Margo Kelly's Blog, page 7
January 8, 2020
IWSG: What Started Your Writing Journey?
Every month, the Insecure Writer's Support Group announces a question that members can answer in a blog post. These questions may prompt advice, insight, a personal experience, or story. Join the journey by visiting the IWSG website!
(DUE TO NEW YEAR'S DAY FALLING ON A WEDNESDAY, IWSG WILL POST JANUARY 8 RATHER THAN JANUARY 1.)
January's Question: What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?
My Answer: I read a lot as a kid, everything from Judy Blume’s sweet books for kids to Raymond Chandler’s murder mysteries for adults. Chandler’s gritty stories were what spurred my creative energy. As a kid, I pulled out the dusty typewriter and plunked out my first novel (unfinished around twenty pages) . . . a suspenseful murder mystery, of course. Plus, I feel like I’m the most curious person in the world, always wanting to ask: Why? How? When? Where? Who? I crave to know more about everything. Reading provides avenues to learn more through someone else’s experience and retelling. Writing provides a different method to learn more, because I am the one researching topics, exploring and learning, and then retelling it for others to then experience through their reading of the story.
What about you? What started you on your writing journey?
(DUE TO NEW YEAR'S DAY FALLING ON A WEDNESDAY, IWSG WILL POST JANUARY 8 RATHER THAN JANUARY 1.)
January's Question: What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?
My Answer: I read a lot as a kid, everything from Judy Blume’s sweet books for kids to Raymond Chandler’s murder mysteries for adults. Chandler’s gritty stories were what spurred my creative energy. As a kid, I pulled out the dusty typewriter and plunked out my first novel (unfinished around twenty pages) . . . a suspenseful murder mystery, of course. Plus, I feel like I’m the most curious person in the world, always wanting to ask: Why? How? When? Where? Who? I crave to know more about everything. Reading provides avenues to learn more through someone else’s experience and retelling. Writing provides a different method to learn more, because I am the one researching topics, exploring and learning, and then retelling it for others to then experience through their reading of the story.
What about you? What started you on your writing journey?
December 4, 2019
IWSG: Future Self
December's Question: Let's play a game. Imagine. Role-play. How would you describe your future writer self, your life and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream? Or if you are already there, what does it look and feel like? Tell the rest of us. What would you change or improve?
My Answer: Wow. What a question! Honestly, my knee-jerk reaction to this question is I hope to have contentment, but then I immediately know that when I feel content, I don't strive as hard for improvement. So . . . to describe my future writer self . . . I hope to constantly be striving to improve my skills as a writer and as a story teller while enjoying the fruits of my labors. "Fruits" being conversations with readers, visits to schools, talking with book clubs, books under contract, waking up each morning excited to write a new scene . . .
The future is bright!
What about you? What does your future look like while you're "living the dream"?
November 18, 2019
Book Review: DAY ZERO by Kelly deVos
Oh, I love thrillers, and I love novels written for the young adult audience! So when I was offered a copy of DAY ZERO to read, I jumped at the opportunity! Scroll down for my complete review.
DAY ZERO
Author: Kelly deVos
ISBN: 978-1335008480
Publication Date: 11/12/19
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Description from the Publisher
Don’t miss the exhilarating new novel from the author of Fat Girl on a Plane, featuring a fierce, bold heroine who will fight for her family and do whatever it takes to survive. Fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It series and Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave series will
cheer for this fast-paced, near-future thrill ride. If you’re going through hell…keep going. Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga, and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby. But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos. In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?
About the Author
KELLY DEVOS is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the "50 Best Summer Reads of All Time" by Reader's Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins. Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
Twitter: @kdevosauthor
Facebook: @kellydevosbooks
Instagram: @kellydevos
My Review
In DAY ZERO, Kelly deVos brings us a political doomsday thriller jam packed with explosive action, plot twists, and unique settings.
