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I haven’t really written much in weeks, probably a couple thousand words at the most for a new story that hasn’t really gone anywhere other than a few intro pages. It’s not that I don’t have inspiration, I do. I have a ton of cool story ideas from post-apocalyptic to magical fantasy to horror. The problem is that I find myself in a strange place after having written my last book, which was based on a completely different and unique idea. Now I am worrying whether it was too different.

Too different from what, you ask? Well, the market, or what agents and editors say is hot in the market (especially for debut authors). So here is the dilemma – agents and editors claim to want fresh but it’s fresh with a caveat. They want fresh but not so fresh that it’s not completely identical to everything else selling in the market. Does that sound like a contradiction of terms to you? That’s because it is. How do you find an idea that’s like everything else but still fresh?

I am starting to think that this doesn’t really exist unless I copy what one other young adult author revealed was her secret strategy – to take any (non-original) story and switch up the gender of the characters, giving publishers what they want but being “different” enough. But that doesn’t make it fresh to me, underneath it’s just the same old thing. Wouldn’t readers see right through that? Interestingly, it has worked for her – she’s a best selling author of two young adult books. So is that what agents and editors want, a mash-up of already done, already “proven” ideas? Sounds like it but I don’t think that that’s what readers want, at least I’d like to hope so. I’m a voracious reader myself and when I come upon a new book with an interesting unique different idea, I’m intrigued. Simply put, the world is a diverse place, we need diverse material. Pick any book from the Hugo Awards list and you’ll see some of the diversity I’m talking about.

Anyway, that’s only a snippet of my creative dilemma as I’m sure there are other implications tied in to this like the economic climate (editors not willing to risk their jobs for unknown authors or publishers looking for tried and true), the changing landscape of the publishing industry and the digital ebook revolution, or simple economics of the cost to produce versus sales return. More than likely it’s going to be the Indies (Independent Publishers) that are going to be the ones to find the new stuff or take a chance on niche markets/ideas, but still, that’s but a sliver of the whole. It’s an undeniably daunting prospect for any unconnected unknown writer. The odds are simply not in their favor.

That said, I’m debating whether to do a test project and write the book that fits the mold. Is that selling out? Not entirely sure…but if it means selling something, I don’t have anything to lose. What’s the alternative? To do it yourself and own the onus? That’s certainly an option but that’s a very complicated discussion meant for another time.

If you’re looking for Victoria’s Secret, this isn’t it. I still don’t know what that particular secret is. The one I’m talking about has been out for a while now and is less about lingerie and more about positivity.

The Secret is one of those things that you need to remind yourself about from time to time, especially when you get bogged down in the day-to-day grind which can wear you down to a tiny, disgruntled, emotionless nub. After finding myself in such a place, I picked The Secret up from my bookshelf and re-read it the other day. I know that many people may think that it is new-age hogwash or something thereabouts, but there’s really something to be said for the power of positive thinking. Positive thoughts attract positivity and negative thoughts, negativity. It’s simple and it’s powerful.

Case in point. I bought three cups of coffee yesterday from Dunkin Donuts, one of them was a tall ice-decaf, the other two were hot medium regulars. My instant thought was how horrible would it be if one of these tipped over in my car. And then, that was like wildfire in my brain no matter how much I tried to tell myself otherwise. I made it all the way home and dropped the iced coffee off to a neighbor. In the one minute drive to my own house…you guessed it, one of the two remaining cups tipped over and flooded my passenger seat just as I pulled in front of my house. Newman! It’s a small example, but it got me to thinking. If I hadn’t obsessed about it – basically putting it out there that I subconsciously wanted it to happen, then would things have been different?

So what’s my point, you ask? Well, stop for a second. Let’s not obsess about the power of thought and will, and being all skeptical about making things happen by thinking about them. We know you’re not Harry Potter. But at the end of the day, do you want to be that grumpy, unhappy person that nothing good ever happens to? I don’t. I want lots of good things in my life. And if that means that I need to push positivity out and make myself a human super-soaker of the stuff, then I’m game.  Seriously, do you have anything to lose? Get a smile on, think about all the good things you already have and be grateful for them, visualize all the things you want, and put it out there!

Just a quick post to say that the queries are out. Typically, every agency has rules but you know what, I’m a sales person at heart and I want to sell my product. So I’m out there trying to sell it, hard core. If this isn’t viewed as a business, then that agent is never going to be successful selling your book. They have to passionate about your work, as much as you are, and they have to have sales savvy. Plus of course have lots of contacts, and not the eye kind.

So you probably know by now from my extensive posts on querying agents (shame if you don’t), my query process basically means that I have a researched list of anyone looking for new clients in my category/genre, and then it’s “Hi yo, Silver, away!” That’s the Lone Ranger for you young’uns. Why the list, you ask? Well it’s such a subjective process. So go for anyone who would be a good fit for you and your book.  Seriously, what if you get someone on a bad day, and then you’re screwed from the whole agency? Come on. At the end of the day, they’re human  too, so make sure you cover your bases.

Repeat slowly – it is a business, and again. It. Is. A. Business. A business to make money.

Everyone in the entire publishing industry views it that way, so why shouldn’t you? I’m not saying don’t respect the rules, but bend them if you have to. I mean this is your dream, is it not? As my Aussie friends say, harden up. Push the limits. And remember, it’s the law of numbers – a rule I learned in Sales 101. The more you send out, the more responses you’ll get, and the greater chance for an offer, or maybe fifteen. I got 8 offers the last time so there’s something to be said for that law. And of course having stellar writing which comes in a close second. Or first. Seriously, that’s first.

Response has been fantastic so far. Lots of interest, so fingers crossed that it will just be about me connecting with the person who’s going to take me to the next level. My Mr. or Ms. Right-Agent. I can’t wait. Wow, this could be like an episode of the Literary Bachelorette or something. *Caution – too much query excitement can cause random delirium and some serious verbal vomit. Thank goodness it’s here and not in el query or el novel.

Stay tuned for more…

No kidding. It feels like everything is coming to boiling point. Writing a new book, a literary one mind you…no urban fantasy here, just evil masquerading as nice, normal individuals. Seriously, you don’t need to be a vampire or a werewolf to be inhuman. Strip away those top layers and sometimes you will be disgusted to see what you find in the very people around you. That’s not to say you don’t find good things too, but more often than not, there’s darkness lurking. It’s the human condition.

But I digress.

So between writing my third book, publishing the first one (hoping fervently that it will take off like a rocket), and getting a new literary agent for the second book (new series), it feels like my world is entering hyper-drive! But I’m not complaining! Don’t get me wrong…it’s just overwhelming. But oh so good!

If you’re interested on learning how to query an agent, check back to my links on that subject. I’ll keep you posted on progress of all three. Query-city next week!!

So on this past weekend’s trip to the romantic oasis of Lugano nestled in the south of Switzerland in the Swiss Alps, I got hit with a hot bolt of inspiration – I am going to write Lena’s story.

Lena is one of the supporting characters from my novel Bloodspell, and she is an intriguing bit of work, especially since she was my main male character’s first love back in the eighteenth century. In Bloodspell, Lena is standoffish and powerful, but she came from somewhere…she was a vulnerable girl once. I want to write about that. At the very least, I’ll jot down some notes, but I’m definitely feeling it.

Although it is now known as the Monte Carlo of Switzerland because of its range of jet-set visitors, Lugano (resting on the shores of the magnificent Lake Lugano) has been populated since the Stone Age, and has been claimed by the Italians, the Swiss, and the French all at some point during its long history, making it great food for thought…and writing this story!

