Book Review #11: Mousenet

This month's book review is a very interesting animal fantasy called, Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose.  I happened to spy it while walking through my library, and the cover won me over at first sight!  Here's the summary blurb of the book:

When ten-year-old Megan helps her uncle invent the Thumbtop, the world’s smallest computer, mice are overjoyed, and they want one for every mouse hole.

The Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, has orders: follow that girl—even if it means high-tailing it to Megan’s new home on the other side of the country. While Megan struggles as the new girl, the mice wait for their chance. But when they tell Megan the biggest secret in the history of the world—mice have evolved, and they need her help—she isn’t sure anyone will believe her. With all of Mouse Nation behind her, Megan could become the most powerful girl alive, but just how will she create a Thumptop for every mouse?

This is a very adorable and unique read.  If you haven't guessed by now, I'm a sucker for rodent books, especially ones with cute little mice!  Breitrose's mice are different, though, in the fact that they live in an educated society and have evolved to be tiny geniuses.  I enjoyed this story from start to finish, but what really stood out were Breitrose's rodent culture and the way her mice communicate throughout the tale.

I've noticed that animal cultures have recently been a common topic in my animal fantasy book reviews.  They're just so important, though, in bringing the fantasy world to life and making readers connect to the characters.  Breitrose's mice are tidy, clean, and careful, taking great measures not to be noticed and not to make people say, "Eeek!"  Dubbed as the "modern mouse," they travel by Greyhound bus and take along plastic baggies for their poop.  But that's not all.  As part of the Mouse Nation, they also grow up with a thorough education, including a sound foundation in useful topics like "Human Expressions."  After studying computer programming in Silicon Valley, they even have their own online community with websites such as Whiskerpedia and MouseBook.  Each part of the mouse culture Breitrose creates is so fascinating and cute, and it makes you wonder if mice really do check their email when we're not around!

The mouse communication goes hand-in-hand (er, I mean paw-in-paw) with the culture.  In most animal fantasies, the animals just speak verbally like humans.  This is not always the case in Mousenet.  There are a few mice who speak like Talking Mouse 3 (aka TM3 or Trey), but most of them "talk" via sign language.  Then how the heck do readers understand them, you may ask?  Well, the narrator translates many of their actions, whether it be a curved tail in the shape of a question mark, or a paw held to the mouth for "LOL."  The few talking mice also translate for the non-speaking ones, usually with funny commentary.  If this sounds like a recipe for clunky or difficult dialogue, it's really not, and adds an extra bit of fun to the story.  Additionally, the mice type, so a lot of their communication is relayed in email form.  (And it's so adorable how they type as a team on big-people computers!)  If you're interested in finding alternative ways to get your animal characters talking, you should definitely see how Breitrose accomplishes this feat!

All in all, Mousenet is a fun, whimsical read.  And to top it all off, there are charming illustrations, too!  If you like animal fantasies of the fuzzy rodent variety, then you won't be disappointed with this book.  And if you write animal fantasy stories, then Mousenet certainly has a lot of elements to study.  By the time you're done reading, I bet you'll wish mice had their own tiny laptops, too!

You can read more about Breitrose and her mice at: www.mousenet.org.  And if you read this book, do let me know.  I'd love to hear what you think!

Can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out in 2013!  Happy reading!

Note: The summary blurb is from barnesandnoble.com.  The jacket illustration is (c) Stephanie Yue.     

COSCBWI July 2012: Adding M.I.C.E. To Your Story

This month's COSCBWI meeting featured our former Regional Advisor, Susan Bradley.  Susan is a writer and currently in an MFA program.  She shared a wonderful exercise from her program with the group called "Adding M.I.C.E. to Your Story."

Now, if you write Animal Fantasy books like me, then you might actually add mice with whiskers and tails to your story.  In this case, though, M.I.C.E. stand for Milieu, Idea, Character and Event.  Susan first broke down each category for us.  Essentially, these elements can be summarized as:

Milieu: The world where the story takes place.  It starts when you enter the space, and ends when you exit.  It can also be both physical and emotional.  (Fantasy stories are Milieu heavy.)

