tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9596409403454216982024-03-15T21:09:23.825-04:00Route 19 WritersRoute19 Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519057436984426924noreply@blogger.comBlogger526125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-63628217108863602802016-03-04T06:00:00.000-05:002016-03-04T08:26:50.359-05:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">by Dave Amaditz & </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy Collier</span></div>
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<img alt=" UK (6th August 2015 US (15th September 2015)" src="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/549ffb8be4b0df76872396c1/t/54bcaaabe4b0b5bb4bf3f84c/1421650627592/?format=750w" height="241" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to March’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves,
and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and
voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by
presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five
Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelist, Dawn
Kurtagich and her novel,<i> The Dead House.</i>
The novel is about two girls, Carly and Kaitlyn, who live in the same body. The
doctors believe it’s a type of personality disorder, but other information
suggests there are two souls living in one body. Carly comes out during the day
and Kaitlyn at night. Then one day, Carly goes missing, and it may be something
more sinister and supernatural than a simple integration of the two girls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I chose this particular
passage because I believe it is the first time that Kaitlyn has come close to
admitting what she had done, what happened, to her parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I pushed everyone away. Even Carly. I lived behind a veneer of
Teflon that I worked hard to grow and then to maintain. I could blame it on the
<s>accident murder accident death</s> fact that our parents left us, left <u>me,</u>
but it would be unfair. Because the truth is… I was like this before they died.
I pushed them away too, and now nothing I do will ever change that.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They saw a drunk, when I was broken.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They saw sarcasm, when I was sobbing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They saw me push them away, when I was screaming for their love.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kaitlyn grows tremendously throughout the novel. She wants more
than anything to one day be able to share stories with her sister Carly without
leaving entries for her to read. She tries desperately to see her sister inside
herself.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I frowned, pulling faces at myself, making sure that my reflection
followed suit and in perfect time. For a minute, I was stupid enough to think
that maybe…if I looked really hard, I would see Carly in there, looking out at
me. But it was just me, of course, and I felt like an idiot.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy is right (see below her
comments) about the number of fantastic cliffhangers in the novel. In fact, I
believe that I probably could’ve picked any or all of them. In the end,
however, I chose one particular section in the middle of a chapter because it
totally floored me. I mean, I was shocked and blown away. This is toward the
end of the novel when Naida is with Kaitlyn and her friends and they are
preparing to enter the Dead House.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Naida sits with her mouth frozen open, her eyes huge in her face.
Her eyes rotate towards Kaitlyn, and her expression is one of grief and horror.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Katie,” she whispers, before her expression hardens and she
reaches for the knife beside Ari’s bowler hat, grips her tongue between her
left fingers, and with a violent, sickening motion, saws off her tongue.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There were many chapter endings that will chill you in this novel.
This was one of my favorites. If I were watching this as a movie, I would have
had to shut my eyes.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Close analysis of the frames in this clip reveals two things.
First, there is a sound, perhaps only static or something brushing against the
microphone as Naida wipes the lens, or perhaps what it sounds like, whispering.
Second a person is standing in the closet behind Naida, the dark form of
someone looking out, two pinpricks of light glinting off their eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Scott is my favorite
secondary character. He is Naida’s boyfriend and his love of her is what drew
him in, and kept him involved with everything that is done to try to find
Carly. Following is an interchange between he and Kaitlyn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Do you believe this stuff? The Mala stuff?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kaitlyn stares at him for a moment and then gives one sad laugh.
“I… don’t know.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Kind of sounds…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Yeah. Crazy.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I guess it fits me, then.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Scott laughs, then notices Kaitlyn’s face. “I joined her Mala
group last year because I thought she was hot. Now I’m up to my neck in it.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Since Kaitlyn is the girl of darkness, she is
a loner. She roams the school at night and doesn’t have a set of girlfriends.
Then one evening, she runs into Ari and her world changes. He encourages her
and makes her feel like she exists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Live a little, you weird – YES, WEIRD – secretive girl with no
name and plenty of angst. Go to the party, drink a little, relax, and let go.
No harm in that, right? I’ll be rooting for your
teen-coming-out-into-the-world-of-living-actual-people moment. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">PS – I’m CERTAIN one of the things keeping you up at night is me.
;)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - <o:p></o:p></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are so many fantastic scenes to
choose from. I thought this one was particularly interesting because the side
to what was going on inside Kaitlyn’s mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These are what my thoughts sounds like.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Have you ever heard glass? So beautiful. crystalline-it’s the
sound you think should be relegated to the happiest places and the friendliest
gestures.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I hear glass splintering… no, not even glass, really. It’s too
soft for that. More like the glass equivalent of toffee… more like… a mirror. A
mirror, squeaking and snapping as it splinters and begins to break. On and on.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chip… crack… squeak…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A plastic sound, not quite real, but real enough to cut 50 grabbed
too hard. And I always do, so I always bleed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This passage shows the love Kaitlyn has for her sister and the
fact that she’ll do anything to get her back.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And I wish there were arms around me and words in my ear, breath
on my neck…telling me that everything will be okay, that someone loves me, that
I’m not a mistake, not a waste, not a nothing. Telling me that, no, I’m not a
child of darkness, and there is a place for me in the light. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I want Carly to tell me.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But if she can’t – if she can’t tell me that can still be with me,
then I’ll take the dark. I’ll take the dark gladly – if only she’ll come back
to me. If she’ll come back and put me in the back room and take her place in
the light.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m sorry I ever wanted it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry –<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Dave </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">- </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This particular line of dialogue is spoken to Brett by Naida, who
has a thing for Kaitlyn.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“<i>Naida sighs. “Got trouble brewing.” She pauses for a moment, and though
alone, she adds, “stay away from her, lad. I’m warning you. That one’s a
magnet, and not for anything good.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">– Dr. Lansing acts as if she’s this perfect
person with a perfect life. Kaitlyn makes a remark about Dr. Lansing’s
daughter. The doctor’s response below caught me off guard and made me laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Besides, Margo’s not perfect. [Pause] [Sigh] She was just
suspended for mooning her English professor.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website: </span></b><a href="http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/">http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog: </span></b><a href="http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/news/">http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/news/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram: </span></b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dawnkurtagich/">https://www.instagram.com/dawnkurtagich/</a><b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/509790614">https://www.facebook.com/509790614</a><b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Pinterest: </span></b>
<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/dawnkurtagich">https://www.pinterest.com/dawnkurtagich</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: </span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/dawnkurtagich">https://twitter.com/dawnkurtagich</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Tumblr: </span></b><a href="http://dawnkurtagich.tumblr.com/">http://dawnkurtagich.tumblr.com/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">YouTube: </span></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32acGoJkmHFY8PCVIiBtvw">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32acGoJkmHFY8PCVIiBtvw</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dead-House-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/0316298689">http://www.amazon.com/The-Dead-House-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/0316298689</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">B&N: </span></b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-house-dawn-kurtagich/1121002326?ean=9780316298681">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-house-dawn-kurtagich/1121002326?ean=9780316298681</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22396591-the-dead-house">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22396591-the-dead-house</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-249353114969498322016-02-14T15:03:00.000-05:002016-02-14T15:03:12.091-05:00And the Winner is...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYSSp-x7o8ExOryN9YFQ825K2gwFJK_qPdsc0iUn3eBXiECzeOzWazY8W2UeJNREJnfwHwGZKdA-KaqFXasXWuPWSlT73oK0s8N0xTeUHkzuSlhciByLT7cvyAt_4OrQCz1MvxyC5/s1600/BookDrawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYSSp-x7o8ExOryN9YFQ825K2gwFJK_qPdsc0iUn3eBXiECzeOzWazY8W2UeJNREJnfwHwGZKdA-KaqFXasXWuPWSlT73oK0s8N0xTeUHkzuSlhciByLT7cvyAt_4OrQCz1MvxyC5/s320/BookDrawing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Route 19 Writers hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's day!!!<div>
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I had my son mix up the names in his Valentine's box and we are proud</div>
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to announce the winner!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPfn0OhbQGvYGpT1FLtWznZl9VXW7mZKOvZhGShLp85FIP-qmXc9FBPjFtYlCWofcpsGpTwlKsivpe3DqVVIGpaNa1JSniJDNKs6N1Bm2zMy-k4RWuQC2CvN7RmHTqHT4LoIshKBO/s1600/20160214_144549+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPfn0OhbQGvYGpT1FLtWznZl9VXW7mZKOvZhGShLp85FIP-qmXc9FBPjFtYlCWofcpsGpTwlKsivpe3DqVVIGpaNa1JSniJDNKs6N1Bm2zMy-k4RWuQC2CvN7RmHTqHT4LoIshKBO/s320/20160214_144549+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A huge heart thank you to our guest author, Ann Jacobus for donating her</div>
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awesome book, "Romancing the dark in the City of Light!"</div>
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Thank you so much Ann! Congratulations Naomi!!</div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-24534444738427655332016-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-09T07:50:55.055-05:00Romancing the Dark in the City of Light<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">by Ann Jacobus</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNOOGWKfYxmqRc1Ss8_AqsgW3uTTLLbk0jXKS4Ftkq4jShsSU2KiRDxZW7mkmwwbsZYRoNwizH4uIvKsgiwOt-VSi2jy30gSOLZzzRLtBJXnfMzsxFKCWyl38H_hfkKZnZw1MTXns/s1600/AnnJacobusRomancingtheDark+hi+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNOOGWKfYxmqRc1Ss8_AqsgW3uTTLLbk0jXKS4Ftkq4jShsSU2KiRDxZW7mkmwwbsZYRoNwizH4uIvKsgiwOt-VSi2jy30gSOLZzzRLtBJXnfMzsxFKCWyl38H_hfkKZnZw1MTXns/s200/AnnJacobusRomancingtheDark+hi+res.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This past Friday,
February 5, 2016, Marcy and I posted our answers to Ann’s debut novel </span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Romancing the Dark in the City of
Light.</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Today, you get to read
Ann’s favorite's. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Great answers, Ann! We can’t wait for
our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their
favorites, too. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">And we are super excited!! Ann has offered to give away her book to one lucky reader! Please either leave your email address in the comments section below or tag </span><a class="DashboardProfileCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex u-linkClean" href="https://twitter.com/MarcyCollier" style="color: #66757f; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; padding-right: 5px; text-decoration: none;">@<span class="u-linkComplex-target">MarcyCollier</span></a>on Twitter with #Romancing the Dark in the City of Light.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“I’ve learned to expect nothing from life,” Summer says, with a
toss of her head and a little more vehemence than she intended.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“Hmm,” Moony says. “But what does life expect from you?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is at a point in the story when depressed main character
Summer is only beginning to struggle with suicidality (the term for feeling
suicidal). Her friend Moony has struggled for much of his life with staying
alive, recovering, and regaining as much physical and mental ability as
possible after a serious accident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kurt is Summer’s hot but mysterious and creepy friend who
encourages all her worst choices. After alienating her friend Moony and
wandering the city alone and despondent for hours, she calls Kurt to meet her
for a drink since alcohol is her go-to for coping (at 18, she’s legal in
Paris).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Kurt narrows his dark eyes. “It’s esthetically pleasing as
advertised, but a cold and heartless city, don’t you think?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>She runs her finger around the rim of her glass. “Now that you
mention it, yeah.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“I do have a treat for you tonight. An unusual outing. I think
you’ll get a kick out of it.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“Let’s see. How could you possibly top the sewers? The city
morgue?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“No. Much more lively.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“Nascar racing?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“No, more intimate than that.” He’s laughing.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“Nude mud wrestling?” She’s feeling downright loose and light.
Sexy and funny. Thin and beautiful. Healthy and alluring.<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“Ha. Drink up. Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“But you just got here.” She drains her glass.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>He smiles. “Waste not, want not. It’s time.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No question, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">my character Munir Al
Shukr was my favorite character to write. His nickname is Moony. His father is
Kuwaiti and his mother is American, although he has grown up in Paris—a
third-culture kid who is comfortable just about anywhere but isn’t quite sure
where he belongs. He is also partially physically disabled from a serious
childhood car accident that he wasn’t expected to survive. He is kind-hearted
and befriends my difficult-to-like protagonist, then patiently if sometimes
gruffly puts up with her because he sees beyond her bluster. In fact, he falls
for her. He is spiritual because he fully understands the value and fragility
of life. He’s stoic as he’s battling a number of physical problems related to
past surgeries and the accident. Too perfect, you say? No, he harbors some
secrets.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“Everybody’s fragile, given the wrong
circumstances.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>And conversely, “Humans are capable of
incredible things. Full recoveries against the odds.”<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When it comes to mental health, if you
pile enough difficulties on just about anyone, they will break. But thankfully
our wills to survive and thrive are (usually) strong and difficult to override.
<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“The River Seine. Spectacular,” Kurt says, gazing down from the
bridge. “Flowing like time. Cold. Patient. Romantic.” He squeezes Summer’s
hand. “Easy to slip into.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congratulations to Ann on her debut novel, <i style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Romancing the Dark in the City of Light</span></i>!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To read more about Ann Jacobus and her debut novel <i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Romancing the Dark in the City of Light</span></i>, please go to:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Website: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.annjacobus.com/">http://www.annjacobus.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Instagram: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/annjacobus/">https://www.instagram.com/annjacobus/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/annjacobus.author">https://www.facebook.com/annjacobus.author</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Google Plus: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/">https://plus.google.com/u/0/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pinterest: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/annjacobussf/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light/">https://www.pinterest.com/annjacobussf/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tumblr: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://annjacobus.tumblr.com/">http://annjacobus.tumblr.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AnnJacobusSF">https://twitter.com/AnnJacobusSF</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Dark-City-Light-Novel/dp/1250064430">http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Dark-City-Light-Novel/dp/1250064430</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">B&N: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light-ann-jacobus/1120919313?ean=9781250064431">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light-ann-jacobus/1120919313?ean=9781250064431</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Indiebound: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250064431">http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250064431</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525983-romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525983-romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-27499385981518119372016-02-05T06:00:00.000-05:002016-02-05T10:13:25.836-05:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">by Dave Amaditz & </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy Collier</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0t4lXNj5QZzbT0-uS1QF8yGOFzojmPUICreeJETF8_NKd1BZfMHrUB0p0l-QXctmPMFUxghD8WljaZK4mheNxrl2RLz4zmSZjreY5eGWFFMLNqVK14iGiQ1zp0Idd3ZVFy9OLCxP/s1600/AnnJacobusRomancingtheDark+hi+res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0t4lXNj5QZzbT0-uS1QF8yGOFzojmPUICreeJETF8_NKd1BZfMHrUB0p0l-QXctmPMFUxghD8WljaZK4mheNxrl2RLz4zmSZjreY5eGWFFMLNqVK14iGiQ1zp0Idd3ZVFy9OLCxP/s320/AnnJacobusRomancingtheDark+hi+res.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to February’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut
Novel Day</b>. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the
author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelist, Ann
Jacobus and her novel,<i> Romancing the Dark
in the City of Light.</i> Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her
senior year after being kicked out of four boarding schools. Her inheritance is
at stake if she doesn’t graduate from college by the age of 22. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While she is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve all of her
problems, it only complicates her life more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And we are super excited!! Ann has offered to give away her book to one lucky reader! Please either leave your email address in the comments section below or tag </span><a class="DashboardProfileCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex u-linkClean" href="https://twitter.com/MarcyCollier" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #66757f; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; padding-right: 5px; text-decoration: none !important;">@<span class="u-linkComplex-target">MarcyCollier</span></a>on Twitter with #Romancing the Dark in the City of Light.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I had so many interesting
lines to choose from throughout this novel, but in the end I chose to take this
particular section because I thought it was one of the earliest times in the
book when Summer seemed genuinely happy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What’s interesting is that when she’s with kids, she feels like
things will be okay. It’s always a fair exchange, too. She teaches them how to
float and then do the breaststroke; they give back in respect and real growth
and laughter. Like that kid who was dying to share the Robot Hamster story with
her. She smiles. When she makes an effort, they make one back. That’s more than
she can say for most people.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This one action plays a huge part for Summer’s growth and
development. The first step is realizing she has a drinking problem, then making
a conscious decision to stop. Having Moony in her life makes her want to quit
drinking.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Summer pulls out her water bottle as soon as the door is closed,
and pours all the vodka into the toilet.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This particular chapter ending
involves Summer’s dark romance partner, Kurt, but I could’ve chosen any of a
number of endings where he happened to appear because I sensed the danger of
what was to come and couldn’t wait to turn the page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Before this particular encounter with
Kurt, Summer had just spent time with a boy with whom a romance is beginning to
blossom. After a taxi ride home, and acknowledgment that Kurt is a bad
influence on her, this is what she sees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As she enters their apartment building, Kurt’s leaning against the
corner of the building across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is such a sweet, touching
moment in the story. I won’t give the details of “who” away. You’ll have to
read the book!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He turns his head around. At the same moment she leans forward.
