Sunday, April 28, 2013

Rotten by Michael Northrop [Review]

Genre:
Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Drama
Publication.Date  April 1st 2013 (Hardcover edition)
Pages:256
Published By:  Scholastic Press
WebsiteMichael Northrop 

Rotten
My review copy:ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


A troubled teen. A rescued Rottweiler. An unlikely friendship.

Jimmer "JD" Dobbs is back in town after spending the summer "upstate." No one believes his story about visiting his aunt, and it's pretty clear that he has something to hide. It's also pretty clear that his mom made a new friend while he was away---a rescued Rottweiler that JD immediately renames Johnny Rotten (yes, after that guy in the Sex Pistols). Both tough but damaged, JD and Johnny slowly learn to trust each other, but their newfound bond is threatened by a treacherous friend and one snap of Johnny's powerful jaws. As the secrets JD has tried so hard to keep under wraps start to unravel, he suddenly has something much bigger to worry about: saving his dog.
(Goodreads)

We park on the side street near the 7-Eleven and climb out into another hot, hazy day. The air is different in Brantley. I can't say exactly why, but then Mars says, "Smells like butt sweat," and I guess that sums it up pretty well.
There's a bench outside the post office, just down the street. Rudy and I sit on it and plaster these responsible-citizen looks on our faces. The goal is to look friendly and positive without looking deranged or stoned. Rusy's T-shirt features skeletons arranged in all the major sexual positions, so it's a fine line. 
Rudy knocks on the door. I'm still half-asleep, so the first thing I say is really dumb: "Hey man. I was about to take a shower."
He shakes his head and says, "Well, I'm not  joining you, if that's what you mean." 
I know right away that this is bad. The blood is deep red and dangerous looking, and as I'm watching, a fat drop falls from the tip of his middle finger right into the crisscrossed laces of one of his fake Jordans. This is bad, bad, bad. Not many people lose their lives to dog bites these days. But lots of dogs do. 


     Emotionally affecting and thematically poignant, Rotten is a great, deliciously readable story. Despite the serious (often heartbreaking) subject matter, the overall tone of the book is light and easy to digest. Meaningful, but not heavy. This heartfelt and insightful tale teaches us about the importance of love, trust and friendship (whether it's between two people or a man and man's best friend), and that everyone deserves a second chance. A really heart-warming, deep and honest story, capable of being both funny and moving. Books like this one get my tail wagging! 

JR isn't even technically my dog. He's half my dog, and it wasn't that long ago that he felt like even less than that. But now that he's in trouble? Now that he gets taken away first thing in the morning and I don't even know if he's coming back? Now he feels like my dog. Because I know what that feels like. He's had it tough, and he didn't even mean it anyway, and no one really has a clue about him. So, yeah. Sounds like my dog to me. 

     When JD comes home after spending his summer "upstate" supposedly visiting his aunt, he finds a surprise waiting for him. A black, furry surprise with a sweet tooth for biscuits. JR (Johnny Rotten, like the lead singer of the Sex Pistols) is a big and dangerous-looking Rottweiler who is afraid of his own shadow. He's a rescue dog with abuse-filled past. JD's mom adopted him while JD was away. Of course, not one of JD's friends knows where he really spent his summer, though they all seem to agree on one thing: it wasn't with his aunt. When JR gets in trouble for biting one of JD's friends, the secret that JD is so determined to protect is about to be unveiled. JD might lose a whole lot more than just his face, though. He might lose his new-found friend. 

    Rotten is both very entertaining and thought-provoking. I especially loved the conversational tone of the narrative and the sparkly dialogues. The back and forth between JD and his friends is strikingly realistic and delightfully hilarious. I thought Michael Northrop did a fantastic job portraying teenage interactions! They're quirky, laugh-out-loud funny and painfully honest. I loved all the jokes and punch lines, and thought the dynamics of their relationships were very believable. The characters felt real, and that's what made this book shine in my eyes. 

     I really liked the lead character, JD. He is pretty much a regular guy, with a regular personality, but there was something about him that really made it easy for me to warm up to him. He's suspicious by nature, he doesn't trust easily and he often has a hard time opening to people. In that sense, he's a lot like JR, and that's probably why they connected so well. At the same time, he's very loyal and protective of both his mom and JR, which really made me love him a lot! He's been through some rough times himself, and so he understands and feels for JR. And he's determined to create a good, warm and loving home for him. He's definitely a good kid and a great protagonist! 

     Rotten is a book that really speaks to your heart. In my opinion, it's a story that can be enjoyed by both girls and boys, teens and adults alike. Animal lovers and realistic fiction fans will definitely love this one! I highly recommend it!


This review was posted as part of:

Friday, April 26, 2013

Guest Post + Giveaway with Nick James, author of Skyship Academy series


Today I have the amazing Nick James stopping by with an awesome guest post about the worldbuilding in his YA science fiction series, Skyship Academy! I'm super excited to welcome Nick back to my blog, and even more excited to share this great post with you guys!

