Scribble Articles19

Interview with Heather Haapoja Author of One To Ten and Home Again

RDCP-Thank you, Heather for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

HH-You're welcome! I'm happy to do it.

RDCP- What inspired you to write One To Ten...and Home Again?

HH-Well, when my youngest child was about three years old, we were outside on a beautiful summer day and started to talk about how many different sounds we could hear. You know, when all of these sounds are combined, you hardly notice them, but when you start to single them out, it's amazing how many different sounds there are, even in a seemingly quiet neighborhood. That experience inspired me to write this "concept" book about counting the sounds we hear everyday.

RDCP- Do you find writing for children more challenging than writing for adults?

HH-Definitely! Any writer who has ever had to cut words in revision to meet word count guidelines knows how difficult it is to be brief. Getting the story across in as few words as possible is one of the greatest challenges in children's writing. That, and finding the right "voice" for your intended age group, not writing down to them, but speaking to them on their own level. That can sometimes be extremely hard for adults. You really have to remember how you felt as a child, and write from that point of view.

RDCP- I believe you told me before that you worked on One to Ten with your mother, can you tell me what that was like?

HH-Yes, my mother did all of the illustrations for One to Ten, and it was really a rewarding experience. Some of my earliest memories of my mother are of her standing at an easel, splattered with paint. But she put her artistic dreams aside, for the most part, while she raised a family. When my writing career began, we often talked about doing a children's book together, so it has been wonderful to see that dream become a reality. It's amazing to see how this little book has re-inspired the artist in her, at the age of 71.

Working together has gone impressively well, I think. There was definitely some give and take involved. I had the opportunity to give her my own ideas when she did the original sketches. My manuscript went through a few changes in the process, due to inspiration from the completed illustrations. It's been a great learning experience for both of us.

RDCP- What advantages do you think e-publishing has over print? Will One to Ten be available in book form?

HH-We went with e-publishing for two reasons. First, traditional book publishers are not very open to writer/illustrator teams. They prefer to match up the writer and illustrator for each story themselves. We felt that by producing a quality e-book it might help us gain access to a print publisher down the road, assuming the e-book is successful in sales. Secondly, we wanted to include actual sound effects in the book, and that is pretty easily managed with e-books. I know of only one publisher (Publications International, Ltd.) that publishes books with sound buttons, but they use staff writers and illustrators for their books.

Even though I prefer to hold a book in my hands, I think there is a future in e-books. I feel that children who are hesitant about learning to read can especially benefit from an e-book like ours. There's a lot of entertainment value in using the computer and clicking those buttons which can lead to more interest in reading the words. One five-year-old reader/reviewer said One to Ten was the best computer game ever! I think that says a lot, and I feel confident that she'll be reading that "game" again and again. (lol)

Of course, I would love to see One to Ten in print someday. We have considered self publishing, but the cost is prohibitive for us right now. I'd really like to see the e-book take off, which would give us a bit of leverage in approaching traditional publishing houses with the whole package.

RDCP- Many of the RDCP readers are pursuing publication for the first time; can you share your first published experience with them?

HH-My first published experience was a bit of an accident, really. I was an avid reader of The Writing Parent newsletter, though I had yet to submit any of my writing anywhere. In response to a letter from the editor about staying up late to write, I sent her a humorous poem I'd written called, "Tales of an Insomniac," thinking she would get a laugh from it.

To my surprise, she wrote back and accepted my "submission." I still have a framed copy of that first writing check.

RDCP- What advice can you offer the young writers and parents about writing for publication? And rejection letters?

HH-Most of all, you have to keep on believing in yourself, and that can be a lot harder than it sounds sometimes. No matter where you are in your writing career, there will always be room for improvement in your writing and a certain amount of rejection involved. But you have to keep reaching for that dream and giving the bad moments a positive twist. Think of rejection letters as signs of progress, not a rejection of your writing or of you as a person. You're out there, submitting your work, and that is what eventually leads to publication.

