BORN TO FLY

Book trailer for BORN TO FLY

2011-12-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

A student at an international school in Japan created this cool book trailer for BORN TO FLY.

Check it out.

Born to fly Book Trailer from Labrarian Laleman on Vimeo.

She also did a video book review on this page.

Born to fly Student Review from Labrarian Laleman on Vimeo.

Born to Fly is one of the books nominated for the Sakura Medal, a book award started by a network of international schools across Japan. Books in a number of different categories (chapter books, YA, picture books, etc.) are nominated by librarians and then the winners are chosen by student readers.

New BORN TO FLY Review on Next Best Book

2011-11-28T06:26:00.000-08:00

There's a nice review of BORN TO FLY on The Next Best Book blog

Pre-Air Show Party at the International Women's Air and Space Museum

2011-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Did you know that in 1961, thirteen women pilots underwent secret astronaut testing, passing the samephysical tests as the men of the Mercury 7? The "Mercury 13" hoped to become America’s first female astronauts (though they never got the chance).

I learned about the Mercury 13 when I had the privilege of attending the annual Labor Day Pre-Air Show Party and Wine Tasting at the International Women's Air and Space Museum. There was a lot of great food, delicious wine from around the world, and wonderful exhibits about women in aviation.

Guess who?

A number of the guests dressed up in period costumes as pilots, mechanics, 20s era flappers, and baseball players.

I had a great time getting to know my fellow author, Claudia Taller who has written a fascinating book on Ohio wineries (did you know Ohio used to be the number one wine-producing state in the country?)

Here's the flight suit worn by, Harriet Quimby, the first woman pilot licensed in the U.S. who crossed the English Channel.

If you've never been to the International Women's Air and Space Museum, you should check it out. Thanks to Museum manager Heather Alexander for inviting me.

Memorial Day trip and visit to The Hill School

2011-06-03T04:20:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I travelled to Middleburg, Virginia to visit The Hill School during their spring book fair to talk about writing and my book, BORN TO FLY.

Along the way I was passing a cemetery with civil war headstones and though I was running late, I couldn't help but stop and pay my respects on our nation's Memorial Day holiday.

I enjoyed these cozy accomodations...

...and had a great visit at the beautiful Hill School.

The students had great questions and were so enthusiastic.

They made this great display for my visit and the 6th grade even read me some of their stories which were very imaginative and fun.

The 5th graders in Mr. Daum's class had recently done storyboard posters for book reports.

Two of the students had even made poster storyboards for Born to Fly!

It was great to hear all the nice things they had to say about the story.

Here I am with Jack Tyler and Taylor Justice and their poster storyboards.

It was very cool to see their visualizations of the story.

Like a page from a giant comic book version of my book!

Young Author's Night at Menlo Park Academy

2011-05-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I ran a writing workshop for some young writers at Menlo Park Academy where Tammi Belko teaches (Tammi is in my writing group).

Last night Tammi read from some of their finished books, and parents and family (along with myself and writer/illustrator Deborah Perez-Stable) got to see what they had produced over the last month.

These are some examples of the fun and imaginative work these future authors created!

(pictured on this page :The Day I Found Out My Sister Was a Vampire by Katie Munro,

French Fries That Talk by Sathya Sundaram, and White by Olivia Wenzel)

Book Dads review: Born to Fly

2011-05-16T08:59:00.001-07:00

I found a great site for Dads who like to read to their kids called Book Dads.

They read a copy of Born to Fly and really "got it". Here's their review by Chris Singer.

BORN TO FLY book discussion at Avon Lake Library

2011-03-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Had a blast with the book discussion group at Avon Lake Library last night.

I showed a little video of what it looks like to fly a real P-40 and then we dove into the book. The kids had so many great insights and comments, I felt like they knew the book better than me!

Not only were they a group of great readers, but many were also working on their own stories for the young authors program so it was like conversing with a junior version of my writers group.

Afterward, librarian Miss Sally passed around cookies and the kids all got to color and take home their very own wood model airplanes.

