Spring!

 Last night I squeezed in twenty miles after school. I didn't feel all that great, and I knew that some exercise would help. It did. It's lovely to be able to ride outside in shorts again!

 And here's Freya down at the creek this morning. Happy girl waded through the water.

Just seven days ago, this was us! How easy we forget!

Another snow day....or rather another snowy day

Freya carries in a blanket of snow. I try to grab her with a big towel before she shakes.

Writing this morning before school. Going to try to hop on the trainer for a bit, too.

Rafi and Maddie, the characters in the novel I'm working on, have me hooked and all I want to do is write, but then comes a little thing like school.
 
Rafi is a Muslim and Maddie has grown up in a conservative Christian home. They are both fighting the frac-sand minds, and they fall in love. They're smart, so of course they talk about their religions. I'm worried about too much "talkiness" sometimes, but I guess I will have to read the whole thing aloud and see. It's sort of pouring onto the page.
All I want to do is write. I already said that.

Yes, this is the novel where both kids go to St. Peter High School. 

April 10? What? And St. Peter 8th Grade

Had a terrific visit last week with the St. Peter 8th grade English classes. The students were wonderful listeners and had great questions. They had all read Chasing AllieCat, so it was much, much fun to get to talk with them! Thanks, Ms. Hughes!

Time is flying past!
It's April 10 already! And look at the ground! Freya's happy--she was crazy this morning, playing "Grab Mom's warm stuff and run." (Question of the day: How many exclamation marks can one writer use in one short blog post?)

 Time is flying! I'm not keeping up with my days...I put out fires at school, work on the details we need to iron out for our trip to South Africa, try to keep up grading and reading ahead of the students, and try to squeeze in a little writing and a little cycling.

South Africa approaches, and it's getting more and more exciting as it does. Will keep you posted...might have more news by the end of the week! (There--I had to end with another exclamation point, of course).

Clive--Crestview and Indian Hills

I just spent two SPECTACULAR days in Clive, Iowa. I visited CRESTVIEW ELEMENTARY and INDIAN HILLS JUNIOR HIGH. The kids were wonderful, and we had so much fun talking about writing, dogs (Freya got to go with me!), and bikes.

I have to get ready for another school day at South Central College, so I don't have time to write much, but I'll post more as soon as I have some pictures. I had a TERRIFIC time. So did Freya, but she's pretty tired right now!

Thanks, Clive students. You ROCK!

Another rejection

Slider's Son garnered its second rejection this week. "Not enough historical detail" is what Calkins Creek said. George is baffled by that (maybe more than I am, even), so he's going to ask them what they meant by that. In the meantime, I'm going to spread in some more Depression-era details into the manuscript. I was mostly concerned with the character in the small town and making his life real. Guess I'll try to make the national news come home to roost more than it does already.

I have some ideas. I'm going to add some of them this weekend.

I wish I could get a book right the first time. Or second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth. Wonder what it means that I have to revise at least TWELVE times before anything gets published.

It mostly means that I should do nothing but write and maybe I'd get a book done WAY faster (and be with my kids, and be with friends, and ride my bike, and play with Freya--oh, yeah, and teach and grade papers).

Oh, well. I'm heading out on my bike to THINK in a few minutes.

Author Visit to Ballard East and Cambridge Public Library

Had a GREAT time in Iowa the past two days. Ballard East students were a wonderful audience: great listeners with smart, thoughtful questions. I loved spending time with them. So did Freya. It never hurts to bring a big bear dog along for an author visit!! First thing I saw was this huge sign (so big I had to take two pictures to get it in my lens)! And then, afterwards, Mrs. Fjelland's class posed with Freya and me. Freya looks as big as the whole class combined. Freya loves helping with author visits. I think she had as much fun getting loving attention as we all did!

What a fun day, and what great students. It makes me proud to have graduated from Ballard!

Then, Saturday, I was a guest at the Cambridge Public Library. Thanks, Janet Thorson, for hosting a delightful event. Great to reconnect with some old (as in long-time, not old as in ancient! :) friends. It was great fun, and we had a good discussion. I hope the world keeps supporting public libraries like the one in Cambridge!

Story Time, Blue Earth County Library

Saturday morning, January 15,
at the Blue Earth County Library.
I read Woof and Wag: Bringing Home a Dog and Freya got to meet all sorts of people and be her happy, gentle, goofy dog self. Her best buddy Maggie came along, too, so the little people who came to story time got to meet two giant dogs: a Newfoundland and a Wolfhound.
Top: signing Parker's book
Middle: hanging out with kids, dogs, and parents after story time
Bottom: Freya and Maggie are seriously checking out the library.
A grand time was had by all.

Happy New Year!

It's really and truly 2011. Can hardly belive it.

Sara Frederick wrote a story for the Mankato Free Press Mankato Magazine about Chasing AllieCat, and I guess about me. I told Sara that I have realized I'm simply not a calm person, and place helps me center myself, be calm, and write. That's why my little farmhouse is such a good place for me to write. Freya loves it, too--always a boon.

Sara did a great job with the article. She's an amazing writer.

Anyway, one of my goals for the new year is to be calmer. Even when I'm stressed out or have too much to do. Calm. All I can do is try. Right?

Writing and riding my bike daily calm me. School too often takes those two things away. I'm going to work extra, extra hard this year to not let that happen, to keep writing and riding even during the busiest part of the school year.

On a much lighter note, I never published this photo I took in North Carolina when I was there for Thanksgiving. No time like the present, eh?

It cracks me up. If anyone can explain it to me, please do!

Christmas walk and Grand Fondo!

Freya and I had a lovely Christmas walk this afternoon. Even though the snow was up to my knees and she has to barrel or bounce through it, we had a blast. It was quite the work-out. Lightly falling flakes, quiet, a few deer, and the glow of the snowy world. Christmas landscape as it should be.

And news: the Minnesota Ironman Bike ride will now be timed. A new venture! Grand Fondo, here we come!
http://ironmanbikeride.org/gran-fondo

Get Your Blizzard Face On!

Halloweeny stuff

Freya came to school with me on Friday. She went as Sirius Black. The sign around her neck reads: "Have you seen this Wizard?"

THEN, Saturday morning, I read Halloween stories at the Blue Earth County Library story time. Lots of kids--I bet 60--came and listened--raptly, actually--while I read. Then the Dungeon master, aka Chuck Schoettler, recited his "Twas the Night before Halloween" poem to the kids' delight.