on becoming a noun

You know who I really admire?

I will tell you.

I really admire Ellen Hopkins.

Here's one reason why: Ellen has created a nonprofit organization to assist and provide care for at-risk kids. The organization is called Ventana Sierra. One of the ways the organization generates funding is through a remarkable Advanced Writing Workshop Ellen will be running in June.

There will even be a workshop there for young writers--kids--and it is absolutely free.

How freaking awesome is that?

You can find out about the Ventana Sierra Workshops here.

In the past year or so, a number of people have asked me to recommend  a conference where they might learn some skills and tips.

This one.

This is the one.

I run into Ellen fairly often, and she is always so nice to me. Go figure.

One time (and I honestly can't remember which event this was at), as we sat in some place where there was coffee or something just before a panel discussion or something like that, we talked about how Ellen had become a noun--that she was now referred to as THE Ellen Hopkins, and how much bother came with the THE.

I thought about this because yesterday, Terry Brooks posted a review of my novel Passenger on his website.

Lots of people contacted me, asking do you mean THE Terry Brooks?

Yes. THE Terry Brooks.

He, like Ellen, is also a noun.

Anyway, it was really a kick getting a five-star review for Passenger from an author like Terry Brooks.

Cool stuff.

You can read what Terry said about Passenger here.

And check out Ventana Sierra.

---