Two Most Excellent, Wonderful, Lovely, Fun Picture Books!

I am so surprised and impressed that I'm getting a post out. LOL I ended a job, went to Canada, and then started a new job. And now I am so happy to present these two incredible books.

Where the Wee Ones Go: A Bedtime Wish for Endangered Animals by Karen Jameson, Illustrated by Zosienka

From the publisher, Chronicle Books: available April 2022

Wee readers will connect with wee endangered-animals in this mesmerizing bedtime book by Karen Jameson (Woodland Dreams, Farm Lullaby), promoting environmental awareness and encouraging the very sweetest of dreams!

When stars are out and the moon's above,

where do the wee ones go, my love?

Where do the wee ones go?

Where do endangered animals go to sleep? Immerse yourself in the lush beauty of this bedtime picture book and find out. From the Pacific Ocean to China's mountains, the Australian outback, and beyond, each baby animal has a warm, safe place to fall asleep.

With a variety of baby endangered animals and their mamas gracing each gorgeous spread, readers will be transfixed by richly-illustrated scenes that span the globe and capture each creature's unique habitat. Snuggle close like a sweet panda, curl up like a cozy koala, and drift off like a drowsy elephant, letting the sweeping environments and soothing bedtime rituals of this gentle animal lullaby lull even the most restless little dreamers into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Lovely to read, just lovely.

I was fortunate enough to read this at a book signing this past weekend. The last page gave me goosebumps. 

It’s so lyrical: beautiful and soothing text and illustrations. And I even learned something! It really is a treasure, this book, a wonderful addition to all bookshelves.

 

Monsters in the Briny by Lynn Becker, Illustrations by Scott Brundage

From the publisher Sleeping Bear Press: available April 2022:

What do you do with a grumpy kraken, a sickly sea serpent, and a tearful gigantic tortoise? You sing them a tune, of course! Following the sea shanty rhyme of "What Do You Do With . . . ," a ship's crew of sailors has to contend with a coterie of mythical sea creatures, all demanding comfort and attention. As each creature threatens to swamp the ship, the quick-thinking crew knows just what to do to save the day, from serving pancakes to mopping a sweaty forehead to sharing an umbrella to keep the rain away. But what happens when the sailors have had enough? Back matter includes information about the sea creatures featured, music and lyrics, along with a brief history of sea shanties

This book is so much fun to read! And sing! The words and illustrations are expressive and colorful, lifting the story to the next level. With this book, you can read to your child, sing to your child, and encourage participation, too. I don’t think it’ll take that much cajoling for anyone to sing along.

If you’re able to catch Lynn Becker reading it at a bookstore, like I was, you’ll be engaged, enjoy the musical accompaniment and be ready to sing the song yourself. I believe there is an awesome book trailer out there, as well as a video with book loving folks singing the story.

Another excellent addition to all bookshelves. Trust me.

 

March Limerick Time!

March just seems like the perfect time for a limerick. Probably because of St.Patrick's Day, even though that was a couple of weeks ago. I know. What's fun about these poems is that they can be on any topic. As you'll see below, mine is about a cat with a Hollywood dream. No, I don't know where that came from and why. 😄 Just happens. You can do them on sports, animals, places, vegetables, cookies, fro-yo. Anything. The first, second and fifth lines must have 7-10 syllables and have the same verbal rhyme. The third and fourth have 5-7 syllables and have the same rhythm and rhyme together. No problem! What makes it even more fun, is to write one with another person or group. Hysterical! There's even a poem generator for limericks.
Coming up on the blog are a bunch of book reviews/blurbs as soon as I type them up.
Enjoy and start writing. 😎😻🎬

A Texas cat came to L.A.
And had to decide if she'd stay.
After makeup and hair
She debuted on the air.
A truckload of fish was her pay.

Writing Exercise - TWO!

