Review: Slayer by Kiersten White

One of my all-time favorite TV series has to be Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. I loved it when it came out, I loved it during reruns, I’ve got all of the DVDs, and I’ve watched them all several times. So, when I saw that a new novel was out set in the Buffyverse, I knew I had to read it.

The Watchers have been training and guiding slayers since time immemorial. There are definite rules and expectations set for slayers by the Watcher Council, and Buffy violated every one of them. When she divorced herself from the Council, Buffy weakened it. Then, two years ago, she broke the magic that called young women to be slayers, unleashing a thousand new slayers on the world, decimating the Watcher Council and throwing the few remaining Watchers into complete disarray. And just two months ago, she destroyed the source of magic itself, shutting off Earth from the demon dimensions, and trapping all that remained.

Needless to say, as the daughter of Watchers, Athena (better known as Nina) is far from pleased with Buffy’s actions. She lives in the tiny enclave of remaining Watchers with her twin sister, Artemis, but knows that she will never be a Watcher herself. She has always been the weaker twin, the less aggressive, and has resigned herself to a life as a medic in the service of the Watchers.

But something happened to Nina when Buffy destroyed Seed of Wonder, infusing her with something she doesn’t understand. Fearing it might be a demonic force, Nina never shared what she felt with anyone, not even her twin. When a hellhound suddenly appears and Nina is forced to kill it with her bare hands, the truth is revealed: not only is Nina now a Slayer, but with no more magic in the world, she is the very last of the Slayer line.

White has done a remarkable job of creating a new story and new beginning within the existing world of Buffy. The feel of Slayer is a bit darker than the first few seasons of the TV series, but it matches well with the later seasons and with the comic book series that followed. At the same time, White weaves in the same style of wry humor that Buffy fans expect. Despite a relatively low number of fight scenes, the book maintains a rapid pace, building a taunt and gripping story that goes beyond violent action; again, just what Buffy fans expect.

But even if you’re completely unfamiliar with everything that has come before, you won’t be lost. Slayer stands alone on its own merit, and makes an excellent read for any fan of urban fantasy.

C. Wombat

You Have Five Senses – Use Them!

When you’re asked to describe something, what is your automatic first response? For most of us, we start talking about how it looks. We focus on light, color, texture.

Many authors are the same way. Their books are full of wonderful visual descriptions of people and places. You can almost see yourself in the picture.

But can you hear the picture? Smell it? We have five senses, and as a writer it’s up to you to use them.

Hearing

Close your eyes for a minute and listen to the world around you. Eyes open again? Good. Okay, so what did you hear?

I hear the quiet whir of my computer’s fan, muffled voices coming through the wall, a distant rumble as the furnace turns on.

What does that tell you about my setting?

Obviously, I’m not at Starbucks. I’m not out dancing, or hanging out with friends, or running for my life from a horde of zombies.

Force your characters to close their eyes and listen. Start with the loud, obvious sounds. A plane flying overhead (or a dragon). A jackhammer. Car horns. Swords crashing against shields.

Not only will your readers learn more about your setting, but your characters will, too. The quiet scuff of a foot on the carpet might be the only thing that saves them from the serial killer sneaking up on them.

Having them hear their completely non-romantic best friend whisper “I love you” can change the entire tone of your book. Be sure to listen for it.

Touch

Very often, we can guess what something feels like just by looking at it, and from past experience. A cat’s fur is usually soft and warm, fire is hot, sandpaper is coarse. We don’t need to touch them to know that.

But there are many things that are less obvious. Run your fingers along the wall-is it smooth, textured, rough, warm, cool, damp, slimy?

Is the ground under your feet hard-packed dirt or soft loam? Is the concrete rough or smooth? Does the sandy beach scorch your bare feet, or push coldly up between your toes?

Touch can be an especially strong tool when it’s unexpected. Elegant looking clothes that turn out stiff and scratchy. A metal doorknob that is burning hot because of a fire on the far side, or icy cold because of a ghost.

Smell

We often ignore our sense of smell because we don’t consider it that important. Just as often, we wish we could ignore it because something really stinks. But as a writer, you need to pay attention, especially when you want to feed your characters vital clues.

The faint whiff of gasoline warns of impending arson. The odor of decay promises that the missing camper is nearby, and not as healthy as you had hoped. The alluring scent of perfume rising from the envelope tells you this isn’t hate mail, but far from it.

Smell is also an incredibly strong provoker of memories. The right smell can send you years into your past, to the heavenly aroma of your grandmother’s kitchen whenever she baked cinnamon rolls, or to the sharp antiseptic bite of the hospital room where you held her hand as she slipped away.

Taste

Taste can be one of the hardest senses to use when building descriptions. Let’s face it, other than when we eat, we don’t rely on our sense of taste much at all. But it shouldn’t be overlooked, either.

When your characters kiss, do they taste salty sweat, cherry lip balm, steel braces, sour unbrushed teeth? A bloody lip may taste salty and metallic. You may taste the ozone from an electrical discharge more than you smell it.

And by all means, when your characters are eating, describe how it tastes, especially if it is new, different, delicious, horrible, anything but normal.

Sight

Naturally, vision is very important, and we should never lose sight of it (pun fully intended). But be sure to look past the surface. Search for those tiny details that take your readers beyond the normal, everyday world and immerse them fully in your creation.

While you could fill a book with descriptions that are purely visual, it will be incomplete. Force your readers to experience your writing with all five of their senses, and you’ll keep them coming back for more.

C. Wombat

Weekend Writing Prompt 2

Describe your house (or somewhere else) using only the senses of hearing, feeling, smell, and taste (no sight!).

