Kristi Helvig, YA Writer

Query Critique Winner of the Week

2012-02-22T22:10:00.001-07:00

The Random Number Generator picked #7, so congrats to KrysteyBelle! You win a query critique and I'll email you the instructions. Thanks to everyone who entered, and please enter next week if you didn't win today. :)

Wednesday Weekly Query Critique Giveaway

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Based on the huge response I had to the Query Critiques for All event during my "agent signing" celebration, I've decided to try out a new weekly feature. I've had multiple people contact me via Twitter or email who said they didn't have their query ready for the giveaway, but would love to have another chance, so here you go. For now, I'll call it the Wednesday Weekly Query Critique Giveaway but feel free to suggest a cooler name in the comments.

Why I'm Doing It:
1) Strange as it sounds, I love writing queries. Also, I've had enough feedback to know that I'm decent at it and can hopefully help others.

2) I want to provide a service to the "introvert" queriers out there who don't want their queries on a public forum. There are already several great sites where you can have your query critiqued publicly. Agent Janet Reid does an amazing job over at Query Shark. Seriously, it's a must read for potential queriers out there. On the writer front, the awesome Matthew MacNish over at QQQE does great critiques and gets a lot of community feedback as well. I highly recommend both sites for writers.

This giveaway is for people more comfortable with private critiques for whatever reason. I've done critiques for people who considered themselves "newbies" and weren't ready for a huge spotlight on them, as well as for someone who was seeking a new agent but didn't want to scream it to the world.

All writers face public scrutiny at some point, e.g. after their book is published, analysis of their twitter feed, etc. This is just an option to help writers get stronger before making that leap.

REMINDERS: Please read my prior post on Query Tips before entering. Also, as mentioned in my giveaway, I tend to be very direct and picky, but my goal is to get your query in the best shape possible. Finally, the query is only the first step--make sure the entire book is as good as the query before you hit "Send."

RULES:
Just leave a comment telling me you'd like to be entered in the giveaway and give your email address, using (at) and (com) as follows so the spam bots don't find you. NOTE: I think my comments problem on the blog is fixed, but please email me if there's an issue at kristi (at) kristihelvig (dot) com.

I will use a random number generator to pick one person who will receive a query critique through email. NOTE: If your query involves space monkeys, I might make an exception and do an extra critique!

Giving Your Characters A Little Perspective

2012-02-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I consider myself many things: writer, mother, small business owner, wife, dog lover, etc. One unexpected label I earned last week was World Class Laundry Folder (those who follow me on Twitter already know this--and that Carolina Valdez Miller is my long lost laundry twin). My 7-year-old son's teacher had assigned an essay in which they had to write about someone who was special to them and why that person was special. Though honored that my son chose me, I was floored when his teacher told me the reason why was my ability to fold "not one, but two loads of laundry at once." Seriously. She thought it was hilarious. Of all the things he could have picked, it wasn't my ability to whip up a mean man-n-cheese or my willingness to repeatedly lose to him in Wii Olympic Snowboarding (I don't try to lose by the way--I just suck at it). No, it was my folding expertise that awed him. I even asked, "You know mommy's a psychologist right, and that I help people." He responded, "Yeah, but you're really good at folding."

[NOTE: These are not my actual folded towels, because I can fold circles around whoever folded these.]
I realized that from his perspective, he's never seen me "be a psychologist" or interact with clients. He sees me, well, folding. I am going somewhere with this. Every person in your life has a slightly different perspective about you based on their own interactions with you, as well as their own 'personal lens' or way in which they view the world. How we see ourselves doesn't always match up with how other people see us. This can be tricky when writing, especially with first person POV. The writer must be able to convey how each character views the main character (MC) solely based on the dialogue and expressions of those other characters.

Unlike the MC in a first person POV, where we are literally 'inside their head', we don't know the thoughts of the secondary characters--only what they say and do. This isn't always a bad thing. For instance, it's a great way to add in conflict, such as when the MC misunderstands the actions or words of other characters and drama/comedy/murder ensues. However, it also demonstrates the need to understand each of your secondary characters really well before you get them down on virtual paper. The 'lens' of the best friend will be different than that of the potential love interest and the sworn frenemy, etc. You want each character to be three-dimensional and believable to the reader. In my last book, several people told me how much they loved one of the secondary characters--I loved him too, so it made me happy that others found him 'real.'

How do you make sure all of your secondary characters are three-dimensional? How do you give them unique perspective?

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some laundry to fold. Check back tomorrow when I'm starting a weekly query critique giveaway! :)

Favorite YA Romance

2012-02-14T07:55:00.001-07:00

Being that it's V-Day and all, I was thinking about the fact that almost every YA has at least some romance component to it. I don't usually go for the cute and contemporary love stories (though I really want to read DITCHED), but instead lean toward the darker romances involving damaged characters like in Lisa McMann's WAKE or THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins. (BTW, if for some reason you haven't seen THE HUNGER GAMES trailer yet, you must watch it now. Amazing, right?) Anyway, rather than straight romance, I like it when the characters are too busy trying to survive to worry about dating. Most recently, I LOVED the romance between Rhine and Gabriel in WITHER. I know everyone has different tastes though, so in honor of this ~~ridiculous~~ lovely holiday, tell me...

What's your favorite YA romance?

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Query Tips Part Deux

2012-02-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

As of last night, I have finally finished all of the query critiques! I may or may not have had a glass of wine to celebrate (okay, I totally did). If you sent me a query during the open submission time and haven't received a critique, please let me know. I read some wonderful queries and had a blast. Since people told me they found it so helpful, I think I'll add in some on-going query critique opportunities. Last week, I discussed a few query tips and after finishing the critiques, I thought of a few more to add. Again, these examples are my own, so no actual query excerpts are contained here.

1) Keep it simple. You want to include the hook and main characters (generally 2 or 3 characters) in your query. Of course your book will have subplots and numerous side characters, but adding these elements into a query can make it confusing and overwhelming. The same goes for fantasy lingo if it's an alternate world with made-up vocabulary. Keep it to a few, relevant terms and save the rest of it for the book. Your goal is to give just enough info to make the agent want more.

2) Get someone who hasn't read your book to read your query. Don't get me wrong, I think your beta readers/critique partners can give great feedback on your query (my crit partners gave fabulous advice), but it's also helpful to have a fresh pair of eyes look at it. Someone who has read your book might miss something in your query because they already "know the entire story." Someone who does a cold query read without having read your book can easily detect if something is confusing or needs more emphasis.

3) Don't lose your voice. Several people told me that multiple people had critiqued their query and they'd taken it apart so many times that they weren't sure if the query even made sense anymore. One of the drawbacks of multiple beta readers is that everyone has their own suggestions and opinions. It's wonderful to have helpful writer friends, but make sure to keep your own stamp on the query. You want the voice of your novel to shine through, not a mish-mash of other voices. Just like with your manuscript, if more than one person gives you the same feedback, then you should pay attention to it. If not, see what resonates with you and let the rest of it go. One "voice" tip that I've heard is helpful is to write your query in first person, then change it to third person, present.

That's it for now. To those who sent their queries, best of luck with querying and don't give up!

Query Tips

2012-01-31T07:05:00.002-07:00

I'm slowly working my way through the query onslaught after last week's post. The creativity and dedication of writers never ceases to amaze me, so thank you to everyone who submitted their query for critique. Since I tend to be direct and have been giving a lot o' feedback on the queries so far, I was a little worried about upsetting people. Instead, I've been inundated with amazing emails of gratitude and kindness. You all blow me away. I need to give a special shout-out to the awesome TIANA SMITH, who put the tabs and follow buttons on my blog for me...even before I sent her the critique! NOTE: I haven't actually added content to the tabs yet, which is next on my list, but they are THERE and they are PRETTY!

Okay, after reading a bunch of queries, a few common things stood out so I thought I'd give some general query tips. NOTE: None of these examples are from actual queries sent to me--they are my own creations, but you get idea.

1) Avoid cliche terms. e.g. "When 'x' happens, his world turns upside down." Anyone's world 'crumbling,' 'falling to pieces,' etc. is cliche. Be specific as to what happens.
Better: "When the space monkey lands in Evan's bedroom and injects him with a strange substance, Evan must find a cure within twenty-four hours or he will become a monkey himself."
(Does Evan's world "turn upside down?" Hell, yes, but an agent is going to be way more interested in something specific like this--unless they hate space monkeys, in which case you don't want them as an agent anyway.)

2) Start with the hook. DON'T START with something like, "This book is about love and loss, family and betrayal, beginnings and endings." You've just described approximately 50 bazillion books, and the agent will already be moving on. Start with a one-sentence killer hook about what your book is about. See space monkey example above.

3) Avoid questions when possible. You don't want the agent to answer your questions in a way that doesn't benefit you. e.g. Will the heroine save the world in time from the onslaught of possessed elves? Potential agent response: I'm guessing so or you wouldn't have written the book. Granted, that might just be my response because I'm sarcastic by nature, but still. You want the agent to read the last line of the query and think, "Holy hell. I must get my hands on this book NOW!" The best way to end the query IMHO, is to finish with the highest stakes possible. What is the worst thing that will happen to the MC or to their world, if they do not overcome their obstacle?
Better: "Sakahara must defeat the army of possessed elves before they enslave all humanity and harvest their pets for food."

4) Follow the agent's submission guidelines. I figured that people wouldn't be as formal sending their query to me as they would to an agent, but I was a little surprised by the number of people who didn't follow the guidelines (not attaching the query as requested, using a different format than requested, etc.) For me, it doesn't matter. I'm critiquing all of them because I'm nice like that, but if you're submitting queries to agents--FOLLOW THEIR GUIDELINES! It's not that agents aren't nice (in fact, most of them are quite lovely), it's that they're incredibly busy. Also, you don't want them to think that you can't (or won't) follow directions, because they are considering you for a long-term business relationship. Yes, many of them have different guidelines, so you will have to do your research, but it's worth it in the end.

