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March Reading Round-Up

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Okay, did March completely fly by for anyone else? Because I felt like I blinked and March disappeared. It wasn't even like I was super busy or anything! Maybe I was too distracted by the 10 books I read this month. Who knows!

Anyway. It was a decent reading month for me. Most of what I read I really enjoyed, but I didn't really have a new book which I FELL IN LOVE WITH either. 

Some notes on how I do wrap ups: I don't include plot summaries because the publisher can summarize them much better than I can. If you want to know the plot summary, I've left an Amazon affiliated link in the book title so you can check it out. I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

Life is too short to read books you don't like, right? Right. 

Let's get to it then and let me know if you've read any of these books and what you read in March!

 

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

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  • Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 4 Stars

Reading Sunshine took me way longer to read than I anticipated. Not because it wasn't good, it was just a time issue and I had library books I needed to read first! 

Sunshine was a really unique vampire book. It's one of those that reads more like a traditional fantasy than an urban fantasy, so I would definitely put it more in the same vein as Interview with a Vampire than Chicagoland Vampires. McKinley had a stream of consciousness style which was a great way to be introduced to the world. It felt much more natural than a bunch of random info dumps. But at the same time, it slowed down the pace in some places where something would be happening and the character would go on a tangent in her mind and I'd be all "JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS."

Overall though, I really enjoyed Sunshine. It was magical, mysterious, and made me crave more by the end. (Which, the end was SUPER abrupt.) I wish there was a sequel!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Interview with the Vampire, Robin McKinley's other books, not much romance (some "tension" and the main character does have a BF, but it's not a romance by any means)
  • Trigger Warnings: PTSD, kidnapping, blood and gore, violence

Shadowsong (Wintersong #2) by S. Jae-Jones

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  • Genre: New Adult Historical Fantasy
  • Format: Library Hardcover
  • Rating: 3.5 Stars

I was hesitantly excited to read Shadowsong. I read Wintersong last year because S. Jae-Jones (JJ) is a host on one of my favorite podcasts, Pub(lishing) Crawl, and I really wanted to support her book. I liked Wintersong, but didn't LOVE it. Yet, I was curious to see where she would take the characters in the sequel so I picked it up. 

Overall, I enjoyed Shadowsong a bit more than Wintersong. I loved how more of the focus was on her brother and we got to see that relationship, and we saw how Leisel was dealing after the events of the first book. We never think much about what happens to characters after the experience something strange and magical in a fantasy book, so I was glad that was in here. It was very focused inward, vs. outward plot points and dealt more with psychology instead of action. Which is also refreshing for a fantasy novel. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: 
  • Trigger Warnings: Depression, Bi-polar disorder, suicidal thoughts
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  • Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 4 Stars

Shadowsong ended kind of heavy for me, so I decided to jump into something light and fun and Paige in Progress definitely delivered! Paige was so fun to read about in Tessa Ever After, and it made me excited to read her story next. 

Paige isn't your typical romance heroine where she's inexperienced and insecure around men. She isn't afraid of her sexuality and isn't afraid to show that there's more to her than just blonde hair and a hot body! Then Adam was a great hero and a total romantic - the opposite of Paige! Which made for a fun story. 

Tessa and Jason are still my favorite couple in this trilogy, but I really liked Paige and Adam too!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Alyssa Cole books, falling for the older guy you knew growing up, one night stand turned relationship, more athletic characters
  • Trigger Warnings:  promiscuity, one night stands, divorce
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  • Genre: Urban Fantasy/Steampunk
  • Format: Library Hardcover
  • Rating: 4 Stars

God Save the Queen is one of the most unique settings I've seen in an urban fantasy/steampunk series. It's inspired by Victorian London, but takes place in an alternate universe modern-day society where the nobility are immortal and the country is run by vampires, goblins, and werewolves. It's a great mix of modern and past, which at times was confusing, but still fun!

There was a bit of a romance, and as the story progressed it came more to the forefront, but the main focus was on the mystery and her relationship with her sister and mentor.I liked how the romance felt a bit more natural than you'll see in other books of this genre. 

It does get pretty gory though. For the most part, I can handle violence in fantasy books. But towards the end when it was the "final showdown" it was really hard to read and I wished it was a TV show or movie so I could close my eyes! 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Gail Carriger novels, urban fantasy, steampunk
  • Trigger Warnings: violence, death of parents and siblings, abandonment of parent
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  • Genre: Contemporary Romance
  • Format: Library Mass Market Paperback
  • Rating: 4 Stars

I'd been waiting all of February for A Princess in Theory! It just released at the end of the month and I was so excited when my library got it since I enjoyed An Extraordinary Union by the same author so much. 

Some great things about this book was that it featured a woman who was also a scientist, I loved the play on those spam emails about people from other countries needing your information, and the whole secret of him being a prince and she didn't know it.  I also loved when we saw his culture!

Her transition into falling for him could have been a bit smoother though. For a character who is so "anti-love" she fell for him a bit too fast. Which, it's a romance, I get that you're going to have more "insta-love" but it wasn't believable to me. Some people weren't a fan of her best friend, and she was pretty awful. But, I also liked how it felt like a REAL friendship that isn't always perfect. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: romances about royalty, secret identities, women in STEM fields, own voices
  • Trigger Warnings: abandonment and death of parents, back story dealing with being a foster child
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  • Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
  • Format: hardcover
  • Rating: 5 Stars

With the final Throne of Glass book being released in October, I needed to start my final re-read of the series! I'm reading one book a month leading up to the release in chronological order. If this is your first time reading the series, I suggest reading them in this order:

  • Throne of Glass
  • Crown of Midnight
  • Assassin's Blade
  • Heir of Fire
  • Queen of Shadows
  • Empire of Storms
  • Tower of Dawn

Honestly though, as long as you read it before Queen of Shadows, and before Empire of Storms for sure, you should be good to go. But, this was how I read them the first time, and I thought it was perfect. At least in my personal opinion. 

This compilation of novellas is actually one of my favorites of the series. It builds on the world so much, we see back stories, and now that I know what happens it's SO FUN to go back knowing how she ties in all of these characters.

Except the end will ALWAYS gut me. EVERY TIME. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: the other Throne of Glass books, assassins, high fantasy
  • Trigger Warnings:  violent death of loved ones, sexual assault, violence
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  •  Genre: Urban Fantasy
  • Format: Library Hardcover
  • Rating: 4 Stars

Then it was time for me to jump back into post-magic Atlanta with Kate Daniels! But compared to the previous two books this one was... underwhelming. Don't get me wrong. Kate Daniels at this point will almost always be superior to other books and I always really like them. I had all of the feels, I loved seeing where Kate and Curran and The Pack were after the events of the first book, the monsters and lore were great, the humor was on point, and it was a fun fast read. Just not quite as good as some of the previous books.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  Urban fantasy, alpha male romance, bad-ass female leads
  • Trigger Warnings: terrible parents, violence
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  • Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book was one of my most anticipated of 2018! And I'm not alone in this. I've been hearing so much hype for this book for MONTHS, maybe even years when Adeyemi signed with a publisher. It's a young adult fantasy inspired by West African culture and mythology featuring a total BA character and there's magic, and gods and goddesses, and a slow burn romance, and this big epic plot and world... it's great. 

The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is because it took me a lot longer to really get into the story than I anticipated. I enjoyed the whole thing, but my focus was kind of all over the place and even though I liked the beginning, I didn't love it.

The end is such a cliffhanger though and I really want to read more!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: epic fantasy, West African culture, multiple POVs, slow burn, political intrigue, magic
  • Trigger Warnings: VERY violent, child abuse, violent death of family members, tyrannical political figures
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  • Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 3.5 Stars

After the epic and heartbreaking end of Children of Blood and Bone I needed something quick and fun so... time for another Brighton Walsh book! This is the final book in the Reluctant Hearts series, a novella, and we go back to focusing on Cade and Winter's relationship.

I liked seeing Cade and Winter get their happy ending and seeing where the other characters went. But, it also cemented that they are my least favorite couple in the series. I like them, and root for them. But Tessa and Jasen are definitely my favorite and I wished I could see more of them! Cade and Winter are a tad too co-dependent and insecure for my taste. But again, I never not rooted for them. So... I guess that didn't' ruin my enjoyment of it too much.

There was one moment that bothered me though, where they had a bachelor/bachelorette party and when the girls came back drunk Adam mentioned something about all of the things Paige would want to do and I'm like "UM SHES DRUNK DON'T DO ALL OF THE THINGS SHES SAYING SHE WANTS TO DO."

