Guest Post: Cathi Shaw, author of Five Corners

Today we have YA fantasy author Cathi Shaw with us, talking a little about the editing process.

The Secret to Editing

            Editing is the secret to good writing (but if you’re reading this you probably already know that). Editing is also the most skipped over part of the writing process. I always tell my students that 60% of their writing time should be taken up by editing. Unfortunately, most of us hate editing.

            I think one of the ways to make the editing process work best, is if you can take a break from your project before you leap into the edits. We all feel as if it is DONE when we put those final few words on a draft. In reality it is just starting but it’s hard to see that when you’ve just finished your masterpiece.

            My practice is to finish the draft and then take a week or two off. Write something else, take a break from writing altogether, do some spring cleaning – whatever will keep you away from your project (I usually start a new project if I can because there’s nothing so all encompassing as a new story idea).

            After I’ve taken some time away from my manuscript, I sit down with it and start reading it. I try to do this with fresh eyes; to look at the story from the reader’s point of view. And inevitably by the second page I’m making changes (some of them big and some of them small).

            For me, this first stage of editing takes anywhere from a week to several months. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes – the crucial piece to making it successful is that break at the start.

            After I’ve edited my MS to death (at least that’s how it feels at that stage), I send it out to my trusty beta readers. I do it at this stage for a few reasons. First, if there are any major problems with the plotline that I’m too blind to see, I’d like to find out at this stage rather than at the stage when I think the story is actually finished. Second, by this time I really can’t see what needs to still be done with the MS – sometimes there needs to be more character development, sometimes a certain scene doesn’t make sense to an outside reader, sometimes it’s just massive rewording of some sections of the story. So I turn to my readers.

            By the way, if you do have some trusted readers who will give you honest feedback, it’s helpful to provide them with some guiding questions. I keep these pretty general: where did you feel lost in the story, what parts were boring or repetitive, what parts needed more information or description?

            Give your beta readers some time to get through your masterpiece. This is one of the toughest parts – waiting (I’m impatient by nature so waiting for anything is akin to torture for me). Be realistic. For my novels (which are about 70,000 words) I give a month. If you need feedback within a certain timeline, let your readers know. Some of them might not be able to help you out. That’s okay, too. Just move on to other beta readers (you should start collecting as many eager readers as you can early on).

            When you get feedback from your readers, read it. I know that sounds pretty simple but often you won’t necessarily agree with the feedback or it will be a bit negative and it’s hard to read a critique of your own work. It is normal to be hurt by less positive feedback, but if you truly want to improve your MS, you really need to listen to what your readers are telling you. Sometime the advice or suggestions is totally off base, but, more often than not, it actually is the truth. Especially if two or more of your beta readers are saying the same thing, you probably should listen to them.

            I try to read my feedback, give it a few days and then reread it. From there I jump into the next round of edits, making changes as suggested by my readers, correcting an errors they caught and so on. This stage takes me between 2-3 weeks usually but it really depends on how big the edits need to be.

            And then I’m ready to send the manuscript to my publisher! Don’t think the editing is over at this stage … it just reaches a new level. Depending on your publisher, you may have to engage in major edits to the storyline or simple copy edits. I’ve had to do both, depending on project. At any rate, expect to make changes after the publisher receives the book.

            So the editing process is fairly detailed. The best advice I can give is to remember that editing really is writing. It takes up the bulk of your time as a writer and, yes, it can be onerous. But a detailed editing process is what makes a mediocre manuscript into a masterpiece!

Author Bio

Cathi Shaw lives in Summerland, BC with her husband and three children.  She is often found wandering around her home, muttering in a seemingly incoherent manner, particularly when her characters have embarked on new adventure. In addition to writing fiction, she teaches rhetoric and professional writing in the Department of Communications at Okanagan College and is the co-author of the textbook Writing Today.

