Category — Other Book Reviews

Audrey on her novel, Poles Apart

Fellow Lit sister, author, writing instructor, friend . . . Audrey RL Wyatt is brilliant! Poles Apart, her award-winning novel explores the fascinating and little known topic of 2nd generation survivor syndrome. Watch the video to learn more! 

I highly recommend the book and not just because she’s my friend!

Sometimes a reader strikes gold.

Sometimes she get really lucky and strikes it three times in a row.

1. The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson

2. The Magicians Lev Grossman

3. Gargoyle Andrew Davidson

Common characteristics: Unusual protaganists and plots. Strong secondary characters. Brillant dialogue and descriptions. Witty. Suspensful. Poignant.

Had trouble putting all three down. Real life can be so annoying.

It’s been a great ride.

Really great.

My favorites, in no particular order . . .

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

If you are serious about learning to write well and getting published, you MUST, MUST read books about grammar, editing, marketing, agents, and the publishing process too.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips For Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty (she also does podcasts; see itunes)
1001 Ways to Market Your Books by John Kremer
The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Guerilla Marketing for Writers by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen
How to Get a Literary Agent by Michael Larsen

I love periodicals too. I subscribe to Writer’s Digest and The Writer.
Plus there’s a bazillion websites about writing, there are writing organizations in every state, etc., etc., etc . . .

Read this stuff. Just don’t forget to MAKE time to write!

Just finished a huge novel, at least 120,000 words, almost 900 pages of font so teeny tiny I almost dug out my kid’s Dora the Explorer magnifying glass.

After faithfully plugging through lush prose, vivid imagery, and exciting characters, the author declined to . . . settle matters. Major characters disappeared. People were left gravely injured. The author split in the middle of the action!

This was my reaction. Throw book against wall. Stomp downstairs. Tell eight-year old and dog what happened. Stomp upstairs, retrieve book, give to dog hoping he will eat it. He does not. He knows books are sacred.

Hey, smarty pants author, if you are going to write a really, really long novel, for the love of Tolstoy, provide a resolution!

I finished the marathon. Now give me the gold medal, the t-shirt, the free water bottle, and yeah, I want those ugly crocodile shoes too. I earned that stuff. Heck, I bought that stuff with my entrance fee!