Sheri Doyle

Reflection

2012-01-23T06:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve had a slower start to the year as I completed a nonfiction project that consumed me for the entire fall season. What also resulted for me was a forced distance from my creative work. The break from my YA novel and my poetry picture book has had some benefits.

Over the last several days, I’ve given myself a little time to reflect. I’ve been going back and reading my novel and my picture book with fresh eyes. I’ve gained a new perspective that I think I need in order to make it to the finish line.

Now to settle in for some serious work. Wish me luck! Both books are almost complete.

Taking the time for reflection can feel like a gift to the self. Have you given yourself any of that good stuff lately? I highly recommend it. It’s the best response to chaos that I can think of.

The tortoise and the hare come to mind. Slow and steady will be my approach this year.

My 2012 perspective – see the world with fresh eyes.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

I’ve always loved Ella Fitzgerald but, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been listening to her even more this year because the main character in my YA novel adores her.

At this time of the year, those old songs, sung by Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, and Ella Fitzgerald, always put me in a holiday mood. I'd like to share one of my favourites from the album, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas. I've tried everything to have this embedded within my blog but the link might only take you over to youtube. Here is Ella singing "The Secret of Christmas."

Coming Up for Air

2011-10-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

Over the last several weeks, I have been working hard to meet a few deadlines so I have had to set my blog on the back burner. I hope to establish a blogging schedule this month because I really enjoy connecting with other writers through these posts and the posts of other bloggers. I’m wondering how all of you do it. How do you juggle the demands of life, work, and writing, and still manage to squeeze in time for blogging? Do you find that a blogging schedule helps?

I have been so immersed in my writing projects that when I do pop up and out of the world of words it really does feel like I am coming up for air. Just recently I emerged and realized that all of the books that I’d taken out of the library for research are overdue. When you have twenty-two books on loan, it doesn’t take long for the fines to be outrageous! I renewed all of them but I am left with a hefty fine. Oh, the guilt. Is it okay to think of library fines as a kind of good donation to the library? Having cards for two different library systems just complicates everything! I set up my accounts so that I would receive email notifications when my books are due. For some reason, I didn’t receive a notification for these books. That’s not an excuse. Maybe I should write down the due dates in my day planner. Do any of you know of a way to ensure that books are returned by or renewed before the due date?

It's Platform-Building Time!

2011-08-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

I just signed up for the "Third Writers' Platform Building Campaign" over at Rach Writes!
It sounds like a great way to connect with other writers so I hope you'll join us for all the fun.

Does music inspire your writing?

2011-07-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

I have been researching the anatomy, behavior, and habits of cows for a nonfiction project I am working on. There are so many things to love about these animals but one fact really caught my attention - cows like music! Some farmers play music to help cows relax. It has me wondering what a cow’s playlist might be. Do they have preferences? Do they enjoy some styles more than others?

This is such a contrast to something else I discovered last week – a study suggesting that teens who listen to too much music are at a higher risk for developing depression than teens who do not. The same study found that teens who read books, on the other hand, decreased their risks for developing depression. This is great news for readers! But what about young music-lovers? Growing up, I loved to read and listen to music for long hours. Music was a great escape for me and I usually walked away from a listening session feeling invigorated. Or relaxed, just like the cows.

While writing my YA novel set in a music school, I’ve been listening to a lot of Bach, Chopin, Ravel, and Debussy. My protagonist also loves jazz so my office has been filled with the beautiful voices of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. It really sets the mood while writing relevant scenes.

Do you listen to music while you write? Does it inspire the process?

Poetry Friday: Forest Walk

2011-05-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

School is not over until the end of June but last night we opened our calendar to the July and August pages to pen in our summer plans.

I can almost taste the fresh watermelon and icy lemonade we'll enjoy on shaded porches. I'm dreaming of our Lake Huron adventures and our long forest walks at Lemoine's Point.

But I have to wait. For now, "Forest Walk" by Kristine O'Connell George is bringing me one step closer to summer.

Forest Walk
by Kristine O'Connell George

I'm practicing my
       I-belong-here
       no-twig-snap
       no-leaf-rustle
       no-branch-crack
       see-all, know-all
       float-like-fog ...

Read the full poem here.

Poetry Roundup is at my juicy little universe.

I Tried to Like it

2011-05-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

I received an eReader as a gift several weeks ago. I wish I could say that I love it but I cannot.

I can say a few good things about it:

1. It has relieved the dull ache I get in my bad wrist (broke it while on a kickboxing ‘date’ years ago). It is so light and I can hold it or rest it up against something.

2. Downloading books is so simple. I can get a new book at any time of day or night and in any kind of weather.

3. The e-books cost less than the hard copy versions.

4. Books are stored inside the little gadget instead of cluttering my office shelves. (I did a book purge a few years back and vowed then to sell or donate most of the books I buy in order to keep my office manageable.)

