Historical Fiction with Author Linda Oatman High

I love to read and to write historical fiction, so I was extra pleased that my friend, Linda Oatman High, agreed to be my guest and talk about the writing of her picture book set in New York City in 1910, Tenth Avenue Cowboy. Linda's book Tenth Avenue Cowboy is about a little known part of New York City history in a time when real cowboys rode the streets of Hell's Kitchen, warning children of oncoming trains.

Linda Oatman High is an author of books for children and young adults, as well as a playwright/poet/journalist/songwriter.  She holds an MFA in writing for children from Vermont College, and has been a professional writer for 20 years.  Linda grew up in Lancaster County, Pa., where she dreamed of being a Roller Derby Queen, a rock star, a TV cowgirl, or Nancy Drew.  She ended up being something even better:  a writer!  Linda presents at schools from K-college, and she is available for writing workshops, conference presentations, and school visits.  www.lindaoatmanhigh.com   Linda loves writing about history, but she also loves writing edgy young adult novels, poetry, songs, plays, and middle grade novels.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3—It's 1910, and Ben and his parents have just moved from their ranch in the West to New York City, "where they'd heard the work and the pay were the best." The lonely child, who still dreams of becoming a cowboy, misses his home and feels like an outsider in his crowded Hell's Kitchen neighborhood where the kids bully and tease him. Then he hears about the Tenth Avenue Cowboys, whose job is to gallop their horses alongside train tracks embedded in the cobblestone streets to warn people of an approaching locomotive. Striking up a friendship with these men and their horses, Ben finally begins to feel as though the city is truly his home. The lively narrative and realistic single- and double-page paintings provide a glimpse into life in early-20th-century New York City and highlight an interesting part of its past. This book could be used to expand studies of American history, cowboys, and cross-country migration. Ben's story will also speak to youngsters who have experienced change or felt like outsiders.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal  You can purchase Linda's book here:  http://amzn.to/9v1h2u
  
Linda Oatman High shares about the writing of Tenth Avenue Cowboy:

"I was reading a non-fiction book about New York City history when I came across a one-sentence mention of the Tenth Avenue Cowboys.  I was intrigued by the image of cowboys - real cowboys! - riding in the streets of Hell's Kitchen.  Upon researching the subject, I found that many children in Hell's Kitchen idolized the cowboys, looking up to them as heroes.  That was to be my plot thread, and the story turned out to be that of a young boy who moves from the West with his family.  He doesn't like living in the city, and when he connects with a cowboy named Johnny, Ben knows what he wants to be when he grows up.  My own childhood love of horses fueled the story, along with my adult love of old New York City history. 

I think that children today need more role models, and they need to know that they can follow their dreams and make wishes come true.  That is the underlying theme of Tenth Avenue Cowboy."

       SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM   
           ******LINDA OATMAN HIGH******


As an author of everything from picture books to young adult novels, Linda Oatman High visits schools from K-12 throughout the U.S.  Her school visits include a hour-long slide show assembly (may be presented up to 3 times per school day, with remaining time spent on writing workshops.)  Linda is offering a half-price DOWNTURNED ECONOMY SPECIAL for schools that schedule her during the months of October, November, or December.  Linda's usual fee is $1400/day, however during these three months her fee is cut in half to $700.00 plus travel to schools further than 50 miles from Lancaster, Pa.  Linda may be reached at 717-572-7152 or lohigh@frontiernet.net to schedule visits.  Mention the DES offer when scheduling. 


One of Linda's theme workshops is COWBOY WRITING, in which she wears a cowgirl costume and leads the students in cowboy prompts.  When Linda was a kid, she wanted to be a cowgirl.  Isn't it wonderful when real life helps us to make our dreams come true?  Learn more about Linda Oatman High, her school visits, workshops, her books, and much more by visiting her website: www.lindaoatmanhigh.com

A WRITING PROMPT FROM LINDA:

Write a story or a poem of a character in an incongruous place (i.e. a cowboy in Hell's Kitchen!)  Give that story a hero or a role model.  It could be a historical character in a modern setting.  GO!

