Blogging A to Z: Z is for Zadie Smith

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

Today is the Last Day!! We made it to Z.

I had a few picks for Z, actually. Sara Zarr is one of my favorite Young Adult authors, but I decided on Zadie Smith today.

image: Goodreads

Zadie Smith is an English author who was named one of the 20 Best Young Authors by Granta in 2003 and again in 2013--a list which is only updated every 10 years, and was just updated this month with a new crop of talented young authors. She writes literary fiction that explores themes of race, class, culture, and gender. I always find it interesting to read about various settings in England, in a modern setting rather than historical.

Hooray for everyone who completed the A to Z Challenge in April!
I hope you stop by a few other blogs in the link. Those with codes after like BO=Books or WR=writing can  help distinguish which type of blog you're landing on. Also, you can stop by the A to Z blog and comment on the blog tour.

Blogging A to Z: Y is for Young Adult Author

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

OK, Now I did some searching for Y-named authors and was really grasping at straws. Yes, some "Y" writers exist, but none I was familiar with enough for the list. So, today will be a freebie for a Young Adult authors of influence.

I've already mentioned several YA authors throughout the month, so here are a few more women who are really making a difference in books written for teens:

Malinda Lo: she advocates for diversity in YA fiction--not just cultural, but she pushes for discussion on gender equality, and sexual orientation. She writes YA with a fantasy or paranormal theme.

Kirsten Hubbard: the author of Like Madarin, and Wanderlove, both beautifully written, although quite different. Both explore themes of abandonment, loss, and identity. Wanderlove is a beautiful escape as it details a post-high school grad's trip to South America to find herself. The author travels extensively and it shows in her writing.

Sarah Rees Brennan: I just finished her "Sassy Gothic" Unpsoken, and it is a delight. A strange family in a strange English village, a girl who hears voices in her head...it's spooky-fun. Plus the Irish author is a delight to see in person--I believe she's touring now with mega-author Cassandra Clare.

There are so many more but I'll need more to blog about in the coming year, so I'll save my accolades for book reviews and author features. If you've read any Young Adult fiction, who is an influential woman author you like?

Blogging A to Z: X = Free Square!

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

X is when the challenge topics start getting strange. I'm viewing X as a FREE SQUARE, like when you play Bingo. X is going to an influential author who didn't make my earlier round.

My freebie today: Louisa May Alcott, another classic author, who has influenced generations with Little Women.

image: Wikipedia

This was one of the first non-kids books I ever read, and also one of the first I read more than once. As a writer and creative-minded gal, of course I always connected with Jo. (It didn't hurt that Winona Ryder played Jo in the 1994 version of Little Women either).

I always wished Jo and Laurie ended up together, but I do kind of like how Laurie had a fascination with all of the March girls to some extent, and how each of them had an impact on him. It's also interesting to me how much feels relatable--Amy being harassed by mean girls at school, women getting shut down by patriarchal dudes. Louisa May, you were really onto something.

Have you read Little Women, or perhaps Little Men? Who is your favorite of the March family?

Blogging A to Z: W is for Jeannette Walls

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

W: The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls

image: Goodreads

The Glass Castle is a wonderfully written, although disturbing, memoir. The author is a mainstream columnist, but most of her colleagues had no idea of her bizarre upbringing by intelligent but highly neglectful parents. This memoir details her family's struggles as they move from town to town like vagrants, the children fending for themselves while their father drank away their grocery money, and their mother longed for a childless existence where she could paint.

The way this story is told is why she is so influential to me. She tells of horrifying experiences with a child's wonder, and her tenacity and will to survive bleeds through on every page. You can't help but have your heart melt when a teacher takes notice of her dirty clothes and shows her special attention, recognizing she's a bright girl despite her circumstances.

If this book sounds like too much of a downer, I highly suggest her companion novel Half Broke Horses, which is about her grandmother's life, told in a first person narrative; the genre lands somewhere between biography and fiction. Her grandmother rode hundreds of miles across the desert by horseback for a teaching job. You can see glimpses of how much her grandmother tried to save the author's mother, but ultimately could not help her daughter from her mental illness. It's wonderful to see the admiration the author has for her grandmother through the pages. And after reading The Glass Castle, it's refreshing to see that she had a worthy influence in her family.

