SRS July Revision Report #1

I know! It's already Friday. How'd that happen? No, really! I want to know.

Time to CHECK IN! Head over to Holly's and tell us how you did this week!

SRS Wednesday Whip Tip: Holly has a Big Round-Up

"You mean there are other writing and illustrating events happening around the kidlitosphere?"

Well, of course...and Holly has a whole, big round-up of goodies at her blog. GO CHECK IT OUT.

SRS Candy Buzz: Cheryl Klein and SCBWI WWA Retreat

Cheryl Klein had a great post on her Brooklyn Arden blog yesterday. Take a read HERE. It seems very appropriate and timely for those of you busy with your July SRS goals.

And speaking of Cheryl Klein, have you ever wanted to attend a small, intimate retreat where she is a featured speaker? We're talking a limited group of writers, in a picturesque setting, with two fantastic editors. Here's the deets:

SCBWI Western Washington invites you to apply for its Fall 2009 Retreat for Writers and Writer-Illustrators of Children’s Books, WEEKEND ON THE WATER, taking place Friday, November 6, to Sunday, November 8, 2009, at the luxurious Alderboork Resort & Spa, nestled on the scenic shores of Hood Canal less than two hours west of Seattle.

In an intimate, craft-focused retreat, Cheryl Klein, senior editor with Arthur A. Levine Books at Scholastic, and Ruta Rimas, assistant editor with Balzer + Bray at HarperCollins, will bring their considerable editorial and teaching experience to bear on the challenges of “Going Deeper,” including the interactions between character development, plot development, and theme.

Rockin', huh? Go HERE for full details and to apply!

Plus...you'd get to see me. I'll be the one wearing the hat that says "Retreat Director" or maybe I should just get a mug made with that on it...hmmmm!

And the Whip Goes On...

Ah...look at the purdy new colors for July's SRS (ala Cupala!). Doesn't it make you just want to get crackin'? Oh yes, SRS lives on. Because we all know, if it was tough to get work done in June, July is the hardest month of all (oh yeah, then there's August!).

Let's keep it going. State your July goals HERE. Join the Facebook group. Also, don't miss the series of revision post from June. You can get mine HERE and Holly's HERE.

Now that the Fourth has come and gone, it's time to crack that whip! Wherplash.

Monday Moment #26

I hope everyone had a happy and save 4th!

Mine was...enhhh...so, so. The funnest part was not even Fourth of July like: we launched a new Bodypump. I love launches. They're high energy and lots of fun. This time around I took Bodystep. Then taught Bodypump (the hardest one yet). Then took Bodyflow. Loved it! From then on, the rest of the day was quiet--except for all the loud bangs and booms later in the evening. My fam decided to just stay put. This was Luna's (our puppy) first 4th and we don't want issues for future Fourths to come, so home movie night for us.

But truly, even though I love a good launch and movie night with the fam, I really wanted to be in Montana. It's a been a very long time since I haven't spent the 4th in Livingston, and I really missed it this year. The Big Sky. My family. The park. The Yellowstone. The parade. The mountains. The rodeo. The fireworks I've watched since I was a kid (on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th). I really longed to be there and felt sad that I wasn't. Even today, I still have that I-can't-believe-I-missed-it feeling.

Does your character feel like they're missing out on something or long to be some place they can't be?

Summer Revision Smackdown: THE WHIPLASH AWARD!

The time has come, Smackdowners. This was no easy task, believe Holly and me. We wanted to give an award to every single one of you (stay tuned for that...).

But first, I think we need a theme song to get us in the mood:

One month, one book, one moment...

Are you in the mood now, Smackdowners?? Because we have some whip-lashin' awarding to do!

First, we have the Honorable Mentions:

For her sheer force of revision output, we dub Helen Landalf our first honorable mention. Helen completed a major revision of her YA novel, and with the guidance of her agent, has embarked on her final polish. Yay, Helen!

For revising both writing and illustrating and learning much through the process, we dub Realm Lovejoy our second honorable mention. Realm completed a graphic novel revision, wrote 80 pages of a new WIP, and completed six illustrations. Rock on, Realm!

For balancing illustration revisions with a mentor program, we dub Kjersten Anna Hayes our third honorable mention. Kjersten completed nine illustration spreads as well as the first phase of her mentor project. Woot, Kjersten!

And finally...the name you've been waiting for...our WHIPLASH AWARD recipient, who will be showered with our praise not only for her own considerable writing accomplishments this month (which she humbly did not deem award-worthy), but also for her encouragement to several other Smackdowners (you know who you are!) as well as flying across the planet for a family emergency to save the day....

Martha Brockenbrough! We hereby bestow THE WHIPLASH AWARD!

Congratulations, Martha!!!!!!!!!!!! We won't offer you crackers for dessert...instead, we offer coffee and licorice love, courtesy of Jolie and Holly.

Now, for all of you Smackdowners, we offer a badge of your licorice-lashing honor to commemorate the impressive work you have done here:

Or, if you prefer to put it in your sidebar:

Now give yourselves a big cheer, Smackdowners, and go on over to Holly's blog to sign up for the continuing saga of the Summer Revision Smackdown!!!!!!!!!

SRS Whiplash Award

It's July 1st. Unbelievable. Doesn't it feel like we just started the Smackdown?

What a sweet treat this month has been. Holly and I thank you for cracking the whip with us. You've helped us get farther than we thought we could with our own revisions.

Wherplash!

And whip you did--whipped those manuscripts and illustrations into shape. The licorice has been flying and so have your fingers. They must be the color of Red Vines by now, you've all been working so hard. And we know it's true, because you've been keeping us in the know about your weekly progress.

So now...spill it! Give us the sweetness that is your Revision Report for the entire month of June. Did you meet your original goal? Exceed it? Go on...Toot your horn. Twirl your licorice whip. Smack it down. Tell us how great you did.

Report here at Cuppa Jolie today and tomorrow. And tomorrow, head to Holly's to get the scoop on SRS plans for July. On Friday, Holly and I will announce the reviser who will be taking home the coveted Whiplash Award (don't forget the honor comes with goodies). Personally, I think we are going to have a very difficult job.