I LOVE TEENS!

That's not something you hear people say all too often.
But I do.
I truly do.
I LOVE TEENS!

I remember riding on the game bus as a cheerleader. Cheerleaders in the front. Basketball players in the back. We did some cheers, got the players all hyped up and then while the coaches went over plays with the boys, the girls looked to me for entertainment. I was the squad storyteller. I have always had a knack for re-telling stories and making them funnier than they actually were OUTSIDE my head. If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know this is a fact. Just search "Barnes & Noble" on my blog and you will get it.

The other talent I seemed to have in high school was advice. Apparently, I gave really good advice. I probably could have saved myself some pain and struggle if I could have given it to myself but it doesn't always work that way, does it? Even boys came to me for advice on relationships. They called me Dear Abby.

I really had a pretty good high school experience. I was a goody two shoes who rarely did anything that got me in trouble. My worst offense was  being late. I am not a timely person and 99% of my groundings were related to the watch on my dad's arm and the one I wore.

When I taught high school before we had children, my art room was the place to hang out to get away from the drama. I spent many hours talking through life with many students. Many of those students STILL keep in touch and I am thrilled to hand out advice still...some of them still ask. I recently received a really nice note from one of those students' dad via facebook. A note about my influence on his daughter (now a new mom) and how thankful he is for me. WOW!

When you mesh my love for teens, my knack for humorous story-telling and my gift for sound advice what is born is my newest project...

...for which I don't have a name...

LOL! That would have been a great place to blow you away with a SUPER COOL TITLE! But, it has to be perfect and I have a habit of changing my mind. So, I am keeping all my ideas under wraps until I am ready.

Yes, it's a book, it's a journal, it's a road map for teen girls...
*and of course it needs someone to LOVE IT AS MUCH AS I DO... seeking representation*

I continue to advise teens to this day...I talk for hours daily via IM and text to teens on the edge. Suicidal, abused, bullied teens who feel they have no where to turn. My heart aches.

So, I saw a need...I am taking the 20+ years of advice as an adult, pairing it with my Master's Degree in Education and adding my heart...ALL of it...and my out-of-the-box tendencies to create something to help this struggling generation.

So, hop on... I'm taking you all on this ride!

FEEL FREE TO give me your input! I am happy to entertain your ideas!

And the last chapter is planned:
ADVICE YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR
~where I will list general HOW TO SURVIVE advice from adults (anonymously)
Leave some advice, you might just end up in a book!

 Peace out, Mamas!

When your muse has you by the....BRAIN

This is a VALENTINE'S re-run from a couple years ago!

Enjoy!

2/12/09

Today was a hamster wheel kind of day...I ran...I ran...I ran!

Man oh Man, I should be ready to crash but I am feeling a creative vibe today that I just can't shake...and here's how my muse works....

(for those of you new to my blog... I am a writer of children's books...and I dabble in the grown-up stuff, too!)

She (my muse) likes to visit me when I don't even have a second to grab a pencil to jot down her ideas. So, for the rest of the day I traipse through the grocery store, walk the dog, pick up the kids, go to the doctor's and clean the house with the same story outline mantra running through my head...

"mean girl and nice girl stuck in school overnight, mean girl and nice girl stuck in school overnight..."

or "humor essay about girlfriends, humor essay about girlfriends..."

or "doogie howser kind of kid/wants to be a teacher, doogie howser kind of kid/wants to be a teacher..."

So, you see why the checkout girls turn off their light when they see me coming...I am the "repeater" they talk about in the lunchroom. Sigh!

So, my muse must've slept in this morning as I packed lunches, watched over the neighbor kids, got them and 2 of my 3 on the bus and drove my oldest to the doctor without any "a-ha" moments.

But in the middle of a conversation with the doctor about my middle schooler's ailments she flew in...and started banging me on the head with her bag of ideas! I continued looking at the doctor but, like a puzzle, I had no control over the pieces as they started coming together...and they kept coming. They wouldn't stop!

It was an important conversation the doctor and I were having and I didn't want to miss a word so it is a good thing I am "Mom" and not "Dad" because I can do more than one thing at a time.

Then it was off to an area church to drop something off....chatting with the pastor and still, I am putting the pieces together, wishing desperately there was a pad of paper and a pen surgically implanted in my forearm and finger respectively as he spoke. Like an Inspector Gadget kind of deal...little sliding door right above my wrist that reveals a never-ending supply of notepaper and a ballpoint pen sticking out of the tip of my first finger. Oh no, is that another book idea?

"super kid with funky gadgets, super kid with funky gadgets..."

We raced home to get my youngest off the pre-school bus, then some dishes and straightening put me right at the hour that I had to get him to the neighbors so my I could head off to meet my oldest I had just had at the doctor's at ART CLUB (I teach it). A room filled with 36 5th and 6th graders is NOT conducive to carrying on a conversation with the voice in your head or taking notes, for that matter. But I still mumbled, making sure I hadn't lost a single piece of that puzzle.

5pm - it was time to run home, grab the other two kids from the neighbors and throw together something that resembles dinner..."How's a breakfast-dinner sound to everyone? Eggs, waffles and bacon?" SCORE! They ALL said "yes!"

After I (somewhat) cleaned up the kitchen, I poured yesterday's cold coffee still in the pot into a mug, nuked it and sat on the floor and played cars for a bit.

Books, PJs, diapers and 30 repeats of "Silent Night" and all 3 are in bed. It's after 9pm!

That's when I started melting chocolate to make the rest of the 120+ dipped pretzel rods that I started for the 14 teachers and bus drivers who were worthy of something sweet for tomorrow's 1/2 day Valentine's Day celebrations.

