MouseSqueaks

Artists and Authors Night

2012-03-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

I spent a wonderful evening a couple of weeks ago at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem-- one of my favorite places. It's a venerable old hotel which exudes both warmth and elegance.

Lobby of the Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, MA.

The occasion was their second annual Artists and Authors Night, and my writers' group had a table there. I was able to display Angus MacMouse Brings Down the House, and I sold quite a few copies. Our North Shore Writers' Group also sold copies of our collected short stories, Ghost Writers, and A Reader's Potluck. Ghost Writers has sold very well in Salem, for obvious reasons!

Alan and Susan (seated) selling our books.

It was a great opportunity to meet many other local artists and writers. There was wonderful live music and great food from the hotel's Tavern.

Like so many of Salem's literary and artistic endeavors, this one just gets better every year.

Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie

2012-02-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

Kirkus Reviews calls SFGT a "capricious tale

that will have young girls wishing for a silly grandma

just like Tillie, especially if she can hang a spoon from her nose."

Congratulations to Laurie Jacobs, fellow children's book author and a member of the wonderful new writers' group I have joined. (Actually, the group is not new, but I am new to the group!)

There are several very gratifying moments along the road to the publication of a new book, but for the writer, none of them quite compares to the moment when you first hold that book in your hands! You see the cover art for the first time, feel the binding, turn the pages. It's absolutely thrilling! After all your careful attention to every detail and every word, your book has finally arrived in the world.

I'm so happy for Laurie, and happy to say that I love this book. I'm sure Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie will do very well because it has everything you want in a picture book.

The story is fun and delightful to read out loud, and the illustrations by Anne Jewett are colorful and exhuberant-- just like Grandma Tillie herself! Little Chloe and Sophie are treated to an entertaining romp and a zany cast of characters when Grandma Tillie comes to babysit.

Hang a spoon from your nose, dance the conga, and join the fun. I highly recommend this delightful book.

Great job, Laurie!!!

Spotlight On My Favorite Local Book Shop

2012-01-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

The wonderful book blog, She Is Too Fond Of Books, has recently posted my essay on The Book Shop in Beverly Farms. It's a fabulous little shop and everyone there is very friendly and helpful.

It seems that even the big bookstores are struggling these days, so it is more important than ever that we do everything we can to support our local independent book shops. Small is beautiful!

I hope you will take a peek at my essay, and visit Dawn's blog often. It is lots of fun, and loaded with great reviews and information-- even recipes!

The Book Shop in Beverly Farms

My 'Dumpling Day' Got Snowed On

2012-01-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I tried. I was totally prepared to walk around blustery Cambridge so I was wearing sensible layers of clothing, my down coat, my warm boots, my shearling mittens. I had my ticket in my purse.

I brushed the snow off my car and off I went. I was going to take the train down to Boston, then the Red Line to Cambridge, for Grace Lin's book launch party for her new book, Dumpling Days. I'd been planning it for weeks.

I needed to make a couple of stops in town before driving to the train station, but... I never made it to the train. The roads were so slick that my car wasn't getting any traction and I was sliding around corners. In mid-skid the "Service Engine" light went on, so I thought, "Uh-oh, that's not good."

I drove another couple of miles toward the train station and decided the wisest thing to do was to turn around and go home. I was worried about my car, about sliding into a ditch–– and I was worried that some other car would crash into me. Why are there always crazy people on the road who drive way too fast in a snow storm?

Well, life is full of little disappointments. I'm very sorry I didn't make it yesterday to the book launch party, but maybe I'll still get a chance to attend one of her events in the future. Hopefully, the next one will be in the summer!

PS: You can visit Grace's blog to see all the fun (and the goodie bag!) that I missed. :(

At least the snow is pretty.

This Is Why Angus Loves Opera

2012-01-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

I just made an amazing discovery––

You can watch videos of the most wonderful musical performances on the planet on YouTube. (I know, I should have figured this out ages ago, but when it comes to technology I'm pretty much a dinosaur.)

This is probably my favorite duet (from Lakmé), performed by two incredible sopranos, Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca.

Turn up the volume, and be ready to be thrilled.

Resolutions

2012-01-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

I never liked the idea of making New Year's resolutions. Too often they seem doomed to fail, and then you feel defeated. I much prefer to have goals. Goals are more reasonable; you can work toward them slowly, and then even if you don't fully succeed, you can feel good that you have made progress.

