J.K. Rowling

http://januarymagazine.com/profiles/jkrowling.html

This is a fun article that talks about her writing style and having the desire to finish. I like hearing where the idea came from for books. As for Harry, he is a lot like Joanna Kathleen. I like to research authors and get inspiration from their stories. It was Oprah's interview that said she submitted it to 13 publishers and her agent told her she would never make money writing children books!
The hardest part is getting published! It was fun to watch Jay Asher's blog on the day he found out he was getting published. He celebrated with his child and wife and went to his parents house to tell them. So exciting. But I am not sure if I should mention Jay with J.K.

Now, J.K. Rowling has written her Adult book, The Casual Vacancy! It has done good. She had proved that she can do it all! Did people doubt? Yes, some did. It is not every one that can do it. There are a lot of one hit wonders.

A first novel is an interesting, unique piece of work. It is the work of a person that is true and honest, with out the full confidence that it is going to see publishing. A second novel must have a different feeling, meaning,  you have a bit more confidence and may be a little more daring. Maybe it is a more of the true nature of an authors work? We will see because from all the reviews of Rowlings book say it is a little riskay.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/27/world/europe/jk-rowling-book-release/index.html

Submitting

I finished the Ryden contest, which was a little dark, but fun! It was easy and maybe because it was less than 500 words. (not because I like the evil plots).
As for the other YA contest, I have been working on it, but haven't found it so easy. The short stories I want to re write and re write and they are just not getting me excited. You know, that good feeling you get when you have created something unlike anyone else. Something you can be proud of. Okay, so I am working on it.

This will be my Second contest! and I am not sure what number of submission. Keep on submitting!

Writing Contest

http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/BG243/

Current Contest:
YA Short Story

A short story for teens, 13-14, in any subgenre, including speculative fiction, issue-based, contemporary, historical,adventure, humor, etc. The story should be no longer than 1,500 words. Entries will be judged on its page-turning qualities, targeting of teen interests, voice, and character. It should be well-structured, have a strong opening, and a resonant theme. The judges value originality, and the final criterion is publishability.

See the link for more information.

I am working on this one right now. I have to take a break from my novel and that is bothersome because I was on a roll. Happy Entries!

Literary Magazines how to's

Submit! Submit to literary magaizines  You're building your resume.

Here is some great information. On how:

The Writer’s Guide to
Publishing in Literary Magazines and Entering Contests

http://www.ayelettsabari.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/The-Writers-Studio-Guide-to-Publishing-in-Literary-Magazines-2.pdf Thanks to: Aylet Sabari
This is the how to, and rules of submitting, ei. query letters, submission letters etc.
Contests aren't a bad idea. They cost a little but I sent mine in to the South West Writers Contest and was among the top twenty for Children's Lit.! Yeah!  I paid $60 because I wasn't a member, but I also paid for feed back and got a lot of it! It was great feedback.

Here is one magazine I am thing of submitting to:
http://www.swampbiscuitsandtea.com
http://underneaththejunipertree.blogspot.com/p/submit-to-us.html  or http://underneaththejunipertree.com/
http://www.wellingtonwriters.com/viola/index.php funny silly

Read their story's and see if it's a fit.

There is always the big SCWBWI Conference twice a year, one in NY and the other in LA. These are opportunities to show your work to agents.

And here is a contest.

http://underneaththejunipertree.com/2011/11/07/new-contest-mark-ryden-style/

300- 500 words from this inspirational picture...see the link for details. 

Little Books, Big Change

I lived in New Mexico for nine months and had never heard of Ernest Seton!

Ernest Seton, born August 1860, in England. He made his way to Canada and then to the Western Frontier in the 1893. He was hired to kill wolves, actually one wolf in particular, Lobo. The locals of this Ranch called Cross L, in Northwester New Mexico wanted Lobo DEAD.   That menacing beast that would kill their farm animals. And it was in New Mexico that his life would change, and his determination to kill the wolf would turn to helping the wolf.

Lobo had a girlfriend, Blanca. Seton successfully captured Blanca. The following morning he found her, with Lobo near by and shot and killed Blanca.  Lobo howled relentlessly that night. He began coming uncomfortably close to Seton's cabin. Seton had a plan. He used Blanca's scent as bait to real in Lobo.  Multiple traps were set up around the perimeter of his cabin. It worked. The following morning he found Lobo with traps on three feet and he was helpless. Seton did not kill Lobo. He had a change of heart, when a man sees that an animal has characteristic,and understand love, and loss/ When a man can relate to an animal/ something happens.  Not all men do this and for a man to go from killer/ hunter to conservationist for an animal is enough for people to stop and listen. Seton took Lobo home and he lived two days. Lobo seemed to have submitted to Seton, but also, given up and died of a broken heart.

Watch The Wolf That Changed America on PBS. See more from Nature.

I like this story, of course, because it encompasses the reason I began to like and understand the power of literature. The written word is powerful. It has the power to lead a country in another direction. I believe it is not by fate or chance that an author's work changes the direction of one life or many lives. It is divine intervention. For instance, Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin is the epitome of this divine intervention.

America took on a new approach to the wild beast of this new land called America. The Conservation Movement was ushered in with the publication of his book, and other factors during the time. 1850-1920
The following page in the Library of Congress is interesting regarding this movement.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/connections/conservation/history.html

Other Accomplishment not to be forgotten:
Seton establish Woodcraft Indians League 1902
Seton was one of the founders of Boy Scouts of American 1910