Linda has generously donated a copy of  Tenth Avenue Cowboys, which she will personalize for one of you lucky readers.  For a chance to win, simply leave a comment. It's okay just to thank  Linda for dropping by, or to make things more interesting share what idea YOU came up with for Linda's fun and challenging writing prompt. The drawing will take place on October ONE!!!

WINNERS !!! WINNERS!!! WINNERS!!! WINNERS!!! WINNERS!!!

It's been a thrilling week! Lindsay and Maggie should feel very loved! Thank you everyone for your enthusiastic comments!  

And the WINNERS are:

Posters:  Carriann Shultz
               Becky Povich
               Kristin Gray 
               Rebecca  T
               Susan Couture

Autographed copy of MAGGIE'S BALL goes to: Margo Dill

Congratulations, Margo!!!

THE BACK TO SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE--A FREE SCHOOL VISIT with LINDSAY BARRETT GEORGE and MAGGIE  along with HUGE CONGRATULATIONS go out to:


       

   !!!!!!!!  PRESTON AREA SCHOOL !!!!!! 

All winners please e-mail me claragillowclark (@) gmail (dot)com with your mailing address! 

Preston Area School, please send me an e-mail with a contact person for setting up your FREE school visit with Lindsay! 
WOW! I can hear the cheering from here!  

Don't forget to visit Lindsay's website for your FREE coloring pages for kids!   lindsaybarrettgeorge.com  

Next up is author Linda Oatman High who will be talking to us about her historical fiction picture book, Tenth Avenue Cowboy! 








               

Presenting the very talented Illustrator Author--Lindsay Barrett George

Please welcome my dear and generous friend, the very talented illustrator and author, Lindsay Barrett George. She's sharing with us about how she became an artist, about her writing/illustrating process and about her newest book, Maggie's Ball. Read to the end to learn about the very special Back-To-School giveaways from Lindsay! 

"I was born on an island where parrots and crabs and starfish and whales lived outside my bedroom window. I drew them. I now live in the country, where deer and otter and bear and heron inhabit my backyard. I draw them. How cool is it that some things never change?

My sense of wonder and belief in the power of books goes way back to my encounter with my parents' volume of the "Wonder Book of Knowledge". On page 469 there was a photo of a sea monster caught off the coast of Florida. At the age of two, I believed that the sea monster was alive in the book, and I would avoid walking too closely to the Wonder Book. . .way too scary! Do books have power?

My artwork has always been about my environment. While living in New York City, I worked in children's publishing, but in my free time I made wordless books. . .books about the city, city dogs, city foods and city stories. I fell in love with the book as a story telling object.

I love mysteries. As I start out to create each of my books, I feel as though I have a mystery to solve. Writing the story and designing the book is my way of finding the solution. There is magic for me in creating children's books. I also love the "aha" moments when ideas come together and pop. For me, that usually happens while driving the car, walking my dogs, or in the moments just before waking, in the very early morning. I often look for happy accidents, or patterns.

About my process:

It all starts with a concept -- concept is king! Without a concept, there is no book.
Next, I start writing down all that I want to say, what I think the story is. . .and then,
I start to tweak. And re-write.

As I revise my story, I'm also making little dummies of the book--paper folded into the correct pagination for my picture book (32 pages is a good start) with the text taped in place. Until I make my initial dummy, I can't see how the story will flow as a book, or how it will page out--a book's rhythm is critical to its success as a page turning object.

After several dummies, I start working on a sample full color spread to see how the book will look.

I go back and forth between revised text, revised dummy and painted samples of several pages. And after I feel that everything has balance, that everything is working together to make my story come alive for my reader, I then submit my dummy to my editor, along with the full color painting.

For a little girl whose passion was drawing birds and fish and flowers and trees, to end up as an artist whose passion is drawing birds and fish and flowers and trees--it doesn't get any better."

