The Gray Willow

New Leaves, Old Goals

2012-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Grayman and I are turning over a new leaf. We're working out together four or five nights a week after the kids are in bed. Proud of us? I am! I still have a postpartum belly to shed. We got a TV for the exercise room and bought a show--Dexter--which I actually hated, so we're going to try something else. Suggestions? I like the dark and gritty, (but not too dark and gritty!) and Adam likes the light, so we're actually pretty hard to please. Shows we've watched together in the past include Lost, Fringe, House, Arrested Development, and 24. We tried Alcatraz this past weekend, and plan on watching that, but that's only one show a week. Too bad I can't convince him to watch The Vampire Diaries or Pretty Little Liars.

But with this new ambition, I'm hitting the writing seriously again. My goal is to hack 1,000 words per day, as long as my kiddos will allow. But today I was truly brilliant and saw my baby might fall asleep on the way to take my daughter to preschool and since I know he tends to wake up when I take him out of the car, I brought the laptop in the car and--kabbam!--I had 700 words spilling out of my fingertips and another 300 when I hid the laptop behind the tall building blocks while he played. He'll soon get too clever for that, but I'm constantly reinventing ways to keep up with the writing. I'm sure many of you understand, whether it's because of your kids or your day jobs or other commitments. So you tell me, what genius plan panned out for you so that you could write (or achieve whatever goal you set out)?

Review: LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins

2012-01-17T08:20:00.001-08:00

While Anna and the French Kiss is about the boy, Etienne St. Clair, this book is about the girl, the protagonist, Lola Nolan. Because of this, I think Perkins might have a few disappointed readers--it's less gushing about the the love interest and more about the transformation of the main character. But Perkins does this so well. In my opinion, this is more of a book about self discovery than romance, though the romance is there at every step.

Lola wears costumes; she wears something different every day. And her outfits are extravagant and themed. To be honest, I was a bit wary going into this book. I so loved Anna and the French Kiss and I was a bit skittish about Lola's over-the-top personality. I thought, "What do I possibly have in common with this girl?" But I know Perkins' talent and I actually bought this book, so I kept reading, and I'm so glad because I feel like Perkins is such a rock star at writing contemporary stories. Here's why:

1. Her sense of humor. At one point I was laughing for so long, I had to read the section over again. She writes awkward situations so well; she makes her characters breathe.

2. Her acute glimpses of truth. I LOVE this quote: "I know you aren't perfect. But it's a person's imperfections that make them perfect for someone else." I'm not sure I thought about imperfection and romance that way. I absolutely adore this insight (and it came from Cricket, the love interest, which was an excellent touch).

3. Her authenticity. I've been following Stephanie on twitter for several months now, and it was fun reading this book because for so much of her writing I kept thinking, "That sounds just like one of her tweets!" So I know Perkins is writing in her natural voice. She breathes her happy, witty personality into her books. I can tell she has a creative and fun personality because it shines through in her books.

My only complaint is I don't feel like I got to know the love interest, Cricket, like I got to know Etienne St. Clair. But I don't know if that's a fair complaint, because we got to meet Etienne along with Anna, and Lola's known Cricket her entire life. Plus, we know Cricket's a sweet boy who loves her the entire time (or we learn this quickly enough) so again, this isn't so much the drool-over-boy type of book (because honestly I think I might have liked the mean rocker boyfriend better) but it's a brilliant insight into the self discovery a teenager goes through when learning who they are. Perkins knows how to weave a fun, page turning tale. Kudos to her for writing the perfect companion novel to Anna; it fits the mood (we even get to see Anna and Etienne a bit!) but it's opposite in so many ways, addresses different themes, and this time our journey takes us to San Francisco, a place I've never been.

Review: THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

2012-01-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

Remember when I said I wasn't sure about what scenes to include in my next manuscript? Well, Maggie Stiefvater makes me feel better about this--she wrote in her acknowledgements at the end of The Scorpio Races that it took her several years to work out just what story she wanted to tell. I'm not much of a NaNo writer. It takes me much longer to write a book. I suppose I did write one 65,000-word book in February, but I ended up having to rewrite the whole thing. Anyway, thank you, Maggie, for mentioning this! It gives me courage.

And now for my review. I don't think I've ever heard anyone slander Maggie Stiefvater's work. Well, okay, one person, but that's it. Stiefvater is abundantly praised in the publishing world, and for good reason. She weaves a story and makes it beautiful as well. I remember thinking the dual points of view were confusing in the Shiver series (I would often forget whose POV I was reading) but not in The Scorpio Races. Puck and Sean were different enough.

The book was hard for me in the beginning, but I expected this. She starts her stories slowly, and I'm a product of television: I like an instant hook. But after floundering for several days with the beginning pages, I got sucked in today and really loved the world of the water horses, the sweet/innocent romance between Sean and Puck, and was sufficiently swept up in the race at the very end. Puck made for some endearing commentary, and Sean was the perfect combination of quiet and solidity.

My greatest surprise? I'm not much of an animal lover, but I adored Sean's connection with his horse, and I almost wish these particular water horses exist. Stiefvater made them beautiful, terrifying, and tragic.

Social media: what I can glean

2012-01-11T09:44:00.000-08:00

I've interacted with others in the publishing world (or others who want to be in the publishing world) for three years now. I was twenty-six when I started; hence my twitter username mgray26. (Why must I have such a common name?) Anyway, today I've been thinking about the benefits of social media. A lot of writers feel the activity is burden, just one more thing to do. I know I did/perhaps currently do. But lately I've been thankful for the opportunity. Here's a brief list of why:

1. Common interests. This is obvious, of course. I'd much rather talk to someone or read their tweets or blogs about books than endure an hour of the glories of coupon clipping.

2. Learning from the pros. I love to follow my favorite authors' tweets. Not only do I get insights into their everyday lives, but I learn about professionalism from their examples. Veronica Roth posted earlier in the week about the dynamics between reviewers and authors on YA Highway. It was so insightful. I plan on reading more of her posts. Gayle Forman posted today about stepping away from bitterness; it's so easy to blame others when our writing careers don't work out at first. I learn from Tahereh Mafi's adorable voice, from Lauren DeStefano's candid, unique tone. I get to live vicariously through my friend, Krista L. Jensen's book launch, I get to follow my agent's upbeat tweets on books. Thank you, internet, for allowing this to be! I feel so connected to everyone. My long days tending my children are lifted by the connection to other writers' worlds.

3. Potential to network with writers on the same level and in the same field. I recently connected with Jen McConnel who has also signed with my agent, Kat. Not only do we both write YA fiction, but we've both been seriously writing for about four years, and are in almost exactly the same spots in our careers. Now, I could go to the library, sign up to join a writing group, or I could connect with someone like Jen and know we have approximately the same level and knowledge and passion for understanding the industry and writing stories, or I could be stuck with, say, Homer and his memoir about donkeys for fascists. My first choice is Jen.

These are the three obvious benefits of social media I've been thankful for today. Obviously there are other benefits, like exposure and sales when your book is actually released. But I'm just so happy I've finally hit the point where the primary emotion I feel for social media is endearment in lieu of dread.

Balancing the Story with the Art

2012-01-01T20:16:00.001-08:00

I'm currently writing a manuscript that spans a great many of years. It's been difficult deciding what to include, which scenes to better hash out. How much character development/relationship should be the focus, how many philosophical discussions? And when and where to include my troubling scenarios to really up the stakes? I'm struggling with these questions, trying to formulate the best way to tell the story, concerned by the fact that I have the bones/gist of the story with only 30,000 words. I need the story to come to alive, resonate with my audience, but deciding which scenes to include can be tough.

I just watched a film with my family, The Tree of Life starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. For those of you who've watched this particular movie, you might be laughing because it's about as out there as you can get. This is a critically acclaimed movie. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 84% rating, so I expected it to be good. And it is--it's incredible in so many ways. The visuals are so breathtaking, the music overwhelming. And I can't really write a coherent review of the film because 1) I watched it while severely sleep deprived and 2) I missed the last twenty minutes. But a few things can be said. First, it spans many, many years. The story focuses on a boy's life and death, but the writers chose to include not only his life, but the creation of the world and even shows clips of dinosaurs (a great deal of symbolism in this film). It's slow moving, and abstract in so many ways, and I was just getting lolled to sleep when I heard one of the most breathtaking songs of my life, which quickly woke me up until I had to help my baby at the end.

But story-wise, at least for me, this film fails to connect with the lay audience, undertaking too many years, focusing so much on the beauty and less on an identifiable, powerful plot that the story falls flat. It does what I don't want my current story to do: overwhelms the audience with large-scope concepts that we're left emotionally bereft.

When I asked my sister how the movie ended, she said, "Uhh. I was trying to think how I would answer you when you asked that. Not much. Sean Penn walked around a lot." (He did that in the beginning, too. Great architectural shots.)

So I hope to write a memorable/relatable story amidst the beauty in my current piece of art. Anyone else see this film? Care to dissent from my assertions, dazzle me with your refined tastes?

Subtle Horror

2011-12-22T11:10:00.001-08:00

I re-watched The Others today. You know the movie, the one with Nicole Kidman, made in 2001? I just have to say I think more books and movies should be just like this--creepy and atmospheric without being overtly gory or graphic. The horror comes from the fear of the characters themselves, along with the dark, old house, the fog, and the mystery of why they're being haunted, instead of overpowering noises and special affects. I'll call it subtle horror, just enough to make you jump without making you feel like you've watched the Exorcist or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Dark and delicious without being crass.

So let's get crackin'! Write these stories, convince Hollywood to do the same. I don't want evil horror without any aesthetics. I want creep my guts out but creative, artful, gorgeous, artistic. I've read the Japanese film industry is known to write the subtle horror script well--anyone know where I should start? And what subtle horror books have you read? I've read a few but want to hear what I've missed.

Review: SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi

2011-12-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

A gorgeous piece of art. I've read a lot of reviews complaining the prose is all over the place--too literary, too off-base. But I have zero complaints with this book. I felt like Mafi wrote her story while hovering below a blanket, because everything felt so personal, so intimate, so beautiful, so fresh. My favorite part was the beginning, and I loved the strike-through text indicating her most personal thoughts, the ones she almost didn't want to admit to herself. This is another dystopia, but beautifully done. Such gorgeous, inventive writing. And I think Mafi seems as incredible in person as the words in her book.

The romance sizzles, and the protagonist is the most likeable I've read in a long time. I feel like her abuses and insecurities are right out in the open, but so beautifully expressed that they don't come off as whiny or pathetic. She shares all her feelings, but I shake with her, clutch on to the faint hopes of her hopeless situation.

The pacing was spot-on. The echoes she injects in her writing simultaneously haunting and delightful. Mafi is an author I will most certainly be keeping my eye on.

A few questions: is Tahereh Mafi her pen name? If she was born with it, God bless her parents. Also, did Jodi Reamer find her in the slush? I wouldn't be shocked if she did--just curious. Finally, I'd like to look into the future and see the types of books Mafi will pen in the future. I'm pretty sure this is a trilogy, but I mean after that. What will Mafi write next?

Review: THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin

2011-12-18T20:04:00.000-08:00

I got to read this book while I got my hair done and while my daughter had the stomach flu, so yeah, it pretty much saved my life. It was exactly the type of book I wanted to read: steeeamy romance, and a delightfully creepy suspense. I LOVED how we didn't know what was going on with Mara for the entire duration of the book. So many paranormals skip to the figuring out part that the build-up is skipped almost completely, but not with this book. Strange event after strange event kept happening, and I loved every second of it. I loved the dialogue back-and-forth between Mara and Noah (love Noah's name by the way) and the pacing and the carefully parsed out flashbacks. Mara seemed pretty darn wimpy to me throughout the story, but after seeing what she can do, I can see how the wimpiness can work as a great character arc. Hodkin is a fine storyteller, and I so much look forward to reading the next books!

A Call for Heroes: Share Ambition, Please

2011-12-16T19:14:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted anything in a while, because I've been feeling kind of blah. Not sick or anything, just impassive, inactive. You know that book by Dr. Seuss, OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO? Well, I've hit the waiting place, that little spot where I know I should be acting, performing, progressing, but I'm taking care of the kids and in the meantime writing... but nothing that really stands out, and cooking... but making bland foods like granola (say it to yourself--nothing sounds pretty when your nose twitches and your tongue nearly sticks out) and watching mundane shows like The Guardian or Army Wives on Netflix. (Please, God. Where is #TVD when I need it?)

I know the problem of the waiting place. I am never happier than when I'm accomplishing something, and I don't mean the final award at the end, but the day to day struggle amidst the love while I write!

Dr. Seuss knows the absurdity of the waiting place:

"For people just waiting
... for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance..."

then

"NO! That's not for you!"

The waiting place isn't my usual spot, but I hit it occasionally and it typically lasts a few days. But--

"Somehow (I'll) escape
all that waiting and staying.
(I'll) find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing."

So here's to each of us escaping the waiting place and making our own futures with the sweat of our brow, with what plagues us inside, and spilling it out on the pages, bleeding the truth.

Remember, lulls in fiction are typically followed by heroes crazed by the idea of proving their worth.

So you be my heroes first. What ambition have you squandered away from me this week?

Featured Essay with Authors Incognito

2011-12-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm featured in the December newsletter over at Authors Incognito. Go check it out! I wrote about how our families become otherworldly when they steep themselves in our worlds.

Also, thank you so much for everyone's congrats and good cheer about signing with Kat. The ink is dry and it feels so good to accomplish this step.

I've Signed with a Literary Agent!

2011-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I penned my first book. A year after that I signed with a wonderful small press, but eventually decided the story wasn't what I wanted my debut to be (writing issues, plotting issues) and itched to write something fresh. So then I wrote another story, and it had a lot of problems, too. When I sent it out to readers I got scary reviews like, "I was completely lost," and "There wasn't any tension," and when I took it to a workshop (taught by David Farland) I learned the entire plot was off the mark. But Dave was so encouraging and helped me outline the new book.

So I rewrote, and hurried (uh-oh). I found out I was pregnant and knew I would become insanely sick so I finished writing, edited a few things, then queried with an okay query letter, received a few requests, but was ultimately rejected in the end.

Nine grueling months later, I gave birth to my third beautiful baby, and immediately lambasted my husband with the mandate that I would have writing time now that I was no longer puking out my guts, my blood pressure was finally not out of wack, and I no longer wanted to kill kill kill everything in sight. I hired TWO babysitters to wrestle my three youngsters once a week in the summer so I could revise. (I couldn't get that second story I wrote out of my head, and with a nine month break I could suddenly see the story with unbiased eyes.)

The plot was good--like I said, David Farland had helped me with that. But the world-building and the prose and characters really needed to come alive. So I spent several months fixing these issues (thanks to the babysitters tending my kids), then sent it out to beta readers and they told me what they thought I could do before sending it out.

But I had another problem. That dreaded query. I had read so many tips on writing a good query and nothing ever felt right. But then I listened to a conference call with Elana Johnson on writing a query and EVERYTHING MADE SENSE and I wrote the best darndest query I've ever written. I submitted it to about thirty agents, received six requests, and *dun dun dun* received *ahhhhh!!* one supernal offer!

So who is this literary agent you might ask? I give you Kat Salazar of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency!

It's funny. When I first tried to query Kat, I couldn't find her email address (she had just become an agent) so I emailed Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada who share a joint email address and asked them to forward my query. Lucky for me they did! Kat asked for the full one month later and offered a month after that! But then...

I wrote her an email to say "Yes! Thank you! Other agents still have my manuscript so I would like a week to give them time to read and make my final decision" and I didn't hear back! And I wrote her again across three weeks three more times and nothing, nothing, nothing and I could not understand what had gone wrong.

When I had pretty much decided she changed her mind because 1) she decided the manuscript was indeed not good enough or 2) her instincts screamed CRAZY STALKER! STAY VERY FAR AWAY! she wrote me back explaining every single one of my emails ended up in her spam filter. Also, Kat had gone on two trips during those three weeks and chaos had ensued. But, I am happy to say we have NOT had communication issues since.

