tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55132455630636274152024-03-05T01:19:17.509-08:00Cindy Baldwincindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-43609905544467677832023-11-04T21:38:00.000-07:002023-11-04T21:38:01.562-07:00And the Winner Is…<p> After a year off from the contest last year, we were all extra-excited to do the Baldwin pumpkin carving contest this year, with Kitty on board for the first time too!</p><p>And after a few tense days of voting, I can safely announce that the winner of this year’s contest is…</p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Pumpkin A!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsezv5QWKvq9Tx83hlGltDSyGFuI05np_UmPBysulNj_7Nb08ln7Hag_D5QSwsytceMzC4h8tDObvR79LsnANLoRGwk8I3-AIrVTR6jRaNomy7tP_z1JA5UTiUWyKdhkzsmMrkhdTZAX_MGjaaUPA9g0jGYapEhsIV4W96PiTaNPZbwn7clGjZEyg99sk/s4032/IMG_1387.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsezv5QWKvq9Tx83hlGltDSyGFuI05np_UmPBysulNj_7Nb08ln7Hag_D5QSwsytceMzC4h8tDObvR79LsnANLoRGwk8I3-AIrVTR6jRaNomy7tP_z1JA5UTiUWyKdhkzsmMrkhdTZAX_MGjaaUPA9g0jGYapEhsIV4W96PiTaNPZbwn7clGjZEyg99sk/w300-h400/IMG_1387.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Mahon is thrilled to share that this entry—and the absurdly, delightfully charming story that went along with it—was his work. Personally, I am ready to find Willow Hazelnut III and be her best friend. How about you?<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-32794350251721367522023-11-01T17:55:00.002-07:002023-11-01T17:55:38.182-07:00Time to Vote in the 16th (Sort of) Annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving Contest!<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"> Hello, friends!</span> It’s been a while—but this year, we once again present you with a Baldwin Family Pumpkin Carving Contest. For the first time, this year has THREE entrants instead of the traditional two, and we’ve also added a new element: Storytelling! Because our theme this year was “Pumpkin Houses,” each of the carvers has created an original story to go along with their entry, explaining who the inhabitants of their house are and what kind of lives they lead. (Also note that each pumpkin house has its own tiny little Jack-o-Lantern as well!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, there are no fully-dark pumpkin pics—because these really shine best (pun intended) as daylight or dim-light pumpkins. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Voting will be open until the end of the day on Saturday, November 4th.</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Rules:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. One vote per person, but everyone in your household can vote!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. There are 4 ways to vote: In the embedded poll below, in the comments (only those with verified Google accounts can comment, sorry), or on Facebook or Instagram <b>only on the initial pumpkin carving contest post.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. All photography is done by me. This year, each contestant did write their own story in lieu of the traditional description done by me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scroll down to see the pumpkins and read the stories!</span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pumpkin A: Willow Hazelnut III</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCd9Iq0e941aYUxTP7RugfK6MwW00srEt9Hx79VQw8dFuIJ1kfTjh4UvXwM0TqWfquuD5Xl1jFPZ676FbVN74CH6XcS7I9bLgmJb7cehh3YCsSJVLIkQDZMnGgBqaHP5r9n2BSPsA_ndADbu79QIni7gmwXHkOXS_w9ETZDS7MWmgtkfu7jqmHc9pgjIo/s4032/IMG_1387.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCd9Iq0e941aYUxTP7RugfK6MwW00srEt9Hx79VQw8dFuIJ1kfTjh4UvXwM0TqWfquuD5Xl1jFPZ676FbVN74CH6XcS7I9bLgmJb7cehh3YCsSJVLIkQDZMnGgBqaHP5r9n2BSPsA_ndADbu79QIni7gmwXHkOXS_w9ETZDS7MWmgtkfu7jqmHc9pgjIo/w300-h400/IMG_1387.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpqYZ91iWmvcNne4jmG1_wupGf-9OXTRdKTk4Bc_cOA0rG-MlYwJNar7jS69B5HzcUADTprZhIxqtMl4td252CAwtjyE-MeM0MHVv3_OEJIsZ1PEADeKHYr5mIp_YrRgTLbsOeNQ2ZPwpm8dp_VLNL8GkhK-owf7l9pwUqniXcNomd0Vtyq4gu1w2lbTp/s4032/IMG_1384.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpqYZ91iWmvcNne4jmG1_wupGf-9OXTRdKTk4Bc_cOA0rG-MlYwJNar7jS69B5HzcUADTprZhIxqtMl4td252CAwtjyE-MeM0MHVv3_OEJIsZ1PEADeKHYr5mIp_YrRgTLbsOeNQ2ZPwpm8dp_VLNL8GkhK-owf7l9pwUqniXcNomd0Vtyq4gu1w2lbTp/w300-h400/IMG_1384.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oDhVT5AgGqYRagGsB7SUKz3su8ZY00FJCMCWxOrjIWl54CrLHNPNPROa94FvUu-hGtcce5nQjgFLFfDE6Qzm7C5MxJcmHbhKZTjQZceBHitpGc3f55qpWIdVl6aZm95l7LL2m7FIOPYOFlTLvzw2TcdiARagAQRLvxQjS_dN2iZuxYiVKF6fAsW5ZrV4/s4032/IMG_1388.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oDhVT5AgGqYRagGsB7SUKz3su8ZY00FJCMCWxOrjIWl54CrLHNPNPROa94FvUu-hGtcce5nQjgFLFfDE6Qzm7C5MxJcmHbhKZTjQZceBHitpGc3f55qpWIdVl6aZm95l7LL2m7FIOPYOFlTLvzw2TcdiARagAQRLvxQjS_dN2iZuxYiVKF6fAsW5ZrV4/w300-h400/IMG_1388.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Special feature to note: A fully-functional, <br />and adorable, carved chimney</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Willow Hazelnut III</span> lived in a small pumpkin in a small forest on a small island. The smallness suited her, because she, too, was small, small enough that she could live in a pumpkin in any case. Small enough to live in a pumpkin is remarkable however you put it, but there was another remarkable thing about her—at least it will be to you and me—she was a witch. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">Willow Hazelnut III's only companion was a small, dear, deer mouse whom she called Mr. Squiggle. Mr. Squiggle was quite a good companion to Willow Hazelnut III, and she had trained him to roll over, bring her parsnips from the garden, and smell the way to delicious truffles. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">Living in a pumpkin suited Mr. Squiggle just fine, as he felt that any time he wished he could have a little snack. Willow Hazelnut III didn't approve of eating houses, especially her house, but Mr. Squiggle was quite sneaky and got away with his indulgences, but the house was quite large for a small mouse and a nibble here and there can go quite a way, but if you look closely, you can see little mouse nibbles here and there. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">One day, as Willow Hazelnut III was tending to her garden, she heard a noise. In the forest there are often noises, so this is not remarkable, but this was not a normal noise. It was the hoot of an owl. She knew at once that she and Mr. Squiggle must retreat into the refuge of their home at once. "Here, Mr. Squiggle!" She called. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">But it was too late. She turned just in time to see huge talons close around Mr. Squiggle. Willow Hazelnut III was terribly frightened, and the terrified squeak of Mr. Squiggle echoed in her ears. She was stunned and frozen in shock. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">When she finally came to herself, she was resolved to rescue Mr. Squiggle. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">"The first part of any adventure is to find a proper map!" Willow Hazelnut III exclaimed. And Willow Hazelnut III had the perfect map. She and Mr. Squiggle had tirelessly worked on it for a little bit every day for several months. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">She traced the path to the owl's nest. Past the crooked red maple, over the stream, and around the craggy mountains. Willow Hazelnut III hesitated for only a moment as she looked at the map. Then she folded it, and set out. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">She made it to the red maple in record time. It was in full bloom and looked like fire. She put her head down and continued on. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-size-adjust: auto;">The stream was going to be strenuous, since for a small witch even a stream can be quite hard to ford. She stood on the bank wondering how to proceed. Just as she was about to put her foot into the water, a large dog came by and lapped at the water. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">Now, Willow Hazelnut III was quite used to hiding from large ferocious creatures like dogs, but the dog's long shaggy hair gave Willow Hazelnut III an idea. She leapt to grab some of the dog's shag just as it continued across the stream. The gait of the dog was quite rough, and it's a wonder she held on as long as she did, but eventually her arms tired, and she fell to the side of the path. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">Willow Hazelnut III was glad of the dog's help, but as she glanced at the sun, she was sorely dismayed since the hour was getting late. She still had to go around the craggy mountains! "There simply isn't enough time!" she cried. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">The choice she had been dreading, seemed to be her only option. She couldn't go around the craggy mountains at all, she had to pass through the dark tunnel that passed beneath them. Nothing in this world invoked more fear than the tunnel under the craggy mountains. While making their map, she and Mr. Squiggle had faced some of their worst nightmares in that tunnel—spiders and snakes! <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">She stared at the entrance to the tunnel—and then took a step. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">"SURPRISE!" <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); text-size-adjust: auto;">What a shock! Out jumped the owl, Mr. Squiggle, and many other forest friends had gathered for a Halloween celebration. The owl, Mr. Squiggles disappearing, everything had been a trick to get Willow Hazelnut III to join a Halloween party.<br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">They had sweets, popped corn, and pumpkin pie (not made from her house). It was a grand party. <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"> <br /></span><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;">After returning home Willow Hazelnut III snuggled with Mr. Squiggle in her pumpkin home, she sighed, "This was the best Halloween ever." As Mr. Squiggle nestled closer, he squeaked in return.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pumpkin B: The Pumpkin on Skullcrusher’s Lane</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE-qgNGSp7yVOu21pit1bgx_uWgZMsapF5NGYDbA357Z_EFa8KwGIrsuCExqdpadbJk2n25n6yUUDeT6qTf2kXTHxICKJWEr1QT_mCyCk-FBmaNmImWppgkel-9bem_hyphenhyphenwdClNfwoOduAlre9VX_dwoSBgl9_DVITZ_9vnhWXdnj_GIiXE3uHYxjfnKTH/s4032/IMG_1389.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE-qgNGSp7yVOu21pit1bgx_uWgZMsapF5NGYDbA357Z_EFa8KwGIrsuCExqdpadbJk2n25n6yUUDeT6qTf2kXTHxICKJWEr1QT_mCyCk-FBmaNmImWppgkel-9bem_hyphenhyphenwdClNfwoOduAlre9VX_dwoSBgl9_DVITZ_9vnhWXdnj_GIiXE3uHYxjfnKTH/w300-h400/IMG_1389.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEQPutKJM9rlMPGtrJuCALKfZwtopfDdhgIwvfOX3HFp-eu-t-29CMqcYzIiiaIY02TDGEVq-xxg1ffbANf-NHNWSgH5kSvyaJy7wQ29srWDmsRkgvooIk7VY27cjCyPLe0V5N0Iheb2hKxXgC8QYCANfbygrsnNwjTQHU5hUKTIjO8NHvZ8Zp_a434o3/s4032/IMG_1383.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEQPutKJM9rlMPGtrJuCALKfZwtopfDdhgIwvfOX3HFp-eu-t-29CMqcYzIiiaIY02TDGEVq-xxg1ffbANf-NHNWSgH5kSvyaJy7wQ29srWDmsRkgvooIk7VY27cjCyPLe0V5N0Iheb2hKxXgC8QYCANfbygrsnNwjTQHU5hUKTIjO8NHvZ8Zp_a434o3/w300-h400/IMG_1383.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHhDap1m94AgQp8eGlLJu0Pq6cQtUVYNvx82cXp60ppvk9oIF9o7hd4pqMjjPIiaUcIT6X4G7FRgMd4_Tp95QVgIrXy1SidL-uoGoUBOf_9qTdIR36KBsXet7j63R2xiOdZwH-_XTT_7aLOD-M4r6WyRpDEJPhEIJpw8bW2TgNg6YoN5zd6Q36WOX7ivt/s4032/IMG_1392.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHhDap1m94AgQp8eGlLJu0Pq6cQtUVYNvx82cXp60ppvk9oIF9o7hd4pqMjjPIiaUcIT6X4G7FRgMd4_Tp95QVgIrXy1SidL-uoGoUBOf_9qTdIR36KBsXet7j63R2xiOdZwH-_XTT_7aLOD-M4r6WyRpDEJPhEIJpw8bW2TgNg6YoN5zd6Q36WOX7ivt/w300-h400/IMG_1392.HEIC" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35SkhWuy-3kB978_tG3RA-7RjYMj5oOnIYA9AUs5WbkuJ4mL8CzuBOdSHv-gGQ2dwOJVOEB3zDrhdcAYzqfvAWQpEhPGxZQ-E039Hlnt3ybO1ZNgmJ3QR1UgJ_ztCxnf8p_P9JCqHsaV9tnvJBHjI_Gv-K3WvIY6RVzkyVV-ZbXdNOoe8iKQ42nXpDGzZ/w300-h400/IMG_1390.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Special features to note: A beautiful bark doorway <br />and two sets of shutters carefully crafted from sticks<br />(the set on the left is closed, the set on the right is open;<br />unfortunately one of the open ones fell off by the time pics were taken)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35SkhWuy-3kB978_tG3RA-7RjYMj5oOnIYA9AUs5WbkuJ4mL8CzuBOdSHv-gGQ2dwOJVOEB3zDrhdcAYzqfvAWQpEhPGxZQ-E039Hlnt3ybO1ZNgmJ3QR1UgJ_ztCxnf8p_P9JCqHsaV9tnvJBHjI_Gv-K3WvIY6RVzkyVV-ZbXdNOoe8iKQ42nXpDGzZ/s4032/IMG_1390.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f40c99f0-7fff-3452-4816-ccff8972a236"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">It was a dark, stormy night.</span> Rain pounded down in a torrential downpour that did not cease for days. Whether it was a pouring, pouring sky or the lightest drizzle, it did not stop. There was lightning that caused fires that were quickly put out by the rain, and there was thunder that shook the earth like a Taylor Swift concert or an earthquake of approximately 3 on the Richter scale.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A certain colony of miniature cats was looking for a place to shelter. They looked like little balls of puff, and were about the size of a mouse, but much fiercer, and with much less of a taste for grain. But apart from that, they looked exactly like cats, and they still had the same colors as normal-sized cats. All of the humans that they had killed had all rotted, so they made very poor nesting places. They searched and searched for days. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Until they finally found a little pumpkin, and they stayed there for a month, until the storm ceased. They clawed out little windows and a little door, and added sticks, and they hollowed out the inside completely (they had a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">lot</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> of experience with skulls), and they added some nice flowers for decoration. They made shutters that could open and close, like they sensibly do, unlike all those human houses that have shutters that are just for show (seriously, what is </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">with</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> those?). And they made a circular door out of tree bark. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 36pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 36pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">They carved the inside walls into shelves and made a bunch of tiny books and put them on the shelves. They used a few bones to make a nice little loft, and flattened it and stabilized it with a few large scraps of tree bark, and padded it with cotton and sheep’s wool and squirrel tails and feathers and moss. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It turned into a cozy little library/bookstore/murder training course, and they all lived happily ever after in their little pumpkin. It was never eaten by anything like mice, because everyone knows that cats would be </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">excellent</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> housekeepers, especially if that house was made of pumpkin—as, if rats or mice chomped or nibbled or came even close, the cats would rip their hearts out, and make easy work of it. And then, hey, free dinner! </span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Pumpkin C: Mouse Hollow</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVDZ9fkhRxXVG6xarx96-gf5uYbVnA3IjiJfqqODDQES_NsF1iVPruMO-8pW6a8PqrDoW58It1d0DI0maBF8jd3H6rXUITQOLeMO3BMa675-3wGTzXjkuEwnySGt7iebglgLuUNT3h57RQ-2qsW0G5Devn1IG070mTuftu6P8EZB_hzGEpIsxKojcqs-Z/s4032/IMG_1394.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVDZ9fkhRxXVG6xarx96-gf5uYbVnA3IjiJfqqODDQES_NsF1iVPruMO-8pW6a8PqrDoW58It1d0DI0maBF8jd3H6rXUITQOLeMO3BMa675-3wGTzXjkuEwnySGt7iebglgLuUNT3h57RQ-2qsW0G5Devn1IG070mTuftu6P8EZB_hzGEpIsxKojcqs-Z/w300-h400/IMG_1394.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBUxoDwv3imuDbD-k24GUJ6gpQxnwdAOY4Q8AzXZkOcaR3Nf_K_ZTaVQJwVyhjlEwrWl2tr6V6nuqgzZLvcJVig6byC4sSBORehT1Gw_Nv6H58ffSPfKY4QUEOCB9LXX4M9qsugjOFtBuaV7mza6v53uR1U50WKmbD95rXal4tFxslLAxTP3PbFCORD7l/s4032/IMG_1382.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBUxoDwv3imuDbD-k24GUJ6gpQxnwdAOY4Q8AzXZkOcaR3Nf_K_ZTaVQJwVyhjlEwrWl2tr6V6nuqgzZLvcJVig6byC4sSBORehT1Gw_Nv6H58ffSPfKY4QUEOCB9LXX4M9qsugjOFtBuaV7mza6v53uR1U50WKmbD95rXal4tFxslLAxTP3PbFCORD7l/w300-h400/IMG_1382.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq4qg7QkwX4jMVufDLBrWHTtUMzxsqjkivsLdIX_HJq8YC39tHIHUtWdOyFZIO-E6zBxjyZVQW8bSvWK8eM8bDA3hSi7X0kgp2__z9LH5XB8cpyZ3tqBbfTEiiUnucdw3KolP27wsgLrXEo6ApaMElLjW4VdRKLlGwYgNdfEI9wkIDLU8ByxP4S58xNvU/s4032/IMG_1395.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUq4qg7QkwX4jMVufDLBrWHTtUMzxsqjkivsLdIX_HJq8YC39tHIHUtWdOyFZIO-E6zBxjyZVQW8bSvWK8eM8bDA3hSi7X0kgp2__z9LH5XB8cpyZ3tqBbfTEiiUnucdw3KolP27wsgLrXEo6ApaMElLjW4VdRKLlGwYgNdfEI9wkIDLU8ByxP4S58xNvU/w300-h400/IMG_1395.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Details to note: Lavender wreath, acorns above the top window<br />(can only be seen in the 2nd pic since apparently they'd<br />fallen off by the daylight pic... oops! Glueing things to pumpkins<br />is hard, as it turns out.)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="color: #ffa400;">Once upon a time, </span>in a world in which pumpkin houses were only ever inhabited by gentle, cozy creatures and never murder cats intent on mayhem, lived a small family of mice. They were nothing like the dirty, squabbling mice that live in the walls of human houses. These were <i>highly civilized</i> field mice, who wore tiny aprons when sweeping out their pumpkin house and never allowed guests to wear their shoes* indoors and washed their childrens' mouths with soap if ever they used profane language. (Common mouse profanities include such phrases as "Oh pinecones!" and "Fox droppings!")</p><p>The Mouse Family were, in addition to being civilized, highly <i>industrious</i>. As soon as the first crocuses began peeking above the soil in the spring, they spent their days foraging—filling the pantry with seeds threshed from nearby grasses, wild onions dug from the banks of the creek, and sun-dried blackberries. </p><p>These mice weren't only foragers, either. They were also gardeners, growing a small but beautiful garden right outside their pumpkin home. All of the flowers they grew in their garden were edible, as well. "Food tastes twice as good if it is beautiful also," as Mama Mouse always said.</p><p>And every autumn, after they had finished gathering in their harvest, the Mouse Family held a harvest festival. For all of October, they celebrated with bonfires, harvest songs, and storytelling. Every October 31st, they crowned their front door with a special wreath woven from the choicest plants they'd foraged, and hung acorns from the roof, in preparation for the Harvest Mouse to come in the night and fill their shoes with sweet seeds.</p><p>*Obviously, your average field mouse does not wear shoes, but again—the Mouse Family of Mouse Hollow is <i>highly civilized.</i></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">And now: To the voting booth!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-48718203873836394932021-10-30T22:39:00.000-07:002021-10-30T22:39:38.520-07:00And The Winner Is…I’m getting this post in later than expected thanks to a fun family stargazing excursion tonight, but… here’s the news you’ve all been waiting for!<div><br /></div><div>After another tense week of voting, I sat down to tally the results, and… found myself running into technical difficulties. As a result, I (frustratingly enough) can’t give the exact final vote count, but I CAN still pronounce a winner—and say that, as far as I could tell, the margin of victory was EXTREMELY narrow. (In fact, if I counted only the votes off social media and not the blog, it was literally 1 point different!)</div><div><br /></div><div>The winner of this year’s pumpkin carving contest is…</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Pumpkin B!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>It was a fierce battle, but ultimately the beast from the watery depths gained the upper hand over the creatures of flame.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzl6_aY8L-0yTEtZV467_TajoDalz2rHSD7i1tmFmNE7p09kUt5WMBCMKlFq_dez8r_C02AkowJgxnLdsP8OPbdqflP0ugLMchv_2S2jXAR06vN454ox4llWLOvk_l4VYx2Oa-_Sn6U4me/s4032/IMG_0520.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzl6_aY8L-0yTEtZV467_TajoDalz2rHSD7i1tmFmNE7p09kUt5WMBCMKlFq_dez8r_C02AkowJgxnLdsP8OPbdqflP0ugLMchv_2S2jXAR06vN454ox4llWLOvk_l4VYx2Oa-_Sn6U4me/w480-h640/IMG_0520.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>And along with that knowledge, I can share: I carved this one! I’m pretty thrilled with how it turned out, honestly. It was a tough one, and I really thought the kraken would fall out several times during carving (those tentacles are DELICATE!)—but ultimately, it all worked out beautifully.</div><div><br /></div><div>Until next year, friends!</div>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-16901747506429615102021-10-24T12:28:00.021-07:002021-10-24T12:44:47.149-07:00Time To Vote In The 15th Annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving Contest!