It may seem obvious, but HAPPINESS is definitely important in the grand scheme of writing and reading. You must enjoy what you write. Laugh at your jokes. Employ descriptive words and phrases. If you’re not happy with your writing, how can you expect anyone else to be? Obviously, concessions can be made if you feel it’s for the best, but you’re the one doing what you love. Make it a happy experience. The rest will fall into place.

The same is true of choosing books worthy of your time when reading. You must find pleasure in reading them. You may have a favorite author, a favorite genre, or a favorite character you love to follow through a series. Make the most of your reading time and choose books that are worthy of the dedication you put into reading what you love. If you’re not happy with what you’re reading, you are keeping yourself from finding something spectacularly engaging and relevant to your tastes. Always read what you’re anxious for. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it can truly make.

Staying grounded is an essential part of reading and writing. Therefore, today’s word for the A to Z Challenge is GRAVITY. Even if you are writing fantasy or science fiction, you should not go so far as to be totally unbelievable. You want to convey comprehension, and this may be lacking if you get too into ridiculous notions that readers are not apt to understand. If you do choose to write silly stories or poems, great! Just make sure the context is right. Don’t write in this way if you haven’t prefaced your work to make it understandable.

The same is true in reading. You must be able to determine the gravity of the situations writers are presenting, and know how to express those thoughts when explaining the book to someone to get them to want to read it, when writing reviews, etc. You must also be able to take in the gravity of the words as the writers want them presented so you identify with each author’s hopes, goals, and ambitions for that piece of writing. Readers must always be conscious of the gravity of their opinions when sharing their thoughts, because they just might be the make it or break it difference between more success for an author or the lack thereof.

It is vital when reading and writing to feel you have FREEDOM. Freedom to connect with the words on the page and find your own meaning from them. Freedom to support the author and read more of his or her works. Freedom to change the path you have chosen for the characters you are writing and set out on a new path that makes more sense based on the plot you have decided upon. Freedom to try out different genres to see which one fits your writing style or reading preferences best. Freedom to muddle through a book only to find that the ending was surprisingly satisfying. Freedom to be head over heels in love with a book only to find the ending unsatisfying. Freedom to spend some days thinking about your writing rather than actually doing it. Freedom to spend some days thinking about what you read the day (or week, or month, or year, etc.) before rather than actually reading anything new. Freedom to stick to one genre. Freedom to defeat writer’s block or reader’s block by finding the one word or book that fills the void you’ve been feeling. Freedom to write or read to your heart’s content.

You can write a novel-in-verse or a short story that chronicles the top news headline. You can read a biography or a work of historical fiction. You are at liberty to make revisions, additions, and concessions within your writing or your reading preferences until they live up to your satisfaction.

Freedom is an awesome thing. Don’t take it for granted. What types of freedom do you feel when reading and writing? How can you provide yourself with more of that awesome feeling?

Day 5 brings us to ENERGY. Writers and readers must never lose the vivacity and excitement they had when they first began writing and reading. Everyone wants to be able to stay on the rollercoaster that is their own individual journey down these paths. They want to be taken on twists and turns, but beyond being surprised, they often want to engage with a great word or phrase, or find themselves dedicating hours of their lives to flipping pages and hoping that they’ll never run out. Energy is a gift, especially when it comes to something you love.

I have made time for myself this month to have my energy devoted to a lot of different pursuits. These include taking care of my two young boys, doing the April Poem-A-Day Challenge on the Writer’s Digest site, writing more of the sequel to my first novel, ‘Freshman Fourteen’ (I’m about 2/3 of the way through!), and obviously completing this A to Z Challenge, among a variety of other smaller items that are on my to-do list regularly. I am finding energy to complete it all, and I hope you can say the same about your own pursuits!

What gives you energy? Do you like to read books dedicated to what feeds your energy? For example, if you have a hobby such as traveling, do you enjoy reading books about different locations and places to visit? If you’re a writer, what gives you energy when writing?

DECISIONS is the words for Day 4 of the A to Z Challenge! Making decisions can be hard – not only in life, but in writing. Even when writing or reading fiction, the reality of the writing must set in as you embrace the lives of the characters and realize you must either make decisions that affect the outcomes of their lives (as a writer) or come to terms with those decisions even if you don’t like them (as a reader).