Their helmets clunk and their noses brush. They both freeze. Then he kisses her
on the lips.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I have to choose Moony.
He is so supportive of Summer despite, or should I say, because of what he has
gone through. This line, I believe, gives a perfect example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“<i>Brave
enough to die, then you’re brave enough to live.” He grips her hand. “Have the
freaking courage to get help, to get better</i>.”<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – No question, Moony. He is a three dimensional
character with so many sides. He is good and caring and true. And funny. Like
in this exchange between him and Summer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“What about your dad?” she asks.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Divorced post accident.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“That sucks.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Reembraced Islam, lives in Kuwait with new wife and kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “But he can marry a
second wife and still be married to your mom, right?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Over Mom’s dead body.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ha!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I chose this particular passage because I think it gives a pretty
accurate description of Summer’s outlook on life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kindness is like hope. It feeds hope. Which just keeps us around
to suffer more, she thinks, anger rising.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Summer is talking with Moony and finally confides in him about a
terrible experience in her life. It’s the reason she doesn’t let anyone get
close to her.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She’s glad he’s still listening. “One evening we, um, hooked up” –
she glances at Moony – “then I was scared and avoided him for a couple of days.
He duped me kind of…publicly.” She’s never told anyone the full story and won’t
get into all the details now. It’s more complicated. The dickhead posted a
horribly unflattering fat photo of her, eyes half-closed, clutching a vodka
bottle, with the caption at the top, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">DRINKING TO FORGET</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">… At the bottom it read, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">I’M A SLUT</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. He shared it with 743 friends. At least he got in trouble. But
so did she. And at the time, it smashed her to an unprecedented low.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Two lines. Both from Kurt,
and… scary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“You know as well as I do that you are the one to be afraid of. I
have the answer to all of your problems.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And, when Summer tells him she is going to
San Francisco…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“To get away from me. But you stupid, stupid girl, you know that’s
not possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">– This line made me giggle.
It’s a conversation between Summer and her mom and so very teenlike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I am not Sylvia the Psychic!” Summer explodes, throwing up her
hands.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congratulations to Ann on her debut novel, <i style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Romancing the Dark in the City of Light</span></i>!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">To read more about Ann Jacobus and her debut novel <i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Romancing the Dark in the City of Light</span></i>, please go to:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Website: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.annjacobus.com/">http://www.annjacobus.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Instagram: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/annjacobus/">https://www.instagram.com/annjacobus/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Facebook: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/annjacobus.author">https://www.facebook.com/annjacobus.author</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Google Plus: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/">https://plus.google.com/u/0/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pinterest: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/annjacobussf/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light/">https://www.pinterest.com/annjacobussf/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tumblr: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://annjacobus.tumblr.com/">http://annjacobus.tumblr.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AnnJacobusSF">https://twitter.com/AnnJacobusSF</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Dark-City-Light-Novel/dp/1250064430">http://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Dark-City-Light-Novel/dp/1250064430</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">B&N: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light-ann-jacobus/1120919313?ean=9781250064431">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light-ann-jacobus/1120919313?ean=9781250064431</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Indiebound: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250064431">http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250064431</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525983-romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21525983-romancing-the-dark-in-the-city-of-light</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-76183014428457381232016-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-11T06:00:17.574-05:00The Next Together<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Lauren James<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<img alt="unnamed (3)" height="320" src="https://laurenejames.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/unnamed-3.jpg?w=228&h=342" width="211" /><img alt="The Next Together" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ynRPN2v3L.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" width="208" /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This past Friday, January
8, 2016, Marcy and I posted our answers to Lauren’s debut novel </span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Next Together</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Today, you get to read Lauren’s favorites.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great in depth answers
and insight in to your characters, Lauren! We can’t wait for our readers to
read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Beware, there are lots of spoilers in my answers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Her thoughts kept flickering through
thousands of memories; she couldn’t focus or process any of the scenes flooding
her mind. She couldn’t place any of the moments, just had to let the snapshots
of their lives together flow over her: images of Matthew smiling at her,
snatches of conversation, kisses. They were on a boat, and then they were in a
candlelit garden and now they were in a science lab.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is the big pay-off for me, when Kate finally
admits that she and Matthew had past lives together. It’s what the whole book
was building up to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I prefer this over some other cliffhangers, which are
more plot based and dramatic, because this was the first kind of ‘cliffhanger’
I ever wrote, back when I was 18 and first starting to write, and I was just so
<i>impressed </i>with myself for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He shrugged her off, turning his back to
her and beginning to slowly, carefully, dress. There was a flush of angry pink
spreading down between his shoulder blades. She watched him, not knowing what
to say. When he had finished buttoning his shirt, he walked away without
turning<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">back to look at her. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For a long moment, Katy stared after
him. There was a lump in her throat that wouldn’t go away however much she
swallowed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tom Galloway, Matt’s brother in 2039. He’s
a main character in the sequel, and I really loved exploring his personality
more and developing him as a person. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Tom smiled seductively. “Like a feel?”
He flexed his bicep. Kate gave an overdramatic sigh. She could almost feel the
force of Matt’s annoyed glare.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Kate’s gaze was focused absolutely on
the cardigan on the back of the desk chair. It had faded to a pale cream from
the force of twenty years of sunlight, but the knitted pattern was still
obvious in the fabric. She brushed her hand over it, feeling the threads
beneath her fingertips. Her breath caught. This was Katherine’s.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a small but poignant moment that I really
love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Just because I laughed a lot when I wrote
this (I write books primarily to entertain myself. If anyone else enjoys them
too, that’s just a bonus. In this case, I really, really had fun.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I thought you were cool,” she said
accusingly, sadly. “You misled me. All this time. With the retro haircut and
the mismatched clothes, I thought you were being ironically hipster, but really
you are just an </span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">old man</span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #221e1f; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">! I can’t date someone who listens to farming radio
shows. It will utterly ruin my street cred!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Congratulations to Lauren
on her debut novel, <i>The Next Together</i>!</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To read more about Lauren James and her debut novel <i>The Next Together</i>, please go to:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://laurenejames.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/the-next-together-is-a-real-book/">https://laurenejames.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/the-next-together-is-a-real-book/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/lauren_e_james">https://twitter.com/lauren_e_james</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizjames/">https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizjames/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Together-Lauren-James/dp/1406358053">http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Together-Lauren-James/dp/1406358053</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23266378-the-next-together">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23266378-the-next-together</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Tumblr:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://lauren-e-james.tumblr.com/book">http://lauren-e-james.tumblr.com/book</a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-1882231941286786922016-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-08T07:06:18.710-05:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Dayby Dave Amaditz and<br />
Marcy Collier<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Welcome to January’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves,
and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and
voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by
presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five
Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelist,
Lauren James and her novel, <i>The Next
Together</i>. Katherine and Matthew are lovers who are separated by time. They
travel through four different dimensions, find each other and rekindle their
love, only to find themselves separated again while hoping that one day they
can solve the mystery of what is keeping them apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dave -</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> There were quite a few
sections that captured well Katy’s\Katherine’s\Kate’s growth as a character.
Many, however, would give too much of the story away, so I settled on this
particular section after Kate, in the year 2039 has just told Matt that she
loves him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She realized then that she always had. She couldn’t remember
falling in love with Matt. She hadn’t had the butterflies in the stomach, the
giddy absorption of falling in love. It hadn’t been like that. She’d just seen
him, suddenly it had all clicked into place.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She’d always been in love with him, and had been quietly,
patiently, waiting for him to turn up. Perhaps once there had been a time when
she wasn’t tied to him with every molecule of her being, but it was so long ago
it was impossible to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> – As Dave said above, there are many choices
for the development of the main character. This comes earlier in the novel when
Katherine has a hint of jealously about Matthew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">She spotted Matthew leading a horse back to the stables, and
quickly slipped outside to follow him, eager for a distraction.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He was talking to a maid when she reached the stables. The
servants’ heads were close together, their conversation serious and intense,
while the horse idly plucked at a patch of cow parsley.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Something turned over in the pit of Katherine’s stomach, but she
shook the feeling away, annoyed with herself. Matthew could talk to whomever he
wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Dave -</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> I chose this particular
chapter ending from timeline 1745 because of the tension and of
the way Katherine addresses the individual who has taken the place of her
lover, Matthew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It didn’t reply, just looked at her. She knew what the look meant,
though. He’d gone. Her Matthew wasn’t coming back, and she was left with this
thing that appeared to be him but wasn’t. She turned and ran. The tears were
streaming down her face. She dropped onto the bed and the guest bedchamber,
barely able to stop herself screaming into the pillow.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> – I’m not going into any details here so I won’t
spoil it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“When she woke up, he was dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Dave -</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> My favorite secondary
character is Tom, Matthew’s brother, because… well… he’s… mysterious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m with Dave on this one, Tom
is quite unique and interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Dave -</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> There were so many great
passages of description that made me feel like I was living and breathing the
scenes, but I chose this particular passage because I felt that it could also
have doubled as a passage for character growth. This is another scene with
Kate, from 2039, as she is setting out to discover more about her past.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They picked their way cautiously through the empty, weed-covered
car park towards the building beyond. The complex</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <i>looked untouched, it’s huge
windows unbroken, though green with mould. It didn’t look anything like Kate
had imagined, and it was more like a library than the quarantined sight of the
outbreak of dangerous bacteria. She couldn’t believe they were risking everything
to chase down a long-forgotten mystery that had happened a lifetime ago. But
she felt like this was her whole reason for being - her whole reason for
living. She couldn’t stop. She had to do this for herself, for Katherine.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">This paragraph captures
Matthew’s raw feelings toward Katherine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">He hadn’t noticed her silent fury, and continued, “I thought you
were beautiful, and funny, and knowledgeable. You were so sad, but you still
took the time to speak to me as if I was a person, not just a servant. I have
never met anyone like you. You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever known.
You thought you’d found a Jacobite spy, and so you decided to spy on them. I
don’t understand you at all. If you’d been a serving maid, I still wouldn’t
have been able to stay away from you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Dave -</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> I really liked a lot of
lines of dialogue and I couldn’t settle on just one. The first I chose is from
the beginning of the book and is a little lighthearted. For it to make sense
you have to understand that Katy is posing as a boy. The second line of
dialogue comes from later in the book and resonated with me on many levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“Kit! What are you doing?” Matthew asked. “Don’t be ridiculous -
just take off your clothes. Does it look like anybody cares?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“<i>I don’t
think there are any true heroes. Just people who ignore their survival
instincts long enough to do something incredibly foolhardy.”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Loved this playful
interaction between Matt and Kate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">She couldn’t help shaking her head at him. “I thought you were
cool,” she said accusingly, sadly. “You misled me. All this time. With the
retro haircut and the mismatched clothes, I thought you were being ironically
hipster, but really you are just an old man! I can’t date someone who listens
to this. It will utterly ruin my street cred!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To read more about Lauren James and her debut novel <i>The Next Together</i>, please go to:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://laurenejames.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/the-next-together-is-a-real-book/">https://laurenejames.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/the-next-together-is-a-real-book/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/lauren_e_james">https://twitter.com/lauren_e_james</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizjames/">https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizjames/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Together-Lauren-James/dp/1406358053">http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Together-Lauren-James/dp/1406358053</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23266378-the-next-together">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23266378-the-next-together</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Tumblr:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://lauren-e-james.tumblr.com/book">http://lauren-e-james.tumblr.com/book</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-38654997754028959452015-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-07T07:08:40.128-05:00From Where I Watch Youby Shannon Grogan<br />
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<img alt="Shannon writer photo crop 2" src="http://shannongrogan.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/shannon-writer-photo-crop-2.jpg?w=198&h=289" /><img alt="From Where I Watch You Comp_Final (1)" src="https://shannongrogan.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/from-where-i-watch-you-comp_final-1.jpg?w=200&h=300" /><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This past Friday, December
4, 2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Shannon</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.85pt;">’s debut novel </span><i style="line-height: 13.85pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">From Where I Watch You</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.85pt;">. Today, you get to read Shannon’s
favorite's. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 13.85pt;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 17.12px;">As a </span><b style="color: black; line-height: 17.12px;">special holiday treat</b><span style="color: black; line-height: 17.12px;">, our debut novelist, Shannon Grogan has offered to </span><b style="color: black; line-height: 17.12px;">give away one copy of her novel</b><span style="color: black; line-height: 17.12px;">! All you have to do is leave a comment below with a way for us to contact you (Email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). If you mention this contest on social media (mention this in the comments), we give you an extra entry. Leave a comment no later than December 11, 2015. We will pick a name out of our Santa hat and the winner will get the gift of an awesome book! Good luck!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Terrific answers, Shannon!
We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us
a few of their favorites, too. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b>What is your
favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's
development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite paragraph is between page 270 and 271,
when my MC Kara, who has spent the whole story resentful and angry with her
mom, finally ‘sees’ her mom-- comforting her café customers. Kara realizes how
the changes in her reflects her dealing with her own grief:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My mom loves these people.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They are like family. And this is what she
does with her family—she feeds them dinner, and asks them about their new
project at work, and if they passed their math test, and if they’re speaking to
their best friend anymore. She asks them about the best part of their day, and
she bribes them with dessert so they’ll finish dinner. She rubs their backs
when they are tired, and offers a tissue when their hearts can’t take it
anymore. She does this because she doesn’t have her whole family—me and Dad and
Kellen—all together to feed anymore.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or
cliffhanger?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At the end of Chapter 28 when Kara receives the most
disturbing and threatening note yet, revealing to her who she thinks her
stalker is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary
character and why?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite secondary character is Kara’s best friend
Noelle because she’s such a terrible best friend, meaning she’s really not
there for Kara when she needs her. Yet, behind her barbed-wire armor, she’s all
heart to the few who can get close enough. She’s dealing with her own unstable
home life, and her defenses and on-the-edge behavior reflects that. She cares
so much about Kara, but doesn’t know how to show that she cares. The thing I
love the most about her is how she defends Kara against her former best
friends, and against <i>anyone </i>who intends Kara harm in any way. So if
anyone so much as looks at her the wrong way, Noelle will use her sharp tongue
to slice right through them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph
of description?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My favorite paragraph of description is on page 5 when
Kara is hiding in the yard of her beloved childhood home, smoking weed and
missing her old room and her old life:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On my old front porch, a pile of U-Haul
boxes sag from the damp Seattle weather. The boxes haven’t budged since the new
family moved into my house, so there’s no room on the porch for a nine-year-old
to sit and paint her toenails while her Barbies watch. No room to pretend to do
homework while wishing for her crush to ride by on his bike, or to watch a
summer thunderstorm and wonder if she should tell her best friends about that
terrible secret she’s keeping.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Truly my favorite line of dialogue is on page 227,
something said by Noelle, but it might be too distasteful for your blog! So I
am going with my second choice, for it’s creepiness, on page 170 when Kara has
snuck away, from Seattle to San Francisco for the baking contest. She’s alone
there, and is staying in university dorms, when the RA comes to talk to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Miss McKinley, I’m sorry to bother you
but I just wanted to let you know that a boy your age stopped by downstairs a
few minutes ago. He claimed to know you?” She tilts and shakes her head a
little. “He said he came here with you, but I’m sure I remember you told me you
came alone, from out of state, right?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The exchange goes on a little more between the two of
them, and the RA gives her the number for campus security if she needs it, and
Kara realizes her stalker probably followed her to the contest, and she’s all
alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘From Where I Watch You’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">YA Thriller, Soho Teen, August 4, 2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Links:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://shannongrogan.com/">http://shannongrogan.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://shannongrogan.com/blog/">http://shannongrogan.com/blog/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/">https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Shannywriter">https://twitter.com/Shannywriter</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://instagram.com/iamdavidarnold">http://instagram.com/iamdavidarnold</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Tumbler:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter">https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Pinterest:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/">https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/From-Where-I-Watch-You/dp/1616955546">http://www.amazon.com/From-Where-I-Watch-You/dp/1616955546</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Barnes & Noble:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-where-i-watch-you-shannon-grogan/1120723915?ean=9781616955540" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-where-i-watch-you-shannon-grogan/1120723915?ean=9781616955540</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18978515-from-where-i-watch-you">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18978515-from-where-i-watch-you</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Soho Press:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://sohopress.com/books/from-where-i-watch-you/" target="_blank">http://sohopress.com/books/from-where-i-watch-you/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Don't forget to leave a comment below. Shannon has generously donated one book for one of our readers. Good luck!</div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-78798071543391722172015-12-04T06:00:00.000-05:002015-12-07T07:27:52.670-05:00Book Giveaway & First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Dayby Dave Amaditz &<br />
Marcy Collier<br />
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<img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKaW4m0UB372XP-18P3iLsvIoCffwu2jU_JpKBAABenB14z2ti" height="320" width="213" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to December’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut
Novel Day</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions
about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick
up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight
into the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the
author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
Shannon Grogan and her novel, <i>From Where
I Watch You</i>. Kara dreams of becoming a professional baker. When her teacher
selects her to participate in a competition for a national baking competition,
she realizes her dreams could become reality. The prize – a full scholarship to
a prestigious culinary school in California. But her past, including the death
and betrayal of her dead sister casts a shadow on a bright future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a <b>special holiday treat</b>, our debut
novelist, Shannon Grogan has offered to <b>give away one copy of her novel</b>!
