Book Thoughts: Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Boy-oh-boy I’ve been having fun with SWIM THE FLY by Don Calame.

From Calame’s website:

Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year’s? To see a real live naked girl for the first time—quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask for a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt’s other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. Complicating matters? Kelly’s beefy butterfly-champ ex-boyfriend, Tony “The Gorilla” Grillo; a merciless life-saving instructor named Ulf; and a blackmail threat involving one very potent laxative. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.

Naughty humor abounds in this hilarious YA novel for guys. For real guys. Teenage guys. For guys with friends. And with a sense of humor. The story is simple and somewhat predictable, but the believable characters and spot-on dialogue come together to become something completely fresh and new. While reading, I kept laughing out loud in several places. Yes, I guess it’s a bit crude and rude, but being the mother of boys and a former middle school teacher I have a pretty high tolerance for gross. Especially when it’s balanced with guy-type tenderness. And a fantastic set of supporting characters…  Grandpa has his own ridiculous-yet sweet- story going on at the same time.

Highly recommended for the intended audience – teen boys trying to make their way in the world.

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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Book Signing-Take 2: A Family Affair

On Sunday I had my first book reading/signing with my illustrator Atilio Pernisco at the Borders Books in Pico Rivera and it was a big family affair. Lucky for me I have a big family.

The signing itself was arranged by my Mother-in-Law. When she learned about the difficulty I was having mustering the courage to approach my local book store, she approached her local Borders and had a book signing scheduled that day.

Since it was going to be a book reading as well as a signing my husband cut a tree shape out of wood so that I could paint a pear tree and props to help tell the story.

Here is a picture of two of my nieces sitting in front of my pear tree:

As I did my reading I had my niece place the items on the tree, she made a lovely “Vanna White”, and we did our best to color coordinate her outfit to the props (the real Vanna would be proud).

The kids loved the reading and the sound of “Aye Caramaba” was heard throughout the store. We even received a request to read the story a second time!

A huge thrill was meeting my illustrator Atilio Pernisco and his family for the first time. Besides being a talented artist, he is also very gracious, kind and a huge soccer fan. Little did we know that when the book signing was scheduled that his native Argentina would be playing Mexico in the World Cup but he was able to make it, and Argentina would go on to win their game.

The best part of the day was being surrounded by my family and friends. They stood in line, bought books and said “Aye Caramba” along with everyone else and it meant a lot to me.

I have wanted to write a children’s book for as long as I remember and I know I couldn’t have done it without the love and support from my friends and family.

If you check the dedication on my book you will see:

“To my family and friends, thanks for helping me make my dream come true.”

And after this weekend I can honestly say they are still helping me make that dream come true, and for that I say…Thanks.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Summer Writing Goals

The calendar says summer is here!

And so, even though the year-round school where I work is still in session for three more weeks… it feels like time to make some summertime writing goals.

A most-excellent post on the SBWI TRI-REGIONS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHMOOZE blog is absolutely chocked full of info and suggests setting goals in three areas; INSPIRATION, CRAFT AND BUSINESS. I like the idea of breaking goals down into specific and manageable categories.

INSPIRATION can be elusive – it’s nearly impossible to know when and how it will appear – but stay open to sparks of surprise. Step out of your usual routine. Whether it’s the places you visit, the people you talk to, or the new toys you play with – do something new. I am going to get messy with art supplies and take lots of field trips.

Improving your CRAFT is crucial.  I highly recommend taking a writing class. Sometimes it’s not even hearing something new – it’s just hearing it at the right moment. But there is definitely something motivating about the energy created in a room full like-minded people working near each other. And deadlines are terrific to jumpstart your progress. I am going to attend one of the intriguing workshops or classes or events provided by San Diego Writers Ink.

BUSINESS. Oh groan. This is where I drag my feet. So of course it’s where I need the most work. But for starters I will check out each and every link given in the above schmooze link.

How about you?

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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Blogs We Love- Imagination Soup

“Would you like a to be a guest blogger?”

I was recently asked this question by Imagination Soup editor Melissa Taylor. Imagination Soup is the blog that aims to provide parents with ideas to encourage their children to keep on learning and was recently awarded the Scholastic Books/Parent & Child Magazine 2010 Parent Blogging Awards for reading. Needless to say I was extremely honored to be asked.

So what does a “Procrastinating Guest Blog Writer Mama” write about? Why, books of course. I chose the topic near and dear to my heart, stories that teach a lesson or have a little different perspective. I was able to share many of the books I have reviewed recently and the responses from the readers gave me several more wonderful ideas for books. I can hardly wait to check them out.

If you get a chance, be sure to visit Imagination Soup and read my guest post. If you leave a comment before July 2nd you will have an opportunity to win a copy of “Grandma’s Pear Tree.”

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Rejection Reaction

It’s an undisputed fact for a writer that that if you submit your work, you are going to get rejected. Some of the rejections are kind and some are not.

