I have been sitting on nearly 8 stories and since 2013 will be an off publishing year for my company, I decided that I will take the opportunity and publish a new book.
The Heiress Heart was originally intended as a romance. But before you completely walk away, as a story, I had to try this one. And what I found was not romance, but I found a healing family instead. It drew upon my reserves about legacy and what really is important ultimately.
Expect the final story around August.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
The Curse of an Addict
I am an addict. I am addicted to technology. So on Saturday when my main computer refused to POST (it's a technical term that refers to the fact whether or not your computer will actually turn on), there was a bit of a frantic chaos. Most of the chaos was swirling around the fact that I couldn't just fix it on Saturday (we had to wait a day).
I have multiple systems, but the problem is: as a writer and an illustrator: I have "the best" material on one machine. The good news, the harddrives were safe. None of my written work or my drawn work was destroyed in the creation of a new computer. This is the second computer ever I have ever had go "poof" as the description lay best explained. All of my other machines have lived good lives doing the best they can until I sold them on ebay or to other people until they were no longer useful.
So now, I sit on a brand new machine, dealing with the mess that can only be described as messier than the actual death of computer. Not only did I get new parts, I completely upgraded from my preferred operating system (Windows XP). So there's installing and reinstalling, and updates that never happened and the updates that had happened are abandoned and so for each program it is nearly 3-5 hours of updates and restarts.
As a writer all I can do is sit and wait. As an addict, every little second extra makes me nervous.
I have multiple systems, but the problem is: as a writer and an illustrator: I have "the best" material on one machine. The good news, the harddrives were safe. None of my written work or my drawn work was destroyed in the creation of a new computer. This is the second computer ever I have ever had go "poof" as the description lay best explained. All of my other machines have lived good lives doing the best they can until I sold them on ebay or to other people until they were no longer useful.
So now, I sit on a brand new machine, dealing with the mess that can only be described as messier than the actual death of computer. Not only did I get new parts, I completely upgraded from my preferred operating system (Windows XP). So there's installing and reinstalling, and updates that never happened and the updates that had happened are abandoned and so for each program it is nearly 3-5 hours of updates and restarts.
As a writer all I can do is sit and wait. As an addict, every little second extra makes me nervous.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
No, Seriously, I Am Always Writing
As someone who works in a public school 5 days a week for over 190 days a year in the past 2 years, I have tried to convey to my students that one really does need to know how to write. While the English teachers that I work with admire the direction I have tried to put a spin on the importance of skill building, I sometimes get the idea that no one really knows exactly what I do and how much of "it" I do.
Seriously: I am always writing.
I write as I am falling asleep. I write as I'm going to work, even when I cannot write, whole chunks of sentences form in my head before I even get a chance to pick up a pencil and actually write them down.
I used to write poetry quite a bit.
I still write short stories and novels.
I will always be writing on Project Alpha, the project with no end in sight darned illustrations.
Pictures still are valued at 1000 words. At least. My own hand is much more steady these days.
But I'm always finding an outlet forcing myself to express the ideas in my head that have been placed there by something I've seen or trying to experience or put words to an expeience that I do not quite understand.
The nebulous way my mind wants to work is not much unlike a web one might teach students to use to write with. But it happens in clearer and clearer chunks the more I work at my craft.
I was most recently asked why I hadn't gone into the English department as a major in college instead of heading to Architecture school. And I will be honest: there isn't a lot of money there. But I don't care about making money, not in the way that I don't want to make money, but in the way that money is not the primary decision guide. Architecture was a means to another skill of communication. And I have been able to control a lot of things that I probably would not have been able to without having been formally trained in the visual skills that are required of architecture.
I always was mistified by my friends and aquantances being stimied by the direction to write. I always found it the easiest thing in the world to string words together. I'm not an expert at it and sometimes my direction is more of a stab than a gentle curve. But the words will come.
But always looking for a chance to explain is what is in my head is always the goal. So I am always writing.
Seriously: I am always writing.
- I write emails for the company, I write emails to my co-workers, I write emails to my friends
- I write short stories
- I write reviews for items and books for a variety of stores
- I write modified texts to let my students access the curriculum
- I write process charts (somtimes also called scaffolds or task charts)
- I write for 4 separate blogs (yes I am crazy)
- I write at least two status updates to FB daily.
- I write text messages to my friends
- I write sample items for my students to refer to when am not with them
- I write
- and I write
- and I write.
I write as I am falling asleep. I write as I'm going to work, even when I cannot write, whole chunks of sentences form in my head before I even get a chance to pick up a pencil and actually write them down.
I used to write poetry quite a bit.
I still write short stories and novels.
I will always be writing on Project Alpha, the project with no end in sight darned illustrations.
Pictures still are valued at 1000 words. At least. My own hand is much more steady these days.
But I'm always finding an outlet forcing myself to express the ideas in my head that have been placed there by something I've seen or trying to experience or put words to an expeience that I do not quite understand.
The nebulous way my mind wants to work is not much unlike a web one might teach students to use to write with. But it happens in clearer and clearer chunks the more I work at my craft.
I was most recently asked why I hadn't gone into the English department as a major in college instead of heading to Architecture school. And I will be honest: there isn't a lot of money there. But I don't care about making money, not in the way that I don't want to make money, but in the way that money is not the primary decision guide. Architecture was a means to another skill of communication. And I have been able to control a lot of things that I probably would not have been able to without having been formally trained in the visual skills that are required of architecture.
I always was mistified by my friends and aquantances being stimied by the direction to write. I always found it the easiest thing in the world to string words together. I'm not an expert at it and sometimes my direction is more of a stab than a gentle curve. But the words will come.
But always looking for a chance to explain is what is in my head is always the goal. So I am always writing.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Stick Figures
I just posted my first adapted book for sale.
Yes, it is Romeo and Juliet as envisioned as stick figures. While you laugh at it, pause for a moment and ask yourself how many times you had to draw something and you resorted to stick figures to figure it out.
Adaptations do not have to be pretty. But they have to be able to be maintained and archived well. So those little scraps of paper or the fact you adapt on the fly every time for each student is just not efficient. That's the idea behind Project Beta and Project Alpha. Taking away that time you will spend trying to make it new again even for a student who might be in the same academic bracket as another.
This seems a huge departure for me both artistically and as a writer. But I had to put this out because I believe in the power of adapted materials for students with disabilities. I want my student, despite the fact that he or she may make unusually noises in the classroom, to feel a part of their grade, of their classmate's angst, to be held accountable for the classroom's activities. I want staff to not feel stifled at their work because they do not have the best skills in drawing, or perhaps writing. But all these things intersect, here at ParaEducate. That's why I keep working.
And why I will eventually print a new book soon. Something that might not be an entire series unto itself.
Yes, it is Romeo and Juliet as envisioned as stick figures. While you laugh at it, pause for a moment and ask yourself how many times you had to draw something and you resorted to stick figures to figure it out.
Adaptations do not have to be pretty. But they have to be able to be maintained and archived well. So those little scraps of paper or the fact you adapt on the fly every time for each student is just not efficient. That's the idea behind Project Beta and Project Alpha. Taking away that time you will spend trying to make it new again even for a student who might be in the same academic bracket as another.
This seems a huge departure for me both artistically and as a writer. But I had to put this out because I believe in the power of adapted materials for students with disabilities. I want my student, despite the fact that he or she may make unusually noises in the classroom, to feel a part of their grade, of their classmate's angst, to be held accountable for the classroom's activities. I want staff to not feel stifled at their work because they do not have the best skills in drawing, or perhaps writing. But all these things intersect, here at ParaEducate. That's why I keep working.
And why I will eventually print a new book soon. Something that might not be an entire series unto itself.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
50,000 words and 22 days
November is NaNoWriMo: 50,000 words over 30 days. This year, I started 2 days later because I made a promise to my students I would help them with their theatrical performance, where I was on of the 3 directors. Then I had other barriers: promoting my book, the conference I am presenting at, and other social obligations.