Beyond that. It was fine. Not my fave of the series, but glad I read it.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: couples where one person is super emotionally closed off, tattooed heroes, weddings, the other Reluctant Hearts books
  • Trigger Warnings: implying sleeping with someone when they're drunk, parental abandonment
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  • Genre: New Adult Fantasy
  • Format: hardcover
  • Rating: 4 stars

I have so many unread books on my shelves and on my Kindle app. But... I've been in the mood for this series and it was calling to me and the next book comes out at the beginning of May. So... I gave in and re-read A Court of Thorns and Roses. What's interesting is that I appreciate this first book more upon multiple reads because I see everything Maas is building and preparing for the rest of the series and it's pretty great. 

Also, Sarah J Maas announced on Instagram that a movie is definitely in the works. It's the SUPER early stages. They don't even have a director yet. But still! AHHHHHH. As I was reading I kept on seeing it on the big screen and it could be so EPIC. But some scenes are super violent and disturbing so... I might have to close my eyes sometimes once it does happen. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: epic fantasy, fairy tale retellings, fae, Beauty and the Beast, Tamlin, romance, the heroine rescues the hero
  • Trigger Warnings: violence, poverty, hunting, murder, starvation, torture

Currently Reading:

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J Maas, Re-Read

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  • Genre: New Adult Fantasy
  • Format: hardcover

I wasn't going to keep going with the series right away... but I had a few days left of March and couldn't decide on another book to read so... yeah. 

But this is the best one of the series, so how could I resist?

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: fairy tale retellings, Hades and Persephone, romance, adventure, fantasy
  • Trigger Warnings: abusive relationships, violence, torture

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

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Writers Self-Care

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I'm not good at staying healthy and taking care of my body. I don't have a regular exercise routine, I don't pre-plan my meals or stick to a diet, and depending on my work schedule I either get too little sleep, or too much. 

What possessed me to open up Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube on my days off this week, I have no idea.

But you know what? It felt good. I loved being able to stretch out, get a work out in, and focus my mind to prepare for the day. 

Years back, I had gotten into the habit of doing yoga almost everyday, but then I randomly skipped a day and it all went downhill from there. Once you break a habit it's hard to get it back. I learned that the hard way the last few months when I took December off from writing my novel. Getting back into the habit of sitting down and writing has been difficult to say the least. 

A few days ago, I was talking with one of my critique partners and she was saying how essential her daily writing sessions have been for her life, and hated the idea of having to give them up for other things through the day. For most of us writers, getting in our daily writing time is hard because it's such an isolated thing. Particularly if you aren't getting paid for it. It seems selfish and guilt sets in.

On the Writing Excuses Podcast, Brandon Sanderson continually encourages writers to not feel this way, because our writing is an essential part of who we are and how we take care of ourselves. He says that when someone has a daily run or a weekly basketball league they go to, no one ever is like "Well, you're never going to be a professional basketball player or Olympic athlete so why bother?" We should have the same attitude towards our writing. Even if it doesn't pay you anything, that doesn't mean it's not important. 

It's just like me trying to fit yoga into my schedule. I could see the difference in my day after having that time to clear my head and take care of myself. 

A lot of times, I feel like people tend to look down and make fun of the self care trends. At least in the circles I run in. It's seen as excuses to go shopping, take a bubble bath, or binge watch something on Netflix. 

I'm not saying that those things aren't part of self care. They totally can be! But that's not all it is. Sometimes, you simply need to recharge and do something for yourself in order to help others and be more productive. Writing, reading, working on a creative project, and yes - sometimes binge watching something on Netflix - and taking care of your mind and spirit are just as an important part of self-care as physical exercise and diet are. 

But, sometimes we creative types need to take a break from those things too. 

Camp NaNoWriMo is starting up in April, and people all over the world will get to work on various writing projects. I've heard stories of writers not sleeping and forgetting to eat because they're so engrossed in what they're working on. Some writers will lie on the floor and mope because they can't figure out what to do next and think they're failures. 

But, there are moments when we use these activities as an excuse to not do other important things. That's not good either. 

A blog friend of mine, Brittany, wrote about "Adulting as Self-Care" the other day and how she might not like grocery shopping, but she likes the stability of knowing she and her family have food and are provided for. 

Sometimes you have to do some things you don't like in order to take care of yourself. We have to work a job we aren't in love with all of the time in order to get a paycheck. We have to sit down and pay our bills on time. We need to eat. We need to sleep. If what you're working on is stressing you out too much, focus on something else for a bit. You need stability and food on the table too.

I had the privilege of going to a night with Lin-Manuel Miranda at a theatre a year or two ago. (Yes, I was in the room where it happened. Sorry - couldn't resist!) He did a Q&A with the audience and someone asked "How do you respond when you want to pursue the arts and people tell you to get a real job?"

His response?

"That's good advice."

Yeah, I was slightly surprised too. But, his explaination made sense. 

He said that you should always do what you love, but you also need to pay your bills. You need to have health insurance. You need groceries. You need to take care of your family. Even if he didn't have the success he does now, he'd still be writing musicals because it's what he loves. But, he also would be working as a music substitute teacher to be sure that he and his family were taken care of.

Or there are the times when we focus too much on it. As important as making your creative projects a regular habit is, sometimes you need a break from your self-care.

There are a lot of moments when I get so engrossed in writing, that is stresses me out, and I see other parts of my life suffer because of it. I don't spend time with people I care about because I just have to get this chapter done, or I'll eat junk food all of the time because it's easier to eat at the keyboard, and I'll cut back on the hours I sleep because I need more time in the day to get my word count in for the day. 

Those aren't always good things either. 

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Or no matter what it is you do in life, it doesn't have to be just writing or being creative. If you aren't taking care of yourself, how can you do anything else well? It's all balancing act. 

Just some random thoughts I've been having on the subject lately. How do you balance self-care and also being sure you're productive? Also, I highly recommend a blog a friend of mine started called Help Mama Mediate. While it is for mom's and mediation (I'm not one, and I don't meditate really) she still discusses a lot with self-care and has some awesome tips and advice for being sure you take time out for yourself. 

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to  continue creating aquality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

For the King

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"Yes, that is everything I'm taking with me," Amelia snapped , making the serving goblin flinch.

"If you insist..."

"I do insist!"

That last retort made Nell in her crib start to cry. Amelia sighed. "Now, see what you've done? Leave us!"

The goblin gave a quick nod, and scampered away while Amelia picked up the whimpering toddler. As if the pregnancy hadn't been enough punishment, now for the past year all it seemed like Nell could do was cry, and Amelia was rubbish at making it stop. Why couldn't she stop crying for once?

Amelia didn't particularly want a child, but it was the only solution she could think of at the moment. It took one time of "forgetting" to take her tonic and weeks later she discovered she was pregnant. Surely, the king would never want to marry her then.

But alas, she was still the one chosen to be his next bride and Nell would be left behind, forgotten, along with Amelia's lover.

At least she wouldn't have to listen to the constant crying any longer.

Or Mother's incessant yapping.

"Your beauty has finally blessed this family! You'll raise our people up again," Amelia mimicked as she rocked Nell. The child's mop of brown and blonde curls bounced upon her tan head.

King Edric was known to be kind, joyful, and fair. But, after his wife passed away giving birth to their second child, he was a different man. He'd withdrawn himself for some time. Then, returned to his playboy ways previous to his marriage with men and women constantly coming and going from his bed chambers. Apparently, he  - or perhaps his advisors -  decided it was time to find another wife, and Amelia was the lucky woman chosen. He wasn't very kind when he found out she had a child a year after his proposal. 

Mother disagreed. She said it was completely in his right to be upset and was gracious enough to let the child live and still agreed for Amelia to be his wife. As long as the child didn't come to the castle. 

"But what about what I want?" Amelia asked and looked at her reflection in her full length mirror standing in the corner. If you were to remove the baby on her hip, Amelia was the perfect image for royalty with her long blonde hair and stunning red dress. Beauty was powerful and Amelia was used to using it to her advantage. But now, it was being turned against her. All of the kingdom gossips were saying Amelia was to be the most beautiful queen they'd ever seen. That was, until his oldest daughter, Princess Eira, took the throne. 

Amelia had never seen either princess, but heard the rumors of Princess Eira's beauty. She'd see for herself in only a matter of days. Then she would be queen. 

A queen who was trapped in a cage not of her own choosing. A beautiful and luxurious cage. But a cage none the less. 

King Edric had ruined everything.

Finally, Nell's cries softened and she lay her head against Amelia's shoulder. She glanced at the crib, tempted to put the toddler down, but knew once Nell was back in there the crying would begin again. 

Nell wasn't so terrible when she wasn't crying. Or eating in that sloppy way of hers. Or soiling herself. But moments such as this, perhaps she wasn't all that awful. Amelia had reluctantly grown to care for Nell.

No. Care was too strong of a word. Fond. Yes, she'd grown fond of the child, and now she would never see her again.

"It's not fair," Amelia muttered. Regardless of whether she cared for Nell or not, the child was hers. The only thing Amelia ever had all to herself. The only choice she'd made for herself, and ever would make now that she was to be queen. 

