Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan

By Kate Phillips

          

         I believe in supporting writers of all ages so I’m recommending Word After Word After Word by Newbery Medal-winning author Patricia MacLachlan. While written for children ages 8-12, this book is inspirational for writers of all ages.  

In summation: Miss Cash’s fourth grade class welcomes Ms. Mirabel, a writer who will be speaking to them for six weeks about how writer’s work. On her first day with the children, Ms. Mirabel was asked if what she wrote was real or unreal. She replied, “Real or unreal. They’re just about the same…They are both all about magical words!” (page 16)

Later Ms. Mirabel whispers to a student named Lucy who isn’t sure she has anything to say, “You have a story in there…Or a character, a place, a poem, a moment in time. When you find it, you will write it. Word after word after word.” (pp. 20 & 21)

“Remember this if you remember anything from our time together,” said Ms. Mirabel. “Writing…is…brave. You are brave.” (page 114)

Great advice for writers of any age!

In this book, five of the students meet under a lilac bush to discuss writing and the happenings in their lives. True to real life, the children are experiencing happiness, tragedy, and changes they have no control over. As words come to them, they write poems and stories.

         

         When I was a child, I dreamed of being a writer. I had stories and songs and poems inside me that I jotted down. Yet, as I’ve grown older, I only write essays and articles. Where are the songs and poems and stories that poured out of me in the beginning?

         

         This book inspired me to grab a notebook and pen, sit under my favorite tree, and write songs, poems, and stories about life and love—word after word after word.

           

The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry

By Kate Phillips

           If you celebrate Christmas, what comes to mind when you read that word? Christmas trees? Fresh wreaths? Cookies for Santa? Candy canes? Not just the seasonal objects, but delicious aromas as well.

          As a writer, I learned the aroma lesson early. On Christmas day when I was six, my one-year-younger sister received a book gift entitled The Sweet Smell of Christmas by Patricia Scarry and illustrated by J. P. Miller. Included in the story of Little Bear waiting for Christmas are six pages with scratch and sniff fragrance labels.

The text and illustrations depict a cozy, old-fashioned home where the Bear family prepares for the holiday on Christmas Eve. Little Bear starts the story with: “Something wonderful is going to happen…My nose tells me so.” Each reader’s nose does, too.

I borrowed that book without permission quite often. I just loved the combination of words and aromas. Father Bear and Little Bear went in search of a Christmas tree and I could smell the pine branches. Mother Bear baked a pie and I could smell the apples. I also loved that there was an orange in Little Bear’s stocking as we always had one in the toes of ours. However, the hot chocolate shared with the carolers was my favorite scent.

Aromas bring readers deeper into anything they are reading. That’s why it’s important to be specific—not just flowers, but roses; not just dinner, but roasted turkey with cornbread stuffing; not just dessert, but chocolate cake. Readers will add the thick swirls of frosting covering two layers on their own.

Aromas made this book truly memorable. They can make your writing memorable as well by simply adding “invisible scratch and sniff labels” whenever possible—a terrific writing tool.

  

 

2014 Gifts for Writers

By Kate Phillips

 These are holiday gift suggestions for the writers in your life—or for yourself.

By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review Edited and with an Introduction by Pamela Paul

          By the Book is a Q&A article included in The New York Times Book Review each week. Here 65 authors share which books influenced them, what they are reading now, what books they recommend, what books they have not read, which three authors they would invite to a dinner party, what books the president should read, what are their ideal reading situations, their opinions on rereading, descriptions of their libraries, and favorite children’s books along with many other questions and answers. You get insights into authors you love, leads on books to read as well as discover authors new to you. An excellent gift!

 

  New Bold Cristal BICs

          These are iconic, inexpensive pens. I have used them, but never loved them until now. The bold BICs have thicker 1.6mm nibs. The ink flows smoothly, although there are the occasional blobs. They are a pleasure to write with when you want to get your ideas down quickly.

A Writer’s Ring (see post dated 3/17/13)

          I love my faux, channel set diamond and sapphire ring that I wear on my thumb so I can see it sparkle in the light as I write, but another way to go may be a very rustic initial that looks like the face of an old typewriter key.