RDCP- Besides One to Ten, do you have any other projects in the works? Where can the RDCP readers find them?

HH-Yes, my mother is currently working on the illustrations for our second picture book, titled, "A Grown Up Me." We hope to have it available for sale by the end of the year. "One to Ten" is available now as a download or CD at www.HeatherHaapoja.com. We also publish a children's literacy newsletter/ezine called "Kids Need to Read" for parents and educators. You can read our first issue at www.HeatherHaapoja.com/KNTR.htm .

RDCP- Any additional advice or comments for the RDCP readers?

HH-If someone had told me back in April of 2001, when I began to seriously consider a writing career, where I would be in just two years, I wouldn't have believed them. Since then, I've been published online and in regional and national print magazines, I have a columnist position at EveryWriter.com and an editorial position at BusyParentsOnline.com and I've just released my first children's ebook and launched a newsletter.

I don't feel as if I've done anything all that amazing to get this far, and I have a long way to go to reach my dreams. I've been seriously sidetracked a number of times, raising four children and running a household. But all along, I've kept at it. And that's the not-so-secret secret to getting published. Don't give up, keep working toward that dream, believe in yourself, and see what develops. You might be surprised by what you'll accomplish.

WRITER'S BLOCK? - Don't Panic, By Jo Hamlet

You may never have had writer's block but the chances are sometime, somewhere down the line it will happen to you. It can happen to the best of writers.

Writer's block is often an excuse for not writing. It's easy to blame others for the problem - the children making a noise, neighbours mowing the lawn, dogs wanting a walk, friends phoning etc. etc. Don't use excuses, don't procrastinate. Settle down and write. Really good work can be produced in appalling conditions. Perfect conditions do not always produce the best work.

It does help if you can shut yourself away from distractions, take the phone off the hook and wear ear- plugs if necessary. But an inspired writer can write at any time or in any place. So is the secret inspiration?

'Yes' and 'no'. Inspiration does not always come before you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. It often happens after a few sentences, hitting you like a tornado. The ideas start flowing and you have to keep writing as plots and characters materialize with ease. Interruptions at this stage can lose your train of thought so solitary confinement is always an added bonus.

Make time for your writing. Sometimes disciplining oneself to a time schedule can be of great benefit. Decide on which days and at what time you will write, where and for how long. It doesn't have to be every single day - that's a writer's dream. Unfortunately the average writer will always have other commitments.

Whatever happens stick to this schedule and it will come as naturally to you as having breakfast, lunch or dinner. A writer's mind responds to routine and habit. Be careful, however, of setting yourself an impossible task. Thirty minutes a day is adequate for some because they are busy people and it's all they can manage. For others it may be a couple of hours or even half a day. But remember, it is better to set yourself a time schedule of thirty minutes and exceed it, than one hour and give up before the allotted time. Break the writing schedule one day and you've set yourself a bad precedent.

When your time is up, try not to stop after a major incident in your story. Far better to stop when you would really like to go on and that should mean you will be looking forward to your next writing time and know exactly how and where your story is going.

Ideas for stories come when you least expect them, always carry a notebook to scribble them down. That way when you do sit down to write you have something to refer to, rather than having no ideas at all.

Self-doubt is a catalyst for writers' block. Don't panic. If you feel it coming on say to yourself. Do I really want to be a writer? Your subconscious will then come to the rescue and you will write. It might not be the best work you've done - but who knows. It's a start and once you've started the writer within you will continue.

* Before you start writing, take a piece of paper and make seven columns, one for each day of the week. Under each day write the time you will set aside for writing. It will probably not be the same time every day due to the pressures of other commitments and obligations. But it will help you get in to a routine if the same period is allotted on the majority of days. Get into good habits and may writer's block be a thing of the past.

