finished

Yesterday morning, I purchased a copy of Shiver. I made it to page 48 before parent-teacher conferences, house and child responsibilities, and date night with the husband precluded me from reading any more. I read for four hours before going to bed.

Crazy dreams abounded. Dreams about love and wanting. About deeply-rooted desires and the fear of loss.

I awoke at 6:30 and read for another three hours, finally finishing the book.

Stay tuned for the review . . .

Have I created a wuss?

Have you read The Rejectionist's review of Maggie Stiefvater's book, Shiver? I don't know about you, but the first child-free moment I get, I'm going to rush to the bookstore and pick up a copy for myself. The Rejectionist wasn't exactly complementary of Stiefvater's style of writing or character development; on the contrary, the review was rather scathing and critical of the book's main character, Grace, calling her "even more insipid and insulting than Stephenie Meyer's Bella." Ouch! I've never heard of Maggie Stiefvater, but now I'm dying to read her books just to see what all the bad press is about. 

It's reviews like that, however, that make me wonder 1.) how I can identify with angst-ridden teens such as Bella, and, 2.) if I'm doomed to create female characters who supposedly need a male to prop them up.

1. I've read the Twilight saga three times in less than a year and have since lost track of how many times I've seen the movie. I don't apologize for it. I'm also on my second run-through of the Sookie Stackhouse novels and totally hooked on HBO's True Blood. But why? What can I say other than I'm totally enraptured with vampire lore? I have been since before my tween years, and that fascination is growing to include other creatures of the paranormal realm. And Steifvater's latest book seems right up my alley. A life in which my love interest has the potential to literally love me to death is twisted, yes, but also very romantic. It's dangerous and unstable and volatile and . . . completely effed up. I like it!

If I had to choose which character I'm most like, Bella or Sookie, I'd have to choose Bella. I was that teenager (okay, young woman of 21) who basically dropped everything (school, family, friends) for true love. Granted, I wasn't running off with a vampire, but I'm sure there were some who were ready to stake my much-older man. Nearly eleven years of marriage and three kids later, however, and all is well in my world. But I'm certain my self-esteem was such that I would have willingly allowed a vampire to seduce me at sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen years old had the opportunity presented itself. If you're not feeling that unconditional love on the home front, why be picky about who does show an interest, especially when the packaging is so enticing as Edward Cullen, Bill Compton, or Eric Northman? (or shape-shifters and werewolves)

Like I said, completely effed up. I know denying who you are for the sake of love is wrong and weak, but it's also unstoppable. Love has the ability to make one act irrationally and, if anything were to happen to my real-life human husband, I'd probably curl up on the forest floor to die or, given that I live in Ithaca, go jump into a gorge.

Even though I'm older and wiser these days, there's still a part of me that identifies with those types of girls who would sacrifice who they are and everything they know for that crazy little thing called love. Bella surrenders to Edward (rather, he saves her life by turning her into a vampire, and then she turns around and ends up saving everyone else in the end). And even though wolf-boy Jacob might be the better, healthier choice for her, she can't deny her feelings for Edward. Even spunky, self-sufficient Sookie is powerless against the vamps. Will she choose Bill or Eric? What about shape-shifter Sam or Quinn, or werewolf Alcide? Are there any humans at all in Bon Temps that Sookie might settle down with? Me thinks not.

2.) And then I get to thinking about Sarah, the main character of the books on which I'm currently working. Have I created a wuss, a girl who is so unsure of herself she needs a boy to define who she is? I don't think so, or at least I hope not. Sarah is vulnerable and uncertain and self-conscious and everything that most teenage girls are, but she also (unwillingly) finds herself in a position of power. She has a love interest, yes, but her pining for him does not exceed what is normal for most girls her age (Bella excluded). After all, she's got bigger fish to fry. But even more so, Sarah's boyfriend, Adrian, is the type of guy who's not going to hog the spotlight. He's not the main focus of my books, anyway; Sarah is. I'm telling the story of her life, not the story of her love life.

I'm going to read Shiver and then write my own review. Perhaps I'll agree with The Rejectionist, and maybe I won't. But I'll tell you this, I hope and pray that should my works-in-progress ever go to print, they never end up on The Rejectionist's desk. Or I grow a thicker skin before they do. ;-)

Precipice

Thanks to ireadiwrite Publishing, Precipice, my first digital book, is now available for purchase. Here is the synopsis:

Julia Becker is a 25-year-old elementary school librarian living in upstate New York with her successful journalist husband, Jim. Up until the moment Jim is involved in an accident while away on business, Julia's life is comfortable, secure, and hardly exciting. While tending to Jim, however, Julia uncovers some hard truths about herself, her husband, and their marriage. And when a new teacher begins at Carson Elementary, Julia finds her allegiance to both her husband and her best friend, Kris, being put to the test.

132 pages available as PDF, $4.99


Please support me and ireadiwrite Publishing by purchasing a copy directly from the site. You can also purchase a copy from Books On Board and Amazon. Make sure to follow me and ireadiwrite Publishing on Twitter.

