Soliloquy

Writing Prompt – Snowed In

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:50:00 +0000

Use the following writing prompt in a ten minute free-write. Set your timer and just write. Do not stop to think about where your story is going. It can be enlightening to see where your sub-conscious takes you.

You are in a log cabin in Alaska. It has been snowing heavily all night and you awake to find yourself snowed in. There is no phone (including your cell phone), no electricity, and no transportation to take you into town. You are alone.

Here are some questions to keep you writing:

What do you notice about your surroundings? Describe the cabin and the immediate area around it.
How do you survive until help comes, or do you survive?
What do you do to pass time?
What thoughts go through your head? Do you relive memories from your childhood, think of survival movies?
Do you try to leave the cabin or do you stay in the shelter?
What brought you to Alaska in the first place? Do you live there or are your vacationing?

Best books of January

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:04:00 +0000

As I have said before, I love book lists. Amazon has some great lists. One of my favorites is the Best of the Month list. These are the editor's picks and not just the top sold books. The list includes thumbnails of the covers and descriptions.

The best book for January are:

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier
Mr. Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett
Bloodroot by Amy Greene
The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen
Just Kids by Patti Smith
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton

Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:28:00 +0000

Finally, after an extended delay, here is the book review of Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning. This is the fourth installment in the fever series, and I must say, this is the book I have been waiting for since the first one.

Mac is back and Mac 3.0 is badass. The Unseelie princes broke her down – completely emptied her of any thoughts except her desire for them. Jericho Barrons built her back up better than ever. Mac trades her pink for black and her accessories of bracelets and scarves for guns and blades. Mac wants revenge for every injustice given to her, and that includes those who she thought were one her side. Alliances have changed and merged. Mac is stronger, smarter, and more patient. She has learned from previous mistakes and she starts to plan and conspire.

Dreamfever is a book that can stand on its own. Previous books in the series seemed lacking. Those books felt like transition books – not much action, just a lot of waiting for the final climax on the last five pages. There were also a lot of questions but very few answers to satisfy. Dreamfever has constant motion and action. There are several mini-climaxes scattered throughout the book. Moning also starts to answers some of the burning questions that have been in the minds of readers. Moning even answers the the mistery of what is under the garage at Barrens Books and Babbles.

My biggest disappoint of the book? There is very little of the yummy Seelie prince V’lane, but it is not an oversight on Moning’s part. There is a very important reason he disappears from the cast of characters, but Moning is not fully explaining yet and I am not telling either.

If you have read the first three books, I highly recommend that you continue reading.. I considered dropping this series after book three, but I am glad that I gave Moning another chance. She has managed to rebuild my anticipation for the last book. I cannot wait!

I Survived NaNo and Won!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:05:00 +0000

I have been off in NaNoWriMo land for the last month. If you are not familiar with NaNo, it is a writing challenge. You write 50,000 words in one month. At the end you have a novel - one that needs major editing - but still a novel. Do you always say "One of these days I will write that novel," but then you never get to that one day? Well, NaNo says, "Enough, that one day has arrived" and it starts every year on November 1.

This was my first year and I won! Yes, that is the winner's badge on the side there. It was a challenge, but the support from the other NaNo writers in the area, on the NaNo forums, on Twitter, and every other place, was fantastic. If I felt like procrastinating, they would give me a gental nudge to get moving.

What does this have to do with books and book reviews? Well, it is my excuse for not posting. I have not had time to read anything in the past month. I've been writing. I do, however, have one review that I neglected to write before NaNo madness assended, which I will be posting this week, and I have several other great books lined up to read.

So, be patient, they will be here.

Zadayi Red by Caleb Fox Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:52:00 +0000

Zadayi Red is Caleb Fox’s debut book. The book was inspired by Fox’s Cherokee heritage. Though the book and the Galayi people are fictional, you may recognize familiar stories and customs.

The book is about a people called Galayi, which is divided into five tribes. It is like a state divided into counties. Each has their own rulers and customs, but they also have collective customs and rulers. The tale focuses on one boy, Dahzi that is raise by a medicine woman. He is the prophesied savior of the people. This is a large responsibility with which to grow up. Also, Dahzi’s own grandfather wants him killed at birth and declares war on the tribe that protects him. The tale is about Dahzi learning about love, rebelling against his destiny, and coming full circle to embrace the prophesy.

The book had a lot of strengths in the creation of a believable tribe and culture, but it also has some weaknesses. It attempts to tackle two very large themes: coming of age and the circle of life. It is too much for one book. I think the story would have more depth if it focused on just one of these themes. There are also some very awkward exclamations; things that do not sound right. For example, “damn” and “Hell” was used, but the Galayi people believe in the Darkening Land not Heaven and Hell. These types of statement were enough to temporarily break the moment of disbelief. Fortunately, Fox does have an excellent story and has an incredible talent for telling it. Putting these weaknesses aside, the book is worth reading and I think that future books by Fox will only get better.

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:02:00 +0000

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice is the second book in her Christ the Lord series. You do not need to read the first book to follow this one. The two books can stand alone. They both center on a central character, Yeshua bar Joseph, known to most modern people as Jesus. The first book focused on Yeshua’s childhood. The Road to Cana skips ahead to when Yeshua is in his thirties.

