Thursday's This and That

I've another round of tidbits and goodies to share. Hope you find something helpful!

Links and Resources

Do you write to express or write to impress? Author Bernadette Pajer shares her thoughts on this topic over at Chuck Sambuchino's blog. I think her advice, particularly in the area of writer's block, can be liberating - see if you agree.


Here's the answer to the question that's been on many writer's minds - Do you italicize internal dialogue? Deareditor.com has info on this and other interesting topics, like how to obtain height in your dialogue or how to get back on track after an editor calls you an idiot. There's a little something for every writer, check them out!

Looking for freelance work? The Freelance Writing Jobs site might be of help. While there, check out their assortment of helpful articles, writing tips, and business help. Click here for more info.

The wait is over! The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi will be released next week! Angela and Becca blog over at The Bookshelf Muse and offer wonderful writing insight in their posts. They compiled a book with their great writerly advice; I expect it will be a must have for every writer's library. Can't wait to pick up a copy! If you aren't already following their blog, I highly recommend that you do so.

Book Review

Lessons From the Tree House by Carol Alexander

After her sons built a tree house, Carol Alexander realized that they didn't just get a tree house in the bargain, they gained important life skills too. Spurred on by the sobering statistics that most children spend only 30 minutes of outdoor free play each week, she decided to review the process, document it, and share the steps in this new ebook. I'm glad she did, for the result is a wonderful, hands on guide for parents and children of all ages.

Carol divides the procedure into three steps, the design, building, and enjoyment phases. Each phase is broken down further into subjects such as mathematics, computer skills, drawing, science, writing, and even public speaking. The hands on lessons provide a plan for all ages that can be used as is, or tailored further to suit more specific needs and interests. The target audience is the homeschool family, but this would be a great resource for other groups such as 4H or scouts.


In addition to providing suggested books and links, Carol includes quotes from students and parents. I thought this was a great addition to highlight various aspects of the project. Illustrations, photos, vocabulary lists, and even grid paper that can be reproduced are also tucked into this handy guide.

Carol's newest ebook is, in my opinion, another winner. It is exactly the type of resource I would have used when homeschooling my three children. I'll have to keep it in mind for the grandkids!


Carol is also the author of Lessons From the Hen House and Lessons From the Seed Catalog and can be found at her blog, Everything Home With Carol.





Run across any good links lately? What are you up to this weekend?

Happy weekend,
Karen


Photo credit: Stock Exchange