Webb 3 and new projects

Progress! Webb 3 is nearing completion and almost ready to submit. I've had a lot going on with this book--life has intruded in a big way, and some of the huge time span between this and The Pharaoh's Daughter has been out of my control, and admittedly some within it. Sometimes it's just so much easier to not write.

Because writing is hard. The guilt that claws at my gut when I don't do it, though, is just as hard to deal with. I hate a day that passes without much writing done as much as I hate sitting down when the muse is nowhere to be seen. She's a beeotch, the muse. Fickle and self-aggrandizing. She thinks we all need her.

(Wow, did I just say all that out loud? Pay no attention to the crazy woman behind the curtain. She's getting ready for her daughter's wedding at the end of the month and realizing she hates dealing with details.)

The most exciting thing of all--other than the wedding, of course--is that when I finish Webb 3, I'm going to begin a new project in an entirely new-to-me genre and I'm thrilled about it. I'll post more details as soon as I can--it's going to be very cool.

Until then, wish me luck, and tell the muse to get over herself and come sit on my shoulder. :-)

Cold River, by Liz Adair

It's with pleasure that I get to do a review of Liz Adair's Cold River. This book is part mystery and part romance, which is a perfect blend for me as a reader. The fact that this book is set in the Pacific Northwest was an added bonus.

A brief description of the book from the backliner: Mandy Steenburg thinks her doctorate in education has prepared her to run any school district—until she tangles with the moonshine-making, coon-dog-owning denizens of a tiny district in Pacific Northwest timber country. She’s determined to make a difference, but the local populace still looks to the former superintendent for leadership. When Mandy lands in the middle of an old feud and someone keeps trying to kill her, instinct tells her to run. And though she has to literally swim through perilous waters, she finds a reason to stay and chance the odds.

And now my bullet list:

What worked for me:

• First of all, the setting, as I mentioned. I will read just about anything set in the Pacific Northwest. It's one of my favorite regions ever.
• A wonderful bonus to the setting was a good plot! :-) The book was a page turner for me, which I know is always a good sign. The author places hints, clues and questions throughout that kept me wondering if I was guessing correctly and anxious to see if I was right.
• Mandy is a likeable character. She also shows character growth by the end of the book that takes her from a borderline education-snob to one who appreciates differing talents and abilities.
• Mandy makes friends with the locals, brings her know-how to the job, and takes a lot of ribbing and not-so-good-natured jokes in stride. Her discouragement was believable but she wasn't a sulker, which is a good thing.
  
• The author does a good job of painting a realistic community full of colorful characters with unique foibles. Backstory of the town's prominent family comes out in bits and pieces and adds to the overall plot.
• I liked Grange, the former superintendent. As the book develops, we see the skills he brings to the community.
  
• The author brings to the fore an unlikely "hero" in the form of Mo Smith, the district accountant. Through Mandy, we see a man who is largely unappreciated for his talents become someone others recognize. This is a character we often see cardboard cutouts of in books and movies--thinning hair over a bald spot, middle age, largely nondescript. Liz gives him depth and I liked it.
  
• The mayhem! I loved the mayhem. Threats against her life, accidents, a former lover and a fun younger sister add to the mix. The more danger, the better, in my opinion, and every time something bad happened I found myself eager to figure out who was responsible.
  

I have very few complaints about the book, and I can't even say they qualify as "complaints." Perhaps just minor issues that I might have preferred to see differently. As I mentioned above, the author gives the reader good clues to see what's going to come as the plot develops. I think that Mandy should also have seen those clues a bit better than she did, however. In my mind, she would have figured out who the bad guy was long before she did. It's a balancing act as an author, though. Have your main character figure things out too quickly and you don't have much of a book.

All-in-all, this was a very fun read and one that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and settings about quirky, small-town communities. I enjoyed the book and am so glad to have had the chance to review it!

Location, location, location

I'm always amazed at how much setting determines my plot. I just took a pretty major turn in Webb 3--we'll call it Crazy in Greece, for now--and it's because of something I stumbled upon when I was looking in my travel guidebook on Greece. I've been a little stalled in the story, and when that happens I know I need to go back and research my setting. Now my characters are off to a different city and a different set of circumstances.

One drawback. I have to edit out a bunch of crap. I do hate the delete key!

It's a Breaking Dawn extravaganza!

So my friend, Karlene Browning, is hosting an awesome bridal/baby shower for Bella on her site, Inksplasher, and I get to be a sponsor! There are prizes galore and fun to be had by all. (My prize will be a copy of each of my Isabelle Webb novels, which are wonderful and romantic and mysterious and take place in India and Egypt.)

I was enchanted by Stephenie Meyer's ability to spin a good yarn when I read Twilight, and I envy her success in a very healthy way. :-) She's an amazing storyteller. And I'm a fan of anyone who can get people to read in droves.

Ok, so in terms of whether or not I'm in the Edward camp or the Jacob camp, I have to say that if I'm reading the books, I'm an Edward girl. If I'm watching the movies, I'm a Jacob girl. I'm sure Mr. Pattinson is very nice and all, but he wasn't my choice for Edward. Not really sure who would fill that role to my expectations, actually. Such perfection probably doesn't exist. :-)

Have fun with the shower, and again, check out Inksplasher daily!

Hard at work...

My brainstorming pages get messy...

NaNoWriMo!

I'm officially signed up for NaNoWriMo and am very committed! I've never done this before and I'm looking forward to using it to help me get Webb 3 finished.

Wish me luck!

Win an iPad 2!

Josi is awesome, and so are her books! I'm in her critique group and have the privilege of hearing the stories as they develop--I can honestly say that I find myself so looking forward to each new installment. So here's the official announcement:

In conjunction with the release of Pumpkin Roll the author, Josi S. Kilpack, and the publisher, Shadow Mountain, are sponsoring a contest for a new iPad. To enter, leave a comment in the comment section of this blog before November 1, 2011. Winners will be announced and notified November 3^rd 2011.

For additional ways to enter, go to www.josiskilpack.com