My Weird School Fast Facts Explorers, Presidents, and Toilets -- Review & Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“Somebody asked me: 'What do you do? How do you write, create?' You don't, I told them. You don't try. That's very important: 'not' to try, either for Cadillacs, creation or immortality. You wait, and if nothing happens, you wait some more. It's like a bug high on the wall. You wait for it to come to you. When it gets close enough you reach out, slap out and kill it. Or if you like its looks

you make a pet out of it.” 

~ Charles Bukowski ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

As writers we are always looking for ways to make our characters distinctive. Language patterns certainly can help. The post HERE on Grammar Girl is about language forensics, and I found it fascinating. I thought you might also enjoy it, and it might give you some ideas for your own characters. 

Writers get stuck on a lot of things. When you are stuck on plot, the post by Janice Hardy HERE will help you out. 

Anne R. Allen’s blog always has something worth reading. The post HERE on writer’s mistakes she made so you don’t have to is another good one. 

I know the quote this week isn't the kind of inspirational quote I usually post, but I am a big fan of Charles Bukowski and this one just kind of spoke to me. I hope you like it.

Last week I offered a copy of Mrs. Master is a Disaster by Dan Gutman to one of you. This week's winner is Kristi V. Kristi shared the link a couple of places for extra chances and it worked! Congratulations, Kristi V., and thanks for spreading the word. For the rest of you, I not only have another book to give away, but I have another Dan Gutman book to give away, so stay tuned.

I ws lucky enough to snag two Dan Gutman books for the review. Here is what I wrote about My Weird School Fast Facts Explorers, Presidents, and Toilets.

A.J. and his nemesis, Andrea, are together again to bring plenty of fascinating fast facts to their reading audience much as they did in earlier books about geography and sports. How many facts can these two kids know? Well, it turns out it’s quite a few. Most of them are actual facts, although it’s a good idea to think hard about some that A.J. offers up. This book takes a fresh look at American history. They start by talking about the explorers who discovered our great land and those who thought they discovered it. Then on to the history of the Colonies and the beginning of our country all the way to a chapter called Everything that Happened After WWII and ending with a chapter on the history of toilets. It seems toilets always have a place in A.J.’s life.

Dan Gutman

Author Dan Gutman has a wicked sense of humor, and it shows on every page in this super fun overview of our country’s history. Most middle grade readers will just read right through without realizing how much learning they are doing. Illustrator Jim Paillot helps the fun along but adds photos for a touch of reality.  

I have a gently-read paperback of this book to share with one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.

Mrs. Master is a Disaster -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“There is progress whether ye are going forward or backward! The thing is to move.” 

~ Edgar Cayce ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Have you ever heard of the First Person Plural point of view? I never had until I read the essay HERE from Aerogramme Writer’s Studio. Fascinating. I suspect we will be seeing this perspective more often. 

HERE are some great tips about writing from writers. My personal favorites are 3, 15, and 17. There may be an ad when you open this, but it’s worth waiting for. 

Have you received a Revise and Resubmit request from an agent? I sure hope it happens to me one of these days. Anyway, HERE is a good post from Guide to Literary Agents on that topic. 

On the Writing News from Rosi front, I have a couple of things to report. I had an email from High Five Magazine recently. They bought a little story from me back in 2011. They are going to (finally!) publish it in the March 2018 issue, and they have a wonderful artist lined up to illustrate it. I don't think I'm allowed to mention who, but I'm excited! The other news is that I have been accepted to the SCBWI Nevada mentorship program for this year! WooHoo! It's a great program and am so honored to be part of it. I really think this will be a huge step for me in my writing.

Last week, I offered a copy of Greek Myths: Three Heroic Tales by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden, and illustrated by Carole Henaff. Our winner this week is Danielle Hammelef. Congratulations, Danielle! She always shares my link lots of places for extra chances. I appreciate that and it's fun for me when her name pops out as winner. Danielle, I will get the book out to you soon. For the rest of you, I have a really fun book to give away this week.

I was looking for some really light middle-grade books to keep my review list from being too overwhelming. I saw a couple Dan Gutman books on the list and grabbled them. His books are pretty funny stuff. I love his footnotes. Here is the review I wrote for Mrs. Master is a Disaster.

It is Grandparent's Day in A.J.’s classroom. The old fogies (A.J.’s grandfather's word) come trooping in and tell their stories. Some are pretty funny and some are pretty interesting. But the most interesting of all is Alexia's grandmother, Mrs. Master. She is an inventor. She has invented some amazing things such as self-tying shoes and eyeglasses with little windshield wipers on them. Needless to say, the kids are very intrigued. They decide if they can invent something, they can all become bazillionaires! Mrs. Master agrees to mentor them. First they must come up with an idea for a product that everyone would want or need. After kicking around a few ideas, they decide that everyone needs a toilet seat — but one that glows in the dark, smells nice, can carry on a

Dan Gutman

conversation, and is heated. What could go wrong?

Dan Gutman is a very, very funny guy who writes very, very funny books. This is no exception. And his partner in crime … um, I mean funny books … is illustrator Jim Paillot who makes Gutman’s funny books just that much funnier. Early middle-grade readers will race through this latest offering.

I have a gently-read paperback of this book to share with one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.