Learn more about Lindsay here: lindsaybarrettgeorge.com  It's very visual, of course, and filled with warmth, like Lindsay. You'll learn about the many books she's written and illustrated. There are special FUN pages for kids to color, and much more you'll want to check out!

Maggie's Ball by Lindsay Barrett George (Kirkus *Starred Review) "When a strong wind sends Maggie's ball bouncing away, the floppy-eared pup sets out on a mission. Through the town she traipses to find her beloved yellow ball. Decoys, including a lemon, a pocket watch and a balloon send her scurrying from market to clock shop and, finally, to the park, where the disheartened dog sits unknowingly near her toy. But the journey isn't without purpose, as a young girl finds the ball, and, what's more, a friend in Maggie. [Lindsay] George effectively communicates Maggie's physical and emotional journey through multiple perspectives. Close-ups tell of Maggie's curiosity, dejection and joy, while aerial-like views create a visual roadmap of the town. The artwork's flatness hints at pre-Renaissance perspective, but the textures and bright palette--done in a water-based medium--conjure Mexican muralism. A consistent, directional progression of the story, large, easy-to-red type, the challenge of finding the characters and naming the objects and places, and the gentle, sweet ending make Maggie's adventure a perfect title for young readers, who want their own pup to play with by tale's end." (Picture book Ages 2-5/Published by Greenwillow Books) Order your copy of Maggie's Ball: http://amzn.to/bjRQbP     Now meet the real Maggie from the book:

Isn't she sweet? Maggie loves people and kids! I know, because we're friends. Sometimes she even goes to school visits with Lindsay:

Speaking of school visits, it's time to tell you about the wonderful giveaways that Lindsay is so generously donating to readers!

First: Lindsay has donated 5 signed posters from the book.
Second: Lindsay has donated a copy of Maggie's Ball autographed by Maggie and Lindsay.


And now the BACK TO SCHOOL GRAND PRIZE:  ONE FREE SCHOOL VISIT  to one of you lucky lucky teachers or school librarians!  Lindsay will come to your school for FREE if your school is willing to pay her travel expenses. That's it. She'll go anywhere in the USA!

How to WIN: As always, you must leave a comment here. The more times your write in, the better your chances of winning, since ALL winners for ALL prizes are chosen by random.org.

HINT: If you are a teacher or a librarian and would like to win, pass the word to your colleagues in your school district and have them leave a comment, too.

If you are a parent and would like Lindsay to visit your school, make sure the teachers in your child's school know about this very special gift! You can leave a comment for your child's school as well, as long as the school is willing to front Lindsay's travel expenses.

Hurry, because the drawing is in ONE WEEK!!!! Please pass the word! Here's the link to Lindsay's website one more time: lindsaybarrettgeorge.com   If you want to be entered in the drawing for the book and posters only, be sure to put that in your comment. If you want to be entered in the contest for all the prizes, write: MY SCHOOL WANTS LINDSAY to come! Good luck!

Who is the Lucky Winner of ONE SQUARE INCH plus more

Dear readers,

By now you know that I have a tasty treat in store for you before I announce the lucky winner, and today is no exception! How Oliver Olson Changed the World http://amzn.to/c2xnut is a very special book by author Claudia Mills, a book I know many of you have read or you've heard about. If you have kids in elementary school, you won't want them to miss this book. Just look at the wonderful reviews and the awards and honors that OLIVER has received:

*An American Library Association   Notable Book

*New York Public Library 100 
 Titles for Reading and Sharing

*BCCB Blue Ribbon book
 
"Better than gold.  Better than diamonds and jewels.  It's an early chapter book that's thoughtful, original, funny, and wry." - Elizabeth Bird, Fuse 8

"Mills has a knack for creating characters who demand compassion due to a pitch-perfect sense of humor and pathos." - School Library Journal
You want to read more, right? Here's the amazon link: http://amzn.to/c2xnut 
And in case you didn't check out Claudia's web-site, you can do it now: www.claudiamillsauthor.com 

Now that you are completely charmed by OLIVER (He's so winsome!), it's time to announce the winner:

The LUCKY WINNER generated by random.org is:  Nancye 

Congratulations, Nancye! Please e-mail me at claragillowclark (@) gmail (dot) com with your home address and your copy of ONE SQUARE INCH will be on its way to you. You have one week to respond. After that, the numbers go back in the random tumbler and a new winner will be picked!

