You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover...

 ... Or can you? Perhaps more importantly, do you?

I've seen this book for years as I spent way too many hours time in bookstores. Never even took it off the shelf to read the inside flap or the back... all because the cover (in my opinion) looks too sweet. I don't do things that smack of saccharine. So, this book never appealed to me.

This summer, a good friend (Tracy, who has impeccable taste in books) was giving away some books, along with other teacher friends. This book was in the heap. I picked it up, and Tracy said, "That was mine. I had an extra copy."

"It's good?" I asked.

Tracy said, "I had the biggest cry I've ever had when I read it." That did it. The gauntlet had been thrown down. Tracy sometimes is on the over-emotional side. Would it impact me the same way? * (I adore dark stories. Depressing tales. Sunk-ever-after in a black abyss.)

Right away, it was obvious the story and the cover (for me) didn't sync. As I immersed myself in the story, I tried to think of a cover that would fit. The problem (again, for me): the story was shrugging off every cover idea I had.

Now that there's a Netflix movie, the book with a new cover is available.

The new cover... not any better. From the couple on the front, it looks like a sweet teen romance. It's not.

In writing this post, I reflected on my own book's cover, along with reading some articles. One article had just a few suggestions, but they were good ones. Make the cover bold, and keep in mind the audience. Young adults who enjoy depressing stories... I am not sure either of the above covers would make them buy the book.

When working on my book's cover, I didn't know what I wanted. I did know what I didn't want. I didn't want a busy cover, with lots of scenes or elements all over the cover.  I wanted something bold. Thankfully, a friend of mine (Jessica Esfahani--a high school art teacher) created the perfect cover (in my opinion). My editor (Margo Dill) added the finishing touches on the front cover, and did a kick-butt back cover.

I really enjoyed this article. It included suggestions from a number of authors, and had some great advice. One was this: the writer needs to write down what the point of the story is, and keep that note in front of them as they consider covers. Another: a cover should not make the potential reader think... It should make them feel something.

Do I recommend Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places? Most definitely, if you want a well-crafted and well-plotted story about a serious subject that will make your mascara run (if you wear it). Do I recommend my book, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story? Of course (and I've got great Amazon and Goodread reviews to back up my opinion).

Will I still judge books by their covers? Probably, but perhaps I'll be more willing to crack open a book with a sweet cover the next time I see one...

* Did All the Bright Places make me ugly-cry? It did indeed. The biggest cry I had ever had over a book. Not when I predicted it would (because the reader can predict one of two things will probably happen at the end) but during an unexpected journey at the end. When I finished the novel, I sent a text to my friend Tracy--cursing and thanking her. 

Sioux Roslawski is a middle-school ELA teacher, the proud author of the historical fiction novel Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, and dog rescuer. You can find more about her by checking out her blog.

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10 comments All the Bright Places, book covers, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Jennifer Niven, Jessica Esfahani, Margo Dill, Sioux Roslawski

My Affair With Taylor Sheridan

I'm having an affair with Taylor Sheridan... and it is indeed sordid. What makes me think it's an affair? Let's look at the characteristics of an affair:

Affairs involve shameful activities... activities perhaps fueled with such passion that the lurid things are done on a couch. Check.

Affairs involve activities that go well into the night--so late that night drifts into morning. Check.

Having an affair leaves you sweaty. Exhausted. Check.

When you are immersed in an affair, you often hide details, out of embarrassment or shame. Check. 

In one day, I inhaled the series 1883--all 10 episodes in one epic day. I was stretched out on the couch, unconcerned that I was a bit stinky because I had no desire to shower--all I cared about was the story that unfurled before me. I began watching late morning and watched the last scene in the middle of the night. Was I embarrassed I did. Absolutely. Nothing. Constructive. During those 10 hours? 

A little.

I'm enamored/obsessed with Sheridan and his 1883 because it is such a writer's show. What makes me say that? Let's look at some particulars of the show:

Often, incredible pieces have divine inspiration behind them. Sheridan said he didn't have anything written down, he had most of the stars cast, but had no idea how the story was going to be told. He met the actress who plays Elsa, and Sheridan said he immediately envisioned how the whole story was going to go... just on the basis of meeting one actress.

A writer's show is the whole package. The screenplay. The cinematography. The plot. 1883 is gorgeous to watch and gorgeous to listen to. The lines are sheer poetry.