All you have to do is leave a comment below with a way for us to contact you
(Email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). If you mention this contest on social media (mention
this in the comments), we give you an extra entry. Leave a comment no later
than December 11, 2015. We will pick a name out of our Santa hat and the winner
will get the gift of an awesome book! Good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – There is a memory, a
single event that is playing on Kara’s mind. I believe this passage is spot-on in
describing what those feelings have done to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Time has moved on. Kellen died, unforgiven, but I’m still
thirteen, stuck in that memory. I’ve forgotten so much about that period of my
life, but not that day. Not that night. It’s still razor sharp. Every detail,
like it happened yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – At this point, I feel like Kara is changing.
She is hesitantly peeking out of her shell when it comes to Charlie. She
realizes her dreams and doesn’t want anything to get in her way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I lean against a wall, deciding if I should go back in because
I’ve been such a bitch and Charlie’s been nothing but kind to me. But really,
what does he know about problems? I mean, his parents always had money, and if
they can afford Kennedy then he definitely still has it. If I had money I’d
move far from here and find a way to get into La Patisserie.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are quite a few great
chapter endings that left me dying to know what happened, but in the end I
chose one from earlier in the novel, the tension it left me with unmatched by
any other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t see the color, but I know the shapes of bloody droplets
and the careful writing of my name. Two in one day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I won’t ruin this
cliffhanger with any spoiler backstory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But one memory is all it takes. “You know what you did. Leave me
alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kellen’s gone.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Secrets buried.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In her place, a blue-gray envelope with droplets of purple and
bloody red fibers sits on top of my counter.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I went back and forth
about who to pick as my favorite secondary character because I liked so many of
them. In the end, I chose Charlie because he has gone through so much in his
life and handled it so well. This particular line of dialogue shows how he uses
his lighter side to deal with tension. He has caught Kara, whom he nicknamed
Sprinkles, smoking a stash of her sister's marijuana.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“God of thy glorious grass, we offer you back your wares, in the
coffin of a tampon box, and ask your forgiveness. Sprinkles no longer requires
the fruit of your weedy goodness, as I will show her the way to get high on
life itself. For this we pray, amen.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Justine works as a cashier with Kara and definitely
tells it like it is in a hysterically, sweet kind of way. Below is a
conversation between Justine and Kara at the store.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s just something I want more than anything in the world, and
I know my mom’s going to say no.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Tell me,” Justine leans over. “What? A piercing? A tattoo? Bigger
tits? Not that yours aren’t just precious.” With that she cups both of hers,
frowning and shaking her head at them.” Good Lord, what’s a girl to do with
these? Love to get me down a cup or two.”</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I chose this particular
passage in part, because it rang true with me from when I was little, and also,
because it describes well the fear Kara feels at being pursued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When I was little, I used to stand in the doorway to my room and
estimate the spot on the floor I needed to jump from to get on my bed without
the imaginary monster grabbing my ankles and pulling me into his giant maw
under the bed. Now there’s a real monster, and he waits for me around every
dark corner.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcy </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">– Loved this paragraph
and this is so Kara’s mom.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I feel a pang, albeit a small one, of missing Mom. If she was
here now, and I had her blessing, she’d close her eyes and raise her hands to
heaven before she’d wave them over my station. I can almost hear her, asking
for the Holy Spirit to come down and bless my butter.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – My favorite line of
dialogue is from Justine, one of the minor characters in the novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Don’t apologize for being the way God made you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Charlie catches Kara smoking her
sister’s stash of pot. There were many lines that are hysterically funny, but
this one takes the cake (pun intended). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“So you’re writing about
baking stuff while you’re baked?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
To read more about Shannon Grogan
and her debut novel, <i>From Where I Watch You,</i> please go to:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Website:</b> <a href="http://shannongrogan.com/">http://shannongrogan.com/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Blog:</b> <a href="http://shannongrogan.com/blog/">http://shannongrogan.com/blog/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Facebook: </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/">https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Twitter:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/Shannywriter">https://twitter.com/Shannywriter</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Tumbler:</b> <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter">https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>Pinterest:</b> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/">https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Don't forget to leave a comment
below. Shannon has generously donated one book for one of our readers. Good
luck!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-51124365313845550112015-11-09T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-09T06:00:01.687-05:00Damage Done<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.4px;">by Amanda Panich</span></div>
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<img alt="Amanda Panitch" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1425392065p5/7577269.jpg" /><img alt="Damage Done" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414587724l/19542831.jpg" width="131" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">This past Friday, November 6, 2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Amanda’s debut novel <i>Damage Done</i>. Today, you get to read Amanda’s favorites!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">Great in depth answers! We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></div>
<b>1) What is
your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main
character's development and/or growth?<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b><i>
When Julia thinks, "Lucy Black, rest in
peace. She'd lived a quiet life, and she'd fallen in love, and then she'd
disappeared like she'd never been."</i><br />
<br />
Up until this point, Julia's been
living under a false name, living a false life, pretending she wasn't the girl
whose brother had killed eleven people. Here, she's finally realizing that she
can't hide anymore. She has to confront her past head-on.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>2) What is your favorite chapter ending
or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
My absolute favorite chapter ending is the last
line of the book, but I don't want to spoil anything! My second-favorite
chapter ending is the last line of Chapter 6:<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"She was the only person who
knew that, at the time of the shooting, exactly zero of the eleven kids [who
died] in the band room had been my friend." It's clear throughout that
Julia isn't the most reliable narrator, but this is where it gets driven home
that hey, she's really hiding something big.</i><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>3) Who is your favorite secondary
character and why?<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I grew to quite like Dr. Spence - Ryan and Julia's
psychologist - as I wrote and rewrote the novel. His role changed and developed
into a far more significant one once my agent suggested I include his case
notes and journal entries throughout. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>4) What is your favorite line or
paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b><i>
There's one line early on that has stuck with me
whenever I think about telling secrets: "I wasn't going to be one of those
people who stretched out and yawned and let all their secrets float away like
dandelion fluff."</i><br />
<br />
Julia knows that, once you tell a secret, you can't
control where it will end up and where it will grow - or what it will grow
into.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>5) What is your favorite line of
dialogue?<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Is it cheating to choose a conversation? I
especially like the conversation Julia has with Jenny, the prying reporter, at
the end of Chapter 2.<br />
<br />
<i>She tells Jenny all these details about the shooting, and
then thinks, kind of offhandedly, "I just hoped she didn't ask me to
repeat myself. I'd lied so many times over the course of our conversation I was
having a hard time keeping track of all I'd said." </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This is the place where
we learn that Julia's a pro at lying, and that just because she says something
happened doesn't mean it actually happened the way she said.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;">Congratulations to Amanda on her debut novel, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.12px;">Damage Done. </i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To read more,</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> please go to:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Website:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="http://amandapanitch.com/">http://amandapanitch.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/amandapanitch">https://twitter.com/amandapanitch</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494">http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Good Reads:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-25843232422840086152015-11-06T06:00:00.000-05:002015-11-06T06:00:03.760-05:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">by Dave Amaditz & </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy Collier</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<img alt="Damage Done" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1414587724l/19542831.jpg" width="211" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to November’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut
Novel Day</b>. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the
author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
Amanda Panitch and her novel, <i>Damage Done</i>.
Julia Vann’s brother goes on a shooting spree killing everyone in her music
class but her. She starts a new school in a new place as Lucy Black. With a
fresh start all goes well for a while, but she cannot run from her darkest
secrets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – In this scene, Lucy is
talking with her friend, Michael, a boy who has treated her well and one with whom
she actually feels she might be able to love. I think the choice of words gives
us, as a reader, the idea of the internal struggles that Lucy faces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d enjoy watching him try to make me whole. It wouldn’t work-I
was a jigsaw puzzle with a piece long lost under the couch. There’d forever be
that empty space in the stretch of blue that might have been a bird or a plane
or a bomb.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Lucy’s parents assume she would not be
interested in pursuing band again given the trauma of her brother’s killing
spree in the band room. Her reaction shows her development in the story when
she tells them she wants to continue to play in the band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Well, as usual, they were wrong. I couldn’t be any more
traumatized than I already was. If anything, the band room was a sanctuary.
Sure, it had music stands identical to the one I’d hid behind. But it also had
music, complicated music that took all my focus to stay on top of. It didn’t
give me time to think about anything else. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I chose this one sentence,
this one line that occurred during a conversation with her former psychologist,
Dr. Spence, because it was the bombshell I’d been waiting for as a reader, and
without spoiling the story I’ll simply say…… Has something to do with her
brother, the shooter, who had put a gun to his own head and fired the weapon.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“He said to tell you he loved you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – The narrator is a somewhat
unreliable one. Up until this point in the story, the reader assumes that
Julia’s (a.k.a – Lucy’s) brother is dead until this powerful chapter ending.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I had lied to her. I had lied to myself.
My brother wasn’t dead.”<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I would have to say that
Michael is my favorite secondary character. He is such a nice guy and has
fallen for Lucy. I worried for him throughout, however, because I was afraid
that he would be blinded by his love and do something that would eventually
lead to him being hurt, both physically and emotionally.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> - I would have to say that Alane is my
favorite character. She is such a great friend to Lucy and cheers her on every
step of the way, especially when it comes to encouraging Lucy to talk to Michael
like in the line below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“How do you expect to fall deeply in love and have his babies if
you won’t even talk to him?” she said, pouting.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I picked this short
segment because I believe it says so much about how Lucy was raised, and how
that may or may have not affected how she turned out in later life. Lucy is
with her friend Alane, who is comforting her with a massage.</span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She rubbed circles into my back the way her mother would do. Not
my mother, of course, but maybe a different mother, to a different child.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcy </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">– Lucy sees Michael as a
fixer, but she thinks he can’t fix her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’d enjoy watching him try to make me whole. It wouldn’t work –
I was a jigsaw puzzle with a piece long lost under the couch. There’d forever
be that empty stretch of blue that might have been a bird or a plane or a
bomb.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Lucy is talking with her
friend Michael. She is in band and he is a swimmer. He is waiting for her
outside the band room with his eyes closed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Did we bore you that badly?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His eyes flew open. “I was listening,” he said indignantly.
“Trying to hear your… um…”</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i> </div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I worked an eyebrow. “This is a clarinet.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Exactly. The clarinet is my favorite instrument,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Lucy had dinner with Michael’s family.
Michael’s mom is concerned because it’s late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“You
should get home, Lucy,” she said. “I’m sure your parents are worried sick.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
didn’t say, sure if by worried sick you mean having no idea I’m even gone.
“Yeah,” I said instead.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To read more about Amanda Panich and her debut novel, <i>Damage
Done</i>, please go to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Website:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <a href="http://amandapanitch.com/">http://amandapanitch.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/amandapanitch">https://twitter.com/amandapanitch</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494">http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-7607225006727266652015-10-02T06:00:00.000-04:002015-10-02T07:28:25.449-04:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Dave Amaditz &<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Marcy Collier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to October’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves,
and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and
voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by
presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five
Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
Adam Silvera and his novel, <i>More Happy
Than Not</i>. After his father’s suicide, Aaron Soto tries to find happiness
again with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his Mom. But when he
meets Thomas, he feels true happiness again and reveals his romantic feelings
for Thomas. Since Aaron can’t hide from his feelings or his past, he turns to
the Leteo Institute to alter his memories and make him straight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – in this particular scene,
Aaron turns to one of his favorite activities as a stress reliever because he
does not feel he can talk to anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have something I want to talk about but it’s not the kind of
talk I can just have with anyone. It has to be the right someone, but that
right someone is the reason I need to talk in the first place. I draw instead
because putting thought to page helps, it really does.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – This comes early on in the novel, but this
insight by Aaron is compelling and thoughts like these will help him grow in to
the character he becomes by the end of the story.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have to push ahead with the people who don’t take the easy way
out, who love me enough to stay alive even when life sucks. I trace the smiling
scar, left to right and right to left, happy to have it as a reminder not to be
such a dumbass again.</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I chose this particular
chapter ending because it’s at a particular part of the story where we the
reader are finding out Aaron’s secret thoughts<b> </b>during a period of self reflection and discovery.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In my head, I play a round of One Truth and a Lie. I need Thomas
to be happy. I need Genevieve to be happy. I can’t keep lying to myself about
the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Terrific cliffhanger
ending. I couldn’t turn the page fast enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s an explosion in the back of my head, a delayed reaction.
Blood fills my mouth. This is what death feels like. I think. I scream like
someone is turning a hundred knives inside of me, spitting up blood as I do.
