Kate Willis's Blog, page 83

A Roundup of Amazing Blog Posts

Today is roundup day!

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Oh, wait. Sorry, not that kind.

Book Review: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

[image error]“The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.” (from Goodreads)

My mom just finished reading this aloud to us all at my recommendation. Everyone from my dad to my youngest sister enjoyed our journey through the book. And I loved it just as much the second time around.

I loved all of the characters in this book. I never got confused about which kid was which (except for the first few chapters when I thought the dog, Franz, was one of the kids :P). They were all unique with their own goals no matter how small but similar enough to all be from the same family. Their sibling dynamics, fun traditions (like the Roof of Epic Proportions and the Christmas tree lot), and personalities reminded me very much of my own family, down to Oliver, the only brother who sleeps in a walk-in closet turned bedroom.

I’ve Been Tagged and Tagged Again

Hey, y’all! Today I thought I might catch up on some of the lovely tags you all have given me.

7 MORE Books to Discover at Your Library

I have this problem. It’s called Shiny Library Book Syndrome. Scientifically speaking, it means I am drawn to the new releases displayed so I can see their covers. Unless my handy-dandy Goodreads friends have read advanced reader copies of the new releases, I usually don’t have much to go on when I check the book out. And, although it’s a big bag of books I bring home (like last week’s), can be a pretty mixed bag. Some books will be treasures, others will be sent back unread because of their negative content.

Last year, I wrote a blog post that was sort of a mini guide to what’s cool at the library, sharing old and new favorites. Thanks to interlibrary loans and some libraries that will purchase books upon request (O.o.

Short Story Review: The Notes in Our Hearts

[image error]Two generations, one song… (from Goodreads)

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Since there isn’t much of a blurb for this short story, I went into it pretty blind. And I loved it.

Leftover Book Stock Time!

Does your family have “leftover day”? Like where you go through the fridge and either score the last hamburger or end up with beans and bananas and existential dread?

I promise this leftover day on my blog will be better than that because I have leftover book stock from the convention! I’m offering signed copies at the convention discount (+shipping). There are even some scratch and dent copies too.

Dueling Book Stacks

I have two book stacks calling to me right now. The books behind me, and the books before me… It’s really the best terrible situation to be in.

The Books Behind Me (a.k.a. My Review Stack)

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Ah, my lovely review stack! (The Kindle is representing two novels and a short story I read on it.) There have been some great reads here, and it makes me happy how many different genres/age groups they span.

Plate Update: Genetics, the Library, and Thunderstorms

July is a very hard month to sum up because it was so FULL. So I’m probably forgetting something.

Stories As Bridges

I was standing behind our display of beautiful leather briefcases propping up shiny, thick books. And after a day and a half of helping run the Generation Rising booth, I was running out of words and ways to explain my new novel.

“You wrote this?”

A nod.

“What is it about?”

Sometimes I just recycled the back cover blurb into an explanation. Other times, I focused on the only element of the story I could think of at the moment and did my best to explain it.

But when a family came and browsed through the books, and a mother asked me about my new novel Kiera, I decided to share the heart behind it.

I told her about the C.S. Lewis quote that inspired it all and how this concept played out in one of the main character’s relationships. But then I went on to share with her how this plotline exactly mirrored Kiera’s struggle with God.

The quote goes something like, “Love is not affectionate feeling but a steady wish for the ultimate good of the loved person as far as it can be obtained.”

As I told her that my main character goes through a time of great sorrow and has to struggle with God’s love for her and whether or not His plans for her are truly the best, I saw the tears rise in her eyes and felt them echo in my own.

That woman didn’t buy a book from me that day, and she most likely never will. But I got to share with her the heart behind what I’ve written. And I witnessed firsthand the power of stories to build bridges between people.

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What is one story you’ve shared with someone, and you’ve both connected over?

Allyson Kennedy Interview

I love discovering new authors, don’t you? Especially independent authors.