M.J. Padgett's Blog, page 7

Laundry List: Spring 2022 Edition

Heaven's is it that time already? Well, I was SURE I scheduled this for release yesterday, but my scheduler got all fantsy-pantsy on me, and I ended up scheduling it for March 15... 2023! Oops, but better a day late than never, right? Here it is! Just click on the cover to redirect to my website and read this installment (as always) for free! Feel free to print it out, too!

What's in a Name?

What’s in a name? Everything! Think of all the remarkable fiction where a name could make or break a kingdom (or in some cases, imprison their owner—Rumpelstiltskin, anyone?) Names carry weight whether they are passed down from generations, given to inspire their owner, or pulled out of the void on a whim. It’s why parents spend so much time considering their child’s moniker before handing them that characteristic that will follow them their entire lives.

What about naming characters? It matters, too! When naming characters, there are so many options. We take so much time developing our worlds down to the last detail. Why not spend as much time on a name? Your characters—and I will insert here that ALL character names matter, not just the main character—can inspire mood, tone, and even the general path your story takes.

For me, names don’t come easily. Well, that’s not entirely true. When writing young adult romance, they are usually set in America, and the characters end up with relatable names. Why? Because I want my target audience to see them as someone they might go to school with or someone they could know!

As for fantasy… well, that takes me a little longer. I usually want something lyrical that rolls of the tongue like a breath for romantic fantasy (think Nari from my book Evernigh… like a sigh, but with enough edge that says she’s no pushover either!) Other times, I want something harder that depicts the warrior character, like Eiagan. It’s different, has some harder syllables, and is fantastical enough to add to my world (which is also a bit harsh… okay, Goranin is impossible to live in, but you get the point.)

I went with Celtic and Gaelic-inspired names for my most recent series (to be released soon) since the series surrounds Celtic and Gaelic folklore, gods and goddesses, and fairy tales! But I didn’t just choose a themed name. Her name—Roisin Dubh—has a purpose. Roughly translated, it is “little rose” and “black-haired” and pronounced (again, roughly) as Row-Sheen Dove. Doves play a significant part in the series (even though she is anything but a dove), and black roses will eventually become a vital thread. Her name is almost literally her destiny—a little black-haired rose filled with beauty and thorns, ready for battle but with a heart so kind she feels everything deeper than most. I can’t wait to bring this series to you all, but I digress.

Naming characters can be nerve-wracking—I get it! And sometimes, I cheat a bit. There is a website I adore called Fantasy Name Generator. This site is a wealth of information, and I often use it for inspiration or suggestions when naming anything from characters to places. I always recommend it when fellow writers get stuck naming their characters.

In short, one of the most important things people will remember about your book is the character names. Look no father than Instagram or Tik Tok to find memes and reels all about the fandom’s favorite characters. One only needs to say the name Bella to instantly remember Twilight, or Rhys to transport to the Night Court, or Harry to conjure up a wizarding experience.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to hear your character’s name floating all over the literary world? Something that brings about such a strong reaction and imagery? I know I would!

Book Review: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

With a flick of her paintbrush, Isobel creates stunning portraits for a dangerous set of clients: the fair folk. These immortal creatures cannot bake bread or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and they trade valuable enchantments for Isobel’s paintings. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—Isobel makes a deadly mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, a weakness that could cost him his throne, and even his life.

Furious, Rook spirits Isobel away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously amiss in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending upon each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, perhaps even love . . . a forbidden emotion that would violate the fair folks’ ruthless laws, rendering both their lives forfeit. What force could Isobel's paintings conjure that is powerful enough to defy the ancient malice of the fairy courts?

Isobel and Rook journey along a knife-edge in a lush world where beauty masks corruption and the cost of survival might be more frightening than death itself.

Frankly, I had no idea how anyone knew if they were in love in the first place. Was there ever a single thread a person could pick out of the knot and say "Yes--I am in love--here's the proof!" or was it always caught up in a wretched tangle of ifs and buts and maybes?

My Review:

It took me a moment to really get into this book, about three or so chapters longer than I give most slow-starting books. There was something about Isobel that kept me turning the pages. While she is somewhat passive through much of the book, there are points when she takes control or manipulates a situation and comes out better off than she might have been if she had been active through the entire book. Truly, it was more realistic than a heroine constantly taking control. People have their moments, and I appreciated that Rogerson moved back and forth from leading to following and back again throughout the book.

