Harry Potter Fans Unite with Alternity

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.