Name Dropping

I survived my first residency at VCFA. If you want to read about what residency is like, head over to my classmate Lisa Papademetriou's blog or learn a little about my faculty adviser Kathi Appelt at Through the Toll Booth.

As some of you know, I also took a jaunt up to Montreal for a couple of days after residency and climbed Mont Royal, watched Shakespeare in the Park, ordered some food in French, visited a library and saw a lot of churches. Here are some pictures:

Now that you're all caught up on my life, I really need to get back to homework. I've still got a ton of reading and writing to get done before Monday (like ten pages of creative work, one more critical essay [which is almost finished] and four books for my annotated bibliography). But I'll leave you with a new list: a few books by my classmates. (Sorry if I missed any of you! Let me know and I'll update the list.)

Haiti Noir by Ibi Zoboi
Lantau Life by Jane Houng
The Moon Came Down on Milk Street by Jean Gralley
Sixth-Grade Glommers, Norks, and Me by Lisa Papademetriou
The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph
Tina Cocolina: Queen of the Cupcakes by Pablo Cartaya
Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds by Shelley Ann Jackson

Life Ever Changing

As I sit here, taking a break from packing for grad school, I can't help but think about all the different adventures I've had in my life. I left home when I was 17 for an internship in our governor's press office, and I feel as though I've been on the road ever since. In my eyes, that's not a bad thing. I've been lucky enough to put down roots in many different places across the United States, and no matter where I am, I'm never in want of a friend.

Getting my master's degree in creative writing for children and young adults wasn't exactly in my life plan, but now that I'm about to embark on this new chapter in my life, it feels so right. My roots will extend a little farther, and my experience will extend a little further.

I feel I need to make a little disclaimer about my grad program attendance. While I often post highlights from book talks, writing conference and literary events on this blog—and will continue to do so—the content of the lectures I attend, communications with my advisors, discussions with my fellow students, etc. will not be shared on this blog. That doesn't mean I won't post my personal, general impressions and pictures of outings with classmates, but the content of the program will not be featured.

Boys of Summer Playlist

It's been a long time since I've posted a new playlist, but I couldn't resist when I started thinking of how great it would be to have all my baseball songs in one place. Now I listen to it practically every day on my way home from work to put me in the mood for the Nationals or White Sox game (both if the timing works out) I'll be listening to. In honor of the Boys of Summer, here's a list of my favorite baseball songs:

"The Boys of Summer" by The Ataris
"The Ballad of Russell Perry" by Vigilantes of Love
"What a Game" by Ragtime Cast
"Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel
"Piazza, New York Catcher" by Belle & Sebastian
"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" by Chuck Berry
"Cubs In Five" by The Mountain Goats
"Sure Shot" by Beastie Boys
"Heart" by The McGuire Sisters
"Catfish" by Bob Dylan
"Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" by Natalie Cole
"T-E-A-M (The Baseball Game)" by You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown Cast
"A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" by Steve Goodman
"Whatever Lola Wants" by Sarah Vaughan
"Tessie" by Dropkick Murphys
"Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen

If you need more songs about baseball, check out the soundtrack to Ken Burns' documentary Baseball, which is an amazing collection of a century's worth of the sounds of baseball. It also includes seven different versions of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

And the Tables Have Turned

I have an intern. Yes, after all the internships I've done over the years (there were three, the first when I was 17-years old), I now have a poor, unsuspecting college student to dump all of my crappy projects on. Okay, you know that's totally not true. The teacher in me would never allow myself to do that. Even though the next few weeks will be ridiculously busy, I know how important this learning experience is for both my intern and me.

