Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in cynthialord's LiveJournal:

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Monday, May 19th, 2008
7:30 am	Second Books Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Photo by my husband, John I really enjoyed this pep talk from the archives of Tess Gerritsen's blog this morning.  Current Mood: working (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, May 17th, 2008
7:12 am	Thank you, Mahoney Middle School and Robert P.T. Coffin Elementary School I spoke to a book group at Mahoney Middle School in South Portland and at a Scholastic Book Fair last night in Brunswick, Maine. Both visits were lovely. At Mahoney, I met Connie Burns, whose name I see a lot because she reviewed RULES for School Library Journal back when it was first published. Connie's girls asked me great questions and it was such a pleasure to join them at their meeting.  In her introduction to me, Connie told the girls I'm famous. "I don't know about that," I joked back. "I think if you have to tell people you're famous, you really aren't!" Then at the evening book fair at Robert P.T. Coffin School, I had a big crowd for my talk, including Torie, a beautiful middle-schooler who has the same challenges as Jason in RULES. During Q&A, she said she wanted me to know that I got it "right." Thank you, Torie. :-)  It means a lot to me to hear that. After my talk, I packed up my equipment quickly and then walked into the book fair for my signing. There was a line waiting for me that ran nearly the length of the gym. Wow. When I got to my table, I laughed. The Book Fair team at Coffin and Anne Horey, school librarian This big inflatable duckie was signed by all the kids at the school! As I signed their books, I had them point out their names to me. This duck even QUACKS when you squeeze his bill! When I brought him home, Milo gave him some very suspicious looks, let me tell you! Thank you to everyone at Mahoney Middle School and Coffin School! It was wonderful to meet you all!  Current Mood: happy (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, May 16th, 2008
6:34 am	Five Things on a Friday   Cundy's Harbor, Maine, photo by my husband, John. He has some new coastal Maine photos here and woods photos here if you'd like to see them. 1. I'm speaking to a middle-school book group this afternoon in South Portland and then at a Scholastic Book Fair in the evening in Brunswick, Maine. Lately, I've been trying to combine little speaking requests, because it's easier to have a no-writing day occasionally than a lot of half-days. 2. I realized this week that I have given my basic RULES school visit talk over 100 times this school year. Yowzer. 3. I have electricity and heat in my little writing house now. I am also rediscovering my backyard. I spent a lot of time out there when my children were small, but less so as the years have gone by. This week I looked up from my pages and saw a hummingbird in my quince, a woodpecker hammering away at a stump, chickadees playing in the water from the hose, etc. 4. I have 500 bookplates to sign for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award ceremony in Vermont on the 27th. I'm halfway through, and wishing I had chosen a shorter quote ("Looking closer can make something beautiful"). The word "beautiful" causes me no end of mess-ups. 5. My daughter only has 9 days of school left before graduation. It struck me as I was driving her to school the other morning that I won't be doing this much longer for her. This milestone will be a huge change for John and me, too.  Current Mood: busy (14 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
3:45 pm	Cautiously Optimistic Milo had his testing today. Though we won't know the results of one test for 10 days, the other tests came back very good. All but one of his levels was normal, and the one that wasn't in that range, was on the very edge of normal. These are the best results he's ever had. The vet was very pleased and said the low-protein diet and medicine is doing him a world of good. Milo will probably have to be on those for his whole life, but there are worse things (like losing him). Having been on this rollercoaster, I'm afraid to be totally happy until the other test comes back, but even "cautiously optimistic" is a lovely place to be today.  It's "David and David" in the American Idol finale! Which David's it gonna be? I would be more likely to listen to David Cook's music, but I wonder if he'd have more musical freedom if he came in second?  Current Mood: relieved (33 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
