Dianne de Las Casas

Sneak Peak of Dianne’s iPad App – Rockin’ 3 Billy Goats – Wednesday, September 14, 2011

by dlcasas on September 14, 2011

Rockin' 3 Billy Goats iPad App Art Sample by Stefan Jolet

Friends:

This holiday season, I have an iPad app coming out. My story app is titled “Rockin’ 3 Billy Goats.” It’s a story from my Jump, Jiggle & Jam storytelling CD (which is now only available on iTunes and through my mp3 download store on my website). The app will feature art by Stefan Jolet, who is an amazing illustrator.

It will be an interactive “Touch and Tell Tale,” where the story can be heard with music and sound effects or read aloud by the child or grown-up. The reader will be able to read the story, listen to the story, and touch the screen to animate the characters. It’s going to be so much fun.

I’ll keep you updated as to the progress of the app!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Lafayette Parish Schools PK In-Service – Wednesday, August 10, 2011

by dlcasas on September 7, 2011

8-10-11 Performing the story of The Emperor's Dragon, a draw and tell tale from my book, Handmade Tales

Friends:

Yes, it has been nearly a month since this workshop! I took a break from blogging to get some writing done and to work on other projects (developing an iPad story app). I actually thought that I had posted this blog!

So last month, I had the pleasure of doing a day-long in-service for PK teachers in Lafayette Parish. It was so much fun. I began the workshop with an ice breaker in which participants had to create a self-portrait from items in their purses, bags, or wallets. I love a woman who carries chocolate in her purse!

8-10-11 A self-portrait made from items in a workshop attendee's purse. Yay for chocolate!

The morning session was dedicated to Handmade Tales. We began with a draw and tell story called Catching a Pest in 7 steps. It’s from my book, Handmade Tales: Stories to Make and Take, and is great for teaching numbers and sequencing.

8-10-11 Catching a Pest in 7 Steps - A draw and tell tale

Then they learned the story of “The Emperor’s Dragon,” another draw and tell tale.

8-10-11 The Emperor's Dragon drawn by a workshop participant

Then it was time for a cut and tell story. The PK teachers learned the story of “Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.” They were having fun “cutting up.” LOL

8-10-11 Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, a cut and tell story

They learned how to make a Russian nesting doll just by folding paper. It’s so cute!

8-10-11 A Russian nesting doll made out of paper from my book, Handmade Tales

I showed them how to make a 6 page book out of a single sheet of paper. It’s a very versatile origami craft that can be used to showcase ABCs, used as an “About Me” book, or turn little ones into authors and illustrators.

8-10-11 The six page book from the story, The King's Advisor

The teachers learned the story of “Papa’s Teepee,” which features a coffee filter that is magically turned into a snowflake. Then the teachers created a snow blizzard. I always love this part!

8-10-11 Creating a snow blizzard out of coffee filter snowflakes from the story, Papa's Teepee

They learned another cut and tell story that resulted in a perfect 5 point star!

8-10-11 Lafayette PK Teachers are stars!

We had a blast with the story, “Bandana Man,” and I love this picture of the PK teachers becoming old women with their bandanas!

“Bandana Man” is another rendition of “The Gingerbread Man,” except he’s made out of a bandana and one hand becomes all the animals in the story (a spider, a snake and a fox). When they learned how to make Bandana Man, there were lots of oohs and ahs. He is pretty cute!

8-10-11 Bandana Man!

Then it was time to learn some string stories. I told the string story of “The Stubborn Turnip,” which has a cool magic trick in it. These PK teachers were great with their strings!

8-10-11 The string figure bowl from the string story, The Stubborn Turnip

They even learned how to make a star out of string. Talk about wowing kids!

8-10-11 Making a star out of string! Cool!

After lunch, it was time for the second half of the workshop featuring “A is for Alligator: Draw and Tell Tales from A-Z” and “Picture Book Make and Takes.” “A is for Alligator” is a book with Marita Gentry published by ABC-Clio. We take every letter of the alphabet and turn them into animals using storytelling as the device. It’s really amazing and kids of ALL ages LOVE it.

8-10-11 A is for Alligator from my book of the same name illustrated by Marita Gentry

The stories from A is for Alligator are great for teaching the letters of the alphabet and the sounds that they make.

8-10-11 E is for Elephant from my book, A is for Alligator, illustrated by Marita Gentry

This is “W is for Whale.” How precious is that?! You can see how the teacher highlighted the “W” in the drawing with a different color.

8-10-11 W is for Whale from my book, A is for Alligator, illustrated by Marita Gentry

The second half of the afternoon focused on “Picture Book Make and Takes.” I showed the teachers all the cool activities that are downloadable for free from my website in the “Book Activities” section. They made a Cajun Cornbread Boy puppet and Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach story shaker.

