Happy Spring Break, and Happy Reading!

Posted on March 15, 2024 ·

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Spring is in the air, bringing the scent of orange blossoms, the warmth of sunny afternoons, and a season full of bookish promise. There’s a new Simone St. James’ murder mystery in March, a Stephen King short story collection in May, and another entry in my favorite cozy mystery series in June. I’m looking forward to all of them, but first here’s a look behind at some of the best books I’ve read so far in 2024. 

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

My daughter, Abigail, introduced me to the magic of Studio Ghibli several years ago. When she was in high school, her early-out Wednesdays were a chance for us to have some girl time—grabbing coffee and muffins and watching a movie before it was time to pick up her brother from middle school. The first Studio Ghibli movie she wanted me to see was Howl’s Moving Castle, and I was duly impressed with the gorgeous animation and the unique, charming tale. I finally read the book, which is whimsical and wonderful, with a sassier Sophie and a more dramatic (if you can believe that!) Howl. 

Atonement by Ian McEwan

This was a reread, although I cannot recall when I originally read Atonement. Like Howl’s Moving Castle, I saw the movie first. The faithfulness of the adaptation here is stunning; the movie is like a mirror image of the novel, which is as beautiful and intricate as I remember. Ian McEwan’s stories take place so much in his characters’ richly imagined inner worlds; I love the meandering quality of their interior monologues, the precise descriptions of the world around them, and the slow unfolding of the plot. Something different for me this time around was how much more I appreciated Part 2 and Robbie’s fateful journey to Dunkirk.

Dead City by James Ponti

In my second-period reading class there sits a little red-headed girl who is attentive, respectful, and follows all the rules. Imagine my surprise then, when I had to ask her several days in a row to put her book down at the end of silent reading time. Responses included “I’m almost done with this paragraph…” and “Can I just read to the end of the chapter?” When I asked her about the book she couldn’t seem to put down, she launched into an enthusiastic description of a tale involving a middle school girl who fights zombies in New York City. “You should read it,” she added, and so I did. Sure enough, Dead City is utterly delightful. 

Night Shift by Stephen King

It’s always the right time for a Stephen King reread. Like most of King’s classic works, this book is a staple of my adolescence; I remember long days and late nights spent buried in the pages of these stories. Throughout the years I’ve revisited “Children of the Corn” often, but it had been a while since I’d experienced the supernatural horror of “The Mangler,” the understated beauty of “The Last Rung on the Ladder,” or the bloody good fun of “Battleground,” a story in which a professional hitman who kills a toymaker gets ambushed in his apartment by a set of plastic army soldiers. In the words of my bookish sixth-grade student, “You should read it.”

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Sweet Dreams for 2024

Posted on January 7, 2024 ·

Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay

Setting goals for the new year is always a challenge because there’s so much I want to do. As the years pass, the projects accumulate, to the point where I now have too many to choose from (admittedly a good problem to have). 

I thought long and hard over Winter Break about which project I should focus on in 2024. There’s my micro memoir, a collection of 100-word pieces meant to distill the stories of my life, mostly for my children. There are two novellas and a middle grade book completely drafted and waiting for edits. There’s a middle grade fairy tale and a young adult magical realism, both with beginnings but no end. 

I want to work on all of them. I want to write new essays. I want to write new short stories. I want more time in which to do it all.

But something I’ve learned over the years is this: simple is better and commitment is everything. I can accomplish much more when I try to do less and commit 100% to my choices. 

With that in mind, my writing goal for 2024 is pretty simple: I’m going to self-publish my cozy mystery series. 

Sweet Dreams is a project I dreamed up in 2019 after realizing there were no cozy mysteries for young adults. I planned out several books and wrote two in a six-month period; the following year I self-published the first one on Kindle Vella during their launch. I had a lot of success on that platform but ultimately decided to publish the books as actual books. Now that I’m nearly done drafting the third one, 2024 seems like a good time to release all three.

The first book will be released in summer, the second in fall, and the third in December, just in time for a Christmas bundle. That’s the plan anyway. And why shouldn’t it work? It’s simple enough, and I’m committed to seeing it through.

As for last year’s goals, here they are again, along with the results!

1) Self-publishing my short story collection, What Was Never There

What Was Never There was released on December 21.

2) Publishing at least one piece in a literary magazine

My short fiction “Windows” was published in Best Microfiction 2023 in July; another piece, “Wrapping Paper,” was published in 5 Minute Lit in August (and featured at the Salem Lit Fest in September!).

3) Reading 30 books

Here are the 31 books I read in 2023.

Happy 2024, everyone!!

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A Few of My Favorite October Stories

Posted on October 17, 2023 ·

(A version of this post appeared in The Faerie Review in 2022)

‘Tis the season for ghosts and goblins, misty graveyards, and haunted houses. When long summer days are overtaken by autumn darkness there’s nothing like curling up with a good October story, so in honor of Halloween month, here are a few of my favorites:

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

No one writes October stories quite like Ray Bradbury. The celebrated fantasy and horror author famously loved Halloween month, a fondness he indulged in books like The Halloween Tree, The October Country, and my personal favorite, Something Wicked This Way Comes. Reading Bradbury’s dark fantasy about a sinister traveling carnival spreading evil in a small Illinois town is like falling into a dream. The story is told in prose that’s more like poetry, rich with the warm hues of autumn and a deep hypnotic dread.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Written like a classic Victorian ghost story, this Gothic tale embraces requisite tropes of the genre: an isolated house shrouded in fog and ruin, a mysterious figure lurking in a graveyard, phantom cries that can only be heard at night. Wrapped in a Christmas memory, the story does take a while to warm up, but once the haunting begins it pulls you along in a slow luxury of terror. A perfect October read.

“Children of the Corn” by Stephen King (from short story collection Night Shift)

The 1984 movie adaptation of Stephen King’s classic October story was a favorite of mine as a teenager. I loved it so much, when my high school sweetheart said he had family in the little town of Salix, Iowa, where part of the movie was filmed, I immediately suggested a road trip. Unlike the film, the short story is bereft of sentiment and does not end well for our main characters. This version is as much a grim portrayal of a failing marriage and the cruelties we become capable of inflicting on those with whom we’ve fallen out of love as a story of supernatural evil.

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

This absolute gem of a young adult novel is set in winter but is 100% an October story. Suma, with her hazy, languid prose, skillfully weaves a tapestry of missing teenage girls whose stories haunt the main character, Lauren, in ghostly visions and terrible dreams. Lauren becomes further estranged from her real-life relationships as she’s pulled deeper into the psychic mysteries of these lost girls. A mesmerizing story with a shock of an ending that somehow works.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again…” Ah, what better first line to lure a reader into the sublime gothic nightmare that is Rebecca? Fraught with mystery and dread, this slow burn of a novel settles into your bones like the chill of autumn itself. The isolation and fear that Daphne du Maurier creates for her unnamed protagonist, and the bleak, ominous atmosphere of the estate of Manderley where she is haunted, combine to grip the reader in a dark and gloomy embrace. Pure October horror.

Enjoy the season, everyone, and happy reading!

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The Best Books I Read in 2021

Posted on December 31, 2021 ·

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

For the last seven years I’ve posted an end-of-year book survey, courtesy of Jamie Miller at The Perpetual Page Turner. It doesn’t look as if she’ll be hosting one for 2021, so my list will look a little different; however, the essentials are here! As before, rereads don’t qualify for these categories, but they still deserve some love, so I wrote about them in another post. Enjoy!

Books Read: 52
Rereads: 11
Top Genre: Horror

Best Book of 2021

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

Jonathan Franzen’s latest family saga is a sprawling, ambitious work exploring the intricate relationships within an American family in crisis. Russ Hildebrandt, a middle-aged pastor struggling with his faith and an unhappy marriage, is on the verge of an affair; his wife Marion is at her own crossroads, one that is revealed throughout the novel in a slowly unfolding secret past; and their four children are also in various stages of personal upheaval. It’s a lot more fun than it sounds—endlessly entertaining and brilliantly crafted. Each member of the Hildebrandt family has a point of view, and Franzen writes them all with characteristic depth, empathy, and humor. An instant classic.

Favorite Book of 2021

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury’s classic collection of science fiction stories was undoubtedly my favorite book of 2021. I loved the framing device of having the Illustrated Man’s animated tattoos tell the tales, some haunting, some horrific, all infused with Bradbury’s dark poetic prose. One story in particular, “Kaleidoscope,” was the best thing I read all year, an absolutely beautiful and shattering piece of writing that will stay with me forever.

Biggest Disappointment

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

This book was hugely hyped and I was excited to read it but found it heavy-handed, preachy, and a bit too precious. One Goodreads reviewer described it as aggressively quirky, and I couldn’t agree more. Just not for me.

Biggest Surprise

The Imaginary by A.F. Harrold

For a middle grade this was super dark. The antagonist, Mr. Bunting, hunts down imaginaries (imaginary friends) and basically liquifies them and sucks them up and eats them. There are pictures to demonstrate. Anyway, a gleefully creepy tale of terror with gorgeous illustrations.

Book You Recommended Most

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

John Green is just an all-around wonderful human. I love his YA books, I love his vlog, and I loved reading his touching and humorous essays—written as reviews on a five-star scale—on everything from the history of Diet Dr Pepper to Halley’s Comet to Super Mario Kart. This was the one book this year I couldn’t shut up about, the one I think everyone should read.

Best New Series

A Key to All Mythologies by Jonathan Franzen

Of which Crossroads is only the beginning.

Best Discovery

Rebecca Stead

One of my priority reads from 2020 that I wanted to get to this year was Rebecca Stead’s The List of Things That Will Not Change. It was the first book I read in January, and I quickly followed it up with two more Rebecca Stead books because she simply writes flawless middle grade.

Best New Territory

Forever Right Now by Emma Scott

I don’t typically read a lot of romance or self-published books, but it’s not because I don’t enjoy them. I just need to do a better job of seeking them out, and this book is a good reason why. It’s perfect.

