Quicky Book Review--Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

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In June I attended a writer's conference and met many lovely writers and rubbed elbows with some savvy agents.

I asked each agent that I had the pleasure of meeting to please tell me an excellent book to read--especially in the spooky/shivery genre. Not quite horror, but something atmospheric and delightful.

The first one I read was Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke.

This YA book not only grabbed me from the first page (not for the squeamish) but held my attention through the whole delish and eerie tale.

A charming boy named River shows up in a sleepy, seaside town and turns bored Violet's life upside-down...to say the least.

This book has a bit of it all--the supernatural, romance, evil, and redemption. 

So hang on to yer hats pardners, it is one exciting ride.

You Love 'Em But You Need a Break!

We love our kids.

We love 'em when they are tiny and helpless and rely on us for everything. Then they get a bit bigger and we think we are going to get a bit more time to ourselves because someone said that kids can "play on their own" more as they get older. Their attention spans expand and they can entertain themselves.

Well--no.

When they start to talk and that brain fires left, right and sideways with all the rapid growing they are doing, their favorite thing to say will be MOM.

Or Ma, Momma, Mommy, or Mum.

The first time you hear Mama out of those teeny bow lips will be one of the most memorable days in your life. 

Fast forward a year. 

They will use it hundreds of times a day.

And it will still be wonderful to be a mom. But there will also be times you want to pull your hair out of your head. 

You are the first person that means everything to them--but that does not mean that you should let yourself go insane.

You will feel like no one can care for your child as well as you can--and you are right. No one will have that incredible connection. And that is FINE. 

They need to get out in the world a bit, experience new things, and have some fun--just like you do. 

It does not have to be every day, but often enough that you have something to look forward to every week. Get a manicure--or get together with a friend and give each other mani/pedis. Stop at Starbucks on the way home for a treat, and have a probably much needed free girlfriend therapy session. Or simply go somewhere and read--ALONE.

It does not really matter what you do, as long as you fill your tank when the fuel gets low.

They tell you on a plane if (GOD FORBID) the oxygen masks fall that you should take care of yourself before any children.

It's the same thing--you are no good for anyone--including yourself--if you have nothing to give.

So go out and fill your tank. Have some fun. Then spread that sunshine around.

Come back on Wednesday--I will have a craft for the kids for these last few days of summer.

XO

Journaling

During a conversation with a friend yesterday I realized I should be journaling.

The conversation was slightly serendipitous to begin with, she bringing up a topic I was just having issues with. 

Then she asked if I wrote in a journal every day. 

I told her I used to, and as a matter of fact, journaling was one of the reasons I began to write again.

I could not give her a good reason why I stopped, other than things seemed to start moving in the right direction.

I remember thinking back when I was writing in a journal every morning that doing it was better than therapy.

*  I realized how much I longed to write.

*  I realized how much I longed to draw.

*  Most importantly, I realized I was the only thing stopping me from doing either.

So to make a long post short, I'm journaling again. Twenty minutes, once a day.

We'll see where it takes me this time.

xo

(The book that inspired my first round of journaling: Click here to check it out. 

New Jersey SCBWI Conference

Not a lot of time for posting today.

Getting ready for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Conference.

Yes, I am going to look at this as a wonderful learning experience. 

Yes, I am going to meet many people already in the seemingly magical world of children's book publishing.

Yes, I will remain calm.

Well...

As calm as I can. 

I am relatively new in the writing/illustrating world, but have revered it from afar since I can remember. 

So to me, this is as good as Disneyland.

Actually, better.

Looking forward to this weekend--hope to meet you there.

xo

You Are What You Wear--Personal Decoration Power

Writing and drawing as a job at home has its perks.

Sleeping later than the majority, listening to a favorite set list, and a glass of iced tea in my slippers are just some of the working from home advantages.

But there is a dark side.

Lounging in your pajamas day after day can take its toll on your self confidence.

In fact, what you wear daily can have a real effect on how you act day in and day out.

Professor Karen Pine, author of the book Mind What You Wear, conducted a study that instructed students to wear a Superman t-shirt around campus. When asked, these students thought they were more likable, and even physically stronger than the students without "more powerful than a locomotive" t-shirts.

