Kat's Eye Journal

Prayers Needed, Pass It On

2011-04-09T14:38:00.007-05:00

Many of you are familiar with my daughter Elena and the journey she's been on with her health. Elena's travels have inspired my own, reminding me daily to trust the process and to have faith that where we are now is where we are supposed to be, whether it be in our personal or professional lives.

In recent weeks, we've entered a new and challenging chapter in Elena's care, one that requires two neurosurgeries in the near future. Both are considered life-saving. The first surgery will happen as early as this coming week. The second two months or so later depending on her recovery.

We need prayers. Lots of them. Please share this news with anyone you think might need to know.

To follow Elena's journey and write a note in her guestbook, sign on to www.caringbridge.com and search for elenawinters.

Consider checking out Elena's new web page, too. It's a reminder of who she is outside of her illness and a testimony to the true power of living each moment.

Dorothy was Right

2011-03-09T15:49:00.005-06:00

There really is no place like home. E was released from the hospital after her imaging studies yesterday. We returned late last night, exhausted after our week-long visit but so very happy to be back. The first thing E wanted to do after hugging her service dog Jewel was unpack, as if doing so would prove she was home to stay. Spent today acclimating to the real world while she caught up on the sleep she lost at the hospital. Looking forward to returning to a regular writing schedule. Hoping my muse joins me.

A week and counting

2011-03-08T10:42:00.004-06:00

Didn't expect E to be here this long, but there you have it. A week and counting. I'd forgotten about the little things that gnaw away at you the longer you're here. The constant beeping from all the monitors. The stale antiseptic smell of the hallways. The fact that while the rest of the world is racing by you're on hospital time where the passage of time is marked by the next blood pressure check. Then there's the reality that even when you're away from the room the parent bracelet around your wrist is a constant reminder that your life is not your own. E has an MRI this afternoon. Planning to escape to Ronald McDonald House until she's out of recovery and back in the room. Maybe I can catch some uninterrupted sleep. I need it.

Writerly report: Closest thing I've done to exercising my muse this week is reading. Losing myself in A Discovery of Witches.

Unexpected Journey

2011-03-03T15:28:00.003-06:00

Posting this from the Starlight Family Room on the 6th floor at Children's Hospital in downtown Chicago. E was admitted Tuesday. Kidneys were acting up. She's responding to treatment but the going is slow. Thankfully E is viewing this latest admission as yet another adventure in her journey. For example, she loves the fact that she can order her meals off a menu and have the food on her tray 30 minutes later. She's also enjoying the volunteers. She's working with an artist right now, role playing, story boarding, and doing backdrop design for a video he is putting together with help from inpatients on the floor.

Writerly lesson from all of this:

Trust the process and look for creativity and inspiration in unexpected places.

Nanohoho Report

2010-12-15T11:18:00.008-06:00

Day 15 of Nanohoho. Word count to date: 16,660. Discovered along the way: a working title, several promising throughlines, characters who continue chatting with me after I've made my daily quota.

NanoHoHo Anyone?

2010-12-01T11:42:00.013-06:00

I gained so much momentum during Nanowrimo last month that I'm embarking on another writing push this month. In deference to the holidays, my goal is more modest (and realistic): 25,000 words. I'm calling it NanoHoHo.

Word count after this morning's butt in chair time: 1,446.

Giving Thanks

2010-11-30T16:56:00.006-06:00

1. For the fact that we celebrated our extended family Thanksgiving the Saturday before the actual holiday; otherwise, E's most recent illness would have cancelled yet another celebration/holiday/activity/fill in the blank.

2. For the power of antibiotics.

3. For the fact that E felt strong enough to venture out of the house on Saturday for an afternoon showing of Tangled.

4. For Nanowrimo which gave me a gold ring to strive for and capture!

NaNoWriMo Interrupted

2010-11-24T09:08:00.006-06:00

E's temp worsened. So did her cough. Instead of finishing up Nanowrimo yesterday, E and I spent the majority of the day in the doctor's office, doing tests at the nearest hospital, juggling barf buckets while driving, following up with various physicians, and visiting the pharmacy. Operating on three interrupted hours of sleep max. Spent a good part of the night with the baby monitor plastered to my head, straining to hear E breathe after giving her the first dose of a heavy-duty cough med labeled with all kinds of warnings. Fortunately, the med kicked in blessedly fast. Unfortunately, it did nothing to silence my writer's brain which, in hyper drive by then, conjured up countless scenarios of how things could go wrong. Need sleep.

Nanowrimo, Thanksgiving and More

2010-11-22T15:26:00.006-06:00

Seriously? Based on the current count on my Nanowrimo novel, I'll be finished with my requisite 50,000 words by Wednesday! I honestly didn't expect to get this far. Blessing the Powers that Be, pinching myself, and praying that E's temp doesn't go any higher, which would mean a break in the momentum. But even if I have to take some time off, things might work out. Technically, the contest goes until the 30th.

NaNoWriMo Report

2010-11-12T14:00:00.005-06:00

Did I mention I'm doing NaNoWriMo again this year? The last few months have been so crazed that I didn't intend to do it. I mean seriously. Why add more stress to my life when between illnesses, school IEP "adventures", and attempting to navigate the very broken adult disability services system in Illinois, I have more than enough to go around?

But then as November 1st drew near, some fellow critique group members (you know who you are) encouraged me to go for it. In a moment of weakness, I jumped into the deep end, thinking that even if all I managed to write by the end of the month was a couple of thousand words I'd be content.

To win Nanowrimo, a participant must write 50,000 words (the equivalent of a novel) by November 30th. Today, I passed the 30,000 word mark! As much as I dread dragging myself out of bed at o-dark thirty every morning to meet my quota, it feels SO good to have made it this far.

Checking In

2010-11-07T15:35:00.008-06:00

The school year started out so well. E was finally plugged into a promising program, one with a talented team committed to helping her reach her goal of going out into the community to tell her story and talk about service dogs.

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks into the school year, something caught E and she ended up with the horrid cold everyone else on the planet got. It wasn't so bad at first. Her spirits were high and her fever was manageable. But then the stupid cold morphed. Suddenly, the sinuses took center stage. Then a virus came to roost, and then bronchitis and another sinus thing.

If you've been wondering why this journal has stayed silent for so long this is why.

Days of illness turned into weeks. I tried keeping up because after all, I'm the point person on the homefront. It's my job to keep up, right? I wrote, revised, advocated, juggled, planned, prepped, coordinated, you name it. Until lack of sleep and the stress of the on-going illnesses made it impossible to do anything well at all.

Out of necessity, I cut my to-do list down to the most critical tasks. At the top of the list: getting E well enough to go back to school.

It's probably no surprise to anyone on the outside that my writing suffered during this couple-months-long-and-then-some period. Days went by without a chance to write. Other days I sat down at my keyboard, but my characters refused to play. Or I was interrupted by thoughts of all the things I should be doing instead of writing. Laundry. Dishes. Meals. Bills. You name it.

Then doubt came to roost, courtesy of the mugwump, the matted, hate-filled monster that serves as my inner critic. In recent months I had managed to cage and muzzle it. But it found a way out, and on my rare writing days, it perched in the corner of the office, whispered in my ear, eroded my confidence even further.

One day in particular, the mugwump nearly got the best of me. Rather than perch atop one of the bookcases, it alighted on my shoulder.

Seriously? it said. You're still working on that book? I hate to break it to you. It doesn't have a chance. But you know that already, don't you? You know how I know this fact? Your fear. It permeates the room like a sweet perfume.

By now my fingers had stopped typing. My characters had fled and my train of thought derailed.

The mugwump purred as it rubbed its quills against my cheek. You've been at this how many years? Through how many revisions? Why do you persist in torturing yourself? Think how much easier your life would be if you didn't have this book hanging arond your neck like a noose. Give it up. Do it now. No one would fault you if you stopped. Give. It. Up.

The truth is it almost had me that day. E is no stranger to illnesses, or hospitalizations for that matter. But this latest round of illnesses was different. I can't tell you why, but this time around I came closer than I've ever had to giving up on my writing.

I saw the line. I nearly crossed it. I was convinced that doing so would make life so much easier.

I didn't cross it. For reasons I bless, but don't yet understand, I couldn't do it.

There was no epic battle between good and evil. There was no divine intervention. To this day, I can't explain why I didn't do it.

E returned to school a couple weeks after that. She eased her way into her day, a few hours at a time. I eased my way back into a routine. I reaquainted myself with my characters. I determined their story was still worth telling. Along the way, the mugwump lost its voice and toddled back to its cage, its barbed tail between its legs, suffering me to lock it back in.

So here I am. Back in the saddle. It feels good to be typing again.

Reading & Writing by Candlelight: Interview & Book Giveaway with Author Becky Levine!

2010-08-11T10:36:00.002-05:00

Wondering if you're in the right critigue group? Don't miss this excellent interview with Becky Levine, the author of The Writing & Critigue Group Survival Guide. Reading & Writing by Candlelight: Interview & Book Giveaway with Author Becky Levine!

Free Online Kidlit Conference August 10

2010-08-09T16:17:00.004-05:00

Say what? A free online kidlit conference? It's true. Check out this link to WriteOnCon for more info. The schedule is impressive. So is the list of agents and editors who will be in attendance. Better yet you can attend from the comfort of your own home in your pjs.

Butt in Chair--How I Fight for It and Win

2010-08-09T07:59:00.020-05:00

I didn't realize how good I had it when pursuing my Vermont College MFA. Back then, there was no need to fight for my butt in chair time. I wrote for hours at a time, often immersing myself so far into my story that I learned to set the alarm so I didn't forget to pick up my girls from school.

These days, I consider it a good day if I write two pages. Yep, you read it right. I do a happy dance after writing two pages. I learned the practice from my third semester VC advisor Jane Resh Thomas.

The day Jane recommended the concept, I remember thinking, "Two pages? That's all?" Now that VC is behind me, and life's "little" interruptions have crept into my writing time, I understand the wisdom of the practice.

1. Two pages a day is realistic and achievable. I can imagine sitting my butt in chair long enough to make it happen. I can envision getting up early enough in the morning to do it, or carving out writing time while waiting for E to finish her therapy. Expect a higher page count and the idea would overwhelm, making it much more difficult to find enough uninterrupted time to meet my quota.

2. Two pages is just far enough into my story to keep my characters close to the surface so that when I sit butt in chair for the day, they're ready to work and play. Stay away too long, and they're less cooperative and often crabby. Another incentive to write each day.

2. Two pages a day isn't gridlock. Or giving up. It's forward progress. And it's measurable. Think about it. Two pages times 30 days is 60 some pages in a month. Sixty pages times six months is a children's novel! My life is filled with things I can't control. My two pages a day quota is one area I can affect. Seeing forward progress is a huge incentive to schedule butt in chair time daily.

3. Two pages a day feeds my muse and muzzles the mugwump, making me a happier and more effective mom, wife, advocate, health care manager, cook, chauffeur, etc.

4. Two pages is the target, but it's not written in stone. If I write more that day, I celebrate. If I write less--or nothing at all--I don't beat myself up. It's part of the process.

The goal is to keep moving forward. As long as I keep an eye on the horizon and never stray far from my chair, I'm honoring my story and myself two pages a day.

Fighting for My Writer's Life, Part I

2010-08-03T09:28:00.029-05:00

My trip to the Vermont College mini residency mid last month was awesome, inspiring, invigorating. In the wake of the long weekend, I've been thinking a lot lately about writing, the creative process, my process, and what makes a successful writer.

Take, for example, the act of sitting butt in chair for the hard work of writing. While listening to lectures and readings by Tobin Anderson, Gregory Maguire, Holly Black, Tim Wynne-Jones, Franny Billingsley, Sharon Darrow, Kathi Appelt, Jacqueline Woodson, Coe Booth, and more, it was so easy to imagine immersing myself in my work-in-progress for weeks at a time.

Then I returned home.

Vermont College weaves a wondrous spell during its residencies. You get to immerse yourself in the craft while someone else cooks, someone else arranges your schedule, someone else worries about where the kids need to go, wear, eat, etc. But let's face it. Unless you have a wife, the life of a writer outside of the VC bubble is less idyllic and a lot more complicated.

I'd love the luxury of wearing my writer's hat full time. I can't. I'm a writer mom of three girls, two with special needs. On any given day, I've been known to wear multiple hats at once: mom, personal assistant, medical coordinator, educational advocate, disabilities advocate, cook, chauffeur. Some days, there's no room for my writer's hat, no matter how hard I try to keep it on.

I'm not saying this to complain. I sharing this in hopes of giving perspective to fellow writers who may be feeling the same way I do; who worry that they'll never finish their projects; who fret that they'll never find an agent, editor, fill in the blank; who look at their growing to-do lists and the people and things that keep them from sitting butt in chair, and wonder why they even try.

