7/8/08 -- Whew! After several days of trying to figure out why I couldn't log onto my web site, I've finally figured it out. So now I can finally update this here blog.
I'm back from the KY and SC trip. The family reunions were fun, as was the weather. Hot? Yes. But not in the usual like-a-suana way. Humidity was fairly low. Yahoo!
I generally did my writing in the afternoon, though. Got lots done.
But also took time for walks on the beach. We hitched a boat ride to a wilderness island and visited Boneyard Beach, where storms have washed away the land away and drowned the trees in the surf.
Made a new friend, too, although I thought he had a bit of a crabby disposition.
On the way back to KY to catch our flight to Oregon, we stopped in the mountains of North Carolina to visited the home of Carl Sandburg. Talk about a great place to write! Given the itinerate writing life I'd been living for over two weeks, the following lines of one of Sandburg's poems especially spoke to me. I'm not particularly good at memorizing, but I think it goes something like this:
The eternal hobo ask for a quiet room,
And a little paper he can dirty
With birds who will sit where he tells 'em.
My writing digs sure don't compare with Carl's (that's his house above), but I'm glad to be home and working on STORM MOUNTAIN in my familiar quiet room.
Now if I can just get those birds to sit where I tell 'em . . .
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6/14/08 -- I've just finished packing for our annual trip to Kentucky and South Carolina for family reunions. We won't have our girls with us this year -- both tied up with work and school -- but we'll adjust and have a good time with the rest of the clan at Barren River Reservoir (KY) and Folly Beach (SC).
A nice part of being a freelance writer is the job's portability. I'm taking my laptop, external hard drive to back up my work, and a large three-ring binder with notes for STORM MOUNTAIN. It'll be a bit out of context working on a story that takes place high on a Cascade peak in a snow storm while in the South and all of its accompanying heat and humidity. But, hey, if I can't make the imaginative leap I might as well hang up my writer's hat.
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6/11/08 -- Another school year has ended, and I've spoken to my last group of kids about the writing process. Signed lots of books, too. Great fun, all of it.
Now I'm focused solely on finishing STORM MOUNTAIN. Granted, it's taken much longer than I predicted, but such is the writing life.
A typical day for me starts with a bit of writing before breakfast, then full-on until about 11:00, when I break for either a mountain bike ride or a run. After lunch I do the world a favor and take a shower, then hit the keyboard again. Often afternoon turns into my most productive time. By 5:00 my brain is toast, and I call it quits for the day. Not a bad life. Not bad at all.
A friend recently passed on a wonderful quote that is not about writing, but could be:
"The charm of fishing (read: writing) is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.” - John Buchan
Keep angling for that story!
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5/19/08 -- The weather, a very important factor in STORM MOUNTAIN, has been playing with us here in Oregon as of late. Two weekends ago we got snowed on during our annual trip on the north side of Mount Hood. This past weekend the temperature raged near 100 in Corvallis.
I don't mind, though. It's just what is, and there is nothing I can do about it anyway.
At least in real life. In a story, however, I can make the weather be whatever I want it to be.
Or the results of the weather. Consider the two photos below. Same location, same month, different year.
May, 2007
May, 2008
Yes, that's the cabin under all of that snow. The black hole at the bottom of the photo is the front door!
Think such a deep snowpack could have an impact on a story? Yep, me too. Imagine the possibilities . . .
So don't forget to factor in that other "character" -- weather -- when writing!
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5/13/08 -- After two weeks in my new writing location upstairs, the jury is in: Fantastic! Friends donatied the old countertop from a kitchen remodel and I set it on top of some cabinets some other friends gave me from their kitchen remodel (lots of kitchen remodeling going on these days) and -- tah-dah! -- I've got a great work space.
I write standing up, which sounds weird to lots of people, but I like it and -- ironically -- it causes me less fatigue than writing sitting down. Go figure . . .
Here is the view out of my office window. Can't spend too much time gazing at the cherry tree blooms, though. Got to keep my mind focused on STORM MOUNTAIN!
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4/30/08 -- At this point in rewriting STORM MOUNTAIN, I'm going over it very carefully, fine tuning each and every sentence.
I'm also reading it aloud. Why? I find that adding an oral component to the process helps me discover word repetitions and other little weaknesses that I haven't noticed otherwise. Look at the page and everything seems fine. Read that same page aloud, and the problems leap out at me.
Give it a try. May work for you, too.
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4/25/08 -- I'm back at an airport, this time in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Just finished a week in schools in Mechanicsburg and Blain. Once again I was treated to a great bunch of kids and educators.
Also, my gracious host Ila Verdirame and her husband Matt took me on a tour of Gettysburg, the famous Civil War battleground that ultimately was the turning point in the North-South conflict. I visited with my family when I was a fourth grader, so it had been a long time (46 years!). Still, certain places brought back lots of memories, especially the infamous Devil's Den and Little Round Top (pictured below), where the fighting was particularly intense. The area is very beautiful -- redbud and dogwood trees in bloom -- but it also struck me as somber. In three days of fighting -- July 1-3, 1863 -- over 51,000 died.
And yet I remain hopeful that some day humanity can figure out a way to live together in peace.
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4/20/08 -- As I write this I'm sitting at Gate E2 in the Portland, Oregon airport waiting for my flight to Pennsylvania. I'll be spending a week there in schools, speaking to kids about the writing process. Really looking forward to the experience!
In the meantime, it's a day of travel, and a good opportunity to people watch. Sure, I'll read on the plane, and also just let my mind wander. But I've always contended that a big part of writing is being observant, paying attention to the details of life around you. Today is already offering up a rich variety of humanity, snippets of conversation, little mannerisms or clothing details that could be used in a story to help bring it to life. I've got my notebook handy, and my little chopped off pen primed for note taking.
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4/16/08 -- I thought the following email from a third grade teacher worth sharing. Not only is it funny, poking fun at a common stereotype, but also brings up a point worth considering:
"Dear, Tom -- I'm trying to do more writing with my students these days. I know we just need to write, but sometimes it seems so hard to get started, or so much work to edit. I guess work is a part of the territory.
