Life is a Circus

Stepping Stones

2011-09-05T16:33:00.001-06:00

In this business everything is a stepping stone, as one thing leads to the next. You can't get to the top of the mountain without climbing through bush and trees. Nobody can climb your journey. You must strap on your hiking boots pull yourself up, one step at a time, and move forward.

I've always heard that the writing is the easiest part, it's the submissions, the rejections, the waiting, that's the challenge.

I've been enjoying the process of marketing, and find it fulfilling to see 10 TURKEYS IN THE ROAD brought to fruition. I had the pleasure of attending my very first signing, at The Lil' Pumpkin Patch in Baldwin, Maine, last week.

To sit there, books in tow, pen in hand, signing for the children, well, that was a highlight of this journey! And one that I'd dreamt about for years. Yes, 7 long years of hard work, and finally, there it was.

It's worth every obstacle you'll overcome when you reach the summit!

Happy writing, happy reading!

Kirsten Cappy and Curious City

2011-05-22T01:04:00.011-06:00

I had the enlightening opportunity to meet with Kirsten Cappy of Curious City over frothy coffee, and steamy tea, on Wednesday May 18, 2011 at Borders in South Portland Maine. We sat there, the two of us, her looking chic with a pink flower in her hair and leggings to match, notebook in hand, penning and planning, and me... drinking it all in. It warmed my soul more than any caffeine fix, or creamy chicken soup ever has, or ever could.

I secretly hoped that clocks would break, that time would stand still, because I wanted to devour book speak and marketing ideas with that brilliant wonderful woman all day long. Kirsten Cappy is filled to the very brim with greatness, overflowing with tons of turkey ideas.

I am lucky and blessed to know her, to work with her, and prepare, while gearing up for the release of 10 Turkeys in the Road, due out in September, illustrated by uber-talented, David Slonim, published by Marshall Cavendish.

Stay tuned for all the wonderful marketing ideas that she has, that we'll implement together.

I had anticipated that day for months, penciled in on the calender since January of 2011, but little did Kirsten know that I had longed for a day like that for many years, ever since I began my serious picture book journey in 2004, ever since I started daydreaming about all of it. This dream all began with a school visit when Stacie was 6, who is now 13.

And there I was FINALLY!

My hope for you is this...

...that someday soon, very very soon, it will be you sitting at Borders with Kristen Cappy, sharing coffee, and awesome ideas, for your own beautiful book for kids, and I'll be reading about your adventure on your blog, in the middle of some rainy dark night, while loons shrill on the still moonlit lake, and a new idea forms in the back of my mind.

Tara Lazar, Harold Underdown, Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations,Casey McCormick and Literary Rambles, Chuck Sambuchio

2011-05-22T00:21:00.009-06:00

Brilliant Bloggers
by
Brenda Reeves Sturgis

I am not a brilliant blogger
gifted with gab
like Tara Lazar
Harold Underdown
or
Cynthia Leitch Smith's Cynsations.
I do not offer
the present of presenting
a precise topic
like the agent pages of Casey McCormick and Literary Rambles
or the excellent expertise of Chuck Sambuchino.
Each wonderful writer brings a unique spin
a musing for the mind
a creation in children's literature.
They ALL make a difference
in this kids-lit world where I reside
where I hang my hat
and my heart.
I am honed in
making no excuses
but share my thoughts
worn seriously on my sleeve
hoping that my words
touch your soul
someday
someday
someday.
Each one of us
each witty writer
offering our own points of view
either through blogging
vlogging
poetry
or prose.
And it's up to you
the reader
to discover and partake
to lift your cup and drink
of the wonderful sweet wine of words
that we all
share with you unselfishly
for free
just because
we can
just because
we care.

CHANGE

2011-05-22T00:01:00.001-06:00

Change
by
Brenda Reeves Sturgis

NOTHING stays the same for long.
Not a season
not a second
not a sound.
Everything propels forward.
Sometimes slowly
sometimes quickly.
Time creeps like pouncy cat paws.
The sun sets in a different place
daily
daily
daily
A minuscule about
A teeny tiny smidgen.
You must train your eye
to see the changes in life.
Pregnancies progress
babies are born
People live
and people die.
NOTHING stays the same forever.
Embrace the change
and jump in the middle of the hula hoop
circle your hips
while juggling spinning seasons.
Move forward
Never looking back
At the very least
do not dwell for too long
on the championship game
that was won 30 years ago
with the 3-pointer as the buzzer blared.
Or the crown that you wore
as homecoming queen.
Our minds
and hearts
are meant to enjoy sunsets
sandbars
the dewy silky spiderwebs.
EMBRACE them for what they are.
A gift for today.
For tonight
For tomorrow.
Accept and unwrap
The presents of presence
wherever you go
wherever you are.
EMBRACE the change,
and move forward
one baby step at a time.