So now we're in business. And I've been dying to share the news but wanted to be sure I had the green light and she just said yes. :)

A few more things on Kat? She's excited! And I'm excited! It's so exciting to work with someone who's EXCITED about my work! You can follow her on Twitter (@KatLovesBooks) and you can visit her at her blog (http://www.theweeklykatscan.blogspot.com). She's impressive, and savvy, and professional, and fun. And we have so many of the same tastes in stories I couldn't be happier this time has come.

And what's my manuscript about? Well... I'm going to keep a lid on it for now since I'm about to go on submission, but suffice it to say it's for YA and it's dark.

BIG news!

2011-11-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to come up with something witty to say, but I'm just too excited and can't think. I have BIG news, but I won't say! Please check back in 1-3 days. :)

Caught up in #TVD

2011-10-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, this may totally polarize my viewers, but I'm on a Vampire Diaries kick tonight and have to give a few shout-outs for my favorite show:

Doesn't Klaus make an adorable villain? Lovin' those dimples. And I swear my good friend's husband is Elijah's identical twin.

Stefan in Chicago? In the 20s? I could watch that episode over and over again.

And how long will it take Alaric to refriend Damon? Is it too soon to hope for the beginnings next week?

A Smattering of Affection

2011-10-15T19:03:00.001-07:00

S o, my six-year-old loves to read. Like the jumping-up-and-down-because-the-library-has-the-books-I-need kind of adoration/affection/undying love/obsession. Right now his bookshelf boasts a smattering of books including the fifth Underland Chronicles, the sixth 39 Clues, and the eleventh Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events. He rotates amongst these (as well as many others) and agrees, rather amicably, to read much simpler stories to his little sister. (Which is invaluable when I'm trying to lay the baby down.)

As his mother, it has become quite entertaining to listen to the budding vocabulary spilling from his jack-o-lantern teeth:

"I propose..." he said one afternoon while tapping his fingers together.
"Oh, I am so ashamed of myself!" He accidentally made his baby brother cry.
"Mom? How many years are in a century?" This was while beginning the fifth Gregor book.
"I don't like these Roman numerals." Frowning at The Little Prince.
"These nails that go in the pontoon are stubborn." This was while working on a craft at Home Depot.
And my favorite, after I commented on my baby's fascination with my wedding ring: "That's because Lincoln's thinking of your devotion to Dad."

Did I talk like this when I was six? I promise you, I most certainly did not; but how I wish I did. Just think how literary I could now be!

Your turn. Brag away to me! Sorry this post comes across as uppity/snobbish/otherwise immensely stuck-upish. But you can't stay too mad at me after seeing me use a word like stuck-upish, right? Right??! So leave a comment, and tell me the cool things YOU or your kids did this week. :)

*If you want a six-year-old as your friend on Goodreads, just let me know!

Larger than life Characters: Lord Teddie

2011-10-11T13:25:00.001-07:00

I remember reading in Donald Maas' Writing the Breakout Novel the best characters are often larger than life; I just happened across one today in Heather Dixon's Entwined. Lord Teddie, (full name Lord Edward Albert Hemly Haftenravenscher) is bouncy, loving, determined, and laughable. He makes me think of The Scarlet Pimpernel in his delicate language--artsy, sometimes absurd. Check out part of a letter he wrote to the king, pleading for his daughter's hand:

"I'm in agony now, hoping that my steward will convince you. If not I think I'll break all the windows in the house and drown myself in a bucket."

At one point, toward the end of the book when he offered up a piece of nonsensical advice, I laughed out loud for several seconds. He uses words like "rum" and "plucky," and spouts phrases like, "rippingly ripping" and "I say!" When a princess locked him in a closet, instead of growing angry, he agreed with the younger, more hopeful girls that he had indeed been trapped in a butterfly forest, and he would love to stay.

So pick up Entwined if you would like to fall in love with a larger than life (even secondary) character. I know I did!

How about you? Come across any larger than life characters today?

Hanna: My Two bits on a Memorable Film

2011-10-10T08:04:00.001-07:00

Grayman and I watched Hanna last night. It definitely had a different feel. Think action plus avant garde. It's about a girl whose father trains her to be the perfect assassin her entire childhood in the wilds of Finland before facing Marissa, a high level CIA agent who wants her dead.

In truth, this is one of the best coming of age stories I've seen in film. Instead of glossing over the internal struggles the protagonist might be facing, this film highlights them--not to make her wimpy--but shows through the tone (the music, the cinematography, the acting) that Hanna may be the most highly skilled assassin around, but she's confused, often terrified, making her journey more compelling. She's tough, but leaving the cocoon of her quiet home in the forest lambasts poor Hanna's insides.

I enjoyed this. It definitely kept me guessing. And with actors like Eric Bana (The Time Traveler's Wife) and Cate Blanchett (every rockin' movie you could possibly find), the cast was top-notch.

My only complaint? The ending. Horrifically unsatisfying.While they looped back to the beginning again, the trivial dialogue they chose to repeat made me walk away from the film feeling like I didn't care about Hanna when I know I did the whole time. But this was still a journey worth taking--if stranded on a desert island, I could see myself watching this one again.

Review: TEXAS GOTHIC by Rosemary Clement-Moore

2011-09-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun mix of genres--part paranormal, part mystery, part Western (yeah, that scared me, too)--but with an ornery wit that I would almost call this comedy. I so didn't expect this. The cover kind of freaked me out. And with the title and font I wasn't so sure I had the stomach for such a scary book (this coming from the girl who LIKES scary, but the cover for some reason made me uneasy). But this wasn't scary at all. Suspenseful, perfect for the story. Yes, a ghost story, but more predominantly Western, and so surprisingly well written that I got to relive the glory days of falling for a cowboy. (And this cowboy was even sexier than the one I dated before Grayman. My cowboy was a liar. And a player; ooh, don't get me started).

At the beginning, I was tentative about the protagonist. She was witty, and sharp-tongued, but I wasn't so sure--almost like I was trying to fault Moore's writing--but as I kept reading I could hear her Texan twang and actually laughed out loud a couple of times. The romance was so fun--the type of banter I think many writers might try but Rosemary Clement-Moore actually accomplished. And she held the tone throughout the entire book, which made it feel so fresh compared to a lot of the other books I've been reading.

And speaking of the author. I kept looking at her name and looking at it. Why did she sound so familiar? I looked at her picture and tried to place her face. It wasn't until I Googled her that I realized she's a DFW Writers' Conference contributor and I had actually practiced my pitch on her in April. She was so sweet and honest and now I can say I actually love her book.

Book Club: Revelling in ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

2011-08-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

I hosted book club at my house last night. What did we read? Stephanie Perkins' fabulous ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS!

We ate French food:

And performed scenes from the book.

When Etienne and Anna first met--she ran right into him, thinking he was a wall:

Etienne's leg brushed up against Anna's at the movies:

Anna and Etienne joked around on the plane with the in-flight magazine, and Etienne fell asleep on Anna's shoulder:

They talked about Toph and Bridgette going to prom and how Bridgette would inevitably barf all over Toph's shoes:

It was such a fun night! I wish everyone could've heard the renditions of Etienne's British accent: one sounded Irish, another like Elvis. A wonderfully romantic book!

Review: BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

2011-08-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

In my amateur opinion, these are some of Lauren Oliver's writing strengths: dramatic character arcs, beautiful description, language, and romance, and satisfying endings that just want to make you sigh. But... but? There's so much more to say.

I hated the beginning and... I hate that I hated the beginning. It had SO MUCH drinking, and references to teen sex, and smoking, and cutting class, and unbelievable cruelty, yet I understood Oliver wrote it that way to show her protagonist's arc--from a mean girl to a kind one--but had I not expected this, and also loved DELIRIUM, I may very well have put down this book. I hated the first two-thirds. I felt like I was pushing a boulder uphill. In 110 degree weather. With thorns biting, stabbing, poisoning my tender feet. And rock-throwing banshees pounding my skull with said rocks. And wailing. Lots and lots of screaming and wailing.

But then the main character decides to be nice, and it was like she became the protagonist in DELIRIUM when she decided to become proactive, too, and the book became compelling, and addictive, and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next. So I'm stuck. I understand why she wrote the beginning the way she did. (I'm not sure the ending would have been nearly as satisfying had she written it any differently.) But it was definitely tough for me to get through that first two-thirds. I kept gritting my teeth and forcing myself to turn the page. (Remember those ill-mannered banshees.)

Even so, I still feel like I learn a lot from this author. She writes SO BEAUTIFULLY, and her central character arc makes a first person point of view all the more rewarding. So I sit here, smile to myself, "Ahh, that was a good book," simultaneously remembering how much I despised the beginning.

How about you? Anyone else currently wading through mixed emotions regarding an excellent book?

*For a fine specimen of hypocrisy, please compare and contrast the above review with previous post

2011-08-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I can't help but ask, "Why can't we let art be?"

Of course, when I say art, I mean writing. (Mostly, anyway.) We as writers and readers are trained to analyze each other's stories; tear them apart, suggest ways to improve our work. But might it sometimes be better to allow the messages of the artist to simmer, ponder on what the artist is giving us in leiu of "helping" them improve?

Yet I'm ambivalent in this wish--I can be as critical as the rest; I enjoy ranting my opinions on Goodreads. But they are MY judgements. MY opinions. Who made me so wise?

I just finished reading FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan. I loved that book. Found it so compelling, romantic, and tense. The worldbuilding was beautiful, the protagonist relatable. I loved to escape to Jordan's rich Draki world. But it wasn't more than a second after I submitted my review that I saw one, two, then three other reviewers who gave the same book one star, while I gave it five.

So it's natural. Different books speak to different people. Some veer toward the humorous, others to the dramatic, or others an odd combination of both. Or maybe two people love paranormal books, but one hates a book in that genre, while the other calls it his/her favorite.

Yes, this is old news. I said it before: art resonates differently for everyone. After all, none of us have had the same experiences. And it's a blessing we have such a wide variety of books.

So why am I ranting? My quandry is this:

When I'm molding my story, polishing my craft, who do I listen to, who do I ignore? What if they don't understand my genre? What if they really do--but they don't have the distance for good advice? For one person, they'll want less literary prose, another will relish in every ounce of imagery. One will highlight public stakes, but another will insist they don't apply. It becomes a battle to decide who to trust. And then when we actually listen to others, take the plunge, do we ever look back, wonder, "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have done that?"

Then, down the road, say we've published a book. Some rave about our brilliance while others would impale our heads on a stake. Splay our eyes open--bulging.

But what makes us the experts? Why do we yearn to slander each other's work? Do we go to an art museum, stare at a new painter's art and say, "You used way too much green. It would have been much better had you used red." Who are we to say we know his best form of art? I mean, even different cultures differ in preferences for stories.

I remember Robert McKee saying in STORY (my favorite book on writing) that many people in foreign countries more readily embrace films with less happy endings (as opposed to Americans) and they don't mind a wandering plot. The archtype plot is embraced in America, but what about the anti-plot, the mini-plot? Aren't these great artforms, too?

I puzzle over this because I'm sensitive. And sensitive for other people's work, too. And I worry I'll offer a misguided critique to someone when I really should have let their masterpiece be. I don't want to convolute their intended message. Who makes me the expert on advice?

I suppose if we want our art to be embraced we do need to find those who can help us fine-tune our message--our beauty, our emotion, our story, our prose. So my hope is this: to deliver our truest messages, no matter the critics who will shut us down, but cling to those who embrace our message and help us grow.

Not to say we can't grow from those who hate it. I know this is true--we can often make our greatest improvements by listening to the naysayers. But maybe not. Sometimes I think it's important to shut them out, not let them convolute our message. And in turn, not allow ourselves to dismiss another artist's poignant message. Maybe it's okay to let our inner editor idle from time to time. Allow someone's beauty to wash over us.

Allow the art to be.

Free Online Writing Conference TODAY

2011-08-16T10:18:00.001-07:00

Twelve of the top literary agents in publishing are sorting through manuscripts/queries over at writeoncon.com today through the 18th, so go on over and register and post some of your work! I've already seen one writer receive a partial request from an agent. This is Elana Johnson's brainchild and if you ask me a killer idea. Go to!

2011-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

I really wanna read this book:

Summary: Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

It would be even better to win one for free. So enter Carolina V. Miller's giveway for this and POSSESS:

http://www.carolinavaldezmiller.com/2011/08/unbcoming-of-mara-dyer-and-arc-giveaway.html

2011-08-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

I met Kiersten White!!! She came to Dallas for a book signing for SUPERNATURALLY and I blathered about how I love her writing voice and what an inspiration she is to me. Luckily, Grayman snapped a pic:

Best part? My six year old saying it was the best night of his life. And instead of being a secret agent he now wants to be... an author.

2011-08-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

Mmm. I just finished WITHER. A gorgeous cover for a gorgeous book. It's dystopian fiction at its best. I've found I frequently don't care to continue a series after the first book but for this story I will read the second and the third. The writing is deliciously horrific.

I saw DeStefano was only 25 at the time of this book deal; she has some incredible expertise at such a young age. I noticed she studied creative writing in college. If I could go back in time that's what I would do.

The settings and dress are lush, the dialogue crisp yet beautiful and the story's pacing is enviable to someone who's always struggled with the task. It's literary and commercial yoked as one, and sweet and painful romance that will keep me reading into the next books!

Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

"Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings. Editor's recommendation."

Jane Eyre, Your Mr. Rochester is Now My Dear Friend

2011-03-26T18:54:00.001-07:00

Edward Rochester must be one of the most intriguing love interests I've ever read. He's so playful--almost fierce in his games. At one time he pretends to be a gypsie only to relish in confounding those he knows.

His dialogue? Terrific; the best part of the book. Where dear Charlotte Bronte wrote pages and pages of sweet narrative and setting (with skill! and finesse!) I scurried on to find Mr. Rochester's often vexing, piercing words.

I've been a bit disappointed in the love interests I've read as of late. (Though not in my true love interest. Grayman, have no fear!) But with Mr. Rochester lies a character with spirit and soul and grit.

And now I must see the new Jane Eyre film. Anyone had the chance? I only watched part of the Timothy Dalton one many years ago. This one looks like a visual feast.

The Adjustment Bureau

2011-03-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

Loved this movie. Saw it with Grayman Saturday night. I had no idea what it was about going into it and was glad--I hate a spoiled plot. But think Matrix minus guns plus a few extra dollops of romance. A must see! And once again I think Grayman looks like Matt Damon from the neck down. ;)

Thirteen Reasons Why... or maybe just One

2011-03-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. This has been on my "to read" list for a long time, but I kept putting it off because of the content--suicide and the thirteen reasons why the girl did it.

I didn't enjoy this book, but I certainly learned from it. The topic is one I usually push out of my mind, but the truth is some people think about it--a lot.

But my biggest question was for the author: why did you write this book? His answer was just what I needed to hear:

"Basically, even though Hannah admits that the decision to take her life was entirely her own, it's also important to be aware of how we treat others..."

While reading this book, I received a message from someone who I could tell needed some support. This book made me think about the person; I couldn't just shrug off or postpone a response. So I called the person immediately and not only did I help her but she helped me. And she was laughing by the end.

So, Mr. Asher, thank you for writing your book. We could all use reading something that makes us want to treat others better in the end.

My Stars! What will happen Next?

2011-03-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not all pain. One agent actually just asked me for a partial based on the two lines she heard at the Gong Show (see post below). Strange, strange world.

And I did fail to mention that my one-on-one pitch session went well. Got a request from that agent, too. Stars of the universe, align for me please?

A Very Bleary Gong Show

2011-02-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

I've considered writing about this, but stopped myself--repeatedly--because who wants to talk about something painful/disheartening/whiny/perhaps to many of us mortifying. But. I need to post something, express myself, and speak to you, dear readers, who, like me, are working their fannies off to land an incredible agent. And those of us trying to accomplish this feat know the process can be... hard.

