Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Today’s pick: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Here’s the link to the movie page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1731141/

Ender’s Game, from my understanding, is a book that many filmmakers have wanted to option, but author Orson Scott Card wouldn’t sell the rights until just recently. I bet the advance in film technology has made it easier to make that decision. The book is about a young boy in a futuristic country. He is a third child when only two children are allowed per family.  His family is granted permission to have a third child because his two other siblings are geniuses and the government is looking for the right child for a special task. Ender is also a genius and is taken from his home to a competitive school where he is trained for something special. In the interest of not spoiling the book, I don’t want to say too much more. Since the book came out in 1986, Ender’s Game is an early dystopian-esque sci-fi book. It is supposedly for a young audience, but I know it has wide appeal like Harry Potter.

I liked this book a lot when I read it but never could get into the sequels. Ender’s Game is actually my husband’s favorite book!

I think it has great potential for a film because:

1) It has a long history. Many schools have used Ender’s Game as a book for English classes. I first read it in 6th or 7th grade as part of my school curriculum. Students from more than one generation will want to see the film and bring their families to it.

2) It’s a sci-fi book that has human characters. Humans are easier to relate to than most other species.

3) Books and movies in which the character goes to a special school to hone a secret talent are popular, as are dystopian books and movies.

4) The story appeals to men and women.

Anything I missed on this list?

Did you read Ender’s Game in school? Have your children read it? Do you think it more closely relates to Harry Potter or to The Hunger Games?

Location: The Lodge @ Sonoma in Sonoma, Calif. for the Books & Such Agents’ Planning Summit

I’d like to spend this week talking about books that soon will be movies. We can discuss what we think has given them the appeal they needed to make it to film. I’ll share my opinion, and I hope to hear yours. I’m going to try to avoid putting any major spoilers in the posts, but if you are picky about reading the book before finding out anything about the storyline, please read the book and come back to the blog posts.

Hopefully this conversation will help you to pick popular, relevant topics for your writing.

First up: The Hunger Games

I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins over Christmas break, just in time to get excited about the upcoming film release.

If you would like to see more information about the film or watch the trailer, click this link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it quite a bit–the writing is good and the story moves quickly with lots of action and a bit of romance–but I had a problem with the overall premise. A country that would punish its citizens by making them send some of their children to fight to the death each year while the entire country watches it on TV is hard to swallow. At the same time, I understand that Collins has written a book that reflects on our society today and serves as a warning for what the future could look like because of our human nature and the hate we can carry toward others. The hunger games are a futuristic Roman Colosseum. I’d say that many dystopian books have the same purpose–to reflect on our society in a creative way.

I personally believe this book was a good candidate for a movie because:

1) The story’s premise is complex enough to appeal to readers of all ages, not just teens.

2) The story has strong male and female characters.

3) The world the story is set in is unique without being so far out that the reader can’t relate to it. It’s based on our world with differences that are well-described.

What elements make The Hunger Games a good candidate for being made into a film? What has made the book so popular with readers? How might your answers to these two questions help you as think about your writing?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

I think a lot of younger readers would say the Harry Potter series introduced them to young adult fantasy. Some might say it was Twilight. For my generation and for those older than I am, I think that introductory series would be The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the fantasy book I remember loving all the way back to when I read it in elementary school. C.S. Lewis’s book have influenced the kinds of books I enjoy reading today. I still love a book with dragons, giants, talking animals, shape-shifters, etc., and Lewis has all that and more in the Chronicles of Narnia. I also have a special love for allegory as a result of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

I represent quite a few YA authors, and many of their projects are fantasy. I’m not sure if I would be interested in fantasy books/allegory if I wasn’t introduced to the genre through reading C.S. Lewis. It’s hard to say, but I’m so glad C.S. Lewis wrote those wonderful books. The Chronicles of Narnia can be enjoyed by readers of any age. Young adult fantasy seems to still be that way. The stories are often interesting enough that older readers and parents enjoy the books as well.

What was the first fantasy novel you read and loved? Do you still read young adult fantasy?

Factoid: The very first gift I ever gave to my husband (then boyfriend) was a complete volume of The Chronicles of Narnia. He had never read the books!

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

For our free-for-all, I’d like to share what’s next on my reading list, and I’d like to hear what’s next on yours. Don’t worry; your next book doesn’t need to be for young adults. Mine is, but I promise I don’t only read YA literature.

I’m looking forward to reading Jane by April Lindner. This book was a Christmas gift from one of my good friends. She’s a “book buddy” of mine. We enjoy the same types of books and will often share books we’ve purchased with each other.