So, those are my query tips thus far.Feel free to add your own tips in the comments below. I hope to finish up all critiques within the next week. Also, this query critique thing got such an amazing response that I will make it a regular thing on the blog in some fashion. Thanks again for participating!

Query Critiques for All

2012-01-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Welcome to my fancy, new author blog. Okay, it's not so fancy, but it's mine. Chances are you found me through my other writing blog Sisters in Scribe. I'll still be posting over there on Tuesdays, and will post here whenever the mood strikes. In continuing the celebration of signing with my awesome agent, I'm paying it forward and giving away query critiques to any and all who want one. WARNING: I tend to be very direct and picky with my feedback--though in an encouraging way--so this wouldn't be a good fit for super sensitive types.

The only RULES are that: 1) I get the query by midnight ET tonight (Tues. 1/24), and 2) the query is not longer than one page. If your query is longer than a page, you don't need a critique--you need to google "How to Write a Query Letter" and go from there. 3) Send your query as either a .doc or .rtf attachment to the address at the end of this post (I use track changes and would like it as a separate document).

TOTALLY OPTIONAL THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO BUT WILL BRING YOU GOOD KARMA: I'd love to hear feedback on the layout of my blog, etc. as it's a work in progress. Please leave any suggestions/etc. in the comments below. Also, if you subscribe to the newsletter, I promise to only send out super important, top secret info. I have no such info at the moment, but you never know. Finally, if you subscribe to the posts via either email or RSS, I'll send you virtual hugs. I'd give you a real hug, but you might think it a bit creepy if I just showed up on your doorstep. Thanks and I can't wait to read your query!

My email: Send your queries to drhelvig (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Contest Monday

2012-01-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! Here are a few contests I've found around the blogosphere--feel free to add any I missed in the comments.

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsations is giving away copies of Love? Maybe. and The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler. Included in the prize are those awesomely yummy conversation hearts (seriously, the pink and white ones rock). Enter by Jan. 31st.

Kai and Tin over at Amaterasu Reads are giving away an ARC of the YA dystopian The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda. Contest ends in 6 days.

Also, don't forget to check back here tomorrow for details on how to get your free query critique!

Friday Book Recommendation: BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed

2012-01-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the weekly book recommendation, just a reminder that this is the last day to enter for your chance to win the YA book of your choice. Just leave a comment here if you want to be included in the contest. My blog Sister, Valerie, is also doing an awesome giveaway and you have until the 17th for that one.

My book pick for this week is BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed:

Summary from Goodreads:

When Cassie moves from the tiny town where she has always lived to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. This is Cassie’s chance to stop being invisible and become the kind of girl who’s worth noticing.

Stepping into her new identity turns out to be easier than Cassie could have ever imagined…one moment, one choice, changes everything.

Cassie’s new existence both thrills and terrifies her. Swept into a world of illicit parties and social landmines, she sheds her virginity, embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, and floats through it all, knowing that she is now called beautiful. She ignores the dangers of her fast-paced life…but she can’t sidestep the secrets and the cruelty.

Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral tinged with violence and abuse, and no one—not even the one person she thought she could trust—can help her now.

Kristi's take: I usually go for the books involving strange worlds and sparkly space monkeys, so I was a little hesitant to pick this one up. Once I did, this book did not let me go until I finished. It's gritty, real, disturbing and not an easy read due to the subject matter, but I loved every sentence. Cassie reminded me of many of the girls I worked with in juvenile detention who were smart, strong, and broken all at once. This book won't be for everyone because the issues are not glossed over or sugarcoated in any way--meaning some will find it offensive. However, I found this book to be incredibly powerful and wish I could go back and give a copy of it to all the "delinquent" girls I worked with in the past. If you love contemporary YA, or just want a break from space monkeys, definitely check this one out.

How I Got My Agent

2012-01-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

Happy 2012!! I hope everyone had a wonderful, fun and relaxing holiday. We were fortunate enough to have a white Christmas here near Denver, complete with ice-skating, sledding, and snowman building. The only downside to the last two weeks was eating my weight in cookies and chocolate fudge, but I've got a whole year to lose the weight before the holidays return!

While I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, I do love setting new goals for the year. In reviewing my writing goals for 2011 (see last year's post), I had a variety of objectives I wanted to achieve. One of those goals was written exactly like this: SIGN WITH THE PERFECT AGENT FOR ME. (Apparently, the key to goal attainment is stating them in bold, all-cap lettering.) I'm going to try that with my 2012 goal of: HAVING THE PERFECT PUBLISHER BUY MY BOOK.

I signed with my awesome agent in mid-December, and she had her entire edit letter to me THE NEXT MORNING. Seriously. You can't get more perfect for me than that. I've also spent several weeks trying to say "my agent" without breaking into a ridiculous grin, but have failed so far. I feel so fortunate, lucky, and thrilled to say that I am officially represented by Jessica Regel from the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. This is Jessica:

This is me with my signed agency agreement:

As far as details go, I was pulled straight from the slushpile. I knew immediately after speaking with Jessica that she was a great fit, but I had other fulls out there and felt I should notify those agents out of professional courtesy. Jessica was very understanding, and when I received another offer of representation the next day, she said she wasn't surprised because my "book rocks." I'll admit that hearing that from an agent was one of the coolest writing highlights of my year. I loved Jessica's enthusiasm, confidence, and game plan for my book. Speaking with one of Jessica's current clients validated everything my gut told me--they raved about her dedication, competence, determination, and overall awesomeness.

One huge reason I'm convinced I obtained representation when I did is because of something I did not do from my goal list in the link above. I had originally planned to attend a writing conference that I'd gone to in the past, but then had my arm twisted to go to a week-long writing retreat instead. I said at the time that it was the best writing-related thing I'd done in in my life, and it's true. The feedback from editors was priceless, and I am forever indebted to one editor in particular for the confidence they gave me. After coming back from that retreat in October, I had renewed determination and tore my book apart (again), put it back together in November, and decided I would send it out into the world until somebody said 'yes.' I also started working on a new ms in order to preserve my sanity during the wait.

I have a bunch of query posts planned about the whole process, but I also want to pay it forward and give back to the wonderful community of writers and readers out there. I'll be doing a query critique day for writers, a book giveaway for readers, and my awesomesauce agent, Jessica, will be doing a Q & A on the blog.

What are your goals for 2012? Feel free to use bold, all-caps like I did--it can't hurt!

Friday Book Recommendation: THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab

2011-12-16T09:27:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! Our book recommendation this week is THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Kristi's take: I love a good, creepy ghost story all on its own, but this one also involves witches. Ghosts and witches together? Um, yes please. I personally don't think you could have a more perfect combo, so I was hooked on the premise alone but the author's writing is what brought it all home--it's lyrical, haunting, and gorgeous. This was reminiscent of the stories we used to tell each other in my neighborhood when I was a child (often when trying to out-scare each other). The setting in this book was so richly imagined that it felt like a character in itself, and don't get me started on the wind--let's just say I'll never hear wind the same way again. If you haven't read this one yet, I highly recommend it!

Friday Book Recommendation: WITHER by Lauren DeStefano

2011-12-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

I've been lucky to read some great books lately. I'm currently in the midst of another great read that I'll recommend shortly, but my recommendation for this week is: WITHER by Lauren DeStefano. It's the first in the Chemical Garden trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one.

From Goodreads:

Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive.

Kristi's take: If you love dystopian and strong female MC's as much as I do, you'll love this book. I don't want to give anything else away, but seriously--it's a must read.

Contest Monday featuring free book giveaways

2011-11-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Literary Rambles pointed me to a fabulous Winter Book Giveaway by Regal Literary. They are giving away some great books, including Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger which I've been dying to read. Enter through the end of November.

Anna Staniszewski is hosting an August/September debut giveaway. Enter to win one of several incredible books by 2011 debut authors. A few of these, which are already on my TBR list, include The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, and The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. Check out the link for other great titles and enter by Nov. 28th.

Good luck, and happy Monday!

It's NaNoWriMo Time!

2011-11-01T09:34:00.000-06:00

Today, November 1st, is the official start day of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you're in need of some great tips and free downloads of things like blank beat sheets, check out the NaNoWriMo posts over at Storyfix.com. Even if you think you know what you're doing, the story-planning advice there is well worth going over. I laid out my entire novel for the month ahead of time, and used many of those posts for guidance.

For those of you NaNo'ing along with me, I wish you the best of luck--it's an exhausting, yet satisfying endeavor. My goal for this year is to make my first draft tighter than in previous years, so that I'm not spending another six months in revisions. It's good to have goals, right? Try to have fun with it, and use a NaNo buddy to keep yourself accountable. Now stop reading and get to writing!

How many others are NaNo'ing this year? If you've done it before, are you approaching it differently this time?

Friday Book Recommendation--BLISS by Lauren Myracle

2011-10-21T09:15:00.000-06:00

I'd already planned on recommending this one by Lauren Myracle in October because it makes for a good creepy, Halloween read:

As I was basically was under a rock for the past week (e.g. no internet), I didn't hear all the kerfluffle over her book SHINE until yesterday. The fact that she handled the incident with such grace and professionalism makes me want to recommend any book of hers even more. I plan on reading SHINE ASAP, and hope you enjoy BLISS as much as I did.

From Goodreads:

Lauren Myracle brings her keen understanding of teen dynamics to a hypnotic horror story of twisted friendship:
When Bliss’s hippie parents leave the commune and dump her at the home of her aloof grandmother in a tony Atlanta neighborhood, it’s like being set down on an alien planet. The only guide naïve Bliss has to her new environment is what she’s seen on The Andy Griffith Show. But Mayberry is poor preparation for Crestview Academy, an elite school where the tensions of the present and the dark secrets of the past threaten to simmer into violence. Openhearted, naïve Bliss is happy to be friends with anyone. That’s not the way it has ever worked at Crestview, and soon Bliss is at the center of a struggle for power between three girls—two living and one long dead.

