Tag: authors

Names

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

We all know the names of Pippi, Ramona, Winnie, Sherlock, Charlie Bucket, Harry Potter, and many more.

Character names represent more than a word on a piece of paper. The name of the character comes to life and becomes a real person throughout a novel.

Authors take great care in naming their characters. The ideas can come from many sources and places of inspiration.

In my children’s book, Turtle Tube: An Erutuf National Park Novel, I selected the names of Reese and Dean by using my children’s middle names. Reese and Dean fit their characters really well.

I based other characters’ names on their personalities and characteristics. I even changed a name at one point. Olivia was originally named Eva. In the editing process, I discovered that Eva and Emma were too similar of names to have in this book. I couldn’t imagine changing Emma, so opted to change Eva to Olivia.

I’m working on the second book in this series and need a name for a 5 year old boy character. I decided to ask for some help and who else best to help than a class of children. 🙂 A local fourth grade class agreed to help and all wrote down name suggestions on pieces of paper for me to review.

I love the suggestions! I am really impressed how serious the students took this task and wanted to help.

Thank you to Mrs. Anderson’s class for all these thoughtful and creative suggestions!

Dewey Decimal System

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy Dewey Decimal System Day!

Melvil Dewey was born on this day in 1851. In 1873, he invented the most widely used library classification system called the Dewey Decimal System. It was first published in the United States in 1876. It is used today in more than 140 countries and translated into more than 30 different languages.

The system places the books on the shelf by subject using numbers from 000 to 999. It is called “Decimal” because it uses numbers to the right of the decimal point for more detail. Each subject has its own set of numbers.

I looked up my thesis book at my university’s library and it’s number is 361.4 A756a1999. The 300’s contains the classification of social sciences.

To celebrate this day, go to the library, look at the call number on your book, and know that this system was created back in 1873!

Madeleine L’Engle

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy birthday to Madeleine L’Engle born on this day in 1918 in New York.

Madeleine L’Engle was an American writer of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry including such great works as A Wrinkle in Time.

Did you know that publishers rejected A Wrinkle in Time at least 26 times for being “too different” and for “dealing with the problem of evil”? It’s hard imagine this unique book not being published! To celebrate her birthday, read of her great pieces of work.

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle

Happy birthday also to my better half today also celebrating this day! 😉

Edits and Treats

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

I’m working hard on my book edits right now. I’m dreaming about commas, hyphens, and semi-colons these days. 🙂 I am getting excited about the progress and really can’t wait for it to come out!

To stay focused on my manuscript and the edits, I indulge in a fun candy. Cinnamon red hots! Yes, the little red round candies often associated with Valentine’s Day. I pour out a few on my desk. I eat the candies one at a time while reviewing paragraph by paragraph. I only allow myself to eat these goodies during my writing time. It’s my own little reward.

What treats do you enjoy to stay focused at work? We all deserve a treat for working hard.

Back to my edits.

Read Across America Day

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy Read Across America Day!

Launched in 1998 by the National Education Association (NEA), Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading.

Share with your littles and enjoy Author Kelly Starling Lyons read her book, Tiara’s Hat Parade, aloud by clicking here for the video.

Happy reading today!

Peter Pan Day

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy Peter Pan Day or really, J.M. Barrie’s birthday!

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

J. M. Barrie authored “Peter Pan” as a play first in 1904 and then as a novel in 1911.  Cheers to this Scottish author and playwright for creating such a memorable set of characters and story!

To celebrate, make some pixie dust, go on an adventure, tell a good story, battle a pirate, and act like a kid! Or pick up the original book and read it today!

Happy Peter Pan Day!

“To live will be an awfully big adventure.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Winnie the Pooh Day 🍯

Published on by Kathy Cherry1 Comment

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh Day was created to celebrate the creator’s birthday, A.A. Milne. Milne was born on this day in 1882 in London, England. Milne brought this adorable, honey-loving, bear to life in his writings in a collection of books first published in 1926.

Milne’s lovable Pooh Bear is a fictional bear inspired by a black bear named Winnie who lived at the London Zoo during World War I. The author’s son, Christopher Robin, would visit the bear often at the zoo and named his own teddy bear after her.

Milne created other characters in these books, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, and Roo, after his son’s other stuffed animals.

I so remember enjoying Winne the Pooh as a young girl and love seeing my own children enjoy these lovable characters.

Winnie the Pooh continues today to inspire and entertain many fans throughout the world.

To celebrate this fun day, go and enjoy a Winne the Pooh book, enjoy some honey, snuggle one of your stuffed animals, host a picnic, draw your house in the woods, or even bounce around the room a bit. 😉

“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” ~ Winnie the Pooh ☀️

😍❤️🍯

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!

Published on by Kathy Cherry3 Comments

Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 in England.  She authored six books and these books continue to be revered today. Her books include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey, and Mansfield Park.

Jane’s father encouraged her writing back then and even bought her expensive paper and pencils even when the family needed the extra money. She used her father’s library frequently by reading lots of books.

I distinctly remember reading Pride and Prejudice many, many years ago. I loved that book! I dreamt about meeting my own Mr. Darcy some day. But, I also remember Jane’s great sense of wit and wisdom in her writing throughout her novels.

Enjoy a few quotes from Jane Austen’s works:

“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.”
― Sense and Sensibility

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! — When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
― Pride and Prejudice

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
― Northanger Abbey 

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”
― Pride and Prejudice

To celebrate her birthday, go out and read (or reread) one of her great books!

 

National Author’s Day

Published on by Kathy CherryLeave a comment

Happy National Author’s Day!  Today celebrates American authors and the books they write.

Some records show that in 1928, Nellie Verne Burt McPherson had an idea of setting aside a day to celebrate American authors. McPherson wrote a fan letter to fiction writer, Irving Bacheller, telling him how much she enjoyed reading his story. Upon receiving her letter, Bacheller sent her an autographed copy of another story.  McPerson decided to show her appreciation by submitting an idea for a National Author’s Day to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. They passed a resolution declaring November 1 as a day to honor American writers.

About 20 years later, the United States Department of Commerce recognized this day in 1949 and we have celebrated it since then.

So, celebrate authors today by purchasing one of their books or checking one out of the library. You can also write (or tweet) them a thank you for their stories.