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Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Yes, we are busy in so many ways. I tend to have a lot of family obligations at this time and it slows the flow of my work. I’ve learned this secret: It’s really all about chipping away a little at a time. You can do this!

Today’s we have two high fives from sisters: Catherine Gilbert Murdoch, author of a number of great books: Princess Ben and Dairy Queen, and her sister Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love.

Yep, a creative family can help you on your journey. These sisters have tossed down some wonderful literary stuff. How cool is that?

I hope that you have someone in your family that is just as on fire for creative pursuits as you. (I know not everyone has a natural creative family, your family is the people you love, group with, and grow with, not necessarily born to.) It’s nice to journey with folks like that. I hope you take some time today be thankful for your creative family. I know I am.

Come back tomorrow for more of the Golden Coffee Cup!

Today's quote is a blessing. I'm big on blessings. Words have power. Never doubt it. I thought I'd say a little traditional Irish blessing over us all for this day in the road.

May you always be blessed
with walls for the wind,
a roof for the rain,
a warm cup of tea by the fire,
laughter to cheer you,
those you love near you,
and all that your heart might desire.

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

I hope that you are enjoying the rhythm of the work. We are near a holiday, a tough spot on a journey. We have lots of obligations. Breathe. Think about the plan and move forward with boldness.

Today's high five comes from one of my cheery friends, the ever optimistic Kathy Whitehead.



You might want to check out her book, ART FROM HER HEART. She’s here today to offer some useful advice about how to keep the home fires burning. In Kathy’s words:

Here is a quote to help you on. Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles. Helen Keller

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Oh, yay, three weeks! It's downhill from here. Let momentum help you along. Let me know how it's going, and I will do some snapping.

Here is a "a leaning on the table" high five from a man of curious mayhem, Phillip Reeve.



It’s hard for me to fully understand that this very proper looking gentlemen is the mind behind some intense books, like the Mortal Engines quartet, the Larklight Trilogy, and Fever Crumb. His books are all-night nail biters. He splashes droll and tender moments, making for riveting reads. Did I mention that he does this in these complex fully realized worlds? I can’t put the stuff down. Oh, I have lost so much sleep.

So today, spin it, folks! Throw those characters off cliffs. Toss them into rough seas. Shoot them into orbit. See if that doesn’t get you on the road to speedier goal achievement.

As you move forward. Don’t hold back. Leap! Mix it up. See those flashlights flipping on at night. Take the big risks! Come back tomorrow as I continue to cheer us on to the end.

That's the trouble with a story spinner. You never know what's real and what's made up. Even when they are telling the truth, they can't stop themselves from spinning it into something better; something prettier, with more of a pattern to it.
— Philip Reeve (Here Lies Arthur)

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Today’s "fist bump" high five comes from West Seattle author Conrad Wesselhoeft and his lovely daughter Jen:


Here are a few tasty shots of coffee from Conrad that I lifted off some of my manuscripts.(I am so blessed to have such a talented author write such helpful stuff on my manuscripts.)

Here's a first bit:

I’m concerned that the early paragraphs read more like a “telling” than a “showing.” Not that this is wrong--because the voice is so strong. Also, "telling" leads have been used to powerful effect by many successful YA writers. (This is classic Conrad; you can tell if you want but you better be brilliant.)

And more: On the other hand, your character seems bent on communicating a whirlwind of information right away. I'm not sure we need so much so soon. Information that might be better served as a full-blown scene. Would that scene be stronger if expanded, with full dialogue?

How about this great advice: I like this line’s snap and clarity: “I’m about fractals. They mirror life to me. …” These lines are good enough to open the book with. You have a good lead as is, but give it some thought.

or this:
Watch out for passive voice. A little's OK, but not more than that.

or this: Because this one line raises hairs on the arm, consider making this the end of a chapter, or at least a chapter break.

and last a cup of you-are-getting-there golden hot stuff:

Molly, I like where you're going with this. I want your character to go out in the world and become transformed. As a reader, I want to go with her. Others will, too.

I’ve had the honor of not only being Conrad’s friend but for a long time showing up at libraries and bookstores and bringing pages and spending hours going over our work making it stronger, better, richer. What a gift.

I hope these notes help you see the power of not going alone today. You are with friends. Keep working and come back for more of the hot java.

