Sometimes it helps to look outside our own heads for a fresh perspective. So I went to my daughter and we had a chat.
RB: When you are working on a story, what has been the hardest part?
JB: The quotation marks, because I always forget to put in the "he said" and "she said" parts.
RB: The tags.
JB: Right. The tags.
RB: Tell me why you started writing stories.
JB: Because my teacher made me.
RB: Sometimes I write in a notebook and other times on my laptop. Do you have a preference about the way you write?
JB: The computer is better because it tells you if you spell something wrong.
RB: You just finished reading a huge book in three days! (Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins, ~400 pages) I've never seen you do that before. What elements in the Jake Ransom book made it so important that you read it that fast?
JB: It was funny and scary at the same time. Animals with swords? Is that not funny and scary?
RB: Tell me your opinions about audio books vs. real books.
JB: Audio books are faster but real books . . . when we read those, we have to imagine the voices.
RB: Some people are using e-readers now, like a flat little computer you hold in your hand. The whole book is on there, kind of like a Word document. What do you think about that?
JB: That sounds strange. I've never seen one or heard of one.
RB: Would you try one?
JB: Yeah. It would be neat to own a little electronic device like that and have it all to myself.
RB: Do you know what a card catalog is?
JB: No.
RB: Do you know what an encyclopedia is?
JB: Yep. A long book, sort of like a dictionary, with different topics.
RB: If you needed to find out a phone number, how would you do it?
JB: By asking the person.
RB: I mean, if they weren't there with you.
JB: I'd e-mail them.
RB: If you didn't know their e-mail address?
JB: I'd mail them a letter. And I already know what you're going to say next. If I didn't know their address, I'd wait until the next time I saw them.
RB: What about getting directions somewhere? How would you do that?
JB: GPS.
RB: Do you know how that works?
JB: Yes. It's another little electronic device. It sits in your hand or in your car, and tells you where to go.
RB: Yes, but how does it work?
JB: It's just smart like that.
RB: GPS works because it talks to the satellites in space. They know where you are, and they know where you are trying to go.
JB: Oh. Sweet.
RB: Do you have any idea how much a stamp costs?
JB: No. A dollar?
RB: Forty-four cents.
JB:
*shrugs, unimpressed*
RB: I'm always after you to try new foods. If I would stop nagging you about any particular food, which would you choose?
JB: Well, which one do you cook the most? I guess corn or carrots.
RB: Moms are embarrassing sometimes. How am I embarrassing to you?
JB: At the Christmas parties, sometimes you kiss me.
RB: If you had to explain to a little kid why reading is important, what would you say?
JB: It's good for your brain so it doesn't turn into mush. That's your line.
RB: I'm glad you remember my line.
JB: You say it enough.
RB: What message do you have for the people who will read our blog?
JB: Wait. People are going to read this?
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