Blogging From A-Z Starts Soon!

I'm looking forward to the A-Z blogging challenge that starts this Friday, April 1st.

If you don't already know...it's a challenge among bloggers where you post something everyday except Sundays starting with the letter A and ending the month with Z.

(Find out more here...)


And I can't believe that over 1500 bloggers have signed up. Wow!!!!


(Click Here to sign up or see the list of bloggers who are doing the challenge)

This is the 7th annual blogging challenge. So crazy how time flies. I've joined in on the challenge in the past and am looking forward to doing it again. Should be loads of fun.


I write teen tough issues and my themes tend to be a little dark...so this year I've decided to spend a month on positive attributes. Join me and let's bring a little kindness to all the darkness and meanness in the world.

See you all on Friday!

Best,

Becca

Encouraging Your Tweens and Teens to Keep Reading

March is National Reading Month and it is a great time to encourage kids to read. But sometimes it is easier to get younger kids to read than it is to get tweens and teens to read. Especially the boys.

There are many reasons why teens stop reading. It can be because they don't have enough time with sports, extracurricular activities, friends, homework, etc. Maybe they think they will look like a nerd to others. A lot of time boys stop reading because they are left with a lot of girly topics. 

But there are some things we can do to encourage increased reading among teens: 

* Make a book list

* Recommend titles that are about 'real' situations

* Take them to book signings

* Attend book release parties

* Find out what their friends are reading

*Check out the upcoming movies made from best selling novels and read those before going to see the movie

* Carve out some time for the whole family to sit around and read together

* Check out the local library for teen events

* Join a teen/parent book club

* Encourage your teen to join a book club

Some teens have always loved to read and never give it up. But others find that life will get busy leaving them with little time to open a book. And many boys struggled to enjoy reading when they were young and now dread it as a teen. 

But encouraging your teen to read is important to their future and growth. Reading increases test scores and those who stopped reading are at risk for decreased scores and assignments later in college. 

What are some ways you encourage your teen to read? What are some of the reasons that kept you reading throughout your teen years?

Best to all,

Becca

He knows he's been Wronged...an excerpt from Wronged

Available now at amazon.com


Before opening the door, Chris turns back to Caton. He may only be in his mid-thirties but suddenly he appears older, almost as though the day has aged him ten or so years. Pain settles into his expression. "Seriously, kid?" he says. "You were going somewhere with your life. You were going to get out of here one day. And what? You go and screw it up over some nonsense? What were you thinking?" Chris looks down, unable to hold Caton's gaze. "You could have made something out of yourself." He rubs his forehead. "Shit, Caton. I don't know how you're getting out of this one. Why the hell did you have to go and get yourself involved with those guys? I thought..."

"You have it all wrong," Caton says, his tone on the edge of desperation.

"What?" Chris snaps.

Caton shakes his head. "Never mind," he says.

Chris turns and opens the door.

The warmth of the station and the reality of the situation smacks Caton in the face. Chris was right. He was getting out of here one day, but now everything has changed. Now he's faced with a mess he never wanted to be involved with in the first place. He believes, no he knows, he's been wronged.

From Wronged. Available now at amazon.com

Wronged

Caton Hernandez has never felt so alone, and he’s used to being alone. His single mother is never around, and when she is, she is either passed-out or strung-out. He also keeps to himself in his neighborhood south of the high school where kids hang in groups just to survive and violence runs high. He does his best to stay out of trouble, and one day, he’ll get out and make something of himself.

Yet, somehow Caton’s managed to get caught up in a major mess and finds himself in the middle of a conflict between the South Boys and the Westies. Two people have been shot, one of them his girlfriend, and he and a couple of boys from his neighborhood have been arrested for the crime. He’s in deep, he’s alone, and he needs someone to believe in him.

But when the state sends him to the Denver Youth Correctional Center and the DA wants to push for a transfer to adult court, Caton quickly learns how fast others are to judge him solely on his home life, his mother, and the neighborhood he’s grown up in. He knows he can’t do this on his own, but will he be able to get someone to listen in time? Or will Caton have to give up before having the chance to fight for his freedom?

He believes. No, he knows he’s been wronged, but will anyone else believe him? Or is he in this alone?