5. It is easy on the eyes – unlike my computer screen.

6. There must be environmental benefits. I wonder what size of carbon footprint an eReader leaves behind.

Although I have tried, I just cannot love this gadget. I prefer hard copy books. Here’s why:

1. Without the ability to turn physical pages, or flip back to a page I have read, or see in my left hand how much I have read, my memory is being challenged. Sure, I can push a button back to the last page or any of the pages I have read, but I cannot ‘see’ where that page lies physically with respect to the whole (although it is noted that the book is 85% read, for example). I am realizing how much this act of turning physical pages serves as a memory tool for me. With each page that I turn, it’s as if I store in my muscle memory, roughly ‘where’ something happened within the story. When reading a regular book, it’s easy to look back and find something I want to revisit. It’s almost as if my hands know where to look in the bulk of pages on the left side. When I have to click back to find something, I feel lost. I have no idea how far back something happened. I don’t know if other readers are in the habit of looking back within a book as they are reading it and I’m not sure how aware I was that I enjoyed looking back as often as I do until this habit was made problematic through the eReader experience. I am just beginning to understand the relationship between how well I remember a story and the physical act of turning pages.

2. It has happened just once so far, but my eReader froze and I was unable to click to the next page. It took a good 5 minutes to get it working again.

3. An eReader runs out of batteries. This is obvious but I didn’t anticipate the inconvenience of having to wait until it was charged to read my book again. Then there is the whole issue of forgetting to re-charge, night after night.

4. I can’t flag my pages with sticky notes! I’m forced to use the notebook that I keep beside my bed to jot down sentences or the numbers of pages that I love. (If there is some way of doing this electronically and you know how to do it, please let me know). I cannot write in my book. Or fold pages that I like.

5. If you are sensitive to scents, as I am, you might notice that your hands smell plastic after holding the eReader.

6. I haven’t looked into this but since there are various text size options, and each option impacts how many words are on a page, I wonder how difficult it would be to refer to page numbers when discussing books with others who have hard copy versions of the book, or have eReaders with a different text size setting than the setting I have.Maybe there is a way around this.

My overall feeling is that the eReader will now be passed on to other family members. I’m interested to see what their reactions will be. My fourteen-year-old is excited to try it out. I know that I will continue to borrow regular books from the library and buy books from the bookstore occasionally. I see myself making use of this new device from time to time – when a terrible snowstorm hits, I’m on the last chapter of a book, and I can’t get out to the library. With just a click, I’ll be able to purchase and download a book at the online store – as long as there is no power outage.
What are your thoughts on eReaders? Love them? Hate them?

Writing for Children Competition

2011-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

There is still a little time left to enter the Writing for Children Competition.
Details below or visit The Writers' Union of Canada for more information.
$1,500 Prize

Entry Fee: $15 per entry, cheque or money order made payable to The Writers' Union of Canada.

Deadline: April 24.

Publication
- Entries of the winner and finalists will be submitted to three publishers of children's books for consideration.

Eligible Writers
- Canadian citizens or landed immigrants
- All writers who have not been published by a commercial or university press in book format, in any genre, and who do not have a contract with a book publisher

Eligible Entries
- Any writing for children up to 1,500 words, English language
- Not previously published in any format
- Multiple submissions are welcome

How to Submit Entries
- Typed, double-spaced, with pages numbered, on plain 8.5'' x 11'' paper, not stapled. Do not send entries that have only a few sentences per page; they will not be eligible.
- Submissions are accepted by hardcopy only.
- A separate cover letter with full name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and number of pages of entry. Please type name of entrant and title of entry on each numbered page.

Manuscripts will not be returned.

Happy Poetry Month!

2011-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

I am kicking off Poetry Month by visiting Poetry Friday posts. Round up is at The Poem Farm.

I am also going to head over and buy a PoetryTagTime ebook. (It's only 99 cents!)

KIDLIT for JAPAN

2011-03-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Kidlit4Japan Auction began today at 9 AM EDT. This is such a great way for the kid's lit community to come together and provide some aid for the victims of the recent Sendai earthquake and tsunami. To see how it all works, please visit Children's Authors & Illustrators for Japan.

More Writers First Aid

2011-03-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading More Writers First Aid: Getting the Writing Done by Kristi Holl. The timing is perfect. The end of February(and “February’s Writing Blues”) couldn’t be shrugged off faster than with this motivating book. It’s March now – spring is just around the corner and I’ve started the month off on the right foot, thanks to Kristi’s book filled to the brim with helpful tips on getting the most out of a writing life.

I’m working on developing some of the good habits discussed in the book. For example, I’m practicing ‘mindfulness’ in my approach to my work. I’m using Kristi’s tips on time management, organization, prioritizing, and goal-setting. Kristi also covers the emotional side of writing, focusing on how to tap into positive thinking in response to dealing with fear and guilt. She offers practical strategies to deal with rejections and setbacks.

Kristi is like a writer’s very own life coach. Through More Writers First Aid, Kristi offers loads of wisdom based on her years of experience as a successful author who has also faced many of the same career and life challenges that all writers face in one way or another.

To learn more about More Writers First Aid: Getting the Writing Done, click here.

To visit the Amazon Kindle page, click here.

Back to School

2011-02-18T08:59:00.000-08:00

Last week, I attended my daughter’s high school orientation evening. The thought of my daughter going off to high school next fall had been hard for me to imagine (or believe!), but after walking through the halls and speaking to her future teachers, the reality of it is now starting to sink in.

Some of the things I imagined would happen during the orientation:

1) I’d gain a better understanding of the physical layout of the school;
2) We’d walk away knowing how to help our daughter choose courses for next year;
3) My daughter would not want to take the tour with her parents, but with her friends.