We all must make sacrifices for our people, and for the king, Mother said. Amelia never sacrificed anything until now, and didn't want to start. When King Edric found out about Nell, she'd tried to appeal to his fatherly instincts for she'd heard he loved his daughters deeply. At first, she thought it worked. But in the end, Nell was not to come to the castle. 

"The king will pay for this," Amelia told her reflection. She placed a hand on the glass and it wavered as though the glass turned into water. Through the reflection she saw the other world. The green grass, the fae who lived there, and the sparkling flowers. Amelia used to hide in the mirror world as a child when she wanted to escape Mother. She planned on leaving it behind but perhaps...

A knock came to the door and the goblin popped her head inside. "I've been sent to fetch you. The king is waiting."

Of course he was.

"What are you looking at?" the goblin asked.

Amelia's eyes darted from the mirror, to the gnome, to Nell. Without giving it another thought she grabbed the gnome by the elbow and dragged her to the mirror. She shoved Nell into her arms and pushed the two into the glass. The goblin let out a small yell as she found herself standing in the mirror world. 

"She's your job now," Amelia said and placed a hand on the glass, it wavered, and once again became a mirror showing only Amelia's reflection. She took the tiara which lay on her nightstand and placed it upon her head. 

"Ansel!" Amelia yelled for another servant. Within moments he appeared at her door and bowed.

"Yes, my lady?"

"That silly goblin forgot to be sure my mirror was packed up with my other things and seems to have disappeared. Take it down to the carriage," she ordered.

He bowed again. "Of course, my lady."

He found another servant to help and they took the mirror away. 

She would do it. She would become queen. 

Anything for the king.

 

Yes! I finally have written a flash fiction piece again! In February I was battling major writers block, and I almost lost that battle again here in March. But I'm back with flash fiction!

I also decided in my novel writing to return to what I call the "fairy tale mash-up" where I have a combo of Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Snow White and Rose Red, Rapunzel, and Cinderella. Yes, it's a lot. But I think it's going to be really fun.

To get into the mindset, I wrote this piece about the main antagonist, Queen Amelia. This story takes place about 10 years before the novel will begin. Sometimes it's difficult for me to figure out my antagonist and have a clear picture of them, so writing a quick back story like this helps! I hope you enjoyed it!

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

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Why Representation in Media Matters (To Me)

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It's Saturday night and I hop into my car after seeing the movie, Love, Simon. It's no secret I'm a Becky Albertalli fangirl. I've read the book, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda five times, have cried over The Upside of Unrequited, pre-ordered Leah on the Offbeat, and I met Becky at YallFest in 2016. (Twice. She follows me on Twitter now and patiently and kindly puts up with all of my flailing.) The movie was all I had hoped it would be. Of course there were a couple of minor tweaks I would have made, but nothing that ruined my enjoyment and appreciation of it. I laughed and cried and one of the best moments was when the theater erupted in applause at the big romantic scene towards the end. Nothing could warm my heart more. 

Thank goodness for friends who don't judge too harshly when a grown woman gushes about her "precious baby Simon" and how she wants to "squish his cheeks and give him a hug." 

As I opened up "Simon's Playlist" on Spotify and drove home, I couldn't help but think about how glad I am this movie and book exists. There are so many kids (and adults) who will, and already, have gotten so much out of it. I think of the friends I've known who are somewhere on the LGTBQIA+ spectrum and how much media like this would have meant to them when we were in high school.

Because while Simon is one of my favorite books and I loved the movie - this story isn't for me. It's for them. I'm so happy they have it.

As I drove, my mind wandered to the books, movies, and TV shows that are for me. The ones that deal with the types of representation which would reflect who I am. I've talked about this topic before and more of my personal reasons for representation in media on my now abandoned YouTube channel. It was in response to a video My Name is Marines made, which was much better done than mine. 

I want to revisit this topic, but here on my blog. My video was fine, but not as good as I want it to be, and I tend to write out my thoughts better than speaking them sometimes. Go figure. 

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For a long time, I purposely avoided anything which featured a character who had a disability because whenever I saw any, it was terrible. The character had no depth, all they ever talked or thought about was their disability (sorry, I don't wake up thinking about it every single morning), and they were always this weird-perfect-better than everyone else-someone we should all aspire to be- and only existed to be inspirational-being.

No thanks.

I also never saw a character who had a condition I could fully connect with. They would be blind, or deaf, or permanently in a wheelchair, and I was none of those things. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta which basically means I break my bones a lot and have short stature. (I'm 4'2.) For most of my childhood, I had braces and a walker. Then in jr. high I didn't need braces anymore, but we did get a wheelchair because that was an easier and safer way for me to travel long distances and to carry my books through the school hallways. Even then, I wasn't in it permanently. And none of the characters I saw had short stature the way I did. Then, when shows like Little People, Big World, came out, I was able to connect with them on a certain level. But we have completely different conditions, so it still didn't quite fit the bill.

As I thought about it, I realized it went deeper than this though. Part of me felt I wasn't allowed to enjoy media featuring disabilities. 

My strongest memory stemming to this is from the 1996 summer Olympics. Naturally, all of us kids were excited about it and all summer talked about our favorite Olympians and moments. One day, I was with some of my friends and we were listing our favorite gymnasts. My answer was Kerri Strug. 

The other girls, who were very familiar with my disability and all of my injuries which sent me to the ER several times a year, rolled their eyes and said "you only like her because she got hurt."

Embarrassed, I tried to defend myself by saying that I also thought she was a good gymnast. But it was no use. Already, my opinion was regarded as not valid. 

I wish someone had told me "So what if you only like her because, like you, she's experienced extreme pain but also had to keep going and push through it?" 

Because it's a completely valid reason to admire someone.

Yes, I understand we were in fourth grade and kids can be ridiculous. But, we also can't deny that sometimes what appears to be the smallest things from childhood stick with us for a long time. Even in college my friends would tease me about my love of Snow White, and said it was only because the dwarfs were short like me.

Later in my 4th grade year, I picked up a book called Midnight in the Dollhouse by Marjorie Filley Stover.  It was a novel about a young girl living in post-Civil War time and broke her hip, then during the healing process was confined to her bed for three months. To pass the time, her family got her a set of small dolls and a dollhouse for her to play with. (Of course, the dolls came to life and had adventures.) This book ticked so many boxes for me. I was an avid reader of the American Girl books, so historical fiction was my jam. Then, I loved to play with my dolls and create elaborate stories for them. But on top of it, was a character I could connect to. 

A majority of my childhood was spent with broken bones, having to stay in bed for long periods of time, and needing to find something to do. I remember I was even excited because when the character healed, her left leg ended up being slightly shorter than her right leg. I had the same thing!

While she didn't have the exact same situation as I did, for the first time I had a character I could see myself in. I didn't even realize how much I was craving for a story where I could say "me too!" until I read one.

But, I never tried to seek any more out. Maybe I thought it was a fluke, and for the most part, it kind of has been. Because whenever I did see or read something with a character who had a disability, it wasn't done well.

How awesome it would have been for me to read a book about a kid with braces on their legs. Or now as an adult to read a book about a character with a disability and it doesn't end with them dying, or moaning and groaning about their situation all of the time, or being so perfect and inspirational it's impossible to connect.

Which, we are coming along in that area. But we still have so far to go.

Then, I think about all of the other areas in my life I could see more in media. A big example was when I read The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli. The premise is about a teenage girl who has had 26 crushes, but never a boyfriend. 

As a perpetually single person, this book resonated with me on a deeper level than I had anticipated. She expressed feelings and insecurities I had back then, and even now as an adult, when it comes to relationships I never fully admitted to myself. So often we read stories about people who are in relationships and have had relationships as though it's assumed EVERYONE has had these experiences. I want more stories about the rest of us.

Or, when I read Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit  by Jaye Robin Brown. It was so refreshing to see a book featuring characters who are Christian - but also aren't complete jerks like you usually do. AND it wasn't a "Christian" book either. (Don't even get me started on Christian books.)

Or books about sisters.

And platonic friendships.

 And healthy families. 

It's amazing how even us writers tend to write awful stories about writers. (Example - Rory writing her book in Gilmore Girls:  Year in the Life. I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.) 

Then, there's also the point of that we don't have to be like a character in order to learn from the story. When I go back to Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I think of how much I learned and connected to the book. No, I'm not a gay teenage boy. I have no idea what that's like, I'll never have to come out to my family, or experience someone blackmailing me about my sexuality. But, there were still so many other elements of the book that I could relate to when I was in high school, and I was able to see something from a different point of view. 

That's the beauty of storytelling. We see through someone else's eyes. 

I've been watching a lot of Queer Eye on Netflix lately, and so much of it is about just this. People who are completely different from one another learning from each other. 

There's power in learning and seeing the perspective of someone different than you are.

