NaNoWriMo starts in two days! I’m all set (I hope) to really crank out boatloads of content for the second novel in the Broken Fate series. I have more incentive than ever to win this year because winners get a 50% discount on Scrivener software. (Even if you don’t win, you can still save 20% by using the code “NANOWRIMO” in their web store.) They’re also offering an extended trial version that will last you through NaNo. I so need something like this for my writing. Things sometimes get so disorganized and I hope this, or something like it, can help. I’m also going to try Storyist, as they have a similar offer for NaNo winners/participants. (Storyist is Mac only.)
In other news, the ball is rolling along on Broken Fate. This week I wrote the dedication and acknowledgements. Who I mentioned will remain a secret until release day, but writing these sections was harder than I thought it would be. There are so many people that I want to thank for so many things and it’s difficult to do that in few words. I just hope I hit the important points and that no one will be mad for being left out.
- What We Saw, by Arron Hartzler. This is another entry in what I call “realistic misery fiction” where no one is happy and the story is based loosely on true events. In this one, a girl is raped by star athletes after getting blackout drunk at a party. The story examines who was there, who knew what, who will come forward or keep the secret, and who ultimately takes the blame. There have been plenty of stories like this in the media in recent years. This isn’t usually my sort of book, but it’s getting good reviews so I’m giving it a try.
- Named of the Dragon, by Susanna Kearsley. I’ve enjoyed several of Kearsley’s books. They read like “Diana Gabaldon lite,” in that they have a historical/romance/fantasy element to them, but they aren’t as epic in scale as Gabaldon’s work. That said, her work is hit or miss for me. Named of the Dragon is one of her older books, repackaged and reprinted to capitalize on her growing popularity. I’m hopeful, but I tend to like her newer novels more than the older ones. She has really improved her craft over the years and the older ones just aren’t as good.
- Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell. This one takes the fantasy characters from Fangirl and gives them their own story. I really loved Fangirl so I’m excited to see how these characters, who were the subject of Fangirl’s fanfiction, fare in their own tale. I’m not sure I’d recommend it if you haven’t read Fangirl, as there may be things you won’t get.
Funny you call it “Misery Fiction.” When I think about it, much realistic fiction is about misery, overcoming misery, or coming to accept misery. When we write we are urged to “up the stakes,” which usually translates to greater peril and more misery.
I don’t mind making characters miserable to advance a story. Yes, they need to suffer, sometimes horribly. 🙂 I just find these novels that are “ripped from the headlines” to be a little too much misery for me. I can get that on the evening news. I’m happier with fictional misery rather than misery that I know has actually happened to people, if that makes any sense.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo, Jennifer! I am a huge Gabaldon fan and like Kearsley as well, although I haven’t read many of her older books.
Thanks! Good luck to you, too, if you’re doing it.