Fave Reads 2014 Edition

This year wasn't the strongest in terms of books I absolutely loved. Sometimes I often feel behind in terms of reading even though I read at least 1 book a week and perhaps if I could read twice as many a year I'd love twice as many. But that may not be the case. In terms of everything it's subjective and for me these books were the ones that knocked it out of the park for me and stayed with me and will continue to stay with me. I highly recommend them all. 

• The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks, Illustrated by Canaan White (2014): I read lots of fiction but want to up the ante in terms of poetry, nonfiction, and graphic novels that I read annually. So Harlem Hellfighters was major treat in terms of it being historically based and also having the heart and angst to tell the story of an honored group of military men who made waves during WWII and still dealt with all kinds of racism at home and abroad even. The last lines "Was it all for nothing? Only if we're forgotten" remind you that race relations are still very tentative in this day and age and that men who fought hard for their country still aren't seen as equals.
• NW by Zadie Smith (2012): If you didn't read any bio I've ever written which included favorite books you'll see that On Beauty always appears. I was excited for Smith's latest and also a bit cautious. But in the end Smith is one of our strongest contemporary writers today and I admire her growth and experimental nature as a writer even more in NW. Her dialogue is exquisite and her characters are fully drawn. More please, Zadie.
• Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (2013): I'd heard good things about Nate in the first and second of Tim's books. And after reading a hilarious paragraph on pirouttes I bought the book when I swore I wouldn't purchase anything at SCBWI in LA then met Tim who is a super friendly guy. And to be on the We Need Diverse Books team with him now is a big treat because Better Nate is a feel good, real book about pursuing your dreams, disappointment, staying who you are while at the same time trying to find out who you are. It's a great, fast, fun and funny book that is right for all ages. More Nate too, please.
• The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (2014): I happened upon this line at Book Expo thanks to a coworker who reminded me that Mitchell wrote Cloud Atlas which I very much enjoyed. So it was worth being in a long, weaving line to get Mitchell's latest. Clocking in at over 700 pages Mitchell's work weaves in speculative elements, heart, and goes across time and continents to tell Holly's story. We see Holly's losses and her strength and by the last page you're glad to have gone on the journey with her.
• brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (2014): Another BEA find! I got to meet Jacqueline after the We Need Diverse Books BookCon panel and snagged her book, in high demand. She's also a southerner come NYC and we have similar trajectories in terms of our family line. She's another WNDB advisory board member and simply a wonderfully kind person. bgd is one of those books I so wish I'd had as a young reader and you don't simply read this memoir in verse you fall into it. Each line, each word exquisitely chosen. It's been a major success in Jacqueline's career and I'm proud to have been a first reader clamoring for it at BEA. It's well awarded for last years' National Book Award for Young People's Literature.
• The Tastemakers by David Sax (2014): A tight and interesting read, especially if you're interested in food or a food lover like I am. Somewhat dated in terms of what's trend and what isn't due to timing of publication. Either way it doesn't take away the relevance or the unpredictability of what does or doesn't become a trend in the food world, nor does it take away from Sax's great style and vivid way of showing you the items, the competition, and even the planning that goes into attempting to create a trend.
• Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (2014): It's inevitable that a Maggie book is going to end up on my list of favorite reads as long as she publishes at minimum one. Last year she published 3. Goodness gracious. Sinner is the spinoff book staring side characters that became more mainstays of Cole and Isabel as they attempt to be together and grow together outside of the Forever trilogy. It's one of those "quiet" books about internal struggle with fantasy elements and Maggie uses it to her continued strength. I enjoyed every minute, word, page, interaction of Cole and Isabel and automatically want more but this also feels complete. And I know I can always go back to page one to enjoy it all over again.
• Red Rising by Pierce Brown (2014): A new trilogy and automatic NYT bestseller that's a sci-fi revenge story. Darrow lost his love and starts to lose himself as he infiltrates the higher tier of society from Red to Gold. There are elements I didn't like, for instance lack of diversity and also rape used against women in battle, but Darrow is someone who's rise (and fall) you can relate to and the writing itself sticks to the emotions and the action going on around Darrow. So I'm invested enough to read the sequel coming out next week.
• Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain (2010): I'm late to the Kitchen Confidential train and I don't usually read, um listen, to audio books. But Bourdain narrating Kitchen is the best thing and really sucks you in. He hits the right notes for his writing and isn't necessarily a performer but the right reader for this book. Again, I'm into food as you know so hearing about the underbelly and his rise, though I noticed he skipped over parts, is interesting. I will never eat seafood on a Sunday again in a restaurant, of this I am fairly certain.
• When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago (1993): The first of three memoirs that Santiago wrote about her childhood in Puerto Rico and then her entrance to New York City hits on all cylinders. Santiago's prose is fantastic, lush, and packs a punch. She does well to keep the restrained knowledge yet deeper understanding of the destructiveness of her parents relationship (not even marriage) and how her mother could love her one moment and smack her upside the head the next. Santiago's willfulness as a child, the eldest, and the humor that lies in her and her siblings relationship and her growth is wonderful. Looking forward to the next two memoirs.
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013): One of the most lauded books last year to publish in 2013 Americanah made a lot of "Best" lists and also won the NBCC award. Not without merit of course. This is one of the more honest explorations of race in America from the Non-American Black (NAB) perspective also incorporating the American Black (AB) perspective as well. I had some qualms with the main character of Ifemelu but the fact is she is human, flawed, rough, emotional, and all. She is a woman we can identify with in terms of the good and the bad and that's always been one of the biggest strengths of Chimamanda's writing.
• Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos, Illustrated by Joy Ang (2013): Adorable about sums this picture book up. I met the agent for this book at SCBWI in LA and bought this book for a coworker who was expecting his first child. A baby with a mustache that can be either a good or a bad one? Come on how cute IS that?! And Ang's illustration adds a soft and additionally sweet touch to the story as the titular character goes through his own good/bad mustache phase. And there's more Mustache Baby to come too, people.
• Kindred by Octavia Butler (1979): Yes, what took me so long to get onto the Octavia Butler train?! Kindred was one of the first books I read this year and I loved every second. It was written almost 4 decades ago and everything Butler wrote still has pertinence today in terms of race relations and perception and our connections to history. Butler has that magic touch of taking the everyday and twisting it on his head and for the character of Dana to have to go back and save her family line while meeting a sociopathic ancestor is a lot to handle, but addictive to read.
• Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang (2013): A nominee for the National Book Award Young People's Literature last year Yang's two (yes two) graphic novels looking at the Boxer Rebellion is great, especially from the two different perspectives. I highly suggest you read them both back-to-back to get the full weight of those on the side of the fighters and the side of the perceived "devils."
• Astray by Amy Christine Parker (2014): I'm not adding this to the list because Amy is my CP or because it's awesome, though those reasons help. It's because Amy's sequel to her debut Gated takes on the aftermath of being "rescued" from a cult and deals with the truth of how assimilation or attempting to find normal is not an easy thing and acceptance isn't always ready with open arms. Amy challenges her main character and readers to see beyond the smoke screen of a "happy ending."
• Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart (2011): I'd been wanting to read this book and winning a copy a la Goodreads was a great way to do so. I'd heard rave reviews for this book and it took a few pages but once I was in I was all in. The futuristic world, the narcissism of society, the dependency on others to make you feel like a better person while at the same time trying to find self and all this woven around a love story between middle-aged likable schlub Lenny and the youthful and often unawares Eunice. Like Oscar Wao the title will let you know what to expect but the journey to get there is very good storytelling.

