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:

What Terrifies You?

      I still remember watching the movie "The Birds" for the first time. I know I was not yet a teenager, and being afraid was delicious. It was fun squealing and covering my eyes... as long as it was done in a safe place. (After reading about how some of the scenes were filmed, I now think that Alfred Hitchcock was the scariest part of that movie. If you don't know what Tippi Hedren endured to get the movie filmed, check out this article.)

      Probably close to the same time, I read the book Rosemary's Baby, which had me on the edge of my seat.

       As an adult I've continued my love of being scared, of being creeped out. Mostly, it's been via ink on paper. "Silence of the Lambs" was scary-suspenseful at times. So was "Psycho." (I just saw the new version of "It" and was not scared in the least. Can anybody recommend a scary movie?)

       Here are some of my favorite scary books:

• The Shining by Stephen King
• The Fireman by Joe Hill (Stephen King's son)
• NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (again, did you pick up on it? He's Stephen King's son)

    What scary books or movies can you add to this list? Terrified minds want to know...

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:

My Real-Life Out-of-Towners and Back-of-the-Book Blurb #81

      One of my favorite movies is "The Out-of-Towners." The original one with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis.

      It's a perfect example of black humor. Disasters happen to a couple traveling to New York for a job interview--over and over.

      Tuesday--after my school's blood drive--I lived my own version of the movie. Here's what happened:

       I was the teacher/staff person. My principal drifted in earlier, as did a couple of teachers, but this evening, I was in charge.

      I gave blood, and one of the teachers who stopped by convinced me to eat a bag of Cheez Its. (I would be grateful for those few crackers later.)

      A little after 6, the janitor asked me if I had a key to lock the side door. I didn't. He said, "I"ll lock the doors but prop open one of the doors with a rock, in case anyone comes to donate." That was perfect... or so I thought.

     When the blood mobile people finished dismantling and packing up things (a little before 7),  I don't know why, but as I stood inside the building, I asked them to check on the doors to make sure they were locked. They did. One of the doors was unlocked.

      One of the doors was unlocked? What was I going to do?

      I walked up the stairs--from the basement to my classroom on the second floor--so I could call someone. I had a couple of choices. The principal or a man (like a caretaker) who lived in the neighborhood (I'll call him Mr. K) could help me out. It would be easy. Or so I thought.

      I called the principal. No answer. I looked up Mr. K's phone number on the internet, and called him. No answer. I then called the parish priest. (The church is right across the street from the school.) No answer. I then called the school secretary, who lives right around the corner from the school. No answer.

      For over an hour I called those 4 people--several times.

      I figured I'd be stuck in the building all night, since I didn't feel right leaving the building unlocked. Since I'd only had the small bag of Cheez Its between noon and 7, I was getting hungry. And The Voice television show was on. I was missing it. How bad would I smell if I spent the night sleeping on the floor by the unlocked door, presumably "guarding" it? I had nothing to eat in my little classroom refrigerator. If my stomach starting eating away at itself, I supposed I could find something in the school cafeteria, right? (Of course in reality, I have enough lard on my frame to last me a few weeks...)

       I called my husband and let him know I had no idea when I would be home. By this time, the messages I left for the principal, the priest, the secretary and Mr. K were a bit tearful at the end. I was trying not to sound too desperate.

      After more than an hour, Mr. K answered his phone. His wife was in the hospital (knee surgery), but he said he'd be right over. Wonderful. I could finally go home. It was a little after 8.

       Just when he walked into the side entrance and we were talking, the secretary called. She had come over and tried to lock it (hadn't called me to let me know she had gotten my 192 messages) but something was wrong with the door. Apparently the custodian had locked it--as far as he knew--but the door was malfunctioning and the lock never "caught." She couldn't do it so she called her son who was able to lock the door.

      As we were leaving the building, Mr. K said, "I think your principal's in the building. I think that's his car in front of the school."

       I looked, as I was getting into my car, prepared to burn rubber to get home as quickly as possible. I could see people leaving the school via the front door.

       On the first floor, in the teachers' lounge, a finance meeting had been going on from 7-8. The principal was there, along with the parish priest. My principal had not taken his phone into the meeting (too many people do that, and the ringing and vibrating make for too many interruptions) and I had been calling the priest on the rectory line... and he wasn't across the street. He was right in the same building as I was.

       I laughed with the principal when he called me back, and the secretary and I chuckled the next day. I got home a little after 8:30, told my husband the story, and got teased for being held "prisoner."
   
         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.

         
          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 Food Hat Fad

Renata loved flashy clothes. Sequined shoes. Ruffly dresses. Out-of-this-world hats.

Renata also dreamed of someday having her own restaurant. She enjoyed cooking for others, and everyone said her dishes were divine.

One night, Renata realized how she could achieve her dream. It would be better than a diner or a food truck. Renata’s Food Hat. Renata would traipse around, with the food on her head. If she did that, it would catch people’s eyes and would also fill their tummies.

Some dishes would be easier to balance on a hat, of course. A block of lasagna would stick like glue to the plate. A serving of shepard’s pie, adhered to the plate by mashed potatoes, would be safely anchored down. But how about toasted ravioli? Deviled eggs? Crab cakes?

Will Renata be a smashing success? Or will she just leave a trail of smashed and fallen food in her wake? (150 words)

And for those who want to work ahead, here is the photo for next week: