The Yellow Room Conspiracy by Peter Dickinson - Book Review!

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Peter Dickinson is one of Britain's most celebrated mystery authors, and it shows. In "The Yellow Room Conspiracy" we find a tale as complex and confusing as anything Agatha Christie or Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle ever wrote. 

This mystery is written in the form of a memoir written by two of the main characters in the mystery. Through their notes about the events they lived through we learn that Paul and Lucy are now elderly. Lucy is rapidly succumbing to a disease that sounds a lot like Parkinson's, although it's never actually named, and she finally asks Paul about what happened when they were much younger. The police had never solved the murder, and they have lived and loved for years each assuming they knew what happened, and coming to different conclusions.

As they individually recount their memories of the events leading up to the murder of Gerry, we are taking deep inside their lives; through the deprivations of World War II, inside Lucy's family of five sisters, and their hopes, dreams, and loves. 

I found the story enthralling. Dickinson does a good job of explaining how each of the characters in his large cast behaved and thought, and how they changed over time. The actual murder doesn't take place until nearly the end of the book, and by that time the motivations and confusion behind who done it, is both clear and confusing. In the end Lucy shares with us what she thinks really happened, and while she says it with certainty, the reader is left wondering if she's right or if there is yet another conclusion that we'll never know

~ Ruthie ~

Ps. Love a good mystery? The book I'm currently giving away is a great one! 

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde - Book Review

Jasper Fforde is the author of the bestselling Thursday Next series, and now, in this book, he starts a new series, Nursery Crime. If you haven’t read his Thursday Next series, and love the old classics, you’ll love that series. It starts with The Eyre Affair and I highly recommend it! I was able to really enjoy it even though I haven’t read all of the classics he references in the series (although I have read a pretty big chunk of them).

If you aren’t a fan of the classics, but still enjoy literary humor, then Ffordes new series is perfect for you. Its based in the same alternate England as his Thursday Next series, but instead of meeting characters from classics like Jane Eyre, we get to meet people from the nursery rhymes we grew up with.

Jack Spratt is the head of the Nursery Crime Division in Reading, England. If the crime involves a nursery rhyme, he’s the one who investigates it, along with his understaffed motley crew of a department. Now you might think that these type of crimes would be rare, but all your old favorites have lives in the real world, although they usually don’t realize that they are from nursery rhymes. In fact neither Jack Spratt himself, nor his new partner Mary Mary, realize that they have their origins in nursery rhymes, despite the fact that they investigate them.

In The Big Over Easy Jack Spratt and Mary Mary are called on to solve the murder of Humpty Dumpty. Mary is new to the Nursery Crime Division (NCD) and it’s all still a bit strange to her, and she couldn’t have had that much stranger of a first case to tackle! Not that it seems that way at first, when you find an egg shattered at the base of a wall the apparent cause of death would seem to be death by falling right? Then they find the bullet hole. Then, over the course of the investigation, multiple people come forward to confess, each convinced they really did it, and things just get stranger from there.

I give this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee. I was laughing the whole way through and I love how Fforde brings our old friends from nursery rhymes to life, and gives them a whole new twist! It was also fun to see some characters from his other series get mentioned and one even plays a pivotal part. I can hardly wait to read the next book!

Updates!

Just a quick post today - I wanted to let you know that all the various pages at the top of this blog (like the Reviews page) are finally up to date! With how crazy life has been these last few months it's been all I could do just to get blog posts up and review books, so updating the various extra pages was overlooked. They looked vary sad and barren, but they are now chock full of all the appropriate links!

You might notice on the Books Read page that the Good Reads goal bar and the actual list of books show different numbers. This happens whenever I fall behind on my reviews - like right now! I still have books from last month to write up reviews on, and I'm already four books (almost five) into this month. Oops. I'm working on catching up though, so hopefully the numbers will be at least close to matching very, very soon.

Have you ever checked out GoodReads.com? I should do a web-site review on it (I'll make that a goal for next week) but for now let me just say it's an awesome site for readers! I post reviews on there for nearly every  book I read, way more than I end up sharing on the blog, so if you want to find out about any of the books on my Read list, but haven't seen them on the blog, you can find the reviews there! Feel free to friend me over there as well, I'd love to know what your reading as well.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have books to review, editing to do, and, um, my taxes >_> (can I just say oops again?)

~ Ruthie ~

Another Fine Myth - Book Review

“Take the Universe as it is. Add devils, dragons, and magic. Then stand back… Skeeve was a magician’s apprentice, until an assasin hired by an ancient enemy struck and his master was dead. Skeeve suddenly found himself alone with Aahz, a purple-tongued demon the old magician had summoned from another dimension as a practical joke just before he was killed. Aahz had lost his powers. Skeeve had just lost his job. So, together, they set out through a universe populated by Deveels, Imps, dragons, unicorns, and more, look for a way to get even…” (from inner book jacket)

I would actually disagree with the book jacket, they aren’t really out to get even exactly. Skeeve is terrified when he first meets Aahz. After all, he has just seen his master killed by assassins, and Aahz is the first demon he’s met. Aahz quickly sets the record straight, he’s not some scary monster, he’s merely a magician from another dimension, and he had a deal with Skeeve’s master that they could summon each other to scare the unwary. Unfortunately his magic’s gone for unknown reasons (they suspect Skeeve’s master did something) but he still decides to take Skeeve on as an apprentice.

They soon discover that the person behind the murder of Skeeve’s master is someone that Aahz has grappled with before, and that he wants to take over not just Skeeve’s dimension, but eventually, all of them. That’s why I say they aren’t really getting even (which the book jacket said) but on a quest to save everyone from this crazy magician, and to get Skeeve’s powers back if possible. Along the way Skeeve begins to take off in leaps and bounds as a magician, they use trickery and magic to fool first a demon hunter and then some demon assassins, and Skeeve gets his first taste of inter-dimensional travel.

I give this book 4 out of 5 cups of coffee, it is a great read, and the only thing that’s holding it back from that five is that while I loved this book I’ve read others recently that inspired me more to say “Go buy it, now!” However, if you love fantasy, and like some good humor mixed in, definitely put it on your to-read list!

~ Ruthie ~

The Night Circus - a Book Review

“The Night Circus arrives without warning.” The Night Circus is more fantastical than you’d ever imagine. The Night Circus is the Circus as you’ve always hoped it would be.

In “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern we meet Celia and Marco. Each raised by a different magician to follow in their legacy, and to participate in a strange challenge that neither of the participants really understands until the end. All they know is that their skills are being pitted against each other.

The arena for this challenge is the Night Circus. The Circus starts as a dream by those who have a love for the incredible, and who have a burning passion to create the ultimate reactions from the audience. Marco joins in the production as the assistant to the man orchestrating it all. Celia joins when she auditions for the part of the Illusionist and shocks everyone with her skill.

The imagery in this book is incredible. I felt as if I was swept up in the magic as I read, and I lost all track of time and what was really going on around me. I was, for a time, transported to the Night Circus, where dreamers are welcome.

Honestly? I don’t think I can adequately describe this book for you. The best thing I can do is to say GO READ IT. This is one of the best books, possibly the best, that I have read in the last year or so. I’m giving this 5 out of 5 cups of coffee and I’ll be anxiously waiting to find out what else Erin Morgenstern does.

For all of your writers out there, especially the Wrimos, guess what? Erin is one of us. This novel came into being because of her participation in NaNoWriMo. I don’t remember the whole story, but if she ended up with an incredible gem like this? Well, I’d say there’s a lot of hope for the rest of us! Dreamers who happen to write.

~ Ruthie ~

The Hunger Games - Minimal Spoilers

I've had several people ask me about the Hunger Games book trilogy lately, along with the frequently stated, "They sound kinda disturbing." Since I saw the movie yesterday I thought I'd take a few minutes to explain why I like the books so much, and of course, tell you what I thought of the movie!

