Jun28

Make your next book signing even better

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Greetings Summery Syllable Slingers!

A book signing expert I am not, but I’m learning. So, today, I’m passing along these practical tips for you to peruse. Please be sure to pass along your even wowier wisdom too!

SENSIBLE SIGNING STARTERS

Before you put “crayon” to cover page, write the child’s name on a sticky note (or ask the child or their adult to do it). DO NOT assume Katie is spelled K-a-t-i-e. It may be Kaytee, K.D. or Caytey. (You get the idea. Right, Quaydey?)

Botch an autograph beyond repair? Bring along a package of self-adhesive bookplates to hide the mishap.

Come up with a succinct, clever, one-size-fits-all line you can use with your signature. You do not want to conjure up a unique message every time. Here’s what I use for THE BIG BOOK OF BARF: “May your collywobbles be few!” (Don’t know what collywobbles are, well, the reader can look it up in the book!)

Pick the best pen. I recommend Milwaukee INKZALL black fine point marker. You can find them at hardware and home improvement stores. The ink glides across the page. Dries in a zippity. Zero smudging. Be sure to bring extras of whatever brand you choose.

Bring bookmarks to sign if a child wants your autograph but can’t get the book.

Plan “something” for easy, nearly immediate engagement. As a takeaway, I have funny looking barf bags to color. At some events, I even bring little boxes of crayons so kids can color while parents shop (with parental permission, of course). The front of the bag has a kitty with a concerned look on his face, and the other side shows him barfing up stars and hearts, you know, the usual barf ingredients. To engage a child, I ask how they think the cat is feeling. Instant chat starter.

POP QUIZ!

An adult and a kid approach your signing table. Who do you talk to first?

Always attempt to engage with the child first. They are your audience, right? At a recent signing, the grown-up who brought the child happened to work for the local school system. She was so impressed with the way the child and I interacted, she asked for my card for a future school event. How about that?

PRACTICAL PREP

Make sure you’re covered. Even if your host says they’ll have a table ready with a cover, bring your own tablecloth. If they come through great, and if not, you’re ready with your backup.

Pack a “Hey that’s personal!” bag –

Hand sanitizer

Moist wipes

Cough drops

Mints

Bottles of water

Tidy up kit that’s easy to take to the bathroom with you. Tuck in a comb, lip balm, nail file, eye drops, toothbrush and paste.

Tissues

Healthy, quick to crunch snacks

Pain reliever

Bandages

Umbrella

Bring your business card and have it out on your table. You may meet a librarian, teacher or PTO organizer who’d like to get in touch with you later.

Keep a list of what you brought with you, e.g., number of books, tablecloth, framed poster, etc. Then, even in your stuperous post-signing state, you can easily check your list and pat yourself on the back before you leave the host site.

Put your name on everything you bring with you. Did I bring this? Does it belong to the store? A customer? A wandering band of bookstore bandicoots?

Let the venue or event organizer do the heavy lifting when it comes to books. Of course, I’m not just referring to lugging boxes! I mean, if possible, avoid being responsible for providing books. If you are, talk with your publisher’s customer service department about how they’d want you to arrange it.

BOOKSHOP RELATIONS

Ask host about how sales work for them – For example, can you sign a book before the customer brings it to the checkout or does the customer need a receipt in hand before you can sign?

Offer to sign leftover books (if you’re in a bookstore obviously). The bookstore will appreciate it. And, bonus for you, signed books can’t be returned to the supplier!

During lulls, if the bookshop owner has time, ask about most requested books and upcoming book-related events.

BIGGEST & BEST THOUGHT thanks to children’s author Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw

At an event this summer, I got to share the space with the wise and wonderful Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw. (Our first chance to meet!) Suzanne shared (and I’m paraphrasing) that you never know what a turnout will be like—you could have a line of excited signature seekers (not so common) or looooong lulls (not so un-common). Regardless, Suzanne reminds herself that there’s always a “moment” (a memorable conversation, a connection, an invitation) that makes showing up worthwhile. So, she looks for the moment every time and she’s never disappointed. So smart!

Bonus suggestion:

Once your “gig” is over, give yourself a gift of time to unwind. Before you head home, explore the town or library you’re in.

