The Brain Fart Explosion

Wounds By Barbara Bockman

2011-11-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

Wounds

By Barbara Bockman

Craig’s confused and angry. He acts out by vandalizing a tree. As Craig heals in the aftermath of his mother’s death and father’s desertion, largely because of his efforts and the community’s to save the tree Crag undergoes a transformation.

Bockman exhibits a boy twisted by guilt and insecurity plodding his way through life. Each chapter exposes Crag’s emotional wounds as he struggles to save he tree. Will Craig and the community save the tree?

Guest Post by Gretchen Maurer: The Monarch’s Religion’s Effect on the People

2011-11-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

Note: I have been very ill and prepared this guest post in a haze. This is not my work. One of the authors of Mary Tudor, Gretchen Maurer wrote the post. I am updating the blog as I improve upon my presentation.

Gretchen Maurer:

I have a Facebook book page for my Mary Tudor “Bloody Mary” book: http://www.facebook.com/MaryTudorBloodyMary

You can also find more information about my book, take a look at several pages, and order it directly from the publisher by clicking on this link: http://goosebottombooks.com/site/BookDetail_s2b3.php.

Feel free to contact me directly by email at gretmau@yahoo.com

Growing up in California, I’d attended Catholic mass with my family one week, and Lutheran services the next. I knew this arrangement was atypical, but I didn’t know that if I’d been living in 16-th century England, my family and I could have been locked up or executed for it. The Tudor kings and queens of 16^th century England had wildly different beliefs about religion and religious policy, and the people, unfortunately, paid the price.

King Henry VIII, who reigned from 1509-1547, was responsible for a huge shift in religion in England. He grew up Catholic but began to stray from the Catholic Church after the Pope refused to grant him a divorce. He badgered the Pope about the divorce for years, but the Pope repeatedly said, no. Finally, completely fed up, Henry got a Protestant to officiate his divorce and marry him to Anne Boleyn, and then declared himself the head of the Church of England. He began closing Catholic monasteries and promoting Protestantism, and people who rebelled against Henry’s policies were executed.

After Henry VIII died, his nine-year-old son, Edward VI, a Protestant, claimed the crown. Edward and his Protestant councilmen outlawed traditional Catholic mass, Catholic icons, and Catholic prayer books and prayer beads. Most people in England, including his older sister, Mary, were still Catholic. They were not happy about these new laws, to say the least. Edward and his men locked many people up for attending Catholic mass regardless of the laws, including some of Mary’s staff.

When Edward died in 1553, Mary became queen; soon after, she acted on her mission to bring all people in England back to the Catholic Church. Mary, like many other Catholics at the time, believed that Protestants would go directly to hell after they died and remain there forever, and she believed that if she did not bring all people in England back to the Catholic Church, society would fall apart. She encouraged Protestants to recant, but if they refused, she ordered their deaths. Mary burned 284 Protestants at the stake throughout her five-year reign.

Sadly, the religious persecution in England did not stop with Mary. Her Protestant sister, Elizabeth, who inherited the throne after Mary, ordered more than 200 Catholics to be hanged.

Over time, however, things simmered down, and today in England, and in the Californian town where I grew up, you can sleep easy knowing you will not be locked up or executed just because you’re Protestant, or Catholic, or something else.

[You can read a description of my book, Mary Tudor “Bloody Mary,” targeted for 9 to 13–year-olds,” at http://goosebottombooks.com/site/BookDetail_s2b3.php. You can check out my Facebook Book page at http://www.facebook.com/MaryTudorBloodyMary, and you can reach me directly by email me at gretmau@yahoo.com.]

Mary Tudor: Bloody Mary

by Natasha Yim & Gretchen Maurer

ISBN Number: 978-0-9834256-2-5

Available for purchase at Amazon

Natasha Yim is a children's book author and freelance writer. Her first book, Otto's Rainy Day was published by Charlesbridge Publishing in 2000. It was selected as a Kids' Pick of the Lists. She has written for Highlights for Children, Appleseeds and Faces magazines, and her new picture book biography, Cixi, The Dragon Empress was released by Goosebottom Books in October 20II.

Gretchen Maurer's writing has been published in Frances Mayes' The Discovery of Poetry, and in Adventure Cyclist and Highlights for Children magazines. She also co-wrote a short flim, Alma that has won multiple awards. Mary Tudor "Bloody Mary" is her first picture book. She lives in Northern California with her family.

Author Interview Natasha Yim & Gretchen Maurer

2011-11-21T06:07:00.000-08:00

Natasha:

Website: www.natashayim.com

Blog: www.natashayim.blogspot.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashayim

Cixi, The Dragon Empress Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cixithedragonempress

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/natashayim

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/natashayim

Gretchen:

I have a Facebook book page for my Mary Tudor “Bloody Mary” book: http://www.facebook.com/MaryTudorBloodyMary

Feel free to contact me directly by email at gretmau@yahoo.com

Can you share some writing experiences with us?

Natasha: The path to publication can be agonizingly long and the road from Point A to Point B is often NOT a straight line. My first book, Otto’s Rainy Day, was fairly straightforward. I submitted the manuscript unsolicited to Charlesbridge Publishing. It was the one and only house I submitted this story to. They took a year to make a decision on it, but decided to acquire the manuscript. We had to wait a year to sign the illustrator as she was busy with other contracts. It was finally published 3 years after I signed the contract. A long road, but a fairly positive experience. Charlesbridge Publishing just offered me a contract on my picture book, Goldy Luck and the Three Chans. This one took quite a torturous and circuitous route to publishing. I had submitted the manuscript unsolicited to Tricycle Press in 1996. It went through 3 editors, as the editors kept leaving the company. There were long lapses when I had no communication whatsoever—the last editor who had the manuscript went on emergency maternity leave and the manuscript was left in limbo; it was lost once, and I had to send another copy. Finally, in Aug. 2010, after 3 and a half years with Tricycle, the editor gave me the good news that they wanted to acquire it. I wasn’t represented by an agent then, so I had to do a lot of research into publishing contracts and negotiated my own contract. A few days after I signed it and sent it back, Tricycle Press’ parent organization, Random House, decided to close Tricycle. Most of the books on their list, including mine, were sadly orphaned. It was very discouraging. I sent the book back out to my former publisher, Charlesbridge Publishing. They don’t do a lot of folk tales or fairy tales, so I wasn’t holding out much hope that it’d find success there. My former editor Yolanda Scott had encouraged me to send it to her though because she thought the multi-cultural aspect interesting. In March 2011, I received an email from editor Alyssa Pusey. She really liked the story. Several rounds of revisions later, it was taken to acquisitions, but the Marketing Department wasn’t sure whether Charlesbridge should publish a fractured fairy tale as it would be a departure from what they normally publish. They decided to table any decisions on Goldy Luck till the fall. Yet another delay! But at least it wasn’t a rejection. By this time, I had an agent, Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary Agency. Over the summer, we re-submitted the manuscript to several other publishers. It garnered 2 rejections, and we did not hear back from the others. Finally, in October 2011 (specifically, Oct. 5 at 8:30 am.—you tend to remember these things!), Karen called me and said Charlesbridge is offering me a contract on Goldy Luck and the Three Chans. It has been a very long road for this story, and I’d like to tell those writing and aspiring to publish: Never Give up. Keep working on your manuscript and your craft, and your manuscript will find a home.

Gretchen: I attended college between 1984 & 1988. I was thinking the other day after Steve Jobs passed away how strange it is to think that I didn’t use a computer the first two years of college. No one I knew had a laptop, and even though my university probably had a computer lab, I don’t remember using it until my junior year. My parents gave me an electric typewriter for high school graduation, and I though it was just the coolest thing. (It has built in eraser tape! Check it out!) When I’d draft a paper, I’d use scissors to literally cut chunks of my paper out, move things around, and tape or paste the chunks onto other parts: I needed more than the eraser tape, that’s for sure. It ended up looking like a crazy snowflake. The last two years of college I used the computer lab, but in order to cut and paste and move text around, I had to key in F-commands, which was clumsy. So you can’t imagine how excited I was when, three years out of college, I brought my first Apple II E home. (My own little writing robot! It cuts and pastes like magic!) And then along came the internet …

Like all authors you have had your fair share of rejection letters. You obviously did not let the letters deter you. How did you keep your determination without getting discouraged?

