I was asked to talk with the literature students about plagiarism. After introducing the topic and explaining a little about it, I summarized with the following statements: 1. Don't present someone else's ideas as your own—if you do, you're stealing his or her intellectual property. 2. You are welcome to share other people's insights, ideas and wording, … [Read more...]
Where in the World Wide Web is Ann Kroeker on 9-9-09?
If you have a few moments, I invite you to visit three places where I have had the honor of appearing:1. Queen of the Castle(photo credit: Queen of the Castle Recipes)At Queen of the Castle Recipes, Lynn has graciously allowed me to share a few thoughts on food and slowing down. I included two European recipes, because from my visits to Belgium and France, I get the idea … [Read more...]
Meet Another "Seeing" Mentor
I'm continuing my series on "Seeing Lessons" over at NotSoFastBook.com. You can meet another "mentor," a blogger/author/friend who reminds me to look a little closer:If you haven't already discovered her, allow me to introduce to you, L.L. Barkat.Don’t miss a word: It’s easy to subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Visit NotSoFastBook.com to learn more … [Read more...]
Meet Henry!
The "Name That Boy" contest is officially over.Garnering 31 percent of the votes, we have a winner.The "not so fast" boy's name is...Henry!More than one person suggested Henry, so the names went into the box lid to be drawn by my flesh-and-blood boy.Who won the second complimentary copy of Not So Fast?Jane Anne, of Gravity of Motion!Congratulations, Jane Anne, and thanks … [Read more...]
"Name That Boy" Contest: First Book Giveaway Winner
A big thanks to all who left comments and suggested names for the little boy on the cover of Not So Fast!There were two ways to win. The first was to to enter the drawing by leaving a comment with a name suggestion. Each person who commented was entered into a drawing.I wrote each person's name on a strip of paper, folded each strip in half, and dropped them into a box … [Read more...]
"Name That Boy" Book Giveaway Contest
You've seen the cute boy on the book cover loaded down with activities, right?If not, here he is:People frequently ask me if that boy is "The Boy"; that is, my son.I'd like to clear things up here and now:Nope. He's not my son. He's not "The Boy."The Not So Fast boy is, however, going to be a big part of my life. He'll travel with me to various speaking events. He'll grace … [Read more...]
Make-Do Mondays: Slow Setting for a Slow-Down Book
see below for alternative buttonAt Make-Do Mondays, we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to … [Read more...]
A First Look
David C. Cook Publishing made sure I received a copy of Not So Fast to have, hold, hug, smell, flip through, gape at, and blog about.The official release date is just a few days away: August 1st.Ask your local bookstore to order it for you!Don’t miss a word:Subscribe to annkroeker.com updates via email or RSS feed.Join Mega Memory Month for the month of July! … [Read more...]
Not So Fast
For two years, I've been working on a book.I've mentioned it occasionally. In fact, you may recall the following photo I posted of the manuscript. I submitted this ream of paper to my publisher last year:As you can see, I was, well, a little wordy.I had to cut it way down. Susan, my editor at David C. Cook, and I tossed out entire chapters in hopes of getting it to a … [Read more...]
Long-Awaited Logophile Lists
(CC) Gaetan Lee, www.flickr.com/photos/gaetanlee/In Write to Discover Yourself, Ruth Vaughn tells about a character named Julia Redfern in a children's book called A Room Made of Windows. Julia keeps a "Book of Strangenesses" in which she makes lists. Her lists include Beautiful Words (Mediterranean, quiver, undulating, lapis lazuli, Empyrean) and Most Detestable … [Read more...]
Stir Our Minds Thoroughly
An entry in the classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest offers a writerly application. From My Utmost for His Highest (December 15) If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself … [Read more...]
Just Fifteen Minutes a Day: Ready…Set…Read!
Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets posted about Lifelong Learning at her blog, citing a 2006 article by Harvey Mackay packed with statistics to make an autodidact sprint to her bookcase and grab anything within reach: Only 14 percent of adults with a grade-school education read literature in 2002. 51 percent of the American population never reads a book more than 400 … [Read more...]
Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture
Some time ago I read Mary DeMuth's book Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture: Practical Help for Shaping Your Children's Hearts, Minds, and Souls.I "met" Mary online while clicking around from blog to blog as a relative newcomer to the blogosphere. I landed on hers and found myself charmed by her personal chronicle of life in southern France. She and her husband … [Read more...]
Monday's Meme-ish Musings
Having been tagged for a meme a while back by L.L. Barkat, I thought I'd tackle it today.Although I don't always jump at memes, I thought this might produce an interesting post. Maybe. She invented this particular meme, and that seems more "real" than the ones that get passed and passed around until they aren't really "fresh" anymore.So here are L.L. Barkat's rules for 5 … [Read more...]