LEAPIN' LIZARDS!

I won, I won!! The very excellent storyteller Alison over at RDHMom had a girl scout cookie contest, and I won Thin Mints! How very cool. Thank you, Alison, for making my day leap.

I've always thought it would be cool to have a February 29 birthday. Kind of like being left handed? Something a little off, but in a good way? So happy birthday to all you Leapers out there.

And welcome home to my poet-friend Seth who returns today from a month at Vermont Studio Center! Can you imagine a month in a house with other writers and artists with snow and readings and all that uninterrupted time to write? Seth completed his manuscript for a book of poems, and I couldn't be more thrilled for him. Maybe in my next life I'll be able to escape like that for a month.

Meanwhile, I am escaping this weekend for one night with my sister. No kids, no laundry, just me and Lynn eating and talking and shopping and sleeping. What a great way to start a new month!

“When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.”

- Cynthia Heimel

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

Where, do you think, this suitcase, has been? What would it look like smell like feel like if you opened it up? What do you think is inside?

There's a story there, I just know it. Thanks, MJ, for the provocative pic.

“Where there is an open mind there will always be a frontier.”

- James F. Kettering

GPS FOR WRITING

I got a new toy: a GPS for my van. Which is great, because I am often dashing here and there. And this spring it seems I have quite a few adventures planned. So now I won't have to cuss Mapquest or stop on the side of the road to examine my poor beat-up atlas that is missing very important pages (like the eastern half of Tennessee) or, god forbid, stop to ask for directions. (I really like to figure these things out for myself.)

And it's got me thinking (of course) about my writing. I guess the GPS for writing would be the outline. You will find all sorts of opinions about this from all sorts of writers. For me, I find at some point, in order to plot a novel with effective narrative and character arcs, I've got to have some sort of plan or outline. But before I can get to the outline, the story has to live inside my head for a while. Like months or years even. Then I write a chapter by chapter outline and off I go.

The key is to leave yourself room for veering off course. Because how many times has the best most meaningful part of any adventure happened as a result of getting lost? I'm thinking every now and then with my new GPS I might just type in some random address and see where it takes me. Or turn it off completely. Then, when I'm ready, I'll turn it back on.

Same with the writing.

"A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving."

- Lao Tzu

TELL ME A STORY

My children, particularly the middle (and most word-loving) Andrew, adore it when I tell them a story. This is far different than reading a story from a book, this is a living breathing thing that changes and grows depending on the moment of the telling.

I wish I was better at telling stories. I wish I had that gene that Kathryn Tucker Windham has. Or the one my father has. You know that one that lacks all self-consciousness and uses voice and inflection and suspense to really make a story come alive?

Well, I try. But I much better at putting words on a page than pulling them out of the air. If I could, I would totally take this class!

"No one in the world knew what truth was until someone had told a story."

-Rudyard Kipling

BE YOUR OWN PROTAGONIST

I've been thinking about these words ever since I read them at Frozen Toothpaste. Be your own protagonist. I mean, how empowering is that? It's a phrase that fits with so many of my other favorites, like "just do it," "be the change you want to see in the world," and "life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself." And it suits not just the writer in me, but the reader as well. Because isn't that the mark of a really great book? A protagonist whose skin you would like to inhabit, someone you would like to BE, if only for a little while?

Be your own protagonist. I like it a lot.

"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

GETTING UNDER THE SKIN

Of all the mysteries in the universe, perhaps the most amazing is the human body. What do we look like under the skin? How do all our parts work together so wonderfully?



This exhibit is currently parked in Mobile, Alabama, just four hours from my house. Apparently it is not for the faint of heart; it is for the brave and curious.



I gotta see it!



"The final mystery is oneself."



-Oscar Wilde

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

I'm not sure what fascinates me more about this pic, the way the glass gleams in the light or the fact that someone out there thought to stick those bottles on the broken branches.

Beautiful, isn't it? Thanks, MicaJon, for another great shot. It almost makes up for the fact that there was no lunar eclipse to be seen in Birmingham last night. We kept going out to check, but the clouds just kept getting thicker and thicker. You can bet we'll be out there trying again December 20, 2010.

“It is strange how often a heart must be broken before the years can make it wise”

-Sara Teasdale

BLOSSOMS OF ONE KIND AND ANOTHER

The jonquils are blooming in Birmingham! This one is called Narcissus Sweetness. How can you not love a flower with that name? Plus it is very fragrant. Be careful, though, because these blossoms are kind of fragile. Once I mailed one off in a Pringles can, and it turned into a mushy mess. Ah, well. The things we do for love.

"Let us be grateful to people
who make us happy;

they are the charming gardeners
who make our souls blossom."

-Marcel Proust

WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE

See this little girl? Her name is Artelia Bendolph, and this photo was taken by Arthur Rothstein in 1937 when Artelia was ten years old.

Rothstein titled the photo "Girl at Gee's Bend." It is this photo that I turned to again and again as I came to know Ludelphia Bennett, the main character in my novel THE WITCHES OF GEE'S BEND. In my mind, this is Lu. No matter what art winds up on the cover of the book, this is the girl I see.

My image of the main character in my latest novel ESCAPE FROM FIRE MOUNTAIN is not nearly so clear. I know she's got long unrurly dark hair that springs up around her face in the humid island air, but her face is still vague. I have a feeling it will be a "know it when I see it" kind of thing.

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.”

- Maya Angelou

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE MOON

According to Space.com we will have a wonderful opportunity Feb. 20 to view a total lunar eclipse.

I don't know about you, but this thrills me. I am fascinated by space, and it is constantly popping up in my writing. So this is a big deal to me. You can bet on the night of the 20th (this Wednesday!) I will have the camera in my hands and the kids snuggled up in quilts beside me on the trampoline.

Then I wll write about it.

"In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."

- Carl Sagan

POETRY WORKSHOP

Today the Big Table Poets will meet to share and critique poems. We've been working together for nearly six years, and it amazingly still feels like a fresh new thing. Many people have asked how we have pulled this off, and the truth is, I don't really know.

But I am aware of an element in our group that I don't see in a lot of other groups: a decided lack of hierarchy and organization. No one is in charge. No one is the leader. We have a core group of five who show up most consistently, but we also have a revolving door of poets who come for a while then drop off. Everyone is just as important as everyone else, regardless of how skilled they are as writers. We operate on the tenet that everyone has something important to write about, something only he/she CAN write about. Therefore every piece of writing is valuable no matter how raw or polished.