I'm a huge fan of Nick James' Skyship Academy series! The Pearl Wars was absolutely amazing, I loved the worldbuilding (it's mind-blowing!) and the non-stop action! And guys, Crimson Rising was even better!!! Click here to read my review: CLICK

Building the World of Skyship Academy
A Guest Post by Nick James 
When writing the Skyship Academy series, one of the most important aspects to me was that the sci-fi/fantasy world of the books felt real. Honestly, creating a unique world is probably the biggest draw for me when writing science fiction and fantasy. I'm huge on imagination and creativity, but for books like these to work, the reader can't be forced to suspend disbelief too often. The more "out there" an idea is, the more directly it must be related to something the reader will recognize as familiar -- even if that's just a feeling or shared, common struggle.

Much of the world of Skyship developed during my revision phase. I had the basics down when writing the first draft, but at that point I was more worried about the characters and the overall story arc. When it came time to revise, I was especially interested in the relationship between the three main factions in the book: the Skyship Community, the Unified Party and the Fringes. To me, you can have the most awesome fantasy world ever, but if you don't understand how the connections between the pieces of your world work, it's going to feel hollow and fake.

With this in mind, I whipped up a graph to remind me that all three of these futuristic factions have things in common and conflict. This became a good visual representation for me as I was revising.



The resource that binds these three factions together is Pearls -- falling green orbs that are the world's ultimate (and last) power source. The Skyship Community and the Unified Party both rely on Pearls to power their respective technology, and the Fringes ends up being the place where most of these Pearls land. It often becomes the battleground in the war. It's impossible to separate any of these three factions completely. They're all very interdependent when it comes to telling the story.

The Skyship Community:

The Pearl Wars wasn't the first book I tried to write about kids living on a Skyship. The idea has been with me for over a decade, and I distinctly remember starting an unfinished manuscript where a floating school featured prominently. Unfortunately, I couldn't sustain my own interest in that particular story, but I certainly borrowed aspects from it when writing theSkyship Academy series.

In addition to city-sized skyships being totally kick ass, I love the psychological implications of living above the clouds. In the book, the Skyship Community (which lives in dozens of ships across the country), is basically a separatist movement, taking to the skies in protest of the goings-on in America. They're rebels, and have visibly separated themselves from the rest of the country. As such, they're unable to breach the International Skyline and head to the Surface. I'd imagine that, while being pretty cool, the experience of living on a ship of this nature would also be very isolating and somewhat lonely. Imagine living on a cruise ship that you couldn't escape. Same people, same drama. I like that it's a confined space. I also like that this community has a tactical advantage over their foes on the Surface of the Earth. They could literally drop down and attack at any moment. Both of these aspects served the story well, and I think that's important in any world-building. If it doesn't serve the story, does it really need to be in the book?

Much of the action in the first half of The Pearl Wars occurs on Skyship Academy, a school and training ground for those who will someday fight to obtain Pearls. Having spent time as faculty of a boarding school, I know very well what it feels like to be unable to leave your school because you also live at it. It's the worst nightmare for a kid who doesn't like, or doesn't excell, at school. This provides an interesting backdrop for my main character.

Unified Party:

The Unified Party is what remains of traditional United States government. They've become more secretive and powerful as a result of situations that they've been forced to deal with in the past. They are very much an exclusive government, giving the wealthy and well-connected shelter in their futuristic Chosen Cities, while ignoring those suffering in the Fringes of the country. To a certain extent, they've been forced into this position, but they've also operated in a way that both the Skyshippers and the Fringers find unacceptable.

Of all the pieces of the Skyship world, the Unified Party is the most typically dystopian. On the surface, everything looks pretty rosy, but the political machinations behind the scenes are anything but. I wanted the Unified Party (and particularly its Chosen Cities) to feel very futuristic and rich. In the world of Skyship, America is one big desert, and the Unified Party is the only faction with the power and resources to shield their followers from the harsh conditions. Their Chosen Cities are covered in Bio-Nets, which pump in cool air and keep the atmosphere stabilized. But it's also a place of great control and very little tolerance for outsiders.

The Fringes:

While the Skyship Community and the Unified Party are the two factions most at war, the Fringes is the place where most of the action happens. In essence, it's neutral ground, though it's filled with thugs and rousers and others that have been shut out of the Unified Party's Chosen Cities. It's the most volatile place in a number of ways. The heat alone is enough to prove fatal if endured for too long. It's also a very low-tech, poor area of the country without law or order. In my mind, I always pictured the typical Old West towns when I was writing the Fringes.

When I wrote The Pearl Wars, I was living in Central Washington for the first time in my life. Having grown up on the coast, I was used to rain and beaches and cool temperatures. Living on the eastern side of the mountains was a huge shock to my system, and is really evident in the book. In fact, I doubt whether the book would be anything like it is if I hadn't moved to Central Washington for a year.

Nick's Golden Rules for World-Building:

1. Setting, as with every piece of a manuscript, exists to support the story. If it doesn't serve the story, should it be there?

2. Connections and relationships between the people/motivations of the book's world are what make it feel real.

3. The more outlandish a book's world, the more closely it should be tied to experiences/situations the reader can understand..
LOVE this post! The worldbuilding in the Skyship Academy is top-notch (I know, I am repetitive, but it really is amazing!), and it's so awesome to learn more about it and how the world of The Pearl Wars came to exist!  Thank you for sharing this wonderful guest post with us, Nick

Nick James is a fabulous YA Galaxy Defender! Check out Nick's MIYA-style photo:

(this is an exclusive MEN in YA2 photo that will be printed on the 2014 MEN in YA Calendar. You can enter to win one of two (1 of 2) copies of the exclusive calendar here, at Bookish, on April 30th). 



