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01 January 2012 @ 03:57 pm
Hello 2012! Good-Bye LiveJournal!  
After five plus years (ack, where did those years go?), the time has come for me to give up this blog. Nancy's News has been a terrific place to display info and pictures, see what's going on with other LJ users, chat about visits and about writing, and get to know some fine people, but it's become too time consuming.

If you are viewing this because we're LJ Friends, I thank you for your friendship (!!), and I hope we stay connected on Verlakay's Message Board, a.k.a. the Blueboard, on Facebook, and in person at conferences and other events.

If in the past you viewed this blog as a link from my website, please stay in touch via email through that site (info@nancyviau.com), through Facebook, or by visiting my other blogs. Regarding Facebook, however, you'll have to send me a little clue as to how I know you because I'm not one to Friend everyone on the planet. (And I mean that in the nicest way possible.) Here are the links to my other blogs:
WIT - Writing Info and Tips for Young Writers
WHERE'S NANCY? -  A simple list of my appearances.
I hope you'll stop by and comment now and then.

Finally, for those librarians and teachers who entered my final contest--the Rockin' New Year's Day one--you will be getting an email or a book in the mail sometime this week.

ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND YOURS IN 2012.
: )
Nancy
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08 December 2011 @ 11:51 am
ROCKIN' New Year's Day Giveaway  
Win 1 of 5 SAMANTHA HANSEN HAS ROCKS IN HER HEAD books!
To enter, send me an email via my WEBSITE. Tell me who you are, where you're from, and why you'd like to win.
EASY PEASY.
Open to elementary school librarians/media specialists, elementary school principals and elementary school teachers in the USA.
Giveaway winners announced January 1, 2012.

LET'S ROCK THE NEW YEAR TOGETHER!
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29 November 2011 @ 04:48 pm
The KidLit Authors Club at Children's Book World  


Nancy Viau, Ellen Jensen Abbott, Jacqueline Jules, Ann Bonwill, Jennifer Hubbard, Amy Holder, Alison Formento, and Alisso Grosso at one of the best children's bookstores in the nation. Thank-you, CBW, for hosting members of the KidLit Authors Club. We had a blast!
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20 November 2011 @ 09:00 am
Support Small Business Saturday at your local indie bookstore  
Small Business Saturday will be anything but small at Children's Book World in Haverford, PA! Join me, and members from the KidLit Authors Club, for a book signing extravaganza the 26th at 1:00.

There will be something for the whole family as we bring the party to CBW. We will celebrate with balloons, drawings for prizes, and party bags. There will be book readings and activities for kids of all ages. Don't miss the fun!

Support small businesses and BUY, BUY, BUY autographed books by:
Ellen Jensen Abbott
Ann Bonwill
Irene Breznak
Alison Formento
Alissa Grosso
Amy Holder
Jennifer Hubbard
Jacqueline Jules
Nancy Viau

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17 November 2011 @ 07:12 pm
Greetings!  
The Red Cross, along with Pitney Bowes, is sponsoring a HOLIDAY MAIL FOR HEROES program. If you love to write, why not take a minute to send a holiday card wth a personal message? It will mean the world to someone, I'm sure.

The process is very simple and takes no time at all - All you need is a pen and piece of paper to share your appreciation for the sacrifices members of the U.S. Armed Forces make to protect our freedoms The Holiday Mail for Heroes mail box is open and ready to receive for your cards. Please send all mail to:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Sending a “touch of home” to American men and women who serve our country is the perfect way to express your appreciation and support during the holiday season.

Details are HERE.

 
 
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16 November 2011 @ 01:22 pm
In honor of National Picture Book Month  
Here is France.


Here is a street in France.


Here is a bookstore on a street in France.


Here are some pretty well known picture books in a bookstore on a street in France.


I wish I could have found books that have been illustrated by the French illustrator (Gynux) who will be doing my book, STORM SONG, but no luck.

However, a little later that day, I did find this guy

...who totally deserves the spotlight in some book, somewhere.
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02 November 2011 @ 02:30 pm
Workshop # 6 (Notes for kids, parents, and anyone else who's interested.)  