However, you've got to have tough skin to sit at our table. We are there to work. So you've got to be open and ready to hear suggestions for improvement. And then ultimately you have to sit with yourself and own your writing.

Today I am workshopping two poems: The Final Prayer of Klara Hitler and In my mother's dream. I have a feeling it's going to be brutal. I'll let you know. :)

"Kill your darlings."

- has been attributed to William Faulkner, Mark Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. If you know who really said it, I'd love to know!

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES WRITING

Last night we listened to author Carl Hiassen speak about his writing career.

The first thing Hiassen did was bring out a very thick file full of newspaper clippings. He then proceeded to share headlines and stories that have inspired plot and character in his novels. Most of these came from The Miami Herald where Hiassen has worked since he was twenty-three years old.

He tagged his books "satire" (for those of you who thought he was just plain funny and perhaps a little odd) and was delightfully self-deprecating. He had much to say about the dumping ground that is his home state of Florida, and he told story after story of the unsavories that somehow find themselves in the state. In fact (he claimed), the most challenging part of his writing is staying ahead of the weirdness curve of actual happenings in Florida.

So there you have it, folks. The trick to being a NY Times Bestselling Author is right there in black and white served up with your morning coffee. Start clipping, and start writing!

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

- Oscar Wilde

THIRTEEN

Meet Daniel, age thirteen.

Yesterday morning we put him on a plane (with 74 other 7th graders) to Washington, DC. What a fizzy feeling it is, sending your baby out into the world. I've heard writers say it's a similar feeling when they launch a book. I might even have said this when WHAT CAME BEFORE was released. But it's not true, not really.

I'm way way more proud and worried and enthusiastic about this thirteen-year-old. And I miss him. Think he's remembering to brush his teeth?

Aw, who cares. :)

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

- St. Augustine

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

Here is another pic, courtesy of my very talented brother MicaJon. These gears are part of an old printing press. When I look at it, I think about the way words fit together, the way people fit together, both emotionally and physically.

Every now and then there's bound to be a jam. But what this picture makes me think of is all the times things go so smoothly, it feels like together you are one big thing instead of entirely separate parts. When things feel so right, it's as if you were placed on the planet for just that purpose: to love and share space and become.

I crave moments like that.

"That is happiness: to be dissolved into something complete and great."

- Willa Cather

WHAT FEEDS YOU?

I've been thinking the past few days about this poem by Naomi Shihab Nye:

Hidden

If you place a fern
under a stone
the next day it will be
nearly invisible
as if the stone has
swallowed it.

If you tuck the name of a loved one
under your tongue too long
without speaking it
it becomes blood
sigh
the little sucked-in breath of air
hiding everywhere
beneath your words.

No one sees
the fuel that feeds you.


How true is that?? Each of us has something that keeps us getting up in the mornings and helps us be the people we want to be. No one else has to know what it is so long as you know.


"I love living. I have a home on a river in Nova Scotia and I watch the water coming and going. Being a poet is not a choice. It is a way of life. It comes to me like the water, from some invisible well or source."

- Joanna Harris

LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR MEDIOCRE

I woke up this morning thinking a bunch of things, first and foremost, hey, I'm not immediately diving for the kleenex and my thoughts aren't the mushy mess they have been the past few days! I think good health is probably the number one thing I take for granted in my life, so these weeks have been a real reminder.

So I wallowed in gratitude for a few minutes, then started thinking about all the piles I've got to wade through at some point, starting today: the house is a wreck, my briefcase is stacked with unfinished work I need ready by tomorrow, I have a poem due today... also my editor said to expect the final revision packet mid-February, so any day now I'll have to re-enter the world of 1932 Gee's Bend and make sure to get it JUST RIGHT...

Oh and there's all this other stuff I want to do, too, now that I feel a bit more human, like write and read and love the ones I haven't loved enough in the past days or weeks or years, and what I was thinking was, mediocre isn't good enough. Not for any of these things. Well, except maybe the laundry. If there's one place in life to be mediocre, I'm thinking that's it :)

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars."

-Les Brown

THE YEAR OF THE RAT

So I was telling a friend about the awful time we've had at my house with sickness this year, and she said, "we've entered the dreaded Year of the Rat." Dreaded, I'm thinking?

I figure you can look at rats two ways, and probably more. They can be nasty little critters, but aren't they also amazingly resilient survivors?

On a day like today when I am so ready to kick this flu out of my life FOR GOOD, I am going with the survivor argument. Thanks to those of you who have been so kind as to check up on me. It helps so much.

“Life is hard. After all, it kills you.”

- Katharine Hepburn

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

My brother took this one on a recent trip to Florida. Don't you just want to scramble right over that gate?

Let's do it. Let's go right over it.

"Still round the corner there may wait,
A new road or a secret gate."

- J. R. R. Tolkien

BREAK OUT THE ICE CREAM

The cherry on top of my day yesterday was receiving this award from Alison. Thanks, Alison, for making my day!

Now for some more calorie-free fun:



And hey if you don't like mine, you can make your own!

"Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside."

- Mark Twain

A BOOK A DAY

My father is a voracious reader. He reads on average a book a day. He also loves listening to books and confessed to me recently that just for fun, he tried to see if he could actually read and listen AT THE SAME TIME.

Well, it didn't work. But you gotta admire the reading spirit going on there.

Of the five kids in our family, I am the only who inherited the reading gene. I can't claim the numbers my father's got, but I do read with a hunger. And it's got me thinking about why I read, about what it is I get from the reading experience.

For me, I think it's mostly about discovering new worlds and finding myself in the characters. I keep a reading journal of quotes and passages from the books I read --some of these find their way into my own writing, but mostly they represent a glimpse of myself, a little peek into my internal world. I love it when writers put things I've felt or experienced into words I never thought to string together. There is this aha! moment, this recognition, like looking into a lake on a sunny day and seeing a shimmery reflection.

Katherine Paterson, a writer whom I admire greatly, has a little different take on this. She says in her book The Invisible Child that the reason kids need books is to prepare them for the emotional experiences they will later encounter. She tells a story of someone thanking her for the book Bridge to Terebithia, because a child's best friend had died, and the book helped her in some way to deal with that loss. Paterson's response was, "too late, too late!" She believes children need these books BEFORE they know they need them.

So I wonder: what books most prepared me for my life? What books gave me some tools to help me survive the traumas and heartaches I've experienced? What books taught me to recognize the joy and love?

Well, I'm thinking. Meanwhile, here is a quote from my reading journal:

"He thinks how strange life is with its frayed edges and second chances; and though by morning he will have forgotten that he ever thought it, Gerard feels as though he is being followed, that there are voices he can’t hear, that the footsteps on snow on the window are just that, and like Lucy’s conception - life is a string of guided and subtle explosions."