As we will find out tomorrow, my daily word could was consistent. On most days anyway. Other things were not so easy: exhibit A laundry, exhibit B the pile of comments formula company blog, exhibit C my working knowledge of anything that happened this month that is not my books.
But it is done.
The thing that weighed most on my mind: I may have outgrown NaNoWriMo. While the thrill is there the intensity was not. I will consider this problem next year. But until then, I have another book to finish illustrating.
I am done!
As we will find out tomorrow, my daily word could was consistent. On most days anyway. Other things were not so easy: exhibit A laundry, exhibit B the pile of comments formula company blog, exhibit C my working knowledge of anything that happened this month that is not my books.
But it is done.
The thing that weighed most on my mind: I may have outgrown NaNoWriMo. While the thrill is there the intensity was not. I will consider this problem next year. But until then, I have another book to finish illustrating.
I am done!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
NaNoWriMo: Movin' Right Along
The thing I appreciate most about NaNoWriMo: I cannot linger if I want to make my deadline. I have to keep my characters moving. The depth I need to make the scenes work comes from the day after I wrote the original scene. My word count comes quickly from reviewing what I have already written and add in detail.
Other spots for me: not to be afraid to write out of sequence or about a character I don't care about. I k ow I spent over 3000 words today in a courtroom. I had no idea I even wanted a court room but that was what happened today. I think it was far better than pulling out the phrase "and then the Ninja monkeys attacked!"
But then again, tea time would be so much more interesting with a horde of ninja monkeys.
I am also still preparing for work, TASH and whatever else is heading my way.
November rocks.
Other spots for me: not to be afraid to write out of sequence or about a character I don't care about. I k ow I spent over 3000 words today in a courtroom. I had no idea I even wanted a court room but that was what happened today. I think it was far better than pulling out the phrase "and then the Ninja monkeys attacked!"
But then again, tea time would be so much more interesting with a horde of ninja monkeys.
I am also still preparing for work, TASH and whatever else is heading my way.
November rocks.
Friday, November 9, 2012
NaNoWriMo, Fame verses Success
I think the thing that has drawn me most to NaNoWriMo simply that is that completing it is success. Getting to 50,000, that's the goal. It's constant. I will get there. I have gotten there for several years in a row. This year has been harder. Between juggling a full dramatic show with teenagers, doing my full time job, doing my part time job, and other assorted crises, words have been harder this year than ever.
So why do NaNo? Because I'm chasing fame? Hardly. My success as a writer isn't tied up in my fame. My success as a writer is in sharing the work and the ideas that I have in my head. It's completing the work in my head that I have half written outlines for. Success is just knowing that it is "done" and then you can find the next thing to accomplish.
Fame is what drives many of my students. After all, it could be a lofty goal. It seems that famous people are more successful. They, famous people, seem to have combined love, fame and success in one fell swoop. Fame can last for as long as possible with some who have managed to make fame look desirable.
But that is not why NaNoWriMo continues to be churned out in little spurts here and there. Success is an easier stick to measure the world by.
So why do NaNo? Because I'm chasing fame? Hardly. My success as a writer isn't tied up in my fame. My success as a writer is in sharing the work and the ideas that I have in my head. It's completing the work in my head that I have half written outlines for. Success is just knowing that it is "done" and then you can find the next thing to accomplish.
Fame is what drives many of my students. After all, it could be a lofty goal. It seems that famous people are more successful. They, famous people, seem to have combined love, fame and success in one fell swoop. Fame can last for as long as possible with some who have managed to make fame look desirable.
But that is not why NaNoWriMo continues to be churned out in little spurts here and there. Success is an easier stick to measure the world by.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Where do those things related to characters come from?
I'm actually not a non-fiction writer. At least I keep telling myself that truth. My first love, still, and will always live in the world of fiction.
Fiction has its uses: No one cares if your details are right. Nobody cares where you did your research (so Wikipedia might just be accurate "enough" knowing my education level that I can skeptically assess some of the entries).
But there is some trouble with fiction: as an author, your creativity is placed at the feet of the world asking the world to believe in your story, even for a few moments.
So I will look back at some of my choices in literary creativity.
"Putting It On The Line" is still my flagship story. Mostly because I have been writing it since I was 14. I grew up with Jessie, though her story started when she was 26, and the story of "Putting It On the Line" didn't manifest itself until I was 21.
But things like her name, I don't know why I latched onto Jessie right away. There were some qualifications. I needed her name to have a diminutive, a sign of affection, and I didn't know how important it was that she have that until much later in my process. I searched baby name books. I did not have much of a choice back then, it was 10 pages in the back of one of our dictionaries. And so I looked, the names A-Z and I ended up finger pointing to target myself. And then up came 'Jessica'.
Things that helped solidify that fact, Madonna has a song that helped in early days, "Dear Jessie" and that had helped things.
Music does help me determine a lot of things about characters, major moods, and directions I want to lead my characters through.
So Music and random picking.
Sometimes though, the character will come to me, their name firmly attached and nothing I can do will change that.
To date: I have never written (and published) someone from my life into my fiction, probably much to the relief of my business partner and some close friends.
Character traits are driven by the character's motives. I have many moments when my characters are very introspective and self-aware. I like those moments, knowing what my character wants and needs. They are truly self-determined and want their goals and whether or not the goal is realized or not is a part of the character's journey.
I spend much time in examining the tradition of the "Hero's Journey". I don't have much formal training in this concept, but it is basic at the core that I know most stories follow this rise and fall of the long story.
I purposely over write. I write about sequences I find that are very private to the character, that I am embarrassed to know about. Usually these parts don't make it into the things that I write, but that's how close the characters and I get.
I find that writing is really the way that my brain processes information because I will get many, many ideas at the same time and they will all converge and writing is the frenzy that happens when there may just be too much. But my mind is always writing, always wanting to be at the computer, watching letters form on the page. It may not be directly cathartic. I'm often as anxious as my characters are. I know better than to stop writing when I am in a groove, too many grammar issues occur and that I will lose track of the real goal.
So I'm back to where I'm headed, writing with the goal of getting the ideas to be clearer.
Fiction has its uses: No one cares if your details are right. Nobody cares where you did your research (so Wikipedia might just be accurate "enough" knowing my education level that I can skeptically assess some of the entries).
But there is some trouble with fiction: as an author, your creativity is placed at the feet of the world asking the world to believe in your story, even for a few moments.
So I will look back at some of my choices in literary creativity.
"Putting It On The Line" is still my flagship story. Mostly because I have been writing it since I was 14. I grew up with Jessie, though her story started when she was 26, and the story of "Putting It On the Line" didn't manifest itself until I was 21.
But things like her name, I don't know why I latched onto Jessie right away. There were some qualifications. I needed her name to have a diminutive, a sign of affection, and I didn't know how important it was that she have that until much later in my process. I searched baby name books. I did not have much of a choice back then, it was 10 pages in the back of one of our dictionaries. And so I looked, the names A-Z and I ended up finger pointing to target myself. And then up came 'Jessica'.
Things that helped solidify that fact, Madonna has a song that helped in early days, "Dear Jessie" and that had helped things.
Music does help me determine a lot of things about characters, major moods, and directions I want to lead my characters through.
So Music and random picking.
Sometimes though, the character will come to me, their name firmly attached and nothing I can do will change that.
To date: I have never written (and published) someone from my life into my fiction, probably much to the relief of my business partner and some close friends.
Character traits are driven by the character's motives. I have many moments when my characters are very introspective and self-aware. I like those moments, knowing what my character wants and needs. They are truly self-determined and want their goals and whether or not the goal is realized or not is a part of the character's journey.
I spend much time in examining the tradition of the "Hero's Journey". I don't have much formal training in this concept, but it is basic at the core that I know most stories follow this rise and fall of the long story.
I purposely over write. I write about sequences I find that are very private to the character, that I am embarrassed to know about. Usually these parts don't make it into the things that I write, but that's how close the characters and I get.