8-10-11 The story shaker from Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach

They did a baby bear collage from Mama’s Bayou, created Ma Farmer’s Down Home Cookbook from The Gigantic Sweet Potato, and created an accordion dragon puppet from There’s a Dragon in the Library.

8-10-11 The accordion dragon from There's a Dragon in the Library

It was a great way to spend the day and I really enjoyed myself with the PK teachers of Lafayette Parish schools. A special thank you to Christine Duay for bringing me in!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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SCBWI L.A. Conference – August 5-8, 2011

by dlcasas on August 13, 2011

8-6-11 Jay Asher, Dianne de Las Casas & Jason Roer

Friends:

It’s been more than a week since I arrived in Los Angeles (Century City) for the 40th annual SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conference. OMG. It was a WOW weekend of superstar authors, awesome agents, excellent editors, and fun friends. This recap is going to be a long one because there was just so much to take away! Unfortunately, my camera was on the fritz so I had to use my iPhone 3GS too (without a flash) so some of the pictures are less than stellar. To begin…

Thursday, August 4, 2011 – The Arrival
This year, I was staying with Kat Yeh and Joyce Wan, two fabulous authors from NYC. We had a great room on the 10th floor of the Hyatt Century Plaza overlooking the pool and the MGM building.

8-4-11 The view from our 10th floor balcony at the Hyatt Century Plaza in L.A.

Kat, Joyce, and I headed out for eats at the nearby Westfield Mall which has a “Dining Terrace,” filled with tons of multicultural foods for a reasonable price. The ramen was my FAVE!!

8-4-11 Kat Yeh, Dianne de Las Casas, and Joyce Wan just arriving at SCBWI

Friday, August 5, 2011 – Day 1

8-5-11 Bruce Coville inspires everyone with lots of wise advice

The Friday morning opening keynote was given by Bruce Coville. He gave some very sage advice on becoming a successful author. My favorites were:

“Take storytelling lessons.”
“Take voice and singing lessons.”
“Scare yourself. Take yourself to the edge of discomfort. Be fearless.”
“Take your work seriously but take yourself lightly. Rise above your own best work.”
“Embrace the unfinished chord. It is not knowing that is more powerful than knowing.”

Jerry Pinkney was the next speaker and he talked about how his family history inspired his art. I then went to a breakout session with Debra Dorfman, V.P. Publisher of paperbacks, non-fiction, and licensed publishing at Scholastic Books. It was interesting to see how a title is treated after it is acquired at Scholastic, the steps it goes through to become part of the Scholastic Book Club and the Scholastic Book Fairs.

The afternoon panel featured five publishers talking about the “state of the union” of publishing. The message was that there is always room for excellence, even in a changing world and that they are looking for books that break the mold.

8-5-11 The incredibly hilarious Libba Bray

Libba Bray was the first afternoon keynote and boy was she uproariously funny. She talked about how “writing it wrong” helped authors to get it right. My favorite Libba quotes:

“Embrace the suck!” (The crowd guffawed at this.)
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”
“Readers are not trends. They are readers.”
“Getting it wrong is a necessary part of getting it right.”

Then it was time for the last breakout session of the day. I chose Katie Davis‘ “Podcasting Your Way to Success.” She talked about using social media to build a platform as an author and went through the steps on how to create a podcast.

8-5-11 Emma Dryden on Traveling Through the Digital Landscape

The last keynote of the afternoon was the ever informative Emma Dryden. She talked about traveling the digital landscape of publishing. Though the publishing industry is changing, books still matter. She said:

“The digital world is reshaping the book business. Print is not going away for the sake of digital.”
“The publishing industry is evolving right before our eyes.”
“Picture books do matter. Picture books still do sell.”

Thank you for reassuring us, Emma!

8-5-11 Cheri Williams and Dianne de Las Casas at the PAL Book Sale

That evening, it was time for the SCBWI P.A.L. (Published and Listed) Book Sale. It was a cocktail reception and book sale for the published members of SCBWI, who were not on the program. I am happy to say that I sold out of my new book, The House That Witchy Built, illustrated by Holly Stone-Barker.

8-5-11 The ever-cool Illustrator E.B. Lewis

Later, it was time to schmooze in the lobby! I got to hang out with all my friends (Ellen Hopkins, Kristin Clark Venuti, Cheri Williams, Rachel Ann Marks) and even made new ones (The Hilts Brothers). Here I am with my roommates, Kat Yeh and Joyce Wan, with the amazing illustrator, E.B. Lewis.

8-6-11 Kat Yeh, E.B. Lewis, Joyce Wan & Dianne de Las Casas

Saturday, August 6, 2011 – Day 2
I attended every session on Friday so I admit that I was a bit burned out. I opted to sleep in and I missed Donna Jo Napoli. I caught the tail end of David Small‘s keynote. He was so cute dancing to “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You.”

