Writer Spotlight: Elizabeth McBride

Middle child, Jack Ridl, read-alouds, AWA, NWP, Glen Arbor, and great views: Poet and long-time SCBWI member Elizabeth McBride

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet poet  Elizabeth McBride.

Beth says: This is a portrait Mom painted of me at about six years old. My mother was an artist, who taught painting and drawing and did portraiture and landscape painting, pen and ink, pastels, oil painting, and watercolor painting. My father was a veterinary pathologist who did research for Upjohn and Pfizer specializing in immunology and toxicology. So we grew up in a wonderful mix of art and the sciences.

Young Elizabeth, what books did you like? Who was your favorite teacher? What event led you to become the writer and poet you are today?

As a young child, I loved being outside, wandering, exploring, digging in the dirt, playing in the woods. My early years were in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Then my father took a research position at the Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, and our family moved to Michigan when I was going into second grade. 

Young Elizabeth (right)

I have two wonderful sisters, and I'm the dreaded "middle child" - (my sisters have done well despite their exposure to me).  We lived in a small neighborhood at the edge of a cherry and apple orchard across from a cornfield, with a small woods nearby. It was the perfect place for kids with a love of the outdoors! Drawing and making things, making up games, playing in the woods and building forts were our pastimes. I still find walking in the woods to be peacefully refreshing.

My earliest memories of reading involve a set of Childcraft books that Mom (a former pre-school teacher) read to us, making everything we heard come alive! I especially enjoyed the rhyming poetry. She also read Raggedy Ann and Andy stories and made a life-sized doll for us to play with. 

Another favorite book (she read to us) was "If Jesus Came to My House" by Joan Gale Thomas, which depicts a child imagining how he might share a day with his friend, Jesus, (also a child) if he had the opportunity. 

Imagine my joy many years later, when I happened upon our own Lori Eslick's re-illustration of that same book, with her loved ones included in the illustrations! She brought back such wonderful memories for me! When looking through photos, I even found the card (shown) I had saved from her display table at the SCBWI event!

This is the card

My favorite teacher, by far, has been Jack Ridl, who was my professor at Hope College for "Practical Criticism." Not being particularly fond of "rules" as a child, I had disliked "English" as I had come to know that subject in school. 

Since Hope required an English class as a part of its Liberal Arts degree, I chose the one I knew NOTHING about, just hoping for a surprise! And did I ever get surprised! It was a continuous jaw-dropping discovery of how much could be said or intimated within a poem, and how the techniques and tools of the poet can offer a writer's ideas and feelings while allowing a reader their own interpretation. 

I had been writing poems for years in a little notebook, and sharing them with my grandmother, who had an apartment in our house. We had a practice of secretly delivering our writing to each other's rooms during the day, then meeting in the evening to share our thoughts. She was a wonderful thinker and writer, and she was so encouraging to me. 

In Professor Ridl's class my eyes were opened to the specific gifts of: sound, space, line breaks, juxtapositions, multiple meanings, rhythm, sequencing, metaphor, simile, repetition, accumulation, pacing, form, and style; and what they can contribute to the delivery and effect of a poem. 

Many years later I discovered that he was offering a workshop in the Holland area, and I attended. I became a "student" of his again (one of many!) and have now been a part of his writing workshop, called "Landscapes of Poetry" for about fifteen years.

Elizabeth McBride

You are one of the first people I met when the Mid-Michigan Meet Up (now known as the Shop Talk) met up at the Michigan Historical Museum (now known as The Michigan History Center). As I recall, you and Ruth shared top-billing, and you so over-prepared on the subject of mentor texts that you had to finish up the next month. You had dozens of picture books in milk crates.

I bring this up not to embarrass you (the audience loved your book recommendations) but to show, way back in 2009, that you were already serious about kid’s books. How have you managed to keep your enthusiasm with SCBWI over the years?

You have such a good memory, Charlie! The over-preparing is a way of life for me, I believe! My enthusiasm for children's literature comes from three sources: being read to by our mother, sharing read-aloud times with our own children; and later, my experience running the library at their elementary school.

I absolutely believe that we grow up thinking in stories; assembling ideas, sequences, and impressions into what gradually becomes our form of early logic. Sharing stories (through speaking or reading) helps us discover perspectives and ideas and interpretations beyond our own. Stories teach reasoning, logic, compassion, ordering, comparison, social interaction, and complex thinking. 

