Writer Recharge 2015

Okay, so I'm super late to the party. But Writer Recharge is just what I need to kick myself into gear. Maybe just getting some goals down and out in public will help me to power through! Hosted by Sara Biren, Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Liz Parker, and Elodie Nowodazkij, Writer Recharge is a four-week jump start in the middle of a cold, dreary winter. Set goals for yourself, check in once a week, and connect with other recharging writers. Check out Sara's website to join in!

WRITE/REVISE:
I've spent the last week plotting and outlining for an R&R. In the next two weeks, I plan to revise the first six chapters of my manuscript and write at least 10,000 new words on the full revision.

READ:
I've just started All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, which I expect to finish in a few days. As usual, I'm much more drawn to the male MC, Finch, in the dual narrative.  I usually buy books in bulk, and my stack has dwindled to nothing. So of course I am open to suggestions for what to read next!   

STRETCH:
I want to strike up more conversations with strangers. I am so hopelessly introverted when it comes to those types of interactions. I want to ask at least one person per week what she is reading, how her day is going, or something like that. 

SELF:
I need to get all the sugar out of my house. Between Christmas, kids' birthdays, and Valentine's Day, the candy and cookies just keep sneaking in to my kitchen. I know we'll all feel so much better if we can get back to healthier eating habits.

CONNECT:
My local critique group has been in an awesome groove; we ended January with a workshop that helped us grow personally and as a group. We keep growing in numbers, too, and I need to get all my critiques done this week before our February meeting! I also have this weird tendency to never share a first draft of anything. With the revision I have in the works, though, I want to get over myself and get the feedback I need as soon as possible.

FUN:
The hubs and I haven't been out on a date in a while. I'm hoping I can get one set up before March gets here!

Thanks for hosting this, ladies! I can't wait to catch up with all of you!

Crow's Rest

I have followed the publication journey of the YA urban fantasy Crow's Rest for a while now. I am so excited to share the book trailer today!

The summary:

Avery Flynn arrives for a visit at her Uncle Tam's, eager to rekindle her summertime romance with her crush-next-door, Daniel.

But Daniel’s not the sweet, neurotic guy she remembers--and she wonders if this is her Daniel at all. Or if someone--or something--has taken his place.

Her quest to find the real Daniel--and get him back--plunges Avery into a world of Fae and changelings, where creatures swap bodies like humans change their socks, and magic lives much closer to home than she ever imagined.

Written by the fabulous Angelica R. Jackson, Crow's Rest will be available in May of 2015. Angelica made the trailer herself on a tight budget. You can learn more about the author on her website here. And for more information on how she put this awesome trailer together, click here.

Crow's Rest is up on Goodreads and available for pre-order here and here.

Book Review: Chronicles from Chateau Moines

Today I'm reviewing Chronicles from Chateau Moines by Evelyne Holingue. It is available here on Amazon and here at Barnes and Noble. 

Summary: 

Twelve-year-old Scott is still reeling from his mother’s death. Why is his father dragging the family from their home in California to the small French town of Chateau Moines? With his dad keeping secrets and his sister fitting in right away, Scott struggles to adjust to his new life. Enter Sylvie, a music-loving classmate who won’t admit how fascinated she is by this American boy. If she can overcome her resistance, and her best friend’s crush, Sylvie may be the perfect friend to help Scott find his place in France. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War protest era, Chronicles from Chateau Moines is about loss and friendship, music and peace, and overcoming family secrets.

Review:

As a girl, I dreamed of visiting France one day. As an adult, my visit there holds special memories. Not only did I spend an anniversary with my husband in Paris, but I also started writing seriously when I came home. I may be a little biased, but I absolutely loved the setting of Chateau Moines. From the opening chapters, the author whisked me away to this small town in France. Set in 1970, the characters' varying stances on the Vietnam War also give a unique international view of the time period.

Sylvie and Scott’s distinct voices were also a high point. I related quickly to Scott as a main character—I sympathized with his grief over his mother’s death, and I rooted for him as he stood firm in his beliefs while leading a war protest. Although the characters are younger, I think both the theme and the voice would appeal to upper middle grades readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction and anyone who loves all things French.

5 out of 5 stars.

2015!

2015! I am so ready for the flying cars, house cleaning robots, and the slimming, monochromatic body suits we were promised. As we all sky rocket into the future, I have a few bookish goals for the year ahead.

1. Review more books.

I really skimped on my book reviewing last year. I hate writing bad reviews. I know they’re helpful to other readers, but as a writer, I really struggle with tearing down someone else’s work. I enjoy critiquing and beta reading, but at that point the work is still in flux. If the writer shares it with me, she is still willing to make changes. That knowledge gives me the freedom to share what doesn’t work for me. But a published work is complete. Just because I didn’t love it doesn’t mean someone else will. And unfortunately, I only read a few books that I really loved last year. Here’s hoping goal #2 changes that in 2015.

2.   Read more debuts.

Last year I mostly read big name, highly publicized books, partially because I’m entrenched in so many series. I enjoyed the fresh voices in the debuts I did read, and I plan to push myself in that direction this year.

