Xerox is making it easy to send a Thankful card to our troops this year.
They are all drawn by children and very sweet.
You can pick your own design and saying but not who it goes to.
Takes about 10 seconds.
Pass it on!

www.LetsSayThanks.com

Ok, this is just the coolest story ever:

http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/essay-of-week.html

Hard-guy ditching class, hiding out in the library discovers a book that intrigues him.
Hard guy realizes he can't be seen checking out a book - it would ruin his image!
So he puts it under his shirt and walks out.
He reads it at home, loves it and brings it back, again under his shirt.
When he goes to put it back, he sees another book by the same author, Yerby.
So he steals that one.
This happens several times.
The kicker is the librarian saw him put the book under his shirt the first time!
But being a good people reader, she didn't say anything.
What did she do instead?
Drove 50 miles to find another book by the same author!
The hard guy ends up going to law school instead of the clinker.
Hats off to the librarian!

The loooooooong wait is over!
For me, anyway.
Let's hope the people who ordered it get it asap:)

Hi all!

Rudy, Latonya and Stark, the characters in HAVEN, want you to win
a copy of this book about them!

Leave a comment here:

http://community.livejournal.com/classof2k9/42030.html

Good luck to ALL!

Bev

Great news!
My debut novel, HAVEN is about to hit the shelves and we're hosting
an online chat about it. Get those burning questions answered! Or merely
stop in to say hello. I'd love to 'see' you there:)

Tuesday, October 27th
7 pm Central Standard Time
at
http://www.chatzy.com/566963947607

Click on the link above after 7pm and say hello!
BYOB

;)

Bev

Think of someone you know who can tell a great story or joke. When they start to tell what happened to them at the bank, you listen, knowing “this is going to be good,” right? They have great delivery, perfect timing, wonderful word choice. Now think of someone whose stories never seem to have a point but meander hither and yon with no ending in sight. You fight to stifle a yawn and your eyes sweep the room for someone to rescue you from certain death-by-boredom.
Now look at the story you're currently working on. Would your reader be hanging on your every word? Or just...hanging, noose and all?

Read the heartbreaking story that inspired my book here!

http://community.livejournal.com/classof2k9/

Remember the opening of the TV show (or movie, for you youngsters) GET SMART?
Max goes down an elevator, stairs, through a series of hallways, with gates and doors zipping and clanging and crashing closed behind him. Then he arrives at the phone booth, which then drops down into HQ, with Chief and 99 waiting for him.
Well, I was thinking that writing and rewriting and rewriting (insert as many as you need here) a novel is similar to Max's commute. There is no back door off the alley where he can just sneak through. There's no 'contact' (read: agent, editor, friend-whose-old-college-roommate-works-as-an-editor's-assistant's-assistant) that waves him in. Max HAS to go through each door, walk down each hallway, press each button, just as we must write that sh**y first draft, go off course, throw half out, start over, switch from third person to first, then switch from first back to third, plow through to the end, then go back and examine our first thoughts and dreams of this book and revise yet again...We must do ALL of this, to finally arrive at HQ, the book we set out to write oh so many months/years before.
Each phase of the revision process teaches us something new - even if it's merely what we DON'T want the book to become - and adds to the final product.
As I begin yet another revision of my WIP, I picture myself, laptop in hand, striding down one of many hallways, the GET SMART theme music playing in the background. I WILL get through each door way, go down each elevator, push each button until I arrive at my destination.
I only wish I had one of those shoes that double as a phone.
Sorry, Chief.

I tend to write contemporary, real world stuff, sometimes with a hint of something magical
or otherworldly going on.
The book I am currently revising has spirits in it.
But I just realized, revising the last chapters, that I've kept those spirits at bay.
I haven't unleashed them fully. I've toyed with them, trotted them out here and there,
allowing them little spurts of freedom but always reeling them back in before things get messy.
Well.
The hard-nosed revisor in me is shaking her head.
She says it's time to open their cages, stand back and see what happens.
Oh boy.

So, you may want to lock your doors.
I'm just sayin'...

Debut YA novel SHRINKING VIOLET, by Class of 2k9 member Danielle Joseph, is about to go on back order and in order for more copies to be printed, more people have to place orders.

