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plotlinehotline · 6 years

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I've read tons of books and websites about writing mysteries, and it still is difficult. How do I connect clues and figure out which ones are important?

Writing a Mystery Novel

Because I’m notsure what advice you’ve already read, I hope my post won't rehash whatyou’ve already encountered. I’m not a devout mystery fan, but I’ve read myshare of Janet Evanovich and Harlan Coben (currently reading Sue Grafton), andI’m a huge Sherlock Holmes reader. So I’ll do my best to steer you in the rightdirection based on this experience.

Mysteries areunique in that often times what they’re doing is telling a story about anotherstory. The “mystery” being solved involves an entirely separatesequence of events, and your characters are trying to uncover these eventsbased on the clues. I think when you begin to think of your mystery (whateveris being solved) and your mystery (the actual novel you’re writing) astwo separate narratives, things might click into place a little easier.

The mystery withinthe novel usually contains a climax, just like any other novel. Andthe actual novel is the events following this climax. Think about the last bookyou read or movie you watched and imagine a random person walked into theclimax of that story and had to figure out what had happened based on evidenceleft behind. That effect is what you’re looking to create in a mystery novel.

So to start,forget about your detective and their investigation and focus on the eventsthat trigger the investigation. This will most likely be the crimescene, but it could theoretically be any event that prompts your characters tosolve the mystery. If you’re not sure what this is yet, then startthinking about what type of mystery you’re wanting your character to solve.Murder, theft, assault, kidnapping? What most fascinates you as a reader, andwhich of these (or others) creates the most compelling mystery to you? Then,start brainstorming. Here’s a list of things you’ll need to know: (and from here on out, I’ll be using a murder mystery in my examples, as those are fairly common):

1) What unduething actually happens? Start with one sentence explaining what is stolen, whodies, who is kidnapped…what is the crime that will eventually beinvestigated?

2) Now, workbackwards to determine how it happened. If this is overwhelming, work in asbasic of terms as you can. For a murder mystery, think about thecause of death. If they were stabbed, what were they stabbed with? If they werepoisoned, what did they consume that was laced with poison? If they were shot,where on their body were they shot? Imagine the spot in the room where theperson finally died and visualize how they got there. Did they try toget to a phone, did they fall and simply not get up? What were they doing beforethe fatal blow came? Did they see their attacker? Did they know theirattacker? How long between the time they were struck and the time they actuallydied?

3) Now thatyou’ve got the beginnings of a scene, imagine who was present during theattack. If the victim was poisoned, it’s possible the murderer wasn’t eventhere. If that’s the case, was the victim alone or were there other witnesses?If there were, imagine what the two (or more) characters werediscussing/doing beforehand, and then go through the witness’s actions once thevictim succumbs to the poison. Do they try to assist them in any way? Dothey call for an ambulance? Perhaps they are even in on the murder, and theysimply wait for them to die and then call the police, planning to feigninnocence. If the murderer was present, how did they get in? Did thevictim know the person and let them in or did they just break in? If they brokein, was it at the time of the murder or did they get their much earlier in theday and hide out until the victim came home? Think about the characters presentand walk through their actions.

4) Let’s get tomotive now. Why did your murderer do it? Were they hired, did they haveprior beef with the victim, was the victim a threat to them? Why didthey do it, and further, why did they choose to do it the way they didit? The reasoning behind their method could be things like: less likelihood ofgetting caught, wanting the victim to know who was killing them, becauseit was the easiest way considering the victim’s habits/routines (a poisoning,while potentially safer in terms of being caught could prove problematic if thevictim is the type of person who is especially careful about what theyeat/drink).

5) Next, takeyour answers to the questions you just answered in step 4 and explore themdeeper. If the murderer was hired, by whom? If the killer had beef with thevictim, what was the beef? Explore the relationship between the murderer andthe victim: was it always antagonistic or were they once friends? Look atthe point were the feud began and write out the details of that moment. Despitetheir lack of actual screen time in your novel, these characters are key to thestory and they should be developed as such.

Like I said before,explore this as if you were going to write a separate novel featuring thisstory. Develop the characters as much as you can, so that you understand theiractions leading up to the murder, as well as the actions the murderer will takefollowing the death of the victim. Will they run? Will they try to throw off the investigation by being overly helpful?

6) Finally, write it all out. Write a detailed synopsis of this entire story from beginning to end. Start by listing each of the “players” (murderer, victim, and any witnesses) and describe their appearance, temperament, and any info that won’t make it into your summary. Keep this information in a safe place as you’ll likely refer to it often as you write the novel surrounding this mystery.

Onto the Clues

Clues aren’t so difficult once you realize that you don’t have to pull them out of thin air. At this point, you’ve got a detailed account of what your detective/investigators are about to figure out. Go back through your synopsis and look for places where the murderer (and anyone else involved) might make a mistake. A phone call they make, something they buy that implicates them, not seeing a security camera, dropping a weapon or other item that ties back to them.

Clues need not be physical evidence - a clue can be anything that reveals any detail about what happened. Think of clues less as things sprinkled around a crime scene, and more as a progression of information that lead to additional information. There may only be one relevant clue at the crime scene, but that clue leads the investigator to another clue. Some examples:

-No forced entry at crime scene (no broken windows or locks): This reveals that the victim likely knew the killer, or else the killer had earned their trust somehow by giving them a convincing story. The classic example might be a driver whose car has broken down and needs to use a phone (in today’s world, perhaps their cell phone is dead). If we suspect the murderer was invited into the house, and we have the approximate time of death, we might ask a couple of neighbors if they remembering seeing anyone in the victim’s yard/porch around this time.

-If the victim was found near a landline or cell phone, we might trace their call history to see if they were speaking to anyone around the time of death, or if they tried to call for help. That person may have heard something. It’s also possible the victim may have told them, “Oh, someone’s at the door, I have to go,” which would possibly tell us when the killer arrived.

-Look for things like the condition of the house, or the way the victim was dressed. Are there any clues that indicate the victim was on their out or on their way in? If there are bags of groceries unpacked in the kitchen, the victim had likely just gotten home from the store. It might be worth it to trace the victim’s path back to that store and see if there were any signs of someone following them home.

Some detectives may approach the investigation by trying to reconstruct the victim’s day to see when/where things went awry.

Read Mysteries!

You mentioned reading a lot of help books on writing mysteries, but not that you read a lot of mystery novels. Of course, you likely just left that part of out of the ask, but take the mysteries you love the most and break them down as a way of understanding the genre. Make lists of the clues, in particular the ones that lead the investigator to a new witness, location, or theory.

If you feel you’ve researched the genre a LOT, and you’ve exposed yourself to a LOT of mystery novels, and you’re still finding it difficult…congrats, you’re a writer! Writing is challenging. Novels don’t just appear - they take lots of hard work, and the process will indeed be difficult. My best advice to you if you’re really passionate about this genre and really want to write it, start with simple mysteries and use what might be considered “cliche” clues to help you get comfortable with the basic format of writing the mystery.

[Here’s a great Quora thread where people discuss cliche clues in mystery novels]

Good luck with your mystery novel!

-Rebekah

#ask r #genre #mystery #plot development

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tabbytabbytabby · 6 years

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7, 10, 13, 17, 20, 44 and 52 for the fanfic writers thingy. If they're too many, I'm so sorry! You don't have to answer to all of them!

7. Favorite author: I’m going to take this as favorite book author, but even then it’s hard. Obviously J.K. Rowling and by that extension Robert Galbraith. Then John Green, Sarah Dessen, George R.R. Martin, and Janet Evanovich.

10. Pick a writer to co-write a book with and tell us what you’d write about.Oh… my first thought was of @lovelylittlegrim and I think it could be a book about zombie fighting detectives. Who really don’t have much crime fighting to do anymore, because well… zombies. Maybe they don’t even like each other that much but they’re stuck with one another. But slowly become closer. They know it’s stupid, given the world they’re living in now. Either one of them could die any day. But if anything that makes them fight harder to survive and hold on that much tighter to what they have.

13. How do you deal with writers block?It used to be with a lot of self-doubt and crying and screaming at the computer. But now I just make things when I can’t write. That or I’ll move onto something else that I’m writing hoping that if words one come for one thing they’ll work for something else

17. On average, how much writing do you get done in a day?It depends. If I’m really inspired I can write 12+ hours. Other days I can’t write at all. I try to at least get an hour in if my brain is working.

20. Post a snippet of a WIP you’re working on.Theo’s silent the whole way home. It should be weird for him how easy it’s become for him to refer to Liam’s house as his home. But that’s what it is now. What it has been for months now, even when he was fighting it and trying to tell himself it was just a place to sleep. Liam and his parents had quickly gotten rid of that thought. Especially his mother, Jenna. She’s shown Theo more kindness and understanding than anyone else ever has and he’s never sure how to handle it. He can’t help but wonder if that’s going to change now.

Found some Thiam for you haha

44. Best piece of feedback you’ve ever gotten.I think what always sticks with me is when people tell me they read something that they never considered before just because they like my writing. Like that someone would maybe branch out and read things because of me means a lot.

52. How did writing change you?I’m more stressed and emotionally drained. No. Umm… I think maybe it made me more empathetic? I already feel like I got that way through reading but writing has definitely helped. Just getting to go inside so many different people’s heads and explore those thought processes and how they’re feeling has definitely affected who I am as a person.

Send me a writer ask

#18-sweet-poisoned-heart #answered ask #thiam #writer asks

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kuriquinn · 7 years

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Recovery & Patreon & Other Stuff

Hey everyone!

So, I’ve been having a good day today (much better than yesterday!) and thought I’d catch up with you guys.

I’m still dealing with the anxiety stuff. When I get into potentially stressful situations I still burst into tears and get shaky and a lump in my stomach, but I don’t get too bad left to my own devices anymore. I’m going to start going back to live on my own as opposed to bunking with family soon, which is nice. I’ve always been very independent and I loved living on my own, so getting back to that will be nice.

Anything work-related still triggers me, so I’ve had to completely disassociate from that (no work alerts, no answering emails, no lesson planning). That’s been hard, because I’m so used to doing something constructive that not doing it stresses me out. While I hate being stressed, I like to be buysy. More on that below.

I’m productive and almost functional between 10am and 12pm, and if it’s a really good day I get to 1:30. After that there’s no point to even trying because I just get a brain full of fuzz and can’t think through it.

Therapy has been helping A LOT, but I don’t know how long I can keep going to this therapist as it’s rather expensive. Again, big thanks to all of you who have been using my ko-fi jar this past year, you’re the reason I could pay for yesterday’s session.

Slowly, I’m working through all of this, and I couldn’t do it without you guys. Special shout out to those of you who have been checking in with my almost daily. If I didn’t have you, I don’t know how I’d be coping, to be honest...

I love you guys!

PATREON

I have been considering launching a patreon page for months now, and there’s never been the time to really work on it. And since everything in my life started to get really complicated, so many of you have reached out wanting to know how you can help support me so I can get back on my feet, back to my best self and back to writing stories!

Since I’ve been put off work for a few weeks to recover, I thought an interesting creative project for myself would be to start setting up my patreon in earnest (and my therapist says I need a non-workplace related, non-stressful activity that I can work on at my own pace).

After much thought, I decided not to offer fanfiction on patreon, because I’m really uncertain and uncomfortable with the legalities of it all. And added stress and anxiety is probably not a good idea right now. I may set up a different page later offering my own original fiction and short stories for a small fee, but I’m not yet at that point. That’s an entirely different project, but I’ll keep you in the know about it (especially those of you who said you wanted to read my original work!)

My patreon page that I’m constructing now will be dedicated to offering writing tips & tricks, video tutorials, writing prompts, personalised critiques and editing of patron creative writing content (this could be something as simple as cursory proof-reading to in-depth content editing, depending on the reward tier chosen). Original creative content and transformative works will be welcome, but I will not be looking at academic writing because honestly, I’m sick of correcting academic work.

I’m hoping this will give me the ability to build my resume to transition from the field of education into something more writing/editing/journalistic based. Or, possibly even start my own proofreading/editing/content creation service.

At the moment, I don’t have any major rewards up as I’m in the process of creating them - at my own pace and when I have the energy to do so. But for anyone who would like to start supporting me now while I get things up and running, I have enabled the general support incentive of $1 per month on the site. And I’m trying to come up with better goals, but as mentioned, this whole thing is a work in progress. ^_^

ORIGINAL FICTION

A little while back I mentioned waking up utterly inspired for an original story/novel and I’ve mostly been working on that when I’m in the writing mood and not feeling too stressed.

As mentioned, it’s a romance/mystery/comedy novel, kind of in the style of Naruto Gaiden, Tanya Huff’s Vicki Nelson series (go read it now if you haven’t!) and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum mysteries, but in my own style. I’m basing the main characters heavily on our favourite SSS family, so hopefully that’s of interest to you guys.

I’m currently in research mode for it, which is always a really cathartic part of the writing process for me. It involves a lot of reading of books/novels that I draw inspiration from and fact-checking (I know, I’m weird, but looking up/researching information is calming to me. I don’t know why...)

I’ve also been fleshing out the characters. Some of them even have names already *gasp*. Once I’m more sure of them, I’m going to exercise my creative muscles and try to create some concept art of the characters. I may make these available for you guys to look at here or on a different platform. Again, this will probably be for a small fee as it is original content.

