"Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly" by Gail Carson Levine

Writing. For those of us who enjoy doing it, writing can be magical. We can create our own little worlds on paper and fill them with characters from our own imaginations.  

When our hands touch the keyboard or our pen touches the paper, anything becomes possible.

But sometimes we get stuck. We don’t know what to write. Our characters don’t feel real. We get bored with the story.

In Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly award winning author Gail Carson Levine shares tips and techniques she’s learned in her career. She admits that she often gets stuck or bored or completely frustrated with her characters.

With fun examples and ideas, she gives you advice on how to get over these humps and discusses what stories are made of. From this book I learned what a good beginning to a story often looks like, tips on how to wrap up a story, and the best way to write a conversation.

But the thing that impressed me most about this book was that it wasn’t boring. It didn’t feel like a typical how-to book. It was actually extremely fun and enjoyable to read.

Really, though, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Levine’s always been able to grab my attention with her writing.

Through this book you might just learn how to grab your reader’s attention too.

Note:

Some of what Levine shares is just her opinion. Whenever you are listening to advice about writing, try to keep in mind that quite a bit of it is probably just opinion. Don’t discard the advice, however: listen and consider it.

Just know that writing is not like math. There is no exact formula, no “one” answer to a problem. Everyone has his or her own unique writing style.

With math, two plus two always equals four and if you dispute this people will think you’re crazy.

With writing, one person will tell you one thing and someone else will tell you something entirely different. Who’s in the right?

They might both be in the right. Their advice might be equally viable. In the end, you have to decide what your own unique style will look like.

Will you use the first person’s advice or the second person’s advice?

You decide. You’re the writer.     

Should your sentences by long or short?  

You decide. You’re the writer.

Should you use first-person point of view or third-person? Which is better?
You decide. You’re the writer.

Book Review of "The Wave" by Todd Strasser

The students in Mr. Ross’ high school history class have asked him some questions he’s not sure how to answer: why did anyone follow Hitler? Why did people join the Nazi party? How come the Germans denied any knowledge of Hitler’s death camps?
At last, Mr. Ross comes up with an idea. Without telling his students what he’s up to, he organizes a movement structured after Nazi ideals and invites students to join it. He calls it “The Wave.” Their slogan is, “Strength Through Discipline, Strength Through Community, Strength Through Action!” He hopes that this movement will give them some sort of an idea of how it was like to live in Nazi Germany.

To most people, The Wave seems harmless enough. In less than a week, nearly every student in the high school has joined it. Slowly but steadily however, things start to get out of hand. What began as a simple classroom experiment has grown and taken on a life of its own, leaving in its wake brainwashed students…and a teacher who discovers that power is more seductive than he thought.

This book is closely based on a true event that occurred in a high-school in 1969.

When I researched what actually happened in the course of the real-life experiment, I discovered that the major points of the experiment were identical to what is portrayed in “The Wave.” In a only a few days, a fascist movement took over an entire high-school.

To me this book is a chilling reminder that brainwashing and the desire for power can take hold of anyone: even people born in the freedom-loving United States.

To find out how the experiment ended and what came of it, I encourage you to read “The Wave.”

Note to Parents: Due to some mild language and the book’s serious content, I would not recommend it for children.

"Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows", by J.K. Rowling

 Have you ever read a series that reeled you in from book one and did not release you until you had read the very last word of the final book?

This is what I experienced with the Harry Potter series.

Avidly, I read my way through books one, two, three, four, five, and six. The books seemed to grow with the character. As Harry became older and discovered more of the often dangerous world around him, the books became darker and more intense.

Each one pulled back a layer of the many mysteries surrounding the person of Harry Potter, and in each one I got to know Harry better and like him even more. 

At last, partly reluctant, mostly excited, I started book seven, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

I was reluctant because I did not want the series to end. I did not want to finish the book and realize that no more would follow it.