- from The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy

ADVICE FROM THE U.S. POET LAUREATE

Charles Simic is the poet who currently holds the post as U.S. Poet Laureate. It's a one year appointment that begins in October and carries with it a $35,000 prize. The poet also gets to hang out in the Poetry Room at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Usually the poet will adopt a cause of some sort for the advancement of poetry -- I don't know what Simic is doing, but maybe it will be something special like Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry.

What's cool about Simic is he is an immigrant from Yugoslavia, and he offers the following really excellent advice on writing poetry:

1. Don't tell the readers what they already know about life.

2. Don't assume you're the only one in the world who suffers.

3. Some of the greatest poems in the language are sonnets and poems not many lines longer than that, so don't overwrite.

4. The use of images, similes and metaphors make poems concise. Close your eyes, and let you imagination tell you what to do.

5. Say the words you are writing aloud and let your ear decide what word comes next.

6. What you are writing down is a draft that will need additional tinkering, perhaps many months, and even years of tinkering.

7. Remember, a poem is a time machine you are constructing, a vehicle that will allow someone to travel in their own mind, so don't be surprised if it takes a while to get all its engine parts properly working.

He's also a funny guy - check out this interview.

And to get a taste of his work, here are 29 poems . There are only two in the bunch that I really like, but taste in poetry is quite the individual thing. Here's one of the two:

Watermelons

Green Buddhas
On the fruit stand.
We eat the smile
And spit out the teeth.

- Charles Simic

THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEKEND

When you're two, there's nothing much more fun than a water spray bottle. And it tastes good, too!


When you're one, laundry is still fun! And you just don't really know what a thing is until you put it in your mouth. (Fortunately BrenLeigh is just like a little chipmunk storing things away in her cheeks without any real desire to swallow them.)

There really isn't anything much better than that feeling you get when sliding down a slide. Okay, maybe watching HIM get that feeling.

What fabulous wonderful children these are! And what a full-time job! I can't believe all the stuff I've forgotten. I also can't believe how PEACEFUL my house feels now that the babies are gone. Wow, we've come such a long way. And it is really so different being an aunt than being a mom... it's like getting all the joy and amusement without worrying about teaching this or that, or considering the lifelong consequences. I like it a lot.

“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.”

-Helen Keller

THE BABIES ARE COMING!

My brother and sister-in-law wanted a romantic weekend, so I said, bring those babies to me! They live in Tennessee and are currently on the way to my house. I've dragged the high chair and pack-n-play up from the basement and plugged up the electrical outlets. I don't know if the houseplants will survive all the attention, but we are all excited to have 2 year old Levi and 15 month old BrenLeigh. Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful here, so I am planning to get them outside. I promise to take lots of pics, which I will post here. Don't you just love little kids?

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

-Franklin P. Jones

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

My father lives in North Dakota. All by himself. So he spends lots of time in his truck discovering new places both near and far. He says it's his dime-store Jesus that brings him peace on the open road.

When I visited last October, we traveled over a thousand miles together in that truck. This pic was taken somewhere in South Dakota on the way back to Bismarck.

"Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one."

-Japanese proverb

WHAT'S WRITING REALLY ABOUT?

Ted Hughes' answered the question this way: "It's about trying to take fuller possession of the reality of your life."

Hmmm. I like it. But it seems too narrow a statement. And what the heck is "reality" anyway?

For me, writing is about survival. It's as essential as food and shelter. And I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Writing is also about discovery. How many times have I written something or expressed a thought/feeling I wasn't consciously aware of before finding it on the page?

Most of all, writing, for me, is about love. It's a way to love all there is to love in this glorious, fragile, fleeting experience we call life.

So maybe what's brilliant about Ted's statement is its narrowness. It allows writers like me to expand on the basic thought without rejecting it. I love when writers do stuff like that. :)

"It is love, not reason, that is stronger than death."

-Thomas Mann

MY NEXT VICTIM

Now that I've got the first draft of ESCAPE FROM FIRE MOUNTAIN set aside to simmer, I am tackling some poetry projects that have been waiting patiently in the dark corners of my mind.

For the past year and a half I have been working with another poet on a "linking" poem project: she steals a line from my poem and embeds it in hers, then I steal a line from her poem and embed it in my next one. Our big topic is "historical woman," meaning women who are dead so they won't be upset about whatever we decide to write. :) These poems require a lot of research, and I find that most of mine are about women who have been overshadowed somehow by a more famous man. They deserve to be heard, don't you think?

So my next poem will be about Klara Hitler. I'm pretty sure she didn't ask to give birth to a baby who would become Adolf Hitler... can you imagine?


"Writing about the unholy is one way to write about the sacred."

-Clive Barker

ADVICE FROM THE U.S. POET LAUREATE

Charles Simic is the poet who currently holds the post as U.S. Poet Laureate. It's a one year appointment that begins in October and carries with it a $35,000 prize. The poet also gets to hang out in the Poetry Room at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Usually the poet will adopt a cause of some sort for the advancement of poetry -- I don't know what Simic is doing, but maybe it will be something special like Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry.

What's cool about Simic is he is an immigrant from Yugoslavia, and he offers the following really excellent advice on writing poetry:

1. Don't tell the readers what they already know about life.

2. Don't assume you're the only one in the world who suffers.

3. Some of the greatest poems in the language are sonnets and poems not many lines longer than that, so don't overwrite.

4. The use of images, similes and metaphors make poems concise. Close your eyes, and let you imagination tell you what to do.

5. Say the words you are writing aloud and let your ear decide what word comes next.

6. What you are writing down is a draft that will need additional tinkering, perhaps many months, and even years of tinkering.

7. Remember, a poem is a time machine you are constructing, a vehicle that will allow someone to travel in their own mind, so don't be surprised if it takes a while to get all its engine parts properly working.

He's also a funny guy - check out this interview.

And to get a taste of his work, here are 29 poems . There are only two in the bunch that I really like, but taste in poetry is quite the individual thing. Here's one of the two:

Watermelons

Green Buddhas
On the fruit stand.
We eat the smile
And spit out the teeth.

- Charles Simic

NOVEL IN VERSE

Let me take a moment to give a little shout-out to Lisa Schroeder whose lovely novel in verse was just released by Simon Pulse.

