Writer Spotlight: Lindsey McDivitt

 South Africa, no stamps, The War of Art, Gwen Frostic, and "A is for Aging, B is for Books.": Non-fiction picture book author, Lindsey McDivitt

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet unapologetic late bloomer, author Lindsey McDivitt.

An SCBWI-MI conference helped you get published. Please tell us how it happened.

Thank you for all the terrific questions Charlie. I feel a bit like I’m back in beautiful Michigan! 

It’s still a little unbelievable to me that my first book contract was for a picture book of President Mandela! But at the time I felt absolutely compelled to write about him after a trip to my birthplace, South Africa. 

Picture book bios fascinate me and I garnered many tips on writing them from blog posts by Kathleen Merz, editor at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. 

Fortune smiled when I landed a conference critique by Kathleen at a MI-SCBWI conference in 2015. Her editing and stunning illustrations by Charly Palmer helped create our book A PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE: NELSON MANDELA’S HOPE FOR HIS NATION. It was published in 2021 as my third picture book.

As a child, you visited your family in South Africa regularly, but there was a gap of a quarter of a century before you returned as an adult. Nelson Mandela had recently died, and the country mourned his passing and celebrated his leadership. What was it that spoke to you about his life that started you reading, and ultimately writing A PLAN FOR THE PEOPLE?

Growing up in America it seemed unreal that South Africa was finally rid of hateful apartheid. That visit with my teenaged kids made me realize how ignorant I was about my birthplace—it was so difficult to explain how it took so long for SA to become a true democracy for people of all colors.

We visited Robben Island where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. I was astonished to learn of all he accomplished while behind bars. And how convinced he was that white South Africans could change—that they had created a kind of prison for themselves. 

Lindsey's research stack

Coming home I read everything I could by Nelson Mandela and about him. It was a scary thing to write about him, but I came to believe a story focused on his adult life and decades in prison needed to be told.

Your fictional story, Christmas Fairies for Ouma is based on a true story linking South Africa and your new home in America. A young girl draws Christmas fairies on a card and mails it across the world with “no name, no street, and no real stamps.” Somehow, from the hand of one stranger to another across 10,000 miles, the card makes it to Grandma. This is actually based on your own experience, when you and your sister “mailed” a picture with an incomplete address and Gold Bond stickers as postage. In the story you account for the improbable journey with the magic on contagious kindness. Does anyone know how the card actually traveled all that way?

No one knows! Our homemade card (actually with princesses and no envelope) landed at my Ouma’s doctor’s office three months after mailing. The nurse knew my grandmother had grandkids in America and asked if it could be for her! The last in a chain of luck. My mom’s theory was that our picture got stuck to medical journals. But I imagined kind people seeing our card, obviously created by kids, and passing it on—one by one. Wouldn’t you? At Christmas time?

 

You worked for many years with stroke survivors and developed support and educational programs for them and their families.  How did you end up in this career?

While studying Speech and Hearing Science in college I learned about aphasia, the complex communication disorder that can occur after stroke. I met many stroke survivors in my first jobs in long term care. And I learned about the importance of peer support—people in the same boat helping each other. I started several stroke support groups and eventually worked in a hospital, a rehabilitation center and with the American Heart Association.

SCBWI is another terrific example of peer support. I’m incredibly grateful to the Michigan Chapter of SCBWI, Carrie Pearson, Leslie Helakoski and so many fellow MI writers. What a long arduous journey it is—you absolutely need support.

In the winter of 2008, in the depths of a recession, you were let go from your job. You were securely into middle age, in frigid Minnesota. How did you find the courage to choose writing as a new career?

Honestly? It was partly my desperation to get out of the house! January in Minnesota, with a move to Michigan on the horizon. I took my laptop and hung out in cozy coffee shops. A project at my job gave my confidence in my writing. Three of us had edited a set of stories by stroke survivors—peer support in book form.