Remember that conflict isn’t the worst thing, as there must be some sense of urgency throughout writing in order to make it realistic. Readers often suspend disbelief, but they also sometimes yearn to feel grounded in reality. Writers must pick their moments wisely so as to keep readers on their toes, and readers must make the most of the words writers pen – after all, they’re doing it for the love of the reader!

What kind of decisions do you find it difficult to make as a writer? As a reader?

‘Once Upon a Kiss’ by Robin Palmer was a delightfully smart and witty read. It captured the angst of adolescence mixed with the doubts, intensity, and courage that make the characters in YA novels so fun and easy to read about.

Zoe is not quite unpopular, but she resides on the outskirts of the hierarchy that makes up her high school. Her best friend, Jonah, is right there with her. She knows everything about him, as he does about her, and even though they seem a perfect match, their friendship overrides any romantic feelings that Zoe is sure will never develop. Andrea, the typical mean girl character, is always around to make Zoe’s life more annoying, while her boyfriend, Brad, is nice, but falls under Andrea’s spell quite easily. The variety of other characters that we meet when Zoe is a teenager in 1986 all come back into play when she is somehow transported to the year 2016.

Thinking it all occurred as the result of a horrible incident at her favorite store, she doesn’t know how to cope with all the newfound technology, music, and relationship developments that are populating her new life. Not only is she now the most popular girl in school, but she is downright mean and vindictive, much like Andrea was back in 1986. Except now Andrea is Zoe’s sidekick.

Robin Palmer has taken it upon herself to make ‘Once Upon a Kiss’ readers question what they would do if given the chance to be someone they’re not, but in a way that allowed changes to be made that would benefit the masses. Zoe’s supposedly selfish and hateful personality in 2016 is turned on its head when the “new” (or “old,” if you think about it, since she came from 1986) Zoe arrives, ready to start fresh and turn over a new leaf in terms of who she is and what she wants out of life. The skepticism of her fellow classmates and family members, as well as best friend Jonah, who is nowhere even close to being remotely interested in even knowing who she is when she arrives in 2016, is extremely realistic. People are always wary of change, especially when it comes from unlikely sources. Yet, the point of much of the novel was about bringing people together and showcasing people’s personalities and cultures beyond judgments people make without really knowing someone.

Truly thought-provoking and definitely a page-turner, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever sought a new perspective or wondered what would happen if given the chance to start again. It is truly amazing how enlightening life can be when you allow yourself to see the world through different lenses.

You can find ‘Once Upon a Kiss’ by Robin Palmer here.

The word for Day 3 of the A to Z Challenge is a two-parter: COLLECTION AND COMPANIONSHIP. The two words go well together.

I have a large collection of books, poetry, and websites I use when I feel stuck. I read books in my chosen genre, and I make a point of learning more about authors by analyzing why they chose to write a certain way, why they made their characters act certain ways, etc. It is important to see the paths others have taken in order to learn the craft well.

That brings me to companionship. Writers must seek the companionship of their peers, even if that companionship is only found through reading others’ works and not actually knowing them personally. Feeling a connection with another author, even if just through his or her words, is imperative when trying to make a connection (look – another C word!) with your own writing or a book you’re reading.

That’s right. It’s also true in reading. We want others we can talk to about the words on the page that stuck out to us and why the writing style wooed you and allowed you to focus in a way that other books just have not been able to accomplish.

So, collect your favorite books, your favorite authors, and your favorite words and phrases as you work on writing the next great novel or as you work on getting through your to-be-read list. Either way, you’ll be happy that the companionship you gain, even if not overly personal, steers you down the path to becoming a stronger, wiser, and more motivated writer and/or reader!

What do you collect, or what would you like to collect? What (or who) offers you companionship on your writing and/or reading journey?

Today, for Day 2, the word is BRAVERY. I’m not afraid to take risks in my writing. Conflict is essential to writing something interesting and exhilarating. It’s also essential to be captivated by what you’re reading. I want to stand out and make my writing shine. I make a point of including conflict to make endings more magical. My characters struggle through dilemmas and emotions; they also consider ways to overcome struggles. Sometimes that isn’t possible, and that’s what makes for more emotional, substantial details that lend themselves well to pulling at readers’ heartstrings and making them feel deeply for my characters.

