January, 2010

When I’m the Birthday Girl

When I taught kindergarten, we used one inch blocks to build a tower to show how old we were. I am now officially three blocks short of my height. We held up our fingers to show just how old we were. Now I need five friends to extend all of their fingers with me.

I am as old as my son, his future wife and my darling adopted grandson, Alejandro, combined. By the end of today, I’ll have received more birthday greetings than my age.

I can’t say this has happened overnight but I can say I’m glad to have sixty years to practice living. Despite a few ruts in the road, it’s a good life. I have a wonderful family, good friends and a writing career I cherish. I plan to work hard and enjoy the rest, minute by minute.

Jammin’ at the American Jazz Museum

Photo from the Jazz Museum

I had a great time at the American Jazz Museum at 18th and Vine in Kansas City on Saturday, January 23rd!

The music was grand! Pearl Thuston Brown is one fine and funny musician. The jazz storytellers did call and response, scat and lots more. And as always, the children were adorable. Can’t wait to go back in May.

Another Review

THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL: The Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend / HM

Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald, illus. by Giselle Potter.

$16 (32p) ISBN 978-0-618-95974-7

In this biography of jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams, sisters Ingalls (a newcomer) and Macdonald (Copycat Costume) record the trials of an African-American child who migrates from Atlanta to Pittsburgh , and the joy music offers her. Life in Pittsburgh is hard: neighbors throw bricks through their windows, and Mary has to borrow her mother’s too-small shoes for the first day of school. “Ugly names and cruel words… Mary called them ‘bad sounds,’ and she taught herself to play them out.” Her family and friends recognize and appreciate her gifts, though, and Mary soon witnesses the effects of her music. “When Mary cut loose, people couldn’t stay still…. Her blue notes made people want to cry at just how hard life can be. Her crazy chords made people shimmy their shoulders and shake their heads.” Potter’s (The Boy Who Loved Words) folk art–style gouache paintings provide a vivid portrait of industrial Pittsburgh at the beginning of the 20th century, yet have an iconic quality, too. Ingalls and Macdonald provide a touching memorial to a jazz great who is not a household name—a valuable contribution. Ages 6–9. (Jan.)

Which Way Do I Go?

Just like these signs (with my names on them) seem to indicate, I often don’t know which way to go with my writing. I start out one way and get distracted by story line, characters, narrative, details, rhyme scheme, language usage, you name it. And so I stop. I put it away for awhile and wait for new direction from a writing friend or from some sort of inspiration from daily life. Then I begin again with a little better idea of just where I want to go.

Connecting With Kids

On Friday of this week, I’m going off to do what I do best–connect with kids. We’re going to talk about writing for other kids. I’m going to give them a few tips, some that have worked for me.

Sometimes I like to start a story by having the main character worry. Worry in a hurry! Every reader can relate to that.

Other times, I begin at the end, especially if I’m writing poetry. After I choose a topic, I decide on the end line and work to the beginning. I always keep a word bank and I rely on Rhymezone.com to help me find interesting 2,3,4 or 5 syllable words that work.

When I’ve written something, I read and reread it. I write it over dozens of times. I put it away overnight and get it out the next morning. That’s the best time for me but I know loads of other writers who write into the wee hours when I’m sawing logs.

If I should happen to wake up from a deep sleep with a great word for a manuscript or an idea, I write it down right then and there. Sometimes titles come to me in dreams. It’s crazy but it’s true.

One last bit of advice. If you want to be a writer, go speak to young readers and writers. Their ideas are fresh and oftentimes, untried.

