YA Summer Reads and Mine Adrift

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin is a YA that I finished last week. A paranormal genre that had moments of Carrie in it, but with mystery and intrigue. It definitely drove home the idea of your thoughts become reality so, careful what you think, especially in Mara's case! Loved her "love interest," Noah-intelligent, sweet with a few secrets of his own. I was disappointed by the ending because it wasn't the end. It's a trilogy.

The other YA was the infamous 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. A brilliantly woven story: a string of characters, a suicide, tapes, and a POV that goes from Clay to Hannah, the dead girl. I'm someone who has to re-record my voicemail message several times before I get it right. When it came to Hannah's recordings, it was flawless. I had to suspend reality there along with her being so calculative. If she lived, she could have created a challenging, devious, teen version of the game, Clue. Jay Asher truly drove home how destructive rumors can be-I hope teens continue to read this book.
As for my YA, still adrift on chapter three, but I'll be swimming out to it soon.

Our Planet and Writing

A profound statement and photo to match that I discovered on my FB feed this morning. It truly resonates with me, and therefore, is showing up in my books- my first picture book, my MG and even my YA. I can't avoid the deep pain I feel with how we are treating our planet. I also read about an oil pipeline that carries 309,000 barrels a day in Ecuador burst after a landslide, and the oil is on it way to pollute the Amazon. When will it end? No wonder dystopian novels have been so popular. I'm ready for a little Utopia. How about you?

A Snorkling Break

The last two weeks I've been pelted with waves of information: researching agents, going over the SCBWI Blog on the last conference, logging on to the WriteOnCon conference, and reading the five critiques I recently received. Definitely time to swim away from my computer. Yesterday was the day! Ideal conditions for snorkeling at my favorite beach (pictured above). Snorkling is always a magical experience-the graceful movement of the kelp, the bright orange Girabaldi fish darting in and out the seaweed, purple starfish clinging to the rocks, and an occasional Bat Ray cruising across the sandy floor. Refreshed and inspired, this morning I dive back into revising.

Still Water

I sailed into to chapter three of my young adult book and then, the wind died. I can't go forward until I go back. My paddles await while ideas wash around in my head. I like what I've written, but I feel I need to get to the magical part sooner. While my YA floats in still water, I dive back into my middle grade novel. A recent critique triggered a wake of ideas and one is happily anchored in place. The submission current has taken me. I'm being pulled through the research. This is where I'll be until a few submissions are completed, unless a strong gail comes in from the east.

The current of a brilliant book

Ok, so I allowed the current to take me without resisting. Then again, it's unwise to fight a strong current-you can become worn out and possibly drown before getting to shore. The current was The Apothecary, by Maile Meloy. It was brillant! I loved the characters and the premise. Janie, at age fourteen has to move to London from Los Angeles because her parents were placed on Hollywood's infamous Blacklist in 1952. This grabbed me right away. When she befriends the Apothecary's son, Benjamin, the mystery and adventure begins and rewrites of my YA, drifted away. At least I didn't drown! Her sequel came out this month, but I need to revive those rewrites first, before I plunge into The Apprentices.

YA Author Tour

A couple of weeks ago, I voyaged out to Mission Viejo Library for the "Summer Lovin' Tour". A group of women YA Authors: Jessi Kirby, Suzanne Young, Sarah Ockler, Shannon Messenger, Kimberly Derting and Morgan Matson. I had read/purchased books from a couple of the authors that were there. The ladies each talked about their latest book and then had a Q&A. It was nice to discover that Shannon had written a MG first, like myself. These author's books have elements that are similar to the YA I'm writing so it was nice to experience how they presented themselves. They did a great job in creating a fun atmosphere for all.

Research then Real-Time

 Three days after finishing my first draft of chapter one in my YA, the town of Moore, Oklahoma was hit by a category four tornado. It gave me the chills as I watched the Giant in action, the devastation left behind, and the interviews of the victims. The first paragraph of my YA, my main character seeks refuge from a huge twister that is about to strike. I did a lot of online research on tornadoes and shelters, but it was nothing like viewing real-time and listening to those affected. My heart goes out to all of them!