The Adventure of Writing & Raccoons

This week I was honored to be a guest in Mr. Headley's 5th grade classroom at Matherville Elementary. Each student had their own copy of The Adventures of the Brothers Brave and Noble, and they had already spent a portion of the morning reading the first chapter and discussing it. Hearing their questions and thoughts made my day. Some great questions included, "What's your favorite thing about writing?" and "What made you think to make them raccoons?" I loved sharing with the students, and I thought I'd recap some of our question-and-answer-time here on the blog.

What's your favorite thing about writing?
Before I could answer this question for myself, Liam (with whom I had the pleasure of bringing along) piped up, "I would say, for both me, and for Mom, the best thing about writing is the adventure." I smiled at him. How could I add to this perfect answer. Yes, I agreed, my favorite thing about writing is that the adventures I might not get to really go on in real-life, I am free to take while telling a story. I enjoy getting to know and becoming friends with the characters. I grow fond of spending time in their homes and woods. I cheer for their dreams and aspirations to be reached. All the while being the one lucky enough to make it all wonderful and as I believe it should be. Also, while writing this book in particular, I always had the hopeful motivation in the back of my mind that I was creating an experience for my kids. I remember reading my favorite books when I was a child, and I can see how they've truly shaped me. As some dear family friends, the Clarksons say, we are story-formed. So the possibility of this story sticking with and shaping my kids, and other friends and families, and individuals all over, is a very important and exciting idea to me. It's definitely my other favorite thing about writing.

What made you think to make them raccoons?
This is a testament to why we should ask the questions we have, even if they might sound silly and random after we ask them out loud :) because the reason I made Casper and Ash raccoons was a bit of an author's secret! But she asked it, and quite directly, and so I had to share my secret. Casper and Ash are important characters, and clues to a larger idea within the plot of The Adventures of the Brothers Brave and Noble, but the matter of fact truth is I could have made them anything; humans, monsters, jungle animals, whatever -and that larger idea within the plot would have still happened. But Casper and Ash are raccoons, and I will tell you why: because of Peter Pan. You see, Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie is my most favorite work of fiction, ever. It's original, beautiful, and perfect. And as my homage to Mr. Barrie and the incredible story he told, I made Casper and Ash raccoons, just like the two little raccoon twin boys in Walt Disney's animated rendition of the story. And now my secret is out. It's a fun little personal connect/easter egg within The Adventures of the Brothers Brave and Noble. There are plenty more, too. But you'll never know them if you don't ask questions (that might make you giggle after you ask them out loud in front of your friends).

Visiting the students at Matherville Elementary was so much fun, and I'm excited for Brave and Noble to become friends with all of them. Matherville, Illinois actually reminded me a lot of where the Hewletts are from. So much so, that I stopped along the windy road which leads up to the school in order to capture this beautiful landscape. It could very well be the same scene Brave and Noble pass as they ride the bus to school too.

From under the kitchen table,

clh

All the Way to Muscatine, Iowa

Musser Public Library was buzzing with activity from the moment the doors opened right up until we packed everything up to go home. Families literally were lined up outside waiting for the doors to open. I've never seen such anticipation over a library-event before. 750 people attended! I'd like to think it was because of the local authors, but I'm pretty sure it was the Luchador.

There were so many great moments from Saturday's Author Fair - from compliments on the writing in The Adventures of the Brothers Brave and Noble, to connecting with other authors I would have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise. The moments that stuck with me the most, though, were those I spent with the younger library goers.

I was delighted with the girl who came up to me saying, "I'm going to have a book published soon, too! Well I'm still writing it. I'm on Chapter Four. It's called..." She went on to share a story with me so original and brilliant I kind of wish I'd thought of it.

The fourth-grade-boy who had at least six Greek Mythology books in his arms, explaining he doesn't usually like fiction, but Greek Mythology is actually like a part of history, "so it's still good."

The little girls and boys who quietly stood at my table for a good long while, perfecting the coloring sheets I made available for their creative pleasure. Every now and then they'd look over at me and giggle, "I forgot to make my pig-tails!"
"I added flowers."
"I made the horse an alien."

Yes Saturday was a good day, and I was proud to be the one representing the Hewletts, and their Friends in the Existence. I'm honored to make sure their important story of imagination, keeping faith, and keeping friends, gets heard. From way out in the galaxy, all the way to Earth. All the way to Muscatine, Iowa.

Whatever is needed, whenever it's needed.


xo from under the kitchen table,
clh

I was invited, and you are too!

I'm very excited to share the news that I've been invited to participate in the 2015 Muscatine Authors Fair! I'll be gathering inspiration from Tessa Hewlett's (aka Brave and Noble's Mom's) style for my station; rag-braided rugs, and magical nooks and crannies will abound. I'll be selling and signing books, and have a few special treats and opportunities planned for all who stop by for a visit, too, so be sure and come check it out!

10am-2pm

Saturday, May 16th

Musser Public Library

304 Iowa Avenue

Muscatine, IA 52761

How To Accidentally Self Publish Your First Novel

You know the feeling when you're just sitting on the porch watching the three-year-old play with dandelions, and your husband texts you that your book might have accidentally gotten published? I'm owning it. This utterly weird feeling.

Let me back up. I finished my manuscript nearly two years ago, having gone through the editing process with my dear editor Jamie Chavez. I had finally started talking with an agent over at Books and Such last August. Then that same month we moved our family of six, and my second oldest son got sick with a life changing virus. He was hospitalized for 7 months. My manuscript took the back burner. So, a couple of weeks ago when that text came, my birthday would be coming up in the next week, and as a gift my Goodman had two copies of my book printed. For us to have. Our family treasure. The week it arrived, he showed it to his friend Dave while eating a GMO-Free Steak and Black Bean Burrito Bowl at Chipotle. He casually mentioned, "Hey man check this out, isn't this cool? I did this for Cyndi; it's a book she wrote." Dave was impressed, and thought it indeed was cool. So cool in fact, that as he and my husband continued their lunch together, Dave searched Google for the book, found it on the printer/seller website, and Amazon, and purchased. The. Book. 

AND THEN! Posted about it on Facebook!

And then! The post got SHARED by someone else!? 

It was at this point that my Goodman realized the need to alert me, via that unbelievable text message, that my book 'might' have accidentally gotten self published.

My nerves made my stomach queasy. I was busy that night. I couldn't stop my world to set facebook straight on what exactly was happening, as people were liking posts and commenting with congratulatory inquisitive remarks.

Wait what exactly was happening?! I could have contacted our two friends and asked them to remove their posts. But I honestly laughed and thought, "You know what? Leave it to me to have this accidentally happen. I've accidentally self published my first book. That sounds about right. That's rather 'Cyndi' of me."

So that's how that all happened. That's how The Adventures of the Brothers Brave and Noble: The Existence was introduced to the world at large, and is now available for your reading pleasure on CreateSpace and Amazon, and why I was about the 26th person to know about it.

I am proud to say that it's a great story, and I'm excited that it's available for others to enjoy. 

Brave and Noble, and their entire family, are near and dear to my heart, and I'm excited for readers to come to love them as I love them.

From under the kitchen table,
Cynthia xo