No More NaNoWriMo and Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 87

           Since November is over, so is NaNoWriMo. With just a few exceptions, all of my students reached their word count goal. (They were 6,000 for the 8th graders, 5.500 for 7th, 5,000 for 6th grade, 3,000 for 5th and 2,000 for 4th. Those last two were too low, I found out.)

       Mine, you ask? I've racked up 23,030 words. Right now I'm just seeing the trees. There's no way I can see the forest. I even wonder if there is a forest...

            (In other words, I'm not sure if it's any good. Is there too much stuff about the other kids and the real story is getting muddied? Or, is the stuff with the other kids disjointed? Also, is the tone too preachy or lecture-y, like I'm bent on bringing this bit of history to light and discarding the craft, the story, along the way?

I'm not sure. Time will tell. At the end there has to be an incident of bullying, and an organic idea has not come to me yet.) 

And now onto book blurb business...

      Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        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:

A Dog’s Dream

            Hansie used to get dressed up like a horse, and his little girl would put a Barbie on his back. Off he’d trot in circles, like a show pony.

            That was when he was a young pup. He’d dream of having long legs and a flowing mane.

            When he was a little older, Hansie would ride around in a stroller. He’d wear a bonnet and a blanket would surround him like a cocoon. Life was sweet for a well-loved dog.

             But lately, his dreams had gotten bigger. No longer content to canter around or be bumped down the sidewalks, Hansie fantasized about being surrounded by children. He’d rise to the responsibility and get them all there safely.

              Hansie dreamed of being a school bus. He wanted to be draped in yellow, to be filled with screaming, gum-chewing brats, to puff down the streets belching black smoke.

              A bus he’d be… (150 words)

And for those who'd like to play along next week and also like to work ahead, here is the photo for the next blurb:

Winslet, Book Signing, Yes to NaNo and Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 84

          Winslet is in the doggy hospital... again. Chronic diarrhea continues. While we were in for a vet appointment for a recheck on her white blood cell count, she became quite unstable--right before our very eyes. Walking around like she was either drunk or she'd had a stroke (she's only 3), her left front and back leg were visibly weak/nonfunctioning. We rushed her to an emergency care facility. She'll be there at least for the weekend.

         Winslet, in case you're not one of my 1.3 readers, is a foster dog from Turkey. When we took her to the emergency place, one of the techs came in with a disposable gown and said, "I'll come back in my gear." Our rescue president and I wondered what she was talking about. Would she return decked out in SWAT boots and body armor? WITH? 

         She then came back in the same way she was before, in a disposable gown, and she had another tech with her (who was also wearing a disposable gown). She said, "I'm wearing this because we're from a foreign country." My eyes widened, full of questions. What country were the two of them from, and why did their country of origin necessitate a disposable gown? When she said, "We don't know what Winslet might have picked up in Turkey," I couldn't help it.

        I had to say, "Oh, so when you said, 'We're from a foreign country,' you meant she's from a foreign country." I hate when people use "we" and "we're" like that.) She tried to claim that was not what she said, but both of us heard it.

         If you're free and in the St Louis area, come to the U City Half Price Books store. From 11-3 there will be a few Chicken Soup writers (Linda O'Connell, Pat Wahler and myself) signing books. Bring a canned good in and enter a drawing for a $50 gift card.

        My NaNoWriMo word count is 9,347. That's probably a third of the way. I'm semi-pleased with how it's going so far. Hopefully, when I post next week, I'll have progressed a bit more.

 And now onto the business of the book blurb...

         Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        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. She's busy trying to figure out how many hours a beach lover and writer can resist the beach as she toils away at her writing.

          
          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:

Little Miss Dynamite

Little Imelda was a miniature keg of dynamite and she was a triple threat. She could sing, dance and act.

Mrs. Markohs tried to rein in her enthusiasm, but it was impossible. Whenever she saw an ad for a kids’ beauty pageant, this stage mom was frothing at the mouth to get Imelda’s application filled out.

