What I Can't Write Without...

I suppose I could write with anything--just give me a moment of time and I'll tell you a story--but there are a few things that make writing far, far easier...

First and foremost: Scrivener. I honestly don't think I could write a novel without it--or, at least, it would be far, far more difficult.

Scrivener is, essentially, a writing program that is built for novel writers. It took me awhile to get used to Scrivener, but here's what I use most:

• All documents in one location: I'm writing a new trilogy right now, and I plan on keeping all my eggs in one basket--or, rather, all drafts of all three novels in on Scrivener file. Everything is right there in one place. No more lost plot threads or confusing between drafts!
• Character, setting, and tech sheets: I'm also keeping track of the characters, setting, and technology I invent for the novel--mostly so that I don't forget what Easter eggs I put in, but also so I can easily reference articles linked to each one, so I can compile a website for fans, and so I can keep track of who knows who and how. It also helps me to keep track of what's real and what I invent, in terms of the setting and the tech. 
• Revision mode: I just discovered this feature, and adore it! Basically, in Revision mode, everything that I write new in the document is in a different color that I set. It's like Track Changes in word, but it doesn't crash. 
• Split screen: My editing tends to be rewriting, so I have one draft in one window, and the next draft in the other one. Then I can easily cut and paste the new document, rewrite, etc.

Another resource I've been loving is Reddit--specifically the /r/YAWriters subreddit. Reddit is basically a bit forum for people to go to in order to ask questions, get answers, discuss anything, and more.

I've used Reddit a lot for research--my novel takes place in an area that I'm somewhat familiar with, but I've needed to get some extra info on it. I also go there when I'm looking for an opinion on writing. It's basically a giant water cooler for all us writers who don't go out in the sun.

Look, I swear it's not all just killing time!

PROMISE.

Okay, truth time: a lot of what I do on tumblr is waste time. BUT. This is a great way to quickly refill your well. If I'm feeling drained, I pop on tumblr for a bit, and usually, I've either laughed, found inspiration, or just let my brain rest enough to get back to work within an hour.

Maybe two.

*scrolls*

Or three...

The World of Shadowlark: Behind The Covers

Today is release day for Meagan Spooner's Shadowlark in the UK, and (most importantly, of course) here in Australia! Now, if you're in the US, you may already be familiar with the gloriousness of THIS:

I knooooow, right? Bethany's already talked about the amazing world of Shadowlark, and the US cover sums it up beautifully. It's a glimpse through the tunnels of Lethe, the underground city Lark's search for the truth leads her to -- and oh, I loved Lethe. From the cramped tunnels to the marketplace, Lethe is literally full of secrets within secrets, and no person are place are entirely what they first seem to be. Built from the ruins of the city above, Lethe's tunnels aren't a safe place, and the way the path on this cover bends out of sight gets me every time. Meg's writing is strong, poetic stuff, and she drags you into her world and into her story, submerging you completely. This cover is the perfect invitation to set your foot on the path.

But apparently there's no cosmic justice in the universe, because the Cover Gods gave Shadowlark not one, but two incredible covers. What's the star on the cover, you ask? I'd love to tell you... but I'm going to make you read, instead. The citizens of Lethe are protected underground from the Empty Ones above, and the mysterious star you see plays a part in that!

I simply loved Shadowlark -- I mean, you could wrap this book in brown paper and I'd still hug it close to my heart -- but for those who like to judge by a cover (and it's all of us some days, including me!), how lucky is Meg?

This is a powerful, poetic series that's dark and beautiful, often both at once, and you should run out and grab Skylark and Shadowlark today. You won't be sorry.

The World of Shadowlark

There are approximately one hundred and seventeen reasons you should read Meagan Spooner's Skylark trilogy, but chief among them is the decaying, richly imagined world, full of magic and machinations and danger.  Lark Ainsley grew up in a city of metal and machines, all under the predictable rising and falling of the sun disk mounted in the dome above.  But after she escapes her city in the first book, she stumbles upon a world of crumbling cities, infused with pockets of magic so dense that they can loop time and animate trees.  In the second installment of the trilogy, Lark finds herself in the city of Lethe--an underground city dependent on machines for its survival.  Lethe's buildings are scavenged from the destroyed buildings above, creating a strange patchwork city of levels and tunnels, all watched over by a strange semi-circular building at the very bottom.  The building where all the Renewables are taken and never heard from again.

