writes about war from a young person's view #bannedbyrussia
Testify by Valerie Sherrard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This short novel packs a wallop in terms of great storytelling and believable characters. Once I started it, I could not put it down until I finished. Sherrard has a gift for writing nuanced stories with very few words.
1. Push forward, not back. Ie, don’t worry about grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, gaps in logic etc during that frantic first draft. Once it’s down on the page, don’t look back. Revision can come after you’ve written “the end”.
2. Write for at least an hour at a time during NaNoWriMo but do not write to the point of exhaustion on any given day. There is a sweet spot for the imagination and it comes between one and five hours. If you write more than that in a day, you’re likely writing gobbledegook. Find your sweet spot and don’t write beyond it.
3. When you stop writing for the day, stop in the middle of a paragraph. Stop in the middle of a sentence. Better yet, stop in the middle of a word that’s mid paragraph. This way, when you go back to your manuscript the next day, you’ll have no trouble picking up where you left off.
4. When you are drifting off to sleep at night, force yourself to think of the scene where you last left your characters and ask yourself what are the variations of what will happen next. Go through all of the events of your character’s day the way you’d normally be going through your own. By doing this, you can train yourself to dream-problem-solve the next chunk of your novel.
5. If you write yourself into a corner, try switching to another character’s point of view. Or just leave that scene behind and start something new on a totally different day and scenario for your character. Have your character do something mundance like the laundry or picking up a prescription from the drug store. Soon your head will fill back up with ideas and you’ll be clipping along again.
by Marsha Skrypuch
art by Michael Martchenko
Fitzhenry & Whiteside 2000
isbn 1-55041-509-3
Generosity triumphs over greed…
Continue reading “Enough — Teacher’s Guide”
The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Redbreast transcends its genre. The story shifts between a murder on the eastern front in the last days of WWII and a series of puzzling skinhead crimes in modern day Oslo. The way they fit together makes a compelling read.
The Hidden Child by Camilla Läckberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you haven’t discovered Swedish crime sensation Camilla Lackberg yet, you are in for a treat.
Her first three books, in order are:
The Stonecutter
The Preacher
Gallow’s Bird
Had I known, I would have begun with the trilogy in order, but the first book I happened upon was Gallow’s Bird, then I found The Ice Princess, her fourth. Both have recurring characters and it doesn’t really matter what order you read them in as the crimes/mysteries stand on their own. The crimes are intriguing and original and the characters are so realistic that you get sucked into the minutiae of their lives.
The Hidden Child was every bit as good as the others I’ve read. This one connects an incident in World War II with a current murder and a mysterious trunk found in the attic.
Sanctus by Simon Toyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a rip-roaring and entertaining novel! Imagine Dan Brown with good storytelling craft! Can hardly wait til book 2.
The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I love Laura Lippman novels but this one was slower than most. Still worth the read.
Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Well worth reading! A great premise for a novel although the structure of using therapy sessions as the narrative adds an unnecessary and clunky layer between the reader and the characters.
The Accident by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The story has giant gaps in logic, deaths as emotionless and profligate as in a video game, but Barclay doesn’t take himself seriously and The Accident is an entertaining ride.
Time For Paws & Celebration!
Please join us for the launch
of Pajama Press and our fabulous
Fall books and authors:
Deborah Ellis, Rob Laidlaw and Marsha Skrypuch
When? Tuesday, November 15th, from 6-9pm
Where? Pawsway; the amazing pet discovery centre located
at 245 Queens Quay West, North Building, Toronto, Ontario.
Parking is across the street or next door. TTC stops in front of the building.
RSVP: Please RSVP before November 11th to
patriciajones@pajamapress.ca
Wine, hors d’oeuvres, cake, coffee and tea will be served.
Meet our authors! They will be signing their books,
available for sale at the launch.