*Disclaimer: Yes, the priority is writing a great book. Yes. Yes. I agree with your reminder. Thanks!*

But then an agent I greatly respect wrote up a note on this issue--an event, actually--and I've taken courage from her sympathy. Here is the link: http://agencygatekeeper.blogspot.com/. And though this particular agent prefers to remain anonymous on her blog, we attended the same writers conference this weekend and participated in the same big event: The Gong Show.

What is this? The Gong Show allows writers to submit queries (anonymously) to a panel of agents who hit a gong when they would stop reading. Most of the queries barely made it past two or three lines. After attending The Gong Show the first day and seeing a few requests for manuscripts, I took heart and submitted my newly polished query for the second event. All other classes were cancelled for this second Gong Show and approximately 350 people packed into one room, many of us on edge, eager to laugh at a silly word or turn of phrase. And we know what crowds are like: laughter is contagious.

Now. This was a learning experience. This was valuable. I think I learned a great bit. But what happened when they read my query? They didn't get past two lines. This is how it went:

Reader: Mind control is typically left to the vampires, angels, and immortals, but in Olivia's world it's the power of Aristotle's descendants--the Ethos, Logos, and Pathos--who persuade others through morality, logic, and emotion.

Two agents: *GONG!*

Agent #1: Vampires! No more vampires!

Another agent: But it said it's NOT about vampires.

Agent #1: Well then I don't appreciate it that they used that word just to peek my interest. That's a turnoff.

Reader (continuing query): Olivia loves causes. So much that her idea of ecstasy is donating blood--

Another agent (who previously correctly said the story wasn't about vampires): *GONG!* Okay, I've donated blood maybe hundreds of times and that is not my idea of ecstasy!

Crowd: *Peels of laughter*

And, because three agents hit their gongs, they moved on to the next query.

Now. Did I learn something? Yes. Some agents cannot bear to hear the "v" word, no matter the context, no matter that I was showing that I understood where in the market my book stood and how it varied from the others. Also, some agents can be immediately turned off by character descriptions they cannot personally understand. (Though, that is what makes Olivia different. She loves donating blood. She's obsessed with philanthropy... but I guess this particular detail did not impress this agent.)

So I cried. A lot. Frustrated? Ha! It wasn't like I've worked on this story/query/pitching for the past three years. I haven't invested anything in it. I didn't work on that first line for months. I haven't stayed up late at nights doing everything I can to perfect this story/pitch. Three years? Who cares! It's nothing, right?

And now reading over this little instance I immediately think, "Mary, lighten up. It was one little instance. Who cares!"

Yet I am wounded. Will I bounce back? Yes. But yesterday, while driving home, I must honestly admit I truly believed I possibly would not. I'm about to have my third kid; I should've taken up scrapbooking, something less frustrating when little ones won't sleep.

Yet the conference was great; I made three new friends. Local friends at that. But this (and a few other instances at the same said conference) did test my endurance. I never truly understood the cliche of standing in front of an audience naked until yesterday. NOW I know.

Whaddya think--will it make me a richer, deeper person? Of course, of course. If I take this in stride, of course it will. But this is tough. Finding an agent may never happen, yet writing is what I love to do most.

So, what say you, dear readers? Have you ever experienced something like this? Yes, I know I'm probably overreacting. (Please don't point that out in your comments. I haven't quite hit that step in my reaction process yet.) So tell me what you think of this event. Is it worth the pain?

Safety or Not

2011-02-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched something that absolutely freaked me out. But only after a friend assured me it wasn't "that type" of a scary movie--you know the evil feeling ones that give you nightmares for days? This person I trust; I imagine I typically like darker things than him, so I looked forward to watching this flick.

But then I watched it. It didn't help that I was already panicked from the beginning. Perhaps it was because I'd marched upstairs and was already out of breath, heart pounding like the easily flustered seven month pregnant mama that I am. And then it started, and my heart rate didn't slow down.

At first it wasn't so bad. In fact, the soundtrack at the beginning seemed a bit over the top. I didn't say anything, but even Grayman asked, "What's with the music?"

So what was this frightening movie I saw? None other than Shutter Island. Any of you seen the show? Read the book? I planned on reading the book, but I've been a bit under the weather these past few days (maybe you can see a trend on my blogging on movies/TV shows in place of books).

Anyway, when it finished I told Grayman, "I loved the psychological thriller part (this movie really has a killer plot) but it was kinda horrible. I'm going to have nightmares tonight." And I did. All night long. Even after getting up to pee.

Yet this kills me. The movie didn't bother Grayman at all. In fact he laughed at me, saying it wasn't scary one bit. This coming from the man who tears up during football movies and can barely handle House. The guy has a goodness--can't stand anything about rape.

So why did it bother me and not him? I don't know. I don't want to spoil the story (let's just say it involves innocent kids getting hurt), but it just shows that some things are quite easily inside our safe zones while others clearly are not. Give me the zombies in Carrie Ryan's books, throw me the horrific science projects on Fringe, but don't mess with kids...

Okay, duh, I am a pregnant mom.

Dare I do it? Analyzing the "Bad Boy"

2011-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

I've noticed in a few TV shows how a writer can change a viewer's perspective of a particular character--and not just a slight change--we can go from vehemently hating a character only to decide later that he/she is our very favorite.

And yet this has little to do with character arcs--the true growth of a character. It's something I've seen where the first few episodes we absolutely hate him/her only to love him/her maybe ten episodes later (hardly the end of the story).

Who might I be talking about? I have three characters in mind. And they all happen to be "bad boys."

#1: Damon from The Vampire Diaries

#2: Sawyer from Lost

#3: Chuck from Gossip Girl

I absolutely hated all three of these characters from the beginning. True evil, I thought. And when my little sister asked me if I liked Damon yet, I could only think are you crazy? The man is a psychotic, self absorbed killer. How could anyone like him? When my brother and sister-in-law said they absolutely loved Sawyer, again I thought, Are you nuts? The guy is the biggest jerk of the show! And again, when someone said they loved Chuck, I seriously doubted their moral compass or at least their taste in men.

But in all of these cases, these people had watched these shows before me, and could remember very little about ever hating these men. So what happened? How could the writer accomplish such a feat? And now that I absolutely adore all three of these characters I, too, wonder if I suffer from some sort of amnesia that causes me to forget the realities of their past.

But, thinking about it, I have an idea. In my opinion, the writer does two main things to make us love the character (thus making us love the story more! In fact, he/she becomes one of the driving forces behind obsessing over the show). What does the writer to do make us love an otherwise hateable character?

1. They help us empathize--show us why they are the way they are.

Damon was turned into a vampire by his who we think to be saintly brother. He loved a woman only to be chosen second. His nature to feed is stronger than we think, and we see him rejected again and again by his new love interest.

Sawyer's parents were murdered in front of him as a child. He has a gift for lying but feels bad about it.

Chuck's dad sees very little in his son. He wants to succeed in proving himself, but his dad just shuts him down time and again.

2. Show at least their intention to change.

Damon decides to feed on blood from blood banks--not from live humans... at least for the time being.

Sawyer agrees to get along with others and become a team player... but he's not really convinced this will work out in the end.

Chuck claims he truly loves Blair (and he believes it) but there's always another girl tempting him close by.

I'll add a third, because I think this applies, too:

3. We see the character's great capacity to love, but unsuccessfully. Their object of affection is not quite within reach.

Notice I underlined capacity. None of them love perfectly or even unselfishly at first. But the show throws enough obstacles at them that makes them try harder (if they didn't, we wouldn't love them, but they do). Yes, they screw up, but they try again. And eventually they'll do something beautiful--unselfish--for the person they love, and we clap and think, Yay! I LOVE this show!

And that is the extent of my wisdom today. If anything, it's nice to get this down--help me appreciate the creation of such characters and strive to make my own.

Thoughts, anyone? What have I missed?

Review: EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

2011-01-25T17:42:00.000-08:00

If I were an agent I would have wanted to represent this book after reading the first fifty pages. But, if I were an agent, and completed reading the book, there would be no way in this world I could be convinced of representing this script.

EVERMORE is a NYT #1 bestseller. Number one! First place!! Do any of us understand the gravity of that spot? I expected wonder. I expected a great ride. But for me, this book was absolutely thrilling only to go downhill midway, then drop off completely by the end.

The author, Alyson Noel, is mightily talented. I loved her voice, her pacing, the introduction of her premise: a psychic girl who's still striving to understand her own powers falls for a boy she's convinced is something much more than the other boys at school. Well... actually, at first, I wasn't all that crazy about the premise (I'm not all that into psychics), but by about fifty pages, I was completely sold.

But then weird things started to happen; I began to get frustrated with the protagonist. She's always on the defensive. Her "romance" scenes consist of chewing out her love interest only to kiss him only to chew him out some more. Over, and over, and over again.

Her friends are memorable--different from the friends I've seen in other paranormal books. But the love interest in the story? I still have no idea what his personality is. I kept thinking about Patch in hush, hush and how I clearly understood his personality. But Damen in this story? He's six hundred years old, obsessed with this girl, but I have no idea if he's passive or aggressive, outgoing or a recluse, and my biggest question: why in the world he's fallen for the girl (Ever... that's her name).

The names were unique. I liked that. But then I got more and more impatient with the MC. Will she always complain about everything exciting that happens to her? What are her redeeming qualities? I honestly feel like she behaved like she was thirteen. And then she took up drinking--quite a bit. I understood why, but really? It made it hard for me to cheer on a protagonist with such little direction 5/6ths of the way through the book.

I couldn't get emotionally invested in the characters. By the end, I was rolling my eyes at the romance, and not even remotely impressed by the antagonist's rantings. I like a sympathetic antagonist (or at least one with a bit of flair). But the bad guy (er, girl) was just ridiculous to me; not even one I could hate just because I thought she was dumb.

Yet it read quickly, and I loved how the protagonist had a gift--not just the guy, like so many paranormal books.

But I started out with five stars, then came down to two. Anyone else have a completely polarized view? There must be; NYT first place and all.

Sabotage and Sneeches

2011-01-15T12:24:00.000-08:00

My three-year-old HID my library book. If I had it, I would now be reading it; but no, the little weasel put it in a very mysterious place. When I asked her what she did with it, she gave me a little smirk and said, "Nothing!" But when I find it, I'll share my review. It's Rules of Attraction, the next in the Perfect Chemistry series. Where could it be????

But my six-year-old has been the golden child as of late. I told him how I used to tell The Star-bellied Sneeches in contests for speech class. He eagerly waited for me to check out the book, and when I read it to him with all my well-practiced voices he smiled and smiled. And smiled. And smiled. Boy, I love that kid.

Review: HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

2011-01-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

What did I love about this book?

1. The cover. Mind-blowing, isn't it?

2. Fitzpatrick's skill at weaving a story slowly, building the suspense. The protagonist, Nora, doesn't learn her love interest, Patch's, identity until nearly the end. I'm impressed the author kept my interest that long. Then she skillfully weaved in some flashbacks, but not until I was absolutely deperate to know them.

3. The best friend, Vee. Hilarious.

What didn't work for me?

1. I wasn't absolutely in love with the protagonist. She seemed a bit--dare I say it--bland to me. And I'm not one who needs the protag to spew sassy, clever line, after clever line (although I did get used to that with Evie in Paranormalcy). I just couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why Patch fell for her. Her strengths and her weaknesses weren't all that evident to me. She wasn't all that memorable. I even had to look up her name after finishing it one minute ago! Sad, sad, sad! Yet I like the name, Nora. Maybe I didn't see it written enough?

2. I also didn't fall in love with the sentences of this book. Maybe I wanted a greater feeling of foreboding, something different with the word choice. Or maybe I wanted something more clever. I didn't find either.

My opinion?

I still really enjoyed this. A clean read with an intriguing story, and my favorite genre--paranormal YA. So pick it up if you're into this type of book, if anything to see Fitzpatrick's skill at stretching the tension.

Review: PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

2011-01-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

I have been looking forward to reading this book for a very long time. I found Kiersten White's blog probably about a year ago and absolutely fell in love with her voice. I then saw she landed a "significant deal" on Publishers Marketplace so figured this book would be amazing. It didn't disappoint.

The main character, Evie, works for an agency that tracks down paranormals: vampires, hags, etc. and laments the fact that she doesn't get to go to high school or meet boys... until Lend, a nearly invisible boy shows up.

White bedazzles us with her voice. She's so clever and witty and did I mention clever? You know how agents are always screaming for a unique voice--one that jumps from the page? Well, White has it. I'm so glad she landed this book.

The pacing was spot on. The characters fun. The intro made me laugh. I could have used a bit more of a impactful climax, but I figure since this is a series, the last one might give me the ultimate crecendo I want.

I really enjoyed the protagonist. Evie has a lot of spunk, and is girlie, which is a good thing (I love White's recent post about this, btw).

I borrowed this from the library, but it's one I would love to own. Squeaky clean and nothing cheesy about it, it'll be a good one to recommend to all readers and book groups.

Review: PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles

2011-01-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, this book was incredible. From the prose of the writer, to the pacing, to the characters, to the world building—I couldn’t be more impressed by this author.

She tells the story in multiple first person present tense POV, by both of the love interests. The male POV, Alex’s, was so believable I thought the writer was a man and previously affiliated with a gang (Alex is in a Latino gang called The Blood). Brittany’s POV felt authentic as well. The POVs were so different it nearly felt like two different people had written the book, but cohesive somehow. They balanced each other beautifully.

I breezed through the book when I thought it would take me several days. The tension was real without feeling overly dramatic, and the sweet parts especially sweet.

This was a bit of a guilty pleasure for me—waiting before getting married was definitely not a message of this book. A fair amount of language too. But if I were to name a new favorite writer, Simone Elkeles would definitely be on my list. This lady can write.

When did "Socializing" become such a Chore?

2011-01-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well. I failed. Socialization attempt number one was not a success. "Would you like to come to craft night?" a couple of sweet ladies asked. I tried not to outwardly cringe.

Crafts. And me. Crafts and me do not mix. My three-year-old daughter is more gifted than I. I swear all of my fingers are made of thumbs. BUT, I have recently moved to a new area and know I should attempt to make friends. So I went... lasted about forty-five minutes, all the while wondering if each passing five minute interval was too soon to leave.

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against crafts. I just have a limited time while the kiddos are in bed and I have so much to do! And a tight schedule before kiddo number three in my belly forces me to go to sleep.

True, I could have brought my computer--but who can socialize and blog or write at the same time? Not me. I asked my husband if it was too weird to bring my book and he didn't bother to reply. *sigh*

I need to hook up with other writers/readers. I mean, that is if I actually need to socialize, which right now, am I insane if I admit that I don't feel all that social? I'd rather burrow up in a hole and either immerse myself in another world or create my own? What is wrong with me???

And thus is the underlying problem with moving to Texas. I've wanted to move here for years--love the low cost of living and the friendliness of the people. But that FRIENDLINESS. How did I become so reclusive? They say "socialize" and I start to panic about the etiquette of staying, of going, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I actually like people. And it's not that I'm all that amazed with myself (you know, the fact that I want to spend all my time with numero uno). In fact, if I didn't spend all day talking with my kiddos, and instead pursuing this writing stuff during waking hours I WOULD probably want to get out. But not right now. You wanna talk to me? Talk to me when my kiddos are around, but when they're asleep or otherwise entertained, let me pursue this world of stories: I want to feel like I have more than the tips of my otherwise unpainted toenails peeping through.

Two Thoughts on a Classic

2011-01-03T16:51:00.001-08:00

I'm about two-thirds of the way through this book, and I've seen the movie--twice. (The one with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour. Oh, and Ian McKellen. An excellent flick.) Anyway, my sister gave me this book, along with many others, and she mentioned she finished it a few weeks back. Now I'm following her lead.

But I wanted to discuss the stakes of this book. This story is such an example of using both public and private stakes. What is at risk in the protagonist's life? Well, Marguerite fears she's lost the love of her husband forever. Her brother's life is also at stake and she sees she might save him but only at the cost of outting the public hero who saves lives from the guillotine. The public stakes? Only the entire population of the aristocracy of France. Immediately we're drawn in. We care for Marguerite and we care for hundreds, even thousands of French men, women, and children.

