If you think you're a quirky writer, you haven't met Matt Blackstone!

Boundless fun this Friday!  First, middle grade author extraordinaire Barbara Dee is sharing her audition story over at A Year of Auditions.

And, below, debut novelist Matt Blackstone has stopped by to share a few of his writing quirks.  Any look familiar to you?

When I'm in the drafting mode of the manuscript, I go back to the beginning and read the first few pages before skipping ahead to the current point. It helps me remember the voice of the character, but takes WAY too much time.

If I had a particularly good writing day, I like to eat the same snack I had the day before. Except when I run out of that snack. I may be superstitious, but I'm also lazy -- a lucky snack definitely isn't worth leaving the house for.

I "coach" myself. Heavens no do I talk to myself out loud, but "coach" . . . certainly. I'm known for the following phrases: "C'mon Matty," "what are you doing?" "where was I?" "oi, yoi, oi."


Aside from the aforementioned "coaching," I need silence. My wife's sewing machine drives me bananas. She makes beautiful stuff, absolutely stunning, but it sounds like this: "ERDRADRETICKCHUCKACHUCKRAHERAHERADUGTICK." Those aren't random letters. That's the actual sound.


I sigh. Loudly. I'm a loud sigher. Combine that with my penchant for saying "oi, yoi, oi," you can understand why I'm often mistaken for a 75 year old shuffleboard champion in West Palm Beach, Florida.

I stretch a lot in my seat. You'd think I was getting ready for gymnastics. But I'm really getting ready for more sitting.

Learn more about the awesomeness that is Matt over at http://www.mattblackstonebooks.com/.