30 Days: Unexpected Coincidences (a scene from WIP) by VS Grenier

            I hesitated for a minute before turning the knob to my first period class. I should’ve known the day from hell was upon me the minute Mom let our next door neighbors drive me to school. It just so happens the door to history is at the front of the classroom. Talk about making an entrance. I was hoping to sneak up to the teacher’s desk without having the whole class notice a new kid just started. The heat had returned to my face from early this morning. My ears were on fire. I’m sure if I had a mirror to look into, I would see my face was a brighter shade of red than my hair.

            “Are you lost or looking for someone?”

            I paused for just a moment not noticing where the male voice was coming from. Then I saw two large sized sandals uncross from on top of a desk to reveal a man in his early twenties. At least I guessed his early twenties. He’s crystal blue eyes were so brilliant I could see them

clearly from the front of the classroom. “Mr. Gregory?” I barely stammered. I felt the heat returning to my face once again. “The office told me to give you this.” Mr. Gregory rose, strolled to the front of the classroom, and took my placement slip and schedule from my outstretched hand. I followed him to his desk, which was on the other side of the blackboard at the front of the classroom.

            Mr. Gregory waved his hand in my direction. “Continue.” I looked at him a little baffled. Continue with what I thought. Then I heard a familiar voice start on about the black plague. I looked over my shoulder. There was Brittney giving a report about the 14^th century eruption of the Bubonic plague. Brittney didn’t look at me, but she jerked her head towards the desks. I noticed two empty seats next to each other. One already had a notebook on the desk and a backpack on the floor. The other was empty. No sign of anyone sitting there. I took a guess the desk with stuff had to be Brittney’s. I scanned the class while Mr. Gregory flipped through stuff at his desk. There was another desk further back away from Brittney. I thought about taking that one, but then again, it would be nice to sit next to someone I sorta knew. Plus, maybe she wasn’t so bad. She did gesture to the desks near each other. Maybe she was trying to be my friend in her Brittnish way.

            Once Mr. Gregory handed back my schedule and a history book, I moved my way through the desks to the one next to Brittney’s. After what felt like ten minutes, she joined me back at her seat. “What’s your schedule like?” She whispered over her shoulder. I kept my eyes forward and out of the corner of my eye, slid my schedule onto her desk. Within seconds, she was sliding it back on my desk.

           

I looked down and saw she had circled in purple ink four of my classes: history, physical education, biology, and drama. I turned to look at her. She gave what I became to know as her good-natured sarcasm stare. I tilted my head and considered maybe getting to know Brittney wasn’t going to be half as bad as I thought. 

VS Grenier is an Award-winning children's author, Mom’s Choice Honoree, featured talk radio host on Blog Talk Radio, partner of the World of Ink Network, and the founder of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC. A California girl at heart and former fashion buyer, Grenier lives in Southern Utah with her supportive family and miniature schnauzer Taz. When she isn't busy talking with authors and illustrators on her radio shows, spending time with her children, playing dress-up or having a tea parties, Grenier is busy writing new adventures in the World of Ink. Learn more about her at http://vsgrenier.com or at http://worldofinknetwork.com

 

Writing in the Christian Children's Market

This week I thought I would change it up a bit and have Christian Author Elizabeth Kail Arnita share why she writers Christian picture books. This is a huge market many children's writers don't think about breaking into. It doesn't matter what church you go to, the fact is, if you are a Christian this is a market you might want to consider breaking into if you're frustrated with the main stream children's market.

Why do I Write Religious/Christian Based Books for Kids

By Elizabeth Kail Arnita

In Proverbs 22:6, the Bible states, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”  I believe when parents enlighten their children to the truths of Scripture, they are not only giving them “good rules” to live by, but enabling them to become people who make a positive difference by leading lives that go beyond themselves.   

More than ever, it is easy for people to lose their way in this big world.  For me, the Bible is the GPS system for living.  It not only offers directions on where to go, but also gives excellent counsel on how to get back on track when you take wrong turns.  As any good GPS system does, the Word of God alerts the navigator to danger ahead and gives them alternate routes.  It pilots the reader through difficult circumstances and even displays “Points of Interest” that intrigue the most experienced traveler.  We can choose to utilize the life lessons of those who did and didn’t follow God’s instruction to help us reach our own destination.  No matter how lost I am God’s Word always offers a way home and everyone can relate to the trails we find in the Bible no matter our religious background.