 Five Corners Book Blurb (from Goodreads)

Growing up in a sleepy village untouched by distant wars and political conflicts, it was easy for Thia, Mina and Kiara to forget such horrors existed in the Five Corners. That is until the dead child is found; a child that bears the same strange birthmark that all three sisters possess. A Mark their mother had always told them was unique to the girls. Kiara's suspicions grow as their Inn is soon overrun with outsiders from all walks of life. Strangers, soldiers and Elders who all seem to know more about what is happening than the girls do. After Mina barely survives an attack in the forest, the sisters are faced with a shattering secret their mother has kept from them for years. As danger closes in around them, the sisters are forced from their home and must put their trust in the hands of strangers. With more questions than answers, Kiara finds herself separated from everyone she loves and reliant on an Outlander who has spent too much time in army. She doesn't trust Caedmon but she needs him if she has any hope of being reunited with her sisters and learning what the Mark might mean.

Contact Links

Twitter: @CathiShaw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMarkedOnesSeries
Tumblr: http://themarkedones.tumblr.com/

Buy links for book:

PUBLISHER: http://ink-smith.com/product/five-corners-the-marked-one/
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Five-Corners-The-Marked-Ones/dp/1939156246/ref=sr_1_1?
BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-corners-cathi-shaw/1117922571?

“Standing out in a sea of Dystopia” Guest Post by Rebecca Finlayson

Today we have author Rebecca Finlayson on the blog, talking about her experience with writing YA dystopian.

When I go into a bookshop or a library in the UK it’s always satisfying to see so many books on offer for the YA market. In our fast-paced world we can access everything we want, when we want, at the touch of a button – and even get frustrated when it doesn’t pop up instantly. (First world problems or what?) 

Anyway, to see so many YA books around and to know that teenagers are reading them and devoting hours to them, is great and exciting for any lover of books, particularly.

The challenge that I had with “X&Y” was making my book stand out. There are so many great YA Dystopian books out there, after all. It was a mountain to climb.

The first thing that encouraged me, though, was that I had a story to tell that – as far as I could tell – had not been told before. Genetic engineering had been touched on in various stories but it wasn’t the main story. I thought it would be fascinating to look at it through the eyes of a teenager.

The second thing was the position of my female lead. Olivia Adonane is from a very wealthy, very powerful family, and so to have a protagonist in a position where she literally has everything to risk made for very interesting writing from my perspective!

Another important thing was setting. Most of the YA Dystopian books I’ve read and enjoyed (The Hunger Games, Divergent, and the Gone series) take place in the USA. I thought it would be really interesting to have the focus on Britain, and how it would have adapted to the ‘System’ which is in place.

Apart from the authors of the above books, one particular author who has inspired me is Joanne Harris. She does plot so well, and the stories and twists of her novels like “Gentlemen and Players”, “Holy Fools” and “Five Quarters of the Orange” are just fantastic. I’ve learned a lot from her work about timing in particular – for example, what to reveal and when to reveal it.

I really enjoyed writing “X&Y”. The subject matter made for really fascinating exploration, and putting the characters in a quietly brutal setting was equally thrilling and difficult to work through. It’s been great having people read my work and give me feedback from it, not to mention seeing the number of downloads increase, particularly on my “free promotion” days!

Below is the opening chapter of “X&Y”. You can head over to Amazon Kindle for a free seven-chapter sample.

Excerpt:

Thunder rumbles in the early hours of this morning and when I wake I think of Lily and what we’re going to do today. We’re meeting before school so we can post off our university applications together. To anyone who does not know who we are it seems such a little thing, but in this day and age it is not. My Ambition means I’m guaranteed a place at a prestigious institution, but Lily’s venture is a little more uncertain. Her portfolio, given to her parents when she was still in her mother’s womb, states that her Ambition is to be a waitress, which I’ve always thought was some kind of mix-up, as I’ve never thought she was right for the Service Industry. Very clumsy, and perpetually distracted by “higher things”, as she calls them, her different Preparation Experiences in cafes and restaurants have always ended spectacularly badly, though I will give her current boss come credit; she is unremittingly patient.

Lily is also extraordinarily clever, which is why I persuaded her to fill in a university application in the first place. Strange, I think, considering her family’s Ambitions, that her Tag gave her the chance to advance as much as she has. I know that Lily thinks this is too risky, bordering on dangerous – especially when the admissions boards find out about her humble family background. What harm is there in trying, though? Despite her reluctance, I know when she gets offered an opportunity to study Philosophy and Poetry she’ll be ecstatic and all the fear will have been worth it.

