Summer fun for young and...less young
Blistering book reviews, Brave Writer fun and games, a new installment of the Wolf Crawl, and a voyage to the Great Beyond
Today’s post is going to be a short one, because, well, need I explain? UNCERTAIN TIMES, my friends.
Also, we’re having thunderstorms here and our power keeps going out.
But let me offer you a few gems. First: this week the
“Wolf Crawl” begins its long, slow readalong of the final volume of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell Trilogy, The Mirror and the Light. It’s a perfect time to join in. This hefty novel will carry us to the end of the year.Here’s ’s complete book guide for Bring Up the Bodies. Incredibly rich reading here.
Recently on the Brave Writer Podcast, Julie Bogart and I spent four weeks unpacking Julie’s Natural Stages of Growth in Writing. We devoted an episode each to Beginning Writers, Emerging Writers, Middle School Writers, and High School Writers. Lots of useful information, resources, and ideas in these chatty episodes.
Our episode on the 2024 Olympic Games airs this coming Wednesday, July 24. Brave Writer has a free Summer Games guide full of book lists, writing activities, STEM inspiration, ideas for arts and crafts, poetry teatime suggestions, and more. Loads of ideas for infusing your kids’ summer with fun. Not just for homeschoolers!
Speaking of poetry teatime, I hosted a Poetry Teatime webinar for kids during last week’s Brave Writer Summer Camp. You can check out the replay here.
I loved this post by
about why he doesn’t pay much heed to bad reviews.
My personal favorite 1-star review is the one for my book Fox and Crow Are Not Friends, by a customer who ordered a used copy that arrived in less-than-ideal condition.
I would like to think readers understand that authors have zip, zero, zilch to do with the physical condition of used books (and of course, it’s not like we make any money off those sales), but…evidently not.
(Yes, I know I could ask Amazon to take down this review since it’s really intended for the Marketplace seller, not for the book. It isn’t that big a deal so I haven’t bothered. Fox and Crow is my bestselling book, wrinkles and all!)
Something I’m excited about: “The Great Beyond,” a “sea-themed variety show on Herman Melville’s birthday” in Seattle on August 1st!
Find your fun where you can, my friends!
Melissa- Anytime someone shares with me anything for the 'less young,' I'm always entertained. A great find! Hope you're well this week. Cheers, -Thal
A variety show on Melville's birthday?! You've got to read Dayswork. I read it last week on Kindle and this week in hardcover. It's so good. And funny!