6:34 am	New Hampshire Educational Media Association Great Stone Face Book Award Poster On Monday, my friend, Toni Buzzeo, and I drove down to Nashua, New Hampshire to speak at the New Hampshire Educational Media Association conference. At this conference, the Great Stone Face Award is announced (the kids' choice list for NH) and next year's list is unveiled. Let me start by congratulating two of my friends' list: Linda Urban lurban  and Julie Bowe juliebowe     A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT and MY LAST BEST FRIEND are on next year's list! Congratulations, ladies!!! Toni and I got to the hotel around 4:30, and we went out to supper with the conference committee. We had a wonderful meal. There were about 15 of us, which made for a lively, fun time. I grew up in New Hampshire, so it was great to see all those familiar town and school names on people's nametags: places I've been or schools we played against in high school sports. "I know where that is!" I said many, many times. During dinner, a few people told me that RULES had done well in this year's Great Stone Face vote at their school, and a couple librarians even told me it had won at their own schools. I was touched to hear that. The next day, Toni gave her keynote speech. What she said was very sobering to me. As part of that speech Toni showed the amount of money spend on "No Child Left Behind" and the fact that test scores have improved only a point or a few points or have even declined as a result of all that money spent. Such a waste. Toni is an excellent speaker. It was pleasure to see her "in action." I was the luncheon speaker for the conference. The dining room before my talk Just as I was sitting down, a woman approached me. She whispered, "RULES is the Great Stone Face winner for this year. We'd like you to come to the announcement session this afternoon." Having grown up in New Hampshire and ridden my bike as a child to my own local library every Wednesday in the summer (the only day it was open) . . .to hear that RULES won a kids' choice list in New Hampshire. . . wow. Tears came to my eyes, and I thought, "Oh no! I have to give a speech in a few mintues!" "Don't tell anyone, okay?" she asked. "We want to announce it at the session." I nodded. "I'll be signing books right before then. So I won't be able to keep track of the time. Could someone come get me when the session is about to begin?" I didn't eat very much. The speech went well, though. I saw people crying as I told my stories of what the library meant to me as a child and the people who've written to me as a result of RULES. Some people even stood as they applauded at the end. Then I signed lots of books. When I got the signal to leave for the announcement, Linda, who was in charge of the book signing, mentioned quickly that I still had stock to sign. I think she thought I was just leaving, and I didn't know what to do! So I motioned for her to come let me whisper in her ear. "RULES won the Great Stone Face Award," I whispered. "They want me to be there when they announce it." Linda screamed and threw her arms around me. So I think the cat might've left the bag at that point--at least in the vendors' area!  :-) In the announcement room, the committee was grinning as Adele, the chairman, walked to the podium. There was a lovely gasp and huge applause from the audience when she called me up as the winner, and they gave me beautiful bouquet of yellow roses and pink daisies. It was a moment I'll always remember.    Members of the Great Stone Face committee and me Thank you to everyone who congratulated me, who told me about the children you love with disabilities, who made this conference such a wonderful time for me. It felt like coming home again to be with you all. Current Mood: excited (39 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
8:36 am	A mother holds her children's hands for a while...their hearts forever When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself. ~~Nancy Friday. I love you, Mom.
6:55 am	Five Things on a Sunday   Maine, photo by my husband, John 1.  I'm the luncheon speaker at the New Hampshire Educational Media Association (the organization for school librarians in NH) conference this Tuesday.   Thank you again to everyone who sent me a children's book for my breakout session on The Schneider Family Book Awards and other great books for inclusion.  When I asked authors and publishers for review copies of the books I wanted to feature, I said I would give those books away to my workshop participants at the end of my talk . . . so I have a fun giveaway in mind.  My friend and critique partner, Toni Buzzeo, is a keynote speaker for this conference. We're driving down to Nashua together on Monday afternoon and having supper with the conference committee. Toni and I have a habit of talking intently on long car trips and then regularly missing our exits.  So here's hoping we get there without too many detours! 2.  RULES was nominated for its 30th state kids choice list this week.  Thank you to the committees from Florida, Ohio, Wyoming, and North Carolina. I'm honored and so thrilled. 3.  I received some beautiful Mother's Day presents, including a few things for my writing house:  a beautiful sea rose bush planted just outside the door, and my daughter bought and painted me the shelves for my rubber duckie collection we had talked about: And my husband spent yesterday afternoon digging a ditch from our house to my writing shed for the electrician to lay the wires this week.   Milo LOVES to dig holes (and then he falls in them!). It was funny to see the wide-eyed wonder on his little puppy face at those piles of dirt.  "Wow, Dad!" he seemed to be thinking. "That would take me weeks!"   4.  Milo goes to the vet on Thursday to see where we're at with his bile levels. So if you could send low-number thoughts, I'd appreciate it.   5.  I missed Survivor and American Idol last week while I was in Michigan. . . but I'm looking forward to them this week!    (18 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, May 9th, 2008
