What made me laugh this week

I apologize for not posting much recently, I'm behind on everything--even my pocket pacy contest (I have so many wonderful entries that I can't wait to share! I'll announce winners next week, promise!). The reason why I am so behind is that I've been doing a marathon of school visits (which I will also post about later) which have been fun as well as funny. How funny? Well, this is how I was asked to personalize some of the books I autographed (last name photoshopped out to protect the innocent):

It says to sign books to 1. Elliot 2. Little  Elliot Pelliot Smelliot 3. Master Elliot Edward...a year of the Monkey Child

This made me laugh but I signed as directed! However, I couldn't help wondering if some older sibling was getting in a joke on little Elliot...

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHAT MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD?

We are trying something new: a question of the week we will all answer....or those of us who want to will.

The question this week is:

WHAT MADE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD?

I was on a lengthy stopover at the Denver Airport after a fairly sleepless trip -- at that stage of tiredness and crankiness when almost everything was irritating me, from getting a few drops of hot water in the restroom sinks (and I had to flap my hands to get THAT -- over and over to get enough to really wash my hands) to people's loud voices and rudeness. The WIFI worked perfectly though, and I read the latest in a discussion among me, my siblings and most of our cousins about the location of a planned family reunion. Things were deteriorating there, too, and I was too tired to deal with it. So I went to get something to eat.

I vaguely tuned into the conversation at the next table: three teenage boys complaining about something -- but I didn't REALLY start listening until the father said:

"It was my bad. Mom had this romantic idea of all of us being together in the snow....."

I looked over: father, 3 boys between the ages of about 11 and 16, and a man who never said a word.

"Why couldn't we have gone to the beach?" one boy said.

"We always go to the beach. You would have liked the mountains better if you'd gone ski-ing."

"If I went ski-ing I'd probably hurt myself," said the first boy.

The argument went on and on, with the father being resolutely cheerful even in the face of:

"It sucked."

"I have no interest in sitting on boat."

"It's less boring than_________."

"The likelihood of any of us killing a shark is zero. Sharks move at...."

The only thing they all agreed on, supported by their father, was NO VEGETABLES. When their meal came, and there was lettuce on the hamburgers, they were sent back, very pleasantly and politely -- the father talked. Then, one of the kids commented on the vegetables in the father's drink.

"I know what you mean," the father said diplomatically, "but somehow I can never think of olives as a vegetable."

Then they went back to arguing.

Maybe this won't make anyone else laugh -- but *I* laughed and it really cheered me up, too. ALL families (not just mine) argue about vacation locations and the point is to go. They had their father (such a nice guy! I don't know how parents have the patience!) and, luckily, we have people in our family, too, who say they're going because they want to see relatives and get to know them better; WHERE we do it is secondary ....and thanks to over-hearing this conversation, I was able to be one of them.

I didn't mean to make this a "what I learned" kind of thing, and if we can answer this question twice, next time I'll just say something funny and leave it at that!

Ernie Els, Ryo Ishikawa & the Irksome Masters Invite Issue

11/5/11 - Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images AsiaPac

With the Masters just days away, fans, players and members of the media are weighing in on the 'special invitations' debate.

The crux of the controversy, in the minds of many, seems to have boiled down to the special invitation received by Ryo Ishikawa... and the one not (up to this point) received by Ernie Els.

Interestingly, the two players being pitted against each other in the popular debate, happen to have a special relationship that transcends the current polemic. Having played mercurially together at the 2011 Presidents Cup, the likable duo became known as the "the kid and the veteran" and after two losses,  Els' insistence on keeping the pairing intact, was rewarded when Ishikawa summoned the steely nerves required to birdie the final three holes and win their last match together. 

The Masters, with its limited field and mystical aura, is the event every golfer dreams of,  and an element of controversy surrounding the elusive "special invites" is not uncommon,  with little hope of influencing the powers-that-be in Augusta, the opinionating doesn't ultimately amount to much.  It can, however be divisive... and perhaps counter-productive to the global golf cause... in the end. 

A couple of years ago, the always-outspoken Colin Montgomerie raised the invite issue with his "a la China" comment, which was seen by some players as anti-Asian, and... not surprisingly... offended many.