They expand vocabulary, which helps us distinguish between and among things, enlarge our experience of the world and our ability to comprehend (and appreciate) those marvelous distinctions, which is highly related to different aspects of our development and maturation. 

Through my training at Hope, I was motivated to match my selections of weekly read-alouds for each grade level to their curriculum, their intellectual, social, and emotional development levels, and their burgeoning individual interests. 

Our read-aloud times were one of my favorite parts of my job; a sacred opportunity to touch the minds, hearts, and intellects of very precious people; to encourage their curiosity and increase their ownership of their own learning. 

We could also use the chosen texts to observe the ways in which the authors had made them so interesting, entertaining, and meaningful - thus empowering the students to strengthen their own writing. 

My enthusiasm exists because of the benefits to the receivers of children's literature: it adds meaning, affirmation, information, and inspiration to their lives. Why else are we here together, if not to contribute to the lives of others?

You worked for years in a school library in Grand Ledge, but were always quick to point out that you were not a “librarian.” Ultimately, what was the difference in the job you performed versus a certified library specialist (librarian)?

I ran the elementary library for 520 - 640 students plus staff, for 22 years. I am not sure how a fully degreed librarian might have done that differently, but I do know that someone with a degree in the library sciences has an incredible knowledge of all the fields of study, not to mention their understanding of the classification systems pursuant to each subject area, search mechanisms and technology beyond what might be contracted by one's own district, and a solid knowledge of research standards and practices. 

Some of those things I did not (do not) have, but I did enjoy the ongoing process of discovery that was a part of each of those years! My hat is off to anyone with a library science degree!

We did a school visit at your school. It was so many years ago I remember nothing about it. Except that you were gracious and helpful. Did you handle many author visits? What does it take for a full-time teacher to do all the unsung work to bring a children’s book creator in for a school day of presentations?

School visits! What highlights these were for our students and staff! I cannot tell you how many I did, but being in SCBWI really opened that up for our school! 

Most of the work is done well ahead of the visit: raising funds for the visit, planning/negotiating the date around other school functions/breaks/holidays, reserving space for groups, re-scheduling classes,  creating familiarity with, and enthusiasm for an author and/or illustrator's work ahead of the visit, contributing articles to the school newsletter in advance, creating order forms for books to be purchased and sending those forms out ahead, getting orders in and working out book signing with the author or illustrator, organizing the signed books by classroom for rapid delivery to the rooms following the presentation, orchestrating introductions and equipment needs for the presentation, then distributing payment to the presenters at the conclusion of their visit. 

Most of that, of course, takes place after school hours, but it was always well worth it! I loved those experiences and the delight on the kids' faces as they listened and watched and interacted.

You got a degree in Psychology from Hope College, and a Master’s in Family Studies, with an emphasis upon Marriage and Family Therapy from MSU. What was your early career goal?

Early on in my studies in Psychology, I realized that we cannot view the person completely apart from the influences of their family experiences as they grow up. I did an urban semester in Philadelphia that furthered that thinking for me, then some independent studies at Hope, then went to MSU for a master's degree in Family Studies, with an emphasis upon Marriage and Family Therapy. 

My goal had always been to become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, but by the time I finished the degree while working three-quarter time (as a Teaching Assistant, then a Research Assistant) and taking courses half-time, I was pretty worn out! 

My husband and I had gotten married and moved to Delta Township outside of Lansing, where I took a position in the Personnel Department at Farm Bureau Services, and later became the Employee Relations Manager for the Farm Bureau Insurance Group as they took on the HR services that had previously been provided by Farm Bureau Services for the Michigan Farm Bureau companies. 

Eventually, we were blessed with two wonderful children, and although I had wanted to become a counselor/therapist, we did not want to give up time with our children, and I began volunteering at their preschools, the elementary school, and then, seeing needs in the classroom, I established a Family Resource Center (library) at the school. 

Eventually that led to applying for the position in the school library, which would still allow me to maintain the same schedule as our children and be an active part of the educational process at our school. Because we (later) had a great deal of hockey involvement as the kids got older, it was certainly a fortuitous choice!

 

You are a certified Level One Clinician in Trauma and Loss in Children through the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. What does that certification allow you to do?

The studies I have done to earn the Trauma and Loss Clinical designation and now, the Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist (new) designation allow me to offer materials and teaching out of that authority. If I were a licensed counselor, I could utilize that training for specialization in client services. 

Over my years in the library however, I found few books or stories that I felt truly addressed our students' needs when they experienced traumas and/or losses. It has been a goal of mine to contribute to filling that need someday, with stories that can be used in professional service work as well as stories that can be helpful within the trade markets, thus I have continued with this training and certification.