© 2003 Jo Hamlet

Jo Hamlet's short stories and articles have appeared in newspapers, national/international/literary magazines, e-zines and have been broadcast on radio. She also contributes regularly to web sites and newsletters. She also runs creative writing workshops. Visit her web site for more information. http://members.iinet.net.au/~billyjo/

REJECTION LESSONS, By Mridu Khullar

At one point or another, you will have to face criticism. It may be your best friend telling you your story wasn't “just right,” or your writing group buddy giving you a list of improvements in every single line you've written. Or maybe it's when the editor returns your manuscript without so much as a reason for not accepting it. The message is loud and clear - they didn't like it.

But how couldn’t they? You spent four hours in front of the computer yesterday trying to figure out the perfect ending, and the night before that, you lay on your bed wondering how to change that one sentence to make it more readable. How dare they not like it!

And at the same time, you know that you should be prepared for this, but somehow you just aren’t. Especially when the editor sends back the article you knew was your best shot. If your best shot was rejected, maybe you should just quit and get a job at McDonalds.

We've all gone through it. At one point or another, every writer has to go through rejection. When something you care about is returned to you without even an acknowledgement of the effort that went in to it, you are prone to get hurt. Writers aren't famous for slaving away in their dark corners for nothing.

And so that you don’t go rushing to your secret hideout, here are a few tips on dealing with rejection:

Don't quit: No matter how much you feel like it, don't give up. It just isn't worth it to go through all the rejection and the pain only to give up in the end. Remember, each rejection takes you a step closer to your goal. Why give up now, when you've covered so much ground already?

Learn from your mistakes: Almost every writer in the beginning stages of his or her career makes the mistake of not researching the market. And when finally, the manuscript comes back with a 'not what we were looking for' response, she gets discouraged and thinks they rejected her writing and her ideas. Whenever you get criticism (and by this, I mean professional criticism), take the words seriously. Don't just dismiss the editor as a fool who has no idea what she's talking about. Chances are she knows what works and what doesn't much more than you do, especially if you're a beginner.

Take a break: If rejection leaves you with a feeling of despair, and you can’t seem to get it off your mind, take a break from it all. Take a walk, go swimming, drive out to the beach - anything that will relax your mind and keep the frustrations at bay. Don't think about whether your next article will be accepted. Don't worry about how you'll ever write again. Simply relax and enjoy yourself. Forget about writing, and you'll find that when you do come back to it later, you'll be much more confident and ready to march on.

Don't take it personally: Sometimes I'm told that I preach what I don't do myself, and I would have to agree. Rejection can be hard on all of us. Overcoming it and moving on is important. But we find this difficult to do, not because we were told our work needs improvement or because the editor decided it was too modern for his style, but because we tend to take the rejection of our work as rejection of us as people. We spend hours writing and baring our soul, only to have it returned to us. It's hard not to take it personally, and I often do, but this only makes us more prone to failure by inducing in us the fear of facing the blank page again.

Don't edit: When we write for ourselves, with the knowledge that no one but us will read our work, we write without editing, without stopping to think and without any fear of criticism. Come one rejection and bam -- we're wondering whether that word should fit it, or if that sentence feels right or not. We stop writing with our hearts, and start writing with our brains instead. Suddenly the grammar check of the word processor seems to make sense. Never mind that we didn't bother with it before, but now we change all our sentences according to what the word processor deems right.

Try again: You query a magazine, they don’t like your idea. You submit an article or story - it comes straight back. You begin to think it’s never going to get accepted, and even though you keep writing, the urge to submit has all but vanished. You're writing, even more than you did before in order to convince yourself that you can write, but when it comes to submitting those words, you just can't do it. Trust me, I've been there. What one editor doesn't like, the other one will love. All those rejections sitting in that folder on your desktop might be your road to fame. You just haven't found that one person yet, who will see your writing for the gold mine that it really is.

Rejection can be hard on our egos as well as our pockets. But something deep inside just doesn't let us quit. We may vow never to write again, but make it back to the computer (or paper) in a few days.

As Mignon McLaughlin rightly points out in 'The Neurotic's Notebook' - Everybody can write; writers can't do anything else.