Rachel Zurakowski from Books and Such blog suggests the following:

When we receive positive rejections for our books it shows that the publishing industry is in a risk-averse period. Publishing a book is always risky, and usually the biggest risks are the ones that either pay off the most or flop the most. At this point, publishers aren’t taking those bigger risks. They want to publish the books that will do well, maybe not great, but books that are almost guaranteed to make money for the company. These books come from authors they’ve published before or from ideas the publishing house specifically asks authors to write. There’s still hope for debut projects, but it’s much harder to get them out there at a time like this.

It’s hard to remember when you are holding that rejection in your hand that publishing is a business and as such they will be more cautious in unsteady economic times. The reality is that all writers get rejected, the difference between an unpublished author and published author is how you deal with rejection.

The Bubble Cow website offers these three principles to help you turn your rejection into success:

1. Rejection is part of the process

We all know this deep down, but at times it is hard to rationalise, but rejection IS part of the process. Finding a book deal is all about finding the publisher that is right for your book. Unfortunately, us lowly writers are rarely aware of the internal thinking that is taking place behind those publishing doors. We are unaware of the trends and directions that the publishers are pursuing, and this means that submitting a book becomes a hit-and-miss affair. Instead it is all about your book landing on the right desk at the right time. So, rejection is inevitable as you have no choice, but to blindly send out your manuscript and keep your fingers crossed that the publisher is receptive to your ideas.

2. Rejection is NOT a reflection on your writing

Publishers are often looking for very specific types of manuscripts, therefore rejection is often not a reflection on your writing. There are many factors that go into a publisher saying no! A manuscript needs to fit snugly into their publishing operation. If your book’s genre is slightly off, or they feel they don’t have the marketing expertise or distribution network, then your book will be rejected. It could be the best piece of writing they have ever read, but it will still be rejected.

3. Rejection IS a reflection on your writing

The reality is that you can make as many excuses as you wish for rejection, but the simple answerMAY be that your submission is not good enough. Notice I say submission. A book pitch is far more than a synopsis and extract. Yes, it may be that your writing is not of the standard required, but it may also be that your cover letter failed to clearly pitch your book – defining the genre, market, readership and your biography.

The key to coping with rejection is how you react. Before you decide that you will never get published ask yourself the following questions:

• 1. Was your cover letter and synopsis up to scratch?
• 2. Was your extract/manuscript well written?
• 3. Are you pitching to the correct publisher/agent?
• 4. Is the timing just wrong?

I am getting ready to send out a new round of manuscripts and with this I expect to receive a few rejections, but I will continue to submit hoping that I have found the right publishing house and that the timing is right. The important thing is that I won’t give up, I’ll just keep in mind that it is part of the process.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Book Review- SLOB by Ellen Potter

I have a special place in my heart for “gadget boys” I have two of my own and I love when an author includes this trait in a character. When I saw that the main character for the book Slob by Ellen Potter (Philomel, 2009) was an inventor I took a break from my usual diet of picture books to check it out, and I was not disappointed.

Here is the description of the book:

Twelve-year-old Owen Birnbaum is the fattest kid in school. But he’s also a genius who invents cool contraptions— like a TV that shows the past. Something happened two years ago that he needs to see. But genius or not, there is much Owen can’t outthink. Like his gym coach, who’s on a mission to humiliate him. Or the way his Oreos keep disappearing from his lunch. He’s sure that if he can only get the TV to work, things will start to make sense. But it will take a revelation for Owen, not science, to see the answer’s not in the past, but the present. That no matter how large he is on the outside, he doesn’t have to feel small on the inside.

With her trademark humor, Ellen Potter has created a larger-than-life character and story whose weight is immense when measured in heart.

This book combines humor and heart is a very realistic way. I alternated between laughing out loud and hurting for Owen as his life careens out of control. I loved the references to old television shows and any book that pays tribute to “The Fonz” is a winner in my book. The ending kept me guessing and was a thoughtful resolution for a truly touching story.

Just as an aside, my husband found the book on the kitchen table one morning after breakfast and began reading, we then had to take turns reading the book until I was able to finish it and hand it off to him. Now son#2 is reading the book and thoroughly enjoying it. We do love “Gadget Boys” around here,  maybe because we are surrounded by them.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Juggling Sidewalk Style- Take II

In the words of that immortal wordsmith Yogi Berra:

“It’s like deja vu, all over again.”

This weekend marks my second author event and just like the first time I will be watching one of my son’s graduate the day before. I mentioned in an earlier post the huge juggling act I had to do to make my first book signing and I am pleased that I won’t have to struggle nearly as much as I did last month in New York (thank goodness), and unless the dog has to graduate from obedience school, I won’t have to deal with the graduation/book signing dilemma again for a while.