Author bio:

When he was a young boy, Nick James’ collection of battle-scarred action figures became the characters in epic storylines with cliffhangers, double crosses and an unending supply of imaginary explosions. Not much has changed. The toys are gone (most of them), but the love of fast-paced storytelling remains. Working in schools from Washington State to England, Nick has met thousands of diverse students since graduating from Western Washington University and braving the most dangerous job in the world: substitute teaching. Luckily, being dubbed the “rock star teacher” has granted him some immunity. He currently lives and teaches in Bellingham, Washington.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter 


Because I love Skyship Academy SO MUCH, I want to share this awesome series with you guys! One lucky winner will get the first two books + a pre-order of the third (available Octber 8th 2013)! 
Open internationally, as long as Book Depository or Amazon ships to you!

Ends: May 25th

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This guest post is posted as part of: 

Crimson Rising by Nick James [Review]

Genre:
Young Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure
Publication.Date  September 8th 2012 (Paperback edition)
Pages:360
Published By:  Flux
WebsiteNick James 

Crimson Rising
My review copy:Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


Our best-selling sci-fi series continues

Following their dramatic showdown in Seattle, Jesse Fisher and Cassius Stevenson find their world’s been turned inside out. The faculty at Skyship Academy is keeping Jesse a prisoner in his own home, fearful of his influence over Pearls. And Cassius, once a loyal Pearlhound for the Unified Party, has been pushed into hiding, fearful of his government's retaliation.

When Jesse smuggles a mysterious red Pearl onboard the Academy, he sets loose a destructive chain of events, which lead him to a reunion with Cassius and a confrontation with Theo -- a bloodthirsty Pearlhound with a dangerous secret. 

But a larger threat looms in the stars. An enemy is gathering, with plans to exterminate the entire human race. And Jesse and Cassius might just be the lynch pins that trigger mankind's destruction.
(Goodreads)

Cassius grit his teeth. This was it. He didn't have a choice. It was fire. Fire or die. 
Pearls are people. My people. Cassius and I were sent to Earth to break Pearls, freeing allies that would help us fight the invasion that's to come. But instead of following my parents' wishes, I've been standing by, oblivious, while my own people are snuffed out. Not anymore.
There's no downplaying the sensation. It's as if a missing limb has reformed itself. Nobody in the world knows this feeling. Nobody in any world. There's only one Pearlbreaker. Me. 
This is our planet, Jesse. We have the upper hand. It may seem dark now, but when we climb up to the Surface, we're going to be ready. You and Cassius? You're the champions. You don't get to be called that without a reason. 


      Crimson Rising totally awed me! It's a furiously fast-paced blend of action and science fiction set against a well-developed post-apocalyptic backdrop. A fantastic, intensely readable sequel to one of my favorite books of 2011! 

     Cassius is on the run. After he betrayed Madam and destroyed a government building, he was forced to escape to Canada's Polar Cities. His plan was to lie low, stay out of the radar of the Unified Party and learn how to control his newly awakened power. Ever since he ran into Jesse four months ago, his power has been growing, flames burning inside him, putting Cassius and everyone around him in a great danger. 

     Their chance meeting triggered Jesse's power, too. A different kind of power, one that allows him to break Pearls. Since the Scarlet Bombings, the entire world has been relying on Pearls for energy. No one knew where they came from or why they kept falling from the sky. And as long as they helped power the Bio-Nets, Chosen Cities and Skypships, they didn't care. It wasn't until Jesse broke the first Pearl, that they realized what they held inside. 

     And that's when they discovered the truth about their origin, mission and destiny. They're not only brothers, they're also the first Drifters to land on Earth. They're mission was to break the Pearls, freeing others of their kind - including their parents, founders of Haven's Resistance - and prepare for what's to come. An invasion that would lead to complete annihilation of the human race. 

     I absolutely loved the first book in Nick Jame's Skyship Academy series, The Pearl Wars. It was such a great, well thought-out, breath taking roller coaster of a book, my mind was literally blown to pieces. And guess what?! Crimson Rising is even better! The non-stop action is dizzying at times, but so, SO good! I was glued to this book. The 360 pages flew by in a blink of an eye! 

     The worldbuiling and character development is very impressive. Throughout the book, we learn so many things about the world, the history and the characters! The Pearl Wars left me wondering about some of the aspects of the story. I wanted to learn more about Pearls and the Drifters inside of them, the planet they were coming from and why they decided to leave and come to Earth. I also wanted to learn more about Cassius, Jesse and Avery. Thankfully, Crimson Rising provides some really good answers, expanding the world and exploring the history of both Earth and Haven (for example, we learn more about the Scarlet Bombings mentioned in the first book!). In fact, I was amazed at how neatly everything came together. 

