Words to Share

I'm Baaack!

2012-02-09T05:41:00.000-08:00

So in my last post in July, I said I hadn't fallen off the face of the earth or broken my arm, etc. What I did do was have surgery on my right shoulder in September and it totally knocked the wheels off my wagon, so to speak. I thought my brother-in-law was being funny when he said it took a year to return to a sense of normalcy - he wasn't. But I am now able to work at the computer for a longer period of time, as well as try to catch up on everything that I let slide...... Of course, when your wagon doesn't have all its wheels working right, you have the most deliveries to make - check out my calendar of upcoming events and you will know what I mean. Most certainly not complaining, just a bit overwhelmed:)

I had a wonderful signing at LL Bean's on December 10th with a photo appearing in the Maine Sunday Telegram. Thanks to the photographer and I hope his little one is enjoying A Isn't for Fox. I continue to volunteer in the second grade and have written several math related pieces that I am hoping to begin submitting to publishers soon. I am still trying to figure out the everchanging market place and what publishers are wanting. The E revolution continues to muddy the waters.

My other creative endeavor in the past year has been designing quilt patterns. Two of my designs were picked up by Timeless Treasures Fabrics in New York City. These patterns - Askew and A Wee Bit Askew - are available for download at www.ttfabrics.com. Look under projects on the menu bar. My goal in the next few weeks is to change one page on my web site to showcase my quilt patterns and provide information on where they can be purchased.

It's a beautiful day - enjoy it!

Busy, busy, busy...

2011-07-25T04:40:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I didn't break my arm or have a major computer crash, either. In all honesty, I have been so busy with non-writing related activity that I just haven't even had time to think about the blog. I have been writing, but not children's literature. But I have continued my research for the middle grade novel - which will by virtue of my research now have a new title - TBD!

I have also experienced a discouragement slump as the new landscape of the publishing world leaves this writer wondering where to turn next. Do I keep on, keeping on? I have received wonderful feedback from teachers about several of my new math pieces - unfortunately, they don't work for the publishers, who could care less at this point. Wow, that sounded like sour grapes....

Do I try my hand at writing for the new market - apps and all ? Do I really want to scroll over Cowboy Billy's head and see HAT appear? Do I? I don't know the answer to this one. And where is the new mom or grandparent going to go to browse and happen to pick up A Isn't for Fox, see the beautiful illustrations and laugh at the silly verse and say, this is perfect. Not at Borders, not online. Please support your local independent book store - if you have one...

The ideas haven't dried up, the love of writing hasn't died; but right now I need a new compass because I can't find my true north.

Where to go from here?

2011-05-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

Thought I would give you a quick list update of some highlights from this past weekend at the NESCBWI conference. If you write for children, you may find some of the web addresses useful. If you read children's books you might find something new to read! As for me - my mind is spinning, trying to separate gems from clutter and figuring out which manuscript do I concentrate on now!!!!

Marketing - Susan Raab Associates, THE name in children's book marketing, www.raabassociates.com

Research techniques - Loree Griffin Burns - great ideas and organizing tips, her book - Hive Detectives

Middle Grade Plotting - Whoa, slow down, can't write that fast - Whew! - Janet Fox - a goldmine of information, albeit at light speed. www.janetsfox.com Her book - Faithful

Picture Book or Magazine? - Harold Underdown - good comparison list of characteristics - Did you know Cowboy Billy is really an illustrated storybook, not a picture book? www.kidmagwriters.com

World Building -Stacy Whitman - two hour intensive with wonderful discussion and specifics for building a believable world in fantasy or science fiction. Much to do in this area!

Books to consider : for little ones - Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea
fantasy - Matched by Allie Condie
TankBorn by Karen Dandler
adult - The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok

New England Writer's Conference

2011-05-09T07:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend I will be attending the annual conference of the New England chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.) This is the most well known and respected professional organization for children's writers. I became a professional member with the publication of A Campfire for Cowboy Billy. If you write for children, you really should belong to this organization - it provides huge support to writers and illustrators and some publishers will only accept submissions from members of this group.

This is the 25th anniversary of the New England chapter and I am very excited to attend, both for the workshops and the keynote speakers. The first keynote speaker is award winning Jane Yolen who has written over 300 books, Owl Moon being my favorite. The second keynote speaker is Tomie dePaola, award winning author of over 250 books - check out The Art Lesson. The third keynoter is Lin Oliver, co-founder of SCBWI, a former VP of Universal Studios and now co-author of 15 books with Henry Winkler (aka The Fonz.) Their series about Hank Zipzer is hailed as a break through for students with different learning styles. Very exciting!

Although I am published in the picture book genre, I am focusing my workshops on marketing and writing for middle grade, including research techniques, world building for fantasy writing and how to develop minor characters. I hope to come home re-energized and with enough information to create a plan of action to move forward in this crazy occupation of writing. A de-briefing to follow in the next blog. Enjoy Spring!!

Art Linkletter was right!

2011-04-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, Art Linkletter had a show on TV about the sayings of kids. I guess I thought it was funny then, but it means so much more now as I listen to my grandsons explain situations to me. Their utter delight in saying something funny is totally refreshing. From talking to an imaginary friend in a pocket who, by the way, has a ladder that will reach to heaven so they really could visit Great Grandma, to deciding to have the name Tiger and declare to be 100 years old, their fun with words never stops. Even more rewarding, is the fact that most of the time they are purposefully using language to have fun! What a great lesson to learn from ones so small - using language to entertain, not bully; using language to be creative, not destructive; using language to share feelings, not hurt them. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not blinded by my love for these little ones - they use language in other ways, too. Poopy-head being a favorite. And they are quick to correct us grownups when we say something inappropriate, also. What I am trying to figure out is how to keep them having fun with words and how I can use what they teach me to write better books for them. Meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy our witty and insightful conversations. So I will leave you with a recent exchange: Me: "I love you to the moon. " Grandson: "I love you to the back of the moon. " It doesn't get any better!

Thunder Thoughts...

2011-04-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoyed the thunderstorm this morning. When we first moved to Maine from Pennsylvania in the mid-80s, there never seemed to be any thunderstorms. Coming from south central PA, we were used to some pretty hefty thunderstorms during the summer months. I missed them . The last several years, however, there seem to be more thunderstorms occurring. Perhaps global warming, or cyclical pattern changes or I am just more aware? I was born during a thunderstorm which may explain my affection for this particular meteorological event. (I actually spell checked that weather word because it didn't look right!) Spelling aside, thunder boomers rate high on my warm weather rain events. Of course, there is nothing better than the surprise of thunder snow in the middle of winter! Being a lover of books, I still like to think that they are bowling away in the Hudson River Valley as Rip Van Winkle snores on. What or where is your favorite thunder? Thunder Hole? Thunder Bay? Catching thunder?

Test Groups

2011-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

I am finding that I am asking adults less often to give me feedback on my work and, taking a deep breath, having students be my critique group. My first adventure in this method was having 5th, 7th and 9th grade students edit my middle grade novel. I must admit I was more than a bit nervous when I returned to gather their feedback. But after pushing down that defensive dragon in me, I listened ,fascinated, as they told me what they thought would make the book better and what they liked. But even more gratifying to me, was the way they told me their thoughts. There was no sarcasm or derision in their voices - and, yes, these were typical tweens and teens. They wanted to be part of the process and appreciated the opportunity to have an author listen to their ideas and actually take notes on what they said. And they want to know when I will have copies for them published! That was the hard part - telling them I didn't know if it would ever be published. So now I am bravely trying out a new counting manuscript with second graders. This piece can be read as a book or done as a type of square dance. After five classes of second graders worked with me last week, I received a thumbs up from students and teachers to keep working on it. So off I go to Winslow this week to try it with some more second graders. Their feedback comes in giggles, sparkling eyes and hugs! Book signing for Cowboy Billy on Saturday, April 30th, at 11am at Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop in Bath. New research notes for the middle grade novel at www.wendyulmer.com.

Three Month Hiatus

2011-03-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

After three months of re-evaluating and pondering the best use of my time, I 'm back! There have been so many fast and furious changes in the publishing world that one doesn't know what to think. Picture book publishers are moving to middle grade books and YA novels. EReaders have taken the market by storm and many authors are wondering what they will find when the dust settles. And through it all, there is more and more use of social media. I, too, have a personal Facebook page and an author page. I began to find myself spending time keeping up with Facebook, when I should have been creating in one form or another. I began to resent the time it was taking to find out who replied to what ,when that little voice in my head was whispering about research and new math markets. So for the last three months I refrained from Facebook except for a "like" here or there, did some research on marketing and time management for authors and designed a website. I have no problem with Facebook and those who use it, it just isn't something I can spend too much time using. So I will still visit Facebook and add a post occasionally, but try to be more diligent in my writing and blogging. I am very excited to have received the advance copies of A Campfire for Cowboy Billy and to report that it will be available in April for purchase. This is a fun book for little cowboy lovers as well as a gentle way to help children deal with the loss of a loved one. I hope you can take a ride with Biily soon. Please check out my website at www.wendyulmer.com to follow my research for The Boat Builder's Secret.

The Gift

2010-12-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a fun, loving, and fun loving family. Our Sunday night gatherings often included a meal with 15 or more seated around the table, most of us laughing so hard we were crying. Those meals, however, always began with us holding hands - including the little chubby ones of whatever small child was sitting in the old high chair - and singing our Moravian blessing. Be present at out table Lord, be here and everywhere adored. From Thine all bounteous hands this food, may we receive with gratitude. I don't know where that blessing came from, but I know where it's going.

Over the years , though the family is scattered from Minnesota to Pennsylvania to New Jersey to Maine, the blessing is always sung when any of us get together. So we, of course, continued to sing it in our family as our children grew up. Last year we were gathered at my daughter's house for a meal. Both daughters were there with their sons, Connor and Tucker. The boys were barely three years old and had been present at all our family meals. But this time would be different. We all held hands, bowed our heads, and began to sing. Now, if you have grandchildren, you know you keep one eye slit open to watch their faces during times like these. The boys were just watching and listening. We finished singing, dropped hands and then heard Tucker's little voice, "Again, sing it again." Through tears and smiles, we did just that.

There were double singings of the blessing for most of the family meals during the year. And Connor and Tucker were soon singing the words, despite not knowing what they meant. But through the singing, they were learning what family meant. Last Sunday the boys came with their moms to decorate a gingerbread train - perhaps a new tradition in the making? Before beginning we had a quick lunch. The boys were seated with their bowls of mac and cheese when Tucker said, "Mama, let's sing the Lord be present song." We held hands, we sang, and He was present in the gift of those two little boys.

May you, too, have a blessed holiday with your gift of family and friends.

Egads - eBooks!

