"Living the Literary Life": The Writing Barn in Austin, Texas

About a year ago I had the good fortune to visit Austin, Texas, and stay in the Writing Barn. What a fabulous experience that was. The Barn is fast becoming a mecca for writers and artists of all stripes, but especially in the kidlit world, who wish to retreat, learn, or just spend some quiet time. During my three days there I wrote over 10,000 new words of my manuscript, and felt inspired and renewed. 

The Barn hosts numerous gigs all year long, and I've invited Bethany Hegedus, who owns the Barn, to tell us about it. Here's her story, and what the Writing Barn will be up to in the near future:

If someone would have told me five years ago that I’d own and run a writing retreat and workshop center, I would have called them crazy. I had just published my first novel, Between us Baxters (WestSide Books, 2009) and my second, Truth with a Capital T (Random House/Delacorte, 2010), was going through final copyedits with pass pages awaiting me. I was working on a new MG, still trying to see if and when Grandfather Gandhi (Atheneum/S&S, 2014) would land at the right and perfect publisher. Five years ago, I still lived in NYC—the publishing capital of the world.

Fast forward five years, and here I am sitting on the screened-in porch of The Writing Barn in Austin, Texas, on a sunny February day, working with one of The Writing Barn interns who recently joined our team. Crazy, huh? Above me are names of the giants in kid lit who have visited our facility, either teaching, as Francisco X. Stork and Sara Zarr have, or attending  kid lit bashes as Maggie Stiefvater, Matt de la Peña, Peter Brown, Jon Scieszka, Katherine Applegate, and more have. Writers from around the country come here to retreat, craving solitude for solo retreats. Writing groups come as well, like the Write for Cake ladies, who visited to share pages, long walks, and lots of laughter (and wine.)

This strangely hectic but rewarding literary life is built on a foundation of everything I love: My husband, who has owned the land The Writing Barn sits on for over ten years and who has worked tirelessly by my side; my dog Toby, a Chihuahua who loves lapping up writerly love (and who inspires drawings from the illustrators when they are here); the books I’ve been collecting since I began writing, and which I’ve dreamed of sharing with students I’d hoped to teach, and our ever expanding collection of Buddhas; and my deep desire to have writers focus on craft and creativity and trust that our first commitment is to the work the page.

Along with the dozens of retreats, book launch parties and local classes we’ve held in our first two years in operation, we’ve recently expanded our programming. We have workshops for “advanced writers”—those who have agents, are published, or are routinely getting personal rejections. We call these events our Advanced Writer Weekend Workshop series. Our first AWWW this year is in May, with bestselling authors Jo Knowles and Robin Wasserman. They are tackling revision with Discover the Beating Heart of Your Book. In October, agent/author Ammi Joan Paquette and K. A. Holt will be with us for Writing Outside the Box: Multiple Viewpoints, Unreliable Narrators, Unusual Structures—Oh My! In December, best-selling authors and friends Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian will be with us.

There’s also the Full Novel Revision week: Mastering the Middle Grade with Newbery Honor authors Kathi Appelt and Rita Williams-Garcia, Shana Burg and myself in August. And in September, best-selling picture book agent Erin Murphy and two of her clients, Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon, will lead The Complete Picture Book Workshop. Applications and registrations are open for all these events, and spots are filling up quickly. For out-of-towners, we also offer on-site lodging and airport shuttles. You can apply for these events here.

I have no idea what the next five years will bring, but whatever it is, I hope I’ll still be living and loving the literary life.

BETHANY HEGEDUS’ books include Truth with a Capital T (Delacorte/Random House) and Between Us Baxters (WestSide Books). Both novels were named to the Bank Street Books Best Books, with Between Us Baxters garnering a star for outstanding recognition. Her debut picture book, Grandfather Gandhi, (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) co-authored with Arun Gandhi, grandson of the Mahatma, and illustrated by Evan Turk has received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus. To learn more about Grandfather Gandhi, and how to live your life as light, please visit www.grandfathergandhi.com.

Bethany has served as the Hunger Mountain Young Adult & Children’s Editor since 2009. A graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults, Bethany is the Owner and Creative Director of The Writing Barn, a writing retreat, workshop and event space in Austin, Texas.

A former educator, Bethany speaks and teaches across the country. 

January/February Launches!

A few books on my TBR pile...

Multicultural Books: CHILDREN OF THE TIPI

My friend Nancy Bo Flood writes wonderful multicultural books, and has a deep interest in Native American issues. I invited her to submit a guest post, and she chose to feature CHILDEN OF THE TIPI. Although we just missed the Multicultural Book Day on January 27th, it's never too late to celebrate the rich heritage of this country. Here's Nancy:

CHILDREN OF THE TIPI: LIFE IN THE BUFFALO DAYS

Edited by Michael Oren Fitzgerald

CHILDREN OF THE TIPI is a treasure.  The book shares both images and words that accomplish so well what Michael Fitzgerald describes in his Editor's Note - that we can "learn the wisdom of the olden-day Indians directly from the source...we can still glimpse the spirit of that irreplaceable world directly through their words and photographs."