Best Page Turner

Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco

There were several books that, when I started, I could not put down. These include Crossroads, East of Eden, and Rosemary’s Baby, but the surprise here is Burnt Offerings because it’s a total slow-burn. Regardless, I was hooked from page one and some of the scenes were edge-of-your-seat intense (the swimming pool! the escape through the woods!). Also, the ending did not disappoint.

Best Candidates for a 2022 Re-read

The Illustrated Man and The Anthropocene Reviewed

Best Cover

Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise

Best Villain

Cathy Ames from John Steinbeck’s East of Eden

East of Eden is essentially a book about good vs. evil, and you won’t meet a character more purely evil than Cathy Ames.

Best Classic

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

I am in awe, and not a little envious, of Nabokov’s extraordinary skills. Lolita is one of those books I can’t believe I waited until now to read.

Favorite Quote

“You’ll be sorry you asked me to stay,” he said. “Everyone always is.”

From The Illustrated Man

Biggest Shock

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

I read a lot of horror this year, and a lot of it was shocking. But when I dove into The Martian Chronicles I wasn’t expecting horror. And then I read “Usher II.”

Best (Non-Romantic) Relationship

Maddie and her stepdad Sam in Melanie Conklin’s lovely middle grade novel Every Missing Piece.

Best Recommended Book

Lost Children of the Far Islands by Emily Raabe

On a strong recommendation from my daughter Abigail, and in the midst of a reading slump from which only a whimsical middle grade story could save me, I read and thoroughly enjoyed this fantastical tale of a secret island and shapeshifting siblings.

Best Debut

Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant

Once I open a book and see it’s written in first-person present tense, I usually close it. The style has become ubiquitous in YA, and honestly, it’s hard to do well. But Happily Ever Afters was a happy exception. It’s very well-written, charming, and sweet—a triumphant debut from Elise Bryant.

Best Setting

The Salinas Valley in John Steinbeck’s masterful East of Eden

Book That Made Me Laugh

Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix and Will Errickson

If you love horror as much as I do, you’ll have a bloody good time reading this celebration of the mass market horror fiction of the 70s and 80s.

Book That (Almost) Made Me Cry

The Illustrated Man (for the short story “Kaleidoscope”) and East of Eden

Book That Made Me Want to Scream

Burnt Offerings by Robert Marasco

Why did you go back, Ben, why, why, WHY?????

Best Hidden Gem

A Totally Terrifying Zombie Apocalypse Love Story by Carrie Ann Lahain

Being a huge fan of the original Dead Town, I was thrilled when my dear friend and long-time critique partner Carrie Ann Lahain announced a reimagined version focused on Sara and Patrick’s zombie apocalypse romance. Everything that made Dead Town great is still here—the gore, the giggles, and the nonstop action. But instead of being in 14-year old Scotty’s point of view we get to see the story through his older sister Sara and her swoon-worthy admirer, ex-marine Patrick Bannon.

Most Anticipated Book of 2022

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

You guys know I am a Simone St. James SUPERFAN. I have read everything she’s written and I can’t wait for this one!

Most Anticipated Book in a Series in 2022

Strawberried Alive (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #14) by Jenn McKinlay

Reading Goal for 2022

Read at least 52 books, same as every year.

Happy reading in 2022, friends!

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The Comfort and Joy of Rereads

Posted on November 29, 2021 ·

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

December is almost here, a time for tinseled trees, fuzzy slippers, hot chocolate, and end-of-year lists. My own list of bookish favorites will be posted in a few weeks, but there’s one category I’ve never featured—the books that seem to always get overlooked on year-end roundups: rereads.

Rereads are the epitome of comfort—old favorites you slip into like a cozy winter robe. They’re always there when you need them, and because you already know how the story ends, they never let you down. In honor of these faithful treasures that humbly stand by while newer novels revel in the shine, here’s a list of the best books I reread in 2021:

Watership Down by Richard Adams

A stone-cold classic. Like most of my generation I was introduced to this novel through the brutal and haunting 1978 animated film. I will never forget seeing it for the first time—a child expecting a lighthearted movie about bunny rabbits soon mesmerized by the terrifying image of a field flowing with blood. It stayed with me, this beautiful, violent film of perseverance, courage, survival, and friendship, and sometime in my teens I discovered the novel and have read it many times since. As an adult I have a much greater appreciation of Hazel’s visionary leadership, but it’s Bigwig—stubborn, arrogant, steadfast, brave—who remains one of my favorite characters in all of literature.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

This is one of those books I came across later in life, reading it for the first time in 2015. The imagery I’d associated with the novel through various film adaptations (none of which I’ve seen) had led me to believe it was a romance. Tormented, impassioned lovers! Isolated, windswept moors! Imagine my shock when I read of ghosts, wrists scraped bloody over broken glass, neglected children, dark obsessions, abusive lovers, and cold revenge. Sounds pretty bleak, but I love it to pieces and will continue to visit this Gothic masterpiece again and again.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Reading Ray Bradbury’s dark fantasy about a sinister traveling carnival spreading evil in a small Illinois town is like falling into a dream. The story is told in prose that’s more like poetry, with sentences that ebb and flow with perfect rhythm and hypnotic dread. If you’ve never invited the Dust Witch to haunt your dreams, if you’ve never watched in horror as Mr. Electrico jerks and jitters back from the dead, if you’ve never felt the pulse of Mr. Dark’s living Illustrations beat in your throat, now is the time. I envy you that it will be your first.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