So, dear writers, you know you can't quit, and there's nothing that would make you happier than the power to fill those blank pages. So, why let a few rejections pull you down? Go out, face the world, and give it your best work.

Mridu Khullar is the Editor-in-Chief of http://www.WritersCrossing.com and her work has been accepted in numerous national and international publications including Gurlz, Computers@Home, Senior Connection, India Post, College Bound, Metro Seven, Writers Weekly and the anthology Life's Little Lessons among others. Subscribe to her newsletters and get ebooks with over 400 paying freelance markets and 100 ebook publishers absolutely FREE!

THE DINNER PARTY, Christopher Woods

They are always with us. We are a part of them, in good times and bad. They are a source of joy and of sorrow. We long to be an integral part of them, and yet we sometimes want to be distant from them. We identify with them and, at other times, we disavow our connection.

They are to be loved, and sometimes feared. No matter how many steps we take in this life, they are always around us. They are the stuff of self-literature. They have always been a source for literature in general. The Bible, Shakespeare and millions of other stories down the ages are concerned with them. They are the stuff of life.

They are families. We all belong to one, if not to several. Families are our first concept of a cohesive union. It is from family experience that we realize who we are, and who we might become. And what we become will often be shaped by family. It is the same for what we will never be. In all this, there is a thread of continuity. Like it or not, there is no escape.

As writers, we each have a unique experience with kin. In our journals we make note of our relations. Our entries run the gamut of happiness, great sharing, tremendous divisions and on and on. Our journal entries reflect our individual lives as we understand them. As a result, they are sometimes overly subjective. We must ask ourselves, have we been fair to others as we write about them? Have we been honest about ourselves? The answer is not a black and white affair.

The journal entry you make today may become a poem in a week or two, a year or two, but it will be your own concept of a relationship. There is the ethical question about being honest when making notes about ourselves in relation to those nearest to us. The question is clear, but our answers can be varied and often muddled. When we as writers look through our subjective lenses, the results can be very different from reality. Our biases, time and memory all come to play a part.

Is it possible to keep a journal that makes a supreme effort to let our family members be themselves? We will never be able to separate our writings selves from our true selves, and it would be destructive to do such a thing. But there is a way to present characters in a way that is true to them.

I call it "The Dinner Party." Imagine a very long, long dinner table. It can be in an endless room, or it can be outside in a field. Imagine a paper or linen tablecloth, longer than exists anywhere in the world. Imagine paper plates or the most exquisite china. Plastic knives and forks or fine silver. There can be centerpieces that in some way reflect your own family.

But who is coming to dinner? Let the dinner bell ring and have the guests arrive. They are your family of the present day and from generations past. At this dinner party, the living and the dead will feast together. Decide how many family members to invite. Ten? Twenty? Eighty? It will be entirely dependent on the size of your own family and the members you wish to invite.

Once you have made a list of all the guests, begin to make brief notes on each of them. This can be done on note cards, which then might also do double duty as place cards. The notes can be quick character sketches which help you to understand your relationship to this person, any essential personality attributes, perhaps historical significance or perspective, or personal achievement or notoriety. In most families, there will be some of each, to be sure, for many diverse reasons.

If you are a good host or hostess, you know that the seating plan for a dinner party is the most important thing. Decide where to place people at this banquet table of time. Are there reunions that might be especially rewarding? Are there some old scores to settle at last? Are there family members who should have known other members but because of generations could not?

Remember, you are the host or hostess, and everything depends on your discretion, or your need for fireworks. Let everyone assemble at once. You sit at the head of the table. After all, it is your dinner party, created for your own journal. Everything is your call. Because of this, you can address any person at the dinner table. You can say what needs saying. You can ask what you always wanted to ask but could not. Now that everyone is gathered here, there can be no secrets. If there is an old family mystery, perhaps this will be the opportunity to solve it. How? By allowing the characters to speak, to divulge, to share with kin. Let them speak as you record this momentous event. You are writing from your own knowledge of these individuals. Knowledge can be firsthand, or secondhand, or read between the lines of old letters. Old census records can place a character in a time and place. So can births, weddings, divorces and death. If you are lucky enough to have old family ! records of these transitions, all the better. This will help you understand each family member better, and place them in a context.

