THURBER HOUSE -- The Good, The Bad and The Giveaway

There is a fun giveaway at the end of this blog post.

Waking up Friday the 13th in a slightly haunted third floor apartment at the Thurber House should have given me a case of the shivers.

How could I be scared, though, when I woke up to THIS?  (Thank you John Schu and Deb Tyo for being two amazing, generous human beings, who do everything and anything to get good books into kids' hands!)

I can't believe I have only one more week at the Thurber House!

Thurber House in Columbus, Ohio

When I first read about the Thurber House on Lisa Yee's blog, I thought it would be perfect, except . . . how could I live without my family and friends for a whole month?

I looked to author Cynthia Lord for inspiration.  She travels in and out of the country for book-related visits and events.  She recently visited Russia for a week!  She's nervous, of course, but said the worry lasts only a week or so, but the memories last a lifetime.

Last week, when I told Cynthia that a photo op with Frog and Toad reminded me of her beautiful book, Rules, and that I was being brave in Columbus, she replied:  "As Frog says, 'I'm glad to know a brave friend like you, Toad.'"

Frog and Toad and me at the Northwest Worthington Library

Believe me, the day I arrived, when I was finally alone, I cried buckets, missing my family and friends and these guys . . .

Teddy and the apparently offensive pink sheep

Benji -- aka, Butthead

 

Jaz, our twenty-year-old cat

My friend, former Children's-Writer-in-Residence, Alan Silberberg, offered lots of great advice, including this gem:  "Enjoy the campers - they seldom ever bite!"

He was right!

Some of my best times here were working with the kids (and their counselors).  What great writers!

Can you see the camper who made a writing cave under the table, behind a chair?

How could I feel lonely when the lovely people here have done everything possible to make me feel welcomed and comfortable and happy?

Pat Shannon, who originally interviewed me for the residency, doesn't work at the Thurber House anymore, but she's been my buddy for the literary picnics, has taken me to the Columbus Zoo and tomorrow, we're heading to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and out to lunch.

Pat Shannon

Meg Brown has been an absolute gem from the moment she picked me up at the airport.  She's been a friend from ice cream runs (Jenis and Graeter's) to being a sport and joining me for a boot camp at a the Columbus Commons.

Meg Brown

All the people who work at the Thurber House, are on the board here and who volunteer here have been INCREDIBLY NICE.

And I got to explore cool places, like the Ohio Theater, where the organ rises up onto the stage and Clark Wilson, who has been playing organ for the CAPA Summer Movie Series for 21 years, plays great tunes before the movie starts and during intermission.  (I saw "Breakfast at Tiffany's.")

Clark Wilson, playing the Mighty Morton pipe organ

Where else would I have seen an Okapi?  The Columbus Zoo was awesome.

Okapi

When my hubby and son visited, we took in a zany July 4th tradition -- the Doo Dah Parade!  (Thanks to Thurber House Executive Director, Susanne Jaffe, for suggesting it.)

Standing on High Street, along with hundreds of others, we saw a dancing chicken . . .

And these people . . .

 pulling this pink jeep . . .

 With metal clamps hooked directly into the flesh of their backs . . .

While nothing could compare to the interesting sights and sounds at the Doo Dah Parade, Grandpa's Cheese Barn, on the way to Cleveland, was a close second . . .

Hubby and son, after consuming artery-clogging amounts of delicious cheese.

Had a blast at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . . .

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Son and I had to extract Hubby from there with the Jaws of Life.  He loved it!)

Hubby and guitar.

Son and same guitar.

Back in Columbus, I enjoyed the Columbus Museum of Art (free on Sundays), the German Village and Schiller Park, the Columbus Park of Roses, bike riding on the Olentangy Trail, visiting the Columbus Metropolitan Library . . .

Columbus Metropolitan Library

Visiting the massive Ohio State University campus and saw their newly renovated library . . .

A glass wall showcases floors and floors of bookshelves.

