writing part of this might be a challenge to you. Do you like to write, Maya?”
“Actually, I do.”
“Great. But if you wanted, we could pair you with an editor, just to help you get started. One thought I had was that the column could simply be suggestions for ways that readers can practice conservation. Sort of how-to tips.”
That's when it hit me. “Hey, I've already been writing green tips.”
“Really?” He looked surprised. “How is that?”
So I explained about my journal. “I've been doing it for fun. At first I pretended it was part of my homeschooling, but then I just kept doing it.”
“Amazing.” He grinned. “Looks like I came to the right girl.”
“I guess…”
“And this is a paying job.”
Just then our food came, but even before the waiter set my veggie burger on the table, I knew I wanted to do the column. “Okay,” I told my uncle. “I'd like to give it a try.”
“Maybe I could have a look at some of the tips you've already written.”
“Sure. But they're not very long. I could probably add to them though.”
“Sounds great.”
After lunch we shook hands, and I realized that before long, I would be a published author. Who would've thought?
July 2
This morning Uncle Allen asked if I minded having my picture taken for the column. I just laughed. “Actually, I got pretty used to being photographed last summer.” I told him about my short modeling stint. “But I'll admit that when I first started and had to get my portfolio shots taken, it was pretty intimidating.”
“Do you still have your portfolio?” Kim filled her dad's coffee mug. “I'd love to see it.”
“I almost threw it away.” I took some clean plates out of the dishwasher. “But it was kind of expensive to have done, so I saved it.”
“Hey, maybe we could use one of those photos,” my uncle suggested. “That would save us having to get new ones taken.”
So I went to my room and dug out the portfolio. To be honest, I wasn't that thrilled to see it again. But I handed it over to Kim and my uncle, then went back to emptying the dishwasher.
“Wow,” Kim said. “These are really great photos, Maya.”
Uncle Allen laughed. “Yes, and I'm sure it will get the readers' attention to see such a beautiful young woman who cares about the environment. It's rather unexpected, don't you think?”
“I think Maya's column is going to be a hit,” Kim said. “What are you going to call it?”
“I've been trying to think of something clever with the word green in it,” he told her. “Do you have any ideas, Maya?”
“Nothing that sounds very interesting.”
“I have an idea,” Kim said, “although it might sound kind of goofy. Do you remember Kermit the Frog?”
“Of course!” I put the last glass away and closed the cabinet. “I adored Kermit.”
“How about ‘It's Not Easy Being Green’?”
I considered this, but I wasn't sure. “What if people think it's for little kids? Like the Muppets or something?”
Uncle Allen nodded. “And there could be a problem with copyright.”
I put the last dish in the dishwasher and closed the door. “How about…‘It's a Green Thing,’” I suggested.
“That's good,” said Uncle Allen.
“I like it.” Kim nodded.
“It's a Green Thing,” Uncle Allen declared. “That works for me.” He wrote it down on a notepad, then put one of my publicity headshots next to it.
“Are you sure you want to use that photo? I mean, wouldn't it be better to get a shot of me in my overalls, like in the garden or separating the recyclables in the trash?”
He laughed. “Come to think of it, some shots like that would be fun. Maybe we can do both.”
Kim gazed down at the glossy photos on the table. “She's definitely photogenic.”
Suddenly I wasn't so sure. “You're not letting me do this just because of that, are you?”
“Of course not, Maya. We know you're sincere about your commitment to the environment.”
“That's right,” Kim said.
“Actually, I do.”
“Great. But if you wanted, we could pair you with an editor, just to help you get started. One thought I had was that the column could simply be suggestions for ways that readers can practice conservation. Sort of how-to tips.”
That's when it hit me. “Hey, I've already been writing green tips.”
“Really?” He looked surprised. “How is that?”
So I explained about my journal. “I've been doing it for fun. At first I pretended it was part of my homeschooling, but then I just kept doing it.”
“Amazing.” He grinned. “Looks like I came to the right girl.”
“I guess…”
“And this is a paying job.”
Just then our food came, but even before the waiter set my veggie burger on the table, I knew I wanted to do the column. “Okay,” I told my uncle. “I'd like to give it a try.”
“Maybe I could have a look at some of the tips you've already written.”
“Sure. But they're not very long. I could probably add to them though.”
“Sounds great.”
After lunch we shook hands, and I realized that before long, I would be a published author. Who would've thought?
July 2
This morning Uncle Allen asked if I minded having my picture taken for the column. I just laughed. “Actually, I got pretty used to being photographed last summer.” I told him about my short modeling stint. “But I'll admit that when I first started and had to get my portfolio shots taken, it was pretty intimidating.”
“Do you still have your portfolio?” Kim filled her dad's coffee mug. “I'd love to see it.”
“I almost threw it away.” I took some clean plates out of the dishwasher. “But it was kind of expensive to have done, so I saved it.”
“Hey, maybe we could use one of those photos,” my uncle suggested. “That would save us having to get new ones taken.”
So I went to my room and dug out the portfolio. To be honest, I wasn't that thrilled to see it again. But I handed it over to Kim and my uncle, then went back to emptying the dishwasher.
“Wow,” Kim said. “These are really great photos, Maya.”
Uncle Allen laughed. “Yes, and I'm sure it will get the readers' attention to see such a beautiful young woman who cares about the environment. It's rather unexpected, don't you think?”
“I think Maya's column is going to be a hit,” Kim said. “What are you going to call it?”
“I've been trying to think of something clever with the word green in it,” he told her. “Do you have any ideas, Maya?”
“Nothing that sounds very interesting.”
“I have an idea,” Kim said, “although it might sound kind of goofy. Do you remember Kermit the Frog?”
“Of course!” I put the last glass away and closed the cabinet. “I adored Kermit.”
“How about ‘It's Not Easy Being Green’?”
I considered this, but I wasn't sure. “What if people think it's for little kids? Like the Muppets or something?”
Uncle Allen nodded. “And there could be a problem with copyright.”
I put the last dish in the dishwasher and closed the door. “How about…‘It's a Green Thing,’” I suggested.
“That's good,” said Uncle Allen.
“I like it.” Kim nodded.
“It's a Green Thing,” Uncle Allen declared. “That works for me.” He wrote it down on a notepad, then put one of my publicity headshots next to it.
“Are you sure you want to use that photo? I mean, wouldn't it be better to get a shot of me in my overalls, like in the garden or separating the recyclables in the trash?”
He laughed. “Come to think of it, some shots like that would be fun. Maybe we can do both.”
Kim gazed down at the glossy photos on the table. “She's definitely photogenic.”
Suddenly I wasn't so sure. “You're not letting me do this just because of that, are you?”
“Of course not, Maya. We know you're sincere about your commitment to the environment.”
“That's right,” Kim said.
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