Sunday Feb oops March the 2nd. Late as usual

http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com.au/

The Chapter Book Challenge, otherwise known as ChaBooCha, was created by Rebecca Fyfe and first ran in 2012. It runs every year in the month of March. The challenge is to write one completed first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel in the month of March, starting on the 1^st of March and finishing on the 31^st of March.

During the month of March, there are helpful blog posts from published authors, agents and publishers to help members hone their craft, and there are prizes available throughout the challenge.

ChaBooCha has a very relaxed atmosphere where members help each other to achieve writing goals. You can sign up on the website using the sign-up form, and you can also join the Facebook page for updates and information. There is a Twitter page at and members interact with one another throughout the year in the Facebook group.

It is completely free to join the Chapter Book Challenge.

I copied all that from Becky's blog because she says it all so well and all the link things are embedded in it. I checked them and I do so admire a person who knows their way around the digital stuff.

So today is my second day and I travelled back from Melbourne in a car and on a train and in a bus and it took all day so I did not get a lot of writing done today.  I will make up for it tomorrow that is for sure. This does not mean I was not creating. I was thinking about interactions between my protagonist and antagonist and also about where my plot was going. I think thinking time is a vital part of our writing process and I am happy to use the long hours of travel to simply play scenarios out in my head, try dialogue and see where I can send these two clashing opposites. The trick is to make sure I write it all down as soon as I can.

So I have no name for my little antagonist just yet and I have been toying with my Aunt Poe and the origins of her name.  Back story is important. Why is she a crotchety old grump, why does she do the things she does and how does that impact on our boy? Why is my boy half way around the world staying with an ancient crone nobody likes but everyone comes to for advice? Why did his parents send him away, how will he get around his Aunt? So many what when where who and why questions spring to mind and the best one is What If?

So tomorrow I will write draw up some graphic organisers, tables and charts and use some of the ideas from the workshop on Saturday. I glossed over that a bit in my brief blog yesterday but suffice it to say it was a terrific day.


No art work today. I am too tired and need to get myself to an early snooze(Oh shush you two I know it is not early but it is before midnight).

See you on the morrow day. Oh wait I have another PB review to share...

This was supposed to go up on the 28th of February for the 14:14 blog challenge but I did not have the opportunity to share it.

The Peasant Prince

Author: Li Cunxin

Illustrator: Anne Spudvilas

Publisher:Viking books

Year of publications: 2007

Hard cover

Mid primary years

 

Overview

The story of Li Cunxin, the man behind the story of Mao’s last dancer. This picture book is a beautifully condensed version of the greater story making it accessible to a younger audience. A real life tale of great dreams, great sacrifices, great challenges and amazing outcomes.

The exquisite water colour paintings of Anne Spudvilas,  give this autobiographical picture book the haunting beauty the story so rightly deserves.  

Li Cunxin is now an Australian.