More often than not, the simple act of sitting butt in chair for the hard work of writing is anything but simple. But fresh from VC, I'm inspired to fight for my time in that chair.

So today marks the first in a series of posts about my writing process, what works for me, and how I'm fighting for my writer's life.

Next time: Butt in chair time. How I fight for it and win.

Amusing the Muse, Refilling the Well

2010-07-13T09:38:00.010-05:00

All writers need inspiration. My family is mine. And so are the experiences we share together. Our recent trip to Nashville was no exception. Just a few of the things my muse is amused about:

1. E has a twin. Doesn't matter that A is younger than E by 6 years. Doesn't matter that they live in different states. The two look so much alike that people were calling them by the wrong name all week. It was a hoot, and, to E, must have looked as if she were staring at herself in a mirror. They have the same nose. Same silky black hair. Same almond eyes. Same attitude and sense of humor. When the two met for the first time, E stared at A for a few beats then declared, "We-ell, she has different glasses than me."

2. Nashville serves a mean pulled pork sandwich. We discovered this our first night there. We ate at a place called Jack's Barbecue, a hole in the wall located along Broadway in the heart of the entertainment district. It was 9:30 at night by the time we went out looking for dinner, but the town was hopping. The sidewalks teamed with people sightseeing, shopping and hopping from one nightspot to the next. Band's played in store front windows. Music poured out into the street. At Jack's, we waited in a line 20 some people deep to get our family-style meal of pulled pork sandwiches, mac n cheese and beans. The meal blew my Weight Watchers points for the day, but it was SO worth it.

3. Little People of America LPs know how to party. In addition to back to back programming all day, there was a dance every night. We wore our dancing shoes every night we could. The dances didn't start until 10, but that didn't stop E and S from going strong. Can you say power naps?

4. E participated in the talent show. Her act: she spoke to the crowd of 2,500 strong about her service dog Jewel. Hubby P accompanied E, serving as a kind of interviewer to help get her started and keep her on track. They both did an amazing job.

5. S learned how fun it is to play elevator tag in a 30+ story hotel.

6. P & I relived our BC (before children) days by stopping at Mammoth Cave on the way home to do some caving. The decision was totally spontaneous, which was a breakthrough for us. We haven't been that kind of spontaneous since before E got so sick. As you might imagine, few caves are handicapped accessible. So, P, bless his heart, carried down the trail to the cave entrance. And then he carried her 80 steps down into the cave and 80 steps back up again when we were done. E loved it. S did, too, after she realized that the bats and other cave critters were more scared of us than she was of them.

7. Our glasses fogged up after we left the cave.

8. I need a vacation from the vacation but will need to hold off until after my Alumni Mini Residency at Vermont College. In addition to the editors and agents who will be there, Fantasy Day guest speakers include Holly Black and Gregory Maguire. I leave Thursday, and have to say I'm seriously looking forward to refilling the well.

Dancing Shoes, Little Red Suitcases, and the Courage to Write

2010-07-02T11:09:00.016-05:00

We're heading to Nashville soon for the National Little People of America Conference. My little red suitcase is nearly filled. It's waiting on the bed for a few last-minutes necessities...my toothbrush, my slippers, my journal, a book, and notes for a new project.

It's a story I began years ago while studying for my MFA from Vermont College, but I didn't pursue because I didn't have the courage to write it. Now, it seems, my muse is ready to face that dark attic; so, in the notebook will go. Then it's down to the kitchen to finish gathering up the rest.

On the to-do list there:

1. Mobile medicine cabinet and equipment--some of it for P & I, most of it for E who requires round the clock meds and monitoring for various conditions.

2. Portable pantry and cooler--again, most of it for E, whose sodium-restricted diet (she can have 1000 mg or less a day) requires MAJOR creativity on the road.

3. Service dog gear--for E's service dog Jewel. Food, check. Bowls, check. Leash and a couple toys, check, check. And, lots of baggies for poop patrol.

4. Dancing shoes--The conference will include meetings with physicians who specialize in E's form of dwarfism. We'll also hear from people on the cutting edge of research on primordial dwarfism. There will also be frank talk with physicians and families about the sobering prognosis for anyone with this form of dwarfism.

The hard reality is none of the boys have lived past twenty and less than a handful of girls have lived to 25. E is 18. I imagine if any one of the parents in our group stopped long enough to think through the short time God has loaned us our children, we'd find it hard to get anything done. Which is why we need the dancing shoes.

There's a dance at the convention each night. The girls have packed a dress for every one of them.

And we've all packed our dancing shoes.

Summer daze. Summer Craze.

2010-06-21T10:39:00.009-05:00

This week at our house:

1. S begins her second week of Fresh Start, a fantabulous get-to-know you orientation for all incoming Freshman. She was leery of doing it at first. But after the first day she raved about it. For a child who struggles with expressive speech, this was huge, and a sigh of relief for me.

2. E continues her second week of summer school. On-going health issues require a later start time, and jockeying of my work schedule. But seeing how excited E gets each morning about this new location and program makes the hassles worth it.

L winds up her trip to Italy. What an awesome opportunity for her to be able to go along with a friend. L called yesterday to wish P a happy Father's Day. She made his day. She's in Florence today and tomorrow and returns Wednesday. As of yesterday she'd taken more than 700 pictures, 100 in Pompeii alone.

3. I continue wearing multiple hats at once. I've been unable to put down the Advocacy hat. It's been needed for both E and S as we tie up loose ends from last school year and set the right tone for this summer. I'm wearing my teaching author hat, too. Friday is the second in the Teen Writers Summer Series. Jenn and I have prep to do between now and then. Writer's hat? Um, yeah. I'm wearing it. And I've been doing lots of prewriting stuff, making notes and whatnot, but I need to carve out actual butt in chair time. Does this post count? I'd like to say if it keeps the brain matter moving, yes.

I'm also wearing my read-like-a-writer hat so I can begin wading through the books I need to read prior to alumni mini residency at Vermont College next month.

Mini rez didn't make my radar until last week. Or to be honest I didn't let it make my radar because with E's health the way it is the last year it's been a lot easier--and more realistic--not to make plans. I owe my hubby big time for buying down the cost of hotel and air travel with frequent flier miles, and, more importantly, for giving me the push to go.

It's only been a few days since I officially registered for mini rez. But the more I prepare for it, the more I realize how much of myself I've lost in E's care giving in recent months, and how crucial it is to refill the well.

Current read: Undead Much? by Stacey Jay. Amusing so far with a strong voice and sassy heroine. I like.

Amusing the Muse, part 2

2010-05-18T09:37:00.005-05:00

Two innings up. Two innings down. The Miracle League baseball game at the JackHammers Ballpark this past weekend was short and sweet and just E's speed.

Didn't matter that getting ready for the game and driving there took as long or longer than it did to play it. Didn't matter than we should have been cutting the lawn, weeding the garden, shoveling out the basement, fill in the blank (we should have been doing it).

What mattered was E's chatter as she donned her Cardinals T-shirt and packed her pink mitt and ball before the game. What mattered was seeing her face after she met her new teammates then stepped onto the field with Jewel by her side, drove the ball into center field on the first swing, and took first base amidst hoots and hollers and cheers.

My muse was much more than amused. It was inspired and energized.

Morning Cup of Character Anyone?

2010-05-16T07:38:00.009-05:00

Some people need their coffee to get through the day. I need my butt in chair time, aka writing.

Doesn't matter if all I manage to create is a page or a paragraph. If I time it right and E's well enough to stay in school that day, something amazing happens as I commune with my characters. They take center stage and the chatter from my ever-present to-do lists drop off my radar. So does the constant worry that the next call will be a summons from the school because E is sick again, a scenario that happens all too often.

I've learned the hard way that I can't predict when the next call will come. Nor can I completely shed the worry that the next illness will signal another hospital stay, or worse. However there are things I can control, like making it a number one priority to wake up early enough each day to enjoy a morning cup of character.

I live to write and write to live. The process feeds and sustains me. Deep inside the flow of story, nothing else matters. I am in the here and now, and anything is possible.

Amusing the Muse

2010-05-15T08:47:00.008-05:00

Although butt in chair time will be hard to come by this weekend, I'll have plenty to keep my muse amused. Some of the events on our to-do list include:

1. Opening day for Miracle League--This is the awesome volunteer-run baseball league E tried out last Fall and begged to play in this Spring. The league gives children with special needs the chance to play baseball on a minor league field (the Joliet Jackhammers in our case) with cheering crowds, concessions and the Star Spangled Banner at every game.

2. Dog Day afternoon--E and her service dog Jewel will represent MidAmerica Service Dog Foundation this weekend at a regional Pet Expo and share her story with the crowds.

3. Major spring cleaning--S's room is the focus. We plan to ditch the carpeting and make the room over, adding a family room to the first floor. The plan is to finish the job before Memorial Day. Why? Essentially, we've been living on the first floor ever since E's aneurysm rupture left her unable to do stairs. With our oldest daughter L moving back in after graduation (and no job offers yet), we need the extra room.

When 3,000 is Not a Word Count

2010-04-15T13:38:00.011-05:00

Nope. Three thousand is not the number of words I wrote today. Nor is it the amount of money we're getting back from the IRS. Three thousand minus a few tens is the number of miles I drove E last year to her various doctors and therapy appointments. No wonder finding uninterrupted butt in chair time was such a challenge.

And yet, somehow last year I...

1. Managed to write an entire novel during NaNoWriMo in November.
2. Joined a fab online critique group that helped me stay focused by helping me set deadlines, and by providing honest, inspiring and insightful feedback.
3. Cranked out a series of articles for Family Time magazine.
4. Led multiple writing workshops for teens.
5. Established a presence on Facebook.
6. Connected with like-minded writers through Romance Writers of America and SCBWI.

And then of course I depended on what's become my mantra of sorts: Patience. Persistence. Perseverance. And lots of prayer.

Thumbing My Nose at Chaos

2010-03-16T16:47:00.012-05:00

I reclaimed my O-Dark Thirty writing routine last month. This means that instead of lounging in bed until the last possible minute, I get up every day at 5:30 to write.

My goal is modest: two pages per day. Most days I write more. Some days I'm lucky to bang out a page. If I don't make my quota, I don't sweat it. Either way I'm moving my story forward.

What makes this routine work?
1. Except for Kirby the hamster, no one else is moving around that time of day which means my writing time is my own.

2. The regular routine keeps my story close enough to the surface that when I'm ready to play, my characters are, too.

3. I live to write and write to live. If I go too long without communing with my characters, they get cranky and I get crabby.

4. Writing every day is my way of thumbing my nose at chaos and keeping the mugwump muzzled.

Earthquakes, Aftershocks and Uninterrupted Writing Time

2010-03-02T17:15:00.018-06:00

Somehow, despite all the chaos that is my life these days (ie the issues with E's teeth in January, her hospitalization in February, two IEPs that need re-visioning, etc.) I managed to write 10 pages in 24 hours. Ten!

Nowhere near editor ready, said pages are more in the vein of what Anne Lamott refers to as the "shitty first draft." But here's the thing: those 10 pages represent forward progress, and proof that I can still write.

I've been doubting myself a lot lately. My ability to write. My ability to edit. My ability to be anything other than caregiver and mother.

No surprise where these feelings originated. E's health. It's impacted our family on many levels, and my writing on multiple. But in a strange and twisted way our unpredictable schedule had become predictable.

In a way, it's like we've been the victims of a series of earthquakes. Each time we try to assess our situation in hopes of finding a new sense of normal, another aftershock comes...in the form of a new symptom, doctor, test, or challenge at home or at school.

I'm certain it doesn't help that that in the aftermath of E's hospitalization and all the docs we must now see (she's up to 11 who see her regularly), I'm on point for coordinating and managing E's care. Nor does it help that because of this shift in responsibilities I've experienced first hand the very real, very palpable erosion of my uninterrupted writing time.

In recent weeks, I've been lucky enough to squeeze in a couple hours of writing time every now and again. Sometimes all this means is that I've succeeded in staring at the screen long enough to pluck out a paragraph or two.

I've been trying to honor the process. I've been trying to remind myself that even if all I have time to produce is one lousy paragraph, that lousy paragraph had to be written in order to get to the good stuff.

Those 10 pages I produced earlier this week? They're the good stuff. My next challenge is to figure out what needs to happen in order to write more.

Weekend With My Muse

2010-02-12T16:48:00.008-06:00

Tonight marks the first night of a weekend away with my muse courtesy of P.

With E so recently out of the hospital, I've been reluctant to take advantage of his Christmas present. But somewhere around midweek, I began warming to the idea.

A constellation of events came together this week to help change my mind. E continued to improve as the week wore on. Yesterday her neurologist set in motion the beginnings of a workable care plan. Today E made it through her first day back at school since being discharged a week ago Thursday. What's more, my cell didn't ring once with a call from the nurse's office to come get her early, not in the middle of Jazzercise, nor while catching up on email.