Natasha: I’ve been at the writing and publishing business for awhile, and what you learn along the way is that it’s okay to feel the sting of rejection—it’s part of the process—but if you let it derail you from your goal or vision, publishing that manuscript becomes so much harder. So let yourself grief briefly, and then pick your ego back up, and re-submit that manuscript elsewhere. And realize that it’s not personal. Editors have different tastes, just as writers and readers do. It’s a very subjective business. Goldy Luck and the Three Chans received countless rejections, but editors from Tricycle Press and Charlesbridge liked it enough to offer me a contract. You may get dozens of rejections (and many famous successful authors have) before that sale, but all it takes is that one editor who likes it. I have an agent now, but when I was submitting manuscripts on my own, I would stagger the submissions. I’d send 3 or 4 out at a time, then another stack a week or two later. That way, when a rejection came in, there were other manuscripts making the submission round out there and there was always hope.

Gretchen: I do get discouraged sometimes, and I know there are no guarentees, but thankfully I’m addicted to the writing process, so I never get overly discouraged. I shoot for the outcome of getting published, but I don’t focus on it. I focus on getting stuff on paper and improving my writing. As far as rejections go, I keep them in a file, because they remind me that I’m trying. It’s like having scars I’m strangley proud of: “I got that scar when …” When I get a rejection, I lob the manuscript right back out into the world. I think of it as a game of tennis: when the ball bounces back, I swing, hit it back over the net … and hopefully, ulitmately, I’ll score.

It has been my experience, some things come quite easily (like creating the setting) and other things aren’t so easy (like deciding on a title). What comes easily to you and what do you find more difficult?

Natasha: That’s a difficult question to answer because I think that it varies with each project and the type of project. With longer works like middle grade and YA, I often struggle with finding the right Voice for my protagonist. Sometimes, the Voice of minor characters come out much stronger and threaten to take over the story, maybe because I’m not trying so hard to capture their voices. Picture books are always a struggle. There are so many elements to consider: keeping the theme simple, making sure it’s not too messag-ey; making sure each page is illustratable; using language appropriate for the age group for which you’re writing. The more I think about it, nothing comes easily to me. The final, publishable product is ALWAYS, ALWAYS a result of hard work, perseverance, and dozens of revisions, even if it’s a story that’s less than 800 words.

Gretchen: For me, the easiest and most fun part of the writing process is the beginning (drafting, just getting stuff on paper) and the end (tinkering, shining things up). The part that can get difficult sometimes is slogging through major revisions. Sometimes it can feel like I’m making a passage worse rather than better, wrestling it to the ground—not fun. But I always get through it. When writing fiction, I tend to like starting with dialogue, and I usually have to work harder at setting. With non-fiction, I enjoy digging into my research and getting pages of facts down, first, but I sometimes have a harder time finding a way to shape those facts and commentary into a compelling story. But when it all comes together—whether it’s a piece of fiction or non-fiction—it’s such a relief. So rewarding. I always feel so light at that point.

Can you share some writing experiences with us?

Like all authors you have had your fair share of rejection letters. You obviously did not let the letters deter you. How did you keep your determination without getting discouraged?

Please describe to us your relationship between you and your editor. What makes an author/editor relationship a success?

Natasha: I’ve always had great relationships with my editors. It’s important to remember that even though you may be writing at home in your bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, you need to be a professional. If you get a polite rejection, but with editorial comments, know that your manuscript may not have been right for that house, but it made enough of an impression on that editor that he/she took the time to jot you a personal note. Write or email back a thank you. It may be hard to receive constructive criticism on your work, especially since you’ve already revised the darn thing a hundred times, and it might be frustrating to get more suggestions for revisions, but focus on the “constructive” part and not the “criticism”. Put the feedback away for a few days, then come back to it with fresh eyes. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with every editorial point. If I feel strongly about a revision point, I will let the editor know what I think and why I think I should or shouldn’t change it. If you are respectful and professional, this can lead to a debate that stimulates and generates fresh ideas. Also, if you are running into problems meeting your deadline, keep the editor informed. When I was writing my article on Lek, The Elephant Queen, about a woman who saves elephants in Thailand, I ran into difficulties connecting with her for an interview, mainly because she was often away in the jungle looking for injured elephants. I emailed the editor about the situation, and she extended my deadline by a month. If you prove to be a writer whom editors have a positive experience working with, they’ll be much more likely to want to work with you in the future. The publishing industry is actually a very small world and editors do move from house to house, so don’t burn your bridges.

Gretchen: The editors I’ve worked with have all been great. I’ve never battled it out with any of them—honestly, I’m just happy to have them comment on my work and help me make my story better. I consider working with an editor to be a priveledge. It’s a collaborative process, and I enjoy that. I’m open to what they have to say, and I try to communicate clearly and respectfully. I’m not wedded to every word, sentence, and idea—but that’s not to say I don’t have strong opinions. I want to feel satisfied with the end result, and I want my editor to feel satisfied with the end result.

What inspired you to write?

Natasha: In Mr. Harry’s 7^th grade English class, we were given an assignment to create an island and name our own lakes, mountains, towns, then write a story about it. It was so much fun, and I loved creating this imaginary world. I’ve been writing stories ever since.

Gretchen: When I was in elementary school, I wrote long, detailed letters to 4 pen-pals from around the world. I loved to tell them all about my life, my travels with my family, and ittle stories or things I observed. Then later in college, I took a magazine writing class: the teacher asked us to analyze The New Yorker for sentence structure and punctuation, and he showed us drafts of pieces he was working on. His enthusiasm for writing was infectious.

Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?

Natasha: I don’t really have one favorite writer. I have several I have enjoyed over the years, and who I enjoy reading, and in what genre often changes with time. When I was a teen, along with classic authors like Lucy Montgomery and Jane Austen, I read a lot of romances by writers like Phyllis A. Whitney. Romances are not something I’m interested in reading now. At one point, I also read a lot of Stephen King, Dean Koontz (this was my horror period), John Grisham, David Baldacci (my legal thriller period), Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, William Faulkner (my classics period), and John Irving. He’s my writers-with a-slightly-off-the-wall humor period, although I’m still there. I enjoy books that are a little wacky and quirky. Currently, I’ve been reading more middle grade and YA titles partly because I want to know what my daughter is reading, but I’m also interested in writing in this genre. I have really enjoyed the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, and am now enthralled with the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer.

Gretchen: I have a hard time saying I have one favorite anything, but one of my favorite authors is Louise Erdrich. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of what’s being called, ‘women’s fiction.’

Where you have lived and what you have experienced can influence your writing in many ways. Are there any specific locations or experiences that have popped up in your books?

Natasha: I grew up in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong before coming to California for college, and I’ve traveled all over the world, but I don’t think specific locations and experiences have appeared in my books necessarily. I have found that in the last 5 years or so, I’ve been more interested in getting in touch with my roots and cultural heritage so I’ve been writing more multi-cultural stories and characters. Goldy Luck and the Three Chans is a multi-cultural twist on the old, familiar fairy tale, so it features a Chinese girl. The story was originally set in Hong Kong, but an editor at Tricycle Press suggested it might be better set in an American city that kids can more easily identify with, so it’s the only story that I had intentionally set in a specific location I was familiar with. Cixi, The Dragon Empress is set in China, but in that case, the subject matter brought to light the location. I have never been to mainland China, so I had to do a lot of research about it. I’m currently working on a middle-grade novel that is also set around the southern coast of China. I find that I think of the characters and story first, and the setting comes out of where it makes the most sense to place your character, rather than the other way around.

Gretchen: I’ve lived most of my life in Northern California, and yes, it’s definitely worked its way into my writing. An article I wrote that was published in Highlights magazine (“It’s Raining Pistahios!”) highlights my family’s organic pistachio farm, and a novel I’m co-writing write now is set in Northern California, near the Bay Area. I spent some time in college studying in London, so I’m sure that probably influenced why I wanted to write about Mary Tudor.

Is there any particular book that, when you read it, you thought, "I wish I had written that!"?

Natasha: I wish I had written the Harry Potter series and the Percy Jackson series. What brilliant concepts! And I just bought a really adorable picture book for my son called, Who Said Coo? that I wished I had written. Also Alice Schertle’s rhyming picture book, Little Blue Truck. Very cute book.