First of all, yes, the concept behind the Hunger Games Trilogy is disturbing. For those of you who still know nothing beyond the title, the Hunger Games takes place in an undefined future in which the land has been divided up into districts after a great war. Each district is responsible for one aspect of industry, and they are all ruled from the Capitol. Seventy-four years ago District 13 revolted and was destroyed, and now in order to keep the rest of the districts cowed the Capitol hosts an annual Hunger Games. Each district is required to provide one boy and one girl, ages 12-18, to participate in a contest to the death, with the winner being rewarded with unbelievable riches, and their district receiving many important benefits as well. The books follow one girl, Katniss Everdeen, who competes in the Hunger Games after volunteering to take her little sister's place.

These Hunger Games are incredibly barbaric, and made even more so by the fact that the citizens of the capital see them as the highlight of the year, placing bets and throwing parties and generally having a great time while children die. Honestly? When I first heard about the books and saw them showing up all over the internet I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like them, but I picked the first book up because I was seeing them all over the place and I didn't want to join the internet discussion without having an informed opinion.

I was blown away by the books. They are very well written and not at all what I was picturing. Yes, there is violence and parts that are horrible, but the focus of the books isn't on the violence, it is on the girl, Katniss Everdeen, and actually? Considering the topic, they are no where near as violent as they could be.

I loved the books because they are about people. People that you get to know and love. The author uses the Hunger Games, which are horrific, to highlight how valuable human life really is, which is something missing from a lot of the media today's teens are exposed to. That's not the only good message in these books either. They highlight how ridiculous the obsession with fashion can become, talk about staying true to who you are when others try to change you, and the importance of friendships and family.

Having said how much I like the books, I have to admit I have really mixed feelings about the movie. I did enjoy it, don't get me wrong! I think they got a lot of things right. There were a few things they left out, but most of it wasn't that big of a deal, and I think they did a good job at maintaining the integrity of the story. They managed to maintain the important messages in the book, they did a great job with the costumes and bringing to life the images in the book, and the actors did a great job.

Still, I think they could have done a better job with it, the most important thing being that it was a better movie for the fans than it was for people who've never read the books. There were things that I understood, knowing from the books what was going on, that left my husband completely confused.

I also really didn't like the camera work. They used a shaky "realistic" style of camera work in many places that was designed to make you feel like you were looking at the scene in first person. I haven't seen Saving Private Ryan, but my husband tells me it was a lot like that style. I would have been fine with it if they only used that technique a little bit, but I think they over did it. It also left me with a horrible migraine, which is just no fun.

Bottom line? It's was better done than Twilight but not as good as the later Harry Potter movies. If you love the books (and don't get migraines easily) by all means, go see it! You will probably really enjoy it. If you haven't read the books, well you might not like it as much, but it's still not a bad movie.

Friday's Feature: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Book Review

I picked up this book because of the movie hype. If I know a movie is connected to a book, I like to read it! I’m just a book-nerd like that. It helps that I had seen this book around on shelves at the grocery store and popping up in advertisements. Plus, I love dragons and tattoos, so right there we have at title worth looking into.

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson” is one part murder mystery, one part thriller, one part psychological intrigue, and one part love story. Mikael Blomkvist is a financial journalist who, at the beginning of the book, is being indited for libel and defamation of the business mogul Hans-Erik Wennerstrom.

The situation is complicated. Mikael had published his story in good faith, only to have his world crumble. We don’t actually find out until the end of the book exactly what happened, so I’ll leave that up to your imagination. One thing that is firmly established is that Mikael is a good guy in a bad situation.

Then Mikael is summoned to mysterious meeting with the aged head of the Vanger family. There he is presented with the opportunity to write a novel based on the complex and disturbing history of this family who has made their mark in Swedish industry, and at the same time attempt to solve a 40 year old murder mystery. If he writes the book and gives the mystery his best effort, he’ll not only be remunerated generously, he’ll also be given telling information about Wennerstrom.