<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> The days are getting shorter, </b></span>the weather’s turning colder, and the streets are lined with ghosts and ghoulies—which means it’s officially time for…</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgrYuLXrBWFa8b6VtasHE3wVkLMYlvqTujjKngp-S4-qFV65T9HNBweuwyzrMGHNqZQXQ0LLvURs_Ul3YuWt52E-hAbT2KtbA_4Cq0JbBfvytaJ3G5FCOAQTseM_ETxR7SqWpPIndBSU1/s2800/IMG_0538.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="2800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgrYuLXrBWFa8b6VtasHE3wVkLMYlvqTujjKngp-S4-qFV65T9HNBweuwyzrMGHNqZQXQ0LLvURs_Ul3YuWt52E-hAbT2KtbA_4Cq0JbBfvytaJ3G5FCOAQTseM_ETxR7SqWpPIndBSU1/w640-h480/IMG_0538.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">The 15th annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving Contest!</span></p><p>A tradition that predates our marriage, the contest began in October 2007, when Mahon and I were “just friends” and all our unexpressed need for flirtation came out as extreme competitiveness. For fifteen Halloweens, we’ve kept this tradition alive despite equipment malfunctions, bitter defeats, and the fact that honestly, neither of us really loves carving pumpkins. 😂 Every year we talk about maybe skipping it, but we can never bear to let all ten of our very ardent fans down!</p><p>This year the stakes are higher than ever, as both of us have brought new tools to the table. Folks, this is a pumpkin carving contest like you’ve never seen it before! A few quick ground rules before we get to the voting:</p><p>1. Sadly, 8 year old Kitty is barred from the contest again this year. She’s not quite yet to the point of carving without help—plus, we all know for sure that if Kitty’s pumpkin can easily be identified she’ll sweep the contest without question, since everyone loves her best. 😂 Soon , though, we think she’ll be ready to enter!</p><p>2. Only one vote per person. You can cast a vote through or embedded poll, vote via the comments on this post, or vote on one of the official social media voting posts (there will be one each on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). If you cast an anonymous vote in the comments please sign it, as we won’t count unsigned anonymous votes.</p><p>3. All photography and descriptions are by me. Because I did all the photography, Mahon took charge of all the special effects (fire and water). So while you can see his arm in one pumpkin’s photos, that doesn’t mean it’s his pumpkin. 😉 (He’s in the background controlling the water of the other competitor.)</p><p>4. If you know—or have a guess—who carved which pumpkin, DON’T TELL! The secret is part of the fun.</p><p>I’ll close voting on Saturday the 30th by 9pm Pacific Time.</p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Without further ado—the pumpkins, my dear witches and werewolves!</span></p><p>Our theme this year was <b>“mythical creatures.”</b></p><p><b>Important note:</b> Both of these contenders are shown to their best advantage via video. However, I've been having trouble correctly embedding videos this year, particularly on mobile view. If you don't see a video pop up below the pictures for each entry, there will be a direct link to Youtube where you can view the videos.</p><p>First up, <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Pumpkin A, titled </span>“Fighting Fire With Fire”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6RD7RspaHRxK6TMr_Cs-Hpm0R2Tcg9CbcZQSg0ZmV9OJj2W28a5SjmEzKLRYPcp0BEOqxFrEyOPZj6e_8st2L7c3SGHlFrN-0MAYLnnSdXhFE0nOulCFG4nYir5cCefL3MXWOzKCsPau/s4032/IMG_0551.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6RD7RspaHRxK6TMr_Cs-Hpm0R2Tcg9CbcZQSg0ZmV9OJj2W28a5SjmEzKLRYPcp0BEOqxFrEyOPZj6e_8st2L7c3SGHlFrN-0MAYLnnSdXhFE0nOulCFG4nYir5cCefL3MXWOzKCsPau/w480-h640/IMG_0551.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="419" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SKa3zEfxlGw" width="504" youtube-src-id="SKa3zEfxlGw"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>(If you can't see a video above, click <a href="https://youtu.be/SKa3zEfxlGw" target="_blank">here</a>.)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4mrAnHt10pJXdcEHGBHATRV_OpJ58GSCvNgnIfCOh_4eMnzuHNQxwH9WrcYB89FAFAFi79LQPow35mAAV-vg5XOhS-XSuNxDTekiQfOzi7nrYtiZpzmGR7gsY6-YcMkKHk6peeXM1XK3/s4032/IMG_0481.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4mrAnHt10pJXdcEHGBHATRV_OpJ58GSCvNgnIfCOh_4eMnzuHNQxwH9WrcYB89FAFAFi79LQPow35mAAV-vg5XOhS-XSuNxDTekiQfOzi7nrYtiZpzmGR7gsY6-YcMkKHk6peeXM1XK3/w480-h640/IMG_0481.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This year’s Pumpkin A is a scene of fire, fury, and ferociousness, as two creatures of flame—a dragon and a phoenix—fight it out for Halloween supremacy. With intricate carving and a truly out-of-the-gourd vision, Carver A has created a landscape that cannot help but ignite the imagination. The scene shows a scorching showdown between Fawkes the Phoenix, sent by the forces of good to steal a precious artifact from an evil dragon, and the dragon herself, determined to protect her hoard. Candles alone were not enough for Carver A this year—instead, they’ve incorporated <i>multiple forms</i> of fire to create a truly explosive vista. Particularly noteworthy are the incredible details the carver has included, such as the delicate feathers on the phoenix’s outstretched wings, the flames carved into the pumpkin base… and, of course, the blowtorch-created jet of flame streaming from the dragon’s mouth. Who will win this blazing battle? Only time—and your vote—can tell.</div><br /><div>Next we have <span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">Pumpkin B,</span> titled—what else? “Release The Kraken!”</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdEm5jlHtaUfhm4uhs_aavpqXlnlC-NpMuYJYst5WPzJUcmX2V9dlZLWzrg7XPVN90AexwZMm16wUBd78EtxIlYmhtH-G2W9OGiEmWjybCybrfaDkJhtE1OcvFubCPD6XwZ1yQa210O_E/s4032/IMG_0525.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdEm5jlHtaUfhm4uhs_aavpqXlnlC-NpMuYJYst5WPzJUcmX2V9dlZLWzrg7XPVN90AexwZMm16wUBd78EtxIlYmhtH-G2W9OGiEmWjybCybrfaDkJhtE1OcvFubCPD6XwZ1yQa210O_E/w480-h640/IMG_0525.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="426" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aj9L-unBvvw" width="512" youtube-src-id="aj9L-unBvvw"></iframe></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="426" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p1jvuchdKW8" width="512" youtube-src-id="p1jvuchdKW8"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>(If you can't see the two videos above, follow these links:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Video 1, <a href="https://youtu.be/aj9L-unBvvw" target="_blank">nighttime</a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Video 2, <a href="https://youtu.be/p1jvuchdKW8" target="_blank">daylight</a>)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Throughout mythology, few cryptids loom quite so large in our imaginations as the kraken. This monstrous denizen of the deep has haunted the nightmares of sailors for hundreds of years, stalked across the pages of our books and the frames of our television screens—and now, it is unleashed in all its glory on this year’s Pumpkin B. The carver of Pumpkin B has used two gourds to achieve their vision—the sea beast, glorious and grim, lifting its tentacles to pull down the unwary pirate ship into the depths of the abyss. To truly represent the kraken’s might and power, Carver B has harnessed the powers of both fire and water—observe the fountain in the background. Zoom in on the photo and you’ll even see that the kraken has tiny suckers on the undersides of its tentacles! Truly, this fell creature has set its sights not only on the doomed pirates above… but also on <i>your</i> vote.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Time to cast your vote!</div><div><a data-quiz="Q852NCQP4" data-type="4" href="https://www.supersurvey.com/Q852NCQP4">Loading...</a><script>(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//cdn.poll-maker.com/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');</script></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Voting closes in the evening on Saturday, October 30th.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>And, of course, while 8-year-old Kitty isn’t eligible for the contest this year, we wanted to be sure to show off her pumpkin. (For those asking when she’ll be allowed to enter: She has to get to the point where a) she’s carving them herself instead of having Daddy carve the pumpkins she’s designed, and b) her designs aren’t so easily distinguished from ours. Right now if we let her enter everyone would be able to identify her pumpkin and she’d sweep the contest because everyone likes her best!) </div><div><br /></div><div>Titled “Creatures In The Moonlight,” its haunting vista shows a phoenix, a pegasus, and a dragon, all suspended under a glowing orange harvest moon. Because her parents both incorporated elements into their designs, Kitty decided that her element was going to be "Earth," represented by the artistic dusting of dirt on the lower rim of the pumpkin. Her creation is topped off by the cutest little miniature pumpkin you ever did see, adding an extra dollop of artistic flare. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhLZV-I8AtJekb3yTi13d33cMK0TTJ_dHM8uAeJsRG7noyxVlfwDI6l56Bax9ftENHtDlexNAjz24eSkaWWR9CKV8wHMOtTOZMmYihChqGMhY9eQcGP66UOirLKAsdB_RR0tcWhBmrNcT/s4032/IMG_0508.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhLZV-I8AtJekb3yTi13d33cMK0TTJ_dHM8uAeJsRG7noyxVlfwDI6l56Bax9ftENHtDlexNAjz24eSkaWWR9CKV8wHMOtTOZMmYihChqGMhY9eQcGP66UOirLKAsdB_RR0tcWhBmrNcT/w640-h480/IMG_0508.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrG6XluRsoPN9fnLvM15IZf9Z7tJZvCZZBguCZZc5jDJO8AJQWuaTrr8tLjNYb7UrX0Ls3F23FLnfB_B2wOyU3C1wyLAk6mSH3It8e_ZhT-08Ac91_L05jRY76ka0UkABNIhckg_OLHIa/s4032/IMG_0511.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrG6XluRsoPN9fnLvM15IZf9Z7tJZvCZZBguCZZc5jDJO8AJQWuaTrr8tLjNYb7UrX0Ls3F23FLnfB_B2wOyU3C1wyLAk6mSH3It8e_ZhT-08Ac91_L05jRY76ka0UkABNIhckg_OLHIa/w640-h480/IMG_0511.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-4547469389432622842021-09-11T17:00:00.005-07:002021-09-12T21:22:29.733-07:002021 Pitch Wars Wish List!(For a plain text version of this post without GIFs and images, click <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15W5dHFZ7xzW7B9ez2HfNM9XLNNjIBzc1SlqoDexDNFs/edit">here</a>.)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPBuwF64Sayx63P2oCw00xAioO9RyPjGjtcZ6ybFQZGG2UeJxwUC3dN0KFF-qkeTZQCTYLLnSk_l-yOckokvD13CPcvUOjRwMiBGEChNOADKPg0vZnEWSvuCf5ghYKoW8utX2DWHUoE8y/s1600/amanda+cindy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1367" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPBuwF64Sayx63P2oCw00xAioO9RyPjGjtcZ6ybFQZGG2UeJxwUC3dN0KFF-qkeTZQCTYLLnSk_l-yOckokvD13CPcvUOjRwMiBGEChNOADKPg0vZnEWSvuCf5ghYKoW8utX2DWHUoE8y/s320/amanda+cindy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image description: Two white women with brown hair, <br />Cindy Baldwin and Amanda Rawson Hill, pose together<br />wearing watermelon-patterned sunglasses.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Welcome to
the wish list for #TeamMascaraTracks!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">(That’s Amanda Rawson Hill and Cindy
Baldwin.) Sit down and draw up a chair. We've got chocolate, funny homeschool anecdotes</span><span style="font-size: small;">, and—of course—a
bookshelf chock full of crying books.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; background: white;">First off,
a little about us:</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; background: white;">Amanda Rawson Hill:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background: white;"> I grew up in Southwest Wyoming with a library
right out my back gate. I was one of those “gifted” kids. Smart, overachiever,
played a couple instruments, speech and debate. You know the type. I never
dreamed of being a writer until after I had kids! I got my degree in Chemistry
and now live in Central California with my husband and four kids. I’m the author of the middle grade novel <i>The Three Rules of Everyday Magic</i> (Boyds Mill/Kane) and the picture book <i>You’ll Find Me</i> (Magination Press), with more MGs and PBs to come in 2022 and 2023.</span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
<b>Cindy Baldwin:</b> As a kid, my favorite things to do were either explore the woods behind my North Carolina home, dreaming of fairies and hidden castles, or curl up with a book to read stories that filled my imagination with wonder and magic. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">These days, I live
in Portland, Oregon with my husband and daughter. I’m disabled and chronically ill, and I write a lot about the importance of authentic and respectful representation of disability in kidlit; my own books also all touch on disability in different ways. I’m also the critically acclaimed author of middle grade novels <i>Where the Watermelons Grow, Beginners Welcome, </i>and <i>The Stars of Whistling Ridge </i>(all with HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><b>We met back in Pitch Wars 2015, </b>where we were both mentees. In the six years since we met, we have:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Signed with the same agent</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Both had debut books published in the same year</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Published 5 books between us—and written a LOT more!</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Had one baby (Amanda)</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Been on international TV (Cindy)</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Taught a bunch of classes at writing conferences</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Homeschooled our kids</span></li><li><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444;">Shared a whole lot of tears, laughter, and commiseration</span></li></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">These days, we’re</span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"> child-raising,
book-writing, fast-talking, emotion-loving BFFs. We don’t shy away from total sincerity and talking about feelings. We
love big and we love hard. Cindy is Anne Shirley. (She once really did end up stranded in a river, clinging to bridge pilings, and had to be rescued. It's a long story.) Amanda is Leslie Knope. Together, we head up <b>#TeamMascaraTracks!</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/ogO1uRPuRmAhO/giphy.gif?cid=790b761155ed8f0864d2203cc3d08bb2ac3384231c23ea3d&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="245" height="400" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ogO1uRPuRmAhO/giphy.gif?cid=790b761155ed8f0864d2203cc3d08bb2ac3384231c23ea3d&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image description: A GIF of Leslie Knope, a white woman with blonde hair<br />wearing a blazer, saying something excitedly. The caption reads “Are you ready?”</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><br /></span></span></div>As mentors, we are hands-on and editorial. We love helping our mentees dig deep into their stories, and aren’t afraid to ask for big revisions—but we are also very hands-on and always willing to help break a big task down. We love taking on work that’s imperfect, but has a strong heart, and helping the author to really make the story shine. We are not the people to submit to if you aren’t ready to get your hands dirty and make big changes if that’s what the story calls for! However, we promise we’ll be there every step along the way.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Our past mentees include stellar authors like <b>Kit Rosewater</b> (<i>The Derby Daredevils</i> series), <b>Remy Lai</b> (<i>Pie in the Sky</i>), and <b>Cory Leonardo</b> (<i>The Simple Art of Flying</i>). Almost all of our past mentees have gone on to sign with agents <i>and</i> get book deals (including authors <b>Karen S. Chow</b> and <b>Stacy Nockowitz</b>, who will both debut in 2022!). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">While
we can't promise requests, agents, or book deals, we </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"> promise care, attention, and endless cheerleading. We’ve become close friends with our past mentees, and still regularly keep in touch. We’ve advised our mentees through not only revisions and the Pitch Wars agent round, but also things like:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Deciding between multiple agent offers</span></li><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Navigating agent breakups</span></li><li><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Dealing with querying beyond the contest</span></li><li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Handling nerves while on submission</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Navigating the debut experience, “second book syndrome,” and other ups and downs of a publishing career</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Learning how to use Twitter GIFs (come on—it’s an important PW skill!)</span></span></li></ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">If that sounds like what you are looking for in a mentor, then let’s go on to
what you </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">really</i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"> want to know!</span></div><div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/xThtalkAxYnZd94uB2/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611f83427c69daad06a448e9ba2083fddf7bd2409ae&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="281" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/xThtalkAxYnZd94uB2/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611f83427c69daad06a448e9ba2083fddf7bd2409ae&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image description: A GIF of Michael from the Good Place, a white man with white hair<br />and black-framed glasses wearing a grey suit, reading a strip of ticker tape.<br />The caption reads “Okay, here we go.”</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Our Wish List</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
Our favorite genres are <b>MG contemporary, Magical Realism </b>(both true
magical realism—which comes from traditionally marginalized communities and is
aware of the Latinx traditions from which it draws—and<b> literary contemporary
with elements of magic</b>)<b>, and 20<sup>th</sup>-century historical</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Within
those genres we are particularly looking for stories usually labeled, <b>quiet,
character driven, heartfelt, and literary</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">We’re not the best mentors for a book whose focus could be described as “comedic and quirky.” We love books that incorporate humor—but we’re after FLORA AND ULYSSES, not DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. We love stories that revolved around big, hard, real-world problems.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">somebody has ever said, “Wow, isn’t that a little heavy
for MG?”—<i>we want it</i>. If somebody has ever said, “This is really sad!"—<i>we want
it</i>. We want to feel something. We want to bawl our eyes out. We want to see
beautiful, powerful prose or poetry. We want books that exemplify the Madeleine L’Engle quote
“If the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” We want books
that tackle tough subjects in a hopeful and life-affirming way. We want big
philosophical ideas handled with the grace, wisdom and innocence of this age
group.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>We are not interested in sci fi or fantasy, and likely won’t read excerpts that are sent to us in those genres.</b> If you’re not sure whether your manuscript would be considered “fantasy” or “contemporary with magical elements,” feel free to Tweet us! Our list of comp titles, below, will also help clarify what we’re looking for.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>When it comes to historical fiction, we are NOT the right mentors for stories where the history or world-building plays a larger role than the character’s arc.</b> If you have the next THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, please send it our way! But if you write historical fiction in which the period details are as important as the character arc, we’re probably not the right mentors for it.</span></div>
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<br />
<b>Some things we especially love to see:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Diverse characters and plots, particularly written by authors with lived experience of the race, religion, sexuality, or disability they’re writing about</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Characters
influenced by faith but not in a faith-based story</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Homeschooling or other unique life paths</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Unique
structures and formats (including <b>letters, verse,</b> and <b>graphic novels</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Chronic illness and disability written by disabled authors</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Verse!