I was excited because yet another chapter in the life of Harry Potter was unfolding. I sensed the imminent climax, the feeling that everything I had read in the other 6 books, everything that had occurred in the life of Harry Potter heretofore, was about to culminate in something big…

But even these premonitions could not have prepared me for the rising action and climactic end of the Harry Potter series.

To tell you even a little of what happened would give away too much.

The book made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me bite my knuckles in barely containable excitement.

All in all, “Harry Potter” is a series that I know I will be re-reading many times in the future.

Admittedly, it’s not for everyone. (After all, if we all liked the same books the world would be a pretty boring place.)

But if you are a fantasy fan who is looking for an engrossing, magical series with colorful characters that you can relate to and who become real to you, “Harry Potter” might just be for you.

"The Borrowed House," by Hilda Van Stockum

Janna is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in a small German town during WWII. She is a proud member of the Hitler Youth group, and admires Hitler above all else. All of her life she has been told that the Jewish people are dangerous criminals and that Hitler is doing the world a favor by getting rid of them. She believes that the Jews are being sent to a special place where they will be treated kindly and kept from harming other people.

One day Janna is sent to Holland to live with her parents, famous German actors who she has not seen in 2 years.

During her stay in Holland, certain events occur that slowly but surely began to shake her faith in Hitler and his soldiers, and which challenge her bigotry against Jewish people.

This thoughtful, descriptive story by one of my favorite historical-fiction authors instantly grabbed my attention. It explores the lies Hitler told to his people and unearthed the reasons so many German young people admired and believed in him. During the book, instead of feeling angry at Janna and other young people for supporting Hitler, I was deeply saddened for them. They were carefully shielded from the truth and consistently spoon-fed lies, ultimately becoming brain-washed supporters of one of the most terrible and wicked tyrants who ever lived.

As you read this book you will cheer Janna on as she searches for the truth.

Inspirations 4 Writing

Write a story from the perspective of a person who holds views you do not agree with. Reveal why this person believes the way he or she does. Does this person end up changing his or her views? If so, why?

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen is a 16-year-old girl, and the sole provider for her family. She lives in what might once have been America; now it is merely a country divided into 12 poverty-stricken provinces and presided over by the evil Capitol. To remind the people who populate the provinces of their subjugated state, the capitol holds a yearly event called “The Hunger Games.” A boy and a girl from 12 to 18 years of age is chosen from each district. After a short training period, the tributes are thrown into an arena and forced to fight each other to the death. The event is televised and everyone, including the contestants’ parents, are forced to watch it.

This year, Katniss is the tribute who must fight in the arena for the warped entertainment of the capitol. 

Quite frankly, I had a hard time reading this book. It wasn’t that the writing was bad. (In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed Suzanne Collin’s style.) It wasn’t even the violence. It was because Suzanne Collins writes so vividly that I felt like I was Katniss. It was as if I was the one who was in that arena, killing and waiting to be killed. I was the one with the hopeless feeling in my chest, and the raw determination to somehow survive. I was the one watching children being slaughtered. Sometimes I became so involved in Katniss’ emotions that I had to put the book aside. At the end I was left with the depressed feeling in my heart that is ultimately what Katniss feels at the end of the book. 

Over-all, Suzanne Collins does an excellent job of subtly yet openly infusing her views and opinions into the pages of the book. I did not agree with all of those views, but I still had to admire how she was able to express what she believes through a science-fiction novel.

In conclusion, I’d have to say that this book is very well-written and will provide you with an exciting, heart-throbbing adventure, but if you dislike books with dark, heavy content or get very emotionally involved with the characters, “The Hunger Games” might not be for you.

Note to Parents: This book is not for younger readers.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

For years, I thought that Harry Potter was a terrible book. I assumed that it was a dark story about witchcraft that glorified evil, and I was shocked if anyone told me they had read it. However, I supposed all these thing without actually having read the book for myself. One day my mom and I made the decision to try it out. We sat down in the living room and started reading it together. I was in love with it from the very first sentence. I discovered quickly that Harry Potter is anything but dark and evil. On the contrary, it is an enchanting fantasy story full of excitement and adventure that makes you think deeply about life.  

