Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Do you have those books that you just love? You know, that book you actually didn't want to end because you wanted to stay in that world a little bit longer? Those are also usually the books that you fly through because you care so much about characters. I have a few of those books. Well, series, really. I've noticed that the books I love to wallow in so much are more a series of books. I always joke that my students, once they do get hooked on a writer, will read anything he or she writes, even if it's the back of cereal boxes. Kids are loyal readers once they get into a character and they will mourn like no one I've ever seen when the series finally comes to an end. I'm a re-reader. I have to be. For the first several years we were married, my husband and I lived in an unincorporated suburb. That meant that in order to have a library card we'd have to pay a pretty hefty fee. Or . . .  I could spend that much more in books each y...

The election is over. The votes are still be counted, but for the most part, I think it's safe to say that we know who won. I'm not going to be partisan at all in this. The time for that is past. Actually, I think the only time that that is appropriate is when you get into a good blood humming discussion. We have several of those conversations at our dinner table. I'm not shy about expressing my opinion, but I'll generally wait until someone asks me for. I don't believe in thrusting unsolicited opinions onto people. However, I think there's one sentiment that is univeral in the US on this day after the election. I think we're all weary. Tired of our representatives, no matter the side of the aisle, not talking to eachother. It's like the little kid who takes his toys out of the sandbox because he doesn't want anyone else to play with them. Aren't we a little old for that? I think the rising sentiment from the multitudes shouldn't necessar...

In the wonderful world of writing--November is known as NaNoWriMo. That would be "National Novel Writing Month" for those of you who aren't crazy like the rest of us. I don't know who started this and I don't know when. If it had been me I would have chosen July, but that's just because of my crazy schedule. Now, I admit, I'm not the best when it comes to writing during the school year. It's just a little too crazed to get the solid hours in that I need to get in to get something thought of, planned, outlined and written in one month. I don't work like that. I mull my ideas, write a scene, read a scene, pick apart the scene and then just let it sit and simmer for a while in the back of my head. Sometimes for a very long while. It usually takes me a good year or two to actually finish something and I might actually have had the idea for five years before that. There are a couple of ideas that I can cite right now that I'm not ready to write. A...