Thursday, March 29, 2012

Thursday Result of WEW #9

WEW #9
Prompt: It all started when…
I wish I could have told you…
Result:
I wish I could have told you about the dog poo on the sidewalk before you stepped in it. But you kept blabbering on and I couldn’t get a word in. So, I’m sorry, but it’s your own fault. Next time – well, there shouldn’t be a next time! But if there is, I’ll be rude and stop you with my bare hands.
I also wished I could have told you that the big pink bow in your hair looked silly. It was too big for your tiny head. And a tiny head is a good thing. So don’t be mad.
And, it didn’t really go with your bright orange dress. But I let that one go.
We’re still best friends, right?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Writing Exercise Wednesday #9

Welcome to WEW #9 - sounds like a song title! This week I have two sentences for you to use. You can use one or both, whichever works for your exercise. Have fun! Angela

Prompt: It all started when...
I wish I could have told you...

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Thursday Result of WEW #8

WEW #8
Prompt: This exercise is a little different.  Think about the house you lived in when you were seven.  What details do you remember: the rooms, memories, smells, etc.  OR think about a house (condo, apt, etc) in your childhood you really liked and try to pick out specific details/memories that make it stand out to you.

Result:
My sister and I stared a room.  We had wood floors with little carpets in front of our beds.  We would lay belly-down on the rugs and slide (swim) under the beds and around the room pretending we were underwater. 
Our basement had the TV in it and I would sit on my dad’s lap and watch The Bugs Bunny Show and The Wonderful World of Disney. 
In the unfinished part of the basement, I drove my pedal-push car around the metal poles with the funny holes in them.  I also drove into many boxes and walls and sisters.  When the basement flooded, I helped bail out the water with my dad.  My bucket was smaller.
In the backyard we had a playhouse and sandbox.  Mud pies were my specialty.  We also had wasps that my sister was allergic to and her eyes would swell up.  There was a swing set too that if you went too high the legs would pull up.  Along the other side of the yard and fence, we had a dog kennel for our Samoyed, Snowball.  When she had puppies I was the only one she’d let in the dog house and be with her and her puppies.
My dad grew rhubarb and made wine and jelly with it until it blew up once.  Mom was so mad.  We used to wash the rhubarb and dip the end in sugar and eat it.  Loved it.  We had beautiful flowers everywhere and when I smell marigolds, I think of that house and time.
We had a garage too that housed Penelope, the beautiful little cream Mercedes.
Our best friends lived across the street.  Before I was in school, I would stay over there during the day and Mrs. Nielson and I would make peanut butter cookies together – my favorite then.  And I would watch Sesame Street.  We all used to play in the street and run around screaming.  We found salamanders, went trick-or-treating, had houses decorated at Christmas (which sometimes felt like a competition – which I think my dad won).  

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Writing Exercise Wednesday #8

WEW #8
This exercise is a little different.  Think about the house you lived in when you were seven.  What details do you remember: the rooms, memories, smells, etc.  OR think about a house (condo, apt, etc) in your childhood you really liked and try to pick out specific details/memories that make it stand out to you.

For example: one of the things from the house I wrote about was, I remember our basement flooded and I helped use buckets to bail out the water.  I stood in ankle-deep water in the space under the stairs and it was fun bailing water with my dad.  That led me to remember bailing water out of the boat with my dad.  Not fun in the rain.  The emotional content of both are pretty opposite and can possibly be used in a story somewhere.  Even the color of the walls or what the backyard looks like adds to your story if it means something to the character.  Unearthing those particulars can add richness because specifics make a story real.  And anything you can remember you can use. 
As Pooh always said with his paw to his head, "Think, think.  Think, think."

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Thursday Result of WEW #7

To see other writing results, check out the Wednesday prompt.
WEW #7
Prompt: sleepy, wash, space, fry
Result:
“The Space Needle looks mighty high,” Bobby said.
“Nonsense,” his nursemaid scowled. “Now don’t get dirty, I don’t want to wash you again today. Twice is enough.”
“Yes’m. Do I get to ride in the escalator?”
“It’s elevator, not escalator. And only if you behave.”
“Yes’m.”
Bobby eyed the other kids scrambling off the school bus. He wished he could be with them instead of Erma. She did everything for him. When he was sleepy, she’d put him to bed, when he was dirty, she’d hose him down and when he was hungry, she fed him the only thing he would eat, French fries.
“Can I have a fry Nanna?” Bobby asked.
“May I? May I?” Erma corrected.
Erma always had some on hand for a snack. Bobby didn’t care if they were cold. Sometimes she’d try to sneak a carrot or put peanut butter on the fries, but Bobby wouldn’t eat them.
Bobby took the fries and chewed.
“Can I, may I have a…”
Erma handed Bobby a drink. She held the straw for him.
“Thank you.” Bobby’s legs wobbled. He sat in slow motion.
Erma turned his wheelchair around and they headed to the park instead.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Writing Exercise Wednesday #7

Yay!  It's Wednesday again!  Although I'm posting this later than usual.  Still fun - enjoy! Angela
WEW #7
Prompt: sleepy, wash, space, fry

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Writing Exercise Wednesday #6 + Thursday Result

Today's exercise is slightly different because there are two rounds of words to work and play with.

WEW #6
Prompt: Bellagio, grandfather clock, rug, bigger, rabbit
Mostly, time, slow, egg, memorable

Result:
The rabbit, brown and white like a quilt, was named Bellagio. Bella for short.
Bella crouched in front of the grandfather clock and watched the time tick by. It was slow. Like watching water boil. But at least you could put an egg in the water and have something to show for it. And eat. Which reminded Bella she was hungry.
She couldn’t think about that now. She waited on the Persian rug in front of the clock, running her paw over the fibers. Bella couldn’t stop thinking about her father coming home. He’d been gone for so long – mostly on business visiting other warrens. Each time he returned, his present for her would be bigger and better than the last.
But this trip was different. She’d never seen her father so nervous about leaving. She didn’t know why. His expression was memorable because it didn’t look like her father at all.
Bella folder her fuzzy ears down around her chin. Her big eyes begged the clock to go faster and bring her father home.
The handle on the door clicked.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Book Review: Cosmic




Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, is a fun and funny mid-grade read, with a heart as big as the solar system. The main character Liam is very tall for his age, so he is routinely mistaken for an adult. (Apparently the main differences between boys and their dads are height and the availability of facial hair.) When Liam gets a chance to attend the opening of a brand new amusement park, he brings along his friend, Florida, to pose as his daughter. But the theme park is in China, and the amazing new ride is actually a trip into space aboard a rocket. How Liam, and the other kids, and their dads react to the challenges thrown at them by the cagey theme park owner propels Cosmic's plot to the moon and back.

Liam's voice, both youthful and wise, delivers his many ruminations on the state of being a kid vs. that of being a dad, as well as on being a "regular" kid vs. a super achiever. It's fun and weird, and very sweet. Frank Cottrell-Boyce has written two other quirky, laugh-out-loud winners, Millions, and Framed, which are both mid-grade like Cosmic. 

Recommend these books to people who aren't looking for dystopian or supernatural terrors, just some good, kid-friendly fun. I would say they were in the same company as the wonderful Casson family books, by Hilary McKay (which began with Saffy's Angel) and the equally lovely Penderwicks books, by Jeanne Birdsall.

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Lynn Becker