3. Really enjoy the fun parts of writing.

Drafting is my favorite part of the writing process. It’s messy and free and private. Things may really take shape in the revising stage, but that part is as much work as it is fun. This year I just want to soak in the joy of creative process, instead of always focusing on the success or failure of the end product.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are off to a great new year!

Music for today: There is a Light that Never Goes Out by The Smiths

Connections

I’ve been fairly quiet on social media lately, other than tweeting about the occasional silly, unimportant thing. It’s not because I don’t care about what’s really going on in the world, but because I do. I care. My heart breaks for the people who are hurting. For the brokenness in the media and in our country and in the world as a whole. But I haven’t wanted to add my voice to the fray when I didn’t have anything new to say.

Maybe I still don’t. But in this season of thanksgiving, reflecting, and rejoicing, as I read about protests and conflicts alongside the updates I follow in the world of children’s publishing, two ideas keep swirling in my head.

1.      We really need diverse books.

We need them to be published. We need to buy them. And we need to read them. The surest way to understand someone else’s point of view is to become his friend. Maybe I can’t befriend everyone I meet in real life, but I can connect with characters in books. In a book, I can see the world through different eyes. And maybe that little bit of understanding can grow into a real-life change in perspective. And what better place for that to start than in books for our children. I’ve tried to write characters with backgrounds outside of my own experience, and I’m sure I’ve made missteps. But I won’t stop trying. For more information about the We Need Diverse Books campaign, click here.

2.     The golden rule is a good first step.

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this sentence every day since my children were old enough to understand: Treat other people the way that you want to be treated. It’s such a simple thing, but oh what a difference it would make if we all really put it into practice. We all want to be loved, appreciated, and respected. And if we could just start to show those attitudes toward the people around us, I bet we’d see some big changes.

At Thanksgiving, my son found a W.W.J.D. plaque at my in-laws’ house and asked what it meant. Those letters, representing, “What would Jesus do?” were printed and worn on bracelets when I was a teenager. I hadn’t seen one in over fifteen years. I explained to my son that it was a reminder of how followers of Jesus should act toward ourselves and others. A week later, while going through my desk at home, I found a purple W.W.J.D. bracelet. I don’t know how old it is, or where it came from, but it was just another string tying my thoughts and emotions together. This year as I celebrate the birth of Jesus, I plan to try to honor him by treating others not only the way that I want to be treated, but the way that Jesus did. With grace, understanding, and love. And for more about what that means, click here.

Thank you to all of you out there, in the writing community and beyond, for being a part of my 2014. Merry Christmas. 

Photo Blog Friday

I'm finally home from the United Kingdom. England is my favorite place to visit, and I was so inspired by the spooky and endearing Corfe Castle and Old Harry Rocks, both in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. Our day in Windsor was like stepping onto the set of Downton Abbey. (No, I didn't cheat and watch the new season while I was there.) And of course London was magnificent as always, a fascinating blend of cultures and history and modernity, all wrapped up together. I wish I had pictures to share from the Treasures Collection at the British Library. They have the original draft of Persuasion, in Austen's own hand, with revisions. An original draft of Jane Eyre, in Bronte's own hand, with revisions. First printings of Shakespeare and Wuthering Heights. The Magna Carta. A Gutenberg Bible. It's just an overwhelming affirmation that words, writing, and their power of communication matter, not just now, but in the past and in the future.

The Oakley Court grounds, Windsor

The Oakley Court

The Isle of Purbeck

Corfe Castle

The Jurassic Coast

Big Harry Rocks

One of many delightful pubs

At the Band of Skulls concert

The Eye and the aquarium

Big Ben, from Westminster Abbey

Finding Good

For my last post, I felt a bit down about the constant ugliness in the world. I didn't want to link to the specific issues that bugged me because I didn't want to give them any more coverage. So I challenged myself to find good things happening. People helping people, instead of tearing each other down. Today I want to share two of those Good Things.

One day this week, the person in front of me paid for my latte at Starbucks. It took me by surprise, even though it's happened to me before, and even though I've done the same thing on occasion. Confession: I did not offer to pay for the person behind me. It struck me in that moment that those of us in line at Starbucks, myself included, could afford to pay for our own overpriced coffees. But what about the people who are truly hungry, sleeping on the sidewalks downtown?

My first thought was to take a donation to our local food bank. I came home, researched, and found a partner of our local organization, called Farm Share. Farm Share focuses on distributing fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk to agencies like food banks and soup kitchens with no fees. Farm Share is an exciting organization, and just the kind of thing I want to support. So, no, I didn't pay for the next latte in line at Starbucks. But it did spur me to make a donation to Farm Share when I got home. For every $10 donated, Farm Share distributes 110 pounds of food. That sure sounds like a Good Thing to me. Please click on the link for more information.

In the world of reading and writing, where this blog usually lives, I found my second Good Thing. The We Need Diverse Books Campaign continues to grow. The leap from awareness to action is now providing grants, support, educational kits, and more. Now we can lend our support through the IndieGoGo Fundraising effort here. From swag packs to agent-offered prizes for writers, you can't go wrong.

I hope you all are out there finding your Good Things, too.

Music for today: Shiny Happy People by R.E.M.