Thursday evening was full of prepping for a substitute (I took off on Friday), along with putting the finishing touches on a workshop handout and getting stuff ready for a writing marathon.
The NCTE convention (National Council of Teachers of English) was in St. Louis. I was leading a writing marathon through Ferguson, Missouri--of great interest to people from out of town.
We ended at Cathy's Kitchen, a Ferguson restaurant that is located right next to the Ferguson Police Department. Cathy Jenkins and her husband Jerome had stories to tell us over a delicious lunch.
At the convention I did a bit of oohing and aahing. Jacqueline Woodson spoke to a huge convention room. It was so crowded and in such demand, teachers were sitting on the floor along the sides, just to hear her. By then, my former teaching partner and I had already done our presentation, so we could relax...
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| Okay, so maybe this is a better photo of her...
I also got to go to a workshop by Tom Romano. He's a rock star when it comes to multi genre writing.
Today, it's back to work. However, as of 7:26 on Sunday evening, my NaNoWriMo word count was 16,179. Fortunately, I will have time to write tomorrow with my students. Since we have a short week (only two days), we're going to work on our NaNoWriMo during our literature classes as well as our composition classes...
And now onto to a much-belated book blurb post...
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Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book.
Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. Her first romance novel, Love Built to Last, just came out as an audio book. She's quite busy these days. Not only is she a prolific writer, she also runs an editing business. (I hope someday I will have need to hire her.)
Okay, back to book blurb stuff.
Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.
Here's the book cover, along with my blurb:
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| Google Images |
Henry the Thinker
“Are you ever going to come out?”
Bang! Bang! Bang! “How long are you going to be in there?”
With only one bathroom in the house, sometimes it was a race. If Eloise saw signs that Henry was getting up, with the intention of using the toilet, she’d fly out of her rocking chair and beat him to it… a slammed door signaling her victory.
Outwitting him was necessary. Henry thought the toilet was his throne. He read magazines while he crouched on the circular seat. He played video games on his tablet so long, his butt cheeks would go numb. Henry spent so much time in the bathroom, Eloise decided to honor him with a sculpture… which she had installed in their front yard, along with the sign:
This is my king on his throne.
Will Henry be pleased? Or will he be pissed? (145 words)
Reviews
George Costanza: I think this book goes overboard. I mean, he's naked. I only recommend taking off the dress shirt and undershirt when preening in the bathroom after a toileting event, so I cannot recommend this book.
The Roto-Rooter Man: This guy looks like he lives on pizza and corn dogs... probably doesn't even know what vegetables look like. I advocate he either starts eating some roughage, or he'll have need of my services. I also advocate that everybody avoids this book.
The Bathroom in Room # 1 at the Bates Motel: If you read this book, something horrible will happen to you... something as horrible as what happened in me. Eeek eeek eeek!
And for those who'd like to work ahead (since, goodness knows, I rarely do), here is the photo for later this week:
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| Google Images |
I have many relatives (including my hubby!) who resemble Henry. I think Henry will love his sculpture and be proud of his accomplishment! I know my hubby would! LOL
ReplyDeletePat--I'll have Eloise send the sculpture to you, in case Henry doesn't like it.
DeleteBravo! Your reviewers are a bit harsh, but I DID overhear Cosmo Kramer say that he wouldn't sit in a fumigated apartment for 90 minutes to read your manuscript.
ReplyDeleteAn alternate title could have been "The Stinker," but that might have driven away a few prospective buyers. The ones who didn't read the reviews.
Val--I completely forgot about the fumigation episode. As always, you're the Queen of Seinfeld.
DeleteSo are you and Val becoming Siskel and Ebert tag teaming on reviews?
ReplyDeleteI know some real stinkers in our family.
Linda--I bet I know at least one of them. Sas!
DeleteThe first two lines of Henry the Thinker cracked me up!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet there are a lot of stories in Ferguson.
Jono--Did they crack you up because you're overly fond of sitting on the throne? ;)
DeleteYou weren't kidding. You really HAVE been busy! Your blurb cracked me up. Not only should men not be allowed to bring magazines and books into the bathroom, they should be forced to leave their cell phones outside, too!
ReplyDeleteLisa--Yeah, it was a busy week, but I ate enough calories on Thanksgiving to totally compensate. ;)
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