Month: May 2007

rejection stinks

Agent rejection this time. A great rejection too, one of those, “I like this, this , and this but… no.” Perhaps the agent will like something else of mine. Still it stinks a big one.
The worst part is that I end up taking out on everyone else in my family. “This house is a mess. How come I have to do everything in order for anything to get done. Stop arguing, keep your hands to yourself, don’t do this don’t do that… ” what a witch! Perhaps I will try to tackle laundry mountain.

Crazy busy.

Things have been crazy busy. I’m finally getting a minute at the computer so here’s a quick list of recent happenings.
1. The NESCBWI conference went well. I’m really glad I got to see my friends with whom I have a once-in-a-while critique group. It was great to catch up and discuss the emotional ups and downs of the publishing (or not) business. I attended a few workshops that taught me something, others were a good review of stuff I know but need to be reminded of from time to time. My paid critique went well and I am hopeful.

2. My parents are visiting and I took them to Peaks Island yesterday during the amazing weather we had. Beautiful ferry ride, fabulous meal at the Cockeyed Gull overlooking Casco Bay, nice time with family, and lot’s of walking. My face is a little pink though. Mental note to self: Use sunscreen. The sun is at summer levels now even though it is chilly.

3. My printer is freaking out on me and I would actually like it to be done for so I could have an excuse to get and Epson with waterproof ink. However, I’m afraid that all it needs is a new ink cartridge.

4. I shared the first three chapters of my WIP at my regular crit group and the work was well received. The suggestions and criticism were right on. Now I have to figure out the answers to the questions my wonderful friends asked.

5. Laundry is stacking up like you wouldn’t believe. Who am I kidding? You believe it. Your house probably looks the same.

6. My sons were in a very professional but student danced version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They were the spiders and did a great job of looking spidery. Their teacher and director, Elizabeth Drucker, is an absolute saint (I never heard her raise her voice through out the rehersals) as well as a choreographic genius. She is able to let everyone shine and really showcase the talent and experience of each dancer at his or her own level.

7. I’m starting to look forward to summer camp when both my kids will have full day schedules and maybe I’ll eek out the time to complete some of my WIP’s.

Procrastination

Hello. I should totally be writing as I had an extremely successful writing day on Tuesday and this is my other big chunk ‘o time day. But as usual, interesting cyber stuff keeps creeping into my time. (Often thanks to the NESCBWI listserve.) Today it is Mitali Perkins and her amazingly original marketing/political blog written by her fictional main character, Sparrow, who is reporting from a teen’s point of view on the 2008 elections. I am a constant supporter of anyway we can enfranchise young people. Register and Rock the Vote! Go Mitali.

Cyber interruptions, beautiful sunny Maine day… I will get chapter three written. I will, I will.

An open letter to the SCBWI board

Dear Friends,
Illustrators everywhere are fighting against the rise in the use of stock illustration and stock photography. I was saddened to see that the national SCBWI used a photograph (albeit a very sweet image) of a girl reading in a tree for their most recent plug for the summer conference. With so many wonderful illustrators in this organization, surely we can employ some of them to help design and create the conference, promotional, and other graphic materials needed for our own events. I hope this letter prompts you to rethink the design of future graphic materials.

Sincerely,
Anna J. Boll

Unloading stuff

1. Hubby comes home on Friday after being away for two and a half weeks. That’s a long time. I’m so tired I could sleep for an entire weekend. In that two and a half weeks I have…
2. Done three poetry workshops for 1st graders: very successful and fun. Beware of teachers who try to revise student writing for them ie: “maybe you could choose some words that rhyme,” or rush them, there-by negating the whole discussion about a writing process, “okay, let’s finish these. We have computer lab next period and I want you to type them up.” Befriend teachers who say wonderful things like, “let’s try acting that one out so we can really understand what the poet is trying to say,” or “let’s put those in our writing folders and you can continue to work on them during writer’s workshop times.”
3. Pasted up the dummy into more of a book format and sent it out to agent who requested the material for May 1st. Please send especially good vibes my way.
4. Completed huge proposal for a mural project at local library. I feel really great about the proposal but if I get it, it is another probono gig. Promises a lot of publicity though so I’m going with that. (See end of post for panel example.)
5. Learned choreography for new aerobics routine and participated in big launch day.
6. Completed synagogue newsletter.
7. Continued love and care of my patient children who heard me yell much more than they should. At least they can laugh with me when I say sarcastically, “Aren’t you glad your Mommy is so calm and understanding?”
8. Endured big storms and rain and power outages.
9. Sort of cleaned, went grocery shopping, and did laundry (as in “Mom, I don’t have any pants!”, and “Oh cool, cereal for dinner.”
10. Built a desk. (A cheapy one made in China kind that I got at Christmas Tree Shop.)
11. Had a sinus infection and took 10 days of antibiotics to get over it. Ended up with the side effects instead. Yup, had that. Yup, that too.
12. Got a babysitter a few times so I could get out. (Salsa dancing lessons from a Latin Hottie is a great way to release. Had a couple of great illustrator and writing meetings too. ) Very worth it.

Okay, so now you are all caught up. And I’m going to sleep. At least until I have to take someone to some extracurricular activity.

Click for bigger image.