This year, the majority of players and fans appear to be taking a pragmatic view on the issue of the invite.  Acknowledging the attributes of each of these two players (and other's who barely missed inclusion) most seem to accept the fact that the committee at Augusta does things their own way and isn't likely to acknowledge... much less respond to... complaints, criticism or supplication.

In fact, the powerful men on Magnolia Lane are most likely absorbed with an issue potentially much more controversial than their decision on the 2012 special invitations: her name is Virginia Rometty,
and it's a fair guess she's getting more attention from the committee members then Els and Ishikawa combined. 

Note: Ryo Ishikawa fans (like me) can cheer him on with a personal message... here's how to do it.

EURO DATES UPDATE

The holes are being filled.

April 30 - Ghent, Belgium / DOKkantine
May 2 - Utrecht, Netherlands / dB's w/ SIC ALPS
May 3 - Hamburg, Germany / Grüner Jäger
May 4 - Berlin, Germany / Marie-Antoinette
May 5 - St.Pölten, Austria / Festspielhaus
May 6 - Prague, Czech Rep. / Klub Final
May 7 - Strasbourg, France / Galerie No Smoking
May 8 - Basel, Switzerland / Hirscheneck
May 9 - Genève, Switzerland / Usine
May 10 - Lyon, France / Le Sonic
May 12 - Brussels, Belgium / Les Nuits Botanique w/ Six Organs of Admittance
May 13 - Amsterdam, Netherlands / OCCI
May 14 - UK date TBA
May 15 - London, UK / Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
May 16 - Paris, France / Le Petit Bain

Festival interview

Just returned from a busy week in Virginia at the Festival of the Book. More on that soon! In the meantime, here is a clip from an interview I did for the local news while I was in Charlottesville. It was a total thrill being on a real news set... watching the weather guy in front of the green screen, the anchors chatting casually the second they cut to commercial, how all the graphics and pieces came together to create what you see on screen. One of the anchors spent each of the commercial breaks either surfing the web or texting. I guess once you're used to being on tv you have to fill up that time somehow. Anyhow, I had a blast. I hope it shows. Please pardon my frog voice (I had a cold).

Golf Takes the Cake - When a TX Tournament Turns 90

photo: Pinterest/Aundrea Ambeliotis/Mediterra Bakehouse

With Tiger back on track and Yani on fire, golf fans have a lot to be excited about as the major season gets underway  ...and it looks like the sweetness will extend well beyond the fairways and greens this year, thanks to a stellar golf sponsor.

Coming up in mid-April is the unapologetically Texan Valero Texas Open which celebrates its 90th birthday in 2012!  Yes folks, that's Nine-Oh, which clearly calls for a cake, and to that end the tournament has partnered with Pioneer^® Brands.

The oldest family-owned business in Texas... and the oldest continuously operated family-owned milling company in the United States... Pioneer^® Brands produces a wide variety of baking and seasoning mixes, and for the Valero Texas Open they'll be hosting a Celebrity Cake-Off.

Yesterday in a press conference the details were announced : six local celebrity pastry chefs will partner with six pastry students from St. Philips College Culinary School to create a Valero Open birthday cake. The cake must incorporate various elements of the tournament's identity, including its three pillars: music, food and military appreciation. Among myriad awesome prizes, the team with the winning cake will earn a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The remaining team's chosen charities will receive donations ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

Food Network Star, Duff Goldman will head a panel of celebrity judges, and will also contribute his own version of the VTO birthday cake which will be unveiled following the Cake-Off event on Saturday in the lower lobby of the JW Marriott Resort.

Purchase advance tickets to the Valero Texas Open online at www.valerotexasopen.org or at at participating Valero Corner Store locations. Admission into the Pioneer® Brand Celebrity Cake-Off is free with purchase of Good Any One Day tickets to the tournament.

The event sounds like an awesome way to engage golf fans, their friends and families... and a delicious and creative compliment to the venerable Valero Texas Open.

The Valero Texas Open on Facebook and Twitter

Writing Retreat, and The Today Show!

