Asilomar Conference '07 Recap

This year I went to the Asilomar Conference sponsored by Northern California Golden Gate SCBWI, and I personally knew 5 first-time-to-Asilomar attendees, not including my new carpool. The Asilomar grounds were beautiful, right next to the ocean. I didn't make it to the beach, but the trees were everywhere.

Norca Golden Gate co-RA Jim Averbeck delivered a hilarious welcome skit featuring the matching airline attendants Amy Laughlin and Kristin Howell (see below), who were dressed in coordinating blue caps and coordinated synchronized movements. The conference was indeed a memorable ride.

Kristin Petit of Razorbill spoke about character windows, a screenplay terminology that also applies to fiction writing. Seeing the world through the eyes of one’s character. Another way to say show, don’t tell. I realized that my characters are running around without a stitch on their backs. But they do have fabulous shoes. She asked us to write a character window excerpt, and I volunteered to read mine aloud. Here’s my excerpt (still without clothes):

“I had been shorter than my friend B for all of our lives. Until last year, when he grew about an inch and I grew five and three quarter inches. One summer I’d look at him and see his three long nose hairs, and the next summer I could tell he was going to have two bald spots in about 10 years when we will both be in our 20s, and old. But I try to avoid his bald spots. I try to focus instead of his perfect almond eyes.”

I like this excerpt so much that I will undoubtedly use it in one of my manuscripts, so thanks for the prompt, Kristin!

EJ’s haiku highlights of Kristin Petit’s speech:

Character windows—
nonverbal cues, don’t hide
but show the bracelet.

Author Ellen Hopkins’ presentation moved me to the verge of tears. She shared with us her reasons for focusing on the edgy YA topics, and we saw some of her fan mail, or e-mails, that reminded me how horrible those teenage years could be, how miserable a teen can feel, and how very articulate some of her readers are at expressing their feelings. Definitely more articulate than I was as a teen.

EJ’s haiku highlights of Ellen Hopkins’ speech:

You need to love, love,
love your YA audience—
You could crossover.

Start with a premise,
a situation, problem.
Then ask, “What if?”

Saturday morning I made sure to eat breakfast, and I made it in time for the first speech.

Namrata Tripathi of Hyperion Books for Children shared entertaining tips for aspiring angel authors and how to avoid becoming a devil author. Good to know.

EJ’s haiku highlights of Namrata Tripathi’s speech:

Editors are dressed
to blend into the darkness—
letting authors shine.

Linda Sue Park said there is no way to divorce character from setting. She also explained a story’s structural components of subject, point of view, verb tense and voice. I especially resonated with her views on points of view.

EJ’s haiku highlights of Linda Sue Park’s speech:

Point of view choices—
1st person seems easier
than 3rd. It’s not.

Subplots are
extensions of plot progress
or impediments.

I had to miss the afternoon speeches, but I arrived back in time for dinner, the autograph sessions, and the raffle, which deserved its own blog entry.

Erin Clarke of Knoff said that beginnings are important. Her hook is voice, and plot can be fixed or tweaked. She said that children’s books are hotter than ever, and “we are all hot in this room.”

EJ’s haiku highlights of Erin Clarke’s speech:

Good writing is good
writing is good writing, yet
voice compels.

At the end of her speech, Erin Clarke asked trivia questions to give away the books from which she read during her presentation. Since the first speech, I’ve been raising my hand and actively participating as an audience member, and I wasn’t going to stop here. Plus, I love getting free books. Unfortunately, she started with trivia questions based on picture books and early readers. I’m first and foremost a novelist, and novels are what I know. So as soon as she asked for the name of the protagonist of Louis Sachar’s Holes, my hand shot up straight in the air, and she called on me! And even better, she gave me the novel that I had intended to check out after the conference. Woohoo!

In addition to the editorial keynotes, this conference offered a chance to smooze with a variety of experienced published authors, many of whom spoke. The speakers I knew included Linda Joy Singleton, author of a fun psychic YA series; Deborah Davis (pictured left with her speaker flowers), author of MB and YA novels; Suzy Williams, author of nonfiction picture books; Ann Manheimer, author of nonfiction biographies. They were all wonderfully available to chat. I also really wanted to talk to Linda Sue Park during mealtimes, as I had so many questions about her works and her perspectives on Asian-American literature and writers, among other things. Though I did manage to say "hi" and give her very brief comments in passing, I never had an opportunity to really talk to her. Finally my RA took me by the hand and introduced me to Linda Sue at her autographing table. So we did chat for a while before I had to make way for another writer waiting to get Linda Sue's autograph. I also conversed with many wonderful writers (published and pre-published) and editors and learned a lot. I probably talked way too much, but people risk that when they ask me good questions about my big passion of books. One writer commented that I should be a book buyer/seller. My response: I'm really passionate about books. How could I not love talking to people about books and the creation of books?

