Linda C. Wright's Blog, page 32
May 30, 2012
Writer's Block
Lately I've been suffering from a severe case of writer's block. So much so that I can't get anything from pen to paper. It's not that I don't have any new and fresh ideas, I just can't seem to get them into a story. I write a few paragraphs that I believe are brilliant. I'm so proud of myself and how far my writing abilities have come. And then there it is, that huge brick wall. The story stops and I can't get it to go any further.
Since I am so full of fresh new ideas, I put that story aside and move on to the next idea. And the same thing happens. I find myself staring at the page, switching back and forth between the stories and going nowhere.
That novel about Cleveland has been sitting around waiting for some more polish. It's already 78,000 words but still has significant holes in the story. I had put it aside also since I felt like I was over thinking that story too. Seeing that nothing else was working, I looked at it again. I changed the names of the main characters, hoping some sassier and more interesting people would emerge. I found I missed Mandy and Violet and wanted them back. But the holes in their story persist.
I have even started to wonder if I have what it takes to be a successful writer. It's been my dream for so long but is it really what I'm meant to do. Maybe it's time to move on to a new dream. Nothing however comes to mind that excites me any more than creating interesting characters, putting them into an unusual situation and seeing what happens. I'm always surprised by the outcome.
The writer's block will pass. At least I hope it will. And sooner rather than later. I have to keep plugging away at it. What does it say on my coffee mug that I start each morning with?
A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.[image error]
Since I am so full of fresh new ideas, I put that story aside and move on to the next idea. And the same thing happens. I find myself staring at the page, switching back and forth between the stories and going nowhere.
That novel about Cleveland has been sitting around waiting for some more polish. It's already 78,000 words but still has significant holes in the story. I had put it aside also since I felt like I was over thinking that story too. Seeing that nothing else was working, I looked at it again. I changed the names of the main characters, hoping some sassier and more interesting people would emerge. I found I missed Mandy and Violet and wanted them back. But the holes in their story persist.
I have even started to wonder if I have what it takes to be a successful writer. It's been my dream for so long but is it really what I'm meant to do. Maybe it's time to move on to a new dream. Nothing however comes to mind that excites me any more than creating interesting characters, putting them into an unusual situation and seeing what happens. I'm always surprised by the outcome.
The writer's block will pass. At least I hope it will. And sooner rather than later. I have to keep plugging away at it. What does it say on my coffee mug that I start each morning with?
A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.[image error]
May 27, 2012
The Buddah in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The Buddha in the Atttic by Julie Otsuka
I'm not quite sure how I ended up reading two stories in a row about Asian picture brides of the early 20th century. The Buddha in the Attic is on a list of books people are reading in Cleveland. I'm writing my own novel set in Cleveland, so I'm kind of obsessed with what they like to do there. After reading this novel, I have a whole new respect for Clevelanders and their taste in reading material.
The last book I read, Honolulu told the story of Korean women ending up in Hawaii. The Buddha in the Attic tells the story of Japanese brides trying to make a new life in San Francisco. Their stories are very similar, quick weddings, quick wedding nights and then off to the fields for years of hard labor.
The difference in The Buddha in the Attic is the way the story is told, singularly, collectively, beautifully. Ms. Otsuka writes in a style I'm not sure what it would be called, but it is wonderful and captivating. I didn't want to put this book down.
The brides face constant struggles to earn a living and find their place in this strange country called America. Racism stares them directly in the face and yet they move on all in the name of caring for their families. Their children ignore the Japanese culture the brides long to keep alive. Their lives are filled with joy, heartache, disease, and despair, the ebb and flow of all human life.
Until one day they disappear and are sent away to internment camps for Japanese during World War II. The families had become a part of the landscape, running businesses, making friends, sending children to school. And suddenly they were gone from our lives. We never thought of them as different. Until they were gone.
The Buddha in the Attic is beautiful, heartwarming, and unusual but a novel I will hold close for a long, long time. Thank you Cleveland for sharing it with me.[image error]
I'm not quite sure how I ended up reading two stories in a row about Asian picture brides of the early 20th century. The Buddha in the Attic is on a list of books people are reading in Cleveland. I'm writing my own novel set in Cleveland, so I'm kind of obsessed with what they like to do there. After reading this novel, I have a whole new respect for Clevelanders and their taste in reading material.