Being inside a glacier is no joke. It is breathtaking and awe-inspiring! My journey to the glacier high in the Swiss Alps began on a tour bus in central Zurich that wound its way down to Lucerne through lush countryside and gorgeous mountains until it came to a stop at the base of Mount Titlis. It took three sets of cable cars and various stages of ear-popping to get to the very top of the mountain, where the light rain had turned to snow and the temperature dropped from 70 degrees to a bone-chilling 24.

10,000 feet above, I stood outside my jacket clutched to my neck, the wind gusts tossing around heavy drifts of snow like clouds of talcum powder, and I stared down the mountain awed. I was at the top of the world. For a brief moment, I wished I had a pair of skis pointed downward, and then as a wind gust slammed into my body like a WWF champion, I had a change of heart. I made my way inside, cowed.

It was time to head into the belly of the beast. I made my way along a narrow platform and pushed open the makeshift doors that led into the glacier. The walls were varied hues of gray and white with shimmering pieces of ice here and there, and cold to the touch as you would expect. What I didn’t expect was the sheer size of the caves that twisted into smaller caverns and winding tunnels until they merged into the darkness beyond. In some areas, I stood in total darkness! Freaky! I was inside a giant ice-cube! I even saw some ice blocks carved into the side of the glacier, like the ones that would build an igloo.Of course, man-made but still very cool.

What an incredible experience! And a boatload of story inspiration and ideas, which of course as you know by now is my M.O. Stay tuned, maybe one of these days, I’ll link back to this post.

The Lion of Lucerne is a memorial sculpture in Lucerne, Switzerland commemorating the 760 Swiss soldiers killed during the French Revolution in 1792 while serving Louis XVI. It was designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen, and sculpted out of the sandstone rock in 1820/1821 by Lucas Ahorn. The monument is dedicated Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti – To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss.

The dying lion is portrayed impaled by a spear, covering a shield with marked with the French fleur-de-lis (symbol of the French monarchy). Beside the lion is another shield bearing the Swiss coat of arms. The inscription below the sculpture lists the names of the soldiers who died.

Mark Twain spoke of the fatally-wounded lion saying that it was “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”

So yes, I am absolutely guilty of not updating as regularly as I have been, and I have no real excuse other than I’ve been traveling in Europe and haven’t come across any “fantasy-esque” or writing-related things to talk about. Still, it’s a good excuse! In the last couple days, I’ve been to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and back. And in the middle of all that, I had the incredible good fortune to stand stage-side at a Damian Marley and Nas concert at the Couleur Cafe (an amazing urban world-music festival) in Brussels. Music does inspire me to write so maybe this little hiatus of mine will have some good results!

Check out a couple photos I took below.

Had a drink at one of the most legendary cafés in Zurich. Circa 1911, the Odeon has been patronized by such figures as Einstein, Lenin, Mata Hari, Mussolini, Puccini, and James Joyce, along with countless other famous artists, poets, musicians, and writers. A Bohemian landmark, the Café Odeon is located on the open Limmatquai plaza in Old Town, and is one of the most centrally-located spots in the city.

I’m hoping that a little bit of creative genius dusted off on me as I stepped through the doorway of this historic café.

Finally had a chance to read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld after my thirteen year old neighbor recommended it to me several months ago. It was a quick read, a few hours at the most. Overall I enjoyed it, especially the bits about the hoverboard since I am an avid surfer. That was definitely cool.

The story is based in a futuristic world where everyone becomes “pretty” when they turn sixteen. They undergo a type of surgical operation (like plastic surgery) and are made super-model beautiful. However, what they don’t know is that they are also changed in the way that they behave and think. They are changed outside and inside.

Tally Youngblood discovers this when she is forced by Special Circumstances (another kind of cruel pretty) to unearth a hidden band of rebels known as the Smokies who have run away and refused to turn pretty. Two of the leaders of the Smokies know a terrible secret – one that can unhinge everything that the pretty world is based on. The operation changes the way that you think and creates lesions on the brain like a cancer. So basically, being pretty is like being infected. It’s a very cool concept.

So cool story, and cool elements within the story like the hoverboards, bungee-jackets, and the Specials. Scott Westerfeld is also an awesome sci-fi writer so you know it’s going to be interesting and have a ton of excitement. That said, in Uglies, I did not really feel the main characters at all, and I was surprised that I didn’t connect with any of them – not Tally, not Peris, not David, not Shay. They felt very one-dimensional, like pawns in a play moving together just to set up the next sequence. They didn’t seem real to me and neither did their interaction with each other. Even the main protagonist felt wooden, and while the author does a brilliant job of moving through the story, I just didn’t get what drove her. She irritated me a lot too, and I wasn’t quite sure why. Her relationship with David was not at all believable – I didn’t not feel anything between them whatsoever. Nor did I feel that the jealousy between Tally and Shay, after David gives Tally his gloves, was real. It felt too staged, like, ok that was predictable. Best friend is jealous when BFF steals her crush….um, boring.

The final scene at the end was pretty cool – the daring escape and rescue but once again I felt a sense of confusion to learn that David’s father was dead. I think what bothered me the most was that I didn’t feel anything about his father being dead, and I really wanted to. Which goes back to what I said before about not caring about any of these characters. Which is a pity. Because the novel concept is so cool. Dammit.

Overall I would give Uglies 3 out of 5 stars. Great concept, solid writing and language, but bland characters with little heart. May be better suited to a younger audience, like 10+. I’m definitely intrigued enough to read Pretties, so check back for my review of that. Hoping for the best!

So I am flying to Switzerland and open up the Delta Sky magazine, and what do I see? You got it (or at least you should have from the title of this post). Yes, yet another article on the unstoppable James Patterson. I wrote a post about him a while back after I read MAX – A Maximum Ride Novel (his Young Adult bird-themed novel), and following the article in the NY Times Magazine.

James Patterson is the largest selling author in the world, having sold 170 million copies of 65 books. The article aptly said that the “record-breaking statistics have piled up faster than the dead bodies in his tautly written crime thrillers.” He has had 54 New York Times bestsellers, more than any other writer, and 37 of them were number 1 on the list. Sales of his books have reportedly generated over $500 million for his publisher, Little, Brown & Co.

What more can I say? The man is a machine. I suspect that part of his secret is that he treats writing like a business – from engineering the product (in some cases taking on co-authors for his projects) to marketing and selling it. The NY Times Magazine article estimates that James Patterson sells one out of every seventeen books sold in the United States. Now there’s a staggering number, 1 out of every 17!

Would that we were all so lucky (or savvy).

swiss cheese, swiss chocolates, swatches, swiss knives and of course Roger Federer…so if I slack off a couple days, be patient with me.

A European trip of any kind requires meticulous planning, not to mention complete pre-immersion in said trip. Luckily, I speak French so I won’t be completely lost in the land with four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Rumantsch). English is the unofficial fifth language.

Looking for some inspiration for a new story! Woo-hoo!!

Someone once told me if you want something, you have to go after it hard. You have to give it everything inside of you, otherwise, it’s not something you really want. Ok, I just made the last part up. But the first part’s true. The problem is that it’s no cake-walk.

I ask myself, why isn’t it happening like those stories you read about? Instant success! 7-figure advance! 3-book deal! Well, after a lot of research and internal soul-searching, I have come up with a few answers, some lame and some that actually make sense. The most logical (and written-about) one is that the publishing industry is still recovering from the economic fallout and publishers just aren’t signing like they used to. They just can’t afford to take the risk so they go with tried and true, and books/authors that will sell. And well, 7-figure advances only come if you’re famous. Um…skydiving off the Empire State Building anyone? That would be 5 minutes of fame that may get me in the door. Kidding (but not really)! Another answer is that everyone and their mother (and father’s sister’s uncle’s cousin) is writing about the genre I am in – urban fantasy/paranormal. Including traditionally adult authors who want to cash in on the hot YA industry – the only area still growing like wildfire, which makes it incredibly competitive. The other (lame) answer is that maybe my books just aren’t good enough – but of course, that’s crap. If you ever get to read my books, you’ll know they are the farthest thing from crap. *dusts shoulder off*

It’s funny because I actually had one editor come back to me and use specific language that I have used in this blog to review one of the books she published. Sadly, it was not a great review, and yes, I paid the price when I saw her lovely rejection letter. I really didn’t like that book though, and still stand by what I wrote. There’s going to be a publisher out there who loves what I have done as much as I do.