Second, the characters. One particular character, more like: Sir Percy Blakeney aka the Scarlet Pimpernel. How ingenious Baroness Emmusca Orczy must have been to divine such a creation. He's so appalling on the surface; a rich, lazy flourish of a man. No one would believe him to be the brave hero he truly is. And that's what makes this story so much fun! Just think how much fun the actors must have had playing such a bilateral character. How rewarding to write!

And so I look forward to finishing the book and watching the movie yet again. Has anyone seen the 1934 version with Leslie Howard? I think Netflix On Demand has that one, too.

Review: THE BODY FINDER by Kimberly Derting

2010-12-30T20:25:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to read this book for a very long time. The premise sounded intriguing--the title explains it well. A girl has the supernatural ability to detect dead bodies. These bodies carry an echo and that echo is imprinted on the killer.

This book had just the makeup I love: suspense weaved through romance. This is the type of YA book I think sells best and I am trying my durndest to learn to write.

So what worked for me? The storytelling. Especially the first few pages. Derting had the most perfect ominous, foreboding tone that told me I was reading something good, and it set the tone for the book well.

I also really enjoyed the antagonist's point of view. Very well written and just the right amount.

Finally, the romance. There was this one part that I simply loved. Derting knows how to write about her kissing. ;)

So what didn't work for me? Sorry, Ms. Derting, but I didn't particularly like the voice. Nothing quirky, nothing dark, nothing to make it stick out for me. Also, I think too many cliches. I was suprised your editors kept them in. I'm guessing the cliches were looked at as comfortable ways to reach the YA audience, but it cheapened the voice for me. And I didn't like Violet (the protag's) friends. Jay was great, but for the entire book I couldn't figure out why she was friends with those girls.

Worth reading? Yes. A great page-turner. But I don't know that I feel the need to read the sequel. I saw Violet's power in action once and feel good with that.

*Sidenote: I was surpised that the agent for this book was Laura Rennert. Everything I've seen from this agent has been much more literary but still straddling the commercial. This book wasn't literary at all--except maybe during the romance, but that would be a stretch. But I did see on Publishers Marketplace this book sold for a "good deal." This agent is one of the best and knows a book that will sell.

How artsy do you like your books?

2010-12-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

I thought I liked artsy. But then I just picked up Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan--a book awarded five stars by an editor I revere. But I couldn't get past the first chapter. How elementary I am! I can solidly admit it: I like my works of fiction with a heap of commercial appeal. Literary is good, but I guess I need more of a commercial angle than I thought.

How about you? Maybe I should make a poll...

Feeling a bit better

2010-12-20T20:10:00.001-08:00

Well, it's 10:10 pm and I don't feel like puking; I must be doing better. I'm getting fatter, and my little baby BOY will be born in roughly four months.

In the meantime, we've moved to TEXAS, my friends. We're just getting settled into our new house in time for Santa and Christmas.

So I've been able to revisit my writing. I've missed it sooo much. But with the move complete and feeling much less nauseous, I'm ready to step back into the drama of my writer's lair again.

I've missed you all! And I'm sorry I probably won't visiting too much yet. You know how precious time can be and I want to spend it on the writing!!

Tell me, what have I missed? Anyone feeling newsy?

Review: PERILOUS by Tamara Hart Heiner

2010-10-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

From the beginning I could see Heiner knows the behavior of high school girls well. She shows their bonds in friendship but also the cattiness within these bonds. The girls felt real and concerned with what most fifteen-year-olds care about: school, boys, friendships, and maybe a little family (on a nice day).

One nice element of the story was a detective’s point of view. When the girls are kidnapped we get to track them alongside the detective. He’s a likeable guy who loves pickles and his wife.

For me, the story was crisp, and concisely written. Complaints? I would have liked Jaci’s inner thoughts flushed out better: she prays randomly but I have no idea if these are last ditch effort prayers or if she truly believes in God. If so, I’m curious if this trip has strengthened or threatened her faith. This would have helped me to see her character arc better. Or if not her faith, I simply needed to know what made Jaci tick.

There were a few “convenient” scenarios, including randomly running into relations out of state and randomly running into an FBI agent who can help, but Heiner’s skill with the English language and constant suspense helped me feel less bothered by such instances.

Finally, the cover. It’s a great picture—truly artistic. But I don’t feel like it captures the mood of the story well. It’s a YA story and should be represented as such. The cover made me think I was reading a dark, psychological thriller, when this story is lighter and younger than that.

I recommend this book for tweens up to sixteen or seventeen who like suspense but would be freaked out by true psychological thrillers or horror.

Visit the author at tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com to learn more from a truly gifted person and outstanding friend. She's running TWO contests including a KINDLE giveaway, so jump over to her blog fast. Finally, she's smokin'. I'm not into chicks but this girl is just too cute. :)

Explanations

2010-09-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Where has Mary been? Flat on her back... though not quite dead: I'm twelve weeks pregnant!!!!

You know those ladies who run marathons practically up until their due dates? Or the ones who flaunt jujutsu on the weekends only after their ninety hour weeks? Well... hate to say it, but that is SO not me. And though I would just love to share all the juicy details, I am kinder than that, folks, and pray you'll be a bit more patient. God can't keep me sick for all nine months can he? That's what I'm telling myself every morning to get my hiney out of bed.

So, know that I'm thinking of you, but can't quite do much more than that. But believe me, when I'm ready, you'll know it. I shall be back!

Stories Worth Telling

2010-08-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

A teen flick, a teen novel, both dealing with heavy issues. I grabbed To Save a Life from the Redbox last week. Didn't know what to expect. While, yes, some of the Christian messages are overtly cheesy, WOW, what a message every teen needs to hear. The story deals with fitting in, and what happens when you don't? One commits suicide and another is haunted by the fact that maybe he could have stopped it. Very well done. Had Grayman in tears. Several times. The protagonist did play sports, so that's Grayman's excuse.

SPEAK is a book I've had my eye on a long time. I went to the library twice to grab it and was lucky the second time. I didn't love it at first, but by the second half I just flew through the pages. A girl--the main character--doesn't talk at all to anyone. She tells her story in first person present tense (my fav!!) and doesn't tell us why she doesn't speak until halfway through. The author has a simple, writerly voice. She also got enough awards for this debut to line her rooftop. This story deals with a tough subject: rape. I thought the author handled it perfectly and by the end I felt reverance for her finesse.

I love books that deal with difficult subjects with beauty and tact. I feel like these writers taught so many great truths and I want my writing to be the same way. So if you're ever in the mood to tackle two very difficult subjects, check these stories out. I'd be curious to hear what you think.

2010-08-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

We as writers need to be careful. When do we seek validation? When must we endure a harsh critique? Daisies or thistles? Both are needed of course, but to get the proper balance is hard. Say you have a finished manuscript. Where do you go next? Straight to the flower shop for an armful of poppies or the butcher's to insist on casting our own heads? Is it not better to first know we haven't written something absolutely deplorable before welcoming the studded whippings of our "foes"? Or are we to the point where we know we haven't written excrement and can endure the flailings of our peers, our superiors, even our underlings?

You know, I just looked up excrement on thesaurus.com just to see if I was using the best word. Actually, I looked up "poop," but that's besides the point. Guess one of the suggestions? Meadow muffins. I rather like this term. I have never used it before, but had I used it many of you would have patted me on the shoulder and said, "Just don't try so hard, my dear." True, true. But, while this may shock you, meadow muffins is in fact the better term. How? Well, let me tell you. I spoke of flowers and thistles, and how better than to describle excrement than the meadow muffins of a field?

And so let me leave you with this thought. Run your hands along the poppies, brace yourselves for the thistles, and whether we like it or not, most of us will secrete a meadow muffin or two. But that is not to say that we won't conjure up something much better in the end. For me, it will be from the drippings of my willow--a bit of drama, but still wonderfully, art.

What will you create?

Under the Greenwood Tree

2010-08-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

It may not be a willow, but a Greenwood will do. I enjoyed this adaptation from Thomas Hardy's book. In the mood for a period drama flick that's a little less well known? Watch this one. Love triangles galore and eye candy for the hungry. Plus, it's on Netflix On Demand. :)

Invictus

2010-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

I love stories that weave historical figures and events into a message and plot. While Invictus wasn't the most riveting movie I've ever seen, I really enjoyed the characters, learning about what happened in South Africa in the '90s, and basking in the emotional payoff in the end. Plus, Grayman watched this one with me. A movie about sports? He's in.

Celebration!

2010-08-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

I sent out my query letter to several other writers and they pinned me down, flogged me, and fixed it. So now I officially have a query letter for the new and improved FRAGILITY. Too bad I'm not ready to use it yet.

Now to hear back from my readers on my first YA draft.

We Gotta Fight For the Right to...

2010-08-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Write!!

My two-year-old doesn't nap . . . unless it's past four o'clock, which is just awesome (yeah...). She refuses to watch television and I've ended the "lock-her-in-her-room" sessions (see previous posts for details). I try to write at night but I'm exhausted. My husband wants some well-deserved attention. I want to write, I want to do it, but unless it's pretty dang high up there on the priority list, it just doesn't happen. Yet it is pretty dang high up. I feel like I'm fighting cobras with Styrofoam swords. Twenty of them! . . . Cobras, not swords.

I knew you all could relate.
Just had to say.

A New Masterpiece

2010-07-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

Grayman and I snagged a sitter last night to watch Di Caprio's latest movie, Inception. What a great movie! In all it's complexity, I think I most liked the protagonist's motivations for doing what he does and his intricate relationship with his wife (can anybody say duality?). Go see it if you have the chance! It's a great example of escalation and delivers a beautiful, satisfying ending.

My Report: Part Four

2010-07-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Duality.

It's a term to describe the dual nature of our characters. We see it when a character combats with an inner conflict or when we think a character should act one way, but has the capacity to do another. At Dave's workshop, he had us write a scene with this concept. I'd read about it, thought about it, but never sat down to write it for homework.

So, for fragility, I decided to show Cheyenne's inner conflict. Teo, her seductive math teacher captures her and explains zombies surround them on the outside. For this scene, I wrote Cheyenne's thoughts--that she is attracted to Teo, but is also terrified of him. She wants to run away, but how could she when it may be worse on the outside? As you can see, duality is an element that can really shine in this scene.

But we can write our antagonists with this as well. Teo, for instance, is a sadistic tyrant. But, he has a soft spot for Cheyenne. When he kills others, he confides in her and lets her off when she breaks his rules. This can help our characters to feel real.

Think about it. How many of us are so extreme, so one dimensional, that we don't make exceptions to the rule. I LOVE eccentricities in characters, but it makes them even more fascinating to find that little quirk, the reason why they change from the default.

Duality--it's even a cool word. What character in fiction have you seen this concept evinced?

My Report: Part Three

2010-07-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Storyline first.

So many of us get caught up on the details--I know I have. When should we use that token adverb? Was that passive voice? How much detail should I use?

One thing I loved about Dave Wolverton's workshop was his emphasis on story. I raved before about that book, STORY by Robert McKee, and I stand by it. It is the single greatest book for writers... who mean to write STORIES.

At the workshop, Dave looked at our outlines. He also read our first twenty-five pages. But who cares how those pages read if the story is schmuck. We need to know what genre we're writing, who we're writing to, how we will reach them. These are the questions we must answer before we conquer sentence structure. Why do we get so bogged down on the details when the framework may very well be wrong?

In McKee's book, he said he new very many writers who could write a flashy sentence, but he knew almost zero writers who could tell a great story. It is an uncommon skill! We should harness it! And on top of the difficulty, we're competing with the thousands of other writers out there, millions if you count those who have written before us. Today, we're dealing with readers who have consumed thousands of stories via TV and books. They want something to make them feel. We must give it to them, if we aim to stay afloat.

So, that is my message for the day. While rewriting fragility I'm not worrying about making the sentences perfect. I need to spit the story out first.

My Report: Part Two

2010-07-15T12:32:00.001-07:00

Escalate, escalate, escalate! We've all heard this before, and have a testimony of it, no doubt. We know it when we see it--we can recognize when the intensity of a story increases--love it when the final round of a story has become just about as bad as it can get, but the storyteller knows how to resolve it just right.

At Dave Wolverton's workshop he taught us about this, and I had heard much of it before. But to practice it, really practice it under instruction was really another thing.

How do we escalate a story? Dave explained two ways:

1) Deepen our conflict (make it more personal, resonate more)
and
2) Broaden our conflict
He mentioned a third way, which only makes sense:
3) Introduce an entirely new conflict.

I'm really glad we talked about this topic. I've read it, heard about it, tried to apply it, but it's hard! Many of us like a dramatic story--expect people to be murdered, ostracized, or fired--but what about the baby steps? How to get to that point?

In fragility I have an antagonist I find both mouthwatering and terrible. He traps everyone in his little compound and in the first draft, I killed him off... one quarter of the way through.

I had a few friends look at the story, and one (non-writer I might add!) said "There wasn't any tension." Wow! To have a "suspense" lack tension? So then I took another hack at it, changed it so that Teo became infected with the zombie sickness, but didn't kill him off til the end. I brought that story to Wolverton's workshop, and there he just shook his head. "Don't infect him," he told me. And in this discussion I could finally see why! And I could see why I infected him before.

I was terrified I would ruin Teo. He has all the clever dialogue, and he's a hard character to maintain. If I could just contaminate him, whisk him away, I didn't have to worry about all those baby steps. But Dave helped me realize Teo needs to stay to make the story sing.

So I'm writing him. And writing him. And my protagonist, Cheyenne, must fear and love him, too. But today I wrote a scene where he tries to seduce her, and found I'd written myself into a corner again. Baby steps, Mary! We're only in the third chapter! Teo can't go for the prize yet! So I erased the scene, realized he wouldn't do that yet, and now I have room to escalate.

So that's what I'm doing. Finding ways to escalate my book. I'm doing other things, too, but thought I'd share my second tidbit from class.

My Report: Part One

2010-07-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

I head home tomorrow, but I thought I'd drop a post regarding my experiences at the Professional Novel Writers' Workshop taught by Dave Wolverton. I'll probably do a series of posts, but for the first, I thought I'd share the greatest thing I learned from Dave.

I need to rewrite my book, fragility.

He said on a line-by-line basis it flowed really well and was even struck by a lot of the language, but plot-wise I was doing too many things. Grr! After my shell-shock, I accepted what he had to say and really listened.

Apparently, I was doing too many things. A romance? Science fiction? Psychological thriller? Wolverton helped me see what I was trying to say. The genre of this book is social science fiction, and if you've never heard of that genre (like me!) think The Giver. So I'm simplifying the tale, and making it younger. That's right, folks. I'm offically writing a YOUNG ADULT book and I can't tell you how excited I am about it. My protagonist will be seventeen (yes, you heard me right. I'm accepting the age I always complain is overused) and the bulk of the novel will revolve around this logline:

"A seventeen-year-old battles with the choice of staying in a terror-inducing compound and its seductive creator or fleeing to a zombie-ridden world."

Originally, it took place during the Second Great Depression when Texas seceded from the United States, but these details kept convoluting the tale. Now I can focus on what happens when a seventeen year-old-girl suffers then triumphs over a tyrant like we've read about in the past... only creepier and sexier and terrifyingly sadistic. Before I killed him too early, then I tried infecting him in the beginning. Now he lives--healthy--for quite some time. I shall have fun with this.

I'm Off!

2010-07-03T17:52:00.001-07:00

I leave for Dallas at 4 am tomorrow morning. Two days with my parents and siblings and nieces and nephews, then six with complete strangers at Dave Wolverton's Professional Novel Writers' Workshop. I'm so excited! I plan to cram my brain full of mandatory writing lessons and pray I will never forget them.

Wish me luck! The workshop is supposed to be intense. I hope so--I'm nervous about missing my husband and two unbearably sweet kids. But consider me over and out 'til I get back on July 12th.

Numb

2010-07-01T11:13:00.001-07:00

If you wanna cry, read this book.

