Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 23

Last week when I visited my mom, she said, "I've never lived alone before," and I've thought about that a lot. She went right from living at home to being married--just like I did.

Yesterday was a lovely day and I felt like having an adventure. I drove down to get her and we had a girls' road trip to Southwestern New Hampshire. She's a great gardener, so I took her to Rhododendron State Park (which is equal parts cool and creepy to have enormous rhododendrons--tunnels of them--growing in a forest). And then we stopped at Cathedral of the Pines, which is an open-air sanctuary for all faiths and honoring service men and women. It was founded by a husband and wife who lost their son in World War II. The views of Mt. Monadnock were stunning.

On the drive up to NH, I told her that she was in charge of keeping track of the directions. She and my dad had explored a ways up the road I had chosen, but not as far as we were heading.

At one point she said, "Right here is as far as Dad and I went. Now it's all new from here."

Yes, it's all new from here.


Cathedral of the Pines, Ringe, New Hampshire

Boothbay, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

1. I finished my chapter book revision this morning. Now I just need to read it through and send it off to my critique partners for a last look before our meeting on Wednesday. Then it's back to my editor!


2. We're having our house painted, which is a challenge with a little yappy dog, a son with autism, and a guinea pig who squeals with delight every time one of the painters comes inside to use the bathroom or get a drink of water or ask for a Band-aid, etc. But we're getting through it. I just keep repeating to myself: "It will be beautiful when it's done."


3. I've been scouting out a location for my fourth novel. I don't have a story yet, but novels often start with a setting for me. So I'm looking around and leaving myself open to the possibilities.


4. We've had so much rain that my gardens are crazy overgrown. My backyard chipmunks must think they've moved to the jungle!


5. I loved this article from British Columbia about birthday books, including Happy Birthday Hamster. I love that it says we have an inspired partnership. "Cynthia Lord is a Newbery Honor author and Derek Anderson is the illustrator of the delightful Little Quack books written by Lauren Thompson. Happy Birthday Hamster with its oversize format, funny rhymes and delightful illustrations is an inspired partnership."

Read more: http://www.nsnews.com/news/Sweet+stories+picture+book+crowd/8639670/story.html#ixzz2Ypsda8fV

  I was so sad to read of the passing of Barbara Robinson, author of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."

When my children were younger, my son had lots of appointments. My daughter wasn't old enough to stay home by herself, and so she had to come with me. There was one clinic I remember especially well, and when I wrote RULES, I included a similar place as "the waiting room."

This clinic had various therapies going on at the same time. Some people were there because their parent had suffered a stroke and needed to learn to speak again, some brought their babies who weren't developing on schedule, some people were there to learn to use adaptive equipment, etc. Being in a clinic waiting room can be a stressful place--someone you love is going through something difficult, and it can be heartbreaking to just sit there helplessly and wait. But there was something comforting in knowing our families weren't alone in facing hard things, and we would all be delighted when something good happened for any of us.

To pass the time, I would read to my daughter, like Catherine's mom does in RULES. There are certain books that we read together in that waiting room that I will forever associate with that time and place, including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

It was near Christmas. There were people reading magazines or knitting or just sitting with their hats on their knees in the waiting-room chairs around us. The receptionist was typing, and I was trying to read quietly so I wouldn't disturb anyone.

I read softly to my daughter the story of that Christmas pageant and the unlikely Herdman family who take part. When I got to the scene where the Herdman boys bring a ham for the baby Jesus, because they think it's a more practical present than frankincense, something really quite magical happened.

The other people in the waiting room began chuckling.

I hadn't realized that the whole room had been listening to me read. Some of those people probably hadn't heard a children's book in a long time, but it united us all in that moment and brought joy to every one of us--even the receptionist was smiling. I didn't try to be quiet after that. I read loud enough that everyone could hear.

Years later, I spoke at a conference with Barbara Robinson and I went down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, and Barbara Robinson was sitting by herself at a table. She called me over to sit with her, and after we chatted for a few minutes, I wondered if I should tell her the story.

I hesitated because maybe she heard that kind of story so often and would like to just have a simple breakfast and not be in "author mode" for awhile. And I didn't know if I could tell it to her without any tears.

But she was warm and kind, and the thought crossed my mind that I would feel regret if I didn't. "I have a story to tell you about The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," I said. "I know you must hear stories like this all the time, but this is my story for you."

When I finished and looked up at her, she had tears in her eyes , too. I can't imagine what the businessmen at the next table must've thought of us teary together first thing in the morning, but truly, I didn't care.

Every now and then we get to matter in the life of a stranger. Barbara Robinson mattered in mine.

East Boothbay, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

Yesterday, my daughter, her friend, and I went to Boothbay Harbor, Maine on a whale watch. I didn't get any great photos of the whales, but they were amazing! We saw Minke and Fin whales, and we also saw lots of seals and porpoises and sea birds.

1. My two bunnies, Blueberry and Muffin, are so attached to each other. It makes me smile.

2. My daughter and a friend from graduate school are coming home today. We're going on a whale watch tomorrow. I hope we see some whales!

3. I saw my editors this week. It was utterly delightful to spend time with them both. I'm really lucky that I get to work with such talented, nice people.

4. We've had weeks of rain here in Maine, but now the sun is out. My garden looks like a small jungle.

5. Thank you to the Wyoming Library Association for sending the Buckaroo Book Award for Hot Rod Hamster. The award is a set of Wyoming bookends. I have one and Derek Anderson has the other.

Harpswell, Maine. Photo by my husband, John

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Dr. Holly from the TV show "Dance Moms" has a recommended summer reading list, and her daughter, Nia, is holding RULES!  I've seen that show, so that's pretty high on the awesomeness scale.  Here's her full list.

Happy 21st Birthday to my son, the heart of my heart, who teaches me every day about love, patience, joy, who never pretends he's happy when he isn't, who isn't ever afraid to be himself, and who has pushed me to grow more than any other person.

My sweet boy, you have made my world so much bigger by sharing your own world with me.

My husband took this photo and it made me smile. He titled it, "Just act normal and don't go over the speed limit."

John once said to me about photography that choosing what you cut out of the frame is as important as what you leave in. It's something that I've thought a lot about ever since.

What you don't see is that to the left of the frame is a swing bridge and the cars are waiting for the bridge to return to its driving position. The person who was driving got out of his truck while he waited for the bridge, and the dog hopped over into his seat.

But, by choosing what to leave in and what to cut out, John told a different story.