Idea: Idea stories are about the process of finding information. The main character devises some sort of plan, and we read to find out if their plan is the answer.  The story is over when the problem is solved.  (Plot-driven stories are Idea heavy.)

Character: The arc is about the transformation of a character in the community that matters most to him/her.  The main character is trying to change his or her role in life, and all relationships have to be relevant to that ultimate change.  Readers keep reading because they love the characters.  (Books like Twilight are Character heavy.)

Event: Event stories focus on events that disrupt the normal world and drive the story forward. Readers live through events with the main character, and the story ends with their success or failure.  (Books like The Hunger Games are Event heavy.)

Of course, no story is just one of these categories, and Susan shared that it's important to find a balance between the M.I.C.E. elements in your book.  That's not to say that you can't have a lot of one element, but if you find some of your M.I.C.E. lacking, it might be a good idea to find a way to boost them a bit.

To experiment with M.I.C.E., we did an exercise looking at the first page of our own manuscripts, as well as the first page from one of our favorite books.  We took markers and designated each M.I.C.E. element as a different color, then highlighted sentences accordingly on our print offs.  It was very interesting to see that some published books were well-balanced right off the bat, while others leaned a lot towards one of the elements.  Again, that's not a bad thing, but we discussed how some published openings might have been improved by adding a little more Character here or perhaps a bit of Milieu there. 

We then discussed the M.I.C.E. in our own first pages. The different colors make a great visual aid to help you see if your writing is balanced or in desperate need of more M.I.C.E.  Susan said this exercise isn't just for first pages, though.  It can be a great way to reconsider a scene that's giving you problems, or help you get a feel for the overall elements throughout your story.  I highly recommend trying this exercise with your own work!

You can find out more information about COSCBWI and events at: www.coscbwi.org.  I hope to see you at our August meeting!

Summer Update

Gee, it's been a bit quiet around her lately, hasn't it?  I apologize for the lack of posts, but I've actually been quite productive!  In reparation for the insanity of tax season, my office goes down to summer hours starting around mid-June, and I have pounced on this opportunity to draft my new novel!  I'm already on my first round of edits, and it's been so much fun working on a new project.  It has occupied most of my time, though, and I have been a writing maniac for weeks on end.

I've also been practicing digital art on a program called Paint Tool Sai.  It's an interesting program, with a lot of pros and cons in comparison to Photoshop.  I hope by using the programs together, I can get a bit speedier with my art and therefore more productive, too!

Sai practice. I may be writing a new book, but I still love my old characters!

 

And so, to sum up everything in my absence: I wrote, I wrote, I wrote some more, I did a little bit of art, and wrote a lot more.  But hey, I am a writer, so I guess that's what I really ought to be doing!

I hope everyone is having a nice, productive summer!  :)

100th Post Extravaganza!

Wow, I can't believe I've reached my 100th post!  And not only that, but you see that little number down there in the corner?  I'm over 5,000 page views, too!

On this day of celebration, I wish I could give each and every one of you a big piece of cake.  Alas, baked goods do not travel well via the internet, so I will share my gratitude instead.  It truly feels like I started this blog yesterday, but in reality you've all listened to me ramble on for 99 posts.  (All the more reason you deserve cake!)  I just want you to know that I sincerely appreciate every reader, every comment, and ever page view that keeps me coming back to ramble on some more.

 Now, onward to another 100 posts!

COSCBWI June 2012: Urban Scrawl and Draw Crawl

This month's COSCBWI meeting was a special event called the "Urban Scrawl and Draw Crawl."  Instead of meeting at our usual Wednesday evening time, members met up in Westerville this past Saturday for a morning of writing and drawing.

 

First Responders Park

We started out in "First Responders Park," a 9/11 memorial.  The site includes a firefighter statue and a real piece of the World Trade Center.  Members were given prompts and then some free time to view the memorial and sketch or write as they pleased.  The memorial is quite lovely, with plenty of benches to sit on and lush landscaping.  Since I've been a writing maniac 24/7 drafting my new novel over the past few weeks, I decided to put on my illustrator hat for the day.  It was very nice sitting out in the sun with fellow members and letting our creative juices flow in such a serene setting.

