"KEEPING YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME" via Write On!

Confession time: I suffer from major book envy. Jen Kam's middle grade novel, Devin Rhodes is Dead (If it's not on your Must Read list, it should be.) is one of those that really makes me suffer with "I wish I could write like this" emerald green pangs. So when Jen invited me to guest post on "Write Now!" what I call Jen's version of the Algonquin Round Table (minus the Tinis), I was thrilled.

Rather than chatter on here, I invite you to click over to "Write On!" to find out how I keep my head in the game--and screwed on at all--in the midst of all the everything else but sitting "Butt In Chair" (As my friend The Book Doctor calls it).

As an extra incentive Jen's giving-away 3 signed copies of the special Jumpstart Read for the Record© edition of Not Norman, A Goldfish Story (Spanish or English version)--read all about it, sign-up and comment to win . . .

Write Now!

And when you're finished reading Jen's blog, check out her debut novel.  Here's the 4-1-1:

Devin Rhodes Is Dead by Jennifer Wolf Kam

4.24 of 5 starsTold in alternating "Before" and "After" chapters, Kam's novel focuses on the events leading up to and just after Cass's best friend Devin's body is found at the bottom of a local ravine. Part realism, part ghost story, and part coming-of-age tale, this young adult novel will draw you in and keep you turning pages until the dramatic conclusion.

Stuck in Writerly Discontent...HERE COMES THE SUN

You know how sometimes, suddenly, on the bleakest day...or week....or month, the sun break through? Writing-wise, I've been having one of those months. Now, when it should be spring and my writer's heart should be abuzz with springish ideas: birds, flowers, brand new picture books... it's still dark, dreary winter. It's been a long long long winter of  writerly discontent. And I was sick and tired of it--

Then came the sun!

That warm, bright golden ray of sunshine came in the form of a note from Robyn Conley, Book Doctor,  writer, friend, savant.

I might have mentioned (in a whinny, sniveling sentence or two) that I was being a writing slug. And, Dr. Robyn came through with exactly the prescription I needed.

"Have you ever heard Jodi Thomas' talk about the seasons for writers?  When we're in the 'winters,' she says, we're to read more of what we love and fall into infatuation with words and phrasings again.  Before long our desire to pen prose just as wonderful is irresistible and we're dancing in the spring time of tappeting, tappeting, tappeting across the keyboard."

And then, she tossed in the title of an " inspirational/prompt-filled writing book.... It's been out since 1999, but is available on Amazon.  Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg."

That's all I'm sharing--cause I've got a reading prescription to fill--besides if you want the Book Doctor's help curing what's ailing you, give her a call!

SHINE ON!