Thought for the Day:
“I handed in a script last year and the studio didn’t change one word. The word they didn’t change was on page 87.”
~ Steve Martin ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Plot holes? No problem. The Writer’s Cookbook has advice from several writers HERE to help you fix those plot holes.
Writing a novel is no easy task. There is much to track and keep straight. Kitty the Retro Writer has a great guest post on Jami Gold’s site HERE about using a Crime Wall for working on your novel.
Need to trim some words? Who doesn’t? Janice Hardy at Fiction University has some great suggestions for you HERE.
My daughter Sara has often been frustrated that she hasn’t seen most of the Oscar nominated films before the Oscars show. This year she found that the Regal Theaters would show all the films nominated for the Best Picture award and one could see them all for a pass costing only $35. She talked me into signing up with her, so I am busy this weekend watching movies. Yesterday we saw Vice and A Star is Born. We will see three more today and finish up during the week. This is my way of explaining why I am putting my post up so early today. I will be off to the movies shortly and will tell you my pick next week.
The book I want to tell you about this week is one I reviewed for the Seattle Book Review, Fantastic Failures by Luke Reynolds. I love this kind of book that really gives hope to us all and prepares young readers for the real world and real life. This is the review I wrote for SBR.
In this time of overnight internet celebrities, some as young as early teens, young people don’t realize how long and hard many well-known artists fought for fame and distinction. When young people hear names like J. K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Vincent van Gogh, Conan O’Brien, Abraham Lincoln, and Ang Lee, they may think these people have fame and celebrity in common, but what youngsters don’t realize is that they also have failure in common. This book gathers the stories of over 50 famous people who have faced difficulties on the road to success. Their failures made them better, stronger and more empathetic citizens.
Author Luke Reynolds has done his homework and even shares his sources at the end of each chapter—an excellent example for students. The writing is clear and concise with a sense of fun. Chapters include interesting sidebars with snapshots of others in the same field and their struggles. Failure, as one will come to recognize after reading the book, can often free creativity and allow a person to become her or his true self.
I have a gently-read paperback of this book for one of you. All you need do is be a follower or subscriber (it’s free!), have a U.S. address, and leave a comment below. If you would like extra chances, please share the link to this post on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media outlet and let me know you have done that. If you are reading this in your email, please click HERE to get to my blog, then click on the title of the post, and leave a comment. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
This sounds like a great book, Rosi. It is so difficult, as a child, to realize that the famous people you learn about in the history books have ever had any failure in their lives. And yet, they all have. They have learned from it and they have overcome it. Wonderful examples for all of us.
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This is a great book and I think you would like it. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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What a great idea for a book and what a funny quote. Enjoy the movies!
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I love that quote. It really distills what writing can be like. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck in the drawing.
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“Failure is success in progress” – a favorite Einstein quote of mine. Be well, and enjoy 🙂
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That is a great quote! Thanks for that. Good luck in the drawing.
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Wonderful premise. Was just reading about Walt Disney yesterday and learned his first film studio failed and he had to declare bankruptcy.
I agree with your daughter; I never manage to see all the movies nominated. Of course, in 2018 I had an excuse. This year, no excuses! Have fun at the movies. I’m off to read Janice Hardy’s post about trimming words.
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I had no idea about Walt Disney. Yeah, there are a lot of famous failure before success. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck in the drawing.
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This book will be inspirational for me to read because writing and submitting my work is more failure than success (but that just makes those acceptance letters so much better!). Thanks for the chance to win this important book for all readers. I shared on Facebook, twitter, pinterest, tumblr, and Google+.
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Thanks so much for sharing my link. Extra chances for you. Good luck in the drawing.
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Hi, Rosi. Love the quote, especially since I’ve been editing big-time one of my manuscripts. I like these kinds of books. Informative books are great for people who write columns for kids (like I did for 8 years). There is an older book that I have titled, Mistakes That Worked. Thanks for the links and for the review!
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It is a fun book with good messages. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I love this type of book, too!
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Thanks for reading and commenting. Good luck in the drawing.
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This sounds like a great book to have on hand for a classroom or school library. (Don’t consider me for your draw since I’m in Canada.)
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Always nice to see you here, Andrea. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Great book for young people in any field they hope to pursue. In recent years, it seems the advice is always on how to succeed but seldom deals with the important lessons learned from failure.
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I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I’ve always thought that failure was a premature judgement of people’s attempts to do something. And seriously – if we can’t do a bunch of “drafts” or “preliminary trials” or whatever you want to call ’em, how to we get to the invention/story/art that works?
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Well said, Sue! Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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What a great idea for a book! Success is a challenging journey but very attainable for anyone who tries. I’ll be tracking this one down, but let someone else win who might be able to appreciate it a lot sooner.
Wonderful links as always especially the one from Janice Hardy. Good luck with your Oscar movie marathon. I’m hopelessly behind in my movie going this year.
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It is a great idea. Glad the links are helpful. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I love the premise of this book! Thanks for sharing it for MMGM. I’ve heard a lot about this year’s Oscar nominees on PBS, but I have been busy writing and reading so I haven’t seen a single movie in a theater since 2008 when I went to see the final Indiana Jones movie. Yikes! {Please don’t enter me in the giveaway for this gem.}
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I probably would never go to the movies if my daughter or grandkids didn’t get me to go, but ten years? Wow. That’s a long time. Thanks for the comment.
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You keep finding these wonderful gems of books, Rosi!! I just won another of your great books, but I hope you’ll put me in the drawing. Otherwise I’ll have to go out and buy one.
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It really is a gem. Thanks for the comment and good luck in the drawing.
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Sounds like a great book, but I have to pass. Too much going on right now to receive another book! Thanks for sharing.
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I understand the too much going on. I need a nap! Thanks for the comment.
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Enjoyed your review. This is a book that belongs in school libraries. With shows that shoot kids into instant fame, they don’t have a clue what hard work means. I worry about them.
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I worry too for the same reason. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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Thanks for this review, and for hosting a giveaway, Rosi! Here’s to empowering students to persist, hope, and see that change within and in the world at large is always possible.
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Thanks, Luke! Wonderful book.
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