School Newspapers

I never wrote for my high school newspaper. I'm pretty sure we had one.

I did write for my college newspaper. I remember a fascinating story about elevators and I did a series of columns about my experience as an exchange student in London.

But I never interviewed an author. Maybe I should have.

Because I've been interviewed for a school paper.

Jillian, a high school student who edits the The Panther Press did an interview with me for her school paper. How cool is that? Go here to read the interview!

Poetry Friday - I Am The Wind

It's Poetry Friday once again, and while I toil on for my NaNoWriMo word count (more than half-way there!) I present another poem by my daughter. This one was done as a school assignment and ultimately found it's way into our local newspaper.

I Am The Wind

by KRM (grade 8)

I am flowing, yet wild.

I wonder what its like to be still.

I hear the whispering.

I see the flowers waving.

I want them to join in my dance.

I am flowing, yet wild.

I pretend I make the world spin.

I feel the thrill of the dance.

I touch the clouds' hands.

I worry I will be too harsh.

I cry when someone won't dance.

I am flowing, yet wild.

I understand I won't live forever.

I say, I live in the moment.

I dream the dance will live on.

I try to dance with the clouds

I hope to dance all over the world.

I am flowing, yet wild.

To read more poetry check out the Poetry Friday Round-up at Scrub-A-Dub-Tub.

Keep on Writing

Today I'm blogging about getting that writing done, even when life gets in the way, over at YA Authors You've Never Heard of. Stop on by.

Poetry Friday - Romeo and Rosaline

Finally jumping back onto the Poetry Friday bandwagon. I can do this because my daughter, the in-house poet, has agreed to supply me with new poems.

So, here, from my thirteen-year-old is:

Hello and Goodbye

by KRM

Romeo you’re

Too over-romantic

For me

To love

Too much talk,

Not too much love

Romeo, don’t you

Understand?

No, of course not.

You kiss my hand

Foot

Hair

Knees

Anything but my lips

You great fool

Romeo, you know

Nothing about love

You make a lover

Want to join

A nunnery

Yes, this is a break-up

Sorry to

Break it to you,

You’re a horrible

Boyfriend, with a skull

As thick as stone

I care not if you

Take this harshly,

You always seemed

To overreact, anyway.

So long,

Farewell

I don’t want to see

The likes of you again!
Adieu,

Goodbye,

I hope whatever

Girl you land next

Is as thick as you

So you can

Have a fair relationship

Instead of

The woman with the brains

And the man without.

I care not for Montagues

I’m impartial to Capulets

I do know

That

I’m never dating again

Gone to live my life as a

Carmelite Nun

I despise you men,

You make me gag.

Do not weep over me,

I weep not over you.

I’m leaving this note

On thy doorstep,

So as not

To have to deal with

Tears and begging’s,

“Please don’t go.”

Signed,

Yours truly,

Rosaline

The Poetry Friday Roundup can be found at Teaching Authors. Go there and check it out!

Writing Through

Yesterday - day there of NaNoWriMo was quite a challenge. We had a family funeral and were out of the house for twelve hours. Real life can sometimes severely impact writing time.

But true to part of the theory of NaNoWriMo - which is just keep writing, worry about fixing it later - I wrote. And I got in the number of words I needed to stay on track. Not sure how good many of them are - but I can worry about that later.

Keep on Writing!

Still Writing

Day two of NaNoWriMo found us still writing. Well, my daughter and I posted some word counts, not sure if my son worked on his story or not today. That's okay though - no pressure - it's supposed to be fun.

I'm trying to get a bit ahead on my word count, knowing that there will be days when I won't have the chance to write. So far so good.

And I'm making a lot of headway in this re-write. So it's all good.

How Did Day One Go - NaNoWriMo

So, one day down. And how did we do?

Well, my daughter and I both got in over 3000 words. Which put us well ahead of the 1667 needed per day to make the 50,000 word goal.

Of course we also realize that there will be days we will not be able to meet our goals, so getting a bit ahead is not a bad thing at all.

My son got in over 700 words. He's doing NaNoWriMo through the Young Writer's Program and can set his own goal. He set a goal of 11,000 words, since he is almost 11. With that kind of a target he is write on track for meeting his goal.

Plus he has a lot of other things he likes to do when he is on the computer.

As for me, since the kids are home on fall break this week, I needed the headphones on so I could enter the cave state I need to write in. I used to be able to write with lots of distractions (ie in class in high school) but now it seems I need a bit more of a distraction free environment.

So, that's how Day 1 went. How about everyone else?

NaNoWriMo

Do you NaNo?

No, no, not "Nanu, Nanu" - we're not from Ork here.

National Novel Writing Month. The time when anyone can join up and let their inner novelist out!

Two years ago I joined for the first time and actually completed a 50,000 page novel in two weeks. I even impressed myself with that one. That story is still in the revision process (I've been working on other things at the same time).

Last year I participated and was all ready to win again. But got the swine flu at the beginning of November. My momentum messed up and the story idea I had not taking off meant that I didn't finish.

So, I'll try again this year. With a bit of a twist. I'm in the middle of a re-write that I really need to get done. So, I'm going to use that as my NaNo story. No, I'm not starting something completely new. But I will try to use the month to carry me through to the end of this revision. That is my plan.

My kids are both doing NaNoWriMo this year as well -using the Young Writer's Program. My daughter is also an official participant in the regular NaNoWriMo this year.

It's time to start writing.

I'll keep you posted!