Book Review: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I thought the eve of the long awaited movie release of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games was as perfect time as any to write my review of the young adult trilogy. My husband and I read the entire series together (out loud) over the course of two weeks. Would I recommend this? Yes and No. Go ahead and read it quickly - it's fast paced and easy to get caught up in. However, Collins' writing style and dialogue can be awkward especially when readling aloud.

Plot Summary - From Wikipedia

The story is written in the voice of sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where the countries of North America once existed. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, holds absolute power over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the 12 districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle in which only one person can survive. The series covers the events that spiral from Katniss' choices and her struggle to face fear, love and opression.

Ink Thoughts Review
I knew going in that this was a young adult dystopian series so I tried to maintain the perspective that Collins' may have intended her reader to possess. However, my husband and I were probably less than halfway through the first novel when we decided that although the main characters are teenagers - this is not a 'childs' story. On the contrary it is the story of being the generation that must suffer the curses of their heritage. Collins' themes are universal although you must fully commit to the idea that what has been happening to this faction of people has been happening for 75 years with no rebellion because the last was so brutal.

Characters - 7/10
My husband and I came away from the book differing slightly on the quality of the characters. As a woman, I became more and more frustrated with Katniss even questioning her motives on several occasions. My husband was more empathetic though we both agreed that Peeta and Gale could have had more depth . If we had glimpsed the nuances of their struggle (beside the obvious love triangle with Katniss) I believe we might have championed them more.

Plot - 10/10
Collins has a fabulous albeit morbid imagination that is displayed vibrantly in this trilogy. She truly painted another world even if we are faced with the daunting task of believing that our 'pretty little society' could have crashed to such a disturbing level. Her plot is engaging, entertaining and just when you believe you understand where it's headed, she laughingly pulls the rug out from under your expectations. As I said earlier - this is an easy series to read quickly. I did agree with some critics who said the endings of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were too abrupt. I am certainly glad that the entire series was already published when I decided to tackle the novels because I would have been impatient to wait.

Writing Style - 5/10
Here is where the book fell short for me. The voice of the story is Katniss but the first person narrative becomes annoying. I grew tired of the "I say" and "he says" after each exchange of dialogue. Plus her sentnce structure was awkward in many areas - we noticed this expecially when reading aloud.

Conclusion
I think The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay are worthy of read though I would warn parents of younger children that the violence is too vivid and intense. I am a very visual person and I still wish I could remove some of Collins' images. For that very reason it is unlikely that I will ever read the series again expecially since I felt the ending was too abrupt to be fully satisfying.

But will I be going to the opening night of the movie tomorrow - of course!

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Creating a Fiction Query Letter

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day - Your Fiction Query Letter Can Take Just as Long

I will go on record now and say I despise writing a query letter.



"Can you see my query? It's the little fish with the blue eye."

 I have spent countless hours of my life creating, writing and perfecting thousands of words. My novel has been read and revised a half a dozen times just to be sure it's everything I want it to be. Now I sit staring at a single page of text - a SINGLE page - and I am experiencing pure frustration. I understand how people can get book deals for books they haven't even written because the act of writing a good novel versus a compelling query requires different skills entirely.

Now, of course I understand that a writer needs to be able to concisely present their book but a query is not just you "telling" an agent or publisher what your novel is about. No - a query is the sales pitch and since it will be entering an agent or publisher's life with a school of hundreds to thousands of others that look, on the outside, all alike - it will need to be the sales pitch of the century to get noticed. I'm not kidding.

Do I sound stressed? hopeful?

Actually, I am both. Why? Because I really do believe in my manuscript and genuinely want a career as a full time writer. I'm among friends I know which is why I feel the need to spread what I have gathered from my hours of research and transpose it here in one location. I may despise the query letter but I finally think I understand the heart of the beast.

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Is there a formula or layout for the perfect Query?
No, and this is probably a good thing. Agents and publishers would have more wrinkles and love their jobs less if they got 'cookie-cutter' queries day in and day out. You're query letter should and will be different in many ways but there are some do's and don'ts that I have unearthed on my journey to conquer submission woes.