And I’m not crying because of the attack. I’m crying because there’s new noise
in my head and it builds from a couple faded echoes into an uproar of jumbled
voices – all the memories I once forgot have been unwound.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I choose Thomas as my
favorite secondary character. His self-confidence and calm nature allow Aaron
to view life differently.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – There are many interesting
characters, but </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Genevieve is probably my favorite. She is
a constant in Aaron’s life and his rock. One of my favorite scenes is when
they’re at a comic book store and Aaron doesn’t have enough money to pay for
comic books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She
doesn’t even look at me when she reaches into her tote bag and pulls out a few
bucks, which somehow makes me feel even worse. “How much is it?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gen,
it’s fine, I don’t need these.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She
buys them anyway, hands me the bag, and starts talking to me about an idea for
a painting, one where starving vultures chase shadows of the dead down this
road, unaware the corpses are above their heads. I think it’s a cool enough
idea. And as much as I want to thank her for the comics, her changing the
subject so I didn’t have to feel shitty about myself was probably a better
move.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I think this paints a
vivid picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve seen pictures of the Bronx district Leteo Institute before,
but the unhappy rioters add an edge when seeing it up close. You’d think the
Institute would look more futuristic, like the Apple store in Manhattan, but
honestly, the Museum of Natural History looks more cutting-edge than Leteo
does. The building is four floors high with bricks the color of ashes. Leteo is
getting the bad rap of a good morgue with their body count. It’s still strange
to me how hospitals never incite this sort of reaction when their guiltier of
more cases of malpractice.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcy </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are many extraordinary lines in this novel. Here is one of
my favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">From the shapes cast by the green paper lantern, you would never
know that there were two boys sitting closely to one another trying to find
themselves. You would only see shadows hugging, indiscriminate.</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – this line comes from the
main character, Aaron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Maybe one day I’ll move away and send a postcard saying, ‘Hey,
I like guys. Don’t worry, I never liked any of you because you all suck.’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– This line comes from Aaron’s friend,
Thomas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“This
is what I like about you, Stretch. You care about what happens to you. Everyone
else seems resigned to grow up and become nobodies who are stuck here. They
don’t dream. They don’t think about the future.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To read more about Adam Silvera and his debut novel, <i>More Happy Than not</i>, please go to:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.adamsilvera.com/">http://www.adamsilvera.com/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://www.adamsilvera.com/blog/">http://www.adamsilvera.com/blog/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Tumbler:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://adamsilvera.tumblr.com/">http://adamsilvera.tumblr.com/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AdamSilveraAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/AdamSilveraAuthor</a><b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSilvera">https://twitter.com/AdamSilvera</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://instagram.com/adamsilvera/">https://instagram.com/adamsilvera/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Happy-Than-Adam-Silvera/dp/1616955600">http://www.amazon.com/More-Happy-Than-Adam-Silvera/dp/1616955600</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7577278.Adam_Silvera">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7577278.Adam_Silvera</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<b><u><span style="color: blue;">ACCOLADES FOR <i>MORE HAPPY THAN NOT</i>:</span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue;">—</span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue;"> Kids'
Indie Next List "Top Ten" Pick (</span></u><a href="http://www.bookweb.org/news/spring-2015-kids%E2%80%99-indie-next-list-preview">Spring
2015</a><u><span style="color: blue;">)<o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue;">—</span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue;"> ABA
Indies Introduce Debut Authors and New Voices </span></u><a href="http://www.bookweb.org/news/winterspring-2015-indies-introduce-debut-authors-and-new-voices-titles-announced">title</a><u><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue;">—</span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue;"> A
Junior Library Guild </span></u><a href="https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780451470775">selection</a><u><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue;">—</span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue;"> <i>Publishers
Weekly </i>Spring 2015 Flying Start<o:p></o:p></span></u><br />
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<br /></div>
<br />Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-68621597358362295402015-09-07T06:00:00.000-04:002015-09-07T06:00:05.558-04:00Conviction<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Kelly Loy Gilbert</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<img alt="Kelly Loy Gilbert" height="200" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/547000743907971074/F_7xOWBB_400x400.jpeg" width="200" /><img height="200" src="http://www.kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Books_files/Conviction_final_art_r2.jpg" style="background-color: transparent;" width="131" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">This past Friday, September 4, 2015, Marcy and
I posted our answers to Kelly’s debut novel <i>Conviction</i>. Today, you
get to read Kelly’s favorites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Great in depth answers and insight in to your
characters, Kelly! We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And
hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">1) What is your favorite line or paragraph
from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">There are so many demons Braden has to face
down, and one that always haunts him is whether or not he's a good person,
whether he's worthy of all the things he hopes and believes--and whether he's
ever even known how to measure himself against any standard that wasn't his
dad, what it means to be a good person when nothing is the world is what you
always thought. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Maddie was wrong, it turns out: in some ways,
some of the worst ways, I am exactly like my dad. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or
cliffhanger?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">My favorite is the very ending! But, to
avoid spoiling the whole book, another is this scene leading up to the night
when the officer died:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">“I forgive you,” he said in my
ear. “All right? That was a terrible thing to do, but I
forgive you. I love you, B. I love you so
much. I’m sorry you got scared. I’m
sorry. It’s just because I love you. Because you scared
me.” </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I didn’t move. I don’t know if he
even realized he was doing it but he was gripping my shirt in his fist like
maybe he’d thought I was going to try to get away. That’s the part I
think about now, how he did that. Because what did he think I was
going to do? Where else did he even think I had to go? </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I don’t know how long we stood there, him
re-tightening his grip around me every time he started to relax. I
was starting to go numb, to not feel anything anymore at all. And he </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">told<b>
</b>me<b> </b></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">again: he loved me more than
anything, and he was sorry, and everything was fine. And it was
true, wasn’t it? All of that. Because eventually he led me back
inside, he heated up a pizza for me and scooped ice cream into a bowl and made
me have seconds, he sat me down on the computer and told me to buy myself
something, anything I wanted, and then we watched ESPN highlights until we both
fell asleep on the couch and the cops went back to their own houses, I guess,
and for that night everyone was fine.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and
why?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">He's been a somewhat polarizing character, but
I'll put in a third vote for Braden's older brother, Trey. I think it
takes courage to come back to a place that nearly broke you, the way Trey does
to avoid Braden being placed in a group home when their father is arrested, and
I've always been compelled by the gap between the person Trey wants to be and
the person he fears he actually is. And, too, I'm always interested in
what it looks like when a character hates himself and yet still has to wake up
and somehow face himself day after day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of
description?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">This passage when Braden's describing a time
his father took him on a surprise trip:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">He was so happy afterward. And at the
time I thought it was just that I got over something you aren’t supposed to be
afraid of and that I did it because he asked, because I wanted to make him
happy. And that was part of it, maybe. That meant something to
him. But I think even more than that, he was so happy because he felt the
way you do you when you’ve put things right in the world around you, because
he’d told me something that was as true to him as anything else had ever
been. Even at the time it felt like some kind of prophecy spoken over me,
a truth I’d be bound by and owe something and belong to, the thing I would
again and again come back home to. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I have a soft spot for Braden's friends, who
stand with him in their own way even as they can never really look outside
their own perspectives:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Chase Singer goes off about how it’s going to
be a bloodbath when we play La Abra this year, how I’ll need a bodyguard, and
my catcher, Colin Sykes, smacks him and snaps, “Real sensitive. Maybe try
shutting up,” and tells me I have nothing to worry about, that I know they’re
all behind me. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Congratulations to Kelly on her debut
novel, <i>Conviction</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MY BIO:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Kelly Loy Gilbert is a fiction writer who
believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and
give voice to complex, broken people. She is passionate about social justice,
the San Francisco Giants, and organizing things by color. She studied writing
at the University of California—San Diego and at San Francisco State, and
enjoys serving on the NaNoWriMo Associate Board and teaching creative writing
workshops. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family in a home
teeming with books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Website: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="http://kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Welcome.html">http://kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Welcome.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Blog: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Instagram: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="https://instagram.com/kellyloygilbert/">https://instagram.com/kellyloygilbert/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Twitter: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="https://twitter.com/KellyLoyGilbert">https://twitter.com/KellyLoyGilbert</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Kelly-Loy-Gilbert/dp/1423197380">http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Kelly-Loy-Gilbert/dp/1423197380</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Good Reads:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244154.Kelly_Loy_Gilbert">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244154.Kelly_Loy_Gilbert</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-61946170592011390702015-09-04T06:00:00.000-04:002015-09-04T06:00:13.431-04:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Dayby Dave Amaditz and<div>
Marcy Collier</div>
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<div>
<img height="320" src="http://www.kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Books_files/Conviction_final_art_r2.jpg" width="211" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to September’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut
Novel Day</b>. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the
author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelist,
Kelly Loy Gilbert and her novel,<i> Conviction.</i>
When Braden’s dad gets arrested for murder, he struggles through difficult
times and must rely on his faith to make a life changing decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Maybe it’s because of what I have going on in
my life right now, but this particular line struck me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Faith always makes more sense when you can look back later on,
but when you’re in a bad place you don’t know that’s not where your story ends.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maddie, who Braden is beginning to like
more than a friend, confides in Braden that she doesn’t think he’s at all like
his dad. This is a turning point when Braden realizes people see him
differently than he sees himself.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“You know, I don’t really think you look like your dad.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“No?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“My parents listened to him sometimes before we moved here, and I
remember being really surprised the first time I met you because I thought
you’d be more like him. I didn’t expect you to be like you were.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“And what was that?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Quieter. More private. I can’t imagine you talking on a public
broadcast every day.” She hesitates. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“And…nicer. I remember when we were
picking lab partners in Science and you asked Austin O’Connor when you saw he
was all by himself.” She unfurls herself – I can trace the line of her calves
in the low-lit dusk – lies down on the sand, too. “And I remember when my
younger sister spilled grape juice on you at church when we were doing
Communion and you were really nice about it. Your dad’s … more intimidating.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This ending comes from earlier
in the novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s not particularly great, as jokes go, but it makes her laugh
anyway. And it’s funny about that laugh - it makes me feel a kind of calm I
haven’t felt much these days, like something twisting and then settling inside
me. I smile back at her. I wish more things felt like this.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Braden is at the field
punishing himself for going soft during a baseball game by running up and down
the bleachers 100 times. His buddies try to convince him to go hang out and
asks how many sets he’s done already. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He sighs and shoves his cap back. “God Braden, you’re such a drama
queen sometimes. How many have you done so far?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I mutter that I’ve done thirty.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Okay,” he says. “Well, seventy over five is…crap. Fifteen? That’s
not right, is it?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fourteen, moron,” Chase says. “What did you fail fourth grade?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"All right, fourteen, Mister Mental Math.” Colin motions with his
head, and the four of them come and line up on the bottom step of the
bleachers, flanking me.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We’ll split them with you, Raynor. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Fourteen each.
Let’s go.”</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Just like Marcy has
indicated below. Trey. He’s an in-depth character, and although it doesn’t
always show, he cares about his brother.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Braden’s brother, Trey is my favorite
character. He cares deeply about his brother but expresses how he feels subtly,
like in the below paragraph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“So how did
you know I don’t throw cutters?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“I read when
you told that woman from the Stockton Record you don’t have much use for them.
I” – he pauses like he’s embarrassed, then makes an expression like, Eh, screw
it –“ I get it sent to me in New York.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“You what?”
You don’t have papers there you like, or what?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“I don’t have
time to read the paper. I just read about your games.” </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Braden’s father ran over a police officer with this car and is in
jail, ready to go on trial for murder. I think this captures well how Braden
feels when someone finally approaches the subject around him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It has been all over the news, but so far everyone’s at least had
the decency to not say stuff like that around me, and this is how it feels when
you hear that said aloud for the first time: like someone’s pouring acid down
your throat.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This paragraph hit home and concisely describes how Braden feels
in that particular moment, how anyone would feel in his situation.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is why I hate when people tell me I don’t know how you’re
surviving – because that implies you get a choice. What do they think, you’re
actually going to die? Because that’s
not how it works. You don’t get an escape into nothing; you get a brother who
half the time acts like he can’t stand you anymore and you get a seashell-themed
bathroom in your pastor’s house to escape to because a nice dinner with people
who believe what you wish you could about God is more than you can take.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- I think this line shows what
a caring kid Braden is. He is talking to one of the younger kids on his
baseball team who is nervous about facing a pitcher in one of the first
baseball games his father has attended. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Everyone gets nervous. You’re supposed to. I’m still a wreck
before each pitch. If you don’t feel that way, because you don’t care. Okay?
You’re in a good place.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">– The day Braden’s mom dropped
him off to his dad when he was only a baby. This was Braden’s dad’s reaction of disbelief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“You want to leave your kid with me?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website: </span></b><a href="http://kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Welcome.html">http://kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Welcome.html</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog: </span></b><a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram: </span></b><a href="https://instagram.com/kellyloygilbert/">https://instagram.com/kellyloygilbert/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: </span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/KellyLoyGilbert"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">https://twitter.com/KellyLoyGilbert</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #006621; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Kelly-Loy-Gilbert/dp/1423197380">http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Kelly-Loy-Gilbert/dp/1423197380</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244154.Kelly_Loy_Gilbert">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244154.Kelly_Loy_Gilbert</a><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-23370142379936685712015-08-10T06:00:00.000-04:002015-08-10T06:00:03.792-04:00The Distance Between Lost and Found<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Kathryn Holmes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This past Friday, August 7, 2015, Marcy and I posted
our answers to Kathryn’s debut novel The <i>Distance Between Lost and Found</i>.
Today, you get to read Kathryn’s favorites. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Awesome answers, Kathryn! We can’t wait for our
readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites,
too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the
novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Page 190-191: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>The rain starts: sharp, hard drops that sting Hallelujah’s
arms. It feels like an attack. Like they let their guard down, and now nature
is back with a vengeance. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But Hallelujah breathes in deep. Limps along. Tries to
think</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> of her skin as armor. She’s not the same person she was two days ago.
That girl ran from rain, fell down mountainsides, scrambled in the mud, blind
and gasping and scared.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>This girl, this new Hallelujah, is still scared, but
she watches her footing, and she holds on to Jonah and Rachel instead of
pushing them away. She watches the rocks grow closer. For once, she knows where
she’s going. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>2) What is your favorite chapter ending or
cliffhanger?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hard to do without spoilers! I love this final image
from page 105: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>Jonah pokes at the fire with a stick. His shoulders
are hunched. He looks young. He looks vulnerable. He says it again: “I’m
sorry.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>“Me too,” Hallelujah repeats. She hesitates for a
second, then puts her arm around him, just across his back. It feels both
totally wrong and completely right—to be sitting here, now, under an open sky,
raw and injured and exposed, to be comforting Jonah, to be apologized to. She
doesn’t know if it feels wrong or right to him, because they don’t talk after
that. Jonah adds a few more branches to the fire. After a while they lie down,
closer this time, careful not to disturb Rachel, whose sleep exhales puff white
and frosty in the mountain air. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since DISTANCE spends so much time with only three
characters, it’s hard to choose between Jonah and Rachel! Jonah has my heart.
He means well—but he screwed up, big time, and he’s trying desperately to make
up for what he did. Rachel makes me laugh. She knows just what to say to
lighten the mood. She’s a caring friend. Hallie needs them both on her journey,
and as their author, I love them equally. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of
description?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s one of my favorite descriptive passages, from
Page 89: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>The view is incredible. A 360 panorama. If this were a
movie, the camera would sweep around and around, taking in their wide eyes
along with the mountains rolling into the distance. There would be a swell of
strings, a breathless final swoop before the dialogue, soft and awestruck. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>It’s not the tallest peak. Not by a long shot. They’re
at the top of what can’t even really be called a mountain, not with everything
else around. There are mountains visible behind other mountains, rising up
behind valleys, peeking out, hills upon hills upon hills. The green mounds look
so much softer and gentler from a distance. Almost like a blanket that someone
left rumpled. Or that someone’s still sleeping under. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>And there are so many trees. So many shades of green.
Sunlit green and shadowed green. Grass green and moss green and pine green and
the greens of every variety of leaf. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll pick a lighter moment, from Page 118: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>“We have to maintain order, so we don’t go all Lord of
the Flies.” </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Congratulations to Kathryn on her debut novel, <i>The
Distance Between Lost and Found</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>MY BIO: </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathryn Holmes grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, where
she was an avid reader and an aspiring writer from an early age. She now lives
in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and piles upon piles of books. A
graduate of The New School’s MFA in Creative Writing program, Kathryn works as
a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs. The Distance Between
Lost and Found is her debut novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>LINKS: </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Website: <a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Blog: <a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Facebook:
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kathrynholmesauthor">https://www.facebook.com/kathrynholmesauthor</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/kathryn_holmes">https://twitter.com/kathryn_holmes</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amazon: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Distance-Between-Lost-Found/dp/0062317261">http://www.amazon.com/The-Distance-Between-Lost-Found/dp/0062317261</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Good
Reads: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660756-the-distance-between-lost-and-found">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660756-the-distance-between-lost-and-found</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-75089103322214288882015-08-07T06:00:00.000-04:002015-08-07T06:00:01.054-04:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">by Dave Amaditz &</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy Collier</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to August’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves,
and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and
voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by
presenting, first, answers to our<b> Five
Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelists,
Kathryn Holmes and her novel,<i> The
Distance Between Lost and Found.</i> When Hallelujah gets lost in the woods
while on a camping trip with her church group, she realizes that “being found”
relates to so many more things than a simple physical rescue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Although there are so
many particular passages to choose from, I chose this because I think it is
when Hallelujah begins to realize that the situation she was in prior to
getting lost was manageable, especially in comparison to being lost in the
Smoky Mountains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She used to think alone was the answer. Alone would stop the
whispers and the taunts. Alone couldn’t get her into any more trouble. Alone
meant not getting hurt. Now, she’d give anything to see another human being. To
hear someone call her name. She settles for listening to her own voice.