2010-12-07T07:29:00.000-08:00

I receive daily updates from Publisher's Weekly and lately they are full of the rise of ebook sales and the demise of traditional books. Now, I'm not a techno phobe - I use computers daily, have a cell phone and manage to navigate my way around these gadgets. But I'm not a techno enthusiast to the point of having the newest of everything whether it is needed or not. However as an author, this is one technological development I can't ignore.

I can see the advantage if you travel frequently of carrying one tablet size device rather than three books. I suppose if you lived in a space without bookshelf space, it might make sense, also. But, of course there is also the library, where they will shelve your "collection" of favorites. As I deal mainly in children's books, I didn't pay too much attention to the ebooks until I received an addendum to my contract for ebook publication. Apparently teachers can download an ebook to their computer and then project it on a SmartBoard and write over the text/illustration to instruct students in a certain concept. Most contracts from the traditional publishers now contain a paragraph refering to e rights.

But what about the thrill of opening the cover of a brand new book, smelling the new ink smell and feeling the texture of the paper? At first I thought maybe I felt this way because I love children's books. But no, I don't want to relax in my big comfy chair, with my hot cocoa and a view of the birdfeeder and turn on my e reader.
I want to open my book to where my tattered bookmark has saved the next part of my reading adventure. I want to balance the book in one hand as I sip my cocoa and not worry that a spill will do anything more than darken a corner of a page. I want my book.

This afternoon I am "attending" a web seminar on children's publishing and e books. Will it change my mind? I hope not. But it may help me figure out as an author where I fit into this new publishing sphere and how I can still hold on to my book.

Much to do!

2010-12-02T03:26:00.000-08:00

I have received great feedback from my student editors. I collated all the comments and then categorized them into similar responses. From this process, I was able to determine the major weaknesses of the manuscript and make a plan for revision. Now I have so much research and revision to do, I don't know where to begin! During my last visit to the 7th grade class, I ran my revision ideas past them. I knew I was on the right track when their eyes lit up and they started nodding. Putting a piece out there and allowing students to be open and free with their comments - not having to worry about being tested,etc. - resulted in authentic feedback from an unbiased audience. Although it was scary, I would (and will) do it again. There is a chance a fifth grade class will still get to take a look at it also, as it was written for this grade level. Don't hold your breath to see this one - it will be a while, if ever:)

Don't forget, A Isn't for Fox and Zero, Zilch, Nada:Counting to None are great holiday gifts for a special child or teacher. School Visit brochures and Birthday Visit brochures are available by sending me an email request. The first surprise birthday visit was a great success!

Student editors

2010-10-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

The small novel, The Boat Builder's Secret, is now in the hands of a 7th grade class and a 9th grade class. I was pleasantly surprised by their reactions to being asked to edit my story. They were rather shocked that an adult writer would want their opinion and were quite pleased to be the only classes chosen for the project. One freshman young man asked if he could say it "sucked?" I told him he surely could, but then he had to tell me in detail why it sucked! Everyone laughed and we were off to a great start. As I was finishing up my ideas, I looked around and they were already reading, so I stopped talking and handed the class back to the teacher. It will be quite interesting to see the first comment sheets.

I have started "teaching" more writing in the second grade class. It is amazing what they can do if given some confidence building and a little push. This week we worked on using "juicy" words instead of "blah" words in our writing. They amazed us when they began using words like agitated and disappointed to decribe how a certain situation would make them feel. We were all so proud of their writing at the end of the lesson.

As the weather turns cooler, my writing muse becomes more active. I am being called by a certain dragon to come back to work on his story and the number 10 is whining about having his own book. So on go the smart wool socks, turtlenecks and fleece and may the writing begin!

Once a teacher ...

2010-10-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Despite being no longer employed as a teacher, I find myself back in schools more and more. I am now in year three of second grade and loving it. I continue to work one day a week with math and the other day with writing. I was so impressed yesterday with how hard the students worked writing poems. Imagine not only trying to decide what you want to say, but not being able to spell many of the words you want to write! Their observations are quite insightful and imaginative, but ,oh, the patience it takes to help them through the frustration of trying to get it down on paper. After they were finished writing, we had a poetry reading and we finger snapped our applause.

Today I am meeting with the first of three teachers who have graciously agreed to work on a student editing project with me. I finished writing a short middle grade novel called The Boat Builder's Secret. Three classes - grades 5, 7 and 9 - are going to be my editors. I am hoping for honest feedback from the target audience to use as I begin rewrites. I am excited and a bit anxious about the project, but hope it will be as useful to the teachers and students as it will be for me. I will post updates as we work through the project.

My new brochure for giving an author visit to a single classroom to celebrate a child's birthday is now available. If you would like one, please email me and I will send one your way.

This Sunday I hope educators in Maine will join me at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta between 1pm and 3pm. As I mentioned last time, this store is a treasure chest of materials for educators and home schoolers. Come take advantage of their Educator's discounts and meet and greet with three authors. Hope to see you there!

Moving forward...

2010-09-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

The end of summer brings a re-assessment of where one is in the overall scheme of life. After several months of changes - wanted and unwanted - it is time to move forward.

I was notified a week ago that my editor is no longer with the publishing company. This was difficult to take in as she was the editor for all three of my books. I had actually visited with her twice and felt comfortable with her. Now she is gone and there is no contact and it leaves an empty feeling. It also leaves me with questions - am I back at square one, what will happen to the mauscripts the publisher is still holding, will I ever talk to her, again? Time to move forward. I will continue to write, research publishers and submit manuscripts. I will continue to file rejections and rejoice at acceptances.

The new school year has begun and I am in second grade for the third year - I am getting better at math! The economy continues to plague the schools with larger classes, dropped subjects and little funding for enrichment. Time to move forward. This afternoon I am picking up brochures for a new way to get an author - me, actually - into classrooms. The basic idea is to give my author visit as a gift to a single classroom to celebrate a child's birthday. The $60 fee includes mileage, reading two of my books, a group activity, Q&A and a signed book for the birthday child. Right now the program is limited to within a 60 mile radius of Bath, Maine. However, when I travel to PA the program would travel with me and include a 60 mile radius around Lebanon, PA. I will be sending the brochures to local schools and it will be available at the Bath Book Shop. If you would like a copy, send me an email and I can email the file to you or send you an actual brochure.

After Zero came out this summer, my publicist asked if I wanted to present at the National Council of
Teachers of Math convention. After I stopped laughing, I politely declined. So she set me up to do a workshop for homeschooling parents on how to use picture books to teach math. I researched, bought books, practiced and had a successful presentation at Barnes and Noble in Augusta at the end of August. And it was actually fun - talking about math - who would have thought? Time to move forward. I am now working on expanding the presentation to a workshop format to present for teachers. I plan to integrate hands on activities to use with specific books so there is an immediate "take home and use" aspect to the workshop.
More on that as it becomes a reality.

I will be at the Educators Event at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta, ME on Sunday, October 10 from 1 - 3pm. This store has invested more space and inventory for teaching than any store I have been in in a long time. There is plenty there for teaching or if you are looking for additional academic support for your child.

So it really is time to move forward and here I go!

Wondering why?

2010-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we attended the Newport Jazz Festival for the 7th time. It was all the great fun it usually is - spending time with friends in Jamestown, riding the ferry to and from the festival, enjoying the fabulous music on three stages, and being part of a cultural and ethnic melting pot brought together by the beat of jazz. It wasn't until the last performance late Sunday afternoon that I realized the real reason why I was at this festival. Chris Botti - my favorite trumpeter, next to my nephew Eric - was the final performer. I have several of his albums, with Italia being my favorite. Mr. Botti came out on the stage and in front of thousands of jazz fans, began his set with Ave Maria. Even the wind and the waves stopped for a moment to listen. It was amazing, but not yet my moment of awakening.

After several more tunes, Mr. Botti told an amusing, and inspiring story about a trip to Italy with his band. After playing for an Italian wedding reception, their violinist, a young talented woman, tripped and slit her fingers severly on a wine glass. A career ending injury. She was flown back to Los Angeles, underwent surgey and months and months of rehabilitation. After the story, she joined Mr. Botti on stage, violin in hand and began to play. As the trumpet and violin began to merge into one musical storyteller, the musicians disappeared, the crowd disappeared, there was only the most beautiful music I had ever heard. I wept, lost for that moment in what must have been a passing of angels through my soul. When it ended, I began to wonder why. Why had I allowed music, which had been my only world for so long, to be pushed to the bottom of my favorites list?

I will wrestle with this question, knowing it can't stay at the bottom any longer. But as I strive to achieve some sense of balance in my life, I know it can't ever return to the place of absolute dominance it once held. I will start a new song, with no repeats.

"Birth" days

2010-07-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

Since joining the Facebook community and getting birthday updates for my friends, I realized that shortly my birthday reminder will be infiltrating cyberspace. This started my thinking about birthdays and their relevance in society in general and in my life in particular. When I was younger, I loved my birthday. It was the one day that was mine and wasn't shared with sisters or friends. I fondly remember a birthday party at my grandfather's cottage at Valley Glen, PA. It was a very special day for me. But as I grew older, the act of marking the day I physically arrived here became less and less important. I began to wonder why. At first I thought it probably had something to do with not wanting to admit getting older - we all go through that phase, I believe. I began to realize that there were other times in my life that were "birth" days for me emotionally, mentally or spiritually. These times seem much more worthy of a celebration than a specific date on the calendar.

A few of my true "birth" days: the day I climbed to the ceremonial kiva at Bandolier, when I held my newborn daughters, the phone call telling me that Cowboy Billy was going to be published - and I would have rather have had my dad back than have the book, reading Cowboy Billy with my mother the first time, mesmerized by 120 students singing "Do You Hear the People Sing" and knowing at that moment we weren't teacher and students, we were family, hearing, "I love you, deva."

Although the calendar birthdays will continue to come and go, it is the other "birth" days that I will now celebrate. I look forward to many more moving and wonderful "birth" days as I travel through time.

Quick note, of course! I will be signing books at Books -n - Things in Norway, Maine, this Saturday, July 24th from 11am - 1pm. Stop by and say hello if you are nearby. A very happy Un-birthday to you!

Books in Boothbay

2010-07-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

Although I am not participating in this event this year, I want to encourage readers in the midcoast area of Maine to attend. On Saturday, July 10th, Books in Boothbay will be hosting 40 Maine authors at the Boothbay Railway Museum from 12:30 - 3:30pm. Authors are from all genres - childrens to adult fiction and nonfiction. There is no admission fee and several of the authors will be doing readings from their work. All authors will be available to sign and meet and greet. You can learn more at booksinboothbay.blogspot.com.

I will be signing books at Books-n-Things in Norway, Maine on Saturday, July 24th, from 11 - 1. This is my first visit to this western Maine town and I am eager to visit their shop and meet their young readers. We travel through Norway on the way to our camp in Bethel and every time through I mention I would like to explore the town. Now I will get my chance! Please stop by if you live in the area or are vactioning nearby.

