As regular readers of this blog know, I watch a lot of Sesame Street since I had my daughter. Before that, not so much, at least, not since my own childhood. But I am part of the original Sesame Street generation: it turns 40 this year---this week is the beginning of the new season---and I turn 40 (gulp) this coming summer. I was pretty much raised on Big Bird and Snuffy and Oscar, learning letters and numbers with them, and I love that my own kid is doing the same, now. (Although right NOW she is watching Barney, which I hate. I know, I know, that's mean. But I can't help it.) Personally, I will be THRILLED for the new season to begin, if only because we have watched all the ones from last year multiple times. As much as I love Neil Patrick Harris as the Fairy Shoeperson, and Sandra Oh as the Cookie Fairy, I'm ready for some new material. Although I never really get tired of Prairie Dawn. I just love that girl.
In other news, how much did I love Taylor Swift on SNL this weekend? I thought she was beyond fab, especially her monologue. If you missed it, it's here:
There was also a great send-up of the Twilight movie, although I kind of missed a lot of the joke because I, um, haven't seen it. I know, I know. I really should, especially with the second one about to come out, for professional research reasons if nothing else. I mean, it's a great thing when a YA book does this well. But honestly, I'm kind of suffering from Twilight burnout even WITHOUT seeing the movie. I mean, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are everywhere these days, and I feel like every time I turn around there's another series about vampires on TV or in the new releases on the bookshelf. And I am just not a vampire/werewolf kind of person. It probably makes me seem wholly unimaginative, but I like stories about real people and real life. This is why I never got into Harry Potter, either (and why my husband maintains I am a Muggle. But whatever).
Finally, on a more serious note, I'm sitting here watching a segment on domestic violence on GMA, and it's breaking my heart. They're talking specifically about teenage girls, and what they are calling the "Rhianna effect," i.e. that since she came forward and talked about being beaten by Chris Brown on Friday night, calls to domestic violence lines---and specifically teen targeted ones---went up considerably. This is an issue close to my own heart, because I wrote a book about a girl in a similar relationship, and since then I have literally gotten hundreds of emails and letters from girls telling me about their own stories with abusive boyfriends. It's a terrible, terrible thing, that this happens, and I so respect Rhianna for coming forward and shedding some bright, needed light on the subject. I was never in an abusive relationship. But several of my close friends, in high school and since, were, and they were not weak women. They were strong and smart and just got overwhelmed. It happens. But it doesn't HAVE to. There are resources and help out there. So if you need it, speak up. Tell a friend, a parent, a clergyperson, a teacher. Tell SOMEONE. Please. The number for National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline is 1-866-331-9474. Their website is here.
I hope you all have a great day.
In other news, how much did I love Taylor Swift on SNL this weekend? I thought she was beyond fab, especially her monologue. If you missed it, it's here:
There was also a great send-up of the Twilight movie, although I kind of missed a lot of the joke because I, um, haven't seen it. I know, I know. I really should, especially with the second one about to come out, for professional research reasons if nothing else. I mean, it's a great thing when a YA book does this well. But honestly, I'm kind of suffering from Twilight burnout even WITHOUT seeing the movie. I mean, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are everywhere these days, and I feel like every time I turn around there's another series about vampires on TV or in the new releases on the bookshelf. And I am just not a vampire/werewolf kind of person. It probably makes me seem wholly unimaginative, but I like stories about real people and real life. This is why I never got into Harry Potter, either (and why my husband maintains I am a Muggle. But whatever).
Finally, on a more serious note, I'm sitting here watching a segment on domestic violence on GMA, and it's breaking my heart. They're talking specifically about teenage girls, and what they are calling the "Rhianna effect," i.e. that since she came forward and talked about being beaten by Chris Brown on Friday night, calls to domestic violence lines---and specifically teen targeted ones---went up considerably. This is an issue close to my own heart, because I wrote a book about a girl in a similar relationship, and since then I have literally gotten hundreds of emails and letters from girls telling me about their own stories with abusive boyfriends. It's a terrible, terrible thing, that this happens, and I so respect Rhianna for coming forward and shedding some bright, needed light on the subject. I was never in an abusive relationship. But several of my close friends, in high school and since, were, and they were not weak women. They were strong and smart and just got overwhelmed. It happens. But it doesn't HAVE to. There are resources and help out there. So if you need it, speak up. Tell a friend, a parent, a clergyperson, a teacher. Tell SOMEONE. Please. The number for National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline is 1-866-331-9474. Their website is here.
I hope you all have a great day.
This is how to start the week off with a smile: CHAINS has been nominated to the longlist of the Carnegie Medal! What is the Carnegie Medal, you ask? It is the top award for children's novels in England, sort of a combination of the Newbery and the National Book Awards. I am completely blown away by this - honored, stunned and very, very happy.
British hardcover 
British paperback
I had a blast at the American Association of School Librarians conference this weekend. I signed thousands of books, met countless friendly and passionate librarians and gave a speech. Thank you to everyone who made my conference so much fun.
Half a ballroom of librarians. (The other half of the room was filled, too!)
Many people asked me to post my speech online. We will be doing that soon. Here are a couple of snippets that people responded to the most. Permission is granted to reproduce, with proper acknowledgments, of course.
I talked about the recent censorship challenges my books have faced and then said this:
I hope my words might help, a little.
One last conference note. The other banquet speaker was Charles R. Smith Jr. Do you know his work? Have you heard him speak? If not, go out RIGHT NOW and pick up some of his books. Then arrange to have him visit your school - he is the best speaker I have seen in a very long time.
Charles and I sitting on chairs that look like thrones.... it was approaching midnight and we had just finished signing a kajillion books and so we look a bit tired. But how can you turn down the chance to be photographed in a chair that looks like a throne?
British hardcover British paperbackI had a blast at the American Association of School Librarians conference this weekend. I signed thousands of books, met countless friendly and passionate librarians and gave a speech. Thank you to everyone who made my conference so much fun.
Half a ballroom of librarians. (The other half of the room was filled, too!)Many people asked me to post my speech online. We will be doing that soon. Here are a couple of snippets that people responded to the most. Permission is granted to reproduce, with proper acknowledgments, of course.
I talked about the recent censorship challenges my books have faced and then said this:
"I believe that every time a library budget is cut, every time a librarian’s hours are cut - or the position is eliminated completely - it is another form of censorship. It is stealing from children and interfering with their education.
Taking books out of libraries and taking librarians out of libraries are just like ripping the roof off of a school. And maybe that’s how we need to describe it, in the dire, stark terms of reality. You can't run a school that doesn't have a roof. You can't run a school without librarians and libraries.
