When I first started writing on a serious level, I discovered...I didn't really know what I was doing. Oh...I could write, just not well, or correctly. I began taking classes to learn the basics of writing and I started with the Young Adult and Children's market. My first assignment was to write a story using less than 2000 words. My husband says he can write a complete story in less than 20 words, I, however could not. As I learned this skill, writing tight and clean, it became a challenge to find ways to create relationships, characters, and action that happens quickly but the reader cares about. It is still one of the challenges I face with my writing.
J.D. Holiday's picture book "The Spy Game" is a perfect example of using the skill of writing clean to create relationships that move quickly but feel genuine. At the beginning of the story, It is clear that the kid is not happy with the dog and vice-versa. Through small everyday happenings this author creates a distinct change in the relationship.She uses the normal incidents in a kids life, but makes them seem life changing for her characters. The two face things that go bump in the night, a kidnapped cat,an adventure, and a tiny treasure at the end. Her patient but exciting tale is a good story,but more than just a story, she creates a character we love because he develops a bond with his dog.
To learn more about J.D. Holiday and her books, go to:www.worldofinknetwork.com and click on the J.D. Holiday WOI banner link. or her contact information is on my blog January 7.
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