Ok, I know we were SUPPOSED to have read books about love or something, but I have a book that I just couldn’t resist telling everyone about…

A good friend (and loyal YA Muses reader), Ryan Miller, sent me a note last fall suggesting I read THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness. Trusting his stellar taste, I put it on my To-Read list along with the staggering number of other titles. Last month, I finally got around to reading it.

Holy...What was I waiting for? Where in the blazes have I been? Why was Ryan the first to mention it to me? And why didn’t he tape a copy in my hands and toothpick my eyes so I would have to read it at that moment?

Here’s the description from Ness’website:

 

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown. 

But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets. 

Or are there? 

Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence. 

Which is impossible. 

Prentisstown has been lying to him. 

And now he's going to have to run...

Normally, I’d spout off about how the jacket copy should be enough to make you want to get the book. Yes, this blurb is wonderful and enticing, but, frankly, it doesn’t do the novel justice. To be fair, though, no description would.

Literally, this book has everything I look for in a novel. The narrator, Todd, tells his story in one of the most unique and most brilliant voices I’ve heard. As a character, Todd himself is deep, complex, and REAL. The supporting cast pops just as much. (Side note: I LOVED Todd’s dog, Manchee, so much that I vow to name a dog after him because Manchee is the ruddy best dog). At times, the plot got so intense that my wife (hi, Lisa) barred me from reading it in bed since I’d get seriously wound up. The world Ness built is alive with the beauty, danger, and grit, reminiscent of an Old Western, but with a subtle, captivating strangeness. I could go on…but I think you get the idea.

This is one of those books where I kick the wall and shout, “I will NEVER be that good.” However, on the other hand, it’s so amazing that it demands that I try because this is the kind of book I want to write.

***And, Dear Readers, you HAVE to come by the blog on Monday. We’ve got a FAT (wink, wink) giveaway that you’ll want to participate in. Seriously.***

                                                                                                                

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been on what feels like a single, continuous sprint as I toured for the launch of NEVER SKY, and as I race to revise the next book in the trilogy. Days are long. Sleep is optional. Friends and family? Love ‘em. Don’t see ‘em much though.

I’m struggling to find time to read, and I love reading. That’s why I became a writer. And as Lenore said in her guest blog last week, along with writing regularly, reading is most important thing writers can do for our craft.

So. Amid the chaos, here are the things I’ve been picking up, and really enjoying:

SKYLARK (Meagan Spooner) –I think the best thing I can call it is Magic-Punk? Dystopian meets magic? The writing is stunning. The world-building is impressive. Beautiful images. Keep your eyes open for this one later this year. It's something special.

SHADOW & BONE (Leigh Bardugo) – This one’s going to make some waves when it comes out in May. This is a rich and fast-paced fantasy, in a Tsarist Russian setting. I grew up reading fantasy novels, and this book has a flavor that I’ve really been missing.

ART & FEAR (Bayles/Orland) – For you writers out there, pick this up. It’s a short book--easy to flip through--and invaluable for those of us on the creative path. I start every day now with a few pages of this little gem.

What about you guys? What are you reading right now?

I love living in Colorado.

Really I do.

Really...

(And, yes, that is a VERY current picture of my backyard. Brrrrr, right?)

Even though Colorado is a beautiful place, I have to admit, this time of the year I get a little weary of the cold and slush. It's been three weeks of snowy, blustery days and temps below zero. The ocean is calling for me... deep in my soul...and there is not a wave in sight. That's exactly when I need a great read to take me out of the wintery mix and right out onto the beach. I didn't have to look far to find the perfect one. It was right here on my desk--SEA CHANGE by Aimee Friedman.

In an attempt at full disclosure, I must tell you Aimee Friedman (yes, THAT Aimee Friedman, as in: "Bestselling author Aimee Friedman is back, with her signature combination of warmth and humor. And with this book, she adds a touch of fantasy. . .") is also my editor at Scholastic. How lucky am I to have an editor who understands the process from the writer's perspective, too?

Here's more info from Barnes and Noble about SEA CHANGE:

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

And from Publishers Weekly:

"An evocative setting, an air of mystery and some intriguing love interests for Miranda, a 16-year-old budding scientist, will make Friedman's (The Year My Sister Got Lucky) novel irresistible to romance fans. It all begins when Miranda's mother inherits a house on the remote Georgia island of Selkie, a place teeming with legends of merfolk and sea beasts."

So, how about it? Need a little escape right about now? How about hot,mysterious boys on the beach? (Ok, now who doesn't need THAT?) Check out SEA CHANGE. You'll be transported to the island of Selkie and be brushing the sand off your sandals in no time!

I am thrilled to be able to tell you all about this book.  Full disclosure -- I have met the lovely A.C. personally and she is a 2k12 classmate.  But I'm sure I would have been delighted by SCARLET no matter what.

From Goodreads:


Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 


Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.


I have been a fan of this legend since I saw Errol Flynn nocking arrows and buckling his swash in the the epic Adventures of Robin Hood.  Who can not fall in love with the man who steals from the rich to give to the poor?  The grassroots monkey wrencher of medieval England?

And the fiery Will Scarlet has always been one of my favorite characters (yes, even before Christian Slater played him).  Gaughen brings the legend to life in a new and ingenious way, giving us a female lead who is both swashbuckler and infatuated teen.

We're talking about Romance this week, in honor of today (Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!), but I just want to say that I loved the refreshing romantic underplay of SCARLET.  Gaughen's character is a belligerent and stubborn fighter.  She clings to her own moral code with a fierceness that is inspiring.  For Scarlet, the world comes first and love second, which makes her romantic story all the more poignant and believable.

SCARLET debuts today.

As an aspiring writer, I have long dreamed of the day that one my stories would become a real book.  But even after selling a manuscript, I've never been able to imagine the cover art.  What would it look like?  Would I like it?  Would it change the way I saw my story?

When I first saw the cover art for SILVER, I was instantly struck by how perfect it was, both for the story and the character.  It compliments the story in the best possible way, perfectly evoking the mood and the character.  Brianna is a character that starts the story nearly invisible, fading into the background, only to be thrust into something that is far bigger than her and her desire to be seen.  This cover art captures her journey perfectly.  Seeing the cover makes it feel like a real book, and it's even better than I ever imagined.

I love it!  I hope you will to.  The cover is being featured at Dark Faerie Tales, a great blog that features paranormal and fantasy stories.  Please join me in thanking Angela and her team at Dark Faerie Tales for helping get the word out about SILVER.

EDITED TO ADD:  Sorry for the technical difficulties earlier. It should be up now!


CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COVER!