Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

A Day for Discomfort

Monday, June 1st, 2020

This morning, I am remembering a lot of hypothetical conversations during the primary season, as it became clear that Bernie and Warren were going to lose.

My father, in particular, said, “This election can be about revolution and systemic change, or it can be about the rule of law, restoring the status quo. I’m not sure it can be about both.” Neither of us, in that moment, thought the country was ready to consider the former. And as good white progressives do, we sighed and bemoaned that we might be forced to vote for Biden in November. And then probably we ate sandwiches or something.

I am remembering other hypothetical conversations over the years, when friends and I asked each other, “How bad will it have to get in this country before enough Americans are willing to demand real change?” People were too comfortable, we thought, and we wondered what it would take to make them uncomfortable enough. (And then probably we ate sandwiches or something.)

Trump is a horror show. Covid-19 is a horror show. But maybe, together, they’ve made enough middle class Americans uncomfortable that we can wake up and stare directly at two things that are truly making our nation sick, and always have: systemic racism and income inequality (which cannot be divorced from American capitalism).

For the last week, we’ve been seeing young leaders in the streets, who are not comfortable. Their discomfort is a gift to us now. And yesterday, my rabbi posted something powerful. He said: “To tear down a system built on white supremacy, we would do well to let our discomfort unsettle us.”

I would ask my comfortable friends– the people who call themselves progressives, to consider discomfort right now. If you say you hate racism, but have some amount of power in the corporate world or the law or government structures or the arts/media community. If you have money because you have benefitted from those structures– I ask you to think about how you can turn your discomfort into change. (Before you go eat a sandwich or something). How can you disrupt the system that creates your own comfort, to improve the world at large?

I feel like shit that I haven’t taken my immunocompromised body out in the streets, but a wise friend yesterday said to me, “there is a difference between choosing to be physically safe which is smart and necessary and choosing calculated intellectual/emotional/economic risks.”

I’ve been sitting with that, and I think it’s exactly right. Risk. In the streets, people are taking risks. They are giving up comfort, in hopes of actual structural change. And I want to suggest that for those of us who are not in the streets, there are other roles to play.

I have not been doing that myself, I’m ashamed to say. Instead, I’ve been seeking comfort–in my garden, my kitchen, my television and my bookshelf, my liquor cabinet and my search for a fucking plastic kiddie pool. Trump and the virus have made me unsettled, uncomfortable, unhappy, so I have tried to soothe myself.

But that’s not what this moment is for, I think. Even for those of us at home, the question is: what can we unsettle from where we are? What can we smash, and then rebuild? Not the window of a barber shop, but the structures we have been supporting with our jobs, our privilege, our daily lives?

I don’t have an answer yet, but I know I have struggled with this all my life– the balance of my comfort/privilege with what I claim to be my convictions and beliefs. And if I’m uncomfortable now, it’s because these protests are shining a light on the fact of my complicity, and all the ways I’ve benefitted.

People are attempting to dismantle the very worst thing, our national shame. And every day, we are either helping them do it, and/or we are supporting the structures that enable it. At the very least, we should be able to sit with our discomfort, and not soothe ourselves with wine and Netflix.

We post a picture of MLK to FB, or send 50 bucks to the NAACP for bail. But really, aren’t those just other small ways of seeking comfort?

Hopefully, those of us who claim to want change, to hate racism, will move from discomfort to action now. Right now. If not in the streets, in the spaces we live– our jobs, schools, etc.

You want to talk about November, but it’s June 1 right now, and the kids are in the streets. An election can’t undo the systemic problems of this country. An election never has.

 

The Beastly Collective!!

Friday, March 20th, 2020

Hey, folks!

Wow, everything is suddenly weird and different, but life goes on, and so do stories.

Today, I’m writing with a request. I’ve written a story that has no ART, and art is important. Locked in my house this way, I’m reaching out to folks who might be inspired to make and share art for my story. Give a listen to the story time, and then, draw or paint or sculpt me a collective of YOUR favorite animal, and I’ll post them here.

