by Pat McCaw | Sep 24, 2017 | Pat's Chat, Uncategorized
Writing assignment: “Choose a painting, and then make up a story about the scene taking place in it.” It was your average morning. Chester complained that his eggs were too runny, the bacon was not crispy enough, and that the lack of rain causing the corn crop...
by Pat McCaw | Sep 17, 2017 | Pat's Chat, picture books
Writing a picture book is NOT easy. It’s complicated, challenging, and requires the precise combination of words to tell a story with a story arc containing conflict with a resolution in exactly 32 pages. Sounds easy, right? Everyone seems to think so....
by Pat McCaw | Sep 5, 2017 | Pat's Chat, Uncategorized
Stuck on the couch. No motivation. UNTIL – I pop in my earbuds and the music starts playing. My step lightens and I walk my dog for miles to the tunes. The music lifts my spirits and provides motivation. Imagine Dragons, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Sia, and classic Queen...
by Pat McCaw | Aug 27, 2017 | parenting, Pat's Chat
Parenting needs to come with a rule book. I may have a few college degrees, but a secondary education doesn’t prepare you for teenage girls and raising responsible adults. I have a good handle on keeping them well-fed and healthy, and I routinely enforce a good...
by Pat McCaw | Aug 20, 2017 | Pat's Chat, picture books
News headlines of hate and people run down in the streets. How do we talk to our children about this? I live in Midwest Iowa in a predominantly white, rural community. I know white privilege, but my goal is to learn, understand, listen and respect everyone equally. In...
by Pat McCaw | Aug 12, 2017 | Back to school, Pat's Chat
Ten days and counting until the bus pulls up and whisks the girls away to another year of school. I should be doing cartwheels across the lawn because their bickering and whining will cease, the constant need to entertain will end, and silence can wrap me up like a...