Thanks to everyone who came, and to Avon Lake Library for making it a fun night (even with the snowstorm outside).

Don't put away that snow shovel just yet...

2011-03-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

This is the view out my back door today, two days before the start of baseball season.

BORN TO FLY interview and book giveaway at Literary Rambles

2011-03-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

I did a fun online interview today with Casey McCormick at Literary Rambles, a great site about navigating the world of children's book publishing. Casey had lots of great questions and her site is aptly named 'cause I think I might have rambled on a bit myself.

She's also giving away a signed copy of BORN TO FLY. All you need to do is leave a comment in the comments section and you're entered to win.

BORN TO FLY nominated for the 2012 Grand Canyon Reader Award

2011-03-18T09:56:00.001-07:00

I was excited to learn that BORN TO FLY has been nominated for the 2012 Grand Canyon Reader Award in the Intermediate Fiction category.

The Grand Canyon Reader Award is a reader award program for students in Arizona. Students vote annually on their favorite book in the following categories: Picture, Non-Fiction, Intermediate, Tween and Teen. One of my favorite writers, Gordon Korman was a double category winner in 2010 so I feel quite humbled to be nominated.

A big thank you to all the Arizona students who read and nominated the book.

Here is a list of the wonderful books nominated in my category:

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass (2009)

Born To Fly by Michael Ferrari (2009)

Closed For the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (2009)

Dying To Meet You by Kate Klise (2009)

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements (2009)

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle: and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino (2009)

A Nest For Celeste: A Story about Art, Inspiration, And The Meaning of Home by Henry Cole (2010)

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz (2010)

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell (2009)

Star in the Forest by Laura Resau (2010)

BORN TO FLY book discussion at Avon Lake Library

2011-03-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

My local library is hosting a Born to Fly book discussion on Wednesday March 30th from 7-8 PM.

I will answer questions about the book or writing or about my snowball-catching dog Trixie. There will be a fun craft (I think you get to build a toy airplane) and I'm told it will all be topped off with some kind of a treat. Sounds like fun.

BORN TO FLY out in paperback tomorrow!

2011-03-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

Here's the first look at the paperback version of Born to Fly which arrived from my publisher a couple days ago! Goes on sale tomorrow, March 8th, 2011. Thanks to my daughter Clarissa for modeling and smiling.

BORN TO FLY picked as book of the week by the Middle Grade Ninja

2010-10-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Middle Grade Ninja, Robert Kent for picking BORN TO FLY as his Book of the Week. He interviewed me and had a lot of nice things to say about Born to Fly in his review.

Robert runs a great site focused on middle grade books, with lots of interviews and reviews and great writing tips as well.

The thing I like about Robert's reviews is that he always digs up good examples from the books to reinforce his points. He'll highlight a line of dialogue or a piece of action and then explain why he thinks it works. He really does his homework. Check it out.

Check out my friend Greg Neri’s new book YUMMY

2010-08-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

My good friend Greg Neri has written a powerful new book called YUMMY.

It's based on a true life tragic story which Greg had originally wanted to turn into a film but instead it wound up being his first graphic novel. Greg and I met years ago when we both worked for a Hollywood movie trailer company. He is the author of CHESS RUMBLE and SURF MULES and his new book has been gathering a number of starred reviews which is no surprise since it's a very strong piece of writing paired with dynamic artwork from Randy Duburke.

Greg normally resides in Florida but is spending the next year in Germany and I believe he said on his homepage that he would do a free skype visit to any schools who read Yummy in class.

BORN TO FLY paperback arrives March 8, 2011

2010-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Recently got the word, BORN TO FLY is coming out in paperback March 8, 2011!

Born to Fly radio interview on Writers Talk show

2010-04-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

This Friday, April 30 I will be doing a school visit at Tussing Elementary in Columbus, Ohio.

I will also do an interview with the Writers Talk radio show.

The radio shows are scheduled to air Monday May 10 (7pm on WCRS) and Wednesday May 12 (8pm on
WCBE. The broadcast info is here:

BORN TO FLY one of the 12 Best Middle Grade Fiction Books of 2009

2010-01-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

BORN TO FLY was picked by Semicolon as one of the 12 best middle grade fiction books of 2009!