Blogging A to Z: V is for Sarah Vowell

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

Sarah Vowell is a writer, journalist, and a contributor to NPR's This American Life. She also voiced the teen daughter Violet in Pixar's The Incredibles.

The book of hers I've read is Assassination Vacation, a non-fiction account of America's fascination with macabre tourism--visiting places where famous figures  have died. She's one of those writers who makes you suddenly take interest in something you've never given much thought to. She sticks to political figureheads in this book, taking a road trip to visit various quirky sites, hole-in-the-wall museums and such, all infused with bits of history that you probably didn't learn in school.

Her other books, all non-fiction, blur genre lines as she explores various facets of American history, politics, all with her own musings and wit. More here on her Goodreads page.

Have you heard of this woman-of-all-trades? Or, do you have a favorite quirky history book you're fond of?

Blogging A to Z: U is for "U is for Undertow"

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

So, U was a tough one. I decided for today, to feature an author who has written an entire series using the alphabet as inspiration for titles:

Sue Grafton. She wrote U is for Undertow, the 21st book in her Kinsey Millhone mystery series, which she has been writing for thirty years!

I found this cool little glimpse into the life of the author's assistant on her blog: HERE It's amazing to think how much fan mail an author is still receiving through snail mail--I'd think most of it would be email or through social media by now. Although, her welcome page encourages readers to contact her by PO box or a Facebook page. Given she's been writing for over thirty years, probably a lot of her fans have stuck with her and maybe they prefer more traditional correspondence.

She does seem to be of the Old Guard in publishing, as evidenced by a firestorm she caused last fall by dismissing self-publishing as a lazy route to publication (which she subsequently apologized for).

Regardless, she is a publishing legend. Even if you haven't read her work, you've probably seen one of her alphabet mysteries in an airport, bookstore, or yard sale. Her series is probably one of the most recognized American mystery series, and that's a real accomplishment.

Blogging A to Z: T is for Laini Taylor

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

Laini Taylor is a Young Adult fantasy author most known for Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, which is now on book 2. This was one of my favorite books from 2011. It's urban fantasy for the YA set, a mix of contemporary setting and a magical world. Our herione Karou leaps from the page whether she's trekking around Prague with her sketchbook, or traveling through mysterious doorways to shops run by creatures from another world. 

The author usually sports bright pink hair, and she also an artist. Find out more about her here!

Blogging A to Z: S is for Lisa See

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

image: IMDb

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

Lisa See is a writer whose Chinese-American heritage influences her work. She wrote Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shangai Girls, and most recently, Dreams of Joy, which all share themes about Chinese women of the past.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a beautiful, haunting book about two life-long friends who meet as girls, and support each other through arranged marriages, foot binding, and a bunch of other bleak circumstances that inevitably make you feel pretty grateful about your own life. Her detail into 1800s China makes the story even more compelling. I have not seen the movie, although it seems to have mixed reviews. This is one of those sweeping epics, so maybe best to stick with the book.

Her books have landed on many bestseller lists, and she was nominated for an Edgar award for her first novel. More on her website.

Have you read any books by Lisa See? Or, have you read any historical fiction novels about a certain era that has intrigued you?

Blogging A to Z: R is for J.K. Rowling

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

R: JK Rowling

No brainer. This woman has influenced our culture so greatly in the past 15 years. It is the best selling book series of all time, it became the possibly most successful movie franchise in history, launched a theme park, and have delighted millions of children and adults worldwide.

The boy who lived was once a mere idea in a woman's head on a train ride home. Aren't you glad she thought to write her story to share with the rest of us?

What I love about these books is how immersive the world is. Everything from the goings-on at Hogwarts, the specific spells they learned, the elaborate backstory of so many characters like Harry's parents, and Dumbledore, and how it all worked together. Some of it was typical kids at a boarding school fiction stuff, but infused with magic it really became something else.

