I'm taking the holiday off to spend quality time with my family.
Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone. I'll be back on January 2nd.
~ Unearthly | Cynthia Hand | |
~ Vesper | Jeff Sampson | |
~ Hereafter | Tara Hudson | |
~ Bumped | Megan McCafferty | |
~ Unidentified | Rae Mariz | |
~ Poison Diaries, The | Maryrose Wood | |
~ Entwined | Heather Dixon | |
~ Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) | Sarah Mylkowski | |
~ Withering Tights | Louise Rennison | |
~ Lucky | Rachel Vail |
"If I were to tell you that the maple tree outside there on the playground just said to itself, 'I'm sick of being a tree. I think I want to be a person now,' and if I told you that maple tree got up and is now sprinting down Interstate 89, what would you say?"
"OK, OK. But what if I said, 'The maple tree decided it didn't want to be a tree anymore and is running down Route 89 and there is a little boy named Seth chasing after it and a blue Chevy Cavalier wagon. And it just stepped on my 1979 Toyota Liftback, crushing the box of Twix candy bars I was saving to bring to class tomorrow.' What if I were to say, 'There is a cat up in the tree, and the fire department is chasing after it, and that cat is howling like a wolf on the highest branch, and the principal, Mrs. Stewart, has lassoed it with an orange extension cord and tied it to the bumper of bus number ten.' If I could tell you enough details, so that you begin to imagine something exact and real about this runaway tree, you might, you just might, go to the window and look. That's What writers do. They make you go to the window and look."
Winners take chances Like everyone else, they fear failing,
but they refuse to let fear control them.
Winners don’t give up. When life gets rough, they hang in
until the going gets better.
Winners are flexible. They realize there is more than one
way and are willing to try others.
Winners know they are not perfect. They respect their
weaknesses while making the most of their strengths.
Winners fall but they don’t stay down. They stubbornly refuse
to let a fall keep them from climbing.
Winners don’t blame fate for their failures, nor luck for their successes.
Winners accept responsibility for their lives.
Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.
Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it
is hard, even when others can’t see where they are going.
Winners are patient. They know a goal is only worthy
as the effort that is required to achieve it.
Winners are people who believe in themselves.
They make this world a better place to be.
"I am somebody. I am me. I like being me. And I need nobody to make me somebody."
On her eleventh birthday, Halo Nightly receives a mysterious collection of candy jars from her Aunt Pandora. The sweet treats inside fuel her with the powers of fire, water, earth, and air! As the worlds newest sugar hero, Halo must defeat the evil sour-villains who threaten to rid the world of fun and flavor!
"Forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice."
* An awesome article called The Goldilocks tablet: Why Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire is ‘just right’
"Nothing is predestined. The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings."
* Caroline Starr Rose's joy...then disappointment...then joy again story HERE and HERE and HERE
* Natalie Whipple wrote this post HERE and now has a novel being published by HARPER TEEN in 2013!!
* Katie Ganshert's long wait HERE
* Karen Amanda Hooper's story, HERE
* Shelli Johannes-Wells's story HERE
Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of.My 4th grade son read the entire book the night I brought it home, and my 2nd grade daughter devoured it the next day. We all know these books sell themselves, so I don't need to convince you of their greatness. I would like to give away a copy to one lucky commenter, though. But NOT my copy! He he.
The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?
"There is no satisfactory explanation of style, no infallible guide to good writing, no assurance that a person who thinks clearly will be able to write clearly, no key that unlocks the door, no inflexible rules by which the young writer may steer his course. He will often find himself steering by stars that are disturbingly in motion."