Tell us about the Amherst Writers and Artists. You’re an AWA Trained Writing Consultant. What does that position require?

As an Affiliate of the Amherst Writers and Artists organization, one has received training to lead and conduct writing groups and workshops in a way that distinguishes and distances the writer from the writing they produce, such that they can maintain privacy and feel free to adopt differing identities and points of view, tell their own stories or tell a fictitious story without the supposition that they are speaking for themselves. 

This is particularly helpful and freeing for persons wanting to write about (or through) difficult life experiences, as it allows them to express themselves while it protects and maintains their privacy in the group setting. 

It also encourages experimentation with writing because it is not about critique unless requested, and even then, such ideas are carefully expressed. The AWA method can be very effectively utilized in group settings because it so explicitly avoids attribution of the writer's identity to the speaker in the writing.

You are a Fellow of the National Writing Project. What is a Fellow? What does Fellow McBride do?

While I was working in the public schools I heard about the National Writing Project, a professional development network which holds the belief that to best teach writing, a teacher must also be/become a writer.  I found that there was a NWP site at MSU offering spots for their Summer Institute (a 6-week training program for teacher/leaders to develop and share their writing and their writing instruction techniques). 

I loved the workshop methodology being used in our District's curriculum at that time (Lucy Calkins' Units of Study) and wanted to find out how I could better support it and become a better writer myself. 

I was accepted into their 2006 Summer Institute and had an absolutely incredible time writing, participating in response sessions, experimenting with approaches, genres, techniques, and prompts, and learning about ways to approach the development of writing skills. A Fellow of the National Writing Project is someone who has completed such training.

I followed up by doing a research project for graduate credits on the use of writing instruction and experience to aid in the development of empathy among students. It was a powerfully effective experience for students and very encouraging for me. 

The NWP offers continuing education opportunities for Fellows in different locations throughout the country. When I found out that one of my friends I'd met at the Summer Institute at MSU was going to attend the conference in New Orleans and author and poet, Kim Stafford(!) would be there speaking, teaching, and attending with us, I jumped at the opportunity! 

The NWP is a fantastic program and gave me the encouragement and the confidence to begin submitting my writing for publication. It really helped all of us attendees mesh our writing experiences into our daily living, identify ourselves as writers (whether or not we were published), and become better teachers and students of writing.

How did your book of poetry, Most Beautiful come about? The contributing painter was also an artist-in-residence? Was that the plan all along, to use the writing and art generated and turn it into a book? Or was that something unique to Most Beautiful? How was your book launch affected by the pandemic?

When I applied for the Glen Arbor Arts Center Artist Residency, I had two goals in mind. I was working on an evolving group of poems I wanted to assess as a possible collection, and I wanted to study poetry of place. 

The poems I wrote during my residency at the Arts Center while exploring Glen Arbor, the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore (voted a "Most Beautiful Place in America" in 2011), and the surrounding areas became a poetic guide for those discovering the area as well as a memento or keepsake for those remembering their own prior visits. Each piece noted the location which inspired the poem, so one could take the book to go exploring, or recall the place from reading the poem.

Connie Cronenwett is the marvelous illustrator, and she and I did not actually meet until after the book was accepted for publication! We had both been artists-in-residence during the same summer (I had the opening residency and she had the last one for that summer) and had (unknowingly) used our art forms to capture many of the same places and experiences. 

It worked out perfectly and she was a real joy to work with! It was published by The Poetry Box in the late Fall of 2019 - just when the pandemic really took hold. 

After my initial event in which our local Barnes and Noble allowed me to do a reading and signing there (and we sold out of all their copies, my copies, and did a re-order immediately!), things quieted down as Covid developed. 

Schuler Books in Okemos and Grand Rapids, also carried it in-store, and after we moved to Petoskey in 2019, McLean and Aiken Bookstore in Petoskey, Round Lake Bookstore in Charlevoix, Horizon Books in Traverse City, and Between the Covers in Harbor Springs also carried it. Of course it was/is also available on-line, however we tried to support local independent bookstores with our placement.

You lived in the Lansing area for years, but you’ve since relocated north. What do you love about your new home?

Oh my... we do love the views of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan from so many places throughout the area! We also love the Petoskey community, nature trails, park; support for, and enjoyment of the arts, being close to my husband's brother and his wife, and living in the community we visited for so many years when our children were young and their Grandmother (my husband's mother) lived here. We have met many wonderful people in Petoskey and the surrounding communities! It is truly a beautiful place to live.