As for the fair folk, I adored her small details and more famous folklore to create a somewhat different atmosphere from most fae-centered books. The Green Well, the Barrow Lord, the Good Law… all inspired and well fleshed out concepts and adaptations.

I found myself pulled into Rook’s story but also thoroughly annoyed with him several times (which I suspect was the author’s plan.) And who could forget March and May? The goats turned into literal kids, also known as Isobel’s accidental sisters brought about by an enchantment gone wrong.

I was slightly disappointed that Isobel’s raven enchantment was not a bigger part of the story considering the book is titled An Enchantment of Ravens. I suppose one could say Rook is the enchantment, but still, if we go the route of directly giving the main character a flock of ravens, then we should use them fully!

The action is not overwhelming but is enough to keep you turning pages, and with a few kissing scenes, it kept the romance flowing as well. Far from erotica, it does have a steamy moment or two, but they are tasteful and controlled, appropriate for the YA audience, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would like to read more by this author.

The Smeraldo Flower by J. F. Rogers Review

THE SMERALDO FLOWER REVIEW

J. F. ROGERS

In sixteenth-century Italy, seventeen-year-old Carola’s family is on the verge of becoming destitute. So, when her family is offered funds for Carola to travel far into the mountains in northern Italy to paint a rare flower, she can’t refuse. Little did she realize she’d be trapped with a masked recluse in the middle of nowhere. But if Carola can survive her time in the rundown castle with Soren—the hideous man who may or may not be a psychotic murderer—it will all be worth it. And if she can get Soren to stop hiding behind his mask, all the better… Beauty and the Beast meets the Phantom of the Opera in the Secret Garden in this a retelling of the Italian folktale—La Citta di Smeraldo, inspired by BTS’s song “The Truth Untold.”

I found this little gem in a group promotion I joined and was first pulled in by the beautiful cover. When I discovered it was a Beauty, and the Beast meets Phantom of the Opera retelling, I couldn’t pass it up. And when I realized it was novella length, I settled in for a night of binge reading! It was well worth the late night, that’s for sure. Actually, I wouldn’t have complained if it was twice as long.

Rogers’ writing is captivating and pulls you in with subtlety. I’m known to DNR a book within a few pages, and I just won’t read a book if I’m not hooked right away. Maybe that means I miss out on some great books, but that’s a chance I’m willing to take. There are just too many books to read, and I will only live so long. I must be choosy, and I’m glad I chose this one.

The characters are relatable and likable, even the mysterious man who hires Carola to paint his rare flower. I loved Carola’s ability to see Soren as more than his mask, and while her situation began on a bit of a rocky and worrisome foot, she gathered her wits and took charge. The sweetness flows as well as the prose, and I would recommend this novella to anyone who is a fan of fairy tale adaptations and retellings.

You can find it here.

The Aurora Cycle by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff Review

***WARNING*** There is mild cussing in the book blurb.

THE AURORA CYCLE TRILOGY

AMIE KAUFFMAN AND JAY KRISTOFF

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the academy would touch . . .A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasmA sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmatesA smart-ass tech whiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulderAn alien warrior with anger-management issuesA tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wonderingAnd Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem--that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline cases, and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.NOBODY PANIC.

When I read the Illuminae Files, I was hooked from the first chapter of the first book. After finishing the series, I had the biggest book hangover, but when I discovered Kauffman and Kristoff had joined forces to write another series, I rushed to give them all my money. I wasn’t disappointed.

I did enjoy the Illuminae Files a bit more, but The Aurora Cycle didn’t disappoint. The trilogy follows Squad 312 as they embark on a mission that goes to Hades in a handcart within a few hours. The writing style is fun and sarcastic, with a lot of humor between really dark and dangerous moments.

I wouldn’t say this is clean ya fiction, so for those who prefer no cussing, mild kissing, and off-page steamy scenes, this might not be for you. The “steamy” scenes are fade to black but still exist, so some readers might not be interested. That said, I adored the strength of this group. They stuck together even when everything tried to tear them apart—even when they were torn apart, they still fought for each other.

Tyler is the alpha, the leader of the squad. He is great at what he does, and he knows it. He’s confident and cocky, but he also knows when to listen to his team. He’s a great leader and never asks his team to do something he wouldn’t do himself. I loved the dynamic between him and his twin sister, Scarlet. She’s a bit of a wild child, but she’s smart and reads people like a book.

For the entire trilogy, I couldn’t stop laughing at Finian. He was hands down my favorite character, and I rooted for him the whole series. The will they or won’t they between Scarlet and him was to die for.