What I hadn’t imagined happening:

1) My husband and I would have fun taking the tour on our own with Group Six while our daughter was off with Group One;
2) We would stray a little from the group and end up getting lost, feeling like two teenagers late for class (more than once!);
3) I’d gain the “particular perspective” that I did on how much high school has changed since I was there.

I imagined gaining “a” perspective on how things have changed, but I obviously hadn't imagined all the concrete details that I witnessed that evening.

There’s a big difference between imagining high school and actually being there. The experience not only brought more to life for me in terms of my own memories, but it also exposed me to how much things have changed. Of course, I knew things had changed before I set foot into the building, but being there gave me a glimpse into just how things have changed.

It made me think of the high school scenes in my WIP and it broadened what I had in my imagination, offering a fuller perspective. It also made me think about other settings within my novel. Many scenes take place at a music academy, others at a bookstore, a café, a restaurant. Some of these places are so fresh in my imagination, yet after attending the high school event, I am inspired to go and sit in similar settings around town, with pen and paper in hand and my characters in mind, to see what new insights might arise in “experiencing” what all along has been “all in my head’- even those places that I think I know so well.

Do you have school scenes in your current projects? If you don’t have a daughter or son in school, have other events brought you back there? Reunions? A nieces recital? Volunteer work? Do you step out of your head and into real settings, similar to the ones in your stories?

Snow Day

2011-02-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

Between this view

and this one

and the sounds of everyone home for a snow day, I feel more like snuggling up with a book and a cup of hot tea than working today.

What keeps you going on a day like this?

The Perfect Equation

2011-01-28T09:40:00.000-08:00

Today I am thinking about those early inspirations that sparked in me a love of words and a desire to write. In elementary school I loved books by Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume and Farley Mowat. By high school, I was inspired by Margaret Atwood, J.D. Salinger, and Albert Camus. In my first year of university, I took a course called British and American Poetry and Fiction. My favourite unit focused on the Imagists, a group of poets (between 1912 and 1917) who strived for clarity and exactness in trying to capture single images in as few words as possible. I have probably read Ezra Pound’s poem, “In a Station of the Metro” over a hundred times since taking that class. Every time I return to it, I am as inspired as I was the first time I read it:

In a Station of the Metro

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.

Pound shared some of his thoughts behind the creation of this poem:

“Three years ago in Paris I got out of a "metro" train at La Concorde, and saw suddenly a beautiful face, and then another and another, and then a beautiful child’s face, and then another beautiful woman, and I tried all that day to find words for what this had meant to me, and I could not find any words that seemed to me worthy, or as lovely as that sudden emotion. And that evening, as I went home along the Rue Raynouard, I was still trying and I found, suddenly, the expression. I do not mean that I found words, but there came an equation . . . not in speech, but in little splotches of colour.” (Gaudier-Brzeska: A Memoir 1916; London: New Directions, 1960): 86-89).

The idea of an ‘equation’ makes me think about how language, when referring to emotion or image, is a kind of translation. But Pound is speaking about ‘equation’ here. These words = this emotion. Getting that equation right, is where all the work lies. The poet cannot rest until the perfect equation of words is found.

Or sometimes it is sudden. “I was still trying and I found, suddenly, the expression .” I love how Pound used the word ‘suddenly’ and how he was able to cut through all the excess in language to see the ‘splotches of colour’ that perfectly equated with the image or emotion he experienced earlier in the day.

What are the poems or books you return to again and again for inspiration?

Poetry Friday Roundup is here.

Poetry Speaks Who I Am

2011-01-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

Throughout this week, I have been reading and listening to the poems included in Poetry Speaks Who I Am. As I wrote out the title in the previous sentence just now, I realized that I have been reading or saying the title in my mind as “who AM i?” - a possible theme in the lives of the intended audience, as it was for me when I was a teen. Poetry Speaks Who I Am is the perfect companion to the teen asking “Who am I?”- answers to this question made even more possible by the invitation on the back of the book: “dive in – find the one you love, the one that makes you angry, the one that makes you laugh, the one that knocks the wind out of you, and add your own inside the book.” If, after the 136 pages of poetry, the reader is inspired by the beauty, honesty and grit, there are twelve sheets left blank to scribble out poems of her/his own.

I would have loved a book like this when I was a tween/teen. In “A Note from the Publisher” on page xi, Dominique Raccah writes: “we seem to skip from great poetry books for young children directly to adult poetry. And yet, it’s at your age that poetry can rock your soul because these poets are talking about all the things that you’re feeling and feeling deeply.” The poems touch on every emotion a tween/teen might be experiencing: fear, courage, hope, regret, love, loss, confidence, insecurity, sadness, joy. William Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, Christina Rossetti, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes and Naomi Shihab Nye are just some of the poets who come together in this collection speaking directly, it seems, to the hearts and minds of young adults.

The words of poets from the past and the present can be read AND heard. I have not mentioned the best part – the book comes with a CD! Most of the tracks feature poets reading their own work. Listening to the voices adds a depth of experience that I think teens will appreciate.

I’m excited to pass it over to my daughter, now in grade eight. But not yet, I’m still listening.

Poetry Speaks Who I Am
Editor: Elise Paschen
Series Editor: Dominique Raccah
Sourcebooks, 2010

Poetry Friday Roundup is at A Teaching Life .

Stepping it up!

2011-01-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

If you practice yoga you might be familiar with ‘chair pose.’ It works the leg and arm muscles, engages the diaphragm, and stimulates the heart.