Hubby came home, scarfed down some leftovers and we watched the last hour of the Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice cross-over event. He kissed me and went to bed.

That's, of course, when I placed my sprinkled chocolate pretzels in decorative bags and started the cupcakes....yep, cupcakes. It was 11pm and I had 48 cupcakes to make. I will ice them tomorrow before going in to my daughter's class. I think cupcakes is all I was responsible for. You would think as Homeroom Mom I would know these things. But my brain space is being taken up by the book idea I can't seem to find the time to write down. Repeating my mantra, going about my work.

The second batch of cupcakes goes in the oven and I breathed an "everyone is asleep and I have two (maybe three) articles and essays to write" sigh of relief. I even thought maybe, just maybe I could bang out a couple of pages of this new idea my muse was now suffocating me with.

That's when it happened, the inevitable....

"MOOOOOMMMMMMMMYYYYY!"
...his eye hurts... WHAT?!!!

It is now 12:34 am...the cupcakes are out of the oven cooling, the baby is back to sleep, I have a cup of tea and I am sitting at my computer wondering how I could possibly have enough energy to write this book NOW!

Because everyone knows it would take a minimum of 100 re-writes, 2 1/2 years in production and hours of phone calls and emails about illustration development before it would actually BE on the shelves.

But what a cool story it would be if I did....and it caught someone's attention. Can you see me on the TODAY SHOW as they introduce me as the newest New York Times Best Selling Author?

"Well, Meredith, it really wasn't that difficult, I had an idea and I wrote it."

Good night! Apparently, in the wee hours of Friday morning, I have now become delusional! :)

...AND THE BABY IS UP AGAIN!!!

Me? A middle grade author?

"There was no one around. No one would know. If I cut, maybe it would release the pain he has caused me. Maybe it would heal my broken heart."

"His eyes were pale, pained hopeless and his Manson t shirt was torn down the center and stitched back together with dozens of safety pins. Was this the state of his soul? Held together by something sharp and painful? His eyebrow twitched, he spit at my feet and turned and walked away. This was the boy I loved."

"My ten biggest fears are not unlike most teens. They're pretty normal, I guess. But most girls my age don't walk down a dark, narrow path toward each one and stare it in the face and say ---. Sigh. But, neither do I. And that will be my downfall. My certain death."

"Do it," she said as she shoved the pipe in my face. Everything I was prepared to say in this situation, everything that was right dispersed like the fingers of smoke burning my eyes. I took it. I sucked in its poison. It felt ugly inside my lungs. I could feel it clawing to get out. But right now this was the only thing in my life I had control of so I held it."

This is me now. Michelle.

My entire life has been spent reaching out to others. Growing up, I was the Dear Abby of my graduating class. My parents invited friends of mine and my sister's to live with us when they had no where to turn. I was a high school art teacher right out of college who took one special student (a foster child) under her wing and helped her through what we both thought would be the most harrowing experience of violence and disappointment she would have to go through. Only to find out years later, it was a good thing we kept in touch because even as an adult she needed me again. And again. Even though there are only 10 years that separate us, she remains my unofficial first child.

And my years as a foster mom will be burned in my brain forever. Especially the words I once heard from a case worker, "Well, that's the group home for those kids no one wants. You know, the ones between 10 and 13." (insert stabbing pain)

Currently, I teach a 5th and 6th grade program at our church, preparing kids to make wise choices to give them the best shot at life and I also teach an after school art club at our local middle school.

So, why do I write these ideas and chapters down for Young Adult and Middle Grade books but continue to pursue the picture book market?

When editors tell me that my voice is unique and real but my manuscripts are too deep, why does that light bulb not click on?

I just read a post on Molly O'Neill's blog. Molly is an editor at HarperCollins and apparently she and I share the same life's mission, the same burning desire to make a difference in the lives of the lost.

Thank you, Molly. Now, excuse me while I head to that MG Word Doc that is now calling my name.

(So, my faithful readers...you may have just witnessed a turning point... a big one)

Those of you who have children in the 'tween/teen range, please speak your piece. Tell me what you are thinking right now.

Peace.

Just me and my macchiato...