The Do's - or more poetically...the things that will keep you from being tossed right away

• Make sure the agent or publisher represents your genre of fiction - As logical as it sounds, it bears repeating. Besides, you don't want an agent who doesn't know how to sell your style of book do you?
• Personalize every query letter - even if submitting to a generic agency email, tell them which agent you are interested in. Be formal - using Mr. or Ms. (not Mrs. or Miss).
• Include the title of your novel, word count and genre
• Briefly answer "Why them?" - do some research and know how your manuscript will fit with this agent or publisher's current array of work. Do you fit? Why? Again, 1-2 sentences which could also include why you believe your novel will be successful in the marketplace.
• One Sentence Hook (or pitch) - yes you have to be able to use one sentence to describe the character and plot of your novel. (Examples to come!)
• One paragraph that describes the main plot (4-5 sentences) - do this in a similar style of writing that you implement in your novel. If you use victorian language in your historical romance - keep it up here BUT still cover your setting, character, turning point, rising action, climax, falling action and resoltuion into this paragraph. I know what you're thinking - I hate it too!
• 1-2 Sentences about you - Do not spill your life story - just what we need to know like education or career and if/how they tie into your novel. (ie: I'm writing about the exciting romance of bee keepers and low an behold, I've been a bee keeper for 20 years.)
• Say Thank You - it's called good manners.
• Offer the option for them to contact you for your COMPLETED novel - Yes, they do like the word 'completed.'
• Your Contact Info - whether at the bottom or the top of the page, make sure there are multiple ways to contact you (ie: phone, email, address)
• KEEP IT SHORT - after sifting through dozens of articles that talk about query letters, this is one of the plaguing issues that should be forefront in your mind. Everyone says, one page but I will take it a step further and say 250 to 350 words. That is much shorter than one page but almost every agent interview I read mentions that they want an author who understands 'brevity' - get to the point with precision and quickness.

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The Don'ts - which covers other tidbits to avoid.
• Overly kiss up - stay professional in how you present yourself. Even if this is the agent you would love to have, don't gush on why you think you guys are a match made in heaven. It might get you noticed but for all the wrong reasons.
• Use weak language - Using statements like "I think you might like..." or "I know I'm a first time writer but I wish..." will not help you. Be confident in your presentation. Remember this is a sales pitch. Believe in your product. If you don't - go back and revise again until you do.
• Hide the story - you might think that by keeping the story a mystery that you will intrigue the agent or publisher to want to know more -  but this will backfire on you. An agent or a publisher wants to know the premise of the ENTIRE  book so they can judge whether you are worth their time. Again be confident that your plot is interesting and lay it out there.
• Step outside the box when it comes to format - if an agent wants you to send an email query, don't physically mail one in. Follow their guidelines (found on their company website) as well as keep the font and formatting of the letter professional and clean. Again, you don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons. 

Conclusion
Writing a query can be painful but by the end you will have a greater understanding of how to approach your novel from a sales perspective. Keep at it. This isn't something set in stone so if something doesn't appear to be working, try a new tactic. It's possible that someone could ignore everything I've said and still get published. That's the nature of the publishing world and the more you understand the business of it - the better equipped you are as a writer. Good Luck!

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Writing Tools: Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents

The manuscript is finished...edited...polished to a brilliant shine - now what? If you're an aspiring writer, I'm sure somewhere around page 50 you consider that someone at some point might want to read the labor of love coming forth out of your fingertips. Someone who doesn't love and support you.

If you're like me, there might have even been a point when you acknowledge that you really do want others to read your story but you are also battling with the rising amount of dread at the realization that getting an agent and achieving publication will be ten times more difficult than writing the novel. One of my first steps was a dash down to the bookstore to buy Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents.

First Impression...this book is HUGE!
Weighing is at close to two pounds and nearly 1100 pages - it is not something to be taken lightly...literally. The guide is divided into five sections covering differernt types of pulishers and editors as well as an in-depth look at literary agents. I will confess - I have not read it cover to cover. I'm not sure that it's intended to be that type of book. It's a guide which means I have poked around the variety of sections including a large portion on Advice for Writers to the extent that I believe my several spoonfuls have offered a well rounded taste of the entire soup.

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Why it's worth $29.99 USD
Jeff Herman has put his best effort forward to make this book more than just a monotonous journey of going from aspiring writer to published author. He interjects humor and asks many of the questions that we want to know. I have studied many of the profiles of the literary agents and I admit that after reading some of the answers to his questions, I have been able to discern what agents are not for me - even if they represent my genre. Perhaps when I'm desperate, I will send queries to these agents as well but in the meantime, I feel like my quest for an agent has been more productive.

As extensive as his questions and facts are, I still recommned firing up the search engine and letting your fingers do the work to verify that everything the agent or publisher claimed is still in play. Even though, Herman continues to publish new editions of the guide, there is nothing better than checking the 'real time' submission guidelines from an agency website. Think of Herman's guide as a compass that points you in the right direction but you still have to use your eyes and do the walking. The compass might say 'Go North' but if a mudslide has taken out the road last weekend, you might need to consider alternative routes.