One of the great things about novels in verse is that they are a quick read, especially good for time-pressed folks and reluctant kid readers. And hey, poetry rocks! Especially when the subject is big bad love. But these books are a hard sell: Lisa's been trying for a while to sell a mid-grade novel in verse with no luck. And when I first approached my agent with a novel in verse, she passed on it, saying she couldn't sell it. So I went back to the drawing board and wrote a new novel in prose, which landed me the agent AND the book contract. So, as much as I love the novel in verse, clearly not everyone does.

Check out Lisa's book. And for the best in the genre, try Newbery winner Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.

"It's like fireworks
in your heart
all the time."

- Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me

LIONS AND TIGERS OH MY

So today we are going to the circus with a van-load of boys (our three and two extra). I haven't been to the circus in a few years, so I am really looking forward to it. Especially now that I am not nearly so sniffly and sneezy! And it's got me thinking: what we can learn about ourselves at the circus? The boys and I have formulated this decidedly unscientific just-for-fun one-question quiz that is sure to enlighten.

What is your favorite thing to see at the circus? (choose one)
a. clowns
b. lions/tigers
c. elephants
d. motorcycles
e. none of the above

Got your answer in mind? Are you sure?
Okay.

If you chose clowns, you are one of those delightful people who possesses a joi de vivre we all envy and admire and want to spend time with. But sometimes you drive us nuts when you say/do things without thinking first.

If you chose lions/tigers, you've got a wild, untameable side that inspires us. But it also scares us a little too. We see how much you enjoy the ring and want to please the ringmaster, but we know your secret heart also longs to be free.

If you chose elephants, you are loyal and true. You're the one we can always count on. But sometimes we wish you would break out of your comfortable routine and challenge yourself more.

If you chose motorcycles, you aren't afraid to take risks, but only if they are calculated ones. You spend lots of time watching and waiting. We've learned to pay attention to your big thoughts but wish sometimes you would allow yourself to be more spontaneous.

If you chose none of the above, you tell me! To see my answer, click here.

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"

-Mary Oliver

ONE WISE MAN

Okay, you don't have to be a writer to appreciate Ray Bradbury's advice on life. Sure he's a bit cocky, but maybe he has a right to be?? He inspires me so much and on so many levels. Plus check out this really excellent first line from Fahrenheit 451:

"It was a pleasure to burn."

-Ray Bradbury

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

This one was taken June, 2006, on the long walk down to Point Reyes National Seashore in California.

"Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one's courage."

- Anais Nin

NOT THE END

Good news: today I finished the first draft of ESCAPE FROM FIRE MOUNTAIN! And ahead of schedule too!! (My goal was to write 1,000 words a day and finish by the end of January.)

The final word count ended up right at 37,000 words, which is just right for a midgrade. But as any writer knows, the first draft is just the beginning. So. What now? I'll take this draft with me on Friday to my writing group. Then, in maybe a month or two I'll pick it back up again and see some of the glaring errors I've made.

But right now I'm gonna go make me a cup of red zinger tea and be very grateful for this day.

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from."

- T.S. Eliot

PASS IT ON

I am so thrilled Alison saw fit to give me this award! Alison has a wonderful writing voice and an important story to tell, so it means a lot to me that she has honored me this way. From the bottom of my heart, Alison, THANK YOU.

Now, to pass it on: I give the Excellent Blog award to Peggy Payne's Boldness Blog. I have been an intermittent blogger for several years now and Peggy's is one I come back to again and again. She's a writer and she's all about courage and freedom and living life to the fullest. In short, she's excellent! Check her out.

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars..."

- Jack Kerouac, On The Road, 1957

WHEN IT SNOWS IN ALABAMA

Okay, so I've got the awful cold, the trip planned to go help out Grandma who just got back home after being hospitalized for three weeks, and the forecast says "snow." In Alabama, this is serious business! And in my house, it is especially serious business because it hasn't snowed here since Eric was a newborn baby 8 years ago. So. We waited and watched. By bedtime Friday night, it was cold but no white stuff. By 8:30 Saturday morning, there was lots of slushy ice, but still no bonafide snow. Eric, being a good spirited kid, played quite happily in the ice, packed some away in the freezer, and got in the van to go. About 45 minutes down the road, it's snowing FOR REAL! We zip into a rest area along with a few other families and stake out our spot. Eric says, "It's the best day of my life!" Now all you moms out there know it doesn't get any better than that. I only wish big brothers Daniel and Andrew and hubby Paul had been along to romp with us. Sigh. But they got their chance. It snowed at our house for a couple of hours and I'm told snowballs were flying all over the place.
Now if I can just lick this cold. And if Grandma will find the strength to get out of bed...

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

-Lao Tzu, founder of Taoism

QUICK UPDATE

1. No snow yet. (For Eric's sake, I am praying!)
2. Have acquired a nasty cold (and lost my voice in the process).
3. Will head to Port St. Joe, FL tomorrow to visit my grandmother who broke her hip (weather permitting).
4. Am super pleased to say Debbie and Alison will each be receiving a copy of What Came Before. (My husband said, wow, two gals who love their husbands!!) Congrats, ladies! Send me snail mail addresses and I'll zip 'em out to you! Also, if you want an inscription, let me know. Meanwhile, keep spreading those positive vibes around. You both inspire me!

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi

WINTER STORM WARNING

Everyone is all a-buzz this morning about the possibility of snow... maybe 2 inches by tomorrow morning! It has been 8 years since we've had snow here, so there are a bunch of little kids who have never experienced it at all! My kids are bouncing-off-the-walls excited. Their only complaint is that it is not coming on a school day. :) I just hope we get to make snow cream: mix snow, vanilla, sugar, and milk. Yum!

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing is bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."

- John Ruskin

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

I was born the middle of five children, and it seems the creative genes settled pretty heavily in the last three kids. We have both our parents to thank for that -- my mother can work all sorts of magic with a sewing machine and my father is a huge appreciator of the arts. It was a great way to grow up, and I try my darnedest to give my kids some of the things my parents gave us.

Anyhow, that long blurb was to explain this: my little sister Lynn took this photo on one of her many adventures. Does she have a great eye, or what? Today's quote is for her and for the wonderful bloggers who've posted their blessings for the book giveaway.

"I am so glad we have a sisterness about us."

- Maya Angelou

GIVEAWAY FOR HAPPY PEOPLE ONLY

Don't you just love being around people who are generally happy about themselves and their lives? Doesn't it make you feel even better about your own life? It really does make me wonder how wonderful this world could be if more people spent more time counting their blessings instead of grumbling about the perceived slights and disappointments.
In honor of that, I am going to giveaway a copy of my book. All you have to do is leave a comment to this post about a blessing in your life. Then on Friday I'll announce the winner and send out a book! Good luck, and pass it on!!

