Author Archives: John McCarthy

Writers’ Commitments for 2016 – What’s yours?

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As of this post, 2016 launches a time of reflection, renewal and growth. Last year I posted Writing Commitments for 2015: What’s yours?. These were not resolutions of possibilities or “maybes.” The post was to lay out the end in mind that I could work towards, and to invite other writers to do the same.

So how did I do?

  1. I will read at least 10 books across genres that I like to write about: Education, Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult. I’ll write a review on Goodreads or Amazon or on this blog.
    I did read over 10 books in these genres that I like. BUT, I did not post them all.
  2. I will learn writing techniques from the writing styles of at least 3 authors from reading their work, which I’ll share during the Deadwood Writers’ study sessions.

There were some interesting tips and tools for author’s craft that I’ve explored.
1) Using narrative or conversational voice in nonfiction
Numerous articles on Edutopia modeled rich voices for making instructional topics inviting.

2) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Heroes Die by Matthew Stover illustrated to me the importance of a strong start. I enjoyed immensely both novels only because I pushed through the opening chapters. How many readers give up early because of the slow start of each of these stories? It’s a stark reminder for writing of all lengths.

3) Character development is critical. Several authors like Bernard Cornwell and Jim Butcher create amazing stories that I remember because of the characters. A good cast of characters can make for a compelling story.

3.  I will create a detailed outline and chapters for an Education book on Differentiated Instruction for the 21st + Century — to be shared with 3 writer colleagues for feedback.

With hard work and some luck, I have secured a book contract! I’m in the process of writing So All Can Learn: A Practical Guide to Differentiation for Rowan & Littlefield. My deadline is later this year. I hope to see it in print either by the end of 2016 or the start of 2017. Stay tuned.

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Here are my three commitments, plus those shared by other Deadwood Writers, for 2016.

  1. Complete the book So All Can Learn: A Practical Guide to Differentiation in 2016, for publication by the end of this year or the beginning of 2017.
  2. Write articles for three major education publications, which will be linked to here.
  3. Read at least 10 books across genres that I like to write about: Education, Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult.

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Wendi Knape

  1. Define parameters and implement plan for self-publishing A New Life, my paranormal romance. My goal is the end of 2016.
  2. Continue to develop and write the Hot Blacktop series.
  3. Balance all the above with my new job and family.

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Sue Remisiewicz

  1. I will build my inventory of stories that are ready to submit to contests or for publication.
  2. I will regularly bring installments of my “Road Rally” story to the group for feedback.
  3. I will work to complete my Murder in Sight book.

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Cassandra
  1. Participate in the group either online or in person when possible.
  2. Write at least one article a month for bulletin and/or blog.
  3. Submit at least two stories for publication.

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Barbara Pattee

  1. I will read three books on the Civil War to facilitate the research for my historical novel.
  2. I will write for a minimum of five hours per week.
  3. I will present three more chapters of my historical fiction to Dead Wood Writers for comments.

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Karen Kittrell

  1. Attend writers’ conference. Sign up to pitch manuscripts collecting dust on shelf.
  2. Finish editing for publication at least one manuscript.
  3. Write monthly article for the Deadwood Writers Voices blog.
  4. Write three 500 word flash fiction, one 1500 word story and one 3000 word story.
  5. Submit to at least six journals or contests.
  6. Outline non-fiction.
  7. Read six craft books and six works of distinction.
  8. Continue monthly study of short stories.

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Kelly Bixby

  1. I will devote at least one day a week to no other writing than my work in progress.
  2. At the end of every quarter, I will share my work product with another writer for feedback.
  3. I will study at least one book in the same genre as mine.

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Jeanette

  1. I will finish my story, Tangled Web.
  2. I will read a book on blog writing.
  3. I will set aside more time for writing and stop procrastinating.
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How did you do with your commitments?

For 2016 commitments, what are 1 to 3 concrete steps that you will take to improve yourself as a writer. Be specific and concrete–something you can track or measure.

 

Please post in the comments below either your responses or link to your responses.

 

Giving…Thanks…

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On Thanksgiving morning, I rose early on a rainy and cold day for a 5k race. My daughter arranges the volunteering that she and I do for several years. We’ve run in road races, but during warmer seasons.

Each year, we’re assigned a spot on the running route to give our water or point runners towards a turn. It’s two hours of standing in the cold, yet the time flies. As runners pass, we shout encouragement:

“Good job!”

“Great running!”

“You’re doing great!”

“Way to go!”

“You can do it!”

Many runners pass by, without seeming to hear. But I know that they do, having been in their running shoes. When running in these events, it means a lot to me to hear people calling out encouragement. Strangers who I don’t know, and who may very well not be shouting to me—it does not matter. I am energized and appreciative. So I call out encouragement even when it seems that I’m talking to myself. I believe that the runners hunger for it. Some runners grunt acknowledgement, something that I do, and others do express gratitude.