So...today I began packing. Mini Dell, power cords, Kindle, note cards, reading material, colored pencils, markers. I've packed anything and everything I think I'll need in order to coax my muse from the place she retreated when all heck broke loose. I'm hoping that with enough uninterrupted time together she (and I) will dare risk getting excited about M&R again.

As I type, I'm printing off M&R Nano, the book I wrote in November for National Novel Writer's Month. My plan is to read it in one sitting then cut out my favorite scenes and literally lay them out on the floor of the hotel room in story order. From there, I'll identify scenes I love, and holes to fill (or back fill) as needed. Then to start writing.

Looking forward to an uninterrupted night's sleep (in which I don't need to listen to the baby monitor in case E needs something), ordering in breakfast, and setting to work. Then, if the weather's good, I hope to break for lunch and scout out the Bean and/or the Art Institute, both of which are walking distance from where I'll be staying.

Then back for round two. And, hopefully, when I return, my characters will meet me at the door.

Report from the Trenches

2010-02-10T14:53:00.031-06:00

In full battle gear these days, not by my own choosing. Last week we found ourselves in the hospital at E's bedside.

The saga began a week ago last Monday when E's aide called to say that E had fallen asleep at her desk soon after arriving at school. By the time I arrived at school, she'd fallen asleep again, this time at her scooter while waiting for the elevator to come. Even more worrisome, as she drove up to meet me at the main doors, she could barely stay awake, let alone carry on a conversation.

It hurt to open her eyes, she said. Everything was blurry and the light hurt. This isn't right, I remember saying. Something is very wrong.

I left the scooter at school, carried E to the parking lot (thanking God she's a little person), and called Children's from the car.

E didn't wait long in the ER, not with a history of aneuryms and symptoms like extreme, sudden-onset fatigue and blurry vision. The folks at the hospital moved quickly, admitting E and running a battery of tests to help understand what was going on.

The good news is E's home. The bad news is we find ourselves living in an unnerving in between place. We know what the episode wasn't, but we're not yet certain what it was, and we don't yet know what this all means for the long term. Tomorrow we meet with the first of what feels like a million doctors who, over the next couple weeks, will help us put this puzzle together.

Writing wise, I didn't have the time or energy to work on M&R during this latest saga, although I brought my mini Dell with me each day hoping I'd find the time to do so. For what it's worth, I did manage to keep a journal. Writing in it by hand the old-fashioned way seemed to work best.

Reviewing it now, I realize how much I'd forgotten about the last time we were in the hospital for days at a time. After each big ass test, the not knowing was the worst, because at least with the knowing, you can begin to assess and acknowledge the road you will be traveling on next.

And then there were the other details, the alarms and smells--some antiseptic, some not, and the haunted faces of the parents who passed me by in the hallways. After a while I got to know their faces, and after a while I realized that I probably looked as tired and stretched as they did.

We're returning to normal now, if you can call the place where we're at normal. E is getting stronger each day, able to stay up longer before she needs a nap. I'm slowly digging out of piles that grew while we were gone. What seems to be working best lately is to let the big A To-Dos prioritize themselves.

Yesterday, the big To-Do was an IEP for S where we talked high school and Freshman classes. Not a trivial meeting this one. I'd love to say we felt fully informed about the choices we were making for her. We didn't. A number of items that came up during the meeting remain open issues as far as I'm concerned, and they're on my list to pursue as soon as today's big To-Do is past.

Today the big to-do is my teen writers workshop. The topic: Characters You Love (and Love to Hate). I'm looking forward to tonight for several reason. The first is that I will be joined by long-time friend and writer extraordinaire Jenn Knoblock. The second is that in the past I've left my workshops feeling invigorated and inspired.

Toes and fingers crossed that tonight is no exception to the rule because my muse can really use the boost.

Straddling Two Worlds

2010-01-25T17:11:00.002-06:00

I'm straddling two worlds. One is Chester's Mill, Stephen King's fictional town from his most recent book Under the Dome, the other is reality. Less than 200 pages left, the plot threads are coming together, the town evil doers are finally getting their due. But our heroes are still in peril, and all I want to do is ignore homework, dinner and bedtime so I can finish.

Writer Mom Rant--Advocacy, Armor, and Other Reasons I Need a Good Blacksmith

2010-01-22T06:52:00.035-06:00

As the writer mom of three active girls, two with special needs, I wear many hats. Lately, the hat I've been wearing most is the advocacy one, not out of choice but out of necessity.

To be honest, the little number is less hat and more helm. And I've donned it for so many encounters in recent months that it's in serious need of repair.

I used to think I didn't need to wear my advocacy armor when dealing with our girls' IEPs. I used to trust the system to do what was appropriate and meaningful for my children educationally. Then E got well enough for us to escape our bunker mentality, and I found the uninterrupted time to examine our girls' IEPs for substance, progress, and accountability.

You know that old adage that says agreements aren't always worth the paper they're written on? There's truth in those words. After reviewing our files, I realized I've got years worth of IEPs to prove it.

That's not to say that all of our IEPs have been ineffective. There are a few glimmers here and there. But thinking about them now, I can admit how innocent--and uninformed--I was about the process.

I wish I had known then what I know now. I wish someone in the know had taken the time to pull me aside all those years ago, and forced me to listen to the hard truth about having a kid in the system. Now older and more informed, I've commiserated with enough parents of kids with special needs to know the drill, hear the stories, and, unfortunately, experience many of the system's flaws first hand.

What do I wish someone had told me coming up through the ranks? Raising kids with special needs is hard work. It's stressful, exhausting and time consuming. If you're lucky enough to find free time outside of parenting your son or daughter, the last thing you want to do is bird dog your child's school. But you can't leave things to chance. If you have a child with special needs, you have to learn the law. You have to learn what it is you don't know. Don't assume the school is going to tell you what you don't know. If they do, they're the exception to the rule.

And then there are the really big revelations, the ones that kick your feet right out from under you.

One contact's chilling inside view of the system: "I'm not just the parent of a special ed kid. I was a teacher once. I was told by administrators not to offer services even if they were in the child's best interest. I was told not to follow IEPs. You have to be involved. If you don't ask, if you don't know the law well enough to know what you don't know, it won't happen, even if it's appropriate for your child."

Why the rant? The big IEP for S happened last week. While E and I were in Detroit meeting with specialists about her latest health issues, P sat at the IEP table advocating for S.

The concern? In addition to on-going speech issues, S continues to struggle with the ability to read to learn. It's become so problematic that we spent the last 6 months collecting and tracking data to back up the fact.

We came to the table asking for an intensive program to help close the gap between S and her peers. This isn't the first time we made the request. We were prepared to go to mediation if the team didn't respond. We'd even scheduled mediation through the state for a week later if we needed it. We've never been pushed this far, but with S about to enter high school, the stakes are too high.

The team proposed a solution. There's enough potential in it that a six-week trial made sense. Progress will be monitored and reported the first week of March. The team will evaluate whether or not to continue the program at that point.

Sounds good on paper, doesn't it? Sounds like we're all finally on the same page. Unfortunately, the first week of the trial ends today, and as of the end of the school day yesterday, the computer my daughter needs in order to begin the trial wasn't yet in her hands.

Had I not asked questions about status earlier in the week, I would never have known this little detail. Hence the dents in my helm.

Counting the days until my February writer's retreat. Oh, and before I forget, anyone know a good blacksmith?

edited: 1:01 p.m.

Back from Detroit

2010-01-14T14:15:00.010-06:00

We returned from Detroit yesterday afternoon. The trip was a whirlwind, but worth it. Monday we drove out and stayed at Ronald McDonald House. Tuesday we met Dr. R, who is known in the Little People community for his experience with primordial dwarfs and their dental issues. We also met with Dr. S, who will likely tag team with Dr. R.

One of the first things Dr. R did after examining E was put us at ease. What he saw, he said, is consistent with what he's seen with other kids like E. Yes, she needs work, he said. A new set of teeth, in fact. But we have room to breathe. Enough time to do it right. We left with a plan. By summer this should be behind us. I wore my book around my neck the entire time. It reminded me of who I am outside of being a mom and caregiver.

More later after I have a chance to decompress.

Bringing my book with me

2010-01-10T18:38:00.006-06:00

It's all still a bit surreal that this all is happening. But as long as the cold/cough E has been nursing continues to improve, we plan to head out to Detroit tomorrow. We're targeting a noon departure and with good weather and luck should roll into town with enough time to check in to Ronald McDonald House, decompress, grab dinner and crawl into bed at a decent hour.

I've downloaded M&R to my memory stick and I'm planning to wear my book around my neck. I don't know whether or not I'll have the time or brain cells left to work on revisions, but I have to try. No, delete that. Quoting a well-known sage: Do...or do not. There is no try.

Do not is not an option. I have to write. Even if it's only a couple of pages. Or a paragraph. Or a snippet or two of dialog. Even if it's all drivvle, I have to write something each day. If I don't, then I will have given up. I refuse to give up.

An Unexpected Journey...by way of Detroit

2010-01-07T10:39:00.011-06:00

The last of my children returns to school next week. Christmas break will be officially over, and my schedule will be my own again. I'm looking forward to the luxury of getting down and dirty with my revisions to M&R. It's also the week of THE IEP, in which P & I will hear results of the latest evaluations that were done on S, and chat with the team about the appropriateness of the current educational program. Unfortunately, it looks as if that's not how the scenario will actually play out.

Something's come up for E healthwise. This means my revisions are on hold and P will be on his own with the school while I'm on point with E, seeing her through the first leg of her latest journey.

This time it's E's teeth. We've known for a long time that loose teeth are a hallmark of primordial dwarfism and that eventually they'd need attention. We just didn't expect we'd have to mobilize this quickly. Even her pediatric dentist was surprised by how rapidly things have changed.

Early next week, E & I head to Detroit to meet with Dr. R, a prostodontist who specializes in working with kids with E's type of dwarfism. He is the only specialist of his type in the country who does so. Thankfully, he's within driving distance. We're looking at a 4 1/2 hour drive if the snow belt is clear. Not a lot of answers yet at this point. Hopefully by this time next week, we'll know more.

Loose Ends, Pantsers, and Communing with My Characters

2010-01-05T14:30:00.007-06:00

Wow. Time has flown since I last posted; so, I'll just dive in and see where it takes me. Fellow writers in one of the groups I attend monthly call the diving in kind of approach being a "pantser." It's a short-hand way of saying one writes (or works) by the seat of his/her pants. Suits my style right about now, and has rarely led me astray.

Wrapping up some loose ends:
The article I was on deadline for in November can be found on newsstands in the latest issue of Family Time magazine. It's about the top five causes of teen deaths. It's a heavy topic but the article offers encouraging advice for parents.

On deck this week while wearing my writer mom hat:

1. Posting my crit of T's manuscript (which is fabulous as always) to our online critique group.

2. Posting my latest installment of M&R for critique by the end of the day Thursday. The challenge in getting it done in time will be deciding what to send. Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I now have a completed manuscript. But I haven't worked on the story since early December, and I'm afraid it's rather rough in the NaNoWriMo kind of way. Still, there could be worse issues...like not having anything to work with. Looking forward to getting down and dirty and communing with my characters. One child returned to school this week. One returns next Monday. Keeping my notebook close, and stealing writing time where I can find it.

I Did It!

2009-11-27T12:19:00.005-06:00

I wrote an entire fantasy novel in a month! I know I wouldn't have done it if it weren't for fellow author Amy Timberlake who suggested the idea on the SCBWI Illinois listserve in the first place. Thanks, Amy, for planting the initial seed. And thanks, too, to my fellow children's book writers whose ongoing word counts on the live Nano site spurred me on all month.

Next up, my latest article for "Family Time Magazine" article. This one kind of took me by surprise this week when I learned the deadline had been moved up a week and is now due Tuesday. Talk about an incentive to finish Nano writing. Interviews are done. Now onto the happy task of compressing all the interesting things I've learned into 850 words and a story worth reading.

Prairie Writer's Day Recap

2009-11-22T07:32:00.005-06:00

I've been meaning to blog about the 5th Annual Prairie Writer's Day conference held recently in the Chicago area, but then I happened upon this amazing recap from fellow fantasy writer Hilary Wagner who said it so well here.

Writerly To-Do List

2009-11-13T12:00:00.009-06:00

1. On assignment for Family Time Magazine--Began surfing net today. Due date--early December.

2. Day 13 of NaNoWriMo. Yesterday, I broke through the 20,000 word barrier on my way to writing an entire novel in one month. The shape of my story is emerging, and I'm encouraged by the direction it's taking.