     I really enjoyed the alternating POVs in the Crimson Rising. Jesse's POV is in the first-person, while Cassius' is in the third, and that seems to work really well for the story. Initially, I thought I'd probably enjoy this book even more if both of them were in first-person, but I must say I don't think so any more. Jesse is the lead character and, while Cassius is very important and essential to the story, it's Jesse's thoughts and feelings that take the front seat. I did, however, really enjoy all the insights into Cassius' psyche. He seemed to have a hard time accepting the fact that his brother's power is to "give life" by breaking Pearls and freeing the Drifters, while his own is more of a destructive one. 

     The ending is explosive. Nick James sure knows how to end on a totally epic note! The final scenes are beautifully executed, full of pathos and cathartic feelings. My heart was pounding fast, I was scared, but also hopeful and proud of Jesse and Cassius! The pep talk Avery gives Jesse in one of the final chapters is phenomenal. I couldn't help but to feel excited and pumped-up myself. The passion in the delivery of the closing lines is insane. I had goosebumps all over! I am dying to read the final book in the series and find out how this epic story ends!


This review was posted as part of:

Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith [Review + Giveaway]

Genre:
Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror
Publication.Date  November 9th 2010 (Hardcover edition)
Pages:358
Published By:  Feiwel & Friends
WebsiteAndrew Smith 

The Marbury Lens
My review copy:Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.

There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.

Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.

Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay.

But it’s not.

Andrew Smith has written his most beautiful and personal novel yet, as he explores the nightmarish outer limits of what trauma can do to our bodies and our minds.
(Goodreads)

I was thinking. What if the world was like one of those Russian nesting dolls? What if we only saw one surface of it, the outside, but there was all kinds of other stuff going on, too? All the time. Underneath. But we just don't see it, even if we're part of it? Even if we're in it? And what if you had a chance to see a different layer, like flipping a channel or something? Would you want to look? Even if what you saw looked like hell? Or worse? 
Henry believed that Marbury was a world out of balance. He needs to take a closer look at this one. 
The one sure thing about Marbury is that it’s a horrible place. But so is right here, too. And there’s certain benefit in the obviousness of its brutality, because in Marbury there’s no doubt about the nature of things: good and evil, or guilt and innocence, for example. Not like here, where you could be sitting in the park next to a doctor or someone and not have any idea what a sick and dangerous sonofabitch he really is. Because we always expect things to be proper, even if we haven’t learned our fucking lesson that it just doesn’t work out like that all the time. 
So, you have this ugly choice: Save yourself or save your friendship. It's why the shitheads who run things turn boys into soldiers: to us, the bond is more important - a flag, an officer, your teammate - the things that deserve our lives more than we deserve to hold on to them. 


     Sweepingly imaginative, boldly visionary and entirely compelling, The Marbury Lens is a book like no other out there. I've been sitting here, trying to figure out what other work of fiction I could compare it to, hoping to give you an idea of what you should be prepared for. But trying to draw parallels proved to be an exercise in futility. There's not a single book (or movie) out there that would be similar in concept. Or as impressive in execution. The Marbury Lens is a wholly original, untameable beast. And there is no preparing yourself for it. You dive in head first, hold your breath and pray to make it out with your soul and sanity intact. And good luck. You'll need it. 

So the Marbury lens is a kind of prism, an elevator car maybe, that separate the layers and lets me see the Jack who's in the next hole made by the arrow.
And that hole is Marbury.

     To celebrate their upcoming trip to England, Jack and his best friend, Conner, throw a going-away party at Conner's place. Jack gets hammered and he ends up taking a walk back home. He never makes it there. He falls to sleep on a bench in a park and is woken up by a seemingly trustworthy doctor who offers to give him a lift back home. Jack's decision to get in the car with Freddie Horvath will change his life forever, triggering a chain of terrifying events that will have him desperate, scared and lost. 
And that's only the beginning. When he finally arrives in England, a weird-looking guy hands him a pair of glasses, insisting that they belong to him. Driven by curiosity, Jack puts them on and he is instantly transported to a different world. A world called Marbury, a vicious, desolate place where forces of good and evil are locked in a never-ending, multidimensional conflict.

Hey, Nickie, did I tell you about how I got kidnapped by this sick guy named Freddie Horvath? And how he shot me up with drugs and shocked me, and I thought I was going to die? And, oh yeah, he tried to rape me, too?
But I got away from him.
YOU DIDN'T GET AWAY FROM ANYTHING, JACK.
Freddie Horvath did something to my brain.
And then me and my best friend, Conner, killed him. It was an accident, but we fucking killed him, just the same. Did I tell you that, Nickie? Or, did I tell you about how I can't even remember anything about meeting you today because I hallucinated some crazy shit about people getting hacked into pieces and eaten by bugs? Or how I got shot through my side with an arrow?
Did I tell you about that, Nickie?
Because I do remember that.

