Blogcritics Author: Rose DesRochers

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

An Interview With Marsha Jordan of The Hugs and Hope Club for Sick Kids

Rose DesRochers — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 13:43:03 EST

Marsha Jordan gives sick kids a reason to smile. She believes that children shouldn’t suffer, but sadly many children do suffer. Who is Marsha Jordon you ask? Marsha Jordon is the founder of Hugs and Hope Club for Sick Kids. Hugs and Hope is a ministry devoted to brightening the lives of children who are battling a critical illness. Having a child with a chronic or terminal illness is stressful for any family. Thanks to Hugs and Hope, parents do not need to face this alone. I caught up with Marsha via email, where she shared with me the history behind Hugs and Hope ministry. So tell us a little about the history behind Hugs and Hope.It began as my hobby of sending cheery mail to hospitalized children. It all started with one little boy who had a brain tumor. My heart was deeply touched by Michael because he was the same age as my grandson. After telling many of my friends and family about him, asking them to send mail as well, I began receiving so many requests for updates on Michael that I asked his family's permission to create a website where I could post his latest news. People who were curious to learn how Michael was doing could simply log on to the site and read the most recent message sent by his grandmother. Before I knew it, other families began begging me to post their child on the site too; and now it's grown to hundreds of pages with stories about children from across the country.How long has Hugs and Hope been in operation?My hobby of sending "happy mail" began in the fall of 2000. It became a nonprofit charity in 2003, when I had nearly 3,000 volunteer "hug givers and hope builders" helping to spread cheer nationwide.Why was Hugs and Hope started?When my grandson was badly burned, I learned how helpless and devastated an adult feels when their little one is suffering. I could empathize with parents whose children were battling illnesses like cancer or serious injuries. I wanted to encourage these families and let them know that someone out there cared about what they were going through and knew how they were feeling. I corresponded with moms and grandmothers mostly. I sent mail to the kids too, because I knew how sad and afraid they must feel when they have little to look forward besides pain, needles, and medical testing.I understood fear, worry, and loneliness because I've battled depression and a connective tissue disease for a good portion of my adult life. I was unexpectedly struck blind, due to complications of my illness. I thought, "If this scares me as much as it does, think of how terrified a child must be when they face pain and worry about an unsure future." I can't take their pain away or promise them a brighter tomorrow, but I can help make today a little happier by sharing a smile with them.How did Hugs and Hopes get its name?When considering a name for the group, I thought about how I feel when I see a child in a hospital bed or wheel chair. The first thing I want to do is give them a big hug. Then I want to be able to offer them some hope for the future by sharing God's love with them. Thus, the Hugs and Hope "club for sick kids" was born. Later, when it became a 501(c)3 charity, the official name became the Hugs and Hope Foundation.What are some of the ways people can help support the site?People can participate in a number of ways, depending upon how much time they want to invest. It can be as simple as sending a card to one child or even mailing birthday cards to the children celebrating another year of life this month. Other ways to get involved include sponsoring a child for Christmas, delivering balloons to a child who is hospitalized for surgery, helping to grant wishes or provide birthday parties, volunteering as a "parent pal" (extending friendship to a specific mom who needs someone to talk to regularly), or taking part in our 24-hour chat group to support parents who are isolated and in need of a listening ear. Many volunteers use their individual skills and imagination to come up with great ideas like sewing a pillow case and tote bag for each child to take with them to the hospital. Some knit hats for children who have lost their hair from chemo treatments. Authors send copies of their books to the children on our site and musicians send CDs. Grandmothers make quilts. We basically post the children's information and then let visitors to our website decide what they'd like to do for each child.Tell us about how you help the parents. Does Hugs and Hopes make a difference?Parents tell me that Hugs and Hope is a tremendous gift to them because it gives them such a lift to know there are people who care about what their family is going through. Parents make many lasting friendships through our group -- with volunteers as well as with parents in similar situations. Our chat group and the Parent Pal Program help parents maintain contact with adults when they are often isolated and homebound with their sick child. The Christmas and birthday programs help financially, since