Am looking forward to leading the breakout sessions. I love tickling peoples muses, and helping them find their way back to the story.

I just found out I will be playing and working with the 6th grade students at Sowers Middle School Jan 25 during the Central Park Library’s Fab Authors Festival in Huntington Beach. Can’t wait, it is so fun to go to schools so close to home. All of a sudden the New Year is starting to get busy, but busy is fun for me! I will be going back to do a school I did a funshop with last year too. Love being asked back, that means everyone walked away feeling creatively inspired, and that tickles my muse! Will also be in Canada in February for the Galiano Island Book Festival and then again in March for a book store etc. Course with family there it is great to have an excuse to pop in to Vancouver! Okay, off to shop having been paddling around in the Panama area, I am way behind on my holiday organization.

Aruba on Panama Canal trek

The Orange Coast College Children’s book fest was great fun. I banged into my old friend Cecil Castellucci who had been traveling non-stop had to store her suitcases under the Y.A. stage. What a trouper she was! I was last up on the Y.A. stage and had fun with the audience by paddling on. Next up was Educators Day at Barnes & Noble in Oceanside where I gave a mini Writer’s funshop for teachers and met lots of other really amazing authors. Then it was on to Down The Rabbit Hole. We took the train from L.A. station to San Juan Capistrano. Toured the mission, enjoyed an awesome lunch at sarducci’s where we created our own memory mugs…what great artist our writers made. We even passed one around and everyone signed it for Svett. Many thanks to Sue for stepping into the Rabbit ears, but I did miss my dear friend from Down Under. FYI, Svett made the Cook-off for the Australian chef show so keep you eyes and toes crossed she makes it! Now on to November and REI on the 11th Latitude 33 on the 12th oh, and a children’s fun-shop at the library on November 6th. Will be cruising the Caribbean after that…Woo Hoo!

I seem to have Alice In Wonderland on the Brain. The Queen did say, afterall—

“Sentence first — verdict afterwards.”

If we apply this to our writing, I think we would have to say first you must write, late we can judge if it is any good or not. Save the editing till last!

“If I’m trying to sleep, the ideas won’t stop. If I’m trying to write, there appears a barren nothingness.”
~Carrie Latet

Now that’s one that I can really relate to. Isn’t it amazing that over time and through eras, somethings never change.

Of course I apply all quotes to my writing, but then, writing is about life, Wait. Writing is life. Life is writing. the writing life. Suffice to say I live to write but cannot quite afford living to write!
D. E. Knobbe

And now on to the master of the Game—
—You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.

—I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.

—Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

—You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.

Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable.
~Francis Bacon

Being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum.
~Graycie Harmon

I have an upcoming school visit/workshop-I call them Funshops- but a 100 students can be a bit intimidating. Hard to run a hands-on workshop with that many. I like to over plan for these events, better to have too many things on my list of to-dos than too few. At the last workshop I did the ice-breaker was a complete flop, funny, the alphabet/author game has been a hit other times. I Switched gears as soon as I knew the kids weren’t warming up and delved into my build-a-character box (yes, like build a bear). Some students are just better at hands on things but 100 kids? I’d have to have a lot of props. Will probably do a mix of media too. show my Storm book trailer and do a power point. As I am still in the planning stages, feel free to throw some ice-breaker ideas my way. Will post how it goes and take some pics to share.

Easy reading is damn hard writing. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. ~James Michener

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams
Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the yard and shot it.
Truman Capote