So what’s the point of this blog post, you ask? I guess maybe it’s a bit of a self-pep talk, a pull-yourself-together talk. Despite all of the adversity, I have to pull some gumption from somewhere, and keep persevering. Most writers know that Stephen King was supposedly rejected tons of times before he sold his first novel. But did you know Gone With The Wind was rejected by 38 publishers before it was printed? Or Dune by Frank Herbert was rejected by 23 publishers? John Grisham was rejected by 16 publishers for A Time To Kill. There’s a great blog post from blogger Rachel Zurakowski from Books & Such, Why Are Great Projects Rejected? Interesting read.

Check out this great link for some more inspiration, 50 Iconic Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected.

You are not alone, and it will happen for you. All you need is one person to believe in you, as much as you do. So go after it hard. You can falter, that’s human…but as the singer Aaliyah said, dust yourself off and try again. Don’t give up. And remember, you can’t wait for opportunity to come to you, you have to chase it, put your back into it. Make it a life goal, and make the changes necessary to commit to your dream. It’s your dream.

It’s my dream.

“None who enter will leave unchanged.”

Written for middle-graders, aged 9-12, Fablehaven was pretty interesting.  This novel was a fun, great adventure about fairies, imps, witches, and all manner of fabled creatures.

Thirteen year old Kendra and her eleven year old brother Seth are forced to spend some time with their eccentric grandfather when their parents go on an unexpected cruise. They are warned not to stray too far from their house and forbidden to go into the woods beyond the beautiful and vibrant house gardens. Seth, of course, dare-devil and adventurer, disobeys only to face a scary encounter with a wicked witch. Meanwhile, Kendra tries to solve a puzzle involving three mini-keys that her grandfather has given to her, which eventually leads her to a journal inscribed with three words – drink the milk. When she and Seth comply with the instructions, what follows is a complete mystical unveiling of all things fantastic – their grandfather has a huge secret. The butterflies in the garden are all fairies, and he is the caretaker of a preserve for magical creatures called Fablehaven.

When their grandfather is kidnapped (again after an act of disobedience), Kendra and Seth unwillingly free the witch to lift a curse from their grandmother – the only one who can now save Fablehaven and find their grandfather. It is a race against time to save their grandfather, Fablehaven, and the world from a powerful but evil demon that the witch intends to liberate. In the end, Kendra manages to win the aid of the Fairy Queen and her fairies, and with their help, Fablehaven is saved.

Fablehaven is a decent, engaging, and fun read. It is a well-written novel, and is completely appropriate for the age group for which it was written. While I prefer older YA books, I did enjoy reading this one. On the flip side of that, I was irritated by some of Seth’s idiotic antics, as well as Kendra’s incessant whining. Seth behaved more like a five year old than an eleven year old, and never seemed to learn from any of his mistakes. Kendra just seemed to be a dull figure destined to wring her hands and say, “grandfather said not to, Seth.” She’s completely useless except for her role at the end. In a way there didn’t seem to be enough character depth because I didn’t really like either of the two main characters. I liked the grandparents far more, and even the vengeful fairies. But again, maybe I don’t have the correct expectation of behavior/character at this age.

The giant cow was also just weird (not to mention the unexpected and gross milking by sliding down the udders of said giant cow), and then Kendra’s stabbing of the udder to get blood for the fairy offering was pretty nasty. A simple finger prick would have sufficed (and would involved much less animal cruelty). Not to mention the massage thing with the troll. That was weird. Way weird. It made me feel a tad uncomfortable.