And there's power in seeing yourself in a story. Just think of all of the black kids right now who are watching Black Panther and feeling empowered by it. Think of all of the women who felt the same when they watched Wonder Woman.

That's why representation matters.

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

The Story of Two Snow Whites

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There once was a girl who loved the tale of Snow White. The Disney movie was the first she had ever seen in a theatre, and growing up her greatest vanity woe was not having black hair. All of her dolls were named Snow White, watched the movie on repeat, and read every version available. 

The same girl also loved to write stories and was always making up large fantastic dramas with her toys. As she grew into her teen years, she may not have played with toys anymore, but was still creating stories in her head. But, she never had "the one." The one story she would turn into a great novel. She'd always heard the phrase "write what you know." But she thought that what she knew was quite boring.

Until one day, someone suggested, "You know Snow White really well, why not write about that?"

Why not?

The girl's mind and heart soared as she thought through ideas, created characters, and built a world around her favorite tale. There was adventure! Humor! Romance! Intrigue! It was going to be perfect!

Years went by, and the novel grew and grew and went through several drafts. None of which had an ending. Until she graduated college and someone informed her of a magical thing called "National Novel Writing Month." Yes! This was exactly what she needed to finally complete this epic tale!

November came and she wrote at the computer for 30 days, and continued to do so for the next several years. Sometimes it was this epic Snow White story, sometimes it was a spin-off inspired by other fairy tales, sometimes it was something brand new. Each one teaching her something about her story weaving skills. 

Then, another idea hit her. It wasn't Snow White. It wasn't based off of any fairy tale. This was brand new. Modern. Urban fantasy. With demons, vampires, witches, and angels. When she looked back at this first book with all of it's rewrites, she realized it was time to put it away. 

In fact... it wasn't very good. It was a wonderful learning experience and vital to her skills as a writer. But the fact remained:  it wasn't good. 

While part of her was sad about it, she knew it was for the best, and moved onto her new idea.

Fast forward another few years. Past five drafts of this urban fantasy novel she so dearly loved. Her second love if you will. The world of rewrites, edits, and queries left her feeling sad. She loved this book so much, why didn't anyone else? Perhaps, it was time to set this one aside. Not for forever. Just for now.

Then, one day, an idea hit her. There were two fairy tales featuring a girl named Snow White. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Snow White and Rose Red. Many people got them confused and thought they were the same character. Being the fairy tale expert she was, our clever (not quite as young as before) writer knew they were in fact two different people.

But what if they weren't?

Once again, the wheels started to turn. Perhaps there was hope for that very first Snow White novel idea after all! With some changes, rearranges, and starting over again with a brand new take on the story... this could be something truly special!

So, she wrote, and shared with her other writer friends who loved this new tale! It was fabulous!

Until... one of these writer friends sent her an inspiration idea. Another one with Snow White. But what if she was a vampire? It combined two of the things she loved to write most. Urban fantasy, and fairy tales. Could nothing be better?

Yet again, her ideas started to bubble over. This was so new and different than anything she'd ever done! This Snow White was nothing like the others, and she could picture this character perfectly. She'd be one of the greatest achievements ever!

Tossing the other idea aside, she dove into the world of the vampire. 

Then, an opportunity came across her desk. A writing retreat offering scholarships. She'd never gone on a writing retreat or had any formal writing training before. She would need recommendations and writing samples. She got to work.

After much deliberation with her writing friends, she decided to include the first chapter of that Snow White and Rose Red book. She dusted it off, gave it a polish, and read it over and over again to be sure everything was perfect.

Wow. That story was really great, wasn't it? 

She began to fall in love all over again. 

This time, it was with two different novels. Inspiration from the same classic fairy tale. But two completely different characters, stories, and worlds. One could not be more different than the other.

It was worse than being on The Bachelor.

Which will she choose?

Find out next week, on the MOST DRAMATIC BLOG POST EVER.

 

 

 

Okay... let's be real. My blogs aren't that dramatic, and I'm the worst at choices. Therefore, don't be expecting to come back next week with my being ready to tell you which Snow White book I decided to work on. But when all of this made me think of The Bachelor I couldn't resist. 

But, this is something I see writers struggling with often. They start one project, then get distracted by another. Then, they have to pick which one they want to focus on. It's so easy to get distracted by the shiny new projects. 

So, now I need to pick between two vastly different but both awesome ideas based on my original love - Snow White. 

A classic fantasy focused on two sisters, with characters I've known and loved for years, and with some of my all-time favorite world-building?

Or

A darker fantasy featuring a vampire and grittier characters that kinda scare me but are also awesome?

I hate choices. 

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

Four Life Lessons From Writers Block

I have had the worst writers block ever since finishing NaNoWriMo at the end of November. I mean, last month I didn't even get a Flash Fiction Friday posted.

Usually, once November ends, I take a bit of a break from my novel. One, I love the holidays and I want to spend December enjoying them and not stressing over my writing. Two, it's always good to give yourself a break and space from a work in progress so that when you're ready to go back to it, you can look at it with fresh eyes. 

Usually, this works out well for me. 

January came around and I was all pumped and ready to go. I was going to have this rough draft of Vampire Snow White finished by the end of February so I could send it over to my critique partners! It was going to be amazing! I had motivation! It was a NEW YEAR! DO ALL OF THE THINGS!

Yet, here we are. It's the beginning of March, and I am no where close to having this first rough draft done. The last two months, I've been battling writers block like none other. I've re-read what I worked on in November, edited some chapters, wrote a couple of pages, and rewrote chapters. But I am no where close to where I wanted to be. More days than not I sat at my computer, looked at the blank screen, then turned on Gilmore Girls and forgot about writing. 

Part of it is due to pure laziness. There's something about winter that makes me not want to do anything. Whoever thought to have people start New Years resolutions in the middle of winter clearly didn't know what they were doing. 

A lot of it though was simple writers block. Every writer and author gets it from time to time. You simply have no idea what is going to happen next, or you can't picture the characters, or there's holes in world building. This is part of what you sign up for when you decide to write. Even if it's non-fiction or blogs! Everyone has those days when they sit at the computer and they can't think of a single thing to type. You just push through it and keep going until words come out.

But I've never had writers block this bad before. Or at least in a long time. I didn't know what to do other than avoid and complain. So, that's what I did.

Finally, after talking with my critique partners and getting a good pep talk and advice, I sat down the other night to work on outlining. Not writing, world building, or character development. Just write down the plot points I knew I had, then fill in the gaps from there. 

At first, it wasn't easy. Once again, I stared at the blank piece of paper. Then, once I got going, I had some major revelations, which I think can be applied to other things in life even beyond writing.

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1) You Have to Enjoy What You're Doing

The biggest revelation I had was that I didn't like the main plot line I was going with. Yes, it needed to be in there, and yes, it could be really awesome and fun. But, as a main plot line? No. I hated it. It was boring. I couldn't figure out what was going to happen next because I didn't like what I was doing. 

Once I saw that I didn't like my plot and I could go in other directions, everything came so much easier. The ideas started flying through my head and I couldn't wait to see what else I could do.

It makes me think of Sarah J Maas' books. Yes, her writing and books have their problems, I won't deny that. But, one of the things I love about her books is that as I'm reading I can tell that she loves what she's writing about. It oozes from the pages her love and passion for it. When someone loves what they're doing, you see it in their work.

Not that you're going to love your work and every single thing about it all of the time. But if you're stuck in something and you realize that you don't like it, what can you do to be sure you do like some aspects of it? Motivation will come much easier and quicker if you find you enjoy what you're doing.

 

2) Don't Confine Yourself to What You Think Something "Has" to Be

I had it stuck in my head that my Vampire Snow White book had to be an urban fantasy. She was a vampire, the setting was in modern day, therefore:  urban fantasy. 

As I was attempting to outline, I realized that this book doesn't have to be urban fantasy. It can have many of the elements of urban fantasy, but I didn't have to stick to that alone. When I opened myself up to the possibility that this book could just be "fantasy" in general, I saw so much more of what I could do with it.

Especially when in the beginning stages of a creative project, you need to let go of the rules sometimes. Do your own thing. Shake it up. Look beyond the bounds of what things "should" be like and do what you want!

 

3) Change Up the Style

Another element that had me stuck in writing the last few months was that the style I was writing in didn't fit my vision for the book. It was pretty typical of some of my other books. Which is fine. Most writers have a specific style and it works. 

But it didn't sound like my main character. I looked at it and kept on thinking about how this didn't feel like her.

So, I went back and rewrote my first chapter using a different style. I'm still experimenting with it, but I think it'll work. If not, I'll try it another way.

Basically, if you're stuck in something, try it from a new angle and see how it goes!

 

4) Allow Yourself to be Bad

This is one I have to remind myself every single time I write a rough draft. It's called a "rough" draft for a reason.  It's not supposed to be good right now.

