Okay, back to our writing!  Today our brainstorm is rather silly.  Your task is to think of something ordinary and turn it around!  Take an everyday, ordinary thing and think of it in a backwards way.  Turn it, twist it, spin it around!  Sometimes when something feels wrong, it can be oh-so-right in the picture book world!  The super silly titles below will give you a feel for where I am headed with this.  (You can click on each picture to learn more about these awesome authors & illustrators!) 

Here is the fun part!  We are having a giveaway!  The winner will receive a signed copy of Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker!  Thanks goes out to Elizabeth for motivating us with her amazing book!   Please leave a comment with the following to enter the drawing:
 
1.  Tell us the topic that you are turning around.  (You do not need to tell us how you made it backward...that's your private new masterpiece!)  2.  Tell us one book that you love that has a backwards component to it.  That's it!  Be sure to have your comment posted by 8pm CST on Friday, August 2.  The Brown Bunch will pull a name from my cowboy hat and announce the winner next Saturday, August 3, in the Saturday Storm post.   Have fun being backwards!

Surprise!  No, I haven't lost my mind...I know it's not Saturday!  You are getting this post three days early for a very special reason.  I was excited when my friend and writing colleague, Kristen Fulton,  tagged me in a "Blog Hop" back on July 9th.  Yes, I am "it"  and my job is to share a little bit about my writing background with you.  I may have gotten this task off to a slow start, but my hope is that this post will help you form connections in your mind and also with my writing friends listed below.

The game of tag wouldn't work without making connections.  There's the thrill of the chase, the sense of achieving when the connection is made, and the desire to pass it on.  A good game of tag is a lot like a writing journey. We are "chasing" the editors and agents, seeking a connection, and passing it on to other writers once it is made.  There is nothing better than helping other writers, so really, our game of tag rocks!

My friend Kristen has been a huge help to me in my writing career.  This very blog site was launched with the assistance of her creative hand.  I shared my thoughts of what I had in mind for this site, and voila!  She designed my logo and helped me get my site up and running!  This special collaboration among writers is amazing, and I am thankful for dedicated colleagues like her.  You won't want to miss the opportunity to join the nonficiton writing challenge she started this year.  The second annual WOW~Nonficpic runs June 21-27, 2014.  I hope you will join us! 

It has always been easier for me to reflect on things when I write them down.  You could say I'm a brainstorm junkie.  I am not a person that has quick comebacks or blurts out witty responses within seconds.  I need time to reflect.  (Even after reflecting, I need time to reflect on that, too!)  You know when someone yawns, and it makes you yawn, too?  I hope that my reflections will have that catching effect on you, too.  I reflect...you reflect!  So without further ado, may I present:  Reflections a la Carrie!

What experiences have influenced you?
Although many experiences influence my writing, two of them are constant:  Being a mom and a teacher.  Most of my ideas seem to pop out at me from being around kids, listening to what they say, seeing what they are interested in, and how they feel.  It also helps me think back to special childhood memories and place myself in the shoes of my characters. 

Why do you write what you do?
My main focus is on writing picture books.  To me, a picture book is storytelling at it's best.  And storytelling to me, is a dramatic performance, a reenactment, and a chance to be in another place and time.  I love drama and started performing in fourth grade.  A picture book is like a storytelling performance for me.  It is a passion.

What are you working on right now?
I have found that keeping myself challenged brings wonderful things to my writing table.  After just completing the WOW~Nonficpic Writing Challenge, I am working to revise seven nonfiction picture book manuscripts.  Add that to the sixteen fiction picture books I am still revising, and the five that are polished, but not really totally polished until an editor says it's done, I am one busy gal!  Oh yeah, and there is an unfinished middle grade novel calling my name as well!

Who are the authors that you admire most?
For picture books, I tend to gravitate toward authors with super strong voices that evoke silliness or emotion in creative ways.  Mac Barnett earns my love in all of those areas!  I generally judge picture books on a book by book basis, and have an unending list of favorites from varied authors.  For middle grade and up, I admire authors that capture my full attention, feature relatable characters, and have an incredible ability to make a movie in my head.  J.K. Rowling is the queen of details, among other things!  When the details are are so vivid, the movie just starts playing.  Although he is not a children's author, Khaled Hosseini keeps me in suspense, builds an amazing world, and evokes my emotions to the core.

Now, why is is good to reflect on these questions?  You never know when a prospective agent will be calling to chat!  Are you ready to talk about yourself?  It's not always easy, especially with nerves in the mix, and excitement jumbling your brain.  Best wishes reflecting on your own answers and connecting with my friends' blogs!

