Thanksgiving Writing Prompt: I'm Thankful For . . .

Thanksgiving time! A time for friends, friends, football (Go Vikings!), and tons and tons of food. However, in addition to getting together with all of your family and the oh-so-painful food comma you endure after the meal, it's also a time to reflect on what you're most thankful for.

Here's my list of what I'm thankful for in 2009:

1. Awesome parents that care for me and that I can talk to when ever I need to.
2. A fun-loving brother and his wonderful wife who has turned out to be the best sister-in-law a girl could have.
3. Great friends who I wish I could see more.
4. The public library. Without it, I wouldn't have read most of the terrific books that I have read.

And the list could go on and on, but I'll spare you from reading it. Now I want to know what you're most thankful for in 2009.

Start listing!

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer

NaNoWriMo Writing Prompt

NaNo what? If you missed Carly's post about National Novel Writing Month, then you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. But for all you writers out there (and I know you guys are amazing writers. I've seen your fanfic on the Message Boards!), the goal for NaNoWriMo is to write a novel by the end of November. I have no doubt you can do it. After all, it can be as long or as short as you want! So here are a few suggestions from the NaNoWriMo Young Writers website to get you started. . .

• Write a story where the character's meal talks to him or her.
• Write a story where the character has a camera that can take pictures of the future.
• Write a story where the character has a cute little brain-eating zombie kitten as a pet.
• Write a story about an unusual afterschool club.

Do you have other ideas for great stories? Tell us in the Comments! What will YOUR next story be about?

—Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Create a Caption: It’s A Dog Eat Dog World

There once was a cute little pup named Larry
But due to his size wasn't all that hairy

And when he was found in a mug
This little non-pug

Was certainly far from anything scary

I did the rhyme and now you gotta take the time...and tell me what this little pup is thinking!

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer

The 39 Clues Alternate Title Writing Prompt

If you have been reading the books, playing the game, and collecting the clues, then you probably know a lot more clues than I do. I know some of you have gathered tons of clues already because there is huge discussion about the other clues on The 39 Clues Message Boards. I have only read the books (1-5 so far) so I only know the first five clues.

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't yet gotten the first five clues, then don't read any more of this blog post! I'm about to give them away!

November is for Writers!

It's that time of year again. "What time?" you might ask. "The time to begin your holiday shopping? The time to eat pumpkin pie? The time where I might get a snow day?" And all of those would be true. But, it is also National Novel Writing Month!

I know last November 1st was a million, zillion years ago (or well, actually exactly one year ago), but in case you don't remember my blog post from last year, here are the basics:

• November is National Novel Writing Month.
• That gets abbreviated to NaNoWriMo.
• If you are over 13, you can sign up for the main NaNoWriMo to write 50,000 words this month.
• Anyone 17 years old or younger can sign up for the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program. In the Young Writers Program you get to set your own word goal.
• Write, write, write!

Last year, 22,000 people participated in the Young Writers Program, so if you throw your hat into the ring this year, you'll be in good company.

And, if you need some help getting started; you can see what prompt the Story Starter churns out for you or check back here on Ink Splot 26 for a new writing prompt.

Good luck and happy writing!

—Carly H., STACKS Staffer

YOU Write the Book Blurb: Spooky Edition

I totally loved all the descriptions you guys came up with for my first fake book cover, so I thought I'd do another one. [cue applause — thank you, thank you]

This time I went dark and spooky, since Halloween is right around the corner. Any aspiring horror writers out there?

Or, since October is Mystery Month, why not turn this into a case for a master sleuth?

Either way, have fun with this cover for a completely nonexistent book by an absolutely nonexistent author:

Now it's up to YOU to write the description for the back cover. If this were a real book, what would it be about? Leave a comment with your book blurb — if you dare. . .

— Karen, STACKS Staffer

Create a Caption: Guinness World Records 2010

The new Guinness World Records 2010 book is out in stores so you can find out who holds the current world record for having the ten longest fingernails (28 feet, 4.5 inches combined), for balancing the heaviest car on their head (352 pounds), or having the largest collection of keychains (41,418).

