NaNoWriMo - Winner 2009

I am so excited, I had to share the news. On the last day (today) I got my final 2,000 words in to complete NaNoWriMo. I did it! I did it!

And for any of you out there still chuging away to complete your 50K - go! go! go! You can do it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick post today to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! And for the rest of you fellow NaNoWriMo'ers out there, I wish you a creative flow of words to get you that much closer to 50K.

New Moon

I saw New Moon on Saturday and loved it! At this point last year, I had never heard of Twilight or Stephenie Meyer, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon it. The first book in the series is what helped me realize that my novel, The Hidden Force, is a YA novel instead of an adult novel, and helped me see that the YA genre is where my current focus should be.

Anyone that can write a book that keeps you engaged from start to finish has a skill, no matter what genre or label you want to put on that book. Writing a book like that is challenging.

So kudos to Stephenie Meyer and her writing. May my novels be as engaging as yours.

Cool Video Promotion - watch this!

This is a super cool video promotion! I saw it on Janet Reid's blog.

Check it out:



And here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_jyXJTlrH0

NaNoWriMo - 30,876 words and counting...

I've tried to spare you all from daily NaNoWriMo word counts this week, but seeing as it's Friday and there's only 11 days remaining...

NaNoWriMo word count (drum roll please)...30,876! Woo-hoo! Only 19,124 words remaining.

Support the Creativity of Youth

As I've written about in the past, I think it's super important to encourage our young people to express themselves through the arts. Whether its writing, dance, photography, music, or whatever their creative venue of choice.

For me, writing was an important part of my youth. It allowed me to explore my emotions and bolstered my creative confidence. If fact it was probably the one thing that helped me get through the awkwardness of growing up.

So when I hear about great programs that support the creativity of youth, I think it's important to share. I just learned about The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. If you know a young person who is artistically inclined, you should direct them to the website. You can also support their efforts by becoming a member or making a donation.

Event Alert - Bookfest Hackensack 2009

For those of you in the NJ area, here's an event worth checking out. Who can resist an event that has free books - not me!

11:00am (C) Bookfest Hackensack 2009
When: Sat, November 21, 11am – 2pm


Description: Free book giveaway for kids of all ages (and even adults) at the Johnson Public Library on Saturday, November 21, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. Come join the fun, courtesy of “Read Now!,” an organization founded for the purpose of promoting literacy for young children, predominantly preschoolers, in the Paterson, Passaic, Hackensack, Englewood, and Teaneck areas. With the goal of helping these children be better prepared when they start school, Read Now! provides books for children to keep. They also provide trained volunteers to read to children and encourage parental involvement in promoting reading and literacy in their homes and communities. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome!