Birthdays: Alex Haley (1921), Andre Dubus (1936), Joanna Cole (1944), Don Freeman (1908)

Tip: We do research to get our facts straight, but don’t get lost in the research. You can while away an entire afternoon looking things up. Find your one item, note it and move on. Or mark the passage for a later time.

Thought for the day: “The trick is not in becoming a writer, it is in staying a writer. Day after week after month after year.” – Harlan Ellison

Jumpstart: What are your top five…anything (desserts, music, movies, etc.). Why are they your top five? What is it about them that you like so much?