Review by Lillian Brummet – Book Reviewer – Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment.—Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

Pumping Your Muse is a 136-page non-fiction, self-help writer’s manual that is conveniently available in both electronic and print format. The hardcopy is coil-bound – perfect for an inviting workbook.

Published just recently in June 2005, this book belongs on every writer’s reference bookshelf. Donna Sundblad’s goal for her manual has certainly been met, as Pumping Your Muse is able to stretch the readers’ creativity beyond their normal limits by developing skills and focusing creative energies in new directions.

The author focuses on the ability to build worlds through a variety of exercises including reflections, perspectives, balance, using multiple sensory tools and expanding thinking patterns. Readers will learn about tracking implements such as cards, journals and maps that help develop a detailed world for the reader and make the book a whole experience.

Following every exercise like a home-school class will take several weeks and will definitely improve creative writing skills. Pumping Your Muse could also be used as a refresher course, a tool during the proofreading processes of a manuscript, or to get past writer’s block.

Donna Sundblad keeps the continuity flowing at an interesting pace and has allowed space for notes at the end of every chapter. Her useful manual also includes a number of excellent writer’s resource websites.

I recommend that readers review the entire manual and then return to chapter one before they actually begin the program. In this way, the reader will be more familiar with the reasons and goals for each exercise. I’ve been anticipating my return to chapter one since I began the reviewing process of this book and have no doubt that my skills will be improved because of the exercises in this manual.

Review by Ameasha Brown

http://www.girlposse.com/cgi-bin/stories/display.cgi?id=265

Let me begin by expressing that Pumping Your Muse is a definite must have, from novice to seasoned authors. I was amazed at the detail structure of this book and the care and time that took to write it. Donna Sundblad has carefully taken step - by - step, in each and every chapter to fully explain the writing technique for fiction. From examples of mapping and tracking, a fictional calendar, the five senses, POV, to a wealth of information of sites on the web from page 23 through to page 25, with more throughout her book. This is not only a book to read, it is also educational with writing exercises to complete as you read a long.

She writes how to teach your character to adapt, developing your characters and their names, organizing your plots ideas, narrowing your focus to much, more. Donna even has a bonus chapter on pumping your muse for the future. This is an excellent teaching resource that all writers should have.

There is one hundred and thirty - six pages, with thirteen chapters in the book of knowledgeable and informatory insight. I would strongly recommend this book to all writers and authors. This book is positively worth spending money on! Even I have learned from her book and my creative juices are flowing. I’m now pumping my muse.

Review by Andrea Okrentowich

http://aokrentowich.writernetwork.com/catalog.html

Breathing life into a manuscript is not as easy as one might think. Donna Sundblad's new e-book, Pumping Your Muse, helps writers' imaginations take flight. Through exercises that stimulate the senses, Sundblad has the reader look at everyday things in new and exciting ways. While focusing on senses, the reader is encouraged to blend point of view and other writing mechanics with the exercises. Once through the book, the reader will be pleasantly surprised with his or her new found creativity. Pumping Your Muse is the writer's new must have tool, it opens the mind to unlimited creativity.

Teacher: Warren Akin

You may be interested to know that I teach two courses, one for 7^th and one for 8^th graders. The 7^th grade class is called, “Writers Workshop.” Though our primary focus has been on grammar, my aim is to change the balance to emphasize writing. For the 8^th graders constructing research papers, a skill which is of course important. But through your book and our recent conference, I’ve learned how much research is emphasized for the writer of fiction. This is my second year teaching these classes (though I’ve been in the field now for 10 years), and the greatest challenge is to keep students motivated to write. Quite frankly, they seem more interested in writing fiction than in expository forms. And now that I realize how important the research component is to the successful writer of fiction, I feel like I can offer my students the opportunity to explore both expository and narrative forms.

~Warren Akin~