In "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," (which is the first book in the series), Harry Potter is a 10-year-old orphan who has lived nearly his entire life with his aunt and uncle. On Harry’s eleventh birthday he discovers a truth that will change his life forever. He is a wizard.

Simultaneously, he receives a letter telling him that he has been accepted at Hogwarts school of magic. Harry is abruptly thrust into a world he never knew existed; the wizarding world. In that world Harry learns that portraits can talk, trolls really exist, and animals sometimes turn out to be people.

Yet he also discovers something else, a fact far more sinister: there’s a dark wizard on the loose, and he wants Harry dead.

Note to Parents: I would not recommend this book for younger children, but rather for ages 12 and up. 

Inspirations 4 Writing

One of the many reasons I admire J.K. Rowling is her stunning imagination. It’s as if she left all boundaries behind when writing about the wizarding world and let her imagination go wild. The result is a book full of spell-binding adventures, fantastical creatures, and magical objects that excite the curiosity and capture the mind’s-eye. If you like writing children’s fantasy, try letting your imagination loose as well and see what you come up with.   

A Child's Anthology of Poetry

A Child's Anthology of Poetry, edited by Elizabeth Hauge Sword with Victoria Flournoy McCarthy

Do you find poetry boring? Dull? Dreary? If so, then you have not yet read this book. It is an anthology of some of the most interesting and entertaining poems I have read. They range from light-hearted poems by such authors as Emily Dickinson, to dark tragedies like the famous poem, “The Highwayman.” All in all, this book will give you a round diet of some of the best poetry written. Even people who strongly detest poetry might just change their mind after reading this collection.

Inspirations 4 Writing

After reading some of the poems in “A Child’s Anthology of Poetry” try your hand at writing a poem or two of your own.

Stuck? Here are some suggestions to get you started. Study the rhythm of the words in “The Highwayman.” Why is it as haunting is it is? How can you infuse this style into your own poetry?

Read a poem by Emily Dickinson and then write your own poem from the unique outlook of life that she possessed. See if you can see things in a new and whimsical way, like she did. Keep studying the other poems in the book for inspiration. Who knows? You might even become the next Robert Frost!

Book Review of "The School Story" by Andrew Clements

Natalie Nelson is a normal 6^th grader…and she intends to stay that way, even though she has just written a novel that her best friend Zoe insists should be published. At last Natalie gives in a little and lets her English teacher read it. Her English teacher loves it almost more than Zoe. The next step is getting published. Natalie’s mom is an editor for a publishing company and the obvious thing to do would be to give it to her. But Natalie knows that if her mom’s boss once found out that Natalie wrote the book, she would never let it get published. That is when Zoe comes up with a harebrained scheme. Natalie can turn the book in using a pen name and Zoe can pose as her agent. Their English teacher promises to help.  The only question that now remains is will it work?

This book has been a favorite of mine ever since I  read it several years ago. I was about Natalie’s age and, like Natalie, a writer who deeply desired to have a book published. This book reminded me that my young age does not have to be a barrier to this dream. Andrew Clements writes in a compelling style that makes it very hard to put the book down. When you do finish the book, rest assured that you will someday want to pick it up and read it again!    

Inspirations 4 Writing

One of the best pieces of encouragement an author can give is that you are never too young to become a writer or even a published author. “The School Story” inspired me in this way, and I hope it inspires other young writers as well!

Book Review of "The Ides of April" by Mary Ray

Hylas is a Greek slave. His master is the affluent Caius Pomponius. One day Hylas wakes to discover that his master was murdered in bed while asleep in a room in his villa. Suspicion instantly falls on the household slaves; who else in the villa could have committed the vile crime? In Rome when one slave was suspected of murder every single slave in the house was executed, whether man, woman or child. Soldiers soon arrive, arrest the slaves, and herd them to prison. Hylas, however, manages to escape arrest and flees the house. It is only a matter of time before he will be missed and the soldiers start searching for him. Hylas is frantic, and for good reasons. His own mother is one of the slaves facing torture and death in a Roman prison. Trusting his life into the hands of people he hardly knows, Hylas must somehow prove that the murderer was not one of the slaves while evading capture himself.