many of these parents are struggling with so many medical bills.And for the kids, yes, I can proudly say we definitely do make a difference. Many parents have related how their child's demeanor changes after they begin receiving mail from new friends around the country. One little boy commented to his mom that he had no idea there were so many people in the world. "And they all love me!" he told her.Kids who previously were too depressed to get dressed or to even get out of bed soon began waking up full of enthusiasm because they couldn't wait to see what each day's mail would bring.One little boy had so many brain tumors that he could no longer walk, talk, or see. He would lie on the couch and frequently point toward the window. His mom knew that meant he was asking whether the mailman had arrived. When she told him no, he'd sigh and lie back; but when she'd tell him, "The mail's here," he would sit up, smile, and clap his hands. What a great feeling to know that our small efforts mean that much to a child!Tell us about one of the children that you've helped.I can't tell about only one! There are just too many fabulous stories to share, like the little girl who lost an eye to cancer. Her parents had to fly across country each month for treatments that cost $80,000 each. Within a week after posting her story on the Hugs and Hope website, her medical fund increased by $10,000. I thought that was awesome. I was thrilled that by working together, people from every state could help this girl's family with their expenses.One little boy loved the cards he received so much that he slept with them under his pillow. That makes me realize how meaningful mail is to these kids.One of my favorite stories is about two 10-year-old boys in our group. One was from New York and one from Florida. Their mothers became best of friends after meeting through our group. The boys had the same type of cancer and both had bone marrow transplants in the same hospital. They were both in isolation for months because they had no immunity. They saw no one except nurses and their moms.The boys were bored and lonely. We were able to grant each of them a wish just before they passed away. Zach wanted his own electric guitar; and Justin, who loved reptiles, got to meet "Jungle Jim" who put on a personal, private wild animal show for him right at the hospital. I have photos of these two boys with huge smiles on their faces. It was heartwarming to know that Hugs and Hope was able to create those smiles and make their last weeks of life a little happier.Now you wrote a book, Hugs and Hope and Peanut Butter. What an unusual name for a book! Tell us about the book and your reasoning behind the name.I send a weekly newsletter to volunteers and parents of sick children. In the newsletter, I write updates about some of the children, reminders of birthdays, and so on. I also try to include an encouraging or funny story to help cheer readers and inspire them. So many people told me that they loved these stories and wished they could have keep them all that I decided to put them into book form. I asked the kids to send me drawings to illustrate the essays, and Jada Press agreed to print the book as a gift to the children. People often assume that the book is filled with sad stories. Not true! It's a book of hope and filled with laughter.Using the group name, Hugs and Hope, in the title seemed natural, and the peanut butter part came from my favorite saying: Hope, love, and joy are sticky like peanut butter. When you spread them around, you can't help but get some on yourself too.Where can we purchase a copy of the book?The book is available at Amazon and in major book stores, as well as from the Hugs and Hope website. Where can we go to learn more about Hugs and Hope?You can go to our website. Is there anything that you wish to ad?I always like to encourage people to take just a few moments to help someone, somehow. Often, people want to do good; but they don't know where to begin or they think there's nothing they could do that would make a difference. Small efforts can have huge impacts, and you can make a difference without investing a lot of money or time. We each have the opportunity and the ability to influence our world for good. Let's not let those opportunities slip by. If we each do a little, think of what we can accomplish! We can make the world a happier place -- one smile at a time. And one of the smiles you create just might be your own!Whether you create graphics for a child's website, send a cheer card, or drop a gift in the mail to one of these adorable children, your kindness does not go unnoticed. Have you seen the movie Pay It Forward? Haley Joel Osment plays a young boy who is challenged by his teacher to do something which would make the world a better place. His idea is the "pay it forward" concept in which you do a good deed for someone, who then does a good deed for three people.Today is your chance to do a good deed. Log on to The Hugs and Hope Club website. All it takes is a little love and the cost of a postage stamp to make a child’s day. As Marsha Jordan says, ” Happiness is like sticky peanut butter -- when you spread it around, you can't help but get some on you.”

