Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"

"But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'"

--From Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven

Go with us here. It's Halloween. We're also participating in Juliana Brandt's Warm Fuzzies Blogfest.    http://julianalbrandt.com/2011/10/warm-fuzzies-blogfest/ . Although we had our responses posted in a sidebar by last Friday as requested, that didn't give any of you the opportunity to weigh in with any of your comments. So today we are transitioning those responses out of sidebar-land and into a real post. A real post that is also a multi-post as the Swaggers weigh in to the question for the first week: How do you broach the subject of being a writer to other people who aren't authors?




Before we list the Swaggers responses, at least one of us has had the pleasure of visiting every single blog participating in the Warm Fuzzies Blogfest. This Swagger is blown away by the creativity and energy of these fellow bloggers. Obviously, these blogs are the brain children of writers. Not New York Times best-selling authors, but writers who feel the calling of language and yearn to create something beautiful with it. And do.

And by far the majority opinion of the participants in this blogfest seems to be one of consternation over broaching the subject. (And that includes some Swaggers too.) Why? Because these writers seem to be empowering others to determine their self worth. Now here we go, trying to tie in the above quote to the issue at hand in the spirit of Halloween. Isn't looking to others to validate what we do, sort of like looking to the raven for wisdom?

If we can't summon that sure-fire belief from within, won't we just drive ourselves mad trying to find approval from others?

And now, rightly or wrongly, here's how the Swaggers deal with the situation.

Kim: I do a lot of volunteer work as a Girl Scout leader and service unit director. Sometimes that seems easier for people to understand. If I'm talking to someone who I think won't approve of a "writer" who doesn't have a best-seller on the shelves, I revert to my glut of volunteer work. Everyone gets that!

Melissa: I am very proud to call myself a writer/author and love to share that fact with others. I was a closet writer for many years so sharing and owning my writing title now is very important to me. The best response I've heard from telling others that I am a writer is, "Me too!" There are SO many of us out there! It seems to be one of those things that people don't openly admit unless someone else does - which I do - so it is neat to see others open up.

Jon: I gave up a long time ago really worrying about people’s reaction when I told them I was a writer. I used to freak out answering that question, because other than a few small things, I didn't have any publishing credits and the next question from them was inevitably, “Oh, what have you written that I may have read?” So now when people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m a writer and when they ask what I write, I generally respond by saying, “Words!” Then I just go with the flow of the conversation.

Juliet: Though I have published articles, short stories and a picture book, I still feel a twinge of self-doubt when I call myself a writer. And I think there is an additional er, um moment when I explain that I write for kids. But there isn't much any of us can do to combat people's generalizations or assumptions about what it means to be a writer - or a chef - or a supermodel, etc. Each identifier is accompanied by some stereotype that can only be dissolved through deeper associations. So mostly, I just go with supermodel instead of writer...

Regina: "So do you do anything outside of the home?"
"Actually, I'm a writer."
"Do you have a book?"
"Well, I have some manuscripts I'm working on and I have a poem published in a children's book."
"Oh, so you write for kids?"
"Yes."
"So that's not that big of stretch from raising kids, huh? Not rocket science, ya know."

This conversation ended as I excused myself to the open bar at my husband's holiday work party.

Kathy: I rarely offer the title Writer unless asked, "What do you do?" because I always get that same question, "What have you published?" Earlier this month a friend in the publishing business introduced me to a charming woman. "Kathy's a writer," he said.
"Oh that's wonderful! What books have you published?"
"None have been published, but I've written many."
"Oh."
Egg on both faces, yes. But damn it! I AM a writer & I don't care who knows it!

Graziella: Recently I attended a class reunion and retired teachers' luncheon, and on both occasions I was asked, "What do you do for fun these days?" I think I shocked everybody.

"I have a book coming out. I am a writer. Well, it is not always fun, but yes, I do enjoy writing. I Iove taking writing classes and workshops, improving the craft, and meeting new, interesting people. I want to continue to learn and grow as a person and as a writer."

Besides that, it is a great excuse for getting out of full-time babysitting the grandkids.

The Swaggers

Middle Grade Highlight Might Be Rocky Horror

Everyone knows that middle school can be awful, right? I mean, when you look back at your own life, I bet most of us wouldn't rank that period after grade school but before high school as a highlight. Weren't we all trying to muddle through those confusing early teen years the best we could? And sometimes the results weren't pretty.

But other times, these new teens catch you by surprise and take your breath away with their still-exuberant love of life. We all know that when teenagers find something they like (i.e., video games, TV, text messaging) they tend to spend as much time as they can get away with doing it. Because despite what they say, they're still kids. Kids want to have fun and aren't afraid to demand it.

So when six of my Cadette Girl Scouts decided they wanted to create a seven-minute radically altered version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show to perform continuously at Lake Farmpark's beloved Haunted Hayride, I was skeptical. This project would be the service component for these girls to earn the Silver Award, the highest award girls at this rank can earn.