In The Road to Cana, Yeshua is shown as a flesh and blood man. He has the same wants, desires, pains, and troubles as any other man, but he knows that he is more. He knows that he is the son of God, but he does not yet know what that means or what it entails. Yeshua catches occasional glimpse of insight, but nothing that says to him, “This is what you must do.”

The village in which Yeshua lives with his entire family is in turmoil. The villagers are quick to condemn innocents of wrong doing, the Roman Empire is causing problems, there is a drought, and bandits are stealing food and women. It is in the height of all this that John the Baptist finally comes out of the wilderness and Yeshua’s eyes and spirit are opened to his true purpose. He knows what he must do and how he must do it. He becomes the Messiah.

Regardless if you are a Christian or not, you will enjoy this book. Anne Rice is one of the best modern storytellers. She brings the time period to life. You can feel the sand coating your skin, you can see the impressiveness of the Jordan River, and you can hear the determination as the men march out of the village. Rice is a master at bringing you into the story.

In The Road to Cana, Rice perfectly depicts Yeshua, the man, becoming Christ the Lord. This is not a religious book. It depicts a man overcoming trials and obstacles to find his true purpose in life. It is just a plain, well told story.

I give Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice a 9 out 10.

Personal Effects: Dark Art - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Personal Effects: Dark Art by J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman is a plain fun read. It grabs you and will not let go until you finish the book. It is a mind-bending, multimedia event.

Let me explain. First, it is mind-bending in the fact that you are not quite sure what is going on until the end. There is a supernatural, thriller aspect to the central murder-mystery. To figure out what is happening you have to determine what happened in the past. This is where the multimedia comes in.

The book is fashioned as a case file, complete with the patient's person effects. On the inside cover there is a folder with items from an accused murderer. The items include a state ID, photos, birth certificates, and drawings. There are also other clues throughout the narrative of the book. Look up websites mentioned, Google names of people, dial phone numbers, and enter access codes. Every piece of evidence pulls you further into the story. There is even a podcast as a prequel to the story. Start your journey at J.C. Hutchins's website.

I give the book a nine for originality and a seven for the story. One negative is the packaging of the book. It would be easier to handle and carry around if the book could be removed from the overall packaging. Also, the personal effects items fall out of the file, so a flap to close the folder would be nice.

In short, get the book.

J.C. Hutchins is another big name in the podcasting community along with Scott Sigler (see my Contagious book review), so if you have not listened to any of his stories, download 7th Son. It is free on iTunes and another great story.

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:52:00 +0000

I was very excited when J.R.R. Tolkien's book The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun came out. I was a little leery because Christopher Tolkien filled in the blank places and added commentary. In the past I have not been overly fond of his commentaries, but this was different. The information that Christopher Tolkien added was very helpful in reading this different poetic style.

The tales are written in an ancient Norse poetic style called Elder Edda. The style is very direct unlike other ancient poetic styles that contain a lot of flowery descriptions. What makes this style difficult is that is assumes prior knowledge of the legends. The book contains brief introductions to the tales to help, but I found myself going back to reread the introductions and then rereading the tales. I also had difficulty keeping the characters straight. Their names were very similar. For example, there is a Sigmund, Signy, Siggeir, and Sinfjotli.

This is a slow, but very good read. I love folklore and mythology and The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun introduced me to new tales. Christopher Tolkien did a fine job at inserting just the right amount of explanation before letting the tales speak for themselves. He also compiled old lectures from J.R.R. Tolkien on Old Norse poetry. For ancient language buffs, you'll love these lectures and tales.

Writing Prompt Sites

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:13:00 +0000

Sometimes you just need a little nudge to get the writing juices flowing. That is the idea behind writing prompts. It gets you writing and sometimes the results of the writing exercise leave you with an idea for a story.

Here are some sites with enough writing prompts to last you for a few years.

Hands - This is only a single writing prompt, but it yields some wonderful and unexpected results. Also, look around the site and you will find a lot of other prompts.

Writer's Digest - This site has several writing prompts that are to be completed in 500 words or fewer. There is a wide variety of topics and witing methods.

Creative Writing Prompts - There are 329 different writing prompts on this site. Just roll your mouse over a number and it shows you the writing prompt.

Daily Writing Prompts - There are prompts for each day in July. Most of the prompts are based on something about that day, like the day E.B. White was born and National Joke Day. On the main page you can select a different month.

Have fun with these, and feel free to post you results.

I Am Legend Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:06:00 +0000

As I previously mentioned, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson is a book of short stories. The title story "I Am Legend" is the basis for the movie with Will Smith. There are eleven stories in this book.

Overall, I give the book a 7 out 10. Some stories were creepy, some imaginative, and some very dated. I prefer Stephen King or Dean Koontz for horror short stories. Comparatively, these were tame. Then again, Matheson was writing in the 50's.

Here is a rundown of each short story:

"I Am Legend" is very different from the movie. It does not take place in NYC, it was not a cure for cancer that mutated that created the zombies, and there were not zombies. Instead, the main character is a man that teaches himself how to study the mutated disease that caused all of humanity to become vampires. The entire disease story was weak, but that was not the main terror in the book. The real terror was watching a person go through the loneliness. Matheson did a superb job detailing the anger, depression, and acceptance a person would go through.

