I cannot get enough of my favorite stories– I’m an avid re-reader, of course, but additionally, I love anything that will take me back to those worlds, even for a moment.
Here’s some fan art I found on weheartit.com recently.
Related posts:
Characters Beyond the Books
My Thoughts on Fan Fiction
Let’s be honest: this week has been hard. Really hard.
Writing-wise.
I am writing a first draft, and it’s going horribly (as writing a first draft is wont to go), and I’m stumbling into evening after evening of soul-shaking, identity-questioning doubts about my writing abilities.
I’m a fraud.
I don’t know how to write a book.
I don’t have a second book in me.
My agent and editor and everyone else will discover that I’m just a one-book girl.
Goodreads hosted an event “Ask Anne Lamott” this past week, and just now, I have found the time to sift through her responses. You need to know that Anne Lamott always seems to be speaking directly to my heart– we are both writers, Christians, and women who wildly, desperately need help– and so all of her responses to various reader-posed questions felt like balm. This one, in fact, felt like validation:
“You have to be pretty lost and crazy” in writing fiction. Yes, okay, I reassure myself. This is just the way of things; this is The Way It Goes.
But then, there it was– an actual response to me. Me! Jackie Lea Sommers!
“Short assignments, shitty first drafts, and just do it.” Yes, thank you. That is how my next novel will get written: day after day writing something bad, then making it less bad, then making it good, then making it great. I’m in the bad stage right now, and that’s okay.
“You get to ask people for help.” Yes, thank you. I actually stopped in to my beloved writing professor’s office just yesterday to vocalize my fears, and she said that if I needed encouragement in the zen of writing or someone to commiserate with, I could just ask. I will definitely be asking. And then, last night, I met with [some, but not all, of] my writing group, women who let me vent about Penn and Maggie, my newest characters, and about their problems. My group members listened and encouraged and offered suggestions, and it was lovely. And I’m so terribly grateful for my beta readers too!
“And read a lot more poetry.” I couldn’t agree more. I think I’ll start with some Mary Oliver tonight. I haven’t yet had a chance to crack open her latest, A Thousand Mornings. Then Christian Wiman’s Every Riven Thing. It sounds like respite.
The Dream Thieves is book #2 of the Raven Cycle (click here to read my review of book #1, The Raven Boys).
Back with Blue and the boys.
This time, we learn more about Ronan Lynch. The paranormal gets kicked up a notch. We see less of Blue, more of Adam, though Blue does start to figure out what she wants. Kavinsky is a maniac asshole, and I kind of love him (or maybe love to hate him … I’m writing this review only an hour after I finished the book, so I’m still not totally sure). I fell more in love with Richard Campbell Gansey III. Just saying.
There are lots of drugs. And drag racing. This totally would not be my kind of book except that Maggie Stiefvater can write and that I love-love-love these characters and their deep friendships, especially between the boys.
Ronan Lynch by Blalua on deviantArt
All that to say, I’m pumped for the third book in 2014!
Related posts:
Review: The Raven Boys
by Maggie Stiefvater
Review: The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
First and foremost, I am excited for these books, which won’t be released until after the new year …
As for books I can start immediately …
1. More Than This by Patrick Ness | I’m convinced Ness is a genius, and this one sounds like it might be his best yet! From the description it seems to be about a boy named Seth who doesn’t know if he is alive or dead. Yes.
2. OCD Love Story by Cory Ann Haydu | I need to read this for obvious reasons!
3. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein | Historical fiction is not my first choice, but everyone tells me I have to read this one! I’m personally hoping it will be along the lines of The Book Thief.
4. The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen | I’ve needed to read this one for a long time!
5. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill | More confusion. Dual stories that might really only be one? I’m in.
6. Red by Alison Cherry | Recommended by Melina Marchetta, so I say, “Yes, ma’am!”
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling | I’ve read this before, of course, but I won a gift card from Alison at Hardcovers & Heroines and bought the audiobook, and I’m pumped to listen to Jim Dale’s amazing performance of this, my second favorite of the series (after Deathly Hallows)!
