Betty Birney’s Blog

Even though I’m home for the summer, I’m busier than ever, mostly trying to write a book …. but also having quite a bit o’fun! Here’s what I’ve been up to in the last few weeks….

Jumpin' jellyfish! Granddaughter Remy's fabulous 4th birthday party at the aquarium on the Santa Monica Pier.

Prima ballerina! Remy's 1st dance recital - her pirouettes were perfect.

Bloomin’ brilliant! Michael Reisman’s exceptionally cool and fun book launch party at the Bungalow Club on Melrose. Later, Michael donned his bathrobe and did a reading in 1) a British accent and 2) an Irish accent. He also juggled. Ah, Hollywood!

And there was also an unforgettable encounter with Dame Edna … Frank and I saw her most recent show at the Ahmanson. Some years ago, I got some Dame Edna videos which my husband, son and I loved so when she came to town we had to see her. Son – now living in NY – was a little wistful about missing her. Don’t know Dame Edna? Check this link to get a hint of what the show is like. No, we didn’t get called up on stage.
Since then, we took a short trip to Pompeii… but more about that later.

What a staycation I’m having! I’ve been to Hungary, England and Japan today … and I didn’t have to leave the house. I just received my copies of the Hungarian version of THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY. As in Germany and Belgium, they changed his name … again.

So meet, Spuri. He’s quite an energetic guy!

“Rocky’s” (AKA Humphrey’s) book came out in Germany in April. This is the first illustrated book – and I like the fact that the illustrations follow the book – that’s not always the case!

Ms Mac at Pet-O-Rama - nice legs!

Humphrey at Principal Morales' house (Headmaster in UK)

Japanese Cover

Finally, I received the Japanese edition of THE SEVEN WONDERS OF SASSAFRAS SPRINGS. It was going through the translation process for a long time and it was a total surprise to see it! They used the same cover art … but it’s still very different. I forgot that they read books “backwards” – which means they start at what we’d consider the back of the book and work forward. Of course, they think we read books “backwards.” I don’t really care how people read books, just so they read! The book is beautifully designed. These aren’t the greatest scans but they’ll give you an idea.

Chapter Heading

Sample Page

I’m honored and delighted to see my books travel around the globe.

By the way, when I’ve been speaking at schools recently and mention that Humphrey is coming to Hungary, I can tell that most kids have never heard of such a country. I wish that the “test” everyone teaches to had a little geography thrown in!

Living in southern California, we get a lot of interesting visitors throughout the year. Our most recent guest was a charming guy named Flat Stanley. Stanley was sent to us from cousin Katherine Wilbraham of Connecticut. It was fun for Humphrey to meet another character from a book.

I was very privileged to have such a famous visitor. I’ve always loved Flat Stanley and know that through the years, many classrooms have mailed their own Flat Stanleys around the country.  Here in L.A. he visited Disney Hall, downtown, Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier. But maybe his greatest adventure was right here, in my own back yard office!

I was a little surprised, though, because when I wasn’t looking, Stanley took a peek at my manuscript for the book that comes out in February.

I guess he just couldn’t help himself!

My husband Frank will be delivering Stanley back home this weekend when he is on the east coast.

I do hope he comes to visit again!

Professional interviewer, Bobbi Yoo

No, no, I didn’t interview a hamster. A hamster interviewed me!

I haven’t gotten around to blogging about it yet, but I’ll be on the Faculty for the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) National Conference in August. SCBWI has been my inspiration, my education and my biggest influence in my development as a children’s book writer over the past 18 years or so. When people ask for advice about being a children’s book writer, I only have one thing to say: Join SCBWI! The packet of information you get when you join is worth the membership fee. The conferences are awesome. But this is my first time on the faculty – delivering a keynote address as well as doing a workshop on school visits, a workshop on writing TV animation and doing manuscript evaluations.  Check it out!

So this hamster interview was part of the TEAM SCBWI blog on fellow LAYA Paula Yoo’s site.  Paula didn’t actually interview me … her hamster, Bobbi, did! Bobbi is an excellent interviewer for a hamster or a human.  And very cute, as you can see!

But you should browse around Paula’s website, too. In addition to her YA novel, Good Enough, she has a brand new book, just out this week, about the Hollywood actress, Anna May Wong. I can’t wait to read it – the reviews are great!

And if you don’t know what NaPiBoWriWee is all about, scroll down here and read about it. It became a national sensation and took over Paula’s life for a while. But then, she’s a woman of many talents and excellent taste in pets!

Actually, I was interviewed by a hamster last year at the BBC in London for the kids’ show Go4It. It wasn’t a real hamster, though, but a marvelous actress who played the part of Henrietta Hamster to a T. She even brought celery and carrots to crunch on. I was amazed to learn that Henrietta had a huge crush on Humphrey!

We’re going back to the UK in September. Yaaaaay!!!!!

It was a big bump – or a thump – that woke me up this week at 1:30 in the morning.  It didn’t wake Frank up but I did - I was frightened for some reason, though I’m not a panicky person. I was sure something heavy had fallen in the house. Maybe the house even shook a little, though I knew it wasn’t an earthquake. I spent a while checking rooms and closets and the garage but nothing had fallen. Frank suggested I had dreamed it but I knew I hadn’t. I didn’t ever get back to sleep.

The next morning, the mystery was solved when we saw hundreds of tiny green apricots in our yard. And there was our next door neighbor Mary, so recently widowed. In the night, their huge apricot tree had toppled over and landed on her car. It didn’t do too much damage to the car because it caught on our fence. She hadn’t heard it because it’s really closer to our bedroom than hers.

By noon, everything was carted away. But we still miss the towering tree and so do the birds.

It was an unsettling day for us all but at least I knew I didn’t imagine that great big bump in the night.