With the tagline: “What if Jane Eyre fell in love with a rock star?” who could resist?

What’s next on your reading queue, and why did you pick it?

(FYI: I just went to Amazon and watched the book trailer while I was pulling the cover for the blog, and I was surprised to see a local Santa Rosa winery in the beginning of the video! That stately mansion (in color) is the Ledson Winery! How funny.)

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

I read this book a little while ago; it’s not one of my most recent reads, but I want to use this book to comment on the YA market. This story is somewhat like Harry Potter. A teen girl, Zoey, learns she’s something special and goes to a new school that’s specially-designed for others like her. She is, of course, a little more special than the others in her class and has a crush on another student, who is already in a relationship with a girl. Typical love triangle to create that teen angst.

I picked this book up because I had heard from some teen girls that this series was “awesome” and that they loved Zoey. I had also seen these books in every bookstore in town (not the Christian one), and I was wondering why they were so popular. I like to keep up on the YA trends.

I did not like the book, and I was shocked by the content. The teens in the book participate in seances, there are sexual moments, and  foul language. The seance scenes were actually really creepy!

The sad thing is that this book isn’t just one of a kind. The YA shelves are full of books like this. I don’t mind a good teen fantasy and I’m not bothered by books with strange characters like vampires and werewolves, but when the characters in the book are really bad examples for teens, I get upset! There’s no reason a teen should read a book with foul language or explicit sexual content, but books like that fill the shelves. It seems that teen books keep pushing the line of what is appropriate.

I’ve also noticed that nearly every cover in the teen section is black these days. I guess black covers increase sales? I think it’s a visual for us all to see how dark the content of teen fiction is getting.

Are books like this really what teens want to read, or are they the only books available? What do you think?

I don’t recommend this book; this is another series I won’t be reading more of. I would love to hear your opinion of the book if you’ve read it, and I won’t be offended if you enjoyed the story. A lot of people have enjoyed it! I’m probably in the minority here.

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Violet Eyes by Debbie Viguie

I have read many of the YA books in the Once Upon a Time series. Fairytales are a strong trend in general market YA. I picked this book up while browsing at the bookstore because Debbie Viguie graduated from U.C. Davis, my alma mater. I googled her after I finished the book and was intrigued to see she has written other general market YA and also some CBA mysteries with Abingdon Press. I haven’t read any of her other books.

Violet Eyes retells the story of the princess and the pea. It’s a short book, so the plot isn’t too complex, but I enjoyed the story. Debbie’s writing voice is catchy. The story isn’t modernized, and I don’t think the characters would work in a modern setting.  The basic motivation for the plot is finding a wife for the prince, and the princesses all participate in a contest for his hand in marriage.

Not all the books in the Once Upon a Time series are as good as this one. Written by  different authors, they share the common thread of  fairytales. I can’t think of any other YA series  done this way. Many publishers have adult series with different authors writing “installments,” but the Once Upon a Time series might be one of the first for YA.

Does anyone know of any other YA series like that? Have you read a Once Upon a Time book? If so, which one?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

The Healer’s Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

This book is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I believe it’s one of the first CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) fairytale books. While the story is a lovely historical fiction for YA readers, I think it’s a great book for adult readers as well. I really like fairytale retellings, and I’m excited to see this trend moving into the Christian market.

Both lead characters, Lord Hamlin and Rose, are well portrayed and strong. Both have deeply rooted motivations for decisions that are made in the story, and both are honorable. Rose shows in the story that sacrifice is sometimes (always?) the greatest form love can take, and I was impressed with how Melanie wrote Rose’s character with such deep emotion. The book has a happy ending, of course, and I love a good love story!

The only part of the story that I might have had a problem with, but was pleasantly surprised by,  is the part in which Rose, like Sleeping Beauty, is under the sleeping spell. Magic is often hard to write about, especially in a Christian book.  The way Melanie wrote this scene it worked; the spirituality of it fit into the medieval time period and the magic/spirituality was set up throughout the story. I can see how this part would have been hard to write, but congratulations to Melanie for pulling it off.

If you like fairytales or fairytale retellings, I recommend this one!

Have any of you read other CBA fairy tales? What else is out there in the Christian market?

Has anyone else read The Healer’s Apprentice? What did you think?

Have you read fairytales published by general market publishers? Why do you think there’s been a trend toward publishing these stories? What makes a fairytale attractive to a reader today?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

This week I’m going to give you a book review each day about YA books and books for younger readers that I’ve read recently. That way we can all talk about the market and trends. I really enjoy reading all types of books, but I’m going to focus this week on books for young readers (including some for twentysomethings).

