Up The Country

This three-day weekend, my family and I spent some time out in the country. It’s good to get the kids out in a forest, in touch with nature. Plus some time swimming and eating smores isn’t too bad either.

The weather in Northern California went through a few changes this weekend too. We needed a hot fire going our first night just to keep warm. The next day, it was sweltering enough for all of us to go swimming in the local pool. All in all, a pretty good time.

It’s important to find a place to escape the routine of daily life and find a difference pace. So where do you go to get away from it all? What helps center you and get you back in touch with nature?

The Expanse

So, I’ve got a new addiction. The Expanse. I’ve started reading the novels by James S. A. Corey (who is actually two coauthors, more on that later), and I’m simultaneously watching the SyFy television series of the Expanse as well. I’ve never actually read a series and watched the TV version at the same time. Needless to say, I like both, but definitely have some preferences.

If you haven’t read the books, start with Leviathan Wakes tomorrow. You won’t regret it. One of the coauthors was actually George R.R. Martin’s assistant, so parts of it have a SciFi Game of Thrones feel, but the rest of it is truly original. There’s a lot of hard science in the books as well as some genuinely good storytelling. The series is not finished, and continues to evolve as the authors churn out more sequels.

Even though the books are better, the TV series is still fun. It’s substantially different (about 50% sometimes), so it’s like watching a similar scifi mystery in the same universe, but with different twists and turns. I like the TV series, but I love the books more, no question.

Oddly enough, the SyFy channel has chosen not to renew the successful show after 3 seasons, although there is a campaign by fans to try and get the show picked up by Amazon or Netflix. Either way, I strongly recommend anyone interested in groundbreaking SciFi, neo-noir mystery, or just plain good storytelling to check out the Expanse first chance you get.

Some Very Messy Medieval Magic

Hey everyone, please check out C. Lee McKenzie's newest book: SOME VERY MESSY MEDIEVAL MAGIC.

Pete’s stuck in medieval England! Pete and his friend Weasel thought they’d closed the Time Lock. But a young page from medieval times, Peter of Bramwell, goes missing. His absence during a critical moment will forever alter history unless he’s found. There’s only one solution - fledgling wizard Pete must take the page’s place. Accompanied by Weasel and Fanon, Pete’s alligator familiar, they travel to 1173 England. But what if the page remains lost - will Pete know what to do when the critical moment arrives? Toss in a grumpy Fanon, the duke’s curious niece, a talking horse, and the Circle of Stones and Pete realizes he’s in over his young wizard head yet again...

Release date – May 15, 2018
Juvenile Fiction - Fantasy & Magic/Boys & Men
$13.95 Print ISBN 9781939844460
$3.99 EBook ISBN 9781939844477

C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot questions about things she still doesn’t understand. http://cleemckenziebooks.com

Links:
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/some-very-messy-medieval-magic-c-lee-mckenzie/1127622061?ean=2940154648575
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/some-very-messy-medieval-magic
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/some-very-messy-medieval-magic/id1324257652?mt=11
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Some-Very-Messy-Medieval-Magic/dp/1939844460/
Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V72G8R
Foyles - http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/childrens/some-very-messy-medieval-magic,c-lee-mckenzie-9781939844460
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37537343-some-very-messy-medieval-magic

Available now!

First, Second, or Third Person - Which is Best?

I loved everyone’s responses last week about writing from multiple points of view! Based on your comments, I could see that a lot of you logically started discussing preferences for first or third person as well. So I’d like to pose the question: Which is best in a novel, first, second, or third person?

First Person - Super popular. I admit I write and read it myself quite a bit. Although I notice there’s almost a highbrow effort in some circles to make this the only acceptable form of serious literature. Which strikes me as odd because pulp literature loves first person too.

Second Person - The ignored stepchild of perspective. Outside of cookbooks and videogames, we don’t see this too much. But I’ve read and even enjoyed writing in second person, especially in short stories. I think it’s innovative, but are reading audiences really ready for it?

Third Person - Also, mega popular. The old standby, I still enjoy it and I think most people do too. Is it dated or really the best way to move a plot forward still?

So what do you think? What’s your preference? And most importantly, why?

POV - One or Many: What’s Really the Best?

It’s sort of like asking someone what their favorite flavor is or which sports team is better...or religion for that matter. When it comes to POV (point of view) in a novel the modern debate only seems to be intensifying. Should there only be one point of view in the story? Two characters’ points of view? A dozen?

Personally, I’ve always loved multiple points of view in a novel, but I’ve also written with just a single point of view myself. I’ve heard every end of the argument. A speaker at a writer’s conference told me she would never represent a book with more than one point of view (which kind of shocked me). At the same time, I know a lot of readers who adore the multiple viewpoints in a book.

So what’s your preference? And more importantly, why? Do you think one way works better with certain audiences or publishers? Do you just like a single or multiple POV simply because it’s your preference or for another reason? Don’t worry, there’s no right or wrong answer!

Book Club for Dark Winds Rising

I had a blast speaking at a book club the other night about my most recent novel, Dark Winds Rising. I’ve been fortunate to speak at several book clubs over the last year for both installments in the Queen Branwen Series, and I look forward to more.

It got me thinking about how special book clubs are. Once many of us have left school and moved on to jobs, families, etc. there often isn’t a venue where we can discuss our books in person with other like-minded readers. I love getting to be part of not just discussing my novels, but other people’s work and interests in a free flowing, open-minded environment.

I guess this is my long winded way of saying ‘thank you’ to all those book clubs out there. Thank you!

You can leave reviews of Dark Winds Rising here at Amazon and Goodreads too!