Honesty with a Capital H

Below is a response I gave to a ning group I belong to. We were discussing loneliness in a writer's life. I wrote that I am never lonely because I carry my characters along with me. Yet as I thought of this I came to realize that 'lonely' has been a feeling these past three weeks but not in the literal sense, more on a deeper level which I try to explain below:

To be totally honest, if someone came along and told me I can have a whole year on a secluded island with nothing but amble paper, pens, computer, and internet, I would grab the opportunity.

You see, although family comes first, being 51, there are goals I want to meet. Let me clarify this for just a moment to better understand where I'm heading.

There are times in a writer's life where our Muse tells us we are moving forward but our true inner self doesn't feel it. We put our commitments and accomplishments down on paper and right there, before our eyes, we see we have accomplished not only our writer's platform, but also maintaining our deadlines.

The problem I have had to deal with is this:

I am meeting all of my groups goals, all of my duties as Submissions Editor, answering emails, helping writers, upkeeping my blogs and ezines, organizing the conference...

But have you noticed what is missing?

yes...personal writing.

A writer connects with his or her emotions on a deeper level when they feel their writing is moving forward. The commitments should be the secondary aspects in one's career. So when you actually jot down what you have done and see the lack of personal writing, this has a huge impact in one's Muse. At least, it has had with me.

The past three weeks have been extremely hard on me because I feel as though I have gone off my track...my writing track. I used to write everyday, regardless on what else I worked on. Even if I wrote one paragraph I felt contented because I knew I moved my own writing forward in some small way.

So the moral of this posting is to offer a personal experience and tell you that no matter what you involve yourself with, make sure you leave time for your own writing. Without this allotted time at some point you will feel an emptiness and hidden stress as though your Muse has left you and moved on.

Meet Harry Gilleland: Part Two

Well now we get to the nitty gritty and find out about Harry Gilleland, where he's from, what makes him tick as a writer.

Please tell us all about yourself, Harry.

I was born a poor white child to a blue-collar family. My father worked as a railroad car repair worker, which involved riveting, soldering, hammering, etc inside wrecked railroad cars to return them to service.

Where was this, Harry?

This was in Macon, Georgia. In the summer when the outside temperature was nearly 100 degrees, inside a boxcar was suffocating. Pop would come home after work with salt from sweat encrusted on his work shirt. He always told me, “Son, when you grow up, work with your head and not your hands.” I took this advice to heart.

What type of student were you?

I was a straight A student throughout my schooling, which was easy enough for me what with my natural intellect. In high school I was a certified nerd … chess club, honor group, the works. I hung out with the other nerds. (Aside: We nerds always wondered why all the girls went after the jocks and not us nerds. Didn’t they realize that we would become the doctors, lawyers, professors, the ‘Bill Gates’, and be a good provider? That football quarterback with the C- average they were drooling over ended up a used car salesman.) I earned a freshman scholarship and went off to the University of Georgia in Athens.

My senior year of high school, I had managed to secure a girlfriend. Midway through my sophomore year at UGa, I married her. She was 18; I was 19. It seemed like a good idea at the time. (Teenage sex hormones!) I guess I thought we could grow up together. The marriage lasted 18 years, and we produced three great children together. During these years, I earned a B.S. and a M.S. in Microbiology, and began working on a Ph.D. Then, (drum roll please), who came knocking but my draft board. Seems they were scrapping the bottom of the barrel (actually what they told me) in getting enough bodies to send to fight in Vietnam and they really needed me to drop out of my Ph.D. studies to join the Army. It felt satisfying being labeled “bottom of the barrel”, I can tell you.

I spent the next three years of my life serving in the Army. I went through enlisted basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in late December until the end of February. It was my first experience with ice and snow. We marched in it; we slept in it; we fired rifles in it. The Army gave me a test to see what my best military specialty would be. Guess what! Turns out with all my education I was best suited to be a rifleman and fight as an infantryman. Thank goodness I had applied for a direct commission as a laboratory officer and my appointment as a captain came through the last day of enlisted basic. I went from being an E-0 to a 0-3…and did my life ever get better! I learned a lot from the Army and feel I matured greatly during those three years. For two years I was Chief over the Microbiology section of the medical laboratory at William Beaumont General Hospital in El Paso, Texas. I learned a lot of hands-on clinical microbiology to supplement my book learning, plus I learned a lot about leadership. Then I got a chance to travel and see part of Asia. Vietnam was a nice place to visit, except that the VC wanted us dead. I finished my Army service and returned straight from Vietnam back to UGA and resumed my Ph.D. studies.

Can you tell us a bit about your brief stay in Canada?

I earned my Ph.D. in Microbiology in 1973 and immediately headed off to London….Canada, that is. I spent two years on a fellowship at The University of Western Ontario. In Canada, I learned many Canadians didn’t approve of Americans and hated Kraft cheese for some reason. I also learned what winter from October to June was like. The day I arrived at work frozen and found out the temperature outside was –10, with a windchill factor of –35, I knew I was finding a job in the South!

-35 is just about right, Harry. Although lately we've had -40plus with the chill factor. So, did you find a job down South eventually?

