Birthdays: Scott O’Dell (1898), Margaret Wise Brown (1910), Susan Cooper (1935), Jane Kenyon (1947), Margaret Fuller (1810), Mitch Albom (1958)

Tip: Learn how to use commas. There’s a big difference between “Let’s eat grandma.” And “Let’s eat, Grandma.”

Thought for the day: “I find interesting characters or lessons that resonate with people and sometimes I write about them in the sports pages, sometimes I write them in a column, sometimes in a novel, sometimes a play or sometimes in nonfiction. But at the core I always say to myself, ‘Is there a story here? Is this something people want to read?’” – Mitch Albom

Jumpstart: “I’m afraid she’s dead.” Who is she? How did she die? Why does it matter to you? What happened?