(We realize we said that above, but please. We're nuts for verse! Send us your
verse!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Bittersweet
endings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
involving the ocean</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Strong,
vibrant settings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Science
incorporated in a beautiful, meaningful way</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Books that incorporate current events, particularly those that focus on the often-untold stories of marginalized people, written by authors with lived experience (IE: we want your stories about living through climate change disasters with a disability; your stories about immigration and the refugee experience; your stories about LGBT kids grappling with the legislative attacks of the last few years, etc)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Books
set in countries that don't get as much MG screentime (please, send us the next AMAL UNBOUND!)</span></li></ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
If any of these could be a comp title…grabby hands!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>Everything Sad Is Untrue</i> by Daniel Nayeri</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>While I Was Away</i> by Waka T. Brown</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>The Vanderbeekers</i> series by Karina Yan Glaser</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>Up For Air</i> and other books by Laurie Morrison</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>From the Desk of Zoe Washington,</i> Janae Marks</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>Planet Earth is Blue</i> by Nicole Panteleakos</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>What Stars Are Made Of</i> by Sarah Allen</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><i>When Stars Are Scattered</i> by Omar Mohamed and Victoria Jamieson</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Front
Desk,</i> Kelly Yang<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of
Trouble,</i> Anna
Meriano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amal Unbound</i>, Aisha Saeed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Night Diary</i>, Veera Hiranandani</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Anything
by Kate Dicamillo, Sharon Draper, Lynda Mulally Hunt, or Sharon Creech<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paper Wishes, </i>Lois Sepahban<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Key to Extraordinary</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Snicker of Magic</i>, Natalie Lloyd<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War That Saved My Life</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War I Finally Won</i>, Kimberly Brubaker
Bradley<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amina's Voice</i>, Hena Kahn<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forget Me Not,</i> Ellie Terry<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles</i>,
Shari Green<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Echo</i>, Pam Muñoz Ryan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And, of
course, reading our books will give you a good idea of what we love in middle grade!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /><b>Things We Probably Don’t Want</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 3pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Animal protagonists</span></li><li><span style="color: #444444;">Sports
stories (There are other mentors LOOKING for this. We just don’t love it.
Sorry.)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Historical
fiction from earlier than the 1900s.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
more plot-driven than character-driven.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
that could be described with the word "adventure," especially
combined with "fantasy." Unless your character's adventure is lived
out largely in their own head (a la <i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">Bridge
to Terabithia</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;"> or </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">Some Kind of
Happiness—</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">SEND US THOSE!</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">), we are just not the best mentors for that! Really, if your
query contains words like </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">epic, journey,
battle, quest</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">…you should probably not send it to us.</span></span></li></ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>What
Will Really Draw Us In?</b><br />
<br />
Voice and beautiful writing are probably the number one thing that draws us to
a manuscript—though a great hook doesn't hurt. We can help you change
everything else… but the voice reigns supreme.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>
If you’ve read through this and think we’re your kindred spirits, send your MG our way!</b> We can’t wait to read your work. Putting
it out there is such an act of courage and vulnerability. We promise to treat
your entry with the respect and love that creativity deserves. We feel so
honored by every person who decides to share their story with us. We are
excited to meet you and your characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/ca/da/fccadad255014b902c2ad8f15dd61e2c.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="222" data-original-width="540" height="222" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/ca/da/fccadad255014b902c2ad8f15dd61e2c.gif" width="540" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image description: A GIF of Diana Barry (a white girl with curly black hair, <br />wearing a blue pinafore) and Anne Shirley (a red-headed white girl wearing a grey apron)<br />holding hands and smiling as they walk toward the camera.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><strong>Pitch Wars 2021 Middle Grade Mentors' Wish Lists</strong></div></div>
<ol id="pwmbh">
<li><a href="https://www.tracybadua.com/pw21" rel="noopener" target="_top">Tracy Badua</a></li>
<li><a href="https://iamericbell.com/pitch-wars-2021-wishlist/" rel="noopener" target="_top">Eric Bell</a></li>
<li><a href="https://julieartz.com/2021/09/11/2021-pitch-wars-mg-wishlist/" rel="noopener" target="_top">Julie Artz</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sandraproudman.com/2021-pitch-wars-wishlist/" rel="noopener" target="_top">Shannon A. Thompson and Sandra Proudman</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.georgejreije.com/" rel="noopener" target="_top">George Jreije and LQ Nguyen</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.darlenepcampos.com/post/pitch-wars-2021-wish-list" rel="noopener" target="_top">Darlene P. Campos</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.rebeccapetruck.com/post/pitch-wars-mg-2021-wish-list" rel="noopener" target="_top">Rebecca Petruck</a></li>
<li><a href="https://karahsutton.com/2021/09/04/pitch-wars-wish-list-2021" rel="noopener" target="_top">Graci Kim and Karah Sutton</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.shakirahbourne.com/post/2021-pitchwars-wishlist" rel="noopener" target="_top">Shakirah Bourne</a></li>
<li><a href="https://kimlongauthor.com/pitch-wars-2021-teamkrakenbee-returns/" rel="noopener" target="_top">Kim Long and Jennifer L. Brown</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.sarahkapit.com/post/pitch-wars-2021-wishlist" rel="noopener" target="_top">Adrianna Cuevas and Sarah Kapit</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sylvialiuland.com/2021/09/Sylvia-Liu-PW-wishlist-2021.html" rel="noopener" target="_top">Sylvia Liu</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blog.cindybaldwinbooks.com/2021/08/2021PWwishlist.html" rel="noopener" target="_top">Cindy Baldwin and Amanda Rawson Hill</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.erinteagan.com/single-post/erin-s-2021-pitch-wars-wish-list" rel="noopener" target="_top">Erin Teagan</a></li>
<li><a href="https://sassinsf.com/a-j-nicoles-pw-wishlist/" rel="noopener" target="_top">A.J. Sass and Nicole Melleby</a></li>
</ol>
<p><br /><a href="https://pitchwars.org/pitch-wars-2021-mentor-blog-hop/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_top">Click here to view all Pitch Wars 2021 Mentors' Wish Lists</a>. To view the wish lists by genre, <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-GDG3WD9XdP59qREthux-QrVX4NTvMBaT3TmgS-1ABo/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_top">visit this link</a>.</p>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-50677967470474781992020-10-31T22:50:00.007-07:002020-10-31T22:52:49.888-07:00And The Winner Is...<p><span style="font-size: large;"> WHEW! That was quite</span> the pumpkin show-down, folks. We had some of the highest voting we've ever recorded this year. Y'all really know how to get the vote out! (...and hopefully not just for pumpkins.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, every year before we start carving, I predict the winner based purely on concept. I'm almost NEVER correct—so much so that it's become a running joke in our family. But this year, I was 100% on the money, because I just knew that the idea of 2020 represented as a literally flaming dumpster fire was going to be something that resonated deep down in peoples' souls. </p><p><br /></p><p>That's right—the landslide winner of the 14th Annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving Contest, capturing a 87-51 victory, is... </p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin B, the 2020 Dumpster Fire!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjll3wH_341KTSWGOEQB8fnEXtCXvRy560z3rGmTOE8lCke0pzZtI2LBQbaCbt83DcVc8TrvSk-vBLQ5zEYb-c-KE9F-hdw2eFH3b9bDwKzkdSmXjCC8ZYefSaypCgQ5irrBmPZ_r5eLlRJ/s2048/pumpkinb4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjll3wH_341KTSWGOEQB8fnEXtCXvRy560z3rGmTOE8lCke0pzZtI2LBQbaCbt83DcVc8TrvSk-vBLQ5zEYb-c-KE9F-hdw2eFH3b9bDwKzkdSmXjCC8ZYefSaypCgQ5irrBmPZ_r5eLlRJ/w640-h426/pumpkinb4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>And even though it means that the LITERAL HOURS I spent agonizing over the layering on my own pumpkin did not net me the victory, I'm genuinely pleased to say that the brilliant mind (and hands) behind Pumpkin B is the man himself, Mahon Baldwin. Those of you who've followed our contest for a long time will probably remember that Mahon has almost NEVER won, despite carving some true masterpieces. When he told me the idea he had for the dumpster fire pumpkin earlier this month, I immediately said, "Oh, that's definitely going to win." I admit, my Zoom-o-Lantern turned out so much better than I'd imagined that I thought it might give Mahon's creation more of a run for its money... but in the end, the visceral pleasure at seeing 2020 represented with flaming trash spoke to the most people, and I can hardly fault anyone for that!</p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks, everyone, for voting. As always, you've helped make this one of the best weeks in the Baldwin family calendar! See you next year! (And I can even say that without wanting to die inside, because oh man. The professional grade tools we got this year? THOSE. THINGS. ARE MAGIC.)</p>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-44505375719057202012020-10-26T23:14:00.002-07:002020-10-26T23:17:16.152-07:00Cast Your Votes In The 14th Annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnNKoprA6XJgLejZxXEZkJI8aR3JXWpqEmFX70rq5qiqzobEoyJj0UEudSRCXRH5fZIwNJwc3HWp8FB73p0EQkFOrGbQfFndUyhxSQFYSeOfttITFAJUdnnPoJa64MZAETtiBA28ZK7Vh/s2048/pumpkinstogether.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnNKoprA6XJgLejZxXEZkJI8aR3JXWpqEmFX70rq5qiqzobEoyJj0UEudSRCXRH5fZIwNJwc3HWp8FB73p0EQkFOrGbQfFndUyhxSQFYSeOfttITFAJUdnnPoJa64MZAETtiBA28ZK7Vh/w640-h426/pumpkinstogether.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Nope, you can't vote for the cute middle pumpkin, no matter how much you may want to.)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2020 has been quite the year, amirite?</span> I don't know about you, but over the last few weeks, I've felt the intensity of these last ten months building toward a stressful climax, a vote that will determine my family's happiness for the coming days...</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">The 14th Annual Baldwin Pumpkin Carving Contest! </span></p><p><br /></p><p>This is the oldest tradition in the Baldwin family, begun back before Mahon and I were even dating, on the fateful night that he invited me to meet his family and promised me he could carve a better pumpkin than I could (as if!), the very night I fell the first little bit in love with him. And while every year after carving pumpkins I think NEVER AGAIN, I somehow always come around to it by the next October. In fact, this year I'm even excited already for next year, because this year we FINALLY, finally got a set of REAL, PROFESSIONAL GRADE carving tools, and boy oh boy. Those things are MAGIC. (Way, way better than the year we tried a Dremel, which is something we still don't talk about. It was so bad, y'all.)</p><p><br /></p><p>This year, our theme was obvious: no less a theme than<span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"> "Year 2020."</span> How, exactly, could we encapsulate the unbelievability of 2020? You'll have to read on to see!</p><br /><br />As always, all descriptions are written by me, and all photos are a joint effort between us both. Because of the nature of the pumpkins presented, the depictions aren't completely equal—you'll notice that Pumpkin A has a video in addition to photos, because it quite literally shines best when you can see it in action.<br /><br /><br /><br />This years rules, as in previous years, are:<div><br /><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">1</span>. Just ONE vote per person... no cheating! You can vote via the poll at the bottom of the post, or in the traditional way, through comments. Because the poll only allows a person to vote once, if you'd like to submit multiple votes for multiple family members, I recommend either doing them all in the comments or else doing one via the poll and the rest via comments. If you don't have a Google or OpenID account and so you're voting anonymously, make sure to sign your vote. Unsigned anonymous votes may be deleted. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can also cast a vote on Instagram or Facebook, as long as you keep it to the official pumpkin carving contest thread on those platforms (it gets too hard chasing votes across multiple threads).<br /><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">2</span>. DO NOT reveal who carved which pumpkin! If you suspect that you may know which pumpkin was carved by whom, DO NOT share that information in the comments. Any comment that tries to spill the carver's identities will be quickly deleted. (Also, we really DON'T recommend attempting to guess whose pumpkin is whose. In the past, guessers have tried to swing the vote for one person or another, and guessed wrong, with disastrous [but hilarious] results. So really, just vote for which pumpkin you actually like better and leave it at that, okay???)<br /><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;">3</span>. Get all your friends and family to cast their votes too! Share on social media! Bug your co-workers!<br /><br /><br />First up!<span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"> Pumpkin A:</span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkNtcXhKiQ8_hCLLPcJT8lYk62uZPSxioZaewmKsq22GPBtvPqhWOqltu7kkQgjsQsnqn2CSCrdFk0QWihMYSrg0j8tycjD6bMzMA2PnfGYypeLa0nFdfpu1f6Eghl_JtBRaUtycFxDiv/s2048/pumpkina2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkNtcXhKiQ8_hCLLPcJT8lYk62uZPSxioZaewmKsq22GPBtvPqhWOqltu7kkQgjsQsnqn2CSCrdFk0QWihMYSrg0j8tycjD6bMzMA2PnfGYypeLa0nFdfpu1f6Eghl_JtBRaUtycFxDiv/w640-h426/pumpkina2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8NX6oO5PbJ2wCkzNZsxIrYhPdd2XkIYUEkwjzlslxOWt0ToPMyXESHFXmVV-AFNkDemCXaubzu7Q3Y_p5TEbt4vgBPMAb3PVqbBhGVGVwe8ZXGFXuAsv1t-EbjGi1DPuNyR5jPdf-FPT/s2048/pumpkina1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8NX6oO5PbJ2wCkzNZsxIrYhPdd2XkIYUEkwjzlslxOWt0ToPMyXESHFXmVV-AFNkDemCXaubzu7Q3Y_p5TEbt4vgBPMAb3PVqbBhGVGVwe8ZXGFXuAsv1t-EbjGi1DPuNyR5jPdf-FPT/w640-h426/pumpkina1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />There have been a number of changes that have come to typify the year 2020... but what has become more iconic than the now-ubiquitous Zoom chat? In the last six months, we've carried out conferences, happy hours, church meetings, play dates, weddings, and even babysitting via video conference software. Zoom has become part of our cultural context, our punchlines... and now, our pumpkins. With this design, Carver A has chosen to depict 2020 as a cheery chat between gregarious G. Ourd and his bff, tea aficionado Jackie Lantern. While G. and Jackie may be unable to meet up in person due to their diligent social distancing, they're grateful for the chance for a little Zoom-o-Lantern time to keep their spirits up and their hearts full. Carver A spent untold hours perfecting the shading in this pumpkin—a true labor of love.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Next up,<span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: large;"> Pumpkin B:</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUlbAiPduh6gvB6TAT4mdRqy8U9dmDJZ8iSo0jqGTDl15w7slNIT51xw3h4UTJFPpgD9ZAhqguNB4WzUlgLC0Sq898HZACQZY761kZ43pCqMBZKRMoK13q_FDJSjpaf4-gmbFNXvQw4zX/s2048/pumpkinb2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUlbAiPduh6gvB6TAT4mdRqy8U9dmDJZ8iSo0jqGTDl15w7slNIT51xw3h4UTJFPpgD9ZAhqguNB4WzUlgLC0Sq898HZACQZY761kZ43pCqMBZKRMoK13q_FDJSjpaf4-gmbFNXvQw4zX/w426-h640/pumpkinb2.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTM3zN4aoXM9prs5ZlYaTjKrXMEbp1CCbzo375kOxyUGSLKONsZ3lQ1-uvnYydLBIG2c8gbRz2qRXU4jbVCNX0Ix1Lyz3zRcPQl7RKy9lKxURakKTJgcv82t8cQ2dDEgyhZ0Kud_0Kr1z/s2048/pumpkinb4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTM3zN4aoXM9prs5ZlYaTjKrXMEbp1CCbzo375kOxyUGSLKONsZ3lQ1-uvnYydLBIG2c8gbRz2qRXU4jbVCNX0Ix1Lyz3zRcPQl7RKy9lKxURakKTJgcv82t8cQ2dDEgyhZ0Kud_0Kr1z/w640-h426/pumpkinb4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO_EvISWGSRdLnq0G6ocmUpAWYJdgcCajRuRVvK0yKVaq458Ey9H2LVYqYRlxC06b_2Jc6QFvxZMk11zUUZlS0qd5G44qVCWjbBHY3OhmOYheFn9yOELP2qYByoX05Gb7mmJ6vLggTiNP/s2048/pumpkinb1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcO_EvISWGSRdLnq0G6ocmUpAWYJdgcCajRuRVvK0yKVaq458Ey9H2LVYqYRlxC06b_2Jc6QFvxZMk11zUUZlS0qd5G44qVCWjbBHY3OhmOYheFn9yOELP2qYByoX05Gb7mmJ6vLggTiNP/w640-h426/pumpkinb1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeJdo8hPXfkE-ucN0PGoeE50SAy7KuUudKIxzYf_wytYWgIL9Zb50Mm97gaVvL6Opim57HkI7Bif5dgpBxRjA68azV0uERj6UFFhs0CG_lmijFTAVZ8Ugwf45Vjmitc_lFNk3e1Mk-OwG/s2048/pumpkinb2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeJdo8hPXfkE-ucN0PGoeE50SAy7KuUudKIxzYf_wytYWgIL9Zb50Mm97gaVvL6Opim57HkI7Bif5dgpBxRjA68azV0uERj6UFFhs0CG_lmijFTAVZ8Ugwf45Vjmitc_lFNk3e1Mk-OwG/w426-h640/pumpkinb2.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='479' height='398' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzad4x94UU7vWwCsvtOHfrTgokCKUxjgcdW8ZWoi6BGhqYPfuwAeMVk2nzkGNIo1a0HmXDWckObudM6_EeWTw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSpsr6KtR1bs2nUuwQy7FG3OWy1KhxX6sdrWnTR6kyy4Dt0WuNt7uuVXKKLET7L7duzk52RRXuDHD7sWaW6PbZz1gUBOJsWJFOLnQd45AEyiM47AKqxGF1cai4cNDPl4DByyr4Y68SJnn/s2048/pumpkinb3.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSpsr6KtR1bs2nUuwQy7FG3OWy1KhxX6sdrWnTR6kyy4Dt0WuNt7uuVXKKLET7L7duzk52RRXuDHD7sWaW6PbZz1gUBOJsWJFOLnQd45AEyiM47AKqxGF1cai4cNDPl4DByyr4Y68SJnn/s320/pumpkinb3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Double, double, toil and trouble, dumpster burn, pandemic bubble! Shakespeare's witches have nothing on this hook-nosed hag crafted by Carver B; she cackles merrily while stirring the literal dumpster fire that is the year 2020. While Carver B has also used careful shading techniques to attire their witch, they have ventured this year into far more flamboyant realms of artistry as well, creating a genuine kerosene flame in their gourdian dumpster. (Note, also, the careful safety preparations made for this exhibit, including a fire extinguisher held at the ready.) After all, there can truly be no image that more fully sums up this year than that of a raging, crackling pile of burning refuse, egged on by a creature whose heart is blacker than the gown she wears. (Make sure to watch the attached video to see the true splendor of Pumpkin B in action.)</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b>And now, without further ado, cast your vote!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;"><b><script src="http://www.easypolls.net/ext/scripts/emPoll.js?p=5f97ba8ee4b09cc6ebea7c0b" type="text/javascript"></script><a class="OPP-powered-by" href="http://www.objectplanet.com/opinio/" style="text-decoration: none;"><div style="color: grey; font: 9px arial;">survey service</div></a></b></span></div><br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Voting will close</span> around <b>9pm Pacific Time on Saturday, October 31st. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>But we're not done yet! Seven-year-old Kitty joined her parents in this year's carving, and while she is not eligible to participate in the contest yet and any votes for her pumpkin will be ignored, we couldn't help but show you the fantastic pumpkin she designed and carved (mostly by herself)! We love it. A fierce kitty designed by a fierce Kitty; what could be more fitting?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5aTDmbM1GMqVA2CASWdVPwoO3h3Ry_zqLNs4lUDogmFoupgT5Kg-4IgFCUGpWrhk4ssTIC_ormfRlL-G7rhJA1WCC4LSAUc7344IZU_98Y0IcH5hlBsD9vt7APPC2EvamKs80t3q2Iuv/s2048/pumpkinkate.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5aTDmbM1GMqVA2CASWdVPwoO3h3Ry_zqLNs4lUDogmFoupgT5Kg-4IgFCUGpWrhk4ssTIC_ormfRlL-G7rhJA1WCC4LSAUc7344IZU_98Y0IcH5hlBsD9vt7APPC2EvamKs80t3q2Iuv/w640-h426/pumpkinkate.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-41781952670559173132020-08-10T09:46:00.004-07:002020-08-12T10:22:08.508-07:00Chapter Books To Read Aloud With 3-6 Year Olds<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1sMyoB27rLrNJD-KNran1ITPH12e0EQGUnV02IyqsWclzEirEhAEGwfYqVO67LAytpoEvBZQl9Qsz9ptzBJ8tiYWf7uJKULF-S-yJF7IqrcnQQ99Up5W4dd9tvbEHwYmkqNphuYSHOj9/s2048/kate+reading+baby.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1sMyoB27rLrNJD-KNran1ITPH12e0EQGUnV02IyqsWclzEirEhAEGwfYqVO67LAytpoEvBZQl9Qsz9ptzBJ8tiYWf7uJKULF-S-yJF7IqrcnQQ99Up5W4dd9tvbEHwYmkqNphuYSHOj9/w427-h640/kate+reading+baby.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Back when my daughter </span>(now 7) was three, my husband and I hit a point where we were DESPERATE to start reading longer books aloud to her at bedtime, purely to gain a reprieve from being forced to read the same books every. Single. Night. (Her favorites were Rudyard Kipling's <i>Rikki Tikki Tavi</i> and <i>Horton Hears A Who</i> by Dr. Seuss, which were both LONG!)<br />
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Since then, although we still read plenty of picture books together, we've transitioned completely to longer books for bedtime reads. Over the last four and a half years, we've read a <i>lot</i> of early chapter books and younger middle grade books, and since I frequently get asked for recommendations for this age group, I thought I'd compile a post with some of our favorite read-alouds, along with suggested ages! Every kid, of course, is different, and your mileage may vary as far as what your child's interests are and what stories keep their attention. I didn't include popular read-alouds like the <i>Harry Potter</i> series, or other longer middle grade fiction, because we've found that in our family my daughter was only ready for longer, more complex narratives like those around age six. The books on this list are ideal for those transitional years (ages 3-6, roughly), where kid and parent are ready for something more than picture books, but not quite ready to visit Hogwarts or Narnia.<br />