My own Ambition is very different. I will be following my father down the Designer route. First, six years of medical school followed by three more years of theoretical and practical study at the School of Human Design. I will learn how to create Tags with which to start unborn babies off on their uniquely selected paths, learn to further the research that reduces – and, hopefully, eventually eradicates – glitches in the System, and such like. My father is the most renowned Designer in the country, the head of the Triad – the Triad comprises of the country’s top three Designers – and one day I will take his place. It is a huge responsibility, but it is one for which I have specifically been Designed. I have no need to doubt myself.

“Good morning, father,” I chime, kissing him on the cheek as I bounce down to the dining room for breakfast, schoolbag and big brown envelope at the ready. I fling them down untidily on a chair and fix myself some cereal. “Where’s mother?”

“Still in bed; she’s a little under the weather this morning. Not to worry though, she’ll be up and about in no time,” he says while sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper.

“What is the news like this morning?”

“Calm, as usual,” he smiles, and my curious doubts are quieted. Why do I harbour them? Our Society is near perfect. While other nations are constantly embroiled in bitter civil struggles, slowly destroying themselves from within, our country enjoys peace and prosperity. The “Utopia”, that the old writers dreamt of, is being achieved at last. I just wonder what the other countries are doing so wrong. Father soon breaks me out of my reverie.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asks, indicating the brown envelope.

“Yes,” I say proudly. “I wonder which school will want me.”

“All of them, I expect. Look how strong your application is, after all.”

“It doesn’t hurt that I have your name on it, though,” I say slyly.

“True,” he says, winking at me. “But if your Ambition was not to follow in my footsteps, they would turn you down as any other school would turn down an applicant whose Ambition did not meet with their requirements.”

“There’s something I wanted to ask you related to that,” I say. “You know Lily, my best friend?”

“Yes?” His tone is careful. He has never met Lily and there’s something about his wariness whenever I mention her that makes me uneasy, like he doesn’t think we should be friends.

“Do you know if her Tag and her Ambition portfolio got mixed up somehow before she was born?” I ask.

“I don’t know; I wasn’t assigned to her case. You would have to find that out from her hospital. Why?”

“Well, her Ambition is for her to be a waitress, but she’s not suited to that at all.”

“Waitressing is a perfectly good and sturdy profession,” my father says, his tone reprimanding.

“I know; I’m not being high and mighty. It’s just that, Lily doesn’t seem to enjoy it at all. She seems much more interested in pursuing Academia after Mandatory Education is over. I just wondered whether her original Portfolio was along the lines of some kind of Higher Educator, and the folder got mixed up in the hospital.”

“That’s impossible,” he says, though his dark eyebrows narrow a little over his thick-rimmed black glasses. 

“Are you sure this isn’t just some Secondary Interest that she is feeling quite strongly about at the moment?”

“I don’t think so,” I say, although my instincts tell me to shut up.

“Even in between her work breaks she’s always reading a book of some poet or another. She excels at school – really, she would do much better at my school – and it crushes me to think she can’t do what she really wants.”

“She wants to be a waitress,” my father says quietly. “If her portfolio says so, then that is what her Tag has prepared her for, and that is what she will do. I think you might be seeing more in this situation than there is.”

“But-” I start to argue, about to reveal that I’ve helped her fill in university application, but something in his voice tells me that would be dangerous. His mobile phone rings and he frowns when he sees who is calling

“What is it?” he snaps into the phone. His eyes widen as the speaker on the other end rapidly relays information, though I can’t hear what he is saying. “I’ll come immediately.” He clicks off, his expression a mixture of annoyance and something else. Dismay?

“We’ll talk about this later,” he says quickly as he dons his suit jacket and picks up his briefcase and I assume he means our earlier conversation. “I have to go. I’ll see you for dinner. We’re going out to The Glade tonight.” He kisses my head and leaves. Soon I hear the car rev up and speed away, gravel flying everywhere.

“Sure,” I murmur, wondering what on earth that was about.