The photos are ones we have taken as we walk some of our favorite paths and routes. Petoskey and Harbor Springs and the Petoskey State Park all look out over Little Traverse Bay, so it is always amazing to see the views around us! 

 

We have taken up photographing scenes and identifying birds around here. There is a lot of migratory bird activity in the areas up here, so we have enjoyed learning about that, and have attended Raptor watch/counts and owl banding sites (as observers), checked the marinas for migrating waterfowl, and gone north to Rudyard (Snowy Owl Capital of Michigan) to see the Snowy Owls. The blue ice was last year’s view. This year was less noticeable from that viewpoint.

Photos by Elizabeth McBride

What’s next for Elizabeth?

I have a narrative non-fiction picture book on submission and a poetry collection, along with several individual poems on submission. I'm always reading to learn more about writing, continuing my participation with Landscapes of Poetry, and I'm working on refining several more picture book manuscripts and two children's poetry collections for submission.

Thank you so much for your great interview, Charlie! I am honored to be a part of your interview series.

Please share any social media:

My email is: writerem.mcbride@gmail.com,

and my website is http://elizabethmcbridewriter.com

 

                                      

                                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memories of Mackinac Island

Beautiful spaces, 2011 or 2014?, medicinal fudge, wet bike rides, Arthur Levine, plein air painting, and butterflies: the SCBWI-MI 2014 Mackinac Island conference

Compiled by Charlie Barshaw

Disclaimer:  There were two SCBWI-MI conferences--2011 and 2014--as well as a number of Michigan Reading Association conferences around the same time. So we're going with Mackinac Memories. It may not have happened in 2014, but it happened on Mackinac Island. Thanks to everyone who contributed. 

First memory begins here:

I blame the Mackinac Island conference for my addiction to writing in beautiful spaces. Until then I had been content to labor away in my office or the dining room table at home. Now, I look for every opportunity to write in places wooded and wondrous.

The Mackinac Island Bridge
photo courtesy of Ann Finkelstein

My favorite thing about writing conferences is the community. Getting to chat with other people who love stories the way that I do is a rare treat. Being on Mackinac with that particular group of writers was incredible. Time just slows down on Mackinac. I loved going on walks with other writers, strolling along the shore, down the streets through town, and feeling like we were outside of time. That this space was sacred and we could write and share and never run out of time.

Since that conference, my writing life has really taken off! My debut book, Hanging with My Peeps, was published in 2016. I met the editor for my second book, Junkyard Dogs (Peachtree Teen, 2023), at a MI SCBWI conference. Junkyard Dogs has been a huge success for me--with the audio book being narrated by Robbie Daymond! and the story making the shortlist for the Indiana Author Awards (since I work in Indiana). 

One really cool thing that's happened: As a teen I used my babysitting money to pay for a subscription to Writer's Digest, which I read cover to cover. Just last month, I was asked to write an article for them! What a full circle moment!

--Kat Higgs-Coulthard

I don't think I did a presentation then. I was really new to the group. I think I just attended as a participant. And, yes...it was glorious!
--Deb Gonzalez

Boats and dock
Photo courtesy of Vicky Lorencen

I remember being overwhelmed by all the talented people around me, and surprised by everyone’s kindness! Most meaningful of all was a wonderful walk and talk time that Heidi Sheffield and I shared. She is such a wonderful person!
--Elizabeth McBride

I recently remembered that at that Mackinac Island SCBWI conference I had a fabulous critique by Candace Fleming. I remember she told me that manuscript would definitely one day be a book. And finally two years ago it was published. My Christmas book.
--Lindsey McDivitt


My 2014 conference memories are muddled - nothing stands out! Was I even there, lol! Strangely, I remember the Mackinac conference before that more clearly, not even sure when that was (2010?) when I roomed with Terry Lynn Johnson from Canada and she entertained us with her funny adventure stories.
--Kristin Lenz

Scenic view
courtesy Ann Finkelstein

You've asked me to take a trek down memory lane, and to the 2014 lane to be exact. I'm flattered that you think I might have a good memory. Haha.
At my age, my memory kinda goes in and out, so I'm not sure what I can dredge up from the 2014 conference.

So, I went to THE MITTEN blog and to 2014 and found a treasure trove of pictures and summaries from shadows and others who were in attendance.

