Aunt Janet’s advice & picture book news

See, the thing about my Aunt Jan was, she didn’t have much patience for moping. “Knock it off and get to work,” I can hear her saying. So I have to stop. Right. Now. Don’t get me wrong, I am still very, very sad about her death. But I am afraid she’ll haunt me if I don’t live the way she taught us, which means hard work, laughter, and integrity.

So back to work.

I’ve talked about my writing process here a couple of times. For my new novel, I am approaching it a bit differently. First, it is historical fiction, so it has to be grounded in actual events. That means I have to know what the heck I am talking about. (Which is why I am reading myself blind right now.) It also means I have to work from an outline from Day One. So as I am researching and finding the nuggets that I want to include, I am also building an outline for the book itself. This feels good. Right now the outline is very rough. I am psyched about filling it in.

The sketches for my new historical picture books have been arriving. I LOVE THEM!!! They are brilliant and funny and I wish, I wish I could show them to you right now, but if I do, the publishing gods will frown. As the book moves farther along in the publication process, I’ll keep you updated. As soon as I can share things like the title and peeks at the art, I will. (I think we’re shooting for a Summer 2007 publication date.)

PS – Here is what made me smile this morning. A little birdie forwarded a link to a teen’s blog, to an entry where she wrote that she was supposed to be studying for her Chemistry Regents, but she was reading CATALYST instead. ::grinning::

PPS – Thank you so much to everyone who wrote with such kindness and support yesterday, especially those folks who asked that their screened comments remain screened. Much appreciated.

25 Replies to “Aunt Janet’s advice & picture book news”

  1. PS – Here is what made me smile this morning. A little birdie forwarded a link to a teen’s blog, to an entry where she wrote that she was supposed to be studying for her Chemistry Regents, but she was reading CATALYST instead. ::grinning::

    Does that made you a bit of a bad influence? lol.

  2. PS – Here is what made me smile this morning. A little birdie forwarded a link to a teen’s blog, to an entry where she wrote that she was supposed to be studying for her Chemistry Regents, but she was reading CATALYST instead. ::grinning::

    Does that made you a bit of a bad influence? lol.

  3. PS – Here is what made me smile this morning. A little birdie forwarded a link to a teen’s blog, to an entry where she wrote that she was supposed to be studying for her Chemistry Regents, but she was reading CATALYST instead. ::grinning::

    Does that made you a bit of a bad influence? lol.

  4. What time period will your new book be set in? I’m excited already 🙂

    hahaha I always choose reading over chemistry homework. Who needs chemistry anyway?

  5. What time period will your new book be set in? I’m excited already 🙂

    hahaha I always choose reading over chemistry homework. Who needs chemistry anyway?

  6. What time period will your new book be set in? I’m excited already 🙂

    hahaha I always choose reading over chemistry homework. Who needs chemistry anyway?

  7. Whenever Math frustrates me (and believe me, this is often =p) I go back to reading Speak. :p

    Oh, and my LJ is kitkat74, I just don’t feel like logging in. xP

  8. Whenever Math frustrates me (and believe me, this is often =p) I go back to reading Speak. :p

    Oh, and my LJ is kitkat74, I just don’t feel like logging in. xP

  9. Whenever Math frustrates me (and believe me, this is often =p) I go back to reading Speak. :p

    Oh, and my LJ is kitkat74, I just don’t feel like logging in. xP

  10. The Revolutionary War is a forgotten war in many parts of the country. I imagine that it is still part of regional culture in the Northeast, especially in lha’s neck of the woods, just as the War of Northern Aggression 🙂 is still part of Southern culture. To the rest of the country, however, the Revolution has lost some of its meaning, especially in western states where a house built in 1960 is considered an historic building.

    It will be cool to have a good book set in that time period.

  11. The Revolutionary War is a forgotten war in many parts of the country. I imagine that it is still part of regional culture in the Northeast, especially in lha’s neck of the woods, just as the War of Northern Aggression 🙂 is still part of Southern culture. To the rest of the country, however, the Revolution has lost some of its meaning, especially in western states where a house built in 1960 is considered an historic building.

    It will be cool to have a good book set in that time period.

  12. The Revolutionary War is a forgotten war in many parts of the country. I imagine that it is still part of regional culture in the Northeast, especially in lha’s neck of the woods, just as the War of Northern Aggression 🙂 is still part of Southern culture. To the rest of the country, however, the Revolution has lost some of its meaning, especially in western states where a house built in 1960 is considered an historic building.

    It will be cool to have a good book set in that time period.

  13. suggested I wander by, because we seem to share an interest in 18th century Philadelphia. My post at her place explaining who I am and what I do is here, and my website about 18th century Philadelphia is here.

  14. suggested I wander by, because we seem to share an interest in 18th century Philadelphia. My post at her place explaining who I am and what I do is here, and my website about 18th century Philadelphia is here.

  15. suggested I wander by, because we seem to share an interest in 18th century Philadelphia. My post at her place explaining who I am and what I do is here, and my website about 18th century Philadelphia is here.

  16. Aunt Janet

    I remember her fondly through many conversations at the West Fifth Street house, as well at FUMC, as our girls (Lisa & Amanda) grew up, as well as the two of us. Happy Trails Janet!

  17. Aunt Janet

    I remember her fondly through many conversations at the West Fifth Street house, as well at FUMC, as our girls (Lisa & Amanda) grew up, as well as the two of us. Happy Trails Janet!

  18. Aunt Janet

    I remember her fondly through many conversations at the West Fifth Street house, as well at FUMC, as our girls (Lisa & Amanda) grew up, as well as the two of us. Happy Trails Janet!

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