And here is a quote from his recently released novel. This one will really warm you up:

By itself, the moon rising is nothing. It's cliche. But the girl falling asleep and missing the moonrise is everything. It blasts the poem with pain and possibilities. Figure out what those possibilities are and you've got a poem. That's the secret -- to close your hand on jagged glass, then open it and find a butterfly. Conrad Wesselhoeft (Adios, Nirvana)

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.
Let me know how it's going and I will offer you some coveted holy snappin'. You are at the halfway mark!

Today's high-five comes from visionary film maker: Paul Michael Gordon. He created the book trailer for Holly Cupala’s TELL ME A SECRET, nominated for School Library Journal’s first Trailee award. Check out his brand of film-making.



Uh, umm, Paul, uh, hmm, there is just no high-five in your photo, but it is somehow inspiring. I believe in film-making this next photo is called a stand-in. Here is a double high-five from two pandas that can follow instructions...


And now an energizing thought from Paul for your creative journey:Pandas are just bears with right-brained fur. Put on your panda suit.

Here is another bit of motivating advice from Paul: M&M's for breakfast, Red Bull for lunch and some healthy exercise to the fridge is what keeps me creative. Oh, and don't forget the cold pizza.

All kidding aside, Paul is just one of the most positive people I know. If he even thinks a negative thought I’m pretty sure he wrestles it down like Godzilla taking out Mothra. I mean, you are never going to reach your goal if you can’t get some “positiveness” going. Open up! You can do this! You can complete your goal. Go, Golden Coffee Cupper, go! I think I like your hat, too.

See you tomorrow with more of the hot stuff.

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Yay, you have completed two weeks of the Golden Coffee Cup! You totally rock. Snap! Snap! Snap!

Today I pause all reality and return to my roots. My first journey as a writer began in back in the 8th grade with my friends Suzanne W. and Patricia H. We wrote Star Trek scripts at lunch time. I’m never going to be too old or too good for Star Trek.

Today’s double sworded high five comes from Lieutenant Barclay of the Enterprise.

I picked him because I know if I was on the Enterprise, he would be one of my friends. I’d be one of the awkward folks who really doesn’t fit in on a starship, but I’d manage to save the Enterprise every time push comes to shove because that just how I roll.

Don’t let go of your inner child. Let her live. Let that child romp around in your work. See what happens. Keep going!!!!

Today’s Quote: Live long and prosper! Theodore Sturgeon

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Today’s confident on the hip high five comes from Edward Stratemeyer.


My guess is you have no idea who this is. Eddie is the brainchild behind Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and boatload of other popular series that have been a mainstay on the entertainment. My favorite will always be the Bobbsey Twins. He wrote about 1300 books for kids. Yes, that is a lot of books.

Perhaps something is stewing in you is going to spring up an entire industry in the children’s book field. Think about being a risk taker as you move forward with your goal. Those who play it safe rarely get what they want. Go ahead, take a leap to day. See where it leads you.

Keep working. Today’s coffee is practically a double of shot of energy.

A quote to consider:

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order to things. - Niccolo Machiavelli

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Today’s high five comes from award-winner film-maker Christopher Nolan.

I’m like, keep throwing awards at the guy! Oh, my gosh, if you have not seen his movie, INCEPTION, you might want to give that peek. I loved this movie. It was one of those original stories that lets the audience enter into the storytelling. This film is going to mean different things to different people. It’s going to mean different things to me when I watch it the second time through. I’m not going to totally spoil it for you by dropping details, but this story is elegant, funny, heart rending, magical, philosophical, and intense.

I hope that you let ambiguity into your work today. Make it purposeful. Let it season your work. Let it offer great depths to your goals.

Seize the day. See you back tomorrow for more of the hot stuff.

Think on this quote: Insist upon yourself. Be original. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Today’s high five comes from an up Saguaro cactus!



Doesn’t this cactus seem sentient? I mean I see sassiness in that plant. Open up wide. Let the natural world flow into your work. Take time to take a walk and notice the world around you.

Fifteen minutes can make a huge difference. I like to take a camera because it helps me see the world around me. Make sure that you engage all your senses as you walk. The natural world can bring powerful energy to our stories. Take time to let that happen.

Keep working toward your goal! I hope you got a huge charge of energy today from the nature. I hope your works are popping. Snap! Snap! Snap!

