Attention Teachers!!! & Pondering in the Forest

First thing first. THE TWISTED TEACHER’S CONTEST!!!

I made it too hard. For this, I will not apologize. I consider it payback. But I am not heartless, and I really want TO GIVE AWAY A CLASSROOM SET (30 ARCS) OF TWISTED to the smart teacher who breaks my code.

So. Revised rules.
1. Read the book. (Sorry, no Cliff notes yet. No Spark notes, either.)
2. Answer these questions:
a. What is the significance of the name of the game Tyler plays on his computer?
b. Which classic American play, often taught in high schools, helped inspire TWISTED?

It’s the second one that is causing the problems. I gave the answer in the ALAN chat last month, but the transcript isn’t up yet. So here is your Big Hint: I always plant clues in the main character’s name. Get it? His name????

3. Email your answers to laurie AT writerlady DOT com. Put “TWISTED contest” in the Subject line.

4. The deadline has been extended because y’all are so busy. Deadline is now midnight, EST, Wednesday, Sept. 5th.

Second thing, next. The Child With Stitches in now the Healing Child With Stitches and is back at college. So I am home. And I’m beat. Whooped. Totally drained. This has been a busy year, hasn’t it? I’ve been trying to brainstorm the new book, but then my head starts smoking like it’s burning oil and I am overwhelmed by the need to take a nap.

My Muse is trying to send me a message. I need a break.

So from now until Labor Day, I’m chilling. I’ve spent the last two days pulling weeds. Tomorrow I’ll can peaches. There is wood to be stacked, sticks to be picked up, tomato sauce to simmer, mittens to knit. I have three doors that need to be sanded and coated along with a couple of window frames, and that chair in the front hall I’ve been promising to refinish for approximately ten months. While my hands are busy with all of this, my Muse will be at a spa somewhere, resting up for the writing marathon that this autumn promises to be.

I don’t think I’ll be posting much, but I promise to come back in two weeks, with pictures of my funness.

How are you going to spend your last days of summer?

16 Replies to “Attention Teachers!!! & Pondering in the Forest”

  1. Dude, you’re KILLING me. I want that set sooooo bad… and I’ve had TWISTED on hold at the library for WEEKS and it hasn’t come in yet… and school starts in a week, so if it doesn’t come soon, I may be out of the running. (I know I ought to buy it, but I used all my teacher gift cards to buy books for my classroom library.) I don’t suppose I won the snow contest?

  2. I have ten days — well, nine now — between the end of teaching YA lit for the summer and the beginning of teaching YA lit in the fall. I have a list. The chance of finishing everything on the list is, well, nil. (null?)

    I did, however, weed the smallest of the three file cabinets, the one I use most, next to my desk.

    Also on this list is a stack of book reviews, and a large stack of books I actually want to read for fun. Oh, and learning how to put audio files on the eCollege class site for my students. How hard can it be? quoting that great sage and sex symbol, Indiana Jones.

  3. Hi Laurie! I love that paragraph about canning peaches and wood stacking etc. sounds so cozy and get-ready-for-wintery. I’m spending the last days of summer at the pool and getting ready for my new editor to send me my book so I can get writing again…that’s right, I sold my novel SEA this week to Putnam! I’m so excited. It’s debuting in hardcover and then will also come out in paperback…anyway, it’s been a whirlwind wonderful summer. Because I’m in California, I won’t be doing the fun wintery stuff, but we do have some rain. Have a nice break. =)

    *Heidi

  4. Ah, yes, I think I know the play you mean. But I’m not an English teacher. Never read it, but guessed based on the “classic American play” descriptor. Your hint is very good, too.

  5. i’m glad you’re taking a break until labor day-you deserve a long one for how hard you work. well i started college yesterday. it was overwhelming, but exciting too. the details are on my LJ whenever you have time. good luck with doing all the stuff you’re planning to do over your break. i spent my last days of summer with friends and having fun. love and miss you! =) ♥

  6. Last days of summer

    How are you going to spend your last days of summer?

    I will be taking full advantage of the wonderful produce that CNY has to offer in the late summer. Eating lots sweet corn, making lots of tomatoes sandwiches, fried green tomatoes and peaches galore. Back to school shopping with my kidling, reading Harry Potter AGAIN, soaking up the late summer sun on our boat, singing by the campfire and today I saw two young girls skipping down the sidewalk, ponytails bouncing in the breeze. I think I will do a little skipping. Life is always a little better when you do a little skipping.

    Enjoy your time off. There is nothing like a “home” vacation. I’ve got one coming up myself and I can’t wait!

  7. i am going to read, read, read now that i’m finally home from softball traveling and the season is OVER!

  8. Hurk. I really wish I was a high school English teacher. I’ve got the second one.
    I do, however go to an alternative school that doesn’t have a deigned English teacher, but our library could really use thirty copies of an amazing book. Can I try for it?

  9. I’ll be (hopefully) getting a job so I can have a classroom all of my own! And filling it with many many awesome books, including 32 copies of Twisted by one Laurie Halse Anderson.

    –Brian

  10. Warm Woolies! I have never heard of them before, and I’ve lived only an hour from Denver for three years now. I’m totally going to participate in that now. Thanks for the link!

Leave a Reply to siltjade

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.