3. Prairie Writer's Day tomorrow. The event sold out weeks ago. I almost didn't get in. I'd been on the waiting list, but learned recently that I'd made the cut. Looking forward to connecting with old friends, commiserating with fellow Nanites about the challenge of NaNoWriMo, and immersing myself in the craft for the day. This event is the closest I've come to reliving the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults experience close to home. Vermont College faculty member and author extraordinaire Cynthia Leitich Smith is the headliner.

Sleeping With My Characters and Other Upsides of the NaNo Effect

2009-11-06T09:25:00.003-06:00

Though I’m only six days into the month-long frenzy called NaNoWriMo, a curious thing is happening along the way. I’m calling it the NaNo effect:

1. I’m feeling way guilty working on any writing that’s not NaNo related. Why? Because it's keeping me from making my 50,000 words by November 30th. The upside? More face time with my characters means I’m making my daily quota.

2. Today I expect to hit the 10,000 words mark after less than a week into the contest.

3. My back hurts from sitting so long in one place. The upside: I’ve returned to regular writer yoga stretches to work out the kinks. This practice in turn has led to a greater sense of clarity and confidence regarding my story, my characters, and life in general.

4. I’m sleeping with my characters. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I went to bed and woke up with them right there beside me. At times, I feel a bit too much like Mork from Mork and Mindy. Not that this is all together a bad thing. It’s just that at times it feels like I’m straddling two worlds, which can lead to some interesting conversations if I’ve just come off a fight scene.

5. I can’t find the bottom of the sink. We’ve been known to do archaeological digs in our kitchen before, but it’s been a while. We’re now at the point where I need to buy paper plates sometime today. That or carve out a good half hour from my NaNo time.

6. NaNo is forcing me to budget my time more wisely, and giving me permission to say no when something comes up.

7. My characters come immediately when I call, no dillying or dallying. It’s amazing how close they are. With very little effort we resume conversations where we left off, or take up a sword and continue the fight. Very very cool.

8. My internal editor has gone silent. I attribute this to the NaNo process itself. When you need to write 1667 words a day there’s no time to question if it’s the perfect word. You just write down what comes to you and keep moving. Period. The end.

9. And then there are the nuggets. Amidst all the crap I’m generating, the cream is rising to the top!

Attention Fellow NaNoWriMos!

2009-11-03T12:35:00.007-06:00

Glue this mantra above your computer or wherever you write:

Butt in chair is halfway there!

NaNoWriMo word count (as of this morning): 4,318 and counting!

NaNoWriMo Here I Come!

2009-11-02T08:04:00.005-06:00

Started NaNoWriMo yesterday. Despite what feels like at least a hundred balls in the air, I managed 1,808 new words toward my latest fantasy novel M&R. So far so good.

Finally! The Acquisitions Process Demystified

2009-10-30T13:50:00.004-05:00

Keep reading if you've ever wondered what happens to your manuscript after arriving on the publishing house's doorstep (and why hearing any kind of feedback takes so long). Thanks to the Buried Editor for creating this flow chart of the Acquisition Process. It's amazing anything gets published.

Don't Miss Book Giveway!

2009-10-28T12:08:00.003-05:00

Do you know or love a librarian? Be sure to pass along this chance to win a free set of books from the Classof2k9 Debut Authors. Deadline to enter is November 30th.

The Great Chicago Ghost Story Contest

2009-10-12T15:57:00.006-05:00

Tis the season for ghosts, witches and things that go bump in the night. That's why I was thrilled to see a shout out for ghost stories for "The Great Chicago Ghost Story Contest" sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. Deadline is midnight October 25. Stories must be original and unpublished, set in or around Chicago, and mention at least one Chicago-area locale or business. They cannot exceed 700 words. Winners will be published in the Chicago Tribune on November 1st, and will receive an audio copy of their story. Check here for details.

Writerly Report from the Trenches, Part II

2009-10-02T08:00:00.006-05:00

Two pages a Day count (since September 16)--40 plus pages of M & R and counting. Most of it is crap ala Anne Lamott. However, some of it was deemed worthy by at least one fellow critique group member.

The truth I need to keep beating myself over the head with: Were it not for the shit I had to slog through first, I would never have unearthed those gems or rediscovered my groove with my characters.

Writerly Report from the Trenches, Part I

2009-10-01T17:39:00.000-05:00

Spotted on newsstands today: My latest story, "Why We Love Haunted Houses & How to Tell if Your Child is Ready for One," in the October issue of Family Time Magazine.

Writerly Revelation

2009-10-01T13:04:00.007-05:00

This morning I counted the number of physicians actively assisting us with E's health care. I've twelve on the speed dial on my cell phone, not including the team that will likely be involved when we head to Stanford for yet another aneurysm surgery. No wonder sitting butt in chair for the hard work of writing is such a challenge. (edited at 2:44 p.m.)

Quote for the Day

2009-09-29T19:31:00.001-05:00

God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. So far I am so far behind I will never die! - Author unkown

Coming soon--writerly update on my two-pages-a-day goal.

Writerly Report

2009-09-17T11:26:00.009-05:00

1. Two pages of M&R Tuesday.
2. Two plus pages yesterday.
3. One book devoured--Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark.
4. One book begun (and so page-turning good that it's threatening to keep me from making today's quota)--Need by Carrie Jones.
5. Characters more cooperative and willing to play with me on the story stage with each passing day.
6. Muse amused.
7. Writer indebted to the wisdom of Jane (and her deceptively simple rule for serious writers: two pages a day.)

I Need an Alice, and Other Items on my Writer's Wish List

2009-09-15T12:09:00.012-05:00

Writerly wish list--

1. I need an Alice, someone like the beloved Brady Bunch maid/house manager/jack of all trades who can manage meds and meals and other family tasks while I do the fun stuff, like spending time with my family and writing. Let's not forget writing.

2. I want--no, strike that. I need a writer's retreat. I'm not asking for anything extravagant. A weekend will do. Since I'm dreaming, the getaway should take place AWAY from home, where I'm no longer on call with the school or one of E's many physicians. Oh, I'll need to be off duty, too. Someone else will need to be on point for cooking and cleaning and giving the round-the-clock meds at the right times. The place needn't be a four-star affair. Truly, all I need is a bed and a desk and chance to live, eat and breathe my characters like I did when pursuing my MFA.

3. I need to reconnect with my characters. Before E's current medical issues emerged, I was so close to my characters that any time I sat down with pen, paper or keyboard they were ready to play. These days, it takes coaxing. And time I don't have.

4. I need to reaffirm my trust in the creative process. My writer's heart knows I should do this. My editor's head looks at my progress to date on M&R and taps its foot and shakes its head. My writer's heart knows that what's happening in our lives is informing me as a writer, and a necessary part of the process. Yet, there's so much I want to say and do and explore with my stories. I know. I know. I can't rush the process. It will unfold in its own time, not mine.

5. Two pages a day. Jane Resh Thomas, mentor, teacher, friend and writer extraordinaire, recommends targeting two pages a day for any writer looking to finish something. When she first recommended the concept to me, I was halfway through my Vermont College MFA, and remember thinking, "Two pages? Piece of cake." I couldn't imagine ever having a time in my life where I couldn't achieve that goal. Now I get it.

Writerly Report--I managed two pages of creative yesterday, and I'm well on my way to meeting my goal for today. Baby steps.

Attention Writers and Book Lovers: Contests and Queries You Don't Want to Miss

2009-09-03T13:09:00.009-05:00

Talk to most any writer and you know that it's hard for them to pass up a free book. That's why I had to share the following:

Teaching Authors is running a contest now through Labor Day with a free book, New Year at the Pier by April Halprin Wayland, as the prize. All you need to do to enter to win is post a goal (25 words of less) that you plan to accomplish between now and the end of the year.

And word on the net (Facebook) is that the editors at Hunger Mountain VCFA Journal of Fine Arts are finalizing their fall issue and looking for the submissions to support the theme, Confronting Controversy. In her post this morning, co-editor Bethany Hegedus wrote: "essays needed on a variety of controversial issues. Book banning, cover controversies, blurring the lines, self-editing re topic, etc. Please email hmcyaeditors at gmail.com with essay pitch. 1500-2000 words. Firming up fall line-up!

Writerly News for Young Writers--"Dream Power" Writing Contest

2009-08-27T14:02:00.009-05:00

Attention young writers! If you love to write, and dream of being published someday, now's your chance. To celebrate the fifth anniversary of its award-winning fantasy, The Dark Dreamweaver, Imaginator Press is seeking creative stories for its "Dream Power" writing contest. Winning entries will be published in a "Dream Power" anthology, and have a chance to win an 8GB iPod Touch or iTunes gift card. The contest is open to children and teens 14 and under. Entries must be received on or before October 31, and related to the "Dream Power" theme. See the contest page here for details and a link to the contest rules and official entry form.

Writerly Workouts

2009-08-11T08:23:00.007-05:00

For the next two weeks, Teaching Authors will feature back-to-school writing workouts for teachers, writers and anyone else who wants to move his/her gray matter creatively. The series launched yesterday just in time for back-to-school. I've already bookmarked the first post. Check it out here.

Current read: Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.

Of Vampires and By-Lines

2009-07-31T18:13:00.011-05:00

In my quest to sate my appetite for vampires and all things undead, I've spent the last couple of weeks working my way through the House of Night Series by the mother-daughter team, P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.

The series is such a popular one at our library that I've been forced to read the books out of order. Even so, between the characterization, world-building, pacing and suspense, they're really working for me, enough so that I'll likely invest in my own copies.

Current House of Night read: Chosen.

On the clips front:
The August issue of Family Time Magazine hit the newsstands today, featuring an article by yours truly. My story focuses on a local mom whose daughter was struggling with learning disabilities and developmental issues, but is now showing marked and measureable improvement thanks an innovative new treatment approach called Brain Balance.

Doctor's visits, Deadlines and Dog Parks

2009-07-22T12:20:00.016-05:00

E, Jewel and I spent all day downtown yesterday at Children's. We thought the appointment with Dr. L would be routine, fully expecting to get the clearances we needed for E's surgery on the August 20th and be on our way before lunch. Not.

Turns out E's anemic--again--which means the issue from March isn't resolved. Frustrating thing is that if the numbers don't go up, they could be a deal breaker for surgery. We need clearances from the hematology folks before surgery's a go. Before we can get clearances, we need to see the hemo folks again. Their next available appointment isn't until after August 20th.

Insiders are working on the Powers that Be, hoping they'll bless E with the golden ticket needed to win a seat at a clinic before surgery. The problem is we're talking hospital time here. Even if we get said seat, there's no guarantee the low numbers will be resolved in time. *Pauses to take a long meditative breath.* Can you spell roller coaster ride?

While waiting on the Powers that Be, I'm focusing on my next Family Time article. It's due Friday. The subject is dog parks. In addition to interviewing area dog lovers about why they go, E, S and I ventured out to a local park. What fun! In less than a half hour's time, our labs, Buffy and Jewel, made three new friends, Diamond, a sled dog with remarkable blue eyes, Bailey, a sweet chocolate lab puppy, and Nadine, a tail-wagging Shepherd-like mutt with an attitude.

Jewel and Buffy came back exhausted, but happy. For anyone who's ever owned a dog, you know why the exhausted part is so huge. We're already planning our next visit.

FYI, the article's scheduled to run in September. I'll give everyone a heads up when it hits the newsstands for sure.

For Every Writer's Toolbox: This is Just Too Cool

2009-07-17T08:00:00.003-05:00

I've been meaning to write about a really cool game, one I believe belongs in every writer's toolbox for days when you need to coax the muse out to play. The game is called Crayon Physics. The shapes you draw on your screen will move, tumble and roll, depending on how and where you place them. This in turn affects the scene on your screen, and helps you build contraptions reminiscient of Mouse Trap and, ultimately, experiment with physics. Brilliant. There's a free downloadable demo on the website. I dare you to play it without smiling.

In my Spare Time (and In Between E's Doctor's Visits)

2009-07-15T18:19:00.012-05:00

Most recent reads:

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe.

The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff.

Current read: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr.

A Wake-Up Call from My Muse (and April Halprin Wayland)

2009-07-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

I subscribe to the belief that there are no coincidences in life, only God incidences. Yesterday was no exception. After writing my post about how difficult I expect the next month to be in terms of finding butt in chair time with my characters, I read this entry by April Halprin Wayland on the Teaching Authors blog about writing time (and the perceived lack thereof.) Thanks for writing your post, April. The way I see it, you were the equivalent of a phone call from my muse.

It's a Date

2009-07-13T14:35:00.003-05:00

Surgery is a definite for E. She's on the schedule for August 20th. Between now and then we need clearances from--and this is no lie--six different physicians. And I'm supposed to be sitting butt in chair for the hard work of writing when?

