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A Joyful Noise

dear bully

Thankful Thursday: Widening the circle of awareness

January 12, 2012 by Melodye Shore
Barnes & Noble is featuring DEAR BULLY for this entire month, as part of their partnership alliance with No Name-calling Week, which runs from January 23 – 27.

I'm grateful to the world's largest bookseller for encouraging (and promoting) anti-bullying projects, and I appreciate all the schools, organizations and individuals that plan to participate in this endeavor. And on a more personal level, I'm thankful for yet another forum in which to share our stories…to help spread hope and light. ♥

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: barnes & noble, dear bully, dear bully:70 authors tell their stories, no name-calling week, thankful thursday

DEAR BULLY event at Vroman’s, II

November 11, 2011 by Melodye Shore

Pasadena’s a fair distance from my house, and traffic’s horrendous. So I rolled up to my sister Coral’s house at 2:00, which allowed us plenty of time for a leisurely dinner before Wednesday’s book event at Vroman’s Bookstore.

We ate at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles–a legendary, ultra-popular hangout, I’m told, but that didn’t matter to us. Nope, we were there for the food. We spent a lot of time in the South, you see, at roadside diners and church suppers. Grits. Crisp-fried chicken breasts served with home-baked biscuits. Waffles, cooked in a waffle iron, slathered in butter and drenched in syrup. Mmm…Southern Cooking’s one of my favorite rest stops along Memory Lane!  Would the food cooked at this Pasadena diner taste anything close to what I remember eating Way Back When?


 
Sue Ann ushered us to our seats. A sassy contralto, she moved to Hollywood to pursue a dream with Motown. Private gigs and oil painting–those are her main interests now, but she pours her heart and soul into waitressing, too. When I asked her to recommend her favorite menu items, she looked for all the world like I’d asked her the silliest question. She planted one hand on her hip and positioned the other behind her tilted head. “Girl, I like all of it! You know I didn’t get this sexy eating lettuce!” So as you can see in the picture below, we ended up sampling a little bit of everything. Also…see the radiant smile on my sister's face? More about that later.

Sue Ann kept refilling our coffee cups, and it wasn’t long before we were swapping stories about church picnics, soul food, and All Things Southern. “By the time you leave here, you’re gonna have that chicken glow about you,” she said. And herein lies the secret to Roscoe’s popularity: "Chicken glow" is a reflection of the love with which Roscoe's prepares and serves their food.

Like Luz (and so many other friends I've encountered along the way), Sue Ann blessed us with Light. I'm basking in it here…

…and reflecting it here.

With full hearts and stuffed bellies, we headed off to Vroman’s for the DEAR BULLY event. It drew people of all ages–people who understand the importance of this project and who relate to the issue of bullying, from whatever perspective, and for whatever reason. All 50 seats were filled, and an overflow crowd spilled into the aisles, leaned against bookshelves, and perched on nearby tables.


 
Connie (the event coordinator, bless her generous heart!) started us off by introducing the author panel. Here we are, left to right: me, Amy Goldman Koss, Cecil Castellucci, Lisa Yee, and Nancy Holder. We read our stories. We talked about the unique vantage points from which we experienced bullying. We showed off our Circle of Caring bracelets, paid tribute to friends who've helped us along the way, and talked about different paths we took, on the journey from darkness into light.

We listened, and we answered questions. And as with the book event in Santa Monica, some of the best parts of this experience occurred in one-on-one conversations beforehand and afterward, with my co-contributors and members of that audience.

Again and again, DEAR BULLY's message rang out: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. “You’ve found your tribe,” suggested in a previous post. I do believe I have.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: amy goldman koss, cecil castellucci, dear bully, lisa yee, nancy holder, roscoe's chicken and waffles, vroman's bookstore

DEAR BULLY: Book event at Vroman’s

November 10, 2011 by Melodye Shore

Left to right: me, Amy Goldman Koss, Cecil Castellucci, Lisa Yee, and Nancy Holder
Wow, great turnout at Vroman's bookstore last night–it was standing room only! Thanks to everyone who came out to see us…we really appreciated your support for DEAR BULLY.

That's not to say that I didn't miss the friends who couldn't make it. You should know, however, that I carried you with me in my pocket…a constant, comforting reminder that I AM NOT ALONE. 

More about this later…including Southern fried chicken and waffles. And yes, there will be pictures. 🙂

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: amy koss, cecil castellucci, dear bully, lisa yee, nancy holder, vroman's bookstore

Santa Monica book event for DEAR BULLY

October 25, 2011 by Melodye Shore

I participated in my very first public book-signing this past Sunday–a harmonic convergence of wish and fulfillment, of individual efforts and shared rewards.

