Take a break! How well can you...

... name children's books by synonym?

I found a great game today. You're given a list of title synonyms and expected to enter the real title. So The Feline in the Fedora would be The Cat in the Hat.

The only drawback is that you must enter the title perfectly- correct spelling, everything. But it was a pleasant diversion and I think you'll like it.

If you want, come back here and let me know how it went- how many correct in how long. I won't share my score- I discovered the game in the middle of a task and had to stop (the game- not the task!) and ran out of time.

Enjoy!

I love it when this happens

Yes, I will get down to working on NaNo soon. It's been a busy week, and though I haven't written as much as I should, I have written, which is good. Yay, me!

So, I picked up a YA book at the library this week. I'd read the author's previous book- a retelling of a fairy tale I adore- and hadn't been entirely pleased with it. She had re-imagined it beautifully, bringing out so many wonderful aspects of the story. She added a culture and history and way cool stuff. (Note my precise language, there.)

But the tone was wonky- to me, at least. The dialog seemed modern, the cadence of the narration choppy.

I was not happy.

Now, don't get me wrong. I never threw the book down and wondered why it got published when I here I was with a fairy tale novel that was half re-written, with it's own blotchy tone, and a still-to-be-resolved plot line... hey, wait.... I mean, brilliant book of my own.

I was disappointed, though. Her re-imagining had captured me, and I was peeved that the tone (in my opinion) didn't serve that re-imagining.

But her new book? The book about another one of my favorite fairy tales? Lovely! It read like a fairy tale. A few rough patches, but still great.

I was so jazzed for her. Can't wait to read the next one.

Now since I'm hijacking the blog to write about improving authors (when I should share conference notes- just remembered that), please join me. I'd rather not feel alone and self conscious. Are there any authors that you've seen grow? Or any that- like Athena springing fully grown from Zeus' head- seem marvelous from the very begining?

I'd love to know.

Procrastination Post

This is a procrastinating post. I'm supposed to be working on cover letters and applications. Instead, I'm ... here. 

However, my writing has helped this whole boy-do-I-need-a-new-job-that-includes-health-and-dental-by-September process along.

I think of cover letters as queries. I try to make sure the prospective employer finds the MC (that would be moi) engrossing. I include salient details, and trim everything else. I work to make every word count and keep the reading as enjoyable as possible. And I know that it will always take a while to write.

I'm applying (querying) widely.  I found my prior jobs through recommendations, so this full-tilt job search is new to me. I am so lucky, though, that I learned early in my oh-this-is-beautiful-stuff-I'm-writing-how-do-I-let-the-world-read-it* journey that I'd have to query a lot. A lot, a lot. So when my manuscript (that hasn't been worked on in over two weeks because I've been working on applications and cover letters) is finished, I'm know I'll have to beat the bushes and send out tons of queries. And I'm fine with that. I'm learning to be fine with that when it comes to applications as well. 

I just write it. You can have writer's block with applications as well. I want this one school to realize how hire-able I am, and , I swear, I could not fill out that one part that asks you to list Other Skills. I remembered what I do with my MS: just write something, 'cause it will get the blather out of the way. So, I made a copy of the application, and just wrote. It was blather, but now I know what to write. 

But enough about me. I'm need to take my advice and just write a bit more. I'd love to hear, though, how your writing helps you in the rest of your life. 

*That journey has long since been downgraded to the I-now-know-I'm-nowhere-near-Rowling-but-the-Slushies-say-I'm-improving shuffle.