Today I will happily read almost any fiction, but as I started reaping the library stacks on my own, it was to fantasy I was most drawn. Oh, the magic! Not just the spells and talismans and wizards and elves, which I adore, but the intricate worlds, the strange creatures, the very construction of those amazing foreign settings!
You can read the rest here: Why I Write Fantasy—and toss your two cents into the bucket. Why do you write—or read—fantasy? What influenced your choice?
My other engagement (doesn’t that sound flamboyant?) has a bit of a story behind it. I recently met a kindred spirit over on GoodReads. Patricia Reding and I hit it off right away, delighted to learn that we both speak sarcasm fluently. I wanted to do an interview with her on my blog (you can meet here here: Guest Interview), and she wanted to feature me on hers. Cool, right?
As the Crow Flies possessed that rare and unusual thing—that thing that made me want more. Robin, through her ready wit, had managed to create a unique story line and fully formed and relatable characters. Moreover, it was clear that Robin had a clear understanding of–that indeed she fluently spoke—my second language–sarcasm. Best of all, Robin displays a fun and unique voice that made me know I would want—no, that I would need—to read more from this gifted writer.
Is that an awesome introduction or what?? Amazingly, there’s an “and” what. Read on. You’ll see.
In her interview, Trish posed some questions that twisted my brain. I had to walk away and think about a few of them. And she uses em-dashes as prolifically as I do. Clearly, we’re on the same wave length. Please check out our chat here: Robin Lythgoe and feel free to comment or ask questions. We’d love the visit!
So not only did this lovely woman give me her time and space on her blog, but we’ve had a running chat going ever since that first email about the interviews. We talked about the birds and the bees—er, her children’s graduations (and you do remember the bird, I hope?), the humor of typos, the overwhelming joy of having the flu (not!), and stayed away from my jealousy that she was going to BookExpo America. She read As the Crow Flies (You guessed that already, didn’t you?). And then she knocked my socks right off with her review. If you see them anywhere, please send them back to me. In the meantime, please read what she had to say:
As the Crow Flies tells the tale of Crow, a witty, sarcastic thief who steals your heart from the earliest pages. Truly, there are so many things to love about As the Crow Flies, that it is hard to know where to begin.
The author’s characters are neatly drawn and are given quirks and manners of speech that are unique and consistent. The reader will never forget that Crow is a thief, for if not his first, then his last thought in nearly every situation in which he finds himself, will be Crow’s consideration of what he can do to “re-arrange” the goods of others.
Read the rest here—then get up and do a Snoopy dance with me. This is a fantastic review, not just because it’s glowing, but because Trish actually says what’s good and why, rather than giving another recap of the blurb or falling into the generic review pattern. Please let her know what an amazing job she did. Maybe we can convince her to write an article about how to review books…