IT DOESN’T GROW ON TREES: The Story Behind the Story

IT DOESN’T GROW ON TREES
Written by: Mariam D. Pineno Illustrated by: Joshua Allen

No, it isn’t one of thousands of books and online articles about money. Titles based on the old cliché rival the stars in number, but my first chapter book is not about some kid being bored by an adult’s preachy take on monetary matters. What this junior chapter book is about can be found on page 14. I won’t spoil it for you, as discovery is ever at the heart of page-turning. You will delight in finding the title’s roots and repetitions right to the end.

Is the story about a real 10-year-old boy? Definitely. Based on a music-teaching experience, it’s a tale I’ve wanted to tell for a very long time. Memory, intact, was kept alive by the child’s wallet-size class photo kept over my desk. I know but one Pop-Pop in real life. He gave permission to use his grandkids’ affectionate title without fear of my taking literary liberties. In school I often answered to “Mrs. Piano,” but Ms. Fa-La-La was more fun to create in booming tones—which was not me. No secret, highly fictionalized characters/scenes make great stories.

Imagination coupled with experience kept sentences flowing from chapter to chapter. Initially wondering what past incident could cause a child enough anxt to keep him from performing, I had only to recall one program where a first-grader lost his lunch onstage. I changed the song title and the prop because . . . (Ask me).

A fine alternate choice from dark fiction, this 10-chapter book (enhanced with original illustrated pages) shows the positive side: an easily intimidated child blossoms into his real potential with perseverance, work, and latent talent. You can put your money on that.

Thank you for reading my stories,
Mariam D. Pineno

To order your copies of IT DOESN’T GROW ON TREES go to: www.WritingMyStories.com
Buy Your Copies Today!

Related sites:

www.WritingMyStories.info

www.MariamDPineno.com

Leonardo’s Lesson: The Story Behind the Story

Leonardo’s Lesson
Written by Mariam D. Pineno Illustrated by Martha Pineno-Hess

“Will there be a sequel?” Kind of tongue-in-cheek, Marileta Robinson, a Senior Editor at Highlights for Children magazine asked after reading her gift copy of Talented Tabby. She had guided my first cat’s tale in early-draft stage during private mentoring sessions at the 1996 Highlights Writers Conference at Chautauqua, NY.

Sequel? A possibility I had considered. But what followed T.T. morphed into an earlier-reader version of Leonardo da Cat’s antics, not a chronological progression. Brighter watercolors, shorter sentences, more white space and action for young read-yourselfers.

“He’s your cat, Marti,” I said. “Give me some ideas to go on.”

Well, never one to run from a challenge, she did. Our second collaboration started with her sticky-note scraps of paper, each briefly stating some real activities in Leo’s Cygnet Studios’ life. And no surprise, my accumulation of scene prompts eventually exceeded the reasonable number for my perceived-reader interest: pre-school through second grade. I’d need to cut. I did.

The story’s subtle ending shows how making friends doesn’t need to be hard. My friend, Joy Cowley (Author of Mrs. Wishy Washy fame), after a week-long Highlights Foundation workshop and the book’s printing, proclaimed, “I love Leonardo! What a cat!” And “Thanks for my copy. I shall treasure it.” High praise from a world renowned writer who met him only through my words and Marti’s art.

Joy, as mentor/editor reinforced the idea-limiting concept. So Leo wasn’t alone in his quest for learning. To be a good writer I had learned: Sometimes we must delete our “darlings,” printing only the best and filing the rest.

Thanks for reading my stories,
Mariam D. Pineno

To order your copies go to: www.WritingMyStories.com
Friendly-reader e-mail makes her heart sing: Writemuse@webtv.net
Buy My Stories Today!

Related sites:

www.WritingMyStories.info

www.MariamDPineno.com