Hey everyone, I practically forgot this thing existed. You can find me now at triciasimpson.com I post mostly recipes and information about my books. Thank you for stopping by. Tricia

Sleep Typing

Have you ever been writing when you're tired, and you fall asleep typing? I have. Most of the time it ends up a jumble of letters, but I've found a couple of doozies that make sense. Sorta. I left in the typos.

In this first one the main character just found dead bodies from a mining accident that happened 100 years ago.

Several died right here itand un usually normal level of bathroom tissue.

Unusually normal level of bathroom tissue? I have no idea. I don't even say "bathroom tissue"; I say "toilet paper".

In this second one the bad guy is in the middle of threatening the good guy and he says:

everyone needs someonnn to cut thema cookie

Now that's the way I want to be threatened.

So how about you? Any crazy things you've written and want to fess up to?

Are You a Bird in the Vent?

We've had a bird trying to build a nest in our dryer vent. Quite a capable bird, to lift the outside vent while carrying twigs into dryer hose. A week ago it knocked the hose free and was trapped in our laundry room. I went in there and saw it had flown behind the curtain. It was trying to get out the closed window. It fluttered back and forth, hitting the window then the curtain. It didn't give up.

This event got me thinking about writing. When we start out we struggle to get that first draft down. Often writers find it too hard and give up. If we're like the bird we make it into the hose. Sometimes we go off on different story paths or find dead ends, leaving us trapped in unfamiliar places like the dreaded laundry room. Then there are those of us who have worked hard, built our nest, done our editing and we get stuck at the submission phase. Maybe it's a problem with a query, or synopsis, or endless rejections. We can see the publishing world through the window, but don't quite know how to get there.

Sometimes we need help from someone like a critique group, sometimes we have to try something new, and sometimes we need to find a new window until we find the right agent or publisher.

Good luck on your journey through the dryer hose. (Oh, you might be wondering the fate of the poor bird. My DH opened the window and let it out.)

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
3 very ripe bananas (abt. 1 1/2 C)
1/2 C water
1/4 C margarine or butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C chocolate chips (mini or regular)

Preheat oven to 375
Mix everything but the chocolate chips for three minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Makes 24 cupcakes.

VARIATIONS
Carrot cake cupcakes: Change the bananas to grated carrots, either use a spice cake mix or add 2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (or 1 C cinnamon chips and omit chocolate chips) to the yellow cake mix. The chocolate chips are optional.

These are great with or without cream cheese frosting.

To write or not to write

For a while last month I toyed with the idea of giving up writing. Even the thought of doing it scared me. I thought about what my life would be without writing and didn't like it.

I took some time off from writing, read 12 books, and took a ton of pictures with my new camera. Now I'm ready to get back to writing.

Why would I consider it?

• It's hard
• Time consuming
• Thankless
• My work will never be perfect
• I may never get published
• Rejection stinks

Why won't I give it up?

• I love the new worlds and people I meet
• I love the process
• I may get published
• I think about writing even when I'm not
• There is always something to write
• The excitement of a new story
• The joy of a finished story

How about you? What makes you keep writing or do anything that's hard?

Contest

Chuck has announced a contest on Guide to Literary Agents. It is for completed book length MG and YA. Here are the rules: http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/Dear+Lucky+Agent+Contest+Middle+Grade+And+Young+Adult.aspx

Kidlit Writing Contest

If you write MG or YA, Kidlit.com is having a contest. Yipee!

If you don't frequent the Kidlit.com website you are missing out. Mary Kole is an agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and her site is filled with great advice.


CONTEST LINK: Kidlit Contest

PRIZES: The winners will receive a 1-15 page critique.

HOW TO ENTER: Submit the first 500 words of your YA or MG novel.

Email your entry with the subject "Kidlit contest"

And put a link to the contest page in two places (provide the links in your email so she can verify them)

Get editing and good luck!