Kathleen Benner Duble's Blog

Hi Everyone:  Due to my schedule, I will no longer be posting on this blog.  If you'd like to reach me or hear news of my upcoming books, please check out my website:  www.kathleenduble.com
Thanks, Kathleen Duble

Hi Everyone:  Due to my schedule, I will no longer be posting on this blog.  If you'd like to reach me or hear news of my upcoming books, please check out my website:  www.kathleenduble.com
Thanks, Kathleen Duble

Stone Soup is a magazine written by kids.  So if you are an aspiring writer, why not take the time to write something wonderful and try and get it published here!!!  In order to have a story considered by the magazine, you must be 13 years of age or younger.  There is a 2500 word maximum but no minimum word count for your story.  And if they decide to publish you, they will pay you $40.  But even better is seeing your work in print.              

You can find all the rules for submitting your work here:  http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-c...

If you are an illustrator, they accept art work for consideration too.  Or if you are just interested
in being a reviewer, they are anxious to find kids willing to do book reviews.

There are lots of ways to get published thanks to Stone Soup.  So why not give it a try?

Stone Soup is a magazine written by kids.  So if you are an aspiring writer, why not take the time to write something wonderful and try and get it published here!!!  In order to have a story considered by the magazine, you must be 13 years of age or younger.  There is a 2500 word maximum but no minimum word count for your story.  And if they decide to publish you, they will pay you $40.  But even better is seeing your work in print.              

You can find all the rules for submitting your work here:  http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-c...

If you are an illustrator, they accept art work for consideration too.  Or if you are just interested
in being a reviewer, they are anxious to find kids willing to do book reviews.

There are lots of ways to get published thanks to Stone Soup.  So why not give it a try?

 GREAT FIRST LINES:

Who can forget that first great line of Charlotte's Web? 

'"Where's Papa going with that ax?" said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.'

Immediately, we are intrigued.  Where is Fern's father going?  Why would a father walk around with an ax?  Before breakfast?

Great first lines pull a reader in, make them want to continue reading your work. 

Consider this first line from Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White:  "Around 5:00a.m. on a warm Sunday morning in October 1953, my Aunt Belle left her bed and vanished from the face of the earth."

Wow, how can you not keep reading this after this opening sentence? 

Or from Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman:  "12th Day of September.  I am commanded to write an account of my days:  I am bit by fleas and plagued by family.  That is all there is to say."

Already, we, as readers, appreciate that our main character, Birdy, is irreverent and has a great sense of humor. 

First sentences are your way as a writer to capture your audience's attention quickly.  So take time when you begin your story.  A great first line may mean the difference between readers who can't wait to read on and ones who quickly put down your work.

 GREAT FIRST LINES:

Who can forget that first great line of Charlotte's Web? 

'"Where's Papa going with that ax?" said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.'

Immediately, we are intrigued.  Where is Fern's father going?  Why would a father walk around with an ax?  Before breakfast?

Great first lines pull a reader in, make them want to continue reading your work. 

Consider this first line from Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White:  "Around 5:00a.m. on a warm Sunday morning in October 1953, my Aunt Belle left her bed and vanished from the face of the earth."

Wow, how can you not keep reading this after this opening sentence? 

Or from Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman:  "12th Day of September.  I am commanded to write an account of my days:  I am bit by fleas and plagued by family.  That is all there is to say."

Already, we, as readers, appreciate that our main character, Birdy, is irreverent and has a great sense of humor. 

First sentences are your way as a writer to capture your audience's attention quickly.  So take time when you begin your story.  A great first line may mean the difference between readers who can't wait to read on and ones who quickly put down your work.

DO YOU LOVE POETRY?  WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR POEM PUBLISHED ONLINE?



THEN CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE:
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/poetr...



PBS HAS AN ONLINE SITE WHERE YOU CAN WRITE A POEM AND SEE IT INCLUDED IN FERN'S POETRY CLUB.

SO FIND A NICE SPOT, GRAB A PEN, CURL UP AND WRITE A POEM.  THEN SUBMIT IT AND SHOW YOUR FAMILIES YOUR POEM ONLINE!

DO YOU LOVE POETRY?  WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR POEM PUBLISHED ONLINE?



THEN CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE:
http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/poetr...



PBS HAS AN ONLINE SITE WHERE YOU CAN WRITE A POEM AND SEE IT INCLUDED IN FERN'S POETRY CLUB.

SO FIND A NICE SPOT, GRAB A PEN, CURL UP AND WRITE A POEM.  THEN SUBMIT IT AND SHOW YOUR FAMILIES YOUR POEM ONLINE!

KIDS ARE AUTHORS! A PICTURE BOOK CONTEST SPONSORED BY SCHOLASTIC!!!

Calling all aspiring picture book writers!  Scholastic is sponsoring a picture book contest for kids! 

Are you an author and an illustrator?  Then this is the contest for you!  Here is a chance for you to create a book and see it published.

The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2014  - so there's plenty of time for you to get creative.

Guidelines for the contest can be found at:  http://kidsactivities.about.com/gi/o....

Good luck and happy writing!

MY FAVORITE WORD
On a recent school visit, I was asked a question that I couldn't answer.  This is rather surprising as I am rarely at a loss for words (as my profession and most of my friends will tell you).  But I was stumped at that moment for a response.

It took several days of pondering after I'd left the school to come up with an honest answer.

So what was the question?  - "What is your favorite word?"

Now, as an author, I've been asked frequently about my favorite book, my favorite character, my favorite food, my favorite color and even my favorite school to visit, but never my favorite word.  As a writer - by definition a lover of words - how could I possibly choose just one?  Was that even plausible?  The query haunted me.  I kept thinking of a word and then eliminating it for another word. 

Finally, after a lot of thought, I realized what my favorite word is - WHY.

Why, you may ask, is that my all time preferred word?

Well, first off, the word brings back some lovely memories.  I remember my girls being aged two and following me around like ducklings, the word "why?" tripping off their tongue every time something puzzled them about their emerging world.  I loved that time.  I loved explaining and teaching them.  So in terms of positive association, the word has that going for it.

But more importantly, I realized that as an author, the word "why" basically encapsulates my job.  We must ask ourselves this word at every turn.  Why is our character behaving like this?  Why does this sentence not work?  Why is this chapter moving too slowly?  Why did these events in history occur?  Why are people motivated in a certain fashion?  Why is my story set in this place?

It is a huge part of my job to ask myself "why" all the time as I write and research.  Without asking "why", I would flounder and stagnate as a writer.

And the word "why" provides many amazing answers.  By asking why, an author gets to know her character better.  I get to understand why certain events in the past led to a war or a revolution or crisis of faith.  I edit and cut to a more perfect piece of writing.

So there is my answer to that 2nd grade student.  WHY is my favorite word.

And if you don't agree --- ask yourself why!