Tag: classics

Categories
History in the Making

Some Interesting Facts and a Statue of Classic Author, Charles Dickens

History in the making

Did you know Charles Dickens’ full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens? I didn’t, and Dickens is one of my favorite authors. His classic stories of life in England in the 1800s were full of wonderful characters, some of which the stories were named after – Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickelby, and David Copperfield to name a few. But, there is also Pip, Miss Havisham, Fagin, and many more, including Little Nell.

Little Nell is the beloved little girl in Dickens’ novel, The Old Curiosity Shop. Charles Dickens published a weekly serial in 1840-1841, called Master Humphrey’s Clock. In it, he published two novels, one of which was The Old Curiosity Shop, along with short stories. The Old Curiosity Shop was such a popular feature of Master Humphrey’s Clock, that readers in New York stormed the wharf when the ship bringing the final installment arrived in 1841. Then The Old Curiosity Shop was published in book form later in 1841.

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England. Dickens’ novels tell of the injustices of the times he lived in, often featuring the brutal treatment of the poor in a society that was divided by levels of wealth.

Dickens’ family also faced poverty and Charles was forced out of school at twelve years of age to take a job in Warren’s Blacking Warehouse, a shoe-polish factory. He was treated badly by the other boys working there. Then his father was imprisoned for debt. The humiliation of these two circumstances hurt Dickens profoundly and became his deepest secret. However, they obviously provided an unacknowledged foundation for his fiction.

Charles Dickens published 15 novels, one of which was left unfinished at his death, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

I would like to call your attention back to Little Nell because there are three statues of Charles Dickens in existence – one in Sydney, Australia, one in his hometown of Portsmouth, England, and one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The one in Philadelphia is the oldest of the three. It was created in 1890, and is the only one that also depicts one of his characters, Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop. Before it was moved to Philadelphia, this statue won two gold medals at the Chicago’s World Fair of 1893 and crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice. It was sculpted by Francis Edwin Ewell, who was the one to send it to Philadelphia.

There are two interesting things about the statue being placed in Philadelphia: 1) Charles Dickens, in his will, stated he did not want any memorials, and 2) the fact that the statue is in Philadelphia, a city that Dickens disliked. He said, of Philadelphia, “it is dull and out of spirits.”

Funny that, despite Dickens dislike of Philadelphia, the statue has become a symbol of the neighborhood, and both, Nell and Dickens are crowned with flower wreaths frequently, including each year on Dickens’ birthday, when a party is held and there are readings and dancing.

If you are a Dickens’ fan, like me, I also highly recommend the movie, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” from 2017, and I’d love to know which of his classic novels is your favorite.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

Categories
Writing for YA

Story retellings: Interview with A. K. Pittman

Allison Pittman, writing as A. K. Pitman, has a brand new book out, and it’s a YA P & P retelling, Pudge and Prejudice, set in 1984 North Texas.

February is Body Image Awareness Month, and the timing felt perfect to ask Allison a few questions about her book, which deals with body image.

I love the idea of mingling one of my favorite Austen novels with a more recent historical setting.

I love the idea, too! It really showcases the timelessness of Austen’s story. Human emotions and motivations and desires are so transcendent, even if our surrounding society changes.

What was the strangest thing you had to research or the most surprising thing you learned when you were researching for this project?

Well, I learned that high schools outside of Texas don’t do homecoming mums. They are huge in Texas (literally and figuratively).

As a fellow Texan, I can attest to the hugeness of mums.

What are some of the unique challenges you faced when writing Pudge and Prejudice?

I was always surprised when I learned that something—some TV show or song—that I clearly remember from that year (1984) actually hadn’t happened yet.

Time passes, I guess, and everything gets mixed up. Over and over I was “redirected” by my lovely editor who hadn’t even been born yet! Quite a humbling experience.

Your novel is set in the 80s. How do you feel the landscape of the current high school culture has changed since then? What are the main things that have stayed the same?

It’s much easier to mention what has stayed the same: Kids still group themselves and establish crushing hierarchies within their ranks. What has changed? There’s such a lack of naiveté and innocence. They are exposed to so much, and with cellphones, they are never more than a click away from hurtful messages.

If you had fifteen minutes to talk to a young person who was struggling with body image, what is one main thing you would want them to understand?

I would want them to understand that, right at this moment, they are exactly what God intendeds them to be.

That’s hard to understand and accept, especially if they are unhappy, but that unhappiness can be channeled into something positive.

And then, I would emphasize that they need to compare themselves with themselves, not other people. You have to accept yourself, but you don’t have to accept your habits. Find out what is best for you, and don’t allow anything less.