This year my goal is to push myself further beyond the boundaries of my quiet, introverted 'comfort zone.' MouseSqueaks was a huge step for me, and as it turns out–– it's really fun. But it seems far less daunting than actually going out to schools and libraries and introducing myself, with a copy of Angus MacMouse in hand. (And that's exactly what authors have to do these days. Unless you are already well-known, publishers don't have the time, staff, or money to promote your book for you.)

I've been making excuses for months, and the silly thing is, I know that once I have done it, I'll realize that it wasn't so difficult or painful after all. People are invariably very nice and happy to help. So, why is this so hard?

I should follow the example of my own character, Angus MacMouse, who despite his diminutive stature, didn't let anything stop him from doing what he needed to do.

I'll let you know in a few weeks if I've made any progress.

In the meantime, I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year! As John Lennon wrote in his song, War Is Over : "Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear."

He's Here!

2011-12-31T07:48:00.000-08:00

Isn't he cute?

Angus MacMouse has arrived at my house!

I searched the internet to find a puppet that looked like Angus. I found this one from Folkmanis on eBay. My plan is to bring him along as my special, surprise "guest" when I do school and library visits to talk about Angus MacMouse Brings Down The House. I might even coax him to conduct a selection from CARMEN!

Now I have to make him a tuxedo. I hope my meager sewing skills are up to the task.

I think he's quite the handsome little fellow, don't you?

A Little Late, But...

2011-12-26T21:47:00.000-08:00

Happy day after Christmas! I hope everyone had a joyous holiday.

I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Christmas books–– which I should have done before Christmas–– but I got a little behind in the wrapping, and the baking, and the mailing, and all the little details that needed to be done.

Anyway, if you love picture books, as I do, you can keep this one in mind for next year's 'wish list.'

The Mole Family's Christmas, by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban, was given to my daughter when she was little, and I'm sorry to say that it's out of print. (But, of course, you can still get it on Amazon.) It is SO delightful.

The Washington Post said, "An endearing family of moles who spend their time tunneling in the dark and know nothing of Christmas discover that it is not just for people, but can also bring happiness to nearsighted little moles if they show ingenuity and courage."

The Mole family works hard tunneling under the ground every day. But one night the Moles' son, Delver, digs his way to the surface where he meets two extremely helpful mice. The lady mouse tells Delver about the stars. She says, "It's almost like singing, you might say, the way they glimmer and shine, isn't it?" But, of course, being very nearsighted, Delver can't see the stars.

The other mouse tells Delver about Christmas, and "the fat man in the red suit" who "comes puffing and wheezing down the chimney, puts knicknacks and candy in stockings, leaves all kinds of packages around, says 'Ho, ho, ho,' and goes huffing and puffing up the chimney again. It's quite an odd thing really, but he does it only once a year, and nobody seems to mind."

So, Delver, a very clever little mole, figures out a way for the 'fat man in the red suit' to help the Mole family finally be able to see the stars.

Lillian Hoban's illustrations bring the characters to life with charm and a touch of humor.

I love this book, and if you love picture books, I hope you can find a copy to add to your collection.

To Neverland And Back

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I received an early Christmas present from my wonderful daughter, and we went to see the utterly fantastic production of Peter Pan which is playing in Boston at City Hall Plaza.

Truly, I don't think words can describe such a magical experience, so I encourage everyone to go and see it for yourselves. You won't regret it, no matter how old (or young) you are. The show taps into that secret place in all of us which, like Peter, delights in the wonder and joy of being a child.

It was the coldest December day we have had so far, and the wind blowing across City Hall Plaza was fierce, but it was warm inside the huge white pavilion. And by the end of the show, our hearts were warmed as well.

The production is 'in the round' so every person in the audience feels they have an intimate connection with the performance. The actors are all excellent in their roles, but there is also puppetry, acrobatics, dancing, singing, sword fighting… and of course, flying!

The flying is breathtaking.

The theater was conceived as the world's first 360 degree projected movie for live theater, which creates illusions that are absolutely dazzling. Please don't misunderstand! The actors really do fly around the stage and soar to the top of the pavilion, but it is the combination of the aerial choreography and the 360º projections that creates the amazing illusions of flying over London, up into the stars, and "straight on till morning."

