Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 3

Jackie Wellington

   

                                                                                  Sketch by Lori Ann Levy Holmes

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I am so excited to introduce today’s Guest Blogger. She is a good friend who I greatly respect and admire. We first met online, as many writers do, but then had the fortune to meet in person last summer at Kristen Fulton’s WOW (Week of Writing) Retreat in Georgia. She is the most dedicated writer I have ever met. She was up at 5:00 a.m. with the Georgia birds and sitting on the deck of the lodge writing every morning when I came to breakfast at the retreat. She was early to bed while many of us chatted and shared writing stories, literally! We did get her to stay up with us night owls a few nights as we toasted her hard work and dedication to this industry. She will be big! That is my prediction and I am not alone in that sentiment. Her writing is thoughtful, elegant, powerful and timely.

I am proud to call her my friend in writing and in life!

Welcome Jackie Wellington!

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MAYA IN VERSE: THE LEGACY LIVES ON
by Jackie Wellington

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Maya,
Caged bird
Poet
Activist
Dreamer
Actress
Teacher
Humanitarian
Legend
Your legacy lives on!

You left us here on Earth
A void in our hearts
You fluttered away,
no longer a caged bird,
confined,
constrained,
imprisoned,
inhibited
You’re free!
Your activism stands
Your humanitarianism stays
Your legendary efforts stills
Your legacy lives on!

I hoped the angels stood
when you strode into Heaven
stepping
stomping
striding
leaving your “Footprints in the Sand.”
I hoped the harpist strummed
as a “Freedom Fighter” graced his presence.
I hoped they knew who stood amongst them
A legend
Your legacy lives on!

You sprung under the shadows of segregation
But still you shone like a diamond birth from coal
You’ve drank “colored” water
used “colored” restrooms

Sat in “colored” sections
You’ve met dignitaries and presidents
Recited before millions
traveled the world
You’ve marched,
picketed,
and lent your voice to causes.
You’ve blessed us with your poetic prose,
your wonderful writings.
Through you, the world live vicariously
No shame
No regrets
You’re a legend
Your legacy lives on!

You’ve inspired me to be –
“A Phenomenal Woman,”
“The Mothering Blackness,”
Many “Faces” to the younger generation
Like you,
I am a
Poet
Dreamer
Activist
Teacher
“Still I Rise”
Your legacy lives on!

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About Jackie:
Jackie Wellington is a writer, poet, activist, and teacher who have had the pleasure of meeting Maya Angelou. She is inspired by Maya’s actions and intrigued by Maya’s work. When she is not writing, you can find her tutoring statistics to college students, or at a nearby library buried under books.

You can learn more about her at http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2015/02/10/day-10-jackie-wellington/

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 4

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This is NOT part of the pledge. It is an option for a writing exercise for those interested. You will not publically share this as part of RhyPiBoMo but may keep a journal of your writing this month for your own review.

Today’s writing prompt is to write an Acrostic Poem using Maya Angelou’s name.

An Acrostic is a poem in which the first letters of each line spell out a word or phrase. The word or phrase can be a name, a thing, or whatever you like. There is no need for rhyme or rhythm in this poem. The focus should be on choosing just the right, powerful words to tell a big story with few words.

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For example:

Mother of poetry

Activist

Young at heart

Accepting of all

Angelic words

Never hurtful

Gigantic stories with few words

Empowerment

Liberty for all

One person making a difference

Unique in her style and character

© 2015 Angie Karcher

Thank you Jackie Wellington!

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Don’t Forget…

Saturday, April 4th  7:00 Central Time

Hosted by Jackie Wellington

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Maya Angelou’s Birthday Celebration Webinar

This will be a fun celebration of Maya’s life! The evening is hosted by Jackie Wellington and Angie Karcher. We will read Maya’s poetry plus some of our own poetry written to honor her. We will discuss diversity in children’s books and how through poetry, children may gain a new view of the world around them. Jackie has organized a poetry contest only for those who attend the webinar. The winner will receive a Maya Angelou book donated by Jackie. Details will be given during the webinar.

Don your fanciest hat and put on those pearls and join us for an evening of celebrating this extraordinary person. See you at the party!

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I have now completely lost my voice so Jackie may be doing the talking for both of us.

Can you imagine…me, not talking? lol

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Please register in advance as there are limited number of spots available. Once you register you will be emailed a direct link to the webinar as well as a reminder.

Link to register for the webinar:

https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EB57DB87854731

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It’s “WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RHYMING PICTURE BOOK” Friday!