The last book I read, Honolulu told the story of Korean women ending up in Hawaii. The Buddha in the Attic tells the story of Japanese brides trying to make a new life in San Francisco. Their stories are very similar, quick weddings, quick wedding nights and then off to the fields for years of hard labor.
The difference in The Buddha in the Attic is the way the story is told, singularly, collectively, beautifully. Ms. Otsuka writes in a style I'm not sure what it would be called, but it is wonderful and captivating. I didn't want to put this book down.
The brides face constant struggles to earn a living and find their place in this strange country called America. Racism stares them directly in the face and yet they move on all in the name of caring for their families. Their children ignore the Japanese culture the brides long to keep alive. Their lives are filled with joy, heartache, disease, and despair, the ebb and flow of all human life.
Until one day they disappear and are sent away to internment camps for Japanese during World War II. The families had become a part of the landscape, running businesses, making friends, sending children to school. And suddenly they were gone from our lives. We never thought of them as different. Until they were gone.
The Buddha in the Attic is beautiful, heartwarming, and unusual but a novel I will hold close for a long, long time. Thank you Cleveland for sharing it with me.[image error]
May 24, 2012
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
Honolulu, with its gorgeous orchid lei cover has waited on my shelf since I read Moloka'i several years ago. With anticipation of a summer vacation in Honolulu, I thought it was time to read it.
Jin, is a Korean picture bride of the early 20th century. Smart and curious, she despised the culture of her country that kept women uneducated and secluded. Her parents had named her Regret simply because she wasn't born a boy. She devises schemes to sneak from the family compound with her friend to arrange her passage to Hawaii as a bride for a man she's never met. In Hawaii, she's told, the streets are paved with gold and she will have a life of happiness and prosperity. And be able to go to school.
Once in Honolulu, Jin's life is anything but happy. She and the other picture brides are forced to labor in the cane fields. Beaten at the hands of Mr. Noh, her husband, Jin manages to escape and later divorce Mr. Noh. Something that would never have been possible except in America.
Life is hard and obstacles are many but Jin pieces together a life full of promise that would never have been possible in Korea. This novel is full of diverse and interesting characters, love and hope,triumph over adversity. Overall I found the story a little flat. The happy ending was too predictable.
I must admit I enjoyed Moloka'i more but Honolulu depicts a little known and very interesting piece of history. I can't wait to see all the landmarks on my vacation that were so beautifully described by the author. The novel is an enjoyable learning experience, well written and leaves the reader full of hope.[image error]
Honolulu, with its gorgeous orchid lei cover has waited on my shelf since I read Moloka'i several years ago. With anticipation of a summer vacation in Honolulu, I thought it was time to read it.
Jin, is a Korean picture bride of the early 20th century. Smart and curious, she despised the culture of her country that kept women uneducated and secluded. Her parents had named her Regret simply because she wasn't born a boy. She devises schemes to sneak from the family compound with her friend to arrange her passage to Hawaii as a bride for a man she's never met. In Hawaii, she's told, the streets are paved with gold and she will have a life of happiness and prosperity. And be able to go to school.
Once in Honolulu, Jin's life is anything but happy. She and the other picture brides are forced to labor in the cane fields. Beaten at the hands of Mr. Noh, her husband, Jin manages to escape and later divorce Mr. Noh. Something that would never have been possible except in America.
Life is hard and obstacles are many but Jin pieces together a life full of promise that would never have been possible in Korea. This novel is full of diverse and interesting characters, love and hope,triumph over adversity. Overall I found the story a little flat. The happy ending was too predictable.
I must admit I enjoyed Moloka'i more but Honolulu depicts a little known and very interesting piece of history. I can't wait to see all the landmarks on my vacation that were so beautifully described by the author. The novel is an enjoyable learning experience, well written and leaves the reader full of hope.[image error]
May 6, 2012
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell
Did you know that there was no Pulitzer Prize for fiction awarded in 2012? The panel couldn't decide. I like to read Pulitzer prize winning books. They are usually very good reads in my opinion. This year the finalists were a novella titled Train Dreams, The Pale King and Swamplandia! I've haven't read Train Dreams but will probably look it up. The Pale King was hysterical but really rough since it was a manuscript found after the death of the author. And then Swamplandia! Don't forget the !.
