Parental Craziness

Oh, the potential today! Do you want to know how crazy my parents were or how I've driven my own kids crazy?

Yikes!!! Well, let's see if I can do this without too much pain, angst, or autobiographical detail.

I was raised by two loving parents who did all the normal things: they loved me oodles and bunches and showed it by setting protective limits I didn't appreciate and holding me accountable when I screwed up. They tried to shield me from their divorce, made me cringe with post-divorce dating, remarriage, more divorce...Like I said, they were normal.

Basically it was such a normal childhood, I wished for my real parents to come claim me. When they didn't show, I looked around for a circus or local wolf pack to run off with. And I lost plenty of sleep waiting for my superpowers to kick in so I could join Professor Xavier's school.

Which probably explains why my imagination is so over-developed and my young adult stories (heck, even my novels) have a healthy dose of adventure, not too much meddling from parental units and involve unique, magical transportation to new places.

As for the craziest thing I've ever done as a parent:

I'm an author. I make stuff up all day long and I've even told my kids it's a respectable profession. Parenting doesn't get much crazier than that!

Real life's full of crazy parents and other people - make your escape with a good story!
Regan

Regan is the author of the young adult Hobbitville Saga: The Pixie Chicks, Hot Spots, The Shadow Stone, and Snow Covered Resolutions. All available now on Kindle, or at Echelon Press!

Fashion On The Go

What does one wear for a secret garden excursion? Is it casual or formal? How do you even know where the portals will take you...to your first kiss, or away from a sneaky set-up?

The Pixie Chicks can fill you in. After a night of performing and supporting the football team while buttoned into the slightly itchy wool uniforms, these girlfriends and their marching band pals get comfy in jeans and warm sweaters and head to Hobbitville, secret garden extraordinaire, for some much needed downtime in the moonlight.

Lana, the pixie who never sleeps, provided the following tips for always looking your best:

First, be bold or stay home. I love bright colors and patterns, but in tops, not bottoms. You can dress jeans up or down, from tailored to peasant looks, but patterned bottoms can really limit your options. Like that pic I found of my mom with lime green and navy plaid pants - ACK!

Second, know yourself and your faves. When you wear your favorite colors and styles you'll be more relaxed and at ease in any situation. So if your friends tell you they're planning to pop over to Paris, you'll be ready to tag along. Or if they give you some runaround, you'll look confident while you outline the reasons why you won't be left behind.

Third, it's the shoes, or even better - boots. But puh-lease not those white patent go-go things from the lime-plaid era, or the wannabees that are trying to make a comeback. I'm always the first one out of the ridiculous spat-covered shoes we march in, but the first of us pixies into the shoe department of any store. There's no such thing as too many shoes...Flip-flops or pumps, or those strappy sandals that are so IT this spring...

What? Time's up? As if I don't have lots more to share...maybe I'll sneak into a post or two on Regan's Realm when she's busy with her other stuff. She's working on this whole reading adventure thing...

ttyl, my Fashionistas!
Lana, the sleepless pixie

Discover Lana and the rest of the Pixie Chicks at Quake!

The Perils of Team Projects

It was probably Socrates, or some equally impressive scholar and mentor, who came up with the grand plan of partnering students for a single project, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. There wasn't a school year that went by that didn't involve at least one of these ominous team efforts. If the word on the street is right, partner projects seem to torment students today as well.

Oh, it all starts out fine, especially if you like who's on your team, but then someone (usually the person with all the notes) gets sick, someone else's dog eats the diorama, or someone just 'forgets' their part. Knowing you'll share the final grade, do you cover the weak link on the team, or just cross your fingers and hope for a miracle? When it's over, do you prepare a power point and take your case to the teacher, clearly labeling everyone who dropped the ball?

Partner projects are supposed to teach us how to work with others, how to organize an effort and how to blend individual talent into a cohesive presentation. Nice theory, but how do you make it happen? How do you influence others to participate when they'd rather use group research time to catch up on their sleep?

Looking back, I have to wonder if partner projects weren't created just for the amusement of the administration. It might have started as a social experiment complete with hidden cameras: leave children alone with an assignment and watch the sparks fly – from a safe distance. Or maybe those pesky projects gave the super smart kids a chance to be popular. Everyone envied the group with the genius, especially if they could convince the genius to do all the work.

I suppose partner and team projects are really opportunities to learn how to learn and there's no doubt it takes lots of practice to learn how to play nice with others. I'm trying to recall a team project that went smoothly…and coming up empty. Unless marching band counts? That's where I learned to apply humor, compassion, and snack foods in equal measure to soothe the wounded and weary during long practices and competitions.

Are there any perilous team tales in your past - or present?

Regan

Download the first Pixie Chicks story at Quake today and find more adventure with Regan's Dream Works novella in the Missing anthology available now from Echelon Press.
To learn more about Regan visit her website or her blog.

When I grow up...

At thirteen I wanted to be a clown and travel with the circus. I was determined to attend Clown College. By sixteen I was looking at a vet school – except I nearly failed Chemistry (much like Brie of Pixie Chicks). So plans changed again. One teacher wanted me to go into journalism (far, far from the chemistry lab). Others urged me toward sports medicine.

At thirteen my daughter became part of a 'career focused' school program. This program means a special standardized test in which personality traits, inherent skills and general interests are all stirred up and the result reveals the best slice of the career pie chart. Good plan, very informative test – but it means she has to declare a major - in high school - ack!