Hi all, Happy Spring! Sorry for my lack of posting lately. I'm in the crunch time of work deadlines and editing my Spring 2013 list, and have also been cramming wedding planning into any free hour I can find...that deadline is fast approaching, too, as I'm getting married this July!

Last weekend I was on the faculty for the Vermont College Novel Writing Retreat for Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers in beautiful Montpelier, Vermont (VCFA campus pictured above).It was an intimate weekend--about 30 people in total, faculty and attendees combined, with a few alumni who live in the area popping in throughout the weekend. We were housed in the dorms of Vermont College, complete with shared bathrooms (nothing like brushing your teeth together to bond!) and twin-sized beds. I was on the faculty with the brilliant authors Coe Booth and Holly Black.

Author and Vermont College MFA alumni Bruce Black (no relation to Holly) led a wonderful Friday night yoga and journaling workshop on "setting your foundation"--the importance of having a strong foundation in yoga, in life, and in writing (he also led Saturday and Sunday morning yoga sessions, but alas I did not make it to either one). He gave us several writing prompts, one being the question: "What does it take to create a solid foundation as a writer?" (I, of course, answered it substituting "editor" for "writer.") My small epiphany was that getting enough sleep is crucial to having a strong foundation--perhaps because I've been lacking in that aspect of my life lately. But of course there was much more on my list, including great books, a strong support system, and challenges. What would be on your list?

On Saturday morning Coe got us started off with a talk about secondary characters, defining them as the characters in the main character's life who have some impact on his/her life. These generally include, but are not limited to: parents or parent substitutes, siblings, and friends and classmates. She spoke about the important of knowing what each secondary character's life is like beyond the main character. "A flat, lifeless secondary character is a missed opportunity." (she may have been quoting someone else when she said this, so my apologies if I have the attribution wrong) Coe drew on her background as a social worker who did home visits and supplied us with handouts to help everyone establish the structure and system of family relationships. This included interview questions for the adults and other children in the family, as well as questions and prompts for observing the family. Her motto when she writes: "Secondary characters are main characters in her own life!" So true. And you never know when that secondary character in one book is going to star in his/her own book in the future.

There were one-on-one critiques as well as critique groups during the "white space" (some attendees chose to use that time to write) and then after lunch I spoke about narrative voice and structure. I had revised the talk I gave on narrative fiction at the NY SCBWI Annual conference in January, and thankfully none of the attendees of that talk were in Vermont!

There were more critiques in the afternoon, and then after dinner we had a dessert and cocktail reception, and then readings/open mike. People read 2-3 minutes of their work, and it really was wonderful--as I haven't been to Kindling Words in a few years, I realized how much I missed hearing people read their work out loud. They were so varied--some funny, some dramatic, some heartbreaking.

On Sunday Holly spoke about "Fixing the Sickly Book" giving writers guidelines for how to help their writer friends "fix" their book, and how to both be a good doctor and patient. Of course, I found this talk extremely helpful as it relates to editing. I took copious notes, but I'll just highlight a few takeaways. As the "doctor" it's always good to ask the patients to summarize his/her own book, even if you've read it, because it's important to know where they start, what they actually care about in the book, what they think the protagonist's conflict is, what parts they stumble over, and what the overall tone of the book is. As the doctor, it's good to ask yourself: "Is anyone being stupid? Is this how the world really works? Is this how people really work? Does this make sense?" And when offering remedies, be generous, be flexible, frame suggestions in the form of questions, and give up ownership (all things editors do all the time, I must add!).

It was a hugely inspiring weekend--I would strongly recommend the program to any writer, both aspiring and published. There were quite a few published authors in attendance, and I have no doubt that many more of the attendees will achieve their publishing goals soon.

***

In other news, Andrea Davis Pinkney appeared on The Today Show last week to discuss her middle grade novel Bird in the Box with Al Roker's Book Club. She was marvelous, and I love the questions the kids asked--it was a new group of kids, but they were so poised it was hard to believe this was their first appearing on the Book Club. If you missed the segment, you can watch it here.

Andrea signs books for the kids after the show in the green room.

Congratulations, Andrea!

Yani Tseng's Latest Win & An Angry Bird That Yearns to Fly

Yani Tseng's Angry Bird & trophy via Beth Ann Baldry

The symbolism is pretty clear; a small red bird, round and wingless, sits atop a loving cup. Glaring angrily.

