Storyteller's Journey + Book GIVEAWAY!

Gratitude -  (n.)

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

During this Thanksgiving weekend, Americans across the country are remembering all the blessings they have been given. Family, friends, freedom, and faith are gifts that I am so grateful for, among others.

This year, the story I wrote over six years ago - The Scandinavian Santa - finally came to life. It was an experience that I can only compare to that of giving birth (which I did three times!). The labor pains were horrendous, but seeing my little creation after so many months was sublime. The response I've received from all types of people has been overwhelmingly positive. And I've met so many fantastic folks that I never would have met had not I been marketing our children's storybook. I'm grateful for the entire experience.

Therefore, it's a great time for a giveaway! Two signed copies of The Scandinavian Santa will be given to two lucky people who comment on this blog post. The winners will be announced next Friday, 12/5,  here on Writ of Whimsy.

(Be sure to leave the name of your blog, a link to your website, a twitter tag, etc. so I can contact you if you happen to be a winner!)

    Best wishes for a holiday season filled with hope and joy!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Raconteur - (n.)

a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way.

Example: Every year during the holidays, Grandpa Joe becomes a real raconteur of tales from his childhood.

Bibliophile's Corner

Greenglass House
by Kate Milford

Amazon Description:
It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo's home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House - and themselves.

My Thoughts:
This well-written middle grade novel has complex character development and a plot with lots of twists and turns. The settings Ms. Milford created in her wintertime story - including the creepy old inn, and a cliffside tram - are wonderful. I would highly recommend Greenglass House to readers from the ages of eight to twelve.

Click here to learn more about the talented author, Kate Milford.

Storyteller's Journey

Back to Basics

In this digital age that offers all of us so many ways to save time, sometimes I find the old fashioned ways of crafting a story more to my liking. (Art by Michael Lindstrom - copyright 2014)

Pictured above is a dummy book for my middle grade fantasy novel: The Tale of Willaby Creek. I assembled my manuscript inside a "view binder" with the thought that jotting down notes and comments would be easier for my awesome beta reader - since she can do so on the blank sides of the pages. I'm hoping that the mock cover will give her a sense that she is reading a real book. (I "borrowed" this idea from a writer friend; I acted as one of his beta readers several years ago.)

While I have someone who acts as my editor, he uses the software that makes changes/comments in red directly on the electronic copy of my manuscript. I've never liked it, or gotten used to it, but I work with it. However, I'm well aware that I need to get on board with the current software available to writers today as I continue on my writer's journey.

The thing is, prior to sending it to an editor, I really enjoy the hands on approach to crafting a story. From penning a handwritten outline, to creating 3 X 5 inch character cards, to sketching a cover design that my talented husband brings to life after I've completed a manuscript. I find I'm much more in touch with my own story by doing these tasks, and it's great fun. Sometimes going back to basics is the best way!

Do you ever use old fashioned techniques when crafting your stories?

Whimsical Word of the Week

Whiffet - (n.)

an insignificant person; a whippersnapper.

Example: The schoolmaster treated William like a little whiffet; he planned to prove the pompous man wrong.

Bibliophile's Corner

West of the Moon
by Margi Preus

Flap Copy Description:
When her aunt sells her to a cruel goat farmer, Astri is separated from her little sister for the first time since their father left to seek his fortune in America. Treated not much better than the goats she tends, Astri makes a daring escape and retrieves her sister, and together they set off, bound for a ship to reunite with their father.
Armed with a troll treasure, a book of spells and curses, and a possibly magic hairbrush, their company soon includes a mysterious companion who can spin straw into gold. With the malevolent "goatman" in pursuit, the threesome head over the Norwegian mountains, through field and forest, and in and out of folktales and dreams as they steadily make their way east of the sun and west of the moon.

My Thoughts:
West of the Moon has already created a buzz in the Kidlit community, so I wasn't surprised that I loved it. The award-winning author Margi Preus, has skillfully woven an enchanting tale that is part fiction, part folklore, and completely fantastic. One of the things I admire most about the book is the complexity of its main character: Astri. It is always a powerful element in a story to see how the protagonist transforms from the first act to the last. Bravo, Margi Preus!

To learn more about the author - a Newbery Honor Winner - click here: http://www.margipreus.com/margipreus.com/About_Me.html

Storyteller's Journey

Diversity Questions

One of the most talked about topics in the Kidlit community these days is the need for diverse characters in children's books. I couldn't agree more. Whether it's diversity with regard to ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical challenges, or neurological conditions, young people need and deserve to see themselves in the books they read.

That being said, as writers it isn't as simple as it might sound to accomplish that in our stories. It brings to mind several questions:
1- Is it appropriate to write/create a Black, Asian, or Native American protagonist (or any other person of color) if you're not of that ethnicity?
2- If you do attempt to include a character with one of the diversities mentioned in the first paragraph, how do you avoid stereotyping?
3- Is it beneficial to young readers to create diverse characters in our stories just to be politically correct?
4- Shouldn't the story dictate what kind of character we create?

These are just a few of the questions that come to my own mind.

However, just because there are a plethora of issues as to how and when to include diverse characters in our stories, that doesn't mean we shouldn't take the path to enlightenment with regard to this issue. Since one of the middle grade novels I've written includes a secondary character of Chinese descent, I am personally interested in learning as much as I can about this issue. My goal is to create a character that will very much resonate with girls of Chinese descent. The last thing I want to do is to represent an ethnic group in a stereotypical fashion.

One of my very favorite children's authors - Grace Lin - is a member of an advisory committee for We Need Diverse Books. Check out their official campaign site:http://weneeddiversebooks.org/advisory-board/ This wonderful website offers resources, news, interviews, and other opportunities to educate ourselves about diverse books, as well as ways to get involved.

If we are truly committed to accomplishing the goal of giving young readers books that effectively reflect their own individual experiences, then we must support this movement and learn as much as possible.

As a writer, what are your thoughts on this important subject?