Monday, July 26, 2010

Writing Buddies

It's wonderful to write when you have great books to read.

They become companions.

Almost as if you have friends right there in the room to teach you how it's done.

Here are a few of my pals from the last few weeks:

Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them as much as I did?

11 comments:

  1. I loved A Single Shard! Linda Sue Parks spoke at Chautauqua the summer I went...

    I'm reading Twisted again...I have a big pile of new TBR's, but I'm studying Twisted, not reading for pleasure...

    Have you read Princess Academy? I loved it!

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  2. I loved A Single Shard, A Year Down Yonder, and Princess Academy. Actually, I've loved everything I've read by Richard Peck and Shannon Hale. The first blog I started reading was Shannon Hale's.

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  4. I'm embarrassed to admit I've only read CATCHING FIRE. Sounds like I've got some reading to do. Which one would you suggest I start with, Amy?

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  5. Sharon, Sounds like I have some reading to do, too. I've been wanting to read Princess Academy ... and Twisted? Cool, I'll add it!

    Krista,It's so difficult with books that I like, because a lot of times I like them for the writing, and I forget that the content might be less than PG. For instance, The Sky is Everywhere is amazingly written, but the main themes are SEX and LOSS, heavy on the SEX. Thankfully it's not too graphic, but there is a lot of language. It's definitely edgy, and if I didn't admire the writing so much, I would've stopped reading. Waiting for Normal is similar in that I loved reading it, but even though it's technically MG, I won't let my daughter read it till she's older just because some of the themes are mature. (!!) My two favorites from this list were A Year Down Yonder and A Single Shard, both rated G. They might be considered MG because they are more innocent, but A Year... has a teenaged protagonist, so I'm not exactly sure where it fits.

    Anyway, hope this helps. They're all very well written. :) Waiting... and A Year... were both books I couldn't put down.

    Amy

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  6. I've read The Sky Is Everywhere and Catching Fire, and loved them both. And I loved Academy Princess so much I've read it twice.

    I've read so many books lately, I don't remember The Sky Is Everywhere being about sex. Certainly nothing like Perfect Chemistry.

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  7. I just started The Sky is Everywhere. I like how her poetry infuses her writing!

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  8. I have read all but the last; they are all great examples of excellent writing.
    I agree w/ the maturity level of Waiting for Normal; I thought the writing astounding, but I'd label it YA instead of MG. It was hard for me in spots, even. Leslie Connor is a dear writing friend of mine and I'm so excited to see her books pop up in "random" places. Have you read her newest, Crunch? I loved it, and it was more thoroughly MG.

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  9. I've read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and I LOVED them! I'm being very selfish with them. I want my kids to read them, but only one kid can read them at a time, because whichever book they're not reading I've got by my side when I'm writing. You're so right - incredible books like that are writing buddies that show us how it's done - well said!

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  10. Stina, Okay, now I'll definitely have to read Princess Academy!

    Lydia, That's why I like it, too. Beautiful writing. :)

    Faith, I'll look up Crunch -- thanks for the tip! I thought Waiting for Normal was great. Very moving. I cried often. How wonderful that you're friends with Leslie! :) Yeah, my daughter is only eight, so the themes are a little too much for her. Boy, I disliked the mother in that book SO much! There were many times I found myself talking out loud to her while I was reading: "What are you thinking, you crazy, selfish lady!" Oh boy, I'm a crazy reader.

    Susan, Yes, I've been that way with The Sky Is Everywhere. I read the first chapter about six times, trying to figure out what the magic was. :) And I have it next to me while I write, too. ha ha.

    Amy

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  11. Absolutely love the first few, but I've never read the last one. I guess I'll have to check it out! :o)

    In other news, you won something on my blog! Cheers!

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