| The Next Day |
[May. 9th, 2013|07:19 pm]
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So this afternoon, I came back from the library, and was noodling around on the internet. Specifically Perez Hilton's site (don't judge).
One story was about David Bowie's new music video, "The Next Day," the title song of his new CD. It said that Youtube had briefly censored it. Curious, because I don't like censorship, of videos or books, I clicked on the link.
Hmm... religious iconography. Wait, that young woman in armor has to be Joan of Arc... Wait a minute!!! THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!!!!!
And it was. Miranda had auditioned for a music video awhile back (she directs, models, and acts in Los Angeles), and I knew she had gotten the part, but she couldn't tell me who the artist was. And I was dying to know, but, and this is a big but, I am a blabbermouth, and she knows it. I was aware that she would be playing Joan, and would have a hair-cut that as my husband put it, looked "self-inflicted."
There were a couple hints dropped, and I figured it had to be Cher, who is awesome, because I knew, thanks to Perez Hilton (again, don't judge), that she has new music coming out in the fall. Okay, now everyone is laughing at me, but I really thought it was Cher, and that I would have to wait months, which was killing me.
But I didn't have to wait, after all. If you would like to see the video, you can click here. It is adults only, NSFW, and of course, controversial. Besides David Bowie and Miranda, Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard are in it. I think it is awesome.
All three of my daughters grew up watching David Bowie in Labyrinth, and who knew one of them would meet him in person?
P.S. If you wonder about the eyeballs, they are Saint Lucy's. |
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| Girl Rising |
[Apr. 2nd, 2013|07:52 am]
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| [ | Tags | | | 10x10, about proximity, book club, bookdragon, close encounters of a third world kind, close encounters of a third-world kind, girl rising, girl rising movie, half the sky, jennifer j. stewart, jennifer stewart, lisa van engen, middle grade book club toolkit, smithsonian, smithsonian asian pacific center | ] |
My middle grade novel, Close Encounters of a Third-World Kind, was recently featured in an “About Proximity” blog post by Lisa Van Engen, in conjunction with the Girl Rising movie. Van Engen writes, “Click here for the middle grade toolkit. Above are the suggested titles for the middle grade reader. Titles include the topics of: recovering from tragedy, war, separation, refugees, immigration, poverty, education, gender inequality, and famine.” I am so honored that my book is on this list! And I must see this film! I think anyone who enjoyed (although enjoy is not quite the right word here) the eye-opening documentary Half The Sky will want to see it.
Here is the trailer for Girl Rising:
To read the full review of my book from the Smithsonian Asian Pacific Center’s BookDragon blog, click here. |
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| Tucson Festival of Books |
[Mar. 4th, 2013|04:37 pm]
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I will be moderating the following authors this weekend, March 9th-10th, at the Tucson Festival of Books: Elise Broach, Maxwell Eaton, Jennifer Holm, Nancy Krulik, Joanne Levy, Stephan Pastis, Adam Rex, R.L.Stine, and Linda Urban.
Aren’t I lucky? If you have questions you would like me to ask them, please let me know by commenting. |
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| To e-read or not to e-read? |
[Feb. 26th, 2013|11:23 am]
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| [ | Tags | | | california institute of technology, caltech, e-reader, library, little shop of horrors, los angeles, luis urrea, miranda stewart, musical, nook, nook simple touch, pasadena, the hummingbird’s daughter, theater | ] |
I wasn’t sure I would like e-reading. Give up on paper and ink books? As if it were an all or nothing decision.
It isn’t. Really, it’s just another way to read.
But anyway, I had run out of bookshelves*, and also, I read a lot**, and when I travel, I don’t want to check my suitcase because when you do that you risk it being lost and showing up a day late when you are staying on an island and then you don’t have a bathing suit***. And so I could either pack clothes or books in the carry-on suitcase…
I would have mostly chosen books, but I’ve noticed that people object if you wear the same clothes over and over and over.
I still prefer real paper and ink books, but my e-reader works out great when I’m traveling. Right now I’m in Los Angeles, having flown out to see my daughter direct the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at Caltech.****
After months of testing and reading Consumer Reports, I bought a Nook Simple Touch, which was also the cheapest e-reader. I called it the Nook Complicated Touch for awhile, because it seemed like it was idiot proof, but it wasn’t. I had to go back to the store to get it to take my email and password. And then, my husband had to find and download a software patch so that I could use it with our home WiFi. It took him almost three hours to figure out, and believe me, he is no idiot.
All the Nook Simple Touch does is let me read books on a black and white screen. No checking email, no playing games (not that I do that anymore). I check out some of the books from the library, but the library doesn’t have enough e-copies of books, in my opinion. So I judiciously buy some books before I go on a trip, preloading it. And I can always buy more, as long as I’m not in the Australian outback.****
I wish the Nook Simple Touch had a built-in English/Spanish dictionary. When I was reading The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Urrea, I wanted to look up the Spanish words. I could guess at their meaning, but I wanted to know for sure. They seemed like useful insults.
