What Inspires Me? Museum of Broadway
There are museums for everything, right? Art museums, Sports museums, Train museums, Firefighter museums, Sex, Toy and Torture museums (different buildings in different cities). And yes, there is even the Museum of Everything. But… not quite everything!
Finally the museum that will have Broadway Theatre loves knocking their foreheads saying “Duh! It’s about time!” is live!
The Museum of Broadway opened officially November 15, 2022.
I was so lucky to get a sneak peek of the Museum a few days before its official opening.
One word: WOW!
The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props…There is No Business Like Show Business (Sing it Nathan!)
Museum of Broadway has got some of everything that makes Broadway, Broadway Baby!
I predict it will be SOL soon.
Hint: Book you’re Museum of Broadway tickets at the same time you’re book your Broadway Show tickets. That’s a must!
What my hungry writer’s heart found most inspiring were the words.
Handwritten Lyrics from Chorus Line with “picture of someone” scribbled out and “picture of a person I don’t know” written below it.
Richard Rogers word list—surrey, curry, flurry—scribbled for Surry with the Fringe on Top.
Hmmm... what do you think sounds better: “Ducks and chicks and geese make tasty curry? or better scurry?”
And more words!
Artist Rachel Marks’ revisioning of the entire Showboat score into art.
Museum of Broadway. Inspiring! Don’t take my word for it!
The website has a sneak preview video—I tried to post it but couldn’t embed, so click over and watch: Museum of Broadway: About (themuseumofbroadway.com)
What Inspires Me? Plungers, Hooves & Boobies
Creativity is a quagmire of contradictions: “Follow the rules” “Learn the rules, then break them” “Make your own rules” “Rules are meant to be broken” “You didn’t follow the rules” “Been there done that”…
This is especially true of the picture book publishing world in which the two-dimensionality of paper/binding, materials used, production and printing costs are hard and fast. Working within these physical constraints are part of what makes creating picture books challenging and exciting.
Many other “rules” about picture books, however, especially those pertaining to subject matter, have absolutely nothing to do with physical limitation. Rather these rules are set by gatekeepers “protecting” tender young eyes and minds. Really?
At times like these, with books being banned right and left for various reasons, it is a surer bet to stick to safe subjects. This “play it safe” trap is one (I am not proud to say) I often fall into when choosing which story ideas to pursue. Safe is predictable. Safe is easier. Safe is also, often, bor-ring.
I’m good with safe. Or was until a cluster of picture books challenging the good ole safe kittens-bunnies-sunshine-lollipops-happy-ever-after picture book “norm” knock me right out of my comfy, safe nest. Picture Books like these on Travis Jonkers’ “The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Books of 2022” list. Picture books with daring, exciting, surprising ideas and characters—and creators— that delight and remind me.
Interior of Sam Winston’s A Dictionary Story
Here’s a sampling of books from Jonkers’ Astonishing List:
One and Everything by Sam Winston about a story—the best, most important story ever—that called itself “The One” and started eating all the other stories—stories made of seas and full of dogs and . . .
Sanm Winston, other picture books include A Child of Books with Oliver Jeffers and A Dictionary Story which he self-published with proceeds from a Kickstarter campaign, about a dictionary that brings her words to life. Here’s the video of Sam explaining the A Dictionary Story project—fascinating!
I Want to Be a Vase by Julio Torres, about a plunger who would rather be a vase which gets all the household objects thinking about what they’d rather be. Here’s the read-aloud.
Torres calls the book “a Coffee Table Book for Kids.” it’s so hot, so trendy Seth Myers featured Torres and “Vase” on Late Night.
Hooves or Hands? by Rosie Haine. A concept book Jonkers’ calls, “a surreal and playful exploration of our relationship with horses.” Which would you rather have? Hooves or hands? Four legs or two? Eat food or hay? Say yay or neigh? Rosie Haine, who’s PB debut It isn’t Rude to be Nude is likewise smart, thought-provoking and fun.
Boobies by Nancy Vo. A book all about Boobies—yes those Boobies! Blue-footed Booby, who does not have any boobies at all, since only mammals have boobies wants them. Thus launches an exploration of boobies, who has them why, where milk comes from—boobies and plants too! Vo makes taboo titty talk fun and fine!
