The Lovely Blog Award

I'd like to thank Allyn Stotz for the Lovely Blog Award.

or those of you I nominate, please accept the award, post iot to your blog and nominate 15 other blogs that you enjoy or have just found.

In paying it forward I have nominated the following blogs:

http://claragillowclark.blogspot.com
http://funnypoetrygirl.blogspot.com
http://mywordplayground.blogspot.com
http://kimberlysabatini.blogspot.com

I'll post the rest as I discover them.

Thanks again.

Happy blogging.

GAYLE

Announcing the winners of THE FRACTURED FAIRY TALE POETRY CONTEST

Announcing the winners of THE FRACTURED FAIRY TALE POETRY CONTEST, Part 2

“THE FRACTURED FAIRY TALE POETRY CONTEST, PART 2” was a wonderful success. We had ten excellent entries, each a winner in its own right. For those of you who did not win, if you care to email me I’d be happy to send you a critiqued copy of your poem. Perhaps you could submit it somewhere.

 

Just go to my website address at the top right corner of my blog and it will automatically take you to the first page of my website.

Scroll down through the pictures. On the right hand side of the last picture is an email icon. Click on it and send me a request for your critiqued poem. I’d be glad to send it back to you. J

And now to announce the winners:

The runner up is: Buffalocoburn with “Red Riding Hood’s Healthy Choice.” You will receive a full critique of a rhyming picture book manuscript of your choice.

And the Grand prizewinner is: buglady5 with “Stalker.” She will receive a full critique as stated above and an autographed copy of ROCK STAR SANTA.

Both winners, please follow email instructions above to send me your manuscripts. And buglady5, please send me the name/names of who you would like the book made out to and your physical address so I can send it to you.

This was so much fun we’ll have to do it again soon. Thank you all for participating. And for those of you who became followers…Thank You. I hope you’ll come back for the new author interviews and the writing tips.

POETRY CONTEST AT THE STORYTELLER'S SCROLL

Hello out there you rhymers. THE STORYTELLER'S SCROLL is sponsoring  "THE FRACTURED FAIRY TALE POETRY CONTEST, PART 2.

Eighteen months ago I held the first FRACTURED FAIRY TALE CONTEST. We had multiple entries and a lot of fun. SO... I'd like to repeat the contest this year.

Here are the simple rules:

Write a rhyming poem suitable for children to read of no more than 12 lines about two Fairy Tale characters that would never have met. See example below:

Bewildering Snows

by Gayle C. Krause





Everyone knows the Snow Queen was mean,


the evilest sorceress you've ever seen.



She’d fallen asleep in her cradle of ice


when the kiss of a prince woke her up in a trice.



Her eyes flashed open. She narrowed her sight.


She gave the prince a terrible fright.



"Excuse me, my Queen. It seems I now know


in my confusion I've found the wrong Snow.



Your lips are so cold. This couldn't be right.


Please forgive my mistake for you're not Snow White.

Enter as many times as you wish by posting your poem in the comment section.

The winner will be announced on March 1st.

First Prize – An autographed copy of Rock Star Santa, and a rhyming picture book critique by “First Peek Critique Services.”

Second Prize - a rhyming picture book critique by “First Peek Critique Services.

Good Luck!

Interview with Debut Picture Book Author, Jodi Moore

Today I have an extra special treat for you, the first interview of debut picture book author, Jodi Moore. J

I met Jodi two years ago at the SCBWI Eastern PA Pocono Retreat (coming up again April 8-10, 2011 at the Shawnee Golf Resort), a great conference to make new friendships and foster old ones. Scholastic had just published my first picture book, ROCK STAR SANTA and Jodi was such an enthusiastic fan. Now, I get to reciprocate the enthusiasm. I’ve pre-ordered her first book and I can’t wait for her to sign it.

Here is her interview.

1. Can you tell us your latest news?

My first picture book, WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN (Flashlight Press) will be released May 1, 2011. It’s about a little boy who builds the “perfect” sandcastle and a dragon moves in. He’s delighted, of course, until his family doesn’t believe him and the dragon becomes a bit mischievous. It’s up to the readers to decide whether the dragon is real or is just a figment of the child’s imagination. I also have a second PB contracted with Story Pie Press called GOOD NEWS NELSON (publishing date to be determined).

2. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?