In honor of Intern Maggie and her excitement to expand her skills and be a productive member of our staff, here are the five greatest lessons I learned as an intern:

1. Always give more than people expect. One supervisor was over the moon when she found out I know my way around Adobe Creative Suite and loved that I had experience with library catalogs and could organize all of her books. I used to work in a billing department? I have no fear about talking to total strangers on the street? I'd coordinated an office move before? I could write a letter-to-the-editor? It's good when people have high expectations of you, but it's even better when you have high expectations of yourself.
2. Learn to love whatever you're doing. I've been asked to do some pretty boring tasks as an intern—including filing an entire year's worth of papers and reading 25 newspapers a day to compile clippings. You might be socked to learn I enjoyed both of these tasks because they allowed me to read and learn and know what was going on in the world. Finding something to love in the menial means you can feel fulfilled no matter what you have to do.
3. Love where you are. I've been an intern in Springfield, Illinois, and Rexburg, Idaho, both Podunk towns to this city girl. But after years away, I can still tell you my favorite picnic spots, the best places to eat lunch and 101 fun things to do without having to step foot in a club, museum or sports arena. Every town, neighborhood, building has something unique to offer.
4. Write your own syllabus. The summer I interned in DC, a friend and I created a for-credit class, which meant we could spend one day a week doing whatever we wanted. We explored the alphabet soup of DC, listened to House debates and interviewed government officials. Not many classes can offer as diverse an education as an internship can.
5. Keep in touch. I love seeing what my fellow former-interns are up to, and it always makes me happy when someone I used to work with has a new success. Business contacts are good, but friends are even better.

Ray Bradbury: Changing the Direction of American Literature and My Childhood

It had to be the most ridiculous book I had ever read. Making booze from weeds, a broken-down carnival game, a Podunk town in Illinois. Seriously? I couldn't believe my English teacher was making me read such a stupid book for my first reading assignment in high school.

It wasn't until the following summer—long after the tests and essays and in-class writing assignments were over—that I truly read Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine. But somewhere in the nine months of my freshman year, I became ready to understand. Maybe summer allowed me to see the beauty in bottling up the magic of childhood. Or maybe I was finally ready to put away my adolescence and start becoming an adult. But in my second attempt at reading about Douglas, Tom and Charlie, I understood that even as we grow up and move on, a little part of us stays a child forever.

Since my first experience with Bradbury more than 15 years ago, I've read many of his other books. None of them had the same impact on me as Dandelion Wine, but there are several bottles in the cellar of my soul, each with a label of a book that changed me:

Fahrenheit 451

I Sign the Body Electric

The Martian Chronicles

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Zen and the Art of Writing

So thank you, Ray Bradburg. You might not be with us any longer, but your words will stay with us forever.

Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920-June 5, 2012)

Saying Goodbye to Summer: Mini Writers' Retreat

I spent a lot of childhood summers having adventures on lakes--it's kind of a way of life in the Midwest. Summer camp and family vacations and trips with friends. So this past weekend I finally took my friend up on her offer to spend a few days with her at her lake house writing and talking and having adventures.

We spent at least three hours every day writing and revising. While we each had individual goals for the extended weekend (a goal that I changed the first day when I realized I had been way over ambitious), we'd decide what we wanted to accomplish by the end of each day and then get to work.

Taking breaks to walk the dog, we'd talk about problems we were having, make suggestions to each other on how to make our writing stronger, and discuss books that we hoped to emulate. It also helped to have such an inspiring view along the tree-lined streets and peaceful lake.

We spent time critiquing when we'd reach a milestone goal--like rewriting a chapter or getting an important scene nailed down or outlining a subplot. These sessions weren't as detailed as our usually writers' group critiques, but we'd talk about what worked well and what still needed work.

It wasn't all intense writing sessions. We spent the evenings watching movies and playing cards and talking. We did a lot of talking, and not just about writing. Julie's husband got in on the action and made us laugh and remember that life exists outside the page.

Most importantly, we rewarded ourselves on the last day by taking the kayaks out for a spin. It's been a long time since I've held a paddle, but I managed not to tip over.

It was just what I needed to re-energize and remind myself that I love what I do. Not a lot of people get to do what they love for a living, and quite a few people still haven't found out exactly what they love. But me? I'm one of the lucky few, but sometimes the stress of work and responsibilities and life in general makes me forget just how lucky I am.

So thanks, Jack and Julie, for welcoming me into your home and letting me write at your kitchen table for a few days. It's nice to know I have such good, supportive and loving friends.