As has been the case so often in the past—and forevermore—Boobies will stop my ramble. Have no fear, these books and more are on Travis Jonker’s “The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Books of 2022” Bookstop list! When you finish here, click over to read about the rest. And. . . Commercial: If you decide to buy online, try Bookstop.org first as the proceeds go to support Indie Bookstores.
Along with making me laugh and wonder, these mind-expanding, possibility packed picture books reminded me that “No” and “No one will ever” and “No way can I” are lies we tell ourselves so we won’t have to dare.
Thumb your nose at the rules, push the conventional boundaries and DARE! If we do “go there” and do IT well, they absolutely will come along for the ride! Now that’s inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Amy Gallup
Amy Gallup isn’t a real person. And no, the photo below (same as the one in the preview) is not me—although, I must admit, that is what Covid hair me looked like—that’s Amy’s creator Jincy Willet.)
But, dang, don’t I wish Amy Gallup were real and that I could meet her. Amy’s creator, author Jincy Willett, similar to Amy in The Writing Class and others of Willett’s book, is a writer, editor, writing teacher living in San Diego, California, so theoretically I could meet Jincy in person. But I don’t think I will. (Although Jincy Willet’s website Intro is sassy and irreverent, read for yourself, but not now…wait until after you my post, please.) I am afraid I might be disappointed. Amy Gallup however, never disappoints me.
This morning, for example, I was reading a pre-facing-the-frost early chapter of The Writing Class when I came upon a passage explaining why Amy began writing a blog, even though she had no intention of doing so, nor did she want anyone to read it ever. Amy’s excuse for writing the blog is that “She did have to do something creative, even if it was just some little thing, because she was not writing and…
…not writing was hard work, almost as hard as writing.”—Amy Gallup, page 39 The Writing Class (published by Picador, 2008).
Amy/Jincy has a wicked wit she unleashes joyfully throughout her books. Take the usual disclaimer printed in The Writing Life:
And Jincy dreamed up—and unabashedly used—one of the most brilliant book titles ever: Winner of the National Book Award. Imagine it printed in author bio, dust jacket, or spoken in an introduction…go ahead.
One incy-wency problem with using Winner of the National Book Award as a title, and perhaps the reason it isn’t an actually National Book Award winner—because it totally should be—and the reason you might not have heard of author Jincy Willett before now, is that Winner of the National Book Award it is so flipping hard to find online: Try to find it—let alone buy it online. Google it every-single-other-NBA-winner-finalist-hopeful reference pops up.
Upon considering that title, I began listing other clever brilliant albeit probably equally problematic titles and made a list.
Lists are what Amy writes sometimes to make herself feel better… (refer back to above quote).
Here’s my list of titles to consider for future books. You’re welcome to use any-all as long as you publish before me! I’m calling it my
List of Brilliant Titles
Bestseller
NY Times Bestselling
All Time Bestseller
Blockbuster
Made into Movie
Adapted for Television
Booker Prize Winner
Million Selling Author
After all, that’s writing. . . right?
Thank you, Amy Gallup! now that’s inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Lighten the Load
Lately, I’ve been walking around lugging an extra 50 pounds…of baggage (OK, and of actually blubber, but that is not what this is about, yet.) This is about that extra baggage. The lists of must do-need to-overdue items on my task list. They are weighing me down. And so, yes, I do do them. But often at the expense of doing what I want to be doing. Guilt is a huge motivator.
Truth is, before last weekend when I attended the first in 3 years—hooray!—Alumni retreat, I hadn’t paid much attention, or frankly though it was something I could do anything to change. Instead, I just carried on lugging the baggage, growing more stooped, grumpy, unfulfilled…
Okay, so back to the actual blubber which is probably a result of dealing with tasks at the expense of personal needs—aka exercise—that hasn’t helped. But those extra blub pounds had finally become so disgusting that, inspired by friends and family members I finally decided to actually track my intake and pay attention and so I downloaded the Lose It App. Cue The Band’s Take a Load off Fanny. Confession, until I looked up the YouTube, I have been singing “Granny” as in Take a Load off Granny…which, now that I think about it is why I downloaded Lose It and what this post is about…
Which takes me to the VCFA Alumni Residency. The closing lecturer was new VCFA faculty member Anica Mrose Rissi who’s presentation, “Process Is a Story We Tell Ourselves” was partly about how how maybe—just maybe—the reason we do—or don’t do—what we want is because the story we tell ourselves is “I can’t! Too busy! I’m not important! What I want is not important! insert all our various “too busy for me” stories. Anica Mrose Rissi is former editor who managed to publish a slew of books while being a fantastic editor and is now, still, writing delightful books and teaching (Absolutely check out her books.) She suggests we change our stories. Rissi is inspiring! Her talk was inspiring. It inspired me to change my story from I-can-only-write-when-I-have-a-chunk-of-alone-time-and-my-chores-are-done to I WILL WRITE 15 MINUTES A DAY with the same commitment I give to brushing my teeth. And I have excellent dental hygiene. But saying it—even in ALL CAPS—is one thing. . .