Gretchen: When I was a girl, I remember being completely swept up by The Secret Garden and The Little Princess (written by the same author, Frances Hodgson Burnett). I wanted either to be one of the characters in either novel or be Burnett, since I figured dreaming up the world would be almost as cool as existing within it. I remember feeling the same way about Harriet the Spy and The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, too.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? If yes, how did you ‘cure’ it?

Natasha: I have not had writer’s block in a very long time. The last time I can remember is during my divorce 15 or 16 years ago. And it was situational. My problem is I have too many ideas, and not enough time. That being said, I do get “stuck” from time to time on projects in progress. They’re usually things like how to strengthen Voice or make a chapter more compelling or tangling with some problematic sentence structures. One trick I’ve used is to end my writing period at a point in the story where I know what’s coming next. I’m always eager to get back to it the next time around.

Gretchen: The way I see it, I don’t have time for writer’s block, even though I do sometimes get frustrated with a passage I’m working on. Sometimes I can’t figure out how to make it better, or I seem to be making it worse. But when that happens, I take a break or work on something else, which usually helps. A good night’s sleep can help, too. And exercise.

Does your family and friends inspire any of your books, characters, or plots?

Natasha: Bits and pieces do, I find, make it into my writing. A picture book in progress features a picky eater which was inspired by the picky eating of my kids and the struggle to get them to try different foods. My father-in-law’s artificial hip was knocked out of joint a few years back, and the incident made it into one of my ten minute plays. But it’s not a conscious effort. They may weave themselves in if the right situation or setting in the story comes along.

Gretchen: Not in the Mary Tudor book (I am so thankful that my family, friends and I didn’t live back then!), but yes, they do influence my other work. Maybe not in a direct way, but I can’t help but mold pieces of my life or things I think about or observe into new shapes and forms in my writing.

What do you like most about writing?

Natasha: I love the creative process—creating worlds, characters, dialogue, seeing my story vision come to life on the page. I love the vast yet supportive and close-knit world of writers. Only writers truly understand the angst of rejection and constant self-doubt of the writing life, and when I attend conferences and retreats, an amazing thing happens—I find immediate kinship and literary soul mates in the writing community around me.

Gretchen: Writing suits me, because I like thinking things through carefully and at my own pace. I’m not as good at arguing a point or telling a story in person. I love how time falls away when I’m writing. It’s meditative, in a way, like how I imagine fly fishing might be for some people. And I like how writing allows me to think about and tell the truth, as I see it, and to have fun with language. I enjoy writing non-fiction, because I learn so much while researching the topic. I also like puzzling through how to best organize the information, and deciding which information to highlight, which to leave out, and so on. I enjoy writing fiction, because I enjoy molding pieces of my life or things I think about or observe into new shapes and forms.

Do you find it hard to balance your personal writing time with your other job(s)?

Natasha: As a full-time, stay-at-home mom, it can be difficult sometimes to find the time to write, attend to your career like going away for book events, signings, conferences etc. while giving your family the attention they need. And also to find time to re-energize yourself. Sometimes, there’s a lot of guilt involved. I try to get to the gym after I drop the kids off at school, or fit in a Zumba class, because exercise makes me feel good about myself and gives me energy. But when I’m on deadline, I may not see the inside of a gym for a couple of weeks. I volunteer a lot at my kids’ school in the classroom and on field trips, so I can stay in touch with what’s happening at school, and it’s a good way to spend time with my kids when I have to take time off during the weekends for book-related activities.

Gretchen: In short, yes. I have more time to write now than I used to, now that I’m not working outside the home, and I’m so thankful for that, yet still, things can easily get out of whack. (If someone has the balance thing all figured out, please let me know!) But I try. I think my kids and husband know it, and I know it. My house? It scoffs at me and spits out messes no matter how hard I try.

Is there anything you'd go back and do differently now that you have been published, in regards to your writing career?

Natasha: I wish I had been more savvy about marketing and promotion when my first book came out. I was very naïve and thought that publishers did that sort of thing. I think I only scheduled one book reading at the local bookstore. I’ve learned a lot since then. That’s why I’m doing the World of Ink Tour!

Gretchen: Not really. If I had to pick something, I guess I’d say I wish I’d applied to MFA programs back when I was still in student mode. But the way I’ve gone about improving my writing has worked for me so far, too, even though it’s been a slow, round-about process.

Do you do first drafts on a computer or by hand?

Natasha: I don’t do any writing by hand if I can help it. I’m a slow writer, but a fast typist, so it’s much easier for me to write on the computer. The process of getting thoughts from my brain through my fingertips onto the computer keyboard seems to also help my creativity.

Gretchen: I work best on my computer—my laptop, specifically. But for some reason, I really need to see a hard copy of what I’m working on after a while, so I print it out, mark it up with a pencil, type those changes into the computer, rewrite and revise more on my laptop, print the manuscript out again, get feedback, revise and revise some more on my laptop—until I finally say to myself, “Enough!”

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

Natasha: COFFEE. That’s all I need to get the process started. I love my first cup at 5 in the morning. I don’t need much preparation because I’m usually in the middle of multiple projects, so I just dive right in. Once I check it off the list, I dive into another.

Gretchen: I don’t need a lot of wind-up. I appreciate any window of time I can spend writing—whether in the morning after a cup of coffee or tea or during my kids’ activities in the afternoons—so I usually just get to it.

Do you do a lot of research for your books?

Natasha: It depends on the book. Not if it’s a fictional picture book. But for my two biographies and the multi-cultural historical novel in progress, there was and will be a ton of research. I think I used 7 resources and a ton of websites for my biography on Sacajawea which I just completed for Goosebottom Books. I love the internet and Google. You can have easy access to any information you want. Of course, there’s also unreliable information, so you have to do a lot of cross referencing.

Gretchen: Yes. For my Mary Tudor book I read 5 full biographies written for adults about Mary, plus countless other articles and chapters of books. I loved the research. (My husband can attest to that. He got all the reports: “Listen to this!”) For the novel I’m co-writing now, I’ve read several books and articles about topics related to the book. I always get fresh ideas when I take a break from writing and do research.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person? (Answer only if you write fiction)

Natasha: Picture books are almost always in 3^rd person, so when I write picture books, it’ll most likely be in 3^rd person. The middle grade historical novel I’m working on, I began to write in 3^rd person (most of my stories seem to come to me more in 3^rd person), but I was having a really hard time capturing the Voice of the protagonist, so I’m re-writing it in 1^st person, which seems to work better for the type of story it is. I don’t really have a preference—I’ll use whatever serves the story better.

Gretchen: It depends on the story. My Mary Tudor book is written in 3^rd person, because it’s a biography, not a work of fiction. Right now I’m co-writing a novel in first person, from the point of view of two women (alternating points of view).

Do you have any book signings, tours or special events planned to promote your book that readers might be interested in attending? If so, when and where?

Natasha: On Nov. 5, Gretchen and I will be at the California Reading Association—Plug into Content Literacy Exhibit, Solana Community College, Vacaville Center, 2001 North Parkway, Vacaville, 7:00 am. – 5:30 pm. Gretchen will be giving a presentation on “Bringing the Biography to Life.”

On Nov. 2 & 3, tune into The Authors Show, www.theauthorsshow.com, an internet radio show, to listen to my interview with host Don McCauley.

On Nov. 9, Gretchen and I will be at Family Book Fair night at the Mendocino K-8 school library, 44261 Little Lake Road Mendocino, 5:00 – 7:00 pm.

Gretchen: Ditto!

Use this space to tell us more about who you are. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.

Natasha:

Website: www.natashayim.com

Blog: www.natashayim.blogspot.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashayim

Cixi, The Dragon Empress Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cixithedragonempress

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/natashayim

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/natashayim

Cinderella Wheelchair History by Jewel Kats

2011-11-18T06:07:00.001-08:00

By: Cinderella

As told to: Jewel Kats

Guess what?! I’m a very proud wheelchair-user.

Wait, wait! Pardon my manners. Let me roll back for a moment, and introduce myself properly.

Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, my name is: C-I-N-D-E-R-E-L-L-A. Yes, I’m the starring heroine from my very own fairy tale, “Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair.” Neat, huh? (Insert: Rosy-red blush here.)

I’m here today to talk about wheelchairs. I happen to use one. You see; my legs are fast asleep. You can tickle me all you want, and I won’t feel a thing. I’ve won a lot of ‘tickle-off’ competitions this way. Hehehe, I’m such a sneak. But that’s a whole other story!