Unfortunately, a monster was in the making. As Imelda racked up trophies and blue ribbons, she got more demanding.

“Use Evian water to make my koolaid, not that crap tap water!”

“Ugh. A brown paper sack? Put my lunch in a Birkin bag.”

“No ‘Super Cuts’ for me. Take me to get a $200 haircut.”

Even her mother can see Imelda is getting a bit unreasonable.

Will she be able to bring her daughter back to earth? Or, will Imelda continue with her monstrous and demanding lifestyle? (143 words)

And for those few who are considering playing along, here is the book cover for next week:

No to NaNo?

       NaNoWriMo is a daunting challenge. If you are victorious, you get at least 50,000 words down between November 1-30.

      It's a short month. Why couldn't the NaNo people choose a month with 31 days? Why couldn't they choose a month that doesn't involve a huge family holiday... one that involves lots of cooking and baking and eating and recovering? Why couldn't they have made it a two-month challenge?

      I don't know. All I know is I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, but with some modifications.

      Here are a couple of excuses I've used over the years:

• I'm writing nonfiction. I'm not writing fiction. I'm not writing a novel. 

       Pshaw. So you're writing your memoir. So you're writing nonfiction. Be a NaNo rebel. There are others like you. You might want to read this article to find out the different possibilities.

       I've done thinly-disguised memoir during NaNo. I've used it as a way to nudge me along when it comes to word count. You could try this too.

• There's no way I can write 50,000 words in one month.

        I've failed at this several times. The times that I "won" resulted in hot messes that will never be sent off to an editor/publisher.

        Last year I got 25,000 words down. It was my best writing (in my opinion) and I hope that soon I will be ready to start shopping it around. I was happy with that amount of words because I envision it being a novel for middle-grade kids. Kids' books are not 70,000-90,000 words long.

        This year I have the same goal. If I can get close to 25,000 words, and it doesn't make me want to hurl, I'll be quite happy.

        Will I "win" NaNoWriMo if I do this? No. However, I will be closer to finishing a big project than if I'd never started NaNo...

        Currently, my word count is 3,722. Already waaay behind.

        Which is fine by me...

Jokes, Anyone? and Back-of-the-Book Blurb #83

        Well, it's day three of NaNoWriMo. I've written all three days, but am already two-days' worth of words behind. By the end of today I should have written more than 4,8000 words. Instead, I have 1,788 words...

      ...which is okay, because I like the gauzy as cotton candy plan I've created. I'm writing a middle-grades novel. The main character: Nathan, an 8th grader who loves to pull pranks and tell jokes. When he finds out a teenager was lynched in 1955 all because of a joke, Nathan does some research... and gets immersed in a horrible historical moment.

       I began from a different perspective, but it didn't feel right. At all. So, today I switched, and the story's being told from Nathan's perspective... and it feels right.

      Will I be able to rack up 20-25,000 words by the end of November? Will I be able to write the story from beginning to end by November 30? Only time will tell. However, one thing I know for sure: I will have made more progress than if I hadn't even started NaNoWriMo.

      But I need your help. If you have a favorite joke or two--they need to be kid-friendly--I'd love to hear them. Pranks and jokes are going to pepper the story. One of my students was reading over my shoulder on Thursday, gave me a sly look and knowingly said, "That's an interesting story, Mrs. R," and then he laughed. However, Nathan doesn't know (yet) that he's the star of this WIP...

         And now onto the business of the book blurb...

         Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        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. One thing she's been stuck with lately is using an electric cattle prod on me, since I'm late (almost always) with this Friday post (like I am late this week). Maybe some day soon, I can consistently post on a timely basis...

         
          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:

The Power of Words

Adara was silent. Always. Being a woman, she knew her place. The men in her life spoke for her. They told her what she wanted. They gave her what she needed. They told her what she thought.

Her father. Her brother. They were the center of Adara’s universe. They were her universe. They eclipsed everything, to the point there was no room for Adara.