I wouldn’t want the characters I read about to be any different than the ones I write about in terms of the levels of conflict that ensue. It is imperative to good writing and good reading that the writer and readers can relish the moment when a character makes the right decision and be angry when a character does something wrong, at least in a reader’s estimation. Reading is subjective, and one reader may love the way an author pens his work while another may think it could have been crafted in a stronger way. Writers are brave. They take risks that may or may not have them see any payoff. Readers are also brave. They try out new books, new authors, and new circumstances all the time, hoping to find stories that enlighten and sustain them through good and bad times in their lives.

Bravery is not something to be taken for granted. We, as writers and readers, must focus on moving forward. Writing more, reading more, and focusing on what we love about those two mediums will only hone our bravery and make us stronger and wiser, as well as more graceful versions of ourselves.

Welcome to April and the A to Z challenge! Every day this month (except for Sundays), I will be posting about each consecutive letter of the alphabet, beginning today with ‘A,’ and assigning a word to it that I will delve a bit more into in terms of how to apply it to one’s writing or reading techniques. The word for today, April 1st, is AMMUNITION.

The word ammunition does not have to be construed negatively. People hear it and think of guns and violence. However, in this case, it’s meant as the driving force behind great writing – and great reading material as well. Each new idea you write about, or which you consider when reading the next great book on your to-be-read list, is part of the ammunition you should make a stockpile of so you’re never without it. I’m sure you know the feeling, if you’re a writer, of sitting down and just having words come to you. It’s pretty great. And when that faucet of words turns on and keeps flowing, you know you’ve chosen the right path as a writer. In the same vein, I’m sure any reader knows the feeling of sitting down with a great book and not being able to stop turning the pages, hoping for more of that awesome sense of wonderment that you get when you can’t put a book down.

When reading and writing, it’s important to know what ammunition you have available to you. My reservoir of writing techniques serves as my ammunition to get the ball rolling. I wrote 22,000+ words in the month of March toward the sequel to my first novel, ‘Freshman Fourteen,’ and I’m super excited to write more and have the book out in much less time than it took me to write the first one. It’s only been a year and a half since I published ‘Freshman Fourteen,’ and it took me about nine years total to write and publish it, so I think I’m well on my way, which feels amazing.

I’m always working to come up with new ideas to share with myself as I work on my writing. These include making lists, summarizing chapters I’ve already written, setting a word count to achieve, and even watching young adult TV shows and movies to get me in the right frame of mind for my desired audience. I also read young adult novels every chance I get (check out the vast majority of the reviews in this blog for my take on all those I’ve read), combining my love of writing and reading and keeping me on my toes so I’m never without the feeling that young adult writing offers.

What is your ammunition when you write and read? What makes you excited and keeps you on your toes? Share in the comments, and feel free to try out any or all of the techniques offered to put you on the path to finding more of the ammunition that keeps you going.

Happy writing and reading!

‘The Trouble with Destiny’ by Lauren Morrill is a funny, endearing look at the life of a girl who just can’t seem to make the pieces of her life fit together, despite all evidence to the contrary that everything was okay up till a certain point.

Liza, drum major, best friend to Huck, ex-best friend to Demi, and all-around nice girl who finds herself often bearing the brunt of troubles and misunderstandings finds herself an eager, willing, and uber-competitive participant in the Destiny cruise ship’s talent contest. It’s not just her reputation as drum major, or her competitive spirit at stake. It’s also necessary to win the $25,000 prize being given away, or else the band will lose funding and she’ll be out the one group of people and the one activity that make her feel like herself.

A trail of shenanigans follows Liza through her trip, right from the get-go when Russ, star of the football team and ex-best friend Demi’s ex-boyfriend, finds himself on the trip as the band’s errand boy thanks to a prank on his part. This doesn’t sit too well with Liza, who finds Russ immature, annoying, and always in the way or doing something that she doesn’t like. Add to that her in-fighting with Demi and her group of Athenas, another group from their school competing on the ship, as well as Lenny – a cute guy who Liza can’t get out of her mind – and the Destiny ship quickly becomes overcrowded with more drama than Liza knows how to handle. Before too long, it begins to take a toll on her, and even though others are around to help pick up the pieces, sometimes too much is just too much, and learning how to take life as it comes seems to be in the cards for Liza, despite her insistence that she has it all together.

Equal parts funny and exasperating (in a good way!), ‘The Trouble with Destiny’ proves that no one’s future is completely written, especially when you think you have it all figured out.

You can find ‘The Trouble with Destiny’ by Lauren Morrill here.