I think I have ADD... Yesterday I had a babysitter for the whole day - 6 hours alone! WOW! That rarely happens but I decided it was time, so I called 1-800-watch-my-4-year-old! Any guesses where I went? Anyone? Anyone? Beuler? BARNES & NOBLE, BABY! I took my notebooks, writing assignments, pens and pencils, no laptop...too many distractions. I had grandiose ideas, I would research the children's book market, check out and make note of the publishers of children's books that are similar in style to mine and finish a 600 word story to submit to a writing course I am taking. Simple enough in 6 hours. Right? That's where my suspected ADD comes in... It all started when a skinny woman sat alone at the table to my left. Apparently, she had molten lava in her cup. She used every face muscle to slurp the 4,000 degree matter through her lips at the speed of light AND louder than a jet engine. It may have been easier on her now disfigured tongue to have the hot espresso pumped into her veins. Certainly would have been more enjoyable for me! Good Lord! Can you NOT hear yourself?! O.K. Focus, Shel. Highlights Magazine. Fiction stories. Now, I am hungry. And if I eat, I will be thirsty. I head to the counter. "One cranberry orange scone and a Venti Non-fat Iced Carmel Macchiato, please." Of course, it is 5 degrees outside and I am drinking icy espresso but my oral fixation causes me to crave a straw when I need to concentrate. I set out my little picnic on the cafe table that is smaller than my lap and open my notebook to get to work. "Yeah, the cop said he should be OK. He blew a 1.5 on the breathalizer but it was his first D.U.I." I look up at the barista with a piercing in her lip and wonder if her mom has met this boy. How could a mother not get a drunken vibe from the probably-pierced boy who shows up on her doorstep each and every day? I have nothing against piercings...I am an artist, remember? I have had my share of them. But, driving drunk? NO TOLERANCE! "Get a handle on yourself. Has it been this long since you tried to concentrate? Um. Yep." Cripes, now I am holding a conversation in my head...with myself. As I flipped through my notebook looking for the page I had started my assignment on I found the list of Good Will donations that my husband needed last night to finish our taxes. Crap. It's not itemized. I should get this out of the way before I dive head-long into this project. "Wooo hooo, weeee hoooo..." my cell phone ring is The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani and now everyone for a 3 mile radius knows. One of my best friends is unexpectedly free for lunch and she is just minutes away, headed for Panera...do I wanna join her? Um. Yep. An hour and a 1/2 of a turkey/artichoke panini later, I cop a squat back at B&N but this time in the children's section at one of those teeny picnic tables. Time to really work on my story. It is a quiet day in the back of the store - no story time. I gaze around at the big "coolest books" wall... Pinkalicious - have it. Purplelicious - got it. The Kissing Hand - yep. The Mitten - have it. You Are Special - got it. Guess How Much I Love You - yep. The new Fancy Nancy - ooooo not yet...maybe today. Gotta read it. Now. JEEPERS, girl...FOCUS! I would be bonkers if I were the mom of me right now. If I were the kid and was having THIS much trouble staying on task...I would beat me! I get a page or two written and I am on a roll...totally INTO my work...almost forgot where I was. Yeah. Notice I said, "almost." Enter little-freckled-demon. This sweet little boy was probably cute but I couldn't see past his raspy voice. And it was LOUD LOUD LOUD. This little man called to his mom every 1.5 seconds in a voice only a trucker could love. It was not only scratchy but he had apparently swallowed a bag of marshmallows and every single one of them was stuck mid-way down his esophagus. He had a word, too. You know how little kids get attached to certain words and they find a way to use it in every sentence. Yeah. His word was "busted." Everything in the Barnes & Noble children's department was evidently "BUSTED!" (I wish I could have a sound byte right here so you could hear my impression of this cherub) "MOMMA! THESE TRAINS ARE BUSTED! THOMAS IS BUSTED!" "HEY, MA. LOOK, A BUSTED WEASLE!" (I kid you not!) "BUSTED SPIDERMAN! MOM! BUSTED SPIDERMAN!! BUSTED SPIDERMAAAAAN!" "LOOKA MOMMA, LOOK! WHY THESE COAL CARS BUSTED?!" "A BUSTED SCOOBY-DOO BOOK, MOMMA! SCOOBY IS BUSTED, MOMMA!" "HEY MOMMA, EVERYTHING IN THE $%^&*# STORE IS BUSTED!!!!" (ok, just kidding on that one! But that would have been hysterical!) He left with a full blown tantrum just minutes after he "busted" everything at the train table. I looked at my phone and I had about 10 minutes before I had to go... Where did those 6 hours go?? BUSTED! Dang. So, here I sit blogging instead of completing my assignment. Once again, I am distracted. Peace.

A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

Meet Sarah.

You may find her on a BOOKSHELF NEAR YOU in the near future!

I have a lot of exciting info to share over the next few months so STAY TUNED!

At my art table...

Well, here I am back at my art table (WITH caffeine in my favorite cup - it's my own design!)...ready to dedicate the entire day (well, at least until the pre-school bus comes) to my latest project...

A BOOK DUMMY FOR SIMON & SCHUSTER

I want to thank all of you for supporting me through this publishing journey. So many of you contact me and ask WHERE you can buy my books. I don't have any published but I have many written and even more partially written. I have notebooks FILLED with simple ideas that would make a one-of-a-kind, quirky story! I will never live long enough to write every one of them!

This current project is a first for me. I am submitting as an AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR! Yep, I am taking your advice! I have been thinking all along that I wanted to just concentrate on ONE or the OTHER....writing OR illustrating. Come to find out, it make my writing SO much better when I can use MY OWN illustrations to SHOW the story. It's cleaner. Clearer. It feels like I have found my niche.

I recently had a review with an art rep from NYC who selected a few illustrations in my portfolio and said it was such a unique style that I needed to "run with it!" You can read more about that meeting HERE at my children's book blog.

OK! Back to work (and my coffee!) before I get sucked in chatting with you!

(Not that that's a bad thing!)

Peace.

Sanity's Blogtober TIP Parade: 10/9, 10/10, 10/11, 10/12 Forget the Valium, give me some Velcro!

Did you think I gave up the ship? Or fallen overboard? Nope.

Let me tell you about my weekend and you will see that this whole TIP parade idea is a selfish means to get advice about my life! LOL!

Friday night as part of my volunteer position with the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators, I had dinner with some pretty TOP NOTCH editors, reps and agents who are smack dab in the middle of the Children's Publishing world.

Saturday I had an all day conference where I met with an editor from Simon & Schuster who wants to see a book dummy (a mock up version of a finished book) of the manuscript I had sent her prior to the conference. This is the first book I have proposed that I illustrate as well as write so I was not sure how high to get my hopes.

I then met with a couple of lovely ladies who are art reps and we had some great discussions about my portfolio, what they liked and how to plump it up with one single style (that they loved, btw) to ready it for a trip to NEW YORK for some art rep reviews.

Yesterday is when it hit me...the sore throat that had my spitting in the sink instead of swallowing for the last 2 mornings @ 5am kicked me in the butt. Of course, I am the mom of 3...4 if you count my husband who is getting over being sick, too. I just wanted to climb back in bed after church and sleep the day away. But my daughter, the only NOT-SICK person in the house had to cheer at a football game so my husband took her and I was the parent in charge at home with the two sick boys. One thought he was dying and the other just bounced off the walls in hopes of making himself feel better by way of knocking himself senseless, I suppose.

So, then there is today. Columbus Day. ALL the kids stayed home b/c school was closed. (I even called to plead with the janitors to let them come in for some community service - no go!) Mommy is still sick. Oldest son needed a doctor's appt and I needed milk and butter from the store. Laying in bed all day and snurfling and moaning was not an option ONCE AGAIN! *sigh*

My daughter could stay home while I took my son to the appointment, but I couldn't ask her to watch my little hell-on-wheels so he came along, too. After he licked the chair and made out with the bottom of his shoes in the waiting room, I decided this germ-panic thing was useless...what could I do besides make him gargle with Germ-X? I said a, "please sanitize his innards prayer" and was done with stressing about it.

The doctor did a strep test and I briefly thought about asking her if she would do one on me so I wouldn't have to go to the Doctor's tomorrow when they are all back at school. I said another little prayer for strep...b/c I was thinking if it WAS strep I could just call MY doctor and tell him and he MIGHT just call in a prescription without making me come in....that day all snuggled in bed was on the horizon...I reached out to grab it when.....POP! The doctor returned, shook her head and uttered the V-word. VIRUS! Well, chicken crap, no hope for antibiotics now!

I came home feeling sorry for myself and looked at my calendar...my daughter has an ortho appt @ 10:45, I have a 1:30 dr appt and my daughter has gymnastics @ 4. I slumped to the floor and cried. Well, not really, because I have had no energy for the last week, the floor is DISGUSTING!

My tips?

I told the receptionist at the pediatrician as I was chasing my youngest in and out of exam rooms and through the stacks and shelves of files that they need a velcro wall and a couple massage chairs. You know, an entire wall of velcro. Each wild child receives a velcro suit upon checking in. VOILA! They spend the entire time trying to free themselves while you round the corner to the spa-like massage room where you sit and do NOTHING until your child has been seen and is ready to be checked out.

Does that make me heartless? I am sure to 1st time moms, the thought of not accompanying your child into the room while the doctor pokes and prods sounds horrifying. Well, let me be the first to tell you, it's overrated. The kids just want the sticker and lollipop when they leave. They could care less who walks them through the appointment.

Forget the Valium, hook us up with a Velcro-lined pediatrician's office and I believe we have found Utopia!

What are your Mommy sick day tips?

Go back and peek at some of the other tips, leave a tip that links back to you, post an anecdote to a mommy issue on your blog, link to me and tell your readers to join Sanity's Blogtober TIP parade!

Peace.

Saturday Sound*Off!

Well, it has been a busy summer. And not one without moments that I thought to myself, "I need to blog that!"

I have been working very hard on my children's books and I thank all of you who get out your pom poms every time I talk about an idea or share some news of anticipation. I do have to say that all of the critique groups, online courses, books, etc have really readied me for publication. I am actually blessed that it has taken a few years of hard work to get to the point I am now. Through those years I have had the opportunity to make some amazing writer friends who "say it like it is" when I need them to and hold back a little when I am tired of the rejection letters.

I have really put my blog on the back burner to focus on writing for kids. I have quit all my freelance parenting gigs to focus on speaking to KIDS not ADULTS. I was finding it very hard to turn that channel. After spending a day crafting an article on SUMMER CAMP CARE PACKAGES, my brain was not changing gears and therefore my writing for kids suffered. So, I sacrificed the income for the kids. :) With pleasure!

ButI have missed my blogging family! So, I return to you. I know I can talk to you all like a child and you think it's fun! :) You are my childish sounding board, and I say that with love!!

Glad to be back!

So, I welcome you to the first installment of SATURDAY SOUND*OFF !

This is your venue to let it out! Speak your mind! Share your joys and sorrows! The subject can be anything you choose as long as it is not offensive or rude. You can also comment on someone else's sound*off as well, just NO BASHING!

So, GO!

Ready-Set-Go!

(Mommy Blogger Monday will return next week and we will have a special guest in addition to the new Monday Mommy!)

Children's Book Week ... May 11-17

Me again.

I know, you are SHOCKED!

I wanted to ramp up my plans for Children's Book Week and thought, I better do it when you are all welcoming me back so I have a decent audience whose children can benefit.

Each day for that week I will be doing something special involving a children's book. There will be videos, links, coloring pages, etc.

I am working on some fun plans for a summer art program for my community but will be putting together a packet of info so that ANYONE can run the program - it is easy and fun! More about that coming! But here is my logo:

I also will be back to MoBlogMo next week - sorry for the lapse in introductions of AMAZING MOMS...maybe I will do two next Monday so we can catch up as I have a whole SLEW of Mamas waiting to be featured! :)

I also just updated The Mom Show with a short and NOT fancy 4th episode.

Stay tuned!

And GO VOTE FOR ME HERE! I could win a spot as guest panelist on MOMVERSATION.COM!

Peace.

As they say...WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW...

What do I know?

I know that fads and trends and the coming and going of them are a way of life for kids. Three years ago if you would have told an elementary student that wearing jeans UNDER his buttocks was the cool thing to do, he would have shot you the infamous, "Get real, Mom!" look. Today, that same child is walking like he just got off a horse trying to keep his pants up.