It’s a crazy proposition, but Mikael is at a place in his life where he needs to take what he can get, and the thought of being able to tackle Wennerstrom at the end makes it worth it.

He has no idea what he’s getting into.

I found the murder mystery compelling. I’ve read my fair share of murder mystery’s, both the classics like Agatha Christie and more recent works, and Larsson left me completely in the dark about the solution. Oh I was able to pick up on pieces along the way, but the final solution evaded me until the end.

I was fascinated by the girl with the dragon tattoo herself, Lisbeth Salander. She’s an investigative hacker who probably falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. Larsson does an incredible job at bringing us into her world as she first is skating around the edges of Mikael’s mysteries, and then becomes an integral part of the investigation.

I’m giving this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee with the following caveat: the book tackles some brutal topics and contains the imagery to go with it. It’s brilliant writing, meticulous and containing an incredible amount of detail, while still keeping you captivated. However, if you have too vivid of an imagination and don’t handle the exploitation of women well, don’t read it. I believe he handled the topic well, as in there was closure and the wrongs were avenged, but it is a pretty hard core book at times.

I haven't decided if I'm going to watch the movie (either the Swedish or the America version) just because of the brutal imagery used in some places in the book. I handle that kind of thing much better in book form than movies. If I do end up watching them - I'll write up a review!

~ Ruthie ~

Friday's Feature - Down These Strange Streets - Book Review

I discovered about two years ago that I love reading anthologies. I can't really remember how I stumbled on this discovery, I suspect I was browsing the shelves and found something that looked interesting, and I've been hooked every since! I love the fact that you get to read stories by a whole bunch of different authors. It can be a great way to get a taste of what they write, without investing as much time in any one author as if you read the whole book. I know that shouldn't matter too much to me with how much I read, but I'm the type who has a really hard time putting down a book, even one I don't like, once I've invested any time in it!

Every anthology is different. Some showcase only 3 or 4 authors, others are much longer, and most have some sort of theme. "Down These Strange Streets" is based in urban fantasy, but it goes way beyond the normal expectations of that genre. The first section, an essay really, is called "The Bastard Stepchild," by George R.R. Martin. It both introduces the book, and also explores the origins of Urban Fantasy, what it is, where it comes from, and why we love it so much.

As much as Ioved some of the stories in the book, I think the intro essay was my favorite. I like learning about the origins of things, and the more I write, the more I want to understand this world I've being brash enough to enter. It helps, of course, that I'm fascinated with Urban Fantasy. I love fantasy of all kinds, but I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was when I first discovered Urban Fantasy! I don't have any stories in that genre yet, but I aspire too, and these stories left me itching to put my fingers on the keyboard and write!

It would take way too long to mention each of the stories in this book because this anthology is longer than most  - 17 stories plus the introduction! Martin and Dozois drew from a variety of genres for the authors they invited to write this story. The only stipulation they gave them was that the "story involve a private detective and a case with fantastic slant, be it real or... less so." I'm also a huge fan of mystery stories, so this made for an exciting combination!

My favorite story in here (other than the intro) is probably "In Red, With Pearls." It's written by one of my favorite authors, Patricia Briggs, and is set in the world of her most famous character, Mercedes Thompson. Mercy doesn't appear in this book, but I loved that we got to know the werewolf Warren a little bit better, and I would love to see her do another spin off series (she already has one, Alpha and Omega) featuring his work as a detective!

I don't think I can pick a story that comes next in my favorites, I just loved this book!

I'm giving the book 4 out of 5 cups of coffee. I did love the book, but I'll admit there were a couple stories that I wasn't as thrilled with. They were great writing, but they just weren't my style, or what I was hoping to read. There was one story that I had a hard time following, and I think a lot of it was that there were too many characters, and if you didn't already know his work it was easy to get lost. I've ordered the first book in the series that the story was based on because I'm very curious to see if it actually was just the story out of context, or if it's the way the author writes. Either way I was disappointed to see that this particular author couldn't make his world more easily understood by someone who's never read his books, none of the other writers had a problem with that!

