This blog is the continuing dialog between two faces of rilla (most of the time!) Rant and rave with us. Leave a comment. Click on the 'nickname' button if you don't have a Google ID already.
NOTE: All my photos and posts are copyrighted and may not be used by anyone, elsewhere without my permission.

My Pic Of The Day

My Pic Of The Day
San Francisco Cable Car

Saturday, August 22, 2009

42 -- The Secret Garden Trip

NOTE: This blog is a continuing dialog between the two faces of rilla. The identity crisis is explained (if such a thing is possible) in the first edition. Click here to read: 1 -- Introduction

Rilla: Excuse me....
rilla: Go Away.
Rilla: Hello! Hi! I'm Rilla...your alter...
rilla: I SAID, Go Away!

Rilla: All right. Be that way. I was going to show you...
rilla: Show me what?
Rilla: Never mind. You told me to go away...so I'm going away.

...
...
Rilla: So much for that. She didn't even look up. All day long it's nothing but editing, writing, editing, writing...she's the most boring company on earth.


But I'm not. I left her at home, and went to see the Huntington Library Botanical Gardens in Pasadena CA, FINALLY.

Shhhh...don't tell her. She's been wanting to go, like, FOREVER.

So...here are a few pictures I took. Even if she's too busy to look, you want to see them, right?





Window onto the Chinese Garden

Lions welcome friend and family to the Japanese Zen Garden


Lotus bud in the Chinese Garden


Ah, the serene beauty of a Japanese Garden.


Peace, tranquility = Writing Retreat. Like rilla is listening, sigh.


One of my favorites, Bonsai Magic.


Okay, I lied, THREE of my favorites.



The sign beside this elegant graffiti says "No carving or writing on bamboo." I rather think it's beautiful.


And a lovely time was had by all!


Rilla: Oh no! She's stirring...coming this way...yikes...can't hide anyth...
rilla: You did WHAT? The Hungtington...WITHOUT me?
Rilla: Well, I...TRIED, OK?
rilla: Sigh! Those pictures are beautiful.
Rilla: ...
rilla: Maybe it IS time I stopped to enjoy the flowers...


rilla: ...or the serenity of a lotus pond.


Rilla: Yeah! Maybe you should too.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

41 -- Conference Come and Gone


Another SCBWI summer conference is over, sigh.



The good news is that as always I came away with so much -- enthusiasm, energy, motivation, excitement and...

QUOTES:

Sherman Alexie-- Kids all of all classes and backgrounds feel the same way--Trapped. They send out the same message--My choices are being made for me.



David Wiesner attempts to put the familiar into a different context.

Kadir Nelson -- A good book is one that speaks, to a personal truth that is also a universal truth, with honesty, telling the story in an exceptional way.

Eve Bunting -- Ask of your books Is this worth saying?

Karen Cushman -- I write because I could not dance. Give power to thoughts. By putting words in the right order you can nudge the world a little.



Krista Marino -- Never mistake voice for dialogue. You must frame the story through the protagonist's experience.



Holly Black -- Fantasy actualizes metaphor What distinguishes fantasy from horror is the sense of awe that accompanies the fear.

Frank Portman -- Who needs happiness, I'd rather have you!"

Dinah Stevenson -- Craft is what makes the writer's ideas both digestible and delicious. The four C's are: Creativity (Leave the city of your comfort and center the wilderness of your intuition--Alan Alda) Craft, Community, and Chocolate :)

Kathleen Duey -- If Captain Underpants can protect a child from listening to her parents fight--it is literature.

FRIENDS!




Stephanie and Me at the Blue Moon Ball


Stephanie Roommate, Stephanie Roth Sisson, Award-winning illustrator extraordinaire and ex-roommate, Fred Sisson, Stephanie's new roommate.



Elizabeth Byrd and Julia Collard


Debbie Ridpath Ohi and Me.



The Unique Lisa Yee and Dan Santat...Oh and Peep in a Taco.