Friday, November 21, 2014

A Reveal!

This is my dear friend Lisa Dunn. 




Her book is coming out in March, and the cover reveal was today!


Grit of Birth and Stone by Lisa Dunn
Surge, Anaiah Press
Blurb:
 
Banished for a foolish mistake, sixteen-year-old Grit of Berth and Stone scorns the loss of her home, her honor, and her only ally. Only the weak worry about such things.
But war is brewing all across Chasmaria, and as a group of rebels pull Grit into their ranks, she begins to question what strength, courage, and honor really look like. When faced with a horrible truth about herself, Grit must either fight her way back to Thresh or live with the blood of the innocent on her hands.
Release Date:
March 17, 2015
 


Thursday, November 6, 2014

Sweets for the ....Not-So Sweet

Also last night, I had the opportuntity to have some rare one-on-one time with Chase. I had a couple of errands to run, and then we went to get ice cream. Now, this kid did NOT deserve ice cream. He was difficult today, to put it mildly. He's been difficult all week. We're having a tough time with him in many areas lately, and so much of our ineractions with him are battles. We don't want to fight him, we don't know why he even does fight about some things, but whatever is the issue, he's been extra challenging, and on days like yesterday, spending extra time with him - and going to get a treat, no less - seems like the opposite of what should be done.

But grace.

When we get busy, it's sometimes easy to fall into the trap of offering kids rewards, or threatening to withhold good things, just to keep them going from one thing to the next. In principle, I hate this - I think it's like dangling carrots in front of donkeys, and children aren't donkeys. In practice, it happens sometimes, and yesterday, while trying to get everyone out the door, I almost made the ice cream trip conditional. "Look, if you won't give me any trouble while we get in the car, if you'll behave during quiz practice, if you'll be good...then we'll go get ice cream together when the older kids go to their activities." I think I even started to say it. But I thought better of it, knowing in my heart that what a friend and I talked about once was true - that often the kids we want to keep at an arm's length, are the kids we need to draw in and keep close.

So I didn't make the ice cream trip conditional on anything. We just went - this rough-and-tumble, dirt-dusted, full of fire and untamed energy boy and I.


He wasn't particularly less challenging afterwards or anything, but I believe that eventually grace will win here - not me, not him, but grace.

And Graeter's sorbet is just a win anytime, so there's that.

A Little Wednesday Night Action

Last night on the way to church, I asked the kids about anything new or interesting they had learned that day. Chase "didn't learn anything," so I reminded him that we had learned more about verbs (exciting, I know!)  I chanted the "being verb" list, and the other boys joined in enthusiastically, so that I wasn't entirely alone in my efforts, but Chase groaned, "Ugh, I have no idea what you're talking about." School, in its formal structure, is not his favorite.

But I persisted, "Sure you do! You like to talk about action verbs, anyway. What are some action verbs?"

Silence, but then Ryan offered for him, "Run!" Then, "Chop! Kill! Hunt! Fight!"

And finally Chase got caught up in the moment and exclaimed, "Demolish!"

So I guess he is learning, after all.



PS Even the older kids got into it. Among their offerings? ""Incinerate" and "Incarcerate." Well, then.