Hanby House

After we finished up our prompts and sketches, the group headed over to the Hanby House, just a short walk away from the park.  William Hanby was one of the founders of Otterbein University, and the house dates back to 1846.  It was even part of Ohio's Underground Railroad!  We received a tour of the historical landmark, which was filled with all sorts of old furniture and artifacts.  Benjamin Hanby was the most famous son in the family and composed many songs including the Christmas hit, "Up On The Housetop."  Every writer and illustrator knows how important research is, and how much inspiration you can find in history.  We learned lots of interesting things about the time period and heard some funny family stories (like when one of the boys rolled off the roof while sleeping outside one summer night!)  You just never know when an antique item or family story will spark the idea for a new project, or give you that perfect detail you've been searching for!

My garden sketch.

The tour finished with a stop in the backyard garden where members spread out on the lawn and tackled another set of prompts.  This was really one of those "stop and smell the flowers" moments.  Everyone was quiet as pencils scratched across paper, and I think each one of us enjoyed just being outside for once instead of cooped up at home in front of our computers!

I haven't sketched anything from real life in a looooooooong time, so I had a really great time tapping into that forgotten part of my creative side.  It certainly is nice to do something out of the ordinary and get some fresh perspective from time to time! 

If you missed the event, don't worry.  Everyone had so much fun that COSCBWI plans to do another "Scrawl and Draw Crawl" sometime!   :) 

You can find out more about COSCBWI and upcoming events here: www.coscbwi.org. 

Hope to see you at our meeting in July! 

Note: All pictures above were taken by me.

Book Review #10: Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

This month's book review is a novel I'm very excited to share with you.  Sometimes when I walk through the library, a title catches my eye that I can't resist.  Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell practically shouted, "Read me!  Read me!" when I walked by the shelf, and I'm so glad I took it home with me.  Here's the summary blurb from her website:

Emmy tried hard to be good, but no one seemed to notice— except for the Rat. And he was rather sarcastic ... What had happened to make her parents stop caring about her? And why do the kids at school seem to hardly know she exists? Could it have anything to do with Miss Barmy, the nanny who kept forcing Emmy to drink and eat the strangest things?

I am pleased to report that this novel has now officially joined my list of favorite books.  I simply loved it.  The premise is unique, the story kept me guessing, and the cast of characters--both fuzzy and human--are so sweet and compelling.  This is everything an animal fantasy book should be, and what aspiring writers of the genre should strive to achieve.  Although I could say I loved everything about the book, what I found particularly impressive are Jonell's storytelling abilities and skill in animal character-building.

The two subjects actually tie together, but I'll take a look at the story first.  Jonell sets up an interesting premise that there are some rodents in the world with special abilities.  The abilities themselves are both surprising and enchanting, and even once you find out how a rodent "works," the end result Jonell gives us is still often unexpected.  The titular "Rat" just happens to have the ability to make people understand rodents when he bites them, setting the whole story in motion.  (Other things happen upon his subsequent bites, but I certainly won't ruin the surprise for you.)  Thus, Emmy's story unfolds with the use of various rodents to help solve the mystery surrounding her parents and ultimately thwart her evil nanny, Miss Barmy.  It's a fairly sizable book, but clips along at a brisk pace, full of twists and turns and avenues I didn't see coming.  It was such a fun ride, too, with everything from rodents playing soccer to a jovial professor who can't remember what his magical critters do.  It's funny, it's emotional, and satisfying all at once--exactly the type of story that holds the reader from page one and doesn't let them go.

The book would be nothing, though, without those talking animals, and Rat is the best of them all.  Jonell walks a careful line with her animals, creating them as characters that do both fantastic and unusual things, while also acting like ordinary rodents.  And then she goes a step further to make these dynamic creatures true characters, too.  Rat, for example, is sassy and mischievous, full of bravado and biting remarks.  But he has a tender soul underneath it all, with worries and weaknesses just like any human character.  In addition, he's also distinctly rat, biting on instinct, careful about his grooming, and even having an accident in Emmy's backpack when he's scared half to death.  (Which only makes you love him more.)  This melding of fantasy, reality, and genuine character gives this book that extra-special touch that makes it such a fascinating read.  Jonell definitely has a thing or two to teach anyone who wants to write an unforgettable book.