Book Review - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten." (Inner flap of the book jacket)

This is John Green's fourth book on his own (he has two others that he co-wrote or contributed to), and while I haven't read the others yet, if they are anything like this one I'll eat them up!

In addition to being a writer, John Green is a vlogger with his brother Hank, and he once served as a Hospital Chaplin. This is the book he's being trying to write ever since. The story of teenagers facing death, and how they choose to live their lives.

Facing death is rarely easy, and its some how more tragic when it visits the young. They have had so little life to live after all! Hazel has lived with the specter of death for many years, and wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for a game changing treatment that granted her some extra time (that the author made up btw). Despite the reprieve she is still stuck attached to an oxygen tank, and struggling to find meaning in what time she has left. She goes to a cancer support group, which tends to be boring and not that helpful, and one day meets Augustus Waters.

Augustus is a charismatic boy who walks with a prosthetic because the cancer took his leg. He's considered in remission, and he goes to the group to support a boy named Isaac who is rapidly losing his eyes to cancer. He reaches out to Hazel, and they begin what will be both a beautiful friendship, and a tragic love story.

I love the little details that John Green puts into this book. At the book signing tour he told us that he wanted Augustus to have a grand name, that could also have a diminutive, because it shows the boy's two sides. On the one hand he's grabbing life by the horns, loves to use big words (that he often misuses), and enjoys grand gestures. On the other hand, the Gus side, he is a boy facing cancer and pain and all the hard things that go with it, including vulnerability. Hazel is an in between color, and Hazel herself is in between. In between life and death, love and fear, joy and pain.

I loved this book. I loved the details. I loved the watching the two main characters dance around love, fearful to put each other through the pain of their own death, although that made me cry. Actually I cried a couple of times during this book. It's so real. As someone who has faced death (both nearly dying myself, my brother's fight with cancer that he's currently winning, and more) I can tell you that the issues these teenagers face are very realistically done, and raw. The pain in this book is raw, but the joy is exhilarating.

If you've ever wondered about how you should live your life, if you face obstacles that would seem to get in the way of you having a full life, this book is for you. Yes, it's painful, but it's also inspiring to watch these two kids with cancer find a way to live their lives, to enjoy it, and even squeeze in a trip to Europe! I give this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee. Go buy it!

~ Ruthie ~

Ps. Read any good books lately?

Friday Features - Ready Player One - a Book Review

I first heard about “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline from the members of my online book group. It sounded really interesting, and after hearing my Elf-sister geek out over it I knew I had to read it! It took me awhile to get my hands on it (it’s a popular book based on how many holds the library had!), and when I did I couldn’t put it down. The synopsis on Amazon is really long, so I’ll give you my own summary.

“Ready Player One” is set in the year 2044, a bleak future where the world is overcrowded, and trailer parks now rise twelve levels or higher. All the trash, just with a higher population density.

There is one escape from the stark pain of daily life, OASIS, virtual reality at its best. In fact its taken over real life in many ways, business meetings take place there virtually, its full of shopping malls, and kids can even go to virtual schools via OASIS! Wade Watts is one of those kids, although he goes by Parzival everywhere but at school, where he’s not allowed to.

For years OASIS had provided not just an escape, it’s provided people with purpose. When OASIS creator James Halliday died, he left the world with the opportunity to win his vast fortune, all they had to do was participate in a vast and difficult quest. Now thousands have spent years trying to even figure out the first puzzle. Parzival is not only one of these kids - he is the first to find his way through that first challenge.

This book is a riotous geek-fest for anyone who has fond memories of the 80’s. Halliday was obsessed with the 80’s (and some with the 70’s and 90’s) and the quest is all based on obscure facts from that era. Video games, movies, music, you name it, it’s there!

