Sandi Ward's Blog, page 5

Welcome to my Pitch Wars 2017 WISHLIST!

If you’re here wondering what sort of story I’m looking for in the 2017 Pitch Wars mentor program, you have come to the right place!

Photo by sansara/iStock / Getty Images

This is my first year working as a Pitch Wars mentor, and I'm excited to get started! I love the idea of authors helping other authors. Many, many people have helped me along the way. My agent, editor, publicist are wonderful, but for day-to-day questions and concerns, there's another great resource I love to reach out to: other writers who are going through the same thing I am! You will get further in your writing career by networking with other people who have experiences they can share and wisdom to bestow. 

I went to college at Tufts University and received my MA in Creative Writing at NYU. This was many years ago, and I studied with E.L. Doctorow among other wonderful published authors. My agent is Stacy Testa at the amazing Writers House (www.writershouse.com), and I have a 2-book contract with Kensington Books. If you want to read more about my debut novel The Astonishing Thing, you can look it up on Goodreads, where readers have started to post reviews. The book comes out October 31, 2017. And feel free to take a spin around my Web Site!

I've attended several writing conferences, and this year I attended Book Expo for the first time at the Javits Center in NYC, signing books in the Autographing Area. I felt like a rock star! 

I have a writing career: I started out as an editor and then became a medical writer and copywriter. I work at an advertising agency in New Jersey. In my office you'll find evidence of my fangirl lifestyle: a poster of Hamilton on Broadway, a model of Drogon (the dragon) from Game of Thrones, my U.S.S. Enterprise blueprint, and a stormtrooper mask...among other things.

My favorite genres to read are literary and commercial fiction. I love contemporary novels, but occasionally enjoy a story set in another time.

My preferences in Pitch Wars 2017 by genre:

MY WHEELHOUSE: Books shelved General Fiction at the bookstore. A compelling, emotional story that will get the adults in a Book Club talking, laughing and/or crying—preferably all three. 

MIGHT BE FOR ME...? Historical fiction, paranormal, murder mystery, erotica and/or romance. I would also consider a very compelling real-world—based sci-fi concept. I'm not sure how much agents are looking for that right now; however, the success of Mars shows reader demand for a similar story. So if you've written the next Jurassic Park, that might intrigue me. 

NOT FOR ME THIS YEAR: Any book that would be shelved cozy/detective mystery, action/adventure (spy/espionage), fantasy (high concept/world-building), or fantasy-based sci-fi.

I prefer stories grounded in reality, based on honestly-drawn characters with quirks. Unconventional or unreliable narrators welcome. Creative approaches catch my attention.  

I'm not interested in clichés or predictability. I love to be surprised! Suspense and plot twists often grab my interest.

Overwriting tires me out. I prefer clean, simple writing—a tightly-written story without padding.

A sense of humor is welcome but not necessary.

I'd hope to see some specifics about the characters and plot in a query. Don’t generalize or worry about giving away spoilers. Word count should be between 65 and 85K.

I appreciate stories that reflect the complexity of living a modern life. Diversity is welcome, whether it be: race/ethnicity, gender/sexual orientation, abilities/disabilities, mental illness, etc.

I get swept up in stories with romance when it’s part of a larger story. I also appreciate stories with Something Important to Say About Life.

I am looking for the next unexpected, breakout bestseller!  

 

Some favorite adult stories:

A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon

Me Before You, Jojo Moyes

The Light Between Oceans, M.L. Stedman

Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout

 

Some favorite New Adult stories: (These are shelved YA, but close enough. Does anyone know what NA is, anyway? Is NA still a thing? I love a great YA novel with adult themes.)

I’ll Give You the Sun, Jandy Nelson

Sex and Violence, Carrie Mesrobian

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chboksy

 

Here's what I can offer a potential mentee!

I enjoy working with other authors. I'm a full-time professional writer who works with editors/proofreaders. I've also had several professional literary editors edit my own manuscripts, so I have experience in seeing what types of "big picture" and structural comments/suggestions have been most helpful to me. I'm easily accessible via email and social media. The biggest group of book buyers out there are adults—parents like me, who are looking for a wonderful story to help them escape the stresses of their own lives for a little while... so let's give them the story they're searching for! 

