Five and a half years ago, we traveled to Haiti with our son Kaj, then 7, against state-department recommendations, just weeks after the last Haiti coup, to pick up our daughter Sandra and son Jean (now 11 and 8). Haiti is a country about the size of Maryland (or the Olympic peninsula) with 9 million [...]
Monsterous News for MONSTERS ON MACHINES: Who better to rate monster books than the Monster Librarian! Thank you, Monster Librarian, for including Stinky Stubb, Dirty Dugg, Gorbert, and Melvina, my MONSTERS ON MACHINES on your “Top Picks” list of books you reviewed in 2009–”exceptional examples of compelling writing, creativity, and original illustration or presentation.” Check [...]
Twenty years ago I moved from Minnesota to Whidbey Island and discovered University Bookstore in Seattle. It’s still a favorite stop when we’re in the area, and tomorrow I get to help them celebrate their 110 years. You’ll be bumping into area authors at every turn, especially in the early afternoon. I hope to be [...]
No resolutions this year. I’m just choosing Joy. That’s it. Can’t decide what to work on? Choose joy. Making plans for vacation? Choose joy. Simple, huh? We’ll see… I just finished the first draft of my NaNoWriMo novel! Lots of holes to fill, lots of cutting ahead, but that’s what I love. Revision. Sick, isn’t [...]
I’m not the best at letting people know where I can be found, but since it’s the holiday season, it would really be great to be in touch. Here’s what this week looks like: On Whidbey Island, you’ll find me here and there at various sing-a-longs and concerts. In the Seattle area, you can find [...]
NaNoWriMo is over. You have your 50,000+ word manuscript. And even if you don’t, you have at least a glimmer of an idea that won’t let go, and now it’s time to do something with it. I don’t kow about you, but I’m not ready to pour right into another month of writing, especially this [...]
It’s about an hour straight north of Lake Woebegon (and this is where I can’t help but tell you I sang on Prairie Home Companion years ago). Blueberry is the setting of the novel I’m working on, the one I started this month for NaNoWriMo. Like its Prairie Home sister to the south, Blueberry is [...]
I laughed when I pulled out this card. Cling to the Impossible. It’s what I’ve been doing all month as I steal enough time from my days to crank out 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month, but especially now in the home stretch. Both my NaNoWriMo novel and the experience of writing it are [...]
It’s blowing on Whidbey, and in November, the winds here often take out trees, power, and at times, even if we’re still plugged in, we lose our internet, especially here in the wild woods of Greenbank. So, have at it! I’ll leave the interpretations up to you today: Jump Ahead Confront Values Make it Larger [...]
Oh, no. I’ve been avoiding this one, and almost put the card back. I’ve had opportunities for my character to Get Physical, and I’ve immediately gone another direction. Other characters in this NaNoWriMo novel-in-progress “got physical.” In fact, Jim is still in the hospital after being beaten. But my main character? No. Has she hit [...]
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