The Latest from Nancy...
Missouri Confluence Conference
Saturday, November 5, 2011 a friend and I left early, early in the morning to drive to St. Charles Community College for the Missouri Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Missouri Confluence Conference 2011 in Cottlesville, MO (near St. Charles).
Now that mouthful is out of the way, I have to say that the SCBWI conference was well worth attending. I definitely enjoyed hearing writer Suzanne Morgan Williams (author of Bull Rider)! She had lots of good stuff to give; I took lots of notes. One thing that resonated with me was when she was given the advice to just do research on the internet instead of traveling to where her subject lived and worked, she didn’t agree and went anyway. That’s me right now––trying to raise funds to travel to Surinam to do research for my book about Maria Sybilla Merian, a VIP when it comes to early science. And while we, as writers, always hear “Write what you know,” Suzanne says, “Write what you want to know.”
Suzanne believes that stories and books choose YOU to write about them. Her questions to the conference attendees are:
- What story, what book, what technique is trying to get your attention?
- What story speaks to you?
- What creative places do you need to explore? (Ah, Surinam continues to beckon….)
A useful tip for finding an agent or editor came from Quinlan Lee, an editor with Adams Literary:
- Look at the acknowledgement page of a book on your subject to find who was the editor/agent.
- Write the editor or agent mentioned there, saying “I know you edited/agented this book; I think you might be interested in mine.” Then give your pitch.
Don’t think I’ve ever thought of actually mentioning that. Hmmm….
There was so much more; it’s all still whirling around in my brain. Thank goodness I took notes!
Ziplining!
Wheeeeeee!
Strange Creature Spotted in Memphis!
We saw this 10 inch worm slithering along the sidewalk as we left the apartment in Memphis the other day. Worm? Snake? Weird! What a head!
Found out it’s called a Hammerhead Flatworm. It’s an invasive species and eats earthworms. I read that it’s mouth is somewhere in the middle of the body. Did I say it’s weird?!
At Work On the Beach
I love walking the beach searching for the raw material I can use to create one-of-a-kind pendants!
Too Bad She Couldn't Profit!
I just read that at the June 13, 2011 Christie’s auction in London that an original copy of Maria Sybilla Merian’s first book (Das Blumenbuch) sold for £565,250 or $915,564.02!
I had once had the passing thought that it would be nice to have one of her originals…good thing it was just a passing thought. Wow!
I Found Myself Today!
Yep, that’s right. I was browsing through Google Images for things related to Maria Sybilla Merian for a project I have in mind, when…there on the page was ME staring back at ME! I clicked on my picture and it took me to DevSur.com: Your Suriname News Source. There with that photo of me was the headline “American writer researching Suriname naturalist.”
Check it out! And leave a comment, please.
BTW I found 4 four-leaf clovers near my back door today. Connection…?
Speaking to the Springfield Writers Guild
On Saturday, March 26, 2011, I spoke to a local writers group about the biography I am writing of early artist/scientist Maria Sybilla Merian. I talked about the various types of research I have done for the book, including travel to Germany and visits to various museums for information. Then I talked about my experience with crowd funding and two of those websites, explaining what crowd funding is and how it is done, differences I found on two of those site, and what all needs to be done before you push that “publish” button. And lastly, I spoke about why I need to travel to Suriname, South America, for that last bit of on-site research in order to complete the book.
I enjoyed visiting with all the people who came up to talk with me afterwards, too.
Springfield News-Leader Highlights Research Project
Please comment on the News-Leader’s website and join the project! read more…
New Shell Jewelry!
I just finished some a couple of new shell pendants.
I love making these! read more…
The Little Microscope has Arrived
The whole thing is sooo small and so different from what I’ve known as a microscope. And the lens is so tiny! I don’t know how in the world Leeuwenhoek ever discovered all those things he did using this! (Now to figure out what I can try to look at using it. — Any ideas?)
Other Work
Chasing Caterpillars
The Life and Times of Maria Sybilla Merian
Maria Sybilla Merian (1647-1717) lived in a culture where women were supposed to marry, keep house, and raise children. So how, then, did her persistent involvement with caterpillars make such an impact on the world of science? This is her story.
Draft
Varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes. Varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes.
Missouri Life Magazine
Illustration
Gone But Not Forgotten — Missouri Life Magazine
Artist Profile: Jim Veronee
An article about a Missouri mural artist and his legacy.
I just couldn’t put it down!
– Dixie Simpson
Upcoming Events
September 8, 2018
ABC Books, Book Signing • Springfield, MO
1-3 pm
September 31, 2018
Draft, Book Reading • Los Angeles, MO
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus et nisi mattis, bibendum mi vel, interdum urna. Donec in augue sed turpis hendrerit semper.
Coming Soon!
Available Aug 16, 2018
Missouri’s Best Known Resident, A Dog?
Non-Fiction
In the 1930’s Jim may have been Missouri’s best known resident.
My Writing Blog
Follow Along
Mini Maker Faire in Chicago
Today my daughter, son-in-law and I went to a maker faire; my first. Once they talked me into making something, I enjoyed the whole thing a lot more. We made a blinking pin, a noisy thingy, and a seed "bomb" that you toss in your yard or an empty lot somewhere or...
Crab apple tree
Picture Shell con't
I decided to add a touch of blue to suggest the ocean. Then finished it as a pendant. I had hoped to find a few more shells suggesting pictures in the arrangement of colors and or patterns, but that did not happen on this trip to Fernandina Beach. Maybe next time.
Schedule an Event
events@nancybdailey.com
Contact Agent
publishing@nancybdailey.com
Contact Author
author@nancybdailey.com
Recent Comments