Finding the right words

I have a tendency to use the same words over and over again when I write. My Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Kratky, calls them echoes—and she says we should try and get rid of/eliminate as many of them as possible.

But sometimes, it’s hard/difficult/challenging to come up with the right words. Am I right?

Of course I am! Unless, of course, you have a secret weapon:

THE THESAURUS

Sunday is National Thesaurus Day (for real!) and in honour, I’ve challenged my family to a game of words, words, words. Ha! What do you think of THAT echo?

Want to play along? Here’s how:

1. On a piece of paper, write 10 adjectives that describe your personality or physical appearance. Eg: Tall.
2. Using a thesaurus, find a synonym (word that is different but means the same thing) for each of the 10 adjectives.
3. If the synonym is a word you don’t know, look it up in the dictionary!
4. Now, switch lists with someone else in your group, and using the new words, write a paragraph about that person.

Working alone? That’s okay! Follow the same steps as above, but instead of switching lists, write the paragraph about yourself using the words you’ve come up with. Challenge yourself to use adjectives that are new to you, as well—vocabulary is super important for good writing!

And, you don’t have to stick to one subject. Use the same rules to write paragraphs about pets, friends, sports…whatever you want! Imagine all of the new words you could learn!?

Gotta jet!

—Chase Superman Duffy

Time for Transpiration!

Did you know that January 8 was National Bubble Bath Day, and tomorrow is Splash Around in a Puddle Day?

I’m not much of a bath kid, and it’s going to be way too cold for puddle hopping tomorrow (the puddles will all be skating rinks!), but all of this talk about water has me thinking about the latest book in the Chase Superman Duffy adventure comic series—TRANSPIRATION.

I don’t know about you, but we’re learning about water cycles in Science, so I know all about the stuff in this story. (Not to mention that I’m IN the story.) Of course, the author took some, er, creative liberties, and introduced a few super secret fantastical characters…like DINOSAURS! * cough, cough *

Want a copy of this book? There’s a couple ways to get it! Send me a message on Facebook (Chase Superman Duffy), email me at chase.superman.duffy@gmail.com, contact the Alberta Canola Producers Commission at www.learncanola.com, OR, if you’re REALLY ambitious, check out this week’s STORY STARTER, write a few paragraphs, and you could WIN a copy of the book. Cool, right?

Gotta jet!

— Chase Superman Duffy

My year in review

Did you make New Years resolutions yesterday?

I decided to only focus on one this year: READING.

Why that one? Well, taking a look at my year in review, I’m embarrassed at the number of books I read in 2014. I promised myself I’d read 25, AND blog about them. How many did I actually read? 10. Epic. Fail.

I managed to pay more attention in Science, and that helped my marks, of course. I’m still doing better in Math (even though I don’t really like it), and I DID train really hard. Maybe the hardest I’ve ever trained, even shaving a few seconds off my personal running best. I wrote more, and submitted a comic book to a contest ON TIME, and even though I didn’t win, I’m proud of the idea. I even remembered my locker combination ALL YEAR. That’s HUGE for me.

But my reading? Ugh. I didn’t make enough time for it—and that’s not good. Because everyone knows that if you want to be a good writer, you have to be a GREAT reader.

So. Even though there are SO MANY things I could resolve to do this year, my New Years resolution is this: I resolve to read 25 books in 2015 and blog about them.

Gotta jet—I’m cracking open my first novel of the year today. Time to get reading.

— Chase Superman Duffy

Boxing Day shopping? No way!

My mom left the house REALLY early this morning to go meet Grandma. I think I heard her alarm at like, 5:00 a.m. THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS!

I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s tradition. My mom and Grandma always sneak off for the day and hit the stores for Boxing Day deals. I guess it’s smart, because, we all got a few gift certificates in our stockings this year (Chapters for me!) and I know there are some MAJOR sales going on.

BUT.

You will NOT catch me at the mall today. I don’t mind shopping, especially at the bookstore, and crowds don’t really bother me. It’s the line ups. One Boxing Day, I stood in line at a bookstore so long, I almost finished the book I was buying.

I don’t know much about Boxing Day, but I bet if I looked up the history of it, there’d be little or no mention of SHOPPING. Which is why this year, I’m sticking around the house with my little sister. Maybe we’ll read. Or sleep. Or, maybe we’ll do some crafts…

Huh. What if we made some things out of BOXES?! Like shadow puppet stages, keepsake or idea files, a playhouse (for Amelia, of course), or even art canvasses. If we get REALLY ambitious, maybe we’ll try one of the ideas from this website: http://www.redtedart.com/2014/01/02/cardboard-box-craft-ideas-2/

Cool, right?!

Okay, I gotta jet! If you ARE out there braving those line-ups, stay safe!

— Chase Superman Duffy

Dealing with change — the Christmas edition

I know change is vital — it’s impossible to GROW without change. And I know that sometimes, people don’t always deal with change very well.

I’ve always considered myself pretty good at coping with change, but this holiday season, I admit, I may feel some sadness over the loss of a Duffy Family Tradition. To my shock, this year, my parents have decided to buy a — gasp! — fake tree.

Ever since I was a baby, we’ve had REAL trees for Christmas. Sometimes we go out into the woods and chop them down, other times we visit a tree farm, and more and more, we buy from the local Boy Scouts tree lot. We’ve had all kinds, but the Douglas Fir is our favourite.

But Mom has decided she doesn’t want the hassle of a real tree anymore. The hassle?

At first, I was devastated. I mean, the annual Tree Picking Ceremony is as old as me! But then I started thinking about it. Real trees are messy — I find needles in my socks for MONTHS after the holidays. And, every year, so many pre-cut trees are never bought. What happens to them? That CAN’T be good for the environment, right?

Our fake tree is beautiful. And after we filled it with lights and decorations, you can hardly tell it isn’t real. Except, the living room is missing that fresh pine scent. Sigh. I wonder if Santa will notice. <wink wink>

Speaking of Santa, I won’t be blogging again until December 26, so, I wish you and your family a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS—and all the best for the New Year.

Gotta jet!

— Chase Superman Duffy

Travel to the North Pole, anyone?

Did you know that the South Pole was discovered on December 11, more than 100 years ago?

Fascinating, I know, but of course, with Christmas right around the corner, it’s the NORTH pole on most people’s minds—especially if you’re a kid.

I was looking up Santa’s address for my sister the other day (www.the-north-pole.com) and stumbled on some fun North Pole facts. Like, did you know that the North Pole is actually WARMER than the South Pole?

That doesn’t mean you should pack your bathing suit and book a holiday. The average winter temperature is still -34°C, but can get down to -43°C, without the wind chill. B-R-R-R-R.

In fact, the air is so cold, you can hear someone talking up to almost 5 km away.

Not that you’d have many people to eavesdrop on. Aside from Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their army of elves, only a few animals can survive the North Pole elements—orca and Humpback whales, artic fox, and the occasional polar bear.

Oh, and the narwhale—a small whale with a six to 10 foot tusk, giving it the nickname: Unicorn of the Sea.

I guess if I’m looking for cool (ha ha) story ideas, I’ll find them in the North Pole. Um…anyone want to come with me?

Gotta Jet!

— Chase Superman Duffy

The Top 5 Books I Want to Read in 2015

I admit, I haven’t been the best reader in 2014. I started out with good intentions—but maybe my goal was a bit high. I actually only finished a handful of novels, which isn’t great. If I want to be a writer, I NEED to be a better reader.

I’ve been seeing all kinds of “most anticipated book” lists all over the Internet these days, so I thought to kick off the holiday season, I’d share with you the top five books I am excited to read in the New Year—even if most of the came out in 2014.

In no particular order:

1. The Darkest Part of the Forest – Holly Black

I’ve read a couple of Holly’s books and they really cater to the part of me that loves a creepy tale. After reading R.L. Stine’s Party Games (the new FEAR STREET book) last October, I’m even MORE excited about spooky stories.

2. The Night Gardner — Jonathan Auxier

I loved this author's first book, Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes. I have a feeling this one is going to be just as awesome.

3. The Crossover — Kwame Alexander

If you look up this book on Goodreads, you can read the first page—and it is AMAZING. It’s about a kid who plays basketball. Even though I’m a track athlete, I can still appreciate a great sports story.

4. The Boundless — Kenneth Oppel

I love everything Kenneth Oppel writes. He’s Canadian, and this book is about TRAINS. I love trains. Everything about this sounds right up my alley.

5. Absolutely Almost – Lisa Graff

Lots of buzz about this book—and it looks fun!

Speaking of new books (cough, cough), the new Superman Duffy comic is AT THE PRESS RIGHT NOW. Check out the amazing cover for TRANSPIRATION. You’re going to want to add this book to your collection!

What books are on your wish list this Christmas?

Okay, Gotta Jet!

— Chase Superman Duffy