Sure enough I joined the faculty of LSU Medical School in Shreveport, La in 1975. I remained on the faculty until I retired in 2004. During these years, I lectured to medical students and graduate students and did scientific research. My project was investigating the use of a purified outer member protein F of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a vaccine candidate to prevent pulmonary infections, primarily in children with CF. I enjoyed publishing our results and presenting our data at meetings and conferences in the U.S. and in Europe. This work allowed my second wife and me to see Munich, Paris, London, Florence, Rome, plus take train rides across Bavaria and France, as well as through Austria and Tuscany. Being a professor at a medical school is heady stuff…

I divorced wife #1 in 1982; then married my second wife, Linda, in 1985. We belong together…true soul mates. Linda and I are now both happily retired and living the good life. In 2001 I started writing poetry. Now I am a self-published author of three poetry books and two works of prose. Life is good! I hope to continue as a writer until the day I die.

I am grandfather to five grandchildren, aged 10 to 7. One’s immortality lies in one’s descendents for generations to come.

You said that you were not attractive to the girls in high school. When did you become so fabulously desirable to members of the opposite sex, i.e. women?

Strangely enough, the women paid me no mind while I was a professor and a scientist, but when I became a poet, they became totally fascinated with me. They pursued me relentlessly, much to my wife Linda’s chagrin. I finally had to gain a lot of weight and go bald headed so that I could disappear among the legion of fat, old, bald men to escape. Just one of the few drawbacks to being a writer and an author, I guess.

You are known primarily as a poet. Do you plan to write more prose novels?

Yes, hopefully so. I enjoy the difference between writing poetry and writing prose.

My wife Linda loves Bob the Dragon Slayer and wants me to write more prose. Like any smart husband, I try to keep the wife happy.

What a smart man you are, Harry. Keeping the wife happy means a continuous stream of dinners for you.

I want to thank you for taking time today and allowing our readers to meet you on a more personal level.

If you missed Part One where Harry talks about his YA book, Bob the Dragon Slayer, click here to read the post. Harry, I want to wish you continued success in your writing career and please keep us posted with any new publications.

Welcome Harry Gilleland

I want to welcome Harry Gilleland to The Writing Jungle. Today we're going to find out about Harry's Young Adult novels, Bob the Dragon Slayer.

As a Young Adult author myself I have to say this age group is most exciting. Why? Because young adults are spontaneous and writers use this advantage to offer exciting adventures to one and all, regardless of age. Look at the Harry Potter series. There were readers of all ages enjoying those books.

And now without further delay, I like to welcome and present Bob the Dragon Slayer by Harry Gilleland.

Author: Harry Gilleland:

Bob the Dragon Slayer

Paperback: 108 pages

Publisher: Lulu.com (April 25, 2005)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1411633156

ISBN-13: 978-1411633155

Bob, a mere peasant lad, sets off to see a dragon that is terrorizing a village and soon falls in with a wizard named Stephen. Thereafter, his life is filled with adventures that involve dragons, knights, damsels in distress, castles, a fair lady, friendship, true love, an evil king, civil war, and lawyers. This rollicking tale belongs not to history but to legend. Written with wit and humor, this novella will delight readers from teenagers to octogenarians.

This novella will entertain and delight readers from mid-teens to elderly. It is a fantasy with a heart and lots of humor. It is appropriate as a Young Adult (YA) book, especially for those teenage male reluctant readers. Its brevity, short chapters, humor, and fast pace will keep even reluctant readers engaged. This is not to say that adults won’t enjoy this novella also. This book should appeal to any reader above the age of 13.

Reviews for Bob the Dragon Slayer have been uniformly positive. Please visit Amazon.com to read the nine reviews posted there.

http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Dragon-Slayer-Harry-Gilleland/dp/1411633156/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

Other reviews may be read at the book’s Lulu site:

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/bob-the-dragon-slayer/118897

Here are two reviews from YA book review sites:

“Bob The Dragon Slayer” by Harry Gilleland

Young adult 108 pages Lulu Press May 2005 Paperback

Quirky humor makes Bob the Dragon Slayer downright funny. Author Harry Gilleland successfully combines the chivalry of knighthood with the casualness of a modern neighborhood to spark a laugh on every page.

The story of Bob is narrated by the patriarch of the McClair family during a Thanksgiving reunion. It is described as a “grown up tale of adventure” - Granddad even cautions fifteen-year-old Katie to cover her ears in spots. Readers would do well to heed this warning, because this is definitely not a children’s book. Some sexual innuendoes and swear words make parts of this story inappropriate for younger readers.

Bob the Dragon Slayer is a legendary hero of humble beginnings. Raised in a barn, he sets off one day to kill dragons and earn some fame and fortune. A wizard named Stephen gives him some much-needed help, and soon Bob has a reputation for being fearless. As certain secrets are revealed, Bob learns that he is not really a peasant but of the royal line. What follows next is nothing short of hilarious as Simple Bob becomes Sovereign Bob, and all his loyal subjects have big smiles on their faces.

This is a terrific book written with a huge dose of humor. Bob’s unique, entertaining adventures borrow some ideas from medieval history and the rest from a very active imagination; Gilleland weaves a story that is fast-paced and fun. These pages are filled with dragons, damsels in distress and even a war with an evil king. Friendship, love and honor are also explored through the actions of the characters.

Readers will feel an instant empathy with Bob, probably because he is more like a next-door neighbor than a legendary hero. And that’s the beauty of this story: Bob is someone worthy of our time because he is one of us. Although he’s a bit goofy and bumbling, his heart is in the right place - and that’s what counts.

