To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently reading:
Leaving A Trace: On Keeping a Journal by Alexandra Johnson (Taking a cue from Oh! and going through some of the many writing craft books I own. This one is very low key.)
The Hollow by Jessica Verday (commute book on audio)
An awesome manuscript written by a friend (on the Kindle. Man, I love my Kindle.)
Recently Read:
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Why hadn’t I read this before? It’s utterly charming.)
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (I just finished this … OMG. I. Loved. It. It’s incredible. I’m going to have to do a fangirl post/review of this one.)
Up next:
Rita books. The box has not yet arrived, but I expect it any day now.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
The 2009 Debs are celebrating L.K. Madigan’s wonderful books to support her fight against cancer. This past week Lisa shared her very difficult news on her blog.
To show our love and support for her, we’re giving away 40 sets of her two novels over on the 2009 Debs website. Each winner will receive both Flash Burnout and The Mermaid’s Mirror. To enter, simply help spread the love.
Lisa’s first novel, FLASH BURNOUT, won the Morris Award in 2009. Her second novel, THE MERMAID’S MIRROR received a starred review from Booklist.
The contest runs through Monday, January 31st. Click through to the 2009 Debs website for all the information.
I would like to up my reading again this year. I read 60 books last year (this includes audio books). This year, I want to read one print/e-book per week, for 52 books, plus whatever I listen to in the car during the commute.
Rough goal: 75 books this year. Can I do it? We’ll see.
I’m going to participate in a reading challenge this year. I didn’t last year and I missed that. War Through the Generations is doing a Civil War reading challenge. And hey, I’m one book in already. My goal is three to five, but I hope to read more than that.
What I plan to read:
Two Girls of Gettysburg (halfway done and I’m enjoying it)
Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War (All her Civil War writings in one volume—I’m on a LMA kick)
Possible Re-reads:
Little Women (see above re: LMA)
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (read, more than once, back in the day as officer professional development)
How about you? Any reading plans? A challenge or two? Tackling the TBR pile?
What’s the best book you read this year?
Worst?
Favorite?
So many books (I’m at sixty for the year, not sure I’ll make it to sixty one). But let’s drop them into a hat and pull out some winners.
Best book goes to: War by Sebastian Junger.
Worst book goes to: one I read for the Ritas that I cannot (fortunately) disclose. Sorry, I’m not allowed to. Honest.
Favorite book goes to: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Yes, it’s a re-read. I read it last year. In fact, I’m thinking of making it a traditional December read, I love it so much.
Other great books I read this year:
Young adult fiction:
What I Saw And How I Lied by Judy Blundell Post WWII. Deception! Lies! Best meeting the love interest scene ever!
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta I think I liked Jellicoe Road a little bit better but I ❤ Melina Marchetta.
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson Road trip romance! Inner and outer journeys! Good stuff!
Young adult fantasy:
Plain Kate by Erin Bow Make this my second favorite book of the year. Loved it. Loved. The. Cat. Cried like a baby at the end. *Sigh*
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta. Melina Marchetta does fantasy! Is there nothing she can’t write? Excellent fantasy.
Incarceron (Incarceron, Book 1) by Catherine Fisher More good YA fantasy. I’m looking forward to book 2.
Young Adult mystery:
The Agency 1: A Spy in the House and The Agency 2: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee. Victorian era young adult mystery with an intriguing and smart heroine and the swoon-worthy James. And yes, I’m looking forward to book 3.
Other good books:
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees Intriguing, and now I’m on a LMA kick, so naturally I had to read:
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen
I read all three Tana French novels this year:
In the Woods
The Likeness
Faithful Place
I think Faithful Place was the best written of the three, but I enjoyed all them.
I hope to post a recap of the MEMO conference in the next few days. Short review: It was fun! I had a blast and sold some books.
Here’s the note Kyra wrote to me before I left:
From: Kyra
To: Mom
Make sure to not tuck in your shirt and don’t forget to look your best. I hope you have a good time there. Love, Kyra and don’t forgot again to love and miss me. I will love and miss you too. Love, Kyra and I will love you back and do not and I mean do not forget about me.
I failed on one account. Sadly, I did tuck in my shirt.
This is worth another around the web this week post.
Little, Brown, the publisher of Twenty Boy Summer, has donated another 62 books to the Debs Speak Loudly giveaway, for a total of 100 books! Visit the 2009 Debutantes website to enter. All it takes is a comment. And with 100 books, your chances are very good.
Thinking about dating a writer? Enamored by the meme going around tumblr about just how great that would be? You may want to rethink that. Look here for a point by point deconstruction. My favorite (although there are so many to choose from):
Writers are surrounded by interesting people. Every last one of whom is imaginary.
And … remember, I’ll be at the Minnesota Educational Media Organization (MEMO) fall conference on Friday, October 1st. If you happen to be there too, stop by and say hi!
Banned Books Week has special significance for the Debs this year. Our own Sarah Ockler and her debut novel, TWENTY BOY SUMMER, are under challenge right now in Republic, MO, along with Kurt Vonnegut’s SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5 and Laurie Halse Anderson’s SPEAK.
In response to this, the 2009 Debs are giving away thirty-eight (38!) copies of Twenty Boy Summer. Visit the Debs site for more details, but the contest is open between now October 2, 2010. Entries open to everyone worldwide. We’ll ship anywhere!
Unfortunately, Mr. Vonnegut is no longer with us and cannot respond to the challenge, but one can imagine what he might have to say.