THANK YOU!

Sneak Peek

Every so often I like to post a sneak peek of what I'm currently working on. Today, I am posting the first two paragraphs of the second-in-series (yet untitled) to (tentatively titled) The Seventh Tribe. Enjoy!

The fact that Uncle David promised to teach me to drive just as soon as we got back home from our tribal meeting, or whatever you wanted to call it, did little to excite me. Any other newly-turned sixteen-year-old girl might jump for joy or squeal with delight, or otherwise exhibit some appropriate display of enthusiasm, but I just couldn’t bring myself to think beyond the week I had to somehow first survive.

I said a long, drawn-out goodbye to Priscilla, not even daring to look her in the eye for fear I’d lose my nerve and dissolve into a puddle of tears right there on the driveway. Aunt Meg had to step in and literally pry my arms from around her neck, shove me into the backseat of the car, and then quickly close the door so I wouldn’t try to escape like an animal that’s realized it’s been caged. Priscilla would have come with us if it had been allowed, but ours was a clandestine tribe and she knew too much already. We had to keep her safe, as well as protect our secret.

This Week In Writing

Since passing off the first copy of The Seventh Tribe to my Shadow Readers, I've been a little . . . lazy. I've been spending my 2.5 hours of "free-time" each day reading books, catching up on blogs, spending too much time on Facebook and Twitter, and watching the first season of True Blood on DVD. As far as creative work goes, I've made a rough outline for the second-in-series to The Seventh Tribe. But that's about it.

Now that it's Monday, I'm feeling the urgency to resume my writing projects. Or maybe that urgent feeling is due to the fact I'm close to broke and could use a little gas and grocery money in my pockets. Ha ha! Just kidding! (no I'm not) And despite the fact I'm assuming the role of single mom until Wednesday night, and my kids will be home on Wednesday for Veteran's Day and again on Friday for parent/teacher conference day, I've outlined a writing goal for this week.

1. Complete assignment #2 for my creative writing course and send it on its merry way to be evaluated. DONE!

2. Write at least 5000 words of second-in-series book to The Seventh Tribe. DONE!

3. Proof Precipice for publication by ireadiwrite Publishing. DONE!

4. Complete the outline for Kimberly Cooper's story, which will eventually become my second submission to ireadiwrite Publishing. *Kimberly Cooper is Julia Clark's older sister. Julia, for those who don't know, is the main character from Precipice.*

I guess it's time to get started!

What are your writing goals for the week?

it's how i see myself

A few years ago, my oldest daughter, Hannah, drew this picture. And although it was meant to be her caricature, I think the drawing accurately represents how I see myself, as well as how I think others probably see me.

When I first saw it, the thing that jumped out at me was the girl's smile. It took me just a fraction of a second longer to register that Hannah had drawn devil horns and a hand to the mouth as if to indicate she's saying tee hee about some mischief or another. She looks like a nice girl, and she really is, but . . . .

only a fool would underestimate this chick.

Good News!

When you've decided to acknowledge writing is your passion, your calling, the very thing you were meant to do with the rest of your life, any positive step forward, no matter how small, is a victory in itself. Yesterday I received two pieces of good news.

1. Michelle Halket of ireadiwrite Publishing contacted me to let me know she'd like to represent and digitally distribute my first book, Precipice. Woo hoo! I'm quite excited about this. Over the next few weeks, my book will undergo proofing and formatting, as well as get its own cover art. After that, it will be available in e-book format for purchase.

I have to be honest in that the only reason holding me back from submitting the first installment of The Seventh Tribe to ireadiwrite Publishing is that I desperately want to hold a print copy in my hands, and Michelle publishes in digital format only. I don't write with the hope of becoming rich or famous, which is unlikely to happen anyway; I write for the enjoyment of telling a story and letting those who want to read it, read it. Most of you know I've been torn about what I should do. Here's what it boils down to: I would be disappointed in myself if I didn't try to get The Seventh Tribe published in print. I think that Michelle offers a brilliant service for writers who wish to publish, and I am happy to be working with her on Precipice. What worries me, though, is that the YA market, which is the demographic of The Seventh Tribe, might be less likely to read a digital book than one they can purchase from a bookstore. (perhaps I'm wrong!)

2. I finally persuaded my husband to begin reading the first revised copy of The Seventh Tribe. Since he had a five-hour bus ride to and from NYC yesterday, he was able to read the first eight chapters (of 21, plus epilogue). He said, with a hint of surprise in his voice, "It's actually pretty good. It reads well, and I like it better than anything Stephenie Meyer has written." *I love the Twilight saga, as well as The Host, but my husband finds the storyline a little too syrupy for his taste. He's a guy. Whaddya expect? He's yet to read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, which I think are the best anyhow.*

Despite the demographic of The Seventh Tribe being teenage girls aged 13-18, I think having a man's perspective is an asset. Already he's raised an interesting character question that has forced me to consult with my other Shadow Readers. This book has got a long way to go yet!