Friday, November 2, 2007

A little snippet here and a little snippet there...

For those of you who have read more than just yesterday's post, you know along with being a freelance writer, blogger and columnist, I am also an aspiring children's writer. (I am an artist, too, but not sure I am ready to take on the job of author/illustrator) Now that my readership has escalated to heights not before seen on MY SEMBLANCE OF SANITY (although not crazy huge like some of my MommyBloggingFriends) I thought it would be fun to give you some snippets of a couple children's books I have written and get your feedback... If you have never commeted before, please let me know you are out there...I am curious as to how many people are included in those red "blips" on my Worldwide Fan map to the left. Here's a peek into the CRAZY mind of a children's author!! excerpt from GABBY VON CLOUTH, CAN'T SHUT HER MOUTH: Gabby Von Clouth was always busy. She was the teacher’s pet. She sharpened all the pencils before her friends got to school. She tidied the cubbies and sorted the mail. Miss Gooseberry was a tad flighty and was thrilled to have the extra help. One hectic morning she opened the craft closet and to find all of the art supplies in alphabetical order. “Did you see what I did for you? It was hard work but I did it! Aren’t you lucky to have me Miss Gooseberry?” It never failed, right after her random act of kindness Gabby looked around to see who noticed and who was ready to make a big deal out of it. She wanted a “Thank You,” a “You’re Great,” and maybe even a “You have made my day!” excerpt from HAPPY FIRST DAY: She gladly took the spot of last in line and quietly walked down the peaceful hallway. No one seemed to notice her. Good. Suddenly, like a centipede, step by step the single file line turned right and one by one they entered the classroom. The lights were off. It took awhile for Emma’s eyes to adjust from the bright hallway to the dimly lit classroom. There was music…were the other children singing? There was a warm glow coming from the center of the room. There, on a small desk was a cake with glowing candles. Emma was confused, she didn’t move and she certainly didn’t sing. What were they doing? What were they singing? “Happy First Day to you, Happy First Day to you, Happy First Day dear Emma, Happy First Day to you!” All of this fuss was for her? Never in any other school, and she had been to many, had her first day been treated like a class holiday. Mrs. King was smiling with her hands clasped over her heart. She was proud of her students and it showed. excerpt from HENRIETTA HAMSTERFACE: “Too slow, Lost the race. Henrietta Hamster Face! Loser, How’s it feel? Get back in your hamster wheel!” Maggie McCall, a slender girl with long red fingernails, spun on her heel and flipped her hair the way popular girls do as she glanced back at Henrietta who was sitting in a cloud of dust. She adjusted her small oval glasses, wiped her pointy nose, pulled her sweater closed to cover her “Hamsters are People, too” shirt and smoothed her skirt over her slightly rounded body. Henrietta climbed to her feet and walked to the back door of the school. Maggie and her crew had tricked Henrietta into thinking if she won the race to the dirt mound she would be an honorary member of the “Star Crowd;” that’s what Maggie and her pretty friends called themselves. The whistle blew and the fourth-graders filed into the school. Henrietta slid into the last place in line and sulked down the hall wondering if there would ever be a day she would be a star. excerpt from HOME IS WHERE THE LOVE IS: Javan sat quietly staring at the words on the blackboard; “Home is where…”He squeezed his eyes shut and mouthed a quick prayer for courage as the impending chaos blew through the door. What seemed to be a hundred fifth-graders moved into the room all at once. They chatted and laughed as they rumbled past Javan’s desk. His heart pounded so hard he could hear it over the racket of the students so obviously comfortable with life, themselves, their school, and their friends. Comfortable. Javan was anything but. This was his second day at Augustus Elementary and he still didn’t know where the bathroom was or how he would complete the sentence on the board. He was lost; in more ways than one. *********************************************************************************** OK...back to work...that was my creative way of geting out of staring at the blank page which is also the start of the final copy of book 3 of my series that is out at HarperCollins....please let the phone ring! :)

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good stuff!! I've always admired people who can write well. You are definitely one of them.

Kim VanDerHoek said...

All of your snippets of stories have left me wanting more. They are all very intriguing and well written. I hope you have enough time to really flesh them out. Thanks for sharing these!

tammi said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and for your encouraging comments! I think you make a great kids author. I've got a 3-yr old and an almost 6-yr old, so I've got plenty of experience reading kids books! I especially like the Gabby Von Clouth one -- remindes me of my oldest daughter!! I'm curious to know how Gabby learns to keep her mouth shut!

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

YIKES! Harper Collins! You are big time! And all of these excerpts are so creative--love 'em!!!

And I want to know who this relative is of mine that you've found!!

: )

Snaggle Tooth said...

Ah ha! Another one... multi-talent like me, wanting to do it all-

I also do children's plus different arts. I dare to design my books as well, which editor's hate.

Creative equals flexibility!
Your kid's can eat it up, too!

Louise said...

Great excerpts!! You have a gift for writing!!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!!

blog author said...

wow, i LOVE them!! i'm writing children's books too...more prose type. and i'm an artist, but petrified of illustrating my own book. i can totally see the image i want, and i can't translate it from brain to pencil. so frustrating. do you have a site with any of your art on it?

found you via manic...

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

Duh Melek, you found her via Manic--I sent you both an EMAIL !!! LOL!!

blog author said...

well, just in case she didnt remember. i didnt want her to think i was a stalker! :)

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

Ugh...the talent in here is sickening. LOL...I thought that all of your stories were great! You should definately finish one! If I may make a request, my center child would like for you to write the Happy First Day book first. She seems to feel a connection with the main character, Emma. Given that center child's name is Emma, I can't imagine why!
You are so very talented. Be proud!

Michelle said...

I LOVE children's books! Teaching reading and doing anything reading related at school was always my favorite!! Your stories are great, what you shared anyways--I would love to be able to read the rest ! :)

Hopefully everything works out with the publishers and such! How cool!

Anonymous said...

How did you discover then refine the writing process?

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

I start with an idea, I mull it over for a while then put pen to paper.

I am a visual person so I need paper to start.

I lay out a dummy book to make sure the story has enough situations to support illustrations.

Then I type it up. Refine word count and send it off to my critique group.

It's a long process, years in the making.

Thanks for visiting my blog - c'mon back!

Anonymous said...

Anything currently in print?

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

I currently write for regional parenting publications (nationwide) and for national magazines such as Fostering Families Today and Relate Magazine for girls and Insight Magazine. I also write crafts for the web.

Here are a few links:
http://www.baltimoreschild.com/articles/index.cfm?fuse1=detail&ArticleID=697&CFID=3069766&CFTOKEN=83960405


http://www.charlotteparent.com/Articles/Archives/ArchiveArticle.aspx?cid=284&aid=284

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Well, now I want to read the rest!! Are any of your stories published or are these just rough drafts?

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

You can vote and I will post the ONE that gets the most votes...

None of these are published, yet....YET! :)