Research Trip Windup

I can go home now, I have finished Draft 1 of The Mystery at Fort Sumter! It must be a pretty exciting tale, because I just couldn't quit—once I had the kid characters bounding around Charleston, each in a different direction, in the midst of a rare snowstorm—well, I could hardly go to bed and leave them in such dire straits, could I? No, indeed, and so I had a really late night, since I wanted to know how the story ended myself, and the only way to do that was to write it... and I knew I could not sleep till all the characters were safe and warm. Of course, now the real work begins, the 2nd draft, and revision, and proofreading, etc. It's a writer's life!

Soapbox Time!

So glad to see Learning Magazine featured my new Writing Tree Curriculum! Jennifer gave you an update on our wonderful recent Big Pencil writing workshop for kids. I can tell you that so many parents are very concerned about their children learning to write well…and in my opinion, with good reason. I believe children are natural born writers and we quickly talk them out of it! You can only write what you know, what is in your head and your heart—so that’s a pretty vulnerable thing to do, to put your heart and soul on paper. Seven and eight year olds do so with abandon; nine and up already begin to dread the “red pencil,” the critique (“Why did you say that?”), or worse, the lack of response if they intended to make you laugh or cry or be astounded. They are soon taught there must be some “perfect” way to write, or that it is all about the grammar and punctuation—it isn’t! It’s painful and heartbreaking to see kids shut down their natural gift of communicating with pizzazz and joy to seek to meet some adult (yes, school and test) expectations. Good thing I was stubborn and refused to play by the school rules. More about Writing Tree later, but while school starts back, applaud the efforts of children to write and encourage them. Good writing is truly an essential 21st century skill and we need kids to write with brevity, clarity and impact! I know—I need to hire them someday! Image copyright homeschoollearning.com

Welcome to the Carole Marsh Blog

Dear Friends, Well, with fear and trembling, I am starting my first real "blog"! Now, my husband Bob would say that I have been "blogging" all my life—I think he means talking a lot! That may be true, but I love the idea that I have so many common interests with so many of you. Certainly, many of us—young and old—are avid mystery book fans. And of course, my favorite mysteries are the ones I write myself! That's because I have such a good time doing the research, traveling around the country and the world, writing, making photographs, and all the things that it takes to get a book into print. Of course, I really love writing books that kids seem to love to read, having fun with my real grandchildren characters in the books, and hearing from my many faithful readers! (How do kids get my home email I wonder?) Of course, many of you are fellow business owners and we have our mutual interests, hey? And many are fellow educators of all types and we love to dig in and ponder how to get kids ready for the 21st century careers they will have. Since I'm busy and travel a lot, I'll have some help with my blog. Paige will share things such as where I'll be...and Jennifer will do some "show and tell," such as about a recent kids' summer mystery writing "pirate theme" workshop I just gave. I don't want to do a boring blog. I want to share and communicate... commiserate and collaborate...and make new friends as well as stay in touch with old ones. I need your advice and opinions. But mostly, let's just have some blogging fun! So whether you're 7 or 75 (Hey, Papa just turned 75 and had a cowboy blast party!), stay tuned, comment, ask, etc. I'll be around! But for now, it's tootle loo! I have writing to do! Working on mystery number ?? set at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. I left Christina and Grant out in the cold with some missing cannon, a suspicious bellman, and two girls with code names, plus Mimi's Aunt Lulu is dead...and missing. Back to work! Mystery writing's a weird job, but someone's gotta do it—might as well be me!