...and rain and rain. So what to do??? A happy rain dance? Go on the planned trip to Bar Harbor(last week-end? Yes!
Isn't this a most amazing sight!

Maybe don't climb to bubble rock in flip flops. I didn't read how far it would be or that I'd be climbing ledges, only that it was the most scenic view in the park. The scenic part was pure foggy ravine, but this rock is cool high on the mountain.
 but do play tourist and break down to buy a "Bar Harbor Maine" rain jacket!

...or go to the beach with the kids. T said she loved the smell and all the things we find. C went to find crabs, and lobstermen were  doing their jobs, "hauling" traps.

...bake cookies, or cuddle up, or go to the library, or read a good book, write that story. T has been privy to the arcs I brought back from BEA, and sent to me. She's making a list of new books to purchase for her librarians (school and town)
   Or go to work for the day like I am, and hope that the sun will shine tomorrow. (although Mr Mannix, our weather guy, says not!)
Later! 
Mona
 

 

with writer friends for our spring schmooze, at Tami's

tamra_wight  campground in Poland Spring, ME. We talked and read and critiqued...a real working day Saturday...no fooling around.
Our traditional photo in front of the bookcase in "our" work room.


Denise deni_o , Jo jbknowles , Tami, Cindy F cfaughnan , Alex, Me, Cindy L cynthialord 

 

A few of our girls were sick...hope you're felling better, cause we missed you. These schmoozes and retreats are the closest things I get to in person, talk about it critiques. Oh, and I need to really "hear" it sometimes!!!

Cindy Lord surprised us with her F & G's...say that 3 times fast! She turn the pages and read...I'm telling you, we sat like little children mesmerized by the reader and the illustrations of Cindy's upcoming first picture book. Yes, our friend, author of RULES, has written an action packed, hamster packed, picture book.
 
Look at this!

Then it was pot luck for lunch...and off to more critiquing and discussions.
After all was said and done, it was playtime...

Cindy F and Jo Knowles before we took our little kayak venture.

Then it was "Shakespeare in the Park or campground"


 

You should have seen their most captive audience...the little camper kids sitting on the playground equipment...unbelievable.

Some of the girls left, a few of us stayed in a camper...played computer games, board games, mikes wine and chatter chatter..sleep. Morning....home.

Another wonderful adventure in the life of a pre published wanna be pb author!
Thank you Tami and family...writer family.
XO

 

       I was in NYC over the week-end (just like the cute little prince and the President and Michelle) with my friend Val giogas

      She did a book signing at BEA, and invited me along for the ride. And yes, we did ride...first in a car, then the train and

then on the ferris wheel at Toys are us, a taxi and a shuttle bus. Besides all the riding, we walked and walked and walked. Val's signing for  her book, In My Backyard, went well. She was at the Sylvan Dell booth and people were lined all the way around the corner to get a signed copy.
Go Val...


There were lots of signings and book giveaways. Zillions of people zooming around trying to get author signed books. Val was so organized. She had a list of favorites to hit the lines of, so I was like a wart on her side and follower her to the "right" lines. We stood for quite awhile, with a ticket, to get Kate DiCamillo's, The Magician's Elephant. When we finally got to stand before Kate, we were pleasantly surprised to see her sweet editor right there beside here. Drum roll please....bababababooooooom! Presenting Ms Andrea Tompa, of Candlewick. (and I know she's smiling at this if she's peeking)


                          Kate                      and           Andrea

Kate's book and many others went into my "big" bag.....and I walked and waited in lines and filled the "BIG" bag with more books...and walked and filled, and finally broke down and checked that bag, only to get one of the conference freebies to start filling again.

OK, so Saturday during the day, we stayed inside for the day, but don't think we didn't get a feel of the city ...HUH!

Friday night, Val walked me around the city and we went to a kidlit get together. Schmoozed a bit and walked and walked some more. Sat night, we changed plans in mid stream and ended up going to the theater to see Shrek The Musical....OMG was that ever something. The sets were amazing. The play was good good good, but the stage stuff was magical.

After that, we went to the top of the Rock and viewed the city from up top. Val is better than a homing pigeon. I was like a lost pup...no sense of anything or anywhere. But from the top and looking all around there's lights! When I look out my window at home, there's darkness, except the stars.

 Pretty spectacular, huh!
The city sounds are different too. The funiest one is the cab driver's horn(s s s s s). They beep all the time, thinking if they do people will listen....I'm not sure about that though. I'll tell you honestly, my horn is so not used that I have a hard time to find the right spot on the steering wheel to press...if I've ever used it, it must have been too late, because after I find it, I have to press pretty hard to get it to blare out!
  Lot's of smells in the city, but one that's here in the country too...the horse poop!

  On the train ride from NY to New Haven, neither of us hardly talked. We were both reading the same story. The book we chose was Kate Messner's, Gianna Z. Now that's a fun and heartwarming read.