“Hello,”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy – </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In this point in the story,
Hallelujah begins to take responsibility for her actions and wants to stand up
for herself and her friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hallelujah thinks before she can help it. And just like
that, she decides not to be useless anymore. It isn’t only up to Jonah to get
them out. Or up to the rescuers to find them. She can do more than just keep
from falling behind.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This particular chapter ending
comes from early in the novel.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jonah shows them how to rate their bags so there tucked up in the
nearest tree. Then they gather back around the fire. It’s only 830, but in the
dark, in the cold, it feels later. With the woods looming on all sides, it’s
like the fire is the only thing keeping the trees and the darkness from
swallowing them whole.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This particular passage struck
me when Hallelujah and Rachael are having a heart to heart conversation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“And I don’t want to be that girl anymore. I don’t”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Rachel squeezes Hallelujah’s arm. “So don’t be,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With those three words, Hallelujah feels something lifted, a heavy
coat shrugged off. So don’t be. Like that’s all there is to it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But is it that easy? Can she just decide not to be that person
anymore—the one she hates? Can she really move on?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Jonah is my favorite
secondary character because of his strong, steady resolve and his inner sense
of self security. The following line gives an example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I know too many people who are one thing when they think it
matters and another thing the rest of the time. And I don’t want to be like
that. So I don’t curse at all. It’s like-what you see is what you get.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Rachael is my favorite secondary character
because of her straightforward, no-bull attitude. Like in this paragraph when
she’s talking about Jonah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Because he’s upset, and we have to be a team.” Rachel is
matter-of-fact. “And because he’s the one who knows how to make a fire and keep
our food away from bears.”</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Picking my favorite line of description was extremely difficult as
there were so many great images to choose from, but I settled on this
particular passage because as well as paining a beautiful image it gives us
insight into </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hallelujah’s</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> personality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The scenery is enough to distract her. Sunrise over the mountains,
all pinks and purples and peaches with white cotton-ball clouds. The clouds are
low, so low Hallelujah feels like she could reach up and grab one. Light
streams down, split into actual shining rays. The see of trees is a vivid,
happy green in the early morning light, a stark contrast to last night’s dark,
threatening void. The hills still stretch out in all directions, but now they look
bright and new. And for just a moment, Hallelujah feels hope burble up in her
chest, fresh and sharp and cold as a mountain spring. Anything could happen
today. Great things could happen today. Rescue-improbable as it seemed the last
night-could happen today. And she is hit by such a strong sense of everything
is going to be okay that she gasps.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This paragraph took me right to the campsite. The imagery and
sensory details made me salivating to eat the fish too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They dig in. Fingers scooping up fish, tongues licking lips. The
fish has no seasoning except the smoke from the fire, but it’s warm and it’s
solid and it’s delicious. Hallelujah barely stops to breathe before her pile is
gone. She gasps. She licks each finger, slowly, savoring. She closes her eyes.
Inhales the smell of burnt fish. Relishes the feeling of food in her belly.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Rachel burps. Loudly. It startles Hallelujah’s eyes open. “Nice,”
she says.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- I chose this line because I
believe it says so much in so few words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“All you control is you,” Jonah murmurs.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">– Jonah is explaining to </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hallelujah</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> why he doesn’t swear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I wouldn’t like it if people yelled ‘Jonah!’ every time they
stubbed their toe. But it’s more that—" He turns to look at </span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hallelujah and Rachel.
Walks over. “I know too many people who are one thing when they think it
matters and another thing the rest of the time. And I don’t want to be like
that. So I don’t curse at all. It’s like—what you see is what you get.”</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website: </span></b><a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/thedistancebetweenlostandfound/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/thedistancebetweenlostandfound/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Blog: </span></b><a href="http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/">http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter: </span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/kathryn_holmes">https://twitter.com/kathryn_holmes</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Distance-Between-Lost-Found/dp/0062317261">http://www.amazon.com/The-Distance-Between-Lost-Found/dp/0062317261</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660756-the-distance-between-lost-and-found">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18660756-the-distance-between-lost-and-found</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-70834983579846408202015-07-03T06:00:00.000-04:002015-07-03T08:58:36.066-04:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to July’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it
themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing
style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do
this by presenting, first, answers to our<b>
Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
David Arnold and his novel, <i>Mosquitoland</i>.
After being uprooted from her home and mom in Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Iris Malone
(Mim) is not okay. She hates living in Jackson, Mississippi with her father and
stepmother. And now that all communication has been cut off with her mom, Mim
is on the run to save her mom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – <i>Home is hard. Harder than reasons. It’s more than a storage unit for
your life and its collections. It’s more than an address, or even the house you
grew up in. People say home is where the heart is, but I think maybe home is
the heart. Not a place or a time, but an organ, pumping life into my life.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Mim remembers when her mom would give a
homeless man money. She’d purposely go the long way to soccer practice so she
could give the man three dollars. One day Mim’s dad was with them. He started complaining
about how the lazy bum could get a job, when Mim’s mom rolled down the window
and handed Reggie three dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Later, just before bed, I asked her if Dad was mad that she gave
three bucks to Reggie. She said no, but I knew better. I asked if Dad was right,
if Reggie was nothing but a lazy drunk. Mom said some homeless folk were like
that, but she didn’t think Reggie was one of them. She said if he were, she
would give him three bucks. She said it wasn’t her job to pick which ones were
genuinely starving and which ones were faking it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Help is help to anyone, Mary. Even if they don’t know they’re
asking for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I said that made a whole lot of sense, because it did.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And it still does.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s the thing, Iz: my mom needs help right now. And I know
it, even if she doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I jog up to cement stairs, unable to hold back a smile of my young
adult life. This detour has already paid for itself.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> –</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This paragraph speaks for itself.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am tired of being alone.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“You need help?” Walt’s quiet voice brings me back to the now, the
real, the detour.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I, Mary Iris Malone, smile at the bright new moon. Wiping away my
tears, I wonder if things are finally changing, “Yeah, Walt, I might.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – I chose Mom as my
favorite secondary character. She has so many lines that made her seem to me,
so carefree, so down-to-Earth. Mim, the main character, is worried her mother
is going to be mad after she got into a fight in school defending a friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“There are worse fates than being slow-witted,” she says. “You
broke that other kids nose, right? The one who made fun of Ricky?” I say, “yes
ma’am, I did.” “Good,” she says, taking another bite.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – This novel has an amazing lineup of
characters. I would choose Walt for his innocence and love of life. He has
down’s syndrome and has been abandoned by his father but has an amazing outlook
on life. </span><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ready to swim?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Walt looks up at me with wide-eyed enthusiasm. He’s shirtless now,
holding a flashlight and sporting a pair of cutoff daisy dukes. The Cubs hat
and the green Chucks he’s still wearing as well as that infectious smile that
sets my heart aflame. It’s the same smile my dad and I used when we made
waffles, only Walt’s is magnified somehow, like I-don’t-know-what…the Belgian
waffle version or something.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Here,” he says, offering a wad of denim. “My backup pair.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hopping down from the boulder, I take the shorts and hold them out
in front of me. They’re a little wide in the waist, and far shorter than any
shorts I’ve ever worn.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Walt throws his finger in the air, spins on his heels, “This way
to my pool!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – As often happens, Marcy
and I choose similar favorite lines. She has chosen one below that I had
picked, so I will choose another. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory why I
chose this, as it paints a pretty vivid picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ED’S PLACE: CHICKEN-N-GAS The image in my brain is unsettling to
say the least: Ed, a disgruntled Vietnam vet, stands over a stove with two ashy
cigarillos hanging from either side of his mouth; he’s stirring a giant pot of
his famous chicken-petroleum soup. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcy </span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">– Mim gets wiser as she
gets closer to seeing her mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I swear, the older I get, the more I value bad examples over
good ones. It’s a good thing, too, because most people are egotistical,
neurotic, self-absorbed peons, insistent on wearing near-sighted glasses in a
far-sighted world. And it’s the exact sort of myopic ignorance that has led to
my groundbreaking new theory. I call it Mim’s Theorem of Monkey See Monkey
Don’t, and what it boils down to is this: it is my belief that there are some
people whose sole purpose of existence is to show the rest of us how not to
act.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – This line of dialogue
from Walt, a homeless, mentally disabled young man, made me laugh when I read
it. It easily cinched my favorite when I read the end of the novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“Yes,” says Walt, going back to his
butterfly. “I’ll remember the rendezvouski.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Words of wisdom from Mim’s mom:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
mother was the greatest alarm clock of all time. Every morning, without fail,
she threw back the curtains to let the sun in, and always, she said the same
thing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Have
a vision, Mary, unclouded by fear.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink">Congratulations
to David for the praise he’s received on this wonderful novel!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<b>—</b> Kids' Indie Next List "Top Ten" Pick (<a href="http://www.bookweb.org/news/spring-2015-kids%E2%80%99-indie-next-list-preview"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Spring 2015</span></a>)<o:p></o:p><br />
<b>—</b> ABA Indies Introduce Debut Authors and New Voices <a href="http://www.bookweb.org/news/winterspring-2015-indies-introduce-debut-authors-and-new-voices-titles-announced"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">title</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<b>—</b> A Junior Library Guild <a href="https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780451470775"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">selection</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>—</b> <i>Publishers Weekly </i>Spring 2015 Flying Start<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To read more about David Arnold and his debut novel, <i>Mosquitoland</i>, please go to:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Website:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://davidarnoldbooks.com/books/">http://davidarnoldbooks.com/books/</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Facebook: </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/davidarnoldbooks">https://www.facebook.com/davidarnoldbooks</a><b><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/roofbeam">https://twitter.com/roofbeam</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Instagram:</span></b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="http://instagram.com/iamdavidarnold">http://instagram.com/iamdavidarnold</a><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Amazon:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mosquitoland-David-Arnold/dp/045147077X">http://www.amazon.com/Mosquitoland-David-Arnold/dp/045147077X</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222;">Good
Reads:</span></b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18718848-mosquitoland">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18718848-mosquitoland</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-48520911432519818932015-06-08T06:00:00.000-04:002015-06-08T06:00:00.806-04:00Surviving Bear Island<div class="MsoNormal">
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<img src="http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/small%20author%20photo.jpg" height="320" width="238" /><img src="http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/Surviving%20Bear%20Island%20JLG%20Large%20copy%201.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This past Friday, June 5,
2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Paul’s debut novel <i>Surviving Bear Island.</i> Today, you get to read Paul’s favorite's. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Great answers, Paul! We
can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of
their favorites, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">1) What is your favorite line or paragraph
from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Part of me wanted to go back and just stay. It would
be easier that what I was doing now. But I knew that choosing the easy path
meant choosing death. And I wanted to live.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> P. 90.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or
cliffhanger? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Chapter
One: I scanned the water. No sign of the sea lions. And the waves seemed to be
calming down. Little did I know I would be upside down in the water in less
than an hour—fighting for my life.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">3} Who is your favorite secondary
character and why?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Surviving
Bear Island has one primary character. I’d say my favorite secondary character
is Tom’s father because even though he isn’t present for most of the story,
Tom’s relationship to him continues to develop.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph
of description? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Sometime toward morning the heavy rain and wind
died, replaced by a fine mist, like the ground had taken as much moisture as it
could and was spewing it back as fog.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
P. 163<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Tom’s father: <i>“When you’re alone in the wilderness,
everything is magnified.”</i> P. 43<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">BIO<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Living in Alaska for 25 years, Paul has seen bears
fishing for salmon, a pair of bald eagles building a nest, polar bears gnawing
on a whale carcass, 10,000 walruses hauled out together on the Bering Sea coast,
and 120,000 caribou gathered on the Arctic Coastal Plain. And when he’s not
teaching school or exploring the Alaskan wilderness, Paul Greci is thinking up
ways to keep hungry moose out of his garden. His debut novel, <i>Surviving Bear Island</i> is a 2015 Junior
Library Guild Selection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Brief HISTORY OF HOW SURVIVING BEAR ISLAND CAME TO BE
PUBLISHED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Having completed the first draft of this novel 10
years ago, and then countless drafts since then, I feel incredibly fortunate to
have found a home for this book. Six years into the revision process <i>Surviving Bear Island</i> morphed from a
third-person young adult novel into a first-person middle grade novel. The main
roadblock I ran into when writing <i>Surviving
Bear Island</i> was how to write a story with primarily one character and have
it have authentic emotional depth and complexity. Early drafts of my story were
very plot heavy and episodic. As the years went by and I wrote other stories
where characters were interacting with each other, I developed my skills for
exploring emotional depth, and also for writing in first person. I think those
other manuscripts I wrote gave me the tools I needed to transform a
single-character third-person narrative into a single-character first-person
narrative that was much more character-driven and emotionally authentic. As my
agent was trying to sell a different manuscript, we started working on getting <i>Surviving Bear Island</i> ready for
submission and then started subbing it simultaneously with the other
manuscript, and it found its home at Move Books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Congratulations to Paul on his debut novel, <i>Surviving
Bear Island</i> and for the novel being chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection.
Way to go, Paul!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
read more about Paul Greci’s debut novel, <i>Surviving Bear Island,</i> please
go to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Website:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/"><i>http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/</i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Blog:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://paulgreci.wordpress.com/"><i>https://paulgreci.wordpress.com</i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twitter:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/paulgreci"><i>https://twitter.com/paulgreci</i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amazon:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Bear-Island-Paul-Greci/dp/0985481099"><i>http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Bear-Island-Paul-Greci/dp/0985481099</i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Good
Reads: </span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13376162.Paul_Greci">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13376162.Paul_Greci</a></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trailer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRio0tlioU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRio0tlioU</a><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kirkus Review:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Bear Island is a
challenging environment to survive but a terrific thrill on the page.
(Adventure. 9-14)” <i><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/paul-greci/surviving-bear-island/">https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/paul-greci/surviving-bear-island/</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Junior Library Guild Selection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Surviving Bear
Island is a Junior Library Guild Selection in the High Interest Middle
Category.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780985481094">https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780985481094</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-26542634708768220812015-06-05T06:00:00.000-04:002015-06-05T06:00:02.953-04:00First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">by
Dave Amaditz and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Marcy
Collier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Welcome to June’s version of - <b>First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day</b>. In this
monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will
hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it
themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing
style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do
this by presenting, first, answers to our<b>
Five Favorite Things</b>, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelist,
Paul Greci and his novel, <i>Surviving Bear
Island</i>. Tom is stranded on Bear Island in the Alaskan wilderness during a
kayaking trip with his father. When his kayak is overturned, Tom finds himself
alone, but quickly finds out that living a solitary life on a remote and
deserted island is the least of his fears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy and I can’t wait for you to join this incredible
journey on the island with us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">1)</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character's development and/or growth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Tom has been struggling
for days to survive on the island. His time alone has given him plenty of time
to think of the problems plaguing him, one of which was trying to come to grips
with the fact he believes he was responsible for his mother’s death. I like how
he learns to accept what he has or has not done. I believe this passage
portrays those feelings well.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I knew I had to take care of myself. That no one was going to do
anything for me. And when it comes right down to it, you have to rely on
yourself. You’ve got to live with yourself and the choices you make.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Throughout
the novel, Tom has a lot of time to reflect on his home life and his problems.
