Coming Up in June

June is just around the corner and I want to share two places where I'm teaching. On June 12, I begin an 8-week writing workshop on the main campus of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.   In this Fiction Writing Workshop we'll discuss character, setting, dialogue, hooking your reader, tension, endings, publishing...you name it, I hope to cover it! The course is geared towards the intermediate student and will include in-class writing opportunties, peer critiquing, and a virtual visit from a local author. 

image courtesy Microsoft clips clevermag.com

On June 20th I am teaching a free teen's writing workshop entitled, "Solve this Mystery: How to Write a Whodunit?" at the Steele Creek Library.  We will meet from 2-3:30 PM and the event is geared towards 12-15 year-old-writers. Registration is recommended. 


Questions? Send me an email! 

Juggling Museums

Did you read that title and think, "Is this a blog about museums that feature jugglers?" Or perhaps, "Who in the world juggles museums?" 


I confess. It's neither. 

Image from simplyeeleen.blogspot.com

This post features two recent projects: The first is a guest blog on Elysabeth Elderling's Writing Emporium entitled, "Juggling the Writer's Life."  She asked me to discuss how I juggle my commitments as a writer; composing it actually helped me evaluate how I spend my time. I hope you'll find it helpful too.


The second project is the May issue of Talking Story which features museums. With summer approaching, Joyce Hostetter and I thought we'd encourage readers to explore both national and out-of-the-way museums. We have four great books to give away, including The Wright 3, (last week's blog) so please check it out and enter!

The Wright 3

Secret codes. Invisible men. Pentominoes. Fibonacci numbers. Hidden Pictures. Geometry. Red herrings. Murder. The Wright 3, a middle grade mystery for boys and girls by Blue Balliett, has all of these PLUS a plot that captures the reader’s attention and refuses to let go.

When 6^th-graders Tommy, Calder, and Petra hear that the Robie House, a 1910 Frank Lloyd Wright house in their Chicago neighborhood, is to be cut into sections and donated to four museums, they band together to try and rescue this unique architectural jewel from destruction.

Following Chasing Vermeer, which featured Petra and Calder, this second book begins with Tommy moving back to Chicago with hopes of rekindling his friendship with Calder. But since Petra and Calder are a team, the first obstacle the three overcome is figuring out if and how they can be a threesome. Using multiple points-of-view, Balliett shows how the Wright 3 (as they name themselves) conquer their initial misunderstandings, pool their talents, solve several mysteries, and eventually save the Robie House.

Balliett does an incredible job of integrating math concepts into this fun, fast-paced book. In addition, each chapter includes intriguing illustrations by Brett Helquist adding another dimension to the story. Each illustration is a mystery: can the reader find the hidden pictures and patterns in each one?  As I read it I was faced with a dilemma—should I stay and try to figure out the picture or keep on reading?

The Wright 3 would make a great classroom read as students would vie with one another to figure out the subtle nuances hidden in the black and white drawings. If so, they should listen to the advice of the children’s wise neighbor, “Coincidence reminds me of the repetitions in the Robie House. The more you look, the more you see.” (p. 310)

Character + Setting = Story (Almost)

Part I: Character
A recent Facebook discussion on my wall led one of my FB friends Leslie Guccione, an author of 30 books, to blog about the importance of totally knowing your character and setting. 

Leslie Guccione

I have often thought how stories are built from the inside out.  Appropriately, her blog on character is named, "Know Your Characters Inside and Out." She listed a variety of questions writers should ask about their character. This list is similar to an handout that is in Teaching the Story which you can download here. 


I hope you'll read her entire blog, but here is her ending advice:

Whether your character works against the background you’ve devised or reflects it in stereotypical detail, you’ve provided a solid frame on which to weave voice, behavior, attitude and goals as you hook your reader with their tale you’re telling.

By the way, I highly recommend Donald Maass' book, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. His exercises are probing and will make you get to know your character in such a way that you can portray him or her authentically.

Part II: Setting

On Leslie's blog about setting, "Your Character's Physical World," she uses two fantasy books to demonstrate the importance of creating extensive, believable worlds for characters to live in. She lists several aspects of a fictional world that the writer must create. You can also download my handout, "Set the Scene" or "Create an Imaginary World" to help you begin this brainstorming process. 


Leslie summarizes that blog with, "Your goal is to breathe life into every individual & create atmosphere for every setting. You have to take your readers there. And they have to want to stay."

I found Richard Russo's article, "Location, Location, Location: Depicting Character Through Place" in Creating Fiction (Story Press, 1999) to be helpful on this topic.

Part III: Plot

What about plot and conflict? Let me recommend two books to help you tackle that most important story componenent. The first is Many Genres One Craft: Lessons in Writing Genre Fiction which, according to Leslie, is crammed with good advice. She should know--she contributed an article and it just won its second "Best" award for a writing how-to book in 2012.

Second, consider purchasing Becky Levine's book, "The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide." She has an excellent chapter on critiquing for plot along with a great deal of other useful information. 

 

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

This book is not for the faint of heart. And it’s not for the reader who doesn’t have a stomach for scary, gory scenes and unpredictable mad scientists.

But, if you are intrigued by fast-paced adventures that seem impossibly dangerous—then This Dark Endeavor is a book for you.

I chose this book because I had enjoyed Kenneth Oppel’s book Airborn. Although they are both fantasy, the similarity ends there. This prequel to Mary Shelley’s gothic classic is a riveting, plausible read for older boy and girl readers.

