Blog
The NE SCBWI Annual Conference-2011
I am still reeling from this past weekend: a glorious three days spent with writers, illustrators, and professionals in the field of children’s literature. The NE SCBWI conference was a thorough success, and not just in my opinion. Something was different this year. Maybe because we were enlightened by the presence of the SCBWI founders Lin Oliver and […]
Good News and A Promise to My Father
The past few weeks have been crazy for me. I spent another week in NC, tending to my parents; I returned home to find over forty manuscripts waiting in my pile of mail to be sorted and distributed to the proper agent or editor; and I had a slew of NJ SCBWI raffle donation emails […]
A Bath For Big Bear
For years, Norman the gorilla sat in front of the toy store. He posed with customers, listened to children tell stories, and he even let crying babies sit in his lap. But then Norman began to wonder. Was there more to the world besides sitting on a bench, day after day after day? So he […]
Ducks, Dragons, and a Super Hero or Two
This month, the ducks of Olde Mistick Village have come out in full force. Unannounced as usual, the annual visitors have returned to the large pond with the intention of staying until Labor Day. Our permanent resident ducks now count for one-fifth of the current duck population. The mating has begun. Ducks waddle up and down the sidewalk, usually in […]
Inspired to Revise: My Thoughts on Peeling Away The Layers
Whispering Pines behind me, I prepare to journey to the land of revision. My coffee cup refilled, I escape to my writing room with the dog and a cat, or two. (If I don’t extend an invitation to the pets in the beginning, I will have to endure the sound of paws traipsing up and […]
NE SCBWI Whispering Pines Retreat-2011
Memories of attending the NESCBWI retreat in previous years stir as I turn left into the entrance for Whispering Pines, one hour from where I live. I pass houses, a farm, a cabin sheltering a pile of wood, ponds, and of course, rows and rows of pine trees. I slow my car down to fully enjoy my return to […]
Images of Whispering Pines
I start the day by applying what I’ve learned–or had reinforced–at Whispering Pines: an extraordinary writing retreat held annually in Rhode Island, and sponsored by the NE SCBWI. (I promise to blog about the conference specifics by the end of the week, and to thank everyone who deserves undying appreciation. There is much to tell and share!) For most […]
Skittles, Jello, and a Lack of Fries
My return from North Carolina coincides with the beginning of spring in New England. After missing my first flight, I wind up taking a later one. Much later. My arrival home is well after midnight, when I am too weary for words. In the dark, I drag my suitcase across the driveway, up five steps, […]
Rejections that Truly Matter
Having witnessed and experienced a variety of rejections since the beginning of 2011, I am reminded how important it is to distinguish between the rejections that matter and those which bear little significance in comparison. These past few months, I have spent hours at a hospital in North Carolina, caring for my parents, while witnessing […]
What if Mrs. Claus Took Over for Santa?
While I enjoy giving writing prompts to inspire other writers, I like being challenged myself. Last week, Kathy Temean had posted this writing challenge: On Christmas Eve day while baking five pies, cookies, meatballs and lasagna, I wondered what would happen if Santa got sick and Mrs. Claus had to take over? Would the reindeer’s behave? Would she find her way to everyone’s […]