This is for August and September. No excuses, although I'm sure I have some, just catch up time. Now you can have twice the fun - grab some words and jump in! These are also not edited or rewritten ever, just whatever pops out at the time. Can't say they're always good, but it's so fun to see how differently people use the same words.

Words: anger, spotty, insurance, fabulous

            Driving on the wrong side of the road is just weird. My brain does not work that way. You think there’s no road rage in London? You’d be wrong. SO wrong.

            The anger that seeped out of the English gentleman, well, let’s just say I can no longer call him a gentleman. Bloke, perhaps. Spotty bloke, at that.

            I didn’t think to get an international drivers license. Or extra insurance for this trip. Last minute, exciting, spontaneous trip. I prefer spontaneous to impulsive, less negative connotation.

            So I’m meeting my fabulous new English friend for lunch and on the way I might have caused a slight fender bender. Nobody’s car was totaled, although you’d think so the way this jerk is carrying on. And I can’t understand half of what he’s saying because he’s talking too fast.

            I call my fabulous friend and she comes to help translate. And once she arrives and gets everything calmed down and sorted out, she goes off to lunch with this spotty, blokey jerk! And I heard something about Damn Yanks. So I called after them, “It’s Damn Yankees to you!”

            Only ten more glorious days of holiday here. Off to a smashing start. Quite literally.

Words: near, attract, knot, zesty

             Note to self: when there’s a knot in a tree and big hole beside it, DO NOT stick your hand in the hole! I mean it. Doesn’t matter if the lovely buzzing sound attracts you. Resist it. Do not think of the sweet and smooth honey that could come from that humming hole. No, no matter how good that honey would taste on toast with butter. Or how perfect it would make your zesty honey mustard sauce. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT look inside the hole after you’ve stuck your hand in. Only bad things can come from it. Just ask the hospital nurse who has been so kind to you. She’ll remind you. She has the photos.

Writing Exercise - April

Just making it under the wire here with a post for April. I am loving the random word maker. It's just so much fun. Well, for me, anyways! Join in, plenty of words to go around.

Words: watery, blush, knife, hands

           Maxwell stood too close. I didn’t have enough room to chop tomatoes. Red, watery seeds spilled onto the cutting board. But it looked too red.

          “You’re bleeding!” Maxwell said.

          “Oh, crap, I am.” I grabbed a white towel and held it against my finger.

          Maxwell took two steps back and fell into a chair. My knight in shining armor. He pointed with a shaky hand.

          “What? The knife?” I asked. He apparently had little motor function left and barely nodded. I washed the blood off the knife to appease him.

          The Home Ec teacher came over. “Max, what’s wrong?”

          Again with the pointing.

          “It’s a little wound,” I said.

          Maxwell shook his head.

          “Let me see.” The teacher took my hand and opened the towel. She gave it back to me and I reapplied pressure. “Not too bad. Why don’t you go see the nurse?”

          “I think a bandage will do,” I said.

          “Not you, Maxwell.”

          Maxwell’s blush rivaled the tomato and my blood.

          “Come on, I’ll take you.” I hoisted him with my non-bleeding hand, dropped him at the nurse with a kiss on the cheek and went back to make a suspiciously red lasagna.

Writing Exercise Wednesday #49

Getting near the end of one year of writing exercises. The nice thing about exercises is that they can be one sentence, one paragraph or one page. Anything goes. It's fun once you get the words to see what pictures form in your mind, what words float to the surface and what results (or where it leads) is always an adventure and surprise.

WEW #49

Prompt: ragged, identity, county fair, curl

Result:
    Little Missy Johnston ran to the county fair with her ragged curls flailing behind her. It was time to discover the identity of her nemesis in the Best Pig in the County competition. And it better not be Fancy Harmony. Missy would do whatever it took not to lose to her again.

Writing Exercise Wednesday #44

I can't believe I didn't get the exercise up yesterday!  It's been so busy at work and I've been falling asleep around 8pm. I think this is the first time I've posted a day late.  I can usually get it done that same day.  Anyway...

