Readers, I got hitched. It was a lovely Friday night wedding at Madison's performing arts center. We had delicious food and cake, and the bride (that's me!) wore a princess-esque gown. I really enjoyed myself, but part of me is also glad it's over. I'm not a natural when it comes to event planning, and I kept having trouble falling asleep in the weeks leading up to the wedding for fear I was forgetting some crucial detail. Even though my husband and I were determined to be as laid-back and cool as possible about the whole business, we also wanted everyone coming in from out of town to be well-taken care of.
The good news is all the details came together and the weekend was great. Here are some fun facts about our big day:
1) I ate at Ian's pizza on State Street right before getting my hair and makeup done.
2) My wedding dress cost $99, yet weighed as much as a Hyundai. :-)
3) We had three flavors of cake: vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet.
4) Our wedding favors included lavender sachets and tea.
5) The morning of the big day, my husband and I slept in and used the hot tub at our apartment complex, prompting a discussion about how many couples have had said their vows whilst IN a hot tub. Our conclusion was that surely there had been several...today. On a related note, having an evening wedding is an awesome idea, because it means you can sleep in on your wedding day.
6) I felt I was exempt from most of the chores of adulthood the entire week before the wedding. For example, I don't think I flossed once. Hehe!
7) Even though I don't really like that trend where grooms and groomsmen wear Chuck Taylors instead of dress shoes, I was quite enthusiastic about having some photos taken of us in full wedding regalia and aviators.
8) Our roses were from Costco, and they were very nice. I bought a ton of clear glass vases from St. Vincent de Paul several weeks before the wedding, so at the end of the night the guests could take bouquets home with them.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Launch your very own freelance writing career in 6 easy steps
Okay, that's a very SEO-y title, and I apologize for it. :) I recently reached out to another blogger who had announced she planned to try her hand at writing full-time. I wanted to give some quick and easy tips for getting freelance curriculum writing assignments, as well as some general thoughts I have about writing fiction. After typing up my e-mail to her, I realized it might be a good blog post. Here you go!
Freelance curriculum writing tips
1. One of the best places to look is craigslist. Visit the jobs section of the major cities and scan for freelance and curriculum writing work. I got some good gigs this way. Another option is simply to Google "freelance curriculum writer" and see what comes up. Sometimes the smaller educational publishers will put job listings right on their websites instead of listing them anywhere. Google different combinations of the phrase. "freelance item writer," "freelance ELA writer," "freelance writing jobs," "contract curriculum writer," etc.
2. If you have any aptitude for writing multiple choice questions, you'll do well. Sadly, test writers are in huge demand. This depresses me, of course, but it is a fact.
3. Rework your resume to reflect any writing you've done and be prepared to send samples of your work. Usually 2-3 pages is fine; only send if requested. The cover letter is the most important thing. I kept mine short since you'll always apply for jobs via email.
4. Try this blog: http://educationwriting.
5. Don't work for less than $25/hour. There are a lot of people trying to scam writers and it's not cool.
6. Publish your own curriculum materials at http://www.currclick.com for the homeschool market or at http://www.
Fiction writing
The traditional route.
1. You have to get an agent. This is a lot easier if you have a "high concept" pitch. For example, the YA writer Lauren Oliver broke through the noise by pitching something like: "it's Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls" when she wrote BEFORE I FALL. I got the attention of my agent with the pitch, "How about I turn the Facebook meme '25 Things About Me' into a novel?"
2. Good writing matters a lot, but the traditional publishers only offer nice advances to people who already have a fan base or to a book concept that is super fresh. THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern (sp?) is a good example of what was fresh last year. I have no idea what will be fresh next year.
3. A lot of people are saying traditional publishing is dead and ebooks are the wave of the future. I think both traditional publishing and self-publishing will do fine, but we're definitely in a time of flux. As William Goldman once said, "Nobody knows anything."
The self-pubbed route
You can upload your book(s) directly to Amazon via: http://kdp.amazon.com and to other websites via their own self-publishing platforms. I've done this and I like it. You have total control over your own work, you keep 70% of the cover price instead of 5% or 10%, and it's really fast. Promotion is hard, however. There is growing respect for self-pubbed authors and it's the route I'm taking with Planet Explorers. If you're curious about this, I'd recommend lurking on the Writers' Cafe at Kindleboards for a little while: http://www.kindleboards.com/
Freelance curriculum writing tips
1. One of the best places to look is craigslist. Visit the jobs section of the major cities and scan for freelance and curriculum writing work. I got some good gigs this way. Another option is simply to Google "freelance curriculum writer" and see what comes up. Sometimes the smaller educational publishers will put job listings right on their websites instead of listing them anywhere. Google different combinations of the phrase. "freelance item writer," "freelance ELA writer," "freelance writing jobs," "contract curriculum writer," etc.