The Red Bird is one of the famous Angry Birds and belongs to Yani Tseng, as does the cup, which happens to be the coveted Dinah Shore trophy. The top ranked LPGA star won that elegant piece of hardware at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2010... and the scowling bird is perched upon it because last year, in 2011, Tseng narrowly missed winning.  

According to Golf Week's Beth Ann Baldry, who tweeted this with the photo at left back in November, "Yani put an angry bird inside her Kraft replica trophy because she didn't win in 2011".

With a victory today at the Kia Classic... her third win of the still very young 2012 LPGA season... the Taiwanese champion seems to be on track to become a multiple winner of the 2012 Kraft Nabisco next week and jump into Poppie's Pond for a second time. If she does,  I'm guessing she'll take the ill tempered avian with her.

Fiction and fact

Last weekend, This American Life retracted a story -- the one told by the actor who went to China and did a stage show on the horrific conditions in Apple's factories. Conditions there ARE bad; but lots of the dramatic details (like guards wearing guns) were completely made up. Others were exaggerated or distorted.

He was interviewed on last weekend's show and the lies continued; he never admitted that he had lied. The reporters said talking to him was "exhausting" because of the way he qualified every statement, even his denials. He never came out and said anything, and he couldn't seem to see that he had distorted the truth and that it would have all been fine if he'd told audiences his stage show was drama BASED ON facts rather than fact. He said, only more indirectly, that the main point was true and his goal was to get people to care.....billing his show as "based on the truth" rather than true wouldn't have had the same impact. He's probably right about that!

Ira Glass and the others were outraged. Their passion for the truth, for fact checking, for getting every detail exactly right was for me the most interesting and dramatic part of the show (the guy who had lied gave me the creeps, frankly -- his smarmy voice was creepy in his original story and it was almost a relief to have a reason not to like him, before I just hadn't!).

Listening to the reporters talk made me think about fiction and non-fiction. I am guessing (guessing because I am not one!) really great reporters and non-fiction writers are driven by passion to get at the facts, to find out what REALLY happened. For me, research and learning are fascinating-- but that's not why I write, even when I'm writing non-fiction. Research in fact can often be an end it inself; for me, it's really different from writing.

Fiction writers (and like it or not, that's mainly what I am -- what about you? What drives your writing?) are probably driven by other things: the desire to express themselves, tell a good story, reveal an emotional truth, portray a world -- or just make things up.

Some people can't help doing this even when they set out to tell the facts. Carl Sandburg's biography of Lincoln contains a long account of a romance -- a woman (Nancy Rutherford???) Lincoln deeply loved who died. When critics pointed out, pretty conclusively, that this had never happened, Carl Sandburg replied:

"Well, it ought to have happened."

Small bites - Episode 177 - The Knitmore Girls

Listen here:



This week's episode has been brought to you by:

We’re excited to be introducing to you, our discerning  listeners, the newest Bar-Maids collection, the Almost Everything.  This uber-moisturizing whole body kit includes a luxurious Lo-Lo Body Bar, a deliciously tingly O’For Feet Sake foot moisturizer, a handy Cuticle Intensive stick, and a silky smooth Lo- Lo Lips Lip Balm.  It’s the perfect way to ensure that your whole body is soft, sensual, and ready for spring.  It’s almost everything Bar-Maids has to offer at a great price.  This is a great gift for the mom who never stops, your fellow friends in fiber that make your hobby a lifestyle, or for anyone in your life who deserves a little pampering. I think my mom definitely deserves some Lo-Lo love this Mothers Day – doesn’t yours?

Purlescence Yarns is the Bay Area's destination yarn shop. From the best in spinning and weaving equipment to luxurious yarns and fibers, we have what you need to make your fibery dreams a reality. We're always happy to provide mail order service for Knitmore Girls listeners. Call us today, it'll be on its way!

On the needles: (00:32)

Jasmin is inspired to knit a Houdini sock for Andrew, with some improvements. We mention the New Pathways class by Cat Bordhi. Gigi is working on a sock with a Sweet Tomato heel. We also mention Lucy Neatby's Cool Socks for Warm Feet and Nancy Bush's Folk Socks. We mention Miss Kalendar (of the Brass Needles podcast) and her love of turning short-rowed heels.

