The Bouncy Castle in Space

Smish · Nov 28, 2011

Congrats to the kiddo, Morgan! :e2woo:

(And yes, this is the perfect place for that kind of post. This thread is basically the kidlit gang's social hall.

).

MorganMarshall · Nov 28, 2011

Yay! And thank-you. It's nice to be here.

I know I've posted a lot lately. Just trying to make up for lost time. I hope it's not annoying to anyone.

Smish · Nov 28, 2011

You love to read and write kidlit. So, we're happy to have you.

MorganMarshall · Nov 28, 2011

Yay!

starbeam · Nov 29, 2011

So glad to see you here, MorganMarshall! :hi:

Huge congrats to your son for being cast in the play! I have family who live in Spokane, WA. I wonder if they'll end up going to see it. Sounds like a lot of fun! :TheWave:

Spiral · Nov 29, 2011

I've been doing too much lurking around here and not enough bouncing. Well, I've come for some bouncing now, because I had a hugely productive writing day today--the first one in weeks and weeks! :Jump:

ETA: Congrats to your son, Morgan!

MsJudy · Nov 29, 2011

I loved acting and dancing when I was young, so I nudge my sons towards every production that comes along. So far, no luck at all. They just roll their eyes and back away...

Congrats to beating out all those other kids!

Kitty Pryde · Nov 29, 2011

Started my kiddie sewing class today. Picture eight 4th grade girls clutching tiny pieces of felt and all simultaneously wailing "Saaaaarrrraaah!" and you'll have a perfect mental image of things! It's going pretty well though.

I'm really sad because the special needs kiddo i work with, and her little brother whose class I also work in, both told us grownups that their parents had a domestic violence situation over the weekend, and they spent the holiday in a hotel with their mom. And they're getting divorced (which is probably good news at this point, but still, sad). I know both of the parents, and the mom works part time at the school. I can't even imagine what they're all going through.

If I never have to hear a little kid say "Daddy hurt Mommy, and now Daddy's in jail" again, that would be a very good thing. Ugh.

I'm going to go make Mom some cookies, which is surely insufficient at this point but at least she'll know I'm thinking of her.

Laura J · Nov 30, 2011

Hi everyone,
Can I come in the Bouncy Castle?
I saw Hugo, amazing. I love love loved it. The story was enchanting. How close to the book was it? We are going to look for the book.

Saw Breaking Dawn, I wasn't disappointed with it. I thought it was good. Such a beautifully filmed movie. And I always love the music.

I hardly ever get the the movies. But, I got to see two this weekend. I do love me some George Clooney!!

Congrats to your son on his play Morgan.
Bouncing out.

Laura J · Nov 30, 2011

Kitty Pryde said:
I'm going to go make Mom some cookies, which is surely insufficient at this point but at least she'll know I'm thinking of her.

I bet knowing that someone cares will mean a lot. You aren't just giving cookies, you're giving love and compassion. Poor kids. I worked at a school with a high rate of domestic violence. I would hear stories at circle time.

sissybaby · Nov 30, 2011

Spiral said:
I've been doing too much lurking around here and not enough bouncing. Well, I've come for some bouncing now, because I had a hugely productive writing day today--the first one in weeks and weeks!

ETA: Congrats to your son, Morgan!

Glad to see you out and about.

sissybaby · Nov 30, 2011

Kitty Pryde said:
Started my kiddie sewing class today. Picture eight 4th grade girls clutching tiny pieces of felt and all simultaneously wailing "Saaaaarrrraaah!" and you'll have a perfect mental image of things! It's going pretty well though.

I'm really sad because the special needs kiddo i work with, and her little brother whose class I also work in, both told us grownups that their parents had a domestic violence situation over the weekend, and they spent the holiday in a hotel with their mom. And they're getting divorced (which is probably good news at this point, but still, sad). I know both of the parents, and the mom works part time at the school. I can't even imagine what they're all going through. If I never have to hear a little kid say "Daddy hurt Mommy, and now Daddy's in jail" again, that would be a very good thing. Ugh.