My daughter and I have been reading and enjoying Michael Scott's series about the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. I am calling it a historical fantasy set in contemporary times. Unfortunately, we are ready for the next book in the series, but it is not ready for us:( The amount of research Scott has done is mind boggling and how he has woven it all into a believable tale is fabulous. Oh, to have a mind like that!

Finally!

2010-06-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, Zero has finally arrived in the United States! After arriving in the publisher's warehouse in Michigan on Friday, it is now being delivered to the distributors and should be available on Amazon and in bookstores shortly. It's been a long trip, but worth the wait.

There are books, however, at the Borders in South Portland, Maine, where I will be reading and signing tomorrow. Storytime is at 11am and will be followed by a signing time until 1pm. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello.

Yesterday I had a wonderful visit with friends from California that I had not seen in ten years. For part of that time, I didn't even know where they were living. We vowed that would not happen again! Time is too short and people are too precious to be put off until later. There is no later, there is only now.

Have lunch with a friend, write a letter to a loved one, phone home:)

Home Again, #2

2010-06-08T02:27:00.000-07:00

Did you ever have a weekend that you thought was going to be so busy it would fly by and you wouldn't really enjoy it? But unexpectedly, time slows down and even though you do everything planned, the universe gives you precious unrushed moments to enjoy and cherish. That was my weekend!

The drive to and fro was smooth, with little delay for all the road construction going on this summer. I had a great visit with Grandma, who insisted on feeding me ice cream and strawberries and cookies and pretzels. Aren't Grandmas great? Thanks for my lunch money, Grandma. I bunked in with my youngest sister for the first time . She graciously took my MN sister and me in for the weekend, even though she was hosting a baby shower for her daughter on Sunday. She took me to two great places to eat, both in "downtown" Elizabethtown . Flavers is a restaurant where we sat out on the deck next to a little creek and enjoyed the atmosphere, great food and live music. Folklore is a coffee shop with free wifi, fabulous pastries and baked goods, plenty of drink choices, and the atmosphere tempts you to stay and enjoy one of those unhurried moments. Maybe, even, and unhurried life!

Elizabethtown has a beautiful library. The children's room is on the second floor and the reading space is in a round turret room. Perfect for any "once upon a time..." It was interesting reading and sharing both books with an audience that included small children, older kids and adults. But once again, the response was very positive. The little ones watched everything and the older ones really "got" the humor. When Harry began breaking the balloons the second time, one of the older boys threw his hands on his head and said, "Oh, no!"
These are the moments that keep you writing.

Saturday evening we headed to Mt. Gretna for a signing at the Gretna Emporium. I could write an entire blog about the happenings in Mt. Gretna, but suffice it to say that in the summer it is quite busy with the Playhouse, the Jigger shop, many cultural events and great music. Both books sold well and I had some interesting conversations with different folks that stopped by. I also visited with friends before going out to dinner with all three sisters and and other family members. Desserts at my sister's house - she should be on Food Network! Yum.......

Sunday was more family time and a quiet evening sharing the end of a wonderfully unhurried and delightful weekend. May you have one of your own very soon.

Saturday, June 12 - Book signing at Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop, 190 Front St., Bath, Maine. The event is from 11 - 1 and is sponsored by Mariner's Compass and the Bath Book Shop. Stop by and say hello:)

On the Road, Again

2010-06-03T03:15:00.000-07:00

I am leaving tomorrow for a busy, but fun weekend in Pennsylvania. There is nothing better than being able to share important events in your life with your family. So this weekend I will share the new book with Great Grandma, three sisters and their families, perhaps an aunt and uncle and with PA friends.

I am looking forward to my Saturday morning reading at the Elizabethtown Public Library. My sister, Kyle, arranged this visit and has been an awesome publicity agent for the event. I may need to hire her for other events! Late afternoon on Saturday, I will be signing books at the Gretna Emporium in Mt. Gretna PA. We grew up in Mt. Gretna and having a signing event there is very special for me.

The latest word from the publisher is that the books should arrive in country on June 12th. So if you can't attend any of these early signing events, you should be able to get the book after that date. The next events will be June 12th at Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop in Bath ME and on June 26th at the Borders in South Portland ME. Both events are from 11am - 1pm.

I'll post pictures from the upcoming weekend next week on my Facebook page - Wendy Ulmer, Author of Children's Picture Books. Have a great weekend!

Home again, home again, jiggety jog

2010-05-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

What a fun, busy time in Minnesota. Big, big thanks and hugs to my sister and her husband for their hospitality and transportation! After two long days of driving I arrived in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. As with the rest of the country, the temps were way above normal. Tuesday we visited Castle Elementary and had a good first visit with Zero, Zilch, Nada : Counting to None. The class of 23 did quite well and were attentive and tuned in to helping Harry count to none. Kindergarteners are much smarter now than when I was one!

I did receive a copy of the book on Friday before I left; however, my editor did not see it until Sunday at the book signing. It turns out that the books are still not in this country, but on a container ship between California and China. So they drop shipped books directly from China to Michigan where the publisher then sent copies on to the Red Balloon in St. Paul. They supposedly also sent books to Mt. Gretna, PA for the signing on June 5th. Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyway, my editor was quite pleased and amazed at how vibrant the colors printed. I realize I am biased and a bit excited right now, but it really is so much more than I ever thought a "math" storybook could be:) The books should be available by the second week in June which is good as we have a signing in Bath on June 12th.

So life with a new book begins. The highs of signings and visits, the hoping for good reviews and the moving onward to hopefully another inspiration. Enjoy the ride!

Minnesota, Here I Come!

2010-05-14T03:50:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the day! Tomorrow I head out on another travel adventure across our beautiful country to St. Paul MN. My travel adventures will be a discussion for a later blog, because right now I am too excited about this one to do any justice to the memories of the other ones.

The car is half packed. Inside is the school visit bag for a Kindergarten visit at Castle Elementary in Oakdale MN on Tuesday, gifts for special people, and two beautiful quilts my sister made that I am returning to her - all quilted, trimmed and ready for binding. Today I will pack my clothes, a few snacks for the road, my to - do bag (like I am really going to work) and the all important directions. On the dashboard is taped a note from one of the second graders - very important.

So only the good byes are left. I kissed, tickled and enjoyed one grandson this morning and will hopefully enjoy the other one this evening. I have insured my husband numerous times that I am a big girl and will be careful. So I guess I am ready.

I will try to send a blog from MN and will certainly send one with pictures from the first signing event for Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None! Come see us at the Red Balloon on Grand Ave. in St. Paul on Sunday, May 23, at 2pm. If you can't be there, send us your good wishes, they are felt and appreciated.

Soon!

2010-05-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

After a few unsettling emails from the publisher, the good news is that the books have arrived at the warehouse in Michigan. They apparently expected to have a shipping delay and were preparing to air freight books to the first two signing events. But yesterday books were shipped to the Red Balloon Book Shop in St. Paul, MN and to the Gretna Emporium in Mt. Gretna PA from Michigan.

I wonder if I will see the book before I leave for St. Paul? I have a feeling the book will be "out there" before I even see it. It has been a long wait, but I am getting very excited to finally see and hold Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None in my hands.

Although the process is long, it is full of gifts all along the way. The first gift is the gift of the muse which brings the idea. Then there is the gift of feeling it become a viable story. The acceptance by the publisher is a very high point in the process - I usually can't help but grin for about three hours after that phone call:) Then there is a wait for the first sketches and suddenly your characters appear before you and become even more a part of the realization of the dream. The biggest and best gift, however, is sharing each little gift along the way with family and friends who share the excitment with you. And then to place the book in their hands makes the wait totally insignificant. There I go - grinning, again.

So in one short week and a half, the gift of signings begins at the Red Balloon in St.Paul. If you are near there on Sunday, May 23, stop in around 2 o'clock and say hello. I still can't believe it - book #3!

Indie Shops

2010-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

I love local, independent bookshops. Now don't get me wrong, I also believe there is a place for the big chainstores and internet sites. We don't all live in or near a community that has an independent shop and being able to go to an urban area to a big store or to shop online may be the only way to get our book fix. I also support libraries. But sometimes you just have to own the book, write in the margins, dog ear favorite pages and reread it until the cover has the soft patina of an antique table. But, I digress.

Independent book shops are like family. The people running the shops love books as much as you do, squeeze every second of reading in just like you do, let the clothing wrinkle in the dryer until the chapter is finished, just like you do. When you walk in your local book shop, there is a smiling face ready to tell you Jodi Piccoult's next release date, why your mystery reader will love the next Clive Cussler and how your toddler will ask you to read Mo Willem's new book every night for the next month. You say you want to try something new, your local bookseller will be glad to enthuse over the newest releases or best authors of historical fiction or gardening or whatever strikes your fancy.

If you live near an independent book shop, please check it out. And don't forget to seek them out when travelling on vacation this summer. These shops usually have a good selection of local authors and what better way to expand your reading horizons. After all, every author is a local author somewhere!

So give a shout out for your favorite independent shop and if I am ever nearby, I will check it out and hopefully find my books in their children's section!

2010-04-22T03:41:00.000-07:00

As the publication date approaches of Zero, I find myself thinking about my math phobia. I know there are going to be questions as my "condition" is mentioned in the official publisher's press release. First, however, I want to thank the second graders who are teaching me strategies to work with my affliction. Most of them, thankfully, are free of this problem.

To this day, when I hand over a twenty to pay for an item, if someone were to say "What should the change be?"- I will panic. Any knowledge I have of how numbers and money works will immediately morph into a foreign language I have never heard. The blood will flood from my face, a 'deer in the headlight' look will shoot from my eyes, and my tongue will turn to stone. A blubbering idiot, I will quickly grab the receipt and change, clench my fist around them, stuff it in my pocket and quickly take the nearest escape route. Pathetic.

Another painful scenerio. We stop at a gas station on a trip. Unfortunately, I often seem to ride with gas mileage watchers who make it an extreme sport! Gas is pumped, odometer reading written down, number of gallons bought written down, paper handed to me - What is the mileage? See reactions above - followed by my comment - "Does it matter - we got here?"

In my defense - when left in isolation my math brain works just fine. I design and make quilts which are all based on math, I play the piano daily which requires understanding fractions in time and now I seem to be writing stories to help children understand and enjoy math. Go figure.

So please - read my books, snuggle under my quilts, but don't ask me how much change I should receive or how many miles per gallon my Beetle bug gets. Blue one!

It costs how much?

2010-04-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

OK - let's be blunt. Unless you are J.K. Rowling or Lois Lowery, your books don't exactly pay the bills. And that is fine, that isn't why we write. But it would be nice to make a bit of income from the hours spent sweeping the cobwebs out of our imaginations and shaping them into something other than half the dream I remember from last night. One way this used to be possible was with author visits to schools and libraries. This however, due to the economy, is no longer possible for many districts. PTA's, once the champions of enrichment programs, are needed to help fund textbooks and school supplies. And thank goodness for the dedicated parents, grandparents and teachers who continue to keep these organizations running. So much for the problem - on to some ideas that may help.