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The age ranges I've specified here are for the youngest ages the books would likely appeal to. Of course, they're great for bigger kids too—and some of these are ones we've read multiple times as my daughter has grown!<div><br /></div><div>A couple of pointers before we dive into the reading list:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Chapter books are <i>not</i> that important for literacy at such a young age, so if your kid isn't ready for them, don't force it! Picture books are the foundational building block of literacy skills for young kids, because connection words and pictures is HUGE in a young brain's development.</li><li>If your kid doesn't seem like they're paying attention, don't worry! My daughter often played while we read or listened to audiobooks (and still does). Sometimes I'd SWEAR she was not listening at all, only to have her say something later that made it clear she'd been paying much better attention than I'd thought.</li><li>Don't force yourself through a book that isn't fun for everyone involved! There were a few books that we started as a family, got halfway through, and just mutually decided <i>this isn't working for us</i> and ditched. There are too many awesome books in the world to worry about the ones you don't love.</li><li>There is something about the way a child's brain develops that makes it so that kids are not naturally able to sequence stories in the same way an adult can. (I could write a whole post on this. I find it <i>fascinating.</i>) My daughter taught herself to read at 4.5, but even as an early and very precocious reader, there was a big delay in her <i>ability</i> to read longer books and her <i>desire</i> to do so. What I realized, to my surprise, was that she did not see a long book as a contiguous story. She saw every chapter or scene as something that stood alone, and because of that, she didn't feel that urgent NEED to get back to a book she was reading until she was around six and a half. This dynamic is less prominent in read alouds, because as a parent you can help your child make the connections between different events in a story, but don't be surprised if your kid seems totally cool just stopping a book in the middle or doesn't seem as intrigued by the mystery at a book's heart. It doesn't meant they don't enjoy it—it just means their brains are processing it differently than yours!</li></ul><div>
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<b>The <i>Clementine</i> series (ages 3+)</b> by Sara Pennypacker: This and Anna Hibiscus (below) are tied for my very favorite chapter book serieses of all time. (Fun fact: In publishing, "chapter books" doesn't mean just any book with chapters—it refers specifically to <i>early</i> chapter books, the age category that bridges the gap between early readers and middle grade books. Chapter books are shorter than middle grade, and typically heavily illustrated.) Clementine is absolutely hysterical, and Pennypacker's grasp of kid thoughts is pure comedic gold. Plus, Clementine will prove a kindred spirit for any kid who has troubles at school—although a diagnosis is never given, I suspect that the character has ADHD, and she spends a lot of time visiting with the sympathetic-but-exhausted principal of her school. The first book is called <i>Clementine.</i><br />
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<b>The </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Anna Hibiscus </b><b>series (ages 3+) </b>by Atinuke: These books are tied with Clementine for my all-time favorite chapter book series. Atinuke, a Nigerian storyteller, weaves a series of interconnected stories about Anna Hibiscus, a charming little girl who lives in an extended family compound in Africa. (The country is never specified, but I suspect based on some of the details and the author's nationality that it is Nigeria.) The books are laugh-out-loud funny—Anna has younger twin brothers named Double and Trouble who are always a riot—but also does a phenomenal job at introducing difficult subjects in a gentle, age-appropriate manner. Years after first reading, we still use examples from Anna's stories to have discussions about big topics like grief or acting out. The only catch with this series is that it's from a smaller press and some of the volumes weren't in my library; I found them online for a reasonable price and ended up buying them all, and it's been a heartily worthwhile investment. The first book is called <i>Anna Hibiscus.</i><br />
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<b>The <i>Sam</i> series (ages 3+)</b> by Lois Lowry: This is another you won't be able to get through without laughing! (Especially when you read <i>Attaboy, Sam!</i>) A classic chapter book series that follows Sam Krupnik from birth until preschool. I've read these multiple times and always enjoyed it! These do have slightly longer chapters, so you may have to split chapters between reading sessions. The first book is called <i>All About Sam.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Everything <i>Winnie-the-Pooh </i>(age 3+)</b> by A. A. Milne: My daughter was hardcore obsessed with Pooh from about 2.5-4 and listened to the casted audio recording of the complete stories dozens of times. They're fun to read aloud, but in this case, it's also totally worth hunting down that casted audio, which is phenomenal. (Also, Eeyore sounds strangely like Alan Rickman's Snape, which is weird but <i>totally works.</i>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>Diary of an Ice Princess</i> series (age 3+) </b>by Christina Soontornvat: This is a newer chapter book series that appeals perfectly to fans of princess, magic, and cute animals! My daughter devoured these after she'd already learned to read, but they'd make great read-alouds for fantasy-inclined little ones too.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>Yasmin </i>series (ages 3+) </b>by Saadia Faruqi: This is a beloved family favorite! These are released both as early readers, and as chapter books with 4 of the early reader stories in each volume. Yasmin is fantastic, and her adventures are so much fun to follow. (AND the books often have corresponding activities at the end!) The illustrations in this are vibrant and honestly some of my favorite in kidlit, and I also love Yasmin's strong, supportive family.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The </b><i><b>Princess in Black</b> </i><b>series (ages 3+)</b> by Shannon and Dean Hale: These are zany, highly illustrated chapter books with short chapters, funny/easy-to-follow plots, and fantastic illustrations, which makes them perfect for kids who are little and just making the transition to longer read-alouds.<br />
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<b>Anything by Dick King-Smith (ages 4+)!</b> Especially <i>Babe, The Water Horse, </i>and <i>A Mouse Called Wolf.</i> We read these when my daughter was about four and she seriously could not get enough of them. She was spellbound through all the descriptions of village life and sheepdog training and what have you. Also, thanks to these books and the next suggestion, I once came upon her at age four putting her stuffed animals through an obstacle course—she proudly announced, "Look, Mama, I'm playing sheepdog trials!"</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>Jasmine Toguchi</i> series (ages 4+)</b> by Debbie Michiko Florence: Jasmine loves to learn new things, and doesn't want to be bound by the limits others have set her! She's a great, spunky heroine readers can root for, and the books also provide some really fun peeks into cultural traditions for Jasmine's Japanese-American family.<br />
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<b><i>Best-Loved Children's Stories </i>(ages 4+)</b> by James Herriot: This one is a solid win for animal-loving kids! It also has lovely, full-color illustrations, which are always a plus.<br />
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<b><i>Big Foot and Little Foot</i> (age 4+)</b> by Ellen Potter: This one comes with a caveat; skip it if your kids don't handle spooky suspense well. These are some of the most charming chapter books I've ever read, but each book <i>does </i>have a period of time where the main characters are certain a terrifying monster is stalking them. In the end, each "monster" turns out to be a harmless and heartwarming misunderstanding, but my daughter didn't do well with the suspense and we had to stop reading the series. Nonetheless, I always recommend them for kids who do okay with spookiness, because they're just so cute!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>Two Dogs in a Trench Coat </i>series (4+)</b> by Julie Falatko: This series is absolutely absurd, zany, hilarious fun. Literally about two dogs in a trench coat who miss their boy so much they dress up and go to school as one student name Salty, these are laugh-out-loud reads for sure! The complete ridiculousness of the fact that nobody ever notices or suspects that Salty is, in fact, two dogs in a trench coat is what makes this series pure awesomeness.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Wild Robot</i> and <i>The Wild Robot Escapes</i> (4+) </b>by Peter Brown: We listened to <i>The Wild Robot</i> on audiobook during a family road trip when my daughter was 4, and we were all completely spellbound. This is such a unique story, really like nothing else I've ever read. The depth of emotion, compassion, and thought-provoking moral questions make this one of those perfect reads for families with mixed ages. The exciting story is enough to capture the youngest kids' attention, while the nuance and philosophy give adults plenty to ponder.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>My Father's Dragon</i> series (4+) </b>by Ruth Stiles Gannett: I'm including this one largely because it is the #1 recommendation I found for chapter books to read aloud to little kids, back when I was searching. We did read all three books as a family when my daughter was about four, and enjoyed them. However, I confess that they're not my absolute <i>favorites</i> to read aloud; they're fun, but I felt like they didn't hold my family's attention as much as others. Your mileage, of course, may vary—since it's clearly a beloved favorite of many read-aloud families!<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Charlotte's Web </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">(5+)</span> by E. B. White: I had actually, amazingly enough, <i>never read this</i> until I read it to my daughter when she was 4 or 5. I ended up being so sad that I'd missed such a wonderful book as a kid—except also happy that I got to experience it for the first time as an adult!<br />
<br /><i><b>The Vanderbeekrs</b> </i><b>series (5+) </b>by Karina Yan Glaser: These charming novels are reminiscent of classics like <i>The Saturdays</i> or <i>All-of-a-Kind Family,</i> but they spotlight a biracial family living in Harlem and include a beautiful array of diversity. These are some of our all-time favorite read-alouds, and now that my daughter is older she's reread them all herself multiple times. There was a solid year in there where all of her dolls were named after Vanderbeeker siblings. We're BIG fans in this house! (I actually think the third book in the series, <i>The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue,</i> was our all-time favorite family read aloud.)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Dragons in a Bag</i> and <i>The Dragon Thief</i> (5+) </b>by Zeta Elliott: These are short reads and might appeal to younger kids as well, but some of the worldbuilding is a little complex and might be harder for small ones to follow. But this duology is a delightful lower middle grade pair about a conscientious, rule-following boy who accidentally gets sucked into a magical adventure involving misplaced dragons, time travel, other worlds, talking animals, and other mischief! Although we didn't read this one until my daughter was older, I think she'd have loved it a few years ago, as well.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Pacy Lin series (5+) </b>by Grace Lin: This series, which begins with <i>Year of the Dog</i>, was one we all really enjoyed reading when my daughter was about 5.5. The stories are loosely autobiographical, and Pacy's adventures and anecdotes are absolutely delightful. This series has strong appeal to kids who love slice-of-life books that are interspersed with stories from family members, somewhat similar to the format of the Little House books. (*whispers* but better!) I will never forget, nor stop being delighted by, the story about Pacy's dad practicing his golf serve in the hallway before their carpet is replaced.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The <i>Ramona</i> series (5+) </b>by Beverly Cleary: This is a classic, and was one of our daughter's favorite for many years (especially on audiobook—she's listened to the entire 20-hour audio collection more than 10 times!) This one has longer chapters, so it's a bit better for the kids five and up, and just know you may have to pause in the middle of chapters as you read.</div></div>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-47009025018328623072020-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:002020-01-13T09:01:21.743-08:00A Playlist for Beginners Welcome!<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1FlrNI83iYZRSNt85B4HyT" width="300"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My second middle grade novel, </span><i>Beginners Welcome</i>, hits shelves in just a few short weeks. It's about an eleven-year-old girl named Annie Lee, who's struggling to find healing after her beloved daddy unexpectedly dies. Writing <i>Beginners Welcome</i> was an especially fun process, because I got to draw on one of my favorite things in the world: my own musical background.<br />
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Music has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started taking piano lessons pretty young, and when I was ten I picked up a cousin's violin and taught myself how to play "Minuet in G" in a few minutes—proving to my reluctant mom that yes, I DID need violin lessons. I studied violin seriously all through middle school and high school; in fact, at one point, I planned to be an orchestra teacher! Over the years, I've taught violin, tutored piano, composed music (I even had one composition place at the state level in a competition!), and been an orchestra assistant. In high school, I even got to conduct a local children's orchestra while they played a piece I'd written myself. It was a really cool experience!<br />
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In <i>Beginners Welcome,</i> music is the thread that connects Annie Lee to her daddy, even after he's gone. It's also the thing that helps give her the courage and strength to begin moving on after his death. Annie Lee meets an elderly pianist at the local mall, and through piano lessons with him, she starts to open her heart up to others once more.<br />
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Because music is such a big part of the book, I had to make a playlist for it—of course! Many of these songs are ones that I listened to as I worked on the book. Although I don't listen to music WHILE I'm actually writing, I'll often listen to it while I'm thinking about the book, outlining, or planning, to help get me in the right mindset. A lot of the songs on this playlist—like the John Denver ones or "Carolina in my Mind," by James Taylor—are songs that are directly mentioned in the book. (One of them happens to be Annie Lee's daddy's favorite song in the world, and the song she's named after... you might be able to figure out which!)<br />
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Other songs are the kind of dreamy, improvisational piano pieces that I imagined Ray the pianist playing during his improv sessions at Brightleaf Square Mall. There's a few on there, too, that are passionate, emotional pieces from the classical repertoire, the kinds I imagine Annie Lee and her daddy listening to together.<br />
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The final song on the playlist, "Anthem" by Leonard Cohen, was actually part of the inspiration for the story. In fact, the very first title <i>Beginners Welcome</i> had was <i>How The Light Gets In</i>, after a line in that song. I love the chorus of that one, and how it emphasizes the fact that beauty—and light—come from brokenness, rather than perfection. That's a message that Ray delivers to Annie Lee as she struggles through her piano lessons, and it's one that I hope readers take away from <i>Beginners Welcome, </i>too.<br />
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I hope that you enjoy this playlist as much I enjoyed putting it together!<br />
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(In addition to the embedded player above, you can access the playlist <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FlrNI83iYZRSNt85B4HyT?si=Casp0gPXSU6dI8xeyU4hOQ">here</a>.)cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-4500082504596257902020-01-09T11:18:00.002-08:002020-01-09T11:22:32.764-08:00Beginners Welcome pre-order giveaway!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfxm8jasliuzxKFEQ809-BHzayob4Hd8CQFP3duj9fs4HVpXNBlfBFdk-kmiJ-Q_XeDX7K4XpeB9DZII7PDOt_10feOvAWa_cVctRQ0BreO5ZSt-IbFeweC_RKQrdR9PkIcyAoasW2J4/s1600/BW+pre-order+giveaway+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbfxm8jasliuzxKFEQ809-BHzayob4Hd8CQFP3duj9fs4HVpXNBlfBFdk-kmiJ-Q_XeDX7K4XpeB9DZII7PDOt_10feOvAWa_cVctRQ0BreO5ZSt-IbFeweC_RKQrdR9PkIcyAoasW2J4/s640/BW+pre-order+giveaway+image.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything included in the pre-order giveaway! <br />
(Note that some giveaway tiers may not receive all items pictured.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">One of my favorite thing</span>s that I did to celebrate the release of <i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i> was holding a pre-order giveaway, so I knew that I wanted to do the same with <i>Beginners Welcome!</i> I see pre-order giveaways as such a wonderful way to thank YOU, my readers, for your support and enthusiasm for my books. Even heading into the publication of book two, it's absolutely mind-boggling to me to realize that real people out in the world have read, loved, and shared my books. This giveaway is a way to say thank you to each of you for your support!<br />
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Unlike the giveaway for <i>Watermelons</i>, the <i>Beginners Welcome</i> pre-order giveaway does not include entries for a grand prize. Instead, I've tried to make sure that each entrant will get something a little bigger and more special than the swag I offered with <i>Watermelons</i>. This time, I'm also offering a couple of different entry tiers, which I'm really excited about!<br />
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Something completely new included with this giveaway is a digital download of both sheet music and a recording of an original piano composition that I wrote to coordinate with the book. In <i>Beginners Welcome,</i> Annie Lee is entranced by elderly pianist Ray Owens and his skill for improvisational composition—something that I drew from my own life and my own love for piano songwriting! I'm really excited to share the digital downloads for the sheet music and recording for this song, and hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-i4auhqF3p5Bx8eZL78QM51iGGphb5HkkKnXCyuOEoMmibjIEmExufdmtv6hIxqKuNdjU1v3UOj_a7BKvoUuyLckL42u_Ax6-gF2E0M2qZyzYDmGmee67jWJwncYsR6c9Pb_UHcStnSq/s1600/bw+pre-order+image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-i4auhqF3p5Bx8eZL78QM51iGGphb5HkkKnXCyuOEoMmibjIEmExufdmtv6hIxqKuNdjU1v3UOj_a7BKvoUuyLckL42u_Ax6-gF2E0M2qZyzYDmGmee67jWJwncYsR6c9Pb_UHcStnSq/s640/bw+pre-order+image+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What you'll get for pre-ordering BEGINNERS WELCOME through retailers other than Annie Bloom's</td></tr>
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Here's what you can expect to receive if you enter this giveaway:<br />
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—Pre-orders through most retailers: Digital download of sheet music and recording for "Beginners Welcome" song; a signed bookplate; a BEGINNERS WELCOME bookmark; and a BEGINNERS WELCOME sticker.<br />
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—Pre-orders through AnnieBlooms.com: Digital download of sheet music and recording for "Beginners Welcome" song; a signed bookplate; a BEGINNERS WELCOME bookmark; a BEGINNERS WELCOME sticker; and a music-themed elastic charm bookmark (colors and charm styles may vary, and not all elastic colors are shown in the photo).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4JBy3r73CXSRTQhkuOvNUKvNCK1wUxyGNyaWKgfMvHTwhb9Ek-pOm_RlpWQHdZXyhOCkyIn8Hq7mUm8i15vJgMObsTh2HS1fhJXfskyktgue81a4Z1DPQ6ouaSxSeOX-V8b3f6MoUUx8/s1600/bw+pre-order+image+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4JBy3r73CXSRTQhkuOvNUKvNCK1wUxyGNyaWKgfMvHTwhb9Ek-pOm_RlpWQHdZXyhOCkyIn8Hq7mUm8i15vJgMObsTh2HS1fhJXfskyktgue81a4Z1DPQ6ouaSxSeOX-V8b3f6MoUUx8/s640/bw+pre-order+image+3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you pre-order through AnnieBlooms.com, you'll receive a music-themed elastic<br />
charm bookmark in addition to the rest of the swag!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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—Library order requests or holds (Only eligible through 2/11/2020): Digital download of sheet music and recording for "Beginners Welcome" song; a BEGINNERS WELCOME bookmark; and a BEGINNERS WELCOME sticker.<br />
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—If you are a teacher or librarian who pre-orders the book to share with your classroom: Bookmarks and stickers for <b>one classroom's</b> worth of students; a signed bookplate; and a personalized letter from me to your class. (Note that I can only send swag for one classroom's worth of students, even if you teach multiple sections.)<br />
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The giveaway will be open from now until <b>one week after the book's release</b>, closing on 2/18/2020. Mailed swag and digital downloads may or may not be sent until after the giveaway period closes.<br />
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To enter, follow <a href="https://forms.gle/QMRNkZVbCFbNSdDy7">this link to the Google form</a> where I'll be collecting information! Also, <b>please don't hesitate to enter</b> if you've pre-ordered <i>Beginners Welcome</i>—everyone is eligible for this giveaway, even my friends and family. ;) Help me show my gratitude for your support!cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-36711488820370591802019-11-04T09:00:00.000-08:002019-11-04T12:23:20.268-08:00I love sharing your friendship. I don't want to share your germs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAkZ7jIULBiRt-sRFj8NsEigL18v_52Ng_By6uolNe1bp3ZtYLrtaw6cC5TYvvjOXhFb-0tCLoudOFgo6m3d9DaX5qn5vAwLpIiR2A8-vmTvWTIXIuMu3kJiDcjRYoOoTqhCjaBNwwTg0/s1600/IMG_20160918_123144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAkZ7jIULBiRt-sRFj8NsEigL18v_52Ng_By6uolNe1bp3ZtYLrtaw6cC5TYvvjOXhFb-0tCLoudOFgo6m3d9DaX5qn5vAwLpIiR2A8-vmTvWTIXIuMu3kJiDcjRYoOoTqhCjaBNwwTg0/s400/IMG_20160918_123144.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How I dress for church in the fall/winter<br />
