The Year of Living Biblically

I’m reading a book my husband highly recommended called The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs. It’s fascinating. The author, a self-labeled agnostic, has devoted a year of his life to living the Bible as literally as possible. Not only is the concept intriguing (since he’s an agnostic), but Jacobs’ writing is honest, lively, humorous, and thoroughly captivating. He’s a real pro.

Here’s the thing: I believe that his honest, up-front, curious approach to the Bible is much more appealing than many who call themselves Christians, but end up living pharisaical, hypocritical lives. Their words are sweet, but underneath there is a maliciousness that lurks behind the happy, smiling faces. And who am I to judge? I am guilty too.

But I like the approach Jacobs takes. He genuinely tries. He seeks to live Biblically. He counts the times each day that he lies. He attempts to forgo coveting his neighbor’s belongings. He's honest with himself and with his readers. I like that.

Sometimes his efforts are over the top. However, I find his approach refreshing. This is how to discuss religion: to have a frank, open discussion without judgment.

I’m only about a third of the way through the book, but I already heartily endorse it. It's given me a lot to think about in terms of God's laws, the goodness of God, and the mercy of Christ.

I meant to post about this earlier, but the author is coming to speak at IPFW this evening for an Omnibus Lecture.

Encouraging Literacy in the Very Young, Part 4

Tip #4 - Allow children to share books with special people in their lives. One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting with my grandfather reading The Poky Little Puppy in his house in Boulder, Colo. We sat together in my grandfather's big chair, and read about all of the antics of the poky puppy who dug a hole with his brothers and sisters under a fence to explore the "wide, wide world." The poky little puppy, always the observant one (and the one with the worst sweet tooth), gets his fill of adventures and of desserts.

But it's hardly the story I recall. What I remember is feeling the utter and complete joy that a child can feel when sharing a good story with someone they treasure.

My grandfather died not too long after that, when I was only nine, so my memories of him are very few. But this is one I hold onto. My grandfather was not a well-read man. He was a carpenter. He worked for most of his life making cabinets and tables and chairs. His garage smelled of sawdust. The tools were lined up on the walls, just so. What I remember, though, and what I treasure most is that he read with me.

Encouraging Literacy in the Very Young, Part 3

Tip #3 - One of the things I love most about children is their ability to find joy in the small stuff of life. The definition of "walk" to a toddler or preschooler is far different from our adult definition. Adults walk in order to get exercise, to try to shed those extra pounds. Not so with young children. Speed is not a part of a child's stroll around the neighborhood, and I believe, that can teach us as parents to slow down and enjoy those little things that children take such delight in.

Allow your toddler time to feel the cool dampness of mud, the tickly grass, the sounds of honking geese. Then…guess what comes next…read about what your child is naturally drawn to. Find books about mud, grass, and geese. Get fiction and nonfiction. If a thunderstorm rumbles through town, talk about it with your child, and then go get some books on lightning and thunder. The great thing about children's books is that you can find a book on a certain topic for any age.

For example, when I share my book Cheep! Cheep! with preschoolers or young grade-school children, I often show them other books (not necessarily mine) that have similar themes. Cheep! could lead to several different thematic ideas:

- a new sibling joining the family - read Cheep as well as books like Mercer Mayer's The New Baby

- other farm animals - look at Garth Williams' Baby Farm Animals or Margaret Wise Brown's Big Red Barn

- welcoming spring - look at a book by Lois Ehlert, like Planting a Rainbow

For an reader (adult or child), the key is finding what you like to read about--baseball, solar eclipses, giant squid, flea markets, or yes, possibly, even baby chickens. Whatever you like--enjoy!

Funny video: Cat attacks office printer. Who will win?

Go here to watch.

Encouraging Literacy in the Very Young, Part 2

Tip #2 - Get books into the hands of children.

So, after setting aside one or more reading times per day for your little one, now you need to have books to read. What are the best places to find books?

Libraries, of course, are a great place to start. Many libraries have no limit on the number of books to check out, and some even check out big tubs to take them home in (when you forget your tote bag)! In addition to the wide selection of books, children's librarians are great resources for book advice. Whenever we're not sure what to check out for my son, we consult with a librarian who always steers us in the right direction. Also, story times can be a great introduction to reading for the young.

I enjoy browsing bookstores for new books. (And many bookstores also feature story times.) I also love finding vintage books at used bookstores or antique stores. Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com, and other websites can also be helpful if you can't locate the book in a bookstore. However, you can save yourself shipping costs if you call a local bookstore and order it from them if it's not immediately available.

Another thing that parents can do to encourage a love of reading is to make books a reward instead of giving a treat that is less healthy. Instead of lunch out at a fast food restaurant, why not make a healthier lunch at home and head to the bookstore after lunch for a treat--a book that can be enjoyed over and over again.

Parents can also look into free reading programs, like Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), and other book clubs. RIF is a federally funded program for school-age children in elementary schools. This program is usually run by a volunteer in a school (like a PTA volunteer) or by a school librarian or teacher. They receive money from the federal government, and then add more of their own funding in order to purchase books for the students in the school.

I was in charge of the RIF program at my son's school in Brentwood, PA for a couple of years. We purchased about 800 books per year and had distributions throughout the year. It was great to see kids come in and pick one or two free books to take home to build their own libraries.

Another free program for preschoolers is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

Another idea, which I think was inspired by Carol Baicker-McKee is to buy books for birthdays/Christmas. Make this a tradition. Or suggest that a grandparent make that his or her tradition for gift-giving. You could even start a wish list of books for your child on Amazon or at a site like Good Reads. Put the books on a "to-read" shelf on Good Reads, and then have friends or relatives know that your child would love those books as gifts.

Happy reading!

Encouraging Literacy in the Very Young

As a parent and a children's author, I often think about ways to encourage reading in children. Several of my books are written for the youngest--babies and toddlers. So this week, as time allows, I'll post several ideas on how to encourage reading and literacy in the very young.

The first and best advice is to make reading a natural part of a child's day. Children thrive on routine and stability, so start by building reading into the routine of your child's day.

