Birthdays: Randolph Caldecott (1846), Louis L’Amour (1908), Nicholas Montserrat (1910), William Shatner (1931), Billy Collins (1941), Houston A. Baker, Jr. (1943), Rudy Rucker (1946), James Patterson (1947)

Randolph Caldecott was a British artist and illustrator. The Caldecott Medal for children’s book illustrations is named in his honor.

Billy Collins was the American Poet Laureate from 2001-2003.

Quote: “Stop trying to write sentences and start trying to write stories.” – James Patterson

Tip: Check your facts. Always. Just because you looked something up on the internet doesn’t mean it’s correct. Check several sources. Especially if you write historical novels. Make sure your clothing, housing, etc. match the time period.

Jumpstart: Your character has a doppelganger—a body double—but this one is opposite in personality and creates havoc for him/her. How does s/he deal with this person? Do they meet? What happens?