"I’m sorry Mr. Kipling, but you just don’t know how to use the English language."

These were the words used by one of the editors of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper when rejecting one of Rudyard Kipling’s short stories.

Think of how many authors today would be discouraged and would just completely give up writing if they read those words in a review or a rejection letter. I came across a list of famous authors who were rejected (often repeatedly) by agents, editors and publishers. 

Read this list the next time you receive a rejection letter or particularly painful review and it should give you the strength to carry on.

http://www.examiner.com/article/30-famous-authors-whose-works-were-rejected-repeatedly-and-sometimes-rudely-by-publishers

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Dear Bully is featured on front page of NY Times Arts section!

Here is the link! I will be scanning and posting here shortly! Though I don't love the headline "Publishers Revel in Youthful Cruelty" (what?!?! Really?!  Um...no), it's an honor to be included and I feel that the bulk of the story shows how the publishing world is rallying together to tackle this growing issue.

In any case, CLICK HERE to read the article and ENJOY!

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I've made promises I couldn't keep, but...

this time I mean it when I say I'm going to update my blog more often. No more excuses.

So I'm starting off with a question. Does anyone know how to link or add a Tumblr widget to Blogger? There are Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, GooglePlus and many other widgets available to add to Blogger blogs, but I have yet to find one for Tumblr. Are they in competition? Is Tumblr the one last thing on Earth not owned by Google or Amazon? Hmmmm....

In any case, even though this doesn't look like a blog, it's just a really jazzed up version of a regular Blogger blog.  I taught myself some HTML and made this thing look like a real website. On my homepage, some of the pictures are all smushed together and I need to figure out how to fix that. There are some random adds and widgets that have run amuck all over the place. But, overall, I'm pretty happy with how this has turned out.

Can you tell I'm procrastinating on my next novel?

And what is going on with my latest novel, you may ask? (Or maybe not, but I'll tell you anyway.)

I'm about 200 pages in on my first draft and I'm at that crucial 3/4 mark that I always hate. Why do I hate it so much? Because I'm one of those writers who doesn't really know how it's going to end until the reader does (just about). I like to think that if I can surprise myself by the ending, then the reader is really going to be for a surprise.

But, more than that, as I started researching the topic for this latest book, I got really intrigued by larger, complicated and infuriating issues surrounding it.  I'm keeping this topic hush-hush for now, but as soon as I've finished, you can bet that I'm going to be VERY loud and forthright with my opinions on this particular subject. I know that is hard to imagine, given how quiet I've been on the whole bullying situation.

And, yet, this issue has me even more riled up, even angrier and ready to shout even louder about the injustices.

But, I digress...

So, as I'm nearing completion of this book, I will be seated here at my computer more often and before I go posting on Facebook or Tumblr or Twitter or whatever other social media outlet designed for procrastination, I'll make every effort to stop here first and jot down a note or two about what it's like being right in the middle of the writing process.

Thanks for sticking with me. And feel free to follow me via any of the widgets lister above. I'm also on Tumblr. Which Blogger won't let me post or link to. Not sure why.  If someone can explain it to me, please do. Especially since one of my writer friends informed me that teens now think that Facebook and Twitter are for old people. Tumblr is the new hot place to be. And if you don't believe that, just ask MySpace how it feels when teens leave you in the dust. Not too much fun.  So check me out here at http://www.tumblr.com/blog/megankelleyhall.

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Piper meets Adam Sandler

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You are not alone video

Just wanted to share an anti-bullying video that I pulled together over the weekend. I'll show you two versions. The first one goes a little fast and many people have told me that in bullying presentations, the quotes are too hard to read.  But I still like it, so I'll show it here.

The second one is trimmed a bit (in terms of pictures of celebrities) and slowed down so that kids can read the quotes during assemblies (which is why I created this in the first place).

Let me know what you think. If you like it, pass it on.

Thanks!
xxoo

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So I know I promised....

...to update on a more regular basis. And I've already fallen short. Sorry about that. But until I come up with some brilliant and witty post that will be life changing for everyone, here are a few things that I came across on Facebook (where I apparently live -- come and visit me there once in awhile, won't you?) that I though I would share:

Enjoy! And Happy Valentine's Day to you all.  Just remember, any rejection you may receive isn't in vain, it's fodder for funny posts to share with others who feel your pain. ❤ 

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Piper's Movie Role

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2012 Resolutions

So, first off, I haven't been so great at keeping my blog up to date.  If there was a way of linking Facebook posts with my Blogger account, then I'd be updating more than anyone would think possible. (So if anyone knows how to do that, email me at megan -at- megankelleyhall.com - thanks!)

In any case, I'm going to try to update here more often. It seems easier just to post on Facebook and Twitter, since I know that people will read what I have to say.  That sense of immediate gratification, you know? You put something up on Facebook and then BAM two seconds later you get a few likes, a few comments. You know that people are reading your work.  This is strange for someone who writes books. Especially since there is such a long period of time between putting your words on paper (or onto the computer screen) and having your books purchased in stores (or through Kindle) and having people read and then review them.  The process is long and tedious and angst-ridden.  Definitely not for the faint of heart.

So instead of psyching myself out and writing long-winded blog posts, I'm going to try to make them short and sweet.

I'm ending today's post with an image that has been going around Facebook today and I thought it was very appropriate and dead-on in terms of why people become writers in the first place.

Hopefully I will be able to keep up on my New Year's Resolution and keep this site up to date. In the meantime, if anyone knows how to link up Facebook and Blogger, let me know!

Cheers!

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On Fox News Boston Talking About Dear Bully

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A reminder

There are a lot of these going around online right now, but I wanted to put together my own video. This is a reminder to myself (and to others) why we created DEAR BULLY. This is not affiliated with the book nor is it being used to promote anything-- it's just a way to reflect on the increasingly damaging effects on bullying and why it has to stop NOW.

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