It’s Halloween week, and I am celebrating by writing a short story that I hope will scare the pants off young readers someday, somewhere. Yes, I’m taking a short/two day break from my novel writing. You see, I had sort of lost my mojo, and I remembered that writing is supposed to be FUN.

So I’m writing the MOST fun thing I can think of… and strangely, while I’ve been writing this short story, going back to my work-in-progress has been sounding more and more exciting by the hour. I have fresh ideas!

It’s weird, this writing life. I’m glad I love it so much.

In the spirit of Halloween, I have two things to share with you! Both were treats for me, really… but the first one was sort of trick-ish for the kids involved. Go to the link to see!

1. That VERY cool thing done by a teacher with a Guys Read book club is here. Check it out! It involves black licorice and my creepy story, “Licorice Needles,” from the Guys Read: Terrifying Tales anthology. Honestly, if I had this guy for a teacher? I would have joined a thousand book clubs. (Note to self: write more candy-themed creepy stories. They seem to work.)
2. A review for my book, Nightingale’s Nest, showed up this week! It was written by K.L. Romo, a member of the Writer’s League of Texas, for a series on the award winners of the 2014 WLT contest. I love the review, and the League. If you’re a Texas writer, you should join! It will make your writing stronger, your writing community larger, and your breath fresher. I promise!

Now, back to the story. It’s set in a school library, where the ventilation system makes the strangest noises overhead, and kids mysteriously disappear every time the librarian takes a sick day…

SO MUCH FUN. Happy Halloween!