I'm going to go make Mom some cookies, which is surely insufficient at this point but at least she'll know I'm thinking of her.

You're a sweetheart, Kitty. It's so heartwrenching to see and hear those stories. I know that mom is fortunate to have you be a part of her and her children's lives.
(that probably was a very grammatically incorrect sentence, but I think you know what I meant.)

sissybaby · Nov 30, 2011

Took daughter shopping and granddaughter to see Santa yesterday. While mommy pretended to shop for jewelry (she has a terror of anyone in a costume) granddaughter buried her face in the back of my knees and refused to even take the candy cane.

But Santa was generous and gave me a little calling card with his picture on it, along with the candy and other coupons. Granddaughter talked to the picture for the next hour while we shopped.

starbeam · Nov 30, 2011

Welcome Laura J! :welcome:

Glad to see you here! We have lots of fun bouncing in this place. :Jump:

This is basically our hang out place when we need other writers to talk to.

Kitty, so sorry to hear about your student. I'm glad you're there for the child to lend an ear. I'm hoping along with you that you don't have to hear such a phrase from your kiddos again.

Sissybaby, your granddaughter sounds like a doll!

Last year my son wouldn't have anything to do with Santa, and cried until I held him in the picture instead of the man in the funny outfit. This year he was all smiles! What a difference a year can make! Hopefully next year your granddaughter will be the same way.

Spiral, yay for the bounces! I think I'll join you! :Jump:

JoyMC · Nov 30, 2011

congrats, Morgan - to you and your son. i started doing theatre at age 7 and now boast a wildly expensive and totally useless degree of which i am quite proud.

but mostly i use it teaching arts residencies with kids, and it's so much fun to watch kids blossom on the stage!

Kitty - and all teachers - major props for all you do. kids in those situations are so lucky to have stable adults they can count on.

fun to hear the movie reports - my husband and i will see our annual movie when my mom comes up for Christmas. so i'm gathering intel.

i haven't been feeling too bouncy lately, but you guys are cracking me up in here.

MJWare · Nov 30, 2011

Just checking in. Sorry I've been away so long--probably won't be around much until the new year, but I'll try.

I can say this, promoting a book takes sooo much time!

SheilaJG · Nov 30, 2011

I'm bouncing in to catch up - wow so much going on. Morgan - congrats to your son, I hope he has a blast. Spiral - welcome back! It's always nice to bounce after a productive day. I need to bounce myself into productivity. :Jump:

(Still not working, alas).

Kitty, you're awesome, as always. Laura - hi :hi:

Joy, I hope you get your bounce back soon! :Jump:

Sissy - my daughter was exactly the same! She would not go near Santa, and I guess I couldn't blame her.

I wish I had something interesting to share. Hmmmm. I lost myself a bit yesterday in this site called tvtropes.org. Has anyone seen that? It's a great reference for fantasy writers, I think, because you can see what's been done to death, and maybe think of a fresh spin on something.

SheilaJG · Nov 30, 2011

Oh, just missed you mware! You will be missed, and good luck with the book promotion.

MorganMarshall · Nov 30, 2011

Thanks for all your congrats! I have a pic of him in his costume:

congrats, Morgan - to you and your son. i started doing theatre at age 7 and now boast a wildly expensive and totally useless degree of which i am quite proud. but mostly i use it teaching arts residencies with kids, and it's so much fun to watch kids blossom on the stage!

Hey, me too! The totally useless degree, I mean, not the teaching. (I taught drama for a year which was a blast, but I always felt like a poseur, since it's not my first love.) My useless degree is in film, and I DON'T use it in my work. Actually, that's not entirely true. I used it to get into graduate school to study writing and literature, so I guess it was good for something! :ROFL:

Kitty, that is just awful. It is good that the parents are getting a divorce in that particular situation, but it's still so hard on the family as a whole, and especially the kids. And special needs too... poor things! It is wonderful that they have you, and I am sure that the thought behind the cookies will mean a million times more than the cookies themselves. :Hug2:

mware01... that might be true, but I'd still kill for the chance! Have a blast!