When my son was young, we had reading time before naptime and before bedtime every day. Every afternoon, even when he was at the age when he started resisting naps, we still had our reading time. He would snuggle close on the couch, and we'd read a pile of books together.

Some of our favorites when he was a toddler were: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, any Richard Scarry book, the Berenstain Bears books, Curious George books, P.D. Eastman books (especially Go, Dog, Go! and Are You My Mother?), and so, so many others.

For young toddlers, one sentence or just a few words on each page is enough. That keeps their attention, and allows them to begin experiencing what reading is all about. As they get older, they can handle longer and more detailed storybooks, like Mike Mulligan or The Story of Ping or Make Way for the Ducklings.

One of my favorite memories of my son as a two year old was listening to and watching him "read" books that we'd read together many, many times, so many times, in fact, that he'd memorized them. Sometimes he even just said nonsense words, but he knew the rhythm of the story, what was coming next, and the ending. He had already, at that young age, discovered the strength of story--that a story has a beginning, a middle, and an ending.

We used to read a book together called "Wheels Are Everywhere." There wasn't much to it, just something along the lines of: "Wheels are in the city, in the country...wheels are on bicycles, cars, and trucks...etc." But he knew the ending: WHEELS ARE EVERYWHERE! And he'd say it with such enthusiasm, throwing his hands up in the air and shouting it.

Setting aside time for reading every day has so many positive benefits. You share with your child your joy for reading and stories. You get time with your child to bond and share a special time. Your child develops good listening skills. Your child has a calm, relaxing time to prepare for sleep. Your child learns about his or her world, and begins to experience the world through story.

In addition to home reading times, take advantage of story times at the library. Story times are often offered for children as young as 18 months, and most of these are staffed by wonderful librarians who love children and books.

Take a look at this blog for more information on children's literacy and promoting reading with children.

Another miscellaneous link: Craigslist

I've been stalking the pages of Craigslist lately. This is kind of cool. You can buy stuff you need and sell junk you don't need to local people in your area.

An interesting view on success

I like this short article on success and self-confidence. It's simple but very helpful advice.

Hidden Talents

While we were watching the Academy Awards a couple of weeks ago and watching Hugh Jackman in his opening number, my mom commented that he was yet another actor who was multi-talented. Not only is he an awesome actor, but he's got a great comedic personality and a good singing voice too. Then, a couple of days ago, a co-worker mentioned that in addition to teaching, she'd always thought about writing books for kids.

It made me think about what talents lie untapped in people. When we choose a career path, we often have to focus on that particular task and leave other interests or talents behind.

Here are some of the careers I would choose if I weren't doing what I'm doing.

Children's Librarian - I'd love to help kids and parents find that perfect book for their child, to see all the new books that come in, and have it as part of my job to study and learn about kids' books all day long.

Children's Bookstore Owner - This is why I love the movie "You've Got Mail." That movie has everything going for it: children's books, romance, and golden retrievers.

Graphic Designer - This could be great fun. I know I don't have the training for it now, but it could be awesome.

Kindergarten Teacher - I love kids and would love to be the one to introduce kids to school, especially books and reading.

What are your alternate career dreams?

True Beauty

One of my guilty pleasures is occasionally watching America's Next Top Model. Generally, I get irritated by the shallowness of the contestants, but I have found something interesting by watching that particular show. One of the things that comes out is how important personality and basic life skills mean success for these young women. Good looks certainly play a part, but it seems to come down to some important life skills, like being able to relate to people and holding it together during interviews, etc. that helps the contestants do better in the competition.

So I was intrigued when I heard about a new show on this winter called True Beauty. They gathered up 10 beautiful people from all over the country and had them go through challenges to see who would emerge as the most beautiful person. The twist to the show was that the contestants were being judged not only on their outer beauty, but on their inner beauty (and the contestants didn't realize this twist). Their actions were followed by hidden cameras, and their unkind words and actions were, ultimately, what got them eliminated from the show.

The finale summed up what they were looking for in a beautiful contestant. They listed these qualities as the ones that showed true beauty:

loyalty
compassion
charity
decency
teamwork
thoughtfulness

...and there were a couple of others that I'm not remembering, but they were along those lines.

In a way, I almost felt bad for the contestants getting kicked off because they were eliminated not because of outer beauty but because they were lousy people on the inside. Ouch.

But I found the whole concept illuminating. What does our culture say about beauty? What makes someone beautiful on the inside? Do these qualities sum it up? Are there others? What do you think?

Snoopy is awesome

Books & Coffee Event at Concordia University, Ann Arbor

Tomorrow I'm heading to Concordia University, Ann Arbor for a chat about books and writing. Looking forward to it!

A Ridiculous Law

Everyone: please make your voice be heard against this act mandating that every product for children adhere to ridiculously strict standards. Books, toys, clothing, and all other items for children must be tested and checked in such a way that it will severely limit entrepreneurship. Check out more information here from Forbes.com. Carol Baicker-McKee, a children's illustrator/author says on her blog post about this:

"The CPSIA, enacted with good intentions of protecting children 12 and under from lead and pthalate exposure, will instead cause ripples of harm throughout the lives of children and adults. It is a prime example of regulation run amok."

Write to your representatives today.

A Favorite Children's Book Series

Unlike some authors, I was not a total bookworm as a young child. Until I was a teenager, I didn't LOVE books the way that I do now. Now, I'm always reading at least a couple books at a time, non-fiction, biography, fiction, mystery, thriller, whatever. As a young child, I read a lot. My mom took me to the library very often. But it wasn't until I was a teenager that I found that human connection, that link to the human condition in books. That's when I fell in love with books.

But I've always liked stories and I've always loved word play. One series of books I couldn't get enough of as a child was the Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. Amelia's problem was that she always took things literally. Here's the pitch from Harper Collins' website: "Everyone loves Amelia Bedelia, the literal-minded housekeeper! When she makes a sponge cake, she puts in real sponges. When she weeds the garden, she replants the weeds. And when she pitches a tent, she throws it into the woods!"