As the dinner host or hostess, you might want to think of conversation topics. This is when things begin to happen. Here are some questions to ask the guests.

What was your best family memory?

The worst?

When did you feel most proud of your family or an individual member?

When did you feel most ashamed?

What was the cause of your devotion to this family?

Why did you become estranged?

Why did you never stop loving the family, in spite of hardship?

Why did you leave the family?

It would be best for you to answer these questions yourself first. Be as honest as possible, and know that not every question need be answered by you. But there is no doubt that some family member will answer the one you could not. Be aware, when answering the questions, that you will immediately uncover old memories, both good and bad. Emotions will come to the surface.

This will happen because you are trying to be honest in your answers, and because other family members will know whether or not you are telling the truth. Some questions will be easy, while others will stir memories of sadness and anger. Be prepared for this, but press on. It is best for you to answer these questions before posing them to others. Why? Because this is your journal, where you must be frank, and because you are the host or hostess.

Then, when the other guests begin to speak, make a great effort not to put words in their mouths. Remember, this is their opportunity to share their own thoughts and experiences. When they do, they will hopefully be honest. If not, other guests are there to remind them that the rule here is honesty.

You can call on each guest to take a turn, or you can simply go around the table in a clockwise fashion after you have had your say. You might notice that some will have more to say than others. This may have also been true in life, or because of their place in the family. Those with less to say might warm to another question later. You can also pose direct questions to a guest.

Sometimes you might find the need for two characters to have their own conversation. This happens at dinner parties, after all. Or perhaps one end of the table will be involved in a conversation that is different from the one at the other end. Decide about these conversations. If two guests need to discuss an event, a tragedy, a misunderstanding, allow them free rein to do so.

"The Dinner Party" is not a journal exercise for one, or even many sittings. It can take as long as you like. It can take years. In time you can add more people to the table. Your goal is to capture character, and relationships. When trying to define each character individually, perhaps allow each guest to answer some questions in his own time and on his own terms. In short, don’t interfere. Leave your subjectivity in your pocket. Be guided only by the general knowledge of this family member, or what the other guests might want to add. Here are some sample questions

What do I like best about myself?

What do I admire least about myself?

Did I reach my goals in life? If so, how? If not, why not?

Did I ever love, I mean, truly love another person?

Regrets?

What was my worst lie?

Did I try to make amends when I hurt someone?

Did I ever feel beloved?

The list of questions can surely grow. But once again, allow the host or hostess to answer these questions first before going around the table. When you finish a journal session, have all the guests hold hands for a moment. This should be done in silence. This brief ceremony will remind them, and you, that there is much in common between everyone present. It is, indeed, a matter of blood. When you begin a new journal session, have them hold hands again before resuming the discussion.

"The Dinner Party" can teach us about family members, and about ourselves. It can also teach us about characterization. It can illuminate the strange and miraculous ways that we are different from one another, even if we are kin.

As journal keepers, it can keep us involved in an ongoing process of self and group discovery. "The Dinner Party" is the only meeting many of these guests will ever have, so there should be a kind of reverence when keeping a journal of the experience. Be faithful to "The Dinner Party" and it will not only surprise you. It will enrich both you and your writing.

Christopher Woods is the author of HEART SPEAK, stage monologues for actors from STONE RIVER PRESS ( www.stoneriverpress.com ), and UNDER A RIVERBED SKY, brief fictions from PANTHER CREEK PRESS ( www.panthercreekpress.com ). He teaches writing workshops in Houston at The Women's Institute. He is working on a non-fiction book for writers, SUMMONING THE HOUSE.

GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING, By Katie L. Clark

What gives you inspiration to write? How do you go from "I would like to write" to "I'm doing it!"? Here are a few tips from someone who went from a want-to-be, to a writer. For me, it was all in the inspiration.