The last workshop session is so bittersweet. It's nice to see how far the kids have come in terms of improving their writing, but I'm sad to see them go. * sniff, sniff * Tonight we celebrated the achievements of the CWC by sharing stories, listening to guest authors, and eating cake. Some of us also dressed up as our favorite book characters, and we had fun guessing characters' names and books. Can you guess who I am? (Those are moose ears, by the way.)


Guest authors included Ellen Jensen Abbott who was cleverly disguised as an author, not a character. Ellen is the author of two breath-taking fantasies: WATERSMEET and THE CENTAUR'S DAUGHTER. Ellen talked about building a fantasy world from scratch and how she uses everything from baby name books to field guides and maps to bring her story to life.




Next up was Kat Lindsey. Kat was dressed as the Mama character in her book SWEET POTATO PIE. Doesn't she look great?


And finally, a smiley good-bye from all of us.


A hug and a thank you to my author friends. This terrific group of young writers loved listening to you.

And THANK YOU, TOWNE BOOK CENTER, for hosting my 6-week creative writing workshop. I had a blast!



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25 October 2011 @ 09:57 pm
Workshop #5 (Notes for kids, their parents, and anyone else who's interested.)  

Two pictures, both in focus. But what's The Focus? The Focus of your story, that is.
We compared pictures of scenery with pictures of faces and started stories based on two different focal points. The teacher in me had to refresh everyone's memory on first, second, third, and omniscient point of view because POV and focus go together like P, B, and J. Yum.
That was the tough part.
Next, we tackled writing with Voice using sayings on shirts, notices, and street signs. We talked about bringing a personal voice into our writing. The kids nailed this, I must say. Easy, peasy for them to step outside their comfort zones.
Here's a picture of the group with shirts that show the t-shirt designer's voice. It's no surprise that my favorite one was THIS GIRL ROCKS!  There was also a thoughtful, interesting one about better vs best, written in the voice of a college professor I once had.



For our last time together (*boo, hoo*), the CWC will hear from two spectacular, and very different, authors.
Kat Lindsey, author of Sweet Potato Pie, will talk about inspiration from real life and researching characters.
Ellen Jensen Abbott, author of Watersmeet and The Centaur's Daughter, will talk about world building in fantasy.
I will be taking notes!

KIDS - FOR NEXT TIME:
Dig deep and create your last CWC story.
And start thinking about what you'll wear next week! I can't wait to see how you dress as the character from your favorite book. 
HINTS to what I'll be wearing:
1. If you give a CWC member cake, then...
2. My headband has antlers.


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18 October 2011 @ 10:33 pm
Workshop # 4 (Notes for kids, their parents, and anyone else who's interested).  

Plot is action, and we had action tonight! If it looks as if we were auditioning for a theatre production, well, that's a good thing. Crafting a good plot requires the writer to "see" the action. What better way to show this to kids than to do that first hand. One catch: no one was allowed to speak during all this activity. The kids had to write a paragraph based on what they saw, and that included crafting characters' names, killer hooks, settings, and scenes.

I'll let the pictures tell the story.













Rest up, kids! Next week we're tackling focus, point of view, and voice. Are you up for the challenge? (I promise we won't do jumping jacks again, and El Sombrero is now back in the Halloween box.)

: )
N

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12 October 2011 @ 02:58 pm
Workshop #3 (Notes for kids, their parents, and anyone else who's interested.)  
The first thing we did this week was to talk about KHs. What's a KH, you ask? It's a Killer Hook (a.k.a. Lead), and the CWC explored the use of good hooks in the beginning, middle, and end of picture books, short stories, cartoons, novels, and graphic novels. Before sharing their stories written during the week, they erased, crossed out, pulled switcheroos, and revised, sneaking in better sentences that qualify as KHs. (Their stories blew me away, btw. Such talent!)

Next up, we got into the nitty-gritty of setting. It's a very clever writer who can offer the reader a sense of setting with just the perfect amount of description. (No Info Dumps, right, guys?)




Practice, practice, practice.

The CWC then picked out a favorite setting from the Nifty 50 that were scattered on the floor, and they started a paragraph they'll finish at home.



KIDS - FOR NEXT TIME:
Finish setting worksheet.
Finish paragraph.
Props for Plot activity. Don't forget your gear!
And I'll be bringing a special treat for "WIT-ty" CWC members. *hint, hint*
: )
N
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