Rose DesRochers is the founder of Today's Woman Writing Community, a supportive online writing community for men and women over 18. Rose is also the founder of Blogger Talk Blog Community, a friendly fast growing blogging portal, offering bloggers support, advice, tools, tips and information about blogs and blogging.

'Rhythm and Rhyme All the Time': An Interview with Ted Scheu ('That Poetry Guy')

Rose DesRochers — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 07:11:15 EST

Ted Scheu (“That Poetry Guy”) is a 3rd-4th grader at heart. Ted's work has appeared in about a dozen anthologies in the US and UK. He is a former teacher living in Vermont, who works full-time visiting schools and writing hilarious poetry. Ted says, " I have the best of both worlds. I get to 'field test' my poems with elementary school kids all over the world, but, most satisfying of all, I get to work in K-6 classrooms in workshop settings, helping young writers find their own voices through the magic of poetry."Rose DesRochers: Mr. Scheu, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview with me.Ted Scheu: My pleasure.What first got you interested in poetry?I got a wonderfully healthy dose of A.A. Milne, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Dr. Seuss as a kid, mostly from my mom, who first immersed me in the music of words. Next, I was captivated by the rhythms and the witty word play (not to mention the bouncy melodies) in musical theater. I have early memories of visits to Broadway with my family and being absolutely glued to my seat. I continued to dabble in light verse throughout a roller-coaster professional life, including writing retirement poems for Navy, banking, and advertising colleagues, and I even turned the Bank of Boston on its ear one fall when I took the songs and 'book' of the musical My Fair Lady and rewrote new lyrics to help sell bank services. We cast the musical with the few theatrically-talented and enthusiastic bankers we could dig up and took the show on the road to conferences of staid banker types. I got seriously into writing verse for children when, as an elementary teacher in Vermont, I was reintroduced to the current kid-poetry stars - including Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, who hadn't been around in my youth. I started writing during my summers, and the voice that bounced out of me was, not surprisingly, the voice of me as a kid.Now Ted, I read you were a teacher. What made you give up your teaching career?I was literally too exhausted after each school year, and too busy with summer courses, to get my creative juices fully flowing in the summer break, before I had to start getting focused on starting back to school. So in 1998, I talked my saintly wife Robin into letting me take an unpaid leave of absence from my teaching for one year to get the writing bug out of my system. I was expecting to write a kid's novel, but as I wrote, the words rolled out as poems instead. The questioning, slightly irreverent voice I wished I'd had as a kid came roaring out in verse. I immediately knew a year wasn't going to be enough, so I luckily found a local friend and well-known children's author -- Peter Lourie -- who helped me develop a school program that combined my love of writing with my love of teaching. Now I have the best of both worlds. I get to 'field test' my poems with elementary school kids all over the world, but, most satisfying of all, I get to work in K-6 classrooms in workshop settings, helping young writers find their own voices through the magic of poetry. And no report cards to write!Why did you choose to write poetry for children?It chose me. All that early exposure to rhythm and rhyme made it impossible for me to write any other genre. I think in rhythm and rhyme all the time. It's sublime. Although it wears a bit thin with my family sometimes. I am working on several picture books and chapter books, so I'm breaking out. I'm even writing more and more emotionally-focused free verse poetry for kids. It seems to be more hard-edged and honest than the rhythmic stuff.Where do your ideas for children’s poems come from?My ideas come in equal parts from my memories of my childhood, and from my experiences as a classroom teacher. As you might expect, I pick up a lot of ideas from the 50 or so visits to schools that I make each year. Over lunch, the kids and I discuss things that bug us, and silly things that happen in our lives as kids. In every respect except age, I am a 3rd-4th grader at heart. That's a challenge for my family!How many books has your work appeared in?My work has appeared in about a dozen anthologies in the US and UK. I won a national contest for new poets in 2002, and have a poem in "I Invited a Dragon to Dinner" from Philomel, New York, that celebrates that contest. The other US anthologies are from Meadowbrook Press. Funnily enough, I'm more published in the UK, where they seem to celebrate children's poetry more than we do in the US. Poetry is also a bit edgier and saltier in the UK. Just this month I published my first solo collection--a collection a humorous, cheeky family poems called, I Froze My Mother and Other Seriously Funny Family Poems. It's published