tiny lives scramble
tunnel secret roads beneath
mystery bark world
secret roads by Angie Quantrell
Cowiche Canyon Trail, Central Washington
Haiku Moment: secret roads
Category Archives: The Writing LIfe
Now what?
I have these great ideas, inspirations, kernels of dreams. If possible, I jump on them right then, or at least scribble down a note to remind me of the idea so I can (hopefully) look back later and recapture what I was thinking.
Like the beginning of this card idea I started on my carefully rinsed and dried teabag. The sepia tone is perfect for making a card. The leaves pop off the teabag. I love how it looks. But now what? What should I do next? How can I amplify the idea into something beautiful? I am currently stumped on this project, so it sits on the table, waiting.
It’s like that in the picture book world too. I have (what I think is) a great idea, an inspiration, a kernel of a story. A brilliant idea. I jot it down. My mind plays with it, seeking a path to follow, wandering from this to that. My ideas often come to me as a title, a play on words, an interesting character, or a wishful suggestion of a setting or event. And then what? What should I do next? I have file folders and notebooks full of ideas. Waiting.
The creative struggle is real. It’s time consuming. It’s messy. Just ask my honey. But should I let the challenges stop me? When I hit that block-that wall-should I stop? No. Maybe I need to see the wall as the opportunity to take a deep breath, let my mind wander, do something else. Perhaps the wall is just a good resting spot to dream, pray, and let the “now what?” follow its course.
Haiku Moment: mine
this lap is mine, mine,
mine, mine, mine. I will not share.
go away. my lap
mine by Angie Quantrell
Monet claims her favorite lap. And her beloved human. (Not me).
Book Share: Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and Matthew Rivera
Fussy Flamingo
Words by Shelly Vaughan James
Pictures by Matthew Rivera
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2020
Fussy Flamingo is a tasty, delightfully pink picture book just right for little flamingos. Thank you, Shelly Vaughan James for sending me a copy of your lovely book! It is so sweet!
I love Lola! Lola is a shrimp eating flamingo. Except she does not eat shrimp. So she is not pink. Lola eats other things and looks beautiful. But she is picky (quite like several young ones I know). Shrimp are not her thing, much to the dismay of her beautifully pink parents.
Fussy flamingo Lola is adorable and funny and perfectly like a picky eater. This picture book is a FUN read!
Why I like Fussy Flamingo:
~Adorable Lola
~Lola tries several ‘other’ foods, which make her turn different colors. But not pink.
~The simply shared facts about flamingos (eat shrimp and turn pink, wade in water, etc.)
~The humor
~The repeating refrain after each of Lola’s (not shrimp) meals
~The satisfying ending (which I will not spoil)
~The gorgeous illustrations
~The fantastic flamingo back matter
Thank you, Shelly and Matthew, for creating Fussy Flamingo.
Haiku Moment: worn
what were you before
the elements had their way
worn mystery rests
worn by Angie Quantrell
Cowiche Canyon Trail
Central Washington
Honey Note: My honey was looking over my shoulder at this post and contributed, “OH, Cowiche CAN-yon!” He is a part of my writing and hiking journey, yes he is. 😉
Haiku Moment: moss carpet
winter sun highlights
creeping verdant moss carpet
plush launchpad to spring
moss carpet by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Let’s Talk Hobbies
Hey, friends. If you’ve been checking out my blog for any length of time, you may know a few of my hobbies. Gardening. Photography. Books. Reading. Cats. Tote bags. Grands (though they are not this far down the actual list, were I naming things in order of importance). Bible. More books. Art. Chocolate. Travel. Exploring. Seahawks. Oh, wait. I don’t post about the Hawks. But I LOVE watching them. (And it’s a LONG time until football season.) RV living. Hiking. Heart rocks. Beach time. Food. Thrifting. Reading. And books.
Let’s not forget-rubber stamping-the topic of this post.
Last year was an anomaly for rubber stamping. Because of surgeries (2), planning for and enjoying a lovely trip to Europe, taking my grand to the beach when he turned 10 (a Nana tradition for the grands), work, writing, and so many other things, my rubber stamping time was cut to the quick. My stash of handmade greeting cards is in the red. My creative muscles did not get much exercise.
Friends, it’s already the middle of February! This year will probably go as fast as last year, but I hope to exercise those creative muscles much more in 2024. Time to get this hobby in shape!
To kick off the year, I spent a part of last Saturday making a huge mess with my stamping supplies. Those rubber stamping muscles are so rusty! It took me quite a bit to get going. And I have to admit, I create better in the company of fellow creatives-the stamping buddies. Hobbies with friends is best.