Jasmin is still working on her CampKIP KAL Daybreak Shawl. Gigi has finished her Sharks Daybreak scarf for Sam.

We officially announce the pattern for the SPAKAL: The Eadon cardigan by Susanna IC.

Mother Knows Best: (14:08)

We talk about knitting in bed. We recommend getting a backrest (Jasmin has this one, Gigi has this one), and making sure you have a good mattress.

When Knitting Attacks: (18:55)

Savvy Girl Melanie (from the Savvy Girls Podcast) comes to visit and (unintentionally) wreaks havoc on Gigi's Morehouse Merino dragon scarf. Gigi flips the colors on her Kleio shawl (by Rosemary Hill). Gigi also downloads her first (solo) pattern- the Mishke by CocoKnits, and realizes that she's short on yardage.

Purloined: (28:05)

This week, we steal the "Guess who's crazy?" segment from the (former) KIPing it Real podcast (now the Positively Over Committed podcast). Jasmin has decided to do one SPAKAL sweater on a drop spindle, and one on the wheel. Challenge ACCEPTED!

Review: (31:31)

We mention the Jimmy Beans Wool needle return/exchange policy (which is made clearer here, post-recording)

For our actual review, we review Juju's Loops. Gigi gives it an "eh", Jasmin really likes it.

Straw into Gold: (42:15)

Jasmin dusts off her Schacht-Reeves saxony wheel and spins some of the Crown Mountain Farms cormo.

Gigi picks her fleece for the SPAKAL- a medium grey merino/corriedale fleece (from Janet Heppler) from a sheep named "Banditta". We talk about measuring out (CLEAN) weight for spinning a sweater. Gigi has measured out her SPAKAL fiber into 1 oz bumps, and is trying to spin 1 oz per sitting.

Trusted and recommended sources for wool: Shari at Morro Fleece Works, Brooke from Sincere Sheep, Crown Mountain Farms, Purlescence Yarns (for Ashland Bay roving). Jasmin also mentions the 6" plastic Schacht weaving bobbins.

Jasmin is spinning her drop spindle SPAKAL sweater on a modular KCL drop spindle. You can find the thread for the SPAKAL here.

picture books done in 3D?

Hey guys,

I'm working on improving my school talk and I'm in need of an example of a picture book done in 3D. Sculpture perhaps? I already have the cut paper down. I'm thinking real 3D - something that needs to be photographed. Any ideas? Please do share! Thanks!

meghan

Home Decor for the Single Minded Golfer

Golf Home Decor on Pinterest

"Les gouts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas"

When it comes to home decor, that succinct French expression says it all.  What it means, roughly, is "there's no accounting for taste" but the French version has an authoritative Gallic edge that's untranslatable.

The point however, is ultimately the same, and it's the reason some love decor that's Trendy (modern/minimal) while others embrace the Traditional (old-fashioned/ornate).

That brings me to golf decor... and the third T.   Decorators and wedding planners know what I'm talking about.  The third T stands for Tacky (tawdry/tasteless/trashy) and with golf decor... like any decorating style based on a theme... there's a heightened tackiness risk that requires a bit of restraint. 



Collectible overkill, a plethora of plaid and argyles or too many portraits of Tiger will turn a golf themed room or home into a cloying, Disnefied shrine that would be wearying for even the most avid aficionado.

Parties, weddings and restaurants can take a theme more assertively across furniture, artwork, lighting and accessories to create "an experience".  At home however, the goal is generally day-to-day life and an ambiance that's relaxing and timeless.

These days, decorating ideas from all over the world are being shared online.  Pinterest, the enormously popular new social site I wrote about here a couple of weeks ago, lends itself particularly well to the task.

Early on, I created a Golf Decor board on Pinterest with some images that inspired me. Others have done the same, and while it's true that Les gouts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas" if you're seeking inspiration for decorating with a golf theme, you're bound to find some ideas that work for you.

Some boards and pins to check out:

Masters and Golf Decor Ideas

Golf Parties

Golf Weddings

WAIT....WHAT?!