A writer's show rings true. It's authentic. You believe in the era, the relationships. The few main characters fill 1883 from shore to shore. One of the actors (Faith Hill) said the worst part about filming was she had to let her armpit hair grow. She said it was gross. Small (and sweaty) details that make up the fabric of the truth are purposely put into the piece.

A writer's show makes sure you connect with the protagonist. Elsa (played by Isabel May) is the narrator. You see her evolve, from a girl into a woman... from someone naive into someone who saw unseeable things and survived. Until the very end, you're loving Elsa... 

Taylor Sheridan grew up on a ranch. He got into acting. He's still a rancher (the horses used on 1883 were his, because he said he couldn't trust somebody else's horses... he knew his horses). He's still an actor (on 1883 when he couldn't find an actor who could ride and who could portray a cowboy authentically, he took on the role himself). Now he's also a writer and a producer.

If you love a great story, if you love wonderful writing, if you enjoy historical pieces, if you're like me and also love Sam Elliott (he could read aloud real estate contracts, and I'd be in heaven)--I highly recommend 1883.

And now, Taylor Sheridan and I are so hot and heavy, I might just check out Hell or Highwater (Sheridan's screenplay for this movie was nominated for an Academy Award). 

Back to my couch. Back to sweaty, sordid happenings...

Sioux Roslawski is a middle-school teacher of writing, a freelance writer, and the writer who penned Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story--a historical novel about the Tulsa Race Massacre. She loves well-written novels, historical pieces, songs, plays and movies. You can check out more of her writing by checking out her blog.

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16 comments 1883, Faith Hill, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Isabel May, my affair with Taylor Sheridan, Sam Elliott, Sioux Roslawski

Growing Something... and Holding Onto It

In a freak of scheduling, you're getting two servings of Sioux in a row. I figured I would continue my post from Saturday about creating a channel-platform-thingy with a couple of production friends. We'll be targeting women over 30. (We're still in the talking stage. We've only just begun. If you're ancient like me, those words might make you think of the Carpenters. Check out the end, where I've taken liberties with the first four lines of the song, and enjoy the link to the smooth croonings of Karen and Richard Carpenter.)

If you missed the past post--just two days ago--here it is, so you can catch up avoid hearing Sioux blather on. Again.

                                                          image by gerait via Pixabay

I've learned a few things since Saturday. Some tidbits I learned from what others told me. Some I learned from what others have done in the past--and I've never forgotten them. And some info I got from research.

Someone with tech skills filled us in: we're contemplating launching our own channel via an OTT platform. For those who don't know--like me, prior to Saturday--OTT stands for "over the top." The channels offered via a platform are above and beyond (over the top) when it comes to companies that usually offer content. Listeners/viewers can subscribe to these channels just like people can pay for HBO and Showtime. (If I'm getting this wrong, don't hesitate to comment. I work with middle-schoolers. I get told I'm off base all. The. Time.) 

This is a small fire that's been fanned in the hearts of a few of us. We know the general direction we want it to go in. Forks in the road will appear, we know. But we're definitely not interested in handing our steering wheel over to someone who has a strong personality so they can start using a new roadmap and take over... which I've seen before.

In the past, I've seen one person step in--after a project has evolved past its embryonic state--and immediately start talking about our program. Our project. Our class. They expected the creators to simply fall into place and include them in what (just a moment earlier) was someone else's our.  However, the dreamers kept true to their mission, listened to the schemer's ideas, and gently reminded them that they could help, yes. They could participate, of course. They could certainly contribute... but it was not their baby.

Hold onto what you know is true. And keep a firm grip on it. By the time it's grown large enough that it fills more than your hands, when it's evolved to the point where you're embracing it--your arms stretching as far as they can--it'll be able to stand on its own. Then you'll happy you didn't tear off pieces, fragmenting your dream.

I've been doing some research, and learned another acronym besides OTT. This one is CTA--call to action. We will need to tell the audience to check out the ____ video. To subscribe to our channel. To come back next Tuesday when a podcast about ___ drops.  Otherwise, our viewers and listeners will switch over to a different channel, leaving us behind in the dust. The CTA is a gentle nudge.

A watermark is important. Our logo--a small version--should be in a corner of whatever we do. Each time someone watches a video on our channel, they'll see our logo. That helps with brand awareness.