BORN TO FLY review in November Horn Book Magazine

2009-11-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Michael Ferrari’s Born to Fly is a rousingly old-fashioned war-at-home story in which two children, Bird and her Japanese American friend Kenji, become convinced there is a spy in their small Rhode Island town. Young readers will take great satisfaction in learning that this far-fetched proposition is in fact true. Good detailing of characters and setting prevents the story from going too far over the top. (9–12 years)

-From this month's Horn Book Magazine

BORN TO FLY reading at Barnes and Noble

2009-11-24T11:27:00.000-08:00

In conjunction with the Ruffing Montessori School book fair (thanks to my friend Vince O'Keefe), I will be doing a reading from BORN TO FLY at the Barnes and Noble bookstore at Crocker Park, Westlake, Ohio, Thursday, December 10, at 6:30 PM.

New BORN TO FLY review

2009-11-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

Here's a new review of BORN TO FLY from BOOK NUT

"...it's a story with not only a strong female character, but a middle grade one who makes things happen. Sure, it's unbelievable that she would actually get to fly a P-40 plane, but by the end, who cares? Bird is awesome. Bird makes things happen. Bird -- in spite of, or perhaps because of, her faults, and insecurities -- rocks. She's inspiring."

Library examiner.com article on BORN TO FLY

2009-10-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Right on the heels of "Amelia", the upcoming film on Amelia Earhart starring Hilary Swank, check out this fun and very informative four-part series of articles about girls, both fictional and real, seeking adventure in the sky.

Part I focuses on BORN TO FLY.
Parts II-IV profile, Bessie Smith, Amelia Earhart and the book “The Girl Who Could Fly”.

Make Your Own P-40 Warhawk!

2009-10-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

Now you can learn to make your own P-40 Warhawk out of paper or cardboard!
Click this link to get a color PDF printout and full instructions.

BORN TO FLY interview

2009-10-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

Writer Sherrie Peterson interviewed me for her blog, WRITE ABOUT NOW.

She had lots of great questions and you can read the interview here:

Wonderful new BORN TO FLY review from FABULOUS READS

2009-10-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

BORN TO FLY was given a glowing review from FABULOUS READS.com.

BORN TO FLY review from Education Oasis

2009-10-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

Education Oasis is a great site created by (and for) teachers and parents who are passionate about the power of education, and the potential of every child to learn, regardless of his or her circumstances.

They had a lot of nice things to say about BORN TO FLY and even “classroom-tested” it.

Read the review it HERE.

ACPL Mock Newbery: Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari

2009-09-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

ACPL Mock Newbery: Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari

Interview with CAROLINA HARMONY author Marilyn Taylor McDowell

2009-08-06T07:25:00.001-07:00

Here's a podcast interview of 20 fun questions which I did with Carolina Harmony author Marilyn Taylor McDowell while we were both at the Highlights workshop in Chautauqua. (click link to right of book cover)

20 Questions with Carolina Harmony author Marilyn Taylor McDowell

(I'm just posting a link to the podcast on my website because I'm too busy...naw, let's face it, I'm just too lazy to figure out how to put a podcast up here.

Born to Fly Book Launch

2009-07-31T20:32:00.001-07:00

I know it was kind of backwards, but due to the fact I was in NY when my book came out, my book launch party wasn't scheduled 'til two weeks later. Then the bookseller for the party asked to have a signing at the store and so I ended up having a signing first, and the launch party 2nd.

Anyway, it all went well. My mom with the help of my wife, organized the whole shindig and my godfather my uncle mikey was kind enough to host it at party room in the development where he lives.

Mom and my wife Pattie got the food, flowers, decorated the tables with a WWII aviation theme and it was just great. Thanks to my cousins Lisa and Christine and their families helping set up everything, we started on time.