Today is the day that I ask you to choose one of the rhyming picture books that you read this week as part of the challenge and share it with the world. Post a picture of it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) and a link to the authors blog, a link to a book store or a link to anywhere people can find it and buy it. This is the day we celebrate all the wonderful rhyming picture books out in the world already! These authors are our heroes and heroines. We should celebrate the hard work it took them to get to publication! We should buy these books ourselves if we can and share them with friends and family.

Now is the time to promote great rhyme!

There may be a prize for one lucky RhyPiBoMoer

I see post something Friday…just sayin’!

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What if you are not on social media?

That is no problem. Just share titles with friends, family, teachers, librarians, book store owners…anyone who will listen. Word of mouth is very powerful! Go to a book store and ask for a specific title. If they don’t have it ask them to order it. You can certainly do our part without social media!

It would be great if you would also add the link to my blog so folks can see what we are doing here.

Here’s the link:

https://angiekarcher.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/rhypibomo-2015-day-2-nikki-grimes/?preview=true&preview_id=3722&preview_nonce=51465bf1a5&post_format=aside

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PLEASE REMEMBER!!!

Add both your FIRST and LAST names to your daily comment! This is what enables you to be eligible for a prize that day. Many people are forgetting!! I request this because the reply section doesn’t give me your name unless it’s a part of your email address. And even then sometimes it’s very hard for me to figure out the exact name.

How I choose daily winners…Late each Saturday night, I will go back to Monday’s comments and count how many there are. I then type that number into a randomizer program that choose a number for me. I count from the first post down to that number and that is the daily winner. If that post doesn’t have a first and last name listed it will not win. I will then go to the next post that has a first and last name listed. I will do this for each day of the week and announce the winners on the following Monday.

Please DO NOT go back now and add another comment now as I need each person to only comment one time to keep things fair. Thanks!

Good Luck and ADD YOR FIRST and LAST NAME to your comment!!!! = )

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More information coming soon concerning

Rhyming Critique Groups,

the Barnes and Noble BookFair and

the Official Golden Quill Poetry Contest!

Stay tuned!

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Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ends on April 8th, Midnight Central Time

so register now!

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If you are not officially registered you will not be able to participate in the Golden Quill Poetry Contest, in Rhyming Critique Groups or will not be eligible for daily prizes.

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To see if you are registered go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

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Registration Link:

https://angiekarcher.wordpress.com/rhypibomo-2015-registration/

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Please comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

to be eligible for today’s prize!

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 2

Nikki Grimes

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As we approach Maya Angelou’s birthday on Saturday I am reminded of how poetry can make an impact with words in a way no other medium can. Today’s guest blogger is an honored and award winning poet and author who has impacted many children and adults with her words.

This challenge is called Rhyming Picture Book Month but poetry is certainly included in this celebration because it is poetry that makes the words sing in chorus. The poetic techniques used in prose make the words leap off the page and into the reader’s heart.

And, that has nothing to do with rhyme!

I am thrilled and honored to introduce Nikki Grimes.

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A RAP ON RHYME
by Nikki Grimes

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Word is an elastic thing.
Pull it, stretch it, make it spring.
Call it music, it will sing.
Call it dance, watch it swing.
Call it brick, then build a wall.
Call it snow, see it fall.
Word is magic. Word is all.

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When I teach a poetry workshop, the one law I lay down for the duration of the workshop is this: Do not use rhyme. Now, that might sound strange coming from me, a poet who is known for using a variety of rhyme schemes, and internal rhyme, in my own poetry. However, I use rhyme realizing that rhyme and poetry are not synonymous. Rhyme is an element of poetry, but it is not the thing itself. And even when I do employ rhyme, it is really the only poetic element used. The opening poem is an example of that. In it, you will notice metaphor, assonance, repetition, and meter as well as rhyme. In another poem, I might switch up the rhythms and choose consonance, alliteration, and simile. The one thing I won’t do is structure a poem solely on the basis of rhyme, internal or external. Yet, I find most writers, unfamiliar with the genre, approach poetry as if rhyme were its primary default. It is not. Nor should children’s poetry be so narrowly defined. Poetry for young readers should be as rich as you can make it, and rhyme alone won’t get you there.

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To write a poem is to paint with words, to create a moment or a story using imagery. I’d rather a writer explore the use of metaphor and simile to create imagery. In so doing, the pen becomes a paintbrush, words become colors, and the page becomes a canvas. That’s the kind of writing I mean when I speak of poetry.