Apparently there are clever ways to suck a viewer deeper into content. Inserting a link at the end of one video--a link leading to another video--means they won't be a one-and-done viewer. Similar results will come from creating a "playlist." Just like a musical playlist means the listener will (hopefully) stick around for multiple songs, having a string of videos auto play, one into another, means they'll watch several videos... and perhaps get hooked. (Each time I sit down to watch something on Netflix, I plan on watching just one episode. But when the message comes on that the next episode will come on in a matter of seconds... I end up watching an entire season while lying on the couch. Netflix is so clever.)

How about you? What clever tips/hacks can you share with the blogosphere? 

 

We've only just begun

to work

White space and techno-stuff

Pulling out hair and we're on our way... 

                                               In case you're under 60 and have no idea who

                                               the Carpenters were--Karen had an incredible

                                               voice, her brother Richard was a master at

                                        arranging... and Karen died way too young from anorexia.

Sioux Roslawski is a middle-school teacher, a freelance writer, the author of Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, and a dog rescuer. You may check out more of her writing via her blog.

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5 comments CTAs, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, OTTs, Sioux Roslawski, the Carpenters

Dream Big

 What if? What if I had said yes to that opportunity? What if I had been willing to take that risk? Those questions plague most of us. Right now, I'm at a fork. Like the song by the Clash, should I stay or should I go? Should I stay, mired in my routine... or should I go off in a new direction with a couple of friends?

                                                     image by Noel_Bauza, via Pixabay

Currently, I have a fragmented life. My writing has left me stuck on the side of the road, in a ditch. My teaching has shifted to working with graduate students, like it does every summer. My college teaching is easy, and reenergizes me, so it's in no way problematic. There's things in my personal life that need smoothing over. Here's where the stay or go part comes in...

A couple of friends have an idea of taking a simple, once-a-year storytelling event, and expanding upon it. They're talking about something (a platform? a website? something that can be subscribed to, for sure) that would be a leap for all three of us. However, my mind is already whirling.

On this platform/website, we could have podcasts. Vodcasts. Themed sets of storytelling sessions. Mini workshops. The possibilities are endless. I have a dear friend who lost her daughter, son-in-law and baby granddaughter in a horrific way, due to postpartum psychosis. I could chat with her in a vodcast, and shed some light on that form of mental illness. I'm adopted. My half-sister is adopted. I know people who are birth parents. I have a friend who adopted two handsome young boys. A vodcast/podcast (or two... or three) could focus on different adoption perspectives. Also, I'd love the chance to share some of the great writing ideas other people have gifted to me. My brain is getting dizzy... but sometimes, dizzy is good.

Yes, it would require extra work. And yes, it would require all three of us to dive into waters of unknown depth. There's so many things we'd have to learn. We'd stumble. But what if this endeavor evolves into something magical? What if? What if I say no... and years later, I wonder? And regret.

I have a writing friend, Renee Roberson. She is obsessed with true crime stories. She frothed at the mouth and pinched herself, thinking it was too good to be true when she got to go to MurderCon, a writing conference that focused on crime. (Her favorite workshop session was "Buried Bodies." That sounds like the perfect class to attend right before bedtime ;) Renee has a lulling, hypnotic voice, writing talent oozing out of her ears, and she had a dream.

What if she started her own podcast? Would she have an audience? She had no experience doing podcasts. Would she fall flat on her face?

Thankfully, Renee took the leap. Her podcast, Missing in the Carolinas, is incredible. Her love of true crime, combined with her writing talent and her wonderful voice, converged in a phenomenal way.

I am not thinking that if Renee can do it, so can I, because my knowledge of technology is 157% less than hers. (Yes, I know a little about math, and that is not an incorrect percentage.) However, I look at the leap she made, the courage she had... and perhaps I can jump into something new--as long as I can hold hands with a couple of other newbies.

How about you? Did you have the chance to dream big? If so, how did it end up?

About-to-make-the-move Sioux wants to know.

Sioux Roslawski is middle school teacher, a National Writing Project teacher-consultant, a freelance writer, and the uber proud author of Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story. In her spare time, she rescues dogs for Love a Golden. You can see more of Sioux by checking out her blog.

