Last week I talked about the tunnel and how it created the school as a post Civil War mansion. Once I knew the era of the house, I knew it had to contain a secret staircase and rooms as well. The first Nancy Drew Mystery book I ever got my hands on was The Hidden Staircase and from that point … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Tunnel
When starting off on the journey of 7th Grade Revolution I didn’t have a lot of information beyond the portion based on the real life classroom experience. I had spent time getting to know my characters, but beyond knowing there was a conflict with an outside agency. Normally, before I start writing, I do work on some sort of outline. … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Class Clown
Every Middle School class has at least one … a kid with a sparkle in their eye and the ability to turn absolutely everything into a joke. They are the pranksters, the rebels, the classroom disruptors. The challenge for every teacher is to keep them at least somewhat toeing the line while not crushing their spirit. Because that spirit is … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: Willing to Fall
Success. It is a word I hear as a writer quite a bit. Is your book a success? Do you have a successful career? Since today is the launch of 7th Grade Revolution perhaps I should be wondering whether or not it will be a success. But for me, in many ways, it already is. In many respects, 7th Grade … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Generator
When there is a standoff, opponents will look for ways to weaken their opposition without a show of force. In 7th Grade Revolution, the students are inside the school, and the FBI is outside. The FBI is under orders not to create a situation which would bring scrutiny to their activities, and they don’t want to go in with a … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Outside Threat
One of the important elements for 7th Grade Revolution was the banding together of the entire grade to stand fast against an outside threat. Group dynamics have always fascinated me. The internal structure, the jockeying for power, the outcasts … each person plays their role. The role can change for each person depending on the circumstances and the group. While … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: Imagine If You Will
There are some points in 7th Grade Revolution where the story may become a little fantastical … which is as it was intended. Because it makes it a fun read. But nothing stretches the bounds of credibility as much as a single moment I wrote into the story. As I mentioned last week in my post about The Dungeon, the … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Dungeon
As much as I loved weaving in the actual occurrence at the Exploris Middle School, I knew I’d have to leave the regular school scene behind and launch into complete fiction part of the story. Only I wasn’t exactly sure how to make it happen. I knew I needed to segregate the 7th Grade from the rest of the school, … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: The Humiliation of Rhonda Snodgrass
Of all the characters in 7th Grade Revolution, the one my inner twelve-year-old identified the most with was Rhonda Snodgrass. Smart, funny, individual thinker, reader, and definitely not one of the “IT” crowd. And klutz. At twelve, I was an athlete — softball and swimming — and I couldn’t figure out how I could excel in things requiring hand/eye coordination … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: Bring Back the Fish
One of my greatest delights while writing 7th Grade Revolution was being able to take a moment that happened at Exploris Middle School and weave it into the story. There were so many moments it was hard to pick and choose which ones I’d be able to get into the story without bloating the beginning part of the book. When … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: Asserting Independence
Middle School is such an interesting time of self-discovery and stretching boundaries, which is part of the reason I am drawn to writing this age group. By this age many are beginning to assert their independence of who they are apart from their identity and role in the family. The opinions of their peers becomes more important than the opinions … Read More
7th Grade Revolution: Prepare for Battle
One of the biggest pleasures I have while writing is when the characters come through loud and clear. Dennis Alexander was one of those characters for me. The minute he slouched in, I knew he was a kid who sits in the back of the class so he can lean his chair against the wall. The kind of guy who’d … Read More