Seeing Signs.
Everywhere I go, I see signs. Literal and figurative signs grab my attention. Some messages make me laugh while others makes me think. Three words pack a punch, “Me vs Me.”
Hon, do you see signs that speak to you?
Tag: inspiration
What is Storystorm?
STORYSTORM is the brain child of Tara Lazar, a children’s book author and mentor whose blog Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) is a source of information and showcase of personality. In Tara’s words:
The Storystorm challenge is to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. You don’t have to write a manuscript (but you can if the mood strikes). You don’t need potential best-seller ideas.
You might think of a clever title. Or a name for a character. Or just a silly thing like “purple polka-dot pony.” The object is to heighten your idea-generating senses. Ideas may build upon other ideas. Your list of potential stories will grow stronger as the days pass. Eventually, you will have a list of ideas to flesh out into concepts, premises and manuscripts in the coming year.
On this blog, daily posts by authors, illustrators, editors and other publishing professionals will help inspire you. By the end of the month, you’ll have a fat file of ideas to spark new stories.
Tara Lazar
This year, STORYSTORM inspired me to start a new journal in which I’m collecting ideas. Some may turn into stories and some may not, but one of the takeaways from this year’s authors and illustrators is to see where your creativity takes you. I’m up for the challenge!
I create with clay, yarn, fabric and, of course, ingredients. I imagine worlds with words.
Hon, where does creativity take you?
Share this:
Sayings and Signs
Whenever I see a saying or sign that makes me smile, I feel compelled to snap a picture. Hon, maybe I’ll add to the “collection” as it grows.
Share this:
Outdoor Inspiration, Chalk Art
My neighbors have added more inspiration (and beauty) to the neighborhood. I love to come across a surprise on the street–a quote, saying, or picture rendered in chalk. Check out the burgeoning “collection” of chalk art care of @millburnchalklove and other street artists. I’m building upon posts Chalk Walk and Road Quotes.
“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”
“Viva la vida.”
“You are beautiful.”
“The best thing in life to hold onto is each other.”
“The sun is out. The sky is blue. It’s beautiful and so are you.”
“Imagine all the people living for today.”
“Just keep swimming.”
“Distance is just a test to see how far love can travel.”
Do extraordinary things with ordinary love.
Share this:
Chalk Walk!
In a recent post, Road Quotes, I shared pics of the beautiful chalk art popping up on my street. Care of the Instagram account @millburnchalklove and some other artistic neighbors, there’s more outdoor art to add to the collection. It truly lifts my “quarantine family’s” spirits to see creativity emerge from the asphalt.
“Viva la vida.”
“You are beautiful.”
“The best thing in life to hold onto is each other.”
“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”
“The sun is out. The sky is blue. It’s beautiful and so are you.”
“Imagine all the people living for today.”
“Just keep swimming.”
“Distance is just a test to see how far love can travel.”
Share this:
Spring Tulips & Shel Silverstein
After a The Max Challenge Zoom workout, the trainer read Shel Silverstein’s poem “The Voice.” The poem spoke to me on several fronts: trying to get through quarantine with a hopeful outlook, helping others with my particular skills, and focusing energy on long-term goals which seem, during this strange and unsettling time, to be floating on waves washing out to sea.
Wishing you a peaceful day filled with beauty in small moments, like noticing how droplets cling to tulip petals.
The Voice
by Shel Silverstein
Share this:
Road Quotes!
The art may be fleeting, but the sentiment remains.
One of the bright spots in a sea of uncertainty is the chalk art in my neighborhood. When we walk our sweet-angel-aka-barking-maniac Lucy, we look forward to seeing the new creations of some very talented people. Check out the Instagram account @millburnchalklove.
Share this:
Inspirational (and Funny) Poem for Picture Book Writers
Shout out to Derick Wilder, founder of Fit Lit Kids (Its mission is to “provide the highest quality in educational programs that are focused on Fitness and Literacy… and sometimes both at the same time!”) for allowing me to post his inspirational poem for picture book writers. He shared it on KIDLIT411, a Facebook group/website with sources for Kidlit people.
Favorite line: “umm…giant anteater!”
HAPPY KIDLIT NEW YEAR
May there always be time
to write and revise.
May you learn from the lows,
and rejoice in the highs.
May your stories be stuffed
with laughter and smiles.
May then end up on top
of all the slush piles.
May the right words emerge
and flow like sunshowers.
May your plotlines engage
and sprout like sunflowers.
May your narrative soar,
in verse or in prose.
May your “yesses” outweigh
your “maybes” or “nos.”
May your characters teem
with humor and heart.
May you never forget–
leave room for the art.
May your rhymes (unlike this)
be perfect in meter.
May your couplets make sense
umm…giant anteater.
May your journey be long,
response times be short.
May critique groups provide
advice and support.
May your misses be few,
your hits be plenty.
May your kidlit dreams bloom
in 2020!
Share this:
Find Your Inner Superman, New York City Marathon
Yesterday was the perfect day to watch the New York City Marathon!
Trains heading to Manhattan were packed as Hubby and I rode in to see our son. He signed up in honor of his college friend, Alex, who was paralyzed in a ski accident a year and a half ago.
Alex is an inspiration and a real superman! He raced in a wheelchair!
Even if you don’t know someone running in the marathon, it’s awesome to watch. The energy, music, and spectators make New York City a five-borough block party.
While fundraising, Teddy sent this out:
I’ll be running the NYC Marathon with a group of friends to support research for spinal cord injuries. The Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation did a ton to help our friend Alex as he recovered from his accident last winter and we’re pumped to be able to give back to them and anyone else affected by paralysis.
We have been training hard and fundraising like crazy and are all excited to get out and crush the race tomorrow. With your generous help, our NYC Marathon Team has raised a total of over $360k for spinal injury research already! We are trending towards being their highest fundraising team in organization history.
Joyciline Jepkosgei, women’s division winner, running with Mary Keitani, four time NYC Marathon winner.
Quick stop to say hi.
4-legged spectators.
Teddy approaching our second meeting point.
Name, age and time listed in The New York Times.
Share this:
Keynote Speaker Tami Charles’ Words of Wisdom
Inspiration for Everyone
Tami Charles, whose middle grade novel Like Vanessa debuted in March, delivered a keynote speech at the NJSCBWI18 conference this past weekend.
She talked about the value of hope. “Somewhere between no and yes lies hope.”
She talked about rejections. “The word no has empowered me, broken me, and put me back together again.”
She talked about persistence. “You keep writing. You don’t stop.”
And she said, “Step into your greatness.”
Thanks, Tami, for words of wisdom that ring true for me as a writer and also for anyone trying to reach a seemingly insurmountable goal.
Click here to watch a short video about Charles and Like Vanessa. Take one guess which book I’m buying as gifts for some important tween girls in my life.
In this semi-autobiographical debut novel set in 1983, Vanessa Martin’s real-life reality of living with family in public housing in Newark, New Jersey is a far cry from the glamorous Miss America stage. She struggles with an incarcerated mother she barely remembers, a grandfather dealing with addiction and her own battle with self-confidence. But when a new teacher at school coordinates a beauty pageant and convinces Vanessa to enter, Vanessa’s view of her own world begins to change. Vanessa discovers that her own self-worth is more than the scores of her talent performance and her interview answers, and that she doesn’t need a crown to be comfortable in her own skin and see her own true beauty. Goodreads
Bmore energy 