Bart Moeyaert is a Dreamer

One of the people I admire immensely is Belgian author and poet Bart Moeyaert, so when my teacher, prize-winning author Benny Lindelauf, read a chapter from Moeyaert’s much-praised book Brothers (Broere), last Saturday, I sat back and let his beautiful prose seep into my inner world. In Brothers Moeyaert gives the reader a touching peek into his childhood as the youngest of seven brothers.

Good things never come in ones, is my experience. And indeed this one didn’t either, for Bart Moeyaert turned out to be scheduled for a talk, an interview and a debate in Amsterdam. Needless to say that I rushed over to the Balie right away. I have to thank my dear friend Daphne de Heer of the SLAA – the association that organizes literary activities in Amsterdam – for once again organizing a fabulous evening.
In the intimacy of a small theater room, Moeyaert told us how he came to be a writer. He told us about quietness and about din, about the facades we hide our secrets behind, about the world of inspiration around us that you will find if you listen intently and look with an open mind. He touched upon the fact that the ‘literary world’ often regards children’s book writers as irrelevant. We’re not! We’re the solid grounds on which the tuition of every child is built.

Anyway, Moeyaert told us he was labeled a dreamer in school and that struck a chord with me. I still have my old school reports. They are stashed away somewhere, but it doesn’t take me much to call them to mind, every single one marred by variations of the same line in that grim school teacher’s handwriting: ‘Mina could do so much better if she would stop dreaming.’
No matter how hard those teachers tried to grab my attention, I never did stop dreaming. It took me years before I figured out why I was destined to dream. Dreaming is what makes me a writer. Dreaming is what makes me me. I dream up stories and characters and lives and worlds. Something flashing by in the corner of my eye can spark a new plot. A ripple in the water can cause a wave of new stories.
If you ever meet me and I drift off, don’t be alarmed. Or offended. It’s not because I think you’re boring. It’s because you kindle my writing fire. Your voice might be the voice of a character in my next book, your story might offer me just that turn or twist of a plot that I need. Let me dream and I will give you stories.

My next story, ‘Opa is de weg kwijt’ (‘Grandpa’s Lost’) is scheduled to appear in May 2012 in the read-aloud anthology Het grote voorleesboek voor opa’s en oma’s (The Big Read-Aloud Book for Grandpa’s and Grandma’s) by Ploegsma children’s book publishers.

I Survived!

The Literary Death Match. I can easily say that for me it was one of the highlights of 2011, even though it scared the shit out of me.

People filed into the theater at the Smart Project Space, more people than I had anticipated. I ducked into one of the reserved chairs in the front row, my back turned to the masses, pretending they weren’t there. My muse and a couple of friends had my back, so I could concentrate on breathing.
Breathing?
What breathing? I didn’t breathe at all.

Todd Zuniga and Megan C. Garr took the stage. They introduced the Literary Death Match and what it was about: 4 readers reading from their work, 3 jurors ready to slash 2 of the readers, 1 in every round. And of course the epic finale where the two survivors of the earlier rounds would fight to the death.
Call it luck, call it fate, but I was the first one to go. My opponent poet Jane Lewty won the toss and sent me into the arena first. I read my piece. Scary stuff from my YA thriller — I think I’ve got the title nailed now: You’re Not Icarus; You’ll Make It. 7 minutes flat and I made it to the sizzling end of one of the most gruesome scenes in the book in time , keeping Megan from shooting me down.
Jane came on stage. Iowa-born poet and assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam, she recited a poem about fellow Iowan and serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
Yeah, well, who can compete with a man who killed 33 teenagers?
Anyway, the jury let Jane live and I could sit back and relax.
Next were author Philibert Schogt and poet Anna Arov. Philibert won the toss and left the stage to Anna who brought her sexy poetry with suspense and wit. The Jury appointed her winner of the round, but for me Philibert was the winner. Not because of his being the other Dutch contestant, but because I am a math girl. He read from Wild Numbers, his novel about a mathematician Isaac Swift. The scene? Swift making love to his girlfriend while wrapped up in a math problem. I loved his prose, I loved his characters and I loved his style.
The epic finale was a spelling bee and not just any spelling bee. Jane and Anna had to spell the names of famous writers. While Philibert and I sat back and watched, they got to spell Dutch authors like Multatuli and Nooteboom. The stakes were raised with Houellebecq and finally Jane won when Anna, despite her Russian roots, found her Waterloo at Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn.

Of course only when I got home I realized I had failed to introduce myself and my book and the fact that it was my first reading in English for a large audience and my first manuscript in English. Slumping back onto the couch I just knew I was a winner.

I had an absolute fabulous time at the Literary Death Match and if you ever have the chance you go there! It’s hilarious and fun and you get to hear great stuff from great writers. Way to go Todd Zuniga for giving us the Literary Death Match!