8. Just One Day by Gayle Forman | Everyone in the blogosphere keeps talking about Just One Year, the companion book to this one, and since I haven’t read the first book yet, I keep skipping all those blog posts (too scared of spoilers!). It’s time I dove into the world of Gayle Forman. She’s the favorite author of some of my friends and I haven’t read anything by her yet!
9. My Bright Abyss by Christian Wiman. The one non-fiction book on my list, I want to read this one slowly enough to chew and savor it. I’ve read the first chapter of this book (from the library), and it was packed so full of meaning that I just knew I had to buy my own copy so that I could digest it slowly.
10. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin | Barnes & Noble had a blog post that listed this as a good book for fans of John Green. I bought it and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I’ve read the other two books on the list already!
Bonus: After I bought those two books, John Green mentioned on Facebook that they were great!
P.S. I love the internet.
How many times do I have to say that OCD is a joy-thief before I should realize: Oh. Hmm. You’re pretty happy right now. OCD will be along shortly to steal that away?
I should learn to brace myself.
On Friday, November 22, I announced on Facebook and on my blog that Harper Collins offered me a two-book deal. Shortly thereafter, amidst all the “likes” and congratulatory comments and joyful sharing, OCD came calling.
I spent the majority of the evening obsessing over future revisions.
I practiced ERP, walking myself through that lovely mantra of “it’s POSSIBLE, but it’s not LIKELY,” then discussing with a friend (asking for no reassurance), and also spending time in prayer.
Life, as I continue to learn, is risky, and the more I learn to embrace risk and uncertainty, the happier I am.
Which is why I flat-out refuse to flat-out refuse any revision suggestions. I will consider everything my wonderful editor suggests, knowing that God is in control and that Jill loves my characters too.
In this sense, I’m growing as an obsessive-compulsive in remission, an author, and as a person.
Jackie 1
OCD 0
Related posts:
Uncertainty is the Key
Uncertainty
Taking Risks
I kicked off November in style by attending a Billy Collins poetry reading at the Pantages Theatre. My darling friend Elyse and I went to hear our beloved poet share his dry wit and perfect imagery and fascinating thoughts. I asked the man beside me, “Have you seen Billy Collins before?”
“Oh, no,” he said. “My wife and I are from Oregon, and we timed our visit to our son and daughter-in-law with Billy Collins’s visit here so we could see him. Have you?”
“This will be my third time,” I admitted. I didn’t mention that one of those times I actually met him and had him sign my copy of Questions about Angels. It reminded me once again just how grateful I am to live in the literary community of Minneapolis!
Some of my favorite friends and I went to an improv comedy show for my lovely friend Ashley’s birthday. The show was funny, but the best part was spending the entire evening with such amazing women.
I was invited to be part of a panel about sadness, anxiety, and depression at a local church. It was good to be able to share about OCD, ERP, and the stigma against mental illness that is so prevalent in the church (the church in general, not that church specifically, ha!).
My college writing instructor and author Judith Hougen has partnered with Ann Sorenson, a local filmmaker/instructor, and Luke Aleckson, an artist/instructor to pioneer the Emerging Artists Collective, a group of young Christian artists who will gather for sharing and discussions about issues related to faith and the artistic life. We had our pilot gathering this month, and it. was. wonderful. I really loved it, and I’ll be sharing about this in more depth soon on my blog.
And then, of course, the book deal. I am absolutely thrilled that Harper Collins made me a two-book offer! It’s still a bit surreal; I need to pinch myself. My dreams are coming true. I have been writing since I was in 2nd grade, though I don’t think I put my goal to “publish a book” in writing until high school. Joy. Elation. Disbelief. Wonder. All of these have been taking up residency in my chest.
November 2013 has been delicious.
Neal Shusterman is a genius.
