is the first, the one by which all others to come will be measured and experienced and compared. Because tomorrow her debut novel, Faking Normal, becomes Real to the writing world; not just for Courtney and her family and her friends and her editors at Harper Collins.
Ta Da - drumroll, please ~
June 24, 2013 is the cover reveal for Faking Normal. There will be a celebration among friends, there will be blogs and giveaways and surely, many congratulatory tweets.
It was barely one year ago that Harper Collins bought Courtney's books, giving her the means to become a full time writer, as she wanted and dreamed. Eight months from now, on February 25, 2014, her book will be in the hands of people who have supported and encouraged her in the writing community ... and on bookstore shelves and in libraries and blogs.
I always believed it would happen ~ on that nebulous someday. And now, as Twitterdom would say, ALL THE FEELS!
I pray there will be many more cover reveals in the future, but this one is the first and special; there can never be another first. As a wise editor in NYC once asked her about a different manuscript, "Is this the book you want to become your debut? Go home and write the book you are meant to write."
The answer and the action to that question resulted in Faking Normal!
And tomorrow, you all get to SEE.
I'm so excited (oh, yeah), so pleased and happy for Courtney, and I can't wait until tomorrow! Congratulations, my sweet baby girl! I love you.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Cheap Thrills
I read an article recently where
the author advised folks to take advantage of the simple and beautiful things
that are all around but perhaps ignored. It was about appreciation,
satisfaction, and the act of finding joy without the trappings of hype or great
expense. I liked many of the things on the author’s list, and it made me think
of starting my own list of things I think
about, but don’t do enough. This may be an on-going post that I’ll add to as
things occur to me.The other author labeled her list as “cheap thrills.” And for the most part, they are. At least they start that way … some of us may be tempted to tweak a “thrill” a little and actually buy something. But that’s up to the individual!
- Ride a bike or take a walk on a beautiful spring day (or summer or
fall).
I live in the country. Riding my
bike, I pass a few homes, and then there’s only a straight stretch of country
road lined with budding trees and wild flowers growing along the ditches and
fields, a few antique barns, and various silos. And a bridge. Sometimes, I stop
on the bridge to see what I can see. There’s a creek that actually acts as a
drainage ditch for the farmer, but it’s still a creek with rounded stones and
little ripples and living things. Frogs chirp, birds sing, minnows swim, and once,
I saw a water snake. I have no idea what kind it was – I don’t like snakes –
but it lay in the shallow water basking in the sun. And probably watching for
something to bite (and this is why I wouldn’t swim in a creek). Once along the
way, after a heavy rain that filled the ditches with run-off water, I passed a
snapping turtle that had ventured onto the road. It’s shell was about the size
of a small garbage can, and it was my first “up close and personal” view of
this type of turtle. I’ve always thought of turtles as fairly cute and
harmless. Snapping turtles are not cute. Or harmless. They LUNGE at you!
- Make a list of the thrift stores or consignment stores in the area,
prime the GPS, and check them out.
It’s true that this might not turn
out to be exactly cheap (but at least, it starts off that way). I like the idea
of recycling, of repurposing, of not wasting what we have. When we no longer
need something, perhaps someone else will, and that’s a good thing. And it
makes for a leisurely day. Go with a like-minded friend, have coffee somewhere,
and that makes it even better. (Notice I said “like-minded” friend – the hubs
is not like-minded, in my case).
- Along the same theme, peruse the classifieds one Saturday in the
spring or summer, and head out to yard sales in an unfamiliar neighborhood
or town.
Again, love the GPS! Yard sales
are a hoot, and there are two varieties.