-- Joyce Handzo/2005 for curled up with a good kid's book

Welcome to Young Adult (& Kid's) Books Central!

The Latest YA Book Reviews

Bob the Dragon Slayer by Harry Edward Gilleland

Bob, Spot, and Bruce save the day.
a review by Kimberly Pauley (YA Books Goddess)

More of a novella than a novel, Bob the Dragon Slayer is a fun, very tongue-in-cheek fantasy novel. Given the length and the humor, this is a very fast read that will bring a smile to your face more than once.

Bob, a simple peasant lad who also happens to be an orphan, sets out to seek his fortune. He’s heard that the king has offered both riches and his oldest daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who can defeat a particular dragon bent on terrorizing the countryside.

Against all odds and with the help of a fledgling wizard named, of all things, Stephen, Bob actually defeats the dragon (his new sword, which he promptly dubs “Bruce” is also a huge help). However, the king and his daughter have no desire to associate or reward a peasant and they manage to legally wrangle out of Bob’s promised reward.

Upset, but without any recourse, Bob continues his travels and soon finds himself slaying dragons left and right, and (sometimes) actually collecting the promised reward. After killing a particularly monstrous beast, he falls in with Wilfred (or Willie, as he likes to call him), a true knight who pledges to help and educate Bob.

This friendship truly changes Bob’s life, especially after Willie discovers that Bob is actually the only surviving progeny of the rightful king. The other thing that really changes Bob’s future…? Meeting Lady Katherine, a woman of, er, ample delights.

With further interference from Stephen, support from Willie, and with thoughts of the lovely Kate always on his mind, Bob soon finds himself working on unseating the current nasty king (yes, the same one that denied him his reward) and getting himself crowned The Peasant King.

This is a fun little fable and Bob’s peasant attitude is sure to please reluctant readers. Recommended for readers aged 14 and up, primarily due to a bit of off-color-ness revolving around Bob & Kate’s romance, though it isn’t particularly racy (especially if compared to many of today’s most popular YA novels). Adults will also enjoy this one.

Meet Nicole Weaver - children's author

I began writing around seven years ago. I joined my church’s writing group. I started writing poems about my experiences. Many of my poems were published in my church’s bi-monthly publication. I later entered a poem competition sponsored by my local library district. I won 1st place, that really inspired me to continue writing.

Yes! my family supported me in a huge way. I have written a story about my son. I will at some point get that story published.

I fell in love with children’s Picture book when I came to the United States. I was ten years old at the time. In about six months, I learned how to read in English. After reading so many volumes of children’s Picture books, I knew one day I would write one myself.

I wrote the book in English/French/Spanish because I am fluent in all three languages. I have been teaching French/Spanish for twenty four years now. I think it is imperative that we expose young children to other cultures and languages at an early age. The World is becoming more and more competitive, in order to stay abreast educationally, culturally we must provide our children with much more rigor. In Europe it is not unusual for students to study two to three foreign languages.

I lived near the beach in Haiti when I was a little girl. Sea turtles came to shore a lot. One day as I was strolling on the beach along came this huge sea turtle….. Sorry you have to buy and read my book to find out what happened next.

I think writing is hard in general.

I published with Outskirts Press because I wanted to have complete rights to my book. I am very much dedicated to writing books that feature children of color. As a child I always wondered why the characters in the books I read were always a different color than me. Publishing with Outskirtspress afforded me the flexibility to decide on the illustrations and many important issues regarding my book.

I would love to see many more children books that features people of color. I spend a lot of time in the children section at my local library reading, much to my dismay very few books are about people of color. I want to make a huge dent in that trend.

I am currently working on two more books. Both will be tri-lingual. In fact, all of my future books will be in English/French/Spanish. I am totally dedicated to promoting foreign language literacy and World cultures.

Parents/ teachers : The best way to use my book is to first read it in English to your child/ student, later have he/she tell you the translation for specific words. You might want to discuss prior to reading the book what a cognate is in English. There are many cognates in French/Spanish that are similar to English. I am working on a study guide that I will make available later . One last tip: See if your child/student can sound out the French/Spanish words after reading the English version. This activity can be a very good exercise in phonetics.

Title: Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle

Written by: Nicole Weaver

Illustrated by: Ruben Chavez

Ages: 6-9

Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.

ISBN: 978-1-4327-2377-4

Published: March 2009

Softcover: 36 pages

Price: $14.95

The wonder and beauty of the ocean draws Marie to the beach each day in the hunt for the perfect seashell. Her adventures bring her to the best location on the island. Delighted to catch a glimmer in the distance, Marie rushes to retrieve what she believes will be the most beautiful seashell ever. To her surprise she finds a stranded sea turtle, who oddly enough communicates his frustration of being stuck on the beach. With love and determination Marie seeks a way to release the sea turtle back to his home in the ocean.

Written in English, French, and Spanish children’s author, Nicole Weaver reaches many cultures and pulls at children’s hearts in their love and wonderment of the world around them. Illustrator, Ruben Chavez further brings the story alive with his colorful illustrations which certainly will make the reader yearn for their own beach adventures.