The event was hosted by the Santa Monica Barnes & Noble at the 3rd Street Promenade. An extraordinary venue by any measure, it’s the cornerstone of a trendy outdoor mall near Los Angeles, where fitting in counts for something but self-expression matters more. We strolled past the dinosaur topiaries at the south entrance, nudged our way past street performers and puppeteers. And as we made our way to the far end of the Promenade, I marveled about how far I’d traveled in my lifetime–me, the daughter of an itinerant preacher, the perpetual newcomer who now found herself included on a panel of best-selling authors, scheduled to speak about an issue that matters a great deal to all of us.

When we neared the far end of the promenade, I caught a glimpse of the giant marquee. BARNES & NOBLE, it read, and it was about that time that the autumn fog finallly lifted. I admired the book displays in the polished windows…and then the poster came into view. There it was: the cover image of DEAR BULLY, and above that, a list of authors. Five names, in bold-face font, and one of them was mine! 

The door swung open. “I’m Shane, the community relations manager," said a man with a badge. “Are you one of the authors?” I suspect he already knew the answer. Clue one: my husband was snapping pictures like a paparazzo. Clue two: I was beaming like nobody’s business.

In this picture, Shane’s introducing our panel. On his left: Nancy Holder, Amy Koss, me, and Jessica Brody. Lauren got held up in traffic, but she arrived shortly after. (If you look closely, you might be able to see our Circle of Caring bracelets. The authors wore them, and so did Shane.)

We took turns reading our stories– five unique voices, speaking to a common theme. Full disclosure (somewhat obvious in this picture): I choked back sobs at the end of my story. I was a little upset at myself for doing that, but If you’ve already read “Luz,” you might understand why.   

After the readings, we took questions from the audience.  They were thoughtful and sincere, and I did my best to answer in kind. The most challenging question, at least for me, came from an aspiring YA author. “What’s your favorite writing tip?” she asked. I soaked up the insights that everyone so generously shared, but as my turn grew nearer, I lowered my eyes and bowed my head. Who am I, to answer her question? 

My eyes landed on DEAR BULLY.  Four bold-face words leaped off the back cover at me, and I knew with a certainty that this was my answer.  "YOU ARE NOT ALONE." I read them aloud, for my sake as much as that writer's. The rest of the answer just flowed from there, so I'd be hard-pressed to recite it word-for-word. But to the best of my recollection, it went something like this: "Writing’s a lonely profession, and in that solitude, we writers tend to go a little crazy. Instead of treating ourselves with compassion, we sometimes bully ourselves into a very dark place. We wallow in worry, regret and recriminations, when we should surround ourselves with positive people, instead. Friends, family members, critique groups and other writers…like Luz, they offer us hope, encouragement, and light. So my tip–one that's also self-directed, by the way–is to post-it note these very words on your computer, in a giant, bold-faced font: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Four simple words, but in the very act of sharing them, I felt my heart grow three times larger.


Reflected light: Jessica's listening to an audience member; I'm hugging Cynthia Williams, the Eureka Director for Girls, Incorporated of Orange County

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: amy koss, book signing, dear bully, jessica brody, lauren kate, nancy holder, santa monica promenade barnes & noble

Joy in the morning

October 24, 2011 by Melodye Shore

In this bookstore window, a convergence of past, present, and future. My heart is full to overflowing.

I'm playing a bit of catch-up, so I'll post more this later…Thanks, though, for allowing me to share my joy with you this morning. xoxo

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: dear bully, joy in the morning, santa monica promenade barnes & noble

Wordless Wednesday: Thank you, friends

September 13, 2011 by Melodye Shore

 

Circle of Caring

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: circle of caring, dear bully, dear bully:70 authors tell their stories, thank you friends, wordless wednesday

DEAR BULLY on NPR

September 7, 2011 by Melodye Shore

You'll want to hear Carrie Jones, Carolyn Mackler and Eric Luper talk about DEAR BULLY on NPR's Talk of the Nation! They did a fabulous job in the interview itself, and the callers' stories are at once courageous and compelling.

You can access the archived show on NPR's website, read the overview and comments, or download the podcast for later listening. But if you'd rather not click away from LiveJournal, just press the audio button below. 

True confessions: I got misty-eyed several times during this broadcast. The magnitude of this issue–and the transcendent message of DEAR BULLY–really hit home when everyone gave voice to their own experiences. And when Carrie made mention of my story (at about the 24 minute mark), meep!! My heart was filled to overflowing.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: dear bully, dear bully:70 authors tell their stories, npr, talk of the nation

Three good things

September 6, 2011 by Melodye Shore

1). Happy Birthday, DEAR BULLY!

Today's the official release date for DEAR BULLY: 70 AUTHORS TELL THEIR STORIES. It's been an amazing journey, and I am deeply honored to be included among the chorus of voices in this book. 

 

 2). My first-evah author interview!  Thank you, Black Nailed Reviews!  

