DIVINERS CELEBRATE!

The Diviners -- that's my fabulous critique group -- really know how to celebrate!! Last week we had a double celebration for Justina Chen Headley (Holding the amazing new ARC of her upcoming YA book NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL above) and for moi for signing another contract. More fantasy books are on the way. Hooray!!
Pictured here -- Back row Katherine Grace Bond, Judy Bodmer, Molly Blaisdell, Peggy King Anderson. Front Row: Moi, Justina Chen Headley. Fellow Diviners not pictured, Holly Cupala and Dawn Knight.

Peggy King Anderson brought here pom poms and wrote a cheer for the celebration. I blushed happily and opened the thoughtful gifts with glee.
This is way better than any birthday. I can't wait to celebrate the next Diviner book! Wonder who will be next???

Glorious Day

A perfect morning to journal out on the deck overlooking the lake. Birds are going mad with pleasure chirping, squawking, twittering, flitting. It's warm with a cool fresh flower-scented breeze.

SHADOW ~Image courtesy of Josh Otis~
The sun is to my right. My pencil runs just ahead of its narrow shadow on the journal page. If we step toward the light - our shadows follow us. If we walk away from the light - we walk into our shadows. A natural metaphor. I've come to believe that everything I need for writing is right here in the present moment. I don't need to stretch out to seek the perfect metaphor. It's here and now in the scene. It's staring me in the face. I just have to open my eyes and Look.

May you walk with open eyes today.

Fellow travelers, walk well.

Today Bloggers are Uniting for Human Rights.

One of the best orgs around is Amnesty International.
LINK

Act Globally:
Amnesty International
Bulletin:
Ensure humanitarian aid for Cyclone Nargis victims

Please Please ask the government of Myanmar to ensure delivery of international aid in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.

Call on the government of Myanmar to ensure that humanitarian aid is distributed to the victims of Cyclone Nargis and that they cooperate with international relief efforts.

link

Or Act Locally:
Act Locally

We had a blast in Japan! I flew there with my husband, Tom. We met my agent, Irene Kraas, in the airport and were driven to a five star hotel.

On the morning of day one, we viewed the Wenny Has Wings movie (Remember That Sky opening in Japan April 26th) in the Sony studio which just happened to be right across the street from our hotel.
 

Irene and Janet in the hotel room getting ready to view the movie. Note the comfy kimono.
 
The movie was brilliantly done. Somewhat different from the book but that’s to be expected. The actors were perfect for their key roles: Yutaka Takenouchi as the father, Miki Mizuno as the mom, and the brilliant young actor, Ryohie Hirota as Will and the little, Riko-chen as Wenny. (see poster in earlier blog).

Two days of intensive interviews with help from the interpreter, Yoshiko Okura, followed the film -- newspapers to manga to magazines (including Newsweek Magazine Japan) to TV spots. It was a whirlwind and Irene Krass was there with me through it all. We drank gallons of water to keep going!

We left for a school visit and TV spot at Kabara Junior High School where I played the song a wrote for Wenny "You Had To Fly". We had a terrific time getting to know the kids there. Note the green slippers!

Sony Studios not only put us up in a top Tokyo hotel, they also took us to dinner after the interviews. Here we are with the producers, director, Shin Togashi (on my left), Sony senior publicist, Miki, and senior vice president of SonyMusic.

On day three we were free to become tourists. After another night in Tokyo, Irene joined us on the bullet train to Kyoto.

Irene and Janet in front of Temple Gate
 
It rained on the day we toured Kyoto temples but we braved the weather. Tom caught this shot of Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion in the rain.
 

 

Irene sped back to the states. Tom and I took the train with Drew to Koyasan where we stayed in the temple two nights, went to early morning Buddhist services, visited the historic graveyard, and hiked steep trails through a cedar and bamboo forest.

 
 

A wonderful trip.

Traveler may you walk well . . .

Arigato

Janet