I'm Celebrating! - Story Seeds / Writing Tips

This is a cake from a wonderful librarian in Fort MacLeod many  years (and many books!) ago.  But it speaks to why I can't help celebrating.

I've been so lucky to be a children's author! So much fun writing the books (yes - those labour pains are the easiest things in the world to forget!)  So many, many great editors, publishers, illustrators, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, caregivers, writers, lovers of children's books and -- best of all -- so many great kids!  Of ALL ages. And in all the locations I've been privileged to be invited --- from inner city to outport, prairie grasslands to the far north.

In celebration of fifty titles (including four new ones this year!) for the next three months my Word Magic blog will have weekly postings featuring:
     1) the tiny, real-life seed from which one of my stories grew
     2) a writing tip that helped that idea become a finished story.

And yes - in one way it's a bit of navel-gazing.  My own private "Hazel retrospective".  But I also hope there will be something there for others  ----  for students, teachers, librarians, parents, writers and anyone who loves children's books. 

The entries will be short... just enough to remind us all of the wonderful "possibility" of story...the small seeds from which they might grow, the sometimes surprising ways in which they can be encouraged.

Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.  Drop by whenever you wish.  Or sign-in and "join" the blog to be automatically entered in a monthly draw for five Hazel Hutchins titles (March, April and May 2013).

The first post will be Wednesday March 6th - which by happy coincidence is World Read Aloud Day!  And I'll be posting once a week on  Wednesday for the next four months. 

Story Seeds / Writing Tips
At "Word Magic"  
(http://hazelhutchins.blogspot.ca/)

And, most of all, thank you .... everyone!