Thought for the Day:
“Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations. Plot is observed after the fact rather than before. It cannot precede action. It is the chart that remains when an action is through. That is all Plot ever should be. It is human desire let run, running, and reaching a goal. It cannot be mechanical. It can only be dynamic.”
~ Ray Bradbury ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
The best laid plans… It might just be a good thing to share the plans your characters have with your readers. Nathan Bransford has a great post HERE that will explain how “Your protagonist’s plans are useful, especially when they don’t pan out.”
Good dialogue can make a story much stronger, but if you use it to repeat what has already been stated, you will lose readers. HERE is a good post on that topic with a nice example from K. M. Weiland.
Are you ready to submit to an agent? Or has it been a while since you submitted, but it’s time to start again? HERE is a good post from BookBub by Julie True Kingsley: How to Query an Agent: 10 Tips for the Submission Process.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. My favorite son-in-law (yeah, I only have one, but he would be my favorite if I had twenty) is a terrific father, and we will celebrate him today with a family dinner while we watch his favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, against the dastardly Dodgers. Hoping for a good outcome here! Yesterday was an extraordinary day with, so I read, over 11 million people marching in protests around the country. Things really do have to change. I was glad to see the change in policy on deporting farm and hospitality workers. So many good, hard-working people were under threat, and families were being torn apart. Maybe things will calm down a little now.
Last week, I offered a gently-read hardback copy of CLARICE BEAN, SMILE by Lauren Child to one of you. The winner this time is our beloved MMGM host, Greg Pattridge. Congratulations, Greg! I will get your book out to you soon. If you don’t know Greg, check the link at the bottom of the post.
I keep saying here that I am not a big fan of books with animal characters, but I keep finding ones I like. While looking over review books available from the Chicago Book Review, I saw the title BAD BADGER: A LOVE STORY, and the title cracked me up. I had to read it and find out what it was. I wasn’t familiar with the author, Maryrose Wood, but I think I will need to find some of her other books. This one is a delight. Here is the review I wrote for CBR.
Septimus, a badger, wasn’t very sure he was truly a badger. He didn’t live in the woods. He lived in a cottage by the sea. And he didn’t have stripes on his face. He had spots. When a seagull lands on the porch rail one day, Septimus realizes he has been lonely. He doesn’t have any friends. They meet each Wednesday on the porch, and Septimus is thrilled with his new friendship. He names the bird Gully, and their communication is difficult. As suddenly as Gully appears, Gully is gone. Septimus doesn’t even know where to begin to find his friend.
Author Maryrose Wood has written such a sweet story that is filled with imagination, humor, and enchantment, and it touches on themes of friendship and forgiveness. The writing is simply lovely, and the characters are perfectly charming. Although the story is fantastical, readers will buy in completely as they are drawn in by great storytelling. Spot art by Giulia Ghigini complements the story nicely and will help to keep young or reluctant readers engaged. This book deserves readership beyond a middle-grade audience. Don’t miss it.
I have a gently-read ARC to give to one of you. All you need to do is be a follower (it’s free and easy — see the top, right corner of the post) with a US Address, and leave a comment. If you share the link to this post on social media, please let me know in your comment, and you will get an extra chance. And please don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
I listened to this and loved it! Would love to have an actual copy for my shelves. So much warmth and love, and guidance in how to work through misunderstandings.
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I’ll bet it would be a nice audiobook. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Good luck in the drawing.
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At first, I thought this was a follow up to the picture book, PROPER BADGER, but then I realized it’s completely unrelated (different author.) Funny how you see an animal that doesn’t typically appear as a character come up twice in a short amount of time. I met MaryRose Wood when she was one of the three Kidlit mentors/ group leaders at the Southampton Writers Conference in 2017. I only heard her speak on a panel because I didn’t work directly with her and she was impressive. Thanks for adding to my TBR!
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I’ll have to look for Proper Badger. I’m not familiar with it. I’ll bet MaryRose Wood was impressive. She’s very skilled. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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It sounds like both a sweet book and a helpful one!
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Yes to both those things. It’s just charming. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I’m glad you’re finding books with animal characters you like. I’m not a fan of them either and am going to pass on the giveaway.
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It always surprises me when I find one I like. This one is just charming. Thanks for the comment.
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Bad Badger sounds such a sweet story! Thanks for the recommendation, the links and the chuckle 🙂 . Have a great week, Rosi!
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It’s so sweet. I just loved it. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Please count me in. I have grandkids who would like this story! Thanks
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I’m sure your grandkids will love this one. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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I’ll be searching for amount of whelm all day now 🙂 As for Bad Badger…sounds like a keeper!
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Whelm. I love that meme. The book is a keeper. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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This sounds like an interesting book! Maryrose Wood is an author familiar to me. I loved her Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. I will definitely have to check this out. And the art is gorgeous!
I’m glad you had a good Father’s Day! Thank you for all the great links too.
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The art really is amazing. Glad you like the links. By the way, you need to be a subscriber to be in the drawing. Please subscribe! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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It’s always nice to be “beloved” and win one of your giveaways. I look forward to reading CLARICE BEAN, SMILE. I’ve bookmarked the links for reading later this week. They all sound intriguing. I do enjoy animal stories and this one has some unique characters. I’ll have to pass on the giveaway chance given my recent win. Thanks for being a part of MMGM again this week.
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Thanks for the nice comment, Greg. I haven’t gotten to the post office yet (well, I actually did but it was Juneteenth!) but I promise I will get your book out to you this week.
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Bad Badger sounds delightful. We are next-door neighbors to a bad woodchuck (which is not at all a badger but every bit as bad)… would love to read Maryrose’s story.
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Haha. A bad woodchuck. Maybe you need to write a picture book about him. Thanks for the comment and the laugh. Good luck in the drawing.
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