Cool? Cool. Check out the amazing art that’s already come in!

Here’s a PITEOUSNESS of DOVES!

And a MUMBLE OF MOLES.

And a CLOWDER of CATS.

And a CONVOCATION of OCTOPI.

And an ERST of BEES!

 

Keep em coming!

Waking up the blog…

Tuesday, March 17th, 2020

The world is different than it was a few weeks back, huh?  I find myself thinking it might be a good time for a more regular record of what’s going on… so I’m waking up the old blog.

The  Coronavirus (Covid 19) has hit everywhere, and while we aren’t in a full lockdown yet here in Atlanta, things feel… odd. My family is staying inside mostly, or working in the yard. Once a day we take a walk, but we carry a lacrosse stick with us, to make sure we stay 6 feet away from other folks.  We cook a lot, and watch movies, and read. I’m feeling very lucky to have a screened porch for when it rains (which it does this time of year in GA, a LOT).

I’m writing, and that’s a very good thing.  As terrible as all of this is, there are blessings too. I’ve been spending a lot of time doing everything BUT writing the last few years, and this feels like a chance to refocus.

Two weeks ago, I was visiting schools in NY and NJ, still flying around the country. I was planning for my son’s bar mitzvah on June 13, which probably won’t happen now. I was having dinner with friends. Now, everything is different.

But life has to continue, right?  So I’ll take a shower, make the coffee! I’ll garden and clean out the closets. I’ll do what I can to support the agencies and organizations helping people get through this hard time (support your local food pantry, if you possibly can, and call your local government to demand rent/mortgage relief, and a freeze on utilities!) I’ll help my kids with their school work and learn to play an instrument.

Meanwhile, I’m going to be posting some content to my Youtube channel, for parents who might like some storytimes and writing activities. This is me reading CHARLIE & MOUSE OUTDOORS (book 4), and offering a little explanation of fiction/nonfiction, as well as a loose writing prompt, that might require a pillow.

 

 

 

Ta dahhh…

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

 

CHARLIE & MOUSE ARE BACK, and they’re going camping!

It’s spring!  And after a very very very very busy year, I’m home at last, living life at a more relaxing pace, thank goodness.  We’re fully settled into the new house, and gearing up for Lew’s bar mitzvah in June, and that all feels really nice.  I have a few trips planned (see the sidebar for my calendar, if that interests you. I’ll be in Knoxville, Athens, and Jackson, MS for festivals, and I’m doing a few school visits out of state), but mostly, I’m staying put, so I can write the next book, and bake muffins, and  maybe even see what comes up in my new garden.

Of course, there’s lots going on in the world, and I’ll also be canvassing and phone banking for whoever wins the democratic nomination. Another reason to stay home and tend to things. So many gardens to water…

I hope you’re well!

Golly…

Friday, December 13th, 2019

Catching my breath…

Friday, November 8th, 2019

The big news this fall is that we MOVED!

How did I forget that moving is so totally exhausting?  Can someone remind me, the next time I decide to move? Especially if I also have a teaching schedule, two books publishing, two teenage kids, and a full travel schedule?

That said, it feels worth it, because I finally have an office, for the first time in over a decade? It’s pretty thrilling to spread out, write at a desk, and unpack all my wonderful clutter!

Too many things happened this fall to catch up, but I do want to mention that I got an absolutely amazing review in the Times,from one of my very favorite authors.  The kind of review you don’t forget.

More soon, I promise, as soon as I unpack everything…

What a year!

Friday, June 21st, 2019

WOW!!

It has been an unusually crazy spring, full of travel.  Honestly, I overdid it this season, and learned some lessons about what I can and can’t handle. Moving forward, I’m hoping to do a better job about not overbooking myself. I LOVE visiting schools and meeting kids, but I need to do a better job of remembering my own kids, back at home.  I know that if I can be more thoughtful about booking events I’ll be able to give everyone my very best.