Find the book online:

Amazon

Goodreads

Rebecca's Blog

About the Author…

Rebecca Finlayson was born in the north of England - specifically Blackburn, Lancashire – but actually spent most of her childhood in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (fans of Harry Potter will recognise that name!). Inspired by reading a children’s version of “The Odyssey” 20+ times while growing up, she decided to study Classical Civilisation at Warwick University and took a job as a Teaching Assistant upon graduating. After two years she decided to take a year out in order to do some charity work but, more significantly, pursue some writing projects that had been nagging at her for some time. The first of these projects to be completed, a Young Adult Dystopian novel entitled “X&Y” is now on sale on Amazon Kindle. The second – a fantasy novel entitled “The Secrets of Nethiaria: The Magician’s Book” will be out in Spring 2014.

A Valentine's Day Love Letter from Emily White

A Love Letter from Emily White to her Readers:

It's a month for love and there's nothing I love more about the publishing life than meeting new readers. That's why, a few months ago, I made a pretty huge announcement. I doubt it had any far-reaching effects. And I seriously doubt many people even heard about it. But I want everyone to know:

After doing ALL the things and checking off ALL the lists, I never really felt like I'd accomplished anything in my career. I'd grown up dreaming about signing a contract with a publishing company, and I did that. But after that was done, I dreamt about the next contract, and having my books read around the world, and maybe hitting a bestseller list. And I did all that. But still not so much happiness. I had moments of happiness. Of absolute joy, even. And it hit me last November that those moments came when I was meeting new readers or getting emails from them. They came in certain minutes of the day when a reader tweeted me or sent me a private message on facebook. 

I realized that I just loved...you. Not hitting milestones. Just you. 

And I want more of you. More awesome moments on twitter or facebook! More readers who become friends! More! More! More!

And I also want to make you happy. Because you're awesome, and you deserve it.

So I made the announcement that my books would be free. All of them, for all time. Old ones and new.

I know a lot of people might think I'm crazy. A lot of people who think I should get paid for my hard work. But that's the thing. To ME, readers are the payment. Especially readers I get socialize with. 

Now, since November, a hard reality hit me. Amazon doesn't allow free so much anymore, and I am by no means skilled at the computer. And since my decision to give my work away for free doesn't necessarily mean I want to force an inferior product on you, I've had to hire an interior designer to do all the formatting and make everything pretty and easy to read. She's doing an AMAZING job on FAE right now, and as soon as she's done with it I'll be sending Elemental to her.

So with that in mind, I've had to get my thinking cap on, and here's what I've come up with:

My books will ALWAYS be free on wattpad and smash words, and you may find the links below. 

Unfortunately, the free version on smashwords will be formatted by me and contain some errors in that regard. I might get better at this over the years. I'm really hoping I do so that quality AND free can go hand-in-hand. I will also upload all my books on wattpad chapter by chapter, which doesn't have any formatting problems since it's a simple copy/paste.

Amazon and Kobo will have the beautifully formatted and designed interior version for $.99. There will also be a paperback version on amazon that will be the very lowest createspace will allow me to price it.

I hope all of you enjoy my books, and I hope you realize just how much I appreciate each and every one of you. Without you guys I'm just a crazy loon with voices in my head. :)

Author Bio:

Emily White is a nerd. 

She prefers her men fully clothed and donning bowties, her commas British, her books cheesy with big, overly-dramatic explosions, her characters awkward and endearingly real, and watching her movies in authentic turn-of-the-century theaters. When not exposing her nerdy self to the world, she's creating her own friends and putting them in horrible, yet sometimes humorous situations.

Reviews for Elemental:

"I'm calling it right now. Elemental is the beginning of the next big YA series. And here's why:

Does Elemental have a strong female voice that young women can admire?

Check.

Romance?

Check. 

Is it nauseating and cringe-worthy romance?

Heck no. I can safely say that I could give a copy of Elemental to my guy friends without fear of getting punched in the nose.

Thorough world-building?

Double Triple Quadruple Check.

A kick-ass plot?

Check POW!

