A Very Good Place to Start.

Mark Twain once said of writing, "Start at the beginning, write until you come to the end, then stop."*
It's hard to argue with anything said by Mark Twain. (About writing at least. What he said about investments in typesetting machines is another issue.) So I'll go with Mr. Twain's advice.

This is the beginning of my blog. Here I will write about my books, my workshops, others' books, others' workshops, writing, things happening in life, a game or two, and whatever strikes my fancy. Here, if you wish, you can read about those things.

Why should you read all this? Because (I hope) you will find it interesting, entertaining, and just maybe helpful.

If you've come here from my website (www.howardshirleywriter.com), then you know a little about me. But if you've come here from somewhere else, I'll start with a brief bio.

I am a writer. I write novels, stories, scripts, articles, book reviews and other assorted items, all of which you can learn about at my website (see the link above). This blog is mostly about my work writing for children and young adults— though, quite honestly, I write my books for everyone. If you like a good story and appreciate a well-told tale, I believe you will like my books, whether you are nine, nineteen, or ninety.

Currently one of my books is available— Acts for God: 38 Dramatic Sketches for Contemporary Services, published in 2005 by Meriwether Publishing. Think "Saturday Night Live" with a family-friendly flair. (If you're old enough to remember Isaac Air Freight, you'll understand what I mean. If you're not, well, you'll just have to read it.)

The Weaver of Atreia is my latest novel, a young adult fantasy about a failed apprentice turned soldier, an assassin's plot and a guild of spies. It's not in print yet, but I am delighted to say that editors have requested it, so cross your fingers, say a prayer, and hope for good news very soon. And if you want to know a little more about The Weaver of Atreia, or any of my books, just visit my website.

So now you know a little about me and why I'm writing this.

It's time to follow the last part of Mr. Twain's advice. I'll do so with another pithy quote. Winston Churchill once said, not of writing, "This is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end. But it may be the end of the beginning."*

And so is this.

--- Howard Shirley

*Both quotes are paraphrased from my memory, so don't expect them to be correct. And yes, the last is about the Battle of Britain, not writing.