While my daughter discovered a slice of career pie in line with her strengths, she has friends who are very talented in the arts who were told (at thirteen) to give up their dreams and choose something 'practical'. How heartbreaking! Our dreams often point toward the best outlet of our strengths!

I'm not saying you don't need to find a paying gig so you can live independent of meatloaf night at mom's house, but being uniquely YOU isn't a curse. Being an author is cool, but not always 'practical'. It took me a long time to accept that words are my biggest strength and then mold that strength into a career.

As a mom, I think I've managed to combine clowning with basic medicine and a little kitchen chemistry. Whatever you want to be at thirteen, it might not be exactly what you become when you grow up. Then again, it might just be the springboard to the best YOU ever!

Regan
Click here to read the Love Me Love My Book interview with a Pixie

Click here to buy Pixie Chicks from Quake!
Visit me at Regan's Realm or on my website

Pixie Preview

It's Friday and I'm happy to jump back into Teen-Seen! Fridays were important to me during high school. As the marching band drum major, it meant a pep rally and a football game in the fall - preferably a home game where we could march the halftime show - and then getting goofy after the game while not getting caught doing anything too troublesome. In the winter, we took a pep band to the basketball games - lots of fun! - followed by more goofiness. This Friday is great because I'm leaving for the beach to relax and brainstorm with a writing buddy. I don't plan on swimming at this time of year, but we'll have fun walking and watching the waves for dolphins.

What's your favorite way to spend a Friday?

Since Pixie Chicks is a short story (and a heck of a value at only $2!) I chose an excerpt from page 5 rather than page 59:

While Austin confirmed the evening's details once more, Brie opened the instrument locker they shared, reaching past the flutes, piccolo, and text books to find her brush. Checking the small mirror, she tucked away the platinum blonde wisps already working free of her barrette. When the first bell sounded, the four girls walked as a unit from the band room, toward their respective homerooms. Brie sighed, relieved she'd dodged an inquisition when Claire asked, "Where's your necklace?"

"Oh!" She patted herself where the pendant should've been. "Must've forgotten it." The second bell sounded, momentarily saving her from the slew of questions dancing in Claire's vivid green eyes. "Later," she mouthed.

The pendant she'd won for outstanding service to the band program in junior high had been around her neck every day since. Until that chilling moment today, when she'd found a cut and paste 'ransom' note stuck to her dresser where she always placed her necklace at bedtime.

There are four girls in the group, Brianna (Brie), Claire, Lana, and Austin. They've been friends practically forever and know each other inside and out. Platinum-headed Brie is the plotter of the team – a responsible kid but she's got a gift for organizing and a way of turning everything into an adventure. Trust me, all the girls noticed the absence of the ever-important necklace and you'll enjoy the journey she makes to recover it.

Just for fun, here are some answers to FAQ about the Pixie Chicks:

Ms. Black, did you have a pack of friends like the Pixie Chicks in high school?

Well, you have to realize dinosaurs roamed the earth during my teen years. The pterodactyl patrol made it especially difficult for us band geeks to sneak into our Hobbitville.

Do any of the Pixie Chicks have a greyhound?

Not yet, but stay tuned for an unforgettable appearance of a 'greyt' dog. You can read about the many real dogs in my life at my website.

Who is your favorite Pixie?

Oh, not fair! I'd happily count any of them as a friend – or even a daughter. Although, when you factor in Lana's insomnia...

Happy Friday!

Regan

Pixies are shaking things up at Quake!

Well, duh, moment on the grey pics. Here's 0ur current king of the couch. He's been with us for six years and is as relaxed and lovable and goofy as they come. He thinks it's his job to teach all the fosters how to bark (greys aren't usually big on the barking).
It's kinda hard to believe from this view, but the new foster girl (just two years old) likes to climb up and annoy him into moving. With characters like this in my world, it's no wonder they find their way into my stories.

Woof to all the pets who like to cuddle with us while we read!
Regan
Power up your inner Pixie!
The Pixie Chicks is now available at Quake!

Prepare for Pixies

Four very different girls are best friends and so inseparable the drum major for the marching band dubbed them The Pixie Chicks when they were freshmen. Together they face the typical challenges of high school (homework and guys) and the atypical mysteries of the secret band hangout known as Hobbitville (how DO those statues become portals?)

Inspiration for the series came from my teenage nights spent sneaking about my hometown on several covert missions through a very unique neighbor's garden. I don't think there's a statute of limitations on trespassing, but still - Shhh, don't tell! No, sadly in our case the garden statuary didn't transport us to other cool gardens, or launch us into curious mysteries, but the risky fun we had made for great adventures – at least in our minds. LOL.

Naturally, each of the characters has their own issues and agendas, but one of my favorite quirks is Austin's ability to know every detail about every hot guy in the vicinity. The other Pixies find this informative and amusing, and more than a little scary. After all, Austin doesn't look like a stalker!

As for me, Regan, I'll be posting to the Teen Seen on Fridays. You can wait for blurbs here, or find out more about me and my books at my website. For example: we foster retired racing greyhounds (you can expect a few to pop up in future Pixie tales), have two keeper greyhounds at the moment, two cats, a parakeet (who is sure he's a small, feathered person) and two finches. It's a little like Noah's ark meets a petting zoo, without the admission fee (or the reptiles). Hmmm...maybe I should change that - the fee, not the reptiles!

Happy reading,

Regan

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