Book people – like you and me – tend to be a little uncomfortable with conflict. We value discussion, we respect other opinions. We avoid fights.
“Don’t you ever start a fight,” Mother said. “But if somebody picks a fight with you, by God, you finish it.”
The people who do not value books or librarians have picked a fight with me. That was a mistake.
They are ripping the roof off our libraries, off our schools. They are exposing our children to ignorance and condemning them to poverty. When they rip the roof off of libraries, they weaken our country."
[I'm cutting out a little from this section]
"Those of us who truly, deeply care about the health and happiness of kids and teenagers have a sacred obligation to help them along their path to adulthood. We are charged to create and to find the very best books for these children.
To hand a book to a child or a gawky adolescent is to rescue her from the unforgiving isolation of illiteracy and transport her to the joyful and rewarding kingdom of an open mind.
I cannot think of a job more difficult or more important than yours. Reading is not a subject matter. It is a survival tool, the requirement of modern living. Libraries are not luxuries. Libraries are the lifeblood of our schools and the foundation of our culture."
I hope my words might help, a little.
One last conference note. The other banquet speaker was Charles R. Smith Jr. Do you know his work? Have you heard him speak? If not, go out RIGHT NOW and pick up some of his books. Then arrange to have him visit your school - he is the best speaker I have seen in a very long time.
Charles and I sitting on chairs that look like thrones.... it was approaching midnight and we had just finished signing a kajillion books and so we look a bit tired. But how can you turn down the chance to be photographed in a chair that looks like a throne?hey. i've loved francesca lia block's work for so long...i think i discovered her sometime in early middle school. now i'm going to be twenty in december, so it's been quite a while. her work is definitely very sentimental to me...i kinda grew up with it and was inspired by a lot of it. it makes me feel nostalgic and reminds me of when i was more naive and unsure and growing up and being really really into her work. my favorite book is probably Violet & Claire. i've reread it so many times. it had a really big impact on me when i first read it. i love all her books though... i have yet to read some of the most recent ones, like the ones from 08 and like, the dating guide..and some other books. but ive read a good amount lol, over half definitely.
ive had so much going on lately though and havent really been reading much at all. tonight i was bored and was doing random internet surfing and i forget what, but something reminded me of her, so i googled her. it turns out we have the same birthday which for some reason made me ecstatic. i dunno why i didnt know before, maybe i did but forgot. anyway. i dunno! it just made me so happy lol. so that revived my flb passion a bit, made me remember one of the promiment things that shaped me when i was younger.
anyway thats it. gonna have to buy those newer books. =)
ive had so much going on lately though and havent really been reading much at all. tonight i was bored and was doing random internet surfing and i forget what, but something reminded me of her, so i googled her. it turns out we have the same birthday which for some reason made me ecstatic. i dunno why i didnt know before, maybe i did but forgot. anyway. i dunno! it just made me so happy lol. so that revived my flb passion a bit, made me remember one of the promiment things that shaped me when i was younger.
anyway thats it. gonna have to buy those newer books. =)
1. This was the first week of what I'm calling TOFFT: Time Off From Facebook and Twitter. I won't say I've been able to avoid them altogether. At least once a day, I check in and see what's going on, and maybe update. But I USED to be on multiple times a day, updating and checking, and since I've stopped I actually feel better. I think that for me, all that updating and stuff drains the same energy I need to write, and I really need that for writing these days. So if you've been trying to contact me via Facebook or Twitter, I apologize. I'll be back sometime. Maybe in the new year?
2. Someone left a comment the other day, worried about Coco and wanting an update. You ask, I give. (Unless it's on Facebook or Twitter.) So Coco is doing really well. She's basically back to normal, which means following my daughter around vigilantly, waiting for dropped bunny crackers, attacking Monkey for no good reason, and bringing me her chicken to throw whenever I sit down. (In fact, just as I wrote this, she instigated a wild play session with Monkey has them racing back and forth across the house. I wish you could see it.) Anyway, we go back to the vet next week to get another set of x-rays, and that's when we'll see if her spleen is still really enlarged. I am thinking good thoughts. If her outer behavior is any indication, though, she's fine.
3. I was at the mall the other day, on November 2nd, when it happened. The clerk wished me a Merry Christmas. I couldn't help it: like a reflex, I said, "It's too early!" I mean, honestly. In the clerk's defense, though, I WAS buying a Christmas book, Olivia Helps with Christmas, which, incidentally, I now know by heart a mere three days later. I'm sorry but November 2nd is just too early to be wishing anyone anything but Happy Thanksgiving. Am I wrong? Oh, probably. Yet more proof that I am a cranky old woman.
4. In other news, my daughter continues her obsession with her little plastic Jesus Christ action figure. I can't figure it out, as she has TONS of other toys, but she insists on taking J.C. (as we call him) everywhere with us. Now, I am not a religious person. I was not raised in the church, nor was my husband. But we do live in the Bible Belt, so I am very aware that faith is a thing people take seriously, and I do not want J.C. being dragged to Whole Foods or our playgroup to offend anyone. So I went out the other day looking for another action figure that maybe wouldn't be so, um, sacred. I found a Cleopatra, which I thought was great. But Sasha was less than impressed. I mean, she LIKES Cleo okay, but really just as a buddy for J.C. to hang with while we build him block houses. I guess I need to keep looking. Meanwhile, I'll just do my best to make sure J.C. is properly treated. The other day Sasha left him on a table at this clothing boutique, where he was surrounded by lingerie. Not good. I'll work on it.
5. Finally, I'm excited to report that my office is really starting to come together. The bathroom is almost painted, this really nice blue, and the main room is a kind of apricot, the ceilings a bright white. We've ordered cabinets so people don't have to see all my clutter the minute they walk in, and I've pruned down my book collection a bunch so I don't have to haul boxes and boxes of stuff over there and fill it up the second it's done. There are still a few things I need, though. Like I'm thinking I really want to buy a time clock, the kind we used to have at the restaurant, and put it up right by the door. Then I can fill out a time card with my name (and maybe a little heart next to it, like I used to at the Burrito) and clock in whenever I sit down to write, then clock out when I leave. I'm thinking this might help me feel more professional, which I have not been feeling at ALL lately. Mostly because I'm in this weird no-man's land (no woman's?) where i don't have a full time job, but am not a full time stay at home parent either. It's a great thing to be able to hang with my daughter so much, and I wouldn't change it for the world. But it's hard to do all this--writing, blogging, updating, answering emails, just keeping up in general---in only twenty hours a week. I mean, I CAN do it. But I get kind of crabby, and that's not good for everyone. Maybe if I'm clocking in and out, it'll feel more like a real job and I won't feel so guilty about everything I'm not getting done. We'll see.