As for Aurora… don’t yell at me if you loved her, but… I just didn’t. She wasn’t awful, but I just never got behind her, especially after a certain incident between her and one of the other characters that resulted in drama that just didn’t need to happen. That said, I did like her willingness to accept her fate and jump in head-first.

Kal was intense, which was expected from a war breed alien, but sometimes he was so intense it bordered on flat. Whenever he got in a fight, though, I was 100% all-in for Kal, the purple-blooded alien.

Then there was Zila, who deserved so much more screen time in book one. It wasn’t until book three that I felt I had a good grasp on who she was, and it made me wish I’d known her better in the first two books.

As for Cat, well… there was a lot to love about the feisty faux-hawked ace. I could literally write a book about her one-liners, but she always felt “in the way” to me. Don’t get me wrong, I liked her, but I knew she wasn’t the endgame for a certain character from the beginning, so it was just a matter of “hurry up and wait” for her to figure that out. By the time she did, well… things had happened, and I felt so bad for her I cried—literally.

All said, I loved the series and would place it in the “to read again” pile for sure!

You can find the series here.

VIP Member Downloads!

It's that time! The Projects of Life trilogy is complete and releasing soon, so my VIP members get a free boxed set download! To get your download, head over to the VIP page, login, and scroll down to the download graphic! Thank you so much for your support! I hope you love the trilogy.

You can head to the VIP Page here (and sign up if you haven't already)

A Day in the Life

Sometimes I forget when I’m writing that there’s more to me than just this human who puts words on paper to create a story. Of course, while I’m going about my daily life, I feel like other things—mom, teacher, wife, friend, daughter, sister—but when I sit to write, my mind goes blank, and all I am is a word generator.

Do you ever feel like that? I think everyone does it to a degree, but I actually adore my job, so it never feels like work… until it does. And it’s in those moments I must remind myself I am more than my work.

A typical day for me begins between 6 and 7, depending on what’s on schedule. There’s the breakfast rush with copious amounts of coffee (which is a bit less frazzled when my husband is on shift at the fire department—much easier to feed two than two plus that guy whose stomach is a bottomless pit) and Bible time. Then we dive into homeschool, which can last for an hour or five. Sometimes there are field trips, and other days there are worksheets out the tookiebumpass, and still, other days are online drills, documentaries, and kids learning shows. We like to mix it up, so we don’t get frustrated or bored.

My brain is a little mushy from all the second-grade schooling by lunch, but we recharge and relax a little, spend some time outside, and snuggle. After lunch, I spend about two hours “working” on editing, social media posts, blog posts, newsletters, marketing—all the non-writing parts of my business. For some reason, it’s difficult for me to write my novels during the day, and I write best at night.

We spend the afternoon either outside or in the playroom. Sometimes Daddy plays Barbies with Lily while I clean the house and prep dinner. If he is working, my daughter helps me with those chores. My parents live one neighborhood over, so we get together in the afternoon a few times a week for dinner or playtime with my nephew.

We lead a pretty chill life, which might be why my work self stands out sometimes. Then I’m not so chill, and I’m driven to do, do, do and go, go go! It’s a good thing I have author friends and non-author friends to remind me that it’s a marathon and not a high-speed chase to the finish line.

And when my friends and family don’t quite reach me, God steps in and forces me to slow down. Sometimes it’s an unexpected project, a mental block that slows me down, or even another idea to explore that reminds me I will never really be done with my writing to-do list. I think those times are when I am most like myself, the one I was made to be instead of the one my mind insists I need to be. Sometimes it’s hard to remember when I’m lost in the “typical day,” but it’s always good to take a breath.

Hitting the Feels

If you have been a long-time reader, you probably know my young adult books are clean and age-appropriate. Still, sometimes I like to tackle difficult life situations like death, divorce, bullying, and the like. I try to write these topics sensitively, so the reader feels encouraged and empowered. That can be difficult in a world where people are inundated with terrible news almost hourly.

When I started writing The Demolition Trilogy, I wanted to bring light to America’s broken foster care system. I wanted to show how difficult it is for children stuck in a system of rotating doors, rejection, and confusion. Of course, there are thousands of happy adoption and fostering stories every day, but there are cases that slip so far through the cracks, the children are left homeless and destroyed.

In The Demolition Project, I set out to tell one of those hopeless stories. Charlotte is so broken she’s determined to bring down anyone who has it better, even if it means losing herself in the process. Much of the research for this story came through interviews with foster families and social workers who have seen their fair share of sad cases.