Deadlines, Doctors and Other Reasons My Desk is a Mess

2009-07-07T22:18:00.014-05:00

On tap this week:

1. Deadlines inevitably create more piles on my already overly piled desk. Since I'm on deadline for another Family Time article (due in a couple of weeks) the piles are steadily growing. Fortunately for now I know where everything is (knocks on wood). The article I'm currently working on is about area dog parks, pros, cons, how-tos, etc. I finished the bulk of my research phase Monday, sought initial quotes from E's service dog trainer and friends with dogs, etc., and lined up sources for more in-depth interviews. Later this week, the fun part begins--play testing area parks with S, E, and E's service dog Jewel.

2. We leave for downtown Chicago tomorrow at 9 for our ortho consult. Since doctor's visits to Children's are rarely routine, I spent a good deal of this evening making lists and packing as if we'll be gone for the day (since inevitably we end up making a day of it.) The visit is a follow-up on based on one of the to-dos we received during our visit with the primordial dwarfism specialists out east at the end of May.

Long story short, both specialists recommended E have surgery to lengthen her heel cord and other areas on her left leg affected by her initial stroke. Since no surgery is routine with E, my initial reaction upon hearing the idea was a knee-jerk no. But as the doctors starting explaining why, I couldn't help but listen. The surgery is a short one, and the end result HUGE in terms of the mobility and independence E will gain from it.

We've since talked with E's key team members locally. All are in agreement that E would benefit from the procedure. So are the parents of E's friends who've undergone similar procedures.

We talked with E about it. When she heard that the end result of the surgery will likely mean regaining enough use of her leg to walk without her cane, she jumped at the chance to do it.

So, tomorrow we meet a surgeon who's been recommended for the job. At that point we'll talk risks, expectations, length of recovery, etc. I imagine we'll also talk timing. The ideal would be to do it before school begins. But we need to include E's wants in the equation, too. She wants to wait until after her youth mission trip to Appalachia at the end of the month. I can't blame her. She's been telling everyone she meets that she's looking forward to spending time with her dad. He's co-leader of the church youth group and on point that week with E.

East Coast Trip, Ronald McDonald House, and, Drum Roll, Writing

2009-06-16T21:34:00.025-05:00

Checking in to report that the trip out East went well. E and I shared a suitcase and carried everything onto the plane. Keeping our gear to a minimum made navigating the airport and boarding the plane easier than I expected it to be. I imagine we made quite a sight as we puttered our way to and from the gates, E driving her scooter, Jewel trotting along E's left side, me lugging our gear on along her right.

We stayed at Ronald McDonald House during our visit to A.I. duPont Children's Hospital in Delaware. The house was close enough to the hospital that we walked to and from our appointments.

We can't say enough good things about our stay. The kitchens were well stocked (E loved this part), the staff friendly and knowledgeable, and the volunteers outstanding. It truly was a home away from home, and a much-needed break from the antiseptic hallways, bells and whistles of the hospital.

We met a lot of families while we were there, some in situations similar to ours, others wearing the glassy-eyed looks of parents under extreme stress. It brought me back to 2001 and the days post E's aneurysm rupture when our world tilted sideways, time crawled, and all that mattered was that E get better so we could go home.

Did you know that Ronald McDonald Houses pay for their utilities with pop tops? If you're looking for an easy way to make a difference, save those little tabs, and when you've got enough, drop them off at your local McDonald's. Take it from someone who knows, those little bits of aluminum do go a long way.

Writerly report: Keeping up with my online writer's group with T. Received positive feedback on my first M&R post with the group, and thoroughly enjoying the crits I've been doing. I continue to be amazed by how much the act of critiquing other people's work informs my own writing.

On deck: three Family Time articles, one due next week (aack!), the others due in July and August respectively.

Current read: Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton.

Missing My Muse

2009-05-24T13:31:00.013-05:00

Coaxing anything useful out my muse in recent weeks has been less than satisfying. It wasn't until P and I were chatting about it yesterday that I realized why.

"Give yourself a break," he said. "Of course you're having trouble. Have you thought about what you've got on your plate lately? It's high stakes stuff. I mean don't even think about all the IEP stuff we've had to deal with. The trip out East alone is more than the average family has to deal with."

Oh, yeah, I thought. When you put it that way, we have had a boat load of stress on our plates, and it's not over. Here's a taste of what we've been dealing with (and what's upcoming):

1. IEP meeting last week, along with all the prep that went into preparing for it.
2. Follow-up IEP meeting this coming Tuesday (to finish up last week's business which was a follow-up to an April meeting.)
3. Trip with E to the East Coast Wed.-Fri. for visits with specialists in E's type of dwarfism and the issues surrounding it.
4. IEP meeting two weeks later for S.

Hmmm. No wonder my muse is less than enthused when I ask her to come out and play.

Packing, Planning and Parades--One Writer's Life

2009-05-23T11:51:00.018-05:00

You'd think the process of planning for next school year would be routine by now. After all, our two younger girls have had IEPs for years. How hard can it be?

Well, this year is different. Both girls are in different places educationally. S is entering her 8th grade year. E is finishing up as a sophomore and looking forward to post secondary life. And P & I are in a different place, too. This year, for the first time in what feels like forever, E has been healthy enough (knock on wood) that I've been able to drop out of emergency mode long enough to really study the IEPs.

What I found saddened me. All these years, I'd assumed we'd been effective advocates for our girls. Yet, after studying the small print, I realized we have A LOT more to learn.

I cried after I discovered this. I cried for E and S and the fact that they need IEPs in the first place. I cried for S whose voice went unheard for years because we didn't know we could ask for an assistive technology evaluation and the school didn't offer one. I cried for E and all she's been through with her aneurysm rupture, surgeries, and frequent illnesses, and the fact that she deserves more. I cried for what we didn't know and the fact that we could-have should-have known more. I cried for that and more, and then I found a way to turn my emotions into advocacy.

Both girls deserve results-driven, transparent, accountable educational plans. P and I are working hard to achieve this. Getting there will be a process, but we're talking about our children's further education, independence and employment. The stakes are too high for us not to be committed to this process for the long haul.

On tap for the next few days:

Today--IEP review and goal re-visioning in preparation for Tuesday's meeting, planning for next week's trip out East for doctors' visits, and, then, if time allows, head out to the local Pet Expo.
Tomorrow--Sunday school, church, more trip planning, and more IEP preparation.
Monday--Parade and picnic with long-time friends, and packing.
Tuesday--IEP meeting and packing.
Wednesday--E and I leave for Delaware where E will spend the rest of the week meeting with specialists in primordial dwarfism.

Wrightslaw, Jean-Luc Picard, and Donning my Advocacy Armor

2009-05-12T17:04:00.018-05:00

No, I haven't given up posting. (Or writing.) I'm on a hiatus of sorts, driven by the need to don my advocacy armor for my two youngest girls whose special needs require individualized educational plans (IEP). Why the need for protective gear? We discovered recently that our daughters' IEPs have so little built-in accountability that they're barely worth the paper they're written on.

After shoulding on myself for letting the inefficiencies go unchecked for so long, I vowed to make it right. First order of business was attending a kick-butt conference by Wrightslaw. While there, I networked and sought advice from parents who've gone before us on how to create effective, measureable, accountable IEPs, and came away with an action plan.

Not only have P and I vowed to make it right for our girls, we will borrow from our favorite Star Trek captain Jean Luc Picard and "make it so."

A small portion of what I learned at Wrightslaw (which is well worth the money for anyone considering it): Federal law is written to protect the rights of children with special needs to have a free and appropriate education. The burden of proof, however, is on the parents to know their children's rights so that they can create a plan that meets their unique needs for further education, independence and employment.

For parents who are already taxed by the day-to-day job of raising kids with special needs, it's a daunting prospect, one I personally believe many schools take advantage of. I'm grateful to report that thanks to Wrightslaw, I feel much more confident about the process.

Crowing about Career Day

2009-04-20T12:28:00.003-05:00

Friday's Career Day at S' school was amazing. I spoke at both sessions (morning and afternoon) meeting with 4th through 8th graders, and chatting with them about writing, the creative process, favorite reads, and more.

At the end of each session, we played Plot from a Hat, a little exercise J and I dreamed up for use with the teens at our writer's workshop. It's a crowd favorite, one I hoped the KG kids would enjoy. To say the students were falling over themselves to pull a prop from the bag and be the next to continue the story would be an understatement. To my amusement, this was also true of the I'm-too-old-for-games 8th graders, even the ones who made it clear with their crossed arms and sour expressions that they'd rather be anywhere else.

Note to self: I need to do more school visits. My creative well is filled, and my muse ready and willing to work. Now all I need is a spot of uninterrupted free time...

Coming up for air...

2009-04-09T11:08:00.011-05:00

And celebrating the following:

1. E's serial casting (which we started in January) finally did the trick. Her range of motion is much improved, and she's breaking in a new brace.

2. The pathology on my tests came back normal. ***Raises eyes to the sky, and offers prayers of silent thanks.***

3. E's tests look good. ***pauses for more silent prayers*** And although yesterday's surgery to remove the offending lump was canceled last minute, we already have a new date: the 22nd.

4. The amazing ripple effect my current clean-sweep efforts are having on my writing. (Details to follow in an upcoming post.)

5. Teen Writer's Group is going strong, and members are hard at work on their very first magazine featuring their work.

6. The anticipated arrival of my very own copy of Eternal by Cynthia Leitich-Smith. A birthday present from moi to moi.

7. My first Family Time article hit the newsstands last week and is a two-page spread.

8. At the editor's invitation, I'm working on a query for more articles.

Critique Group, Teen Writers and Drop-dead deadlines

2009-03-23T14:19:00.005-05:00

Aside from a few emails here and there, my writing today is focused on my asthma article for Family Time magazine. Wednesday is the due date. I finally finished my last interview for the piece about an hour ago. Now I can fill in all the holes, and see what I've got. As usual, I've uncovered way too much info for the space I've been given to fill. Sigh. With any luck, I'll put this puppy to bed well before the end of the day Wednesday, so I can return to M&R, finish edits for this Friday's critique group meeting, and prep for Teen Writers' Group later that day. On deck for the group: continued planning for the teens' first-ever magazine to showcase some of their work. They're all very excited at the thought of being published. I'm thrilled to be a part of the process helping to make it possible.

Crawling into Bed with Vampires and Littles

2009-03-14T16:12:00.009-05:00

Rereading: Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (and remembering why I enjoyed it so much the first time.)

On deck: Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles de Lint.

Inspired by Tolkien

2009-03-05T09:25:00.009-06:00

A year ago last January I made plans to see the Tolkien papers at Marquette University. Unfortunately, the plans fell through at the last minute. I was bummed to say the least because Tolkien is more than just an iconic writer who's influenced generations of readers (and writers like this one) with his rich stories and unforgettable characters. He's also a writer I can relate to, someone who juggled work and family, and wrote through adversity, sometimes taking off a year or more from his work before returning to it.

I finally had the privilege of visiting the Tolkien collection last weekend. My daughter L and I went. She'd already seen it with P but being a tried and true fan she was eager to see it again.

We spent about an hour in the archives, long enough to examine only a small percentage of the university's holdings. But oh, what a rush to do so. Some of the most memorable pieces we examined:

1. A hand-written working draft of the cover page of The Lord of the Rings, then named The Magic Ring. Edits by Tolkien included crossing out the working title and replacing it with The Lord of the Rings. But a curious thing about this is that the s at the end of Rings was written in a way that suggests to scholars that it was added later. (Fun to see that even great works of art go through copious amounts of editing.)

2. A hand-written draft of the first page of The Fellowship of the Rings that hinted at the final draft to come with its references to Bilbo's birthday, etc., but clearly needed more editing (and a deeper POV) before it was finalized. (Again, a nod to the importance of editing, and the fact that even many drafts in, we must look at our works with an editor's eye.)

3. Lists, lists and more lists detailing the history of the world, even a number of events that led up to Bilbo's finding of the ring (and never made it to the final draft). (What a nod to the necessity of world building for any fantasy writer.)

4. Drafts and more written on the back of old student exams, menus, and desk calendar pages. One exam was clearly an essay test on Beowulf, one of Tolkien's fortes. We were told there was a paper shortage at the time, so any and all paper was saved for later. Can you imagine being the student whose exam was recycled for Lord of the Rings?

5. The "One Ring to Rule Them All" poem penned in an elegant script with a line of orcish written below it that's yet to be translated.

6. Maps and even an early draft of Tolkien's cover design for The Hobbit.

7. Plot grids set up on notebook paper in landscape format in order to track characters, events, dates and the phases of the moon, made necessary after the party split up.

Sigh. I know it's totally unrealistic, but taking up another degree so I can justify immersing myself in the entire collection in depth is really attractive right now. Maybe after my clone arrives.

Edited 10 p.m.

Writer on the Run

2009-02-26T12:31:00.020-06:00

Although my life's been revolving around E's health issues lately, I've managed to keep up with my reading. Let's hear it for the portability of books, eh?