September/October might have had lead-in articles, but the Nov blog has a lot of pictures. (See posts HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

Sorry that I can't offer more to you. I, seriously, remember being there and working hard. I didn't sightsee, or take a carriage ride. Didn't even get to buy fudge.
--Rachel Anderson

plein air in the butterfly house

What I remember most is the 1st Mackinac Island Conference with Donna Jo Napoli, Beverly Horowitz and Tamra Tuller.

Couple memories from that conference (even though you didn't ask.) Donna Jo's dinner speech was a hoot. She had us all in stitches. It had something to do with starting out in the field and making all the mistakes when it came to submission.

Sunday afternoon after the conference ended Donna Jo, her husband Barry (?), Kristin Nitz and I took a walk around the island - through the interior if I remember correctly. Somehow we ended up near the Grand Hotel and snuck in through a side door. It wasn't as grand as expected but somewhat shabby - at least the part we saw. (Maybe that's where the help stayed and not the public part?)
--Pat Trattles

Arthur and Heidi
courtesy Heidi Sheffield

The Mackinaw Conference was one of my most cherished SCBWI-Michigan conferences of all time. I think my favorite remembrance was buying a raffle ticket and getting the prize of a manuscript critique and phone conversation with Arthur Levine. I was SOOOO EXCITED!!!! At the time, ICE CREAM FACE was unpublished, so Arthur took a look at the manuscript and we discussed it on the phone. 

Later that year, I was in NYC for the SCBWI Winter Conference and visited Scholastic with a group of illustrators. We got to see “the great wall,” (I think that was the name) a place they would pin favorite illustrator postcards. I couldn’t believe one of mine was there and was practically tearing up. :)) I had brought a mockup of ICF with me and gave it to Arthur, who ultimately passed on it, but he gave me some feedback that helped me refine it that much more. 

Heidi and Ruth

At the LA conference in 2017, Nancy Paulsen from Penguin/Random House saw it and offered a contract the next week to buy ICE CREAM FACE, which is now a Dolly Parton Imagination Library Book. I encourage members to keep their minds and hearts open to the revision process, going to conferences when possible and meeting folks like Arthur and Nancy. When preparation meets opportunity, it is a beautiful thing.
--Heidi Sheffield

From the best of my recollection, Dana Atnip, Kara Marsee, Nina Goebel and I drove up to the docks in my show van I used to sell my books, often referred to as the Book Mobile. After getting to the island Dana, Nina, and I got an extra roommate to share with, and that was Beth Rayner! 

We shoved all our gear into that room for the SCBWI conference, which was a hoot and a half! Four women and one bathroom! I remember Dana and I renting bikes to take an island round trip ride and headed back up for more conference doings after buying fudge in town. The fudge was for medicinal purposes only, 

I was slated to speak at the conference on self-publishing, a new venture and turn for SCBWI. I remember being extremely nervous but with the help of friends and fudge I was able to deliver. I was happy to meet some great authors and illustrators, some whom I've kept in touch with since then, such as Doris Holik Kelly.

I have been to Mackinac Island before and recently as last summer, 2023 to do research for my book. It's truly a magical place especially off the beaten or paved path. 

photo courtesy Heidi Sheffield

I remember that the trip went by far too quickly, but I did sneak time in to get down to the Mission Point shore to observe and sketch a mother beaver and her clan working on their lodge. This was all that stayed in my mind from that trip. The industrious beaver family and the overcrowded room. 

Sadly, last summer at the island the beaver lodge had been torn down and the family not seen. Some say that they are secretly housed safely up further on the eastern side of the island, I should go back again to look for them! 

Yes, all in all, a great conference with great connections and would love to rejoin the SCBWI gang to return to the island for another conference.
--Lori Taylor

Plein air and visitor
courtesy Ann Finkelstein

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

Arthur Levine who was with Scholastic… (the publisher of the Harry Potter Series) was visiting some friends in Saugatuck and wanted to get to the conference (as a speaker) a day early. Anita called from her up north cottage and asked if I could drive him up to the island. I explained that Saugatuck is not a close drive for me and I would not be going up for another day. Anita is so personable and nice that you just can’t say no to her, so I came up with an alternate plan. I said, “If you can get him to my driveway, I will meet someone halfway.”

Arthur’s friends dropped him in my driveway. He commented on how much yard I had and how uncluttered and organized everything was. I imagined that in a New York City apartment things are a bit more cramped. I drove him up in my 350Z to make it fun. We had interesting conversations. He said my books exceeded the national average but would never publish them as they had already been published.