The older I get, the more I read, the more I appreciate Harry Potter. In 2018 I reread the series for the first time, and it was absolutely delightful. With respect to the movies, which are wonderful and provided years of escapist joy for my children (and me!), the books are so much better. It’s not just the characters, who have more depth (Hermione is hopelessly flawed at times, and Harry is way cooler and not at all boring), it’s the details, the cleverness, the originality, the humor, the fun. I read a lot of middle grade and I’m trying to stay interested in YA, but nothing in recent children’s literature compares to the sprawling, immersive magic of Harry Potter. Which is why I’ll return to Hogwarts in 2022.

The Stand/Pet Semetary/Firestarter by Stephen King

I revisit a few classic King books every year. That golden age between 1974 and 1990 produced some of my favorite books of all time. The first tale I read by the Master of Horror was IT, way back when I was eleven or twelve, and I promptly became a devoted Constant Reader. Throughout my teens and early twenties I devoured everything Stephen King (and most things Richard Bachman): Cujo, The Shining, Misery, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, Different Seasons, The Stand. So much of my own personal journey is wrapped up in these timeless novels; like a childhood song, they are transportive and nostalgic, and they simply never get old.

What are some of your favorite rereads?

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2020 End of Year Book Survey

Posted on December 27, 2020 ·

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

Thanks as always to host Jamie at The Perpetual Page Turner for this awesome end-of-year book survey! This is my sixth time participating, and it’s always a delight looking back on the books I read and sharing some of my favorites with you. Like in years’ past, I won’t be using rereads for any categories.

Number of Books You Read: 66
Number of Rereads: 12
Genre You Read the Most From: fantasy and science fiction

Best Book You Read In 2020?

Adult: The Great Offshore Grounds by Vanessa Veselka

I wrote about Veselka’s astonishing debut, Zazen, back in 2013. The wait for her second book has been long but well worth it. The Great Offshore Grounds is an ambitious and sweeping novel chronicling one very dysfunctional family’s journey through poverty, self-discovery, love, death, and everything in between. Sometimes that journey takes place on road trips, sometimes on fishing boats in Alaska, and sometimes in a homemade castle on the side of a road somewhere in Texas. It can be meandering and messy, like families, like life. It’s screamingly funny in places and heart wrenching in others, never sentimental, always sympathetic, and unapologetically gritty in its depiction of the working class and poor. I don’t have the words to do justice to Veselka’s writing, I can only highly recommend it and continue to hope she gets the recognition she deserves as one of our most talented writers.

YA: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Like last year, Elizabeth Acevedo gets my vote for best YA. Unlike last year’s pick though, which was a book written in verse, this one is a straightforward story told in prose (although also very poetic). One thing I love about With the Fire on High that really sets it apart is the emphasis on strong and healthy family relationships. Teenage mother Emoni is unequivocally devoted to her child and to her grandmother; for her it’s family first, always, but she is willful and determined and finds ways to make room for her dreams of becoming a chef.

MG: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

A lot of my best middle grade book recommendations come via my youngest. Gabe read this one in fourth or fifth grade and was notably impressed. Hatchet, a classic in the survival fiction genre, tells the story of a thirteen-year-old boy who crashes into the Canadian wilderness with only one small tool for survival. Can you guess what it is? I talked my son (now thirteen) into reading Hatchet to me this year, and I’m totally taking credit for it. Hey, audiobooks count, so why not?

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Maybe it was the wrong time, I don’t know. I adore Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility but failed to connect with Anne Elliot, who is considered Austen’s most mature heroine. I agree—she is very mature, and intelligent, and steady, and dependable, and quiet, and patient, and … what’s her flaw again?

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

In a good way. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I connect with a work of science fiction as it’s never been my favorite genre. Still, I shouldn’t have been surprised that Butler’s book about tentacally aliens taking over the human race in a post-apocalyptic world would be completely accessible and easy to love—her writing tends to carry you along effortlessly. Dawn is the first entry in the Xenogenesis trilogy; the final two I read immediately after this one, and my only complaint about this series is that it ended.

Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Surely you’ve heard by now of this slowly unfolding, chillingly atmospheric Gothic suspense/horror novel featuring a glamorous, headstrong socialite and set in 1950s Mexico? I’m assuming you have because the hype for Mexican Gothic was unreal. Also, completely deserved.

Best series you started in 2020? Best Sequel of 2020? Best Series Ender of 2020?

The Xenogenesis series by Octavia E. Butler

Dawn

Sequel: Adulthood Rites

Ender: Imago

Favorite new author you discovered in 2020?