What is amazing about the stories in the Bible is they are no different when you look at their structure from any other fictional or historical storyline we might read today. First, each story as a beginning, middle and end. There is a main character, a problem/conflict, antagonist, failures and the stratify ending once the conflict is resolved. You can also see a mentor in each story. Jesus told many stories to his followers in this same way. 

In navigating through life, today’s children face more obstacles than any other generations.  By taking the teachings from the Bible and turning them into a modern day story, children can learn many of life lessons. On the road of life, there are so many bumps, detours, road blocks and wrongly labeled signs; if guidance is not given, getting lost is inevitable.  I have chosen to write stories based on Biblical foundations that offer parents another way to address wise council into their children’s life.   It is my prayer that the lessons open discussions, giving opportunities to delve deeper into some of life’s twists and turns.  By God’s grace, the stories can be used to help people strengthen their relationship with Him or others in their life.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Arnita is the youngest of 12 children. She learned early in life about family dynamics and the concept of sharing. After graduating in 1983, with a degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, Elizabeth married Shadi and they have been blessed with four fabulous children. Her love for the Lord has opened her eyes to a world in need and ignited her compassion for those who are less fortunate. She and her husband founded and continue to manage Welcome The Children; a non-profit organization that funds and supports children who are experiencing the reality of poverty. Elizabeth Arnita has designated all of the proceeds from her book sales to support WTC.

You can find out more about Elizabeth Arnita, her books and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/ayhg69o

 

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As you can see, writing children's lit based off your religious background can help inspire story ideas and give you another avenue to break into print. You don't have to quote scripture, just use a favorite story from the Bible (or whatever book your religion uses). 

If you don't want people to know your religious background...use a pen name. 

My reason for having Elizabeth Kail Arntia share her thoughts today is to show how inspiration can come from all over. In books we read, religion, family history, etc. Don't limit yourself as a writer because you're afraid what others might say.

Jack Remick (poet, short story writer and novelist) once said to me, "A serious writer has a bookself." What he means is to write more than you will even see published. Write more than one book, short story, poem, etc. You must keep writing and building your bookself even if you haven't published a manuscript yet. So open those wings and start flying.

 

Writing a Book Series with Award-winning Author Kai Strand

One question I'm asked a lot by beginning writers or readers of children's or YA is do I write series. Over the years it seems more and more authors are writing series be it a children's picture book or young adult novel. 

I believe there are a few reasons why this is happening. The first and most common reason is because the main storyline/plot is too big to wrap up in one book with enough details being shared with the reader. The second reason is some characters in picture books to young adult novels are so beloved the author keeps finding new situations and plots for their main character.

This is why I asked friend and award-winning author Kai Strand to share her thoughts on writing a book series.

What is Story Form?

There are many different types of stories and styles to write them—but each may be described as consisting of the unified sequence of events having a beginning, middle and an ending. This is known as story form or a story’s structure.

Classic Plot Structure:

• Story beginning—establishes a main character and a basic situation.
• Story middle—develops a problem or difficulty and builds to a climax, which is then resolved.
• Story ending—concludes the story’s events, leaving the reader satisfied.

Now briefly consider the three elements common to storytelling and help build the story's structure.

Characters—It’s important to make your characters life-like. Whether they are human or animal, they are the lifeblood of your story. Main characters need to have more detail and a background/history.

Setting—Denotes a story’s timeline and place. A setting may be merely a backdrop, such as a home, school or park. Another kind of setting is the action setting that either creates or is directly related to the story’s conflict, like the storm in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Theme—This is the point of the story. It’s important not to have your story be devoid of ethical or moral content. By adding this element, you will have a more satisfying story and some degree of healthy growth or change in the main character—about themselves, others, his world, and perhaps about the larger world beyond.  

Please note: Young readers do not want to feel a moral is being taught while reading. The primary purpose of a story is to entertain…not point to an explicit moral. Let me say this again another way…stories entertain while hiding the moral being taught to the young readers.

When working on Setting  and your story form a common term you’ll hear is the “Rule of 3”. This means your main character must go through three challenges (each one bigger than the first) before resolving the problem/conflict. This helps build climax and keeps the pacing of the story engaging for young readers.

Note a good story’s form will seem natural and organic to the reader. The opening paragraph leads logically into the second and then third; the middle, climax and resolution all seem part of the natural flow. Nothing feels added in as an afterthought or just there for the mere purpose of detail.

