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Favorite Reads of March ’24

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“But it is not enough to read widely. One must also read well. One must read virtuously. The word virtue has various shades of meaning . . . but, in general, virtue can most simply be understood as excellence. Reading well is, in itself, an act of virtue, or excellence, and it is also a habit that cultivates more virtue in return.” Karen Swallow Prior in On Reading Well

The Peach Seed Anita Gail Jones. I gave The Peach Seed 5 stars because I loved the way the author pulled so many threads together. There’s family drama, history, drug abuse, relationships, and forgiveness. Filled with colorful characters, there are three storylines. One of these goes back to a man stolen from West Africa who becomes a slave in SC and is the ancestor of the widower Fletcher Dukes. The book begins when Fletcher spies the woman he loved and lost fifty years ago at his local Piggly Wiggly. The last time Fletcher saw Altovise she had spurned his marriage proposal, then she had been locked up after the two had been involved in a protest for their rights in the 60’s. Before Altovise left, Fletcher had given her a carved peach seed monkey. Carving peach seed monkeys had been something passed down through generations though no one was sure exactly when it started. But that peach seed monkey will bring family together in ways no one could have foreseen. 5 stars

The Winners (Beartown #3) Fredrik Backman. Swedish author, Backman, returns us to Beartown where two years have passed since the event that shook up the town in the first book. Maya has gone away to college; Benji has been traveling around as if in a daze; Peter is working for his wife, Kira. The death of someone in the community brings the wanderers home and everyone back together; for a time. Backman has a way of bringing his characters to life so that you share their heartaches, frustrations, misunderstandings, hate, and love. At times, this one got a little long, but I certainly didn’t want to put it down. 5 stars

Judges: Such a Great Salvation Dale Ralph Davis. A commentary on the book of Judges in the Bible. Excellent insights, very readable for both laymen and ministers. 5 stars

A House With Good Bones T. Kingfisher. Sam has come home to NC to spend some time with her mother while her job as a archeo-entomologist is temporarily on hold. Her brother has warned her that something seems off about their mom and it isn’t long before Sam sees the evidence. Instead of her mom’s colorful rooms, she has painted the walls ecru and put up a dreadful picture that had belonged to her own mother (former owner of the house).  And did I mention there is a vulture sitting on the mailbox? Sam doesn’t believe in ghosts or any other such nonsense, but something strange is definitely going on. I don’t read a lot of horror, but I have enjoyed a couple of Kingfisher’s books and besides this is more of a “cozy horror”. Creepy, but not gory. 4 stars

The Bullet that Missed Richard Osman (Thursday Murder Club #3). The third book of the Thursday Murder Club finds our friends (who live together in a seniors’ home) deciding to look into a decade-old cold case when a local news reporter’s car was found having gone over a cliff. Though no body was found, murder was assumed and the culprit never found. In the middle of their investigative meddling, Elizabeth and her husband are kidnapped. The man they nickname “Viking” tells Elizabeth she must murder former KGB chief, Viktor, or he will kill her friend Joyce. With audacity and cleverness, the gang goes about trying to find out what happened to the news reporter and who is the Viking? 4 stars

Buttermilk Graffiti Edward Lee. This part travel memoir, part cookbook (well, there are recipes included if that makes it a cookbook) was the community read for Charlotte in March. So, one of my book groups (as well as several other groups at the library) read it for their book in March. Chef Edward Lee travels the country learning about different foods from different cultures. As a Korean immigrant, a New Yorker, and now a resident of Kentucky, Lee has his own mix of cultures in his cooking. In this book, he wants to learn how cultures both keep and change the cooking of their ancestors. He tries to talk to the cooks in the places he visits to learn their history and how they pass on what they know to the next generation. Some people aren’t very willing to talk to him, but as he spends time with them and eats (oh, how he eats!), most of them gradually open up and some even give him cooking lessons. An interesting look at the many different ways of cooking that have made their way to the U.S. 4 stars

Play for Me Libby Hubscher. When Sophie Doyle loses her dream job as the head athletic trainer for the Boston Red Sox and is unjustly accused of hurting the team, she needs an escape. A good friend tells her about the boarding school she had attended, which needs a trainer. Taking on a bunch of high school students instead of professional athletes is a bit of a let-down, but Sophie soon learns that working with these students has its own benefits. She’s a bit surprised to find that her three roommates are all men. Two of them, however, are friendly and welcoming, but then there’s Jonas. An ill-tempered Brit who makes it clear that Sophie should stay out of his way if they’re to get along at all. I enjoyed this enemies to lovers romance on audio. 4 stars