I'll direct-link it in a second, but first…a moment of zen. I worked on this 'til 3:30 Sunday morning–long past the official deadline. And here's where life proved itself stranger than fiction (yet again). A "dun dun dun dun moment," as Liz Jones suggested later.) Lighting streaked across my office window; thunder shook the glass…at the very same moment I hit "save and send"! No, I'm not kidding!  Read it, if you dare. (Seriously, when you've got time, I hope you'll take a peek. Most of it's about DEAR BULLY, which is wayyyy more interesting than I am.)
  
3). CIRCLE OF CARING bracelets.

Beth drew two names from a straw hat, and….we have two winners!

 and Debbi Shaw!

Congratulations! If you'll send me your addresses, I'll drop your bracelets into the mail.(Oh, and psst! Happy birthday, Beth!!)  

How 'bout you? Got any good news you wanna share?

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: black nailed reviews, circle of caring, dear bully, elizabeth massie

Circle of Caring

September 2, 2011 by Melodye Shore

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~Mother Teresa

Just a few days until DEAR BULLY makes its official debut…I can’t wait to hold an actual copy in my hands!

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you a related project. Linger awhile–there’s a contest (with prizes!) at the end.

CIRCLE OF CARING is an open membership group whose primary mission is to “encourage people to take an audible and visible stand against bullying…to create a circle of concern, protection, and care around those who are bullied.”
      
Novelist Elizabeth (Beth) Massie created this global outreach project. We forged an instant friendship on Facebook, borne of our mutual interest in bullying awareness activities. But here, I must also confess my magpie-ish attraction to her bracelets.

Ooooh, shiny objects! They’re beautiful in their own right, of course, but even more so for the positive statement they make. Here, in Beth’s own words, the symbolism behind these circles of caring:

[T]hose who wear them are stating – by the act of wearing the bracelets – that they are willing to step up and speak out actively and assertively when they see someone being bullied. That they will not be drawn into bullying himself or herself. And those who are bullied will be able to known the guardians of their safety simply by seeing who wears the bracelets. 
      
Conceptually, the bracelet design is fairly simple. There’s a single, yellow bead at the center of the circle. It represents the inner light–the innate human value–of any person who may be the target of bullying. The other beads are unique to each wearer: handmade, recycled, or store-bought materials that serve as talismans of our interconnectedness. They’re for people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and belief systems–same as the spirit of kindness they represent. Inclusiveness is the byword for those who create them–like this beautiful Circle of Caring submitted by Sheri Goad and her Cub Scout Bears:

I hope others will make their own bracelets, too, with the yellow center beads representing the valuable person in need of protection and support, and that they, in turn, will also share them and/or wear them. Let’s get lots of them out there into the hands of people who care enough to intervene. Let’s make ourselves visible as allies.

Generous soul that she is, Beth sent me several bracelets. In turn, and in honor of DEAR BULLY’s September 6th release date, I’m offering my blog readers the opportunity to win a “Circle of Caring” for themselves. The rules are simple: just drop a message of support for Beth in the comments thread. Deadline: September 5th, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern. I’ll draw two names from the entries submitted, and will announce the winners on September 6th.

NOTE: Did you know that October is Bullying Awareness Month? Wouldn’t it be fun to create your own bracelets, as an after-school activity or at a writers’ retreat? And why not wear them, as a show of solidarity, for the next couple of months? I’ll copy/paste Beth’s directions in the comments.They’re easy-peasy, I promise.

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: bullying awareness month, circle of caring, dear bully, elizabeth massie

Dipping my toes into the LJ waters again

August 8, 2011 by Melodye Shore

No time for deep thoughts this morning, so I’d thought I’d wade in shallow waters. Here, then, a handful of Monday tangents musings…
 

  1. What is it about grape jelly that fascinates our orioles so?
  2. In scanning my bookshelves this morning, I realized that Timothy Leary’s FLASHBACKS stands right next to L.K. Madigan’s FLASH BURNOUT. Whoa, interesting juxtaposition! Unintentional, I assure you.
  3. One more month ’til DEAR BULLY finds its way into the world! (The release date was shifted from Aug. 23 to September 6.) I’m so excited–and deeply honored–to be part of this project! Granted, it’s a tough subject to read (and write) about, so I’m especially heartened by the favorable reviews. Here’s what Goodeads contributors are saying, in case you’re interested. Oh, and you can read the Kirkus and Booklist reviews on the Dear Bully website.
  4. I’m going to redouble my efforts this week to get back online, ’cause I’m really, really (to the hundred-millionth power) missing my LiveJournal friends.
  5. Speaking of which–and this is so cool, I can’t believe I’m typing it–I’m going to have tea with the lovely   in just a couple of weeks. Live, and in person!

Enough about me…what’s floating through your minds this morning? What’s new, and how’s it going?

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: birds, booklist, dear bully, goodreads, kirkus
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