We’ve been brainstorming writing ideas for several weeks now!  So, let’s deliberate something that will help us both personally and professionally.  Most of us wear many hats in life.  Today’s guest and I have many of the same toppers gracing our noggins…Iowa Hawkeye alum, Dubuque roots, elementary educator, writer, and mom of three, to name a few.  Let’s find out how this bestselling New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly author, Heather Gudenkauf, finds her groove!

As a mother, wife, educator and novelist, I am often asked how I manage these very different roles. For me, as it does for many, it comes down to one word:  balance.

The meaning of balance as defined by Merriam-Webster is  “the equipoise (okay, I had to look up the word equipoise – it means equilibrium – but isn’t it a great word?) between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements.”

Just like so many others, I am constantly attempting to maintain that precarious balance between my personal and professional lives without tumbling into the dark abyss of self-inflicted insanity.

So how do I keep it all together? Below is my go-to list in the never-ending quest for keeping it all together:

1.     Family comes first – always – no matter what. Period.

2.     “Do what you love, love what you do.” Famous, wise words from beloved author Ray Bradbury. I am so fortunate to be able to follow two of my greatest passions ~ working in education and writing. By having the opportunity to pursue both of these loves I don’t become overly defined by one or the other. Working in education as a Title I Reading Coordinator keeps me grounded, reminds me of the importance of children and their how crucial education is. Writing gives me the chance to express my creative side ~ create new worlds and characters.  When I’m at school my energies are focused on helping teachers and schools do what I think to be one of the most important jobs in the world – teaching kids how to read. And when I’m at home working on a novel I can escape the world around me.

3.     Mind, body and spirit matter. We’ve all heard it before – but it is true. When one of these three is out of harmony it impacts all other areas. So I try, and often fail, to keep these three graces or gifts – because this is what they truly are, in balance. As a result, I read, I attempt to exercise, I pray, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day.

4.     Chocolate helps. My current chocolate obsession is chocolate covered sea salt caramels from a gem of a candy store in my hometown ~ Betty Jane Candies. Whenever my stress level hits a critical level and I need a serious chocolate fix, I make a trip to Betty’s. I’m lucky to live within a few miles of two Betty Jane stores, but you can order your favorite treat on line and have it delivered right to your door.

5.     Treasure your journey – again, not my words, but a mantra I’ve come to recite over and over again in good times and in bad. We tend to be really hard on ourselves and often forget that it’s okay to make mistakes. This is how we learn, how we grow. I will never be the perfect mother, teacher or writer, but I’m at peace with this, because I try to do each fully, honestly and with love.

Thank you so much, Heather!  It's always great to reward your efforts with a great book, too.  When I read Heather's books, it was like the escape that she mentioned above.  They took me away to another time and place, and all of my worries were forgotten.  I couldn't wait to see what would happen next and I couldn't wait for my "escape time," so I worked harder!  I will be eager to read Heather's new book next summer!  I hope you will join me!  Readers unite!

Heather Gudenkauf is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels The Weight of Silence, These Things Hidden and One Breath Away.  Her newest novel Little Mercies is due to be released the summer of 2014. She lives in Iowa with her family.

Right after receiving my first face-to-face rejection as a new writer, I was looking for new inspiration.  During my research, I stumbled upon a motivational contest that challenged picture book writers to develop a new idea each day, for 30 days, in November.  Enter:  PiBoIdMo, or Picture Book Idea Month, developed by Tara Lazar.  I am a huge fan of Tara’s…not only because her challenge swooped me up when I really needed support, but also because she is such a helpful writer!  She writes an awesome blog, Writing for Kids (While Raising Them).  For 30 days, she featured the encouraging words of talented guest writers on her blog during PiBoIdMo.   When I heard that her first picture book had finally arrived, I wanted her to have a turn at being the guest!  

Welcome, Tara!  Congratulations on your debut picture book, The Monstore, illustrated by James Burks!  I love the idea of a malfunctioning monster that needs to be returned.  How did you come up with such a clever concept?

Thanks, Carrie!
The concept came from the title. I love to play with words like most kids play with their food. I smooshed “monster” and “store” together to make “The Monstore” and I knew I had a high-concept story on my hands—if only I could think of a story! After letting the title rattle around in my brain for months, I was finally forced to create a premise when I met an agent. I wrote, “a boy wants to return the monster he bought when it doesn’t spook his sister.” The agent thought the concept was a winner so I raced off to write it. Then when the boy, Zack, got to the Monstore, I knew there must be a manager to whom he could complain. Then I made the manager say, “Sorry, no returns, no exchanges!” Or maybe I didn’t make him say that, the manager TOLD me that was his line. Seriously, the story just spilled out from there.