Seriously, this book is great and you should most definitely CHECK it out." --Dan Cohen, author of Masters of the Veil

"Blending aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and romance, debut author Emily White’s Elemental is an incredibly intriguing...start to a series." --Foreword Reviews

"Here is another one of those stories that really had me from the first page. There was a constant unraveling of the story as the world became more and more magical and dangerous. The need to turn the pages to figure out how dangerous Ella really was. It all really builds in anticipation each chapter and even a bit of romance thrown in. I would recommend this first to science fiction lovers and secondly to fantasy readers... I didn't just like this story, I loved it." --Krista (CubicleBlindnessReviews), Goodreads

"The ending is amazing! Yes, a lot of questions do get answered, but we're left with a few and with a small cliffhanger too! Which is amazing and was so perfectly well written! I can honestly say that this is one of those rare books were you are satisfied just enough to be able to wait a bit for that next book to be released!" --The Bumble Girl {Margie}, Goodreads

"Let me tell you that I loved the worlds Emily created in this book... I felt like I was there--aboard ships, on other planets. This is one of those stories where the setting is a character in itself. It added to the conflict and hiked up the tension." --Kelly Hashway, Author of Touched by Death

"Elemental is a pounding, relentless story of a young girl facing trouble and terror from all sides. Sure, Ella has been imprisoned for most of her young life, and sure, she’s got people trying to actively kill her- and a god searching for her so he can destroy her- but she’s also fighting a power within herself that is even more frightening than anything her enemies can throw at her... The atmosphere is disturbing and the danger is ever present. Altogether, this is an exciting science fiction fairy tale for girls and boys alike, with touches of romance and lots and LOTS of action." --Kendra Saunders, author of Death and Mr. Right and Inanimate Objects.

"I mean, who thinks of combining dystopia with faeries? It’s ingenious! And the story line and writing just completed the whole thing, with great staging. All the events flowed together perfectly, leading up to an amazing climax. Perfect work, Emily White." --Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf, Goodreads review

Review for To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World:

"To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World is a delightful anthology of short stories that all take place in Steamville. This steampunk themed book is filled with colorful characters who find themselves in fairly normal situations, which makes their tales relatable as well as entertaining. I loved that author Emily White tied each of the individual stories together not just with the location, but through the everyday interactions that people have when living in a small town." --Compulsion Reads

Emily White on Goodreads 

Elemental on Goodreads 

Fae on Goodreads

To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World on Goodreads

Almost Night on Goodreads 

Indiestructible on Goodreads 

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Blog Tour: King (Books of the Infinite #3) by R.J. Larson (Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Published: 2013 (Bethany House)

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Akabe of Siphra is certain his people are insane. 

Why have they made him a king? 
What, in the name of peacetime boredom do kings do?

Frustrated by a lengthy silence from his Creator, the Infinite, Akabe decides to prove himself as king by undertaking a monumental task, his own lifelong dream: Rebuild the Infinite’s temple in Siphra. 

But Akabe’s impulsive decision sweeps him into a storm of controversy. The Infinite’s enemies join forces in Siphra, and beyond, conspiring to destroy the emerging temple—and to kill their king and his mysterious new queen.

I don’t read much fantasy. That said, I’d never read any of the previous books in the Books of the Infinite series before (what is it with me reading the third books in series nowadays?! This has happened several times recently). In fact, I’d never even heard of any of the books. But when I heard about King and then got the chance to read it, I was definitely on board.

R.J. Larson did something that I don’t see done every often: She combined fantasy with Bible stories. And I absolutely loved it. At times the Biblical aspect was hard to make out, but at other parts the allegory was very clear. Aside from the Chronicles of Narnia (which, in my opinion, is more symbolic than allegorical), which other book series mixes Scripture with the fantasy genre? None that I can think of. I really enjoyed this aspect of King, and am eager to read the first two books (Prophet and Judge) to see how they follow this trend.

The entire story was very fast-paced. At times I even felt like it was too fast-paced. One page Akabe is looking for a wife, and the next page he’s married. Whoa! I would have liked to see some more character/relationship development happen, but it wasn’t crucial. I don’t really have the right to say anything about character development, as I picked up the third book without reading the first two. *sheepish grin*

Mentioning that, if you haven’t read the first two books, it’s very easy to pick up on what’s going on. I was confused at points, I will admit. But you can kind of figure out what’s happened before that led to the events that take place in this book. All in all, I really enjoyed King. It kept my attention and impressed me. I was very intrigued with the world in which Larson set her story (especially the mythical animals, like the destroyers and scalns!). I highly recommend this book to teen readers as well as mature middle grade readers (as long as they can handle some war action/violence).

