Homemade Gifts

Homemade gifts are the best!  It fills my heart with joy when someone takes the time to make something just for me. A homemade gift is so much more personal than a store bought gift.  I do enjoy choosing store bought gifts for the people I love, but I always try to include a homemade gift too. Crocheted Christmas ornaments, a collection of family recipes, poems, and baked goods are some of my favorite gifts to give. 

Speaking of making things, I am grateful to have poems in three of the new anthologies edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. I consider these books homemade. The poems were written especially for the anthologies by poets who love sharing the gift of words. Then Janet and Sylvia gathered the poems, created award-winning books for readers to enjoy, and will donate 100% of the profits to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.  What a beautiful way to spread kindness through poetry!

The THINGS WE... series is designed for young children, and WHAT IS A FRIEND? is for middle grade readers. Readers of all ages will enjoy these anthologies. Poetry is a gift that can be enjoyed again and again.  I think that is the best kind of gift!

For more poetry and great books, check out Pomelo Books.

 

A big thank you to Karen for hosting today's Poetry Friday.

Wishing you peace, love, and joy!

Linda

A Memory

The other day, my husband and I were out for a walk enjoying the gorgeous fall colors.  When my husband suggested we look for acorns, a faint memory popped into my mind. 

I was four or five years old.  My mother had taken us either to the woods or maybe it was a park to look for acorns.  I don't know if we walked on pine needles or if everything in my poem actually happened. I do remember taking home leaves, acorns, and pinecones.  Autumn has always been my favorite season, and I'm grateful for this memory.

A big thank you to Bridget at wee words for wee ones for hosting this week's Poetry Friday.

"Hot Off the Press"

My internet is spotty this morning so I'm typing fast hoping to get this post written before I lose it again. Technology!  

WHAT IS A FRIEND? is a new middle grade poetry anthology edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong.   A Children's Book Council "Hot Off the Presses" selection that examines many forms of friendship.  It belongs in every classroom library and will be well-loved by middle grade readers.

I'm very excited to be a small part of this important book about friendship. I have always loved horses, and this photo made me think of the horse therapy farm near my home. It can be read from either the child's or the horse's point of view. I wanted the reader to be able to empathize with both of them.

I am grateful to Sylvia and Janet including my poem "Rescue" and for all the meaningful, heartfelt books they are putting out into the world. 

In the coming days, I'll share more about this beautiful book.  

A special thank you to Sarah Grace Tuttle for hosting Poetry Friday.

A Compelling Novel-in-Verse

This week I’m excited to share an excerpt from a review of [dis]connection, a new novel-in-verse written by t. kulp.     [dis]connection is  “Frankenstein for the Social Network Generation,”  but it also takes us into the world of a young girl with a strong desire to belong while also searching for her own true identity.

   

The reviewer, Mary Lanni (who has reviewed more than 500 books) writes:

 

Tech, myth and magic collide in this novel-in-verse perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series now ready for a YA techno thriller. This compelling story is presented primarily in verse and is told from the perspectives of three different characters. 

 

Erin Ulman is the new girl, and despite her popularity at her last school, she is anything but popular at her new school in Glen Coast, Maryland. Her computer coding skills and comfortable fashion choices are not appreciated by her classmates, and Erin often finds herself discussed on SocialNet whenever her behavior falls too far outside the norm. A mysterious package arrives for Erin one day, tempting her with the call of the unknown as she fits the pieces together and starts a computer program she has never seen before. Battling the drama of school and social media is only the beginning, and Erin must learn the truth behind the questionable parcel before time runs out.

 

From the very beginning, readers will be curious to discover exactly what is happening in Erin’s world. As a coder, Erin often thinks in computer code, and this appears frequently within her segments of the novel. Regardless of one’s experience with coding themselves, these inclusions make sense and help readers connect more deeply with Erin’s character. Profound and important, this book shows the damage social media and cyberbullying can have on a person within a beautiful and thought-provoking design. Anyone who has ever considered the potentials of artificial intelligence or the damage that can be caused by comments both in school and on social media will appreciate the unique combination presented in this story. This is a memorable young adult novel in both substance and style.

 

A compelling and unique approach to the dangers of both artificial intelligence and social media communication.

You can read the entire review here.

The very first poem puts the reader right in the middle of Erin's dilemma as a the new girl. Figuring out how to fit in is just one of the many obstacles she faces in this emotion-packed novel.

You can read the rest of the poem and purchase [dis]connection here.

Find out more about t. kulp and his latest projects here.

Be sure to look for the hidden website in the book.  So far, only 10 readers have found it!  The website tells more about the secret organization that plays a key role in the story.

A special thank you to Kathryn for hosting Poetry Friday.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Celebrating National Limerick Day

 When I'm looking for ideas to write about,  I sometimes check out the National Day Calendar.  I always find something interesting there. Yesterday, I found this:

"Observed annually on May 12th, National Limerick Day celebrates the birthday of English artist, illustrator, author, and poet Edward Lear (May 12, 1812 – Jan. 29, 1888).  Lear is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry, prose, and limericks."

Silly limericks can be fun to read, but I had an idea for a topic with a more somber tone.

The first weekend of May was cold, dark, and rainy.  It was so gloomy outside, our plans had to be cancelled. That led to this poem.

A big thank you to Rose at Imagine the Possibilities for hosting today's Poetry Friday.

Have a great weekend!

 

Each spring, I look forward to the cherry blossoms. This was my view until a few days ago when we had thunderstorms and strong winds. The blossoms are gone now, and I miss them.

A big thank you to Matt at Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme for hosting today.

Anthologies 301: Making Videos

I'm having a great time learning new skills in our Anthologies 301 class.  Our Zoom sessions are so much fun.  We share, we laugh, we learn!

Before last week, I had never made a video.  It looked complicated, but  Janet and Sylvia took us step-by-step through the process and gave lots tips along the way. 

Here is my first video.  I am sorry it is so small. I couldn't figure out how to make it larger. That will be a challenge for another day.

 I hope to make and share more images and videos in the weeks ahead.

A big thank you to Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect for hosting today.

Have a great weekend!

Singing Valentine

 

I'm still having fun making images for my poems using the tips I learned in Anthologies 301!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A big thank you to Linda at Teacher Dance for hosting today's Poetry Friday!

Kicking It Up a Notch: Creating Images for My Poems

Self-promotion is hard for me, but I'm learning how important it is to showcase my poems.  It's a great way for readers and publishers to get to know me and my writing.  I've always admired poems combined with images because they grab my attention. I wanted to do something fun and interesting with my poems, or as Emeril Lagasse would say, "Kick it up a notch!"  

I knew about Canva, but it seemed so complicated until...

last Saturday when  a group of Poetry Friday friends and I participated in Anthologies 301: Creating Graphics.  The class was led by two very experienced Canva users,  Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell.  

To see some of their designs, check out the  Pomelo Books Pinterest page!

Janet and Sylvia, are kind and generous teachers who offer a safe learning environment where every voice is valued. 

They shared lots of tips and ideas to help us create beautiful images for our poems and gave individual feedback.  Although I'm still learning, I have a much better understanding of Canva. 

Here are some of my practice images. I had fun playing with placement of the text and colors. 

Later this month, we'll meet for our next Anthologies 301 session to learn how to make videos. I can't wait for that one!

A third session on how to make "swag"for our poems and books will be held in March. If you are interested in taking one of these classes, contact Janet . There may be a few spaces still available. 

If you take a class taught by Janet and Sylvia (check out other classes here), expect to learn a lot, and laugh A LOT!   I hope they offer more classes in the future!  

A big thank you to Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections for hosting today.

Have a great weekend!