But I persevered. I managed to make 8 cards. The struggle was real!
We watched the Super Bowl. I continued my personal Super Bowl of stamping by creating as I watched the game. Ended up with another 20 cards. All one basic design, but I will count each one as a win. My honey uses my cards in his job as chaplain and celebrant. Due to lack of rubber stamping exercise last year, even HIS stash is super low!
I wasn’t going to make valentines. But then I was inspired with one more idea as I was playing with a set of stamps I recently found at a thrift store (see above list of hobbies: thrifting). For one, I’m so proud of myself for actually USING a new/old set! For two, I made 12 more cards!
The mess is real. It’s still spread hither and yon. All worth it.
What hobbies do you enjoy? Let’s hear about it. Maybe I will find a new hobby!
Haiku Moment: tricksy
winter rolled out, gone.
spring swept in, bright sun, blue sky-
but tricksy came back
tricksy by Angie Quantrell
Valentine’s Day surprise, Yakima Valley
Author Interview: Janet Lawler and Her New Picture Book THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE
Today I’d like to welcome Janet Lawler, author of the new picture book THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE (FSG, 2024). With Janet’s beautiful words and Tamisha Anthony’s adorable illustrations, this picture book is delightful!
Congratulations, Janet and Tamisha. Welcome!
Janet, tell us about your brand-new picture book.
Thank you for asking, Angie!
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE is a kid-friendly exploration of how hope makes us courageous, kind, and connected to one another. Tamisha Anthony’s diverse characters, shown caring and sharing in childhood/community scenes, beautifully complement my text.
My words are intentionally universal; I wanted to leave a lot of leeway for an illustrator to interpret them and add depth to this picture book. And I love what Tamisha did with my poem! For each couplet she developed a story vignette that helps children understand the concept of hope. For example, I wrote:
Hope helps you fix things
when plans have gone wrong
and offers you comfort
when nights are too long.
The illustration shows a child in pajamas, tossing and turning in multiple poses. The reader then sees that child snuggled with an older sibling under a blanket tent, reading a book.
I believe that THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE will provide comfort and hope for young readers and their families during difficult times. The book also will be a good addition to classroom, school library, and school counselor collections focusing on community and kindness.
I totally agree, Janet. We all need more hope, community, and kindness in our lives.
Where did you get the idea for THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE?
The recent pandemic severely challenged my usually optimistic outlook, both professionally and personally. My darkest days were those in early 2021, when it seemed as if there would never be a vaccine approved to change the course of Covid’s deadly advance. But sometime in January of that year I began writing about hope, sparked by a suggestion from my agent. That creative effort (and spring news of a vaccine!) sustained me over the next few months. I wrote, revised, and polished a picture book text that could be illustrated in a way that would make the positive pull of hope relatable for young readers.
From a place and time that seemed without hope, you discovered hope—and a brand-new picture book to inspire others. Excellent.
How did you decide to write this picture book in rhyme?
Honestly, I am not sure it was a conscious decision. I often write in rhyme, and my early scribbles came out that way. Maybe subconsciously I knew it was the right choice for writing about hope—a fluid, connecting, healing concept. And rhyming text, especially when read out loud, sounds musical in a very uplifting way, don’t you think? So verse seems to further my theme; at least, I hope so!
Give hope as a gift,
like the song of a bird.
Your words will have wings.
Your voice will be heard.
I think rhyme is the perfect choice for this picture book!
How are you celebrating the release of THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE?
I am very excited to be launching this book with an appearance at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, CT on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. CCMC has recently created an in-house TV studio, where guests can “visit” into the patients’ rooms via closed circuit broadcast, allowing for more entertainment for children in need of isolation for health reasons. I will read the book during an afternoon virtual story time and donate autographed copies of THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE for each child hospitalized there on Valentine’s Day.
What a perfect way to celebrate hope! And Valentine’s Day!
What’s next for you, Janet?
I have a couple of early nonfiction projects and a fiction picture book under consideration for possible acquisition. Those will require further development and revision if they move forward. In the meantime, I have new ideas percolating, as well as plans to revise a couple of stories I wrote a while back that might benefit from a fresh look.
We can’t wait to hear more in the future. Best wishes to you with all of your books, new and old! Thank you for stopping by!
Connect with Janet:
Haiku Moment: green snow
green snow, you look weird
better than yellow, but what???
slushy algae ice
green snow by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Love, Laughter, and Life 