Good Karma » About Me

An interview on The Writer’s Journey

Karma — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:39:03 +0000

I did a very fun and introspective interview for Meredeth Resnick at her blog, The Writer’s Journey. Check it out! She really made me think.

K….

Uh-oh…the cool factor.

Karma — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 14:47:09 +0000

I’ve been on a trip to Miles City, MT doing a few school visits. I’ve always felt fairly confident with the younger kids, but now that my new poetry book is out (What’s the Weather Inside) I’m doing a lot more sessions with kids from upper primary. On Friday I got a pack of wild sixth graders (if any of you are reading this, I mean that in a good way)! It was late in the day on Friday and I was expected to keep their attention….somehow.

I was kinda, sorta nervous.

But I think it went well. When I was done and the kids were leaving they said things like, “YOU ROCK” and gave me fist bumps and high fives. And I got to sign a cast (get well soon Trevor)! I also read the first chapter of my novel to a group of advanced fifth graders. One really sweet girl said, “Drop everything else and finish that so I can read it!” So I guess I have to finish it.

Just a little good news update. Hope everybody is having a great spring. I’m loving the sun and sky and warm breezes….and the melting snow/ice. The mud? Not so much.

Karma

She’s Not

Karma — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:56:41 +0000

For all you moms with tween girls…maybe you can relate.

Chrissy

She’s not cute anymore.

Not pretty. Not adorable.

She’s not toothless.

She’s not thigh-high, tugging my shirt.

She’s not begging for Barbies.

She’s not following her brothers around,

trying to get their attention.

She’s not reading Magic Schoolhouse

or watching Blues Clues.

But damn she’s beautiful.

When did that happen?

Karma Feels Scared! (Scholastic video shoot)

Karma — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:12:52 +0000

Imagine with me for a moment. Imagine you have gained a little weight during your “winter hibernation”. Imagine you have a horrible cold complete with snuffling, sniffling and sneezing, not to mention a sore throat. Now imagine you get a call from Scholastic saying, “We are coming to Montana within the week to film you for an author video to promote Bear Feels Scared for Scholastic book fairs!”

Oh joy!

I’ve spent the last week in a semi-panic. Would I look like some kind of female version of Clement Moore’s Santa–with a nose like a “cherry” and a belly like a “bowlful of jelly”? Cute enough on St. Nick, not so appealing on a middle-aged author. What would I wear? Would my hair behave? It never has up to this point. How would my voice sound with this awful cold? Would I even have a voice? Would it be horribly rainy and drizzly (the film crew wanted to film out doors in a “bearsy” environment).

But lo-and-behold I survived. In fact, it was fun. I opted to dress country/casual (avoiding frumpy/hick I hope). And when I woke up today my cold had departed and taken the drips and the drizzles with it. The day was only partly cloudy and felt downright “balmy” (for Montana–for Arizona it would be an extreme cold snap).

The crew (Larry, Dave and Scott) were absolutely charming, funny, and sweet–and made me feel very at ease. We joked around a LOT. I mean, when the film guy gets deer “poo” on his knees while setting up the camera you can either laugh or, well–I don’t know, if you can’t laugh at that you probably wouldn’t get along with me.

Larry, me, my husband (Scott), Scott (from Scholastic) and Dave

It’s not the most scenic time of year right now, and the woods were a little “dead” looking–but since the book they featured was Bear Feels Scared it worked out well, since it’s set in the fall and isn’t full of greenery anyway. My husband and one of my sons came–and we joked that we were all loggers because we had to clear deadfalls so the ground didn’t look so cluttered. All in all a fun day.

One of the funniest parts of the day was when I had to peek around trees with my hand on my head like I was looking for bear. I felt like I was in a Captain Morgan’s commercial! Oh, and true to form I almost fell flat on my face a few times while “strolling” through the woods. They wanted me to look natural, and I was trying not to look at my feet. Ha ha!

Me looking soooo photogenic

I’m back!

Karma — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:35:23 +0000

April fools! No, just kidding. I really am back. I’m hoping to be able to think of incredibly witty and intriguing things to post here about writing, children’s books, and my life each and every day. But even if I can’t think of what to eat for breakfast I shall try to check in on a more regular basis.

News:

Publisher’s Weekly has reviewed What’s the Weather Inside and pronounced it “Silversteinian in its format and sensibility“.