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

The Rise of Skywalker by Rae Carson

I don’t read a lot of movie novelizations, but I loved The Rise of Skywalker so much and you can only watch a movie so many times and, well, here we are. Rae Carson did an impressive job staying true to the characters’ voices, capturing the excitement of the action sequences, and adding depth to some secondary characters. I especially loved her inclusion of Zorri Bliss’s point-of-view, including her history as a Spice Runner and the harrowing escape from Kijimi.

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler’s fantasy/science-fiction-y/time-traveling/slave narrative is as good as you’ve always heard it to be. From page one, I could not put it down.

Book You Read In 2020 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a must-read-again. It falls into so many categories that I love. Gothic. Horror. The Slow Burn. Moreno-Garcia writes with total confidence, taking her sweet time letting the story unfold. It’s one of my favorite things about this menacing and mysterious story, and I can’t wait to get lost in it once more.

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2020?

Mexican Gothic

No contest. This cover is an absolute beauty.

Most memorable character of 2020?

I hate to admit it, but probably Rufus Weylin. There’s just no denying the antagonist of Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred is a deeply compelling character. Part of this is Butler’s skill as a writer, part of it is the fact that we first meet Weylin when he’s a young and innocent child, the son of a slave owner in the Antebellum South. Watching as he grows and struggles with his tendencies toward ownership and control and his genuine regard, maybe even love, for the women he makes his victims, is grotesquely fascinating. Is he a product of his time? Is he evil? Is he redeemable? Rufus kept me guessing throughout the book as to which of his dueling natures would win out. In case you haven’t read the book, I won’t say.

Most beautifully written book read in 2020?

How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara Kingsolver

I was once such a fan of Barbara Kingsolver, from earlier novels like The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams to her thoughtful and thought-provoking essay collections. But somewhere along the way, the perfect balance of story and politics she struck in The Poisonwood Bible toppled and her novels became more like lectures, preachy and sanctimonious. Eventually I stopped reading them. It was therefore refreshing to see Kingsolver come out with a book of poetry, something slimmed down and vulnerable, touching on subjects like nature and friendship and motherhood like she did so poignantly in High Tide in Tucson and Small Wonder. I missed this voice.

Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2020?

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Aside from being exceptionally written, Brit Bennett’s tale of two sisters grappling with racial identity and family secrets makes you think long and hard about what you’d be willing to give up in an effort to belong. It’s disconcerting, uncomfortable, and genuinely thought-provoking.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2020 to finally read?

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

My kids have loved Percy Jackson forever and ever, and Rick Riordan is such a beloved and celebrated author, known for championing diversity and inclusion in his middle grade and young adult novels. The Lightning Thief is an action-packed, super fun first entry into the Olympians series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Better late than never!

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2020?

My favorite passage is from an unlikely source—a textbook. (I spent 2019 in a teacher certification program.) The book is called Phonics from A to Z and includes this delightful quote from Alberto Manguel:

“At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book—that string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader.”

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2020?

Shortest: A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes #1)

Longest: A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Book That Shocked You The Most

Mexican Gothic

There’s a point where this story takes a turn from creepy atmospheric Gothic to something entirely different, and it is a disorienting thrill.

OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

In Vanessa Veselka’s masterful The Great Offshore Grounds there is a potential relationship that may or may not come to fruition but, darn it, I just can’t tell you who it is! Because you have to read the book. Go on, read it.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

The multigenerational bond between Emoni, her daughter, and her grandmother in Elizabeth Acevedo’s With the Fire on High was a thing of beauty.

Favorite Book You Read in 2020 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

And again! Simone St. James was my pick for this category last year as well; she is, to me, simply flawless. Although her Gothic ghost stories/Romances usually take place in the early 20th century, this one switched it up a bit and offered dual timelines—one present day, one in the 1980s. You can never go wrong with the ‘80s.

Best Book You Read In 2020 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

The Whisper Man by Alex North

This was the book everyone was talking about in the latter half of 2019, and when I finally got around to reading it this year, I was not disappointed.

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2020? 

Hun-Kame, the Mayan God of Death in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s outstanding Mexican fairy tale, Gods of Jade and Shadow.

Best 2020 debut you read?

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Elatsoe is a magical, mythical murder mystery featuring an asexual Lipan Apache teenager with a ghost dog. So it’s got a lot going for it! Little Badger weaves Native American mythology with her own uniquely imagined world and gifts us a delightful main character who, although seventeen, has the charm, innocence, and optimism of someone much younger. This book is being marketed as young adult but reads very much like middle grade; luckily, I happen to love both, so for me it was a perfect fit.

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

WOW. In the first book of The Broken Earth trilogy, N.K. Jemisin introduces us to her imagined alternate Earth, The Stillness, and the beings who inhabit it (humans, orogenes, stone-eaters, obelisks, guardians). This is a very dense, very dark novel—it is not an easy read—and the series only gets darker. I will admit, I discovered toward the end of The Fifth Season (and in subsequent books in the series) that the genre, grimdark—one characterized by utter bleakness, endless war, and very little hope—is not for me. That’s not to take away the absolute brilliant worldbuilding and storytelling here though. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy won the Hugo Award three years running, and if you can handle the grimness of it all, you’ll see why she is one of the most celebrated fantasy/science fiction novelists today.

