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WFMAD Day 7 – with help from the Creature With Fangs

Congratulations to everyone who has made it this far in our Write Fifteen Minutes A  Day Challenge! You are well on your way to developing a habit that will bring you joy for many years.

(Don’t know what we’re talking about? Read this post. Yes, you can join late – the more, the merrier!)

Some research indicates that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. If you started WFMAD seven days ago, you are already one-third of the way there.

Before we start writing, I’d like everyone in the Forest to sing "Happy Birthday!" to my awesome niece Tiffany who turns 18 years old today!!!!

::waits while confetti settles…. steals another piece of cake while waiting::

Well done!

Ready….

Today’s advice: This comes courtesy of Dave Matthews. (BH and I saw him in concert on Tuesday night.) In the song, Lying In The Hands of God, he sings, "Now the floor is the ceiling. If you never flew, why would you, cut the wings off a butterfly? Fly…."

Set…

Today’s prompt: This comes courtesy of my Creature With Fangs. My husband was trying to repair our dishwasher this morning. He had to stick his head into the maw of the machine to change a worn gasket. Our dog decided to help the best way she knew how, by licking the back of his head. He shooed her away and resumed his task. She tried to "help" again. And again.

This got me thinking about perspective. Hence, today’s prompt.

Take a scene you’ve already written. It should have two characters in some kind of conflict, or one character struggling with something. (If you don’t want to use your own WIP for this, take a scene from the book you are reading right now.)

Insert an animal into the scene and rewrite it from the animal’s POV. The goal is for you to see the scene from a fresh perspective, one that is wildly different from that of the human characters. For my taste, I’d say avoid all lolcats cutesiness, but if it makes you happy, go for it. Just make sure that the POV of your critter narrator is strong, fresh, and convincing.


Scribble…Scribble….Scribble!

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Warming Up

I am going to try and write the Mother-Of-All-ALA reports tomorrow. Yes, with pictures. I have a particularly fine one of Neil Gaiman taken from approximately 400 miles away.

First up: thank you for all the kind wishes about the death of my father-in-law. BH and I appreciate each and every one. With the deaths of his father and my mother coming so close together, we’re both a little off-kilter right now, kind of like the earth has become sea and the deck of our ship tilts in unpredictable ways. But between the two of us, and with the love of our kids and friends, we lean on each other and stay upright most of the time.

The Horn Book has many great articles online this month. I strongly encourage you to read and discuss Nikki Grimes important essay, "Speaking Out" about the inexcusable fact that no African-American illustrator has yet won the Caldecott. (Leo Dillon won as a team with his wife… Grimes focuses on singular winners.)

(For the record, I agree with her.)

Love books? Love basketball? Then read this article about the literary basketball league my daughter Stef started across from Word, the bookstore she manages in Brooklyn. She has also started a literary matchmaking service. Yep, you better believe I’m proud. Yay Bookavore!!!

And from the Change Topics Completely File, I wanted to share the cover art for the British paperback version of CHAINS:

What do you think?

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Another passage

I am very sorry I did not post from ALA. I had a marvelous time and took lots of pictures and promise to fill you in on all the details within the next day or so.

But the sad news is that I had to leave ALA early because my father-in-law was dying.

Imet my father-in-law, Bill Larrabee, at the same time I met my husband; when I was three years old. Bill and his wife Edith became my parents’ best friends. They were so close that I grew up calling the Larrabees "Uncle Bill" and "Aunt Edith." I have never been able to shake that habit, so yes, I call my father-in-law, "Uncle Bill."

He was a magnificent man.

Last week was filled with sadness and many, many trips to the nursing home. The staff at St. Luke’s in Oswego, NY was magnificent, but that wasn’t a surprise. They have cared for him – and all of their other patients – with the highest level of compassion and service you could imagine. We are so grateful for them.

My Beloved Husband and I were sitting with Uncle Bill when he passed. In some ways it was different than my mother’s death last month, but in most, it was the same; the transition of a great spirit from one form to another. The day after his death, the house filled with relatives and we celebrated his life and legacy.