I find that writing is really the way that my brain processes information because I will get many, many ideas at the same time and they will all converge and writing is the frenzy that happens when there may just be too much. But my mind is always writing, always wanting to be at the computer, watching letters form on the page. It may not be directly cathartic. I'm often as anxious as my characters are. I know better than to stop writing when I am in a groove, too many grammar issues occur and that I will lose track of the real goal.
So I'm back to where I'm headed, writing with the goal of getting the ideas to be clearer.
Friday, October 12, 2012
50,000 Words. 30 Days. 0 Excuses. (Well maybe...)
As a writer, I hadn't cut my teeth on anything serious. I didn't have a genre I was writing for, I didn't have regular discipline.
And then 8 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writer's Month. It was a little idea back then: start writing. aimed for 50,000 words and get it done in November. The idea being, instead of just talking about all the writing you want to do was to make it a priority and just write. And get it out. Make all the ideas real.
For the next 7 Novembers, I wrote like I had never written before. I was given introduction into the world of self-publishing, and then I published 3 books through the same venue.
I went from just talking about the book and being satisfied that the information was out of my head in a digital file. And then, I got to hold it in my hands. That feeling of knowing what it looks like and how it feels to hold the thing I have spent the most time on has never felt any better.
So year 8 is upon me. This is more than 2600 words a day roughly. This is about knowing what works, being committed to the outcome above all else.
I have a few more obstacles this year than any other year. I'm always constantly distracted by a lot of issues at hand. I will finish.
50,000 words. 30 days. 19 days left until I can sign up. I cannot wait to get at this. Even though I don't have a plot yet.
And then 8 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writer's Month. It was a little idea back then: start writing. aimed for 50,000 words and get it done in November. The idea being, instead of just talking about all the writing you want to do was to make it a priority and just write. And get it out. Make all the ideas real.
For the next 7 Novembers, I wrote like I had never written before. I was given introduction into the world of self-publishing, and then I published 3 books through the same venue.
I went from just talking about the book and being satisfied that the information was out of my head in a digital file. And then, I got to hold it in my hands. That feeling of knowing what it looks like and how it feels to hold the thing I have spent the most time on has never felt any better.
So year 8 is upon me. This is more than 2600 words a day roughly. This is about knowing what works, being committed to the outcome above all else.
I have a few more obstacles this year than any other year. I'm always constantly distracted by a lot of issues at hand. I will finish.
50,000 words. 30 days. 19 days left until I can sign up. I cannot wait to get at this. Even though I don't have a plot yet.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
They Aren't Always Good Ideas
My primary training is as a designer. My training had me learn ways people figure things out and how to get the results I wanted. Basically, in the world that I now work in, I'm not only leading the horse to water, salting their food, but there is only one (maybe two) ways to get that horse to the water.
So as I work through new projects to engage my students at work, I'm still a designer.
And there are good days and bad days. The nice thing is, kids are brutally honest. I will know quickly if they aren't going to be successful at what I have tried to provide.
Bottom line: Project Alpha Volume 3 is being piloted. So far, working well. Need more pictures, need vocabulary highlighted, and now to start ways of assessing if the students totally engaged in the lessons.
So as I work through new projects to engage my students at work, I'm still a designer.
- Are there too many words on the page?
- Did I call attention to the important details?
- Does the font lend itself to easy reading?
- Is the spacing right?
- How many different ideas am I presenting?
- What are the new words that my student needs to learn?
- (and perhaps the most important question of all) How do I get my student to even care?
And there are good days and bad days. The nice thing is, kids are brutally honest. I will know quickly if they aren't going to be successful at what I have tried to provide.
Bottom line: Project Alpha Volume 3 is being piloted. So far, working well. Need more pictures, need vocabulary highlighted, and now to start ways of assessing if the students totally engaged in the lessons.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Where Heart Belongs
Writing without passion means the task is a chore. I cannot begin to detail the images around my characters or continue the research I need to get things done around the tasks I want to complete without passion.
But then, even in my world: passion has its limits.
Passion is the heady rise of romance that is mutual. In basic words: I need to love what I'm doing to do it.
I love writing. I most always will. There are days when I struggle with the desire to string words together, but I'm always writing something.
As I move forward and constantly spinning some ideas out of control, I'm given pause sometimes to the fact that I can be so blinded by my progress (or sometimes lack of progress) that I have neglected other parts of my life.
As it is, my private life demands order and balance, something that many of my characters seek but know the futility of maintaining such a life.
Sometimes writing is an exercises of working through my own thoughts. Sometimes it is just about being artistic.
Writing is a journey but it's not held in the writer's hands entirely. Sometimes, it's just the way the wind blows.
But then, even in my world: passion has its limits.
Passion is the heady rise of romance that is mutual. In basic words: I need to love what I'm doing to do it.
I love writing. I most always will. There are days when I struggle with the desire to string words together, but I'm always writing something.
As I move forward and constantly spinning some ideas out of control, I'm given pause sometimes to the fact that I can be so blinded by my progress (or sometimes lack of progress) that I have neglected other parts of my life.
As it is, my private life demands order and balance, something that many of my characters seek but know the futility of maintaining such a life.
Sometimes writing is an exercises of working through my own thoughts. Sometimes it is just about being artistic.
Writing is a journey but it's not held in the writer's hands entirely. Sometimes, it's just the way the wind blows.
Monday, September 10, 2012
The Project Alpha Update
So here's a drum roll please:
The text for Volume 2 Level 1 is done! Which means the book is at 40% complete. Illustrations are in progress.
I've started what I thought was Volume 3, Level 1 (US History). After careful consideration: I'm looking at Volume 3 Level 2. Which is rather surprising on my part but I'll figure it out. Volume 1 is still in outline and the introductions for each chapter are being prepared.
Volumes 4 (science) and any subsequent volumes are on hold until the first 3 volumes are ready to go to print.
Megan is now caught up and is working on her to-do list. I'm on track now that work has settled into a chaotic pattern.
We have furthered the company image and hopefully ParaEducate will rock the next few weeks.
Stay tuned! We are on the Inclusive Class Podcast October 12.
The text for Volume 2 Level 1 is done! Which means the book is at 40% complete. Illustrations are in progress.
I've started what I thought was Volume 3, Level 1 (US History). After careful consideration: I'm looking at Volume 3 Level 2. Which is rather surprising on my part but I'll figure it out. Volume 1 is still in outline and the introductions for each chapter are being prepared.
Volumes 4 (science) and any subsequent volumes are on hold until the first 3 volumes are ready to go to print.
Megan is now caught up and is working on her to-do list. I'm on track now that work has settled into a chaotic pattern.
We have furthered the company image and hopefully ParaEducate will rock the next few weeks.
Stay tuned! We are on the Inclusive Class Podcast October 12.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Why Should I Care About Project Alpha?
It is hard to remember that not everyone understands what is going on inside my head. To be utterly frank: neither do I. But that is part of the writing process: giving the reader a window to my mind so things that I want to see and do are similar to that picture I have in my head.
So why have I spent just about every waking, free, moment in my life writing recently about and for Project Alpha for ParaEducate?
Project Alpha, believe it or not, started over seven years ago. Except it wasn't even a project back then. It was called "treading water" , "getting through the day", or "cutting back work loads for students". It was recognized that not all the students with moderate to severe disabilities were able to do the classwork as outlined by the teacher. So we started stepping back and looking at what really was important for each lesson/unit/life. And that's where this started. We have binders of work.
And then most recently, with Megan and Jenny, we realized, that people all over the country are doing this. Some with more success than others. And so then we started asking ourselves 'how'.
How about doing this so no one has to struggle finding these resources?
How about doing this so a student who has a severe disability isn't just sitting in the corner coloring when they could be helping in a lab experiment?
How about doing this so a student can learn the vocabulary, and be held accountable to learn the same information their peers are?
How about doing this so a student can prove the are as successful as their peers?
How about doing this so a student with a moderate disability can figure out what the topic is really about so they don't feel so anxious about the test?
It has taken quite a bit of research to at least get enough information to provide the framework for a student to read. And then more research to get each page done correctly, providing accurate illustrations. On top of that, we are doing some special things with layout so a student can not be confused by additional information. And then: we have to go through and check to make sure we're aligned with Common Core Standards.
