Celebrating GILT

Have you guys read Talia's post about Katy Longshore's GILT? I'm in complete agreement on everything Talia said about GILT's incredible pacing, prose and emotional resonance. It's a beautiful story that's as thrilling as a roller coaster ride. At a certain point, you're just holding your breath and turning pages as fast as you can. Really, it's incredible.

GILT is the story of Kitty Tylney, friend to the infamous Catherine Howard, one of King Henry the VIII's wives. There's courtly intrigue, history, and romance, but at its heart, this is a story about friendship. I don't want to give too much away, but it's about a tough friendship. Not always healthy. If you've ever been a teenage girl, or a teenage boy, or really a person of any age, you know what I'm talking about. Though a friend might be utterly charming, fun, loyal, you name it - some are just plain hard to coexist with.

Release Day! Bret and Donna, you were missed!

It's personal dynamics. We're constantly calibrating ourselves in relation to others, whether we realize it or not. This person is upset with me. That person is getting more attention than I am. I want to be less like her/more like her. Why did she say that--I thought she liked me? How can I still like this person, after the way she's treated me?

In GILT, Katy brings us right back there. Her handling of Cat and Kitty's relationship is masterful--truly. The claws come out in this book a few times, and it's complex and nuanced and oh my goodness do I remember how that felt--particularly during middle grade and high school.

There's a bit of irony here. Everything I said above? About friend politics? Couldn't be any further from the kind of friend Katy is. She's one of the most genuine and generous people I've ever known. She is a treasure and I'm so lucky to be cheering her from the sidelines on the beginning of her writing journey.

So proud of you, Katy! GO GILT!