Have a great day, everyone!
2. Someone left a comment the other day, worried about Coco and wanting an update. You ask, I give. (Unless it's on Facebook or Twitter.) So Coco is doing really well. She's basically back to normal, which means following my daughter around vigilantly, waiting for dropped bunny crackers, attacking Monkey for no good reason, and bringing me her chicken to throw whenever I sit down. (In fact, just as I wrote this, she instigated a wild play session with Monkey has them racing back and forth across the house. I wish you could see it.) Anyway, we go back to the vet next week to get another set of x-rays, and that's when we'll see if her spleen is still really enlarged. I am thinking good thoughts. If her outer behavior is any indication, though, she's fine.
3. I was at the mall the other day, on November 2nd, when it happened. The clerk wished me a Merry Christmas. I couldn't help it: like a reflex, I said, "It's too early!" I mean, honestly. In the clerk's defense, though, I WAS buying a Christmas book, Olivia Helps with Christmas, which, incidentally, I now know by heart a mere three days later. I'm sorry but November 2nd is just too early to be wishing anyone anything but Happy Thanksgiving. Am I wrong? Oh, probably. Yet more proof that I am a cranky old woman.
4. In other news, my daughter continues her obsession with her little plastic Jesus Christ action figure. I can't figure it out, as she has TONS of other toys, but she insists on taking J.C. (as we call him) everywhere with us. Now, I am not a religious person. I was not raised in the church, nor was my husband. But we do live in the Bible Belt, so I am very aware that faith is a thing people take seriously, and I do not want J.C. being dragged to Whole Foods or our playgroup to offend anyone. So I went out the other day looking for another action figure that maybe wouldn't be so, um, sacred. I found a Cleopatra, which I thought was great. But Sasha was less than impressed. I mean, she LIKES Cleo okay, but really just as a buddy for J.C. to hang with while we build him block houses. I guess I need to keep looking. Meanwhile, I'll just do my best to make sure J.C. is properly treated. The other day Sasha left him on a table at this clothing boutique, where he was surrounded by lingerie. Not good. I'll work on it.
5. Finally, I'm excited to report that my office is really starting to come together. The bathroom is almost painted, this really nice blue, and the main room is a kind of apricot, the ceilings a bright white. We've ordered cabinets so people don't have to see all my clutter the minute they walk in, and I've pruned down my book collection a bunch so I don't have to haul boxes and boxes of stuff over there and fill it up the second it's done. There are still a few things I need, though. Like I'm thinking I really want to buy a time clock, the kind we used to have at the restaurant, and put it up right by the door. Then I can fill out a time card with my name (and maybe a little heart next to it, like I used to at the Burrito) and clock in whenever I sit down to write, then clock out when I leave. I'm thinking this might help me feel more professional, which I have not been feeling at ALL lately. Mostly because I'm in this weird no-man's land (no woman's?) where i don't have a full time job, but am not a full time stay at home parent either. It's a great thing to be able to hang with my daughter so much, and I wouldn't change it for the world. But it's hard to do all this--writing, blogging, updating, answering emails, just keeping up in general---in only twenty hours a week. I mean, I CAN do it. But I get kind of crabby, and that's not good for everyone. Maybe if I'm clocking in and out, it'll feel more like a real job and I won't feel so guilty about everything I'm not getting done. We'll see.
Have a great day, everyone!
- Do we teach about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 in American schools? Should we?
Remember, remember the fifth of November, - The gunpowder treason and plot,
- I know of no reason
- Why the gunpowder treason
- Should ever be forgot.
And there is the great speech from V Is For Vendetta. My favorite quote, "Words will always retain their power."
LOOK! I buried the lead! WINTERGIRLS made the Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 2009 list!
And from the Misc. List, Bookavore has a great idea for how to get the books you really want.
And the Office Mouse sends us to this video, because even though I loathe baseball, I love Philadelphia, and the city needs some extra hugs today.
Any rap song that can work in a reference to "Benjamin Franklin, 1776" is a good thing.
Time has mysteriously condensed again.
I have been writing like, well, like a possessed crazy woman who lives in a forest. Tomorrow I hop a plane south so I can speak at the American Association of School Librarians in Charlotte, NC.
When I get back, I will have very happy news from overseas to share with you. Until then, keep writing, keep revising, keep scribbling!!!
I have been writing like, well, like a possessed crazy woman who lives in a forest. Tomorrow I hop a plane south so I can speak at the American Association of School Librarians in Charlotte, NC.
When I get back, I will have very happy news from overseas to share with you. Until then, keep writing, keep revising, keep scribbling!!!
One thing that totally bums me out about fall and winter is the days being so short. When it starts getting dark at, like, 4:45, I just want to crawl back into bed and put my head under the covers. (That's sort of my default setting in fall and winter. I know, it's not healthy, but whatever.) Anyway, since I'm all about looking on the positive side these days---or trying to---here's a bonus to the time change: it's not QUITE so dark at 6am now. You can sort of see the sun coming up. A little light in the distance is always a nice thing.
In other news, I know the LAST thing I needed was another show to watch, but I've been totally sucked into The Big Bang Theory. We've been watching it on DVD from the beginning of the series, and it's just become another thing that makes these early dark nights that much better. I've been trying to figure out why, exactly, I like it so much, and I think it's that the premise is not like anything else on TV. The characters are unique, and so well drawn. I think in this time of reality TV (and believe me, I watch more than my share) you can forget how good a well-written, well-created show can be. I guess as viewers we've come to see people like Santino from Project Runway and the girls from The Hills as "characters," but they're not. A real character is someone like Sheldon on the Big Bang, so well drawn and distinct that there's no one else like them. Although, honestly, I kind of have a thing for Howard as well. I think it's those belts and mock turtlenecks. Who can resist?
Speaking of reality TV, last night I caught a bit of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion, and I just felt...I don't know. Discouraged? We learned this season that NeNe is writing a book, and Kim has a hit single with "Tardy for the Party." But if you watched the show, you saw that Kim didn't really SING that much on her song. And you saw that NeNe's book is actually being written by someone else. So can you be a singer without singing much, or a writer without writing much? Maybe I'm just bitter because I'm at that point in my own novel where I'm kind of tearing my hair out a bit, and I get bothered by people who don't have so much trouble. But that's MY issue, not theirs. In fact, I should just delete this whole paragraph so I don't seem like some cranky old woman. But instead, I'll just lighten the mood with a picture of my new crush:
Ah, that's better. Now I'm going to go drink some coffee and work on my attitude.