I avoid the ones that are practically all clothes – mostly that no one
wants. (The exception is a yard sale that advertises clothes for children or
babies. There are gems hidden among the racks and tables, because often these
clothes are still in good condition and style. Children outgrow things so
quickly, so there are bargains.) The other type of yard sale is more
interesting to me. There will be odd pieces of furniture, vases, decorative
items, picture frames and old stuff from someone’s attic or basement and exercise
equipment. People buy exercise equipment with good intentions, but there is
nothing worse than a room made crowded because of unused equipment. It sits
there, taking up space, while it practically glares at you, accusing you of sloth and fatness! (Get
rid of it, they think, and recoup a little of the wasted money spent on it!). I
am a sometimes crafter. Crafters can find inexpensive jewels to repurpose at
yard sales. If nothing else, the imagination takes a wild ride and nourishes
itself with possibilities.
- Check out a flea market, antique store or antique consignment
store.
This is one of my favorite things
to do; unfortunately, it’s one of my husband’s least favorite things to do. He
takes a book and finds a seat (and he’s *mostly* very nice about it). I love
grubbing along at these places. You never know what you’ll find, and many
things are interesting because you have no idea what they are. I like talking
to the vendors and hearing them explain some gadget’s former use. I have a
country home, so I collect things. I usually have a list of current things to
watch for. Many years ago, I collected crocks of all sizes, and now they
decorate my home. I also searched for children’s vintage building blocks with
the intention of lining them up on a shelf to spell our names. I have my
husband’s, the children’s, and mine on display. Since then I’ve acquired a
son-in-law, a daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. Oh, darn (factiously
written), I’ll have to start searching again. I have a collection of tiny glass
or crockery cream jars – the kind that restaurants gave you when you ordered a
cup of coffee long before the days of powdered or packaged creamer. I love old
things, the way they look, and the way they make me feel. I like looking
through the small, locked glass cases – they hold the little things, jewelry,
cards, medals, spoons, tiny little toys and dolls, all fascinating things from
bygone days. My home is full of antiques and primitive pieces of nostalgia.
Some are family pieces, stored away in the barn and rescued to live again; a
spinning wheel, a churn, quilts, front porch posts from the home place made
into candle and plant stands. There is a blanket chest, an old school desk and
a child’s rocker, a doll bed, a ladder made by my grandfather, baskets woven by
my grandmother, doll clothes and dolls sewn by another grandmother. And so much
more, all mingling with sweet memories and precious thoughts of family. I’ve
bought things at antique stores ranging from a dollar to eight hundred dollars!
It doesn’t matter – if it calls out to you, a “cheap thrill” may suddenly turn
into an expensive (but satisfying) day!
- Go downtown to window shop.
Downtowns are not malls and each
downtown has its own variety of fun. My downtown has many unique stores, museums,
coffee shops, art studios and antique places. There are comic books, chocolate,
vintage clothing, and books. Enjoy the period architecture. Enjoy the stroll.
Support these small but interesting establishments.
- Attend a high school baseball or softball game.
Pick a warm, sunny day and take
your own lawn chair. You may not know the kids on the field, but you can enjoy
the competition, the pride on the face of parents, and a child’s triumph after
a good play. Also the sunshine. It might take you back to the days when you
watched your own children play, and that’s a neat thing.
You know the type – there’s a
parade and lots of outdoor booths filled with totally unnecessary (but fun)
things and a lot of unhealthy food. There are crowds of people and the
atmosphere spells ENJOY. There’s probably nothing otherwise redeeming in this
kind of day - not in terms of the very valuable - but people watching is free
and easy. And Fun, especially when you spend it with someone you love.
- Go Sky-diving.
Okay. NOT! (This is a “tip my hat”
at the fact that this is April Fools Day.) Because never in my wildest dreams
have I EVAH thought about jumping out of an airplane … with anything less than
horror, that is. Not happening.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
There's Nothing a Good Book Won't Fix
There's Nothing a Good Book Won't Fix
I woke up this morning with a book on my mind. There’s a
good reason for that. I went to sleep last night with a book on my mind, and it
lived in my dreams.
I LOVE books. I love reading. I adore being transported to
other worlds, living the life of a main character for a little bit of time,
thrilling in the magnificent imagery stuck in my brain by a creative wordsmith;
and equally, I love knowing it isn’t real. I can leave it at any chosen moment
if it makes me cry, if it creeps me out, if it makes me feel deeper than I have
the capacity, at that moment, to bear. I
love these things about books.