When we were visiting Uncle Bill a few weeks ago, he unexpectedly summed up his life’s philosophy for us with these words: "Don’t hurt anyone. Be kind and have fun."

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Words to live by. Happy June 51st, everyone.

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Thank you and a Question for Teachers

This is Queen Louise calling all teachers and librarians….. do any of you know of schools using Laurie’s book SPEAK in their curriculum? If so, would you share the names of the school districts. If you are one of those teachers, please email me at queenlouise@writerlady.com. We are interested to know if they are Middle Schools or High Schools.

On behalf of Laurie and her family, THANK YOU so very much for all of the heartfelt thoughts and comments that have been sent. I have printed out the comments for Laurie’s father to read; he will be touched as well. Everyone is doing well; many stories have been shared with lots of laughs and a few tears (okay, buckets of tears), much food has been eaten, and the clouds are lifting. You are all deeply appreciated.

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Joyce Holcomb Halse

This has been two weeks filled with emotion, gratefulness, pride, compassion, and comfort for Laurie and her family. Joyce completed her journey on June 14, 2009.


Joyce spreading joy during a family holiday celebration.


Joyce, with her furry grandchild, The Creature with Fangs, the only person that Joyce requested in her final days.

After a lengthy illness, Joyce Holcomb Halse passed away peacefully in the company of her family on June 14, 2009. She was 78. Joyce was born January 8, 1931, in Plattsburgh, NY, to Harry Walton Holcomb and Peg Mason Holcomb. She was named Plattsburgh’s most beautiful baby in a contest in 1932. She graduated from Franklin Academy High School in Malone, NY, in 1948.

She married Rev. Frank Adams Halse on June 7, 1952. They lived in Boston for a few years, in addition to numerous places in Central and Northern New York. They celebrated their 57th anniversary last week. In an article written about their 50th anniversary in 2002, they both noted that though Frank’s ministry required them to move frequently, their lives were "never boring" and neither would have changed a thing.

In 2005, they moved to Mexico, NY, to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. Joyce worked as an executive secretary, personnel manager and store manager for Wells & Coverly from 1968 to 1982. When her husband retired from the ministry, they moved to Brandon, FL, and Joyce took a job working for the Hillsborough County School System. In the years before her retirement, she worked for the school district’s Tech Prep Consortium and their Kids & Canines program, in which at-risk students worked to train service dogs.

A descendent of Mayflower passengers, Joyce embodied those Yankee virtues of integrity and unflagging strength in the face of adversity until the last day of her life. She is remembered by many friends and former students from Syracuse University, where Frank was the Methodist chaplain,as a loving and hospitable second mom. Joyce and Frank stayed in close contact with many friends and family from their years together and, until her illness prevented it, made annual trips up and down the East Coast to visit with them. Joyce was especially fond of Maine, due to her love of lighthouses and fondness for loons.

Joyce is survived by her husband, Frank Halse; her daughters, Laurie (Scot) Larrabee and Lisa Halse Stevens; grandchildren, Ryan, April and Tiffany Stevens, Stephanie and Meredith Anderson, and Jessica and Christian Larrabee; and great-grandchild, Kegan Merkeley. She is also survived by Scot and Laurie’s German shepherd, Kezzie, of whom she was especially fond and who gave her great comfort in her last days. She was predeceased by her sister, Joelle Holcomb Skinner, and son-in-law, Calvin Stevens II.

A private service will be held for immediate family, and at Joyce’s request, her ashes will be spread on family property in the Adirondacks. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program, PO Box 195, Ray Brook, NY 12977. Condolences may be sent to PO Box 906, Mexico, NY 13114.

Daughter Number One (bookavore) has found a new calling in capturing the life of loved ones. Laurie will be retreating to her garden and her soul for a period of time. Your love and thoughts are all appreciated and graciously received.

Office Mouse and Queen Louise will be here to assist you in Laurie’s absence.

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