I have to admit that I was pretty young in the 80’s, and I didn’t have much exposure to the popular culture of the era until long after it was over, but there was still more than enough in here that I did remember. And I loved every minute of it!


I give this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee. (really need to get the graphic figured out lol) Not only is it a ton of fun for the nostalgia, it’s incredibly well written. The quest is compelling, and there is a lot of character growth, both in the main character and in his friends. If you remember the 80’s, or are a video game geek, go read this book!

Friday's Features - The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

I’ve always loved the story of Robin Hood, despite it’s moral ambiguity. Actually, I have to admit I’ve always liked the bad boys, so when you present me with a bad boy who is still trying to do good, well, I’m happy to say the least.

Since I love the Robin Hood story I was really excited when I realized that Robin McKinley had written a book based on the legend. She's one of my favorite authors anyway, and she didn't disappoint me with this book! It was obvious that she loves the story as much as I do, and when you read her little note at the back of the book, you see that she really did her research as well..

Now let me warn you, while the story does include all of the important elements and does a wonderful job fleshing out the legend, don't go into this comparing it to your favorite Robin Hood tale. I started to, and was quickly reminded that doing so is always dicey. This is not necessarily the Robin Hood story that I am most familiar with, but it is a really, really good story.

I love people, and one thing that Robin McKinley does an excellent job with in this book is making the characters from the old tale into people that you can understand and relate too. There is one character that I don't recognize from the tales I know (his name is Much, what kind of name is that?) but all of the rest of the players are there, even some I only dimly remember!

Robin Hood himself isn't necessarily the hero you'd expect at the beginning of the book, but it was a lot of fun to watch him grow into his legend, and see how he changed over time. One thing McKinley highlights in this book is just how legends actually start, there's usually a grain of truth in them, but it's often blown all out of proportion. Which, of course, outlaws like those who lived in Sherwood Forest, have a lot of fun exploiting!

I give this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee (cuz stars are boring). I liked the story, it provided great character growth and development, and despite not matching up my most beloved version of the tale, it was close enough that enjoyed it immensely. Not to mention that Maid Marian is a kick-ass woman in this story - which I always love! I never liked her in the Disney movie because she was too weak...

~ Ruthie ~

Ps. I'd also highly recommend any of her other books - I've read most of them!

Friday Features - Author Interview with Jenni Merrit

I'm very excited! Today I get to feature my first author interview on this blog! I first met author Jenni Merrit through NaNoWriMo this year. We are both part of the PDX group of writers, and chatted through out the month. I started following her blog and was quite excited to hear about her first book that was published right as this years NaNoWriMo wrapped up. I snatched up a copy to read, and you can read my review of Prison Nation here - it's a great read. Now I present, without further ado, my interview of author Jenni Merrit.

LLLW: How long have you been writing? What got you started?

Jenni: I have literally been writing since I could hold a pencil in my hand. My mom has told me that when I was 3, I would sit at the dining room table and teach myself to write. I would ask her how to spell "cat" then proceed to ask what a "c" looks like... My parents, teachers, and friends encouraged me so much, by the time I was 6 I declared that someday I would be an author. Obviously, I stuck to that declaration. I don't think I ever had any other choice. *smiles*

LLLW: It sounds like you were destined to be an author! What happened between age 6 and now? Did you ever doubt?  

Jenni: Oh man, I think for some time I doubted more than I believed. I always stuck to it though. I would enter writing competitions, fill binders with short stories and poetry. I started more beginnings to books than I can even remember, then hid most of them away. I knew I loved writing, but I convinced myself that everyone out there was better than me. Once I graduated high school, I got married. I had thought about going off to college to pursue writing, but I knew marrying my honey was the right choice. Sadly, my writing got put on a way back burner. We had our first kiddo. I didn't fully feel like myself anymore, lost in mommy-land, so I started writing again. This time, just for myself.