"Buried Talents" reminded me of Heroes. It described what a person might do if he could move things with his mind. After shows like X-Men and Heroes, this story seems a bit unimaginative.

"The Near Departed" was cliche. I knew the ending before it happened.

"Prey" was a good horror tale, though it has been told in movies such as Puppet Master. I think that there was a Creep Show or other short movie based on this tale. It is about a murderous doll. I already have a fear of dolls thanks to tales like this. What makes this story different from others is that the woman the doll is chasing finds a strength and perseverance that she did not have in her everyday life. The story also has a great pace. Up to the very last paragraph, you cannot tell if the woman or the doll will win .

"Witch War" is another that could be a story from X-Men or Heroes. Unlike the previous story, this one is very imaginative and very disturbing.

"Dance of the Dead" reminds me of Clockwork Orange. It is a futuristic tale complete with slang language that is defined. It is the old "mama told you not to go out with those kinds of people and do those kinds of things" tale. This tale has the highest gross out factor, but overall I did not care for the tale.

"Dress of White Silk" did not have a great plot, but the way the story was told through the voice of a little girl was very well done, especially for a man writing it.

"Mad House" was the best short story. I love the idea of inanimate objects absorbing the feelings of people and then turning it against them. Matheson also did a wonderful job describing what it is like to have anger-management issues. If you don't understand how difficult is can be to control your anger, read this.

"The Funeral" was amusing. Nothing more, nothing less.

"From Shadowed Places" could be a precursor to The Serpent and the Rainbow. Interesting premise, excellent pacing, and intriguing imagery.

"Person to Person" was a little silly, but interesting. I did not guess what was happening, but I felt the ending was a letdown.

Writing Prompt - Planting a Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:17:00 +0000

I am still reading I Am Legend (which is available at 60% off at Amazon). Did you know that it is a short story? I had no clue until the story ended halfway through the book. The other shorts have slowed me down and I did almost no reading on my vacation. I am hoping to have the review up this week. I am looking forward to the next book,The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by Tolkien.

In the meantime, here is a writing prompt for those who enjoy them:

In one hundred words exactly, write about a garden you have planted. This can be a garden you planted as a child with your grandfather or a garden you planted this spring with your granddaughter. Did you come across any strange bugs, or injure your back? Maybe you discovered rocks have migrated once again into your yard. It could also be about maintaining the garden. The details are wide open.

The shortness of the story does not make it easier. It makes it more difficult because you must convey everything and create interest in very few words. You must choose your words with care.

When you have finished, post your story in the Comments section to share with others. If it is adequately strange, consider submitting it as a Drabble with the podcast Dabblecast. They read "strange stories by strange listeners" and have a segment devoted to stories that are 100 words.

Faefever Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:43:00 +0000

I just finished the third book in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, Faefever. I previously said that her second book was a transitional book, but this one was the same. The entire book was to get us to one point and then ends in a cliffhanger. I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was a great light read and I like seeing the changes that come over Mac, but I think the story could have been condensed into to a trilogy instead of whatever number of books it is going to be.

As you figured, Mac is back, along with the rest of the cast, Barrons, Dani, Rowena, Christian, Inspector Jayne, O'Bannion, Fiona, miscellaneous Unseelie, and the Sinsar Dubh. If it is the dead-by-sex Fae that you are interested in, I am afraid you will have to wait quite sometime in the book to get any serious action. V'lane is way "muted" trying to stay in Mac's good graces.

It turns out that Halloween is the perfect time for the Unseelie to attempt to break through the barriers, so the good guys (the ones against the Unseelie, anyway) need to join forces and perform rituals and spells to keep the walls between the worlds standing. Of course, nothing and no one is as they seem. Your head will spin trying straighten out who is really on the side of good and who is one the side of bad. I've come to the conclusion that everyone is in this for themselves and screw everyone else.

You can see the transformation in Mac. In Faefever she takes action herself. She chooses her own allies, devises her own plans, and attempts to execute them. She is new to this, so it is not her fault when her plans do not turn out how she wants them too.

I give this book 6 out 10 because it created enough interest that I want to buy the fourth book just to find out what happens next! On its own the book isn't overly exciting or original.

Book Review Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:37:00 +0000

Death's Daughter by Amber Benson is a science fiction tale about a girl who is, surprise surprise, the daughter of Death. Death has gone missing and Calliope Reaper-Jones is called to take over for daddy. She must leave the normal life she has found for herself.

There was not much about this book that I liked. An accurate comparison would be poorly written fan-fiction. It was full of clichés, slang, pop-culture references, and flat characters. Definitely not my kind of book. I give it a 3 out of 10 just because I was able to finish it quickly.

Survivor: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk was very different and unexpectedly enjoyable. It was a book of lists, but the use of the lists helped to put you inside the head of the narrator, which is a very bizarre place. Tender Branson was born and raised in a religious cult community. Being a lesser son, he had to leave the community and work in the city once he came of age. When his entire family and community commit suicide, Branson is left as the last of the cult. He finds unlooked for fame and is hailed as a messiah. You are never quite sure if Tender is sane, brainwashed, or a con man.

