These Kids Write

Enjoyed a great week of author visits in Holmen, Wisconsin, and met some more young authors. Here's a story from one of them!

Today started kind of rushed. I woke up at about 5:45 when my sister’s alarm went off. So I woke up, got sweatpants on and then just went back to sleep.I slept for a while, but then I woke up around 6:45, but I thought it was around 8:00, because it was bright as can be outside! So I ran up to the living room and said to myself "Aww man, I missed the bus?" I finally get into the living room and my Nina says, "No, it's just six." "Oh thank goodness!" I sigh in relief. So I wait, play with my birthday toys, and eat breakfast, and then it is finally 7:43 and time for me to go to the bus stop. As I walk to the bus stop, I see a couple of birds so I make a gun with my hand and pretend to shoot them. Right when I cross the street to get to my bus stop, a car comes out of nowhere and almost hit me! So I wait a few minutes and the bus is finally here.

Keep them coming, kids! If you want to publish your own writing on my site (fiction or nonfiction), send it to me here. Plus, I'll enter you in a drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books.

These Kids Write: Zoe D.

Time to feature another student author. Here is Zoe's nonfiction piece about dogs:

Dogs have pads on their foot and they eat dog food. Dogs play outside and dogs have sharp teeth and I love dogs and I have a dog at home.

Thanks, Zoe, for sharing your writing with the world!

Kids, if you want to publish your own writing on my site (fiction or nonfiction), send it to me here. Plus, I'll enter you in a drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books.

Author Visit: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Thanks Star Center, Central-Denison, and Eastview for a great week of visits! Keep reading! Keep writing!

Author Visit: La Farge, Wisconsin

Thanks, La Farge students, for a great visit last week! Keep reading, keep writing, keep learning!

These Kids Write: Elijah Bodden

I love how excited kids get about sharing their work. My seven-year-old son just had a short nonfiction piece he wrote published on the Zoobooks website, and he was ecstatic. "I'm a published author, mom!"

Well, I want to be a part of bringing that excitement to kids! So, kids, send me your work (fiction or nonfiction) by clicking here. I'll publish as many as I can on my site. Plus, I'll enter you into a drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books.

So, I'm going to start this feature with my son Elijah's work, first published on the Zoobooks website:

I am a camel. I can hold fat in my hump. Did you know I live in the desert? So I have to be good at finding food and water.

Thanks, Elijah, for sharing your writing with the world!

Tidbit Tuesday: Crime Scene Investigation

Wow! I'm learning lots of interesting stuff researching crime scene science. Did you know: 

1. Police can expose items to superglue fumes to find hidden (latent) fingerprints.
   
2. Prints from the palms or the soles of the feet are as unique as fingerprints and can be used to positively identify suspects.
   
   
   
3. Crime scene investigators need good observational and writing skills to document the scene of a crime. Such documentation can be crucial when a case goes to trial.
   

Interesting stuff, huh?

What have you learned today? Leave a comment about something new you've learned, and you'll be entered into a drawing for a free copy of one of my books (your choice!).* Be sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*Drawing to be held May 29, 2015.

Tips and Tricks Thursday: What do I write about?

So you're supposed to write something? First, you do a little happy dance (hey, you get to WRITE). 

Then you start to panic. What on earth are you supposed to write about?

The short answer: anything.

Does that make your head spin? I mean anything could mean something as big as the universe or as small as the dust bunnies under your bed. So, how do you pick a topic?

For starters, try these three tips:

1. Make a list of the things that interest you: Basketball. Music. Art. Science. Space. Cars. Chocolate. If you pick a topic that doesn't interest you, it's going to be a chore to write about, and you probably already have enough chores.
2. Okay, now think about what, specifically, you'd like to know about those topics. How does a car engine work? Could people ever live on the moon? Who discovered the deliciousness that is chocolate?
3. Don't forget to consider your audience and your assignment. If you've been assigned to write about the Civil War, make sure that your topic has something to do with the Civil War. But that doesn't mean you can't tie it in with other topics that interest you. The role of music on the battlefield. The art of the Civil War. Wartime transportation. 

If you could write about anything, what would you choose to research? Why? Leave a comment with your idea of a perfect topic, and you'll be entered into a drawing for a free copy of one of my books (your choice!).* Be sure to include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*Drawing to be held May 29, 2015.