We’ll see how all of this goes. It’s longterm goals right now, nothing concrete, but I feel like you guys have been so involved with me for so long you should know my plans.

FANFICTION

I work a little on my stories every day according to my energy and inspiration.

I’m currently editing Samsara as it’s been a while since I looked at it and it could use some improvement. Also, I’m thinking of using it as a means of showcasing my editing/proofreading skills, so it’s both a labour of love and serves a greater purpose.

Mostly I’ve been jotting down a few paragraphs here and there on some upcoming Indra/Shachi companion pieces and working on outlining my Tales of the Uchiha stories. Occasionally I’ll take a look at Never Tell Me The Odds and try to get back to it, as I know there’s a lot of interest in me finishing it, as well as You Are Cordially Invited.

I hope I can come back to fanfiction soon, but of course, I’m not going to rush anything unless I’m feeling particularly inspired.

Anyhow, I just wanted to catch up with you guys and let you know what’s going on in my life right now. And I’m getting kind of tired now so I’m going to sign off for today.

I’ll check in with you guys again soon.

Lots of love!

Kriss

#checking in #status update #real life stuff #writing stuff #kuriquinn #misskrisscritiques #patreon update #creative writing news #mental health and support #recovery #working on original content #plans #goals #trying to get better #trying to get back into it #thanks for your support

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mikauzoran · 4 years

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Ask Game: Commentary on a scene you’re proud of?

No one asked, but I wanted to do these, so… ^.^;

What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene.

I don’t know that I’m actually proud of this, but it was fun to write, and people enjoyed it. ^.^;

The below excerpt is from Chapter One of Let Your Walls Down. Ladybug and Chat Noir are having a getting-to-know-you chat on a rooftop after a bad day.

“What are your favourites?” she prompted, trying to keep the sad tone out of her voice.

“Don’t laugh,” he preempted. “Charlotte and Anne Brontë. Not Emily.”

Ladybug frowned. “Aren’t their books kind of…” She pursed her lips.

“Girly?” he completed. “No. They’re human-y. I like human-y. It’s part of the reason why I love Jane Austen and Victor Hugo so much. Charles Dickens too. Their characters feel real, like I could just bump into them on the street.”

Ladybug nodded, gaining a new appreciation for her partner. She could almost imagine him curled up in a window seat on a rainy day, pillow hugged to his chest, black-rimmed glasses slipping down his nose as he lost himself in imaginary worlds.

“Why not Emily Brontë?” she thought to ask.

Chat’s nose scrunched up in distaste. “I actively disliked eighty-seven percent of her characters and spent the whole of Wuthering Heights hoping bad things would happen to them. In that respect, the ending was rather satisfying, but the book was a slog, and it wasn’t even like my dislike of the characters was cathartic.”

Ladybug nodded as if she could relate. “I’ll make sure not to read it, then.”

“If you’re going to read anything, read Pride and Prejudice or Emma. They’re like trashy romance novels, only everyone will think you’re smart and sophisticated for reading them,” he chuckled.

“What are you reading right now?” She wondered, genuinely starting to take an interest in this getting-to-know-you game.

“The Three Musketeers again,” he replied nonchalantly. “I love Alexandre Dumas, so Musketeers is an old standby. I prefer The Count of Monte Cristo, though.”

“Do you ever read ‘trashy’ modern fiction?” she had to wonder. “Or is it all smarty-pants, five-hundred-page novels?”

“The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich,” he snickered, a pink stain quickly spreading across his cheeks. He covered his face with his hands, unwilling to look at her as he confessed, “And vampire smut.”

“Vampire…smut,” she repeated as if the syllables were in a foreign language.

He nodded, daring to peek at the shocked expression on her rapidly-reddening face. “I have to get it from my one friend and sneak it into the house as if it were drugs or PopTarts or something. I pay her back in manicures and massages, so the arrangement works—she actually thinks my preferences are adorable and doesn’t make fun of me too much—but…yeah. Vampire smut.”

There was an awkward silence.

A thought occurred to him: “…I feel like I shouldn’t have told you this about me until after we were married.”

“No,” she rushed to assure. “It’s just…I’m trying to reconcile your lame puns, your family situation, serious nineteenth century classic literature, and vampire smut. I’m not judging; I’m just…processing. I’ll judge you after I actually read some of this vampire smut. What’s the author’s name?”

“Seriously?” His mind raced, trying to come up with a series that he wouldn’t be too embarrassed to have the girl he loved reading.

She shrugged, meeting his eyes. “Seriously. I find the concept intriguing.”

“Uh…well…The Southern Vampire Mysteries are pretty mainstream, if you want to try that,” he suggested.

She nodded. “…New topic?”

There is just so much that I still find amusing about this almost one year later. XD

First off, these are (almost entirely) my real-life book opinions. Most of the time the opinions stated by my characters are not my own opinions because I sit down and think about what the characters would actually think and feel instead of just putting my words in their mouths. Most of the time, they think and feel things differently than I do. This instance is slightly different.

I totally get the vibe that Adrien and I have similar reading tastes. I believed this from the start, and seeing The Three Musketeers come up on his Instagram only confirmed it for me. I figure he’s had a lot of time by himself shut up in his room, so reading was Adrien’s escape before Chat Noir and school. I doubt Gabriel would let him have books deemed “unworthy” of an Agreste’s consumption, so that probably means Adrien read mostly the classics.

Yes, that is my actual opinion of Wuthering Heights. I’m sorry if you liked that book. I didn’t. I really, really didn’t. I also really love Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Anne Brontë, Victor Hugo, and Alexandre Dumas. I haven’t actually read a lot by Charles Dickens, but I loved A Tale of Two Cities (Madame Defarge for the win) and plan to read more by him.

I think Adrien in particular would enjoy these authors because they do such a good job of bringing their characters to life. By the end of the book, you feel like you really know these people. They’re like close friends. At least, that’s how they feel to me. I’m kind of an introvert, so I have more fictional friends than friends in real life, and I think Adrien would feel like the characters were his friends too before he had Plagg and real friends to interact with.

“They’re human-y. I like human-y.” - I like this line. I feel like it accurately captures what I wanted to get across about the universality of human truths learned from reading something someone else has written. Little pieces of ourselves get embedded in our works, so reading someone’s work is like getting a glimpse at their inner life. I think books are an experience that transcends time period, gender, or social class because they contain truths that apply to all of us humans.

The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich is actually my best friend from high school’s favourite series. I’ve read most of the books. They’re ridiculous and fluffy and irreverent. They’re good when you just need to laugh really hard and not take life too seriously and observe that there’s someone out there doing the adulting thing significantly worse than you are. I mean, you certainly haven’t gotten any cars blown up lately. Obviously, you’re doing all right. I mean...it could definitely be worse; you could be Stephanie.

They’re not “high brow” literature, and they’re sort of formulaic, but they’re great entertainment. I mean, Adrien and I can’t read “smarty-pants, five-hundred-page novels” all the time. ^.^

I’ve never read vampire smut, and I can’t say that I’m interested in giving it a chance any time soon. ^.^; A girl I studied abroad in Costa Rica with liked The Southern Vampire Mysteries (the book series that the TV show True Blood is based on), though. She was talking about it and said I wouldn’t like it because there was too much sex for me, but I made a mental note and used the series as an age-inappropriate book series a character was reading in the novel I wrote as my Senior Honors Thesis.

When I was writing this, I was thinking that I needed something embarrassing and seemingly out of character for Adrien to be reading, and the idea just jumped into my mind, so...yeah. Vampire smut. ^.^;

...New topic?

#Lady Noir #Miraculous Ladybug #Ladybug #Chat Noir #Adrien Agreste #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Fluff #Getting to Know You #Talking #Director's Commentary #Ask Game #Mikau #Let Your Walls Down

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writing-tips-for-dummies · 7 years

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i have a story about a witch who runs a magic shop. their only employee is a girl who was cursed to be invisible. my problem is that the only conflicts i can come up with focus more on the girl. i would prefer to write the story in the pov of the witch, but i can't really do that if the conflict isn't about them. should i write from the girl's pov and see how it goes or keep brainstorming?

Yoursituation is interesting in that there are several ways I can see you takingthis story.

Write from the Girl’s POV

Thisis likely the easiest way to go for you.

Aninvisible person presents lots of situational issues such as not being able todo things most people can do easily. One things we never think about much isthe space we take up. People just know you’re there and you hardly have to makeway for them because everyone is making sure they don’t bump into anotherperson. With someone who’s invisible, people will have to be constantly vigilantso as to not bump into them. Regardless of the clothes, it’s just difficult. Thisa mundane example, but there it is.

Write from the Witch’s POV

Thiscould prove likely more difficult, but here’s why: make the invisible girl havethe conflict and problems. Having the witch be the secondary character providesa unique experience for the reader and yourself. We’re all used to trailingalong after the main character, seeing, hearing, and experiencing what they’reexperiencing. But the secondary character aren’t static figures there to lookpretty. They have their own thoughts and experiences and chances to get theglory. This could be an interesting take on the normal narrative.

Write from BOTH of the POVs

Thismay or may not be the hardest one to write. From my experience, writing twodifferent POVs is similar to writing two difference stories parallel to oneanother within the same book—that’s probably just because I’m bad at writingmore than one POV.

Hereare the ways I’ve seen this type of thing done:

Rick Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus: Every chapter is adifference person written in the third person.

P.C. + Kristen Cast’s House of Night: Every chapter is adifference person with the main character written in the first person andeveryone else in the third person.

Janet Evanovich + Charlotte Hughes’s Full Speed:Written in third person omniscient—the POV shifts throughout the chapter, oftenwith line breaks in between.

Thiscan be difficult because, as I said, it can be like writing to differentstories in the same book. However, if you can manage this balancing act with agood plot, it can be an amazing book to read.

Idon’t know everything, of course, but this is where I can see it going. I hopethis finds you well and I’m sorry it’s so late.

#answered ask #nonny ask #writing #writing advice #writing tips #writing ref #writing reference #writing tips for dummies

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planttastic · 7 years

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Book List 2017!

Goal: 48 Read: 48 New Authors: 13!: Rebekah Crane, Georgia Hunter, David Machado, Dee Lestari, Garson O’Toole, Tahereh Mafi, Soraya Lane, Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, F.C. Lee, Kory Stamper, Marie Lu, Mohsin Hamid, & Krysten Ritter Re-reads: 2: 1984, & The Stupidest Angel

1. The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★

2. Dragon Fly in Amber (Outlander #2) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★

3. Seven Up (Stephanie Plum #7) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

4. Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life In The Void) - Mary Roach, ★★★★★

5. Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

6. The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland - Rebekah Crane, ★★★

7. 1984 - George Orwell, ★★★★

8. To The Nines (Stephanie Plum #9), ★★★

9. At Night We Walk In Circles - Daniel Alarcón, ★★★★

10. Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum #10) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

11. We Were the Lucky Ones - Georgia Hunter, ★★★★

12. Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum #11) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

13. Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum #12) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★★

14. Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

15. The Shelf Life of Happiness - David Machado, ★★★

16. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach, ★★★★

17. Paper Boats - Dee Lestari, ★★★★

18. Hemingway Didn’t Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotations - Garson O’Toole, ★★

19. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★★

20. Unravel Me (Shatter me #2) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★

21. Unite Me (Shatter Me #1.5 & 2.5) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★

22. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★

23. American Gods - Neil Gaiman, ★★★

24. Wives of War - Soraya Lane, ★★★

25. The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things - Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, ★★

26. Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum #14) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

27. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum #15) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

28. Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum #16) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

29. Smoking Seventeen (Stephanie Plum #17) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

30. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - F.C. Lee, ★★★★

31. Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper, ★★★★

32. Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum #18) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

33. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng, ★★★★★

34. The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★

35. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

36. Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin, ★★★★

37. Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum #20) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★

38. Warcross (Warcross #1) - Marie Lu, ★★★★

39. Sourdough - Robin Sloan, ★★★★

40. La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust #1) - Philip Pullman, ★★★★

41. Voyager (Outlander #3) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★

42. Feedback (Newsflesh #4) - Mira Grant, ★★★★

43. Top Secret Twenty-one (Stephanie Plum #21) - Janet Evanovich, ★★

44. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid, ★★★★★

45. Bonfire - Krysten Ritter, ★★★★

46. Artemis - Andy Weir, ★★

47. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Pine Cove #3) - Christopher Moore, ★★★

48. Mrs. Fletcher - Tom Perotta, ★★★

**WARNING** SPOILERS BELOW!

1. The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo #1) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★ Here's the thing. I know these are middle school books, HOWEVER some of my favorite modern literary characters have come from Riordan's Demigod books and this one contains the return of two of my favorites. I'm glad that he's continuing to write them, though I wish he would up the reading level, as I'm sure a lot of his readers are into YA levels now. An easy start for the new year! Progress: January 1, 2017 – Started Reading January 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