Project Hail Mary Andy Weir. Ryland Grace wakes up on a space ship having no idea where he is, why he’s there, or even who he is. As his memory returns in flashes and spurts, he begins to realize that he is alone and he is responsible for saving the Earth. When he sees another ship and realizes that he is not quite alone after all, he joins with this alien creature who is also on a mission to save his own world. Though a good bit of the science was over my head, I enjoyed the banter between Grace and Rocky and the relationship they developed as they worked together to save their worlds. 4 stars

The Prisoner’s Throne Holly Black (The Stolen Heir Duology #2). Though this is the second of a duology, it’s best to start with The Cruel Prince, the first of the Elfhame books, a young adult fantasy series. I’ve enjoyed this series, first on audio, then reading the last three in paper. This one begins where The Stolen Heir ended. Prince Oak has been imprisoned by Wren, an unlikely queen and the object of Oak’s affection. Oak knows his sister, the High Queen Jude, will do what it takes to retrieve him, but he loves Wren and wants to find a way to salvage both kingdoms. Deceit, trickery, and betrayal seem to rule everyone but love also plays a part. 5 stars

The Rising Tide Ann Cleeves (Vera Stanhope #10). A group of friends who met in high school have been having a reunion every five years for fifty years. Even though they’ve gone their separate ways and lead very different lives, their friendships remain and they always enjoy this weekend together. However, this year, one of their group is found hanged in his room on the first morning. They’re on an island which could only be entered and exited according to the tides. Does that mean it has to be one of them? I read this with a book club and quite a few of them didn’t like it. They didn’t seem to like the character of Vera. However, I enjoyed the mystery, Vera and the way she goes about solving the murder. Even though this is the tenth in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. 4 stars

Loved and Missed Susie Boyt. A story of a mother’s love as Ruth tries to help her daughter, Eleanor, a drug addict. When Eleanor has a baby, Ruth steps in. How can she not? Beautifully written and heartbreaking. 4 stars

Parable of the Sower Octavia Butler. Set in the future (2024), Lauren and her family live in one of the few safe neighborhoods just outside of L.A. They live behind walls because of the dangers outside. The country has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and water shortages. Lauren’s father, a preacher, does what he can to keep his family safe. He teaches them how to use a gun and warns them to never go outside their walls. But, he can’t keep them safe forever and Lauren finds herself with a few others trying to find and make their own new world. A Nebula Nominee (1994) for best novel & Locus Nominee for best science fiction novel (1995) 4 stars

Writing Contests: For Better or Worse

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In the past few months, I have entered two different writing contests. Though, of course, I hoped to win (or at least be a finalist), I mostly entered these contests in order to receive feedback from those in the industry (other writers, publishers, editors, etc.) Well, I got my feedback.

I did not win. I did not place. I did not even impress.

When I received my scores, I already knew I was not a finalist, but it was still painful. Looking at the first judge’s scores, I saw 4’s and 5’s and hoped that meant the scores were from “1” to “5”. Since the next judge had some 7’s and 8’s, I knew it must be out of 10.

In both contests, I received comments from three different judges (anonymous so as to protect them from irate and sensitive writers). In both contests, the first judge dislikes my story and has little (if anything) good to say. In the first contest, the second judge was a bit more middle of the road with her/his comments, and the third had at least a few good things to say. In the second contest, both the second and third judges had encouraging things to say, even though they weren’t totally sold. I had to wonder if they were doing a bad judge/good judge routine.

My first thoughts upon reading the comments was to want to throw my beloved “work in progress” into the deepest sea. But, from following a recent online discussion among members of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), I know that receiving such a wide range of comments is not unusual, and that I am not the only one that might feel a bit confused by the seemingly inconsistencies of the judges. (One person said they had received a 67 and a 98 from two different judges in the same contest). None of us enjoy receiving criticism, but it would seem to be more helpful if the comments were more consistent across the board. But, judges are human and they do not all like the same kind of stories.

Takeaway: Though I have struggled at accepting the comments, I have been able to go back through them and find what is helpful and what is just one person’s opinion. After I sent in my last entry, I changed a few things and have a few other areas marked to be either omitted or rewritten. So, if I had been a judge myself, I have to admit, I would have been of the same opinion in several ways. Will I enter more contests? Yes; definitely. Overall, it has been helpful and has made me work harder to perfect my writing before sending it to an agent.

Are you wondering about the shells? All are olive shells found on the same beach (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), but none of them are the same. Basically the same shape, but different colors and sizes. I picked up the shells that attracted me and wanted to keep. So are our stories and those works in progress. Not everyone will be interested enough in what I write to even desire to pick it up. Some may be interested (even when I finally get it right), but maybe not enough to read it through. But, I will work at polishing my stories and finding the readers who will be interested for their enjoyment.

Any writers out there that have been entering contests? Have you found them helpful? Worth the submission fee or not? Not every contest is for every writer, so it’s important to find some that will benefit you and will be worth that entry fee.