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Cathy C. Hallhttps://cathychall.wordpress.com/I write, write, write. Then I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. THEN I submit all those polished-up words out into the world and sell 'em. It's a plan that's worked pretty well.

What Not to Do Wednesday Looks at Attending Book Festivals

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Okay, yes, Clyde Edgerton and the big book festival have packed up and left town now. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a few lessons, grasshopper, on how one should go about “doing” a big three-day event.
Maybe you thought you would drive to the venue and find a great parking place. Next time, take whatever public transportation is available in your neighborhood. I learned my lesson from last year when I pulled into a parking garage that was FULL and had to pay five bucks to get out. So, this time around, I was smarta and took MARTA.
And don’t whine because you arrived extra early (like I did) and stood in line (like I did) so that you could see your favorite author, Bailey White (like I did) only to find out that there was no room left in the venue. Because you’re bound to find another author, right around the corner, just as funny (like I did)! In fact, I found three authors: John T. Edge, Clyde Edgerton and John Egerton. And seriously, those guys were a hoot and a half! (I think I just got a little paradoxical there.) So don’t get all bent out of shape if you can’t see the one you love. Love the author you’re with, grasshopper. Like I did with good old John Egerton, there. Or is that John T. Edge? Um, well, that guy in the picture, whoever he is, was darn entertaining!

And do not judge a talk by its title. Because, frankly, I was not too keen when I saw “Of Hissy Fits and Hairdos.” But Celia Rivenbark made me laugh out loud. And Doug Crandall, who was stuck in that room with all that estrogen, made me laugh out loud, too.

And if you were silly enough not to wear decent walking shoes for trekking up one end of Decatur to the next… well, honestly, grasshopper, that’s exactly how a hissy fit gets started. Right, Doug?

SCBWI Is Calling

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Everytime SCBWI has a new contest, I get sucked in again. I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for a free membership. I should probably just pay the bucks for the membership and be done with it. But that’s too easy. I’d rather win it.

So here’s what you have to do this time around: Write a scene, in 75 words or less, of your character’s excuse for not getting his/her assignment completed. It’s that old “Dog ate my homework” excuse, but with your own special twist.

And if the SCBWI folks like it, you win a year’s free membership! If they don’t like it, well, you’ve spent an hour or so obsessing over 75 words when you could have been working. But you’ve flexed those mental muscles while you were at it.

That’s my excuse for wasting an hour. (Check out the contest details here and come up with your own excuse.)