My Thoughts on Winnie the Pooh

When I was a little girl, Winnie the Pooh was well known and still is today. What makes such a great children's book? I have much to learn. I found these two books at an antique store in Guthrie, OK. I was so excited to read a children's classic. I'd seen Winnie the Pooh on television and read some books, but never the original. My first look inside the cover revealed that the initial copyrights were in 1926 and 1928. They were published in New York by E.P. Dutton and Co. The copies I have were reprinted in 1961. These are older than I am! It was fun to see the different writing styles and language from then until now.  For instance, now we say 'illustrated by...' These say "Decorated by Ernest H. Shepard." Everything we are taught about writing for children nowadays says to show and not tell. There is a lot of telling in Winnie the Pooh. There are also random words capitalized in the middle of sentences. I can't find any rhyme or reason for the capitalization. I know things change over time and I am struggling with changes in grammar rules just from my high school days.

The author A.A. Milne was an English writer (primarily a playwright) with one son named Christopher Robin Milne. He wrote the Winnie the Pooh books and the characters were based on the stuffed animals that Christopher Robin owned with the exception of Rabbit and Owl who were added by Mr. Milne. The stuffed animals are now on display in New York City.

A.A. Milne's quotes (of course, said by the characters) are some of the most touching words I've ever known. I can't read them without tearing up and turning into a blubbering idiot. Read them for yourself...               https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/81466.A_A_Milne

While reading the first book, I found some scribbles on two pages. I wondered about the child that used the purple marker. Was it a little boy or a little girl? Was it in the 1960's? Were they crouched on the rug in the living room in front of the television with jeans and sneakers. Did they get scolded for marking in the book? Where is this person now? How did these books end up at the antique store? I know my mind is a mysterious thing and when it gets going, the scenarios are endless. 

Confessions of a Junk Food Junkie

I bought a movie-sized box of Sugar Babies at the grocery store. Out of habit, I shook the box. Hmm. It didn't rattle. I was thinking "Bonus!" It must be filled so full it won't rattle. After I got home and anxiously opened the box, my heart sank. The Sugar Babies had melted into one huge glob and were stuck in the bottom of the box. It takes more than that to discourage a junk food junkie. It's taken me three days, but I've managed to eat most of them by digging them out with a knife. Next time I buy Sugar Babies, I'll know that if the box doesn't rattle, buy Milk Duds instead.

I am proud to display this on my blog. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest organizations for aspiring children's writers. Oklahoma has an incredibly talented group and I learn something from every event I attend. Do you want to write for children? Check out the Oklahoma website, sign up for the fall conference, and you will be one step closer to achieving your dream!  okscbwi.org

Let's Follow Them!

Here's the link to check out the newest book for my friend and critique partner, Marla Jones. I can't wait to get my signed copy!     http://t.co/3PNfb7rH5f 

Thanks, Mom!

I confess, I am a junk food junkie. Yes, being a dental hygienist makes it even more difficult to make that admission. You know, "do as I say, not as I do." But I digress. Every year at Easter, I look forward to peeps (pure sugar goodness) and jellybeans. I don't like gourmet jellybeans and forget the sour ones or anything out of the ordinary. Just plain old jellybeans...I love them! This year, trying to be a little more health conscious, I decided to give up peeps. But I was in a quandary. There were no jellybeans to be found. Finally, I found one individual size package at Wal Mart. I was frustrated. Even after Easter, I shopped around for the clearance sales and still no jellybeans. Yesterday, I got a text message from my mom "Check your mail".  I wasn't home and I didn't know what she meant. Check my mailbox, my email, what? Was something wrong? When I got home, I found a package on my front porch delivered by US Priority Mail. Hmmm, it was just like Christmas excitement! I ripped open the box and found three, yes THREE bags of jellybeans! Later, Tony asked what I planned to have for dinner. Of course, the answer was JELLYBEANS! Thanks, Mom. By the way, I will be out of jellybeans in a few days. Hint, Hint!

Ahh! Lovin' The Country Life

Every year, well for the last seven years or so, we've been blessed with watching a family of geese. I affectionately named the parents Edgar and Edna. Edna puts her nest on the island in the center of our pond. She rarely leaves the nest, but will occasionally come to the house for a bit of bread. Edgar on the other hand, is quite cute at the beginning of the nesting period. After a while though, he becomes a pest. He follows me around when I am outside, he peeks in the windows, and he even recognizes my car when I come into the driveway. I have to up our food budget so I can feed Edgar! He is a begging goose. He wants white bread...absolutely no sourdough or rye! He will even snatch bread from my hand now.  Seven little ones arrived last week and Edgar and Edna are teaching them to come for bread. We know the time is short. Every year, they take the little ones to a neighboring pond where they will stay until they are nearly grown. They'll come back here until they are ready to fly away. Then next year, it starts all over again!

Blanchard Intermediate School

Blanchard Intermediate School invited me to visit on their Family Reading Night. This was held before spring break (and it was also the birth week of Dr. Seuss),

 

The children were reading and taking tests for their AR points. They served a beautiful birthday cake and Seuss juice (how clever) and I was honored to read my book to the children. School is fun!

Writing Project

My current work is a chapter book. This book is for grades 1-4 with the younger children reading with parents or teachers. The main character's name is Mila Louise Denton. I can't tell you how I arrived at that name, but I am curious to hear how other authors decide the character's names for their books.

SCBWI Conference

The conference is quickly approaching, and I am wondering what I will take from it. There will be agents and editors speaking. I will even have a manuscript critiqued by an editor. That is an amazing thing and doesn't happen everyday. These are some of the many benefits of being a member of SCBWI. I plan to be like a sponge, soaking up every drop of experience, knowledge and inspiration available. I also am going with a positive mental attitude and a willingness to hear honest feedback and to observe other successful authors and illustrators. Counting down the days!

It's Not What You See On TV

One of my favorite movies is 'Romancing the Stone' with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. (Yes, I am a creature from the 80's. I was the best decade for music and movies!)

If you've seen the movie, you know it is about Joan Wilder the romance novelist. I watched her type on a manual typewriter, bawling her eyes out, living the story. She never makes a mistake! I can't type three words without having to correct something.

At the end, she rips out the last sheet (my typing teacher would have cracked me over the head) and adds it to the large stack. She puts the stack in the envelope and Voila! off to her publisher. I know many writers, myself included (if I can humbly say that I am a writer), and no one writes like Joan Wilder! There are revisions, critiques, rewrites, etc. It takes a long time. It's not easy!

Many people think if you write children's books, it's the easy way out. You have to advance to writing for adults. Not so! Writing for children much more difficult. You have to see the world as a child, write something children will love,  leave half the story for the illustrator, write so the parents will love it, and don't forget--minimal word count.

If writing were like the movies make it seem...the world would be filled with writers! It is an arduous task. You have to love it and put in the effort to succeed.

Happy Writing!