Sheroes is a monthly limited-run art party series bringing together on and offline works that playfully and performatively explore the iconography and cultures of fandom surrounding an ever-expanding "League of Legendary Ladies": Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Madonna, Yoko Ono, Erykah Badu, Etta James, Marianne Faithfull & more.

Sheroes is presented by salonnière reeraw (Rea McNamara). Based in Toronto, the series curates specially commissioned performances, sounds, installations & visuals.

All Sheroes events are brainstormed and archived online at fuckyeahsheroes.tumblr.com, uniting digital communities with real-time audiences in an ongoing exploration into fan culture and collaborative content creation.

Sheroes #8: Marianne Faithfull will be taking place Thursday, March 22nd at the Beaver in Toronto.

ipad, nook, kindle?

So, I've been traveling a lot this month--school visit marathon!-- and I'm starting to bend towards getting a e-reading device. I loathe checking in bags but being pregnant has made carrying books that much more unwieldy. The idea of carrying a library in a single device has become more and more attractive with each trip I take and with the old ipads dropping in price I am starting to be very, very tempted.

But is the ipad the right device to get? Even though my single purchase is not even a drop in the larger battle of e-books, I'd like to get the one that helps book publishing the most. Apple certainly doesn't seem to need any help (and is of course the most expensive option as well as recent reports of its dubious manufacturing practices). Getting a kindle seems rather like a betrayal of the book industry, considering how ruthless Amazon is to both publishers and indie bookstores. While the nook would support B&N & not indies, at least it would help B&N stay afloat against Amazon. Which device would support the book industry the most, do you think?

Makeup by Caitlin Allen. Photos by Gerrard Square Photo Booth.

Wozzilroy Twitter Account Showdown, the Infographic

For the full size infographic, click HERE

They've been an item since last summer. Young, rich, and at the top of their respective games, Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki are clearly a power couple... "a match made in sports marketing heaven", some have said.

Previous golf/tennis pairings - Martina Hingis and Sergio Garcia, Ana Ivanovic and Adam Scott, Chris Evert and Greg Norman, to name a few - have made a modicum of news, providing good back stories during major events like Wimbledon or the Masters, but... truth-be-told... these love affairs didn't much register beyond the rarefied radar of their respective niche sports.

The Wozniackilroy romance however, has the potential to transcend both golf and tennis thanks to the second nature social media skills of the two appealing protagonists. Their numerous celebrity hybrid names and recent appearances together at parties with the likes of Ronaldo and the Beckhams testify to the couple's growing social media sports star status.

Rumor has it their initial flirtation was conducted on Twitter, and there can be little doubt that both @McIlroyRory and @CaroWozniacki appreciate the value of a timely tweet, but how do they stack up against each other?  Well world rankings-wise, Rory is currently golf's world No.1, while Caroline... who held the No.1 spot in tennis as recently as January... has recently tumbled to No.4.  But who reigns supreme in terms of Twitter temerity? Well, I can tell you that... and I can present it with a colorful, graphically sophisticated visualization thanks to new infographic creation tools from visual.ly... and it looks like Rory's dominating in the Twitterverse too. For the moment. I have a distinct feeling that the fiercely competitive Caroline will be back to  No.1 in the Tennisphere before long, and... who knows... after seeing this perhaps she'll decide to challenge her boyfriend for supremacy in the Twittersphere. In any case, I'm guessing the #Wozzilroy hashtag will be a popular this year.

Follow @CaroWozniacki and @RoryMcIlroy on Twitter.

Hiding behind my man/stand by your man. Photo by Danielle Nemet.

Virginia Festival of the Book

Next week I will be packing up the car and heading south for the Virginia Festival of the Book. It takes place in my hometown of Charlottesville, so it's always a mix of visiting friends and family, visiting schools, giving book talks, and enjoying an early dose of spring. In the past I've flown down. But this year Bruno and Tilda will join me and given the mountain of stuff a traveling baby requires, we decided to drive. I am mildly terrified of 10 hours in the car with a toddler, but very excited about the festival.

