To the Wild (oil) by Sophia Zhang, 12; published in the July/August issue of Stone Soup A note from Diane Landolf Hello, readers! I am no rider, but this painting from the latest issue of Stone Soup, To the Wild by Sophia Zhang, captures the spirit of adventure I’m feeling as I embark on my new role as Stone Soup editor. I first read the magazine when I was in elementary school, and I was blown away by the idea that kids like me could be published authors and artists. And the work was really good! Not just good for a ten-year-old or a twelve-year-old, but high quality by any standards. After more than twenty years as a children’s book editor at a major publisher, I am proud to be joining an organization that inspires kids to create and publish their own wonderful poetry, prose, plays, and artwork. I’m also happy to discover that, now in its 50th year, Stone Soup is every bit as good as ever. Lucky for me, I came on board just in time to be part of judging our Annual Book Contest. The August 15th deadline is fast approaching, so don’t miss your chance to submit you novel, short story collection, or poetry collection for possible publication! I can’t wait to read your stories and poems. Finally, don’t forget our monthly Flash Contest. Check the blog on Monday, August 7th for this month’s creativity prompt and submit your response. Happy summer writing! From Stone Soup July/August 2023 The Fish’s Song by Sage Surra, 9 It was foolish to say it could be done. The boat washing through the shimmering water, the cannons loaded and ready. The world could be a striking place to venture. And as the Earth moved in long ovals, everyone stopped. The fish stopped darting and all their thoughts were focused on the world as the boat sailed and made a street to carry. Then the fish started to twitch and swam forth and everyone stopped peering through their windows. Everything stopped watching. and so the ocean rose and the laws of gravity paused and all the fish flew and took breaths and began to sing. They sang of the life and death of the world. The sailors clutched the sides of the boat. The fish sang of longing and hope. Click here to read “The Fish’s Song” in full… Our Annual Book Contest ends August 15th! Submit your manuscript Registration is open for our fall workshops! We are so pleased to announce the continuation of our writing workshops with an all new course: Novel Writing! Class begins Saturday, September 16th at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time. Join us this fall for Novel Writing, a multi-week, virtual course instructed by writer, translator, and professor Conner Bassett that will teach you how to write a novel. We will focus on the basic techniques and tools of good storytelling: voice, description, setting, character, plot, conflict, and dialogue. The course will consist of brainstorming activities, in-class writing exercises, readings, and workshops. By the end of our time together, you will have a complete novel draft. Register now! Stone Soup is published by Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization registered in the United States of America, EIN: 23-7317498.
Newsletter
Saturday Newsletter: July 29, 2023
Tranquility (needle and thread) by Tatum Lovely, 13; published in the July/August issue of Stone Soup A note from Emma Wood Hello, everyone: I’m writing today with some big and very exciting news. As many of you know, I have been Editor of Stone Soup for the last six years and took over as Executive Director as well this past year. Juggling both roles with my other work commitments, a very busy family life (we have two young children), and a move, was an enormous challenge—and fun in many ways. But it quickly became clear to me that it was not sustainable for the long term. So, the board and I put our heads together, and after careful consideration about the next best move for Stone Soup, we decided that I would stay in the role of director and we would hire a new editor. The board and I spoke with many interesting, qualified, enthusiastic people, and are thrilled to share that Diane Landolf, a freelance editor, a writer, and a former senior editor at Random House Children’s Books, is taking over the editorial reins. When I first spoke with Diane, I knew that I was speaking to a natural editor: she immediately honed in on small details from a recent issue, noting what was working—but more importantly, to the editor’s eye, what could be improved or fixed. She has the attention to detail, the knack for problem-solving, the readerly openness, and the experienced eye required of an excellent editor—as well as a genuine passion for Stone Soup’s mission. Like a number of people I spoke with, she had read Stone Soup as a child. While I’m excited to see what Diane brings to Stone Soup, I am also deeply sad to be stepping away from my day-to-day work on the magazine and books. Over the past six years, I created 64 issues of Stone Soup and nine books by young authors. I learned how to create a magazine, how to edit a book, how to evaluate the work of young writers, how to read with an open mind, how to write with a sense of humor and playfulness, and so much more. I remain so grateful to William Rubel, Stone Soup’s co-founder and director emeritus, for entrusting me with the magazine (and so much more!) when I was much younger and had to rely much more on my grit and resourcefulness than my experience. I am also deeply grateful for all the young writers and artists who entrusted Stone Soup, and by extension me, with their work. Thank you! On a practical note, as I step more fully into my directorial role, I am increasingly aware of some gaps in our staff knowledge base. We remain interested in finding volunteers who have experience in marketing (and specifically Google AdWords) as well as those with educational experience who might be able to help us work toward the next iteration of our educator portal. If this is you, please write to me at emma@stonesoup.com. Onto the next chapter– Stone Soup is published by Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization registered in the United States of America, EIN: 23-7317498.