As a writer, I’m in 'chair pose' all day. I’m pretty sure it’s doing nothing more for my body than straining my neck and making my foot go numb. It can’t be good.

Santa is smart. He knew when he gave me the notebooks and planners that I’d be spending a huge amount of time writing. I think that’s why he also put a pedometer under the tree for me. Actually, I’ve wanted this amazing little gadget (currently attached to pant pocket) for a long time. It has confirmed what I already know – I need to walk more. Anyone who sits at a computer or desk for hours and hours will probably agree with me that after a long day of work, the body just doesn’t feel as good as it should.

This year I plan to step it up. According to the information pamphlet that came with the pedometer, I should be aiming to take 10,000 steps a day. I consider myself a physically fit person but I was shocked when I found out that my 20 minute cardio routine only amounted to about 1,500 steps! The yoga that I also enjoy, though healthy, does not really add much to my step count - nor does the light weight-lifting. So I’m doing everything I can to get my number up there. I haven’t hit 10, 000 yet but I’m working on it. Now when I break for tea during my work day, I walk around as much as possible while I wait for the water to boil. I’m running more errands, taking the ‘long way’ to get there, and when one of my family members needs something upstairs, I’m the first to say, “I’ll get it!”

I miss those walks to and from school every day but I’m not as enthusiastic about walking in the cold as I used to be. Yesterday the temperature outside was -6. Today the sidewalks are iced over with freezing rain. I keep imagining myself mall-walking – no ice to slip on and no need for several layers of clothing. When I'm done, I can reward myself at the book store and tea shop.

How do you strike a balance between sitting and moving?

Plot Wall

2011-01-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

In my last post I described the date book and notebooks I’ll be using throughout the year to keep my writing and life organized. Are my characters now demanding date books of their own? As I write my YA novel, I am discovering that my characters need something to keep their plans/goals organized. Instead of rushing off to get each of my main characters a stylish date book, I am experimenting with a plot wall.

I’ve summarized each chapter I’ve written so far, scene-by-scene, on index cards. I also use a little sticky note tracking system so that I can easily find things when I need them. Spreading the cards across the wall like this is revealing to me once again that I am a visual learner/thinker. I love to take breaks from writing my novel, turn away from my computer screen and see everything all at once on my plot wall. That shift, from all-in-the-head to all-out-there-on-the–wall, is refreshing and keeps me on track.

How do you keep your plot organized?

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

I think Santa knows just how much I love to be organized in work and in life. He left a few things under the tree that are going to help me stay organized, focused and inspired in 2011.

This set includes 12 individual diary/planner notebooks - one for each month! My January notebook is open on my desk and will be the first thing I look at in my office every morning. I love the full page for each day of the month.

The hard cover case holds the 12 notebooks. Each notebook is numbered and spines can also be identified by month using adhesive labels.

I am going to use the large ruled notebook for my novel scribbles. The smaller soft journals will be filled with poetry.

Can't live without a date book! Mimi helps by holding my page

- and warming up my chair.

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

I can't imagine a Christmas without snow. We are lucky again this year because while the world here is snow-covered, it will not be snowing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when we are travelling to see family.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been re-visiting Snow, Snow: Winter Poems for Children by Jane Yolen. The imaginative poems, along with Jason Stemple’s gorgeous photographs, take the reader into the snow-covered world of the Colorado mountains.

In an introductory note, Jane Yolen begins with the point that “Some people love snow.” She goes on to say that this book is also for “those who might love snow if only it weren’t so cold and wet and sometimes inconvenient.” I think that these poems and photographs are beautiful to read and experience if you live in a place where your winter is never white and where you can only dream of snow during the holiday season. These poems will take you there through the “Mountain Snowstorm” that comes “Without warning,” or the “Skier” who passes “So Fast,/ He is just a blur.” You might be swept away by the “Snowmobile” as “It growls/ Like a polar bear”. For those of you who sometimes get snow and are wishing for snow, I hope that you wake tomorrow morning to discover a scene similar to the one described in the first stanza of “Snow on the Trees.” “Somebody painted/ The trees last night,/ Crept in and colored them/ White on white.”

Poetry Friday Roundup is at A Year of Reading.

Happy Holidays!!

Poetry Friday: Snow Music

2010-12-17T06:33:00.000-08:00

Where I live, we get a lot of snow between December and March and although it must be shoveled, brushed off cars and pushed off roads, I can’t help but love it. It’s been snowing almost nonstop throughout this week, making driving a challenge but offering beauty and inspiration at my writing window.

Today I’d like to share my poem “Snow Music” which appeared in the February 2010 issue of Spider.I'm amazed by the way Jing-Jing Tsong's art brought this poem to life.

Snow Music

What’s the sound
of falling snow?
A sleeping swan
with head tucked low.

Ice cream dripping
down a cone.
A polar bear
that swims alone.

Sugar dusting
angel cakes.
Is that the sound
a snowfall makes?

(click to enlarge)

Today's Roundup is at The Poem Farm.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

We’re hearing a few more creaks around the house tonight. It must be the wind “and nothing more.”

Or could it be that we’ve been reading too many scary poems in the last few days? Particularly haunting are the spooky poems included in the collection, Poetry for Young People: Edgar Allan Poe, published by Sterling in 1995.

Here’s the first stanza from Poe’s “The Raven” – perhaps his most famous poem.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this and nothing more."