So, what’s the deal with my wheelchair? It helps me zip to-and-fro. My wheelchair gives me the freedom, and mobility to do things I normally wouldn’t be able to do. I’m more independent with it. I didn’t find it hard to learn how to use my wheelchair, but I did struggle when it came to transferring in and out of it. That takes a lot of upper body strength! I kid you not, folks.

Wheelchairs are nothing new.

However, it’s NOT known when the first wheelchair was invented. Or WHO invented it. Talk about a mystery! I got some insider’s info, and learned that in 1783, John Dawson created a wheelchair with two large wheels and one small one. It was popular in the early part of the 19th century. I wish I could try it out now!

Since then, the wheelchair has undergone major improvements before becoming the wonderful assistive device it is today. A patent in 1869 displayed a wheelchair with rear push wheels and small front casters. Then in 1875, hollow rubber wheels were added. Push-rims first appeared in 1881. They aid wheelchair-users to travel around. The first spoked wheels appeared in 1900.

Now, this is when things get interesting. The invention of the automobile required the wheelchair to be redesigned so that it could fit inside. In 1932, Henry Jennings built the first wheelchair that can fold and fit easily into any car's trunk. Hello? We’re talking convenient.

Since then, there haven’t been any mind-boggling changes made to the wheelchair's design. I guess you can say we’re all living happily-ever-after… -Cinderella.

Places where her books are available for sale:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Chapters (Canada)

Rodger Dodger's Christmas in Other Cultures

2011-11-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

Hello, I am Rodger Dodger Dog. I travel the world promoting early reading. It is a great job and I have met so many wonderful people in my travels. I am like a flat Stanley, but I am a plush Rodger Dodger Dog.

China

Last year I was hosted by a family in China, a beautiful country. I was amazed by their culture. My host family even took me to the Great Wall of China. It was amazing. Christmas is celebrated by the many Christians in the country. Christians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man."

Costa Rica

Two years ago I went to Costa Rica. My host family there took me to the rainforest where I actually got to meet a three-toed sloth. He was a delightful fellow, a bit slow moving, but really nice. They called him Oso Para Soso! Christmas was first celebrated in Costa Rica in 1601 when then-Governor Don Gonzalo Vásquez de Coronado organized nationwide festivities. As with many Christian nations, nativity scenes with figurines of Mary, Joseph, the wise men and the animals of the manger are a standard Christmas decoration, called “Portals”. Offerings such as fruits and little toys are placed in front of the nativity scene. The baby Jesus figurine is placed in the nativity the night before Christmas, when he brings presents to the children of the household in lieu of Santa Claus.

Scotland

This year I am happy to be spending Christmas in Scotland. I understand the customs here are very much like in the United States. I have heard that some people celebrate with bonfires. I don’t know how my host family will be celebrating but I am so happy to be here and learn about this beautiful country.

In my book “ The Adventures of Rodger Dodger Dog, A Christmas Story.” My pals and I put up our first Christmas tree and make all our own ornaments. We wake up on Christmas morning to presents under the tree. What we find out is “of all the gifts you can get Friends and Family are the Best!!” I wish you a Merry Christmas all your friends and family too!! Rodger Dodger Dog

You can find out more about Jan Britland’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/RodgerDodger.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Britland and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier, Kris Quinn Chirstopherson and Irene Roth will be chatting with Jan Britland about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Britland will also be sharing writing tips and trials, and tribulations of the writer’s life. The show will be live November 28, 2011 at 2pm EST.

The Adventures of Rodger Dodger Dog, A Christmas Story Book Review

2011-11-14T06:07:00.000-08:00

The Adventures of Rodger Dodger Dog, A Christmas Story

Written by Jan Britland

Illustrated by Mike Swaim

Snuggle up with your little ones for a bedtime story this Christmas. Rodger and his animal friends are celebrating the holiday in style. The illustrations add spice to the story. At times the rhyme is forced, but the story's gentle lesson about friendship is reinforced in every word.

Children experience each step as the animal friends decorate the tree. It shows the joy in something as simple as making ornaments. On Christmas morning each opens a gift, but find the best gift wasn't wrapped and put under the tree. Can you guess what it was?

Harry Sue

2011-11-10T18:11:00.001-08:00

Harry Sue
by Stauffacher, Sue

· ISBN-10: 0440420644

· ISBN-13: 978-0440420644

Eleven-year-old Harry Sue is being raised by her neglectful grandmother. Both of her parents are in prison. Determined to reunite with her mother, she is striving to become a criminal. Problem is Harry Sue’s too soft hearted. In spite of her best efforts to be a troublemaker her soft heart keeps getting in the way.

Her best friend knows all about doing time. Homer’s a quadriplegic that lives in a tree house., The way Harry Sue sees it, Homer’s got a life sentence. A wacky therapist is showing him how to live. As Homer starts to have a life, Harry Sue finds glimmers of light in her own life. Maybe prison isn’t the answer.

Peppered with prison lingo Stauffacher introduces readers to a complex character struggling with the good and bad aspects of her inner self. Harry Sue so wants to be bad, but she just doesn’t have it in her to be bad like she wants and believes she needs to be. Written for children in grades 4-7 the complexity of the protagonist is at once simple and complex and can be enjoyed by readers of all ages.

Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair by Jewel Kats

2011-11-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair
By Jewel Kats
www.JewelKats.com

ISBN Number(s):

978-1-61599-112-9

978-1-61599-082-5

Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair

In a Kingdom far, far away lives Cinderella. As expected, she slaves away for her cranky sisters and step-mother. She would dearly love to attend the Royal costume ball and meet the Prince, but her family is totally dead set against it. In fact, they have gone so far as to trash her wheelchair! An unexpected magical endowment to her wheelchair begins a truly enchanted evening and a dance with the Prince. Can true love be far behind?

Review of Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair
Written by Jewel Kats
Illustrated by Richa Kinra

The Cinderella story is spun anew. It is refreshed and brought to modern day and gets a unique twist. This is not the typical story of Cinderella, who sits and waits for her prince to save the day. Instead Jewel Kats depicts a girl that affects her own situation through strength, confidence, and assertion, qualities all children will hope to emulate.

Kats'[ version of Cinderella is inspiring and refreshing. Being in a wheelchair doesn't phase Cinderella. She grabs life and wrests what she wants from it. Kinra's artwork brings Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair into the modern day.

Jewel Kats

Jewel Kats, 32, is an award-winning writer. She’s also one tough cookie. At the age of nine, Jewel endured a car accident. Her physical abilities altered forever. She spent weeks in the Hospital for Sick Children recovering, has survived eight leg surgeries, and currently walks with a cane. (Note: It’s fashionably handpainted!) Nothing stops Jewel. For six years, she penned a syndicated teen advice column for Scripps-Howard News Service and TorStar Syndication Services. Jewel has earned $20,000 in scholarships from Global Television Network and Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. She’s penned three children’s books, including: “Reena’s Bollywood Dream” and “What Do You Use to Help Your Body?” She calls Toronto home.

Places where her books are available for sale:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Chapters (Canada)

Follow Jewel's Book Tour November 8

Writers and Authors - Interview

Home School Blogger-Book Review

The Crypto-Capers - Review

My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir

2011-11-04T06:07:00.001-07:00

My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir

Abeel, Samantha

· ISBN-10: 0439339057

· ISBN-13: 978-0439339056

Abeel, an intellectually gifted child with a learning disability falls through the cracks of the education system. Her brightness camouflages the fact she never mastered basic mathematical skills. As she enters junior high the coping strategies she’d used in elementary school aren’t sufficient. She experiences paralyzing anxiety, sleep deprivation, loss of appetite and antisocial behavior

Drowning in feelings of inadequacy and despair she’s at a loss about what to do. Samantha’s disability is diagnosed as dyscalculia which explains her difficulty with math, spelling, memorizing her locker combination, and telling time. Her diagnosis is a relief, and she’s placed in a special education math class.

Around the same time she finds she excels at writing. She collaborates with her English teacher, a painter and her mom to publish a book of poetry, art, and explanation of being learning disabled. As a published author and speaker she finds her confidence and a sense of well-being. The story is not only heartwarming, but inspiring.

