| Winning Son |
[May. 28th, 2008|09:35 am] |
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Our Memorial Day weekend was very busy. We went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to see our son run at the National Outdoor Track Meet in the 1500 meter race. He won with a time of 3:46.89. He broke the track record at Oshkosh and his school's record for that race. He is a National Champion and a four time All American. And he graduated on Sunday from Wartburg. We are very happy for him. Best of all, he has a job to go to on Monday June 2. What more could we want. |
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| Recent readings |
[May. 8th, 2008|01:20 pm] |
At our recent SCBWI conference at Bettendorf, Iowa, I renewed an acquaintance with Kashmira Sheth. If you don't know Kashmira, I must tell you, she is one of the loveliest ladies I have ever met. Anyway, I just read two of her books, Koyal dark, Mango sweet and Keeping Corner. These books give wonderful insight into the lives of young girls in India. I was amazed by the traditions kept by the families in her stories. I recommend these books.
I also read Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy. This book tells the story of one of the twelve children that survived the Lodz ghetto during WWII. The story is written in free-verse poetry. I read this book aloud to my special ed high school students. They were spellbound. The writing is beautiful. The main character of the book, Sylvia, is still alive and works in the Holocaust Museum.
I am now reading Twilight. My friend, Diane, the manager at our local Barnes and Noble recommended this YA novel to me. She said, "I don't care for vampire stories but you have got to read this book. It is the best YA I have read in a long time." I am about half way through the book and it is great.
Mailed my pb ms yesterday when I got home from work. Now the waiting begins. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 7th, 2008|08:40 am] |
Good morning everyone,
It has been a very long time since I have written on this blog. I am well and I have been working on my writing. I do have a goal to get a novel written by next September. Our October Iowa SCBWI conference is going to be on novels. I recently sent a query to publisher for a holiday story that I have. Today I will put a pb ms in the mail to another house. You don't get published if you don't send your work out. |
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| Easing into the New Year |
[Jan. 4th, 2007|08:07 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | busy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | New Age | ] |
I for one am relieved to have the holidays finished. Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays but I am always ready for them to be over when they are over. The Old Poop and I had our oldest son, his wife and two children, ages 2 and 4 with us from the 28th of Dec through the first of Jan. Our second son was home from school and he went to pick up his girlfriend in Charles City on the 28th and she joined us from the 28th through yesterday afternoon, Jan. 3. The house was full of noise and laughter. The little girls sang Christmas songs and nursery rhymes constantly when they weren't fighting over toys. I was cooking three meals everyday. I hadn't had to do that since second son went to college. It was fun but I'm pooped.
Now I am ready to get back to my routine. I have ideas for several stories and I want to get to work on them. I also have written out my writing goals for 2007. I plan to print them on a pretty piece of paper to hang by my computer so I won't forget them. |
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| Racing to Christmas |
[Dec. 22nd, 2006|11:32 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  happy | ] |
Hi all,
I don't know about you but I'm running as fast as I can to try and get ready for Christmas. I have been so busy with students at the high school, I can hardly see straight. When I get home from school I am pooped. I have the gifts purchased but not wrapped. I don't have the evergreen garland on the stairway yet. I haven't baked. I will get fired up Saturday morning and move mountains like I have done every other year.
I am looking forward to the winter break from school so I can rest and hopefully do a little writing. I have an idea for a Christmas story centered around Mrs. Claus. But I need some quiet time at home to work on it.
To wrap this up, I wish each and everyone of you a Happy Christmas and a Joyous New Year.
Karry |
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| After the race. |
[Nov. 21st, 2006|08:22 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | awake | ] |
The National Cross Country meet in West Chester, Ohio was a disaster for our son and his teammates. They had such high hopes but everything got stuck in the mud. It had rained for nearly a month in West Chester. Needless to say, the field where the race took place was a swamp. The kids ran through mud at least six inches deep. Some of the puddles were deep enough that they sank to their knees. This meet was a disappointment to the seniors. My son has another year to run at Nationals but that didn't help him last Saturday.