Once children learn the literal meanings of words, then they can start to appreciate the key to a good joke: the play on words where a single word can mean more than one thing and twists things around in a funny way. This was, as I think back on it, what I think I liked best about Amelia Bedelia, and why I love to write today. I love the sound of words, the play of words, goofing around with language. I've decided to check out the Amelia Bedelia books from the library again to experience the fun again.

Remnant Trust at IPFW

An exhibit showing currently at IPFW is well-worth seeing for everyone in the Fort Wayne area. It's called the Remnant Trust and features historical documents of great significance. On display are such documents as: The Emancipation Proclamation, The Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, early editions of landmark works, like Leaves of Grass. A section is devoted to religious works: Wycliffe's translation of the Bible, Thomas Acquinas' Summa Theologicae, the Hebrew Bible, the Koran.

The wonderful thing about this particular exhibit is that viewers are allowed to read, touch, and handle the documents. I loved seeing the illuminations on the Thomas Acquinas book. One of the docents pointed out the worm holes on one of the volumes in the Science, Culture, and Society section.

The exhibit is free to the public, but check the website for gallery hours. It's located on the campus of IPFW, in Helmke Library. K-12 school groups are encouraged to attend, and with prior arrangements made, can have a guided tour of the exhibit.

More Thoughts on Writing Critique Groups

Yesterday I wrote a little bit about the benefits of attending and participating in a writing critique group, but I'm not sure I adequately described just how important it is to have another set of eyes read a manuscript before sending it out before being considered for publication.

Even the most polished manuscripts could be improved by the critique of another reader. Other writers understand your goals and can help guide you through the process of the writing and revising your manuscript. And each reader notices something else that can help you improve and strengthen your work. When critiquers start noticing the same thing, you know that they've hit on an important point that needs to be addressed. But even if they are not all in agreement, writers can benefit greatly from taking the advice of those readers who have experience writing and publishing.

So try it! Find a supportive group of people whose opinions you trust.

What a Writer Needs

One of the things that I have learned a writer needs is the support and assistance from a writing critique group. This is not a support group, per say, but a group that gathers regularly to review and suggest edits to each other's projects. Tonight my writing group is meeting in a fire station. I've met in church basements, libraries, over coffee at a coffee shop, at a friend's house, at Cici's over potato pancakes (I miss you, Carol!)...it doesn't matter where, but a chance to get together with people working in the same genre is extremely helpful.

I suggest to new writers (and oldies too) that you meet face-to-face with a group. Chances are that there will be at least a few people in your neighborhood who would like to meet and discuss writing. Only as a very last resort would I suggest an online group unless you already are acquainted with the other writers.

The reason why I suggest face-to-face meetings is because

1) writing can be lonely and we can get lazy. If writers have a designated time to meet (weekly or monthly or whatever), then it helps not only create a social gathering, but also a deadline. That has really helped me get projects done.

2) It is easy to be critical of another person's writing when you cannot talk with that person and interact with him or her personally. But the truth is that for many people, their writing is tied very closely to their egos. It's easy to offend someone when you are critiquing their work, and it is important to be able to explain why you are reacting to a certain passage or word or sentence or whatever.

Some tips for writing groups:

- If possible, read the work before the session. Most people cannot react immediately to a work of fiction or non-fiction with super-helpful suggestions without having a little time to consider it. Give each other time to think through responses.

- Meet at regular intervals and don't skip sessions. Weekly, monthly, whatever works, but make it regular and don't change from the schedule.

- If possible, meet somewhere that is free (a location that doesn't require a rental fee). Libraries, fire stations, community buildings, etc. are all good options.

- Celebrate publications and commiserate with each other over rejections. Support each other's book signings. Introduce each other to editors, agents, etc.

How to Write a Children's Picture Book

Yesterday I read another section of the Eve Heidi Bine-Stock book, How to Write a Children's Picture Book, and in this chapter on transitioning from one sentence to the next, Bine-Stock focuses on actions and reactions.

What's an action?

A cat walked in front of the dog's house.

What's a reaction?

The dog growled at the cat.

What would be confusing for children at their more basic level of reading comprehension would be to reverse the order of the action - reaction. Bine-Stock instead, like most children's writing instructors, encourage authors to first state the action, and then the reaction. Here's how this could look:

Action - Reaction
The cat sauntered by the house, and the dog growled ferociously.

This shows the action, followed by the reaction.

Here is the opposite:

Reaction-Action
The dog growled ferociously at the cat sauntering by the house.

There is nothing wrong with this last sentence grammatically or otherwise. The question, however, is: what will help the readers best understand what is happening in the story? For very fluent or adult readers, action - reaction is not as important. The writing can be more free flowing without going back to the basics. But when writing for children, following guidelines like these can help children to grasp the meaning without a convoluted thinking process.

By the way, I recently discovered a new blog: Alice's CWIM Blog, written by the editor of Children's Writing and Illustrating Market. Check it out!

What I'm Reading

So I've made it my goal this winter to get through some new writing books. The first I've chosen is: "How to Write a Children's Picture Book" vol. 2, by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock.

I really enjoyed the first book of this series which discusses how to structure a picture book. This volume focuses more on individual sentences, scenes, words, and story. The author approaches the task by examining classic and timeless picture books. In this volume, she looks at Leo the Late Bloomer, Harry the Dirty Dog, Frog and Toad, Harold and the Purple Crayon as well as many others. She explores how the picture book authors use refrains, repetition, syntax, the arrangement of sentences within a scene, etc. in order to achieve the maximum result.

For example, she looks at the following two sentences:

A) Mommy Mouse gave Little Mouse a gift.
B) Mommy Mouse gave a gift to Little Mouse.

Each sentence has the same meaning, but what is emphasized in each? The placement of the word at the end of each sentence emphasizes it. So in A) the gift is emphasized; in B) Little Mouse is emphasized. In order to decide what to emphasize, you, as the writer, need to know what will come next. What is most important--the gift or the relationship with the Little Mouse? Either option could be correct. The question that the author needs to answer is what comes next, which determines what should be emphasized.