You can read more about the other mentors on the Pitch Wars Web Site! Thanks for stopping by!

Forks, Knives and Spoons by Leah DeCesare

I was tremendously entertained by this book! It’s a lighthearted story of two friends, Amy and Veronica, and their adventures and romantic encounters. The book covers their college years at Syracuse University and early adulthood. I too went to college in the 80s (yes, don’t count the years…) and I felt a nostalgic kinship with the characters as they navigated school, jobs, and relationships. I knew what I wanted for Amy and Veronica, and cheered them on as they remained unfailingly positive and determined to find happiness. While still young and naïve, their cheerful personalities couldn’t help but win me over as they matured over the years. It’s a sweet read that flows easily. While I was never a sorority girl and didn’t made a list of the qualities I was looking for in a guy, I remember the ups and downs of dating, and that time of life when finding the “right guy” seemed so important. I was hooked until the end. And it was fun being transported back to the time of landline phones for a little while.

The Atlas of Forgotten Places by Jenny D. Williams

This is a fascinating and engrossing novel about human compassion in the face of war and unrest.

A German woman named Sabine returns to Africa after years away to try and locate her niece, who has disappeared while volunteering. She is joined in her search by Rose, a native Ugandan trying to find her partner Ocen, who they determine was helping Sabine’s niece. They are thwarted by political events; it's a story about rebellion, displaced persons, violence, kidnapping—ultimately, the horrors of war and the way it upends and disrupts lives. 

My knowledge of Africa is limited to a few newspaper articles and stories from my brother-in-law, who was with the State Department in Kenya for a few years. But it isn’t necessary to know anything about Africa to jump right into this story. The writing is lovely and I was easily transported to different settings for which I have no reference point. The pacing is quick and the action very exciting as the characters find themselves deeper in danger as they hunt down their loved ones. 

The conflicts in Africa—the conflict in this book being one of many—are complex, but this story was able to illuminate for me the struggles of Uganda and make them feel personal. I highly recommend this very beautiful, thoughtful and well-written story. 

Pitch Wars 2017 Mentoring

I’m very happy to be able to participate as a Pitch Wars mentor for 2017. I love the idea of being in a position to help an aspiring author, because it wasn’t so long ago that I was one myself! Other writers have been invaluable in providing me the information I need—exactly when I need it—all along my journey to publication.

I had no idea there were valuable programs like Pitch Wars when I queried my book. I would encourage writers to look into contests where peers are ready and willing to help you. The more input you can get on your query, the better chance it will have to shine and stand out.

 















Photo by KseniaChernigova/iStock / Getty Images

For example, if a reader is confused by your plot summary, it’s possible an agent would feel the same way. If you’ve chosen the wrong genre description, another author might be able to make a better suggestion. Or if you can’t think of a great comp, a well-read friend might have a fantastic idea.

You don’t want to give an agent any reason to toss out your query. Follow guidelines closely. Stay within suggested word counts. Keep your query tight and polished. (You can publish your experimental, 500-page opus later, once you’re an established author! To break into publishing, make your story appealing, not a challenge.)

If an agent reads 100 queries in your genre today, what makes your story the most compelling? What makes your protagonist the most relatable? What makes your plot twist the most surprising? If your story is “quiet” (one of the hardest types to sell), make sure the query is still active. Provide clear and concrete details and descriptions; avoid generic statements and clichés.

Share your query with many different people. They will help you catch errors and avoid confusion. Edit, tighten and simplify.

And remember: you don’t have to take everyone’s advice. Only make changes if it works for you. It’s natural to feel defensive about criticism at first, but you may find in a quiet moment that your critique forces you to word something differently—and more effectively.

Good luck to all who enter Pitch Wars! My Wishlist will be posted on July 18th!

Bleed Through by Adriana Arrington

This novel takes a fascinating look inside the mind of a character with severe mental illness. The writing was incredibly vivid, to the point where I could “see” scenes happening in my mind, like a movie. (This book would certainly make a great movie—I am imagining films like The Sixth Sense or Fight Club, with plenty of shocks and reveals).

