What's New at the Cafe? Check it Out!

Today at Imagination-Cafe.com we have a wonderful new addition to our Science Department.

Is your child left-handed?  Even if they're not Your Left Can Be Right Too by By Carina DeSwardt is a fun and educational article about being a "leftie." 

Here's a sneak peek...
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                                  Your Left Can Be Right Too

       by Carina DeSwardt

Has any one called you lefty or southpaw? Or told you that you were using the wrong hand? You are not alone. In fact, you are part of a minority group in a world dominated by right-handed people. About 15 percent of the world’s population is left-handed.

Left-handedness is genetic: it runs in families. If you have a parent who is left-handed, you’ve have a 25 percentchance of being left-handed. There are more left-handed men than women.

Upside Down World:

The world is set up for right-handers. It can be very frustrating for left-handers to learn basic skills such as writing, cutting with scissors and using a ruler to draw a line.

If left-handers sits next to right-handed classmates, they end up bumping elbows as they write. It is a challenge for left-handers using a computer mouse and wind a wristwatch with the right hand.

Forcing the Right Hand:

Not so long ago, many people thought left-handers were wrong and clumsy. Many superstitious people thought being left-handed would bring bad luck. A hundred years ago,when left-handers went to school, it was not unusual for their teachers to tie their left hands behind their back and spank them if they used their left hands. That was common practice in a lot of cultures and societies.

Left-handers can learn to write with their right hand if they are less than nine years of age. But they will still use their left hand for other activities such as eating, throwing a ball, or cutting.

There are no advantages to switching hands, but there may be disadvantages, such as having difficulty knowing left from right, and even stuttering and stammering...
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Read the rest of this awesome article, including famous left-handers, and take the fun quiz at;
http://imagination-cafe.com/weekly/science/lefthand.asp

Imagination-Cafe is a free online magazine aimed at children 4-12 years old.  It features, Weekly Specials, Science, Health, History, Doggy Bag, Open Mic, Recipes, Games and so much more.

Feed Their Minds - Open 24 Hours a Day!

First Place Winner - Julie Musil

Here is our first place winner in the Imagination-Cafe writing contest. Julie Musil wrote a fabulous article entitled; Ready to Ride - more on that later.

Check out my interview with Julie below:

Tell us a bit about yourself
My husband and I have three sons; a 13-year-old and 10-year-old twins. Our family enjoys camping, hiking, water skiing, and atv riding. With my spare time, I love immersing myself in a great novel.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Until a couple of years ago, I didn’t realize I wanted to be a writer. I just wrote because it was a fun hobby. My only regret is that I didn’t get serious about writing sooner.

When did you start to write? Tell us about that.
When I was a child, I wrote poems for anyone with a pulse. My family humored me and offered support, which encouraged me to write even more. I still have copies of those old poems, which are yellowing in a 70’s-style photo album with the sticky pages. One of my teachers submitted my Christmas poem to the local newspaper. It ended up making the front page--my first publication!

How has it been going so far?
For me, writing is pure joy. I’m steadily building a list of writing credits. I’m constantly amazed by the amount of opportunities available to writers, such as Imagination Cafe.

What genre of writing most interests you?
This may sound crazy, but every genre of writing I’ve tried, I’ve loved. With fiction, my style is contemporary. I’ve written picture books, several magazine stories and articles, and one nonfiction book. I’ve completed one novel, and I’m beginning work on my second. The books have not found publishing homes yet, but I’m hopeful.

Do you have any “formal” training in writing?
In 2009 I graduated from the Institute of Children’s Literature. That course was a game-changer for me. During the course I wrote fiction and nonfiction, searched for markets, wrote cover letters and queries, and submitted for the first time. I loved it.

What is the toughest part of being a writer?
Like many writers, my biggest struggle is balance. Being a wife, mother, and writer keeps me plenty busy, and I must prioritize. I get caught up in what I’m writing or researching, and the hours fly by. Now that the kids are home for summer, I’ve varied my writing schedule a bit. I’m still getting plenty of work done, even with Spongebob and Guitar Hero as background noise.

Any advice you want to share with those still struggling with writing?
Someone once said, “You can’t win if you don’t play.” My advice is to polish your manuscript, zero in on a perfect market, and submit. What’s the worst that can happen? Rejections sting, but we’ve all learned they’re a part of this business.

* If you write for children, I’d recommend joining SCBWI. Their resources are priceless.

* Try new things--magazine work, novels, picture books. Exploring different genres can be a lot of fun.

* Follow writer and agent blogs. The amount of helpful information out there boggles my mind. Others have paved the way, and are generous with their time and support. I learn something new on a blog every day.

Do you have a blog or web site?