I loved how consistent the themes of friendship and working together remained. Harry needed his friends to defeat evil, he simply could not have done it alone.

No question, the Harry Potter books have influenced an entire generation--the books and the movies. I love it when art influences art. This link to a drawing of If Harry Potter was Anime is AMAZING. I have saved this in my bookmarks since I found it. Keep scrolling, it continues with more characters.

Blogging A to Z: Q is for Ramona Quimby, by Beverly Cleary

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

While I did find a few "Q" authors, none were those that I'd read before, so I chose a memorable character created by an influential writer (stay tuned for more creative assignments when we move further toward the end of the alphabet!)

Ramona Quimby is the spunky girl from Beverly Cleary's children's books. The author wrote Ramona books starting in the 1950s through the end of the 1990s. Take a look at two different illustrated versions of Ramona below. The modern Ramona looks sassy, while old school Ramona looks like a spazz. And I imagine she's probably got sticky cheeks and hands.

beverlycleary.com

She also wrote many other children's books, and even some for teens. I remember loving Ralph S. Mouse and his motorcycle.

Beverly Cleary won the ALA's Laura Ingalls Wilder award (mentioned earlier this month on my "I" post), Newbery awards, and she's been named a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress.

I just learned from her website that the author's birthday--April 12--is noted as Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R) day to promote reading in schools. Oh, well and according to that site, it is also promoting reading over CHORES. I am so on board. I'm going to do that right now.

Check out Beverly Cleary's website here.

Blogging A to Z: P is for Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

OK. P was tough. I could have chosen so many great authors: Sylvia Plath, Jodi Picoult, Ann Patchett. The Bell Jar was one of my favorite books I read as a teen, and I've read at least half or more of Jodi Picoult's catalogue. I've only read one novel by Ann Patchett, about a haunting journey into the Amazon, and it was the type of book that made me want grow as a writer.

But for P, I am choosing a more recent influence: Susan Elizabeth Phillips!

She is known as SEP to her devoted fans, and she's been writing contemporary romance novels for 30 years. A few years ago when I scoffed at the entire romance genre, assuming it was all sexy pirates and damsels so distressed their clothes simply fell off. Susan Elizabeth Phillips is the name I kept hearing mentioned that would change my perspective on romance novels.

Those readers were right. She crafts wonderful characters. Zany, heartfelt, snarky, empathetic characters.
And she knows how to build tension and conflict like nobody else. The most recent book of hers I read, the love interests don't get together until literally the last paragraph of the epilogue. Even the Happily Ever After is riddled with conflict and potential hazard--amazing! She also has written the most down-and-out characters, and somehow makes their situation so bad, you can't imagine it could get worse. Then it does. And it's funny. Lots of witty banter and complicated family/friendship/business relationships that tap into our humanity so well.

I had no idea when I joined my local RWA chapter that she lived in the next town over and is an honorary member of the group. She teaches a writing craft session with us at least once a year. So not only does she write terrific books, but she is super nice, and very funny.

image: Goodreads

From what I hear from her long-time fans, she was one of the first in her genre to embrace online interaction with her fans. She will not profess to being an expert by any means, but a decade and a half ago when it wasn't as common for an author to interact with fans regularly online about specific plot elements and their characters, SEP was building that connection.

Most of her series are about characters within the same universe, but each book focuses on someone new. This Heart of Mine is probably my favorite so far, but I haven't yet read The Great Escape, and I'm interested since it's about a character from another novel who left her groom at the altar. You'd think she'd be a mess, but in snippets of Simply Irresistible, Lucy-the-bride-gone-missing calls in to her best friend, and she's anything but miserable.

Blogging A to Z: O is for Joyce Carol Oates

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

J: Joyce Carol Oates

image: Goodreads

Even if you haven't read her books, most likely her name is familiar. Oates has been nominated numerous times for the National Book Award, which she won, the Pulitzer Prize, and other distinguished awards and recognitions including Oprah's famous book club.

She's been publishing short stories and novels for fifty years--and still going--about everything from families with distinctly American themes like The Gravedigger's Daughter, to a fictional account of Marilyn Monroe's life in Blonde. She's written about killers, and she's written for teens. It's amazing how she has defied categorization; where many authors stumble in branching out to varied subjects and genres, that is simply what she does. In short, the woman is amazing.

She has a new novel out, The Accursed, set at an American university in the early 20th century. The best website I found for her is linked from the University of San Francisco, there is a whole site dedicated to educating others about her work and her influence on literature, including a really great breakdown of her fiction, short stories, and non-fiction (oh yeah, she writes that too).

Have you read her work? Which book is your favorite? Which would you recommend?

Blogging A to Z: N is for Audrey Niffenegger

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

N: Audrey Niffenegger

image: Goodreads

The Time Traveler's Wife is a book I have mixed feelings over. This bestseller is a love story between a normal woman and a man who is caught between shifts in time. He spontaneously shifts between the past at present. Plus, the story is set in the two places I've lived: southwest Michigan, and Chicago.

Some of my issues with the book are really nitpicky, but overall I didn't exactly LIKE any of the characters. Nitpicks aside, this book is memorable. I am always interested in discussing this book with other readers, to see what someone else liked that maybe I didn't. It's certainly a moving story, and disturbing at times. I hated a scene where Henry is alone and naked in a cold, locked stairwell when he had no control over where he reappeared. But that's good storytelling. It made me uncomfortable. The author manages to focus on the relationships in this twisted circumstance, while still shedding a little light on Henry trying to uncover why this might be happening to him. It's a melancholy book, but quite different than anything I've read.

Have you read this book, or any others by the author?

Blogging A to Z: M is for L.M. Montgomery

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

M: L.M. Montgomery

image: Goodreads

Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote the Anne of Green Gables series, about orphaned Anne Shirley and her adventures on Prince Edward Island. While this book and possibly Anne of Avonlea are her most popular, she has a total of eight books in the series, ending with an adult Anne sending her son off to war. As a kid, I'd seen the 1980s miniseries before I'd read the book, which is still a favorite childhood movie of mine.

What makes the series so timeless is Anne's stubborn tomboyishness, and her escapades with her friends--her kindred spirits. She's silly and adventurous, which makes her someone to root for when she seems to have everything set against her from the start.

The L.M. Montgomery Institute, located at the University of Prince Edward Island, organizes a bi-annual conference about the author. Several sites, including her Cavendish home, have been named historical sites and tourist destinations.

Have you seen the Anne of Green Gables series, or read any of the books?

Blogging A to Z: L is Harper Lee

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

L: Harper Lee

This choice was a bit of a no-brainer. Harper Lee wrote one of the most influential books of our time, To Kill a Mockingbird. Her only book, amazingly.

Most of us probably read this in school. I did (with that cover, right), but I picked it up again as an adult after hearing how great the audiobook was, narrated by Academy Award winning actress Sissy Spacek. Her soft-spoken southern voice is the perfect companion to read this classic, and I highly recommend it.

Just how much has this book influenced our culture:

• It frequently lands on Banned Books/Challenged Books lists for its frank display of racial injustice, racial slurs, and sexual assault
• The author's influence on southern literature, children's literature, and even her novel's affect on the civil rights movement are dissected in books, articles, and in classrooms across the world
• The still-highly regarded 1962 film adaptation won Gregory Peck a Best Actor award, and Mary Badham was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Scout
• The '90s British band The Boo Radleys took their name from the book

Blogging A to Z: K is for Barbara Kingsolver

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

K: Barbara Kingsolver

image: Goodreads

This author is most known for the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book The Poisonwood Bible about an American missionary family sent to the Congo in the 1960s. But the book that drew me in to her writing is her memoir Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, where she and her family decided to eat locally, mainly growing their own food for a year.