In my own book-signings, I find humility. It’s always humbling when people go out of their way to come visit with me and buy some of my books. ~  Nicholas Trandahl

Apr14

Simple Tips to Refresh Your Writing Space This Spring

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Confession: I am not a spring cleaner.

Clarification: Nor am I a summer, fall or winter cleaner. I’m more what I’d describe as a “make things less dirty as needed” cleaner. And I’m okay with that. I find myself most motivated to do “real” cleaning when we’re having company OR if I’m working on a writing project. That’s when I become inexplicably drawn to cleaning out the refrigerator or scrubbing the bathtub. Go figure.

Split view of a cluttered messy desk filled with papers and electronics on the left and a clean organized desk with plants and computer on the right
Your space can go from schlumpy to serene. Let your creativity thrive!

My adorable dust bunnies, consider these simple tips to put some spring back in your writing space:

  • Set a new schedule. It stays light later, so maybe now is a good time to shift to writing after dinner or in the cool of the early evening outdoors.
  • Rearrange your desk. Take everything off (the desk, silly, not yourself!) and start anew. Dust, dust, dust. Lemony fresh!
  • Now that you have a clean space — maybe invest in some pretty new folders or notepads or pens. Refill your treat drawer. Add a cushier cushion to your chair.
  • Post a new inspirational quote. Why not put it in a cute frame too?
  • While you’re at it, clear your virtual desktop too. Create folders and makes sense.
  • Wash the window in your office (or wherever your writing space may be). You don’t need to go crazy and wash ALL your windows. Throw up the sash. Let spring inside.
  • Add a fresh scent to your office with essential oils or air freshener.
  • Clear away mental cobwebs with a brisk walk or bike ride.
  • Register for a new-to-you writing workshop, seminar, class or retreat.
  • Interview your current projects. Does “someone” need to be let go? Is there a story that deserves a promotion?
  • Do something to encourage a fellow writer. Send them a text or email or card. Ask them to go to the aforementioned workshop with you. Find out if they’d like another set of eyes on their work in progress.
  • Update your professional expenses log now before it’s late fall and becomes a much bigger chore.

My theory on housework is, if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you? ~ Erma Bombeck

Jan15

From Ideas to Action: Your Writing Revival Checklist

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Semper deinceps! (SEM-purr dee-IN-keps) That’s Latin for “Ever forward.” It means you continuously strive for progress. You experience growth through consistent effort. But what if instead of “semper deinceps,” you/I feel more like “whimper deinceps”? If you/I want to stomp away from stagnation to gain ground, it will require a smidge of strategy. (Not to worry. It’s simple. Sorta.)

Let’s hatch a plan

It helps to have something to look forward to, so let’s whip up a plan. It doesn’t need to be fancy-schmancy, but the more curlicues (as in details) you can add, the more “ever forward” you’re going to feel.

You’re making a list & checking it thrice

How about this? On your phone, or better yet, using a pen and a piece of actual paper (because you know what’ll happen if you pick up that phone), make a list of three things. (You know how writers like things in threes.)

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Fair enough, my little shiny yellow No. 2 pencils, I’ll start:

  1. “Audit” my old writing files in search of stories worthy of resuscitation.
  2. Go on a weekend-long spring writing retreat with friends for feedback on my revived stories.
  3. Spend three Saturdays in a row at my favorite branch of my local library with my most beloved, yet most neglected writing project. (I don’t know how they feel, but I miss my characters!)

No longer feeling list-less

Looking at my list, I must say, I already feel less schlumpy. The idea of sifting through my old stuff sounds fun. For one thing, it will (gosh, I sure hope) prove to me that I’ve made progress. And for another, who knows what germs of ideas or gems of inspiration may be tucked in there? Spending time with writer friends is always good for the soul and encourages accountability. And devoting time to a novel that is nearest to my heart will feel like a family reunion (and I won’t have to bring potato salad!)

To be fair, jotting down a list isn’t technically progress. BUT devising a detailed plan to move “ever forward” is a start. In the coming days, I will embellish my list with curlicues like adding specific names, blocking calendar dates and collecting files. Dare I admit it? I feel some semper simmering!

Did you make a new plan, Stan?

How about you, my little fountain pen of creativity? Care to share what’s on your list? I’d love to see it and cheer you on. Together, we WILL move ever forward. Semper deinceps!

