Our Book Cover and More

It's official, Marshall Cavendish, the publisher of The Poets' Garage anthology of spooky poems, has a cover, not to mention interior illustrations. Can't show you the inside but, since they posted the cover on their fall list, I think it's okay to post it on my blog. Our illustrator is the enormously talented Johan Olander, author and illustrator of The Field Guide to Monsters and, the upcoming The Field Guide to Aliens (also being released this fall).

We Garagers are ecstatic and so pleased with the whole project. The illustrations are quite spooky - yeah, downright creepy - and we're hoping kids will love them - and our poems - as much as we do.

Many many thanks to our wonderful moderators and editors, Laura Wyncoop and Jennifer Cole Judd, for never giving up in the face of rejection after rejection.

Please wish us luck!

Another Soggy Weekend

Yesterday, we had yet another nor'easter pound the island with heavy rain and 60 mph gusts. We had scattered power outages, too. It's getting depressing. Last weekend was nice - real nice - so this weekend, dammit, we pay. Along about Monday, the sun should pop out and nice weather return. Of course. It will be time for me to go back to work then. It totally stinks.

During the storm, the tide was low and the canal almost emptied out. With the winds churning in the opposite direction, the water was being pushed out of the bay. Normally during a storm, we have exceptionally high tides. Weird.

Anyhow, this morning it's uncannily quiet. The canvas is resting lopsided over the boat and the street is littered with roof shingles and branches. Don't think the roof tiles are ours. We had a new roof put on a few years back. March came in like a lion on speed. Let's hope the rest of the month is a little calmer.

The daffodils are pushing up and even the peonies are beginning to nudge their way through the soil. Last fall I planted a couple of dozen tulip bulbs so I'm excited to see how they'll look. The windowsills are filled with tubs of tomato seeds. Dennis even went out and bought raspberry bush plants. Don't know where we can plant those but in a few years we'll have fresh raspberries. Yum! Come on, spring.

The Olympics and Writing

So, I'm watching the 2010 Winter Olympics from the snugly warmth of my own couch. Julia Mancuso is hurtling down the slalom course in the fog. I ski, too, but nothing like her. Not even close. Yet I sort of know how she feels. I've skied down in the fog, barely able to see the lay of the terrain in front of me and expecting, any minute, to go careening down, head over heels, scattering my equipment in all directions. Maybe even breaking a limb or suffering a concussion. I had a concussion once from skiing (negotiating the moguls).

Most of them time, however, I don't, because I'm far too cautious. And slightly scared. When I write, however, I sort of feel like Julia or Lindsay or any one of those skiers. I'm hurtling downhill in the fog, down, down, down with the wind in my face, wondering what bumps or ruts I'm going to hit and if I will hold in there till the end. Will I fling up my arms and call it quits or keep going till I make it down to the bottom, down to the end of the trail?

Writing is a lot like flying down a ski slope, unable to see beyond the next curve in the trail. But man, what a trip!

The Power of Picture Books

Today I read Sarah Stewart's and David Small's Caldecott Honor book, The Gardener, to a group of second graders. It's a lovely, lovely book set during the Great Depression when a loaf of bread only cost a nickel and Franklin Roosevelt was the president. The story is written in the form of letters from Lydia Grace who is sent to live with her Uncle Jim until her parents' economic situation improves.

Her uncle owns a bakery in New York and never smiles. But Lydia Grace, who loves gardening, fills his window boxes with flowers and his world with beauty and in the process attracts more and more customers to his languishing bakery. She even prepares a surprise for her uncle on the rooftop of their bakery by turning it into a charming garden. Uncle Jim still doesn't crack a smile, but he makes Lydia Grace a cake decorated with flowers - "the equal of one thousand smiles" she says. At the end, Lydia Grace gets a letter stating that her papa has a new job and she's going home. Before she boards the train, her Uncle Jim gives her a big, heartfelt hug.

At that point, I started crying and my students looked at me, wondering what was wrong. "It's nothing," I said. It's just that David Small's picture of Uncle Jim hugging her was filled with so much love and feeling and it reminded me of the last time I said goodbye to my dad. He'd hugged me the same way. His diabetes had gotten worse and my mom said that he sensed his end was near. Two months later he died in his sleep.

Picture books can speak to the heart in so many ways.

Looking Forward

The new year stretches before me like a smooth, untraveled road. Okay, that sounds a little cliche, but that's how I envision it- as a long road bordered by various attractions. Here are just a few things I'm looking forward to:

1. The publication of An Eyeball in My Garden, a collection of spooky poems written by the members of The Poets Garage, published by Marshall Cavendish. The official publication date is July 15th and we're so very excited. Johan Olander is the marvelous illustrator and Laura Wyncoop and Jennifer Judd our editors.