I. Am. Awed! This is a surreal experience for me. I read Shel’s poetry when I was in grade school. I read Shel’s poetry to kids I babysat as a teenager. I read Shel’s poetry when I was studying up on how to be a children’s book author. I read Shel’s poetry to my kids when we went camping and had no distractions. To be compared to him…well…I can’t ask for more.

I’ve been away for a few weeks touring PA and OH on an author tour. It was wonderful but exhausting. I love connecting with the kids. It’s great fun to read my stories and share the writing process with creative little minds.

But I’m glad to be home because I am very tired!

Good to be back….

Karma

Beautiful Babies

Karma — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:49:18 +0000

Here is a sneak peak of my illustration debut! The pictures in this new touch and feel book for babies and toddlers were all taken by me. Trust me, baby animals are divas! Super models have nothing on them.

This book is coming out in Janurary. I had so much fun working on this!

Karma

COUNTDOWN TO LITTLE PIP!

Karma — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:58:43 +0000

She’s almost here! My newest character will be in bookstores on 9/23/09! I can’t wait.

I just adore this new series (illustrated by the talented Jane Chapman) and I hope you all will love Little Pip as much as I do!

Hip, hip hooray for adorable, baby penguins! And pssst…she just might have her own special spot on the world wide web!

K….

Giveaway open until Friday! NOW CLOSED

Karma — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:52:29 +0000

~~Hi all! Just a quick update–the current giveaway is open until this Friday. I’ve gotten tons of entries, so keep em coming.~~

~~As of right now I’m working on my newest poetry collection. I can’t believe what a challenge it is to write 120 poems! But what a fun challenge.~~

~~That brings me to a question–what poem subjects do you think need attention to? I’d love to hear your ideas. Remember, think Shel Silverstien (my poet hero).~~

~~Looking forward to your entries and ideas!~~

K…

A Cow and Some Chocolates….

Karma — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:33:01 +0000

I want to share something with you because it really touched me and helped me to realize how much (probably too much) I have.

Our family sponsors children in third world countries. I’m a strong supporter of Compassion because the charity watch organizations rate them highly and also because they allow me to have direct interaction with my child. Letters and photos assure me that the money I send provides absolute necessities to the children and their families.

One of my sponsored children is in Bangladesh. He’s very articulate in his letters to me and he wants to grow up to be a teacher. A few months ago I sent an extra gift of $75 which goes directly to the family. To be honest I didn’t think much of it. Our family can spend that much on one meal out. It’s a small gift, not so noteworthy. But I know it goes further in third world countries. I clicked a few buttons and forgot all about it.

Yesterday I got a letter from my sponsor child. One line hit me hard. He thanked for the gift and said that with the money his family was able to buy “a cow and some chocolates”. A cow! His family bought a cow, which in Bangladesh can be life changing, with what I consider chump change. I’m having a hard time articulating how I felt…I suddenly had a small grasp on how much different my life is than the majority of people in the world.

And it’s a strange conundrum because while I feel happy that a family benefited from the gift, I feel almost guilty that I sent it off so casually. It wasn’t even a sacrifice to me, it was simply a few mouse clicks.

And the chocolates also hit me. I imagine my sponsored child savoring the chocolate much like Charlie in Willy Wonka. Chocolate must be a rare treat or why would he have even mentioned it?

Anyway, not really relevent to writing or children’s book, but I had to share.

K…

Fairy Tales…

Karma — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:46:07 +0000

As a child I wrapped fairy tales around my mind as I would wrap a snug blanket around myself on a chill day. Stories insulated me from the hard, cold world. But when I reached teen years I longed for a different kind of escape. At that age I read mostly horror, or stark, bleak historical fiction filled with all the realism I could handle. I was always reading stories that adults around me deemed “innapropriate” (read–too old). At that age it seemed more of an escape to read about people who had it “really” bad. My life seemed fairly rosy in comparison. And then I tired of darkness and realism. It dawned on me that horror was really just a cruel caricature of fairy tales. The princess never married the prince and the wicked witch always won. I wanted the happily ever after again. With a sigh of relief I set aside Steven King and tumbled joyfully into Narnia again.

It felt like coming home. And then I became a children’s book author.

C.S. Lewis said: “Someday you will be old enough to read fairy tales again.”

Are you old enough to read fairy tales again? If so, perhaps you are also young enough (at heart) to write them.

K….