It’s cold and rainy today, one of my least favorite types of weather, but I saw something amazing. My kids were off to school, and I’d finished walking the dog. A spot of pink caught my eye as I rounded our house. It was a gorgeous pink rose. I know I should have a picture, but my camera is being annoying today. So I’ll have to describe it. It’s a light shade of pink with more petals than I can count. It weathered cold air, wind, and rain to open perfectly in my side yard. It’s the definitely last rose of the year, because there are no buds left. I’m not usually a rose person, because they’re too labor intensive. (I prefer easy perennials at this point in my life.) But this one seemed almost miraculous and symbolic. One last burst of beauty and rosy fragrance before winter descends. In the language of flowers, a pink rose can mean grace, beauty, and happiness. It brought all to me today!

 Hey, everyone.  Writers have to read differently from regular people to improve their craft.  Check out my thoughts at :


www.authorsnow.com


And a big, shout-out of thanks to Kristen at Bookworming in the 21st Century for the W.O.W. feature!  YA bloggers rule!

tiny.cc/oAV8a

Hey, all!  So happy  to be able to share this.  Hope you like pink!

Thanks to my awesome agent, Steven Chudney, who sold my novel to the Japanese publisher, Shogakukan.  

Here is a description of the publisher's philosophy from their website:

Though it is not possible for publications to solve the world's problems, they are capable of sowing small seeds that move people's hearts in a positive direction. It is the task of publications to sow seeds that bear fruit in our lives and bloom as flowers. That is our philosophy.



I am honored that they have chosen my novel!

I'm on, too.  I've haven't said much, but I will.  Promise.  Wish my whole name would fit somewhere!  See you there.

http://twitter.com/amybrecountwhit

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Check out my interview with fellow Tenner, the generous and web-savvy Christy Raedeke:  raedeke.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much, Christy!

And, I must say, the dogwoods this year are stunning here in Virginia:





Want to know what dogwoods (and many other flowers) mean in the language of flowers?  Then check out my website:  www.amybrecountwhite.com

Happy Spring!

It was my turn to do the Tenner's Top Ten list today, so check it out at community.livejournal.com/10_ers/ or below:



   I'm a little ga-ga about flowers and gardens, so spring is my favorite time of year.  As a writer and former high school English teacher, I'm also fascinated by the symbolism of gardens.  As a gardener, I believe in the magic and healing powers of flowers.  So here's my top ten list of favorite garden books -- everything from non-fiction to picture books.  Most of them have influenced my life and my writing in one way or another.

1)  The Bible -  The Garden of Eden is hugely influential throughout Western literature, whatever your spiritual leanings.  So when a writer incorporates a garden into her work, she may awaken echoes of a perfect blooming place from which human beings are banished.

2)  Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney -  This is the picture book I wish I could write (but I really stink at picture books.)  Miss Rumphius sets out to do three things in her life:  travel the world, settle down by the sea, and make the world more beautiful.  She does the last by spreading lupine seeds all over her charming New England town, so she literally makes the town bloom forever, because lupines reseed. (picture book)

3)  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett -  This is the definitive novel on the healing properties of gardens.  It's very Victorian in its telling, but still delightful and heart-warming. (mg novel)

4)  Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen -  If you haven't read this yet, put it in your beach bag or take it on your next vacation.  It's a delightful story about a magical family garden and how it helps heal two sisters and many others, mostly by eating its herbs and fruits.  (novel for adults)

5)  The China Garden by Liz Berry - a fun and romantic story about guardians of an ancient garden and its many secrets.  A very hot male lead with a motorcycle and some far out mythology.  (older YA novel)

6)  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - This is not at all an obvious choice, but here's why:  one of the first things Melinda does when she finally starts to speak is to ask her dad for a packet of flower seeds.  She also begins to rake away the dead stuff in her front yard to make way for new life, and she spends hours and hours of her freshman year drawing a tree.  Major garden symbolism.  (YA novel)

7)  Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White - A little shameless self-promotion here!  The blooms in my novel are magical and healing for Laurel, but not always easy to control. (YA novel)

8)  The Gardener by Sarah Stewart - This is another beautifully illustrated book told entirely in letters about how sharing flowers nourishes friendships.  Seeds are pretty miraculous, you must admit. (picture book)