I wore a new shirt to school last week, a mock turtleneck from Eddie Bauer's. It's the first mock turtleneck I've ever worn to work. A fellow teacher commented that I looked like a writer, and that got me thinking. Is that the secret? Is that all there is to being a successful writer? Does the color matter? Does it really have to be white or grayish white. The funny thing was that I started feeling like a writer by the end of the day, and I really hadn't done any more work than usual, except that it took a little more work to get that shirt off from around my head at night. You can see I've been thinking about this a lot lately."
I love the understated voice in this, and the dry wit. Clothes, as this teacher well knows, do not a writer make.
Then again, confidence is a big part of any creative process, and an especially crucial ingredient for kids. If wearing a mock turtleneck makes a person feel more like a writer, then I say pull one on and go for it. Besides, a classroom full of third graders all decked out in mock turtlenecks would look mighty fine, don't you think?
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4/7/08 -- I'm back from the writer's gathering. You know you're with a group of committed wordsmiths when you can have a three hour discussion about the use of flashbacks in a story and everyone thinks it's intensely interesting. Most people would nod off within minutes, but not this group!
All was not business, though. We made time for whale watching. Gray whales are making their annual trek north after spending the winter in Mexico. On this particular day we saw at least six not far off shore. Amazing creatures.
I made good progress on STORM MOUNTAIN, too. Nothing like being surrounded by hardworking pros to get the juices going.
Ultimately, though, I have to sit back down and go it alone. Comes with the territory. I guess that's why knowing that others are out there doing the same thing is so important. Keep in touch!
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3/30/08 -- Packing today to leave for a weeklong children's book writer's gathering in California. This is an annual (or sometimes twice a year) event of close friends, and very productive. Lots of work time, critiquing, and discussion of our profession. Add in the shared meals, walks by the ocean, and lots of laughs and you've got a recipe for tons of fun, too.
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3/18/08 -- Today is Debbie and my Month-a-versary, celebrating 33 years and 10 months of marriage. Boy, did I luck out with her for a partner. She's a keeper!
On the writing front, I'm working on the 18th draft of STORM MOUNTAIN. So far, so good. Hopefully this and one more go-through to tidy things up and it will be ready to ship off to New York.
I'm working at the dining room table, as my new office changeover is not yet complete. Will post pics when I've moved in.
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3/14/08 -- Finished the latest draft of STORM MOUNTAIN yesterday. I'm going to take today off from writing and paint my new office. With both of our girls out on their own now, I'm moving out of the tiny room in the back of our house that I've been using for 15 years and upstairs into a spare bedroom. More space to spread out in. Yahoo!
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3/5/08 -- Feeling much better now. As has often been said: Nothing like getting sick to make you appreciate good health. Ah! I'm brimming with appreciation.
Received a photo from my recent trip to Sinton, Texas. The three students from Smith Junior High are all holding the "iMod" notebooks I wrote about in my 2/25/08 entry. Future writers of America. Great kids. Great school.
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3/1/08 -- Five days of the flu, fever, cough, foggy brain. Yuck! Enough said. Back to bed.
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2/25/08 -- Last week I was in Sinton, Texas (a small town in the southeast part of the state) where one of the librarians, Sally Hart, showed me a version of a writer's notebook she'd come up with. It's like the one I carry around in my pocket, except more creative. She calls it an "iMod" (see pic below), which stand for Idea Moments Observed Daily. She is in the process of making 300 of these to pass out to each and every kid at Smith Junior High so they can jot down story ideas to use in their writing. Very cool. And yet another example of the hardworking, dedicated educators so plentiful in our schools.
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2/12/08 -- Wow! From the emails I've been receiving it's clear there is a lot of strong feeling out there about standardized testing and its impact on kids and teachers. Next to none of it is positive. Many teachers feel put-upon and pressured. Kids feel like writing is all about the test, not creativity. No wonder I'm seeing so much stress when I visit schools.
Speaking of visiting schools, I'm starting to get booked for the 2008-2009 school year. If you'd like me to come talk to your kids about the writing process, or do workshops, a teacher in-service, or family literacy night, get in touch asap. For more info about my presentations click the "Author Visits" link above.
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2/6/08 -- I'm back from a fun week of speaking in schools. Got to meet hundreds of great kids, and staff after staff filled with dedicated and hardworking educators.
I couldn't help but notice, however, the high stress levels among kids and teachers as they prepared for upcoming writing assessments. The pressure from higher-ups to meet standards is very intense. Many kids I talked to were feeling negative about writing.
Who could blame them? In this particular state (which will remain unnamed) the kids are handed a prompt -- for either an expository essay or a narrative; they don't know which until the assessment begins -- and then given 45 minutes to plan, compose, and rewrite, with the expectation that they will produce a finished piece.
45 minutes! That's it! What real writer does the same in such a short amount of time? Maybe a journalist on deadline, but that's the only person I can think of offhand. Thank goodness I'm not assessed in the same way. I'd flunk flat, and never want to write again.
And yet here I am a professional writer . . .
I tried to help as much as I could, offering strategies on how to approach the assessment. I encouraged the kids to do their very best, give it 100%. But I also encouraged them to keep things in perspective. If they don't do as well as they'd like, well, don't let a poor performance ruin their concept of themselves as writers.
Because that's what I fear that unrealistic test is going to do for lots of them.
This is not the first time this issue has presented itself to me. I've been in hundreds of schools all over the country. It's a nationwide issue. One that I am increasingly coming to believe does little to foster learning, but instead threatens it.
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1/23/08 -- Got another dose of real-life research for STORM MOUNTAIN on Saturday. Granular snow was blowing so hard in the high country it stung like needles. Had to really batten down the parka hatches to keep my face from going numb. Nature in all her power, and beautiful glory.
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1/16/08 -- I'm now done with the crevasse scenes of STORM MOUNTAIN. Wrapping that part of the book up this afternoon, I realized that I've vicariously spent a lot of time inside the glacier with my characters, and have actually grown very fond of the frightening blue-ice beauty. I'll miss going down there tomorrow morning.
I'll be back soon enough, though, when I start another rewrite.