The concepts in the volume are fairly straight-forward, but as writers and readers, often ones we take for granted. Good writers, natural writers have an instinct for these things. But accomplished writers not only have the correct instinct, but also employ these techniques at the best time in the best way.

I've often thought that picture-book writing is sort of like poetry (even if the text isn't written in verse). A picture book story is the "boiled down" version. It's the sparest form of a story, told in simplest, best, most enduring language filled with charm and imagery.

January blues

This is a difficult time of year for me. In Indiana in the winter, there are two parts of the day: night and a-little-less-dark-than-night. The skies are marbled gray. The snow and ice keep me indoors. The slick streets keep me from walking the dog and getting sunshine (which doesn't exist anyway). Looking out the window is like looking at a black and white photo--all of the color is missing. These past two days, my wish all day long is to get back to the couch, curl up with a dog, a cat (or perhaps two), and a good book. I find it easy to be lazy and difficult to be productive. But these kind of "cocoon" times can also be helpful. When I spend time reading, I am absorbing ideas for content and the process of writing as I see how other authors create their stories. I also learn compassion as I can relate to the struggles of others. Coffee and hot chocolate take on an all-new appeal. Fresh fruit never tastes as good in summer as it does in winter. Fresh-cut flowers are a fond reminder that summer will come again. And I know it will.

Wishing for a warm, sunny spot

This is a photo from our trip to Cape Cod this summer. Ah...sun, surf, sand...

Right now in Fort Wayne it's lightly snowing. They were calling for 6-10 inches of snow, but so far we've gotten only a couple of inches. It's at this point in the winter, after the excitement of the holidays, that I am really looking forward to summer.

A small start...

It's been ages since I've posted anything, so I'm forcing myself to at least write something today, to at least get the ball rolling.

This is a picture of one of the shattered trees on our street (our house is in the right corner). We're still seeing the effects of the ice storm, which pounded Fort Wayne on the Friday before Christmas. We lived a pioneer existence, sort of, for five days without electricity, which, looking back, I'm grateful for. I have a new-found appreciation for washing machines, dryers, furnaces, hair dryers, dishwashers, computers, lamps, TVs, cable, all charge-able electronics, blenders, microwaves, cordless phones, and the list could continue ad infinitum. I heard on the radio yesterday that the cost of restoring power to Fort Wayne residents cost $10 million. Amazing, eh? We got a kerosene heater, which was fabulous. The cats loved it so much that I'm almost willing to use it even with the furnace working. Almost.

Today is another snow day. Only got a skiff of snow, but apparently the roads are icy. But snow days WITH electricity are a gift.

Who was Saint Nicholas?

One of the times of the year I enjoy the most are the days around St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6. I like it because we're not quite into all of the hub-bub and hassle of the shopping and parties and baking and decorating, etc. (at least in my family, things get started kind of late!). I also like it because it celebrates what is best about giving with generosity and receiving in humility in the Christmas season.

Very little is known about the real Saint Nicholas from history. We know that he lived in what is modern-day Turkey in the fourth century. We know that he was a bishop. We know that as a young man, he inherited quite a bit of money from his parents' estate.

What is less clear are the legends. Did he really drop three bags of gold into the home of three young women who had no dowry? Was he at the council of Nicea, the group that composed the ancient Nicene Creed of the Christian church? At the Nicene council, did he get mad at Arius (whose teaching was anti-Scriptural) and punch him? And, of course, there are the "miracles": did he as an infant heal the sick?

What we can say with certainty is that St. Nicholas was generous. He shared with others, but not just his wealth. He shared the hope he had in Christ, in life eternal, in the blessings showered by a generous and giving God. That is the true spirit of St. Nicholas Day--a great day to share with others.

Help a pastor doing wonderful work in Sudan

Our friend, Bishop Andrew Elisa of Sudan has been hospitalized and has an uncertain diagnosis and treatment right now. He is receiving treatment in Jordan. We met Andrew a number of years ago when we lived in Fort Wayne and Scott--as I remember--helped to process Andrew's paperwork so that Andrew could attend seminary. In the intervening years, Andrew has done amazing work of mercy and charity in Sudan. He now needs help with medical expenses. I hope you're able to donate. Go here to learn more.

Where do ideas for books come from?

When I visit with school children, one of the things I love best is to share with them where my ideas for books come from. This is the question that comes up very often with children (and adults), and one that I love to answer.

Ideas for me come from a lot of places. I get ideas from everyday life, from pictures, from experiences, from newspaper stories, from real-life anecdotes that people tell me, from playing around with words and language, from my love of animals and nature, and from a host of other places. My story, Gobble Gobble Crash! A Barnyard Counting Bash came from a couple of different incidents that happened while my family and I lived in Pittsburgh, PA.

Many people have the wrong impression about Pittsburgh. If they've never been there, they might think of the pollution from the steel industry (the city is actually quite clean now), or they think it's very industrial, etc. But actually Pittsburgh is so unique that it's difficult to describe. On the one hand, there are areas that are more run down from the steel industry's negative effect of the economy, but on the other hand, there are beautiful tree-lined, hilly roads populated by adorable and quaint little brick houses. There are also little pockets of interest: the gorgeous big houses in Shadyside, the wonderful little mom-and-pop stores in the strip district, the bridges, the stadiums, etc. I could go on and on.

It was on one of those windy tree-lined roads that I had my first turkey encounter. We were driving home one fall afternoon and a big flying thing went right over our car. We didn't know what the heck it was, but it was big, it had lots of feathers, and it flew right over our car.

I asked around and found out that it was most likely a wild turkey. After that, I saw wild turkeys frequently in the city. Once I saw a mama hen with 7 poults crossing a busy street. All of the babies got across but one. He was watching the traffic and waiting (and hopefully made it).

Those turkey experiences, along with a trip to central PA with my mom and son to visit my mom's friends at their farm inspired a series of barn-animal related books, one of which was Gobble.

After seeing that turkey fly over our car, and thinking about a quiet barnyard at night, I decided to throw all of that in the mix and came out with Gobble Gobble Crash. It's a counting story where four wild turkeys flap around and create all sorts of chaos in the middle of the night. The farmer gets irritated, threatens to have a turkey feast, and so all of the animals in the barnyard band together to hide the silly turkeys.