Recent reads (in no particular order, and, sometimes, read, concurrently):

Bliss by Lauren Myracle. I read Lauren's new book in a couple of evening's. For anyone who enjoys a good ghost story, this one's a page-turning must.

Nikki Moustaki's hilarious Dogfessions, a must for anyone who loves dogs. This one had E is stitches, and laughing so hard at times that she had to set the book aside just to catch her breath and give her stomach muscles a rest.

Denise Brodey's Elephant in the Playroom, a collection of essays from parents of special needs children. Good background reading for my Family Time autism article and for me personally.

Jenny McCarthy's books, Louder Than Words and Mother Warriors, more background reading for Family Time.

Current read:

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon. Another page-turner, this one. Kekla's book is a coming-of-age story and history lesson wrapped in one. Few writers have fictionalized the moments in history that catalyzed the Black Panther movement. Kekla does it with power and grace.

On a side note, Kekla is a fellow Vermont College classmate. Before graduation--our last semester, I think--I remember hearing about Sam and Stick when they were but whispers of an idea for Kekla. To see how far the story has come, and to curl up with her book at the end of a long day, is a thrill beyond measure.

Where's My Clone?

2009-02-17T10:31:00.009-06:00

Okay, so, where's my clone? I ordered her months ago in hopes another me would help ease the stress of managing writing and family. Unfortunately, she's on back order, the to-dos keep piling up and up and up, and my uninterrupted butt in chair time keeps shrinking.

Looking back on Vermont College, I truly don't know how I managed to produce as much as I did for my advisers. Each monthly packet required 20 pages of new creative and 20 pages of revised material, plus two critical essays on some aspect of the craft of writing. How did I manage such a rigorous schedule while wearing my mom hat?

Granted, I was paying for the privilege, and permission (leveraged by the almighty dollar) is a powerful motivator. But so what. I graduated VC on a roll. I knew without reservation that in addition to being a mom, I am a writer.

These days, all things writer-ly should be equal, if not better than they were after graduation. Both girls are in school. And E started a new asthma medicine not too long ago that's been like the Holy Grail, greatly reducing the number of sick days. I should be pounding out the prose. So, why does it feel like I'm writing less?

I have a theory.

During my VC days, the balls I was juggling were predictable. E was sick often. Sometimes weeks at a time. We were constantly in what I call bunker mode--hunkered down for the long haul, but somehow, in between holding barf buckets and keeping track of meds, I wrote.

These days, the only constant is E's health. She's missing school less (ie fewer ear and sinus infections thanks to the Holy Grail), which should lend itself to more writing. But the opposite is happening.

As I write this entry, I'm beginning to realize why. E's run of "good health" is being offset by a significant increase in required therapies, testing, and doctor's visits.

Since early January E's had serial casting weekly to stretch the muscles in her bad leg, Botox therapy to stretch it further when casting no longer helped, and physical therapy weekly to work those muscles. Follow-ups continue with the doctor who ordered the casting and Botox, and with the neurologist--another doctor--on issues we can't ignore. And now the latest: we need a work up with a hematologist because numbers are off. We visit the clinic at Children's in a couple of weeks.

None of these issues are trivial. Not only do they require immediate attention, they trump any writing time I might have thought I had.

Hmmm. No wonder I need my clone.

Don't miss this book

2009-02-11T10:31:00.005-06:00

Kudos to Vermont College classmate, Kekla Magoon , whose debut novel, The Rock and the River, is attracting powerful buzz for its touching and realistic portrayal of the Black Panther movement. See the latest review here from A Fuse #8.

Writer On Deadline

2009-02-05T10:58:00.028-06:00

Deadline is fast approaching for the article I'm writing for Family Time Magazine. Did I mention this assignment in an earlier post? In case I only imagined writing about it, here's how I got the job:

I made first contact with Family Time at the Harvest Literacy Conference last fall when J and I spoke about our teen writers' workshop. Before our presentation, I stopped by the Family Time booth to introduce myself and ask if the publication ever used freelancers. Turns out I was talking to the editor who, like myself, is managing a career and family. A couple of months later, the editor contacted me, asking if I had any ideas to submit for consideration.

One of the items on my to-do list for 2009 was expanding into the nonfiction field (with a little help from my background in journalism); so, when K emailed, the timing was right. I pitched a couple of ideas. She pitched a few of her own, and asked if I had experience with healthcare.

Talk about divine providence. Between E and her health issues, and the fact that the majority of my PR and marketing experience was earned working in healthcare, I've not only worked the topic, I've lived it. Before long we settled on a couple of stories to pursue, one on autism, the other on allergies.

The autism piece is due in a little under three weeks. I've been making steady progress on it thanks to a background interview with D, a contact from the Easter Seals where E receives therapy.

Today I think I finished enough research to move onto the next step. Interviews. I need a few good quotes to fill in my story. Then comes the hard part: whittling the article down to fit the space I've been given. 850 words, including a sidebar.

I love a good challenge.

And not to be outdone...

2009-01-29T10:12:00.021-06:00

High fives to author extraordinaire and Vermont College (VC) faculty member Kathi Appelt for receiving a Newberry Honor for her deserving picture book The Underneath. As a VC graduate, I can't help but be tickled by this news, or the fact that my alma mater's faculty and graduates continue to win recognition for their work and make national headlines. A few highlights: In 2006, former VC program chair (and ace ghost story spinner) Tobin Anderson won a National Book Award for The Astonishng Life of Octavion Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1,the Pox Party, graduate Martine Leavitt, was named a finalist for Keturah and Lord Death. And last but not least, in 2007 one of my VC advisors, Tim Wynne-Jones, was recognized as a Horn Book honoree for Rex Zero and the End of the World.

Kudos to Neil Gaiman

2009-01-29T09:32:00.005-06:00

Congratulations to Neil Gaiman, winner of this year's Newbery Award for The Graveyard Book! It's gratifying to see such a talented writer recognized for his work. I also love the fact that his book's a fantasy.

Writers' Group, Critiques and an Inauguration

2009-01-21T14:48:00.014-06:00

Politics and writers' group. The thought of mixing one with the other brings to mind the taste of orange juice and toothpaste. I try not to combine the two, but yesterday, I couldn't help myself.

It was a Critique Group Day. The first of the new year. J, A and I were supposed to meet last Thursday. But the extreme weather and school closings changed our plans.

When we rescheduled for yesterday, none of us connected with the fact that we'd be meeting on Inauguration Day. Quite frankly, the fact slid right by me until the reporter side of me took note of the countdown to the Inaugural, becoming fascinated by the way the story was unfolding, and swept up by the need to witness history as Obama took his Oath.

I was hesitant, at first, to ask if J & A wouldn't mind taking a break for the swearing in, but I'm glad I did. Turns out A wanted to watch it, too. We broke in time to witness the ceremony and then went back to work. Inwardly, I marveled at how well our new president can write/communicate/inspire.

Here's hoping his words will inspire action for the common good.

Writerly Assignment: Six-Word Memoir

2009-01-15T12:58:00.009-06:00

What would you write if you were asked to share the story of your life in a single sentence? The online magazine Smith asked its readers this question. The result is Not Quite What I Was Planning, a collection of six-word memoirs by famous and not-so-famous writers, artists and musicians.

According to National Public Radio, the "stories are sometimes sad, often funny - and always concise." I agree. The sentences left me laughing out loud, pensive, and wondering about how this technique might be applied to the hard work of writing a novel.

In the inspirational phase of novel writing, we don't always know what our main characters want or how his or her story will end. This is the great mystery of the process. We follow a whisper or a snippet of dialogue in search of a six-word memoir for each main character, and somewhere along the way we hope to find motivations and goals worth pursuing.

During the next phase, we explore our discoveries. We walk our characters across the story stage, allowing them to interact with one another, and we experiment with pacing, throughlines and setting. This is where the hard work of writing begins, and where, I'd wager, many aspiring novelists give up.

The truth is that if a main character's main goal isn't compelling enough to carry a story--if his life in a sentence doesn't make you want to read more--then it's time to revamp the character's deepest desire or dump that story idea and start again.

Letting go of the characters, scenes and diaolgues that don't support our story is never easy. But every seasoned writer knows it's a necessary part of the process. As many times as I've done it, I never get used to the queasy feeling I experience when it's time to relegate another 60, 100 or more pages creative to my clips file.

The only thing that keeps me going at this point is knowing that those pages weren't wasted. Inevitably, in writing through my story yet again, I've deepened my understanding of my characters and their motivations and the story that must be told. In essence, I'm in search of their six-word memoir.

Note to self: Hmmm. I wonder how the six-word memoir might be applied to stalled projects or those pieces to which I throw up my hands and blame writer's block. In light of the six-word memoir, I wonder if the reason the pieces aren't working is because I haven't yet defined the main characters' six word memoirs. *Tapping one's chin.* I definitely plan to explore the idea.

Visit a Vermont College Residency Through the Eyes of Writers on the Scene

2009-01-14T17:32:00.007-06:00

Have you ever wondered what happens at a Vermont College Residency? If so, surf on over to Through the Tollbooth for a play by play of the Winter Residency now in progress.

Cool Tool--Put this One in Your Writer's Toolbox

2009-01-12T10:36:00.010-06:00

If your creative or non-fiction writing requires a bibliography or citations, you'll want to check out Easybib.

Fellow writer J and I met one of the creators of the EasyBib after making our presentation about teen writers' groups at the Illinois Library Association Annual Meeting in Chicago last fall. The idea for the site was born after its creators (college students at the time) were assigned a flurry of research papers requiring bibliographies with conflicating citation styles. Tired of scrambling for the proper format for each professor, they set out creating the go-to source for bibliographies and citations. Millions of students have used the site since its creation in 2001. Ingenious.

As J said (in so many words) after hearing the story: You've got to love it when college students use their powers for good.

Sigh. I wish I had had this nifty little tool while at Vermont College. It would have made the task of writing all those critical essays A LOT less painless.

Happy (Belated) New Year

2009-01-10T21:42:00.012-06:00

Since graduating from Vermont College, my routine has been to put down my writer's pen by mid December and take it back up again after the girls return to school. Unfortunately, my reentry into 2009 didn't go as planned.

My last post on Kat's Eye was three weeks ago. Three. I didn't realize I'd been absent from cyberspace for so long until my good writer friend, A, called this evening to ask if I was alive. The subtext to her question was really, “Is everything all right?”

The question isn't a trivial one, especially when taking E and her many health issues into account. In the past, unplanned hiatuses from this space have been caused by unexpected hospitalizations and prolonged illnesses. For the record we're all fine here. But if you're near a good solid piece of wood, preferably oak, walnut, or cherry, please knock on it for us.

We survived the holidays, and all its requisite visits to relatives and from relatives. We even hosted our traditional New Year's Eve sleepover with family friends we've known since high school. We did all this and more without serious illnesses or mishaps. Our healthy run lasted so long that for a few bliss-filled weeks I seriously believed that the new medication E had started was the circle of protection I'd been praying for, the one that would keep her healthy during the dark winter months.

The magic wore thin near the end of Christmas Break. We suspected something was amiss when E lost her appetite. A cough followed. Then the fever arrived. Diagnosis when it was all over: ear infection. The medicine kicked in in time for E to return to school Thursday.

Then it was my turn. My head hurt. My sinuses ached. I was coughing and crabby. And instead of feeling energized after Jazzercise, I felt like I was 90 years old. I should have been writing on E's first day back at school. Instead, I parked in the waiting room of my physician, feeling guilty that I hadn't seen him in person for over a year, and praying that my cell wouldn't ring with a call from the school that E wasn't well enough to return to school after all.

In the end I was diagnosed with—you guessed it—a full blown a sinus infection. All this time I'd been attributing my headaches and fatigue to the holidays and my bottomless to-do list. Um. Doy.

On a positive note, the medicine is already working its magic. Day two and I'm able to think in complete sentences again. Yea me.

Gingerbread, Candy, and Amusing the Muse

2008-12-17T15:49:00.017-06:00

The hustle-bustle of the season continues to amuse my muse. Our latest adventure: Gingerbread House Night at church. Nearly 60 people attended the Friday night event, more than half of them kids. To say the evening was sugar-fueled would be an understatement. Each house builder was given an entire bowl of candy to use as he/she saw fit. For most of the kids, this meant eating the good stuff and using the rejects for the houses. The evening was raucous, but worth it. Why? Because nothing compared to seeing so many families slowing down long enough to embrace the reason for the season.

(photo(s) to follow as soon as our new computer's up and running.)

Tis the Season to Amuse the Muse, and Fill the Idea Well

2008-12-10T15:07:00.015-06:00

No need to work overtime to amuse the muse and fill the Idea Well this holiday season. I've found that plenty of opportunities lurk amidst the hustle bustle of the season's festivities and preparations, if I slow down long enough to look.

