LITERARY LOVERS’ MARCH MADNESS

I love March Madness, except for the fact that Mizzou didn’t make it this year. (We’ll get ’em next year!) So, look what someone else is doing–a Literary-Lovers’ March Madness. And LARA and I made it to the second round. LARGER-THAN-LIFE LARA contains just about everything I know about writing. And since everyone has been bullied and has bullied in some way, readers get the subtle anti-bullying theme. I don’t think I’ve asked anyone to vote for me since I ran for office at  Missouri Girls State…and loss. Round 2 ends Thursday. Here’s the link if you’re up for it: http://readthearc.com/literary-lovers-madness-round2/

BOOK RELEASE DAY!

It’s here! And as if that weren’t enough for me, it’s getting two starred reviews–Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist. I’ve waited so long for this. I thought about dozens of pictures I could post, along with witty, but poignant things to say. But here I am, speechless and grateful, hoping that you like my story.

Check out giveaways at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38952.Dandi_Daley_Mackall  If you’re on GoodReads, will you add the book to your favorite lists and to your shelf as to-read? Thanks!

SNEAK PEEK

This is the last page of my new Christmas book, and I can’t wait any longer to share it–sorry. Yes, I guess I’m giving away the ending. But you knew that already, right?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My Christmas card is usually the first one in your mailbox. But I admit this greeting is early, even for me. My Christmas book this year doubles as an all-year message that God has big plans for little ones.

WRITING . . . Larger Than Life

LargerThanLifeLara

I love how every book finds its way. I have writing friends who won’t start a story until they know the ending. Many of these “plotters” plot out their entire books, outlining each chapter, every scene. Other writers, the “pantsters,” write by the seat of their pants, unaware of what lies ahead in plot and resolution. Most of the time, I think I fall somewhere in between. Like a plotter, I’m uncomfortable not knowing where a story is heading. I can’t visualize and build to a climax. But I’m just as uncomfortable writing without the surprise and discovery of a pantster.

LARGER-THAN-LIFE LARA “came” like no other book I’ve written. I woke at 3 am and could hear a tough kid saying: “This isn’t about me. This story, I mean. So already you got a reason to hang it up.” I knew enough to get out of bed and write. With no idea of the plot, I felt I knew this strong, defensive kid who would tell me LARA’s story, but didn’t want to tell me hers. Each morning I couldn’t wait to write and see what would happen next. I was two chapters into it before I realized the subtle theme of bullying inherent to the story. I was over halfway through the book when I realized the narrator, who was learning how to write, was teaching the reader everything I know about writing a story. I had to go back and label chapters: Character, The Beginning, A Frozen Moment, Setting, Opposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, etc.

Which kind of writer would you be?

RULES OF SCHOOLS

It’s here. School. So I asked kids what rules reign at their schools:

“No crossing your eyes on purpose.”

“No pouting.”

“Don’t pick on kids who are bigger than you.”

“Thou shalt not suck on a marker…because the colors will come off on your teeth and everybody will know you did it. Plus, they don’t really taste than good.”

 

KID QUOTES

(Bet you can’t tell what’s happening here.)

Some of you probably know who Art Linkletter was–author of Kids Say the Darndest Things. He allowed me to write the sequel, Kids Are Still Saying the Darndest Things, followed by a bunch of “kid quote” books.It was a great gig while it lasted. Art L. wrote the introduction, I asked kids questions, and I put the best answers into books. Since then, the quotes have appeared all over the Internet. I’ve even received quotes in my emails from friends who had no idea where those answers came from. So, if you’ve heard these, it’s not my fault:

Me to an entire kindergarten class: “What’s God look like?” Every hand went up, but I chose one kid, who answered, “He’s really, really, really old–like 23–but He never looks a day older every time you see him.”

Me to a very active 2nd-grade boy: “Do your parents always love you?” Answer: “I think so. But you’d have to ask them to be sure. And don’t bring up anything that has to do with my little sister, a jump rope, and our cat.”