Monique Polak

If you've read my books or been in one of my classes, you'll know by now that I have an unnatural interest in trouble. Not in my own life, of course, but in my stories! (And for those of uswho've had a little or a lot of life troubles, well, that's ready-made material, isn't it?!)

This weekend, I came across a great quote from author John Le Carré (the quote was passed on by children's author Val Coulman who's on the same writers' listserv as me). Here goes: "The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat's mat is a story."

Don't you love it? Le Carré must be interested in trouble, too. The story he's talking about only gets interesting when his cat sits on the other cat's mat! 

Okay, I'm just back from school and am about to shift gears and turn myself into a writer for the afternoon. I've got a book review to do for The Gazette, and if there's time, I'm hoping to spend a little time with my new boyfriend (that means my manuscript! the beginnings, as I've explained before, always feel a little like falling in love!!). And though it's only February 15, the sun is out -- and I have a wild plan: to hang our sheets on my trusty clothesline! The smell of fresh sheets is a sure sign spring isn't too too far away.