You can continue reading this poem at poets.org here: http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15638

If you’re brave enough, you might want to take a stroll through the Poetry Haunted House on the same site.
http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/21947

My little black cat decided not to visit our neighbourhood Haunted House but opted to go trick-or-treating with friends instead. She called herself a scared-y- cat.

Happy Halloween!

Note to Self - Take Breaks

2010-09-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

With school back in session, my writing schedule has gone from sporadic to consistent overnight. I’m working longer hours, getting a lot done and feeling inspired by the coming of fall.

One thing I need to watch for is that I pull myself out of ‘chair pose’ (not the one you do in yoga class) and away from the computer screen. I need to take breaks.

I’m guilty of eating my breakfast and lunch at my computer desk and staying put until 3:30p.m. when my daughter walks through the door. So this year, I am going to promise myself to take a few moments during my work day, to stretch, breathe, and walk. I have to remember to look out my office window and give my eyes a break from the computer screen. (Remeber to blink!) I need to drink water. How do I forget my basic needs while I'm working? I do exercise before my work day begins and I'm fairly active in the evenings. But I need to take breaks during my work day.

I hope that my fellow writers are remembering to take breaks for a stretch or a 10 minute walk. It really makes a difference in the way you feel at the end of the day. It might even improve your writing.

Poetry Friday - Shape Poems

2010-04-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

The March 2010 issue of Appleseeds Magazine celebrates "Poets and Poetry." I am thrilled to have my work included in this exciting issue! My shape poems and an article "Get Your Poems into Shape!" begin on page 10. I think that teachers will find this issue to be a useful resource to accompany Poetry Month celebrations.

Appleseeds March 2010
Poets and Poetry
(c) 2010 Carus Publishing Company.
Used by permission.

Here's a close-up of my poem "Snail Speed" from page 12 but I'm still not sure it will be big enough to read.

Here are the words:

Snail Speed

Fast is fun!

Fast is fine!

But sometimes S-L-O-W is just divine:

sipping icy lemonade

stretching back in willow's shade

searching for the perfect shell

lifting pine cones up to smell

hanging from a maple tree

swimming backwards, floating free

waiting for the fish to bite

holding steady on my kite

watching sunsets from the shore

gazing up at stars galore

hugging by the fireside

dreaming of a turtle ride

Poetry Friday Roundup is at Paper Tigers.

Poetry Friday - Jazz

2010-02-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I was singing the blues with Blues Journey. This week I am lifted up with Jazz, another poetry picture book by Walter Dean Myers. If last week I was taken on a journey, this week I’ve been on a ride! Walter Dean Myers expertly word paints jazz scenes through poems like spotlights on a stage, describing the elation felt by both performer and listener. The poetry mirrors jazz style, expressing improvisation and spontaneity. Instruments come alive with emotion as expressed in the opening poem “Jazz”: “A black man’s drum/ Speaks/ LOVE”. At times the poetry is upbeat and hopping. In other poems, the pace slows down, with references back to jazz roots in the blues as heard in “Session I”. “A lifetime of could-have-beens/ Sliding through a silver flute/ It’s our song”.

Along with Christopher Myers’ illustrations revealing the depth and intensity of this musical style, the poetry expresses jazz as a mind-body experience through words that get you feeling, thinking and moving all at once.

Like Blues Journey, Jazz begins with a two page introduction offering the historical background and development of the musical style. A “Glossary of Jazz Terms” and a “Jazz Time Line” follows the poetry.

Teachers of music or language arts programs might introduce Jazz after Blues Journey. Listening examples of “jazz greats” might include Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday or Miles Davis.

JAZZ
by Walter Dean Myers
illustrated bye Christopher Myers
Holiday House, 2006

This week the Poetry Friday Roundup is at Check It Out.

Poetry Friday - Blues Journey

2010-02-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

I’m enjoying the February blues. During my first read of Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers, I was mesmerized with how the blue, purple and brown tones of Christopher Myers’ illustrations worked so beautifully with the heartfelt poetry. On my second read, I couldn’t help but sing my way through the book. While the subject matter of the blues is often honest, raw and dark in nature, the poetry sung as lyrics lifted me up. As the title suggests, the blues poetry took me on a journey and gave me a better understanding of what is asked in the book of the blues: “Are you my pain and misery,/ or my sweet, sweet company?”

Blues Journey opens with an introduction on the origins of the blues, describing how the art form is rooted in two traditions in African music with the “call and response” style of the lyrics and the pentatonic (five tone) musical scale. The brief description on the evolution of blues is a fascinating background to share with young readers before they read the poetry. A helpful “Blues Glossary” on the final page helps readers understand terms such as “crossroads” and “feather pillow”.

Teachers might be interested in sharing this book with their students in English and Music classes or for Black History Month celebrations.

If you find this book at your library or bookstore, there's a chance you'll have a crowd of people encircling you if find yourself breaking into song.

Blues Journey
by Walter Dean Myers
illustrated by Christopher Myers
Holiday House March 2003

Irene Latham is hosting Poetry Friday today.

A Poetry Friday Interview - Alma Fullerton

2010-02-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Everyone in my little circle is talking about Alma Fullerton’s verse novel, Libertad. This award-winning book has made the top ten list for the Silver Birch ® Awards category (intended for readers in Grades 3-6) of the Forest of Reading Program. Please see yesterday’s blog post below for more information on the Forest of Reading Program.