2. Retiring from teaching. It's early, but I can do it. While I love the kids and the books and believe strongly in the power of books and teachers to shape young lives, apparently our district doesn't feel quite the same way. Librarians seem to be expendable. I don't like working in 3 different schools for people who don't seem to feel that a library is important. So, this is the year - I think. I haven't made an official announcement yet, but I'm 99% certain.

3. Attending art school. If Robert has room in his atelier, I'll be studying art this fall. I may have to wait a bit, though, until he has an opening. That's okay. At least I'll be able to take an art class during the day instead of in the evening when I'm tired.

4. Writing, writing, writing. I want to write a collection of poems, some picture books and more novels. I have in mind a story about growing up in Motown and a few other ideas I'm excited about.

5. Running. If my poor feet can handle it, I'd like to run a half marathon. We'll see.

6. Travelling. Husband and I want to see something of the world - Greece, Italy, England and Spain. The world beckons.

That's my short list. What are you looking forward to in 2010?

2010

Happy New Year, everybody! The new decade is upon us, and how happy I am! The past decade was a toughie and in so many ways I'm glad it's behind me. Still, I cherish all my memories of my kids growing up. There were times when I grumbled about having to attend 3 or 4 winter concerts in one season, about weekend long wrestling tournaments spent sitting on hard bleachers, about too much time spent chauffeuring my kids to cello lessons and violin lessons, to orchestra rehearsals and Boy Scout meetings. About too little time for me. Still, looking back at it all now, I wouldn't change a thing. Our "boys" are now young men, off on their own and living in their own apartments, forging a life for themselves. If we do our job right, wrote Neil Gaiman, they leave us (not his exact words).

Yet I did make some time for myself. When I turned 40, I bought a gym membership and began working out. I built muscles I never knew possible. And it felt good. I also began taking drawing classes, something I have never regretted. I discovered I still loved to draw and found it relaxing, yet challenging. I still take drawing classes. Somebody who's proficient at his/her craft is forever a student of it. Or so I believe.

And if I hadn't spent all those hours sitting on the bleachers during my son's wrestling tournaments, I may not have found my way back into writing. Out of boredom, I began to compose poems during those tournaments. It helped pass the time. And after years of reading tons of children's books to my kids as well as my students, I decided to try writing my own. All those years of reading had developed my feel for plot, characterization, and setting. In short, for story.

Life is too brief to spend it regretting the past. All we can do is to make the best of what's happened and look forward to the future.

Five Things On a Friday

I have neglected this blog for far too long. Time to check in. Maybe I should call it quits until my life simmers down. Anyhow, here's what's been going on.

1. A librarian in our district retired at the end of November. Instead of hiring a replacement for her, as we all expected they would, the district decided to make the rest of us cover all her classes. Result: I'm now working in 3 libraries and have been saddled with 17 new classes in the middle of the year. Aaaarghhhh!

2. I've been working hard on cleaning up a library that's been neglected for the last 5 years - perhaps even longer. Lots of junk has accumulated and I'm trying to declutter it. I came across 4 tape recorders (only 1 worked), a broken book-binding machine, 8 free mugs from a library supply company (two of which had the skeletal remains of spider crickets in them - ugh), boxes and boxes of spiral book binders, a complete set of childhood biographies of famous Americans that nobody has read in ages, a set of Biography Now (most of them published in the 60s and 70s) and all sorts of useless racks, cd holders, cassette tapes and things that I can only describe as worthless crap. The collection is pretty solid, although many of the books need to be replaced due to wear. I am also reconfiguring the layout of the library and replacing the dusty, uninspiring pictures with more kid friendly artwork and posters. The administration is trying to get us a nice bright area rug and I'm hoping we can get the library a fresh coat of paint sometime over the next few months. It's a challenge but it's gratifying to see how much better the library is already looking. I'll take a picture and post it soon.

3. After weeks of mild fall weather, winter descended on us in a furious blast of arctic air. After enjoying temperatures in the 50s, we're now shivering! Brrrrrr!

4. Speaking of shivering, I'm currently reading Maggie Stiefvater's YA novel, Shiver. What a beautifully written and intriguing love story. Hat's off to Maggie!

5. Anybody know what to get a husband who claims he has everything he needs? I wish I could knit.I'd make him a scarf and gloves. I used to knit and crochet but it's been years and I've forgotten how, sigh.

Enjoy the weekend, everybody!