I grew up reading Westerns. Mostly Louis L’Amour, but my great-grandparents had a full set of Zane Grey (in the iconic red-and-white covers) in their home on the Oregon coast. I collected a fair chunk of them, for nostalgia if nothing else, only to lose them to a flooded basement. I imprinted early on those… Read More Oh look! A book!
Written by Sanford Begley Teens Hot Topics Wife Unit (WU) is normally great to shop with. When we arrive at a store she has a list and we go get it. A little browsing through what is on sale, especially clearance, and we are on our way. The sole exception to this is a Hell… Read More Curmudgeon’s Corner: Teens and the Mall
Written by Sanford Begley Michael Hooten has a trilogy about a Celtic Bard. The trilogy is named Cricket’s Song. It starts with A Cricket Learns to Sing moves through A Cricket At Court and finishes with The Cricket That Roared. It is a YA but don’t let that stop you. The story follows a destined lad… Read More Curmudgeon Reviews: Cricket Trilogy
I’m reviewing two books today, the second and third in a series. I think I reviewed the first, one, you can find that review here. It looks like I didn’t review it, but I did review the comic itself. I really enjoyed reading these two, finished the one and started right in on the other.… Read More Review: Agatha H
I’m reviewing two books today instead of one, because I started book two last night and it sucked me right in and I finished it! Good thing there isn’t a book three yet or I might not have slept at all. Yes, this is a recommendation, right off the bat. I’ve really enjoyed both books,… Read More Review: Unexpected Enlightenment
First, I have a post up at Mad Genius Club on new books, how they are like infections, and Ebola. Secondly, Ben Hartley gave me a very nice review on The God’s Wolfling over on Amazon, and infected me with an idea. Sir, I can’t decide if you get a thank you, or a muted… Read More What’s next?
Good morning everyone. The convention is the past, chemistry is the now, and a long trip lies in my future. With work woven all around those constants. I am working on editing the manuscript to use my beta reader’s feedback in making it a better story. I will be sending it to my editor either… Read More The God’s Wolfling: Snippet 5
I have, as I type this, a whole day to myself. I have a thing in the evening, but my First Reader is gone to work, and I have nothing pressing to take me out of the house at all. So… why is this hard? I’m free to write whatever I want, whenever I want,… Read More Freedom of Writing
I have this effervescent burst of feeling, like freedom in my veins… It is balanced, of course, by knowing that although homework may be on hold until the next class, work is never done. I have a novel to write. A short novel, granted, as it is a YA book, but still. I plan to… Read More School’s Out!
Reading this book moved me to contemplate what it is that makes YA work for young people, but not as well for the grown-ups. It’s not just me, and I also know that a lot of adults enjoy the current wave of YA dystopian speculative fiction. So what is it? I think, as I was… Read More Review: Escape from the Village
My post over at Mad Genius Club this morning is about reading levels, books, and how complex literature can be without using big words and lengthy sentences.
Once again, I am joined by my unnamed guest blogger in the final part of his insightful article on the problems besetting young adult fiction. I deeply appreciate all the effort he has put into writing this, and no, really, this isn’t me. I’d be bragging if it was! You can find the first part… Read More How to Write Realist YA: Part 2