2. Dragon Fly in Amber (Outlander #2) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★ I must admit, I enjoyed this one much more than the first (a surprise, considering I wasn't a huge fan of season 2 of the show). It deals a lot more with history and the coming together of the Rising, which was more interesting than I expected. The ending was still incredibly sad and hopeful (as I did expect) and got me right in the heart. Progress: January 5, 2017 – Started Reading January 6, 2017 –page 79. "This book is long af. I was surprised to see a big reveal for a character (if you could call it that, I guess) in the first chapter. Oh the differences between tv writing and novels." January 12, 2017 –page 389. "Dude just pulled a snake out of his pocket like it was no thing. Wtf was happening in France?! Don't keep snakes in your jackets, gents. That is weird af." January 14, 2017 –page 521 "Sudden POV shift to Jaime is odd and unexpected. It seems that it's just in chunks? Makes it feel uneven." January 15, 2017 – Finished Reading

3. Seven Up (Stephanie Plum #7) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ Stephanie is bad at her job, these are super formulaic and there's a standard love triangle, yet I can't stop reading these. They are the potato chip of bounty hunter novels. Progress: January 16, 2017 – Started Reading January 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

4. Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life In The Void - Mary Roach, ★★★★★ Full of science, humor and a lot of information I never thought to ask about space. Mary Roach is my favorite science writer, quite possibly my favorite non-fiction writer. Stiff will probably always be my favorite of her books, but I think this is tied for 2nd with Gulp. Progress: January 19, 2017 – Started Reading January 19, 2017 – Shelved January 20, 2017 – page 133 "It's things like, "buttocks are nature's safety foam" that make me love Mary Roach's books. Give me all the facts in amusing and easily digestable prose!" January 24, 2017 – Finished Reading

5. Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I figure since this book came out over 13 years ago, spoilers don't count, so I'm not going to put this under a cut, but at least a warning. WARNING. Stephanie is still terrible at her job, goes through cars more often than she buys tanks of gas, but at least she FINALLY BANGED RANGER. Unfortunately we only got a paragraph of explanation, which does not do justice to his apparent sexiness. (For the record, I'm still Team Cupcake.) This one did feel a bit different, as she wasn't money-driven to solve the case. It does lend her a bit more... humanity? Progress: January 25, 2017 – Started Reading January 25, 2017 – page 94 "Gdi Stephanie, if you're going to handcuff a FTA to your car, DON'T LEAVE THE KEYS IN IT. I swear 😒 is the only face I make when reading these." January 26, 2017 – page 128 "AGAIN with the wedging herself into a car. A Honda CR-V is a gd suv. Despite Stephanie being repulsed by her 'stomach roll', unless she has the seat very far up, doubtful considering she is also tall, she would not need to wedge herself into the front seat of an suv. Ughhhhhh. 😒" January 27, 2017 – Finished Reading

6. The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland - Rebekah Crane, ★★★ I got this as a Kindle First Read and decided to read it as a filler between trips to the library. It proved to be a very quick read, and reminded me of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, though they aren't really that similar. (I had conflicting feelings about that one, too.) I think it does downplay mental illness, but does a good job of showcasing the power of friendship (less cheesy than it sounds), being there, and how tenuous that can be. Progress: January 28, 2017 – Started Reading January 29, 2017 – Finished Reading

7. 1984 - George Orwell, ★★★★ It's pretty clear why everyone is suddenly re-reading this. It's not going to save us though. Progress: January 29, 2017 – Started Reading January 31, 2017 – page 81 ""The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him..." #alarminglyrelevant" February 4, 2017 – page 199 "I know it's been years since I read this, but did I really just conveniently forget how wordy and dense it was? Oof." February 5, 2017 – Finished Reading

8. To The Nines (Stephanie Plum #9), ★★★ Finally some real character development! Or at least acknowledgement from Stephanie that she has learned things (wearing sensible shoes) and that she feels lackluster in her performance. It was interesting to see her finally evaluate her life outside of who she is as a romantic partner (I know that the romance is a big part of the series, but still). And it was nice to see Vinnie be a little less creepy and explore some different bond types. Progress: February 6, 2017 – Started Reading February 6, 2017 – page 32 "Not really sure how I feel about Stephanie's hatred of a lady she just met, especially considering it seems to tie in with how she looks. Uncomfortable." February 7, 2017 – page 248 "For the second time, Stephanie has mentioned having sensible shoes on in case she has to run. She IS getting better!" February 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

9. At Night We Walk In Circles - Daniel Alarcón, ★★★★ A winding novel with an unexpected ending. I really had no idea what it was going to be about, but I had read Lost City Radio in 07 or 08 for my Writers on Writing class and enjoyed it quite a bit and was excited to see that he had written another novel. Progress: February 8, 2017 – Started Reading February 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

10. Ten Big Ones (Stephanie Plum #10) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ I have a lot of issues with this one. First the good: Ranger and the tiny peek into his life. And the return of Sally Sweet!! The bad: This one feels pretty racist with all of the gang bits. Stephanie seems to suffer no consequences for her terrible actions and she continues to suck at her job. Despite her constant refusal to get a different job, there are times where she's is pretty lackadaisical when it comes to actually doing it. There were A LOT of questionable things that happened, some really awful and terrible things, and at the end everyone is like, "lol, nbd." ARE YOU KIDDING ME. Actions have consequences, unless you're at the end of a Plum novel, I guess. Progress: February 18, 2017 – Started Reading February 22, 2017 – page 181 "So much fat shaming/ guilt happening right now I want to stop reading. This is the part of 'chick lit' that I loathe. Way to reinforce stereotypes. At the same time, if your character is going to eat a dozen donuts a day, she should know that she's going to gain weight and be on the lookout for diabetes because that's is just unhealthy." February 23, 2017 - page 226 "Jfc Stephanie, this is the worst idea, ever. If I didn't know the series was continuing, I'd think this is how the character got killed off." February 24, 2017 – Finished Reading

11. We Were the Lucky Ones - Georgia Hunter, ★★★★ Oh, my heart. This was pretty difficult for me to start, mostly because I didn't want to get too attached to characters that were bound to have a horrific end. However, once it gets going (ie, all the terrible things start happening), it goes pretty quickly. I don't know if if any one novel can encapsulate the spanning horror of the Holocaust, and I appreciate (not sure if that's the right word) that Hunter went for a more focused approach, scattering milestone dates within the story. Progress: February 25, 2017 – Started Reading March 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

12. Eleven on Top (Stephanie Plum #11) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ :Deep, prolonged, exasperated sigh: Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie. I'm so glad you're a fictional character, because I'm pretty sure I'd hate you if you were real. AND YET, I can't stop reading these. I blame Morelli and Ranger. Progress: March 9, 2017 – Started Reading March 11, 2017 – Finished Reading

13. Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum #12) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★★ FINALLY. A story I liked! We get a lot of Ranger in this one, a pretty decent story, and none of Stephanie's cars blow up! She's competent and not as silly. I was wrong about the 'turning point' moment! Finally, finally, finally. Progress: March 13, 2017 – Started Reading March 15, 2017 – page 201 "There's usually a point in each of the novels where I think, 'that is how everything is going to go to hell.' This one is leaving her gd panic button at the office and skipping town to get away from "scary stuff" and Ranger, while someone is trying to KILL HER." March 17, 2017 – Finished Reading

14. Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum #13) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I had issues with some of the motives in this one (especially with Joyce) and I continue to be annoyed that Morelli and Ranger pass Stephanie between them while 'protecting' her. The ending seemed a bit trite, but at least her car died in a normal way. Not entirely sure how I feel about her constantly complaining about her job. But perhaps I'm expecting too much. Progress: March 22, 2017 – Started Reading April 1, 2017 – Finished Reading

15. The Shelf Life of Happiness - David Machado, ★★★ I got this as a Kindle First read, so I wasn't really sure what I was getting into. I liked it well enough. I definitely wanted more of the story, the end felt kind of abrupt. Progress: April 26, 2017 – Started Reading May 7, 2017 – Finished Reading

16. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War - Mary Roach, ★★★★ Though not my favorite of Roach's books (that will always go to Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers), I found this a lot more interesting than I thought I would because it's about subjects I wouldn't have immediately thought of when thinking, 'war.' A lot of the 'gross' that Roach does so well, (who thinks about diarrhea when fighting a battle?) along with textile science and shark repellent. Progress: May 9, 2017 – Started Reading May 18, 2017 – Finished Reading

17. Paper Boats - Dee Lestari, ★★★★ I ended up loving this book a lot more than I expected it to. It's very sweet. The characters are charming and likeable. It does a very good job of capturing the awkward personal growth that happens during college and how it affects relationships. I thought I could feel a bit of Tiffany Tsao in her translation, at least I found some similarities to her novel. I can certainly see why Lestari is such a popular writer in Indonesia. One of the best Kindle First books I've read. Progress: May 18, 2017 – Started Reading May 23, 2017 – Finished Reading

18. Hemingway Didn’t Say That: The Truth Behind Familiar Quotations - Garson O’Toole, ★★ Oof. I will say that this is very well researched. Clearly a lot of time and effort went into finding the origins of these quotes, and I do appreciate that. However, I am not a fan of how the information is presented. Most of it feels pretentious ("QI feels...") and stiff. To be completely honest, I don't read many nonfiction books for a similar reason, so it's purely opinion. Progress: May 24, 2017 – Started Reading May 24, 2017 – 1.0% "Holy pretentiousness Batman... This might be rough to get through, but I really love quotes..." May 24, 2017 – 2.0% "There's faulty information on the Internet?! YOU DON'T SAY. (It is possible that I'm not the target generation for this intro.)" May 25, 2017 – 11.0% "Maybe I don't like quotes as much as I thought I did." May 28, 2017 – page 59 14.9% "My last year of college, I wrote this play about a blogger loosely based on my life. I had a draft due, so I pulled a few of my own blog posts, pasted them in some strategic places and turned it in. Almost all the feedback I got was about how the blog posts didn't make sense with the rest of the writing, probably because I didn't bother to edit them. That's how I feel about some of these entries" June 12, 2017 – page 241 60.86% "Not that it's important, but I have no idea what POV is being used here. Sometimes it feels like second person, and others third? All readers know that the writer is from QI, so separating them seems awkward. Oh well." June 19, 2017 – Finished Reading

19. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★★ I have to say, I was pretty surprised by this novel. The premise is not new (dystopia, boy meets girl, etc, etc), but Mafi has a very distinct and different writing style that I find quite enjoyable. It's different. I imagine a lot of people hate it? There's several instances where people are commenting on Juliette's body that are gross and super off-putting. I'm hoping this is something that diminishes in further novels. SPOILER: The best part was the end though, SURPRISE IT'S JUST A SUPERHERO ORIGIN STORY. All of a sudden we're in this weird X-Men/Inhumans universe and I am so here for it. Looking forward to reading the rest. Progress: June 21, 2017 – Started Reading June 25, 2017 – Finished Reading

20. Unravel Me (Shatter me #2) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★ Basically everything I expected to happen, did happen. Ughhhhhh. Progress: June 28, 2017 – Started Reading July 1, 2017 – 30.0% "So far, most of this has been angst and trying to make Warner and Juliette seem So Similar. It makes me want to barf." July 2, 2017 – 64.0% "Every time I read YA novels I always think how I would never want to be a teen again. The angst and drama and omg." July 2, 2017 – Finished Reading

21. Unite Me (Shatter Me #1.5 & 2.5) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★ Destroy Me: I do not understand people's love for Warner. I'm going to put this under a spoiler cut, just in case. SPOILER: He's the embodiment of entitled masculinity. He wants Juliette even though: he doesn't really know her, she hates him, he thinks she'll 'save him, and that he deserves her. It's gross. He literally kidnapped her after stalking her. He manipulated her on more than one occasion, bordering on torture, just to see what she was capable of. And now he's reading her diary/book as though he has the right to know those thoughts. His image of Juliette has been stripped of all agency. I don't care that he has qualms about what the Reestablishment is doing. I don't care that he seems to care about the citizens in his sector (also creepy). I don't care that he's possibly losing his grip on reality. I'm pretty sure he's going to turn over to the Omega's side in later installments so that he can get some kind of redemption arc, and then there might be a love triangle (BARF). I hope Juliette stays far away from him. I hope she never forgives him for the kidnapping, the simulation room, or his general desire to own her. Because women don't owe men anything, because we're not objects to be owned. Fracture Me: 75% of it was just a retelling of the end of Unravel Me, so that was unfortunate. I imagine it was a nice bonus to have while waiting for Ignite Me to come out, but I don't know how much it added to the the series. Progress: June 25, 2017 – Started Reading July 3, 2017 – Finished Reading

22. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) - Tahereh Mafi, ★★★ So, I really wanted to like this series. I really did. However, I was so disappointed in how it all played out. The characters were totally OOC in this installment. I still hate Warner, I don't care what he does. The end felt anticlimactic, though that might just be a symptom of reading too much dystopian YA novels. Pretty unsure about there being more books, but I think a lot of people will read them. Progress: July 5, 2017 – Started Reading July 5, 2017 - 6.0% "Ughhhhhhh. This is everything I Did Not Want. Warner, your 'elaborate scheme' was not for your father's benefit, it was your way to stalk her, you creepy asshat." July 6, 2017 – 10.0% "She thinks she should lead the resistance? What? Is that why she trained so hard while she was at Omega Point? Oh wait... She didn't. Excuse me while I don't believe our MC." July 8, 2017 – 29.0% "And we descend into every trope of the third YA trilogy book. I was expecting so much more than this." July 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