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

- Martin Luther

AND THE WINNER IS

The 2008 Newbery Medal winner is Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz , published by Candlewick.

In “Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village,” thirteenth-century England springs to life using 21 dramatic individual narratives that introduce young inhabitants of village and manor; from Hugo, the lord's nephew, to Nelly, the sniggler. Schlitz's elegant monologues and dialogues draw back the curtain on the period, revealing character and relationships, hinting at stories untold. Explanatory interludes add information and round out this historical and theatrical presentation.

“Schlitz adds a new dimension to books for young readers - performance,” said Committee Chair Nina Lindsay. “Varied poetic forms and styles offer humor, pathos and true insight into the human condition. Each entry is superb in itself, and together the pieces create a pageant that transports readers to a different time and place.”

Is it just me, or does this book sound like Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters?? I loved Spoon River. Can't wait to read this one!

"Mrs. Sibley

The secret of the stars, - gravitation.
The secret of the earth, - layers of rock.
The secret of the soil, - to receive seed.
The secret of the seed, - the germ.
The secret of the man, - the sower.
The secret of woman, - the soil.
My secret: Under a mound that you shall never find."

-Edgar Lee Masters

YOUNG EINSTEIN

Remember how I was saying my one little word for 2008 is JOY? Well, one of the things in my life that brings me the most joy is being a mom.
Yesterday I had one of those mom-moments when I realize my baby is eight! (January 13 is his birthday.) This kid brings me so much joy. Sure, he puts me over the edge sometimes, too, but isn't that just a part of it? His name is Eric, and his hero is Albert Einstein.
Eric feels he and Albert have a lot in common: science (number one), dyslexia, and this feeling of being "different." So for his birthday, Eric wanted a poster of Einstein to put in his "lab," which occupies a corner of our basement. It's the famous picture of crazy-haired Einstein sticking out his tongue, and at the bottom it has this funny quote:

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."

-Albert Einstein

ATONEMENT

Unless you've been living under a rock somewhere, you've heard of the movie Atonement and the novel by Ian McEwan upon which it is based. The movie doesn't make a misstep, which is really saying something about a movie based on a novel, and the soundtrack is gorgeous. Go see this movie -- it is an experience not to be missed.

"Dearest Cecilia, the story can resume. The one I had been planning on that evening walk. I can become again the man who once crossed the surrey park at dusk, in my best suit, swaggering on the promise of life. The man who, with the clarity of passion, made love to you in the library. The story can resume. I will return. Find you, love you, marry you and live without shame."

- Robbie, Atonement

WHAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE

Ever since reading Debbie's post I have been thinking about what love looks like. So many images jump to mind, but I find it's really hard to find the right words to describe some of them. (I'm working on a poem - stay tuned.)

One thing that comes to mind is the musical Les Miserables. If you've read the book by Victor Hugo or seen the musical, then you know it is ultimately about love and forgiveness, two things I find coexist rather well together. Today's quote comes from the musical.

"To love another person is to see the face of God."

- Les Miserables

HOW TO TRAIN FOR A MARATHON

I read recently Clarence Thomas' authobiography MY GRANDFATHER'S SON: A MEMOIR. It's a great book on many levels -- one of the things I appreciated most about was the "full circle" feeling it evoked as Clarence at first rejects his grandfather's way of life, then struggles mightily, and finally finds some sort of peace. Forget about the politics; anyone who has ever struggled with a parent will appreciate this book.

The quote I want to share today is found in the book, and I think it can be applied to any aspect of life. Today I am applying it to my writing.

"I took as my motto a saying of Bobby Knight, then Indiana University’s men’s basketball coach: 'Everybody has a will to win. What’s far more important is having the will to prepare to win.' The question, I saw, was whether I had the will to prepare for the marathon - and ultimately, for the rest of my life. I didn’t know the answer, but I knew that simply making the attempt would help me."

- Clarence Thomas

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

One of the things I love about living in Alabama is you can find red dirt roads just like this one within just a few miles of any metropolitan area. This particular dirt road can be found in Gee's Bend.

Gee's Bend is a little pocket of land surrounded by the Alabama River on three sides. As soon as the contract for The Witches of Gee's Bend was official, I climbed in my van, drove 120 miles, and took this picture (among others). Somehow I don't think it's changed all that much from 1932, which is when my story takes place.

“Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason”

-Jerry Seinfeld

GOALS AND WHATNOT

Do you set daily writing goals for yourself? Advice on this subject runs rampant and varies widely. I think probably it's a matter of trying different things until you find the thing that works best for you. And then be open to change.

For the longest time I was resistant to a word-count-per-day writing goal. Maybe because it scared me?? I mean, what would happen on that day when I inevitable didn't make my word count? Well. I'll tell you: I didn't give up, which was of course the secret fear... I just wrote more words the next day. And see, that's what's so great about being a writer. There is so much flexibility inherent in the job.

Currently I am committed to writing one thousand words a day. So far in this latests novel (not counting today, because I haven't gotten to it yet), I've got 21,100 words. Which means I've got about ten to fifteen thousand more words to go. (It's a midgrade novel.) My goal is to have the first draft finished by the end of January. Stay tuned. :)

"First drafts are shit."

- Ernest Hemingway

SUCK SQUEEZE DO

My dear friend Pam chose her one little word -- squeeze. As in squeeze every little drop of goodness out of every little experience. It's a variation on "carpe diem" and "suck the marrow" and "just do it," all of which I love and truly try to live by. Some days I'm better at it that others.

Today's quote is from another great site chock-full of great quotes. Check it out! Also check out Julia at Mom and Apple Pie. She's back!

"When you pray, move your feet."

— African proverb

NOT SHAKESPEARE

If you were guessing, who would you say is the THIRD bestselling poet of all time? Not Shakespeare, because he is number one. Robert Frost? Billy Collins? Maya Angelou? No, no, and no. Read this to find out. Or, read today's quote and find out fast. :)

"And stand together, yet not too near together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress
grow not in each other's shadow."

- Kahlil Gibran

(A note on today's quote: My father read this at me and Paul's wedding way back in 1991! I love it still.)

HOW COOL IS THIS?

Here is a picture of my friend Tom on vacation. And what is he doing? Reading my book of poems WHAT CAME BEFORE! This picture fills me with such joy because isn't that like the very best part of being a writer? Sending your words out there and having them be consumed by a hungry reader?

"Ink runs from the corners of my mouth
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry."

