Pictures from the past

Curious Conditions: Emergency Room

Books Change How a Child’s Brain Grows

I recently read this article regarding how powerful books and reading truly are to a child and their brain development. Please read and share:

 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/books-growing-brain/

Quote of the Day

This quote relates to the writing process in many ways. Hope this inspires you as much as it inspires me.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." -Albert Einstein
 

Letting the writing take control

I began writing; it involved a quiet space and my laptop. I had to be warm and cozy; my family home was perfect for that. It definitely helped having an outline in hand as it helped guide my direction. It was really important to have various colorful images around to help me visualize my scenes and characters. I would get frustrated at times because I was aiming for perfection. I realized that this was my crappy first draft and that I should not aim towards perfection but rather keep my goals aligned. After two long weeks, I felt fine with my first draft. It included everything I wanted to incorporate but again, it was nothing close to perfection and I was alright with that. An awesome quote to keep in mind is this quote from Michael Crichton:

"Books aren't written, they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it..." -M.C.

Curious Conditions: Dentist lets go!

So having my topic narrowed down was half the battle, now it was time to write this thing. My approach to write was a lot different than writing Curious Conditions: Emergency Room (CC:ER for short!). The writing experience with CC:ER was long, frustrating at times, and required a lot of editing as I didn’t really know what I was doing. I didn’t use an outline, but this time around I created one and found it to be a HUGE help. Outlining entails me to write down any possible thought that crosses my mind, no matter how small and dumb. It helps me put ideas in an organized and usable manner. The outline was helpful in many ways because I could see a clear direction. The elements that I did want to incorporate in this story included creating the character’s imagination more wild than before. I wanted to make sure to stay away from writing in a technical manner, for more or less that was how CC:ER sounded. I wanted to stick to a plot that was organized but also expose creative and surprising elements. I wanted to stay away from a generic and boring tour of the dental office, but rather make the experience fun and thrilling. With my outline in hand, I knew what I wanted so I let the writing happen.

The Reason I Decided to Continue to Write

After the completion of “Curious Condition: Emergency Room,” I had the opportunity to organize reading events both in Phoenix, AZ and in New Haven, CT. My first reading was in Phoenix with a small group of school children. They were wonderful to read for as they expressed great appreciation for the event. The next event that I held was at the Yale Medical School Child Daycare Center. This event was larger because five additional readers, whom of which were medical, public health, and nursing students from Yale, were able to read to the various classrooms. This event was a success; the children loved the interaction and definitely learned a lot about the ER. I was asked several times from the medical and nursing students if I would consider a second book, at the time I was unsure. A second reading event was help the following fall semester. I went inside one of the classrooms and showed them the book. A child came up to me and said, “Oh that is the book we read last year, I remember it!” That was such a heartfelt moment, knowing that the children remembered the story and were excited to read it again. I think that was the moment I realized I needed to continue with the writing. I knew that I wanted to get another book out to help children remember, enjoy, and learn more about healthcare. I was ecstatic when making this decision.   

More about Curious Conditions: Emergency Room

“Curious Conditions: Emergency Room” involves exploration, the fulfillment of curiosity, and adventure. Spending time with different groups of kids including young family members, I realized one important element that all of these children possessed. The element to be curious and ask many many questions. I love that characteristic as I could easily relate. Kids are wildly curious and the best way they express that is through the questioning process. While coming up with the story line plot, I knew that I had to integrate this element into the story. I wanted to create a question and answer format and I did just that. An ambitious young character taking a tour of the ER by letting his curiosity led the way. I hope you are all curious enough to read the book:

http://www.bookemon.com/book-profile/curious-conditions-emergency-room/71300

The Past

I mentioned earlier that this will be the second children’s book that I compose. Two years ago, I took the opportunity to sit down and write something that meant a lot to me. It was an inspiration to me, if not anyone else. This story dealt directly with my passion in healthcare, children, and writing. It came from my involvement at a local hospital; I interned at the Scottsdale Healthcare emergency room. While I was there I would try to spend most of my time at the pediatric ward in the emergency department. I enjoyed my time taking care of the children and learning more about what actually occurred in the area. Even though the ward was filled with colorful walls and random scattered toys, the pediatric emergency room looked freighting. Children’s unfamiliarity made me realize that having a children’s book expressing these issues would make things comforting and if not, less freighting. Doing my literature review and research, no unique and informative ER children’s books were available. This led me to write and publish, “Curious Conditions: Emergency Room.” 

The Kick Off!

Have you ever had an image or an idea? Could that image or idea be carried out into a story? Could that story ever be turned into a children’s book? Well in my last few months, I asked myself those exact questions. I did have an idea! I did have a story! I wanted to turn it into a children’s book! I start this kick off describing the process of writing my second children’s book. I want to share the ideas, the writing, the road blocks, the struggles, and the adventures. The process is truly an adventure more than anything else. Please let me know what you think as I continue.