23. American Gods - Neil Gaiman, ★★★ I had pretty high expectations for this novel, as I'm a Gaiman fan and a lot of people rave about it. However, I found myself a bit disappointed. The imagery was probably the best part, a lot of awesome scenes were set up that would be visually stunning. I enjoyed Shadow as a character, but I expected more to happen. SPOILER: It feels like 500 pages of build up to a war that never happens. I wonder if I'm just expecting too much 'action' because of other books I've been reading. On a completely tactile note, this edition is incredibly pleasant to read. It stays open when lying on a table, and it has nice bendy covers. I bought this years ago from Borders and it's been sitting on a shelf since. Progress: July 16, 2017 – Started Reading July 22, 2017 – Finished Reading

24. Wives of War - Soraya Lane, ★★★ I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Lane does a very interesting job at skirting around some of the extremes of war. There are no overly gory or visceral descriptions of wounds or death and is generally light on descriptive detail in general. People are explained in detail, (nearly everyone is very pretty or very handsome) and an occasional location will also be described. I actually prefer less description, but I could see that others may find it lacking. This novel is very much about emotions, and considering the subject matter, it makes sense. I found myself wanting less telling and more showing in some cases. What I did find very interesting is the gender politics that were in play. WWII is a fascinating time to explore it, what was expected of our three main 'girls,' how they either defied or followed them, and what it meant after the war was over. It gets a little schmaltzy sometimes, but I'm willing to forgive that. SPOILERS: The Thomas situation is very difficult, considering PTSD wasn't 'a thing' yet, but they did acknowledge combat neurosis. But it pained me to see Scarlet battered, and still feel that she couldn't leave, that she was required to stay with him. And for Thomas's life to come to such a tragic end. It was hard to read, but also expected. And they totally say The Thing at the end. Progress: July 24, 2017 – Started Reading July 28, 2017 – Finished Reading

25. The Special Power of Restoring Lost Things - Courtney Elizabeth Mauk, ★★ I'm not really sure what to say beyond that I just didn't like it. It's possible I would have liked it more if I had read it before Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (they have similar plots, but beyond that, they have little in common). I didn't like any of the characters, though I did feel some empathy towards Drew and Ben. Carol was completely unlikable, though perhaps that was the point? I certainly don't understand her actions. I found myself wishing I knew more about Jennifer, maybe it would justify the reactions of her family more. It is a very quick read, though. Progress: July 31, 2017 – Started Reading August 1, 2017 – Finished Reading

26. Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum #14) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I still keep expecting Stephanie (and Lula?) to get better at their jobs. Adding the kid in to this novel was a nice change, glad to see Mooner back too, even though Stephanie is judges them very harshly. I'm mostly reading these to get caught back up on my reading goal. They're easy to read and mostly amusing. Progress: August 2, 2017 – Started Reading August 2, 2017 – page 8 "I was excited to get back to these novels, but less than 10 pages in and Stephanie is hardcore judging a kid for having piercings. COME ON. This was written in 2008. Let's move on from the 'bad people have tattoos and piercings' stereotypes please. He better turn out to be a stellar kid and she feels bad about judging him." August 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

27. Finger Lickin’ Fifteen (Stephanie Plum #15) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I mostly didn't care about the story in this one. It feels like Lula is becoming more of a caricature in every book, which makes me kind of sad. Not everything needs to be so over the top. Not everything needs to catch fire. Relatively anticlimactic ending. Progress: August 4, 2017 – Started Reading August 6, 2017 – Finished Reading

28. Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum #16) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I liked this one a bit more than the last few, it was sort of nice to have Vinnie around again (even though he's pretty terrible). I did notice several spelling and editing errors, which was kind of strange. Progress: August 7, 2017 – Started Reading August 9, 2017 – Finished Reading

29. Smoking Seventeen (Stephanie Plum #17) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I'm getting too used to reading Plum novels, and I'm figuring them out too early. Enjoyable enough, though there are a few things that are starting to get on me. Glad she finally hooked up with Ranger again. Real tired of the, "I love two men, isn't that just *ca-raaazyyy*" idea. It's not crazy? You can love two people at a time. Dave was creepy af. Progress: August 14, 2017 – Started Reading August 16, 2017 – page 144 "Come on Steph, you can connect the dots better than this..." August 16, 2017 – page 286 "Dots finally connected. Took ya long enough." August 16, 2017 – page 300 "She literally just said 'connect the dots to [character], hahahah. I think I've read too many Plum books in a row." August 16, 2017 – Finished Reading

30. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo - F.C. Lee, ★★★★ YESSSSS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I really hope we get more Genie Lo books, because I would read many more novels of her kicking demon ass. Progress: August 16, 2017 – Started Reading September 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

31. Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper, ★★★★ Even though this took me ages to get through, I really enjoyed it. I've been getting the M-W Word of The Day email for years and was very excited when they announced this book. It definitely helped me realize that the dictionary is not the final say on English, but just a record of how we use it. The bit on dialect is my favorite (and would have gladly read more about it!), followed closely by the discussion of 'nude'. I certainly have a better appreciation of dictionaries and lexicographers. Progress: August 16, 2017 – Started Reading September 21, 2017 – Finished Reading

32. Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum #18) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ While I appreciate the change in narrative structure (slowly presenting information instead of all at once), it's still a Plum novel and feels a little bit out of touch. Poor Lula deserves more than a caricature characterization. I want to know more about Connie. The love triangle is getting old, mostly because Stephanie is stuck in some pretty outdated notions of how her life is supposed to be. It could be said that I'm rather liberal, and I'm looking into too much, but Lula can be more than just a former ho. Stop describing her outfits with such disdain. I just... expect more from a book published in 2011. Progress: September 19, 2017 – Started Reading September 27, 2017 – Shelved

33. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng, ★★★★★ My. Heart. Ng is a truly gifted storyteller. Though perhaps it feels like a story that has been told before (maybe many stories that have been told before), it's such a nice, solid, slow build. I find myself wondering about the characters, and how their lives played out after the novel ended. Progress: September 1, 2017 – Shelved September 27, 2017 –page 1 "I was the first person in my library to get this and I AM VERY EXCITED" October 3, 2017 – Finished Reading

34. The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) - Rick Riordan, ★★★★ Though Apollo is super annoying (on purpose, I assume) and there wasn't enough of Nico DiAngelo, my Sweet Baby Death Prince (aka, no appearance and only a single mention), I enjoyed this. I love Leo, and I'm warming up to Calypso. I find Meg very interesting, especially because she doesn't fall into 'girly' stereotypes, SPOILERS also her dealing with the abuse from her stepfather is an important thing for novels to address. However, I'm all about the Waystation. I want an entire series about it, and its inhabitants and the travelers passing through. And as cheesy as it sounds, my favorite part of all of Riordan's series is how he reps families of all types. <3 Progress: October 3, 2017 – Started Reading October 7, 2017 – Finished Reading

35. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) - Janet Evanovich, ★★ I know that these are meant to be light reading, but that doesn't mean they can't be better. Stereotypes and problematic behavior (and speech, and expectations...) shouldn't be the norm. Progress October 11, 2017 – Started Reading October 12, 2017 – page 72 "I don't know if I'm just noticing it more, or judging more harshly because this book was written in 2012, but there's a lot of things that are problematic af in this. I've stopped counting the moments of casual racism, but some old dude is groping Stephanie and all that happens is she and Ranger switch seats? Hell. No." October 13, 2017 – page 103 "Threatening someone with a fake rape and groping accusation? Wtaf, Evanovich. That is not okay." October 14, 2017 –page 292 "An Arthur Beasley and a Simon Diggery? Someone finally read Harry Potter." October 14, 2017 – Finished Reading

36. Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin, ★★★★ Though lacking the emotional gut-punch of A.J. Fikry, this was still an excellent novel. SPOILERS: I think what I really took away from this was the severe inequity between men and women. Jane's career was destroyed completely, while the Senator went on, with barely a blip. Obviously this is very reflective of our society, which is all too apparent these days, and it's one of those things that gets me in the heart. I know life isn't fair, but damn. Progress: October 14, 2017 – Started Reading October 16, 2017 – Finished Reading

37. Takedown Twenty (Stephanie Plum #20) - Janet Evanovich, ★★★ I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. This one seemed a little bit less problematic at the beginning, and then just went off the rails with the racist stereotypes and constant slut shaming. Ugh. Progress: October 16, 2017 – Started Reading October 18, 2017 – page 122 "Evanovich really has something against fat people. She points out everyone's weight, and just made a show about how a woman who weighs "upward of 200" has wrists that are too big for regular handcuffs. I call BS." October 20, 2017 - page 210 "For the love of all things holy, STOP SLUT-SHAMING LULA." October 20, 2017 – Finished Reading

38. Warcross (Warcross #1) - Marie Lu, ★★★★ Well hello Marie Lu, why haven't I read your novels before?! Warcross is like an amalgamation of Ready Player One and Quidditch with the added bonus of POC characters and a female MC (awww yeaaaahhhh). I expected the end, but it's not going to deter me from reading the rest of the series. Progress: October 20, 2017 – Started Reading October 23, 2017 – Finished Reading

39. Sourdough - Robin Sloan, ★★★★ Confession: I love stuff about San Francisco, and this was no exception. It was a little weird and a little magical, very much like the city herself. Though I guess this technically took place in more than just SF proper. However, the descriptions of Clement St, took me right back there and made me wish I could stop and get some Pad Thai from King of Thai Noodle House #2 and a Genki strawberry and nutella crepe. ::sigh:: Memories. It also made me want to learn how to bake bread. I think what I enjoy most about Sloan's writing is that I'm not quite sure what I'm about to get into, but I'll believe it when I'm there. Progress: October 23, 2017 – Started Reading October 25, 2017 – page 168 "I think I love Beoreg." October 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

40. La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust #1) - Philip Pullman, ★★★★ I am a HUGE fan of the original trilogy, and I was scared/excited to learn that Pullman was going to return to this world with more novels. I was not disappointed. A likable new MC (::cough:: UnlikeLyra ::cough::), adventures, mystery, a little bit of terror, and a few hints about Dust! I likely should have re-read the original trilogy before I read this, but honestly I didn't have the patience. I was the first person in my library to read this copy, and it's a beautiful edition. Progress: October 26, 2017 – Started Reading October 26, 2017 – page 1 "I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS" November 4, 2017 – Finished Reading

41. Voyager (Outlander #3) - Diana Gabaldon, ★★★★ Oh man, what a long read... I found this one much more interesting than the first two, maybe because it was a more complex story. The jumping around of POVs is a bit distracting, as it takes a bit to realize who is talking at the beginning of each bit. But I managed to breeze through this a bit easier than I thought I would, considering how much I struggled through the second one. Bring on more Jamie Fraser, please. Progress: November 5, 2017 – Started Reading November 5, 2017 – page 1 "This book is a long one. o.O Here goes..." November 11, 2017 – page 564 "Was it necessary to give Mr. Willoughby a foot fetish? Really?" November 15, 2017 – Finished Reading

42. Feedback (Newsflesh #4) - Mira Grant, ★★★★ It should be said that I'm a sucker for the Newsflesh series, and would gladly read anything in the canon. I found this to be a very good addition to the original trilogy. I like that it was way more diverse, with a lot of effort put into those differences (pronoun use!!). I wish I had re-read the trilogy before I read it, it's been a while and I found myself forgetting a lot of little things that had happened. I don't know if it diminished it, but a fresher read would have added a lot more to the story. I think what I really appreciated is that it sounded different from the Mason's POV. Ash has a different way of forming her thoughts and sentences, and it showed. What I didn't like so much was the over-explaining (maybe over-defending?) what it meant to be an Irwin, and to some extent a Newsie and Fictional. That might be because I have read the OG trilogy several times and I didn't feel the need to have it explained. Also, not once was Kellis-Amberlee shortened to KA, which seemed odd. This is a world steeped in a disease, and I find it hard to believe that an entire team of bloggers wouldn't shorten it, same with all of the politicians. (I mean, we live in a world with the flu, and does anyone other than doctors call it influenza?) Progress: November 16, 2017 – Started Reading November 22, 2017 – Finished Reading

43. Top Secret Twenty-one (Stephanie Plum #21) - Janet Evanovich, ★★I think I need to stop reading these... Forever disappointed, forever annoyed by the awful stereotypes, fat shaming and repetitive storylines. Progress: November 23, 2017 – Started Reading November 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

44. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid, ★★★★★ A beautifully told story. Some nice, unexpected aspects, sweeping prose that's almost poetic and a very satisfying ending. Ah, lovely. Progress: November 27, 2017 – Started Reading November 29, 2017 – Finished Reading

45. Bonfire - Krysten Ritter, ★★★★ I definitely picked this up because it's Krysten Ritter, who, in my head will always be Gia Goodman first and Jessica Jones second. And oddly enough, this felt like an amalgamation of Veronica Mars and Jessica Jones, especially in the characterization of Abby. I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would, though it's not anything amazingly new. There are parts that I was less impressed with, but it was a quick read and I hope she writes more. BIG SPOILER AHEAD: I think the characters could have been fleshed out more, I found myself wanting more from Abby, more of her life in Chicago, why she feels the need to drink herself into oblivion to sleep... A little more in the explanation would have been nice too. It felt to quick and tidy. Not to mention the very obvious 'twist.' IT'S ALWAYS THE GUY YOU CONFESS TO. Ughhhhhhh. Progress: December 4, 2017 – Started Reading December 6, 2017 – Finished Reading

