New Year's Greetings...or How I Blew My 2010 Resolutions

It’s the New Year and resolutions abound. Most people resolve to make life changes in the coming year that will lead to success and personal satisfaction. My resolutions last year addressed weight loss (just ten pounds-I am a realist after all) and a desire to become better organized and a more proficient writer. That said, here’s why I failed to transform myself into a size eight J.K. Rowling in 2010:

Resolution #1 Lose weight

I blame my lack of willpower on: cookie table recipes (thanks a lot Rt. 19 Writers,) stress, as in no response from the agent who said she wanted to see the rest of my manuscript and hasn’t gotten back to me yet (you know who you are if you happen to be reading this blog,) over thirty inches of snow last February (stuck indoors thinking I should move to a warm weather state and raiding the ‘fridge for inspiration as to which state it should be) and last but not least my lack of will power which must have some genetic component that I’m not responsible for.

Resolution #2 Organize my stuff

It was never done. Here’s why: my husband (who’s uber-organized) suggested in my spare time (ha-ha) maybe I could organize a collection of old family slides by year, month, day and occasion. The slides are still sitting in cardboard bags on the top shelf of my closet. And as for my art supply closet, which houses all the goodies I use to create the crafts for my art activity books (mountains of toilet paper tubes, piles of brown paper lunch bags, construction paper, markers, glue sticks, scissors, fabric scraps, etc.) well, check out the pictures below to see how much progress I made over the last twelve months. 

Resolution #3 Write more

O.K. maybe I came close to succeeding on this one. After all, I did write my blog entry in the month of December (not sure if that counts.) And I pulled out a manuscript that had been rejected fourteen times seven years ago in the hopes of breathing new life into it (or maybe hoping the editors who passed on it passed on.)

Resolution #4 

I can’t even remember what this one was but I probably failed at it anyway.

Here’s the bright side: It’s a new year and although I’ve made the same resolutions as last year, I’m hopeful that 2011 will bring a slimmer me, a contract for a new book, organized family slides, good health and the continued support and camaraderie of my friends at Rt. 19 Writers. Happy New Year to you and yours!

On Vacation

We're hibernating for the week. We'll be back on January 3rd. Happy Holidays everyone!

The Gift of Trust

Any artist, musician, or writer will tell you their best work comes from their most frustrating, often most gut-wrenching endeavors. As my fellow contributor, Marcy wrote, “ripping the scab off” is when the genuine writing begins.

Working with a critique group exposes a writer’s most intense work to an intimate group of people, and it can be a scary thing. But a writer’s critique group can also be an inspiration, a solace, and place of celebration.

When I first began meeting with my present critique group I was quite intimidated. I had met a number of the members before, but that didn’t help my jitters because I knew them all to be dedicated, professional writers. And, not only was I new to this already functioning, proliferate group, but I was smack in the middle of a manuscript and almost immediately had to start sending them chapters to read.

Yet, I knew I needed more eyes on my writing, so I gave them my trust and they came through for me. Their comments weren’t always what I wanted to hear, but that’s why a writer works with a critique group. If I wanted only positive feedback, I’d have asked only my family and BFFs read my work.

For all the above reasons, I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful colleagues for all their great advise and their unstinted friendship and inclusion in their group. Trust works both ways and even as the butterflies danced in my stomach I knew they also had to adjust to a new member joining their warm, loving circle.

Now, lest we get overly sentimental, let’s celebrate with rum balls! My family found this recipe more than ten years ago and it’s been a Christmas hit ever since. But caution! They tend to dry out if left for more than a week. So they must be consumed almost as soon as they are prepared! This, however, never presented much of a problem for my family!


Rum Balls
2 cups either vanilla wafers or graham crackers
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts
2 tablespoons white corn syrup or honey
¼ to 1/3 cup rum or brandy

Roll the crumbs fine, add sugar, cocoa, salt and nuts. Combine liquid ingredients and slowly add to dry mixture. Use just enough liquid to hold the ingredients together nicely. Shape by teaspoons into firm one-inch balls. Roll in confectioners’ sugar or cocoa and store in tightly sealed box 24 hours.