This is the one I downloaded.
Doing it! Carving out 15 minutes for M.E. Making sure I do it! And celebrating it was another. Back to Lose It!
Lose it! *as I said, is a FREE (and if you want more paid) calorie tracking-exercise-weight loss app, like NOOM I suppose (although I’ve never used NOOM). The Lose It App is easy to use to track meals and exercise. It’s on my phone which is literally plastered to my yoga-pants clad leg aaaaaall the time. And best, I was using it. Heck! I was on a streak—not weight loss streak but a 10-day long Meal & Exercise Logging streak. So I got to thinking. Accountability! Celebrating! Record Keeping! Can I use the Lose It! App to record my 15-Minute Writing Goal.
And YES! YES! and YES! So I am not Tekke. I do not like “exploring” apps. I’m a tell me what and how to do it and I will do that and exactly that Tek user. But I did a little searching on the Lose it! App and discovered one can add Customized Workouts to the list of exercises listed. So that’s what I did.
I added “Writing” to the list of exercise options. And, because the App requires one to post the calories used beside exercises, I figured dang, when I’m writing, my brain is clicking—as are my fingers—so that has to use calories. At least as many calories as resting Yoga, hence I gave it 10. That’s it!
Amazing how a tiny change to My Story and rewarding myself by tracking my success has made such a difference! I’m still hauling around all that luggage, but the promise and reward of 15 minutes writing has me singing a new song. And not going overboard, I’m considering adding a few more goals worth tracking to my handy dandy customized LOSE IT app. After all, “Leisure Reading” and “Photo Sorting” are workouts, too, right? Care to join me?
Lose It is helping me Do exactly what I want! Now that’s inspiring!
*No Lose It App didn’t pay me to write this or provide the download link. But they should…hint hint
What Inspires Me? Women in Baseball
Baseball! Baseball! Baseball! As I write the World Series 2022—Phillies vs Astros or Astros vs Phillies—which team goes first at this point is still anyone’s bet!
This past spring and summer—through the more than 3-month long MLB owner-imposed Lockout, frenetic Spring Training, Regular and Post-season MLB 2022 — Shohei Ohtoni chasing Babe Ruth’s pitching records; Aaron Judge chasing Roger Maris’s season home run record; who was playing well, playing bad, losing, winning… it’s been about the guys!
I was really, really wanting to post a clip of that scene but couldn’t figure it out. So, if you want to watch the There’s No Crying in Baseball Scene click here. I won’t blame you—then come back!)
But…
In the movie “A League of Their Own” Tom Hanks playing team manager Jimmy Dugan wails, “There’s no crying in baseball!”
Notice, Jimmy Dugan (maybe my favorite baseball coach ever) didn’t say there are no women in baseball. He didn’t say it then. And he absolutely would not say it now. Because while there may not be many women MLB players now/yet. There most certainly are women in baseball!
We’re talking . . .
Women in the Big Leagues Baby! The MLB!
Women of various backgrounds, ethnicities, ages—
Female General Manager!
Female Managers!
Female Coaches!
Female Scouts!
Female Player’s too!
The writing is on the wall at the Louisville Slugger Muesum and Factory:
“We’re going to have women playing professionally (in MLB)”
These photos featuring some of the women working in the MLB this year, 2022. I write “some” because there are more! —many behind the scenes—and many ahead of the game (watch it, that “lady” in the stands might be a scout!)
These profiles grace the walls of the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. I snapped them on a recent visit—that’s an inspiring place too! (Another post; another time). Right now, today, while the teams, players, fans—the world—is buzzing with World Series 2022
Let’s here it for the girls! Here are some of women of the MLB:
Women in the Big Leagues! Now That’s Inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Visual Verse
A picture is worth a thousand words…the adage goes…and, as Visual Verse proves oh so many ideas!