Mapled Cotton Candy Clouds

2011-04-02T06:55:00.002-06:00

Mapled Cotton Candy Clouds

Brenda Reeves Sturgis

The clouds have fallen

They're in the sky no more

Blanketed on bended birch,

and toppled tree.

Adorn each limb and branch,

Graze each grassy knoll.

Mapled cotton candy clouds

Dissolve with one quick lick

Or tear

Or drop of rain

winter’s last dreamy delight

While spring tiptoes nearby.

Mad Dash for the Bulletin

2011-04-01T16:19:00.005-06:00

Mad Dash for the Bulletin
by
Brenda Reeves Sturgis

My bulletin arrived today
with cool kites on the cover.
I anxiously anticipate
a treasure I’ll discover.

The contents page, the notes and news,
remembering the best,
The poems and articles inside
will all be well addressed.

Awards, objectives, marketing,
art tips, a sweet design.
The bulletin with tea and toast,
is mine and solely mine!

My bath is drawn! The bubbles bob,
with candles all aflame.
Immersed for hours in the tub,
I’m hunting for my name!

With one mad dash, disaster strikes,
my child’s soon afloat,
and as for my loved bulletin,
it’s now a Barbie’s boat!

Poetry Month

2011-03-30T05:57:00.007-06:00

Sleepless
by
Brenda Reeves Sturgis

March lingers still
for 2 more days
April is poetry month,
in its honor
I'm going back to my roots.
tangled tightly in the back corners
of my mind.
Writing
not JUST for children
although that is my love
but from my heart
for me
for you.
If you stumble on my words of wisdom
arriving here from one link
or another
if you discover this at 3:00 a.m.
some sleepless in Seattle night
or
at 3:00 p.m.some drowsy in Detroit day
you will know that at one point in time
I was sleepless too
I was thinking
thinking
thinking
of
you.
If you're up praying
or crying
or coddling
a sick baby
a dying parent
or managing menopause,
know that many
many women
including me
have gone through these trials
before you
eventually
after many yawns
your eyes will shut
you'll
finally
rest
you're tired bones
and weary soul.

10 Circus Facts!

2011-03-29T08:34:00.005-06:00

MORE Circus Facts

1. The word circus comes from the Latin word meaning circle, or ring!

2. A tradional circus is a trained company of acrobats, animals and clowns that work in unison.

3. Performers let you know their act is finished with their own special signature, a wink or a hand gesture.

4. It is harder to get into the Ringling Brothers Clown school than Harvard law school!

5. The human cannonball travels at warp speeds of 60-70 miles per hour!

6. For good luck, some performers keep an elephant hair in their pocket, from the tail of the elephant!

7. There is a New York City Trapeze School.

8. Whistling backstage is considered bad luck.

9. Performers NEVER eat peanuts backstage. Bad luck all the way around!

10. The circus is over 2000 years old!

Maple Syrup Sunday 4 Sap Houses!

2011-03-27T09:52:00.000-06:00

A whole YEAR has gone by since the last Maple Syrup Sunday, and today is the day. Hope springs eternal in each house that we visited, the new babies wide-eyed, the toddlers teething, the crowds, young and old squished into sap houses to experience this one moment together.

Long lines out the doors, snaked around corners, coated crowds huddled on hayrides and eating hotdogs. The first sap house, (we visited 4 this year) pancake-stuffed-people patiently waiting for their fill. We bought, maple fudge, and of course, maple walunut fudge, INCREDIBLE!

Then off to sap house #2, Stacie said theirs was better than the first, and their icecream was yummier also. Maple syrup drizzled, swimming in vanilla icecream. We purchased maple cotton candy there, it was like eating a cloud. Maple covered peanuts, and maple cream for pretzel dipping.

The third sap house was hosting a video taping. We made our way inside with the throngs of people, so many people! Teachers and students, and old friends and new. We bought a maple candy cane.

Sap house number 4 was too overpopulated, couldn't even get near it, so we'll go back, and maybe we'll buy the maple syrup there.

Memories! It's all good!

Marketing to the Masses

2011-03-26T17:05:00.000-06:00

As I prepare for the release of 10 Turkeys in the Road, I have started on a marketing plan. It is an exciting adventure and I am discovering many great ideas along the way. Including The National Wild Turkey Federation, Clown School, and Congress. Lots of people that are interested in kids, kids books, and kids causes. There are a plethora of people that I am excited to meet! And I can't wait to get started. Hope you'll join me, and if you have any ideas that you'd like to share, I'm all ears, eyes, and of course, heart!

