Going AWOL

Hi Dear Readers! I missed you! How are you all doing? Did you notice I’d gone AWOL?

I’ve been AWOL from Pen In Her Hand for two months now. I didn’t even realize it had been that long. What, you may ask, have I been up to?

Well, I’ve been focusing more on novel writing. I’ve been working on a YA novel, which has now changed to Upper Middle Grade mostly because workshop readers told me my book was too young for YA readers. It concerns peanut butter and a dog, and I feel like I’ve been working on it forever. It is currently in its fourth–FOURTH!–complete rewrite. I joined Camp NanoWriMo for the month of April (eschewing the Blogging from A to Z Challenge for the first time in three years) and managed to cough up 5,788 words.

So that was good–at least for me.

I also have been furiously reading for the Book Challenge by Erin over on Facebook. The challenge ended April 30th; a new challenge will begin July 1. Here’s what I read with some comments (I didn’t comment on everything since this post is running so long, but I’m happy to answer any questions about any of these books in the comments):

• 5 points: Freebie – Read a book that is at least 200 pages

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate is a novel about greed and corruption in the adoption world. What made it even more disturbing, was that the novel was based on real events. A few times I had to avert my eyes from the page.

Autumn by Ali Smith. This choice came from a list of one of those books you need to read. There were some lovely passages of a young girl and an old man. But a lot of the book sort of rambled and finally just confused me. One person I know read this book as she recovered from knee surgery while in a codeine haze. She liked it very much.

• 10 points: Read a book that starts with the letter “L”

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Another book exploring adoption. Some lovely writing, but in the end I felt the author had become too message-y. Instead of this one, I really recommend her other book Everything I Never Told You.

 The Late Show by Michael Connelly. I really connected with the damaged detective Renee Ballard in this new series and her lovable rescue dog Lola.

• 10 points: Read a book that has a (mostly) red cover

The Red Door (as well as the series by the author Charles Todd) showcases Ian Rutledge and his ghost buddy cum tormentor Hamish. There were so many characters and suspects that I had trouble keeping them straight, but I’m always in the mood to hang out with Hamish.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. This is a lovely coming-of-age and coming-out book of high school friendships, conflicts, and first loves.

• 15 points: Read a book with a character’s name in the title:

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass is an Upper Middle Grade novel about a kid who must unlock messages from his dead father. It made me think of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close–but lighter, for the younger set.

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor. A charming Upper Middle Grade novel about a boy raised in a prison.

• 20 points: Read a book from this list: Book Riot’s 100 must read books with plot twists:

Everlost by Neal Shusterman I didn’t love this one, but it had a good ending.

• 20 points: Read a book with the words “house” or “home” in the title:

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich In the same vein as The Handmaid’s Tale, a little derivative.

• 25 points: Read a book by an author whose first and last name begins with the same letter:

Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

• 30 points: Read a book that was originally published in a different language than your own:

The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel

Ripper by Isabel Allende I am so impressed with Isabel Allende’s range. She can write magical realism, memoir, and now a detective novel. I really enjoyed this novel and this glimpse into the complex lives of all these flesh and blood characters.

• 30 points: Read a book where most of the action takes place on a form of transportation:

The Lady Vanishes by Ethel White

• 35 points: Read a book with a character that suffers from a debilitating physical illness:

Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz

So, that’s all for now. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. Have you been reading, too? Do tell! I’ll try not to be AWOL for so long next time. Till then, take care!