This year I'll be visiting 5 schools (including the first elementary school I ever attended!), giving a couple of weekend events, and will be interviewed on the local news. I grew up watching my hometown news, so that will be an extra thrill.

If you are in the area, the festival is well worth checking out with hundreds of events around town. But most especially, come join me if you can for these gatherings:

Making a Picture Book with Anna Alter
Sat. March 24th, 2012 - 10:00 AM

A StoryFest Event! Anna Alter shares her latest picture book. Children learn how a book is created from start to finish and then participate in their own art project. Original artwork from Anna's books will be on display. Anna's own books available for purchasing and signing.

Location:
CitySpace--Charlottesville Community Design Center
100 5th Street NE
(434)984-2232

Book Signing at Alakazam
Sun. March 25th, 2012 - 1:00 PM

Author and illustrator Anna Alter shares her book A Photo for Greta and an art activity with her Alakazam fans.

Location:
Alakazam Toys and Gifts
100 E Main St
(434)971-1717

Multi-tasking Golf Fashion Innovation: Skirt + Tight = Skite

Skirt + Tight = Skite

It's a simple concept. A classic "why didn't I think of that?" idea.

But I didn't, Mary Jane Parrish did.  The enterprising Florida tennis-player-turned-sportswear-designer invented the Skite, a one-piece, multi-tasking skirt/tight hybrid that works wonderfully for golf... and a whole plethora of other activities, athletic and otherwise.

Here's the thing, for the majority of female body types... young, old, large or lean... a short skirt actually creates a flattering silhouette.  However, many women shy away from the look for fear of over-exposure... and that's where the leggings come into play.

Completely opaque and attached to the skirt, they're available in several cuts, from short... to Capri... to ankle-length, allowing a gal to choose the amount of leg coverage that suits her. Plus, with a couple of different fits, three basic solid colors and panoply of prints to choose from, one can customise the look to a particular sport or activity.

Yes, a Skite is quite the versatile vestment.  Have a look at their website theskite.com for additional info and check out their blog skitebuzz.blogspot.com for more on the back story.  Then of course, there's a Skite facebook page to keep you completely up-to-date on all things Skite as they develop.

A hat tip for this great golf fashion find goes to the always observant and sartorially sensitive Courtney Capps, (who always looks great in his Khakis).

Skites hit the tennis courts -  Fairways are the next frontier

The Golf Poet Pens Panegyrical Prose for Michelle Wie

It was almost three years ago that I first came upon Golf Poet a delightful golf poetry/golf history blog that always lifts my spirits.

The editor is Leon White, a true Renaissance man with a passion for golf and a love of poetry... and the generosity to share both in frequent, cleverly-crafted posts on his enchanting blog.

Almost a year ago, in April 2011, the Golf Poet released Golf Course of Rhymes - Links between Golf and Poetry Through the Ages a wonderfully rich and engaging book, based on his blog. 

Last week I received an email from Mr. White.  The multi-faceted scribe had just written a poem for Michelle Wie in honor of her upcoming graduation from Stanford University... and he remembered my well documented years as a Wie Warrior.

"I thought she deserved poetic recognition for her achievements and best wishes for a great post-graduate career in golf and otherwise."

That's the way the golf poet puts it on his blog and the resulting poem is... to use an over-used word... awesome.  Read For Michelle Wie here.

PAINTING I'M WORKING ON...

pretty white girl

I'm traveling around this month, doing lots o'school visits, but this blog post, Why The Pretty White Girl YA Book Cover Trend Needs to End caught my eye. It's written by the fearless & articulate Ellen Oh, who is a great supporter of multicultural authors (as well as being one herself).

One of the topics briefly touched upon was that middle grade novel covers don't suffer as much "white washing" as YA covers. As a middle grade, multicultural author I think that is true. But I still think there is room to grow! What do you think?

International Women's Day - A Couple of Golf Blogs to Follow

Forest Hills Ladies Circle Photo: ©Monique A. Ignacio

If you've paid a visit to the worlds most popular search engine today you may have noticed a modern multi-chromatic rendering that features a flower and the female gender symbol.  That would be the  Google Doodle for March 8, 2012 decked out for International Women's Day.