I belong to a professional organization called the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. It is considered THE professional organization for children's writers in the U.S. This month's issue had a great article by author Alexis O'Neill who lives in California - where schools are in very dire straits. Her article focused on finding funding through partnerships between schools/libraries and local community organizations, ie Rotary, Lions,etc. It also refers to places where the local Target/Walmart stores entered into partnership with schools to help fund enrichment programs. I don't think this should happen just for authors, this needs to happen for artists, musicians, dancers, poets, sculptors, actors, storytellers, etc. With the arts being cut in many schools, alternative ways need to be developed to insure some continued exposure to the arts for our children.

If you would like more information regarding the ideas in the afore mentioned article, please email me and I will send it to you. We all need to be creative about money these days. Funding enrichment for our children can happen if we all work together. I am currently exploring alternative time/pricing structures for my visits which would allow a single teacher to bring me in for a class as well as continuing the traditional all day visit to a school. If you have ideas or suggestions regarding this subject, please email them to me.

One last thought - I had two visits last year which were birthday gifts funded by individuals for their child's classroom. What better gift than a time of inspiration and sharing with a real live artist, author, musician, etc.

Much to Tell!

2010-04-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

First of all, an apology for being out of touch for so long. No one excuse, just several life events interfering with time and concentration. I have also been trying to up my technological expertise and am not much further, but improving. With any luck, this blog should soon be appearing on my Facebook page. There will also soon be a Facebook page dedicated only to my books.

Speaking of books - Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None will be arriving in mid May and in the stores in June. The final layout and art work looks great and I can't wait to actually hold one in my hands. What a long birth this has been! Check the upcoming events section as there are already several events scheduled with the book - including a return to the Red Balloon in St. Paul, MN.

A Isn't for Fox is finishing up its year in two reading programs - The Keystones to Reading program in PA and the Delaware Diamonds program. It was an honor to be selected for these two programs in which school children read several chosen books and vote for their favorite.

Last, but not least, A Campfire for Cowboy Billy is supposedly going to be reprinted as a paperback, although we have yet to see a contract. But we (Ken, the illustrator and I) are excited to have been contacted by the current publisher who owns the films from the original printing. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Second grade is finishing up our Community Reads program. The students have done an awesome job interviewing our guests and writing their reports. We look forward to our celebration next week when we will present our community guests with copies of the reports and display our posters. Great job!

I am continuing my work on several math oriented picture books and also my early reader fantasy. Here's to a beautiful spring full of sunshine and inspiration. Read and write a little each day!

I smell Spring!

2010-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

OK - so maybe I am pushing it a little. But there have been times, like today, where it feels like there is a touch of spring in the air. The wind still has a nip to it, but the sun feels different and the earth smells fresher.

I visited the Kindergartens today at the Dike Newell School in Bath, Me. It was great fun and they wrote very informative poems about owls. I was impressed. This is the same school where I volunteer in the second grade. Our Community Reads program is moving along nicely and we are all learning quite a lot about the many different careers in our town. We are planning on displaying our poster gallery of community readers at the annual Art Show on April 1st. We are all getting excited!

I have applied to attend a writer's workshop at the Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Craft this summer. The teacher is Naomi Shabib Nye, a fabulous writer of both children's literature and poetry. I am crossing fingers and toes in hopes of being accepted.

Check out the catalogue at Sleeping Bear's web site. Click on catalogue, then go to the last page (273) and check out the last book listed. That's right - Zero, Zilch, Nada:Counting to None! Better last, than not at all:)
I am still awaiting notice that the illustrations are complete and it is going to press. It's best not to think about it too much and just move on to other projects.

I have been working on more concept books, especially using math in the story line. Those second graders are really teaching me new ways to think about math. I am actually beginning to enjoy numbers!

Time to get back to research and writing. Take a break and read a book - the work will wait!

A New Year?

2010-01-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

So we now write 2010 instead of 2009, but does that really make it a new year? I am thinking of having a different date to start my new year, maybe even change it each "year." I felt like last year I lost the first six months and I really don't think they should count, since I can't find them! So that would make July 1st the beginning of my new year this time around. The fiscal year for many organizations doesn't match the calendar year, so why should I?

According to reliable sources, the illustrations for Zero should be arriving any day! I can't wait to see it all together as a book rather than as random drawings and paintings. Perhaps I will be able to share the cover soon!

The second graders have begun their Community Reads program and will have their first community visitor and interview this week. They have worked very hard on how to ask good questions and are practicing doing interviews with their families. They continue to amaze me with their knowledge and insight.

School visit requests are beginning to arrive in my emails and I am scheduling for spring visits. Please let any teachers or librarians know about the blog or share my email with them. I will be traveling to St. Paul, MN. again in May and hope to schedule some appearances there.

Chapter Three of the fantasy is in progress. I now know the dragon speaks in rhymes and the big brother is a problem! We will work through it together and get this story told! Meanwhile, I try not to think about the manuscripts that are out there lying on someone's desk being ignored or worse. Just keep writing and submitting and it will happen again. Just believe!

Late Spring Release

2009-12-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

After what seems like months and months of waiting, Zero,Zilch,Nada:Counting to None is scheduled to be released in late April/early May. Hooray! After the excitement settles down from having a timetable, the worry sets in about how it will be received. As long as the kids enjoy it and maybe learn a little math, I will be happy.

Speaking of math - wow, I am learning so much from my time in second grade. I wish I had learned math the way these kids are learning it. I try to apply what I am learning when I go grocery shopping. I can now do all the math in my head and just write down the total so I don't forget it. I used to write every addition down in order to add it. OK , I admit, math and I haven't always been friends , but we are working on it, big time!

The quandry over the agent question continues, however I now have gotten some professional input and have more of a focus on how to proceed. That is, proceed with making the decision if I need/want an agent. My research continues in that area.

The first draft of Chapter Two of my early reader fantasy is saved. I always seem to begin writing in one direction and the characters take me in another. It is amazing how they solve the problems I can't figure out! I actually think it is my dragons that are writing this story:)

Getting ready for nasty weather tomorrow - may be a good day to read, write and sew!

Too Dark!

2009-11-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

It is only 5pm and I am sitting looking out at the lights across the river because it is completely dark outside! I try to cheer up my husband by telling him in a few short weeks the days will begin to get longer. It doesn't work.

On the writing side of things, I now have a bit more time to devote to my many ideas. Last week I submitted a manuscript to a regional publisher, so the waiting begins. Today I have been researching publishers for two other manuscripts and I will probably be sending them off this week. I am also looking forward to a phone call from my editor to catch up on the new book.

On the actual writing side, I have been working on my first fantasy story and am beginning to learn more and more about the main character. He has a lot to learn, but he has a good heart.
I am also working on a story about a boy who doesn't think he needs to know how to read. We all know where that is going to go!

The second grade class is teaching me so much, especially about math. I sure wish I had been taught math the way they do it today - I might actually like it! Every week I find myself using a method or skill the second graders have been working on - whoever heard of "friendly" numbers? Some definite writing ideas coming out of this experience. Thanks, kids!

Enjoy the holiday season and take time for yourself - read and write a bit - slow down and enjoy your loved ones. And don't forget - A Isn't For Fox makes a great holiday gift for a special little one:)

Falling with the Leaves

2009-11-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

I am firmly convinced that the universe had a massive case of indigestion in October and is still hiccupping a bit! At least my universe did. But I am slowly regaining control of my world and am happy to be back writing.

I have received a color copy of the the cover for Zero etc. for the spring catalogue from Sleeping Bear Press. We are moving in the right direction and I am eagerly looking forward to more color spreads as the winter progresses. After a wild ride trying to get the main concept pages correct, we are finally moving forward. I continue to develop my school visit presentations with the new book and now have a flannel board manipulative to use with the kids. A big thank you to my second grade friends who are willing to try things for me:)

I have finished a first draft of my first fantasy - a possible early reader series. And , of course, it includes a dragon! I have actually been writing steadily during the universe's hiccup, but not polishing or submitting. I will be devoting time to these areas over the next few weeks as they are actually quite time consuming. I am constantly flip flopping over trying to get an agent or not. If anyone out there has any opinions on this, please share them.

I will be at the Dike Newell School Book Fair on Thursday, November 19th at 6:30 pm. A friend and local author, Frances Bloxam, and I will be reading from our books and signing them. Our books make great holiday gifts for youngsters, so stop by and get some shopping done and help out a great school.

Turkey Day is almost here - eat more pie!

Back to School

2009-10-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Last week I began my volunteer work in second grade. I don't remember knowing as much in second grade as these students do! They are also, however, still innocent in many regards and that is refreshing. They love to laugh and are quick to see the humor in everyday life. A valuable trait to retain if you can manage it. We began with a math lesson and it was so interesting because it wasn't the math that gave them trouble, it was the language used to communicate the problem that caused us to stumble. A valuable lesson for an author working on math related stories!

My second day was spent working in the writing center. I was surprised at how young the idea begins that we don't have anything to write about. But by posing questions regarding an experience, they soon were writing away and adding great illustrations to their stories. We think are lives are ordinary and uninteresting, but to others our lives are unique and different. We can all write about something!

Well, I received a final version of Harry - the bunny who is the star of the next book. He is a very friendly and innocent rabbit and I am quite pleased with his final form. The cover sketch is fun and will surely catch the eye with its bright colors. You can start looking for Zero, Zilch, Nada:Counting to None sometime in spring 2010.

I have now added the ability to receive an online brochure of my school visit information. You can email me and I will email back an attachment with the brochure. I will let everyone know when the brochure for the new book is available and when those visits can start.

Enjoy these beautiful fall days!

A Beautiful Fall

2009-09-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

We have been enjoying beautiful weather here in Maine for the past several weeks. After a short taste of the summer that wasn't, the first coastal frost is forcast for tonight. The tomatoes never turned red, so I guess fried green tomatoes are on the menu!

Last weekend I attended a workshop for published authors focused on school visits and marketing. It is amazing just how much time must be devoted to promoting and marketing, as publishers now consider your willingness to do that in deciding whether to accept a manuscript for publication. I know I spend many hours researching publishers, bookstores and book events.

I have received the third set of sketches for the next book and am creating a visual literacy unit to offer to art classes as well as my regular presentations. There is a great progression from one set to another allowing for discussion surrounding why changes are made and how consistency must be maintained. For the younger grades, I am creating math related activities, as well as writing process fun. We hope that the publication process will speed up now that the most technical concept pages have been finalized. It is so hard to wait!!!

"Fox" received a nice blog mention on the blog of Heide Kaisand. Heide is a nationally known quilt personality who gave several presentations at our shop. She has a son and twin girls, so we presented her with a signed copy of "Fox." She posted a nice blog entry and picture about the book. Thanks, Heide! Her blogs about Bath, ME and Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop were quite fun, also.

