Got Books?

Got books? Help a child in need:

In the course of research for an ongoing project, I had the pleasure of meeting a woman from North Dakota who facilitates welfare services for Indian children. During one of our conversations, my heart was touched when she told me about kids in a local school who heard about last December's school shooting in Sandy Hook. Though they had very little themselves, they decided to reach out to children in Connecticut by making and sending cards and other small tokens of love and compassion.

Many Indian children in North Dakota come from families with very limited means; a high percentage are in foster care. At poverty level, simply caring for basic necessities is a daily struggle. Opportunities to purchase or own books is a luxury. I wanted to know how I could help and was told that donations of any books that would be of interest to children, adolescents, and young adults would be greatly appreciated. Quality picture books for the younger kids would be a treasure.

I've decided I want to reach out to the Indian children in North Dakota just like they reached out to the children in Connecticut. If you are one of my author, agent, publisher, or editor friends, or someone who is interested in supporting literacy, and you'd like to help the children of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, or Spirit Lake Dakota Nation, please consider donating books. You can contact me for further details. Donations are tax deductible and a receipt with the value of donated items can be provided upon request.

Many thanks!  

Lori

God's Love . . .

Thursday Thought: What Gives You Hope?

Emily Dickinson noted, "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tunes without words and never stops at all." Alfred Tennyson wrote, "Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier'...” 

For me hope usually comes in small parcels and portions. Sometimes, though, a large dose of hope settles into my heart, delivered by an angel friend who urges me to believe in myself and pursue my dreams with gusto. Other times it flutters into my day in unexpected sentiments expressed by my family. I find that I'm doing a bit better in my relationships than I'd supposed. 

But most frequently I gather those small parcels and portions all on my own, deliberately seeking them out. Yesterday, hope filled me when I chanced to see a single red tulip with petals reaching heavenward. The flower was the only one of its kind in sight on an acres large lot. I thought of its winter solace, bulb buried in the cold earth waiting for the anticipated warmth of spring. Then giving its best when that warmth arrived. Last week hope came from conversations I was privileged to have with people in several different states; a research project that is teaching me about the inherent goodness of others. This morning hope shone on rays of early morning sun--a brand new day with brand new adventures. 

How thankful I am for each day of life God gives me!

Sometimes those parcels and portions of hope are few and far between. And sometimes I get pretty discouraged, my hope dormant like a tulip bulb in winter--mostly sleeping, with only a mere glimmer of awareness that things are likely  improve. But then, in my searching, I stumble across a way to help someone else or to touch a life for the better. Realization is rekindled: I have purpose. I can make a difference. For me that's the best kind of hope.

What gives you hope?

A Little Love . . .

Strength and Comfort . . .

Love and prayers . . .

Saturday and The Food Nanny

Top ten things I hoped/told my family wouldn't/not to tell The Food Nanny:

10. That we eat out a lot.

9. That the dinner hour here is often closer to bedtime than dinnertime.

8. That a hot breakfast at our house is not an everyday thing . . . or even an every other day thing.

7. That if they told her numbers eight through ten, she wouldn't believe it if they told her I have a cookbook coming out.

6. That I have a cookbook coming out.

5. About the time our son made grilled cheese and the house filled with smoke . . . and the smoke alarms went off . . . right as I walked into the house with an author friend from out of town . . . who I really wanted to impress. I don't think she was impressed--were you, Patricia?

4. About the peach meatloaf. Don't ask . . .

3. That I once accidentally set a clock on fire.

2. That I once accidentally set a can opener on fire.

1. Why my husband became a firefighter . . .

As it turned out, the vivacious Liz Emunds, aka The Food Nanny, was as gracious and kind in person as she is on TV. I have to say I'm impressed with her book The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner. Following her advice, last night we made a two-week meal plan. It was simple and easy and manageable enough any of us here can now tackle dinnertime. Fast food isn't even on the horizon.

I'll give you a week's end report to let you know how we did. 

The Goodness of Others . . .