months to try to stay cold-free</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">For many years, </span>I've shared a post about the importance of staying home when you're sick as soon as the first autumn colds start to circulate. As a cystic fibrosis patient, my immune system is compromised, and I have a tendency to pick up any viruses within a hundred-mile radius—at least, that's what it often feels like! Not only am I more likely to <i>get</i> colds and other illnesses in the first place, but those illnesses are nearly always much, much worse for me than for a regular person. What may be a case of the sniffles for you typically turns into a lung infection for me, nearly always requiring antibiotics and frequently requiring a hospitalization or course of home IV antibiotic therapy.<br />
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And don't even get me started on more serious viruses, like influenza, which can be a literal death sentence for CF patients. In 2007, while I was engaged, I caught the flu; I was almost immediately hospitalized, and ended up going into the hospital something like 7 times over the next 18 months. It took me at least that long, if not longer, to feel like I was back on my feet health-wise.<br />
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Every winter, I personally know far too many people with CF who die—and quite often, the infection that leads to their decline is caused by a cold, influenza, or other virus. And death is only the most dramatic result. Every winter, I also see far too many friends spending months in the hospital, enduring cycle after cycle of body-destroying extra-strength antibiotics, and, like me, finding themselves unable to engage with life at all because their strength is so totally zapped by dealing with persistent infections.<br />
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CF patients aren't the only population at risk, either. Cancer patients, transplant recipients, and medically fragile children and adults all can have life-threatening reactions to a virus that, for you, manifests as an annoying case of sniffles.<br />
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Every year when I blog about this, I get push back in two primary ways: from people with kids who are sick all the time, and from people who don't have the option of taking sick leave from work. I get that, I really do. I've been that parent before - there have been times where Kate was sick over and over for months in a row. And I understand, also, that there are lots of jobs where a worker is penalized or let go for missing work, regardless of the excuse.<br />
<b><br />In light of those issues, here are some things that you can do to mitigate the effect of your illnesses.</b><br />
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1. If you can stay home, do so. Postpone the shopping trip. Get takeout instead of eating at a restaurant. Stay home from church—truly. Church is one of the big danger zones for me, because people have a tendency to come regardless of how they feel. Really truly, you can nearly always find someone to fill in if you have something to do, and those of us with compromised immune systems will thank you. If you really <i>cannot</i> get out of a responsibility and must go sick, see #2 and #3.<br />
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2. Be honest. If you're going to a gathering where you know that someone with a compromised immune system (or a baby) will be, let them know how you're feeling. Describe your symptoms and let them tell you what they feel comfortable with. Work out a plan you both feel okay with.<br />
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3. Wear a cheap mask. You can get inexpensive disposable surgical masks at any drug store. Did you know that wearing a standard paper mask won't actually protect the wearer from viruses? That's why I don't wear one when I'm out during cold and flu season (I actually buy pricey fitted masks to help me stay safe in the winter, but that's not an option everyone has). However, what those paper masks do very well is protecting the people around you from your germs while you're wearing it. If you have to go out while you're still symptomatic, consider wearing one. Also, use hand sanitizer, wash hands frequently, try not to sit close to anyone else, and make sure to cover a cough.<br />
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4. Learn to tell the difference between allergies and a cold. If you or your kid has a stuffy or runny nose that isn't going away after several weeks but has never been accompanied by a fever, body aches, or a cough, it's probably allergies... But if that runny nose just started, give it at least a few days before deciding it isn't a cold. <b>Contrary to popular wisdom, a clear runny nose is no safer than a green one,</b> and it actually usually comes at the point when a cold is most contagious (ie the beginning).<br />
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Remember how Smoky the Bear said "only you can prevent forest fires"? The same might be said in this case: only you have the power to help make public spaces a safe place for those of us with compromised immune systems to be!cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-4551750577928745812019-11-02T22:11:00.003-07:002019-11-02T22:11:57.695-07:00And The Winner Is...<span style="font-size: x-large;">All I have to say</span> about the pumpkin-carving contest voting this year is: WOW! Y'all <i>really</i> turned out to vote this year. We ended up with 210 votes, more than a hundred votes higher than any of our previous contests! The polls certainly seemed to be an easier way to vote than our old comment system, although I did miss some of the banter and the chance to see more of the decision-making process happen as people voted. If you voted this year and have also voted in prior years, I'd love to know what you thought of the new system vs. the old!<br />
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Even with so many votes, the response was very decisive. Unfortunately for the losing pumpkin, it garnered far fewer votes this year than the winner; from the beginning, there was a clear favorite. With a final tally of 180-30, the winner of this year's contest is.......................<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin B!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE4ssUTdN3PxMOnOvZLsIqUO0S7Y1KpRtjmE7K9wl4ua1Eft04gAHWu07Gic9MNdOUliKWAOiCp9CxApVq0iu5Zlj29s9GBgCDGvZgI17Pn0FmcxJM10IHxsBK6J4UnzdgHwpeVSoy5Y4/s1600/IMG_1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGE4ssUTdN3PxMOnOvZLsIqUO0S7Y1KpRtjmE7K9wl4ua1Eft04gAHWu07Gic9MNdOUliKWAOiCp9CxApVq0iu5Zlj29s9GBgCDGvZgI17Pn0FmcxJM10IHxsBK6J4UnzdgHwpeVSoy5Y4/s640/IMG_1653.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A few months ago when Mahon and I were tossing around theme ideas for this year's contest, he suggested <i>space</i> as a theme. It took me a little while of pondering, but I soon landed on the design I wanted: a lyrical, emotional moon scene that honored the connection between Earth and space. I can honestly say I've <i>never</i> been so happy with any pumpkin I've ever carved as I am with this year's Pumpkin B. I'm so proud of how well I was able to complete my vision!<br />
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Of course, Mahon's Pumpkin A is also spectacular, and I am absolutely gobsmacked by his creativity and ingenuity. Perhaps next year he'll take the trophy again!<br />
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Thanks so much for voting—we'll see y'all next year! (And next year we'll be armed with our preferred tools again. Hmph.)cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-75526700071829267172019-10-28T22:08:00.000-07:002019-10-28T22:35:35.401-07:00Cast Your Vote In The Thirteenth Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest!<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you've followed me long at all,</span> you're probably familiar with the oldest tradition in the Baldwin household: the annual Halloween pumpkin-carving contest. Back when my husband, Mahon, and I were baby-faced college students with fewer worries but more debt, we bonded over a shared spirit of competition when he invited me to his family's yearly pumpkin-carving bash. He boasted that he was sure he could carve a better pumpkin than me, and since we couldn't be content with only our own opinions or even those of the family members there that day, I uploaded the photos to my very-new-back-then blog and let the world be our judge.<br />
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Since then, every year we've repeated the tradition—slaving over contest themes, choosing pumpkins with the utmost of care, trying out dozens of different tools (WE HATED THE DREMEL, OKAY?), and always sharing the pictures with the world so that <b>YOU</b> get to decide who, after all, is the best pumpkin carver in the Baldwin household.<br />
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This year, as the world celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing and the U.S. turns its gaze once again into the cosmos, we thought that there could be no better theme for our contest than space itself. The final frontier of pumpkin carving, as it were! If I do say so myself, these are some of the very best pumpkins we've ever produced, which is especially impressive considering that there was a last-minute drama involving lost carving tools and we had to go back to using kitchen knives and x-acto cutters, something I swore we would never do again. But hey, we survived, and these pumpkins are pretty epically space-tacular!<br />
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As always, all descriptions are written by me, and all photos are a joint effort between us both. This year Pumpkin A has more photos only because it is 3D enough to need to be seen from several angles to be appreciated; Pumpkin B, which is a more traditionally unilateral carving, shines (pun intended) through with fewer photos.<br />
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<b>This years rules, as in previous years, are:</b><br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">1. </span>Just ONE vote per person... no cheating! If you don't have a Google or OpenID account and so you're voting anonymously, make sure to sign your vote. Unsigned anonymous votes <i>may</i> be deleted. You can also cast a vote on Instagram or Facebook, as long as you keep it to the official pumpkin carving contest thread on those platforms (it gets too hard chasing votes across multiple threads).<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">2.</span> DO NOT reveal who carved which pumpkin! If you suspect that you may know which pumpkin was carved by whom, DO NOT share that information in the comments. Any comment that tries to spill the carver's identities will be quickly deleted. (Also, we really DON'T recommend attempting to guess whose pumpkin is whose. In the past, guessers have tried to swing the vote for one person or another, and guessed wrong, with disastrous [but hilarious] results. So really, just vote for which pumpkin you actually like better and leave it at that, okay???)<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">3. </span>Get all your friends and family to cast their votes too! Share on social media! Bug your co-workers!<br />
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First up! <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin A</span>:<br />
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This year's carver of Pumpkin A has truly gone above and beyond to present a mind-bendingly original piece of gourdian art. Not only have they used three distinct pumpkins to create the planet Saturn, its rings floating free around it—they've even gone so far as to meticulously paint their creation with UV paint, lending it a fancifully eerie glow. Perched atop the planet are an intrepid astronaut explorer and their newfound companion, a friendly Saturnian. In a moment where NASA prepares to launch itself into future missions to far-flung planets, this still-life of the first interaction between a human and an extraterrestrial seems especially appropos.</div>
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You'll notice the wealth of incredible details with this pumpkin, including the fact that the Saturnian glows in the dark but the astronaut doesn't, indicating that the magical phosphorescence of the planet lends itself to fauna as well as flora. In the second picture, you can also see that the rings are actually suspended around the planet, not resting on the ground—a true feat of engineering!</div>
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Next we have <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin B</span>:</div>
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Just a week and a half ago, NASA conducted its first all-female space walk, as Christina Koch and Jessica Meir stepped outside the International Space Station together in a groundbreaking act of space-age feminism. This historic moment seems to be very much on the mind of the young girl featured in Pumpkin B, as she stands against a star-dappled sky, wistfully gazing up at the full moon. Perhaps she, like Koch and Meir once did, dreams of someday swimming among the stars—or even stepping foot on the moon itself, taking something more than just a small step for womankind. </div>
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Notice the detail and lyricism present in Pumpkin B: the careful carving of the figure of the girl with her uplifted hand; the faint light of the Earth where she stands; and the crater-pocked surface of the moon, majestic and proud, in the sky above her.<br />
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<b>We're trying something new this year! </b>This year, I'm going to try to use polls to manage some of our voting. If the polls don't work for you, or if you're entering votes for multiple people, you can of course still cast votes in the comments just like normal. You can vote in the poll below, in the comment section, in the comments on Facebook or Instagram, or on my Twitter poll (@beingCindy). <i>But please, only vote once!</i><br />
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<script src="http://www.easypolls.net/ext/scripts/emPoll.js?p=5db7ced5e4b033f7823676d7" type="text/javascript"></script><a class="OPP-powered-by" href="http://www.objectplanet.com/opinio/" style="text-decoration: none;"></a><br />
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<a class="OPP-powered-by" href="http://www.objectplanet.com/opinio/" style="text-decoration: none;">panel management</a></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Voting will close</span> around <b>9pm Pacific Time on Saturday, November 2nd</b>. </div>
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<i>Postscript</i>: This is actually the first year that Kate has expressed a wish to be in the contest. Alas, you can't actually vote for this pumpkin (I told her she has to get to the point where her pumpkin could pass for one of ours so she doesn't get votes purely by default!), but we wanted to share it anyway. The design is a witch riding a broom with her trusty feline friend in front of her, their flight path directly toward a crescent moon. Design by Kate, carving by Mahon under Kate's instruction.</div>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-63221379366976598262019-06-15T20:39:00.002-07:002019-06-15T20:39:54.293-07:002019 MG Summer Reading List!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9k7_ErKF1_kREQOEOiNHglG_YpMt_PG9Qgqx0-5Xfj6cSpBeDY8Ojvd-29KvDBzFewHKgWAGmbDi9yCad5qkBUrnY6MZ9wvwhSG1Q1t8i6CaY5xyLQcyLJwBeQLKufh1QRcUHNhLuuAw/s1600/bookpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9k7_ErKF1_kREQOEOiNHglG_YpMt_PG9Qgqx0-5Xfj6cSpBeDY8Ojvd-29KvDBzFewHKgWAGmbDi9yCad5qkBUrnY6MZ9wvwhSG1Q1t8i6CaY5xyLQcyLJwBeQLKufh1QRcUHNhLuuAw/s640/bookpic2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Recently on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cindybaldwinbooks/">Facebook</a>,</span> I promised to share a list of some of my favorite middle grade reads for parents looking for summer reading for their kids. (The sweet spot for most middle grade is between ages 8 and 14, though I find them delightful to read as an adult, too! And my 6-year-old and I have enjoyed lots of middle grade fiction as read-alouds.)<br /><br />The following is a list I've compiled of some of my <i>very</i> favorite middle grade reads over the last year. Hopefully, there will be something for every kind of reader here, whether they're fans of graphic novels, realistic fiction, mysteries, tear-jerkers, or historical fiction. Any book on the list with a star is one that takes place DURING the summer—I know I personally always love when my summertime reads have that summery feeling!<br /><br />Each of the books on this list is something I've personally read and loved in the last year or two; I tried to include a mix of newly-published titles and older ones, to make sure that many would be available even at smaller local libraries. If you're looking for something to suit a specific reader, let me know in the comments what books they've enjoyed in the past, and I'll try to give some customized recommendations! <br /><br />One set of books I end up recommending a LOT but haven't read all of is the Rick Riordan Presents line. If you have a Percy Jackson fan in the house, be sure to check out new books published under this imprint by authors like Jen Cervantes, Roshani Chokshi, Yoon Ha Le, and Carlos Hernandez. Each series is a Percy-style adventure that is based in world mythologies and written by authors from that specific culture. They're awesome!<div>
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(Disclaimer: I've used Amazon Affiliates links in this post.)<br /><br /><b><u>REALISTIC FICTION</u></b><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/August-Isle-Ali-Standish/dp/0062433415/?tag=cbb-mb-20">August Isle</a> by Ali Standish*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062665863/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Where the Watermelons Grow</a> by Cindy Baldwin*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Mountain-Lauren-Abbey-Greenberg/dp/0762462957/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Battle of Junk Mountain</a> by Lauren Abbey Greenberg*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/So-Done-Paula-Chase/dp/0062691783/?tag=cbb-mb-20">So Done</a> by Paula Chase*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Meadows-Summer-Emma-Otheguy/dp/1524773239/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Silver Meadows Summer</a> by Emma Otheguy*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Up-Air-Laurie-Morrison/dp/1419733664/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Up For Air</a> by Laurie Morrison*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vanderbeekers-141st-Street-Karina-Glaser/dp/0544876393/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Vanderbeekers of 141st St.</a> by Karina Yan Glaser<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1328770028/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden</a> by Karina Yan Glaser*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Parker-Inheritance-Scholastic-Gold/dp/0545952786/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson*</a> (This one is realistic fiction with a historical mystery element!)<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-Birds-Sandy-Stark-Mcginnis/dp/1547601000/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Extraordinary Birds</a> by Sandy Stark-McGinnis<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Harbor-Me-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0399252525/?=tag-cbb-mb-20">Harbor Me</a> by Jacqueline Woodson<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Season-Nicole-Melleby/dp/1616209062/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Hurricane Season</a> by Nicole Melleby<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Kind-Trouble-Moore-Ram%C3%A9e/dp/0062836684/?tag=cbb-mb-20">A Good Kind of Trouble</a> by Lisa Moore Ramée<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Line-Tender-Kate-Allen/dp/0735231605/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Line Tender</a> by Kate Allen<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Other-Words-Home-Jasmine-Warga/dp/0062747800/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Other Words for Home</a> by Jasmine Warga<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Greene-Comes-Clean-Melissa-Roske/dp/1580897762/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Kat Greene Comes Clean</a> by Melissa Roske<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mostly-Honest-Truth-Jody-Little/dp/0062852493/?cbb-mb-20">Mostly the Honest Truth</a> by Jody J. Little<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Front-Desk-Kelly-Yang/dp/1338157795/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Front Desk</a> by Kelly Young<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Year-Dog-Pacy-Lin-Novel/dp/031606002X/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Year of the Dog</a> (and sequels) by Grace Lin<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Worth-Thousand-Words-Brigit-Young/dp/1626729204/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Worth A Thousand Words</a> by Brigit Young<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/House-That-Lou-Built/dp/1524717940/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The House That Lou Built</a> by Mae Respicio</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Just-Under-Clouds-Melissa-Sarno/dp/1524720089/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Just Beneath the Clouds</a> by Melissa Sarno</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Someday-Birds-Sally-J-Pla/dp/0062445774/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Someday Birds</a> by Sally J. Pla*<br /><br /><b><u>HISTORICAL FICTION</u></b><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Crazy-Summer-Rita-Williams-Garcia/dp/0060760907/?tag=cbb-mb-20">One Crazy Summer</a> by Rita Williams-Garcia*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Blue-Nicole-Panteleakos/dp/0525646574/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Planet Earth is Blue</a> by Nicole Panteleakos<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Inquisitors-Tale-Three-Magical-Children/dp/0142427373/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Inquisitor's Tale</a> by Adam Giddwitz<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Inventors-at-No-8/dp/0316471496/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Inventors at No. 8</a> by A. M. Morgen<br /><br /><b><u>SCIFI AND FANTASY</u></b><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Midsummers-Mayhem-Rajani-LaRocca/dp/1499808887/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Midsummer's Mayhem</a> by Rajani LaRocca*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Just-South-Home-Karen-Strong/dp/1534419381/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Just South of Home</a> by Karen Strong*<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Grade-Galaxy-Joshua-Levy/dp/1541528107/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy</a> by Joshua S. Levy<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Two-Dogs-Trench-Coat-School/dp/1338189514/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School</a> by Julie Falatko<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Boys-Jewell-Parker-Rhodes/dp/0316262285/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Ghost Boys</a> by Jewell Parker Rhodes<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Land-Yesterday-K-Reynolds/dp/0062673920/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Land of Yesterday</a> by K. A. Reynolds<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Art-Flying-Cory-Leonardo/dp/1534420991/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Simple Art of Flying</a> by Cory Leonardo<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Dog-His-Boy-Ibbotson/dp/0545351960/?tag=cbb-mb-20">One Dog and His Boy</a> by Eva Ibbotson<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Bottom-Sea-Lindsay-Eagar/dp/0763679232/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Race to the Bottom of the Sea</a> by Lindsay Eager<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hotel-Between-Sean-Easley/dp/1534416978/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Hotel Between</a> by Sean Easley<br /><br /><b><u>GRAPHIC NOVELS:</u></b><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Kid-Jerry-Craft/dp/0062691198/?tag=cbb-mb-20">New Kid</a> by Jerry Craft<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/March-Trilogy-Slipcase-John-Lewis/dp/1603093958/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The March trilogy</a> by John Lewis (nonfiction memoir)<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pie-Sky-Remy-Lai/dp/1250314097/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Pie in the Sky</a> by Remy Lai<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cardboard-Kingdom-Chad-Sell/dp/1524719382/?tag=cbb-mb-20">The Cardboard Kingdom</a> by Chad Sell<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faire-Middle-School-Victoria-Jamieson/dp/0525429999/?cbb-mb-20">All's Faire in Middle School</a> by Victoria Jamieson<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/El-Deafo-Cece-Bell/dp/1419712179/?tag=cbb-mb-20">El Deafo</a> by Cece Bell<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Be-Prepared-Vera-Brosgol/dp/1626724458/?tag=cbb-mb-20">Be Prepared</a> by Vera Brosgol*</div>