Have a great day, everyone!
In other news, I know the LAST thing I needed was another show to watch, but I've been totally sucked into The Big Bang Theory. We've been watching it on DVD from the beginning of the series, and it's just become another thing that makes these early dark nights that much better. I've been trying to figure out why, exactly, I like it so much, and I think it's that the premise is not like anything else on TV. The characters are unique, and so well drawn. I think in this time of reality TV (and believe me, I watch more than my share) you can forget how good a well-written, well-created show can be. I guess as viewers we've come to see people like Santino from Project Runway and the girls from The Hills as "characters," but they're not. A real character is someone like Sheldon on the Big Bang, so well drawn and distinct that there's no one else like them. Although, honestly, I kind of have a thing for Howard as well. I think it's those belts and mock turtlenecks. Who can resist?
Speaking of reality TV, last night I caught a bit of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion, and I just felt...I don't know. Discouraged? We learned this season that NeNe is writing a book, and Kim has a hit single with "Tardy for the Party." But if you watched the show, you saw that Kim didn't really SING that much on her song. And you saw that NeNe's book is actually being written by someone else. So can you be a singer without singing much, or a writer without writing much? Maybe I'm just bitter because I'm at that point in my own novel where I'm kind of tearing my hair out a bit, and I get bothered by people who don't have so much trouble. But that's MY issue, not theirs. In fact, I should just delete this whole paragraph so I don't seem like some cranky old woman. But instead, I'll just lighten the mood with a picture of my new crush:
Ah, that's better. Now I'm going to go drink some coffee and work on my attitude.
Have a great day, everyone!
Somehow, it is November. NOVEMBER! That means Thanksgiving is, like, three weeks away. And don't even start about Christmas. I can't even begin to go there. Whoa.
We had a good weekend around here, mostly because my little Coco dog came home on Saturday after three days at the emergency vet. Whatever obstruction she had (we suspect it was an acorn, but will never know for sure) has passed, but the vets are kind of concerned because her spleen is very swollen. This can mean many things, some of them very scary, but we are hoping it's a reaction to the obstruction and will return to normal. Fingers crossed on that front. Meanwhile, we are spoiling Coco rotten, letting her sleep on the couch, and basically smothering her with attention to the point that she is running from us. (Okay, me.) Oh, and I also bought her a new bed and am sneaking her food from my plate. So sue me.
In other news, NaNoWriMo started yesterday, and I've gotten a bunch of messages asking if I am participating. I am not, but mostly because I'm already working on a novel and therefore can't start something else. But I DO love NanoWriMo, if only because I know for sure that for the entire month of November I am not the only one plodding along trying to write every day, climbing up that hill, sometimes on all fours. Some people run marathons. Some of us write novels. They are both crazy exhausting, soul-testing life-changing activities. Of course, some people write novels AND run marathons. But I don't even want to know about those people. At least not right now.
Finally, I've been doing a lot of thinking these last couple of weeks about my web presence and how I can better manage it all. I've written here recently about how I have been having a bit of trouble juggling the novel and the blog and updating all these various sites. I thought about giving up this blog and going solely to Facebook and Twitter, as a lot of folks have done....but people really seem to like the blog, so I think I'll zag instead and cut back on the other stuff. So if I'm not on Twitter or Facebook as much, you'll know it's because I'm trying to save my brain for that marathon I'm running. So to speak.
Have a great day, everyone!
We had a good weekend around here, mostly because my little Coco dog came home on Saturday after three days at the emergency vet. Whatever obstruction she had (we suspect it was an acorn, but will never know for sure) has passed, but the vets are kind of concerned because her spleen is very swollen. This can mean many things, some of them very scary, but we are hoping it's a reaction to the obstruction and will return to normal. Fingers crossed on that front. Meanwhile, we are spoiling Coco rotten, letting her sleep on the couch, and basically smothering her with attention to the point that she is running from us. (Okay, me.) Oh, and I also bought her a new bed and am sneaking her food from my plate. So sue me.
In other news, NaNoWriMo started yesterday, and I've gotten a bunch of messages asking if I am participating. I am not, but mostly because I'm already working on a novel and therefore can't start something else. But I DO love NanoWriMo, if only because I know for sure that for the entire month of November I am not the only one plodding along trying to write every day, climbing up that hill, sometimes on all fours. Some people run marathons. Some of us write novels. They are both crazy exhausting, soul-testing life-changing activities. Of course, some people write novels AND run marathons. But I don't even want to know about those people. At least not right now.
Finally, I've been doing a lot of thinking these last couple of weeks about my web presence and how I can better manage it all. I've written here recently about how I have been having a bit of trouble juggling the novel and the blog and updating all these various sites. I thought about giving up this blog and going solely to Facebook and Twitter, as a lot of folks have done....but people really seem to like the blog, so I think I'll zag instead and cut back on the other stuff. So if I'm not on Twitter or Facebook as much, you'll know it's because I'm trying to save my brain for that marathon I'm running. So to speak.
Have a great day, everyone!
November is the month for words - the best one ever. That's why NaNoWriMo takes place starting today.
From their website:
"National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down."
I can't do NaNoWriMo this year. I'm doing "Finish These Revisions Before My Editor Kills Me." FiThReBeMiEdKiMe.
I did write a piece for the teen version of the NaNoWriMo site. I'll post the link when it goes live.
Scribble...scribble...scribble...
Thanks to everyone who voted for Zoe in the last couple of weeks, and to everyone who put up with me blathering on about voting for Zoe in the last couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure she didn't make the Top 5. We'll know for sure in January. It was a blast to have a book that was even considered breakfast food for the mind; I'm a happy camper.
A Facebook Friend (thanks Chris!) pointed me to this interview with Kristen Stewart for Irish television. She mentions playing the lead in the SPEAK movie around the 4:30 mark.
Here is a Public Service Announcement Kristen made about college campus security and high rate of sexual assault at colleges.
And because I promised someone, here is a shot from the filming of SPEAK. That's me in my world-famous role as "Lunch Lady." Kristen Stewart, as Melinda, is standing with her back to the camera, about to go through the line to get her lunch. This is where my highly acclaimed, tension-filled moment "serves mashed potatoes" occurs. Really, when you think about it, it was the climax to the whole film.