You know what? Maybe I should buy an English/Spanish dictionary for my Nook Simple Touch.
Sometimes I amaze myself with my ingenuity.
* Seriously, and my husband says I can’t have more bookshelves. Meanie.
** I have six (6!) library cards
*** Always pack the essentials in your carry-on. This message brought to you by United. Motto: “We always lose your luggage!”
**** It shows next weekend, too, Friday at 8:00 pm and Saturday at 2:30 pm in Ramo Auditorium. Please call the Caltech Ticket Office at 626 395-4652 to purchase tickets. Wonderful creepy fun!
*****Actually, you can buy books in the Australian outback. You just need an internet connection. |
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| Little Shop of Horrors and a bit of Stephen Fry |
[Feb. 18th, 2013|03:00 pm]
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On Saturday, I head to Los Angeles to catch the production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” the musical my daughter Miranda is directing at Caltech. It’s a fun show, featuring a man-eating plant. Most productions rent the plant, but Caltech students built theirs, and you know it’s going to be awesome. The musical has a great score and lots of laughs. It runs this weekend and next. Ticket information here.
This same daughter became engaged on Valentine’s Day. My future son-in-law had a little help from actor and writer Stephen Fry playing Cupid. Stephen had auctioned a tweet for the Elephant Family, which protects Asian elephants and their habitat. You can see the sweet tweet here. |
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| Out and about |
[Feb. 13th, 2013|08:16 am]
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| [ | Tags | | | adam rex, blooming poets, jennifer holm, make way for books, maxwell eaton, nancy krulik, pima county pima library, r.l. stine, stephan pastis, tucson area reading council, tucson festival of books | ] |
There are a few days left to register for Saturday’s 5K Fun Run/Walk, which benefits MAKE WAY FOR BOOKS and the Pima County Public Library. Register here. Rumor has it that The Cat in The Hat will make an appearance, as well as other beloved children’s characters.
The Tucson Area Reading Council is running a poetry contest for kids, called Blooming Poets. Learn more here. The deadline is March 15th.
In the coming weeks, I will be heading out to present at Sycamore Elementary School, the Arizona Young Authors Conference, Painted Sky Elementary School, Pueblo Del Sol Elementary School, St. Michael’s Parish Day School, and Santa Clara Elementary School. I’ll also be Skyping with the students of R.A. Mitchell Elementary School in Alabama!
The Tucson Festival of Books is coming March 9th and 10th! I won’t be presenting, but I will be moderating two stellar panels this year, the first on Saturday with Jennifer Holm, Maxwell Eaton III, and Nancy Krulik. The second is on Sunday with R.L. Stine, Adam Rex, and Stephan Pastis! |
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| Author mail |
[Jan. 31st, 2013|04:08 pm]
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"You are like one of the best writers I have known."
Possibly, I am the only writer you have met, but I’ll take it.
"I like when your parents gave you the newspaper and you ate it."
Did you know that newspapers are printed with special ink made of crushed up vitamins?
"I liked when you said that you improved your writing when you got older."
I hope I will always improve. I know I'll always try to... The thing about writing is you don’t have to retire, ever.
"I enjoyed when you read us the story. I think you did a good job."
Thank you. I practiced by reading out loud to my dog.
"I like books that you write. You make me like to write books. I hope you could write more fun books."
Aw! You're so sweet!
What would you have done if you weren’t an author?
This is a hard question, because my life would be quite different if I hadn’t chosen writing, and it’s hard to imagine that different life. But I suppose I can, because making things up is sort of a requirement for being a writer. I like children, and I like helping others, so I would guess that if I couldn’t be a writer, I would have been a teacher or a children’s librarian. Maybe even an astronaut if I can trade in my near-sighted eyes. Can we arrange that?
It’s a funny thing how writing can change your life. I used to be quite shy, and I didn’t say much in school. I’ve met so many interesting people because I became a writer, and I’ve done so many things that I couldn’t have pictured myself doing when I was younger—like volunteering in Nepal.
Writing has made me brave.
Best wishes,
Jennifer J. Stewart |
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| Bits and pieces |
[Jan. 18th, 2013|01:28 pm]
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Swamplandia! by Karen Russell was so perfect, that I had to start rereading it. You go read it, too. I have her other books—short story collections—on reserve at the library.
I also read another novel set in Florida, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It was the only book mentioned in Amy Hill Hearth’s Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society that I hadn’t read. If you haven’t read Zora Neale Hurston, there is a hole in your life that this book will fill.