All of the not-so-good stuff is somewhat redeemed by the ending which is cool and exciting and magical. Overall I’d give Fablehaven 3 stars. I did go out and buy the next two in the series, so maybe I should add another half-a-star. Stay tuned for my review of those.

What-the-Dickens was a tougher read than normal for me. I found myself engaged by some pages, yet not by others, and this meant slow going overall. When I was interested, I read. When I wasn’t, my page-turning ability crept at a snail’s pace.

In Gregory Maguire fashion, this novel is a fairy tale about the origin of tooth fairies or as he calls them, skibbereen, and the tale of one skibberee in particular called What-the-Dickens. The story is narrated by a young man who is caught in the middle of a storm while looking after his young cousins. Sans parents, the peculiar fairy-tale is what helps them survive the storm with no food, electricity, or contact with anyone. What-the-Dickens is a story within a story.

It begins when What-the-Dickens (the skibberee) is born alone in a discarded empty tuna-fish can, and has to fend for himself to discover what he is, how to use his filmy webbed-wings, and come to terms with his natural affinity for teeth of all shapes and sizes. Eventually in his random travels (which includes falling in love with a cat called McCavity, being adopted by a bird, and relieving a tiger of a sore tooth), What-the-Dickens finds a colony of skibbereen, and discovers that he is a tooth fairy or as they call it, an “agent of change.” Despite being told what his place in the skibbereen world is and his inability to change his fate (or that of others), What-the-Dickens breaks all the rules and charts his own course.

That said, What-the-Dickens is a likable enough character, if a little clueless, and at times quite blah. There’s little to no character development outside of him so it feels a little one-dimensional. Further, the language does get a bit annoying at times, and the story seems to have more pace in certain areas while it becomes a lot more tedious in others. It felt very contrived and forced. On top of that, the tooth fairy seemed more real than the world of the actual children caught in the storm. Maybe it would have been better as a story on its own without the children? I just didn’t like the original setting of the story – with the uber-religious, home-schooled, social pariah children. It’s just bizarre. I mean, what was the point of their separation to the world, or even their dynamics with each other in relation to What-the-Dickens’ story? I didn’t get it.

This book didn’t read like Wicked, which seemed to be geared to an older audience and was far more gripping and entertaining. What-the-Dickens fell far short, if only because I expected a lot more given Maguire’s other books. Overall, I was definitely disappointed. I cannot believe that this was a NY Times bestseller.

Great premise, very poor execution. I would rate What-the-Dickens 1 and a half stars, just for concept.

I am guilty of not writing. I blog, I read, I’m even reading the Book Review in the New York Times. But I so have not been writing, and I really need to get back in the saddle. I think it’s because the new novel I am writing is more in the literary vein than it is fantasy so 1) it’s harder, 2) it’s not as exciting as urban fantasy is, and 3) I’m probably just lazy. I do know that I need to push through it because it’s an interesting story (or will be). I’m about 13,000 words in so it’s something and it’s really starting to take shape. I do need to get my arms around what I want to accomplish with it in terms of overall theme/message, and for the first time, I think I am going to need an outline. Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted on progress.

On my two completed novels, we are still out to submission with Bloodspell, and I’ve sent a 3 page synopsis of the latest novel (a new series!) to my agent, Marly Rusoff. I am hanging in there! But writing is the best cure for waiting, so giddy-up!

I read Wake in a couple hours. Train in to NYC, train back from NYC.

