The Secret Adventures of WriterGirl

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Scarborough Fair by Leif Shires.


This has been a long time in coming, but I didn't forget, I promise. I asked what you wanted to know about me. I got some good questions, but not enough to equal ten. So I had to make up some of my own. So away we go!

1. I love records. You know, the old LPs. I think they just rock. I love the nostalgia and the quality and the fact that a needle can produce sound. So cool.

2. I really like the "out there" movies, like Mirrormask, The Neverending Story and The Labyrinth.

3. I have ridden on the back of an elephant. No lie. See?

4. I love the sound of rain and the ocean almost more than any other sound.

5. I have never kissed a boy. Ever.

6. I am a twin. Yes, there are two of me out there - bwa ha ha ha!

7. I can be fascinated by most everything. Once I was late for a class in college because I was watching a spider jump across the sidewalk. I got some strange looks for that one.

8. I love my family more than life itself.

And the two questions posted by readers:

9. Shannon Messenger: What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Thanks Shannon, love you too. That would have to be the third grade when during a kickball game in our gym I kicked a home run of a kick and in the midst of rounding third base I turned to look to see where the ball was... and knocked myself unconscious. Honest to goodness knocked out. I woke up and everyone was standing over me. I still flush scarlet thinking about it to this day.

10. Charlotte (Book on the Hill): If you could transform yourself into a bird, what would it be any why? Once upon a time, that would have been a peregrine falcon or a phoenix, but know I think it would have to be a kestrel. They are a much smaller and often overlooked bird of prey. But they are beautiful. And I think there is a freedom in being unknown or underrated. Plus, that is just a really cool name. I've wanted to use it in a book.


Why may you ask have I revealed these things about my super secret life? (yeah right). Well besides keeping a promise, I have received MORE awards. Goodness. You are going to swamp me. And I received the Honest Scrap award no less than two times by two separate people. That must mean I DOUBLY scrappily honest. Yay to Frankie and Shannon. Here are my ten picks for their honest scrappiness ^_^



1. Finding Wonderland
2. Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
3. Today's Adventure
4. Bookworming in the 21st Century
5. Neverending Shelf
6. Serenehours
7. Pages
8. Mitali's Fire Escape
9. Words and Wordances
10. Polenth's Quill

Go forth and spread the love.


And this one is long overdue. Thank you to Kirthi from Pages for this One Lovely Blog award. Here are my contributions to 10 seriously (and "recently" discovered) lovely blogs:



1. Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
2. Frankie Writes
3. The Spectacle
4. Maw Books Blog
5. Abby the Librarian


Sorry, I only did five because of my limited time, but there are so many out there I love! If you weren't nominated, please insert your name in the remaining slots. ^_^

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi.


This was originally an idea from Au Courant started in March, an idea she has graciously let me run with.

The idea is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.

What I do is go to amazon, narrow it down to a YA field and type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of (and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.

Hit and Run by Lurlene McDaniel

Up one night, too many drinks and a tragic car accident in Ashville, NC, forever change the lives of four people. Quinn is BMOC, a promising athlete with a driven father pushing him to succeed at all costs. On this particular evening, he hits a bicyclist on the side of the road and covers up the crime. Laurie is on the fringe of the A-list crowd, and considers using her knowledge of what Quinn did to blackmail him into dating her to boost her popularity. However, compromising her morals could be an even bigger atrocity. Analise is the innocent victim, trapped in her own mind. She doesn't know whether to hang on or let go. And Jeremy is the boy who loves her and hopes she can find her way back, because he can't imagine life without her. Hit and Run demonstrates the power of love and making choices.



Elephant Run by Roland Smith

In 1941, bombs drop from the night skies of London, demolishing the apartment Nick Freestone lives in with his mother. Deciding the situation in England is too unstable, Nick's mother sends him to live with his father in Burma, hoping he will be safer living on the family's teak plantation.

But as soon as Nick arrives, trouble erupts in the remote Burmese elephant village. Japanese soldiers invade, and Nick's father is taken prisoner. Nick is left stranded on the plantation, forced to work as a servant to the new rulers. As life in the village grows more dangerous for Nick and his young friend, Mya, they plan their daring escape. Setting off on elephant back, they will risk their lives to save Nick's father and Mya's brother from a Japanese POW camp.

In this thrilling journey through the jungles of Burma, Roland Smith explores the far-reaching effects of World War II, while introducing readers to the fascinating world of wild timber elephants and their mahouts.


