Growing Up Red

Red--the color of my hair. According to the Miriam-Webster dictionary, red is defined as "having the color of blood; reddish brown or reddish orange in color." Growing up, I hated every strand of my reddish-orange hair. Please don't misunderstand. I had a wonderful childhood. But people either loved my hair or they (mostly boys) hurled nicknames at me: Annie, Little Red, Chester Cheetah. Don't feel too sorry for me. I always kicked back.

One of the secondary characters in my debut novel Free Runner is a redhead. In my research, I came across an interesting article, "Why Do People Hate Redheads?" Research is vital to any writer at any stage of their career. We don't just "write what we know." It's imperative we research and write what we don't know. My dreams last night included me running away from one angry venomous snake with fangs the size of giant needles, trying to puncture my skin. Warning! Researching things late at night can cost you a good night's sleep. I expect to be chased by the CIA or South African Button spiders tonight.

I sported blond hair until the end of Kindergarten. By the beginning of first grade, my head was covered in red. Great Britain refers to redheads as gingers. I learned that my great grandmother was a redhead from Ireland. During my dreadful teenage years, I dumped a bottle of peroxide on my hair--on purpose. Nothing happened. I poured lemon juice on my hair and sat out in the sun all day. The same "nothing" happened. I've since learned it is extremely hard to dye natural red hair.

"Bees are thought to sting redheads more than those of other hair colors." So, that explains my constant attack from killer bees. I should be thankful I'm a redhead living in today's world. If I showed up with my blazened hair during the Spanish inquisition, well, I'd would have been "accused of having stolen the fires of hell, then quickly burned as a witch."

On the flip side, if I were a slave in ancient Rome, I'd sell for a higher price. But not everyone appreciates redheads. If I was living in Corsica, someone might spit and turn their back on me. And according to this article, "In France, there is hardly a fate worse than to be a redhead." Sorry, French friends, not sure if that's how you really feel!

When I went off to college, I started to hear compliments on my hair from someone other than my mother. Today, you won't find one strand of gray hair on my head. I guess we don't go gray. White will probably be my fate. So, for all my dear old friends who called me names and now struggle to hide their gray hairs, I would like to say I've had the exact same hair color since I was five.

I feel unique to be a part of only 2% of all Americans and only 4% of the entire world population. If you don't hate on redheads, we can be friends unless you are a bee, have a spitting problem or own a time machine. If you are a writer, what are you researching? Does it give you nightmares or does it give you wings?
http://www.squidoo.com/why-do-people-hate-redheads

#amwriting #MondayBlogs #redheads #research

Welcome to the World of Parkour

http://www.jenniferlhawes.com

Welcome to parkour, the fastest growing extreme sport in the world. The history of the founding of parkour involves several different individuals. Frenchman David Belle's name pops up the most when researching this fascinating mix of urban gymnastics and free running. The word pakour comes from the French word parcours, meaning course or route and has roots in French military combat training. Free running is similar to parkour, but the traceur or tracer (pronounced "tray-sir") runs while performing these stunts. The tracer is the term given to those practicing these moves, and I've gathered it is of the utmost importance to pronounce tracer correctly. 

I've been asked the question, "Are you a free runner?" No, but running has been my passion, my sanity and part of my life longer than I care to admit. I'm not an expert on the subject of parkour or free running, but some basic core elements consist of running, vaulting (with at least fifteen variations), jumping, and rolling. My oldest son introduced me to this addictive sport a year and a half ago. I watched him execute parkour moves, leaping from tall buildings with a single bound, and wondered if he morphed into a superhero.

The first stop in Free Runner is Los Angeles, home to Tempest Freerunning Academy. I prefer to ground my fictional characters in real places. My son directed my attention to Tempest's website where I was drawn to their unique symbol, mega indoor trampolines and ninja-warrior obstacle course. Jesse La Flair's (Tempest coach and professional free runner) video Unfound has had a profound effect on my ability to conceptualize my novel. This visual masterpiece and stunning performance makes free running look like art in motion.

