First Line Friday No. 29

It's finally warm!  I live in a place that's usually 300% humidity and 1,000 degrees (Ok...I exaggerate a wee bit.  But it seriously feels like an oven from April-October).

However, it has been cold here for about four months -- the longest period of 30 degree weather in a long history of long, shimmering summers.  So I've been looking forward to seeing the sun and feeling it warm my skin.

It got me thinking about summer reading.  Why is it that we read certain books in the summertime?  Sometimes we read 'lighter' material, and sometimes we read 'fun' books, and then there's those unique books that just feel like a summer afternoon.

Sharon Creech's books should be read at every season, but they're particularly poignant in the summer.  I especially love Absolutely Normal Chaos, Walk Two Moons and Chasing Redbird in the summertime, but my very favorite Creech book is Bloomability.

I adore this book because the main character and I both attended an international school.  I understand her confusion in, and then love of, being overseas in a mix of people from all over the globe.  She gets taken from a hick town in America to cultured, beautiful Switzerland, and between the two places she finally starts figuring out who she is.

It's a beautiful story.

Here's the first few words:

In my first life, I lived with my mother, and my older brother and sister, Crick and Stella, and with my father when he wasn't on the road.  My father was a trucker, or sometimes a mechanic or a picker, plucker or painter.  He called himself a Jack-of-all-trades (Jack was his real name), but sometimes there wasn't any trade in whatever town we were living in, so off he would go in search of a job somewhere else.  My mother would start packing, and we'd wait for a phone call from him that would tell us it was time to join him.  

He'd always say, "I found us a great place!  Wait'll you see it!"

Each time we moved, we had fewer boxes, not more.  My mother would say, "Do you really need all those things, Dinnie? They're just things.  leave them."

--from Bloomability by Sharon Creech

Reasons to keep reading:

1. In her 'first' life?  What happens in her second life?
2. Crick?  What other crazy names does this family have?
3. Why does Dinnie's dad move them around all the time?
4. How does Dinnie feel about letting things go?
5. What things has Dinnie kept?

Have you ever read Sharon Creech's books?  Did you like them?  I find the way she weaves words together unique.  I could sit for hours and listen to someone read her beautiful, beautiful words.

Middle-Grade vs. YA

I've been reading a mixture of Middle-Grade and YA novels lately and I have slowly been able to make a distinction between them.

As a child I devoured books without thinking.  I just read what looked interesting and left what seemed boring on the library shelves.

But as I grow older and start to write my own stories, I realize I have to know and work with these terms.  Do I write middle-grade?  Do I write YA?  Do I write for middle schoolers or teens?  Young adults?

So I thought it would be helpful to take a short look at what distinguishes these two categories (in my own terms).

I would describe Middle Grade novels as follows:

1. Straightforward plot (with maybe one big twist)
2. Simple characters (not a ton of development -- middle schoolers are just figuring out who they are, just beginning to be able to sort out complex feelings and emotions...)
3. One issue/theme

I'm not saying *every* Middle Grade novel has these things, but generally, this is what I've encountered when reading them.  A strong, straightforward plot (few to no secondary storylines), simple characters with more external action than internal monologue, and an overarching, simple theme (if there even *is* a theme) or issue that's solved by the end of the book/series.

I would describe YA novels as follows:

1. Complex plot (multiple storylines) -- told through various characters, times, places, etc.
2. Complex characters (sifting through emotions, thoughts, motives, reasons, etc.)
3. Possibly more than one theme or issue to resolve

Again...this is just general.  Some YA novels may include romance (while MG novels may make the barest hint but rarely take it beyond that), complex issues (motives behind bad behavior, anti-heroes, grey areas, etc.), and more than one MC, but some might not.

So what's the biggest difference?

I think the biggest difference is the maturity of the reader.  It is hard for me to read a Middle Grade novel.  The stories can be terrific, but to me they seem overly simplified, with not a lot of complexity to grapple with.  On the other hand, I don't like YA romance because it can go *too* far.

It all depends on the reader.

But of course, you can't market for one reader.  So you have to make up genres and age groups and hope that other people will find your story.