46. Artemis - Andy Weir, ★★ I wanted to like this, I really did, but I found it lacking. The storyline was good and a little different because moon stuff, but I guess I expected a lot more. I can see why a lot of people love this, and why it's ending up on a lot of 2017 best lists, it just won't be on mine. The following cut isn't really for spoilers, but just to be safe: POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I did appreciate that MC could have been a man or woman and the basic plot wouldn't change (ie the whole thing wasn't based on Jazz being a woman), HOWEVER there were a lot of bits that felt unnecessary and overly 'feminized'. I didn't believe some of her language, and some of her mental wanderings seemed really forced (when I'm in a stressful situation, I don't imagine what the dude next to me looks like while working out... "Hey, I'm a girl, it's allowed", etc). Weir has a section in the acknowledgements about the people who helped him capture a female narrator, and I think they failed him a little bit. Why is everyone overly interested in her sex life? Do people just go around commenting on how many sexual partners you have on the moon, because that's just how 'different' society is? That seems weird AF to me. Jazz gets annoyed, but it's rude and invasive. I think some of it was supposed to play on the tension between her and Svoboda, but it just seemed awkward. Progress: December 6, 2017 – Started Reading December 8, 2017 – page 94 "Struggling to enjoy this. It feels like he's trying really hard to talk like a Woman. Which is unnecessary. It also feels like it's building up to a hull breach or fire, due to the repeated warnings of fire, and overstating of the double hull. I hope I'm wrong." December 8, 2017 – page 158 ""I was a helpless, exposed girl with no weapon" SERIOUSLY. You can't write Jazz as a supposed badass, and then pull out that drivel. I expected more." December 8, 2017 – page 178 "That wasn't a good one, it was sexist and gross. Ugh." December 8, 2017 – Finished Reading

47. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror (Pine Cove #3) - Christopher Moore, ★★★ Not the best of Moore's novels, hardly my favorite, but a fun read for the holidays. It's a little bit wacky and makes me miss CA. Progress: December 23, 2017 – Started Reading December 26, 2017 – Finished Reading

48. Mrs. Fletcher - Tom Perotta, ★★★ I'm not totally sure how I feel about this novel. I've read Perrotta novels since I was in high school, and I don't think this is one of his strongest. However there are a few things that were well done: changes of voice and capturing the 'present day'. I'm getting better at reading new novels, but this one in particular felt very *now*. It might feel dated in the future, or, hopefully, serve and example of what life is right now. Well, maybe pre-45, but I digress. It's full of current cultural and social issues, but I sort of felt like I wanted more. And wasn't a huge fan of the ending. SPOILERS: Thank anything holy that Brendan wasn't a rapist. I thought Perrotta was leaning pretty heavily toward that, and he got dangerously close to assault. Maybe I just wasn't ready to handle it, but it would have made it so much worse. I'm not really sure how we're supposed to view Brendan. Are we supposed to feel bad that he's completely clueless about how to treat women, or are we supposed to dislike him for being totally oblivious? I will say that a lot of the situations made me think about my own assumptions (I would definitely take the Gender and Society class that Eve took), so there's that. Progress: December 26, 2017 – Started Reading December 28, 2017 – Finished Reading

#book list 2017 #book reviews #reading list 2017

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theeroticbookreview · 5 years

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July Author of the Month: Marie Savage

My Author of the Month for July is a woman that I admire. She's kind, driven, and such an inspiration to many. She's a true light in the book world and I'm so happy that she agreed to be my featured Author. Please enjoy this inside look at Author Marie Savage!

The Interview

Do you currently have any works in progress? Yes. I am finishing up a book for Sweet Promise Press. It's book series with five other others about an all-girl country music band. After that, I will be working on a novella for veterans day that will feature a sexy navy seal along with working on book three of the Asphalt Cowboy series. What do you like to do in your downtime? What's that? I'm just kidding. I like to catch up on tv shows that I miss when I'm writing and spend time with the family, especially the grandbabies. I also like to hang with my sister and daughters and go shopping. We love to go to the outlet stores!!! What do you most enjoy about writing? I love when the muse hits and the words start flowing. When that happens I'm just the person jotting down the story while the characters in my head are acting out their lives. It's great to be able to daydream and make it look like your busy working. Your Husband is a Truck Driver, how do you handle the separation? Is your novel Asphalt Cowboy’s Girl inspired by him? I hated it when he first started out. We were still living in California and he had to leave for a month for training. He would come home and then leave again for weeks. My job kept me busy and at the time I wasn't writing, I was a reader and I will go through a book a day, while he was gone. When we moved to Alabama, he only did long haul for a brief few months before he found a job with a local carrier. Now he works Monday through Friday and is home by at least 8pm. I like having my cowboy of almost thirty years now, home every night. My novel is inspired by him but not about him. It's also inspired by the song Asphalt Cowboy. I'm a country music fan and when I heard that song, I sat down and immediately started writing. When writing, do you have your plot in mind first or your characters? Usually, I have the plot first. I like to watch movies or tv shows and then vision something like, for example. What if a truck driver who is a loner, pickups a beautiful hitchhiker. Would he fall in love with her? After that, I plan out the characters. Although I do have a couple of characters on my project list that I'm hoping to one day soon have the time to create a story for. It would be a paranormal romance so I'm holding off for a while until I'm ready to tackle a different romance genre. A good Merlot or a good Whiskey? Cowboy likes whiskey. I like a good Merlot. What is your dream vacation spot? Hawaii. It's on the bucket list and if I make NY Times Bestseller one day, I will be buying tickets to go. How do you handle negative reviews? Believe it or not, I read them and I can usually tell from the tone if they are being constructive or just being a jerk. I thankfully don't have a lot of negative reviews but I knew, in the beginning, you have to have a tough skin if you are going to put your stories out there. I concentrate on the positive reviews and the messages from those who reach out to me personally and tell me how much they like my stories. That means more to me than anything. What is it like to hit “publish” after you’ve poured everything into a book? PARTY TIME!!! And then I can go watch all the shows I had to record because I was in the writing cave. A nice romantic dinner at home or a night on the town with dinner and dancing? I like to travel, even just local so I enjoy a nice dinner out. I don't go out dancing anymore, usually, after the meal is done, I'm tired. LOL It sucks getting old. What do you want Readers to take away from your writing? I just want them to enjoy it. I want them to get caught up in the story and enjoy it. Did you always want to be a writer and who's your favorite author? I’ve always loved writing but I didn’t dream of being a writer when I was younger. The writing bug didn’t actually hit me until six years ago when I found myself saying goodbye to my corporate job and California. My kids were grown and writing was my escape from my midlife crisis. My all-time favorite author is Janet Evanovich. I love the Stephanie Plum series. Meeting her one day is definitely on the bucket list. How much of you are in your book characters? Depends on the character. I’ve only written nine books so far. I think each of the heroines have certain character traits of mine. You will have to read my books and get to know me to figure out which ones. Between you and me, I would say that Julie from Tidings of Comfort and Joy (my very first book) is the most like me. Finally, what message do you have for your Supporters? I LOVE YOU. plain and simple. YOU are the reason I keep writing and hitting publish. You Can Find Marie Here: Facebook | Amazon | Good Reads Read the full article

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zephfair · 8 years

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Reading meme

Created and tagged by the wonderful @dreamywritingdragon <3

1. What is your favorite genre?

I’ll try pretty much any fiction, but I usually prefer mysteries or fantasy. I do read and have read a lot of “literature,” but I greatly prefer escapism.

2. How many books did you read this year?

According to Goodreads, 82 BUT a bunch of those are manga and at least 12 are individual chapters of manga that are released monthly, so that artificially boosted my count. I’ve actually been reading through old manga that I own that I haven’t read in years, and it’s fun, along with scoring free ebooks on Amazon and my library.

3. Favorite book of all time?

Aaah, this is impossible! Growing up, it was The Black Stallion, The Black Stallion Mystery and Man O’War by Walter Farley. As a teenager, it was the Dragonlance saga by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. As a young woman, The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. Then The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters and One For the Money by Janet Evanovich. The Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. Now, I’m old and I just don’t know. I DO know that I’m more discriminating. I try a lot of free Kindle books on Amazon, and I’m teaching myself it’s OK to stop reading and delete one if it’s awful. And a lot are.

4. The book you never thought you would love but adore so much?

The Harry Potter series. A friend loaned me the first four forever ago, and I liked them and I got around to reading the rest eventually as they came out. I enjoyed them and cried at all the appropriate spots, but I didn’t really fall in love with them until this summer. I listened to all seven audiobooks while I was cleaning out houses, and they just blew me away. Not just her world-building and character-making, but her language and the style of her writing is just incredible. They sound really, really lovely read aloud, which isn’t always the case for a lot of novels. I’ve since re-listened to the first six and they only get better on repeat.

5. The book you thought you would love but ended up hating?

A Game of Thrones.

6. Your favorite book written in your mother tongue?

I feel very spoiled because I can only speak and read English and we have a lot of choices.

7. The writer you would die to meet?

The two writers I would most love to meet are dead—Sir Terry Pratchett and Elizabeth Peters. The other is J.K. Rowling. I wouldn’t be able to say anything; I would just want to sit there and bask in her presence (and hope some of her talent and genius would rub off onto me).

8. The TV/movie adaptation you hate?

I finally got around to watching the Harry Potter movies this fall, and wow, The Goblet of Fire was bad and not true to the spirit of the book at all.

9. The TV/movie adaptation you love with all your heart?

The Princess Bride! I didn’t care for the book, but maybe that was because I already had the movie memorized by the time I read it.

10. The book you wished was adapted on screen (with all the details in, all the right characters depiction, perfect settings…do I need to go on?)

I would LOVE to see The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan done on premium cable. There is plenty of material in 14 completed books, a cast of a thousand characters, all the sex and violence you can shake a stick at. It would be a challenge, but if they could get it right and all the right actors and special effects, it would be AMAZING.

11. Which book would you recommend to your best friend?

I have recommended Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody Emerson series to so many people. I love it, especially the early books, with all my heart. Lately, I’ve been recommending Howard of Warwick’s novels. He’s a self-pub author on Amazon, and his books literally crack me up. They’re a touch of Terry Pratchett mixed with Monty Python, and I don’t know, his sense of humor strikes me perfectly (y’all know I’ve got a terrible sense of dad humor). He has a series about a medieval monk, Brother Hermitage, who accidentally becomes the King’s Investigator (he literally coins the term “Investigator” from the Latin...it’s a running joke) and the hijinks that occur as he walks around England trying to avoid having to solve murders. He’s accompanied by Wat the weaver who would probably still be able to make a fortune weaving his dirty porno tapestries. Howard really manages to mix in a lot of historical fact and show how everyday life was in 1066 along with the crazy antics of Hermitage and company.

12. Do you read fanfic? If yes, in which fandom?

Moi? Fanfic? What is this fanfic of which you speak? >_>

Hehehe, if I’m interested in a movie or show, I usually got to AO3 right after I watch it and see about fic. I subscribe to a bunch of favorite authors in so many fandoms. And there are the old anime/manga fandoms that I think about once or twice a year and check in on. Last night, it was Bleach.

13. Which is your favorite fanfic of all times?

I LOVE the writer daegaer on LJ! Everything that she writes—regardless of whether I know the source material or not—is brilliant. I always rank her among my top authors of all time. Her Weiss Kreuz stuff is about 1000 times better than that anime ever was. She is just the writer I will always aspire (and fail) to be!

14. Which wonderful (fanfic) writer did you discover this year?

I’ve gotten to know more DVD writers which is so exciting! :D

15. Who is your book OTP?

Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson FOREVER

16. And your book NOTP?

Ramses Emerson and Nefret NOPE

17. What are you reading currently?

I’m still trying to get through The Sword and the Dragon by M.R. Mathias (it’s my third try, and I really want to like it because there’s a ton of potential but argh this author tries to weave too many characters and too many subplots and it’s super-confusing. I’m 35% in, and if I can’t get through it this time, I give up.) Also, I just started the manga series Tactics, one of my favorites that I own and I haven’t re-read in years. It’s a lovely story with really beautiful art.

This was a fun meme you made @dreamywritingdragon ! Thank you so much for tagging me! :D

If any of you lovelies would like to play, please do and tag me so I can learn more about you!

#meme #reading

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how2to18 · 6 years

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I FIRST MET Lee Goldberg on January 10, 1971, which is the day I was born, nine years after Lee showed up. I don’t remember this meeting, though there are some adorable photos that mark the occasion. Since then, what I can tell you is that I’ve come to depend on him for the kind of advice only an older brother can provide:

How to kill a guy.

How to get rid of that guy’s body.

How to perpetuate a long con where you pretend to be that guy.

That sort of thing.

