Linda Nelson

Tablets do not belong in the classroom. What are the teachers thinking these days?

Tonight on the news they talked about how a school had decided to put eReaders in the classroom, and it turned in to a major problem. The elementary students learned how to hack the device and access the internet when they were supposed to be doing school work. I have a feeling that there is more to this problem story than the media let on. This sounds more like they put tablets in the hands of the students than mere eReaders.

I know for a fact that using an eReader to access the internet will not leave the user with a satisfying experience, or at least, not with my ordinary Keyboard Kindle. This is one function that is seriously lacking on the device. Mine might be one of the older models, but my mother’s is also the same way. There are some things you just don’t do with a Kindle. It was designed for reading books – period.

This sounds as if the school board did not do their homework before deciding to spend all this money on these devices for the students. If they had, they could have saved the public a lot of money.

I’m sure other eReaders are the same way when it comes to the internet function.

Now I wonder what they plan to do with all those tablets.

ROW80 Check-In:

The writing discipline has been working this week. I only have six more chapters to go over in Witch Book. Then I will be able to start thinking of the plot outline for the next fantasy book in the Orgarlan Saga.

I may be able to finish it up tonight or by tomorrow at the latest.

As I go I have been sort of thinking up plot twists for the next book. I have different things to consider as I think about my current characters.

1. What does each of my characters want?

2. Everyone has secrets. What are theirs?

3. What are they afraid of?

Once I can answer each of these questions I can weave a pretty nifty plot using Cause and effect. This one does that so this one has to do this and so on. Just like what happens in life. Hmm… a title thought, not guaranteed to remain the same, but the thought is there. Darmin Karma – nah don’t like that.

When the book ends, Darmin is trying her hand at bewitching Lord Ky’ debaul.

Cause and Effect = Karma

Karma Effect?

It Sounds catchy to me. What do you think?

Information Technology and Back to School (storagecraft.com)
eReaders may help people with dyslexia (eschoolnews.com)

Everybody has their favorite genre to read and write. It is a given fact. Some will prefer either fiction to nonfiction and so on. But almost every written work has one thing in common.

Is it considered an untouchable truth?

Now why would I want to speak about untouchable truths?

Yesterday was our first Monadnock Writers’ Group meeting of the year. Our speaker was Mary Johnson. Her published work – An Unquenchable Thirst. It is a memoir about her life as a Missionary of Charity, and a story of her search for love, service, and an authentic life.

So when she spoke at our meeting yesterday her topic was about Untouchable Truths. What’s the big deal?

Well this is the topic that churns around why books can make the banned book list. When a story that is written tells about a subject matter that the public, or some groups of individuals in general don’t want anyone to know about.

This can happen in fiction as well as non-fiction. This can happen if someone has found the story offensive even in some silly way.

Per the Huffington post:

Recent Banned Book list top 10:

1. Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

5. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

7. Looking for Alaska by John Green

8. Scary Stories (series) by Alvin Schwartz

9. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

10. Beloved by Toni Morrison

The majority of these titles were banned due to offensive language or subject matter. They all also share another thing in common, they are undoubtedly fantastic stories. “Society defends Untouchable Truths” and people respond.

Why? They may find it painful, against conventional wisdom, fearful, uncomfortable, exposure, success, or the fact that you say what you mean.

Mary went on to say that if you feel any fear when writing a story, then it does need to come out. As long as you are not doing it to seek revenge against someone. Then it becomes malicious, and you are looking at a legal matter.

She went on to touch base about how difficult it can be to write such subject matter, especially when it is a memoir. And she also talked about not only the writing difficulties involved with such works but also the publishing aspects and legality.

It was all pretty interesting.

ROW80 Check-In:

Last Wednesday was the end of round 3 of our Round of Words in 80 Days Challenge. Technically I don’t have to post a check in for today, but since I am practicing writing discipline this year I will post how I only edited a couple of chapter this week of Witch Book.

I don’t think it is because the story is that badly edited. I believe Witch Book is one of my better early works, or so the reviews of it seemed to say. It has to be more about the fact that I am trying to make note as to the story plots and such so I can remember where I left off in the story line. I don’t want to send Aaron accidentally off with the Book of Hestate. (LOL) Though that could make the story line different…

Maybe by the next Check In, which is on Wednesday, I will have worked through a couple more chapters and close in on beginning the next book in the series.

In the meantime, my daughter has requested me to make my 3 year old granddaughter a new sweater. She even picked out the crochet pattern for me to follow. It looks fairly easy and I have been thinking about doing something like it for quite some time.

If the pattern works for me, I will post a picture, when it is completed, for all to see.

How is your writing going for this week? I would love to hear.

Do you like to do other craft projects, as well?

I have a crochet pattern I have been looking all over for. I haven’t found it yet. It is for a large crocheted chicken or duck Easter basket. The original pattern is done in some sort of chenille loops, but I have also seen the basket done in crochet with regular Red Heart yarn. Someone was selling them at a local chicken swap a few Easters ago. The baskets were adorable.