*** I like to roll them in granulated sugar to give them a sparkly look.

All I Want for Christmas is...

     Last night I was in my local Barnes and Noble for about the 17th time this holiday season.  The staff knows me well as I am a local author as well as a 'frequent buyer' and constant browser of books. The line at the information desk in the children's section was particularly long this evening with two grandparents, two giggling girls, my daughter and myself.  I didn't mean to be eavesdropping but of course I did, which led me to wonder just exactly what kinds of books - children's books in particular - were being snatched off the shelves this year.  With special thanks to Timothy and LeeAnn, here is what I found out.
The most requested books this year, according to my friendly Barnes and Noble elves, are Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series.  The most recent book in the series, as well as related merchandise was hard to keep in stock.  Second in popularity as far as requests go would be any of the books in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.  Grandparents comprised a big buying population who come in and ask what the staff would recommend as they are not up to speed on the latest publications.  I wondered about people coming in to ask for the classics? Nope, most adults are interested in the books that they read as a child.  Most unusual request? A book about dinosaurs, but with photographs. Hmmmm.
As the stock of related games, plush figures and puzzles increases, so do the requests for these as well, so that if an "Olivia" book is not available, at least one does not have to leave empty-handed.
The most heart-warming story I heard, however, was that of two recent masses of fifth grade students from a local public school who had come in search of  The Arrival and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  Apparently there is a marvelous fifth grade language arts teacher out there who reads regularly to his students and inspires such a hunger for the books he shares that his boys and girls cannot wait to get their own copies.  The books are not required reading, but the children are eager and willing to snatch them up.  Hearing that a teacher still reads aloud to his students made my day.

After a long day of shopping and toting those precious parcels, what could be better than a steaming mug of hot chocolate? Nothing that I can think of. So here's a special recipe for anyone who agrees with me on that count:

DELUXE DOUBLE CHOCOLATELY HOT CHOCOLATE
1 cup milk, 1 cup half and half, 8 tsp sugar, 1 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped, 1 oz unsweetened choc, chopped, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla
Heat everything in a sauce pan except the vanilla until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves.  Pour 1/2 into a blender and mix until foamy.  Return to the sauce pan and add vanilla. Stir briefly.  Top with dollop of whipped cream if desired.  Sit back, relax and enjoy!

The Gift of Waiting

We are in the fourth and last week of Advent. For Christians, Advent is the liturgical season of awaiting the coming of Christmas - the birth of Christ. While outwardly, we prepare for Christmas with decorating and cookie baking and shopping for the perfect gift, Advent is more about preparation of the spirit. Advent is a season of waiting.

Writers are familiar with waiting. And waiting. And waiting. We wait for the muse to strike as we stare at the blank page. We wait to hear comments from critiquers. We wait to hear back from agents and editors. We wait for our book to inch its way up in the Amazon book rankings (how could there possibly be THAT many books ahead of my unique and precious book that I worked so hard at?). Raise your hand if you've ever casually walked past the mailbox and just happened to glance over for the tenth time in a day to see if the mail has come. Or developed carpal tunnel syndrome from hitting the send/receive button on your email too often. Not that I've ever done that, but I've heard rumors from other writers. It would be hard to find a profession that has to spend more time waiting than writers. Maybe being a personal buyer in the former Soviet Union. Although at least at the end of their wait they got to purchase a few onions or eggs. We get form letters.

Back to Advent and waiting. Whatever your religious persuasion, Advent can teach you something about waiting, because the waiting in Advent is not merely waiting in line to buy onions. It is a deep longing that requires us to change; it requires waking up; it requires paying attention; it requires preparation for that which comes.

In my early days of submitting picture book manuscripts, I used to think how wonderful it would be if I had my first attempt accepted and published. I now know how awful that would have been. I would not have been ready. If by some fluke my first manuscript had been accepted, I would not have known how to revise or how to follow up; I wouldn't have really known my own voice. I needed so much more preparation.