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And for even more summer reading fun, check out this Summer Reading Bingo I put together for <a href="http://www.middlegradeatheart.com/">Middle Grade at Heart</a>!</div>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-57567655353269876922018-11-29T12:30:00.003-08:002018-11-29T12:30:33.437-08:00Revision Breakdown Part 3: Doing the Deed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making notes on the hard copy of my 2020 book</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">So, remember how last summer</span> I was working on a series of blog posts about my revision process? I got two posts into that three-part series and then got busy, and... um... never finished. Oops.<br />
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Since it's better to post a year and a half late than to never post at all, here is the final step in my personal revision process! You can refresh your memory of the earlier posts if you want:<br />
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<a href="http://blog.cindybaldwinbooks.com/2017/07/revision-breakdown-part-1-write-your.html">Part 1: Writing my own edit letter</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.cindybaldwinbooks.com/2017/07/revision-breakdown-part-2-semi-optional.html">Part 2: Mapping out my story</a><br />
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Once I've mapped out my story and written my edit letter, I break my revision down into manageable chunks.<br />
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The way I break a manuscript down really varies from revision to revision. Typically, I start with the big things first—the "plot changes" or "big changes" from my self-made edit letter. I prefer not to start with smaller details, because sometimes the bigger changes might alter things enough that my original list of smaller changes is no longer accurate.<br />
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For some revisions, I read chronologically through the book from beginning to end, working each chapter to make several big alterations. (This, for instance, is what I did with my second book with HarperCollins; by the time I got my edit letter from my editor it had been about a year since I'd worked on that book last, and I had enough big-picture changes to make that I knew I needed to read the whole manuscript as I worked.)<br />
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For others, I take one big change at a time and go through the whole manuscript working for places to implement it. This is how I revised <i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i>—I'd read it fairly recently and had a fairly clear idea of where I needed to make specific changes.<br />
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I often do a lot of back-and-forth-ing as I work on these big revision passes; a new scene here means altering an older scene to be consistent, etc.<br />
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Once I've worked my way through my whole list of big changes, I turn to the smaller ones. (Sometimes—when I have a LOT on my revision to-do, which is not uncommon—my lists are split into "big," "medium," and "small," and I go in that order, from big to small.) Often, these are changes I can implement using tools like the "find" feature in my word processor—searching for specific keywords, overused phrases, or scenes I know I need to change but can't remember what chapter they occur in. For instance, if I've decided to get rid of the references to a specific school, I can search for every time I use the name of that school and then rework the paragraphs around that mention.<br />
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This part of revising is by far the least set-in-stone, most intuitive portion. Often, I base the way I'm doing it on what feels most organic or least intimidating to me. For me, starting a revision inevitably feels like standing on the high dive, afraid to make the leap off; I try to begin with whatever makes that leap the least scary, or whatever I have the clearest vision for.<br />
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I typically don't work down my to-do list in order, either—I address points on the list in the way that feels the most natural. Often, different points on my list are related to one another, and I'll work on all of them in tandem before moving on to less-related issues.<br />
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For especially big revisions, I might end up reading through the manuscript beginning-to-end twice. With my second book (out in 2020), I read through on the computer as I made my big changes, and then printed the manuscript and read through the hard copy after I'd finished, so that I could have a better grasp for the rhythm of the language and find smaller line edits that needed attention.<br />
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When I'm working on a revision, it always, ALWAYS feels like my book is turning into Frankenstein's monster, an unintelligible mishmash of old and new writing that feels completely doomed to being terrible. No matter how incoherent it feels when I'm working on it, though, I always find that the manuscript is much, much stronger when I'm done!cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-89608675616334433592018-11-07T22:35:00.001-08:002018-11-07T22:35:08.666-08:00And the Winner Is....<span style="font-size: x-large;">So, remember how I said</span> results would definitely be posted by 9pm PST tonight? Well, I looked at the calendar while scheduling that and thought, "hmm, we have parent-teacher conference that night AND that's laundry-folding night... Hopefully I won't be too busy!"<br />
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Reader, I was VERY busy.<br />
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But now here I am, belatedly! And I'm pleased to announce that the winner of this year's pumpkin carving contest, by a total of 57-36..............<br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin B!</span><br />
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If you've followed our contest long, you'll know that Mahon has only won a handful of times in our 12 years of doing this. In fact, a couple of years ago he was feeling so dejected about it that there was real talk about ending the contest for good. But I think he's feeling pretty good about things right now, since he is, in fact, the carver of Pumpkin B, making this his second victory in a row after last year's masterful Te Ka pumpkin.<br />
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And I can't fault him for the win—this curcubit creation is pretty incredible, and probably one of me favorite pumpkins ever to emerge from the contest. It's pretty cool, seeing my Della reading in her playhouse!<br />
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Congrats to this year's winter, and thanks so much for voting! We'll see y'all next year.cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-72147898742141484342018-11-03T22:21:00.001-07:002018-11-03T22:21:29.402-07:00Cast Your Vote in the Twelfth Annual Pumpkin—Um, Curcubit—Carving Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It's everyone's favorite time of year</span>—you know, when we're all spending our time poring over candidates, trying to figure out which option best typifies our values, and heading to the polls.<br />
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That's right: It's pumpkin carving contest time!<br />
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For the first time ever, this year's pumpkins ended up getting rescheduled until after Halloween, thanks to a combo of complicating factors. But better late than never, and here we are, with this year's candidates!<br />
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This year's theme is one we've had in mind for more than a year. In honor of <i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i> being released this summer, our pumpkin carvings are everything Della Kelly (and friends). This time, in honor of our theme, we even have an extra-special addition to one carver's entry. We actually REALLY tried to find full-sized watermelons for us both to carve, but alas: there are no regular watermelons to be had for love or money in November, so pumpkins it (mostly) is.<br />
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As always, all descriptions are written by me, and all photos are a joint effort between us both. This years rules, as in previous years, are:<br />
<br /><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">1</span>. Just ONE vote per person... no cheating! If you don't have a Google or OpenID account and so you're voting anonymously, make sure to sign your vote. Unsigned anonymous votes may be deleted. You can also cast a vote on Instagram or Facebook, as long as you keep it to the official pumpkin carving contest thread on those platforms (it gets too hard chasing votes across multiple threads).<br /><br /><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">2.</span> DO NOT reveal who carved which pumpkin! If you suspect that you may know which pumpkin was carved by whom, DO NOT share that information in the comments. Any comment that tries to spill the carver's identities will be quickly deleted. (Also, we really DON'T recommend attempting to guess whose pumpkin is whose. In the past, guessers have tried to swing the vote for one person or another, and guessed wrong, with disastrous [but hilarious] results. So really, just vote for which pumpkin you actually like better and leave it at that, okay???)<br /><br /><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">3.</span> Get all your friends and family to cast their votes too! Share on social media! Bug your co-workers!<div>
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First up! <span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin A:</span></div>
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<i>...through the window to the backyard I could see Miss Tabitha. A cloud of bees swirled around her, so many bees that the ends of her blond hair lifted in the wind they made. She wasn’t wearing one of those white space suits beekeepers are supposed to put on to protect themselves from stings—but she didn’t look afraid, not one bit. She looked... at home there, in that storm of bees...</i></div>
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(<i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i>, page 200)</div>
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Central to Della's story in <i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i> is the famous Quigley honey, responsible for mending the wounds and woes of Maryville for generations. Whether it's healing a baby with pneumonia, fixing a broken heart, or mending a family feud, the Quigley honey has the ability to bring out strengths inside you that you never realized were there. In their pumpkin, Carver A has used careful shading and exquisite detail to evoke the mystical, magical nature of the Quigley honey threaded throughout the book—reminding the viewer that magic is always so much closer than you think.</div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;"><strike>Pumpkin</strike> Curcubit(s) B:</span></div>
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<i>We’d built it last summer, right by where the curve of Hummingbird Bay met the edge of the Hawthorne farm, and both our daddies hated it because we’d made it ourselves out of old plywood we scavenged from the supplies my daddy used to build our chicken coop last year. Before that we’d spent years playing in an old tobacco shed, but the playhouse was better, because it was made with our own hands.</i></div>
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(<i>Where the Watermelons Grow</i>, page 56)</div>
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In a true stroke of genius, Carver B has chosen to incorporate an actual mini watermelon into their design. This carver has used the watermelon to depict Della's beloved playhouse, where Della sits, lost in a book—quite possibly the very Emily Dickinson poems that teach her how to hope when she feels all hope is lost. The watermelon is set into a pumpkin, into which a window is carved with curling watermelon vines below and swaying tree branches above. Of special note is the color contrast provided by the interior of the watermelon against the pumpkin—definitely an effect we've never seen before!</div>
<br />Voting will close by 9pm PST on 11/7. You can destress from the <i>actual</i> election by watching <i>these</i> results roll in just one day later.<br /><br /><i>Postscript</i>: You can't vote for this one (any attempts to vote for it will be rejected!), but we figured we'd share, anyway! Kate's design this year is a "cheetah underneath a rainbow."<br /><div>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-41364521603552807562018-08-19T23:18:00.001-07:002018-08-19T23:18:22.643-07:00Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's eleven at night, and tears took me while I was brushing my teeth. I don't know why it was that moment that it suddenly hit me, the realization sinking deep into my bones, tingling on my skin—but right then, I felt overwhelmed with the magnitude of what tomorrow means for me.<br />
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Tomorrow is my birthday—my thirtieth birthday.<br />
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Seventeen years ago, I first read the phrase "average life expectancy" connected with cystic fibrosis. At the time, the life expectancy was 34. It was an enormous thing to grapple with as a new teenager; my thirties seemed so old, so far away, and yet the idea of not living past them felt claustrophobic and, at times, crippling.<br />
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And yet here I am, on the cusp of this new decade, only a little bit worse for the wear—ready to tackle many, many more years to come.<br />
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When I was six months old, my parents were told that I wouldn't live to turn twenty. Sometimes, the last decade of my life feels almost decadent, like a truffle center, unexpected and delicious.<br />
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And here I am, half again as old as that original prognosis.<br />
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I try not to think often about CF and life expectancy. I have enormous anxiety about the future, and compensate by largely pretending it doesn't exist more than two or three months out. But on birthdays, the full weight of that reality hits me a little differently—not as clutching, clawing anxiety for what I might someday lose, but as soul-deep, heart-pausing gratitude for what I've had.<br />
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I don't know what the future will bring. My disease is still unpredictable, still progressive, still incurable. And yet, on this birthday eve, feeling the gratitude for that extra decade warm in my throat, I feel ready to face the future—thirty, thirty-four, and beyond.cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-45331453628854395352018-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:002018-08-13T20:16:57.875-07:002018 Pitch Wars Wish List<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPBuwF64Sayx63P2oCw00xAioO9RyPjGjtcZ6ybFQZGG2UeJxwUC3dN0KFF-qkeTZQCTYLLnSk_l-yOckokvD13CPcvUOjRwMiBGEChNOADKPg0vZnEWSvuCf5ghYKoW8utX2DWHUoE8y/s1600/amanda+cindy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1367" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPBuwF64Sayx63P2oCw00xAioO9RyPjGjtcZ6ybFQZGG2UeJxwUC3dN0KFF-qkeTZQCTYLLnSk_l-yOckokvD13CPcvUOjRwMiBGEChNOADKPg0vZnEWSvuCf5ghYKoW8utX2DWHUoE8y/s320/amanda+cindy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two of us hamming it up at Cindy's Portland book launch!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Welcome to
the wish list for #TeamMascaraTracks!</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">(That’s Amanda Rawson Hill and Cindy
Baldwin.) Sit down and draw up a chair. We've got chocolate, lots of episodes
of </span><i style="font-size: medium;">The Good Place</i><span style="font-size: small;">, and—of course—a
bookshelf chock full of crying books.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="background: white;">First off,
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<br />
<b><span style="background: white;">Amanda Rawson Hill:</span></b><span style="background: white;"> I grew up in Southwest Wyoming with a library
right out my back gate. I was one of those “gifted” kids. Smart, overachiever,
played a couple instruments, speech and debate. You know the type. I never
dreamed of being a writer until after I had kids! I got my degree in Chemistry
and now live in Central California with my husband and three kids. My debut
middle grade novel, <i>The Three Rules of Everyday Magic</i>, will be published at the
end of September by Boyds Mills Press. WHICH IS SO CLOSE!!!</span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Cindy Baldwin:</b> As a kid, my favorite things to do were either explore the woods behind my North Carolina home, dreaming of fairies and hidden castles, or curl up with a book to read stories that filled my imagination with wonder and magic. In middle school, I kept a book </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">under my bathroom sink
to read over and over while fixing my hair or brushing my teeth, and I dream of
writing the kind of books readers can’t bear to be without! These days, I live
in Portland, Oregon with my husband and daughter, surrounded by tall trees and
wild blackberries. My debut middle grade novel, <i>Where The Watermelons Grow</i>, was
published by HarperCollins in July. In addition to receiving starred reviews
from SLJ, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness, it was also an
Indies Introduce and Indie Next title for 2018.</span></span></div>
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<b>After reading and loving each other’s work,</b> and then signing with
the same agent, we decided to make the writing twin thing official and become
Pitch Wars co-mentors. Destiny sealed the deal when we both got book deals with
planned publication dates in the same year. These days, we're child-raising,
book-writing, fast-talking, emotion-loving BFFs. Amanda even flew to Portland
to MC Cindy's book launch, and Cindy is excited to get to return the favor
soon! We don’t shy away from total sincerity and talking about feelings. We
love big and we love hard. Cindy is Anne Shirley. (She once really did end up stranded in a river, clinging to bridge pilings, and had to be rescued. It's a long story.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Amanda is Leslie Knope. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Together,
we head up Team Mascara Tracks. This is our third year as Pitch Wars mentors. 80%
of our past mentees are now agented, and two have books coming out soon! Here
are some of our success stories:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In
2016, we mentored <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kit Rosewater </b>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cory Leonardo</b>. Kit's entry had the most
request of any middle grade manuscript in the contest. Both had agent offers
right off the bat, and both are doing awesome things! You can check out Cory's
Pitch Wars novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simple Art of
Flying,</i> in just a few months—it releases in February from S&S/Aladdin
in the US and Scholastic in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In
2017, we went <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> overboard and
mentored THREE writers: author/illustrator <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Remy
Lai, Karen S. Chow, </b>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kirk Kraft.</b>
Remy's fantastic graphic-prose hybrid novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pie in the Sky</i>, sold immediately in a pre-empt to Macmillan/Henry
Holt, and will be out in the spring. Karen's heartbreakingly beautiful story
about moving on after loss found a passionate agent advocate as well. And Kirk
worked incredibly hard to revise his humor-and-heart-filled manuscript while
also being one of the most positive and encouraging people on the PW feed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">While
we can't promise requests, agents, or book deals, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> promise care, attention, and endless cheerleading. Over the
past two years, we've walked mentees through not only revisions and the Pitch
Wars agent round, but also deciding between multiple agent offers, navigating an agent breakup, dealing with a querying journey that went beyond the contest, handling
nerves on submission, and many other ups and downs that come with a
professional writing career. As mentors, we believe strongly in sticking around
long after the agent round is over. We've forged good friendships with all our
past mentees, and still keep in touch with each of them regularly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Here
are some of the things our past mentees had to say about working with us:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"I had never received such detailed notes on even a page of any manuscript
I’d written, and here I’d received a comment on all of it. Comps. Concerns.
