Saturday, January 7, 2012

CAYMAN SUMMER, A WHITNEY AWARD NOMINEE

I'm excited to announce that CAYMAN SUMMER is an official Whitney Award nominee. Thanks to all of you who nominated it. And thank you to the wonderful community of readers who found this blog and followed while I wrote it. You added so much. If I could, I'd write all my books on the blog.

I'm packing my bags for another trip before I'm done blogging about my last big adventure. I'm going to save the pictures and story of my journey through Jerusalem for Easter. It's perfect to post around then. Meanwhile, I'm planning some new contests to keep things lively while I wait for word about SLIPPED and MY ONLY LOVE. I pray we have good news about them soon.

So, where am I headed? I'm leaving beautiful, sunny Arizona . . .

This is a sunset shot I took from my front yard. I love the desert. Especially in January!

And flying until midnight tomorrow night to get to Montpelier, Vermont for Vermont College of Fine Art's winter residency.

This is Vermont College last time I was there--in the summer.

I get to be a graduate assistant and help the incoming MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults candidates. It's supposed to be sunny--at least for a few days--but it's going to below freezing and will probably snow by the end of the week. I love Vermont College. It's worth getting cold to get to spend ten days with the best children's writers and faculty in the world. My time at Vermont College changed my life. I'm excited to reconnect with my mentors and mentor some younger writers. I'll try to post pictures (of all that snow!) and some reminiscences while I'm there. 

Michael was born in a free write during my very first Vermont College residency. Leesie evolved in response to him. I wrote the poem about her experience with her grandmother after I had a similar experience at 3 a.m. in one those old dorm rooms. Wow, that was ten years ago this July. My grandmother still inspired me. I hope to start work on a middle grade novel inspired by my grandmother's illness told from my mother's point of view. Maybe I'll get some work on that done while I'm in Vermont. I'll keep you posted. 

One thing I always do at Vermont is write poetry. Mostly poetry about writing. Here's one of my favorites.

Muse at Midnight

Settling to sleeping stillness--

     fresh and tingling clear words
             f
               a
                 l
                   l
                       
splattering 
in a foaming tumble
crashing
swirling
in a whirlpool torrent
sucking me

            d
              o
                w
                   n

        up

churning, casting me
onto the page
beached and breathless,
aching,
bruised,
Awakened.






2 comments:

  1. CONGRATS, Angela! I hope CAYMAN SUMMER wins :)

    That poem is gorgeous. I love your experimental writing style SO much!

    Have a great trip :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Bee! Good to hear from you.

    ReplyDelete