What makes Shadowlark--and the Skylark books in general--different is its unique blend of dystopian sensibility and magic and steampunkery, with a dash of alternate history thrown in.  The result is a world that feels wholly original and unlike anything else out there right now.  Spooner's beautiful prose makes the clanking and whirring of the machines, the glow of the magic, the danger of the dystopia seem immediate and vibrant, at once clear and mysterious and utterly compelling.  This is a world you'd want to live in...maybe except for the cannibals.  Did I mention there were cannibals? How could you not read this? 

Ever since she escaped the city within the Wall, Lark Ainsley's wanted one thing: to find her brother Basil. She's always believed he would be the one to put an end to the constant fear and flight. And now, hidden underground in the chaotically magical city of Lethe, Lark feels closer to him than ever. 

But Lethe is a city cowering in fear of its founder, the mysterious Prometheus, and of his private police force. To get the truth about what happened to Basil, Lark has no choice but to face Prometheus.

Facing her fears has become second nature to Lark. Facing the truth is another matter.

Lark never asked to be anyone's savior. She certainly never wanted to be anyone's weapon. She might not have a choice.

Find Shadowlark on shelves now!

Why everyone should read NOT A DROP TO DRINK by Mindy McGinnis

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Mindy McGinnis's NOT A DROP TO DRINK (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books) at ALA this summer, and even though I read the story months ago, it stuck with me. The characters, the mood, the setting--everything. In my opinion, this survival tale will resonate with all kinds of readers: male or female, young or old. So to celebrate the book's release last Tuesday, here's my list of reasons why everyone should read NOT A DROP TO DRINK.

1)  Because the story is reminiscent of one of those awesome old western movies, where the gunslinger is forced to make a final stand and protect his homestead--only, in this case, the setting is futuristic and the gunslinger is a young girl (DOUBLE WIN).

2)  Because Lynn, the main character, is a badass, but not in the conventional, superhero way. She's believably tough and determined, since she learns the tools necessary for surviving under the direst of circumstances. Hunt for food? Check. Defend her home? Check. Do everything she can to protect her loved ones? You bet.  But it's not just her badassery that's admirable--it's also that ultimately, she's got enough heart and inner strength to learn to let other people in, despite being taught to shoot first and ask questions later.

3) Because it's a surefire way to make you feel better about your own crappy situation. I mean, think your life is rough? Wait until you experience Lynn's.

4) Because this book doesn't pull any punches. There's no wimping out, no skirting the tough choices. The author remains true to the bleak circumstances of the story, which means Lynn and the characters around her suffer, greatly, as they try to make it in a very scary environment.

5) Because this is not a romance masquerading as a survival story--not even close. NOT A DROP TO DRINK is a survival story with heart.

6) Because you can't help but hum Beyonce's "I'm a Survivor" as you flip the pages... (okay, maybe that's just me)

7) And finally, because Mindy is awesome and hilarious, she can skin a deer, and she gives good arm. Blue arm, that is. (sorry, I just had to work that in. Vlog reference here)

Now, go out and pick up your own copy of NOT A DROP TO DRINK and enjoy! Also, tell us--
besides Lynn, who are some of your favorite survivors from books, TVs or movies?

Why Not A Drop to Drink should be your next read

On Tuesday, Mindy's editor tweeted a challenge. We were supposed to guess what Mindy sent to Harper to celebrate the release of NOT A DROP TO DRINK. Most guessed some sort of baked good (because that would be normal), but I've met Mindy, and I know that Mindy goes all in. I guessed "deer meat" (it is in the book, so not as weird of a guess as you might think) and the answer was "venison steaks" so close enough.

I tell this anecdote only to illustrate how dedicated Mindy is to the world that she's built in her debut novel. (And maybe to brag a bit for getting the right answer - ha!). A world where water is more precious than gold is brutal indeed and Lynn is absolutely a product of such an environment. Lynn is the type who shoots first and asks questions later, and after this novel, she shot to the top of my "survive the apocalypse dream team."

So yeah, if you enjoy strong female characters, you'll love NOT A DROP TO DRINK. But what makes the novel incredibly effective is Lynn slowly discovering the difference between merely surviving and really living. Mindy sets this up perfectly, introducing a rich family from the city who is not cut out to live in the wild. The way that Lynn builds a relationship with them is a thing of beauty.

