A few months back I mentioned that I was working on two stories simultaneously, hoping one would emerge as the book I should work on.  I did this for several weeks but had no real passion for either story, and I was eventually at the point of tossing both of them in the trash.  Then, this past October, I entered one of the stories (ten pages and a synopsis) in the middle grade category at an SCBWI (got Google?) conference and won first prize in that genre.  Winning the award brought back the passion.  The story is now complete and in the hands of my agent.

Perhaps this is what entering writing contests are all about.  If nothing else, they give the winners the passion and confidence in their projects to press on.  By the way, the last time I won an SCBWI award, it was for an young adult novel called His Boy Elroy, which is coming out in the fall of 2010.  I'm hoping for the same success for the current winner...Greg.

This just in from alert reader Juanita Trine from her Good Clean Funnies List.  I'm not sure who the originator is, but this is pretty hilarious.  Enjoy...Greg

On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically imposed midwinter

festival, my significant other in a consenting adult,

monogamous relationship gave to me:

TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual
drumming,

ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18-member pit orchestra made
up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union
as called for in their union contract even though they will
not be asked to play a note),

TEN melanin-deprived testosterone-poisoned scions of the
patriarchal ruling class system leaping,

NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,

EIGHT economically disadvantaged female persons stealing
milk-products from enslaved Bovine-Americans,

SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally protected
wetlands,

SIX enslaved Fowl-Americans producing stolen non-human
animal products,

FIVE golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced
domestic incarceration,

(NOTE: after members of the Animal Liberation Front
threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling
birds, French hens, and partridge have been reintroduced to
their native habitat. To avoid further Animal-American
enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.)

FOUR hours of recorded whale songs,

THREE deconstructionist poets,

TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree
carcasses, and

ONE Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.

Merry Christmas.
Happy Chanukah/Hanukkah.
Good Kwanzaa.
Blessed Yule.
Oh, heck! Happy Holidays!!!! (unless otherwise prohibited by
law)

Unless, of course, you are suffering from Seasonally
Affected Disorder (SAD). If this be the case, please
substitute this gratuitous call for celebration with a
suggestion that you have a thoroughly adequate day.

The news of the day (can you hear the fireworks?) is that Cynthea's Liu's latest book, Paris Pan Takes the Dare, is officially launched today.  I've met Cynthea several times over the years at various writing events.  She's a great writer, not to mention a darn good dancer.  Check out her groovy site, and take the dare...if you dare.  Greg

With the demise of Adventures for Kids, Ventura's only children's book store, what's a body to do in order to launch a book?  Answer: launch it at a school!

On Tuesday of this week I'm planning to do just that.  Melvin Beederman's seventh adventure will be officially debuted at Mound Elementary School in Ventura, California.  In return for a free day with the author, I'll be selling book seven in the series at Mound.  Of course, all the books will be available, but what a great way to introduce the most recent one to hundreds of kids—way more than would ever show up to a book store signing.  This may be the way of the future.  I'll let you know how it goes.

As I've probably blogged about in the past, the highlight of my school presentation is when I get the kids up to act out one of the books, and I start things off with an evil laugh contest.  The winner gets to play the villain as we act out The Grateful Fred.