Do you have any resources you’d like to share for young people struggling with body image issues?

As a blanket answer, I would say to step away from social media and develop good, in-the-flesh friendships where you interact outside of a tiny screen. That said, I would caution against any resource that promises anything other than restoring health in mind, body, and spirit. In fact, stay away from outside promises, period.

A healthy body image comes from within. You’ve made the decision to eat healthier? Study up on healthy cooking. You want to exercise more? Test your body to see what it can do and go from there.

Finally, there is no greater resource than God’s word—for anything, but most of all for inspiration about just how beloved and valuable you are.

Psalms 139:14 says, “I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. Part of that “wonderfulness” is how our outer appearance reflects our inner care. We need food, water, sleep, rest, and purpose—all in balance.

Find the best of those things, and you will find the best of yourself.

Allison K. Pittman is an award-winning author of thirteen novels. An enthusiast for all things writing, she leads two writing groups where she gets to blend her two passions: writing and teaching. (She gets to teach every day, too. Middle School.)

You can follow her around on Instagram (@allisonkpittman) or Twitter (@allisonkpittman) and keep up with the latest writing news on her Allison Pittman Author Facebook page—all of which will keep you up-to-date on not only her books, but also life with her husband, Mikey, and Snax, the world’s worst dog.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Talking New Traditional Children’s Books with Chicken Scratch Books’ Kiri Jorgensen

As a writer, a teacher, and a SCBWI regional advisor, Kiri Jorgensen has observed an evolution in children’s publishing over the years.

On the Chicken Scratch Books website, she writes about the observations that led her to launch her own publishing company:

More and more books published by the mainstream publishers had themes or conflicts directly connected to the trending issues of society… Where were the new ‘traditional’ books?

Can I tell you how many times I’ve asked the same question? At first, I thought I was simply out of touch with my readers. But in talking with other writers, parents, teachers, and librarians, I realize I am not alone.

I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to connect with Ms. Jorgensen and ask her a few questions about her work.

KM: Filling the void left between mainstream and religious publishers is not a small undertaking! You cover the “why” you began Chicken Scratch very succinctly on your blog. Can you tell us a little about *how* you plan to fill this void? 

KJ: I love traditional children’s literature. Over the years I’ve read, and read aloud, hundreds of wonderful novels that clearly spread the joy of story. My kids and students have responded in engaging ways. But I started to notice a shift. Stories that I’d loved were starting to feel less engaging. I realized that it wasn’t the storylines themselves, or the characters, but rather the language that wasn’t connecting with my students.

Kids today are raised on a crisp information diet that combines written and visually concise input. This isn’t to say that they won’t benefit from some elaborate descriptions now and again, but the language they readily engage with is more succinct than what it used to be. For information download to their brains, kids use tools that specialize in quick delivery and thorough placement. This is not the way of classic literature.

Authors today are producing a myriad of wonderful traditional stories in all genres, with new writing styles. The material is out there. And I believe the market is still out there too, as long as gatekeepers know where to look for the new style, clean, traditional stories they can trust.

At Chicken Scratch Books, we only publish new traditional children’s novels. What that means is, the books we provide fit the mold of ‘traditional’ in regards to their characters, story, and themes, but they also fit the mold of ‘new’ in the structure of their language, pacing, and delivery.

We’ll fill the void between classic traditional and ‘new mainstream books’ by giving kids and their gatekeepers the assurance that new traditional is all we do.

As a brand-new publisher, we do things differently than anyone else. We reach out directly to our audience with access to not only wonderful new traditional books (print and ebook), but also tools to analyze and teach these stories even deeper. We work directly with parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and any other gatekeeper that loves middle grade stories. We give them access to the authors themselves through video and provide fun learning tools – both print and digital – to build on their stories. Our goal is to provide strong literature and the means to study it deeply in the modern world.

Every book we publish will engage, entertain, enlighten, lift, build, and delight. All without making anyone uncomfortable.

KM: I noticed you offer free courses for writers (full disclosure: I’ve completed one of these courses). Why do you offer these services for writers?

KJ: Although I’m a writer, editor, and publisher, I’m a teacher at my core. It wasn’t until I landed on the idea of providing learning opportunities for writers and readers that the formation of Chicken Scratch Books blossomed. To me, it seems obvious. We want to publish wonderfully crafted middle grade novels. We know what we want, and what it takes to create them. Why not guide and help writers produce what we are looking for?

We’ll be regularly adding to our offering of free online courses. I’ve been quite surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed producing them. We’re also working on more in-depth paid courses that come with different levels of individual support. The first of these should go live by the end of the year.