LLLW: Sounds like quite the journey! When you started writing again what was the tipping point where you decided: "I can do this, I can publish this story"?

Jenni: I wish I could say there really was on actually tipping point. I guess first was becoming friends with Keary Taylor. She just wouldn't let me stop. Soon after that, I won my first year of NaNoWriMo. I think it was after that, as I sat and stared at my first ever finished manuscript, that I realized this dream wasn't as far fetched as I thought. I loved this story too much to let it hide, and right then I knew I had to publish it.

LLLW: Was Keary the one that got you involved with NaNoWriMo? Does she have a blog?

Jenni: No. Funny story about how I got involved with NaNoWriMo, but Keary wasn't it. Keary is a self-published author who, I must say, is doing quite well. We had mutual friends, and easily clicked once we found we shared the same world: Writing. Keary has a blog at:  http://kearytaylor.blogspot.com/

LLW: How did you get involved with NaNoWriMo? 

Jenni: In 2008 an old friend told me about this crazy month long event called NaNoWriMo. I checked it out, and instantly shook my head at the very idea of trying to write that much in a month. There was no way I could do it. I quickly forgot about NaNoWriMo. Then in 2009, halfway through November, a different friend told me she was trying this event where you write 50k words in a month. She told me I needed to try.   It was one of those "Oh yeah, that crazy thing again..." moments, followed by a "What the heck" moment. I signed up. Wrote about 1500 words, and quit. The month was already close to ending, and besides, this was just too crazy of a goal.

A few months after though, I kept thinking about it. I heard all of these success stories, and wondered if I could maybe be one. Then I got an idea for a new story. And decided: I would do it. I didn't plot. I didn't plan. But when NaNoWriMo 2010 started, I started. By the 14th of that month, I "won." And by the 30th I had finished my first draft of Prison Nation.

LLLW: That must have been crazy exciting! What was the editing and publishing process like?

Jenni: The editing process was insane. I went through my book more times than I can count, focusing on a different thing each time. Read thrus, editing, consistency, editing, beta readers, editing. I honestly thought this process would never end! I worked pretty much on it daily for the last year, (I know, right?) by the end, I pretty much hated my book with a passion and never wanted to see it again. That was how I knew it was finally done.

Publishing was a whole new area for me.   I did query some agents, but not every book hooks as we all know. I got some great responses from some. Yet it just wasn't meant to be. I finally decided "Hey, I still want my book out there. Self-publishing, here I come!" Thank goodness for CreateSpace, I must say.

LLLW: Is there anything you'd like to say to the aspiring author's out there? Any advice?  

Jenni: DO IT. Honestly, if you love writing. If you know you want to do it... then do it. I know how easy it is to be a "someday" writer. But your novel will never be written unless you sit down and write it. Yes, rejection is waiting around the corner. Yes, it is a heck ton of hard work. But it is so worth it. If this is what you love doing, then figure out what is holding you back, get rid of it, and start writing!

LLLW: Where can we find your blog and your book? Anything else you'd like to say?

Jenni: You can follow my on my blog at  http://jennimerritt.blogspot.com/   I also keep a Facebook page and Twitter (@JMWriting) Please, do keep in touch!   I love talking to people,  especially  about books and writing.

Prison Nation is available via Createspace and through Amazon and Kindle.   It is also on Nook.
And don't forget to add me on Goodreads!

Thanks to Jenni for allowing me to interview her! 


~ Ruthie ~

Friday's Feature - Prison Nation by Jenni Merrit

I decided quickly at the beginning of doing NaNoWriMo that I couldn't let myself pursue reading every book my fellow WriMo's had published. It's tempting, there's an intoxicating thrill in being able to say, "I've met the author!" but there are also dangers. What if I don't like it? That can be interesting. So I approached it with "If the description sounds like something I'd read anyway I'll look into it."