Then something extraordinary happened. We had a surprise guest!!! It was… Judy Blume!

8-6-11 Lin Oliver interviews surprise guest, the legendary Judy Blume

John Green, Author of Looking for Alaska, was supposed to be our keynote. Unfortunately, he had gallstone surgery and SCBWI had to fill his slot. So they brought us a spectacular substitute!! Lin Oliver interviewed the legendary, life-changing author, Judy Blume. Judy received a standing ovation BEFORE she was interviewed. Here are my favorite Judy Blume quotes:

“Get yourself though it and write a whole draft.”
“I know I start a book on the day something different happens.”
“The stuff that matters, that works for your readers, comes from deep, deep inside.”
“The first time I was rejected, I went into a closet and cried.”
On revising: “It never gets any easier. The only thing that gets easier for me is that I know how to do this.”
“Whatever way works for you is the right way.”
“You don’t think about the audience. If it’s good, it will find an audience.”
“I don’t think about my legacy. That’s dangerous. But I want a tombstone that says, ‘Are you there God? It’s me, Judy.’”

8-6-11 Carrell Gueringer, Denise Fleming & Dianne de Las Casas

Sometimes things happen for a reason. I was on my way to a breakout session on books, e-books, and apps when I saw my friend, Carrell Gueringer, talking to picture book author Denise Fleming, whom I adore. I met Denise and we took pictures. Then we all saw HER. Judy Blume!! I introduced myself to Judy (we’ve tweeted a couple of times) and I got to take this adorable picture of her.

8-6-11 The Amazing Judy Blume!!!

OMG. I met Judy Blume!! She was so sweet and I can’t believe she is 73 years old!! That was definitely a conference high for me. I don’t often get fan-girlish but I felt fluttery around Judy Blume!

Then it was time for lunch. Denise Fleming, Kari-Lynn Winters, Valerie (sorry – I forgot your last name!), and I headed to the Dining Terrace at the mall next door for some food. I had yummy ramen and totally fell in love with Denise Fleming. We all had a blast at lunch. Because I spent so much time with Denise, I missed Jon Scieszka’s afternoon keynote. But sometimes, the stars align in a different pattern than you planned and the sky is even more brilliant than you imagined. That’s how I felt about meeting Denise Fleming and hanging out with her. What a fabulous lady. Kari-Lynn Winters is my newest BFF and I totally LOVE her too! She’s such a hoot!

8-6-11 Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth, inspires the crowd with his accidental foray into children's books

The afternoon keynote was by Norton Juster, the author of The Phantom Tollbooth, a brilliant book! Norton Juster said, “Playing with words was my great disease.” He ended his keynote with a reading of “Prinderella,” a hilarious spoonerism story.

Later that afternoon, I went to Verla Kay‘s workshop on promoting yourself using the Internet. Verla was so sweet she included ME in her slideshow!

8-6-11 Dianne de Las Casas & Lisa Rondinelli Albert tear up the stage at the 40 Winks PJ Gala. Photo courtesy of Joyce Wan.

Then, IT WAS TIME… for the 40 Winks Gala!! And it was a pajama party! My stupid camera wasn’t working so I didn’t get any pictures. :( I didn’t see anything scandalous but there were some crazy cool costumes! The Princess and the Pea won first prize. The princess was actually wearing a BED, yes a bed!! There was bunny costume from “A Christmas Story” and Max’s wolf suit from Where the Wild Things Are. I danced on the DJ’s stage the whole night long!! After the party was done, we moved the after-party to the X-Bar, a bar connected to the Hyatt. There, I danced with my roommates, Kat and Joyce, Michelle Parker-Rock, Lisa Rodinelli Albert, Rachel Ann Marks, Cheri Williams, and lots of other FUN people! It was a FABULOUS night!!

Sunday, August 7, 2011 – Day 3
On my third day into the conference, I was burning out (actually, my feet burned from dancing in stilettos all night!). I opted to sleep in. I missed the agents’ panel and Gary Paulsen‘s talk. But the great thing about the SCBWI conference in this digital age is that you can relive the moments through other authors’ tweets and blogs! I’m really sorry I missed Gary Paulsen. I heard that he lived in the Philippines (where I was born and where my mom is from) and can speak Tagalog!

I went to Jon Scieszka‘s workshop on “Experimenting with Multi-Platform Storytellling.” It was very interesting to hear him talk about his new series, Spaceheadz. He is so crazy and genius at the same time. His new series encourages media literacy for kids, highlighting access, analysis, evaluation, and creation. Later that night, I got to talk to Jon at length and I totally fell in love with him (in a writerly way). He’s gracious, witty, and fun. I’m mad that I forgot to take pics!! Ugh.