Back in March I had a difficult day. Doubt and fear loomed. There were some important decisions I needed to make. Like about keeping my chin up and pressing on instead of feeling sorry for myself. Right when I least expected there was much awesomeness on the immediate horizon, a lady with a smile reminded me miracles abound. A total stranger, she treated me to

Out in the City

We visit City of the Rocks every spring. Register Rock is one spot we'd never before frequented.

Traditions . . .

Easter always brings fond memories of my Grandpa J. He did so much to make sure everyone was having fun. From Easter weekend rides on his ATVs to his broad and contagious grin, being with him made you feel special. When I was little, he would take us out to Little Mountain to roll eggs. Before he died I wish I would have thought to ask him where he learned that tradition. Does anyone know where/how it originated?

Keep Calm and Live In Gratitude

Love, Hugs, and Hope: When Scary Things Happen

Love, Hugs, and Hope: When Scary Things Happen is now available on Amazon as an Ebook!
The hardbound version will be out September, 2013. If you're a blogger or children's book reviewer, please contact me for a review copy.

just live!

My Word for 2013: Gratitude

Wondering what the next twelve months hold makes my heart beat faster. Both joy and fear simmer just beneath my skin. Faith whispers hoped for goodness and peace. In my head, and on paper, ideas for new projects are already taking shape. Possibilities dot the horizon with promise. 

Yet reality is jumping up and down, vying for my attention.

Nutcracker Scene

I'm honored to have been asked to illustrate
a very special picture book dedicated
to the children of Sandy Hook.

Love, Hugs, and Hope: When Scary Things Happen

will be published by Familius.

Nutcracker

The Nutcracker scene is finished!

So great to see everything come together. Sincere thanks to everyone for their help and support.

On paper . . .

Here's how the characters from
my Nutcracker Ballet scene appear on paper. 

The tree will be seven feet tall, the clock six, Clara five.
The proscenium itself is 16 feet wide by 10 feet tall.
Scott, the printer, is right now in the process of blowing 

everything up full size. That means he's digitized
the original drawings and is preparing 

to print them full color on vinyl.
The vinyl will be applied to wooden 

cut outs that have been
created from melamine . . . . 

Ideas and Prosceniums

pro·sce·ni·um  pr-sn-m

1. The area of a modern theater that is located between the curtain and the orchestra.

2. The stage of an ancient theater, located between the background and the orchestra.

3. A proscenium arch.

It started back in November.

I was asked to come up with a poster for a historic dance academy. The poster was to be based on a Nutcracker theme.

I'd never drawn a nutcracker.

After closely examining a few photos on the web, I sat down to work. Should his hair be combed or bushy? What color should his clothing be? The outcome was simple, yet colorful:

My posters were hung in the windows of the dance academy. 

It would have stopped there. 

But visions of Clara and the nutcracker danced in my head. What if I drew an even more detailed nutcracker? And an image of Clara? I could see the scene in my head . . . where I imagined how my characters would look . . . in the dance academy. My daughter took one look at me and knew. I was getting one of my crazy ideas. My crazy ideas are legendary for being crazy. Time consuming, yet needing to happen in a short amount of time. They make everyone around me crazy as the house gets neglected and to-go boxes pile up in the kitchen. I usually wear my brown ball cap because somehow I don't have time to shower. Yes, my crazy ideas consume me.  

I started drawing another nutcracker. Mice. Clara, who needed a shimmering pink dress. A tree with lit candles, candy canes, detailed gingerbread men, candies, stars, beads. Of course there had to be a grandfather clock decked out with holly and berries, a bright red bow on top. And what would the scene be with out a fireplace? The mantel bedecked with more holly and berries and a lit candle of its own. Gifts and fire in the fireplace. As the scene grew in my head and on paper, I realized I needed something to frame it all. Contain all my ideas in their own unique area. The answer?

A proscenium.

I couldn't even pronounce the word at first. All I knew was that it was the arch at the front of a stage . . . and I needed one. And I needed it to be sixteen feet long by ten feet tall . . . because I needed my characters to be life sized . . .

More to come . . .

Thanks for Giving: Seeing With Our Heart

Mountains and the Gift of Life

Can a dying art rekindle family relationships?

Give it a try!

http://www.familius.com/love-gram-the-art-of-letter-writing