Thought for the Day: "Writing is not like dancing or modeling; it's not something where—if you missed it by age 19—you're finished. It's never too late. Your writing will only get better as you get older and wiser. If you write something beautiful and important, and the right person somehow discovers it, they will clear… Continue reading THE GIRLS OF SKYLARK LANE — Review
Tag: Middle Grade Books
FIRES BURNING UNDERGROUND — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "Writing is like fishing. It's just like fishing. If you don't fish that often, you're not going to catch that many fish." ~Sandra Cisneros ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: My critique partners have accused me of having characters who are too perfect. I know I'm not alone in this. I have… Continue reading FIRES BURNING UNDERGROUND — Review & Giveaway
HALF-TRUTHS — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: “There are no first drafts in the library.”~ Marsha Diane Arnold ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: I'm always on the lookout for articles on character, but the article HERE on Writers in the Storm by Sarah "Sally" Hamer is a very different take. How To Use Traits to Create Character… Continue reading HALF-TRUTHS — Review & Giveaway
ON A WING AND A TEAR — Review
Thought for the Day: "Everything I do is because of writing. If I go for a walk, it's because I'm thinking of writing. I go look at flowers, I go look at the garden, I go look at a museum, but it's all coming back to writing." ~ Jamaica Kincaid ~ Gifts for My Writer… Continue reading ON A WING AND A TEAR — Review
THE FRINDLE FILES — Review
Thought for the Day: “Character is destiny. Change, growing from within and forced from without, is the mainspring of character development.”~ Rita Mae Brown ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: When I read wish lists from editors and agents looking for middle-grade books, the word "adventure" is almost always there. HERE is a good article… Continue reading THE FRINDLE FILES — Review
IN THE SHADOW OF SUNRISE — Review
Thought for the Day: "Keep working on a plan. Make no little plans. Make the biggest you can think of, and spend the rest of your life carrying it out."~ Harry S. Truman ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We all know how important the openings of our stories are. HERE is a good article… Continue reading IN THE SHADOW OF SUNRISE — Review
ELSETIME — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "If writing is thinking and discovery and selection and order and meaning, it is also awe and reverence and mystery and magic." ~ Toni Morrison ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Voice, voice, voice—that elusive characteristic of writing comes up so often. HERE is an excellent post from Lydia Netzer with… Continue reading ELSETIME — Review & Giveaway
SAFE HARBOR — Review
Thought for the Day: “Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed.” ~ G.K. Chesterton ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We all have bad habits, including crutch words we sprinkle freely throughout our manuscripts. HERE is a good… Continue reading SAFE HARBOR — Review
MYSTERY AT THE BILTMORE: THE VANDERHOFF HEIST — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”~ Louis L’Amour ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: I never tire of reading good articles about creating villains. HERE Sarah Allen from Sarah’s Smorgasbord has a great article about Writing a Satisfying Self-Destructive Villain. Her… Continue reading MYSTERY AT THE BILTMORE: THE VANDERHOFF HEIST — Review & Giveaway
THE TRAIL — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "Art doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be there for the fierce pleasure we take in doing it." ~ Raymond Carver ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We all want our books to be meaningful. HERE is a good post by Mary Kole on How to Write Meaningful… Continue reading THE TRAIL — Review & Giveaway