Here is the second week of poem line prompts.

WEW #44

Prompt: use any of the following lines from amazing poems and poets.

“But dark is a long way,” Dylan Thomas, Poem on His Birthday

“This living hand, now warm and capable,” John Keats, This Living Hand

“And every wave is charmed,” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Terminus

Result:

    There was something about the house that didn’t feel right. Everything looked normal; furniture, curtains, yellow kitchen, bedrooms. It was so spotless; it was hard to believe anyone lived there.
    Jonah and Jacqueline had been there before. All they had to do was retrieve a plate of cookies on the kitchen counter. Mrs. Black told them to get it. It was her house. No big deal, right.
    But Jonah and Jacqueline were frozen, looking down the hallway that led to the cookies.
    “You go first.” Jacqueline nudged Jonah.
    Jonah shook his head. “But it’s dark.”
    “Just run.”
    “But dark is a long way,” Jonah whispered.
    “Okay. Let’s hold hands and run together.”
    “Oh-kay.” A quivering Jonah slipped his sweaty hand into hers.
    “On the count of three,” Jacqueline said. “One, two, wait…”
    “Oh, good.”
    “No, do you hear that?”
    “W-what?” Jonah didn’t want ot hear anything.
    “Something’s moving in the kitchen.”
    “But we have to go in there. What if we tell Mrs. Black the cookies were gone?” Jonah asked.
    Jacqueline tightened her grip on Jonah’s hand. “We can do this.”
    Jonah looked at her with wide eyes and gulped.
    The two, stronger together, slipped down the hall as fast as they could. After holding their breath the whole way, they huffed and stopped outside the kitchen door.
    Jacqueline whispered, “One, two, three.”
    They pushed the swinging door.
    “Surprise!” everyone cheered.
    The twins’ jaws dropped; their hearts pounding.
    “Happy birthday, sweethearts,” their mother said, enveloping them in a hug.
    Mrs. Black stood smiling with her hands clasped to her chest.
    Jacqueline and Jonah gawked at their cake. Half was pink with shoes and purses, the other half was green with dinosaurs. “Happy 10th Birthday” it read.
    The twins broke out into grins and hugged each other. “Awesome cake, Mom.”

Writing Exercise Wednesday #43

This week and next week I'm using line prompts from different poems. You can start the exercise with it or use it within or even just as an idea maker. You never know where it can take you. It's just so much fun!!!! Okay, it's the last day of work before a long weekend so I'm easily excited. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, for those celebrating it, and for my Canadian friends, enjoy the parade!

WEW #43

Prompt: use any of the following lines from amazing poems and poets.

“Now I absorb immortality and peace” Walt Whitman, Night on the Prairies

“An ear can break a human heart” Emily Dickinson, The Saddest Noise

“Many have loved me desperately” Thomas Hardy, He Never Expected Much

“Since Truth is seldom friend to any crowd” Rudyard Kipling, The Fabulists

Result:

    "An ear can break a human heart," Alicia said.
    "No it can't," her brother Timothy said.
    "Yes it can!"
    "No it can't!"
    "Yuh-huh."
    "Nuh-uh."
    They sat on their front step and watched a butterfly float above their heads.
    "A butterfly can change the world," Alicia said.
    "No it can't," Timothy said.
    "Yuh-huh."
    "Nuh-uh."
    A cloud wisped and morphed past them in the sky.
    "How can an ear break a heart?" Tim asked.
    Alicia looked at her scuffed shoes.  "Remember when Mom and Dad were fighting?  Dad said a word I'm not allowed to use."
    Tim frowned.  "Mom cried."
    They silently watched a caterpillar inch its way across the cement.
    "A caterpillar can magically turn into a butterfly or a moth," Alicia said.
    "No it can't," Timothy said.

Writing Exercise Wednesday #35

I can't believe I'm up to #35. Makes getting to 52 seem more possible. And then what? I do not know.  Enjoy the fun words today!