Yes, in this book we have a unique opportunity – an exciting opportunity - to listen to the voices of Native American leaders, both men and women, and to see their images in authentic, archival photographs.  The creator of this book, Michael Fitzgerald, identifies himself as “editor.”  All the dialogue and descriptions – every word - are quotes from American Indian men and women born before 1904.  What an opportunity for children and adults to read observations, descriptions, and wisdom by the very people who spoke them.  I greatly appreciate Michael Fitzgerald’s goal to "show not tell." He chose topics of high interest to all children – the games played, story-telling, mud fights in the snow, daily camp life, making dolls out of corn cobs, sleds out of buffalo ribs, hunting, riding horses…. Fascinating and fun to read!  The quotes describe with surprising detail but they also allow the reader to become aware of underlying wisdom..."including the emphasis they [American Indians] placed on moral character and the sacred quality of virgin Nature." CHILDREN OF THE TIPI brings the reader full-circle to now, contemporary times, with photographs of today's Native children continuing the very traditions described in earlier pages.

During the past several years as I have written and spoken about the need for children's books about and by Native Americans. Less than 1% of published books for children are written by or about American Indians.  I have emphasized the need to show individuals, not stereotypes, and historical accuracy, not myths, exaggerations, or misrepresentations...or silent omission.  We need books written from the Native perspective.  What an amazing book Michael Fitzgerald has created that is accessible and understandable by young readers.

CHILDREN OF THE TIPI was published by Wisdom Tales Press, an imprint of World Wisdom and Wisdom Tales. This year Wisdom Tales is sponsoring the first annual Multicultural Children's Book Day, January 27th.  They will be giving away sets of their children’s books on both their Facebook and Pinterest pages in conjunction with the event.  Take a look – their books are wonderful. 

https://www.facebook.com/WisdomTalesPress

http://www.jumpintoabook.com/2014/01/multicultural-childrens-book-day-coming/

http://www.pragmaticmom.com/2013/11/multicultural-childrens’book-day/  

WEIRD ROCKS Rocks!! Plus a Giveaway

When I was a kid my first hobby was rock collecting. It all started with one of those little sampler boxes that we picked up at a museum. Then my parents took us rock-hounding: searching for gems in places open to the public. Then my sister found (and subsequently lost, sadly) a lovely ruby. Then I got my masters in geology. Then I married a geologist...well, you get the drill.

What I would've given for a copy of this book when I was young! Michele Corriel has written a truly fun exploration of some of the weirder rocks on the planet. Today she's here with a guest post, plus she's giving away one copy of WEIRD ROCKS. It would be a great addition to any library. All you need to do is comment and I'll put you in my random giveaway generator!

Sometimes it’s easy to think of a non-fiction picture book (or any non-fiction book) as a way to get information across to young readers. But for me, it’s much more than that. It’s an opportunity to understand language. It’s a new door opening for a poetic perspective. A new inlet to creativity. 

For example, you can’t say the “obsidian black sky” before you know what obsidian is. You can’t say “the granite feeling of winter” without knowing how old and stubborn granite can be.

There is also something empowering about being able to name things. (Think about Voldemort and how by never saying his name everyone became even more afraid.) For me, non-fiction is more empowering than the Hallow's elder wand.

So when I’m sitting down to write a non-fiction picture book, I think very hard about the words I’m using and how to embracing the language in a way that can open the door for young readers to use those words and to understand the concepts, not just in the scientific way, but in a poetic way as well.

In the same way, non-fiction books can used in the classroom as a means to seeing vocabulary not only as definitions but to hear how melodic words can be, how close beauty is to an idea. And, of course, as a way of avoiding the dreaded clichés.

Another way to use non-fiction for creative writing is to use the old “what if” scenario. What If the continents never drifted apart? What kind of world would we live in? Would we be a single country?

I also like to try to think out of the box when I approach a subject that has the potential to be very dry. I try to come up with a new way to introduce the reader to something as boring as, say, a simple rock. For every rock we come across there is a history as ancient the earth itself. Sometimes, even older (I’m thinking of meteorites). I think of star dust and mysteries. I think of cities destroyed by volcanoes. Or inland oceans whose only signature is the fossils they left behind.

Besides the words themselves, besides the story behind the subject, there are the people whose lives are dedicated to sorting out a single question.

The world is such a fascinating place, and it is the job of the non-fiction writer to get that point that across to the reader.

Check out the WEIRD ROCKS trailer, and then comment to win a copy!

Julie Berry's Gorgeous Novel ALL THE TRUTH THAT'S IN ME

I've known Julie Berry for quite a few years now, ever since she came back to Vermont College of Fine Arts as an alum and we met while I was a student. She's smart and savvy and a good friend, and she's written some wonderful, fun novels, but my favorite is her most recent, ALL THE TRUTH THAT'S IN ME. It's a fascinating story that I'm recommending to everyone as one of my 2013 top reads. Here's a synopsis:

"Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who's owned her heart as long as she can remember--even if he doesn't know it--her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith's passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last."