     The look at Jack's psyche is utterly terrifying. Everything that happens to him, everything he goes through, every struggle he faces - both internal and external alike - is painfully and mind-numbingly real. You live through all the experiences with him, you taste his fear, anger and disgust, you close your fists, gasp for breath and look around suspiciously. Smith's writing is so convincing, so overpowering, you almost hear the roll.. tap, tap, tap as you read and it thoroughly freaks you out. Now, I don't know about you, but when I read, I get completely lost in the story. And this story here made it all too easy for me to get lost in it, to the point I had trouble finding my way back. From the powerful and furiously disturbing beginning to the semi-positive, partially inconclusive ending - I was paralysed by the intensity of this book. Smith's prose evokes many emotions, from fear to almost physical pain and sadness. I was especially affected by the first few chapters. The way the author described everything that happened to Jack during the short period of time when he was held captive by the sick-o kidnapper made my skin crawl. It was gut-wrenching, disquieting and awful. And knowing that - like Jack Withmore - the author also lived through some truly terrifying experiences as a teen (including being kidnapped), made it that much harder for me to stomach the opening passages of the story. 

I know this is going to sound insane, and I'm sorry for it, but a part of me wanted to go back to Freddie's house. Like there was something I'd left behind that I could only have if I went back to that room and went back to my place on that bed.
Like I belonged there.
Like I deserved it.
I sat there until it was too dark for me to see the sick, undressed, and dirty kid in my goddamned mirror.
It was the first time in my life I wanted to kill myself. 

     Jack is a truly complex character. He's not easy to like (nor does he give a shit if you like him or not), but he grows on you as the story progresses. He seems pretty tough on the outside and is capable of pushing himself to new limits, but he's also riddled with anxiety and very fragile on the inside (both emotionally and psychologically). As he struggles to make sense of what is happening to him, he begins to question his own sanity. Is the world of Marbury real? Or did he lose his mind? Did he really get away or is he still strapped to the bed in the madman's house? Jack isn't sure and therefore we can never be sure either. 

I was thinking, What if the world was like that? What if we only saw one surface of it, the outside, but there was all kinds of other stuff going on, too? All the time. Underneath. But we just don't see it, even if we're part of it? Even if we're in it? And what if you had a chance to see a different layer, like flipping a channel or something? Would you want to look? Even if what you saw looked like hell? Or worse? 

     While this book is not for everyone -- those who are bothered by scenes of graphic violence, coarse language and unanswered questions shouldn't bother -- any reader with taste for macabre and intellectual challenges will appreciate it. If you're expecting cheap thrills, linear action-sequences and ridiculously cheesy (but somewhat heart warming) happy endings, you will be let down. This book is not about conquering evil villains, saving damsels in distress and riding off into the sunset. It's about pain, fear and desperation. It's about having your safety and sanity brutally ripped away from you. It's about a traumatic life-changing experience, and the chaos that follows. Self-blame, shame, weakness, falling apart and losing your mind. At the same time, it's also about the healing power of human relationships. About friendship, sacrifice and perseverance. It's about doing the right thing, no matter how dangerous it is or how bad it hurts. The Marbury Lens is about many things -- all of them utterly compelling and profoundly affecting

Sometimes, okay, a lot of times, I'd stare at that spot on the floor - Stella drew imaginary circles around it with her fingers whenever she'd retell the story - and I'd wish that Amy had been standing at the top of a ladder or something so Little Jack would have hit his head just hard enough that he'd never know any world could ever exist outside of the lukewarm nothing of the amnesiac womb.

     To say that this book is dark and unsettling would be a huge understatement. I have never read another YA-categorized novel that would be as disturbing and overwhelmingly dark as The Marbury Lens. Quite frankly there was nothing YA about this story (other than the fact that the main characters are teenagers). Reading it - while fascinating and breathtaking - is not a pleasant experience. It makes you feel like you're drowning. And this feeling doesn't go away after you turn the last page. It stays to haunt you. Days after I finished this book, I was still thinking about it, reeling from it. It's not a book for the faint of heart, but fans of fantasy noir, disturbing (and meaningful) themes and visually stunning mind-benders will love it. 
Beware, though. The darkness in this book might consume you. Are you brave enough to read it?



WHAT YOU CAN WIN: 6 x The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith
OPEN TO: Canada [1] & US [5] 
Ends: May 25th

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This review was posted as part of:

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Blog Tour: Guest Post by George Bernstein, author of Trapped



Today I I have the The Trapped Blog Tour stop by with the guest post by Goerge Bernstein! I love this guest post - it's insightful and informative - and I hope you'll guys enjoy it as much as I did!


MY JOURNEY TO BECOMING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR
My novel, TRAPPED, published by small independent press, TAG Publishers, is getting rave, “best-seller” type reviews. The most common thing I hear is, “It’s so different. I couldn’t put it down.” One reader resented having to leave the story to walk her dog.

I was “an Instant success,”…or was I. Well, maybe, if you consider a 23 year voyage “Instant.”

Yes, I started writing TRAPPED in 1990, and managed to finish the first draft in probably 6 months. The idea for the main character, Jackee, came from remembering a beautiful young neighbor when we lived in North Suburban Chicago, who suffered an anesthetic accident while undergoing plastic surgery, condemning her to a vegative state for the rest of her life.

I imagined Jackee being sentient, however, still sharp of mind and able to move her eyes. I knew nothing of “Locked-in Syndrome” at the time, not realizing I’d “created” a real condition. Since Jackee was immobile, I decided to create a side plot with her husband, and the Chicago Mafia…something to engineer some physical action.