Good Samhain to all! Now our world slips into the dark half of the year. We light candles and tell tales around the fire.
A Facebook Friend (thanks Chris!) pointed me to this interview with Kristen Stewart for Irish television. She mentions playing the lead in the SPEAK movie around the 4:30 mark.
Here is a Public Service Announcement Kristen made about college campus security and high rate of sexual assault at colleges.
And because I promised someone, here is a shot from the filming of SPEAK. That's me in my world-famous role as "Lunch Lady." Kristen Stewart, as Melinda, is standing with her back to the camera, about to go through the line to get her lunch. This is where my highly acclaimed, tension-filled moment "serves mashed potatoes" occurs. Really, when you think about it, it was the climax to the whole film.
Good Samhain to all! Now our world slips into the dark half of the year. We light candles and tell tales around the fire.
1. I'll go ahead and apologize right now for any typos or nonsensical sentences that might follow in this entry. I am running on just a TAD too little sleep today. Last night, my dog Coco started acting weird, like her stomach was hurt and she couldn't get comfortable. We watched her for awhile, and she really didn't seem like herself, so I packed her up and took her to the emergency vet. (Our dogs ALWAYS get sick after hours or on weekends. It's, like, their thing.) Anyway, two hours later, it was decided that she MIGHT have an intestinal blockage and needed to stay overnight. I came home, worried, collapsed into bed....and then my daughter woke up about an hour later, for no reason I could tell. I finally got us all back to sleep, but I was worried about dog and child and so now feel like I have been hit by a bus. I can catch a few winks when babysitter comes in six and a half hours. Not that I am counting or anything. The good news is, Coco seems to be on the mend and will hopefully be home later today. I bet she is tired too.
2. Halloween is tomorrow, and while I've had Sasha's costume planned for weeks, I just recently realized I might need one as well. Honestly, though, I'm not much of a Halloween person. I did it up in elementary, middle and high school, and some of college, but since then I've kind of sat the whole thing out. Now, though, I have a kid who is very aware of Halloween (thanks to Gabba Gabba, among other things) so we're doing a few more things to celebrate. We'll carve a pumpkin tonight, and head out to a more populated neighborhood to hit a few houses tomorrow. I figure I have a LOT of candy-filled Halloweens ahead of me. This might be my last year to keep things relatively simple. And I am all about simple these days.
3. So, Friday Night Lights was awesome on Wednesday night. But my joy in the return of Coach Taylor and Tim Riggins was tempered by knowing that so many of my FNL loving friends didn't get to watch, because they don't get DirectTV. Sure, the episodes will run on NBC later. But it still stinks. I mean, COME ON NBC! Can't you, like, run the eps a week behind, on Friday night, or someplace you have something totally crappy on right now? (I know you must have something crappy on, but I am not about to point fingers. That's bad karma.) This show needs all the support it can get, and better sooner than later. Just my two cents. Don't make me go off in more of a rant!
4. This week, I also finished my latest audio book, The Kids Are Alright, by the Welch family. I've been listening exclusively to nonfiction, but decided to take a shot at a novel next, so I downloaded The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski. Honestly, I'm having a harder time with it on audio than I have with any of my memoirs or nonfiction stuff. And I don't know why. Maybe because in the car it's so stop and start, as I run errands, and nonfiction lends itself better to that? I have heard SUCH good things about this book that I don't want to ruin it by listening rather than reading. On the other hand, I have so little time to read lately that it could take me years to finish it. Sigh.
5. Finally, a confession: I started this entry back at about 6:15am. For the last hour, I keep coming back to this number five, trying to think of something to write. But I'll be honest. I have nothing. I am so tired and my brain is mushy and I think I need to crawl back in bed for a few minutes and reset. So can you do me a favor, and insert something witty, thoughtful and full of closure here? I appreciate it.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
2. Halloween is tomorrow, and while I've had Sasha's costume planned for weeks, I just recently realized I might need one as well. Honestly, though, I'm not much of a Halloween person. I did it up in elementary, middle and high school, and some of college, but since then I've kind of sat the whole thing out. Now, though, I have a kid who is very aware of Halloween (thanks to Gabba Gabba, among other things) so we're doing a few more things to celebrate. We'll carve a pumpkin tonight, and head out to a more populated neighborhood to hit a few houses tomorrow. I figure I have a LOT of candy-filled Halloweens ahead of me. This might be my last year to keep things relatively simple. And I am all about simple these days.
3. So, Friday Night Lights was awesome on Wednesday night. But my joy in the return of Coach Taylor and Tim Riggins was tempered by knowing that so many of my FNL loving friends didn't get to watch, because they don't get DirectTV. Sure, the episodes will run on NBC later. But it still stinks. I mean, COME ON NBC! Can't you, like, run the eps a week behind, on Friday night, or someplace you have something totally crappy on right now? (I know you must have something crappy on, but I am not about to point fingers. That's bad karma.) This show needs all the support it can get, and better sooner than later. Just my two cents. Don't make me go off in more of a rant!
4. This week, I also finished my latest audio book, The Kids Are Alright, by the Welch family. I've been listening exclusively to nonfiction, but decided to take a shot at a novel next, so I downloaded The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski. Honestly, I'm having a harder time with it on audio than I have with any of my memoirs or nonfiction stuff. And I don't know why. Maybe because in the car it's so stop and start, as I run errands, and nonfiction lends itself better to that? I have heard SUCH good things about this book that I don't want to ruin it by listening rather than reading. On the other hand, I have so little time to read lately that it could take me years to finish it. Sigh.
5. Finally, a confession: I started this entry back at about 6:15am. For the last hour, I keep coming back to this number five, trying to think of something to write. But I'll be honest. I have nothing. I am so tired and my brain is mushy and I think I need to crawl back in bed for a few minutes and reset. So can you do me a favor, and insert something witty, thoughtful and full of closure here? I appreciate it.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
I'm waiting for my shuttle to the airport, so this is short and simple.
(I'll respond to several of YOUR responses to yesterday's health care debacle rant tomorrow.)
You only have until 11:59pm Central Time tonght to vote!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. It's almost over and then I will stop grovelling and pleading, I promise!
(I'll respond to several of YOUR responses to yesterday's health care debacle rant tomorrow.)
You only have until 11:59pm Central Time tonght to vote!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. It's almost over and then I will stop grovelling and pleading, I promise!