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The last third of the participants walk the course. We cheer them with just as much enthusiasm as for the frontrunners. There is no judgment or value placed on pacing. They are all outside on a cold and rainy day—participating.

This event reminds me of the value of giving thanks, not just at a race or when we gather later with our families to celebrate Thanksgiving. Showing appreciation is a simple act that represents the act of giving of ourselves to others.

December is a time of giving. Cynics would say that it’s a time of spending money and shopping for stuff. They might go further to say that December is the opposite of giving. These cynics are right. Unless…

We can choose to act with recognition of the opportunities to show appreciation through our interactions. For example, thanking a sales clerk when they complete a sale for us shows appreciation of their efforts. If you are working with a customer, saying thanks or have a great day—matters. Even knowing that such responses are most likely the result of store training, it’s still nice to hear. So lets all do our part.

Saying “thank you” is a gift of giving, as are other expressions of appreciation and encouragement. Let’s embrace this season to give thanks everyday to someone. Such practice for 31 days could engrain such actions into our normal practice that it extends into the new year. That’s a gift worth giving.

 

Lesson learned about Airport Security

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Going through airport security through the pre-check line is usually fast and efficient. I typically get through in 5-7 minutes from entering the line to leaving for the gate, although Atlanta and Washington Dulles take longer. For those unfamiliar with this great deal, pre-check passengers have gone through a rigorous background check. The result is that they go through a separate security line that is typically shorter. Shoes and belt stay on. You can even wear a light jacket or sweatshirt. Wallet stays in your pocket. Only phone, electronics, and anything metal still needs to go through the scanner. Laptops stay in the carry-on. The result promises to be a fast walkthrough.

Unless you get beeped walking through the metal detector. That signals one of two things. Typically it means you’re wearing or carrying something metallic, such as in some boots, belts, or jewelry. Or, you forgot to unload one of the prohibited items mentioned previously.

Occasionally the second reason for the beep occurs, which given my travel I’ve had to experience on several occasions: The randomly selected person in the pre-check line has to go through the scanner machine that everyone without pre-check goes through.

In my case during a very recent experience, it meant waiting. And waiting. Aaaaand waiting. The TSA officer at the metal detector had to radio five times for a colleague to come over to take me through the process. I can tell this irritated him, as it did me. Just to be clear, I’m fine with this random selection. It “feels” inconvenient, but in the big picture it’s still faster than going through the regular line, and if it helps with the overall safety of people passing through airports—I’ll live with a little inconvenience.

The problem was that there were several TSA officers in the area who were not scanning or engaged with passengers. They were walking around, perhaps patrolling. By the 4th time the radio request went out, I started to show my irritation.

Rule #1 regarding TSA Security: Follow their instructions.

Rule #2: Do not show impatience, irritation, or any other emotion that may be perceived as negative. Better to take yoga breaths and whisper to yourself “Ommm”.

When a TSA officer finally showed, he had me go through the scanner. Here is where I broke the 3rd rule by checking my watch and huffing into the scanner. That would be Rule #3: Always remember Rule #2.

Just a side note, when going through the regular scanner, it’s best not to wear a belt or light jacket. These will pop up on the scanner and you will be put through a frisk. This is a bit conflicting for someone in pre-check who does not have to take off belt or jacket. I’ve gone through such experiences, which tend to be quick and non-invasive, as the TSA officers seem to recognize this conflict—especially when you are “randomly selected” to go through the scanner.

Not so on this experience. The TSA Officer showed me on the screen how there was a shaded area around my waist and upper chest area. Rather than giving me the option to take off my belt and jacket for a rescan, he proceeded to pat my chest. He then ordered me to loosen my belt and, in front of everyone in the security area, stuck his hand inside my belted pants and did a pat down.

Now you could say that I got it because of breaking rule #2 and #3. In hindsight, I would have kept calm. That may have avoided the humiliating pat down that occurred. Since I’ve gone through many such “random selections” and this is the first time anyone did what this TSA Officer chose to do, one has to wonder at the motive.

 

When he was done. I said, “That’s the first time this has ever happened to me at a security checkpoint.”

The TSA Officer’s response: “Hope you enjoyed the experience.”

 

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For other helpful tips about airports, check out this article on Yahoo.

Top 5 Myths about the “Real World”

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Top 5 Myths about the “Real World” by John McCarthy

I recently read a syllabus for a college course that struck me as odd. According to the syllabus, the instructor stated that he was preparing his students for the real world. How? If students brought out their cell phone in class they would immediately be told to leave the class. Also, if a student is sent out of the class twice during the course, that person would be kicked out of the course.

This is not made up. Based on the instructor’s faulty logic, people in the workforce are fired without opportunity to redress or remediate the problem, when there is often some sort of due process. Even if the logic was true, if employers let go of employees for the most minor of faults, they would be under staffed, and would be critiqued by their boss for the high cost of constantly retraining new employees. Most likely the manager would be fired for creating such disruption in the work force.