As you may or may not know, about 2500 days ago, along with Cindy Faughnan, I challenged myself to write a poem a day. (Note: I didn’t say “good poem” I just said “a” poem, for most often, the result of the poem is not the point of the exercise, the “point” is in the thinking, the writing, the act of creating.
Visual Verse’s dedicated team!
And, at least once a month, the poetry prompts are provided by Visual Verse.
Visual Verse is a celebration. Of the drama of seeing and the desire to express it. Of the things that inspire us, move us, and that we find hardest to articulate.”—Visual Verse
Visual Verse submissions—inspired by select images—like this one by Erin Quinn titled “ETTA/Girl in Red Hat”—can be poems, fiction or non-fiction; must be between 50 and 500 words in length; and the read challenge: can be created in no more than 1 hour.
This October, by way of a challenge, Visual Verse hosted it’s Autumn Writing Contest!
Last week the 4 winning pieces and 16 shortlisted pieces (from 141 entries) were selected. I’m delighted to report that both Cindy and my efforts made the shortlist.
Visual Verse on the web, instagram @visualverseanthology; and twitter @visual_verse—it’s inspiring!
What Inspires Me? Being Alice
Ever wondered what it would be like to literally slide down that rabbit hole? Actually, be Alice? I have! And I’m thinking everyone who’s ever read Louis Carroll’s Adventures in Wonderland has too. Before now “Imaging” —or dressing up on Halloween—was as far as we went—let ourselves go—could go.
Alexa Meade paints human beings into art—literally—thus turning them into as Business Insider put it, “into living, breathing portraits.”
Artist Alexa Meade wasn’t content with “imaging.” Alice’s Wonderland from what she read in the book. Or to watching, reading about, imagining those other “Alices” and cast on the page or movie or Disney’s dizzying teacup ride. She wanted to be Alice!
And best, let us be Alice…and the Mad Hatter, too in Wonderland Dreams!
Wonderland Dreams is an interactive journey down the rabbit hole and into Alice’s Adventures created by artist Alexa Meade. 26,000 sq foot imagined, created, hand-painted from floor to ceiling, multi-dimensional world transporting visitors into Louis Carroll’s Wonderland.
Wonderland Dreams is artist Alexa Meade’s creation. You may not have heard of her, but if you recall Arianna Grande’s God is a Woman music video, in which she’s singing, while floating in a pool of paint, you’ve seen her work. The video, which is linked on Meade’s website, received more than 300 million views.
With Wonderland Dreams, Alexa Meade pushed herself to go beyond creating art—even human art—for us to view. She’s created a world for us to literally climb into. Now that’s inspiring!
Wonderland Dreams is live in NEW YORK! now through Spring of 2023. It’s located at 529 Fifth Avenue, near NYC’s iconic Bryant Park (a short walk from Penn Station.) You don’t need an apron or blue hair ribbon to climb through the rabbit hole. But you do need a ticket.
For more information and tickets visit the Wonderland Dreams website!
What Inspires Me? Netflix Storytime!
Netflix! Ahhhhhhhhh I see you racing around waving your arms in hysterical frenzy at the thought of a—gasp!— “children’s book author” mentioning the word.
Horrors!
Be real. Parents! Teachers! Caregivers! Grands! Our kiddos—your kiddos—watch Netflix. We all know that and it is not terribly inspiring. But get this…
VOOKS . . . VOOKS (Video-Books?!) is Story Time Book Read-Alouds streaming on Netflix!
What’s so inspiring?
VOOKS Story Time Book: Read-Along features 40 favorite animated books compiled into 8 themed episodes.
“This first-of-its-kind show invites kids to read along as their favorite storybooks come to life in each specially curated episode, including “Science, Letters, and Numbers,” “Adventurous Tales,” “Fuzzy Friends,” “Bedtime,” and more.”
How do I know Vooks books are “worth reading” aka “quality” books?
Because Vooks now includes 18 animated Familius titles!
Familus, with a credo of “Family First” publishes wonderful books! Including soon…mine! (Yes, of course my not-so-secret dream is that my forthcoming picture book, The House That Ruth Built, will one day be Netflix streaming on VOOKS along too.) But that’s not what this is about.
This is about this:
So you’re in the car, a restaurant, the airport—or maybe just too flippin’ worn down to argue—and the kids want THE DEVICE!
(Been there?….felt those judging onlookers? Seen those judging looks?)