A Bit of Isolation

2010-06-27T13:52:00.001-07:00

Writing can be alienating. Strike that--writing with an intention to get our stuff out there can make us horribly alone. I wouldn't trade it. I love it more than I can express, but there are days it makes me a little sad. Like when suddenly you can't talk to people the way you did in the past. They know your mind is filled with your book ideas and they are kind and ask you about it, but you know they'd rather talk about something else--but they want to show they care. Which is sweet, but I feel awful for them at the same time. So I end up changing the subject after a few answers to relieve them of that care.

Someday, though, I want to have a book out there at least *someone* can love. Then we can bond over that material and I'll know the conversation is not out of duty but out of interest. That would be neat.

Not trying to be a downer--it's just been on my mind a lot. Anybody out there feel the same? And if not with writing, with something else?

Ah, History

2010-06-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

There's something about using real people from history as your characters. For their physical appearances all you have to do is find their pictures and describe them. I'm liking this quite a bit.

Vera Figner, conspirator to Tsar Alexander II's death. Is she not smokin'? Check out her friend:

Gesya Gelfman. Executed for conspiring to kill the Tsar, but they allowed her a few months to give birth to her child.

Two lovers--leaders of the assassin band. The girl, Sophie, was known to look like a man.

Narodnaya Volya (or The People's Will, as they called themselves), executed three days after assassinating the Tsar. Wouldn't you like to know their story? What made them feel they were right?

And Vera, the first girl pictured, lived. Who did she love? Why fight the Tsar? And what weapons did they use? Explosives, you say? What kind of explosives? Hmm, can't wait to read her Memoir coming in the mail, and continue writing their story as I see it in my head.

Finding True love in Books

2010-06-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

I read REBOUND by Heather Justesen a few weeks ago. I've read/watched so many stories where the love interests like each other for such superfluous reasons. And the demonstration of that love is often so one-dimensional (can we say physical intimacy, anyone?).

But then I read about Curtis. He finds a girl he likes. Lily is that girl and--what do you know--she comes with baggage. She has two small children, is recently divorced, and is working desperately to get out of debt. But what does Curtis do to win her love? Or even just to be himself?

He babysits for her. Of course that trashes his clothes.

He speaks at her school against drugs to help her retain her job--which is huge since he hates public speaking and the kids look up to him since he's a basketball star.

He helps Lily fix her car.

He likes her best when she's a mess--he doesn't have to see her all dolled up.

For me, this was a great reminder of true romance. It's not wining and dining and sex. We help each other. We love each other. Heather, thank you for sharing this.

The Possibilities

2010-06-22T18:14:00.001-07:00

I'm researching/brainstorming my newest idea for a novel. It will be steampunk this time, and I found some rockin' pics.

Hello, dearie. You just may be my inspiration for my female lead.

Oh! The hair! The goggles, the clothes, the wires, the gloves. But my story will take place in Russia. Hmm.

I think I need these shoes. Grayman would love them. Right?

Goggles. I need.

Oh, I forgot. Not shopping--brainstorming apparel for the characters for my book. But hey, I'd look pretty sweet showing up at playgroup with my heels and goggles... now to find some weapon pics.

No! No! I didn't mean that. No weapons for playgroup. Steampunk novel pics.

*Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction and speculative fiction, frequently featuring elements of fantasy, that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era Britain[citation needed] — but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles, analog computers, or digital mechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage's Analytical engine); these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality. (from the illustrious source of Wikipedia)

A Killer Idea

2010-06-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

While browsing through recent deals on Publishers Marketplace I found this:

"Pen Award-winner Carol Lynch Williams's THE BODY SHOP, about teens escaping a cloning factory, to Hope Dellon at St. Martin's, by Stephen Fraser at the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency (NA)."

I have been green with envy all week because I wish I had written that novel. Teens escaping a cloning factory? How fun is that?? It makes me think of The Island with Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. I liked that one.

But I loved this short one-liner--an excellent logline. I want my next novel to be as easily explained and as killer an idea as this.

AND THEN I noticed the author. Carol Lynch Williams? I spoke to you at the Whitney's. Congrats on your win for Best YA novel for 2010. I need to read The Chosen One; you have brilliant ideas. And now I'll stop pretending you read my blog. :)

500 Days of Summer

2010-06-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on this movie for a long time, but didn't actually watch it until Friday night. The fact that it's Sunday and I'm still thinking about it proves it was a great flick. Hysterical--and I don't usually read/write comedy.

The producer put in this over-the-top narrator, with the big, booming voice. Voice-overs are a terrible idea--unless you KNOW it's supposed to be bad. I loved this reversal.

There was also this part when the hero is finally in a relationship with Summer where he dances on the street and I was literally crying, it was so funny. This movie embraces the absurd, but in a delightful way.

The writing wasn't predictable, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel made an incredible pair.

I plan to watch this one again. I wish I had seen it when I was single--it has a message not often repeated.

Tremor

2010-06-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I just sent the other Wolverton workshop attendees my first 25 pages of my latest novel, fragility, plus an outline. Apparently, everyone is reading eachother's work BEFORE we even go. It's nerve-wracking, but I'm happy about this. We won't waste the six days reading the material. We'll utilize the six days making it better. And better. And shaping our novels so that ze world will not be able to put our stories down.

I hope.

An Emotional Response

2010-06-10T14:29:00.001-07:00

In STORY by Robert McKee, he explains what we must do to create an emotional response in the reader through our works. He lists three things:

1) The character must WANT something

2) We must empathize with the character

3) There must be a reversal of a value--justice to injustice, bondage to freedom, hate to love, the values are endless.

I have been thinking about this all week. In the past I've wondered "How can I resonate with the audience?" McKee explained it. In three little steps.

Think of your favorite (or least favorite!) work you've recently enjoyed. How did they accomplish these things? How did they not? Share, please share. I just watched Love Happens. Terrible movie. I didn't empathize with the characters at all.

And the winner is...

2010-06-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

My two-year-old helped me draw our winner for my 100 Followers giveaway. I wrote the names on little pieces of paper, then she helped me crinkle them up and throw them in a bowl. I probably should have folded them. To think what she might crinkle up next...

And the winner is...

MT aka Michelle Teacress! Michelle, email me at ladyingray03(at)yahoo(dot)com to tell me which book on writing you would like me to send (choices are on my sidebar under "Fantabulous Books on Writing") and tell me where I may ship preferred book. Thanks everyone! Aidan enjoyed this!

Giveaway!

2010-06-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

Please note a few things I have on my sidebar: first, my premise for The Ethos. Krista, thanks for noticing!! WiDo interviewed me on their web site and you can read the interview here.

I also put up a few polls. I wanna hear how you feel about Lost and a few of my favorite YA series. I also hungily await the votes that can support mine in my desire to see the New Adult market take off. A large publisher, St. Martin's Press announced the end of last year how they plan to publish books for readers slightly above the YA market. Bless you, St. Martins. May we all follow your lead.

Finally, we've reached 100 followers! I want to thank every single person who has bourne my journey to understand both the writing craft and industry. Thank you. So I want to give back.

Do you see my gadget on my sidebar entitled "Fantabulous Books on Writing?" I swear by these books. I have become so much more after reading them. Please comment on this post, and I will enter your name into a drawing for your choice of one of those books. These are the books we should own. Underline, highlight, scribble notes in the margins. If we want to write stories, we must understand how to do it. So I want to share one of the books I have loved. I'm still reading Story. It's dense--quite possibly my favorite.

So comment away!! Comment on one of the polls or tell me which writing book you'd like. The winner will be announced Sunday, June 6th.

Plot Types

2010-06-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading Story by Robert McKee. It's revelatory. I've only read the first two chapters and I've learned so much.

McKee explains three types of plots:

Archplot, Miniplot, and Antiplot. Allow me to share his nifty diagram.

For some reason the word on the bottom left hand corner was cut off. It's supposed to say minimalism. According to McKee (who I tend to believe since he's been in the movie industry for billions of years) the archtype plot contains these elements: causality, a closed ending, linear time, external conflict, single protagonist, consistent reality, and active protagonist.

Miniplots (sometimes referred to as minimalism) have open endings, internal conflicts, multi-protagonists, and a passive protagonist.

Finally, antiplots rely on coincidence, nonlinear time, and inconsistent realities.

After McKee explained what made up each type, he then explained what films are received by the largest audiences. (Of course, not all stories fit neatly in one corner. Most veer toward one type but can have elements of the other plot types.) McKee says stories with the archtype plots are the best received. These are the types that aren't considered "artsy." This is also what much of Hollywood uses since most people like a resolved ending and these other traditional elements.

Many other countries, however, embrace the miniplot structure--don't identify with the perfect all-questions-answered ending. But these movies are typically low budget (in the US) and supposedly don't have the same broad appeal. Not always, of course, but he says this is the politics of plots.

Antiplots break all the rules. This would include a slice of life story, also avant garde. Monty Python fits in this group, but so would many other different stories of different genres.

I learned a few things while studying this chapter. First, I'm inherently drawn to the minimalist style, the miniplot. This is fine--there is no right or wrong plot style. It just depends on our goals as storytellers. Do we want to tell our stories in their truest forms, what rings from our hearts, or would we like to be able to see them reach the masses? Speak to more people? These are hard questions. I, for one, like a bit of an open ending and naturally write stories that focus on inner conflicts. I also struggle to write a strong protagonist. But I also want to be able to reach more people. This is what we must weigh. I'll end with this thought:

McKee says, "Each tale you create says to the audience: "I believe life is like this." I agree. No matter what I write, I want it to be true to myself.

Thoughts?

Preparing for Dave Wolverton's Workshop

2010-05-31T19:49:00.000-07:00

Dave's brother, Jim, explained I must do three things to prepare for the Professional Novel Writers' workshop:

1. Write the first 30 pages of a novel.

2. Write a five page outline of the entire novel.

3. Read three books: Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Albert Zuckerman, Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card, and Story by Robert McKee.

So far, I have done everything except read McKee's book. That should get to me by mail tomorrow. But, I will probably return to Zuckerman's book. In it, he analyzes three stories: Gone with the Wind (I've seen a few times), A Man from Saint Petersburg, and The Godfather. So now, I'm watching The Godfather and have Saint Petersburg and Gone with the Wind on hold. I'm really enjoying The Godfather, though Grayman didn't enjoy part one. Looks like I'll be finishing the series alone.

Anyone care to join me? "Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday..." I can finally place that line.

A Parallel

2010-05-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Al Zuckerman. He analyzes four books throughout the book and one of them is Gone with the Wind. He has some great points about Scarlett. He calls her a "larger than life character." She sets out to marry Ashley Wilks--at all costs--and nothing works out for her. I couldn't help but think of her while watching Leap Year tonight. "Anna is just like Scarlett!" I exclaimed to my husband and two friends. I explained the similarity, that Anna would do anything to get to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on leap year since it's a romantic tradition in Ireland, but everything gets in her way. Of course, nobody cared that Anna was like Scarlett, so I thought I would share it here.

We need to write larger than life characters. Characters who desperately WANT something and won't give up.

Remember, remember. This is a likeable trait we must write.

A Time to Barter

2010-05-28T10:10:00.001-07:00

Brace yourselves.

My obsession with David Farland didn't end with the Storymakers Conference. In fact, it's now stretched ridiculously beyond. No, I didn't plaster my bedroom walls with his picture, or send truckloads of fan mail. My husband wouldn't be cool with that. But I am doing something equally as extreme. Ready? 'kay. I'll spill the beans.

I am attending David Farland's Professional Novel Writers' Workshop in Dallas this July. In case you don't know anything about it, let me explain. It takes some cash. And, it's six days long. And the purpose of the workshop is to focus on your novel with only fifteen other peers.

The good news is my round trip flight was $250 bucks. Direct. Boo-yeah! Also, my family lives nearby. No hotel fee this time.

But why oh why would I be superflous enough to do this? Again? I just went to a writers' conference. Is my sole motivation in life to ditch my fam?

NO. It's not. Though, I do love hearing how my husband handles the kids. In fact, he's taking them home to Portland. I'm glad...multipersonalitied jealous. See I have the most fabulous in-laws anyone could ever get. This is when I wish there were two of me: one in Dallas, the other in Portland. Not to mention how much I'll miss my husband and kids...

But why oh why would Grayman support such a trip? I haven't sold a book yet, he brings home all the dough, and I'll be gone a week. What about the kids??

Not only can I write characters with super powers, but I have some of my own. And we all have the gift for persuasion. I just wouldn't call my power Ethos, Logos, or Pathos. Kairos--the power regarding timing. I would call it that.

But I don't believe I will ever tell you what I bartered. Just know it is utterly bizarre. And now Grayman and I are both content.

Can I just tell you I love the opportunities writing presents? Next, I will reveal what I must do to prepare.

Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card

2010-05-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

There's something about reading an esteemed book on writing that was published in 1988 that makes me feel so infantile. Orson Scott Card wrote Characters and Viewpoint when I was six years old! Scratch that--he probably wrote it a year or two before, then published it when I was six. This man has been writing for a very long time. He's been an expert longer than I've known multiplication.

We hear about reading and writing "round" characters. What does that mean? How do we accomplish it? With some stories it comes easily--it's the primary focus of the book. But if we write a complex plot isn't easy to overlook these human details?

I like how Card breaks down how to make our characters human. What we hope would be innate or at least common sense can get muddied and we don't know how to focus. He also teaches how to raise the emotional stakes and what we should feel about the character. It's the type of book I need to buy--the library probably wouldn't like the eccstatic highlighting I so wanted to do.

But what if I were to ask you--point blank, right now--how to raise emotional stakes? We'd think, stammer a little, come up with a couple great answers. But he has a list--explains how to use these strategies. This was his list:

Suffering - physical and emotional by both the inflictor and inflictee

Sacrifice - when it works, when it doesn't

Jeopardy - anticipated pain or loss. He talks about putting children in jeopardy, but it could also be too instense for the viewer/reader

Sexual Tension - don't spoil it! That was my biggest gripe about Graceling. The characters had sex halfway through and nothing the author tried to do to separate them never really worked for me.

Signs and Portents - connect the characters' fate to the world. Donald Maas calls this aligning public stakes and private stakes.

It's a great book. I need to memorize it.

Structure from a Guru

2010-05-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

Dan Wells is a genius. I just found the link for these on Kate Palmer's blog. While I learned most of this in Larry Brooks' Story Structure Architect, Wells explained a few things in a new way and once again, helped me make my WIP stronger. I highly recommend this.

Ode to Lost

2010-05-23T21:56:00.001-07:00

It's over! *sob* What an incredible show. In my opinion, it's the greatest of all time or might tie with Prison Break. Alias is up there, too. Let me share a few pics.

Wasn't this the greatest cast of all time? I love the diversity and eccentric mix. Each character had his own dialect, from Sawyer calling Kate "Freckles" to Desmond saying "See you in another life, brother." And you know Hugo will always say "dude."

I was impressed with the finale. The ending was sweet. I do know three alternate endings air later tonight. I just goes to prove there isn't one good ending. Hopefully I can find ONE for my current WIP.

This couple had the sweetest romance. Desmond and Penelope. Awww. Desmond was such a likeable character with his innate goodness and dedication. Remember how he pushed a button every 108 minutes because he believed he was saving the world? Oh, sweet Desmond. What a frustrating life!

And then there's these guys. This was my favorite season just because of them. Remember the episode purely about Richard? OH, what a great show. I also loved the most recent episodes with Jacob and his brother. Both characters made good and bad choices--the man in black just wanted to leave! I love how the writers made the antagonist sympathetic. Richard, Jacob, Jacob's brother. Mmm.

Hugo, I'll miss your support and love of everyone on the island. Jack, I'll miss your leadership. Kate, I'll miss the tough girl who could still be feminine, Juliet, I'll miss your acting. Sawyer, I'll miss your con-artist gift and bookworm ways. Claire, I'll miss your sweet romance with Charlie. Jin, Sun, your romance was sweet, too. Sayed, don't doubt yourself. You really are a good guy. And every other character on the show, I love you! Your writers were brilliant! I'm so glad I had the chance to watch Lost, learn from it, and go to bed much too late.

