HELLO TO MRS. LASATER'S CLASS!

Tomorrow afternoon I have the privilege of visiting Mrs. Lasater's first grade class at Arrowhead Elementary School.

We are going to talk about writing. (Yea! My favorite thing.)
I will show them my idea folder. And my in-progress folder. And my almost-done folder.

I hope they laugh and have fun.
And I hope they keep writing!

THE SEER OF SHADOWS by AVI

I picked this one up at the library just before Halloween. I thought it would be a good one to read to get in the spirit of things, since it deals with a ghost. I'm not usually big on "scary" books, but this one was awesome. Avi's writing is so simple, yet complex at the same time. It's clean and inviting and intriguing. I truly enjoyed it. My only complaint is that after I finished it, I kept looking over my shoulder whenever I was alone or in a dark room. I was just sure the ghost of a girl was going to appear and scare the pants off me. No girl. No ghost. No loosing my pants. Phew!

It's a great middle-grade read for ages 9-12 (and those adults who still think like a twelve-year-old, like myself.)

Oooh, I also can't wait to get my hands on another one of Avi's books.

SUBWAY . . . EAT FRESH

Subway. I went there. I'm not a big fan, but my six-year-old loves to get ham and cheese sandwiches with olives . . . and it was her turn to pick. Anyway, hubby and kids and I went, but didn't go in. Folks, this Subway had a drive-through! Is that as crazy to you as it was to me? So, the conversation with the employee who made our sandwiches went a little something like this:

Employee: Can I take your order?

Hubby: Yes, we'd like a 3 inch ham and cheese on white with oli-

E: Wait. So that's a 3 inch?

H: Yeah.

E: Okay, and what did you want on that?

H: Ham cheese and olives.

E: Okay . . . hold on a just a sec. There. So do you want mayonnaise?

H: Sure. (By this point hubby and I are raising our eyebrows at each other.)

E: So you wanted ham and cheese . . .

H: And then we want another 3 inch with turkey and pickles, 2 six inch number 2's, one on white and one on-

E: Okay, wait. I'm just making the sandwiches as we go along here . . . so hold on while I finish making the first sandwich.

Hubby whispers: Can't she just write it down first?????

BY THIS POINT I CAN'T BREATHE. I AM LAUGHING SO HARD THERE ARE TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY CHEEKS.

I think their slogan should be: SUBWAY . . . IF YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, COME ON OVER, WE'LL MAKE YA LAUGH.

It was great. I'll never forget it. And while it DID take thirteen minutes to get all of our sandwiches made (yep, I timed it) I don't think I would have had it any other way. I haven't laughed that hard in months.

Sometimes it's fun looking at the brighter side of things.

NO NAN-O FOR ME-O

Today being November 1st and the start of NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) I have to say I'm a bit bummed. I was so excited to finally do it this year.

But . . .

The H1N1 virus and secondary bacterial pneumonia have dampened my spirits, (and my health) so I won't be participating.

I want to wish everyone who IS participating a huge GOOD LUCK!!! Know that I'm right behind routing for ya.

AGENT MARY KOLE'S QUERY CONTEST

Associate Agent Mary Kole (from Andrea Brown Literary Agency) is holding a query contest over at kidlit.com.

I'm entering a query for my middle-grade fantasy novel. You can check out all the details here.

SOMETHING ABOUT A SECRET

Don't you think there's something special about a secret? Everyone loves hearing secrets and (sometimes) telling those secrets.

My MG fantasy novel used to be mine. I wrote it to myself. I was the only one who knew all of my characters, my world, my setting. Every time I'd sit down with my pages my characters were there like old friends, waiting for me . . . and no one else knew about them.

Now I've shared most of my secret with friends and family as well as other writer's for critiques. It's exciting to talk back and forth about MY story, to finally ask and answer questions with other people, but a tiny bit of my heart is sad.

It's not only mine, anymore. Others know my secret. Soon I will send my manuscript off to agents and editors and they also will (hopefully) read my secret.

Anyone else ever felt this way? Writing is such an intimate thing.

THE MOTHERHOOD MUSE

My buddy, Kimberly Zook, is launching a new literary magazine called The Motherhood Muse.

I planned to post an interview and some pictures to help spread the word for her, but Blogger is being wierd and won't let me do it.

I guess I'll try again tomorrow. In the mean time . . . check out this link for The Motherhood Muse:

http://themotherhoodmuse.blogspot.com/