One day my youngest will play with Play Doh unattended for a longer period of time and I think I have found the piece de resistance. SO, the next day I plan a major cleaning project and figure I will just get out the Play Doh. WRONG! Play Doh is "so yesterday!"

My oldest will tell me to sign him up for Fall soccer after watching his old team win a game on the soccer fields that border our property. Then the next day he is searching for skateboards online because at some point during the night Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler have become his heroes...and THEY don't have time for soccer.

My daughter, on the other hand seems to stay even keel for longer periods of time. If she likes mustard today, I can pretty much bet she will still like it tomorrow. However she is starting to feel the need to 'keep up with the Jones's' when it comes to fashion. She has made sure I know that SHE WANTS SKINNY JEANS. She is all about Aeropostale and Hollister (mind you, we have NEVER bought a full price item in either store - SALES only!). I have also noticed a bit of "sass" in her voice when I hear her talking to her friends. Hmmmm. Not so sure I am going to be good with this mom of two 'tweens thing. Well, I have a couple years to get ready...or medication!

So, I was moved to write the other day and I wrote...and wrote...with a toddler on my lap watching YouTube videos of monster trucks, I wrote...while the whole neighborhood played HORSE in our driveway, I wrote. The next day, I put everyone on the bus, got myself a cup of tea and I pruned my word and got them into manuscript form.

I don't want to pat myself on the back and I don't want to give too much away but I wrote the sweetest book with an feisty little duck (I am working on the images of him, too) with a preschool/early elementary version of an identity crisis. All I have been able to think about for the last three days is sitting in the midst of elementary kids, eyes glued to the images of Duck trying out other identities and making my mark on this world.

Inspiring children to be all that they can be is my purpose in this life! I am certain it is why I breathe. It is what I live. It is what I know!

I wanna be an OCTO-MOM...but, this kind...

My blog has been getting TONS of hits because of something I posted a while back and I think it's funny! I'm not even bitter that the media used the name I coined over two years ago! OCTO-MOM!

A couple months ago I posted an old picture book idea I had about a boy who thinks his mom is an octopus in disguise...but in parts of the book he refers to her as Octo-Mom. Since the insurgence of media on the woman with the 14 kids, apparently everyone is searching the words "Octo-Mom"... who knew?

So, I thought I would re-run the story and some of my illustrations since it is getting so much indirect attention!

Enjoy!

Dear Journal, I think I have an Octo-mom. There is no other explanation. She is always getting more done than seems humanly possible. The woman’s got tentacles, I just know it. I haven’t caught her using them but it is just a matter of time. I need to gather more evidence.

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Dear Journal, me again, I am hiding under the covers supposed to be going to sleep. Minutes ago while she was helping with my math homework, my mom also fed the baby, painted her toenails and paid some bills. I was sitting right there for crying out loud! I saw nothing. She is one sneaky cephalopod!

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Dear Journal, Today was my mom’s birthday. I drew her an underwater picture at school. When I gave it to her she said, “Thank you, I love the ocean!” Hmmmmmmmmmmm. And, if that wasn’t enough, Dad took her out for dinner … THE SEAFOOD BUFFET! She smelled fishy when she kissed me goodnight. (Yuck!) I can only imagine how much an octopus can eat.

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Dear Journal, I am setting my alarm for 6am to try and get a peek at how my mom gets her chores done every morning. Maybe I will catch her in the act. Maybe an extra arm will slip out. Maybe? ----------------------

Hi Journal, I hit the snooze button this morning and almost missed the bus so I didn’t have any time to spy on my mom. But when I got home there was a new flowerbed planted by my playhouse. My mom said she had some “help.” I am picturing that – I bet her helpers had suction cups!

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Dear Journal, I am freaking out about his Octo-Mom thing. I was just thinking…if my mom is an octopus…what am I? What about my dad? Oh dear, I think I am going to need another journal.

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Just Me, Journal, She outdid herself today but not a single suction cup was spotted! We had company for dinner and the dishwasher broke. My mom washed all the dishes, took time to have tea with the guests, checked my homework, bathed my brother and put us to bed. I am tired just thinking about it. I guess octopuses have a lot of energy. Ugh! Good Night.

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Dear Journal, My mom wore a poncho today. She’s not really all that stylish so I am a little more suspicious than usual. She’s definitely hiding something! (or somethings)

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Dear Journal, Today my class went to the library and browsed the non-fiction section. I picked an ocean book and read that octopuses change color and shoot ink when they are mad. Whoa! Ink. My mom turned bright red when I showed the mailman where I got my shot but I didn’t see any ink. Nope. No ink.

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Dear Journal, Today I fell off my bike. My mom dropped the groceries to come help me up. She carried me inside and bandaged my knees. With eight legs you’d think she would have gotten the groceries put away, too. Hmmmmmmmmm. She’s slacking.

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Dear Journal, My teacher asked my mom to make cupcakes for the bake sale. I watched her put it on the calendar. she realized she was also making granola for my soccer snack the same day. She smiled and grabbed some ingredients from the pantry. I guess it’s not a difficult task…if you’ve got eight extra arms!

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O.K. Journal, This is hard work. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever prove my mom’s an underwater sea creature. She hugs like she has eight arms but I have only ever seen two.

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Dear Journal, Today at school I read that octopuses are completely deaf. I am stumped because this is not the case with my mom, she hears everything! Even when she is talking on the phone. Gasp. I wonder if her friends are octopuses, too.