Saying Goodbye to Summer: Boarding School Books

We all want people to see us as more than we are. We hope the cute guy who sits next to us in geometry finds us more beautiful than we find ourselves. We hope that a teacher or friend or stranger will discover our darkest secrets and see potential in us anyway. We hope that a magical envelope will appear to whisk us away to a life better than the one we have. Maybe that's why so many books involve boarding school--a specialized school allows us to be rich/smart/talented in a way we never saw ourselves before.

So without further ado, here are a list of some of my recently read boarding school books:

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale: In the small village of Mt. Eskel, ordinary girls leaning how to be a princesses in hope to marry the prince of Danland.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: Hogwarts teaches special children about the importance of friendship, the continuous battle between good and evil, and the exciting possibilities of the wizarding world.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce: Born a lady of the realm, Alanna disguises herself as a boy to learn the royal palace of Corus disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter: The Gallagher Academy has a long history of teaching talented girls the art of being a spy.

Curse of the Blue Tattoo by L.A. Meyer: Only the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls can turn a pirate into a lady.

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs: From ordinary to extraordinary, the Academy caters to the modern decedents of the Greek god.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: Attending boarding school in Paris means exploring the City of Lights, discovering foreign cinema and finding a boy to share a real French kiss with.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray: Gemma Doyle soon discovers there's more than meets the eye at the Spence Academy for Young Ladies.

Looking for Alaska by John Green: Miles Halter goes to Culver Creek Preparatory School hoping to find the Great Perhaps.

Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn by Sarah Miller: Something unexpected is going on at Midvale Academy when a girl is able to see into the mind of one Gideon Rayburn.

Saying Goodbye to Summer: The First Day of School

School starts in the next few weeks, which signals the ultimate end of summer. I've survived a lot of first days of school: two elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and three colleges. I got good at making new friends and settling in really fast. But each first day at a new school brought it's own unique challenges, and I'd like to think I brought each school unique experiences all my own.

The first day of school changes everything. It doesn't matter what grade you're going into--from the very first day of kindergarten to leaving for college, boy or girl, smart or not, new or retuning--we all try to reinvent ourselves for that very first day. So here are some books for different age groups crossing a lot of genres that take place on (or close to) the first day of school:

Picture Books

Kissing Hands by Audrey Penn
Sea Monster's First Day by Kate Messner
David Goes To School by David Shannon
Arthur's Teacher Trouble by Marc Brown

Early Reader/Chapter Books

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls #2: The New Girl by Meg Cabot
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Middle Grade

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Bobby Vs. Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

YA

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Upper YA

Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sheman Alexie
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Saying Goodbye to Summer: Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah

I loved going to camp when I was a kid. An entire week without my parents or siblings, building camp fires and singing songs. I loved swimming and kayaking, and I didn't even mind the tents and bugs. Between throwing up in the camp fire after a game of Chubby Bunny went a little too far and surviving a tornado will camping in the woods, my summers were filled with archery contests and first aid clinics and compass scavenger hunts and botany lessons and adventures of all kinds. And when summer faded into winter, there were plenty of books to read about camp, so the next summer camp never seemed far away.

Even before I was old enough for roughing it, there were picture books like The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp by Stan and Jan Berenstain and Little Critter Goes at Scout Camp by Mercer Mayer about day-camp. And when I got a little older, a few of the Baby-Sitters Club books by Ann M. Martin took place at summer camp, plus I probably read Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary and Holes by Louis Sachar half a dozen times each.

While I missed out on The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White when I was a kid, I finally read it for the first time this past week. This summer I also read Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan, which wasn't around when I was a kid. Both Summer Camp Secrets by Katy Grant and Camp Confidential by Melissa J. Morgan are newer series that I haven't read, but I'm sure I would have loved them as a pre-teen.

Of course I've gotten wiser with age and realized that I have running water and air conditioning for a reason, but those memories of summer camp haven't faded through the years.

Saying Goodbye to Summer: A Road Trip in Books

One of my most memorable summer vacations was the first time I went to Washington, D.C. I was going into middle school, and I had just read Mary Higgins Clark's Stillwatch, so I was obsessed with political journalism and Washington, D.C. Not only was that trip the first time I would visit my future home, it was also on that trip that my mother read us The Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, all seven books in one road trip.