Next up is the prolific author/illustrator, Lindsay Barrett George! She has an extra special giveaway for schools! Please spread the word to all your teacher and librarian friends. Thanks so much!

Author Claudia Mills shares about the writing of ONE SQUARE INCH

Many years ago now, I met Claudia Mills at a Hodge-Podge Book/Reading Conference in Albany, NY. We started to chat and ended up having breakfast together with another good friend, author Pat Brisson . Then Claudia came to my presentation. She laughed in all  the right places and then everyone else did too! I was forever after charmed. If you don't already know her, you will be charmed, too, after reading her interview below and checking out her web-site and books. She's wise and whimsical! Click here to learn all about Claudia:  www.claudiamillsauthor.com 

Join me in celebrating  with Claudia Mills the soon to be released One Square Inch:

Pre-order ONE SQUARE INCH here:        http://amzn.to/dun54a

From the publisher, Farrar Straus Giroux: Cooper’s grandfather gives him and his little sister, Carly, deeds to square inches of land in the Yukon. Carly uses them to invent her own imaginary kingdom of Inchland—far away from the silence of their home, where their single mother stays in bed all day. When their mom comes out of her season of sadness bursting with sometimes-frightening energy, Carly retreats into Inchland while sixth-grader Cooper tries to control the chaos. But can Cooper really keep Carly—and himself—safe? Ages 10-14  Sept 14, 2010


INTERVIEW


How did you come to write One Square Inch?

     When my husband was growing up in the 1950s, he participated in the marketing frenzy created by Quaker Oats when they began offering in every box of cereal a deed to one square inch of the Yukon, a tie-in the popular radio program, “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon.”  When he first showed his deeds to me, I thought nothing could be more magical than having a claim to such a tiny piece of land, one’s own square inch, with all its possibilities. I knew I wanted to write a book about this someday.

     I knew it would be about a boy and his sister who escape from something difficult in their lives by creating an imaginary world in their one square inch, but I didn’t yet know the source of their need to escape.  Finally, some twenty years later, my own life was touched in a painful way by mental illness.  So then I knew that Cooper and Carly would be trying to create a refuge from their mother’s bipolar disorder, and that they would discover that the only safe place anyone can ever find is the one we create for ourselves within.

You’ve said that this was the hardest book you ever wrote.  Why was that?

     Oh, so many reasons!  For starters, the topic itself had the potential for being simply depressing and painful to read about. While I wanted readers to connect with the sad core of the story, and to be moved by it, I also didn’t want them to refuse to read on because they found the story a “downer.”  So I tried to develop the sweet beauty of Cooper and Carly’s shared fantasy life, as well as creating some humor in the story by setting various scenes in the “Food Fun” class Cooper is taking in middle school, taught by the comical Mr. Costa, whom the kids of course nickname Mr. Pasta.

What other challenges did you find along the way?

     Of all my books, ever, this was the one I had to rewrite the most extensively.  My editor, Margaret Ferguson at FSG, kept telling me, correctly I’m afraid, that the story ran the danger of being too much the story of Cooper’s mother, rather than Cooper’s story.  All the changes I made from my original version of the manuscript were in the service of making this be Cooper’s story. The first thing I did was to kill off Cooper’s father, who had been fairly distant and ineffectual, anyway.  Now Cooper and Carly are alone with their mother as she becomes progressively more ill.  Then (and this broke my heart to do!), I killed off Cooper’s lovely, warm, caring grandmother and turned his lovely, warm, caring grandfather into someone more like his distant, ineffectual father had been – before I killed him off.  Now the peril of Cooper’s situation is intensified, because he doesn’t have the refuge of a concerned, available family member in whom he can confide.  Finally, I changed the book from third person (the voice of almost all of my books) to first person, so that Cooper himself is telling us the story.  So I’ll be eager to hear what readers say now: have I succeeded in making this Cooper’s story?  I hope so!

