Quote to start the weekend

“Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve.” --Wilfred Peterson

I hope you all have a fanstastic weekend.

Short story contest

The "Jeffrey Archer Presents" short story contest opens today. Click here for details. Good luck to all who enter.

If you could time travel...

Planning my high school reunion has me digging out old photos and yearbooks and tons of other stuff. I'm flooded with memories of my teen years, mostly good but some bad. If I could travel back in time and talk to my teen self, there's a lot I would say. How about you? What would you tell your teen self?

Quote of the day

"If you don't allow yourself the possibility of writing something very, very bad, it would be hard to write something very good." --Steven Galloway

Has your writing improved? If so, in what ways? For me, I'm better at incorporating backstory and foreshadowing. At least I think I've improved in these areas. Would love to hear your thoughts.  

YA writing contest

Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers is holding its 29 annual Delacorte Press Contest for a First Young Adult Novel. Read all the details here. And good luck to all who enter.

Quote of the day

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." --John Burroughs

So true. Add your thoughts in comments. I'll start. I still find each day too short...
to write all I want to write...

Need your help

Hey peeps, I need help. I'm planning my high school reunion and I wanted to give prizes for various awards. I'd so love for you to help me come up with some awards and accompanying prizes that are cheap and fun. Here's what I thought of so far:
1. Travel the farthest: A bag of items made locally (Snyders pretzels, Martin's party mix, Utz chips, Hershey bar, Stauffer’s cookies).
2. Married the longest: Bottle of sparking apple cider
3. Married most recently: Bottle of sparkling apple cider
4. Most grandchildren:
5. Oldest grandchild:
6. Youngest grandchild:
7. Youngest child:
8. Most children:
9. First to respond: container of gummy worms for early bird gets the worm
10. Lives closest to school: world map
11. Newest mother-in-law/father-in-law:
Please help me think of prizes to go with the awards above and feel free to list any other awards and prizes. I really appreciate your help.

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day peeps.
Live with passion.
Always try your best.
Be loving and kind and gentle with yourself and others.
Optimism is the key to overcoming life’s obstacles.
Remember to spend time with family and friends. They make life so much sweeter.

Do what you dream; just don’t think about it.
Attitude is everything.
You are the conductor of your orchestra. Make beautiful music and compose a life that moves others to greatness.

Add your Labor Day poem in comments.
I hope you all have a super week:)

Quote of the day

"Don't cast sidelong glances, and compare yourself to others among your peers! (Writing is not a race. No one really "wins." The satisfaction is in the effort, and rarely in the consequent rewards, if there are any.)" --Joyce Carol Oates

Agent posts

A lot of posts about agents lately. Was also the topic of recent Yalitchat. Here are some links to check out:
What does an agent do
Talking agents and authors
What drives an agent crazy: Part 1
What drives an agent crazy: Part 2 
What drives an agent crazy: Part 3
What drives an agent crazy: Part 4
What drives an agent crazy: Part 5
What does an agent offer?
An agent's creative side

A minute list

Copy and paste list in comments and write a word to describe each thing. Mine is in ()s.
Nose (crooked)
Lips (thin)
Knees (scarred)
Toes (boney)
Ears (elf-like)
Fingers (skinny)
Hair (stringy)
Teeth (bleached)
Eyes (beady)
Belly button (pierced)

Quote of the day

"Being a writer is like having homework every night for the rest of your life."--Lawrence Kasdan

This quote made me smile. Do you agree with Kasdan? And while we're talking about homework, which was your favorite and least favorite subject in school?