A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 Days of Inspiration & Encouragement by Barbara Abercrombie

          The 365 mini-essays written by the author include thoughts, observations, and stories about other writers. Topics include: #7 Jumping Off; #28 In the Company of Animals; #35 Eight Ways to Sabotage Yourself;  #68 Making Use of Fear; #127 One True Sentence; #243 Stepping Up to the Plate; and #315 Flying Off Course. Each essay is followed by a quote from another writer.

Literary Necklaces

          I bought a few of these necklaces for fun. However, I don’t wear them. They look like miniature framed quotes so I hook the chains over the corners of my computer screen and around the base of my reading lamp so I can read them. My favorites:

Poetry: the best words in the best order

Whisper Words of Wisdom

Book Vixen

I have taken to living by my wits. (Sherlock Holmes)

     

Literary Charms

          These charms are book-shaped with titles like Wuthering Heights and Moby Dick.

   
                

A Favorite Children’s Book

Memories are wonderful launching pads for writing ideas. I love Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (post dated 1/21/13), most books by Richard Scarry, and The Frances series by Russell Hoban. New favorites are from the Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer including I am Albert Einstein; I am Rosa Parks; I am Abraham Lincoln; I am Jackie Robinson; and I am Lucille Ball.

Ceramic Mug, Pot, or Vase

          Pick a favorite color, eye-catching shape, or inspiring quote. They are great for corralling pens for the writer in your life. Of course, the mug can be used for tea or coffee; the pot or vase for flowers—all inspiring for writers, too.

Blank Note Cards

Writing is writing so, if you cannot think of anything else to write, send notes to friends or family members. Make them smile when their snail mail arrives—and help achieve your daily writing goal.

 

A Pad of To-Do Lists

Writers need goals! Lists are a great way to keep you on track for projects and deadlines.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Fireflies

 

By Kate Phillips

 

        While driving around running errands, I heard on the radio that June 25 is a half holiday. Since it is exactly six months to Christmas, someone named it Leon Day which is Noel spelled backwards.

        I find Leon Day reminiscent of the holiday for an entirely different reason. At the end of June, thousands of fireflies put on a light show in a nearby old apple orchard that rivals most Christmas decorations.

        Walking down a row between trees, I feel as though I am deep in outer space. On both sides of me, the fireflies flash from ground level to as high and as far as I can see mixing in with the light from the stars. Some fly close by; others are a hundred feet away, but all as bright and magical as the twinkling lights on Christmas trees.

I also feel a bit like Gulliver might have if he had arrived in Lilliput on an Opening Night and if they had the paparazzi.

        This light show is a romantic affair or a giant pickup scene depending on your outlook as the fireflies are searching for mates by madly flirting using flash patterns interspersed with steady glowing to attract attention. However, nothing is ever as simple as it seems in Mother Nature's world. There are femme fatale fireflies that mimic the patterns of males from other firefly species to draw them in only to devour them.

Seduction teaches tough lessons sometimes as attracting attention may lead to other downfalls. According to Wikipedia, forensic scientists use firefly phosphorescence to detect magnesium. It's also thought that the Baroque painter Caravaggio may have prepared canvases with a powder of dried fireflies to create photosensitive surfaces.

        Writers use fireflies as well although without killing any of them, I hope.

Songwriter Adam Young wrote "Fireflies" for Owl City. I'm transported to the apple orchard whenever I hear it.

The Sci-Fi show Firefly, created by Joss Whedon and starring Nathan Fillion (now on Castle) and Gina Torres (now on Suits), is a fun adventure show set in outer space. Their ship is shaped like a firefly. I recommend the show along with the follow up movie Serenity.

There are lots of books about fireflies as well as many that mention them.

For children, authors Julie Brinckloe and Margaret Hall both named their books Fireflies. The former is a story about the dilemma of catching fireflies in jars; the latter is a more scientific look at the bugs.

For summer reading, enjoy Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah and The Summer of the Firefly by Joan Gable. I haven't read either yet, but Cheryl gave me Hannah's book and Gable's came highly recommended by another friend—the best kind of books!

Fireflies take me right back to my childhood—endless summer days, cookouts, and catching them at twilight armed with only a jar and a lid. We had a strict catch, enjoy, and release program in place so no guilt, only fun and a captivating light show.