Fan Letter Friday

Pretty hard to top email like this:

Dear Ms. Larson, Ms. Nethery, and Major Dennis,
 
Greetings from Mr. Ritzen’s First Grade Class at Discovery Primary in Milton, Washington!
 
On Tuesday, May, 15th  a special process took place to honor four outstanding books, The 2012 Discovery Primary Book Caucus.  The evening  consisted of students performing commercial presentations, campaign booths featuring each book, and opinion papers about which book is best using the TREE (Topic Sentence, Reasons, Examine Reasons, and Ending Sentence) writing strategy.  The evening culminated with a vote by friends and family for the favorite book based on the presentations and campaigning done by the students.  

 
 It is my pleasure to inform you that Nubs is the winner of the 2012 Discovery Primary Book Caucus.  This is the second year in a row that a Larson/Nethery book has earned the top honor (Two Bobbies was our winner last year).  And to Major Dennis, welcome to the club and thanks for documenting such a great story.  Below are the official results of the voting and the campaign photo of the winning team as well as an attached certificated of appreciation to honor your book.  Thank you for writing a book with such a motivational message.
 
Take care and we look forward to your future work.

The Nubs' Campaign Team

Thursday's Thought for the Day

No entertainment is so cheap as reading nor any pleasure so lasting.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Martha, Martha, Martha!

Get. This. Book.

Written by the supremely smart and wickedly witty, Martha Brockenbrough, founder of SPOGG (Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar). 

Here's the hook:  

There is a great legend of the guardian angel who traveled across time and space for the human girl he loved, slaying those who would threaten her with a gleaming sword made of heavenly light.

 
This is not that story.

Resistance is futile!

On sale June 1.

Tuesday's Tip

As summer looms, so does a book deadline. Rather than taking a complete hiatus from this blog, I've decided to post only on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and other days if there's news!). Thursday will remain the place where I share favorite quotes. But since I started this blog --lo these many years past-- with the idea that I would share writing tips/insights/questions, it seems like a good time to revisit those roots.

So here's summer's first tip:

I was recently trying to help a friend write a synopsis and in my poking around I came across this site. One thing the writer, Randy Ingermanson, said jumped right out at me: "I like to structure a story as 'three disasters plus and ending.'" I loved this because it taps into that Rule of Three often seen in children's literature. It's also easy to remember. I appreciate things that are easy to remember.

Mr. Ingermanson offers this caveat: "It is OK to have the first disaster be caused by external circumstances, but I think that the second and third disasters should be caused by the protagonist's attempts to 'fix things'." (my emphasis)

Isn't that a great way to look at a story? I thought so. I sat right down with my current WIP and realized that the "disasters" I'd envisioned were caused by others, not by my main character. With a good day's thinking, I was able to come up with two actions my MC could take that would make a huge mess of things! Isn't that fabulous? Nothing like making things awful for your MC, right?

Now you try it.

Nineteen Nominations

I am so blessed. Not only did I get to write this book about two good friends WITH my good friend, Mary Nethery, it has made friends with readers of all ages, all over this country. 

We've just learned that it's been nominated for a 2012-2013 Florida Reading Association Children's Book Award (K-2).

That's the Two Bobs' 19th reader's choice nomination. Wow.

Thanks to Best Friends Animal Society for rescuing the Bobs (and thousands of other animals), to Melinda Golis for adopting these two best buds, and to Jean Cassels for capturing their story so poignantly in her illustrations.

Biggest thanks to Bobbie dog and Bob Cat who showed the world what can be accomplished when you're willing to lend someone a paw. . .or a hand.

Nerdy Book Club

I have an August 1 book deadline but that doesn't keep me from reading one of my favorite blogs, The Nerdy Book Club. I especially enjoyed a recent post by Matthew Holm. I loved learning that he borrowed books from his big sister, Jenni! 

Consider becoming a Nerdy Book Club member yourself!

Thursday's Thought for the Day

There are many trails up the mountain but in time they all reach the top.

Anya Seton