Review: METHODS OF MADNESS, By Stephanie Black

2010-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

Methods of Madness by Stephanie Black won first place in the Suspense category in the Whitney Awards this year. Not only did Black win in 2010, but she also won best Suspense last year for her book, Fool Me Twice. I have yet to read her previous book, but I'm so glad I picked up this year's winner.

Those of you who know me, know I love suspense. I like to write suspense with paranormal twists. But I was so eager to find out what Black does to keep us ripping through the pages, but still pace the story well so that we don't get exhausted.

The story is about Emily who is recently engaged to Zach. But Emily's former fiance is still missing and she's still getting over the death of her sister. When she receives pictures with fake blood of her former fiance, Stephanie knows someone is not happy with her choice to marry Zach. And when Zach's ex-girlfriend, Monica, is murdered many blame Emily. She even questions herself.

Black is the queen of suspense. I stayed up until 1 am last night just to finish the book. I really, really tried to figure out who the murderer could be. Black gave us clues along the way, and I had my suspicions of many characters, but by the end of the book Emily's mental state was so precarious, I even suspected her!

The characters felt very real. I especially liked Emily's rich friend, Nicole. She has a unique motivation in the book, to help her friend find happiness. How many women in their 20s live solely for that reason? I thought it was a great profile for a character. I also loved reading Monica's POV. I'm sure those scenes were fun to write.

Also, I love the cover. Right from the beginning the cover fits. Hair sweeping over the face--the picture even evokes suspense.

I'm trying to learn about pacing. I wanted to see what Black would do to move her story along while not wearing the reader out. Every chapter is full of dialogue--which I love--but she does slow the action down with reflection. And she also lets the reader take a breather with the scenes from her mother's POV, which I thought was a nice touch.

At the Whitney Awards, I was touched by Black's receipt of her award. She said this book was very hard to write, and was relieved hard work could pull through even though she didn't feel very magical with this one. Well, Ms. Black, your work certainly pulled through. The story flowed beautifully, and I'm very glad to have read it.

My Path to Publication--the Last Year

2010-05-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Eleven months ago I submitted The Ethos to WiDo Publishing. I was excited to submit to them--they were a new company willing to work with new talent. I knew I was green in the field of writing and was willing to do whatever it took to learn. WiDo, apparently, was wiling to work with a writer to make their manuscript shine even if it wasn't perfect.

Well, five days later, WiDo asked for my full manuscript! I had sent only the first three chapters, but they were intrigued! So I printed off my first full manuscript--what a ream of paper! I then sent it the very next day and crossed my fingers and waited.

Well, 2 1/2 weeks later I received an exciting and humbling email. The acquistions editor, Allie, told me they all agreed my manuscript was worth accepting, but that it needed a lot of work. I ran out to my husband, told him the great news, but also wilted knowing a lot of my work sucked!

But it was the FIRST story I'd ever written. And I'd never taken a writing class apart from my core english classes at BYU or my communications classes for my degree in Public Relations.

The biggest complaint for my manuscript was that it "wandered in floundered." Ouch. So I bought plot books and got to work before hearing from my first editor. By the time I heard from the wonderful Billy, I'd cut, and slashed and had a new work. But I still wasn't certain the plot was right. When he introduced himself, I told him about the draft. He told me to send it. After reading it, he said he thought it flowed better than the first, but that he missed the ending of the other one, so he said "combine the two, and we'll be in business."

So I did. I worked, and worked, and threatened my neighbors for their parties after midnight, and worked some more. Then I sent him my third draft and he told me my protagonist was weak.

!!!!!

I was completely clueless as to why. So then Billy asked a female editor to look at my manuscript, and she found my problem. I joke that Billy was my Ethos, builder editor. Well, Liesel is the Logos. She finds everything wrong with my manuscript, line by line and with great logic. While Billy was the hollistic thinker, Liesel is great with the details.

Well, I just finished with my rewrites with--I think--my fifth draft (to them--my eighth in total).

But what have I learned?

1. My characters were nodding, smiling, tilting their heads a lot. There are a place for those mannerisms, but new ones sure make a MS stronger.

2. Adverbs. I had WAY too many in my first draft. Still cutting them back.

3. Awkward, weird phrases. I don't know what I was smoking to have written jargon even I barely understood. Liesel has been kind enough to point out those lines--in red. :)

4. Description. I was so hung up on the Alexiou mansion--I wanted to describe every room in detail, like a TV interior design show. I knew I wasn't good at setting, so I found pictures I liked, then described them. And described them. And described them. Liesel's helped me cut those back.

So now I need to print this new sucker out and mail it off to my brilliant editor. We're making it stronger--so that it is pleasant to read. I'll let you know what I get to fix next. :)

Movies this Week

2010-05-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

I've been SICK. But a certain Dr. Theordor has prescribed antibiotics, so I'm hoping tomorrow (day three of medication) will mean new possibilities including helping my kids more, a cleaner house, a better dinner, more reading, and more EDITS (my editor just sent back the second half of my manuscript).

Since my head has been too muddled to sit at the computer or to try to decipher words in books, I have taken in a few movies. While I expected to be apathetic, I think I've lost at least ten pounds of water this week--from both my nose and eyes. And my ability to critique has been pathetic!

The Blind Side: Blubbered through the whole thing. Absolutely loved it

The Young Victoria: Loved it. I have absolutely no idea why.

Lady Jane: Blubbered. And blubbered. And you see it, that's Helena Bonham Carter (think Sweeny Todd, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland). This was her first role--and you guessed it--I absolutely loved it. The love interest was Cary Elwes (hero in The Princess Bride). Since I wasn't lucid enough to write my own critique, I read a few others and apparently this didn't stay completely true to history, but I thought it didn't do too badly. Besides, the ending where Lady Jane can't find the stump on which she'll be beheaded rips your guts out.
.
An Education: I decided I'm a Carey Mulligan fan after watching this movie. I really enjoyed it. Blubbered. Again.

My Sister's Keeper: Blubbered, blubbered, blubbered. Haven't read the book, but I know it's told in multiple first person. I'm interested.

And Lost, where he got to learn a heck of a lot more about him (above) and Jacob. Is it just me or have they not ever told us his name? Since his biological mother didn't have a name for him? Anyway, absolutely loved this episode. I both yearn for and scorn the day of the series finale. Oh yeah, and I blubbered.

Anyway, there is a point to this list. Movies/TV were made for the sick and while in this condition I don't have the ability to critique. I love everything I watch and blubber the whole way through. Anybody have any inverse reactions to these shows? Is it time for me to watch a comedy?

Analyzing THE RUNELORDS by David Farland

2010-05-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the first book in The Runelords series by David Farland. While I just said what I'm about to say here in my Goodreads account, I thought I might like to expand a bit.

At the Storymakers Conference, Farland talked about a few things we can do to make our writing appeal "to the masses," and in my opinion, Farland has done just that. Well, not just in my opinion--I mentioned before he had the Guinness world record for the longest signing. He's a NYT bestseller.

But what did Farland teach? How do we make our writing appeal "to the masses?"

1. Expand our audience: by age, gender, and nationality

2. Score high on the emotional Richter scale for the intended audience

3. Transport reader to another time or place. (Watcher, too. This list works for movies as well.)

4. He says "Historically, longer books and movies have done better than shorter works."

K, this is the part where you go to your next blog if you don't want to go in depth, but if you are interested in seeing how a master has applied his list, stick with me. I'm learning, too.

1. Expanding his audience. Farland did this in many ways including gender, ages, and characters of varying nationalities. While the book does not take place on what we know to be earth, Farland purposefully took names from countries with stakes in the movie business. He has Italian, French, Indian, Japanese, English names plus more I'm sure I'm missing. With characters' names like Raj Ahten, Gaborn Val Orden, and Iome Sylvarresta, it's no wonder this series has been an international hit.

2. Scoring high on the emotional Richter scale. While I wouldn't consider this book a tear jerker or a laugh out loud comedy, it made me tear up and smile thoughtfully quite a bit. I think one of the reasons was because I grew to love the characters. There's one passage where Farland took the time to explain why one of his greatest barbarians, Borenson, smiled when he fought his opponents:

"... a blackness came over Borenson's mind--a cloud of despair. He saw King Sylvarresta, told himself, I am not death. I am not the destroyer. He'd always tried to be a good soldier. Though he lived by the sword, he did not enjoy killing. He fought because he sought to protect others--to spare the lives of his friends, not to take the lives of his foes. Even his comrades-in-arms did not understand this. Though he smiled in battle, he smiled not in glee or from bloodlust. He did so because he'd learned long ago that the fey smile struck terror into the hearts of his opponents." (itallics added)

I loved, loved, loved this passage when I came across it. Borenson does some terrible things in this book but it's only because he's faced with an ethical choice and he wants to do the right thing. But how ingenius was it for Farland to create a character who smiled purely because he knew it freaked his opponent out? Borenson's a good guy--he just uses what he has. For me, snippets like this struck a chord even though I don't typically read or write high fantasy or yearn to get into the psyche of barbarians. . . . but Farland got me to care. Borenson's eccentricity endeared him to me. I suddenly loved him.

I was also impressed with Farland's romance scenes. I've met the man--he's older than my dad--so I wondered if he could write romance I could like. OH YES he did. I was impressed. And not only did he make it stirring, he made it admirable when Gaborn chose to be chaste without making it feel cheesy.

3. Transport to another time/please. It's high fantasy--of course he did that. He even has a rockin' map.

But Farland has also worked in the movie industry. He's analyzed the top books and movies of all time and says EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM transport the reader to another time or place. YEAH BABY, fantasy/speculative fiction rocks!!

4. A longer book. I've been known to say I like short works. In fact, I'm ashamed to say I went to the library to pick up a book before attending the Whitney's but put it back on the shelf after seeing it was 600+ pages. But after the writer WON in her category, I've determined to read her work. Not only that, but her acceptance speech was incredibly touching. GG Vandagriff seems amazing.

But back to Farland. His books are long. Lllllloooonnngg. Not as long as the Wheel of Time books, but coming from a girl who likes shorter books, it took some determination to decide to read his book.

But Farland has a point. Most huge books and movies are incredibly long. I saw his list. It included stuff like Lord of the Rings, Titanic, and Pirates of the Carribean. And why do these works need to be so long? He says because of the world building. Works that stay with us, that appeal to large audiences spend a great deal of effort on worldbuilding.

I had not thought about this before reading Farland's daily kick in the pants emails, reading his Write That Novel Seminar, then attending his Bootcamp, class, and addresses. But he has a POINT. For a story to capture the imagination of the reader, it really needs to create a new world to which we can escape.

Now, I write paranormal stuff. One foot in, one foot out of the real world. So, in the past, I thought maybe this didn't apply to me, but I have been dead WRONG.

Setting can be a huge weakness for me as a writer. I don't naturally include it. So then I go back after my rough draft and add what I think is important. With The Ethos I did some major no-no's, which my editor (thank you!!) is helping me fix. But with my latest WIP I've added some lines that have realllllly hit home to a few readers. They were their favorite parts.

Of course setting is not the only aspect of world building. There's the culture, creatures, interaction of the characters and so forth. But I just want to stress how much of an awesome job Farland did with his world building. He INVENTED his own magic system. And I simply adored it. It's no wonder Brandon Sanderson did such a great job with his magic system in the Mistborn books since HE WAS FARLAND'S STUDENT.

One last note before I end this rather lengthy post. When I asked David Farland to autograph my copy of the The Runelords I told him how much I loved his scene at the beginning of the book when Myrrima grabs Gaborn's hand (note: they were perfect strangers). Gaborn didn't freak out--they held hands for a while, actually strolled around the market. When I told Farland what a fun scene this was, he smiled and said it actually happened to him! He was at the airport, and someone took his hand, but he thought it was his wife. After several moments, he looked over and both he and the woman were shocked to learn they weren't each others' spouses. The woman, apparently thought he was her husband. Too hilarious! I just thought this was a great example of how we can use everyday experiences in our writing.

Okay, now I'm done. :) Any of this ring true to you?

The Death of My Blogger Brain

2010-05-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Karen Jones Gowen talks about the writer's brain verses the blogger's brain here. I've known it for several weeks now, but now I'm officially announcing my state. I've temporarily suffered the death of my blogger brain. I'm writing incessantly (of course, only when my mothering duties permit) but will return to my online world soon! Give me a week. Then hopefully I can bounce back!

My Title

2010-04-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

It's official. My book has a title: The Ethos by M. Gray. But you tell me--what does The Ethos mean to you? I plan on posting about Aristotelian logic sporadically across the next several months, but I want to hear from you first. What comes to your mind when you read this title? What would you like to be answered?

Top Ten Reasons Why the Storymakers Conference Rocked

2010-04-26T07:11:00.001-07:00

1. David Farland. David Farland, David Farland, David Farland. I got to sit at HIS table at Bootcamp and it was such a privelege to learn from THE master story creator (he looked at our first few pages and will mail back other notes shortly). He has the Guiness Book record for the longest signing on the planet and he now devotes his life to helping other writers. I got to talk with him quite a bit. His expertise ALONE makes my trip worth the cost. And his words of affirmation to my work, specifically, makes me believe I'm not insane .

2. Bootcamp. I sat with four other writers at David Farland's feet. We critiqued each other's work and learned so much. I learned just what I needed to perfect my opening pages and I pray my honest critiques of the others' work will help them improve. I only wish we had more time. 6:30 am to 10 am Friday morning and 7 am to 9:30 am Saturday morning were not enough. I also got to meet the fabulous L. T. Elliot and see Farland's reaction to her superb work. I also met three other writers and look forward to our continued communication.

3. Meeting Other WiDo authors. I got to room with Tamara Hart Heiner (you are an inspiration, woman!!!), I got to meet my good friend, David J. West. And I finally got to meet M. J. Cunningham who I can't wait to get to know better. WiDo has FANTASTIC taste in authors. These writers will do whatever it takes.

4. Pitch sessions. First I met with Kirk Shaw of Covenant Communcations, mostly to talk books. While I knew my work was too dark for Covenant, it was great to meet the person who has such similar tastes to my own. I also met with Nephele Tempest, literary agent for the Knight Agency. While I slaughtered my pitch, she still asked for my first three chapters and a synopsis, so woo-hoo!

5. The classes. My favorites? Author Sarah M. Eden's on setting and literary agent Laura Rennert's on pitching agents. I was both impressed with the class of these ladies and grateful for the knowledge I obtained.

6. The food. The Marriott has great chefs! Too bad my nerves couldn't always handle the great stuff!

7. The Whitney Awards gala. It couldn't have been better. I liked how it was very much to the point--dinner, then awards. I especially loved Dan Wells' acceptance speach for Best Novel by a New Writer. He wrote I Am Not a Serial Killer and I loved how he explained while his book is considered horror, he teaches the importance of overcoming the natural man. I was also deeply touched by both the presentation and acceptance of the Best novel of the Year award, given to David Farland (he also received the lifetime achievement award). I hate it when people say cheesy stuff like this, but I really consider him an angel on earth. He's helped more people than he'll ever know.

8. Meeting random authors. I brought my business cards, and received several others. I can't wait to get to know these authors better!! And cement the relationship many of us have begun online.

9. Dressing up. Okay, my feet have blisters, and it was a pain waking up at 5 am to do it all, but it was fun to be a "professional" for a few days.

10. Renewed motivation and direction. I knew a few things I should do to fix my latest story, but I now have the motivation to spend the time and energy to make this story amazing. Even if it takes months and months.

Interview: David J. West and FREE Book

2010-04-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

You know that book I reviewed yesterday? Heroes of the Fallen? Well if you haven’t read my review yet, STOP READING THIS. You NEED to read my review.

Okay. Did you read it? I mean it. Stop reading right now. Scroll down. ALLL the way down. Read the review. You must. Cuz now you’ll see why I want to bother interviewing the lousy, unoriginal, unabashedly painful—wait, wait. Wrong author. *clears throat*

David J. West wrote the most original and entertaining book tied to The Book of Mormon I have ever seen. His villains are freaky and intriguing and I absolutely love his book. But that still doesn’t mean I won’t get dirt on this talented author. Just watch me. :)

But before I start the interview, you absolutely MUST watch his book trailer. I LOVE THIS BOOK TRAILER! You will regret not watching it if you don’t.

