Birthdays: Bertrand Russell (1872), Diane Duane (1952), Sarah Ellis (1952), Lillian Hoban (1925), Andrew Gross (1952), Lionel Shriver (1957), Patrick Dennis (1921), W.G. Sebald (1944)

Tip: You should get an official copyright for your book. Yes, there is a tacit copyright as soon as you finish the book, but registering the copyright makes sure you’re legally covered.

Thought for the day: “By all means be experimental, but let the reader be part of the experiment” – W.G. Sebald

Jumpstart: On this date in 1980, Mt. St. Helen’s erupted, coating the northwest in ash. Imagine your character was there. What did s/he do? Where did s/he go? Or didn’t s/he?