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1/9/08 -- Here in Oregon the snow is piling high in the Cascades, and the powder skiing is fantastic. But I'm resisting temptation (in the form of numerous invites) to play hooky. Gotta keep my nose to the writing grindstone.
It's paying off. Good progress on STORM MOUNTAIN. Finally. I should be done with this draft by the end of January. A couple more rewrites after that to smooth out the rough spots.
Then I can reward myself with LOTS of skiing.
Sometimes that's what it takes -- dangle the carrot (or ski day) in front of yourself until the job is done. Literary vision and poetic gifts will only get you so far. In the end, I believe, it really comes down to hard work and discipline.
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1/3/08 -- Lots of people roll their eyes at New Year's resolutions, but I'm not one of them. I find the process of reviewing last year and making commitments to the coming year very helpful.
For me it's not just a matter of giving up some bad habit -- mochas? -- or vowing to start a good one -- floss every day without fail. Instead, I try to look at it in terms of the roles I play in life. I am more than a writer and a speaker. I am also a husband, a father, a son, a brother, and a friend, a runner, a rock climber, a mountaineer, a skier, a mountain biker, a bass player. I think of myself as a learner, too, and a person obligated to contribute to the world in some way. All of these roles deserve reflection, and specific resolutions.
Which is exactly what I'm going to go do right now. Well, after I fix myself a mocha . . .
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12/18/07 -- Busy time here at my house, and it will be getting busier. Still, I'm getting in my writing time, and will continue to do so, even after the girls arrive on 12/21. Sure, I'll take family time off. We'll go skiing on 12/24, a tradition of ours. And of course relax and enjoy the festivities of Christmas day. But I'll squeeze in work when I can, even if it means getting up early to do so. Gotta keep the ball rolling. Besides, I like what I do.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season.
12/8/07 -- I've just returned from an unexpected trip to South Carolina to visit my 86-year-old mother in the hospital. It was a difficult week in many ways, dealing with the realities of the hospital environment, then transferring her to a rehab center, and the ongoing worry about her recovery.
But it was also a great connecting time. Having lived over eight decades -- the Great Depression, World War II, plus the drama of raising three kids, especially me! -- she has seen much and has many stories to tell. A treasure, for sure.
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11/28/07 -- Good writing today. I'm still standing at the keyboard to work. Looks like this may become permanent.
On second thought, "permanent" is probably not the right word. Makes it sounds as if I'll be standing there in front of my desk forever. Which, of course, I won't. As the Beatle, George Harrison sang, "All things must pass," and that includes me.
Maybe "long term" is a better way of putting it. Or something involving the word "duration" or "interim." I'm sure you could come up with other possibilities.
Specificity in our choice of words. An aspect of writing to give thought to . . .
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11/25/07 -- Done with school visits for 2007, I've turned my full attention back to STORM MOUNTAIN. This past Monday, after a particularly long day of writing, I got up from my desk feeling very sore, especially in my hips, which have been bothering me ever since I ran the Portland Marathon in October. That evening I happened upon an article in Runner's World magazine that suggested working standing up as a possible cure for hip pain. I rigged a temporary set-up at my desk using a cooler, a couple of plastic bins, and some bricks, then gave it a try.
So far I like it! Sitting all day leaves me sore, standing all day doesn't. Weird, I know, but not without precedent. Ernest Hemingway worked standing up, as did Winston Churchill, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, Thomas Jefferson, Fernando Pessoa, George Sand, and Virginia Woolf. Not sure about my productivity. Early data suggests I've upped the ante.
Too bad it took me twenty-six years of writing to give it a go. Old habits die hard.
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11/10/07 -- It's Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma, and I'm halfway through a two-week stint of school visits here. Wonderful experience so far -- fun kids, dedicated teachers and librarians. To top it off, I've been getting lots of ideas to jot down in my little notebook. My favorite so far came from a 4th grader who told me all about the on-going"concoction contest" he and his friends are having in the cafeteria. The rules, as I understand them, are simple: take whatever you're having for lunch and mix it up to create the weirdest "concoction" possible. Then eat/drink it. The front runner so far is milk, Dr Pepper, and mashed grapes, although the mashed potato and ketchup sandwich got high marks, too. Think that could be developed into a fun scene, or subplot, in a future novel? Me too!
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10/31/07 -- I'm involved in a research project this evening, on which type of goodie is the most popular among Halloween trick-or-treaters. So far anything chocolate is the clear leader. I, of course, have sampled all that I'm offering, twice. No, actually, make that three times. Gotta be sure I'm handing out a quality product.
Two brothers just left my porch. The oldest, probably a first grader, was all decked out as a fisherman, complete with rod and reel, rubber waders, and a floppy-brimmed hat. When I commented on what a nice costume he had, he said, "Yeah, and I caught a turtle!"
As if on cue, his little brother, who had been standing quietly in the background, stepped out and boldly announced, "That's me!" Sure enough, he was sporting a fantastic homemade turtle outfit.
Anybody that makes me laugh gets an extra treat.
I've written about Halloween before, in my novel ATTACK OF THE MUTANT UNDERWEAR. Had a great time creating that scene. My wife, Debbie, thinks I should revisit the holiday, this time in picture book form. Food for thought. Chocolate food, no doubt . . .
Happy Halloween!
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10/29/07 -- More great school visits last week -- this time in La Grande, Oregon. Fantastic kids and educators all around. Anyone who says there are no good things happening in schools today has their head in the sand.
I drove instead of my usual flying routine. It's 350 miles from my home in Corvallis all the way across the state to La Grande. On the road I was reminded once again of the beauty of place (if you've never been to Oregon, make plans), and the power it holds in our lives. We are all affected by our surroundings, be it close-up urban energy, or wide-open spaces.
I made a mental note to give special attention to the setting in STORM MOUNTAIN when I returned home, and am working on it today. This doesn't mean going on and on with long descriptive passages. That will turn the reader off in a hurry. Judicious use of detail is the key. Hopefully, I'll find just the right balance . . .
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10/18/07 -- I'm home from the wonderful Florida Association of Media Educators (FAME) conference in Orlando. (Thanks for the great hosting, Cecelia!) Being on the road so much recently (Bangladesh, Kentucky, Portland, Florida), my writing times have been pretty broken up. I did get some work done on the flight to and from Florida, but not as much as I would have liked. So I've spent the last four days writing nine hours per day in an attempt to get back on track with STORM MOUNTAIN. This morning I think I finally hit my stride, and -- wow! -- does it feel good!