Some pictures of the night:

Todd Zuniga, creator of the Literary Death Match - (c) Anthony Stone

Take off with Megan C. Garr and Todd - (c) Anthony Stone

The Jury - (c) Anthony Stone

Me, dead-nervous - (c) Anthony Stone

Todd and Jane Lewty, the winner of the LDM Amsterdam, ep. 2 - (c) Anthony Stone

Jane Lewty - (c) Anthony Stone

Just One More Day To Go!

One more day to go before the second Amsterdam Literary Death Match.
I’ve told you how it works: 4 writers, 3 judges, 2 rounds and 1 epic finale.

I know who I will vote for: Fantasy-fictionista Mina Witteman, author of The Soul Snatcher, The Weed Man and Dark Fiber.
Hey?
That’s me!
Right, it is me!

Unveiling just a shred of my strategy to win (and those who know me know that I’m merciless if it comes to winning)… I will be reading from my new and burning YA thriller THE WEED MAN. Prepare for a scare, people! The smell of weed and the stink of burning flesh will linger for a long, long while in the great Old West.
The Booktunes Blog will play my anthem while I’m fighting: The Guns of Brixton.

Buy your tickets now and let me tell you about Dorian and Venus — Yes, Venus was her name and she’s got it!

LITERARY DEATH MATCH: December 1, Smart Project Space, Arie Biemondstraat 105-113. It starts at 8:15pm. Sharp!

Want a warm-up? Check out this YouTube video, a compilation of Literary Death Matches from all over the world, starring the ever funny Todd Zuniga.

Literary Death Match

Two more weeks to go before the second Amsterdam Literary Death Match. You know the drill: 4 writers, 3 judges, 2 rounds and 1 epic finale.

I know who I will vote for: Fantasy-fictionista Mina Witteman, author of The Soul Snatcher, The Weed Man and Dark Fiber.
Hey?
That’s me!
Right, it is me!

Unveiling just a shred of my strategy to win (and those who know me know that I’m merciless if it comes to winning)… I will be reading from my new and burning YA thriller THE WEED MAN. Prepare for a scare, people! The smell of weed and the stink of burning flesh will linger for a long, long while in the great Old West.

Buy your tickets now and let me tell you about Dorian and Venus — Yes, Venus was her name and she’s got it!

LITERARY DEATH MATCH: December 1, Smart Project Space, Arie Biemondstraat 105-113

Fabulous Amsterdam Conference

We are looking back at an excellent first SCBWI NL conference. I think every single participant loved the speakers, their keynotes, lectures and the hands-on break-out sessions.
I particularly liked Doug Cushman’s opening keynote and his advice to always remember how you started, why you started, and, most important, what drove you to wanting to be a writer or an illustrator. His Space Cat is a terrific illustration of that: written when Doug was 8 years old and published a couple of years ago. As he said: we don’t change that much.

Erzsi Deàk of the Hen&ink Agency enlightened us on what agents and editors are looking for these days. Her breakdown of the buzz at the Frankfurt International Book Fair was insightful and helpful and gave us, illustrators and writers alike, a good view of where and how we can gain the most of our talents.

The morning break-out sessions were hands-on and all about honing our craft.
Sarah Blake Johnson gave an excellent writer’s masterclass on character and plot and sent the attendees out again brimming with ideas, bubbling with new plot twists and turns, and with fingers itching to start writing. If you ever need a writing coach: she’s your woman!
Ben Norland of Walker Books UK was just awesome. The illustrators hung on his every word, taking in as much as possible of his knowledge and his creative talents. How to develop characters, how to present your work, what works and what not were on his list, but also solid and down-to-earth information on what the differences are between showing your work on paper or on screen, and his guidance on how to best present your pieces and dummies.

The Amsterdam weather didn’t let us down: an almost springlike temperature accompanied us to the various lunch restaurants around the venue, and of course to the American Book Center for a demonstration of the Expresso Book Machine. A nifty little piece of equipment that can turn your manuscripts into books in a matter of minutes.

The afternoon started with another round of break-out sessions.
Erzsi Deàk put the writers that attended her masterclass right to work. Revising your work was the motto here and revision means ‘the act of seeing again’. Erzsi truly let her audience see their own work again, through reading and rereading, through changing the POV’s, through listening and through tweaking and polishing. We had to call them twice before they were willing to put their pens down and come to the next lecture.
Doug Cushman told the attendees of his masterclass to imagine one of their characters. After that the participants were to sketch their character six times, each time with a different emotion, ranging from fright to anger and from surprise to smugness. His advice: use a mirror to study facial expressions and to perfect postures and poses!

The app developer Omar Curiëre of OCG Studios was a revelation. With pictures and videos he talked us through the making of Roxie’s a-MAZE-ing Vacation Adventure and the making of Roxie’s Doors, two apps based on the picture books of Roxie Munro. I can safely say that he left the audience in awe. This was not just a pimped digital image of a picture book, this was everything an app should be: thought-out to the bone, well-crafted, interactive and most of all stunningly beautiful.