I am generally not a crier, but Mindy made me care so much about these characters, I was a sobbing mess by the end.  And that's why NOT A DROP TO DRINK gets the Zombie Chicken Merit Badge for writing as well as a place on my favorites shelf. (See index of all my dystopian reviews on my personal blog Presenting Lenore)

And now - who wants a venison steak?

NOT A DROP TO DRINK Release!

I'm so excited for the release of NOT A DROP TO DRINK by our League member, Mindy McGinnis. Why?

1. Authenticity. I'm a sucker for a good survival story. The details are so crisp and true that you can practically taste the canned vegetables and the smell the gunpowder in the air. It's like you're there, only you're SO glad you're not, since living in Lynn's world would be awful. Because I like daily showers and not having to worry about coyotes attacking me.

2. Thirst & Hunger. You will be thirsty reading this. I mean, really thirsty. And hungry. And any book that makes you say "I need water or I'm going to die reading the next ten pages" or "smoked deer sounds pretty good right now" is a book that you should read. Immediately.

3. The Turn. You know what I'm talking about. You learn about a character; their lives change, and somewhere along the line, they change too, in a profound way. But that metamorphosis, when done well, is often the one thing that makes me remember a book forever.

4. It made me do this:

Yes, I canned home made spaghetti sauce just in case, you know, water becomes scarce and I have to live off the land (aka my 5 foot vegetable garden plot.) Mindy's book has got me training for the end of the world. See what this book has done to me?

*runs off to make Korean BBQ beef jerky*

About NOT A DROP TO DRINK:

Fans of classic frontier survival stories as well as readers of dystopian literature will enjoy this futuristic story where water is worth more than gold.

Teenage Lynn has been taught to defend her pond against every threat: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most important, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. But when strangers appear, the mysterious footprints by the pond, the nighttime threats, and the gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won't stop until they get it. . . .

New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant says Not a Drop to Drink is a debut "not to be missed." With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl's journey in a frontierlike world not so different from our own.

****

Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound

Follow Mindy on Twitter, find her book on Goodreads,  and check out her website!

Why SKY JUMPERS is Awesome

Okay, so I'm so excited for Peggy and her recent debut, SKY JUMPERS! See, I've known Peggy for a while now, and she's always coming up with cool and varied ways to help me celebrate my books.

Sadly, I am not Peggy (to see her awesome, go here), so all you get from me today is why you'll want to rush out and buy SKY JUMPERS, stat.

First, about the book: What happens when you can't do the one thing that matters most? Twelve-year-old Hope Toriella lives in White Rock, a town of inventors struggling to recover from the green bombs of World War III. But Hope is terrible at inventing and would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb's Breath—the deadly band of compressed air that covers the crater left by the bombs—than fail at yet another invention. When bandits discover that White Rock has priceless antibiotics, they invade. 

With a two-day deadline to finish making this year's batch and no ingredients to make more, the town is left to choose whether to hand over the medicine and die from the disease that's run rampant since the bombs, or die fighting the bandits now. Help lies in a neighboring town, but the bandits count everyone fourteen and older each hour. Hope and her friends—Aaron and Brock—might be the only ones who can escape to make the dangerous trek through the Bomb's Breath and over the snow-covered mountain. Inventing won't help her make it through alive, but with Aaron and Brock's help, the daring and recklessness that usually gets her into trouble might just save them all.

So first, can you say BOMB'S BREATH?? That alone is intriguing enough to pick up the book. And upon reading, I can attest that the Bomb's Breath is an amazing part of the story. Original and scary at the same time.

The Bomb's Breath isn't like this at all. (source)
It's amazing what you can find with a Google search, though, isn't it?

Second, I love the action and adventure in the story. Hope can't invent (which is totally overrated *scoff*), but she can take risks. She cliff-dives. She runs from bandits. Plays dead. Hikes through blizzards. If you like a good action/adventure story, SKY JUMPERS won't disappoint.

The cliff diving is kind of like this, but not really like this at all. For one, that's a dude, and Hope is a girl. Two, there's no water. Third, you can't breathe while you jump. Third, the cliffs are much higher. That's right.
No water. No air. Big cliff. Sounds awesome, right?
IT IS.
(I think if Hope's dive was real, it would be #1 on this list.)

Third, SKY JUMPERS isn't like any other book I've read. And that's a hard feat to accomplish, because I read a lot of books. Sometimes I can recognize a few unique things, but in SKY JUMPERS, I honestly was like, "Whoa," on one page, and then like, "That is SO cool!" on another.

Seriously. Buy. Read. Love.




You can thank me later.