- Mark Strand

HOW TO BE THAT GUY

Okay, so you've probably heard of Scott, That Guy With the Nametag . Yep, he wears it everyday, even in the shower! His book is all about how to create an unforgettable brand that MAGNETIZES more business. He's got great tips for anyone who is trying to sell something, and his big thing is APPROACHABILITY. Thus the nametag.

You know what else is cool? His book originated in posts he put on his blog. Go, bloggers, go!

"don't be different, be unique"

-Scott Ginsberg

MEET THE CLASS OF 2K8

Who will be the next J.K. Rowling? It could be one of these 28 debut mid-grade/YA authors. Best of luck to all of them!

"Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."

- J.K. Rowling

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

Meet my youngest nephew Levi in a rare unhappy moment. Even when crying he's adorable. He's also in love with trains, especially a Really Useful Engine named Thomas.

SOMETHING TO SAY

Thanks to The Writer Mama, I have been thinking about my one little word for 2008.

The word I've chosen in JOY. As in joyful, joyful, joy to the world, make a joyful noise. I want to focus on the joys of writing and parenthood and life in general. I am going to consciously pursue joyful experiences. When I can't find the joy, I'm going to create it.

So that's my word. What's yours?

And on the topic of the joy of writing:

"You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you've got something to say."

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

I BELIEVE

Welcome, 2008! It's going to be a very good year - I can just feel it. I want to write more, love more, live more. I want to be brave and work hard to make some more of my dreams come true.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

OUT WITH THE OLD

So it's New Year's Eve, and I keep thinking about what Pa used to say in the Little House books: "All's well that ends well." It's been a good year, full of ups and downs and all arounds. But I am ready for some new numbers and eager to add some color to the pristine calendar sitting on my kitchen desk. I will leave you with a timely quote by my all-time favorite author:

"Little by little the time flies by - Short if we laugh...long if we sigh."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

"Love actually is all around."
- from the movie LOVE ACTUALLY

(pic taken June 2007 on a trail in the Smokies)

HOW TO PLEASE AN AUTHOR

It really doesn't take much:

"There are three infallible ways of pleasing an author... 1, to tell him you have read one of his books; 2, to tell him you have read all of his books; 3, to ask him to let you read the manuscript of his forthcoming book. No. 1 admits you to his respect; No. 2 admits you to his admiration; No. 3 carries you clear into his heart."

- Mark Twain

WE ARE CUPS

Merry Christmas! May your cup runneth over with beautiful words.

"We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out."

- Ray Bradbury

DEAR SANTA

Finally it is Christmas Eve. The little people at my house are bright-eyed this morning, already counting down the hours AND keeping track of Santa via NORAD's Santa Tracker. (Right now Santa is in Siemraeb, Cambodia.)

My youngest son Eric's faith in Santa is so steadfast he inspires the rest of us to love each other in ways we might not otherwise. It is a day for miracles, and a day for being grateful.

"Where there is great love there are always miracles."

- Willa Cather

I WONDER

There is so much to discover in this world, so much to marvel. How miraculous is a spiderweb or shooting star? Writing, for me, is about allowing myself to be in that place where I wonder.

I found today's quote in a wonderful anthology called Staying Alive, edited by Neil Astley. (Thanks, Suzanne!)

"Poems come out of wonder, not out of knowing."

- Lucille Clifton

It's A Wonderful Life

"What do you want, Mary?" This is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies. I want the moon and the moonbeams and the stars, too.

WORD LOVERS UNITE!

My new blog is for word lovers just like you. Come visit!

THOUSAND WORD THURSDAY

It has been said that "a picture is worth a thousand words." It's true! So I will devote Thursdays to sharing a picture.

This one was taken about a month ago at Cloudland Canyon State Park in the northwest Georgia mountains. Nice to remember all that color now that the trees are bare.

'TIS THE SEASON

It really is a wonderful time of the year, filled with love and giving and holiday cheer. But it's also a stressful, frustrating time ripe with small annoyances that make you wonder why we do this to ourselves.

The key is to focus on the positive. Find the good in people and things. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Remember we were put on this earth to love.

“I need to put up with two or three caterpillars if I want to get to know the butterflies.”

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, from his book, The Little Prince

TAKING OUT THE TRASH

Ever since I sold THE WITCHES OF GEE'S BEND, people have been asking, "How long did it take to write?"

Well, I'll tell you. It only took about three months to write the first draft of that particular novel. But don't be too impressed, because I am still revising. And all of those months of revisions count, too.

And what about the four novels set in Gee's Bend I wrote in the four years prior to WITCHES? Surely they count. Because without them I would never have discovered the story I really wanted to tell.

So many words wind up in the trash can. But the beautiful thing is, that's what it takes. If you want to be a published writer, you need to write a whole bunch of words. Many of which will never be read by anyone but you. But every single one of them makes you a better writer.

"The Wastebasket is a writer's best friend."

- Isaac Bashevis Singer, 1978 Nobel Prize in Literature

NO TURNING BACK

Life, it seems, it full of roadblocks. The same is true of writing. One day I can be cruising along, going above and beyond my word count, and the next I am stuck in a wordless rut. Then it becomes a question of commitment.

Whatever the problem, you have to be committed to solving it. Or at least committed to seeing it through, no matter what the outcome.

"From a certain point onward, there is no turning back. That is the point that must be reached."

- Franz Kafka

A WINTRY SUNDAY

After a few flip-flop days in a row, today it finally looks and feels like winter. It is a day to read and write and be quiet with yourself. It is also, unfortunately, a day to go to a funeral.

Grief is such an individual thing, yet universal, too. My heart is with everyone who grieves today for Leah.

"If you're going through hell...
keep going."

-Winston Churchill

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF MOTHERS

My sister's kids are now ages 7, almost 5, and 15 months. When we spoke yesterday she was waiting with the two younger ones in the school carpool line. I could hear kid-chatter and the rustle of paper. My sister said she was wrapping presents as she waited and we talked. Isn't motherhood like the best training ever for multi-tasking?

"If it takes two hands, it's probably not worth doing."

- Lynn Baker

I THINK I CAN I THINK I CAN

I have often said to groups that being a writer is a lot like being The Little Engine That Could: you spend most of your time trying to get up the mountain. The key is not to give up. Here's a quote along the same lines:

"I'm extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end."

- Margaret Thatcher

TEN ANGELS SWEARING

My parents have been popping up quite a lot in my writing lately. Maybe it is a stage-of-life thing. Here is a quote my father knows by heart:

"I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."

- Abraham Lincoln

IN TIMES OF SORROW

A poet-friend of mine is going through a really tough time right now. There is nothing I can say to help or to change things or to make everything all right. All I can do is let him know that I am here thinking of him.