by Trafford Publishing of Canada.Do you have any suggestions for those who may be considering a career as a children’s author?This is standard wisdom, but it's so true: I suggest that one read every children's book you can, several times - the good ones and the bad. Then, when it comes to writing, write every day. Listen to kids, listen to your own child-heart, and write. Join a writing group. And don't be depressed by all the early rejection letters. The children's book trade has never been more competitive. But you can persevere and succeed. I'm still in the very early stages myself.Who is your favorite children’s author and what would you say was the best children’s book you ever read?My favorite author, hands down, is Roald Dahl. I was, and still am electrified by his irreverent, honest voice and his eccentric characters, his clear prose, and hilarious poetry. It's a tie between The Witches and Danny the Champion of the World, by Dahl.What is next for your fans?More poems -- both rhyming and not -- but always with the same questioning, cheeky voice. And, I hope, many picture and chapter books down the road. I'm working currently on a book that deals humorously with the most dreaded of all kid-chores - the thank you note. Aaaaah!Describe an average day in the life of Ted Scheu.I try to write most mornings when I am home for at least two to three quiet hours - it comes to 1-3 poem drafts a day. Then I spend the afternoons with school program marketing and correspondence, submissions, and taking care of my overgrown lawn and peeling paint and family. I love to start each day with a short, intense bike ride or walk.When I'm on the road, I'm in schools about 100 days a year, usually in solid blocks in the spring and fall. Those days I throw myself totally into each school visit, giving so much energy that I just collapse in a hotel room each night.How much time do you devote to writing funny children’s poetry?Not nearly enough. I'd love to find a 'patron of the arts' who could fund me to write for five straight years. I'd dedicate all my books to them - like Michelangelo did with the Medicis. I have literally hundreds of ideas and unwritten poems I need to get to, but I also need to pay the bills.What suggestion would you have for parents, to get children more excited about poetry?The greatest gift you can give a kid is to read a poem or six to them every night, so they are slowly and surely immersed in the power and music of the words. That magic and power will slowly and surely start to appear in their own writing. Buy them poetry books. I have some on my web site at www.poetryguy.com!How did you get your nic name Ted Scheu (That Poetry Guy)?A first grade girl gave me that fun label a few years ago. We were laughing and complaining about how many of us have inherited unpronounceable last and first names, and this lovely little urchin said, 'We'll call you Ted Scheu, that Poetry Guy, just like Bill Nye the Science Guy on TV.' So it stuck! It helps a lot.Ted, did you marry Nancy Cristman?This is the question I'm asked the most, by 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders especially. For those who are reading this and wondering, I'll put the text of this very popular poem (and my personal favorite) below. No, I didn't marry her. Sadly, Nancy never heard the poem. I moved away from my home town of Old Greenwich, Connecticut after 6th grade, and never saw Nancy again after that. Nancy's sister and mine were good friends, and have kept in touch over the years. I learned, to my profound sadness, that Nancy died of cancer about 15 years ago. I like to think that she giggles somewhere every time I recite it. Kids love the story behind the poem, not just for the sad after-story, but mostly because the poem recalls a profoundly important and true event in my life.Before we go could you read us one of your poems?Here's "Nancy Cristman Kissed Me": Nancy Cristman kissed meas we walked to school today.It happened fast, and I was lostwith what to do or say.I quickly looked around to checkif anyone had seen it.If they did, and tease me,they’ll be sorry, and I mean it.Why did Nancy Cristman putthat smack upon my cheek?I’m so confused, and probablywill stay this way all week.I’ll guess I’ll have to marry her,and share my lemonade.A lot can happen to a kidwho walks to second grade.How can teachers contact you for a school visit?I'd love to hear from teachers or cultural arts committees. They can e-mail me at poetryguy@adelphia.net or at ted@poetryguy.com and they can find a lot of information (and giggles) on my website at www.poetryguy.com. I have a short 8-minute video, and other information, as well as complimentary audio recording that I'd love to send, along with references. I'm proud of having nothing but completely delighted schools over the past six years of doing school programs. I'm not just 'another visiting author,' but I both entertain and teach, with teaching being my main focus. I reinforce what teachers are saying about writing with power, creativity, and voice, and, of course, I stress revision - finding just the right words to say what we want with open hearts. I make writing and poetry fun, and I will travel anywhere!

