V IS FOR VOICE

Continuing with the Author ABCs...

So, voice. Really, it is my most favorite thing as a reader AND writer. And it's sort of difficult to describe -- it's kind of like the "it" factor Simon Cowell talks about on American Idol. When a book's got it, you know it. But it's sort of hard to say what IT is or how it came to be there in the first place.

All I know is that it's essential. And in my experience, you recognize it instantly. Like with the first draft of LEAVING GEE'S BEND, when I deci...