Congratulations, Julie, on your stunning new novel, ALL THE TRUTH THAT’S IN ME. That second person address is such a twist – well done! Please tell us how you were inspired to write this story.

This project began by accident. I was working on my critical thesis, a lengthy research paper assigned during the third semester at Vermont College of the Fine Arts, and I read some material in a craft book about second person point of view. I wondered, could I write something in that voice? I reached for my laptop, flipped it open, pondered for a bit, then wrote the first page in one sitting. Very little of it has changed to the present day. The voice appeared from that moment, and it remained throughout the process. It was one of those little miracles you pray for as a writer. Looked at another way, though, it was an act of homework procrastination. 

One of the reasons for the novel’s appeal, I think, is that your setting feels both real and timeless. Can you comment on that?

The setting unfolded gradually. I saw it, at first, in a somewhat misty focus, swirling into view only as needed around Judith, as if she were walking through a cloud. I knew from the outset that I could not set this in a historically known place and time, because I didn’t want Judith’s story overshadowed one smidgeon by the expectations we bring to standard historical fiction (much as I love them where they properly belong). At some point I needed to make some decisions about what era to pattern this time period after, and the early modern period is a useful one in that the world still feels antique, pastoral, and pre-technological – which is where I think that nostalgic sense of timelessness resides -- but society has already begun to confront issues of philosophy, politics, reason, religion, and ethics that feel recognizable and relevant to us today.

The way that you handle Judith’s mutilation is deft and realistic. Was this something you had to research?

I wanted desperately to research it, but I couldn’t find any sources at all. I did consult informally with a practicing speech therapist, but most of my research came from personal practice and imitation. I spent a lot of time talking as I believed Judith would attempt to do, and documenting the sounds and sensations I observed. After the book came out, I met a reader at a book club meeting who was also a speech therapist. She had worked with a patient who, for medical reasons, ended up in a physical plight much like Judith’s. She told me that the depiction of Judith’s journey toward speech rang true to her own experiences with her patient. I felt so relieved and grateful to know it.

Above everything else, for me this novel is a moving love story. Is that how you would describe it?

I think so. I hope so! I wanted very much for readers to fall in love with this love story the way I did. It’s nice to know you felt that way.

I’m in awe of the way that you handle time – short, back-and-forth passages and no chapters. Somehow it works – not only is it not confusing, it adds power. How did you craft the story?

Strange as it may seem, the structure, the ordering, the length of chapters, the non-linear movement through chronological time, just happened that way. I wish I could say I architected it all in keeping with a brilliant master plan, but this is simply how Judith’s story unfurled. It was a singular experience.

Anything else you’d like to add? What do you have coming next?

I have a middle grade murder mystery coming out this fall from Roaring Brook which I’m really excited about, titled The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place. It’s three parts murder and two parts farce, and, of course, one part Victorian schoolgirl hijinks. It’s very different from All the Truth That’s in Me, but I like to keep things interesting.

Thanks so much, Julie!

Thank YOU!

Twitter @julieberrybooks

Facebook /julieberrybookspage

Tumblr: www.allthetruththatsinme.com

Homepage: www.julieberrybooks.com

Book on Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780670786152

Knit One, Purl Four: On Patience

After a hiatus of some years, I've recently taken up knitting again. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment things, looking in a shop window at all the brilliant yarn colors and thinking, well, why not? A small investment.

Plus, I really needed a way to disconnect.

Those who know me well know that I am not a patient person. I'm also something of a workaholic. I love writing and when I spend more than a couple of days away from it, I become very unhappy, anxious, fretful. I guess I’m a little compulsive about my work. I want to get the story out, put it on the page, open it to the world.

But much of writing requires patience. For one thing, the best stories are those with depth and nuance, and those things take time to craft. Like the best stews must simmer, the best writing needs to simmer both on the page and in the brain. Simmering requires time.

When I finish a draft, I’m impatient to get it out there, somewhere, but that’s a poor strategy, isn’t it? Yes, we all know how tempting it is to hit “send” way too soon. (It can be equally destructive to keep rewriting the same story over and over and over, but that’s a discussion for another post.) It takes time and distance – simmering – to recognize the flaws in a work.

One of my fingerless gloves...

Then there’s the whole legendary waiting game within the industry. Waiting to hear from an agent. Waiting to hear from an editor. Waiting for the marketing people to okay the project, waiting for the edits, waiting for the book to come out. Waiting for the artwork. Waiting for the reviews. Waiting for the sales. Waiting for the check. From novel idea to book in hand can take years.

So, knitting. I’ve discovered that knitting is very meditative. Anything I knit that is complicated requires counting, and at least a minimal attention to what’s occupying my hands. I can listen to something but it’s hard to carry on a conversation. Other voices in my head go quiet. Even my nagging little internal editor shuts up.

Now I know why so many authors I’ve met are knitters. As the brain goes quiet the subconscious wakes up, and the subconscious knits the next story thread, the next character, the next scene. While my hands are occupied with creating something tangible, my brain is occupied with the intangible.

Plus, I'm learning to slow down and become patient.

I’d love to hear from some fellow knitters – or, do you have another strategy for developing patience?