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Let’s see, which of Jenn McKinlay’s Cupcake Bakery Mystery books should I choose? Cozy mysteries have become my guilty pleasure, and this year I happily indulged in half a dozen. I just can’t get enough of the comfortingly formulaic plots, the scrumptious descriptions of desserts, and the groan-worthy and absolutely hilarious punny titles like Vanilla Beaned and Dying for Devil’s Food. Since I must choose one, I’ll go with Sugar and Iced, which features a deadly beauty pageant and a dish of sweet revenge.

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2020?

 A Promised Land by Barack Obama

For so many reasons. Barack Obama’s presidency spanned nearly a decade of my life that’s entwined with memories of my children growing, of me growing as a mother, and the moments both wonderful and terrible that marked our lives in that period of time. The Great Recession, the historic election, the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, the Arab Spring, the Birther Movement and birth of the Tea Party, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the promise of hope and change. Many times while reading I had to stop and close my eyes as those memories burned. Mostly though, I laughed. Obama is a skillful storyteller and writes with such warmth and humor that the little moments in particular shine. Yes, his moments as leader of the free world, but also his moments as a friend, a husband, a father.

Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Goodbye From Nowhere by Sara Zarr

I feel like Sara Zarr in general is a hidden gem, even after earning a National Book Award nomination, even after having a novel adapted into a movie directed by Kyra Sedgwick and starring Kevin Bacon. Zarr is a quietly dependable author, blessing us with one solid YA read after another. And yet her April release, Goodbye From Nowhere, has thirteen ratings on Amazon. Obviously Amazon ratings are not an indicator of quality, but they certainly reflect a novel’s popularity. Why so few, then? I have no idea. I keep telling you guys about her, I mean, come on. Go read this one—a story about a boy whose life is upended when he discovers his mother is having an affair.

Book That Crushed Your Soul?

The Fifth Season

Most Unique Book You Read In 2020?

Not a book but a story. “The Life of Chuck” in Stephen King’s new collection, If It Bleeds, is a lovely little piece—sweet, succinct, and strange.

Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

The Fifth Season, for Essun’s fateful decision you saw coming a mile away that, as noted above, resulted in the crushing of my soul.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2020 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2021?

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

I didn’t read enough middle grade in 2020, and this one sounds pretty special.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2021 (non-debut)?

Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

As you can tell by now, Moreno-Garcia is a total auto-buy author for me at this point.

3. 2021 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Waiting for the Night Song by Julie Carrick Dalton

Childhood secrets! Woodsy small town summers! And that cover!

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2021?

For Batter or Worse (Cupcake Bakery Mystery, #13) by Jenn McKinlay

Although it batter not be a series ender.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2021?

As always, my goal is to read at least 52 books, preferably in addition to any rereads.

6. A 2021 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):

N/A

Here’s to 2021! Things can only get better, and there will always be books.

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Am I Doing Enough?

Posted on June 16, 2020 ·

Image by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Something I’ve learned in the last year as I work toward my teaching certification is how imperative on-going self-assessment is. Teachers are expected to constantly evaluate themselves—every morning before class, after each encounter with every child, during each lesson, at the end of every day. This is not only to ensure the effectiveness of lessons but to compel teachers to examine unflinchingly their own personal biases and cultural sensitivity.

Am I doing enough to make sure every single child in my classroom feels valued, supported, cared for, seen?

Am I doing enough to make sure every single child sees him or herself reflected, represented, respected, in their classroom?

Am I doing enough?

In 2015, while pursuing my English degree, I enrolled in an African-American literature course that introduced me to the voices of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and James Baldwin, among others. Why, in all my years of schooling (I grew up in the 80s/early 90s) had I never been assigned classic works of literature by these authors? That’s the first question, the easy question. On further self-reflection, however, the question becomes this: Why had I never before sought these voices out?

Am I doing enough?

Last year I read 62 books; three were by Black authors. The year before that I read 72 books; four were by Black authors. This shameful disparity was one I hadn’t even noticed before. The easy question is, why aren’t there more books by Black authors being published and championed? On further self-reflection, the question becomes this: Why haven’t I been seeking out more books by Black authors?

Am I doing enough?

Making excuses is easy. Accepting personal responsibility is harder. I’m not doing enough. And as an aspiring teacher whose job it will be to develop and implement an anti-bias curriculum, create an inclusive, multicultural classroom, and model behaviors like empathy, respect, and tolerance, I need to do more—and keep asking the question.

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Welcome, New Subscribers! I’m Glad You’re Here

Posted on May 4, 2020 ·

Congratulations to the winners of Women on Writing’s Ultimate #StayHomeandRead Book Giveaway! I’ll be mailing out signed copies of The Fourth Wall this week.

Also, a huge and heartfelt welcome to my new subscribers. I’m so glad you’re here. I blog once or twice a month, usually about writerly things, although sometimes I post book reviews too.

If you’re interested in learning more about The Fourth Wall, I have a bunch of fun posts from my blog tour back when it was first published, including the meaning behind the title, why I’m glad it was a first novel, and the ways to become a lucid dreamer.