At first, I was concerned that the story was going to sink too heavily into a political commentary, but once the action started, deVos deftly balanced out the politics with the additional plot elements. And honestly, such is the nature of a political thriller: a story involving political corruption, terrorism, and warfare while two opposing forces fight for control of the system. The tricky part here was the story is targeted at the young adult audience. So while the main character was a teenage girl, many of the decisions and resolutions in the plot line were made by adults.
The beginning of the story contained quite a bit of set-up, but around the twenty-percent mark, the story started moving at a nice clip and constant adventure and action filled the pages.
I love a story that surprises me, and DAY ZERO offered plenty of plot twists—clear up to the final pages—keeping me engaged and wondering what would happen next.
Strong writing stood out in the action scenes while shorter sentences spattered the slower scenes, such as: “I force down mouthfuls of cheese pizza. The slice is cold and clammy. The cheese tastes like plastic.”
There were many passages of writing that I absolutely loved. Some of my favorites included:
“Next to the register, a stack of plastic dancing turkey figurines shake in unison from side to side. This is going to be the last thing I see. My last moments on earth will be spent thinking Gobble till you wobble.”
“A tall, grimly thin, gray-haired man emerges from a small room at the back. His hair shoots out in every direction, and he’s dressed in overalls so dirty that I was probably a small child the last time anyone washed them.”
“Everyone has a mother.”
“There’s no upside to being the daughter of the devil.”
“She thinks if she doesn’t pick any battles, there’s no way she can lose.”
“A zero-day exploit is a piece of malware that’s been hanging around for a while. Day Zero is the moment when the user becomes aware that they’re screwed. It’s usually the start of something. Something terrible.”
Final verdict: If you enjoy action, adventure, doomsday plots, and/or political thrillers, DAY ZERO by Kelly deVos is a book for you!
[I received this book for free from the publisher via Net Galley. This did not influence my opinion.]
DAY ZEROAuthor: Kelly deVos
ISBN: 978-1335008480
Publication Date: 11/12/19
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Description from the Publisher
Don’t miss the exhilarating new novel from the author of Fat Girl on a Plane, featuring a fierce, bold heroine who will fight for her family and do whatever it takes to survive. Fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It series and Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave series will
cheer for this fast-paced, near-future thrill ride. If you’re going through hell…keep going. Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga, and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby. But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos. In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?
About the Author
KELLY DEVOS is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the "50 Best Summer Reads of All Time" by Reader's Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins. Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
Twitter: @kdevosauthor
Facebook: @kellydevosbooks
Instagram: @kellydevos
My Review
In DAY ZERO, Kelly deVos brings us a political doomsday thriller jam packed with explosive action, plot twists, and unique settings.
At first, I was concerned that the story was going to sink too heavily into a political commentary, but once the action started, deVos deftly balanced out the politics with the additional plot elements. And honestly, such is the nature of a political thriller: a story involving political corruption, terrorism, and warfare while two opposing forces fight for control of the system. The tricky part here was the story is targeted at the young adult audience. So while the main character was a teenage girl, many of the decisions and resolutions in the plot line were made by adults.
The beginning of the story contained quite a bit of set-up, but around the twenty-percent mark, the story started moving at a nice clip and constant adventure and action filled the pages.
I love a story that surprises me, and DAY ZERO offered plenty of plot twists—clear up to the final pages—keeping me engaged and wondering what would happen next.
Strong writing stood out in the action scenes while shorter sentences spattered the slower scenes, such as: “I force down mouthfuls of cheese pizza. The slice is cold and clammy. The cheese tastes like plastic.”
There were many passages of writing that I absolutely loved. Some of my favorites included:
“Next to the register, a stack of plastic dancing turkey figurines shake in unison from side to side. This is going to be the last thing I see. My last moments on earth will be spent thinking Gobble till you wobble.”
“A tall, grimly thin, gray-haired man emerges from a small room at the back. His hair shoots out in every direction, and he’s dressed in overalls so dirty that I was probably a small child the last time anyone washed them.”
“Everyone has a mother.”
“There’s no upside to being the daughter of the devil.”