Swamplandia! has all the ingredients of a story I love. It's set in Florida in a swamp complete with alligators wrestlers, theme parks and wacky tourists. The Bigtrees who own and run Swamplandia! are crazy and quirky. They live on an island only accessible by the daily ferry that brings the swarms of people anxious to see real live alligators or Seths as the family calls them, and buy every tacky souvenir imaginable. Ava, Osceola and Kiwi live a charmed life at the hands of the family business. Until their mother, Hilola dies from cancer before she has taught them the tricks of her trade.
When the tourists stop coming after a new park opens called the World of Darkness, the family starts to fall apart. Grandpa Sawtooth is sent to a retirement home which is a houseboat. Osceola elopes with a ghost named Louis Thanksgiving, Kiwi runs off in the middle of the night, landing a job at the World of Darkness and Ava is left at home all alone. A stranger, the Bird Man shows up and agrees to accompany Ava on her search for Osceola and her husband, the ghost.
Karen Russell is a talented author. I also loved her short story collection, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. It too is set in my home, Florida. It's not to say that I thought Swamplandia! was perfect. Osceola and the ghost dragged on too long and Ava's trek through the swamp bored me at times. But their dramatic rescue drew me right back to where I wanted them to be. In Florida, at home, and together.
[image error]
Did you know that there was no Pulitzer Prize for fiction awarded in 2012? The panel couldn't decide. I like to read Pulitzer prize winning books. They are usually very good reads in my opinion. This year the finalists were a novella titled Train Dreams, The Pale King and Swamplandia! I've haven't read Train Dreams but will probably look it up. The Pale King was hysterical but really rough since it was a manuscript found after the death of the author. And then Swamplandia! Don't forget the !.
Swamplandia! has all the ingredients of a story I love. It's set in Florida in a swamp complete with alligators wrestlers, theme parks and wacky tourists. The Bigtrees who own and run Swamplandia! are crazy and quirky. They live on an island only accessible by the daily ferry that brings the swarms of people anxious to see real live alligators or Seths as the family calls them, and buy every tacky souvenir imaginable. Ava, Osceola and Kiwi live a charmed life at the hands of the family business. Until their mother, Hilola dies from cancer before she has taught them the tricks of her trade.
When the tourists stop coming after a new park opens called the World of Darkness, the family starts to fall apart. Grandpa Sawtooth is sent to a retirement home which is a houseboat. Osceola elopes with a ghost named Louis Thanksgiving, Kiwi runs off in the middle of the night, landing a job at the World of Darkness and Ava is left at home all alone. A stranger, the Bird Man shows up and agrees to accompany Ava on her search for Osceola and her husband, the ghost.
Karen Russell is a talented author. I also loved her short story collection, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. It too is set in my home, Florida. It's not to say that I thought Swamplandia! was perfect. Osceola and the ghost dragged on too long and Ava's trek through the swamp bored me at times. But their dramatic rescue drew me right back to where I wanted them to be. In Florida, at home, and together.
[image error]
May 2, 2012
Driving Miss Daisy
Our granddaughter, Jessie is turning 15 next week. In Florida, a 15 year old can get a temporary driver's permit to learn to drive. They can't get a license until they turn 16 but a year's worth of practice should make the roads a little safer for us all. I'm sure that was the lawmaker's logic.
In Pennsylvania, however, where Jessie lives, 16 is the age for a learner's permit. This next year is going to be a very long wait. She's itching to get behind the wheel.
"Richard. Jessie's birthday is next week. What do you want to do for her?" I reminded him since I am the keeper of the family calendar of events and occasions.
He immediately went to the phone and dialed. When the answering machine click on, he left this message.
"Hey, Jessie. I understand you're having a birthday next week. What do you want for a gift? Here's your choices. One. A couple more tutoring sessions. Two. A trip to Florida for a few driving lessons with Poppy. Or three. Some cash. Call me and let me know."
"Do you think she'll call us back?" I asked.
"I doubt it. Those kids never call us." He hung up the phone and went about the rest of his day.
After dinner, we took our usual spots on the sofa to watch the evening news. The phone rang. I love when the caller id pops up on the television. It was Jessie. I was closest so I picked up the phone.
"Hello. How are you?"
