NaNoWriMo: One Day Left. You can do it!

I wanted to give a shout out of encouragement for anyone participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I usually post my own progress throughout the month, but I couldn't really think of anything to say, so here I am, on the day before day 30 with a last minute pep talk.

Go team! Hang in there, throw whatever comes into your head onto that page. Be creative and don't worry about being right. Avoid the urge to edit and let those fingers fly across the keyboard. 

Some of you may already have won by now, some may be on track to finish today or tomorrow, and some others might finish a little bit after the deadline. But all of you have tried something amazing and challenging this month, and I for one am proud of you and that effort, win or not.

So, keep writing and keep challenging yourself to greater things. It's how we grow and learn. It's how we see what we're made of and what we can do. What works and what doesn't.

So keep writing and if you don't make it this year, here's to trying again next year. Now stop reading this and get back to writing.

You're in the home stretch.

You can do it!

New Release Announcement and Review: A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story by A.J. York

A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story by A.J. York
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description:
Upstairs in the Anderson’s attic there is chatter coming from the Christmas, Easter and Halloween boxes. Someone new has arrived. Tallulah the Christmas Fairy wakes to find herself attached to the top of a tree. She soon makes friends and has a magical first Christmas. Once the festivities are over, Tallulah finds herself in the attic with the other decorations from Easter and Halloween. Each year they watch the seasons change as they wait excitedly for their turn to go downstairs. Until one day new boxes appear and then the unthinkable happens. A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story is a magical and uplifting tale for the whole family.

What has been said about A.J. York’s other stories.

“Quick, lively and entertaining reading specifically written for children ages 8 to 12, A. J. York's fantasy trilogy is very highly recommended for family, middle school and community library collections.”

Midwest Book Review, Small Press Bookwatch, April 2015

My Review:
This is a lovely short story about a treetop fairy who wakes up one day to find herself the newest addition to a young family’s Christmas decorations. After all go to sleep, the other ornaments awaken and welcome Tallulah. But after Christmas, they go back to the attic, where ornaments from other seasons and holidays are eager to tell her stories and bring her into their world.

I was faintly reminded of Toy Story, though this story feels much more optimistic and hopeful. The ornaments and toys try to be still when the people are around, and most of their shenanigans are at night or when the family is out. As the young family’s children grow up, the ornaments and, later, the toys start noticing differences, but still, each year, they are welcomed downstairs for their turn at adorning the home.

I really liked this story. It’s short and sweet and perfect for reading to a child. There are some cute illustrations throughout, which showed up well even on my plain Kindle, though not all of the chapters have one. I turned the last page with a smile on my face.

I received a free copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.


View all my reviews

-----

Intrigued?

Pick up a copy at Amazon, and then check out some of A.J.'s other fine short stories, all of which I've read and enjoyed. Don't forget to follow the author on Amazon to find out first when a new story is coming.

A.J. York-Amazon Author Page



Live in the UK? Here are some links:
A.J. York-Author Page
A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story

Classic Review: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck

Sweet Thursday (sequel to Cannery Row)

by John Steinbeck

Description

In Monterey, on the California coast, Sweet Thursday is what they call the day after Lousy Wednesday, which is one of those days that is just naturally bad. Returning to the scene of "Cannery Row," the weedy lots and junk heaps and flophouses of Monterey, John Steinbeck once more brings to life the denizens of a netherworld of laughter and tears - from Fauna, new headmistress of the local brothel, to Hazel, a bum whose mother must have wanted a daughter. 

My Review

In Sweet Thursday, John Steinbeck returns to Cannery Row, a rundown place that’s fallen upon hard times since the local waters were all fished out and the canneries have all closed down. Central to this story is Doc, returned from the war to his failing business. He’s feeling low, and everyone in the neighborhood knows it. They just don’t know exactly what to do about it.

This is a delightful story, even for someone like me who hasn’t actually read the previous book. That being said, I found that the plot didn’t quite become evident until several chapters in after all the “where are they now” stuff was covered. At that point, it took off and I must say in quite a wonderful way. This book left me grinning so hard my face hurt. I feel a welling of emotion just thinking about it.

I mentioned what I was reading to my dad and told him it was the sequel to Cannery Row. He’d seen the movie for Cannery Row and asked if the book was just as good. I guess this means I’ll have to track that book down and see how it all started. That’s as good as a reason for reading it as was the one I had for reading this one. I read a blog post about hooptedoodle and it made me curious.

Anyway, I totally recommend this, though perhaps the first part have been better had I actually read the first book. This story won a Pulitzer Prize in Literature, well deserved in my opinion.

I borrowed this book from the library.

-----

Definitely worth picking up. But perhaps better if you pick up Cannery Row first.