This paragraph is poignant and reflects that early on in the novel, the main
character has the instinct to survive in bad times both at home and on Bear
Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
he found out Mom died, he stood in the kitchen and dropped plates, one by one,
on the floor until he’d broken them all. Then he took the bowls and did the
same thing. I remember telling him to stop, but he acted like I wasn’t even
there. I went into my room and cried and cried, and he never came in. When I
came out hours later, he was sitting on the couch, and in the kitchen there
wasn’t a speck of glass on the floor. I sat down next to him, and he put his
arm around me. “We’ll get through this,” he said. But then he didn’t say
anything much for months and months.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’ll
get through this,” I said. “I’ll keep searching for Dad until I find him.”
Another shiver ripped through my body.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave - </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As Marcy mentions below, there
were many fantastic cliffhangers, but I chose this one from earlier in the
novel while Tom is trying to escape from a bear.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The bear twisted away from me and I jumped backwards. My feet
scrambled for grip as my arms reached out for the steep slope. I grabbed a
berry bush by the base and it gave way. I fell backwards, like I’d been dumped
out of an airplane, and landed on my back with my legs flat, pointing down
slope. A sea of green flew over me as I bumped down the slope and gained speed
with no sign of stopping.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I let out a scream.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Then my heels hit something that sent a jolt through my hips and
all the way to the base of my head. I flopped forward, and all of a sudden I
was flying through the air. Everything slowed down, like an instant replay of
someone doing a ski jump.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I knew I was moving, was airborne, but felt no pressure-no
resistance. Then I slammed into the ground. Face first. Mouth first.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – There were many intense
cliffhangers in the novel. This chapter ending was more about survival and
perseverance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Choices. Life was full of choices. Don’t look back, I told myself.
It does no good. I swallowed the last of my jerky and started down the slope in
search of a place to camp.</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> – It’s difficult for me to
pick a secondary character, as Tom is alone for most of the novel. However,
through flashbacks, I got to meet his dad. Tom has vivid recollections of the
advice his dad has given, and to Tom’s great fortune, it always comes at a time
when he needs it the most, as if his dad is right beside him. Following, is an
example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you’re wet, the only way to stay warm without a fire or a
change of clothes is to keep moving.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">or…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The spark’s got to hit some very small, dry flammable
material-like dried grass or wood shavings or tiny scraps of birchbark. And
then, you’ve got to blow on it and feed it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> – My favorite character is
Mom. Even though Tom’s mom is no longer with him, her spirit is still alive
inside of him and the memory of her guides him through his survival on Bear
Island. Her easygoing personality and love of life and music shines through in
her son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I know my mom could’ve come up with something better, but she’d be
happy that I was making a song. A song with her in mind. “Let the music flow
through you,” she’d say. “Play with it. You don’t make mistakes when you make
music. You make discoveries.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There had to be a salmon stream farther back in the bay. Had to be, or else I’d have to cut off some fingers and roast them. Maybe
I could work that in.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So the whole thing would go like this:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Wormy blue berries will help.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But alone will only make me yelp.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Like a dog I need more than a treat.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Salmon for the Sentinels can’t be beat.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If I don’t find any, then fingers I’ll eat.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description? </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave</span></b><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">– This section comes from
later in the novel while Tom is trying to use his flint to spark a flame,
something he has never done, but needs to do, because he has no other resources to start a fire. I can see what he is doing. I can feel it, feel exactly what he
is going through. Can’t you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Come on, I thought. Just this one time. All I need is one flame. I
closed my eyes and just kept running the knife up and down the flint. In my
mind I saw sparks, or maybe I was seeing images of the real things through my
eyelids. Part of me didn’t believe the flint would work, and part of me felt
like I was a failure because I had this fire-starting tool and couldn’t get it
to work. And all the time I just kept running the knife on the flint, keeping
my eyes closed. I could feel the wood shavings brushing my knuckles as my hand
moved.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Fire, fire, fire,” I started singing.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– This paragraph shows a great deal about how Tom not only blames himself for
his mom’s death, but also how he believes his dad blames him as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And
for that whole first year I thought if Mom was gone I may as well be gone, too.
Like I was part of a package deal and now the deal was off. And I thought Dad
blamed me for Mom’s death too. I mean, he never told me he did, but he never
told me he didn’t. Never. And he was right there when she asked me if I wanted
to go on the ride and I chose to practice with my bow instead. The last thing
she’d said was: If you’re not going, I’m gonna bike the whole loop.” And later
that month my dad burned my bow and target.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Dave </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- For me, this line was easy.
It’s short, as are most of the things his dad has said, but it tells you
everything you need to know about what it will be like for Tom while alone on
the island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“When you are alone in the wilderness,
everything is magnified.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marcy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Tom often talks to himself since he doesn’t have anyone else. These few lines
are so very visual and true. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Just
me now,” I said. “Me and the wild. I’m wild. Part of the wild.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
read more about Paul Greci’s debut novel, <i>Surviving Bear Island,</i> please
go to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Website:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/"><i><span style="color: blue;">http://www.acsalaska.net/~paulgreci/</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Blog:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://paulgreci.wordpress.com/"><i><span style="color: blue;">https://paulgreci.wordpress.com</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twitter:</span></b><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/paulgreci"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">https://twitter.com/paulgreci</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon:</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Bear-Island-Paul-Greci/dp/0985481099"><i><span style="color: blue;">http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Bear-Island-Paul-Greci/dp/0985481099</span></i></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Good
Reads: </span></b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13376162.Paul_Greci"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13376162.Paul_Greci</span></a></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trailer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
<i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRio0tlioU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRio0tlioU</a><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kirkus Review:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Bear Island is a
challenging environment to survive but a terrific thrill on the page.
(Adventure. 9-14)” <i><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/paul-greci/surviving-bear-island/">https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/paul-greci/surviving-bear-island/</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Junior Library Guild Selection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Surviving Bear
Island is a Junior Library Guild Selection in the High Interest Middle
Category. </span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780985481094">https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT/9780985481094</a></span></i></div>
</div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-42252587670948094432015-05-29T11:43:00.000-04:002015-05-29T11:43:18.774-04:00Keeping Teens and Tweens Safe Onlineby Marcy Collier<br />
<br />
Ipads and Iphones and tablets oh my!<br />
<br />
If you're the parent of a teen, tween and even younger, they have probably<br />
used an electronic device of some kind. Heck, in my son's middle school,<br />
all of the students are issued Chromebooks in the beginning of the school year.<br />
All of their books and most homework is done online. They collaborate with<br />
teachers and other students via email and Google Docs.<br />
<br />
My boys are computer savvy, but as a parent I worry. You can't watch them<br />
24/7 and monitor every single document, video and text. I pay attention.<br />
I've had the talk about online predators at least a zillion times. I've even<br />
had my best friend who worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigations in<br />
the division of online Crimes Against Children have several talks with<br />
my older son on her experiences and advice on how to be careful online.<br />
<br />
New apps are popping up every day. My advice is to be aware, ask questions<br />
and do surprise checks on all devices. If your children know you'll be checking up<br />
on them, they'll be less likely to post and comment inappropriately online. I always<br />
tell them never to post anything they wouldn't want the world to see.<br />
<br />
Here's a link to a great article on protecting your teen!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2014/11/14/protect-your-teens-7-apps-and-websites-parents-should-be-aware-of/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;" target="_blank">https://nakedsecurity.sophos.<wbr></wbr>com/2014/11/14/protect-your-<wbr></wbr>teens-7-apps-and-websites-<wbr></wbr>parents-should-be-aware-of/</a><br />
<br />Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-25242724586787584542015-05-27T06:00:00.000-04:002015-05-27T06:00:02.123-04:00The "Wimpy Kid" Opens a Bookstore in Plainville, Massachusetts <h1 class="story-heading" id="story-heading" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;">I have copied an article reprinted in this past Sunday's New York Times about children's author Jeff Kinney opening a bookstore in his hometown of Plainville, Massachusetts, set to open on May 30. </span></h1>
<h1 class="story-heading" id="story-heading" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;">Andrea Perry </span></h1>
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<h1 class="story-heading" id="story-heading" itemprop="headline">
The Bookstore Built by Jeff Kinney, the ‘Wimpy Kid’</h1>
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<span class="byline" itemprop="author creator" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">By <span class="byline-author" data-byline-name="ALEXANDRA ALTER" itemprop="name">ALEXANDRA ALTER</span></span><time class="dateline" datetime="2015-05-22">MAY 22, 2015</time>
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Diary of a Bookstore and a ‘Wimpy Kid’
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<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="55" data-total-count="55" id="story-continues-1" itemprop="articleBody">
If anyone knows how to sell books, it’s Jeff Kinney.</div>
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Over
the last eight years, Mr. Kinney has built one of the most popular and
lucrative franchises in publishing. His middle-grade series, “Diary of a
Wimpy Kid,” the fictional illustrated diary of a middle-school misfit,
has more than 150 million copies in print, in 45 languages. The series
has spawned three feature films that have earned more than $225 million
worldwide at the box office.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="174" data-total-count="624" itemprop="articleBody">
His
fans still want more. Mr. Kinney is finishing the screenplay for a
fourth film, working on two animated TV specials for Fox and furiously
writing jokes for the 10th book.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="60" data-total-count="684" itemprop="articleBody">
But lately, Mr. Kinney’s attention has wandered elsewhere.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="204" data-total-count="888" itemprop="articleBody">
“If
my whole life were ‘Wimpy Kid,’ it wouldn’t be very fulfilling,” he
said during a recent interview. “I don’t want to be designing ‘Wimpy
Kid’ pillow cases for the rest of my life.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="505" data-total-count="1393" id="story-continues-2" itemprop="articleBody">
Now,
in a risky and ambitious next act, Mr. Kinney will start selling other
people’s books. He’s opening a bookstore, called An Unlikely Story, in
his adopted hometown, Plainville, Mass., about 40 miles south of Boston.
And while he doesn’t want the store to resemble a “Wimpy Kid” theme
park, he’s willing to use the popularity of the series to draw in
customers. Mr. Kinney will work at the cash register and in the cafe on
occasion, and he plans to teach a cartooning workshop at the store.</div>
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<br />
<figure class="media photo embedded has-adjacency layout-large-horizontal media-100000003695359 ratio-tall" data-media-action="modal" id="media-100000003695359" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY/24-KINNEY-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" role="group">
<span class="visually-hidden">Photo</span>
<div class="image">
<img alt="" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="Jeff Kinney's soon-to-open bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, Mass., his adopted hometown." data-mediaviewer-credit="Charlie Mahoney for The New York Times" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY/24-KINNEY-superJumbo.jpg" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY/24-KINNEY-articleLarge.jpg" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY/24-KINNEY-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="url" /><br />
<div class="media-action-overlay">
</div>
</div>
<figcaption class="caption" itemprop="caption description">
<span class="caption-text">Jeff Kinney's soon-to-open bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, Mass., his adopted hometown.</span>
<span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">
<span class="visually-hidden">Credit</span>
Charlie Mahoney for The New York Times </span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="159" data-total-count="1552" itemprop="articleBody">
He’ll
keep a studio on the third floor, where visitors can catch a glimpse of
him at work, drawing on the 23-inch tablet that he uses to create his
cartoons.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="290" data-total-count="1842" itemprop="articleBody">
“We’re
hoping my notoriety as a children’s author will be a draw for people,”
he said. At the same time, Mr. Kinney says he’s wary of leaning too
heavily on his brand and wants the store to outlast him. “This is not
going to work if it’s just a shrine to my books,” he said.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="363" data-total-count="2205" itemprop="articleBody">
Mr.
Kinney, who made more than $20 million last year, might have become a
patron rather than a practitioner of the trade, like the novelist James
Patterson, who donated more than a million dollars to 178 bookstores
around the country last year. But he wanted to leave a physical mark on
Plainville, a former manufacturing town that is home to about 8,200
people.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="497" data-total-count="2702" itemprop="articleBody">
“I
wanted to add a bookstore to the landscape,” he said. With this foray
into retailing, Mr. Kinney is joining a handful of authors who are
injecting cash and a dose of literary celebrity into what seemed a dying
trade. The novelist Ann Patchett came to the rescue of the Nashville
literary community when she opened an independent bookstore there in
2011. Other authors who moonlight as booksellers include Larry McMurtry,
Louise Erdrich, Garrison Keillor and the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="325" data-total-count="3027" itemprop="articleBody">
Many
small bookstores nationwide, surprisingly, are holding steady and even
thriving. After years of decline, booksellers have rebounded lately as
print sales have stabilized, and their ranks are swelling. Last year,
the American Booksellers Association counted nearly 2,100 member stores,
compared with about 1,650 in 2009.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="391" data-total-count="3418" id="story-continues-3" itemprop="articleBody">
Ms.
Patchett, the co-owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, said she had
expected her store to be a financial drain. Instead, Parnassus has
flourished, so much so that the store is expanding with a mobile book
van. Ms. Patchett has used her clout as an author to persuade prominent
writers like Elizabeth Gilbert, Donna Tartt, David Sedaris and Michael
Chabon to give readings at the store.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="140" data-total-count="3558" itemprop="articleBody">
When
Mr. Kinney visited Nashville last year for a “Wimpy Kid” event held by
Parnassus Books, he grilled Ms. Patchett about her business.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="170" data-total-count="3728" itemprop="articleBody">
“He
looked at me and said, ‘Just between us, how much money did you lose
the first year?’ ” Ms. Patchett recalled. “And I said, ‘Jeff, I made
money.’ ”</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<figure class="media photo embedded has-adjacency layout-large-horizontal media-100000003695810 ratio-tall" data-media-action="modal" id="media-100000003695810" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP1/24-KINNEY-JP1-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" role="group">
<span class="visually-hidden">Photo</span>
<div class="image">
<img alt="" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="Jeff Kinney has built one of the most popular and lucrative franchises in publishing. His “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the fictional illustrated diary of a middle-school misfit, has more than 150 million copies in print." data-mediaviewer-credit="Charlie Mahoney for The New York Times" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP1/24-KINNEY-JP1-superJumbo.jpg" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP1/24-KINNEY-JP1-articleLarge.jpg" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP1/24-KINNEY-JP1-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="url" /><br />
<div class="media-action-overlay">
</div>
</div>
<figcaption class="caption" itemprop="caption description">
<span class="caption-text">Jeff Kinney has built one of
the most popular and lucrative franchises in publishing. His “Diary of a
Wimpy Kid,” the fictional illustrated diary of a middle-school misfit,
has more than 150 million copies in print.</span>
<span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">
<span class="visually-hidden">Credit</span>
Charlie Mahoney for The New York Times </span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="326" data-total-count="4054" itemprop="articleBody">
Mr.
Kinney says he doesn’t expect to recover the millions of dollars he
sank into the construction of the store, but he wants to create a
sustainable business, one that could have a ripple effect and help
revitalize the town. “Hopefully, we’ll break even,” he said, adding
optimistically, “or even make a profit.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="22" data-total-count="4076" itemprop="articleBody">
<b>Plainville, Pop. 8,200</b></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="453" data-total-count="4529" itemprop="articleBody">
Mr.