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9 comments Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Missing in the Carolinas, Renee Roberson, risk taking, Sioux Roslawski

Why Read?

Renee's post (hot off yesterday's press) about blending genres got me thinking. I mean, I'm in the middle of reading a YA novel that blends genres. It has threads of journalism, along with nubby nubbins of true crime drama. Thinking about blending genres got me thinking about why I read... and why all writers need to read.

It fills the well

Of course, if you read something crappy, it might inspire you to make your lines really sing. I  recommend you read poetic prose. Novels with plots so engaging, your butt has a permanent crease line because you've been stuck on the edge of your seat for 378 pages... and you're gonna mourn when you finish it because it's. Just. That. Good. Subliminally, we become better writers as we read wonderful writing.

It solves problems

I'm writing avoiding writing a manuscript about Emmett Till. It's gone through several iterations. It's a contemporary novel, set long after Till was tortured and then killed. Reading Hollow Fires has given me an idea of how I can get Emmett into the story in a unique way.   

 It's recess

Reading great stuff lets our brain take a break from writing... while still keeping the gray matter semi-engaged. Of course, I could be watching the last season of Ozark instead of reading (which I still haven't done, sodon'ttellmewhathappenedtoRuth) but truly, settling down and reading prose or poetry is better than TV watching or knitting for us as writers...

which leads me to the final reason I'm throwing up to the spirits today:

It's part of the grunt work

Dancers work out. Teachers go to workshops. Boxers tape up their fists (right?). Reading is the pre-writing work writers need to do.

 Stephen King, in his primer On Writing, has given us a memoir-instruction book. He said:

Good writing, on the other hand, teaches the learning writer about style, graceful narration, plot development, the creation of beautiful characters, and truth-telling. A novel like The Grapes of Wrath may fill a new writer with feelings of despair and good old-fashioned jealousy – “I’ll never be able to write anything that good, not if I live to be a thousand” – but such feelings can also serve as a spur, goading the writer to work harder and aim higher. Being swept away by a combination of great story and great writing – of being flattened, in fact – is part of every writer’s necessary formation. You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.

Let a good book sweep you away... and then you can work your rear end off trying to write something that sweeps others away.

What book or poem or short story has swept you away? Curious Sioux wants to know.

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5 comments Emmett Till, Hollow Fires, Renee Roberson, Samira Ahmed, Sioux Roslawski, Stephen King

Book Clubs

 

I recently was the featured author at a book club meeting. This was the third book club (that I know of) that read Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, my novel. The other two were quite different. One was a church group, and my publisher, Margo Dill was a member; all the readers were white. The other was an all-Black group, and one of my friends, Astra, belonged to it.

The group that just met this week involved family... or at least in-laws. We met at my son's mother-in-law's home for a light dinner followed by da da dum: the book talk.

I learned some tidbits from each group, and I thought I'd share how I was schooled by the three groups.

• Be prepared to be surprised. During Margo's group meeting, one of the women wondered what had happened to Olivia's doll. It was prominently featured, and then was never mentioned again. Clearly, I'd dropped the ball. I decided to thread the needle and tie up that loose end, because it was a completely valid point. (I still have not sent you that part to add. Sorry, Margo.)  During Astra's group meeting, one of the women said she had wished that the married couple who were the "saviors" of the story were Black instead of White. She pointed out that too often, Blacks are portrayed as being unable to save themselves without some outside (White) intervention. I had to let them know that the couple was a real-life couple, and they were White--but I understood.

• Be prepared to handle some disagreement.  Up front, I was told that some of the women that came to this week's meeting were conservative (they whispered that last word). I figured this was the case. During the meeting, there was some discussion that strayed from the book and mired in some political and racial issues. Everything was civil, but it was obvious that not everyone was on the same page when it came to politics. (Same page... book club. Do you see what I did there?)

• Be prepared to take pictures--and be prepared to be insistent about it.  I brought a camera, planning on taking a photo of the whole group at some point--hopefully with everybody holding up their copies of Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story. (I know, I know. Shameless self-promotion.) A couple of the women thought a picture taken with a phone (and a timer) would be better. I said I'd like to take a picture as well, but that idea was shot down... and now, I still haven't gotten that text with the photo. 