9)  The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan -  A fascinating non-fiction book about the symbiotic relationship between plants and humans.  Pollen is best known for The Omnivore's Dilemma.  In this book, he focuses on apples, tulips, pot, and potatoes.  This really got my brain cells hopping.  (Non-fiction for adults and interested teen readers)

10)  Linnea in Monet's Garden by Cristina Bjork - This beautiful book introduces kids to the relationship between art and gardens, which is another rich topic to explore .... maybe in an upcoming novel!  I do have a lovely quote from Georgia O'Keefe in my first novel. (picture book)


What have I left out?  Let me know your garden faves, and I hope your day has room for blooms!

-Amy (Brecount White)

www.amybrecountwhite.com

Happy Monday!  Check out my new website:  www.amybrecountwhite.com

I'd love comments, suggestions, etc.

Thanks!  -Amy

Hey, all!  Quick question. 

I got a MacBook, but need to get a word processing program for it.  Does anyone know which works better:  using iWork or Microsoft Word for Mac?  I don't want to lose formatting and stuff when I switch back and forth between two computers.  (The other's not a mac.)

Any advice much appreciated!

-Amy

Feeling springy and light and airy today, because I finished my FINAL revision and I have flowers blooming in my yard -- yay both!  (Hellebores, also known as lenten roses.)

And I also just read this lovely poem by Anais Nin (on Kristin Cashore's website kristincashore.blogspot.com/).



And then the day came,

when the risk

to remain tight

in a bud

was more painful

than the risk

it took

to Blossom.



I love it!  If I'd seen this earlier, I probably would have used it in Forget-Her-Nots.  (There are poems or fragments of poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins and e.e. cummings in the novel.)  But maybe I can save it for my next flowery project ....

So I was finishing Ingrid Law's debut MG novel SAVVY last night and was struck by something.  I liked the novel very much, thought it was well done, but realized MG isn't me.  The characters, some of the issues, the language were just a little too young for me to be comfortable writing.  Maybe someday I'll write for that market, but I'm sooo much more comfortable with YA.

I also wrote a novel for adults many moons ago, which my writing prof thought was great and forwarded it to his agent who didn't think it could sell.  I got some other great feedback and suggestions, but it's still sitting in a box in a closet.  I think I never really felt comfortable writing for the adult market.  I was too worried that people would think it was me or my marriage or my kids.  It all seemed too NAKED, ya know?

So I'm terribly happy distributing snippets of me throughout my YA characters and creating ones I'd love to be and ones I'd run from. 

What about you?  What told you that you were destined for the YA or MG market???

I just want to wish all my friends -- many of whom are brand new!  -- a joy-filled 2009.

I have learned so much this year about myself, my writing, and my kids.  My faith in the undaunted American spirit has been renewed.  I am so grateful for LJ and Facebook friends, and especially the AWESOME TENNERS!  Writing is a lonely profession, so I'm lovin' this group.

So to all my amazing friends ... let's have more fun this year and smell more flowers and maybe even meet in person.

I wish you mountains to climb ...




back roads to cycle ...







beauty to ponder ...






lovely blocks -- let's call them words -- to play with ...






sunshine, sand, and boundless energy ...





and many awesome desserts!



Cyber hugs and champagne! 

-Amy

Okay, so I've just decided to chuck the journal entry format on my WIP -- STRING THEORY -- and shove my MC through the doors of her high school.

The Negatives -

1)  Last week I thought I was really happy with the draft.  It was short-lived.

2)  This is the second time I've ditched the format.  (First attempt was 100 pages of third person.)

3)  I have a 150 page draft done in the journal format.  Or not done, really.

The Positives -

1)  I've learned that as a writer I tend to be completely overprotective of my MC once I've given her a few problems/ obstacles.  Ya think that has anything to do with being a mom?

2)  I've also learned that a significant percentage of readers -- I'd say 30 % or so -- just plain don't like journal-type books, so -- in this economy -- writing a journal-type book is like giving yourself one strike.

3)  I can use everything I've written in the 150 page journal draft.   There's some good stuff in there!

4)  The next draft will be much stronger and will sell quickly and I won't have to revise much, right?!


I need a break.