Thought for the Day:
“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass,
I can appreciate patience.”
~ Hal Borland ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Here’s another old one I found in my email, but it’s terrific. I don’t know of any one-character books, although Hatchet by Gary Paulsen comes close. For the rest of us, we need secondary characters. The post HERE discusses how to do secondary characters well.
C. S. Lakin has a good post HERE on Writers Helping Writers that is critical for beginning writers and good reminders for more experienced writers on the 10 Key Scenes You Need to Frame Up Your Novel.
Jenny Hansen has a guest post HERE on Writers in the Storm that is not to be missed. There are links in it that might change a lot of things for you and in a good way.
I was MIA last week because I was in New York for the weekend on a family trip. I expected to post anyway, but I took a terrible fall on Saturday evening while boarding the Circle Line boat for the Harbor Lights tour. Try to never faceplant on a steel deck. It's not fun. I'm still having headaches and my face looks like I went a couple rounds with Mike Tyson, but nothing was broken and I'm better every day. That said, I just wasn't up to posting last Sunday. Other than the faceplant, I had a really nice trip that included a Broadway show (Waitress) with a backstage tour compliments of a friend of Maggie who is in that show and the last regular season Yankees game of the year with my grandson, Gehrig. Even the boat ride was nice once the bleeding stopped. 😂
I promised a hardcover of Heartwood Hotel Book 2 The Greatest Gift by Kallie George to one of you. It's such a sweet book. The winner this time is Carol Baldwin. Congratulations, Carol! I will get the book out to you soon. If you don't know Carol, she is a North Carolina writer who blogs at the aptly-named Carol Baldwin's Blog which you can find HERE. There is always a lot to learn at Carol's blog. For the rest of you, please keep reading. I have a special, double giveaway this week.
Caleb's Lighthouse by Tracy Schuldt Helixon is an early middle grade book that is about as sweet as they come. Caleb is the youngest of seven boys. When the family moves to a lighthouse where Father is to be the new lighthouse keeper, the older boys claim the beds and Caleb doesn't seem to have a place. But the house seems to speak to Caleb, welcoming him and helping him find a place to fit in. Through the years, the story tells what it was like to grow up in this environment, the house giving comfort and solace to Caleb. The family moves away after the lighthouse is automated, and the house falls into ruin, but the story comes full circle when Caleb returns to help restore the house. This is a sweet story kids and lighthouse lovers (like me) will enjoy, especially when they find out it's based on a real place. Both writing and illustrations are lovely.
They Didn't Teach THIS in Worm School! by Simone Lia is also for early middle-
I have gently-read paperbacks of both of these for one of you. Caleb's Lighthouse is a signed copy. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.
Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.