That halfway person was the wonderful & good friend Jay Whistler, whom I didn’t yet know at the time. He bought us lunch before she drove him the rest of the way.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

It is a magical place. Yes, I have been there many times. On this trip the sky broke loose and it poured. Water was gushing out of the eaves. Christine Grabiel & Linda Barley rode bikes from Linda’s cottage on the other side of the island. They were soaked to the skin however, they were still all smiles and laughter.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

I think I spoke with three others on indie publishing. Sandy Carlson, Julie Hedlund & (sorry I can’t recall the 3rd one maybe Lori Taylor?). I only had 10 minutes to speak and wanted to get a lot in and thus probably spoke way too fast. I was impressed that RA’s Carrie and Leslie sat in on the session.

Anita and me
courtesy Anita Pazner

Ha! I remember that you and Anita dressed up in 18th century garb.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

My wife also came to this one. We didn’t do too much walking around due to the rain.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

I recall Kirbi showing me her amazing artwork portfolio. I was very impressed.

I felt like I knew Arthur pretty well after the long car ride. We talked shop nonstop. He had many questions about indie publishing.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

Having been there before I don’t recall. I think we may have ridden a bike around the island on a dry day.
--Dave Stricklen

In the butterfly garden
courtesy Anita Pazner

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I live in Marquette in the UP, so I drove south to the ferry marina. I remember thinking that most of the attendees from Michigan would be driving north to get to the same location. And lucky me, I got to experience three of five Great Lakes in one day: Superior, Michigan, and Huron. The ferry boat is the coolest (literally) transport method! You can see for miles across pristine freshwater oceans, and as Mackinac Island approaches, slowly leave behind the normal hustle and bustle of cars and trucks and enter the beguiling magic of a simpler time.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been to Mackinac Island as an enthralled child (biking! horseback riding! fudge eating!), a moody early teen (“can we go now?”), and finally as a woman in her late twenties vacationing with her long-term boyfriend. I left that trip engaged!

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

They were all fantastic. So giving and authentic. I believe they all loved leaving their real lives behind for a few days and sharing what they knew with attendees. 

Arthur Levine floored me with his description of editing the Harry Potter series for the US market. Greatness in our midst! Then, he floored me again in our one-on-one critique of my middle-grade novel manuscript. I had a big inferiority chip going into it (did I mention he was the US Harry Potter editor?), but he nudged me out of that unhelpful mindset and treated me respectfully. The gems he gifted that day are still part of my writer toolbox.

Eric Rohmann, Anita, Candy Fleming and me
courtesy Anita Pazner

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

We were too busy with the conference to do much sightseeing, but one delightful memory involved Arthur again. As we walked to dinner on Thursday night with faculty and volunteers before the conference started, he sang show tunes a capella. He had a great voice, but his enthusiasm was unparalleled.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

Anita and Heidi
courtesy Anita Pazner

Conference coordinators Charlie Barshaw and Anita Pazner thought of all the details that would make the weekend special, organized, and memorable. They were effective, funny sidekicks who modeled partnership at its best.

What was your biggest surprise?

I was surprised that so many people made the effort to drive, ferry, horse taxi, and walk to be together and learn. Our community of bookmakers is truly remarkable.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Charlie!
--Carrie Pearson

I’m afraid I am mixing up the two events we had on the island. One with me and Monica as RAs and one with me and Carrie.

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I remember we got a late request from Arthur to pick him up a day earlier than we had planned. The planners were already near the straights. We ended up contacting Sue Thoms and Dave Stricklen and Jay Whistler, who coordinated picking him up and driving him north. Ask Jay about this, her memory is probably better.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been there a few times. Always magical

Leslie, Arthur Levine, and Christy Ottaviano
courtesy Anita Pazner

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

Donna Jo Napoli—a class act. Not about her work, which I love, but about her manner and capacity for sharing with attendees.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

Several of us rented bikes and rode around the island. We visited the library and sat on the back deck with books, visited the school and walked up and around the Grand Hotel grounds.

What was your biggest surprise?

I remember the tulips and getting everyone to hold up their arms to invoke good weather

Leslie plein air-ing
photo by Anita Pazner

--Leslie Helakoski


What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

I enjoyed spending time with the illustrators in the butterfly house.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I had been to Mackinac Island before, but I hadn’t stayed at the Mission Point Resort.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

I remember talking to Sandy Carlson, PJ Lyons, Lori Eslick and Heather Shumaker.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

I remember the gardens were gorgeous.
--Ann Finkelstein

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

When I attended this conference, it was my first at Mackinac. I was fortunate enough to be invited to a friend’s cabin for the night before the conference so that I wouldn’t have to drive so far. 