I was listening to the comments as we were leaving, and I think the grown-ups enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the children. We all wanted to fly off to Neverland with Peter and Wendy.

(If you live near Boston, hurry! Go! You only have until Dec. 31st to see it.)

Amazing Grace

2011-12-17T14:24:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited!

It looks like I'll be celebrating Chinese New Year this January by going to Grace Lin's book launch for her new novel, Dumpling Days.

Usually, I hate January. It's my least favorite month of the year. (Isn't it everyone's?) The weather is terrible, the hours of daylight are short and dismal. It's just such a long and dreary month. But, this year I'm happy I have something to look forward to.

Grace Lin is quickly becoming my heroine. She does it ALL and she does it all beautifully. She is a fabulous illustrator, and a wonderful and prolific writer, she has an amazing blog, she makes lots of appearances, has won all sorts of awards–– plus, she's adorable.

I'd like to be able to do everything she does, but even if I could, I know I'd never have the energy!

Anyway, it will be wonderful to see her again and celebrate her new book.

Can't wait for January!

This Year's 'Jingle Bell Walk'

2011-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

I don't know if they do this everywhere, but around here all the small towns have a day when Santa "comes to town," and of course, children love it.

They are all given bells to jingle as he arrives, and then, like the pied piper, he leads a merry 'parade' of mommies and daddies and children all around town. (I'm sure the idea is to draw attention to local businesses, too.)

Since we live on the North Shore, Santa usually arrives by boat. But, this year was a little different, thanks to the new popularity of stand-up surf boards. To the great joy of all the children (and adults), Santa was accompanied by a flotilla of elves and reindeer on their stand-up boards! It was a great idea and lots of fun.

On My Night Table…

2011-12-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

I'm reading Kate DiCamillo's wonderful book, The Magician's Elephant, for the second time. It's one of my favorites, and it's an ideal book for the holidays because it glows with a magical quality that, in the end, makes you feel as though you have been witness to something marvelous… even miraculous.

I have read all of Kate diCamillo's books, and I think this one may be her finest yet.

The jacket flap reads:

"'What if? Why not? Could it be?'

When a fortune teller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese,

orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the question that he needs to ask:

Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her?

The fortune teller's mysterious answer (An elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that Peter can hardly dare to believe it.

But it is –– all of it–– true."

The city of Baltese is in the throes of its coldest, darkest winter. In this bleak setting, a magician's attempt to perform his greatest trick goes horribly wrong, and an elephant crashes through the ceiling of the Bliffendorf Opera House. This incredible event brings together an unlikely cast of characters: an orphan, an old soldier, a policeman, a countess, the magician, and the Sisters of Perpetual Light. The author weaves their stories together with a magical touch, and the soft, atmospheric illustrations of Yoko Tanaka evoke a lovely dream-like quality.

Then, as a beautiful, pure, white snow falls on the buildings and boulevards of Baltese, everything miraculously changes. The impossible happens again!

This seems like the perfect time of year to be asking the hopeful questions:

"What if? Why not? Could it be?"

Goodbye November

2011-11-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.

- Elizabeth Coatsworth

You know that winter is coming when there is only one lone boat left in the harbor. Now it's time to sip hot cider and curl up under a blanket with a good book.

I Love PBS

2011-11-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

I have been watching less and less TV these days. I don't feel most of it is worth my time anymore. But, often when I flip through the few channels that I still get (I only have the most basic cable now), I land on PBS and find something wonderful. (I should mention that Sunday night has always been my favorite TV night because of 'Masterpiece Theater' and 'Mystery.')

The other night I stumbled upon a great program called 'The Artist Toolbox.' It's basically a show where the host interviews artists from various fields of creative endeavor–– the violinist David Garrett, Jason Alexander, the actor–– designers, dancers, painters, and more.

The program I saw featured Isabel Allende, the Chilean-American novelist. She is a very graceful woman, who speaks quietly and eloquently about her passion for stories and writing. I was immediately drawn in and fascinated by the power of her presence on the screen. I am anxious now to read one of her books. I think I'll start with Daughter of Fortune. I have always been intrigued by its cover, and have picked it up and looked at it several times in the bookstore. (Actually, I'll check the library first.)

