Storyteller's Journey

Lindstrom Wintertime Tales

Unexpected Validation

Since my first book's release in 2014, I've received consistent support for my stories, especially for the Lindstrom Wintertime Tales. It helps that my illustrations are from the fine artist, Michael Lindstrom.


That being said, most of my sales - and positive feedback - come in a face to face fashion. My most successful event is always the annual holiday festival, ScanFair, held in Portland, Oregon, each December.

It's probably not surprising, since the holiday event focuses on Christmas - which is always featured in my Lindstrom Wintertime Tales. (I've also released a middle grade novel, The Tale of Willaby Creek, that is a fantasy tale featuring anthropomorphic animals.)

However, I was completely taken aback when last month we had several return customers visiting our booth. They all asked, in various ways: "When will your next book be released? We thought you might have a new one this year." I felt encouraged and frustrated at the same time. How exciting is it to have a fan give you that validation, when it was completely unexpected? I felt like I'd received a kick in the behind. It's not that I haven't been writing, I have. I have a complete manuscript of a third tale, and am presently writing a fourth. However, my husband's art career has kept him very busy of late, so the illustrations for the books are lagging behind. We hope to remedy that this year.

As 2020 begins to unfold, I'm not only working on a fourth Lindstrom Wintertime Tale, I'm revising the work I completed during NaNoWriMo, as well as another MG novel set in WWII France. I'm also still hoping to continue querying my longtime completed project, Livvi Biddle.

Keeping a fan base happy is something I'd never thought about! 

Next Friday, I'll discuss my main goal for 2020. Happy writing!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Whangdoodle (n.)
an imaginary creature.
Example: The writer used her childhood whangdoodle as inspiration for her children's book.

Bibliophile's Corner

White Bird
by R. J. Palacio

Goodreads Description:
A Wonder story.

In R. J. Palacio's collection of stories Auggie & Me, which expands on characters in Wonder, readers were introduced to Julian's grandmother, Grandmere. This is Grandmere's story as a young Jewish girl hidden away by a family in Nazi-occupied France during World War II in graphic novel form.

My Thoughts:
This recent release from Ms. Palacio is a wonderful addition to her world of Wonder. While it is a tale of fiction, it was totally believable, set against the true life events of World War II in Nazi-occupied France. I especially appreciated the author addressing the Nazis' treatment of physically challenged persons during their reign of terror; it's the first book for children that I've read that does so. The novel shines a light on the courage that is sometimes required to show even a small act of kindness. I highly recommend White Bird to readers aged eight & up.

Click here to learn about the author, R. J. Palacio.

Storyteller's Journey

Near Hood River, Oregon

My Need for Nature

It's been thirteen years since the idea for my first story meandered across my mind. It happened while we were staying in a rustic cabin in the Olympic National Forest following a severe windstorm.


That story later became my MG novel, The Tale of Willaby Creek.

As each year has come and gone, I've been inspired to write a number of stories - so far, three of them have been published. In each case, the natural world has been a key component for the inspiration of each story. For whatever reason, the setting of a story is almost always the driving force to motivate me to write a specific tale. It's probably due to my lifelong connection to the natural world. That being said, I also find it extremely important that I make time to spend quality time out in nature - not only for inspiration, but also for my personal well being.

Spending more time in the natural world is one of my goals for 2020. Just as I find it essential that I make time to read, it's also essential that I spend time communing with nature - wherever I happen to be.

For the next few Fridays I'll be posting my thoughts on those important elements that I'll be focusing on this year for my storyteller's journey.

Where do you most often find your creative inspiration?

Whimsical Word of the Week

Salubrious - (n.)
something that is enjoyable and good for your health.
Example: The writer's resolutions for the new year included many that were of a salubrious nature.

Bibliophile's Corner

Keep Going - 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad
by Austin Kleon

Goodreads Description:
The creative life is not a linear journey to a finish line, it's a loop - so find a daily routine, because today is the only day that matters. Disconnect from the world to connect with yourself - sometimes you just have to switch to airplane mode. Keep Going celebrates getting outdoors and taking a walk (as director Ingmar Bergman told his daughter, "The demons hate fresh air"). Pay attention, and especially pay attention to what you pay attention to. Worry less about getting things done, and more about the worth of what you're doing. Instead of focusing on making your mark, work to leave things better than you found them.

Keep Going and its timeless, practical, and ethical principles are for anyone trying to sustain a meaningful and productive life.

My Thoughts:
Austin Kleon has done it again. His most recent release, Keep Going - 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, is informative, inspirational, and as usual, humorous. In this book, he speaks to all artistic souls, and discusses the seasons of the creative life, the importance of down time, and basically, says, 'give yourself some slack.' It was just the message I needed to hear after realizing I couldn't maintain the same pace I set during NaNoWriMo. I highly recommend Keep Going to anyone who is leading a creative life.

Click here to learn more about the bestselling author, Austin Kleon.

Storyteller's Journey

NASA Free Photo

What Stories Will 2020 Write?

While 2020 will be marked by the Mars 2020 Mission, which is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, other exciting events, such as the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo are on this year's calendar. Then, too, there is the highly-anticipated United States Presidential Election in November.


However, what other stories will be written? What stories for children will each of us write? Do we believe our stories even matter?

Over the holidays I spent time reflecting on these questions. I thought about the books that mattered to me as a child. There were those with classic names everyone would recognize. However, there were many I loved, whose titles I can't recall. All those Scholastic Books my mother ordered for me nearly every month provided me with almost constant entertainment and encouragement. Their names? Other than one of my favorites - Pippi Longstocking - I can't recall most of them now.

Several years ago I read an article about the books President Kennedy had enjoyed as a child. (Click here if you'd like to read it too.) While many of the books are famous classics, one book stood out to me:

I'd never heard of this book, and so I looked up a synopsis of it:
At the Back of The North Wind was serialized in the children's magazine Good Works for the Young beginning in 1868 and was published in book form in 1871. It is a fantasy centered on a boy named Diamond and his adventures with the North Wind. (Diamond flies together with the mysterious Lady North Wind through the night on her many adventures to help mankind.)

When you couple the George MacDonald book together with another of Kennedy's favorites, J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, a similarity comes to mind:
Both books feature a boy who is given the ability to fly away on an adventure.

I doubt that either MacDonald or Barrie ever dreamed that their books would be a favorite of a future U.S. President.


The reason I mention these books is that a book has a life of its own. While J. M. Barrie died in 1937, and George MacDonald in 1905, their books may well have inspired, at least unconsciously, President Kennedy to dream of sending the first men to the moon. While I've never learned of that possibility, it only makes sense, since the idea of flying to a faraway land was intriguing to President John F. Kennedy.

What impact might our books have - even long after we're gone? Even though our books might not inspire something as extraordinary as space travel, they might inspire a child to believe in her dreams.

So, as 2020 sets off on its journey through time, I'm reminded that my writing matters. My books matter. In my short career I've already had positive feedback to that effect by several readers. So, I write on.

Best of luck with your writing in 2020. It matters!