The book is well written and keeps your attention, except for the ending. The ending was too unbelievable and seemed forced. It was almost as if it was the ending to a different story. Up until the end I would have given the book 8, but the ending dropped it to 6 out of 10.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann was as entertaining as I had hoped. It is about the early 1900's Amazon explorer, Percy Fawcet. He was convinced that there was a lost city in the Amazon that provided proof of an advanced society. Fawcet spent years in the Amazon. He knew the dangers, the people, and the hardships. He knew how to survive in the jungle. Fawcet stepped into the Amazon with his son and his son's best-friend. It was the most followed exploration of the Amazon, but then they disappeared. Fawcet's tale has inspired uncountable others to enter the Amazon jungle in search of riches, an advanced society, and even Fawcet himself.

Grann created an entertaining and informative book. He created an even mix of the facts, fiction, and fantasy of the legendary tale. He provided just enough information about English society at the time to ensure understanding of the thoughts and beliefs of the time, especially in regards to science and religion. I highly recommend this book and have found a new respect for the Amazon (but developed a new phobia of bugs). 9 out of 10.

Review - John Ransom's Diary (audiobook)

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:27:00 +0000

If you have not read (or listened to) John Ransom's Diary Andersonville I recommend that you do. It is an awe-inspiring story of the survival of a POW during the Civil War in Andersonville.

The main topics of discussion throughout the book are the amount of food (or the lack thereof), the cold, escape attempts, and rumors of a prisoner trade. These topics are repeated over and over, but it does not get boring.

The audio version was well produced and the narrator was captivating. I could not stop listening. I just had to know if he was going to survive another day, was he going to try to escape even though the guards are shooting people for nothing, was the government finally going to offer a prisoner exchange?

It was not only the lack of food and warmth or the treatment by the guards that the POWs had to worry about. Ransom tells many tales of prisoners stabbing and beating to death others just for a blanket or extra bread crumbs.

Two parts of the tale sum up the experience and philosophy of John Ransom:

"New men comin' in and bodies goin' out. There is no end but dying."
The key to survival is staying positive. A poor outlook will counter any medicine.

Overall this book is a 9 out of 10 for inspiration and for John Ransom being the man he was.

03/22/09 - Literary News - Lots of Award Nomination Announcements

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:56:00 +0000

New York Times Bestseller List

HARDCOVER FICTION

1. HANDLE WITH CARE, by Jodi Picoult
2. ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham
3. PROMISES IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb
4. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
5. ONE DAY AT A TIME, by Danielle Steel

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell
2. THE YANKEE YEARS, by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
3. OUT OF CAPTIVITY, by Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, Tom Howes and Gary Brozek
4. THE LOST CITY OF Z, by David Grann
5. DEWEY, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

Literary News

2009 Hugo Award No minations

The nominees for the 2009 Hugo Awards are in. A complete list of nominees is located on the Hugo Awards site.

Up for Best Novel are:

Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor Teen; HarperVoyager UK)
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit UK)
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi (Tor)

2009 Arthur C. Cla rke Award finalists announced

The annual award is presented for the best science fiction novel of the year, and selected from a list of novels whose U.K. first edition was published in the previous calendar year. The award was established with a grant from Arthur C. Clarke, best known for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The finalists are:

Song of Time, Ian R. MacLeod (PS Publishing)
The Quiet War, Paul McAuley (Gollancz)
House of Suns, Alastair Reynolds (Gollancz)
Anathem, Neal Stephenson (Atlantic)
The Margarets, Sheri S. Tepper (Gollancz)
Martin Martin's on the Other Side, Mark Wernham (Jonathan Cape)

The winner will be announced on April 29.

Finalists for the 2009 John W. Campbell Award

The John W. Campbell Award is for best new writer. The finalists are:

Aliette de Bodard*
David Anthony Durham*
Felix Gilman
Tony Pi*
Gord Sellar*

* indicates second year of eligibility.

Former President George W. Bush to write book
Wed Mar 18, 8:27 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Former U.S. President George W. Bush will write a book about some of the decisions he made during his eight years in office, which will be published by the Crown Publishing Group in 2010.

Washington lawyer Robert Barnett told Reuters the book was tentatively called "Decision Points." He declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Irish poet Seamus Heaney wins literature prize
Wed Mar 18, 4:15 pm ET
LONDON (Reuters) – Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney won the David Cohen Prize for Literatur e on Wednesday for what the chair of judges called "the self-renewing force of his writing."

The biennial prize, funded by the John S. Cohen Foundation, honors a living writer from the British Isles for a lifetime's achievement in literature.

Doctorow among international book prize nominees
Wed Mar 18, 3:19 pm ET
NEW YORK – "Ragtime" novelist E.L. Doctorow and Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul were among the 14 finalists announced Wednesday for the Man Booker International Prize, given every two years for lifetime achievement by a fiction writer who writes in English or whose work is widely available in English translation.

Screenwriter Millard Kaufman dies at 92
Tue Mar 17, 4:15 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Screenwriter Millard Kaufman, who co-created the cartoon character Mr. Magoo, was nominated for Academy Awards for his screenplays for "Take the High Ground!" and "Bad Day at Black Rock" and won a cult following as a first-time novelist at the age of 90, has died, a spokeswoman said. He was 92.