The main character, twenty-five year old Liam, cannot always distinguish between what is a hallucination or delusion and what is real. As the book goes on, I as a reader found it a little easier to tell, but for the main character his imaginary friends and enemies inflict tremendous pain and suffering. At times the scenes in Liam’s head play out like a horror movie, and serve as a stark reminder of the challenges people with mental illness can face, especially when they have a psychotic break from reality.

There is a secondary magical aspect to the book, which I won’t reveal, but it adds to the suspense. I got a kick out of the fact that Liam’s most loyal protector (against the voices in his head) is the family cat, who is able to dissipate (in Liam’s mind) threatening hallucinations.

Liam’s step-father makes a valiant effort to protect him against a system that seems rigged against him; the step-father is a sympathetic character despite mistakes he makes. There is also a sweet younger sister who the reader can’t help but continually worry about; while Liam would never cause intentional harm, his unpredictable behavior sometimes ends in chaos and dangerous situations.

Overall, this is a gripping thriller and a thoughtful look at the life of a young man with severe mental illness.

Becoming Bonnie by Jenni Walsh: EXCERPT

From debut historical novelist Jenni L. Walsh comes the untold story of how wholesome Bonnelyn Parker became half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo.

The summer of 1927 might be the height of the Roaring Twenties, but Bonnelyn Parker is more likely to belt out a church hymn than sling drinks at an illicit juice joint. She’s a sharp girl with plans to overcome her family's poverty, provide for herself, and maybe someday marry her boyfriend, Roy Thornton. But when Roy springs a proposal on her and financial woes jeopardize her ambitions, Bonnelyn finds salvation in an unlikely place: Dallas's newest speakeasy, Doc's.
 

Living the life of a moll at night, Bonnie remains a wholesome girl by day, engaged to Roy, attending school and working toward a steady future. When Roy discovers her secret life, and embraces it—perhaps too much, especially when it comes to booze and gambling—Bonnie tries to make the pieces fit. Maybe she can have it all: the American Dream, the husband, and the intoxicating allure of jazz music. What she doesn't know is that her life—like her country—is headed for a crash.

She’s about to meet Clyde Barrow.

Few details are known about Bonnie's life prior to meeting her infamous partner. In Becoming Bonnie, Jenni L. Walsh shows a young woman promised the American dream and given the Great Depression, and offers a compelling account of why she fell so hard for a convicted felon—and turned to crime herself.

You can find Becoming Bonnie on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pYx4wD

You can learn more about Jenni and her books at jennilwalsh.com 

Here's a look at the first chapter!

BECOMING BONNIE

Jenni L. Walsh

Chapter 1

But I, being poor, have only my dreams.

Hands in my hair, I look over the words I wrote on the Mason jar atop my bureau. I snigger, almost as if I’m antagonizing the sentiment. One day I won’t be poor with dreams. I’ll have money and dreams.

I drop my hair and swallow a growl, never able to get my stubborn curls quite right.

My little sister carefully sets her pillow down, tugs at the corner to give it shape, the final touch to making her bed. “Stop messing with it.”

“Easy for you to say. The humidity ain’t playing games with your hair.”

And Little Billie’s hair is down. Smooth and straight. Mine is pinned back into a low bun. Modest and practical.

Little Billie chuckles. “Well, I’m going before Mama hollers at me. Church starts in twenty minutes and you know she’s got to watch everyone come in.”

I shake my head; that woman always has her nose to the ground. Little Billie scoots out of our bedroom and I get back to taming my flyaways and scan my bureau for my favorite stud earrings, one of our few family heirlooms. Footsteps in the hall quicken my fingers. I slide in another hairpin, jabbing my skull. “I’m coming, Ma!”

A deep cough.

I turn to find my boyfriend taking up much of the doorway. He’s got his broad shoulders and tall frame to thank for that.

I smile, saying, “Oh, it’s only you.”

Roy’s own smile doesn’t quite form. “Yes, it’s only me.”

I wave him off, a strand falling out of place. Roy being ’round ain’t nothin’ new, but on a Sunday morning … That gets my heart bumping with intrigue. “What ya doing here so early? The birds are barely chirpin’.”

“It ain’t so early. Got us less than twenty minutes ’til—”

“I know.”

“Thought I could walk you to church,” Roy says.

