BASIL AND THE BREAD

Check out my latest story on knowonder! BASIL AND THE BREAD is a retelling of a middle-eastern folktale. Don't read it on an empty stomach!

Cultivating the Imagination

Ah! Those brilliant Bronte girls! Last night I watched an extensive documentary on the family, and was amazed at the level the Brontes lived inside their imaginations. The early loss of their mother and two older sisters seemed to drive them into imaginary worlds as a way to escape the pain of reality. Did you realize when they decided to write novels as a means of income, that they sat down and wrote AGNES GREY, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and JANE EYRE in a period of two months!? Which proves how alive these characters and settings already were to the sisters. They wrote themselves. 

My agent, Bree Ogden, has a great post on inspiration and WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Read it here.

When I was a little girl, I was an absolute introvert. But I didn't need anyone to interact with outside of my mind. My parents had read to me early and much, and I had a whole landscape of characters I morphed into. Generally, I was a cat (my mother indulged me by pinning "tails" to my pants) going so far as to hiss and claw on all fours whenever we had company. My other favorite personas were mice (more tails) and bunnies (even more tails.) I recall spending one entire day as a fly, crawling backwards (I'd read they did that) and looking upside down at the ceiling, as if I were stuck to it. When I was bored at school, I would imagine my teachers and fellow classmates as their alter-ego animal selves, sometimes sticking to a certain species and sometimes creating a veritable mental zoo. Of course, as a teenager, my ultimate dream was to appear in CATS on Broadway.

I slept with my feet on my pillow, a la Pippi, became a spy with Harriet, and attempted, and very nearly ate, a fried worm. My mother even helped me fry it. She's the best. :)

As a freshman, I won an anonymous story contest by writing about a woman who hid her husband's head in a hatbox and kept it in her coat closet. That's all I remember of the tale, except that it was funny, and how I blushed when my classmates voted for it! 

I would love to tap into the imagination of my young self again. As I listen to the worlds my kids create as they play, I try to summons that younger me. I still love to pretend, only these days I call it writing and acting. Too much imagination can get you into scrapes, (as Anne Shirley will tell you) especially when you can no longer separate the two worlds (ask Branwell and Charolette Bronte.) But what a dull place this world would be without those of us who never really grow up. 

Lately writing has been such a refuge. I don't think I'll be able to churn out a decent novel in two months, but I've been surprised by my creative output. As a staff writer for a magazine, I have to submit several stories a month. I've been snatching at every idea that flits by, and quit being so careful. It's freeing. 

So, how do you release/tap into your imagination, especially when reality bites?

New Year, New Stories!

Check out my story THE BEAN CURD BEAUTY on knowonder! I'm a staff writer for them now, so more stories to come! Leave a comment if you like the story! And HAPPY NEW YEAR to you! http://www.knowonder.com/category/knowonder-stories/

Knowonder! Stories | knowonder!

Knowonder! Stories | knowonder!

www.knowonder.com

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE!

Life is what happens between blog posts, and by looking at the time lapsed between my last blog post and this, you can tell I've had a lot of "life" happening. The week before Willy Wonka opened, my wonderful mother-in-law passed away after a painful illness. She was absolutely the funniest person I've ever known, and so full of life that she never really will leave us. Part of life is death, I know, but it can leave you speechless.

And part of life is . . . life. We are expecting our eleventh child in the spring, so I'm writing like mad to get ahead of deadlines. Which brings me to some good writing news!

I've been hired as a staff writer for knowonder! online magazine! So please watch for my stories there. It's a  fabulous concept. Check it out!

Our local community theater just presented It's a Wonderful Life, the Radio Show. My teenage daughter played Mary, and I couldn't help but bawl a little when we all sang Auld Lang Syne. For all it's ups and downs, heartaches and tears, the joys win out; it really is a wonderful life. I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and resolve to blog more in the New Year!

WONKA MANIA

It's the 40th Anniversary of the 1971 WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY movie. I turned 40 this year, too. So to celebrate, we're producing WILLY WONKA THE MUSICAL with Wellington Children's/Community Theater. I'm knee deep in Oompa-Loompas, and loving it!

I have to confess that I'm having more fun than a director ought to have, because these kids have SO much talent and energy! And there are so many cool effects and fun sets involved.

But let's talk about Roald Dahl, the author of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. As a writer, he broke all kinds of bounds and he broke some rules, too. I mean, alliterative characters (Grandpa George, Grandma Georgina??) and obvious morals, to name a couple. But who doesn't love it? I sure do.

So look out for some fun film facts and production updates in the upcoming weeks. If you could play any character from the show or book, who would it be? (I cast myself as Mrs. Gloop. My husband is playing Wonka.)

What's your favorite Roald Dahl book?

Did you know that the girls playing Veruca and Violet in the '71 version both had a crush on the kid who played Charlie? You can see a little fight between them on the boat ride. Check out Charlie's look of surprise. He was clueless.

Fred Astaire wanted to be Wonka in that movie. Can you imagine how different it would have been? Astaire was much closer than Gene Wilder to the proper age for a retiring chocolate factory owner, but I love Gene Wilder's performance.

Okay, your turn!

LIBRARIAN LU'S VIEW

IT'S LU'S BIRTHDAY TODAY! Wish her Happy Birthday, please!

I think CHILDREN'S LIBRARIANS are just about the greatest people on earth. I'm blessed to be friends with a few, and if you want to know what's hot off the press and a really good read, just ask your local librarian. Meet Lu, Children's Librarian Extraordinaire and all-round lovely person!

How long have you been a children's librarian?

I've worked in libraries for a long time! I started out in junior high as a student library aide. (3 years) I worked as an aide in the children's department of a public library for 2 years. I've been a school librarian for 20 1/2 years.

What's your favorite thing about your job?

Getting students excited about reading or a particular author. It's great when they ask for a book that I've reviewed or read to them. The second thing I like is reading children's literature. I've always have a book going.

What was your favorite book growing up?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I wanted to be Jo, the main character. She was a tomboy who wanted to be a writer. I was a tomboy that didn't know I wanted to write until high school. My favorite books now are by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I love her "Missing" series.

What good book(s) have you read lately?

The latest children's book I've read is Operation Yes. I've also read a fantasy by Mercedes Lackey recently and I'm currently reading a mystery based on Jane Austen's books. I prefer science fiction/fantasy or mysteries.

You're also a writer. Tell us about what you're writing at this time.

Currently I'm working on a middle grade science fiction/fantasy called Saving the Light. It's about a boy that learns to deal with the death of his father while learning to be a Thought Bender, someone that can manipulate energy and matter. Since at an atomic level that's what everything is made of, the possibilities are endless.

Have a Burning Question for Lu about books (hers or others), the ins and outs of a library, what kids are reading or what's trending? Ask away! Thanks, Lu!

THE PENGUINS HAVE SPOKEN!

The penguins have drawn a name, and the lucky winner of the MR. POPPER'S PRIZE PACKAGE IS:  Small Town Shelly Brown! Congratulations, Shelly! Please send an email with your mailing address to mlbrown90 @ att dot net. WOO HOO for you! Thanks to all who entered!