I do! Thank you for asking. My web site is http://www.juliemusil.com/. My blog can be found at http://juliemusil.blogspot.com/. My Twitter name is @juliemusil.

Thanks Julie! Now check out her awesome, winning entry below.

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Ready to Ride

Let’s Go!

“Ready to ride?” Dad shouts to Devin over the rumble of their dirt bikes.

“Let’s go,” Devin answers. He’s always ready.

Devin’s hands vibrate as he throttles up the mountain trail behind his house. The bitter wind numbs his red, runny nose. The dirt below is just the way he likes it: slightly muddy after the recent rains. The whine of his two-stroke motor is music to his ears, and the wobble of his knobby tires is like ballet on two wheels.

A motor? On my bicycle?

Devin’s love of this sport began at age eleven. But dirt bike riding humbly began in the 1800's, when engines were strapped to ordinary bicycles. Can you imagine a motor attached to your bike? Because most roads were not yet paved, these bikes were driven on dirt. Picking up steam and popularity since the end of the second world war, dirt bike riding has evolved into an exciting, challenging sport.

Read the rest of Julie's wonderful, exciting article at;

http://imagination-cafe.com/weekly/sports/ready2ride.asp

Second Place Winner - Julie Hart

We are proud to annouce our second place winner, Julie Hart. Here is her article entitled; Cheeky Chipmunks.

CHEEKY CHIPMUNKS
By Lisa Hart

A super charged ball of fur darts across the grass. It reappears on top of a nearby tree stump littered with shells. You recognize the bold stripes running down its back. The glossy, black eyes appear to be checking something out. Could it be you or your picnic lunch?

Chips, Chirps and Chucks

Chipmunk talk combines many different chips and chirps. Most of these get lost among the tweets and warbles of the birds they share backyards, parks and wild areas with. But one chipmunk sound stands out from the chorus. Trouble sets off a rapid fire of scolding chucks. Sounding something like a sharp cough the warning call seems to shake the chipmunk's whole body.

Chubby Cheeks

Chipmunks pack quite a pouch. Using their tongue they move seeds and nuts into position between the teeth and the skin of their cheeks. The older they get the more elastic this skin becomes. Fully loaded cheeks sometimes balloon out as big as their owner's head. Once in their den they squeeze the food back out by massaging the cheeks with their front paws.

Chipmunks tote more than food in their pouches. While digging a den they pack dirt in their cheeks. Clearing dirt away from their front door in this way helps to keep the site a secret.

Sleeping Beauty

Chipmunks store food not fat. Instead of settling in for a long winter's nap they sleep for a few days or weeks at a time. When the chipmunk wakes they snack on the food hidden under their bed of grasses, shredded leaves and fluffy seed heads.

Chipmunks often store away more food then they need for the winter. Under the ground uneaten seeds and nuts get a jump start on sprouting in the spring thanks to the chipmunk.

Did You Know?
A chipmunk may tunnel through three feet of snow to leave its den on a warm spring day.

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With a love for animals Lisa Hart dedicates many of her articles to our furry friends, from the familiar to the little known species. Her first byline appeared in Boy's Quest, a family of magazines she continues to enjoy success with. Lisa's articles, fiction and poetry have appeared in such magazines as Skipping Stones, Kid Zone and the School Magazine in Australia. She's won several regional contests for historical fiction.

Cafe Writing Contest - 3rd Place - Susan Wiener

Our first writing contest was a great success and as a special thanks to our winners we will be showcasing them here all week - Writing in the children's genre is not as easy as it may sound, so these folks deserve a big round of applause.

Here is our 3rd place winner, Susan Wiener, with her entry "Are You Meant to be a Writer?"

Suzan L. Wiener has had many articles on writing, short stories, poems and shorter pieces published in major publications such as Mature Living, Mature Years, Imagination Cafe, Complete Woman, Canadian Writer's Journal, The New Writer, Cross&Quill, FellowScript, The Writer's Ezine, Mocha Memoirs, NEB Publishing, Saturday Evening Post, MetroSeven (Australia), Family Circle, Woman's World, etc. She has won several contests.

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Are you Meant to Be a Writer?

Many times I’ve been asked how I knew I wanted to be a writer and recently I’ve taken the time to really figure it out – I knew from the tender age of ten, so yes, even youngsters can know they’re meant to write.

For me, it all started when I sent in a question to a crossword puzzle magazine and they sent me back one dollar. For a kid, that was a lot of money and I was hooked! I then sent in jokes, and short poems which were accepted in several magazines.

Here are some important traits to have as a writer, whether you’re ten or fifty...

Read the rest of Susan's article at; http://imagination-cafe.com/wordpress/?p=186