JoyMC · Nov 30, 2011

Morgan, I would imagine you use film school a lot in crafting story, character, etc. (Or maybe you were referring to different work than writing?) I was a playwright for fifteen years before starting to write fiction, and while it's wildly different in some ways, I think I definitely hit the ground running with a really solid grasp of how to tell a story when I first got started.

So, this is not exactly bouncy, but it's almost so awful it's funny. I've been complaining of crickets in my inbox - just weeks of nothing, with lots of queries out. And now I've gotten THREE REJECTIONS TODAY. It's only lunchtime. Any bets on how many I'll get before the end of the day?

MorganMarshall · Nov 30, 2011

JoyMC said:
Morgan, I would imagine you use film school a lot in crafting story, character, etc. (Or maybe you were referring to different work than writing?) I was a playwright for fifteen years before starting to write fiction, and while it's wildly different in some ways, I think I definitely hit the ground running with a really solid grasp of how to tell a story when I first got started.

It did help a bit with my writing, but since I was a writer before I was a film student, it was mostly the other way around. Graduate school, however, THAT is helping a ton!

So, this is not exactly bouncy, but it's almost so awful it's funny. I've been complaining of crickets in my inbox - just weeks of nothing, with lots of queries out. And now I've gotten THREE REJECTIONS TODAY. It's only lunchtime. Any bets on how many I'll get before the end of the day?

Ouch. Well, if it helps I don't even have anything out to be excited about hearing back from!

That actually saddens me more than rejections, believe it or not. So cheer up and have some cookies!

For you from me!

Smish · Nov 30, 2011

Spiral! Mike! Good to see you bouncing again.

Morgan, he's a cutie. I love the costume!

Kitty, you're an awesome person, and you deserve to be Charlie's successor of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. (I'd recommend adding Pink Marshmallow Power to all the candy.) Surely, Charlie's getting old? He needs to retire. :Jump:

LauraJ.

JoyMC · Nov 30, 2011

COOKIES! for me? thanks! that totally helps. (is it weird that my first thought was, they're probably not gluten-free, though?)

MsJudy · Nov 30, 2011

Kitty, that's so hard. And I have to add...you guys did contact CPS, right? In CA, witnessing domestic violence is now in the category of child abuse and we're mandated to report it. And Family Services may be able to help Mom get into a safe situation.

Laura, welcome. And I know... George Clooney, yum. Even better than those cute reindeer cookies!

Sissybaby, when my now-12yo was little, he was scared of Santa. I persuaded him to get close. Santa wanted to give him a book, so he reached out to pull my son closer. Well... Kevin freaked. Absolute hysterics. And never went near a mall Santa again. Ever.

Hi, mware. Hope all that promoting is paying off!

Morgan, the argyle vest really makes the costume. Nothing says Ancient Bethlehem like an argyle sweater!! And those reindeer cookies are too cute.

MorganMarshall · Nov 30, 2011

Thank-you Smish. I think so too, but I MIGHT be biased.

JoyMC said:
COOKIES! for me? thanks! that totally helps. (is it weird that my first thought was, they're probably not gluten-free, though?)

How about I just say they are?

The Bouncy Castle in Space

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

MorganMarshall

I keep my head firmly in the clouds

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

MorganMarshall

I keep my head firmly in the clouds

starbeam

Spiral

looking at the stars

MsJudy

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

Laura J

Odessa Quinn

Laura J

Odessa Quinn

sissybaby

sissybaby

sissybaby

starbeam

JoyMC

MJWare

Kidlit gang, Junior member.

SheilaJG

SheilaJG

MorganMarshall

I keep my head firmly in the clouds

JoyMC

MorganMarshall

I keep my head firmly in the clouds

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

JoyMC

MsJudy

MorganMarshall

I keep my head firmly in the clouds