Kaufman died Saturday of heart failure, said Laura Howard, spokeswoman for McSweeney's Publishing, which published his novel "Bowl of Cherries" in 2007.

Kaufman's writing credits also include "Never So Few," "The Warlord," "The Klansman" and "Convicts 4," as well an episode of the TV series "Police Story" and the TV movie "Enola Gay."

Writing Prompt - Dialogue Prompt

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:00 +0000

911 Writer's Block from WEbook is a fun tool to use as a writing prompt. Click the different buttons for different prompts, such as:

Characters
Settings
Endings
Kill a character

For this week's writing prompt, I am using option number 4, dialogue, on 911 Writer's Block.

Write a story that uses the following piece of dialogue. It may be an important part of the plot, or it may be a passing comment.

"Trust me. You'll be picking 'em up off the floor before this is over"

Share what you come up with.

Scott Sigler's Contagious Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Contagious is the sequel to Scott Sigler's book Infected: A Novel. You will want to read the first book before reading Contagious. Scott Sigler does not waste anytime rehashing what already happened; he just gets right into the action. "Scary" Perry Dawsey is back, but this time he is working with the good guys. Well, maybe not exactly working with them, but they at least have the same goal.

If you have a weak stomach or are easily offended by language then this book is not for you. It is fast-paced and action packed. I know that is cliche, but it perfectly describes Sigler's book. Sigler is not afraid to kill off good guys and let the bad guys seize control. You cannot predict what will have next.

There is a lot of medical and military action in the book, which requires careful explanation so the reader understands what is happening. Siglar is a master at providing the reader with enough explanation to make the story plausible, but not so much detail that the momentum is lost.

Contagious was just a fun and exciting read.

The one problem with the book was the errors missed during editing. There were enough errors that it started to annoy me. Some of the formatting errors may have been the Kindle edition. I'd be interested in hearing from those who read the paper copy if there were the same formatting errors.

Overall I give the book 8 out 10.

03/14/09 Last Week in Literary News

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:34:00 +0000

New York Times Bestseller List

The following books are listed in the carousel above for your convenience.

HARDCOVER FICTION

HANDLE WITH CARE, by Jodi Picoult
THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham
PROMISES IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
ONE DAY AT A TIME, by Danielle Steel

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell
THE YANKEE YEARS, by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
OUT OF CAPTIVITY, by Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, Tom Howes and Gary Brozek
THE LOST CITY OF Z, by David Grann
DEWEY, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

Literary News

Previously Unpublished Mark Twain Story Hits Newsstands
By Ginny Wiehardt, About.com Guide to Fiction Writing, Wednesday March 11, 2009

Mark Twain fans will be interested to hear that a never-before-seen Twain story, “The Undertaker’s Tale," long buried within an enormous body of unpublished stories, letters, and essays, appeared this week in the pages of mystery magazine The Strand.

Part of a forthcoming collection of previously unpublished stories and essays, Who Is Mark Twain? (HarperStudio), the story features Twain's characteristic razor sharp wit in a tongue-in-cheek tale about the funeral industry. Read More

Release date scheduled for Ted Kennedy's memoir
By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer Hillel Italie, Ap National Writer – Wed Mar 11, 6:56 pm ET

NEW YORK – The editor of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's memoir says the book will come out this fall.

Jonathan Karp of the Twelve imprint at the Hachette Book Group USA, announced the release Wednesday during the annual meeting of the Association of American Publishers. Twelve spokesman Cary Goldstein said the book, titled "True Compass," would be listed in the publisher's fall catalog, out next month.

Harvard president wins $50,000 book prize
AP, Tue Mar 10, 2:57 pm ET

NEW YORK – Historian and Harvard University president Drew Gilpin Faust has won a $50,000 prize from the New York Historical Society for "This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War."

Faust, 61, received the fourth annual American History Book Prize, the society announced Tuesday. She has written several other books about the Civil War and the South, including "Mothers of Invention" and "A Sacred Circle."

Previous winners include Doris Kearns Goodwin and David Nasaw.

Novelist Clive Cussler hit with hefty legal bill
By Eriq Gardner Eriq Gardner – Tue Mar 10, 11:27 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Here's a shot across the bow of anyone who licenses the rights to a film and considers suing when things don't go as planned:

A Los Angeles Superior Court has ordered best-selling novelist Clive Cussler to pay $14 million in legal fees to Crusader Entertainment after litigating an unsuccessful lawsuit.

The case earned extraordinary attention a few years ago thanks to the mammoth box office flop of "Sahara," a 2005 film version of Cussler's novel that starred Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz and is estimated to have lost about $80 million.

Newspaper publisher McClatchy cutting 1,600 jobs
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Business Writer Michael Liedtke, Ap Business Writer – Mon Mar 9, 5:16 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – McClatchy Co. is shearing another 1,600 jobs in a cost-cutting spree that has clipped nearly one-third of the newspaper publisher's work force in less than a year.

