Latest Library Reads: II

I loved the premise of Kimberly Derting's YA Novel, The Taking. The fireflies on the cover sparked my curiosity and I enjoyed the author's presentation at the Mission Viejo Library as part of "The Summer Lovin' Tour" a couple of years ago. My pitch for this book would be Twilight Zone Meets X-Files Meets X-Men. I love all three of these!
Sixteen year old, Kira Agnew, wakes up behind dumpster outside her neighborhood Gas & Sip without any memory of how she got there. When she goes home, a strange man with a baby answers the door. And her boyfriend across the street is no longer her boyfriend, because..... she's been missing for five years. "Do-do-do-do-Do-do-do-do." ( Twilight Zone tune)

Secret meetings, NSA spying, hazmat suits, and quarantine, smells like  X-File spirit. On the run with love-interest Tyler, her ex-boyfriend's younger brother who's not so young anymore, must be in love to stay at her side. Kira's new gifts are revealed. Empowering is an understatement; we're talking X-Men powers. Two things I didn't buy: her dentist telling her parents about a cavity and not her (5 years ago;yesterday for Kira) What? She was sixteen. Heck, I remember my dentist pointing out my cavities at age seven. The new x-rays are the same as the old. This proves she hasn't aged. The second: no local news reporters showing up. If your whole high school was looking for you and you didn't turn up until five years later, you'd be mobbed by media, or at least the local paper.

But that was minor compared to the compelling story and character. I couldn't put the book down and I was pleased with the cliffhanger ending. As for the fireflies, I can't say. You'll have to read it and the sequel, which I hope there'll be one.

Latest Library Read

The Summoning by Hilary Monahan is about four teenage girls who suffer the consequences of summoning "Bloody Mary." This grabbed my attention because at age eleven,  I heard the myth of Bloody Mary at a sleep over. Though we didn't summon her, the image freaked me out, especially, when I entered my parents room where my mother's closet doors were mirrored. I'm not much of a prologue gal, but it worked as a letter from Mary Worth to her sister in 1863. I loved the historical feel here. The conjuring begins at the start of  chapter one, and bleeds into page-turning moments chapter after chapter.The voices of the four girls were great, but when one girl gets taken, it wasn't much of an event for two of the girls, one especially, Jess-the main conjurer. She had no redeeming qualities, whatsoever. I felt more for Bloody Mary. 

BM has this whole world behind the mirror, and she takes people there who never return, which I found fascinating. But, I also wondered why. Does it make her stronger? Do the kidnapped keep her company? I was disappointed that my question went unanswered. BM was a frightening vision, but the beetles appearing made me think of a Tim Burton animated flick. I would've taken the beetles seriously if Hilary wove in one of the symbolic meanings derived from Egypt: Creation, rebirth, regeneration, and/or Shamanic: Dreams and astral travel. The ending didn't feel like an ending, so maybe in a bloody sequel? It might be a bit too bloody for me. (I was married to a bloody Brit for seven years, ok?)

Secret Agent Contest and Life Writes On

The sun has set(a couple of weeks ago) on Miss Snark's First Victim's Secret Agent Contest. It was for all genres and it was a random bot pick. My first 250 words of my lower MG, fiction-adventure, The Firefly Field, was picked-#40 if you want to read it on her blog. This novel has been critiqued many times and revised, rewritten and edited many times more. Since my YA wasn't complete-first draft seems to be going against the current, I had to submit my MG because it's complete at 28,000 words. I was happy to see most of the critiques were positive. I even had a fellow writer invite me into her online writers group. This was an incredible experience.
I critiqued five works and the secret agent critiqued all 50! I truly appreciated the time she put into it! The secret agent, Danielle Burby of Hannigan, Salky Getzler Agency, didn't pick me, but that wasn't a surprise. Her passions:YA, women's fiction, and mysteries and my Younger MG: bugs, boys, adventure and relationships. Definitely not a fit. Submissions continue as Life Writes On.

Research, Reading and Magic

Normally, I like to only submit to agents and editors that I've seen and/or met at a SCBWI conferences, but now I'm branching out to ones listed on the Children's Book Insider monthly newsletter and writer's blogs. I'm a detective combing the internet for clues about these agents and listing those whom I connect with.
Yesterday, I finished reading "The Mark of the Dragonfly" by Jaleigh Johnson. The photo pays tribute to this incredible upper-middle grade novel. The cover grabbed me and the jacket flap sold me. I've been reading a lot of YA and this was the perfect book to change things up. A magical story with a steam-punk vibe and headstrong protagonist, Piper, who takes us on a nonstop adventure with an eclectic cast of characters with heart. The last sentence of every chapter is a cliffhanger, so it was hard to put down.
When I read the acknowledgements, I was surprised to see Jaleigh's agent was one I researched and put on my list. How magical is that? Speak of which, I finally got to the first "magical" part in my WIP, YA: magical realism. Whoo-Hoo! (Art piece above: courtesy of LGOCA)

Book then Movie or Movie then Book?

"The book was so much better than the movie." Aren't you tired of saying that? Sometimes I watch the movie first, then read the book. You hard-core bookies are probably disgusted at the mere thought of this. Last night I watched "The Fault in Our Stars." I intended to read it awhile ago, but when I read the inside flap and the first page, I put it down. I wasn't up for a downer book-my experience with loved ones dying from "C" was not exactly uplifting. My boyfriend had the same reaction to the movie that I had to the book, but he still watched it with me, and we both loved it. Shaileen Woodley's performance as Hazel along with the writing & direction is what earned it a two thumbs up. I'm looking forward to reading John Green's book, and hopefully discovering some nuances that were left out.

I know I'll offend the die-hard "Hobbit" fans with this one: I read the book before the movies and for me, the movies were above and beyond the book. Sorry, Tolkien and awesome, Jackson! This of course, was out of the norm for me. Usually it's loved the movie but love the book more. Movie then Book- I dare you to try it.

Submission Sunday Morning

 My Submission Sunday Morning with my cat, Jaspurr. My flow was interrupted by a client, but I did eventually email it. Last Sunday morning I was interviewed on Spoken Word/Spoken Song live on our local podcast radio station. The hour flew by talking about my children's book writing process, our local book store and library, along with Shakespeare and Astrology. It was a blast! Here's the link if you'd like to check it out.  http://kx.onelaguna.com/podcast/spokenwordspokensongspodcast/1.27.2015.2000
Went into rewrites last Wednesday after receiving critiques on my first five lines of my YA novel on Miss Snark's First Victim blog. I critiqued as well. Needless to say, it was helpful. It's amazing how much or little can come across in those first five sentences, don't you think?

Land-Locked Period Over

Holidays, work, family & some drama had me land-locked, but it's officially over. Thank God-Goddess for Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent Contest last week that got me wading in my Cea of Writing again with critiques for those who got picked by the bot. It was nice to read the agent's critiques, especially when it coincided with mine. Now, I'm up to my gills (Yes, I'm a fish) with rewrites for my YA and line edits for my MG. The chapter I added to my MG novel has been haunting me since I laid it to rest. And tonight's the night I resurrect it for revisions. I plan to set sail three more submissions by the end of the weekend. 

I did contact the assistant editor (will not reveal house) after three months had passed, thinking my submission was sucked into the cyber black hole. I received a prompt email back from him/her that it hadn't and that he /she has not had a chance to read it yet. Needless to say, I was pleased with the news! Other good news: I was asked to do an interview on a local radio show this Sunday on my process of writing children's books . Stay tuned for next week's blog!