It’s not a very long book, just 210 pages, but it’s definitely an interesting premise. The main protagonist, Janie, is a dream-catcher, i.e., she falls into people’s dreams. Since she was eight, Janie has had an uncanny ability to enter the dreams of people once within a certain distance of them – falling dreams, drowning dreams, sexual dreams, death dreams. Sometimes she gets pulled in so horribly that her entire body becomes paralyzed, so not exactly a trip to Disneyland. In fact, it can be downright terrifying. When she meets Cabel, goth-turned-hottie at school and falls into his own horrible dreams, Janie confides her secret to him. It’s not all roses – he’s drawn to her and afraid at the same time of what she’s seen…what she can do. Plus, Cabel has his own secrets – he’s a secret teen agent (maybe a little corny on the plot) working with the police to bust a drug ring. In the end, with the help of Miss Stubin, another dream-catcher, Jamie controls her ability and helps Cabel and the police to uncover the druglord’s stash.

So yes, it’s a neat premise. Overall, the writing and the pacing were well-executed for YA. I was pulled into the story by the idea, and the writing/dialogue kept me engaged enough to keep turning the pages. The language was fast-paced and different, although in some cases, almost too teenagery (which is touch and go for YA – i.e., trying a tad too hard?) Some may find it very choppy and difficult to follow, but I didn’t have too much of an issue with it overall. I enjoyed the edgy feel to the pace.

Low on lyricism and descriptive imagery, Wake compensates for that with short, sharp sentences and quick section jumps. I quite liked the uniqueness of the author’s style – it read like a dream sequence in parts which is cool when combined with the whole concept of the novel. I wasn’t exactly thrilled by the characters themselves – they felt a little one-dimensional to me but I did like Janie and Caleb, and thought that the dynamic of their relationship was typical of a high-school relationship. It was believable, with a lot of good back and forth, and catchy dialogue.

In the end though, what derailed me was the complete lack of explanation of Janie’s condition. Why does she slip into people’s dreams? Was it hereditary? Where did it come from? We know there are others like her (Miss Stubin), so who are they? Why was Miss Stubin working with the Captain? How come Miss Stubin can visit Janie in her dreams even though she’s dead? I needed far more resolution than what was given so I didn’t get that feeling of plausibility that would have made it richer and so much more satisfying.

Another pet peeve. I am a fan of profanity when used appropriately in written dialogue (not to mention general conversation) but I thought it was a bit overused in this book. We know teenagers swear, so a couple times gets the feel across. However, Janie saying “fuckity-fuck” just gets to be too much. It became grating and contrived. There were also some areas that were pretty graphic about sex, sexual fantasies, and sizes of, er, certain body parts. I’m no prude, but authors need to have some sort of responsibility for the message they put on paper, especial for YA readers.

Which brings me to my next point. I am confused as to where Wake fits in. The novel reads like it is almost intended for preteens, especially if you take out the gratuitous f-bombs and random lesbian/sexual fantasies, but it does feel confusing because of its simplistic language with overly adult themes. Those pieces didn’t quite come together. I’ll also mention my growing pet peeve of absentee parents in YA novels. Teens can be messed up with paranormal abilities with perfectly acceptable and visible parents. But I digress on an unnecessary tangent.

Overall, I read Wake quickly and was intrigued by the cool premise. It did need some more depth and character development, but the writing was neat and I didn’t stop reading so that has to count for something. Not sure it’s a series where I’d be running out to buy the sequels, but it wasn’t terrible.

Had a lot of potential, just could have been executed way better.

I’d rate Wake 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The new novel went out to its first test reader after weeks of self-editing. As most of you would-be writers already know, this is very arduous task that can go against every emotional bone in your body because you are, after all, editing yourself. It’s as if you were a plastic surgeon staring at yourself in a mirror and making black markings all over your body for “trimming.” Terrifying image? You bet. Well, it’s just about the same. And you have to be as meticulous as you are merciless. If it doesn’t contribute in some way – plot development, scene description, character back-story, iambic pentameter (kidding!) – then it has to go. Brutal. My favorite book to assist in this process is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. It is a key tool in getting rid of some of your most adored (and more-likely crippling) writing habits. You’ll cringe to hit the delete button, but your work will be better for it.

That said and done, I am now awaiting the initial test-reader feedback with bated breath, and of course a “tiny” bit of anxiety.

Next step – jacket-flap/query outline for my agent. Here’s a teaser – it’s all about hell.