So here's to another year of great books, new and previously published! And provide me any recs of things you've loved and I'll add to my ever growing list.

A Chat with Amy Christine Parker and GATED Giveaway

You may recognize Amy's name from my post last year thanking my YA critique partners (CPs). But more than likely you recognize Amy Christine Parker's name because her suspense YA debut GATED is due out from Penguin Random House next week and has been getting great reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus. Yay, Amy! Amy and I met on WriteOnCon via a kind of "match up" where you read someone's synopsis on a forum, requested to see more, and then you switched work. If you liked each others writing and found the feedback was helpful BOOM you had yourself a connection. Amy was one of the first people I connected with and I am so, so very thankful for that.

JENN: So, what stuck out to me about Gated was the first line (Shoot to kill, okay) What?!? I was all over it as soon as I read it. And then I kept reading it and you sorted out concerns that we had discussed and perhaps you discussed with Krystalyn and Stefanie as well but what I admired (what I additionally admired) was that you were able to zero in on this stuff and get it done so fast! 

AMY: I remember when we met thinking that I loved the way you critiqued. You were just the queen of finding all my inconsistencies. I was beyond excited that I was able to snatch you up! And thanks for thinking that I’m compartmentalizing so well!

JENN: You compartmentalize your time not just as a writer but as a reviewer as well. As a full-time mom and writer and doing everything you do from participating in activities with your kids/their school and reading others work and trying to find time for yourself and your husband it can be so much. That balance is crucial.

AMY: Truth be told I think I spend most days juggling everything like mad and hoping I don’t drop too many balls. Balance isn’t really achieved so much as I make my writing a priority no matter what. I wanted to be a writer--specifically a published writer--so badly that I literally let go of every unnecessary chore/obligation/frivolous time wasting thing that I could. My house is rarely entirely clean. My kids eat takeout just about as often as they get a home cooked meal. The laundry piles up. The balance thing is an ongoing goal I hope to one day come close to achieving. But even if I never do, I’m happy because I’m doing something that I love every single day and my family is happy because I’m much better at being a mom and wife now that I’ve allowed myself to go after my dreams.

