Sisters in Crime of Upstate SC: NINA BRUHNS TO SPEAK FEBRUARY 7, TAKE PITCHES FOR ...

If anyo f you are in the Greenville, SC, area or even close enough that you wouldn't mind driving to the area and would like to pitch something to an agent, now is your chance.  Nina will be speaking to our local Sisters in Crime group next Thursday, February 7.  Please see the website for setting up pre-meeting pitches and also for the special menu so that orders can be placed, that is if you plan on staying and dining with the group, so that seating and arrangements can be made.  All food orders must be made before noon Thursday, February 7.  If you order and do not show up, you will have to still pay for dinner.  If you only want something to drink, that is fine too but still need to place orders so that the restaurant will be able to accommodate everyone in the meeting room. See you all in the postings - E :)

Sisters in Crime of Upstate SC: NINA BRUHNS TO SPEAK FEBRUARY 7, TAKE PITCHES FOR ...: Nina Bruhns, best-selling author of nearly 30 novels and editorial director for Entangled Publishing’s Suspense line, will be the guest spe...

This and That

I didn't really have much to report today and I've not done a This and That posting in a few weeks.   I'd almost given up hope of seeing sales again but I checked not too long ago and surprise -  I sold a copy of  "Train of Clues" on amazon -

Was going to run a small contest concerning my bookworms but I've been sick and so haven't accomplished as much as I wanted to, therefore, the contest will be run next week once I've had a chance to play catch up with work and a few other things.  Contacting the librarians this week to remind them of the contest an see if they have had any students submit some ideas.

May have some news about the JGDS series but won't get my hopes up nor  yours right now.  When it happens, it happens and the whole world will know about it.  See you in the postings - E :)

Novel Spaces: Culture and Settings

Great reminder about how an author really needs to be familiar with every aspect  of their story including the culture or setting of the story.  Stop over and see what you think.  - E :)

Novel Spaces: Culture and Settings: Have you ever read a novel set in your hometown and wonder what town they are describing?   Or have you ever seen an expert on televisi...

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #2- Musical Language- Part B- Invented...

the next in the series on teaching poetry.  i actually was in the class for this one and it was fun even though i didn't participate much.  stop by and leave some comments on how you teach poetry, made-up words and alliteration -E :

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #2- Musical Language- Part B- Invented...: Dr. Seuss is such an amazing writer. He ability to bend the rules of writing and poetry astound me. He was the perfect name to bring up as ...

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #2- Musical Language- Part A

this is the third in the series on teaching poetry by Mr. Hughes.  enjoy - Mrs. E :)

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #2- Musical Language- Part A: Welcome back to Post #3 in this series of Poetry Lessons in my classroom. If you missed the first post, you may want to start HERE and th...

Bookworm Colors and Writing Contest Update

So this morning, I made the trip to Laurens to hit up that Walmart searching for more colors for my bookworms.  I couldn't find the Melonberry (1 bookworm available) or Ocean (14 bookworms available), so looks like when those two colors are sold out then there won't be any more, unless I happen to print off the coupons from Hobby Lobby and can find them there or order directly through Red Heart with no discount, which I'd rather not do. 

At the end of this week, I will hold a quick guessing contest for the bookworms plus a signed copy of a book -so stay tuned for that.

Just a reminder that the Writing Contest for synopses for my characters from Finally Home  is still going on and is open to all students in grade 4 and up.  I had thought of just leaving it opened to upper elementary/middle schoolers, but I've decided to let high schoolers enter as well.  I've also extended the contest to the 5th of February, so that I can make my rounds on the 7th in the local area to collect any submissions (yes payday so I can have gas enough to run around and gather all the entries) and be able to mail out prepaid envelopes to everyone else.  Hoping to see lots of new ideas and lots more stories in the Kelly Watson series.  Good luck to everyone - looking forward to seeing what your students come up with. - Keep on writing and see you all in the postings - Mrs. E :)

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #1- Rhythm

the second posting in the series of teaching poetry to students.  stop by and see what you can learn.  Mrs. E :)

An Educator's Life: Poetry Tool #1- Rhythm: Welcome to Post #2 in a series of posts about my current journey teaching poetry to a group of 60 students composed of 4th, 5th, and 6th gra...

All Things Upper Elementary: Poetry vs. Prose... and more- Journey into Poetry ...

Mr. Hughes has been teaching poetry, not my thing really, but sitting in classes a couple of times a week has helped.  I think Richard Gere said it best in Pretty Woman when he was talking about the opera - people either love it or they don't.  If they love it from the beginning, it becomes part of their soul; if they don't they learn to appreciate but it will never be a part of them.  I think the same can be said about poetry and with the lessons he is sharing, I can learnto appreciate poetry.  stop by and follow his postings on teaching poetry to his students.  - Mrs. E :


All Things Upper Elementary: Poetry vs. Prose... and more- Journey into Poetry ...: Greetings Dear Readers! I can hardly believe that we have all introduced ourselves and now it is time to share the "goods"! WAHOO! For m...