“She thinks if she doesn’t pick any battles, there’s no way she can lose.”
“A zero-day exploit is a piece of malware that’s been hanging around for a while. Day Zero is the moment when the user becomes aware that they’re screwed. It’s usually the start of something. Something terrible.”
Final verdict: If you enjoy action, adventure, doomsday plots, and/or political thrillers, DAY ZERO by Kelly deVos is a book for you!
[I received this book for free from the publisher via Net Galley. This did not influence my opinion.]
November 6, 2019
IWSG: Google Searches
A new month, a new Wednesday, a new question posed . . . this all must mean . . .
"The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!"
This Month's Question: What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?
My Answer: Whelp. I've googled a lot of strange things. But the strangest? . . . Hmm . . . When I researched occult topics for my novel, Unlocked, my search history filled up quickly with obscure and unusual tidbits. And when I wrote Who R U Really?, I became fascinated with the Japanese folklore of kitsune - the shapeshifting fox. Lately, my search history has involved topics of a more violent nature, because . . . well . . . research for my work-in-progress. We writers often joke that our search histories could get us in trouble if ever checked by law enforcement. I figure as long as we don't break any laws, we'll be fine. Right?! *fingers crossed* Could you imagine how hard it was fifty years ago to do all this research without the internet, before Google? We live in an amazing time.
How about you? What's the strangest thing you've googled?
"The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!"
This Month's Question: What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?
My Answer: Whelp. I've googled a lot of strange things. But the strangest? . . . Hmm . . . When I researched occult topics for my novel, Unlocked, my search history filled up quickly with obscure and unusual tidbits. And when I wrote Who R U Really?, I became fascinated with the Japanese folklore of kitsune - the shapeshifting fox. Lately, my search history has involved topics of a more violent nature, because . . . well . . . research for my work-in-progress. We writers often joke that our search histories could get us in trouble if ever checked by law enforcement. I figure as long as we don't break any laws, we'll be fine. Right?! *fingers crossed* Could you imagine how hard it was fifty years ago to do all this research without the internet, before Google? We live in an amazing time.
How about you? What's the strangest thing you've googled?
November 1, 2019
Book Review: BOUND BY HIS WORD by Christi Corbett
Oh, boy, oh, boy! Historical romance is not normally my go-to genre, but this book was SO good! Scroll on down for my complete review.
BOUND BY HIS WORD
by Christi Corbett
November 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1702340274
Description from Publisher:
As he held his dying best friend in his arms, Luke Higgins made a promise—to return a locket to the man’s wife. He arrives to find a proud yet exhausted woman, struggling to run the town’s sole restaurant while raising her young son. Luke hires on as her cook, figuring he’ll stick around long enough to help her regain her footing, then hand over the locket and leave. Months later, with guilt gnawing on him worse than any of the injuries he sustained in battle, Luke finds himself falling for his best friend’s widow. Molly Fulton is intrigued by the handsome stranger whose willingness to work brings her much-needed funds, and something more precious than money—time with her son. She ponders a life with him as more than just her cook, until her son stumbles across a long-lost treasure hidden in Luke’s coat pocket. Can Molly forgive the man who entered her life because of a promise, but stayed because of a lie?
About the Author:
Christi Corbett, winner of the 2014 RONE Award for Best American Historical novel and the 2014 Laramie Award (First in Category for Pioneer/Prairie fiction), lives in a small town in Oregon with her husband and their twin children. The home's location holds a special place in her writing life; it stands just six hundred feet from the original Applegate Trail and the view from her back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond.
Christi loves to hear from readers! Connect with her via email at christicorbett@gmail.com
Find out the latest book news and check out fun contests via her Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/Christi-Corb...
On Twitter at @ChristiCorbett
On Instagram at @ChristiCorbett
My Review:
Christi Corbett has written another captivating book, BOUND BY HIS WORD.