I will be posting an early draft of some Geology we have done back 4 years ago. The reason I'm posting it now, is we've reopened using some of the materials and we've engaged students in a reading class (not a science class). But the fundamentals are the same. The fundamentals are important. The students are showing us that they need this. I'm really glad they are getting to use it.
So why have I spent just about every waking, free, moment in my life writing recently about and for Project Alpha for ParaEducate?
Project Alpha, believe it or not, started over seven years ago. Except it wasn't even a project back then. It was called "treading water" , "getting through the day", or "cutting back work loads for students". It was recognized that not all the students with moderate to severe disabilities were able to do the classwork as outlined by the teacher. So we started stepping back and looking at what really was important for each lesson/unit/life. And that's where this started. We have binders of work.
And then most recently, with Megan and Jenny, we realized, that people all over the country are doing this. Some with more success than others. And so then we started asking ourselves 'how'.
How about doing this so no one has to struggle finding these resources?
How about doing this so a student who has a severe disability isn't just sitting in the corner coloring when they could be helping in a lab experiment?
How about doing this so a student can learn the vocabulary, and be held accountable to learn the same information their peers are?
How about doing this so a student can prove the are as successful as their peers?
How about doing this so a student with a moderate disability can figure out what the topic is really about so they don't feel so anxious about the test?
It has taken quite a bit of research to at least get enough information to provide the framework for a student to read. And then more research to get each page done correctly, providing accurate illustrations. On top of that, we are doing some special things with layout so a student can not be confused by additional information. And then: we have to go through and check to make sure we're aligned with Common Core Standards.
I will be posting an early draft of some Geology we have done back 4 years ago. The reason I'm posting it now, is we've reopened using some of the materials and we've engaged students in a reading class (not a science class). But the fundamentals are the same. The fundamentals are important. The students are showing us that they need this. I'm really glad they are getting to use it.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The Groove
Other than the interruptions that come with living with my family, mostly my writing does take me to amazing places.
And then, you keep your head down, and chip away piece by piece the questions you really have.
You're so consumed by the desire to chip away, that you forget that there is a masterpiece in you hands.
And then, you realize, you're nearing a stage of polish.
That's where I am right now. I just put in the last written section for volume 2. I have endless illustrations to provide, comprehension questions, test questions, notes, and glossaries. But the bulk of the writing is done.
I have also started the final layout for Volumes 1 and 3.
Goal by 2014, to have Volumes 1 and 2 available on Amazon. We (at ParaEducate) are in discussion for providing individual units for sale through other venues.
Illustrations are going to take center stage. But only after next week. From Monday to Friday, my first week back at work. And then, editing and finalization for publication. Maybe we'll have a fire under this by the time I get back from TASH.
And then, you keep your head down, and chip away piece by piece the questions you really have.
You're so consumed by the desire to chip away, that you forget that there is a masterpiece in you hands.
And then, you realize, you're nearing a stage of polish.
That's where I am right now. I just put in the last written section for volume 2. I have endless illustrations to provide, comprehension questions, test questions, notes, and glossaries. But the bulk of the writing is done.
I have also started the final layout for Volumes 1 and 3.
Goal by 2014, to have Volumes 1 and 2 available on Amazon. We (at ParaEducate) are in discussion for providing individual units for sale through other venues.
Illustrations are going to take center stage. But only after next week. From Monday to Friday, my first week back at work. And then, editing and finalization for publication. Maybe we'll have a fire under this by the time I get back from TASH.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
And Now, Some Exciting News
For weeks, we've been silent about things that have been going on in private deals. And now, finally, one of the conversations has come about. Our Book Review!
To follow this up, we are also running a contest (in addition to what's on Tim's site).
If you comment on our Facebook page, you will get one entry per comment into ParaEducate's contest to win a free copy of our book. This includes all comments starting August 1, 2012 until August 31, 2012, midnight PST. On September 1, 2012, Megan or myself will let the winner know by FB message.
Questions:
Q: But wait, don't you have a Google + page too?
A: Yes, but we only have 3 people who 1+ our Google Page right now. So it's more of a contest on FB. Sorry.
Q: What are the rules?
A: Glad you asked. We're keeping them simple.
So the nitty gritty:
1) Comments only count here on our FB Page (not the FB group about the books).
2) August 1st through August 31st at midnight PST. (yes, you can back comment on older posts from this month!)
3) Megan or Renay will contact the winner via FB message. Thank you all for helping to support us. Good luck! (and in case you were wondering: Megan Gross and Renay H. Marquez don't get a chance to win...)
If you have more questions, go ahead and ask. Can't wait to hear from you all.
To follow this up, we are also running a contest (in addition to what's on Tim's site).
If you comment on our Facebook page, you will get one entry per comment into ParaEducate's contest to win a free copy of our book. This includes all comments starting August 1, 2012 until August 31, 2012, midnight PST. On September 1, 2012, Megan or myself will let the winner know by FB message.
Questions:
Q: But wait, don't you have a Google + page too?
A: Yes, but we only have 3 people who 1+ our Google Page right now. So it's more of a contest on FB. Sorry.
Q: What are the rules?
A: Glad you asked. We're keeping them simple.
So the nitty gritty:
1) Comments only count here on our FB Page (not the FB group about the books).
2) August 1st through August 31st at midnight PST. (yes, you can back comment on older posts from this month!)
3) Megan or Renay will contact the winner via FB message. Thank you all for helping to support us. Good luck! (and in case you were wondering: Megan Gross and Renay H. Marquez don't get a chance to win...)
If you have more questions, go ahead and ask. Can't wait to hear from you all.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
And in the name of progress
I think the solid base that is a good outline sometimes can be stifling. However, with an outline, one can send out calls for help from co-authors.
In addition, when I'm bored, I can go switch to another part of the project and start outlining.
So for Volume 2, so far I have started pictures, and gotten a handle on chapters that I hadn't started. I also have started Resources and References for the entire project so that's quite useful.
Volumes 3 and 4 both have outlines. More importantly, Volumes 3 and 4 also have my trademark unique chapter names. I've looked at them for Volume 2 but I haven't really had any luck being creative.
It's coming along. I suppose the panic that has been setting in is related to the fact that I will be going back to work in two weeks. Of course the progress would be better if I didn't keep taking naps.
In addition, when I'm bored, I can go switch to another part of the project and start outlining.
So for Volume 2, so far I have started pictures, and gotten a handle on chapters that I hadn't started. I also have started Resources and References for the entire project so that's quite useful.
Volumes 3 and 4 both have outlines. More importantly, Volumes 3 and 4 also have my trademark unique chapter names. I've looked at them for Volume 2 but I haven't really had any luck being creative.
It's coming along. I suppose the panic that has been setting in is related to the fact that I will be going back to work in two weeks. Of course the progress would be better if I didn't keep taking naps.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Project Alpha
I'm not sure if it is good that my to do list for Project Alpha fits on 3 standard sticky notes.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Some Announcements
We just confirmed the details, Megan and I will be presenting a workshop about inclusion teams at TASH this year in Long Beach. In addition to our presentation at TASH, Megan will be running a workshop with co-author, Jennifer Kurth. And if we're really lucky, Lisa Yamasaki will also be with us.
So look for us at TASH 11-29 to 12/1 in Long Beach. We may even talk about our upcoming Project Alpha. But I know Megan, she'll keep me on topic and we'll talk about what a team really looks like from the administrative end going to the students.
In addition: Megan is on a podcast, The Inclusive Class, on October 12, 6am PST. She'll be talking about our book and what people should know about the role of paraeducators. So the next few weeks are quite busy.
On the Project Alpha front: layout for the pages is in progress. And I go back to full time work starting on the 20th of this month and juggle all of this, support my co-founder, do the family thing, and anything else that gets thrown my way.
So look for us at TASH 11-29 to 12/1 in Long Beach. We may even talk about our upcoming Project Alpha. But I know Megan, she'll keep me on topic and we'll talk about what a team really looks like from the administrative end going to the students.