I'm pretty sure that tomorrow is the last day you can vote to put Zoe in a Cheerios box (until 11:59pm Central Time). It's not looking so good for our girl, but the whole thing has been a lot of fun. I realized yesterday that all this blogging and thinking about Zoe has led me to dream up a number of new story ideas for her, and that might be the best prize of all.
I leave in a little bit for the airport because I'll be speaking In Newark, DE tonight at 6pm. Can you come and see me?
If you can't, be sure to tune in to the streaming, live video feed of the event, courtesy of Penguin's Point Of View website!
I'll be talking about Wintergirls tonight (a BIG change from Zoe), which makes it appropriate to point out this Book Recommendation Theme I Never Considered for Wintergirls.
BIG CHANGE IN TOPIC
I haven't had a political rant in while, so I hope you'll indulge me.
There was a time in America when education was totally private: people who wanted their children to go to school paid for it. Eventually, Americans decided that public education was such an incredible public good, i.e., something everyone benefits from, that we moved to a taxpayer-funded system of education, open to all. And, of course, there are still private schools for families who want to make that choice.
There was a time in America when clean water and electricity were available only to the wealthy. The poor pulled up water from wells or dipped buckets into dirty rivers, and lit their homes with candles and lanterns because they had no choice. (My father-in-law, who died in July, did not have electricity on his street until he was 10 years old.)
Our fellow citizens argued and grumbled, but eventually decided that it was a benefit to the entire nation if all Americans had access to water and electricity. So programs were put in place, funded in part by taxpayers and in part by consumers, to make that happen.
Now the debate has turned to health insurance. My grandparents did not have it when they were young. In the middle of the last century, it became a widespread job benefit, and programs were put in place to insure the vulnerable; elderly, poor and disabled people.
There has been a shift. In the past three generations, insurance has moved from the privilege of the rich to something that most Americans consider a basic part of life, like education, electricity, and water.
(Please let me know if you disagree with that.)
But I am confused. Why is it proving so hard to craft and pass legislation that will accomplish this? I think it's because the chuckleheads in Congress - on both sides of the aisle - are puppets and the insurance companies are pulling the strings. Don't get me wrong - I am all about capitalism. I love capitalism. I am a small business owner and so is my husband and it's working for us. Almost.
The Fat Cats have made the playing field uneven. BH and I cannot join any kind of group insurance plan. (We've spent countless hours examining this.) We pay almost $20,000 a year in insurance premiums just for the two of us. I've thought about canceling the policy and setting that money aside for medical emergencies, but I'm a cancer survivor. If I had a recurrence of cancer without insurance, we would lose our house and retirement savings.
Am I pissed? Damn straight. One of my three adult kids doesn't have insurance. My friends who have been out of work for too long have no insurance. People who might take the plunge into small business ownership don't because they are afraid to leave their job and give up their health insurance. Americans die and suffer needlessly every day because health care in this country has become a trip to the roulette wheel.
The time has come for us to agree that all Americans deserve basic health care coverage - the same for all people in all states. If you want a fancier program with bells and whistles, you can pay extra. The insurance companies have to buck up. When your service is considered a public good - a public necessity - you have to trade in outrageous short-term profits for long-term secure cash flow.
If you have decent health coverage through your job, or your parents' or spouse's job, please stop and think. What would happen to your life if you had to pay 20 - 40% of your income for your insurance? How is that fair?
::wipes spittle from face:: I will rant about the evil doings of health insurance companies - denying coverage that people have paid for - another day.
What do you think about this? Is health care coverage the new rural electrification? Do we have a right to health care?
And now for the last beating of the drum to get Zoe in a Cheerios box:
You only have a day and a half or so to vote!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. It's almost over and then I will stop grovelling and pleading, I promise!
I leave in a little bit for the airport because I'll be speaking In Newark, DE tonight at 6pm. Can you come and see me?
If you can't, be sure to tune in to the streaming, live video feed of the event, courtesy of Penguin's Point Of View website!
I'll be talking about Wintergirls tonight (a BIG change from Zoe), which makes it appropriate to point out this Book Recommendation Theme I Never Considered for Wintergirls.
BIG CHANGE IN TOPIC
I haven't had a political rant in while, so I hope you'll indulge me.
There was a time in America when education was totally private: people who wanted their children to go to school paid for it. Eventually, Americans decided that public education was such an incredible public good, i.e., something everyone benefits from, that we moved to a taxpayer-funded system of education, open to all. And, of course, there are still private schools for families who want to make that choice.
There was a time in America when clean water and electricity were available only to the wealthy. The poor pulled up water from wells or dipped buckets into dirty rivers, and lit their homes with candles and lanterns because they had no choice. (My father-in-law, who died in July, did not have electricity on his street until he was 10 years old.)
Our fellow citizens argued and grumbled, but eventually decided that it was a benefit to the entire nation if all Americans had access to water and electricity. So programs were put in place, funded in part by taxpayers and in part by consumers, to make that happen.
Now the debate has turned to health insurance. My grandparents did not have it when they were young. In the middle of the last century, it became a widespread job benefit, and programs were put in place to insure the vulnerable; elderly, poor and disabled people.
There has been a shift. In the past three generations, insurance has moved from the privilege of the rich to something that most Americans consider a basic part of life, like education, electricity, and water.
(Please let me know if you disagree with that.)
But I am confused. Why is it proving so hard to craft and pass legislation that will accomplish this? I think it's because the chuckleheads in Congress - on both sides of the aisle - are puppets and the insurance companies are pulling the strings. Don't get me wrong - I am all about capitalism. I love capitalism. I am a small business owner and so is my husband and it's working for us. Almost.
The Fat Cats have made the playing field uneven. BH and I cannot join any kind of group insurance plan. (We've spent countless hours examining this.) We pay almost $20,000 a year in insurance premiums just for the two of us. I've thought about canceling the policy and setting that money aside for medical emergencies, but I'm a cancer survivor. If I had a recurrence of cancer without insurance, we would lose our house and retirement savings.
Am I pissed? Damn straight. One of my three adult kids doesn't have insurance. My friends who have been out of work for too long have no insurance. People who might take the plunge into small business ownership don't because they are afraid to leave their job and give up their health insurance. Americans die and suffer needlessly every day because health care in this country has become a trip to the roulette wheel.
The time has come for us to agree that all Americans deserve basic health care coverage - the same for all people in all states. If you want a fancier program with bells and whistles, you can pay extra. The insurance companies have to buck up. When your service is considered a public good - a public necessity - you have to trade in outrageous short-term profits for long-term secure cash flow.
If you have decent health coverage through your job, or your parents' or spouse's job, please stop and think. What would happen to your life if you had to pay 20 - 40% of your income for your insurance? How is that fair?