So here's how you can help:
Please tell anyone that you think might be interested to place an order now before it's too late. Guys, girls, grandmas. grandpas, you're never too old to read humorous teen fiction!

http://www.facebook.com/l/76bcf;www.amazon.com/gp/product/141659 6968

http://www.facebook.com/l/76bcf;www.indiebound.org/book/97814165 96967

She's also running a contest for those that want to have some fun! There will be four winners, each receiving a $25 gift certificate to iTunes or the bookstore of their choice.

So how can you win?
1. Post a review of Shrinking Violet on http://www.facebook.com/l/76bcf;Amazon.com or B & N.com 2 points

2 Blog, Tweet or Facebook about the Save Shrinking Violet Campaign 1 point for each mention

3. Take a picture of yourself wearing a sweater and mimicking the book's cover (you must have the book in the photo too). 2 points

Contest begins at 11pm on Thursday, September 24, 2009 and ends at 11pm on Thurday, October 15, 2009.
After you enter, you can either email me at danielle@daniellejoseph.com or leave me a comment here or on my blog at http://www.facebook.com/l/76bcf;daniellejoseph.livejournal.com/.

Much love and thanks for your support,
Bev (and Danielle)

Upstart Crow had an interesting blog post today about Bruce Coville's JENNIFER MURDLEY'S TOAD
and called the toad Jennifer's "sidekick" and how he provides a lot of comic relief to Jennifer's rather sad story.
Read about it here:

http://upstartcrowliterary.com/blog

I got to thinking about sidekicks and their purposes - how they can be goofy or stupid or crazy and endearing while the main character goes about saving the day. Like Ron Weasley to the serious Harry Potter.
So who are your favorite literary side kicks?

1. If you send Grandma Kettle a really nice thank you letter for the $5.00 birthday check,
she may be so impressed, next year she'll send you $6.00!

2. Learning to write a good essay could get you into college over all those brainiacs with the 36 ACT.

3. People will think you're smarter than you are.

4. ummm.....here's where you come in....

I'm taking any and all suggestions for an upcoming school visit...
and feel free to borrow the list as well!

Had to share Upstart Crow Literary's wonderful podcast on First Pages - and how both of their
choices break the rules!
http://upstartcrowliterary.com/blog

And for anyone as dorky as me, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST YOUR DIAL, er, COMPUTER.
I finally figured out that there is nothing to watch in a podcast.
;)

Ok, check out this fabio group of kids in PS22, NY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0FPZolbYns

These kids have more talent than most the people on IDOL...

To whom do I owe my unending gratitude for introducing me to this gem?
I was so inspired by all the great soups I made from it, I decided to have a
Soup Party last fall, and invite all my good pals.
It was such a hit, I'm going to do it again!
Hot soup and warm conversation.
A great combination.
So ladies, whoever you are, please come forward and take a bow!

Audience, please hold your applause until they come forward.
thank you.

Has anyone experienced this phenomenon?
When my kids were younger, I was so much more involved than I am now.
My poor fourth child is on his own, unmonitered by me, so much more than his
older siblings. (Don't call DCFS, he's a 6th grader).
But still.
All I want to do is write!!
Please tell me I'm okay and save me a trip to the psychiatrist.

Met Beth Krommes at the ALA Newbery/Caldecott dinner and when she found out I was a debut author, she promptly took her medal from her box, placed it in my hand and said, "Well then, you have to hold this."
Was that sweet or what?
We are now BFFs.
Well, she will be, in my heart anywho;)

With my eldest child heading off to college in the fall, I’ve been reflecting on (okay, getting sentimental about,) the past 18 years of being her mom. Then I realized I am sending not one, but two of my babies out into the cold, hard world this September! Because that’s when my novel, Haven, will be released. The more I thought about it, the more I saw similarities between raising a child and raising a novel. I’ve jotted them down here for your reading pleasure…

http://community.livejournal.com/classof2k9

If you haven't seen this, you must.
I cried.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prRmQ-OldyE

Ok, I'm getting a little sentimental about my oldest daughter
graduating high school. But still. It's sweet.