And I had the great pleasure of speaking at the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington last night, where Jack Gantos will be speaking next month.  (Thanks, Director John Cook, and especially to Clay for a fabulous dinner before the event.) 

Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington

Am I happy that I was brave enough to leave my family and friends and come to Columbus to the Thurber House to be their Children's Writer-in-Residence?  YES!  I made new friends and had amazing experiences, like my 26-mile bike ride (because a board member was kind enough to lend me a bike).

If you're a children's book author of middle grade fiction and think the Thurber House Children's Writer-in-Residence program is for you, you can explore the opportunity for 2013 HERE.

My favorite parts of being here (outside of the wonderful campers and incredibly nice people I've met), are the Thurber House Literary Picnics, where at least 100 of your closest friends gather on the lawn for a great boxed dinner and a talk and reading by an author.

The last literary picnic starred the hilarious Mark Titus of Club Trillion fame. 

Mark Titus, reading from his new book DON'T PUT ME IN, COACH

Mark had the large audience in hysterics as he read from his R-rated, pee-in-your-pants funny new book, DON'T PUT ME IN, COACH:  MY INCREDIBLE NCAA JOURNEY FROM THE END OF THE BENCH TO THE END OF THE BENCH.

Afterward, I met Mark.  He's a sweetheart (and a major prankster) . . .

Mark Titus #34, with Donna #12-3/4

I had Mark sign two books . . .

Autographed copies of DON'T PUT ME IN, COACH

One is for my son because he LOVES basketball . . .

A crazy shot from our driveway that landed in the basket.  Swoosh!

The other autographed copy is for YOU, dear reader.  I mean, you deserve something for reading the longest post I've ever written in my five years of blogging!

Click the follow button to the right and leave a comment below.  Then check back in a week to see if your comment was randomly selected to win a copy of Mark's autographed new book.  (Addendum:  This giveaway has expired and the winner has been chosen.)

THANK YOU!

SCHOOL VISITS WITH CYNTHIA LORD -- Top 6-1/2 List

TOP 6-1/2 LIST: SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL VISITS BY CYNTHIA LORD

School ends for our children today, so why are we talking about school visits at the beginning of summer? This is the ideal time to prepare and perfect your school visits. The beginning of the school year will be here before you know it. Will you be ready? Of course you will. Read on . . .

Two words describe Cynthia Lord: GENUINE and GENEROUS! I've had the pleasure of getting to know Cindy through her warm, wise blog, which I've enjoyed for years.

Cythia Lord's debut novel, RULES was a New York Times Bestseller and has received numerous awards, including a Newbery Honor. A former elementary and middle-school teacher, Cynthia also spent a year teaching on a Maine island, which is the setting for her second novel, TOUCH BLUE, August 2010. Her first picture book, HOT ROD HAMSTER, was published in February and became a Publisher's Weekly Bestseller. She lives with her husband and two children fifteen minutes from the ocean in Brunswick, Maine. You can visit Cindy on the web at www.cynthialord.com.

Cindy does about 40 school visits a year.

6 - 1/2 SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL VISITS:

1. Be very clear with the person coordinating the visit what your needs and requirements are. I use a contract and then I also connect with the school about two weeks ahead of time to confirm everything (equipment, number of presentations, schedule, travel issues). It also lets me check in to see how much preparation the school has done for my visit. For a novel, I tweak my presentation based on whether or not the kids have all read the book, so it helps to know that ahead of time.

2. After the kids are seated, be introduced by someone at the school. That person has authority with the students, and that will be passed on to you through that introduction. That person will also know the school's way of getting kids' attention (two fingers up, clapping, etc).

The first few minutes set the tone for the whole presentation, so you want to engage the kids quickly. The most challenging student behaviors will come in the "down" times and the "dull" times, so the best thing you can do for classroom management is to keep the down time to a minimum and have an interactive and engaging presentation. Think of your presentation like a novel: a strong beginning, followed by rising emotion, logical sequencing with exciting scenes, and a strong and satisfying ending. And leave some time for questions at the end.