What else are you working on?

     Next year FSG is publishing the sequel to my chapter book, 7 x 9 = Trouble!, titled Fractions = Trouble!, in which poor Wilson Williams, who struggled so with learning his times tables in the first book, now has to try to master the fiendish difficulty of fractions – worse, with the help of a math tutor.  Wilson is convinced he’s the only kid in the history of Hill Elementary School to have a math tutor – and he’s determined that nobody else ever finds this out.  And I’ve also been working on a humorous series for Random House, about a curmudgeonly boy and his hyper-enthusiastic best friend (sort of a friendship between immovable object and irresistible force).  The first book, Mason Dixon: Pet Disasters, is coming out in March.

Do you have any advice to give aspiring writers?

     Years ago, I read somewhere this pithy thought about writing: “You don’t have an idea until you have two ideas.”  That really came alive for me in writing One Square Inch.  When all I had was the idea for the imaginary world of Inchland, I didn’t yet have a full-fledged idea for a book.  It was when I combined that idea with the idea of writing about a family burdened with mental illness that I could proceed with writing the book.  So: you don’t have an idea until you have two ideas.  Whoever first said that was right!


Claudia's BIO:

Claudia Mills grew up in New Jersey, with her one-year-younger sister. Together they dreamed up the magical kingdoms of Bladen (perfectly round), Maloone (shaped like a star), Socker (shaped like a sock), and Moo (shaped like a cow), ruled by princesses with names like Candleceina and Moonerette. So they had a lot in common with Cooper and Carly in One Square Inch.

In addition to being a children's book author, Claudia is a professor in the philosophy department at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the mother of two almost-grown-up sons. One Square Inch is her 43rd book for young readers. [Yes, this is Claudia's 43rd book! Hope some of her magic rubs off on us!]

Her magic is sure to rub off on one of you, because she has graciously donated a signed copy of an ARC (Advance Reading Copy) to one of you who writes in and leaves a comment. You can congratulate Claudia on her new book, or for more fun, add what you would call your make believe Inchland if you had those Quaker Oats Certificates.

Claudia's web-site link again--be sure to check out her inspiring blog about a writer's day to day life when you're over there:  www.claudiamillsauthor.com

The lucky winner will be selected by random.org on September 1, 2010!

     .

   

The Winner of A VAMPIRE COMES TO DINNER! TEN RULES TO FOLLOW

Dear Readers,

Thanks so much for stopping by this past week to celebrate with Pamela Jane about her ghoulishly good book, A VAMPIRE COMES TO DINNER! TEN RULES TO FOLLOW   Special thanks to everyone who shared a RULE they would make if a vampire was coming to their house for dinner. It really added to the fun for Pamela and me! If you haven't checked out her web-site yet, here's the link again: http://www.pamelajane.com 

I know you're all eager to find out just which of you is the LUCKY WINNER, but first, a reminder of what's coming! I'm really excited about my fall lineup.

Next week, we'll be celebrating another BOOK BIRTHDAY! Claudia Mills will be sharing about her new middle grade book, One Square Inch. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB) wrote this: "Won't someone think of middle-graders? Fortunately, Claudia Mills does. . .with continued perception, humor, and sympathy."  Claudia is donating an autographed copy of the book! Exciting!

In September, Lindsay Barrett George, will be here with her new book, Maggie's Ball. She writes and illustrates, and she'll be sharing about that. Plus, she has an extra special giveaway for readers along with a copy of the book.

In October, Hilary Wagner will be our guest! Have you seen previews of her new book? Exciting. And she's donating an autographed copy! A mystery guest will stop by for Halloween!

