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Friday, September 5, 2014

A New Season of Writing ~By Kathy Halsey, Janie Reinart and Suzy Leopold

Don the new lenses over those peepers, GROG readers. Time to go back to school, back to cool. Sunglasses as our logo...gone. Not setting alarm...gone. But cool new "nerdy" glasses, yup that's us. Ready for a close up of collective curiosity? That's us, your GROGers. 

What IS here is sharpened pencils echoing sharper minds...with a definite point. As writers, we need to know our direction, our theme, our new school year resolutions. Yup, it's time to sharpen up our writing, time to delve into craft, maybe even delve into a new genre. 


School may be near or far, depending on your perspective.


From the Desk of Kathy
  Actually, I cleaned up my desk for this shoot. (If this is clean, you shoulda seen it before!)  A new school year means pushing aside clutter and old things and finding something new. We have new foci and news galore for you this  new season. Several of us now have agents. Several of us have nuggets to share about great summer retreats and conferences we attended. We hope you will share your summer news, too, in your comments.

So Happy New School Year! With the new you in a new do or view, I challenge you to do a few risky things, Hey, I am doing them, too. Try a new genre - what can you lose? I am attempting a middle grade and a board book which was inspired by the birth of my granddaughter Rosie. Read a new craft book. I confess I have not read Bird by Bird by Ann Lamont, but we are taking it up on FB in the Word by Word Book Club group, Join us. Finally, make new writer friends this new year. Find out their fav books, their preferred genres, and if they'd swap an ms with you. Bound to energize you. So let's move on to another GROGer and friend, 
 who energizes me... Janie Reinart.


From the desk of Janie


Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious (WRITING) life?
~with thanks to Mary Oliver
 



Make everyday a writing day, with Judy Reeve's A Writer's Book of Days. Named one of the five hottest writing books by Writer's Digest, get going with prompts, inspiration, tips, and techniques. New seasons equals new goals. Even if you set your timer for ten minutes a day. Sit down and write! Post your goals in the comment section. 
 

 Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and the pupil are located in the same individual.~ Arthur Koestler




Get inspired with Patti Digh's book Creative is a Verb. "This book is for everyone who courageously creates their life as a work of art, sometimes beautiful, sometimes messy, sometimes painful, sometimes mundane, and always an expression of their unique vision." As life long learners, we grow everyday. We learn from each other. Share with us your favorite books on writing. 

From the desk of Suzy
Suzy Scribes
The calendar page for the month of September is now on display as the new month is well under way. 
September 2014
The Season of Autumn
The last hurrah of summer was celebrated during the Labor Day weekend.  School bells began ringing in August for many students. This week, additional eager, excited learners are seated in classrooms throughout the nation. 

Time for a new season with Back to School.  Time for the first day of Autumn on September 21st. With a new season, comes a new look and focus for our GROG Blog. 
Ride, Suzy, Ride.

Time for a New Season of Writing as we post about the following topics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday:

  • Interviews with the GROGgers 
  • Guest Posts
  • Reading, Writing Teaching and Learning
  • Book Reviews and Recommendations
  • Travel Tales
  • Writing Conferences & Workshops
  • Top Ten Lists
  • How To for the Craft of Writing
  • Prizes and Contests
Read, write and create every day.
And so much more! We are great folks who care about readers and writers. Join us for this new season.

23 comments:

  1. Looking forward to a new year with GROG! Kathy, is the Word by Word Book Club by invitation only? I Googled it, and was unable to find it.

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    1. Pat, I found the Word by Word Book Club by searching within Facebook. It is a closed group, but if you send a request to join, I'm sure Kathy can strong arm them to let you in. ;-)

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    2. Pat: Looks like you may already have an answer. One can request to participate in the excellent book studies with Meg Miller. Yep, same last name as yours! https://www.facebook.com/groups/536519409761124/ ~Suzy

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  2. After a summer of craziness in our house, I'm glad to be back to business and ready to GROG!

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    1. Patty: May the new season bring opportunities for time to write with less cRaZiNeSs that Summer brought your way ! ; ]

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    2. Patricia, I still have happy chaos going on as I am visiting grand-kids with one on the way any day now! So exciting. I am looking forward to settling in and writing!

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  3. I'm waiting for those cool, crisp mornings that let me know Fall is here. However, the start of a new school year brings such feelings of renewal and hope. There is so much promise in the 5-10 year olds I work with ever day. I just realized that I have been in classrooms of one type or another for the past forty years. I can't imagine September without new pencils, scratchy new shirts, and shoes that need to be broken in. I hope those of you who are not in schools are able to find that sense of newness in your lives. This is going to be a tremendous year for GROGgers and our readers. I loved seeing the desks of the writers of this post. I think we should include that with each of our interviews.

    GROG on!

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    1. Yes, Tood, I get back-to-school" remorse about this time of the year. I love the excitement everyone has. In Bexley OH, where Bob & I lived of for 12 years before th emote to AZ, parents walked their kids to the elementariness. There were only 3 elementary schools and it was like a holiday. So special.

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    2. Todd: So looking forward to a new season with less Summer heat and humidity, along with fabulous foliage. I always appreciate the change that each of the four seasons bring in the Midwest. While living in Texas, our family experienced two seasons: hot and hotter! ; ] May you, and your students, grow, learn and achieve success during the 14 ~15 school year.

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    3. Todd, I always look to each new season as a hopeful time of writing and starting anew! Doesn't your heart just go pitty pat with new index cards and crayons and notebooks and.......

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  4. Janie & Kathy: Thank you for being a threesome with me for a new season of writing. ~Suzy

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    1. My honor to write w/you wonderful ladies.

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    2. It's a party being with you two-Kathy and Suzy! Thank you!!

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  5. Even tho I retired a year ago, September always means new beginnings. Looking forward to what you'all will bring us this year! Great post! Love those desks. (Dare not show mine! lol)

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    1. Come on, we wanna see it, Beverly Baird.

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    2. Beverley: I agree with you. Even though I, too, am not returning to school this year, the "Back to School Season" is a new beginning. Thank you for reading our GROG post. ~Suzy

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  6. Gearing up for a great fall lineup of writer helps and hints. We are all life-long learners, whether in or out of school. Pencils sharpened, computers revved up, notes in order, files at the reach, and our writing caps set jauntily on our heads. Ready. Set. Write.

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    1. Sherri: It truly is so important to be a life long learner. I believe in growing, learning, reading, writing and creating every day. ~Suzy

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    2. Sherri and Suzy, It's wonderful that our parents instilled that love of learning in us!! And love of books--which leads to love of writing--which leads full circle to love of reading and learning!

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  7. Fun post, especially seeing your desks! I love your enthusiasm for back to school writing!

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    1. Thank you Tina. What does your desk look like? :)

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  8. Tina: You and your kids must be busy with school in session once again. Enjoy reading and writing. Thank you.

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