Wow. This is the question that has most likely held up this interview – LOL! How do I choose? While it may sound cliché, I really do feel that I have learned something from each and every writer I know – from those I personally have met, who have critiqued my work and shared their own – to those I have only had the great privilege of reading their stories. They’ve all been mentors in their own way. However, if I had to choose just one, I would have to say Jacqueline Woodson.  She writes with such passion, with such quiet strength, lending her unique voice to such believable characters. I had the great honor of hearing her speak – and read! – at the 2010 SCBWI winter conference in NYC. To hear her actual voice breathe life into her stories, to give volume and expression to her characters…there was a musicality nothing short of spiritual. Yeah. I’d love to be able to move people like that.

3. What is/was your first published title?

I’ve worked on various fiction and non-fiction magazine articles; however, my first picture book title is WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN.

4. What inspired you to write your first book?


In a word? Family.

My parents, my siblings, my husband, our two sons. They are my inspirations, my support system. My mother worked outside the home when I was a baby and would surprise me each night with a new book. It didn’t take me long to associate reading with love. I began writing picture book manuscripts when my own boys were toddlers. What could be better than producing something that others could love – that could

foster love?

It would seem that I didn’t hit on the right manuscript until my boys left for college. (As you can see, I’m not exactly an overnight sensation – LOL – although in all fairness to me, I stopped working on my picture books stories to pursue some nonfiction opportunities for about 15 of those years!) Feeling the sting of empty nest, I was encouraged by my husband to return to my roots, my passion for writing fiction, specifically, children’s fiction.

“Do you know how hard it is to get published in this business?” I protested. “Yes,” he said (probably having no idea). “Give it the four years the boys are in college, then you can argue with me. I believe in you.”

Admittedly, we were both a bit depressed that first Labor Day as we made our way to a local beach. It’s not that we didn’t love being with each other. It’s just that this was the very first holiday we didn’t have the kids with us. We missed our boys.

My husband brought our satchel of sand toys anyway. Buckets, shovels, molds. He began to build a sandcastle. And, as happens when one builds a sandcastle, he began to also attract the little children on the beach. I flitted around to the ever-growing gaggle of anxious moms, explaining why a mature man would be building a sandcastle, seemingly alone, and resulting in luring their babies toward him. “Please excuse us,” I implored. “We’re going through empty nest. My husband just misses our boys. This is something they always did together.” Anxiety was replaced by understanding smiles as the army of toddlers grew, each one “helping” my husband in his/her own way. At one point, one of the children stuck a piece of seaweed in the opening. “Look,” my husband enthused, “it’s a dragon tail. A dragon moved in to our castle!”

And the heavens opened while the angels sang.  J

The idea germinated in my head for about a month and then I wrote it down. A book idea was conceived.

Of course that was in 2007. So we’re looking at about a four-year gestation period!

What a wonderful inspiration, truly a story born of love and family. J Some of the best ideas come from real events.

The hardest thing was finding an editor who could see what others could not – literally! I didn’t realize until after several publishers passed that it wasn’t necessarily the story that was the issue, but rather, the illustrations. How does one illustrate something that may – or may not – be there? What a challenge! Thankfully (and I am TREMENDOUSLY thankful!), my amazing editor, Shari Dash Greenspan of Flashlight Press, had such vision! And then she assigned my illustrator, the incredibly talented Howard McWilliam, who brought my dragon – and my story – to life. I am so blessed!

The best thing? There are lots of best things, but I’ll try to name just a few.

First? That my first picture book really WAS born out of love, not only as a solid reminder of how precious our boys are to us, but also as a tribute to my husband’s support of my writing, of my dream.

Which leads to my second best thing: showing our kids that you’re never too old to follow your heart.

Third, my family, both immediate and extended – my amazing support system – is proud of me.

BONUS. Finally, I have concrete evidence that I can do this, that I am meant to do this. And I’ve got lots more stories to share. * grin *

5. What is your most recently released book or upcoming book about?

(I explained the premise of Dragon in my opening…!) My upcoming picture book GOOD NEWS NELSON features a young paperboy who decides it’s not enough to just deliver the news, sometimes we have to get involved to change it. The story enforces the notion that little people can make a big difference.

6. What are your current projects?


In addition to several other PB manuscripts, I am also currently working on a contemporary YA novel called Damaged Goods, which I have sworn to complete sometime this century.

7. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Follow your dreams and nurture your imagination, but always be kind and encouraging to others along the way. Oh, and please buy my books so my editors know they made the right decision. * grin *

8. And for fun, something that not a lot of people know about you:

I love to dip my French fries in a chocolate milkshake before I eat them.