It's a silly book, but it's one that I have special affection for because it took about nine or ten years from the time I got the idea to the publication of the book. So, thank you Dutton and Maureen and Steven for seeing this turkey project through. My dear friend Carol Baicker-McKee, an amazing artist and fabulous writer, wrote this very kind review of Gobble (and if you don't already subscribe to her blog, shame on you. It's awesome.) My dear husband wrote this on his blog (ditto about subscribing to his blog). And you can look here for other reviews, etc.

And happy gobbles to all of you this Thanksgiving and always!

I Witness: Hard Gold by Avi

Recently I finished Avi's book called Hard Gold. It is part of Hyperion's "I Witness" series for young readers. I noticed it in the new books at the library; it caught my eye because it is a pioneer story of a family from Iowa with "gold fever" that ends up in Colorado. They go by wagon train through the states to the territories out west.

I love this time period and, of course, the location. In the summer of '07, we went to the Buena Vista, Colo. area and went on this awesome jeep tour of the Collegiate Peaks. It was such fun! We bumped up the dirt paths above treeline to a spot where our guide showed us a rock patch where there were quartz crystals. Nearby we saw the ruins of a log cabin. The walls were only about two-logs high and grass grew inside the cabin. We wandered around the area and found broken china and light green and lavender glass that dated back to the late 19th century. To find "artifacts" from the days when the miners lived in log cabins on the side of the mountain inspired me to think about how I could turn that into my own story.

And in those couple of days near Buena Vista, I thought of a complete plot to a novel. After reading Avi's novel, I was reminded of the story I wanted to write a year and a half ago. I wrote another scene last weekend--the ending as a matter of fact--and then found a bunch of books at the library on the gold rush era. We'll see how it comes along.

A really interesting video

Another instructor at IPFW told me about this video on ted.org. It's really fascinating! It's a lecture given by a percussionist who teaches her audience how to listen. She tells about different ways of learning music and different ways of hearing. I highly recommend it. Thank you, Marje, for suggesting it!

Idioms

So, thanks for all the help with the idioms! Today I taught "to go overboard" and "over my dead body," both suggestions from my mom (thanks!). Great ideas! Some of my ESL students have been in the U.S. longer than others; those are usually the ones who recognize the idioms the quickest, and they recognized these right away. So I know I hit on some common ones--always the best technique because of the varied language ability of all of the students.

Need some idiom help!

I am teaching an ESL class (that I love), and every day we start with a brief discussion of an American idiom. We've covered a lot of them: dodge a bullet, get something straight, learn the hard way, and many more.

I'm wondering if you all might help me think of some of the more common ones that you use or hear.

Ideas?

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves Game

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, a good book about punctuation by Lynne Truss now has a fun game based on it. Try it out and test your punctuation skills!

What's so great about reading

I'm not quite sure why, but this fall I've been reading more than I normally do. Maybe it's because my schedule is busier than it's been for a long time, so I'm savoring those quiet moments with a good book. Maybe it's because I've found some books I really like. I don't know.

But I was reminded again what's so great about reading this afternoon. I took 15 minutes away from my afternoon and started a new book, "Burning Bright" by Tracy Chevalier. In the five or six pages I read, I was jettisoned to 1792 London. Like a time machine. When authors create a strong sense of place, it is easy to get lost in the story, description, and time. The trick for the writer, of course, is to show the universality of the human condition even in times that were very different from our own by creating believable, authentic characters in real jeopardy. When those elements come together, a good book is the result, and something like time travel is what the reader gets.

Tracy Chevalier is particularly good at painting the picture of a place. I adored Girl with a Pearl Earring. Learning the story behind the painting, or the story behind the work of art is always a treat for me--even if it is fictional.

Stuff

I got gas for $2.68 today. Awesome! I topped up the tank even though we were only down a third. On the radio yesterday morning, they played some "angelic" sounding music and Charlie Butcher on WOWO said, "miracles do happen!" regarding the gas prices falling. It was funny--but true. Last week, I was excited to get gas for $3.34 a gallon. This is even better.

So...The Happening was good but not great. It's M. Night Shyamalan's latest. I still love Signs the most, mostly because the storytelling is so strong and the acting is phenomenal. I just love Joaquin Phoenix. Always SO convincing.

This is fall break at IPFW, so I had two days off. What luxury and indulgence! It's been so great getting caught up.

A good movie

Last Friday night, I watched "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day." Adored it! It was such a simple, fun movie, but well acted and a nice story. Just one of those feel good movies. This evening I finished my third Sophie Kinsella novel in three weeks (plus I snuck in an Alexander McCall Smith one too), so I guess I'm getting more done than only grading and prepping these days.

Annoyed

So I ordered a refill of allergy medicine this week from Express Scripts--the mail order company that our insurance pays to lower our prescription costs. The service was fairly fast. I ordered it maybe last Friday, and it arrived yesterday.

But when I opened the package (which was not tampered with or damaged in any way), I found loose pills all over the package. What was up with that?! I gathered up the pills and counted them. I could account for all of them, but I wasn't so sure I wanted to give a bunch of loose pills to my child for his allergies.

So I called Express Scripts today. I was transferred to the pharmacist who told me that the inside of the package is just as clean as the inside of the bottle, so we should go ahead and use them. Okay...well...I guess I can accept that. But then when she asked me if there was anything else she could help me with today, I said that maybe the next time we ordered our prescriptions they could make sure the bottles were shut.

What annoyed me was her response. It wasn't: I'm sorry, I will make sure that this doesn't happen again. Or: we will make every effort to ensure that the bottles are secured before throwing them in your package. Or even: We'll do our best. Her response was: "Oh, well, sometimes this happens. Not very often, but occasionally it does."