2. If you have any aptitude for writing multiple choice questions, you'll do well. Sadly, test writers are in huge demand. This depresses me, of course, but it is a fact.
3. Rework your resume to reflect any writing you've done and be prepared to send samples of your work. Usually 2-3 pages is fine; only send if requested. The cover letter is the most important thing. I kept mine short since you'll always apply for jobs via email.
4. Try this blog: http://educationwriting.
5. Don't work for less than $25/hour. There are a lot of people trying to scam writers and it's not cool.
6. Publish your own curriculum materials at http://www.currclick.com for the homeschool market or at http://www.
Fiction writing
The traditional route.
1. You have to get an agent. This is a lot easier if you have a "high concept" pitch. For example, the YA writer Lauren Oliver broke through the noise by pitching something like: "it's Groundhog Day meets Mean Girls" when she wrote BEFORE I FALL. I got the attention of my agent with the pitch, "How about I turn the Facebook meme '25 Things About Me' into a novel?"
2. Good writing matters a lot, but the traditional publishers only offer nice advances to people who already have a fan base or to a book concept that is super fresh. THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern (sp?) is a good example of what was fresh last year. I have no idea what will be fresh next year.
3. A lot of people are saying traditional publishing is dead and ebooks are the wave of the future. I think both traditional publishing and self-publishing will do fine, but we're definitely in a time of flux. As William Goldman once said, "Nobody knows anything."
The self-pubbed route
You can upload your book(s) directly to Amazon via: http://kdp.amazon.com and to other websites via their own self-publishing platforms. I've done this and I like it. You have total control over your own work, you keep 70% of the cover price instead of 5% or 10%, and it's really fast. Promotion is hard, however. There is growing respect for self-pubbed authors and it's the route I'm taking with Planet Explorers. If you're curious about this, I'd recommend lurking on the Writers' Cafe at Kindleboards for a little while: http://www.kindleboards.com/
Monday, May 14, 2012
Guest post! Welcome Mary Cunningham, author of the Cynthia's Attic series!
Real Friendship In Cynthia's Attic
Cynthia
and I came into the world just three months apart. We grew up on the same quiet, sycamore-lined
street, our friendship as close as our houses.
Fifty years earlier, our grandmothers were best friends. However, we didn't realize the extent of
their friendship until after our experience in Cynthia's attic. This is the story of one of our great
adventures...the way I remember it.
Cynthia
and I spent day after day playing in her attic, but, little did I know how much
her friendship would mean decades later. We went all through school together,
played with the neighborhood kids, and in high school, had slumber parties and
double-dated. After graduation, we lost touch when she left for nursing school;
a dream of hers from the time she could talk. Meanwhile, I got married, had a
son, and moved about 500 times. (Okay, maybe not that many, but ‘nomadic’
feelings prevailed when the 9th moving van pulled up to the house!)
But,
before you start feeling sorry for me, the last move was the most rewarding
because it brought me within an hour of where Cynthia has called home for more
than fifteen years. My first priority (even before unpacking) was to make
dinner plans. Our husbands marveled at the fact that Cynthia and I jabbered for
four hours! Like we were six-years-old, again, still sitting on the floor of
her attic playing with paper dolls and discovering magical treasures.
Some
friends drift in and out of your life and although you miss them, your life
doesn't change without their presence, but, Cynthia and I took up right where
we left off all those years ago. On a recent road trip, we covered almost sixty
years of fun, friends and family.
This
brings me to one reason the series, "Cynthia's
Attic," has been so satisfying to write. I've had the fun of
chronicling the friendship between Cynthia and Gus (I'm point-of-view
character, Gus) and honoring a lifelong friendship.
Cynthia's Attic:
Legend of Lupin Woods (Book 5)
Cynthia
and Gus have solved a lot of mysteries across time, but something is seriously
wrong and things are beginning to unravel.
Aunt
Belle is missing…again! Cynthia’s great-grandfather, Beau, was never found! And
now they are wondering if Blackie is
still making life miserable for Lilly and Annie.
This
time, the twelve-year-old girls journey into a strange woods full of frightening creatures and dark secrets in
search of answers.
From
Aunt Belle's cottage to a small village in France, they meet new friends and
discover a connection to New Orleans that may lead to the devious source behind
these alarming developments. Or bigger trouble.