I had matching Born to Fly shirts printed up for my family which I thought were gonna be corny but turned out pretty cool. I used the defunct original book cover art since I didn't have a textless artwork file of the new cover and I wanted to put the title on the back of the shirt.

The bookseller from Barnes and Noble arrived and what do you know but she turns out to be my high school librarian from years ago. The world grows, but as you age it just keeps getting smaller.

A number of old friends showed up and I was hoping to talk with them, but I ended up signing books, pretty much straight through for 3 hours. Barnes and Noble said we sold 83 books which they said was good. What do I know?

Next week it's off to Indiana for another book party and book signing in Carmel/Westfield.

Great new review from Kidsreads.com

2009-07-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

I've been waylaid all week and meaning to put up some pictures from our book launch party, but I had to post this review first because it was such a shot in the arm:

FROM Kidsreads.com 7/31/09

I knew BORN TO FLY was going to be special right from the first sentence. The heart of the story centers on a sixth grader who has a fiery spirit and a unique spark for life. She struggles to be true to herself when society dictates a different path. Michael Ferrari tackles some difficult themes in his debut novel, including tolerance, bigotry, courage and honor, and does so with honesty and sincerity, allowing the reader to share Bird’s challenges right alongside her. He also has a gift for words that carries his audience through the pages with excitement, adventure and even a bit of guidance.

“…Only I’d let him down. Betrayed him. All because I was scared. Of what? Something bad happening? It already had. Fear was always getting in the way, always stopping you from doing the really great stuff, the real important stuff. I was sick of it. What was it Dad had told me? The only one I needed to believe in me was me…”

This is an amazing, heart-touching story, and readers will look forward to more books from this talented newcomer.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT, THE BLACK POND and GHOSTS OF THE UPPER PENINSULA

Here's the whole review at: Kidsreads.com

The pleasures of living in a small(er) town

2009-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Because my book happened to come out while I was away from home, I wasn't able to do much local promotion, but my local paper The Avon Lake Press did manage to do a phone interview with me and write a nice article (on very short advance notice).

As a result of the article, last week I got this letter from the mayor saying my town was "proud of me."

Now, when I was younger and dying to get out of my hometown, I probably would have considered this kind of corny. But today, I have to admit I rather enjoyed it. I couldn't imagine getting one of these from the mayor of Los Angeles (had the book come out while I lived out there). I guess that's one of niceties of living in a small(er) town.

1st Booksigning

2009-07-24T04:47:00.000-07:00

I had my first booksigning at my local Barnes and Noble. It was a kick to see the sign with my name on it when you enter the vestibule to the store.

A number of writers from my critique group, Westside Kidwriters, were there to show support.

My son was there, and after he watched me signing, he got a little address book from my mom and started writing in it, mimicking me, "daddy I'm writing, too." Made my day.

Arrivederci Chautauqua

2009-07-23T04:47:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about why it's taken me a week to write this final post about the Highlights workshop, and I'm wondering if maybe it's not some unconscious defense mechanism to prevent it from ending, to avoid acknowledging it's over out of fear that admitting it's done might bring an end to the wonderful inspiration and excitement about writing/the fellowship of children's writers that we felt all week?

Anyway, the last day of the workshop, effectively was Friday the 17th. I sat in on Patti Gauch's session on the fantasy genre, Alvina Ling spoke about what an editor's day is like, and Larry Pringle discussed interviewing techniques. After that, myself and several others were asked to give "parting shots", share some of what we learned or was most memorable for the week. I hate speaking in front of crowds and was quite nervous. But I got through it, thanking several of the people I'd met who had been so supportive and friendly and sharing a small part of my wonderful conversation with Clay Winters on Tuesday night.

Friday night was the closing banquet. (here's I am with my fellow ladywriters of Vera house). At the banquet I got to share a table with the ever gracious Jerry and Eileen Spinelli. Jerry shared some of the Hollywood trials and tribulations of trying to get Stargirl made into a movie (with Paul Feig hopefully directing and adapting the script). I had a wonderful conversation with the Spinelli's guests, Miles and Elmore Demott from Montgomery Alabama. They had so many great ideas on how to market my book, I could have talked with them for hours.