In addition: Megan is on a podcast, The Inclusive Class, on October 12, 6am PST. She'll be talking about our book and what people should know about the role of paraeducators. So the next few weeks are quite busy.
On the Project Alpha front: layout for the pages is in progress. And I go back to full time work starting on the 20th of this month and juggle all of this, support my co-founder, do the family thing, and anything else that gets thrown my way.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Technology, To Do Lists, and Time
Technology
So I thought I was ready to start merging some of the completed pages of the first segment of Project Alpha. Unlike ParaEducate, I had to manage multiple files in multiple programs. It turns out that my belief in managing multiple file types is false. Some of these programs don't appear to play nicely. Which is very infuriating. I just tried yesterday to merge two files through linking and I just watched one program basically violently projectile vomiting. I love computers. Just not these two programs right now. There is a Plan B. Which means things will take a little longer.
On the bright side, I got smart and started going through and making a list of images I needed to pull off the illustrations. While doing so, I discovered that I hadn't finished a few of the chapters. And then I hadn't started chapters I thought were completed. So guess what I'll be doing for the next two days?
To Do Lists
Which leads right into the problem at hand. To Do.
So much to do and so little time. I now have to convert all the data I have in one system into a second system. And still illustrate. And then finish the remaining chapters. I do have a chapter list which I'm tinkering with for volume 2.
I just realized I hadn't started the work on the United States History for my own use to pilot the work for Project Alpha Volume 3. But I do have a good idea how I want to lay this material out.
And yes, while my focus has been Volume 2, I have to pretend to actually start Volume 1 because that's how big this project really is.
But that's just related to Project Alpha. I'm staring at the To Do List that gathered mass this morning like nuclear fission. How do lists do this? I have five projects in the fire and only one me. I don't like this part of my creativity. I really don't. But so far, I managed to take out three of the most important ones since I came back from the post office two hours ago.
Time
Oh, mortal enemy. You cannot possibly mean to keep sliding away from me. I'm two weeks away from returning to my 10 month/year job. I'm designing a set with one hand as we speak and flipping through a history book to find things for Project Alpha and trying to figure out if I took enough information for the bibliography. And all that eating and sleeping that is necessary before my brain implodes.
I'm sending up the white flag. Project Alpha is going to need another year before release.
So I thought I was ready to start merging some of the completed pages of the first segment of Project Alpha. Unlike ParaEducate, I had to manage multiple files in multiple programs. It turns out that my belief in managing multiple file types is false. Some of these programs don't appear to play nicely. Which is very infuriating. I just tried yesterday to merge two files through linking and I just watched one program basically violently projectile vomiting. I love computers. Just not these two programs right now. There is a Plan B. Which means things will take a little longer.
On the bright side, I got smart and started going through and making a list of images I needed to pull off the illustrations. While doing so, I discovered that I hadn't finished a few of the chapters. And then I hadn't started chapters I thought were completed. So guess what I'll be doing for the next two days?
To Do Lists
Which leads right into the problem at hand. To Do.
So much to do and so little time. I now have to convert all the data I have in one system into a second system. And still illustrate. And then finish the remaining chapters. I do have a chapter list which I'm tinkering with for volume 2.
I just realized I hadn't started the work on the United States History for my own use to pilot the work for Project Alpha Volume 3. But I do have a good idea how I want to lay this material out.
And yes, while my focus has been Volume 2, I have to pretend to actually start Volume 1 because that's how big this project really is.
But that's just related to Project Alpha. I'm staring at the To Do List that gathered mass this morning like nuclear fission. How do lists do this? I have five projects in the fire and only one me. I don't like this part of my creativity. I really don't. But so far, I managed to take out three of the most important ones since I came back from the post office two hours ago.
Time
Oh, mortal enemy. You cannot possibly mean to keep sliding away from me. I'm two weeks away from returning to my 10 month/year job. I'm designing a set with one hand as we speak and flipping through a history book to find things for Project Alpha and trying to figure out if I took enough information for the bibliography. And all that eating and sleeping that is necessary before my brain implodes.
I'm sending up the white flag. Project Alpha is going to need another year before release.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Self-Published? Why did you bother writing?
There is a segment of the public that hears "self-published" and they get a little uneasy. They scratch their heads and shift trying to think of something polite to say. But let me talk about this for a little while.
Self-publishing means I'm 100% responsible. Nobody is between me and my goal of sharing with the general public the information or ideas. It also means I'm liable for the information I present. But I also like to look at the honest fact that it is my best work. I had to do all the extra leg work to make the book possible. Or in the last case: all of my co-authors and I had to do a lot of work to get us to our final place.
There is the risk that no one will want to buy my book. I have to do all the marketing and get people to really get into my work. But people have come. And they are picking up copies of my books.
I get to focus on what I like to do best: tell a story about the things that are already in my head. I don't have to wait for an agent or a publisher to tell me they like my work and have opened a spot for me. I never have to worry about an agent or publisher leaning back in their chair and asking me "I wonder what would happen if you took your story this way?" or "What would the market look like if we changed this focus group to this group?" Those are questions I have seen that would have diminished the focus of the issues at hand, especially when it came to ParaEducate.
Self-publishing has changed the landscape of the written word. I may not know how much longer printed books may be around, but I want my work to be one of those millions of little pebbles out there in the world. It was only a few hundred years ago that written records were lofted as important keepsakes. But it was the written record that forced evidence that change needed to happen for many civilizations. I don't claim that anything I've written is that riveting, however, I am giving my written work a chance to be valued for someone else to consider. And when that does happen: I've done my job as an author.
Self-publishing means I'm 100% responsible. Nobody is between me and my goal of sharing with the general public the information or ideas. It also means I'm liable for the information I present. But I also like to look at the honest fact that it is my best work. I had to do all the extra leg work to make the book possible. Or in the last case: all of my co-authors and I had to do a lot of work to get us to our final place.
There is the risk that no one will want to buy my book. I have to do all the marketing and get people to really get into my work. But people have come. And they are picking up copies of my books.
I get to focus on what I like to do best: tell a story about the things that are already in my head. I don't have to wait for an agent or a publisher to tell me they like my work and have opened a spot for me. I never have to worry about an agent or publisher leaning back in their chair and asking me "I wonder what would happen if you took your story this way?" or "What would the market look like if we changed this focus group to this group?" Those are questions I have seen that would have diminished the focus of the issues at hand, especially when it came to ParaEducate.
Self-publishing has changed the landscape of the written word. I may not know how much longer printed books may be around, but I want my work to be one of those millions of little pebbles out there in the world. It was only a few hundred years ago that written records were lofted as important keepsakes. But it was the written record that forced evidence that change needed to happen for many civilizations. I don't claim that anything I've written is that riveting, however, I am giving my written work a chance to be valued for someone else to consider. And when that does happen: I've done my job as an author.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Writers and Trains
It sounds so terribly romantic, a writer sitting on a train, heading across, sitting back with a pad of paper or a laptop, looking out on a landscape changing by the minute as the writer ponders a variety of topics, possibly scribbling one or two really great concrete ideas.
However, that isn't why I prefer to travel by train. It turns out, with few exceptions and a little extra time: train travel for me has been cheaper than flying. It has also allowed me to see parts of the country I might never have seen. In the Central California Valley where most of my travel happens, I get a barometer of what crops are being grown that year, I know which orchards are changing their practices, and which farms have new colts.
I get views of the California aqueduct. Life on the train is different. There is a serenity that gives the writer that time to contemplate, even on a deadline. For the first time in 3 years, I will be heading into LA on the train with some work, but no major deadline. It will be nice for a change. And maybe, just maybe, my short stories will get the recharge they need.
However, that isn't why I prefer to travel by train. It turns out, with few exceptions and a little extra time: train travel for me has been cheaper than flying. It has also allowed me to see parts of the country I might never have seen. In the Central California Valley where most of my travel happens, I get a barometer of what crops are being grown that year, I know which orchards are changing their practices, and which farms have new colts.
