For this Book Blog, I read UNWIND by Neal Shusterman. This tale takes a trip through the country in a not-too-distant future. From the author’s website:

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.

In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

Chilling description, huh?

UNWIND has been nominated for (and won) a ton of awards and has been placed on several lists, including ALA’s Top Ten Picks for Reluctant Readers – which speaks volumes to how exciting and accessible this book is. 

In honor of Halloween, I've decided to talk about a scary book.  Now, many of you (and all of the Muses) know what a scaredy-cat I am.  I don't watch horror movies, even romantic vampires and werewolves creep me out and the first thing I ask about a book that has even the remotest chance of scare-factor is "Will it give me nightmares?"

Gretchen McNeil knows this.  I told her in person that I couldn't finish her debut novel, POSSESS, because it scared the pee out of me.  I stopped in the middle of the scene with the staring-eyed dolls and gave it to my friend Mona (who loves scary books).

So why would I pick up TEN?


It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

I love a good murder mystery.  I loved And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.  I loved Gosford Park.  I enjoy a super-cheesy episode of Midsomer Murders as much as the next person. A bunch of random people in a house with a body?  Super-mysterious clues?  Swinging bodies and startling revelations?  Good stuff.

So I've come to realize that it's not the thrill that scares me and gives me nightmares.  It's not bodies or death.  It's creepiness: crazed dolls, blood-sucking fiends, ritualistic ghost serial killers (There were scenes in THE DIVINERS I had to skip).  Veronica's cannibals scared me.  A little blood?  Not so much.

But I'm sleeping with the light on, just in case.

So we've tackled the subject of Book 2 before, and I think it's safe to say that Katherine, Donna, Veronica and I have each encountered challenges along the way to that second book.  It's tough.  There are time constraints (you want it when?), creative constraints (you mean I can't go back and change the rules for my world?) and a new kind of pressure (you mean it has to be kind of the same but completely different?  As good as the first one, but better?) 

The point of this is that the process is different, the pressure is different and as a writer you feel a bit like a trained monkey who has to perform on demand.  But that's not to say that there aren't magic moments along the way.  There comes a point where that writing mojo kicks back in and you discover the pure joy of your characters and their stories.

Roar and Liv, Veronica's short prequel to Under the Never Sky, resonates with that joy, and as a reader, I couldn't help but be swept up in it. 

Roar and Liv is told from the point of view of Roar, one of my favorite characters in Under the Never Sky. He gives us great insight into the world Roar and Perry shared together with the Tides, before the events that led them both to disperse.  And we finally get to me Liv, Perry's sister and Roar's love.  Sigh.

Roar is as funny and sexy and wonderful as you expect, but he's also darker and more complex. And it is great to see Perry from Roar's point of view.  Here is one of my favorite scenes between Roar and Perry:

"We were supposed to be bothers one day, Per. Real Brothers...family." I don't know what I'm saying. The Luster is speaking for me. But I can't take the words back.

Perry looks right at me. "What do you think we are?"

I turn to the sea and stare at it. I watch the waves until the tightness in my throat loosens and I'm breathing normally again. He's right. We are family. I'm not terrified of what I could be losing in the future. I'm scared of losing what I already have.

Beside me, I hear the slosh of the bottle as Perry takes a drink. Minutes pass before he speaks again. When he does, he's so quiet that I know the words aren't really meant for me.

"You're better than a brother." he says.

Sigh again.  I love these boys so much. 

Roar and Liv is the perfect companion to Under the Never Sky and gives us just enough to keep us on the edge of our seats for Through the Ever Night in January. 

Can't. Wait.

Today, I have another book out in the world.

Well, technically it’s only around 70 pages. And technically, it’s an e-book only, but still. I’m pretty proud of this short piece. It’s a prequel to UNDER THE NEVER SKY in one of the minor character’s points of view. A great look at the lives of Roar—and Perry—before Aria comes into the picture.

I hope you’ll check it out, and if you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

And to those of you hunkered down in Sandy’s path, stay safe. It looks like quite a storm.

Do you think I'm getting a big head? 

Last week the YAMuses were fortunate to speak at the first "Your Best Book" workshop for writers of middle grade and young adult fiction in Charlotte, North Carolina. We talked about revision tools and had great conversations about writing and craft long into the night.

The conference was created by the talented folks at Free Expressions and featured speakers:

• Josh Adams – Agent, Adams Literary
• Tracey Adams – Agent, Adams Literary
• Emma D. Dryden - Founder & Principal, drydenbks LLC
• Lorin Oberweger - Director/Owner, Free Expressions
• Brenda Windberg - Editor, Free Expressions

Veronica, Talia, Me and Bret at the ImaginOn signing

After meeting all the talented future authors attending the workshop, we also had the opportunity to speak and sign books at ImaginOn, an amazing children's library/theater in downtown Charlotte.  The book signing was sponsored by Park Road Books and deftly handled by the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable bookseller I've ever met, Sherri Smith.  I'm always grateful when people make a special effort to attend book events and it was fantastic to meet book blogger, The Authoress, and one of our most faithful blog readers, Heather from Buried in Books.

Veronica at ImaginOn

On Saturday, we all grabbed planes back west just ahead of Hurricane Sandy.  Today, back home in sunny Colorado, I'm sending good thoughts to all the new friends we left behind and hoping you all keep safe.

P. S.  And to the "Your Best Book" participants, thank you for a wonderful warm reception and KEEP WRITING!

Talia reading aloud from Katherine's book in her best British accent

P.S.S.  We missed you, Katherine!