Standard advice for a writer waiting to hear back from an agent or editor is to work on your next story. It's good advice, but not just so you can stay busy and be distracted from thinking about how many more minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years (decades anyone?) until you hear back. It's good advice because in waiting, we need to wake up and prepare; prepare our craft, prepare our insight, prepare our very selves for whatever comes out of our writing - whether acceptance or a form letter.

I think writing is both more and less than we sometimes think it is. More, because it has value no matter what rejections we receive, no matter how inconsequential or mundane we think our writing is. Even if no other eye reads what we have written, it is worthy of our full attention. Less, because even if the whole world reads what we have written and we are on the NY Times Best-Seller list for 2,000 weeks in a row, our writing is less important than our families and our character. Both of those things make the outcome of our waiting - the acceptance or rejection - not as important as our preparation, our own working and re-working.

If all of that sounds just a little too high-minded, and your index finger is dying to click on email or on your latest Amazon stats or Google Alerts, most of the time I'm there with you. And really, being obsessive has its good points too, especially if you write kidlit. How better to channel that 10 year old who can't keep from shaking the Christmas presents one more time and is up at 4:00 am on Christmas morning, or the 16 year old who will die if she doesn't hear back VERY SOON from the cute guy she asked to Sadie Hawkins, except she'll die even if she does hear back...

So waiting is a gift. And no, you can't peek under the wrapping.

For those of you looking for Advent decorations, I made the lanterns below based on some instructions for Star Lanterns at Guusje's Appeltaart website. I prefer to wait until a week or two before Christmas to do the full Christmas decorating, but I still have the decorating bug after Thanksgiving. I painted these purple for Advent (even though they look pink in the photo).

A Dash of Pepper: Cookies with an Edge

Or, the Pittsburgh Cookie Table--Christmas Style, part 5

These pictures give a taste of the Minnesota Dance Theater's Nutcracker Fantasy, celebrating its 46^th birthday this weekend. I judge this version, choreographed by Loyce Houlton, to be the most dramatic and witty Nutcracker ever.

(Hint: the Mouse King loses the battle, but wins the war.)

The original E. T. A. Hoffmann Nutcracker is perhaps not quite a children's tale. It's a little less sweet, a little more complicated, and has some unexpected twists.

So do today's cookie recipes. These cookies can be lifted from the dessert buffet to form a sub-set Grown-up Cookie Table next to the cheese board at Happy Hour. The unexpected ingredients include thyme, bourbon, and black pepper.

CHOCOLATE SPICE COOKIES

I got this recipe from a friend, so the origin is unknown—but the dry, cakey bite and the prep method make me suspect that the recipe might originate in Italy. If you use commercially-ground black pepper, most people won't be able to guess the mystery ingredient. If you grind fresh peppercorns, the flavor will be more assertive.

I prefer the un-glazed version for those I serve with wine and cheese.

• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup milk
• 6 heaping tablespoons of cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon or more of ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon or more of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon or more of ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon or more of [finely] ground black pepper

Mix all dry ingredients together. Make a well in the middle. Add cooled butter and milk. Work together until smooth. Roll into ¾" balls. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until firm.

If desired, frost with a simple glaze of confectioner's sugar and milk. Makes 3-4 dozen.

BLACKBERRY-SAGE THUMBPRINTS

I found this recipe in the 2007 Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine.

Besides being beautiful and presenting unique flavors, this cookie has an earthy texture that comes from adding cornmeal.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 ½ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup [seedless] blackberry preserves
• Small fresh sage leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, cornmeal, dried sage, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture.

Shape dough into ¾-inch balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Lightly press the tip of your thumb into the center of each ball. Fill each center with about ¼ teaspoon blackberry preserves.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely. If desired, garnish with small fresh sage leaves. Makes 60.

BOURBON CURRANT COOKIES

Simple, elegant, and not too sugary—kinda like Martha Stewart herself. She's published this recipe on the Web and in print.

You can't tell from the photo, but I always cut mine with miniature cutters—that way they make the perfect cracker-sized nibble for cocktail parties.