JENN: I also realized when reading Gated how specific and unique the story was. This was a story that wasn't being told and could actually happen which upped the creep factor exponentially and it's telling as well that Penguin Random House has so much faith in the story itself but also your writing. Perhaps as writers we kind of zero in on what scares us because there's an internal thrill to it that we can control. When I was a kid my mom had A LOT of Stephen King books. So I read that. And I got into R.L. Stine from there and read some Anne Rice as a teen. I was growing out of BSC and Sweet Valley High/University to reading The Stand. So my mom's taste definitely influenced my own for awhile as I was growing up and lead to me writing this horror story I wrote in high school called "Terror at Bowne." I even did a sequel.

AMY: Stephen King was huge for me growing up, especially his short stories. I was a fairly shy kid and spent tons of time hiding out in the library at school. Uncle Stevie’s books were the ones I pulled off the shelves to keep me company. The short stories were perfect because I could devour them in one library session. To this day, his short stories are what have stuck with me most out of all that I read as a kid and probably had the biggest influence on what I choose to write now. Although...there were also these creepy story records I used to listen to with my cousins when I was really little (yes, I am that old, I had vinyl records AND 8 track tapes). I forget almost everything about the stories on those records, but I will never forget the sounds and the tone of the people’s voices as they told the stories. It made my hair stand on end and afterwards I would have the worst time sleeping. After every “up all night” session I had I’d swear off listening to them, but then I could never actually make myself do that and before long I’d be listening to them all over again. Scary stories have always, always been my favorites which is funny I guess, because my mom is much more of a sci fi/fantasy reader who likes things to stay light. When I tell her my latest ideas, she’s always a little freaked out! She’s wondered out loud more than once where my fascination comes from. I think for me it isn’t so much a thrill I can control, but more of a way of explaining evil and how it works to my readers and maybe most often, to myself. I think on some level maybe I’m looking to understand it so I can see it coming in people or situations and avoid it...but really, on the surface I think it’s mainly that I find scaring and being scared to be a lot of fun!

Obviously you know that now I’m completely curious about your “Terror at Bowne” story. You’ll have to dig it out and send it to me!

THE GIVEAWAY

Amy is being super generous by offering up a GATED prize pack with her debut's release! See the pictures of the items below. Ohhh. Ahhh.

Now that we're done with the admiration here's how you can enter. Via the Rafflecopter below. This prize pack will only be sent to those who reside in the U.S., sorry. And you have 2 weeks to enter. So spread the word. Add GATED to your TBR pile and follow Amy while she preps for some touring and updates on her site and more of her work on Fiction Femme Fatale.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveals from Fiction Femme Fatale(rs)

Judge a book by its cover? I know I do, so it's super exciting to hear about and then see the covers of upcoming titles. And two of the super talented ladies of Fiction Femme Fatale have covers to reveal! Krystalyn's book Legesea will be released next year from Curiosity Quills and you can see the cover she sketched and the one that came to fruition on her blog now!

Amy will be doing a cover reveal for Gated (Random House) next Friday (yes, the date slated as the last day on the Mayan calendar) on IceyBooks. While everyone is wondering whether the world will or won't end I'm leaning more towards 'no' as I am really excited about reading Krystalyn and Amy's upcoming books and want to the world to see them as well. So, no Apocalypse, thank you.

IceyBooks will be doing some Gated-themed giveaways along with the cover revelation so stay tuned next Friday.

Congrats Krystalyn & Amy for all your hard work and the upcoming publications!

(Giving) Thanks to my YA Critique Partners!

'Tis the time of year to give thanks for what you have. And many times that translates to who you have in your life. Of course I'm thankful to ALL my friends, family, and fellow foodies for their support through a rough year and rough times ahead. For all the warm fuzzies, well wishes, shoulders to vent and cry on, and baked goods galore. Y'alls are the best. But I did want to take a moment and thank those who have been especially helpful for a writing project I've been tackling. Being NaNoWriMo month and me focusing on a complete revision of my young adult (YA) novel I wanted to take a moment and give HUGE, MAGNANIMOUS thanks to my critique partners for this young adult project, tentatively titled The Facility. Your reading and re-reading (and re-reading) as well as your advice, well wishes, and kindness has been helpful beyond expression. :-)

While I have a growing list of great people and fellow writers to thank for my growth as a writer from the time I started in junior high to now I'm singling out the ladies who have aided me in getting more confidence as I pursue the YA project that had been in my mind since I started undergrad and just never thought I had the chutzpah to pursue. Well, nine years later here it goes.