This exciting mystery set just after the time of Christ is so thrilling that I could not put it down. The author connected me emotionally with the characters and compelled me to pause a moment to imagine how it might have felt like to be a slave in Rome. I found myself growing exceedingly angry at the distorted form of justice displayed by the Roman Empire in such murder cases.

At the same time, I was moved by the mercy showed to Hylas by people who are virtual strangers. When an author can invoke so many different emotions while juggling a complicated cast of characters I cannot help but be greatly inspired. 

                       

 Inspirations 4 Writing

How does it feel like to be a slave? How does it feel like to be an escapee with your life on the line? Ponder these questions and try to imagine yourself in such circumstances. Then write feelingly about a character who is either a slave, an escapee running from some danger, or both.

Book Review of "Snow Treasure" by Marie McSwigan

Peter Lundstrom and his friends are ordinary Norwegian children living in 1940. They enjoy excitement of any kind and love to sled, build snowmen, and have snowball fights. Peter could never have foreseen that these innocent pastimes would become the tools for a daring mission…but that is exactly what happens when the Nazis invade Peter’s small town. Peter and his friends must now use their sleds to smuggle millions of dollars worth of gold under the very noses of the Nazis. If their country’s gold fell into enemy hands it would spell disaster for Norway.

Often in literature, unassuming heroes are the ones that endear themselves to the reader. These are exactly the sort of heroes that Peter and his friends are. They did not want to be heroes. They never planned to risk their lives for their country. But when circumstances call for immediate action they choose to do whatever it takes, even self-sacrifice. A story of courage, danger, and loyalty, this book is a must-read!

Inspirations 4 Writing

If you were faced with a life and death situation, what would you do? Write a story using an autobiographical character and place this character in just such a situation. How does this character choose to act? 

"I Am David" by Anne Holm

 

 David is a young boy who has lived in a concentration camp for as long as he can remember. All he knows is concrete and barbed wire, cruel hard guards, and desperate prisoners. He has never seen a tree. He has never seen a child his own age. He has never even heard music before. One day a guard at the concentration camp suddenly takes pity on David and helps him to escape. At last David is free. But how can a single boy who is virtually a stranger to the outside world survive on his own?

The author of “I am David” writes so vividly and emotionally about David’s plight that I was moved to tears. In the course of his short life David has experienced suffering, evil and death close-hand. Music, food, and laughter are things that never cease to be miraculous to him. Things we take for granted he sees as extraordinary gifts. In reading David’s story I realized how rich in blessings my own life is.  

I hope that other people who read this book are moved similarly. I know for certain that they will eagerly read to find out what becomes of David, and if he will ever find a place where he truly belongs.

Inspirations 4 Writing  

Imagine a setting with a character who is without the necessities and pleasures which we often take for granted. Perhaps the character is lost in the wilderness, or, like David, is in a prison camp. Use your imagination. What would it feel like? Try to put yourself into this character’s shoes in the way the author of “I Am David” put herself in David’s shoes. How does the character feel like when he/she returns to civilization? 

Book Review of "Sparrows in the Scullery" by Barbara Brooks Wallace

Colly Trevelyan is an eleven-year-old boy who has been coddled and protected by his wealthy parents for all of his life. When he receives the news that his beloved parents were killed in a carriage accident, he is devastated. He knows his life is about to change for the worse, but he could not have possibly imagined how worse… 

On a cold dark night, two men creep into his room and kidnap him. He is taken to The Broggin Home for Boys, an institute that is run by the miserly and cruel Mr. and Mrs. Crawler. The façade of the institute is that of a loving refuge for homeless boys where they will be educated and taken care of. In reality, Mr. and Mrs. Crawler use orphaned boys as free labor in factories.

It is all Colly can do not to slip into despair. Why was he kidnapped and taken here? Who kidnapped him? Will he ever be rescued?