Honestly, though, the best stories can be told to a wider audience than they're advertised for -- take a Wrinkle in Time, for instance.  Middle school kids, teens, young adults and older adults all love that book.  Same goes for Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Redwall.

So maybe the whole point of this exercise is that I think we make too many distinctions between what genre and age group we're writing for.

Maybe we're supposed to write for ourselves, first.  We're the first readers, after all.  Let someone figure out who to market it for later.

What do you think?

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I don't usually read romance.  Of any kind.  Except for the occasional Jane Austen or L.M. Montgomery book.  It just doesn't appeal to me.  I prefer reading adventure stories, and, if romance must come into play, for it to be a secondary storyline.

But Unearthly, a paranormal romance, piqued my interest.  So I entered the giveaway and, to my shock, won!  The other exciting part is that the author was doing the giveaway so I won a signed copy and two signed bookmarks.

While it was exciting to win, this in no way formed my opinions presented below.  Just in case you were wondering.

I struggled, at first, to get into Unearthly, although I'm not quite sure why.  The premise was interesting, the world-building intriguing, and the characters pretty well developed and unique.

I think it was the romance part that made me halt.  I just don't read romance.  So there I was, waiting for it to happen, watching it all unfold pretty normally, no shocking twists or turns...

And then WHAM.

This book is not just romance.  It's part family drama -- the tension between the daughter and mother was not expected but expertly crafted, especially near the end.  Neither of them are 'bad' or unlikeable.  But they are not communicating and it causes a wide rift between them that makes all sorts of problems.

The worry about the younger brother, although a side storyline, ramps up the tension even more.  What will happen to him?  What is he doing while we can't see him?

Then there's the whole new-girl-new-school-new-people thing.  But it isn't the hackneyed "Everyone thinks she's perfect" or "everyone hates her".  It's a mixture, just like in real life.  She finds a friend pretty quickly, only to connect with another classmate later and realize she's made two very, very different friends.  More tension.

Then comes the romance -- which isn't really *all* about the romance.  On one side, you have the beautiful guy you're supposed to be saving -- who already has a girlfriend; on the other hand, you have this...cowboy version of Mr. Darcy who takes every opportunity to give the heroine a bad time (at first).  Yeah, I have to admit, I like him a lot more than the 'beautiful guy' (even though they're both attractive, of course...which is my one nitpick about romance.  Fall in love for someone other than their looks *first*, please.  Realize they're attractive to you later), and liked him immediately.  He had the whole Gil thing going for him (even calling the heroine "Carrots").  Although he's the brother of one of her friends, which adds another layer of tension.

Then you have the internal struggle -- what's my purpose?  Who am I?  What if I don't accomplish my purpose?  What will my parent's reaction be?  What will happen to me?

While typical teenagers don't definitely know their 'purpose', we can all sympathize with the "Who am I?/What am I here for/what will my parents' reaction be if I fail?" roller coaster of emotions.

I also really loved that the heroine wasn't "I'm perfect and awesome" or "I'm ugly and disgusting".  She was a typical teenage girl (while also being paranormal).  Happy and carefree some days, angry or sad other days, but all within reason giving the circumstances.  She is a middle-of-the-road heroine, apart from her angelic good looks, somewhat content with her lot in life but still wondering just what life has in store for her.

To include all of that in a "paranormal romance" and then on top of it add detailed descriptions of the area that they live in (seriously, enough detail to make it feel like you've visited the area after reading the book while not letting the description drag the narrative down), along with a sweet, budding romance that is fresh and innocent (it was so refreshing to not read a bunch of sexy smut.  I really, really appreciated it -- it was age appropriate without being cheesy or gross, which, in my opinion, is extremely hard to pull off) -- well, I was pretty flabbergasted at just how much was in this book, because it was effortless to read after the initial "I don't know that I can read romance" halt.

The ending definitely made me want to continue reading the series.  I felt the emotion of the characters -- fear, love, hate, awe, disappointment, confusion...there's a lot of loose ends that I need tied up.

The only thing I am nitpicking is that everyone seemed to be good-looking.  But I guess if you live in a resort area and some of you are angels, there are lots of pretty people around.  So I'm only sort of nitpicking.

