Writer's Wednesday--It's NaNo Time!

Time for another writing update already! I'm happy to say that there has been some action in the last two weeks. That novella I was inspired to write has been drafted and is getting feedback. More on that below.

We've gotten home from our travels, and are settled in enough now that a) I can start to see my way through the chaos to a regular schedule (including writer time) and b) I've started up all my workouts again and I am SORE! Which may actually be good for the writer stuff, because once I sit down at the computer I don't want to move.

As for NaNo (National Novel Writing Month, aka November), yes I'll be participating again this year. To see why, I think I'll refer you to last year's post on the topic. I'm ready for a boost, a deadline, and a bit of writer chatter, and maybe even a chance to connect with some local writers. I've got some work to do still on the outline (somewhere in the next day or two while getting Death By Library organized!), but the book is coming together well in my head, if not yet on paper. I have a lot of confidence now in my ability to write well over the requisite 1642 words/day (or whatever the exact number is to hit 50K in 30 days), so I'm comfortable taking a little extra time to be sure I'm ready before I start writing.

Write where you are.

I have also gotten Death By Library back from the proofreader, made the necessary edits, and formatted the ebook, so I'm right on schedule for my release date, and to get copies of the book to the reviewers on the blog tour! I'm working on guest posts, interviews, and the rest of the fun, and if you want to join the party, drop me a line. The formal tour is being managed by Great Escapes Tours but I'm happy to share cover images and ARCs to anyone willing to give me a review.

Now, about that novella: it's a Christmas story, and Pismawallops PTA #4.5. In other words, it comes after the book that's due out December 6. And, being a holiday story, it needs to come out too. So... I'm going to give it away to everyone on my newsletter list. Which means... I have put out my first newsletter in about 3 years, and I'll do another just before Christmas! If you want a free copy of PPTA #4.5 and all the latest news about each of my books, sign up now.

Meanwhile, coming December 6!

Fiction Review: Home for Erring and Outcast Girls

Title:  Home for Erring and Outcast Girls
Author: Julie Kibler
Publication Info: Crown Publishing, 2019. 400 pages
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher's Blurb:An emotionally raw and resonant story of love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship, following the lives of two young women connected by a home for “fallen girls,” and inspired by historical events.

In turn-of-the-20th century Texas, the Berachah Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls is an unprecedented beacon of hope for young women consigned to the dangerous poverty of the streets by birth, circumstance, or personal tragedy. Built in 1903 on the dusty outskirts of Arlington, a remote dot between Dallas and Fort Worth’s red-light districts, the progressive home bucks public opinion by offering faith, training, and rehabilitation to prostitutes, addicts, unwed mothers, and “ruined” girls without forcibly separating mothers from children. When Lizzie Bates and Mattie McBride meet there—one sick and abused, but desperately clinging to her young daughter, the other jilted by the beau who fathered her ailing son—they form a friendship that will see them through unbearable loss, heartbreak, difficult choices, and ultimately, diverging paths.

A century later, Cate Sutton, a reclusive university librarian, uncovers the hidden histories of the two troubled women as she stumbles upon the cemetery on the home’s former grounds and begins to comb through its archives in her library. Pulled by an indescribable connection, what Cate discovers about their stories leads her to confront her own heartbreaking past, and to reclaim the life she thought she'd let go forever. With great pathos and powerful emotional resonance, Home for Erring and Outcast Girls explores the dark roads that lead us to ruin, and the paths we take to return to ourselves.


My Review:  
I'm not sure what prompted me to get this book from the library--I can't remember if someone recommended it, or if it was just on the front page at Overdrive and looked interesting. I'm glad I did, though there were times along the way when I wasn't so sure. The historic subject matter--the home for "erring and outcast" girls, who had babies out of wedlock or worked as prostitutes--meant that a significant part of the subject matter of the book was how and why the girls ended up in that condition.

The book has an overall two-part structure. The contemporary story is of the researcher who is delving into the records of the Berachah home, and becomes absorbed in the lives of the girls. The other story, of course, is that of the "erring and outcast" girls. That forms the bulk of the book, and divides into chapters from Lizzie's point of view and chapters from Mattie's. Though it's risky, the multiple points of view worked fine for me, anyway. Since the chapters are marked with the date and the name of the character (not narrator; all are 3rd person), there's no confusion about who and what we are reading about.

What worked a little less well for me--what felt too inevitable--was the way Cate's modern story meshed with the historic stories. I can't give details without giving too much away, but I found it just too much. And when another abused girl comes into her life... definitely too much.

Still, despite the flaws I was quickly drawn into the novel and wanted to keep reading at the end of each chapter. I was fascinated by the bit of history the author shows us--the Berachah home was real, and a rare mix of a compassion that allowed women to keep their babies even if they didn't have a father, and a strict religion that still marked even girls who were raped as "fallen" and in need of redemption. And yes, I wanted to know Cate's story.

The writing is strong and clean (free from awkwardness and editing errors), and the well-constructed story swept me along.

My Recommendation:
A good read. If you like historical fiction, this is a good example. Oddly, though, for a story that in many ways was about the complexity of human beings (see paragraph above about the essential internal conflict of the Berachah home), the author chose to present most of her female characters as having essentially the same struggle.



FTC Disclosure: I checked Home for Erring and Outcast Girls out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

#Fi50: Wolf at the Door

Fiction in 50 is a regular feature in the last week of every month (well, lately I’ve been using it for a Friday Flash near the end of the month as the spirit moves me). I invite any interested composers of mini-narrative to join in! I didn't do a heads-up post this month (again) thanks to our travel and losing track of time, but feel free to jump in at any time.

    

What is #Fi50? In the words of founder Bruce Gargoyle, "Fiction in 50: think of it as the anti-NaNoWriMo experience!" Pack a beginning, middle and end of story into 50 words or less (bonus points for hitting exactly 50 words).

The rules for participation are simple:

1. Create a piece of fictional writing in 50 words or less, ideally using the prompt as title or theme or inspiration.

That’s it!  But for those who wish to challenge themselves further, here’s an additional rule:
2. Post your piece of flash fiction on your blog or (for those poor blog-less souls) add it as a comment on the Ninja Librarian’s post for everyone to enjoy.  

For those thrill-seekers who really like to go the extra mile (ie: perfectionists):
3. Add the nifty little picture above to your post (credit for which goes entirely to ideflex over at acrossthebored.com) or create your own Fi50 meme pic….
and 

4. Link back here so others can jump on the mini-fic bandwagon.

Here's the Linky List so you can add your post!
This is a Blog Hop!

---

1. Jemima Pett, Author

2. Rebecca Douglass Fi50 signup page

You are next... Click here to enter

Or just add your link in the comments below!  


The October prompt is...

Wolf at the Door

I think that this month I'm trying to make a serious statement, more than a story. More on that below. First, here's my story.

Wolf at the Door

It’s out there. I keep the doors and windows locked, chase it off with light and music and company, but it stays near.

It draws ever closer as we near the solstice; I can hear its alluring howl.

One day I shall open the door and let the wolf in.

###

I hope it's obvious that the story is about depression, especially of the seasonal variety. In fact, it's how it feels at any time: like an evil hunting beast (my apologies to wolves, which are not at all evil and I in fact love) circling, waiting for the opportunity to leap on the victim. You can do all sorts of things to keep it at bay, but it's always out there.

Depression can play odd tricks on the mind, too, including trying to convince us that's not what it is. "How can I be depressed? I have a great life?" or even, "This isn't depression. Look, it's nothing like what she suffers from. I should just get over it." Or most insidious, "You're just weak." So for anyone who's had those thoughts, here's my completely unscientific, un-expert thought: if you feel depressed, that's depression. It's not a contest where only the worst case actually gets the label. Even a mild case can suck the life out of you. And it's not your fault.

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2019
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!