Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 22

Ferry Beach, Scarborough, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

Every summer I have a moment where I realize summer is finite and I should take advantage of it. So on my way home from the store last night, I drove by the ocean to watch the sunset.



And I stopped to take a photo of this church. I've driven by this church many times, but I'd never seen it lit up before--and the window's message felt like a gift.



I'm sending it out to all of you.

John and I had a rare night out together, and we drove over to Georgetown, Maine. It was sunny and then we watched the black clouds blow in and it poured. And then it was sunny again--typical summer day in Maine.







And I'm working on a new novel. First drafts are my least favorite part of writing, but I have three chapters done so far.  Since I usually have around 25 chapters, I'm using that as my progress measure.

My daughter, Julia, and I had a wonderful time in New Hampshire with my friend, Holly, and her pup, Zoe.



Zoe leads the way!



The lake's loon pair had one baby this year. He's already turned from black to brown. We watched him fishing on his own with an adult keeping a good watch from a distance.



Loons have a gland on their back that gives off waterproofing. So the baby is waterproofing his head feathers by tipping his head way back onto that gland.



Into the weeds!




Julia with Holly and Zoe.  I miss them already! 

I'm heading off to New Hampshire for a few days to visit a dear friend. I'm hoping that while I'm gone, the painters will finish, but whether they do or whether they don't, I'm ready to start my next novel on Thursday when I'm home again.

"I'm doing my morning crunches!"

It's hard to get anything done with a little yappy dog, a son with autism, and house painters.  This was my view looking out my front door on Monday.



But next week, my daughter and I are visiting my friend, Holly, on this pond in New Hampshire.



I can't wait!

Yesterday, I watched six rehabilitated seals go home to the ocean, and one wild seal came to watch, too.

The seals were released by the New England Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC) at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. When I arrived, I was struck by the beauty of Curtis Cove Beach in Biddeford.

We were waiting for the MARC truck to arrive with the seals and someone said, "There's a seal!" and sure enough, a wild one had come into the cove to sun himself.

He looked us over, but decided we weren't worth giving up his sunny spot, and stayed there for the whole event.

This was the biggest release MARC had ever had on one day. Six seals were ready to go back to the ocean.

They were released in two groups of three. It was really sweet to see that in each group, the three seals would check in with each other. And if one slowed down, the others waited for him to catch up.

I loved the one in back resting his head on the other. This is hard work!

But it was worth it.

Then the second set of three started for the water. They were much faster. Maybe because they had watched the first set and were excited for the ocean ahead.

One, two, three, DIVE!

I wondered if the wild seal would go in the water with the released groups, but he just watched his new neighbors.

Beautiful!

Milo says, it's too hot!

1. I just sent off my chapter book revision to my editor! Whoo-hoo!

2. It's been WAY TOO HOT. And today is supposed to be around 95 degrees with oppressive humidity. Fall is looking good at this point.

3. I met with my critique partners this week. It was fun to hear about Toni's experiences at ALA with her Caldecott Honor book, One Cool Friend. It brought back a lot of memories of the year Rules won its Newbery Honor.

4. I smiled at the heading for this little article about a school visit I did last spring in South Carolina: Author Lord Motivates Students to Write. Author Lord sounds like I'm Darth Vadar's aunt. :)

5. We're having our house painted. I keep saying to myself, "It will be beautiful when it's done." (Milo barking). "It will be beautiful when it's done." (my son wanting to climb their ladders) "It will be beautiful when it's done." (Cookie squealing with joy every time one of them comes in to use the bathroom).

If we survive this, it will be beautiful when it's done.

Blueberry Barrens, Deblois, Maine

It's time for me to start a new novel, and often, setting comes first for me. So I've been thinking a lot about place and I think I may have found my setting for this book.

I always put little touches of truth in my novels. It grounds the story for me--and thus, for the reader. One way I do that is with names. When I'm in the setting for a book I'm writing, I'm always looking at road signs, mailboxes, cemeteries, honor plaques, businesses, etc.

I wouldn't ever use anyone's complete name, but I do mix and match sometimes: a last name from here, a first name from there.

Now that I have a setting, I need a main character. I have some traits in mind, but I need a first name to get started writing. So yesterday morning, I typed into Google the names of the local schools in my setting + "honor roll," and looked through the list of real names chosen by real parents in this real place.

I chose a first name off one of those lists, and imagined her in that place, walking down those roads, knowing all the important kid things, like where you can buy Popsicles on a hot day, the secret short cuts to and from school, and who is friendly in town and who you don't want to mess with. And if I were to stop her and ask directions, she would know.

The name I chose could exist anywhere, but *I* know there's a real girl--a smart girl who does well in school--familiar with this real place, and there's something intangible but powerful about knowing that and it will help me make my made-up girl feel real, too.