Check out this guy who holds the record for wearing the most T-shirts at once. That's 227 T-shirts! If you can squeeze on 228, the world record could be yours! So what do you suppose this guy was thinking at the moment this photo was taken? Leave a comment saying what YOU think is going on in his (barely visible) head.

For the latest world record information, go to Guinness World Records where you can vote for your favorite world record of the decade, and submit an application to break a world record yourself!

—Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Photos courtesy of Guinness World Records

Writing Prompt: Almost. . .

I really like the question "What if?" I've always found it a lot of fun to imagine what would have happened if one little thing had changed. What if the plot to kill Hitler had worked? (World War II would have ended much earlier. America would not have dropped the atomic bomb on Japan. There would have been no Cold War.) What if the first photon torpedo had destroyed the Death Star? (Luke never would have become a Jedi Knight, and the Rebellion would ultimately have lost.) What if Transformers had not been made into a movie? (My life would be terrible.)

Well, with that in mind, I'd like to propose a game. Take the title of a book, then delete, move and/or change one letter, and give me the new plot. Example:

The Hanger Games

24 children are chosen to enter an arena where they must duel each other with wooden coat hangers.

Hurry Potter

Harry Potter has to run really fast all the time for no reason.

Tielight

Bella moves to Forks, WA where she encounters a group of sinister but really good-looking tie salespeople.

Give me your best/most ridiculous book titles and plots!

— Jack, STACKS Staffer

YOU Write the Book Blurb!

You guys have been totally cracking me up with your hilarious suggestions for our Create a Caption series, and I really wanted to get in on the action -- but I couldn't find any good photos to use! So I thought I'd try something a little different and post a fake book cover for you instead!

So, here's the cover for a completely nonexistent book by an absolutely nonexistent author:

 

Now it's up to YOU to write the description for the back cover! If this were a real book (instead of the product of my warped imagination), what would it be about? Leave a comment with your book blurb!

— Karen, STACKS Staffer

Get ready, get set and RECOMMEND!

Now that the summer is coming to an end (darn!), I want to know what our Stacks' users (I mean YOU!) read this summer. Don't worry, this isn't an assignment. I just want to know which books you enjoyed so that I can build my own arsenal of books to read this fall.

So here's what I want you to do:

1) Name the book or books (because I'm sure you read tons) that you read this summer and just LOVED.
2) Provide the author's name of each book you can't get enough of.
3) Jot down a couple reasons why I should choose your book/books to read.
4) Give each book that you’re recommending a star rating between 1-5.

In a couple weeks I'll tell you which of the top three books I'm choosing to read. If your book makes the top three then you'll want to watch for the book's review right here on Ink Splot 26 because I'll be sending a special shout out to the Stacks user/users who recommended the book.

Get ready, get set and RECOMMEND!

—Carly M., STACKS Staffer

Create a Caption: What's That?

Ah, there's nothing like a good hike through the woods. The fresh scented smell of the trees, the feel-good accomplishment of getting exercise, and the ''wow'' factor that the scenery brings.

When I was back home in Minnesota, my family and I got in touch with our nature side (the little of it we all have) and went on a hike through the woods. As we trekked over the rocks, climbed along the paths and hauled up the way-too-many hills that we encountered, we all took in the unfamiliar, yet beautiful, view.

Here's one particular image of my sister-in-law gazing up at something. I can't remember what she was looking at so I'm leaving it up to YOU!

I'll start it off: "I wonder if those people in that plane can see me?"

Now it's your turn!

—Carly M., STACKS Staffer

Create a Caption: Oh Brother!

For those of you who have brothers or have friends with brothers, don't brothers act like they are invincible? I don't know about you, but ever since I was little, growing up with my older brother, he's always been the take-charge type. Forget about what I wanted to do because it was either his way or the highway.

Even to this day, twenty-some years later, he still thinks like he's some sort of almighty sibling, and I have the picture below to prove it!

Since my brother thinks he's so superior (HAHA) standing atop those rocks, fill in what you think he's saying.

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer