Quotes and Inspiration from the Simmons Institute

I spent Saturday at the Simmons College Summer Institute. If you're not familiar, this is an incredible celebration of children's literature. Children's book authors and illustrators speak throughout the day, offering variations on the theme of the institute. This year, the theme was "The Body Electric."

In addition to having famous speakers, they also have two break-out sessions a day (called Professional Connections) with others in the field, such as book reviewers, scholars, and some (ahem) lesser-known authors. :-) So, I was asked to lead two break-out sessions. This was great fun and also very inspiring to see so many students who love children's literature as much as I do. And I was thrilled to see so many of them interested in writing! So, in case any of the attendees are reading this, THANKS for being such a great audience.

It was a day full of inspiration for me, really. So I thought I'd share some of the lines that stood out in particular:

From Byan Collier, a question:

"Think about the first time you stepped outside this morning. What color was the day?"

From David Small, some thoughts to ponder:

"A child whose mother doesn't love him always grows up with a hole in his heart."

and

"The body expresses what the mind doesn't allow yourself to utter."

From Sharon Draper, a gift:

"Celebrate the me that is yet to come."

And from Jack Gantos, a good reminder:

"I think about what I want to write, not what I want to sell."


One special surprise for me happened in the morning right before my first session. Just as I finally found the room I was to speak in, I heard a quiet male voice say, "Jo Knowles."

I turned, and there was my Communications Professor from my first year at Simmons, Bob White! Oh, how I loved that class. Talk about inspiration. The most important lesson I learned however, was a subtle one. I doubt I was even aware of it at the time, but I am sure it helped point me in the direction that eventually led me to where I am today. Bob showed me how effectively—how powerfully—one can communicate without speaking. He showed me that I didn't have to speak to be heard. I could write.

And so, when I saw him standing there, looking like the spitting image of the Dumbledore I imagined long before I watched the movies (and of course I know why that is now, Bob being so much like Dumbledore himself, providing inspiration and hope in his unique way), my heart pretty much melted.

I wish I'd had time to visit with him and tell him how much it meant to me to see him standing there, waiting to say hello. Because at the moment, it meant the world. It was the sort of small act of kindness that can make someone who often feels small herself, feel quite big.

Thank you, Bob.

Today's the day!

I started working on PEARL years and years ago in my third-floor office in the English & Philosophy Department at Simmons College. It started with a girl named Bean, who was lonely and misunderstood. And that's where she stayed, stagnant, for years and years until one day, I started thinking about her again. This time, Bean was still there, but there was also a boy named Henry. And they were best and only friends. And then I started writing.

I guess this is how it is with me. Books take a long time to be born from idea to finished product. But if I don't give up on them, it does, eventually, happen. :-)


Today, PEARL leaves my hands. Now she belongs to the reader who happens to pick her up next. It feels a little bittersweet to let go, it's true. But mostly it feels sweet.

The past few weeks I've been doing some interviews via The Teen Book Scene. Here are the links, including one for my dream movie cast! :-)

"Pearl Cast" with ReadingTeen
"Top Ten Writers Who Inspired Jo Knowles" with Reclusive Bibliophile
"Talking characters with Jo Knowles, author of Pearl" with Hopeless Bibliophile
"Chopping it Up with Jo Knowles" with Only Sexy Books Allowed
"Pearl Excerpt" from Supernatural Snark

Still to come:
July 20: "This or That" at Supernatural Snark
July 21: "Tens list: Bean an Henry" at A Good Addiction

Thanks so much to The Teen Book Scene for inviting me on this tour and being such wonderful hosts!

And thanks to all of you who've given me so much love on Twitter and Facebook this morning. I'm feeling very Pearly. But you all are the true gems. I love you.

xoxoxo

Giving A little Piece of Myself, Or More Advice From Steven Tyler

Yesterday, I was working on an essay/guest entry for Gay YA and struggling a bit with figuring out how to say what I want to say. So, I do what I always do when I'm stuck: I shared what I had with my husband. Now, I thought I was nearly there, but when he finished reading he shook his head.

"You're missing a key piece here," he said.


"I know but I don't know what it is," I told him.

"It's YOU," he said. "You haven't put yourself in here yet. When you write things like this, you always give a little piece of yourself away, but I don't see that here. Sorry."

Then, he disappeared with my son to go practice Karate, leaving me sitting on the couch thinking...

Ugh. I don't know how to do this.

So I asked myself. OK, well, why is this important to you in the first place? I mean at its core. Why does this REALLY matter to YOU? And as soon as I asked that question, the memory of someone I love and miss burned in my heart.

And I knew.

I opened my file, took a deep breath, and gave that piece away.

I showed the essay to my husband again and he said, "Yes. That's what I meant. Sorry you had to go there."

Later that night, my son and I tuned in to American Idol for some sage advice from our man Steven Tyler.