Yeah, that pretty much forces you to read the book, huh??

Now we may proceed to the interview!! David. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed on MY blog.

David: Thank you for having me.

Mary: Today I am separating your interview into three distinct parts: metaphor, music, and memory. Ready for the first category? Metaphor?

David: All experience is for my good. Ask away.

Mary: I consider you the most talented author I know when it comes to metaphor usage. Everyone, check out this segment from Heroes:

“You were missed.” It was the bone dry voice of Menares, the ugly old priest. His ratty gray hair and big nose stuck out from his face like the splayed branches of a dead diseased tree. The dirty maroon cloak he wore stunk of vile smoke, burned flesh and singed hair. Congealed gore had stained his hands a violent crimson, looking black in the darkness.

How do you do it, David? It would be one thing if you had just a couple, but your book is FILLED with descriptions like these. How do you get your mind to work like this? I try, and it sometimes takes hours to come up with ONE good metaphor.

David: Thank you for that. I'm a Cancer and it's all about feeling. I write what I like to read and along the way hope other people like it too. Part of it is cathartic and part is wanting to be sure I express these things to others. How do I express what I want to others? By finding the right symbolism I can to give them.

But I am also a poet and like to throw down the gauntlet of entertaining prose. I enjoy the right balance of Phoenician prose and there is a trick to it. I find the ones that are burned into my brain and then return the favor to the reader.

Mary: I agree there is a trick to it. I couldn’t imitate your type of metaphors. It’s a special gift, but probably something you’ve honed through your reading. Which books do you accredit your ability for delivering these metaphors so naturally?

David: Probably all the colorful old fantasies I like to read by Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Karl Edward Wagner and the more familiar J.R.R. Tolkien. All of their stories stick with me longer than transparent and minimalist prose does, and for me, its about what sticks with you.

Mary: Now we move onto our second category, music. I believe you’ve mentioned certain bands and songs have been your inspiration for writing your villains. Care to share which bands?

David: I listen to mood music when I write, often it is instrumental like Basil Poledouris, Hans Zimmer, Trevor Jones, and Howard Shore but there are exceptions to the instrumental rule. I like the ominous sinister urge of Rammstein for the action points with the villains, the Gadianton Robbers. Symphonic metal became a favorite when I began this project because I love the blend of hard and sweeping melodic rock, it just sounds like the epic novel soundtrack to me.

Mary: I’m with you on Rammstein. I was listening to them the other day while writing a violent scene and my husband just burst out laughing. He loves it. I love your description of symphonic rock. You call it hard and sweeping. I could describe your book that way. How about music for your romance?

David: It's a small part in Heroes of the Fallen but Haza (Anathoth's wife) is based on Ofra Haza, the Israeli singer. I wanted to name her Ofra but didn't for obvious reasons. I was also inspired by some of the tongue in cheek love-songs of Morrissey.

Mary: How about for the protagonists?

David: Besides the instrumental scores already mentioned, I would include Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, Led Zeppelin, Joy Division and Sarah Brightman. Basically the stuff I like to listen to when I am driving. A lot of good outlining happens in my mind when I am driving.

Mary: If you could have readers listen to ONE song related to your book, what would you pick?

David: Well related in my mind. It would probably be 'Last of the Wilds' by Nightwish.

Mary: Well, guess what. We’re going to listen to it right now. And I’m serious. Don’t go on to the next question. Click the little song and listen. You’ll see David has some rockin’ tastes in music. First, though, why this song?

David: It makes me picture a main character (Amaron) running through the woods, pursued by a pack of bloodthirsty trackers, and the music to me also sings he is doing clever things to escape and evade them.

Mary: I love this. It sounds like your book. Good intent, action packed scenes, many things to come. I like your visual for the song, too. How about Zelph? Do you have a song for him?

David: When I listen to Das Boot by Klaus Doldinger, I think of Zelph and not U-Boats, but thats just me. It's a great song that portrays that sense of depth, honesty and vitality that I want my writing about Zelph to exude.

Mary: He really does for me. I thought you portrayed him in such a pure light. On to the final part of the interview, memory. When you’ve helped me brainstorm ideas for stories, you’ve suggested I look back on personal experiences then adapt them to fit the story. I know you’ve mentioned a few instances in Heroes are tied to your past. Will you share at least one example with us?

David: When I write, no one is ever just present in a scene. They have hopes and dreams and responsibilities. If I bother to put someone in the book, no matter how brief, I put myself in their shoes and think about what this person desires. I use my own experience here and tailor it for whichever person. I have met all kinds of people and colorful ones are the most fun to write about, so I always try to talk with colorful people and know what makes them tick. Then I draw on these real experiences to flesh out any scene.

Mary: Well put. Eccentric people make the most interesting characters. Sol Stein talks about this. It’s all about eccentricity in characters.

David: As for a personal experience to share? When the scouts are telling ghost stories out in the wilderness—none of those are made up—they are all my own. So the opinions mentioned on ghosts are mine. The interaction between the characters out in the woods is essentially the same as my friends and me back when we were reckless youth.

Mary: You? Reckless?

Well I promised a free book, but this is how it’s going to work. Since I’m on a one woman campaign to get as many people as possible to own a copy of your book, I’m going to be just a little bit devious. Can you imagine how?

David: I don't know what dirt you could possibly have dug up—so No, I can't imagine yet.

Mary: I’m only going to offer a free copy to those who already BUY one. Heroes of the Fallen is the type of book YOU want in your family for yourselves, your spouses, your children, your extended family, so not only should YOU own a copy, but you want to have one to give away as a gift. Trust me. I can think of at least sixty people I would love to give this book to. But this is going to work on the honor system. Comment on the interview, but you’re only in the drawing for a free copy of Heroes if you state here that you bought one. You can order HERE or else any of your local book stores can order a copy for you. David is also doing signings at the LDS Storymakers Conference April 23rd and 24th. I’ll announce the winner after I come back. I'll draw a name Monday, April 26th.

Also, for my local peeps, this can be your head start since I'm hosting book club at my house in July. Heroes is my pick.

Thank you so much for answering my questions, David! I love gaining insights from your mind!

David: You are devious, but I appreciate your faith and endorsement of the book.

Mary: But of course. So get busy, everyone. Order a book! Then be honest, and tell me you did it, so you can be in MY drawing to get another FREE copy!!

Review: HEROES OF THE FALLEN by David J. West

2010-04-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

You know you have a good book on your hands when your jaw drops open for the prologue, you need to read it twice, and then once more. And when you’ve read the final page of the book, you’re so ridiculously stoked that inside you’re cheering like a crazed spectator at the Colosseum. That’s what Heroes of the Fallen did to me… and that was just the beginning and end.

David J. West has a gift for metaphorical language. I would read a description of a character and then just shake my head to myself, "How did he come up with that? That is unreasonably original." Take this quote for example:

'“You were missed.” It was the bone dry voice of Menares, the ugly old priest. His ratty gray hair and big nose stuck out from his face like the splayed branches of a dead diseased tree. The dirty maroon cloak he wore stunk of vile smoke, burned flesh and singed hair. Congealed gore had stained his hands a violent crimson, looking black in the darkness.'

Do we not see this man? And feel a sense of wonder at this poetic description?

When I first learned that someone was writing a book based on the last events of the Book of Mormon. I thought, “Good. It’s good to read those types of books.” No, no, no! It is not simply good! And good is the wrong word! It is intrigue, fascination. Power. Obsession.

West walks the fine line of intrigue amidst restraint. He lures his readers into the haunting culture of the Gadiantons without becoming graphic, and demonstrates spirituality without exhibiting the sacred.

His wicked characters make sense and his righteous characters have flaws. Amaron, a righteous character, has a peppering of arrogance that aids in his likeability. Conversely, Grand Master Akish-Antum’s lies to Aaron almost have me convinced to join his vile band.

This is not a fluffy tale to pat ourselves on the back for considering reading. This is the real deal. See you in the Colosseum.

Review: THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold

2010-04-14T21:53:00.001-07:00

David Farland talks about different readers seeking different emotional releases from stories. Some seek adventure, others humor, some like to scared out of their wits. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold would be the scared stupid reaction. I actually thought I might have nightmares after reading the first few chapters but couldn't put it down. When my husband asked me what the book was about, I immediately told him, "Don't ask. You'd hate it." Of course, that's when he pressed me for an answer. "It's about rape, and murder, and a terrible killer," I explained. He made a face. He likes football movies.

The writing was so strong in this book. There were times that the writing felt so transparent that I drank the story in, didn't even notice the words on the page. I sprinted through the book, amazed by the author's wonderful use of point of view. Susie tells the story in first person, but she's dead, and gets to watch everyone else and know their thoughts. So I got the intimacy with first person, yet wasn't limited by her singular view point. I understood so many characters this way, and I think she weaved in and out of everyone's minds flawlessly.

About three-quarters of the way through the book the story dragged. I don't know if it's just my short attention span, if the story needed to shortened there, or if I just didn't identify with Susie's mother. I don't want to spoil the book, so allow me to say I didn't understand her choices. Or if I sort of understand her choice, I thought Sebold could have explained her mother's rationale a bit better.

There was this one sentence that I wanted to share--it was so well written, but am not certain I want on my blog. The book deals with some tough issues, and I think I've found another book I wouldn't want my future teenage child to read.

It was incredible and I am amazed by this writer's talent. The first few chapters were a great lesson on building tension, and I liked the surprise at the end.

Book Trailers. What?

2010-04-12T18:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, I've never made one, so its easy for me to laugh. But I saw this book trailer the other day and about peed my pants. Absolutely terrible. This is just to gear up for another trailer I will share soon (though it's on opposite spectrum of coolness). Remember I read this book and had a mixed reaction, but this just BEGS to be shared.

While we're at it, I must also share this. I think about it almost every day:

Happiness in Manassas? ???

2010-04-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

Three years ago I wanted to move. Outta Manassas, away from my kid-stifling apartment. And I knew just where I wanted to go. The plan was for my husband to take this first, great job, then transfer to Texas.

If any of you knew me then, you'd agree I was friendly enough, but had a bad attitude about our situation. We belonged in Texas. Family would be (much) closer and finances would be (much) better.

Then my husband and I locked horns. We prayed about staying or leaving, and I had my answer and so did he. We should move! I was convinced. But Adam (in all of his annoying spirituality) just knew we should stay. And I hated him for it. Months dragged on in disagreement. We were barely scraping by, my son didn't have a yard to play in, and I was pregnant with my second and hated the thought of staying in our lousy apartment in lousy Manassas for who knew how long.

*Important note: those of you who have read an earlier post regarding my childhood and how my family did not have the ability to stick in one place longer than a year will understand my natural instinct. Read previous post HERE.

Anyway. This isn't a blog about religion or for me to vent all my crazy emotional experiences or for me to rave about my family, but some of these elements come together to explain where I am now with writing. So be patient. :)

So Adam and I did the one thing we do when we're not in agreement. We attended the temple, and we prayed. We really prayed. And somehow my heart changed. It didn't make sense, logically, for us to stay. We couldn't afford it, I thought family was more important and we should be closer to them. And if Adam could transfer, his job would be just as good. But, of course, someone else knew better. I didn't know why, but the answer was for us to stay. And my fight deflated.

So then in my emptiness, I needed something else to obsess over. I could no longer dream with my brother of the homes we could buy, the opportunities that awaited us in Texas. The fun we could have. My brother's family, two sisters' families, and soon my parents ALL lived in Texas. But since THAT wasn't to be my life, I sat around and dreamt of a fantasy world I'd begun years before putting together.

I'd play with my children, dream of this world, take notes, dream and collaborate with my husband. I was coming up with a story that really held my interest--and his as well--and I didn't want to ruin it. Ethos. Logos. Pathos. They were all powers held by characters but I didn't know their story at first. In the beginning--way before ANYTHING took form--my husband explained to his co-worker what I was trying to achieve and his co-worked looked at him and said, "Oh you mean like Charmed?" NO. NO. NO NO NO NO NO. That was not where I was going.

So I daydreamed some more. Created a romance. Wrote about my characters in a setting still close by but still outside of Manassas. The characters lived in Fairfax and certain scenes occurred in Washington, D.C.

Nine months later, I had a manuscript and I wanted to shout from the rooftops that I had an idea for a story that I hadn't seen anywhere before. Aristotle's ethos, logos, and pathos had become super powers and my characters had them.

Of course, I eventually found WiDo and they are helping me tell the very story I meant to tell all along, and it's going to be awesome and I love it, but the point of this post??? Let me tell you.

I had a trial. I wanted to move, and we couldn't. God knew I wanted it. I hadn't wanted something this badly, that I couldn't have, in a very long time, if ever. But my Heavenly Father knew I would find something infinitely better:

I would find myself.

I wouldn't trade this discovery of story-telling--writing--for any silly move. Of course, I still want to be near family, but that can always happen later. I get just a little bit freaked out thinking I may never have turned to writing had we moved like I wanted.

So I am SO GRATEUL someone didn't give me what I wanted. He gave me something better. I pretty much love his gift.

Voodoo. And Secrets. And Great, Fungusy Dirt.

2010-04-08T18:08:00.001-07:00

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! I have a new goal in life. After reading a kazillion acknowledgments pages from brilliant authors who've hit it big, I've noticed one thing pretty much everyone has in common. THEY KNOW SOMEONE BIG. Don't you just love their little asides--"Oh thanks, J.K. Rowling for flipping through my manuscript. Oh thank you, Brandon Sanderson for taking me in under your wing. Dashner? James Dashner? Oh, yeah, he and I play raquetball."

I was talking with my sister about said phenomenon and told her my goal was to become best friends with everyone at the Storymakers Conference in two weeks. Maybe I should hand out gold coins. Chocolates? Would pina coladas be weird? But THEN my sister gave me the most brilliant, inverse of a plan. Instead of a quest to befriend every big star, I should get dirt on everyone and BLACKMAIL them into sharing their success.

*cue high pitched strings* Watch out, Sarah M. Eden, I'm going to tell everyone you could only write your latest book, Courting Miss Lancaster, with three Cheetos angled up your nose.

That's right, peeps. So now I have an agenda. Spread the word cuz my mission has changed. My goal is to get the fungusy dirt on everyone big you know. So then I can blackmail them into helping me ride on their tails too.

You heard me. You think I'm lying? Oh, no, no, I'm not. See I so happen to know one such rising star and he has insisted that I interview him on this very blog. Who? Well. Wouldn't you like to know. Robison Wells pretty much had to bribe him to announce one of the Whitney awards himself. This guy is the real deal. And I'm going to tell you his nasty secrets. You know the stuff you wanna hear. Like--oh yeah, I don't need to tell you the type of dirt cuz you already know!

Look at me using my voodoo on you. Just wait. In ONE week, you'll know what I'm talking about. Is the suspense killing you? Is it? IS IT? I'll reveal it in ONE week. Be PATIENT! And this author should be very scared. EvErYoNe is going to know your secrets.

Review: I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells

2010-04-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

This book gets five stars for uniqueness. At first I didn't know hy this book was considered speculative fiction (it's nominated for a Whitney award in that category) but then Wells reveals the reason part-way through and I was tickled pink. But I don't want to spoil the book for you. I'm only going to tell you bits so this review makes sense.

John Wayne Cleaver is a fifteen year-old-boy with issues. He is obsessed with serial killers, and is convinced he's destined to become one. He also doesn't know how to empathize with others and has extreme antisocial tendencies. He tells his story in the first person point of view, and I've never read a point of view like his. F. Paul Wilson describes him best:

"Dazzling, unputdownable. The teenage protagonist is as chillling as he is endearing. More John Wayne Cleaver, please."

The kid is creepy, but for some reason we love him. He has the most violent thoughts, but creates rules for himself to keep his actions at bay. I got a kick out of what Wells said in his acknowledgments to Brandon Sanderson:

"First and foremost I must mention Brandon Sanderson, who shut me up in the car one day and told me to stop talking about serial killers and just write a book about them."