Take this past weekend, for example. E, S and I attended two Christmas parties. The first was for the local chapter of Little People of America. Nearly 60 people attended, more than half of them little people. E was in her element, S and I in the minority. Seeing E surrounded by kids and adults her size (and grinning nonstop) was worth the hassle of packing up the dog and equipment and traveling to the boondocks. Traveling with E is never easy, but I'm always glad after the fact. Events like the LPA party tip my world sideways, and fill my Idea Well in surprising and unexpected ways.

The other weekend party we attended was for E's Morris Service Dog program. Festivities began with awards for program graduates, and ended with an open mic for those who wanted to says a few words. Many of the stories recounted the unexpected benefits the dogs had brought to their new owners. One of the most touching tales was from a woman whose service dog saved her life not once, but multiple times during the last year. How could my well not be filled after hearing this and other stories?

Current read: Divine Evil by Nora Roberts. Well done, suspenseful page-turner. One of the rare few this year that's had me staying up well past bedtime to read.

Thanksgiving Tales to Amuse the Muse

2008-12-03T15:24:00.019-06:00

A number of Thanksgiving happenings continue to inspire (and amuse) my muse:

1. Caramel apple roadkill--the homemade Thanksgiving pie that was--until P's aunt drove off with it still resting on top of her car. The only thing that survived after she rescued the dessert from the middle of the road between her place and ours: a half-moon sliver of the most delicious pie I've ever tasted. Sigh.

2. The Christmas star--visible from my office window just after sunset yesterday. A similar conjunction of the moon, Venus and Jupiter, appeared in 2 B.C. Some historians consider it to be the source of the star of Bethlehem.

3. Meeting of the pooches--It was a three-dog night of the unusual kind at my sister's house on Thanksgiving. The pooches in attendance included E's service dog, a black lab named Jewel, J's pocket Schnauzer Zoey, and sister C's toy chiuaua. J's and C's dogs were newcomers. Picture a meeting between the three with Jewel sitting quietly, her head cocked to one side, while the chiuaua quivered in her fuzzy pink hoodie, and the pocket dog, clueless that Jewel could swallow her whole, wrestled with the big dog's tail.

Writing a Synopsis that Sells

2008-12-01T14:05:00.012-06:00

A discussion on the Illinois SCBWI listserve about the how-tos of writing a synopsis turned up a gem today: a link to a blog called Editorial Anonymous. In a series of posts, the editor behind said blog analyzes various synopses. Very educational to read her thoughts on what's working, what's not, and why.

Twilight Countdown--The Witching Hour Nears

2008-11-20T10:23:00.021-06:00

The buzz surrounding the midnight premiere of Twilight, the movie based on Stephanie Meyer's best-selling book by the same name hasn't escaped Lockport. The topic of conversation as my 16-year-old found her seat on the bus this morning was the same as it has been for the last month or more--the latest on the books, the upcoming movie and the film's male lead, Robert Pattison, the former Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter, and newest heartthrob to hit the scene since Zac Efron. The phenomenon has so engaged teen readers, I'm rereading Meyer's Twilight series, anaylyzing her dialogue, themes, setting, characterization, etc. to gain insight into the magic that is one of the most wildly popular teen action/adventure/love stories seen in years.

Harry Potter Fans Unite with Alternity

2008-11-13T08:00:00.007-06:00

Attention Harry Potter fans! JK Rowling may have put down her pen where Harry is concerned, but her fans haven't. Surf on over to Alternity, a Harry Potter alternative universe RPG, created by award-winning author Peg Kerr and company. For details on the site and story lines surf on over to Peg's online journal.

It's Alive!

2008-11-12T08:36:00.014-06:00

Returning to "normal" after E's recent hospitalization and subsequent illness (she finally returned to school Monday after being out two weeks) has been rougher than usual. My writing life suffered; so did my to-do list which I managed to lose during the height of things.

Little by little I'm reducing the rubble, returning phone calls, reorganizing projects, and cobbling together a sense of order which I pray holds together long enough for me to feel as if I've finally dug myself out of this hole.

On top of my writing to-do list for the rest of this week and next:

1. KM--It's alive again! After a hiatus in which I let the tome percolate I finally have a sense of where it needs to go next.

2. Chicken Soup for the Soul--I'm on deadline for another short story for a December due date. On the heels of this story, I've been asked to consider another. No guarantees that my stories will be accepted, but hot leads are better than cold ones, and it's very cool to be given the opportunity. By the way, if you're feeling inspired, new call outs for story ideas are available on the Chicken Soup website.

3. Good Days Bad Days--a new online zine is in the works for children living with chronic or terminal illness. I've been working on a number of ideas to propose to the editor of this mag. Talk about writing what you know. I've lived it for the last eight years.

4. Office Clean Sweep--It's time. My piles are now piled on top of piles, making file retrieval and storage problematic at best, and I've three floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that need assembly so I can find homes from all of my books (which seem to multiply overnight.)

5. Think Sideways--A few months ago I started a writing course with Holly Lisle called Think Sideways. The course is amazing and inspiring, but I've fallen dreadfully behind of late. Time to catch up, and trust that this, too, is part of my process.

Arwen, Halloween and an Unexpected Journey

2008-10-31T11:22:00.040-05:00

What a difference a day makes. Yeah, I know, the saying's overdone. But sometimes it really does fit the situation.

Case in point: Tuesday morning E and I braved rush-hour traffic to commute into Chicago for what was supposed to be a routine visit with her kidney doctor. E's blood pressure was a bit high after we arrived, but the fact didn't surprise me. The ride into the city took us two hours when it should have taken an hour, and with service dog Jewel at E's side we race-walked our way to the office in order to arrive at the appointment on time.

The visit went predictably enough after that. The nurse logged E's pressure, temp, height and weight, and confirmed meds; the resident took a new blood pressure reading; and, well, that's when the morning took an interesting turn.

The resident's reading was high, too. Three more staffers took pressures. E is significantly smaller than the average 16 year old, the resident reasoned out loud, and he'd taken the reading off her weaker left side. Maybe he was using the wrong sized cuff. Maybe if they used a different cuff on her good side...

I don't remember the exact numbers everyone got, but I know the average on top was in the 140s and on the bottom, over 110. E is the size of a two year old. Two year olds shouldn't have pressures that high. My mind went numb at that point because the last time we had numbers like that E was in the pediatric ICU fighting for her life after her aneurysm rupture.

Crap, I remember thinking. No way this can be good. "That's not good is it?" I asked the room. All eyes turned to Dr. L who took his own reading. "I can't let you leave," he said at last.

I remember staring at Dr. L at this point, hearing but not hearing what he was saying. "What do you mean?" I said, knowing his answer before hearing it.

"I need to admit E," he said. "Her pressure is too high. With her history of aneurysms, and the one in the kidney, we need to find out why it's so high and get it controlled."

I nodded, very much aware that just like that our world had shifted sideways.

Long story short, E spent the next 36 hours undergoing a battery of tests and blood draws to uncover the reason for her high blood pressure. The team ruled out aneurysm rupture, shunt malfunction, infection, and heart, kidney and lung issues.

In the end, the culprit was E's diet. Thank God for easy solutions. E's now on a restricted sodium diet. She's not thrilled she has to give up her favorite after-school snack of baby pickles, but as we find new "legal" snacks, she's getting used to the idea.

Now onto the next hurdle. Getting E over a nasty cough and cold, which seems to have taken hold in time for her to miss Halloween. Bummer.

E planned her costume for the day all by herself. We were looking forward to seeing people's faces as they opened their door to a diminutive high schooler dressed as Arwen from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

First choice for a Halloween costume a fictional character from a beloved childhood favorite? Makes my muse proud.

Carnival of Children's Literature is Live

2008-10-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

For some of the latest on children's books and all things kids lit, attend the October Carnival of Children's Literature.

Writerly Report from the Trenches

2008-10-27T11:23:00.030-05:00

The life of a writer mom is never dull. The last couple of weeks have been no exception. Just a few of the writerly to-dos I've crossed off my list recently:

Harvest Literacy Conference
J's and my presentation at Saint Xavier University about writers' workshops for youth and teens went quite well. The room was full. Feedback was positive. What you should keep in mind before offering your own teen writers' workshop:

1. Don't lecture.
2. Be flexible.
3. Keep activities short.
4. Look for hands-on ways to illustrate various aspects of the craft.
5. Provide a safe, supportive, creative environment.
6. Offer an open mic. The majority of the teens we work with want to read.
7. I said it earlier, but it's so essential when working with teens that it bears repeating: be flexible.

Critique group
J, A and I met last week. A was the only one who submitted creative. It's been this way for the last couple or three meetings. J and I are still working, but not on our novels.

J's been working hard on her new website, LitforAll. The site is based on the premise that great art isn't created in a vacuum. Readers are encouraged to explore the connections between some of the world's most famous writers and the peers of their time.

I've been working on short stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort. Since the end of August I've completed and submitted three. Along the way, I've shared a couple of my drafts in progress with the group. But, in general, I've worked on my own because crit group deadlines didn't lend themselves to my schedule.

Our group celebrated a milestone not long ago. We've been together three years. Hard to believe it's been that long. We found each other in the fall of 05, not long after I graduated from Vermont College. I feel so fortunate to have found this group. Without it, I know I would have dropped kicked my novel by now. Thanks, ladies. You inspire me to keep going in the face of fear, self-doubt, and life's little conspiracies. You keep me honest with your editor's eyes. And you encourage me to trust the process.

Teen Writers' Workshop
Last Friday's teen writers' workshop was a blast. Our topic, writing ghost stories, was well attended. Kate Gingold, an old high school friend and fellow children's book author, talked about her most recent book project, Haunted by History: Spectres in a Small Town, and shared her own personal connection to things that go bump in the night. After her talk, Kate helped us read a ghost story to the light of an electric candle and glowing pumpkins. After discussing the elements that make the story work--mood, atmosphere, language, plot, and, of course, a ghost with an agenda--we built a group ghost story using the lessons we'd learned, and objects drawn from a witch's hat--a clawed hand, a roll of tape, and a bat, just to name a few. The teens jumped at the chance to share stories about their own ghostly encounters. We ran out of time, but extended the meeting after it became evident that most everyone had come ready to read at open mic, and was eager to do so.

Walking More, Driving Less, and Amusing the Muse

2008-10-15T08:42:00.005-05:00

The downside about walking more and driving less in an effort to stretch the family budget: getting caught in the rain on the way home from walking with your daughter to school.

The upside: amusing the muse and arriving home with story ideas because of it.

Note to self: Write them down before you leave for the Harvest Literacy Conference.

This and that from the Writer's Front

2008-10-14T23:07:00.015-05:00

1. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to meet Kelly Herold, editor of Big A little a, and Edge of the Forest. Kelly and I "met" two and a half years ago when I began writing for her fab publication, but, until Saturday, we had never had the opportunity to match faces with names. Kelly spoke at the SCBWI-Illinois Chicago Southlands network program about blogging and making your writer self known on the Web. The talk was informative and inspirational. Way to go Kelly! Thanks for making the drive to Illinois, and inspiring me to expand my horizons with the following:

2. I created a Facebook account tonight. Fair warning, it's rudimentary, but it's a start.

3. Despite the short notice, I made yesterday's submission deadline for "My Resolution," a book in progress for Chicken Soup for the Soul. No word yet on whether or not the story made the cut. But I did receive confirmation that they received it. Felt great to bang out another short story in such a finite amount of time. God bless a deadline. It does a writer good.

4. Anticipating the Harvest Literacy Conference . Everything's packed and waiting at the front door. J and I are presenting on writer's workshops for youth and teens. Last we heard, the conference was sold out.

On deadline for Chicken Soup for the Soul!

2008-10-10T09:32:00.007-05:00

I'm on deadline for another short story for Chicken Soup for the Soul. The book in progress is called My Resolution. The piece is due Monday morning. The awesome thing about this job: I was invited to submit. How cool is that?

Looking for an Escape from the Muggle World?

2008-10-10T09:18:00.005-05:00

Attention Harry Potter fans. If you're tired of watching your retirement savings tank and you need an escape from the Muggle world, surf on over to this live journal where characters from the Harry Potter universe post on a daily basis.

Best Laid Plans of Writer Moms--Or Why My Characters Had to Wait Another Day

2008-10-08T15:21:00.039-05:00

Living the life of a writer mom is never dull, and often crazed. Why? Our kids inform our lives, providing us with reams of writing ideas. Yet, finding the uninterrupted time to breath life into those stories is damned near impossible some days.

Take yesterday, for example. E had an appointment with a new doctor. The appointment was necessary because we've been limping along without a formal neurologist for quite some time.

To be honest, we probably would have limped along even longer if E's opthomalogist hadn't noticed something odd about E's behavior during a routine visit not too long ago.

"Mom, how long has E been doing that?" Dr. D asked after chatting with E about how sophomore year was going.