Corbett has a talent for painting a picture of the past and pulling the reader into the story, and BOUND BY HIS WORD does not disappoint! Corbett has developed dynamic characters with threads of love and determination connecting each of them. I gobbled up the prose, wanting to find out what would happen next, and it is such a satisfying read.
Whether you're a fan of historical romance or not, I highly recommend BOUND BY HIS WORD. Also, while this is book three in a series, you can read this one as a stand alone story and completely understand everything that happens within the pages.
[I received an early copy of this book for free from the author. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
BOUND BY HIS WORDby Christi Corbett
November 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1702340274
Description from Publisher:
As he held his dying best friend in his arms, Luke Higgins made a promise—to return a locket to the man’s wife. He arrives to find a proud yet exhausted woman, struggling to run the town’s sole restaurant while raising her young son. Luke hires on as her cook, figuring he’ll stick around long enough to help her regain her footing, then hand over the locket and leave. Months later, with guilt gnawing on him worse than any of the injuries he sustained in battle, Luke finds himself falling for his best friend’s widow. Molly Fulton is intrigued by the handsome stranger whose willingness to work brings her much-needed funds, and something more precious than money—time with her son. She ponders a life with him as more than just her cook, until her son stumbles across a long-lost treasure hidden in Luke’s coat pocket. Can Molly forgive the man who entered her life because of a promise, but stayed because of a lie?
About the Author:
Christi Corbett, winner of the 2014 RONE Award for Best American Historical novel and the 2014 Laramie Award (First in Category for Pioneer/Prairie fiction), lives in a small town in Oregon with her husband and their twin children. The home's location holds a special place in her writing life; it stands just six hundred feet from the original Applegate Trail and the view from her back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond.
Christi loves to hear from readers! Connect with her via email at christicorbett@gmail.com
Find out the latest book news and check out fun contests via her Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/Christi-Corb...
On Twitter at @ChristiCorbett
On Instagram at @ChristiCorbett
My Review:
Christi Corbett has written another captivating book, BOUND BY HIS WORD.
Corbett has a talent for painting a picture of the past and pulling the reader into the story, and BOUND BY HIS WORD does not disappoint! Corbett has developed dynamic characters with threads of love and determination connecting each of them. I gobbled up the prose, wanting to find out what would happen next, and it is such a satisfying read.
Whether you're a fan of historical romance or not, I highly recommend BOUND BY HIS WORD. Also, while this is book three in a series, you can read this one as a stand alone story and completely understand everything that happens within the pages.
[I received an early copy of this book for free from the author. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
October 31, 2019
Book Review: THE HIVE by Barry Lyga & Morgan Baden
As a huge Barry Lyga fan, I was thrilled when I read the description for his newest book, THE HIVE, and I jumped at the opportunity to read it. Scroll down for my complete review.
THE HIVE
by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden
September 3, 2019 (Kids Can Press)
ISBN: 978-1525300608
Description from the Publisher:
Cassie McKinney has always believed in the Hive.
Social media used to be out of control, after all. People were torn apart by trolls and doxxers. Even hackers - like Cassie's dad - were powerless against it. But then the Hive came. A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many "condemns," and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal.
Entering her senior year of high school, filled with grief over an unexpected loss, Cassie is primed to lash out. Egged on by new friends, she makes an edgy joke online. Cassie doubts anyone will notice. But the Hive notices everything. And as her viral comment whips an entire country into a frenzy, the Hive demands retribution. One moment Cassie is anonymous; the next, she's infamous. And running for her life. With nowhere to turn, she must learn to rely on herself - and a group of Hive outcasts who may not be reliable - as she slowly uncovers the truth about the machine behind the Hive.
New York Times bestselling authors Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden have teamed up for the first time to create a novel that's gripping, terrifying and more relevant every day, based on a story proposal by Jennifer Beals and Tom Jacobson.
About the Author:
Barry Lyga is a recovering comic book geek. According to Kirkus, he's also a "YA rebel-author." Somehow, the two just don't seem to go together to him. When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn't you? The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. The Hive is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
My Review:
As a huge Barry Lyga fan, I was thrilled when I read the description for his newest book, THE HIVE. “A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many ‘condemns,’ and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal.” Sounded great! But the writing didn’t quite live up to the expectations I’d formed based on his other books.