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Don’t get me wrong: rhyme is a wonderful tool, when used wisely. But the rhyme should feel organic, not forced, as is too often the case. The words “forth” and “north” may rhyme with one another, but unless both words are germane to the topic, the rhyme is forced. Nor should rhyme get in the way of telling the story. Story is key! No amount of clever wordplay (if indeed it is clever) can make up for a lack of coherent storytelling.

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As a writer stretches by employing a variety of poetic techniques, the poet becomes more sensitive about when and how to use rhyme, and focuses, instead, on wise word choice based on meaning, emotional impact, and, where appropriate, musicality. If, for example, your subject is a somber one, you don’t necessarily want to create a rhyme scheme that is sing-songy. And if you do, that choice needs to be clearly intentional. Of course, developing that kind of objectivity requires the perspective of distance. Pulling back from using rhyme as a default gives the poet an opportunity to develop that kind of objectivity.

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In Poems in the Attic, my newest book of poetry, I mix free verse and tanka. I especially love haiku and tanka poems because, while both require a fairly tight rhythmic structure, they also challenge the poet to paint a picture or tell a story using the briefest amount of words. Such poems are, of necessity, short on rhyme, but long on metaphor. A few strokes of the pen is all you have room for. Creating this type of verse pushes the poet to dig deep, and both reader and poet benefit from the effort. The work thus created is often more powerful, beautiful, lyrical and meaningful than poems which rely on rhyme, alone, most especially if the writer is new to the genre. Like most things, rhyme done well appears to be easy. In reality, it is anything but.
Is what I’m suggesting more difficult than “simple” rhyme? Absolutely. But isn’t your reader worth your best effort? And trust me, that extra effort will show, and editors will take note. In an industry as competitive as ours, such things matter. If you want your poetry text to make it out into the world, you’ll have to get it past an editor first! And if that text employs rhyme, it had better be extraordinarily well done. And if it isn’t, what’s the point?

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About Nikki Grimes

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include ALA Notable book What is Goodbye?, Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade, and Coretta Scott King Author Honor books Jazmin’s Notebook, Talkin’ About Bessie, Dark Sons, The Road to Paris, and Words with Wings. Creator of the popular Meet Danitra Brown, Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.

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Look at all these fabulous books by Nikki! WOW! And these are just the ones available now…

Find out more at: http://www.nikkigrimes.com/

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Thank you so much Nikki!

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RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt: 4

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This is NOT part of the pledge. It is an option for a writing exercise for those interested. You will not publically share this as part of RhyPiBoMo but may keep a journal of your writing this month for your own review.

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Today your challenge is to write a TANKA, which means “short song,” and has been used in the Japanese culture for nearly a thousand years. It is sort of a longer version of a Haiku that gives you a bit more room to tell a story.

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In a tanka, there is something special about the third line. This line is called the pivot, which means a turning point. The pivot divides the tanka into two different sections, which are joined in the middle in order to tell the whole story. The first section uses the pivot as the ending line. The last section uses the pivot as the beginning line. Each half is an individual story but when added together by the pivot, both tell one complete story.

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The theme of your tanka is: Bird Cage

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Line 1 – 5 syllables
Line 2 – 7 syllables
Line 3 – 5 syllables (pivot)
Line 4 – 7 syllables
Line 5 – 7 syllables

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For example:

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She pecked and peeked out
Wondering what was out there
The door flew open
She paused, then flew in joyful
Fear, pecked and peaked in freedom.
© 2015 Angie Karcher

 

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Maya Angelou’s Birthday Celebration Webinar

This will be a fun celebration of Maya’s life! The evening is hosted by Jackie Wellington and Angie Karcher. We will read Maya’s poetry plus some of our own poetry written to honor her. We will discuss diversity in children’s books and how through poetry, children may gain a new view of the world around them. Jackie has organized a poetry contest only for those who attend the webinar. The winner will receive a copy of  the picture book MAYA ANGELOU, donated by Jackie. Details will be given during the webinar.

Don your fanciest hat and put on those pearls and join us for an evening of celebrating this extraordinary person. See you at the party!

Please register in advance as there are limited number of spots available. Once you register you will be emailed a direct link to the webinar as well as a reminder.

Link to register for the webinar:

https://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EB57DB87854731

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*

*

More information coming soon concerning

Rhyming Critique Groups,

the Barnes and Noble BookFair and

the Official Golden Quill Poetry Contest!

Stay tuned!

*

Official RhyPiBoMo 2015 Registration ends on April 8th, Midnight Central Time

so register now!

*

If you are not officially registered you will not be able to participate in the Golden Quill Poetry Contest, in Rhyming Critique Groups or will not be eligible for daily prizes.