"Doing what?" I asked, unable to see what she was driving at.

"Stopping in the middle of a conversation like that?"

To me, the behavior was part of E's lexicon. Ever since the aneurysm rupture, she's routinely stopped in the middle of stories and sentences to find a word or thought or to start over again. Of late, the pauses had become more prolonged, but I chalked them up to E's most recent illness, and the fact that she was still catching up on her sleep.

The doctor suggested that maybe those pauses were something more serious. Seizures.

After getting reassurances that the suspected type of seizures didn't require emergency care, I wasted no time finding a neurologist and making an appointment for the next available time.

As long as the physician didn't order any tests immediately following E's appointment, my plan afterward was to return E to school and zip back home in time to sit butt in chair for a good three hours of writing and work time before meeting the bus.

The universe had other plans.

E's appointment was at 9 with a promised 8:45 arrival to allow enough time fill out all the necessary paperwork. The ride was 40 minutes on a good day. I knew ahead of time that the tollway was under construction, so I took a short cut. Unfortunately, the short cut took twice as long.

An hour and a half after leaving the house, we pulled up to the hospital. It was under construction, and signage was so confusing that I swear--and this is no lie--that at one intersection, the arrows to the entrance we were looking for pointed in opposite directions.

This wouldn't have been an issue if we weren't running so late. By the time we pulled up to the Women's and Children's Pavilion entrance, we had less than five minutes to unload the service dog and our gear, and find the clinic so we'd be on time for the actual appointment.

Locking my keys in the car in my rush to unload E and Jewel was the piece de resistance. I stared at the keys with disbelief.

The doctor's office policy clearly states that anyone later than 15 minutes must reschedule his or her appointment. I've wasted enough time waiting for doctors that I truly appreciate a policy like this one. Unfortunately, here I was, needing to hear if my fears about my daughter were true. And I was about to be turned away and forced to wait another six weeks for a new patient appointment to open up.

The valet took pity on me. Rather than making me wait for hospital security to arrive and attempt to unlock the car, he let me leave it in the unloading zone, and promised to call me on my cell if they ran into problems freeing my keys.

Hospital security worked its magic and moved the car without disrupting our appointment. The physician, like the majority of Children's Hospital specialists we've worked with, was knowledgable, thorough, and willing to spend the time needed to educate me, and calm me down. Yes, he confirmed Dr. D's fear, and mine. E's behavior is consistent with seizures. Further testing must be done before a definite diagnosis can be made, and treatment can be as simple as tweaking her existing medication.

Long story short, by the time we got home yesterday, I had little time or energy left for writing. But I don't consider the day a bust.

Thanks to our journey there and back again, my muse has plenty of fodder to work with for future stories, and I came away with a plan for E, one we hope will provide workable answers and a path forward in the near future.

It's Away!

2008-10-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Woohoo! I did it. I finished my short story for Cup of Comfort on time. Pressed send at 10:53 p.m. yesterday. Now it's the waiting game.

Strange Candy, Teen Writers, and Deadlines, Oh My

2008-09-30T09:29:00.014-05:00

Popping in with a brief update on how I've been spending my time since ILA. After channeling most all my creative energies into the presentation with J, I've been recuperating, shoveling out my office, and:

1. Flying high since learning that my short story is a finalist for Power Moms, a new Chicken Soup for the Soul book scheduled for release in March 2009.

2. Planning for and co-leading last Friday's Teen Writers' Workshop. Old and new faces joined us to discuss the ins and outs of getting published. The group especially enjoyed the cover letter exercise in which we discussed what not to do when presenting your work. Then we pretended we'd written Twilight and needed to "sell" the story idea to an editor.

3. Playing nursemaid to E who began hacking and coughing over the weekend and is now home sick and miserable with a nasty sinus infection.

4. Escaping into a variety of books. Two of the most recent: Laurell K. Hamilton's provocative short story collection Strange Candy, and, because I've needed an extra boost of late, Writer Mama by Christina Katz.

5. Finalizing another short story in hopes of sending it off by the end of today for consideration for Cup of Comfort, an inspirational series similar in tone and presentation to Chicken Soup for the Soul. The book I'm writing for will be marketed to parents of special needs children. Despite operating on minimal sleep thanks to E's latest illness, my muse remains motivated by the thought of finishing the piece on time. On that note, time to return butt in chair.

ILA, First dates, First Cuts, and Good News!

2008-09-25T12:42:00.017-05:00

Illinois Library Association report:
J's and my presentation at ILA yesterday about youth and teen writers' workshops went quite well yesterday. It felt a bit like planes, trains and bicycles getting to Navy Pier by 8:15 to meet K. (Jen had to leave her house by 5:30 to get to my house by 6, etc.) We beat the morning rush, and made it to our room at the far end of the Pier with enough time to set up and find coffee before the session started. Nearly 50 turned out to hear our workshop. Two came in to find seats a good 45 minutes before start time. And despite the fact that people at the session next door were learning to entertain younger youth by eating cake, playing games, and singing songs like "Take me out to the ballgame" at the top of their lungs, only a couple people left early and the time flew by. Attendees indulged us as we led them through some of the exercises our teens use to build stories and unblock their creativity. Overall feedback was positive. One down one to go. Next up: Saint Xavier University's Harvest Literacy Conference in mid October. Same topic. Shorter session. Which means we have some editing to do between now and then.

First dates:
Our middle daughter E had her first official date last weekend. Mr. K did it right by asking E to homecoming in a big way. The week before the dance he arrived in biology class with a dozen roses in hand, and popped the question. As you can tell from the picture, the fact that they went as good friends didn't bother E at all. She was in seventh heaven, and claims they've already made plans to go out again. This time to a home football game where she will wear his jersey.

First Cuts:
This little header is last but not least. It refers to the good news I found in my email box this a.m. The short story I submitted at the end of last month to Chicken Soup for the Soul for one of their books in progress, Power Moms, is being considered for publication. Woohoo!

Wearing my Advocacy Hat, and Other Reasons I Haven't Been Writing

2008-09-22T15:29:00.041-05:00

The beginning of the school year often signals the need to don my advocacy hat where my two younger daughters are concerned. This year has been no exception.

Earlier this month, E's electric scooter supplier required considerable prodding in order to make good on a promised modification. The rep arrived yesterday to loan us a new seat while he fixes the old one.

There's also the matter of E's physical therapy schedule. Over the summer we discovered E needed therapy big time because her left leg and hip had tightened considerably. We made a call to the high school mid summer to let them know E had started regular therapy with Easter Seals, and that she'd require continued therapy during the school year. As of this week, we're finally moving toward a school therapy plan that coordinates with the one at Easter Seals.

Then there's S. My twelve year old struggles with a condition called childhood apraxia of speech. She understands what someone says just fine, but when she tries to express herself, she stutters, often so profoundly that friends and family feel compelled to finish her thoughts, rather than wait for her to get unstuck.

Unfortunately, this type of apraxia isn't something you grow out of. Over time the hope is that you'll learn strategies to minimize its effects.

This summer, despite daily speech exercises not to lose the progress S made last year, the condition worsened. To give you an idea of what's been happening at our house, tasks most people take for granted--like talking on the phone to friends, or chatting at the dinner table about how our day went--became so difficult for S that she turned to jotting down her conversations on paper rather than saying anything out loud.

The first day of school I sought out the speech therapist, D, begging her for help. "Something's wrong," I said. "S is worse off now than when school ended."

"Have you tried using her software during conversation?"

The software D was referring to is an amazing tool called FluencyCoach. With it and a headset, S is able to read out loud at 90 percent fluency. With few exceptions, we used it daily over the summer for reading. But I'd never imagined the software could be used for anything else.

"You can do that?" I asked.

"Oh, yes," she said, nodding. "A number of kids have success this way. When S comes home today, ask her about how her day went while using the software, and let me know what happens."

"What about the rest? S seriously went down hill this summer. Her friends talk for her these days. And she did a rock dance camp at the end of July, and on the ride home each day it took her 10 minutes to get out one sentence about how her day went. 10 minutes. We can't let her live like this. It's not right. It's not fair. There has to be a way to help her."

D's forehead wrinkled the way it does when she's thinking. "Try the software after school. I'll work on things from this end. Don't worry. We'll figure this out."

That afternoon, I called S over to the computer.

"Hey there, sweetie," I said as she dumped her backpack on the floor. "Come here a sec. I need you to try something."

"Wh-what?" she asked.

"Mrs. S has an idea on how we can help you talk easier. It's a different way to use your software. Here." I held out the headset. "Put these on, and tell me about your day."

I'll never forget the look of surprise on S's face when she spoke her first sentence. She was perfect. No blocks. No stutters. Just slow easy speech. She grinned and dove in, telling me about every last detail of her day, down to what she ate at lunch.

That was the first time I cried that day. The next was later that night when S used the software to talk with P. He sat there speechless as S talked and talked, not stopping long enough for us to get but a word or two in edgewise.

"What's your favorite color? Mine is pink.

"What's your favorite food? Mine is mandu.

"What's your favorite..." And on and on.

It came spilling out, one question after the other, as if S was catching up on years of pent-up conversation. P and I sat and listened. Until we did what we never thought we'd ever be able to do with our youngest daughter. We cut S off because it was way past bedtime.

As you might imagine, butt in chair time has been rare these days as I advocate for the next step: getting this software into S's classrooms so that her teachers and friends can get to know the real S. I was willing to advocate for the school loading software on every classroom computer. But it turns out a portable device exists, one you can wear on your belt. D went to bat for S and won approval for the equipment. The PO went out last week!

On deck: presenting at the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference tomorrow. Somehow, in the midst of all the craziness we writer moms endure on a daily basis, J and I managed to pull together our Powerpoint about our experience leading the Orland Park Public Library's writers' workshop for youth and teens. K, our partner in crime from the Orland Park Public Library, says she thinks the slide show looks great. Fingers and toes crossed that everyone else agrees. We're on tomorrow at 9. Wish us luck.

Current read: Allies of the Night by Darren Shan.

Checking in and Writing What I Know

2008-09-08T11:34:00.015-05:00

E missed three school days last week thanks to a nasty cold, which meant my writing had to take a back seat. Rather than frustrate myself by trying to work on KM while E was actively sick, I turned to a number of shorter pieces that I've been meaning to tackle. One of the first jobs I targeted: a query and five first-draft articles for a new zine that's slated to hit the web soon called Good Days Bad Days.

Talk about writing what you know! The zine will target children aged 5-13 with chronic or terminal physical conditions. Having lived the ins and outs of E's aneurysms for seven years now, I'm confident I can speak from the trenches on this one, and, more importantly, help E to do the same.

In addition to drafting articles for several other writing projects I've been meaning to pursue, I continued work on the presentation J and I are making at the Illinois Library Association meeting in downtown Chicago later this month about teen writers' workshops.

Made Deadline by That Much

2008-09-02T13:29:00.005-05:00

Friday I challenged myself to submit a story for a Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology before its September 1st deadline. Despite a parade, a picnic, and an optometrist's appointment, I did it with 15 minutes to spare. Yes! Nothing beats the added incentive a built-in deadline gives a writer. Sure, beating the clock is always good for the soul. But more than that, a fixed deadline gives you permission to write with a defined goal in mind. And the feeling when you've reached that goal? Magic.

A Kick in the Pants and Other Ways to Motivate Your Muse

2008-08-29T09:47:00.022-05:00

I keep a variety of tools in my writer's toolbox designed to kick my muse in the pants. Deadlines are one of them. Some are self-imposed. Others come from outside sources by way of a contest, submission deadline, or editor.

Self-imposed deadlines are nefarious in my mind because unless you're a drill sergeant, it's easy to let them slide. Fixed deadlines, on the other hand, are my very best friends. With few exceptions, outside due dates are non-negotiable, despite family obligations, illness, or procrastination.

I work best under the pressure of a fixed deadline. The habit stems from my days as a columnist and before that, from college, where I learned how to write news on deadline. Staring at a blank screen with a deadline looming was unnerving at first. But the consequences of not doing the work on time were so extreme--getting an F for the assignment, for example--that I learned quickly.

Learning how to cage the inner critic and summon the muse at will is good practice for any writer. It's also an excellent way to learn about letting go. Which is why I've given myself a writing deadline for the weekend.

Monday is the submission deadline for a proposed story for Stay at Home Moms and Power Moms, a book in development for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. The market's a paying one and the required length is only 300-1200 words. I'm on it.

Word of the Day

2008-08-27T10:15:00.010-05:00

Not yet started on MA because it took me an hour to clean up my inbox and chat with S's speech teacher about concerns for the coming school year. One of the last emails I read was my Word of the Day from Wordsmith.org. Today's word: argillaceous. No clue what it means? It was a new one for me, too. Look it up here. I try to use my word of the day in a sentence the day it arrives in my inbox. This should be interesting. I can't even imagine my characters saying it.