Some Books are Worth Owning

I admit it. I love to hear if people enjoy my books. It is both immensely satisfying and buzzingly good. It’s exciting!

And some tweets are worth sharing.

Thank-you Edwirinia – and 2y/o. xx

Professional Benefit of Social Networking

Another chat with my friendly ABC WideBay radio crew can be heard here;  http://audioboo.fm/boos/310010-katapel-abc-widebay-talking-pblitchat-twitter

This time we were talking about #pblitchat, and the professional benefits of social networking.

How To TweetDeck Twitter Chat with #

In a previous post I gave step-by-step directions for a Twitter chat using TweetChat and TweetGrid. For TweetDeck users, here’s how you can Twitter chat with hash within your TweetDeck platform. The instructions are for #pblitchat (a worldwide picture book chat I co-convene) but you can apply it to any chat. Here’s how:

NaPiBoWriWee Update Day 4

You know that #NaPiBoWriWee – (Inter)National Picture Book Writing Week – that I signed up for? Well… I have just bagged my fourth story, and I’m passed half way. Hurray!

I almost couldn’t have chosen a busier week if I tried. Seems like I’ve been writing into the night a lot.

Day One: Sentimental story about a boy and his chook. Inspired by a complilation of my boys’ quotes that I found in the week prior to NaPiBoWriWee. (What a boon that was.) The story is finished – but by no means right! (This after I pondered for 6hrs over one point before I could move on.) I think with this one, reality was getting in the way of creativity.

How to Twitter Chat with #

Each week at a set time, I am busy (very busy!) chatter-nattering about picture books. It’s online within the wonderful worldwide Twitter community. We call it #pblitchat, and anyone can join in – if you have a Twitter account. It’s really very easy.

There are probably countless ways you can take part in a twitter chat – these are the two I’m familiar with. (You can use these forums for different chats – you just change the hash code.)

Just one more sleep!

Sometimes it amazes me how quickly things happen.

Last Wednesday, during #kidlitchat on Twitter, the lovely Karen Collum asked if any picture book authors would be interested in a Twitter chat for picture books only. I was… (she knew that) others were… (we hoped so) and now it’s happening (amazing!) - tomorrow! (If you want a job done, get Karen on board. She is ‘D’ynamite.)

A Snapshot of Spiney Poetry

Today my twitter tweet chirruped a peck of poetry. A spiney, to be precise. I first read about it here at Travis’ site, and of course, decided to try some of my own. The three-lined poems weren’t planned (a spiney can be any length) but today three just seemed to fit.

The poem is in the titles, so if there is an author’s name (such as Catherine Gaskin) slipped in there, for the purpose of the poem, please ignore.

Tongue-Tied

 

Not a Twit!

One of my New Years Resolutions was to join Twitter. I was resolved – and I did it! Not for FUN, but as a way of making contacts and keeping my finger on the pulse of the publishing industry.

Talk about learning by doing! In the fortnight since I first became a twit (because before I could never have been called a twit) my understanding of the reading and writing game has exploded. And that can only be a good thing.

I have also met some lovely Australian writers and gleaned information that enriches both my writing AND my teaching.

Katrina Germein is one Aussie kids’ writer I’ve met through twitter. It was a delightful surprise to then find that one of the books we’ve chosen as an integral part of our Prep/One/Two water-based unit is in fact Katrina’s first PB, ‘Big Rain Coming’. What is more, while I was reading that PB to my class yesterday, Katrina was in fact launching her site into cyberspace. And when I visited last night I discovered it spilling rich resources to accompany her book – so many that our unit is now overflowing with exciting learning opportunities. Where will we fit them all??? (I just love God’s perfect timing in all that!)

So what have I learnt from Twitter? I think it’s best if I share a few links, and you can read and be inspired yourself.

1. Katrina Germein’s website. There’s something for teachers, writers and kids.

2. Jane Yolen’s 20 Rules of Writing. Great tips for children’s writers. (Any writer, actually.) Thanks Julie!

3. Agent Nathan Bransford’s wrap of the week that was.

4. Gabrielle Wang’s tweet about an exquisite chocolate torte inspired an impromptu dessert one night. It was divine – thanks Gabrielle!

AND I’ve learnt a new word – which you’ll need to know too if you’re reading Jane Yoder’s tips. Pejorative (No – that’s not a typo) means: belittling, derogatory, disparaging.

I don’t think I’m a twit to tweet about twitter! But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t FUN!