The Judy Blume Project: Update

March 8, 2013

Kim and I are so excited about this crazy idea that somehow morphed into #JudyBlumeProject.  Thank you so much for your encouragement and support and…general awesomeness.  We’re blown away.

I’ll be brief (because details are kind of boring) but some questions have landed in our in-boxes and they’re great questions.  I guess this is what happens when you love an idea so much that you run with it and then don’t sleep for 48 hours because you are dorkyhotdamnexcited (swear jar).  You leave out a few details.

Here’s the Rub:

This project  is kind of a giant love letter to Judy. I think Judy is a surrogate mother to so many of us. I mean, how many times did she guide us out of the weeds when we were slap-drunk on hormones and confusion?

Yeah. that.

1. Judy is awesome and such a gift to gawky, long-limbed nerds–because let’s face it. Adolescence sucks.

2. Or maybe (now as a mother) you have an issue or two with her, and that’s perfectly fine, because Judy is fearless and frank about things. Poor Mama’s hair almost lit on fire when she found a contraband copy of Forever in my closet in the 5th grade.  (ps: Mama? That was C.’s book and yeah, I stole it, but I couldn’t resist). I’m re-reading Blubber as I write this and now, as a mother? Very different story. And yet universal truths remain, and it’s folly to look away from them.

3. Kim and I are casual kind of girls (eww, did I just call myself a girl?) Heh. Anyways, what I mean to say is that we want you to be yourself. Because that’s the gold–your voice, your experience, your honesty, what you choose to put on paper.

4. I suck at concise, clearly.

5. We are open to all formats: you can write a letter, have an imaginary conversation, tell a poignant story or a humorous anecdote, give us a slice-of-life moment. We are open to it all.  (Hey Kim, did I make us sound hip or what?)

6. Please send your submission (preferably 500 words or less but we are forgiving) by the last day of June.  Kim has a crafty link on her website for submissions but I am not electronically clever, so just email it to me.

7. Kim and I will steal Dick Cheney’s old bunker, sit down with wine and cheese and read, compile, choose and pitch. We’re building a book, and we want you in it.

8. If you want to encourage your friends to participate–do! We’re nice! Well, okay, Kim is nice–I’m a wolverine. But don’t let that scare you. Come play with us!  We’re on Twitter #JudyBlumeProject and #amwriting. When you do put your submission in, please Tweet or email and let us know that you are in the hot tub. As cold as it this winter, company  is good.

9. Please remember–your voice  matters.

 

Truly. I want to extend thanks to the crazy (in a good way) people who have been so generous and supportive–because Judy is worth it.

{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }

Jamie March 8, 2013 at 10:04 pm

Brainstorming brainstorming brainstorming!

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TKW March 9, 2013 at 6:40 pm

Jamie,

Just be yourself. Just talk, because you are funny as (swear jar).

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Cyn March 9, 2013 at 2:47 pm

You two are The Awesome.

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TKW March 9, 2013 at 6:39 pm

Cyn,

I think you founded The Awesome.

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SuziCate March 10, 2013 at 6:57 am

I’m going to blame it on CRS, old age, the list goes on….It was not Judy Blume who answered my letter as a child. …I looked up her books and it wasn’t her. I thought perhaps it was Judith Viorst…looked her up, not her either. I’m almost positive it was a Judith. It was when I was about ten which would have been 1973 (see, I told you I was old!) but I can’t come up with who it was. I also loved that Katie John series. Of course, it’s going to drive me crazy not knowing the name of the lady who so graciously answered my letter; much better than the dead guy my friend wrote to!

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TKW March 10, 2013 at 7:58 am

SuziCate,

That would be driving me crazy!

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Liz March 11, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Hey there girl. Long time, no read (or write).
Not sure if I have any creative juices these days to submit, but considering that I am currently using Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing for the umpteenth time in my classroom, and we just had a conversation about why she’s often on banned books list (imagine such a conversation occurring with fourth graders who don’t know how to spell “had”…no joke), I may have to get myself on this. Good thing you’re giving me til April. Sendin’ love.

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TKW March 12, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Liz,

Yeah, I imagine it’s hard to explain “Ralph” to a 4th grader. :) PLEASE contribute! I’d love to hear your perspective.

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faemom March 11, 2013 at 11:26 pm

I’m so proud of you. This is going to be awesome. Good luck!!!!!

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Jennifer March 12, 2013 at 1:00 pm

You are so awesome, and your name SHOULD be on the cover a book.

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Leslie March 12, 2013 at 2:03 pm

Okay…confession time. I never read a Judy Blume book. At the time that EVERYONE was reading her, I was obviously way too cool to read what EVERYONE was reading. So say someone thought they might like to check out a Judy Blume book……which one would you recommend?

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TKW March 12, 2013 at 2:30 pm

Leslie,

I think it’s great to have people on board who really never read her much as kids–I think that’s a great and different perspective. I’m busy re-reading my old ones and having a blast!
To answer your question, I think I’ll ask: Do you have children? What ages are they? And also, think back on your growing up years, which ones seemed particularly challenging and why?

Shoot me a note and I’ll have my recs for you! Welcome!

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Velva March 12, 2013 at 6:50 pm

Judy Blume was my absolutely favorite author as a pre-teen! My favorite was Hello God, It is Me Margaret.

Rock on!
Velva

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Tiffany March 13, 2013 at 8:12 am

Can’t wait to (hopefully) be a part of this!! Working on my piece right now. :)

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Lisa March 19, 2013 at 11:05 am

OK Kitch, You convinced me…. I’m gonna have to write about Forever.

Like I said though, Judy’s other books never really made it to the darkest corners of North East England so as I am now in Canada, what would you ladies recommend for an introduction to JB for my daughters (eldest about to turn 8, and a very good reader)?

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Cecilia March 19, 2013 at 12:57 pm

What a fantastic idea. I would love to write something but it’s been so long since I’ve read any of her books and the memories are so distant…but you’ve inspired me to think about this!

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