Saturday Snapshot: Proofreading

Proofreading is ALWAYS a good idea for success.

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Spell Check Please

From cakewrecks.com 

Teaser Tuesday: The Wednesday Wars

"Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior Hight, there was one kid that Mrs. Baker hated with heat whiter than the sun. Me."

- p. 1 - The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

About the book: He's just started seventh grade with Mrs. Baker, a teacher he knows is out to get him. Why else would she make him read Shakespeare...outside of class?

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I have an author crush on Gary D. Schmidt. I first read Schmidt's OKAY FOR NOW earlier this year and became a fan for life. Now, I have the pleasure of reading his previous works.  So far, I'm loving THE WEDNESDAY WARS, a story set in 1967. If I didn't have a deadline to meet today, I would sneak outside and finish reading the whole book.


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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Monday Morning Inspiration: Musical Ride

In less than one minute, you can experience a musical ride. This is a good way to get your morning going, whatever your creative endeavor. As for me, I'm diving back into what I hope will be the last round of edits on the new novel. It's exciting to be at this stage!

Saturday Snapshot: The Writer

So, so true!

Wordless Wednesday

Have a terrific day!

Monday Morning Inspiration

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet Thoughts

A sweet writer friend snapped this pic for me of the Little Brown Bakery in NYC. How nice!

No connection to my publisher Little, Brown books. However, you can bet I will visit this place when I go visit my editor and agent later this year. And as one of my favorite bloggers commented, "Doesn't it look like the perfect place to read a Little, Brown book!" 

Still so excited about this new book and will have much to tell you in the coming months as we prepare for the early 2013 release date. I just put the second round of edits to bed on it and the cover design is underway. More news soon!

Happy Wednesday!

Monday Morning Inspiration: Leap

“If we listened to our intellect we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go in business because we'd be cynical: "It's gonna go wrong." Or "She's going to hurt me." Or,"I've had a couple of bad love affairs, so therefore . . ." Well, that's nonsense. You're going to miss life. You've got to jump off the cliff all the time and build your wings on the way down.”

― Ray Bradbury

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I think so many of us can relate to this. 

Saturday Snapshot: Who knew reading was a full contact sport?

You just might need protective head gear for some stories! What I really love about this picture is that my little girl was so eager to read that she didn't even think to take her helmet off before diving in. Makes a mama proud.

Also of interest is this week's Wordless Wednesday: Odd Book Titles

Average novel word count may surprise you

I was surprised to read that the average book has 64,500 words, according to this article in Publishers Weekly. 

The article cites classics like ANIMAL FARM coming in at just over 29,000 words and SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE at under 50,000. I'd always believed the average adult novel was around 80,000 words.

Interesting, no?

Wordless Wednesday: Odd Book Titles

These are two selections from this year's Shortlist For the Oddest Book Title. No kidding.

Teaser Tuesday: The Night Swimmer

"It began with a dart, a pint, and a poem, three elements that seemed to demonstrate the imprecise nature of fate. When Fred stepped up to the line, the dart held loosely in his hand, you could see in the way he carried his body the assurances of a man who was well prepared." p. 3 - The Night Swimmer by Matt Bondurant

From Amazon: The poignant unraveling of a marriage, the fierce beauty of the natural world, the mysterious power of Irish lore, and the gripping story of strangers in a strange land rife with intrigue and violence—The Night Swimmer is a novel of myriad enchantments by a writer of extraordinary talent.

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear author Matt Bondurant read from his recent novel, The Night Swimmer. I'm looking forward to diving into this interesting story, as well as his previous works like The Wettest County In The World, a novel that's been made into a movie and will release this summer. 

Check out the author's website.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate.

Monday Morning Inspiration: The domino effect of books

Be inspired by this 50 second piece of art! You could never do this with e-books! :)