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Dear Journal, At dinner my mom told my dad that while the baby slept she dusted the whole house “from floor to ceiling.” My human mom can’t reach the ceiling but I guess an “octo-mom” can.

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Dear Journal, My mom and I just read a book together. Snuggling with her makes me feel sleepy. I think I read that Octopuses are cold blooded but my mom felt cozy warm. I didn’t see any tentacles either…and I was looking.

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Dear Journal, This is the last page and I still haven’t solved the mystery. IS MY MOM AND OCTOPUS? I guess it doesn’t make a difference. She is still my mom. Even if she is an octopus – she is MY octopus and I love her, all of her! P.S. Wait aliens could have lots of arms. Could my mom be an alien? Oh no! Now I really need a new journal! -----------------------

My muse is back...

Every once in a while my muse comes and hangs around for a while even if I can't sit down and jot down everything she says. I kinda like that she is working WITH me this time because I have an amazing picture book idea that has even got a thumbs up from a HUGE kids' book legend! WOOHOO! Thank God for Facebook and its networking opportunities.

In fact, this "legend" told me that when my manuscript was tweaked, polished and written in blood he would love to have HIS AGENT take a look at it. *passes out*

So, I am finishing up an article and an illustration for Girlfriendology.com and then I am jumping right into a book dummy about this timid little guy who has an all-too-common little friend.

I may also be speaking/presenting at the BlogHer '09 event. For those of you who are registered with BlogHer.com please go check out the Room of Your Own listings and click on "Giving Back Thru Social Media" then click "I would attend this session." If there is enough interest then MOI could possibly be a presenter during the BlogHer weekend! I was humbled by the gracious outpouring of support and love on this blog for my sweet Julian who passed away in January '08. If you are new to My Semblance go back to my December 3rd '08 post and start reading! Stuff like this should make it on the news. Lives were changed, strangers rallied and miracles made!

Well, I am off to stroke my muse and drain her of her ideas! If you have any tips, connections or ARE an agent or publisher, I welcome your comments and advice here! :) I'm not too proud to beg!

Peace, people!

I found my son's journal...he's on to me!

Dear Journal, I think I have an Octo-mom. There is no other explanation. She is always getting more done than seems humanly possible. The woman’s got tentacles, I just know it. I haven’t caught her using them but it is just a matter of time. I need to gather more evidence. ------------------------ Dear Journal, me again, I am hiding under the covers supposed to be going to sleep. Minutes ago while she was helping with my math homework, my mom also fed the baby, painted her toenails and paid some bills. I was sitting right there for crying out loud! I saw nothing. She is one sneaky cephalopod! ----------------------- Dear Journal, Today was my mom’s birthday. I drew her an underwater picture at school. When I gave it to her she said, “Thank you, I love the ocean!” Hmmmmmmmmmmm. And, if that wasn’t enough, Dad took her out for dinner … THE SEAFOOD BUFFET! She smelled fishy when she kissed me goodnight. (Yuck!) I can only imagine how much an octopus can eat. ---------------------- Dear Journal, I am setting my alarm for 6am to try and get a peek at how my mom gets her chores done every morning. Maybe I will catch her in the act. Maybe an extra arm will slip out. Maybe? ---------------------- Hi Journal, I hit the snooze button this morning and almost missed the bus so I didn’t have any time to spy on my mom. But when I got home there was a new flowerbed planted by my playhouse. My mom said she had some “help.” I am picturing that – I bet her helpers had suction cups! ---------------------- Dear Journal, I am freaking out about his Octo-Mom thing. I was just thinking…if my mom is an octopus…what am I? What about my dad? Oh dear, I think I am going to need another journal. --------------------- Just Me, Journal, She outdid herself today but not a single suction cup was spotted! We had company for dinner and the dishwasher broke. My mom washed all the dishes, took time to have tea with the guests, checked my homework, bathed my brother and put us to bed. I am tired just thinking about it. I guess octopuses have a lot of energy. Ugh! Good Night. ---------------------- Dear Journal, My mom wore a poncho today. She’s not really all that stylish so I am a little more suspicious than usual. She’s definitely hiding something! (or somethings) ---------------------- Dear Journal, Today my class went to the library and browsed the non-fiction section. I picked an ocean book and read that octopuses change color and shoot ink when they are mad. Whoa! Ink. My mom turned bright red when I showed the mailman where I got my shot but I didn’t see any ink. Nope. No ink. ---------------------- Dear Journal, Today I fell off my bike. My mom dropped the groceries to come help me up. She carried me inside and bandaged my knees. With eight legs you’d think she would have gotten the groceries put away, too. Hmmmmmmmmm. She’s slacking. ---------------------- Dear Journal, My teacher asked my mom to make cupcakes for the bake sale. I watched her put it on the calendar. she realized she was also making granola for my soccer snack the same day. She smiled and grabbed some ingredients from the pantry. I guess it’s not a difficult task…if you’ve got eight extra arms! ---------------------- O.K. Journal, This is hard work. I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever prove my mom’s an underwater sea creature. She hugs like she has eight arms but I have only ever seen two. ---------------------- Dear Journal, Today at school I read that octopuses are completely deaf. I am stumped because this is not the case with my mom, she hears everything! Even when she is talking on the phone. Gasp. I wonder if her friends are octopuses, too. ----------------------- Dear Journal, At dinner my mom told my dad that while the baby slept she dusted the whole house “from floor to ceiling.” My human mom can’t reach the ceiling but I guess an “octo-mom” can. ------------------------ Dear Journal, My mom and I just read a book together. Snuggling with her makes me feel sleepy. I think I read that Octopuses are cold blooded but my mom felt cozy warm. I didn’t see any tentacles either…and I was looking. ----------------------- Dear Journal, This is the last page and I still haven’t solved the mystery. IS MY MOM AND OCTOPUS? I guess it doesn’t make a difference. She is still my mom. Even if she is an octopus – she is MY octopus and I love her, all of her! P.S. Wait aliens could have lots of arms. Could my mom be an alien? Oh no! Now I really need a new journal!