I spent more months editing, polishing, rewriting, until I had a story I loved. Surely the publishing world would love it, too, so off to the library, seeking books with lists of agents. There were several reference books that had useful article about how to write a query letter. I compiled a list, seeking agents who specialized in suspense fiction, and sent off about 15 letters, confident one…or more… would find the idea of TRAPPED as compelling as I did.

It didn’t take long for the responses to come trickling back, form letters mostly, with the pretty universal rejection comment, “It’s just not right for me. I’m sure another agent may be interested.”

Unfortunately, none of those other agents were interested, despite several more batches of queries I dispatched. All the articles urged the “newbie” not to be discouraged. Rejection is part of the game, but…well, it does get to you after a while.

Then a friend in my community had a son-in-law in New York who was a Literary Attorney. A phone call brought an invitation to send the manuscript and a synopsis, and he’d see what he could do. He was very impressed, and had offered the manuscript to friends at a large New York Agency. Things were looking up!

Then came a letter from the agent that the novel had promise, but needed professional editing. He recommended Dave King, author of “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.” I jumped at the chance, and Dave was terrific, with lots of good input… and the suggestion I remove the side plot. It detracts from the story, he said. I worked with his recommendations, but resisted that one change. The newly rewritten TRAPPED was resubmitted, but the agency lost interest.

Off went another battery of queries and the rejections kept coming. I attended several fine writers conferences, met agent and editors, learned how to improve my writing, and eventually did remove the side plot. Meanwhile, I was writing three more suspense novels, but kept coming back to TRAPPED, because I felt it was something special.

Finally, I started entering fiction contests, and TRAPPED became a finalist in the Florida Writers Association RPLA contest in 2012. Then I noticed that TAG Publishers, a small independent Texas publisher, was trying to enlarge their fiction line by running “The Next Great American Novel.” I was becoming jaded and was seriously considering self-publishing, as I’d done for my non-fiction fishing book, TOOTHY CRITTERS LOVE FLIES. But I “girded up my loins,” and sent TRAPPED to TAG. What could I lose, other than 350 pages of paper and some in and postage.

I was so unprepared when Dee Burks, editor for TAG, called me, that it took me a full minute to realize what was happening.

“Everyone here loves your novel,” she said. “You’ll be a winner in our contest if you’ll allow me to edit it and make a few changes. If you’re willing to work with us, we will publish TRAPPED. Are you interested?” What a silly question! I’d been accepting most expert suggestions for over 20 years, so I was ready.

Dee is a great editor and had some fine ideas on improving the novel. Foremost was converting the entire story to the single, 1st person viewpoint of Jackee. All the chapters dealing with other characters were eliminated, and whatever went on in those had to be discovered by Jackee, locked inside her head. Dee did want to change the final scene, which I resisted. After listening to my arguments, she agreed, but we did expand and modified some of the last chapters, all to great effect.

And one of the other most persistent comments I get is, “I loved the ending.” One reader admitted she reread it 3 times, she loved it so much. So do I! So, that’s how I became an “Instant hit,”…after 23 years of trying. Now that I’m having some success, my other 3 novels have a platform to launch from. It’s getting there in the first place that takes all the work…and the pugnacity not to give up.



Trapped
Paperback, First, 346 pages
Published October 15th 2012 by TAG Publisher
The darkness is still, silent. JackeeMaren's heart pounds reverberating through her body as fear sears her veins. Someone's coming. No way out. This time they will kill me. Her breath is short, her chest burns. Must run.Faster. Faster! Her eyes fly open, her heart still racing with blinding fear. Jackee breathes deeply with relief and stares at the ceiling desperately trying to calm herself. The same dream. Something, someone is watching . . . and waiting.

A tragic car accident leaves beautiful, vibrant JackeeMaren completely paralyzed, able to move only her eyes. Jackee's husband, Phil, is devastated and her two young boys left with nothing but a shell for a mother, but still, Jackee senses the foreboding of an evil presence and knows time is short. Slowly, Jackee learns to communicate with her physical therapist, Kevin, by blinking her eyes. As evidence comes to light that her car accident was no accident, Jackee knows she must expose the person who wants her dead before they get a second chance. While Jackee works to put all the clues together, she discovers she has the ability to sense the thoughts of others, but she hides this talent from everyone but her sons, not knowing who she can trust. By actively exercising her new psychic ability, Jackee finally learns who masterminded the accident but feels helpless to stop them from trying to kill her again. Slowly a plan forms to not only ensure her boys are safe forever, but to exact revenge on her would-be murderer. Jackee vows not to rest until this killer understands what it is to be TRAPPED!
BUY THE BOOK: Amazon Kindle | Paperback

Author Bio: 

I was born and raised in Chicago and its suburbs, living there until the age of 39. I'm now a retired corporate President, life-long fishing enthusiast, and a dedicated author. As is my nature, I've worked hard to improve my writing craft, and have produced 3 award-winnning novels, as finalist and/or winners of several large writing contests. I've also become a world-class fly-fisherman and am an expert in fly-fishing for pike & musky, and wrote a book on that, as well.

I now live in sunny Florida, and split my time between writing, fishing & fine cabinet making, but my greatest love is creating riviting fiction. TRAPPED is my first novel.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Interview + Giveaway with Alexander Gordon Smith, author of The Fury


I'm honored and extremely excited to welcome the absolutely amazing Alexander Gordon Smith to my blog today! Alexander Gordon Smith is the bestselling author of the Escape From Furnace series. His recent book, The Fury, blew my mind to pieces, immediately becoming my new favorite!