8-7-11 The incredible dessert to celebrate SCBWI's 40th anniversary at the Golden Kite Awards Luncheon

At noon, it was time for the Golden Kite Awards Luncheon. My friend, Michelle Parker-Rock won 2011 SCBWI Member of the Year. Woo hoo, Michelle!! Tanya Lee Stone was the non-fiction Golden Kite winner for The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie. My good friend, Jenni Holm, was the Golden Kite fiction winner for her Newbery Honor book, Turtle in Paradise. In her speech, Jenni said, “You are my family. You are my people.” Yay, Jenni! Rukhsana Khan won the Golden Kite for picture book text for her book, The Big Red Lollipop. She is an amazing storyteller – she had the audience riveted. The Sid Fleischman Award for humor went to Alan Silberberg for his book, Milo: Sticky Notes & Brain Freeze. Alan made me laugh and cry and laugh again. I was sooo moved by his speech! I talked to him in the lobby later that night and he is every bit as warm, caring, and funny as he is on stage. The Golden Kite for picture book illustration went to Salley Mavor for her book, Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Such beautiful bas relief fabric and embroidery!

Then we had a surprise guest! The eloquent Richard Peck embellished the stage with his funny rhetoric. Some golden nuggets and funny quotes from Richard:

“A writer’s secret: A story is always about something that never happened to the author.”
“We do not write what we know. We write what we can find out about.”
“Tweets and texts bomb the ruins of our language.”
“Every book begins in the library with the hope that it will end there.”

So Richard Peck does not like Twitter. Oh well. He’ll never have to revise his words to 140 concise characters. LOL

After the luncheon, I headed over to Emma Dryden and Harold Underdown‘s workshop on social media. I ducked out before it ended because of an oncoming migraine, which caused me to miss LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON! Crud. Anyway, social media? I have a handle on. I am really sorry I missed Laurie’s amazing and inspiring (so I heard) keynote.

8-7-11 Dianne de Las Casas & Nuria Coe, both mommies of daughters named Eliana!!

That evening, I went to dinner the Pink Taco for the Kidlit Drink Night organized (in part) by the fabulous Lee Wind. I LOVE me some Lee!! I went with Kat Yeh and Joyce Wan, my roomies. I met another author named Nuria Coe. Like me, she has a daughter named ELIANA! How coincidental is that? Our daughter’s middle names are similar too. It gave us both the chills. I met some fabulous people at the Kidlit Mixer and had the most delicious crispy brisket tacos. Mmmm!

Then it was back to the hotel lobby for my last night of SCBWI schmoozing. I met up with my friends, Jenni Holm and Katie Davis. I talked with the cool Dan Santat and met the amazing Alan Silverberg. I also spoke with Greg Pincus and Jim Averbeck — totally great guys. Then I bumped into my soul sistah, Samantha Berger. I totally missed hangout time with her this conference but at least we got to hang in the lobby for a little bit. To top off this amazing conference, like I said earlier, I talked at length to the phenomenal Jon Scieszka. Although he is a kidlit rockstar, Jon is totally approachable, gracious, and unpretentious.

I met so many amazing writers, illustrators, and authors. I know I didn’t list you all but I hope you know that, in the words of Jenni Holm, “You are my people.” Thank you for being a part of this wonderful tribe called “Kidlit.”

It was an uplifting, inspiring, kidlit star-studded weekend of tears, laughter, and hugs. Thank you, Lin Oliver and Steve Mooser, for creating SCBWI. You have enriched us for 40 years. Here’s looking at 40 more!!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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How to Write YA Fiction: An Interview with Deborah Halverson – Monday, July 25, 2011

by dlcasas on July 25, 2011

Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies by Deborah Halverson

Blog Tour with Deborah Halverson, Author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

Story Connection:
Deborah, thank you so much for being a guest on the Story Connection Blog. Congratulations on the publication of your new book, Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. As someone who has worked on both sides of the fence, you are definitely in a unique position and are certainly well qualified to write this book! With the popularity of YA fiction (it has its own section in major bookstores now), your book is going to be very popular with aspiring and even veteran YA writers. I am going to ask you questions from your perspective as both an editor and a YA author (Big Mouth and Honk If You Hate Me). First from the editor’s point of view… What inspired you to start your blog, DearEditor.com? It’s such a plethora of FREE information for writers!

Deborah Halverson:
I spent a decade as an editor with Harcourt Children’s Books, making the conference rounds and hanging out with writers, so I was aware that it’s pretty common for a writer to slump back in her chair and hurrumph, thinking, “Jeez, if I could just ask someone this one quick question and get a clear answer, I could be move on already.” That’s what DearEditor.com does. You ask that question, I give that clear answer, and then you get to move forward with confidence.