The memoir goes far beyond a gimmick; Kingsolver also goes into Fast Food Nation territory exposing dirty secrets of the processed food industry that make it hard to keep on consuming packaged crap without a second thought. She shows us both the difficulty in eating locally, and how small changes in our thinking can spur lasting change. Plus, in this book, her adult-aged daughter shares recipes!

Whether fiction or non-fiction, her writing is beautiful, honest, and funny. She is topical, using her characters to compel readers to think beyond simply stories, but the world beyond, and how we each affect our surroundings.

Have you read any of Barbara Kingsolver's books?

Blogging A to Z: J is for Maureen Johnson

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

J: Maureen Johnson

This Young Adult author is known for her little blue envelope series, and most recently The Name of the Star, part of a new series set in modern day London with a Jack the Ripper ghost story.

image: Goodreads

I came to know of Maureen Johnson through her wild popularity on twitter. I tend to agree with her online approach, her use of twitter as a conversation, and her general dislike of the increasingly clunky Facebook experience. Also, she supports YA fiction so thoroughly, that she became sort of a figurehead in 2011 after the Wall Street Journal published a dismissive article on how Young Adult fiction is all doom and gloom or smut (I would link to it but it's too infuriating).

A twitter campaign called #YASaves quickly formed, with Johnson helping to rally other authors who have written books that represent all facets of teenage-dom, from sweet bookworms to depressed and suicidal loners. Their point: we shouldn't shy away from dark topics; books help young readers navigate those dark areas safely, and often, with hope.

Maureen Johnson is also a contributing author to Let it Snow, along with John Green and Lauren Myracle, which last I heard is being developed into a Love, Actually-type teen movie. I just scoured the internet and found no new updates other than the original information from 2011 that Paramount acquired the rights. The name of the movie will be changed since another film already exists with that title.

Here's a link to the author's website!

Blogging A to Z: I is for Laura Ingalls Wilder

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

I: Laura Ingalls Wilder (she was Ingalls with an "I" first!)

The author wrote the Little House on the Prarie books, which were probably the first chapter books I'd read as a kid. I remember loving Little House in the Big Woods around 4th grade. I was actually kind of mad at Pa Ingalls for up-rooting little Half-Pint and her siblings from their cozy cabin dwelling to the harsh existence of the plains. I mean, how miserable would it be to pack up your meager belongings into a crickety wagon and ride for weeks to no actual desintation? Wondering if you'd be scalped by Native Americans or drowned in a river the horses can't swim across.

Laura Ingalls made it seem like an adventure, but I sure bet there were some real scary times on that quest to the west.

(As you can see, I was not meant to be a pioneer.)

The American Library Association named The Wilder award after her, which is given to career authors who

image: Goodreads

have contributed greatly to children's literature.

Recently, I stumbled upon this memoir online, written by the actress who played the spoiled brat character Nellie Olsen. And apparently Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura in the 1970s TV series, has her own collection of memories called Prairie Tale: A memoir.

Laura's daughter Rose Wilder Lane has also written a number of books. Sadly, some controversy exists as to the extent of her involvement in editing her mother's books. She maybe should have had co-author's credits.

But let's just leave it at Laura Ingalls having influenced several generations with her books about exploring the western United States with her family. Are you a fan of the Little House books, or the TV show Little House on the Prairie?

Blogging A to Z: H is for Charlaine Harris

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

H: Charlaine Harris

image: Goodreads

Charlaine Harris is the author of the Sookie Stackhouse paranormal mash-up series, which is the source for the TV show True Blood. She's also written a few other series with a paranormal slant.

Next month, Harris will release the 13th and final book in the Sookie series. A lot of us have mixed feelings over where the series has drifted, but overall, her books are great fun. She always keeps her stories moving with a mix of paranormal beings, and stereotypes flipped on their heads, all with a grounded, loveable heroine.

Part of why the books work better for me than the TV series is being in Sookie's point of view and her level-headed take in a world overrun by vamps, werewolves, shifters, witches, and fairies.