Since this was the workshop's 25th anniversary, there was a special tribute to the founder, Kent Brown, which was very touching. At the end they presented him with a big check raised from friends.

Saturday I packed my bags and had one last, great farewell breakfast with another group of writers I'd not met yet (I think out of the 106 attendees, I met and spoke with about 65). Afterward, I guess my car didn't want it to end either. When I got to the parking lot, it wouldn't start. I had to get a jump from security and then I was on my way.

I arrived in Ohio just in time to meet my wife and daughter at the urgent care center for a replay of Faces of Death part 6, as in, my younger daughter had gotten whacked by the wheelchair swing at the playground and had to get 6 stitches in her ankle.
And with that I was forced to say, Arrivederci Chautauqua! Hello real world.

Good Enough is Good Enough (or even better)

2009-07-17T04:04:00.000-07:00

My greatest cheerleader (after my wife and mom) has been by amazingly multi-talented friend Paula Yoo (novelist, screenwriter, picture book writer, rock violinist -- I know, it's sickening, she makes us all look like slackers). Anyway, I have been horribly remiss in not mentioning the fact that her hilarious and moving debut novel GOOD ENOUGH recently won an Honorable Mention Award in the Youth Literature category for the fourth annual Asian Pacific American Librarians Association at the ALA convention. And she has a gorgeous brand new non-fiction picture book Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story about the first Chinese American movie star, Anna May Wong and her underdog struggle and triumph.

2009-07-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

Sunrise, day 6 in Chautauqua. My 6 books all were sold from the bookstore. I even wrote my first two autographs in my books to fellow attendees (Donna Jo Napoli gave me a quick lesson in how and where to autograph the correct way!)

After dinner we had a fundraising auction. Original artwork, signed books, hand made wool shawls and stuff were donated by writers and then auctioned off. The top moneymaker? Writer Candy Fleming gave out a picture book consultation where she promised to work with the writer until it's ready to submit to her editor, Anne Schwartz. That was bought for...$3,800! Two people were bidding on it and no one could believe it got that high.

Here I am with my faculty advisor, editor Alvina Ling of Little, Brown after the auction.

Great New review from School Library Journal

2009-07-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

FERRARI, Michael. Born to Fly. 224p. Delacorte. 2009. Tr $15.99.

Gr 4-7–Bird McGill regards her dad as her best friend. He takes her up in the planes he repairs and lets her take the controls, and he encourages her dream of becoming a pilot. But a special bulletin disrupts her 11th-birthday afternoon: Japan has attacked the military base in Pearl Harbor , and Bird’s world is turned upside down. During the next few months, the local airstrip is turned into a military flight school, and her dad is shipped overseas. When a Japanese-American boy joins Bird’s class that spring, he is met with distrust. Although his uncle, with whom he is staying, is a longtime resident of Bird’s Rhode Island town, they are both thought to be spies, or at least loyal to Japan . Circumstances compel Kenji and Bird to join forces one day to escape Farley, a class bully, and in the process they stumble on evidence of an enemy submarine in the area. When they attempt to report what they have seen, nobody believes them. Their problems are compounded when Farley’s shiftless father is murdered and the local engine factory is sabotaged: Kenji’s uncle is blamed. Only Bird can clear Uncle Tomo, but the murderer has threatened to kill her family if she speaks up. Well-developed characters make this story of friendship amid hostilities shine. While the coincidences surrounding the murderer can stretch credulity at times, this action-packed first novel is full of engaging twists and turns, and readers learn about the injustices done to many Japanese Americans during World War II. First-rate historical fiction.–Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools , VA

Books or no books?

2009-07-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

So I go into the bookstore and don't see my book anywhere. But this time I talk to the manager, Earl. He says the computer says 6 copies came in. And one has already been sold. He says he thinks they put them out front on the table with all the Highlights Foundation faculty books. I look around the table. Nothing.

But wait! one of the shoppers had placed her picture books on top of my book. There it is.

Ta da! Five copies in a real store.