Today’s quote: We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls. Mother Teresa

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.It’s impossible to pick my favorite voice, but one I like is Robert Frost. Here is a Frost high five.



My, it looks like he has a good story to tell Jackie. I loved Frost as a teenager, but now as middle-aged gal, I love him more. I didn’t get his irony when I was a young girl. I totally get it now. I hope you infuse your work with deep meaning. Don’t be afraid for things to mean one thing to some, another to others. I hope that you are working hard. I hope that you are finding your way. You are an original voice. Let it shine out. Who knows who will be moved by your original voice?

See you tomorrow for more hot java.

Sometimes I have my doubts of words altogether, and I ask myself what is the place of them. They are worse than nothing unless they do something; unless they amount to deeds, as in ultimatums or battle-cries. They must be flat and final like the show-down in poker, from which there is no appeal. My definition of poetry (if I were forced to give one) would be this: words that become deeds. Robert Frost

Read all about the Golden Coffee Cup here. That title quote comes from the LORD OF THE RINGS. I am a serious fan. Yes, we are getting major power today. Today's high five comes from a guy who loved trees, J. R. R. Tolkien.



Tolkien was just one of the bravest writers ever. He invented an entire world, and added on an entire language on his journey to an authentic story. I hope that you take courage for your great journey today. I hope that you reach out for grand vistas. Don’t be afraid.

I know you are busy with goals but if you have a few minutes you might read this awesome article ON FAIRY STORIES by Tolkien.

Come back tomororw for more hot java! Snap! Snap! Snap!

And last up. Here's some energy for you if you don't think your work is sparkling, if you feel like you are wandering, if you are getting older and still haven't found the success you've wanted, if you feel like you and your work are out in the cold. I love this little bit from THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS:

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost. J. R. R. Tolkien.

HOW TO MAKE A GOOD GOAL FOR THE GOLDEN COFFEE CUP.

Put on your thinking caps. You need to make a really good goal. Keep it simple. Complicated goals tend to get tossed. Be reasonable. How long would it take you to get in shape for a marathon run? Give yourself that much time if you have a big goal. Keep it real, folks.

If you can't make a deal with yourself to make a goal, well, you need to work on that. Discipline is about practice. Try making four 1 week goals. You have to think about the amount of work, but be aware of the amount of time you have available. There is still no way to stop time. Your goal needs to jive with the time you have available. I am serious.

Goals are just that, not another reason to kick yourself, not another reason to eat that tub of chocolate brownie caramel fudge ice cream, not another reason to say that you are just a big mess up. My advice, if you are caught in this glue, go talk to someone. OK?

So now that you have settled on reason itself, put a pen to paper and write down your most awesome goal. Next, start preparing yourself for success.
Most of all, have fun!

SO WHAT IS THE GOLDEN COFFEE CUP?

In honor of National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO), I have a little event on my blog for anyone one who needs an extra boost of motivation to get their current project rolling.

The Golden Coffee Cup is for children's content creators. Artists, writers, if you fit the bill this is for you.

The Golden Coffee Cup is a different kind of motivational thingy.

THE RULES: 1. Post your November creative goals on blog by Nov 1. I'll make sure all goals are moved to the November 1st post so were all on the same page. Nov 1 at midnight is the deadline, folks.

2. Come back daily for general cheering, inspiring, and wild ruckus. We'll work hard and do some holy snappin'. For extra motivation, virtual celebrity guests will be on hand to offer high fives for your achievements!

3. If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post your story on my blog, and you will receive your Golden Coffee Cup jpg. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to me([email protected]), and I'll email your Golden Coffee Cup. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation.

4. EXTRA EXTRA Incentive! Write a great post and you might win real coffee! I will select the four best goal stories, and the winner will receive a STARBUCKS card for a cup of coffee. I do the judging and it is wholly subjective. You do not have to be my friend to win. Really, honestly, cross my heart hope to die stick a needle in my eye.

OPPORTUNITY to featured in the Golden Coffee Cup.

A quote for the week: First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end. Aristotle

Ah, April! This month my series is going to be "April showers, bring May flowers." I'm going to chat about prewriting. The stuff you got to do to do the stuff.