Friday Book Recommendation--SAVE THE CAT

2011-09-30T09:35:00.000-06:00

As I'm in the midst of two YA's that I'm sure I'll be recommending to you, I thought I'd post a recent read on craft that I loved. SAVE THE CAT, written by screenwriter Blake Snyder, is about screenwriting but can easily be applied to books. As a former pantster, it even inspired me (along with Scrivener) to do some outlining before starting my new manuscript. He has tips on everything from loglines to scene breakdowns. It's an incredible book and I highly recommend it to all writers out there.

One of Hollywood's most successful spec screenwriters tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. "Save the Cat" is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying - and saleable. This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.

Anyone else read this? What did you think?

Friday Book Recommendation: DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

2011-09-23T10:05:00.000-06:00

Today's awesome book rec is DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth:

From Goodreads:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Kristi's take: This is one of those "unputdownable" books. I loved Tris' vulnerability and strength, and her relationship with Four was complex and fascinating. The plot is fast-paced and exciting, so much so that I easily read this in one sitting. Elements of this book reminded me of Ender's Game, Uglies, and even Harry Potter, but they were combined in a unique and totally fresh way. I'll definitely be reading the next one in this series.

One author's self-publishing journey featuring Rick Daley

2011-09-20T09:05:00.000-06:00

I pride myself on being somewhat knowledgeable about many aspects of the publishing world, but confess to knowing almost zilch about self-publishing. I've noticed recently that several writers I know through blogs/etc. have chosen the self-publishing route and I was curious about their decision. I thought I'd pick the brain of one such person so they could share their thoughts about self-publishing.

I first "met" Rick Daley through Nathan Bransford's blog, and those of you who know him already know how funny he is. When Rick contacted me to let me know about his book The Man in the Cinder Clouds, I was very excited for him and wanted to know more about his journey. His blog (link below) details his journey more comprehensively, so be sure to check that out and follow him after you read this. You can get Rick's book through Amazon here. This is the book:

this is Rick:

...and here is the interview:

1) Hi Rick. Thanks so much for talking to us today. Tell us what your book is about and the target audience/etc.

The Man in the Cinder Clouds is a must-read for anyone who has ever believed in Santa Claus. Boys and girls ages 9-12 will relate to the characters especially well. At 35,000 words—the story is just over 160 pages in print—it’s a quick read for an adult…something you can easily polish off in a night or two during the busy holiday season. It’s also a great book to read with your kids. Here’s a short summary:

The freezing temperature is the only thing cool about Jason’s trip to the North Pole, but things heat up when his father discovers a book buried deep in the ice. This is no ordinary book, mind you. For starters, it was written by an Elf. And if that’s not enough, the book proves the existence of Kris Kringle—you know, Santa Claus. It’s a story you have to read to believe, and once you do Christmas will never be the same.

Young Kris Kringle, orphaned as an infant, sets out on a quest to find his real family by bringing gifts to the children of Oldenton on Christmas. There he finds two orphans who are about to lose everything they have to a greedy uncle. With only days before Christmas, Kris must try to help the kids, deliver his presents, find his family, and prove that human virtue does exist…even in the most unexpected of human hearts.

2) What made you decide to self-publish your book?

Many things. This was not a decision to take lightly. Here were the key factors:

- Speed to Market. A traditional publisher would not be able to get my book on a shelf this year…in e-book or print. I’d be very lucky if was available next year if I had gone the traditional route…more likely it would be 2013 before people could read it. Now I have it in both formats, ready for Christmas 2011.

The Market Environment. The traditional publishing industry is in a transitional period, and no one knows how long it will last or what will come next. I don’t think it is dying, but it’s at a crossroads between old ways of doing things and new markets, and it’s deciding which way to go. While the traditional publishing industry considers its options, writers also have their own choices to evaluate. Writers used to be at the mercy of the publisher, but self-publishing gives full control to the writer. Not to mention higher revenue per book sold. Now the trick is selling a lot of copies, something publishers have excelled at due to their large, coordinated sales forces. But the times, they are a-changin…A few self-published authors (e.g. John Locke, Amanda Hocking) have generated envious sales volumes without the corporate sales and marketing machine. With the rise of social networking, word-of-mouth is showing its true power in marketing.

While the self-publishing market does still carry a general stigma of low-quality vanity projects, many readers are starting to realize that a good story can come from anywhere. Self-publishing is better respected than it was two years ago, and will continue to evolve into a competitive vehicle for writers to consider for publishing.

- My book. I believe it’s a great book, and the story is very special to me. I’ve been through extensive edits, critiques, and revisions and I think the story is as high a caliber as one you would find traditionally published. It’s getting great reviews from adults and kids, and I am glad that people have the opportunity to enjoy the story this year for Christmas.

3) For those readers who have no idea about the process of self-publishing (like, ahem, me), what resources did you find most helpful for "learning the ropes."

I learned most by watching my peers who self-published before me. I followed their blogs and read posts about the different stages in the process. I bought copies of their books in print and Kindle to see the quality of the writing and the formatting / design of the finished book.

I chose CreateSpace on a friend’s recommendation and I’m happy with their quality and service so far. I’d love to test their high-load capacity ;-)

Consider your goals. If you hope to sell a ton of books and you want to self-publish, it’s possible, but you must be prepared to take on the role of publisher and promoter, not just writer. You are the sales and marketing department, the administration and finance department…basically the CEO of a start-up company. You will need to set aside a budget for cover art, promotional copies, and marketing. It will take time and money. If you try to self-publish just because it’s fast and cheap the end result will reflect that.

If you just want to see your book in print and make it available for your family and friends, please take the time to make it a quality product. The worst book I’ve ever read was a self-published eBook (I read it several months back. I won’t reveal the title, but it was an adult murder-mystery that was so bad it was almost, but not really, funny). There is a stigma about self-published books being slushpile vanity projects, but the tides are turning, and there is opportunity for those who are willing to take it seriously and put the time and money into it.

4) What was the trickiest/most difficult part of the process for you, and how long did it take you to have a complete book?

I guess completing the book is the trickiest part. Knowing when it’s done, and when changes aren’t making things better…just different. The book took years to write, and you can read more about the story-behind-the-story here: http://mydaleyrant.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-path-to-publication-part-one.html

5) Is there anything you learned along the way that you'll do differently next time?

I am impatient. I will always struggle to learn to take my time and not rush things.

6) What are you working on next, and do you plan to self-publish again?

I am currently outlining a sequel to The Man in the Cinder Clouds, and preparing to have illustrations made for my book Rudy Toot-Toot, a story about a little boy who was born on a bean farm and has a special power, almost like a super-hero: he can fart. But after a monstrous emission scares all the customers away from the family bean market, Rudy must learn to use his…talent…in a special way to lure the customers back, otherwise the bank will take away his home.

I plan to self-publish Rudy Toot-Toot, and the sequel to The Man in the Cinder Clouds, but after that, who knows? I’m not opposed to traditional publishing. I just think self-publishing is right for me and for these specific books. Future books may have a different fate.

7) Do you think the trend towards electronic publishing helps those who want to self-publish?

Absolutely. There are fewer headaches in e-books, particularly in delivery. Create the file once, then people can download it instantly and begin reading. It makes an author’s works more accessible, not to mention lower priced (without sacrificing any $$ in royalties).

The biggest thing writers need to be aware of is the quality of their final product. If we are going to truly pass the hump of dis-approval for all books self-published, we the publishers need to police ourselves and ensure our work is competitive to the other books available on the market.

8) Random fun question: What's something about you that not many people know?

I kick butt at Sudoku. It’s due to the way I make notes in the cells, it allows me to see patterns and set up a bunch of answers that fill in like dominoes once one number is found. Maybe I should write a book about it!

Thanks, Rick!!!

Contest by Kody Keplinger

2011-09-06T09:05:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend. We just got back from the mountains and I have a truckload of laundry and work to do, but I found a great contest that I had to pass along. Kody Keplinger, author of THE DUFF (fabulous book if you haven't read it), has a new book and a new contest. Her new book is SHUT OUT and you can check out the trailer here. To enter, just leave a comment on her post--that's it. One winner will have a character named after them in her fourth book. How cool is that? I'm just wondering how she'll pull it off if the winner's name is Humperdink or something equally bizarre (no offense intended if your name is Humperdink--I'm sure your parents didn't mean it). Deadline: Fri. Sept. 9th. Good luck!

Oh, and I'll have another fabulous book recommendation for you on Friday! Happy Tuesday!

Friday Book Recommendation--Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

2011-09-02T09:45:00.000-06:00

This week concludes the summer edition of Friday Book Recommendations--school is back in full swing here and my time for pleasure reading has already decreased. *sighs* However, I'm ending with a book that I loved, loved, and then loved some more. Yes, it's creepy and yes, the cover is made of awesome. Check it out:

Summary from Goodreads:

A mysterious island.An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Kristi's take: Though it's hard to top the levitating girl on the cover, the vintage photographs woven throughout the book are eerie, strange, and haunting. I loved how the photos tied in with the story, and the setting in rain-soaked Wales was perfect. I couldn't even begin to explain the world-building, with its time loops and shape shifting, but luckily, the author does a great job of it--and makes it seem believable. My only quibble is with the psychiatrist character. NOTE: This isn't a spoiler because it's rare to find a psychologist or psychiatrist in ANY book or movie that isn't a) incompetent b) nuts c) a psychopath/murderer d) sleeping with their clients or e) some combination of the former. Most of us are actually ethical, competent, and hard-working. *steps off soapbox* Aside from that, I couldn't put this book down and will definitely be reading the sequel. FINAL NOTE: If you dislike clowns as much as I do, one picture in the book is downright freaky.

Friday Book Recommendation--THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff

2011-08-26T09:01:00.000-06:00

It's time for Week #3 of Friday Book Recommendations: Summer Edition. My pick this week is THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff. I've made no secret that I tend to pick books based on the cover alone, and this book was every bit as amazing as the cover. Seriously, how could you see this cover and not pick up the book? In fact, the only book I've seen with a cover that matches the creepiness factor of this one is the book I'm recommending next week!

