Fellow Candlewick author Sarah Combs is one of my favorite writers and people in the world. Her debut, Breakfast Served Anytime, got me teary because it was so beautifully written and so full of love and hope and feels. So obviously I’ve been way excited for her next book, and I am thrilled to say that The Light Fantastic is out today! A little about the book:
Delaware, the morning of April 19. Senior Skip Day, and April Donovan’s eighteenth birthday. Four days after the Boston Marathon bombing, the country is still reeling, and April’s rare memory condition has her recounting all the tragedies that have cursed her birth month. And just what was that mysterious gathering under the bleachers about? Meanwhile, in Nebraska, Lincoln Evans struggles to pay attention in Honors English, distracted by the enigmatic presence of Laura Echols, capturer of his heart. His teacher tries to hold her class’s interest, but she can t keep her mind off what Adrian George told her earlier. Over in Idaho, Phoebe is having second thoughts about the Plan mere hours before the start of a cross-country ploy led by an Internet savant known as the Mastermind. Is all her heartache worth the cost of the Assassins machinations? The Light Fantastic is a tense, shocking, and beautifully wrought exploration of the pain and pathos of a generation of teenagers on the brink and the hope of moving from shame and isolation into the light of redemption.
I’m so excited to see how Sarah brings together these viewpoints to craft a sensitive and thoughtful story of grief and anger and pain and hope.
In case that all sounds awesome to you, too, friend and fantastic book blogger Ginger is celebrating The Light Fantastic‘s release with a giveaway! Inspired by one of the book’s associated discussion questions, Sarah and Ginger are sharing their lists of five good things/things that matter. Check out their lists and sign up to win a copy of the book!
Even though I’ve already ordered my copy, I want to share my list of five good, real things. In no particular order:
- The smell of bread baking, the magic of seeing how such simple ingredients can become something so delicious.
- When a song comes on the radio and you have to turn it up and sing along and make ridiculous emotive hand gestures.
- The first sip of coffee.
- Jokes you have with loved ones that go so far back, you don’t even remember exactly when or how they started.
- When you’re watching a movie, sneaking a glance at the rest of the audience and seeing them engrossed in the story.
Head over to Ginger’s to share your five, enter her giveaway, and most importantly, get yourself a copy of The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs!
Happy Friday, everyone! It may be September, but it still feels like summer in the Boston area, and I’m using that as an excuse to write outside and have as much ice cream as possible. Here’s a look at what I’ve been writing and reading, in fifteen words or fewer.
Happy Friday, everyone! I know that in a few months I’ll be dreaming of summer again, but for now I’m so done with heat and humidity and I need fall to start asap. (Either that, or I need to find a way to spend the next few weeks reading by a large body of water.) Until then, let’s get the weekend started with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer:
Happy Friday, guys! I’m hoping to have a super writerly weekend, so let’s start things off with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing this week:
Happy Friday, guys! It’s the end of July, which to me means it’s Harry Potter’s birthday weekend. (Once a friend and I got an ice cream cake for July 31, and asked Dairy Queen to write “Happy Birthday Harry” on it in Gryffindor colors. Good times.) Before we head into Harry Potter weekend, here’s a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer:
Happy Friday, everyone! It’s meltingly hot in the Boston area, and all I really want to do is spend a week by a large body of water with a big stack of books. In the meantime, I’ll have to accept a giant iced tea and a little reading and writing at home. Here’s a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.
Caminar by Skila Brown
Happy Friday, all! I was feeling the good writing vibes this week, and I’m looking forward to a beautiful weekend here in the Boston area. Let’s get things started with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
Happy Friday, guys! This week blew by and I didn’t do as much writing work as I’d have liked, but it is beautiful out in the Boston area and I’m psyched for all this sunshine. Let’s get the weekend started with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.