Nicole Weaver is a children’s author and veteran teacher of French and Spanish at the middle school and high school levels. Visit Nicole at: http://www.authorsden.com/nicoleweaver

Ruben Chavez is an illustrator and fine artist. He enjoys rendering people in various mediums, with the intent of capturing their spirit and soul. Visit Ruben at: http://rubenchavez.com/index.html

_________________________

Reviewed by Donna M. McDine for the National Writing for Children Center. Donna’s publishing credits include over 25 print and ezine publications and is the Marketing Manager at Stories for Children Magazine. She placed 12^th in the 77^th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition in the category Children’s/Young Adult Fiction and recently signed her first book contract with Guardian Angel Publishing. She is also a member of the SCBWI and Musing Our Children. To learn more about Donna’s writing career visit her at http://www.donnamcdine.com. Sign her guestbook and receive her FREE e-Book ~ “Write What Inspires You! Author Interviews”

Interview with Helena Harper

1. Have you always been interested in writing poetry? Actually, no! I've always loved to write, but my first love has always been writing fantasy stories for young children. I wrote poetry at school, of course, and every so often when I was on holiday, but it wasn't a regular thing.

2. So, what prompted you to write your first book “It's a Teacher's Life...!” Well, I've been a teacher for 20 years and about three years ago, when I was having a lovely holiday at a beautiful place in the country, I was inspired to write some poetry, and when I came home, I then had the idea to write some more poems about my life as a teacher. Each poem would concentrate on a different aspect of school life, such as the lessons, what went on in the staffroom, school trips, exams, report writing, and so on. I also wanted to pay tribute to some of the support staff who do so much to keep a school running, but are often forgotten about e.g. the cook, the caretaker/janitor, the nurse, the school secretary – the unsung heroes of life is what I call them.

3. Do you have a favourite poem? No, I can't say I've got a favourite. Each one is written from the heart and it's impossible for me to single one out in particular.

4. What prompted you to write your book “Family and More – Enemies or Friends?” I had the idea one day whilst driving to work. I was just thinking about my family and other people in my life who've had a big influence on me, one way or the other, and suddenly the idea popped into my head that I could write a second collection of poems about them and the lessons I've learnt from them.

5. Why is it called “Enemies or Friends?” That's got a lot to do with the fact that my mother is German and my father was English, and I just couldn't get my head round the fact that, had I been born a few years earlier, all my German relatives would have been my 'enemies'. To me they could never have been 'enemies', just 'family'. It got me thinking about how futile it is to talk about so-called national divisions.

6. What did you find the hardest about writing your book(s)? Finding the time to finish them and then the editing, the endless checking and re-reading – it drove me crazy!

7. What was the easiest part? Just writing the poems – I was totally absorbed by the process and really enjoyed it.

8. How do you describe your style of poetry? Easy-to-read, easily accessible free verse. I want people to be able to read and understand what I'm writing about from the word go. I don't like things to be hidden in obscurity. I write simply as I'm inspired to write. The poems I've had published in my two collections are really stories and character sketches that just happen to be in verse. One of the reviews on Amazon talks about me developing a new form of poetry, called the 'anecdotal poem', and I think that describes my style of poetry very well.

9. What's the attraction of writing poetry as opposed to writing children's stories? When I write poetry, I can concentrate on the rhythm and sound of the words and use vocabulary I wouldn't be able to use in my children's stories. It's a marvellous linguistic challenge - the sound of words has always been something that's fascinated me. It's one of the reasons I studied modern languages. When I write my children's stories, it's more about escaping into a wonderful world of fantasy, leaving the mundane 'real' world behind – I find it wonderfully exciting and liberating.

10. When you're not writing, what are you doing? Tutoring, translating, reading, walking, playing tennis or dancing, doing Pilates, spending time with my niece and nephew.

11. What are your future writing goals? The illustrations for my first children's picture book are being done at the moment and my aim is to have the book published before the end of the year.

'It's a Teacher's Life...! A Collection of Poems Set in a Girls' Private School' and summary of contents

No doubt you remember your life at school as a pupil - the long lessons, stringent rules and chaotic classrooms - but what was it like from the teacher's perspective? Did they savour the experience of setting and marking our homework? Did they get a kick out of writing our reports? And, most intriguingly, what did they get up to in the staffroom?

If you've never been there yourself, you need to follow Helena Harper into this alternative world of coffee addiction, frantic marking, lesson-planning and inspections. She answers all of your questions and more, and her insightful, evocative and often sardonic descriptions leave you more appreciative of the trials and tribulations (and the occasional pleasures) of being the dragon in front of the whiteboard.

It's a Teacher's Life...! will open the eyes of the pupils who always thought that teachers didn't exist outside of school hours... On the other hand, with such a long roll-call of meetings, assessments and after-hours activities, perhaps they were right all along!

Content

The School Ethos — gently does it: kid gloves needed!

The Workplace — old and new: in harmony or at odds?

The New School Year — meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings! Brains creaking, creaking, creaking, creaking!

The Staffroom — a blessed haven, a refuge from all this teaching insanity!

The Lessons — rush, rush, rush! Sigh, sigh, sigh!

The Workroom — moaning, groaning, gossiping...moaning, groaning, gossiping...moaning, groaning, gossiping...

The Duties — brightening every teacher’s day

The Prize Giving — examination success applauded, independent thought neglected

The Carol Service — angelic voices and appearance: would it could always be like this!

The Trips — definitely, definitely, definitely not a good idea! Infamous risk assessments hanging like lead around the neck...eating and drinking, blinking and breathing must go in...hang it all, where’s the bin?