*

To see if you are registered go to the Master Registration List on the drop down menu under the RhyPiBoMo Blog tab above.

*

Registration Link:

https://angiekarcher.wordpress.com/rhypibomo-2015-registration/

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Please comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

to be eligible for today’s prize!

Welcome to

RhyPiBoMo 2015 Day 1

Tim McCanna

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I am happy to introduce Tim McCanna as the perfect guest blogger to kick off this crazy month of rhyming fun! He is another musically talented author and comedian. His humorous video clips and picture book trailers are amazing! Tim’s unencumbered style of teaching is contagious and just plain fun so we are fortunate to have him share his rhyming wisdom!

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First, please watch this short clip on rhyme by Tim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_-V6H-x0jQ

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A RHYMER PRIMER

by Tim McCanna

Woo-hoo! It’s April 1st, DAY ONE of Rhyming Picture Book Month 2015! I’m totally honored to help kick things off for this rhymetacular celebration. And let me first promise you that I will not use the word rhymetacular ever again. Big thanks to Angie for all of her hard work. This is exciting! Ready to rhyme? Ok, it’s time!

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STOP.
Are you sure you belong here? The only reason you could possibly be reading this post right now is that you A) enjoy reading rhymes, B) enjoy writing rhymes, C) you’re my mother, or D) you’re a misinformed pastry chef who thinks RhyPiBoMo is some sort of Rye Pie Baking Month. Mmmm… Rye Pie. Well, whoever you are, welcome aboard.

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SO… WHY EXACTLY ARE YOU RHYMING? SOME SUGGESTED ANSWERS:

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1. “It’s fun!” Writing in rhyme is like solving a puzzle. When you fit two pieces together, it’s sooo satisfying! Rhyming should be an enjoyable challenge, and if you’re not enjoying it, then don’t do it!

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2. “I can’t help myself,” is also an acceptable answer. If your brain just wants to go there, don’t fight it.

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3. “It’s simply the highest form of writing ever.” Seriously! Whether you’re writing a picture book, a novel, a poem, or a song, rhyming is like word MAGIC. The fact that we humans have language at all is astounding, but that we can weave amazing stories that also rhyme kinda blows my mind.

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4. “It’s all about the kids.” Am I right, folks? If you haven’t read a rhyming book to a group of wide-eyed kindergarteners yet, then put it on your bucket list. It’s the best. Now, I’m no scientist. I can’t tell you how rhymes help develop kids’ brains or teach them how to read using “word families” and such. But I do know that rhyme gets their attention like nothing else. They can’t wait to help you end the sentence. It brings them into the story, and delights them with rhythm and alliteration and all the other tools we use as writers.

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WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER WRITE IN RHYME

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1. For money. Unless someone is willing to pay you for it, then go ahead. Rhyme for money.
2. For political gain. I don’t think rhyme works that way.
3. Peer pressure. Come on, everyone’s doing it.
4. Because rhyming is easy. News Flash: it’s not.

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WHY METER IS WAY, WAY, WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN RHYME

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Anybody can stick two sentences together with words at the end that sound alike. It’s really not that hard. What’s hard about writing a rhyming picture book or poem is finding a fresh, natural rhythm to the words that make reading them aloud effortless. Rhymes are twice as impactful when they trip off the tongue in crafty ways. So don’t choose your meter arbitrarily. Make very specific choices about the shapes of your stanzas. Sometimes, you can let the natural stresses of your key words or phrases inform the scan. And while you’re at it, strive for word economy. Keep your sentences clean, short, and punchy. If you find yourself writing in long, rambling phrases just to achieve a rhyme, see if you can’t break up the same idea into tidier constructions. Your readers (and editors) will thank you.

WHY STORY IS WAY, WAY, WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN RHYME AND METER
Your rhyme will only be as strong as the story it’s helping to tell. Rhyming words are the dressing, the decoration, the flash that hooks the ear. As rhymers, a lot of times we fall into the pattern of lists. That’s ok. Everyone does it. Some authors do it very well with great success. But if you have a rich story with a unique main character in an interesting conflict that ends in a surprising twist, that sturdy framework will lend itself to more engaging language giving you opportunities to use interesting rhymes to punctuate and propel your story!

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YOU CAN REVISE WITHOUT RHYMING, BUT YOU CAN’T RHYME WITHOUT REVISING.

