Thought for the Day:
“You can’t fail if you don’t quit. You can’t succeed if you don’t start.”
~ Michael Hyatt ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
We all get stuck in our writing sometimes. HERE is a great article by Susan Breen with 12 Techniques for Getting Un-stuck.
There are so many mistakes we writers can make. HERE Anne R. Allen has an interesting take with Eight Ways Not to Start a Novel.
Have you heard the advice to just move the story along? Yeah, most of us have. HERE on KathySteinemann.com is a guest post by John Bowers about how you might not always want to move that story along.
I had a wonderful visit with my friend Sonni the last two weeks. We were lucky to have perfect spring weather the whole time she was here. I was busy a lot of the time with my Storytellers Academy classes, so Sonni enjoyed the sun and quiet reading while I worked. I don’t think they get so much sun in Hamburg. But we did make time for a day trip to Lake Tahoe. We found a great restaurant right on the beach for a nice lunch and saw a lot of pretty sights. There is still quite a bit of snow there, but the ski resorts have shut down. We also took in a San Francisco Giants game. It was Pride Day, and we all got free Pride jerseys. They are really cute. The letters and SF symbols were all done in rainbow colors. Sonni will have fun wearing that back home. The Giants didn’t win, but we had a great time anyway. My classes are really wonderful this term, and I feel like my writing is improving every week.
Last time I posted, I offered a gently-read ARC of GOOD DIFFERENT by Meg Eden Kuyatt to one of you. The winner this time is Danielle Hammelef, who always shares my link for extra chances. Congratulations, Danielle! Thanks for sharing my link. I appreciate it. I will get your book out to you soon.
I occasionally have an offer from a publicist at Candlewick Press for review copies of new books. When I spotted WHERE THE WATER TAKES US by Alan Barillaro on the list, I read a summary, and I decided I needed to read it. It was a great decision.
Ava’s mom is expecting twins, and all Ava wants to do is stay close to her and help. But the doctor says, right in front of Ava, that she is a burden to her mom during a difficult pregnancy. Ava’s parents decide to send her to stay with her grandparents, Nonna and Nonno, who live on an island where storms and power outages are rather common, making staying in touch with her parents hard for Ava. Nonna makes an offhand remark that if a bird dies it can mean death will come to one’s family. When Ava, already wracked with worry over her mother’s health, sees a woodpecker killed in a storm, she is terrified. There is also a boy, Cody, visiting across the lake for the summer who clearly wants to be friends with Ava, but she finds him difficult and annoying. She has a lot to deal with and worry about. She finds some robin eggs that fell from their nest, and Nonna helps her to care for them and hatch them, all the time warning Ada that wild animals must be returned to the wild. When her mother ends up in the hospital on ordered bed rest and a huge storm moves in and Cody goes missing and the hatchlings get out, Ada really has to reach deep inside herself to find the strength to try to get through it all.
Alan Barillaro is an Academy Award-winning writer and it shows. The story is very compelling. Middle-grade readers will be mesmerized. The characters and situations are very realistic and rather universal. These are things and people young readers will recognize as being very familiar. And there is a bonus of sweet little watercolor pictures decorating the pages throughout as well as a gorgeous cover. This is a lovely book. Don’t miss it.
Please don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
Glad you had fun with your friend. This sounds like an incredible story. That’s terrible what the doctor said, but of course all stories have terrible things happen to the main character.
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Adults so often don’t think about what they say in front of kids. This book is a great example of that. It’s a really good story. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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This story sounds like such a powerful read, Rosi—I feel like these tender MG stories can bring so much compassion to such challenging situations. And I second Natalie that Ava has clearly heard some things no kid should have to hear! The cover of the book is gorgeous as well.
And I’m so glad you and Sonni got to enjoy time together—I love that you both got Pride jerseys at the Giants game! I’m excited for you that your writing is improving with the Storytellers Academy classes, and I love the meme you shared as well. Thanks so much for the thoughtful post, as always!
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The Pride jerseys were the icing on the cake of a great visit. Glad you enjoyed the post. The book is terrific. Thanks for always reading and leaving such thoughtful comments.
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Sounds like you had a nice reunion with your friend and glad to hear your writing classes are going so well. I agree with Natalie, what pressure to put on a kid whose worried about their mom already. Happy MMGM to you.
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Wonderful reunion, and yes, the classes are great. It is amazing what some adults will say in front of kids. This book felt real to me. Thanks for the comment.
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Love the quote. Sounds like a good story.
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Yup. It’s a good one. Glad you like the quote. Thanks for the comment.
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So glad you had a wonderful visit with your friend Sonni! I love the cartoon! I hope the writing is going well. Thanks so much for the book review – it sounds a great story (what a horrible doctor!), Ava seems a wonderful character. I don’t read a lot of contemporary but I might make an exception for this one! Thanks for sharing!
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It was a really good visit. Glad you like the cartoon. The book is lovely and might be a good break from your fantasy reading. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Thanks Rosi – sounds like a good idea!! 🙂
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Great share today. I learned many new techniques from your links and the cartoon was hilarious. Your book selection sounds like one I would enjoy. The touching, contemporary story has all the elements of a worthwhile read. Thanks again for being a part of MMGM.
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I do love that cartoon. This is a sweet book. I think you would like it. Thanks for reading and commenting, Greg. I appreciate it.
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A middle grade novel with water color illustrations- nice! Thanks!
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It is lovely, Joyce. Thanks for stopping by.
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What a tough set of crises to have to deal with. It sounds like a powerful story.
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, gad ups jad a gppd vosot wotj upir froemd/ Amyour classes sound good. I’m glad you are getting so much out of them.
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I’m glad you had a good visit with your friend. And your classes wound good. I’m glad you are getting so much out of them.
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I tried to comment on this post, and my comment got all garbled. And I couldn’t recomment. Anyway, I’m glad you had a good visit with your friend, and your classes sound really good. I’m glad you are getting so much out of them.
On another note (since this is no longer on the comment form) how is your health these days? Are you pretty much back to good health?
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I thought that first comment was a bit odd, but I blamed it on the ocean between us. The book is really good. As far as my health, I have been really tired of late and have a persistent cough, but I have a doctor’s appointment coming up and we will figure it out. Thanks for asking.
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This does sound like a good book. I love that Tom Gauld comic!
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Glad you like the comic. Yeah, it’s a good one. The book is a good one. Thanks for the comment.
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This book sounds quiet and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, it really is a quiet book, but lovely. Thanks for stopping by.
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