Banned Books Week

It's Banned Books Week. Check out the ALA's Banned Books Page to learn about banned books and tips on how to celebrate the week. I am surprised by some of the books on the list. I hope one of my books gets banned some day :)

This site is in PDF version and has a list of recently banned books and ways to get involved.

But the words get in the way....

I keep hearing that Gloria Estefan song in my head:

"But the words get in the way

There's so much I want to say
But it's locked deep inside"

Only it's not the words, it's life. Teaching full time, raising four kids, but those aren't the only things keeping me from writing, life is. I haven't watched tv in three weeks, (except the weather when a tornado was heading our way). So I can't use that as an excuse, but I do have a really good excuse right now. I always seem to, unfortunately.

My father-in-law, a wonderful man named Tommie Morse, who I have had the pleasure of having as part of my life for over 18 years, only has a day or two left. Sadly, his cancer returned and spread. He is awesome and strong and it is so sad to see him like this. It is just as sad to see my husband and children as upset as they are. I'm being strong for them as much as I can, as well as trying not to bring it to work and upset my students.

Life keeps getting in the way, but I love my life and I'm glad Tommie has been a part of it. We're going to miss you Papaw. Love you.

There's Only One Way You Can Turn Into A Giant Wolf....

Or so my main character says. She keeps telling me that and I keep listening to her, but I haven't quite gotten down how to do it. Of course, she's learning shape-shifting from her grandfather, and it is something you learn, not a "gift you're born with." That's what Grandpa keeps telling her anyways.

I need to hurry up and get her story out there, but I'm so dang critical of myself that Ican't seem to stop changing things and just write it down and let go.

Let go and let God, they say.... Guess that's just what I need to do. People keep asking me what's going on with that book I've been writing. Tweaking.... that's what I tell them. I wrote it, now I'm tweaking it. They think it just gets written, sent out, published, done deal. Movie on the way.

Whatever!

Sum Sum Summertime!

Well, it's summer and I had so many plans for writing. Then, my laptop crashed again! BUT I won't give up. I've been writing a lot by hand and borrowing my hubby's laptop when he gets home from work. I have to finish the rewrites on my first novel, as well as starting a couple of the other stories I have swirling around in my head.

I got a notebook with dividers and designated a section for each book idea. I have made outlines and/or jotted down specific ideas.

Soon I will be spending a week in Oklahoma taking care of my mom after she has surgery. I plan to do some research on some Choctaw legends while I'm there, in the Choctaw Nation. I would like to incorporate some legends into my book.

I'm also getting lots of YA reading done.

Of course, my 4 kiddos MUST come first! My son has to have his 11th Birthday party and my daughter her Eclipse party!

Next month my baby turns 5!

Lovin' Summer!

It's YA Highway's 1 Year Anniversary - Contests!!!!

YA Highway, an awesome group of YA authors, is celebrating their one year anniversary. AND we get to benefit from it!

They are giving away some terrific books, such as: The Mockingjay, the third installment of The Hunger Games series. All of the kiddos here at school have devoured that series. I blogged before about the dirty looks I was getting from middle schoolers for getting ahold of Catching Fire before they did. Another teacher here had the book and there was a line, but I cutted! Nanny-nanny boo boo!

The also have Linger, The Eternal Ones, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson all of which I would LOVE to have!

Check out their blog for a chance to win! YA Highway Contest Blog

Rejection - It Could Happen to Anyone.....Apparently

I recently read an article about 30 famous authors who were rejected. From JK Rowling to Stephen King, William Faulkner to Sylvia Plath, I couldn't believe that these great writers were rejected so many times before they were actually published.

My favorite part of the article said, that ee cummings’ first work, The Enormous Room, was rejected by 15 publishers. He eventually self-published the book and he dedicated it to the 15 publishers who rejected him!

Some of the books listed that were rejected were Carrie, Lord of the Flies, The Diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm, A Time to Kill, Lolita, A Wrinkle in Time, and Gone with the Wind.

I'm not going to give up. If even these great works can be rejected, I have to keep the faith. I bet some agents and publishers were kicking themselves in the hineys :)

Good books!

I had to sit in a waiting room a long time yesterday while my daughter went through some tests. She has seizures and every once in a while we have to go through stuff like this. Anyway, I had a lot of time on my hands, so I curled up in the big chair in the waiting room and read Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had almost finished the book when the testing was over and I had to find out what happened, so I stayed up last night until I'd finished.

That is an awesome book. Of course, my mind is in story-mode all the time, but I'm pretty sure I dreamed about Katniss and Peeta last night. I couldn't wait to get to school this morning and get my hands on Catching Fire, the second book in the series. I went to one of the teachers here to borrow her copy. There was a waiting list, but I pulled seniority and got the book. Four 12 and 13 year old girls have given me dirty looks all day! I read faster than them anyway! They'll just have to wait!

My daughter is in the middle of Hunger Games. She started it on the way home yesterday and grabbed the book this morning when she found out I'd finished. If I know her, she'll finish by tomorrow. Then she can wait in line like everyone else!