“Is that so?” My curiosity builds, ’specially with how this boy is shifting his weight from side to side. He’s up to something. And I ain’t one to be kept in the dark. Fingers busy with my hair, I motion with my elbow and arch a brow. “That for me?”

Roy glances down at an envelope in his hand, as if he forgot he was even holding it. He moves it behind his back. “It can wait. There’s actually something else—”

I’m across the room in a heartbeat, tugging on his arm. “Oh no it can’t.”

On the envelope, “Final Notice” stares back at me in bold letters. The sender is our electric company. Any excitement is gone.

“I’m sorry, Bonnelyn,” Roy says. “Caught my eye on it in the bushes out front.”

My arms fall to my sides and I stare unblinking at the envelope, not sure how something so small, so light, could mean something so big, so heavy, for our family. “I didn’t know my ma hadn’t been paying this.”

Roy pushes the envelope, facedown, onto my bureau. “I can help pay—”

“Thanks, but we’ll figure it out.” I sigh at my hair, at our unpaid bill, at the fact I’m watching my sister after church instead of putting in hours at the diner. Fortunately, my brother’s pulling a double at the cement plant. Ma will be at the factory all afternoon. But will it be enough?

I move in front of the wall mirror to distract myself. Seeing my hand-me-down blouse ain’t helping. I peek at Roy, hoping I don’t find pity on his face. There he goes again, throwing his weight from foot to foot. And, sure, that boy is sweet as pie, but I know he ain’t antsy thinkin’ my lights are suddenly going to go off.

“Everything okay, Roy?”

“Yeah.”

That yeah ain’t so convincing.

“You almost done here?” he asks. Roy shifts the old Mason jar to the side, holds up the earring I’d been looking for.

I nod—to the earring, not to being done—and he brings it to me. Despite how this morning is turning out, I smile, liking that Roy knew what I was looking for without me having to tell him.

“Ready now?” he says.

I slide another pin into my hair. “Why’s everyone rushing me?”

Roy swallows, and if I had five clams to bet, I’d bet he’s nervous ’bout something. He edges closer to my bureau. He shakes the Mason jar, the pieces of paper rustling inside. “When did you write this on the outside?”

But I, being poor, have only my dreams.

I avert my eyes, being those words weren’t meant for Roy’s. “Not too long ago.”

“Ya know, Bonnelyn, you won’t always be poor. I’ll make sure of that.”

“I know I won’t.” I add a final pin to my hair. I’ll make sure of that.

“So why’d you write it?”

“I didn’t. William Butler Yeats did.”

Roy shoves his hands in his pockets. “You know what I mean.”

I shrug and stare at my reflection. “It inspires me, wanting to be more than that line. And I will. I’ll put a white picket fence in front of my house to prove it.”

“Your house?”

I turn away from the mirror to face him. His voice sounded off. Too high. But Roy ain’t looking at me. He’s staring at the wall above my head. “Our house,” I correct, a pang of guilt stabbing me in the belly ’cause I didn’t say our to begin with. “That jar is full of our dreams, after all.”

Really, it’s full of doodles, scribbled on whatever paper Roy had on hand. Napkins. Ripped corners of his textbook pages. The top flap of a cereal box. He shoved the first scrap of paper in my hand when we were only knee-high to a grasshopper: quick little drawings of me and him in front of the Eiffel Tower, riding horses with dogs running ’round our feet, holding hands by the Gulf’s crashing waves.

Our dreams. Plenty of ’em. Big and small. Whimsical and sweet.

But this here is the twenties. Women can vote; women are equals, wanting to make a name for themselves. I’m no exception. Sure, I’ll bring those doodles to life with Roy, but I would’ve added my own sketches to the jar if I could draw. Standing at the front of my very own classroom. At a bank counter, depositing my payroll checks. Shaking hands with a salesman, purchasing my first car.

Call it selfish, call it whatever ya like, but after struggling for money all my life, my dreams have always come before ours.

Still, I link our hands. “I’m ready to go.”

* * *

“Hallelujah!”

The congregation mimics my pastor’s booming voice. The women flick their fans faster with excitement. Pastor Frank shuffles to the right, then to the left, sixty-some eyes following his every movement. From the choir pews off to the side, I watch his mesmerized flock hang on his every word, myself included. My ma is amidst the familiar faces. She prefers to use Daddy’s brown hat to cool herself, holding on to him even after he’s been gone all these years. I can’t say I blame her.