Technorati Tags: NY times bestseller list,best selling books,literary news

Writing Prompt - Natural Disaster

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:36:00 +0000

Every place has a type of natural disaster that is common for the area. For your area, it may be wild fires, volcanoes, earthquakes, or hurricanes. Here in Ohio, it is tornados, and tornado season is arriving.

by rachel_r's photostream

This week's writing prompt was inspired by a friend who spent Saturday listening to the tornado alarm sound all day when there was not a threat of a tornado.

Think about a type of natural disaster common in your area and the early warning systems that are in place.

You are having a family get together - maybe a dinner or a birthday celebration - when the alarm sounds. What are the different reactions of your family members. How do the children react? Are they scared or do they calming start doing what they are supposed to do? How do the older people react? Are they jaded from too many false alarms or have they seen enough to know to take them serious? Is anyone likely to step outside to look? How do you react? I know in my family, there is someone for each of these reactions.

Include if there is or is not a real threat, what happens? Do people's demeanor change? Is the person in charge suddenly a quivering mess? Does the whole family pull together?

Technorati Tags: writing prompt,writing

03/07/09 Last Week in Literary News

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:20:00 +0000

New York Times Bestseller List

HARDCOVER FICTION

Promises in Death, J.D. Robb
The Associate, John Grisham
Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows, Book 3), Kim Harrison
One Day at a Time, Danielle Steel
Run for Your Life, James Patterson

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

The Yankee Years, Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, David Grann
Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle, Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell, Tom Howes and Gary Brozek

Literary News

The Macarena Challenge
from Amber Benson's Official Blog Mar 6

Amber Benson from Buffy the Vampire Slayer has issued a challenge. If she gets 85 reviews of her book, Death's Daughter, she will post a video on You Tube of her doing the Macarena. Now, this is news!

Tobias Wolff wins Story Prize for short fiction
By Chris Michaud – Wed Mar 4, 11:42 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Author Tobias Wolff won the annual Story Prize for short fiction on Wednesday for "Our Story Begins," a compendium of some two dozen short stories including 10 never-before published in book form.

PRESS RELEASE: Random House, Inc. Unveils Suvudu’s FREE First Book Promotion!
from Fantasy Book Critic Mar 03

NEW YORK, NY— Random House, Inc. today unveiled the first five titles in its new Suvudu Free First Book Library. Designed to introduce new readers to popular and acclaimed science fiction and fantasy series, the Suvudu Free First Book Library allows readers to access free digital copies of the first book in each series. The program launches with access to the following novels:

“His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik
“Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb
“Settling Accounts: Return Engagement” by Harry Turtledove
“Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson
“Blood Engines” by T.A. Pratt

A GAME OF THRONES to start filming in Ireland in October 2009
Reported on Pat's Fantasy Hotlist Mar 03

Stephen King's agent pleased at e-book debut
Associated Press Writer Jerry Harkavy, Tue Mar 3, 9:51 pm ET

PORTLAND, Maine – It's not the sensation of his first effort, but Stephen King's latest e-adventure is another best-seller.

King's agent, Ralph Vicinanza, said Tuesday that downloads of King's novella "UR," available only as an e-book and released to coincide with the launch of Amazon's upgraded Kindle reader, have reached "five figures" after barely three weeks on the market.

Publicist: Ousted Illinois governor to write book
AP Mon Mar 2, 4:47 pm ET

CHICAGO – A publicist for Rod Blagojevich (blah-GOY'-uh-vich) says the former Illinois governor plans to write a book "exposing the dark side of politics."

Glenn Selig says Blagojevich signed a six-figure deal Monday.

Random House buys `Moosewood Cookbook' publisher
AP Mon Mar 2, 12:23 am ET

NEW YORK – Random House Inc., which recently underwent a major consolidation, is expanding again.

The publisher announced Monday that it acquired Ten Speed Press, which specializes in cookbooks, business and spiritual works, including such favorites as "The Moosewood Cookbook" and "What Color is Your Parachute?" the million-selling job-hunting guide series.

"This is a real opportunity for us to further grow our business ..." Random House CEO Markus Dohle said in a statement

Unfinished novel by Wallace coming next year
AP Mon Mar 2, 7:00 am ET

NEW YORK – A long, unfinished novel by David Foster Wallace is scheduled for a posthumous release next year.

Technorati Tags: literary news,new york times best seller list,ny times bestseller list,book news

Writing Prompt - Pictures from the Web

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:53:00 +0000

This is not a new idea, but I have streamlined it to maximize my writing time. Using pictures from the web is my favorite writing prompt exercise, and I use it daily. It helps get me in the right frame of mind and provides great story ideas.

I originally saw the suggestion at About.com's Fiction Writing site.