But for some reason, I, along with most writers out there, think that we can be that one in a million person whose first draft is a work of genius!

It doesn't work that way. 

You're allowed to make mistakes, have things be messy, and not be perfect all of the time. No matter what you're doing, let yourself have breathing room. When we put too much pressure on ourselves for something to be perfect, we stop ourselves from getting anything done at all. 

 

I'm not saying that my rough draft is going to go along and I'll get all of the words written right away. I will still have days when I sit in front of the computer and have no idea what to write about. But, I have much higher hopes for my progress now. 

What are some lessons you've learned when you're stuck on something you're working on?

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

February Reading Round Up

I hope you all are ready for an avalanche of romance books! Because what else would I read in February?

With Valentines Day and Black History month, I wanted all of my reading focused on either romance or books written by a black author. Bonus points if the book did both! (Because apparently it's a competition with points?)

We can officially say whatever issue I was having at the start of January with my reading focus is completely gone and I've read A TON of books this month! It's been a good time. I think I'm going to throw the whole "read less" goal out the door because reading a ton of books is who I am, and I like it!

Some notes on how I do wrap ups: I don't include plot summaries because the publisher can summarize them much better than I can. If you want to know the plot summary, I've left an Amazon affiliated link in the book title so you can check it out. I rate books on a 1-5 star scale. (1= worst book ever why did I read this?; 2= did not enjoy; 3= this was good!; 4= I really liked it! 5= OMG LOVED THIS IT'S THE BEST EVER!) For the most part, you're going to see 3-5 star ratings from me and not a lot of negative simply because if I don't like a book, I'm not going to finish it.

Life is too short to read books you don't like, right? Right. 

Let's get to it then and let me know if you've read any of these books and what you read in February!

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Amethyst (Chase Family Series #1) by Lauren Royal

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  • Genre: Historical Romance
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 3.5 Stars

In December I read Lauren Royal's novella A Secret Christmas and it was really cute. So, when I found that it was part of a series which all follows the same family line, I thought it would be fun to start from the beginning. 

I liked reading a full length novel by this author to get a better idea of how she usually plots and develops characters. There didn't seem to be a whole lot to the plot and premise, so it could have been condensed to a novella. But, I also didn't feel like it dragged at all. I would have liked a bit more development with the characters though, instead of stretching the plot. I liked the couple a lot, but they also didn't know each other very well and the first half of the book I felt like the tension between them was a bit forced and they'd start kissing and making out and I'd be like "that came from nowhere..." But it got much better as the book went on. 

What I appreciated a lot was that we got to see some of their lives after the "happily ever after" and how they overcame challenges as an established couple. You don't see that very often. 

It was a fun fast read, but not one of my favorites. But I'm still willing to give another book or two in this series a try. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: Romance, history, falling in love with someone of a different class/station trope, falling in love but you're betrothed to someone else trope, big loud families
  • Trigger Warnings: fire, loss of parents, orphans, on page sexual assault/rape attempt, cheating

Binti: Home (Binti 2) by Nnedi Okorafor

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  • Genre: Science Fiction
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 4 stars

This was a great follow-up to the first novella, Binti! In this one, she returns home for her pilgrimage, and learns more about who she is and what she has become as a result of the events in the first novella. 

It was really good and I'm excited to read the third and final book in this trilogy, but it didn't pull me in as much as the first. Still fantastic, though!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: sci-fi, space, unlikely friendships, African inspired, coming of age, navigating changing family ties
  • Trigger Warnings:  PTSD

Wires and Nerve:  Gone Rouge (Wires and Nerve 2) by Marissa Meyer

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  • Genre: Science Fiction
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a really fun follow-up to Wires and Nerve and I believe it is also the conclusion of Iko's story. I'm glad it was longer than the first one, because we were able to see more of all of our favorite Lunar Chronicles characters and get more into the plot. I felt the first one went a little too quickly! But, I also don't read many graphic novels so I always feel as though they go by fast! 

You definitely need to read The Lunar Chronicles and the first Wires and Nerve book before this one! The first book wraps up what happens in The Lunar Chronicles but you won't get all of the nuances and backstories as much. If I wasn't a Lunar Chronicles fan already, I don't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: graphic novels, cyborgs, romantic comedy, sci-fi, werewolves
  • Trigger Warnings:  prejudice

Size Matters (Perfect Fit #1) by Allison Bliss

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  • Genre: Contemporary Romance
  • Format: Library Mass Market Paperback
  • Rating: 3.5- 4 stars

Super fun and fast read! I got through this book in only a few hours. It's the first in a new trilogy all focused on heroine's who are plus size. Which, I think is fantastic because women of all shapes and sizes can be beautiful and have amazing love stories! Personally, I think we could have seen more of our main character, Leah, outside of the fact that she was overweight. Her learning to overcome it and get past her insecurities was a big part of the plot, so I understand why the focus was how it was, but at the same time it sometimes felt like it was her whole identity. Looking at the future books in this trilogy though, it doesn't appear as though we'll have the same focus for the other characters which makes me feel better. 

Size Matters definitely took on the vibe of a romantic comedy where there's a lot of miscommunication and situational comedy where the characters get into ridiculous situations and chaos ensues. At first, I didn't mind some of the miscommunication because it was very relateable. How many times do words get twisted around or you're nervous and don't say what you really mean? It happens all of the time! But after awhile, it was simply frustrating. JUST USE YOUR WORDS.

In spite of those things, Size Matters was still really fun. It has it's flaws, but still compelling and enjoyable. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: heroine's who aren't you're typical stick-thin models, situational comedies, romantic comedies, the "be in a fake relationship than fall in love for real" trope. 
  • Trigger Warnings:  Fat phobia/hate, critical parents, body image insecurities

Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

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  • Genre: Contemporary Young Adult/New Adult Romance, #ownvoices
  • Format: Library Hardcover
  • Rating: 4 stars 

Let's Talk About Love started out rough for me. I'm not a huge fan of Kann's writing style, and I personally felt you could tell this was a book that had been published because the Internet liked it. (This was from a site called Swoon Reads where people post their manuscripts, people vote on them, and the most popular books get published.) One of the big culprits is her overuse of parenthesis. As someone who also overuses parenthesis, as well as ellipses, I totally get that it was a "voice" and stylistic choice. But at the start of the book it was WAY over the top that even I wasn't a fan. Another reason it was slow for me was because I felt very old when reading it. I could very much tell that while this is a YA, or more of a New Adult book, and a 31 year old is not the target audience. 

Both of these things got better the longer I read, though.

I loved that the main character is both bi and asexual. Both of these types of representation is pretty rare, so I really enjoyed just "listening" to that point of view and learning about it more. I for sure saw how much I still need to learn.

The more I read, the more I enjoyed the friendships and the relationship between our main character and the love interest. They were adorable! 

What's a bummer is that this book is marketed as young adult. It should absolutely be considered new adult. All of the main characters have completed their first year of college or have even graduated college. They have an apartment together and a lot of the story is about paying rent, figuring out the next steps for your future, and dealing with picking a major. People lately have been begging for the new adult genre to go beyond what's considered "trashy" romance novels. As much as I love romance novels, I too would love to see this group of books expand beyond that because it's definitely an age group that needs great books. Books such as Let's Talk About Love for sure fit the bill and I hope we see more of this style.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: contemporary romance, LGTBQIA+ rep, new adult, young adult, stories about college, friendship goals, ownvoices
  • Trigger Warnings:  aphobia, creeper guys at parties, mediocre parenting

Relationship Goals by Christina C. Jones

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  • Genre: Contemporary Romance Novella, #ownvoices
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 5 stars

THIS NOVELLA WAS SO GOOD.

First of all, it's written by a black author, it's a romance, AND has disability rep because our hero has Sickle Cell Disease. So... that's a win!

One of the things I loved about this novella is how "normal" it felt. When I read YA romance, most of the time (or at least the ones I like the most) feel like real life. I can see these events actually happening in reality and I appreciate the real world and real people more. While I love adult romance, I don't get that vibe. I get more of the "I wish that would happen in real life" vibe. While there's a bit of the over the top romance in Relationship Goals, ultimately I could see this love story actually happening.

There's the social media element, but it's not done in a way that makes your eyes roll the way so many books have it done. They have a long distance relationship, they deal with past mistakes, there's a ton of feminism, and both characters are fantastic.

I loved how they handled his SCD. It was a vital part of who he was, but you for sure did not see him as just the guy with a chronic illness. He was a fully fleshed out character. When he talked about it, I loved how he pointed out the way most people at first aren't phased by it. When he first tells them, it's not a big deal. But when they're faced with the long-term reality of being fatigued easily and how he could randomly go to the hospital at any time, it's a totally different story. These are SO MANY of the thoughts I have too, even though I have a completely different condition.