I asked a fellow writer, Linda Tomblin to take the picture of me. (I forgot to take off my glasses and it's a little blurry, but it documented the moment).

Later I wrote up 20 questions for a goofy interview of fellow first time Delacorte publish alum Marilyn Taylor McDowell, writer of the well-reviewed novel Carolina Harmony that just came out in March. We met the day before and she is the most genuine person, and gave me some great tips and advice. I'll post the interview as a podcast (if I can figure out how to do it).

Here I am with Marilyn.

At dinner I got to talk quite a bit with Eileen Spinelli which was quite a thrill. She recommended I see Man on Wire at the local theatre. After dinner, Cirque du Soleil was in the amphitheater. I watched a little of that but had seen it several times over the years, so I took Eileen's advice and went to see MAN ON WIRE which was exhilerating and bittersweet.

An unforgettable day

2009-07-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

TUESDAY – D-day

Was up very late last night, fighting with a very weak wifi connection trying to send out email blasts to my friends and family. Got up early, took a walk. Then, couldn’t help myself but ended up at the bookstore (opens at 7) and strolled through, to the kids section under “F”. Nothing.

I looked at the table out front where they have a number of the faculty’s books (which I thought would have been presumptious to look there first). Nothing there either. I’m too self conscious to ask for the manager while I'm in the store, so I go back to my room and email him(Coward! Yeah I know. I save the hero stuff for my books). He responds shortly that he ordered it 7 days ago and should arrive today.

I get a barrage of wonderful emails from all my friends and former colleagues. I even get a job offer to teach a film course at the college where I taught screenwriting last year. Everyone at the Highlights conference is so excited for me. Peter Jacobi comes up and congratulates me, One after another, people come up to congratulate me and wish me well and ask if the book is in the store yet.

I check back in the afternoon… but no. I end the day still waiting to see my book on a bookstore shelf, but that's okay because...

Dinner is a 30 minute busride across the lake to a museum for Roger Tory Peterson who created the field guides for nature study. The food is good, but the best part is I get to sit at a table with Clay Winters, president of Boyds Mills Press, Highlights publishing company. He’s a funny, charming man and raconteur who instantly treats you like you’ve been friends with him for years. A real prince. He tells a great story of how he met Kent Brown, the head of Highlights Magazine and how the two of them started Boyds Mill Press 20 years ago. I share a seat with Clay on the busride back and he shares more wonderful anecdotes about sailing on a yacht with Dr. Seuss, getting a million dollar check tossed back in his face by an arrogant bestselling author, and being brought to tears when his grandson read Go Dog Go aloud for the first time during an elementary school visit. By far this is the highlight of the week.

Fly, Oh Thought, on Golden Wings!

2009-07-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Took a walk out to the bell tower Monday morning and this is what I saw.

Professor/writer Peter Jacobi spoke on the topic of “The Art of Visual Flight, the science of what to aim for”

It was a one hour speech but the massive volume of info and examples he supported it with could have filled a weeks worth of college classes. He began by playing a recording of a Verdi opera about Nebudchanezzar which he said became for the Italian people their “Battle Hymn of the Republic” or their emotional “Dixie”. "When Verdi died people took to the streets, 300,000 gathered for his funeral." It was a soaring piece of music that began slow and rose to great heights. Peter translated the chorus:“Fly oh thought, on golden wings” and this was something he repeated throughout his talk. "As creators (writers/illustrators) we become fliers. There is no license needed… but urgency, desire IS needed. Let your thoughts fly on golden wings!" (I will devote a whole post about Peter's talk at a later date).

Had a great lunch where I got to chat with author Andy Gutelle.

He joked how Highlights will take full credit for BORN TO FLY getting published. It'll be their quickest success story ever. "He came on Saturday and by Tuesday he was published."

Editor and author and ball of fire Patti Lee Gauch's call to arms was "use all your marbles!" (tricks, toys, tools at your disposal). Light your scenes. You are the director/set designer/art director of your story. Everything you do should complement wha the scen is about, or what is happening. Is it scary? Quiet? Soft? Harsh? Blue? Purple? Yellow? Grey?

