One of Those Mornings!

Did you ever have one of those mornings? Not a bad morning per say, just a different kind of a morning. This morning was one of those mornings for me. It started when I woke at 5:45 to large, rumbling, house shaking rounds of rain, thunder, and lightning. I wasn't worried about the storms so much, but as a precaution, I did unplug my computer. I was planning on setting a book table up at my town's local farm market, so I waited to see if the storms were going to pass quickly or not. When it seemed like most of the storms had passed, I once again plugged in my computer and scanned the radar. It looked as if the next few hours would be clear so I readied myself.

Breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, properly attired, and hair looking reasonably nice enough to face strangers, I headed downtown. The weather seemed to have scared away most of the normal vendors, so I picked out a nice spot under a shady tree and began to set up. I knew once the sun came out it would most likely get very hot and humid, so I figured in the shade would be the best place to be. There was a gentle cool breeze which was a welcome relief from the recent heat we've been experiencing; but every time it blew, the tree drip, drip, dripped. It dripped on my head, it dripped in my eye when I looked up to see what was happening, it dripped on my bookmarks, books, and various other ancillary items. Fortunately I had a small rag with me which I used to quickly wipe away stray drops.

Our Farmers Market is every Saturday from nine to noon and so I sat waiting for a customer. I sat and chatted with my neighboring vendors, I sat and listened as one vendor's daughter told me she was bored and then proceeded to tell me all about herself, I sat and watched people pass by my table trying to glance at what I was offering without making eye contact. Did these early morning shoppers think I would entrap them with a mesmerizing sales spiel that they would not be able to say no too?

Finally at about eleven thirty, an interested customer approached my table to purchase a book, only to ask me if I could break a fifty dollar bill. Really, I thought to myself. Did she think vegetables, baked goods, hair bows, pot holders, and Guatemalan bracelets were that expensive? Who comes to a farmer's market with fifty dollar bills? Thankfully though, I was able to give her correct change.

Having waited on my only customer of the day, I had only about twenty minutes left when a gentleman on a bike rode up and asked what I had. I explained that I was selling my children's book which came out in March. This led him to tell me all about a religious manuscript he had written that had never been read by anyone and said things that no one had said or heard before. I don't know about you, but that sort of set my "Cult" radar into overdrive; but I politely listened and nodded. He then started asking me about copyrights and how one would go about getting a copyright before sending a manuscript to a publisher. I explained that technically one does not have to worry about copyrighting, the mere act of writing makes a work copyrighted. I go on to say that once a manuscript has been accepted, the publisher should take care of any copy right issues.

Apparently I was not being clear enough on this point or the gentleman wasn't understanding what I was saying because he kept asking me the same thing. I finally told him that if he is that worried about the matter he should mail himself a copy of his manuscript and when it arrives postmarked and dated, he should put it aside unopened. In the event that he should have a legal issue concerning his work, he would then have proof that it was his. Again he questions how one would get their work copyrighted before sending it to a publisher. I'm not sure what to tell him at that point. At that point, I'm not even sure the man is playing with a full deck of cards. Is he paranoid that publishers are sneaky, evil beings just waiting to steal religious works of others? I had no idea, but finally he left; and I began packing up to head home to my nice, quiet, air-conditioned home.

As I said previously, not a bad morning, just an unusual morning. The kind of morning that makes you wonder what is in store for the rest of the day. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Great Characters Reflect Real Life Qualities

Great characters whether they are in a book, play, movie, or television program have one thing in common... real life qualities that people can admire. Qualities we wish we had, qualities we have and can relate to, qualities we wish more people around us had.

Take for instance the character Ralph (played by William Katt) in the 80's television series Greatest American Hero. At first glance Ralph seems a little comical in his long red underwear and cape, wobbling precariously as he attempts to fly. But upon closer reflection Ralph has some pretty amazing qualities.

To begin with, Ralph, who is a teacher by day and hero intermittently while wearing the red alien suite, truly cares about the students in his charge. He not only wants them to learn to read and write, he wants them to learn to respect each other, to dream, to look to the future. He also possesses the quality of being able to enjoy the little things in life like meeting his boyhood hero The Lone Ranger or dressing up like a clown complete with the little red nose. And despite the disruption both the suite and his partner Maxwell bring to his life, Ralph is always a loyal friend.