Can't rest on my laurels, though. It's only 1:00 PM and lunch is officially over. Back to work I go . . .
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10/10/07 -- Good writing today. Just not enough of it. I leave tomorrow for Orlando, Florida to speak at the state librarians'-media specialists' conference. I've printed out a couple of chapters to work on during the flight cross country. Less than ideal environment, airplane cabins. Still, if I only wrote when the circumstances were perfect, I'd be doing something else for a living. Write when you can, where you can, just write. Not a bad motto, eh?
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10/8/07 -- Yesterday I ran the Portland Marathon. As I suspected, my jet lag and chest cold took their toll. Although on my goal pace for the first 17 miles, it all caught up with me as I crossed the St. John's bridge. If it hadn't been for family support -- I had a cheering squad waiting for me at mile 20 -- I probably wouldn't have made it across the finish line at mile 26.2. But I did, and below is the medal photo to prove it!
You might be thinking: "Fine, Tom, but what does this have to do with writing?" Well, nothing directly. I was running, not typing. But to me there is an analogy. Running the marathon took training, commitment, and perseverance. Writing takes the same: Training in the craft of making a story coming alive on the page. Commitment to improving your writing over the long haul. And the perseverance to stick with it, even when you can think of a thousand -- no, make that ten thousand reasons to quit.
Write on, friends!
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10/5/07 -- After 16 days of travel, I'm back in Oregon. My trip to Bangladesh was amazing-- the country, the people, the students and staff of the American International School of Dhaka. I'm still processing the experience, but can say without a shadow of a doubt that this was a trip that will become part of who I am and the way I view the world. Below are a few photos, just to give a sense of that part of the planet.
From Bangladesh I flew straight to Kentucky for the memorial service of a wonderful friend of mine, Rube Kubale. For those of you who have read A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK, Rube was the model for Grandpa Rubin in that story. He gave me my first job baling hay when I was 14, and has been a mentor to me ever since. He will be greatly missed.
I returned home with a monumental case of jet lag, and a souvenir cough that has me barking like a seal. But no regrets. Life is full, just the way I want it.
This coming Sunday, October 7 I will run in the Portland Marathon. Given my gimpy lungs, I've taken a hint from the late, great Oregon poet William Stafford. When asked what he did when he gets writer's block, he replied, "Lower my standards." If I run into trouble in the marathon and am lagging behind my goal pace, I won't let it stop me. I'll just lower my standards, finish the 26.2 miles if I'm able, and call it a good day.
The major mode of city transportation, the rickshaw.
Boats and ferries on the river in Dhaka.
Street orphans in front of their open-air school on the downtown docks.
One fantastic class of many at the American International School of Dhaka.
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9/18/07 -- A quick blog today, as I'm headed out the door for the Portland airport and my to Bangladesh. 27 hours of flight time -- whew! -- but oh, the adventure . . .
And to top it all off I get to work for a week with kids in the American International School of Dhaka. As always, I'll keep my eye out for story ideas. Life, regardless of which continent or time zone you're in, is full of them.
Speaking of author visits to schools, my calendar is filling up fast. If you'd like to book me for your school or library or conference, get in touch asap.
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9/12/07 -- I'm working these days with fine sandpaper. By that I mean that the changes to STORM MOUNTAIN are getting smaller, more in the realm of finishing touches.
Well, actually that might be a bit of an exaggeration, giving the impression that I'm almost done. Not by a long shot. There is still a lot of work to do. Yes, the plot is in place, and the action feels generally right, as do the characters. But there is dialogue to add or cut, description needed here and there, and always the flow of language to tinker with. Then there is also making sure that I haven't left any telling details out.
All of which is a fun process, but one that often feels agonizingly slow. Still, I've been down this road many times and take comfort in knowing that I may not be a brilliant writer, but I'm a stubborn one. Give me enough time and I'll give back my best. Which is the most anyone can ask of themself.
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8/28/07 -- Writing took a backseat this past week, being filled with preparations to take my youngest daughter, Amy, to college. Car crammed with her gear, we finally headed off for two days of orientation. Very exciting stuff, both for us as parents, and for Amy. The inevitable goodbye was emotional, and we returned home to what is generally called an "Empty Nest." We've decided, however, that we don't care much for that term. Instead, we're referring to this as our New Phase, and although we miss Amy very much, as well as our older daughter Kelsey, we're also excited about the future and upcoming adventures.
For me, as a writer, some of that adventure will be right here at my desk, in front of my computer, working on STORM MOUNTAIN, and other projects to come. Climb on!
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8/16/07 -- Slogging through the literary muck with a sleep deprived brain this afternoon. Fresh air is what I need. Think I'll go for bike ride downtown to run a few errands, then try again.
Later: Hey, it worked! Writing is not just mental. The whole body has to be on board.
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8/14/07 -- After several days of getting caught in the trap of over thinking my story (a tendency of mine, my wife, Debbie, tells me), I loosened up again and had a productive writing session today. My goal is to finish this rewrite of STORM MOUNTAIN by the end of the week. I'll be leaving Saturday for an annual backpacking trip with Debbie and two other couples. This year we'll be hiking into the Trinity Alps Wilderness in northern California. Wherever we go it's always a great time, and will no doubt be so again. Still, it won't be all play. I'll be printing out the entire manuscript and packing it in with me, editing that hardcopy, and then picking right up with the next rewrite as soon as I get back. When the ball is rolling, I want to keep it that way!
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8/3/07 -- Photos below are from the previously mentioned crevasse adventure on Mt. Hood, the purpose of which -- besides a fun day in the high country -- was to help me with the crevasse rescue scenes in my book, STORM MOUNTAIN.
The White River Glacier up ahead. Notice monster crevasse in the top center of the photo, below the summit ridge.
Here tis, big enough to hold mutlitple school buses!