The Open Afternoon — uniformed angels painting the school in such a beautifully perfect light!

The German Teacher — hawk-like eyes, bubbling laughter, prejudice and French her common foes!

Matron — a cup of tea, a kind word, a listening ear: all provided with TLC

The Cook — Joy, her name, and joy her very nature (an unsung hero of everyday life)

The Caretaker — Emilio from Spain in the land of rain, glorious rain

Amy, the Able — Queen of Resources, organised, efficient, expert and skilful (another unsung hero)

The Inspection — smoking-hot photocopiers, senior managers and HODs on their knees...

The Exams — eyelids growing heavy with hours of sleep denied...

The Reports — the once a year chore, delight bursting forth in every breast at the joy of the long nights in store...

The End-of-Year Bash — bleary eyes shaking off tiredness for one last evening of merriment true

REVIEWS FOR “IT'S A TEACHER'S LIFE...!” from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk (reviews by Top Reviewers are first, then come reviews by ordinary readers)

A Work With Feeling. By Don Blankenship, Amazon Top 100 Reviewer
5 stars

Free verse has become a universal mode for expressing thoughts, feelings, reality and unreality for many. Some writers write very bad verse (I find myself in this category), while others have mastered its form and are able to use it as a sharp tool, a soft pillow for pleasing landings and most importantly, sharing the many little pieces of their world with others. Helena Harper is quite obviously one of those with the skill and the feelings to accomplish the last mentioned.

"It's A Teacher's Life" is a small volume of free verse telling her story; her experiences and her thoughts during the time she taught at an all girls school in England. Now I judge poetry, in any form, by a few simple standards. First, is the author conveying her or his true feelings about and for the subject being addressed? Secondly, does the subject touch me; can I relate to what the author is trying to tell me. Thirdly, does the author use metaphors and similes that are realistic? As an example, if the author suddenly tries to compare a walking stick to some dead Etruscan God that no one but one extremely familiar with Etruscans and walking sticks could possible relate to, much less understand, then it is a useless attempt at communication. (Walking sticks possibly; Etruscan Gods, well that is rather problematic for most of us). The obscure becomes irrelevant, the more obscure; the more irrelevant and the fewer there are to enjoy and appreciate the author's work.

Fortunately for me, and for all of us, Ms Harper has fulfilled each of my requirements and given us an understandable work that most of us can perfectly relate to, even if all of us are not in the teaching profession. I have to admit that without exception I enjoyed each of the twenty offerings in this wonderful little book. As I read each piece, I could actually feel the happiness, frustrations, and indeed a twinge of anger and sadness here and there. Her obvious love for the children comes through, as well as her rather sardonic, caustic and realistic view of many of them, and her complete confusion and non-acceptance of many of the modern "things" that fill our lives is also shown. Her impatience with the mundane meetings, parents that to a certain extent make life difficult for both teacher and child, and the endless institutional requirements is quite apparent. Readers should not expect that each and every image presented here is a "happy' little glimpse into the life of a teacher, there are very realistic and rather whimsical "down" moments.

"The teachers feed off the food
and the words of thanks
that fall occasionally from
pupils' and parents' lips.
These scraps of appreciation
satisfying momentarily
While thoughts of doing
something worthwhile
surface - though just temporarily -
until fatigue overwhelms
and drives the teachers home...
The meager morsels of gratitude
becoming rarer each year,
yet somehow teachers survive
on this diet of starvation
for year after year..."

Read these lines well. While we find here the words of a very dedicated individual, we also pick up just a bit of justifiable bitterness. Again, these words touched me, they communicated and I could relate; I could feel. On the other hand, there are many light moments expressed in this work to which I could also relate. That is one of the strong aspects of this collection as a whole; we get a taste of both the up and of the down. I must warn you though; due to the small size of the little volume and the author's propensity to use, at first glance, to use simple and easly understood language, a reader may be tempted to rip through this one. That is a big mistake as there is much more here than meets the eye!

This is a wonderful collection of poems that were written from the heart. This work would be an absolute wonderful gift for any teacher in your life; it would be a wonderful gift and read for anyone wishing to understand not only teachers, but all people who dedicate their lives to service.

Love this small glimpse into a remarkable woman's life, and I do hope more is to follow.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

A Teacher's Life in Poetry. By Robin Friedman, Amazon Top 50 Reviewer
4 stars

"It's a Teacher's Life!" is a short, elegant and whimsical collection that explores in poetry a year in the life of a teacher at a private school for girls in England. The language and experiences are British indeed, but the author's feelings, frustrations, and hopes touch on the universal. The author, Helena Harper, worked for two years in banking before deciding to become a teacher. The reader learns Harper's thoughts about her chosen profession through poetry.

The little book consists of twenty poems and eighty pages together with several small sketches which illustrate the themes of the poetry. The sketches add much to the book. The collection begins with a poem called "The School Ethos" in which Harper gently satirizes "the caring environment" free of discipline or criticism which her school tries to offer its charges. The book then proceeds from the beginning of the school year to the end. It concludes with a poem titled "The End-of-Year-Bash" which describes the speeches, recognition and refreshment that celebrate the end of the year of hard work in teaching and learning. At the end of the celebration, Harper reflects, as she does frequently in the book, on the passage of the year and its meaning. She concludes "It's just a divine mirage/ enticing us to play/ in this amazing, incredible human fray!"

