Agented at Last

Yes, it's official. I am now represented by Jason Yarn of Paradigm Talent Agency. I have emerged from query hell (and relatively unscathed, I think). I woke up one sunny March morning at eight o'clock and checked my email, which has become a habit so compulsive it's bordering on addiction, and lo and behold - an email from Jason Yarn of Paradigm saying that he'd finished Lord Machina and liked it very much, and asking if he could call to talk about the manuscript! Needless to say I screamed and flailed, waking up my poor confused husband, and then ran to the computer to send a reply. No sooner had I hit send, then my phone began to ring (the ring tone being the Imperial March, might I add) and underneath the number the call display screamed NEW YORK at me.

  "Oh Lordy!" said I, "New York!" (That's how we country bumpkins talk). I picked up the phone and tried my absolute hardest to sound normal, and not like a screaming crazy person. We had a lovely conversation (I believe it was lovely. I felt a bit dazed) and to make a long, over dramatic story short, he offered representation! I had to wait a week to say yes, since several other agents needed to be notified so they could finish reading, and I also happened to be in Mexico that week with no access to computers unless you paid for them. So I couldn't check my email obsessively, which was a good thing (but frustrating all the same).

 Most of them passed, one said she'd consider offering if it was longer, but Jason was the first choice anyways, and after the week was up I happily accepted his offer. (Above, you can see me being an absolute dork and signing the contract with a feather pen). I then made my husband take me out for a "celebratory brownie". It's true, I don't need an excuse for a brownie (EVERY brownie is a celebratory one) but I've been planning this for sometime, obviously.....

                                             Brownie of Celebration

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - A Book Review

I have nothing but good things to say about one of my most recent reads, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor. I found the book while I was lurking in the book store (I might as well bring a tent and just camp out in the aisle, the amount of time I spend there). I was drawn to the remarkably handsome cover (see above picture) and when I flipped through I was elated to see it was in (gasp) THIRD PERSON. I find myself irked with the constant flood of first person narration that seems to have saturated the young adult market. I swear if I come across one more story of a magical girl falling in love with a bad boy-who-isn’t-really-a-bad boy type of character I’m going to stab my eyeballs out with my feather pen. (Yes, I do have one. I swear I’ll do it). Below are the reasons Daughter of Smoke and Bones is one of the best reads of all time…

                THE MAGIC:  The idea of wishes as a form of magic has always interested me, and the way that Taylor describes it is just fascinating, likes nothing I’ve read before. ( And I have read a LOT.)

                THE MYSTERY: It becomes evident that the main character, Karou is not quite human. But what is she? It doesn’t become apparent for quite some time. I absolutely LOVE that, unlike most books, I wasn’t able to guess what she was right away, and when I found out I was shocked because, low and behold, it was completely ORIGINAL. Now there’s a thought….

                THE WRITING: Well gosh-darn and golly gee! If the writing wasn’t just refreshingly fantastic for once! Not only does Taylor spin an engaging tale with a twisting, surprising plot full of mythology and spooky and fantastic settings, the English language will sit, stay and roll over for her. Damn, I may or may not have been absolutely green with envy.

                Would I recommend this book? You bet your acronym  I would! I give this 9 out of 10 on my bookshelf scale.