7:15 am	The Mitten Award, Grand Rapids, Michigan   My beautiful tile plaque for the Mitten Award I had a lovely time in Michigan this week where I accepted The Mitten Award for RULES.  Grand Rapids has a beautiful downtown, and I even saw. . . LILACS!  We're a few weeks behind in the "spring" department in Maine, so seeing those purprle lilacs in bloom--it felt like a promise.   The Michigan Library Association took very good care of me. I had a gorgeous room in a historic hotel and everyone made me feel so welcome.   Isn't this a beautiful view?  At night, the bridges are lit up, and on the right side of this photo, do you see the circular building?  It's an indoor carousel!  Sometimes when I was working at the desk, I would look over and watch the lights going around and around inside--it was magical!   ( Read more... ) Thank you to Scholastic, BWI, the Michigan Library Association, the Mitten Award Committee, Jayne and Cory and Ken who drove to and from the airport, Kristen and Deb for making sure I never felt lonely or got lost, and to all the Michigan librarians for making me feel so welcome.   Current Mood: happy (32 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 5th, 2008
6:43 am	I brought a dog to the groomer . . .   and returned with a lemur!   It's Milo of Madagascar!   Oh my, my, my. I'm packing for the Michigan Library Association conference today. I leave tomorrow to receive The Mitten Award at MLA's Spring Institute conference in Grand Rapids. Yay!  I'm so excited. I have my speech ready, my schedule packed, and now the all important question: WHAT DO I WEAR?! In looking through my closet, nothing screams "Gala" at me.     Current Mood: hmmm. (15 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 4th, 2008
7:12 am	Aloneness         I am loving the aloneness inside my little writing house. I wish I had found a way and given myself permission to have this years ago.  It's very spare inside right now: a card table and chair from the cellar, a basket of rubber duckies that will be sitting on some shelves soon.  My daughter suggested we paint the shelves blue-green like water, like RULES' cover. I love that idea.         Over the summer, I will have the electrician come and connect up those six outlets and the lights. It's very snugly insulated, but a space heater would let me use it year-round, and I will buy a nice desk, a rug, curtains for the three windows, and a few more things to make it more comfortable and useful, but I'm in no hurry.  It's not about the house for me. I have a house already--what I need is the emptiness.  It has no internet, no calendar, no distractions--its a real change from the colorful piles of letters from kids and lists of things to do on my desk in our house.  It's too easy for me to work hard on those things and make only surface progress on my book--even though I spend some hours on it.  There's something so powerful about silence. It strips away the excuses, and closing that door behind me has allowed me to go deep into the book again.    I can read aloud, walk around, allow the book to lead me--without considering anyone else's needs or how they will view what I'm doing. I have two weird habits when I'm revising. The first is that I wear my main character's feelings on my face.  I like to experience what my eyebrows do, how my cheek muscles change, etc. I've done this for so long now that I do it without thinking. I also hum the sentences when I revise.  I revise for sight and meaning, but I will also change words and sentences for rhythm. I think that's one reason RULES is chosen as a classroom read-aloud so often.  I put a lot of work into how the pages sound. But you can see how those things might be a problem for me when I write at the library.  I have to put it in the front of my mind not to do those two things, because I don't want to become known as"The weird woman who scowls and  hums over in the corner." And you can see how that might happen!  :-)     Now when I walk under my bittersweet arbor, cross to the edge of the yard, and close that door tightly behind me, I am totally alone with the book. That is both scary and awe-striking.  No phone, no dog who wants me to throw the ball for him (again!), no contacts to send or sign, or workshop blurbs to write, nothing but theme, plot, characters, reasons, emotions, and the hum-humming music of words.    Current Mood: working (30 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
7:02 am	Live This The living moment is everything.  ~D.H. Lawrence Harpswell, Maine. Photo by my husband, John Never before (and probably never again) will I have a month as full as this new calendar page. I'm going to concentrate on my new book, my family, and on living each of these moments. I was talking to another writer this weekend about scheduling issues. I told her that sometimes as I'm going off to an event I whisper to myself a reminder not to be always thinking about what's next or what else I need to do, but to just be there, fully present, in that moment. "Live this," is what I whisper.  Wednesday, May 7--Thursday, May 8, Michigan Library Association's Spring Institute Conference, where I will be accepting The Mitten Award for RULES, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tuesday, May, 13, New Hampshire Educational Media Conference, Nashua, New Hampshire. I am the luncheon speaker, and I'm doing a workshop on the Schneider Family Book Award and other great books that feature characters with disabilities. Friday, May 16, Book group visit, Mainely Girls, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, Maine in the afternoon, and a Scholastic Book Fair signing in the evening, Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, Maine. Tuesday, May 20,  Maine Reading Association conference, Camden, Maine. I will be giving an author presentation and accepting the Maine Student Book Award (this award is co-sponsored by two organizations). Wednesday, May 21, School visit, North Hampton School, North Hampton, New Hampshire. Friday, May 23, School visit, Seabrook Middle School, Seabrook, New Hampshire. Tuesday, May 27, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Ceremony. I'll be accepting the award and speaking to several hundred students from all over Vermont, Vermont Technical College, Randolph, Vermont. Wednesday, May 28, Book group visit, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham, Maine. Thursday, May 29, Girls Talk and Teen Voices Mentorship Program, Kingfield Elementary School, Kingfield, Maine. After May, I have only five events over the next three months, though.  So this is my biggest month all year.  Current Mood: content (26 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
6:29 am	American Idol: Neil Diamond Week I'm totally buying David Cook's CD when it comes out.  Current Mood: cheerful (13 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
7:43 pm	Maine Student Book Award Party   Back in March, I did a school visit at Mast Landing School in Freeport, Maine. When RULES was recently announced as the winner of the Maine Student Book Award, Julia (the librarian) asked me if I'd come to their school MSBA party.   This was the hidden display! Julia keeps the winning book a secret until the party. So when I arrived this afternoon, she whisked me upstairs quickly so the kids wouldn't see me.  While I was waiting, I could hear the ceremony going on downstairs.  Julia called up the kids who had read the most MSBA books, and she told how many books had been read in total. It was lovely to hear all that excitement centered around reading and books. Julia had a display hidden under a cloth, and I heard her say, "This year our school winner is the same book as the state winner. And it's . . . ." ( Read more... ) Thank you so much to Julia, Meghan, and all the students of Freeport, Maine. You made my day :-)  Current Mood: bouncy (26 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
10:51 pm	Washington SCBWI Me, Susan Patron, Kirby Larson I've had a wonderful time at the conference. I loved meeting some of my online friends for the first time--including idaho_laurie and lizgallagher! What a treat!  Everyone was very friendly, and it was a thrill to be on the West Coast.  ( Read more... ) Current Mood: giddy (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 24th, 2008
10:01 am	It's here! After a long winter of waiting, my little writing house has arrived! The man is installing it right now in a corner of my backyard next to a bright yellow forsythia bush. He has a remote control in his hand that operates the delivery truck and trailer. So he's installing it all by himself. Very, very cool.  I think I'll put some red geraniums in the window boxes.  I will see some of you in Washington at the SCBWI conference this weekend! I'm really looking forward to that! Kirby Larson asked me what breakfast comfort drink I wanted before our panel, and I said regular coffee would be good. She teased me for coming to Seattle, The Coffee Capital, and then ordering boring, regular coffee. :-) And I found out this morning that RULES won the Kentucky Bluegrass Award, too. These three state awards are a lovely affirmation from the audience I have always wanted the most: kids. Current Mood: ecstatic (35 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
7:21 am	American Idol: Andrew Lloyd Webber Night You go, David!  Current Mood: cheerful (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
4:58 pm	My Trip to Des Plaines, Illinois!     The wonderful kids at Cumberland School in Des Plaines, Illinois gave me a duck night-light!  The kids named him "Glow Joe," and when you push the button on the bottom, he stays lit for an hour!  I love Glow Joe!   I was also greeted with fabulous artwork,         word cards, and posters the kids had made for my visit.  Wow!           Two different classes responded to a quote from RULES where Catherine is thinking about how hard it must be for Jason to have all his words out in the open, complete strangers able to walk by and see at a glance what mattered to him.  These great posters were in reponse to that. . . What would someone see if they could look into your head and see what matters to you?  ( Read more... )   Current Mood: grateful (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, April 21st, 2008
