Wednesday, April 4, 2012

A to Z: Exuviate





Down near the swamps of Louisiana where I grew up, the summer nights would often bring the sound of the male cicadas as they called to their potential mates.  After an eating and growth period, they would literally crack out of their shells with a new body and leave the old ones behind as collector items for the kids in my neighborhood,  Those shells remind me of my writing and my new writing word...exuviate...which means to cast off or shed.  When I am in the middle of a work in progress, I should exuviate any doubts or fears regarding my ability as a writer.  As one blogger so aptly stated, "I am an Author, therefore I Auth!"  Lol...silly I know,  but writers have a driving need to put words to paper, and they have enough to deal with in the actual writing without having to worry about other things like unnecessary "shells" holding them back!






Emma's Lamb (in honor of my mother...who hated her middle name, Emma)
Written by: Kim Lewis
Illustrated by: Kim Lewis
ISBN: 10-0763604240
Ages: 3-8
Teaser:  Emma is asked to look after a lamb while her dad looks for it's lost mother.  Emma thinks the lamb would make a nice pet and she plans to take care of it herself.  Will dad find the lost ewe or will Emma have a new playmate?






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34 comments:

  1. Simon KewinApril 4, 2012 at 11:27 PM

    Great word, great sentiment. But one ugly bug!

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 6:11 AM

      Lol...multiply that little fellow by dozens and you can imagine what the neighborhood trees looked like with those shells hanging from the bark!

      Thanks, Simon, for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
    2. janetApril 5, 2012 at 3:10 PM

      I agree with Simon. That is UGLY.

      Delete
    3. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:38 PM

      Ahhh, only a face a mother could love? Lol

      Thanks for stopping by, Janet, and come back any time!

      Delete
  2. stephen HayesApril 4, 2012 at 11:37 PM

    Simon said it all. One ugly bug.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 6:15 AM

      Ahhh, but not to a little kid with an active imagination...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by, Stephen, and come back any time!

      Delete
  3. JennApril 5, 2012 at 4:35 AM

    What a cool word. We have cicadas here. When they shed their shells--they are usually stuck to our tree out front-- and kinda creepy--but not as creepy as that bug!!

    LOL!!

    Cheers, Jenn
    http://www.wine-n-chat.com

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 6:21 AM

      As I got older they kinda creeped me out, but as a young child I loved to play with the shells. Boy, things must have been rough if all we had to play with were those shells...hahaha...

      Thanks, Jenn, for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  4. jpApril 5, 2012 at 5:52 AM

    Emma's father searched all over his land for the lamb's mother. The search went on day and night until in the far corner of one meadow he found her. He picked her up gently and looked out over his vast tracts of land, one lone man cradling a sheep.

    He was a good farmer indeed. Certainly in this case he was outstanding in his field!

    I entered a pun contest in a local paper once. To ensure I had a good chance of winning I entered not just one pun but ten. I thought one would win. Unfortunately no pun in ten did.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 6:25 AM

      Oh, JP, I do so enjoy your sharp wit! You surprise me every time you come for a visit...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
    2. janetApril 5, 2012 at 3:12 PM

      jp, THAT was funny!

      Delete
  5. Louise NottinghamApril 5, 2012 at 11:18 AM

    Your introduction brought back so many memories. When I was a preteen in Oklcahoma I spent many afternoons looking for the remains of cicadas who had exuviated their skins.
    And another picture book to enjoy, Emma's Lamb.
    Thank you.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 11:48 AM

      Yeah, basically if you were raised in the south you would know what I'm talking about...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  6. Sarah AllanApril 5, 2012 at 12:05 PM

    I kind of like the sound of cicadas, but by the time they die, I'm ready for the quiet. Great blog, and you have a new follower.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 12:12 PM

      I like the sound as well, but they can be deafening after awhile...lol

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  7. AnonymousApril 5, 2012 at 1:57 PM

    This A-Z Challenge is really keeping you on your toes.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:27 PM

      Well, I try, Genevieve...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  8. Kelly StilwellApril 5, 2012 at 2:17 PM

    Yes, agreed. No time to worry! Too much writing to do!

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:30 PM

      I also have a full time job, a picture book to write for April and my YA historical fantasy and my YA suspense novel to get back to...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  9. AnonymousApril 5, 2012 at 3:13 PM

    I clicked the link to come to your site and nearly jumped out of MY skin when I saw the bug. :D

    Very interesting. We don't seem to have cicadas up here, but toward the end of summer there is a bug that makes a similar "rattling" sound. I always think: it's so hot, even the bugs are complaining.

    Have fun during the A - Z Challenge!

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:33 PM

      Awww, I'm sorry I surprised you, Tracy...you will have to come back tomorrow and hopefully I will have a more pleasant surprise in store for you...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  10. janetApril 5, 2012 at 3:17 PM

    The actual bug is a pretty sparkly green. The shell is what's so ugly.
    We must have been "uptown", we made dolls out of sticks.
    I love the name Emma. The book looks like another good one.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:35 PM

      I think it's amazing, Janet, how I can choose one word and it spark so many different memories and comments from different people!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  11. AnonymousApril 5, 2012 at 3:42 PM

    Great new word! Exuviate! The bug is gross.

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 3:52 PM

      Awww, Eric, I used to play with them when I was your age and I'm a girl...lol...don't think I would touch then now...;-)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  12. Penny Parker KlostermannApril 5, 2012 at 4:11 PM

    Good word. I have seen those left-behind bodies a lot. Usually, stuck to tree trunks! It's like they just held on til the last minute and then snuck away....leaving their shell unaware and stilling clinging :-)

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 5:50 PM

      Penny, you must be from the South...I don't think those critters can live in colder weather...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  13. Pish PoshApril 5, 2012 at 4:30 PM

    Good word, gross bug, cute story. Man that cicada image won't get out of my mind. I'm thinking Emma with a lamb, sweet, but thinking AHHH GROSS BUG.

    Visiting from A to Z

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 5:53 PM

      Hi, and welcome to my blog! I was going to go visit yours but when I click on your name it says you have a private setting and won't let me visit...;0(

      Good luck with the challenge! Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  14. Sue McPeakApril 5, 2012 at 6:15 PM

    I know the bug....we have BigUn's in Texas and they do leave Big Shells. Mmmm...excuviate...good word for shedding doubts and writing worries. Your other E word...Emma is the same as mine and about family. Hope you have a chance to stop by...Sue

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  15. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 9:19 PM

    Hi, Sue, and welcome to my blog! I lived in Dallas and the surrounding area for eight years before moving to Tennessee in '93. I hopped over to your blog and left a message...lovely post...good luck with the challenge...

    Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beth StilbornApril 5, 2012 at 10:42 PM

    Nearly didn't click through because of the bug.

    My curiosity about the word made me click anyway, and what a great word it is.

    I also like the sound of that book (and I like the name Emma!)

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    1. Think Positive, Be PositiveApril 5, 2012 at 11:09 PM

      I'm glad you took a chance on that post, Beth...I would never steer you wrong...;0)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

      Delete
  17. Jarm Del BoccioApril 6, 2012 at 9:54 AM

    I've learned a new word! We have cicadas here in the Midwest. They ARE ugly, but for some strange reason, I find their ear piercing call comforting. Go figure! Thanks for introducing us to new PBs each day, Donna!

    ReplyDelete

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