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C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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Let Me Tell You A Story & #AtoZChallenge 2017 & Tomatoes?

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Let me Tell You A Story about. . .after the fun of seeing Double Negative in print, I decided to have some more fun and create a movie cast for my characters. For a few weeks I’ll be sharing my cast and bit about them. 

Brant Daugherty


The MC was easy. Brant Daugherty’s the perfect Hutchison McQueen. He’s a bright kid who’s virtually illiterate and living in home where he’s either abused or ignored. 

Here’s the first time you meet Hutch.

 Kranski’s office might as well be home. I spend more time with him than I do with Dee Dee, and for good reason: the principal’s friendlier than my mom. 

Double Negative

AND 

I have Winners to Announce: 
Rachel, Cassey, Laurel, Katy, Katie, Theresa
Their books are on the way!

While I didn’t take the challenge this year, I have been visiting some bloggers who did. Here’s someone I just discovered and enjoyed a lot. You might want to give Chris Votey a visit. His theme is great fun. Don’t miss Hilary’s posts. As always they’re the best and D will have you in stitches. Ducks do that!

And about those tomatoes! I’m going to start my Monday Tomato Report. I never plot my books, but each year I plot how I’m going to have the juciest, the freshest, the most amazing tomatoes on the planet. And this year, I’m going to share that progress with you.

SEEDS from Tomato Bob! 

Yes, there is a Tomato Bob, and each year I order my hybrid seeds from him. He sends me a cheery note and these delicate little packets of potential. Then in February I plant all of that potential in loamy soil and set them in the greenhouse.

Here are my little greenhouse darlings in March!

Quote of the Week: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.” Brian O’Driscoll, Irish Athlete

Does Hutch get to you with this beginning? Are you doing or following others on the A to Z Challenge? Do you wait all year for the perfect tomato? 

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Comments

  4. I was not talking about your reviews, Lee. Yours have always made my day. Apparently my story in the Insecure Anthology is less than appreciated. Sigh. Well, I tried my best. 🙂

    • We all get bad reviews. That's life. "Brahms evidently lacks the breadth and power of invention eminently necessary for the production of truly great symphonic works." the Musical Courier, 1887. Who wrote that? Not a clue. But I do know who wrote that beautiful music.

  7. I really need to get Double Negative on my shelf. A real copy that I can pretend you signed in invisible ink. Hutch has fascinated me since I first heard of him, and I finally have my editing scheduled freeing up oh so slightly to where I can start to fit in pleasure reading again.

    And ohhhhh, don't get me started on homegrown tomatoes. I love them and could probably eat my weight in them when the season is at its peak.

    • If you do read Hutch's story, I'd love to send you a signed nameplate. That seems to work. So glad you're a tomato lover, too. I believe people who savor food, savor life and how exciting is that?

  9. I got a little plastic planter of beefsteak tomato plants in July, and the two survivors finally bore fruit in February (albeit not very big). My mother says I have an excellent green thumb, since she's never heard of anyone else getting tomatoes to bear fruits indoors, in New York, during winter. Good luck with your own tomatoes!

  12. I look forward to all your tomato posts! I love my garden and look forward to getting to start working in it again soon. Fresh tomatoes are just SO out of this world. 🙂

    Looking forward to seeing the rest of the cast. How fun! 🙂
    ~Jess

  16. Hi, Cheryl!

    Oh, I hope you cast Pee-Wee Herman in your book! 🙂

    Down (over) here in Florida it is too dang hot to have a successful outdoor garden. Mrs. Shady has tried to grow tomatoes and other veggie crops over the years but the plants can't withstand the heat. Yessum, the tomato is a fruit, but it will quickly ruin a fruit salad. 🙂

    Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend C-Lee!

  17. Looking forward to seeing your movie cast for your book, as well as following your tomato growing process. We grew a few last year and looking forward to giving it ago again this year.

    • We live about an hour from the tomato capital of the US, Sacramento. But their weather is hot day and night. We have cool nighttime temps. Tomatoes hate that. It will be interesting.

  19. I get tomato plants. Would love to learn your tips. I just started a garden for me last year after taking a few years' break. I love it and my boyfriend has a garden too.

    • I'd love to share what I know. However, I'm a real student. A lot depends on the night time temps where you live. That's the key to setting your tomatoes.

  20. Tomatoes are my favorite and homegrown is the only way to go. Good luck! I tried for several years but finally gave up to the experts. LOL You look like an expert!

  25. I'd love to plant tomatoes if I had, you know, a yard (or even some good window space). I usually get a lot from my dad during the summer, though. So much better than store bought!

  26. We used to plant tomatoes, but by the time they were ripe, so was everyone's else's plants. So there'd be a huge surplus of tomatoes. Sigh. Good luck with yours.

  30. Once again there are so many wonderful and creative themes for A to Z. If I didn't have other things that had to be done I'd be reading A to Z posts all day (and still not get through all of them!).

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

  35. Ha,ha! Love the quote. I used to have tomatoes in my garden. Now, the son is the gardener, and he doesn't like tomatoes. Plants them for me, sometimes. I think Double Negative would make a great movie. Good choice for Hutch.

  37. I've been away from the blog for a while and didn't realize you have another book out, Lee. Congratulations! The opening draws me right in, makes me want to know what's up between Hutch and his mom. Well done.
    My mom used to grow tomatoes, but I didn't inherit her green thumb. Good luck with yours!