What? A customer asks you not to throw around medicine for her child and you say, Oh, it doesn't happen too often, but oh well. Can't really do anything about that. Grrr

One of the books I'm reading

I'm currently reading a cookbook called "How to Cook Everything: The Basics" by Mark Bittman. It's awesome! In it the author gives simple, classic American recipes, like beef stew, fried eggs, basic yeast bread, traditional apple pie, and chicken soup. I haven't had the chance to make a lot of the dishes yet (using his recipes), but I'm looking forward to trying them. This would be a great housewarming gift for newlyweds or young people.

The Blessings of Blizzards...DQ Blizzards, that is

DQ has a new blizzard flavor: pumpkin pie!! I can't wait to try it. What is it about Blizzards that make for such good conversations?

Words I Can't Spell

"Exercise" stumped me for the longest time. Now I get it.

"misspelling" - two s's or one?

"self-awareness" (or any word with "self" that comes before it) - one word? one hyphenated word? two words?

"Gemutlichkiet," obviously. MUCH easier to spell free beer Fridays.

My last name - took 3 months to learn to spell. My brother David reminds me that it can be spelled to the Mickey Mouse song. "S - T - I - E - G - E -" (are you singing it yet?) "M - E - Y - E - R"

Oh, it seems like there are so many more. But it's a Friday night, and I'm brain dead. What words do you find a challenge?

Foods I remember from childhood

Last night, over pork chops, we were talking about foods we remember and liked from childhood. Scott liked pork chops and tuna casserole. I dredged up some memory about salmon loaf. Ew. Then I remembered how the smell of sauerkraut filled the whole house. Neither of those were my favorites. Foods I love that my mom makes (or made): meatloaf, potato salad, nest eggs, these yummy German dumplings (shoot, I forget the name--Mom, help), spritz cookies, cream cheese cookies, and many more dishes that I'm undoubtedly forgetting. I wonder what Jacob will remember from my cooking. Yikes. That's kind of a scary thought.

P.S. Did you know there is a national meatloaf appreciation day? Isn't that awesome? (October 18, by the way.)

My question is: what is your favorite food you remember from childhood? Do you make it?

One thing about working...

In the last few months I've worked more out of the house than I have in years. I enjoy working with students, especially my ESL students (who are quite a lively group this fall!). I also have really enjoyed getting to know the other instructors at IPFW. One of the nice things about working is having people to bounce ideas off of, to vent frustrations to, and to compare notes with (sheesh, all those prepositions were sure dangling, eh?). Writing can be a lonely venture, and I find that if I have too much time at home on my own, trying to plow through projects that I get a little too wrapped up in my own thoughts and troubles. Feeling a sense of usefulness and purpose is also a blessing of work--and that's especially true when writing contracts are too few and far between. None of that is to say that being a wife and mother is unfulfilling. But I believe that work, within reasonable limits (so that my sanity can be maintained) can work. This morning a new friend and I were able to vent to each other about laundry and dirty floors and whatever else before we each headed off and taught our classes. That was nice.

Yum!

Last night I made Thai Chicken for dinner. It was yummy. Here is the link to the recipe from Cooking Light. It had a number of ingredients I don't normally have on hand, like fish sauce (ew, that just sounds nasty) and an Asian hot chili sauce, oh--and light coconut milk. But it all came out great. I made brown rice in my steamer (a wise suggestion by Peperkorn) and added a vegetable. One of my more successful cooking adventures. If anyone wants to try it (who lives near me), you can borrow my bottle of fish sauce and chili sauce. Seriously. Best of all, it was fairly healthy and not too fattening (always a bonus).

Gobble-icious!

Gobble is official! My new book, Gobble-Gobble-Crash! A Barnyard Counting Bash, published by Dutton Children's Books, was released a couple of weeks ago. Yea!

In other news...September has really sped by. My life is fairly hectic right now, more hectic than I like. I'm enjoying my students and colleagues, but...well, life is just very hectic. When I'm not prepping for classes, I'm grading papers, driving carpool, fixing meals, buying groceries...that's pretty much it.

Before church today, I revised a manuscript that has been waiting for me, and tomorrow night, I'll get some critiques on another book I've been working on. So those are good things. It's difficult to balance teaching and writing, and I'm still searching for that better balance.

Last week, I got to have a little book signing on another project I worked on about a year ago (or was it longer? I forget). Here are Adriane Dorr and I signing copies of A New Song, a series of devotional books for women published by Concordia Publishing House. (This website lists the author as "Jane Fryar; various" - I'm one of the various!) Adriane Dorr wrote for the second volume. This series is based on the psalms, intended to be a resource for women's groups. Each author wrote five faith narratives on a single psalm. Mine was Psalm 49. Thank you, Lauren, for the photo!

Teaching

Phew! It's been a busy week-and-a-day. I've started a new semester of teaching at IPFW--the Indiana/Purdue extension in Fort Wayne. There are 11,000 students there this fall, so it's a little bigger than where I've taught in the past. So far, things are going well. I'm getting to know the students and figuring out a routine.

In the midst of that, I've been revising one manuscript, and writing a new one. We'll see how those progress. I think after this week, or maybe after next, I'll start feeling more on top of the teaching work load and better able to find more time for writing.

We're a little worried about our Lucy, our dog. She's had a bad limp in her hind left leg for the last couple of weeks. The vet thought it might be arthritis, but it seems to be getting worse. So we're going to get her into the vet again tomorrow to get an x-ray. It might be arthritis, but we just want to know what's going on and see if we can get her some help. We haven't been able to go on our walks for a few days, and we both miss it.

Near-Death Experiences and Trip Advice

First, for the trip advice. For those of you who haven't stumbled upon it yet, I recommend Trip Advisor, a website that has real reviews from people who have visited all the places you want to go. I found it very helpful when booking hotels and figuring out places to eat.

Also, for this trip, I used Hotwire.com to book one of our hotel stays. I'd never used Hotwire or Priceline before, but it worked out great. Their advertising slogan is that they get you a 4-star hotel at a 2-star price. From our experience in Boston, it's definitely true. We stayed at the luxurious Intercontinental Boston and paid about the same for that hotel that we did for a mediocre Holiday Inn in DC. The catch is that you can't specify which hotel you'd like to book. You simply give the dates and the city (or area within the city), and they book you the hotel. It worked out great for us in this trip, though. The Intercontinental is a beautiful hotel--the decor, the spa, the hip dining, the awesome bathroom with a big bathtub and a separate shower stall!! It was great.