Mary Cunningham, author, Cynthia's Attic Series
Visit My Blog Tour for more on The Legend of Lupin Woods!
The Missing Locket
The Magic Medallion
Curse of the Bayou
The Magician's Castle
Legend of Lupin Woods
Bio: Like Cynthia and Gus, my childhood best
friend, Cynthia and I grew up in a small, Southern Indiana town…the setting for
the series. Not one summer day passed that we weren’t playing softball, hide
and seek, badminton, or croquet with
friends in the vacant lot behind Becky’s house.
In my attempt to
grow up, I joined The Georgia Reading Association, and the Carrollton Creative
Writers Club. When giving my fingers a day away from the keyboard, I enjoy
golf, swimming and exploring the mountains of West Georgia where I live with my
husband and adopted furry, four-legged daughter, Lucy. Together we’ve raised
three creative children and are thrilled with our 2 granddaughters.
At last count,
I’ve moved 9 times to six different states (all after the age of 36), and aside
from the packing and unpacking, it’s been a great experience, having made some
very dear and lasting friendships. My non-writing time is spent showing power
point presentations on gathering ideas and the writing process to schools and
libraries.
Cynthia's Attic: The Magician's Castle
- Amazon Link
YouTube code for video: Cynthia’s Attic Series
Sunday, May 13, 2012
4 Unusual Things to do with Tea
I'm betting your favorite thing to do with tea is drink it. If you're feeling a bit creative, however, the magical tea leaf (and its container) can be used for more than just a fine cuppa.
Soak in it. Some herbal teas are extremely fragrant and relaxing just to inhale. For a super soothing hot bath, add a few teabags filled with chamomile and mint to your soak. Hello, affordable aromatherapy.
Cook with it. Cooking with tea can add a subtle and interesting flavor element to your favorite dishes. Matcha green tea powder can also be used as a vibrant all-natural green food coloring.
Fertilize your plants with it. Used loose leaf tea and used tea bags can be composted and spread on the garden.
Decorate with it. Tea tins are lovely, and they make beautiful "shabby chic" flower vases. For my upcoming wedding in August, I plan to have tea tins filled with white roses scattered around my reception. You can also use tea tins to plan seedlings in your kitchen. So cute!
Soak in it. Some herbal teas are extremely fragrant and relaxing just to inhale. For a super soothing hot bath, add a few teabags filled with chamomile and mint to your soak. Hello, affordable aromatherapy.
Cook with it. Cooking with tea can add a subtle and interesting flavor element to your favorite dishes. Matcha green tea powder can also be used as a vibrant all-natural green food coloring.
Fertilize your plants with it. Used loose leaf tea and used tea bags can be composted and spread on the garden.
Decorate with it. Tea tins are lovely, and they make beautiful "shabby chic" flower vases. For my upcoming wedding in August, I plan to have tea tins filled with white roses scattered around my reception. You can also use tea tins to plan seedlings in your kitchen. So cute!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Tween Foodie Books
I've noticed a cool trend lately: food-centric stories for tweens. Several novels for middle grade readers on my stack 'o books have included recipes or elaborate descriptions of scrumptious food. If you've already devoured The Teashop Girls and The Secret Ingredient and are hungry (hee!) for more foodie tween lit, check out these titles:
Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood
Rosemary Bliss’s family has a secret. It’s the Bliss Cookery Booke—an ancient, leather-bound volume of enchanted recipes like Stone Sleep Snickerdoodles and Singing Gingersnaps. Rose and her siblings are supposed to keep the Cookery Booke under lock and whisk-shaped key while their parents are out of town, but then a mysterious stranger shows up. “Aunt” Lily rides a motorcycle, wears purple sequins, and whips up exotic (but delicious) dishes for dinner. Soon boring, nonmagical recipes feel like life before Aunt Lily—a lot less fun. So Rose and her siblings experi-ment with just a couple of recipes from the forbidden Cookery Booke. A few Love Muffins and a few dozen Cookies of Truth couldn’t cause too much trouble . . . could they?
Eggs Over Evie by Alison Jackson
Twelve-year-old Evie Carson lives with her mom. In an apartment across the lake, Evie’s celebrity-chef dad is starting a new life with his young second wife, Angie, who’s expecting twins. To make matters worse, Evie’s dad has custody of the beloved family dog. Navigating her new family situation is difficult, and Evie turns to her love of cooking as a way to stay connected to her father. Through cooking classes, Evie finds an unexpected friend in Corey, whose eccentric aunt Shanti might be able to make everyone a little happier. Evie learns to look outside herself, help others, and make friends where she never thought she could (she also learns to make a pretty darn good soufflé!).