For me, that road trip was a bit of a rite of passage, a journey of self-discovery on four wheels. Stillwatch played no small part in my decision to study journalism and later become a PR professional in D.C. And the Narnia books continue to shape my view of of children's literature and even my personal faith.

As this summer draws to a close, I'm dedicating this new reading list to that great summer tradition: The Road Trip.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech: All journeys begin with a single step. For one girl, learning to deal with her mother's abandonment means retracing the steps of her spiritual quest.

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex: Some road trips are out of this world. Well, maybe it stays on this world, but an 11-year-old girl from Pennsylvania managers to bring an extraterrestrial along for the ride.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson: A trip around the world may be the only way to go. Thirteen messages from her deceased aunt will lead one teenager back to where it all began.

Paper Towns by John Green: Discovering yourself means looking beyond what's right in front of you. One boy and his loyal friends soon discover that you can't save someone unwilling to save herself.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray: "Our greatest foes, and whom we must chiefly combat, are within" (Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra). A sudden illness takes a boy and his hospital companion on a wild ride to find a cure.

Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler: Putting your mistakes behind you takes more than distance. On a road trip to visit her absentee mother, the queen of meaningless hookups tries to avoid the future by outrunning her past.

I've logged many thousands of miles in road trips since that one 17 years ago, and each one still holds a certain magic. Even if you're studying a map or following that electronic voice on the GPS, you never really know where the road is going to take you. For me, it always seems to take me home.

Billy Goats Gruff

Remember that old story Three Billy Goats Gruff? I discovered their bridge this weekend. I think they told people a troll was living under it to discourage visitors. But I know better. It's really surrounded by amazing waterfalls and inspiring forests. Those billy goats just didn't want to share. Selfish billy goats!

My friend Josie and I decided to go on a hike at Great Falls along the Patomac River. Less than an hour from our nation's capitol, you can find yourself in the middle of nowhere with only the most spectacular views to keep you company.

After seeing the main falls, we decided to take a chance on the Billy Goat Trail. What started out as a nice stroll through the woods along a lazy river soon turned into more of a climbing expedition. I guess they call it the Billy Goat Trail because it wasn't really designed for human traffic. It was pretty hot, sweaty work in 95-degree weather with 90 percent humidity.

But reaching the top is always worth the climb.

I believe this answers Carmela LaVigna Coyle's question once and for all. Do Princesses Wearing Hiking Boots? Why yes, indeed we do.

Our Public Works System

I have to admit, I've never really thought much about public works unless I land on one of them while playing Monopoly. But this summer I've gotten to spend some time with my cousin as he and his crew have work on the piping system throughout Alexandria.

Whenever Drew (or "Freddy" as the guys all call him) comes into town for a job, he'll give me a call. Sometimes we meet up for dinner or go to a movie or just hang out at my place. But every once in awhile he'll be working a night or evening shift down the street from my house so I'll bring him dinner or keep him company while he waits for a job to start. I'm not really versed in the intricacies of his job, but I know that his company cures water pipes using a rosin system rather than digging up roads and replacing old concrete pipes. Drew assures me this method creates about an eighth of the carbon footprint and nearly triples the lifetime of the water system.

Last night I stuck around for a little and watched Drew at work, and I have to admit, I was kind of impressed with all of the work that goes into what they do. I don't think I'll ever look at tap water the same way again. (It was about 10:30 p.m. when I took these pictures, so I had to lighten them considerably so you can kind of see what's going on.)

I've always wondered why so many people just "stand around" on a construction sight, but after watching how much attention is required to maintain, operate and monitor all the machinery and equipment, I understand why so many people are needed. And watching my cousin be lowered into a deep, dark hole in the middle of the road made me grateful there were so many trained guys there to watch over him.

I don't envy Drew having to go into that hole. I guess after so many years as a Marine, he's kind of used to damp, dark and dirty, but I'd get claustrophobic real quick.

Our jobs might be vastly different, and we might look like polar opposites, but we're still family and have a lot of fun together. We like to trade books (we both have a weakness for urban fantasy and the paranormal), and we're going to Crue Fest 2 together next weekend. He was also with me the first time I saw the Nats actually win a game.

