Let the Reading Season Begin!

So as I tie shoes, sign papers, make lunches and send my daughters off to school with a kiss and an I LOVE YOU, I begin to switch back into my reading mode. My mind starts making lists that my fingers have to write down about which books I want to read. Back to school time is the kickoff season for our family to start really reading again.

Summer is great. There is so much to do and my soul yearns to be outside enjoying the fresh air and warm sun. My family is constantly on the go, enjoying trips to amusement parks, water parks, the zoo, walks on trails and anything else that gets us out of the house. Summer is release for us Missourians. Most of our winters are long affairs with bitter cold and various types of wet cold precipitation. So when the warm winds come and the sun stays around longer we embrace it with a passion.

Then school starts and we start getting into a more academic mode. This means reading, writing and critical thinking of various types. Our minds start wandering to books, libraries and bookstores. We begin discussing books we want to read and need to read. My husband looks forward to kickoff time for the NFL and his daughters and wife looks forward to quiet Sundays, curled under the warm blankets reading a enthralling book.

So this book season I have two main goals. The first goal is to read all the Mark Twain and Truman Reader nominee books. These lists are read by my two older children as well. I have been pleasantly surprised by some books on both of these lists in the past so I cannot wait to see what I'm in store for this year. I will post the list of nominee books at the end of this post.

My second goal is one I plan on writing more about in the near future. I am on a mission to discover the very best Post-Apocalypse/End of Earth type of book for both adults and young adults. I must admit this has been a while in the making. I have been wanting to do this for a while now, but those sneaky vampires and weres just got a hold of me and wouldn't let go. While I still love them both, I'm feeling a need to be prepared for 2012-so I must read about the end of earth as I now it. Of course getting addicted to TNT's new show Falling Skies didn't help in this need. It only made it worse.

So any suggestions for me? I would love to hear them!

Mark Twain Award 2011-2012 Nominees:

The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin
Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell
Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z by Kate Messner
Faith, Hope and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford
Storm Chaser by Chris Platt
Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta

Truman Reader Award 2011-2012 Nominees:

Invisible Lines by Mary Amato
Double Eagle by Snead B. Collard III
If the Witness Lied by Caroline Cooney
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Adventurers Wanted: Slathbog's Gold by M.L. Forman
The Shifter by Janice Hardy
The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler
The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan
Pop by Gordon Korman
Jane in Bloom by Deborah Lytton
The Farwalker's Quest by Joni Sensel
Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams

Writers write!!

Writers write. I have read this repeatedly from published authors, respected editors, and professors. They observe and they put those observations on paper.

So I took a break and now.....I write. I write daily. I write in a observation journal, a personal journal, essays for school and for fun. I write notes to my children. I write recipes in a notebook. I simply write.

Today I was watching my daughter at her cheer practice and I had to open my calendar to jot down an idea that occurred to me. Yeah! I am back to being inspired and not caring what anyone else thinks of my writing.

I am writing to learn. I am writing to get better. I am writing to enjoy myself. I am writing to release my creativity.

There is no secret to writing. There is just repetition and learning from your previous writing. If you open yourself to that learning your writing improves.

So once again I am writing. I am already feeling better.

So many changes!

So like the weather in Missouri, I am constantly changing. I change my hair, re-arrange my furniture, paint walls and even the outside of the house constantly. Always in search of the next thing to capture my interest. This change though has been stupendous!

I decided, at nearly 40, to go back to school and pursue a degree or two. Yes I said or two. I am thinking of double majoring in English and History. I am thus far having so much fun and learning so many things! I've discovered that I am pretty good at this school thing.

The other thing I've discovered is that I am good at writing. I've always loved writing fiction, but now I am also enjoying writing essays. I don't always like the subject but I love the writing process.

I am discovering how to write effectively. Writing strategies are making the process so much easier. Fiction is no harder or easier than scholarly writing but can be approached similarly.

I never stopped writing fiction. I did however begin to question myself and the worst thing of all, I began to listen to all those people who were negative about my writing. I slowed down and re-evaluated. During the reflection I learned one thing. I love to write. So write I will.