Brick Walls

I guess I have hit a brick wall of sorts. I have totally stalled out on the opening of my book. I am on like draft 47 of "The First Five." The first five pages are sheer torture and they are getting the best of me. On top of that, I am really looking at restructuring some of the plot points that come later in the book, and fleshing out the characters, and changing the ending, blah . . . blah . . . blah . . .

So, the struggle continues. I have opened the documents the past several nights, and all I do is stare at them, go read an article, stare at the pages some more, read a few pages from a book, stare at the computer screen some more. I have one idea, and one idea only to get over this block, this brick wall.

Start another book.

*sigh*

I keep coming back to this idea, but I don't know if it is a way to work out with some planning/plotting/character practice or if it is just one more excuse to get away from the pages that aren't changing . . .

We shall see!

10 Things from Today

I spent the day with many, many high school students as they competed in academic competitions and I thought I would jot down some of my observations . . .

1. 99.8% of the students had cell phones
2. 99.6% of them had an ipod/mp3/music listening device (some of them use phones for this as well.)
3. Girls like boys who wear sweaters (according to several of the girls)
4. Students are interested in Kindles, but haven't had a chance to play. When I let them play and try, they asked to borrow it.
5. Just what all do they have in those gigantic bags?
6. They still say "Dude"--I think I heard more girls than boys use this.
7. Students like to win--even if it is in a classroom taking a test or performing poetry. They want to win. Bad.
8. Students don't like to lose. I saw tears, pouting, sulking, hugging, desperation, and dignity in spite of the loss.
9. I saw lots of high school coffee drinkers (I didn't have any "cofee-drinker friends in high school), but they don't eat breakfast.
10. I heard some girls singing Cyndi Lauper. I couldn't resist telling them about going to buy my first cassette tape ever--it was Cyndi Lauper.

Giveaway on Suzie Townsend's blog

Suzie Townsend is having a contest on her blog. She is giving away a copy of Hourglass by Claudia Gray. Stop by and leave a comment to enter. If you mention that I referred you I get a bonus entry, so don't be shy--go leave our names over there!

Just a little map to find my way back

So tired today. The first day back to school after Spring Break is very similar to a bad hangover.

In a weary moment today, I was surfing through some advice and found some great revision tips from Laurie Halse Anderson (who is in my top 10 books . . .). I loved Revision Tip #3 using the big paper and color coded emotions. Very cool.

I didn't want to forget because, *yawn*, I gotta get some sleep.

New Moon on a Snowy Night

12:34 am on Saturday, March 20, 2010. A copy for me and a copy for my sister. And it is snowing outside. It's crazy, I know, but a little fun, too.

For the kiddos

The kitchen "re-do" is still in full force although I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The kids are loving this project, because we are eating out a lot, they get to eat on tv trays, and the cookies are within easy reach because the cabinet doors are gone. On our way to get lunch today, Little Miss A was demanding her favorite song, so I dug out my ipod and let it roar--"I've Got a Feeling" by The Black-Eyed Peas. This is not my favorite song, and it got me thinking about the things we do for our kids. So here is a list of some things that I do because I love my kids.

Listen to "I've Got a Feeling" over, and over, and over, and over . . .
Eat at McDonald's
Buy vehicles with DVD players
Cook/Bake healthy meals, and then make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Provide ketchup with every meal
Read the same book over and over and over (this one is not bad at all . . .)
Sit through episodes of Spongebob and iCarly
Spend hours looking for a lego man that may or may not have been dropped in the backyard
Write the Toy Story 3 release date on the calendar
Visit public restrooms

Just a little thinking out loud. Spongebob is almost over and the lego man still hasn't been found, so I had better go!

WOW!!

I posted a few days ago about a contest that Suzette Saxton and Bethany Wiggins were having on their blog--Shooting Stars.

Well, I got a message tonight that I should check back because they drew the winners.

OMG.

I won.

Suzie Townsend from Fine Print Literary Management will be reading and critiquing the first 40 pages of my book.

A real agent reading my book.

I screamed a little.

What a good day! I'll be updating about my journey. I can't wait to see what advice she will have. I have some work to do . . .