The host of the show, John Jacobsen, who, with his broad face and mop of hair, looks like he should be related to the Kennedys, does an excellent job. His questions seemed more thoughtful and original than many interviewers, and he managed to elicit some very enlightening answers.

This is a great show for anyone who is interested in the creative process, which to me, has always been such a fascinating mystery.

http://www.theartisttoolbox.com

Squeak of the Week

2011-11-16T18:09:00.000-08:00

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." Henry James

I believe the world would be a more peaceful, civilized place if we brought back the tradition of afternoon tea. We all rush around–– busy, busy–– all day long. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to just stop everything we're doing for a little while and enjoy the simple pleasure of a friendly conversation over a warm, soothing cup of tea? (It's hard to imagine plotting wars and destruction over a cup of tea, isn't it?)

My favorite brand for the last several years has been PG Tips. It may not have the mystique of Assam, or the delicacy of Darjeeling, but it's strong and flavorful and does the job of keeping me going throughout the day.

The package says its England's number one brand, and "The definitive traditional English tea." And since I have to admit to being a bit of an Anglophile, that's another reason for me to love it right there.

Tea always makes writing more pleasurable, too. I rarely sit down to write without a hot cup of tea beside me. A few sips and the ideas start to flow. So, I think I'll put the kettle on...

Oh My!

2011-11-07T17:46:00.000-08:00

It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Or rather, pumpkins. I found these two giants sitting on the lawn in front of the Town Hall. I think they must have come from the Topsfield Fair (which happens to be the oldest country fair in America, and I look forward to it all year long).

I wish I had someone get in the picture because you really can't get an idea of how enormous they are.

Unfortunately, they're not very pretty. They remind me of Grace Lin's book, The Ugly Vegetables.

Sometimes, smaller is better. I much prefer the small, bright sugar pumpkins, like this little gem I found sitting in a window box in Rockport.

On My Night Table…

2011-11-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Babette's Feast and Other Anecdotes of Destiny, a collection of short stories by Isak Dinesen.

This short story is truly a feast; a sumptuous banquet of disarming characters, luscious language, and delicate descriptive passages.

What a lovely treat to unexpectedly come upon a short tale of such depth and beauty.

Here is a morsel:

"The hostesses made their little preparations in the sitting room. They dared not set foot in the kitchen, for Babette had mysteriously nosed out a cook's mate from a ship in the harbor–– the same boy, Martine realized, who had brought in the turtle–– to assist her in the kitchen and to wait at table, and now the dark woman and the red-haired boy, like some witch with her familiar spirit, had taken possession of these regions. The ladies could not tell what fires had been burning or what cauldrons bubbling there from before daybreak."

How delicious.

Now I have to try to find the film. I remember seeing it a long time ago.

Still Waiting...

2011-10-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough couple of weeks.

I'm still waiting for some good news about my new manuscript. I've had several rejections so far, which are always hard to swallow, but I'd rather wait and get an editor who really loves my story. That's what happened with Angus MacMouse and I was so grateful for the wonderful editor I had at Bloomsbury.

Then, my car broke down. That's never fun (or cheap).

I've had a miserable cold that won't go away. (Cough, cough, sniffle, sneeze.)

Then more expensive car repairs.

Now we are supposed to be getting a nor'easter... in October!

I know I'm not alone in this, but something yummy always makes me feel better. So–– especially with snow coming, I decided to treat myself to some comfort food. We are lucky to have lots of seafood restaurants on the North Shore to choose from, and since one of my favorite little spots will be closing soon for the season, I headed over to Farnham's in Essex. They get my vote for the best fried clam strips ever!

My happy face!

What Is It?

2011-10-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

It's a book! But what kind of a book? Is it a children's book, or an adult book disguised as a children's book? Is it a book with a message, or just something fun and funny?

Well, it's definitely a BOOK, and it's stirring up quite a bit of chatter. It's called It's A Book, by Lane Smith, a well known author/ illustrator. Perhaps he's best known for illustrating The Stinky Cheeseman, which was also edgy and ground breaking when it first appeared about a decade ago.

It's A Book is a simple story with two characters, a monkey who is trying to read his book, and a donkey who keeps interrupting him with questions. "Can it text? Blog? Scroll? Wi-Fi? Tweet?" he asks. "No... it's a book," replies the monkey over and over again.