Props to Ms. Hand for writing a paranormal romance that even non-romance readers can enjoy.  I'll be checking out the rest of the series from the library (or signing up to win the others -- hey, I'm poor).

If you like stories about the paranormal (particularly angelic beings), family dynamics, young romance, or Western imagery, you should give this one a try.

I'll be reading the Beautiful Creatures series next week, so look forward to a review sometime in the next few weeks.  I'm also finishing up a few other books, but I'm not promising a review by next Monday.  I will, however, be writing the normal Wednesday and Friday posts.

Still working on my other website, but I have decided to keep posting reviews on here irregularly.  The other site will focus more on film and television and the craft of writing.  I'll let you know when it's ready.

Have a great week!

First Line Friday No. 28

Because I recently won the Beautiful Creatures series, I thought today we'd take a peek at the first page.  It's most intriguing.

"There were only two kinds of people in our town.  "The stupid and the stuck," my father had affectionately classified our neighbors.  "The ones who are bound to stay or the ones too dumb to go.  Everyone else finds a way out."  There was no question which one he was, but I'd never had the courage to ask why.  My father was a writer, and we lived in Gatlin, South Carolina, because the Wates always had, since my great-great-great-great grand-dad, Ellis Wate, fought and died on the other side of the Santee River during the Civil War.

Only the folks down here didn't call it the Civil War.  Everyone under the age of sixty called it the War Between the States, while everyone over sixty called it the War of Northern Aggression, as if somehow the North had baited the South into war over a bad bale of cotton.  Everyone, that is, except my family.  We called it the Civil War."

--from Beautiful Creatures by Kami Marcia and Margaret Stohl

My reasons to keep reading:

1.  What is the character's relationship with their father like?
2.  What does their father write?
3.  Was the greatx4 relative a Northern soldier (dying on the other side of the Santee)?
4.  What is the family's feeling on the Civil War?
5.  Why are they the only family to call it that?

Another interesting thing about this story is that the two writers wrote these books on a dare.  They wanted to prove to their kids that books could be interesting without vampires or werewolves.

And now the first book is a feature film!

I can't wait to start reading these.

Happy weekend!

A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

Sorry the review arrives so late today...

I was working a wedding with my husband today (video).  :D

I always try to read everything Gail Carson Levine writes because:

a) she writes strong heroines
b) she infuses her story with magic
c) and she always includes a surprise

(If you haven't read her, she's written such brilliant re-tellings as Ella Enchanted and Fairest, as well as a fantastic book on writing called Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly)

A Tale of Two Castles is about a young girl journeying to a new land in hopes of being a 'mansioner' (actor).  She arrives and through several misfortunes, loses her opportunity to apprentice to a troupe.  Instead, she's given an opportunity to work with a rather large and formidable employee -- what she doesn't know is that this will lead to the greatest acting challenge of her career...if she doesn't die first.

Ms. Levine is a fantastic author because she understands the need for conflict, especially internally.  She builds it up slowly, smoothly, seamlessly, and then WHAM! A finale with gain and loss (bittersweet endings are the best, I believe) and a new perspective.

I really appreciate the amount of work she's put out (a funny series of absurdist re-tellings, interesting takes on old stories, etc.) and this book, while still retaining the flavor of a Gail Carson Levine book, is her own fairytale.

The story of a girl who knows what she wants and tries her best to reach out for it, in a world where people looked down on her because of who they thought she was...it recalls to mind the great fairytales -- Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.

Also, you know what a sucker I am for beautiful illustrations, and the front cover is just...spectacular.

Have you read anything by Gail Carson Levine?  Did you enjoy it?

See you on Wednesday -- we'll be discussing the differences between writing screenplays and novels!

First Line Friday No. 20

I have returned!  I know you all were just dying to read more of my garbledygook.

Hence, I have brought some awesomesauce words (from someone else) and present them here for you as a belated holiday present.

Enjoy.

"I didn't know how long I had been in the king's prison.  The days were all the same, except that as each one passed, I was dirtier than before.  Every morning the light in the cell changed from the wavering orange of the lamp in the sconce outside my door to the dim but even glow of the sun falling into the prison's central courtyard.  In the evening, as the sunlight faded, I reassured myself that I was one day closer to getting out.  To pass time, I concentrated on pleasant memories, laying them out in order and examining them carefully.  I reviewed over and over the plans that had seemed so straightforward before I arrived in jail, and I swore to myself and to every god I knew that if I got out alive, I would never never never take any risks that were so abysmally stupid again."