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: Moderate (battle action)

Sexual: None

Excerpt:

A hired servant brought cups, then filled them with juice from a metal pitcher beaded with moisture. They all waited until the king lifted his cup. Following his lead, they drank.
        Ela couldn't help draining her juice, despite its tartness. Let Tamri and Prill frown at her appalling manners—she was thirsty. Finished, she looked for the servant, but he’d vanished.
Beside her, little Barth grumbled, “Mine tastes sour.”
        Akabe grimaced at the pitcher left in their midst. “True. The aftertaste is bitter.”
        Aware of an unpleasant icy burning around her lips and down her throat, Ela flung aside her cup. “Majesty…!”
        She wrenched Barth’s half-empty cup from his small hands. He already looked sick.
        Matron Prill threw down her own cup and said the word Ela feared to voice.
        “Poison!”

Guest Post with R.J. Larson:

What are the differences in the writing processes of devotionals and fantasy? Was it a hard transition to go from writing womens' devotionals to writing fast-paced, action-packed fantasy novels?

The best devotionals relate to the reader on a friend-meeting-friend basis, never lecturing or preaching. Ideally, devotionals are short single-themed insights into our spiritual walks as humans dealing with the Lord, and devotionals are often arranged by topics in collections written by multiple authors. Sometimes an entire volume of devotionals is dedicated to a single theme: Marriage, a deeper walk with the Lord, raising children, or individual topics, such as grief or relationships.

By design, devotionals minister to their readers with a brief, vivid story—often drawn from the author’s own experience—and one verse that will remain with the reader as a life-application. Devotionals also finish with a brief prayer.

Despite their simplicity, devotionals do require research, particularly with regard to the Scriptural application and with any fact-checking if the story is referenced from another source.

By contrast, novels of any genre, can deal with multiple themes, and many verses from the Scriptures. For me, the transition from writing single-themed devotionals to the multi-layered busyness of fantasy novels was easy. I love complexity on every level in writing!

Details delight me, and the research is a joy. I also love mentally walking into my characters’ world and staying there. People fascinate me and often, it was difficult to restrain myself while writing devotionals. Quite often, I had to cut most of what I wrote in order to remain within the 300 or so words designated for most devotionals, so the big sprawling storylines allowed by my 90,000 word novels was no problem.

Now that I’ve finished writing KING, and after three-plus years of writing Biblical fantasy, my question to me is… Can I ever return to writing devotionals?

Hmm… Perhaps a collection of Biblical fantasy devotions is in order!

About the Author…

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women’s Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman’s Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.

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Blog Tour: January Black by Wendy S. Russo (Review + Giveaway)

Tour Schedule

Published: January 15^th, 2013 (Crescent Moon Press)

Pages: 305

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon Kindle

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

I fell in love with this book on the very first page. The story sucks you in and doesn’t release you till the end. Russo did a fantastic job of world-building; there’s so much detail and uniqueness to her setting that it’s probably one of my favorite things about January Black. That, and the mystery that puzzles the reader just as much as it puzzles the characters. Soooo many YA “mysteries” turn out to be bland and predictable, thus I was overjoyed when January Black proved to be something entirely different.

I also enjoyed the romance.  Matty is such a fun character to follow- his intelligence gains him the reader’s respect. His relationship with Iris is relatable, as is his feelings, despite being a male MC. I don’t usually read too many books with male MCs, but after reading January Black, I wish I did.

I definitely enjoyed this one and highly recommend it. I’d say it could be read by middle grade readers, but beware as there are some romantic implications that might not be appropriate. I wasn’t entirely convinced I’d like January Black, but it turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining read.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: Mild (a few minor words throughout)

Violence: None/Mild

Sexual: Mild –Moderate

About the Author…

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

FACEBOOK * WEBSITE * TWITTER

GOODREADS * AUTHORGRAPH

More Information:

January Black 100th Amazon Review Giveaway

*Blog Tour Giveaway*

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Ends 5/8/13)

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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