"Linny, I want the ticket to Florida for driving lessons."
"Really? You want driving lessons with Poppy?" Richard broke out in a huge grin. I handed him the phone.
While the two of them chatted, I laughed to myself. There is a family story that one time, Jessie's mother came to Florida to visit her father around the age of 15 and got some driving lessons. Upon her return home, an uncle left his car keys accessible. He left the perfect opening for a teenager to do some joy riding. Needless to say the car was on the losing end of that deal. And in the days before air bags, no one was hurt. No one has ever let her forget it.
Jessie may want to come to Florida for driving lessons, but rest assured her mother will not allow it. This summer when I take her on vacation in Utah, Poppy and I hatched a plan to stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats and take a picture of Jessie, behind the wheel of the rental car. For now it's a secret. Maybe Jessie's birthday wish won't come true on her birthday but maybe it will sooner than she thinks.
[image error]
In Pennsylvania, however, where Jessie lives, 16 is the age for a learner's permit. This next year is going to be a very long wait. She's itching to get behind the wheel.
"Richard. Jessie's birthday is next week. What do you want to do for her?" I reminded him since I am the keeper of the family calendar of events and occasions.
He immediately went to the phone and dialed. When the answering machine click on, he left this message.
"Hey, Jessie. I understand you're having a birthday next week. What do you want for a gift? Here's your choices. One. A couple more tutoring sessions. Two. A trip to Florida for a few driving lessons with Poppy. Or three. Some cash. Call me and let me know."
"Do you think she'll call us back?" I asked.
"I doubt it. Those kids never call us." He hung up the phone and went about the rest of his day.
After dinner, we took our usual spots on the sofa to watch the evening news. The phone rang. I love when the caller id pops up on the television. It was Jessie. I was closest so I picked up the phone.
"Hello. How are you?"
"Linny, I want the ticket to Florida for driving lessons."
"Really? You want driving lessons with Poppy?" Richard broke out in a huge grin. I handed him the phone.
While the two of them chatted, I laughed to myself. There is a family story that one time, Jessie's mother came to Florida to visit her father around the age of 15 and got some driving lessons. Upon her return home, an uncle left his car keys accessible. He left the perfect opening for a teenager to do some joy riding. Needless to say the car was on the losing end of that deal. And in the days before air bags, no one was hurt. No one has ever let her forget it.
Jessie may want to come to Florida for driving lessons, but rest assured her mother will not allow it. This summer when I take her on vacation in Utah, Poppy and I hatched a plan to stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats and take a picture of Jessie, behind the wheel of the rental car. For now it's a secret. Maybe Jessie's birthday wish won't come true on her birthday but maybe it will sooner than she thinks.
[image error]
April 27, 2012
Carry The One by Carol Anshaw
Carry the One by Carol Anshaw
I read a review. A review in a national newspaper. A paper with a wonderful book section that I read regularly and admire for its candor. A review very unlike the ones I write in this blog that I like to think are genuine and from the heart. My reviews are not written to sell a book, but only to offer my opinion and interpretation of the written word so that you can make an informed choice on how to spend your reading time.
The review I read on Carry The One pulled me in hook, line and sinker. The story of a family impacted by a tragic accident drew me in. After Carmen's shotgun wedding, her brother and sister get in a car with Olivia, the driver who is stoned out of her mind. On the dark rural roads the car ends up wrapped around a tree and a young girl walking along the road in the middle of the night is dead.
Carry The One follows the twists and turns of the siblings lives, each dealing in separate and different ways. The story had great possibilities for rich, deep characters and raw emotions, things I love in a novel. However Carry The One could not deliver. The story line spans many years and I struggled to know how much time had passed between the scenes. Based on the action I expected one thing to happen only to be told that I was in a totally different place in time.
This isn't the first book I've read lately that felt the need to throw in the events of 9/11. I don't even think Hemingway or Steinbeck could fully express the emotions of that day in a way that would touch me as a reader. It's too big to undertake even for the expert writers. The characters here, had some drab discussion about it that might have been meant for me to see the burden they had been carrying all these years. Frankly at that point I could really care less about them. Any glimmer of hope I had that might have redeemed them by the end of the story was gone.