A BOOK for BRAEDYN

2010-10-28T06:30:00.000-06:00

Braedyn Blake is 7 years old, and Braedyn Blake has Leukemia. When I heard about this little girl I decided I had to do something to help, and so I am spearheading a book campaign to send books to Braedyn as she battles this disease.

Braedyn has already undergone several spinal taps and at least 2 rounds of chemo. From what I have read she will be undergoing chemo for 2 years. I thought..."What do kids this age love?"

They love to get mail.
And they love books.

So, A Book for Braedyn was born. It is my hope that Braedyn will recieve at least one new book per week as she fights this battle. Books have a way of making everything better, and the thoughts of seeing her little face light up when the postman goes with deliveries makes me smile, and I hope it will make you smile too.

Please won't you join me in sending a book for Braedyn? You can friend me on facebook, you can join Team Braedyn for updates, you can send a book. Please e-mail me and I will let you know what has already been sent, and please let me know what you will be sending so that I can keep track to avoid duplicates.

You can e-mail me privately for Braedyn's address.

Sincerely,

Brenda Sturgis

Author, do you need an agent or an editor?

2010-03-26T06:04:00.006-06:00

Life is funny, and frustrating, sometimes all in the same day. This business is subjective. And although you may have written a fabulous story, an editor or an agent that you send it to just might not personally like it. And that's okay. Somebody, somewhere WILL. You MUST keep on believing in yourself and in your work. If you choose to quit (it is a choice) you will NEVER find the right editor or agent for you. You have got to find a way. Maybe you need to go to conferences if you can afford them, or take an online writing class, anything to get you out into the writing world.

I have generally found that the writing community is helpful, and friendly. What you must remember is this...you may be looking for an agent, you may be searching for an editor and a perfect publishing house, AND guess what...they may be looking for you too. More than likely they are not going to come knocking on your door, so you MUST go knocking on theirs.

You have to take chances and get your work out there into the world.

We had a cat that came and knocked on our door. Not literally (although that would be a cute visual wouldn't it?) he hid in the shadows of our porch for months. We named him Shadow. Finally we opened the door and let him inside. We found out that he had never had a home before. We live on a fairly long dirt road. He had to walk by a lot of houses to find ours. I picture him knocking on every door along the way, and not one door would open for him. He did not give up.

When he made his way to our house, we saw the beauty in him. He was loving, gentle, kind. We were GLAD to open our home, and our hearts to him.

Keep knocking.
Keep believing.
Keep hoping.

If your work is good, if it's polished, someday, somebody will open their door for you. They will see your beauty, they will see that you are different. They will want you to be their client, or they will want to be your editor.

But if you never go knocking, you'll never find a home.

"Knock, Knock?"
"Who's There?"
"Iza!"
"Iza who?"
"Iza want to be your agent or your editor!"

Simple as that.

You find a home.
They find a masterpiece.
And we all live happily everafter.

Lisa Wheeler Boot Camp

2010-02-26T08:44:00.005-07:00

If you want to be the best you surround yourself by the best. You learn from the best, and if you're really lucky sometimes you find people that will mentor you.
Lisa Wheeler came here to Maine this past November. I devoured everything she fed me, and learned things that I didn't know. Picture book techniques that tightened my stories and made them sing.

If you ever get a chance to have Lisa Wheeler come and present her Boot Camp workshop, do it. You will come away a better writer than you ever dreamed possible.

Sweet Dreams

2010-02-20T06:49:00.008-07:00

I am honored that my poem "Snuggled Child," will be included in this beautiful collection of bedtime poetry. "Sweet Dreams," will be released in November, illustrated by the talented Nancy Miller.

Blooming Tree Press is the publishing house of this dreamy book.

Thank you Miriam Hees for this incredible vision for children.

Gearing up for 10 Turkeys in the Road

2010-02-15T09:21:00.003-07:00

10 Turkeys in the Road will be released in 2011, and I am starting to gear up for it's release. It is exciting to think about a launch party. Book signings, and blog tours.

Maybe a circus, dressed up in turkey costumes, serving turkey hot dogs. Lots of balloons, and juggling. The ideas are endless and everything is a possibility.

Receiving my first book acceptance has been a dream, and my editor Robin Benjamin has helped me and informed me along every step. I am grateful for the people that I have met along the way.

Rutgers University Council of Children's Literature played an integral part matching this manuscript with publisher Margery Cuyler.

Keep checking in for more art and updates.