Other author guests will be Melissa Wyatt, Linda Oatman High, and, as a wrap up for the year, K.L.Going and a YA writing contest sponsored by yours truly.

And the WINNER of A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! Ten Rules to Follow is: Kimberly Lynn

Kimberly, please e-mail me (claragillowclark(@)gmail(dot)com) with your home address and your autographed book will soon be be on its way!

What would YOU do if. . .

What would you do if a vampire came to your house for dinner? Author Pamela Jane has the perfect solution! She's written a book for youngsters that is sure to tickle their funny bones and she's stopped by to share the inspiration for writing, A Vampire Is Coming to Dinner! Ten Rules to follow. Penguin Books for Young Readers, Aug 2010.


Here's what Pam has to say about The Ultimate Book on Vampire Etiquette:

"Believe it or not, I had no idea vampires would become so wildly popular when I first conceived of the idea for A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! 10 Rules to Follow. The book had its genesis in a tickling fame I used to play with my daughter, when she was little. She would come home from school, flop down on the bed, and beg me to tickle her.

'Please?' she would say. 'Just for a minute?'

So we'd play the vampire tickling game. I'd try to tickle her neck and tell her a vampire was coming to dinner and he would be very hungry. Or thirsty. And was hiding her neck a polite way to treat a thirsty vampire?

It was a silly game, and I never dreamed I'd write a book based on the idea. But I love lists (thus the 10 rules), especially lists I write that tell me what I'm supposed to be doing. And while all the picture books I've published have been rhyming books, I've always wanted to try writing a "concept" book. So I got the idea of the list of rules the boy in the story writes to get himself through the scary, ultimately silly, confrontation with a vampire. As you'll see, he breaks every single one! Pedro Rodriguez's modern, imaginative illustrations add the perfect vampire-ish touch.

I hope you'll enjoy reading A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! and discovering what mischief lurks behind each "lift the flap" frame. And that, like a little boy at a school I recently visited, you'll think 'The Vampire book really rocks.'"

A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! 10 Rules to Follow  by Pamela Jane, illus.by Pedro Rodriguez, Price Stern Sloan, $7.99 ISBN 978-0-8431-9964-2 After a Nosferatu-like vampire announces an unexpected visit to a boy's house. . .what follows is a list of rules. . .which appear on flaps within  antique golden picture frames. Kids will delight in lifting each flap to reveal retro-styled spreads in which the boy outwits the vampire at every turn--welcoming him with spotlights, candles, and lamps ("Make sure all the lights are off"). . .the book is a ghoulishly good time. Ages 3-up. (Aug.) Publisher's Weekly review
Order it here: http://amzn.to/9RGOXO
I know you'll want to learn more about Pamela Jane. You can do that right now by clicking on these links:
http://www.pamelajane.com (Great site, Pamela!)
http://blog.pamelajane.com/  

It'll be more fun to look at Pamela's web-site, but let me just share that she is the author of 26 books for children, including Noelle of the Nutcracker, illustrated by Jan Brett (Houghton Mifflin) which has been optioned for a film. Her featured book, A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! 10 Rules to Follow will be released on August 12--that's tomorrow--and Ten Little Goblins is forthcoming from Harper, 2011. If you have kids, then you've seen her books in Scholastic and Weekly Reader Book Clubs, and on ALA "Pick of the Lists". 

Wait! Keep reading. We have a ghoulishly fun surprise just for you!

Pamela Jane has generously donated a copy of her featured book:  A Vampire is Coming to Dinner! 10 Rules to Follow  and will personalize it to one of the lucky readers who drop by to leave us a comment. You know how much we all love to hear from readers. You can simply write in to say that you enjoyed reading the post, or what we would really love to know is what RULE you would make if a vampire was coming to your house for dinner! Put those thinking caps on. The clock will strike at midnight on August 18.  The winner will be selected by random.com and maybe it will be YOU!