In case you were wondering, parkour movements stretch across the globe. Apex Movement Parkour & Freerunning is "America's largest educational organization for parkour." They have four locations in Colorado and one in California. "Parkour Generation is the authentic, original parkour collective." This worldwide movement has been around for the past decade. Both Apex and PK Gen strive to educate and certify coaches to teach this unique sport to parkour enthusiasts.

In my debut novel, advanced parkour training enables a fourteen-year-old to live beyond the normal scope of the average human being. Free running defines my main character's existence. I hope you enjoy this gravity-defying journey that embraces survival and the art of displacement. The teen novel Free Runner is coming soon!

I've posted a video and several links in case you would like more information on the world of free running and parkour.

Tempest Freerunning Academy Video
Apex Movement
Parkour Generations
Tempest Freerunning Academy


#amwriting #debut #novel #freerunning #pakour #MondayBlogs

Surf's Up

Dropping down the barrel

Beginnings should be memorable, epic, legendary. Are you stoked by these epic surfing photos? A storm developing among the cerulean waves adds to the adrenaline rush I gave my protagonist in the opening scene of my new novel Free Runner.

Air time

The story progresses from SoCal to London. In my last blog entry, I presented an argument for Chicago's similarities to London. Now, I direct your attention to Southern California. The raw beauty of the ocean evokes emotions in the caverns of my memories. When I was in junior high, my family moved from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast of Florida. I stood in the knee deep water as if under a magical spell, watching the surfers in the ocean. My Main Character's first love is surfing. Yes, even at the tender age of fourteen, he can participate in the surfing circuit and dreams of attaining pro-status someday. 

The surfer's guide to correct surf jargon can be found in the Riptionary at Riptionary.com. I posted this on twitter once. I cracked myself up for days. I find surf lingo addictive and fun, especially when used in conversations with my teenage sons. The surfer rides the barrel or the tube with the crest over his head, the high point of a wave. His board is attached to his ankle or calf with a special tubing called a leash. This keeps the surfer and the board connected so they don't get lost at sea.

"The World's 50 Best Surf Spots" is featured on travel.cnn.com/explorations/play/worlds-50-best-surf-spots-250983. The Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii--the most dangerous surf locale in the world--sits at the number one slot followed by Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa; Bali, Indonesia; and the Gold Coast, Australia. Number 5 on the list is California. They (meaning some crazy dude out in the middle of the ocean) calculated one wave to be over 25 meters. That's approximately 82 feet. They (the experts) recommend you bring two things with you: a jet ski (to reach those gnarly waves) and life insurance (in case you don't). If any of those spots are out of your reach or out of your budget, you can always try the Maldives or Cloud Nine at Siargao Island in the Philippines. Cloud Nine with its jagged coral covering the shallow waters seems to indicate something different--the amount of trips to the ER, the amount of staples in your head after a visit, or maybe the amount of broken bones a surfer may acquire.

The first chapter of my book transports the reader straight to the MC's world: surfing, sand and endless sun. Forced to exchange his SoCal life for landlocked London, he leaves everything behind and must embark on a journey that will change him forever. I follow Surfing Magazine, Surfing Life and a few SoCal surfers on Instagram for my daily inspiration. Go catch a gnarly tube, avoid Cloud Nine, and always Hang Ten. I know you're anxious to learn how this surfer enters the world of free running and parkour in my debut novel, but you don't have to wait long. Mark your calendars for January 15th--FREE RUNNER's release date.

#amwriting #research #surfing #freerunning #debut #novel #MondayBlogs

Chicago vs London: The Art of Research

Mystic Blue-Chicago

Perhaps the most fun a writer can experience remains only a click away. With the Internet today, there are no limits to an author's passport. Researching people, places and things to add to my new novel, Free Runner, turned into a man-hunt. "Who or what will I uncover today?" My past experience in the classroom also became another source for my research. World History and Geography trumped all other subjects I taught while Great Britain became my most anticipated unit. We also explored Australia, Spain, Italy, France and Greece along with each country's unique foods, quirky customs and weird traditions.OK, I admit, I transformed into a world traveler (in the classroom) and a research junkie. I hosted classroom parties, dressing up in native clothing and sampling exotic foods. I even planned art projects around each country.