I was rooting for them from page one and read this in just a few hours. So great!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  romantic comedy, books that feature social media, realistic romance
  • Trigger Warnings:  hospital visits, cheating, being lied to in a relationship, a lot of swearing

Take My Hand (Take My Hand #1) by Nicola Haken

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  • Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance 
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 3 stars

Usually, I'm not one to complain about covers of books. I love it when a cover is GORGEOUS of course. But when I'm not a fan, I don't care a whole lot. That being said, I really hate the covers  for this series. I think it's mainly because I hate wife beater tank tops and the mix of the American and British flags in the background give me a very "'Merica vibe"... even though a majority of the book takes place in London and the author is also British.

I also want to say, I'm in this series for Rachel. I discovered a blog called Sense and Disability where she reviews romance books which feature characters with disabilities. It's fabulous. She reviewed a book in this series which is about Rachel who has paraplegia.  It looked really good, but it's the third in the series and she said that while it can stand alone you need to read the other books to see how this couple met. Therefore, I started with book one. 

At first, I was very turned off by how the main character, Emily (go figure!), talked about Rachel. The intro paragraph about Rachel was "Rachel is a paraplegic" and hardly any of the characters at first could even talk about her without mentioning the wheelchair. In fact, a character even called her "wheelchair girl" or something along those lines. NO THANK YOU. But, it did get better as the book went on and Rachel is a pretty bad ass character, so I let it slide.

As for the main love story which was about Emily... it was good. I was always rooting for them and liked the progression of the relationship. It's very bad boy meets good girl which can be fun. The hero has a very sordid past, and adds another layer to their relationship that plays a big part. But, they became a little too "I'm going to fix you and I need you to survive" for my taste. Again, I was always rooting for them. It just felt a bit unhealthy for me. 

I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. A lot of times the characters would break the fourth wall and talk to the reader which unless you're Zach from Saved by the Bell... no thanks. There also were many times when I got "hetero-normative" vibes. It wasn't shaming LGTBQIA+ or anything, but also didn't sound supportive of it either. While, I get this wasn't an LGBTQIA+ story, if all you're going to do is throw shade at it... don't put it in your book. 

This book was enjoyable, but not a favorite. I was looking at book two and it seems like I might be able to just skip ahead to Rachel's story in book three. If I can, I'm definitely going to go with that and not read the remainder of the series, unless something changes where I'm enjoying it more.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy: bad boy/good girl trope, guys with piercings, a more dramatic romance vs. comedic, books that take place in the UK
  • Trigger Warnings:  excessive alcohol use, addiction recovery, loss of parents and siblings, reference to past drug use, reference to past abusive relationships, hetero-normative vibes, a lot of swearing

Tessa Ever After (Reluctant Hearts #2) by Brighton Walsh

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  • Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 5 stars

Now this is what I'm talking about! I can't get over how great this couple was. I read the first book in this series, Caged in Winter, and it was good but not a favorite. We meet the couple for Tessa Ever After in Caged in Winter, but you don't have to read the first book to follow what happens in this one. I was a bit hesitant about this couple. I knew I liked Tessa, but the love interest, Jason, I was like "him.. really?"

But it didn't take my long to see why Jason was so great. He had me from the moment he stepped on the page! Jason is the rich guy who wants to get out from under his parents thumb and make his own way (they were very Richard and Emily Gilmore) as well as a notorious play boy. He also is funny, and completely adorable with Tessa's daughter. Going back to the Gilmore Girls references, think Logan with a bit more heart. As one of the only "Team Logan" people in the world - I loved Jason. 

Tessa was an awesome character too. I loved getting to know her and her daughter better, and seeing all that she deals and struggles with as a young single mom. (She's about 22, her daughter is about 3 or 4.) Again, with the Gilmore Girls comparisons, she's kind of like a Lorelai where she makes it out on her own with her daughter at a young age, is honest about how difficult it can be, but still a really strong person. She and Jason were so good for each other, and I can't stop flailing over them.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  single mom meets guy who is good with her kid, player meets good girl, childhood friends turned to lovers, guy falls in love with best friends sister, adorable kids, realistic romance, romantic comedy
  • Trigger Warnings:  single mom struggles, awful parents

An Extraordinary Union (The Royal League #1) by Alyssa Cole

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  • Genre: #ownvoices Historical Romance
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: 5 Stars

I thought Tessa Ever After  was going to be my favorite book of the month. THEN I READ AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION. Just... it was so perfect. I'd heard great things about this book, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. 

First, we have our heroine, Elle who was born into slavery but escaped with her parents as a child and is now a spy for the Union and is undercover at a southern mansion. She's a total bad ass, smart, sassy, educated, and has an incredible photographic memory. I loved learning how she sees the world because most Civil War stories are from the perspective of the swooning Southern belles. Elle was completely fantastic.

Then we have our hero, Malcom, whose family endured hardships in Scotland and he is now a detective for the Union. He was very Jamie Fraser from Outlander, but better, because there wasn't that really warped abuse/manipulation/possessive thing that Jamie has. I found his perspective fascinating too because we see how much he's had to go through in life as well, but still seeing him learn how privileged he was.

I wasn't sure how the author would deal with the dynamics of a bi-racial relationship during this time period, but from my limited perspective and knowledge I thought Cole handled it perfectly. She didn't shy away from the challenges, dealt with the power struggle of their different social classes, and had the characters thoroughly think through the choices they were making. 

On top of a super swoony (and really sexy!) love story, you also have all of the spy and detective elements and the Civil War that took up a lot of the plot!

I'm officially becoming an Alyssa Cole fangirl and I definitely want to read her other books!

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  historical romance, Civil War stories, spies, bi-racial couples
  • Trigger Warnings:  depictions of slavery, references to sexual abuse, loss of parent due to suicide, references to war violence

Glamour in Glass (The Glamourist Histories #2) by Mary Robinette Kowal

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  • Genre: Historical Fantasy/Romance
  • Format: Library Hardcover
  • Rating: 4 Stars

This is the second book in The Glamourist Histories which is basically a series that feels like a Jane Austen book but with magic. Awesome, right? 

Because it has a Jane Austen feel, it took me a bit to get used to the writing style since it's very different than the other books I'd been reading in February.  Once I did though, I really enjoyed this book. 

What was really great about it is that since it's the second book in the series, the couple is already married. You don't get to read about already established couples often, and I love seeing them navigate the early stages of marriage. Another thing that was really great about this book is she focused more on the political goings on of the time in this book and went beyond just the parties, balls, and other social aspects of Regency society. 

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  Jane Austen, historical romance, political intrigue, stories about already established couples
  • Trigger Warnings:  miscarriage, gunshots

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

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  • Genre: Urban/Contemporary Fantasy
  • Format: ebook
  • Rating: Currently Reading

I first tried this book as an audio because I had a credit from Audible to use. It was the first time I hated the narrator so much I ended up returning the audiobook for a full refund. The main character is in her 20s, but the narrator sounded like a bratty 10year old. But, I learned Audible does do refunds as long as the purchase was within the last year. Sweet!

However, I could tell that the book and writing itself was good and I did own the ebook and switched to that. 

So far, it's significantly better. 

I read a couple Robin McKinnley books when I was younger (particularly, Beauty her Beauty and the Beast retelling) and I remember really enjoying it. I had no idea she had written a vampire book too! It was high time I read this one. Although, it's been slow going. Not because it's not good, but because I had other books I wanted to finish in February. I'll definitly be finishing this one soon though!

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

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  • Genre: Young Adult Fantasy and #ownvoices
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Rating: 3 stars

I had such high hopes for this book, and I know a ton of people on Goodreads loved it. And rightly so. The writing is lovely, it's an #ownvoices narrative, has a powerful and poignant message about beauty standards, there's tiny teacup animals (adorable!), some awesome throwbacks to the story of Snow White which was really cool, and rich world building. 

The thing is, everyone always mentions in their trigger warnings about the sexual assault scene. Which is good! But, no one talks about how there are several scenes depicting their painful beauty routines and procedures. A large part of the world building is how the Belles can alter your appearance and make you more beautiful, and while you can drink this special tea to dull the pain, it's still painful. These scenes happen nearly every other chapter. Some of them even have characters who go under these procedures unwillingly and are screaming in pain, and one scene they don't even administer the tea. So... basically it's torture. Usually, I can handle violence and such in books without a problem. But when a book talks about breaking bones and really experiencing severe pain the way this book did, it's too much for me because of my own experiences with extreme pain. There were several times I wanted to stop reading the book because of these scenes and they distracted me from the characters and the story. 

If it weren't for that I probably would have enjoyed this book much more. But, this is why I include trigger warnings in my reviews so that other people don't have to go through what I did while reading. 

I fully support this book, and I think there are women and girls who'll really connect with what this book is saying about beauty and culture and will love the story and characters. However, that's not me and I will not be continuing with future books in this series.

