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- Not-quite-published-yet? Me too! But I know a lot about writing and a lot about teaching. This site is my way of sharing what I've learned.
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Author Archives: Jen
Getting to know a new book
When you begin reading a book, what do you need in the first few pages (or paragraphs, or sentences) to get you to keep reading? I finished reading Gillian Flynn‘s Gone Girl the other day. It’s a highly acclaimed, very … Continue reading
“Up” ending or “down” ending?
Sometimes predicting an ending isn’t hard. When you’re reading a book (or watching a movie) within a certain genre, for example, you know the romantic male lead and romantic female lead will get together, or that the evil sorcerer will … Continue reading
Posted in books, writing
Tagged Alexandra Machinist, Erica Eisdorfer, novel endings, The Wet Nurse's Tale
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A beautiful pay-off: Nicole R. Dickson’s Casting Off
I just finished reading a book that had a remarkably powerful pay-off for me: Nicole R. Dickson’s Casting Off. The story is about a single mom who is six years past being in an abusive relationship. She’s still struggling to … Continue reading
Posted in books, writing
Tagged agents, Alexandra Machinist, Casting Off, Nicole R. Dickson, pay-off
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Reading John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars
In the past 24 hours I have been a-flurry with thoughts about YA literature, mostly because I had two significant reading experiences. The first is the YA novel by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars, which I finished last … Continue reading
Posted in books, quotes, teaching, writing
Tagged ALAN, Council Chronicle, John Green, Lorna Collier, NCTE, The Fault in Our Stars
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The Drift
Both of my long-term critique partners have had special news this October. Rhonda Mason completed the draft of a new manuscript (I’ll label it space opera romance for now), and I am SUPER EXCITED to announce that Diana Botsford‘s second novel set … Continue reading
Posted in books, writing
Tagged critique partners, Diana Dru Botsford, Four Dragons, The Drift
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