Birthdays: Izaak Walton (1593), John Dryden (1631), Jean Piaget (1896), Pamela Travers (1899), Tove Jansson (1914), Philip Larkin (1922), Daniel Keyes (1927), Robert Shaw (1927), Seymour Simon (1931), Graeme Gibson (1934), Shirlee Busbee (1941), Pat McKissack (1944), Barbara Delinsky (1945), John Varley (1947), Jonathan Kellerman (1949), Gene Yang (1973)

Pamela (P.L.) Travers is best known for her book “Mary Poppins”

Daniel Keyes is best known for his Hugo and Nebula-winning work “Flowers for Algernon”

Quote: “All good fiction involves an element of mystery – ideally, the reader should be compelled to turn the page in order to find out what happens next. Crime novels use extreme events – matters of life and death – to catalyze the story. That kind of intensity appeals to me.” – Jonathan Kellerman

Tip: Put the book you’ve just finished writing away for at least a week. Watch movies, read other books, take long walks, relax. Or, better yet, start your next book. Do anything other than look at your manuscript. That way, you can come back to it with a fresh eye.

Jumpstart: P.L. Travers was born on August 9, 1899. Never heard of her? I’d be willing to bet you’ve heard of Mary Poppins. Travers wrote several books about everybody’s favorite nanny. Imagine you’re a friend of Mary Poppins. Who would you be and what would your quirk be? No fair picking something from the book or movie. How do you know Mary?