Mwaa-ha-ha!

Since I’m working a book for middle grade kids right now, I have the irresistible urge to spy on…I mean, pay attention to…my 11-year-old and his friends.

What do 11-year-olds spend their time doing? It’s an excellent question for the children’s writer to ask, so I thought I would share my research with you.

Eleven-year-olds train their boxers to lie in the hammock:

They climb trees, spend hours online researching the best cards for their next Magic: the Gathering deck, ambush their older brothers with homemade rubber band guns, work on their tree houses, and create elaborate ropes courses in the back yard.

 

Ah, gotta love summer….

:) Cheryl

Note to self: you do NOT need to look up every unknown word

 

For instance, if you’re looking at the ingredient list for your dogs’ chew toys, you might not want to know what the word “pizzle” means. Especially if you’re currently holding said chew toys in your bare hands.

I’m just sayin’.

:P Cheryl

Notes to start a writer's week

1. Cold days are good for writing.


2. Cold days and warm, fuzzy blankets are definitely good for writing.


3. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, and hot tea are even better for writing.


4. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, hot tea, and a pair of snuggly dogs are wonderful for writing.


5. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, hot tea, a pair of snuggly dogs, and cranberry scones are perfect for writing.


6. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, hot tea, a pair of snuggly dogs, cranberry scones, and a crackling fire are splendiferous for writing.


7. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, hot tea, a pair of snuggly dogs, cranberry scones, a crackling fire, and a bit of George Benson on the stereo are perfect AND splendiferous for writing.


8. Cold days, warm fuzzy blankets, hot tea, a pair of snuggly dogs, cranberry scones, a crackling fire, and a big comfy chair are practically perfect in every way for writing.


9. Today, in other words, is for writing--even if you are lacking a few of the things on your list.


10. You can make the scones later :).

Happy writing! ~Cheryl

Notes to Start a Writer's Week (a day late)

1. Inspiration CAN be found in Disney films. For ex., didn't the fish in Finding Nemo provide the important inspirational quote, "Just keep writing, just keep writing...."


2. You let the kids get a puppy because he would be good for them. And you're going to leverage that into MASSIVE inspiration for one of your next books. Really.


3. Balance is overrated.


4. Exercise is also overrated, unless it involves walking the dogs.


5. Yes, dogs are capable of mind control. Have you ever looked into those soulful brown eyes?


6. Yes, everyone on your Christmas list wants books for Christmas, but no, they don't necessarily want the books you've been wanting to read. I'm just not sure your 5-year-old nephew is ready for Lauren Myracle or Libba Bray. SkippyJonJones is a better choice, even if you have been wanting to read that, too.


7. Is it ethical to buy someone a book for Christmas and read it first?


8. Okay, Christmas holidays are approaching, you have a trip planned, and you hate to travel...but think of it as a character research experience.


9. No, you don't have anyone to watch your dogs yet. Give them the car keys and they'll be fine.


10. What? The puppy? No, he would never chew up everything in the house while you were gone. No, that is not a good reason to stay home, all alone with the dogs, baking Italian cream cake and mulling cider, reading a pile of good books, writing without interruptions....Hmm.

:) Cheryl

We are what we carry around in our mouths

Our puppy, Beau, is not subtle. When he's hankering for a walk, he'll find the nearest leash or collar and carry it around the house. If he's looking to play, he redistributes his toys across the floor. When he wants attention, he drags out his family's dirty clothes (preferably underwear, but socks will do in a pinch) and gnaws on them in the middle of the living room.

Right now, he's rolling on his back, tossing an old collar in the air.

It makes me think: maybe that's why I can't ever seem to corral the books in my house. Could I be carrying them around in my mouth when I'm not paying attention?

:) Cheryl

Poodle Problems

I love the pets in my life. Really. But man, they can cause a lot of headaches!

Lily (inspirational poodle extraordinaire) is a very sweet, incredibly devoted (read--she follows me faithfully from room to room, no matter the time of day,) highly intelligent standard poodle. Yesterday, when I was walking her, her retractable leash slid across a metal sign. No more leash. This dog is hard on the leash and collar collection!


During the first year she lived with me, I faithfully spent training time with her almost every day. But...well, I got busy, and she was terrific at the training stuff, so she's gotten less training practice. She's still very sweet and fairy obedient, but I'm afraid she needs to go back on my daily list. She's starting to wonder if obedience is really in her best interest. Sigh.


She's good for me. Like my family, she makes me remember there's more to life than work. There's even (occasionally) more to life than writing!

~Cheryl

Speaking of Pets...

We have eight baby mice in our house, looking for homes. Anyone interested in a pet mouse? The mice are an easy sell to the kids in our area, but the moms haven't been as easily won over. I think my kids appreciate me more, since none of their friends' mothers will allow pet rodents in their houses!

These little mice must be on my mind, because in that space between waking and sleeping last night, I had a half-awake dream about mice and dragons. I can't stop thinking about the possible connections. What if dragons were mammals, more similar to bats than to lizards? What if a young mouse found a young dragon and thought it was another mouse? After all, bats look a lot like mice with wings. What if an elderly, near-sighted mouse had a young dragon in the house and thought it was another (strange-looking) mouse?

And that makes me wonder why the young dragon is alone. How does it get along with its mouse friends and adopted family? What problem do they face, that brings them to my attention?

I spent my lunch break sitting outside in the shade, daydreaming about them. I want to know who they are, what happens to them.

I have other writing work to do, first--some science editing, finishing the nonfiction picture book--but for now, the mouse and the dragon continue to tumble about in my mind. I wonder what will come of it!

:) Cheryl