• Be prepared. Mentally, I went over some of the details I wanted to share in the week before the book club met. The head of the group very graciously let me know how their club meetings flowed. I discovered they expected to ask me questions after I had done some talking. Fortunately, the leader had some wonderful questions that kept me yammering for a while. (Why did I choose Henry as the main character? Why not a girl?... What made me choose this historical event to write about?... How long did it take to write the book, and what were some of the obstacles?)

How about you? What could you share either from the perspective of a reader or an author that would help me in the future? Fumbling authors (like me) want to know.

Sioux Roslawski is a middle-school teacher, a dog rescuer, and the proud author of Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story. You can see more of her writing by checking out her blog.

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1 comment book clubs, Editor-911 Books, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Margo Dill, Sioux Roslawski

Dive In By Doodling

Fleshing out a character can be fun... and sometimes, it can be a bear. 

My current WIP is on its 2nd main character switch. First it was a boy (based on a former student). I've never been a boy, so I switched it to a girl (again, based on a former student) who really didn't struggle with anything, so I made her a cutter. I've never cut, so I switched to the current main character--a girl who struggles with acne and depression (those are things I have dealt with) who's also been adopted. (That's me too.)

This girl likes to doodle. I liked to sketch when I was a teen (mostly John Lennon or horses), and I still like to zentangle. I figured I might try to intersperse an occasional drawing into the story. 

I started with an image in the middle of each sketch. An eye. A girl's face. A mouth. A bed. 

 

Next, I looked for some quotes that would go with the central image. I looked for five quotes to go onto each illustration.

Something strange (or at least unexpected) happened as I searched for quotes. I'd find quotes I liked (me--a 60-something-year-old woman), but I'd think about them and reject them.

Why was I dismissing some of the quotes? After all, they were inspirational. They were deep. They resonated with me. Why not include them in my drawings?

The quotes got tossed aside because they didn't ring true with my character--my teen character. I was learning more about "Maggie" with each quote I rejected and with each quote I accepted. I would dive into her head (created by me) and see what sayings swirled and swirled around in her brain... and didn't slosh out. The ones that stayed--I considered those keepers

Here's an article (with levity) about how art can help writers (at least scroll down and watch the 24-second video on the showman who makes naan-making an artform)  and another article that talks about why it's a good idea to combine writing with another art. 

I have writing friends who knit. Some create jewelry. Some are photographers. Some paint. They're all creative activities, and from what I've read, they can all help us as writers.

What (art) do you do--other than writing? And how do you think it helps you in your writing? Zentangling minds want to know...

Sioux Roslawski is a freelance writer, a middle school teacher and the proud author of Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, a historical novel about the Tulsa Race Massacre. If you'd like to read more of Sioux's stuff, check out her blog.

 

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6 comments Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Sioux Roslawski, zentangle

A Character's DNA

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5 comments character development, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Sioux Roslawski, zentangle

Winning Battles So I Can Write

 Writing. Sometimes it has to take a backseat to life.

Sometimes the things that are competing with our writing are what I call everyday pulls: children (two-legged as well as four-legged ones), spouses, and daytime jobs (if we do something other than writing full-time).

Usually we can find ways to carve out pieces of our day, surrounded by spousing and housekeeping and cooking and child-raising and dog walking. It makes us occasionally frantic and often exhausted, but it can be done and is done all the time.

Other times, what throws writing into the backseat (or the trunk) is more serious.

Most of the time Sometimes Occasionally I battle with depression. It's genetic. My birth mother killed herself when I was nine. Fortunately, I was adopted as a newborn, and had an idyllic childhood and the best parents in the world. Unfortunately, I not only got a healthy dose of "nurture," I also got a generous dollop of "nature" and since both my birth mother and my birth maternal grandmother suffered from serious depression, that means debilitating sadness runs in my veins.

For those who are lucky enough to not ever have been depressed, imagine you are surrounded by a thick cocoon. What is wrapped around you, layers and layers, muffles the joy. The possibilities. The life around you. You know there are things you should do to engage more with friends, with your passions, but it's as if you're wrapped up in a bunch of thick quilts... and you can't escape.

                                                                     image by Pixabay

Currently I'm also battling mice. In the thirty-five years we've lived here, this is our first infestation. I've learned some things:

• They're incredibly fast and when they fly across the floor, they're completely silent.
• They can fit into amazingly tiny openings. I knew that, but seeing it in real-life was something altogether different.
• I love animals, but right now, I love killing animals.