Saturday Newsletter: July 15, 2023
Beyond (OPPO FIND X2 LITE) by Karuna Yang, 11; published in the July/August issue of Stone Soup A note from Tayleigh Greene Hello readers, This week, I want to highlight Karuna Yang’s Beyond, pictured above and featured in the latest issue of Stone Soup. Although it was captured in New Zealand, it reminds me so much of the golden, rolling hills and lush, green river valleys of Northern California—where I grew up, and where I spent the last week visiting friends and family and camping at Lassen Volcanic National Park. I climbed Lassen Peak—the view was much snowier and rockier than Karuna’s photograph, but breathtaking nonetheless. Now for the news: the deadline for our annual book contest is August 15th, a mere month from today. This year we once again plan to accept two books for publication: one novel or short story collection and one book of poems. If you need motivation for your manuscript, we’re offering two virtual writing camps that are sure to inspire young writers. There is still time to register for Advanced Novel Writing with professor, writer, and translator Conner Bassett; the class will convene via Zoom July 17th-20th. Perhaps you’re more interested in submitting a collection of poetry or short stories—register for Freedom through Constraint: Experiments in Poetry & Prose with Stone Soup Blog Editor Caleb Berg, July 24th-27th. Whichever course you decide take, happy camping and happy writing! We can’t wait to read what you’ve written. If you subscribe to the magazine, you will notice some QR codes alongside some of the art and writing, such as Lazy Cat by Tutu Lin, 13, “Dad’s Stocks” by Mia Xu, and “Dwelling on a Memory” by Micki Mermelstein, 11 in the latest issue. Scanning the QR codes will bring you to additional resources for educators—discussion questions, author and artist interviews, and more. We are so excited to share this project with you, and we are immensely grateful for all of the hard work that volunteer Amanda Barnett poured into it. Thank you, Amanda! Stone Soup has long been a valuable resource for homeschoolers, classroom teachers, and writing coaches, and it is now more user-friendly than ever. Sincerely, P.S. If you’re not yet a subscriber but still want to check out our new resources for educators, use code SUMMER at checkout for one month digital access free! Don’t miss out on this limited time offer. Terms and conditions apply. Subscribe now From Stone Soup July/August 2023 By the River by Mary Gomes, 7 A beautiful river is beside me. The forest behind me. The world is a beautiful place to live. We all love our Earth. The river brings something to my mind. What could it be? Click here to read more from the July/August issue. Explore our summer camp offerings Advanced Novel Writing July 17–20; 9–11 am PT In Writing Instructor Conner Bassett’s course, learn the basic techniques of good storytelling, such as setting, plot, character, dialogue, and more! Brainstorm concepts and share ideas for your novel that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Freedom through Constraint: Experiments in Poetry & Prose July 24–27; 9–11 am PT In this workshop taught by Stone Soup Blog Editor Caleb Berg, campers will study and use self-imposed constraints such as omitting specific letters and patterns of repetition in order to maximize the untapped potential of their work. The goal is not necessarily to make sense but to excite the senses! Anthropology of the Everyday: The Art of Creative Nonfiction July 24–27; 1–3 pm PT Taught by Laura Moran, cultural anthropologist and Stone Soup’s Refugee Project director, this course instructs students in a method of personal writing called autoethnography that combines storytelling with details about your daily life. Playwriting August 7–10; 1–3 pm PT Conner will also teach a class about the history and craft of writing drama. Campers will ponder the practicalities and philosophies of the art form as well as work on developing their own 10-minute play! Click here to see more course offerings from Society of Young Inklings. Stone Soup is published by Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization registered in the United States of America, EIN: 23-7317498.