1. Welcome to Bookish Gordon! Could you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind The Fury?

Thanks Evie, it's so awesome to be here!! :-) 

The inspiration for The Fury came from a few different places. I really wanted to write a zombie book – zombies are my favourite horror creature – but I was struggling to think of an idea that hadn't been done before. Every zombie book or film has the 'thing' that turns people into zombies – a chemical spill, a virus, and so on – and one day I just wondered what would happen if the catalyst that turned people into zombies was you. What if every time you went near somebody they turned into a feral, bloodthirsty monster and tried to tear you to pieces? The weird thing about the story, though, is that as soon as you die, or as soon as you escape, the 'zombies' go back to normal and completely forget that they attacked you.

I think the inspiration goes back much further than that, though. When I was at school I was terrible at PE (gym?). I was in the bottom set every year, and we had the world's most evil teacher. His idea of fun was making us play a game called Murderball, which did often come close to living up to its name! He would give you a rugby ball and a five-second head start, then everyone in the class would come after you. Their goal was to get the ball back, but they didn't care about that – they would just pile on top of you, thirty of them, punching and kicking and biting and smothering. Every week I honestly thought I was going to die. It was terrifying!! And the weird thing was that all my friends were in this group, but during Murderball they changed, they became feral, and I did too when I was the one doing the chasing. This memory of being hunted and attacked by the people I knew was so traumatic that it must have sparked the inspiration for The Fury

2. At more than 500 pages long, your book is quite a tome! How long did it take you to write it? 

It's weird, as I never set out to write a long book. In fact when I originally had the idea I thought it was going to be a fairly short, fast-paced read, like the Furnace books. But I really had no idea where the story was going to go, it took me completely by surprise! I don't plot my books, I don't like to know what's going to happen before the characters do. It's way more exciting for me as a writer to discover things at the same time as the characters, because then your reaction to those events is more instinctive, you don't always have time to think things through logically, you have to act with your gut. Sometimes this means getting things wrong, but I think the story feels more real, more honest. And with The Fury the story just spun off in a completely unexpected direction, I never saw it coming. Because of this, and because it has a bigger cast than I usually work with, it became this monster of a book. Saying that, I think it's still pretty fast-paced!

To get back to the question, though (sorry, I ramble!), the whole thing took about eight months to write, which is a HUGE length of time for me considering that each of the Furnace books was written in three to four weeks. It was great having more time to immerse myself in the world, but weird too because the whole story takes place in less than a week. When I finished writing it really did feel like I was swimming up out of a dream, it took me a while to remember the real world existed.

3. Which part of The Fury was the hardest for you to write? Have you ever experienced "writer's block"? If so, how did you deal with it?

The hardest thing for me was definitely juggling so many characters – the story is told from four main viewpoints and a number of minor ones. After Furnace, which is told purely from Alex's point of view, it was tricky trying to deal with so many voices in my head clamouring for attention. It's a bit like herding cats! :-) In a way, though, the sheer number of characters kept writer's block at bay because somebody always wanted to say something. I think 'block' is simply your brain trying to find its way into the story, and it often happens (for me, anyway) when you don't know your characters as well as you should. Getting to know the characters is the most important thing a writer has to do, because if you know everything about them, if they are as real in your head as your friends, your family, yourself, then they will write the story for you. They always know what to do, so trust them. 

4. What do you hope readers will take away from reading The Fury?

That nowhere is safe, that at any minute the people you love could turn against you and rip you into bloody pieces… Haha, only kidding. :-) You know, horror gets a bad rap, but I think it's an incredibly powerful genre. For a start, you never see heroism, hope and humanity like you do in a horror novel, because people fight tooth and nail for their friends, their loved ones, their beliefs. Friendship and love are so important in a horror story – not the soppy 'love' of some YA books, but the kind of love that keeps you standing shoulder to shoulder with somebody even when all looks lost. In horror stories you learn what is most important to you, what you would give your life to protect. I love the heroism that horror brings out in people. Horror is powerful too because literally anything can happen in a horror story, anything is possible. And I think that if you believe anything is possible with the world, then you start to believe that anything is possible in your own life, that you are capable of anything. It gives you the freedom to believe in the impossible. My books are gruesome, there's no doubt about that, but there is always a streak of brilliant, bright hope stretching through them. I think hope is the most important thing in the world, the knowledge that things can get better, that you have what it takes to get through, to survive. That's what I want people to take away from my books.