I highly recommend this book. 5 of 5

Schneider Family Book Award 2005

A Mango Shaped Space

2011-10-31T06:07:00.000-07:00

A Mango-Shaped Space

By Wendy Mass

· ISBN-10: 9780316058254

· ISBN-13: 978-0316058254

Mia, age 13 has a secret she has been keeping since 3^rd grade. She decides to tell her parents, because she’s in danger of failing algebra. She sees numbers, letters, sounds and people surrounded by colors and textures.

In an attempt to figure out why she sees these colors her mother takes her to a pediatrician and psychotherapist. She learns the name for her condition when she consults a neurologist. Her condition is called synesthesia. The doctor gives her a website for people with synesthesia. She learns many people have the condition and some experience different results from it. Some experience tastes with colors.

She has kept the secret from her best friend and when the friend finds out she is angry and feels betrayed. After Mia’s cat dies her friend is unaware of her loss and assumes Mia missed her birthday party, because she was with her new friends. Angry, she gives Mia no time to explain.

Mass introduces children to the disability called synesthesia in the voice of a child. Fully rooted in Mia’s reality the reader experiences her struggles with the disorder, trouble with friends and the death of her beloved cat, Mango. The relationships feel real and are complex and filled with jealousy and misunderstandings like all relationships are. The doors to synesthesia are opened and the disorder is revealed.

***According to a reviewer on Amazon with synesthesia the portrayal of the disorder is faulty. They contend the person with synesthesia is vaguely aware they see things differently.

Things Not Seen

2011-10-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Things Not Seen

by Clements, Andrew

· ISBN-10: 0142407313

· ISBN-13: 978-0142407318

Bobby wakes up and discovers he is invisible. He meets a blind girl and confides his
invisibility dilemma. Together the two are determined to “cure” him. His parents and
hers join forces to find a solution.

Bobby’s eyes are opened to what it’s like to be blind. He learns a person can be invisible
in plain sight when he watches people avoid Alicia and don’t acknowledge she’s there.

Their friendship grows with their reliance on one another. The companionable sarcasm and
angst of teens makes the characters real and relatable. Clements explores what it means to be blind literally and figuratively.

Schneider Family Book Award. 2002.

Becoming Naomi León

2011-10-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

Becoming Naomi León by Pam Munoz Ryan

· ISBN-10: 0439269970

· ISBN-13: 978-0439269971

Naomi and her disabled, younger brother, Owen have lived with their great grandma, Gram, ever since their mother left them 7 years ago with no word since. Out of the blue she shows up with her distasteful boyfriend.

At first it seems like she wants to reconnect with her kids, but her true colors are soon revealed. She wants to take Naomi (not Owen) and collect child welfare. Gram runs with the children to look for Naomi’s father in Mexico.

Naomi is introduced to her Mexican heritage. As Naomi learns about her culture Ryan exposes the reader to such Mexican traditions as the Posadas and carving radishes.. Negative attitudes toward the disabled, alcoholism, and child abandonment are revealed with stark clarity. Naomi’s transformation into Naomi Leon provides an excellent example of positive thinking and dedication to one’s craft. A delightful read.

Schneider Family Book Award.2004

Waiting for Normal

2011-10-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Normal
by Connor, Leslie

· ISBN-10: 0060890908

· ISBN-13: 978-0060890902

Twelve year old Addie is torn between covering for her mother, to avoid something awful happening, and getting help. The last time her mom left her and her baby sisters alone for three days led to her stepdad, Dwight, gaining custody of her two little sisters. She is not Dwight’s child by blood (only love).

An underlying problem is Addie’s learning disabilities. She copes with them and makes good grades, but doesn’t think she’s smart. In a conversation with Dwight she reveals that she thinks she doesn’t deserve her high grades. Her determination to play music and broaden her vocabulary shows kids that you can do anything if you put forth the effort.

Addie befriends Elliot and Sula at the gas station, and they see the neglectful mother’s tendency to disappear and leave Addie alone for days and weeks at a time. When Addie accidentally catches the trailer on fire, Sula calls child welfare and Addie’s life is turned upside down. She moves into her Grandpa’s home and the authorities place a protective order on her .

Mommers, the mother shows up at the Grandpa’s house. He threatens to call the police, but Addie says she wants to talk to her. When Mommers is talking to Addie she learns Addie is waiting for normal, but it seems like she’ll never get it.

All of the characters are well defined and have unique voices. Readers will like and hate a mother that can’t get it together. She isn’t a bad person, but is not capable of being a good parent. Dwight like many step parents, falls in love with a child (as a parent) and aches to care for her, but is prevented by law. Addie is a resourceful and determined child trying to hold things together. I laughed and cried throughout the novel.

Schneider Family Book Award. 2008

Small Steps

2011-10-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

Small Steps

by Louis Sachar

· ISBN-10: 0385733151

· ISBN-13: 978-0385733151

Theodore aka Armpit a character from Louis Sachar’s 1999 Newbery Medal winning novel, Holes, is hard at work digging holes again, but this time it’s for a job with a landscaping company. His old friend Rex aka X-ray conspires to make a few bucks scalping concert tickets. Armpit decides he wants to use the last two tickets, but when X-ray is offered $300 for the tickets he can’t resist and sells them.

He gives Armpit two counterfeit tickets without telling him they’re counterfeit. When Armpit and Jenny, his fourth grade next door neighbor, are getting settled in their seats they are confronted by security. Jenny has cerebral palsy and the scuffle throws her into a seizure. They are taken to get medical attention and meet the famous singer, Cara DeLeon. She invites them backstage and Jenny and Armpit have a wonderful time.

Cara keeps in touch with Theodore after the concert. He shares all of his news about Cara with his young friend Jenny. He can’t believe his good fortune, until he is contacted by the FBI, because they are investigating the counterfeit tickets. He tries to cover for X-ray, but it looks like they are in trouble with the law again.

The novel is full of Sachar’s humor and characters with whom you can identify and will love. Armpit, an African American teen judged by his appearance and Jenny judged by her disability work together to keep their lives on track taking small steps.

Schneider Family Book Award. 2006

After Evver After

2011-10-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

After Ever After

By Jordan Sonnenblick

· ISBN-10: 0439837081

· ISBN-13: 978-0439837088

Jeffrey Alper is past the five year mark since he had leukemia. That’s the benchmark that signals he’s cancer free and healthy. His best friend and fellow cancer survivor, Tad, and he make a deal. Jeffrey will accept Tad’s tutoring help in math if Tad agrees to take his help to walk again.

In the meantime a pretty new girl comes to school. Jeffrey’s limp and slow thinking don’t keep her from becoming his girlfriend. She sees beyond his disabilities, and he learns that cancer and the effect it had on other’s lives were not his fault. This realization frees him of the guilt he feels.

The treatment for his cancer saved his life, but left a footprint of disabilities. Jordan Sonnenblick exposes the difficulties cancer survivors must face. Jeffrey’s life didn’t become magically perfect when his cancer went into remission. He had to learn to live with the cure’s side effects.

For grades 5-8

2011-10-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

Why do gorillas have such big nostrils?
Cuz they have big fingers.

Review of Hurt Go Happy

2011-10-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby

ISBN-10: 0765314428
ASIN: B003156CU8

I read Rorby’s novel as part of my goal to write a book worthy of one of the American Library Association awards, The Schnieder Family Book Award.

I feel a kinship with the main character, Joey Willis, a deaf child. Joey is isolated from the rest of the world by her inability to hear. I can hear, but can only communicate with people that can read my lips. Joey does have hearing aids, but they make her more uncomfortable than being left in a silent world.

Joey’s mother refuses to let her learn American Sign Language. Her only means of participating in the world around her is to read lips. She has never understood a word her stepfather has said, because of his mustache that makes it impossible for her to read his lips. Her mother is the one person that makes an effort to speak to Joey when facing her and speaking clearly enough for Joey to read her lips.

Until one day Joey makes friends with Charlie, an elderly man, and Sukari, his chimpanzee. Both of them speak ASL. Joey begins to learn to speak with her hands to her mother’s dismay. Her mother forbids it, but eventually sees her mistake.

Charlie dies and Sukari is sent to a research lab. Joey learns that she is Sukari’s guardian. Her mother didn’t want her to know. It is up to Joey to save him against her mother’s protest. She must fight to exert her will and save the chimp entrusted to her.