  • You'll like this book if you also enjoy:  French/New Orleans inspirations, fantasy, commentary on beauty, own voices, adorable tiny pets, awesome friends groups, stories where everyone isn't what they appear, 
  • Trigger Warnings:  sexual assault, torture, painful beauty regiments, loss of parent 

What did you read in February? Have you read any of these books?

For March, it's Women's History Month! I don't have any articular reading goals because I basically read almost all female authors already. But, I'm thinking of sharing some Women's History Month recs on my Instagram throughout March! (@eehornburg and @coffee_book_love_!)

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

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Cross Country Travels, Dusty Altars, and Steven Moffat - Interview with Indie Author Michelle Winkler

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One of my favorite things about writing is getting to know other writers! I find other writers and aspiring authors on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and it's always really exciting when you connect with someone and you become friends. 

I love swapping ideas, getting critiques, and having other writers to share woes and successes with. So, when I Michelle and I started to get to know each other through a Critique Partner matching, it was one of the best things ever!

We swapped novels and I loved hearing her feedback, and I really loved reading her novel, Dust on the Altar which she is currently prepping to be self-published. I can't wait for it to be released so you all can enjoy it too! If you like fantasy, witches, romance, and adventure - you'll LOVE Dust on the Altar too!

When Michelle agreed to do an interview - I was so glad!

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 Yes, I know I misspelled Steven Moffat in the picture. I don’t know what I was thinking! I, sorry! Please don’t take away my Whovian status!

Me: What do you write?

Michelle: My favorite genres growing up were Sci-fi and Fantasy, so most of my books will be of that kind. My 5 year plan includes: my first novel which will be book one in a fantasy trilogy, a time travel Sci-fi detective novel, and a memoir of my true life journey across country when I was 20 years old, just for a little something different.

Me: Um... I love that you have a five year plan. I barely have a five day plan! I also love that even within SFF, your genres vary like a time travel detective novel. So cool! And you journeyed across country when you were 20? Did you go by yourself???? Or do I need to wait until the memoir to learn? Haha.

Michelle:  The journey across country was not something I’d recommend to anyone. Hitch-hiking Is very dangerous, to put it mildly, even back in the 1980’s. At the time I was desperate, feeling very nearly suicidal but couldn’t bring myself to actually do that, so this is what I did. A last-ditch effort at life, so to speak. I was by myself and had only $60 and a kitchen steak knife for defense. Yeah, pretty risky. I had angels watching out for me, for sure.

It did all work out in the end though, and I can't wait to tell the story of all the great people I met along the way... and some jerks too. Of course I have to finish Dust on the Altar first and its sequels, if the first sells well. I'm determined that no matter how it sells I'm going to write and publish my journey story anyway, it will just take a few years. Stay tuned. 

Me: That's amazing! I definitely want to read that memoir now. You're so brave!

 

Me: How long have you been writing?

Michelle: I once found a 5 page story about a mouse who went to the moon to find out it was made of Swiss cheese, written in crayon... so, I’m guessing since about first grade. I don’t remember actually writing it though, so let’s just say I’ve been writing a long time.

Me: That's adorable. My first story was about the same time. It was about a giraffe who had multi-colored spots.

 

Me: When/why did you decide to pursue writing as a career?

Michelle: This, I’m much more clear about. On November 30, 2015 I amazed myself by winning National Novel Writing Month on my first try. I spent the next year or so debating what to do with the newborn manuscript I had created called Dust on the Altar.  

I had never been happy at a regular job, never stayed at one long, but I had always loved writing. I thought, if I could write books that gave people just a little of the joy I felt as a kid reading books, and could make a living doing it, then I would be happy to do that for the rest of my life.

So, I made the commitment to publish Dust on the Altar. On February 27, 2017, I opened my author Twitter account to start growing my author platform. Almost a year later here I am. I’m still revising DOTA but hoping to make my 2018 release date. We’ll see how well it does. If it sells, then I guess I have a new career. If not, then I’ll keep writing and possibly publishing for fun and those who do like my writing, but I’ll have to find work that does pay.

I’ve learned you should never give up on your dreams, however, you do have to pay your bills in the meantime.

Me: Love it! And I'm really impressed with how much you've been able to get done in just a year. I feel like it takes me AGES to even get a rough draft done, even after NaNoWriMo is over. I also love that you recognize how you can pursue your dreams... but you also have to pay your bills! So many times, people forget that. Just because you have to pay bills and get a "regular" job it doesn't mean that going for your dreams has to stop.

 

Me: How did you pick between traditional and self-publishing?

Michelle: That was a tough choice and I went back and forth on it several times. I don’t think one is better than the other, and I’m disappointed in the negativity authors seem to have toward each other the issue. There is room for everyone at the table.

There are several reasons I chose to be an independent author, but chief among them was complete control over my book. From the cover to marketing, I decide. I also decide when it will be published or if it will be published at all. By going through traditional publishing I leave all that up to someone else. That has its own advantages, but it doesn't seem right for me at this time. Perhaps in the future. Each author should make that choice for themselves.

Me:  Yeah, I've for sure learned more about the independent publishing industry, even though I'm going for traditional. There's a lot of misconceptions out there about self-published authors. But they are some of the best business minded people I've heard of as I read about it and listen to podcasts. It's really interesting, and I can see why they would choose to go that route. I'm really impatient too, so I can see the appeal of self-publishing for sure. But as you said, it's something each author needs to make for themselves.

 

Me:  What are some of the unexpected challenges that have come up while writing and publishing?

Michelle:  It’s taking much longer than I thought it would to revise my book. I’ve had to push my release date out twice and may have to again, which is upsetting to me. I’m not a patient person when it comes to myself. On the one hand, I want to have my book done already. On the other hand, I want it to be the best it can be.

Another challenge is having to change in ways I didn’t expect. I’m a very shy person but in order to make your voice heard you need to get out there and make friends in the writing and reader communities long before your book hits the market, otherwise they will say, “Michelle who?” Setting up social media accounts and engaging with them every day, blogging, email lists; all these and more are things I didn’t realize I would have to become comfortable with in order to have a presence ahead of my first book release.

The most surprising thing of all are that all these challenges haven’t scared me away from this career. I should have run screaming back to my cave a long time ago, but instead I have found myself smiling bigger, raising my chin and whispering, “Come on, bring it.”

Me: That's such an awesome attitude to have! I've definitely learned too that no matter if you're traditionally publishing a book, or self-publishing a book, a lot of the audience building and cultivating is the author's responsibility. You really need to put yourself out there. I love that you're not intimidated by it though and you let it motivate you!

 

Me: What’s the most rewarding thing about writing/publishing so far?

Michelle: Helping others. Every time I learn something new I really enjoy passing that knowledge on to other writers who may be just a few steps behind me on the learning curve. I get the greatest feeling of accomplishment from other writers thanking me for helping them. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn't be where I am without all the people who’ve said they like my writing. The positive feedback I’ve received so far has been the number one factor in deciding to go forward with publishing rather than keep my writing to myself. And I most certainly will cry literal tears for days at my first bad review. However, there’s just something about the feeling I get when someone says I’ve helped them in some way, that makes me smile like nothing else.

In fact, the main focus of my blog is to help new writers through their journey by letting them learn from my mistakes.

Me: I think we're all there with you on the first bad review thing! And YES with helping others! I'm the same way. I just love connecting with other writers (like you) and how we can all help and learn from each other. I have people I've been able to share my knowledge and resources with, and they do the same for me. It's such a great community.

 

Me:  Where do you get inspiration for your work?

Michelle:  I like to imagine there are bubbles of ideas floating around us all the time. We are constantly running into stray bubble-thoughts of this or that. If we don’t take the idea bubble and do something with it then it continues to float along until someone else grabs it and does something with it. Right?

Being serious, I’m not sure. Sometimes I have a dream. I daydream a lot while I’m driving. The idea for Dust on the Altar came from a daydream while I was driving past a church. I thought, when you hear about a loss of faith you think of religious faith. What if you were a witch and lost your faith in magic? And thus began the questions that grew into a novel.

Other times it will come from a real life experience. I believe it helps if you experience as much as you can in life and keep your mind and eyes open to what’s around you. You never know where your next story idea will come from.

Me: That's so cool where you got the idea for Dust on the Altar! It's really interesting to see where people's ideas come from, and how even with fantasy, so many times the themes and different elements still stem from real life.

 

Me: What authors inspire you?

Michelle:  In my youth, my mom introduced me to Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Frank Herbert’s epic Dune. I devoured these and more like them by the time I was in 6th grade. It sparked my fascination with the genres I still love today. While I still love the old classics, I find a lack of free time has turned me into a turtle reader and I don’t read as much as I used to.

Most of the books I read now are by new and debut authors. I find them inspiring because while they may have only one or two books out, they show great promise. Two of my favorites so far are Megan Tennant and Jenna Moreci.

Me: I'll have to check out those debut authors!

