For today's Follow Friday, the YA Muses are featuring Mundie Moms.

Originally created as a fansite for Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, Mundie Moms has expanded to provide a variety of offerings for readers and writers of YA fiction. You'll find book reviews of up-and-coming YA titles, interviews with authors, information on book tours, contests, and forums for discussing all topics of YA fiction interest.

The enthusiasm and passion for YA literature rings out loud and clear. How can you not love that? This is a site to return to over and over again. Loads of great information, guys.

Make sure to check Mundie Moms out:

http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com

Or follow them on twitter:

@MundieMoms

Have a great weekend, all!

My original plan was to post a review of a recently released book.  But the books I wanted to read were either unavailable in this country (Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin), unavailable at my library (Wildthorn by Jane Eagland) or not yet processed by my library (Dangerous Neighbors by Beth Kephart).  Now, I can hear you saying, forget the library and go buy the darned book.  But if I bought every book I read, I’d be dead broke.  And also, I support my local library (despite its obvious deficiencies) because I think libraries and kids should go together like summer and watermelon or campfires and s’mores.  Naturally.

So, instead of reviewing one mostly brand new YA historical, I’m going to review two books.  One contemporary YA that’s been out for a while.  And one historical written for an adult market.  I’m kind of infamous in my house for reading several books at once.  But in this instance, it was a little like self-flagellation because the books I chose truly represented what I love most about historical fiction and books written for young adults.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory is so full of such rich history as to make me want to weep.  I am so glad that Ms. Gregory wrote about Margaret Beaufort, in part because it has given me a reprieve.  This woman is fascinating.  Sold into marriage at 12, she nearly died in childbirth at age 13.  Shortly after, her husband died.  So she was remarried.  Not “she remarried”, but “she was remarried”.  In the 15^th century, it was not the woman’s (or in this case, child’s) choice.  She lived in an era of civil war.  Imagine the Civil War of the United States, brother against brother, played out on Medieval battlefields and you’ll get a tiny sense of the Wars of the Roses.  It went on for decades.  This era and these experiences forged one of the strongest, most opinionated (and controlling) women in history.  The mother of Henry Tudor – Henry VII – foundress of the Tudor dynasty.

The book itself is not for the faint-hearted.  The history is bad and bloody.  But brilliant.  Philippa Gregory gets all of her facts straight.  She makes the life and times real and tangible.  You feel them in your gut.  You come away from this book knowing what Margaret Beaufort lived.

John Green and David Levithan also made me want to cry from the very beginning of Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  Full characters, well-drawn settings, glorious plot, truth and beauty and love.  But the voices, the unique, quirky voices of the two Wills are what catch the reader on fire. 

It’s the story of two boys, both named Will Grayson, both of whom live in or near Chicago, both of whom have trouble with love and friendship.  Both of whom are drawn into the orbit of Tiny Cooper, who really does change lives.  These characters leap from the pages and truly live.  Reading Green and Levithan makes me wonder what I’m doing trying to write for teenagers, when there are writers like these on the shelves already. Seriously, it’s one you want kids to read to fall in love with character, with language, with thinking.  That’s a gift.  Go out and learn more about Shrodinger’s cat, people.  Or musicals, Gay Pride, depression, love.  It’s all there.  

This week I am reviewing RICH AND MAD by William Nicholson. RICH AND MAD is a story of firsts: first infatuation, first heartbreak, first love, first sex. Maddy and Rich find each other through their shared misery of unrequited crushes, and later through their shared desire to love and be loved.

The book asks lots of philosophical questions about love, as the characters read and debate Erich Fromm. The answers are never as clear as Maddy and Rich (or I) would like them to be. Is it better to love or be loved?

I enjoyed this book a lot, and as I think back on it, one word keeps coming to mind:

Real.

The romance is more realistic than romanticized, with the characters discovering that they like each other first, and gradually exploring the sexual aspects of their relationship. Their love is based on a mutual desire to have a boyfriend/girlfriend as much as any connection between the characters. The love they do find is less like the love they imagined they wanted, but also more. And, even as Rich and Mad explore and discover the beauty of love and sex, they also confront the ugly side: loss, infidelity, abuse and porn.

The book is full of quick, snappy dialogue, but the plot takes its time, letting the characters discover each other on their own terms. There's a fair amount of British slang, but I found I got used to it quickly so that I didn't notice it at all after the first chapter or two.

Yes, there is sex in this book, and its handled in a very straightforward unapologetic way. But it's also completely appropriate to the story, where sex is ultimately consummated with love. At least for now.

And that, is as real as it gets.

Book review!

I just finished, SIREN, by Tricia Rayburn. (Look at this gorgeous cover!)

Here's a short blurb on the plot, borrowed from Booklist. I like it because it doesn't give anything important away:

Vanessa, 17, wishes that she was more like her confident older sister Justine and was less afraid of the dark and the ocean at her family's Maine summerhouse. Then, shockingly, Justine is found dead on the shore, and although the death is termed accidental, Vanessa decides to travel from their family home in Boston to Maine to search for answers. There, she learns that Caleb, Justine's regular summer boyfriend, is missing, and of the mysterious, sea-related deaths of local men—each, eerily, found smiling. Together with Simon, Caleb's brother, Vanessa begins to unfold intertwined mysteries and searches for the courage to thwart a sinister, potentially deadly plan.