Looking down at yours truly after I rappeled 40+ feet into the crevasse. The word "awesome" gets overused a lot -- as in, "Awesome sandwich, Jared!" -- but here the vibrant blue of the ice and the overall scale of this giant fissure makes it seem appropriate.
Ascending the rope using friction knots. Getting over the overhanging lip of the crevasse was VERY hard. Think that's going to work it's way into STORM MOUNTAIN? Of course!
Me, glad to be on "solid" ground once again, but pumped by the beauty of the ice river and my trip into the "belly of the dragon." Plus, we then skied all the way back to Timberline Lodge. Ah, summer in Oregon!
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7/27/07 -- After many frustrating weeks trying to ferret out why I can't access this blog, then hours sitting at my desk with the telephone to my ear, listening to musak while on hold with tech support, I have finally -- FINALLY -- gotten the bugs out of all software and can continue logging in. Whew!
But first I have to pack. I'm leaving this afternoon for Mt. Hood. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I am headed up onto the White River Glacier and will actually be able to rappel down into a crevasse. Although I have traveled on glaciers before, this will be the first time to actually go inside of one. Should be scary, but also a blast. And, best of all, this will provide great research for STORM MOUNTAIN. Full report when I return!
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6/1/07 -- Early Wednesday I got a sudden gut hit that maybe I needed to spend even MORE time on character development in order to proceed with STORM MOUNTAIN. At first skeptical of my own intuition, I resisted. After all, hadn't I already spent tons of time creating well-rounded players for my drama? Shouldn't I be racing onward with my rewrite? The manuscript IS due in New York by October 1. Just what else did I need to know?
Still, the notion wouldn't go away, so I went away instead. For a run, that is. It's my default cure for writer's block. Hit the trail and I can pretty much count on a solution of some sort by the time I haul my sweaty self back in the door.
It worked. Halfway up Bald Hill I realized that the what else I needed to know was how the characters in my story handle grief. (Yep, turns out STORM MOUNTAIN is an adventure-survival saga, but also an exploration of the different ways people handle grief.) So I spent the next two plus days thinking, making notes, and writing about how my characters deal with losing someone they love. I'm refocused and really ready to roll.
Here's the cool thing: my bet is that the time spent delving deeper into character will actually save me time in the long run. Stay tuned. We'll see . . .
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5/25/07 -- A big benchmark reached this past Tuesday: I am now done with author visits for the 2006-2007 school year. It all ended at Hayden Meadows Elementary in North Idaho, a wonderful school full of enthusiastic teachers and young writers. (Any surprise that one leads to the other?) They even had their own hardbound book of kid-written stories for sale in the front hallway. Business appeared to be booming. I was once again reminded how much difference a caring adult can make in a kid's life.
Next year it looks like I'll be speaking in Florida, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and at the International School of Bangladesh. Other inquiries are coming in fast, but I've still got some dates left on my calendar. Get in touch if you're interested in having me visit your school, library, or conference.
In the meantime, I'll be working full time on STORM MOUNTAIN. It's progressing well, and I look forward to lots of writing time this summer. I'll keep you posted through this journal as I find my way to the end of the story. Kind of like climbing a mountain -- the way is not always clear, but given enough time and perseverance, it's doable.
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5/16/07 -- Trip report: Had a great weekend on Mt. Hood. Below is a photo of me after the steep hike up to the cabin. At 5,800 feet above sea level, there was still plenty of snow on the ground, at least five feet or so. The debris you can see on the surface was blown from trees during a recent wind storm. A sign of things to come, as it turns out. But at the moment the sun was shining and the temperature was pleasant. We dumped our packs, rested for a few minutes, then put climbing skins on the bottoms of our skis and headed above timberline.
Once in the alpine zone, we angled up onto the lateral moraine of the Elliot Glacier. As you can see from the picture below, the view from the moraine crest was spectacular. However, we hadn't any more than picked a good boulder to sit on, when a wall of clouds reared its head over the flank of the mountain like a lion about to pounce.
And pounce it did. Within minutes we were slammed by giant gusts of wind. The clouds roared down the north face toward us. Knowing that in the mountains visibility can drop to near zero in no time flat, we threw on extra layers and beat a hasty retreat.
Not, however, without catching some turns -- and the last bit of sunshine -- on the way.
Back at the cabin, I was elated. Along with all the fun and excitement of the afternoon, I got another serving of the mountain environment to help in the writing of STORM MOUNTAIN. Maybe I should do this every weekend . . .
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5/11/07 -- I've had a productive week of writing, and now for the icing on the cake! Early tomorrow morning my wife, Debbie, and I leave for a trip into the backcountry of the Oregon Cascades. We'll drive from Corvallis to the north side of Mt. Hood, where, despite the fact that it is mid May, the snow is still deep. We'll snowshoe (Debbie) and ski (me) up a trail that gains two thousand feet of elevation in two milesSteep, yes, but worth it. Because just below timberline sits a rustic-but-lovely cabin where we'll be staying with our close friends, Ethan and Sandy, and Gary and Sally. And that afternoon, weather permitting, we'll all head up out of the trees and onto a ridge known as the Cooper Spur. From its crest we should have a fantastic view of the heavily crevassed Elliot Glacier and the North Face of the mountain. (See photo below. The Cooper Spur is the ridge on the lower left. The Elliot Glacier is beneath the North Face, which is in the center of the image.)
As some of you may have guessed, this the location I'm using to visualize the setting of my novel, STORM MOUNTAIN. So not only will the outing be fun, it will also be very helpful with my writing. I'll take lots of notes, mainly sensory detail, for use later in the story, to help build a sense of place in the reader's mind. Then, note taking done, I'll get to point my skis down, and make big, fast turns across that wild alpine landscape, right back to the front door of the cabin. Where we'll cook up a pasta dinner and enjoy sitting around a fire in the stone hearth.
Ah, the writer's life!
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5/9/07 -- Been working the last three days on STORM MOUNTAIN, particularly as it relates to the main character, Ben, and how he changes /grows during the course of the story. In "writer talk", this change/growth is called the character arc. To help me clarify Ben's character arc I went back to a Character Profile I've developed over the years. It is 13 pages of questions I ask myself about a character. The first two pages are for general external info -- age, gender, ethnicity, etc -- and physical description -- height, weight, hair color, unique facial features, characteristic gestures, what distinguishes him or her in a crowd. The next 11 pages are the real meat, in that they deal with what the character is like on the inside -- personal attributes, likes and dislikes, wishes, dreams, beliefs, attitudes. By the time I'm done I have a very good feel for who the character is, what makes them tick, and how they are going to act/react in a given situation.