More than thirty years ago,  March 8th officially became the UN Day for women's rights and world peace.  The occasion will be marked in various ways by women's groups around the world.

For the social media communicators among us, a twitter hashtag, #digitalheroines has been established as part of a viral campaign to promote the presence of women in technology fields where, as yet they're substantially underrepresented.

Tweeting with this hashtag is a way to sign on to the International Women's Day statement of Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission, and the woman in charge of digital policy for Europe.  Though originating in Europe, it's a message applicable across the globe. "The Digital World is for Everyone".

The empowerment of women and the recent rise of digital technology have changed our world for the better. Now it is time to bring these two revolutions together.
You may have heard of Moore's law, but what about a more women law?
Technology should not be a boy's and man's world. Our technology gurus and heroes cannot be limited to men. It's a digital world now and the digital world is for everyone. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 

In that vein, I'd like to tell you about a couple of golf blogs that inspire me with their support of women's golf (which is way underreported vs. men's golf) and their engaging female focus:

Tenerife Ladies Open ©DogLegMedia

Dog Leg Media is a media initiative from Poodle, the fashion forward golf apparel company we've written about here a couple of times in the past. In addition to their awesome clothing line, Poodle is a company with a real commitment to the women's game. They sponsor several professional golfers and Ladies European Tour events attending numerous tournaments each year, and have now established photo library of unique high quality images that they offer to media outlets, businesses and fans. Their aim is to encourage newspapers and magazines to write about womens golf and more fans to follow and support the girls.

The Dog Leg Media Blog is a great way to see the women LET in action... on some of the most beautiful courses in the world.

And speaking of beautiful courses... and gregarious golf girls... and stunning photography,  if you don't follow Girl Golfing! you're missing out on an ultra-vibrant glimpse of the exciting women's golf scene in the Philippines.

Throughout the weekend I'll add links to some of the unique other blogs that I feel reflect the International Women's Day mission. If you have any... please feel free to add them in a comment.

THIS IS A FOR REAL HELP OUT YOUR FRIENDS BENEFIT SHOW!
"As the new year has come we've been forced to find new studio digs. Renovation ain't cheap, help us make practising in a band affordable in this city by celebrating the joy of rehearsed music at Double Double Land!"

*poster by Max + Meg

authors are rockstars

Today,there's a fun little podcast interview with yours truly at Authors are Rockstars. I love how they we talked about the story of my Newbery dress--you can see we talked only about the most important things!

Listen HERE!

EURO DATES SO FAR

Going back to Euroland this Spring for a quick healthy lap.
Below are the dates I have so far...more dates and info to follow.

April 30 - Ghent, Belgium / DOKkantine
May 3 - Hamburg, Germany / Grüner Jäger
May 4 - Berlin, Germany / Marie-Antoinette
May 5 - St.Pölten, Austria / Festspielhaus
May 6 - Prague, Czech Rep. / Klub Final
May 7 - Strasbourg, France / Galerie No Smoking
May 8 - Basel, Switzerland / Hirscheneck
May 9 - Genève, Switzerland / Usine
May 10 - Lyon, France / Le Sonic
May 12 - Brussels, Belgium / Les Nuits Botanique
May 13 - Amsterdam, Holland / OCCI
May 15 - London, UK / Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
May 16 - Paris, France / Le Petit Bain

Slippery fish

It seems to me, in general, there are two types of writers. People for whom ideas come easily and the craft and follow-through are a challenge and people who struggle with their idea, but the craft and revising flow unimpeded. This is a vast oversimplification of course, but in general it seems like most writers I've met lean towards one or the other group.

I am in the second group. I wrestle with ideas like slippery fish, but once I've caught one I can whip up dinner in no time flat. This is probably not the best analogy, books have little in common fish and I am a vegetarian, but slippery carrot doesn't work quite as well... anyhow... I long to be one of those writers with ideas buzzing round their heads all the time, who need merely choose which spark will make their masterpiece. But I do love the rush of energy once I've got my momentum going and can really sink my teeth in. Right now I am at the cusp, about to dive in, writing aimlessly until the pieces I need come together. It's a place I cannot stand and will do anything (blogging for instance) to avoid, but usually passes quicker than I think it will.

Which type of writer are you?