Such is the benefit of having an older brother with the same profession … which, in our case, is writing crime fiction. Lee’s been on the job for a long time now. His first book, .357: Vigilante (under the pseudonym Ian Ludlow), came out in 1985. His first script, an episode of Spenser: For Hire entitled “If You Knew Sammy” co-written with his longtime writing partner Bill Rabkin, was produced in 1987. In the intervening years, I’ve seen Lee hit the highest highs — number-one best sellers, like his new book, True Fiction, which spent the better part of March and April atop Amazon’s best-seller list, and top-rated TV shows, like Diagnosis Murder, the classic crime drama he executive produced — but also the lowest lows. There was the time he wrote for a talking dolphin. There was also the time he wrote for a non-talking dolphin. And then there was a debilitating fall that cost him the use of both of his arms for many months, a frightening experience for anyone, but particularly daunting for a person who makes a living typing. Through it all, what has never changed is the devotion Lee has had for the crime genre, his optimism that luck is a thing you create for yourself, and his sense of humor for the absurd things in the world. He’s sold millions of books around the world. He’s written dialogue for Dick Van Dyke and David Hasselhoff. He’s inhabited some of the legendary characters in the mystery canon: Nero Wolfe. Monk. Spenser.

Mostly? He’s just my older brother.

So when I told him about 25 years ago that I also wanted to be an author, that I wanted to take my shot — this was after I’d graduated college and tinkered around in advertising for a few years — he gave me the best piece of practical advice I’ve ever received, which was this: Learn how to do more than one thing. Write short stories, write novels, write essays, write screenplays, write criticism, teach, become flexible, so that you always have a way to tell your story, so that you always have a way to earn a living as a writer, because there will come a time when you can’t sell something, when you need to have a back-up plan that doesn’t crush your soul, because as much as he had succeeded, he’d also failed, over and over again.

He was right, of course.

I do all of those things now, just like he has at one time or another.

In the last two decades that we’ve had this job — without ever actually working together — we’ve been able to experience a lot of cool things with one another. There was the night we spent with Donald Westlake, asking him all the questions we’d been holding on to since childhood. There were the weeks we were both on the New York Times best-seller list at the same time, Lee with a book he’d written with Janet Evanovich, me with a book I’d written with Brad Meltzer. Or the time we signed autographs for Stuart Anderson from the Black Angus. No, really. We met the Black Angus.

But also, in all that time, I’ve never read a single interview with Lee that satisfied me. He’s a funny guy, and so I think he gets a lot of questions that are set-ups for easy quips, which is a uniquely Goldbergian trait that I know we share — the ability to take any serious topic and turn it into a joke — but it also makes me feel like his hundreds of thousands of readers only know one side of him as person. So. This one time? We’re gonna fix that.

TOD GOLDBERG: What were those first nine years without me like?

LEE GOLDBERG: My first instinct was to reply with a joke … but I’m going to give you a serious answer. Those were the years when mom and dad were still married, so it was the only time we resembled a TV family. Our parents even had sitcom-y careers. Dad was a TV anchorman and mom was a model/socialite. We were moving up the ladder, from a starter house in Oakland to a brand new tract home in the suburbs. We spent the weekends at a beach house we rented in Capitola. We even had a Ford Country Squire station wagon. All that was missing was a shaggy, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies dog (which we got shortly after dad left … better late than never). We’d eat TV dinners in front of the TV watching dad tell us the news. In that environment, is it any wonder I turned out the way I did? You missed that tiny window of time when mom was, well, a mom and could be a lot of fun … but wait, this is about me, not mom, or the inspiration for all of your fiction. Let’s get back to me and mine.

I spent a lot of those nine years play-acting TV shows like the Wild Wild West and Batman with Karen (for you, dear reader, she is our sister, who is two years younger than me). I got to be James West and Batman … while Karen always got stuck being Artemus Gordon or Robin or whoever the second banana happened to be … and she wasn’t too happy about it.

When I wasn’t doing that, I was staging radio dramas and talk shows on my tape recorder. (I fell asleep each night listening to talk radio and old-time radio dramas.) I cast our neighborhood friends as guest actors (in the radio dramas) and either in-studio guests or callers for my talk radio programs. I would then play the recordings back, recording them on a second recorder, to edit out stuff that didn’t work and to add music (the theme song of my radio show was “Up, Up and Away”).

My pretend play was elaborate storytelling. I suppose I did it because I was imaginative … but probably to shelter/cocoon myself from all the arguments going on in the house (and there were a lot of them). I didn’t know, of course, that I wasn’t just playing, I was rehearsing for my future career … like a guy who plays doctor and then, like, actually becomes one.

I often get asked what it’s like to have a family of writers and artists, and it’s hard to explain, exactly, because it’s the only way we’ve lived. Our sisters are both writers and artists, our mother, after her socialite period, became a newspaper columnist covering socialites, our father — not that I ever lived with him as a sentient human — as you noted, was a TV news journalist, and then there’re all the uncles and cousins and whatnot, too. But you were the first one, really, to make it on a national stage, which I know gave me the confidence to aim big, and which I suspect made it easier for our sisters, too. Did seeing mom’s and dad’s success and, in many ways, eventual failure — both of them had these sort of big-league dreams but ended up never quite getting there, which ended up driving them both a bit mad — provide some motivation for you?

There’s no question that dad being on television and mom being a writer shaped me in profound ways. There is a lot of both of them in me … though more of mom than dad. They were both comfortable in front of an audience, whether it was on camera or standing on front of people. Mom had a big, outgoing personality and great sense of humor. She was a deft schmoozer and a big ego. She was a profound exaggerator in her storytelling, for both comic and dramatic effect. She went after what she wanted, personally and professionally. She was a fighter. I have a lot of those same attributes, though I hope with less of the destructive flip side. For example, I know when I am exaggerating a story and, I like to believe, so does my audience. We’re in on the joke together. It’s like when an audience buys into the franchise of a TV series … no matter how ludicrous it might be (she’s a nun — and she can fly! A detective with OCD! A drug-addicted doctor who hates his patients!) … because they want to enjoy the ride. Unlike mom, I don’t believe my exaggerations are the truth and then exaggerate them the next time I tell the story, and then exaggerate that, until I am heading into something approaching clinical delusion. I know where the truth ends and the embellishment, for comedic or dramatic effect, begins. I’m deeply afraid the day will come, though, when I lose that self-awareness.

I haven’t talked much about dad because he wasn’t really in my life after I was 10 years old (though he was in my life more than you or our sisters). Dad grew up wanting to be a TV anchorman … despite coming from a small logging town and having zero contacts … and yet he achieved that dream. He eventually became an anchorman on KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco … a major station in a major market … and it should have been a stepping-stone to the national stage. Getting there had to take talent, drive, and confidence … but somewhere along the line he lost his mojo … or, more likely, his backbone. I was too young at the time to know why or how it happened, or if mom was somehow to blame. But he became a weak, wishy-washy, superficial man. He let people, he let life, walk all over him. He stood up for nothing and nobody and lost everything. He showed me it was possible to achieve your dream, but through his failure, he also showed me you had to be strong to keep it. That’s not all I learned from him. Seeing him on TV every night also made television — the industry and the medium — something approachable to me. He made the TV part of my family. He made it small and human. My father was a TV screen, and I knew that I was stronger than he was. So yeah, I could break into TV. No problem. And I did.

One of the nice things about having siblings who are also writers is that they give you the unvarnished truth about your books — so when you’ve told me in the past that a book I’ve written is good, I know it’s good, and when you tell me a book I’ve written is just okay, it validates my impostor syndrome and saves me a trip to the therapist that week, which is also nice. And so I was pretty excited to tell you the other night how much I loved True Fiction, and not just because I thought it was your best book — which it is — but because I thought it marked an evolution in your writing, which is a thing that excites me as the biggest Lee Goldberg fan in the country. This is your funniest book, but it’s also one that lovingly shows an admiration for the thriller genre, and it shows your growth as a writer. In scenes where you might have gone for an easy punch line 20 years ago, you now have something that is funny but has a larger emotional relevance as well. Where you might have held back on a scene because it was too absurd, you now blow scenes up to be beyond absurd, because the genre you’re skewering requires it. Essentially, True Fiction is you at the top of your powers, both in terms of observation but also in terms of execution. Can you sustain that level without becoming a parody of yourself?

God, I hope so. I’m facing that problem now as I plot the third book with these characters. The first sequel, Killer Thriller, came very easily to me and felt like a natural extension of True Fiction. I never wanted either book to be a satire of thrillers, but rather an exploration of the difference between fiction and reality, between who we think we are and who we really are … and how the stories we consume in movies, TV, and books shape so much of what we expect out of life and from ourselves. I wanted to acknowledge the clichés, formulas, and tropes of the genre, confess my love for them, and then totally subvert them … while delivering the same pleasure that thrillers do. But most of all, I wanted it to be a fun, fast-moving, exhilarating novel that felt like watching a great action movie. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off.

Here’s the funny thing, and it’s probably blatantly obvious to a lot of other people, but I didn’t realize until one night recently, when I was talking to you, that I’ve explored these same issues and themes now in three books — The Walk, Watch Me Die, and True Fiction (four if you count the sequel). So perhaps it’s actually too late and I’ve already become a parody of myself.

I think the most satisfying thing for me, as a reader of your books, was seeing how the influence of different parts of your writing life came together to make True Fiction such a joy to read. The influence of your time writing with Janet Evanovich was clear to me in the pacing. Your years writing Monk show up in your ability to make even secondary characters complete, rounded individuals. And of course your life as a TV writer and producer makes the action set pieces come alive (in a way that I, frankly, cannot do — when I was writing the Burn Notice books, for instance, I’d go and look at your books and scripts to see how you choreographed big fight scenes, or scenes where you’re blowing things up, and they really worked as a primer for me). Is that pulling-in a conscious part of your writing process or is it atavistic at this point?

Hold on a minute while I look up “atavistic.” No, it’s mostly conscious. I wanted this book to show off everything I’ve learned from being a screenwriter and working with Janet. That means I wanted it to be as visual and fast-moving as a screenplay, to be driven by dialogue and action rather than by clever prose or internal monologues that get you inside a character’s head (usually to give you exposition). When you write a script, everything has to be conveyed through dialogue and action … unless you use narration as a crutch for bad writing (which it is 90 percent of the time). One of the reasons Janet and I work so well as collaborators is that she thinks like a screenwriter, even though she isn’t one. She believes the writing should never call attention to itself, that the clever lines or observations should be in the character’s mouths, not in the prose, and that there should never be any boring parts (bla bla bla as she calls it). Exposition and lengthy descriptions are cut to their bare essence, usually a single line or two that makes the point. It’s an approach to writing that starts the moment you start plotting the story. I discovered, from writing a number of novels with her, how to take my screenwriting instincts and apply them to writing a novel without losing my voice. Actually, I think I finally found it.

It’s interesting to me that both of us write crime fiction but come at the genre from different angles. You have always written more about heroes — not always traditional heroes, exactly, but people who are invested in fighting crime, at any rate — and I’ve typically written about bad guys or antiheroes. I remember a conversation we had, however, after my second book came out and it lost a bunch of nice awards, but no one read it … and you said, “You could try maybe putting a joke in between the suicide attempts, the carving up of little children, and the murdering of women who look a lot like your wife, see how that feels.” You were being funny, of course, but it was also one of those moments of self-realization that I had that maybe you’ve always known: that people read crime fiction to feel satisfied at the end, not to feel like they want to kill themselves. So your approach to crime novels has always been very satisfying — a love interest, a heist, glamorous locales, a mystery that is solved in 285 pages, the world largely set right again by the time the credits roll. Do you think that comes from your TV background, or is it something more personal?

I love reading. I want to be entertained. That doesn’t mean a book has to be funny. But it doesn’t have to be unrelentingly dark and bleak. There are a lot of “literary” writers who think they aren’t good at what they do, or won’t be taken “seriously,” unless they are making the reader feel absolutely miserable. There are some readers who might find that experience engaging, relaxing, and an escape from their day-to-day lives … but it’s a very small number, certainly not one that will sustain a lucrative writing career. People can take heartbreak, pain, and continuing tragedy and despair in a novel as long as you also give them some humanity, some heart, and especially some humor. Open the drapes and let the sunlight in now and then. I’m a big believer that there’s always humor in our lives, even in the saddest, most dire moments. You know that to be true in our own lives.

Escaping into books was always how I coped, so I understand entirely. But do you remember the first book you read that made you think, “Oh, I could do this.”

Yes, I do. It was Fletch by Gregory McDonald. The dialogue was so good that the publisher put a page of it on the front cover. It was the first time I read a great crime story told primarily through dialogue. Yet it was every bit as rich, in character and plot, as far wordier and less dialogue-driven books. I studied Fletch and Confess, Fletch the way some Jews study the Talmud. I didn’t have McDonald’s skill, but somehow I knew after reading his book that I could be a writer. (Later, Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels gave me the same feeling … but Fletch was the revelation.)

So maybe the better question is: Do you remember the first time you thought that you didn’t want to consume a book, you wanted to be the one who actually made the thing?

Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. To me, that’s a perfect novel. I’ve read it many times trying to see how he pulled it off. What gives me hope is that even McMurtry isn’t capable of doing it every time he writes a book. It’s a goal he still strives to achieve … with mixed results. But in every book he writes, even the truly bad ones (and he has a few), there are moments of brilliance that I wish I had the talent to achieve.

Last question and then I promise I’ll let you get back to refreshing your Amazon page: I tried to count how many books you’ve written or contributed to, but I have two English degrees, so it got into math I’m frankly not qualified to do. It’s something like 75 books. Plus you wrote or produced 25 different TV shows. And launched a publishing company. You have a wife. You have a daughter. You have friends. You have family. You’ve had a bunch of great pets. You have profoundly odd hobbies, like smoking meats and flying your drone around, which essentially means you’re one step away from being one of those guys with a big-ass train set in the basement. When, in the last 35 years, have you slept?