In The Demolition Daze, Simon is faced with planning his future when he’s not even sure he’ll have a place to live once he turns eighteen and ages out of the system. I also wanted to illustrate the dichotomy of the rich kid, poor kid. Simon discovers the hard way that even money can’t fix your problems.

And in the final book, The Demolition Realization, I wanted to show a bully’s redemption arc. I actually wrote this book years ago as a stand-alone novel but realized it worked well with the themes from The Demolition series. Wyatt is a bully, maybe not the worst ever, but certainly, he is a jerk who doesn’t deserve much sympathy. As usual, there is more to his story, deep-seated pain that drives his behavior, however brutal it may be.

So, why write books that make people cry? Why illustrate the worst parts of human nature? It’s important. At least, I think it is. How can we be kind and help people if we don’t understand them? How can we grow as humans if we don’t ponder and evaluate the human condition, human nature, and the massive influence of society?

Last week I spoke about how The Yellow Note helped some of my readers overcome depression (or got the ball rolling, at least), and this series is no different. In fact, I received even more messages about Charlotte’s story than I did The Yellow Note. Charlotte was a lot to handle, a big pill to swallow, but she had a thread of sympathy that reminded people to seek the best in each other, especially when you don’t know the driving force behind someone’s behavior.

In short, kindness, my friends, is what I’m looking for. And I hope you find just a little in my books.

Book Review: XOXO, Olivia by Ginger Li

Who doesn’t love a good fake dating turned real dating turned a hot mess in a skinny minute? Ginger Li is a master in young adult romance with swoony guys and ladies I would have paid good money to have as friends back in high school. In fact, that’s what I love most about the East Beach High series so far—the friendships. The ladies are supportive and intuitive, even when the boys are a little dense on the pick-up. But the boys aren’t numbskulls or doofuses either!

XOXO, Olivia is no exception. Olivia and her sister, Quinn, are kinda tired of living under their successful mother’s thumb, and I found myself cheering for them when they told her so. But as a mom, I also sort of understand where their mother came from. It was a conundrum for me, but strictly from a young adult standpoint, I was definitely on team “please let your kids learn to fly on their own.”

Micah and Olivia have a natural chemistry that expresses well on the page. I found myself “awing” in almost every chapter. I love it when the crushes are mutual, but neither is sure about the other, even when it couldn’t be more obvious.

Then there is the rich girl, poor boy situation. I’m always hesitant with this trope because the rich kid is often painted as a jerk, and the poor kid is forced to find the good in the rich kid. Not so with this sweet story. There’s much more beneath the surface and a lot to learn about how we judge others.

Overall, the book was sweet, fun, and a great read. Clean and uplifting, this is one I would recommend to any teenager.

You can find the East Beach High series here!

Where it All Began

Any author will tell you their early writing was a written example of the Black Plague. Truly. My earliest work is cringy at best, horrific at worst, and whenever I think about what I willingly showed the world… I die a little inside.

The first book I ever published was The Yellow Note. It was first posted to Wattpad, where it raked in over three million reads and over fifty thousand comments (those who know the platform know those stats are decent for a first-time writer.) I was so proud of that little story, but over time I realized the writing was sub-par, some of the characters were flat, and the story arc was more than unrealistic. I have since rewritten a little, edited a lot, and published an edition that is cleaner and significantly better than the original.

But here’s the thing… as cringy as that first draft was, I’m still proud of it. I wrote it while grieving the death of a friend, overcoming post-partum depression, and learning how to write engaging stories. All of this combined with the realization (several years later) that God had called me to do this writing thing with all my heart and soul… and yeah… I still love this silly little story.

Then there’s that other thing… the people who love it even though it isn’t perfect. I made some friends who still follow me and talk with me regularly. I influenced people. I received so many messages on Wattpad about how much the book made people smile or laugh or brought them out of depression. That’s the part that always makes me so grateful. Depression? My book? I can’t believe that my book was their lifeline, the thing that made them smile and try just a little longer because, honestly, it was my lifeline, too.

I think every author dreams of touching people that way. Even if I never write another book that hits the same way, I will always have The Yellow Note and those fond memories.

In celebration of seven years as a published writer, I have decided to release a special edition of The Yellow Note. It will be hardcover only with an original cover and new formatting. It will include all of the bonus material from Wattpad along with a BRAND NEW bonus chapter. I will also make signed copies available for those who would like one. If you don’t follow me on Instagram, now is a great time to start. I will post all the information about the special edition release there. I can’t wait to share this new edition with you all!