This riveting mystery story has been a favorite of mine for years. From the start, the author opens a window into Colly’s heart and mind, vividly describing his thoughts and emotions during his abduction and while he is at The Broggin Home for Boys. The way she describes Mr. and Mrs. Crawler and also the other poor orphans at the institute renders them unforgettable. Years after reading it I could still recall the details of the Crawlers appearances and even the names and characteristics of the boys. I remember that when I was a little girl listening to a recording of the novel on tape I exclaimed to my mom, “Someday I want to write a book just like this!” If an author has the ability to inspire young people in their desire to be a writer you know that they have to be good!

Inspirations 4 Writing

The title of the story at first appears enigmatic and unintelligible. After all, what do sparrows have to do with a mystery story about orphans? Upon reading it, however, the meaning of the title becomes clear. Titles like these always inspire me to carefully choose significant names for my novels, a name that catches your eye and holds deep meaning that is fully understood only when you read the book.  

Book Review of "The Trumpet of the Swan" by E.B. White

Louis is a young trumpeter swan. Trumpeter swans are known for their voices, which earned them their name. But poor Louis was hatched unable to speak.

However, the indomitable Louis is not the type to let such things impede his life. With the help of his affectionate father Louis acquires a trumpet and learns to play it, thus making himself a “trumpeter” swan in the literal sense of the word. He also learns how to read and write. With the help of his trumpet and his school-learning, Louis not only can communicate with swans but also with people. But even this extraordinary swan cannot began to foresee the direction that his abilities will take him.

With humor, wit, and emotion, E.B. White spins a tale that will excite, enthrall, and make you laugh! You cannot help but cheer on Louis the trumpeter swan and read eagerly to see what he will do next.

This heart-warming story from the author of “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little” is bound to become a family classic.

Inspirations 4 Writing

A story for children is often one of the most fun things to write! Taking inspiration from E.B. White’s theme of talking animals overcoming obstacles, see what you can come up with. As you write, try to think of the sorts of things that would make a child laugh. When I first listened to a recording of this book as a child, E.B White certainly made me laugh!

Book Review of "Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale

“Princess Academy” tells the story of young Miri, a girl named after a pink mountain flower. She lives with her family in a small village on Mount Eskel. Everyone works in the rock quarries mining a valuable rock called Linder; everyone except for Miri, that is. Her father has forbidden her from working in the rock quarries along with every other able-bodied villager. As a result, Miri grows up feeling like a useless burden to her father and to the village. Then the news comes that in one year the Prince will be choosing his bride and that his bride will be one of the girls from Mount Eskel! Miri, along with the 19 other eligible young women of her village, are taken to an academy where they will learn how to think, look, and behave like princesses. Miri sees this as her chance to truly be someone of importance, but her heart is torn by the conflict between these new desires and her love and longing for Mount Eskel. 

This Newbery Honor winning book is a poignant tale that revolves around such subjects as friendship, home, family, and true love. I was awestruck by the profound thoughtfulness and careful usage of adjectives Shannon Hale used in writing this fantasy novel. She showed rare skill in involving you emotionally with each character’s lives. As I read it with breathless anticipation it was as if I experienced Miri’s hopes, fears, and confusion. Hale also vividly describes Mount Eskel, and I found my imagination drawn to this beautiful mountain that Miri and her village call home.

Inspirations 4 Writing

What I appreciated about this novel was how the author presented human nature and emotions. She described Miri’s feelings in such a way that you felt you could relate to her. I do not think it is easy to capture in words something so elusive as an emotion but the author somehow did it. I find this greatly inspiring and I hope you do too. 

Book Review of "The Faerie Door" by B.E. Maxwell

From the moment I picked it up I was enthralled by this novel. It tells the story of Victoria Deveny and Elliot Good, two children living in two separate time periods. Victoria, a girl living in late 18^th century England, is staying at her uncle’s house for the summer. Her bold and adventurous ways lead her to discover a magical ring.