    One more trip thing....the topping on our cake came on the way home while Val was driving from the train station and it was pouring rain. A huge, wide looking rainbow was right in front of us....then another finer one seemed to come from another direction right over the first. It was nothing like I've ever seen...sort of a miracle! It topped off a wonderful week-end with a wonderful friend. 

This is a patchwork of what I did over the week-end. I did get some writing sparks too...so watch out!
write on....
Mona
    
      

Doing the happy dance for my friend Nan Marino nanmarino . It's launch day!!!
Congratulations!!!!!!

A week ago, I packed everything I owned - well almost everything- , changed to a smaller purse so you all wouldn't think I was a bag lade, and headed for the NESCBWI conference in Nashua....yep, it's been a week already, but we're still abuzz!

First stop was to meet up with Cindy Lord and join her for our "girlfriend" ride together. Before we left though, I got invited to visit hers and Milo's writing cottage...and I didn't stand on my head, I just can't seem to put them upright, so if you want to visit too, you'll have to crank your neck sideways!
 cute anyway, huh!!!!! Mlo and I bonded, just like Cindy and I did on our first conference ride. But that's a whole other story, so onward with this adventure!

We had a great lunch and drive to the conference...the minute we walked in the door there were familiar faces and friends to greet us...then to the registration desk, where my first trek began. I told you I packed everything possible and changed purses...guess I didn't get that one quite right because I had no checks, debit card or credit cards!!!!! The nice young man at the front desk didn't seem to want to take a chance on my license...mmmmm.....but thankfully my roommate Brenda Sturgis had already checked in. She offered to bail me out, but I called my "local" bank, and I swear it's nice to know everyone there, because my dc # was faxed my way...

Sitting for awhile at the registration desk was fun...next year I want to do it longer!
Met up with a few of my online crit girls....Carolyn and Alison....
 It's pretty weird meeting up with people you crit  with and only correspond with online, and they're just who you knew they'd be! From now on, we'll really be talking!!!

I wish I'd taken more photos to show you around, but a few more, anyway......
 
 It was my privilege and pleasure to pass on the Rosemary Frye award to the most deserving Cindy F, who is so special and deserving....Anna had passed her on to me last year.

and I met an online friend, Slatts who came to surpries our sweet Cindy...

 

 Kelly Fineman    Jo Knowles   "Slatts" Kevin  Laura Hamor  Laura Jauqes (who also came to surprise Cindy)

I can't keep writing without posting another  photo of our friend and keynote speaker....Mssss Cynthia Lord, author of RULES. She touched our hearts and souls as she shared her journey . She is such a precious person and friend.
  
Cindy passed this honor around the room and everyone that they could wish on it. What do you suppos I wished for? So three of us wished together...like wishing on a star...magical!!!!!
   Fat hand is mine, then Tami W and Val G
and.... a few HAMMIES


Jen Ward, Denise O, Tami W, Val G, and moi!

Ok, there's so much more to share, without the photos....didn't get a shot of Brenda Sturgis. She was sick much of the week-end, though we had an adventure concerning adjoining room. towel, locked out of room!!!!!!! and I was celebrated with a cake for my birthday...Val and Tam invited me to their room...no camera with me, so couldn't snap that one before we ate up!

The workshops, oh yeah, that's what we went for, were great...reallly professional and informative. I've been on a writing high since I've been home!...but now I have to get ready for work.
enjoy your day!
Mona




 

    Yes, I"m still around! I've been sitting here reading last night's emails and LJ posts, watching the light slowly creep out of the darkness of night. It's so funny, because when I was at Val's, I was amazed to see that it was always light outside. I noticed small obscure little lights tucked into deck posts, sides of the house next door, the one across the street....I do not have outside light around me, except the bright of the moon.. Guess it's been cloudy the last few mornings.
     I love reading your blogs. Diane Davis said it so well in hers. We get together and know each other from our journal sharing. OK, so here's what's going on from here. I've been working the outside job. Last week, all week, was Easter. It was good-busy. Easter day was a great family day. Played a game that brought out some hysterical laughing. This was a sit around, spin the spinner kind of game with the instructions to mime, draw or speak the word on the card you'd chosen....imagine miming wave, or drawing-anything in my case. 
     We celebrated birthday's too...Shelley's which was, and mine which is to come. My kids know me so well....amongst my gifts, I got a few horseback riding lessons...and a bear book with the promise to see the "bears"..I feel like "My name is Earl" only my name is Mona, and instead of going around making amends to people I've wronged, I've made a list of things I want to do. I work for Shelley, and she knows my every thought from just chatting away...so has passed things along to her brother and sister!
    I've been writing . I'm still amazed that it takes me so long to figure out my "ah ha" stories and have so much trouble orgaizing my 400 to 550 words!!!! I tweak, send for crit, tweak, rewrite, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc,....... I'm slow!!!
    Will be seeing some of you in less than two weeks at the NESCBWI conference where our friend Cindy Lord is a keynote. Can't wait to see you Cindy. Can't wait to catch up.
     It's daylight now....and I must get ready for this day.
     Have a good one.
     Mona
     