YA Authors You've Never Heard Of: The Accidental Series

I feel that Ophelia and I are in the same boat of sorts.  Stop over and read the full posting and leave a comment to help her out with making her novel Haunted a continuing series.  From the description on amazon, I have a feeling once the ideas start coming  that she won't be able to stop this from being a series.

(DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:  Staff ghost story night happens every Thursday at the Poet's Corner Bookstore, but this Thursday will change Cassie's life in waysshe could never have imagined.  When Michael Penfield walks into the store as the new hire, Cassie is surprised to see her friend from childhood.  But Michael has changed since the last time she saw him, from his completely serious demeanor to the scar that mars his face and neck.  Cassie, still reeling from the death of her boyfriend, Daniel, has concerns of her own.  That night, Michael tells a ghost story from the earlier years he shared with Cassie, and both of them are soon involved with phantoms from the past, the haunted house whee Cassie lives, a horrific murder from thirty years ago, even the story Michael has never shared with another living soul.

Not everyone is haunted, but everyone has a ghost story.) -- I particularly think this tag line can lead to some interesting ghost stories to continue her originally planned stand-alone into a series, and the first three reviews are asking for a second one - so let Ophelia know what ideas you might have for the second and following books in this series. - E :)

YA Authors You've Never Heard Of: The Accidental Series: Last summer, I decided to try my hand at writing a series. The decision had been a long time coming. Editors and publishers frequen...

Bookworm colors

Seems Walmart isn't carrying many of the colors of my previously made and sold bookworms, so there will be a few changes along the this year.  I guess the saying  for me is, if you have the money at the time and they have several skeins of the varigated colors you want then get them while you can.

I went to our Walmart yesterday and picked up a Monet, Watercolor, Heartfelt and Bonbon print.  This evening I decided to go to the Walmart in Greenwood and was confused because I thought for sure the last time I bought yarn from a different Walmart was this past summer when I was toting my friend Andi around to doctors' appointments and I really thought I had been in the Greenwood Walmart.  But when I walked into the Walmart I was thinking, not the right Walmart because the food center was where I remembered the crafts/yarn/seasonal type things being.  Well, after finding the craft/yarn/material department in this Walmart and seeing that their selection was even less than the Anderson Walmart, it dawned on me that I actually had purchased yarn at the Laurens Walmart this past summer and they had a pretty decent selection.  I did pick up one skein of Woodsy, another one of Heartfelt and a real  pretty one called Wildflower.

If you would like to see samples of the yarns, just go to Red Heart and click on their yarns and checking out the super saver yarns - as those are what I use for all the bookworms.  As soon as I get these made up, I'll post actual pictures of the colors that are new to the collection.  I guess I'll be making a trip to Laurens either the end of this month or beginning of next since I have a pretty big event planned for March and really need to keep my bookworm supply full.  See you all in the postings.  - Mrs. E :)

This and That

I forgot to post this Sunday so figured while I was posting new blog postings better catch you all up on what happened this past week.

Ebook sales are still at nil.  Nothing since the middle of the December, but it's all good.  Last Wednesday, I went to the Anderson County Library for the showing of Brave and started chatting with another parent who was reading a library book and she bought two of the State books (Successes and Quarries) for her two boys.  I also gave each of them a bookworm and a USA map puzzle. 

Hoping the rest of the year shows some serious sales but that is a decent start to the year.  Now to have about 20 more sales this month - lol - that would really make my day to do that on a monthly basis but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.  I'll take whatever I can get. 

Friday evening while waiting for my supper at the local Wings place here in town (no, I don't eat wings because they are costly and don't satisfy me - I always get a chicken sandwich which is very tasty), a family came up to pay and I offered a bookmark to the older girl and the mother asked if she could have one too because she was a librarian at a school in Greenwood County.  I told her about the writing contest and got her email address to send her the information to pass on to the students.  I'll send out a reminder email to all the schools I've contacted around the 21st so hopefully I'll have many entries.  I've already purchased the envelopes for the schools to send me the entries.  I found some cool ticket reward things for the students whose stories I select at Dollar Tree.  So don't forget if you have a student who  would like to submit an idea for Kelly and Emma Louise, the deadline is the 31st of this month.  All submissions will be considered and I'll probably send a bookworm to each person who submits.  Looking forward to seeing what the students comes up with.  See you all in the postings - Mrs. E ;)