I’ve seen a few suggestions around the web that the authors in question and their supporters not speak loudly about this–that only gives the challenger in question too much attention, a national platform.
Just ignore him and he’ll go away.
Except sometimes, people like that won’t. Sometimes, they convince other, reasonable people that there is a threat contained between two covers of a book.
The thing is, children may learn facts from history, but they learn empathy and truth from fiction. How and where do we want our young adults learning about the harsh realities of the world? From the safe confines of a book–where they have the time and opportunity to think about the situations presented and the moral and ethical implications.
Or should we simply shove them out the door unprepared? Let them learn it on the street, from peers who may be as ill-equipped as they are. All under the guise of keeping them safe.
How do we expect our children to make good ethical decisions when we’ve shielded them from ethical dilemmas? Why do we decry the “me-me-me generation” and then take away the very thing that teaches empathy? We complain that children don’t read, then snatch away the very books that engage them.
So sometimes you have to speak loudly to be heard above the din. Like Sarah Ockler. And Laurie Halse Anderson.
Speak loudly, because some would prefer you not speak at all.
From the blog Should be Reading comes Teaser Tuesday. What fun! I’ve seen this one a round for a while and finally decided to give it a try.
The rules:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Judging by his car, which is about a third of the size of Nana Dottie’s and looks like it only drives one speed–fast–Papa Harry must’ve been very fun. Momma’s never really talked about him, and whenever I ask any questions, she simply kisses my head, says that sometimes grown-ups do very silly things, and offers to make me a double-decker grilled cheese sandwich.
(Side note: I used the new link helper in WordPress. Why it only found some books and not others, I don’t know. But there you have it.)
1. Favorite childhood book?
I’m not sure how to define “childhood” re: reading. Do I answer The Lonely Doll? The Secret Seven? Trixie Belden? The Chronicles of Narnia? Jane Eyre, which I (first) read when I was twelve or so. See? This list is endless.
2. What are you reading right now?
Insatiable by Meg Cabot (audio book in the car)
The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White (on the nightstand)
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I usually have two going at a time, one in the car and one for elsewhere.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
No, they’ve changed since I started writing. I read a little less (a girl needs time to write after all) and I read more carefully, not to mention slowly.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Probably one (or two/three) books I judged for the Rita. And because I judged them for the Rita, I can’t tell you what they are. (You’re consumed with curiosity, aren’t you?)
Yes, I tend toward those that promise to make me smarter or a better writer. It’s a never-ending quest, really.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Bwhahahaha. That’s all I’m going to say.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Nonfiction: Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity was short and fun, with some good advice. I like a book with attitude. Outliers also had some interesting information. (See #25 where I’m trying to be smarter and a better writer.)
Fiction: See favorite books.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Tea.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Ruined? Maybe When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, which I enjoyed very much and think it deserves all the awards it has received. But by the time I read it, I was expecting it to also clean my house and make me coffee in the morning.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Meh. Totally depends. Many times I wonder if we’ve read the same book.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don’t. Give them, that is. I do read books that simply aren’t for me, since I try to read widely (I think that’s important as a writer.) And I do analyze why a book didn’t work for me, but I generally keep those conclusions to myself.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I’d love to get back up to speed and read in Russian.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Anna Karenina–in Russian.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
All those big fat historical nonfiction books I have.
35. Favorite Poet?
Pushkin.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
A handful.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
For audio books if I cannot stand actor’s voice, I hit eject and back it goes. Commuting is bad enough. Commuting with someone whose voice grates on you? No thanks.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Elizabeth Bennet
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Um, I can’t think of one. Maybe because I tend to think villain = moustache-twirling bad guy, and I like books with antagonists who: 1) are often redeemed, 2) relatable and human, if tragically flawed.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever is next in the queue.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I don’t know. I’m drawing a blank on this one. Probably when I was deployed to the Gulf, during that window of time when things were happening. I don’t think I read then.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Le Divorce. I got bored. I actually put it down at the 3/4 mark, right before the murder. That’s how much I didn’t care.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Kids’ TV programs. Oy.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The A&E version of Pride and Prejudice. Really, how can you not love this:
On a related note, I also think that Bridget Jones’s Diary is a better movie than book (especially the last act, structure-wise).
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I’m sure there are many, but I often avoid movies made from books I love. My son would probably say The Lightning Thief.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
A lot, especially around the holidays.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not often. Plus, it’s really hard to skim an audio book.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Boredom.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Since they’re not organized, I’m going with: no.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I do have books that are keepers, but I also like giving them away, especially if someone really wants a book.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Like doubling back the way I came when I see them on the street … oh, wait. No. I don’t think I have. Except those exceptionally long historical nonfiction ones, that is.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The Dark Side by Jane Mayer (Actually, I think this was an excellent book, it’s the subject matter that made me angry.)
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Interestingly enough, this one wasn’t working for me until the last fourth or so. I’m glad I listened to this one on audio, otherwise I might not have hung in there with it, but I’m glad I did.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The last in a YA trilogy I was reading. I really wanted to like it, but it felt off to me from the first chapters. I finally hit eject and went to read a spoiler-y review and realized I’d figured everything (pretty much) without having to read the last book. Sigh.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
YA and now middle grade. I’ve been reading a lot in the Aladdin imprint of Simon and Schuster (market research). These are sweet, fun, fast-paced books and I’ve really enjoyed them.
Writing Wrongs 