Victoria Schwab wrote in her book The Archived, “There’s nothing that a hot shower won’t fix.” I’d
add to that thought ~ There’s also nothing a good book can’t fix. (Hold that
thought – that’s another topic).
And so, I need to read every day, in almost the way I need to
breathe. Reading is an addiction, and a good book is the cure. I made the
remark, once, that my “dream job” in a “dream world” would be working in a
library. (Hey, surrounded by books, but with no need to make change or have
impatient customers standing over me as I learn to use a computerized cash
register – easy peasy). But I have often wondered how librarians truly feel
about their work – are they frustrated by the hours they spend handling books
without being able to open one and read
it? Or does the anticipation thrill them? Does even the smell of books, their dusty,
musty scent, make a librarian’s brain swell and burst open with buds of happiness?
Sort of a “librarian, start your engines” kind of thing.
Which brings on another thought: I frequently see that
continuing argument in Twitter-land and elsewhere about e-readers vs. paper and ink books (notice I didn't say "real" books).
The groups weighing in on the “I’d rather hold a real book in my hands” side
cite the smell and feel of books as a reason to support their argument. The
group, generally, who have e-readers don’t spend much time arguing about the
upside or the downside; they just read.
I represent both sides and feel they are but one side. I have a dusty, musty
library in my home, and it is filled with books I have read, some of them over
and over. There are famous people who vow that any book worth reading the first
time is worth at least a second read. I agree, and I love my home library. I am
a keeper of books, never able to give
away or get rid of the ones that touched my heart the first time I read them.
Having said all that, I love my e-readers. I have a Kindle, a Nook and a Nook
Tablet, each serving a different purpose in my reading life. An e-reader is
like carrying a library in your purse, and its shelves are crammed with books
for any mood or fantasy or place (and no need to worry about running out of shelf space). The convenience is amazing, as is the ease of
turning pages when you need a second hand to do something else (feed a baby,
hold a coffee mug, eat a cupcake, the possibilities are endless). I say that
reading is reading … reading is about words forming pictures in your head, the transportation
to another planet, the escape to peace or the bold daring of adventure … not the
manner of serving them up.
We are a family of readers and writers. My dad came home
from WW2 with the desire to write a book about his Pacific Theatre war
experiences. Though he never wrote the book, the local historical society
published his lengthy memoir in one of their collections. My mother tells of
making up stories and illustrating them with a friend when she was young. She
wrote her biography for her children, grandchildren and greats in 2007 when she
was 85. My sister journals and will one day write the story of her first husband’s
courage in the face of cancer. I wrote and illustrated stories my whole life
and enjoyed the one class I took in writing, which resulted in short stories. My
son grew up reading comics and graphic novels and illustrating story ideas; he’d
love to co-author/illustrate a graphic novel one day. My cousin Matt is a
published author of essays and non-fiction. When Courtney began writing for
teens, I entered the world of writing and publishing with her and find it a delight
every step of the way. It is the ultimate joy for this reader who would really write if only she could. The author community
is a close-knit one; it is filled with people united in their love of words, who
are always encouraging each other, who nudge other writers to raise their own personal bar, to move from one
level of achievement to the next and who genuinely appreciate each other. I get
to live my dream, vicariously, through my daughter’s ready imagination and
creativity! I am very blessed and thankful.
A new pleasure ~ reading an author’s acknowledgement page
and knowing some of the writers mentioned!
And now, let me get back to that book, the one I woke
up with this morning!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Ten Things I Say Daily
TEN THINGS I SAY Daily
- Where did I put my phone?
(uh, it fades into the furniture, right?)
- Have you seen my book
(Nook, Kindle etc)? (Upstairs? Down?)
- Are these dishes clean? (darn
it- unload the dishwasher!)
- Text me when you get
there! (to anyone in the family!)
- Good Boy! (to the doggie, not the hubs)
- Where do you want to eat?
Uh uh, it’s YOUR turn to pick.