Something about Ernest Hemingway has always provoked me. He really lived a dynamic life. Not one that I wholly admire, but one that I see was a great breeding ground for vast stories. He, like many artists I've known, was feeling a lot of pain from living -- a sort of live wire sparking and electrocuting, dangerous. To write you must live.

So many writers, famous figures in history to friends I've known, there is this common thread -- they are all so damaged. Now you may be a writer and not be damaged (yet). I honestly don't think you can make it through life without dings, dents, cracks, and breaks. The sooner you embrace that you will have to do this writing from the shattered places with a basket under your arm to help you pick up the pieces, the better. Understand that all this shaping from the winds of time is what is driving your stories.

Let living, the glory and the pain of it, guide you and enrich you. And for those that share my belief in a power greater than the swirling galaxies, the loving heart of the universe, God with us, Emmanuel, the Christ, let that treasure of the divine shape your words just like water carves the valleys, wind shapes mountains, volcanoes raze landscapes, sunshine powers the great storms that traverse the planet and the currents of our oceans. Don't resent the days you do not have time to write, know that these days are probably the most important ones for your creative journey.

Thank you for dropping by. Come back next week for more April showers. Seize the day.

This week's doodle is "Moses looking at the burning bush".

If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good, and the very gentle, and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too, but there will be no special hurry. Ernest Hemingway

Today I'm going to reflect on where I came from and how that is shaping where I'm going. Where are your people from? I'm mostly English and Irish with a dash of American Indian thrown in. My mother's family is from Mississippi. My father's adopted family is from Texas. My mom's family was full of wild farmers. They knew gardens, horses, and apples. They knew how to tell stories. Ooh, did they. I get shivers just thinking about it. On my dad's side, his people were pillars of the community. They knew good jokes and how to get things done. They asked lots of important questions and had a social conscience that was as deep as the ocean. Who is you neighbor? Everyone. End of the story.

So where am I going? This unique mix of history has shaped me into the storyteller I am today. From the beginning this has been my talent. I'm no high-brow literary genius (but I'm sure I don't need to kiss the Blarney Stone, in fear that it might try to steal some of my power). I'm not a poetic soul baying at the moon. Boo, no green gold ribbons, no scarlet flame. In me is rip-roaring adventure and complexities that would give any weaver a headache. And, sure enough, I hope to send shivers down every one's back, and I'd like to think I dive as deep when it comes to the important questions and the social conscience piece. I let my roots draw up the life for my fiction. Each story turns out like a new leaf, rich from the roots.

I hope you take time this week and think about where you came from. Give it some deep thought. Try feeling your roots. Consider what they are drawing into the creative part of you.

This week's doodle is "Baby Grass."


All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.
Saint Teresa of Avila

Hi, folks, this week the golden advice is all about avoiding stumbling. This is my version of the story of the Cult of the Golden Cow.

Once, way back, there was this nation, and they knew the heart of the Universe, the living God, had a plan for them. But it was taking God a long time to get back to them. The messenger who was going to bring the good news was up on some mountain doing his thing and wasn't giving this poor nation the time of day. This messenger was gone for 40 days. Ugh.

So with no immediate direction, someone in this nation got the big idea to pour a bunch of gold into a mold, and make it into a big golden cow. Making the shape wasn't the bad thing, but when it was put out for all to see and everyone began calling it God. That was a problem.

Right then the God messenger showed up, and he had a serious to-do-list from the heart of the universe that included a "No Golden Cow" clause or the "Do not make stuff and then worship it" clause. Yeah, that sucked for them. If they only could have waited.

This story resonates with me. The whole Golden Cow thing, I mean you get this vision from the heart of the Universe of what you are supposed to do. Perhaps, you are supposed to write a book that is important. Maybe, you've even written it. And here's the rub, the messengers are not getting back to you.

In the words of Douglas Adams, "DON'T PANIC!"

Just chill. Don't go do other stuff because you are afraid it will not work out. Fear is the enemy. You can't control when the good news will come. All you can do is remember what the vision is, and do that. Don't waver. Don't give up. Avoid golden cows. Avoid stumbling. Doing something else and ditching your true purpose is not going to help you. It will just be a time suck and keep you from doing useful things.

This is what you have to do: Wait.

I know how hard that is. I have been waiting so long that sometimes it feels like my heart will break from the weight (hahaha) of it. Hope deferred does make the heart sick. But hope is something you need to cling to, because of this, hope is not going to disappoint you. Hope is the anchor of your soul.