-- From The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The Thief is one of my all time favorite books.  I didn't care as much about the rest of the series (it was a superb standalone novel) but this book turned me on my head and taught me a thing or two about how to tell a good yarn.

Reasons to keep reading:

1.  Who is our mysterious narrator?
2.  Why is the narrator even semi-sure about the chance of getting out of prison?
3.  What did the narrator do?
4.  What are the narrator's pleasant memories?
5.  Who are these gods the narrator is talking about?

This book got its inspiration from the sunny lands of Italy and Greece, the rolling hills full of olive trees, the dusty roads full of travelers, the simple food, the old pantheons, and the stories we tell ourselves and others that might be true or might be...embellished (or bereft of helpful information).

The story of Gen is one I return to time and again, even though I've read it dozens of times.  The surprises are shocking (I mean, you have no idea and then BOOM!  Something you NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED happens!), the action jarring, the mystery astonishing, the characters (some of them) endearing.  You feel as if you're a comrade by the end of it, sharing in this tale of adventure.

There's something legendary about this book...it belongs with the old tales, when faith and magic and mystery were all shrouded together. 

You should read it.

See you on Monday for a review!

First Line Friday No. 16

Welcome back to First Lines!

Shannon Hale blew me away with her debut novel, The Princess Academy, and though I haven't had as much time to read until this year, I've kept track of her and what she's been penning.  I will say, the title of the book we're talking about today didn't draw me in and I think the reason why is that it doesn't sound like the story it is enclosing.

Book of a Thousand Days is a re-imagining (broadly) of an ancient Eastern tale -- Mongolia, a princess and a serving maid, an evil warlord (who just might not be entirely human) and the problem of status in a land where pretending to be someone you're not might end in death.

The cover and title made me think it was something along the lines of American history and, frankly, I don't read much of that any more (having consumed a shockingly high number of American historical novels growing up).  So...I guess the lesson here is, "Don't judge a book by its cover and/or title"?  (Although if I'd seen the other covers, I might have picked it up sooner!)

And now, without further ado, let us peek into the life of one Dashti, serving maid to a lady of high standing:


"My lady and I are being shut up in a tower for seven years.

Lady Saren is sitting on the floor, staring at the wall, and hasn't moved even to scratch for an hour or more.  Poor thing.  It's a shame I don't have fresh yak dung or anything strong-smelling to scare the misery out of her.

The men are bricking up the door, and I hear them muttering and scraping cement.  Only a small square of unbricked sky and light still gape at me.  I smile back at its mean grin to show I'm not scared.  Isn't it something, all this trouble they're going to for us?  I feel like a jewel in a treasure box, though my lady is the --

My lady suddenly awoke from her stupor and sprang at the door, clawing at the bricks, trying to shove her way out.  How she screamed!  Like an angry piglet."

-- from Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale


Reasons to Read:

1.  Um...shut in a tower for seven years?  I must see how this turns out.
2.  Who is Lady Saren?  Why is she being shut up in a tower?
3.  Fresh yak dung?  To "scare away" misery?  What other crazy beliefs does this serving-maid have??
4.  I like this serving-maid -- she grins back at something scary.  She's strong.
5.  I can just picture the Lady screaming like a piglet.  I'm...giggling, although I know they're in danger!

This book sucked me right in and I read the entire story in one sitting (I even took it to a friend's house to finish it...yeah, I'm that friend).

Does the unnamed narrator's story tug at your curiosity? 

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on Monday -- with a review!

Nevermore by James Patterson

?!#$%@?!?!?!?!?!@#$*&?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!?!?!?@#$@%&(@%@#$!?!?!?!

The above shows an accurate image of my brain while reading Nevermore.

Nevermore is the last Maximum Ride book (No. 8) by James Patterson and...it does not disappoint.  I read all the Max books earlier this year and was shocked and dismayed to learn I'd have to wait for the last one to appear (I hate waiting).