So, now for my "near-death experience." Last Tuesday, we drove from Boston to Cape Cod (about a two-hour drive). Cape Cod is a little different than I expected it to be. It's not your typical beach-front scenery--no scenic vistas or palm trees (not that I expected palm trees)--but then suddenly from this heavily forested area the landscape opens up to the Atlantic ocean! One of the afternoons, we took a short hike and I felt like I was in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The scent of pine in the air, the pine needles at my feet. But then we went to the beach that afternoon.

On the first afternoon of our stay in Cape Cod, we--naturally--headed to the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day (unlike our second rainy day), so we took full advantage of it. The Atlantic is cold (no duh), but dang, yeah. It's really cold. About 60 degrees on a good day. So I was mainly just putting my feet in. Jacob was making me a nervous wreck because the waves were really strong, and he kept going back-first into the waves and then coughing up ocean water after every one passed over him (we finally figured out that you are supposed to swim through the waves--or something like that).

So anyway, I was basically just dipping my feet in, but then I thought that I should quit being a pansy and get in the water. How many opportunities in a lifetime do you have to be in the ocean anyway? Well, I now think I've had enough for my lifetime.

It was high tide, and the waves were really strong. I waded out about thigh-deep and then--BAM!--a wave completely took me down. All I knew was that I was rolling around underwater. I could see seaweed floating above me and felt the sand rushing into the ocean under me. (Oh, I'm getting all panicky just thinking about it.) I don't remember if I got above water after that first wave, but then--BAM--another wave hit me, sucked me under again. By this time, I thought I was a goner. Jacob was only about six feet away from me, and was lollygagging around, paying no attention to his mother DROWNING!! And, we were right in front of the lifeguards. They didn't seem to notice either. Finally, a third wave caught me. By this time, I had hauled myself up onto the shore a little bit, but the sand was still dragging me down. Finally, I got to my feet and made a beeline for my towel on the sand. I collapsed and proceeded to freeze in my soaking wet, sand-filled clothes the rest of the afternoon. Sheesh.

Jacob and Scott tell me that I was in the water only about 3 seconds. I don't quite believe them; it felt like about an hour to me. So I now call it my near death experience (NDE). I'm being a little facitious, but I don't ever remember having that feeling of raw power against me. The ocean was angry and threatening! I remember a friend telling me once that she'd had a similar experience and never liked swimming again. I think I can now relate. Jacob, however, our adrenaline junkie, loved it. The funny thing about the experience is that I must have looked like a combination of drowned rat / total idiot as I hauled myself up on the beach to my towel. What a landlubber! Oh--this picture shows me after my NDE. I was frozen, so I HAD to buy this cute sweatshirt.

So, these pictures were taken at Nauset Beach, on the Atlantic side of the Cape, near the town of Orleans.

On the rainy morning we were there, Jacob and I went over to Skaket Beach, on the harbor side of the Cape. Totally different! The water is warmer, and the beach so gradually slopes into the water that when it's low tide, you can walk out about two miles before you hit water. So we did that. Here are some pictures from that walk. This is a type of squid. It's hard to see through the water, but ew. He was kind of gross. Kids on the mudflats were also collecting little hermit crabs. We saw a spider crab and some random colorful crab arms lying around. Also--of course--lots of seagulls.

One of the interesting things about Skaket Beach at low tide is that the mud is rainbowy. It's hard to tell in these photos, but the top thin layer of sand is tan. Then just under that layer it's sort of pink, then a dark gray.

I wish we'd had more time to spend at Cape Cod. The beach was great (except for almost drowning--ha), the countryside was beautiful, the towns were charming and it is full of history. I'd definitely go back.

Home

Yesterday morning, after an eventful trip home, we finally made it. We left Cape Cod around 8:30 a.m. on Friday, and got home around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Needless to say, we were tired yesterday--and still are today. We drove to Boston, turned in the rental car, and caught our train from South Station. The trip to Albany was great--relaxing, comfortable, everything a good train trip should be.

From there, things went downhill. The Albany train station was blech. Only food available was this little coffee shop with sandwiches and lukewarm soup. But at least we got to get something to eat (it was around dinnertime). The train loaded up around 7pm, and wow--I felt like I was in a herd of cattle getting on the train. There were several groups traveling together (some seniors groups, a youth group), and for some reason, Amtrak thought it was good to load them up first, which left very few seats for the rest of us. But we made it on, and even got to sit together. Many of the travelers were going all the way to Chicago, so they had a long trip in front of them.

Things started to calm down on the train around 10:30 or 11:00. Remember--we had a sleeper car on the way out to DC. This trip we were coach all the way. It's a vast difference! I did get some sleep, but felt like I woke up at every stop (although the guys tell me I was always asleep every time they looked at me). What amazed me was the group of older women that got on around 5:00 a.m. somewhere in Ohio. They were so loud! Here's this train car full of sleeping people, and these women were hooting and talking like it was broad daylight. Sheesh.

Finally, we arrived back in Waterloo to a sad sight. Our old car was still parked in the parking lot, but with three windows shattered. Apparently, some vandal had had some fun in the train parking lot. Several other cars had been damaged as well. That poor Geo. When we lived in Pittsburgh, the rear window had been smashed out at least once by some vandal. This time, the windshield had at least four blows, the passenger front window was shattered, and the rear window was shattered. Sigh. The police came by right as we got off the train, and said that someone had gone through the parking lot, smashing car windows about three nights back. Nothing inside the car had been damaged (there isn't much to steal--a radio that barely works is about it).

So we called AAA, and made it back to Fort Wayne. We jammed in the cab of the tow truck with these two tow truck drivers. It actually reminded me of some outrageous scene from a movie like Little Miss Sunshine. We were totally smashed into this cab. Except for sending out the tow truck, AAA was useless--sending us to window replacement shops that don't exist. Dumb. Finally, we ended up at a Chevrolet dealer, where the body shop will take care of the windows. So, grrr...that is not fun, but the trip overall was great.