Whatever you are waiting for, keep in there. I will be back next week with more inspiration.

This week, I offer a photo instead of a doodle, "The Signs Are Everywhere."




Quote of the week:

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. Friedrich Nietzsche

Welcome to my back fence where I like to chat about writing and all things creative. I'm continuing my series on the nature of beginnings. I had an interesting chat with the multi-talented author Gail Carson Levine recently about CHAOS. Check out her blog for some ultra-fine writing advice.

Chaos is the study of systems that respond easily to change, especially at the beginning. These systems are highly sensitive to initial conditions. These conditions can vastly change the outcome of the systems. This sensitivity is called the butterfly effect. Initially, the wings of a butterfly can really set something like a hurricane in motion. If you look at the system later, a butterfly's wings will make little difference to the wild power of a hurricane. Yep, the beginning is REALLY important in a chaotic system.

I think that novels are chaotic systems, and this is why beginnings are such a bear. The first chapter of a novel is the place that beginning conditions are put in play. The first chapter will determine the course of the whole book. A book is very sensitive to changes in the beginning. The entire outcome rests on those first few pages. One of your goals is to find the butterfly wing events that set the engine of your story in motion. Yes, at times, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I've said it before. In the beginning, write a first chapter with a "tossability" factor. It's easier to back track from the hurricane to the butterfly wings event than the other way round for me.

Don't be hard on yourself if you've tried going at that beginning on your current work the twentieth time. Just take a deep breath and keep going. This process is delicate, complex stuff. You are David taking on Goliath. The good news is persistence is the key. You will move into the a solid pattern with enough tries. Don't give up.

Cast off into the deep waters knowing that you will find currents that will take you to distance shores. I hope you enjoy the journey this week. I will see you next week with some GOLDEN advice. :)

Now time for doodle of the week. I call this one, "Carpet at Seatac".


The fear of infinity is a form of myopia that destroys the possibility of seeing the actual infinite, even though it in its highest form has created and sustains us, and in its secondary transfinite forms occurs all around us and even inhabits our minds.
Georg Cantor

I've chatted a lot about beginnings on my blog. I've done the nuts and bolts of them. Go back to this link and read my five part series on Beginnings.

I had someone put a bee a bonnet this week about taking to time to figure out what kind of learner you are. This website has a good test to help you discover the way you learn. I was actually very surprised by what this test revealed. I am a naturalistic learner. No wonder I spent most of my years in school baffled and wondering why I couldn't figure this out this school thing. I remember only one teacher in all my years of school that ever took me outside. I can remember every moment of that class. Interpersonal learning is at the bottom of my list. Logical is right above that. Most of school was that and I had a hard time connecting.

Throw me into the natural world, and I will see what few see and find what few find. There is not a moment of my life that I don't feel this vast universe: from atoms, to ants, to weather, to planets, to stars and then the galaxies. I feel connections everywhere. I am so curious. The way I learn weaves it way into the way I write. So I thought I'd spend some time explaining how the beginnings in nature feed the beginnings of books for me. I know how plants grow.

They start with some good old plant sex, cross pollination. An idea is not enough to fuel a book. It's got to get mixed up with an equally provocative and compatible idea. So go after the stuff that interests you. Keep at it, and I guarantee some cross pollination is going to happen and that is going to lead to....(no, not a book yet)...a seed! A seed has the blue print to make a plant in it, but a seed is not a plant. A germinated idea is not a book either. An idea has to be watered. Like a plant needs lots of sunlight, needs good soil, needs room to grow, books -- they need time and they needs lots of nutrients: critique, plotting, character studies, etc. This growing a booking is hard work, and you're going to have to tend it or the thing will die.

One thing that really makes me laugh, is when people are stressing over the beginning of a book without writing to the end. It's like having a little tiny sprout and wondering if those leaves are the best ones. I mean those leaves are going to fall off and new stuff is going to take their place. I think if you begin with a true seed of a book idea, and you continue to feed that book through the seasons. Yes, winters will come and then springs again. You will someday have an awesome book.

I'm going to continue next week with more about nature and beginnings. Hope to ya here.


This week's doodle: What if a kid met a dinosaur?



Remember: ©Molly Blaisdell, all rights reserved. If you want to use my cool doodles, ask permission first. It is so wrong to take people's doodles without permission!