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OK, it's not REALLY my son's journal...just one of the picture books I have written that has gotten enough rejections to wallpaper a room with. Oh well. I have about 30 more where that came from...back to the drawing board!

Happy October...

I am not condoning drinking until you puke... laughing until you puke is a whole 'nother story! See my contest in the last post...it's a great one! You can win an ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION by Moi! I was sitting here, minding my own business. Being a writer. Not bothering anyone while trying to edit a manuscript until I heard men yelling... A giant hole is being cut into the basement wall of my house as I type. We are adding a daylight window and of course they come during nap time... Most children can't sleep with a jackhammer vibrating every surface of their living space. But he's sick so I think Dimetapp is keeping him intoxicated enough to ignore the "JJJJggggdddddt JJJJggggdddddt" going on below my feet. Trying to get into the zone. The writing zone. The vibration in my office makes me have to pee. I get distracted easily...I think I have adult ADD. Yeah, cuz now I am thinking about ice cream. I am working on a great picture book that will dispel a mystery about something you may never have considered being a mystery! It's set in a Saloon...and that's all I am sayin'! (Grrrrr. Phone is ringing. Friends IMing. And a partridge in a pear tree!) Anyway, my sweet "mammau" (grandmau) was Pennsylvania Dutch...we live in Amish Country...and she had the funniest reasoning behind the most mundane things. Things you NEVER thought you cared about, until she told you the reason it happens. Then you spent the next 9 days thinking about it! (oh, crap...I forgot to email my editor to tell him which humor column to use for this Friday's paper! Emailing.....) So, anyway ("JJJJggggdddddt JJJJggggdddddt") I submitted my manuscript to two different critiques at the SCBWI conference I attended last weekend and got some amazing reviews and tips! A group of 10 esteemed writers made comments and scribbled ideas. And Caroline Abbey from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and I had a one-on-one and we chatted about my idea. She loved the idea for my book which thrilled me to no end. I wasn't as excited for me as I was for my Mammau. It's her creativity that tells this story, I am just the vessel this time. A vessel with creative license, of course. So, needless to say, I have been editing non-stop since Saturday night. I have had my manuscript in the sandbox, in the driveway with sidewalk chalk, on the couch and dare I say, the toilet! (LOL! My mom will just DIE if she reads this!) I have cut about 400 words, gotten rid of an underlying theme that was making it difficult to follow and I am now changing around the characters. This is why I love writing! It gives me goosebumps! I am very excited to get Mammau's words into print. Kids will love her story. OK....enough "JJJJggggdddddt JJJJggggdddddt" I have to go do something....sheesh!

Because you asked for it...

So many of you ask when you will be able to find my Macy-Sue on the bookstore shelves. Well, I just wanted you to know that I continue to work on that (and on her - she has had to undergo a bit of charm school as I tweak and polish her little character!) and I have come bearing a gift. As you know, copying and pasting an entire picture book would be silly because no one would then need to buy the book if you could get the whole thing right here on my blog. Agents and publishers frown upon freebies! ...but that doesn't mean I can't tease you! I like to do that. It elicits responses that are always beneficial to my writing process! So, once again an excerpt you have not seen before from the Macy-Sue vault. This is from the third book in the series. Can't wait to hear what you think! (please excuse the non-indented paragraphs as BLOGGER will not let me do it the MLA way!) “I’m not afraid of you,” Macy-Sue told the monsters in her closet. “Don’t waste your time,” she said to the bully across the street. Macy-Sue was an imaginative five-year old who insisted on being brave every day. But one summer something changed. The sound of one certain word gave her brave little body scaredy-cat goose bumps. That word was, “S-C-H-O-O-L.” Other words like “bus,” “teacher,” and “recess” made even the hair in her ears tremble. One September morning, to Macy-Sue’s horror, all of those words came at her at once, “Macy-Sue, it’s time to get ready for school. Today you get to ride the bus, meet your teacher and play with all your friends at recess.” Macy-Sue spent the whole summer dreading that day. A few moments after waking up, she emerged from her room doubled over. She threw her head back, opened her jaws and let out a shriek that sent the dog to the garage, “I broke my belly button!”

I polished Macy-Sue...

So, by now you all know my saga of writing my Macy-Sue LaRue picture book series... I have recently had some interest (no, it is not another April Fools joke! I actually think I lost a few readers b/c of that....people were mad! hee hee sorry!)... So, thought you'd like to "proof" a bit of the new, polished version...but for obvious reasons I can't give you the whole thing so you will have to leave me lots of comments so "The Powers That Be" can see potential BUYER reactions!! HAHA You'll have to (pray for its publication) buy it to get the rest.