You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence. ~  Octavia E. Butler

Dec24

Frog on a Dime Turns Thirteen

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Illustration by Matt Faulkner

My little bumper shoots of joy, it feels far-fetched imagining our little froggy friend is now a teenager. (Although, you’ll note, he still fits neatly on a dime!)

In celebration of my blog’s 13th anniversary, I wish to wish you 13 wishes. (And that’s not just wishful thinking. Although, thinking about wishes is filled with wishes. I’m sliding off track again, aren’t I?)

Let’s dive in!

Wish 1: I wish you a “Now Day.” That’s 24-hours of existing in the present. No regrets or frets about the past. No worries or woes about the future. Nothing but appreciating the present.

Wish 2: I wish you an avalanche of gratitude. May you be overcome by the thought of all the good things (and people) in your life.

Wish 3: I wish you a day with no mirrors. (No side eye glances either!) Be blissfully thoughtless about your outsides (despite their obvious charms!)

Wish 4: I wish you a new friend — yourself. Lavish the kindness, compassion, encouragement, and thoughtfulness on yourself equal to what you generously bestow on your favorite people.

Wish 5: I wish you bravery. Write that query letter. Enter that contest. Go to that event. Ask that question.

Wish 6: I wish you patience with your progress. There are typically a lot more days spent in the process and progress phase than there are the shiny new success days. Be patient and appreciate how far you’ve come.

Wish 7: I wish you a playful heart. Being silly, spontaneous, goofy, uninhibited, whimsical, and free-spirited is energizing. Let your inner child take the lead and welcome the joy.

Wish 8: I wish you a lane change. Use that blinker and get on over. Try reading or writing in a new genre, a new workshop on a topic you’ve never explored, a novel way of drawing, or a different way to build a poem.

Wish 9: I wish you a day of liberty – no cell phone, no social media, no computer, no Google, no scrolling, no online shopping, no TV, no 24-hour news cycle, no outside noise.

Wish 10: I wish you time to treat yourself. There’s that book shop you’ve driven by a dozen times, but never stopped, treat yourself and go on in. Whatever you consider a treat–a nap, a long walk, a lunch with a dear friend–g’head!

Wish 11: I wish you deep, restorative sleep, and dreams that ignite your creativity with ideas you really do recall when you wake.

Wish 12: I wish you discovery — a new author, a new writing technique, a new plant or animal, a new color, a new place to explore, a new song that makes your heart soar, a new recipe (especially if it’s a dessert), a new way of looking at an old problem.

Wish 13: I wish you a day to start “The Thing.” Whatever that Thing is–getting back to an old novel, learning a new technology, reorganizing your desk or files, outlining a new book–go ahead, and at long last, take that first step (or hop, skip or jump).

Don’t underestimate the power of consistent progress. Small things become big things. ~  Brian Reese

Oct18

Why Showing Up Matters in Creativity and Life

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There’s a big difference between showing off and showing up. Showing off is rarely productive or inspiring. But showing up? That’s where the power is. You see those brilliant red leaves, right? Okay, sure, maybe they do appear to be showing off, but they don’t do that every day. We count on that spectacular color to show up each autumn in Michigan. When those colors show up, it signals the start of an all-too-short cozy season. Knowing I can depend on the trees to do their “thing” is a comfort, especially when the world feels unpredictable and chaotic.

Showing up may not seem like much, but you’d be surprised what a difference it can make in your creative pursuits, your professional goals, and in your personal relationships. Consistency, even when we don’t feel like showing up, is what chips away at complacency and creates subtle, but persistent progress. I find it’s often best not to make showing up a decision. Will I? Won’t I? It’s best to view it as a foregone conclusion.