3. If you use PowerPoint, keep your slides simple. Use only keywords and high-quality images. It will keep you from being tempted to read off your slides, and the kids will be paying attention to you and not reading the slides.

A remote to advance your slides is a very worthwhile investment. You can get a good one for around $40, and it will allow you to move around the stage--which keeps the kids' attention more than if you are stuck behind a podium. Also, in a big group, some kids will have a better view of you than others. By moving around, you give more kids a chance to see you.

4. The school wants a personal connection for their students. Be sure that you are the star of your presentation, not your slides. Have at least a few things to show the kids or stories to tell them that they cannot find on your website or read in interviews with you. If the school has prepared the students well, students will have already been to your website and read available interviews with you. They should get something new from seeing you and hearing your speak.

5. Give students practical writing advice that supports school writing curriculum--teachers will love you for it. Some examples would be: thoughts about first drafts, adding sensory details, revision tips, etc.

6. If the students have been a good audience, compliment them and tell the teachers they can be very proud of them. It builds a lot of good will. Also tell the principal how wonderful the media specialist (or whoever organized the visit with you) has been to work with. It's a nice way to affirm the hard work that went into bringing you to the school.

6 - 1/2. After a successful visit, ask that media specialist to write a recommendation or to recommend you on her state librarians' listserve. Word of mouth is always a powerful tool in marketing for your school visits.

School visits can be a wonderful, fun way to get up close and personal with your #1 audience--kids!

Thank you, Cindy, for sharing your expertise and experience with us!

For more great information about successful school visits, visit this link -- Verla Kay's message board.

Last Chance to Win . . .

GOODREADS is hosting a contest to give away three copies of How to Survive Middle School. (Contest ends June 5th).

Speaking of good reads . . . The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by my friend, Danette Haworth went on sale May 25th and already sold foreign rights to Turkey. Way to go, Danette!

Speaking of summer . . . treat yourself this summer to a children's book destined to become a classic -- The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. I listened to it on audio book and found Gabra Zackman to be the best reader I've ever had the pleasure to listen to. Don't miss this gem!

And don't miss the amazing 6-1/2 list about school visits with Newbery Honor author CYNTHIA LORD coming soon to this blog. Her work RULES!

Stay tuned . . .

What Makes a Book a Best-Seller?

While a big promotion budget helps, it does NOT guarantee a best-seller.

Creating a compelling character who faces obstacles and grows as a result is essential, but doesn't mean you'll rise to the top. Excellent books sink without a trace all the time.

Working your tush off by speaking at schools, conferences, book festivals, etc. will mean more books sold, but probably won't be enough to rocket you to best-seller status.

So, what's a writer to do?

Write the best damn book you can. That means digging deep, facing emotional truths, paying attention to structure, revising till it hurts and then revising some more. Do all those things and more. If you do all those things, you may be fortunate enough to have your book published. If so, celebrate. You've come a long way, baby. Then? Let it go.

That's right. It's not up to you anymore. Sure, you'd better be out there promoting and letting people know your book exists. Write articles. Get on the blog-o-sphere. Do interviews.

But the ultimate success of your book is in your reader's hands now.

What makes a best-seller? This: The moment your reader puts your book down, s/he is compelled to tell someone else to pick it up. When this happens, your book will gain traction organically. And if it happens often enough, you may just find yourself sitting pretty on a best-seller list.

Which books have you read that you felt compelled to share?

Here are three children's books and three adult books that compelled me to tell someone else to pick them up the moment I put them down . . .

Children's Books:

1) A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
2) Rules by Cynthia Lord
3) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Adult Books:

1) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
2) The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
3) The Help by Katheryn Stockett

I found out about these books through reviews in magazines, on blogs, with a YouTube video sent by a friend via e-mail, on the shelf of a favorite indie bookstore, via an article written for Writer's Digest Magazine. I felt compelled to pass these books on because I was riveted by the stories, utterly emotionally involved. I laughed or cried or shook my head in wonder and wanted to share those feelings with friends.

What are your top three books? What drew you to them in the first place? And why were you compelled to pass them on?