My First Book Club

Believe it or not, I have never taken part in a Book Club until now. A really good friend of mine had the brilliant idea to create a Book Club page on Facebook. This idea is simply genius! This type of book club will not require anyone to be anywhere at any specific time. How convenient! The discussions can be given deeper thought this way. You read a question, have time to mull it over, and then you can give an answer that has substance. I love this. We have just finished our first book. The discussion was lots of fun. I am finding that this Book Club is helping to keep my mind fresh. I love discussing books whether they are good or bad. The first book we read was The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau. The book is an elementary school aged read, which I think is a perfect way to get started. I found that we could see a lot of themes and issues in this type of book that I might not have imagined. I also absolutely loved the story. It would be a wonderful read-aloud book for parents to read to their children.

As luck would have it, I got to pick the next book that we are going to read. I chose The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus. I am hoping it will spark some pretty interesting conversation as well.

I think that participating in the Book Club is going to give me a lot of interesting perspectives on reading and maybe even writing. Each person is going to get to pick a book that they would like to read. I am sure we will get to read things that we might not have picked out on our own. I love this idea. I can't wait to see what everyone chooses.



Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood
Photo via Favim

Deep South Magazine 2012 Summer Reading List

I am excited to be able to share this!


Deep South Magazine has released the Summer Reading List for 2012.  The list features some excellent choices in Southern Literature. Deep South Magazine has partnered with Better World Books for the reading list. Better World Books is based in Atlanta, Georgia and donates a book to someone in need every time you buy one. Check out Deep South Magazine's 2012 Summer Reading List in order to get a special one-time discount. Also, scroll to the bottom of the list to see how you can enter an awesome giveaway! This year's list features the books pictured above and a lot more! If you're looking for a few good books to dive into this summer, check this list out. This is a great place to get started!



Cover photos via: Deep South Magazine
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood

What's On Your List?

I am a constant list-maker. I have a To Do list, Grocery List, and a Reminder list going at all times. The notion struck me this week that I also have a few other important ongoing lists. I am constantly adding to my To Read list as well as my Currently Reading list. Each of these lists then feeds directly into my Read list and Favorite Books list. I love keeping up with the books I have read or am currently reading or that I plan to read. I use Goodreads and this site helps to keep my lists organized and allows me to connect and discuss with other readers and even authors. I want to share a few of the books on my personal Favorite Books list and also share the books that I have on my Currently Reading list.

Ten of my favorite books (series books count as one work on my list):


Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man
A Lesson Before Dying
Joe

Plainsong
On Writing
The Midnight Club

The Giving Tree

Love You Forever

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hunger Games Series

Harry Potter Series

Here is what I am currently reading (for school and for fun):

The Help
The Return of the King
Women and Writing
Psalms of Me
Criticism Major Statements
The Bridge of Deaths



I have had a lot of fun sharing these lists. What is on your Favorite Books list? Currently Reading list?

Happy reading leading to happier writing!

Cover Art for each book obtained via Goodreads.

Read Like a Writer

I have heard the advice in the past “read to write.” I had absolutely no idea what this meant until I found myself reading like a writer, and I didn’t even know it. I try to read many articles on what makes a writer’s work good and what a writer can do to improve this or that. Recently, I have begun to notice a great pattern. Almost every writer’s advice article that I have read in the past month has mentioned this in some way. Read like a writer. Read in order to be a better writer. Read in order to learn. Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Diaz was interviewed in this month’s Writer’s Digest. One of the bits of advice asked of each author featured in the article Eye on the Prize was “No. 1 Craft Tip.” Diaz stated very simply: Read. A fellow blogger posted an author interview with Sarah Allen at The Writer's Block where she asked the question “If you could give any advice to other writers, what would it be?” The first answer again: Read.

This got me thinking. If I could write like any author who would it be? I am not saying everyone should imitate another author. That would be missing the point entirely. So much can be gained by reading a great and successful work. Read someone’s work that pulled you in so fully you couldn’t wait to read what would happen next. Suzanne Collins, for instance, with her Hunger Games Trilogy had me turning pages as fast as I could until I could finally reach the end of the story. I feel that Ms. Collins has a masterful way of creating characters that we, as readers, become emotionally attached to. I want to write characters this way!

All of these things have made me realize that every book I am reading is more than just good entertainment. Every book can be a learning tool. When I am stumped over certain issues, I have begun asking myself “How does (insert author’s name here) do this?” How does Suzanne Collins introduce each character? How does J.K. Rowling make me care for Harry Potter? How does Stephen King create his plot? What can I learn from best-selling authors about telling stories? What can I learn from them about…well, everything?

I am going to keep asking myself these questions. I am also going to keep reading and rereading and learning. Reading like a writer is no chore. You just pick up a book and go for it. All of these authors simply can’t be wrong about this.

Keep reading like a writer, and keep writing your heart out!


Photo by: Emily D. Wood
Copyright (c) Emily D. Wood