Spent most of the weekend editing the new novel, doing some fat -trimming, some word-thinning, and some plot-tightening. Fun. I’m planning to get it out to the first group of test readers in the next week or so. This is my fourth editing iteration so I’m hoping that it’s starting to look a little more sleek. As my agent says, think shark through water. So that’s what I’m going for. Tiger shark – hoorah!

Stay tuned for feedback.

I started reading Shiver and immediately loved the language. I loved the lyrical and descriptive sentences, as well as the fact that it was based on two points of view, both Grace and Sam. That held me rapt for about the first twenty pages. However as the story progressed, I found that I didn’t love the multiple points of view as much as I thought I would have, primarily because it’s in the first person. It was very difficult to keep track of who was speaking…ie., who was the “I” in that particular chapter. It got confusing at times, and I found myself having to go back and check the chapter title.

In many YA books, we expect writers to have some unique plot definition or twist – in Maggie Stiefvater‘s vision for Shiver, werewolves change into wolves when the temperature becomes warm. Though more or less believable, it still seemed very thin to me and was never explained enough so that I was satisfied or fully convinced. I found it odd that the wolves could change from a blast of air-conditioning. Just didn’t seem plausible.

The relationship (the driver of this novel) between Grace and Sam was far too bland for me, and I found myself skipping through their later interaction because it just became too boring. Ok, I get that he loves her and he’s shy and sensitive, and she loves him (and has always loved him), but it just dragged and dragged and dragged at times. It also just seemed like it went from watching each other furtively in the woods for six years after the attack to being in love, so there was very little relationship development which translated to very little reader/character connection. There seemed to be very little tension between Sam and Grace at all.

I found myself flipping the pages with Sam and Grace mooning over each other to get to the action scenes and find out what was happening with Beck. Now he was an interesting character! I would have loved to have known more about him, and also get a little more dynamic between him and Grace…sort of ex-father figure and new love interest. Who where the three people he turned and why did they want to be turned? I also liked Isabel a lot – she seemed to have far more spark and dimension than Grace. I wanted to see more of her, and loved that she was so feisty when she was out looking for Sam in one of their barns.

Another thing that annoyed me was that Grace’s parents were far too absentee without enough explanation. We have no rational explanation as to why they were the way they were. I mean, at least make something up – maybe Grace was secretly adopted or maybe when she got bitten, they pulled away from her, or something. It seemed too far-fetched for them to be as distant as they both were, almost as if they were written in just because you know, you can’t have a sixteen year old living in a house on her own.

I also thought that the reason that Grace never changed in a werewolf after being bitten (because she was left in a hot car by her clueless father) was far too flimsy. It just didn’t hold much weight because it needed to be explained better. I mean first of all, what kind of parent leaves their kid in a car, no matter who clueless they are? What was it about the heat that made her remain human? And as far as that leading to meningitis to induce a fever as a cure, I don’t even have words for that. It’s just not fleshed out enough. After the meningitis vaccine, why does Jack die? And why does Sam live? It just didn’t make sense, or wasn’t explained clearly.

Other unresolved plot questions: Why does Sam only get a few years while Beck had over twenty? Why exactly can’t the werewolves live in a warmer climate? Why did Sam shift to human when he got shot? Why did Olivia want to so much to be a werewolf?

Peeves aside, my favorite thing about this book was unequivocally the imagery. Maggie Stiefvater is an excellent writer and creates a world that is so visual that you get drawn right into the middle of it, even if you don’t want to. I loved that about Shiver. Her writing is rich and evocative. That acknowledged, I really did not connect with either of the main characters. I felt that both Grace and Sam felt too transparent. Sam, who should have been so strong and fierce, just seemed weak to me. I did not like him as a male protagonist at all. Beck and Isabel were more my style.

Overall I would rate Shiver 3 stars. As many other reviewers have said, fans of Twilight will enjoy this story, especially younger teen readers.