I get views of the California aqueduct. Life on the train is different. There is a serenity that gives the writer that time to contemplate, even on a deadline. For the first time in 3 years, I will be heading into LA on the train with some work, but no major deadline. It will be nice for a change. And maybe, just maybe, my short stories will get the recharge they need.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Methods and Madness
One of the things that I had to do with ParaEducate, I had to step out of my comfort zone. I was telling an audience what I believed directly instead of leading them through the eyes of someone else. But that reminds me as I return to fiction this summer, what I needed to focus on.
Characters and dialogue are the backbone of my writing techniques. Most of my stories at least start out in rough draft with a piece of conversation. And I can have the two or three characters banter around for hours before I really look at the characters.
It is probably then I reflect on who the character really is. I have a list of character traits I've used since high school. I look into every piece of the character's life trying to find a way to bring the character from just someone sitting across from someone. A few years ago, I used a song playlist to describe sections of the story I was writing as if I was trying to score a movie to great success.
One would imagine that after 20 years of writing fiction, that characters would just come naturally. The ideas of the life I have in mind for a character would bubble to the surface. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.It is very easy, amazingly, to write characters that break the mold. Characters that want to defy the status quo always stand out and their decisions to situations are simple in my world. Characters who need to stay within the laws of society, whether good ideas or bad ideas are the ones that have most recently attracted me. The character who finds that a bad decision is going to have the best outcome brings an acrid taste to their mouth but they make that decision anyway because life is about making that choice and knowing that in the end, everything else is irrelevant. Making choices moves life. It makes the character human, real, stronger.
It's always the growth of the writer that surprises me. I hope my characters help to make me a better person.
Characters and dialogue are the backbone of my writing techniques. Most of my stories at least start out in rough draft with a piece of conversation. And I can have the two or three characters banter around for hours before I really look at the characters.
It is probably then I reflect on who the character really is. I have a list of character traits I've used since high school. I look into every piece of the character's life trying to find a way to bring the character from just someone sitting across from someone. A few years ago, I used a song playlist to describe sections of the story I was writing as if I was trying to score a movie to great success.
One would imagine that after 20 years of writing fiction, that characters would just come naturally. The ideas of the life I have in mind for a character would bubble to the surface. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.It is very easy, amazingly, to write characters that break the mold. Characters that want to defy the status quo always stand out and their decisions to situations are simple in my world. Characters who need to stay within the laws of society, whether good ideas or bad ideas are the ones that have most recently attracted me. The character who finds that a bad decision is going to have the best outcome brings an acrid taste to their mouth but they make that decision anyway because life is about making that choice and knowing that in the end, everything else is irrelevant. Making choices moves life. It makes the character human, real, stronger.
It's always the growth of the writer that surprises me. I hope my characters help to make me a better person.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
One Year Ago
I will wax poetic here.
It's been one year since I handed over a draft to start my first collaborative writing effort. The end result is ParaEducate, available at Amazon, Amazon.co.uk, and Kindle formats.
And by our first meeting and after 5 hours of work, we had made 50% progress to our first draft. By November, we had a physical first draft. By December we had finished up all major edits and January we had spent most of doing graphics. Feburary was fine tuning, marketing, getting our company established, and on February 29, 2012, we were live just in time as we walked into our first conference.
And now, we've done a total of 2 speaking venues as a company, we've been accepted to the national stage to speak for the first time to a wider audience. Our book has sold the first copies. We've been reviewed as authors.
And I'm preparing several new projects as an author.
I sit back and have to let out a deep breath. It's been like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and we've not even reached the height of where we want to go.
Life will lead if you are unprepared. But I know this, I have never been more honored as an author to have written with Megan, Jenny, and Lisa. I cannot wait until our next project is ready to be shared.
It's been one year since I handed over a draft to start my first collaborative writing effort. The end result is ParaEducate, available at Amazon, Amazon.co.uk, and Kindle formats.
And by our first meeting and after 5 hours of work, we had made 50% progress to our first draft. By November, we had a physical first draft. By December we had finished up all major edits and January we had spent most of doing graphics. Feburary was fine tuning, marketing, getting our company established, and on February 29, 2012, we were live just in time as we walked into our first conference.
And now, we've done a total of 2 speaking venues as a company, we've been accepted to the national stage to speak for the first time to a wider audience. Our book has sold the first copies. We've been reviewed as authors.
And I'm preparing several new projects as an author.
I sit back and have to let out a deep breath. It's been like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and we've not even reached the height of where we want to go.
Life will lead if you are unprepared. But I know this, I have never been more honored as an author to have written with Megan, Jenny, and Lisa. I cannot wait until our next project is ready to be shared.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Look Out Long Beach!
Co-authors Jennifer Kurth, Megan Gross, and I will all be speaking at TASH, Long Beach 2012.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Strangely Qualified But This Is Much Harder Than I'm Used To
To be honest, writing work for students with disabilities is a lot harder than one might imagine. Especially with trying to generate content that is original. And then you realize, that Project Alpha is completely about non-fiction works of places I've never been.
So, my readers will be getting realistic looking villages, cathedrals, minerets all drawn by me in whatever illustration program I have at my finger tips. Probably Form Z because I'm that sort of precise. One would imagine my background would pay off here.
But it's the location of the information that is the hard part. I'm 900 miles away from my preferred library with all of this information archived. My hand is proving untrained as I approach black and white drawings.
Of all the things I've done for Project Alpha, this is the one thing I'm the most qualified to do. I've spent years studying ancient architecture, most of my formative years in college were about all the developments to just past the Renaissance in architecture. And architecture at that time was the kingpin in all things cultural, religious, and social. Martin Luther did not tack his 95 theses to a random tree. He tacked them to the church door. Roman aqueducts still are in use in Europe. What is built and what is not built before the era of Exploration is key in the way that we view our world today.
I'm also troubled by the precision that exists of the types of materials I have had in the past. Normally, if I were doing this work at work, I'd Google up some images and paste them into my file and print like mad. There you go. That's it. And I would hope that at least hundreds of the best teachers were doing that at least for their students. But it's time to move away from this time consuming project. Project Alpha wants to stop that part. Not because it's time consuming, but because case managers and teachers have better things to do with their time. And the information has got to be correct because I have met all too many well intentioned staffers being too vague when they need to be specific or making the information up. (This is not to say the time I offered a student two answers to the question, "What was the Gettysburg Address for?" A. President Lincoln to summon the zombies at the Gettysburg field to rise up and fight for the South, B. President Lincoln's attempt to write about the loss of life at Gettysburg and why the North must continue to fight the Civil War and my student chose 'A' because she heard the word "zombie" and that HAD to be the right answer.)
Except right now, I'm drawing a Roman Army. I wonder if the students will notice that they're stick figures because there are a TON of these pesky little soldiers waiting to 'die' for their Emperor.
So Project Alpha has history, science, we're open to discussions of covering specific health topics. We are also working on a lit circle book for students. The first phase of Project Alpha even includes information about Adaptations and Modifications, a How to and why to. Project Alpha will have multiple levels to access the same information. There's a lot of work being done to make this worth while. It currently does look like it may just be more than 3 books worth of material here.
But I've got to get back to my illustrations. Maybe I'll take a break from Rome and work on some armor for knights or work on the towers of an Western African Mosque.
So, my readers will be getting realistic looking villages, cathedrals, minerets all drawn by me in whatever illustration program I have at my finger tips. Probably Form Z because I'm that sort of precise. One would imagine my background would pay off here.
But it's the location of the information that is the hard part. I'm 900 miles away from my preferred library with all of this information archived. My hand is proving untrained as I approach black and white drawings.
Of all the things I've done for Project Alpha, this is the one thing I'm the most qualified to do. I've spent years studying ancient architecture, most of my formative years in college were about all the developments to just past the Renaissance in architecture. And architecture at that time was the kingpin in all things cultural, religious, and social. Martin Luther did not tack his 95 theses to a random tree. He tacked them to the church door. Roman aqueducts still are in use in Europe. What is built and what is not built before the era of Exploration is key in the way that we view our world today.
