Birthdays: Jean de La Fontaine (1621), R. Carlyle Buley (1893), J.F. Powers (1917), Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (1926), Shirley Ann Grau (1929), James Cross Giblin (1933), Raffi (1948), Anna Quindlen (1952), Alison McGhee (1960), Erin Morgenstern (1978), Alex van Tonder (1983),

R. Carlyle Buley won the 1951 Pulitzer Prize in History for “The Old Northwest: Pioneer Period 1815-1840”

Shirley Ann Grau won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “The Keepers of the House”

Quote: “Write the book you want to read and the one your friends want to read. Because then even if it’s not published, it’s still rewarding for you.” – Alex van Tonder

Tip: When writing a back cover blurb, don’t go over about 200 words. Introduce main characters, their problem, and hint at danger or a question to entice reader.

Jumpstart: Write a scene completely in dialogue. Can you get across everything that needs to be shown without devolving into lecture?