The book describes the teacher's life in the classroom and out in the endless cycle of preparing and giving lessons, performing collateral duties at the school, attending trips and programs, and trying to please administrators, parents and overseers. Harper offers good character sketches of many people in the school, including the Head of Music, Mr. Cress, the German teacher, the long-suffering matron who selflessly eases both students and staff through a multitude of aches and pains, the cook, Joy, who is a favorite of the author, the caretaker, Emilio, who leaves the school after 30 years of service to return to his native Spain, and "Amy, the Able", the office administrator whose name speaks for itself.

For all the whimsy and lightness, Harper is at her best in her reflections of her role as a teacher and its significance. An example is the concluding passage from the "End-of-Year-Bash" quoted above. In a poem called "The Workroom" Harper describes the chore of lesson preparation with her colleagues. The poem concludes with an almost mystical passage of the unity of purpose that binds those in academic life:

"Unrelated they may be,
but an invisible strand,
like the air each breathes,
ties them together
and makes them as one -
no longer separate beings
but different aspects of
an indefinable whole -
a close, invisible
community of the soul."

In a poem called "The Lesson" describing the difficulty of classroom teaching, Harper again concludes with a meditative passage:

"that's the reward
for hours and hours of work
and patience,
a reward of infinite measure,
a priceless, unlimited treasure."

As a final example, at the conclusion of a poem called "The Exam", the students complete their work, the docents receive the exam books, and Harper reflects on the process:

"The teachers follow,
and silence reigns once more,
broken only by
the great illusion of time,
ticking indefatigably
in the phantom human mime."

In a short, light way, Harper's book explores the frustrations of the teacher's life. Through the short-term difficulty and travail, she captures something of its significance as well. This is a delightful little book.

Robin Friedman

Available in paperback from all major online retailers. Not stocked in bookstores, but can be ordered from any bookstore.

http://www.amazon.com/Teachers-Collection-Poems-Private-School/dp/1847481825/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Its-Teachers-Life-Collection-Private/dp/1847481825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230149878&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.ca/Teachers-Collection-Poems-Private-School/dp/1847481825/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239391752&sr=8-2

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Its-a-Teachers-Life-a-Collection-of-Poems-Set-in-a-Girls-Private-School/Helena-Harper/e/9781847481825/?itm=1

http://www.google.com/products?q=1847481825

For more updates, info, and wowsers, find Helen Harper busy at these links:

author's website: http://www.helenaharper.com

authorsden website: http://www.authorsden.com/helenaharper

blog: http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/helenaharper

HOOK KIDS on READING: HOOK KIDS on READING with the RELUCTANT READER LAIR!

HOOK KIDS on READING: HOOK KIDS on READING with the RELUCTANT READER LAIR!

Meet Christina Katz

I remember when I read Writer Mama by Christina Katz how fired up she got me to get my butt down on the chair and not be afraid to try freelance writing. She also gave great tips for moms working at home and with kids. Well, I couldn't resist inviting Christina on my blog.

Read the interview and feel free to leave her questions. Christina will be available for 24 hours to answer you.

An Interview with Christina Katz

Author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform & Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids

Christina Katz is the author of Get Known Before the Book Deal, Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform (Writer’s Digest Books). She started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on “Good Morning America.” Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication. Her students are published in national magazines and land agents and book deals. Christina has been encouraging reluctant platform builders via her e-zines for five years, has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, and is a monthly columnist for the Willamette Writer. A popular speaker at writing conferences, writing programs, libraries, and bookstores, she hosts the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon. She is also the author of Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books).

Q: What is a platform?

CK: Long story short: Your platform communicates your expertise to others, and it works all the time so you don’t have to. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform.

A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence. Get Known explains in plain English, without buzzwords, how any writer can stand out from the crowd of other writers and get the book deal. The book clears an easy-to-follow path through a formerly confusing forest of ideas so any writer can do the necessary platform development they need to do.

Q: Why is platform development important for writers today?

CK: Learning about and working on a solid platform plan gives writers an edge. Agents and editors have known this for years and have been looking for platform-strong writers and getting them book deals. But from the writer’s point-of-view, there has not been enough information on platform development to help unprepared writers put their best platform forward.

Now suddenly, there is a flood of information on platform, not all necessarily comprehensive, useful or well organized for folks who don’t have a platform yet. Writers can promote themselves in a gradual, grounded manner without feeling like they are selling out. I do it, I teach other writers to do it, I write about it on an ongoing basis, and I encourage all writers to heed the trend. And hopefully, I communicate how in a practical, step-by-step manner that can serve any writer. Because ultimately, before you actively begin promoting yourself, platform development is an inside job requiring concentration, thoughtfulness and a consideration of personal values.

Q: How did you come to write Get Known Before the Book Deal?

CK: I already had a lot of momentum going when I got the deal for a very specific audience. I wrote a column on the topic for the Willamette Writer’s newsletter. Then I started speaking on platform. When I gave my presentation, “Get Known Before the Book Deal,” at the Writer’s Digest/BEA Writer’s Conference in May 2007, Phil Sexton, one of my publisher’s sales guys, saw it and suggested making the concept into a book. Coincidentally, I was trying to come up with an idea for my second book at that time and had just struck out with what I thought were my three best ideas. My editor, Jane Friedman agreed with Phil. That was two votes from people sitting on the pub board. They converted the others with the help of my proposal, and Get Known got the green light.

