Whimsical Word of the Week

Maw - (n.)
the jaws or throat of a voracious animal.
Example: The peasant man peered down the maw of the monster just before he stabbed, and killed it.

Bibliophile's Corner

They Say Blue
by Jillian Tamaki

Flap Copy Description:
Caldecott and Printz Honor-winning illustrator Jillian Tamaki brings us a poetic exploration of colour and nature from a young child’s point of view. They Say Blue follows a young girl as she contemplates colours in the known and the unknown, in the immediate world and the world beyond what she can see. The sea looks blue, yet water cupped in her hands is as clear as glass. Is a blue whale blue? She doesn’t know — she hasn’t seen one.

My Thoughts:
Ms. Tamaki has created a colorful masterpiece of a picture book! The text and illustrations are both exquisite. One of the elements of They Say Blue that I most admire is the movement and rhythm of the story. The book felt like a wonderful waterfall I was traveling upon. It's not surprising that the art of Jillian Tamaki, a 2015 Caldecott Honor winner, is simply spectacular. 
I highly recommend They Say Blue for children aged three to seven!

Click here to learn about author/illustrator, Jillian Tamaki.

Storyteller's Journey

Public Domain Photo

Jumping In!

Each month we host a get-together for a small group of artists in our home. Last month we happened to land upon the topic of how important it is to just "jump in" as an artist.

Since that meeting I've mused about what jumping in has meant to me as a writer. For every creative (professional) endeavor, one must have a great working knowledge of the craft. But, might it be possible to get so caught up in the rules that a writer fails to ever just jump in?

I believe so.

It's much easier to continue to study one's craft, than to ever just jump in. Fear is an obstacle that must be overcome before we can ever grow into our potential. On the flip side, impatience can sometimes be a writer's obstacle. If she doesn't want to take the time necessary to learn her craft, she might jump in prematurely, setting her career back.

I've been both impatient and fearful at different times along my journey.

How does one determine if it's time to jump in? Each writer must answer that question for herself. A  storyteller's journey is as unique as each writer. A good rule: Be professional every step along the way.

Jumping in was the key to my progress. After taking two college writing courses from an excellent author, I decided that no matter what, I, too, was going to be a published author. I began making choices like a published author. Here is a list of some of my choices:

* I set aside writing time that was non-negotiable

* I began attending as many writer events as possible

* I read loads of books on the craft of writing

* I began blogging regularly

* I began networking on social media sites regularly

* I have friendships with other writers

* I had a professional website created

* I purchased business cards

* I hired a professional editor

* I regularly attend a writers' critique group

* I send out quarterly newsletters

* I ultimately independently published three books

* I've had my own book signing events.

For me, I came to a "brick wall" and felt that to continue learning, I needed to keep moving forward. But to move forward, the next step was to publish my book independently. So, I jumped in.

When I jumped in, I was quickly overwhelmed. However, I also soon learned how to swim the waters of the publishing industry. Acquiring book formatting/a book cover/ISBN numbers, communicating with a major printing company, and scheduling book events, are just a few of the experiences that I am now confident I can do. (Also, since I'm an introvert, I believe that having my own book events was invaluable to my growth as an author.) Along the way, I also "learned the lingo" of the KidLit world. (Like all professions, we have our own language!)

The reason I say all this is that many of the *items in the list above are things that some writers would be afraid to do - like maintaining a website. I've heard so many writers say, "I've never had a book published. Why do I need a website?" (At least you need to obtain a domain name.) When you have your first book published, learning to navigate a website and other social media sites is not what you should be thinking about; it should be about marketing your book and starting another! There is so much work you can do prior to being published.

Jump in!

Remember: There's no substitute for writing on a daily basis.

Whimsical Word of the Week

Obstreperous - (adj.)
noisy and difficult to control.
Example: While the daycare worker claimed the children were obstreperous, all they needed was some kindness.

Bibliophile's Corner

Tiny, Perfect Things
by M.H. Clark
Illustrated by Madeline Kloepper

Flap Copy Description:
The whole world is a treasure waiting to be found. Open your eyes and see the wonderful things all around. This is the story of a child and a grandfather whose walk around the neighborhood leads to a day of shared wonder as they discover all sorts of tiny, perfect things together. With rhythmic storytelling and detailed and intricate illustrations, this is a book about how childlike curiosity can transform ordinary days into extraordinary adventures.

My Thoughts:
This recently released picture book features a lovely story with whimsical illustrations. (I love the artwork by Madeline Kloepper!)
Tiny, Perfect Things encourages children to not only see the wondrous things all around them - especially in nature - but to use their imagination and engage their curiosity to think about what they're seeing. I highly recommend it to readers aged three to seven!

Click here to read an interview with author, M. H. Clark.
Click here to learn more about the illustrator, Madeline Kloepper.

Storyteller's Journey

A Fantastic Kick-off to Fall!

The first day of fall kicked off for me with the SCBWI Oregon Retreat in Silverton, Oregon. Lots of excited writers and illustrators gathered together for three power-packed days.

The participants received lots of great information - and inspiration - from a faculty of four awesome agents (L-R): Jill Corcoran; Christy Tugeau Ewers; Adria Goetz; and Jenna Pocius. (Ms. Corcoran has accepted a new position with the Smithsonian - beginning on 10/1/18.)

The retreat was held at the Oregon Garden; the 80-acre botanical garden includes a whimsical children's garden - so wonderful for kids! Below are a few images from that lovely little garden:

This blue door pays homage to the classic children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden. (The door opens into a lovely secluded garden of its own!)

The Children's Garden even includes this hobbit door! While I didn't see either Bilbo, or Frodo Baggins, the door did bring J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit to mind.

The second day of the event I took a break with my critique partner, Kriston; we took a tram on a tour of the beautiful gardens. As we passed these two "clay people", the tour guide said, "And here we have Mr. and Mrs. Potts!" The quirky pair seemed to be saying, "Welcome to our little corner of the garden."

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Oregon Garden; spending time in the out of doors is one of my favorite things to do! L, Kriston - R, Victoria   Photo by Deb Cushman


While my visit to the Oregon Garden was wonderful, the main purpose for my visit to Silverton, Oregon was to attend the SCBWI Fall Retreat. I had a fantastic time! Learning from the four prominent literary agents - and making new friends - was extremely inspirational. Many thanks to the Oregon Regional Co-Advisors: Laura Byrd and Kimbra Kasch - and to Robyn Waters, Regional Illustrator Coordinator - for all the time and effort they put in to create such a successful SCBWI Fall Retreat! 🙂

Wishing everyone an awesome autumn season!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Cavil - (v.)
to make petty or unnecessary objections.
Example: The politician chose to cavil on and on during his filibuster.