Immersed in the Present: An Interview with Children's Author Daniel Hayes

Rose DesRochers — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:39:49 EST

Daniel Hayes' books have already established a tremendous following. His books have already won many awards and honors, including three Best Books for Young Adults citations from the American Library Association, the International Reading Association Young Adult Choice, and many more.Recently I spoke to the 53-year-old children's book author, who told me that getting published was his biggest challenge. He offered some advice and spoke of his career. Rose DesRochers: At what age did you become interested in writing?Daniel Hayes: It wasn't until college that I decided I wanted to be a writer (to the amusement, I suspect, of some of my professors). I remember rereading books like Huckleberry Finn and Great Expectations and being so amazed by them. I'd read these books when I was younger, but at the time I didn't realize how clever, how intelligent, and how funny writers like Mark Twain and Charles Dickens really were. I read plenty of books and studied writing styles so that I could become one of these people - a writer. It was years before I really developed my own voice, meaning my own style of putting ideas into words. After I finished my first book, The Trouble with Lemons, a story told by 13-year-old Tyler McAllister, friends would read it and say things like, 'That's really amazing! It sounds just like you.' Perhaps what's more amazing (other than the fact that I sound like a thirteen-year-old) is that it took so long for me to learn how to sound like myself.What was your first big break as a writer? Tell us about your journey to become a published author.My first break came when I was able to land an agent. I had written two books, and waiting to hear from publishers was taking forever. I decided I could speed things up by getting an agent and I didn’t realize just how difficult that could be. After about 15 agency rejections -- most saying things like, 'After you become established as a writer, we’d be happy to represent you' -- I received a note from one saying he liked the sample I sent him and he’d be willing to read one of my books. I sent him my first, which luckily, he liked. After what seemed like a long six months, he had found me a publisher.How many rejections did you get before you found a publisher?I’d say around a dozen or more. After I landed an agent, the rejections started coming faster and faster because my manuscript wasn’t sitting around publishing houses in the huge pile of unsolicited manuscripts. This enabled me to find a publisher faster, but it was a little discouraging at the time as I’d open an envelope from my agent and it would contain three rejection letters. I remember one editor asking my agent about his wife and kids, and then launching into the blunt observation that my characters were amateurish and that he needed to tell me about psychological reality. Evidently her psychological reality was different from mine. I can live with that.How many hours do you devote to writing and how long does it take you to write a book?When I’m writing, I try to put in a few hours a day. Of course, I’m actually working more than that. When I’m driving my car or out walking around, I’m often daydreaming and coming up with ideas I’ll use the next day. When things are going well and I’m getting ideas, I can finish a draft of a book in a few months. When I’m not, it can take years.What kind of obstacles or challenges have you experienced as a children's writer?Getting published was the biggest challenge. Once published, I discovered just how many books were out there and competition to get into bookstores was intense as well. Finally, keeping books in print can be tricky. My first book, The Trouble with Lemons is going the strongest. It’s in its 20th domestic printing and has been translated into seven or eight languages. The rest of my books, although I think they are better written, have had to struggle a little harder to survive. Go figure.Who are some writers that you admire?Mark Twain, of course, was certainly an early influence. Huckleberry Finn really blew me away. I also grew to love Dickens and then many others. Right now, I admire Richard Russo. Even great writers often have trouble writing really sharp, crisp dialogue, and he’s the best at that. When his characters speak, they jump right off the page. Not only can you hear them and see them, but you also feel as if you know them.Describe a typical work day.I’m a meditator (I’ve been doing TM for over 28 years), so I start every day with a morning meditation. Then every other day I go out and jog -- nothing fast or competitive -- I just plod along and it clears my head and gets me ready to write. I’ll generally work for an hour or two on writing, sometimes longer if I’m really on a roll.What motivates you?Seeing other people’s great work really gets me going. When I see a great film or a great piece of writing, I want to do the same thing – not the same work, of course, but something that’s as inspiring. I have that Renaissance notion that art should inspire and uplift; it shouldn’t avoid the serious problems we all face, but it shouldn’t wallow in them either.I suppose, too, I’m motivated by money and a desire for a certain amount of fame. Writer fame is good; people can admire your work and not even know when they’re standing next to you at the supermarket.What advice can you offer the 'newbie' children's writer?Read. I’m convinced that I learned to write by reading. When I was starting in as a writer, I was imitating those writers I admired. After a while, though, and after studying a lot of different authors, my own voice started to develop.Do you write any other genre?Daniel Hayes: I write what I want to and don’t worry too much about genre. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’ve written mystery or humor, and I guess it doesn’t matter. When The Trouble with Lemons was coming out, a reviewer for the New York Times who was doing an article on YA mysteries wanted us to send her a copy of it, and we never did. I was afraid that since it hadn’t been written as a mystery, she might slam it. Afterwards, we learned that most reviewers seemed to think it functioned fine as a mystery.Tell us a little about your book the Eye of the Beholder?Eye of the Beholder was based on a true story. When I finished The Trouble with Lemons, I was looking for an idea for a second book. One Sunday I was reading the magazine section of the newspaper and saw a story about these Italian college students who made a few phony Modigliani sculptures as a joke during a Modigliani centennial celebration, and these sculptures were pronounced by Modigilani scholars to be authentic beyond any shadow of a doubt. And they did this with such pomposity, saying things like, “Only an artist on the level of Modigliani could breathe a soul into a stone.” The funny thing was, these students weren’t even trying to make anything good. They were just being goofy. It was a great story, so I did what any writer would do; I stole it. I think more and more we’re becoming a society that relies on experts to tell us what to think and even how to act. Can we really be sure that Dr. Phil knows more than those unfortunate Modigliani experts?Do you do a lot of readings at schools?I used to hate public speaking and swore I’d never do it. Now I love visiting schools and libraries and conventions and do so as much as I can.Do you have other books (coming soon or in the works)?I’m working on a couple right now. The one that seems most ready to come together is a mystery/adventure/humor story called My Kind of Crazy, which takes place in Lake Placid, New York. I’m having a great time with it.How has the Internet helped you? What do you think of writing communities such as Todays-Woman.net? I think websites like Today's Woman Writing Community are great. As huge corporations continue to gain an ever more insidious stranglehold on news and public discussion, I think the Internet may be what saves us. It also makes it so easy to look things up and find other people who share your interests. Keep up the good work.What do you do when you’re not writing?I love to travel, which is good since writing has given me many opportunities to do so. I like reading, I like movies, I like walking around looking at things. I find that as I get older and less stressed out, life just keeps getting more interesting. I even like it when I have a two hour layover at an airport and I can just hang out and read and write and just kind of watch lives as they flow past me.If you could leave others with one bit of advice or words of wisdom, what would you have to share?As people much smarter than I am have reminded us throughout the ages, the only life you have is what is taking place now. The past is gone and the future never quite arrives; it only becomes the present. Yet most of us are have our minds mired almost exclusively in the past or the future. Think about your happiest moments, and I bet they were times when you were totally immersed in the present – looking at a beautiful landscape or enjoying a movie or whatever. I’m beginning to think that’s what enlightenment is – just having the ability to exist fully in the moment. I’m working on that.As we wrap up this interview, tell how we can learn more about your books, and future projects and how teachers and your fans can contact you.Lately I’ve become more interested in landing film/TV rights for my books, and we’re getting some interesting nibbles in that regard. I think it would be fun to write (or at least help to write) screenplays based on my books. And, of course, I hope to write many more books, and I hope people continue to want to read them.You can always reach me through my website. I love to hear from readers, so feel free. I do answer all my email. (Although to be completely truthful, I don’t answer the ones from the sons and daughters of the recently assassinated leaders of third-world countries who are trying to sneak money out of their countries and only need my bank account number so they can deposit their millions that we can then share.)

