Lynne Jonell needed a break. She’d been holed up in her studio pounding on her keyboard for days. Weeks. Even months. Such is the life of an established children’s author.

She’s got seven picture books and two middle-grade novels under her belt.

The novels, a pair of books about a girl named Emmy and a snarky, talking rat, have proved so popular that not only has Jonell begun work on a third installment of the story, she’s also been visiting school classrooms and talking to her readers.

But all this typing and talking had worn her out. She needed a release. Believe it or not, she found it through haiku.

Every day for the next week, here on the Guest page at Haiku By Two, we’ll be posting a haiku penned by Lynne Jonell.

Before the first one goes up though, here’s what she had to say about the joy of haiku:

Lynne Jonell’s Top Ten Reasons Why
Haiku is the Greatest Art Form Known to Humankind

1.  Unlike a 60,000 word novel, you can finish it without going bald from frustration.

2.  Since you’re not Matsuo Basho, expectations are relatively low.

3.  If you say something in haiku, you’re considered profound.

4.  If you say nothing in haiku, you’re considered ironic.

5.  The rules are easily understood, even at three in the morning.

6.  While it is terribly hard to create a fabulous haiku, it’s not that difficult to be mediocre.

7.  Seventeen mediocre syllables will not brand you forever as a bad writer.

8.  It’s unlikely your haiku will be reviewed on Amazon by someone unintelligent.

9.  It’s unlikely your haiku will be reviewed, period.

10.  It will actually be a miracle if anyone reads it at all, which is oddly freeing.