NPR Study about Virtual Reality

If you love to read, you'll love this.

Reading has been found to be in essence, a form of virtual reality. A study done in the psychology department at Washington University in St. Louis made this discovery. They made MRI scans of peoples' brains as they read, and found that the brain waves were similar for a person reading about an activty and actually performing that activity.

When I first heard about this study on NPR I was blown away. Not just because I found it extremely interesting, but because it was it was almost a made-to-order bit of research that brings a bit of real science to the science fiction novel I was working on at the time.

In my book Literary Loom, 15 year old Josh travels through books in a virtual reality type experience. I wove in the science behind the research done at Washington University, I think, making my manuscript more believeable.

To access this NPR article, click on the title of this post, as it is a link to the article.

If you are interested in learning more about my novel, Literary Loom, stay posted to my blog, as I will post updates on its progress. Yesterday I sent a query to Kelly Sonnack of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. I am waiting to hear back from here as to how and when I can send my manuscript to her. At the recent SCBWI conference in LA I met with Kelly and she expressed interest in my book. In the past few weeks have furiously tried to trim off several thousand words, as per her instructions, so I could send it into her for consideration.

Wish me Luck.

SCBWI National Conference gets an X rating . . . or . . .Whatever happened to the days of Beatrix Potter?

I only heard the "F" word six times today, and at least it was not coming over the pulpit from a keynote speaker like the the last two days. Where am I at, you might ask? A high school gym, a construction site, a convention of uneducated grammar-impared neophytes? No--a national convention for children's book writers and illustrators. Though the gratuitous use of this feeble-minded word left me squirming in my seat, it was nothing more than an off-key song compared to the descriptions of sex and drug use rolled into the discussion and instructions of "finding the teen voice" in various workshops.

This was my first national SCBWI conference, and my eyes have been opened wide by the current trend in Y.A. fiction, and I didn't like what I saw. In fact, the first day of the conference I sidled away to a remote corner and showered my over-priced, underdressed sandwich with tears. Literally. I cried for the children of this great country. They live in a world filled with sex, violence and pain on a daily basis, not only in real life, but on the screen. I used to live in a Polyana world where I thought these kids could atl least turn to literature to escape, my biggest concern being that alot of teen fiction was merely candy for the brain. But no, what I found is that YA authors are no longer content with candy. The stuff they are writing now smells more like poison.

"But this is the way kids talk, the way they think, they way they feel. We have to write what they want to hear, or they won't be moved and thus read or buy books," they say.

Is this the best solution to help kids deal with the mountain load of problems today's society heaps upon them--give them what they want? That would be like giving a malnourished child soda pop and Snickers in the place of vegetables to nurse them back to health.

Fortunately, the conference has had some bright spots, one being Richard Peck's address. INSPIRING (and without the use of the "F" word I might add). And that's what he did, inspire me to write what's in my heart, which up until that moment I feared no one wanted any more--meat and potatoes for the brain, with a side of vegetables.

My YA novel is not only squeaky clean, it lifts and enlightens. It's entitled Literary Loom. Its about a boy who experiences the virtual reality rush of book travel with the help of a Literary Loom and is able to delve into books, reliving history and discovering the ultimate source of all freedom.

To all of you fellow child writers who create the same kind of work, keep going too. We must bond together, not be bullied into the background, and produce healthy literature for the children of this world--the future of this world.

High-concept Books; I Think Mine Fits

To my multitude of readers, (ha, ha), sorry for the my lapse in posting on my blog. I've been trying to recuperate from burning my candle from both ends and thus burning myself out physically. I'm doing better now. No promises that I will be better at posting, because I've got to spend my spare time polishing up my novel Literary Loom. I'm attending the SCBWI national conference in LA in a few weeks. I hope to find an agent or a publisher while there.

After reading an article in the August Children's Writer newsletter, I'm optimistic about my manuscript. In the artilce they talked about high-concept books. These are works that can be described and pitched in a single sentence. The primary appeal of the work is right there in the concept. There's a straightforward hook to snag an audience. With increasing frequency, editors and agents are requesting and buying high-concept projects. I was told that my book fits into this catagory by a fellow writer in my critique group, Matt Kirby (who, by the way, recently sold his first novel to Scholastic).

So here's my high-concept pitch. Let me know what you think--if you want.

Fifteen year old Josh experiences book travel with the help of a Literary Loom and is able to delve into books, reliving history and discovering the ultimate source of all freedom.

Shingles Aren't Just for the Roof

Shingles are for roofs and old people. I'm neither. I'm young. At least my brain still thinks I'm twenty. Unfortunately, this last week my body had to break the news to my head that it is not young, and I can no longer operate at the break-neck pace of a twenty year old. It did this by putting out a notice, a declaration, a shingle if you will. Several shingles.

Those of you who have had shingles, or a loved one who has, knows they are very painful and annoying. They are a viral infection of the nerves, related to herpes and chicken pox. And they aren't just for old people and roofs, they are for people like me who don't know how to say no (not to drugs, but to everyone's pet projects--including their own). They are for people who burn the candle at both ends and push their 50 year old body like it was years younger. Yeah, I have shingles.

So now I have to take it easy (doctor's orders). I guess that means "No" to the jungle of weeds in my garden for a while, "No" to my sister-in-law's sewing project she needs help with, and no to that room that needs painting. Oh well. But what can a person who is used to keeping busy do that has to take it easy for awhile? I guess I'll just have to sit down more . . . and write on the computer . . . perhaps finish that manuscript that I've been praying for help to finally get to.

Be careful what you pray for. You might get it. Just not in the way you had envisioned.

Teen Writers Conferece

My 13 year old daughter Danielle attended the Teen Writers Conference at Weber State yesterday. She absolutely loved it, telling me that she learned lots and wants to be a New York Best selling author one day.

I want to applaud the organizers of the conference. There were well over 100 attendees (they originally thought they might only get about 30 participants), and the price was nominal. I'm sure most of the authors donated their time and services. What an awesome thing to do to help encourage these young kids to write. I wish they would have had a conference like this when I was a teen, (then maybe it wouldn't have taken until I was 50 to discover I want to be an author).

It's known in many circles that Utah produces more good YA/children's authors than any other state per capita. I'm sure this first annual teen writers conference will only add to the number of good authors produced by this state. Go kids!

Don't Be Afraid to Fail

You've failed many times, although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy htters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out many times.

R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey recieved 753 rejection letters before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth sturck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.

Don't worry about failure.
Worry aout the chances you miss when you don't even try.

So you fellow writers out there, keep at it. Also, make sure you check out Danyelle Furgesen's awesome contest. You could have a chance to win some of my puppets.
http://queenoftheclan.blogspot.com/2009/06/qotc-summer-time-give-aways-petite.html

Computer Misfit vs. Technology

I should have been born in the 1800's. I think I'm allergic to computers. Either that or I have some sort of electromagnetic field that I give off that jams them from functioning properly for me, but they do just fine for everyone else. I have had a number of friends comment via e-mail that they can not leave comments on my blog. I have pushed every button, enabled every field, even leaving it open to spam in hopes of getting that little "comment" word to show up at the bottom of my posts. It used to. Take a look at my earlier blogs. The only thing I can think of is that when I started to use my fancy background it somehow interfered with the ability to leave a comment. I don't want to wiped it out to find out. That took forever to get it to stick (and then I had to recruit the help of my 13 year old daughter to help.

I'm pathetic, I know, but if anyone can give me some tips I would appreciate it. I'm going to try one more time to enable my comment ability. If you want to lend help, but still can leave a comment, try my e-mail.

Thanks.