Siren was a terrific read, particularly for those searching for something new in paranormal fiction. It's difficult to pinpoint my favorite aspect of this book, but certainly, the skillful writing is at the top of the list. Rayburn strikes a perfect balance between characterization, mythology, plot, and setting. In particular, I found Vanessa's relationship with her sister, Justine, fascinating and utterly realistic, and the atmosphere of Winter Harbor, the seaside vacation town where the story occurs, masterfully rendered. This was a town I could see and feel perfectly.

The romance in the story is lovely and believably paced. This is not the on-site infatuation we frequently see in YA literature, but a relationship built on time and friendship, reminiscent of the romance between childhood pals in Kim Derting's The Body Finder.

The ending certainly leaves some questions unanswered. I'll definitely be picking up a sequel, should there be one. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to anyone who enjoys well-written paranormal romance.

A few weeks ago, I blogged about working with Manuscript Consultants and promised you interviews with two of these professionals. You can find Eric Elfman's interview here. This week, it's my great pleasure to feature Lorin Oberweger.

I met Lorin a year and a half ago at one of the workshops she directs with agent Donald Maass. Lorin edited a section of my work for the workshop. The moment I saw her comments, I knew I could learn something from her. I have, and yet I know I still have so much more to learn from her. Lorin is like that.

Lorin provides incredible, detailed notes on every level of story development. She's a pro, and a warm, supportive person who genuinely loves helping writers grow. I feel very fortunate to have met such a bright and caring person.

So, without further ado, I give you Lorin Oberweger.

1) Tell us a little bit about your writing credentials and/or how you decided to become a Manuscript Consultant:

I pretty much sprang from the womb with a purple pen in one hand and a dictionary in the other. "Ouchy" for my poor mom, of course, but it set me on the path I’ve traveled happily since.

Seriously, I’ve been an avid reader and writer since childhood and have been fortunate enough to be well published in nonfiction, short fiction, and poetry, as well as racking up a number of nicely compensated longer form ghostwriting projects.

I worked for magazines and newspapers all through high school and college and then as editor for a couple of small presses after I finished my education. From there, I became involved in the Writers Retreat Workshop, learning all about story and character development from the inestimable Gary Provost. After his passing, I became editorial director of that workshop and eventually also moved into teaching the master classes for returning students.

In 1995, I started my own editorial services business, Free Expressions, which means I’ve been at this for about fifteen years now! During that time, I met literary agent Donald Maass and convinced him to take his “breakout novel” concepts on the road, first as weekend seminars then as a weeklong intensive. I couldn’t be more proud of all the work I do, and having the opportunity to sit in on forty-plus workshops with Don, as well as almost twenty years of other workshops, has absolutely resulted in a deep understanding of story and character development. It’s like having the opportunity to get my MFA several times a year!

2) Can you describe some of your services?

My bottom line philosophy is that I try to empower, educate, and support writers in any way that makes the most sense for them, given where they are on their particular journey.

In less esoteric terms, this takes the form, generally, of either one-on-one story development workshops, where I travel to a writer’s home turf (or they come to me) and spend a long weekend engaged in intensive story and character development work OR more straightforward manuscript editing, which includes both a line-by-line component and a larger developmental/structural evaluation. My focus, in either case, is on helping writers create rich, compelling stories that will find favor in the old literary marketplace.

3) What kinds of genres do you specialize in, if any? Also, do you have a favorite genre you like to read, outside of your work?

My genres of expertise, more or less in order: Adult or YA literary/mainstream; speculative (fantasy/SF/urban fantasy/magical realism, etc); mystery, suspense, thriller; and some historical, romance, or inspirational works.

I guess that’s just about everything, isn’t it? Truly, I really judge on a case-by-case basis, with my decision primarily based on how effective I think I can be for the writer in question.

4) Who is your favorite client? (kidding. I'll answer this one myself.)

That depends; who is your favorite editor? ;-)

Good one, Lorin.... ok, so for real:

4) What is the most satisfying aspect of helping writers with their craft/manuscripts?

Sheesh, how much space have you got? The most satisfying aspect of helping writers is, of course, having the opportunity to track their progress and—often—their success. Knowing I played a small but--I like to think--vital part in helping someone achieve his or her creative dreams—it really doesn’t get better than that.

Secondarily, it is an absolutely amazing experience to provide an answer or bit of insight that prompts a writer’s tremendous leap forward in his or her project. That feeling of seeing the lights come on, of engendering absolutely palpable excitement on a writer’s part: it just makes me ridiculously giddy. And so, so honored.

5) Free advice! Can you tell us what the best advice is for a starting writer?

It surprises me that this isn’t 1,000% intuitive, but apparently it’s not. READ. Read, read, read, read, read. Read everything—in your genre of choice and outside of it. Not only read for your edification but read to support the industry you hope will employ you someday!

I can say with absolute certainly that I have NEVER read a publishable manuscript from a writer who claims “not to read.” Not once in twenty years.

Other bits: A) REALLY learn the difference between “show” and “tell,” which is really the difference between demonstrating something in a way that creates an immersive experience for your reader and simply summarizing things in a way that creates passivity on their parts. B) REALLY learn how to create shapely, effective scenes in which a character pursues a concrete goal and meets obstacles along the way. And, at the risk of seeming self-serving: C) Invest in your education and your success. Attend workshops and conferences, buy and read writing books, hire editing professionals when and if it makes sense to do so. Treat your writing life like a start-up business with your primary concern being its long-term success.

Thanks for the questions, Veronica, and congrats on YOUR success!

You're so, so welcome, Lorin! Couldn't have done it without ya!

Find out more about Lorin on her website:

http://www.free-expressions.com