Here I am between Patti on the left and the wonderful and funny Ecuadorean children's author Edna Iturralde on the right.

Donna Jo Napoli talked on creating characters, and I figured out she really has this-Sally Field-Places in the Heart-thing going on. From her soft, and measured cadence of her voice down to her curly hair and apple cheek smile. At first, you think you're getting the quiet Singing Nun but then she spouts some hilarious, frank bit of fearless wisdom and out comes Norma Rae (or Edna Spaulding if you know Places in the Heart).

Some good stuff she said: Give your characters injuries and scars. "Injuries and scars have stories behind them-- ones we want to tell and ones we don't." Introduce their weakness with an incident so we see how it affects them. Finally, as a stay at home dad (sometimes part time professor) it was great to hear her address the question: As a parent who raised her children and wrote, how did you do all the things you needed to to? Her answer? "Badly. If the woman across the street makes a beautiful Halloween costume for her kid, good for her. Your kid can wear the sheet again. You don't have to do everything well." Hilarious.

We had a great group of writers at our table for dinner. Here's a photo: L-R: Debbi Antebi, Jackie Hesse, Holly Anderson, Harold Underdown, Tracy Cretelle, Charles Trevino, Melissa Long, and me.

And we took a group shot of all the attendees from Ohio (along with Christine the editor in chief of Highlights). L-R: Me, Vickie Williams, Christine French Clark, Greg Orosz, Rinda Beach (from Neil Armstrong's hometown of Wapakoneta!), and Yolanda Szuch.

(Tomorrow is publishing day!)

(note: this post was written Monday July 13, but took forever to upload pix and post)

Great new review from Publishers Weekly

2009-07-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

BORN TO FLY just got a wonderful review from Publisher's Weekly today http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6670066.html?industryid=47159

Ferrari's novel, which won the Delacorte Yearling Prize for debut middle-grade authors, takes readers on a high-flying, nail-biting historical adventure that is uplifting and just good fun. Set during WWII in a sleepy Rhode Island town, Ferrari's story is narrated by an imaginative preteen girl whose nothing-can-stop-me attitude will appeal to readers of both sexes. Sixth-grader Bird McGill loves flying airplanes with her dad. But when he joins the war effort, Bird feels like she's lost her only ally. Then Kenji, a guarded Japanese boy, shows up in her class. As he becomes an even bigger outcast and bully-target than her (“Why don't you go home to Japland,” sneers a classmate), Bird reluctantly befriends him. Together, Bird and Kenji stumble upon suspicious activity in their hometown and vow to unravel the mystery. Ferrari weaves in period details, but wisely keeps the focus on the duo's antics and fragile, budding friendship. As danger grows, so does their trust in and reliance on each other. Readers will be anxious to learn the fate of these two daring kids and the spy they are determined to derail. Ages 8–12. (July)

One more day to publication!

Sunday BBQ

2009-07-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

Woke up 5 AM this morning for some reason, so I did some reading then took a look-see around Chautauqua to test drive the new digital camera.

Met more friendly fellow writers over brunch and after an hour and a half fighting my intermittent wifi connection/trying to post, I gave up and caught the bus to the BBQ out at Highlights chairman Kent Brown's brother Garry's house.

At the BBQ, husband and wife authors Eileen and Jerry Spinelli interviewed each other. Some highlights: Jerry:Write about what you care about. Readers respond to what touches them. If it doesn't touch you, it won't touch them.
Write down 10 things you care about. You'll get 10 ideas for books.
Your memory is like an orange. You just squeeze it to get the juice.
Ideas are like mosquitoes. They bite you.
Eileen: I grew up years ago, before they'd heard of this thing called "self-esteem".
Her 2nd grade teacher Miss Campbell assigned a "food story", Eileen was convinced the teacher would love her story of a prince and princess eating her favorite foods like mac and cheese, etc. The teacher announces she's gonna read two; the best and worst stories...Miss Campell announces Eileen's as the worst.