 

Me:  What is the first thing you remember writing?

Michelle:  I’ve written countless bits and pieces of things over the years but I’ve never really finished anything until now. Unless you count a Buffy fanfiction series a few years ago. But I didn’t finish the last chapter, so I guess I should count that either.

Anyway, Dust on the Altar is the first novel I’ve ever completed and is currently going through revisions to become my first published work.

I’m overly excited about it because it’s the most complicated, and at over 60,000 words the largest thing I’ve written that I’ve ever completed. It has been toiled over and molded and shaped into the best thing I could possibly make it. I can’t wait to share it with the world and hear back all the good and bad things people have to say about it, so that in 3 years time when asked this same question I can say, “I remember writing my first book.”

Me: Yes fanfiction! So many people get their start writing doing fan fic and I love it!

 

Me:  What do you like the most about your genre?

Michelle:  One of my favorite quotes by Steven Moffat actually explains what I love best about the Sci-fi and Fantasy genres, more specifically the heroes you find in them. In part, he says, “History books tell us who we used to be, documentaries tell us who we are now, but heroes tell us who we want to be.” Although you may never reach that ideal of the hero, I believe it’s vital to always have it to strive toward.

The other great thing about the two genres is that they can tell us hard truths we don’t want to hear. By setting the scene in a place completely alien to us, with people and situations that we don’t see every day, we can relax and enjoy the entertainment on the surface of the story while between the lines we are learning a lesson about things going on here in our modern day world. It’s like the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. That lesson stays with us long after we close the book.

Me: I will definitely have to keep that quote from Moffat in mind. That's a good one! And it's so accurate about SFF. People who aren't into those genres I think don't realize must how much truth goes into them.

 

Me:  Describe your writing process in three words.

Michelle:  Messy. Fun. Typos.

Me:   LOL Definitely relateable right there!

 

Me:  What are your top three favorite books at the moment?

Michelle:  Like I said, I’ve become very interested in new and debut authors lately, but earlier this year I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman and fell in love with it. I listened to it on Audible over a couple days while painting our new kitchen. It was such an adventure. Of course I love British accents and it helped that the author read it himself. The descriptions were vivid, the plot was interesting, the characters fascinating. It’s one I will love to read again at some point.

Megan Tennant is one of those new authors I mentioned and her debut novel is Aletheia. It’s a dystopian first person account from a woman with no name. I hesitate to say zombie genre, because it’s not zombies. Just read it. It’s so good.

Jenna Moreci has her second novel coming out soon, and by pre-ordering I got to read the first five chapters. I’m totally hooked. It’s called The Saviors Champion.

Me: I love Ocean at the End of the Lane! And those others sound really good too!

 

Me:  What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Michelle:  I love computer first person shooter games like PlanetSide 2, even though I die constantly, and World of Warcraft. I usually end up playing a supporting role in them like medic or mage. I also am trying to get a veggie and herb garden going, so I can supplement my food and eat better. I dabble with making my own chain-mail jewelry. I love movies and TV… that’s about it I guess.

Me: Chainmail jewelry? That's amazing!

 

Me:  What have you been watching/listening to lately?

Michelle:  I usually make a separate playlist for each book with songs that remind me of the characters, scenes, or moods in said book, and play it on a loop while I write or edit. Lately however, I discovered a group called Two Steps From Hell and have been playing their album Power of Darkness Anthology non-stop. It’s mostly instrumental music. Very emotional. They’ve written songs for some major blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean and such.

I’ve also been watching a lot of YouTube videos about writing and/or publishing. I usually start with Jenna or Megan and surf through whatever related videos pop up from there. Basically I’m in sponge mode trying to learn all I can about writing and publishing before I launch my first book. It’s been fun so far.

Me: I have some writing playlists that I have on repeat too as I write! I might have to take note of Power of Darkness cause they might have some good mood music for my own work. And I'm all about YouTube videos!

 

Me: Any online links you'd like to share so we can find you?

Michelle:  I’m on Twitter daily @MWinklerBooks, my writing blog is at michellewinkler.wordpress.com, my Facebook page is at facebook.com/michelle.winkler.397. The debut authors I mentioned are ones I found through Twitter, so you can find them easily on my "following" list.

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee. This simply helps me to offset costs (ex. paying for my website domain) so I can continue to create quality and professional content - along with you receiving my lifelong love and appreciation!

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Reading, Watching, Listening

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I have been feeling particularly lazy the last couple of months. All I want to do when I get home from work is change into sweatpants, make tea, and watch Netflix. I should be writing, building relationships with other writers, making plans with friends, finding new bloggers to follow, etc. 

But nope. Even on my days off and I make all of these grand plans to be SUPER PRODUCTIVE, I end up reading a book and watching TV. Sometimes I'll get out of the house to run errands. 

I blame winter. 

On Thursday, Helene In Between did a "Reading, Watching, and Listening" post, and I thought I'd steal the idea for this week!

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Reading

You'll get my usual end of the month reading-round up next week. So, I won't go into too much detail here.

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal

This is the second book in her Glamourist Histories novels where it's basically Jane Austen with magic. They're so cute and charming and it really feels like I've jumped into an Austen novel. Just you know... they have magic too. 

 

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

I've heard so many good things about this #ownvoices historical romance that takes place during the Civil War. It's about a former slave who is actually a spy for the Union and can I say YES PLEASE??? Sign me up to read that!

 

The Sense and Disability Blog

A friend of mine recommended this blog to me and I LOVE it already! She reviews romance books that feature characters who have disabilities. Already I've found two new authors because of this blog and I can't wait to read more! I squeal with excitement every time a new blog post hits my inbox. 

 

Watching

Winter is perfect for binge watching TV, am I right?

Gilmore Girls

Usually, I like to have a TV show I'm familiar with playing in the background at home while I'm getting other things accomplished. Cleaning, writing, reading, etc. I hate having it too quiet! With a TV show I know well, I don't have to be fully paying attention because I can jump in at any moment and not be lost. That was what Gilmore Girls was SUPPOSED to be after I finished my re-watch of Friends. 

However, I've been legitimately watching it. It's just so charming I can't help myself!

 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maizel

I know, I'm late to the party! But I finally decided to do an Amazon Prime free trial and this was at the top of my list of things to watch. (Cause you know... same people who created Gilmore Girls...) Everyone has been right in saying how funny and awesome it is!

 

Riverdale

Only the first season is on Netflix but oh goodness I'm addicted! I love this re-imagining of the classic comic (even though I literally know nothing about the original) and the murder mystery is so compelling. Yes, it's a pretty typical CW teen drama with a dash of murder mystery. But still. SO GOOD. I need season 2 on Netflix immediately because I'm too behind to watch it as it airs on TV.

 

The Bachelor

Yes, I'm one of those people who watches The Bachelor and The Bachelorette every single week. I just have to know who Arie picks! Even though I know a few weeks after the final rose episode they'll break up. But, one can hope it'll actually last this time... right? 

 

The Bachelor Winter Games

Judge me all you want. I judge myself. But it's a train wreck you just can't look away from. There's only been one episode and there's so many tears already! Will Ashley FINALLY find love and not be "friend-zoned????" THIS COULD BE HER SEASON! Let's be real- that's the real story behind these Bachelor spin-offs. Is it weird I'm kinda rooting for her in spite of all of the tears? I think it's because I'm secretly like her... but I don't think I cry as much. 

 

Listening

The Greatest Showman Soundtrack

Like the rest of the world, I've fallen in love with The Greatest Showman. I'm a musical theatre nerd - what can I say? Yes, there are some problematic elements, and yes it's not completely accurate as to how PT Barnum really was and how the circus really was/is, etc. But I've seen the movie twice and it makes me laugh and cry and I get chills and ZAC EFRON and the music is just SO SO GOOD. If you ever need a pick-me-up, this album will definitely put you in good spirits. I also learned that the music goes perfectly while reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

 

Demi Lovato's album Tell Me You Love Me

I've never been a huge fan of Demi Lovato. I've never had anything against her, and when a song of hers comes on the radio I don't turn the station or anything like that. Just, for some reason I never got into her music. But when Tell Me You Love me came out last year I heard someone raving about it and thought I'd check it out.

OH MY GOODNESS now I can't stop. It's awesome inspiration for my Vampire Snow White novel. It's full of girl-power, but also really sexy, but also vulnerable. Just.... aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. How was I not a Demi Lovato fan before now? 

 

The Snark Squad Podcast

I've been following The Snark Squad blog ever since their early days of commenting on The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High. We have a long-term relationship. Naturally, when they released a podcast I was on it ASAP.

It's PERFECT. 

In fact, their episode about Riverdale was what inspired me to watch the show, and their episode about Star Wars was completely delightful. If you like snark and pop culture, you HAVE to listen. 

 

What have you been reading/watching/listening to lately? Anything I should check out?