At the end of the conference, we had a commitment ceremony (not that kind) where we wrote down what we would accomplish this year, formed a giant circle, held hands, and sent a magic squeeze around the circle. Author Verla Kay lit the fire where we burned our goals. It was very solemn, very Chinese-ancestor-workshop-like, without the smell of incense.

Overall a wonderful experience, and I am recharged and refocused on my writing again.

My Lucky Chinese New Year Red Envelope

During my East Coast trip, I visited my uncle and aunt. And before I left, my uncle handed me me a red envelope full of money. For Chinese New Year.

Me: "It's okay." I try to give the envelope back. (The polite Chinese way to refuse a gift.)
He: "Take it." (The more American way to give a gift.)
Me: "I'm an adult now. I don't need it."
He: "You're not married, so you get red envelope."
Me: "So does this mean when I'm 50 and still not married, I still get red envelope?"
He: "Sure."

What could I say to that? I had to take it. I brought my red envelope to a writer's conference. Using my red envelope money, I bought books of my author friends and author speakers who wowed me. Also, I was encouraging my friends to participate in all the conference activities, especially in buying raffle tickets. One big friendly giant (BFG) friend in particular I persuaded right in front of the ticket seller:

Me: "Hey, you should buy raffle tickets. It's for the scholarship fund, which is a good cause. Plus chances are good that you could win something."
BFG: "Okay."
He whips out a $20.
Ticket Seller: "Do you want change?"
BFG: "Nope."
Ticket Seller looks at me with an expectant gleam in her eye.
Me: "Uh..."

The problem was, I was only going to buy $5 of raffle tickets, but since we were talking right in front of a lady selling the tickets, I couldn't very well buy only $5 when my friend who I convinced to buy tickets was purchasing $20. Then I remembered my red envelope money, and I could afford to be generous. I purchased $20 worth, too.

The raffle table was long and crammed with all sorts of books and writerly gifts, and the four coveted prizes were mail-in manuscript critiques from each editor attending the conference. Once your name was called, you walked up to the table and selected one item. If your name was called again, you selected another item, and so on.

The first time my name was called, I was so exhausted from the events of the day that I honestly wasn't paying too much attention, so I had no clue that I was one of the first people to go up to the table. When I approached the table, I was overwhelmed by all the books. I heard people behind me telling me to "get the envelope." Even after I figured out I had won a mail-in critique with an editor (yippee!), it took me another five long seconds to spot the envelope among all the books.

The second time my name was called, I chose Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata because it was a recently published Asian American historical novel set roughly in the same time period (but not the same events) as Paper Daughter, my first historical novel.

The third time my name was called, I chose The Jazz Fly by Matt Gollub since I had seen him speak and enjoyed how he started his presentation by scatting like a jazz singer. One day I, too, will sing during a speech. Someday.

The fourth time my name was called, I gave away my turn to another writer who had mentioned she wanted to buy raffle tickets but could not find the sellers.

The fifth time my name was called (yes, it was really getting ridiculous), I announced, "I don't want it. Does anyone want it?" I waited for five seconds. When no one spoke or stood, I chose an ARC called Web of Fire.

The sixth time I was called, I said flatly, "Again? I'm not going up." And remained in my seat to let someone else chose a prize.

Also, my BFG friend's name was called three times, which left me feeling great that I persuaded him to purchase tickets.

A deluge of good luck. Thank you, Uncle and Auntie, for my lucky red envelope. May the good luck continue on!

Snow in NYC

Since I've lived all my life in warmer climates, snow is a rare experience for me. When I was in NYC, it started snowing, and I was enchanted. I loved feeling the random snowflake land in my eye and hearing the snow squish under my feet. Snow was magic.


The magic wore off by the second day, when the delightful powder under my feet melted into brown sludge and the soft flakes landing in my eye were replaced by bullets of sleet pelting me on the forehead.

