Beating my manuscript over my sure head
Even though my w-i-p is two or three chapters away from its ending, I let my agent read it. I don't usually let anyone see my work until it's finished, but I think I was looking for a kick in the butt....
View ArticleWhy I should always wear sunglasses at Korean Heritage Camp...
It's an emotionally charged three days and, well, I tend to cry a lot. Here is a short list of the many touching moments.1. During the opening ceremony Foster Mothers whom we fly in from Korea lead a...
View ArticleHey kid, it's not fair!
Years ago, when I told my parents I had joined the Peace Corps and was going overseas, my dad's initial reaction was, "But that's not fair to your mother and me. We'll worry."My 13-year-old is on a...
View ArticleFaceBook, editors, and networking
It took me a long time to ease into FaceBook, but as most of you know, I'm there. It's a fun place, especially when it's your birthday. :)But I had heard it's good to have a FB page when you've got a...
View Articleker-jingle-PLAM
That's the sound Little A makes when she jumps out of bed every morning at about 7:00. The whole house shakes, lamp shades rattle, and window panes vibrate. And so my day begins.
View ArticleFriday Five on a Saturday
1. I won Sarah Williams' ARC contest and PALACE BEAUTIFUL arrived in the mail today! I can't wait to read it! You know how sometimes you have no doubt you're going to love a book? Well, I just know I'm...
View ArticleDances with wools
A friend of mine gave me some wool she didn't want anymore. Tons of it. It is carded and all ready for me to spin into yarn and it is in every color imaginable. It looks like Joseph and his amazing...
View ArticlePalace Beautiful by Sarah deFord Williams
About a month ago Sarah put our names on small folded squares of paper and mixed them up in a blue willow bowl. But before she pulled a name, she put the bowl on an embroidered flowery cloth and...
View ArticleGo find your home, Gray Man
THE GRAY MAN is out in the world now, visiting editors, hoping to charm them and entertain. It desperately wants a good home. Good luck, my little story! Love you!The Gray Man was inspired by a...
View ArticleCongratulations to Heidi!!!!!
My friend, Heidi Ayarbe, is too modest and humble to tell you that her amazing debut novel won the International Reading Association award. And she is not likely to shout out to the world about her...
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Every day is Agent Appreciation Day
Live Journal has been booming with agent love since yesterday was declared Agent Appreciation Day by the writers community. I couldn't let the opportunity slip by and not express my gratitude.Wendy...
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A hair cut adventure... (or not)
I'm scheduled for a haircut today and I've been rather nervous about it. See, last week I went in to get Little A's hair cut and our hairdresser suggested that the next time I come in, she'd like to...
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The haircut results...
Short, but not froo-froo. I pretty much almost completely sorta like it.Sorry about the photography. (Hello, light switch!)
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Yawning and waiting...
Bears are able to deliver their babies during hibernation. Why can't we humans do that? Imagine: The springtime sun shines in your den. You yawn, stretch, rub your eyes, and then realize you dropped...
View ArticleIt's all good.
The other day, while I was preparing a lesson for my math intervention group, I became very aware of how happy I am. Life is good. I adore my students, every single one of them. They crack me up and I...
View ArticleNeed help - Question about tween novels
My current wip really wants to be a tween in spite my agent's advice to keep the story smack dab in the middle of MG. It's a funny, upbeat, and non-message-y story about a boy and girl who've been...
View ArticleSpring Break!
I wish I could be greedy and hog up all my time this week with writing, but, alas, I can't. My children need my attention and, honestly, I'm grateful to be able to give it to them. A very wise author...
View ArticleDon't enter this contest because I want to win it!
Listen to this: Author Deborah Halverson (HONK IF YOU HATE ME and BIG MOUTH) is offering her critique expertise in a contest at her blog, Dear Editor. Before writing her own books, she was an editor at...
View ArticleSaturday Six
1. A big group of amazing writers and I have a surprise for you all. We'll unveil on Monday. Stay tuned!2. I've been having a lot of dreams about poop. Be glad that I'm not going to go into detail...
View Article"When I grow up, I'm going to..."
I have been writing for about five or six years, and when people ask me how I got started, I always tell them about the time I met Korean-American author Helie Lee who said to me, "You've got a story...
View ArticleP.A.N.D.A.S. - the syndrome, not the bear
(September 17, 2010 -- Edited to add: Today I am posting an update on Julie and her PANDAS treatment and I am unlocking this entry. Since this will now be open to the public, I am deleting the private...
View ArticleP.A.N.D.A.S. - Update
Last month I wrote a locked post about an 11-year-old friend of mine who has P.A.N.D.A.S., which stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. Now...
View ArticleAnastasia Krupnik and Me
Over at the Mixed Up Files blog Elissa Cruz asked us what literary character are we most like. Here was my answer:“When Anastasia Krupnik was ten, she grew a pink wart on her left thumb and later in...
View ArticleAbsolutely Fabulously Thankful on a Thursday
Sometime, maybe a few years ago, Lisa and I discovered that we both love AbFab. Soon, a running joke evolved that she was Patsy and I was Eddy - or maybe it was the other way around - and she said that...
View ArticleTeaching kids to be good writers
I'm brainstorming now for next year. Care to join me?I work in an elementary school that is considered "high-performing" because of its scores on state assessments. But in the past year or two our...
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