The novel soon switches to the perspective of Elliot Good, a boy in 1966. A series of magical events direct him to explore an old Victorian house where he finds his own magical ring. After that, the pace of the plotline quickens. By some extraordinary magic Elliot and Victoria’s paths converge and they find themselves in the enchanted land of the Faeries. There they are sent by the Faerie Queen on separate quests into separate realms, both quests equally perilous. Victoria and Elliot must rely on the magic of their Faerie friends and their rings to protect them, but the great evils they face may be too vast even for the Faerie Queen.

B.E. Maxwell’s style of writing is compelling and unique. It reminds me of someone telling a tale to enthralled listeners by the fire, or a scribe recounting a magical history that really occurred. He uses plenty of words I had not come across before, or if I had I had completely forgotten them. As I read I kept an index card and a pen nearby so I could jot down words to look up in the dictionary. His vivid descriptions transported me not only to another time but to other worlds: worlds that abound with faeries, ogres, dragons and magic! I could hardly put the book down. However, I recommend this novel for young adult readers and not to children.

Inspirations 4 Writing

I was greatly inspired by B.E. Maxwell’s knack of  describing magical things and places as if they were real and he had seen them. He made you feel as if you were there, experiencing the wonders of an enchanted land. I hope you also are inspired in your own writing to imagine something so vividly and then describe it so well that the reader can picture it clearly in his mind’s eye. 

Book Review of "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson

This classic book by Robert Louis Stevenson begins with young David Balfour setting out to seek  his fortune. He has heard that he has rich relatives but when he arrives at the Balfour estate he finds only his miserly uncle. His uncle wants the family fortune that rightfully belongs to Davie. Unbeknownst to Davie he arranges for his nephew’s kidnapping. David soon finds himself tied hand and foot in the bottom of a ship bound for distant shores where they plan to sell David into slavery. However, when the crew allows on board a man named Alan Breck Stewart,  David’s future swiftly takes another turn. A battle, a shipwreck, and  the famous Appin murder; this is what you will find in the book’s following pages. David and Alan Breck are wrongfully accused of the murder and must “take to the heather” to escape from the hands of the King’s soldiers. Dogged by those who seek his life, will David ever gain his inheritance?

Written by the author of “Treasure Island,” this book is a must-read! Almost as soon as I started it I found it impossible to put down. Set in Scotland, this stunning piece of historical fiction weaves fact with fiction, imaginary characters with real people. For instance, while David Balfour is fictional,  Alan Breck truly lived. I think the question you must ask yourself when writing historical fiction is “What if?” What if the real Alan Breck met a boy named David Balfour? What if they were both accused of the same crime? What if….? This is how a story begins!

Inspirations 4 Writing

Settle on a favorite time-period. Research people who lived in the past and whom you admire. Now, write a story that involves these actual people and also ones that you create yourself. Write about events that really occurred and couple them with ones that exist only in your imagination. Let the fun began!        

Book Review of "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin

The famous and eccentric millionaire Sam Westing has been reported dead. Sixteen potential heirs to his 200 million dollar estate gather in the old Westing mansion to hear the reading of his will and to learn which one of them will inherit his fortune. Sam Westing will not let the answer be found quite so simply, however. In his will, Sam states that his life was taken from him by one of the people then present in the room. Which one is up to them to find out. Here’s the catch: the only way to find out is to play “The Westing Game.”  Instructing them to team up as pairs of two, Sam has each team given a set of clues. They have a limited amount of time. Whoever discovers the answer first wins the fortune and wins The Westing Game. 

When I finished this story all I could say was, “This is the best mystery novel I have ever read!” Abounding with disguises, mind-boggling riddles, word games, and unforgettable characters, this will prove to be an exciting and memorable adventure. Perhaps it was its unique plotline that made it the only mystery to ever win the Newbery Medal.

Inspirations 4 Writing 

I don’t know about you, but reading this book made me want to write my own story that contained riddles and word games! Take this idea and see what type of unique story you can create. Perhaps it is a story about a clue that leads to a clue and so forth until you reach a treasure….perhaps it is about a puzzle that leads to an answer as in "The Westing Game." Perhaps….Well, I will let you fill in the gap. The possibilities are endless!