He has a propensity towards concern and compassion for others and goes out of his way to encourage his students, fellow teachers, and friends. All of these qualities...kindness, compassion, concern for others, joy of living, loyalty, etc... are qualities I hope people see in me. They are also qualities of which I would like to instill in my young daughter. I want her to grow to adulthood able to find the beauty and joy in everyday life. I want her to strive to make this world a better place simply by her ability to be kind, patient, loyal and so forth.

These are also the qualities that I strive to create in my Fern Valley characters. Although my characters are most definitely fictional, I hope that children love them and go away wishing to emulate them. I'm sure they will not say, "Hey I think I will imitate Betsy's work ethic or Kimmy's kindness." But if subconsciously they integrate these qualities into their life, then my characters will not only be entertaining, but valuable as well. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

God Bless My Mother-in- law

For as long as I can remember my daughter, who is now six, has wanted a puppy; and at the beginning of the year year my husband decided she could have one this summer. I personally was not so crazy about the idea. It's not that I don't like dogs, after all who can resist a cute puppy face; but having had two cats for twenty years until recently has caused me to enjoy being pet free. There's also the fact that I absolutely do not want to clean up dog poo every day!

But being the ever loving wife and mother, I agreed to the puppy concept. I was not looking forward to it, but who wants to have a mopey husband and daughter. So plans were made, choices of dog breed decided upon and re-decided upon, money saved, and papers watched diligently. No dog yet.

And then it happened, no we did not find the perfect puppy; my Mother-in-law did. If I hadn't already loved this woman to pieces, I certainly would now. In her infinite wisdom gleaned from almost 75 years, she came up with a solution that works for all of us. My daughter could share her Boston Terrier pup.

My husband had not thought about all the responsibility or the things that would have to be forgone when owning a puppy. All he could think of when agreeing to let my daughter have a pet was the joy she would feel when receiving wet puppy kisses. No thoughts of how gross picking up poo would be to a six year old, no thoughts of how she would have to let the pup out every twenty minutes until it was house broken, no thoughts of how it would be up every couple of hours whimpering to get out of its sleeping cage, no thoughts of how play dates or overnights would be affected because mom was not going to take care of a puppy. No thoughts of how summer travel would be a no go with a new puppy. I think you are probably beginning to see my point.

But my Mother-in-law, God Bless her, saw all of this during the last practically sleepless week she has had taking care of her new baby lovingly called Sassy. It was her idea, a stroke of genius, that our daughter should take Sassy home for the night so she could experience first hand the responsibilities and joys of puppy ownership. Thus, finding out just how much work would be involved. "If you should decide you don't want a puppy of your own after all," My Mother-in-law told my daughter. "You can share mine with me, and when she is fully potty trained and a little older, you can borrow her for over nights."

So, last night was our trial run. My husband and daughter went to fetch young Sassy and all of her gear: pet bed, pet cage, pet bowls, pet food, pet toys, etc... And the fun began. There were potty breaks every twenty minutes, there was an adjustment period where my daughter had to get used to the nipping and chewing, there were the romps in the yard, and then the dog left its first present. That was all it took, one small pile of extra squishy doggy poop. I gave her a plastic bag and her dad took her out to clean up the yard. The feel of that waste in the bag as she picked it up was enough to cause her to come to a decision all on her own. "Daddy she said. "I have come to the decision that I want to share Mamaw's puppy with her instead of getting my own."

Who knew a six year old could be so wise? Apparently, she inherited some of my Mother-in-laws good common sense! Bless you Mother Stewart. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Timelessness of book Characters

Recently I started thinking about how things in this life change all too quickly. Take for example my parents. When I was younger I never imagined that my parents would grow older, grayer, slower. To me, they were just mom and dad, strong, hard working, able to do anything. But time has marched on and with each passing year they have become older, grayer, and slower. Some health issues have even made it impossible for them to take the yearly family vacation that we have all taken for several years, a fact that the grandchildren have a hard time understanding.

The same thing is happening with my one and only daughter. She is growing so quickly and is not my baby any more. The recent last day of Kindergarten especially drove this home. If I had my way, she would stay six for about ten years or so. One day I'm changing diapers and the next she is going on play dates and taking showers all by herself. Not that I want to go back to diapers mind you, but I so treasure the way she still wants to hold my hand when we go somewhere or how she wants to snuggle before bed. Although I know that as she grows and matures I will find each new stage as delightful as the last, it is with true regret that I watch each old stage disappear.