My decision to start DearEditor.com came about because I became the mom of triplets, which made working full time at a publishing house impossible; I was required full time at my own house. So I left Harcourt to freelance edit and write my own novels for young readers while I raised my tiny trio. That was rewarding (and exhausting) on both fronts, but I began feeling disconnected from the world of adults—especially the world of writing adults. One day I was thinking about how I wanted to be out there talking publishing again, and I thought about writers despairing over questions I knew I could answer, and then my mind wandered to Dear Abby’s Q-and-A format, and then the idea for DearEditor.com popped into my head. I went live with the site five days later and have been having a great time with it since. I get to help others while getting my fix of book talk. Huzzah!

Story Connection:
What are the most common mistakes new writers make when submitting YA material to agents and/or publishers?

Deborah Halverson:
Sending a query letter that lacks a tight, compelling hook is a big and very common submission boo-boo. A hook is your one-sentence statement of your book’s concept, its audience, its fit in the current market, and the key twist that makes the book stand out from the others in that market. I know that’s a lot of stuff to cram into one sentence, but you’ve got to do it—and in a way that is tantalizing as well as informative. Think of your hook as your pitch line for editors, your pitch line for your readers once the book is published, and, if you write it early, your mission statement for yourself, keeping you focused through the many months or years it takes to finish the manuscript. Here’s a quick hint to help you write a strong 50-word-or-less hook: Look at the Cataloging-in-Publication data on the copyright page of any novel on your shelf. See the part labeled “Summary”? That summary sentence tells librarians and library patrons who the star of the book is, what the story’s about, and what features distinguish that book from all other books of the same theme and topic. It’s the perfect example of a query letter hook statement! (Behind-the-scenes secret: Assistant editors write most of those summaries when they apply for the CIP data.) Study a bunch of CIP summaries to get a feel for how you can hit all the necessary points as concisely as possible.

Story Connection:
In chapter 5, you talk about creating teen-friendly characters. I love how you talk about the protagonist as a hero with goals, flaws, vulnerabilities, and core strengths. Why do you recommend that a writer outlines his/her protagonist’s character before they begin writing his/her story?

Deborah Halverson:
Your protagonist will flesh himself out as you write—it’s a strange and beautiful inevitability. You’ll learn his interests and quirks as you push him through your plot points. But in order to design that plot, you must first give that character a skeleton. Writing a “thumbnail” sketch of your hero does that. If you know what your character wants more than anything, you can write a plot that puts his want in dire jeopardy. If you know his flaws, you can write a plot that forces him to confront those flaws. If you know his core strength, you can set the stage throughout the novel for a climax that lets your hero use that strength to overcome his flaws and attain his goal.

Story Connection:
So many writers are interested in writing a series. What is your definition of a series and do you have any advice for would-be series writers?

Deborah Halverson:
A young adult series must have a compelling and unique hook. (That word again!) Editors must be able to see exactly where the series fits into the marketplace, and then they need to know why it stands out. You’re asking those editors and booksellers to make a big commitment in terms of time, money, and shelf-space—you’d better tell them why your series will sell book after book. Then, of course, write great characters that readers will care about enough to buy book after book.

Story Connection:
When I visit schools, I always tell students that the best writing comes from re-writing. Do you recommend revising as you go or just pushing the story out and revising later? What advice can you give regarding self-editing and revisions and when is enough enough?

Deborah Halverson:
The fact is, you’re more likely to get the darned manuscript done if you just push through. If you try to perfect the first chapter before you move on to the second, and so on, you’ll spend just shy of forever on that first chapter only to find yourself returning to change it yet again when something unexpected happens later in the story to up-end all your hard work. At that rate, you may begin to feel like you’ll never finish your book—and that’s hugely discouraging.

Story Connection:
As an editor, have any of the writers you’ve worked with taught you something about the art of writing that you have taken to heart?

Deborah Halverson:
Editor is one of those jobs in which you’re always learning something knew. I bet I could name a specific thing I learned from every book I’ve edited! Each book and each writer has its own idiosyncrasies, strengths, and challenges. That may sound sickeningly cliché, but it’s the darned truth.

Story Connection:
As a writer, have you ever been stuck writing a scene or during character development? Are there exercises that you recommend to help with so-called “writer’s block?”

Deborah Halverson:
Remember what I just said about pushing through the first draft? I have to beat myself with a wet noodle to leave my early chapters alone and move on! Perhaps it’s the editor in me, but I find it difficult to write new stuff when I know there’s yucky placeholder stuff preceding it. Ick! Author Mary E. Pearson wrote a fabulous sidebar about defying writer’s block for Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. My favorite tip of hers—which I use myself—is to write a short jacket flap-type synopsis to try to understand what the book is about. That exercise forces you to pinpoint the key events, plot threads, and themes in the book, which can help you refocus and make decisions about what should happen next.