“Amen!” we chime.

Pastor Frank nods at me, and I move from the choir box to the piano. I bring my hands down and the first chords of “Onward, Christian Soldiers” roar to life. Every Sunday, I sit on this here bench, press my fingers into the keys, and let the Lord’s words roll off my tongue. Ma says Daddy would be proud too. I sure hope that’s true.

It’s another reason why I’ll make something of myself. In our small town or in a big city, it doesn’t matter much, but Bonnelyn Parker is going to be somebody. Wherever life takes me, whatever final notice stands in my way, my daddy will look down on me and smile, knowing I ain’t struggling, I’m thriving. I’m more than poor.

I push my voice louder, raise my chin, and sing the hymn’s last note, letting it vibrate with the piano’s final chord.

The congregation shouts praises to the Lord as Pastor Frank clasps his hands together and tells us all to, “Go and spread His word.”

Voices break out, everyone beating their gums at once. I slip off the bench, weave through the crowd. A few people are always louder than the rest. Mrs. Davis is having a potluck lunch. Mr. Miller’s best horse is sick. He spent his early morning hours in his barn, from the looks of his dirty overalls.

Ma’s got more pride than a lion and makes certain we’re dressed to the nines, even if our nine is really only a five. Still, my older brother’s vest and slacks are his Sunday best. And even though we’ve got secondhand clothes, my sister’s and my white blouses are neatly tucked into our skirts. We may be pretending to look the part, but our family always gets by. We find a way, just like we’ll make sure that electric bill gets paid. Though I don’t like how Ma let this bill get so late.

I rush through the church’s double doors, sucking in fresh air, and shield my eyes from the sun. A laugh slips out. There’s my brother, playing keep-away from my little sister with one of her once white shoes. Buster tosses the shoe to Roy. Roy fumbles it. No surprise there, but part of me wonders if his nerves from earlier are sticking ’round. On the way to church, he wouldn’t let me get a word in, going on nonstop ’bout the weather. I reckon the summer of 1927 is hot, real hot, but not worth all his fuss.

“Little Billie, those boys picking on you?” I call, skipping down the church steps, keeping my eyes on Roy.

He takes immediate notice of me, missing my brother’s next throw. “Say, Bonnelyn.” Roy wipes his hairline. “I was hoping to do this before church, but you were having trouble with your…” He gestures toward his own hair, then stops, wisely thinkin’ better of it. “I’ve a surprise for you.”

“A surprise? Why didn’t you tell me so? I could’ve hurried.”

He also wisely doesn’t comment on my earlier irritation at being hurried.

“Follow me?” Roy asks, his brown eyes hopeful.

“Not today, lover boy,” Buster cuts in. “Bonn’s watching Billie.”

Billie hops toward me on one foot, her voice bouncing as she proclaims how she’s eleven and doesn’t need to be babysat no more. I bend to pick up her lost shoe, letting out a long sigh. Roy sighs too. But Roy also looks like a puppy that’s been kicked.

“Will the surprise take long?” I ask him. “Buster doesn’t need to be at work for another two hours.”

“Actually an hour,” my brother says. “But Roy here probably only needs a few minutes, tops.” He winks, and Roy playfully charges him.

My cheeks flush, and not ’cause Roy and I have done that. Roy hasn’t even looked at me in a way that would lead to that.

“Let’s go.” I bounce on my toes and push Roy down the dirt-packed street, then realize I don’t know where I’m going and let Roy lead. Buster’s laugher trails us.

We go over one block, passing my house, nestled between the cemetery and the library. An old picket fence that Ma’s been harping on my brother to paint for ages stretches ’cross the front.

Cement City is barely more than an intersection, and there ain’t much farther to go; just the cement plant, a few farms, and the river. Then there are the railroad tracks, separating us from Dallas.

I glance up at Roy, confused, when we stop at a home just past the library.

He motions toward the house, his sweaty hand taking mine with his. He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“What is it?” I ask him. “Why’re we here?”

“My father said they are going to tear down this old shack.”