I get lots of sleep … it’s rare when I get less than eight hours. Sometimes I get a few hours more. I honestly feel like I waste a lot of time, that I procrastinate too much, that I’m too lazy, and that I should be getting a lot more done. I feel like I’m capable of being much more productive than I am and that I’m letting myself and my family down, that I am not living up to my potential creatively. I wish I could survive on three or four hours of sleep a night. Think how much I could get done!

Tod Goldberg is the New York Times best-selling author of several books of fiction, most recently, Gangsterland. He directs the Low Residency MFA program in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts at the University of California, Riverside.

The post The Brothers Goldberg appeared first on Los Angeles Review of Books.

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char27martin · 7 years

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Author Victoria Laurie on Writing Realistic Psychics, Penning a Good Mystery and Her Publishing Journey

Victoria Laurie hit the ground running with her debut novel Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, and her career hasn’t slowed down since. She has multiple bestselling titles, and her latest novel, When, has been optioned by Warner Brothers for a TV adaptation.

When tells the story of Maddie Finn, a high-schooler with the chilling ability to see the death dates of everyone she encounters. Penning novels about extraordinary talents is second nature to Laurie, who says she herself is a psychic intuitive. We talked to Laurie about writing mysteries, writing realistic psychics, and her publishing journey:

What was your life like, pre-book?

It was sad—filled with corporate America, working for the man and really disliking that kind of a life. My brain automatically goes into story form all the time and to have to rigidly put it into spread sheets and dull boring meetings daily was a little soul-killing. It was very difficult for me.

I didn’t immediately quit my job after the first book because the advance was so tiny. It took me about three or four years before I could quit my day job and write full time.

Who were some of your favorite writers as a child?

Erma Bombeck—she wrote If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? It was the first time I [read] satire as a kid. She’s a very dry, witty, humorous writer, who wrote about being a housewife with kids she didn’t enjoy. I loved how she wasn’t trying to make her imperfect family perfect and how she coped through humor. She influenced me more than any writer I’ve ever read.

Did the fairy tales you read as a child influence your fiction?

No. But some of my stories were inspired by actual ghost stories that I’ve heard. The majority of them just popped out of my brain: What can I come up with that is terrifying, keeps the pacing going, and can be tied to a mystery with people who are alive? The books all have a sense of justice, where someone is doing wrong and needs to be held accountable. You can’t hold a ghost accountable—someone alive needs to be held accountable. I love writing about those little moments where the hairs on your arms stand up.

One of Us Is Lying: Karen M. McManus on Her Gripping Bestseller

Is there a particular book that inspired you to be a writer?

Janet Evanovich’s first book, One for the Money. It was 2003. I had been laid off, and I was sad and depressed. I remember watching Janet Evanovich on a morning show, talking about her latest book. She had written about a dozen books by then. The host talked about the humor she used. I thought, I could use some humor right now. So I headed to the book store and bought the first three. The books were amazing, and her voice was very similar to mine when I wrote e-mails or letters to friends. Evanovich’s contribution to the cozy genre and the mystery genre—to mingle humor, and wit, satire and hijinks—she did a lot for the genre. [After I read her books], I called my sister to say I was going to write a book.

I am embarrassed to say that it took me days to figure out what my amateur sleuth should be. I was like, What could she do? “Oh, cool, someone wants an appointment for me to give a psychic reading.” What could she be? “Well, yeah: a psychic sleuth!”

When did you first realize you had psychic abilities, and how did you respond to that discovery?

It wasn’t just a lightbulb going off. I had to be convinced I had a talent for it. I am big on science. I love facts. Intuition can be backed up by odds, not evidence. I am right about 75 to 80 percent of the time.

There were small windows of my ability in my childhood. I remember asking my father at dinner if he was fired. The whole table looked at me, and my father was like, “No, why would you say that?” Two weeks later, he got his pink slip. I didn’t like it. There was a sense of Did I cause that? Could I have prevented that?

Now, I understand that it’s like a dial on a radio station; you pick up stuff. I met a medium who was jaw-droppingly good. She is world-renowned now. I convinced her to go professional. She was like, “I will if you will,” and we worked at a shop together… Word of mouth started to spread. People kept coming back saying everything I said was true. So, there was a slow realization of my ability, but no real lightbulb moment.

A lot of your speaking events turn into mass readings. Is that intentional, or is it just something that happens because you are a psychic?

That is totally intentional. I could talk about me—and that’s boring. I’m an introvert. I’m pretty vanilla. People love to hear about themselves. [Doing readings at events] makes it fun for me, because I get to make it fun for them. The range of questions takes me by surprise. It ends up making what could be a dull event more entertaining.

What do people usually get wrong in books about psychics?

I am so sick of reading about psychics who say something bad is going to happen—and there’s no detail—no specifics. Real intuitives are very specific. We won’t say, “Be careful at night.” We would say something like, “Have you had interaction with a man knocking on your door at night?” The client says, “No. I have not.” Then we say, “Be careful of the knock that will come in the evening. Keep your doors locked, look through the peep hole, and, if you don’t recognize him, don’t open it up.” We pick up on a detail and hone it down; sometimes we can hone it down to hair color, ethnicity, height or personality. I think that’s why [my character] Abby Cooper has worked so well—because she is very detailed while discussing things to come or things that have happened involving a crime. She gives a lot of clues, but never the answer. The tricky part of writing an intuitive-based novel is retaining the mystery while giving enough specifics to make it believable.

What tips do you have for writers on writing realistic psychics and mediums?

It’s a difficult task. It came easy to me because it’s what I know. Avoid all the stereotypes: the overly-dramatic, fainting, bangle-wearing psychics. Avoid the psychic who is always on the verge of panic in talking about difficult subjects. Intuitives have touched on difficult subjects enough not to have super huge emotions over it. Sit for a couple of readings from good intuitives. We have a similar language; we say things like, “It feels like this…” or “I have a sense of…” It’s important to discuss the physicality of how we look when we are reading someone. If you look at my videos, you can see: When I’m cued in on someone, there is a look that comes over me. When I’m giving a message, I tend to look down and to the right. Most good intuitives do this. When I did research on this, I was intrigued—looking down and to the right accesses memory. That is a telltale sign that you’re in front of a real intuitive, because they are tapping into something, energetically speaking, that feels more like a memory. It’s not something they are making up.

What tips do you have for writers who hope to pen a mystery?

I think it’s really important to get dialogue right. A lot of writing can be really stiff and formal. You want to write the way people speak and the way you speak. I think it’s so important that people read their dialogue out loud to themselves. Read every word, and try to take the stiffness out of it.

As far as tips for writing mystery, I’m a big fan of a twisty ending. I am a big fan of writing myself into a corner and seeing if I can get myself out of it. I think it’s important to make sure that you’re going in a direction that hasn’t been done ad nauseam and isn’t too obvious. Make sure you have enough dead bodies and suspects to make it interesting, and have an ending that the readers can’t see coming.

Describe your current novel, When, in your own words.

When is the story of the importance of realizing that our time here is limited. To me, it was important to get the message to young people that we have a limited number of days. I wanted readers to consider what their expiration day is and that maybe it’s closer than they think. Question the choices you’re making; if they are bad, change them.

How did you come up with the idea for the book?

My best friend’s father-in-law was dying of bone cancer. She was caring for him in her house. She called me, exhausted and depressed. She said, “This is unbearable. He is in pain.” I told her he would live through the holidays and die shortly after that. He did. He died in January. I heard a tiny bit of relief in her voice because his suffering would end. In one way, it was a cool ability in that moment to offer her a bit of peace, but it was awful to have to say, “You’re gonna lose him.”

We all know our birthdates, but not the day we die. I thought, Wouldn’t it be interesting if I had a character who could predict the exact date that someone would die? How would that affect them and the family around them? She is a young adult, so that makes it harder for her. I wanted it to be a mystery, so I threw in a serial killer, and you have When.

Mysticism, mystery and murder are essential in your fiction. Do you deliberately pursue subjects that involve these elements, or do they come to you organically?

They come organically, the path of least resistance. It’s easiest for me to write this way; it’s organic. It’s become my style. You can recognize a book from me.

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Can you describe your writing process?

I head to the library Monday through Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. I take a backpack, and I treat it like going to work. I crack out 1-=0 pages in that four hours, and I have a book in six weeks.

How do you discover your characters?

Most of them come from interactions with people I know well. Cat is loosely based on my sister. Most of my villains have shades of my mother; rather than spending time on a couch [at a therapist’s office], I write.

Tell me about your publishing journey.

Abby Cooper was my first foray into publishing—and she got rejected. I sent queries to 121 agents. A couple said, “Send me the full manuscript,” and she got rejected by every single one. My current agent, whom I adore, left the door open for a rewrite. I returned it to him in 10 days. I rewrote 11 chapters. He thought, since I returned the changes so quickly, that I didn’t take him seriously. He was disappointed, so he didn’t even open it for a month. When he finally opened it, he was like, “Oh, she did make the changes.” He offered me representation. I knew, in that moment, my life had changed. Abby went on to sell 250,000 copies.

How did you cope with rejection in the querying process?

Not well. Who does? It’s terrible. There was wine—me whining with wine. Rejection physically hurts. There is a quote that gets me through: An agent who rejected me sent a pamphlet that said, “If anything can prevent you from becoming a writer, go ahead and let it. If nothing can, persevere.” If I wanted to be a writer, and I couldn’t let the rejections stop me. Writers write. It’s what we do. I learned to take in the hurt, have a pity party, and keep going.

Looking back, is there one moment that you consider the biggest in your career so far?

I’ve been very lucky. Making the New York Times Bestsellers list was lucky. Warner Brothers optioned When, [for television], so my character Maddie is heading for big things. The one moment when my life changed direction in a positive way—and the highlight of my career—was getting my agent. It was an overwhelming feeling, having an agent who got what I was trying to do. He was excited, and he was ready to be my knight. That was the biggest moment—my favorite.

Did you celebrate becoming a New York Times Bestselling Author?

The day the list came out, I went to Starbucks at 6:00 in the morning, in the pouring rain, and had the barista take a picture of me holding the list up while I’m sobbing and crying. [Later I celebrated] with a glass of champagne—I had a bottle in the fridge because I had been close. I made the extended list a few times. The bottle has been in the fridge for three years, so I drank it. I was like, “Why am I drinking this? I don’t like it.”

Any advice for new writers?

This thing is such a gamble. Not being published says nothing about your talent or ability; it just means you haven’t found the right person to fall in love with your stories. Publishing is hard. Hone your skills, and keep working at it. Write a little every day. Keep it routine.

How has your life changed since publication?

In great ways. I have been able to quit the day job, and that was wonderful. I get to do what I love. I make myself laugh every day. If I don’t, it wasn’t a good writing day. I have colleagues that I love, like my editors and my agent Jim. They have become like family to me. They have enriched my life in so many ways.

What’s up next for you?

I’m working on a spin-off from the Abby Cooper series featuring Cat and Gilly. I am really in love with that now. I am writing a YA endeavor. I’m working on a fantasy series. It has a protagonist who’s not quite bad or good—she rides that edge. It’s a fantasy-based mystery series that has a mystery within a mystery. It’s told from her point of view in addition to a man’s perspective, and they overlap. I’ve also been thinking of doing another series that’s been in my head and won’t leave, so I am thinking of developing that—a sort of adult mystery, darkly humorous series.

How can people connect with you?

On my website: victorialaurie.com or on Twitter, at @Victoria_Laurie

Thanks, Victoria. It doesn’t take any psychic ability to predict further success for your stories. Your talent and killer work ethic will continually provide entertainment for your readers.

The post Author Victoria Laurie on Writing Realistic Psychics, Penning a Good Mystery and Her Publishing Journey appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

from Writing Editor Blogs – WritersDigest.com http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-genre/mystery-thriller/victoria-laurie-mystery-author-interview

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jenmedsbookreviews · 7 years

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Today I am absolutely delighted to be welcoming the lovely Meggy Roussel, a.k.a. Chocolate’n’Waffles, to Jen Med’s to help me spread a little book love. Meggy is a very busy bee at the moment, studying hard on a publishing degree so I’m very grateful she took the time out to take part. Before we find out all of Meggy’s bookish confessions, let’s learn a little more about Meggy.

About Meggy

I read, talk, cook, watch, learn and breathe. Not especially in that order. Oh, and I’m in love with Bordeaux, almost as much as I am in love with the English language.

This little corner of the internet is owned by a young woman named Meggy, who thought it would be fun to do her introduction with a third person narrative.

She is French, which means she can never be wrong about cooking. Or anything for that matter. She is a Yogi, which helps her staying sane and in pretty good shape for a stiff twig. She is an English student, which means she can talk for an hour about the differences between riveting and engrossing, and won’t hesitate to chase you with a virtual fork if you forget the difference between you’re and your. Yes, Meggy is a Grammar Terror, even though she herself struggles with harder points of the fascinating English grammar.