Q: Why was a book on platform development needed?

CK: Writers often underestimate how important platform is and they often don’t leverage the platform they already have enough. At every conference I presented, I took polls and found that about 50 percent of attendees expressed a desire for a clearer understanding of platform. Some were completely in the dark about it, even though they were attending a conference in hopes of landing a book deal. Since book deals are granted based largely on the impressiveness of a writer’s platform, I noticed a communication gap that needed to be addressed.

My intention was that Get Known would be the book every writer would want to read before attending a writer’s conference, and that it would increase any writer’s chances of landing a book deal whether they pitched in-person or by query. As I wrote the book, I saw online how this type of information was being offered as “insider secrets” at outrageous prices. No one should have to pay thousands of dollars for the information they can find in my book for the price of a paperback! Seriously. You can even ask your library to order it and read it for free.

Q: What is the key idea behind Get Known Before the Book Deal?

CK: Getting known doesn’t take a lot of money, but it does take an in-depth understanding of platform, and then the investment of time, skills and consistent effort to build one. Marketing experience and technological expertise are also not necessary. I show how to avoid the biggest time and money-waster, which is not understanding who your platform is for and why – and hopefully save writers from the confusion and inertia that can result from either information overload or not taking the big picture into account before they jump into writing for traditional publication.

Often writers with weak platforms are over-confident that they can impress agents and editors, while others with decent platforms are under-confident or aren’t stressing their platform-strength enough. Writers have to wear so many hats these days, we can use all the help we can get. Platform development is a muscle, and the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Anyone can do it, but most don’t or won’t because they either don’t understand what is being asked for, or they haven’t overcome their own resistance to the idea. Get Known offers a concrete plan that can help any writer make gains in the rapidly changing and increasingly competitive publishing landscape.

Q: What is the structure of the book and why did you choose it?

CK: Writer Mama was written in small, easy-to-digest chunks so busy new moms could stick it in a diaper bag and read it in the nooks and crannies of the day. Get Known is a bit more prosaic, especially in the early chapters. Most of the platform books already out there were only for authors, not writers or aspiring authors. To make platform evolution easy to comprehend, I had to dial the concepts back to the beginning and talk about what it’s like to try and find your place in the world as an author way before you’ve signed a contract, even before you’ve written a book proposal. No one had done that before in a book for writers. I felt writers needed a context in which to chart a course towards platform development that would not be completely overwhelming.

Introducing platform concepts to writers gives them the key information they need to succeed at pitching an agent either via query or in-person, making this a good book for a writer to read before writing a book proposal. Get Known has three sections: section one is mostly stories and cautionary tales, section two has a lot of to-do lists any writer should be able to use, and section three is how to articulate your platform clearly and concisely so you won’t waste a single minute wondering if you are on the right track.

Q: At the front of Get Known, you discuss four phases of the authoring process. What are they?

CK: First comes the platform development and building phase. Second comes the book proposal development phase (or if you are writing fiction, the book-writing phase). Third, comes the actual writing of the book (for fiction writers this is likely the re-writing of the book). And finally, once the book is published, comes the book marketing and promoting phase.

Many first-time authors scramble once they get a book deal if they haven’t done a thorough job on the platform development phase. Writers who already have a platform have influence with a fan base, and they can leverage that influence no matter what kind of book they write. Writing a book is a lot easier if you are not struggling to find readers for the book at the same time. Again, agents and editors have known this for a long time.

Q: What are some common platform mistakes writers make?

CK: Here are a few:

• They don’t spend time clarifying who they are to others.
• They don’t zoom in specifically on what they offer.
• They confuse socializing with platform development.
• They think about themselves too much and their audience not enough.
• They don’t precisely articulate all they offer so others get it immediately.
• They don’t create a plan before they jump online.
• They undervalue the platform they already have.
• They are overconfident and think they have a solid platform when they have only made a beginning.
• They become exhausted from trying to figure out platform as they go.
• They pay for “insider secrets” instead of trusting their own instincts.
• They blog like crazy for six months and then look at their bank accounts and abandon the process as going nowhere.

I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say that many writers promise publishers they have the ability to make readers seek out and purchase their book. But when it comes time to demonstrate this ability, they can’t deliver.

My mission is to empower writers to be 100 percent responsible for their writing career success and stop looking to others to do their promotional work for them. Get Known shows writers of every stripe how to become the writer who can not only land a book deal, but also influence future readers to plunk down ten or twenty bucks to purchase their book. It all starts with a little preparation and planning. The rest unfolds from there.

Q: What are three things my readers can do today to get started building their platforms?

CK: Don't start building your platform until you have clarity and focus. Otherwise you will likely just waste your precious time spinning your wheels. Or worse, fritter away your time with online distractions (and trust me, there are plenty!).

But once you know what your expertise is and what you are doing with it and for whom, then consider these three steps:

Start an e-mail list: Who are the people who like to hear about your writing success? Why not start a list in your address book with them and keep adding to it as time goes by. You can start by sending out simple regular announcements of good things that happen—just be sure to get permission. One way to get permission is to send an announcement about your work out to everyone you know and tell them that they can unsubscribe if they don’t want to be receive future messages from you on the topic. I strongly recommend that all writers read Permission Marketing by Seth Godin.