I saw Charlaine Harris at a book signing a few years back, and I loved what she said when a fan asked the inevitable question about whether Sookie and the series' first love interest Bill (the vampire) would get back together. She said, "Bill has his own path," and then proceeded to talk about Bill as if he were a living (but undead) being. At that point, I'd never heard a writer talk about their characters creating their own story.

Are you a fan of Charlaine Harris, or the True Blood TV series?

Blogging A to Z: G is for Phillipa Gregory

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

G: Phillipa Gregory

Phillipa Gregory writes historical fiction, and is most known for her Tudor series, in particular The Other

image: IMDb

Boleyn Girl which was made into a movie. It's too bad the movie isn't so great; here's an instance where the book is much better.

In that book, she expands on the less famous sister of Anne Boleyn, one of King Henry VII's ill-fated wives. When I first read it, I didn't know much about Henry VII, so discovering which facets were true was really interesting. She shows so much historical detail, down to specifics in clothes, royal court behavior, class rankings, and physical descriptions of the king's various homes. It really feels like a glimpse into the past. Her books turn up the drama, and the stakes always feel high as characters scheme and plot against one another.

Here is a link to the author's website which lists all her books.

Blogging A to Z: F is for Gillian Flynn

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.


For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

F: Gillian Flynn 

OK, time for a non-YA author. Gillian Flynn is the author of last year's smash hit Gone Girl. I both loved and loathed this book, which is a compliment to the author, because the characters she created were intentionally untrustworthy, and nasty. 

Reading about Nick and Amy's crumbling marriage was heartbreaking. The way the story unfolds is brilliant. Nick's side is told in real time after Amy's sudden disappearance, while Amy's chapters are told through her diary going back five years to when they met. Nick is immediately a suspect, with baggage and a secret, and Amy is neurotic but so sincere about her love of Nick.

A strange thing happens about mid-way. Personalities shift, and neither Nick nor Amy seem innocent. In fact, it's a guessing game every chapter, right up until the end. A thriller where you don't know the real enemy, and there is no real hero can be tough to take.  

This is the type of book that evokes strong emotion, and it's not always pleasant. 

I challenge you to tell me you don't know someone who's read this book. Gone Girl popped up on all kinds of Best Of lists in 2012, including 8 weeks at number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Film rights have been optioned with Reese Witherspoon set to produce. I'd say that's pretty influential. 

Blogging A to Z: E is for Simone Elkeles

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.

For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

E: Simone Elkeles 

Simone Elkeles is most known for her Perfect Chemistry series for Young Adults. In this trilogy, the Fuentes brothers grow up in a rough Chicago neighborhood, and they each find love in unlikely places. All are told in alternating points-of-view, with the first featuring golden girl Brittany and bad boy Alex who get stuck as chemistry partners and end up falling for each other.

The Fuentes brothers are the ultimate charmers, and their personalities leap from the page.

Because the author features an often-overlooked population, urban Latino teens, Simone's influence as a writer is astounding. No, really. Her books frequently land on lists of top books for reluctant teen readers. She tours schools, and juvenile correctional facilities. Take a look at the testimonials page of her website to get a glimpse of what I'm saying. Seriously, you might tear up at some of the comments from librarians, teachers, and readers.

Her journey toward this series' publication is equally inspiring. She published several books before this, but cites Perfect Chemistry as the book of her heart. Initially, publishers pushed back at her frank sexuality (for a teen book pubbed in 2008 it pushes boundaries, as did the cover) and bilingual language. Her book was rejected by one publishing house because they already had a book with a Latino character coming out that year. Simone said she checked up on the title, and found the Latino was a supporting character, and the plot and genre had no other similarities to hers.

She fronted her own money into marketing Perfect Chemistry, pushing word of mouth with bloggers, and with readers through school visits, and put together a campy book trailer before everyone and their mother used them as a promotional tool.

Simone is a fellow RWA member belonging to the sister Chicago chapter that I belong to. I saw her speak at last year's Spring Fling conference. Her work ethic and dedication to encouraging teens who don't read to pick up a book, is wholly inspiring.

Check out Simone's books here.

Blogging A to Z: D is for Sarah Dessen

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!


My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.