Kinney, who was born on an Air Force base in Maryland and grew up in a
suburb of Washington, has lived in Plainville for the last 12 years,
with his wife, Julie, and their two sons, ages 9 and 12. He’s easy to
spot riding around town on his red scooter. A tall, energetic,
boyish-looking 44-year-old, Mr. Kinney coaches soccer and still works at
his day job as the creative director of Poptropica, a story-based
gaming website he created in 2007.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="494" data-total-count="5023" itemprop="articleBody">
The
Kinneys settled in Plainville because it was the one place that met all
their criteria. They were looking for a town near her parents in
Worcester and close to Boston, the headquarters of Funbrain, a company
where Mr. Kinney worked. They drew a Venn diagram on a map of New
England, and Plainville was in the middle. They took to the town
immediately. They considered moving to a bigger city when the first
“Wimpy Kid” book became a breakout best seller in 2007 but decided
against it.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="90" data-total-count="5113" itemprop="articleBody">
“We like the size of it,” he said. Instead of leaving, they moved into a bigger house.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="69" data-total-count="5182" itemprop="articleBody">
With the bookstore, Mr. Kinney is extending his roots in Plainville.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="366" data-total-count="5548" itemprop="articleBody">
“Obviously,
the man could live anywhere in the world, and he chose to live in
Plainville,” said Joseph Fernandes, the town administrator. “The real
fortune for Plainville is that Jeff doesn’t have to rely on how much
money he makes running a bookstore to feed his family. Without Jeff
Kinney, I don’t know how well a bookstore would do at that location.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="395" data-total-count="5943" itemprop="articleBody">
The
store’s playful name is meant to evoke tall tales, but it is fitting in
other ways. The arrival of a bookstore is an unlikely turn for
Plainville, a town incorporated in 1905 that was once home to
manufacturers of jewelry, eyeglasses and plastic parts. The new store is
an anomaly next to venerable institutions like Gerry’s Barber Shop and
Don’s Diner (“Family Owned Since 1936”).</div>
<br />
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<br />
<figure class="media photo embedded layout-large-horizontal media-100000003695811 ratio-tall" data-media-action="modal" id="media-100000003695811" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP2/24-KINNEY-JP2-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" role="group">
<span class="visually-hidden">Photo</span>
<div class="image">
<img alt="" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="A scene from the 2010 film version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." The title character, played by Zachary Gordon, is third from right." data-mediaviewer-credit="Rob McEwan/20th Century Fox" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP2/24-KINNEY-JP2-superJumbo.jpg" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP2/24-KINNEY-JP2-articleLarge.jpg" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP2/24-KINNEY-JP2-articleLarge.jpg" itemprop="url" /><br />
<div class="media-action-overlay">
</div>
</div>
<figcaption class="caption" itemprop="caption description">
<span class="caption-text">A scene from the 2010 film
version of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." The title character, played by
Zachary Gordon, is third from right.</span>
<span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">
<span class="visually-hidden">Credit</span>
Rob McEwan/20th Century Fox </span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="383" data-total-count="6326" id="story-continues-4" itemprop="articleBody">
In
2012, Mr. Kinney surprised residents when he bought a crumbling
building in the town’s historic center for $300,000. Over the decades,
the building, which dated to the 1850s, was a barbershop, a drugstore, a
tearoom and a general store. Then, for 17 years, it sat vacant, a
depressing blight on the town. Like everyone else in Plainville, Mr.
Kinney grew tired of looking at it.</div>
<div class="ad ad-placeholder nocontent robots-nocontent">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="248" data-total-count="6574" id="story-continues-5" itemprop="articleBody">
Mr.
Kinney was not sure what to do with his new purchase at first. At one
point, he sought advice from his core audience, a group of local fifth
graders, whose suggestions included a roller coaster, a swimming pool
filled with M&Ms and a bookstore.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="184" data-total-count="6758" id="story-continues-6" itemprop="articleBody">
The
bookstore idea stuck, especially since a nearby Borders had closed.
“What’s the thing that everybody loves and treasures the most?” Mr.
Kinney said. “It’s a bookstore.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="246" data-total-count="7004" itemprop="articleBody">
The
project had a rocky start. An inspection revealed that the building
could not be salvaged, and it had to be demolished rather than restored.
“That was a tough day for a lot of people,” Mr. Kinney said. “You felt
history being erased.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="445" data-total-count="7449" itemprop="articleBody">
In
its place, Mr. Kinney commissioned a three-story building with
architectural echoes of the old general store. The building is made from
reclaimed wood and other recycled materials, and the interior features
hand-painted replicas of old signs that hung on the building over the
decades. Mr. Kinney designed the store’s logo and sign himself: a
bug-eyed cartoon elephant holding a book with its trunk, under the words
“An Unlikely Story.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="405" data-total-count="7854" itemprop="articleBody">
The
story of Mr. Kinney’s rapid rise to fame is itself pretty unlikely. He
studied computer science and criminal justice at the University of
Maryland, and he intended to become an agent with what is now called the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Instead, he ended
up as a programmer at a medical software company and then a game
designer at Funbrain, an educational gaming website.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="405" data-total-count="8259" id="story-continues-7" itemprop="articleBody">
On
the side, he created comic strips, which he had loved since his
childhood. But his work was rejected by newspaper syndicates. In 1998,
he came up with the idea for “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the illustrated
diary of an acerbic and devious middle-school boy named Greg Heffley.
The stories were semi-autobiographical, loosely based on Mr. Kinney’s
childhood and “put through the fiction blender.”</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="234" data-total-count="8493" itemprop="articleBody">
He
had been working on the series for six years when his boss at Funbrain
suggested he post it on the company’s website. It attracted millions of
readers. Two years later, he sold it to Abrams, an art and
illustrated-book publisher.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<figure class="media photo embedded has-adjacency layout-small-vertical media-100000003695813" data-media-action="modal" id="media-100000003695813" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP3/24-KINNEY-JP3-master180.jpg" itemprop="associatedMedia" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" role="group">
<span class="visually-hidden">Photo</span>
<div class="image">
<img alt="" class="media-viewer-candidate" data-mediaviewer-caption="“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” is the sixth book in the series." data-mediaviewer-credit="Jeff Kinney" data-mediaviewer-src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP3/24-KINNEY-JP3-superJumbo.jpg" src="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP3/24-KINNEY-JP3-master180.jpg" itemid="http://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/05/24/business/24-KINNEY-JP3/24-KINNEY-JP3-master180.jpg" itemprop="url" /><br />
<div class="media-action-overlay">
</div>
</div>
<figcaption class="caption" itemprop="caption description">
<span class="caption-text">“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” is the sixth book in the series.</span>
<span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">
<span class="visually-hidden">Credit</span>
Jeff Kinney </span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="536" data-total-count="9029" itemprop="articleBody">
When
Mr. Kinney started writing “Wimpy Kid,” he had adult readers in mind.
His editor persuaded him to publish it as a children’s book instead. The
Abrams children’s imprint, Amulet Books, had measured expectations and
printed 15,000 copies of the first book in 2007. It was an overnight
success that has grown exponentially with each book. Last year, demand
was so high that Amulet printed 5.5 million copies of the ninth book in
the series. This fall, the 10th book will be published simultaneously in
more than 90 countries.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="242" data-total-count="9271" itemprop="articleBody">
Mr.
Kinney’s empire has grown so large that Abrams measures “Wimpy Kid”
sales separately from the rest of its children’s and adult imprints. A
“Wimpy Kid” team made up of about half a dozen people meets weekly to
manage the brand.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="157" data-total-count="9428" itemprop="articleBody">
“When
you’re buying enough paper for five and a half million books, the
stakes are high,” said Michael Jacobs, president and chief executive of
Abrams.</div>
<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="24" data-total-count="9452" id="story-continues-8" itemprop="articleBody">
<b>Bringing a Store to Life</b></div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="460" data-total-count="9912" itemprop="articleBody">
One
morning, a few weeks before the May 30 opening day, Mr. Kinney was a
bit groggy as he surveyed the store’s progress. He had had just three
hours of sleep the previous two nights. He spotted a patch of ceiling in
the basement that needed to be painted, and he questioned the placement
of a big bookcase in the cafe. The shelves, with enough space for 3,500
books, were still bare, but the leather armchairs and display tables
for new releases had arrived.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="306" data-total-count="10218" itemprop="articleBody">
The
space was coming to life, with fanciful touches like flying books
hanging from the ceiling with their pages spread like wings. A few
chalkboards were scattered through the section, hidden at toddler level
behind secret panels, so children could write messages or discover one
of Mr. Kinney’s doodles.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="202" data-total-count="10420" itemprop="articleBody">
The
store will have a prominent “Wimpy Kid” section, with a roughly
500-pound bronze statue of Greg Heffley by the sculptor Allyson Vought,
along with “Wimpy Kid” books, stationery and T-shirts.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="391" data-total-count="10811" itemprop="articleBody">
The
nearly 16,000-square-foot building will double as an event space for
local theater performances, yoga classes, ballroom dancing, karaoke
nights and occasional screenwriting and cartooning workshops, which Mr.
Kinney will teach. It will also serve as the new headquarters for Wimpy
Kid Inc., which Mr. Kinney and his two full-time employees now run out
of a small house next to his home.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="305" data-total-count="11116" itemprop="articleBody">
Over
the years, Mr. Kinney has visited hundreds of independent bookstores.
When he decided to open his own, he needed to learn how to run one. He
sought advice from the owner of one of his favorites, the Northshire
Bookstore in Vermont, and took a few of his staff members there for a
retreat last summer.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="207" data-total-count="11323" itemprop="articleBody">
“We
talked about the nitty-gritty of running a bookstore, everything from
numbers to relationships with publishers and the aesthetics of a store,”
said Chris Morrow, co-owner of the Northshire Bookstore.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="503" data-total-count="11826" itemprop="articleBody">
Early
on, Mr. Kinney hired Paz & Associates, an organization that trains
and counsels independent bookstore owners, which studied the town’s
population size and traffic patterns and advised him on a variety of
things, including the store’s layout and inventory and how many
employees and parking spaces it would need. They told him that a
bookstore in Plainville would have been impractical for the average
owner, but a world-famous author had a better shot at succeeding at
making it a destination.</div>
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="133" data-total-count="11959" itemprop="articleBody">
“I’m sure they were thinking we were crazy to open a bookstore in a town of 8,000,” Mr. Kinney said. “Maybe they still do.”</div>
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Route19 Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00519057436984426924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-44493522144517898432015-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:002015-05-23T15:24:27.551-04:00Protecting Freedom & Creativity - Happy Memorial Day!by Marcy Collier<br />
(I'm reposting this blog from July, 2011 in honor of the men and women who serve our country)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkavROMrfBuFOWo6zl0PnQuuVd4o9PXBV4HgMdCIBuKmfVyoqKrNCm2O2XdpoSomaB7kUBhCtQV3n2tobRCq4hAPpP7myrZJPVx2CgUjBFfacJEjlc0-XCnJqg9CIiJMSQpFcRa3Aw/s1600/SCAN0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkavROMrfBuFOWo6zl0PnQuuVd4o9PXBV4HgMdCIBuKmfVyoqKrNCm2O2XdpoSomaB7kUBhCtQV3n2tobRCq4hAPpP7myrZJPVx2CgUjBFfacJEjlc0-XCnJqg9CIiJMSQpFcRa3Aw/s320/SCAN0057.JPG" t="" true="" width="229px" /></a></div>
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When I think of the freedom we share, I immediately think of all of the soldiers who have fought to protect our freedom. If it weren’t for these brave men and women, the article I’m posting right now might be prohibited by law. But thankfully, my speech is protected. I think we take for granted what those who came before us sacrificed. </div>
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My grandfather, Robert Mulligan gave his life to protect ours. I never knew my Grandfather. My mother only met him once. He died in World War II when my mother was only three months old. My mother saw him a second time at his funeral four years later. That’s how long it took for the government to ship his body back home.</div>
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My grandmother was left to raise her daughter as a single mother, which was rare in the 1940s and 1950s. Even rarer, my grandmother started college at the age of 16 and finished at 20. Her schooling helped her secure a stable government position with the Bureau of Mines.</div>
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I look back at my grandmother’s books from college, her contributions to The Westminster newspaper and signed books from friends and know I am a writer because of her. It’s in my blood.</div>
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I have never known much about my grandfather’s side of the family. Last year one of my favorite cousins met up with a classmate (a cousin I’ve never met) who gave her a pendant of the Virgin Mary that my grandfather purchased oversees for his mother and mailed home a few months before he died. She passed this beautiful pendant on to me. After 67 years, I have a piece of my grandfather from so very long ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW08HzdOx9P1Vp4I8Hab8MnhQProAsp3gjdNuF_aT2bMRwZGUwRQi-DFIOYAf1Ie6L8Jpl7phcTlKEHV5b_TCKsVYEtUg6oRaOsR0l-A5p83M2g5m6JMX0qgnJtRtRsPI-FX1FXCTINk/s1600/IMG_20110728_090948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW08HzdOx9P1Vp4I8Hab8MnhQProAsp3gjdNuF_aT2bMRwZGUwRQi-DFIOYAf1Ie6L8Jpl7phcTlKEHV5b_TCKsVYEtUg6oRaOsR0l-A5p83M2g5m6JMX0qgnJtRtRsPI-FX1FXCTINk/s320/IMG_20110728_090948.jpg" t="" true="" width="214px" /></a></div>
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As I look at these objects from the past, I’m fascinated to hear stories and ponder new ones. Items from the past tell a rich, unique story. Whether it’s about fighting and dying for our country or the struggle to bring up your little girl as a single mother, each item is filled with a rich history.</div>
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I’m putting out a challenge to our readers to express their creativity and freedom of speech. Find an object from your past. Take a picture of it and write a story. Send the photo and story (200 words or less) to Route19Writers(at)Gmail.com. The deadline for entries is September 1<sup>st</sup>. We will judge each entry. A winner will be announced and published on our blog by October 1<sup>st</sup>. I’ll mail the winner a $10.00 gift card to Panera Bread. You must sign up as a follower of the blog to submit. Best of luck!<br />
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Have a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend!</div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-3093538002162419452015-05-21T10:27:00.000-04:002015-05-21T10:27:24.886-04:00Weeding the Garden, Weeding the Story<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Rich Soil, Rich Plot</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Kitty Griffin</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics1x-QaSX9UK9GemQG3kKTAhktfJ1a4xzQesh0qNJmD07-BYX5OkQ1lYCKGDz6_2iE46Pgu03kdTap60BcVKZOZ1FetVljlAlj-bkLIWyIfHY9fYEVAeF2WMBqEtiEwe52ANofXuqGrIh/s1600/IMGP0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics1x-QaSX9UK9GemQG3kKTAhktfJ1a4xzQesh0qNJmD07-BYX5OkQ1lYCKGDz6_2iE46Pgu03kdTap60BcVKZOZ1FetVljlAlj-bkLIWyIfHY9fYEVAeF2WMBqEtiEwe52ANofXuqGrIh/s400/IMGP0725.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee Balm and Coneflowers</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Okay, so yesterday was my
day to blog and I was worn out from gardening. I have gardens everywhere.