If you come up with a good response, please consider sharing it. Complete THIS FORM with your story and some basic info no later than Friday, March 15. I’ll pick my favorite response and share it on the blog the following Friday.

Happy writing, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

C. Wombat

Sarah Mook Poetry Contest

Now in its 15th year, the Sarah Mook Poetry Contest is for students in grades K-12. It includes cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25 for first, second, and third place in each category: kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth.

Previous winners may enter again with new poems.

Rules:

• you may enter no more than two poems
• the poems must be your original work
• you must be a K-12 student (entries from homeschooled students are welcome)
• poems may be any length, in any style, and on any subject
• entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2019

Results will be announced in late May.

For more information, entry address, past winners, and judge’s comments, see www.sarahmookpoetrycontest.com.

Review: Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria

 Even though the rebellion was decisively crushed four years ago, Cassa and her friends have never given up hope of bringing down the ruling council.

But how do you fight someone who knows the future, who can predict your actions before you even know them yourself? The council of Eldra have ruled for centuries because of the seers and their predictions. Every major event in history, and those yet to come, have been seen and recorded, telling the council exactly what they need to do to retain control.

When random citizens begin to suddenly get struck down, losing all of their memories and becoming nothing but empty shells, Cassa and her friends know they need to act. They hatch a daring plan to sneak into the citadel and gather evidence, but are betrayed and captured before they can even begin their task.

In Beneath the Citadel,being sentenced to death is only the beginning of the story. Soria unfolds a complex tale of plots and counterplots, intrigue, predictions, and outright lies. Nothing is quite what it seems, and it is difficult to tell which side anyone is truly on.

Released in October 2018, this is Soria's second book (her first was Iron Cast).Soria's writing is compelling and draws you forward at a rapid pace, but does not skimp when it comes to crafting a lavishly constructed world and multi-layered characters. The seers and diviners might know what’s coming next, but the reader never does. You won’t want to put it down.

C. Wombat

7 Ways to Boost Your Writing Productivity

Every once in a while, I find myself with extra time on my hands and nothing much to do.

But most of the time, I’m scrambling simply to make it through the day without letting anything important slip. Chances are, you’re in the same boat.

Between school, work, family, clubs, sports, friends, and everything else, there’s often not much time left to write. That means you need to make the most of the limited time you have.

Here are seven tips on getting the most out of your writing time.

Limit Social Media

It’s easy to spend hours on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media platforms. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with social media—many successful authors are on it all the time—it can quickly consume all of your writing time. Don’t let it.

Set yourself a goal: “I can’t go on Instagram until I’ve written 500 words.”

Make sure it’s practical and achievable. If your goal is too hard to reach, you’ll ignore it. But don’t make it too easy, either.

Or instead of a goal, set a time limit. Set your phone’s timer for 15 minutes before you go online. When the timer goes off, it’s time to shut down your apps and get back to writing.

Have a Writing Spot

One of the best ways to focus on writing is to have a special writing spot. Make sure it is comfortable, well enough lit, and quiet enough that you can concentrate.

If possible, pick a spot that you use only for writing. Don’t do anything else there. No email, no texting, no social media. Don’t even read books there. Use it only for writing. By not using that spot for anything else, it can help you focus just on writing whenever you’re there.

Have a Writing Time

With our hectic schedules, it can be tough to pick out one particular time to use for writing every day. But if you can do it, it will help you focus.

It doesn’t matter what time you pick, as long as it works for you. Many writers are best first thing in the morning. Many authors write better just before bed. Right before or after supper is often a good, consistent time.

Naturally, that doesn’t mean you can’t write at other times. But having a consistent time to write ensures you fit at least some writing time into your schedule almost every day.

Take a Break

Does not writing actually make you more productive as a writer? Well, sometimes it can.

If you’re only writing for 15 or 20 minutes a day, breaks aren’t important. But if you do manage to sit down for a longer session, they can make a huge difference. Especially when you’re stuck.

Get up. Stretch. Get a drink or snack. Go for a walk. Exercise not only rejuvenates your body, it helps clear your mind. While you’re being physically active, your mind will relax and the ideas will begin to flow.

Just don’t take so many breaks that you never get any writing done.

Build a Playlist

This one depends a lot on you. Some writers work best when it’s quiet. But many others like to listen to music as they write.

Music speaks to the creative areas of your brain and may be just what you need to get those writing juices flowing.

But not all music works equally well. Your favorite songs, the ones you have to sing along with, may distract you rather than help you. Pick songs that blend into the background.

Select songs that promote a particular mood. Writing something lighthearted and funny? Pick upbeat songs. Writing a zombie apocalypse? Something darker is called for.

Experiment with volume, too. Some people write better to quiet music; others like it loud.

Keep a Journal

A journal is helpful on so many levels. Not only is it good, constant writing practice, but it’s the best place to record all of those great ideas that pop into your head at random times.

Whenever you’re stuck on a story or a scene, flip through your journal. Somewhere in there is the answer. Ideas tucked away into corners weeks, months, or even years ago will leap out at just the right time to get you back on track.

Find a Writing Buddy

Writing by its very nature is a solitary pursuit. Yes, some authors collaborate, but even then, most writing gets done separately. And because writing is solitary, it has some drawbacks.

Most of the time there’s no accountability. Unless you’ve managed to land a paid writing job, there’s no one looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re getting the job done. When you write by yourself, it’s easy to slack off, set the work aside, and not get much accomplished.

A writing buddy is someone who can pester you on a regular basis to see how your story is coming. They are someone you can bounce ideas off of. Once you have finished your story, they can give you feedback. And you do exactly the same to keep them on track, too.

Your writing time is limited. Make the most of it.