With its crooked shutters, chipped paint, caved-in roof, I can understand why. No one’s lived here for years, and Ma doesn’t go a day without complaining ’bout its drab looks and how it’s bad for our little town.

I nod in agreement.

“But,” he says, “I’ve been squirreling away my pennies, and I’ve enough to save her.”

A cool heat rushes me, but I’m not sure how that’s possible. I wipe a strand of hair from my face. “You’re buying this here house?”

“I am,” he says, his Adam’s apple bouncing again. “For you and me. Our house.” Roy keeps talking before I can get a word—or thought—in. “Bonnelyn…” He trails off, digs into his pocket. “Here’s another one for your jar.”

My eyes light up, recognizing one of Roy’s infamous black-and-white doodles.

It’s our church.

It’s Roy.

It’s me, in a puffy dress.

I look up from the doodle. It’s Roy no longer standing in front of me but down on one knee.

“Bonnelyn Elizabeth Parker,” he says, “I’m fixin’ to take you down the middle aisle.”

I knit my brows. “Are you proposing?”

“Well I ain’t down here to tie my shoe.”

I’d laugh, but I’m stunned. Marriage? With Roy? I swallow, and stare at the drawing, his lovely, heartfelt drawing.

Sure, marrying Roy has always been in the cards. But … I’m not sure I’m ready yet. Some people wait ’til their twenties to get married, in today’s day and age, giving ’em plenty of time to make their own mark.

Roy taps the underside of my chin, forcing my gaze away from his doodle and down to him.

“I … um … I’m flattered Roy. I am. But we’re only seventeen—”

“Not now.” He stands slowly and palms my cheek that’s probably as flushed as his own. “We’ve got some growing up to do first. I know you got dreams for yourself.”

I sigh, in a good way. Hearing him acknowledge my goals relaxes me. Those jitterbugs change a smidge to butterflies. “You really want to marry me?”

“I do, Bonn.” Roy leans down, quite the feat to my five-foot-nothin’ height, and presses his lips lightly to mine. “When we’re good and ready. You tell me when, and that’ll be it. We’ll create a life together. How does that sound?”

I smile, even while my chest rises from a shaky breath. I curse my nerves for dulling my excitement. My boyfriend declaring he’s ready to build a life with me shouldn’t give me the heebie-jeebies. It doesn’t, I decide.

“We’ll finish school,” Roy says.

I force my smile wider.

“I’ll get a good-paying job as a reporter,” he goes on. “You can become a teacher, like you’ve always wanted. You can lead the drama club, be onstage, do pageants with our little girls.”

Now my grin is genuine. “We’re going to have little girls?”

“Of course. A little fella, too. ’Til then, I’ll fix this house up. She’ll be spiffy when I’m done with her, white picket fence and everything.”

“You think?”

“I know it.” He dips to my eye level. “You’re happy, right?”

Am I happy? I roll those five letters ’round my head. Yes, I’ve been stuck on Roy for ages. He made me happy when we were seven and he picked me dandelions, when we were ten and he stopped Buster from making me kiss a frog, when we were thirteen and he patched up my knee after I fell off my bike. The memories keep on coming, and I don’t want that happiness to stop. His proposal caught me off guard, that’s all. But, yes, we’ll make something of ourselves, and we’ll do it together.

I lean onto my tiptoes and peck his lips with a kiss. “Roy Thornton, I’d be honored to be your wife one day.”

He hoots, swooping his arms under me. Before I know it, I’m cradled against his chest and we’re swinging in a circle.

I scream, but it’s playful. “You better not drop me, you clumsy fool.”

He answers me with a kiss on the side of my head, and then another and another, as he carries me toward my ma’s house.

Freeze, I think. I don’t want the secure way he holds me, the way the air catches my skirt, the hope for what’s to come, to stop, ever.

Copyright © 2017 by Jenni L. Walsh

Forge Books

A Trade Hardcover

ISBN: 9780765390189

$25.99 | 304 pages

eBook: 9780765390202

On Sale May 9, 2017

 

 

The Salt House by Lisa Duffy

I always enjoy books that take place in New England, where I grew up. It’s such a unique and special setting. And in my experience, the area produces many loveable yet difficult people, perfect characters for a book! I appreciate reading descriptions of the sea and fishing life—I can imagine myself standing on a dock in my hometown, feeling the sun on my face and breathing in the salt. (Memories!)