I met my CPs on WriteOnCon when there was a launch for a kind of blind dating of potential CPs. You posted your project to the forum and looked at what others posted and you inquired with each other and submitted work. If you liked each other's style then you connected and from then on things went very well for me!

Amy Christine Parker

What I admire most about Amy is not only her writing style but her organization and ability to get stuff done. Amy's debut The Silo is coming out next year with Random House and it's a whopper lemme tell you. When I read the first few pages I was thinking to myself "This is so good. I want to read more! Crap, I hope she likes my work!"

Amy hones into her characters and their deepest fears. (If you've read her stuff on Fiction Femme Fatale you'll know what I mean.) Her contemporary work is original and something I'm confident readers will grasp on and relate to. It hits you from the first page and you relate to everyone in some way, the good and the bad.

Amy has been great with helping me think on the bigger picture and connecting the dots on things I may not have seen in my work. We're all pretty critical when we read a book and think "Well why didn't the writer think of that?" Amy is that reader who aids you as writer to zone in on that so the story doesn't go off-kilter at any point and you can enjoy the piece. In my latest revision her advice has been astoundingly helpful and also hit points that I had been questioning myself.

Jenny Coon Peterson

Jenny is a magnificent world builder and has a deep love for the young adult and the fantastical. She's been incredibly helpful in terms of moving things along and also digging deeper into what should urk the reader. Which is totally what I was going for! Jenny has helped me tighten action scenes and push deeper in terms of the larger piece so that it moves faster and doesn't drag.

Jenny is also an idea person. She has amazing premises and thoughts on how to move things along. Every NaNoWriMo I'm amazed and in awe of how much material she produces and how deep she goes into the worlds she creates. The first novel I read of hers reminded me of Harry Potter. When I read it and reread it, I wanted to get lost in it again, but I had to give her critiques asap! Knowing her love for Potter I saw the influence but also her own twist and originality in creating a cool group of people and a multitude of layers for a series that I'm certain will be embraced by readers.

Nicole Settle

Nicole is a phenom when it comes to pacing. Every time I read her work I'm amazed at how much happens in so few pages. Her prose is fast-paced but you get so much in the details of what she adds in. From her work I learn precision. I keep reviewing her stuff in the hopes that it'll seep into my brain by osmosis. She hits the darkside of things in her writing while always maintaining to insert a bit of hope.

Nicole has been great in letting me know what works even if I'm concerned it doesn't while also noting tweaks and changes in details, characters, and scenes. And because of her knowledge of the genre she pinpoints aspects of these characters lives I should consider for later on.

Nicole is also a baking nut like myself. Baking bonds so many people.

I'd also like to give thanks to Carrie Bastyr who read preliminary bits of this work. Her advice has also helped as I revise the series.

These ladies have helped me immensely in the revision stages. Having CPs who are avid readers and detailed critiquers will advance your work by leaps and bounds, I promise you.

So, as I plug away on the 3rd draft and look over the insightful comments from my CPs, I just wanted to extend a very big, interwebz, pre-Thanksgiving THANKS for all your help and support. Your advice, your persistence, your wonderful writing first and foremost, has inspired and helped me grow. And I'm super glad we connected via WriteOnCon. :-)

New (Writing) Venture Pour Moi...(Fiction Femme Fatale)

I had meant to note this earlier in the month and you may have already seen posts via Twitter and Facebook and such. But I wanted to formally note on my website that I have joined in with writers Amy Christine Parker, Krystalyn Drown, and Stefanie Jones on their middle grade/young adult website Fiction Femme Fatale (or as I like to call it Triple F). :-) Amy is my YA critique partner whom I met via WriteOnCon. She's been a great help as I've been writing (and rewriting and editing) my YA novel. And I am super-stoked that her book The Silo will be coming out with Random House next year! Also, Krystalyn's book Spirit World is coming out via Entranced Publishing next year as well! So trust me, just put these titles on your Goodreads To Read list and buy 'em.

The gist of Triple F is that once a month one of the members will pick a photo/image as a prompt to write a 1,000 word story. We each contribute and on weeks where there are five Fridays it is open for followers to submit a story for posting as well based on the image. Triple F also has giveaways such as critiques from members and agents and books/ARCs.

You can view the guidelines for submitting here.

My first contribution went up a couple weeks earlier than planned last Friday. And you can view it here. I realized after speaking with my instructor at the Napa Valley Writers' Conference that my strength is to write dark and sad material. So I wanted to try for something lighter my first time around. It was a nice challenge and it resulted in a middle grade (or younger) type fiction piece.

Generally I will be contributing the fourth Friday of the month, unless something changes. But I hope you'll check back every Friday to see what Krystalyn, Stefanie, and Amy post. They're super talented writers with a great imagination and eye for description. Amy's last piece "A Winter Tale" gave me the heebie jeebies in a good way. So I'm psyched to have been asked to join and be in such great company of writers.