Kirkus Review for THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL

Feels a bit like hanging my heart out as a punching bag but here it is:

Ingalls, Ann and Maryann Macdonald

THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL: The Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend / HOUGHTON MIFFLIN BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Giselle Potter

Macdonald teams with her sister for this celebration of Williams’s talent as a jazz pianist. It manifested early: At three, Mary played back a tune she’d heard her mother play on the family organ. After moving from Atlanta to Pittsburgh (with Mama’s heavy organ sold behind them), young Mary struggles for acceptance and is ridiculed for her too-small shoes. This is more story than biography. Avowing that “[n]o one remembers exactly how it all started, how Mary began playing piano again”—the authors embroider upon one anecdote (involving a kind neighbor who invites Mary into her home to practice), inventing dialogue and imagining details about her state of mind. Potter’s gouache illustrations adopt a faux-naïf, folkloric style that’s simple and idealized. Even when the text observes of Pittsburgh , “…smokestacks poured fumes into the sky,” readers see dainty gray plumes against green hills dotted with white houses. Acknowledging Mary’s long, worldwide career as an elegant, accomplished performer “in beautiful shoes,” this sweet tribute neatly fills a niche in the panoply of titles about jazz greats. (afterword) (Picture book. 5-8)

Mark Lowrey

How is it that you can know someone almost his entire life and still not know enough about him?

I have known Mark Lowrey since he was a curly-haired kindergartner with beautiful blue eyes. This young man with a beguiling innocence and heart larger than Kansas City has grown into an assured adult and huge talent.

I remember watching him walk home from school with my son, Kevin, and their mutual friend, Nick. All three of them giggled as they dropped homework assignments, field trip forms and notes from teachers to parents.

In fifth grade when they went to Space Camp in Hutchison, Kansas, I traveled out there to see them snapped into spacesuits and defying gravity. And I watched with utter amazement and absolute respect as Mark courageously played at his high school baccalaureate the very same week his father passed away unexpectedly. He did this because he was needed.

Watching this young man grow in stature, character, talent, maturity, and elegance has been my privilege. It will also be my extreme honor to have him play for you at the Reading Reptile release party for THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL.

Years ago when I first told him about this book project, he agreed that Mary Lou Williams’ life and music were worthy of a book for children. I’m glad he thinks my work merits his time and talent.

For more about Mark, go to www.kansascity.com archives for January 7, 2010. Here’s a bit of what he says about one of his projects:

“It is an experiment in cross-genre improvisation, melding groove-oriented free jazz with freestyle rapping.”

Make sense to you? Me, neither.

Release Party at the Reading Reptile

Over the years, I have purchased thousands of children’s books, many of those from Pete Cowdin and Debbie Pettid, co-owners of Reading Reptile in Brookside, Missouri.

My publisher tells me that this is the best-selling independent children’s bookstore in the nation. I happen to be lucky enough to have it in my home town. I happen to be luckier still that Pete and Debbie have graciously offered to host a release party for THE LITTLE PIANO GIRL, the book I co-authored with my sister, Maryann Macdonald. The release party will be on Saturday, February 13th from 6-8 PM.

I would love to see friends, family, fellow writers and readers, word nerds, jazz hounds, teachers, librarians, people of all shapes and sizes at this event. The only requirement is that all people in attendance be over the age of 21 as wine will be served. Oops! One more requirement. Please don’t bring in any books to be signed. The Reading Reptile will have plenty on hand if you have interest.

The eminently talented Mark Lowrey will play. That in itself is reason to attend. Hope to see you there!

http://www.readingreptile.com/main/index.html

Dreams Do Come True

When I met Richard Peck, the very first thing he did was give me a hug. The second thing he did was to give me a copy of his new book. We visited over dinner at a small Italian place my sister, Maryann, and my brother-in-law, George, recommended. Good value and great company! Then, we walked back to Maryann and George’s place arm in arm. I felt like somebody special.

At the apartment, Richard signed his new book, A SEASON OF GIFTS. But, the biggest, best gift for me was yet to come. Richard said how much he liked our book and asked me to sign a copy for him. Imagine that? The very first book I ever signed for anyone, I signed for him.

Jody Jensen Shaffer, Writer and Friend Extraordinnaire

I want to return a favor. I know this really great writer who thinks I’m not too shabby at my craft. She, in her warm and friendly way, interviewed me. She wants to help promote my first book, LITTLE PIANO GIRL. This warmed my heart.

Jody Jensen Shaffer can write nearly anything and can do it well. She’s even snagged herself a great agent so you’ll be hearing lots about Jody’s books in the future.

Do me a favor, will you? Check out her blog and see what a fine writer she is.