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Why you might be disappointed
My main complaint is the formatting. The layout of paragraphs with bolded titles is not user friendly. When there are multiple agents listed under and agency - you might miss them because it's difficult to identify where one bio ends and another begins. The publishing section is a little easier to differentiate as he has added key symbols and dividing lines.

I also secretly wish he would give more meat to his query letter and synopsis examples. Even multiple examples would be beneficial. Herman interjects positive advice throughout the guide and offering examples of differing styles of queries would give you more of an idea of where you should be creative and where you stick to the rules.

A good portion of the guide is directed towards non-fiction which is great if you're writing that genre but if you're only interested in fiction - it will feel like you are sifting through a lot of information to get to the stuff you want/need.

Conclusion
Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents is a great tool to add to your tool box. Use it to help you along your path towards publishing but realize that you might need more than one tool to get the job done. Would I spend the money again? Yes. It has helped me sift through agents in less time and with stronger confidence in my research. 

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Book Review: Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann



Ebook Cover from Wikipedia

 Valley of the Dolls was written in 1966 by Jacqueline Susann and discussed everything that no one was supposed to talk about. From affairs to abortion to additction and sexism - there's little this book is afraid to say.

Plot Summary - from Wikipedia
In 1945, Anne Welles moves to New York City from Lawrenceville, Massachusetts, and finds employment with a talent agency representing the Broadway musical Hit the Sky. She meets Neely O'Hara (who changed her name from Ethel Agnes O'Neill), a vaudeville star living in her building, and recommends her for a role in the show’s chorus. Jennifer North, a showgirl with limited talent regarded for her beauty, appears in the play as well. The three women become fast friends. Over the next twenty years, the women embark on careers that bring them to the heights of fame, addiction and eventual self-destruction.

While the book is told from the perspectives of all three women (Anne, Neely and Jennifer), the novel begins and ends with Anne tieing up the idea that this is really her story.

Ink Thoughts Review
I found the premise of the story very applicable to current times. We have seen the effects of fame and prescription drug addiction even as recently as the death of singer, Whitney Houston and the struggling comeback of child actress, Lindsey Lohan. I found Susann's account of the whirl-wind lives of 'show business women' to be stunningly tangeable even as they became increasingly juxtaposed with pain and self-destruction. 

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Characters - 8/10
I'm not sure I would classify the characters of Anne, Neely and Jennifer as 'likable' - indeed there was plenty to envy or even despise of each woman by the end of the novel - but... they were real. Among the pages of Susann's meandering plot, these women were living and breathing because she did keep us at a distance as many women in 1966 would have actually felt about three vibrantly attractive and successful ladies who conquered Broadway, Hollywood, Television and international fame. In fact, that added to my feelings of helplessness as a friend would feel watching someone they know and love spiral out of control. No matter how you might shout or beg or try to make someone understand - a person will do what they want. So no matter how I might have pleaded with these women to stop letting themselves be defined by the men in their lives or wish that they could see that taking 60 sleeping pills in one day is not normal - they continued on their path anyway as I'm sure Susann intended. Thankfully, liking the characters does not inhibit them from being compelling because as I finished the last page, even the last line of what was a draining experience to read Valley of the Dolls, I did not like them....but I knew these women and understood them beyond a shadow of doubt.

Plot - 7/10
I love reading the background of books or movies because I love knowing all of the behind the scenes that went into creating the story. Susann based many of the events and people within this book on actual personal experience as well as people she encountered. Somehow that knowlege makes the plot all the more tragic. Overall, I found the story to move along at a steady pace. She masterfully kept our attention wondering and delivered the creshendos with purposeful intent. She was not apologetic about the failures and successes these women experienced - indeed we admittedly understood that everything that happened to them occured because of the choices made by each.

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Writing Style - 6/10
I know many people have issues with the idea of multiple main characters or struggle with differing perspectives - I am not one of them. In fact, I enjoy and write from multiple points of view so I after reading several books from the first person perspective, I found this refreshing. That being said there were a handful of moments when the perspective appeared to change within paragraphs which was awkward and confusing especially if you weren't reading carefully. As well, there were several spelling errors that were distracting but again, I reminded myself that spellcheck was not around in 1966 when this was done solely on a typewriter.

Conclusion
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann is as applicable today as it was in 1966. I am 30 years old but I found the discussion with my mother who read it when she was my age left us with similar impressions and social commentary leading me to wonder how far have we really come? It is easy to read although perhaps not as 'fun' as other romance novels claim to be. Read it with an open mind and I'm sure you will walk away considering how your own choices have reaped the life you have - good, bad and beyond.

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