One thing I miss about living in Michigan is the timing of their school years. If I were teaching in Michigan, I’d already be close to done with class and I’d be able to devote significant chunks of time last week to #buckybook. But noooooo. I still have a week and a half to go. Not that I’m one of those teachers counting down the hours, but I’m ready to fill my head with some non-school-related stuff.
Anyway, this week at writing camp I’ve been freaking out. I feel like the Tuesday and Thursday quick writes haven’t made sense for the nonfiction ideas I have rolling around in my head. I’m perfectly aware I’m just making excuses, but I’ve been a manic mess ever since Wednesday and it’s been hard to focus on anything for longer than about four minutes.
And that makes me wonder how Bucky Fuller managed to wrangle everything in his head. I mean, he was BRILLIANT, he must’ve been thinking a TON more than I’m trying to manage. Did you know he left literally behind TONS of information in the form of letters, clippings, drawings, videos, and models? He called it something space-age-y, the Chronolex or something like that, but I left the book where I got that information at school… Nevermind, just found it. It’s called the Chronofile, it’s housed at Stanford, and it’s massive. (ALL THE MORE REASON WHY I SHOULD GO GET MY ED PhD AT STANFORD, HMMMMMMM???)
Which brings me to a question about citing sources in kids’ books, esp. picture books. How do I cite quotes and things? How do I get access to photos if my WIP is just a WIP?
My goal this week is to contact the Henry Ford Museum research center, because a fabulous woman at the museum store said I needed to talk with them, and she promised they would be friendly to me.
OK. I need to make myself some valerian root tea and stop freaking out.