YA Report: Wicked Passage by N. M. Singel

"Wicked Passage" was a blast to read. It was kind of like watching Time Bandits:

“Wicked Passage” by N. M. Singel is a trippy science fiction following thirteen year old Blake Wyatt as he attempts to preserve the timeline while taking directions from a talking book and two dogs who live in a field of blue grass. With the help of an uncle who likes to nap at the most inopportune times and a sister who manages to get herself locked in a trunk, Blake must save Christopher Columbus from a mutiny started by a Tolucan, an evil being determined to destroy not only Blake but the universe’s entire timeline.

Head on over to the SFFWRTCHT blog to read the rest of the review!

Marathon 3

I got in my fifteen minutes today, despite having a podcast recording to attend (Pendragon Variety). Talk about just barely, too! 20 minutes of writing the ending for "To Save Samantha."

I discovered I had to break through this odd feeling that I was writing the ending to someone else's story. Reading something I wrote so long ago gives me that feeling, like I wrote it in my sleep and don't remember. I remember wanting to write the story and all that, but the words themselves, the phrases, feel like they were written by somebody pretending to be me.

Then I got over it.

It's a long day tomorrow, so Happy Easter everyone!

Marathon 2!

This is my second night of my writing Marathon, and I'm happy to report that I wrote for just under an hour. I'm not quite as thrilled with how late it is, but that's because the kids went to bed late and I got carried away with writing.

Tonight I wrote the rough draft of my review for Leah Petersen's fantastic book, "Fighting Gravity." It was one of those books where, when I write the review, I'm trying really hard not to sound like a rabid fan girl. But seriously, the book deserves the praise.

I also took some notes for my plans to revise "To Save Samantha." I need to rip out a scene in the middle and I've got some conflicting ideas for what to replace it with. When the story requires me to go in a completely different direction that I had originally envisioned, it usually takes me at least a day to chose and get over my choice.

Now it is bed time for Mommies!

The Marathon Begins!

Tonight begins my "Marathon" re-dedication to writing. I'm dedicating 15 minutes every night to any of several writing projects in various stages of concept, writing, and editing - with a focus on the later two. This is how I accomplished my (diminished version of) NaNoWriMo, which proved that this is a good motivator/method for me to get writing. Right after the kids go to bed is the only time of the day where I am guaranteed those fifteen minutes of uninterrupted concentration. Take what you can get, right?

Tonight I started a stop watch and clocked in just over an hour editing "To Save Samantha," a story I abandoned over a year ago when I decided that life needed to settle down before I could apply myself with any thing like good results. "P" is eight months old now, so I might get a full two hours a night to write, do a chore or two, answer emails, etc. P cried just after I was done editing tonight, and now I'm going downstairs to take the chicken out of the crockpot, then blissful, blissful sleep. Life goes on, but that life shall now include writing fiction.

Special thanks to my friend and fellow writer, Cyd, who is often the final impetus to get me back on the writing track. It's easy to feel comfortable writing two book reviews a month, until Cyd innocently asks you what you've written recently.

Tonight: One Hour. Go me!

YA Report: Andrew P. Mayer Interview

I had the privileged of interviewing Andrew P. Mayer for his trilogy The Society of Steam. Check it out here!

Look for more information on The Society of Steam trilogy and Andrew P. Mayer on his website, http://www.andrewpmayer.com/ There is also an adorable little “newpaper” website for the trilogy at http://societyofsteam.com/