Monday, November 4, 2013

November Natterings


I'm nattering about November, because I have yet again not got a Marvelous Middle Grade Monday to share with you. The reason: I am deep into Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon. I am enjoying it, but it is not a fast read! I've discovered that I quite like these long and involved fantasies (Game of Thrones, anyone?), but they do take time.

Also in November: my group blog, Project Mayhem--the Manic Minds of Middle Grade Writers, is unveiling three new participants this month. Braden Bell, Joe McGee, and Joy McCullough-Carranza have joined the team, and I am very excited to see what insights and opinions they'll share with us. [And I have been promoted to blog manager, continuing my quest for total world-wide-web domination. The Don is proud.]

One of my favorite blogs, Miss Snark's First Victim, is gearing up for the Annual Baker's Dozen Auction. In fact, the YA/MG entry submission dates are this week (on Tuesday and Thursday.) If you have a manuscript ready to go, I would strongly advise you to consider this. It's where, in 2011, I got my mojo to send my work to an agent, and I will be forever thankful to Authoress Anonymous for giving me the confidence to reach for the stars. (Details on the Baker's Dozen HERE).

If any of you are knee-deep in NaNoWriMo: good luck! I've never had the urge to do this, but I doff my fedora to those who do. In fact, I doubt any of you NaNoites are reading blogs these days, so on fire are you to reach those daily word counts.

I hope to be back to MMGM next week. Better stick my nose into Mists again! Have a great reading and writing week!

9 comments:

  1. Michael, You've been doing a great job as PM blog manager! I know I appreciate the reminders you send out a week or so ahead of time. I usually post in advance, but it would be all too easy to forget which date I've been assigned and miss one by accident.

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  2. Good to hear what you've been up to. I like adult fantasies, but they're too long for me to have time to read.

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  3. World Domination, huh? I've been working on that as well, but I like my knee caps. I'll leave you to it! I read Mists of Avalon years ago-- took forever. I think my children were small at the time and getting to the library was difficult, so I didn't mind the way I would now!

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  4. I curtsy to anyone who's nano-ing, too, although the system doesn't work for me. It must be one wild ride!

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  5. Same here - I know many writers who swear by NaNo, but it's never the right timing for me. Good luck to everyone who's taking the plunge!

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  6. Congrats on being Project Mayhem blog manager! Bet that takes up a lot of your time. Along with the Cybils...

    I've never tried NaNo, but my older son won the first year he participated. I cranked out 23,000 words in the last two months and thought that was a big deal. Don't know how anyone can produce 50K in one month!

    I'll check out the Baker's Dozen Auction. Thanks!

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  7. I haven't read The Mists of Avalon. I've noticed, though, that sometimes reading a fantastic adult or non-fiction book takes me longer, but that isn't a reflection on my enjoyment of the book. It took me weeks to read The Life of Pi, and I usually read a book within a couple of days. There was a density there that I savored over time. Enjoy your read!

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  8. You're a busy man! And you can be forgiven for taking time out to read such a good book. :)

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  9. Congrats on becoming blog manager and happy writing. :)

    ~Akoss

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