Category Archives: News and Fun

Top Ten Tuesday: Thou Art a Villain

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Thou Art a VillainThis week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is about amazing book villains. While there is no shortage of memorable villainish characters out there, I wanted to go a little bit of a different direction with my post and focus on stories that repaint a well-known villain or villain archetype as the story’s protagonist. So here we go.

Elphaba in Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

I feel like this list kind of had to include Elphaba, even though it’s … Continue reading →

Spotlight: Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson

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A trusted resource has a brand new look. Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson released their reference book for writers back in 2013. The updated version features a brand new cover plus new content about historical fiction and self-publishing. I’m excited to see the new stuff and add this one to my writing shelf.

Here’s some more information about Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel:

Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel by Stephanie Morrill and Jill WilliamsonGo Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel
By Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson
Available November 2, 2018

About Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel

You know your first draft has problems, but what’s the best way to fix them? How do you know where to start editing? Or for many writers the bigger … Continue reading →

Q&A with Snow Witch Author Rosie Boyes

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Rosie Boyes’ novel Snow Witch came out last week, and it’s another book I can’t wait to read. The story looks like a lot of fun, especially as we head into the holidays. I’m really excited to find out more about the Christmas curse and the mysterious St. Flurries. Read on to learn more about what inspired this unusual holiday story.

Rosie BoyesQ&A with Rosie Boyes

I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write The Snow Witch?

I often imagine the thick snow-covered streets that Charles Dickens wrote about in A Christmas Carol, and the sense of wonder that Lucy Pevensie felt when she stepped through the wardrobe into Narnia – her small feet crunching through the fresh white snow … Continue reading →

Q&A with Martin Hospitality Author Abigayle Claire

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One of the books that caught my attention lately is Martin Hospitality by Abigayle Claire. It’s about a pregnant teenage girl who finds refuge with the Martin family. I love the sweet premise and couldn’t resist learning more about what inspired the story. Abigayle has graciously taken time to answer my questions, and I’m sharing her answers here. First, let me tell you a little more about the book.

Martin Hospitality by Abigayle ClaireAbout Martin Hospitality

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she’s been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.

The Martins aren’t a typical family—even for rural … Continue reading →

Review: Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

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Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamilloLouisiana’s Way Home
Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press
Published on October 2, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Louisiana’s Way Home

From two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo comes a story of discovering who you are — and deciding who you want to be.

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose … Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Over 600 Pages That are Totally Worth Reading

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600 Pages is a LOT

Do you like long books? Even though I’m a fairly quick reader, I tend to avoid long books whenever possible. I like a book I can finish in a single sitting. But occasionally I come across some exceptions, though it’s admittedly pretty rare. (Even my review guidelines make note of this.)

This week, as part of Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, I’m sharing ten of the longest books I’ve ever read with a bit of a caveat. Obviously more than one of the Harry Potter books is over 600 pages. I only included the longest book in any of the series mentioned, but with the exception of Lady Midnight and Gemina … Continue reading →