But when her application for a fellowship in London was accepted, Adara knew her world was going to change… forever. Her family was not happy, but they told her to contact her London cousins when she got settled… and they could take over for Adara’s father and brother.

However, Adara plans on disappearing. She isn’t going to let any of her family know of her new address.

Soon, she is going to be able to think her own thoughts and create her own universe… with words. (150 words)

And for those dozens of writers who play along each week (ha), here is the photo for next week, so you can work ahead:

NaNoWriMo and Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 82

NaNoWriMo is almost here (it begins Wednesday) and I'm not as paralyzed as I was a couple of days ago.

Two days ago, I had no idea what my NaNo was going to focus on. Last year I knew way ahead of time, had done some scut work before November 1 rolled around, and was inspired and excited enough to the point that I'm still jazzed about the project. (Of course, I'm now  working on the dental draft, making sure every detail is perfect.)


However, two days ago I returned to the idea that kept appearing on my radar--another historical fiction project for (probably) middle-graders. I figured that there was a darned good reason why it kept reappearing.... and I should take heed of why it keeps coming back to my brain.

So now I know what I'm going to work on beginning on Wednesday, alongside my students. I'm lucky. If it pans out the way it did last year, I'll have two 45-minute sessions every day to write with them.

And if you'd like to read about what I've learned from NaNoWriMo, read my post on The Muffin.

How about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? I'd love to hear about it if you are...

         And now onto the business of the book blurb...

         Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        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. Currently, she's writing a screenplay about her life. Viggo Mortensen is slated to play her hubby; Marisa Tomei is going to portray Lisa. Working on a movie project is hard work, so she's too busy to host this writing prompt anymore.

         
          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:

  

The Artist’s Way

Jason was a kid who doodled all the time in school. His teachers took his sketch pads away, they tore up the scrap paper he drew on, they’d confiscate his pencils, his pens, his crayons.

Despite the earlier discouragement, Jason kept his love of art alive once he hit adulthood. In fact, he’d parlayed his passion into a full-time job. Jason’s Doodles was the name of his art business..

For a crazy-high price tag, Jason would draw anything for anyone. Working on huge pieces of paper, he’d begin with no rough sketch and no idea. Preferring to dive in without the benefit of constrictive plans, Jason would begin with blank paper and end with a masterpiece.

His latest collection? Drawings of wild animals that should be better protected, and circus animals that should be permanently retired.

Will Jason continue to doodle and dabble, or will his drawings make a difference? (150 words)

And for those writers who would like to work ahead, here is the photo for next week:

Kids in Crisis... Music for Writers... and Back-of-the-Book Blurb #75

        First of all, if you haven't read my most recent post on The Muffin, check it out. (You'll get to see a pig that can fly... You'll also get to see a quilt made by Lynn Obermoeller.)     

        Now away from that little bit of self-promotion... This is my 29th year of teaching. In every one of my classrooms there's been at least one kid in crisis.

• a 3rd grader who was promised a plastic crown at an amusement park, but her father changed his mind (for no reason) and broke her heart

• a little boy who was threatened on a regular basis with going to a foster home because of his school misbehavior

• loads of kids (too many to count) who dealt with their parent's addiction/mental illness

            It saddens me to see adult issues being heaped upon kids. Modifications are made, interventions are held, gatherings take place and phone calls are made. We do what we're able to do... and hope for the best.

            I have a couple of students who are struggling. They each have a mountain of problems and a canyon of sorrow they're dealing with. Please send good thoughts their way...

           I recently read how a writer uses music. Unfortunately, I can't write while listening to music with lyrics. I get sidetracked and end up paying attention to the songs and forget about the writing.

           This particular writer found a song that fit the mood of his manuscript, and he listened to the same song, over and over while he wrote. It became white noise.

            That technique intrigues me. This November we're doing NaNoWriMo. I'll be doing it with 4th-8th graders. My students from last year are excited. The 4th-6th graders--who I didn't have as students last year--are a bit nervous. However, we're going to head off on that adventure together, and it will be a blast. 