::wipes spittle from face:: I will rant about the evil doings of health insurance companies - denying coverage that people have paid for - another day.
What do you think about this? Is health care coverage the new rural electrification? Do we have a right to health care?
And now for the last beating of the drum to get Zoe in a Cheerios box:
You only have a day and a half or so to vote!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. It's almost over and then I will stop grovelling and pleading, I promise!
I am going to try and steal as much writing time as I can today, so this will be short and sweet.
Want to hang out with me? Meet me at 6pm tomorrow night (10/29) at the Border's in Newark, DE, where I'll be talking about Wintergirls, answering questions, and probably drinking hot tea.
You can't make it to Delaware? Have no fear. You can watch a live, streaming video of the occasion on the Penguin POV website. You can even send in a question for me to answer.
ZOE UPDATE & FREE FICTION!
Zoe is sad. Her hair droops and drizzles and trails behind her on the sidewalk. Her sad hair picks up fallen leaves and twigs and discarded acorn tops. Zoe's chances of making it inside a Cheerios box are grim; she has been bumped out of the top five. There are a couple of other books in the running that are friends of hers (ALL THE WORLD and T-REX IN THE LIBRARY), so that makes her feel better. A little better. Not much, honestly.
Zoe's hair snags on a tree root that has broken through the sidewalk. (you have to imagine the artwork, it's too early to wake up Ard and ask him to draw something.)
Zoe stops. Zoe stares.
Her hair twines around the root of the tree.
Zoe turns around. This tree - this magnificent, splendiferous, amazing tree, did not let a little thing like a concrete sidewalk keep it from reaching for the sky.
"We won't either!" Zoe shouts.
Zoe's hair bounces back. It curls, it swirls, it zooms!
Zoe decides that no matter how hard the fight, how high the odds, she will never give up.
You can't give up either. You only have TWO MORE DAYS to vote!! You can put Zoe back in the Cheerios box where she belongs!!
1. Copy and paste the suggestions and voting guidelines below and send them to everyone you know. Post a link to your Twitter. Put it in your Facebook and Myspace status lines. Tweet. Shout. Storm. Spread the news - only two more days to help our favorite redhead!
2. Become a fan of Zoe on Facebook.
3. Go to Zoe's website and play the Hair Basket Game while you are waiting for your friends to write back and thank you for sending them such an excellent suggestion.
AND, OF COURSE, VOTE!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. That is only a few more days!
Want to hang out with me? Meet me at 6pm tomorrow night (10/29) at the Border's in Newark, DE, where I'll be talking about Wintergirls, answering questions, and probably drinking hot tea.
You can't make it to Delaware? Have no fear. You can watch a live, streaming video of the occasion on the Penguin POV website. You can even send in a question for me to answer.
ZOE UPDATE & FREE FICTION!
Zoe is sad. Her hair droops and drizzles and trails behind her on the sidewalk. Her sad hair picks up fallen leaves and twigs and discarded acorn tops. Zoe's chances of making it inside a Cheerios box are grim; she has been bumped out of the top five. There are a couple of other books in the running that are friends of hers (ALL THE WORLD and T-REX IN THE LIBRARY), so that makes her feel better. A little better. Not much, honestly.
Zoe's hair snags on a tree root that has broken through the sidewalk. (you have to imagine the artwork, it's too early to wake up Ard and ask him to draw something.)
Zoe stops. Zoe stares.
Her hair twines around the root of the tree.
Zoe turns around. This tree - this magnificent, splendiferous, amazing tree, did not let a little thing like a concrete sidewalk keep it from reaching for the sky.
"We won't either!" Zoe shouts.
Zoe's hair bounces back. It curls, it swirls, it zooms!
Zoe decides that no matter how hard the fight, how high the odds, she will never give up.
You can't give up either. You only have TWO MORE DAYS to vote!! You can put Zoe back in the Cheerios box where she belongs!!
1. Copy and paste the suggestions and voting guidelines below and send them to everyone you know. Post a link to your Twitter. Put it in your Facebook and Myspace status lines. Tweet. Shout. Storm. Spread the news - only two more days to help our favorite redhead!
2. Become a fan of Zoe on Facebook.
3. Go to Zoe's website and play the Hair Basket Game while you are waiting for your friends to write back and thank you for sending them such an excellent suggestion.
AND, OF COURSE, VOTE!!
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until 11:59 pm Central Time, October 30. That is only a few more days!
I know I said I wouldn't bring up Friday Night Lights again. Or....did I?
Okay, I did. But the premiere is on DirecTV tonight (Channel 101, 9pm) and to celebrate (because you know i am celebrating) I wrote a little piece about my FNL fanaticism over on Adele's blog, Persnickety Snark, where she's doing a whole WEEK dedicated to the wonder that is Friday Night Lights. My entry is here, and the link to the main blog, which features pieces by Meg Cabot, Elizabeth Scott and others, is here. Reading all the entries and watching these videos has gotten me even MORE excited about tonight, which I honestly didn't think was possible. But there you go.
In other news, my husband and I had a date night last night, which we get to do about...well, once every two months, which is super lame, but whatever. Life is busy. Since we only get out rarely, though, we want to make it count (as Jack from Titanic would say) so we usually go to our favorite local restaurant, Lantern. One of the last times we were there, we saw Zooey Deschanel (I know, crazy, right?) and last night we heard from someone that Tom Colicchio from Top Chef was just there as well. How much would I have freaked out to see Tom Colicchio here in my hometown, eating a few tables over? Entirely too much. I mean, I'm excited enough just to get out to eat without needing a highchair and stickers and crayons. Not to mention the food was EXCELLENT as always. If you want your mouth to water, check out their menu online. Oh, man. Now I'm hungry again.
Have a great day, everyone!
Okay, I did. But the premiere is on DirecTV tonight (Channel 101, 9pm) and to celebrate (because you know i am celebrating) I wrote a little piece about my FNL fanaticism over on Adele's blog, Persnickety Snark, where she's doing a whole WEEK dedicated to the wonder that is Friday Night Lights. My entry is here, and the link to the main blog, which features pieces by Meg Cabot, Elizabeth Scott and others, is here. Reading all the entries and watching these videos has gotten me even MORE excited about tonight, which I honestly didn't think was possible. But there you go.