I love this. Not only is Sanderson a stud in the fiction world, but he also convinced his friend to write this incredible story. And simultaneously we're left wondering how many of Cleaver's thoughts stem from the author's. Disturbing.

The last leg of the book had wonderful tension. I ripped through the pages--I had to know how it would end. And the ending made me smile. I am terrible with endings! But Wells wrapped up his story just right and added a little jab to cause us to continue to worry for John Cleaver.

The book was perfectly constructed, the details were well flushed out, and, once again, the creepy kid's point of view was more unique than I can say.

Check it out. But it's not for the faint of heart.

Mad Skilz

2010-04-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

Liesel Autrey of WiDo publishing has some mad skilz. She's my editor and can I say now she's helping me become brilliant??

I'm currently reading I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells. This is a finalist for the Whitney awards this year (speculative fiction) and in the acknowledgments Wells says something I want to copy:

"In the professional realm I must thank my editor, Moshe Feder. . . . Without their (her) help this book might still be okay, but it wouldn't be awesome and you'd have never heard of it. If you find that it is awesome, and, indeed, if you find it at all, you have them to thank."

WOW, I have a lot of errors in my book. But I hand it over to Liesel, and she swirls her magic voodoo all over the page. It makes SENSE. She pulls out those awkward lines, and those stinkin' "was" statements I have no idea why I like to write. But she also tells me it's getting better, and her latest markings are not hard to fix.

My book's getting better! And fellow WiDo author, Ann Best, and I agree: Liesel Mad-Skilz Autrey knows her stuff.

Review: THE DARK DIVINE by Bree Despain

2010-04-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Another book with a gorgeous cover. I actually picked this one up after Kirk L. Shaw raved about it on his blog. The premise of the book was just enough like Twilight to make me want to pick it up, but different enough that I feel like it can stand apart. I hate it when reviews spoil the entire book, so just let me quote Becca Fitzpatrick's blurb on the back of the book:

"A book that had everything I wanted: a bad boy, a complicated romance, and a mystery that made my heart beat in double-time right up to the last page. Darkly comic and surprising."

I completely agree with Fitzpatrick's summation--it's exactly how I feel.

The love interest, Daniel, was great. He was just enough bad boy that I felt dangerous wanting Grace to be with him, but couldn't stop myself just the same. His actions made sense and I felt Despain's rendition of a teenage boy came off well. I liked Grace, too. And (of course) I love that the author let her tell the story in first person point of view. I also absolutely LOVE the first few pages--few books have pulled me in so well.

There were times I felt things happened too fast--which is SO hypocritical of me to say since that is the biggest complaint of some of latest critics of my work in progress. So I know I am ultra sensitive to that aspect, but must admit I prefer that over puttering around in scenes. I would have liked a little more description with scenery, but at the same time want to cover my mouth when saying this, because I hate tons of description.

I really liked the ending--I was worried at first. But the author pulled through and now I'm left wondering if there is a sequel. This is the type of book I thirsted to get back to, and ripped through it in less than 24 hours (which is a big deal for me since I'm a slow reader). I really hope Despain goes to the Storymakers Conference. I really want her to autograph my book. :)

East Coast Happenings

2010-04-02T11:38:00.002-07:00

Guess who I got to meet today? None other than the fabulous WiDo contracted author, Ann Best. Ann has a book scheduled for relase this summer, a memoir entitled, In the Mirror. I'm so eager to read it--especially after learning WiDo's "somewhat cynical" acquistions editor was in tears after reading only a few pages. Within the book Ann shares some of the most devestating trials anyone could ever endure. It was such a privelege to meet with this experienced and wiry author within my own home.

But what are the odds? We live less than two hours from each other. Who knew we would both submit to the same new publishing company and both obtain contracts within six months of each other?

Ann has experience--something I don't. She taught English at BYU and has been perfecting her memoir for many years. She has many other credentials, but regardless, I look foward to maintaining our friendship. It was also great to meet her sweet daughter, Jen, who was severely injured in an accident many years ago. Both are an inspiration as Ann cares for her daughter and Jen kept me smiling the entire time. But, Jen? Go twenty-seven! And the color green! Jen took a pic for us. (Note to self: do not stand above the photographer. Chins do not like the effect.)

A Unique Voice

2010-03-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

So many in the publishing industry seek a "unique voice." One friend rolled her eyes at me--she'd been querying agents for a year. "We all have unique voices," she said. I have to agree.

But some voices stick out more than others, and I have found one in a book my good friend, Shalane, asked us to read for book club. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel is not a book I would typically pick up. It's a memoir, with a cover like the front of a 1950s parenting magazine.

But I trust Shalane's judgement, and am laughing out loud several times as payment. I got a kick out of this excerpt:

"The first time I ever truly grasped the concept of chromosomes, and the transmission of DNA, I was sitting in the truck with Dad, giving him some sideways looks. Earlier that day I had walked into a bait shop, and before I could say anything, the old man behind the counter had said, "You must be Bob Jarvis's daughter." I was unaccustomed to looking in mirror, wth good reason, but after that comment, all the way to the lake, I peeked into the big side mirror on Dad's truck, trying to see what the old man saw. I looked at myself. I looked at my dad. My suspicion that I hadn't actually been purchased from gypsies, as my family insisted, seemed to be confirmed.

"It appeared that I had been split down the middle by my parents, genetically, to my misfortune. I had my dad's curly hair and his long face and his very big, round eyes, but my eyes were close set, like my mom's. I had Mom's nose and her little square chin and her tiny mouth, with Dad's huge teeth in them. I had Dad's giraffe neck and his hands and feet and Mom's short torso and long legs. On the whole, I couldn't imagine a worse outcome. I slumped against the truck door."

Kimmel's entire book reads like this. She tells her story from the voice of a little girl and it is SO believable and wonderfully quirky. I look forward to book club. Thanks, Shalane!

A Surprising Emotion

2010-03-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

I'm editing book number two (a dystopian novel this time) and can't believe how much fun I'm having. I thought I would hate this stage, but it's going so much better than I thought! I have to rip myself away from Word--Grayman's going to forget he has a wife!

I handed it over to a friend, and I had no idea she had such a crazy awesome editorial eye. Tamara Hart Heiner ripped my story apart. And for that, she deserves a million bucks.

My story is going to rock. There's no way I could do this alone. She's brutal but encouraging all at the same time.

Interview: Aubrie Dionne, Author of Nebula's Music

2010-03-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Today we have author Aubrie Dionne with us, author of the book I just reviewed, Nebula's Music. Aubrie is both an incredible musician and writer. She has written and published numerous short stories, two novels, and is currently writing another space opera (how cool is that genre's name??). She will also be querying literary agents very soon for her next book, Desert Nomad.

I'd love it if you could tell us about your writing journey. How long have you been writing, and what got you interested in the first place?

I've been writing my entire life. My first book was about a flutist that travels back in time and impresses the court with her playing. She joins a band of minstrels and falls in love with the prince. I wrote it all throughout high school. It was awful, and I'm glad I got it out of my system! Later on, I would come up with stories to go with the music when I taught flute. My students loved the stories so much that they asked me to publish them, and here I am today!

Why epublishing? What do you have to tell us about your experience writing ebooks?

Every full length book that I write I query to agents. So far I've gotten a few requests for sample pages and a few fulls, but no one has offered to represent me. Sometimes it takes several books to hit the right formula of what they are looking for. I decided to submit the books to e publishers because I thought they were still viable novels and I didn't want them to go to waste and never be read.

E publishing has taught me a lot about the industry and writing in general. I have editors, and experience working with them. I also get to submit my novels and short stories to reviewers for further input. My writing has improved in leaps. If I ever get an agent, I'll have the skills necessary to edit the book to their liking. Meanwhile, my writing is getting published along the way.

I especially loved how your writing was grounded with strong verbs. You mentioned before that you've learned to write without adverbs, and I completely agree! Well done! I saw on your blog you have Nebula's Music and Dreams of Beauty. These are considered novellas, correct? Since they're shorter novels?

Thanks for the compliment on my verbs! I'm still working it out and I'm sure you'll find a few adverbs here and there. Dreams of Beauty is YA, so I think it's considered a novel even though it's short. Dreams of Beauty is the second book that I wrote, so it's not as polished as Nebula's Music.

Of all your characters, who do you like the best? Who can you relate to the most?

Every single one of my characters has a part of me in them, even the villains! I can relate to all of them, even the balding, middle age man that's in my new space opera. It's scary how much of myself I put in not knowing it until after the book is finished! I guess that's the only way I can make them come alive.

Tell us about the book you're currently working on.

I really enjoyed the space opera setting in Nebula's Music and decided to write another, full length novel based on that sub genre of science fiction. My work in Progress is titled Desert Nomad. Here is the blurb I've been working on for my agent queries. (Because you can never start thinking about it early enough)

Aries is a Lifer: a sixth generation colonist living aboard the Ark , a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet two hundred years away. Her purpose is to maintain the life support systems and marry Lieutenant Barliss, producing two genetically superior children to take their place at the helm.

Stifled with a predestined existence determined by computer calculations, Aries manipulates an escape months before her marriage ceremony to Barliss. Her flight pod crashes on a desert planet with minimal survival conditions and she is caught between the search and rescue teams of the Ark and the primitive hunters on the alien world. While struggling to survive, she is rescued by Striker, a space pirate exiled by his mutinous crew. Together they search for the last relic needed to revive an ancient alien craft, their only means of escape. With the search teams flying above and the hunters stalking them below, Aries is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice; her freedom for Striker’s life. Striker must bargain with the same pirates that exiled him in order to rescue her.

I'm about half way through and loving it!

I especially like your first two sentences. It pulled me right in. Do you have any final comments before we end the interview?? You've been so great!!

Final comment: thank you so much for taking an interest in me and my writing.

You are so welcome, Aubrie. Thanks for answering my questions!

Review: NEBULA'S MUSIC by Aubrie Dionne

2010-03-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

I bought this e-book today and just finished it. I was eager to read this story because Aubrie said the character, Data, from Star Trek inspired her to write this book. Data always wanted to be human and Nebula in Aubrie's tale possibly wants it more.

Nebula plays the piano and when she plays, she experiences the hidden memories of the girl from which she was formed. Nebula is a cyborg--an android created from a human--and she has all the assets of an intelligent android. She calculates probabilities for her ship in space and counsels the captain on practical choices to make. But when she meets Radian, the boyfriend of the woman whose body she now has, she is stunned to learn she feels for him and doubts he can ever love her back.

I thought of several other stories I liked while reading this book. I thought The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, The Host by Stephanie Meyer, and Star Trek, of course. I kept picturing the Enterprise which made the story easy to follow. And Dionne made a believable character with Nebula. Her thoughts and actions really were of an android yet she had that perfect touch of emotion that made us like her more.

The antagonists were the Gryphonites and I loved their description:

"They were taller than Nebula imagined, rising a full foot above the common human height, and leaner, with sinuous muscles running through their feathered bodies. Five of them solidified in front of them, wearing nothing but feathers and holsters armed with lasers."

I love these villains! I'd be terrified!

But if you like science fiction or ever enjoyed Data in Star Trek you will enjoy Nebula's Music. Plus, another great cover!

You can visit Aubrie at her blog at http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com/or buy her ebook on Amazon.

Audience, yes, Audience

2010-03-21T17:18:00.001-07:00

What kind of a question was my last post? If not a single person on the planet liked what I wrote that means it's crap and I don't want to write crap. I like Krista's answer--I'm with her. The initial draft I write for me, but with the edits I fix it for the audience. They are the readers. If I want to be published, I MUST have them in mind.

After all, my story would be a gift.

Audience Shmaudience

2010-03-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Do you need an audience to write? If you knew every single person in the world hated what you wrote, would you still write?

I think I would.

Discovering Cormac McCarthy

2010-03-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy. After authors Aubrey Mace and Krista Lynne Jensen raved about it on Goodreads, I thought I would give it a try. I haven't ever read anything like this before.

If I were to choose one word to describe this book, it would be "bleak." It's a postapocalyptic novel, with simple, straightforward writing. In fact, the writing is so streamlined that the apostrophes are taken out of contractions, and there aren't any quotes for the dialogue. The man and the boy aren't given any names; in fact we're given very few specifics.

McCarthy also regularly writes this type of sentence:

"They collected some boxes and built a fire in the floor and he found some tools and emptied out the cart and sat working on the wheel."

Four "and"s! Can any of you picture writing a sentence like that? Yet McCarthy's books are national bestsellers, and he's won the National Book award. This guy must know his rules before he is smart enough to break them.

McCarthy is compared to William Faulkner. Guess who I need to read next? These books are literary--they take a few more brain cells than some of my other favorite books--but I feel like I'm learning so much. I should have majored in English.

Review: FALLEN by Lauren Kate

2010-03-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

I judged the book by its cover with Fallen. That's why I checked it out from the library. After my friend, Erica, rated it pretty low, I was curious to see what I thought. I really, really wanted to like this book. I really, really liked aspects of this book. I loved the concept--it has to do with fallen angels and how it ties in with the war in heaven. But it's definitely Twilightesque (which sometimes made it feel a bit unoriginal).

The setting was great. The story takes place in the creepiest reform school you could imagine. I liked the protagonist, though she sometimes felt a little whiny, and I really liked her friends and the villain. But I absolutely abhorred the narrator's voice. The story was told in subjective third person and I honestly wanted to wrinkle my nose at her writing for three quarters of the book. I almost put the book down, I was so annoyed by it. But then three-quarters through it got really good. The action picked up and the villain showed his true colors, which was really fun. But the narrator's voice bothered me so much I almost wonder how it got picked up by a literary agent and then was picked up by Delacorte Press for big cash! Did the editor there like the narrator? Or am I just getting old? The narrator spoke like the protagonist. There was even a part when the narrator said: "Oh. My Gosh." And this story wasn't told in first person! Of course I wish it was, but I know that's my own personal issue with every book I read. I liked the accessibility of the voice but it was almost too much. Too personal for third person.

LOVE the cover of this book. And the concept. But I'm torn. Will I read the next books in the series? *sigh* I don't know!

Pretense

2010-03-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

I ordered my *first* author business cards today. Look at me being all official. Now I'll have something to hand people when I attend the LDS Storymakers Conference next month. :)

I already have my before and after pics. Don't tell anybody I'm leading a double life.

Review: MADAPPLE by Christina Meldrum

2010-03-11T13:23:00.001-08:00

I knew Madapple was controversial before I read it, and it is. But let me first share the things I liked about this book.

The literary agent who picked up Madapple, Laura Rennert of Andrea Brown Literary Company, chooses books with a commercial concept and a literary voice. She picked up Maggie Striefvater’s Shiver before this. So I knew to expect a literary voice and I found it. The author, Christa Meldrum, must be a genius. I couldn’t believe how many paragraphs were full of poetic descriptions. And her knowledge of plants and herbs blew me away. This was my favorite part—it struck me because this is the same feeling one of my main characters feels about her ex-husband in my latest story and I wish I’d come up with this awesome comparison:

“How many times had I longed for Mother’s death? How many times had I imagined poisoning her with blue flag or corn cockle or jimsonweed? And now she is finally dead. And I feel dead, because I loved her. And because I was Mother’s marionette. Without her, what am I? Scraps of useless limbs and strings, with no one to hold me, direct my path.”

I also loved the court proceedings juxtaposed within the more detailed accounts of Aslaug’s life. Meldrum does so much show, show, show, that it was a great breather to read tell, tell, tell since everything in the court room was dialogue spilled out with dashes.

And now for what troubled me about the book. I thought about The Da Vinci code while reading this because it’s another novel that tries to explain away Christ’s divinity. The author talks of previous prophets and gods who did the same things Christ did before his birth, attempting to prove he could not be God’s son. And yet the story is about a girl who possibly had an immaculate conception and then the same thing happens to her daughter. This is a key question in the story and it isn’t ever really answered. I didn’t expect the author to answer this question and I’ve grown to like endings without too much closure, but part of me wonders what “was the point?”

I did get a little tired of some of the description, but I completely respect this author’s knowledge of biology and mythology (and of course her poetic language). And I absolutely adore the cover of this book.