Writing Update: Second Draft Finished!

I love finishing a draft, especially one that's been a lot of work. My second draft of The Binder's Web is finally complete at 64,352 words or 234 pages (for those of you who don't work with word counts). One of my sisters has been reading it, and I'll incorporate her notes into my third draft, which ought to be a quickie (since I'm about halfway through it). Then I'll let it sit while I figure out a better beginning and work on Star Swans.

I haven't opened Star Swans in almost a year, and writing another novel has changed the way I look at some things. So, I'm excited to see how what I've learned will affect this revision.

If you'd like to recommend books that give great advice on pacing, I'm all ears. Have a great weekend! 

MMGM: THE EMERALD ATLAS

THE EMERALD ATLAS, by John Stephens, reminded me of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and of A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS.

Goodreads:
John Stephens' aptly-titled new fantasy trilogy begins auspiciously with a nimble, fast-paced tale of three siblings. Kate, Michael, and Emma have suffered through ten years of odious orphanage "care"; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, disturbingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and decidedly less attractive zombielike Screechers. High early reader marks for strong characterization and battle scenes.


This is a great adventure story, and Emma is hilarious. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys fat fantasies. It's the first in a series, but wraps up the first part of the story well enough. At least, I thought so.

Also, have any of you read an ARC for LIESL AND PO? It comes out on October 4th. I haven't read the book, but this trailer for it is gorgeous.

If you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, the following people would love to oblige you: 

Shannon Whitney Messenger (our founding mother)

Joanne Fritz

Brooke Favero 

Shannon O'Donnell 

Barbara Watson

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

My computer may be going on a road trip without me, and if so, I won't have internet when this posts. But if you have any questions, I'll answer them when it comes home. Have a Marvelous Monday! 

Eavesdropping

Enna Isilee announced the winners to her birthday bash. If you follow this link, you can watch her video and wish her a happy birthday.

She's actually the first blogging friend I met in real life, which is pretty funny, considering the fact that she blogs under a pseudonym and never posts pictures of herself. My sisters, two of my nieces and I went up to Salt Lake for a Shannon Hale signing. So, we were waiting in line, when I noticed a girl with a copy of Laini Taylor's SILKSINGER. Technically, it wasn't even supposed to be out yet, but sometimes Amazon ships early. I'd just picked up mine at the post office the day before and hadn't had a chance to read it. The Girl with the Book was there with a friend, and, being the eavesdropper that I am, I overheard them discussing online-type stuff. The Girl with the Book went back to reading, and I introduced myself to her friend, confessed to eavesdropping, and asked her which book blogger she was. Sure enough, I'd been reading both of their blogs. That was two years ago. The three of us got together again for lunch in April.

The moral to this story is: freely confess your faults to strangers. They like it. ;)

Have a great weekend!

I'm hosting a contest as part of
Enna Isilee's Birthday Bash 2011
Presented by Squeaky Books

From August 22nd until September 22nd Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is having a HUGE bash to celebrate her birthday! There’s a giveaway nearly EVERY DAY, tons of author interviews, and guest posts from a bunch different YA book bloggers. And I get to host a contest!

I get to give away a copy of Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George! Entering is simple, just fill out the form (with optional bonus entries). You have until September 21st at 11:59 MST to enter. All winners will be announced on Enna Isilee's birthday (September 22nd) on Enna Isilee's blog (Squeaky Books). Giveaway is open to US only.


Want to know more about Princess of the Midnight Ball? Click here!

Without further ado, enter to win! Click below.



Click here to enter

Something Funny

Okay. This may be even better than his "I'm Reading a Book" video. If you've never seen a Julian Smith video, you should. Really. Let me distract you. ;)



The revising went well today. If I could make this kind of progress every day, I'd be finished with this draft by the end of the week. If only.

MMGM: DRAGON SLIPPERS

I've seen this one shelved both in middle grade and young adult sections, and my daughter loved it as an eight-year-old. While I've enjoyed all of Jessica Day George's novels, my favorite is still her debut novel.

From Goodreads:


Many stories tell of damsels in distress, who are rescued from the clutches of fire-breathing dragons by knights in shining armor, and swept off to live happily ever after. 


Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories.  


True, when Creel's aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon, it is with the hope that the knight will marry Creel and that everyone (aunt and family included) will benefit handsomely. Yet it's Creel who talks her way out of the dragon's clutches. And it's Creel who walks for days on end to seek her fortune in the king's city with only a bit of embroidery thread and a strange pair of slippers in her possession.


But even Creel could not have guessed the outcome of this tale. For in a country on the verge of war, Creel unknowingly possesses not just any pair of shoes, but a tool that could be used to save her kingdom … or destroy it.


I love the characters in DRAGON SLIPPERS, especially Creel and Shardas, and I love the way Jessica Day George told their story. It's more of an adventure story than a love story, one of the reasons I think it leans more toward middle grade than young adult. There are a few love stories, however, and the one I didn't see coming hit me the hardest. Have you read this one? If so, what did you think?

And if you'd like to read about more Marvelous Middle Grades, the following people would love to oblige you: 

Shannon Whitney Messenger (our founding mother)

Joanne Fritz

Brooke Favero 

Shannon O'Donnell 

Barbara Watson

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Have a Marvelous Monday! 

Party in the Green Bathtub

One of my critique partners has an agent.
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Squee! Amy has an agent. If you'd like to give her high fives and whatnots (you totally want to), you can head over to The Green Bathtub.

That's all. :o)