One of the principles in my book, Teaching the Story is, “If You Want to Write, Read.” Following my own advice, I consistently read to learn how young adult authors successfully tell their stories. Here is what I learned from Oppel:

• Open with a scene that hooks the reader and foretells the story’s conflict. The opening dueling scene between Victor Frankenstein and his twin Konrad is a powerful metaphor for the struggles between the two.
• Set up a strong, convincing goal. When Konrad falls perilously ill, Victor is determined to find the elixir of life that will save his brother from death.
• Invent plausible characters. Oppel cleverly creates a convincing backstory of how this educated young man could become the legendary Frankenstein.
• Create nail-biting obstacles that the character must overcome to meet his goal and keep your reader turning pages. Victor battles huge flying evil birds, almost gets stuck in an underground cave, and donates his own—oops, I can’t tell you what—in order to obtain the elixir’s ingredients.
• Give your character mixed motives. Along the way Victor realizes that his motivations towards his brother aren’t totally altruistic.
• Create a love triangle with characters that have mixed motives. Elizabeth, a distant cousin they both love, chooses Konrad over Victor. But Victor has seen a side of her that Konrad is ignorant of.  Can Victor’s bravery win Elizabeth’s love?
• Provide an unexpected, but “of course!” end.  What will Victor do when he realizes the alchemist he trusted has his own plans for the elixir?

Sorry, no answers here.
 You’ll just have to read the book.


Here is the book trailer, which in and of itself, is spooky!

Thank You, World Book Night!

Dear World Book Night,


I wish you could have been with me yesterday when I gave out copies of Ender's Game to the "Crestdale Kids." These are students from the Crestdale community in Matthews, NC who come to Covenant Day School once a week for tutoring.  


I wish you could have seen the excitement of a third grade boy who took his copy and hugged it. At first he thought it was going to be too hard for him (and it might be, since he is a struggling reader) but about 30 minutes later he came back and proudly announced that he had read two pages. 

I wish you could have seen the fourth and fifth graders who realized these books were theirs to take home and read.


I wish you could have seen the kindergartners who were excited about getting their books and saving them until they were older.


I wish you could have seen the first grader who started reading it as soon as she received it.


I wish you could have heard a grandmother announce that she is going to start a book club for the students to come to her house, eat pizza and discuss the book. 


I wish you could have been a part of our celebration of books and reading.


What am I saying? 


Of course, you already were. 

                                                  *******ich will see tens of thousands of people share books with others in their communities across Amerib

World Book Night is a celebration of books and reading in which tens of thousands of people shared books with their communities to spread the love of reading on April 23.


This was the second year that this event was celebrated in the United States. I was one of over 25,000 givers that helped distribute half a million free books. 


April 23 was chosen because it is the UNESCO International Day of the Book, chosen in honor of Shakespeare and Cervantes, who both died on April 23, 1616. (It is also Shakespeare's birthday.) In the Catalan region of Spain, the day is celebrated by giving a book and a flower to a loved one. 
http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/ Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which will see tens of thousands of people share b

Same Kind of Different as Me

Thi

Ron Hall and Denver Moore were as different as day and night. Ron, a white, affluent art dealer lived in one grand, expensive home after another in the suburbs of Fort Worth. Denver was black, uneducated, and an ex-con who lived on the streets of Fort Worth.


They were worlds apart; but in a way that only God can orchestrate, their lives became intertwined together. Same Kind of Different as Me is their story. 

I enjoyed this book on many levels.  Written from alternate points of view, the book doesn't hold back on portraying the thoughts, feelings and prejudices of men from two different races.  Each man's voice comes through loud and clear as they describe their upbringing and the events leading up to meeting at the Union Gospel Mission. It also showed the esteem they both had for Deborah Hall, Ron's wife, and the grief they shared when she died.


But most of all, it showed how God was at work, bringing all three of them to faith in Jesus Christ and then working out His purposes in their lives.  

Since my work in progress, Half-Truths, is also about the relationship between a white and black person, here are a few passages which I appreciated:


Ron, talking about his childhood in Corsicana, Texas: 
"In the 1950's the Southern social order was as plain to the eye as charcoal in a snowbank." (p. 22)


Denver sharing his life in the '60's: 
"But [if] you go down to Louisiana right now, and take a drive on down the back roads in Red River Parish, and you might be able to see how a colored man that couldn't read and didn't have no radio, no car, no telephone, and not even 'lectricity might fall through a crack in time and get stuck, like a clock that done wound done and quit."  (p. 64)

During one of their first conversations Denver challenged Ron with the "catch and release" principle of friendship:
"If you is fishin for a friend you just gon' catch an release, then I ain't got no desire to be your friend....But if you is looking for a real friend, then I'll be one. Forever." (p. 107)


When Denver mourned Debbie's death he talked to her: 
"You was the onlyest person that looked past my skin and past my meanness and saw that there was somebody on the inside worth saving... We all has more in common than we think. You stood up with courage and faced me when I was dangerous, and it changed my life. You loved me for who I was on the inside, the person God meant for me to be, the one that had just gotten lost for a while on some ugly roads in life." (p. 193)

In conclusion, Denver wrote:
"After I met Miss Debbie and Mr. Ron, I worried that I was so different from them that we wasn't ever gon' have no kind a' future. But I found our everybody's different--the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walking down the road God done set in front of us...The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or something in between, this earth ain't no final restin place. So in a way, we is all homeless--just working our way toward home." (p. 235)

*********

I finished the book on April 15 and tried to contact Denver and Ron to tell them how much I appreciated their story. I discovered that a week earlier Denver had gone home to be with his Lord. 

This is a moving book on many levels showing the power of God to change lives.