Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Into the Fiction Trenches!
Although I adore writing nonfiction and plan to continue doing so, I've also got some exciting new things happening on the fiction front. I've recently signed with literary agent Jane Dystel of Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret, who will be working to sell my young adult contemporary novel DROWNING IN AIR to a publisher. My critique partner (who reads through my work and gives me feedback and suggestions) interviewed me about my writing life on her blog. You can check it out here: http://kristaquintana.blogspot.com/. And you can read more about how I dreamed about writing a novel and finally did it here: http://www.michelle4laughs.com/2017/01/getting-call-with-valerie-bodden.html.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Online Visit with Georgia School
I recently had the opportunity to do a video visit with second graders from Glyndale Elementary in Georgia. I had a great time (even if I was jealous that it was warm with no snow there)! The kids asked great questions, and we were even able to play a game across the miles. Afterward, the Golden Isles News included an article about the visit. You can read more about it here: http://goldenisles.news/news/local_news/author-speaks-to-glyndale-elementary-students-through-video-chat/article_d096454a-f649-5646-b904-c568721cbdde.html. I was especially touched by teacher Dianne Rawls-Griffin's comment that she hopes the visit will "be something [the students] remember for the rest of their lives." Wow, what a privilege to talk with these young students. And I hope I've inpsired them to: Keep Reading. Keep Writing.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Monday, December 28, 2015
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Wow: Apollo Space Program
Wow! A man who worked on the Apollo space program saw my book about the moon landing listed in his local newspaper and contacted me. It turns out he was an Engineering Psychologist and worked on the Abort Guidance System (to be used in case the Primary Guidance and Navigation System failed). I sent a copy of my book to a school he volunteers for, and he read it to the fifth grade students there. I'm honored.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
School Visit: St. Paul's, Onalaska
What a treat! I got to visit my own children's school, St. Paul's in Onalaska, Wisconsin, last week. The visit was extra-special, since we'll be moving to the other side of the state in a couple weeks. We'll miss everyone here so much, but it was great to have a chance to visit before we leave.
The little guy next to me (in the cowboy vest) is my very own kiddo, Titus.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Tidbit Tuesday: Ada Lovelace
Woohoo! I always love the beginning of new projects, when I get to learn all kinds of new stuff! Lately, I've been researching some amazing women in science and math, including Ada Lovelace. Ever heard of her? Here are just a few things you should know about her:
- Ada Lovelace is credited with creating the first computer program - more than 100 years before the first computer was ever built! Her program was designed for a computing machine called the Analytical Engine that was designed by Charles Babbage but never built.
- Ada was the daughter of Lord Byron, a famous English poet. But her father left when Ada was only a month old. Ada's mother worried that she might turn out to be artistic like her father. So she decided to educate Ada in one of her favorite subjects - mathematics - instead.
- When Ada published notes on the Analytical Engine, she used her initials instead of her name, since it was not considered proper for women to publish academic articles.
- In the 1970s, the U.S. Department of Defense created a computer language named Ada, in her honor.
How about you? Tell me what you've learned today, and I'll enter you in a drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books!
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