5. What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favourite?

I LOVE the first part of the process, that supernova explosion of an idea that stops you in your tracks, that leaves you breathless. I'm impulsive and impatient when it comes to writing (and with everything else, actually, come to think of it!) and as soon as I have the idea I like to start writing. I just like to throw myself into the story and run with it. Those first few chapters are always a joy, it's one of my favourite things in the world. It really does feel like getting into the car and setting out on a new journey, the sun in the sky and the wind in your hair and a heart full of adventure. There's nothing else like it. Of course the danger with this is that after a few miles, or chapters, you remember you haven't put gas in the car, or packed your toothbrush, or worked out where on earth you're even going, so it can come to an untimely end. I start new books all the time, and maybe half of them hit a brick wall. I guess that's how you know you're really into an idea, though, when you want to see the journey through no matter what happens. I often struggle when I reach the middle of a story, I'm not a natural marathon runner, but if you've got the characters right, if you feel close enough to them, then by that point you have to keep writing because you need to see what happens to them, you need to do all you can to keep them safe. It's a weird experience! Oh, and least favourite is editing. I HATE it!!!!

6. How do you approach writing a new story? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Definitely a pantser!! I often don't even feel like I'm writing, just recording what happens. Like I said, if you know your characters well enough then they drive the story forwards, you see it happening in your head and you have no idea what's about to happen. You react to things on the spur of the moment. I call it writing at the speed of life because you're going hell for leather and you don't always have time to think things through, just like in real life. If one of my characters makes a bad decision I don't let them reverse it because you can't do that in the real world. They just have to live with it and work with it. It is exhilarating, because you constantly find yourself surprised. Sometimes when I'm writing I just feel like I'm chasing after the characters, trying to keep up! It's their story, I'm just the guy with the 'camera'.

7. Would you say that your life changed a lot after you got your first publishing deal? How did that feel?

My life has changed beyond recognition since I got my first deal. Being a writer is the only thing I have ever wanted to be, and I'll never forget the moment that dream came true. Seeing your first book on the shelf in the shop is… There aren't even any words. I'm still grinning about it now, nearly six years later. I think I always will be. And now I get to do what I love, all day every day. I'm the luckiest guy on the planet. Of course it hasn't always been easy, especially financially, but I do it because I can't really see myself doing anything else (except maybe a truck driver, my other dream job when I was a kid). I think I'm proof that if you love something enough, if you really, really want it, if you work hard enough at it, then it will happen. I believe people are capable of achieving anything they put their minds to, humans are amazing like that. The most important thing is to believe in yourself, to keep trying, to never give up. If you want it, go get it, you can do it.

8. What are some of your literary inspirations? Favorite books/authors?

Wow, this question would need a million words to answer properly! I love to read, it goes without saying really. There's nothing better than opening the first page of a new book and feeling that rush of vertigo as you wait to see where it takes you. I love horror. Growing up I lived on Stephen King, Clive Barker, and the late, great James Herbert. Those books ignited that passion for horror, the sheer joy of knowing that anything is possible. From there I expanded into anything and everything. You have to read as widely as possible, I think, it's just the best education you could ever hope to have as a writer. Nineteen Eighty-Four, Orwell's masterpiece, is my favourite book of all time. Having said that, I still read more horror than anything else, and love it just as much as always. 

9. What's next in line for you? Are you working on a new book now?

Oh yes! I'm always working on something new, even if they don't ever end up going anywhere! I have just finished the first book in a new series, tentatively called Mercenary. Or maybe just MERC – which, in the story, stands for Monster Extermination, Righteous Carnage. It's about a guy whose family gets kidnapped and he goes after them in a bout of merciless, red-in-tooth-and-claw vengeance. On the way he stumbles across a conspiracy that involves governments, armies, secret organisations, pirates, the CIA, and monsters! It was so much fun to write, there's nothing better than a good revenge story. And I guess that's my golden rule – if it was fun to write, then hopefully it will make for a fun read. Oh, and I think this is an exclusive, as I haven't spoken about this before! 

Thanks so much again for interviewing me on Bookish, it has been a blast!! :-)


Thank you so much for joining us here today, Gordon! I can't wait to see where the story will takes in the sequel!

Alexander Gordon Smith is a furiously awesome YA Galaxy Defender! Check out Gordon's MIYA-style photo:

(this is an exclusive MEN in YA2 photo that will be printed on the 2014 MEN in YA Calendar. You can enter to win one of two (1 of 2) copies of the exclusive calendar here, at Bookish, on April 30th).

But wait! There are more awesomesauce MIYA-style pictures of Alexander Gordon Smith!!! I just have to share them with you, guys!!!





Author bio:
Alexander Gordon Smith is the author of the Escape from Furnace series of young adult novels, including Lockdown and Solitary. Born in 1979 in Norwich, England, he always wanted to be a writer. After experimenting in the service and retail trades for a few years, Smith decided to go to University. He studied English and American Literature at the University of East Anglia, and it was here that he first explored his love of publishing. Along with poet Luke Wright, he founded Egg Box Publishing, a groundbreaking magazine and press that promotes talented new authors. He also started writing literally hundreds of articles, short stories and books ranging from Scooby Doo comic strips to world atlases, Midsomer Murders to X-Files. The endless research for these projects led to countless book ideas germinating in his head. His first book, The Inventors, written with his nine-year-old brother Jamie, was published in the U.K. in 2007. He lives in England.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter 





WHAT YOU CAN WIN: 9 x The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith
OPEN TO: Canada [1] & US [5] & International [1] & UK [2]
Ends: May 25th

(huge thank you to Alexander Gordon Smith, Macmillan USA and Raincoast Books for sponsoring the prizes!)

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This interview and giveaway are posted as part of: 

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