My Personal CHIT-CHAT
This deals with what is on my plate at any given moment - the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY!

(I couldn't find a LIFE category, so I went with Essays.)

On Thursday, Oct. 12th I headed off off to enjoy time with my Oregon SCBWI writing mates at Silver Falls. This place has to be seen to be believed. Snuggled inside a small valley in the mountains, Silver Falls State Park has lots of hiking trails, waterfalls and rivers. The neat log cabins we stayed in were snuggled into the natural forest surrounding the area. Six rooms (double occupancy) to a cabin + two bathrooms, and a huge living room with a fireplace and comfy sofa, chairs & a table.

There is also a great cafeteria (terrific meals), and a large conference room - all made of logs. Even if it rains, and it often does in October, we wake each morning to a forest wreathed in filmy mist. Bears are regular callers, so beware! The setting is straight from an episode of "Lost." I have been told that New York editors and agents fight to come here and relax.

We do a lot of writing workshops and group critique work , without the stress that other retreats engender. And what about those WOW Saturday night parties? Hey, I won't tell if you don't. . .

Shush! What happens in Silver Falls stays in Silver Falls.

This year, we got to pick the brains of three great writers and two editors. Judy Cox, Rosanne Parry & Cheryl Zach being the writers, and Alvina Ling of Little Brown- Books for Young Readers, and Lauren Velevis of Harper Collins Children's Books, were the editors. Both editors were very approachable, and put their pants on every day the same as the rest of us - one leg at a time!

We also had a Mystery Presenter who was unveiled on the last morning there. More about that later. . .

Alvina Ling advised us to set a goal, do our research, outline a step-by-step plan & have a back-up plan in the wings. She is also in favor of networking like crazy - conferences, critique groups, online, writing lists, whatever. Final advice: "Hone your craft and write the damn book!" She even gave out an e-mail addy where we could contact her.

Lauren Velevis has her own blog: part business & part personal. Her advise was, always send to a specific editor, read a broad list of books & Google editors for more details. For MS sent to her: Hook her fast, send a one paragraph synopsis, focus on your hook, a bit about your background (clips etc.), one page only.

These two editors said what most of them do - they all sound upbeat and are looking for great new books (can't say exactly what). However, the difference with these two, and we all commented on this, was their friendliness, and their willingness to chat and mingle freely. Both came to our Saturday night party and had a ball. We held a special Voodoo ceremony ( incantations, candles and all), that made fun of rejection letters. Those willing, read their worst rejection letter, and then come forward and shredded it. These two young women editors immediately sympathized, and realized how frustrating trying to find that right publisher can often become. And why do female editors at conferences appear younger every year?

Of course our own Judy Cox gave a terrific talk. With 12 books under her belt she was an inspiration. Make sure you don't mix metaphor and simile. Have fun with made-up words, plus repetition goes well with rhyme & meter. Keep to a cumulative pattern - the House That Jack Built. Judy was a really happy and enthusiastic presenter.

Cheryl Zach had a more serious approach. Cheryl writes midgrades, YA, & romantic adventure/fantasies for 20 somethings. She also uses pen names. Her 40 something books makes her an authority on these genres. She advises we should know our characters inside-out, look at their birth order & check childhood connections with family & friends. When working on your plot, look for fears, wants, needs & problems you can use. Wrap it all up fast after the climax.

Unfortunately, I had to miss Rosanne Parry's talk ( previous appointment). She is a wonderful writer, and a delightful person to be around. I am sure her presentation went well.

Ruth Musgrave was our Mystery Presenter on the last day. Ruth is a redhead like me, and on her first visit to Silver Falls we roomed together in one of the cabins. She wowed us with a fascinating presentation, complete with slides, and remembrances of how she got her first job at SeaWorld, Florida. This led to her working for the Discovery Channel and winning two Emmies, plus work for National Geographic and other prestigious awards. Her nonfiction science books and articles make it all fun and interesting. Nothing academic is dull and boring if Ruth Musgrave writes it - yet all the facts, triple checked for accuracy, are there in spades. She wound us up, and gave us a terrific sendoff presentation. If you have a chance to listen to a presentation by Ruth Musgrave, don't miss it. WOW!

So there you have it, wonderful setting, great food, interesting company, and presenters to die for! Book early for the 2007, Oregon, SCBWI Silver Falls Retreat. It is the highlight of the Oregon membership's year.