Book review: 3 grown-up fairytales

Just right for long, dark nights before the fire (real or electric), these three fairytales for adults kept me reading past my bedtime. Beautiful language, strange and mysterious happenings, and a sense of magic link The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden, Melmoth by Sarah Perry, and Damsel by Elana K. Arnold. But be…Continue reading Book review: 3 grown-up fairytales

Revising a revision strategy, part 1: Scenes

I’m finally diving into revisions of the book I finished in May with a whole new revision strategy. That is, with a strategy at all. Usually I just start reworking everything all at once, from structure to punctuation, becoming pretty overwhelmed by my big mess. Well, early drafts are always a mess, but I’m feeling more in…Continue reading Revising a revision strategy, part 1: Scenes

Summer reading

During all our adventures this summer, I made time to read (or listen) to some good books, both kidlit and grownup. (One of the places we stayed had the PERFECT reading nook. Sigh. I miss that nook.) I came home with even more books, which I look forward to reading here at home (nook or…Continue reading Summer reading

Book review: The Obelisk Gate

If you’re a fan of speculative fiction, you must read N. K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy. After devouring the first book, I finished the second and third books and am still catching my breath. These Hugo-winning novels are a feat of wonder, sorrow, and delight, from the elegant, powerful language to the awe-inspiring craft. And…Continue reading Book review: The Obelisk Gate

Book review: The Fifth Season

Mind. Blown. I finished the first book in N.K. Jemison’s Hugo-award-winning The Broken Earth trilogy, The Fifth Season, and I’m reeling from its sheer awesomeness. This speculative fiction novel for adults encompasses a vast, immersive, world that resonates with our own culture, particularly the way we treat anyone we deem “other.” The plot is continually…Continue reading Book review: The Fifth Season