I just watched a short video on Amazon of Lane Smith talking about It's A Book, and I love the way his own story and illustrations still make him chuckle. Apparently, he did not intend it to have a message, but my first reaction when I read it was, YAY!!!! Here is a champion of good old-fashioned books–– books made of paper, with bindings, and glue, and real pages that you can turn and feel, and–– even better–– he's poking fun at all those modern reading gadgets with funny names. Hurray for Lane Smith! Rah! Rah!

My second reaction was, 'uh-oh!' This is a picture book, which normally means it's for children who can't read yet, so–– I can't imagine most young children getting the point. Will they even know what blogging and texting and scrolling mean?

So... is it a picture book for grown-ups?

Actually, I think it is a picture book for grown-ups to read and explain to children. And I really hope they do. I hope parents will start early to promote the reading and enjoyment of REAL books to their children. It's A Book is a funny (and touching) story which happens to have a valuable message.

But, there is one more "uh-oh." It's the use of the word "jackass." It's the punchline of the whole book, referring to the donkey, of course. It's not technically a bad word, (and Lane addresses this issue in the interview on Amazon), but I'm sure there will be some parents who will automatically want to ban this book just because of that word. It's too bad.

If you want to get an idea of what the hoopla is about, go to Amazon and look up It's A Book, watch the interview, and see what you think!

Squeak of the Week

2011-10-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

This quote is from the book I am currently reading, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

"Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books." (p.53)

How true, and... how fortunate!

My New Car

2011-10-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

I have wonderful friends… One of them gave me a new car!

It's a sporty, little red cabriolet. Isn't it splendid?

The catch seems to be that it only goes in circles. You drive and drive and never really get anywhere. (Could that be a metaphor for something?)

That's Stuart Little behind the wheel. I suppose that means I'll have to let Angus take a spin, too.

Many thanks to my friend, Jeanne, for the zippy new car!

A Nice Review

2011-10-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

I found a nice review for Angus MacMouse and thought I would share it.

I didn't want to start off MouseSqueaks with a lot of chatter about my own book. I thought that might get boring pretty quickly, and it seemed rather uncouth as well. Better to talk about writing and books in general.

But, since Angus is really the driving force (although a diminutive one!) behind MouseSqueaks, I really should mention him once in a while, right?

So, here is a link to the review, if you'd care to take a peek.

Thank you to "Curled Up With A Good Kid's Book," and especially the reviewer, Bob Walch. I like that he mentions the opera connection, because that is such a huge part of the story. Angus could not exist without opera!

Here is the link:

http://curledupkids.com/angusmac.html

Taking Flight

2011-10-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

The school year is off to a great start, and I am blessed with another wonderful little class.

The theme in our room this year is "Taking Flight," and we are busy learning all sorts of interesting things about birds. More importantly, we will be watching our little ones as they take flight–– growing and learning, absorbing and changing at an astounding rate. They are such incredible little sponges at this early age.

Every day has its joys, and a few challenges, too. And once in a while, magic happens. Friday I had one of those magical moments. Not surprisingly, it involved a book... one of my favorite books... Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann.

I was reading it to the children while we were waiting for parents to arrive to pick them up, and it was one of those special times when every child was paying attention, totally enthralled with the story, the pictures, the delicious colors, and the adorable characters. We had so much fun looking for the pink balloon in each picture, and their excitement when they found it was wonderful.

One little boy seemed surprised that I said it was one of my favorite books. He kept asking, "This is your favorite book?" But when a book elicits such joy, curiosity, and delight–– why wouldn't it be a favorite?

Can you spot the pink balloon? It gets harder and harder to find as it drifts off into the night sky.

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Sunday In Salem

2011-09-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

My travels this past weekend took me to the Salem Literary Festival, which celebrates "the art, beauty, and business of writing." The artistic community in Salem is thriving, so it was wonderful to see such a great turnout.

Salem's (silly) 'Bewitched' Statue

I could only go on Sunday, but I still got to hear local luminaries like Brunonia Barry, Katherine Howe, and Hank Phillippi Ryan. Almost everyone was talking about the importance of blogging, so I was very happy that I am finally adding my humble little squeaks to the overall din.