Someday I may learn the lesson. Don't be dragged in by an enticing cover or a sparkling review. Carry The One is shallow and poorly written yet I was convinced it was the next great American novel. Next time I promise I'll do my homework first, and slow down before taking only a second to download and investing hours in reading.
I read a review. A review in a national newspaper. A paper with a wonderful book section that I read regularly and admire for its candor. A review very unlike the ones I write in this blog that I like to think are genuine and from the heart. My reviews are not written to sell a book, but only to offer my opinion and interpretation of the written word so that you can make an informed choice on how to spend your reading time.
The review I read on Carry The One pulled me in hook, line and sinker. The story of a family impacted by a tragic accident drew me in. After Carmen's shotgun wedding, her brother and sister get in a car with Olivia, the driver who is stoned out of her mind. On the dark rural roads the car ends up wrapped around a tree and a young girl walking along the road in the middle of the night is dead.
Carry The One follows the twists and turns of the siblings lives, each dealing in separate and different ways. The story had great possibilities for rich, deep characters and raw emotions, things I love in a novel. However Carry The One could not deliver. The story line spans many years and I struggled to know how much time had passed between the scenes. Based on the action I expected one thing to happen only to be told that I was in a totally different place in time.
This isn't the first book I've read lately that felt the need to throw in the events of 9/11. I don't even think Hemingway or Steinbeck could fully express the emotions of that day in a way that would touch me as a reader. It's too big to undertake even for the expert writers. The characters here, had some drab discussion about it that might have been meant for me to see the burden they had been carrying all these years. Frankly at that point I could really care less about them. Any glimmer of hope I had that might have redeemed them by the end of the story was gone.
Someday I may learn the lesson. Don't be dragged in by an enticing cover or a sparkling review. Carry The One is shallow and poorly written yet I was convinced it was the next great American novel. Next time I promise I'll do my homework first, and slow down before taking only a second to download and investing hours in reading.
April 22, 2012
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Emily comes to Mullaby after the death of her mother. Her mother's legacy awaits her and let's just say no one is welcoming her with open arms. She's put in the care of a grandfather she's never met. He's a kind and gentle giant, towering over everything and everyone. Vance Shelby is constantly looking in the clothes dryer and inquires often about the wallpaper in Emily's bedroom upstairs. He hasn't seen it in years but he knows its pattern changes. Emily politely updates him and one day flowers become butterflies. Her transformation is about to begin.
Julia is searching for herself in this odd and magical town. She bakes cakes. Wonderful and marvelous confections she hopes will mend her heart. She harbors a deep secret. Befriending young Emily elevates Julia's baking to a new level leading her back into the arms of Sawyer, her love with the sugar scent. He is the reason she bakes the cakes.
Unusual things happen in Mullaby under the spell of the full moon, sparkling lights, new loves, pasts left behind and secrets revealed. I love the magical, mystical writing of Ms. Allen. The characters are rich, the settings, divine. The Girl Who Chased the Moon didn't disappoint. [image error]
Emily comes to Mullaby after the death of her mother. Her mother's legacy awaits her and let's just say no one is welcoming her with open arms. She's put in the care of a grandfather she's never met. He's a kind and gentle giant, towering over everything and everyone. Vance Shelby is constantly looking in the clothes dryer and inquires often about the wallpaper in Emily's bedroom upstairs. He hasn't seen it in years but he knows its pattern changes. Emily politely updates him and one day flowers become butterflies. Her transformation is about to begin.
Julia is searching for herself in this odd and magical town. She bakes cakes. Wonderful and marvelous confections she hopes will mend her heart. She harbors a deep secret. Befriending young Emily elevates Julia's baking to a new level leading her back into the arms of Sawyer, her love with the sugar scent. He is the reason she bakes the cakes.
Unusual things happen in Mullaby under the spell of the full moon, sparkling lights, new loves, pasts left behind and secrets revealed. I love the magical, mystical writing of Ms. Allen. The characters are rich, the settings, divine. The Girl Who Chased the Moon didn't disappoint. [image error]
April 21, 2012
Beautiful Girls by Beth Ann Bauman
Beautiful Girls by Beth Ann Bauman
I don't recall how this book ended up on my Kindle but I'm happy it did. My sister may have recommended it. I think this book is right up her alley. And mine too.
