Why writers don't wear capes...but they should!

Connie, you are the winner of the drawing! Thanks to all who participated! 

Hey, all. As some of you know, I'm a part time third grade teacher in addition to being a writer. I welcome a classroom full of seven and eight year olds every year and their number one most hated subject? Writing! Acck! It's my mission in life to change that. Lesson number one? Words have power. If you use them well, you can change the world. If that isn't a superhero mission, I don't know what is. Because we're writers, my classroom of littles and I, our job is a covert one. We don't brandish our muscles about and brag about our awesome details, our stellar paragraphing skills, our figurative language prowess. We don't call attention to these things in a flashy, "Here's the big 'S' on my chest kind of way," no sir! Our writing super powers are so amazing that you should not recognize the nuts and bolts of how we do it. Our readers should be aware of only one thing...that we moved them somehow, inspired them perhaps, or maybe even caused them to consider the world around them in a new way. That, my friends, is power used wisely.

To celebrate the school year, I'm giving away a Starbuck's gift card and a print or digital copy of Dangerous Testimony. If you want to toss your name in, tell me the title of a book that moved YOU in some way!

I would love to see you on Instagram or Facebook! My Instagram name is dana_mentink and my Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/dana.mentink