"When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."

-Kahlil Gibran

FIRST THINGS FIRST

This blog is a Christmas gift to a much loved fellow word lover. You know who you are. So I'll start with my most favorite quote on writing:

"Love. Fall in love and stay in love. Write only what you love, and love what you write. The key word is love. You have to get up in the morning and write something you love, something to live for."

- Ray Bradbury

100 WORDS

Today marks the hundredth and final post for Daytips for Writers. Thanks to all of you who have visited here -- it has been my pleasure sharing some of the bits of wisdom that have helped me on my own writing journey. I wish all of you much writing success, whether you measure that by publications or words on the page. Everyone has a story to tell, and I look forward to reading all of yours. May the Muse inspire you, and when all else fails, remember all it takes to be a writer is to write. Good luck to all!

TIMING AND HARD WORK

According to a BE&K advertisement in the Alabama Symphony Orchestra's magazine Opus, the two things that make any worthwhile endeavor successful are timing and hard work. It's true of writing, too: the harder you work at perfecting craft, the better the results. And there's a little piece of timing/luck involved as well. Today, work hard. Luck will follow.

BUILDING A POEM

Check out SouthLit.com, particularly the article entitled "Building a Poem." Remember that every writer's process is different, but we can learn from each other. Today, try something new for you. And if the Muse knocks, give her the best seat by the fire and place in her hands a steamy cup of tea.

FORCES OF NATURE

It's an inclement weather day here in Shelby County, which means the kids are out of school (but wouldn't have been had winter not been so tame here this year). Today, write something weather-related. Perhaps you've got a Katrina story you haven't been brave enough to put on paper. Or something about global warming. Or maybe what's tripping your trigger is not actual weather but the metaphorical variety. Whatever it is, today, write it down.

QUOTE FROM MAYA ANGELOU

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." -- Maya Angelou
Today, where ever you are on your writing journey, remember where you've been.

SECRET LIVES OF POETS

No one sees the world the same way you do. While it's not always easy to share personal emotions and observations, that's exactly what a poet should do. Readers want poems that show us an honest glimpse into life. Today, write something only you can write.

ALL YOU NEED

Writing is, more than anything else, about conveying your passions to the world. Today, give yourself a Valentine and consider my most favorite writing quote ever:

"Love. Fall in love and stay in love. Write only what you love, and love what you write. The key word is love. You have to get up in the morning and write something you love, something to live for."

- Ray Bradbury

BREVITY IS BEAUTIFUL

Today, check out my friend (and publisher) Dale Wisely's online literary mag Right Hand Pointing. And if you've got any short pieces (under 20 lines), submit them!

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Raymond Inman said "If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking." Today, brave the elements and find inspiration outdoors.

THE PROBLEM WITH POETRY

In his poem "Introduction to Poetry," Billy Collins writes

"I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it."

I assume Collins is talking about the reader, here... but who reads poetry but other poets? Today, examine some of your own writing to determine whether you're trying too hard to achieve some purpose. Instead of trying to force an idea or viewpoint on the reader, simply invite the reader in, offer her a cup of tea. Let the conversation evolve as it will.

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW?

"The world of reality has limits; the world of imagination is boundless."
-- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Today, consider how this quote might apply to your writing. If you're feeling blocked, escape the confines of your limited life experiences and just dream something up.

WRITING FROM YOUR WHITE-HOT CENTER

Thanks to Wordswimmer, I found out about a book on writing by one of my favorite authors, Robert Olen Butler: From Where You Dream. I am about three chapters in, and already can say I highly recommend it. A few years back, I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Butler and his wife who is also an excellent writer, Elizabeth Dewberry, author of one of my favorite books ever Many Things Have Happened Since He Died, and at the time, the couple directed me to Mr. Butler's internet project on the creative process, particularly on how to write a short story. The site still exists, here. Today, see what you can learn from Robert Olen Butler and Elizabeth Dewberry (used to be Vaughn).

THIRTEEN WAYS

Wallace Stevens' poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" provides a great framework for other writers to work with. In fact, in a recent Alabama State Poetry Society student contest, I received a dozen or more poems on the "thirteen ways" theme. The thing the judges noticed when considering these poems is that some things cannot withstand the scrutiny of thirteen looks. For instance, one poem was about a muffin. It just didn't hold up. Today, try to write a "thirteen ways" poem. But if your subject can't go the distance, be willing to let it end where it ends.

WEIRD

I've been tagged by Julia to 'fess up and say five things that are weird about me. It's just a fun little game, so why am I feeling all self-conscious? My first impulse is, no way. But I love Julia, so I should play, shouldn't I? More than that, I should want to, right? Weird. So that's #1 on my weird list.
2. I live in the suburbs, drive a van, organize carpool, and probably look like a very ordinary soccer mom. But I'm a poet whose heart is in the wild somewhere, who dreams of solitude and silence and love, surrounded by acres and acres of woods.
3. I was named for my great-grandmother, who by all accounts "never said anything bad about anyone." For a long time I thought she was a saint whose name I couldn't possibly live up to; now I've decided she was just a human, like me, who had her opinions but didn't feel the need to spread them around. That I can respect; that I would like to live up to.
4. I have an affinity for old men. I love being friends with them, love hearing their stories, love who I am when I am with them.
5. I think yes is the scariest word in the English language. Which makes it my favorite.

Today, write something weird for you, something out of your comfort zone. And if you're feeling really brave, post it here. (Mary and Anna, I'd love to hear from you.)

BIG FISH

Is there a great storyteller in your life? For Gabriel Garcia Marquez it was his grandfather and grandmother who would recount "the wildest things with a completely natural tone of voice." Garcia Marquez used that style of storytelling in much of his writing, including his Nobel Prize winning One Hundred Years of Solitude. Today, think about storytellers you have known and loved, then try to write a story or poem using that same style.

DEFINITION OF A POEM

Robert Frost said, "Poetry is a fresh look and a fresh listen."
Samuel Coleridge said, "Poetry is the best words in the best order."
Percy Bysshe Shelley said, "Poetry is the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds."
I think Frost and Coleridge are right on target. Shelley, on the other hand... huh?!
Today, think about how you define poetry.

WORDSWIMMER

Just discovered a wonderful blog on the craft of writing: Wordswimmer. It's a great watering hole for thirsty writers. Check it out!

YEAR OF THE DOG

It's a new Chinese year... today, check the Chinese zodiac and determine which animal hides within you. Then write something about that animal.