Here are a few of the issues I ran into:
1. Mom’s point-of-view takes up quite a bit of space in the story. An adult POV is usually not found in a novel targeted at the young adult audience. I found it jarring, didactic, and hard to buy into.
2. Naming of emotions, constantly telling rather than showing, pulled me out of the story world. For example, “Rachel shook her head tersely, fatigue and anger radiating from her in nearly visible waves. … Annoyance was overtaken by a jolt of worry.”
3. Archaic patriarchal ideals can be found throughout. For example, “Why hadn’t Harlon prepared her?” and “She regretted not putting on lipstick,” and “Bryce was a Norse god … What good would her puny mortal muscles do?” AND this one seriously made me want to quit reading: “I hope whoever finds her RAPES HER FIRST. Teach that bitch to open her mouth.”
4. There was such an overwhelming sense of meanness that came through the pages of this story. I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but I felt like I needed a shower after reading.
5. Cassie’s spite for her mother seemed off base and unmotivated. “The world was crazy, but not so crazy that her mom could actually be right.”
Nearly every time I was tempted to quit reading, Lyga reminded me why I enjoyed his previous books with a lines like these:
“Anytime someone is lambasted in the press without a trial, there are the Romans, feeding victims to the lions for sport. For fun.”
“They clambered up a ladder, then used balconies and fire escapes to zigzag their way up another story … When she dared glance around, her stomach heaved; down below, more lights flashed but the sounds of the city were muted, drowned out by wind and her own heavy breathing.”
“She breathed a silent prayer … then tap-tapped her way down the sidewalk. To her surprise and delight, it worked. A guy in his thirties even offered to help her cross the street when the light changed.”
“A graphic filling the screen … a complicated skein of digital silk, thousands of strands spun out from the center …”
Final takeaway: I’m a fan of Lyga’s I HUNT KILLERS, and I can easily recommend that series.
[I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
THE HIVEby Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden
September 3, 2019 (Kids Can Press)
ISBN: 978-1525300608
Description from the Publisher:
Cassie McKinney has always believed in the Hive.
Social media used to be out of control, after all. People were torn apart by trolls and doxxers. Even hackers - like Cassie's dad - were powerless against it. But then the Hive came. A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many "condemns," and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal.
Entering her senior year of high school, filled with grief over an unexpected loss, Cassie is primed to lash out. Egged on by new friends, she makes an edgy joke online. Cassie doubts anyone will notice. But the Hive notices everything. And as her viral comment whips an entire country into a frenzy, the Hive demands retribution. One moment Cassie is anonymous; the next, she's infamous. And running for her life. With nowhere to turn, she must learn to rely on herself - and a group of Hive outcasts who may not be reliable - as she slowly uncovers the truth about the machine behind the Hive.
New York Times bestselling authors Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden have teamed up for the first time to create a novel that's gripping, terrifying and more relevant every day, based on a story proposal by Jennifer Beals and Tom Jacobson.
About the Author:
Barry Lyga is a recovering comic book geek. According to Kirkus, he's also a "YA rebel-author." Somehow, the two just don't seem to go together to him. When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn't you? The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. The Hive is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
My Review:
As a huge Barry Lyga fan, I was thrilled when I read the description for his newest book, THE HIVE. “A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many ‘condemns,’ and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal.” Sounded great! But the writing didn’t quite live up to the expectations I’d formed based on his other books.
Here are a few of the issues I ran into:
1. Mom’s point-of-view takes up quite a bit of space in the story. An adult POV is usually not found in a novel targeted at the young adult audience. I found it jarring, didactic, and hard to buy into.
2. Naming of emotions, constantly telling rather than showing, pulled me out of the story world. For example, “Rachel shook her head tersely, fatigue and anger radiating from her in nearly visible waves. … Annoyance was overtaken by a jolt of worry.”