She is a dog mom, and will bore you to death with stories and photos of her baby dog, just like any mom with her offspring. She’s a tea lover with a strong addiction to waffles and chocolate. She isn’t afraid to talk about mental health and her battles against her illnesses. She’s a student in Publishing with big hopes and the perfect shoes to go with them! She’s a sanity keeper, when she remembers not to go crazy herself. But most of all, she is a book lover. And if you are here, you must be, too.

You can follow Meggy on her blog Chocolate’n’Waffles, Twitter and Facebook

Childhood Sweetheart Favourite book from childhood

Harry Potter. I’m from the generation who grew up with the books and movies. I learned it all from there. I discovered friendships, opened my mind to magic, fell in love with creatures, and was taught life lessons. The big fat HP cliché! I do not own a wand yet because I’m still waiting for my Hogwarts letter! I think the owl got lost, just like my packages thanks to the post office…

First love The first book you fell in love with

Kamo L’idée du Siècle

The first book I had to read for school. We had a list to choose from and I was very happy to be responsible for my choice. It turned out I loved the book so much it now is in a terrible state, I must have read it a hundred times. It’s part of a series from Daniel Pennac and it is so imaginative and adorable I love leafing through them once in a while. It feels like childhood and happy memories.

Biggest book crush The book character you’re totally in love with

Kay Hunter. Who said crushes had to be guys? I’m in love with that resilient and awesome woman who is a great version of who I would have wanted to be in another life!

Weirdest book crush Well… duh

Parker, from Jillian Quinn’s book with the same name! I’m not one to fall for abs, or athletes in general, but Parker is cute, adorable, and so much more than what meets the eyes!

Hardest break up The book you didn’t want to end

Furiously Happy. I wanted Jenny Lawson to keep whispering in my ear, I wanted more stories to make me feel normal, I wanted more laughing out loud in waiting rooms because of a terrible taxidermy mishap, I wanted to keep my friend forever. Instead I keep my copy of the book in my bag.

The one that got away The book in your TBR or wish list that you regret not having started yet.

The Widow. I have put this one on my This Week In Books twice and twice it was put off because of ARCs. The Widow was the very first recommendation book I bought after reading Cleo’s (cleopatralovesbooks) review. It was a year and a half ago!

Secret love Guilty Reading pleasure

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I can’t resist this series. It’ s perfect to cheer you up, the characters are so colorful you can’t think of anything else while reading, and Stephanie’s knack for finding herself in the most awkward or dangerous situations is priceless! Plus, I’m in love with one of her two love interests! #TeamMorelli

Love one, love them all Favourite series or genre

(Psychological) thrillers!

A Suitable Lie / Exquisite / The Other Twin / In her Wake / Blink

Your latest squeeze Favourite read of the last 12 months

Maria in the Moon. Still recovering from it.

Blind date for a friend If you were to set a friend up with a blind date (book) which one would it be?

The Summer that Melted Everything. This book doesn’t get the love it deserves! I find it a great material to discuss! Let’s talk!!!

Greatest love of all Favourite book of all time.

1984. For rekindling my love for books three years ago. Without it, there would not have been a blog, a change in life, a change in career, a new me! 🙂

Thanks Meggy. Some wonderful choices there. Really feeling the Orenda Love (and why not – completely agree). Harry Potter huh. Gosh you make me feel old lol. Agree with you about the Kay Hunter series too. I love Rachel Amphlett’s writing.

What do you think guys? Any suggestions for Meggy. She has quite a hectic schedule but I’m sure she’d love you to tempt her with more gorgeous book titles.

Have a wonferful weekend everyone.

Jen

#BookLove: Meggy Roussel @Choconwaffles Today I am absolutely delighted to be welcoming the lovely Meggy Roussel, a.k.a. Chocolate'n'Waffles, to Jen Med's to help me spread a little book love.

#Book Love #Chocolate&039;n&039;Waffles #Meggy Roussel

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mysteryshelf · 7 years

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BLOG TOUR - Dead Air and Double Dares

Welcome to

THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Great Escapes Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Dead Air and Double Dares by Janis Thornton

Dead Air and Double Dares by Janis Thornton Cup of Tea Books, an imprint of PageSpring Publishing (June 18, 2017) Number of Pages 310 E-BOOK ASIN: B071L28F34

Crystal Cropper, editor of the Elmwood Gazette, has added incentive in finding out who killed Horace Q. Ogilvie, owner of the local radio station and the most reviled man in town. Horace turns up dead minutes before he is supposed to broadcast his next malicious editorial, designed to destroy yet another Elmwood luminary. Fortunately for the police department, Horace’s list of future targets provides an abundant pool of suspects. Unfortunately for Crystal, her name is at the top!

Interview with the Author

What initially got you interested in writing? I thought about that question for several minutes, but I honestly couldn’t remember the impetus that got me interested in writing. It’s just something I’ve always done. My mother always claimed I was born gripping a pencil.

What genres do you write in? I think I found my niche in cozy mysteries, although I also enjoy writing more hard-boiled mysteries, and there is even a paranormal mystery waiting in the wings.

What drew you to writing these specific genres? I’ve always loved reading mysteries. For decades, I gobbled up everything by Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Lawrence Block, and Michael Connelly. So, when I decided to take a plunge into writing a full-length novel, mystery was the only genre that floated my boat.

How did you break into the field? When I finally felt my first mystery was ready for the world, I picked PageSpring from a long list I had compiled of potential publishers. Per their submission guidelines, I emailed them a synopsis and the book’s first thirty pages. Imagine my shock when, within a month, I received a reply asking for the entire manuscript! Three weeks after that, they sent me a contract. I was over the moon! How often does a new author hit a homerun their first time at bat?

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works? My series protagonist, Crystal Cropper, is a small-town newspaper editor in her mid-sixties. Through her, I want my readers to understand that Boomer-aged women are no less vital and relevant than they were at half their age. I hope readers can focus on the essence of Crystal’s personality, rather than her age. If she makes them laugh, I want them to know it’s not because she’s old; it’s because she is funny.

What do you find most rewarding about writing? I feel immensely rewarded when a reader tells me my book brought them some enjoyment, and I feel even more rewarded if they tell me it made them laugh.

What do you find most challenging about writing? Besides thinking up new synonyms for “said,” I am most challenged by the notion of weaving a novel together from nothing but strands of my imagination.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field? I tell them to stop talking about it and write. I also urge them to take classes, attend writers’ conferences, join a writers’ group, and never ever underestimate how hard it is.

What type of books do you enjoy reading? Of course, I enjoy mysteries, but I also enjoy biographies, historical nonfiction, and everything by Elizabeth Berg.

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you? People are usually amused that I can recite every word to “Trouble in River City,” that I once went on a triple date with the Everly Brothers, and that I graduated from finishing school — not necessarily in that order

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

Please “Like” me on Facebook (facebook.com/janisthorntonauthor), visit my website (www.janis-thornton.com), follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/JanisThornton check out my books on Goodreads.com, or send me an email at [email protected]. My books are available on Amazon.com.

Thank you for this opportunity to connect with your readers!

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About This Author

Janis Thornton is a freelance writer, personal historian, and award-winning journalist. She is the author of two local history books, Images of America: Tipton County and Images of America: Frankfort. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Indiana Writers Center, Association of Personal Historians, and the Midwest Writers Workshop Planning Committee. She lives in a small Indiana town not unlike Elmwood. Dust Bunnies and Dead Bodies is her debut cozy mystery. Purchase Link – Amazon

Webpage – http://www.janis-thornton.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/janisthorntonauthor/

GoodReads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6482161.Janis_Thornton

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BLOG TOUR - The Conneticut Corpse Caper

THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF and the May Mid-Month of Mystery Week!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

The Connecticut Corpse Caper by Tyler Colins

The Connecticut Corpse Caper (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 1) Cozy Mystery 1st Book in Series Self Published Print Length: 317 pages ASIN: B01KEDWHMG

The antics of seven inheritance recipients during a week-long stay at a Connecticut estate are detailed by protagonist Jill Jocasta Fonne. The will of her aunt stipulates that if anyone leaves early, his or her share will be divided among those remaining. As it happens, one does leave—permanently—when he dies just hours after arrival. Guests and staff alike have secrets to share as Jill and her colleagues, Rey and Linda, discover when they step out of their chosen professions into the roles of amateur sleuths. But are these secrets the reasons that bodies start appearing and disappearing? Others soon join in the sleuthing, and the bumbling and stumbling—and mayhem—begin.

There are 2 more books in this series:

Can You Hula like Hilo Hattie? (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 2)

Novice sleuths Jill, Rey and Linda stumbled and bumbled their way through The Connecticut Corpse Caper with winning results. That success prompted the trio to become bona-fide detectives. The first official assignment for the owners of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency: discover the dirty little secret of an elderly millionaire’s pretty, young wife. This sounds easy enough—until the wife is found dead along a Pacific shoreline. One murder evolves into several, with any one of a cornucopia of curious persons being the potential killer. Dealers, informants, and the seedy world of drugs enter the paradisiacal picture. This is a perfect opportunity to hone detecting skills and prove the newfound Hawaiian-based agency is a viable venture. Can the trio unravel the intriguing twists . . . before the twists ravel them?

Coco’s Nuts (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 3)

Rookie private eyes JJ, Rey and Linda stumbled and bumbled through The Connecticut Corpse Caper and Can You Hula like Hilo Hattie? with stellar results. Now the trio, proud owners of the Tripe Threat Investigation Agency, have yet another multi-murder mystery to solve. Who set up their client, socialite-turned-trucker Buddy Feuer, to take the rap? And where is nutty Coco Person, who has been MIA since the murders went down? In their detecting travels, they meet up with former acquaintances, some of who may not be all that they seem. Add bombs and debt collectors (limb breakers) to the list of ingredients, and you have one explosive recipe.

Interview With The Author –

What initially got you interested in writing?

As an only child, I read (a lot!). Mysteries were my favorite, which goes without saying. One day, I thought I’d pick up a pen and write my own as another form of entertainment. Creating—be it through words or art—has always been gratifying.

What genres do you write in?

Mystery and women’s fiction . . . and non-fiction if you consider blog posts.

What drew you to writing these specific genres?

I’ve always loved puzzles and mysteries certainly provide those. Women’s fiction tends to encompass soul-searching and/or personal growth, which provides proverbial “food for thought”.

How did you break into the field?

Publishing mysteries as e-Books helped me break into the field. Belonging to mystery writers’ associations back when allowed me to gain insight into the sphere and develop skills.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

Quite simply, I hope readers are entertained, smile and chuckle a little (or a lot), and enter that “reader cosmos” we like to escape to now and again.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

Seeing characters come to life, having a story blossom, experiencing a sense of accomplishment when a project has come to fruition.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

The biggest challenge is finding time to write. I put in an hour a day (maybe two or three on Saturdays and Sundays), but with a full-time job and everyday obligations/challenges, it’s very difficult to get everything on paper the way I’d like. But it’s all good; it’s all part of the process.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

Don’t waste time dreaming or thinking, just write . . . write . . . write. Read authors in your genre. Learn basic editing techniques (or find folks that can provide useful feedback and use it). Don’t ever give up! And make “Patience & Perseverance” your motto.

What type of books do you enjoy reading?

Mysteries, mysteries, and more mysteries. <LOL>

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

My dream of becoming an American . . . the desire to one day reside in Hawaii . . . a love of spirituality and animals . . . ?

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

People can check out my e-Books on Amazon, Goodreads, or Smashwords.

To get an idea of what I’m about, there’s a blog featuring a hodge-podge of weekly posts (what piques my interest, how I’m feeling, what my goals/dreams are). www.creativespider3me.com/creative-spider-3

A new blog has just been created that will be dedicated to writing (the journey, knowledge gained), but it’s still in its infancy stage, so I’m hesitant to provide a link right now.

Ah yes, there are also weekly installments to “Odd Woman Out” on Wattpad.

Please feel free to email me at [email protected].

About The Author –

Tyler Colins is primarily a writer of fiction and blog posts, and a sometimes editor and proofreader of books, manuals, and film/television scripts. She’ll also create business plans, synopses, film promotion and sales documents.

Fact-checking and researching, organizing and coordinating are skills and joys (she likes playing detective and developing structure).

Her fiction audience: lovers of female-sleuth mysteries. Her genres of preference: mysteries (needless to say), women’s fiction, informative and helpful “affirmative” non-fiction.

She aims to provide readers with smiles and chuckles like the ever-talented Janet Evanovich and the sadly passed and missed Lawrence Sanders, the “coziness” of Jessica Fletcher, and a few diversions and distractions as only long-time pros Jonathan Kellerman and Kathy Reichs can craft.

Please feel free to visit her blog: www.creativespider3me.com/creative-sp…

Friend her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tyler.colins.9

Follow her at Twitter: Tyler Colins@UsBound3

Purchase Links –

The Connecticut Corpse Caper (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 1)

Can You Hula like Hilo Hattie? (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 2)

Coco’s Nuts (A Triple Threat Mystery Book 3)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Participants

May 15 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

May 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

May17 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

May 18 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW

May 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

May 20 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST

May 21 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW

May 22 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 23 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW

May 24 – Fantastic Feathers – SPOTLIGHT

May 25 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

May 26 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST

May 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

May 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – INTERVIEW, EXCERPT

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BLOG TOUR – The Conneticut Corpse Caper was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf

#shannon muir #pulp and mystery shelf

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