This may seem like a lot of trouble to go to, and it does take time, especially if you were to make it all up, create the character from scratch. So I don't. Instead, I pretend I'm going to make a movie of my story, then look around to see who might best take the leading roles in it. (No Hollywood stars allowed, only people I know.) I'll actually interview that person, which is fun and highly revealing, and then let them act out the part in my imagination. I did this with Ben, and feel much better prepared to continue with the rewrite.
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5/1/07 -- Whew! I'm back from a long trip speaking in schools in the Orlando area of Florida and in Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina. Great time in both states. Wonderful kids, and teachers, and librarians.
On a personal level, of particular interest to me was the visit to Joyner Elementary, the school I attended as a kid growing up in Greensboro. Talk about a time warp! I started first grade there in 1957 (yes, that's fifty years ago, and yes, I'm nearly 56 years old). But still, despite all those years that have elapsed, it seemed like every time I turned around a flash of memory would pop up and suddenly I felt like a kid again, walking in single file to the cafeteria, playing kick ball on the playground, or passing notes in class. I halfway expected to get in trouble for joking around in the library and sent to the principal's office! The whole day was rich with memory, and as you might guess, full of possibilities for future stories. I left with my notebook brimming with ideas. I'm sure some of them will show up in a book soon.
All of which is to say: exploring your past for story ideas is almost always very fertile ground. Give it a try. You'll see . . .
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4/10/07 -- Below is a photo of my office. I post it because I believe that where a person writes matters. For me, that means a space where I can organize all of my notes, have plenty of light, the equipment I need (gotta have my Mac), and privacy so I can think without being interrupted. Given all of those things, I'm much more likely to do my best work.
Does that mean I can't write otherwise? Or you can't? Nope. I've written in hotel rooms, on a porch, in the backyard, airports, even at 35,000 feet in the middle seat with a screaming baby directly behind me. And you can write in less-than-ideal locations, too.
But, if you can, try to create a spot that is all yours and set aside just for writing. That could be as small and simple as a lapboard and a pencil while you sit up in bed. Or as grand as a castle in Scotland with a moat to keep out distractions. I'll keep to my little office.
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4/5/07 -- A bit confused today on exactly how I to handle the two main characters falling into a crevasse in my novel, STORM MOUNTAIN, it was clear I needed to step back and look at the big picture. Once again I resorted to the following handy aid that helps me think through where to go with the story:
First I made sure I knew what the story problem is, which in this case was a no-brainer: they're stuck 30 feet down a gaping crack in a glacier. AND one of them -- not going to reveal who -- has a dislocated shoulder from the fall and is screaming in pain.
Once I had the problem clearly identified, I drew a large T on a piece of paper. In the upper left hand corner I wrote "Action" and in the upper right hand corner I wrote "Obstacle."
Below, in the "Action" column, I then brainstormed possible actions that the main character might take to solve the problem. For example: freak out and try to dial 911 on a cell phone.
Then, directly to the right in the "Obstacle" column, I listed something that would obstruct this action, ie: no service down in a crevasse.
OK, I thought, good enough, but what next? Give up?
Wouldn't make much of a story would it? So I tried another action, just like you'd try in real life.
Then countered it with another obstacle. And so on. Until I had a possible scenario laid out -- a kind of list, or map -- for how the plot might progress.
Tomorrow I'll see if it will actually work. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes back to the T chart.
All of which may seem overly left brained to some of you. But, hey, whatever works, and this works for me. If you get stuck on a story, give it a try!
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3/23/07 -- I'm back from school visits in Michigan. Great trip. Great teachers doing great things with kids. Nice to see.
Been working this week on the first rewrite of STORM MOUNTAIN. Have made my way to chapter 6 and so far all is going well. I'd like to think this is because of the approach I use when rewriting. I used to try to fix everything in one grand swoop, but have found over time that it works much better for me if I narrow my focus. Really narrow it, as in on one aspect at a time, starting at the top of the list in terms of importance: not the setting, or dialogue, or sensory detail, or spelling, or punctuation. The most important aspect, in my opinion, is the plot and how the characters drive it forward.
Not to say that all of that other stuff is not important. But let's face it, we don't go to the library or bookstore seeking a novel full of really good spelling, or outstanding punctuation, or even amazing detail; it's the story and characters that draw us. We are, after all, first and foremost, story tellers.
So that's what I'm up to, and will continue to be up to next week, even though it's Spring Break here in Oregon and my family and I are going over to Bend for five days of skiing, and hiking in the desert, and rock climbing. I'll get up early, put in a couple of hours at the laptop, THEN go have fun!
Try it. Do the challenging thing first. (And let's face it, writing definitely IS challenging.) Then reward yourself!
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3/10/07 -- Back on February19th I reported in this journal a major shift in the plot of STORM MOUNTAIN. I didn't reveal it then (got to keep the reader guessing!), but it involved the death of one of the main characters. (Heavy stuff.) Since then I've been working under that assumption . . . until yesterday, when I realized that the shift didn't work and I needed to go back to the original ending. (More upbeat, for those of you who prefer happier endings. And, more importantly, more logical. It just doesn't make sense to kill her.)
Thankfully, I learned a long time ago not to write over my work, but make a copy of the document and change it, not the original. Then if I want to return to the original version, no problem. Whew! Once again I'm very glad I take that precaution.
And glad that I force myself to stay open to creative impulses, and the constant examination of what will work best for the story. Writing, it's a right brained AND a left brained thing.
I'm working today (Saturday), and probably a bit tomorrow, too, in order to get as far into this new draft as possible before I take off for Lansing, Michigan, where I will be speaking in schools.
Speaking of which, if you are interested in having me speak in your school, or at your library, or conference during the 2007-2008 school year, click on AUTHOR VISITS for information, or feel free to email me at birdseye@proaxis.com, or call me at 541-752-9837.