Will you join me in challenging ourselves to show up:

  • At your desk/computer/workspace — I guarantee you’ll make more progress.
    • When I was working on the manuscript for my children’s book, I had to show up–even on vacation–because I was determined to meet every deadline set by my editor. Did I do it? Yes. (Sometimes I didn’t send a revision until 4:59 p.m., but I got it there.)
  • For creative friends who need encouragement, a nudge or a lovingly worded challenge to help them get unstuck (so they can then show up, too).
    • I’ve found offering an open invitation to review a friend’s work or offer feedback can give them the motivation they need. Writing can be lonely work. Knowing someone is willing to show up for you can make other want to show up for themselves.
  • For book launches or author talks to show fellow creatives our support. You don’t have to bring a gift. You don’t need to stay for hours. Just show up. Let them see your sweet, shiny face in the crowd.
    • I love cheering on friends at their events whenever I can. Plus, I find I almost always come away with an idea I can incorporate in my future presentations.
  • For learning opportunities like workshops, virtual events, seminars, retreats, critique groups and classes. Get at least one on your calendar each season (and for those of you who live in a seasonless climate, let’s call it four times a year!)
    • I don’t have time to travel to far away events, so I often look for virtual opportunities — I’m still showing up!
  • For yourself — for your health (both mental and physical), for your goals and ambitions, your rejuvenation. Get “you” on your calendar for annual check up, dental appointments, counseling sessions, and dates with friends who recharge your batteries.
    • I find this one can be the most challenging, but it’s what makes it possible to show up for all the others.

My little apple cinnamon tarts, of course, you can’t show up for everything and everyone all the time. No one can. Just be intentional and consistent with your choices and feel the satisfaction of your own forward momentum. I’m rooting for you. Ever forward. Ever forward.

(And yes, always show up for cider and donuts!)

Care to share your progress?

 The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. ~ Chuck Close

Jun30

Summer Open House: Win 2 Copies of The Big Book of Barf!

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Welcome! So glad you’re here. Snoop around and stay a while. This is the Frog on a Dime Summer Open House. I’ve swept the porch, put the plumpest pillows on the swing and poured a chilled glass of refreshing lip-puckering strawberry lemonade–just for you!

Win 2 copies!

This year’s Summer Open House giveaway is extra special. The winner will receive not one, but two copies of THE BIG BOOK OF BARF. One autographed copy will be yours to keep (or give to your favorite young reader). The second copy is for you to donate to your local public library or elementary school media center.

Here’s how to enter:

Share a childhood library memory in the comment section for this post. Easy peasy!

Enter by noon on Saturday, July 12.

My little firecrackers, it seems only fair that I share an early library memory of my own. I recall being in Mrs. Server’s kindergarten classroom. On our designated “Library Day,” we’d line up to walk the long window-lined hallway, past the principal’s office, through the school lobby and over to the right where we, a row of little kinderducks, would file into our Blackman Elementary School library.

I remember low book stacks, only two or three shelves high, running perpendicular to the wall of windows that looked out on the school yard. It was a quiet place, a warm room, filled with the potpourri only a collection of aging books can create. We were each given a dark brown “paddle” made of pressed wood. This we would use as a place marker once we’d pulled the book of our choice–our choice!–from the shelves.

From Day One, I was enchanted by Hans Christian Anderson’s Thumbelina. I’d pull it from the shelf, replace it with my paddle, and take the book to one of the library’s tables to devour the beauty of the book’s illustrations (with my eyes only!) At the close of our all-too-short library time, I’d have to return Thumbelina to her shelf . . . until next week when Mrs. Server would announce “Library Day!”. And I couldn’t wait see her again (Thumbelina, that is).

What do you remember?

Share your early library memory for a chance to win TWO copies of THE BIG BOOK OF BARF. Enter by July 12.

CONGRATULATIONS to Danielle Hammelef! You’re the winner of the Summer Open House giveaway! You’ll receive two copies of THE BIG BOOK OF BARF. I’m happy to personalize one for you AND one for your favorite local library or school media center! Thank you so much for sharing your library memory with all of us. Happy summering to you!

The library is like a candy store where everything is free. ~ Jamie Ford

Jun15

Sensory experiences and writing prompts: reliving childhood summers

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Listen. A little hand covered in popsicle juice and sand is turning the lid on a jar.

Look. Fireflies play flashlight tag.

Feel. The grass under your bare feet is cooling. (Smack! Frenzied mosquitoes seek a bedtime snack.)

Smell. Summer’s incense–the sulfurous metallic scent of sparklers sizzle the night air.

Taste. A charred marshmallow deflates spreading sweetness on the tongue.