Lights

Give yourself PLENTY of lighting! Place your writing space near a window, if possible. The natural light will lift your spirits. If it's not possible, buy a bright lamp, a florescent ceiling light, or as many candles as you can find! The light will help brighten your mind and get your creative juices flowing (not to mention save your eyesight!).

Music

Listen to music that evokes passion and creativity. NOT something you love so much you'll spend you're whole time singing to, but something soothing to the spirit. I listen to hard classical, or opera, but you can choose whatever makes you feel creative. You can also try listening to music that will help you develop the story your writing now. If you're setting a fast-paced scene, listen to a fast-paced song. If you're bringing out the point that your character is confused, listen to music that will make you feel that way. It will help you get in the frame of mind, and give you the true emotions, of your story.

Decor

Decorate in a style that fits you. Do you love the color purple? Paint your walls.

Do you go crazy over fish? Put an aquarium in your office, or buy a trash can that has fish on it!

Don't have an office? Where do you write? Whether it's floor space in your bedroom, or the kitchen table, you can do something that gives you inspiration. Get a small vase and keep your favorite flower in it . Set it next to you, wherever you may be. Buy a picture that you love and hang it nearby. Get a bulletin board and cover it in photos of loved ones; place it near the spot you use to write.

The list could go on. The point is, no matter what space you use to write, there's something you can do to make it your space. A haven for you. A place that oozes creative juices!

If you use these simple techniques, you'll definitely feel lighter. You're mind will be free from thinking "I just can't do it", and go on to say, " Look at all I have to say!"

Good luck and happy writing!

GONE FISHIN'! Getting the Idea About The Writing Life, By Cathy Brownfield

The note on the door said, "Gone fishin’!" exclamation point included and underscored three times. Frustration duly noted.

Some days—and when you have kids it seems like there are a lot of days—it’s impossible to get anything accomplished. There may be a to-do list as long as your arm sprinkled through with some of those five-minute tasks that you can’t get finished between the squabbling kids, tele-marketers, bill collectors, deadlines…ACK! You find yourself in a "Calgon-take-me-away" moment and you just can’t take any more! You may just as well throw up your hands and give up for the day. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

OK. Take a couple of deep, cleansing breaths and relax. You are a parent. You are strong. You can balance the world on those broad shoulders of yours. It’s simply a case of mind over matter. "If you don’t mind, it don’t matter." Actually, writing is important to you and does matter or you wouldn’t be here looking for advice on how to make everything work together. There are a lot of successful writers "out there" so there must be a way to make it work and you are bound and determined to find it. You are dedicated to achieving your writing goals, building that writing career. If you have to go at it by trial and error you are going to make it all work. But it sure would be nice to find someone to save you a lot of time, wouldn’t it?

Trial and error does take longer but when you have to find your own way you tend to remember it longer. That is, unless you are on so much information overload that your memory bank is shut down and you can’t even remember where you put that list…You can learn a lot from other writers, but the main thrust of your success is persistence and determination. The onus is on you.

Faithful writers everywhere sit down once a week to plot out what they want to accomplish over the workweek. They compile their lists with well-intentioned goals. The concept is a good one. The question is not whether you should make a list. That is an absolute given. If you read about any of the most successful executives they will all say the same thing. They list each day’s agenda and prioritize each item. They complete those little bothersome tasks that take just a little time while they are waiting for appointments, etc. And what they don’t get finished they tack on to the next day’s agenda. Another key tool is to delegate the things that need to be done that you won’t have time for but someone else could do just as well. Parents call these things "chores." Every child should have daily chores to be responsible for.

You need to make a list of what you want to write this week so when you sit down at the computer you don’t look at the screen and think, "I don’t have a clue what I should write about." Find some markets that you would like to see your work in. It helps to know what you are interested in. For instance, when you write where is your focus? Do you write essays well? Essays about you, your family, your faith, your hobbies? That gets you started. Which magazines and other periodicals do you read? Which sections do you enjoy the most? How do you look at that subject? Is it something you can write about? If you really enjoy it, you will probably be able to write passionately about it. The words—and writing from the heart—will flow freely.

