Thursday, December 20, 2007

Twas My First Year of Critique Group


Don't be fooled! This may look like Mary Poppins, but it's really me.
Really! Honest.Words can't adequately express what my critique group has meant to me
However, I've penned a Holiday poem to give tribute to this wonderful group of people.
(from left to right) Jenny, Ian, Karen, me, Linda
The Annual SCBWI Carolina's Conference

Janelle at the ball. Pink braids are soooo "In"!

Me, Joe, and a few people I just met at lunch. Ian is behind the camera

Karen Lee, me and Leah Palmer Price


our group having a little predinner dinner of Chick-fil-A :0)
Carol, Mike, Kathy Janelle, Jenny, Don, Karen, and I can't tell who's behind Karen)

TWAS MY FIRST YEAR OF CRITIQUE GROUP
By Christy Evers

Twas my first year of crit group. In my toddler-filled home
My fingers were typing, ‘til the pain made me groan.
Paper and snacks were set up with care
In hopes that my butt would stay glued to the chair.

In the sanctum of Starbucks we faithfully met
While visions of book deals made our palms sweat.
And Janelle with her laptop, and her warm smiling face
Arrived early to reserve our beloved corner space.

When out of the walls there arose such a clatter
Oh, if only to silence the musical chatter!
Away to the Barista Ian flew like a deer
“Turn off that music! Don’t you know we can’t hear?”

The fluorescent lighting on the faces below
Made my skin look sallow; an unflattering glow.
When, what to my wondering ears should I hear?
The wisdom of “Crit Group”, which I hold so dear.

They pulled out their papers so lively and quick
Oh my! There’s so much red ink! I just may get sick.
More rapid than eagles the comments they came
As they went round the circle my comrades exclaim,

“A dash there. A dot here. Now that’s a nice line.
I like this idea. Work on meter and rhyme.
It looks like you’ve used every tense know to man
Try, now, and pick only one if you can.”

So off to the conference the breakouts we took,
With wisdom and knowledge to sell book after book.
We dressed up in costumes for the Grand Crystal Ball
If I may say so myself; our group’s the funnest of all. :0)

So now into the New Year we fly
When we set our new goals, we’ll reach for the sky
What adventures and success will 2008 hold?
We’ll go marching together! May all our books be sold!

Our little critique group is fresh and unique.
Now put your red pens away! This poem is not up for critique! :0)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

3 comments:

Janelle said...

I LOVE it Christy! My favorite paragraph is the "a dash here. a dot there..." And my mother will be soooo surprised to know I actually showed up somewhere consistently EARLY. :)

Yet there would be no parties in our group without you! Thanks God we have you!
Hooray!
And may all our books be sold! - Janelle

Karen Lee said...

Wonderful Christy! It wouldn't be "us" without "you". You have become a vital heart of our group and I am grateful to have each and every one of you.

Here's to netting our goals in '08!

xoxo Karen

ian sands said...

Do you really think i fly like a deer? I think maybe more like I trot like a moose, or stumble along like a drunk rhino... :)

Merry Christmas

ian