In addition to our online courses, if writers sign up for our email list they’ll receive our weekly WriteLetter. This follows a monthly topic and includes written and video instruction, as well as PDF downloads to help in the writing process. Our WriteLetter is also free.

KM: What’s on your To Read list?

I’m super lucky in that I get to read so many wonderful stories both pre and post publication. My library is mostly middle grade novels, and if you could see it, you’d know – mostly because of the sheer volume – that my ‘To Read’ pile is extensive!

I love traditional novels, so I always seek those out from any publisher. I’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing which ones fit my requirements, even before I read them. I have one newly published book sitting on my table – The Artifact Hunters by Janet Fox. I actually got to read an earlier draft of this one when it was just being formed, so I’m very excited to read the finished project. Also on my shelf is Irena’s Children, Young Readers Edition adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell. This is the story of Irena Sendler who smuggled 2500 children out of the walled Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, Poland during Nazi occupation. I’m so grateful that a young readers edition has been created for this vital story. Another book that’s on my ‘not purchased yet, but soon will be’ list is Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce. It’s a Victorian English tale of a girl obsessed with criminal science, and a mystery to solve. I’m already in love.

Kiri Jorgensen is the Publisher and Senior Editor at Chicken Scratch Books. She is also a writer, teacher, entrepreneur, and most importantly wife and mother. Her involvement in the world of children’s literature spans almost three decades from several different angles. She taught in the public schools for 16 years, from huge school districts to a two-room schoolhouse, and created writing curriculums for middle schoolers. She has written and produced over 30 stage plays for children, served as Regional Advisor for SCBWI Montana, and has taught writing in a variety of settings, age ranges, and genres. She lives with her husband and a plethora of pets in rural Montana, where she cooks her meals on a wood-burning cookstove and is grateful every day for being right where she is.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The One Story That Always Keeps Readers Turning Pages

It’s not every author that has a movie made in their honor. But when the author makes global impact, the movie industry takes notice.

A few months ago, the movie Tolkien hit theaters.

J.R.R. Tolkien is the writer behind the famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His books were so well-read that a multi-hour movie was filmed based on his books. Countless have found inspiration on the pages of his story, and countless will yet find inspiration.

They are classics.

Writing a classic is probably a dream many of us have. So how did Tolkien do it? How did he become such a well-written author that multiple movies were made on his books, and a movie was made on his life as well?

He told the one story every reader wants to hear. Let’s break it down.

Write The Protagonist You Want To Write

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Frodo is the protagonist, supported by his friend Sam. All three books follow Frodo’s journey as an unlikely hero. His strengths and weaknesses are a central focus to plot points, twists in the story, and an ending that almost doesn’t happen due to his own character flaws.

Frodo’s story not only holds The Lord of the Rings together, but creates an element of relatability in an otherwise fantastical story.

Write The Supporting Characters Your Story Needs

However, despite Frodo’s obvious page time, Tolkien wrote a full cast of supporting characters, each with their own histories, families, hopes, and dreams. The brilliance of Tolkien’s writing is that he wrote characters every reader could relate to.

Most books demand a protagonist that’s relatable to the target audience. This is a necessary and smart rule to play by. But take a look at Tolkien’s classic.

The protagonist is a short, insignificant hobbit.

One of the main supporting characters is a runaway man’s man who’s supposed to be a king.

There are two blundering, yet endearing cousins who cause some of the biggest plot twists due to their eagerness to help.

There’s the princess who refuses her destiny and claims mortality so she can also claim love.

There’s the small, seemingly inconsequential trinket, a single golden ring, that ties the story together from first page to last.

Every supporting character adds to the story, while at the same time making it relatable to nearly every reader who picks it up…

So, you’re writing a fantasy and your last name isn’t Tolkien. That’s ok! Learn from his writing and incorporate his methods into your own story.

Write the protagonist you’re passionate about, and don’t focus so much on whether he/she is relatable to every reader. Your story will also demand supporting characters.

When you write a story of intricate, round characters, your readers will keep turning pages until the very end.

That’s the story every reader wants.

That’s the story every reader will love.

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
The Writer's PenCase

Storytelling – What Makes a Story Great?

ben-hurWhat is it about a story that makes it compelling? Is it the characters? Is it the plot? Is it the element of surprise? Is it the challenges? Is it danger? I submit, it’s all of them, skillfully put together, woven like a tapestry to make an impression on our minds and in our hearts.

Continue reading “Storytelling – What Makes a Story Great?”