For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

image: Goodreads

D: Sarah Dessen

Since I write Young Adult, I plan to feature a number of YA authors. 

Sarah Dessen is a big name in the YA world, and she's been writing contemporary young adult novels since the '90s. Her books feature girls who struggle with a mix of family life, friendships, and love, in realistic, believable ways. 

Her writing style is straightforward, and the characters are highly introspective from a first person point-of-view. That combination with easily relatable issues is why she connects with young readers so well.

She also writes incredibly lovable side characters. Fans seem to recommend The Truth About Forever first, probably because the supporting cast and love interest are so great (Wes!). Her characters often show up in other books, which is always fun as a little reward for regular readers.

I follow Sarah Dessen on twitter and am amused by how much she loves Good Morning America. She is definitely of the enthusiast variety, and she tweets about the show every weekday. Here's a link to her on the show.

Are you a fan of Sarah Dessen's books, or is she a new author to you?

Blogging A to Z: C is for Meg Cabot

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.


For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

C: Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot, This Is Teen 2011, S.Scott

Aw, Meg! She's a powerhouse series writer: The Princess Diaries, The Mediator Series, Heather Wells (Size 12 Isn't Fat), Babble in the Big City, the Abandon trilogy, and several more series for younger readers. 

Whew! How does she manage to write so much? When I met Meg in 2011 at the This Is Teen tour (with Libba Bray from yesterdays B post, and yes, I also fangirled over Meg), the author spoke about how her amazing husband cooks dinner, cleans, and basically does everything she needs so she can make her publishing deadlines. She then admitted she knew she was the luckiest woman alive. 

What I love about Cabot's books are the zany personalities of her characters, and how many strong, funny heroines she's written. Her books are like comfort food. I find them so easy to slip into and enjoy. She can do light, and she can also go a little deeper.

My favorite moment from her books was from the first Heather Wells mystery. The series is about an almost-thirty former teen pop star who's now broke and working as a residence hall director at a New York City university. Heather checks out a potential lead after student turns up dead, and she finds a Ziggy poster  in the suspect's dorm room. She determines on the spot that no Ziggy fan has killing potential given how innocent and hopelessly uncool Ziggy fandom is for a college-aged student.

I mean, come on: Ziggy. (Here, I looked it up for you).

Here's to Meg Cabot's ability to inspire young readers, and those of us who enjoy fun, flirty humor. 

Blogging A to Z: B is for Libba Bray

Welcome to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge!

My theme for 2013 is Influential Women Authors.

My definition of influential is any author, classic or modern, who has inspired writers, readers, or the larger scope of culture. Some are personal favorites, or have special meaning to me.

What this list is not: a list of the most influential writers of all time. Rather, this is a collection of influential writers, corresponding with each day's letter.


For the full list of participating blogs, click here.

B: Libba Bray

Libba Bray writes books for young adults. Her earlier books are a historical fantasy series starting with A Great and Terrible Beauty about English boarding school girls who discover a portal to a magical realm. The series ending is bittersweet, but perfect. She is a Printz award winning author for her trippy, genre-defying caper Going Bovine.

image: Goodreads

My personal favorite, and why she makes this list, is for her 2011 book Beauty Queens.

Oh my gosh, how I love this book (here's my earlier review on this blog).

I'm so glad Beauty Queens exists, not just as reading entertainment, but for her original intended audience, teens. These are not your average beauty queens. When a plane full of contestants heading toward the Miss Teen Dream pageant crash lands on a desert island, these ambitious queens disassemble their makeup cases (and strangely versatile depilatory creams) and rescue themselves. Even when shipwrecked reality-TV pirate hotties find them, they've already set up their own water filtration system.

The writing is wicked satire on everything from the beauty industry to third world dictatorships (yes, you read that right). So much brilliance is packed in these pages, and yet it's fun. Totally empowering and inspirational in the most hilarious way possible. I'm proud to be a woman when I read this book.

I met Libba Bray in 2012 and fangirled out. I wish I had a picture. She was so nice! Go buy her books!