Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty

Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty

Faryn is a teenage boy surrounded by the unwieldy magic that manifests itself in often annoying ways at home. Ready for something better, he determines to become a shoemaker. Unfortunately his uncle Harvey, a magician of some renown, has managed to die. Again. But this time it seems that his uncle will not be coming back. And guess who is his uncle's heir and must go to the castle at once to learn magic and save the kingdom?

A whimsical ride through a world where magic permeates everything whether anyone realizes it or not. Slippers of Pearl by Danyelle Leafty is an enjoyable read that entertained me with smile after smile after smile. As I read this magical tale, I knew that if I were to share it as a bedtime story, my children would stay up longer just to hear more and more.

I highly recommend Slippers of Pearl.

~M

Off to the Editor

I must admit that this makes me happy. There is something about the feeling I get when I have finished writing a manuscript. A sense of accomplishment, or perhaps it is anticipation.
Book 2 in our series, Remnants of Betrayal, is entitled LOSIAN.
And again, just as it was with the first book, Coren, I have enjoyed imagining, creating and writing an enjoyable story.
Writing a book is a very satisfying experience.  Oh, not every day - some days can be frustrating. Sometimes a character doesn't know what to say or the setting isn't right. Once in a while the scenery just doesn't seem to cooperate. But eventually, they all settle down and find their places in the story.
Losian will be out in paperback soon. And although I've read it once or twice already, I'll definitely be getting a copy for myself! ;)
~M

Collings Notes: Point of View

Dr. Michael Collings is an exceptional poet, writer, mentor, friend and inspiration. Enjoy his discussion on point of view:  Point Of View and Other Oddities  I did.

~M

Writing a synopsis - a character approach

Writing a synopsis can often be a difficult challenge. It is the part of sharing my novel with others that I dislike the most. Not sure why, but I find it difficult to summarize a story of 300 pages in just a few paragraphs. If it was a short story, then I wouldn't need all those pages... But a writer friend of mine posted this link: http://randomwritingrants.com/2012/07/11/a-new-approach-to-synopsis-writing-and-dissecting-the-hunger-games/, which I enjoyed reading.
Using your main characters' point of view to tell their story is a refreshing and creative way to share your novel with others, such as an agent or editor or indie publisher.
I find another benefit for me: character depth. By telling the story from each character's point of view, I can spot weaknesses and unexplored potentials that can be worked into the plot or a subplot. And my characters can become stronger and more memorable, too.
Enjoy the blog - it helped me.
~M

Seven

Driving back from the pool with my seven year old daughter. At an intersection, a car passes us going the other way; a metallic burnt orange Mitsubishi. The driver is about my age. Then I hear a voice from the back seat.

"Whoa, that's an old guy; but he's got a sweet car!"

A Change of Scenery

A key element of writing fiction is to create a setting for the characters and plot that connects with the reader. Often we find that the setting we thought would be best for a scene or segment of our story is lacking. And so we make a change. The change of setting can add to the strength of the work.

During the past few weeks (has it been that long?) I moved to a new place, 300 miles away from home. But now that I am here, this is home. The change of setting leaves me with good memories and friends, giving me much to anticipate in my new locale.

After four weeks of preparing for a move, making the move and then unpacking, I can return to doing that which I love to do: writing.

Review: Shooting Stars by L Hodgson

I enjoyed the creative premise of Hodgson's shooting stars. Stella and Isaac, the stories central characters are believable teenagers dealing with their parents' disappearance and a series of revelations about themselves that carry the story through to a satisfying end. However, I found myself struggling with the author's tendency to tell rather than show her story; additional edits or rewrites would strengthen this work. Thus my three star rating. Overall, it is a memorable first novel by Hodgson.