3. Archaic patriarchal ideals can be found throughout. For example, “Why hadn’t Harlon prepared her?” and “She regretted not putting on lipstick,” and “Bryce was a Norse god … What good would her puny mortal muscles do?” AND this one seriously made me want to quit reading: “I hope whoever finds her RAPES HER FIRST. Teach that bitch to open her mouth.”
4. There was such an overwhelming sense of meanness that came through the pages of this story. I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but I felt like I needed a shower after reading.
5. Cassie’s spite for her mother seemed off base and unmotivated. “The world was crazy, but not so crazy that her mom could actually be right.”
Nearly every time I was tempted to quit reading, Lyga reminded me why I enjoyed his previous books with a lines like these:
“Anytime someone is lambasted in the press without a trial, there are the Romans, feeding victims to the lions for sport. For fun.”
“They clambered up a ladder, then used balconies and fire escapes to zigzag their way up another story … When she dared glance around, her stomach heaved; down below, more lights flashed but the sounds of the city were muted, drowned out by wind and her own heavy breathing.”
“She breathed a silent prayer … then tap-tapped her way down the sidewalk. To her surprise and delight, it worked. A guy in his thirties even offered to help her cross the street when the light changed.”
“A graphic filling the screen … a complicated skein of digital silk, thousands of strands spun out from the center …”
Final takeaway: I’m a fan of Lyga’s I HUNT KILLERS, and I can easily recommend that series.
[I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
October 2, 2019
Insecure Writer's Support Group
The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day.
From the group's website:
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
...
Today, I share with you a few of my favorite writing quotes to encourage and inspire you:
From the group's website:
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
...
Today, I share with you a few of my favorite writing quotes to encourage and inspire you:
September 12, 2019
Book Review: HEROINE by Mindy McGinnis
I've read most of Mindy McGinnis's books, and this one did not disappoint. Scroll down for my complete review.
HEROINE
by Mindy McGinnis
March 12, 2019 (Katherine Tegen Books)
ISBN: 978-0062847195
Description from the Publisher:
An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis—the deadliest drug epidemic in American history—through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.
When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there.
The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.
With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.
But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.
About the Author:
Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us.
My Review:
I often avoid "issue" books, because I don't want to feel sad, depressed, or hopeless due to the significant trials the main character must overcome. Funnily enough, I'd much rather read a horror or thriller. What does that say about me?
But . . . as a fan of Mindy McGinnis, I wanted to read this book for two reasons: 1) She wrote it, and 2) the opioid crisis is an epidemic in our country.
In case you were confused about the spelling of the book's title . . .
heroine means: "a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities ... and/or ... the chief female character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize."
heroin means: "a highly addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used illicitly as a narcotic producing euphoria. ... from Latin heros ‘hero’ (because of its effects on the user's self-esteem)."
her means: "used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a female person previously mentioned."
(definitions from Oxford)
The cover is SO PERFECT for this story. The main character starts out as such a heroine - the girl admired and idealized for her outstanding achievements and promising future. Then she's injured and needs pain medicine to help her recover. And then . . . we are up close and personal to watch her journey into heroin use. Then who is she? Someone "her" friends used to know, someone "previously mentioned."
In HEROINE, Mindy McGinnis sheds light on an epidemic that is happening on a daily basis in many, if not most, neighborhoods across our country. The people addicted to these drugs are not scary-looking creeps hanging out in darkened alleyways. Addicts are our neighbors, our friends, our family . . . people we admire, people we love, people we associate with, and people who are keeping a deadly secret, often suffering alone.
HEROINE shows step-by-step how someone becomes addicted--the needs, cravings, wants, and lies.
This story is very gritty with language and details, but I still highly recommend it, unless you're a recovering addict. I would imagine this story would be triggering for anyone with substance addiction concerns. The narration goes into detail about the entire process. It is eye-opening and heart-breaking. If you've never had addiction issues, you'll be left with a better understanding of the epidemic and with more empathy for those involved.