Structure. Plot. Pacing. Characterization. Theme. Big picture. Small picture.
Resources. Everything. I was astounded that they took the time and had thought
about my book so deeply and thoroughly….Every. Single. Thing Amanda and Cindy
said, every one, was right on. Over the next few months, I grew to trust their
instincts more and more. They were always right, and every time I took a little
while for their comments to sink in, I’d come to the same conclusion, make the
necessary changes, and every time the book was better."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">-Cory
Leonardo, Pitch Wars 2016 mentee, author of <i>The Simple Art of Flying</i> (Aladdin, February
2019) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">"Amanda
and Cindy have the unique ability in plucking key emotions, interactions, and symbols
from a text, and carrying those gently forward while rearranging all the
trappings around them. Though nearly every word of my manuscript was switched
around and deleted and rewritten by the time the agent round arrived, it felt
more like my vision than ever. Cindy and Amanda knew what I was after in my
writing, and helped me to maintain the things I found most important, even
through completely fresh drafts. This is a vital skill to have in the process
of revising, and one I shall carry with me forever."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">-Kit
Rosewater, 2016 Pitch Wars Mentee, MG Agent Round Winner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">"Amanda
and Cindy are the best!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">-Remy
Lai, 2017 Pitch Wars mentee, author of <i>Pie in the Sky</i> (Henry Holt, Spring 2019)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">"When I chose Amanda and Cindy as potential Pitch Wars mentors, I had no idea what a huge impact they would have on my writing journey. No idea! Besides helping polish my query and manuscript, they helped me craft pitches for #pitmad and #dvpit (from which I found my agent). They were cheerleaders when I had partial and full requests, encouragers when I doubted my craft, rock-strong supporters when many other mentees found agents and book deals quickly. They understand everything, all of the emotional ups and downs, all of the ins and outs of writing. They’ve answered countless questions (and questions from other mentees) about agents and the publishing biz. (And if they don’t know, they find answers.) They do it all with humility and grace. I was so SO honored to meet both of them in person, and they are as authentic as they are over email. When they say they’re stuck with you for Pitch Wars and beyond, they mean it. And I’m forever grateful to have them in my life."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">-Karen S. Chow, 2017 Pitch Wars mentee</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />"My mentors put me through the wringer but the knowledge I gained and the depth of revision I was forced to complete made me a better writer." <br />-Kirk Kraft, 2017 Pitch Wars mentee</span>
</span><br />
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If that sounds like what you are looking for in a mentor, then let’s go on to
what you <i>really</i> want to know!</span></div>
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<b>Our Wish List</b><br />
<br />
Our favorite genres are <b>MG contemporary, Magical Realism </b>(both true
magical realism—which comes from traditionally marginalized communities and is
aware of the Latinx traditions from which it draws—and<b> literary contemporary
with elements of magic</b>)<b>, and 20<sup>th</sup>-century historical</b>. Within
those genres we are particularly looking for stories usually labeled, <b>quiet,
character driven, heartfelt, and literary</b>. The comedic and quirky is not really
in our wheelhouse. That’s not to say that we don’t want a book that has quirky
or comedic elements (we love those!), but that shouldn’t feel like the main
focus or strength of the story. We want FLORA AND ULYSSES, not DIARY OF A WIMPY
KID. We are particularly looking for stories the revolve around big, hard,
real-world problems. If somebody has ever said, “Wow, isn’t that a little heavy
for MG?”—we want it. If somebody has ever said, “This is really sad!"—we want
it. We want to feel something. We want to bawl our eyes out. We want to see
beautiful, powerful prose or poetry. We want books that exemplify the quote
“When a subject is too hard for adults, I write it for children.” We want books
that tackle tough subjects in a hopeful and life-affirming way. We want big
philosophical ideas handled with the grace, wisdom and innocence of this age
group.<br />
<br />
This year, we're not accepting sci fi or fantasy, and likely won't read
excerpts that are sent to us in these genres. If you're confused about whether
your manuscript would be considered "fantasy" or "magical
realism/contemporary with magical elements," feel free to Tweet us! Our list of comp titles, below, might also help clarify what we're looking for.<br />
<br />
We also have strong preferences when it comes to historical fiction: We’re not
the right mentors for stories where the history or world-building plays a
larger role than the character’s arc. We love historicals that focus on one
small, character-driven story against the backdrop of larger events that really
happened, without spending too much time or detail on those larger events.
Basically, if you have the next THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, well—send it our
way! If, on the other hand, you love writing historical because you get lost in
the details of the period you're describing, and the period itself is as
important as the character arc, we're probably not the right mentors for it. For us, emotions and character arcs are always going to be the biggest draw.</span></div>
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<br />
<b>Other things we especially love to see:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Diversity
(#ownvoices in particular—if you're submitting a story with a marginalized
protagonist whose marginalization you don't share, please make sure to do your
research and employ sensitivity readers!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Characters
influenced by faith but not in a faith-based story</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Homeschooling!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Unique
structures and formats (some examples include <b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">letters</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">;</span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;"> journal
entries;</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;"> </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">verse</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">—we've both written verse novels and LOVE the
genre!; and </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">graphic novels</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">—neither of us have a background in art,
but it's definitely in our wheelhouse to work with the text, story structure,
character arc, and scene blocking. Two of our previous mentees have had
manuscripts in unusual hybrid formats, and they're some of our favorite-ever
books! So, if you’re doing something experimental with format, we definitely
want to see it!)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Chronic
illness and/or disability, especially nuanced, disability-positive portrayals
that don't end with magical cures</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Verse!
(We realize we said that above, but please. We're nuts for verse! Send us your
verse!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Bittersweet
endings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
involving the ocean</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Strong,
vibrant settings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Science
incorporated in a beautiful, meaningful way! (THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.
or THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH.)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">An
own voices refugee story (Please!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">An
own voices story with a Muslim main character, whether or not the plot is about
being Muslim (Triple Please!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Books
set in countries that don't get as much MG screentime (please, send us the next AMAL UNBOUND!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">A
story about someone trying to immigrate to America across the Southern border
(legally or illegally) or who has just recently done so. Think a modern-day
ESPERANZA RISING meets FRONT DESK.</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
If any of these could be a comp title…grabby hands!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Front
Desk,</i> Kelly Yang<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of
Trouble,</i> Anna
Meriano<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Penderwicks
series, Jeanne Birdsall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Some Kind of Happiness</i>, Claire Legrand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amal Unbound</i>, Aisha Saeed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Night Diary</i>, Veera Hiranandani<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paper Chains</i>, Elaine Vickers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Anything
by Kate Dicamillo, Sharon Draper, Lynda Mulally Hunt, or Sharon Creech<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thing About Jellyfish,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></i>Ali Benjamin<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Paper Wishes, </i>Lois Sepahban<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Key to Extraordinary</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Snicker of Magic</i>, Natalie Lloyd<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Counting By 7s</i>, Holly Goldberg Sloan<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love, Aubrey</i>, Suzanne LaFleur<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War That Saved My Life</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The War I Finally Won</i>, Kimberly Brubaker
Bradley<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hour of the Bees</i>, Lindsay Eager<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amina's Voice</i>, Hena Kahn<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summerlost</i>, Ally Condie<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forget Me Not,</i> Ellie Terry<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Root Beer Candy and Other Miracles</i>,
Shari Green<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Echo</i>, Pam Muñoz Ryan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And, of
course, reading Cindy's book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where the
Watermelons Grow</i>, could give you a good idea of our tastes as well! </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">You can also check out a
few pages of Amanda’s book, <i>The Three Rules of Everyday Magic</i>, on Amazon.
Between the two, you’ll get a pretty good idea about what we love in a voice.</span></span></div>
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<br />
<b>A Note On Animal Stories</b><br />
<br />
Our first year, we took on an “animal story"—Cory Leonardo’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simple Art of Flying</i>, about a
curmudgeonly parrot. And while we love, love, love her book, we’re going to
continue to say the same thing we have said for the last two years. Animal
stories are a hard sell for us. They have to be done very well, with a great
voice, something unique (Cory’s had gorgeous poetry), and lots and lots of
heart. Basically, you need to be able to compare it to FLORA AND ULYSSES and
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Cory did, and the comparison held up. We’re definitely
NOT the mentors for animal stories that are more humor or adventure than
heart. </span></div>
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<b>Other Hard Sells</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Sports
stories (There are other mentors LOOKING for this. We just don’t love it.
Sorry.)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Historical
fiction from earlier than the 1900s.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
more plot-driven than character-driven.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #444444;">Anything
that could be described with the word "adventure," especially
combined with "fantasy." Unless your character's adventure is lived
out largely in their own head (a la <i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">Bridge
to Terabithia</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;"> or </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">Some Kind of
Happiness—</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">SEND US THOSE!</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">), we are just not the best mentors for that! Really, if your
query contains words like </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0in;">epic, journey,
battle, quest</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-indent: 0in;">…you should probably not send it to us.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>What
Will Really Draw Us In?</b><br />
<br />
Voice and beautiful writing are probably the number one thing that draws us to
a manuscript—though a great hook doesn't hurt (last year, the fact that Remy
Lai's story of two brothers secretly baking cakes together was utterly charming
was the thing that made us look twice at her query). We can help you change
everything else. But the voice reigns supreme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>
We can’t wait to read your work!</b> Putting
it out there is such an act of courage and vulnerability. We promise to treat
your entry with the respect and love that creativity deserves. We feel so
honored by every person who decides to share their story with us. We are
excited to meet all of you and your characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;">Check out the rest of the Pitch Wars MG mentors <a href="https://pitchwars.org/pitch-wars-2018-mentor-blog-hop/">here</a>!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr>
<td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">1. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242449.png'/><br /><a href="https://ariannecostner.wordpress.com/2018/08/14/arianne-and-adriannas-pitch-wars-2018-wish-list/" target="_blank">Arianne & Adrianna </a></div>
<p>2. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242455.png'/><br /><a href="http://www.lemonbiscuitcrumbs.com/2018/08/my-2018-pitch-wars-mentor-wishlist.html" target="_blank">Ashley M.</a></div>
<p>3. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242456.png'/><br /><a href="http://blog.cindybaldwinbooks.com/2018/08/2018-pitch-wars.html" target="_blank">Cindy & Amanda</a></div>
<p>4. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242457.png'/><br /><a href="https://iamericbell.com/pw18wishlist" target="_blank">Eric </a></div>
<p>5. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242458.png'/><br /><a href="https://gzwrites.com/2018/08/13/pitchwars-2018-wishlist" target="_blank">G.Z. Schmidt</a></div>
<p>6. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242459.png'/><br /><a href="http://www.jessicavitalis.com/pitch-wars-2018" target="_blank">Jessica V. & Julie A.</a></div>
<p>7. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242460.png'/><br /><a href="http://julianobel.com/pitch-wars-2018/" target="_blank">Julia N. & Gabrielle </a></div>
<p>8. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242461.png'/><br /><a href="http://www.kcheld.com/pitch-wars.html" target="_blank">K.C. Held</a></div>
</td>
<td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">9. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242463.png'/><br /><a href="https://kimlongauthor.com/pitch-wars-2018/" target="_blank">Kim L. & Jennifer L. </a></div>
<p>10. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242464.png'/><br /><a href="https://tornepages.tumblr.com/pw-wishlist" target="_blank">Kimberly T.</a></div>
<p>11. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242465.png'/><br /><a href="http://julianalbrandt.com/2018/08/juliana-lacee-2018-pitchwars-wishlist/" target="_blank">Lacee & Juliana</a></div>
<p>12. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242466.png'/><br /><a href="https://margaretdilloway.com/2018/08/13/pitchwars-2018-wish-list-middle-grade/" target="_blank">Margaret </a></div>
<p>13. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242467.png'/><br /><a href="https://kmariawrites.wordpress.com/?p=365" target="_blank">Maria F.</a></div>
<p>14. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242468.png'/><br /><a href="https://nicolemelleby.com/wish-list" target="_blank">Nicole M.</a></div>
<p>15. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242471.png'/><br /><a href="https://www.nicolepanteleakos.com/single-post/2018/08/11/PitchWars-2018" target="_blank">Nicole P.</a></div>
<p>16. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242472.png'/><br /><a href="https://www.rajanilarocca.com/blog/the-official-teampita-2018-wish-list/" target="_blank">Rajani & Remy </a></div>
</td>
<td class="blenza-td" width="33%" align="left" valign="top">17. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242473.png'/><br /><a href="https://www.rebeccapetruck.com/single-post/2018/08/14/Pitch-Wars-2018-MG-Wants-Needs" target="_blank">Rebecca P.</a></div>
<p>18. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242474.png'/><br /><a href="http://sabrinakleckner.com/2018-pitch-wars-wishlist/" target="_blank">Sabrina </a></div>
<p>19. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242475.png'/><br /><a href="https://www.sarahcannonbooks.com/single-post/2018/08/10/Sarah-and-JCs-PitchWars-2018-Wish-List" target="_blank">Sarah & J.C. Davis</a></div>
<p>20. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242476.png'/><br /><a href="https://www.seaneasley.com/single-post/2018-Pitch-Wars-Wishlist" target="_blank">Sean </a></div>
<p>21. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242478.png'/><br /><a href="http://taracreelbooks.com/pitchwars-wishlist" target="_blank">Tara & Jenna </a></div>
<p>22. </p>
<div><img border='0' height='75' width='75' src='http://www.blenza.com/thumbs/b/brenleedrake/MTNhdWcyMDE4Zg==/11242479.png'/><br /><a href="http://yamilesmendez.com/index.php/2018/08/13/pitchwars-wishlist-2018/" target="_blank">Yamile </a></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p style="border: 2px solid #000000; text-align: center; padding: 4px; color: #000000;">Powered by… <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blenza.com/linkies/">Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets</a>.</p>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-71107958891297485382018-08-10T11:54:00.002-07:002018-08-13T09:50:46.767-07:00A Handy Guide For Talking To Your Author Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiackC-G2Lerz6hFJUCoq2VZHSCb-S-BLijjrkeBkPJHcmaG7t-kg00HClSI0WD3oXjcBe0Fswgqakecog4gW6KS2-lwIjptnjGZuLWKPLvPBglXnbf3_Esh__uSqYfNU-wQoXQ6jttXTx/s1600/lawyer+author+graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiackC-G2Lerz6hFJUCoq2VZHSCb-S-BLijjrkeBkPJHcmaG7t-kg00HClSI0WD3oXjcBe0Fswgqakecog4gW6KS2-lwIjptnjGZuLWKPLvPBglXnbf3_Esh__uSqYfNU-wQoXQ6jttXTx/s320/lawyer+author+graphic.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">My debut novel, </span>WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, has been out for just over a month now. In so many ways, launching this book has been more exciting and fulfilling than I ever could've imagined—seeing others, both friends and strangers, responding to a story I CREATED is never going to stop feeling surreal and incredible.<br />
<br />
But I've noticed a weird thing in the month since my book came out. People talk to authors (and, I would imagine, to people of many different creative professions) in some really odd ways—ways they would never talk to somebody in a different profession. Which has led me to embrace a new life motto, a quick and easy rule of thumb to guide you through conversations with the authors in your life:<br />
<br />
<b>If you wouldn't say it to a lawyer, don't say it to an author!</b><br />
<br />
Many published authors are people who have spent their lives creating art and dreaming of the day that they'd be able to see their name on a book spine. But we authors are also professionals. Writing is our business as well as our calling; we spend a lot more time answering emails and forcing ourselves to churn out words were we feel utterly uninspired as we spend chasing the Muse. Writing provides at least some of our income, and it's something we hope to keep doing long term. Writing is our career, not our hobby.<br />
<br />
So what kinds of things should you think twice about saying to an author?<br />
<br />
1. "I've always wanted to write a book. I totally would if I had more time!"<br />
<br />
If you aren't telling your lawyer friends that you would totally go to get your law degree if you weren't so busy, then don't say this to an author, either. Pretty much every author out there is juggling a full plate—most work full time day jobs, many of us have kids, and some of us are battling disability or illness also. We don't write because we have an abundance of free time—we write because it's important to us and we make it a priority, even if that means cutting other things out. Just like going to law school requires sacrifices, so does writing. While we get the desire to write a novel, which lots of people find intriguing, comments like these can really belittle the amount of effort we put into making time for our work.<br />
<br />
A better way to express this sentiment: "Wow, that's so cool that you've written a novel! I can't wait to read."<br />
<br />
2. "If you want to write a book so you can get published and make money, isn't that selling out?" (See also: statements like "If you change your book to match an editor's vision, you've lost your artistic integrity!")<br />
<br />
Have you ever looked at a lawyer and thought, man, they must not REALLY be committed to justice, or else they would forego a paycheck? Yeah, I didn't think so. With occupations like lawyers, doctors, or policemen, we can easily accept that a person does a job both because they love it and feel it's important AND because they need to keep putting good on the table. It's okay to want both things! Again: authors are professionals, and as in any job, being a passionate creator and wanting an income are not mutually exclusive.<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: Dude, just don't.<br />
<br />
3. "How's the book selling?"<br />
<br />
Unsurprisingly, this is a question I've gotten a lot in the last month—sometimes multiple times a day. And I get it! It's well-meaning curiosity; often, friends ask me this eagerly, hoping to share in my excitement when I tell them it's doing great. I REALLY appreciate how excited people are for my book, and I'm happy to talk about it! But I want you to imagine right now that I'm looking at you with absolute love in my eyes, putting my hands on your shoulders, and saying:<br />
<br />
If you wouldn't go up to your lawyer friend and ask her what her annual salary is or if she's winning all her cases... Please don't ask your author friends about sales. For one thing, this is just an uncomfortable can of worms, since it's essentially asking what a person's income is. For another, it can be a major tender spot for an author who feels insecure about her sales—which is the VAST MAJORITY. And finally, especially in the first few months after publication, an author may genuinely have no idea. Most authors don't have automatic access to that info; many only get it a few months after publication, when royalty statements come in, unless they ask their editor before that. (And there are lots of reasons an author may just prefer not to ask.)<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: "Congratulations on your book coming out! That's so exciting." Then, if you wanted, you could add something about how you've seen some positive reviews of the book, or how exciting it is to see it in bookstores when you're out and about, or how much you/your kid/your friend enjoyed it. Focusing on RECEPTION rather than SALES is a good way to go. I promise, NOTHING is going to speak to an author's heart as much as a simple "congratulations, I really loved your book/am really excited to read!"<br />