This book signing is very important for me since this will be my first opportunity to share my book with my family and friends and to meet my book illustrator Atilio Pernisco in person. This is a pretty big milestone for me as a writer and I have been looking forward to this event for the past month. The drive to L.A. is one I have done many times so I am prepared and since the Dodger’s play the Yankee’s in a late game, I am guaranteed that at least some of the family will show up for a little while (thanks ESPN).

I am also facing another huge milestone and that is the graduation of son#1 from high school, this milestone is a little more bitter sweet. I still remember his first day of kindergarten and I can’t believe he is ready to go on to college. Where did the time go? So this time rather than juggling with time and travel I find myself juggling emotions. I am proud of my son and know that while he will be attending a community college here in the area, things are not going to be the same. He is already acting like an independent man and sometimes I want to just grab him an give him a huge squeeze and tell him to stop growing, then I take a deep breath and let him go because that is what a good Mom is supposed to do and I want to be a good Mom.

So if you get a chance, stop by and say “Hi” at my book signing at Borders Books on Sunday. I will be the one with the pear tree and the pen, and I promise to sign fast so that you can make it to the Dodger/Yankee game on time.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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A Tribute To My Dad- The Toughest Man in The World

If you’ve been around the internet at all, it’s easy to assume that you may have run into a few Chuck Norris jokes:

• Question: If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all 3 at the same time?
• Answer: Chuck Norris.

• Chuck Norris has never blinked in his entire life. Never.

• Chuck Norris doesn’t Do push ups off the Earth…Chuck Norris Pushes down the Earth.

There are websites devoted to these jokes, and each time I see a new Chuck Norris joke I smile a little smile, you see my Dad is tougher than Chuck Norris…and I have proof.

Here’s a little back story:

When my dad was in his 20′s he began taking Karate. I have fond memories of my dad coming home from his class and trying to gently demonstrate (in slow motion) to my mom how he learned to flip or kick. My brother and I enjoyed the spectacle of Mom slowly falling to the ground.

He got very close to getting his black belt, but life got in the way. He had to work more hours, he didn’t have the time to go to Karate class any more etc… Thus marked the end of our “slo mo” Karate demonstrations with Mom and Dad.

Now back to Chuck Norris:

It was during my dad’s karate phase that he attended a tournament in San Francisco. During his match he over shot and kicked his opponent outside the legal area, the judge disqualified for being “too tough” taking him out of the rest of the tournament. Who was this judge? Yes, you guessed it a young Karate professional named Chuck Norris.

Years later I am now the mother of two boys and I love to tell them that their grandfather is the toughest man in the world, because he was even “too tough” for Chuck Norris, and they are very proud of their “Papa.”

So here is my own lame attempt at modifying a Chuck Norris joke:

When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris then they both hide under the covers in case my dad comes by. (I told you it was lame)

Happy Belated Father’s Day to the toughest man in the world, I love you very much.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Graduation Day!

High School Graduation Day!

I’ll leave this post to Shel Silverstein…

THIS BRIDGE

This bridge will only take you halfway there

To those mysterious lands you long to see:

Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fairs

And moonlit woods where unicorns run free.

So come and walk awhile with me and share

The twisting trails and wondrous worlds I’ve known.

But this bridge will only take you halfway there–

The last few steps you’ll have to take alone.

(By Shel Silverstein from A Light in the Attic… even though the image is from Where the Sidewalk Ends – appropriate for the theme of our blog!)

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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Support Rolling Readers

Rolling Readers has a mission: to inspire children to love reading.

Started in 1991, Rolling Readers organizes volunteers to read with children on a regular basis. They also have great big generous book giveaways.

They are having a fundraiser this Saturday evening – June 19 – at the New Children’s Museum in San Diego. The museum itself is a treat; but WHOA!  and WOW! Check out their special guests! What a list!

This Year’s Artists
Anna Madia	Annalù Boeretto
Anthony Santos	Brenda York
Brittni Cute	Bruno Gianesi
Claudio Monnini	Cutter Cutshaw
Ethan Sprague	Grant Pecoff
Hogan Brown	Illaria Margutti
Jacob Susko	Juan Balandran
Minnie Valero	Morgan Derrick Mia
O. Yordanov	Sophie Pardo
Steven Cambaliza	Theresa Donche
Tina Sgro’	Vania Elletra Tam
ART EXHIBITS CURATED BY SAMIR CHALA, CURATOR, GALLERY WITHOUT BORDERS – WWW.GALLERYWITHOUTBORDERS.ORG
This Year’s Authors
Gerald McDermott	Layne Pecoff
Janell Cannon	Shelley Moore Thomas
Paul Brewer	Lori Mitchell
Kathleen Krull	Virginia Loh
Carolyn Marsden	Karen Okagaki
Suse MacDonald	Meiko Patton

Creative energy will be oozing all over the place – and that’s a good thing!

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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