Rachel Starr Thomson

It’s Friday! To close out this exciting week of blogging, I want to ask you to send me your favourite passages for the Wednesday “Passages” post (read the first one here). Each Wednesday, I’ll be posting a paragraph or two of good writing. You can send a favourite passage from a book you like or something of your own. Email it to me at thomson.rachel@gmail.com, and be sure to let me know where it’s from (author and title of work) and why you like it.

Thanks!

Last week I had the fun experience of hopping on the phone and talking about Soli Deo Gloria Ballet in an interview for JoJo Tabares of Art of Eloquence. The interview will be one of many homeschool graduate interviews during the Say What You Mean Convention, an online event running from Feb. 4-6. The convention is absolutely free and is open to everyone.

Here’s what JoJo says about it:

What is the Say What You Mean Convention?
Former President, Ronald Reagan (born February 6th, 1911) was known as “The Great Communicator”. His vision, strong faith, humor and ability to connect with people changed the world! Art of Eloquence believes that the Lord gives each child that same potential. Our vision is to use humor, hands on activities and God’s Word to teach these same skills to you and your children so that you may unlock the power to Say What You Mean.

Keynote speakers are Jeannie Fulbright of Apologia Science, Karen Braun (Spunky Homeschool), and Lorrie Flem (TEACH Magazine). I encourage you to check it out!

For more information, including a Schedule of Events, visit the convention Web site here.

Virginia Ramsey is one of the key characters in the Seventh World Trilogy. She makes her first appearance in the passage below. This scene is special to me because it was the very first scene written in Worlds Unseen. I jotted it down on a scratchpad when I wasn’t even sure what the story would be about, and from it spun the rest of the tale.

Virginia Ramsey’s hair was a very dark brown. Most of it was on the verge of turning black, but enough of it was near to turning red to make her overall appearance very striking. Her eyes, which could not see, were green.

She spent most of her time sitting cross-legged on top of an outcrop on the side of the mountain, where she could smell the passing of the seasons and hear the birds fly by. The birds thought her a friend, and they would light on her shoulder and whisper to her. Her right hand usually rested on the head of her shaggy old deerhound, who was as deaf as she was blind.

On the side of the mountain, Virginia Ramsey heard all that she ever wished to hear. She heard wind, grass, and the songs of creation. And sometimes, on the side of the mountain, Virginia could see.

excerpt from Worlds Unseen by Rachel Starr Thomson
Click here for a free e-copy of Worlds Unseen!

The Carnival of Homeschooling: Adventure Edition is up at Life on the Road. It’s got a wealth of great posts by, for, about homeschoolers — including a contest announcement for this blog. Check it out here .

Carolyn, my volunteer secretary, has been slogging away for two days now at spreading the contest word in cyberspace. It’s exciting to see interest taking off! So today, I have news.

The correction first: though the old information slighted 14-year-olds dreadfully, they are in fact welcome to participate in the contest. The correct age categories are 11-13, 14-17, and 18 and up. Thanks to Dianne McLean of SHEA for bringing this to my attention!

And the update: we have a new prize! Felice Gerwitz has donated Book 1 of the Truth Seekers Mystery Series, The Missing Link: Found, which was written by Felice and her teenage daughter, Christina, to the prize pool. I’ll be posted more info about the book and its authors before long — in fact, I hope to interview them soon!

Some punctuation marks are prone to misuse; none more so than those three little dots we call an ellipsis, or ellipsis points. In creative writing, ellipsis points are misused almost as often as they are used. Incorrect or excessive use of ellipses is often considered the sign of an amateur, so we shall save ourselves that label by learning the rules.

An ellipsis (which looks like this: . . . ) is properly used to show that words are missing. For example, if I want to quote only part of two lines from Robbie Burns’ “To a Mouse” — these two lines, for the sake of illustration –

The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley

– I can use an ellipsis to show that I’ve taken something out of the quote when I write,

The best laid schemes . . . Gang aft agley.

Thus condensing quotes is the chief task of the ellipsis. It’s very useful in nonfiction writing, where we make liberal use of quotes.

Those who read or write fiction are probably more familiar with the secondary use of this punctuation mark, which is to indicate hesitation or trail off in speech. You should only see the ellipsis used this way in dialogue or first-person narration. For example, “I don’t know . . . are you sure it’s safe?” or “They say it’s dangerous out there . . .”

Many writers have caught on to the ellipsis’ secondary use and have fallen in love with those three little dots, but before you use them, ask yourself if they’re really necessary. Other punctuation often works just as well or better. Dashes and periods, descriptive phrases, or even actions can often do more than an ellipsis would:

“They say it’s dangerous out there.” Colleen swallowed. “But I think — oh, never mind what I think! We’ve got to chance it.”

Avoid the use of ellipses. They have their place, but learning to write without them will make you a sharper, better writer.

A blog for young writers — a place where young writers and other creative types can find inspiration, learning, and community — sound good to you? Great . Because Inklings has finally found its purpose.

The more regularly I’ve blogged, the more Inklings has taken shape as a place for young writers to learn and interact–with each other and with older, more experienced writers and creatives of all stripes. So I’m making it official. If you read this blog on a regular basis, please, feel free to start calling it home.