My fellow editor, Jacquelyn Fletcher, gifted me The War of Art: Break through the Blocks andWin Your Inner Creative Battles. After years of dreaming and reading about writing, I learned it was Resistance keeping me from actually putting pen to paper (Resistance with a capital R).

 

You wrote a picture book about GwenFrostic, an up-north Michigan artist. She specialized in nature prints, carving her art into linoleum blocks and producing stationery in her studio/printing press. You were enamored of her art while in school, but what led you to investigate her life as a writer?

I stumbled upon a brochure for Gwen’s shop near the amazing Sleeping Bear Dunes area! A quick internet search told me Gwen Frostic overcame stereotypes of disability, gender and age in a very challenging era. She became an incredibly inspiring artist, advocate for the environment and business woman. 

And again a strategic conference critique made all the difference—this time from Sarah Rockett at Sleeping Bear Press. (She confided she’s visited Gwen’s shop in Benzonia many times.) Sleeping Bear published NATURE’S FRIEND:THE STORY OF GWEN FROSTIC in 2018. 

Michigan, you have given me so much.

 

You’ve “adopted” at least four students far from home, in part, I suppose, because you grew up in their shoes, coming from another country to settle here. How do you find them? What would a typical “adoption” entail? Have you been able to keep in touch?

Some of the family

When all your extended family is 10,000 miles away, you definitely need “found family.” The University of Michigan has thousands of foreign students also far from home. There was not an easy connection, but an off campus ecumenical center helped. Also a neighbor taught English at U of M. It began with Thanksgiving, then Christmas in Ann Arbor, and I now have two young people from China who call me their “American mom.” Over ten years we’ve traveled to spend time together—including holidays and weddings.

 

Explain your “pack a day” habit.

Ha! Post It Notes™ I love them! But I have eased off. I’m using far more scratch paper and used envelopes now to save trees.

 

Early Christmas in America

Nelson Mandela spent decades in prison and became President at age 75. Gerald Ford was 61 when he assumed the U.S. presidency. Gwen Frostic opened her printing shop on her 58^th birthday. Your biographical subjects all were late bloomers, as were you. You were 60 when your first book was published. Coincidence?

I am most definitely drawn to late bloomer stories. I’ve been so fortunate to have tremendous and creative older role models, including many thriving stroke survivors. It really didn’t feel like a big deal to reach for a new career in my mid-fifties. And since I started writing I’ve met scores of late blooming writers. (You can read some of their posts on my blog AisforAging.com)

 

You found in reading picture books, that the older characters were often clichés of forgetfulness and frailty. Publishers often wish for the protagonist of that genre to be a child solving a problem, how do you suggest writers approach older characters?

I’m passionate about this topic. Thank you for asking Charlie. 

So many picture books contain age stereotypes like witchy, grumpy, lonely, sad, sick & forgetful. Often heartwarming, empathetic picture books are entirely based on negative age stereotypes. Naturally kids need to learn empathy, but much of what we think we know about aging and older adults is myth and stereotypes.

Older adults are actually more different from each other than children, due to life experience. And I’ve learned that well regarded research shows age stereotypes harm us all, beginning in childhood—our physical and cognitive health and longevity (Becca Levy Ph.D. et al). In fact, the World Health Organization recently declared ageism a global health threat.

In the same way we have a responsibility as writers to research when writing of race, ethnicity or religion, we all have a responsibility to look beyond age stereotypes. It’s far too easy to empower a child protagonist by reaching for a stereotypical problems with an older character. My website “A is for Aging, B is for Books” has many examples of picture books that depict aging in all its complexity, beauty and diversity.

 

On the ferry to Robben Island

What’s next?

Another picture book based in South Africa is under contract and awaiting an illustrator—I’m very excited for this one. I’m currently revising a manuscript about stroke that has a rehabilitation focus. And another that’s focused on age stereotypes of young and old.

One of my fantastic critique group members said recently, “Lindsey, you write about such challenging topics!” I have to admit, they’re not easy to get published either…I am still hoping to write a short and simple story in this lifetime!