While exploring the streets of NYC, I took many pictures of snow. The Inuit have many, many words for snow, some of which I learned in my choir for this amazing piece called Snowforms by R. Murray Shafer. Others are terms stated by linguist Franz Boas. I will use proper Inuit words and a few Emily-invented words inspired by NYC snow for the following captions:



apingaut

first snowfall

aput

snow
on the ground

patuqun

frosty sparkling snow

(or NYC blue prints)

pokaktok

snow like salt

mauyk

soft snow

sucrostok

snow like
powdered sugar

smileygaut

happy snow

sitidlorak

hard snow

qimuqsuq

snowdrift

akelrorak

drifting snow

organpoq

fallen musical snow

And finally....

streetsuq

white footsteps and brown tire tracks

When I got tired of looking down, I looked up to the origins of the snow:

Cool NYC band - Ninth Street Mission

While I was in NYC, I happened to meet someone whose band (Ninth Street Mission) was performing at Cafe Brama. I love listening to live bands, so I went with a friend for get dessert.

But first we had dinner. Apparently it's customary to go one place for dinner and then another place for dessert. Since I love food, I am definitely amenable to the concept. At Bobby Flay's Blue Mesa Grill, I ordered the salmon, and my friend ordered the pork that came with a sweet corn tamale. Bobby Flay is known for his Southwestern flavors, and the meals were beautifully presented and quite tasty, though I think I prefer the pork to the salmon. I wonder how many Southwest recipes traditionally feature salmon.









After dinner, we walked to the cafe and arrived when the band was on break. We sat in a corner and ordered a flaming dessert. Here it is with the fire gone:


When the Ninth Street Mission band started playing again, and I was impressed with the quality. If I was asked what kind of band they were, I would have to say funk-folk-indie-punk fusion. Everyone played a different instrument and sang in a vastly different yet complementary voices. I was especially impressed by the fantastic, tight blend between the voices of the female on bass and the guy with the ponytail.

Ninth Street Mission is performing a benefit concert on Sat., March 24th, 2007. For those of us (like myself) who can't make the concert, you can always donate here:

http://www.47e3.org

Now I really want a band, but alas my choral blending voice does not suit. Nevertheless, I definitely want to spread the idea of performing with a philanthropic touch.

Transportation in NYC

Geographically NYC is so small, yet the transportation options are big. I've traveled several ways:

Train
Grand Central Station is a gorgeous marble building with dazzling lights. In the middle of the station is a small informational kiosk, where people who were lost would stand in line to ask where their train would leave. I never noticed the signs posting track numbers until it was too late.


Taxi
I'm not good at flagging down taxis. I don't have the confidence that a taxi will actually see me, nor do I have the patience for waiting, even though taxis abound in NYC. Personally, I'd only get a taxi on I am in a huge a time crunch or have lots of luggage or have friends to share the fare. Or if I am tired of slushing in the brown snow and shielding my face from whipping wind and sleet.

Metro
I've navigated the Metro many times before, but almost always with a friend who knew what he/she was doing. So when I was on my own, I admit I got lost many, many times. I didn't realize on the little black signs with the colored dots that the arrows often meant keep going...and going...and going. Also, sometimes the signs themselves were very confusing, like when I was underground and looking for 15th street, and all I saw is shown below:



Good Old-Fashioned Feet
And after exiting the Metro, it was time for the feet to go to work. Which was not always the most efficient way for me to travel. I'm extremely geographically challenged, and I didn't have a map with me. Still I managed to make most of my appointments with folks mostly on time.

But the great thing about walking around NYC is that you get to read and contemplate all sorts of interesting signs, among other things. My friend Angela likes pictures of funny signs, so here are a couple of them.

"Don't Honk

$350 Penalty"

As soon as I saw this sign,

I saw this:

Perhaps the best part about foot transportation is knowing I'm not the only one stuck in the snow on foot...

...and adding my own foot to the mix.

SCBWI NYC Event - Steve Mooser - Writing Books for Boys

Before Steve Mooser's talk in NYC, I stopped by a cafe/restaurant that reminded me of Northern California. Everything on the menu was vegan, and the place had a very soothing, almost zen-like feel, with relaxing instrumental music and small bonsai plants scattered around. I ordered ginger carrot juice. Yum.

The event was well-attended for a local talk, perhaps 40 people. Newbery Award winning author Richard Peck showed up! I was starstruck and almost speechless. Almost.

Steve Mooser gave a casual and informative talk. He's had an extremely interesting life, especially his hunting for treasure adventures. The topic was writing books for boys, and his theory was that if you wrote a good book, both boys and girls would like it. I agree.