The novel begins at the site of the Guatemala City Dump where Libertad and his younger brother, Julio, search through garbage for items that can be traded in for money. After the accidental death of their mother, the brothers and their new puppy, Guerrero, set out on a journey to find their Papi living in the United States.

I was immediately taken by the voice of Libertad, the emotional pull of the poems, and the expression of devotion between Libertad, Julio and their dog. As Libertad carried the heavy responsibility of protecting Julio throughout the novel, I found myself naturally caring deeply for Libertad’s own safety and innocence. I have read Libertad twice in the month of January and I am drawn to read it again to revisit the sense of hope and perseverance the brothers express toward each other.

After being so moved by this verse novel, I contacted Alma Fullerton asking if she would answer some questions for a blog interview. She kindly agreed.

Interview with Alma Fullerton

Sheri Doyle: What was the inspiration behind Libertad? From inspiration to publication, how long did this process take?

Alma Fullerton: Every once in a while you come across a story that won't let you go. You know that before you can move on you have to write that story. Libertad was like that. I came across a story of a boy who walked from Guatemala to Texas to be with his cousin. I tried to put it away but couldn't, so even though I was working on another book at the time I started to research - and I found a lot of other stories as well as finding out about Safe Passage during that research. There were about 2 years of research before I wrote a thing on that book - I did work on other things while I was researching. When those things were done and I started writing Libertad it took about 3- 6 months to write - that was in summer - winter 07. I signed the contract with F&W March 08 and there were finished copies by June 08. Not all stories go from signed contract to finish novels that fast - in fact most don't.

Sheri: From your poems, we get a pretty clear picture of life in the Guatemala City Dump. What was the research process that lead to such a believable setting and voice for your novel.

Alma: A lot of research for the setting - voice - just listen to people talk.

Sheri: I fell in love not only with Libertad and his younger brother Julio, but also their dog, Guerrero. What inspired you to develop the character of Guerrero?

Alma: While researching I saw some photos of children in the dump holding puppies. Puppies are universal - Not everyone loves dogs (I do) but everyone can relate to kids and dogs. Having Guerrero and having the children play and act like children gives North American children who are not living in the same conditions some kind of a connection to the children in my book - if that makes sense. I think you need something the readers can connect with - as well as feelings - feelings are also universal.

Sheri: I really enjoyed the way music was a source of joy and empowerment for the boys. While researching this book, did you get a chance to listen to Guatemalan marimba music?

Alma: I listened to a lot of marimba music and Hispanic music while writing.

Sheri: Libertad has been listed as an official selection for the Silver Birch Awards, Forest of Reading Program. How do you feel about middle graders facing some of the difficult subject matter of your book?

Alma: People fear what they don't know. The more children who learn about the world around them now the more likely they'll change things in the future.

Sheri: One of my favourite poems is the villanelle titled, "Bad Day." Are there any other poetic forms in the book? Why did you choose to work with this form in particular?

Alma: There's a haiku poem in the very beginning of the book as well but mostly its free verse. I chose the villanelle here because I needed to slow down - almost stop time and villanelles do that well.

Sheri: What are the advantages to telling a story (or this story, in particular) in verse, rather than prose?

Alma: I didn't choose to tell the story in verse - the story chose verse. I tried writing it in prose but it only worked in verse for me. I needed the power of verse to get the feelings across the way they needed to come across.

Sheri: Do you have any advice for kids interested in writing?