Description from Goodreads:
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Kristi's take: This is the first book I've read in awhile with a male MC, and I LOVED it. Brenna's writing style is haunting and beautiful, and the relationship between the MC and his little sister brought me to tears more than once. I'm calling this a 'summer vacation read' because you won't be able to put it down. The tension is high throughout the book, the setting and characters are eerie (hello, living dead girls), and I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. You might not want to read this one too close to bedtime though. ;)

Friday Book Recommendation--BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray

2011-08-19T08:50:00.000-06:00

Fun Summer Pick #2: As I said last week, I thought I'd give a run down of my favorite reads from this summer. What makes this a perfect beach read is that the majority of the book takes place on a beach--not the kind of beach I'd want to inhabit, but a beach nonetheless. I give you my second summer pick: BEAUTY QUEENS by the uber-talented Libba Bray.

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Kristi's take: This was my first book by Libba Bray, although her others are all on my TBR list. I'll admit that I picked this book up and put it down again several times before deciding to go with it. The premise seemed so over-the-top and wacky that I wasn't sure it was for me. I'm SO glad I gave this book a shot. The characters, plot, and setting are completely over the top, but that's sort of the point of satire. I laughed out loud throughout the entire book, and especially loved her footnotes and contestant profiles inserted in the chapters. Issues such as consumerism, commercialism, feminism, terrorism and some other "isms" I probably missed are addressed, but with a witty and hilarious vibe. If you like your sarcasm sharp and your humor intelligent, this book is for you. I loved it and will be moving her other books to the top of my list.

Friday Book Recommendation--Summer Edition

2011-08-12T08:46:00.000-06:00

For the next few weeks, I'm going to highlight some of my favorite summer reads from the last two months. The first one up won't come as a huge shocker, being that we've centered an entire contest around it and all. Speaking of which, you only have a few days to enter for a chance at your own signed copy of this:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

My take: Pure fun. This is the perfect summer read--I read it in an afternoon and enjoyed it thoroughly. I loved Kate as the nerdy, brainiac, epileptic MC, and not to give away spoilers, but I loved how the epilepsy was integral to the plot rather than just an added affliction. Also: that cover. Yeah, I know I've already gushed over the cover in the past, but it's so awesome that when my 7-yo saw the bookmark on the counter, he took it for himself and said I couldn't give it away with the book. To sum up, I can't wait for the next Kate Grable installment.

Borders Book Carnage

2011-08-09T08:45:00.000-06:00

I've heard all the reasons why Borders went out of business and why many bid them good riddance, from horrible customer service to poor business strategies and failure to jump on the ebook wagon. Truth be told, my favorite book store is our local Tattered Cover but...Borders was by far the closest book store to my house and the staff there were always awesome to me. My hubby and I would go there almost every date night after dinner to browse. I've taken my kids there numerous times, and loved watching their excited faces as they explored the kids' section and got to pick out a book. I did most of my holiday shopping there last year and spent so much money I was sure I'd keep them afloat. That's why even though I wasn't surprised, I was still sad to see Borders go.

So last weekend, my hubby and I paid our final respects and went there after an amazing dinner. I expected to stroll through the aisles one last time, lingering in the YA section and giving a nod here and there to my favorite writers. What I didn't expect was book carnage. It looked something like this, only much worse:

Gone were the neatly shelved books in alphabetical order. Instead, Lauren Myracle was tossed onto Libba Bray, while Carrie Jones bumped up against Holly Black. It was mayhem and madness, and made me kind of sad. I fought the urge to straighten them all and put them back in their respective places. I know electronic publishing is the wave of the future, and books will still sell in various formats, but there is one old-school book lover here who will miss my trips to Borders. Farewell, Borders!

I know there a lot of Borders haters out there, but anyone else who will miss them? Or at least feel sad about the demise of a bookstore?

Win a signed copy of Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

2011-08-08T08:50:00.000-06:00

Wanna win this signed book by zombie-riffic author Carrie Harris?

I thought so. Just head on over to my other blog at Sisters in Scribe for the deets. Good luck!

Writing more than one book at a time

2011-06-07T08:45:00.000-06:00

Until now, my writing process has been fairly straight forward:

Step 1. Get story idea.
Step 2. Write it and revise ad nauseum.

End of story (pun intended). I never worked on more than one thing at a time, because I became obsessed with that one manuscript. This time around has been a little different. I've gotten excited about several different projects and couldn't pick just one. I know last week I confessed to a little summer slacking, but I've started working on three different projects. (Side note: as I tend to be an over-achiever by nature, my definition of slacking might differ from others.) They're pretty different in scope (boy-centric MG, YA ghost story, and YA horror).

I thought if I started on all of them, one would sort of "take over" and I'd finish that one first, but so far, I'm still drawn to all three. Granted, I haven't gotten that far yet but I wondered how that has worked for others. On the plus side, it gives me the opportunity to go back to something with fresh eyes pretty quickly if I've worked on a chapter for a different ms. One big negative is that if I keep working on all of them at once, it will take me that much longer to finish something.

Has anyone out there worked on more than one ms at a time? What did you see as the positives and negatives? Did one eventually take over? Am I crazy? NOTE: my lovely blog sisters are prohibited from answering that last one. :)

Summer Slacking

2011-05-31T08:45:00.001-06:00

I officially switched into summer mode last week during a family beach vacation in North Carolina. Here's the view from our balcony (photo taken by my hubby with his iPad2--which I have to admit is pretty cool):

I didn't write a single word the entire week, but I didn't feel guilty about it either. In fact, after falling asleep one night to the sound of crashing waves, I dreamed a cool new story idea that I'm really excited about. For me, down time fuels my creativity and re-energizes me. It also gives me more time to read, which hopefully makes me a better writer.

As this is my son's last week of school, I know I'll soon be spending more time at the pool than at the computer, and I'm okay with that. I tend to do my biggest spurts of writing in the fall and winter, while I spend most of my summer outdoors. Come September though, when my kids are back in school, I'm ready to crank out pages again. I know some writers write almost every day of the year, no exceptions. Some are published authors with contracts and deadlines, and others are driven by different motives. I love writing and will always do it, but for now, I'm fine with finishing one book per year. And spending summers with my kids? Priceless.

What about you? Any other cyclical/seasonal writers out there? Any die-hard writers who think I'm a total slacker?

Underdogs

2011-05-03T08:55:00.000-06:00

I'm a sucker for underdogs. If you ask me who I want to win in any given sports match-up, I'll usually ask who's supposed to win and then I go for the other guy (unless it's my favorite team, but they're never supposed to win and are permanent underdogs--sorry Chiefs). My hubby and I watched The Fighter this weekend (based on a true story), and though I loathe boxing and am not a big fan of violence in general (well, unless aliens, space monkeys, or vampires are involved), I loved the movie. Part of it was that the movie focused as much on him as a person as on the fighting (and the family dynamics alone make this a must see), but what hooked me were the odds. Because they were stacked against him and his crack addict brother from the get-go. And he won anyway.

Remember the Titans (also based on a true story) blew me away and is one of the few movies I'll watch every time I catch it on t.v. This coach had to win every single game to keep his job and fight racism while doing it--I get chills just thinking about this movie.

I realize these are sports related examples, but I think sports lends itself well to the underdog theme. Remember, the Boston Red Sox coming back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Yankees and win the 2004 American League Championship (pure awesome). Or the one-armed catch that helped the Giants beat the Patriots in a Super Bowl outcome no one expected (never mind that the receiver later shot himself in the leg).

I'll bring this around to young adult books (and try to curb my use of parentheticals in this post--geez). The underdog theme might involve the MC fighting back against a tyrannical government in a dystopian society (a la Uglies, The Hunger Games, The Giver, Possession), or the MC is an average human attempting to survive/defeat the all-powerful paranormal creature (Need, Twilight, Hush Hush), or they're attempting to defeat normal, real-life issues like death and high school (If I Stay, The DUFF). Chances are, if the odds seem insurmountable and like there's no way the MC can succeed, it's my kind of book.

What about you? What are some of your favorite underdog stories? (They can be either books or movies, and I swear that's my last use of parentheses for this post).

Also, in case you missed our Epic Contest of Awesome announcement, check out the details on the pitch contest judged by the wonderful Sara Megibow from Nelson Literary Agency. We're awed and humbled by our over 500 amazing followers and wish you all luck if you enter!

3 Signs That I'm Revising

2011-04-26T08:45:00.000-06:00

I'm in major polishing/revision mode for my new ms, and some telltale signs have appeared:

1) My basket runneth over. Okay, if you've read my prior laundry related posts, you know I haven't seen the bottom of my laundry basket in years (seriously, I think it's possessed). But I aim to keep the clothes level lower than the rim of the basket. Hey, it's good to have goals. This week, a tower of abstract clothing art has overtaken my closet.

2) My inner addict emerges. I know I'm in trouble when I wonder if mainlining caffeine would be a more efficient delivery method than drinking it. While coffee is the biggie for me, chocolate also has a way of disappearing when I'm revising. I've tweeted about the evil called Cadbury Creme Eggs, but since Easter is over, my ass is safe for another year.

3) Sleep is for babies. There's not much I love more than my sleep. In fact, my husband would attest that I am a baby--like, a huge, super cranky one--when I don't get enough (and with two young kids, I never get enough). For me to willingly sacrifice sleep is not typical, but I've been up til midnight or later for the past week because I've been so excited about finishing revisions. As I do best with 8-9 hours of sleep, I realize this 4-5 hours a night thing will catch up with me soon, but I'm really close to the end. At least I better be, or my hubby is going to spike my coffee with benedryl.

Can anyone relate to these? What are your signs that you're deep in writing/revision land?

Also, I wanted to pass along info about a great upcoming event: Want to ask an agent a publishing question? Super-agents Kathleen Ortiz and Liz Jote are going to do a LIVE podcast on Thursday, May 5th at 9pm ET.