"I've been writing ever since... bring on the rejection. I can take it" (spoken just like the fearless character "Stargirl", who Jerry modeled after her)

Finally, The best part of writing? Jerry: Getting a check is good, but...
getting a letter from a teacher in Georgia, who was reading your story to her class before lunch, and had to stop, but the kids protested to the point they skipped lunch to let her finish -- that's better than the check.

Here I am with Mr. Spinelli.

And we end the day with a gorgeous sunset sky over Chautauqua.

On the Road (to Chautauqua)

2009-07-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

After some minor fiascos trying to get a suitable digital camera to post pictures on this blog while I'm at the Highlights workshop (1st camera wasn't Mac compatible though the guy said it would be, 2nd one had rechargable battery that needed 5 hours to charge before use)

I finally arrived in a rainstorm yesterday (Sat.) afternoon.

Judy Burke managing editor for Highlights magazine gave me a quick orientation, then I unpacked at my quaint boarding house, The Vera.

Next door is the stately Athenaeum Hotel where we had our opening night banquet.

It was pretty hot and humid in the Athenaeum dining room but the food was delicious: shrimp and crab appetizers, raspberry vinagrete salad, roast beef and salmon over rice, and cheesecake.

I was fortunate to sit at a table with the guest speaker, Donna Jo Napoli and her charming husband Barry, a law professor who doubles as Donna Jo's agent. (FYI Donna Jo is much prettier in person than this photo from the internet).

Ms. Napoli's speech was inspiring and entertaining. Her soft-spoken manner fooled you into thinking she was a softee. Until she broke-up the crowd with an anecdote about how she would drop on the floor and cry whenever she received one of her countless rejection letters (during the 14 years she was trying to get published) only to be encouraged by her young son who patted her and said, "Those ***holes." Donna Jo says, "Go ahead and cry, BUT you must get up and come back for more."

She began with a great quote from Richard Peck (who wrote the wonderful A Long Way From Chicago) who said: "We write by the light of every story we ever read"

Then Ms. Napoli advised, "You must have have big ears and thick skin." Listen to all your readers (even if it's something you don't want to hear). The reader is never wrong. He is sometimes stupid, but if the reader thinks your hero is 14 and he's actually 10, you need to figure out what made the reader think that and fix it. She reminded everyone that no one is going to publish you because "they want to be nice to you". It's a business. They want to make money.

Finally she stressed the point that Art is hard work. It doesn't flow out of anyone without incredible effort and discipline and craft. Nothing of value -- art, a house, etc. -- is created without hard work.

(Countdown: Only two days until my book hits bookstores!)

Countdown: One week to go

2009-07-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday, one week until my first book, BORN TO FLY is published by Delacorte Yearling on July 14th, 2009.

I'm filled with a lethal mix of excitement and trepidation. Will the book actually arrive in stores? Will my publisher go out of business at the last minute, a victim of bad real estate investments and the internet? Will they tell me there's no money to pay their air conditioning bills and they had to burn my books for fuel?

It didn't help that I got a call last week from the local Barnes & Noble (where I'm having my first --and so far, only-- booksigning) and they asked ME whether the books will arrive on time for the publish date. "Geez, I hope so," I told them. But I haven't a clue. I've never done this before (why are they asking me? I was hoping one of us had some experience with this kind of thing).

Anyway, I'm too busy trying to get the kids to swim meets, and packed off to Grandma's for a week in Indiana before I have the amazing privilege of attending the Highlights Foundation Children's Writers Workshop in beautiful Chautauqua, NY. I've even convinced myself it's a good thing I'm not home for the publish date. Since my book comes out while I'm at the workshop, I won't get the thrill of seeing it on shelves on the publish date, but I also won't have to worry about whether it makes it there on time either. Que sera, sera.

Actually, I should be working on a new chapter for my next book, but instead, at the urging of a more experienced writer friend, I decided to take a crack at this blogging thing. Hopefully I'll have enough of a rudimentary understanding that I'll be able to post from the workshop. (must remember to get a new digital camera by Friday).