There are four books in the Unwind dystology– the fourth and final installment is scheduled to be released fall 2014.
My question: how in the world am I gonna wait that long???
These are books that make you think. They take place in the future, years after the Heartland War (between the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice movements). The agreement that everyone has come to is this: abortion is illegal, but when your child is a teenager, you can choose to have him/her “unwound”– that is, every part of their body will be used for organ donation. This is not seen as the equivalent of killing a teen because all of their parts are still technically alive; instead, they are “living in the divided state.”
Dystopian novels are not really my thing. High-octane action and adventure? Not really my thing. I like my contemporaries with great characters and lots of emotional processing.
But these books? Yes. So good.
There’s so much to think about– and so many wonderful characters, the three primary characters being Connor, a would-be Unwind on the run; Risa, a state ward being unwound due to budget cuts; and Lev, a “tithe,” the tenth child of his religious family, who has been raised his whole life to believe that his unwinding will be a gift back to God.
Book one: awesome. (Bonus: includes the most disturbing scene I’ve ever read in YA ever.)
Book two: even better. (Bonus: Miracolina.)
Book three: love this series. (Bonus: frenemies/rivals/awkward love triangle!)
Book four: can. not. wait.
Split Up by MiaSteingraeber on deviantArt
Other series I love:
The Lumatere Chronicles
Chaos Walking Trilogy
The Chronicles of Narnia
Related post:
My Mixed Feelings on Book Series
Talk about random …
Related posts:
Things That Make Life Easier for Readers
My Bookish Bad Habit
Review: The Scorpio Races
Why You Need to Read Melina Marchetta’s Books
It’s true!
I have been bursting at the seams to announce this on my blog, but I didn’t think I should say anything until I signed the actual contract. But I emailed my agent and my editor tonight and asked if I should wait, and Jill Davis, my [already beloved] editor responded, “No need.”
First, the short story. Then, the long one.
Short story:
Two-book deal with Harper Collins. Yes, two books. That means they will publish Truest AND the next book I write! Jill Davis is my amazing editor, and she loves my novel, loves my characters. And I love her!
Long story:
Last week, Steven Chudney (my amazing, amazing literary agent) told me that Jill Davis with Harper Collins loved my story and would be presenting it to her boss. My friends and family and I were all praying that her boss (Katherine Tegen) and everyone else involved would also want to jump aboard the Truest ship. My friends who pray prayed, my friends who don’t pray aimed their positive energy toward NYC, and everyone kept their fingers crossed. All weekend, I kept thinking, I hope that they can’t stop thinking about my story.
Monday, no news.
Tuesday, no news.
Tuesday night, I journalled about it a little bit, first that they must have decided against it, since we hadn’t heard anything in the first couple of days. Then I thought, Well, actually, it’s only the middle of the week. Maybe we’ll hear something tomorrow.
Wednesday, Steven emailed me and asked me to call him.
Since I work in a cubicle (goodbye, privacy!), I bundled up in my winter coat and went out on the veranda and made the call.
I was shocked and amazed and thrilled and overjoyed when Steven told me that they made a TWO-book offer! I asked Steven what the next steps were, and he said, “I don’t know about you, but I’m buying myself a good dinner tonight! I suggest you get some champagne and celebrate!” LOL! He’s so great!
Jill and I talked on the phone today. She. is. AWESOME. She loves my story and my characters and told me, “You’re a DREAM.” I love her to pieces after just one 40-minute phone call.
So, when will Truest be published? Probably not until 2015. Sit tight and save your pennies!!!
I promise you, young adult fiction is not only vampires and gossip and dystopian landscapes.
For the uninititate, I propose you begin here:
Related Posts:
How to Offend a Book Lover (by forgetting characters in The Book Thief)
My Review of The Scorpio Races
Five Reasons to Read Jellicoe Road
How TFiOS Inspired Me to Write YA Lit
Jandy Nelson is an Auto-Buy Author
Spotlight on Melina Marchetta
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 