Alma: Just keep writing. Keep journals if you can - you'll love having them later. Expect to revise - a lot.

~~~~~
Here's a little taste of Libertad - an excerpt from the villanelle mentioned above in the interview.

From Libertad
by Alma Fullerton
Markham: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008

Bad Day

This is a good garbage day of cardboard and plastic bags.
Julio and Mami search rubbish heaps. As I stand guard,
The sun beats hot upon our backs through shirts of
tattered rags.

Julio, small and spindly, trips on cardboard that he drags.
He rises tall with an unfazed grin. We’re working so hard,
This is a good garbage day of cardboard and plastic bags.

To find out more about Libertad, Alma Fullerton and her books, visit http://www.almafullerton.com/ .

Thank you, Alma, for taking the time to answer some questions about your beautiful book.

The Poetry Friday Roundup is at Great Kid Books.

Forest of Reading 2010

2010-02-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

Are you reading any of the books on the Forest of Reading lists?

The Forest of Reading is an Ontario Library Association project that promotes a love of reading. Librarians and teacher librarians have nominated books by Canadian authors to create top ten lists for eight programs. Each program is aimed at a specific reading group. (For example, the Silver Birch ® Award Reading Program is aimed at readers in grades 3-6.) Students are encouraged to read the ten titles in their grade category and then vote for their favourite title. The program ends with an award event called “Festival of Trees.” According to the OLA website, the "Festival of Trees is Canada’s largest literary event for younger readers.” The event is held in Toronto where students, teachers, librarians and authors will gather to hear the winners announced. What better judges of children’s literature are there than kids! My daughter has already reserved a ticket through her school and is busy reading the books within her grade category.

I was excited to see the verse novel, Libertad, by Alma Fullerton, on the Silver Birch Award list. From the first poem to the last, I loved this book and have read it twice in the last month. I recommended this book to some of my friends, a few writers, my husband and my daughter. Libertad is “all the buzz” over here in my little world. I was lucky enough to hear back from the author, Alma Fullerton, agreeing to answer some questions for a blog interview. To read this interview and learn more about Libertad and Alma Fullerton, watch for tomorrow’s post.

Poem in Spider, February 2010 Issue

2010-02-03T15:17:00.000-08:00

Giant snowflakes are spinning against a lavender sky today just as they were on the day I wrote a poem titled, "Snow Music." I received my complimentary copies of Spider today and on page 32, I discovered my poem gorgeously illustrated by artist, Jing-Jing Tsong. The colours are breath-taking and they are very similar to the colours of the sky on the snowy day that inspired this poem.

I'm really delighted that my poem appears in an issue filled with so many interesting pieces - wonderful stories (as always), an adorable poem by Bill Roberts and some fun winter actitivites for kids. Maybe you'll see it on the magazine shelf this month.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone all the best in 2010!

Tintinnabulation!

2009-12-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

Another book from our holiday box is Winter Poems selected by Barbara Rogasky, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.

We enjoy the soundscapes found in many of the poems. At times we 'hear' the serene quiet of winter, for example, in Elinor Wylie's "Velvet Shoes."

"Let us walk in white snow
In a soundless space."

Or a single sound is heard set against a backdrop of stillness in Oliver Herford's "I Heard a Bird Sing."

"I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing"

In other poems, winter chills us with sounds that make us glad we are inside. In Emily Dickinson's "An Awful Tempest" we feel safe to watch the world from the window:

"The creatures chuckled on the roofs
And whistled in the air,
And shook their fists, and gnashed their teeth,
And swung their frenzied hair."

While in "Cat on a Night of Snow" by Elizabeth Coatsworth, we can relate to the first narrator's wish to keep her cat indoors by the fire where the "flames are leaping and hissing low." But the Mistress cannot persuade her cat who has an instinct for the night regardless of how cold it is, for there are "things that are yet to be done."

"Outdoors, the wild winds blow, Mistress, and dark is the night,/ strange voices cry in the trees, intoning strange lore ... Open the door!" This cat is much like our Miss Mimi - an 'outdoor-cat-at-heart' kept, against her will, inside.

Our favourite poem in this collection is an excerpt from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Bells" for its celebration of sound. We love the two lines in which the word "bells" is repeated six times. And of course, "tintinnabulation" - what word describes the ringing of bells better than this? Just the first part of Poe's poem appears in Winter Poems. To read "The Bells" visit - www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16056

Poetry Friday is being hosted by Susan at http://susanwrites.livejournal.com/

Poetry Friday: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

2009-12-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

Though I've been a Poetry Friday fan for a while now, this is my first post and I just loved the "welcome" - thank you, Diane.

Half of the fun of decorating our tree is opening up our holiday storage boxes. Tucked between the silver and gold ornaments and frosted balls are the beautiful picture books that we save for this season. Each year we choose a new picture book to add to our collection.

A few winters ago, my daughter was mesmerized by a reading and a film depiction of a Robert Frost poem presented on Reading Rainbow. By coincidence, she received a book gift shortly after. It was "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers. It is one of our favourite treasures in our winter collection. Jeffers' illustrations are gorgeous in mostly white, grey and black with just a hint of colour on each page. The soft images work beautifully with Frost's poem to create a feeling of hush and wonder.

One of our favourite lines from the poem is:
"The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake."
We just love that "and downy flake" gets a two page spread of giant snowflakes.

This book is a great way for a child to be introduced to the work of Robert Frost.

You can read the entire poem by clicking this link-http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20519
Dianne at Random Noodling is hosting Poetry Friday this week.

I'm a Little Snowflake

2009-12-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

My poem "I'm a Little Snowflake" is in the current issue of Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids. It's perfect timing as many parts of Canada and the United States are being hit with the first snowstorm of the season.

The adorable illustrations by Kathryn Mitter offer visual cues so that kids can follow along.

This action rhyme can be sung to the familiar tune "I'm a Little Teapot." If you're looking for something with a winter theme to get your preschool kids singing and moving, follow this link to the web version - http://www.uskidsmags.com/content/tu-funtodo-7370405.htm

Inspired by NaNoWriMo

2009-11-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

Stiff neck, distractions and work commitments aside - I am doing this!