Friday Book Recommendation--NEED by Carrie Jones

2011-04-22T09:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday! My book recommendation this week is NEED by Carrie Jones. This is another one I picked up in the book store based solely on the cover and title. After reading the jacket flap, I was sold.

Summary from Goodreads:

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

Why I liked it? Well, it's creepy and funny which scores big points in my book. I loved the voice of the MC, Zara, and the secondary characters were well-developed and endearing. WARNING: You'll never see pixies as cute again after reading this. If you want a fast-paced, tension-filled page turner, check this out. I'm almost finished with the second, CAPTIVATE, and can't wait for the next one.

Anyone else read this? Anyone look at tall, pale men differently now (no offense intended to tall, pale non-pixie men)?

Flirting with the Enemy

2011-04-19T08:50:00.000-06:00

Not so long ago, I shared my tragic news with you about my husband crossing over to the dark side. At the time, I reported I was sleeping with the enemy. Well, the iPad2 arrived at our house last week...

...and um, I kinda like it. Don't get me wrong. I'm totally not cheating on my books because I don't use it for reading, but I'll admit to browsing the app store when no one's looking. My hubby downloaded some games onto it for my 4 and 7-yo, and the graphics are amazing. Seriously, my son hasn't touched the Wii once since we got it.

It also has two cameras and you can do weird special effects with them (well, I can't--I barely understand my point and click camera), but my hubby snapped this pic of me when I wasn't paying attention. I'm not actually blue, green, and red in real life. Also, notice how hard I'm working on revisions:

But my favorite thing happened when my hubby opened up a bookcase app and showed me my books sitting on his "shelf." He even had them bookmarked. He also got the Kindle app, and bought The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, one of my all-time favorite books. For him, the device is convenient and more conducive to reading on the go. Though I still prefer old-school books and don't know if I'll ever read one on the iPad, I get that this works better for him. Basically, I've warmed up to the idea of having this device in my home...and even enjoy playing around on it. You won't tell him, right?

Anyone else out there who's an unwilling convert to new technology? Anyone else's kids forgo the Wii for some Fruit Ninja iPad action?

Sharing Great News

2011-04-12T08:45:00.000-06:00

As you know, the publishing business is super slow, so it's not too often I get to share fun stuff. But today I do. My awesome critique partner, Jeanne Ryan, (who has an equally awesome agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette) got a book deal!!! I told her when I read this book it would be "the one," and I'm so happy to share her Publisher's Marketplace news with you:

Jeanne Ryan's debut NERVE, about a teen girl lured into a voyeuristic online game where her decisions could have deadly consequences, to Andrew Harwell at Dial, by Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (World).

If you like uber-creepy YA's (and this one is WAY creepy), you'll love it! The release date is Summer of 2013. You can follow Jeanne on Twitter @Jeanne_Ryan (tell her I sent you!)

In other great critique partner news, Niki Masse Schoenfeldt has a second picture book coming out in Spring 2012. It's titled DON'T LET THE BEDBUGS BITE and is being published by Shenanigan Books. She also has a PB published by Orchard House Press titled Nature's Lullaby. Niki recently obtained representation with the fabulous Sandy Lu of the L. Perkins Agency. Follow Niki on Twitter @nikiofware and check out her blog The Fractured Keyboard.

All of my critique partners are so wonderful, supportive, and encouraging, and it makes me really happy to help them celebrate their good news! You girls rock!

Friday Book Recommendation--Possession by Elana Johnson

2011-04-08T08:45:00.000-06:00

I tore through the ARC of POSSESSION this week (it releases in June) and I loved this book...so much so that my poor laundry basket overflowed to the point that my 6-yo suggested I buy a second basket. I loved the relationship between Vi and Jag, and Elana did a fantastic job of world-building. I told Elana my only issue was where the book ended...and I meant that in a good way. I turned the last page, like "What? It can't end here." I won't give anything away, but I told her I need the second book, like now. If you like dystopian, this is a must read book. Elana is also hosting a super awesome contest on her FB page and the details are here. I don't know if I'm allowed to say what everyone who enters will get, but it's really cool. Here's the cover and blurb for POSSESSION:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Happy Reading! Anyone else read this yet?

Friday Book Recommendation--hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and POSSESSION preview

2011-04-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

Before I get to my weekly recommendation, I need to tell you about a book that will be featured here as soon as I finish it. I got the ARC in the mail yesterday and though I only just started it, I can already tell you that POSSESSION by Elana Johnson rocks. More to come on that soon, but here is the very cool cover:

My recommendation this week is one I read awhile ago. The author is a fellow Coloradoan, and I'll admit I picked this one up in the store based on the cover. Why hello, hot fallen angel, I'd love to read all about you. Luckily, Becca Fitzpatrick's hush, hush also delivered great writing and a fast-paced plot. The relationship between Patch and Nora had great tension and kept me turning the pages. Also, did I mention there's a hot, fallen angel? If you're a fan of paranormal or urban fantasy, you'll love this!

Goodreads description:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Has anyone else read this? Anyone else like hot, fallen angels?

Friday Book Recommendation--THE DUFF

2011-03-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

My pick this week is THE DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger. I read the ARC last year and loved this book:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Kristi's take: I think everyone can relate to The DUFF, because it taps into those teenage feelings of not fitting in (regardless of whether you were "fat" or not). I also liked that it addressed the issue of teen sex in a realistic, but not glorified, way. There are teens out there having sex, and I know that some people think if teens don't read about sex, they won't do it. I'm not going to touch that one, so I'll just say that in my experience working with truckloads of teenagers, the most educated ones make the best decisions. Also, I should mention that this is a contemporary book with nary a paranormal creature in sight. For those of you who know how much I love me some zombie fae serial killers, you know what a high recommendation this is.

Anyone else read The DUFF? What did you think?

3 Common Mistakes I Found While Judging a Writing Contest

2011-03-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was honored when asked to return as a judge to a regional writing contest this year. After judging for several years, I've noticed a trend in things that I've found with contest entries. And let me start off by saying that it's WAY easier to judge than to write. Just because I observed these things in the writing of others doesn't mean that I'm not guilty of doing them myself. As anyone in a critique group knows, it's easy to be objective about a book...when it's someone else's book!

Here are the 3 most common mistakes I found:

1) Starting the story in the wrong place. In the contest entries I reviewed, the writer often started out by showing the MC (main character) in their ordinary world before getting to what made the story unique. The result was, well, ordinary. This isn't the place for the character to sit and reflect on their life, or to start a normal day. Cut this part out and get to the unusual part. If you don't hook the reader in the first paragraph, you probably won't, and you definitely won't hook them by describing how the MC brushes their teeth. (NOTE: None of the contest entries began with a character brushing their teeth--or any other body parts. Any examples are fabricated entirely by moi.)

2) Telling instead of showing. This is something that every single writer out there has struggled with at one time or another. If you haven't, please leave a comment below and let us know your secret.
Telling: Jack was so angry that he threw his glass of orange juice at me, then emphatically stormed out the door which slammed loudly behind him.
Showing: Jack's hand tightened around his glass of orange juice. I ducked as the glass shattered against the wall. "There's your daily dose of Vitamin C," he said as he walked out the door. (Not perfect but you get the idea)

3) Over-writing. Adding multiple modifiers to your sentence does not make it stronger. In fact, excess adjectives and adverbs take away from the impact of what you're trying to convey. Remember Stephen King's quote, "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." It's a case where less is more. (TIP: use the FIND function in Word to search for -ly words. This catches a ton of adverbs)

Over-writing: The scorching, sizzling sun blazed brilliantly overhead, causing a cascade of sweat to drip down my already overheated body.
Simplified version: It's flippin' hot out.

Do any of these ring a bell with you? Any other common errors you've noticed in your own first drafts?

Doing My Part for Borders

2011-02-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

I was devastated to hear about the bankruptcy of Borders, even though I'd all heard it was coming. Although I'm a big believer in supporting independent bookstores, Borders is the closest one to my house, and those of you with small children know that you often have to take the easiest route. Plus, my kids LOVE the kids' section at Borders. We had to do an errand at the mall today, and my kids got really excited, which is not their typical reaction when I announce errands. They asked, "Can we go to Borders?" Being the great mom that I am, I responded, "Why, yes. Yes we can!"

Luckily, the one by my house is not one of the multiple stores closing in Colorado. I'd like to think it's partly because of me--my holiday shopping there alone should keep them in the black for awhile. After my 3-yo picked out a Tangled book and my 6-yo chose the newest Geronimo Stilton adventure, I left them in the capable hands of my hubby and meandered to the YA section--my favorite! So what did I add to my never-ending TBR pile?

NEED by Carrie Jones...

...and Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder.

There were so many other pretty covers calling out to me, but that's okay. I'll be back.

Have you purchased any books recently? Anyone else feel like bookstores are a little slice of heaven?

Friday Book Recommendation--UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld

2011-02-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! My pick for this week is UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld:

Playing on every teen’s passionate desire to look as good as everybody else, Scott Westerfeld (Midnighters) projects a future world in which a compulsory operation at sixteen wipes out physical differences and makes everyone pretty by conforming to an ideal standard of beauty. The "New Pretties" are then free to play and party, while the younger "Uglies" look on enviously and spend the time before their own transformations in plotting mischievous tricks against their elders.

Tally Youngblood is one of the most daring of the Uglies, and her imaginative tricks have gotten her in trouble with the menacing department of Special Circumstances. She has yearned to be pretty, but since her best friend Shay ran away to the rumored rebel settlement of recalcitrant Uglies called The Smoke, Tally has been troubled. The authorities give her an impossible choice: either she follows Shay’s cryptic directions to The Smoke with the purpose of betraying the rebels, or she will never be allowed to become pretty. Hoping to rescue Shay, Tally sets off on the dangerous journey as a spy. But after finally reaching The Smoke she has a change of heart when her new lover David reveals to her the sinister secret behind becoming pretty. The fast-moving story is enlivened by many action sequences in the style of videogames, using intriguing inventions like hoverboards that use the rider’s skateboard skills to skim through the air, and bungee jackets that make wild downward plunges survivable -- and fun. Behind all the commotion is the disturbing vision of our own society -- the Rusties -- visible only in rusting ruins after a virus destroyed all petroleum. Teens will be entranced, and the cliffhanger ending will leave them gasping for the sequel. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell

Kristi's take: I knew I was going to love this book from the first line: "The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit." I'll keep this short--if you love dystopian, you'll love this book. I can't wait to read the rest in this series. Has anyone read the rest? Are they as good as the first?