Visit a web site that features photographs. I use Webshots because it has a new feature picture everyday on its Home page. The feature photograph various in style and subject matter, so I have great variety. It also keeps me from wasting time searching sites or magazines for pictures and becoming distracted from the task at hand.
Study the picture for no more than one minute. Do not think about what you should write. Instead, study the picture; look at the subject matter; notice the details. What do you feel when you look at it?
Set your timer for ten to fifteen minutes. I downloaded a free timer called Cool Timer. It stays on my desktop. It is easy to access and it remains hidden behind my word processing program. I found that I look at a traditional clock and egg-timer too often. It stopped the flow of my writing and distracted me.
Start free-writing about the picture. (See Ginny Wiehardt's instructions for freewriting.) Do not pause to think of a story, just write. Let the story happen and if it doesn't happen, do not get discouraged. One day I wrote for nine minutes about how yummy a picture of cinnamon buns looked (I was writing before breakfast). It was not until the last minute that I started writing about the person who got up early to make the cinnamon buns for people to buy. That last minute turned into one of my better story ideas.
After the timer goes off, look over what you did. Save the writing even it it does not give you a story idea immediately. I
return to my freewriting each month to see if they spark any new ideas. I also include the link to the feature photo that I used, incase I want to look back at it for further inspiration.

Good luck, and remember to enjoy it. If this does not work for you, try something else. Everyone finds their muse in their own way!

Technorati Tags: writing,writing promp,writing exercise,freewriting,free-writing

02/28/09 Last Week in Literary News

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:36:00 +0000

New York Times Best Seller List

All of the following books are available from Amazon,and I have listed them in the above carousel for your convenience.

HARDCOVER FICTION

THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
HEART AND SOUL, by Maeve Binchy
THE HOST, by Stephenie Meyer
FOOL, by Christopher Moore

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

THE YANKEE YEARS, by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
OUTLIERS, by Malcolm Gladwell
OBAMA, with an introduction by Bill Keller and biographical text by Jill Abramson
DEWEY, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
THE GAMBLE, by Thomas E. Ricks

Literary News

Post 9-11 novel wins PEN/Faulkner prize
Thu Feb 26, 12:09 am ET

NEW YORK – Joseph O'Neill's "Netherland" has received the PEN?Faulkner Award for fiction. The story is a post-Sept. 11 novel.

Philip José Farmer — In Memoriam by Fábio Fernandes
Thursday, February 26, 2009, reported on Fantasy Book Critic blog

Philip José Farmer passed away in his sleep at 91 years old. His first published science fiction story, “The Lovers”, won him the Hugo Award for “most promising new writer” in 1953, and is widely recognized as the story that broke the taboo on sex in SF, featuring sexual relations between a human and an alien.

Mystery ends: Agatha Christie's country home opens
By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer Jill Lawless, Associated Press Writer – Tue Feb 24, 2:16 pm ET

LONDON – Agatha Christie's vacation house is open to the public. Visitors can see the bedroom where Christie slept, the dining room where she entertained, and the drawing room where she thrilled friends with readings from her latest whodunit.

Condoleezza Rice signs book deal with Crown
Mon Feb 23, 3:17 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Condoleezza Rice has agreed to a book deal with Crown Publishers starting with a memoir of her eight years under former U.S. President George W. Bush, first as national security adviser and then as secretary of state.

The first book is tentatively scheduled to appear in the autumn of 2011, Crown said in a statement on Sunday.

It would be followed a year later by a second book about her upbringing in Birmingham, Alabama, where she was born in 1954. Rice grew up amid segregation and during the civil rights movement in the United States.

Random House Children's Books will also publish a young-adult edition of the family memoir at the same time.

Christopher Nolan, Irish novelist, dies at 43
AP - Sat Feb 21, 5:04 PM ET

LONDON - Christopher Nolan, an Irish poet and novelist died at age 43.

Technorati Tags: literary news,book news,new york times best seller list

Animal Snap: Device and Style

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Modern British fiction is known for its experimental style of writing to portray scenes of everyday life. Two examples of modern British fiction are “At the Bay” by Katherine Mansfield and A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. “At the Bay” is about a family summering at Crescent Bay, and Handful of Dust is about a couple struggling through infidelity and divorce. The writing styles of the authors are different and on the surface the two tales appear to have nothing in common. The common link between the two stories is the game animal snap. Both authors use the game of animal snap as an element of escape for the characters and a device of comedy for the readers. The difference is that Mansfield’s scene exemplifies, while Waugh’s scene resists, the modern British fiction writers’ drive to experiment with fiction’s style.

The card game animal snap requires the participants to turn over cards and then make animal sounds if two of the same card appears. In “At the Bay” the Burnell children and their cousins gather to play the game. Mansfield shows this is an escape for the children first by the location: “The washhouse was the perfect place for such a meeting because they could make as much noise as they liked, and nobody ever interrupted” (269). The washhouse allows the children to escape from the adults’ supervision and rules. The game also offers the children a method of escape from reality into an imaginary world, because the game requires the players to make animals sounds. Kezia “felt she was a bee” (Mansfield 269) and Pip “charged over the table and seemed to eat the cards up” as a bull (Mansfield 271).

In Handful of Dust animal snap is also used as a method of escape, but it is escape from thinking about the troubles of an adult. Tony is at his house in the country, and he

is waiting for a friend to notify his wife, Brenda, who is in London, about the death of their son. Tony worries that Brenda “may see [a notice of the death] on a placard, or just pick up a paper casually and there it will be” (Waugh 152). Mrs. Rattery, a friend staying with Tony, attempts to distract him with several games, but the only game Tony knows how to play is animal snap. The game offers some escape for Tony because “they were still playing when Albert came in to draw the curtains” (Waugh 154) at five and Tony remarked that it was “only quarter past” (Waugh 151) four when they started playing. Additional evidence is that during the game Tony does not mention his worries as he incessantly had done prior to playing.