HEROINEby Mindy McGinnis
March 12, 2019 (Katherine Tegen Books)
ISBN: 978-0062847195
Description from the Publisher:
An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis—the deadliest drug epidemic in American history—through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.
When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there.
The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.
With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.
But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.
About the Author:
Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy. While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us.
My Review:
I often avoid "issue" books, because I don't want to feel sad, depressed, or hopeless due to the significant trials the main character must overcome. Funnily enough, I'd much rather read a horror or thriller. What does that say about me?
But . . . as a fan of Mindy McGinnis, I wanted to read this book for two reasons: 1) She wrote it, and 2) the opioid crisis is an epidemic in our country.
In case you were confused about the spelling of the book's title . . .
heroine means: "a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities ... and/or ... the chief female character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize."
heroin means: "a highly addictive analgesic drug derived from morphine, often used illicitly as a narcotic producing euphoria. ... from Latin heros ‘hero’ (because of its effects on the user's self-esteem)."
her means: "used as the object of a verb or preposition to refer to a female person previously mentioned."
(definitions from Oxford)
The cover is SO PERFECT for this story. The main character starts out as such a heroine - the girl admired and idealized for her outstanding achievements and promising future. Then she's injured and needs pain medicine to help her recover. And then . . . we are up close and personal to watch her journey into heroin use. Then who is she? Someone "her" friends used to know, someone "previously mentioned."
In HEROINE, Mindy McGinnis sheds light on an epidemic that is happening on a daily basis in many, if not most, neighborhoods across our country. The people addicted to these drugs are not scary-looking creeps hanging out in darkened alleyways. Addicts are our neighbors, our friends, our family . . . people we admire, people we love, people we associate with, and people who are keeping a deadly secret, often suffering alone.
HEROINE shows step-by-step how someone becomes addicted--the needs, cravings, wants, and lies.
This story is very gritty with language and details, but I still highly recommend it, unless you're a recovering addict. I would imagine this story would be triggering for anyone with substance addiction concerns. The narration goes into detail about the entire process. It is eye-opening and heart-breaking. If you've never had addiction issues, you'll be left with a better understanding of the epidemic and with more empathy for those involved.
September 11, 2019
Spread Kindness
September 11th is infused with historical sadness. So on this day, let's spread kindness, even if only smiling at a cashier, saying hello to a stranger, or letting a driver cut in on the freeway.
Share a bit of joy with someone, anyone, today.
Share a bit of joy with someone, anyone, today.
September 10, 2019
Book Review: THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION by Donald Maass
Having devoured two other books written by Donald Maass, I was thrilled to finally read THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION. (I was also quite pleased to read it while lounging in my hammock up in the mountains, finding it fascinating how the book's cover went so well with nature's surrounding trees.) Scroll on down for my complete review of the book.
THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION
by Donald Maass
December 30, 2016 (Writer's Digest Books)
ISBN: 978-1440348372
Description from the Publisher:
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you.
That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers. Topics covered include:
emotional modes of writingbeyond showing versus tellingyour story's emotional worldmoral stakesconnecting the inner and outer journeysplot as emotional opportunitiesinvoking higher emotions, symbols, and emotional languagecascading changestory as emotional mirrorpositive spirit and magnanimous writingthe hidden current that makes stories move
Readers can simply read a novel...or they can experience it. The Emotional Craft of Fiction shows you how to make that happen.
About the Author:
Donald Maass is the author of more than 16 novels. He now works as a literary agent, representing dozens of novelists in the SF, fantasy, crime, mystery, romance and thriller categories. He speaks at writer's conferences throughout the country and lives in New York City.
My Review:
If you're wanting to improve your skills as a writer, read books written by Donald Maass.
One of the elements I love best about his books is when he includes exercises to put principles into practice. In THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION, these "exercises" are each titled "Emotional Mastery." There are 34 different ones throughout the book, and there is even a checklist in the back of the book to mark your progress completing the exercises.