Which brings me to the point of this blog, the timelessness of characters in books. The characters we grow to know and love in literature remain the same throughout time, very rarely changing from what ever stage of life they were written in. To me Heidi, Christopher Robin, Ramona, Nancy Drew, and all of the other characters that are beloved to me will remain just the way I remember them. They will never grow old, they will never leave me behind, they will always be the same in an ever changing world. I guess that is why I find such pleasure in reading and writing, books keep us grounded in a world where very little is in our control. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day.

Fan Mail

Every author at some point in his/her career has either thought about or dreamed of receiving fan mail; that little note of encouragement or appreciation. As a children's author, I find myself looking forward to letters from children who have enjoyed Fern Valley. Although Fern Valley is my first book and was only released in March of this year, I have received two such letters already. The joy that I felt upon receiving those two letters was almost akin to the joy I felt upon giving birth to my beautiful daughter.

To read what the children thought of my characters and the stories was so exciting. To read that one little girl couldn't wait for my next book and that she thought it would be just "wonderful" almost brought me to tears. It is these small rewards that make writing so gratifying. The fact that I have the ability to touch someone's life through words on paper is a gift of overwhelming value.

Sometimes fan mail can turn out to be a cherished keepsake as well. Take for instance the mailing tube recently left for me at my local Barnes and Noble store that contained a very large sketch of my daughter sitting on my lap while reading my book. The attached letter from a retired grocery worker and amateur artist stated that he often used photos found in local newspapers for sketching material and that he had absolutely loved the photo of my daughter and I that had accompanied the article about my book. He went on to state that his father had at one time written several books but had never had the privilege of being published and that he hoped I would go on to sell a million copies of my book.

Not only did this man share with me words of encouragement and best wishes, he shared with me a part of himself. We made a connection in a world where people pass each other on a daily basis without so much as a simple hello. He took the time to let me know that that he shared in my joy and accomplishment. I plan on framing the sketch so lovingly drawn for me and my family and finding a place of honor for it.

So to all my fellow authors, I encourage you to enjoy your fan mail to the fullest truly recognizing what it stands for; and to all my fellow readers, I say thank you for for the privilege of being a part of your lives. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Silas Marner Book Vs Movie

In my high school literature class many years ago (and I'm not telling how many years ago) I read a book called Silas Marner written by George Elliot. Now it just so happens that George Elliot was a pen name for a woman named Mary Ann Evans. Why do you ask did Ms. Mary write under a male pen name? The answer is simple. Silas Marner was published in 1861 during a time that women were considered basically unable to think for themselves.

Silas Marner was a tale of a man betrayed, and who because of that betrayal became a hermit. Through a chain of events in which he had no control over, Silas Marner was robbed of his gold and instead of wealth, found himself with a toddler on his hands. Although crotchety and anti-social towards adults, Silas Marner had a lonely place in his heart that was touched by the child whom he kept and raised as his own. Many years later, events connected with that long ago theft threatened to rob him of the daughter he had grown to love. It was a masterful tale of love and hate, greed and gain, loss and replenishment, bitterness and joy, superbly told; and the highlight of my high school reading assignments. It was a piece I truly never forgot.

So you will imagine my surprise when I discovered a movie entitled A Simple Twist of Fate, written and produced by Steve Martin of all people was a modern day remake of Silas Marner. Although brought into the twentieth century and sprinkled with bits of comedy, as a Steve Martin movie should be, A Simple Twist of Fate managed to stay true to the main themes in Silas Marner. So if you want my advice, you should read the book and watch the movie. Not only as a comparison of tales, but as an example of how a classic story can be modernized and made into a movie worth watching. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

A Book of Value

There are several books in our home that we use frequently, read often, and think highly of. Offhand, I would say the Bible, Young's Concordance,The American Heritage Dictionary, and a myriad of cookbooks probably top the list. Then there are the favorites in my daughters collection; namely The Little Red Hen, Goodnight Moon, Anything Dr. Seuss, Biscuit books, Harry The Dirty Dog, Watch Out For The Chicken Feet In Your Soup,and Geraldine's Blanket. But the book which has given us the most value and pleasure, besides the Bible, is A Guide To Field Identification-Birds of North America.

I have owned this book for many years; twenty-four years to be exact. I owned this book before I married my first husband, and I used it to identify backyard specimens. After I married, we used it on camping trips with our nieces and spent many a happy hike looking for birds we had never personally seen before. When my first husband passed away, I must admit this book sat idle on the shelf for a few years, but I imagine that is understandable.

