Chapter a Day

June 1, 2007 at 9:12 am · Filed under My Musings, publishing, Writing

I’ve decided that my new motto is Start Where You Are. It’s also the title of a book that I have not read. Maybe someday I’ll read the book, but for now I’m simply using the title as my mantra.

The one project that I’ve been wanting to work on keeps getting back burnered. Sometimes due to other work, but mostly because I’m afraid to start. I’m afraid to start because I’m afraid to finish and find out that it’s no good. I’m afraid to start because I’m afraid to get to the point where the project is done, and then I must start with the whole submission process that will undoubtedly entail numerous rejections before I land a “yes”. I’m afraid to start because I’m afraid to find out that fiction is not my bag.

But, today, I started. And it feels good. And my kids are totally into the whole idea and are surprising me with their thought process and knowledge of storytelling. Brad has offered to create and map the locations in my story for me so that I don’t make errors and change the scene halfway through. Both boys are tossing out character and place names for me. They are sharing their ideas about what would make it a good story. And they are even pointing out flaws in my story (darned kids!).

So, what is this project? It’s an early/transitional reader for boys. Not that I’m sexist - my kids read pretty much anything, and lots of books that many would consider too girly - but I think visually, something more boyish would be very appealing to young boys learning to read. Next time you’re at your local bookstore, check out this category. It’s a very girly category.

Wish me luck. My goal is to crank out a chapter a day.

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Awwww!

May 28, 2007 at 2:55 pm · Filed under publishing, Writing, books

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Fire the Cannon!

November 1, 2006 at 3:02 pm · Filed under home education, Writing

So you all know I’m working on my next book, right? It will join Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself in the “Build it” series from Nomad Press (not to be confused with the “Tools of” series). This one will be titled Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself, but it won’t be available until mid-2007. As you might imagine, I’m researching the life and times of knights and maidens, chivalry and warfare. One thing I’ve discovered is that cannons were used during medieval warfare. Swords, daggers, lances, trebuchets and catapults come to mind when I think of medieval warfare, but cannons, not so much.

Since I discovered this, I felt compelled to include the most awesome of awesome activities in the book: a marshmallow cannon. The boys each built one yesterday. B was skeptical that the contraption would be thrilling enough for him. Boy, was he wrong! They had a blast shooting marshmallows across the living room (and yes, at each other). It’s been awhile since I’ve heard either of the boys laugh so much. I can’t include the instructions for building it, but here’s a picture:

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