Birthdays: Honoré de Balzac (1799), Hector Malot (1830), Sigrid Undset (1882), Allan Nevins (1890), Margery Allingham (1904), Justin Cartwright (1943), Mary Pope Osborne (1949), Michele Roberts (1949), Walter Isaacson (1952), Douglas Preston (1956), Christopher Sorrentino (1963), Jon Meacham (1969)

Sigrid Undset won the 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature

Allan Nevins won the 1933 Pulitzer for his biography of Grover Cleveland

Mary Pope Osborne is most well known for her “Magic Tree House” series

Jon Meacham won the 2009 Pulitzer in Biography for “American Lion: Andrew Johnson in the White House”

Quote: “You can’t believe anything that’s written in an historical novel, and yet the author’s job is always to create a believable world that readers can enter. It’s especially so, I think, for writers of historical fiction.” – Justin Cartwright

“I love teaching. It’s a job that lasts forever. Whatever you teach children today travels with them far into the future.”― Mary Pope Osborne, Twister on Tuesday

Tip: When looking over a contract, if you are doing it yourself, be sure you are aware of the rights you are assigning to the publisher and the length of time they have the right to your work. These can include electronic, audio, translations, reprint, other editions, and more. Learn what they are so you can make informed decisions concerning your work.

Jumpstart: What is your character’s dream car? Describe it in detail. How will s/he get one?