Whether you write novels, nonfiction, picture books or poetry for children, seize every sense of the summer season. Research can be pure pleasure. Scoop your piggies (aka toes) into the cool sand beneath the sizzling surface of the beach. Build a bonfire and swap your summer stories with friends. And, if you haven’t had a popsicle in a while (aka decades), you’d best snap to it.

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Capture childhood memories of the season

  • Summer smells like (weather, food, plants, etc.)
  • Favorite summer food taste like
  • Summer-specific sounds by day/by night
  • Summer sights
  • Summer feels like ___________ on my skin/my face/my feet.
  • Summer water sensory memories (pool, lake, creek, sprinkler, hose, water park)
  • Summer night sounds

What long-forgotten memory paid a visit?

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

As with every season, not all memories are sweet.

There’s sunburn, bug bites, boredom, and harder still, family squabbles, disappointments, sullen babysitters, food insecurity or loneliness.

Collect deeper summer memories with these simple prompts

  • My family and I always went to
  • Going on a family vacation made me feel
  • My family and I never went on vacation because
  • Not going on a family vacation made me feel
  • I remember the first time I
  • When I didn’t have friends to play with, I would
  • I felt scared when
  • I dreaded it when
  • I used to imagine I
  • I couldn’t wait until
  • Summer break felt like it was ___ months long
  • As the end of summer approached, I felt/worried about/looked forward to

My sweet shortcakes, I hope this post sends your Ferris wheel of memories whirling. AND I also hope-hope-hope you’ll share a summer memory with me!

Photo by Vicky Lorencen

Fireflies in the Garden

Here come real stars to fill the upper skies, 
And here on earth come emulating flies, 
That though they never equal stars in size, 
(And they were never really stars at heart) 
Achieve at times a very star-like start. 
Only, of course, they can’t sustain the part.   ~ Robert Frost

Jun7

Time to quit your publishing pursuits? 12 questions to ponder

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In 2007, Pulitzer Prize winning author Annie Dillard told NPR listeners, “I’m here to tell you that I’m retiring. I woke up one morning, went to my desk, and realized I’ve done everything I set out to do as a writer, and the writer label does not define me, and I have more life to live, but I am done because I did my work on my terms.”

Does Dillard’s declaration stir something in you? Inspiration? Exhilaration like a zing of electricity? A soul-satisfying exhale?

Maybe it’s time to quit.

And by “quit,” I mean . . .

Before we move on, my little lemon drops, let me define “quit.” I’m talking about letting go of your pursuit of publication. No more queries. No more proposals. No more stalking agents. No more pouring over every issue of PW. (And no, I’m not talking about never writing again. Yikes. Writers, by definition, have to write. It’s a given you won’t give that up.)

Queries about quitting. (You can be totally honest. You’ll be grading your own paper.)

  1. Has my passion to be published–needing validation from the publishing industry, reviewers, readers–changed/diminished since I first began my pursuit?
  2. Do I neeeed to be published to be happy?
  3. Am I persisting in my pursuit solely because it pleases someone else or out of fear of displeasing them?
  4. Does the thought of setting my pursuit aside make me feel lighter, maybe even a little excited? (If it makes you feel full-on giddy, go ahead and quit already!)
  5. Can I be satisfied with writing for my own pleasure and/or with helping others improve their writing?
  6. Is my pursuit of publication keeping me from a new passion?
  7. Do I want to invest my creative energies doing something wholly apart from writing? What might that be?
  8. Would I see my decision as a liberation rather than a resignation?
  9. How about a 6-month or 12-month “hiatus” from my publishing pursuits versus a full stop retirement?
  10. Am I comfortable with not knowing what might have been?
  11. What will my new dream be? How and when will I begin?
  12. How will I see myself on the other side of my decision to quit?

Next steps

  • Take your time and ponder. Seep into a head-to-toe mull.
  • Journal over your responses to the 12 questions.
  • Reach out to a friend who can listen while you deliberate. And remember, I’m always here too.

The purpose of my post is not to discourage you from pursuing publishing. Honest. No one’s pushing you. (Go ahead. Look behind you. See?) I’m offering you the freedom to let go, if that’s what you really want to do. And, you should know I (and many others, I’m sure) will never quit admiring you and valuing you. Heck, some will even envy you.

Success does not lie in sticking to things. It lies in picking the right thing to stick to and quitting the rest. ~ Annie Duke, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away