While there, a bit of a situation arose: presenter Arthur Levine’s transportation fell through. The RAs and conference organizers were having a tough time finding someone so last minute, especially because he needed to be picked up in South Haven (or maybe Saugatuck). Wherever we had to collect him, there didn’t seem to be anyone in that area attending the conference the next day to bring him along. 

plein air painting
courtesy of Anita Pazner

Instead, we cobbled together a solution. Dave Stricklen would drive from Grand Rapids to pick him up, and then I would meet them halfway to Mackinac (near Big Rapids). This meant I had to drive 1.5 hours south of the cabin, meet Dave and Arthur, drive north to St. Ignace for three hours, take the ferry across, and get Arthur to Mission Point in time for the Friday night opening activities. All this after having driven four hours the day before to get to my friend’s cabin.

Needless to say, I was wiped out, so I don’t remember much about the conversations Arthur and I shared on the drive. I do remember asking him some specific questions about publishing in general, and he was gracious enough to share his thoughts. At one point, he said, “Tell me about your current WIP.” I almost drove off the road…maybe. I don’t recall. I was very tired. But it seems likely, doesn’t it? THE Arthur Levine wanting to chat about my work? He offered some great advice that helped me with some sticky spots in the plot. I will always be grateful for that.

When I told my husband about all this when I got home, he said, “Isn’t that nice,” and I could practically feel him wanting to pat me on the head. So I explained who Levine is and how huge a deal this whole thing was, and that it would be like a non-writer being asked to chauffeur Tom Hanks somewhere. My husband finally understood and honestly got happy for me.

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

Lori Eslick
plein air leader
courtesy of Anita Pazner

I had been to Mackinac about six years earlier, when my husband and I took our daughters there while on vacation. Though we only spent the day, I remember walking through the streets and marveling at how lovely the gardens were. It seemed the neighbors competed to win “Most Beautiful,” but I don’t know how anyone would be able to choose. I also thought it was remarkable because all the flowers were annuals, which they probably couldn’t plant until June, and yet here they were, in the middle of July, a glorious riot of a rainbow.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

I’ll be honest that I don’t remember much about the presentations. That was partly because I had volunteered to run the conference bookstore, and there was a huge issue with the spreadsheet, messing up all the calculations. I spent a large portion of the conference trying to fix the issue, and eventually had to do things by hand. That meant I wasn’t able to attend as many sessions as I would have liked. It was also the last time I did the bookstore. To those of you who do it now, there is a special place in heaven for you.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

Photo courtesy Ed Spicer

I did not sightsee, which I was sad about. I had hoped to spend some quality time along the water, but the bookstore debacle commanded all my free time.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out?

Several people stepped in to keep the bookstore moving while I dealt with the technical issues. Jennifer Rumberger and Dave Stricklen were especially helpful, and Cynthia Mathes, an SCBWI member from Louisiana, offered her support by running to the local bookstore to pick up some speaker books that hadn’t been delivered. I would never have been able to manage without their help. If there is anyone else who helped out and I have forgotten, please accept my apologies, but know that I am truly grateful for all the support.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

I love a good ferry ride, unless it’s the kind where I am stuck in my car the whole time. Then I freak out that the ferry will capsize and my car will become a coffin. This is what happens when you have anxiety. ;) Thankfully, the weather over was nice, just a bit chilly, but not too cold. Arthur wanted to sit on the upper deck to enjoy the view of the Mackinac Bridge and the fall air. He seemed to be basking in the moment.

more plein air
courtesy Anita Pazner

He also commented on the buggies and bikes and was fascinated by an entire island with no motorized transport. He asked questions about when this happened, why they decided to do this, how people traveled in the winter, etc. I realized that, despite being a nearly life-long Michigan resident, I didn’t know the answers to these questions. So I looked it up to be able to share it with Arthur. (In case someone needs that history, here’s a link to it.)

What was your biggest surprise?

My biggest surprise was probably the bat I would see every morning and evening in a back hallway as I walked to breakfast and back to my room at night. To be clear, the bat was outside, so I was safe, but I loved being able to watch it through the window. Sometimes it spread its wings to stretch (perhaps between naps?), other times it didn’t move at all. But he was my little companion for the entire conference. And it seemed like the perfect time of year to spend a few days with him.

