Monday, November 1, 2010

Movin' On

Hey Guys!

Well, I have some exciting news: I've sold my first novel! Yay! I'm going to be blogging over at Rebecca Serle Books: http://rebeccaserlebooks.blogspot.com

from now on so head on over and of course I will continue to chat your ear off about literacy at The Huffington Post.

Thanks!

R

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

New Blog!

It's been awhile since I checked in but I've been busy over at The Huffington Post. Please check out my blogs here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/searchS/?q=Rebecca+Serle and let me know what you think! I've been doing a lot of author interviews, which I love, but have a new series coming up in which I rank the top 10 classic children's books...picture, YA, etc. Please post a comment here or over there if there's a book that you think I absolutely MUST include.

Read away!

R

Monday, August 2, 2010

Nurturing Narratives takes the Hamptons!






I had so much fun helping to host the children's tent at Super Saturday this weekend in bridgehampton. We made storybooks, colored, ate cupcakes and laughed all day...it was a blast!

I've attached some pictures below for you to enjoy but I wanted to share one anecdote from the day:

The storybooks we made were pattern books and one of the printed questions was: "what words do you use to talk about YOU." The goal was to get the children thinking about words as tools of empowerment and applying them to themselves and others. I was helping the child, not yet of writing age, and asked him who he'd like to talk about. Immediately, he responded "mom!" His mother beamed (she was sitting next to him). I asked the child for a few words to describe his mom and he turned me to, toothy-smile and all, and declared: beautiful and LOVE!

It was a sweet moment.


Monday, June 21, 2010

Super Saturday!

I have been asked to co-host the children's tent at Super Saturday this year and I am just so darn excited. The host is this amazing non profit SFK that empowers at risk children and teens. It is going to be a wonderful event all around and I cannot wait!

One thing on my to-do list this week is to create some "empowerment storybook lessons" for the children who will be coming through our tent (about 2-6 yr olds). These children are young and "using words" will probably not be available to them in the written form yet but verbally and conceptually? You betcha. I want the children to think about what they love about themselves, what makes them special and unique and what they can do...I can...I am...I will. What can you do? What makes you YOU? What do you dream about? What do you WANT to do?

In playing around with my word document this morning I found that a lot of the lessons I was cooking up were actually working on me! Yea, what DO I love about myself? What DO I dream about? What do I see for my life?

Take some time today to think about what you can do, who you are, what makes you special and what you WILL do with the gifts you've been given. And, for all your parents out there, send any empowerment story ideas my way! I'll be drafting up lessons all week!

Have a great one,

R

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Memorial Day Madness!





I hope you have all been enjoying my blogs over at The Huffington Post. I realize I've neglected the blog a bit in the last few weeks and my summertime goal is do better....starting immediately.

Memorial Day was so much fun. The weekend kicked off Thursday night with my agency's BEA party. Foundry is definitely where the cool kids are (my agent even got onstage and played bass!) and it was wonderful to catch up with colleagues and friends and dance the night away.

Friday morning found me off to Colonial Williamsburg with friend and fellow writer, Leila Sales. We spent Saturday touring and researching her next novel (fun!) and then it was off to DC to cap the weekend with some friends.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and that you all had a lovely weekend!

XO

-R


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

What's with this cold front?

I was all geared up for summer. I changed over my closet last week, inspected which coats had to be dry-cleaned and which I could get away with leaving untreated for next year. I started saying "it's summer" at the end of nearly every sentence (I use the phrase to express how carefree I am feeling. Also, to forgive impulsive decisions). I even folded up my scarves and jammed them into a box at the top of my closet. Then wham! Like a smack to the face this cold front came in. Not only does "it's summer" currently sound ridiculous, it also feels like it's never going to come.

I'm spring boarding, here.

A few weeks ago I was having a discussion with my friend Kate Tempesta. We were talking about what she calls "level four." That place right before you reach the summit where your energy is low, you're worn out, and it feels like the peak is never going to appear. We were talking about work, about how to navigate this "level four." How to hang in there when it seems like what you're working towards might never come to fruition. How to push through to level five.

Of course there are many different tactics: nose to the ground, perseverance, belief, acceptance. All of these worthy of consideration. But sometimes what you really need to do at level four is look around and realize how far you've made it. OK, it's not level five. And OK, you had your flip flops all out and ready and now you've been knocked back into boots but the truth is it's still May, it's still spring, and there are many wonderful things to acknowledge about this particular moment in time.

Speaking of level four...I have begun blogging for The Huffington Post on children's literacy, storytelling and a great many related things. You can read my first post here and please feel free to check back from time to time. I hope it can be a place, like this one, where you will feel welcome and maybe just a little bit inspired.

Here's to level four (and the promise of summer)

-R


Monday, May 3, 2010

blast from the past books

I was at the New York Public Library this weekend for a children's writing panel and picked up From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. It's one of my all-time favorites and since I haven't read it in about five years, I'm having a lot of fun. It's an amazingly sensitive book, written with care and grace and humor.

"But it never makes any difference. Going home without knowing about Angel for sure will be the same as going home from camp. It won't be any different. After one day, maybe two, we'll be back to the same old thing. And I didn't run away to come home the same."

I can remember feeling this way as a child, wanting so badly to be different, for something to, finally, be the catalyst to set my adult life in motion. I suppose, if I'm fair, I still often feel that way.

What are you favorite blast from the past books? Do they still hold up when you read them today?

-R