Life in the Spotlight

I returned to The Founders Home in Boyds Mills in March to take a class in author and book promotion from Peter Jacobi. There were only 4 of us, all published authors, and Peter taught us how to create and present any kind of speech or presentation, including a school visit.

Here I am presenting at an elementary in Hawley, PA, about how Substitute Groundhog was made. It's fitting that the story of a Pennsylvania groundhog should first be presented in the state that makes the most of its groundhogs! Our presentations were videotaped and later critiqued by everyone in the group. The four of us, Vicky from New York, Vicki from Atlanta, and Ann from Michigan all shared the "cringe factor" and all bonded because we worked so hard and experienced so much together.

Peter also taught us how to respond to interviews, and Harold Underdown showed us ways to use social media to selectively promote ourselves and our books. He gave us each autographed copies of his Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, which has been extremely helpful.

Lindsay George gave us a lot of tips on how to grab and hold the attention of children and give them a terrific presentation. The food was amazing, with a special green meal served on St. Patrick's Day. Each evening, writers and editors from Boyds Mills or Highlights would join us for dinner and grown-up conversation. The week flew but we returned with much to help us in our future lives as authors in the spotlight. I highly recommend any workshop given by Peter Jacobi!

Good News from Natalie

Thank you all for being so supportive of my story Madeleine's Light last summer at the Writing from the Heart Workshop. [Natalie is shown reading this story to our group.]

I just got a call from Larry Rosler yesterday accepting my book at Boyds Mills. I am so excited and I still feel like I'm in a dream. It was a long wait, but Lori was an incredibly supportive mentor during the months of waiting. Sally, I will keep those letters from your students forever since they also kept me going. Please let them know that the book will be published and that they helped keep my spirits up!

I hope everyone's writing is going well. Is anyone going to Chautauqua this summer?

Hugs to you all, Natalie

Guest Author: From Harry

Hi Friends,

I have a bit of news and a question for you Red Rover Writers. First, my juvenile biography of Richard Feynman, a quirky physicist, is (finally) coming out this fall from Morgan-Reynolds, an educational publisher in Greensboro, NC. Its for middle school/early high school. I’ve seen the layout and they’ve done a good job with pictures and color. More when I am actually holding a copy in my hands. Its going to the printers next week.

Question: I want to submit a manuscript I had worked on at the retreat with Kim Griswell, and I wanted to send it to her. However, I seem to remember that she was retiring or moving away from PA and therefore wouldn’t be appropriate to submit to.

What is your recollection – or maybe its stronger than that?

Hope you are getting plenty of time to write, Harry

Kent Brown Receives Check

If you haven't already seen it, here is a short video showing Kent Brown accepting a check from his many, many friends and supporters for more than $62,000 at the closing luncheon of the 2009 Highlights Institute. Although it doesn't answer the question, "Did the secret remain so?", it definitely shows that Kent was amazed and grateful. Contributions will continue to be accepted and maybe one day we will be reunited in the new center!

Guest Author: From Joyce

It's back to reality for all of us, so I thought I would share with you what I shared with Lori before I left the retreat. It was my Morning Pages entry on 6/27.

"It is the last day of my writer's retreat. I came to get back to my writing. But I really didn't do too much writing. Instead I simply discovered my inner child. I played. Laughed with my friends, ate meals prepared for me. The only rule I gave myself was "make your bed."

I watched a fat groundhog lumber across the grass. Scared away two deer outside my cabin door. Was followed by orange butterflies. Went for a walk by a stream. Had bedtime stories read to me by Suzanne Bloom. Visited a friend. Ate dessert every night. I saw unusual birds. Braved a storm. Learned from two kind and insightful teachers. "Uncle" Kent even came to visit.

Today I want to capture the playfulness in a bottle. It will be my playfulness genie. And when I can't jump off my cliff with childlike abandon, I will take that little bottle, decorated with polka dots and stripes -- and of course -- sparkles, uncap it and let the joy begin!

I have to go. My friend Kathleen is going down to the main house for breakfast, walking through the woods, beating her drum."

On the following Monday, I created my genie bottle. It sits on the windowsill by my kitchen table where I write.

Joyce

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Today's Post: From Lori Ries

Okay, I am so laughing! I love this group of friends! Sally, you are priceless.

For my blog at my website, I shared a bit about Writing From the Heart and what we do there. Highlights workshops are not well known in the west, in fact at every conference I go to, I get tons of questions.

If you want to, please comment on the blog or at my website about how the foundation workshops have helped you. I want to help bring visibility to Writing from the Heart and other Highlights opportunities. Thanks everyone, and lots of love!

Keep Writing, you’re all so fabulous!
Lori