I begin my second grade volunteering next week and am quite excited to begin. I haven't met any of the kids yet, but hope to write about them as we explore writing and math together this year. They keep me grounded in what it really is like to be growing up today.

I must go out now and bring in the plants - I never know where I am going to put them. Until next time, read, write and enjoy life:)

New Book Title and Fox Honor

2009-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since my last post and I apologize for that. This summer has been quite full of quilt shows and travel. Even the writing took a back seat for the last month or so. But today feels like fall and even though I don't return to school to teach, the same old feelings of "getting back to work" have surged.

The title of the next book has been finalized - yeah! Start looking for Zero, Zilch, Nada : Counting to None in bookstores next spring. The color paintings look great and Harry is a very loveable - though math challenged - bunny. We are hopeful that it will be released in time for some spring time school visits.

A Isn't For Fox has been named to the Delaware Diamonds Booklist for the school year 2009-2010. This is a children's choice award program in the Delaware schools. Last year "Fox" was also named to the Keystones to Reading program in Pennsylvania and was on the short list - but not the final ballot - for the Charlotte Award in New York state. Exciting and humbling, to be sure.

I continue to research early Boston - around the 1770's -for a middle grade historical/fantasy novel set around the Boston Massacre. The more I think about the story, the more I realize how many different details I need to research to make it believable. Ultimately, a trip to Boston to visit the site and the graveyard will be in order. Because of the story line, I am also researching the life of early Irish immigrants in Boston.

Hopefully in the next months there will be good news regarding another picture book which is being considered for publication. Keep your fingers crossed!

This year I will be sending my school visit brochures out to Kindergarten/1st grade teachers in the middle of September. Hopefully by that time they won't get lost in the start of school mail pile. If there is a teacher/librarian you think I should send one to, please email the information to wendyu272@gmail.com. My fee is quite reasonable and there are other sources of funding than the regular school budget. My visits have been funded by parent groups, assembly/enrichment grants and even by anonymous donors. We can be creative, work together and not let the economy rob our kids of new experiences.

Enjoy what is left of summer and start getting ready for a beautiful autumn. Write about it!

Catching Up

2009-07-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

The ever present question once again raises it head- where does the time go?

Last weekend I had a signing at the LL Bean flagship store in Freeport, ME. It was the debut appearance of Izzy - an iguana puppet who had a great time interacting with the kids and the parents. It was a very successful signing and I hope to return for a holiday event in December.

We received the first color illustrations for the new book. Laura's sketches always amaze me, but her paintings are just fabulous and so right for the characters and the story. I can't wait to see the next ones.I am most grateful for having a great editor and illustrator.

I will soon begin my mailings to schools for 2009-2010 school visits. Last year I sent the mailings to school librarians, but I believe this time I may send them directly to grade level teachers. If you know of any elementary teachers who may be interested, please ask them to check out the blog and contact information. The spring visits can be focused around either of the books - A Isn't for Fox or Counting to None - or both at different grade levels. Parents and teachers can check out an activity guide for A Isn't for Fox at www.sleepingbearpress.com.

After some major problems with our current email provider, I am considering changing my email. This is something I have avoided as there are many things to change along with the email address. I will post the new address as soon as it is set up.

Until next time - read and write a little each day!

Rain, rain go away!

2009-06-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the official beginning of summer and we are either in sweatshirts or rain coats or both. Hopefully a new month will bring a new weather pattern.

I have finished my time in second grade for this year. I am so thankful for the time I have shared with Sue Michaud and her class at the Dike Newell School in Bath, Me. Her students have endured being the guinea pigs for the test drives of school visits with the next book. They have been most helpful with suggestions from better ways to lay out worksheets to visuals that help the presentation. I will miss them and wish them well as they move on to third grade. I treasure the fingerprint "people" picture they made for me.

Events are slow this time of year with a signing at L.L.Bean on July 11th the only scheduled event. I am working on several projects at one time and sometimes it seems like I am not getting anywhere! I wish I knew why the ideas mostly arrive at 4am when my brain seems especially active, but my body has trouble getting up and moving.
The suggestion to have a notepad by the bed doesn't really work when your husband is sound asleep and doesn't appreciate a light going on and the sound of a scribbling pencil:)

I hope somewhere it is warm and dry and those who live there are enjoying it. Rainy days are, however, are great days for reading and writing.

Home again, home again jiggety jog!

2009-05-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like going away for two and a half weeks to totally disrail any structure you had in your life! Not that I had much to begin with. But I wouldn't trade those two weeks for anything, well, maybe a Caldecott:)

My sister and I visited 12 quilt shops and generally had a great time just being together. I learned a bit about how to get around the Twin Cities and enjoyed the beautiful parks and lakes. On Wednesday evening we headed to The Red Balloon Book Shop to check it out and check on the Saturday schedule. If you love children's books, you cannot miss this store if you are anywhere near St. Paul. The location is fun - on Grand Avenue in the midst of great shops and restaurants and beautifully restored old homes. The selection is amazing, from board books to YA to puppets. Yes, they carry fabulous puppets, including an iguana who now lives with me. Izzy, the iguana, insisted on becoming the mascot for A Isn't for Fox and has really taken on a life of his own. Scary!

On Saturday we returned to The Red Balloon for my book event. The staff is one of the most warm and caring booksellers I have worked with. They went out of their way to make the event fun and comfortable for me and for the families that attended. Their generosity was overwhelming and I will revisit them whenever I am in St. Paul.
My editor and her little boy also attended the event. This was our first face to face meeting and we enjoyed getting to know each other during lunch. We discussed the next book - some surprises there - and I hope to have a release date soon. It looks like it will be early 2010. And yes, another puppet travelled home to help during school visits with the new book.

Now I am trying to regroup, but not really succeeding. One day at a time is too long to think about, so let's try one minute at a time. That might work. Read on!

In Minnesota

2009-05-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been! I left Maine last Sunday and drove to Pennsylvania to Mt. Gretna. On Monday I had a school visit at the Cornwall Terrace Elementary School in Sinking Springs, near Reading. Because there were four classes in each grade, I saw two classes in each 30 minute session. I wasn't sure how it would work, but I tweaked some new ideas I used at the Saccarappa School last week in Westbrook. ME. Incidently, the Saccarappa School was awesome! Back to this week. That evening I had dinner with an old friend who was the babysitter for my girls when they were little. We had a great time catching up, talking about education and about authors. We then headed to the Spring Township Library and had a very fun time with storytime. The kids asked great questions, the cookies were good and I was surprised by a former student of mine from Maine.

I spent Tuesday visitng family and enjoying being "home." On Wednesday I headed to Pittsburgh and picked up my daughter and a friend at the airport. The next few days were long and fun and full of quilting related activites. I had a great time and I hope my daughter will take me along again next year. But since it is in Minneapolis, we already have our rooms reserved and I don't see how she could say no:)

Today I made my way to St.Paul where I will be for the next week visiting my sister and her husband. On Saturday I have the storytime and signing event at the Red Balloon Bookstore in St. Paul. I am hoping to meet my editor for the first time. It will be nice to have the week to slow down and catch my breath.

Read a good book, then share it with a friend.

School Visits

2009-05-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

I travelled to Wilton ME last week for a day of fun and writing poems at the Cushing School. We wrote some great poems about bugs and Earth Day - and I learned an interesting fact about blood which I need to research. I was
interviewed by three(!) papers that day and viewed the articles online the following day. I don't know how long the articles will be available, but if you're interested, check out www.dailybulldog.com and www.sunjournal.com (Franklin county.)The third paper, The Franklin Journal, is print only, so I hope I receive a copy.

Tomorrow I am off to Westbrook, ME to visit the Kindergarteners at the Saccarappa School. A day with 5/6 year olds is always fun and exhausting!

I can't believe I am finally leaving on my big trip this Sunday. I am eager to visit my family in PA and MN, attend my first Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, do some shopping:) and have a few book events. It will be a great 16 days and it will take all of June to recover.

As the school year draws to a close, it is a great time to think about author visits for the fall. If you belong to a Parent/Teacher group, put it out for discussion now. There is never a bad time to think about enrichment for our children.

I'll keep you posted as I move about the country. Enjoy the flowers, singing birds and budding trees.

Learning, learning, learning...

2009-04-28T03:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended a conference for writers and illustrator's of children's books. It is the annual Northeast Region's conference of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. If you write for children, you need to belong to this group as it is the leading professional organization for children's writers.

The keynote speaker on Saturday was Cynthia Lord from Brunswick, Maine. Cynthia wrote Rules, A Newbery Honor book. Don't miss a chance to hear her speak as she is a wonderful presenter and quite inspiring. The workshops were some of the best I've attended at this conference and I now have some direction for some of the projects I have in mind.

The big trip is coming up soon. After two more school visits here in Maine, I will be off to Pennsylvania and Minnesota. The school and library visit in PA are all set and I have Googled all the directions from one destination to the next. Now the question is - what to wear?

Enjoy the beautiful spring weather!

Kids and Books - love them!

2009-04-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful time I had last week at the Tremont Consolidated School in Bass Harbor, Maine. The students were eager participants in my visit and kept me smiling -and on my toes - all day! We wrote wonderful poems together and they asked very insightful questions. This is a very involved school. The day I visited, scientists from the Jackson Labs in Bar Harbor were working with the second grade finding germs in their classroom and a visiting artist was teaching dance with various other grades. As I left the building, older students were preparing the compost bins and gardens for the growing season. Thanks, Tremont, for a great day!

A little news from the second grade class where I volunteer: they won this year's Read-a-thon and were each awarded a gift certificate to the Bath Book Shop. They walked up to the book store yesterday and stopped to see me at the quilt shop on the way back to school to show me their purchases. I am so proud of them!!! Kudos to their teacher, Mrs. Michaud. It is an honor to help in her classroom.

I am off to a writer's conference next weekend and look forward to learning more about writing for children in the current economic climate and about marketing. It is always inspiring to be around other authors and to hear about the projects they are pursuing. I recently purchased a digital voice recorder and am finding it quite useful. I "write" as I am walking and the results are encouraging. Now to save up to buy the software that will convert it to text. Right now I must listen and type - not very efficient the way I type!

We have been enjoying beautiful spring days, I hope you are, too.

New York, Too!

2009-03-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

Another unexpected email bringing another unexpected surprise! The New York State Reading Association Charlotte Award committe has selected
A Isn't for Fox to be included on the suggested reading list which they will promote along with the Charlotte Award ballot. The actual ballot will be released April 1st. The award is named for the spider in E.B.White's classic children's book, Charlotte's Web. It is rather humbling to have two states choose your book as one they want the young students in their state to read.

In the writing room there are several projects in process. Using a new voice recorder, I am "writing" early chapter drafts for an adult novel - don't hold your breath! I continue research for a middle grade novel and have several magazine stories and picture books at various stages of revision.