            Many students want to write while listening to music, but too often, they spend more time finding songs and less time on writing. If they don't want to listen to Vivaldi or Miles Davis, I'm going to suggest they find one song and listen to it over and over.

            And now onto our book blurb of the week.

            Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a romance about a boy and his rat named "Ben"? Is it a guide for animal lovers? You decide.

         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. Also, she's currently dealing with an unwanted guest named Irma, so think good thoughts for her as well...

          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:

Bryce the Unbearable

Bryce was a brat. He was spoiled rotten and everybody knew it except for his parents.

His teacher drank every evening and on the weekends, she OD’ed on chocolate. On the rare days when he was sick and absent from school (most germs were too weak to land on Bryce) his teacher shrieked with excitement.

When they saw Bryce loose and wreaking havoc on the sidewalk, the neighbors ran back into their homes, locked their doors and stayed away from the windows--in case Bryce was tempted to barge in or felt like lobbing around rocks. All the aunts, uncles and even the grandparents avoided Bryce.

But his parents thought he was “destined for greatness” and felt limitations would stifle his creativity.

Will Bryce live to be five? Or will his mom and dad finally find the banks of the River Denial and climb out of the water? 147 words

And if you want to play along next Friday (or Saturday, if I have computer troubles like I had last night), here in the photo for the next book blurb:

Staring... and Finishing (at least a 2nd draft)

This is what I stared at, off and on, for three hours yesterday.

      There was a write-in at the St. Louis Art Museum. From 1-4 I sat in an overstuffed chair (big enough for two, but I hogged up both spots with my stuff) and typed away on my laptop.

       Okay, saying I typed away for several hours might give you--my one reader--with the impression that I got pages and pages down.

       El wrongo.

       I just looked back on my WIP to see how much I actually got down. Less than a page, plus part of an author's note (it's historical). However, this was one of the hardest parts--the ending--and so I'm thrilled I got the last few paragraphs down.

       Now the hardest part. There is a question at the end that's a crucial one for the main character (a young teenager named Henry). I've known--since the very beginning--that my first page is not how I want the reader to enter the story. However, it was how I had to enter into the character... so I need to completely revamp the beginning.

      I want to have a hint of that question (that's at the end) in the beginning... and then perhaps insert a thread of the question here and there throughout the story. Then comes the next steps:

1) Finish the author's note. This is a historical event that very few people know about. There's some backstory and some details that were not covered in the story. To have a completely well-rounded view of what happened, an author's note is necessary.

2) Speak to an elderly person about some of the slang/expressions/products. I've included some of the expressions that my grandfather used. He was born in 1904. The story takes place in 1921. However, these are African American characters. What sayings were popular back then? I have a couple of lady senior citizens I'm going to sit down with and talk to. (I've highlighted all the word choices and phrases I'm curious/unsure about. Going over it page by page, I'll ask if they can remember their parents or grandparents saying anything similar.) Also, what kind of gum was popular back then? What kind of things did they hear from (unkind) white passersby?

Now it's all about looking at the small details. Notice the small
details in this painting. The way the towel is draped across one
shoulder. The guy on the right--see how his right foot is raised and angled?

3) Have a few of my students critically read it. They're close to my target audience (I envision it for 5th, 6th or 7th graders and my students are 8th graders). However, at least one student I'm thinking of is a reluctant reader. He was the one who kept prodding me--long after NaNoWriMo was finished--asking me, "So how's your story coming, Mrs. R?" If I can keep Danny interested, I have a chance with kids who enjoy reading...

4) Have my writing critique group read it. Hey, they willingly read my earlier manuscript, which was (and still is) a steaming, angry pile of poop. I actually think this is fairly decent. They might not have to drink large amounts of wine/eat large amounts of chocolate (Linda)/nibble on large amounts of bean sprouts (Lynn) to slog through this one...

How about you? What have you been proud of recently? Or, what have you finished/semi-finished recently? Nosey minds want to know...