Story Connection:
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Deborah Halverson:
I hope they’ll feel inspired to push past the ugly placeholder stuff and to experiment and embrace the discoveries that result. Above all, I hope they’ll walk away with a writing style that is wholly, joyfully their own.

Story Connection:
Finally, what is your “mantra” or favorite quote?

Deborah Halverson:
In ninth grade, a man spoke to my English class about improving our memories. He told a version of “Beauty and the Beast” in which the Beast’s castle had a gate with a maxim woven into the ironwork: “Be bold, be bold, lest thy heart’s blood run cold.” When I’m faced with an opportunity that frightens me or a challenge that defies me, I repeat that line to steal my nerves. Works for writing, works for life.

Story Connection:
Thank you for stopping by The Story Connection Blog today. I am excited about your fantastic book. So many writers are going to benefit from your expertise, guidance, exercises, and no-nonsense advice. Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies will likely inspire a new crop of YA writers. Better make room on the shelves!

Deborah Halverson, Author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

About Deborah
Deborah Halverson is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies and the teen novels, Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth. Armed with a masters in American Literature, Deborah edited picture books and teen novels for Harcourt Children’s Books for ten years before leaving to write full-time. She is a frequent speaker at writers conferences and a writing teacher for groups and institutions including UCSD’s Extension Program. Deborah is also the founder of the popular writers’ advice website Dear-Editor.com and freelance edits fiction and non-fiction for both published authors and writers seeking their first book deals. For more about Deborah, check out her website DeborahHalverson.com.

Note from Dianne:
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Deborah’s book, comment on this blog post and your name will be entered into a drawing! Two winners will be chosen and notified on August 2, 2011. Good luck!

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Kid Chef Eliana Cooks at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum – Saturday, July 23, 2011

by dlcasas on July 24, 2011

7-23-11 Kid Chef Eliana shows her Perfect Pesto Pasta at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum

Friends:

On Saturday, Kid Chef Eliana demonstrated her “Perfect Pesto” and signed books at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. The basil was picked fresh from my mom’s (her Nana’s) garden the evening before. She also cooked Italian-marinated chicken with fresh sage and oregano, garden rotini, pesto cream cheese dip, and sparkling pomegranate punch. It was a full buffet!

7-23-11 Kid Chef Eliana chops herbs for her Italian marinated chicken

It was a lot of fun and Kid Chef Eliana had a great crowd!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Kid Chef Eliana appears on WWL-TV Morning News – Friday, July 22, 2011

by dlcasas on July 24, 2011

7-22-11 Kid Chef Eliana in the WWL-TV Studio Kitchen

Friends:

Kid Chef Eliana appeared on WWL-TV Morning News with Sally-Ann Roberts and Eric Paulsen. You can view the video segment of her appearance here.

We arrived at the studio at 5:30am and prepared for the 3 hour show. Eliana had to cook the entire time and feed a crew of 20 people. She made Scotch eggs (hard-boiled eggs encased in homemade turkey sausage, rolled in bread crumbs and baked), garlic cumin potatoes, devil’s food monster muffins, and sparkling pomegranate punch. Everyone loved her food!

The crew, both on and off-camera, were so impressed with Eliana. Sally-Ann Roberts and Eric Paulsen were so sweet to Eliana. Sally-Ann said that Eliana needed her own TV show. Eric tweeted, “You are going to be a rock star in the culinary world!”

Thank you to Liz Williams of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum for appearing on the show with Eliana. Thank you to Producer Dionne Butler for inviting Eliana. Thank you to the camera crew for directing Eliana and being so nice. Finally, thank you to Sally-Ann and Eric for being amazing and sweet to Kid Chef Eliana!

7-22-11 Kid Chef Eliana with Sally-Ann Roberts and Eric Paulsen at WWL-TV

It was a fabulous experience for both of us!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Tennessee Association of School Librarians Tour – July 11-14, 2011

by dlcasas on July 19, 2011

7-12-11 A panorama of The Mouse's Wedding Kamishibai story, performed by librarians in Athens, TN

Friends:

Last week, I spent the whole week in Tennessee, doing professional development seminars across the state. I was hired by the Tennessee State of School Librarians and it was wonderful. I did “Handmade Tales” in the morning and “Kamishibai Story Theater” in the afternoon. My host, Allison Roberts, drove me all over the gorgeous state of Tennessee. I saw the Smokies, the Appalachian mountains, the plateau, and all the beautiful greenery across the state. We started in Greenevillle, went to Athens, traveled to Murfreesboro, and then ended in Jackson. Unfortunately, I was so tired after my full day of workshops that I neglected to take pictures during our drives.

7-12-11 Allison (far left) and friends become old women in the the story of Bandana Man - Athens, TN

In Greeneville, our host was Mitchell, the librarian of Greeneville High School. He was so kind and helpful! Thank you, Mitchell!

