Showing posts with label Mary DeMuth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary DeMuth. Show all posts

Saturday, February 09, 2008

So You Wanna Be Published?


Mary DeMuth knows what it is like to be rejected. She also has a lot of experience with being published. She has a new blog up to help writers find their way through the publisher jungle and today she put my tips up on it. It's about attending a conference, particularly the part where you sit at the conference tables at meal times with agents and editors.


If you are needing guidance for getting published, this is a blog I highly recommend. Be sure to check out her web site and also her other blog Relevant Blog. Also, if you are interested in her life when she was a child and her books, do check out my interview with Mary When I Was Just a Kid. Mary is generous with her knowledge and spot on about this business. Don't miss her blog.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Viral blog--What Were You Doing Way Back When?

Mary DeMuth over at RelevantBlog had an idea, and it's right up my alley on looking back (though in running if you look back, someone might be gaining on you, so says Satchel Paige.)

From her blog:
"Quick: What were you doing ten, twenty and thirty years ago?
Here's Mary's:
Ten years ago: I lived in Edmonds, Washington in a blue house with white trim. We had a white picket fence that Patrick and our friend Dave Spiro built. We attended Sunrise Christian Fellowship. I was newly pregnant with my third child, Julia, feeling sick to my stomach. I helped format newsletters and wrote in my spare moments. I was a full time mommy, and I reveled in taking walks with my friend Kathy. My closest most amazing friend was Stacey. My hair was brown, not blond. I was out of shape, but I weighed less than I do now (go figure). I loved to cook and I had an amazing group of really fun friends.

Twenty years ago: I was attending Pacific Lutheran University, majoring in English. I lived in a dorm and lamented dorm food. My dearest friend was Julie. We had amazing adventures together. I sang in coffeehouses, attended Puget Sound Christian Center, and was far too anal-retentive about grades. I was too skinny. I had a great group of Christian friends who prayed me through college. God healed me of much during that year of my life. I think that's the year (gasp!) that I got a perm.

Thirty years ago: I was in the fifth grade, with the meanest teacher of my elementary career. We lived in an old white clapboard house on several acres. In two months, my biological father would be dead. My best friend was Amber. I had horses, stringy hair, and was mildly interested in grades. I walked to school. We lived near a convenience store where I discovered the beauty and joy of frozen yogurt, way before TCBY made it popular.

****
All right, I'm going to tag some of you. It's an experiment to see how many degrees we can separate (kind of like Kevin Bacon, only it's relevantblog). Even if you're not tagged, don't be crabby, just take up the baton and run with it. Here's what I ask: Have folks post their 10-20-30s, and then link back to the Mother Ship."
___________________________________

Back to Crystal:
As far as I know, I haven't been tagged, but in case I am, look for me to be linking back to those people as well.

Ten Years Ago:: Yikes.



Ten years ago I turned 40 (ok, do the math.) We had just moved back "home" and I wasn't happy about that. I no longer had a job or important activities or ministries. My four boys were all in elementary school and all of them and my husband and my parents and my husband's family were thrilled we were "back home" to raise our kids where we were raised. My mom died in April, and my dad was walking in a fog. Aunt Lola was still with us. But as you see in this photo, we still had fun. I thought I was old! And I decided to take a writing class because I couldn't teach P.E. any more, or be on the school board and had no friends yet. Oh, yeah. I could see without glasses.

Twenty Years Ago::


My second son, Jared, was a year old and my first son, Jordan, was 3. We had just moved to my husband's first job and bought our first house. I didn't know anyone, but had lots of friendly, nosy neighbors. I was losing weight rapidly and soon would be dangerously low. (Son #3, Bryce, a few months later would be the saving child who would snap me out of the downward weight spiral and got me to eating to keep him healthy.) Have I mentioned that I don't like living in town and I don't like moving?



Thirty Years Ago:


I was a college sophomore at Ball State University, Muncie,IN (same university Dave Letterman went to,) getting ready to have my below-waist length blonde hair cut up to my ears by a girl who lived on my floor (she had a beautician's license.) I had my ears pierced the first time.

I was considering changing my major from journalism to elementary education and had to drop my journalism scholarship to pick up another one. I was still living with my best friend (BFF) from high school, Linda. I had just got a job as a pre-school teacher right off campus at a church pre-school. (Great job.)I was taking a writing correspondence course with The Children's Institute of Literature (or something like that.)