I am excited about returning to Mabel Wilson school this Thursday. Word has it that the kindergarteners are learning about poetry - I can't wait.

A saying my mom was fond of at this time of year:

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris'
I wonder where the birdies is?

Enjoy the warming temps, the tips of bulbs and the smell of spring.

"March"ing into Spring

2009-03-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Although there is still snow in the yard, we can see the dirt driveway again and there are bulbs poking their heads up through the ground. Dare we hope that spring is really on its way?

The next few months are filling right up with school visits in Maine, tentative ones in PA and a book signing in Minneapolis! This month I will be returning to the Mabel Wilson School in Cumberland, Maine. I had a great time there last year and look forward to meeting this year's kindergarteners. In April I will travel to Tremont Consolidated School in Bass Harbor and at the end of the month to the Cushing School in Wilton, Maine. In early May I will be visiting the Saccarappa School in Westbrook and then leaving on a three week trip. After several days visiting family in Mt. Gretna, I will head to Pittsburg to meet my daughter for the Spring International Quilt Market. This is my first trip to "market" and I am excited! From there, I will travel to St. Paul to visit my sister and to do a signing at The Red Balloon bookstore. I also hope to meet with my editor face to face:)

I am going to learn more blogging skills in the next weeks and hope to add some links to favorite web sites - both book and quilting related. Enjoy the slow awakening of the earth and take some time to refresh yourself as well.

Ready for Spring!

2009-02-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

As I watch the sun rise this morning through a forest of white, I realize that despite the beauty of the scene, I am ready for spring. I am beginning to return to my 5am rising, after two months of sleep-in hibernation. It was just too dark to get up!

Of course, that hibernation has put me behind schedule in everything from submissions to house repairs and quilt orders. Maybe I should get up at 4am for two months to catch up. I don't see that happening!

Mother Nature decided to interfer in last week's book signing at LL Bean, sending snow and rain throughout the day and keeping the shoppers home. But we did have a fun storyhour and I met some great folks from Maine and from away. I did manage to finally forget my red ant tablecloth at a signing and will have to return to Bean's to pick it up. But that is OK as I have a gift card to use:)

Much to do - think spring!!!!

Beans

2009-02-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

The calendar for spring is beginning to get filled in with school visits and signings. This Thursday, February 19th, I will be reading and signing at the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine. The storyhour begins at 10:30am and I will be there to chat and sign books until 1:30pm. If your school vacation plans include a trip to Freeport, come on down on Thursday and stop by to say hello.

Other school visits are lining up and I look forward to returning to see friends and to make new ones. A trip to Pennsylvania and Minnesota is shaping up for May - more about that in a future blog. Good luck to my sister as she makes the big move to St. Paul this week - travel safely!

I am certainly enjoying the education I am receiving each week as I spend time in second grade. What a refreshing view they have of the world and I just love their honesty and curiosity. I am learning!

If you live here in New England, enjoy the school vacation week. There are still school visit dates available for spring, so please suggest a visit to your child's teacher or to your parent group. It is always fun to do something different in the spring after the long winter!

Book Award Shortlist!

2009-02-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love opening your email and receiving a totally unexpected surprise? Today was that day for me. A Isn't for Fox has been selected for the nomination list for the 2009-2010 Keystone to Reading Book Award! Students in grades K-6 in the state of Pennsylvania (home state for both Laura and I) will read the nominated books during the 2009-2010 school year and vote for their favorite in March 2010. The winning author will be honored in October 2010 at the Keystone to Reading Association meeting in Hershey, PA. Like they say at the Oscars - just to be nominated is enough. Big smile!!!

Sketches

2009-01-22T16:13:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days as an author when you get a little present which makes you realize why you write. What was that present? The first sketches for the counting book arrived today and they are wonderful. Laura's critters are perfect - exactly how I imagined them to be! They have so much character and each is perfect for his/her role in the story. I am so thankful to be teamed with such a talented illustrator who shares the same vision as I do for our book.

I also began volunteering today in Mrs. Michaud's second grade class at Dike Newell School in Bath, ME. I will be helping during reading time twice a week. I want to stay in touch with children and with teachers to hopefully better understand how to write for both. It is quite amazing what they already know and yet are still so innocent in other ways. I believe I will be the one being educated!

I hope everyone is warm out there. After 18 inches of snow last weekend and a return to single digit temperatures coming this weekend, I think we are all ready to shed some layers and head for warmer places. But since that isn't possible, let's just enjoy the beautiful snowscapes, the birds at the feeders and the sea smoke rising over the river.

Don't forget to ask your favorite teacher about a school visit this spring - we still have some open dates.

Too Long!

2009-01-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Well, this was definitely way too long between postings. I'm not sure where December went, but it was certainly busy with writing, quilting and family. January started with a bout of sickness, but I am now getting back on schedule.

I spoke on the phone with Laura Knorr, the illustrator for A Isn't for Fox and for the new book which we think will be released in about one year. We got to know each other a little bit and had fun discussing and deciding on the basic ideas for the new book. I have never had the opportunity to be part of the illutration process this early in a book's production. It was fun and very educational to learn the issues the illustrator must think about when conceiving a book's look. I can't wait to see the early sketches.

My new publicist, Audrey Mitnick, has been busy working on a signing at L.L. Bean's flagship store in Freeport. I will be there during school vacation week, on February 19th at 10:30 am. There will be authors in the store most days that week and many activities going on for the family. If you aren't jetting off to Florida, stop in for a visit.

I have been sending out manuscripts and have others in the hands of my reader/reviewers for comments. I am also doing research for a middle grade novel set during the Revolutionary War and working on a book to follow up the new one that is in production. There are not enough hours in the day - if I just didn't have to sleep!!!

There are still dates available for school visits. My fee is reasonable and can often be covered by the school's parent group. As spring begins to arrive, it is always good to break up the long routine of winter with a visiting author or other type of guest. Education comes in many forms and fashions, and visitors help keep the students engaged and interested.

Take care, be careful in the snow and enjoy the beauty of winter.

Portland and Jay

2008-12-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

Despite the rain, we had a nice time at the Holiday Book Fair in Portland. It is always good to spend time with other writers, to compare notes and talk about our writing experiences. A Isn't for Fox was well received and will be under several trees on Christmas morning.

I just returned from spending the day with the third and fourth graders at Jay Elementary. It is a joy to visit in a school with great teachers and wonderful students. The kids asked great questions, were very observant and had a great time with our Lego activity. The children attending Jay Elementary are lucky students, indeed!

I find that the more I do school visits the more I love doing them. So it is hard hearing that budgets are already frozen for the year and that there are more cuts coming from the state. This means no more new books for the library and in some cases, no more librarians. Please consider volunteering at your child's or grandchild's school or asking if there is anything you can do to help a classroom.
Our children's education is too important to ignore - adopt a classroom, you'll get as much out of it as the kids.

Have a great Holiday Season.

Holiday Book Fair and Back to Jay

2008-11-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

The winter wind is blowing outside, holiday baking has just come out of the oven and homemade gifts are in progress. It is a busy season, but one of my favorites. This Friday, November 28th, I am excited to be part of the Holiday Book Fair and Signing at the Portland Public Library. This annual event is sponsored by Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and features over 20 authors on hand to sign your holiday gift book purchases. There is no better gift for a child than a book and one personalized just for them makes that gift even more precious. The signing event runs from 3 - 5 pm and then you can join the crowd in Monument Square for music by Rick Charette and the lighting of the Christmas Tree. This is a great way to begin the holiday season with your family.

On Monday, December 1st, I am pleased to be returning to Jay Elementary School to work with the 3rd and 4th grades. I had a great visit there in early November with the younger students and I am eager to work now with the older ones. Let's hope the weather cooperates!

I had two turtles with purple bow ties waiting for me when I returned home yesterday. I am so happy to have a piece of the original art work from A Isn't for Fox and can't wait to have it framed and hung on the wall. Thanks, Laura!

Hope to see you in Portland - Happy Thanksgiving!

Jay Elementary School

2008-11-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Shannon Cuthbertson, second grade teacher at Jay Elementary, for a well organized school visit. The students - Pre K to 2nd grade - were very well mannered and asked wonderful questions. I always enjoy learning new names when I am at schools or doing signings. You never know when one of those names will be the perfect name for a book character. Some names from Jay: Camden, Kamden, Evony and Lyric.Thanks for a great day!

I had forgotten the beautiful lakes and hills in that part of Maine. I used to make regular trips to Farmington - for four years,actually - and it was refreshing to come 'round a bend and be suddenly surrounded by a beautiful lake or see tree covered
hills in the distance. It is another beautiful part of Maine.

We were happy to learn that Laura Knorr - illustrator for "Isn't" - will be the illustrator for the counting book. Yipee! This makes me very, very happy!!!

Remember, "A Isn't for Fox" is a great holiday gift for any young child. If you are close to Bath, Maine, bring your copy to Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop and get it personalized and signed. The Bath Book Shoppe carries it and any book store can order it.

Remember to read and write a bit each day!

Fun in NH, Off to Augusta

2008-10-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

I had a beautiful day to drive to Manchester on Saturday - the leaves were fabulous! What fun to arrive at B&N to a reserved parking space - made me laugh - great cookies and lemonade. The author's panel was very interesting and I learned much about how other books are used in schools. A big thank you to Karen Creed whose hard work in preparing the event was quite evident and appreciated.

This Friday(10/17) I will be at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta. I will be there from 5 - 7pm, signing books and reading during the 6pm pajama storytime. No, I'm not wearing my PJs. If you are in the area, come and join us for some fun. The folks at B&N Augusta are great.

Read and write a bit each day.

Manchester, NH

2008-10-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

This Saturday (10/11) I will be joining three other authors for a celebration of educators at the Barnes and Noble in Manchester, NH. There will be an author panel presentation from 1-3pm, with each author sharing their book and demonstrating its use in the classroom. Following the panel presentation there will be a meet and greet with the authors as well as book signing opportunities. If you are a New Hampshire educator, please come join us for a fun afternoon filled with useful information and great deals for educators. Hope to see you there!

Good News!

2008-10-05T04:25:00.000-07:00

Inspiration sometimes comes when you least expect it. Perhaps it comes when our minds are searching for a solution to a problem and after several failed attempts, we will consider anything.

I attempted several different strategies in my efforts to write a counting book, but nothing felt quite right. One day, when I had almost shelved any idea of a counting book - after all why would a mathphobe think they could write something that dealt with math - I went shopping with my daughter and grandson. They had been out for dinner the night before and my grandson was sitting in his car seat holding a balloon. The balloon was bigger than his head and he held it very gently. I was a bit concerned and my daughter related that he knew what could happen with a balloon and if it did, they immediately took it away. Sure enough, as we spoke, the little guy began to chant "Balloon pop! Balloon pop!"