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3/06/07 -- Started my first rewrite of STORM MOUNTAIN. On a whim I tried switching from the first-person present-tense I used in the first draft to third-person past-tense. For example, "I stare in complete and total confusion," became "He stared in complete and total confusion."
Which may not seem like much -- just change the pronoun and add "ed" to the verbs -- but there is more to it than that. Using first person puts me, the writer, in the role of the viewpoint character. I become that person, and spend lots of time in his head. Which can be great for some stories and add a wonderful interior element, but STORM MOUNTAIN is an action filled survival saga. I needed to be out in the real world where the action is taking place. Switching to third person did the trick!
I hope.
We'll see.
Regardless of whether I stick with it or not, the point, at least to me, is this: Always keep your mind open to the wonders of rewriting. It is only by tinkering and experimenting, and sometimes trekking into box canyons and then out again, do we get our best work.
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2/28/07 -- The last few days I've been at work on what is generally referred to as "promotion." For me this means designing a mailer that officially announces the publication of my new novel, A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK. (I know, I know, it's been out since October. But, hey, better late than never, right?) Also, I'm working on plans to update this web site, make it a bit more jazzy, interactive, etc. Stay tuned.
Today all writing and promotion are put aside, though. I'm off to Ashland, Oregon with the Corvallis High School Ski Team for the Oregon State Alpine Championships. My daughter, Amy, is a senior, and would normally be racing. (She's very fast, much faster than her dad.) However, she got a stress fracture in her left femur this fall running cross country and hasn't been able to ski at all this winter. Still, she is going to State to cheer on her teammates. Tough kid, making the best out of a bad turn of events. Just like a character in a story. Art, as they say, really does imitate life. All you writers out there, keep your eyes peeled. Inspiration may be sitting right across the table from you . . .
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2/23/07 -- Yahoo! I've just finished the first draft of STORM MOUNTAIN, and it feels great. True, there is a TON of work to do: research, more character development, logistics, and many many rewrites. This draft is rough in the truest sense of the word; it is just a beginning. Still, it's a milestone, and I've learned over time that it is very important to celebrate those whenever they come along. So I'm going to knock off early, have some lunch, then head downtown for a mocha at my local favorite here in Corvallis, Oregon -- Red Horse Coffee. Might even top it off with a chocolate covered espresso bean. Yum!
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2/21/07 -- Yesterday morning I was reading the newspaper and saw an article that almost made me drop my coffee! I had known that there were climbers missing on Mt. Hood, here in Oregon. Now the headline read that, unlike the tragedy of December in which three climbers died, this time everyone had made it to safety, in part due to the fact that they had a dog with them. The pooch, named Velvet, crawled under their tarp and helped keep them warm when they were forced to bivouac for the night.
OK, you might be thinking, that's cool, but why did that almost make you drop your coffee? Well, I'll tell you why: I have been working on STORM MOUNTAIN for several months, and long ago decided to put a dog in the story, because they are great for comic relief, but also because I knew I wanted to have the dog play a crucial role when the two main characters get pinned down on the mountain by a monster storm. How? By crawling under their emergency blanket and keeping them warm!
Talk about happy endings. Everyone in real life survives, and in the process prove that my dog-under-the-blanket idea works! Keep on eye on the newspaper, writers. Someone may be doing your research for you!
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2/19/07 -- Oh boy, what a writing day! There I was working away, thinking I knew what was going to happen at a critical point in the plot, and suddenly I realized that I had it wrong. STORM MOUNTAIN would be much stronger if I went another way. At first I resisted the notion, but finally gave in and went for it. No surprise, my intuition was right. It IS stronger this way.
Sigh. Now I'm going to have to go back and rethink the entire story. Which means even more rewriting than usual. But it will be worth it, I'm sure. Of course I was sure I was on the right track yesterday, too. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Sound confusing? Ah, the writer's life!
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2/15/07 -- Yesterday morning, as every Valentine's Day morning, my family and I lit a candle for my father, Irving Earl Birdseye, who died on Valentine's Day, 1974 at the age of 54. On one level it is a sad moment for me, and marks the beginning of a sad day. I miss my dad, and am particularly sorry that my children never got to know him, never had the pleasure of his company. But there is a joyous aspect to it all, too. Remembering him is both inspiring and fun. He was a wonderful, compassionate man, who worked hard for social justice. He also had a great laugh, and was capable of a wacky goofiness that still makes me smile. Most importantly, he was a fantastic dad. So I honor him by lighting that candle, then telling a story about him and his life. Through that story, a bit of him lives on, just as the love for him lives on.
Today I worked on another scene from my new novel, STORM MOUNTAIN, which revolves around the loss of two fathers. Coincidence? Nope, I don't think so either.
A belated Happy Valentine's to all of you. May each and every day of your life be filled with many moments of love. May you keep those moments alive through story.
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2/12/07 -- I'm back in Oregon and thawed out from my trip to New York City. The cold in the Big Apple was intense, with wind chills in the minus 20F range. A couple of times during the week I lost the feeling in my fingers and toes.
Still, the overall experience was fantastic. The people I met with in the publishing world (pretty much wall-to-wall appointments every day) are as fine a bunch as you'll find anywhere. Warm, hospitable, and enthusiastic about all things literary, they made the atmosphere feel downright tropical.
Add to that the electricity of the New York scene -- history, art, architecture, and friendliness of people on the street (yes, friendliness, despite what you may have heard) -- how could I ask for more? I hit the keyboard this morning with renewed energy, and had a great writing day.
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2/3/07 -- Packing in a hurry to go to New York to meet with editors, my agent, marketing folks, publishers. If you've ever been to the Big Apple you know that it's a hopping place, and arguably the most culturally diverse city in the world. All of which make it very exciting, but it can be exhausting, too, especially for a small-town guy like me. Sensory overload is common, but it's a blast just walking down the street. I'll report after I get back, probably Feb. 12th.
