One of the stories I remember from when I was a child–before we could afford books–was about a woman who had never had a birthday party and was going to be 16 years old. She was ancient. The MC was sad that her friend was losing her mind. The woman didn’t have dementia. She was born…
A few years back we had a writers’ workshop at the local writers guild. The presenter was a published memoirist. I thought the exercises were fun. In fact, I thought they were so fun, I re-did the first two as I was writing this post. 1. Brainstorm titles. Doing this again today, I came up…
Several years back I was privileged to attend a poetry workshop at the university where I taught. Rebecca Balcárcel presented. Instead of linking to the original post, I am just going to copy the exercise here. Exercise Describe an object in your closet (garage, storage unit, attic, basement). Use personification (make this object behave as…
Rebecca Balcárcel presented an interesting Creative Writing Activity, focused on poetry, but I think helpful for getting the creative juices flowing. The results made my head turn in interesting ways. For example: I chose these to begin working with: chocolate, a nurturing jackpot miracle galaxy music stretch every ceiling advancing without magic true people hold…
I received my Bulletin late, since I was not a member earlier this year. I have now read through it and found some interesting points. I am going to copy my notes here, both so I will have them and so that you will know that the membership provides multiple benefits. William Kenower’s Fearless Writing…
My reading list is getting longer. It feels like the more I read, the more I have to read. Books I need to purchase to read, all winners of the Caldecott: 2019: Hello Lighthouse illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.) 2018: Wolf in the Snow by Matthew…
“Very often audacity, not talent, makes one person an artist and another a shadow artist.” –Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way, p. 27
Samantha M. Clark’s debut novel The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast, published by Simon & Schuster, has won the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kite Award for Texas and Oklahoma. Congratulations to Samantha Clark, who has been very busy this year as she is the regional advisor for Austin SCBWI. She worked…
“Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.” –Ingrid Bengis
