Chocolate and Taxes

I love this comic by inkygirl -- if you haven't seen the uber-talented Debbie Ridpath Ohi's site, you need to check it out! I guess I'll be calling my accountant tomorrow... I always thought chocolate was a legitmate business expense!

Brilliant author, brilliant talk

Brilliant author Andrew Clements spoke to a large crowd at Ball State on Monday evening. Like his books, his talk was both funny and inspirational. There were plenty of children in attendance, and you could tell his talk was geared toward them - after all, they're his biggest fans. Since Clements is the master of the "school story," he showed pictures of himself as a child and gave a lot of details about his family life and school experience. The audience was captivated by his humor and wit.

If you've never read anything by Clements, I'd suggest you start with Frindle, his most well-known book.

Here are some of Clements' words of wisdom from the presentation:

"Time is the secret ingredient to all good writing."

"When you pick up a book, you're picking up a chunk of someone's life."

"Details make a story ring true to life."

"'What happens next?' That's the most important question in writing."

Quote of the Day

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I feel guilty for reading too much. After all, I'm a writer. I should be writing, not reading. But then I found a wonderful quote that perfectly justifies my "vice." The following words of wisdom definitely make a strong case for the argument that all good writers must be avid readers:

"One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper patterns at the right moment."
-- Hart Crane, American Poet (1899-1932)

So read away, my friends! Read away! It's not a waste of time. You're drenching yourself in words.

Maui or Indy?

I love writing conferences and usually try to attend at least one a year, based on my available funds. I met my agent two years ago at the Central Ohio Writers of Literature for Children Conference, which sadly, is not happening this year. Although my dream conference would be the prestigious Maui Writers Conference, this year I'll have to settle for the less-exotic destination of Indianapolis. I know, Indy is a far cry from Maui, but at least there will be two high-powered editors from Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins there. Here's the link for more info: Indiana SCBWI Conference

After all, it isn't so much about the location as it is about learning and networking. At least, that's what I'm trying to convince myself.