The Phillips House

One of the venues, where I attended a workshop, was the Phillips House on Chestnut Street in the historic McIntire District. This broad tree-lined avenue of huge Federal-style mansions must be one of the most beautiful streets in New England.

A relative, perhaps???

IndieBound: One Little Step At A Time

2011-09-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

I'm slowly learning how to blog, and it's actually more fun than I thought it would be!

I crossed a major hurdle the other day when I figured out how to link my book to a site where prospective readers could buy a copy of Angus MacMouse Brings Down the House. (I still have some tinkering to do, but I'm getting there.)

I have no problem with Amazon, or Barnes & Noble–– but I decided to go another direction and support the smaller, independent bookstores. These local stores need and deserve our help to stay in business and serve our communities. So, if you click on the image of my book, or go to the bottom of this page and click on the red logo, you will be taken magically to IndieBound.org.

IndieBound is a wonderful site that helps you find a local independent bookstore near you. I know of several on the North Shore that are absolutely wonderful. Toad Hall in Rockport, Spirit of '76 in Marblehead, The Book Shop in Beverly Farms, Manchester-By-The-Book in Manchester, and Banbury Cross in Hamilton, to name a few. I'm sure you can find a shop in your neighborhood too. The owners and staff members are always very friendly and more than happy to help.

The Fine Art of Waiting

2011-09-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

If you're a writer, hoping to be published, and you're not a patient person–– you're in trouble!

As we all know, the publishing business moves at its own pace, which is only slightly faster than a glacier.

I finished my new story in mid-August and sent it off to New York. YAY! But the relief of sending it off didn't last very long. Soon it was replaced by anxiously looking at the calendar several times a day. ("Has it really been only a week? It seems SO much longer!")

I'm sure I was spoiled by my first experience with Angus MacMouse. Miraculously, it only took about five weeks before Bloomsbury made an offer. I'm heading into week five now, so every day the nagging little voice in my head says, "What if no one likes it?"

They say the best thing to do is to get busy on your next story. OK. I sat at the computer today. I checked e-mails. I did some research. I did a little re-writing, but I couldn't write anything new; the story just isn't flowing, and I'm getting frustrated with it.

It's time for 'Plan B.' Actually, I'm rather fond of 'Plan B.' I think today it's going to be ginger ice cream with chocolate sauce. That should chase away the evils of waiting...

waiting...

waiting.

My prescription for impatience.

On My Night Table…

2011-09-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

If You Want To Write, A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit, by Brenda Ueland, Greywolf Press, 2007, originally published in 1938.

Actually, this book is always on my night table! It is my favorite book on writing and creativity. You can turn to almost any page and find something wonderful, truthful, and refreshing. Dear old Brenda always lifts my spirits.

Here is a little bit of what I read last night in Chapter 7. She is talking about the students in her class:

"...they would break through... as from a cocoon, and write suddenly in a living, true, touching, remarkable way. It would happen suddenly, overnight. They would break through from composition- writing, theme-writing, to some freedom and honesty...
What made them do this? I think I know. I think I helped them to do it. And I did not do it by criticism, i.e., by pointing out all the mediocrities in their efforts (and so making them contract and try nervously to avoid all sorts of faults). I helped them by trying to make them feel freer and bolder. Let her go! Be careless, reckless! Be a lion, be a pirate! Write any old way.
Francesca [a friend] helped me to understand this. When giving violin lessons she never tells a child that he is playing a bad note. Why do that? He knows it himself. All are trying to get nearer and nearer to true pitch, to perfection, anyway. Why fix the attention on the avoidance of mistakes? It just tightens them up, contracts them, and makes them dislike lessons. Moreover, when they are thinking so vividly about the bad notes that they are warned to avoid, they play them again and again... To play a note truly, as the simplest person knows, your mind must be on the true note, your Imagination hearing it as you want to play it."

Isn't she marvellous?

Be a lion!

Ahhhh... Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's the unofficial end of summer (and summer in New England is much too short), so it's kind of sad.

But I managed to squeeze a lot of fun into the weekend. It started out with pizza and cannolis (yum!), then fabulous fireworks over the harbor in Gloucester.

Then I stumbled upon the Myopia Horse Show...

made a trip to Brooksby Farm where apples were dripping from the trees....

and sunflowers were dancing in the breeze.

Then I spent a sparkling morning at the beach.

How fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful place!

On My Night Table…

2011-09-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

The Cat Who Came For Christmas by Cleveland Amory, Little, Brown & Co., 1987.

A lot of my reading falls into the category of research for what I'm writing. So… since my new book is about a cat (sorry Angus!), I went to the library recently and brought home Cleveland Amory's classic cat lover's book, The Cat Who Came For Christmas. I love cats, but I haven't had one for a long time and I wanted to make sure I remembered their behavior and antics correctly.

As it turned out, I was equally interested in learning about Mr. Amory as I was in reading about his cat! He was the founder of the Fund for Animals in 1967 and was directly involved in the early campaigns against illegal whaling, and the horrendous clubbing of baby seals. He also helped rescue hundreds of wild burros from the Grand Canyon which were going to be killed. I was impressed that this man, who seemed to delight in calling himself a 'curmudgeon,' had such a big heart for innocent animals. I think most people agree that his tireless work became the bedrock for the animal protection movement of today.

Mr. Amory rescued his beloved Polar Bear from an alley in Manhattan. He soon discovered that the skinny, bedraggled, filthy gray cat he brought home on Christmas eve, 1977, was actually white, beautiful, and extremely opinionated!

My favorite quote: "As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience for the limitations of human kind."

If you like cats, or even if you don't, you'll enjoy this warm and witty story of a very interesting man, and his relationship with a remarkable cat.

Read, Read, Read!

2011-08-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Last night I was reading a writer's magazine that my friend, Nan, gave me. In a piece called "Top Ten Pieces of Writing Advice I've Been Given," Sherman Alexie says to "Read 1000 pages for every one you try to write." That is such great advice–– and I hear it all the time at writers' conferences. Read, read, read!

You can't expect to write well unless you constantly immerse yourself in good books. (Emphasis on the word 'good!') Popular doesn't always mean a book is well-written. Occasionally I'll read something and wonder how the editor ever let that slip by! I like to re-read the classics from time to time just to soak up all that wonderful language.

Of course, reading is not only important for writers. I went to a teachers' workshop recently which was called, "Learning Smarter––Brain Based Learning." It was offered by Play It Forward Giving Circle, and the presenter, Julie Kiricoples, was amazing. Our brains got lots of exercise! Julie told us some fascinating things about how children learn. I have always believed so strongly in the importance of reading to young children. I read to my daughter every night until she was twelve. But Julie told us about studies in which parents read a particular book to their unborn babies, over and over again. It was shown that if they read Good Night Moon, for example, to their unborn baby, that child would most likely choose that book as their favorite book when they were two or three years old. I think that is so incredible!

So, read, read, read. No matter how old or young you are. I went through a phase where I thought I was too busy to read. Now, at the very least, I read before I go to sleep. Sometimes I only make it through a couple of pages before I nod off. But, by the end of the year I'm amazed at how many books I have read. I have a list of what I've read so I can keep track, and sometimes I'll see a pattern of topics or authors.

Well, Hurricane Irene is howling at my door, so check back with me later. If I haven't been blown away I'll tell you what I'm reading and working on now…

Who Wouldn't Love a Mouse?

2011-08-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hello! And welcome to MouseSqueaks!

Why call my blog MouseSqueaks? Well, here are a few reasons:

#1. I think they are adorable. I got my first pet mouse when I was in 4th grade, and I even took a mouse with me to college (I've had very educated mice). Over the years, as I've observed their behavior, I've learned to appreciate these tiny creatures. I can't understand why some people are afraid of them! Really? They are tiny, won't hurt you, and they are so cute.

#2. I saw Disney's Cinderella when I was little and I was hooked. To me, Jacques and Gus were the stars of the movie. I was determined to have little mouse friends like Cinderella had. Of course, when I finally got my first mouse, I was pretty disappointed to discover that he wouldn't wear clothes. In fact, he hated them! Oh well. I still loved him.

#3. I have drawn little mice and made up stories about them since I was about ten, so I think they must have something to do with my creative muse. Mouse… muse…? Hmmm…

#4. And of course, my first book is about an amazing, musical mouse. ANGUS MACMOUSE BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE was published by BloomsburyUSA in 2010. More about Angus MacMouse later, I promise.

Well, I am looking forward to having a lot of fun here. This is only the beginning!