So here it is the quote of quotes on beginnings:

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning. ~ Louis L'Amour

Hi folks. Happy New Year. 2010. Who knew it would come so quickly? I'm currently in the middle of a cross country move to Texas so my posts are going to be short and sweet for a while.

I'll spend the rest of month writing about how to create an interesting beginning to a novel, but today I will share about how to launch the year.

I think it is important that we have goals. So my first question, "What do you plan to achieve this year?" My next question, "How do you plan to achieve that?" And last, "Who will you get on your team to help make your goal happen?" I'm calling these three questions the mythic questions of goal setting. BTW, you have to WRITE down the answers to these questions to really do any good. Noodling is not goal setting. This is my driving strategy to get it done, and it works.

I hope that you achieve most of the goals that you formulate this year, and give yourself a break for the ones you don't achieve. See ya next week.

Today's doodle is "A Face".



Remember: ©Molly Blaisdell, all rights reserved. If you want to use my cool doodles, ask permission first. It is so wrong to take people's doodles without permission!

Now these quotes from some favorite characters come to me over and over and really help me move forward in life. "Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" from Anne Shirley. Next, "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." from Scarlett O'Hara. And last, "We can still hop." by Lyddie (she misspelled hope).

Hi, folks, this can be a busy time of year. Life speeds along. On top of normal hustle and bustle, I'm in for big changes in 2010. The biggest will be a relocation to down-home Texas from fair Washington. Pretty big stuff, so I'm facing a few months of working in the margins. In ideal life, you block a good 25 hours a week for writing, add on another 8 for marketing and finish everything off with blogging, networking, and arranging the office supplies. This is the ideal writing life.

In the real life, you have 40 hours of other business commitments each week and then another 20 to 40 hours on top of that for family commitments, and then you write your book in all that spare time left-over. You write from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and crawl out of bed at 6:30 a.m. and try to squeeze in 30 more minutes of writing. You write 100 words as many times as you can in short bursts all day. You breathe. You are very kind to yourself and others around you. You fill up the margins with your writing life.

I hope that you all scribble in the margins some over the coming weeks.

I call this week's doodle, Funky Face.



Remember: ©Molly Blaisdell, all rights reserved. If you want to use my cool doodles, ask permission first. It is so wrong to take people's doodles without permission!

And the quote for the week. Something to think about.

I am a part of all that I have met; yet all experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untravelled world whose margin fades for ever and for ever when I move. Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Hi, folks, thank you for hanging out! Really we are all winners.:) Thanks to my son Jesse Blaisdell for creating our nifty award.



Still, the winners of the real live coffee are as follows:

Janet Lee Carey said...

Hooray for the Golden Coffee Cup and for Molly B!

I finished the first third of revision for Bound By Three -- now for the rest. Took a while to get into the swing of this revision but now it's rolling. The Golden Coffee Cup got me through some bleak days so Thank You! Miss Molly B! And thanks to all the coffee cuppers who posted in the blog or left comments. They helped too.

jesse joshua watson said...
I birthed my novel this month, which was my goal. I had carried the story around in my brain for years and this month it came out. (talk about a long pregnancy ... and a month long labor. ouch.)

Now it can stand on its own baby legs. (Until I knock it unmercifully to the ground with the editing hammer.) Yee haw. Thank you, Molly!

Laurie Thompson said...
Ha! I guess I should've gone back to see what my original goals were before the last day, since it seems I changed them mid-month without realizing it! ;) Either way, I'm not quite finished in time, but I made so much progress that I STILL feel like a winner, and I know exactly what still needs to be done so I have a clear plan for finishing ALL the goals before the holidays. Thanks for the much-needed incentive AND inspiration, Molly!

Michèle Griskey said...

Yes, I completed my work-in-progress. I thought I would be done early in the month, but I finally finished yesterday. Oh well, at least I finished it before the deadline.

Thank you for a great month Molly and everyone.
And here's to a cup of coffee and a new writing project. :)

Send your address to me at [email protected] and I will send your card good for a cup of piping hot java!