In other news, my husband and I had a date night last night, which we get to do about...well, once every two months, which is super lame, but whatever. Life is busy. Since we only get out rarely, though, we want to make it count (as Jack from Titanic would say) so we usually go to our favorite local restaurant, Lantern. One of the last times we were there, we saw Zooey Deschanel (I know, crazy, right?) and last night we heard from someone that Tom Colicchio from Top Chef was just there as well. How much would I have freaked out to see Tom Colicchio here in my hometown, eating a few tables over? Entirely too much. I mean, I'm excited enough just to get out to eat without needing a highchair and stickers and crayons. Not to mention the food was EXCELLENT as always. If you want your mouth to water, check out their menu online. Oh, man. Now I'm hungry again.
Have a great day, everyone!
THE TERRIBLE NEWS - UPDATE ON THE ZOE VOTE:
For the first time since the contest began, Zoe has been kicked out of the top five! How did this happen?
Micheal Ian Black. He is a comedian, and actor, a Twitterer with over one million followers, and the author of The Purple Kangaroo. He seems nice enough, but man, oh man, is his book putting the big hurt on Zoe: his book has kicked Zoe out of the the top five!!
The top five books in the competition will make it into Cheerios boxes, so Zoe still has a chance, but only if you can spare her a few seconds today and every day through the end of the week.
1. Go to the voting page.
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. Yes, I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until the end of October. That is only a few more days!
NOW, FOR THE THE GREAT NEWS
Today's Guest Blogger prefers to remain anonymous, so we'll just call him a Friend of the Forest, which he is, indeed.
He was curious about this program that gets books into boxes of Cheerios, so he did a bit of digging. He wrote the following letter and gave me permission to post it.
For the first time since the contest began, Zoe has been kicked out of the top five! How did this happen?
Micheal Ian Black. He is a comedian, and actor, a Twitterer with over one million followers, and the author of The Purple Kangaroo. He seems nice enough, but man, oh man, is his book putting the big hurt on Zoe: his book has kicked Zoe out of the the top five!!
The top five books in the competition will make it into Cheerios boxes, so Zoe still has a chance, but only if you can spare her a few seconds today and every day through the end of the week.
HOW TO VOTE:
1. Go to the voting page.
2. In the bottom right corner, click on MORE BOOKS twice. (Yes, this is the tricky part. No, I don't know why Zoe is buried at the absolute back of the pack. Kind of makes you feel sorry for her, huh?) That will take you to ZOE.
3. Click on the yellow box that says VOTE!
4. Notify every person you have ever met in your entire life to PLEASE VOTE FOR ZOE. Yes, I seriously mean that.
5. Do this every day until the end of October. That is only a few more days!
NOW, FOR THE THE GREAT NEWS
Today's Guest Blogger prefers to remain anonymous, so we'll just call him a Friend of the Forest, which he is, indeed.
He was curious about this program that gets books into boxes of Cheerios, so he did a bit of digging. He wrote the following letter and gave me permission to post it.
"Waking Up with Cheerios
This is an apology to Laurie, Liz Scanlon, and about six million children.
Last week, when Scanlon posted here and wished Laurie good luck in the contest, I wrote back to her and said, “I haven’t read your book, but the cover is captivating. Cheerios probably won't be marking what books are in what boxes, so if I don’t get ZOE on my first few tries, I hope I get ALL THE WORLD.”
I actually thought I’d be doing a good thing by buying all those boxes. But, looking back on it now, I was wrong. I was wrong about a lot of things.
First, you can actually see inside the Cheerios boxes. I haven’t bought cereal for ages, and I didn’t know, but that is a cool way to do it so that kids don’t get two of the same book. Kudos to Cheerios for that.
What really woke me up, though, is when I wondered how exactly these six million books are paid for. I knew the authors didn’t get royalties, but someone had to pay for the printing, and the Spoonfuls of Stories page didn’t tell me much at all.
So I started searching and soon I found
I was blown away – Cheerios has been doing this for eight years and so far has donated 3.2 million dollars of its own money to put 40 million books in their boxes. How cool is that?
I kept reading, and soon I realized the whole point of Spoonfuls of Stories isn’t to promote the books or even Cheerios. It’s to get books to kids who don’t have books. In short, I’d missed the entire point.
Well, I kept reading and discovered that the ones behind it all are the folks at First Book. So I went to the
First Book site, and while it’s difficult for many of us to believe that so many children don’t have books of their own, here’s the facts:
* A recent study shows that while in middle income neighborhoods the ratio of books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children.
* 80% of preschool and after-school programs serving low-income populations have no age-appropriate books for their children.
All of a sudden I felt very small. Like I’d heard a diner was giving away free books, gone in and grabbed a bunch, and then on the way out happened to look up and see a sign saying it’s a soup kitchen. Meaning those books just might be these kids’ only chance to get books all year. Something they can take home, call their own, and read again and again. Opening up an entire world for them and giving them the skills they need.
I’d been thinking of only what I could get, even when I can perfectly afford to buy ZOE and ALL THE WORLD and so give the authors something in return. And meanwhile here’s countless volunteers at First Book delivering millions of books to children in need.
I felt like the biggest schmuck in ALL THE WORLD.
So right then I decided to donate to First Book and help promote their work. And to say yes, root for your favorite authors’ books, and yes, get your vote in each day, ‘cause the contest is still very cool, just now for a much better reason.
As Liz Scanlon says in
her own post about the contest, “The book choices are all mighty fine so I'm not worried either way – it's just flat-out goodness for the kids.”
And it’s true. In the face of what the contest does, it doesn’t matter who wins. It only matters that First Book continues, and in that everyone can help.
One way to do that is to go to The Literacy Site. I’ve actually been clicking on every tab on that page for years, and never knew till today, when reading down through it, that it’s backed by none other than First Book.
Also, if you do pick up a box of Cheerios, another way to help is through the donation form on the side. An easy way to say thanks for the book and for all the work First Book and Cheerios do.
Jon Scieszka sums up their mission well: “From my perspective as an author, a teacher, and a dad, what Cheerios is doing through this Spoonfuls of Stories program is exactly and spectacularly right.”"
Me, again. THANK YOU, Friend of the Forest, for the research and the reminder of what really matters. What matters is that children will have books in their hands, books that are just as important to their growing minds as breakfast is for their growing bodies. It will be fun if my book is included, but the really awesome part is that this program gets books to children and when that happens, we all win.
TOMORROW: I MIGHT HAVE TO ANNOUNCE PLANS THAT I, TOO, WILL BECOME A COMEDIAN AND ACTOR TO ATTRACT ONE MILLION FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER AND BOOST MY CAREER AS A CHILDREN'S AUTHOR.
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