7-11-11 Mitchell makes the cutest old woman - Greenville, TN

All the workshops began with a creativity exercise in which the workshop participants had to create a self-portrait on a paper plate using items from their pocketbooks (Yes, Allison, I learned to use the word “pocketbook” LOL).

7-13-11 A librarian in Murfreesboro, TN creates a self portrait from a checkbook, glasses, 2 pairs of earrings, yarn, and a Mentos cap

And look at this one… how cute!

7-13-11 Amanda creates a cool self-portrait! - Jackson, TN

Then I began with the draw and tell story of Catching a Pest in 7 Steps. It’s a fun story that uses the numbers 1-7 to create the picture.

7-14-11 LeAn draws the story, Catching a Pest in 7 Steps - Jackson, TN

Another draw and tell story followed: The Emperor’s Dragon, a story to represent the country of China. It’s such a cool story with great visuals. I know the librarians will be using this story in school!

7-11-11 The Emperor's Dragon, a draw and tell story - Greeneville, TN

I even showed a story from my new book, A is for Alligator: Draw and Tell Tales from A-Z.

7-14-11 E is for Elephant from Dianne's new book, A is for Alligator - Jackson, TN

They learned the cut and tell story of “Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.”

7-14-11 E is for Elephant from Dianne's new book, A is for Alligator - Jackson, TN

Then I showed them some extras that were not in the handout: Russian nesting dolls made of paper and a “cootie catcher” magic story starter. I showed them how to fold towels to create an ugly duckling and a beautiful swan. So adorable!

7-11-11 The Ugly Duckling and swans made from towels - Greenville, TN

They learned the cut and tell story of “Papa’s Teepee,” which by the end of the story, turns a coffee filter into a snowflake. Then I have all the librarians stand up and create a snow blizzard. Mega cool! :)

7-14-11 A snow blizzard in Jackson, TN in the middle of July!

They learned how to make a star with a single snip of the scissors.

7-13-11 Librarians are stars in Murfreesboro, TN

Then it was time for “Bandana Man,” one of my most popular Handmade Tales. Workshop participants turn bandanas into cute little figures. The story is a riff of the classic “Gingerbread Man.”

7-11-11 Librarians in Athens, TN make Bandana Man

They learned a string story, “The Stubborn Turnip,” which has a cool magic trick in it that always wows an audience. It is the most challenging of the Handmade Tales but once you learn the one move, it’s a cinch and always garners the “Oooh and Aaah” factor!

In the afternoon, I taught them the Kamishibai story theater process.

7-11-11 Dianne checks on the progress of the Kamishibai cards in Greenville, TN

The group was assigned a story from Asia. The story was divided amongst the participants in the group and they had to illustrate their portion of the story. In Greeneville, they performed “The Battle Between Wind and Rain,” a story from the Philippines.

7-11-11 Gail performs her part in the Kamishibai story of The Battle Between Wind and Rain, a story from the Philippines - Greenville, TN

In Athens, Murfreesboro, and Jackson, they performed “The Mouse’s Wedding,” a tale from Japan. And the artwork was stunning! Here are some Kamishibai cards from different venues in order of their story sequence.

Father Mouse wants his daughter, Sachiko, to marry the mightiest creature in the world, not Makoto, a poor pauper of a mouse.

7-14-11 McIntee with her Kamishibai card from The Mouse's Wedding - Jackson, TN

So Father Mouse sees Mr. Sun, whom he thinks is the mightiest creature in the world.

7-13-11 Erin performs with her Kamishibai card from the story, The Mouse's Wedding - Murfreesboro, TN

Mr. Sun says he is flattered but Cloud must be the mightiest because Cloud covers Sun.

7-12-11 A Kamishibai card of the sun in the story, The Mouse's Wedding - Athens, TN

So Father Mouse sees Mr. Cloud, who must be the mightiest creature in the world. Mr. Cloud says he is flattered but Wind must be the mightiest because Wind blows Cloud across the sky.

7-13-11 Father Mouse talks to Mr. Wind in this Kamishibai card from The Mouse's Wedding - Murfreesboro, TN

So Father Mouse sees Mr. Wind, who must be the mightiest creature in the world. Mr. Wind says he is flattered but Wall must be the mightiest because Wall stops Wind dead in his tracks.

7-14-11 The Mouse's Wedding Kamishibai story theater - Jackson, TN

Finally, Father Mouse talks to Mr. Wall.

7-14-11 Father Mouse sees the wall in this Kamishibai card from The Mouse's Wedding - Murfreesboro, TN

Mr. Wall tells him that the mightiest creature is the one who chews a hole through him… that is the mouse!

7-13-11 This Kamishibai card from The Mouse's Wedding is so cute! - Murfreesboro, TN

So Father Mouse gives his daughter, Sachiko, permission to marry, Makoto, a mere mouse. Oshimai. The End.

