Talking Story E-newsletter by Carol Baldwin and Joyce Moyer Hostetter, January 2010 issue Out of the Doldrums, provides links to sites that help you shake off the winter doldrums, sites with info for students who want to write, information about Carol and Joyce's Writers-in-Residence program. Also a contest to win Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide by Becky Levine. Encouraging articles and stimulating writing exercise for the classroom. Information about Young Authors and Artists Group, Helpful to teachers, librarians, and students. Our book recommendations - Flygirl by Sherri Smith, Wild Things by Clay Carmichael, Fade by Elliott Lewis, Road to Tater Hill by Edith Montgomery, Harper Lee by Kerry Madden.

Talking Story is a newsletter geared to readers, teachers and librarians. Published "monthly" by Joyce Moyer Hostetter and Carol Baldwin, the newsletter shares useful and inspiring information regarding reading and writing. Each issue includes opportunities to win free books. The December '09 issue of Talking Story focuses on gifts and celebration and covers such topics as Happy Holiday Writing activity, NCCAT (North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching), and recommended books. Books included are My Librarian Is a Camel, My School in the Rainforest, Giggles in the Middle: Caught 'Ya: Grammar with a Giggle for Middle School, The Help, The Chortling Bard, The Phantom Tollbooth, Comfort, and Teaching the Story.

In this issue of Talking Story we explore the importance of networking and some ways to do it effectively. In particular we explore the ways teachers & librarians can help authors connect with students. We introduce people who are doing this well and can help us do it too, including Jan Broadfoot, Susan Taylor Brown, Father Goose (aka Charles Ghigna), and Steve Johnson. There are links to a chance to win 1,000.00 scholarship and also to earn 150.00 of free books from Mauphin House Publishers.

"Talking Story" is the e-newsletter of authors, Joyce Moyer Hostetter and Carol Baldwin. Joyce and Carol co-lead seminars on writing for children. They speak about writing and publishing to schools, libraries, and educational conferences. Carol is the author of Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4 -8. Joyce is the author of four historical middle grade novels, Blue, Comfort, Healing Water, and Best Friends Forever. Talking Story discusses books for children and the process of writing, publishing and speaking for children.