Month: May 2011

Counting down (or is it up?) ’til Shavuos

beccakinla A Dozen Daisies for Raizy, barbara diamond goldin, book, Jewish, kids, mountains of blintzes, onaas hadevarim, sammy spider, shavuos, Shavuot Leave a comment

This time of year is always a little interesting for me, since my one-and-so-far-only (yes, I’m still whining about that) book is seasonal, as it is set on erev Shavuos. I read my book at synagogue, have friends and acquaintances purchase it, do a school visit…that type of thing.

There aren’t many Shavuos books out there, which is one of the reasons I wrote the book. When A Dozen Daisies for Raizy finally came out (I think it holds the publisher’s record for longest stretch from manuscript sale to publication), it came out the same year as the Shavuot book in the Sammy Spider series. My first thought was “Oy!” but others told me that people about to purchase Sammy Spider (a very well-known commodity) might see my Shavuos book and then either buy mine instead or as well. I felt a little better.
Then, reviews started trickling in. Most of mine were good or at least okay–the kids, parents, teachers and librarians who’ve spoken to me have been much more enthusiastic–but there was ONE review that was SO BAD I wanted to cry. And when A Dozen Daisies for Raizy became available through Amazon, that was the review posted on the page for the book, because it was from the most prestigious source.
One of the things that was most hurtful was that the person who wrote the review compared my book unfavorably to another book, A Mountain of Blintzes.
Buy this book
This was like turning to your kid and saying, “You’re terrible, but your big sister…she’s terrific.” Right to her face.
The thing is…I really like A Mountain of Blintzes! But I almost couldn’t, because of the hurtfulness of the reviewer’s words. It’s the tragedy of saying Onaas HaDevarim (hurtful speech prohibited by the Torah). My anger at the reviewer almost carried over to anger against Barbara Diamond Goldin (author of …Blintzes) who I’m sure had NOTHING to do with the aforementioned hurtful statement.
Thankfully, I’m pretty much over this whole episode now. I’m actually sad for Barbara Diamond Goldin, because her funny, lovely book is tragically out of print. You can still find it in libraries and through online booksellers who deal in out-of-print merchandise. I urge you to borrow or purchase it during the upcoming holiday season.
And if you can borrow or buy A Dozen Daisies for Raizy, too…that’s even better.

Great Bedtime Stories beyond _Goodnight Moon_

beccakinla bedtime, best, family, Jewish, kids, what no bedtime story means 1 Comment

Interrupting Chicken

I’m feeling inspired by the wonderful new book by David Ezra Stein, called The Interrupting Chicken. My children and I are going to list a few other of our favorite bedtime stories.
Bedtime for Mommy, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Turnabout is fair play in this uproariously funny, topsy-turvy tale.
Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep
Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep is a wonderful way to address children’s fears at bedtime, plus teaches a healthy way to cope with these troubles. Also, there is a touching relationship between the big brother and his little sister.
We found the adorable Sleepyhead inside our Cheerios box at breakfast one day. Very charming, very snuggly.
As anyone whose read my blog already knows, I’m slightly obsessed with books by Sandra Boynton. Here’s her silly, but soothing, bedtime classic, The Going to Bed Book.


Good Night, Gorilla

With very few words, Peggy Rathman leads children on a fabulous bedtime adventure in Goodnight Gorilla.

Artscroll publishes a whole series of wonderful, wholesome anthologies full of very short stories, just right for bedtime reading. They are widely available in Jewish bookstores and online.
Hanna's Sabbath Dress
This story is perfect for a Friday night: Hanna’s Sabbath Dress. The original Hebrew version of this book has long been a favorite of my children. Hanna is a little girl who has just received a new, white Shabbos dress from her mother. When she does an act of kindness, there are unforeseen consequences. How will she ever bring herself to face her mother?


Last, but not least: the brand new, absolutely fabulous Hashem is Truly Everywhere by Chani Altein, with pictures by the fabulous, local-to-L.A. artist, Marc Lumer!
Put in your bedtime story suggestions in the comments below.

A Light to the Nations

beccakinla art, baal teshuva, Jewish, Judaism, lag b'omer, matisyahu, music, wholesome Leave a comment

There have been several outstanding books in the last few years that, while by Orthodox Jews, were written for the public at large. I’ve mentioned some of them in previous posts: My Before and After Life and Seven Blessings, for example.

Matisyahu (Miller), while he’s received a lot of flak by some members of the Jewish community, has likewise brought the beauty of the Jewish worldview to a broader audience through his music.

