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Sophia's First Poem
My daughter Sophia just wrote her first poem. I thought you'd enjoy reading it.
My Cat DavieBy Sophia Pereda
Davie is a country cat.
He likes to meow
And run around.
He loves to be outside,
So he can play
And chase squirrels.
In the spring
He hunts rabbits
And chipmunks.
In the summer
He hides from the raccoons
And the bears.
In the fall
He scatters dry leaves
And tussles with other cats.
In the winter,
Even when it's really cold,
Davie doesn't care.
He grows a thick fur
And rolls in the snow.
And purrs...very loud!
To view more photos of Sophia and our family, CLICK HERE. |
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This 'n That
>>Congratulations to my fellow AWE writer, Tara Erickson whose manuscript, The Things I Do for Her made it to the quarterfinals of Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award for fiction. If you are an Amazon member, click this link to download an excerpt from her novel. Every download increases her ranking.
>>Welcome to my little blog cabin in the woods. I just wrote a new blog posting titled, "Undersize me, please!" Hint: size does matter. If you want to read it, click here.If you'd like to read it and post your comments, go to my blogger version by clicking here. |
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Happy Birthday, AWE!
On April 12, AWE will celebrate its first birthday.
We started with less than 20 and are rapidly approaching 100 members. Thanks to all those who have made this writing group a success and live up to our FWA-affiliate's motto: Writers helping writers. | |
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Greetings!
Spring has arrived in Asheville, and it's glorious. Hunting season will begin soon for our cat, Davie. Some would call him a feral cat. I think of him as a redneck cat who likes to hunt. I'm also just a few weeks away from the launch of
Havana: Top Secret,
the first in a series of thrillers set in Cuba, so I need your help to make sure I'm connecting with potential readers.
By participating in a short poll, you can get a sneak peek at the story and be eligible for a drawing for a $10 Amazon.com gift certificate.
Want to increase your chances to win? Pass this newsletter on to friends. If they take part in the poll and tell us you recommended it, we'll give you double credit in the random drawing.
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE TO THE OPINION POLL.
Thanks for your help!
Here are some early reviews the book has received:
"Marcela will seduce the reader as easily as she does the characters in Pereda's steamy thriller. She's one of the most original, sexiest and lethal characters ever."
"I loved the ending. The cliffhangers made it impossible to put down." |
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Meet Shelley Lieber
 As many of you know, I direct a writer's group called Asheville Writing Enthusiasts, or AWE.
On April 4, our guest speaker is Shelley Lieber, author, columnist, publisher and former editor for Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Macmillan and McGraw-Hill. If you're in the Asheville area, please join us. If you live too far away, check out her Web site, Shelley Lieber, the Wordy Woman. |
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 WRITING TIP OF THE MONTH
My tip this month is a Q&A about an essential for any great story or book. It's called "the hook."
Q. What's a hook?
A. A first line so powerful that you absolutely have to keep on reading
Q. What are the primary objectives of a hook?
A. To interest the reader and to set the tone for the book.
Q. What happens after the hook?
The book happens. Good hooks extend to the opening paragraph, opening page, first chapter and lure the reader throughout the entire book.
Q. What should be avoided?
A. Bad hooks stand alone and fizzle. And if your opening line is too good for the rest of your story, you'll disappoint your reader.
Q. What are some examples of hooks from well-known writers?
"Maman died today; or yesterday, maybe, I don't know." The Stranger (Camus)
"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect." The Metamorphosis (Kafka)
"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins." Lolita (Nabokov)
"In the cold, nearly colorless light of a New England winter, two men on horseback traveled the coast road below Boston, heading north." John Adams (David McCullough) |
 March Madness
Go, North Carolina Tar Heels!
You can't live in North Carolina without loving basketball. I've got to go with President Obama's pick and predict that NC will win this year's NCAA basketball championship. Click here to check out the brackets. | |
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