We need boys to pull this off, I told them. And we could use a few more girls too. We have to develop a G-rated story, choreograph it, make our sound track, build a set, design costumes, pull together props, and practice, practice, practice.

Sounds like fun, they said.

They recruited boys to help. Other girls followed. They came to practice after practice all summer long. I witnessed bursts of creative genius from all of them. Most astoundingly, they showed up for every performance.

Aren't you bored yet? I asked them after the 55th show.

Nope! they all said.

And it was obvious they weren't. They chattered and commiserated and discovered things about themselves and their audiences. They helped one another with make-up, gave kudos where kudos were due, consoled when mistakes happened. They joked and teased and flirted. We were the group kicked out of Kirtland, Ohio's Lake Farmpark every night because the kids dawdled over their end-of-the-evening pizza, wanting to hang out together just a few minutes longer.

I'm not going to sugar-coat the difficulty of keeping 13 middle-graders on task. I supervised everything and spent a huge chunk of time on this project.

Still...the kids surprised the hell out of me. They made a commitment and stuck to it. They created a memorable show that they never tired of performing. They worked together as a team.

And when they look back on their middle-grade years, they'll probably remember this show...fondly. It might even be a middle school highlight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQcL6xNMLo

Kim Van Sickler

The Agony of Waiting

I am sure it is not the first time that a book’s release was postponed…but why did it have to happen to me, that is, why my book?! My editor informed me of the delay, and told me it was due to a problem with the presses, something about the colors running "hot" and they were trying to correct it.

Well, I guess these things happen, but I can’t help feeling like a girl who has been told that Santa had an accident and cannot deliver her presents for a while.

I have to be patient and tell myself that this delay will make my joy even greater, when finally I hold my first book in my hands. In the meantime, I keep busy preparing for the launch of my first born, named Dancing on Grapes.

Despite these setbacks, I am very excited that I gave my first reading of the yet-to-be-released picture book (author’s copy) at the Warner Library in Tarrytown, NY, and at Main Street Sweets (home-made ice cream parlor) in Tarrytown.

Later this fall, on Sunday, November 13, at 4:30 p.m., I am hosting a party at the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center, in Sleepy Hollow, NY, to celebrate the launching of the book.

All Swaggers are invited too. Hope to have more dates to share soon.

Graziella Pacini Buonanno

I'm Seeing Stars!

I'M A WINNER!!!

My debut novel, My Beginning, won the young adult title of the 2011 Hollywood Halloween Book Festival! I just got back from the awards ceremony which took place in Hollywood, California on Friday, October 21st - just two weeks after our Swagger family reunion!

With award winning novel and certificate!

The journey started with a couple of days of exploring the nostalgic west Hollywood, including taking a trek up to Griffith Observatory, mingling with crowds in front of the Kodak theater, stepping on stars on Hollywood Boulevard, and enjoying some exotic beverages and meals.

Someday, this star will be mine!

Friday afternoon I readied for an evening at the famous Roosevelt Hotel where the awards ceremony took place.The Roosevelt Hotel towers above Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood amongst many other historical landmarks. When you walk in, you are immediately whisked back to another era. That old tinsel town vibe is everywhere.

In lobby of Roosevelt Hotel

The Halloween Book Awards ceremony was on the 2^nd floor in the Academy Room where I was warmly welcomed by Bruce, the event coordinator and founder of the Halloween Book Festival. I was treated to delicious hors d' oeuvres and cocktails as I mingled with other authors and participants.

When the ceremony began, Bruce talked a little bit about the Halloween Book Festival and how it all got started. Here is a little blurb from the evening:

"Tonight's awards ceremony marks the culmination of years of hard work by our authors and publishers...We are very proud to honor the winners, runner-ups and honorable mentions of one of our top book publishing festivals...less than five percent of our festival entries are ever honored with recognition by our staff...Tonight's winners truly represent the best of what current book publishing has to offer."

There were ten winners in total along with several honorable mentions and runner-ups. My Beginning was the Young Adult title winner - and this was its first contest! Whilst Bruce was introducing me, he said that My Beginning is Motion Picture Worthy! What a compliment!

Giving a speech at the podium.

I told a little bit about my book, then thanked my family and publisher Janice Phelps Williams for being so supportive and encouraging. After all of the speeches and awards had been given, we had a press shoot and interview with a couple of reporters. I felt like a true celebrity!!! I made some great new friends and had a wonderful time getting to know some of the other authors.

Getting paparazzi'd!

I'm truly honored to receive this award. It is all so surreal and hasn't completely sunken in yet. I can't believe I spoke at a podium... On a microphone... In front of a ton of people... In Hollywood... At a famous hotel... AWESOME!!!

All in all, it was a very successful trip - a dream come true! I'm so proud to be a Halloween Book Award winner.