Dumpling Days by Grace Lin
There was no day that dumplings couldn't make better.
Pacy is back! The beloved heroine of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat has returned in a brand new story. This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. This is a new way to explore her art talent! But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it's difficult to make friends in her class. At least the dumplings are delicious...
As the month passes by, Pacy eats chicken feet (by accident!), gets blessed by a fortune teller, searches for her true identity, and grows closer to those who matter most.
Pie by Sarah Weeks
When Alice's Aunt Polly passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily surly cat Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice. Suddenly Alice is thrust into the center of a piestorm, with everyone in town trying to be the next pie-contest winner ... including Alice's mother and some of Alice's friends. The whole community is going pie-crazy . . . and it's up to Alice to discover the ingredients that really matter. Like family. And friendship. And enjoying what you do.
What's your favorite foodie book for tweens? Add your suggestions in the comments! Thanks for stopping by.
xoxo, Laura
Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood
Eggs Over Evie by Alison Jackson
Dumpling Days by Grace Lin
Pacy is back! The beloved heroine of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat has returned in a brand new story. This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. This is a new way to explore her art talent! But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it's difficult to make friends in her class. At least the dumplings are delicious...
As the month passes by, Pacy eats chicken feet (by accident!), gets blessed by a fortune teller, searches for her true identity, and grows closer to those who matter most.
Pie by Sarah Weeks
What's your favorite foodie book for tweens? Add your suggestions in the comments! Thanks for stopping by.
xoxo, Laura
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Planet Explorers Travel Guides for Kids
Dear Readers,
I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger of late. I've been busy writing non-fiction ebooks...lots and lots of non-fiction ebooks! They're all part of my Planet Explorers series. I'm really excited about it, because the series is starting to sell really well.
Here are my titles so far:
I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger of late. I've been busy writing non-fiction ebooks...lots and lots of non-fiction ebooks! They're all part of my Planet Explorers series. I'm really excited about it, because the series is starting to sell really well.
Here are my titles so far:
Planet Explorers Las Vegas 2012--this title is FREE today, April 3, so definitely check it out!
I'm currently working on a title covering the monuments of Washington D.C. I'll soon be starting my Sea World and Discovery Cove titles, as well as one for Wisconsin Dells and Busch Gardens in Florida. I've always loved traveling, education, and fun facts, so this project is very close to my heart. I hope you'll think of Planet Explorers when you take a family vacation! Here are some of my book covers:
I really enjoy designing the covers. I always do it last, after I've written the book, so it feels like icing a cake. :) Once I've built up a bigger list of titles, I plan to return to writing fiction, hopefully this summer. But we'll see how it goes--it's a busy time for me because I'm getting married in August! Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know what I've been up to. Most of my readers have heard of Planet Explorers, but they probably didn't know how many titles I have now.
If you'd rather read about tea than theme parks, check out the paperback version of The Secret Ingredient, which will be out in June. Exciting times in the book world!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
New interview with a young Teashop reader
Behold...the power of of the interwebs: I recently connected with a very interesting blogger, James Altucher, on Twitter (@jaltucher). I really enjoy reading his insightful and irreverent posts and participating in his Thursday afternoon Q&A sessions. He replied to me several times to say his daughter was enjoying The Teashop Girls. She recently emailed me her list of questions about the book and I was happy to respond. Here is our exchange:
2. If you do like tea what is your favorite kind? and is it the same as Annie's favorite?
Annie's favorite is English Breakfast tea, but just like me, she loves all different kinds. In fact, I bet she would change her answer depending on what day you asked her. Right now, my favorite tea is chamomile with mint.
3. How many more books about the teashop girls do you think you will write?
I've already written two, and I think I will probably do a third one someday. But right now, I'm very busy with my other series of books called Planet Explorers. If I do write a third Teashop Girls book, what do you think should happen in it? I need some good ideas. :)
4. Would you every like to work at a teashop yourself like Annie wanted too?
I think working in a teashop would be lovely, but I mostly just want to write books now. I did work in a local restaurant for many years, which was part of my inspiration for writing The Teashop Girls. Teashops, cafes, and restaurants are very good settings for books because there are always so many interesting characters coming and going in them!
5. What was your favorite character from the book? and which character do you think was most like you?
I really enjoyed writing Zach, because sometimes the pest can be funny. But I think my favorite is Annie because she's the most like me.