On the Run by Michael Coleman

Luke is a petty thief with a talent for picking locks. While breaking into a car, the 15-year-old is shoved aside by two schoolmates who steal it. In the melee, the owner's family returns and the daughter is nearly run down by the vehicle but Luke has the presence of mind to push her to safety. The thieves drive away, but Luke is chased and then tackled by the girl's father. The ensuing arrest lands him back in the juvenile justice system, which is more familiar to him than his own family, particularly his father, who is in prison for fraud and burglary. Honor among thieves prevents Luke from ratting on his schoolmates, but a sympathetic parole officer arranges an unusual community service project involving the girl he rescued. Luke learns that Jodi is blind and wants help training to run a mini-marathon. The unlikely partnership is awkward as Luke guides her along the track using voice commands, but her confidence and determination transform him, and give him a purpose that is no longer self-serving. Fans of British fiction will enjoy the urban dialect, and Jodi's triumph over her disability is inspirational, adding depth to the story. In a page-turning climax, Luke is blackmailed by the car thieves to help break into a garage on the day of the marathon and predictably outruns his demons for a somewhat sentimental but satisfying ending.


Grab Hands and Run by Frances Temple

Twelve-year-old Felipe and his sister Romy, eight, have never grown accustomed to the intricacies of their life in El Salvador. Children must not play in certain areas or ever go out alone, as their city is in the grip of a civil war that is to blame for murders, disappearances and the drafting of boys into the army. They live with constant worry, compounded by their father Jacinto's secretive involvement in a resistance movement. When Jacinto turns up missing, Felipe, Romy and their mother, Paloma, follow the patriarch's oft-spoke instructions to "grab hands and run" all the way to freedom in Canada. The arduous and uncertain journey that follows forms the bulk of the novel. Temple's characters are wholly credible, expressing common human emotions while retaining a specific cultural identity. Details of the brutal realities in El Salvador are dexterously woven into the story of one family's struggle to beat the odds.



Run Far, Run Fast by Timothy Decker

The Pestilence has arrived. With it come death and fear, hiding and desperation. A young girl is hastened out of her dying town and told by her mother, "Run far, Run Fast." The child obeys and travels from village to castle, castle to countryside, in search of shelter. Wherever she turns, the Pestilence has already appeared. Scared and tired, she finally meets a stranger who knows something of this plague. He is kind and learned, but the girl cannot know whether his knowledge will be enough to save her family.Timothy Decker explores the bleak yet breathtaking world of fourteenth-century Europe in this quiet story of hope during desolation. Stark pen-and-ink drawings emphasize the realism of this romanticised period, and straightforward prose creates a truly haunting tale.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Greensleeves by Blackmore's Night.


Okay I admit it, this has nothing to do with books, but it is almost Thanksgiving and this is hilarious. It is from the now-ended series West Wing. You know that the President pardons a turkey every year, right? Well... what happens to the runner-up? I won't say any more, you will just have to watch and enjoy. So many priceless one-liners here. Have a great weekend everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Reign of the Septims by Jeremy Soule [Oblivion soundtrack].


I've grounded myself from the internet for the past two days so that I could be, you know, useful to society, and maybe get some writing done to boot. Guess how long I lasted? You're looking at it.

I will conquer it yet I say! Just not cold turkey (hey, which reminds me, tomorrow's FFF is going to be fantastic).


Now, have you ever wondered what would happen if some of the literary "greats" came under modern publishing practices? What about the great bard Shakespeare himself? No, not even he has been spared. Here is a glimpse at what might happen if "Hamlet" ever came under a modern copy editor's microscope:


To be, or not to be: {COMMENT: Weak, confusing opening. Is something missing here? The thought seems unfinished.} that is the question: {COMMENT: Indirect. Why not get right to your main point?} Should I exist?
Is it Whether 'tis nobler in the mind {COMMENT: Where else would it be noble?} to suffer endure
The slings pellets and arrows {COMMENT: Not parallel. A sling is a throwing device whereas an arrow is something thrown}of outrageous {Right word? Did you mean “raging”? or just “bad”?}fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea troop of troubles {This metaphor is just silly. How can one “take arms” against a “sea”??}


You can click here to see the whole transcript of the brutal gentle editing. I hope you get a chuckle out of like I did.

Look forward to more adventures next week, and you know, methinks it is time for another contest. Anyone in? :D

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Heartbeats by José González.


If you happen to Look back over the weekend at my review of Dragonfly by Julia Golding you may think that I almost didn't like the book because of my comments. That isn't true.

My reviews are a bit different than many blogs. My goal is to feature great books that have been lost to obscurity. I want people to find these treasures and grow in whatever way they do when they read a story. But the key word there is great. A bad obscure book can doesn't need to be brought to attention.

So that is why I have set such strict guidelines for myself, such as "I will not review any book within the top 25,000 best-selling, according to amazon ranks." This has been hard on me a couple of times (who am I kidding? It's hard almost anytime I find I book). That is why you won't find a review for Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon on here, even though I have interviewed her. There are many others that you may have loved that I incidentally love just as much. But you already know about them.

I also do not give stars on my reviews. While easy to glance at, I really feel that such a system is too vague to ever adequately describe a book. So I discuss what I loved and why, as well as what didn't fit well with me and why. Then you can judge for yourself if it is worth reading. Of course it is all opinion. That's why I call it "My Take." :)

Every review here I wholeheartedly recommend. (This is also another reason why my reviews are few and far between. I read many excellent books that just don't quite make the cut). Now and then I have more gripes with certain books than others, but my goal is to be completely upfront and honest. If a villain is flat, I will tell you. That is the most important thing about any of my reviews. I will be honest with you, I can promise that.

And there are some amazing books I simply cannot review because they are so popular already *cough cough The Graveyard Book! Shannon Hale! Nancy Farmer! Mistborn Trilogy! Suzanne Collins! cough cough* Trust me, I cry (more than a little inside) because I cannot review them.

But that is not my purpose. My purpose is to bring to light great fiction that has fallen by the wayside. I look around and pick them up and dust them off (usually causing a severe coughing fit on my part). I am WriterGirl. This is what I do.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): I Still Remember by Blackmore's Night.


So I've seen the Twilight parody from Saturday Night Live with Taylor Swift floating (or soaring) all over the internet lately. And since New Moon comes out in just a week, I thought it quite appropriate to show this little remix I found a while back. Just to show how different everyone is, this is what might have happened had Edward met Buffy instead of Bella Swan. Enjoy Buffy vs. Edward. Happy Friday the 13th everyone. :)

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Undisclosed Desires by Muse.

I will focus on YA and Children's literature (with very rare exceptions).
I will not review any book that is one of the top 25,000 selling books (based on Amazon ranks).
I will try and aim for books 100,000 or larger.
I will not review books before 2005 (with very rare exceptions).

Here is story quite interesting that is quite ambitious in its scope, on many levels, it's Dragonfly by Julia Golding.


Dragonfly by Julia Golding
Current Amazon Rank: # 286,336
Published: October 2009
Pages: 390



First Line: The Fourth Crown Princess of the Blue Crescent Islands had sixteen rituals to observe from the moment of waking to when she broke her fast.


My Take: Like the first line suggests, this story is all about culture clash. An arranged marriage and culture clash to be precise. Plus and the fact that they hate each other on sight. Oh, and there are kidnappings, daring escapes, and overthrowing an empire. Sounds like a romp of fun, eh? :) It is.

This story greatly intrigued me because my own story, Ransom the Dawn, deals with many of the same complexities dealing with different cultures and an arranged marriage. I do not want to compare stories, but because of these similarities I was instantly drawn to it. I do not think enough fantasy stories truly delve into the complexities of their own world. Julia Golding does a valiant attempt at many such overlooked things as language barriers, different gods and belief systems, cultural traditions, and even names are addressed. The princess is named Taoshira and the prince is Ramil ac Burinholt. There is no mistaking that they are from very different parts of the world.

It was refreshing to see these aspects common to our world addressed. She also covered many heavy subjects such as war, slavery, brainwashing, responsibility over an entire nation, loyalties, and many others. However, because of all these things are packed into a 400 page novel, none of them were really touched with real depth. The "evil" kingdom's religion was the saddest disappointment, as she mentioned several times that their god looked very similar to the conquering king. I really appreciate it when you can see from all perspectives and see them all believably. Their religion was barbaric with very few "true" believers. I would have loved to see what could have happened if those people truly believed in that religion. She also writes in a third person omniscient perspective that jumps to a variety of characters and it made it difficult to get attached to any one character. However, I really appreciated that she showed that war was not easy and Ramil's first kill affected him quite a bit. Again though, it was not touched with enough depth to really impact me. But I am glad it was there. The story flowed well but tried to cover too much ground for a single novel. This could easily have been a trilogy and allowed for all these fascinating aspects to be covered in much greater detail.

Tashi's and Ramil's growing love did not quite feel organic. It resolved and unresolved itself quickly. Each new problem became an absolute shift with no natural progression. She never managed to touch on their deep feelings for each other. But my favorite line of the novel came from their relationship:

She smiled: trust the son of a Horse Follower to woo in the saddle.

That seriously made my smile. The supporting characters were engaging and for how many she managed to put in, I was surprised how well I got to know them and like them. Again, I think the omniscient perspective the greatest hindrance in getting close to them. The characters were fun and engaging and I liked a side blossoming relationship as much as our two main heroes. However, the final scene between Ramil and Tashi (the last paragraph) takes the cake will almost assuredly make you smile.

The Last Word: This is a book that covers a lot of material lightly. It never becomes complex enough to be real, but that does not make it unworthy of reading, quite the opposite. It was fun and different with many unique aspects. Quite recommended.

(By the way, finding the reason behind the dragonfly was terribly sweet. Look out for paper, that's all I can say. It was my favorite part of the entire novel).