MACY-SUE LA RUE, FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO “Oh dear, this just won’t do,” Macy-Sue looked around her room at the peeling purple wallpaper. “Mommy’s tea party should be fancy, not falling apart.” She picked at the tattered, curling edges. R-r-r-r-ip. She ripped the paper from the walls, strip by strip. She ripped, twirled and giggled as the purple ribbons trailed behind her and tickled her ankles. Her dance sent her foot right through the picture window of her dollhouse and she landed with a THUD. Mrs. La Rue was distracted by the noise and scolded from her office chair, “Macy-Sue La Rue, find something else to do!” So she did. “Too much furniture. There’s no room to dance,” Macy-Sue said as she pushed and pulled, scraped and scooted everything into the hallway. The bed, her dresser, a broken dollhouse and two bedside tables all fit (some squeaked!) through her narrow doorway. Mrs. La Rue could hear the commotion and growled under her breath. Her grumpy lips called out a little louder this time, “Macy-Sue La Rue, find something else to do!” So she did. Macy-Sue looked around her room. It was empty except for a small table sitting by the window. She tapped her chin. “A mural,” she whispered. “This tea room needs some color.” Macy-Sue dug into her art supplies and practiced her fancy coloring. “This wall was just too whitey-white,” she said as she added raspberry red to the rainbow on her wall. “Mo-o-o-o-om! I am painting my wall for our te-e-e-e-ea party,” Macy-Sue sang out in the squeaky tune of her favorite made-up song.

Scribbles in my sketchbook...

Newest picture book excerpt...

I am counting the days until our adoption is final! So excited! I have always told our little man "his story" - how much he understands at two, I am not sure. But I always wanted to write a picture book that would make adoption magical in a child's eyes. It is magical to me as the mom, but I want him to always know what a miracle his placement in our home was and continues to be...here is an excerpt from the work-in-progress... YOU ARE MY FAVORITE COLOR! *************************************** What is in her belly, Momma? A baby, my sweet. How did it get in there? God took little pieces of Heaven and tossed them into the air. They fluttered and fell to the earth and nestled themselves into the bellies of many different women. Sounds scary, Momma. Not scary, my love. A miracle. A sweet, sweet miracle. Was I in your belly, Momma? You, my dear, grew in your first momma’s belly. But how did I find you, Momma? What a wonderful story. It was God. God helped you to find me. How, Momma? God chose for us to be a family. Your forever family.

How does he choose, Momma? He matched the color of your heart to mine. A perfect match.

A salad, some chocolate and a bookstore...

You are all so amazing to be pumping me up after my Macy-Sue's untimely demise at the hands of an agent today. So many comments and emails of building me up and encouraging me to not give up! Thank you! I have to tell you though, this is not my first attempt at the submissions game - I have been submitting (for 2 years) a variation of 15-20 picture books, a chapter book, a crafting book and a few inspirational books for women. Boy, how I could have used you all along the way. Although I have had well over 100 rejections, God tells me this is His plan for me, to touch more lives then I could ever imagine. So, in order to win the favor of my Father, I should get my life in order, right? I struggle with this. I am a very intense person when I get an idea and I have a hard time focusing on anything but the project ahead of me. On most days, the baby's nap time is my computer time. I may blog, research or just waste time clicking my acrylic nails across the keyboard on my DELL-friend. Yesterday, I sent my Macy-Sue book dummy off to the agent via email and got to work...not on my computer but in our office. I straightened, reorganized and set up an extra table for my scrapbooking and art supplies. I set up the kids' computer on that table and dusted the areas that I had cleared...although it was with the sleeve of my torn sweatshirt I was wearing at the time... but things were dusted nonetheless. Today, while I was out running errands (actually, I was mailing Heather from Rice-A-Roni-ville her bumblebee painted gourd as her prize for guessing cheese in my last "What's in the Lunchbox" game) I passed a few fast food places and thought how great it would feel to sink my teeth into something bad for me while I agonized over whether I was getting voted off the agent-island or staying for another round. I felt God's gentle nudge telling me to glorify my body with what I put into it. I was starving and making a salad when I got home was not going to happen so I opted for an Arby's salad. I ate most of it - it was yummy...I LOVE SALAD! My 2-year old decided he needed to have some to and he proceeded to take large mouthfuls, chew a bit and spit it out back in my bowl. Rather than eating previously chewed lettuce mush, I grabbed a Cadbury raisin & nut bar and ate most of it. How is that glorifying my body? Yeah, I am not sure either but man it tasted good! I promised God yesterday that no matter the answer from the agent, I would praise Him and be thankful for the opportunity. I do. I am. Tonight we had a babysitter and my dear sweet hubby and I went to our favorite restaurant, VIVA and headed to the jewelers to pick up my mother's ring the kids bought me for Christmas...IT IS SO PRETTY!!!! Their names are engraved on the band next to their birthstones with a special "We love you Mom" message on the edge that faces me. Then he drove us over to my favorite place in the whole world besides snuggling with my kidlets in my big comfy bed...BARNES & NOBLE!!! I sat with my notebook (and my sweet husband)at one of those mini-picnic tables in the children's section and jotted away. Ken read motorcycle magazines with his kneecaps embedded deep in his nostrils from the 6" tall benches we were sitting on. I scribbled names of publishers, authors and websites. I also had the honor of paging through The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick...the newest Caldecott Award winner!!!!! AMAZING! 239 pages of illustrations with an amazing story spread throughout! VERY COOL! VERY INSPIRING! So, happily I go back to the drawing board and make Macy-Sue SPARKLE! Show me your BLING baby girl!!

Drum roll, puh-lease...the agent said....

NO! She was very nice and I appreciate her time she takes to answer so quickly and honestly... hey michelle, thanks for sending these along. Macy sue is a charmer, but in the end, just not feeling that extra "sparkle" needed for me to champion her through the publishing process at this time. sorry, but, of course, i am just one humble opinion and certainly, others may feel differently. i appreciate the look and send all good wishes, Back to the drawing board...