Within "Emotional Mastery 8: The Meaning of Everything" Maass writes: "Choose some dry information that must be imparted for your story to make sense. Who has this knowledge? How does that character see these facts as no one else does? ... What is good, bad, worrisome, reassuring, or in some other way revealing about these facts? What does your character love or hate about what these facts are saying? What would she change about this information if possible? What would he change about himself? ... Don't be afraid of slowing the pace. When you deepen the meaning of things, no one will complain" (page 67).
An additional highlight of this book is the chapter at the end: "The Writer's Emotional Journey." While I loved the entire book, this chapter had me nodding my head and saying, "Yes."
Maass writes: "Many fiction writers do not feel worthy of their calling. ... When writers approach their craft that way, it shows. You can sense when fiction is masking cynicism or anger. ... The spirit that you bring to your writing desk either infects your pages or enlivens them. ... How you feel inside is how we will feel in reading. ... In some ways the most important work you do in writing your novel is the work you do on yourself. ... your fundamental outlook, your positive spirit, your embrace of goodness, your faith in humanity. It shows in ... granting strength to your characters and filling their hearts with expectation" (pages 177-178).
I could continue to quote passages and sing the praises of this book, or I could simply say: Go read this book if you want to improve your skills as a writer. Oh, wait, that's how I started this review! Go. Now. Read. Practice. Improve. And ...
Enjoy the gift of being called a writer.
THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTIONby Donald Maass
December 30, 2016 (Writer's Digest Books)
ISBN: 978-1440348372
Description from the Publisher:
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you.
That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers. Topics covered include:
emotional modes of writingbeyond showing versus tellingyour story's emotional worldmoral stakesconnecting the inner and outer journeysplot as emotional opportunitiesinvoking higher emotions, symbols, and emotional languagecascading changestory as emotional mirrorpositive spirit and magnanimous writingthe hidden current that makes stories move
Readers can simply read a novel...or they can experience it. The Emotional Craft of Fiction shows you how to make that happen.
About the Author:
Donald Maass is the author of more than 16 novels. He now works as a literary agent, representing dozens of novelists in the SF, fantasy, crime, mystery, romance and thriller categories. He speaks at writer's conferences throughout the country and lives in New York City.
My Review:
If you're wanting to improve your skills as a writer, read books written by Donald Maass.
One of the elements I love best about his books is when he includes exercises to put principles into practice. In THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION, these "exercises" are each titled "Emotional Mastery." There are 34 different ones throughout the book, and there is even a checklist in the back of the book to mark your progress completing the exercises.
Within "Emotional Mastery 8: The Meaning of Everything" Maass writes: "Choose some dry information that must be imparted for your story to make sense. Who has this knowledge? How does that character see these facts as no one else does? ... What is good, bad, worrisome, reassuring, or in some other way revealing about these facts? What does your character love or hate about what these facts are saying? What would she change about this information if possible? What would he change about himself? ... Don't be afraid of slowing the pace. When you deepen the meaning of things, no one will complain" (page 67).
An additional highlight of this book is the chapter at the end: "The Writer's Emotional Journey." While I loved the entire book, this chapter had me nodding my head and saying, "Yes."
Maass writes: "Many fiction writers do not feel worthy of their calling. ... When writers approach their craft that way, it shows. You can sense when fiction is masking cynicism or anger. ... The spirit that you bring to your writing desk either infects your pages or enlivens them. ... How you feel inside is how we will feel in reading. ... In some ways the most important work you do in writing your novel is the work you do on yourself. ... your fundamental outlook, your positive spirit, your embrace of goodness, your faith in humanity. It shows in ... granting strength to your characters and filling their hearts with expectation" (pages 177-178).
I could continue to quote passages and sing the praises of this book, or I could simply say: Go read this book if you want to improve your skills as a writer. Oh, wait, that's how I started this review! Go. Now. Read. Practice. Improve. And ...
Enjoy the gift of being called a writer.