If you enjoy reading animal fantasy books, Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat is a good pick for you.  (Even if you don't like rodents, I promise that these will neither gross you out nor make you scream like a ninny.  They are truly loveable little rodents.)  And if you write animal fantasy, then I highly urge you to read this book.  There are so many elements Jonell skillfully uses to craft this winning tale, and my little blog can only discuss so many of them!  :)

You can find out more about Jonell and her other books on her website: www.lynnejonell.com. 

And if you read this book, do let me know.  I'd love to hear what you think!

Happy Reading!   (I'm raring to pick up the sequel already!)

Note: The summary blurb is from Jonell's website and the cover art is from barnesandnoble.com.

A Magical Feast

If you've ever met me, then you'll know that I LOVE the Harry Potter series.  And even though the books have been finished for a while now, there are still lots of ways to keep the magic alive with movies, games, "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" theme park, and even cookbooks! 

 

Yes, that's right, cookbooks!  

 

 I nearly swooned when I found The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook and immediately purchased it for my good writing buddy (and later for myself!)  Those feasts in the Hogwarts Great Hall always left me craving Butterbeer and English trifle, so my friend and I got together this weekend to try out some recipes.  After salivating through pages upon pages of magical recipes, we settled on Apple Blossom Glazed Pork, 1-2-3 Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bonbons, and Pumpkin Pasties. 

 

The recipes were fairly easy for a couple of Muggles to follow.  (Although, we did decide a few of them needed some extra-steps added to the margins all Half-Blood Prince-style.)  We started with the Apple Blossom Glazed Pork.  Everything went smoothly here, except for the fact that we couldn't find the "Pickled Watermelon Rind" that the recipe called for.  (Seriously, what the heck is that?  The people at my grocery store looked at us like we were wearing Luna Lovegood's roaring lion hat when we asked for it!)  Instead, we substituted mango chutney--because they're totally the same thing, you know.  ;)  Despite our bizarre ingredient substitution, the recipe was delicious and really easy to make--a definite winner!  And it makes a TON of meat!  (We had already sliced up tenderloin #2 by the time we snapped the picture below).

 

That sauce is 60% honey and 100% scrumptious!

 

The Pumpkin Pasties were NOT so easy to make.  The recipe only made enough dough for six pasties, and quite frankly that was all we could handle anyway.  The dough is made separately and has to chill for a while, and we never got it to quite the right consistency.  (I'm sure it also didn't help that I don't own a rolling pin, so my friend had to make do with a piece of PVC pipe my hubby scrounged up.  Classy, eh?)

 

Can you guess how often I make baked goods?

 

Once the dough was finally rolled and cut for the pasties, we could hardly fit any pumpkin filling inside or they wouldn't close.  The writer also left out the oh-so-important step that the rolled-out dough needed a dusting of flour or it would stick to everything.  As you can see, the entire recipe was a trial-and-error experience.  (At least being ugly didn't make them any less tasty!)

 

They DID get prettier with practice...

 

On the other hand, the 1-2-3 Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bonbons were easy-peasy to make.  We just combined the ingredients, dipped them in chocolate, let 'em cool, and voila!  They tasted like puppy-chow and buckeyes mixed together, although their serving suggestion was WAY too big.  (At 1 1/2 inches each, these rich, dense desserts even had my hubby struggling to finish just one!)  Next time, we'll make them bite-size.  (And they were sooooo good, there will definitely be a next time!)

 

Beautiful AND delicious!

 

Apart from some missing steps and ingredients we couldn't find, we decided this is a really fun book.  There are scores of yummy recipes we still want to try, from Roast Pheasant to Treacle Pudding.  And if all that tasty food isn't enticing enough, there are snippets of fun facts from the series sprinkled throughout the recipes, too!  If the end of the book series left you with a Harry Potter-sized hole in your heart, this is definitely a good way to fill it.  (Not to mention your tummy!)

Note: Coverart of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook is from barnesandnoble.com.