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A perfect rhyming picture book doesn’t happen on the first go. Ever. I wrote 17 drafts of my upcoming picture book, Bitty Bot!, before signing with my agent. And that’s just 17 known file versions. I made hundreds of micro-edits over the course of three years. The title changed, the characters evolved, lines got flip-flopped, words got tweaked, whole stanzas were cut and replaced. The manuscript received a letter of commendation from SCBWI, and I STILL kept revising it. When I signed with my agent, SHE asked for revisions. Before the publishers bought the manuscript, THEY asked for a completely different ending. Then I sold the book, and they asked for MORE revisions! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. (Okay, maybe a little.) But without fail, after every revision, the work became stronger and better. The trick is, you have to be willing to listen to critiques and trust that change is good.

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WHY YOU SHOULDN’T LISTEN TO ME (or anyone else for that matter)
I’m just one dude. A dude who writes in rhyme now and then. I have my own tastes and I know what works for me. You love writing limericks? Do it. You want to use imperfect rhymes? Go for it. You want to write in loose, free-form, percussive phrases? Try it. Make your own rules. Then break them. Practice. Experiment. Stick to your guns. And now that you are not listening to me, here are…

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TIM’s TOP TWO TIPS
Okay, there will be THREE tips, but I like the alliteration in the title, so sue me.

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1. You’ve got a fantastic story idea and you think it absolutely MUST be written in rhyme? Try writing it in prose FIRST. It allows you to focus on plot and character without trying to rhyme, which is tough enough. Then, once you have that overwritten prose version down and you’re still positive that rhyming is the best storytelling format, circle the key words and phrases that pop. Make a list of all the richest, most colorful story-driven words and then find rhymes for those. You’ll wind up with more interesting rhymes that lend a spicier flavor to the world of your story.

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2. Write the garbage. Write the really, really bad stanzas. Do not judge your words before they’ve been written. Get them on paper. THEN judge them mercilessly.

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3. Read lots of rhymers. We must learn by example. Have you been to a book store lately? How about an indie book store that only sells children’s books? They still exist! Go find one! Gobble up all their rhyming books.

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YOU’RE STILL READING THIS?
Man, that’s dedication. Well, it takes dedication to be a rhymer, so you clearly belong here. Now, get rhyming! Make those words dance! Enjoy the challenges! Oh, and have yourself a rhymetacular RhyPiBoMo. I know, I know. I promised I wouldn’t use that word ever again. April Fools.

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About Tim:

Tim McCanna is the author of the rhyming picture books, Teeny Tiny Trucks (Little Bahalia Publishing, 2013), and Bitty Bot! (Paula Wiseman Books, Simon & Schuster, 2016). He has also produced music and narration for award-winning story apps, picture book trailers, and the opening theme song for Katie Davis’s popular “Brain Burps About Books” kid lit podcast. Tim serves as Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI’s San Francisco/South chapter, and he holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing for Musical Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Find Tim online at http://www.timmccanna.com.

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http://www.amazon.com/Teeny-Tiny-Trucks-Tim-McCanna/dp/0989668819

Thank you so much Tim!

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RhyPiBoMo 2015 Optional Writing Prompt

This is NOT part of the pledge. It is an option for a writing exercise for those interested. You will not publically share this as part of RhyPiBoMo but may keep a journal of your writing this month for your own review.

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Make a list of all the words that rhyme with Tim.

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Now create a short, silly poem using some of your new words. They can be used as internal rhymes or ending rhymes.

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*Bonus points if you can rhyme any word in the poem with McCanna.

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For example:
Today’s honored blogger is Tim.
His message is shiny, not dim.
Our Mr. McCanna wears hats with bananas.
There’s only one author like him!

© 2015 Angie Karcher

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RhyPiBoMo’s Happy Birthday Maya Angelou Webinar

Hosted by Jackie Wellington – Saturday, April 4th 7:00 pm Central Time

Link coming soon.

Saturday, April 4th we are celebrating Maya Angelou’s birthday with a tribute to her life. You won’t want to miss Jackie Wellington’s heartfelt hour of adoration for Maya with her own powerful poetry. We will read some of Maya’s works and some of our own. It’s a time to celebrate poetry and diversity, so I hope you can stop by.

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RhyPiBoMo & Barnes and Noble Book Fair supporting

WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS – April 11th

I have been invited to give a talk on Maya Angelou at my local Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Evansville, Indiana. I am excited to announce that Barnes and Noble will host a book fair that day in honor of WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS! 20% of all books sold that day, in store or on-line with a coupon code I will soon share, will go to support this very important organization. So, if you are planning some book purchases, please wait until April 11th!

Watch for more information coming soon on these two exiting events!

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Please comment below. You MUST add your FIRST and LAST names

to be eligible for today’s prize!