Thankful for Thursday: Teachers

The theme of this week's Thankful for Thursday meme is TEACHERS. In particular, those super-awesome teachers who inspired your love of reading and/or writing.

A few teachers come to mind for me, but the one who stands out the most is:

Mrs. McLaughlin - 6th grade English at Stuart Middle School

It didn't matter to her so much that I couldn't diagram a sentence to save my life; she recognized some spark in my writing that I didn't even know was there.  To this day, I can still remember her telling me that she'd look forward to seeing my book in print one day.  It was a head scratching moment, because the thought of being an author had never crossed my mind.  I mean -- come on -- I couldn't diagram a lousy sentence!!

This perceptive teacher saw an innate talent in me before I saw it myself.  Looking back, I'm more fully able to appreciate the quiet confidence that Mrs. McLaughlin gave me in my own skills with just a passing comment that I was good enough.

Thanks, Mrs. McLaughlin -- and to all the teachers who inspired my love of reading through high school and college.  I might not have my name in print *yet* - but I'm getting there.


So what teacher most inspired your love of reading or writing? Grab the badge, make a post and leave you link in the comments over at Oasis for YA.  (Come on, sharing your gratitude will brighten your day -- promise!)

Thankful for Thursday: Websites

Today's meme prompt is: WEBSITES. What writing-related websites are you thankful for this week?

I'm struggling a little bit because this week it's my turn to post over at Oasis for YA.  You'll have to drop in to see what I came up with over there.  But I had to dig a little deeper for my own post.

So here's what I came up with: TWITTER

I know... it's not necessarily writing-related, but that's almost exclusively how I use it.  When I went to my first SCBWI conference (over 2 years ago now), the overwhelming advice from agents was to create a social media platform, which included getting on twitter.  Now, I'll be honest with you here.  I'd never heard of Twitter.  I didn't even have a Facebook account.  Crazy, right?

But here I am, over 3200 tweets later and almost 440 followers richer, and I am very grateful for my 140-character friends.  For those of you who haven't jumped on the twitter bandwagon yet, here are some of the benefits I've gotten from it:

1.  I learned about #yalitchat and its weekly discussions that help aspiring YA authors keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry

2.  Through twitter, I met a retired Classics professor who was willing to crit my entire novel -- since it's set in ancient Greece, her insights were huge!

3.  I can check in almost anytime of day and find advice from agents and editors

4.  I can follow those same agents to see if I think we'd be compatible and if they're someone I want to query

5.  Lots of other writerly folks are always posting links and tips to help improve your craft

So there you have it.  I think twitter is pretty a dang-good tool for aspiring authors and I'm thankful to have listened to that advice two years ago that said, "Twitter. Go."

So what writing-related websites are you most thankful for this week?  Grab the badge, make your own post, and then put your link in the comments section over at Oasis for YA.  (Come on, much like twitter, all the cool kids are doing it!)

Thankful for Thursday: Series

Today's meme writing prompt is series. What book series are you thankful for having read?

My go-to answer to this question always seems to be Twilight. It was popular when I'd just started writing YA and it really motivated me to try to create three-dimension characters that would have appeal across a large readership. But since I've used that answer a few dozen times now, I wanted to dig a little deeper.

Ok, a lot deeper.  We're talking all the way back to elementary school here.  Remember those identical blonde twins with diametrically opposed personalities, Jessica & Elizabeth Wakrefield?  Oh yeah, I'm talking Sweet Valley High!

I'm thankful for this series because it's the first one I can remember voraciously reading. I loved these books. I loved Elizabeth and her smart brain and classy dress. I can distinctly remember (and this would be fifth grade), looking at one of the illustrations of Elizabeth on a cover and thinking, "Now that's how I want to look when I'm a teen."  Her look was classic and timeless and I wanted to be the nice, smart girl, like she was.

Now, I have no idea if those thoughts carried through with me into my own high school years. I like to think I may have been classic, but I do seem to recall cutoff denim shorts, so I'm not sure I achieved that goal.  Anyway, my point is that this series got me really drooling over books. And while I may have read as much throughout some years, that love of consuming books has never gone away.

What about you? Do you remember the first series that got you hooked? (Don't forget to drop into the Oasis to link to the meme with you own TT post.)

Thankful Thursday: An Amusing Story

This showing of gratitude amused me.

Last Saturday, my kids had it pretty good.  First, we took them to see Disney on Ice.  Then, when we stopped for gas, I bought them Oreo ice cream bars.  Then we went shopping and they got a soccer ball, a basketball, shin guards, a mouth guard, and some new clothes.  They were pretty happy campers all around.  (Can anyone say spoiled?)