Rorby’s passion for a child and chimp vulnerable to the beliefs and decision’s of others with no regard for their needs is shown with stark clarity. The heart wrenching tale exposes the cruelty of a society that adores then thoughtlessly discards chimpanzees. By placing Joey, a human being that needed and lacked an advocate (until Charlie helped her) in charge of Sukari readers are shown that all creatures deserve to live where/how they can reach their own potential.

Highly recommend this book.

Schneider Family Book Award. 2006

The movie, "Project Nim," about a chimpanzee raised as a human sparked concerns for a chimp that's more than an animal, but less than human.
http://sundance.bside.com/2011/films/projectnim_sundance2011

October is Disability Awareness Month

2011-10-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

Celebrating all month with reviews of Books
American Library Associations
Schneider Book Award Winners

The Criteria for the Award Winners
The book must emphasize the artistic expression of the disability experience for children and or adolescent audiences. The book must portray some aspect of living with a disability or that of a friend or family member, whether the disability is physical, mental or emotional.

***The books chosen for review are for middle school age or older students.

2011
After Ever After (Middle School)
written by Jordan Sonnenblick and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
Tells the story of Jeffrey who is free of cancer, but not the fallout from the treatment. Tad, his cancer survivor buddy and he swap wisecracks as they cope with their “chemo-brain,” other cancer effects and typical 8th grade angst.

2010
Anything but Typical (Middle School)
written by Nora Raleigh Baskin; published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
While Jason Blake who has autism, considers himself to be anything but typical, his life is that of a conventional 12-year-old boy. He wants a girlfriend, to fit in and to be recognized for his creative writing.

2009
Waiting for Normal (Middle School)
written by Leslie Connor, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
Addie has spent most of her twelve years “waiting for normal,” a stable family and a real home. Connor’s resilient heroine uses humor, creativity and her “love of learning” to compensate for her dyslexia. Through music and good friends, Addie discovers that she can accomplish anything.

2008
Hurt Go Happy (Teen)
written by Ginny Rorby, a Starscape Book published by Tom Doherty Associates
Initially isolated by her mother’s refusal to let her learn American Sign Language (ASL), Joey grows from a lonely teen to a mature animal rights activist in this engaging story of a deaf girl and Sukari, a signing chimpanzee. After learning ASL, Joey rescues Sukari from a research lab. This rich story will resonate with all readers who value independence and love animals.

2007
Small Steps (Teen)
by Louis Sachar, published by Delacorte Press
Armpit’s humorous adventures portray the unexpected friendship between a recently released juvenile delinquent and 10-year-old Ginny, who has cerebral palsy, as they help each other take incremental steps towards a brighter future. "Small Steps" shows that friendship comes in many shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities.

2006
Tending to Grace (Middle School)
by Kimberly Newton Fusco and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books
Cornelia “Corny” Thornhill, a self-described bookworm who stutters, is judged to be a poor student because of her reluctance to speak or read aloud. During the school year that Corny lives with her eccentric great-aunt Agatha, a family secret helps them as they unravel their differences. Told with eloquent simplicity, Corny's narrative is an honest portrayal of self-discovery.

2005
Becoming Naomi León (Middle School)
written by Pam Muñoz Ryan and published by Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic
Ryan uses imaginative language and great sensitivity in portraying an 11-year-old girl’s emergence from the timidity of an emotionally abusive relationship to becoming a lioness. The staunch defender of her younger brother Owen, who was born with physical disabilities, Naomi proclaims her inner strength by referring a loving great-grandmother over her offensive birth mother, and then receiving affirmation in a court decision. The work conveys the truth that there is a magic in all of us—which can be carved out if we choose to see it.

2004
A Mango Shaped Space (Middle School)
by Wendy Mass, published by Little, Brown & Company Children’s Publishing
The main character Mia is a sensitive 13-year-old girl who comes to terms with a rare neurological condition called Synesthesia. The story is an introspective look inside the world of one who perceives letters, numbers, and sounds as colors. Mass’s exceptionally descriptive prose makes Synethesia understandable and intriguing. The story demonstrates that, although acceptance from family and friends is important, the most important aspect in accepting one’s own differences is to realize that they are an integral part of who one is.

I chose mostly books for children in middle school, because those are the age children my novel in progress is targeted toward.

Hitler Youth

2011-09-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

HISTORY's LESSONS: LEARN THEM WELL
When I was in school I hated history. I asked why we had to learn all this junk. The answer was because history is an excellent indicator of what is to come. It repeats itself. They never showed me how. In this post I'm asking you to open your eyes and ears, because America is floundering and a man or woman that claims they can solve the problem and can convince Americans will have the opportunity to do good or bad.

In pre World War II Germany the Germans were demoralized and financially stripped. The Allies from World War I required Germany to take responsibility for the war, pay huge reparations, and them to be militarily crippled. The Allied forces wanted to prevent Germany from ever embroiling the world in a World war again.

The German people are hurting financially, and in mmy opinion their national pride took a n hit, too. The man with all the answers was Hitler. He provided the people with a scapegoat, the Jew. Could America ever suffer such a fate?

The time is ripe for just such a thing. Let me tell you how and why. America is suffering, and scared. We've ruled the world (at least in our minds). Now we are on the brink of financial ruin and desperate for a solution.

If someone comes along with away to renew our national pride and someone to blame our current situation might we suffer a similar fate? Know your history and learn from the mistakes of yesterday.

THE BEGINNING OF THE HITLER YOUTH ORGANIZATION

On Sunday, July 4th, Hitler Youth started. Kurt Gruber was its first leader. The Hitler Youth absorbed all other National Socialist youth associations, including groups in Austria. Gruber set up fourteen departments and procedures. Among the departments were ones for sports, propaganda and education.

HITLER YOUTH GAIN A FOOTHOLD

Hitler solidified his power with the help of regular boys and girls. Camp outs were wildly popular among the youth. At these excursions kids spent evenings around campfires learning Nazi slogans while joining in sing-a-longs of Hitler Youth and Nazi anthems. Political indoctrination occurred at home meetings of the Hitler Youth. Detailed Instructions explained via letters explained the exact way meetings were to be held. The coming weeks activities for Nazi propaganda was planned.

Imagine if someone led America's children to believe they were the solution, and they could help restore the country to its former glory?

The Hitler Youth blasted Germany with pamphlets, Nazi newspapers marched at political rallies, and fought opposing Communist youths in the streets. Fighting between these groups grew more widespread. Twenty three Hitler Youths were killed in the streets between 1931 and 1933. Herbert Norkus was the best known case.

One day he went out canvasing about an anti-Red meeting .with his local Hitler Youth troop. The group was attacked by a group of Communists and scattered, but Norkus was caught. He was stabbed twice and ran to a house for help but the door was shut in his face. Norkus was then stabbed five more times and left a trail of bloody hand prints along the outside wall of the house. The Nazi's used the incident in a feature length propaganda movie Hitler Junge Quex which starred actual members of the Berlin Hitler Youth.

The government banned the youth and SA in April 1932, but that caused the youth to change their names and swelled their ranks with juvenile delinquents. It wasn't long before Hitler got the ban lifted on the Hitler Youth and SA.

By July 1932 the Nazis formed the largest political party. Much of their success can be credited to the propaganda spread by the Hitler Youth. The head of the Hitler Youth directed the 107,000 members to descend on Potsdam for a Reich Youth Day rally. More than 80,000 staged a parade to celebrate.

"My program for educating youth is hard. Weakness must be hammered away. In my castles of the Teutonic Order a youth will grow up before which the world will tremble. I want a brutal, domineering, fearless, cruel youth. Youth must be all that. It must bear pain. There must be nothing weak and gentle about it. The free, splendid beast of prey must once again flash from its eyes...That is how I will eradicate thousands of years of human domestication...That is how I will create the New Order." – Adolf Hitler, 1933.

January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler celebrated being appointed Chancellor of Germany by conducting massive torchlight parades. Hitler Youth units were incorporated in the columns marching under the watchful gaze of Hitler and Paul von Hindenburg, the elderly president of Germany. Within two months, Hitler became dictator with the passage of the Enabling Act passed by the Nazi-controlled Reichstag.

With Hitler's dictatorial powers all organizations were Nazified or disbanded. On April 3, 1933, Hitler Youth Leader Baldur von Schirach sent fifty Hitler Youths storming into the Berlin offices of the Reichs Committee of German Youth Associations. The majority of Germany's youth organizations were instantly placed under Schirach's control by this single action.