When author and fellow WriMo told me about her soon to be published (and now out!) book "Prison Nation," I immediately knew that it fell into both the categories of, "something I'd read anyway," and, "something I really want to read!" I bought a copy on Kindle as soon as it came out, and I'm really glad I did!

Here's a synopsis of the book from the author:
In the Nation, no one is innocent. Not even the children born behind bars. Millie 942B has spent her entire life inside the Prison, locked away with her criminal parents and the countless other inmates. She believes in the Nation. In its strict laws and harsh punishments.    

The Nation is good. The Nation is strong.     

Now eighteen, Millie is finally released. And the world is nothing like she ever dreamed it would be.     

Meeting Reed, the man born and raised outside the Prison, stirs feelings Millie never expected: Doubt in the Nation. The hunger for freedom. Everything she ever believed may be teetering on the edge, and only the truth can set her free.

Growing up in a Prison, locked in for your parents crimes, is a concept that is both extreme, and fascinating. It brings to mind the Old Testament concept of visiting the sins of the fathers onto the children. Viewing this world through the eyes of Millie 942B could have been boring, but author Jenni Merrit takes us into the prison and fills Millie’s world with rich detail. She manages to make even simple things, like a trip to the laundry room, fascinating.

I loved Millie 942B. The poor girl goes through a lot, from dealing with a Mom who’s crazy and a Dad who’s a shadow, to dealing with a horny prison guard who has complete power over her, but she gets through it. It was a lot of fun to see how she grew through it all. There were times my heart ached for her, and others where I silently cheered her along, and I think you will as well.

I give this book 5 out of 5 cups of coffee:

What more can I say than that? I loved the book and I look forward to reading more work in the future by this budding author! I hear rumors there may be a second book about Millie (she left Prison Nation wide open for a sequel) and I know she has lots of other ideas.

Want to buy Prison Nation? You can find it on Amazon, for your Kindle or Nook, and Createspace.

What to get to know the author better? Follow her at her blog! And then come back next week to read my interview with her!

~ Ruthie ~

Miss anything during this holiday season? Check out my WIP post from yesterday and what I learned during NaNoWriMo!

No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty - a Book Review

Buy It Here

Excerpt from the back of the book “No Plot? No Problem!” by Chris Baty:
NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty’s mercilessly pants-kicking guide walks novelists through the process of finding workable story ideas and tweaking busy schedules for maximum noveling bliss before sailing off into a month of literary abandon. The high-velocity handbook also includes week-by-week overviews, exercises, and pep talks, and also features heaps of tips from NaNoWriMo veterans. Great for November, or any month you find yourself needing a creative boost.

Granted, it might have been smarter to at least start reading this book before NaNoWriMo, but that would have been too easy! I do things the hard way. Which is probably why I’m writing a novel in a month. Anyway, I picked this book towards the latter half of the second week, and found it a great reason to avoid writing (yes, I’m good at finding those, aren’t most writers?).

The good thing is that it quickly pushed me back towards writing. I couldn’t help wanting to dive back into my own work as I read through Chris Baty’s adventure in starting NaNoWriMo. The rest of the book was like that as well, I always put it down wanting to write more, and I think that’s the best review I could give for a book like this.

Other than how much it helped me want to write, the two other things that jumped out at me from this book are it’s great suggestions and writing exercises, and that it’s just plain funny! I kept laughing while I read this book, as Baty talked with a straight face about ways to manipulate others into letting you have your writing time, and beating people who talked at Write-Ins instead of WRITING.

If you’ve never done NaNoWriMo before, then next year I both encourage you to join in the fun, and have this handy while you do so. I’d recommend picking it up and reading Chris Baty’s story about how it all started the week before, then reading each week’s chapter full of encouragement as you are actually in that week, and wrapping up the book in December. Mind you, I didn’t follow my own advice, so you don’t have to either.
Overall I give this 5 out of 5 stars. 

Now excuse me while I go back to writing. It is still NaNoWriMo you know!

~Ruthie~