Many factors may determine the climax and resolution of your story from a lucky chance to a surprising turn of events. No matter the problem (which can take form as an urgent conflict, puzzle, question or challenge) the plot structure is the strongest and most compelling when it generates suspense for the reader. 

It’s important to remember that the main character resolves the problem and must go through some type effort—a crucial action or decision that constitutes the story’s climax before the problem is resolved.

Master this classical story style first and then you can apply its lesson to other kinds of stories.

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Writing Prompt:

Use the list of 20 words below that have no obvious relationship to one another or pick your own words and throw them into a hat/bowl. Choose up to 5 words and try and working them into a story for young readers; or you may choose a single word as an idea-starter, letting it suggest other words and concepts via the process called “clustering”.

Be creative and have fun!

Brainstorming Words:

Whisper           Flag                 Patch               Leap

Candle             Slide                Cup                 Sing

Brush               Float                Park                Fell

Bark                Sky                  Warm              Flip

Pancakes         Bag                  Crack              Rainbow

Ringing True with Author Viji K. Chary

As you all know, I like to ask fellow authors and those who are doing a World of Ink Virtual Tour to share a guest post now and then on my Sunday postings. Today, I have author Viji K. Chary visiting us. She recently published a children's picture book, Porcupine's Seeds, however, she has been published in many children's magazines such as Highlights, Ludybug Magazine and Girls Life to name just a few.

I asked Viji K. Chary to share her view points, tips and insight on relating to children readers. I hope you enjoy her guest post as much as I have.

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Writing for young children involves dedication and sincerity. As a writer, I try to tap into a young person’s emotions and thoughts to make my writing ring true.  

Young children show their emotions wholeheartedly. When a child is happy, he is all smiles, hopping like a jack rabbit or skipping around the room. When a child is sad, she may punch, cry or slam the door. When child is shy, he may hide behind a familiar person or cover his face. Young children show honest emotions and live in the moment. 

When writing for young children, I reach back into my memories. I remember traveling on a bus with my father when an elderly man winked at me.  With awe, I spend a good half hour manually shutting one eyelid. I could not coordinate my eye muscles to wink in a flash like he did. Another time, I remember being frightened as elevator doors opened between floors, leaving us with solid wood instead of an opening. I sensed my father’s panic. I remember the queasy feeling in my stomach when I was introduced to an adult that made me hide behind my mother. Once, my grandmother asked me to bring flowers from the garden. While in the garden, I was startled by an iguana behind a flower bush. I can still feel the prickling of my skin when I saw it. When I was six years old, I moved from a mostly African American school to a Caucasian school. Being Indian, there was a marked difference in acceptance for a student of color. I can still feel that inequality.

While I do not recall many incidents from my young childhood, the ones I do are filled with emotions - emotions that I can incorporate in my stories. Basic emotions, happiness, fear, shyness, wonder and anger stay the same through the generations. It is the settings and dialog that changes.

To stay in line with the setting and dialog of today, I ask my children or nephews to read my finished pieces. They will spot an error immediately. Once I wrote a story on a mouse named Red for kindergarteners. My nephew was confused with the color red and the name Red. He suggested that the mouse’s name be Jake. Jake it was.

A good children’s story, I think, has honest emotion and realistic setting and dialogue. I strive for this by keeping alive my childhood emotions. While I enjoy observing and spending time with young people in the family, it also strengthens my writing.

About the Author: 

Viji K. Chary was born in India and immigrated to the United States at the age of two. Her passion for writing stories began in elementary school and has evolved from coaching children in various activities; including gymnastics, classroom activities and creative competitions. Her stories have been published in Highlights for Children, Ladybug Magazine, Hopscotch for Girls and many more.

The World of Ink Network is currently touring author Viji K. Chary’s children’s picture book, Porcupine’s Seeds published by 4RV Publishing.

About the Book:

Porcupine longs to grow beautiful sunflowers in his garden just like Raccoon. When Raccoon give Porcupine seeds, she says that all they need is soil, sun, and water. But growing sunflowers is not easy for Porcupine.

Get a sneak peek of the book at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgDW_AdA1xg&feature=youtu.be

You can find out more about Viji K. Chary’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/6wewb3c

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com  

What is Fiction with VS Grenier

I loved how the ICL broke down what fiction is to a writer when I first began my journey down the world of ink. They say, “Fiction is something made up—a story that originates in the mind of its creator and is then set down in writing. The whole idea is to use language in wildly creative ways, invent incredible worlds and develop wonderful—sometimes crazy—characters and plots.”

