We had boxes of these in my house growing up. Do you know what it is? It’s a toothpaste tube roller. My Great Uncle Albert made them—hundreds of them actually. He invented them. I remember going to Uncle Charlie’s inventors’ shop once when I was little. My eyes were just high enough to peer down … More Innovation
“Why don’t you blog about it?” That was a common joke between my husband and me, long before my friend Geraldine (a.k.a. The Everywhereist) encouraged me to embark on this endeavor. I thought back then (and often still do), that many blogs take themselves too seriously. Let’s face it: blogging is not exemplary journalism, literary excellence, … More Why Blog?
In honor of Children’s Book Week, here are 87 great kids’ books. (That should help keep your minions busy this summer.) Bookmark it, load up your library queue, or head to your local bookstore to pick up a few for someone special. Most of these are for younger kids, but if you scroll down to … More Kids’ Books
Once upon a time, there was a hero. (S)he lived in a world where things weren’t perfect, but they were livable. Then something happened to change all that. At first (s)he denied it. Then someone convinced the hero otherwise. (S)he set off to do something. Things challenged the hero along the way. Eventually, (s)he got … More Story
When I worked at Cranium, I learned a lot about Dr. Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory. It stressed that there are multiple ways to be “smart,” beyond standardized tests for verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematic skills. Gardner demonstrated that humans actually have eight intelligences:
Sometimes you just need a little soul food, a breadcrumb from the universe, a taste of that dream ever waiting beyond the bend. Sunday I enjoyed some much-needed soul food at the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators conference—along with these tasty morsels of encouragement. May they help feed your dream, too.
Moms, why is it so hard to invest in ourselves? Is it parental guilt? A relic notion of “modesty”? A societally ingrained notion of selfishness? Why, even in situations when the return on investment is quite obvious, does this feel so uncomfortable? For instance, this weekend there’s a kids’ book conference, and I dilly dallied … More Return on Investment
Names. They’re one of the first big decisions you have to make as a parent. They’re also a big decision in business. So, what’s in a name? In essence, it’s an inkling of who you are or what you offer. The same holds true for your business name, product name, or even your title. What … More What’s in a Name?
Love poetry? Hate it? Don’t get it? Now’s the perfect time to give it fresh look. It’s National Poetry Month! Here are a few quick ideas for anyone: readers, teachers, parents, kids, writers, and even the “I’m not really a writer” word dabblers (you know who you are). Read Want to join my “poetry club”? … More National Poetry Month
What do you think of when you hear “Comicon”? I’m guessing your top 3 would likely include comic books, nerd herds, and costumes. Excuse me, epic costumes. That’s what I thought three years ago. Then I attended one for the first time. Now my top 3 would be inspiration, imagination, and motivation. Why? Because of the … More Top 3: Inspiring Tales from the Con
My Castle Heart Publications 