That winter we had an energy crisis(we used coal) and our campus went on conservation of energy practices (people frowned and considered lynching if you played your albums(!!) on your stereo or used a blowdryer. (fortunately they couldn't hear my hot pot that heated water for my hot chocolate.)

I had interviewed a young Iranian woman on campus the spring before (article in the newspaper) and tensions were high with Iran (and tense on campus with Iranian students.) The hostage crisis in Iran erupted. We had a debilitating blizzard that shut down the campus earlier in the year (my freshman year) and another one hit right at the turn of the calendar in January. I had taken a phys ed conditioning class and dance classes and was in top shape,but was losing more weight.


I tag:

Cara


Sabrina

Delia

Rachel Hauck

Nancy



and I'd love it if you would tell me what you were doing, too, or write it on your blog and let me know.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

When I Was Just a Kid...Mary DeMuth



Did you guess Mary DeMuth yesterday? If you scroll down to her adult photo, you see the same delightful smile.

When Mary DeMuth was in second grade, her teacher was the first to recognize she had writerly gifts. Mary still remembers how her teacher purposely sought out her mom to tell her about Mary's gifts.

Today, Mary is the author of both fiction books and nonfiction books, writes several blogs, and is actively involved in the ministry. Mary, her husband and their family have returned from a ministry in France and she hasn't caught her breath since hitting her native soil. And because of her own childhood,and her experience in France, Mary has sought to come alongside other parents. That's also why she has written some of the parenting books that she has, including a recent release, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture. (She also wrote Building the Christian Family You Never Had and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God.See the links at the end.)

Mary says, "I always struggle when I write a parenting book because I feel so darned small and weak. I don’t parent perfectly. But, we did live through two and half years in France, the hotbed of hyper-postmodernity. We had to learn how to parent our kids in that culture. It occurred to me that the things we learned would be helpful to American parents too."


Let's find out about Mary as a child and see just how it influences her writing(and life) today:

Childhood Ambition: To be a doctor.

Fondest Memory: When I was in second grade, I went to daycare after school. One day my mom and stepfather picked me up from daycare on their horses. I still remember my jealous daycare-mates, noses pressed against chain link, longing to be me. That’s the closest I’ve gotten to being a celebrity!



Proudest Moment:In the 8th grade, I started singing solos. Every year they nominated a girl and a boy to be outstanding soloist of the year. Everyone knew Ellen (not her real name) would win. But Ellen had been mean and ruthless the whole year, though she had a good voice. She wouldn’t compete in contest, though I did. I knew Ellen would win the award too. During the award ceremony, they announced me as the winner. I couldn’t believe it!



Biggest Challenge as a Child or Teen: Getting over the pain from my past. I was haunted by many, many things. Had I not met Jesus when I was fifteen, there is no doubt my life today would look quite a bit different.


My First Job:
Counter Girl at Godfather’s Pizza. I still remember how I answered the phone, “Welcome to Godfather’s pizza, may I take your order?”



Childhood Indulgences: Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Lik-a-Maids, and frozen yogurt from the store across the street from my home.



Favorite Outfit as a Child: A polyester (peach!) pantsuit my friend Pam’s mom MADE for me.

Favorite Childhood Play Time Activity: Little House on the Prairie with my friend Amber.



Favorite Childhood Movie: Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory


Childhood Heroes: The kids on the Brady Bunch. Oh, how I wanted their lives.





Mary's helpful and fun website here

Meet Mary and read her crazy blog here.

Nonfiction


Get it autographed! You can purchase Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture directly from Mary and have it autographed.

Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture




Building the Christian Family You Never Had













Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God

Fiction
Wishing on Dandelions

Watching Tree Limbs

Read more about Mary at these blogs this week:

A Latte and Some Words
Chat ‘n’ Chew Cafe
~christa~
Experiencing the Journey
Fabric, Paper, Thread
Fictional Journey
Haruah - Breath of Heaven
I Wish You Enough
Leanna Ellis
lorrieorr.com
Margaret Daley
Partners in Prayer for our Prodigals
Raindancer’s Map of Memories
Robyn’s Ramblings
See Ya On the Net
Sometimes I Feel Like a Piece of Bologna
Sormag Online Tours
Spaghettipie
The Authentic You
The Spiritual Mom
Why Didn’t You Warn Me?
Write from my Heart