Now we get to move on to Thanksgiving. There will be a small gathering around my table this year. I am okay with that. We have had many years with 15-22 people at our home for the holiday. I always plan to sit in the living room with the fireplace going sipping tea and enjoying a book after that big meal but never had a chance. I think I will get to relax after the meal this year. I'm looking forward to that. I wish all the LJ members a happy and safe holiday. DON'T EAT TOO MUCH TURKEY! |
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| Road Trip |
[Nov. 16th, 2006|08:05 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | determined | ] |
Today will be a busy day. It will be my last day at the high school this week. I am taking a personal day tomorrow as the Old Poop and I are joining two couples to travel to West Chester, Ohio for the National Cross Country Races. Each of us has a son running in this race for Wartburg College. I am hoping with all my heart that our son can make All American this year. He has worked toward this goal since sophomore year in high school. Making All American this year would take a great deal of pressure off his senior year at college.
Our Young Authors Club (YAC) is doing very well. The kids are so excited about writing. The young students who can't write much, draw their story. Then they come to us and have us write the words for them to accompany the pictures. It is great.
I always look forward to Thursday as it is YAC day.
I have been doing alot of writing in my head and not much on paper. I must flip that situation. I have plenty of ideas in my head, just need to get them on paper. |
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| TGIF |
[Nov. 10th, 2006|09:06 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  numb | ] |
I do like my job but when Friday gets here, I am ready for the work week to be done.
Special Ed kids take all the energy I have and then some.
I have done a final revision on my 'Chicken Sisters' ms. I intend to get it in the mail this weekend.
I have started reading Herbert Hoovers memoirs. I want to write a historical fiction about the time prior to US involvement in WWI. I also have a little Christmas story rolling about in my head. What I need is several 'snow days' so I can do some writing. |
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| Vote |
[Nov. 7th, 2006|03:29 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Celtic | ] |
Vote everyone. If it is the only thing you do today, do that one thing.
I spent some time today going over a ms that I hope to get in the mail by the end of the month.
I am still settling my thoughts from the IA SCBWI conference. I got so much information that I want to file so I can find it later. It was great to see and meet the wonderful people that attend conferences. I always feel so encouraged after a conference. I am going to attend a one day event in Illinois this Saturday with 3 writer friends. I know it will be a good day. |
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| IA SCBWI CONFERENCE |
[Oct. 28th, 2006|09:12 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | drained | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Celtic | ] |
What a conference we had last weekend. The speakers included Bruce Coville, Maghan Day, editor from Holiday House, D'Anne Love, Sid Fleischman, Deborah Hopkinson, Deborah Kaplan, art director, Lin Oliver, Michael Stearns, ed.director at Harper Collins, Paul Rodeen, agent, Lisa Yee, and Cheryl Zach. It was so wonderful to listen to these professionals and to have them share with us some of their wisdom. I had a great time. Our RA, Connie H. did out did herself by putting this slate of speakers together for us.
I attended a breakout session by Lin Oliver on dialog. It was very good and I am anxious to apply her suggestions to my writing.
Kimm, I understand you were at out conference but I never had a chance to meet you. |
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| Homecoming 2006 |
[Sep. 28th, 2006|09:12 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Judy Collins | ] |
Another Homecoming will take place at Linn Mar High School this week. The school spirit is high and the students are looking forward to a great parade, football game and dance. This week at school wears me out but I do love the excitement.
Our youngest son ran at the Roy Griak Cross Country race in Minneapolis, MN last Saturday. There was over 550 runners in Andy's race. The race was won by the same student that won it last year and he did a great job. Andy came in 37th and he was the third Wartburg College runner. We were very happy for him.
Our little granddaughter, Mackenzie, turned 4 last Sunday, Sept.24. She called me at 9 AM to say,"Nana, I got presents." Mackie lives in Illinois with her parents and little sister, McKenna. Mackenzie got clothes, a Barbie, and toy house cleaning tools. Mackenzie gave McKenna the toy tools to play with so she could play with her new Barbie in peace.We are going to Illinois on October 13, to celebrate both girls birthdays, McKenna b-day is October 19.