Meetings of other youth organizations were deemed illegal. Thus, the majority of the opposing political and religious organizations were eradicated. The Hitler Youth (HJ) grew and Schirach reorganized its ranks based on age. Boys were given a performance booklet recording his progress in athletics and Nazi indoctrination throughout all of his years in the HJ.

I APOLOGIZE - I HAVE A BAD STOMACH BUG & A CONFERENCE TO GET PREPARED. THIS WEEK'S POST IS INCOMPLETE. =0(

The Hitler Youth

2011-09-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

(Scholastic)

ISBN-10: 0439353793

ISBN-13: 978-0439353793

Bartoletti traces Hitler’s influence over the German youth from 1926 to 1945. Like her prior nonfiction award winning book “Black Potatoes,” she personalizes the history of the Hitler Youth movement.

Hitler’s indoctrination of the children in Germany helped propel him to power. Once in
power they strengthened his position and provided a stable of willing soldiers.

 With personal accounts from German children coerced and inspired by his vision of a strong
Germany Hitler solidified  his political position.  The stories from the German children
who grew up in Hitler’s shadow and Bartoletti’s distressing narrative children will come
to understand the part they played in Hitler’s Germany. I highly recommend this book.

  For grades 6-9. Newbery Honor, Sibert. 2005.

Jokes...Jokes...Jokes

2011-09-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

Jokes with a Taste of Egypt

Q: Why was the mummy so tense?
A: He was wound up.

Q: Why don't mummies go on vacations?

A: They're afraid to relax, because they think they’ll unwind.

Q: Where do mummies swim?
A: the dead sea

Q: What is a Mummies' favorite type of music?
A: Ragtime

Q: What kind of girl does a mummy date ?
A: One he can dig up

Q: Why was the archaeologist so sad?
A: His career lay in ruins.

Q:Why don't people starve in the desert?
A: Because of the "sand wich" is there.

Guest Post by Fiona Ingram

2011-09-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

Fiona Ingram

THE SECRET OF THE SACRED SCARAB is available for sale at Amazon and B&N

Researching Facts for a Book

When it comes to writing about real places and people, any writer, no matter their age, needs to sit down and properly research their facts.

Researching the Setting

Top of the list is, of course, actually going to the particular location in order to find the flavor and sensation of a place. I am fortunate that I was able to visit Egypt before writing The Secret of the Sacred Scarab. Every location is unique and the author must describe it so that readers can relate to it, enjoy it, and believe in it. Location is not just geography. It’s a mixture of sights, sounds, smells, sensations, tastes, and the atmosphere that comes with its people, history, culture, architecture, and art. Would you believe it but light, something so simple that we take it for granted, is different in other parts of the world. Sunlight in Egypt is unforgettable—blinding, glaring, beating down upon your retinas so that unless you have sunglasses, your poor Westernized eyes will remain squeezed shut in desperation as you try to shut out the probing rays. On the other hand, when darkness falls, it’s really dark. The sand dunes that once were a blazing sea of endless saffron yellow turn the purple of bruised plums as the sun finally sinks in the west.

The next-best options for (younger) authors not able to travel include guidebooks, travel blogs, Google Earth, and (very importantly) research. These options shouldn’t be considered second best in any way because even though one may be fortunate enough to make a trip, there is hard work to be done when putting a story to paper. I collected air tickets, stubs from entries to monuments, menus, postcards and a lot of other stuff. Photographs were vital for me—I was shocked to find that after a few weeks my memory of where exactly that fascinating statue had been was a bit hazy. So, with the help of a guide book, a clear map, and all my photographs, I was able to recreate the journey and make a ‘collage’ to guide me as I built the journey line of my two young heroes. Since I modeled my heroes on my two nephews, it was important for me to get a feel for how two boys would react in such a foreign (and potentially dangerous) environment.

Get Your Facts Straight

Finally, the hard slog of research. Facts mean experts, and by that I mean live interviews with experts or else online articles, or information gleaned from reference books. I think Egypt was even more daunting than I imagined because so much has been written about the country, its history, and its culture that I felt under enormous pressure to check, double check, and check again (just in case) all my facts. It’s seems a shame that hours of research go into looking up facts that will make a perhaps brief mention in the chapter concerned. After all, there is no point in inundating readers with lots of information. Details should be carefully and subtly woven into the story, always being an integral part of what the heroes need to know to move along in their story.

Getting the facts right will help any young writer keep their storyline clear. Always ask yourself, “Does my hero need to know this piece of information?” before including it.

About Fiona Ingram

Fiona Ingram’s earliest story-telling talents came to the fore when, from the age of ten, she entertained her three younger brothers and their friends with serialized tales of children undertaking dangerous and exciting exploits, which they survived through courage and ingenuity. Haunted houses, vampires, and skeletons leaping out of coffins were hot favorites in the cast of characters. Although Fiona Ingram has been a journalist for the last fifteen years, writing a children’s book—The Secret of the Sacred Scarab—was an unexpected step, inspired by a recent trip to Egypt. The tale of the sacred scarab began life as a little anecdotal tale for her 2 nephews (then 10 and 12), who had accompanied her on the Egyptian trip. This short story grew into a children’s book, the first in the adventure series Chronicles of the Stone. The author has finished the next book in the series—The Search for the Stone of Excalibur—a huge treat for young King Arthur fans. Although Fiona Ingram does not have children of her own, she has an adopted teenage foster child, from an underprivileged background who is just discovering the joys of reading for pleasure. Naturally, Fiona is a voracious reader and has been from early childhood. Her interests include literature, art, theatre, collecting antiques, animals, music, and films. She loves travel and has been fortunate to have lived in Europe (while studying) and America (for work). She has travelled widely and fulfilled many of her travel goals.

Genre of Book(s): Juvenile Fiction - middle grade adventure

THE SECRET OF THE SACRED SCARAB Review

2011-09-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab

by Fiona Ingram

ISBN: 9780595457168 (soft cover)
Price: US $17.95
Format ebook, paperback, hardback,

Book Synopsis: A 5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives Adam and Justin Sinclair an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realize they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. With just their wits, courage, and each other, the boys manage to survive … only to find that the end of one journey is the beginning of another!

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab

Book Review

Justin and Adam dream of an adventure on their Egyptian vacation. Their dream of adventure begins to come true with the article about a missing archaeologist. Then a scarab is dropped into Adam’s pocket. They think they are being followed and their room is ransacked. The two boys attempt to unwind the mystery.

As they explore Egypt’s sights the reader is treated to factual information about the historical monuments. Each fact is made appetizing by Fiona Ingram’s adventurous tale. Children will dive into the tale enjoying it for its entertainment value. A burgeoning appreciation and honest curiosity about the Egyptian history will begin.

Teachers can incorporate the novel into a section about Egypt and hieroglyphics. The Secret of the Sacred Scarab website’s section recounting the boy’s journey

http://www.secretofthesacredscarab.com/journey.asp serves as a complimentary tool to a teaching section on Egypt. It includes a map and actual information about the monuments.

For an adventurous fiction novel peppered with nonfiction facts read The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram.

English POW

2011-09-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

An English POW in WWII was captured by the Germans. The POW was shot all over his body place, but seemed okay. until one day when the German told him, "Englishman, your arm is infected with gangrene we have to cut it off."

The English prisoner said, "Can you drop it over England when you go bombing?"

The German replied, "Ya, that no problem."

A few weeks later the German tells him they have to cut his other arm off. The Englishman says, "Can you drop it over England like last time?"

"Ya," says the German.

The next day the German tells him that they have to cut his leg off. Once again he asks, "Can you drop it over England?"

The German replies, " ya."

The next the German tells him they have to cut off his other leg. The POW starts to ask, "Can you..."

The German snapped, "No! We think you are trying to escape!."

German Alien Enemy

2011-09-14T06:07:00.001-07:00

In the novel, "Hattie Big Sky" Newbery Honor Book of 2006 Hattie Inez Brooks, the main character befriends a German family. It's the height of World War II and anti-German sentiment was high.

Persecuted because of their German heritage, Germans that had not become citizens were viewed as a threat by the government. On April 6, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson issued twelve regulations. By the war's end , twenty regulations were issued. Internment criteria was determined from these presidential proclamations and most in the western United States were interned under section 20.

