Lately, I have come to a new realization: I need to update my list of favorite authors to include Karen McManus. The Cousins is the third book by her I have thoroughly enjoyed. The first was One of Us is Lying, which I read on my Kindle. The second was Two Can Keep a Secret if One of Us is Dead, which I listened to on audio. Because of the title, I figured it was a sequel to One of Us… but the two books have no relation, other than they are both twisty, character-driven YA mysteries. The third, …
“Brownies” by ZZ Packer & a Writing Prompt
In “Brownies,” from Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, ZZ Packer relays a tale that is based on either a lie or a misconception, depending upon how you want to look at it. The members of an all Black Brownie troop insist they heard a member from an all White Brownie troop use the “N” word. The story is told through first person POV, by a girl nicknamed Snot. She barely speaks, but she focuses quite a bit on how other people sound. In the beginning, Snot is not so relevant as a character. She …
Book Review: You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie
You Can’t Catch Me is about a woman named Jessica Williams. No – scratch that – it’s about THREE women named Jessica Williams, and several other Jessica Williams also make an appearance. But only one Jessica narrates the story, and that story is original and compelling. When the book begins, Jessica has just lost her job in disgrace. She’s about to take her severance package and leave town for somewhere tropical, when she meets another Jessica Williams with the same birthday as her …
Creative Writing Prompt: Begin with the End
Many fiction writers say that a story’s ending is the most difficult part to write. Below are 10 possible ending lines for a piece of fiction. Pick one, adjust it however works best for you, and then write a story with those words as the closing. We had come so far, but there was yet a long way to go. She thought I’d forgiven her; she was wrong. They had just settled in for the night when the door creaked open. It can’t be, thought Miriam, but there stood David, his face scarred, his …
Favorite Daughters: Path to Publication #2
One thing I've learned from years of self-publishing my novels, is that selling books is HARD, especially if you don't have a big name publisher, like Random House or Penguin, to display on your cover. When Kindle Press published The Standout, I thought I had it made. An Amazon publisher was publishing my book! It was great and all, but I didn't realize that I would have to work just as hard, if not harder, on self-promotion. I flubbed my book launch and never recovered. I am …