What's happened to you over the past 10 years?

Since that conference, although Arthur helped me see through a sticky plot issue, I've put that novel on a shelf. Actually, I've put that novel in the trash. I can hear the collective gasp right now. But it was the right move. What I realized that it wasn't just the plot that was stuck. It was me. (All the Swifties now have the lyrics to "Anti-Hero" running through their brains.) Although I spent years on it, I got what I needed out of it. When I started, it was the novel of my heart. As the years went by, it became the albatross on my back. (I may be mixing metaphors here, but you get what I mean.) And while it will never see the light of day, it is the novel that taught me how to write.

It was also holding me back because it showed me that I had gone as far as I could on my own. I no longer knew what I didn't know. I needed a different approach. As soon as I deleted all my files, shredded all my pages, and let it go emotionally, my writing path changed in a big way. 

butterfly and flower
courtesy Anita Pazner

First, I went back to graduate school and got my MFA in creative writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. After graduation, I started my own editing business, helping other authors develop their manuscripts and their skills. I have spoken at conferences here in Michigan, around the country, and internationally. 

I became a submissions reader for three different literary agencies and two literary journals. I've judged multiple writing competitions. But even more importantly, I am now a published author with two MG titles, one short story, and a second soon-to-be-published short story coming out. I'm currently working on another MG, this time historical.

Deleting an entire manuscript was a scary step, but it was what I needed to move forward. And though it may seem trite or hyperbolic, it's fair to say that Mackinac was the tipping point, so I took a leap and changed my life.
--Jay Whistler

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression? 

Yes. We’d been there a few times. Loved the facility we were at. Perfect!

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you? 

Yes. But for some reason I can’t remember her name. She had me in tears at one point, I remember. She kinda wore old hippie clothing. And I had read her most famous book. God! My memory is slipping . . . who were the presenters at that conf.? Tell me, and I can pick her out.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon? 

Yes. Went for walks. Always loved going up over the hill and through the woods. Past the cemetery.

Any interactions with faculty or fellow attendees that stood out? 

Heidi 
courtesy Heidi Sheffield

Got to know Heidi a bit more. But always, loved seeing folks.

What’s writing life been like for you these past ten years? 

(What! You want a treatise? It’s always been full of ups and downs. I have a new agent now, after 21 years with my old one. I’ve immersed myself in writing a lot of poetry as I wait to hear about book manuscripts. And after about 10 years just submitted a new novel manuscript to my agent. We’ll see if it sells. Still loving the process, even without any major sales lately.)
--Shutta Crum

To close out the Mackinac Memories, prolific author and esteemed faculty member, Candace Fleming:

What do you remember about the trip to Mackinac Island 2014, and/or the return trip home?

The moment I remember most was when one of the participants sang OH, NO to me in the lobby.  He used the book’s text and put it to the tune of “Froggy Went A-Courtin’.”  Then other attendees chimed in, and suddenly I was being serenaded with my own words.  How amazing!

Had you been to Mackinac Island before? What was your initial impression?

I’d been to the island before, so I was excited to return.  I remember being charmed by the hotel… and the fudge.

Any of the presenters or presentations leave an indelible mark on you?

Christy Ottaviano’s talk resonated with me.  Her words inspired me to be a better writer.  Arthur, I remember, made me laugh.  And I met Jodell Sadler there… the beginning of a friendship that continues to this day.

Did you get a chance to sightsee? What did you seek out? What did you stumble upon?

It was rainy so I don’t think I did a ton of sightseeing.  I did eat a lot of fudge.  Yup, I know.  I’ve mentioned that already, but let’s face it, the fudge is memorable.  I love that little knife that comes with one’s brick of chocolate.

What do you remember about the ferries? The horse-drawn wagons? The bicycles?

It was wet going home on the ferry.  I didn’t ride in the horse-drawn wagons.  I did, however, take a ride around the island when I first arrived.  It’s such a beautiful place, and so different from one end to the other.   

What was your biggest surprise?

Ruth plein air painting
courtesy Anita Pazner

I was delighted by the conferees – smart, kind, hard-working.  I wished I’d lived closer so I could make them all my best friends.  Honestly, I remember it being one of the coziest, companionable conferences I’d ever attended.  And I met you and Ruth there!!

--Candace Fleming

 

Charlie Barshaw conducts interviews for The Mitten. He co-chaired conferences in 2013 and 2014. He is fortunate to know so many talented and giving creators in the Children's Literature community.