March Madness Is Here!

MARCH MADNESS IS HERE!!!

If you've been looking for a challenge to get your writing in gear, you've come to the right place! Through the month of March we will be cheering each other on to meet challenging goals with our writing. Also, this year we've decided to open up the challenge to Readers, Bloggers, and Illustrators. Anyone who wants to challenge themselves regarding books and win prizes for it!

Today is goal-setting day! Hop on over to Denise's blog this morning for details: http://www.denisejaden.com/Blog.html And then check-in with us each weekday to let us know how things are coming along.

The following will be the check-in points for the month of March. We plan to have check-in posts up and running by 9AM PST (noon EST) each day.

Mondays check in with Denise: http://www.denisejaden.com/Blog.html

Tuesdays, Shana Silver, will host the check-in: http://www.shana-silver.com

Wednesdays stop by right here: http://yascribe.blogspot.com

Thursdays visit Shari Green: http://sharigreen.wordpress.com/blog

Fridays check in with Craig: http://www.craigpirrall.com/craig/craigs-blog

There are prizes to be had! We have some truly awesome prizes up for grabs this year. Denise will be opening up two of her bookshelves for people to choose something from throughout the month, starting today. Go check in for the details! http://www.denisejaden.com/Blog.html

March Madness is Almost Here

My fabulous friend, Denise Jaden, is gathering writers, readers, and illustrators to participate in a fun-filled month of reaching out together to meet our personal goals. March Madness!

Monday through Friday there will be encouraging blog posts where commentors can spur each other on and automatically be entered to win fun prizes!

As a result of my participation last year, I completed the first draft of a middle-grade novel and learned that I can put down a lot more words each day than I ever thought possible.

This March I am in the same place I was last year, needing to get back into the first draft of a novel I've been working on for three years. So I'm thinking about a reasonable goal for the month of March. Hmmmm. . .

I hope you will join us in the madness!

Stay tuned for more details.

Met My Reading Match

Browsing the Teen Section of B&N in Flagstaff, Arizona this afternoon, I met an amazing young reader who we'll call "M". This twelve-year-old bundle of literary delight was searching for some book written by an author named "Collins". With joy, I led her to the Hunger Games Series.

M and I got to talking, and come to find out, she aspires to be both a writer and a librarian at the Library of Congress. Eyes flashing behind her cool blue rectangular glasses, she proceeded to march me around the kids section pointing out and recommending all her favorite reads (which, I swear, included half of the stock). I made a few recommendations of my own favorites which she got way excited about.

M buys a lot of books. "A good day," she said, "is when I've saved up my B&N cards and get five!"

I asked her how she chooses what she reads and she told me if she finds an author she likes, she reads all their books (she then proceeded to name about a dozen series off the top of her beautiful little head).

Me and M have a few things in common. Before we parted ways, I asked if she always finishes every book she reads. She got a little embarrassed and sheepishly made her confession. "Once I start a book, even if it's boring, I just have to finish it."

Right on, M! And to all you young readers out there like her, "We love you!"

WHAT I'M READING THIS WEEK: Dear America, The Fences Between Us (K.Larson) Wild Roses (D. Caletti) The Nature of Jade (D. Caletti)

Conference Time!

If you haven't already signed up for the SCBWI Western Washington 20th Annual Conference, don't delay. I'm not biased or anything, but I can honestly say that it will be THE BEST!!!

Details here: http://scbwi-washington.org/20/annual-conference.html

Hope to meet you there!