28 October

Blink Blog: Day In the Life

Curious about the day in the life of some of our Blink authors? We asked them to share what their typical day during the school year is like… keep reading to see what they have to say!

Christina June: I’m a high school counselor by day, so I spend my time working with students and teachers.  At night, I hang out with my daughter and husband, and steal some time for writing.

Denise Grover Swank: I have three kids at home—two in elementary school and one in middle school—so I get up at 7:30 to make my daughter’s breakfast and pack her lunch. After I drive her to school, I get my two younger children ready and get them on the bus. Then I work until my kids come home.

Heather Maclean: I get up, make breakfast and pack lunches for my kids, get them off to the bus, then go back to bed for two hours since I’m a night owl who’s usually up until 2 am writing. Then I get up, read the British newspapers (they’re not as depressing as American ones), answer email, and write until it’s time to pick up my kids from school. Then we all goof off until dinner, buckle down for homework, then when they go to bed, I write again.

Jonathan Friesen: Wake. Hang out with my wife. Workout. Hang out with my students. Write. Hang out with my kids. Eat. Hang out with my wife again. Sleep. Somewhere in there I hang out with my friends. So, a lot of hanging out, I guess.

Lorie Langdon: My kids head off to school and I start writing the minute they head out the door, sometimes before. Morning is my most creative time so I take full advantage of them being in school. If it’s a really good writing day, I’m in my PJ’s until lunch!

Luke Reynolds: I get to school and get the whiteboards all set for my 7th graders. We do fun activities and have great discussions and read cool books. Then, at home in the evenings, my wife and our twoanyone is awake. And I’ll read late at night after everyone has gone to bed. I’ll read until I can’t my eyes open anymore.

What’s your school day routine? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter!

24 October

Blink Blog: Pumpkin Spice Latte Fan?

With fall in full swing, we had some more fun quizzing our Blink authors on one of the most popular seasonal beveragse – the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Love it? Hate it? Keep reading to see what some of our authors had to say.

Carol Lynch Williams: I don’t drink coffee. I actually do quite like caramel apple cider. I even made up my own recipe. One year a bunch of my kid’s friends came over and I served my caramel apple cider. It was so sweet it gave one kid a sugar headache and hurt another kids teeth. But the Williams girls chuckle lugged the drink.

Christina June: I love all things pumpkin.  PSL, pumpkin pie, pumpkin candles, pumpkin lotion.  All of it.

Denise Grover Swank: I prefer my pumpkin in pies and bread. Yum.

Evangeline Denmark: YES!

Heather Maclean: I’m a pumpkin everything fan except coffee. For no reason whatsoever, I’ve never had a single cup of coffee, and I don’t imagine I’d start with something pumpkin-y.

Jonathan Friesen: Not sure. It sounds good.

Lorie Langdon:  Um…YES!! And cereal, and donuts, and pancakes, and muffins, and oatmeal…you get the idea.

How about you? Are you a Pumpkin Spice Latte fan or not? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter!

19 October

Blink Blog: Favorite Thing About Fall

Crisp air, the falling leaves, and pumpkin carving with friends are just a few of the things that make FALL one of the greatest times of year.

We asked our Blink authors some of their favorite things about this season… keep reading to find out what they have to share!

Christina June: Everything!  I love the air getting cool and crisp, the leaves changing colors, bringing out sweaters and boots.  And bonus, my birthday is in the fall.

Denise Grover Swank: I love the crisp autumn air and changing leaves.

Evangeline Denmark: Cooler weather and boots.

Heather Maclean: Cozy sweaters, cider mill donuts, and the smell of winter on the breeze.

Jonathan Friesen: The massive mosquito die-out that happens when the temperature drops. Awesome.

Lorie Langdon: Ahh…everything! I adore the dry, earthy scented breezes flowing through open windows. The kaleidoscope of leaves here in Ohio. Cozy sweaters and boots. Pumpkin Spiced Lattes. I set my new book, GILT HOLLOW, in the fall just for these reasons!

Luke Reynolds: Jumping in leaf piles!

Share your favorite things about Fall with us on Facebook or Twitter!

14 October

Blink Blog: Back To School Tips

We’re celebrating the weekend with another blog from our Blink authors!!

We asked them: What is your best back to school tip to stay focused in the new year?

Keep reading for their answers!

CHRISTINA JUNE: Take time to recharge!  If you work all the time, you burn out quickly.  I tell my students to take at least 15 minutes to themselves each day.

EVANGELINE DENMARK: Ask for help when you need it. There is no shame in needing parents, teachers, and friends to help you succeed. Adults do this every day, so why not you?

HEATHER MACLEAN: I’m a big believer in breaks, in coming home after hours at school, throwing your backpack in a corner, and doing whatever silly unstructured nonsense makes you happy until dinner. Then set yourself up with a reward–a TV show, special dessert–that you only get after you buckle down and do your homework or study. I still abide by this philosophy as an adult!

JONATHAN FRIESEN: Get married. My wife is a focusing guru. Then you’ll have lots of help staying focused whether you like it or not. Now, if you are thirteen that is not a good tip. In fact, for most of you that is probably a useless tip. But it is a tip.

LORIE LANGDON:  Stay organized! Write down every assignment, log in a planner when you need to study for upcoming tests and start new projects, and keep your papers and notes organized by class and date. Being a creative-type, this isn’t easy for me, but I’ve learned if I keep things organized it helps me balance my life. I keep a planner to this day with daily writing goals and all my other publishing responsibilities, as well as, to do lists and goals for the rest of my day.

LUKE REYNOLDS: Breathe deep, get outside, and remember that while school is important, it is only one part of who you are.

(And I believe that deeply even though I am a teacher! 🙂

 

Share your best back to school tips for staying focused with us on Facebook or Twitter!