Appropriately titled, this is a collection of short stories about women of all ages and stages of their lives. Cute, quirky tales about us from a woman's point of view. Each story showcased a woman and sometimes just a girl, falling in love, falling out of love and the struggle in between. Filled with emotion, I got on the ride along with each one of them. I'm amazed how hard I fell for each character. The author did a fabulous job of creating each piece with rich details and depth within the confines of a short story. Trust me, as a writer, that is not a simple task.
I love short stories. I love fun and humor. I love characters that make me feel real. Beautiful Girls had all that and much, much more. It is a delightful read. This book is a celebration of everything that makes all women, forever beautiful girls. [image error]
I don't recall how this book ended up on my Kindle but I'm happy it did. My sister may have recommended it. I think this book is right up her alley. And mine too.
Appropriately titled, this is a collection of short stories about women of all ages and stages of their lives. Cute, quirky tales about us from a woman's point of view. Each story showcased a woman and sometimes just a girl, falling in love, falling out of love and the struggle in between. Filled with emotion, I got on the ride along with each one of them. I'm amazed how hard I fell for each character. The author did a fabulous job of creating each piece with rich details and depth within the confines of a short story. Trust me, as a writer, that is not a simple task.
I love short stories. I love fun and humor. I love characters that make me feel real. Beautiful Girls had all that and much, much more. It is a delightful read. This book is a celebration of everything that makes all women, forever beautiful girls. [image error]
April 6, 2012
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
In case you were wondering. I'm still an addict. Mockingjay was the great ending to a great story about life, love and strength. Katniss is a hero who never looked at herself as one. She simply did what she had to do to save her self and protect those around her. Books about strong women are good for us all. They don't come along very often. Their stories help us to touch and nuture our own inner strength.
There were parts of this book that dragged along a little too slowly compared to the first two books. It contained alot more war than I thought was necessary. I remained in suspense until the final pages and I have to admit, the story ended as I always hoped it would. Enough said.[image error]
In case you were wondering. I'm still an addict. Mockingjay was the great ending to a great story about life, love and strength. Katniss is a hero who never looked at herself as one. She simply did what she had to do to save her self and protect those around her. Books about strong women are good for us all. They don't come along very often. Their stories help us to touch and nuture our own inner strength.
There were parts of this book that dragged along a little too slowly compared to the first two books. It contained alot more war than I thought was necessary. I remained in suspense until the final pages and I have to admit, the story ended as I always hoped it would. Enough said.[image error]
March 29, 2012
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
I've become an addict. Plain and simple. I've known for a long time about my addiction to books of any and all kinds, but I've never been one to read serials. I'm usually disappointed by the second book which serves to deflate my passion for the first book. Leaving a beautiful memory intact is more my style.
But Katniss, I can't resist. She's young and naive yet strong and determined. We are watching Katniss grow from a child to a beautiful, intelligent woman under the most extraordinary of circumstances. She made it out of the arena only to become a target of the government she loathes. Peeta, Gale, and Haymitch too, all mold and change taking on each new challenge while trying to hide their emotions for the sake of protecting Katniss.
The writing is brilliant, leaving the reader on the edge of her seat. Each and every word is meticulously placed to keep us wanting more. And just when I thought I was not a serial reader, I read the last few words of Catching Fire and knew I couldn't stop. Without a second thought, I turned on the wireless to my Kindle, downloaded Mockingjay and started to read.[image error]
I've become an addict. Plain and simple. I've known for a long time about my addiction to books of any and all kinds, but I've never been one to read serials. I'm usually disappointed by the second book which serves to deflate my passion for the first book. Leaving a beautiful memory intact is more my style.
But Katniss, I can't resist. She's young and naive yet strong and determined. We are watching Katniss grow from a child to a beautiful, intelligent woman under the most extraordinary of circumstances. She made it out of the arena only to become a target of the government she loathes. Peeta, Gale, and Haymitch too, all mold and change taking on each new challenge while trying to hide their emotions for the sake of protecting Katniss.
The writing is brilliant, leaving the reader on the edge of her seat. Each and every word is meticulously placed to keep us wanting more. And just when I thought I was not a serial reader, I read the last few words of Catching Fire and knew I couldn't stop. Without a second thought, I turned on the wireless to my Kindle, downloaded Mockingjay and started to read.[image error]