That said, one of the highlights of my spring was visiting the Shanghai American School.  I can’t believe my little books took me to CHINA!  I am, however overbooked and tired, a very very very lucky girl…

And of course, I do have new books coming out this fall, so I WILL be hitting the road a bit in the beginning of September. I’m hoping to do a little driving tour in the southeast, to visit some schools and bookstores. So if you happen to be in GA, SC, NC, TN, or AL, within about 5 or 6 hours of Atlanta, shoot me a message, and we’ll see if we can’t make it happen.  Ideally, this would involve school interested in doing a grade-wide read of My Jasper June…

And speaking of My Jasper June, just look at the amazing things people have to say about it:

“This book is a treasure—a touching story of friendship, loss, and finding beauty in the every day, with characters who stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. I absolutely loved it.” (R. J. Palacio, New York Times-bestselling author of Wonder)

“Honest and beautiful, My Jasper June shows us what real friendship makes possible in the face of the impossible.” (Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me)

“Unflinchingly true and hopeful at once, My Jasper June gives us a friendship so intense and magical, we feel lucky to be there for every gut-wrenching minute of it. Snyder is a truly wonderful writer.” (Emily Jenkins, New York Times bestselling author of Brave Red, Smart Frog)


I’m so excited to share this book with you!

Meet Jim!!!

Friday, June 14th, 2019

Deep breath!!!

Friday, February 15th, 2019

Well, after a year away from the publishing world, I’m heading back in.  I have four (FOUR?) books coming out in 2019, and I’m sure I’ll be posting about them, as time goes by.  But today is sort of the beginning.

Two bits of news:

Charlie and Mouse: EVEN BETTER (third in the series) will be out in April. And I just found out it’s a Junior Library Guild selection, so that’s exciting! Honestly, the months just before publication can be a little terrifying. You’ve worked so hard to make something good, but it’s been a private matter, personal. And now, suddenly, it hits you that other people are going to see the thing you’ve made, and judge it, so you begin to question all your creative choices.  JLG is, in many cases, the first indication that you’ve done a good job. JLG books are selected before trade reviews, and before before people start posting their thoughts to Goodreads. So it’s a very soothing thing to find out JLG liked a book. WHEW.

And also… we’ve just revealed the cover of my next novel, My Jasper June. The book won’t be out until September, but I wrote a little something about it for the Nerdy Book Club, and you can see the full cover (teaser above) if you head over there to check it out.  I poured a lot of myself into this book, and I worked on it for five years, on and off. Seriously. I hope you’ll like it.  I really REALLY hope you’ll like it.

That’s all for now, but more soon. When next I post, it’ll be from China!

It’s been a long long long long time…

Thursday, February 7th, 2019

I don’t post here often, and for that I apologize.  Though I’m not sure this blog gets much traffic these days, so maybe that’s just fine…

But so much has happened since November, that I felt the need to take a moment and say so.

First of all, we had an election! (it didn’t go exactly as we hoped, but good things happened, and the I’m optimistic for the future. Stacey Abrams is a goddess. We haven’t heard the last of HER.)

Then we had a bar mitzvah!  (and WOW, did Mose do an amazing job. We were overwhelmed and moved by having so many of our loved ones here. The whole thing was incredible)

Finally, I finished a book…  (which will be in bookstores in September, and I hope you’ll give it a go.)

Of course, many other things happened too.  But these three November events were enough to turn me into a very tired lunatic.  And I’ve just now barely recovered, to be honest.

And that’s a good thing too, because we’re heading into a busy (if not quite SO busy) spring.  I’m at work on a graphic memoir called FAIRY HUNTER, with hopes to finish it over the next few months.  And Charlie & Mouse EVEN BETTER will be out in April, so I’ll be on the road (WI, MD, MO, CA, and CHINA) quite a bit, doing events and school visits to support the book.

Maybe I’ll see you out there…