Martine Schaap of Ploegsma Children’s Books gave us a fun-and-facts insight in the world of Dutch children’s book publishing. What works in the Netherlands and what works abroad. How often do books get translated. What are Dutch publishers looking for and how do they acquire their titles. The Netherlands and the big world our there.

We closed this full Saturday with a panel of speakers, moderated by the founder of the Dutch SCWBI chapter, the gifted translator Laura Watkinson. With thought-provoking questions she led the speakers and the audience a step closer to understanding the complex world of children’s book publishing in a global market.

During the Schmooze, with some well-deserved wine and snacks, two of our members showed their film work. Anne Awh’s ‘Mating Season’ was sweet and quirky. Liesbeth Wieggers short movie featuring a 33-year-old who overcomes illiteracy was lovely and moving. It reminded us once again about why the world needs good writers and illustrators.

Indonesian restaurant Sampurna treated the speakers and the members of the SCBWI to a delicious meal. Ben Norland had a little bonus for us in stock: Joshua Mowll joined us for dinner. His award-winning The Guild of Specialists trilogy has been published in 20 countries. A true example of publishing in a global market.

In short: The Netherlands and the Big World Out There was a fabulous and inspiring conference and most definitely the onset of much more to come!

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Three things came together this past week.

We had a couple of late bloomers signing up for the first SCBWI conference in the Netherlands. Yay! D-Day is this coming Saturday and I am very, very excited about the illustrious illustrator and writer Doug Cushman who will open the conference.
The title of his keynote?

In the Beginning Was Space Cat.

Who doesn’t remember the cosmic adventures of the space hero who effortlessly rivals Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and many other great space age heroes? Space Cat was the onset of Doug’s stellar career, as it still is the onset of the reading careers of so many kids.

The other thing that came to me was the Literary Death Match. These killing matches, as co-creator Todd Zuniga says, marry the literary and performative aspects of Def Poetry Jam, rapier-witted quips of American Idol’s judging (without any meanness), and the ridiculousness and hilarity of Double Dare. LDM spreads like an inkblot: San Francisco, Paris, London, Toronto, Baltimore, Shanghai, Savannah, Oxford, Vilnius, Montréal and… of course, Amsterdam!
The second Amsterdam LDM will take place on Thursday December 1 of this year. I will be one of the contestants. I will read from The Weed Man, my new YA thriller, and I will keep the SCBWI colors flying high! And just so that you know: as a former hockey goalie, I have a strong tendency — some may even call it a character flaw – to win!
If you’re in Amsterdam on December 1, come and cheer me on!
Follow the LDM FB page for more info on the venue.

What else? Yes, of course, I finished the first draft of The Weed Man. Set in Amsterdam, this is the epic journey of 16-year-old Dorian Vayne wanting to be independent and, to gain that independence, venturing on the darker sides of this city of sin. Or, as he so aptly says himself: “I suck up the light of those around me, of my friends. Once, I had friends, but one died, one got beaten up, one left me, and one turned out to not be my friend at all. Now I’m stuck with nothing, but the black hole I am.”

Isn’t it true that all good things come in threes?

Setting Free the Genius

How is it that a book written in 1934 is still valid?

This fall I enrolled in the three semester course Teaching Creative Writing at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. One of my first assignments was reading Becoming A Writer, written in 1934 by Dorothea Brande.

It turned out to be a book that, to this very date, is thought-provoking and useful to all who aspire to be a writer.
Brande had no knowledge of the right brain and the left brain, not the way we do now, but she shares her views as if she did, explaining about the two parts of a writer: the conscious part and the unconscious part. Her main objective in this book is to teach you how to open that tap in your brain that lets your unconscious flow freely into your pen. It is that part, that flow that writes the stories, she says. She even advocates that you find that tap way before you start messing up your brain with the abundance of writing technique handbooks that are poured out on the market. First the unconscious, then the conscious, she says.
Near the end of the book Brande introduces the genius, the third component of your nature: “feeble or strong, constantly or spasmodically”, it’s there, she says. Everyone’s got it, but you need to set it free. You must learn to use it. And for that you need rhythm, monotony and silence. Most of us find that rhythm, monotony and silence instinctively: we run, we knit, we walk, we bike, we do whatever brings us that light state of hypnosis from behind which our stories are blended into an integrated work.

Thankfully Brande hands us not just the theory, she shares excellent exercises, too. Exercises that let you tap freely from your unconscious and exercises to find that spark of genius that is buried inside all of us. Go read it. It’s worth it.

Becoming A Writer by Dorothea Brande with a foreword by John Gardner; Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin; ISBN 978-0-87477-164-0.