There’s a huge vegetable garden out by the driveway, a smaller vegetable garden
next to the house, one large flowerbed, and beds encircling the house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As I worked yesterday I
began to think about how gardening is like writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What does a good garden
need?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Rich soil on a plot of
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What does a good story need?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A rich plot on firm earth.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">You won't get a harvest if you don't pull the weeds, pick off the pests, enrich the soil, and make sure it's watered. You won't get a story if you don't clean the clogs, get rid of extra verbiage, don't nourish your characters and make certain it's edited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">No, a harvest of any kind requires due diligence. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI0S_txXNdNY6M7f4hcfOPCGCAe21ITZmh3kwUsufZDivHJ9xCveMpg3VQzlLbyYIkCyD7poYXA6hDjAn65xQlzKf5bqhnBTXWnvbuOy87vYYuTsL3Fiy-bMCMUdjnRF9F8S8ZXXZOT50/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwI0S_txXNdNY6M7f4hcfOPCGCAe21ITZmh3kwUsufZDivHJ9xCveMpg3VQzlLbyYIkCyD7poYXA6hDjAn65xQlzKf5bqhnBTXWnvbuOy87vYYuTsL3Fiy-bMCMUdjnRF9F8S8ZXXZOT50/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to be put up</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As you tend the garden,
sometimes there are weeds that need to be pulled. As you nurture your story,
sometimes there are characters that need to be yanked out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When your soil gets depleted
you can enrich it with good compost, good rotted material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes a story drags and
you can renew it using ideas from stories that you’ve set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes there are
surprises in the garden, at first you may think it’s bad, but when you realize
this is beneficial, you leave it alone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMXPE2T2W5IW12PAmRd4pPceTJmDxLSyP-Etbk52-UDWXxjRqogcrxlv0nOcAud9MheAdrpIa6y9w29M7V_cZ8FXesQ7DsnyfQqdH-jxEl8eDAQoJNtl9RxeP85pvgmj7a6MacVB_XOoH/s1600/IMGP0774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMXPE2T2W5IW12PAmRd4pPceTJmDxLSyP-Etbk52-UDWXxjRqogcrxlv0nOcAud9MheAdrpIa6y9w29M7V_cZ8FXesQ7DsnyfQqdH-jxEl8eDAQoJNtl9RxeP85pvgmj7a6MacVB_XOoH/s320/IMGP0774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">in the zucchini</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes in your writing a
plot twist will shock you. “I didn’t think that would happen.” But as you back
away you find that it’s just what the story needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">All sorts of pests will be
attracted to your garden. Some of them are bad for the flowers and some of them
can be dangerous to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes a pest appears in
your story. A character who is so interesting it causes you to lose sight of
your main character. It will take courage to dispose of the bad actor.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33qweo61TgXpRA7Dgk1mehRe4VKpN5htZjKWC8w7adettRlUaFGaqoxX8cb9bx750tEfIGTK26N1_MXBmnCiZJOvJpbAAEswN5dIWg7pGzZi6SnZAukQCNcXpSGiZU9tUn2OJxUvdLrzN/s1600/bug1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33qweo61TgXpRA7Dgk1mehRe4VKpN5htZjKWC8w7adettRlUaFGaqoxX8cb9bx750tEfIGTK26N1_MXBmnCiZJOvJpbAAEswN5dIWg7pGzZi6SnZAukQCNcXpSGiZU9tUn2OJxUvdLrzN/s400/bug1.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheel bug on a zinnia, they BITE!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you’ve done your work,
you’ve chosen a good variety of plant, you’ve made certain to keep it nourished
and watered, you will enjoy a harvest bounty. If you've done well, you'll attract beneficial bugs and your flowers will glow with color.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you’ve done your writing,
you have a strong character with an interesting problem and a good supporting
cast, you will have a sound story. If you've done well you'll have a story people want to read!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn_9SAfb4DidOpy2UU2rg31z9n-HHk8_PH4oFD9QWAoCG_iOM295WttLTI4b0wMzz5_qclJAjBaHxbRJqoTXLpam4Uf58PoRR6APHaEk_8rGZUbR1aRWw-FruF39UiL41GLD3zYjmXRQo/s1600/busy+bee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn_9SAfb4DidOpy2UU2rg31z9n-HHk8_PH4oFD9QWAoCG_iOM295WttLTI4b0wMzz5_qclJAjBaHxbRJqoTXLpam4Uf58PoRR6APHaEk_8rGZUbR1aRWw-FruF39UiL41GLD3zYjmXRQo/s400/busy+bee.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big fat bee on a marigold</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is a playhouse for
children that I’ve always wanted to try. You need Mammoth Sunflower seeds and
Morning Glory seeds (or any other good climber).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Make a shape for the outline
of your house with the giant sunflower seeds, setting the seeds so that the
plants will be close, but leave a child-sized strip that will be the doorway.
Between the sunflower seeds, drop in the Morning Glory seeds, so that as they
grow, the Morning Glory will surround the sunflower stalks. By summer’s end
you’ll have a secret hideaway for your little ones.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC78iUggc9N2oo5iEn3UQYF96yTslYJS0sfmGAs1r9Ezt6BpEcT8eWBCCedyKbRaPZVF9x52fxFJQfiaJc7vfgagGWXdYAZ6XzuxOKTajYY3B8mMrV1a6jIjjLC3JqtbMknthGbLxU9S99/s1600/IMGP0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC78iUggc9N2oo5iEn3UQYF96yTslYJS0sfmGAs1r9Ezt6BpEcT8eWBCCedyKbRaPZVF9x52fxFJQfiaJc7vfgagGWXdYAZ6XzuxOKTajYY3B8mMrV1a6jIjjLC3JqtbMknthGbLxU9S99/s400/IMGP0804.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mammoth Sunflower</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">An abundance of Zucchini? Here's a recipe.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you find yourself with an
overlarge zucchini don’t worry. Now, if it’s baseball bat size, no, give that
one to the compost heap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In a frying pan heat some
olive oil and a chopped onion and some garlic if you like. Grate the zucchini
and swish it into the sautéed onions. Cook until just a bit tender. Sprinkle
with grated Parmesan, or Italian mix cheese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you want to have
beautiful cut flowers, grow Zinnias. They are fast. They are east. Nothing
bothers them and they are lovely in arrangements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE4EW3QIvwT6owjUVttz2ODZayIUO3T6-P6bOyvRMeuIb6QDMD1EDTpdEEbFGmOdc5MYgvoLwT6Va3QMcvakX6Z_ez3OhmXkl73q_bcHnBgLV1h-9sTW5FLiQviDJQeGs_1V2a-XQ76Ls/s1600/IMGP1268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWE4EW3QIvwT6owjUVttz2ODZayIUO3T6-P6bOyvRMeuIb6QDMD1EDTpdEEbFGmOdc5MYgvoLwT6Va3QMcvakX6Z_ez3OhmXkl73q_bcHnBgLV1h-9sTW5FLiQviDJQeGs_1V2a-XQ76Ls/s400/IMGP1268.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zinnia, oh Zinnia!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now…let me think about that wheel bug. If I were a naughty little boy who somehow got turned into one of these….what do you think might happen?</span><br />
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Kitty Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229912028778236291noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-54998649625704093342015-05-18T06:00:00.000-04:002015-05-18T06:00:03.806-04:00<div style="background: white;">
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;">by
I.W. Gregorio</span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This month we're pleased to highlight debut novelists, I.W. Gregorio and her novel, <i>None of the Above</i>. Kristin is a senior in high school, homecoming Queen and track star, when she learns something about herself that makes her rethink everything about her she’s ever known. She’s intersex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;">On
Friday, May 1, 2015, Marcy and I shared our </span><b>Five
Favorite Things</b> from I.W. Gregorio's
debut novel<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>None of the Above</i>.
Now you get to hear the author’s favorites!<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel
as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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My main character is a runner and a
hurdler, so perhaps my favorite line to show her growth (spoiler alert!) is in
the penultimate chapter: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>"I’d been running for so long, trying to escape from who I was.
Here in the steady circle of Darren’s arms, I was finally ready to stand
still." <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Probably the end of Chapter 42 when
Kristin downed the bully who was trying to beat her up:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>"It turned out that David Letterman's gender verification test had
something to it, after all."<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Definitely Darren. He is the
prototypical under the radar guy that doesn't date much during high school but
who is GREAT husband material!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Little known fact: <i>None of the Above</i> was originally written
in dual narrative, with Darren as the second POV!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of
description?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>"One day I would find my own place. I
couldn’t run there, though, because it didn’t exist yet; I had to build it
myself, out of forgiveness, truth, and terrifying gestures of friendship."<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>5) What is your favorite line of
dialogue?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>“Wait, you called the urologist asking for
surgery?” she asked. “And she let you go through with it without making you see
a psychiatrist first?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I wanted it.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“But you were still wigging out over your
diagnosis. That is so<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>not<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the
best time to go ahead with something like that.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“I know, that’s what she said too, but I
needed them out.” I stopped for a second. “Wait a second. Does that mean you
still have them?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Have what?” Gretchen asked, smirking.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I blushed, and gestured toward my groin. “You
know.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Oh,” she said loudly. “You mean my<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>testicles?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>I couldn’t help myself. I looked around to
see if anyone had noticed, but the nearest dog-walker was several hundred feet
away.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“Yes,” Gretchen said firmly. “I still have my
testicles.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“How can you stand it?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>“What is there to stand? Whatever higher being you believe in made me
what I am. I heart my gonads.” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We’d like to congratulate Ilene on the success of the
novel and can’t wait to read her next novel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I. W. Gregorio is a practicing surgeon by day, masked avenging YA writer by night. After getting her MD, she did her residency at Stanford, where she met the intersex patient who inspired her debut novel, None of the Above (Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins). She is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books™ and serves as its VP of Development. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News and Journal of General Internal Medicine. A recovering ice hockey player, she lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">To read more about I.W. Gregorio’s None of the Above debut novel please go to:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"></span> </div>
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<b>Website:</b><i> </i><a href="http://www.iwgregorio.com/"><i>http://www.iwgregorio.com/</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Twitter:</b><i> </i><a href="https://twitter.com/iwgregorio"><i>https://twitter.com/iwgregorio</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Amazon:</b><i> </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/None-Above-I-W-Gregorio/dp/0062335316"><i>http://www.amazon.com/None-Above-I-W-Gregorio/dp/0062335316</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Facebook:</b><i> </i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/iwgregorio"><i>https://www.facebook.com/iwgregorio</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Good Reads: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22896551-none-of-the-above"><i>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22896551-none-of-the-above</i></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-29292146875225469292015-05-15T06:00:00.000-04:002015-05-15T06:00:01.691-04:00Summer Boredom?by Marcy Collier<div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the weather gets
warmer and school winds down, parents, children and teachers begin the
countdown for the last day of school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I know after about
a week off from school, I hear the familiar, “I’m bored,” from my children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We make weekly trips to
the library and participate in summer reading programs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The American library
association states, “Summer reading programs began in the 1890s as a way to
encourage school children, particularly those in urban areas and not needed for
farm work, to read during their summer vacation, use the library and develop
the habit of reading. Libraries also now offer summer reading programs for
adults, as well as children. Research conducted by the National Center for
Educational Statistics found that in 1994,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/publications/95357/"><span style="background: white; color: #0055a5; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">95% of public libraries offered summer reading
programs for children</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">; there are
not statistics for adult summer programs.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s a fact I didn’t
know, how about you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All of our local
libraries have reading programs as well as bookstores. Here’s the link to
Barnes and Noble’s summer reading program:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/summer-reading/379003570/">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/summer-reading/379003570/</a></span><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We read and listen to a
lot of books in the summer. Between the library and my audible subscription, we
always have at least three audio books in the car for both short and long car
rides and a half dozen books at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Besides reading,
playing and swimming, I also have a few lists of ideas I’ll pull up when I hear
the familiar, “I’m bored.” Here are a few links:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.care.com/a/101-things-to-do-when-kids-say-im-bored-1402111432"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.care.com/a/101-things-to-do-when-kids-say-im-bored-1402111432</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.simplyinorder.com/uploads/100_Things_to_Do_When_Your_Kids_Say_Im_Bored.pdf"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://www.simplyinorder.com/uploads/100_Things_to_Do_When_Your_Kids_Say_Im_Bored.pdf</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://thesimplemom.com/2007/05/27/200-summertime-ideas-for-bored-kids/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://thesimplemom.com/2007/05/27/200-summertime-ideas-for-bored-kids/</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://mothers-home.com/85-activity-ideas-for-bored-kids/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://mothers-home.com/85-activity-ideas-for-bored-kids/</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the school year
comes to an end, I hope that you all have a safe, enjoyable and not boring
summer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Marcy Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04469153070438338130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959640940345421698.post-39334161437978891352015-05-13T13:46:00.000-04:002015-05-13T13:46:06.255-04:00Finding something NEW in something OLD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOpRruHp768R0ALvNksGZWzf12Ijxfo7_e1LO7zQDAvMya_7wjpVMI8GlRQ-SAyzEEzg0croD1UNkMHAwX8tEmNojcDGnHZHWvUXI7HcBULNcTDUEVwNeCsDxTco-ZbB7nOWvLmAfOWUR/s1600/61YWLEHTavL._SL300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOpRruHp768R0ALvNksGZWzf12Ijxfo7_e1LO7zQDAvMya_7wjpVMI8GlRQ-SAyzEEzg0croD1UNkMHAwX8tEmNojcDGnHZHWvUXI7HcBULNcTDUEVwNeCsDxTco-ZbB7nOWvLmAfOWUR/s1600/61YWLEHTavL._SL300_.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Listening Discovery</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">by Kitty Griffin</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've fallen in love with listening to stories. My new subscription to Audible is one of the nicest gifts I've given myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I listen while I drive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I listen while I garden.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I listen while I work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And sometimes I find something new in something old.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For instance, let me ask you about a story you've most likely read a long time ago or perhaps had read to you-- <b>The Wind in the Willows. </b>Of course you remember Mole. How he was doing spring cleaning and suddenly got a notion to flee from the work, to burst upon the outside. Feel the joy--</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. Jumping off all is four legs at once, in the joy of living and the delight of spring without its cleaning, he pursued his way across the meadow till he reached the hedge on the further side."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, you know adventure is coming. And friendship, deep, enduring friendship, as the bond Mole forms with Ratty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLQLNdqkiwE2nSlOjifX3aEpqUVhRB_gCDTMrL852aCDgJ1k2_AyoAtYKgQnjc6FAxgnFMS_hQ6b4xrwrlFOdbV2M4klY5SefxEfqY3UMKycghD-OEVIM4gaAZ0aQHDMXTrvlPgd-Xf93/s1600/illus01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLQLNdqkiwE2nSlOjifX3aEpqUVhRB_gCDTMrL852aCDgJ1k2_AyoAtYKgQnjc6FAxgnFMS_hQ6b4xrwrlFOdbV2M4klY5SefxEfqY3UMKycghD-OEVIM4gaAZ0aQHDMXTrvlPgd-Xf93/s320/illus01.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is the sort of friendship one dreams of. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But now I'm going to ask you if you remember the environmental aspect of this book. Do you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I ask you, do you remember the quiet lesson that Badger taught Mole?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After being rescued from the Wild Wood by Ratty (who strapped on two six-shooters and carried a cudgel when he realized Mole had gone off) they find safety in Badger's hole. And what a place it is. Mole, so excited by the number of rooms and the beauty asks how Badger had time to do it all. Badger explains, he didn't. That once upon a time people had lived in the woods and had built a city, but the city fell to ruin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where did the people go? Badger didn't know.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then what happened?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"When they went," continued the Badger, "the strong winds and persistent rains took the matter in hand, patiently, ceaselessly, year after year. Perhaps we badgers too, in our small way, helped a little--who knows? It was all down, down, down, gradually--ruin and leveling and disappearance. Then it was all up, up, up, gradually, as seeds grew to saplings, and saplings to forest trees, and brambles and fern came creeping in to help. Leaf-mould rose and obliterated, streams in their winter resets brought sand and soil to clog and cover, and in course of time our home was ready for us again, and we moved in. Up above us, on the surface, the same thing happened. Animals arrived, like the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread and flourished. They didn't bother themselves about the past--they never do; they're too busy."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you think happened to the people?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was so astonished when I heard this section.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's what listening can sometimes do, sometimes it will help you find a new nook, a new cranny. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will keep listening, but I don't think I'm going to find out what happened to the people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I'm going to wonder, I'm going to wander through these Willows and feel the Wind and wonder what on earth happened to the people.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wQ80ia4E2Hz8FwAmB90ZW9yTRHV9p1BE90wu_mH22Pk18Wp495aXROtCQa12YzkrBw36NOSAgLoKPkPEoId5D-KHXOM2D2JgInXC0fEVSGrBd6q5FJV7Sq1mJFUHE7pXw8HzwHB1ZvzQ/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wQ80ia4E2Hz8FwAmB90ZW9yTRHV9p1BE90wu_mH22Pk18Wp495aXROtCQa12YzkrBw36NOSAgLoKPkPEoId5D-KHXOM2D2JgInXC0fEVSGrBd6q5FJV7Sq1mJFUHE7pXw8HzwHB1ZvzQ/s320/cover.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And when I finish listening?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm going to go buy this book for some young friends of mine so we can read it together.</span></div>
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Kitty Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229912028778236291noreply@blogger.com0