I'm also troubled by the precision that exists of the types of materials I have had in the past. Normally, if I were doing this work at work, I'd Google up some images and paste them into my file and print like mad. There you go. That's it. And I would hope that at least hundreds of the best teachers were doing that at least for their students. But it's time to move away from this time consuming project. Project Alpha wants to stop that part. Not because it's time consuming, but because case managers and teachers have better things to do with their time. And the information has got to be correct because I have met all too many well intentioned staffers being too vague when they need to be specific or making the information up. (This is not to say the time I offered a student two answers to the question, "What was the Gettysburg Address for?" A. President Lincoln to summon the zombies at the Gettysburg field to rise up and fight for the South, B. President Lincoln's attempt to write about the loss of life at Gettysburg and why the North must continue to fight the Civil War and my student chose 'A' because she heard the word "zombie" and that HAD to be the right answer.)
Except right now, I'm drawing a Roman Army. I wonder if the students will notice that they're stick figures because there are a TON of these pesky little soldiers waiting to 'die' for their Emperor.
So Project Alpha has history, science, we're open to discussions of covering specific health topics. We are also working on a lit circle book for students. The first phase of Project Alpha even includes information about Adaptations and Modifications, a How to and why to. Project Alpha will have multiple levels to access the same information. There's a lot of work being done to make this worth while. It currently does look like it may just be more than 3 books worth of material here.
But I've got to get back to my illustrations. Maybe I'll take a break from Rome and work on some armor for knights or work on the towers of an Western African Mosque.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Project Alpha
So I would name all my current writing projects but that would get silly. At any one time I probably am honestly thinking about 20-30 plot lines, some even within the universes I create and then the plot lines I'm teaching my students to follow and trying to keep my fiction ideas separate from my non fiction ideas.
Crazy right?
So here's the deal: because I sincerely believe I will be doing more work related to special education, I'll label these projects. I think my short stories, especially the many that will remain incomplete are always mine and soley mine. The way someone might call a child 'mine'. Nobody else will get to deal with those characters the way i have through the lives that they choose to share with me.
But my special education topics, I need to get out to the world to hopefully make it easier for future people to have access to the materials and ideas. There are a million blogs about special education but not one of them are soley dedicated to making sure that the ideas are available.
Am I losing sight as an author? No.. My writing will be directed here. I will still talk about my writing process. I will still be dealing with the amusement of having worked for hours on a paragraph when I could have worked on any number of other things.
So Project Alpha has just completed Phase 1. Phase 2: adding illustrations. And due to this wonderful degree I have in architecture, students will see my hand drawings instead of illegally copied images from the internet. Unless the images are public domain...
The future of Project Alpha starts now.
Crazy right?
So here's the deal: because I sincerely believe I will be doing more work related to special education, I'll label these projects. I think my short stories, especially the many that will remain incomplete are always mine and soley mine. The way someone might call a child 'mine'. Nobody else will get to deal with those characters the way i have through the lives that they choose to share with me.
But my special education topics, I need to get out to the world to hopefully make it easier for future people to have access to the materials and ideas. There are a million blogs about special education but not one of them are soley dedicated to making sure that the ideas are available.
Am I losing sight as an author? No.. My writing will be directed here. I will still talk about my writing process. I will still be dealing with the amusement of having worked for hours on a paragraph when I could have worked on any number of other things.
So Project Alpha has just completed Phase 1. Phase 2: adding illustrations. And due to this wonderful degree I have in architecture, students will see my hand drawings instead of illegally copied images from the internet. Unless the images are public domain...
The future of Project Alpha starts now.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
What's the story with...
Some questions that have been brought to my attention here to amuse you.
1)Q: Have you ever seen "Fresh Produce" thrown around the Produce aisle at your grocery store?
A: Yes I have. I just find that so odd. What other type of produce would it be? "The rotten produce?" I'm not so sure I'd buy that.
2) Q: Which book that you've published to date is your favorite?
A: I'm going to have to say The Exploit Journey tied with ParaEducate.
3) Q: I can't find The Exploit Journey. Where can I find it?
A: I published The Exploit Journey when I was in (wait for it) the 6th grade. It's actually my first written piece I won an award for. It's not mass published. Probably never will be. I'm the most proud of it. It is written very much like a 6th grader should write, so I can also look at this book and see how much I've changed as an author.
4) Q: So looking at Putting It On The Line and Small Voices: Dellusions, Discourses, and Discovories, why are all your books so different?
A: Because I'm so different. I started writing Putting It On the Line when I was 14. The original draft is on a 5.25 inch floppy. I don't even think I have anything that can get into that file anymore sadly. I know I do have a hard copy of that original manuscript (Times font, 10 point, around 40 pages). It took me all of about 5 hours to generate one winter break day. I have more to Putting It On the Line than what I published. I have this whole two year journey with Jessie as an adult. I decided not to make it into the final draft because it seemed to diminish Jessie's abilities as an adult.
Small Voices: Dellusions, Discourses, and Discoveries is really about the honesty one has to take with mental disabilities. The honesty with themselves. The nearly nameless character shares her thoughts with you and knows her life is spiralling out of her control, but won't make that final move until she's ready to share it with the world. The ending is something I've actually done, spoken about some of my disabilities to my students. That was harder that day than it should have been. It raises awareness very simply in the methods that disabilities aren't just lables and aren't just things that can be swept away. A disability must be lived with. And any means of coping are important to the person who has the disability (-ies).
5) Q: What's you're next project?
A: My business partner is returning to full time work in addition to the full time parenting job she has of her 2 year old, and I'm living in the world of part time work, so it's going to take a lot more time to get our next book out. Let's take a look at my To Do list here:
A: I think I show a lot of character by the work I generate. Fiction, I have 3 things going. I think, however, I may release a collection of short stories first. That may be sooner than I expect we'll see.
7) Q: You're so busy. How do you find the time?
A: I'm not sure. I'll answer that when I know myself.
If you have questions, feel free to ask. I'll get out to them as soon as possible.
1)Q: Have you ever seen "Fresh Produce" thrown around the Produce aisle at your grocery store?
A: Yes I have. I just find that so odd. What other type of produce would it be? "The rotten produce?" I'm not so sure I'd buy that.
2) Q: Which book that you've published to date is your favorite?
A: I'm going to have to say The Exploit Journey tied with ParaEducate.
3) Q: I can't find The Exploit Journey. Where can I find it?
A: I published The Exploit Journey when I was in (wait for it) the 6th grade. It's actually my first written piece I won an award for. It's not mass published. Probably never will be. I'm the most proud of it. It is written very much like a 6th grader should write, so I can also look at this book and see how much I've changed as an author.
4) Q: So looking at Putting It On The Line and Small Voices: Dellusions, Discourses, and Discovories, why are all your books so different?
A: Because I'm so different. I started writing Putting It On the Line when I was 14. The original draft is on a 5.25 inch floppy. I don't even think I have anything that can get into that file anymore sadly. I know I do have a hard copy of that original manuscript (Times font, 10 point, around 40 pages). It took me all of about 5 hours to generate one winter break day. I have more to Putting It On the Line than what I published. I have this whole two year journey with Jessie as an adult. I decided not to make it into the final draft because it seemed to diminish Jessie's abilities as an adult.
Small Voices: Dellusions, Discourses, and Discoveries is really about the honesty one has to take with mental disabilities. The honesty with themselves. The nearly nameless character shares her thoughts with you and knows her life is spiralling out of her control, but won't make that final move until she's ready to share it with the world. The ending is something I've actually done, spoken about some of my disabilities to my students. That was harder that day than it should have been. It raises awareness very simply in the methods that disabilities aren't just lables and aren't just things that can be swept away. A disability must be lived with. And any means of coping are important to the person who has the disability (-ies).
5) Q: What's you're next project?
A: My business partner is returning to full time work in addition to the full time parenting job she has of her 2 year old, and I'm living in the world of part time work, so it's going to take a lot more time to get our next book out. Let's take a look at my To Do list here:
- I'm currently creating a series of books to be use with students with disabilities and getting outlines ready for implementatin of these books.