The comic elements for “At the Bay” include the amusing animal sounds the players make during the game and Mansfield’s descriptions of the children during the game. Lottie was “a donkey that kept forgetting it was a donkey” (Mansfield 269), so she switches to a dog. After the other children “made signs to Lottie and pointed” so she gets cards, she yells “Hee-Haw! Ke-zia” (Mansfield 271). The Burnells and cousins “tried with all their might to see” (Mansfield 271) the cards as they were dealt for an advantage over the other players. At the end of the game the children realize that it is dark outside and become frightened. They see “pressed against the window was a pale face, black eyes, a black beard” (Mansfield 272), but the face is only the Burnells’ uncle. Mansfield’s descriptions of the issues with the game and the children’s fear create a very amusing scene.

Waugh also creates an amusing scene in Handful of Dust during the animal snap game, but his comedy contains a tragic element. The scene is amusing because animal snap is a children’s game which two adults are playing and making sounds of “bow-wow” and “coop-coop-coop” (Waugh 153). Lottie in “At the Bay” is not the only character to make a mistake during animal snap. Mrs. Rattery reprimands Tony saying, “Don’t be dumb … that isn’t a pair” (Waugh 154). Tony and Mrs. Rattery stop playing animal snap when a servant enters and sees them “clucking like a ‘en” (Waugh 154). Though this is funny, it is also tragic because the servant continues to say “and the little fellow lying dead upstairs” (Waugh 154). The reader is reminded of the reason for the game. It is funny having adults acting like animals, but there is darkness to the comedy because of the death and the worries of Tony are in the background.

Mansfield experiments with writing style in the animal snap scene by using an internal method of writing to introduce the scene: “Round the table there sat a bull, a rooster, a donkey … a sheep and a bee” (Mansfield 269). This internal use of style places the reader in the children’s minds as they imagine they are these animals. Another experiment with style that pulls the reader into the story is switching from third person to second person when describing the darkness in the washhouse: “While they were playing, the day had faded … You were frightened to look in the corners of the washhouse” (Mansfield 271).

Waugh resists experimenting with writing style and uses an external method of writing through dialogue in the animal snap scene. Further evidence of Waugh’s external method is Tony expressing his internal tension through his constant external awareness of the clock. Tony states, “Is that only quarter past?” (Waugh 151) and “Five o’clock. Now that the shutters are up we shan’t hear the chimes” (Waugh 154).

Though Mansfield and Waugh both use the card game animal snap as an element of escape and comedy, Mansfield portrays childhood innocence and demonstrates modern fiction writing style by and experimenting with an internal method, and Waugh reveals adult tragedy through an external method of writing which defies the modern fiction writer’s style.

Works Cited

Mansfield, Katherine. “At the Bay.” Katherine Mansfield’s Selected Stories. Ed. Vincent O’Sullivan. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2005. 269-272.

Waugh, Evelyn. A Handful of Dust. New York: Back Bay Books, 1999. 151-154.

Technorati Tags: Modern British Writing,Literary Paper,At the Bay,Katherine Mansfield,Handful of Dust,Evelyn Waugh,modern british fiction,experimental style

Writing Prompt for 02/25/09

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:13:00 +0000

Photo taken by Ikke la deg dupere (Norwegian)
Norway

I thought I would add a bit every week for the writers out there. It may be a cliche, but the adage that "writer's write" is true. To continue to developing your craft you should write as much as possible. Using writing prompts helps make this an interesting exercise and helps generate story idea.

Your Prompt
Select someone famous, a celebrity, writer, political figure, musician, etc. Image that person doing your job (even if you are a full time writer) for one day. Some things to consider:

How does the person interact with your co-works, boss, and customers?
How does he complete your daily task?
In what areas does she excel, and where is it a disaster?
Does he participate in a car pool or in the office football pool?

For example, image Paris Hilton as a short-order cook. Or Gene Simmons as a customer service representative. What would this person's day be like?

Let me know what you come up with.

Technorati Tags: writing promp,writing practice,writing exercise

Review of Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer Beaujon) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) is about . . . well . . . traffic. This book has information and facts about what traffic is, what causes it, how different factors contribute to it, and what has been tried to reduce it. Unfortunately, the book reads like a mass grouping of magazine articles. It is choppy and repetitive. I found myself skimming large portions of statistics and facts (though you may find this useful if you plan to be on Jeopardy). I also had difficulty reading the book for extended periods of time. It was a good read in small doses.

The book was not all bad. I enjoyed reading Vanderbilt's human interest stories and anecdotes. For example, there is a portion about how LA gets all the limousines to the Oscars on time. There really are a bunch of men watching and controlling the traffic signals. It is also interesting that there is a direct correlation on the type of government a country has and how its people drive.

This could have been an excellent book if it had a good edit. It could say the same thing in half the pages and rearranging some parts would make it flow better. The book has not changed how I drive nor how I react to traffic. I now understand the reason for a mile back-up on the highway for one stalled car, but I am not more patient about it.

Overall rating - 6 out of 10

Technorati Tags: traffic,vanderbilt,book review