My mini-vacation from The Circus Sequel seems to have proven effective as I am now desperate to get back to my circus people and their adventures, hurrah. It was also timely as I received edits from my UK editor on Friday and have spent the last few days learning that plaid == tartan and braid == plait and various other tweaks to phrases. At one point Trix refers to something as being “a foot thick” and it just doesn’t sound right converted to metrics. So that’s been pretty interesting!
I also did a lot of reading, finishing off a couple books I had partway finished for an embarrassingly long time. I also did some other non-writing/reading stuff that is documented on my personal blog. I had an especially luxurious morning Saturday in which I read all morning long ensconced in my reading chair with a cup of tea (actually, several cups). Here are some mini-reviews.
The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor: Some absolutely gorgeous and vivid imagery. And a fascinating setting (2070 West Africa). I will admit the first half took me awhile to get into, but I was very glad to have stuck it out and was rewarded by the second half. Some of my favorite bits: Onion, the talking camel; Jaa, the woman warrior who causes red flowers to fall from the sky when she speaks; the powers of the various “speakers”; the descriptions of organic buildings in Ginen and the weird and wonderful beings we meet there.
Fire by Kristin Cashore: Again, this is one that took me some time to get into. It is beautifully written and the characters feel very real — it was the raw reality of their pain that actually made me set this aside. But they kept calling to me to come back and learn the rest of their stories, and so I did, although I was afraid they would end up breaking my heart. And my heart did break a little, in a couple key places, but I also found hope and love and other good things, and so in the end I am very glad I didn’t give up! I particularly loved the subtle but powerful development of the romance. Very nice!
The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
I started this because I was reading some of the stories in the Geektastic anthology and loved the one by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci, and it reminded me how I had adored Boy Proof. This was fun, funny, and thought-provoking. And I really liked all the Janes. Will definitely look for the next in the series. (Note: this is a graphic novel).
House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones: There’s just something about her storytelling voice that wraps me up and makes me feel cozy and entertained and in love with books. This one did not tug on my heart as some of her others have, but it delighted me (and made me hungry, with the characters being much taken with eating pies and pasties). I am so very sad to hear that Diana Wynne Jones is doing poorly. If you are a fellow fan and want to send her a message of support, you can find details on how to do so on her website. She’s been such a huge part of my fictional landscape since I first found DOGSBODY on the shelf at the library. My thoughts are with her and all who love her.