At the same time, the brains of female and males are wired differently. Most of my major activities of writing, singing, and dancing are heavily attended by women. Well, swing dancing in the San Francisco Bay Area is a bit of an exception, but go to any ballet or jazz dance class, and there are almost always a ratio of 10:1 girls to guys. Often the same can be said for the attendees of most writing workshop classes, children's writing conferences, and mixed choirs.

When I was in college, I took a few gender studies classes and learned that typically women speak at least 4 times the amount of words that men speak in one day. Another interesting is that women usually are better multi-taskers than men, who tend to focus on one thing at a time. Again, these are generalizations, but often generalizations can be used when creating stories.

I remember attending a first pages critique session, where about 20 writers submitted their first pages, which were read aloud anonymously, and the entire group critiqued. One first page written from a boy's point of view had the boy talking about reading Little House on the Prairie. It would have worked if the boy was forced to read that book or had a motivating reason to read that book, but no. The one lone guy writer at the critique session said that no boy he knew would read Little House on the Prairie. So the woman writer was exposed. A little detail that none of the other writers, who were women, had caught.

J. K. Rowling was forced to use her initials for Harry Potter because the publisher thought that boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, even if the book was about a boy. Yet her books have universal appeal and transcend gender, ages, cultures. I know several women writer friends whose protagonists are boys, and I know they can make their stories compelling and believable. It's all about voice and getting into that character's head.

Interactive Reading Event of Linda Sue Park

In addition to the SCBWI NYC conference, Angela, Angele and I (yes, I was surrounded by angels in NYC, including Steph who wasn't feeling well enough to go) attended a great kid reading event featuring Linda Sue Park.

Linda Sue was a surprise speaker at the conference's Writers' Intensive, and she gave a wonderfully inspiring presentation about keeping the love of writing alive. When Angela and I were introduced to her, we found out her next event in NYC was at Symphony Space. Of course, we had to go.

Part of the Girls Read! Guys Read! monthly kids book club, the event featured Cynthia Nixon reading aloud excerpts from Park's contemporary Korean-American novel Project Mulbery. In the beginning, I kept thinking, wow, that's Miranda from Sex and the City. I couldn't easily reconcile her distinctive voice to the voice of a young Korean-American girl. But after a while, the magic of the words persuaded me.

At first Cynthia Nixon read with Linda Sue in the shadows. After an entertaining reading, the stage lights brightened, and Madeline Cohen, the Education Director, interviewed Linda Sue about the book and her process as a writer. Finally the kids had a writing exercise based on what they had heard. Of course, Angela, Angele, and I participated, too.

Several of the kids read aloud their impromptu writings. The strong perception of the kids and the clarity of their thoughts wowed me. Even though none of the kids looked like they had a single drop of Asian blood, they really got into the head of the Korean-American protagonist. What an amazing audience we write for.

After the event ended, we stood in a long line and chatted with a local librarian and a local parents while we waited to get our books autographed. Here we are with the amazing Linda Sue Park:

SCBWI NYC '07 Conference Recap

I signed up for the SCBWI NYC conference before I balanced my budget, and I'm extremely thankful I went.

The convincing factors? The opportunity to see two of my all-time favorite children's authors whose books I loved as a child and still love as an adult: Susan Cooper and Katherine Paterson. But perhaps the biggest selling factor for me was the chance to reconnect with my wonderful Colen grant co-winner Angela and my dear friend multi-talented author/illustrator and editor Stephanie (pictured to the right):

At registration, I briefly spoke to the fabulous Cheryl Zach, who strongly encouraged me to keep going. The Writers' Intensive was a wonderful experience, as I signed up to get fresh eyes on my first couple pages of my novels-in-progress and to see how actual editors and agents would critique 500 words (often more) on-the-fly. The format of the actual critique sessions reminded me of speed dating, without the buzzer, and we were moving manuscripts rather than people. SCBWI Director of Communications Aaron Hartzler kept time, and the critique sessions ran smoothly. As with all critique groups, the experience is only as strong as the writers who participate, and overall I was pleased with the creativity and honest criticism shared. I was told that humor was one of my strengths and one writer whose feedback was most insightful mentioned he couldn't wait to read my book when it gets published. Good to know. A nice bonus were the two panels of editors and agents that began and ended the day. Lin Oliver and Conference Coordinator Jamie Weiss were clear and articulate in moderating the panels. Linda Sue Park was a surprise bonus speaker, and I was so excited to hear her words of wisdom about keeping the love of writing alive, even through the ups and downs of the business. I'm very thankful to Linda Sue Park for generating the seeds to making this wonderful day.

