Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Middle Grade Surprises

Recently I got some exciting packages in the mail.

One was from the Middle Grade Mafioso, Michael Gettel-Gilmartin, with a copy of the middle grade novel, Second Fiddle by Rosanne Parry. I can hardly wait to read this!

I was delighted to find out I'd won Michael's contest. His blog is a great resource for reviews of good middle grade books as well as bits and pieces of interest to middle grade writers.



My second surprise package was a cool mystery box from Elisa Ludwig, author of the YA novel,  Pretty Crooked, courtesy of  Sleuths, Spies and Alibis.

I was thrilled to find out I'd won their contest. Sleuths, Spies and Alibis is a great resource for writers of children's and YA mysteries. They feature books, as well as lots of writing tips and exercises for writers.

My teenaged daughter mentioned how much fun it is to get a package in the mail, because waiting for it is part of the excitement. Even though kids are used to the instant communcation we have these days, I know both of of my kids appreciate finding things addressed to them in the mailbox - magazines, packages, even cards and letters. There's something about the thrill of opening that package, a special surprise just for them!

Have you ever included a mystery package or letter in one of your novels? I'm thinking I should!

6 comments:

  1. I want to let you know that because of your friendly reminder about how cool it is to get unexpected mail, I drove over the post office and put a box full of Easter candy (complete with chocolate bunny) in the mail for my son at college! Now to work a surprise package into my WIP somehow.... :-)

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    1. Awww! That's so sweet (sorry, I wasn't trying to be funny).

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  2. I haven't done that yet - but it does sound like a great idea! That could take the plot in dozens of directions :)

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    1. Yeah, there are lots of possibilities [she scurries off to brainstorm in her writing notebook].

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  3. Congrats on the surprise packages, Andrea. :-) Always fun!

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