Science Fiction 4-/5

When opportunistic James Chan and his crew assume command of an apparently abandoned space ship, his trouble with pirates is only just beginning. This romp is a page-turning confection of fun.

Did the midpoint re-plot for The Shadow Spy’s Daughter. I love my process. It didn’t change anything in the central plot line, but I had placeholder things like “Lilly gets a clue,” and I did the work to figure out, “who is the traitor and what did he do?” and how world events would impact stuff. I also did my analysis of what everyone was doing while offstage, and how to get other characters’ (important) backstories in without taking away from the energy. So: little “aha!” moments that enriched the central story. Things were going well, but this has opened a good little floodgate. Nice.

Fantasy 5+/5

Maia, half-goblin heir to the elf throne is crowned emperor when an “accident” kills his father and 3 older brothers—and he believes his life will be on the line next. This amazing story is full of political intrigue, as Maia can trust no one in the new world he’s plunged into with no knowledge of the sub-currents of court allegiances. I could not wait to turn every page!

Got the final edits for Gathering of Ghosts, which my publisher tells me will be out in October, and turned them around–not much to fix. Got more word count on the historical fantasy. A good week!

Literary 5+/5

The fate of Marie-Laure, a blind girl separated from her father during the fall of France in World War II, is destined to interweave with the life of Werner, a smart young radio operator obliged to serve the Wehrmacht. This was a book I could not put down, not only because of the fascinating characters—for whom I constantly rooted—but because the plot was full of twists and suspense. The settings, too, were immersive and compelling. Highly recommended!