So, the question is "how realistic is your list?"

It is easy to sit down with a weekly planner and fill in something for every day on the grid. But when you factor in each of your children and your day job, how much time will you have left to dedicate to writing? Writing is important. In a completely different category your children are important. Both contribute to your well-being and you have to find balance in your life.

Inevitably both loves of your life will demand attention: writing and family. Compromise comes in there somewhere. Write while your kids are out playing. Play when they open up the checkers game.When you are overwhelmed, stressed out and feel like you’re beating your head against a wall, grab the fishin’ poles, the tackle boxes and kids. You might want to tuck a notebook and pen in your tackle box. You never know when inspiration may strike as you leave all your worries behind.

Exercise: Can’t go fishing? Why not build a fire in the backyard and roast some hotdogs? Invite the neighbors to bring their own hotdogs and buns. Gather around the fire to cook the food. Listen to the kids talking. Relate what you hear to how it was when you were a kid. Take some mental notes—write them down if you can, but don’t spoil the mood. You want to savor every moment of this unique time that will never happen exactly this way again.

You are likely to find that taking this break from responsibility, enjoying this "true time" will be just the impetus you need to sit down for some productive writing. A realistic goal list for the week will encourage and motivate you. So, when stress and frustration are overtaking you, head out the door posting your own sign as you go, "Gone fishin’!" exclamation point included, underscored three times. Discovery time duly
noted.

Cathy Brownfield is the mother of four daughters and young grandmother of Aaron, 7 and Nicholas, 3-1/2. She can be contacted at brownfcy@sky-access.com

© 2002 Cathy Brownfield

INTERVIEW WITH TERI BROWN

Thank you, Teri for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

RDCP: What inspired you to write Day Tripping?

TB: My Father always had itchy feet and an innate curiosity about everything ... we went on so many day trips when I was a child I can't even remember them all. When my children became old enough to travel, I tossed the diaper bag and away we went.

Many friends asked me where I got my ideas for field trips... So the idea for a book on how to find your own fieldtrips just sort of just sort of grew out of that.

RDCP: After your family trips do you do anything to help reinforce what was learned? i.e. journal entries or essays.

TB: What we do afterwards depends on the trip and why we are taking it. Often times, I will have them write either a fictional story about the place we visited or a non fiction account of what we did and saw. We have even written plays about our adventures.

RDCP: Day Tripping not only emphasizes education through the trips but family time too, how easy or hard is it to practice what you wrote?

TB: In the last couple of months it seems as if the only fieldtrips we get have to do with my writing career! we spent a couple of wonderful days at some new fish hatcheries because I was doing an article on them. We have also been traveling while I promote the book and that has been both fun and educational ... and hurried!

I will pull the chain a bit on my schedule when school starts again and we can't travel as much. I am hoping to get into our fieldtrip a week schedule again.

RDCP: Many of the RDCP readers are pursuing publication for the first time; canyou share your first published experience with them?

TB: My first publication was for www.newhomemaker.com... And come to think about it, it was on family fieldtrips! That was about four years ago and I remember how thrilled I was about it. I only got ten dollars for it, but that didn't matter ... someone liked what I wrote enough to pay me for it. That amazes me!

RDCP: What advice can you offer the young writers and parents about writing for publication? And rejection letters?

TB: Keep at it. Follow through. I know many writer wannabes who don't write. My success comes from my persistence. I don't feel that I am particularly talented, I am a competent writer who writes a lot and never gives up. That makes all the difference.

RDCP: Any additional advice or comments for the RDCP readers?

TB: Learn about your craft, turn in clean copy and don't let rejection get you down or stop you. I received a rejection that just devastated me and two weeks later sold a major article to their sister publication. Just keep writing.