Happy Bibliobabble Friday, friends! I had the privilege of attending a local writing conference this month in Edmonds, WA, and it was quite lovely. The venue offered a short walk to downtown (and stunning views of the Sound). Most of the courses were informative and engaging. And, best of all, I got to spend time with writer friends!
While there were a number of highs (and lows) sprinkled throughout the weekend, my highest “highs” were definitely a pizza lunch and fancier dinner (later the same day) with aforementioned writer friends. I think there were 12-15 of us gathered at each, and it was such a delight to see each other’s faces in person (most of our previous interactions having been in Zoom courses) and to enjoy proper catch-ups. I loved talking writing craft, varied projects, and personal updates, and I left both gatherings incredibly grateful for my writing “village.”
I also had the opportunity to receive feedback on an excerpt of my novel from a critique panel made up of three of the conference presenters (an editor, an agent, and a writer/professor). Every writer attending the critique turned in a short, anonymous piece of writing at the start, and the assembled panel read pieces aloud and gave verbal feedback in real time. While it was admittedly a bit anxiety producing, hearing each panel member’s process for evaluating stories was interesting and some of the feedback incredibly insightful. But, most of all, it was an important reminder that the process is largely subjective (no panel members in complete agreement on any piece submitted).
Oh, and one last high! I was actually honored at the conference for one of my short stories. It was quite a surprise – and such a needed acknowledgement of my creative efforts. Also, it was so special to share the highlight with some dear writer friends (see our celebration photo above). If you’d like a link to the honored story, please just let me know, and I’ll send it along.
And, if you have the opportunity to grow your creative landscape, I encourage you to do it. And if you can also gather with your creative folks at the same time (perhaps while eating delicious food), even better!
What I’m Reading (some spoilers included)
Good Joy, Bad Joy (3.5/5 stars)
by Mikki Brammer
Well, I am definitely conflicted on this one [SOME SPOILERS AHEAD}.I love Mikki's writing style (and her first novel, The Collected Regrets of Clover, was a FAVE), but there were some choices in this one that did not land for me.
At the start, I loved Joy (and her predicament). I loved the way Mikki handled her backstory, especially in regard to her friendship with Hazel. And I was really looking forward to the ways Hazel's diagnosis would ultimately change Joy, knowing this would likely have us dipping into "bad Joy" territory, especially with her lifelong internalized messages about being "good."
Sadly, I was disappointed with how this was handled.I thought "bad Joy" could have achieved its necessary goals (and Joy's reversal) without having her put others in compromising situations. Yes, she could have bought and tried marijuana - great. Yes, she could have confronted the "mean girls" in her community - great. Yes, she could have swiped a book she had on hold at the library, so she didn’t have to wait months to read it – okay, I guess. But I didn't like her decisions to compromise library staff and patrons by pulling a fire alarm. And I definitely didn't like her putting her new neighbor (and friend) in a situation to potentially be reincarcerated. Some of these "bad Joy" moments made it difficult for me to root for Joy - and I REALLY wanted to root for her.
Overall, I still found a lot of this book lovely to read. And that lifelong friendship at its core was enough to warrant the reading (I was a HUGE Joy-Hazel fan). And I certainly look forward to what Mikki offers us next.
If you’re interested in giving it a go yourself: https://bookshop.org/a/120532/9781250870254
I also read the new, much anticipated John Green novel, Hollywood Ending (3/5 stars), this month, and I will simply say here what I kept saying to my husband throughout my reading.
“I don't like the story, but I can't stop reading."
If you’re interested in giving it a go yourself: https://bookshop.org/a/120532/9780525426073
[Also read this month: Fall Shook Up (2/5 stars), The Matchmaker’s Cottage (2.5/5 stars), Meet Cute Magic (DNF),The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (3/5 stars), Something About September (in progress)]
For more book reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/88169319-gina-ma?ref=nav_mybooks&shelf=read
[Please note: The links for purchasing books are affiliate links and will offer me a small percentage of the purchase price if you choose to grab your copy of recommended books through their site. If you choose to utilize, thanks for the support!]
What I’m Watching
This month the New York Times published their “100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century” and invited readers to participate by sending in their top ten picks. Of course, I couldn’t resist.
My list (in no particular order):
The Good Place
Gilmore Girls
Parks and Recreation
Ted Lasso
Brooklyn 99
Community
Downton Abbey
Andor
The Middle
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Note: These are all series I’ve watched through numerous times (and will undoubtedly watch through numerous more – at least two are in the rotation as I type this).
What would make your list?
What I’m Writing
At the moment, I am juggling some short story writing and editing, alongside a fresh round of edits for my novel (as the querying continues).
Oh, and I submitted a couple of writing contest pieces this month, which I always love, because the process provides a great opportunity for creating new things (usually, in my case, to be worked and reworked before they become the best version of themselves).
Also, as mentioned above, there was some reason for celebration on the writing front this month, as I had one of my short stories honored at a local writer’s conference! Hurrah!
What’s Making Me Smile
This SNL skit is one of our Halloween favorites. If you, like us, enjoy a bit of the purely ridiculous (especially when delivered by the beloved Tom Hanks), ENJOY!
https://youtu.be/rS00xWnqwvI?si=Uolfz736JwcG6XFb
If you have stumbled upon anything extra delightful lately, I always love a good laugh!
A Little Unsolicited Writing Advice
As mentioned above, I had the opportunity to receive verbal feedback on a short excerpt of my writing at a recent conference, and I found one bit of critique especially worthy of further consideration.
Don’t interrupt rising tension with the mundane. Allow the tension to rise to a tipping point in a scene before transitioning away. For example, in my story I had a tense exchange between a mother and daughter, where the mother was spiraling, putting the daughter on edge. I had the daughter transition from the mounting tension with her mother to staring out of a window, pondering her life circumstances. Instead, I could have had the scene between the mother and daughter escalate further, allowing for full emotional impact, before turning the reader’s attention elsewhere.
I understand my story intimately, so I understand why I constructed that scene the way I did. BUT I also understand that a reader might experience more emotional investment in the story if the rising tension is allowed to continue to a natural climax. It is certainly something I will be considering in future edits.
BONUS: A Random Fact About Me (For Fun?)
I was scouted for a reality tv show called “More to Love.” It was a Bachelor alternative for chubby girls. When it became increasingly clear that the motive of the show was more to exploit than empower (I know, I know), I quickly bowed out. And when I watched the first episode many months later, I was so glad I did.
And for those of you who enjoy photo evidence of my random fact drops, I give you this shot of me speaking at the women’s conference (mentioned in the September newsletter). Yes, that is a pink vw convertible in the background, because I'm a consummate professional.
BOOKISH TREATS
I have found a local artist whose work I absolutely love. I own most of her art in some form (prints, t-shirts, cards, stickers, bookmarks), and I feel like she is just too good to keep all to myself.
Check her out! https://radalex.com/products/portable-magic-greeting-card
As always, thank you all for joining me on this leg of my journey. Please don’t forget to hit me up with some of your responses to posed questions. I always love hearing from you!
And, if you made it this far, can I ask a quick favor? Would you consider taking two minutes to send this to three or four other bookish friends who might enjoy my newsletter content? It would really help me in building my platform for my novel.
Thank you all (again and again)!
Gina
ginahandley.com