Save 'Screen on the Green'

I remember my first summer in Washington , DC , when I was a 23 year-old intern and the amazing summer adventures we had. Inner tubeing down the Shenandoah Rive, cliff-jumping along the Blue Ridge Parkway, kayaking in the Tidal Basin, concerts and plays, museums and House debates. But one memory stands out from all the rest, a simple memory. A picnic with friends at the steps of the Capitol Building while watching Catherine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby. And now that I have returned to DC as a professional, I might never have the opportunity to create new memories with a similar activity.

Every Monday night during the summer, thousands of movie lovers gather with blankets and picnics, waiting for the sun to go down on the National Mall for "Screen on the Green"--classic Hollywood films shown under the stars in the shadow of the Capitol dome. But recently, HBO, a longtime co-sponsor of the movie night, announced it was canceling "Screen on the Green" due to lack of a funding partner.

When I heard the news, I was devastated. Seriously, I have been looking forward to attending "Screen on the Green" for six months.

To save "Screen on the Green", we need to find new sponsors. And even if you don't live in the DC area but would like to help me keep one of my favorite summer activities alive, click here to see how you can help. You can also join our facebook group here.

Don't let me and the 75,000 other Washingtonians who attend "Screen on the Green" every summer down.

Living the good week

A lot of people post a Friday Five, and I realized I have never done that before. This was a really good week, so I could probably post a Friday Fifteen or even Fifty, but that would be a really long post. And it's getting late, and I'm getting up early.

1. Music, music, music. I downloaded Melinda Doolittle's new CD Coming Back to You, which has some pretty good tunes.

2. I also finally downloaded a modern Cajun CD that was featured on NPR a few months ago--Cow Island Hop by Feufollet. Their female vocalist has an incredible voice that make me dream of being back on the bayou.

3. I went to a concert for a local high school that had a bunch of student's release a CD. Goading the Pen's son played an acoustic set as well as performed with his band Only on Fridays. These kids write and produce all of their own music, and it will make you wish you were that cool in high school. You can download their CD, Salmagundi: A Collection of Things, on iTunes.

4. I got an ARC of Bennett Madison's The Blonde of the Joke in the mail. (Thanks Bennett!) I haven't had a lot of time to read, so I'm only 75 pages into it, but I can't get it out of my head. The main character fascinates me, and I can't wait to find out how everything comes together.

5. My new bathing suit came in the mail. Yes, I was brave a bought a bathing suit online. And it fits perfectly. And doesn't look half bad on me. And didn't cost me a fortune. I haven't gotten a new suit for almost five years, so I'm excited to take this one out for a test swim. Now it just has to stop raining and get warm again.

What a great week. In the past seven days, I got to see my little brother, heard some great music, got a fabulous un-birthday present book in the mail and got summer clothes. Plus, the Sox are first in their division, and tomorrow a bunch of us are going to the open house on Embassy Row. Summer is just around the corner, and life couldn't be better.

Oh yes, number six. I finally got up my nerve to start sending my manuscript off to agents. Okay, so I've only sent it to one thus far, but it still feels good to be moving forward with the process.

America's Favorite Past Time

Baseball season is once again in full swing. And I am planning to catch a couple of games this summer. Being in DC offers both good and bad elements to baseball season.

Bad: The Nats are a terrible team. I don't plan on attending any games they will win or even come close to winning.

Good: Tickets are dirt cheap. When you already know the outcome of the game, not many people are willing to pay in excess of ten bucks for a ticket.

Bad: The Sox are in the American League while the Nats are in the National League. This means I won't be able to see the Sox play this summer as I won't be going to Chicago until Labor Day when ticket prices will be well out of my range.

Good: My neighbors have the MLB channel and have promised I can actually watch games. They think my obsession with the Sox is highly entertaining, so they will more than likely spend most of the game watching me watch the game.

Bad: I won't be able to watch the games with my dad, sister or brother.

Good: I will have plenty of excuses to call my dad, sister and brother to discuss plays, stats and standings.

The life of a baseball fanatic has its ups and downs, but mostly it's just about the love of the game.