James Burks’s illustrations are amazing!  Were you able to communicate with him during the editing stages? Tell us about that process.

There wasn’t any direct communication between us. But I received sketches from my editor and I was blown away every time. The only illustrative input I had was with the cover. The first version didn’t have Gracie, and I thought she should be featured. After all, she always seems to have the upper hand in the story.

Once it was accepted for publication, how long did this project take?  What was the most surprising part of this process?

I received the offer in May 2010 and the book was published in June 2013—a little over three years from start to finish. Honestly, the most surprising part of the process was when they accepted my second revision as the final version. I had gotten so used to tweaking the story, I couldn’t believe my work was finished! I actually told my editor I’d be fine with another round of rewrites! But, I never needed to change another word.

That is surprising!  I guess you did such a great job polishing your story before submitting, that it only needed a few more revisions! 

As a new writer, I am always curious to hear about the submission process that writers go through.  Was The Monstore the first manuscript you circulated into submission as a picture book writer?   If not, how long have you been actively submitting work as a children’s writer?

“The Monstore” was not the first manuscript I submitted. I had written several others and had submitted maybe 5 or 6 that went nowhere. I just didn’t have the right concept yet. I had gotten so many rejections that I was submission-shy for a long time. I hadn’t submitted in maybe a year when I finally got the nerve to circulate “The Monstore”, and I only sent it out because an editor at a conference had been hooked by it.

What do you feel was the most important thing(s) you did that lead to publication?

I kept writing new stories. I must have written at least a dozen picture books prior to “The Monstore”, and all those manuscripts were great practice. I couldn’t have written “The Monstore” if those other stories didn’t come first.

Some new writers write one manuscript and year after year submit the same work. You can tweak a manuscript forever, but if the concept is mediocre, it’s never going to sell. You must move on. You must accept that an unsold manuscript was a learning experience and trust that it will ultimately lead you to something better.

Thanks for that bit of inspiration to keep going!   I understand you have several upcoming projects! What can we look forward to?

I Thought This Was a Bear Book releases next year, again with Aladdin. It’s really two stories in one—an alien gets knocked out of his book, spaceship and all, and crash-lands into the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. Hilarity ensues. Benji Davies is illustrating. I’ve seen his sketches and they’re out of this world!

Then, in 2015, I have Little Red Gliding Hood, about Little Red as a figure skater, and she desperately needs a partner for the pairs competition. That one’s with Random House.

Then, of course, there are several more in the works. I hope to have good news soon!

With your determination and commitment, I just know that you will!  I can't wait to join you for PiBoIdMo in November!  Thank you for joining us today, and best wishes! 

Tara Lazar is a children’s book author, mother, foodie and boogeyman assassin (currently booked at 3am nightly).

She is celebrating her debut picture book, THE MONSTORE, which was released June 2013 from Aladdin/Simon & Schuster. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A BEAR BOOK follows from Aladdin in 2014, with LITTLE RED GLIDING HOOD skating your way via Random House Children’s in Fall 2015.

Tara is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Her last name rhymes with “bazaar”—you can listen to Tara pronounce her name on TeachingBooks.net. She’s not Tara Laser-beam (although that would be awesome).

Traditions are a special way of celebrating.  Just last night, we continued a family tradition that we started two years ago.  Baseball has been known to be a great American pastime, and there's no better time than Independence Day to feel that pride.  God Bless the USA boomed over the PA system as those in uniform carried in the giant U.S. flag.  My eyes filled with tears when over 150 new Air Force recruits filed into the ballpark in Arlington.   My family watched those brave men and women take an oath to protect our country so that we can remain living in freedom.  We are truly blessed by these individuals. The National Anthem was followed by a fly-over from six War Birds and the sell-out crowd of 46,000 roared!  We stuffed our faces from the all-you-can-eat seats and cheered on our Texas Rangers!  Our family shared lots of high-fives, laughter, and "ooos and ahhhs" during the incredible display of fireworks.  This is a tradition I cherish.

Think about some of your own special traditions.  How can you work them into one of your fiction or nonfiction stories?  They can make special connections with your readers and help them get to know the bonds your characters share.  There is a need for readers to experience diversity in their reading.  Traditions are a great way to do it! 

I would love to hear about some of your traditions, too!  Leave me a comment.