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• ½ cup dried currants
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Heat oven to 350. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg, flour, bourbon, and currants; mix well.

Roll dough ¼ inch thick and cut into desired shapes. [Make glaze, using the lightly-beaten egg and the heavy cream.] Brush cookies with egg-glaze mixture.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool.

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED. Mom always insisted we make our Christmas cookies small enough to eat in one or two bites. As a greedy young person, I hated that. But she was right. Smaller cookies mean that everybody can sample lots of different kinds. I also end up with fewer half-eaten discards abandoned (and often hidden—especially under furniture in carpeted rooms) by persons whose eyes were bigger than their tummies.

Thoughts on Plotting

I’m wrapping up this year with frantic dashes out the door for last minute gifts (yes, oh young ones, the madness continues, even as your children approach thirty). At the same time, I’m mentally preparing myself to move on to a new writing project. Which project I choose is still a mystery to me. Will it be the half finished (or is it half begun) YA novel I started, shockingly, in 2002? I had no idea it had been so long ago until, looking for the most current version, I revisited the ten or so early ones in a folder on my desktop. Should I maybe choose the historical fiction novel I’ve been mulling over for years, partly because I know I would enjoy the research it involves? Or will the winner be the new idea that hit me last month completely out of left field? (a definite warning sign of a possible passing fancy) To make things even more complicated, I listened to a segment on NPR this morning which discussed the new multi-platforming movement in Kid-lit and realized, after bemoaning feeling like a techno-dinosaur, that my “passing fancy” idea may adapt itself perfectly to this format.

To hear the NPR article go here.

However it ends up, I’ve decided that my musing time might be a good opportunity for a refresher course on the basics of writing, especially since, to quote the NPR article, “As fun as the online missions” (i.e. multi-platforming) “may be, everything still revolves around the books.” Whew! So I dug out a number of “how to write” books from my shelves and decided to wrap a few suggestions on plot development into a neat little package for you. Though each author offers their own treasure trove of thought and insight, I’ve chosen Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s straightforward, The Craft of Writing the Novel .

And for a second little gift, check out Auntie's Light As Air Sugar Cookies, the lightest, most delicate sugar cookie you'll ever taste!! (Don't be mislead by the word light)

Happy Holidays

Fran McDowell

Problems of Plot

In Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird she refers to a manuscript she had submitted and which her editor rejected.

The passages are from her chapter on Plot Treatment.

"The editor went on to say, I had in effect created a beautiful banquet but never invited the reader to sit down and eat. So the reader went hungry." "The book felt like a house with no foundation, no support beams, which was collapsing in on itself . . ."

Some truths about plot:

Plot comes into focus by perpetually asking yourself “what if . . .”

Plot delineates your main character’s journey toward change.

You can learn a lot about your plot by summarizing it in twenty-five words or less.

Theme and plot are two different things. Define your theme, keep it before you, and refer to it often.

Some necessities in plotting:

Keep your Main Character (s) your central focus. Other great characters might be important, but don’t allow them to shift focus from your MC, (I almost always end up with a main, and a supporting, character. And my supporting character almost always emerges as the more engaging of the two, something I then have to correct)

Give your MC a problem that is important to him and that is fraught with obstacles. Then find a way in which only he can overcome them. (note a comment further down on credibility)

Create each obstacle as pitting the MC against something within himself.

Increase the emotional tension by giving your MC the burden of having created the obstacle, at least in part, himself.

Recognize the climax, or turning point, in your story (I’ve been shocked to find that my own stories have occasionally fooled me when readers describe the turning point for a character differently than I intended)

Know your hook—the suspense that compels the reader to keep reading.

Include intriguing subplots that feed into the main plot, but never let them steal the show. For fellow subplot freaks . . . control the urge!!

Auntie's Light As Air Sugar Cookies

1 C powdered sugar

1C white sugar

1C butter

1C salad oil

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

41/2 C flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cream of tartar

***************************

Oven 350

Cream sugars, butter, oil & vanilla. Add eggs. Beat until fluffy. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Chill. Roll into balls, then flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake 10 to 12 min.