And I'm not kidding, after the very first song, this is what he said:

"Man, every time you sing you bring another little piece of yourself to the party, man, and I love that about you and that was beautiful." - Stephen Tyler

Yep.

It's all about revealing that little piece, isn't it?

I know it can be hard. Seriously. Hard. But isn't that the point of writing in the first place?

Today, I'm thankful to Peter, for being honest and helping me see what work had to be done. And to Steven Tyler, who shares his wonderful quirky self every week.

:-)

How mentors change lives, and some news!

I've written an essay about a very special mentor which is available to read HERE.

Yesterday, after I found out the post was up, I e-mailed Lowry to let him know. We haven't been in touch for quite a while, and realizing that made me very sad and a bit guilty. But he wrote back right away, and here's one thing he said:

You know, one of the greatest things in life is having someone give you the opportunity to do for them what you are truly capable of. You can only reach your full potential as a teacher with the right student, and when that student comes along, it's a gift. I've always felt it is an honor to be allowed to help people. I'm glad I was able to do it for you.

As I work with students myself now (thanks to Lowry), I know just what he means. There are these moments, especially when I'm meeting privately with a student, when I say something about his or her writing and find myself thinking, "Do you believe me?" "Did you really hear what I just said?" "Are you listening?" Because I know similar words helped me stay on the path. Similar words gave me something to cling to. Kept me from giving up. Made me believe I had any potential at all. I'm so grateful to Lowry for teaching me how important a teacher's words, a mentor's words, can be.

In the news category:

I am soooooo excited and truly, truly honored to be one of the author mentors at the next Whispering Pines Retreat! I've been reading Cynthia Lord's descriptions of this year's retreat and I can't wait to go! If you've been, I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips. :-)

All I Really Need To Know I Learned From...

Steven Tyler?

I know I know.

But every week he seems to say some little off-handed thing that is actually, well, BRILLIANT.

Like last night, in response to a stand-out performance, he said:

"Sometimes I think it takes a little bit of being crazy to make a difference in this world."-Steven Tyler.

So true. Soooooo true.

And isn't it true about writing, too? I mean, my favorite books are the ones that, I bet at some point, either the author or the editor had that thought: Am I crazy? Can we really do this? And I'm so grateful to the people who've been brave enough to say YES.

It's how we push boundaries and raise the bar, I think. It's how we grow and discover what we're really capable of.

Letting yourself go can be so hard, it's true. But I think when we do, I mean when we REALLY do, it's the most freeing feeling in the world.

I have a rare and blissful full day of writing today and I'm officially giving myself permission to let the words go wherever they want. I am going to write like there's no one in the room, just like Steven says (OK, I edited that, but I bet he would agree).



Who's with me?

Potter Party Pics! :-)

Last Friday my mom hosted a Harry Potter party at her library.

Here's what we saw in the lobby.


My sister and I decided to go as brothers:


One kid said to us, "Nice hair! Who are you?"

We put our heads together and said, "Ummmm, what do you think?"

He said,' OH! Right! Which one's Fred and which one's George?"

We kind of had to fight over it, given what happens in book seven.

Here's one of the other moms as Professor Sprout.

Isn't she great??

We each got sorted into houses with a real sorting hat!


I was Ravenclaw. Very relieved I didn't get put in this house:

(My sister and son weren't so lucky.)

Here's my mom as Madam Hooch.


We played Quiddich inside with a balloon and feather dusters. Believe it or not, it got kinda ugly! Professor Sprout pulled my hair off! My my house still tied for first!

We also had to take OWL's. I think my house tied for second place. And then, we had a scavenger hunt for the Sorcerer's Stone, which involved visiting Moaning Murtle's bathroom.

After the house cup winners were announced (my house tied for first! yay!) and the prizes were given out (Burtie Botts Every Flavor Beans), we had some refreshments.

Owl droppings:


Olivander's wands:


And Aragog's babies:


It was such a fun night. I was so impressed with all the kids' costumes and the way my mom put it all together. Hopefully she'll have another party this summer to kick off the final movie. I'm sure there will be tears. Do any of us really want to let go of the magic?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write to the prompt, "I knew it was finally over when..."

She's here!

It seems so early, since the book doesn't come out until July.

And yet...

PEARL is here!

And the best part? This is my first book my son is old enough to read! (Along with his very patient cat.)

On the back:
 

"Meet Pearl and Henry: misfits, best friends,
and—possibly—one another's first love."
Henry Holt, July 19 (ages 12 and up)

I'm hoping there will be ARCs available at NCTE/ALAN, which (holy cow!) is in just a few weeks! Will you be there? I'm not scheduled to do any signings but I'll be around to meet up. My workshop is on Monday at 12:30. I am determined NOT to let my nerves ruin the weekend. Ahem. *plans escape to the Wizarding World*  :-)