Proclamation of April 6, 1917

An alien enemy shall not have in his possession, at any time or place, any fire-arm, weapon or implement of war, or component part thereof, ammunition, maxim or other silencer, bomb or explosive or material used in the manufacture of explosives
An alien enemy shall not have in his possession at any time or place, or use or operate any aircraft or wireless apparatus, or any form of signaling device, or any form of cipher code, or any paper, document or book written or printed in cipher or in which there may be invisible writing.
All property found in the possession of an alien enemy in violation of the foregoing regulations shall be subject to seizure by the United States.
An alien enemy shall not approach or be found within one-half mile of any Federal or State fort, camp, arsenal, aircraft station, Government or naval vessel, navy yard, factory, or workshop for the manufacture of munitions of war or of any products for the use of the Army or Navy.
An alien enemy shall not write, print, or publish any attack or threats against the Government or Congress of the United States, or either branch thereof, or against the measures or policy of the United States, or against the person or property of any person in the military, naval, or civil service of the United States, or of the States or Territories, or of the District of Columbia, or of the municipal governments therein.
An alien enemy shall not commit or abet any hostile act against the United States, or give information, aid or comfort to its enemies.
An alien enemy shall not reside in or continue to reside in, to remain in, or enter any locality which the President may from time to time designate by Executive Order as a prohibited area in which residence by an alien enemy shall be found by him to constitute a danger to the public peace and safety of the United States, except by permit from the President and except under such limitations or restrictions as the President may prescribe.
An alien enemy whom the President shall have reasonable cause to believe to be aiding or about to aid the enemy, or to be at large to the danger of the public peace or safety of the United States, or to have violated or to be about to violate any of these regulations, shall remove to any location designated by the President by Executive Order, and shall not remove there from without a permit, or shall depart from the United States if so required by the President.
No alien enemy shall depart from the United States until he shall have received such permit as the president shall prescribe, or except under order of a court, judge, or justice, under Sections 4069 and 4070 of the Revised Statutes.
No alien enemy shall land in or enter the United States, except under such restrictions and as such places as the President may prescribe.
If necessary to prevent violations of these regulations, all alien enemies will be obliged to register.
An alien enemy whom there may be reasonable cause to believe to be aiding or about to aid the enemy, or who may be at large to the danger of the public peace or safety, or who violates or attempts to violate, or of whom there is reasonable ground to believe that is about to violate, any regulation duly promulgated by the President, or any criminal law of the United States, or of the States or Territories thereof, will be subject to summary arrest by the United States Marshal, or his deputy, or such other officer as the President shall designate, and to confinement in such penitentiary, prison, jail, military camp, or other place of detention as may be directed by the President.

Proclamation of November 16, 1917

An alien enemy shall not approach or be found within one hundred yards of any canal; nor within one hundred yards of any wharf, pier or dock used directly by or by means of lighters by any vessels of over five hundred (500) tons gross engaged in foreign or domestic trade other than fishing; nor within one hundred yards of any warehouse, shed, elevator, railroad terminal or other terminal, storage or transfer facility adjacent to or operated in connection with any such wharf, pier or dock; and wherever the distance between any two of such wharves, piers or docks, measured along the shore line connecting them, is less than eight hundred and eighty yards, an alien enemy shall not approach or be found within one hundred yards of such shore line.
Whenever the Attorney General of the United States deem it to be necessary, for the public safety and the protection of transportation, to exclude alien enemies from the vicinity of any warehouse, elevator or railroad depot, yard or terminal which is not located within any prohibited area designated by this proclamation or the proclamation of April 6th, 1917, then an alien enemy shall not approach or be found within such a distance of any such warehouse elevator, depot, yard or terminal as may be specified by the Attorney General by regulation duly made and declared by him; and the Attorney General is hereby authorized to fix, by regulations to be made and declared from time to time, the area surrounding any such warehouse, elevator, depot, yard or terminal from which he deems it necessary, for the public safety and the protection of transportation to exclude alien enemies.
An alien enemy shall not, except on public ferries, be found on any ocean, bay, river or other waters within three miles of the shore line of the United States or its territorial possessions; said shore line for the purpose of this proclamation being hereby defined as the line of sea coast and the shores of all waters of the United States and its territorial possessions connected with the high seas and navigable by ocean going vessels; nor on any of the Great Lakes, their connecting waters or harbors, within the boundaries of the United States.
No alien enemy shall ascent into the air in any airplane, balloon, airship, or flying machine.
An alien enemy shall not enter or be found within the District of Columbia.
An alien enemy shall not enter or be found within the Panama Canal Zone.
All alien enemies are hereby required to register at such times and places and in such manner as may be fixed by the Attorney General of the United States and the Attorney General is hereby authorized and directed to provide, as speedily as may be practicable, for registration of all alien enemies and for the issuance of registration cards to alien enemies and to make and declare such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary for effecting such registration; and all alien enemies and all other persons are hereby required to comply with such rules and regulations; and the Attorney General in carrying out such registration, is hereby authorized to utilize such agents, agencies, officers and departments of the United States and of the several states, territories, dependencies and municipalities thereof and of the District of Columbia as he may select for the purpose, and all such agents, agencies, officers and departments are hereby granted full authority for all acts done by them in the execution of this regulation when acting by the direction of the Attorney General. After the date fixed by the Attorney General for such registration, an alien enemy shall not be found within the limits of the United States, its territories or possessions, without having his registration card on his person.
An alien enemy shall not change his place of abode or occupation or otherwise travel or move from place to place without full compliance with any such regulations as the Attorney General of the United States may, from time to time, make and declare; and the Attorney General is hereby authorized to make and declare, from time to time, such regulations concerning the movements of alien enemies as he may deem necessary in the premises and for the public safety, and to provide in such regulations for monthly, weekly or other periodical report by alien enemies to federal, state or local authorities; and all alien enemies shall report at the times and places and to the authorities specified in such regulations.

Source: Taken from U.S., President, Proclamation, "Alien Enemy Regulation" Statutes at Large, vol. XI., Part 2, pp. 1651-1652; U.S., President, Proclamation, "Additional and Supplemental Regulations concerning Alien Enemies" Statues at Large, vol. XL, Part 2, pp. 1716-1718.

It is frightening to learn that American civil liberties are in peril during times of war. As recently as our recent military involvement in the Middle East and terrorism scare since 9/11 civil liberties have been endangered. It seems in times of war and the United State's military engagement civil liberties are often violated. It seems that at these times the protections of civil liberties by our constitution would be most needed. So in the shadow of perceived and real danger duering military conflict it's a balancing act between protecting people's civil liberties and protecting our citizens. It's difficult to know where to draw the line.

REFERENCES

German American Internee Coalition

http://www.gaic.info/history.html

German Genealogy Group
http://www.germangenealogygroup.com/gea2.stm

Hattie Big Sky

2011-09-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hattie Big Sky

Kirby Larson

· ISBN-10: 0385735952

· ISBN-13: 978-0385735957

 For grades 6-9 and older readers.

Hattie Inez Brooks, an orpan feels like she has no real home when an unknown uncle leaves her 320 acres in a remote section of Montana. Upon her arrival she finds the house is little more than a shack with a barn and acreage, but Patty is determined.

She puts her heart and soul into proving up her claim, because for once she has a place to call her own. What Patty discovers is the place she’s secured in other’s hearts and them in hers is what having a physical home.

Steeped in the history of early America settlement of Montana and the persecution of Germans during World War II, Larson delivers a riveting story. Touching and inspiring Larson’s book has something for all to enjoy.

Newbery Honor Book 2006

Pasta Humor

2011-09-09T06:07:00.000-07:00

Big Sisters
I'm the youngest of four girls. I like to say, "They saved the best for last." They did save the most gullible. When I was little my big sisters used to tell me spaghetti was blood and worms. I know better now, but for years I cringed when Mom told me spaghetti was for dinner.

Cooking Spaghetti Sauce

Maria cooked her Grandma Leoni's spaghetti for a dinner party she was giving. In her hurry, however, she forgot to refrigerate the spaghetti sauce, and it sat on the counter all day. She was worried about spoilage, but it was too late to cook up another batch. She called the local Poison Control and expressed her worry. They told Maria to boil the sauce again.

That night, the phone rang during dinner, and someone answered the phone. Maria's face turned tomato red as the guest shouted, "It's Poison Control. They want to know how the spaghetti sauce turned out."