Beth Ain's Blog

[image error]Way, way back when my daughter was in third grade (she’s in 6th now), she got to choose who she wanted to be in the Wax Museum. It was a biography unit—they were to research people in their library period, choose someone whose life or story inspired them, learn all there is to know, write a speech, and then become them in the actually living wax museum. Needless to say, I loved this project so much I wrote an entire book about it.

Historical figures! Athletes! Explorers! Writers! Dress-up! Wh...

Source: Butterfly Moments Are All Around—Let’s Go Catch Some by Beth Ain

[image error]Ack, it’s been too long! I’ve been busy, though–busy writing some new books AND some new essays for the wonderful Kveller.com. Check these out while I migrate my blog over to the brand spanking new bethain.com. It’s all shined up and ready for the release of Izzy Kline Has Butterflies, my new novel in verse for 3rd-6th graders, coming March 7th from Random House! Don’t forget to also follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram for MUCH more up to date info about all things Izzy, Starring...

So excited to share this sneak peek of my new book! (Now, just a quick 6 months to go…sigh.)

Nerdy Book Club

A couple of years ago, my daughter’s fourth grade teacher had the kids in her class work on a small piece of writing about a moment in their life—didn’t have to be a big one, but a memory, an adventure, something that had stayed with them. For weeks, they wrote and edited and re-wrote. They even critiqued each other’s work in the workshop method, writing positive but constructive thing...

Some people stay with you. The girl in my fourth grade class who carried a purse, wore high heels and an occasional swipe of lip gloss. The skater boy with the hair in his eyes who in 7th grade made me snort with laughter all the way through my first public speaking assignment. People I never saw again, but who became part of my childhood nostalgia. Likewise, as an adult, when all things start to lean toward permanence there have been people who I thought would be fixtures but who turned out...

I have a good friend who is more of a hippie than I am—more believing in afterlife and auras and juicing

Me, not writing

and in taking long, deep breaths. And while I guzzle coffee with milk and she sips lemon water, she talks a lot about a book called The Artist’s Way. I know it well. I have bought it for many friends over the years—poets mostly, people who look at the world through open and evaluating eyes, people with things to say. But I just glug, glug my coffee and listen as her voice g...

Stay with me while I work this out.

Watching the new Star Wars movie with my husband and kids this weekend was a mess of long lines, popcorn and sticky booster seats. Kids having imaginary light-saber duels in the lobby nearly knocked me over. Aggravating, yes but exciting to see everyone so…excited.

I didn’t realize until I was standing in line with 150 other people how much of a geek I was about the whole thing. I also didn’t realize until my kids were hopping around in the standstill line...

When I turned 21 I cried all afternoon, tucked into the bay window of my college room, in the corner of the upstairs ofmy college house. Caught in between a waitressing shift and the mid-July heat of Waltham, Mass, I had taken the night off to have dinner at Joe’s in Boston and to then order legit drinks at some pool hallnearby. Jillian’s maybe. I played pool a lot in those days, and smoked cigarettes and listened to the Dead and the White Album with my feet hanging out of the window of my co...

First, it is important that you know this. I read Jordana Horn’s fair and thoughtful reaction to Lena Dunham’s New Yorker piece before I read the actual piece. The entire time I read it, I thought, Right on! Yes! This! And was about to write as much on the comments thread when I took a step back and realized I had not yet read the piece and made up my own mind about it.

Way to go, me.

So, I read it, understanding that I was supposed to get really up in arms with each passing quiz question. I...

I am going to be 40 this year. And life’s been good to me so far. I have two children who have grown into the kind of people I most enjoy in the world, a kind and bright husband, and a career that is budding–bursting sometimes, but budding now with new ideas and new things that make me think positive thoughts about the future. I am lucky. But 40, ah, that is something else. And a few months ago, I turned to my husband and said, “9 months til 40. I can either have a baby or a plan a party.” H...