If you’re in Tucson, you might like to sign up for Altrusa’s Laps for Literacy 5K Fun Run/Walk. Rumor has it a certain children’s author will be dressed as The Cat in the Hat… I don’t know who that would be. I don’t know any children’s author who loves dressing up in costume.***
Another Tucson event—I’m attending the keynote tomorrow—is a three day FREE conference, Victory Over Violence.
I released If That Breathes Fire, We’re Toast! as an e-book, joining Close Encounters of a Third-World Kind. You can buy them at Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. Bestselling author Rhody Cohon did the formatting for me.
Finally, my daughter Miranda is blogging! If you’ve ever wondered what the life of an aspiring director/model/actor is like, she’ll tell you.
***I am a big fat liar. |
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| No lie |
[Jan. 11th, 2013|05:44 pm]
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I used to hate to shop for clothes. They may be featured in magazines on skyscraper tall models, but the clothing in stores usually doesn’t fit the lankier frame, i.e. one like mine. I’m an inch shy of being a six-footer. Two of my three daughters are six footers, and the youngest is not so shrimpy; she’s five foot nine.
But now I love to shop, because it’s fun! The four of us have discovered thrift stores and consignment shops. Prowling these outlets becomes a treasure hunt, except you don’t really know what the treasure is going to be until you lay your hands on it.
Rarely do I go into a store with a goal in mind; I flip through the racks, usually going up and down a size. Women’s sizing is not standard, and one maker’s size 8 will be another’s 10. The cut of the garment also matters.
Something I’ve noticed is that the more expensive clothes—that is, they were expensive to begin with—are more likely to fit me. I’m not sure why this is, but I’ll take it. Especially if the original tags are still on the garment, which happens more often than you might think.
Some recent acquisitions:
BCBG Max Azria dress, perfect for two holiday parties
Louis Feraud red dress, perfect for a fancy holiday party
Calvin Klein blue cotton dress, which will be great when the weather warms up
Vince Camuto striped silk dress, just for fun
Talbot’s jacket, woven with my favorite blues and greens, good with nice jeans
Lauren Ralph Lauren jacket, black and white herringbone
Lucy workout top
White House / Black Market shrug—not sure what I’ll wear this over yet
And what’s wonderful is if you try on the dress or the shirt or the sweater at home and notice something off-putting about it, that you didn’t notice in the store, well, there is scant remorse, considering the price you paid. You return it, or you donate it back to the thrift store—most of them are operated for charity, after all, so this is what I prefer to do.
If you bought something with a tag that says “Dry Clean Only,” because you did not pay a pretty penny for it, you can take a risk and hand-wash it. I haven’t ruined anything yet by ignoring that label.
These are my favorite haunts in Tucson: Assistance League, Casa de Los Niños, Goodwill (Tanque Verde location), The Green Monkey, Salvation Army (Tanque Verde location), and The Teal Saguaro (new!).
I still have to buy shoes and most jeans and pants new, but on-line, because I have big feet and need a longer inseam. I’ve rarely gotten lucky with pants.
P.S. In case you are wondering, I buy most of my books new, or check them out at the library. |
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| Is anybody there? |
[Jan. 2nd, 2013|04:41 pm]
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| [ | Tags | | | amy hill hearth, denver broncos, elizabeth george, football for dummies, happy new year, karen russell, luis urea, maria semple, reading, sarah dunant, stacy london | ] |
So, it’s the second day of 2013, and I’m blowing the dust off this blog. *Cough* I’m not sure I have any readers left, because I haven’t been reading other blogs or commenting on them, or obviously writing in this journal. I know I set up a way to aggregate all the blogs I was following (perhaps in google reader, I think?), and then promptly forgot about it. Well, actually I hurt myself running, and pain has a way of making you drop some of the balls you're juggling. I’m better now, but my physical therapy regimen keeps me busy.
Okay, it was that kind of year, a recuperating kind, because I had elective surgery in the summer. But for others, it was much worse, and I am blessed in comparison, and I have absolutely nada to complain about.
Anyway… there’s always a bit of an organizational frenzy going on in the early days of a shiny new year. I’ve been rearranging my office, hauling books to the library where they can find a new home or be sold to benefit the Friends, totaling up my business mileage for 2012 (most of it driving to and from the library), and eyeing the tax form I need to fill out for book sales (not actually filling it out, mind, just letting it sit there and taunt me). Tomorrow seems like a good time to tackle it.
I don’t really have any resolutions for 2013. I know I intend to read more. Recent favorites include The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Urrea, Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant, The Truth About Style by Stacy London, and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. I’m currently rereading Football for Dummies because the Broncos are in the Play-Offs!
On the nightstand are Elizabeth George’s first young adult novel, The Edge of Nowhere, Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth, and Swamplandia! by Karen Russell.
It looks like it’s going to be a good year. I hope yours will be, too. |
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