Sorry to have been to absent from blogging, my friends. We’ve been taking advantage of the long days in the garden. A very generous friend showed up with a pick-up truck filled with herbs. The herb garden by the cottage that I was going to work on this fall is now on an accelerated schedule! We’ve been eating peas and watching the tomato plants. The basil is ready, too.
(Have you ever made mozzarella cheese? I think I need to try that.)
(Second random comment – my experiment with clover and buckwheat as a cover crop is still very experimental. Have any of you used it in between rows of veggies to crowd out weeds?)
I’ll post my ALA schedule later today. I’m really looking forward to the conference – both to see old friends and to start talking up FORGE, which comes out it 118 days. (Gulp.) Have I shown you the cover yet?
What do you think?
In other book news, WINTERGIRLS has been translated in Spanish and published in Spain.
Any thoughts on this cover? I’m told it should be available soon in Mexico. Here’s an early synopsis en español.
::shifts gears::
For as much fun as I know ALA is going to be, I must admit I am very impatient to get home and get back to writing. I hope to fill a lot of pages between now and mid-October, when the FORGE booktour gets underway. And since I’ll have the writing process on my mind, are there any of you who want me to the Write for Fifteen Minutes A Day Challenge? (Link takes you to the first day of last year’s challenge.)
The rules are simple. In fact, they aren’t even rules. They’re more like guidelines, the Pirate Code of Writing.
1. Commit to write for 15 minutes a day for the entire month of August.
2. Just do it.
Seriously. That’s all there is to it. You don’t have to sign up anywhere, or meet minimum word count goals or complete a whole freaking novel in 30 days.
Anyone up for it? Leave me a message in comments or on my Facebook page or on Twitter, please.
My to-do list for the next 12 hours has now exceeded two pages, so I must either start crossing things off or set fire to it. Or maybe shred for use in the chicken coop.
Newsletter
29 Comments
I missed out on the writing challenge you had before. I’d love to try and stick with something this time. ^_^ So count me as interested.
I’m all for WFMAD!
Oh, and have you heard of Do Nothing But Read Day? (http://dnbrd.org/) It’s this Sunday!
Both of the covers are very pretty.
I like this Pirate Code or Writing and may make it stretch to apply to July as well as August.
OH NOES! Over 2 pages?! I hope you get it all done! =]
mozzarella fun
So I tried making mozzarella with a foodie friend in the fall, at my initiative. I found a few recipes from foodgawker, bought organic, barely-pasteurized milk, and [tedious details removed] ended up with about 1/8 of a cup of cheese that had the consistency of chewing gum. We had a great laugh. If you find something that works, I’d be willing to give it another go. I’ve got the rest of a caprese salad in my garden. Best of luck!
ALA is always a blast, especially when it is in Washington. Note, I don’t sleep during ALA – but who needs it, right?
Mozzarella? A perilous undertaking!
First catch your water buffalo… then
beware that the end result doesn’t turn blue.
To my amusement, I found an Instructable that says explicitly “I use whole milk for mine but you should be able to use skimmed, 1%, or 2% milk also. If you have access to farm fresh milk your even better off and I’m jealous. You can also use goat, buffalo or camel milk.” In these days of rampant listeria and other bacterial infections, I’d be really careful about your milk source.
I would like to know how your clover cover goes. I’m thinking of doing it in my garden as well. We have been enjoying our sugar peas! I noticed my broccoli is coming on too. We LOVE home grown broccoli so I planted 10 plants (might have to freeze some!).
sure. count me in.
I like the cover of Forge very much.
Your chickens are getting so big! They are super cute. I missed out on the writing challenge last August so I think I’m going to use your old prompts for July and then see what you have for August. That way I’m writing all summer. I’m working on a novel right now and its slow coming because I’m not used to having free time to write (Usually, when I’m at uni and I want to write, that nagging little voice in the back of my head says “You better read Beowulf or I’ll kick your butt!” and I get sidetracked from creativity.) Anyway, keep the updates coming! And good luck with your clover!
I loved participating in Write Fifteen Minutes a Day last year. Would really enjoy it again.
The chickens have gotten so big!
Count me in for August. There’s a chance I’ll find my mind by then. If not, the challenge could help.
The girls are indeed getting bigger. Can you tell them apart?
I would love it if you do the challenge again!
It was exciting to see the Forge cover. I also went right over to Amazon to add Frío to my wish list. I teach at a dual immersion Spanish/English school. I am always looking for great additions to the Spanish portion of my classroom library.
WFMAD
Yes, yes, yes, count me in. I’ve been doing well with my goal of writing two hours a day this summer, but August is looming. It starts with taking youth on a mission trip and then runs straight into school starting. I’ve worried how I will keep my momentum through the summer. I can do 15 minutes a day.
Yess!! Please do the challenge! I’ve just semi-moved, started a new job, trying to get my feet under me and I need a Giant Kick in the Butt to start writing again!
I would love to join WFMAD. I broke my foot and just had surgery–a writing challenge will make sitting in this chair with my cast up worthwhile! For now, I think I’ll work through last year’s challenge. Thanks!
WFMAD
I’ll do it! NaNoWriMo sounds way too daunting, and this is way more my speed right now. It sounds fun
Good luck with that to-do list!
I already write 15 minutes a day! I’d love to do it! =DDD I tried NaNoWriMo and, well, failed miserably because I crumbled under the pressure and then didn’t write anything for months afterwards, so this will be nice and refreshing!
Count me in for this year’s challenge too
i would love to participate in the WFMAD challenge if you do it again! i need that kick in the butt!
The Spanish title for Wintergirls is very chilling. Honestly, it gave me the chills.
I am totally with you for the WFMAD challenge! I did it with you last year and look forward to doing it again.
I like the Forged cover. I assigned Chains to my rising 8th graders for summer reading and look forward to discussing it with them in the fall. When Forged comes out I plan to use it as a read aloud with my 8th grade.
Count me in on this years WFMAD. I did it last year and it was very good for me! Have fun at ALA!
Yes to the fifteen minutes a day! I’ve been slacking lately, despite the new story idea that hit me last night. Thank you for setting a goal that I want to reach!
I loved doing WFMAD last August, and I’ve been looking forward to this August/hoping you would do it again. Please please please!
Woohoo! I am SO in!!!!!!!!!!
I’m in. I love, love, love your WFMAD challenge!
I’m in for the WFMAD challenge too. It will help to sort out story ideas, take away the daunting side to it! Thanks so much for the prompt.
WFMAD
15 minutes a day sounds like a perfect way for me to keep writing during this hectic summer. I’m totally in. Thanks!
I’m in! I have a big event this weekend and then I’ve promised myself to get back to the grind. 15 minutes a day sounds like what I need!
WFMAD
So excited for WFMAD next month! And, you posted this awesome reminder on my birthday! I LOVE (and so do my kids) pics/videos of the chickens!