What Book Are You Reading Now?

2011-02-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I stayed up way too late last night in order to finishing my judging duties for a regional writing contest. I'll give some input into the process in my post next week, but thought I'd do a quick poll for today. It's that time for me again...I'm almost finished my book club book and need a new read. I took your prior recommendations to heart and finished Nightshade, Paranormalcy, and The Sky is Everywhere. Since you clearly give great recommendations, I'm asking for help again. What are you reading this week?

Book Recommendation--Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

2011-02-11T08:59:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! I guess I'm on a male protagonist kick lately, as my last two picks were The Maze Runner by James Dashner and The Giver by Lois Lowry. I'll continue the streak with a strong recommendation for Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card:

Summary from Goodreads:
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Kristi's take: If someone told me (before I read this) that I'd like a book centered around military tactics and war, I'd have said they were crazy. But I loved this book, because the book isn't just about war, it's about Ender Wiggin. His character felt so real and heart-breaking to me, and his connection (or lack thereof) to the humanity (or lack thereof) around him had me rooting for him in every battle. Also, I love it when I'm thrown by an ending and this book did that to me. This book was also one that I thought about long after I put it down. Has anyone else read this? What did you think?

THE GIVER by Lois Lowry

2011-01-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

I'm going old-school in my pick today, as in all the way back to a book first published in 1993. It did dystopian before dystopian was cool. It won the 1994 Newbery Medal, yet stirred much controversy and remained one of the most "challenged" books of the 1990's: THE GIVER by Lois Lowry.

Summary: The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life. The society has eliminated pain and strife by converting to "Sameness", a plan which has also eradicated emotional depth from their lives. Jonas is selected to inherit the position of "Receiver of Memory," the person who stores all the memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed to aid in decisions that others lack the experience to make. When Jonas meets the Giver, he is confused in many ways. The Giver is also able to break some rules, such as turning off the speaker and locking his door. As Jonas receives the memories from the previous receiver—the "Giver"—he discovers the power of knowledge. The people in his community are happy because they don't know of a better life but the knowledge of what they are missing out on could create chaos. He faces a dilemma: Should he stay with the community, his family living a shallow life without love, color, music and knowledge or should he run away to where he can live a full life?

What I liked: I'm a huge fan of all things dystopian, yet what struck me about this book was its originality. It's a simply written, yet powerful story of a young boy, and I was completely hooked from page one. This book has clearly had a huge influence on the genre--I've recently read several dystopian ARC's, and saw a movie (Equilibrium), that included similar elements. If you read or write dystopian, I'd say this is a must read, and it would make for some great book club discussions!

Autographed Book Giveaway Winners

2011-01-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

Results of our autographed book giveaway over at Sisters in Scribe are in...we have winners! Out of a total of 204 entries from 69 different entrants! You guys rock!

Winner of THE MAZE RUNNER is Fi-Chan!

Winner of THE DEMON KING is Theresa M!

Winner of WAKE is Dari!

We have your mailing addresses, so you don't need to do anything else. If you didn't win this one, don't worry! We will host many more giveaways in the future! As always, thank you guys for entering! We heart you!

HEX HALL

2010-11-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Kristi's take: This was a fun, fast, and furious read by Rachel Hawkins. It reminded me of when I have a rare night alone and have Fritos and Diet Coke for dinner. Fritos + Diet Coke + Hex Hall = pure enjoyment.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

2010-11-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Before I Fall

by Lauren Oliver (Goodreads Author)

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined. (less)

Hardcover, 470 pages

Published March 2nd 2010 by HarperCollins

Kristi's Take: (No Spoilers)

I reluctantly picked this book up two days ago. Don't get me wrong--I'd heard great things about the book and Ms.Oliver's immense talent. But I knew it was about a girl dying, over and over and over again. One thing about me: I have to gear myself up for intense books and they tend to sit longer on my TBR pile than others. They also take me longer to read, as I have to ingest them in small doses. Not so with BEFORE I FALL. This book was flat-out amazing and I could not put it down (and it's not a short book). Those who know me know sleep is my all-time favorite thing and there's not much that I allow to interfere with those precious hours. I could not go to sleep last night until I found out what happened to Samantha Kingston.

The characters literally leap off the page in this beautiful, funny, real, and heart-breaking novel. I won't give away the ending except to say it's something you'll think about long after you stop reading. I highly recommend moving this book to the top of your TBR pile. You'll be glad you did.

Book Recommendation: MATCHED by Ally Condie

2010-08-10T09:05:00.000-06:00

I admit that if a book or movie is over-hyped, I tend to be disappointed by it. My expectations are set sky high and then the experience doesn't quite live up to it. I'm reading an ARC right now that has had so much buzz, it made me a little hesitant to pick it up. I'm halfway through it and all I can say is: holy flippin' cow. That's right--I'm recommending a book I haven't even finished yet. I haven't liked a book this much since The Hunger Games/Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This book has met and exceeded all my expectations. In fact, I don't even want to write this blog post because I want to go find out what happens next (sshhh...don't tell me if you've already read this ARC). The book is Matched by Ally Condie. The awesome cover looks like this:

From the back of the book:
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

If you read or write dystopian fiction, you'll LOVE this book! It comes out November of 2010, so pre-order it now, if you haven't already. You won't be disappointed. :)

Book Recommendation of the Week: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

2010-07-12T20:48:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:

Literary Awards--
Golden Kite Award for Fiction (2009), South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult Book Award (2010), TAYSHAS High School Reading List (2009)

Who is Jenna Fox?

Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she's still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. Her parents show her home movies of her life, her memories, but she has no recollection. Is she really the same girl she sees on the screen?

Little by little, Jenna begins to remember. Along with the memories come questions—questions no one wants to answer for her. What really happened after the accident?

In this fascinating novel, acclaimed author Mary E. Pearson presents an unforgettable look at one human life and a glimpse into a possible future that may be closer than we think.

Why It's My Pick of the Week:
I couldn't put it down. Simple as that. I had to know what happened to Jenna and read this book straight through to the end. Also, I love dystopian fiction so this was right up my alley. Have you read it? What did you think? Until next time....Kristi

Wicked Lovely Winner!

2010-05-17T10:05:00.000-06:00

The winner of signed copies of Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange AND Fragile Eternity by the wonderful Melissa Marr (as randomly picked by BuzzMyBlog) is...Elizabeth Cerna! Congrats, Elizabeth - please email your mailing address to me at drhelvig [at] yahoo.com and I'll send your books ASAP. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Wicked Lovely Series Giveaway

2010-05-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

If you love faeries and exquisitely created alternate worlds, you'll love the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. A SIGNED copy of her newest book in the series, Radiant Shadows, is being given away on my other blog, Sisters in Scribe, and you can enter here, but you can win SIGNED copies of the first 3 books here: Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, and Fragile Eternity. One lucky winner will win all 3 books! Contest starts Monday 5/3 and ends Monday 5/17. Good luck!

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WAKE by Lisa McMann

2010-03-29T14:07:00.000-06:00

Wake (Dream Catcher, #1)
by Lisa McMann (Goodreads Author)
Wake (Dream Catcher, #1)

published March 4th 2008 by Simon Pulse

Hardcover, 210 pages

literary awards:
South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult (2009), ALA Teens' Top Ten (2009)

isbn
1416953574 (isbn13: 9781416953579)

Description:
Ever since she was eight years old, high school student Janie Hannagan has been uncontrollably drawn into other people's dreams, but it is not until she befriends an elderly nursing home patient and becomes involved with an enigmatic fellow-student that she discovers her true power.

Disclaimer: If you are looking for reviews that discuss the juxtaposition of imagery and mood, the symbolism behind the broken flower pot in the garden, and the existential interpretations of a character’s motivation then this site is NOT for you. We’re just a couple of gals who love reading and know what we like and what we don’t. Simple as that.

How We Pick Our Book Selections: Whatever we feel like reviewing. There won’t be a rhyme or reason to what we pick except that it will either be something we have read, heard about, or wanted to read. There are plenty of new book reviews out there, so we’ll probably focus more on older books. Do you have a suggestion of a book you think we should review? Let us know in the comments. Disagree with our review? Let us know in the comments – nicely, of course. (You don’t want to get Christy mad – she’s brutal.) Do you have a bottle of a good vintage Bordeaux you’d like to get off your hands? You can send that directly to Kristi.

At the end of each review will also be a Random Movie Recommendation for the month – just because. Some new releases and some oldies but goodies.

K: This month's pick was WAKE by Lisa McMann. We've been on a YA kick lately and this sounded like a fun read. I definitely rate it a Georgia Peach. (There are NO spoilers in the discussion below so read freely!)

C: Me too!

K: I was a little thrown at first by the third person present POV but I got used to it pretty quickly.

C: Yeah, it was different but I loved it.

K: I love all things paranormal anyway so the dreaming aspect was very cool. Plus, it only took an hour to read since I couldn't put it down!

C: (nods) And I loved the character of Cabel.

K: That's my son Caleb's nickname from us ever since a cake decorator misspelled his name as Cabel for his birthday! Okay, back on track...I loved how the mom was a complete alcoholic because I didn't see any other way for Janie to do what she did if her mother had been functional.

C: Yeah, that was convenient but there was no other way for her to be out of the house that much.

NOTE from Kristi: That's about all I'll give away as I don't want to give any spoilers but this is a super quick and super fun read. Also, Christy read the second one, FADE, and told me it's even better than the first so that's next on my list!

Anyone else read the whole series yet? What did you think?