But since remarrying several years ago and giving birth to a lively young daughter who is interested in everything around her, A Guide To Field Identification once again became the book of choice. Not only do we use it to identify the ever changing variety of birds that visit our backyard feeders, we use it to identify birds we see wherever we travel. Just a few weeks ago we used it to identify a Yellow-Shafted Flicker of the female persuasion. While apparently, Flickers are quite common,It was a new and pleasant experience for the three of us to view one.

I know that this particular book, originally purchased for $6.95, has given me and numerous family members an immeasurable amount of pleasure for many years and will probably continue to do so for many more.Which leads me to ask, What book do you own that you consider "A Book of Value"? Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Reading Do's and Don'ts

I am a prolific reader, a writer, a published author; so it stands to reason that I would promote reading. And I do. I encourage both children and adults to read. I promote reading silently; I promote reading out loud. I promote reading newspapers, magazines, articles, books, pamphlets, tracts, and so forth. I'll shout it from the mountain tops in a Seuss like form. Read in the city, the bathroom, the park. Read in the morning or after it's dark. Read to your self or to your best friend. As long as you read again and again.

But rhyming aside, I would like to say there are some reading related instances that I've seen which cause me to pause or even to cringe; and one of those things I witnessed this morning. As I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at school, I saw a man reading a newspaper at a red light. So what's wrong with that you might ask? Well, normally I would say nothing if it was not for the fact that the man continued to read as the light turned green and he made a left hand turn. Not only did he read his paper as he turned the corner, he glanced quickly at the road in front of him and then back at his newspaper for several seconds.

I used to think people who talked on their cell phones while driving were one of society's greatest menaces; but after seeing "Newspaper Man" reading while driving, I now relegate that offense to a distant second. Reading is indeed a wonderful thing, taking us to far off places that we might never know of otherwise, increasing our knowledge of the world around us, giving us a break from realities and problems that might otherwise overwhelm us. But, reading should never, never cause us to be a danger to ourselves or others around us. So my advice to "Newspaper Man" is to either get up a few minutes early so you have time to read the paper, or wait until you get to wherever you are going. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Looking For A Children's Book Reviewer?

All writers know that book reviews can be a great way to get the word out about a new book. The hard part is sifting through the thousands of reviewers that can be found online. My criteria for a good book reviewer is as follows: First their site must look attractive, be easy to navigate, and their reviews must be of high quality. This is not to say that every book will receive a good review (honesty is important) but that the reviewer took the time to explain what was great about the book or what was lacking in a friendly and non-combative way. Secondly, they must review for the love of literacy and not for the love of money. I want to be sure when I receive a review good or bad that it is on the merit of my writing and not on the merit of my pocket book! And thirdly, I want a reviewer that actually reads my book. If a reviewer is claiming to have read a thousand books in one year let's say, then there is a good probability that they aren't really reading all the books or that they are just skimming the books. My book is important to me and I want it to be important to the reviewer.

So to this effect, I have put together a list of six children's book review sites that I feel meet these criteria. I seriously suggest before sending any book to a reviewer or review site, that you send a query e-mail briefly describing your book and asking if there is an interest (many times contact information is available on the site). If no e-mail contact information is mentioned, be sure to send a short letter with your book thanking them for taking the time to review your work.

1. Stories for children e-zine magazine

2. National Geographic Kids

3. Christian Children's book Review

4. Booklist Online

5. BookReview.com

6. Biblio Reads

And as a last note, always remember to send a personal thank you to any reviewer that reviews your book. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

The Power of Persistence

The power of persistence is about more then just not giving up. The power of persistence is about not letting a little two letter word like "no" intimidate you. Sure, nobody likes to hear no, especially when it comes to your book. After all, your book is like your child, you gave it life, you nurtured it, and now you are trying to send it out into the world. But no is a word you will hear often in the publishing business. You will be rejected many times when you send out your manuscript; and if you are blessed enough to finally hear a yes we love it, don't think that is the end of hearing no.

When you begin to market your book you will probably hear no over and over again, but don't think of no as a negative. Each time someone tells you no, that just means you have not yet asked the right person. The world is full of billions of people that you have not yet spoken with, people that might just be waiting for what you have to offer. It would be a horrible thing if the very day you decided you had heard no enough and threw in the towel, unbeknown-st to you the next person you would have spoken to would have said yes. So turn no into your own personal motivator, thinking of it as a challenge to be overcome, a wall to be scaled, a channel to be swum across. Eventually if you persist long enough the odds in your favor will increase. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!