If you want me to email the Award picture, I will, but you can cut and paste it if you want. :)

My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that 'achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that's nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success. Helen Hayes

This is it, folks. The last day of the Golden Coffee Cup! Oh, what a journey. I was so glad to be on it with you. Please post your stories of success or trial by midnight tonight. No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

Today's last cup-of-java high five comes from the spirit of the incomprable Karla Kuskin. She left us too soon this year.

---------------------------CREDIT: Jennifer New

I was not a friend of Karla, but I did meet her and have a beloved signed copy of her MOON, HAVE YOU MET MY MOTHER.

I took a couple of months once and each day read and reread one of her poems and then wrote my poem inspired by hers. It was a freeing experience. To this day, if I'm stuck, I go to her book, and I read. And I'm not stuck anymore. The boxes of words I get locked in, fall away. I love how free and flowing she was with language. I think we could all learn a lesson from her.

As a speaker, Karla was more than generous with advice and a willingness to share with others the inside of her journey in hopes they too might find their way. Here is a fab article about Karla. My advice to you today is let those who inspire you, move you too. Don't waste that flash of genius that sparks the fire inside you. Let the fire whip up and turn into a wild fire.

And this is it, folks. I hope the Golden Coffee Cup was good to the last drop. Send in your email address, post your story, and I will forward your official Golden Coffee Cup Award. I'll be back tomorrow with the official winners of the real live coffee. :) Snap! Snap! Snap!

P.S. My normal weekly musings on Seize the day resumes .

Remember: If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post on blog, you will receive your Golden Coffee Cup picture. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to [email protected] and your Golden Coffee Cup picture will be emailed to you. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation. Write a great post and you might win the real coffee!

Let's take Karla advice and do the following with all our works. OK? OK.

Instead of building a fence of formality around poetry, I want to emphasize its accessibility, the sound, rhythm, humor, the inherent simplicity. Poetry can be as natural and effective a form of self-expression as singing or shouting. Karla Kuskin

Hi folks, whew, one more days until the Golden Coffee Cup ends. Come on! Let's do that extra push at the end and finish this stuff up.

No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

I wanted to give super creative energy for this last push, so today's very pleased high five comes from the master of macbre, Stephen King. Stephen has sold 350 million books to date.



I'm going to say this now. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephen's books. I don't like scary books. No. No. No. But Stephen did write one book that I love, ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. I'd say this book was one that grabbed me by the throat and throttled me. Imagine me reading his fiction. I don't sleep for weeks. Stephen's got a singular talent for rattling folks.

The big lessons I took away from Stephen's ON WRITING are:

1. Creating books is slogging hard work and you really need to write millions of words to get in the game.
2. If you are paying your light bill every month with your writing you are an absolute success as a writer.
3. You are as flawed and human as the next guy, don't let that let you stop you from writing incredible stuff.

So, get to work, celebrate every success, and totally get over yourself. I imagine that someone in our band of creators has a blockbuster simmering. So yay! Come back tomorrow for piping hot java - always smooth, never burns. :)

Remember: If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post on the blog here or email me, you will be receive your Golden Coffee Cup picture. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to [email protected] and your Golden Coffee Cup picture will be emailed to you. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation. Write a great post and you might win the real coffee! Hey, if you didn't make your goal, send in your story. You can win with a great story.

No, it's not a very good story - its author was too busy listening to other voices to listen as closely as he should have to the one coming from inside. Stephen King

Hi folks, whew, two more days until the Golden Coffee Cup ends. Yee haw! Get cracking, folks. Sands are slipping through the hour glass!

No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

Today's Down Under high five comes from Austrailian (Oz) author Christopher Cheng. He's holding up a 5 1b. Christmas cake too, in case you are an inquiring mind who wants to know. I bet that goes good with coffee.



Here Chris offers some inspiration to create master works.

I keep a note book filled with ideas -- okay I have about 10 notebooks at the moment. They range from the crazy things I see; like

* kids picking their noses on buses and wiping the extracted clump of fluid under the seat (true it really did happen); to

* kids complaining about their parents; to

* spooky noises that I heard one night (this is now a picture book that is coming out with Random House in 2011); to

* kids saying that they can't do anything to improve the environment (after teaching an education class at the zoo which became my first picture book One child,

I use them as record keeping. I use them as inspiration. They are there to store the inner thoughts of the 9-12 year old me!

... I love just writing. I write something EVERY day!

