Riding Invisible – Book Review

Riding Invisible
It’s been awhile since a book review, and since I found this particular book so interesting, I wanted to share “Riding Invisible” by Sandra Alonzo with you.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved “Riding Invisible” and had a hard time putting it down. The story begins with young Yancy running away from home on his horse, Shy, and the journal of his adventure. Yancy also happens to be an illustrator, and his illustrations help put the reader in the mind of an adolescent boy. While the subject matter is serious – abusive brother, parents trying to cope with the brother’s mental illness, homelessness, and more – the book is not morose or depressing. The author clearly writes from the boy’s point of view, seeing all these issues as he sees them.

I would say “Riding Invisible” is appropriate for ages 13 and up due to some of the language and situations. But as an adult, I truly appreciated the child’s perspective, and it made me think about fairness in families when one child’s behavior creates chaos. Perhaps I cared about Yancy so much becasue the character was so well developed. Spoiler alert: in the end it seemed there was hope.

I highly recommend this book. It is a very different read, and one that will leave readers of all ages thinking beyond the pages.

For the “Riding Invisible book trailer, click here.

View all my reviews

“Everyone Has Talents and Abilities” – DelSheree Gladden

A double-header today! I’m pleased to bring you talented author DelSheree Gladden, and discuss her fifth book, Inquest: Book One of the Destroyer Trilogy (Volume 1). After DelSheree shares her thoughts on writing, character building and story creation, I’ve included a review of Inquest. So, please, take your seats, and enjoy the games.

Game One: The Interview

  1. 1.  What inspired you to choose present day and Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the setting for this novel?

I have lived in New Mexico most of my life. I grew up in a small town with only one stoplight. I have learned to write what I know, but a small town wasn’t the right setting for Inquest. I needed a bigger stage for a teenage girl meant to destroy the world to make her appearance. Albuquerque had the appeal of being a decent sized city, and I felt it was a good match for Libby’s story. [Read more...]

Learning Partners

Following is a guest post I provided to the Lollipops and Books Blog  recently, that I wanted to share with my readers here.

Teacher's Tack for Believing In Horses

The product of an author and an educator working together as a team

One of the unexpected joys in writing Believing In Horses came from my brother, Eddy Ormond. A career educator, Eddy developed a keen interest in my book from the start and stayed involved during the writing process. Even as a non-horse person, he accompanied me on my research visits to barns, horse rescues, and even a live horse auction. My brother provided valuable input to me, as a writer, from spending years with fourth and fifth graders, knowing what they would like and maybe not like. It was a wonderful journey for both of us that I thought would end at the book’s publication. But I was wrong.I have read many Middle Grade and Young Adult novels, and frequently wondered, “Do these kids ever go to school?” Besides that fact, I felt compelled to have a teacher in my novel passionate about his profession and making a difference in the lives of children. [Read more...]

What Do You Look for in a Review?

Today I am part of a group of virtual friends who are answering the question:  What do you look for in a review?  The Reading-Romances blog asked over 40 book reviewers, readers, authors, and book bloggers to share their thoughts on this subject today.  I’m looking forward to seeing the answers from this widely varied group.  Book Reviews blog hop

I blogged about book reviews in February, discussing the mechanics of book reviews and some tips on writing them.  If you are interested in that kind of information, please see “On Book Reviews.”  I wrote that article hoping to encourage people to write reviews – all people – not just book reviewers.  As an author, I greatly value official book reviewers’ [Read more...]

A Real Good Story


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I last posted about “Keeping It Real” in writing and mentioned how some people responded to my book, Believing In Horses, turning fiction into reality. Last week, some local children made a significant donation to local rescues in their “Kids Can Do BIG Things, Too!” campaign. Please welcome my guest blogger, Kristy Alvarez, founder of Desire Ministries and the leader of this campaign, who tells the story in her words. 

As many of you know, or may not know, through Desire Ministries, we have been running an after-school Horse Club program since 2006.  We meet with the students of Cornerstone Christian Academy on a weekly basis so that the students who participate can learn the basics of horseback riding and horsemanship at Loftmar Stables in Bowie, Md.

[Read more...]

Critiquing Guidelines via Edie Hemingway

I blogged recently about the value of receiving critiques as a writer. I then fortunately received the following guidelines from co-Regional Advisor of the Maryland-Delaware-West Virginia Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Edie Hemingway, on giving critiques. Edie graciously agreed to let me share these tips in my blog as a follow-up to my last post.

In Edie’s words, “I put these together when I started teaching my own workshops, based on my experiences ‘workshopping’ during my MFA program at Spalding University. I’ll also be using them for the online course I’m teaching this summer for McDaniel College’s graduate certificate program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.”

Edie Hemingway is the author of Road to Tater Hill
(Delacorte Press and Yearling paperback), winner of a 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and besides writing, teaches several writing workshops. If you’d like to find out more about her and her programs, she can be reached at
http://www.ediehemingway.com

This is a great list for those who belong to a critique group or plan on joining one. As Edie suggests, these are also useful during the revision process.

[Read more...]