Her Book Self

I like this quote because I can consider the word "gift" in two ways.  On the one hand it could be used in the context of having a gift for something, as in a passion for reading is a talent you can possess.  But I can also look at this as seeing gift in terms of something we can pass on to others.  Looking at the second meaning of gift, is there someone in your life who you would say has given you a passion for reading?

For the fourth year in a row, I have written a (draft of a) 50,000 word novel in less than 30 days.  I sit here now with a sigh of relief and a strange bit of pondering that I really don't know where two thirds of this story actually came from.  But I finished.  And it feels good to have this accomplishment under my belt.

For those that took on this endeavor with me, thank you for coming along on this wild ride.  I congratulate my fellow 50K club, and I also applaud all participants, regardless of word count.  Even writing a few thousand words in the month, is a few thousand words that you otherwise would not have put to paper! 

I'm not currently seeking to seriously edit or pursue publication for my work, but I enjoy and I celebrate the simple task of creating. Let us never underestimate or undervalue the joy of creating simply for creation's sake.

Here's to all my fellow writers and here's to thinking ahead - even now! - to NaNoWriMo 2011! 

Since this is a day about showing gratitude, I want to say a big thank you to Authors, and especially Independent Authors, because your writing makes my life richer. As I dabble in NaNoWriMo and attempt to create my own novel length work of fiction, I recognize that good writing is not something that just happens.  Constructing a story and putting it to paper in creative and artful words is a challenging task. And that's not even mentioning the world of editing and polishing.  Authors, I admire you.  I salute you and I thank you. Indie authors, doubly so.  There's a bit of a stigma attached to embracing the title of published author without the protective shield of a publishing house, but I know that some of my favorite works this year have been by those courageous writers.  Thank you for daring to put your work out there.  It is every bit as brilliant as those that publishers choose to print and I, for one, am glad to support your efforts!  

On that note, I'm pleased to spotlight a novel I read last month by author J.C. Phelps.  If any readers out there hesitate to check out independently published books fearing a lesser quality of writing, be assured that Phelps composes novels of high caliber and tons of fun.   

Move over James Bond, there's a new secret agent hitting the scene. Petite and polished Alexis Stanton hardly seems the type, but raised in a family that gave etiquette equal time with special ops training, she proves she's not one to be underestimated.

After quitting her dullsville job doing data entry, Alex responds to a mysterious newspaper job advertisement and realizes right away that her special training is exactly what White and Associates are looking for. Employed by the mysterious and attractive Mr. White, Alex is given the new moniker Ms. Grey and instantly thrust into secret missions with her life on the line. She may be in over her head, but she's not about to show it because she's also having the time of her life.

Color Me Grey was a fun and exciting book. J.C. Phelps keeps the action and suspense high and manages to hint at romance just enough to make the characters exceptionally intriguing. I loved Alexis Stanton as the heroine - she's tough but also smart and sensitive; larger than life but still easy to relate to. The book was well written with a perfect pace, and as all my favorite series entries do, it tells a succinct story while still keeping readers eager for its sequels. There's nothing Grey about whether or not Phelps knows how to write - clear as black and white, she is a wonderful storyteller and an awesome author to check out!

And while I'm on the topic of thanking people, thank you to all my blog readers that have joined, followed, and commented in the past six months.  I never knew that book blogging would be such a fun and rewarding experience.  I've really enjoyed interacting with so many other readers through this blog and I've loved every bit of it.  Before I get too sappy, I'll throw out a question for discussion: Do you read independently published books?  Why or why not? 

I've passed 40,000 words which I suppose makes this the home stretch.  The only problem is, I have no idea how to end this thing.  Just when I thought I'd reached some sort of denouement, one character had a surprise revelation about another and now they don't even know if they can trust each other, let alone solve the massive problem looming over the world.  I guess for me it's easier to write conflicts than resolutions.  It seems it's always easier to find problems than to solve them.  Eighty percent done with this thing, the end is in sight.  Thanks so much for all the encouraging comments along the way!

I want to thank Casey over at The Bookish Type for inviting me to participate in a multi-blog review-fest of some very exciting new releases in the Young Adult Fantasy genre!  Throughout the months of October and November various bloggers have been reading and reviewing a host of really intriguing books and several of them are quickly climbing up my TBR list.  For this event I'm pleased to share with you my review of Firelight by Sophie Jordan.  I hope you enjoy my review and check below for details about the swag giveaway!  Also, click over to The Bookish Type and check out all the other great reviews, interviews and contests going on with Fall Into Fantasy!

Sophie Jordan's Firelight tells the story of Jacinda, one of a strange race of draki - dragons that can take human forms. Jacinda is especially unique in that she is a fire breather, possessing a talent that many in her tribe thought to be extinct. Of course, standing out is not always a good thing and when her gift places her in danger, her mother decides to take Jacinda and her sister and leave the tribe of draki for a life as normal humans.