7-14-11 Nancy with her Kamishibai card from The Mouse's Wedding - Jackson, TN

In Jackson, we even had time to make the cool accordion dragon puppet from my book, There’s a Dragon in the Library.

7-14-11 Nancy and Carol make their dragon accordion puppets from There's a Dragon in the Library - Jackson, TN

It was a fabulous week!! Thank you to all the librarians who came to the workshops. Thank you to our wonderful hosts: Mitchell in Greeneville, Beth in Athens (who treated me to a star dinner at her incredible house, where I stayed the night before), Dolores in Murfreesboro, and Tina in Jackson. Finally, a big thank you and hug to Allison Roberts, my hostess with the mostest. We had great (though hot) weather and perfect travel conditions (no traffic!) all the way through. It must have been her good “mojo!” :) She kept me fed (with chocolate) and watered (with Diet Coke). What more can a girl ask for?

I feel like I really know Tennessee now. What a BEAUTIFUL state! I can’t wait to return!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Kid Chef Eliana at Cherry Books, Thibodaux, LA – Saturday, July 9, 2011

by dlcasas on July 9, 2011

7-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana performs her song, Cool Kids Cook

Friends:

Yesterday, my daughter, 11 year old Kid Chef Eliana, had a cooking demonstration and book signing at Cherry Books in Thibodaux, Louisiana. She made her delicious “Fresh from the Garden Salsa” from her cookbook, Eliana Cooks! Recipes for Creative Kids.

7-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana makes her Fresh from the Garden Salsa at Cherry Books in Thibodaux, LA

It was a great crowd – the bookstore was packed! Everyone LOVED Kid Chef Eliana’s salsa and ate both batches of her tasty sauce. :) Afterward, she signed books. There were lots of kids and we had tons of fun at Cherry Books.

7-9-11 Kid Chef Eliana signs autographs at Cherry Books in Thibodaux, LA

Thank you to all our friends and fans who came!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Lasalle Parish Library Summer Reading Program – Friday, July 1, 2011

by dlcasas on July 9, 2011

7-1-11 Catching a Pest in 7 Steps - Dixie Center, Olla, LA

Friends:

Last Friday, I was at Lasalle Parish Library for my last summer reading program of the year. It was also my last summer reading program tour as I am no longer touring in the summer (more time for writing and spending time with my family). I love Andrea Book, the library director, and Donna Estis, the children’s librarian. They have been such great friends over the years. Thank you, ladies!!

My first show was in Jena, Louisiana. I began with my draw and tell story, The Emperor’s Dragon.

7-1-11 Drawing The Emperor's Dragon at Lasalle Parish Library in Jena, LA

We then had fun with Medio Pollito, a story from Spain.

7-1-11 Telling the story of Medio Pollito at Lasalle Parish Library in Jena, LA

I had just as much fun in Olla, Louisiana at the Dixie Center. Though the crowd was small, the kids were great.

7-1-11 Telling the story of There's A Dragon in the Library at the Dixie Center in Olla, LA

Kid Chef Eliana entertained the crowds in Jena and Olla. Too cute!

7-1-11 Kid Chef Eliana performs at the Dixie Center in Olla, LA

We loved eating and shopping at The Caboose, one of our favorite places in Louisiana. Lasalle Parish rocks!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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Kid Chef Eliana at Camp Girl Power – Wednesday, June 29, 2011

by dlcasas on June 30, 2011

6-29-11 Kid Chef Eliana prepares for her cooking class at Camp Girl Power

Friends:

Yesterday, Kid Chef Eliana taught cooking classes at Camp Girl Power in Destrehan, Louisiana. First, she began with a presentation on stage. She sang, talked about her life as a kid chef, her travels, and answered questions.

6-29-11 Kid Chef Eliana performs and answers questions at Camp Girl Power

The girls were divided into groups of three. We set up stations in the kitchen where they had blenders and all the ingredients to make Kid Chef Eliana’s “Fresh from the Garden Salsa.”

They followed along as Kid Chef Eliana instructed them on how to prep the ingredients and what to add to the salsa.

6-29-11 Girls sweep cilantro into the blender for their salsa

All the girls raved about the salsa, saying how delicious it was. YUM!

6-29-11 Girls eat their tasty salsa creation

My favorite part about Kid Chef Eliana’s class was the feedback. Here is a fan email Kid Chef Eliana received after the class:

“Hey you probably don’t know me but I am Mary. I was also at camp girl power (Beecuz You Matter) and I was the completely psycho kid in the first group. Any way I wanted to tell you that you inspire me to become a chef so if you don’t mind can you e mail me whenever you have a new cookbook coming out and tell me where I can get one. Thanks a lot, Mary”

It’s amazing to see Kid Chef Eliana making a difference!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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