My Writing Processes Blog Tour

Hi Friends!

Recently, the lovely Joanna Marple ,tagged me to join this fun Blog Tour on writing processes. Each week, authors post answers to four Writing Process questions, then tag three friends to play along the following week. You can read Joanna’s fabulous post, and learn what she’s working on, right here . You can also see a shout out on Joanna’s  book “Snow Games” and Joanna’s face book  page right   here.

About Joanna:

After graduating college, Joanna took her guitar and a rucksack of books and t-shirts (to barter for more books) and roved the continents, getting involved with some wonderful people, projects and stories. She never knows where the next adventure will take her. Now she writes to give children the same wings to escape into adventure that she still uses. She is currently living in her eighth nation and on her third continent, in New York City, where she is studying for an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature. She writes picture books and YA, often with characters from different cultures! Her first book, SNOW GAMES, was published in 2012 on the eBook Platform, uTales – http://utales.com/books/snow-games-3.

http://joannamarple.com 

Following are my responses, and at the bottom you’ll find the three wonderful people who’ll post next week!

What am I working on:

I am now writing a memoir which is a ten-year slice of the hardest time in my life. It covers when I lost my late husband, my life as a single mom raising teens and my brain disorder.

I am also working on two picture books that fell from my brain in stream of consciousness because they say something about my life. One of these is going to a SCBWI workshop with Magination Press in May. So there’s a time limit and time pressure on this.

And on the back burner I have started a nonfiction picture biography picture book.  I am also brain storming something for literary journals.

Also! Last but not least! My second picture book, EDMUND PICKLE CHIN,  A DONKEY RESCUE STORY  is due for release in April and somehow I must plan for a book launch. 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Since I work in multi-genres; being published in three anthologies, one a collection of flash fiction, one a slice of memoir and one has two children’s stories in it –plus being published as a picture book author, it is just natural for me to now do memoir.

This is the way I work. Across genres.

The way Edmund Pickle Chin is different is that it is a true story about an abused donkey who learns to trust his caregiver and be a help on the farm. For “Annie’s Special Day” it is different because of it being a basic concept book teaching time in a fun way.

Why do I write what I do?

I just love writing.  I write every day since it is my second career. Ever since I got the contract for “Annie’s Special Day” I have wanted to make my private journals public material. And the way to make my private writing public is to write my memoir. I am fulfilling a dream.

And as far as my picture books? I write them because I think it is increasingly important that kids love reading and if they are surprised by learning something while doing something they love? All the better. I also think picture books help kids make sense of their world.

How does my writing process work?

For my picture books I write a rough draft with a ton of versions and when I think they are ready, I bring them to my critique groups for feedback. In fact for “Edmund Pickle Chin, a Donkey Rescue Story” I wrote my acknowledgement thanking my critique groups because they had been so invaluable in what they gave the story.

I wake up each morning excited about my writing and first thing before breakfast I write for a couple of hours. Early in the morning is my best time. Then I can do my life after wards. Run errands; go for a workout or my Pilates class or whatever.  Some lucky days it’s reading all afternoon.

WHO’S UP NEXT MONDAY! – April 14, 2014

Margot Fink!

I met Margot almost four years ago at Themuseonlinewritersconference, where she was critiquing picture books. Then we became email friends. Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant, now living in Oregon with her husband and family. She has 13 published books (PB to young teen), and runs a well known Manuscript Critique Service. She also offers FREE Skype Author Visits to schools and book clubs.

*HOOK Kids on Reading: http://hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com/
*Website: http://www.margotfinke.com
*Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/bg9dtxt
**Autographed books come with her FREE “Fairdinkum Aussie Recipe Book” – tucker Margot loved to eat as an Aussie kid.

*FREE “Sneak Peek” inside all her books: http://tinyurl.com/9npjy9n
*SKYPE Author Visits (schools etc) : www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-LLo_eWdxk   

Vivian Kirkfield

I met Vivian almost three years ago on one of the blogs  I was visiting then. And then we started seeing each other on our own blogs, then becoming email friends. Vivian Kirkfield is a passionate advocate of early childhood education. She believes that with a positive self-image and a love of books, every child can achieve a life of balance, happiness and meaning. Her award-winning parent-teacher resource book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking, gives quick and easy activities for 100 recommended picture books.

Now Vivian is on a mission to write picture books that will have kids asking their parents, “Please read that one again!” She’s an active member of 12×12 and just completed Susanna Leonard Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic class…in fact, she participates in so many challenges and writing prompts, her hubby wonders if her fingers will become glued to the computer keyboard. You can contact her at viviankirkfield@gmail.com or connect with her on her blog, Picture Books Help Kids Soar.–

Vivian Kirkfield, BA, MS

Author – Parenting Speaker – Educator

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Val Muller:

Val Muller is a special case. Instead of first finding each other online we go to the same writer’s group and got to know each other better at one of the signing events we both went to. Val Muller writes novels for children and adults. CORGI CAPERS, her mystery series for kids, is her most popular seller and has its own website: http://www.CorgiCapers.com. Her newest release is her young adult novel THE SCARRED LETTER, a modernization of The Scarlet Letter. Val blogs twice a week at http://www.valmuller.com/blog, posting fiction, musings, and book reviews. She is also a freelance editor, an editor for Freedom Forge Press, and a book cover designer. Find out more at http://www.ValMuller.com.

So there you have it friends! My writing process blog post with all the requirements intact. The author who tagged me, the four answers to four questions and the three authors for me to tag. It was great fun doing this and I hope it was fun for you to read it as well.

See you on Friday!!

Hugs and kisses

© 2014 Clara Bowman-Jahn aka Clarike Bowman-Jahn