An Interview with Cartoonist Randy Glasbergen

Rose DesRochers — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:28:47 EDT

Laughter is nature's best medicine and cartoonist Randy Glasbergen has no trouble keeping his viewers laughing. Randy is one of America's most popular cartoonists. More than 25,000 of Randy’s cartoons and comic illustrations have been published around the world. I met up with Randy via online interview, where he shared with me some of the experiences that got him into the cartoon profession.At what age did you start drawing?I’ve been drawing all my life, just for fun as a kid. I became interested in cartooning as a career when I was around 14, that’s when I got my first cartoon published... it was in a magazine called New York State Conservationist.How did you get started in cartooning?I drew some cartoons like the ones I saw being published and put them in the mail and somebody bought a few. I’ve basically done the same thing over and over for 30 years, gradually branching out into different media outlets and markets.What obstacles, if any, have you encountered along the way?Discouragement, frustration, a changing marketplace, supporting a family during the lean years. Most people get ambitious faster than they become accomplished... that can be very frustrating.What was the hardest technique for you to learn as a cartoonist?Color work was always a challenge for me. I like using my computer to colorize now -- it lets me make changes easily until I get it the way I like. With traditional media, you couldn’t correct an error or make a change so easily.What cartoonist has inspired you the most?Magazine cartoonist Henry Martin was widely published when I started out. He was a big influence, mostly on my humor style and writing.What equipment and materials do you use?I draw with a cheap Flair pen on heavyweight typing paper and do everything else on a Mac with Photoshop.Where do your ideas for cartoons come from?I get my ideas by thinking about topics that I think people are interested in, family, work, health, diets, kids, pets, etc. People like to read about themselves.What's your favorite part of being a cartoonist?As a freelancer, every day has the potential to bring in something new and exciting. Each e-mail has the potential of great opportunity. Plus I don’t have to deal with office politics or any annoying coworkers. I work alone in a studio in my home (the third floor of a big old Victorian house in a small town). I have two enormous guinea pigs in my studio to keep me company; actually, they look more like baby panda bears.What impact has technology had on your work?Profound. The computer and the Internet have changed everything. Revolutionary. It can’t be overstated.Are other members of your family creative?Randy: My son used to draw (serious stuff) when he was younger and he was much better than I am, but he lost interest. My mom used to dabble in oil paint and she taught me a little bit about color when I was a kid. But overall, no, I don’t belong to what anyone would describe as a “creative family”.How do you promote your work?Mostly on the Internet. My website gets a lot of traffic and that brings in a bit of new business every day.What opportunities do you see for those interested in being a cartoonist?The opportunities have never been better for cartoonists. Some say the markets are disappearing, but that’s not true at all. The market for cartoons is changing, but it’s not disappearing by any means. A cartoonist can publish his own work on the web and find an audience without having to go through an editor first -- that’s a huge change. The web has empowered cartoonists like nothing before. Many cartoonists are experimenting with new ways to earn money and build a career online. Right now many cartoonists are pioneers exploring a digital frontier, blazing a lot of new trails.Randy, would you say that you have reached your goal?My success on the Internet has brought me closer to my goals, but like most people, I’m never satisfied. There’s always something new to challenge us.My son wants to be a cartoonist. What final advice would you give to a young aspiring cartoonist?Don't be an artist who can write funny ideas. Be a writer who can draw funny pictures. The writing is everything. Have something to say and learn to say it in a funny way.Where might one go to see your cartoons?My website.

Interview with Children's Author Robert Munsch

Rose DesRochers — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 19:59:21 EDT