 

Please share any social media platforms:

Please find me on:

Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.mcdivitt.3?mibextid=LQQJ4d&mibextid=LQQJ4d

My website & blog   http://www.lindseymcdivitt.com/

Guest posts by late blooming writers  https://www.lindseymcdivitt.com/?s=late+bloomers

Instagram    https://www.instagram.com/mcdivittlindsey/

LinkedIn   https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-mcdivitt-32907034/

BlueSky soon, I think…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Four Fears Float Away at SCBWI’s NYC Conference by Lindsey McDivitt

This year I was the lucky winner of Shutta Crum’s tuition scholarship to the SCBWI conference in NYC. Did I tell you that I almost didn’t apply? In fact, I submitted my application at the eleventh hour. Literally. At eleven p.m., an hour before the midnight deadline, I pushed send on the email. My fears and anxieties almost stopped me. 

Was I ready? It felt like a big step. Despite attending numerous other fabulous SCBWI conferences I’d never signed up for a national conference. The current seemed to be carrying me in that direction, but I was intimidated and I almost let the opportunity go by. I’m so glad I didn’t, and I’m here to tell you—I stayed afloat. I survived, perhaps even thrived, and I certainly had fun!

Another fear involved navigating the depths of New York City. I lived for many years in Minneapolis/St. Paul so I’m not truly a small town girl, but NYC did scare me a bit. Carrie Pearson, our regional co-RA, mentioned an inexpensive bus from LaGuardia airport to within a block of the hotel. The tide turned for me—I began to think perhaps I could tackle the Big Apple. Transportation was a non-issue in reality and finding food a cinch. The food court for Grand Central Station was right next door to the hotel. (When I spotted pastries not seen since Germany I was hooked!)

Swimming with the big fish was also intimidating to this pre-published author. The halls teamed with big name editors, authors and agents. Would I find friendly faces in that sea of humanity? But I found it was similar to sailors far from home—encounters with anyone from the same part of the world felt welcoming. Ahoy there! Fellow picture book writer?! Non-fiction writer?! Michigander! Minnesotan! The Saturday evening Gala was anchored by tables labeled with states and countries. Meeting someone in the same boat became as easy as sprinkling this post with nautical terms.

Wondering if I’d sink or swim in the critique sessions also stirred up my nerves. I’d signed up for the Friday roundtables. Two opportunities to read 500 words of my manuscript to eight table-mates and an editor or literary agent. Two opportunities to feel like schools of minnows churned my innards. But overall it was a good experience. Although the agent preferred YA to picture books, the editor did like my manuscript. And as I suspected she shared her email with our group—allowing us to submit one manuscript to her. But only for eight weeks. Words to the wise—group critiques did feel a bit like jumping off the deep end. Do your homework and have a manuscript truly submission ready before signing up.

Sure I was just a little fish in a big, big pond, but WOW was it a treat to listen to some of those BIG fish inspire us! Rita Williams-Garcia, Rainbow Rowell, Jacquelyn Mitchard, William Joyce and Gary D. Schmidt, a fellow Michigander! I’m fired up to go the distance now and I’m so grateful to Shutta, and also the Michigan SCBWI chapter for my airfare. Thank you also to Carrie Pearson and Leslie Helakoski for the advice and support—you were lifesavers! So next year—when you hear the news, take the bait! Sign up for a chance at Shutta’s scholarship ASAP.

Lindsey McDivitt is an Ann Arbor based writer formerly from Minnesota. She writes both fiction and non-fiction picture books and is especially fond of picture book biographies. Lindsey reviews Positive Aging picture books on her blog at www.a-is-for-aging.com. You can also find Lindsey on Twitter and Facebook, as well as A is for Aging on Facebook.

Pssst, want to know a secret? An editor just sent one of Lindsey's picture book manuscripts to the acquisition committee. We're cheering you on, Lindsey, and looking forward to hearing news of your book contract! 

Coming up on the Mitten blog: Hugs and Hurrahs! To be included, please send your good news to Patti Richards at pgwrites5@gmail.com by March 20th.