This past week, I spent some time updating my site. “What’s New” now opens with the covers for Australia and Russia as well as a schedule for the classes I teach. Aren’t these covers gorgeous? I feel like I can be all gushy and glowy, because I had nothing whatsoever to do with their creation. But the cover designer did a great job. If they see this, I hope that they’ve give themself a pat on the back!
I also added a new page – Freebies. My goal is to add something new each month and end the year with a dozen or so items. The current offering is a reading chart for teachers, librarian and parents to share with their young readers.
Not to panic! I know this is too small to read the key. But if you click through above you can view and download a page-sized, 8 1/2 x 11, version.
This particular project came about when someone shared a similar reading log on Twitter. There was a color code with various colors listed for nonfiction, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, humorous fiction, adventure stories, and the like.
I’ll admit that it took me a moment but then I realized. Every single type of nonfiction was lumped into one category or color while fiction had five or six different colors and headings.
At first, I wondered if this only bothered me because I write nonfiction. But slowly it dawned on me that so many people love nonfiction. One new friend won’t come to book club because we read fiction. After keying a caustic comment about how skewed the chart was, I decided to actually do something. Well, something besides complain. I popped open Illustrator and got to work creating a set of bookshelves with books and, for visual interest, both a plant and a cat. Special thanks to Annette Whipple who helped me come up with categories!
I hope you’ll click through and download the reading chart. And if you have any ideas for addition freebies, let me know. I have a few ideas but a few is less than a dozen!
–SueBE
One Writer's Journey 