8:41 am	Bright Lights, Big City, and Bad Hair!    I'm in Des Plaines, right next to Chicago!  Unfortunately, my checked luggage is in Philadelphia.   But I always bring my school visit equipment and clothes in my carry-ons, so I can make do with what I have with me. My connecting flight number changed, and maybe that caused the problem.  When I received my boarding passes in Maine, I called my daughter. "I didn't want you to check on my flight and find it had simply disappeared," I said. "Yeah, we'd have wondered," she said. "But then we'd have seen you next week as the newest person on 'LOST.'" Wouldn't that be funny?  This week on LOST: A surprising new castaway arrives on the island. "Um, I'm here to do a presentation? Where do I find the library?" Though my curling iron may indeed have gone to a remote, uncharted island, I am here in Illinois, where I should be.  Veronica, the lovely children's librarian in Des Plaines, picked me up at O'Hare Airport, and as I checked in, the hotel clerk mentioned their restaurant wasn't open for supper that evening. He offered to ask their airport shuttle driver to drop me off at a local restaurant, and Veronica said "Or you can come to a cookout at my house, if you'd like."   No contest there! I had such a fun time with Veronica, her sister, dad, boyfriend, and Rocky, the Westie.   Dad and Rocky After supper, Veronica and her family drove me on a nighttime tour of Chicago, which was incredibly beautiful. I was particularly taken with the Chicago Public Library building with its huge gargoyles on the roof, which are lit up at night.  Just stunning!   Okay, my un-curled, flat hair and I are off to the library now!   I hope the castaways on LOST enjoy their new clothes, make-up, curling iron, hairspray and rubber duckies :-) Current Mood: not lost (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
7:10 pm	Reading Round Up     I spoke at the state conference for children's librarians from Maine today. When I arrived, a member of the Maine Student Book Award committee told me she would be calling me up on stage to receive the award, and I could say a few remarks if I wanted to. "Uh," I said. "Only if you want to," she said, smiling. The MSBA is only one award given out at this conference. I was so happy to see the Lupine Award announced (given for a picture book and a MG/YA book that is either set in Maine or by a Maine author/illustrator). The winners are two people I adore and have done many events with. Sarah L. Thompson for DRAGON'S EGG and Kevin Hawkes for VELMA GRATCH AND THE WAY COOL BUTTERFLY When my name was called, I went up and hugged Lousie who had announced the award, and then I looked out over all those smiling librarians. I told them what this award means to me. It's a good thing I only had 30 seconds (they have this conference timed very carefully!) because those last two or three words were verrrry hard to get past the lump in my throat. All day long, people came up to to congratulate me and tell me wonderful stories about their students. A school librarian from Auburn gave me a whole envelope full of word cards the kids had drawn, just like Catherine made for Jason. The librarians from the Blue Hill area where I did "Project Acceptance" in January came over to say hi! I had a lot of school visit inquiries, and I met librarians with whom I have corresponded by email, but I hadn't met in person before. It was a full and fun day. My workshop went well. Jennifer Bunting of Tilbury House Publishers and I spoke about how publishers and authors work together. I ended my talk by reading two powerful emails I've received from readers to show where the magic REALLY happens in the whole process, and I saw many tears in the audience.  AND they had a beautiful display of a few of next year's MSBA nominated books! Linda and Loree, do you see your books?! I moved them right to the front for you :-)   Current Mood: happy (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
6:30 am	I don't know who really deserves to go home on American Idol at this point (because we're down to the point where everyone is so talented), but David Cook is my favorite, and I don't want it to be him!  When I heard it was "Mariah Carey Week," I worried for him, but I thought he did very well.  I'm getting ready for Reading Round Up tomorrow, which is the state library conference for children's librarians in Maine. I'm giving a workshop with Jennifer Bunting, the publisher at Tilbury House--which will be fun. I'll also hear RULES officially named the winner of the Maine Student Book Award. I'm going to try not to have an utterly goofy grin on my face at that moment, but I probably will! On Sunday, I'm off to Illinois for some school and library visits. The Des Plaines Public Library (which is pronouced Desss Plainesss, I found out) received a grant to do a series of programs about autism, and I am speaking there at 7:00 on Monday night. I am impressed with all the programming the library set up for this series, but no speaker or event could have touched me more than "Family Times." The library hired trained staff familiar with children with autism to. . . provide parents or caregivers the opportunity to leave their child with autism in the Storytime room, where they will interact with specially trained dogs from Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy. During that time, parents and caregivers may attend a variety of library programs or explore other library resources. It can be so hard to find someone you trust to be with your child with autism. Some parents of children with mid- and lower-functioning autism don't have many options of caregivers. We can't simply hire the teenager down the street, the way other families can. Often, one parent goes to an event and the other stays home. Or you just don't go. So the fact that the library set up this opportunity for parents that includes staff and therapy dogs (and they have it available during my talk, as well). . . it's both brilliant and very, very  kind.   Current Mood: content (12 Comments |Comment on this)