AND you can't be a writer if you don't write. so ... grab those pens (and not the keyboard ... the physical pen on paper jot down those ideas what am I thinking thing!)

Write something.
Write a letter.
Write to Molly.
Write to Me.

Just write. and with Christmas approaching why not write cards this year ... yes physically write. What do you put on that card? Why not simply tell your wife/husband/kids/grandparents/best friends how much you love them - and WHY you love them, or the funniest things about them, or the craziest thing they did this year or .....!!! Go on put pen to paper.

And what are you thinking right now!

This guy is writing twaddle? Then write it down ... but also write down words the you would write better.

If this guy is writing some words of wisdom ... then improve those words of wisdom and write down your words of wisdom too.
If you want to read Chris's blog, want to head to an SCBWI Australia/NZ event, or check out new Aussie kids books, click away.

I think the upshot is clear here, folks. You better get busy. For the artists, I have noticed that all the artists I know do this notebook thing too, but they draw pictures instead of writing. Perhaps you need to create your own Christmas cards this year.

Well, that's the hot java for today. I hope you brew some of your own today. :) See ya manana.


I write journals and would recommend journal writing to anyone who wishes to pursue a writing career. You learn a lot. You also remember a lot... and memory is important.
Judy Collins


Remember: If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post on the blog, you will be receive your Golden Coffee Cup picture. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to [email protected] and your Golden Coffee Cup picture will be emailed to

Hi, folks, glad to see you hanging in there. Only a few more days left. Whoa, what a journey! Are you jazzed? Come on, folks, let's hear those stories. I will do the holy snappin'!

No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

Today we get a dignified five from Sir Terry Pratchett.



Terry's story is inspiring, but not just his writing story. Yes, he's a great storyteller. He is. He's sold over 45 million books that have been translated into over 30 languages. He's generally written two books a year since 1983. He's a gifted satirist (gotta love that) and a fantasy author (swoon). He sold his first story at age 13. If that doesn't inspire you, I'm not sure anything will.

But the real reason I dropped Terry in here is because he suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. My mom died from this, so I feel a strong connection. One thing my mom always told me is that no prayer is ever wasted. I prayed every day of my mom's illness that a cure would come. It did not come fast enough for my mom. Terry donated $1,000,000 to Alzheimer's research. I love this speech he made. He's brought great awareness to many about Alzheimer's by being very open about living with this diease. I really admire him for this more than all the books he's written.

So, folks, create your master works, but be aware there may be a bigger plan in the cards for you. I hope you come back tomorrow for more of the hot java!

Remember: If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post on blog, you will be receive your Golden Coffee Cup picture. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to [email protected] and your Golden Coffee Cup picture will be emailed to you. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation. Didn't reach your goal? Write a great post and you might win the real coffee too!

It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living. Terry Pratchett

Oh, Happy Thanksgiving, folks. Welcome to day 26 of the Golden Coffee Cup. No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

I reserve this day every year for a-hug-from-my-beloved-mother high five. That girl with her tongue stuck out is me. I cannot tell you how much I miss my mom. I am so thankful for her. I'm so thankful for the simple wisdom she gave me.



I'm going to share a little something from her journal this year. My mom had this wonderful voice. It's shimmers in her writing. In this excerpt, whe wrote about a book she dreamed of writing.


When I am in tune with the earth, God will answer my prayers, as he always does, slowly sometimes with the turning of the seasons. When he gave me my heart's desire thought, it was as if lightning had struck in my heart and soul, all at once. So, you can't tell.

My book, it will be the story of the family, their friends, what they do, how they care about each other, and how damaged people stumble about doing more damage and the ways people react to them, and whether or not they allow themselves to be damaged or go on around the the troublemakers of this world.

For everyone, in the Golden Coffee Cup, I hope you open up your hearts and search out your story like my mom. I will be back tomorrow. I hope you will too. You need to send in your emails, folks, so I can send you the 2009 Golden Coffee Cup to print out or post on your blog or your refrigerator, or on the inside of the visor of your car... Also 4, folks, will receive a real live cup of hot java.

Remember: If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post on blog, you will be receive your Golden Coffee Cup picture. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to [email protected] and your Golden Coffee Cup picture will be emailed to you. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation. Write a great post and you might win the real coffee!

Here is a quote she loved:

Happiness -- The full use of your powers along lines of excellence. JFK 10-31-63