Anyway, when I was bringing the 5 year old water at bedtime, she said: "Thank you, Mommy, for the Oreo ice cream."

Out of everything she could have been thankful for that day, she remembered the smallest, least expensive thing I'd gotten her.  Just goes to show you -- it's the little details that count sometimes!

Does this ever happen to you?


P.S.  Be sure to check out the Oasis for YA post and join in the thankfulness meme celebration.

Thankful for Thursday: Art & Sight

Every day, I'm super-thankful that I have my eyesight (contact-corrected and all), so that I can enjoy the art around me.  Some days the art comes from nature - a watercolor painted sky dripping in colors that are almost unreal; a storm so strong that it bends even the thickest bamboo flat against the earth and rips jagged tears in the gray cotton sky before rattling my chest with a sound-breaking boom.
Other days, the art comes from my children.  I love when I get pictures of me surrounded by hearts - a visual indication of how much they actually appreciate me even when their actions might indicate otherwise.

And still other days, I love to appreciate the art created by others.  Deviantart.com is one of my favorite websites just to browse.  The range of talent there is amazing and often inspiring.  Sometimes I think I could craft entire scenes in a novel from just one picture.  Like this one by HorrorxXxGirl:

What sights are you most grateful for?  Do you have any other websites that you like to just browse for quiet inspiration?

Thankful for Thursday

My thankfulness meme for the day?  Well, I already wracked my brain to come up with vanilla (see Oasis post).  Sometimes it's hard to think so TINY!

Something that's NOT tiny is how thankful I am that you all persevere through my quirky and fickle comments (the ones that mysteriously appear or not apparently depending on how the internet feels).  When I get a little notice in my e-mail that I've gotten a comment, I feel like I've connected with a friend.  That you've reached out and said, "yeah, Jessie, right on!"

And that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.  So THANK YOU!

Thankful for Thursday

Thankful for Thursday is a meme hosted by Oasis for YA.  The idea is that giving thanks for the good things in your life -- big or small -- is the surest way to make sure more good things continue to come your way.  To join in, blog about what you're thankful for this week, grab the meme logo and leave a comment on the Oasis for YA Thursday post.  Then be sure to check out what some of the other YA lovers out there in the blog-o-sphere are celebrating today.

Today -- I am thankful for SPRING and everything that means in my home!!

Thankful that this little tree in our cottage garden, which looked barren and probably dead from the frigid winter, has sprouted juicy green leaves.

Thankful that our garden is bursting with pinks, yellows, purples and whites.

Thankful to be going on spring break with my family.

So what about you?  What makes you feel particularly thankful this week?

Lucky Me

Around St. Patty's Day a few years ago, I made a scrapbook layout entitled "Lucky Me," celebrating all the things I feel lucky to have in my life.  I wanted to remind myself to stop focusing on the little day-to-day "wrong" things that drive me nuts (like the seemingly endless fighting between my children), and focus on all the things that are oh-so "right." The core hasn't changed:

an amazing husband

two beautiful & healthy daughters

a job that makes other moms jealous

financial security & a cozy house that I love



You'd think that'd be enough to be thankful for... but it's not.  I have new blessings that make me extra lucky this St. Patty's Day:

my kids are getting a great education

their school is right across the street from where I work

Nikki Katz co-authored a book with me

the ladies at Oasis for YA are super-awesome to blog with

If you're feeling particularly lucky today, be sure to share your thankfulness with the Oasis for YA Thankful for Thursday meme. (Details here.)  There's no time like the present!

Thankful Thursday - This Kid

As many of you saw on Tuesday, my "baby" turned 5 this week.  She has an amazing little spirit, totally independent and fun, and today I'm thankful for her... my "surprise" baby.  The one who decided she'd start making her way toward life when her older sister was a mere 4 months old.  (Yes, my two girls are only 13 months apart.)

This picture is from her sister's princess birthday party.  My baby doesn't like dresses, and she certainly didn't want to be a princess.  While I almost got her to compromise with a Princess Jasmine costume (since it has pants, and all), I knew I was doomed when she found this king costume in a toy catalog.  A few clicks on Amazon later, and my little independent drummer got to masquerade as the only male royalty at the party.

And the other day, we were working on coming up with words that start with the letter Q.  After we'd turned in her project, that night on the car ride home, she told me, "Mommy, you forgot cucumber."  How cute is that?  And he's right, cucumber totally should start with a Q.

It's for these quirks and expressions -- and a million others -- that I love her and am so thankful for her. Who are you most thankful for this week?

Don't forget to stop by Oasis for YA to participate in the weekly meme and share your gratitude.