Create a simple website: Although social networking is fun, a proper writer’s website is not a Facebook or a Myspace page; it’s not even a blog. So save the detailed descriptions of your quirks and faves for the social networking you will do after you’ve built yourself a solid website to publicize your genuine writing credentials (creds) across the ethers while you are sleeping. And if you don’t have any genuine writing creds yet, getting some is an important first step. The step-by-step instructions are in Get Known.

Blog when it makes sense: Blogging can be great for writers assuming three things: 1) You have ample material to draw on and time to blog regularly. 2) You take the time to determine your appropriate audience, topic and your specific slant (or take) on your topic for your specific audience. 3) You don’t plan on starting a blog, blogging like mad for six weeks, and then disappearing from the face of the blogosphere without a trace. Preparation can prevent this common pitfall from happening to you.

Don’t forget that platform development and building takes time. Once you are ready to get started, just do a little every day and you’ll be amazed what you can accomplish over time.

VS Grenier, Guest Author at Blog Talk Radio - Book Bites for Kids - June 5th

Stories for Children Magazine
a trademark of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC
A monthly Ezine for Children (3 to 12)
Website: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Donna M. McDine
Marketing Manager, Stories for Children Magazine
Email: DonnaMcDine@storiesforchildrenmagazine.org
Phone: 800-670-4416

For Immediate Release

VS Grenier, Guest Author at Blog Talk Radio - Book Bites for Kids - June 5th

Join Suzanne Lieurance at Blog Talk Radio – Book Bites for Kids on Friday, June 5th at 2 pm CDT when VS Grenier, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine will be the guest author.

Take a few moments and listen-in to learn about Grenier’s success in publishing her first picture book, Babysitting Sugarpaw. Visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids for call-in details prior to the interview.

Be sure to check out the June 2009 issue of SFC Magazine for the magnificent articles and stories; and Bill Trombello’s Featured Guest Author interview.

Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

###

Full Media Kit, Magazine Cover Art, and more are available upon request electronically.

Writing Fiction Workshop

Multi-published, award-winning author & editor Lea Schizas offers:

July 13 - 19 Writing Fiction – a 7 day in-depth mentoring workshop (20 - seats available)
Registration Fee: $35.00

Instructor: Lea Schizas, a multi-published award-winning author and editor, Submissions Editor for Red Rose Publishing and founder of The Muse Online Writers Conference is offering a 7 day intense workshop: Writing Fiction. Each student will receive her motivational and helpful ebook Assaulting a Writer's Thinking and a FREE subscription to her monthly Links Newsletter group.

CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Writing fiction, whether short stories or novels, needs to grab a reader’s interest from the beginning. Regardless if you write for children, mystery, romance, and/or any other genre, this rule still applies. Captivating an audience with a strong beginning is what we’ll be exploring in the first part of the workshop. The latter part I will help you build and flesh out your character. By the time we finish you’ll know your character inside out and at which point in his/her story you’d like to begin with.

We’ll further explore the daunting editing stage: tightening sentences, eliminating headhopping, sprucing dialogue to help move the plot forward, showing vs telling, and other areas.

By the end of the week, you’ll fully understand the various elements that go into developing a strong and tight manuscript, one you can be proud to submit to publishers.

Writers should have a short story either written or in the beginning stage to use during the workshop.

SEATING IS LIMITED. REGISTER EARLY.
Contact email is: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca
Paypal address to register: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca
Please include your name and email along with WRITING FICTION REGISTRATION in your Paypal registration.

Meet Helen Harper

Wow, June 1st all ready. Time flies. And what a grand way to begin the month with my newest guest this week: author Helen Harper. I'll be highlighting her book "It's a Teacher's Life" along with an exclusive interview. First, let's find out about Helen:

Helena Harper is a native of England, but she grew up in a household that did things somewhat differently to other English households, because her mother was German (her mother had met her father in Hamburg at the end of WWII, when as a British soldier he had been stationed there). This mixed background has had a profound influence on Helena and her understanding of so-called national divisions and whom we call an 'enemy' and whom we call a 'friend'.

From an early age she loved to read and write, particularly fantasy stories, and later she enjoyed studying foreign languages. At Surrey University she studied German, Russian and International Relations and spent considerable periods of time in Germany, Austria and Russia as part of the course. After university she went into banking, but soon realised that was a big mistake. “I felt like I was being suffocated,” she says of the experience.

She then spent a year teaching languages at a private school in London, and enjoyed it so much she decided she would get properly trained. She did a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Exeter University and then started her career as a modern languages teacher, a career which has lasted twenty years. During that time she has continued to write, concentrating primarily on fantasy stories for young children. However, in the past few years she has also discovered the joys of writing poetry for adults, and her first two books are poetry collections: It's a Teacher's Life...! and Family and More – Enemies or Friends?, which have been inspired by her professional and personal life.

Helena is now a private tutor and translator. She is continuing to write children's stories, and illustrations for her first children's picture book are now being done. Her aim is to see the book in print before the year is out. Many people ask Helena why she likes to write. She feels she can best express it like this:

The blank page calls,

the heart responds,

imagination spreads wide its wings

and launches into infinity...

Fingers dance,

words flow,

the page fills,

the soul takes flight

and the spirit sings.

Copyright © Helena Harper