My emotions had been wrung to the extreme during the prior books and having to wait to resolve them was...absolutely the worst torture imaginable (I survived by reading probably 50 books in between, if not more).

All that to say, if you haven't read Maximum Ride, buckle up and borrow them ALL AT ONCE.

One of my favorite things about James Patterson's writing (at least in this series) is how FAST it goes.  He writes so smoothly that you don't even notice the pages flipping OR how much time has passed.  I've read these usually all in one sitting because once they hook, they hook hard (And usually right away).  If you ever sit down and say, "I'm just going to read one chapter," you realize how short the chapters are (usually a few pages) and allow yourself to read half the book before you realize what's going on.

So, this was the end for Max.  I thought I knew where Patterson was heading with this.  I was really, really worried and prepared to be devastated by the loss of my favorite characters.

AND JAMES PATTERSON IS THE WORST because right near the end he writes a beautiful, tragic moment and it's "The End" and you're all like "HOLY CRAP THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING WHERE'S MY THERAPIST'S NUMBER?!?!?!?!" and then you turn the page -- "And then..."  I don't think my heart has ever plunged to the depths and flown into the stratosphere with such speed!

The unexpected, crap-your-pants twists (there's really no other way to say it!) were breathtaking (in good and bad ways).

Although I love this book, there were a few tiny things that weren't wrapped up to my satisfaction:

-- one character just decided to switch loyalties at the last second (not a major character so not a major problem with me) and I still have a hard time trusting them (the explanation was "Brainwashed" and we don't get an explanation of how they just happen to change their mind)

-- one character just decides to not care about a VERY BIG ISSUE anymore (less of a problem since I'm happy with the way things ended between two other characters because of this)

That's basically it.  The ending, while completely unexpected, is a refreshing change from all the heartache, running, fighting, and killing the team has had to do for THE ENTIRE SERIES.  So I'm cool with it.

Although I'm really sad I'll never read a new Maximum Ride book ever again.  It really is one of the best series I've ever read, for its characters (exceptionally real), its pacing and plotting (excellent material for writers to study), and the emotional gut-wrenching that has probably given me health problems.

I am now driven to drawing Maximum Ride fan art and re-reading the entire brilliant story over and over again.

The good news?  Patterson has written lots of books, including adult fiction.  I shall seek out more.  AND, the even better news, Patterson is co-writing a new series entitled Confessions of a Murder Suspect and included the first few chapters in Nevermore.  I'm already hooked.

Thanks for the amazing Ride (ok, that was lame and I'm sorry), Mr. Patterson.


Notes: I figured out why the photos in the tutorial I posted are not showing up (are they showing up for you?) so I'll be fixing that this week.  Remember, no Wednesday or Friday posts, but I WILL have another review for you on Monday.

Also, there's still a day or two left of Rachel Aaron's Eli Monpress Raffle!  Enter here to WIN FREE BOOKS!

Happy Thanksgiving week!

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Sorry I didn't post this yesterday -- le husband has a sinus infection and I'm desperately trying to not get sick as the musical I'm in is being performed in a few days (!!!).  So I was taking care of him, running errands, in rehearsals...you get the idea.

BUT

I have a nice new review for you, AND, next week, we'll take a look at Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket!  I have a wonderful friend who let me borrow their copy!!  Exciting!!!

And now, for a review of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi:

I found it a bit difficult at first to get into this book.  The story switches between two characters and they are so different that going back and forth took real effort.  I put the book down for a few days and did other things and when I came back to it -- something had changed.

I'm not sure if I just got to the point of the story where it became easier to switch between characters or if I was just too interested in what was happening to care, but whatever the reason, Under the Never Sky sucked me in and didn't let go until I'd turned the last page.

Literally -- I was laying on my couch reading and when I was done my arm hurt so badly from holding the book!  I was sore for hours.  It was ridiculous.


Oddly enough, one of the big things I liked is that the characters are so different.  There's the Insider and the Outsider and the way they see each other.  Of course, when they are thrown together, they have to learn to survive (each other and the elements) and throw their prejudices to the wind.  They're all each other has.  This makes for great story because you have internal and external conflict and there's so much you can do with that -- not just life-and-death situations, but the day to day living with someone you don't know/trust.