WEW #35

Prompt:
Scurry, shining, smelly, foolishly

Result:

     Smelly, smelly fish. That’s what I think of them. They stink. My brother gets all excited about their shining scales, how big they are and what they eat.
     Don’t care – never will.
     Now my sister, loves rats. She has two and they scurry about. They sit on her shoulders and clean her eyebrows.
     Not for me.
     I foolishly go for pigs, cows, sheep, goats and cats. But in my room, I only get to have the cat now. You’d be surprised at what sheep and goats can do indoors.  Someday I’ll have the whole farm.
     That’s what I’m gonna do.

Sept 29 Workshop with Mary Hershey!

This is my first event hosting as Santa Barbara County Coordinator, and I'm so excited and honored to have Mary Hershey as our instructor. Below are all the details for the workshop.  It's open to all artists: illustrators, writers, painters, etc. Registration info is HERE and walk-ins are welcome!  I'm so looking forward to seeing everyone and participating in an amazing workshop. 

WORKSHOP:
Creative Bankruptcy in the Land of Plenty: Managing Your Time, Talent & Treasures   

Instructor: Mary Hershey
Saturday, September 29, 2012
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Goleta Public Library, 500 North Fairview Avenue,
Goleta, CA 93117
$40 SCBWI members, $50 non-members

Studies have shown that if you put three SCBWI members alone in a room together, it will take less than 1.75 minutes for the conversation to turn to their shared experience of not having the time, inspiration, support or energy for their craft.

How can we be expected to capture the attention of an agent, editor or future reader when our personal circumstances aren’t sufficient? In this 3-hour workshop, author and personal coach, Mary Hershey, will help participants search and discover the wealth of time and treasure available to them. Each student will leave the workshop with at least eight extra hours per week for their craft, and at least one idea that makes their heart skip a beat. Guaranteed.

STUDENTS SHOULD BRING: A copy of their favorite magazine, and one to share in case someone forgets theirs.

BIOGRAPHY: MARY HERSHEY is the author of four humorous novels published for middle grade and young adults with impossibly long titles that only her mother can remember. Her first book with Editor Wendy Lamb at Random House entitled MY BIG SISTER IS SO BOSSY SHE SAYS YOU CAN’T READ THIS BOOK was compared to the work of Beverly Cleary, and has endeared her to little sisters all over the country, an unexpected honor for which she is deeply grateful. 

Ms. Hershey holds a Masters Degree in Counseling & Guidance from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and is a certified Personal & Executive Coach. When she is not composing really long book or workshop titles, she serves at the Department of Veteran Affairs as an Administrative Officer. www.maryhershey.com

For more information, contact Angela Russell at adrussell@verizon.net

Writing Exercise Wednesday #31

Too much fun - that's what this next exercise is.  Grab a fairy tale or nursery rhyme and turn it on its ear.  Or head.  Or bum.  And just have fun.  Almost rhymes. :-)

Prompt: equitable, homely, canvas, chutzpah, unfair

Result:

Mary and her little lamb were given a raw deal.  She couldn't take the lamb to school and the lamb wouldn't go to pasture without her.  The establishment wouldn't allow them to do both - which would make Mary and her lamb extremely happy.  This was unjust, unfair and just plain mean.

Holly, Mary's homely friend, had chutzpah and brainstormed on Mary's behalf.  Holly was ahead of her time, wearing colorful shirts and beads.  Once, she even staged a sit in for Jack to be enrolled at the school even though he lived out of their district in the sky.

Mary was so thankful to have Holly on her side.  Mary gathered the two canvases Holly had asked for.  Provided with dyes and brushes, Holly got to work.

By the next day, Holly presented Mary with a painting of her lamb and gave the lamb a portrait of Mary.  Mary and her lamb were besides themselves.

Mary and Holly skipped to school and set up the lamb painting beside Mary's desk.  The lamb was contentedly grazing in the meadow with Mary's likeness watching over her.