EJ's haiku highlights of Linda Sue Park's speech:

You hold the golden
apple of publication--
but it can still rot.

During the dark days
of more rejections, just sing:
"All you need is love."

The evening of Writers' Intensive, a local NYC children's librarian hosted a casual get-together at a bar, and I met lots of published and contracted writers and illustrators. Overall, a wonderful preamble to a wonderful conference.

Ever since I was a child, I've been a big fan of The Dark Is Rising series, and so I was thrilled to hear Susan Cooper's opening keynote. She has such a wonderful British accent, and such a powerful way of cutting to the core of matters. As a result of her childhood experiences during World War II, she wrote The Dark Is Rising.

EJ's haiku highlights of Susan Cooper's speech:

Her English childhood--
Half the whole sky burning red--
The Dark Is Rising.

When she was 10 years
The Light dropped a bomb on The Dark--
Paradox of humans.

I'm not exactly the kind of person who notices banned books, but Robie H. Harris' experiences surprised me at the kind of censorship that occurs among children's books in our country. Her main focus was creating books for the child's best interests, even if it means her books could possibly be banned.

EJ's haiku highlights of Robie H. Harris's speech:

When stumped, ask yourself
is it in the best interests
of the child? (not you)

Librarians are
Heroes of democracy.
They fight for our right to read.

Saturday's luncheon featured Randy Colen announcing the new winners of the Kimberley Colen Memorial Grant, which Angela and I won previously. This year's winners are Sheila Berenson and Mary Cronin. Angela and I ambushed them Saturday morning and gave them our pep talks, sharing our experiences, and calling them rock stars (okay, that last part was mostly me). Sheila is working on a novel about Russian Tsar Nicholas' army of children, and Mary is working on a poetry project about firefighters and their kids. I haven't seen the manuscripts, but I'm sure they are wonderful as judges Marvin and Karen Terban and Caron Lee Cohen have discerning taste. I'm sure they will be published soon.

Ann Brashares spoke on her creation of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, which I must admit I have never read nor seen the movie. Some part of me resisting the popularity, I suppose. But she stated a philosophy with which I very much agree: make stories for kids fun.

EJ's haiku highlights of Ann Brashares's speech:

Make it good, make it
Fun. Kids love to laugh and be
Entertained.

During the luncheon, Lin Oliver asked us what book turned us into life-long readers. There are so many of them, but I stood up and stated the first book I really read over and over and over again:

The book that turned me
into a reader who wept--
Little Women (Abridged).

A panel of book buyers explained their processes, and at the end of that session, the amazing Jane Yolen gave an inspirational surprise speech about revision. I've been a huge fan of Jane Yolen's books ever since I was a kid, and I was so glad to see her well, as compared to when I attended LA, my last image of her was in a wheelchair after a night of suffering from food poisoning. She is so strong.

EJ's haiku highlights of Jane Yolen's speech:

Trust your editor.
Love your editor because
Revision is hard.


Saturday night, I hung out with two angel friends. Here we are toasting Angela's first cosmopolitan, Angele's first poem written in a long time, and me, well...I look tired. We wrote poems about cranberries.

Unfortunately, I missed most of Sunday's events, but I did manage to hear Katherine Paterson speak. I was so touched by her amazing stories of her childhood in pre-World War II China and afterwards in America and the story behind her the creation of the Bridge to Terabithia, which is now a movie. I cried buckets.

EJ's haiku highlights of Katherine Paterson's speech:

Childhood bully -- great
antagonist for one's book --
make them suffer!

But learning bully's
reasons for actions ruins
the perfect revenge.

This NYC conference was full of surprises, with the final one revealed for the surprise speaker on Saturday. The attendees all wished Happy Birthday to Jane Yolen. When we left the conference room area, there were many giant birthday cakes and a two foot high customized ice sculpture:

Flurry Snowballing

My backlog of blog project is snowballing, among many other projects. Need to transform this from a huge snowball into distinct flakes. Divide and melt.

Roar of March

Soon I'll begin a flurry of postings for now and for February, which was my big roller coaster month, so many great things happening interspersed with tragedy. But thankfully my seatbelt was fastened tight.