Thought for the Day:
“If you are not discouraged about your writing on a regular basis, you might not be trying hard enough. Any challenging pursuit will encounter frequent patches of frustration. Writing is nothing if not challenging.”
~ Maxwell Perkins ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Jami Gold has really helpful writing posts. HERE she writes about What Leads to Our Story’s Black Moment?
There are certain things I can’t get enough of, and the dreaded synopsis is one of those things. HERE is a great post from Roz Morris called How to Write a Synopsis if You Hate Writing Synopses. Perfect for me and I hope for you, too.
Dialogue tags can be tricky. If they are not used well, they can kick the reader out of your story. The Good Story Company has a terrific article HERE with some great examples.
Not much has changed here on the west coast. Fires are raging up and down the coast from Canada to the Mexican border. We are in a place without fires very close by, but the air is still pretty bad. The good news is the weather is beginning to cool a bit. They are predicting no highs in the 90s or above for the next ten days. This should help the incredibly brave firefighters, those amazing men and women who keep going into the infernos day after day. I don’t know how they do it, but I am incredibly grateful they do. It’s 51 days to the election and 109 days until we are finally finished with 2020, but who’s counting? C’mon, January!
When I read Greg Pattridge’s Friday post, I was reminded I have a copy of Bubba & Squirt’s Mayan Adventure I need to review. It is coming out this week, so I haven’t exactly missed my moment on this one. It is very short (92 pages), so it is really perfect for kids who are scared off by big books. The chapters are short which might make this a perfect candidate for reading aloud in the classroom and will certainly be attractive to reluctant and emerging readers.
Bubba and Squirt, brother and sister, had a magic shovel with which they dug a hole that had taken them to ancient China. After that adventure, they are reluctant to go to the hole again, but Bubba has a dream, and his Great-Great-Grandpa Jacob, a magician, tells Bubba he and his older sister need to go back into the hole for another adventure. They are needed. Squirt is reluctant, but Bubba prevails. This time, the magic hole takes them to Belize and an archaeological site. There they meet the daughter of the man heading the dig and work with her in a small section she is allowed to dig. When they find some bones, they meet others working on the dig and get to see some of the exciting artifacts that have been found. But soon they realize all is not as it should be. There is trouble in this paradise.
Sherry Ellis has written a fun story with mystery, intrigue, and problems typical with siblings. There is no need to have read the earlier book. Ellis takes readers right into the new story and keeps them entertained right through this fast-paced book. In addition, there is some great back-matter including information on the Mayan Indians, Altun Hun — the site where the story takes place, a couple of yummy recipes, a good glossary, and more.
I have a gently-read ARC 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. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
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Rosi Hollinbeck 
Thanks for mentioning my post!
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You’re welcome. I appreciate having good content for my links.
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Thanks for the link on how to write synopsis. I hate them too. Sherry’s book sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win it.
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Glad you like the link. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Good luck in the drawing.
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The post for writing a synopsis is great. Thanks for sharing. I don’y=t understand why I am such a slug when it comes to a synopsis, but it can be done.
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Synopses are sooooo hard to do well. You are not alone. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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This sounds like MY KIND OF BOOK!! I’ll be leaving this on Twitter and Facebook for extra chances, because I really want to win this one. Thank you for finding these great books, Rosi. I hope you remain safe. The fires are heartbreaking.
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I know you love history. Thanks for sharing my link and for commenting. Good luck in the drawing.
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So many great reviews of this book! Glad to see it getting so much love.Makes history fun and exciting! Sounds like a perfect classroom read! Thanks for sharing!
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I do love books that will help kids get into history. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I also enjoyed this story, especially its length which will appeal to far more readers than some of the MG epics. I have my won copy so no need to enter me in your giveaway this week. Thanks also for the links and the one on writing the dreaded synopsis is a real keeper.
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You’re welcome. Yeah, those dreaded synopses. Shaking my head here. Thanks for the comment.
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I haven’t read this book, but I read and reviewed the earlier book that took them to China, a very fun adventure. Being a history nerd myself and a former teacher, I applaud good fiction that pulls students into history. This sounds like a terrific read.
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It’s a lot of fun. I think you’ll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck in the drawing.
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Thank you, but I have too many books, and a whole TBR stack. I’d rather someone else get it who can read it right away. But thanks for including me.
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I enjoyed her “China” book and look forward to sharing this one with readers – and grandchildren.
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It is fun. You’ll like it. Nice to see you here. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I’ve seen tons of people enjoying this story, and it sounds excellent! I’m always impressed by how fantasy stories can mix in real-life issues. I love the quote, and the meme is hilarious! I’m sorry the wildfires keep going—2020 is a parody of itself at this point. I’ll pass on the giveaway, but thanks for the wonderful post!
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Thank you! I hope a lot of kids read it and enjoy it.
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Thanks for all your nice comments. I approved them all, but for some reason, they don’t show up here! Very strange.
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Thanks for all your kind words and for reading and commenting. I appreciate it.
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Wow! I love your “Thought of the Day” quote. Good reminder to keep going with the challenges that come our way.
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I’m so pleased when people mention the quotes. Glad you like it. Thanks for stopping by and, good luck in the drawing.
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I do indeed read them!
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I, too, love the quote today. Have snagged it for my file.
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Yay for the quote! Thanks! Good luck in the drawing.
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I’m always excited to see a book set in Central America, and this sounds particularly interesting with the archaeological setting. Thanks for featuring it!
I’m glad things are dying down where you are. We were so thankful for the rain yesterday–and finally clean air!
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I’ve always loved reading anything about archeology, so this one was for me. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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