It's no surprise that England made the top of my list when prepping for places to put on display in my novel. No, I've never stepped foot in England, Ireland or Scotland. I do have ancestral roots in Ireland. My grandmother was Irish--hence the red hair. I begged my parents in high school to let me be a foreign exchange student to London. That never happened.

I will start with one of the first places mentioned in my novel: the National Gallery. This free museum is located right next to Trafalgar Square in London. The main character's dad lands a photography dream job, working for the Gallery. My first instinct led me to research this place to see if they displayed anything other than famous paintings like van Gogh's Sunflowers or Rembrandt's self portrait. BINGO. Last December 2012 the National Gallery hosted their first ever photography exhibit.This plausible idea for my new novel and the merging of the Gallery's priceless art with photography became the driving force behind Free Runner. The reader will be taken to many more landmarks throughout London: St. Paul's Cathedral, the London Eye and Her Majesty's Theater.

My obsession with all things Chicago (and the internet) helped navigate me around a city--London--I have yet to visit. Chicago boasts many museums as well as theaters: Chicago Opera House, Chicago Theater, and the Orpheum where I saw the Phantom of the Opera years ago. The city even has its own famous Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. Here's a little unknown fact: the Richard H. Driehaus Gallery of Stained Glass Museum and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows (located next to each other) are tucked inside Navy Pier toward the back and admission is free. Tiffany glass, anyone? I've enjoyed Chicago's view from the John Hancock building and from the upper deck of the Mystic Blue, floating in Lake Michigan right after a storm. The lightning show over the skyline was worth the price of admission.

If you're still not convinced the Windy City is similar to London, think chilly temps and drizzle and join me for a monumental ride of action and adventure, exploring the streets of London, in my debut novel Free Runner.

#amwriting #writetip #debut #novel #freerunning #parkour #London #Chicago

Up next on my blog--researching the surfing scene and the world of pakour/free running.

The Wonder Years

Yes, I am referencing the hit eighties TV sitcom, The Wonder Years, with Fred Savage and Danica McKellar. A question keeps popping up lately, "When did you start writing?" And to answer that question, I need to take you back--way back.

The Early Years:
In elementary school I wrote sentences. My teachers encouraged me to practice my penmanship on the chalkboard. I will behave in class was a recurring theme. I wasn't the model child growing up. Please don't ask my mother for details. Because of my silliness, I found myself in trouble more than once. My love for reading started during these early years. I credit C.S. Lewis and his magic wardrobe.

The Wonder Years:
Ahh, yes, my favorite few years of life spent in prison, I mean junior high and high school. It all started with a history assignment--a ten line patriotic poem. It was a breeze. Others needed my help. I felt called to help them. Our eighth grade teacher quit in the middle of the year. The principal took over. I wrote short stories when I should have been taking notes. After I saw Dead Poets Society, my best friend and I formed our own secret society. We penned poems about love spurned, cuddly kittens, Little Caesar's Pizza, and cute guys who worked at the VCR repair store.

The Rest of the Story:
If you thought I was going to use the header--The Golden Years--you're in trouble! After my creative writing class in college, where I learned to eavesdrop on people's conversations, I realized I wanted to become a writer someday. After graduation, job, marriage, kids, job, one more kid, I decided it was time to make that dream a reality. And with teenagers in the house, I needed to act swiftly, before my prime subjects graduated from high school.

As you know from my last blog entry, I was writing a non-fiction piece on frontier photographer H.H. Bennett, the first person to ever take a photograph of something in motion. I'm a bit obsessed with photography and cameras and their origins. I thought this children's biography would be the stepping stone into publishing fiction. Now, I'm starting with my new contemporary action/adventure mystery thriller, Free Runner. And I just received word from my publisher that they are bumping up production of my book from spring to JANUARY!! I'm working on my website and a Facebook Fan page and trying not to panic in the process.

Maybe you will start your writing career earlier than I did. Read those writing craft books and blogs and write everyday. Read books of all genres. Write a story you would want to read. If you are still stuck in the wonder years, take heart, you will graduate, someday.