Simply put, fiction is based on facts or circumstances from our everyday lives. You can use memories, real events or even elements of facts you have learned in school, from an article, documentary or book, however, fiction only has touches of truth. The rest of fiction is an altered reality that seems real, but isn’t. Things happening can be plausible or not even possible as long as you can get your reader to believe in what is happen and suspend their disbelief.

Types of Fiction

When you begin shaping your story, keep an eye on the end product—genre of fiction. Is it an adventure? Sport story? A mystery? Comedy? Fantasy? A mixture?

• Real-life fiction—Contemporary characters coping with problems, from everyday concerns to serious moral and social issues. Can be set in any historical backdrop to present day.
• Multicultural fiction—Ranges from contemporary stories with ethnic elements to folktales and stories set in other lands.
• Adventure—A quest, a flight, a challenge and plenty of obstacles along the way. The emphasis is on the fast-paced action.
• Sports—What it takes to win, what it means to lose—in the context of a specific sport, specifically presented.
• Mystery and Suspense—Puzzle solving in all its forms, from small backyard mysteries to real-world crime; though without depictions of actual violence except at the older teen to adult level.
• Romance—Classic plots using authentic details of today’s culture and often bittersweet rather than happy endings.
• Humor—Amusing characters and situations, quirky plot twists, neat resolutions. Humor that builds—not jokes or one-liners.
• Fantasy and Science Fiction—Instant make-believe, invented worlds (whether past, future or extraterrestrial) for all readers. Highly appealing to YA and under readers.
• Historical Fiction—Believable characters, a good story and imaginative research can bring even the most distant time and place alive.
• Animal Stories—A beloved genre that’s been updated to stress documented animal behavior and habitats. Animals-as-humans remain fine story characters for young children; for older readers, realism in depicting animals is necessary.

Understanding the different types of fictional genres is important so you understand how much you need stay within our reality. 

Let’s look at Harry Potter for a moment. The story is a fantasy, however the story always starts in London—a real place and within our reality to a point. The “Magical World” of Harry Potter normally happen when he gets on the Hogwarts Express or enters into the Leaky Cauldron. However, some magical things do happen while Harry is in “Our World” and these things are easily explained away in the readers mind as “magic” so they are able to suspend their disbelief. 

But if you look deeper into the Harry Potter story you’ll notice it’s more than just a fantasy. You also have Romance, Humor, Sport and Multicultural elements as well. To make a great story, you’ll find there is always a blending of fictional genres. This makes the story come alive and believable to the reader.  

Writing prompt

Look at each sub-genre of fiction and write the FRIST word that comes to mind. Take those words and brainstorm a story idea. This is call “Free Association”. Using free association can provide a great springboard to help stimulate your creative adrenalin.

What I Came Up With

If you want, use it as an idea started and see where it takes you. Or  do your own “Free Association”.

Real-life fiction—friendship

Multicultural fiction—New York

Adventure—Exploration

Sports—Baseball

Mystery and Suspense—Stanger

Romance—New love

Humor—Uneatable things

Fantasy and Science Fiction—Aliens

Historical Fiction—Baby Ruth

Animal Stories—Talking dog

I didn’t use everything I came up with, but here is the general idea that came to me.

A spot story set in New York City. The main character is an alien who was sent here to learn about Earth. He is in disguise as a human kid age 12, but looks totally different than us normally. He also has a companion who is a talking dog. The alien eats things that humans don’t eat such as paper or wood. He does make a friend with a kid who is loner but not by choice. They end up on a baseball team together and the alien because famous as a pitcher. This leads to more conflict as he becomes the first youngest major league ball player and he is worried the humans will find out who he really is. 

Of course this is all just random ideas I’m throwing out, but you see how one thing leads to another and then another? Now it’s your turn and remember, JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT. The actually plotting comes later. Just get your ideas down first.

BIO:VS Grenier is an award-winning children's author, founder & owner of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC., award-winning editor-in-chief of Stories for Children Magazine and chief editor for Halo Publishing, Int, and also, the host of the blog talk radio shows Stories for Children, Families Matter and What is Success on The World of Ink Network. Learn more at http://vsgrenier.com or at http://worldofinknetwork.com