After moving to the desert, Jacinda finds the draki side of her dying and fights to keep her heritage alive. One boy at her school seems to ignite her dragon side, but Jacinda recognizes him as a hunter that she once escaped from. He rejected the chance to kill her when he first saw her as a draki, but none of the hunters know that the draki can appear human and Jacinda's relationship with him puts her entire species at risk.

I really enjoyed how Sophie Jordan handled the dragon mythology in this book. Instead of sticking to traditional dragon lore, Jordan created her race of draki as unique and original creatures. I liked how there were unique talents among them and was intrigued that some members of the tribe were not able to transform at all. The details of the urban fantasy world drew me into the story and led me to care more about Jacinda and her friends.

For me, the biggest downside of Firelight is that it has a very unsatisfying conclusion. I didn't know before reading it that this was the start of a series, but even with books that have sequels planned, I prefer when the first book is still a succinct standalone story. There was very little resolution in this one and the novel definitely left me eager for Jordan's next book. All in all, Firelight is an interesting fantasy work that sets up a unique story. Hopefully fans will not have to wait too long for a sequel to extend Jacinda's adventure.

As a special bonus for Fall Into Fantasy, Casey is sponsoring a Firelight Swag Giveaway!  If you would like to win a Firelight bookmark, sticker, and postcard autographed by author Sophie Jordan leave a comment on this post between now and November 30th!  Contest is open internationally and the winner will have three days to respond by email to claim the prize before a new winner is chosen.  To enter leave a comment below including an email address (ex: herbookself AT gmail DOT com) and answer the following question inspired by this novel:  If you could transform into any mythical creature, what would you become (and optionally, why)?

The Ear of Corn is a story by The Brothers Grimm that is more a fable or a legend than what I usually think of when I hear "fairy tale".  I've lived in the Midwest region of the United States my entire life so I'm no stranger to fields upon fields of corn which often are, as the saying goes, "knee high by the fourth of July".   And yet, I've never given much thought to the origins of corn.  It's something I just take for granted as having always been here.

At the same time, I love stories that involve how things came to be.  As a child I remember loving Just So Stories by Kipling and others in that same style - the ones that had fables of how the camel got his hump or why the elephant has a trunk and the giraffe a long neck.  I think The Ear of Corn story fits in with these types of origin tales.  The story relates how corn used to grow with multiple ears on a single stalk.  Because mankind didn't appreciate the plentiful nature of corn, God removed the crop and only returned it to it's single ear per stalk form after hearing cries from the people.

I really like the quote from this story that says,

"Men however are so made, that when they are too well off they no longer value the blessings which come from God, but grow indifferent and careless."

I think this is an interesting reminder about living life with a spirit of gratitude.  Often times on or around Thanksgiving and Christmas people talk about how blessed they are to have things like family, shelter, food, jobs, clothing, and other things that they otherwise take for granted.  I certainly won't speak out against this notice of life's everyday blessings, but why not make it a point to appreciate them every day, all year long?  Similarly, around the holidays people often take the time to recognize those less fortunate and give more to charity, participate in service projects, and make an effort to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and heal the sick.  Why not take these same steps to help others in January, April, and August?  I think this story makes a good point - that holds true today - about how we recognize blessings most when times are leanest.  I'm glad that we have a holiday in the US that's devoted to giving thanks, but I also wish that more people (regardless of religious or nonreligious affiliation) would take the opportunity to do so on a daily basis.  

What are your thoughts on this story?  Do you agree that people appreciate blessings less when they are well off?  Do you give thanks - and give to others - daily or only around the holidays?  Share your thoughts here or post your own Fairy Tale Fridays post and link up with Tif at Tif Talks Books!

Fairy Tale Fridays is a weekly meme hosted by Tif of Tif Talks Books.  Check out Tif's site for more information on upcoming Fairy Tales to read and discuss!

Earlier this year I had the fun opportunity to sit in on a panel discussion at the Printer's Row Literary Festival in Chicago.  The discussion was about cozy mysteries and one of the authors was Heather Webber, a writer I knew from her book Truly, Madly that I read back in January.  I was already impressed with Heather's writing so it was a pleasure to find a fun and witty personality behind the smart books she authored.  While waiting on Deeply, Desperately (the recently released sequel to Truly, Madly), I dove into Heather's other mystery series starring gardener Nina Quinn and greatly enjoyed A Hoe Lot of Trouble.  So without further ado, it should come as no surprise that I am thrilled to welcome to my blog author Heather Webber!

*applause, applause*

Thanks for agreeing to this interview!  When writing mystery novels, how do you find the balance between making the central case challenging for the reader to solve, while still providing enough clues so the solution does not seem too far fetched?

For me, it’s really about the characters. Because my mysteries are character driven, I make sure I have plenty of interesting suspects with strong motivations. All my clues usually come from those characters and their behaviors and are tied into the crime in some way. If I’ve introduced a motivation for murder, I make sure that it’s resolved and not left hanging. Hopefully it all makes sense and ties together by the end of the book.