If you’re super bummed you didn’t win a copy, stick around and I’ll let you know when my publisher runs the next Amazon giveaway so you can grab a free Kindle version.

In addition to writing books, I also love to write short fiction and creative nonfiction. Here is my latest nonfiction piece, published last month in Mothers Always Write. In this piece, I tried to capture some of the courage, resiliency, and grace of my twelve-year-old son, who is on the brink of navigating the tumultuous years of adolescence.

Are you a writer too? A fellow book lover? Let me know in the comments, and once again, welcome. 🙂

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2019 End of Year Book Survey

Posted on January 29, 2020 ·

Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again! Thanks to Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner for once again hosting this annual End of Year Book Survey. I tell myself every January that I’m going to get better at reviewing books as I read them; alas, it never happens. Still, a yearly wrap-up is better than nothing, and here is mine for the year 2019:

Number Of Books You Read: 62
Number of Re-Reads: 4
Genre You Read The Most From: Mysteries

 

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1. Best Book You Read In 2019?

Adult: A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

One of my reading goals for 2019 was to finally tackle George R. R. Martin’s gargantuan high fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. I can’t say I loved all the books, but the first one is flat-out masterful.

YA: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

A brutal and beautiful coming-of-age story told fiercely in verse. Listen to the audiobook if you can.

MG: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Oh, middle grade, you own more of my heart as the years go by. This one involves books coming to life, which of course equals pure magic.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Maybe it was the distracting use of vernacular in dialogue, maybe it was the fact that so much of this was just too unbelievable, or maybe it just wasn’t for me.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

In The Woods by Tana French

In a good way. But also a maddening way. Don’t expect all the answers, but do read this dazzling first entry in French’s superb Dublin Murder Squad mystery series.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

You know you should quit Facebook, but you won’t, so read this for ways to cut back. Way, way back. (And then quit.)

5. Best series you started in 2019? Best Sequel of 2019? Best Series Ender of 2019?

Ah, this is hard! I started and ended 2 series in 2019: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin and Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series. Both are excellent, both have some disappointing entries, but I’d say Tana French’s series is overall more consistent. The final two books in A Song of Ice and Fire are just so different from the first three in terms of quality.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2019?

Anjali Sachdeva, whose debut short story collection All the Names They Used for God is simply divine.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

Bully Love by Patricia Colleen Murphy

Poetry can be intimidating for me, but this debut collection—which won the 2019 Press 53 Award—was accessible, atmospheric, and evocative. I especially loved the author’s eloquent observations and reflections on the Sonoran Desert.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson was completely mesmerizing and I read it in one sitting.

9. Book You Read In 2019 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

A Game of Thrones

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?

The cold, wanting, and fractured nature of this cover perfectly reflects the story within, including our conflicted main character Rob who is haunted by childhood memories he cannot recapture.

11. Most memorable character of 2019?

Tyrion Lannister

Really I could have chosen pretty much any character from A Game of Thrones. The Hound, Jamie, Cersei, Daenerys, take your pick. I chose Tyrion for his brilliance, his wit, and his bravery. It’s not his fault he was born a Lannister.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2019?

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

13. Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2019?

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell

Comprised of simple, daily entries that describe the often dull day-in day-out life of a bookshop owner, there’s nothing particularly exciting here. And yet it’s captivating. Why is that? I couldn’t tell you, I just know I loved this book and it inspired me to commit more fully to journaling every day.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2019 to finally read? 

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

How can you call yourself a true Constant Reader without having read SK’s critically acclaimed second novel and contribution to the vampire genre?

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2019?

Sigh.

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2019?

Shortest: Bully Love by Patricia Colleen Murphy

Longest: A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

17. Book That Shocked You The Most

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin

You know why.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Ellie Winter and James Hawley in Simone St. James’ The Other Side of Midnight

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Detective Antoinette Conway and Stephen Moran. My least favorite entry in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad mystery series nevertheless featured my favorite non-romantic pairing. Just go read some Tana French, seriously.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2019 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James

Since reading The Broken Girls in 2018 I am a full-on Simone St. James superfan. I wrapped up my 2019 by reading the rest of her entire backlist and can attest … she is always perfect.

21. Best Book You Read In 2019 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Reader, I did it. I finally read Jane Eyre, but my dark and twisted heart will always belong to the windswept moors of Wuthering Heights.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2019?

James Hawley from The Other Side of Midnight

23. Best 2019 debut you read?

Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault

Miciah Bay Gault’s debut is a page-turner full of mesmerizing prose and chilling menace. I felt off-kilter for much of the novel, trying to piece together the mystery of a familiar stranger who may or may not be the main character’s deceased baby brother reincarnate. The ending does not disappoint.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

A Game of Thrones

Come on, how could I choose anything else? I am in AWE of GRRM’s worldbuilding skills.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Substitute: Going to School With a Thousand Kids by Nicholson Baker

A renowned author painstakingly documents 28 days working as a substitute teacher in Maine public schools, and the result is as you’d expect: a little depressing but also extremely funny, sweet, and just plain old fun.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2019?