The Kelly family struggles with the grief that accompanies death of a loved one—in this case, baby Maddie, who has an unfortunate accident. It’s the sort of misfortune that could happen to anyone, but naturally her mother Hope is burdened with tremendous guilt. 

When a rival comes back to town after many years away, Jack (Maddie’s father) must struggle with demons from his own past. Exacerbated by his current sorrow, he doesn’t respond well when provoked. Throw in a love-struck teenager (whose love interest is related to Jack’s rival) and a precocious 8-year old, and you have a recipe for drama. There are many tense situations and misunderstandings; the action ramps up as the story progresses and I could not put the book down!

As I was reading, I was emotionally tied up with the family. Sometimes the healing process is a gut-wrenching one, and it is cathartic to witness a family go through it and come out the other side intact. A beautiful story.

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn

A great read! Five stars.    

This book gave me all the feels! I was very sorry to see this novel come to an end. It was exciting, entertaining, surprisingly sexy, and very creative.

I have been a Jane Austen fan my whole life, but it’s been many years since I read one of her books (or watched a movie adaptation). It was lovely to be re-immersed in her life. The novel plunges the reader into the sights, sounds, and smells of England in the early 1800s, and it’s even more interesting that we get to view this world from the eyes of foreigner who only has her research to guide her.

While the idea of two time travelers from the future (beyond 2017) going back to London in 1815 is a big concept, the author pulls it off convincingly. The story successfully meshes elements from different genres: historical fiction, romance, and science fiction. I loved getting both details of the imagined future as well as the past of the Austens. The time travelers also had to be aware of the fact that their actions in the past might create a change in the future (their present), a scary possibility which looms over their choices. The entire book felt like an “event”, extremely imaginative and well thought-out. 

It was fun getting a modern point of view of the customs and morals of the early 1800s. Rachel, our main character, is a smart and realistic narrator who gives careful thought to her actions, yet makes human mistakes. I found her very relatable, and all of the secondary characters were fascinating and well-drawn. Overall, this was a very impressive debut novel!

I read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett

RABBIT CAKE is a stellar debut novel from Annie Hartnett. I love novels where I’m not only emotionally drawn into the story but also amazed at the creative details and colorful writing. This story hit it out of the park for me.

I have a soft spot for unconventional narrators, and 12-year old Elvis Babbitt is a true gem. Elvis is smart, strong and very funny (sometimes unintentionally). Elvis is grieving the recent loss of her mother. She’s the youngest but also the most grounded of the Babbitt family members. I appreciated her love of science and determination to get to the cause of her mother’s death. Of course, in life we can’t always find the answers we seek.  

While their father flounders, Elvis’ older sister Lizzie deteriorates as she struggles with sleepwalking and destructive behavior. The story sparkles with truths about living with a loved one who has mental illness. It can make life unpredictable and painful at times, but it also makes you appreciate sweet moments and small triumphs all the more when they do finally arrive. (And why not celebrate by baking rabbit-shaped cakes?)

Beautifully-written and affecting, this novel will be kept on my special shelf of favorite books.

The Young Wives Club by Julie Pennell

Why did I choose this book?

The cover is so colorful and fun! And what’s not to love about weddings?

What’s the book about?

This is the story of four young women who are newly married or considering marriage. It combines romance and drama, as each faces different relationship challenges. The stories work independently, but are also interwoven since the women are best friends.

What did I like best about the book?

I think most married women would agree that a wedding doesn’t guarantee “happy ever after”. It was easy to relate to and sympathize with all four characters in this book as they struggled with insecurities and unfortunate circumstances. Sometimes it took each character a while to realize her own worth, but I understood why they made the choices they did. Relationships are about compromise—but that doesn’t mean you should lose yourself in the process. I’m glad the girls made smart decisions in the end.   

I found the book very entertaining and I was reluctant to put the book down at bedtime when I wanted to keep reading!

Overall take-away?

The Young Wives Club is a fun, romantic read. Find out more about Julie at: http://juliepennell.blogspot.com .