So what is the good news? The picture book, Zero,Nada,Zilch (working title), has been accepted by Sleeping Bear for publication. We are excited and quite happy! What does it have to do with balloons ? You'll have to wait and see:)
Read and write a bit each day.

Catching Up!

2008-09-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that I haven't written since the end of August. We had a great time in Houlton at the quilt show and visiting good friends. The book signing at York's Bookstore was fun. I joined two other Maine authors under a sidewalk tent outside on a beautiful day. One of the other authors was Randall Probert, a former game warden who has written several historical novels including his latest, Paradigm. We were joined by Elaine Bailey, who was sitting in for her husband Nevin, who wrote Mike. A big thank you to Lynn York for the education and interesting conversation.

The latest big news is still hard for me to believe. Last week we heard that A Isn't for Fox has been awarded the 2009 Teacher's Choice Award in Children's Literature from Learning Magazine. It is especially humbling for me to have the award come from an educational group.

The school visit brochures were mailed to the librarians at 230 Maine elementary schools in mid-August. Please direct any teachers/librarians/administrators you think might be interested to my email - wulmer@clinic.net.

I will be back at two Barnes and Nobles in October for their Educator Days - Manchester, NH and Augusta, ME. Teachers interested in school visits can connect with me there, also. Remember to read and write a bit each day!

Camden and Houlton

2008-08-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day in Camden yesterday, with a good number of visitors to the Book Fair by the Sea. I was quite honored and humbled to be between Melissa Sweet (Tupelo books and many others) and Chris Van Dusen (illustrator of the Mercy Watson books and several of his own, also.)It was fascinating to watch and listen to the illustrators as they confered about different mediums and methods. I had a great time and many thanks to the Owl and Turtle Book Shop and the Camden Library for including me in the event.

On Saturday I will be at York's Book Store in Houlton, Maine. Amanda, Connor and I will be vending at the quilt show that is part of the annual August festival in Houlton. We had a wonderful time last year and are looking forward to seeing our friends up in the county. The book signing begins at 12:30pm at York's on the main street in Houlton. Come on up and see another part of our beautiful state.

Remember to read and write a bit each day!

Book Fair by the Sea

2008-08-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to remind readers that this Saturday is the Book Fair by the Sea in Camden, Maine. The event is sponsored by the Owl and Turtle Bookshop and the Camden Public Library, where it will be held. There will be eight Maine authors/illustrators signing and talking about their books. If you want a fun afternoon to share with a young person, come up to Camden on Saturday, August 16th and join us at the library from 1-4pm. Hope to see you there!

Where to next?

2008-07-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

This Friday, August 1st, I will be visiting Thorndike Press in Waterville, Maine. Thorndike Press is part of Gale and Cengage Learning, as is Sleeping Bear Press. I look forward to seeing a production facility and connecting with librarians and booksellers also attending this Open House.

I am honored to be included in Camden's 3rd Annual Children's Book Fair
By the Sea. This event, on Saturday, August 16th, is held at the Camden Library from 1-4pm. It is hosted by the Owl and Turtle Bookshop and the Camden Library. Eight Maine connected children's authors/illustrators will each present a short talk about their book as well as signing copies available for purchase. The other authors are Chris Van Dusen, Melissa Sweet, Jamie Spencer, Garvin Morris, Susan Lubner, Noah Z. Jones, and John and Ann Hassett. This will be a fun afternoon in a beautiful setting - a great place to spend a day and start holiday shopping for a special young person in your life!

On Friday evening, October 17th, I will be at the Barnes and Noble's in Augusta to help celebrate and honor educators. As a former teacher, I am always eager and happy to help promote and support the many unsung heroes in our classrooms. Donating a book to your child's or grandchild's classroom library is a great way to celebrate their birthday, teach them about the value of giving and help many other children in the process.

The school visit brochures will be mailed in August. If you know a teacher or PTA that should receive one, please feel free to email me a wulmer@clinic.net. Remember to read and write a bit each day!

Busy, busy, busy

2008-07-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

Although a bit bleary eyed at this point, I will try to fill you in on the past weekend. I drove to PA on Thursday and set a new family record of nine hours! And no, I only went a steady 70 and actually increased my gas mileage.

Friday morning I returned to my alma mater, Lebanon Valley College. The campus is now so unbelievably beautiful; they have won awards for their landscaping. There are many new buildings, but the music and sciences continue to be strong programs. I spent over an hour with Lauren Cusick interviewing for an upcoming issue of the alumni magazine. I look forward to seeing and reading the finished piece.After I completed the interview, I went over to the college athletic fields where my great-niece Elizabeth was finishing up a week of soccer camp. It was hot and sunny, but great to hang with the family.

Friday night I had a book signing at the Gretna Emporium, hosted by Stacy Pennington and her great staff. I sat on the wrap around porch and watched the summer folks at the Jigger Shop - not to be missed when in Mt. Gretna - signed books, had my memory jogged a few times and spent time with family. It was a fine evening. Pictures soon.

Saturday morning I arrived to read at the library, to find that the children were otherwise occupied that morning and not coming for storyhour. Oh,well. Instead, I visited Mrs. Hernley's flower stand and bought the most beautiful glads for my sister, Kim, who takes me in whenever I visit!

Then it was off to Baltimore to my nephew Andy's wedding. My husband, Bob, flew down and met me and we enjoyed a great day with family and friends. We send our best wishes to Andy and Lauren as they begin their life together. Sunday we were up at six and on the road home to Maine.

We received a nice surprise when A Isn't for Fox was reviewed on a podcast on the site Just One More Book. I will attempt to add the link. I also appreciate a comment on the blog from Mrs. Wright stating that I need to have more info about what a great book it is. I am new at this, but will work on that aspect, whether it be a web site or some other form of promotion. As a basically introverted person, sometimes I have to gulp a few times before taking the next step:)

School visit brochures will be going out soon, so please let your friends in education know that I am available and reasonably priced!

Link: http://www.justonemorebook.com/2008/07/04/flipped-fundamentals-a-isnt-for-fox-an-isnt-alphabet/

Bethany Beach

2008-06-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of working on new projects - quilts and stories - I went to Delaware to spend time with my sister and with my daughter and grandson. We enjoyed beautiful weather and lazy days of reading. On Friday evening I did a book signing at Bethany Beach Books. I shared the evening with wonderful people - a special thanks to Nancy (NTO) for the great conversation and company. The signing was on a porch from which I could see the boardwalk and listen to a concert by a brass quintet. Later we had ice cream and listened to more of the concert. We really enjoyed our time in Bethany Beach - great shopping and very welcoming folks.

I am off to Pennsylvania on July 10. On Friday morning, the 11th, I will interview with a media relations officer from my alma mater, Lebanon Valley College. In the evening, there will be a book signing at the Gretna Emporium. This small gift shop is located in my hometown of Mt. Gretna and is next to the Jigger Shop - a must stop for ice cream when there. On Saturday morning, I will read at the Mt. Gretna Library and then head to Baltimore for my nephew's wedding. Home on Sunday - whew!

I will soon begin mailing school visit brochures for the school year 2008-2009. Please contact me if your school is interested. Enjoy the summer and remember - read and write every day!

Mabel I Wilson School

2008-05-30T02:03:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday visiting eight kindergarten classes at the Mabel I. Wilson School in Cumberland, ME. A big thank you to teacher Leslie Gallant for all her hard work arranging the visit, ordering books, getting lunch, etc. Kudos, also, to all the teachers - Mary Train, Johna King, Liz King, Teresa Folley, Becki Galli, Kathryn Begos, Leslie Gallant, and Crystal Belanger - for their well behaved, well prepared classes.

Although I was dead tired and had little voice by 3:00pm, it was fun to be back in the classroom with eager students and their fresh view points. It is amazing what a kindergartener knows about language and writing.
Questions I was asked: "Do you use sound words?" "Do you revise?"
"Did you dedicate the book to anyone?" WOW!

I look forward to more school visits and spending time with our fabulous new generation of readers and writers! Thank you Mabel I Wilson kindergarteners!

School Visits

2008-05-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

After a break in the hectic signing schedule, a school visit is upcoming this week. I will be visiting the kindergarten classes at the Mabel I. Wilson School in Cumberland. ME. This will be a return to the school where I went once a month for two years to attend my classes for my Master's degree from Lesley University.I will also visit the classroom of Leslie Gallant, a great teacher and friend. Visits to several day care/nursery schools are in the near future.

A Isn't for Fox was reviewed in a new magazine called Teaching Young Children - a resource magazine for pre-school teachers. The article not only reviews books, but also suggests activities to do with the book. Nice!

Enjoy the beautiful weather, but don't forget to read!

Fox Tales

2008-05-05T03:20:00.000-07:00

After another rainy drive, I arrived at Fox Tales Books in New Durham, NH. Fox Tales is a delightful hometown bookstore where owner Mary McHale greets every customer by name. She knows that Lirael loves to play with the basket of pastel plastic eggs - pink, please!- which Spiderwick book is next on Molly's list, and suggests just the right poetry book to one of the local poets. There are snacks for the Saturday morning crowd and a comfortable, stay-a-while atmosphere. The store was never empty the entire three hours I shared there and we had quite a successful signing. If you are ever in the area, drop in and say hi to Mary.

The initial burst of signings is done for now, with a few scheduled later in the summer. There is one school visit on the horizon for this spring, but hopefully there will be more starting this fall. If you are interested in a school visit, leave a comment and I will send you a brochure. I may actually post it on the blog when I feel I have it in a polished state!

Enjoy the flowers!

A Sweet Time in Hershey

2008-04-29T03:57:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend in Pennsylvania!

A huge thank you to the staff at ZooAmerica - especially Elaine, the Education Coordinator, who did coordinate everything. There were milk and cookies for the radio winners, a colorful sign announcing the event, animal handlers and a great spot for the signing between the bears and the otters. She also brought carpet squares so we could have impromptu readings and just thought of everything. Thanks also to the Hershey marketing people, especially Kathy, who got the contest on the radio and posted announcements at the other Hershey attractions.

Of course, the people I really go to PA to see were 'ginormous' in the success of this weekend - my family. My sister Kim was the go-fer, chauffer and inn keeper; I think she knows every cow path short cut in Lebanon and Lancaster counties. My niece Ann, who works at ZooAmerica and first approached me about the visit, handled Hoover, the vulture, throughout the signing. She was amazing, even when Hoover thought flying away was a better idea than being on display. Ann's husband, Steve, handled the book sales and kept us all laughing - you don't want to know! Their girls, Julia and Elizabeth were great helpers, telling folks about Spritz, the desert tortoise that shared the table with me, and giving me a tour of the zoo.
My sister Judy and her husband Jerry were the overall support team, helping set things up, showing the little screech owl to visitors and generally being there whenever we needed something. Although they couldn't join us on Sunday, we did get to visit with my sister Kyle and her husband Ron and sons Aaron and Rich. They spent Sunday at daughter Jesse's horse show at Delaware Valley College. There is nothing better than being able to share a wonderful happening with people you love - thank you to my family. I am truly blessed.