And there wasn't a darn thing the establishment could complain about.

Summary of the 2012 SCBWI National Conference

So many people and sessions, so little time.  The conference is combination of energy and exhaustion.  It defies how much your brain can actually take in.  Not that it's all retained, but you do hit the saturation point early on in the weekend.  And the fun will continue without you.

The wonderful Lin Oliver is so funny and witty.  She and Steve Mooser make a great team.  For keynote speakers, among the many fabulous ones were Tony DiTerlizzi (hilarious), Bryan Collier (with his passion he could run for office), Gary Schmidt (definitely should run for office), Patricia MacLachlan (someone you want to know and I would love to meet her granddaughters), Ruta Sepetys (totally amazing - seriously) and Arthur Levine (need I say more).  What I loved about the speakers was their humanity and vulnerability. Of course there were many other incredible speakers as well.  If you saw the list, you understand.

There were lots of breakout sessions that I needed to be cloned for in order to attend them all.  But alas, I had to choose.  Not my forte.  The ones I like best have writing information I can take away.  Stuff that will help improve my writing.  Deborah Halverson was excellent and I was happy and lucky to tell her that in person.  The other one that stands out was the Monday intensive with Ellen Hopkins.  Her exercises added depth to my characters immediately.  There is a lot of work ahead of me.  But isn't there always?!

The Hippie Hop dance was so much fun.  Our flash mob was a success.  Lin Oliver and Steve Mooser were very surprised.  And they danced the whole night.  So I can cross flash mob off my bucket list.  I mean, if I had a bucket list then I could cross it off.  There were so many people I saw on Facebook after the conference that were there and I had no idea.  

The official SCBWI conference blog, by the extraordinary Lee Wind, was an awesome resource since I could check out the other sessions I missed and get an idea of what went on.  You can still read it.

AND, the most fabulous news is that not one, but TWO writers from our CenCal region were nominated for the Sue Alexander Award.  I am not one of them.  But if you can guess who they are, you win a... what do you win... a smiley face and our thanks for participating!

I definitely needed more recovery time and in that, processing and writing time to keep the momentum going.  My photos posted here are hopefully in focus.  I have a few more but they're not very good.  It was wonderful to meet new people and to hang with the friends I don't see that often.  I hope to see everyone again soon.

Angela

Tina and Yuki in costume. The one of Greg didn't turn out that well.  Maybe someone else will post one!



Our fearless leader Alexis



Me and Yuki



Allison and Me - Hi Roomie!



Greg Trine's awesome The Adventures of Jo Schmo jacket.  A must have!



Rebecca, Christy, Allison



Me and the tremendous Lin Oliver - no I wasn't holding her against her will.



Jill, Cynthia, Robin & me

Robin, me & Eve

Tina and Alexis - aren't they a marvelous pair!

Writing Exercise Wednesday #17

Oh my goodness!  Where did the time go today. 
Here's a new execise - enjoy and have fun!!!

WEW #17

Prompt: fireworks, caterwauling, peace

Thursday Result of WEW #14

WEW #14

Prompt: cut-offs, habit, imitate, raisin, writhe, idiocy, toast, cardboard

Result:

Writhing in the moist dirt, the worms ignored the raisin toast Jenny crumbled for them to eat.

“Come on, eat,” she said.  She shook her head and bit her bottom lip.  She kept biting it until it cracked and bled.  Just like her fingernails.

Dressed in cut-offs and t-shirt, Jenny placed her cardboard sign around her neck.  The twine holding it together was frayed and sun bleached.  Her sign said: Idiocy. And on the other side it said: Stop.

Her brother John often imitated Jenny, making faces until she cried.  He was the reason she wore the sign.  Jenny was determined to teach her brother a thing or two about reading and manners.

It was the most difficult job she had and she bore it like a crusade.

         Jenny would put an end to idiocy and she decided to start in her very own house.  Never mind that the worms didn't eat the toast.  She would work on them next.