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2/2/07 -- Took a day off from writing yesterday to go skiing with my daughter, Kelsey, and her boyfriend, Tyler. We drove to Mt. Hood (see photo below, the highest peak in Oregon, elevation, 11, 235 feet). Skies were blue, but the temperature was in the low 20s, and with the wind gusting at 35 mph the overall effect was bone chilling. At one point we were racing along, rounded a corner and were hit head-on by a blast that was so powerful it brought us to a complete halt. A few hours of that kind of weather and fingers went numb. Feet turned to blocks of ice. Still, we had fun -- the main purpose of the day -- and as a nice bonus I came away with a some very real-world research on the effects of cold that I can use in upcoming scenes of STORM MOUNTAIN. There is no substitute for personal experience when you sit down and try to make a scene come to life.
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1/31/07 -- Found myself feeling a bit discouraged this morning by the sluggish speed of my writing. The more I thought about the seemingly glacial pace, the more it bothered me. Within minutes I came to a grinding halt, a victim of the dreaded syndrome known as Writer's Block.
I paced the floor. No help.
I went for a walk. Still no help.
So I turned to my last resort -- a shower.
Yep, I took a shower. Maybe it's the hot water beating down on my head that stimulates my brain. I don't know, but it works! Five minutes under the pounding spray and it occurred to me that maybe I should write this story about mountain climbing in the same frame of mind I try to maintain when I actually am mountain climbing. Climbing is a complex combination of challenges -- weather, altitude, snow and rock conditions, the route chosen -- that must be met, one steady step at a time, in order to achieve the goal of reaching the top. Sometimes it seems as if the mountain is throwing everything its got at you to get you to give up. It's hard. You have to dig deep to succeed. But here's the cool thing: it's in that digging deep that you learn, and grow the most.
Back in my office, I took a deep breath, dug deep, and started writing again. I'm happy to report that it worked. No dramatic breakthroughs, no whirlwind rushes to the summit of a finished book. I'm still figuring out who the main characters, Ben and Cat, are. And how they're going to handle the fix they've gotten themselves into. But I'm moving upward again, making progress one steady step at a time, and boy, does it feels good.
Wishing you all the best in meeting your challenges.
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1/29/07 -- Action scene today, in this case a fall into a crevasse, which is a giant crack in the surface of a glacier. (See example in photo below.) It was relatively easy writing on one level, there being lots going on and so plenty to talk about. But I was trying to capture more than just the physical chain of events. I also wanted to give a sense of the wild blurr of the fall, and the thoughts and feeling that flash through the main character's mind in the midst of it. I guess you could call it action in slow motion. Challenging, but fun. Give it a try. Throw your character over the edge, then put yourself in their shoes (an essential skill for writers) and go for it!
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1/26/07 -- I was reminded again today of the importance of research in fiction writing, and the importance of sometimes putting it off.
Let me explain: First of all, I'm not talking about the kind of research I did so much of in school -- for reports, or projects, or just because my teacher made me. What I'm talking about here is the kind of research that is specific to a certain scene, and can determine its success or failure.
The scene I worked on this morning sets the two main characters of STORM MOUNTAIN, Ben and Cat, high above timberline, making their way upward alongside a glacier. Ben is very nervous in this precipitous environment. (No wonder; both his and Cat's dads died up there on a search and rescue mission.) To take his mind off what he and Cat are doing, Ben starts rattling on about the structure of glaciers, how they are formed, why they are now shrinking worldwide, etc. Although I've spent a good deal of time on glaciers and know quite a bit, I realized that I needed more. However, instead of stopping and doing the research right then and there (and in the process interrupting my writing), I put it off and, to remind myself, took a moment to switch to all capital letters and typed "RESEARCH NEEDED HERE", then continued on with the action. So I was able to meet my daily writing goal -- finish scene 10. When I start the second draft in a few weeks, I'll do the research on glaciers, work it into Ben's dialogue, and hopefully that will help me meet my bigger writing goal and scene 10 will ring more true.
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1/25/07 -- Writing takes commitment, perseverance, and lots of time. It is not about strolling in spring meadows, or lolling about in the shade of an apple tree waiting for a brilliant idea. It is about sitting in front of the computer for hours, struggling to make a scene work, a character believable, a setting come to life, dialogue sound less wooden. It is about eye-straining, neck aching, head-pounding work, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
That being said, sometimes life does interfere with getting writing done, and today is a good example. Two weeks ago, in a typical rushed, numbskull move, I cut both of my thumbs pretty badly, necessitating a trip to the doctor for stitches. Since then one thumb has healed fine, but the other has not and woke me last night with its throbbing. So I'm off to the doctor's office to see what's up, and must put off STORM MOUNTAIN until later. Who knows, though, maybe this detour will result in a future scene in a story. As a writer, it's important to always keep your antennae up and be on the lookout for ideas. Experience is the best source of inspiration.
And yes, typing with one thumb held away from the keyboard is a challenge. Thank goodness I've got two!
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1/24/07 -- Seems I can't leave silly scenes out of a story, even a fairly serious story like STORM MOUNTAIN. Inspired by a food eating contest a young friend of mine named Adam got into a few years back, I took his real life experience and tweaked it into a burrito eating battle between my main character Ben and his cousin Cat. On a first draft I generally just run with whatever comes to mind, and this turned out a bit on the gross side. (Ben eats too much too fast and pays the nauseating consequences.) Maybe it's too gross, but the action does move the plot forward, so on that level it works. And even if I end up cutting the scene in revision, I had fun writing it, so it was a worthwhile day.
Now it's time to turn my attention to my upcoming trip to New York to visit editors, publishers, my agent, etc. Being a writer is not just about writing. There is the business side of things that need to be attended to, also. Plus, I've got to book my flight to Lansing, Michigan, where I will be speaking in schools in March. Like I said, it's not just about writing. Still, I love meeting the kids and teachers and librarians. They're my wonderful audience!
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1/23/07 -- Worked today on my new novel, STORM MOUNTAIN. I'm only about a third of the way through the first draft, so my sense of character and place and events is still developing.
As you may be able to guess from the title, the story involves mountain climbing, which is one of my passions. Climbing is just the backdrop, though. The story premise (at the moment, anyway) goes something like: What if a thirteen-year-old boy must chase his girl cousin up a mountain that terrifies him in order to retrieve his father's ashes.
Stay tuned . .