Back to the world of writing. I have been asked along with another children's writer to start a Young Writer's Club at one of our area elementary schools. We are planning to meet with students K-5 once a week to encourage them to learn the skills to write. I am so excited I can hardly sit still. Nothing is more inspiring or motivating than being around kids. I know they will have great ideas to write about . |
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| Too bad, so sad |
[Sep. 14th, 2006|08:37 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | disappointed | ] |
I got a great rejection letter from Kathleen Quinn of Cartwheel Books. She enjoyed reading my ms about a little girl spending the night at her grandparents. She said the story was enjoyable for the older reader as well as the child. And this is the best part, she said I was a talented writer. But unfortunately, they don't have room on their list for my ms.
Karry |
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| Too many things going on... |
[Sep. 13th, 2006|08:37 am] |
The new school year has started. In fact we are in the fourth week of school. I have moved to an MD classroom. I love the teacher that I work with. She is very dynamic and positive. Our classroom has freshmen through seniors with many levels of abilities and disabilities. I really like being in this classroom but it requires so much energy. I am sooooo pooped when I get home I plop on the sofa and can't move for 30 minutes.
Using my energy for school has put a halt on my writing. But I am still thinking of writing. In fact, because I have spent my time thinking, while I'm on the sofa gathering strength for the rest of the day, I now realize what I want to do with a picture book ms I started a couple of years ago.
I am going to attend the Iowa SCBWI conference in Iowa City in October. This conference will be on of the best we have had. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 4th, 2006|04:04 pm] |
What a beautiful Independence Day we are having. We will be lighting the grill in about an hour. My husband and I went to a holiday party put on by one of my mentor students. Her parents help her with the party and it is wonderful. They have a pond in their back yard for canoeing and fishing. They have a 3 story home and a pool. They invited about 250 people to this party, Kelsey's friends from school, their friends from church, work and the neighborhood.
I have completed the first draft of chapter one of the middle grade novel I want to plot and start writing this summer. I can't believe I have a chapter ready to take to my critique group this week. It has been hard work, but it has been fun also. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 7th, 2006|07:41 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
It has been awhile since I have added to this blog. I have been busy ending another year at the high school. Ending this year involved not only giving and grading finals but moving two classrooms. I will be with a different teacher next year. I will be in the MD, mentally disabled, classroom. I will be leaving a teacher I have worked with for the past five years. It was not my idea to leave this teacher. The district I work in has chosen to shake things up in Special Ed. All spec ed students other than those in MD, BD, or Severe and Profound will be integrated into general ed classes. This is a good move for some of our students and I am happy for them. They will rise to the challenge of learning and do well. But there are others that will find the gen ed much harder and I worry they will shut down. I can only hope and pray all will work out well. That the student won't fall through the cracks, that no child will be left behind. It bothers me that those in Washington who haven't returned to a classroom since they left are making the decisions for those in the classroom.
My daughter-in-law and two little granddaughters left yesterday for their new home in Illinois. They had been living with us for the past six weeks. What a six weeks that was. Our son took a job in Illinois.Jessica teaches fifth grade at one of our local elementary schools. She wanted to finish her year and that is the reason for living with us. I love those little girls to pieces but they are high maintenance. Always on the go as any 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 should be. But this Nana gets pooped by 7 pm.
I do have writing goals for the summer. I am taking a writing weekend with a few friends soon. We plan to study and share. We did this writing weekend last year and had great fun. My biggest goal for the summer is to plot a middle grade novel. |
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| New position |
[May. 24th, 2006|09:43 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | chipper | ] |
I had a stressful day yesterday. The stress was both positive and negative. Next year many changes will be made in the way the special ed classes are handled in the high school. All students will be in general ed classrooms except the mentally disabled, the severe and profound, and behavior disorders. A teacher approached me asking if I would like to go with her to the MD classroom next year. I thought about this and discussed it with my husband. I decided to go. But by making this change I am leaving another teacher out in the cold. I don't know the second teacher very well. So the good stress was being asked to accompany Mrs. S to MD. The bad stress was telling Mrs. J I would not be with her next year.