Is it hard to keep things fresh and unpredictable when writing multiple books in a series? Which is more enjoyable for you, starting a new series or continuing a current one?

Tough one! There is something so fun about creating a new series, but for me, it’s also really hard. The rest of the series is based off that very first book. If I decide three books in that I don’t like a main character, I’m out of luck! There’s a lot of planning ahead that has to be done.

Writing a book in the middle of the series is fun because I know the characters, know how they’re going to react in certain situations, and I love to see how they’ve grown throughout the series. That’s my favorite part—seeing the characters grow and evolve.

Do you think Nina Quinn and Lucy Valentine would be friends? How do you imagine a lunch date between them would go?

I think they’d definitely be friends! Imagining it is making me laugh. A lunch between them? Nina would probably talk Lucy into getting into trouble with her, and Lucy would probably be thinking of a way she could move her parents (or Dovie!) into Nina’s neighborhood. Both would be talking about their complicated love lives.

Have you always wanted to write mystery novels? Are there other genres you've considered writing?

I started my career writing romances, and I think my readers would be able to tell I still love that genre. I love the puzzle of the mysteries, and I love the characterization and happily-ever-afters of romance—so I usually to blend all three in every book I write.

You recently announced on your blog that you were given a Kindle for your birthday (and by the way, happy belated birthday). As a reader, how do you like the switch to digital books? As a writer, in what ways does the digital movement influence your work?

Thanks! I think digital books are here to stay and that authors would be best served to learn as much as we can about them. E-books haven’t made much impact on my writing life yet—but I have many friends who are starting to publish books that never sold traditionally. It’s also a great market for short stories and novellas that are often hard to place in the print market. As a reader, having a Kindle has been great. It’s hard to beat the instant gratification of buying a book with one click. Hard on the book budget, though! I’m working on the balance of buying print versus e-books, because I do still love holding a book in my hands.

Absolutely, Positively (Lucy Valentine book 3) is due out in February, and like many of your readers, I'm pretty excited about it!  What other projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on a couple of new projects. One’s a paranormal mystery series, and the other is more of a cozy/traditional mystery. I also have the beginnings of a paranormal romance series—but that’s still in the brainstorming stages.

Thanks again for being part of this interview!  Where can we find out more about you and your work?

The best places are my website (www.heatherwebber.com) and my blog (www.heatherwebber.blogspot.com), which is updated four to five days a week. I’m also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Webber/107003867409).

Check out all the fun facts on Heather's blog and check out the wonderful adventures of Nina Quinn and Lucy Valentine in Heather's books at your local bookstore!

It's probably pretty obvious that I read a wide variety of books.  Sometimes it depends on my mood, sometimes I just want a change from whatever genre I just finished.   Needless to say, I always enjoy when I find an author who writes with as much variety as I enjoy reading.  Heather Webber is that sort of writer.  Though some classify her strictly as a mystery author, there's definitely more to her stories than just "who dunnit".  Earlier this year I read and reviewed the first in Webber's Nina Quinn series (A Hoe Lot of Trouble) but bringing even more variety to the mystery genre is Webber's protagonist Lucy Valentine.  This series (which began in the book Truly, Madly) combines mystery, Chick Lit, supernatural, humor, and a dash of romance.  I recently picked up the second in this series and enjoyed it equally as much as the first!

Lucy Valentine is back! The Valentine family is known for being successful matchmakers - able to find perfect love for everyone but themselves - but Lucy's talent is a little different. With the touch of a hand she can locate missing objects, and sometimes even people those objects were given to. Her own new branch of the family business specializes in tracking down Lost Loves. Her partner - and boyfriend - is the handsome detective Sean Donahue but Lucy's not sure if their relationship can survive "Cupid's Curse", the family legacy that dooms the Valentine matchmakers to always be unlucky in love. On top of everything she's got a missing persons case to solve; one friend trying to break up another friend's engagement; and an annoying reporter following her every move.

As in Truly, Madly (book one of the Lucy Valentine series), Heather Webber constructs a fabulous story. The characters are wonderfully interesting and the plot is well layered with multiple story lines. There is plenty going on but every aspect is balanced, woven together such that nothing gets confusing or lost in the mix. I love the supporting cast and Lucy's friends and family are realistic characters that I could see myself being friends with or related to. And Lucy Valentine is all heart: smart, spunky, clever, and wise with just a touch of vulnerability. Caring and kind to everyone around her, but still capable of anger, envy and suspicions, ensuring that the reader find hers fully lovable and delightfully real.

With psychic mystery, sweet romance, and witty humor, Deeply, Desperately is a terrific sequel that does not disappoint after the delight of book one. Equally as good as the first in the series, the novel is a fun entry into Lucy Valentine's adventures and I can't wait to see what Webber concocts for book three!

I love the creativity that surrounds this series and I love the fun characters that populate all of Heather Webber's books!  What's your favorite book or series that combines a mix of genres?

Stay tuned this week for my interview with Heather Webber!