Oh, I've tried these plug-in things that supposedly put out some sound that only mice can hear, and the sound repels them. Apparently our mice love the beat, they adore the monotone melody, because I see them disco-dancing as they move around our house. They spin, they dip, they bump and grind and twerk. John Travolta has nothing on these rodents. I've also tried live traps, but I guess I have kamikaze mice. They're rather die trying to get to the cheese pack in our boxes of mac and cheese, rather than end up in a live trap so they can be released in a field (far, far away). I know some of the aggressive things I need to do to get rid of the mice... and yet I'm paralyzed.

To get back to real writing, I have to get my inner life back on track. Easier said than done, I know. To finish my screenplay, to use my vision board to work some magic, to make serious progress on my new writing project, I have to tear out of this cotton batting cocoon and battle my demons.

And mice. Don't forget the mice... 

Sioux Roslawski is a middle school teacher, an author (her book, the historical novel Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story can be ordered through Barnes and Noble or Amazon), and a dog-rescuer. You can read more of her musings by checking out her blog.

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8 comments Bell + Howell Ultrasonic Pest Repellers don't always work, depression, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Sioux Roslawski

I'm Gonna Be (500 Words)

The Proclaimer's song, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), gets me bouncing in the car seat every time I hear it on the car radio. I sing aloud loudly (and off-key). If you're unfortunate enough to never have heard it, I've included it at the end.

The number 500 hit me hard as I floundered for a way to get out of my rut. A friend asked me the other night, "What's going on with your new book?" I was lucky enough to get Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story published last spring, and am halfway through writing the first draft of a screenplay version, but before that--about five years ago--I started another manuscript. It began as a story about a young man (a student of mine) who was a guitarist and ends up channeling Emmett Till. When I got some criticism because my published book was not #OwnVoices, I switched the main character to a young female teen (I used to be one of those, a century or two ago) who suffered from depression (I did and do) who was a cutter (I never was).  I've got 26,000 words down, but it's been gathering dust for a few months.

                                                              image by Pixabay

So when my friend asked, "What's going on with your new book?" I channeled Edwin Starr and his song War when I replied.

"Absolutely nuthin'."

Since I'm obviously in some muddy rut, I looked up some articles about how to get out of one... how to jumpstart my writing again. There were the usual ideas like schedule a writing time every day (I can't do that; my day is always different and I have some sometimes-daily deadlines looming over me), change the viewpoint of the protagonist (did it) or give myself a reward when I make some goals (I already do that, rewarding my sluggish ways. I'll be big as a barn if I up the number of rewards). Then I hit on one that I think could work.

Commit to writing a number of words every day.

Which is where the number 500 came in. This is a goal that I think I can keep up, at least most days, because I can squeeze it in in the morning before I go to work, if I'm not already writing some quiz or worksheet at a furious pace to use that day with my students, or I could work on it before going to bed. Initially, I thought of NaNoWriMo numbers, 1,600 + words a day, but that's unrealistic (for me). 500 words is not even a front and back page. 

And then I returned to a book event I went to this past week. It was cold, but we huddled around a fire pit in a friend's backyard, discussing The Once and Future Witches. Five of us--all women--shared our opinions, our favorite lines, and then we got onto the subject of female power. One writer-reader friend asked each of us, "What witching powers were passed down to you?" When it got to me, the first thing I said was this:

"I was the middle daughter of a woman who gave up two daughters. She gave my older sister (Nancy) up for adoption, and Nancy ended up with a mother who was ashamed she had to adopt. I got parents who told me I was chosen, and made me think they looked at hundreds and hundreds of babies before they picked me. Part of my 'witching powers' was the power that comes from being incredibly wanted."

This morning, I went directly back to the idea of #OwnVoices... and I restarted my dust-covered story. Only this time, the protagonist is a teen who's grappling with their unknown biological past--along with depression. 

26,851 words in my old draft. 141 in my new draft... and as James Brown sang, "I feel good."

Sioux Roslawski is a middle school teacher, a dog rescuer and a novelist. Her first and only book baby (right now) is Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, which can be ordered via Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Sioux's blot is Sioux's Page.

 

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6 comments Edwin Starr, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, James Brown, Sioux Roslawski, The Once and Future Witches, The Proclaimers, writer's block