(approaching the *Big City*)
- I forgot (meant, wanted
etc) to tell you that … (fill in the blank).
- Did you pick up the keys?
(usually, after we reach the
locked car)
- Is the coffee made? (before
going to sleep, because it is a Requisite for Morning)
- I made a list for … (I
live by lists)
If there is an eleventh thing, it probably involves coffee!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2013 is HERE!
Our family had a wonderful 2012 Christmas! Ron and I gathered with his mom and our son and his family on the Saturday before Christmas. We enjoyed a meal at Cracker Barrel (because cooking a BIG meal is not high on our list of priorities!) and then went to my son's home in another city. It was so much fun seeing the grands open their presents and visiting with the family there. A six year old and a thirteen year old add joy and pleasure to the Christmas excitement!
We had an uplifting church service Sunday morning, worshipping with friends and gathering at the altar to pray for the physical needs of several members of our church family. We should never be surprised when our prayers are answered! It was particularly joyful to have our daughter and her husband in church with us on this Sunday-before-Christmas morning. It has been many years since Sunday was not a "work" day for them, as they served churches themselves.
After church my husband and I finished last minute packing for the trip to Tennessee that afternoon. We were driving to my family home where my mother would again host us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. At 90, she would find it very taxing to decorate and prepare all the food, so everyone had planned the menu and contributed to the effort. It was a famous tradition to hear my husband utter his annual complaint when packing the car. "I don't think I'm going to get it all in!"
But of course, he did!
I woke up on Christmas Eve to a fun gathering around the kitchen table - the quiet before the storm - when my sister, her husband and my daughter and husband arrived. We spent the day preparing food for that night and for Christmas Day when more family would arrive to share it with us. I cherished this time together - a time of easy-going preparation and teasing and fun.
"I know what YOU'RE getting for Christmas!"
It has been ten years since my dad traditionally called to tease us with this phrase, but we've all taken up the slack and that phrase is bandied about among our different families with a great deal of sly looks and glee and laughter!
There was some good-natured (I hope) grumbling about what time we'd get up on Christmas morning. Long gone are the days when little kids came excitedly into our bedroom WAY too early to shake us awake and get Christmas morning started!
There are stockings (of course, Santa still comes!) to check out first as we gather around the fireplace in our pjs - drinking coffee and eating our traditional sausage pinwheels, breakfast casserole and fresh fruit - and then a rush to get showers and get Christmas dinner on the table before more family arrives. We made it easy on ourselves in planning our menu, but it is still a busy task to prepare dinner for that many.
It was a beautiful day, a fun family time, a day of thanks and appreciation for our many blessings and the birth of our saviour.
The "party" broke up by early afternoon due to the drastic forecast. After weeks of foretelling a dry and non-white Christmas Day, newscasters suddenly threw words like "blizzard" and "deep snow" into their newscast. Ron left to get back home to KY because he couldn't afford to get stranded in TN. Courtney and Adam left to visit his parents in another area of KY, where hopefully the heavy snow would skip. The cousins also left. By evening left-overs, only my sister and her husband, who were spending the night, remained with Mom and me. I had previously made plans to spend the rest of the week in TN to de-decorate the house! I looked forward to a quieter time spent with my mother.
The snow came ... to my home in Kentucky! Lot's of deep, blowing snow. It started by early evening, fortunately after Ron arrived safely home. Because it was dark, no one actually got to "see" the blizzard - a first for our area. But the snow was heavy on the ground and every roof, limb and road the next morning ... and beautiful! (very thankful for snowplows and their brave drivers!) I only got to see the pictures!
In Tennessee we had a few flurries!
By the time I returned homethe following weekend, there was still thick snow on the ground, but the roads were clear. All the beauty and none of the hassle, to my way of thinking!