My favorite author, Robert Munsch, is one of the most successful and interesting Canadian children's writers. He has been entertaining children, parents, grandparents, librarians and teachers with his silly, magical, and powerful stories for more than 30 years.The author of 44 books, including The Paper Bag Princess, Thomas' Snowsuit, and my all-time favorite Love You Forever, Munsch was born in Pittsburgh and studied for seven years to be a Jesuit priest before deciding to work with children instead. His books have been translated into 12 languages and produced on cassette, video, CD ROM, television and stage. In 1991 he won the Canadian Booksellers Association's "Author of the Year" award. Telling stories is what Robert Munsch does. Rose: Where do you get your ideas for your books?Robert: I get my ideas for books from my own kids and sometimes from other children. Often when I am telling stories I will say: I am going to make up a new story. I get a kid's name to use in the story and I still don't know what I am going to say. I just say whatever comes into my head and see if it's good. Usually it isn't. But sometimes it is very good. Lots of my books have started this way.Rose: How do you choose which stories to use?Robert: My publisher and I go over the stories that I think are ready and we choose one.Rose: How many books have you written?Robert: Fourty-four published; I have over 200 stories that I am working on that are not published.Rose: Do you have a favorite among them?Robert: You know that changes every day. Some days I like Love You Forever most because it sold the most copies. Other days I like David's Father and Andrew's Loose Tooth and Something Good and Makeup Mess because they are the books that have my own kids in them. Other days I like Mud Puddle the best because it was my very first book.Rose: What was the book you most loved as a child?Robert: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. SeussRose: What would you say is the most fulfilling part about being a children's author?Robert: Being able to travel to many different places and meeting lots of interesting people. I especially like the kids.Rose: What inspires you to write?Robert: Most of my books came from when I was telling stories. I get up in front of a bunch of kids and say 'Hey, I'm gonna tell you a new story. Who wants to be in a new story?' Well some kid always sticks up their hand and that gives me a name, but it doesn't give me a story. I just say whatever comes to my mind and usually it's not that good. Every once in a while, however, I say something that turns into a really good story. Then I get the kid's name and if it ever gets into a book, the kid whose name I used will be in the book. That's how I get most of my story ideas. Every once in a while I just sit down at the computer and write a story and get it that way. Once, I even had a dream and I woke up and said 'Hey, that's a good story', and I went downstairs and wrote the dream. So my stories come from various places.Rose: What has been the most memorable experience in your writing career?Robert: When my first book, Mud Puddle, came out.Rose: I read that my all-time favorite book of yours, Love You Forever, started out as a song before it came out in 1986 as a book. Would you like to tell us a little more about that? I read that you said you didn't know how that story would affect anyone else. I want you to know it affected me as I lost my daughter in 1992. Robert: I wrote Love You Forever after we had two stillborn babies. For me, it was a fantasy about the life my kids would never have. I wrote it just for myself and didn't think of it as a book. Much later I started using it at storytellings and I was surprised at the response. I decided to try to publish it. My usual publisher didn't want to do it [It's not a kids book"]. I finally went with another publisher. Love You got terrible reviews. It didn't get one good review in Canada. Still it sold 30,000 in 1986, which made it the bestselling Canadian kid's book that Christmas. Then it 1987 it sold 70,000. "Wow!" said the publisher, "Don't expect this to last". It didn't. In 1988 it sold 1,000,000 and has been selling about 1,000,000 a year ever since. I think the book works because it lets people think about what life is all about. I never meant this story to be for other people, but I get great satisfaction from thinking that it may have as good an effect on other people's lives as it has had on my own. Rose: Do you think it is important to choose a good title for your books?Robert: Yes - the title is one of the most important things. It is the first thing that people read. The title is the last thing I figure out for a story. Often the book is all written and the pictures are being made and we still don't have a title. The publisher and I argue a lot about what would be a right title. The publisher wants a title that they are sure will sell the book and I want the title that I like. Sometimes they're not the same. Sometimes the publisher wins and sometimes I win.Rose: I read that you love to drop in at schools unannounced. Why is that?Robert: It is just too hard to formally book school visits. I had a waiting list of over 3,000 schools. Now I keep a data list of all the schools that write and when I am in an area I try to visit.Rose: Do you ever get stage fright?Robert: No Rose: Can you briefly describe your latest book?Robert: My newest book is called Sand Castle Contest. It is about a boy named Michael who went camping with his family, but they wouldn't let him take his sandbox. Happily the first place they camped he entered the world's biggest and most amazing sand castle contest. I am working on a book called "I Am So Embarrassed". It is about a kid who gets embarrassed by his mother at the shopping mall. Rose: Are there any children's authors that you admire? Robert: Yes - there are many good children's authors out there.Rose: How do you define your own success as a Canadian author?Robert: Success is a wonderful addition to my life.Rose: What advice would you impart to aspiring writers?Robert: Every author has different ways of writing and what works for one author does not necessarily work for another. I do know, however, that writing is a bit like swimming. You earn writing by doing it and you learn swimming by doing it. Nobody learns how to swim by reading a book about swimming and nobody learns how to write by reading a book about writing. If you want to learn how to write, write a lot and you will get better at it.Rose: Do you think writing communities such as Todays-Woman.net are beneficial to writers?Robert: Writers' communities are very helpful to writers because it gives them a way to try out their stuff short of publication. Rose: Before closing where can we go to read more about you? Robert: My website.