The Day That Went Missing by Richard Beard

A beautifully written memoir about a brother haunted by the death of his sibling and the way his family processed (or not) the loss.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

A gorgeous, unique, coming-of-age story told in poems, story fragments, dreams, and memories. (Thank you to my friend Adrien who reviewed it on Goodreads; otherwise it would have stayed a hidden gem to me.)

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

A Storm of Swords

Yep, I managed to make it to 2019 without having any idea what The Red Wedding was. The horror of reading that chapter in A Song of Ice and Fire’s third installment will remain with me forever.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2019?

Orange World by Karen Russell

If you have never lost yourself in the irresistibly weird and astonishingly inventive stories of Karen Russell, remedy that now. She is truly one-of-a-kind, blending horror, humor, and wit in accessible literary fiction. Orange World is Russell’s third collection of short stories.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

No Apparent Danger by Victoria Bruce

An unflinching, often gruesome account of the tragedies at Nevado del Ruiz in 1985 and Galeras in 1993. Both volcanic disaster stories will have you clenching your fists in fury at the negligence and arrogance that led to so much loss of life, but there are plenty of heroes to be found here too.

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1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2019 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2020?

The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2020 (non-debut)?

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

3. 2020 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Ignite the Sun by Hanna Howard

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2020?

Winds of Winter? Maybe?

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2020?

Same as every year—to average a book a week for a total of 52.

6. A 2020 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):

Not applicable. But I promise to try and make more recommendations throughout the year (sound familiar)?

Happy reading in 2020, everyone!

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Sharing a Little Love for Lit Mags

Posted on June 26, 2019 ·

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Not long ago, I pulled up my ever-changing Word document titled “potential markets to submit work.” Scanning the list, I was surprised and saddened at how many literary magazines were no longer options.

The recent shuttering of some, like Glimmer Train and Tin House, came as a shock. Others, like YA Review Net, seemed to slowly fade until finally, quietly, saying goodbye. Yet another, Full Grown People, has been on hiatus since last June, and my fingers are still crossed that their absence remains temporary.

I had the honor of being published in both Full Grown People and YARN, and I long dreamed of seeing my name in print in Glimmer Train and Tin House. Yet beyond submitting to these publications, I faithfully read them throughout the years, and their loss affects me more as a reader than as a writer. This is important—far too many writers read only for market research.

We need to do more to support our literary magazines. While it’s true that not all of them close due to lack of finances or readership, the majority probably do. I contribute to the tip jar of my favorite lit mags when I can, commit to paid subscriptions for others, and occasionally pay entry fees for contests, but for those who can’t afford to offer monetary support, simply reading and sharing does wonders.

On that note, here are a few favorites I’d like to share with you.

Brevity
The gold standard for flash creative essays, Brevity has been publishing bite-sized literary perfection for over twenty years. Start with this gorgeous lyric essay called Variations on a Home Depot Paint Sample, and then keep going.

Hunger Mountain
This student-run journal from Vermont College of Fine Arts consistently publishes stellar work. They also enthusiastically cheer on past writers through social media, making those of us lucky to have published in Hunger Mountain feel part of a true writing community. For a sampling of their nonfiction, try this short essay by River Holmes-Miller: What Is There, What Is Missing.

Literary Mama
Known for their beautifully written essays and stories on motherhood, Literary Mama navigates the joys and sorrows of parenting with thoughtfulness and grace. Here’s a stunner called The Four Seasons of Longing, easily one of my favorite essays on motherhood, ever.

Mothers Always Write
The poetry and essays at this lovely online magazine reflect, with quiet dignity, the challenges and celebrations of raising children. Free from political controversies and pointless vulgarity, each issue of Mothers Always Write is pure treasure. The following essay brought me to tears with its surprise ending: Wow.

Superstition Review
Arizona State University’s online literary magazine is another solid publication that works hard to support its past contributors and foster an online community. The quality of their fiction, essays, and artwork means its always a treat when a new issue is released. I particularly loved this short fiction from last fall: This Family.

Motherwell
It’s hard to believe that three years have passed since Randi Olin and Lauren Apfel, both formerly of Brain, Child, launched their online parenting publication. Motherwell’s objective is to tell “all sides of the parenting story”; here is a beauty told from the point of view of an adult daughter: Helping my mother clean out her closet, the year before she died.

Women on Writing
I owe so much to the supportive and generous group of women who run this site. Their daily blog posts always strive for positivity and encouragement, and their quarterly flash fiction contests keep me inspired to submit shorter work. Here is an example of one of their featured articles on revising and resubmitting.

Poets & Writers
A yearly subscription to Poets & Writers costs less than $2 per month, and there’s nothing quite like getting the latest issue delivered to your actual mailbox (not the digital one). When it arrives, you can kick off your shoes, settle in with a cup of tea or a glass of wine, and read amazing articles like this one: Some Room to Breathe: In Praise of Quiet Books.

Losing Tin House should be a wake-up call for many. There are probably very few people who truly don’t have the time to read an occasional short story or essay. If you’re a lover of literature, pick a publication that means something to you and do what you can to support it, while you can. You can even start now by sharing it here with me. Every reader counts.

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