Inspired by NaNoWriMo, I am involved in a November writing challenge. I am doing this alongside the members of one of my critique groups. We have created contracts stating our November writing goals and we support each other in sticking to these goals. I have challenged myself to write a poem each day to be included in a themed collection for 5-9 year olds. By the end of the month, I'll have 30 poems to edit in December. I'm so grateful to the warm writers in this critique group. They are a talented and supportive bunch!

Poetry Markets

2009-10-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

I keep hearing it in my various poetry circles - publishers are buying less and less poetry. Really? I hope not! Even if this is true, I'm looking on the bright side -which is that poetry does continue to sell (even if less of it is selling).

For example, children's magazines ARE accepting poetry! In 2009, I have sold poetry to the following children's magazines:

SPIDER Magazine
Highlights for Children
Highlights High Five
AppleSeeds Magazine
TURTLE Magazine for Preschool Kids

If you want to see your poetry in print, try submitting to children's magazines. I have gathered a list of magazines that are currently accepting poetry. I will add to this list as I find more. If you know of a publication that accepts poetry and it is not listed here, please leave a comment and I will add it to this list. Each magazine listed here has specific guidelines to follow (and sometimes themes) so it's best to check the magazine website or your children's writer's market guide.

Babybug
Ladybug
SPIDER
Cricket
AppleSeeds
Cobblestone
Highlights for Children
Highlights High Five
Know Magazine
Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids
Humpty Dumpty
Jack & Jill

Summer Reading Recommendation

2009-07-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

I recently read the moving novel in verse, Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Heese. This deeply touching account of the Japanese attack on Alaska's Aleutian Islands in 1942, is told through the voice of Vera, a strong Aleut girl battling the consequences of government-enforced evacuation and relocation. Uprooted from their treeless coastal landscape and traditions, the Aleut people are forced to try to make a life for themselves in the dense, almost suffocating air of the inland forests. Without the tools for fishing, nor the proper resources to build up their community, the Aleuts are left with almost nothing but their wills to survive.

I cannot imagine a more perfect genre for this story. Poetry allows the unfolding of Vera's thoughts to happen as she is ready to share them. Poetry allows the reader to be patient and open to Vera's unique telling.

Vera is able to voice the experiences of struggle and death, courage, hope and love with a timing that only poetry can make possible.

The book jacket recommends Aleutian Sparrow for kids 10-14. I would place it in the older part of this rating, perhaps a 12 and up, as I think older readers would enjoy this book too.

15 Words or less

2009-06-05T06:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Laura Salas - her writing, her courses, her blog! http://laurasalas.livejournal.com . I have been following her blog for a while now but I have not participated in 15 Words or less until recently. Laura posts a photograph on Thursdays to use as inspiration for writing a poem. You post in the comments area and then Laura puts all the submissions into her Friday post. It's interesting to see how many different perspectives arise out of one photograph. Fun way to start my morning with green tea, before plunging into my work.

This week I wrote "Camouflage" based on the tire art photo Laura posted yesterday.

Poem In Your Pocket

2009-05-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

A few days ago for Poem In Your Pocket Day, I carried around a poem from Black Stars IN A White Night Sky by JonArno Lawson. I love all the poems in this book but I chose a short, impactful one called "Are You Worried?"

My daughter and I took it one step further (or maybe people are already doing this). After I read her the poem in my pocket at the end of the day, she asked if she could 'borrow' it for her pocket and bring it to school the next day. So I passed it on to her.

Yesterday I found the folded piece of paper in the dryer. I wonder how many poems ended up in laundry this week.

Happy Poetry Month!

2009-04-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Poetry Month, Talking Drum Music Productions has posted a free activity.

Fun Poetry and Body Percussion Activity for Students in Grades 1-5.

The activity includes the poem "Knapsack Checklist" by Sheri Doyle (yes, that's me!), a musical score with body percussion cues, a lesson plan and the best part ... an MP3 download so that students can listen to and perform along with the piece. There is also an MP3 instrumental version so that once your students have learned the piece, their voices are the only voices heard.

Here is the link to a free printable activity with MP3 download for teachers: http://www.talkingdrum.ca Click on "Products" and then on "Free Activities."

Cybils Winners

2009-02-17T08:53:00.000-08:00

The Cybils Winners have been announced!
Honeybee by Naomi Shihab Nye is the winner of the poetry category!
I just finished reading A Maze Me: Poetry for Girls by the same author and absolutely loved it so I'm excited to get my hands on Honeybee.
Off to the library I go ...

To see the complete list of the 2008-9 winners, go to: http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/

Office Disaster

2009-01-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

My office is a complete disaster. My excuse is - it's Friday and things tend to pile up through the week. I want to give this space a make-over so that I can be more organized. As it stands there are books and papers everywhere. And oh, the cords! Mimi, our cat, likes to run in here and rub all over my legs and then all over the cords, sometimes even disconnecting me from the internet. She then moves on to important papers - she likes to chew and rip them. It's my fault as nothing is organized. I'm going to start by coming up with a solution for hiding and protecting cords.
I'll share a photo of my office when I'm finished fixing it up.

It's Almost February!

2009-01-29T07:05:00.000-08:00

It's almost February and I've been ignoring the fact that it is a new year and that I should make a resolution. I keep reading other writer's resolutions or "themes" for 2009 and then I feel guitly for not taking the time to think of one or two for myself. It's strange because I love that stuff (planning the future) ... I think I'm just afraid that if I start pondering it I might have too many things that I want to accomplish. So I will keep this nice and simple.

1) I want to be consistent.

2) I want to be organized.

3) I want to be balanced (this includes work, family, health and fitness).

Okay, this may look like a boring list but I think that if I work at these goals daily, the "exciting" stuff will come.

Have you thought about goals/resolutions/themes for 2009?

Poetry for Girls

2009-01-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

I've been reading, A Maze Me: Poems for Girls by Naomi Shihab Nye. I got it from the library (I think it's close to its due date) for my daughter but I've been hogging it. The poems are so beautiful, decadent, moving. They bring me back to those complicated years, transitioning from a child to a teen toward adulthood. The voice of the poems is courageous, strong, reminiscent, magical, secretive, longing and content - everything a girl of about 11, 12, 13 or even older can relate to, or wants to relate to.

Welcome To My Blog!

2009-01-28T10:54:00.001-08:00

I have been putting this off for a long time but I am finally here! I will be posting regularly about my writing life. Please stop by often!