Here are some other myths about the real world that are perpetrated in schools. See which ones you may have encountered:

  1. Late work will not be accepted.

In the real world, a supervisor needs a memo or work product even past the deadline. In most cases, the staffer charged with the task is still required to get it done. Will there be a consequence afterwards? Yes, either officially or unofficially. The staffer may get a dressing down, warned, written up, and/or not be given such responsibility for a long while. Firing is a possibility, but usually not the first option. The work must get done, and if it’s high quality, the staffer might get off with no official penalty.

Accepting late work sends the message to students that they are not off the hook and must get it done.

  1. Listening to music using earbuds while working is a distraction.

There are many offices, cubicles, and cafes where people work while listening to music. They wear earbuds or headphones so as not to disturb others. Work time is different from times for lectures and discussions. Banning the practice denies the opportunity for coaching students on proper etiquette.

  1. Do not ask questions during emergency drills.

A mother shared with me how her child received a demerit for talking during a tornado drill. On the surface, this seems appropriate. If you’re talking then you and those around you won’t hear the instructions from the authorities. In this case, the offending student was asking another student why for a tornado drill they were marching outside to another structure. The other structure was a tornado shelter, which makes sense to an adult mind. However, this child did not understand and asked the teacher, whose adult-minded logical response did not satisfy the concerned child, “But why would you go outside at all if there were a tornado?”

While idle chatter is not appropriate, inquiring questions should be welcomed. People ask questions about different situations and under different circumstances. Schools and most workplaces are not military installations. Speaking up to inquire under any conditions is an important skill, just as responding to someone’s concerns under difficult conditions is critical.

  1. When students fail due to low test scores and missing assignments it’s their responsibility.

Students do share a responsibility to do their best and complete all tasks assigned to them. It’s also the teacher’s responsibility to model perseverance by providing all resources to meet the needs of their students. These efforts can be draining, yet determination and doggedness can lead to students turning around and finding success. How can we expect students to learn to persevere and strive past obstacles if the highly trained professionals give up on them–and the students know it?

In the teaching workforce, when an employee struggles to be effective, they are placed on a work plan. The intent is to help the person improve their practice so as to get off the plan. The process can be quite extensive. Both teacher and administrator are responsible to work together. We should offer the same real-world opportunities to all students.

  1. If a student fails a test there are no retakes.

Only in academia is this practice believed to be the way of life. In many other fields, future professionals can take the required tests multiple times until they pass or get the score that they need. Such examples of these tests for professional certifications include C.P.A (accountants), Bar exam (lawyers), ACT & SAT (prospective college students) and state certification for licensure of teachers.

Allow students to retake a test when they are ready and have grown in their understanding. It’s more important to have highly skilled students then a collection of grades based on the archaic practice of averaging scores.

What are other myths about the real-world that you have experienced or heard about? Post them in the comments section below.

The Book Gallery

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The Book Gallery (Phoenix AZ) is in a non-descript plaza, which from the outside does not attract the eye. I might have missed it if I was not looking for it. The place has the familiar and strong odor of antiquarian books. I prefer bookstores that have more inventory of books from the last couple of decades, whereas this store is filled with books that go back much further. I almost left on taking a few steps past the entrance. If I had, it would have been one of the biggest mistakes in my bibliophile life.

Stacks of hardcover books line the shelves as you walk to the back of the store. Many books are from the time when publishers did not turn covers into eye candy to draw a prospective buyer’s attention. On finding the Science Fiction and Fantasy section, I was mildly curious about the classic authors from the 1970’s and before – when I first started reading books. It was an interesting collection that reminded me of the classic greats who laid the foundation for the amazing writers today.

My attention waning, I turned to leave when I noticed a Dean Koontz novel, Seize the Night,  had a “Signed by Author” tag. After looking over the $35 copy, I skimmed the shelves. It was like somebody sprinkled fairy dust on the shelving and a third of the books sparkled. I’ve never seen so many signed by author books collected in a single space for Science Fiction and Fantasy.

It was joyful and frustrating.

I felt awe looking at signatures of authors who I admire and enjoyed reading. Several of them inspire my ideas about fiction. There were many books that I wanted to take home, which would have been a challenge to pack for the plane, but they were expensive.

Refusing to leave empty handed, I settled on The Book of Skulls by Robert Silverberg. It’s a nice well kept signed 1st edition that was sold for $35. The same copy on Abesbooks was going for $100. It’s most valuable to me for being a story I read as a teen that stays with me today. There were a couple of other books I purchased—none signed but having great appeal.

The Book Gallery is one I strongly recommend visiting for the genres that you love. I know I’ll be visiting my book friends again, and, perhaps, take more signed editions home with me.

The Book Gallery

3643 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/book-gallery-phoenix