As I close out 2012, I can recall many wondeful moments, some not so good and some in between. But that's the way life is, isn't it. The good mixed in with the bad, the not-so-good and the not-so-bad, as the joy and tragedy of just breathing blends together in a patchwork of living. I want to be a "see-through-er" - someone who is capable of seeing through whatever the difficult circumstances may be to the joy and/or healing that is beyond the immediate. I want to live my life in a such a way that it shows my faith, that my choices become a testimony to someone else.
To choose the positive over the negative and to allow my voice be one that is pleasing to Him. Each day, I want to choose LIFE, not just living.
This is my hope and prayer for 2013.
We had an uplifting church service Sunday morning, worshipping with friends and gathering at the altar to pray for the physical needs of several members of our church family. We should never be surprised when our prayers are answered! It was particularly joyful to have our daughter and her husband in church with us on this Sunday-before-Christmas morning. It has been many years since Sunday was not a "work" day for them, as they served churches themselves.
After church my husband and I finished last minute packing for the trip to Tennessee that afternoon. We were driving to my family home where my mother would again host us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. At 90, she would find it very taxing to decorate and prepare all the food, so everyone had planned the menu and contributed to the effort. It was a famous tradition to hear my husband utter his annual complaint when packing the car. "I don't think I'm going to get it all in!"
But of course, he did!
I woke up on Christmas Eve to a fun gathering around the kitchen table - the quiet before the storm - when my sister, her husband and my daughter and husband arrived. We spent the day preparing food for that night and for Christmas Day when more family would arrive to share it with us. I cherished this time together - a time of easy-going preparation and teasing and fun.
"I know what YOU'RE getting for Christmas!"
It has been ten years since my dad traditionally called to tease us with this phrase, but we've all taken up the slack and that phrase is bandied about among our different families with a great deal of sly looks and glee and laughter!
There was some good-natured (I hope) grumbling about what time we'd get up on Christmas morning. Long gone are the days when little kids came excitedly into our bedroom WAY too early to shake us awake and get Christmas morning started!
There are stockings (of course, Santa still comes!) to check out first as we gather around the fireplace in our pjs - drinking coffee and eating our traditional sausage pinwheels, breakfast casserole and fresh fruit - and then a rush to get showers and get Christmas dinner on the table before more family arrives. We made it easy on ourselves in planning our menu, but it is still a busy task to prepare dinner for that many.
It was a beautiful day, a fun family time, a day of thanks and appreciation for our many blessings and the birth of our saviour.
The "party" broke up by early afternoon due to the drastic forecast. After weeks of foretelling a dry and non-white Christmas Day, newscasters suddenly threw words like "blizzard" and "deep snow" into their newscast. Ron left to get back home to KY because he couldn't afford to get stranded in TN. Courtney and Adam left to visit his parents in another area of KY, where hopefully the heavy snow would skip. The cousins also left. By evening left-overs, only my sister and her husband, who were spending the night, remained with Mom and me. I had previously made plans to spend the rest of the week in TN to de-decorate the house! I looked forward to a quieter time spent with my mother.
The snow came ... to my home in Kentucky! Lot's of deep, blowing snow. It started by early evening, fortunately after Ron arrived safely home. Because it was dark, no one actually got to "see" the blizzard - a first for our area. But the snow was heavy on the ground and every roof, limb and road the next morning ... and beautiful! (very thankful for snowplows and their brave drivers!) I only got to see the pictures!
In Tennessee we had a few flurries!
By the time I returned homethe following weekend, there was still thick snow on the ground, but the roads were clear. All the beauty and none of the hassle, to my way of thinking!
As I close out 2012, I can recall many wondeful moments, some not so good and some in between. But that's the way life is, isn't it. The good mixed in with the bad, the not-so-good and the not-so-bad, as the joy and tragedy of just breathing blends together in a patchwork of living. I want to be a "see-through-er" - someone who is capable of seeing through whatever the difficult circumstances may be to the joy and/or healing that is beyond the immediate. I want to live my life in a such a way that it shows my faith, that my choices become a testimony to someone else.
To choose the positive over the negative and to allow my voice be one that is pleasing to Him. Each day, I want to choose LIFE, not just living.
This is my hope and prayer for 2013.
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