Thank you Swagger family for always believing in me. I love you guys! :)

Finding Your Cave

In my bio, I claim to be a reluctant writer, and I firmly believe that’s a true statement.

I’ve read more than a couple of books dealing with the writing process, and while there are many different suggestions for developing your craft, most seem to have two common suggestions: find a space to write, and write something every day. Well, I agree that for most people this is probably great advice, but sadly for me it doesn’t quite work that way.

When we moved to Lake Arrowhead, my ever-supporting wife suggested that I take the whole area on the second level of our house, previously used as a game room and make it my writing cave. I’d have a stunning view of the lake, be surrounded by inspirational books, paintings, and general nick-nacks from my past writing retreats, and therefore should have no problem penning many best sellers.

So I set up my gorgeous desk (I do love my desk: distressed wood, wrought iron, with a weathered leather writing surface) facing the lake, moved my superbly comfortable office chair into place, spent literally weeks deciding on a color for the walls (even researched color psychology on the net so I could choose one that aided in creativity), removed all the possible outside distractions, purchased an office armoire where we could keep all of life’s day-to-day minutia hidden from view (i.e. bills), then we stood back and admired my cave. It was perfect. I could almost feel my muse taking up residence in the reading chair by the window.

We moved into this house nineteen months ago and I’ve done some writing since then: finished my first full-length novel, started another new one, dug into one that I set aside a few years earlier, even wrote some poetry. Trouble is, I don’t sit down every day and write. In fact, I can easily decipher the work I’ve done on days that I did sit down and make myself write as opposed to the work I did when I felt that unconscious urge to craft letters into words, words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, blah, blah, blah. (Actually, I rarely use punctuation and I barely know when a sentence should end and a new one should begin – KVS edited this.) Sadly, the urge to write doesn't come along too often, so consequently all the writing I’ve done could’ve been done in the course of a month.

Oh, and my gorgeous, inspirational, cave has never been used for writing. Nope, not even once! Although I have sat at the desk a couple of times… to catch my breath after running up the outside stairs.

I guess my point is, that it’s okay if you don’t follow conventions, and it’s okay if you don’t write every day, and yes, it’s okay if you don’t have a cave. (By the way, I have done all my writing sitting at the dining room table in a chair that long ago lost any semblance of padding that faces the kitchen instead of the lake.) I may not write every day, but I never stop thinking about writing. I do envy the people who can get words on paper on a regular basis, but I no longer beat myself up because I can’t. I just try and make the most of it when it happens.

Two of my favorite books on the writing process:
Stephen King – On Writing.
Anne Lamott – Bird by Bird.

Jon Egan

Becoming a Writer

I wrote my first poem when I was five. I pounded it out on the keys of Dad’s old manual Underwood typewriter. It was sixteen words long, and I was hooked on the Power and Magic of Words. After that, I used the old Underwood every chance I got. I wrote poems and plays. A few of my fellow fourth graders performed one of my plays in class.

I was 23 when I mailed my first submission. My first rejection letter arrived soon after. I still have it. I’ve saved all my rejections. Early on, most were form letters. Eventually, many of them gave advice and criticism. And more recently, editors have asked for more of my work and to see revisions.

I kept writing. I wrote poems, short stories, and novels. One short story won a prize from the Children’s Writer in 1996. Another won a prize from them in 2011.

In 2002, I received my first acceptance letter, my first sale. It was for a poem (My Face), published in February, 2005 in Ladybug magazine.

While those contest prizes and that acceptance letter helped to validate my struggles, they did not make me a Writer. Seeing my poem in Ladybug was a dream-come-true, but that didn’t make me a Writer either. What makes me a Writer is all the time I spend doing what I love, choosing the words to put on the page, structuring them into sentences and stanzas and paragraphs.

I’ve been a Writer since I was five.

Kathy Cannon Wiechman

Workshops - Always a Learning Experience - Even for the Teacher

About three times a year I get together with a group of writers at the homestead of the founders of Highlights for Children magazine. The publication’s been around since 1946, so it’s fostered the careers of a great many writers. These days, in addition to the wonderful magazine, a book division, a web presence, and a lot more, Highlights has a non-profit side that provides dozens of workshops each year with the aim of improving the offerings of what’s being written for kids ( http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/ ). That’s how I met this group of people who’ve since dubbed us the Swaggers; we gathered two years ago for a workshop on writing novels for teenagers. It was obviously a success, because most of the group returned for a second round earlier this month.

I was technically still “the teacher” this time, but I didn’t feel like one at all. I always learn a lot from these workshops, but this time was particularly enriching. There’s been a lot of success from this group since the last time we met: a published novel, a published picture book, a number of projects that are ready to submit. Listening and participating in group discussions of the work was enlightening and uplifting. Can’t wait to do it again.

Here are my five favorite TV characters of all time:


Barney Fife
Ed Norton
Bugs Bunny
Lisa Simpson
George Castanza


Rich Wallace