Several cultures believe that being dressed up every day makes them more powerful and more successful. 

It isn't called a power suit for nothing.

Although we are told to never judge a book by its cover, we do it all the time, and will surely continue to do so. We are treated with more respect during an interview when dressed sharp and accordingly, and would be passed over for a job if we showed up in our ripped jeans.

One of my fave "power" necklaces from
Brighton http://www.brighton.com/product/necklaces/36956-133743-133887/shields-of-faith-shields-of-faith-necklace.html

How we wear our hair, the condition of our shoes, and even the jewelry we choose can help increase our confidence. The colors we choose to paint our walls can have a great influence on our mood. Light yellow can make us feel happy and inspired, pink, soothed and calm. Bright red rooms can make us agitated, yet red elements in a white room can center us. More on Feng Shui and color here.

We don't need to get the jewelry out of the safe and wear our power suits seven days a week, but putting on of our favorite necklace or dress might be the difference in feeling great about ourselves, and avoiding the doorbell if it rings because we are not presentable. 

You are going to put something on today (I hope), it may as well make you feel great.

xo

Why We Need to be Ferocious

Somewhere along the way we lost a bit of our ferociousness. 

We overthink, partially to save ourselves potential pain. We plan and do what we can to avoid repeating the same mistakes we made before, and call it wisdom.

And it is.

But is it always the right thing?

Watch a child for a bit.

They do not hesitate to jump off the top bunk.

Yup, they get hurt sometimes--but they also get the experience. They flew through the air for that second. And even though they may have gotten a bruise or two, they may do it again, because it was worth it.

They are brave and daring little renegades, knowing that a choice they make may cause them temporary pain.

We are so used to being comfortable. We have sold out for a soft and fluffy day on the couch.

So maybe, once in a while, follow in the footsteps of a fierce little outlaw and become a revolutionary.

You just might find your wings.

xo 

Kid Magic

When we are young almost everything we experience is touched with a bit of magic.

The first-ness of our moments adds wonder and beauty to the most simple things. Glimpses of our day, like a butterfly gliding through our wisteria, feel as if they are visited by a Disney fairy godmother when we are little.

A walk through grandpa's garden is Narnia to the preschool set, and more rich and poignant than any CGI filled movie you could pay for.

But the lives of our little ones are chock-full of busy-ness. From homework in kindergarten to pee wee sports practice, our kid's lives are hectic. 

Reading and art allow children to slow down, to do something calming and centering. Unbeknownst to them, while they are munching along with Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar or roaring with the terrible beasts in Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, they are expanding their imaginations and increasing their literacy skills.

If they can't read yet themselves, they sit with a loved one, experiencing closeness and developing an ability for meaningful discussions.

When given a paint brush and a blank canvas, children are allowed to expand their consciousness and develop creative and open-minded thinking. It awakens their senses and helps with problem solving skills. You do not have to tell them art is timeless, they delve into the moment and are somehow connected with the self-expression that has been part of humanity since the dawn of time. 

Appreciation of art and literature starts young, and happily they have no idea they are learning. Children have the special ability to have nothing attached to what they are doing--they are creating art or reading simply because they love it. There is no agenda attached to their creativity. They go with the flow, a gift that Picasso spoke about when he said "All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist as we grow up." The magic in their completely un-self-conscious creativity allows them to be wholly in the moment, something we as adults can have a hard time with.

Our kids grow up so fast. Our days are filled with bills, cleaning, cooking, and a whole lot of reality. We are focused on test-taking in school and a very one sided IQ score that is probably decent at grading one's general knowledge base.

But what about creativity? What about those kids who are notoriously considered square pegs simply because the current system disallows for square holes?

The magic of childhood is lovely, and it would be nice to stretch at least some of that Abracadabra into our adult lives. 

Reading and art are two examples of wizardry that seamlessly moves with us as we grow. Along with the obvious advantages of reading to kids when they are young and allowing them to create unguided art, these bewitching gifts stick--they are endless presents of love that happily never have to end.

I'd love to know of any books or forms of art you loved as a child, and what made them special to you.

xo Dea