Navy Brat

Although my new book, Piper Reed, Navy Brat is fiction, the setup is autobiographical. My dad, like Piper's dad was a Navy chief. I, too, am one of three daughters. However I am the oldest. I was the serious one, the bossy one, the one who worried about her weight. I didn't think that point of view would be as interesting as my middle sister's. She was the funny one, the confident one, the clever one.

When Piper's dad announces they will be moving, I chose their new home to be NAS Pensacola, Florida. I was born on that base. It was fun to return there and research. The base is also the home of the Blue Angels, a group of Navy pilots who travel the world, demonstrating flight formations.

My family lived on or near bases around the world. It seemed like anywhere we lived, the Blue Angels would be on tour and we'd attend their flight shows. They were a major part of my childhood. We military kids are like that. While kids who stay in one place might have childhood connections to classmates they see year after year, for us it's the Blue Angels or the same ship we see docked in several ports. You can only imagine what a thrill it was for me to see the Blue Angels up close and finally meet them. I used that connection. When Piper sees the Blue Angels perform, she is smitten and decides she will become a Blue Angel one day.

While researching in Pensacola, I interviewed military kids. I learned that although we had a lot in common, some things have changed. I only knew military kids with active duty dads. Today a lot of moms serve in the military and are away from their children for long periods. That difference appears in my book. Piper's dad is about to leave for ship duty, but so is the mom of two of her friends.

When I was growing up, I didn't appreciate the life my military childhood offered me. I had to become an adult to realize that I indeed had a rich childhood filled with wonderful experiences. In that way, I'm a little envious of Piper. Everyday she realizes how lucky she truly is to be Piper Reed, Navy Brat.

Skinny Brown Dog

What does a French poodle have in common with a skinny brown dog? Quite a lot, I discovered. In my editor's letter concerning my picture book, Skinny Brown Dog, she mentioned that the dog seemed vague and didn't have much personality. After I reread the manuscript, I agreed. Then I turned to a family member for inspiration. Bronte, our poodle, has plenty of personality.

Bronte begins her day by scouting out and greeting everyone in the family. She's eager to please, especially if she's rewarded with a treat. On demand, she sits, twirls and walks across the floor on her hind legs. Though she's never rescued me after a fall, she provides comfort when I'm feeling down. Settling on my lap, she gazes up at me with her chocolate chip eyes as if to say, "It's going to be okay." She even meets people at the door with a hug. Yes, that's right--a paw-touching-wrap-around-the-knee hug.

After pondering all Bronte's attributes, I returned to my manuscript and helped Brownie come to life. When I finished the revision Brownie didn't look like a poodle, but he sure reminded me of one dear to my heart.

For years, we didn't have a pet. Like Benny, the baker in my story, we resisted. We claimed we were too busy and traveled too often. We'd have to be crazy to get a dog, we thought. I'm so thankful for that moment of insanity seven years ago when I drove to the Dairy Queen in a nearby town to meet a lady with "one puppy left." It hasn't always been easy to be pet owners. There were those frustrating early days of housebreaking and she still knocks over garbage cans in search of chocolate wrappers, but Bronte made me realize any life that includes a dog is a pretty darn good one .

Raising the Blinds

I'm convinced daily ritual is nourishment for a writer's soul. Perhaps it's even the tap on the Muse's shoulder. Each morning, on the way to the kitchen, I raise the blinds. It doesn't matter that I'm greeted by the moon instead of the sun. To me, this is morning.

Other daily tasks follow. I make the coffee, feed my dog, put seed in the bird feeder, light a candle in the foyer. By the time the sun casts an orange haze over my back fence, I have a pen in hand and I'm ready to write. Most days the words come, not because I picked up my pen, but because I raised the blinds.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

I've always been fascinated by writers who are able to collaborate on a story, especially if those writers live under the same roof. Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith are two fine writers who happen to be married to each other. Although they have their own titles, they joined talents and wrote SANTA KNOWS, a fun holiday story. Recently, I asked if they would share a few words about the process. Here's what they said:

Cynthia: Afie is very much a 21rst century kid, and I wanted to offer a
contemporary feel to the classic themes in Santa Knows. Kids today are
saturated in technology and information, so that was one way of
connecting to them. Only problem? Despite my two websites and two blogs,
I'm not especially tech savvy myself. For that aspect of the manuscript,
I turned to my patent attorney-author husband (who holds two degrees in
electrical engineering) to help me out.

Greg: I liked that Cyn's story was funny and had a strong boy
character--I don't think we have enough laugh-out-loud humor for young
guys. When she first asked me to tweak the manuscript, I overdid it
(made the text over the head of most adults and too many kids), so we
took it back a notch or three and have a story that is very today, very
smart, but still fun and accessible.

Cynthia: We also bolstered the role of Alfie's little sister, Noelle,
for dual gender appeal and because she insisted on it.

Note: Cynthia also is the author of Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000), Rain
Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001), Indian Shoes
(HarperCollins, 2002), and Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007). Visit
www.cynthialeitichsmith.com Greg also is the author of Ninjas, Piranhas,
and Galileo (Little Brown, 2003) and Tofu and T. rex (Little Brown,
2005). Visit gregleitichsmith.com Santa Knows is their first book
written together. Visit www.santa-knows.com

PART OF ME

I believe the best fiction starts with truth, but moves away from it, becoming its own truth. All of my books begin with truth--a story someone has told me, a childhood memory of my own, or merely an observation.

This week, my new book, PART OF ME, hits the bookstores. PART OF ME is an example of how truth spins into its own story, in this case a story of a Louisiana family shown through the eyes of four generations. Rose, Merle Henry, Annabeth, and Kyle tell their stories and in doing so, tell their family's story.

Each story contains a bit of truth--my grandmother taking me to the Rapides Parish bookmobile, a relative who dreamed of trapping a mink, a boy I noticed walking carefree out of a school. The stories have been shaken and mixed with other details and twisted into different plot lines, so much so, that they became their own stories. Still they remain a part of me.

Thought of the Day

Poor Pluto!

Pictures from Poland

(clockwise from the top)Shannon at Lazienki Park, Kimberly and Gabi, Old Town Square in Warsaw