Here's the thing about train travel that I love. I love seeing the countryside zoom past the windows. It feels more natural to travel this way. Airplane travel is awful compared to the train. In a plane, you are jammed into these tiny seats, you have absolutely NO leg room unless you happen to be less than 4 feet tall, and it's all so stressful! Train travel (at its best) avoids all of this. You can walk around, have tons of leg room, you get to see things out the window. It's great. I read most of a novel on the way back from Boston. You can get something to eat in the dining car or snack car. This photo shows somewhere in New York state. The moon is in the corner of the photo. It was a beautiful sunset.

And then, here is this gorgeous shot of Ohio farm land. Isn't it pretty? That is sunrise--just before we arrived in Waterloo.

People used to travel by train, and that is sadly obvious in a lot of places. The tracks are old, and as cities built up and moved away from the tracks, the areas by the tracks decayed. So it's often like looking in a back alleyway of the city. You see old tenement houses, burned out, graffiti-covered rowhouses. An occasional oasis of urban redevelopment pops up, and then there's another long line of brick warehouses with the glass windows broken or filmed over with decades of grime. A billboard reads, "We buy ugly houses."

Our trip from DC to Boston was especially eventful outside the train. We went through Philly, NYC, Connecticut, and then trees filled up the windows again. We left the grime and noise and clamor of the city to the scrub brushes and clapboard houses of New England. We even got a glimpse of the ocean. And a white heron. Sail boats are nestled in blue sparkly harbors. Church steeples jut into the skyline.

Overall, I loved the train. The last leg of the journey was more trying, but by then I was also ready to be home, so somewhat cranky. But I highly recommend it for the adventure of it all. Jacob was at the perfect age to take the train. Much younger and he (and we) would've been miserable. As it was, we all discovered this wonderful mode of travel and got to see some fabulous sights!

More soon on my near-death experience at Cape Cod...

Last Day

Today is the day we travel back home. We're leaving our B&B on Cape Cod in about an hour, and then driving back into Boston where we'll drop off the car and board the first train on the way home.

While on Cape Cod, we spent time at Nauset Beach. Here's sort of an interesting link for surfing on Nauset. The main part of the beach is typical (and lovely) - tan, fine sand, with little pebbles and rocks dotting the shoreline. It's just like the postcards--sand dunes filled with spiky blades of tall grass, low shrubs, instead of palm trees.

We went to the beach on Tuesday afternoon, after we arrived on the Cape. That was fun--warm and sunny. It rained ALL day on Wednesday while made us a touch grouchy, but yesterday turned out beautiful--fair and, after the clouds burned off, sunny and warm.

In the rain, Jacob and I went to Skaket Beach, on the other side of the Cape--the harbor side as opposed to the Atlantic. There, at low tide, you can walk for up to two miles out to the water since the Bay is so filled with sand eroded from the Atlantic side of the Cape. That area is called the Mudflats, where we found TONS of hermit crabs, and even saw a weird looking squid.

I have lots and lots and lots of pictures to share once we're home.

Day...Whatever

We're now in Boston, enjoying a cosmopolitan and lively city. Yesterday we did the Duck Tour of the city, so we were able to see all the "land" sights (the State House, Beacon Hill, the U.S.S. Constitution, etc.) as well as take a ride on the Charles River. On the subway yesterday, I identified at least 3 or 4 different languages being spoken around us--and that was just directly around us.

I loved seeing the Boston Public Garden, the setting of Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings. It is the official children's book of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I love that the Commonwealth has an official children's book! There are bronze sculptures of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings in the park, which the toddler set thoroughly enjoyed climbing on. I even got a good photo of an real, live duck in the lagoon under the branches of a willow tree.

While there, we tried to find a letterbox, but it was too hot, crowded, and we were hungry, so we gave up on that one. We did get four in Salem's Woods after we finally were able to get hold of a car and drive to the park. That was fun. A good hike on a warm summer day.

Today is our last day in Boston. Tomorrow we'll be heading to Cape Cod.

Days 7 and 8?

I'm sort of losing track of days. I guess that's what happens when you are lucky enough to get away for two weeks!

Anyway, we are now in Salem, Mass. We got in late last night after a long-ish train ride from DC to Boston. I thought everything was arranged with the car rental from the train station, but, alas, no car rental office was open when we arrived at 7:30pm. So, we improvised, and got to our hotel here in Salem last night around 9:00ish by cab. (I am still irritated with Hertz which seemed to give misleading info on their website about a car rental site being available at the train station, but I think we have things figured out to pick up a car tomorrow. I would forego having a car altogether, but I don't think we'll really be able to get to or around Cape Cod without it.)

This morning, we headed out early-ish to see the sights of Salem (is that spelled "sites" or "sights"? I'm confused.). There are a TON of witch-y type shops, museums, etc. We got a lot of good pictures for later use. My goal was to get to the House of the Seven Gables and to see the harbor, both of which we did.

The House of the Seven Gables was thoroughly enjoyable. I totally recommend seeing this very, very old house (old by American standards). This house inspired Hawthorne to write his book about Hepzibah and the Pyncheon clan. Hawthorne's birthplace was moved to the grounds of the House too, so we got to walk through that as well.

We're staying at the Salem Inn, which is another old house (built in 1834). A journal in the sitting room of the West House (where we're staying) says that some visitors have heard ghosts (such as a baby crying in the next room--when it's empty--or a woman sniffling). People come here, it seems to me, because they want to have some sort of paranormal experience.

We walked through the Burying Ground, the oldest cemetery in Salem. The oldest gravestone we found read 1681. There is a memorial adjacent to the cemetery with the names of the 20 who were hung or died after the Salem Witch Trials. The cemetery itself is beautiful--picturesque and tucked in a quiet corner in the town. A gnarled old oak shades one corner of the graveyard.

Tomorrow it's back to Boston for a couple of days, and then we'll head to Cape Cod, where we hope to crash on the beach for 3 days straight.