6. I liked the ending when all the little girls in town became teashop girls and not just any and her friends. How did you think of that?
Thank you. Well, I wanted Annie to use all of her energy to think like an entrepreneur so she could help Louisa save The Steeping Leaf. I thought that if all the little girls in town wanted to come to Louisa's shop, it would always have customers. People like going to places where they see genuine friends, so it just made sense to make The Teashop Girls club bigger and welcoming to all girls.
7. Did you and your friends make up any little clubs when you were little like Annie and her friends did?
When I was about Annie's age, I loved these books called The Babysitter's Club by Ann M. Martin. My friends and I tried to make a club like that of our own, but we were never quite as organized as the girls in those books were. That's why I think tea is a wonderful way to have a club--it's not work, it's just fun and peaceful.
8. Will the steeping leaf face any other challenges in your other teashop girl books?
You'll have to read THE SECRET INGREDIENT to find out. ;-) I think you will like it.
9. Did you ever wish you could own a small business like the steeping leaf?
Yes. I love small businesses. Even though I don't own a teashop like The Steeping Leaf, I think of my books as a business. It's my job to create a product and then to sell it to my readers. I do most of that work at the computer, which isn't quite as fun as meeting customers at a teashop. But the neat part is, sometimes I get to meet readers in person when I do events at bookstores and libraries or give talks at schools. Hopefully I will do an event in New York City in the future.
10. Which do you yourself like better tea or coffee?
I do drink both tea and coffee. I guess I really like hot beverages! It's tough to pick just one...I love them both. :)
1. Do you like tea? and is that one of things that inspired you to write "The Teashop Girls"?
I do like tea very much. I drink it just about every day. I like teas with a lot of flavor, such as Jasmine green tea, Vanilla rooibos (this is a kind of herbal tea), and chamomile with mint in the evening. I think it's a good idea to try lots of different kinds, because all the varieties of tea taste different and sometimes people say, "I don't like tea," after they've only had one or two kinds. I also think it's a good idea to add just a tiny bit of sugar to your cup. :)2. If you do like tea what is your favorite kind? and is it the same as Annie's favorite?
Annie's favorite is English Breakfast tea, but just like me, she loves all different kinds. In fact, I bet she would change her answer depending on what day you asked her. Right now, my favorite tea is chamomile with mint.
3. How many more books about the teashop girls do you think you will write?
I've already written two, and I think I will probably do a third one someday. But right now, I'm very busy with my other series of books called Planet Explorers. If I do write a third Teashop Girls book, what do you think should happen in it? I need some good ideas. :)
4. Would you every like to work at a teashop yourself like Annie wanted too?
I think working in a teashop would be lovely, but I mostly just want to write books now. I did work in a local restaurant for many years, which was part of my inspiration for writing The Teashop Girls. Teashops, cafes, and restaurants are very good settings for books because there are always so many interesting characters coming and going in them!
5. What was your favorite character from the book? and which character do you think was most like you?
I really enjoyed writing Zach, because sometimes the pest can be funny. But I think my favorite is Annie because she's the most like me.
6. I liked the ending when all the little girls in town became teashop girls and not just any and her friends. How did you think of that?
Thank you. Well, I wanted Annie to use all of her energy to think like an entrepreneur so she could help Louisa save The Steeping Leaf. I thought that if all the little girls in town wanted to come to Louisa's shop, it would always have customers. People like going to places where they see genuine friends, so it just made sense to make The Teashop Girls club bigger and welcoming to all girls.
7. Did you and your friends make up any little clubs when you were little like Annie and her friends did?
When I was about Annie's age, I loved these books called The Babysitter's Club by Ann M. Martin. My friends and I tried to make a club like that of our own, but we were never quite as organized as the girls in those books were. That's why I think tea is a wonderful way to have a club--it's not work, it's just fun and peaceful.
8. Will the steeping leaf face any other challenges in your other teashop girl books?
You'll have to read THE SECRET INGREDIENT to find out. ;-) I think you will like it.
9. Did you ever wish you could own a small business like the steeping leaf?
Yes. I love small businesses. Even though I don't own a teashop like The Steeping Leaf, I think of my books as a business. It's my job to create a product and then to sell it to my readers. I do most of that work at the computer, which isn't quite as fun as meeting customers at a teashop. But the neat part is, sometimes I get to meet readers in person when I do events at bookstores and libraries or give talks at schools. Hopefully I will do an event in New York City in the future.
10. Which do you yourself like better tea or coffee?
I do drink both tea and coffee. I guess I really like hot beverages! It's tough to pick just one...I love them both. :)
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