Latest review of DEADLY STAR

When Fenton Ludtke of Savannah, GA, sent me his review of DEADLY STAR, I quickly asked if it would be all right to post excerpts from it on my blog and Facebook author page.  His response was:

 

Of course it would be “all right”! Use my review of “Star” in any way you would like. Just writing this brings Mirabel and Sully to mind again (such is what happens when a story line and characters are strong enough to enter your memory bank).

Following is an excerpt from his review . . .

Now, about “Star.” I loved it . . .  I was awed by your knowledge of space and the hardware that races around in it. I never heard of a nanosat, or met one at a neighborhood bar. And your grasp of the CIA, and the dirty business it is involved in, impressed as well. I am sure you must have done some research, but you handled your knowledge so smoothly I knew your characters were at home with the lexicon.  All this is to say I was involved in the story.

I have not been reading mysteries in recent years. I seem to be on a kick of reading mostly non-fiction, but also old classics, biographies (particularly Churchill, etc.), and political tomes. But your “Star” has awakened my interest in mysteries. It is a writing that takes a special gift of building toward a conclusion, a revealing of the culprit(s), often a surprise. You did it beautifully!

. . . I reread much of Hemingway this year —including early short stories he did for magazines in the 20’s. His writing changed. Touched me more. Made pictures for me. “Star” did the same. 

Thank you, Fenton. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the story and excited that you’ve been awakened to mysteries. I hope you read my next one.

Now the rest of y'all-guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try to do the same. 

cj

Teen Book Club: Shadow Hunters

Shadow Hunters Book Club at Barefoot Writing Academy began in October 2013. The teens chose their name and select the books they want to read with editorial privilege retained by yours truly.

I'm very proud of this group of young teens who are all like to write and some are also illustrators. They have made a lot of progress in a shot period of time.

We meet once a week and nosh while we talk about the books we love, the ones we don't, and question how and why the authors made the decisions they did.

The club has done some heady work during the past two months among tons and tones of giggles. 

Mission:  Shadow Hunters Book Club is dedicated to the craft of writing through the provision of a supportive environment for emerging teenage writers and readers.

Vision:    To promote creativity in writing and reading through a community-based network of teenage writers and readers that are dedicated to acquiring knowledge and skill related to writing and reading.

Values:    Integrity                 Collaboration              Community

                Creativity                Support                       Education

Goals:       I.   Provide a trustworthy forum for teenagers to share information,        successes, and the challenges of the writing life and understanding the written word.

                            II.   Assist members to read and understand different genres of books and short stories.

                         III.   Look for the obscurities that make characters, settings, plots, voice, dialogue, hooks, pacing, tension, and narrative work successfully.

                         IV.   Support community arts activities for the teenage writer and reader.

We hope that you will enjoy their book reviews and encourage to ask questions and leave comments on this blog.      Mahala

Mississippi Gulf Coast anthology

cj Sez:

Writing as Marilyn Johnston, I have an essay about Dauphin Island, AL, in THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST AND NEIGHBORING SITES anthology. The anthology presents twenty-five essays by local authors (with photographs) about favorite tourist spots along the Gulf Coast region.

A book signing is scheduled in the Biloxi (MS) Visitors Center on Beach Road on December 1, 2013, from 2 to 4 p.m. I'd love to see you there.

Books are available beginning Dec 2013.

Okay, back to the writing desk. Are there any writers in the audience doing the National Novel Writing Month challenge? NaNoWriMo is not on my schedule this year  . . . maybe next year. I'm in the midst of two WIPs, and they are in different genres so my mind is too cluttered to attempt NaNoWriMo. 

Mechanical housekeeping note: I've been complaining for a month that my space bar on my PC had started to fail. All my words were running together more than usual. Son was going to order a new keyboard or gift me with his old one, but I decided I'd try to fix it myself. Aha! Success!  The keyboard now sometimes works perfectly, even if the letters on the keys have all been rubbed off. All I had to do was clean out the grape jelly. (sigh)

You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try to do the same. 

cj