Birthdays: Diane Dillon (1933), Alastair Reynolds (1966), Caryl Phillips (1958), Janet Flanner (1892), L. Ron Hubbard (1911), Ridley Pearson (1953)

Holidays and Observances: Nat’l K9 Veterans Day, Ear Muff Day, Genealogy Day, International Fanny Pack Day, Jewel Day, Coconut Torte Day, Donald Duck Day, Good Samaritan Involvement Day, Nat’l Open an Umbrella Indoors Day, Nat’l Urban Ballroom Dancing Day, Smart & Sexy Day, L. Ron Hubbard Day, Ken Day

Tip: Do you use a pseudonym? Do you want to? Make a list of possibilities and search for them online to make sure they’re not in use by someone else.

Thought for the day: “It comes down to hours and hours of work. I rewrite every novel no fewer than four times, sometimes as many as nine times. You can’t believe how many hours that consumes. It’s ENDLESS. You have to be patient to be a published writer, and you have to practice humility, because the editor (or teacher) is nearly always right.” – Ridley Pearson

Jumpstart: In China, Ching Ming is a day when people visit the graves of their ancestors. Take a trip to a cemetery—the older the better—and note dates, ages, names, epitaphs (if any). Pick one or two and write about their life.