Book Review of "Wonderstruck" by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck is written by the author of “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” which is now a major motion picture. Sections of both stories are told solely with the author's own illustrations, while the remainder of the book is in words, the style unique to Brian Selznick.
Wonderstruck begins with the story of Ben Wilson, a boy in 1977 grieving the death of his mother. Suddenly it goes back 50 years to a girl named Rose in the 1920’s. Rose’s story is unfolded in Brian Selznick’s beautiful black and white illustrations; the novel continues to alternate between the two character’s lives, one life told in pictures, the other described with words.
In 1977, Ben has a terrible accident that robs him of the sense of hearing. Back in 1927, you learn Rose is deaf as well. The similarities between the two children continue throughout the book. At last the parallels culminate in one surprising discovery. 

The thing about this book that I especially appreciated was how it entered into the mind of Ben. You got to experience a bit of life through the eyes of a boy who is deaf. Deeply profound, this book and its characters grabbed my heart from the very beginning. I felt in an indescribable way as if the characters were real. This is one of those rare novels that I will never forget and whose characters will always feel real to me.

Inspirations 4 Writing

What always inspires me about Brian Selznick’s writing are the characters he creates. The details of their emotions, their innermost thoughts, their habits, their likes and dislikes all work together to make them become real to the reader.

Book Review of "The Two Princesses of Bamarre" by Gail Carson Levine

This book is a tale of two sisters: Adelina and Meryl, the princesses of the magical land of Bamarre. Meryl is blonde and brave. She longs to go on quests to battle the ogres, dragons, gryphons, and specters that plague their land.  Adelina is dark-haired and timid. She is afraid of everything; from monsters right down to spiders. One day something occurs that will change the course of both sisters lives forever. Meryl falls ill to the Gray Death, an incurable disease that strikes suddenly and takes swiftly. Adelina knows there is a cure out there somewhere. Propelled by a love that is stronger than fear she embarks on a quest to save her sisters life.   

Written by the author of Newbery Medal winner “Ella Enchanted,” this story is one of my favorite fantasy novels. It combines fantastical creatures and occurrences with the relatable story of a sibling bond that is so strong it is unbreakable. What touched me most about this story is the love that Adelina has for Meryl, a love that moves her to do above and beyond what she thought she could. This novel is sure to move you, excite you, and enchant you in a way that only the best fantasy authors can.

Inspirations 4 Writing

Consider writing a story about a relationship between two or more people: siblings, friends, etc. Don’t merely state in your story that these characters love each other so much they would do anything for each other. Have the characters demonstrate this by their actions, as Adelina demonstrated it by risking her own life for her sister. Actions often speak louder then words. 

Book review of "In Search of Honor" by Donna Lynn Hess

 “In Search of Honor” is a stunning piece of Christian Fiction that grabs your attention and does not let go. The main character in the story is Jacques Chenier, a young man who lives in the chaotic times that mark the outset of the French Revolution. At age 15 Jacques is already known as a master sculptor, yet he is angry and bitter about life. He holds the nobility responsible for the death of his parents and he longs for revenge. Yet another part of him also longs for peace and tranquility of heart. His actions and the actions of those around him cause him to encounter people and places he would never have predicted coming across: everything and everyone from a cell in the dreaded Bastille to such leaders of the Revolution as Georges Danton and Robespierre. 

This book is a wonderful example of how a deep message can be communicated through the form of exciting historical fiction. In his adventures Jacques comes to question what is more important; the honor and recognition of man or the honor that only God gives. This is the kind of story that you will want to tell everyone about as soon as you complete it.

Inspirations 4 Writing

 Be inspired in your own writing by how Donna Lynn Hess can intrigue you, entertain you, and teach you through her writing. I was certainly inspired by the message she was able to portray in the story of young Jacques. Instead of telling you what God does in the life of an individual she showed you what He could do, all through a fictional character in an historical setting.