Every literary agent will tell you that they are looking for original voices: writers who have the ability to breathe fresh air onto the blank page. There is a loophole, though. If you are skillfully deceptive enough, copycats are also welcome. How does it work? No one wants to read a knockoff. But some giftedContinue reading “Original Copycats”
Tag Archives: books
When Writers Lie
I once knew a pathological liar. She appeared at my doorstep, crying, the night she was fired unjustly from her job for stealing. She told me many warm stories about her mother, who took her to Indigo Girls concerts and gave her carefully selected gifts every time they met, like a leather-bound journal and brownContinue reading “When Writers Lie”
Mismatches
Romance is the best-selling genre, but I have yet to read a title from it. There is something about the notion of a perfect match that rubs me the wrong way, at least in long form. (By contrast, I’m happy to watch romance unfold in episodic television. Maybe I prefer visual representation?) There is anotherContinue reading “Mismatches”
January
We have come to the end of what promised to be a better month in a better year. In addition to watching a televised attempted insurrection and a subsequent inauguration, I finished the following books. LA noir with some good twists. Kirkus starred review. 2. A black queer YA manifesto. Confession: I bought it accidentally,Continue reading “January”
When History Becomes Fiction
Recently on social media an acquaintance posted the following exchange: Officer: Why were you going 100 in a 60 zone? Me: You see, if your foot presses down on the gas petal, the car moves faster. Officer: Get out of the car. Obviously, the man who posted it was white. This scenario is humorous toContinue reading “When History Becomes Fiction”
Once More
I have a friend who once described her religious beliefs as, “God, yes. Bible, no.” I see her point. Some are left cold by The Good Book. In addition to its considerable length, there are repetitions in plotting that are confusing (why does God create Adam and Eve twice?) and moral inconsistencies that clash withContinue reading “Once More”
Stars in Their Eyes
In the COVID age, the knowledgeable book-seller has been deemed nonessential. And I get that: books are not as important as health care, food, and education. Booksellers do serve an important function, though. With over 300,000 new titles published each year, they can guide a buyer through the legions of available reads. Consider, for instance,Continue reading “Stars in Their Eyes”
Girls, Girls, Girls
In literature, you never have to look far for a girl. They are everywhere. They have pearl earrings, dragon tattoos, and no shadows. They are on trains, in bands, or in the ominous cabin 13. They are pretty, good, painted. They are lost, missing, or gone. And often they are not girls. A lot ofContinue reading “Girls, Girls, Girls”
The Six
I read between fifty and sixty books a year, a mix of serious writing and trash that captures my fancy. I am definitely a mood reader. Books comfort me by transporting me to other places, times, and perspectives. My overall rating for the books I read is four stars. In practical terms, this means thatContinue reading “The Six”
Transitions
Even as a teen, I never read much YA. I think I was too busy processing my own angst to live vicariously through fictional scenarios. More recently I have come to appreciate the genre. There is a theory that all literature is about the hero’s journey from innocence to experience. This is certainly true forContinue reading “Transitions”
Books Smitten 