Hmm. I’ll have to try that.

Thank you for sharing your story with us Jodi. I’m sure you’ve inspired children’s writers everywhere. You’ll have to share your newest manuscript with me at this year’s Pocono Retreat.

Happy writing!

Learning to Draw with Will Terry

            Today, I have the pleasure of spreading the word about a wonderful children’s illustrator, Will Terry. I’m not too prejudiced……….he illustrated my picture book, ROCK STAR SANTA, and I love his illustrations. They pop right off the page.

Will has taken a major step. He has written his own picture e-book, which is available as a Nookbook at Barnes and Noble. Look for Monkey and Croc.

From there, he developed a video series, which he is featuring on his blog. It’s a great series that teaches children how to draw. Check it out!

http://www.willterry.com/kidscourse.html



                       Check out TEX, the Tarantula, Will's aide and learn how to draw. :)

IT’S IN THE BAG-- FINDING ORIGINAL CHARACTER TRAITS

How is writing a children’s book like taking one of my final exams?

The answer………..”It’s in the Bag!”

In my career as a teacher educator, training prospective Elementary and Pre-K teachers, I always dreamt up creative ways to test their knowledge. Students wrote children’s plays and then acted in them. They had to make the costumes and scenery as well as teach the children their singing and dancing roles. But that was a group exam.

Individual exams were quite different. Each student sat at table. Upon that table was a large, black plastic big filled objects unknown to them (but everyone had a variation of the same materials)………paper towel tubes, hand puppets, picture books, feathers, beads, crepe paper streamers, music, clean milk and egg cartons etc….

The assignment:  Create a specific lesson as designated on the board in front of the classroom. (Science, Social Studies, Math, Art etc….) which included all teaching tools and materials.

The lesson would then be taught to the children in the Pre-K the following week.

So how is that final exam like writing a book?

What if the items in the bag belonged to the characters in your story? Or what if you had to write a story based on what was in the bag?

Maybe Penny Pig always wore a feather headband…….thus becoming Miss Piggy.

Or a tube of lipstick might belong to a “mean girl” or a “crazy mother.”

A wooden spoon might be used as a grandmother’s choice of discipline, or the utensil, which mixed the sweetest pancake batter.

The next time you need unusual traits or possessions for your characters have a grab bag exchange with your crit partners. Each one should bring a bag filled with various found items. Exchange the bags. Then let your imagination run with the contents. You can create memorable or unusual character traits from the actual objects in the bag, rather than thinking up quirky attributes in your head.

Concrete examples always work better than abstract ones.

Try it. Grab your inspiration where you can. The more unusual, the better.

Your next novel idea might be “in the bag!” J

Picture Books from Christmas Cards - Recycled Inspiration!

The last of Christmas went today, not to the garbage can, but to my desk. Oh, I’m not talking about tinsel or falling needles from dried out tree branches, I’m talking about the pile of Christmas cards I received this year.

As I was getting ready to throw them away the one on top was of two children peeking into Santa’s toyshop, and a picture book was born…….. I titled it Christmas Jack!

Many of you participated in the picture book idea a day marathon in November. And many author's blogs and magazine sites offer prompts to get you started on new writing ventures.

I say, why not use your Christmas cards to do the same thing?

These are the picture book ideas my cards inspired:

Six animal cards………….Three picture books.

two cats having a tea party in the snow………….. Kit-Tea Party

four penguins holding hands……………………... The Perfect Penguin

a snow rabbit hiding beneath a holly bush………. Berries for Bunny

Three Santa cards……………….Two picture books.

snowman with gifts and a Santa hat…………………Snow Santa.

and Christmas Jack from above.

Ten cards with Christmas Trees……….Three picture books.

three glitter trees………………………….The Crystal Forest

children circling a village Christmas tree……………..Dance of the Christmas Trees

a reindeer with a small tree strapped to his back…………Donner’s Special Delivery

Five religious cards…………………….Three Picture Books

four childlike angels in patchwork gowns…………….The Country Angels

a lamb, a donkey and a baby angel………………The Shiniest Star

three Kings in the desert…………………………Santa’s Desert Ride

Two cards with little children………………………One picture book

a little girl skating on a country pond……………………….Country Christmas

So that’s 12 picture book ideas from 32 Christmas cards. Not bad! And I have the whole year to write them.

If you didn’t throw your cards out yet, go through them and see what you can come up with.

Next up, how taking one of my mid-term exams is like writing a novel………..another recycling inspiration. J