Winners And Better

Blog & website of children's book author Tara Lazar Winners and Better-than-August Stuff The humidity whacks me in the face each  time I step outside, so yeah, it’s August. Already. Every summer I entertain grandiose plans to write outdoors while enjoying a picnic of luscious home-made ciabatta sandwiches and baked goods the likes of which would make The Barefoot Contessa swoon. I buy light, airy dresses, relish being barefoot in the cool grass and imagine the stack of manuscripts I will have completed, polished and prompting auction offers… And then August smacks me upside the head. Already. Nasty, vile  August.  Why do you curse me so?! You let my children out of camp teeming  with bug bite scabs, force me to endure three-hour back-to-school lines at Staples, and leave my computer devoid of new manuscripts. Well, at least someone is winning this month. Finally, a list of all the prize winners from recent giveaways! A MORNING WITH GRANDPA WINNER: JENNIFER PHILLIPS PENNY & JELLY WINNERS: CLAIRE BOBROW POLLY RENNER STELLA LOPEZ THE STORY CIRCLE WINNER: NADINE GAMBLE DUMP TRUCK DUCK WINNER: DEBRA SHUMAKER Congratulations, everyone! I will be emailing you shortly. Now, because I want everyone to be a winner in August, here are some excellent writing articles I’ve come across lately. All are worth a read! And finally, one of my favorite books OF ALL TIME, although I discovered it only a couple years ago, is MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks. Matthew offers a fabulous newsletter jam-packed with writing and storytelling tips. You can even win a storytelling consult with him. He is a multiple winner of Moth’s Story Slam and GrandSlam competitions. He posted an engaging TEDx talk recently about how to hone your story radar and even improve your life in the process. I encourage you to watch: . I hope this video makes your August better than mine!