Random Movie Recommendation by Kristi:

District 9

It's not often that a sci-fi movie is nominated for a best picture Oscar but this one did. My hubby and I both loved it and it's interesting food for thought. I'd love to hear your comments if you've seen it. Until next time...

Random Book Recommendation

2010-03-22T13:03:00.000-06:00

Hello there Funky Fruiters!!!

As usual we're running a little slow so here I (Christy) am with a book recommendation to keep you going until our next post goes up, which should hopefully be next week after my sidekick, Kristi gets back from vacation (must be nice huh?)

Anyhoo........without further delay, I simply can not say enough about this Help like read that is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!!

Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (NO SPOILERS so feel free to read ahead)

If you liked (or loved in our case) The Help by Kathyrn Stockett, you will simply adore this novel of deep Southern wonderfulness!!! It follows the story of a young girl, who moves to Savannah, Georgia after her mother is involved in a tragic accident and her father is mentally and physically unavailable. Cee Cee meets her Aunt Tootie and company and learns what it's like to be a southerner as well as why her mother had an undying love for the south.

This book will not only make you want to run out and buy every Paula Deen cookbook you can get your hands on, but it may even make you consider moving to Savannah. The women in this story are simply unbelievable and I think all of us would love the neighborly way they exist. I personally even asked my husband if he'd consider it (ok a little drastic being that I've never even been there - so who knows maybe someday I'll get down there and check it out because it almost sounds too good to be true!!) This is a wonderful Spring time read that will leave you begging for a sequel!!!

So check out Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt and I dare you to disagree with me!! :)

Happy fruiting and we'll see you soon!!!!!

The Book Thief

2010-02-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Before We Begin: A Little About our Book Reviews

At the end of each review will also be a Random Movie Recommendation for the month – just because. Some new releases and some oldies but goodies.

So without further ado, this month’s pick is…..

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (Possible Spoilers follow – read at your own risk)

Both C and K gave the book Georgia Peach and Kristi even moved it in her top 5 favorite books of all time – woo hoo!!!

C: I really did like the book, in fact I would almost say I loved it, but found it just so sad that I couldn’t say I absolutely loved it. But I really enjoyed the writing, the style, and the story. Yet, it was the sadness piece that keeps me from giving it the full 5 stars.

K: I thought it was sad too, but I also thought it was so beautiful. I actually thought it was a love story -- amidst the whole backdrop of the war. I think the author has the most amazing way with words. Some of his sentences stay with you long after reading.

C: I think one of my favorite parts was the Governor’s wife leaving the books for Liesel. It was such a sweet part of the story and I felt it really lent to the whole title of the book. That part was written beautifully, and I really liked the whole story within the story of that. I also really enjoyed how Liesel would read to the others in the basement of the safe house. That was another touching piece I enjoyed, but maybe it’s because I like reading books about books.

C: Why do you think this is billed as a young adult read? Is it because it is in Liesel’s perspective and she’s younger?

K: Well, yeah, the story is told from the perspective of a young adult. It’s fascinating to see war through the eyes of a young person. What impacts them is the fact that the people they love are dying around them – they don’t care so much about the ‘politics’ involved. We get so caught up in the politics side of things as we get older and often lose sight of what’s really important. This book would have been quite different if told through the eyes of an adult – it would lose a lot of its innocence.

C: This is really my first YA book and I have to say that it’s nothing that I’d expected. I really enjoyed it.

K: I admit, I was NOT wanting to read another war story but heard such great things about this book. I cried several times reading it -- like the part where the beautiful book within the book was written for Liesel.

K: It sounds like we both really enjoyed the characters: Rudy, Max, the father (Hans), the Governor’s wife. Even the mother, in her own strange way was endearing. Oh, and I loved that Death was the narrator. I found that such a unique way to narrate a book.

C: I agree. Death isn’t exactly a popular way to write a book. It was different and enjoyable all at the same time.

K: I read somewhere that the author originally wrote the book as Death reveling in his job, but then re-wrote it without Death narrating. (DISCLAIMER: I could be wrong about this. Once every hundred years, I am wrong.) The author later went back to Death as narrator, but changed it to where he was more ‘doing his job’ yet was impacted by the sadness around him. I loved that aspect -- everyone meets the narrator (Death) at some point so they are all connected to each other in some way, no matter which ‘side’ of the war they think they’re on. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this book? Really, I can’t say enough about it. It stays with you long after you finish it!

C & K: If you haven’t yet read this book, do yourself a favor and GET TO IT! Until next time…

Random Movie Recommendation: Precious

2010-01-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hey there Fruiters and Happy New Year. So here is the beginning of our new year which will hopefully be filled with books and movies of your liking. It's Christy here and my first Random Movie Recommendation is Precious: based on the novel Push by Sapphire
First, I know this is not the most uplifting subject, but the acting in this movie is simply not to be missed. It's not quite the tearjerker you'd expect (not that I didn't shed any tears, just not nearly as many as I'd expected) but this movie just may be the most powerful that I've seen. Mo'Nique is simply unbelievable and the newcomer, Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe is a shoe in for the Oscar.
The movie follows an illiterate young woman growing up in Harlem. She is pregnant with her second child (fathered by her own father) and living with the mother who won't be winning any mother of the year awards. So like I said, it's not an easy film, but absolutely amazing.

I can't say enough about this film except, GO!!!

Book Review: Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

2009-12-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Before We Begin: A Little About our Book Reviews

Disclaimer: If you are looking for reviews that discuss the juxtaposition of imagery and mood, the symbolism behind the broken flower pot in the garden, and the existential interpretations of a character’s motivation then this site is NOT for you. We’re just a couple of gals who love reading and know what we like and what we don’t. Simple as that.

How We Pick Our Book Selections: Whatever we feel like reviewing. There won’t be a rhyme or reason to what we pick except that it will either be something we have read, heard about, or wanted to read. There are plenty of new book reviews out there, so we’ll probably focus more on older books. Do you have a suggestion of a book you think we should review? Let us know in the comments. Disagree with our review? Let us know in the comments – nicely, of course. (You don’t want to get Christy mad – she’s brutal.) Do you have a bottle of a good vintage Bordeaux you’d like to get off your hands? You can send that directly to Kristi.
At the end of each review will also be a Random Movie Recommendation for the month – just because. Some new releases and some oldies but goodies.
So without further ado, this month’s pick is…..

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan (As always, the following may contain spoiler alerts)

First, our ratings...
K: Definitely a Georgia Peach
C: Yeah, Georgia Peach

NOTE: We were surprised that we liked this book so much as we hadn't liked the previous picks by one of our book club members (she knows who she is :) Although in her defense, several of her picks were critically acclaimed books - they just weren't our thing. So, I went into the reading of this with low expectations, and I love it when my expectations are blown sky high.

Our discussion:
C: It reminded me of sort of a grown-up Little House on the Prairie but way more intense.
K: I don't know. Little House on the Prairie was pretty intense - like that episode when Mary went blind (realizes she's digressing). Although the character in this book loses his tongue and becomes mute, so it is an interesting parallel.
C: Plus, I love historical fiction.
K: I also loved the multiple POV's which seems to be a theme with our book club lately. (NOTE: We've also read The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society and The Help which had various POV's - and were also amazing books. Both are must reads!)
C: I liked that too. Each voice was distinct and you could "hear" each character when they spoke.
K: That takes a lot of skill for an author to pull off. I also liked the use of the setting and how the mud was used as an antagonist- in addition to the father and societal issues like racism.
C: Definitely a tragic story but it was hopeful in the end.
K: I agree. I'm not a fan of those train-wreck stories that make you feel humanity is lost (like a former book club pick which shall not be named). The Help was like that too - there was so much hope in the ending.
C: It's interesting that we agree that we love all the books discussed today - and they're all historical fiction with multiple POV's.
K: So as not to be boring, we'll pick a book next time that does not contain multiple POV's. Anything else?
C: Nope, it was a great book. Bookclub member 'X' has redeemed herself.

In fact, our next pick has what may be the coolest narrator ever in the history of books. Until next time...

Random Movie Recommendation:

THE BLIND SIDE - I don't often get to the actual movie theater as I have small children and am thus usually relegated to Disney movies or Netflix, but I went with a girlfriend to this movie and LOVED it! Now I'll see any movie that has to do with football, but ones based on a true story, like this one, and Remember the Titans, make my heart sing. Sandra Bullock nails the woman she portrays and the movie is powerful, uplifting and hopeful. WARNING: Bring tissues as my friend and I both needed them at the end - and she's not a crier.

New Series Post

2009-12-01T10:44:00.001-07:00

Ok so we're not so quick with our postings, but it IS that time of year (well that's going to be our excuse for the day anyway!!) Nonetheless, it's me, Christy, and a short while ago I explained I was working on another entry, which will now be known as my Strawberry Series Selection.

This series will highlight one of my favorite literary series and/or authors. Just to give you a background of some of the more mainstream series I follow, I absolutely love the Alex Cross series by James Patterson and the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. There is just something about following characters and storylines that attracts me. But of course I'm a sucker for new series, so feel free to recommend any you've read and enjoyed. I just had another series that I've started that will DEFINITELY be on the list shortly (just a little something to keep you waiting!! :)

You will learn, if you haven't figured out based on my "favorites", I am a VERY diverse and eclectic reader and the series I read are no exception. There is a little bit of this and a little bit of that so stay tuned and maybe learn of some great new reads for your taste.

My first recommendation isn't technically a series, although it may have been if the author had lived. With that introduction, my first selection is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. His next novel, The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is slated to be released next May but will surely be another fantastic read. Apparently, Mr. Larsson suffered a heart attack shortly after delivering the manuscripts for these 3 novels. And believe me, what a tragedy as he is clearly a talented writer.