THE REAL THING

Today, consider what Czelaw Milosz said when he won the Nobel prize for literature: “In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot."

FREE LUNCH

One of my favorite literary journals is Free Lunch, edited by Ron Offen. It's a journal that welcomes unpublished poets and publishes them right alongside the big names. The editor has good taste in poetry and also offers wise words in each issue regarding the State of Poetry. Best of all, even if he rejects your poems, he offers specific feedback guaranteed to make you a better writer. Today, check out Free Lunch, and send in a submission. Good luck!

LO-LEE-TA

I was just thinking about some of my favorite opening lines in novels, and one of the first that comes to mind is Vladimir Nobokov's Lolita:

"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo-lee-ta."

It's poetic, don't you think? It's got rhythm, alliteration, sensuality, a certain playfulness... before you know who she is, or who he is, you want to be her, or him. Which is what, I think, makes it a great start. Today, think about some of your own favorite openings. Figure out what it is that draws you in and makes you want to read on. Then try to use those qualities in a start of your own.

IN MEDIA RES

It means "in the middle of things." If you're looking for a way to engage your reader quickly, it helps to start in the middle of something. Today, instead of explaining background information to the reader, begin right in the middle of an argument or meal or checkout line. Then resist the urge to backtrack -- just keep pushing forward.

KICK IT UP A NOTCH

Readers want to see not just contemplation, but action. This is true even in poems. Readers want to know what did the speaker/narrartor do? To strengthen your writing, don't bore the reader with long section of exposition. Today, spice things up by including more dialogue, more movement.

GONE FISHIN'

Be back Sunday!

DEAR MARTIN

They say letter-writing is a lost art. Yet Sue Walker, Poet Laureate of Alabama, has written an entire book-section of poems in the form of letters to an imaginary brother named Martin. The book's title is Blood Must Bear Your Name. Today, write a letter. Or write a poem that's a letter. Or have a character in your story write a letter. You get the idea. :)

MY POINT OF VIEW

Sometimes you can save a piece of writing just by changing point of view. When you want to build a climax and compress time, use an omniscient point of view. When you want to move in a little closer and make things more personal, switch to 3rd person. When you're feeling really brave, try 1st person, the point of view for character-driven stories and often the most challenging simply because it narrows the focus so dramatically. Today, experiment with point of view. Change an existing work to a different point of view, or write from a point of view you don't usually use.

FALSE START

One of my favorite poets, Jerri Beck, has given me permission to share two lines she has never been able to find the poem for:

Come and listen to the wind
as it plays the night in a minor key.

Today, let Jerri's false start jumpstart a piece of your own.

NO EXCUSES

I just received my SCBWI Bulletin yesterday, and at the top of the page that lists all the members' recent writing accomplishments, there is this great quote:

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardon da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
- H. Jackson Brown

Today, create the time you need to write.

DEFINITION OF A WRITER

This one's for Anna:
If you write, you are a writer. It's that simple.

FRONT PORCH

Editors complain that sometimes we writers don't know when to start a story -- we give too much background information. Editors call this the "Front Porch. " All the experts say to start a story or poem with action, something to immediately engage the reader, THEN go back and give some background info. However, experts also say when writing for children, don't use flashbacks, as kids respond more readily to a story that is chronologically straightforward. (Are you as confused as I am?) Today, write something that gets right inside the front door. I'll meet you for iced tea on the front porch later. :)

FINE LINE

Good stories involve making choices. Sometimes these are clear right/wrong issues, but real life is often more complicated. Rumi wrote "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Today, use that quote as a jumping off point for a story that involves making choices that are more muddled and complex.

PERSISTENCE THAT PAYS

When I was in high school, I co-wrote an article with the above title for our school newspaper. The article was about all the kids in our graduating class who had earned academic scholarships. It applies to writing do: you just can't give up. And eventually, all your effort will pay off. Today, remember the dream only comes true if you keep chasing it.

WHO EVER HEARD OF AN ELEPHANT-BIRD?

Like many kids, I was brought up on Dr. Seuss. Horton Hatches the Egg has always been my favorite story. But Dr. Seuss isn't just for kids; check out this great-for-all-ages quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Today, remember this applies to your writing, too.

HOLY TRINITY

I read somewhere that the holy trinity for writers is Write, Network, and Promote. Most of us do okay with the Write part but have more difficulty with the Network and Promote. Writing we do because we love it, or because we can't not. Those other two? They require getting out of the bathrobe and putting on a happy face and are therefore slightly less appealing. Today, do what it takes. Put some energy into Network and Promote so that your words will have the audience they deserve.

LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR

Today, write something that involves an elevator. This could mean anything: ups and downs, feeling stuck, trying to get somewhere, or it could be an actual elevator experience you've got tucked away in your psyche. (If you don't have an elevator story, just make one up.) Or, if you're writing a longer prose piece, get to know your characters better by putting them in an elevator. :)

SELF-DOUBT

As I have been struggling through a ms revision, I have been reminded of how many of us have this idea that when we become successful writers -- meaning, when we get published, get paid, etc. -- we will no longer be plagued by the self-doubt that plagues us now. The truth is, no matter how successful, writers are simple human, and self-doubt is a part of the human experience. Today, remember that doubt is natural. The key is learning to live with the doubt and to keep writing anyway.

STORY VS. PLOT

Ever heard the difference between story and plot? I heard it explained like this: In a story, you get "The king died. Then the queen died." If you've got plot, it goes something like "The king died. Then the queen died of grief." So to thicken your story, add plot, which is basically just a cool word for feelings, depth, and motivation for why the characters do what they do. Today, look at your own work and see if you've got plot.

LISTEN TO THE KING

A master storyteller, Stephen King has also written a great non-genre-specific book for writers entitled On Writing. One of my favorite quotes is this one: "Talent is a dull knife." Today, do something to sharpen your knife -- read a book on writing, read a great story or poem, or sign up for a class.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES 'TIL GOLDEN BROWN

If only it were as simple as reading a recipe to know when our stories or poems are done! Sometimes we undercook, sometimes we revise so aggressively that we suck the flavor right out of the thing. It's just hard to know. Especially when even published work (eventually) can seem to need a tweak or two. Today, try to see the revision process as one big experiment. Maybe it'll be the best meal ever; maybe it won't. But we all gotta eat.

GETTIN' LUCKY

Friday the 13th seems the appropriate day to address the lottery-like nature of getting published. Published authors will tell you that getting in print is not just about the writing; it's also a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Today, be encouraged by other writers' lucky breaks. Know that someday you'll hit the right numbers.