Over the course of the story, things take a romantic turn, but it wasn't a mushy, gooey, cheesy high school romance.  These are two people who have survived -- almost being killed, starved, living in the wild, etc.  They are tough.  They are brave.  They are willing to do whatever it takes to find their loved ones -- even if it means having to go their separate ways.  This means the love story is also tough (they know they probably won't be able to stay together), brave (they decide to be together anyway) and take the risk to be with each other, which ends up making them better people -- it brings about healing in their own lives, which is what real love should do.

It isn't completely tragic, but I know the book is the first of a series, so I'm wondering what the eventual conclusion is -- everything is set up as if they won't be able to stay together -- they're from different worlds, really.

I also want to mention how real the world felt, even though, again, there are two very different ways of life portrayed in the books -- one sci-fi and one primitive.  It made me consider how hi-tech parts of our world are, some right next to still primitive settlements.

The story isn't as much about the romance (thank goodness) as it is about the human spirit and what we'll do for love (familial love, romantic love, love of friends, etc.).

If you like science fiction, survival stories, epic romance, or exploring strange new worlds -- Under the Nevery Sky is for you.

Check it (and the sequels' covers) out here:  Under the Never Sky

See you on Wednesday -- I'll be discussing writing habits and more from Writing The Breakout Novel by Donald Maass!

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

Last week I wrote a post about the books I was dying to read -- including this new book from one of my favorite authors.

I was on the waiting list at the library and to my surprise, it was my turn to pick it up yesterday.

Sharon Creech's books always seem to arrive when I need them most.

The Great Unexpected is a brilliant and beautiful story about the connections we share without even knowing.  The connections that, sometimes, lead to a great, unexpected thing.

It's hopeful, open, curious, and funny.

It's full of light.

And yet, there are sad things in the book.  Things that are true to life, unexpected, and tragic.  There are things in it that I've struggled with, and things that left me wondering, how will they go on?

I feel as if The Great Unexpected is telling me,

Bad things happen.  There will always be bad things and I'm sorry, but they do happen.  But oh, the good things that can happen!  There are beautiful things yet to be.

This book buoys me up in a ring of hope.  This story, full of sadness and wonder and light, comforts me and tells me that unexpected things can be great.

If you enjoy stories with real heroines, surprises, emotional depth, and joyous endings, I hope you'll give this one a chance.

I'm waiting on my own Great Unexpected.  Are you?

Pegasus by Robin McKinley

There's a trend I've discovered whilst reading new books -- a detestable trend wherein you build to the climax and...STOP.  No denouement.  No wrap-up.  No tying up of loose ends.  Nothing.  You simply build until you reach the most exciting part and then you leave off, making your readers wonder if you just got tired of the story or didn't know where it was going and decided to let the readers do the rest of the work (here's looking at you, Chuck and LOST).

Shame on you, Robin McKinley, for falling into this trap!  Your book, Beauty, is the best re-telling of a fairytale anyone could ask for (besides Cameron Dokey's brilliant Golden and Beauty Sleep)...and then you had to go and buy in to this faddish lit trend of leaving off the resolution...

I admit, the beginning of this book was a slow burn.  It took me so very long to get invested in the character -- three chapters!  But then -- THEN, oh then!  Chapter four took my breath away.

I was hooked.  And I kept reading with astonishment.  Beautiful, beautiful fantasy!  Wondrous descriptions, taking me to another world.

WHY, then, for the love of ALL that is good, did you choose to end right at the point where everything comes crashing down around the characters?  That is NOT an ending!  It is the CLIMAX, which is then followed by THE DENOUEMENT.  EVERYONE KNOWS THIS.

The sickening part?  Robin doesn't write sequels (she has averred).  So, we are left with a pile of ashes that began life as a masterpiece.

I am highly disappointed.  I am outraged.  I am hurt.

And seeing other readers' reviews has hardened my resolve.

I shan't read McKinley's other books (she has plenty of other fans who will buy and read -- she won't be missing out because of me) because I absolutely cannot BEAR to love a book so much only to see it poop out right at the crux of the matter.

I just can't.

Ever been cruelly disappointed by a book?  Tell me which one so I can avoid another heartache.