These novels have been translated from Swedish, which is not typically my thing as translated novels often seem to lose part of the story (as we've discussed in our review of The Angel's Game) but these stories do not miss a beat. The first approx 50-75 pages of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo seem a little rough at first, but once you get through that bumpy part, it is a non-stop thrill ride. I simply can not say enough about these books and can't wait to read the final installment. Without giving too much away, these stories follow Lisbeth Salander who appears as a modern day Lara Croft heroine for lack of better description. She's not a very likable person but you end up thinking that she is the coolest chic out there!! The other main character is Mikael Blomkvist who is a journalist for a rather liberal Swedish magazine that is no stranger to controversy. Together, this unlikely duo search for the truth shall we say, all while hunting "serial criminals". This is an EXCELLENT series that will keep you up at night turning pages faster and faster.

I hope you enjoy it and we will return SOON, hopefully within the next week or so with our review of Mudbound by Hilary Jordan.

Until then - Happy Reading!!!!

Random Book & Movie Recommendation

2009-11-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hi there Funky Fruit-ers - thought I'd give another random book and movie recommendation until we get our act together with the next official book review.

Book Recommendation: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Yes, I know I recommended her first book, The Hunger Games, in my last post but this is so worth it. I don't always like the sequel as much as the first book but this sequel was amazing. I dare you to put it down - I couldn't, and read the whole thing in one sitting. Warning: it's not the last book so I'm wanting to know how it ends and I have no closure :)

Movie Recommendation: Lars and the Real Girl. I just saw it this weekend w/ my hubby (via Netflix, my favorite thing ever) and we both LOVED this movie. Ryan Gosling can act like Peyton Manning can throw a football - he's awesome. I thought it would be a quirky, fun little film but it was so much more than that. It was a wonderful story of healing and human connection. Warning: my hubby and I are both psychologists which may have impacted how fascinated we were with the psychological elements of the story (we've both worked with delusional disorder), but I think that everyone can relate to the grief issues addressed. It's an uplifting, heart-warming way to spend your evening!

Random Book Recommendation

2009-11-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hi - Kristi here. Okay, for those of you that enjoy reading YA (that's young adult - a la books like Twilight) I finally got around to reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and it was fantastic. One of those can't put down until it ends books - and then I find out it doesn't end because there's a Book 2 - which I just ordered today off of Amazon. I know, I've recommended The Help and then this but what can I say - I have eclectic taste.

Next Official Book Review: Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. :)

Book Review: Life of Pi

2009-10-29T16:00:00.000-06:00

Before We Begin: A Little About our Book Reviews

At the end of each review will also be a Random Movie Recommendation for the month – just because. Some new releases and some oldies but goodies.

So without further ado, this month’s pick is…..

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Warning: Contains Spoiler Alerts)

Why did we pick this book? Yes this is an older book but one we thought that would be a great introduction to each of us personally. As you will learn, one of us LOVED the book and the other one was ready to jump out of the boat and drown herself from reading it. That being said let’s see what we have to say.

Ratings: Kristi (K): Georgia Peach

Christy (C): Rotten Banana (even past rotten for banana bread! We’re talking

MOLDY banana!!)

K: I absolutely LOVED this book. I found it heartbreaking and read it as if it were the boy and his mother on the raft. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I work in Mental Health, but I often see people who distance themselves from severe trauma by using symbolism through dreams, etc. I felt like at the beginning, the boy witnessed his mother’s murder which was too much for him to handle.

C: Huh?? All I saw was some poor kid on a raft who started hallucinating random animals next to him. I’ve worked in Mental Health too and I did NOT see any symbolism or I didn’t care too. I found the writing terribly boring and not at all interesting. I realize I am among a very few select readers who found this book boring because all I’d ever heard were rave reviews but I couldn’t stop thinking – just drown yourself already and spare us all the misery!!

**Insert Special Note here – We are both members of the same book club who read this and the group was split among the thoughts of the animals as metaphors. Half of our group agreed with K and there were also those who shared C’s beliefs as well. The group never did reach a consensus.

K: I think it’s one of those books that demonstrate how the reader of the book impacts how the book is perceived.

C: Funny because even though that doesn’t say a whole lot about me, (or maybe it does) I agree with that in some ways. Like I said, I know I’m one of very few people who did not like this book yet have heard that it’s affected people so profoundly but apparently I am just of in la la land because I just found it painful.

K: I don’t know, I just loved it. I remember the boy being absolutely ingenious with how he continued trying to survive.

C: Sorry, not me. I just kept thinking he was out in the sun too long and was starting to lose it.

Wow, how’s that for opposite views. But that’s what makes this blog so fun. We can agree to disagree and don’t feel the need to change each other’s views. We’d also love to hear your views. Feel free to send us your comments about this book or any that you’d like to see us review – we’re always looking for a good excuse to read a book.

Coming Next: We picked yet another book we both enjoyed but that still sparked some good discussion. See you in November!

Random Movie Recommendation: Coco Before Chanel

We both seem to love our little indie movies and this one was no exception. It is the story of Coco Chanel and how she came to be. It is French with subtitles so get ready to read (some more) but it’s very worth it. Audrey Tautou is absolutely brilliant in this role. Here’s the website if you want to see a preview:

www.sonyclassics.com/cocobeforechanel/

We braved Denver’s latest snowstorm (Oct. ’09) to see it and it really was worth it. We both loved it. Added note by Kristi: As often happens when I watch great foreign films, I forgot I was reading subtitles within the first minute of the movie. C: Me too!!

Side Note: Christy is working on another little random entry (name to be determined) that will focus on random book series and authors. Hopefully it will be as fun and informative as our regularly scheduled programming!!

Happy Reading!!!

Quick Book Recommendation

2009-10-14T12:58:00.000-06:00

And now to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming:

No, this isn't a book review but I had to take a minute to recommend a book I'm reading right now. That's right, I'm not even finished with this book and I'm already recommending it because it's that fabulous. If you haven't yet read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, run don't walk to get a copy. Really. It's that good.

Book Review: The Angel's Game

2009-09-23T14:19:00.000-06:00

Before We Begin: A Little About our Book Reviews

Disclaimer: If you are looking for reviews that discuss the juxtaposition of imagery and mood, the symbolism behind the broken flower pot in the garden, and the existential interpretations of a character’s motivation then this site is NOT for you. We’re just a couple of gals who love reading and know what we like and what we don’t. Simple as that.

How We Pick Our Book Selections: Whatever we feel like reviewing. There won’t be a rhyme or reason to what we pick except that it will either be something we have read, heard about, or wanted to read. There are plenty of new book reviews out there, so we’ll probably focus more on older books. Do you have a suggestion of a book you think we should review? Let us know in the comments. Disagree with our review? Let us know in the comments – nicely, of course. (You don’t want to get Christy mad – she’s brutal.) Do you have a bottle of good vintage Bordeaux you’d like to get off your hands? You can send that directly to Kristi.

At the end of each review will also be a Random Movie Recommendation for the month – just because. Some new releases and some oldies but goodies.
So without further ado, this month’s pick is…..

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. (Warning: Contains Spoiler Alerts)
Why we picked this book? Okay, we did pick a newer book but we had a good reason. As you can see on the sidebar, Shadow of the Wind, is on both our TOP 5 Books of all time. We just HAD to read this book. Expectations were high - so what did we think?

Christy (henceforth known as C): His writing is so dark and eerie - very Gothic but not, you know, horror.

Kristi (henceforth known as K): Yeah, I love that style of writing. (NOTE: C & K both loved The Thirteenth Tale which was also a dark Gothic story involving a writer.) I started out loving this book and wanted it to be as amazing at Shadow of the Wind. He (Carlos Ruiz Zafon) has such a way with words.

C: I absolutely loved it until the end when it got – well, it felt like everything just stopped. I thought maybe something got lost when they translated the book and I didn’t feel that with SOTW.

K: I started really not loving it about three-quarters of the way through when it felt a little too similar to SOTW, only more confusing. Also, I got really frustrated with the MC toward the end. If he wasn’t the one that killed everyone else in the book, then he made some really dumb decisions. Like, everyone he visits dies minutes later and he decides it’s a good idea to leave Cristina alone in his house because he doesn’t think anything will happen to her?? Come on. But if he killed her - well, then that would fit.

C: I hadn’t thought about that. I would like it if he was the one that killed everyone because then at least it would all make sense.

K: The ending seemed symbolic of something but I don’t know what – it went right over my head.

C: Yeah, I wasn’t sure about that either.

C & K spend several minutes discussing the implications if David Martin was the killer through the whole book but decide that it doesn’t matter. We did love the secondary characters, especially David and Isabella’s relationship. Overall, we rated the book as follows:

C: An apple. I thought the first half of the book was a Georgia Peach and the last part was a Rotten Banana, so I’ll go with the apple since it’s in the middle. But after SOTW, I really wanted this to be the best Georgia Peach of all time. Sadly, it wasn’t for me.

K: An apple. I agree that it’s worth reading and maybe someone reading it without such high expectations would like it better. His gorgeous writing is always going to earn him at least an apple – but I was so hoping for a Georgia Peach.

C: Well, we agreed on our first pick.

K: Yeah, that’s not so controversial. What book have we read that we completely disagreed about? (C & K have discussion)

Coming Next: We picked a book for next month that we completely and totally disagree on – one of us LOVED the book and one of us felt like poking out her eyes with her knitting needles after reading it. See you in October!

Random Movie Recommendation: Julie & Julia.
We saw this movie a few weeks back and we both loved it. If you can relate to food, books, or struggling to reach your goals, you’ll enjoy this movie. ASIDE: Christy hated the book. A rare exception where the movie is better than the book.

Get Ready!!

2009-09-22T11:35:00.000-06:00

Ok folks, after many weeks, we are finally ready to give you our first review.
We'll be reviewing The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. We apologize it took so long, but as you get to know us, it's just another one of our fun perks.
We're very excited to get this up and running and hope you'll enjoy it. And now that we're in the swing of things, maybe the next one won't be 6 months out!!!
Stay tuned and we should have our first review in the next few days!!!

Thanks for reading!!!

Upcoming Book & Movie Reviews

2009-08-26T11:27:00.000-06:00

Coming soon - we're working on our first delectable picks just for you. See you soon!