- I'm also working on marketing ParaEducate to specific districts.
- I'm working on the outline for a book to general education teachers and special education teachers about adapted materials
- I'm preparing an outline for a book to adminstrators about Special Education
- Generateing blacklines for a project that may be published soon.
A: I think I show a lot of character by the work I generate. Fiction, I have 3 things going. I think, however, I may release a collection of short stories first. That may be sooner than I expect we'll see.
7) Q: You're so busy. How do you find the time?
A: I'm not sure. I'll answer that when I know myself.
If you have questions, feel free to ask. I'll get out to them as soon as possible.
Monday, May 14, 2012
What Was Behind ParaEducate?
So my latest book, is ParaEducate. Previously, I've stuck to fictional works. Both Small Voices: Delusions, Discourses, and Discoveries and Putting It On The Line were all fictional. I've published some other short stories, but the point is, I like writing my imagination. Characters come to life. I want my readers to care about who I've created in my own head.
But ParaEducate isn't any of that.
First, my day job: I'm a Paraeducator. Purely by job description on my campus, this means I walk around helping students with moderate to severe disabilities. I have a functional knowledge of what to generally expect in every class with a student and how to best get that student to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject at hand. I also represent 1 of roughly 300,000 paraeducators across the country. Eight hours a day, I see students with autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and assorted behaviors. And they bring that with them into the classroom and some days are more successful than others.
As a whole: paraeducators are tended to be "dumped" on: expected to demonstrate more knowledge than they are capable of with the least amount of resources and training. There are many, many, many, wonderful paraeducators out there. But there is also very high turn over. In my eight years of working full time, there is one person who is still with me at the same campus who started off with me eight years ago. Of the 16 paraeducators on my campus, there were 10 new people this year all of whom have had less than 2 years of full time experience, let alone experience with grades 7, 8, and 9.
I was fortunate, I got to work with Jenny, Megan, and Lisa through my 8 years of being at the same school district and then we all collaborated and created this book. This book covers all the things a paraeducator should be told and a few other things that usually aren't told. Even if you've been at the job for years, it's always hard to remember where you might have first heard something about a specific disability or even about a method that is a part of best practices. Megan did an insane amount of research and helped complete the significant parts that I did not have formal education. (If you've seen, I studied architecture, and I've never regretted one moment of that decision).
ParaEducate is most definitely one of those books that defines a career. And even if you're not going to be a paraeducator for your entire life, you deserve to be given appropriate tools to help you learn to navigate what could be one of the hardest jobs you have the pleasure of ever doing.
If you haven't picked up a copy, take a gander at the sample online. You might see something that sparks your interest. If you have more questions, feel free to leave a comment here I will get back to you.
But ParaEducate isn't any of that.
First, my day job: I'm a Paraeducator. Purely by job description on my campus, this means I walk around helping students with moderate to severe disabilities. I have a functional knowledge of what to generally expect in every class with a student and how to best get that student to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject at hand. I also represent 1 of roughly 300,000 paraeducators across the country. Eight hours a day, I see students with autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and assorted behaviors. And they bring that with them into the classroom and some days are more successful than others.
As a whole: paraeducators are tended to be "dumped" on: expected to demonstrate more knowledge than they are capable of with the least amount of resources and training. There are many, many, many, wonderful paraeducators out there. But there is also very high turn over. In my eight years of working full time, there is one person who is still with me at the same campus who started off with me eight years ago. Of the 16 paraeducators on my campus, there were 10 new people this year all of whom have had less than 2 years of full time experience, let alone experience with grades 7, 8, and 9.
I was fortunate, I got to work with Jenny, Megan, and Lisa through my 8 years of being at the same school district and then we all collaborated and created this book. This book covers all the things a paraeducator should be told and a few other things that usually aren't told. Even if you've been at the job for years, it's always hard to remember where you might have first heard something about a specific disability or even about a method that is a part of best practices. Megan did an insane amount of research and helped complete the significant parts that I did not have formal education. (If you've seen, I studied architecture, and I've never regretted one moment of that decision).
ParaEducate is most definitely one of those books that defines a career. And even if you're not going to be a paraeducator for your entire life, you deserve to be given appropriate tools to help you learn to navigate what could be one of the hardest jobs you have the pleasure of ever doing.
If you haven't picked up a copy, take a gander at the sample online. You might see something that sparks your interest. If you have more questions, feel free to leave a comment here I will get back to you.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
For my fans
This isn't my first blog. I have a few others. Actually, one was even dedicated to my writing, and it's still up, and I have no intention of taking it down. But this blog here, this is a whole new ball game.
I've just ventured into serious business most recently. And while the business involves the new book I helped co-author and subsequent books around the topic of special education, I haven't really had a venue for talking about these topics as clearly as I'd like to.
So, like any good writer, what do I do? I write yet another blog.
A little about me.
First of all, I'm a private person. Which may be shocking because I tweet, use Facebook, run two blogs with 4 different blog communities, and a few other medium to keep track of everything and everyone I really care about. But I think it develops me as a writer to know that there are times when I can completely turn all of that noise off and just be me.
I don't think I'm going to be famous really by being an author. But I write what I care about which is probably more reflective of who I am.
I blog, I play video games, I go to work in special education by day, dabble in graphic design on the side, and to date, I've published 3 books. One of the 3 I have been working on since I was 14. I published 2/3rds of the original manuscript I wrote as a "thing" for my 30th birthday, it's Putting It On The Line.
I have a fairly technical mind. I'm often accused of tightening bolts before there are even screws in place.
I spent the better part of my adolescence sweeping up dirt and sawdust on the technical side of theater. I studied architecture and intended to build schools for kids to learn in.
I fritter away time watching network television.
I've spent 6 years doing NaNoWriMo and completed it every year no matter how many distractions have been my direction.
I consider myself a person with deep loyalty. I am also given to a very sneaky side which benefits my friends when they want to pull off a surprise for someone else.
Fair warning, I do have liberal political leanings with an emotionally conservative background. I view the need for culture before I need my own religious reconciliations. My country isn't perfect, but then again, no one's is and I'm grateful mine is generally better than most.
There are other parts of my life that make me up, but these are the ones that matter most.
I fully intend this blog to be about my written work, my writing process, and stories related to the process of publishing the different types of materials I create.
I've just ventured into serious business most recently. And while the business involves the new book I helped co-author and subsequent books around the topic of special education, I haven't really had a venue for talking about these topics as clearly as I'd like to.
So, like any good writer, what do I do? I write yet another blog.
A little about me.
First of all, I'm a private person. Which may be shocking because I tweet, use Facebook, run two blogs with 4 different blog communities, and a few other medium to keep track of everything and everyone I really care about. But I think it develops me as a writer to know that there are times when I can completely turn all of that noise off and just be me.
I don't think I'm going to be famous really by being an author. But I write what I care about which is probably more reflective of who I am.
I blog, I play video games, I go to work in special education by day, dabble in graphic design on the side, and to date, I've published 3 books. One of the 3 I have been working on since I was 14. I published 2/3rds of the original manuscript I wrote as a "thing" for my 30th birthday, it's Putting It On The Line.
I have a fairly technical mind. I'm often accused of tightening bolts before there are even screws in place.
I spent the better part of my adolescence sweeping up dirt and sawdust on the technical side of theater. I studied architecture and intended to build schools for kids to learn in.
I fritter away time watching network television.
I've spent 6 years doing NaNoWriMo and completed it every year no matter how many distractions have been my direction.
I consider myself a person with deep loyalty. I am also given to a very sneaky side which benefits my friends when they want to pull off a surprise for someone else.
Fair warning, I do have liberal political leanings with an emotionally conservative background. I view the need for culture before I need my own religious reconciliations. My country isn't perfect, but then again, no one's is and I'm grateful mine is generally better than most.
There are other parts of my life that make me up, but these are the ones that matter most.
I fully intend this blog to be about my written work, my writing process, and stories related to the process of publishing the different types of materials I create.
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