“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: Writing is rewriting. A writer must learn to deepen characters, trim writing, intensify scenes. To fall in love with the first draft to the point where one cannot change it is to greatly enhance the prospects of never publishing. ~ Richard North Patterson ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Good posts… Continue reading ORRIS AND TIMBLE LOST AND FOUND & MERCY WATSON IS MISSING! — Reviews
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
Thought for the Day: “When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” ~ Stephen King ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: If you want to get geeky about grammar, Tiffany Yates Martin might be the go-to gal… Continue reading MUMMIES UNWRAPPED — Review
Thought for the Day: "Not all reveals serve the story best if maintained throughout; sometimes you gain more narrative mileage by spilling the beans sooner, so readers see the aftereffects of the secret and its impact on the characters and story." ~ Tiffany Yates Martin ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: No one wants to… Continue reading SOUNDS GOOD!: DISCOVER 50 INSTRUMENTS — Review
Thought for the Day: “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”~ Louisa May Alcott ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: We often hear editors, agents, and instructors talk… Continue reading KIDS CAN COOK ANYTHING! — Review
Thought for the Day: "I don't want to write for adults. I want to write for readers who can perform miracles. Only children perform miracles when they read."~ Astrid Lindgren ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Nathan Bransford has some excellent suggestions HERE in his post How to Self-Edit Your Novel. Our characters have to… Continue reading Dogs Who Work: The Canines We Cannot Live Without — Review
Thought for the Day: “Everyone has talent. What's rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” ~ Erica Jong ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Tension is so important to keeping your readers engaged. HERE Tiffany Yates Martin has a great post on Writer Unboxed with wonderful examples called Tension,… Continue reading A Dragon Used to Live Here — Review
Thought for the Day: “It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little.”~ Sydney Smith ~ Gifts for My Writer Friends: Using flashbacks in your story can be really tricky. HERE is a terrific post on Writers in the Storm by Tiffany Yates Martin with 4 Questions to… Continue reading The Turtle of Michigan — Review & Giveaway
Thought for the Day: "In my later years, I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I've worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and… Continue reading Weird Kid — Review
Rosi Hollinbeck 