Now one of the pluses of going to MD is this, I have an idea for a story about a Downs Syndrome girl. I will get first hand experience from the students I will be working with. How cool is that. I know next year will be a learning year for me and I am looking forward to it. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 18th, 2006|10:28 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
I am totally disgusted. In our biology class we have been studying evolution. I find this subject fascinating. We talked about the teacher in Tennessee years ago that dared to teach Darwin's theory of evolution. That teacher and Darwinism were put on trial. Then I rented the video, "Inherit the Wind" for the class to watch. I had told the kids the movie was old but it was a great movie. So today we started the movie in class. I hadn't heard so much complaining since I had told my youngest son to shave before going to his sister-in-laws college graduation. These kids first didn't like the movie being in black and white. Then they didn't like the singing. Then they didn't know the actors. Then they said there was too much talking and not enough action. What a bunch of whiny butts. I am glad school is nearly over for the year.
I am meeting my writer's group tonight at Barnes and Noble. We are a productive group. We meet weekly to work on projects, critique, revise, brainstorm and cry over returned ms. Our plan for this summer is that each of us will write a novel. |
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| Celebration |
[May. 17th, 2006|08:59 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | cheerful | ] |
Yesterday my daughter-in-law was offered a teaching position at a year-round school in Mc Henry, Illinois. She accepted and we went out to eat to celebrate. Because Scott is in construction, they felt they could not seriously look at buying a house until Jessica had a job. So not the hunt begins. The school year at the year-round school starts at the end of July. They will be playing beat the clock to get everything done. They will also be looking for child care for the little girls. I do not envy them that job.
Yesterday was also a day of disappointment for me. I got a return of my historical fiction ms from the last of 10 houses I had sent it to. I may share this story with another critique group to see if they see weak areas that I can develop more. My current writer's group has looked at it so many times, I don't know that we see it clearly anymore. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 15th, 2006|10:49 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  blah | ] |
Another gloomy Monday. Where are the Mama's and the Papa's to sing Monday, Monday. I feel I am becoming melancholy. My spring flowers even look a little sad.
I did have a great Mother's Day and I hope that all my mother friends had a great day also. Flowers, cards, and phone calls came in from my children. My husband gave me the best gift this year. He gave me a copy of Nanny McPhee. If you haven't seen this video I encourage you to run out and rent it. The movie is delightful. All ages seem to love it. My 3 1/2 year old granddaughter loved it and when I showed it to some of my high school classes during free time last Friday, they all loved it. This story follows a great story arc.
We have 14 days of school left. Three weeks of our daughter-in-law staying with us left. Two weeks before our youngest is home from school. By the 8th of June I should have my house back to myself and time to write. I don't wish anyone away but I have missed my quieter evenings. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 10th, 2006|02:21 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | good | ] |
I have read every night before bed for so many years that I can't go to sleep until I have read something. My daughter-in-law has started this habit with our little granddaughters. Part of the joy of having the girls staying with us is the reading at bedtime. I love it. I have collected so many picture book over the years. In fact the copy of Eric Carle's 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' that I have is nearly 30 years old. I bought it when our oldest son was 6 months. Anyway, I have been doing the reading to Mackenzie while Jessica reads to McKenna. It is like a walk down memory lane to get those books out again to read. Mackenzie curls up against me and we read, look at pictures and discuss the story. It is wonderful. I have enough books that we won't have to read any of them twice and we read 2 or 3 books a night.
After reading to Mackenzie last night, I read several chapters of 'The Book Thief'. The Nazi's are coming into power and the protagonist Liesel has joined a Hitler Youth Group. Her foster father does not support Hitler, but he keeps that to himself. Liesel has nightmares every night and it is her foster father that comes to comfort her during the night. One night she has the nightmare but she also wets the bed. When her foster father comes to her aid, he changes the sheets on her bed and finds a book she has hidden under the mattress. He asks about the book and learns it is one she found in the snow at her younger brother's funeral. The book is titled, 'The Gravediggers Handbook'. He asks if she can read it. She can only read about three words. So midnight school starts. Every night her foster father teaches her the basics of reading.
I read many more pbs and middle grade books than YA. But this YA is very good so far.
I got a phone call from a writer friend who was kind enough to critique a ms for me. I felt something was missing but couldn't put my finger on the problem. She offered several ideas. I will think on these ideas for several days before I do any changing. I think my protagonist hasn't made clear what she wants clearly enough. |
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