“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” ~ Anna Quindlen
Thought for the Day: "I write not only what I want to read… I write all the things I should have been able to read.” ~ Alice Walker ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We all know that a character arc is important in our novels, but how do we show the character's growth? HERE… Continue reading A KID’S GUIDE TO PLANTS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: with Cool Facts, Activities and Recipes — Review
Thought for the Day: “A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader and from the reader the writer learns.”~ P.L. Travers ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: The Institute for Literature publishes a lot of good articles for writers. HERE is Susan Ludwig’s excellent take on Creating Character… Continue reading THE SECRET LIFE OF THE FOREST — Review
Thought for the Day: The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god,… Continue reading HOW TO LOOK AT A BIRD: OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE JOY OF WATCHING AND KNOWING BIRDS — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it." ~ William Styron ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We often hear about keeping up the tension and ramping up the conflict, but how often do we hear about… Continue reading FREAK THE MIGHTY & THE BIG DARK — Double Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart." ~ Maya Angelou ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Showing our characters' emotions isn’t always easy to accomplish, but it’s critical. HERE is a good article from the… Continue reading GUT REACTION & HALF MOON SUMMER — Double Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "It is a magical thing for a handful of words, artfully arranged, to stop time. To conjure a place, a person, a situation, in all its specificity and dimensions. To affect us and alter us, as profoundly as real people and things do." ~ Jhumpa Lahiri ~ Gifts for My Writer… Continue reading STONES AND BONES: FOSSILS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL — Review
Thought for the Day: "When you first start writing -- and I think it's true for a lot of beginning writers -- you're scared to death that if you don't get that sentence right that minute it's never going to show up again. And it isn't. But it doesn't matter -- another one will, and… Continue reading THE SECRET LIBRARY — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: “When I’m writing, I’m waiting to see somebody, and I’m waiting to hear them. It’s almost like conjuring spirits out of the air, using your own imaginative instability.”~ Charles Baxter ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Jen Craven has written an interesting article for Writer’s Digest we should all find helpful… Continue reading FORGET-ME-NOT BLUE — Review
Thought for the Day: "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”~ Colin Powell ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Ever heard the term “implied dialogue?” I don’t think I had, so when I saw the post HERE from Louise Harnby, I was intrigued. This… Continue reading UP FOR GRABS — Review
Thought for the Day: “The key to all story endings is to give the audience what it wants, but not in the way it expects.”~ William Goldman ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Pacing is something, as writers, we need to think about. If we manage pacing well, it can make a world of difference… Continue reading THE RED PENCIL — Review