<br />
4. "I read your book, but I did notice a few big issues I thought I'd tell you about..."<br />
<br />
Once a book is out in the world, the author has very little control over it anymore. Every book makes it to print with a few typos, even after half a dozen people (or more) have read it! If what you're trying to suggest to an author is a more big-picture, artistic fix, it's almost certainly just a matter of different tastes. Not every book is for every reader, and we authors understand that... but we generally prefer not to hear a blow-by-blow of how you'd have written our books better. If you wouldn't sit your lawyer friend down and tell them all the ways they should've handled their latest court case better, don't do the same to your author friends. Also, if you didn't like the book? That's totally fine! But express that to family or friends, or in a review on social media. Don't share it with the author (which includes tagging them in a bad review on social media). Trust me when I say that by the time a book goes to print, it's been through editorial revisions with multiple top industry professionals. Authors make choices with care and deliberation, putting thought into everything we do. Even if you don't like the book personally, or disagree with some of the choices we've made, acknowledging that there ARE reasons we made those choices can go a long way.<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: Yeah, this is another "just don't." ;)<br />
<br />
5. To a children's author: "So, are you ever going to write a real book, for adults?"<br />
<br />
Look, dude. If you aren't going to go up to your real estate lawyer friend and ask when he's going to become a REAL lawyer, working as a prosecutor, then avoid doing the same thing to an author. Children's books take just as much work, finesse, and emotion as adult books do. Some of us write for children intentionally, because we view that as a sacred privilege, not because we're not good enough to hack it at writing "real" books.<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: "So, what is it that made you want to write for children?"<br />
<br />
6. "Is your book going to be like Harry Potter?" / "Are you going to meet J. K. Rowling?" / "So, writers make a lot of money, right?"<br />
<br />
In addition to going back to the issues with question #3—asking about how much money an author has made—this is also like going up to a friend who's recently graduated law school and saying, "Hey, so you're a lawyer now, right? Are you going to be president soon?" Breakout stars in the book world DO happen, but they're as vanishingly rare as breakout stars in any other field. Your average children's writer has about as much likelihood of being the next J. K. Rowling as your average law school graduate has of being the next president: maybe a <i>little</i> more than the average citizen who hasn't written a novel or graduated from law school, but it's still really not likely. And questions like these can put a lot of pressure on writers, who have as many insecurities and anxieties about their career trajectory as any other artist.<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: "Congratulations on your new release—I hope your book does really well!"<br />
<br />
7. "When's the movie coming out?"<br />
<br />
Honestly, it's about as likely for a movie to be made about the life of your lawyer friend, so. This is another question that can really hone in on your writer friend's doubts and insecurities. Rest assured, if a movie gets made of her book, she will let you know VERY CLEARLY! A close relative of this question would be anything about when the book will end up on the bestseller list (most never do).<br />
<br />
A better way to express this: "I enjoyed your book so much. I think it would be a cool movie!"<br />
<br />
<b>At the end of the day, the <i>best</i> thing that you can say to a writer friend is something like this:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
"Congratulations on your book! That's so wonderful."<br />
"I'm really looking forward to reading your book!"<br />
"I've requested your book at my local library!"<br />
"I hope that your book does well!"<br />
"It's so cool that you've written a book! That's really wonderful."cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-59848361075913893482018-02-13T00:04:00.003-08:002018-02-13T00:06:34.364-08:00<div align="left">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRs2KIVR0jeu7TS8D-HHALlGvKzf_z2I6S8qU4XBF9SIgu1FMdTamtJIwhyflu6VKzisaq7KUVg4VbuAQ5COk26lzDJ29YQ6ILLrBdZlvQOAJl_nkXSRBa2cSAsNgqkbOgu3cZUYmxnhD/s1600/VTX_Shot1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRs2KIVR0jeu7TS8D-HHALlGvKzf_z2I6S8qU4XBF9SIgu1FMdTamtJIwhyflu6VKzisaq7KUVg4VbuAQ5COk26lzDJ29YQ6ILLrBdZlvQOAJl_nkXSRBa2cSAsNgqkbOgu3cZUYmxnhD/s640/VTX_Shot1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I write this</span> in the quiet dark of my family room—a clock ticking rhythmically on the wall, my husband and daughter sleeping down the hallway. I write this with tears in my eyes.</div>
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This afternoon, Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has approved their third drug to treat cystic fibrosis, Symdeko. This drug is supposed to bring even greater health increases than my miracle pill, Kalydeco.</div>
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As I read the news tonight, all I could think of was my friend Kristi.</div>
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I met Kristi years ago, when Kate was a newborn. We met in a group for mothers with cystic fibrosis, and bonded quickly over the unusual fact that we were two of the first women in the world to have been pregnant on the then-brand-new CF drug, Kalydeco. Our babies were weeks apart. We called them the Kalydeco twins.</div>
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For years, we kept in touch—often daily—as our daughters grew, both of them spitfires with iron wills and mischief in their hearts. We talked about the unique difficulties of CF motherhood; the peculiar situation of starting Kalydeco as adults; the way our disease kept creeping in despite that miracle. </div>
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We talked about the trials for the drug that's now called Symdeko.<br />
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Kristi was so excited about it. 2015 had been a difficult year for her, and she told me that maybe down the road, when she could start the new drug, it would be the thing to make a difference for her. Enough difference to keep her out of the hospital, home with her little girl. </div>
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We had the same genetic mutations, Kristi and I. The same history of infertility. The same miraculous conception story. The same spirited daughters. We even cultured many of the same bacteria in our lungs. She was one of my best friends, one of the people that I went to first when I had an observation to make or needed to vent to somebody about the CF life. </div>
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Somehow, I made it all the way into adulthood before a close friend died of my disease. It's unusual, going that long; for years, it felt like it was hovering out there somewhere, a stark inevitably that I didn't want to face. I had close friends decline, go on the transplant list, live on ventilators, barely alive. I always assumed that that would be what happened: that someday, I would have a dear friend slip away by degrees. But it never happened. Each of my friends rallied, each of my friends got their transplant. All of those friends still live, still thrive.</div>
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Instead, it was Kristi who died. In a few shocking minutes, out of the blue and with almost no warning, one spring evening in 2016. I didn't believe the news at first. She hadn't been sick enough; she hadn't followed the pattern of a cystic fibrosis death. And yet, it was true.</div>
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One minute she was there. Then gone.</div>
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Even now, nearly two years later, I find myself every now and then about to reach for my phone, wanting to tell Kristi something about my day. Something that only she would uniquely understand. <br />
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I feel that pull tonight. I read the press release, and I want so badly to call her up, to ask her how soon she plans to ask her doctor for the prescription, to ask her if she's excited, nervous, ready. I so badly want Symdeko to be the thing that makes the difference, just like she hoped it would be.</div>
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It's strange, the way someone who's been gone for years can still feel like such a present and vital part of your life, of yourself. It's strange, the way that brings almost equal parts pain and gratitude.</div>
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Someday, when I get switched from Kalydeco to Symdeko, one thing is certain:</div>
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I'll be thinking of Kristi as I swallow that pill.</div>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-80542424752260926282017-10-31T21:52:00.003-07:002017-10-31T21:52:51.626-07:00And the winner is....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uxOivqOm4cwvnNqnasfv2QylvmT00Wi34KgQxup3sE7YPxORdyZoDFysvKQtZNOC95SDCvACq2r6-aJJeNzHIZG0pBGIs0ZlTOYm2AHvHO9eMPqFWlu8MXni_CNlzP_DDu32sBiW-Xk9/s1600/IMG_8764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uxOivqOm4cwvnNqnasfv2QylvmT00Wi34KgQxup3sE7YPxORdyZoDFysvKQtZNOC95SDCvACq2r6-aJJeNzHIZG0pBGIs0ZlTOYm2AHvHO9eMPqFWlu8MXni_CNlzP_DDu32sBiW-Xk9/s640/IMG_8764.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you've been following </span>our contest for long, you probably know the sad truth that I almost <i>always</i> win, even though Mahon's technical skills are often (though not always) better than mine. Every year, I say I'm sure he's going to win... and almost every year, I'm proved wrong. In our ten years of contests, he's only one twice.<br />
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Until now.<br />
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Yes, my friends, Mahon is the carver of the fantastically awesome Te Ka Pumpkin B! And with a final tally of 56-13, he takes it in a LANDSLIDE. (...Lavaslide?)<br />
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Guys, I can't even be a tiny bit resentful. Even if his pumpkin hadn't been clearly better than mine this year (my vision definitely did not translate as well as I'd hoped), the poor man seriously deserves a victory.<br />
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Happy Halloween!cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-41120071415411151112017-10-27T21:54:00.003-07:002017-10-28T09:30:01.300-07:00Cast Your Vote In The Eleventh Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Picture this, my friends:</span> The year is 2007. Our heroine, a young college sophomore, has been invited to dinner and pumpkin carving with the family of the boy that she's definitely <i>not</i> dating. And, because the awkwardness of their deeply ambiguous relationship is best masked by rivalry, he issues the invitation thusly:<br />
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"I bet I can carve a better pumpkin than you."<br />
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Little do our young definitely-not-lovers know, but this will be the start not just of an annual pumpkin carving contest tradition—but of a relationship that will produce one marriage certificate, a string of moves across the American West, and one outsized-personality daughter.<br />
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In fact, the night of this very first pumpkin carving contest, as it happens, will be the very first night that our heroine will turn and look at our hero and think: <i>Maybe I could fall in love with him.</i><br />
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The rest, as they say, is history.<br />
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Ten years later, we still celebrate Halloween with a carving contest; these days, we have a theme that we both have to carve to. And each year, we allow all and sundry to cast their votes via my blog. (Previous years can be found under this <a href="http://blog.cindybaldwinbooks.com/search/label/pumpkin%20carving%20contest">label</a>, and at my old blog, <a href="http://musings.beingcindy.com/search/label/pumpkin%20carving%20contest">here</a>!)<br />
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This year's theme? Well, we let Kate pick, and it really shouldn't shock you that she immediately shouted "MOANA!" </div>
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So <span style="color: cyan; font-size: x-large;">Moana</span> it is.</div>
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As always, all descriptions are written by me, and all photos are a joint effort between us both. (And actually, uh, this year I conceptualized both pumpkins, too, though Mahon came up with the design for his entirely.) This years rules, as in previous years, are:<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">1.</span> Just ONE vote per person... no cheating! If you don't have a Google or OpenID account and so you're voting anonymously, make sure to sign your vote. Unsigned anonymous votes may be deleted. I'll tally votes here, on Facebook, and on Instagram, but please only vote in one place!<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">2.</span> DO NOT reveal who carved which pumpkin! If you suspect that you may know which pumpkin was carved by whom, DO NOT share that information in the comments. Any comment that tries to spill the carver's identities will be quickly deleted. (Also, we really DON'T recommend attempting to guess whose pumpkin is whose. In the past, guessers have tried to swing the vote for one person or another, and guessed wrong, with disastrous [but hilarious] results. So really, just vote for which pumpkin you actually like better and leave it at that, okay???)<br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">3. </span>Get all your friends and family to cast their votes too! Share on social media! Bug your co-workers!<br />
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And now, for the pumpkins.<br />
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There's a line where the sky meets the sea, and it calls you—right to <span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin A</span><span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">! </span>This year's Carver A decided to depict the quintessential scene: Moana herself, fearlessly wayfinding through the wildest of seas, never deterred from her quest to restore peace to her island. Her hair (which, can we just say, #hairgoals!) blows in the wind as she navigates her craft with its distinctive sail, not for one second scared by the looming wave curling over her boat's bow. Note Carver A's playful attention to textures, as well as the swirling symbol adorning the sail—which, Carver A is not ashamed to say, nearly broke his or her brain in two.</div>
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Unfortunately for our young princess—sorry, "daughter of the chief"—on the other side of her horizon awaits this fearsome demon of fire and rock, this year's <span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: x-large;">Pumpkin B</span>. Ever defeat a lava monster? Yeah, me neither. With careful wielding of tools and laborious time and effort, this year's Carver B has brought the fearsome Te Ka to pyroclastic life, complete with both her fiery aura and her desperately angry demeanor. Make special note of Carver B's exquisite attention to detail, particularly in the depiction of Te Ka's charcoal-esque stone skin, through which you can see her molten rage threatening to break free at any moment. Here, our fell foe prepares any second to launch a flaming lava ball towards Moana's boat... and none may know who will triumph!</div>
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And only <i>you</i>, my friends, may know who will triumph in this year's pumpkin carving contest! </div>
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;">Voting will close by 9pm PDT on Halloween night.</span></div>
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You're a long ways past the reef—might as well go vote!</div>
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<i>Postscript</i>: On no account may you cast a vote for this pumpkin (all votes for this one will be rejected, so don't even try it!), but we figured we'd show you the cuteness anyway. (Face carved by Daddy, design thought up and spots painted by Kate.)</div>
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cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-91948998599417500782017-09-25T00:00:00.000-07:002017-09-25T00:00:05.593-07:00Interview with Akemi Dawn Bowman, author of STARFISH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />Today I have the immense privilege of participating in the blog tour for Akemi Dawn Bowman's luminously incredible debut novel, <i>Starfish</i>. Ever since I saw the cover reveal for this book, I've wanted to read it—it's truly one of the most beautifully captivating covers I've ever seen. And the book itself didn't disappoint; Bowman's language is so lyrical and rich, and her story so gripping and lovely, that I absolutely couldn't put it down and read it cover to cover in twenty-four hours (which happens much less than it did before I had a kid!). <i>Starfish</i> is hands-down one of my favorite reads of the year, and I am so excited to recommend this book right and left!<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xixcRlqhARmBnMqv4mkGjW6KTAmXVsXZPf2CGWPL9hP_0VlDccUR_8axTFflF1ImNzfpEce5yuiekxTA4KO5R0IblvWHPzR_xgI96U2J0xBFsKRzRcXUReFUIUbOyCBRy2yCdP4ENdj6/s1600/starfish+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xixcRlqhARmBnMqv4mkGjW6KTAmXVsXZPf2CGWPL9hP_0VlDccUR_8axTFflF1ImNzfpEce5yuiekxTA4KO5R0IblvWHPzR_xgI96U2J0xBFsKRzRcXUReFUIUbOyCBRy2yCdP4ENdj6/s320/starfish+cover.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a>If you're a fan of contemporary young adult, you <i>must</i> add this. (And make sure you read to the bottom—there's a giveaway involved!)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What's it about?</span></div>
<br />Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin. <br /><br />But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave. <br /><br />From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.<div>
<br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Interview with Akemi</span><br /><br /><b>1. What was your journey to publication like? Was <i>Starfish</i> the first book you tried to sell?</b><br /><br />My journey was definitely long—it was years of consistent hard work, and refusing to give up. It took me four manuscripts to get an agent, and the fifth book I wrote (<i>Starfish</i>) was the one that got me a book deal. I’ve always been very stubborn, so when the agent rejections piled in with the first few manuscripts, I didn’t want to accept defeat. I just told myself I’d write a new book and try again. I did a lot of writing and re-writing, and coming up with new ideas when the old ones weren’t working. And eventually, it worked!<br /><br /><b>2. What was the seed of inspiration for <i>Starfish</i>? Did it start with a character, a plot, a scene, or something else completely?</b><br /><br /><i>Starfish</i> is the book I needed most as a teen. It’s the book that would’ve helped me to feel “seen,” which is something I really struggled with when I was younger. It was very difficult to find books with characters that were experiencing similar things to me, particularly when it came to being biracial and living with social anxiety. And so I wrote this book hoping it would act as a mirror for the people who need it most today.<br /><br /><b>3. One of my favorite things about <i>Starfish</i> were the gorgeously lyrical descriptions of the artwork, and the way the pictures themselves tell a story throughout the book. Do you have a background in visual art?</b><br /><br />Thank you so much! I’ve loved drawing for as long as I can remember, though I’m nowhere near as talented as Kiko. I took two years of ceramics in high school, and a year of painting too. I have a big set of Copic markers, and I occasionally like to get them out and draw a Pokémon or two. There’s something about Bulbasaur’s cute little face that relaxes me!<br /><br /><b>4. What Hogwarts houses would your characters belong in?</b><br /><br />Kiko – Ravenclaw<br /><br />Jamie – Gryffindor<br /><br />Hiroshi – Hufflepuff<br /><br />Kiko’s mom – Slytherin<br /><br />Though, I’ve heard some readers think Jamie should be in Hufflepuff, so my guess isn’t set in stone. I could see him in either!<br /><br /><b>5. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?</b><br /><br />Keep writing, and don’t give up. And toughen your heart a little bit because rejections don’t stop once you find an agent. You’ll get editor rejections. Your agent might reject your next manuscript. You’ll get negative reviews. Your book might not get promoted as much as others do. The list goes on and on. There can be a lot of heartbreak ahead, but also so much joy and excitement too. Just remember to celebrate every single win that comes your way—even if it’s as simple as finishing your revisions! Remember to be proud of your accomplishments, and don’t let outside noise keep you from writing your stories. You can’t control everything about your writing journey, but you can control when your next book gets finished. So stay focused, and write!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Giveaway!</span></div>
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</style>cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5513245563063627415.post-70288791782109209802017-08-26T22:45:00.000-07:002017-08-27T01:02:34.353-07:00overwhelming abundance<span style="font-size: x-large;">I had an experience</span> this afternoon that shook me, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind.<br />
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My family spent the day here working incredibly hard (er, harder than anyone anticipated thanks to our rock solid clay soil) to help us start a deck. I went to Panda Express to get lunch for everyone. The nearby shopping center where the Panda is is a frequent panhandler haunt; it's pretty well trafficked and so especially in summer, people fly signs on the street corners there. I've never seen as many as today—from the man with a purloined shopping cart filled with belongings sleeping, exhausted, in the shade on a hill, to a life-worn woman with curly hair and a dusty vest.<br />
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But the people that really caught me off guard was the little family sitting on the median: a blue-eyed mom, two beautiful little girls, a six-week old baby in a stroller, and the dad, who held a sign saying that they had no job and needed to make their rent. I couldn't stop looking at them. Even if this was some kind of scam, I thought, you'd have to be pretty desperate to haul your whole family to a median and sit at cars drove past, drivers studiously averting their eyes.<br />
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I took them some lunch and some water bottles. The mother thanked me in heavily accented English. I went back to my car and cried. The car I sat in is our old car—old because we have a new, second car, one we bought because we could afford it and it was convenient. I drove back to our house that is so much space for our little family of three, whose mortgage payment we have never truly struggled to meet.<br />
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These moments in life truly pierce me. Sometimes I get caught up in scarcity mentality, worrying about retirement and braces for Kate and other far-off things that are so tangential compared to food and shelter. I feel paralyzed, wishing so desperately that I could somehow make a true difference for the myriad people I know and see who struggle.<br />
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There isn't really a point to this post. Nor is there a conclusion—except that life is sweet and life is bitter, and that I wanted to share the portrait of this family with you, because they are burned into my heart.cindy baldwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01173344689280406987noreply@blogger.com1