                         I'm at a mini retreat with my sweet friends Val and Tami.I will write.  I am writing, but needed a break from my own stories.
                        So here I am with a short and sweet message to you, my writer friends...it's not day for soup though we will eat sometime! Find yourself a pal or two, say hello and catch up, then type for a few hours and say nothing!
                          Write on demand???? It works, it works, it works . We'll share later, but for now we're silently writing on our own. Try it!!!!
                          I'm done on LJ today. Have got to get back to "story" before I get caught!!!!
                          Hope you are as fortunate as I am to have a quiet "warm" place to write!
Mona                            

  

Made the ultimate diet soup last week for a sick friend...should have posted this then, but you wouldn't have heard this...
Ran into her at a function the other night and she thanked me and said her husband loved it too. Next day she called because he said it beat that cabbage watery stuff she tried feeding him a few years ago. Can you smell it...taste it??? I may just have to make more!!!            



might be diet soup if you ate a cupful instead of a quart like I do!!!

Cooking, (made cookies for someone else while watching Dancing with the Stars) working (an extra day this week), writing...I'm writing, or rather reworking a spot in an old story. Five hundred or so words, and I always have one  problem or another! This time I have to find the reason why an action happens..why? I know why, I see it in my head,
but you the reader has to see it....ponder, hummmmmmm, 500 words,hummmm....take a walk and talk the verse out...hummmmm....and thinking about our NE conference in just about a month....yeeee.....

I'm working hard at work too for another kind of conference. The spring meeting of ME florists and growers. My coworker Laura and I are in charge of decorating the Samoset resort... I'm psyched because we've gathered beautiful permanent flowers, but nervous about the "silent" critiques of  my designs. It's sort of like writing. Oh well, another week for that, then "I'll never do it again!" Whoops, that's what I think I said last time around!!! 


Lil, if you read this, it's in the upper 30's, nice cool day, and I heard something in the long term forecast for snow next week.

Until next time...read, write and be happy!
Mona








                                                                                  
 

 

 

Today's been a fine winter day. I took a walk on the snowshoes for the first time this winter. Its been the foot thing..you know, when I kicked a "small" piece of granite out of the way last summer!!!
    I needed to air out, to think, to get inspiration in a different setting for a "colorful" story I'm working on. It was quiet out there. I followed the deer tracks until they ventured off in their own direction...I sort of followed a trail though I couldn't see it but knew I could find my way back by following my drag in. Crunch crunch crunch, not a track, not a bird tweet, nothing until I heard the noise in the thicket above. I had my camera and ski poles with me. I stopped looked up and saw this.

 Well maybe you can't see the black spot framed between the two trees, but as he go closer it was

  Cash! Sister in law's dog came running toward me. We played and he said "follow me" at times...and I did, but after we turned around to go back, he left me right where he started. He was going home! Quiet again, and white, and not so colorful, just white, so the colorful story never did see the light of day out there, but it;s ok isn't it, to start over with WHITE!
   I reflected on life, on the guy sitting in his chair back there. He's cut this little patch of woods to feed the woodstove through the years, not disturbing a whole lot. In the summertime he likes it when I walk out there with him so he can tell me what he knows. We know what we know, right...and this is his. He can tell me the name of the trees, winter or summer by what they wear-their bark.

 I only know the evergreen by what they wear!

and he knows the age or the health of what he's chopped. How can that be?

 This pile's resting for the next season.

I sucked in the fresh air, took another look at the deer track, then trudged home.

It's a beautiful day!
and I'm seeing things through my rose colored glasses again!
Mona
...and Kevin the weather guy told me that we're to expect another foot or so of snow, starting anytime now.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!


Checking in just for a few minutes to catch up with you. It's been a lonnnnng work week for me and today's the day!!!  

 It's a big day out there in bookland too. How many of you are off to bookstores to read and sign your books?
Lucky you...Have fun!!! Wish I could join you, but you know that my job takes me to the flower shop again  today...and besides, I don't have a book of my of my own. I will have fun though. The romantics were out in full force yesterday...hope the ones that missed us yesterday will stop by today. We have flowers, candy, balloons and more for their sweeties...

Yesterday, an eagle soared over head as I drove to work, I found a dollar frozen to the ice in the parking lot (ran inside for water to free it), found a dime when I moved a display table around...are they all omens??? I meant to play a scratch ticket after work, but forgot. Lost that lucky streak, huh!.....maybe not....

Believe it or not, I have been writing some on these early mornings, and doing a bit of research for one of my fiction/non fiction projects.  Can't even read at the end of the day though! 

Have a great day my friends...Knock em dead at the bookstores!

happy happy

Mona