The visitors to the zoo were also great. A special hello to Paige, Megan, Andrew 1 and Andrew 2 and Happy Birthday to Isabella. It was great to see extended family and old friends. A special thank you to Tim and the youth group that brought books to be donated to the schools.

This weekend we are off to Fox Tales Books in New Durham, NH on Saturday, not sure if it is at 11 am or 12 noon. I will post the time after I talk with Mary. I am happy we could reschedule this visit and look forward to a shorter car ride!

Salem

2008-04-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Saturday in Salem. The forsythia and daffodils were blooming and the magnolias were in full bud. The trees were budding out also. We had a fun visit at Cornerstone Books and enjoyed meeting the "regulars" for Saturday story hour. If you are ever in Salem, check out this friendly, comfortable book store.

I am off to PA on Thursday for a visit with family and the fun event at the Hershey Zoo. I'll let you know next week if the animals liked the book! Enjoy the sun and warm temperatures.

Off to Salem

2008-04-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update - after a weekend in the quilt store instead of on the road, we are off to Salem, MA this weekend. We will be at Cornerstone Books at 10:30am for story hour and then signing. We (husband and I) are looking forward to seeing family and good friends. If you are in the area, stop by and say hello.

Fox Tales Rescheduled

2008-04-08T02:25:00.000-07:00

Our visit to Fox Tales Books in New Durham NH has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 3. We are a bit bummed out as we have really been looking forward to visiting Mary McHale's shop, but we are happy it could be rescheduled so soon.

The change is due to a good problem - there aren't any books available! The warehouses in our part of the world are out of stock and waiting for the new shipments due April 14th.

If you are out and about, we'll see you at Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop this weekend and then in Salem, MA on April 19 at Cornerstone Books.

South Portland, Brunswick and Bangor

2008-04-07T03:09:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to the folks at the area Borders for hosting a great event for teachers this weekend and having me be part of the event. A special thanks to Gibran for his efforts on behalf of teachers all year!

Many listeners of MPR turned out at South Portland Saturday morning to hear Isn't and purchase a signed copy. Also a special thank you to Doreen for the generous offer of a place to stay in Vermont should I venture forth for more signings. A special hello to Daniel, Julia, Silvio, Halla and Happy Birthday to Henry! It is always humbling when former students bring their children to meet you. What a blessing, also, to be a part of a child's early reading experience - there were some wonderful early readers who in kindergarten were able to figure out 'kerplopping'!

Saturday afternoon brought us closer to home in Bruswick. I arrived early to see friends waiting to have their books signed. A visit by a former school administrator brought on some laughs about writing Isn't during meetings. A special hello to Maddie, Claire and Julia!

Sunday I was off to Bangor. I had a good feeling before I even entered the store and my radar was right on! The store was busy with families and shoppers, Gibran was right inside the door greeting teachers and there was good karma. Once again, there were people waiting to have their books signed and we had some fun conversations about teaching. There was a nice crowd to listen to the book and I think the daddies laughed the most! Another former student came to say hello and fill me in on his music teaching career. A special hello to Cole and Kelsey and Happy 5th Birthday to Rebecca. But the happy fates weren't finished with me yet. As I looked towards the front door,the best part of the day began. There stood my sister, Kim, and her fiancee, Bob. Bob flew into PA on Friday and Saturday they drove to CT and Sunday to Bangor to surprise me. I couldn't talk for about five minutes and I am still smiling!
Could a busy weekend end any better than that!!

Amanda , Conner and I are off to Fox Tales Books in New Durham NH next Saturday. We will be much too close to Keepsake Quilting to ignore that side trip:) If you are in the area, stop in and say hello.

In Print

2008-04-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a wild day this has been. The Bangor Daily News ran an article today about the book, as did the Times Record. You can read both articles by googling the newspapers. I want to send a big thank you to Elizabeth Lardie - a former student of mine:) - for the great job she did both when interviewing me and in the final piece. Well done!! It is always a bit unnerving to see your face looking out at you from the newspaper and then realize how many other people are seeing it, also. A big thank you, also, to Carol and the Patten Free Library for making their space and children available for the photos.

Tomorrow brings the radio interview on MPR around 8:30 am. Somehow, I think hearing myself will be scarier than seeing myself!

A busy weekend with signings in Portland, Brunswick and Bangor. Stop in and say hi if you are nearby. Don't forget to read today! wendy

Manchester

2008-03-30T03:25:00.000-07:00

We travelled to the Barnes and Noble in Manchester yesterday and had a delightful visit. A big thank you to Claire for everything from the hot chocolate, great feedback and advice to the fun conversation. A fun place to spend some time when in Manchester. You might want to check out the big chocolate chunk cookies at the cafe!!!

I met some wonderful young readers and their folks. A big hello to Annette - keep on reading - and to her mom - keep on writing! Hello, also, to Ryan and the twins Olivia and Lauren.

We are finding that parents are not only purchasing Isn't for their children, but also as an end of year gift for a teacher or classroom library. Speaking as a former teacher, that's very cool!

We have a very busy weekend coming up. On Saturday, April 5 we start the day at Borders in South Portland at 11am and move on to the Brunswick Borders at 3pm. On Sunday we are at the Bangor Borders at 2pm. This weekend will be the annual teacher appreciation event at Borders, so it should be fun.

Have a great week and we'll "see" you on the radio Friday morning around 8:30am.

wendy

Maine Public Radio

2008-03-28T02:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we recorded an interview for Maine Public Radio. A thank you to Irwin Gratz for making it a rather painless experience. The interview will air on Friday, April 4, around 8:30 am - after the BBC news.(Unless there is major breaking news and then it will be bumped.)

We've added a signing on April 19 in Salem MA. We are visiting the Cornerstone Bookstore on Lafayette St. for a 10:30 story time. So if you are in the area, fly on in and say hi.

P isn't for bean,
It isn't for mean.
P is for potions all bubbly and green! YUM!!!

Signing off from my broom, wendy

Great day in Augusta

2008-03-23T03:02:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful time we had at the Barnes and Noble in Augusta, Me yesterday. The folks there were so welcoming and I really appreciated all the thought they gave to the signing. A big thank you to Peggy!

I also want to thank Michael for the pretty flower, Lucy for the hug, and Tucker for keeping his deva (aka grandma) company. By the way, B&N had the best magazine selection I have seen in a long time.

A surprise at the end of the signing came when a woman introduced herself as a Senior Vice President of Cengage Learning - my publisher, Sleeping Bear, is part of this group. She didn't know I was going to be there and walked in the door and saw the book. She comes to Maine 5/6 times a year as Thorndike Press also belongs to the group. It was nice to meet another person involved in this complicated web called publishing!

This week brings an interview at Maine Public Radio - yikes! I don't know any particulars - airtime, etc. - just what time to be there. Let's hope I don't trip over my mouth :(

If you are near Manchester NH next Saturday, stop in at the Barnes and Noble and say hello. A friendly face is always welcome! Have a great week. wendy

Newington Fun

2008-03-16T04:08:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to the folks at the Barnes and Nobles in Newington, NH. Despite Mother Nature's attempt to keep me home, the 25 minute delay at the roll over in Saco and a scary drive past dueling snow plows, I made it to the signing.Very nice people and a great children's section - check it out if you are ever at the Fox Run Mall. I enjoyed a deep discussion with a sweet little girl as to whether turtles really do wear bow ties!

We just received word that "Isn't" is going to be featured with two other children's books in a new magazine for pre-school teachers - Teaching Young Children. I will post the month/issue when I have more information. Pretty cool, huh?

I saw an osprey on the way home, so let's hope that is a continuing sign of the spring that is sure to come. Take care and write something! wendy

Newington

2008-03-13T02:58:00.000-07:00

A quick note for anyone in the Newington, NH area this weekend. I will be at the Barnes and Noble in Newington on Saturday at 11am. Let's hope the weather cooperates!

A big thank you to Gloria Brown for the great photos. She did an excellent job with a camera shy subject!

There are some upcoming media events. Stay tuned for more details.

Check out downtown Bath on Friday, March 21 for some Moonlight Madness!
peace always, wendy

Augusta, again

2008-03-05T02:59:00.000-08:00

We have a new date for the book signing in Augusta - Saturday, March 22, 11am. Of course, Mother Nature, being of a fickle spirit, may have something else in store. I do hope she is almost finished playing with Ole' Man Winter, as I don't relish driving to New Hampshire in a springtime snow frolic. But enough 'grecksing' - PA Dutch for whining. Be careful out there today and don't forget what is really important - chocolate! peace always, wendy

Young friends read "Isn't"

2008-03-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

Alex enjoying 'possums and queen bee!

Thanks Aunt Peggy!

Emmett and Carson brush up on the alphabet before bedtime.

Thanks Aunt Peggy!

S'no signing saturday

2008-02-29T18:08:00.000-08:00

Once again, Mother Nature has let us know who is in charge! Due to the impending snow storm, the signing at Barnes and Noble in Augusta on Saturday, March 1, has been postponed. I will post the new date as soon as I know it.

The Kirkus review is out and we are pleased. You can view it on the Barnes and Noble site. It is probably on Borders and Amazon, also. I try to avoid reading reviews, but my curiosity usually gets the best of me.

As soon as I figure out the next step in blog management, I will post some pictures of young friends reading "Isn't."

Take care and peace always, wendy

Here we go!

2008-02-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

I am once again being pulled kicking and screaming into the 21st century. So after much hesitation, procratination and fear (of what I am not exactly sure!) , here is the beginning of my blog.
This blog has come about as a result of the publication of my second children's book - A Isn't for Fox. I want to thank my daughter, Amanda, for hosting the first book signing at her shop, Mariner's Compass Quilt Shop. I also wish to thank Sue Michaud and her second grade class at the Dike Newell School in Bath, ME for being the guinea pigs for my first school visit with this book. And a big thank you to Dawn Lee, Morse High School librarian, for all her help and inspiration.
I will use the blog to post upcoming events - signings, school visits, etc. I hope anyone who reads the book and finds the blog will let me know what you think. We feel it is a fun book that brings a different slant to learning the alphabet. And Laura Knorr's illustrations are fabulous!!!
That being said , here is the list of events as we have them so far:

3/1 Augusta, ME Barnes and Noble 9 Market Place Drive 11am
3/15 Newington NH Barnes and Noble 45 Gosling Rd 11am
3/29 Manchester NH Barnes and Noble 1741 S. Willow St 11am
4/5 South Potland ME Borders 430 Gorham Rd. 11am
Brunswick ME Borders Rt 1 and Rt 24 3pm
4/6 Bangor ME Borders 116 Bangor Mall Blvd. 2pm
4/12 New Durham NH Fox Tale Books 7 Depot Rd. 11am

We will update the list as soon as we have additions. Thanks for visiting. peace always, wendy