#amwriting #writerslife #photography #writetip #freerunner

The Inspiration behind My Debut Teen Novel...

Yep, this is the inspiration behind my debut teen novel, Free Runner: my fifteen-year-old son. I must give credit where credit is due.

Here's the back story: Last summer I received word from my editor that the book I was writing for a series would not be published due to the discontinuation of that series. My book on frontier photographer H. H. Bennett would not see the light of day. My dreams of starting small in the publishing world and working my way up the ladder crumbled. So, I did what anyone else would do. I gave up--on non-fiction and went straight to my first love, writing fiction. But wait, there's more.

Let's get back to last summer. I witnessed my son and a few of his friends performing gravity-defying stunts at our prospect-league baseball stadium. My son is not a stunt man nor is he a stunt double. The next day, I watched in horror as he and his buddies were running,  jumping and flipping from everything at a local park. I asked my son, "What on earth are you doing?" His response, "Parkour, Mom. Free running?" He showed me Tempest Freerunning Academy's website on his iPhone. My fist reaction, "You're going to break something." My second reaction, "This is awesome!"

My brain failed to make a connection. My neurons forgot to send me the memo. Fast forward to last November. With spiral notebook in hand, I was jotting down mid-grade and YA lit ideas with my critique group, participating in #PIBOIDMO--Picture Book Idea Month. I don't write picture books, so I was using this month to generate ideas for an older audience. I stood up from the couch, stopped breathing and scribbled Free Runner for entry number 13. Ideas flew out of my brain at break faster than my kids can make a mess of a clean house. The third week in November, I glued myself to the couch and wrote most of the novel. I didn't register for #NaNoWriMo but pretended to be a participant.

The fastest growing extreme sport in the world is the catalyst for my debut teen novel, FREE RUNNER, and my dare-devil of a son. I haven't told him yet about his "inspiration," so if we could keep this a secret.

Look for my contemporary action/adventure/mystery thriller novel coming January 2014! Working on a website, so stay tuned!!!

#yalit #amwriting #parkour #freerunning #freerunner #debut #novel

Is This Why I Write for Teens?

#amwriting #writing #inspiration #kidlit

Even though I'm long removed from my teen years, I still get the giggles and find myself acting silly with some of my grown-up friends. With three kids of my own, including a couple of teenagers, I look for humor in life's situations. Is this why I write for teens?

The days of my seventeenth year play over and over in my memories, like a song stuck in my head. My senior field trip to Washington D.C. would make for some great scenes in a book: accidentally ordering calamari (a whole squid stared back at me with beady black eyes) at some famous Italian restaurant, arguing with the waiters in Spanish (because, after all, I took two years of that language) only to reorder eggplant on a plate, and an exploding can of Coke in the D.C. airport (right before we boarded our plane).

I think by now, you know I was never a shy kid. Our class visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and we hung out with the Hope Diamond. The 45.52 carats of blue diamond won me over, but my best friend and I soon tired of diamonds and dinosaur bones.

Next, we discovered the Air and Space Museum. These were pre-911 days with minimal security. As the day lagged, the tour guide lulled us to sleep. The fact that we were hundreds of miles from our parents spurned us to jump ship. We skipped the rest of the tour, found the top floor and created our own entertainment. I hopped onto a small stage and pretended to flirt with a mannequin while holding his hand. He posed perfectly for a picture, wearing a space suit.

The entire museum, at that time, sported little white buttons you pressed for an interactive guide--a voice recording telling you more information. I spotted several and kept pushing them. Then I found a red one, pushed it, and read the sign above: FIRE ALARM. Uh, oh. My finger was still on the button, pressing down. Should I let go or keep pressure on it, forever? Where's the panic button when you need one?

The faint alarm sounded. No armed guards stormed the castle, not even a warning shot. A trail of tears, I mean laughter, could be heard all the way to the mall, the Washington Mall; it's just grass really. So, we avoided jail time and off we went to see The Wizard of Oz, I mean Dorothy's shoes from the movie held in the Museum of American History, luckily without being arrested.

If you write for kids or teens, where do you get your inspiration?