I plan to blog Monday-Friday every week, and I want to involve YOU regularly — through contests, featured passages (from your favourite books or your own writings), interviews, book reviews, regular writing tips, and more. Whether your writing is a hobby, a school subject, or a potential career, I hope you’ll find much to inspire and educate you here. And if you’re already a successful author, consider this a place to interact and inspire the next generation.

How can you get involved? Start by leaving comments. Link to Inklings or spread the word to others. And feel free to send me anything you want other young writers to see — links, articles, YouTube clips that have to do with writing, pieces from your own work, questions, book reviews, ad infinitum. You can email me at thomson.rachel AT gmail.com.

Curious to see how a book cover is created? Check out this post on Deborah’s new graphics blog, where you can see how the Burning Light cover went from rough sketches to painting to finished cover.

To see more of Deborah’s work on my books, have a look at The Cover Gallery.

Good morning, everyone! Starting today, I am hosting a new writing contest. I’m really excited about this one, so please help me spread the word! All the information is below.

Write a book review—with a twist! Little Dozen Press is sponsoring a new contest for writers ages 11 and up. Review your favourite novel or other work of fiction. In your review, pinpoint a specific writing technique which the author does well, and share what you have learned about writing from reading the book.

The entry deadline is March 15. Winners will receive their choice of book by Rachel Starr Thomson, signed by the author. All entrants who give their permission will have their review published on Inklings, Rachel’s blog for young (and other) writers.

Entries should be emailed to thomson.rachel@gmail.com with “Writing Contest” in the subject line.

Visit Inklings at www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/

Age Categories

Winners will be chosen from three age categories: 11-13, 14-17, and 18 and up.

Guidelines

A review is more than a book report. Your goal in a review is to give an overview of the story, share your opinions, and pinpoint what the writer does especially well. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you write a review for the contest:

• Don’t share the whole story. You want to give readers a sense of the plot without overloading them with details. Especially avoid “spoilers”—giving away surprise plot twists or telling readers how the story ends.
• Make your opinion clear. A review has much in common with a persuasive essay. Your opinions are just as important as the facts, so share your own thoughts about the book.
• Be creative. A review is a piece of creative writing, so don’t be afraid to let your own voice shine!
• Tell us what you learned from the writer. Our special focus in this contest is writing technique. Pay attention to what this writer does well—in plotting, characterization, description, word choice, dialogue, or any other element of storytelling. Give examples. Tell us what you have learned from this writer’s work.
• Reviews of Rachel’s books are not eligible to win—but if you’d like to write one, we’ll be thrilled to publish it! If you review a book written or published by a family member or friend, let us know—we’ll make a special note of it so our readers can learn about the work being done by independent authors and publishers.

Blog Publication

All entries (with permission from their authors) will be published on Inklings, Rachel Starr Thomson’s blog (www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/). Others will be encouraged to comment on them. We hope to start a few discussions about good books and good writing!

Prizes

Three winners will be chosen, one from each age category. Winners will receive a signed copy of one of Rachel Starr Thomson’s books of their own choosing. Rachel’s books include the fantasy novels Worlds Unseen and Burning Light, several devotional works, and Tales of the Heartily Homeschooled.

UPDATE: Felice and Christina Gerwitz’s The Missing Link: Found! Book 1 of the Truth Seekers Mystery Series, has been added to the prize pool. Thanks for your donation, Felice!

UPDATE: Jessica Erskine has donated a copy of Bible Battles, written by Lettice Bell and Jessica Erskine, to be offered as a prize. Thanks, Jessica!

To read excerpts and reviews, see cover art, or learn more about the books, visit www.rachelstarrthomson.com.

Authors and Publishers: Would you like to donate a book to be used as a prize for this contest? Contact me at thomson.rachel@gmail.com.

Today wraps up my first blog tour with CSFF. Thanks everyone for your comments and participation–your answers to my question yesterday are fascinating.

When I first visited Dean’s HiddenLands.net, I was struck by the beginning of his “About Me” page:

Dean Barkley Briggs is an author, father of eight, and prone to twisting his ankle playing basketball. He grew up reading J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Patricia McKillip, Guy Gavriel Kay, Stephen R. Donaldson, Ursula K. Leguin, Susan Cooper, Madeline L’Engle, Terry Brooks, Andre Norton and Lloyd Alexander (just to name a few)…and generally thinks most fantasy fiction pales in comparison. (Yes, he dabbled in  sci-fi, too. Most notably Bradbury, Burroughs and  Heinlein).

Yesterday I asked why you write. One answer which I think holds true for most–if not all–of us is that we write because we read. As children, and now as adults, our ways of imagining and understanding the world are shaped by what we read. Mr. Briggs’ list struck me because it reflected my own reading list as a kid: with the exception of Donaldson (who I didn’t like), Norton (who I haven’t read), McKillip (who I read and liked, but wasn’t hugely struck by) and Kay (who’s a very recent discovery), he’s naming my own formative influences. Add Robin McKinley and Stephen R. Lawhead to the list, and you’re looking at the foundations of my young imagination.

I’ve long thought that I owe a special debt to Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander, neither of whom are household names the way Lewis, Tolkien, or J.K. Rowling are. So it was fun to come across this video on YouTube, wherein Dean Barkley Briggs names and talks about two of his favourite authors … you can probably guess who .

I’ll be blogging about The Book of Names again once I actually get a chance to read the book . In the meantime, I pass the question on to you: Who do you read? Who did you read as a child? Whose work has been most influential in shaping your imagination?