Writing and Reading

News on Creatures, a.k.a. Creatures of Knucklehead City. I have a new name - Mythos. The Mythological Creatures refer to themselves by that name, and I think it's slicker than Creatures. It was while reading Sandman Slim that I realized my characters needed to refer to themselves in a much niftier way than, "Creatures". Know why? My mythological creatures are all seriously cool.

Also, I have come to the realization that the chapters are too short, and that, fortunately, chapters 1 and 2 belong together, and the same for 3 & 4, and 5 & 6. So, on my next Birth of a Novel post, I'm going to have to rejigger the chapter numbering for those of you who've been following along.

Speaking of Sandman Slim, it is one of those books that keeps you turning the page. There are no chapters, only scenes. And the pace is frantic - it just keeps going and going and driving and driving and you can't put it down because just when you think you're about to hit a moment of calm, BANG!

Okay, okay. So now the last few books I've read were not YA. I need to jump back into some YA, lest I lose my YA voice. I suppose I could watch and listen to me son, but he mostly complains about all the homework in high school. That wouldn't make for a super interesting character, eh?

I've got some ideas, but if anyone reading this has any recommendations, please pass them along. They don't have to be fantasy or sci-fi, although I'm almost ready to read Ender's Game again. Please, no vampire books. I've read Dracula and that is the bible. Okay, if there's a truly unique YA vampire book that isn't the same as everything else, then by all means. Oh, I've already read the Graveyard Book... which I also loved. Of course, that's middle grade, but still, great book.