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

I realize I’m a bit behind with this one. It’s been popular for awhile now! I don’t typically read middle grade books, but thought I’d give this one a try since I have heard so much about it. It was the very first book I purchased with my Christmas Kindle.

The first thing I noticed about the book were the chapter titles. They bothered me! I thought the titles made the chapters sound silly. When I actually started reading, I was impressed with Percy’s voice and enjoyed the first few chapters once I realized the chapter titles weren’t too literal. I can see how a middle-grade boy would like the chapter titles, but I’m long past middle school, and I’ve never been a boy. The further I got into the book, the more I felt that it really was a great book for middle-grade readers. While I read it all the way through, I am not interested in reading further in the series because the plot just wasn’t gripping enough for me.

If you have a middle-schooler who has not yet read this series, I think he or she would be interested. Please preview the books first just in case they contain something you aren’t comfortable with your child reading. The series is fictional and about Greek gods and goddesses.

I don’t regret purchasing The Lightning Thief, but overall I didn’t really like it.

Now, my opinion is only one opinion, and I expect I’m the minority on this book. Have your read it or has your child? What did you think?

As a writer, did it bother you that the chapter titles didn’t match the chapters that well?

What middle-grade book have you or your child read lately that was particularly enjoyable?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

I recently read the results of a survey Scholastic conducted regarding kids and their reading habits in our increasingly digital age. I found lots of fascinating insight about the reading habits these children are developing.  Did you know…

• 25% of 9- to 17-year-olds believe texting constitutes reading
• 25% of 6- to 17-year-olds have read a book on a digital device
• 14% of parents have read a book on a digital device
• 39% of 9- to 17-year-olds believe online information is always correct
• 33% of 9- to 17-year-olds would read more if they had access to e-books
• 66% of 9- to 17-year-olds will continue to read print books
• 39% of boys say reading for fun is important
• 56% of 6- to 8-year-olds read frequently (5 to 7 days per week)
• 24% of 15- to 17-year-olds read frequently
• 91% of children are more likely to finish a book they have picked out

What surprises you in these statistics? Do you see the same trends in your children or children you know? How do these numbers inform your writing?

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office

Last time I blogged I promised you, dear readers, that for just this once I would refrain from blogging about gruesome realities like Career Killers, Kisses of Death, QueryFails or Worst Case Scenarios. I asked for your suggestions of happy things I could blog about. I considered puppies and babies but I finally settled on one of our favorite things: books.

I love books. Had I lived in Victorian times I’d have been considered a bluestocking for my devotion to books. Happily, we can now indulge in books without society’s censure.

So for this week, we’re going to attempt the near-impossible task of coming up with our Favorite Fives in five different categories. I had to make one ground rule for me– it can’t be a book by one of my clients or one of my friends. So today let’s share our favorite five children’s books. This includes picture books, middle grade and young adult– both current and classic. Yep. Only five.

This may be the most difficult category of all for me because though I don’t represent children’s books, I’m a dedicated fan. I’ve long collected antiquarian illustrated picture books. I love the work of Henriette Willebeek LeMair, Jessie Willcox Smith, Ethel Franklin Betts, Mabel Lucie Atwell, Johnny Gruelle,  and many others. And I’m a fan of many of the contemporary illustrator/ authors like Patricia Polacco, Tasha Tudor, Michael Hague, Susan Jeffers, Trina Scart Hyman, Jan Brett, my own client Andy McGuire and too many others to list.

I’m a fan of middle grade, too, especially the classics.  I have shelves of series books— the twins book (like Dutch Twins, African Twins, etc.), the Little House books, Anne of Green Gables, Betsy-Tacy, Honey Bunch, The Bobbsey Twins, The Chronicles of Narnia and Nancy Drew. I love contemporary middle grades as well, like everything by Madeleine L’Engle. A few years back I made it a point to read all the past Newbery winners and honors. So many treasures. . .

All this to say, how does one pick a favorite five?

This could change in the next hour, but for right now here’s what I’d pick and why:

• Picture Book: All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. The most beautiful picture book ever. I experience deep sehnsucht every time I read this.
• Classic YA: Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott— need I explain why? This classic has it all— unforgettable characters, a company of strong women loving each other and growing together. It’s a story that still makes me laugh and cry.
• Classic Middle Grade: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. My very first gothic mystery. I can still recite parts of this book: “Please, sir, may I have a bit of earth?”
• Adventure: Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis— Reep-i-cheep is one of the most memorable heroes of all literature
• Middle Grade: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. A story of love and loss– powerful.

Okay, those are my five. Now it’s your turn. Tell us your favorite five children’s books.