Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 60
April 15, 2017
Middle Grade Books Serve As Windows and Mirrors by Shannon Hitchcock
If there are no MIddle Graders in your household, show this Re-blog to someone who has a few :-)
If you don’t know anyone with MGers, try thinking back to when you were one………
I first thought about Middle Grade books as windows and mirrors when listening to Grace Lin’s TED Talk, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf.” Grace says kids need to see themselves in books, like looking in a mirror. On the flip side, kids need to read about children whose lives don’t rese...
April 14, 2017
Friday Story Bazaar ~ Tale Thirty-Nine
What’s the Value of Truth?
by
Alexander M Zoltai
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The star system was in turmoil…
It’s history was certainly tempestuous enough, though it had begun on only one of the nine planets in the system.
All nine were habitable at the start; but, only one gave birth to intelligent life—Hethal.
That life grew and progressed as a unified multitude of people.
It was the subsequent travels to other planets; and, finally, settlements of certain of the Hethal people that led, eventually, to differ...
April 13, 2017
How to find your author voice – interview with Joanna Penn
If you’re a writer (and, if not, tell you writer friends { and, if no writer friends, please befriend one :-) — this re-blog on Voice has a video with Roz Morris being interviewed!
The video might have an AD at the beginning; but, you should be able to kill it in a matter of seconds :-)
Hello! I’m slightly late posting this week because I knew I had this waiting. Joanna Penn invited me back to her podcast to thrash out a thorny topic – how to find your author voice.
We discuss...
April 12, 2017
Children’s Books in a Globalizing World
Click me to check out the book, Wild Things!
This post might be seen as directed to only English-speaking folk.
Yet, I’m hoping a few of my readers from other countries will share their comments about translations into their own home languages…
And, there is, now, a Translation Widget at the top of the left side-bar :-)
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As far as finding someone dedicated to broadening children’s educational potentials, Elizabeth Bird should certainly claim the attention of interested individuals…
...
April 11, 2017
Cultural Beliefs About Writing or Plain Economics?
Hoping you all enjoy today’s re-blog :-)
Inspiration or craft? Can writing be taught or is it an innate talent? Well, the answer to that may often be culturally determined. From what I saw at the Quais du Polar last week and, following a bit of debate about it on Twitter following this article announcing the demise of the British short story, it seems to me that French culture leans more to the ‘inspiration’ school of thought, while Anglo-Saxon culture believes more in the...
April 10, 2017
Poetry, Translation, & Life
This post makes 23 on this blog that have something to do with Poetry… [image error]
And, one of my absolutely favorite poets is Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī…
Plus, one of the best interpreters of Rūmī is Coleman Barks…
I say “interpreter” rather than “translator” because all the good translators I’ve known say that translating poetry is actually writing a new poem in the second language, which to me is interpretation…
Rūmī was Persian, Mr. Barks is from Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA…
And, in an article on Co...
April 9, 2017
Kindred Spirits: In Praise of Online Classes
Incredible and forthright article from a newly liberated English teacher :-)
A guest post by Ann V. Klotz
Ann V. Klotz
By late afternoon, I get a little itchy to get to a computer. I’m waiting for the “Recent Canvas Notifications” to appear in my inbox, with comments from my Creative Nonfiction Online Class on “Summary and Scene.” The sense of anticipation reminds me of a cross between Christmas and my birthday, though we are now in the middle of summer and both o...
April 8, 2017
Tricks Are For Writers
Incredibly honest and helpful re-blog today…
Brevity reminds our readers to support your writing bunny by the hind legs–never grasp it by the ears.
My beloved life coach sent me a link to Shut Up And Write–business consultant Karyn Greenstreet heard about a method for generating work in silent company with other writers, and she’s now (mildly) monetizing it for writers who need to get their work done.
People who had to write their master’s thesis or doctoral dissert...
April 7, 2017
Friday Story Bazaar ~ Tale Thirty-Eight
What Is Youth?
by
Alexander M Zoltai
~~~~~~~~~
“You can’t go in there.”
“Why?”
“It’s for adult patrons.”
“What if I prove I have ‘adult’ sensibilities when it comes to those displays?”
“I’m sorry, you can’t go in there.”
Tina had tried this with every guard the museum stationed at the entrance to the latest show.
She thought it was time to get the authorities involved…
~~~
It took her a month of steady persistence to wrangle an interview with the Director of the museum.
She dressed as she alw...
April 6, 2017
The most important thing I’ve learned about writing
Today’s re-blog is Pure Truth :-)
I was recently asked by a student – “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about writing?”
My answer to this question is – Behold the power of time.
There are so many instances where I’ve budgeted time to write and then *something* happens. The kids need a ride, I get a call in the middle, I’ve clicked on one too many articles on the internet, etc.
I’ve learned that if you want to write, really want to write, then you h...
