Quote of the Day

“The first essential in any book is that it have something significant  to say --a book that leaves the reader with bigger ideas than when he  began reading - that stimulates his  thinking, stretches his mind, deepens his feelings. A good book sticks  to your ribs.”  

Rebecca Caudill (for whom the Illinois Young Reader's  Book Award is named)

Thought for the Day

(Totally copied from my friend KIRBY LARSON's wonderful blog, because I'm carrying a lot of books around with me and thinking about gardens and proverbs. Funny how things connect, isn't it?)

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket."

Chinese proverb

Quote of the Day

One of the reasons we keep plugging away, no?

(And thank you to the friend who shared this and whose identity I have forgotten/lost/misplaced...)

Writing Quote of the Day

“The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.” 
Robert Cormier

As shared with me in an interview I did a while ago, linked HERE.

I now have that on a handwritten stickie, above my desk. 
This week it seems particularly appropriate.

Here's the quote, in its entirety:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_cormier.html

Now, back to searching for a few leaping similes...

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping simile.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_cormier.html#xY2tmvUouJtRzhvz.99

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping simile.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_cormier.html#xY2tmvUouJtRzhvz.99

What a weekend! Quote of the Day

There are so many things swirling around in my head this morning. 

For now, here's the George Eliot stickie note (Thanks, Sandra Markle!), mentioned while standing next to my great editor, Andrea Pinkney. 

More to come on a great Miami SCBWI conference weekend.
I hope everybody is as inspired as I am- Now let's get to work!

Poem of the Day

Maybe I just need an excuse, but my favorite thing about April is that I remember to read more poetry.

I bought Mary Oliver's new book: A THOUSAND MORNINGS, tucked it beside a comfy chair, and promised to open it often.

Here's a start. Page 19.

This reminds me of the conversation at my wonderful Writers Group meeting this week.



Three Things To Remember

As long as you're dancing, you can
    break the rules.
Sometimes breaking the rules is just
   extending the rules.


Sometimes there are no rules.

Quote for the Day

"I have not failed. 
I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
--Thomas Alva Edison

Kind of the way I'm feeling about Chapter 16 this morning...

Quote of the Day

I opened a 3-pack of mini notebooks to take along with me on my travels.
I always have a notebook handy, don't you? And when I talk to kids, I tell them that.
Each has a quote. I can't quite decide which will inspire us the most.

Van Gogh: "Looking at the stars always makes me dream."

Shakespeare: "Joy delights in joy."

or (Mr./ Ms.) Unknown: "Happiness is a bright and shining thing."



(Click here for more. And a link to writing quotes.)

Writing Quote for the Day...

"Revision is one of the true pleasures of writing. I love the flowers of afterthought." 
~Bernard Malamud

(and for a link to lots more writing quotes like this, click here)

Related post: Richard Peck

Writing Quote for the Day...

Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very" --your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

Quotes of the Day...

Write something to suit yourself and many people will like it; write something to suit everybody and scarcely anyone will care for it. - Jesse Stuart

And along those same lines...

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss

Quote of the Day

Oh, how I love this! And Nancy Thayer's books aren't too shabby either...

"It's never too late, in fiction or in life, to revise." -Nancy Thayer