First of all, every time someone picks up a book by Risa Miller, Yehoshua November, Rochelle Krich, or Ruchama King Feuerman, they AREN’T reading…I’ll let you fill in the blank. And every time someone listens to Matisyahu, Y-Love, DeScribe, Ta-Shma, or Moshav, they AREN’T listening to…I’m sure you can fill that blank in, too.
There’s merit just from that. So much poison fills our minds when we internalize messages from music, art, and literature filled wrong-headed thinking. Even a morally-neutral alternative is preferable
But the artists I mention above go further than this. There’s just so much beauty in these artists’ words. They fill the readers’/listeners’ hearts and touch them much better than a good mussar schmuess rarely will for the average American…and the audience will remember the message. People will remember the words to a song or poem for years and years, if not a lifetime.
This is the kind of art I’d like to be able to share with the world at some point. An ambitious goal, for sure, but I’m hoping I’ve got years ahead of me to pursue it.
Since Lag B’omer just is past, I’m listing some links for contemporary Jewish music that penetrates the soul.
And here’s a lovely rendition of Matisyahu’s “One Day” by public schoolchildren in NYC:

A Writer’s Blues

beccakinla different, new author, rejection letters, the business, writing process Leave a comment
Currently, my least favorite words to hear (of a professional nature) are, “Do you have a second book out yet?” My honest answer (despite many close calls and lots of magazine work) is still, “No.”
I just turned in two more pieces to a magazine editor today, and received timely payment for another piece just before Shabbos. Magazine work is good for me. To keep things in perspective: I’ve published more in the last year than in my entire previous writing life put together, and I’m getting paid for my work. I’m learning new stuff by writing new stuff with new people, and audiences are reading it!

However, when I tell people, “Sorry, no second book yet. But I’ve been writing for magazines,” most people glaze over. If it ain’t a book, it doesn’t count
Lately, I’ve written several pieces which were really good but when friends and colleagues have read them, they’ve said, “It’s awesome, but no one will ever publish it.” I don’t want to write what everyone else is writing, but book publishers (especially in the current market) are afraid to take risks.
I’ve saved up a lot of rejected book manuscripts. I rewrote a few for the magazine format, which is a little more forgiving and a lot easier to break in to, and a couple of them sold. Another, I’m holding on to, because I think it’s only right for a picture book, and I think it might sell after book #2 proves my work can sell well, if that ever happens.
I know it’s great publishing in magazines, and I hate being nudged by people about when my next book will be coming out. Part of the problem is this: I still want to sell another book. Books endure. They get read over and over. They generally do not end up in recycling bins.
I’m giving up on picture books for now. I have a LONG short story (more a novella) that I’m considering rewriting as a short novel for Jewish teenage girls.
Genre: sci-fi/fantasy. Probably will get rejected anyway. -sigh-

The Giving Tree

beccakinla giving, jewish motherhood, metroimma, mother, sefirot, shel silverstein Leave a comment
The giving tree [Book]

Just wanted to share an interesting post on MetroImma.com about the book The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.

http://www.metroimma.com/forum/topics/i-hate-the-giving-tree

The author of the article is very concerned about Silverstein’s understanding about giving. Personally, I agree.
Right now we are in the period of Sefira, between Passover and Shavuot. In the first week , we learned about the sefira of “chessed,” giving and lovingkindness. Through the idea of interinclusion, that each sefira contains aspects of the others, we learn that giving must include “gevurah,” which is strength and restraint. We need to know–both as mothers and as human beings–that strength and restraint are required even when we are giving.
Do you agree with Silverstein or the MetroImma post? Please share your comments below.

Rejection letters

beccakinla rejection letters Leave a comment

I once read of a children’s author (it pains me to admit I can’t remember which) who set the stage for her public speaking engagements with a banner she’d created of all the rejection letters she’d received strung together. At the time she spoke, it could cross the stage in most schools twice. She described it as a concrete expression of perseverance.

Ray Bradbury once said that he’d written over 2000 stories, but only about 350 had been published. At the rate I’m going, I guess I’ll be in great company.

In this digital age, I rarely get paper rejection letters. Most are sent by email. Once I received an email rejection from a company that firmly required a snail-mail submission. Not one of my favorite moments in life. If my self-worth had been based on acceptance by some publisher, I would have been in serious trouble.

This morning, I received yet another rejection letter. At one point, such an event meant crankiness for the rest of the day, or at least until lunchtime. Copious amounts of chocolate would have been injested. Tears would have been shed and girlfriends phoned. Today, I sighed with disappointment. After some minor second-guessing (“Does this mean it needs another rewrite? Should I send it to another publisher, or I should give up on it?”) the rest of the day continued, tantrum-free (Well, I was tantrum-free, don’t ask about my toddler.)
I’m not sure this is a sign of spiritual growth. I might just be jaded.