The Children's Book Festival: Or the one where I meet Shannon Hale

This post is a long time coming. But, better late than never.
A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to go to The Children's Book Festival at the Provo Library. My main motivation in going was to see Shannon Hale. You see, I'd been wanting to have her sign my Books of Bayern series forever now, and she's pregnant with twins. So, I knew this would be her last signing for awhile.

My friend Julie and I headed to the library with my baby Abigail in tow. We went to the book blogging panel first. I have to be honest, I don't remember much of what was said in this panel. Abigail was being a little bit of a brat and I had to take her outside for most of it. By the way, the place was an absolute circus. Kids. Everywhere.  But, after the panel, she fell asleep and stayed asleep for the rest of the trip.

I made a bee-line for Shannon Hale's line. I was about number 20 in line. As I got closer, I got more excited... and more silly.

You want to know something totally pathetic? That last picture I was trying to make a sexy face. How in the world did I ever get married?..

So, I finally made it to the front of Shannon Hale's line. I told her that I was her biggest fan. For realz. And I told her how much I appreciated her coming out to the event even though she was probably pretty sick. Her husband Dean was sitting next to her, what a nice guy! It was really fun to meet them.

Look at how captivated she looks

I can't remember what Dean was saying, but it must have been weird

All of us together. Best day ever.

Next stop was to Brandon Sanderson's line. Julie had a paperback copy of Mistborn that looked like it had been on a very long journey. It was actually her classroom copy. She debated about whether or not to have him sign it. I said go for it, because well-read books are flattering. Am I right authors? Then, I got a picture with Brandon even though I have yet to read one of his books.

Then I had a copy of Princess and the Snowbird signed by Mette Ivie Harrison. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures with her. I'm really bummed about that. I just had a moment and completely forgot. But, I did mention my blog, and we had a good discussion about relationship in YA fiction. That woman knows her stuff.

Then we went to the fantasy panel. I took notes on it, but I forgot to write down the names of all the panel members. #facepalm. The ones I remember are Mette Ivie Harrison, Brandon Sanderson (moderator), J. Scott Savage, and Clint Johnson.

A few things mentioned by the panelists that really stuck out to me:

• In YA you have to grab your reader quickly. You don't have time to set up a backstory like in adult fiction. If they aren't hooked by the first couple chapters, you may have lost them.
• Fantasy writers are all about plot. But, a character driven story can help advance a plot.
• Your world is only as interesting as the characters in it. In a fantasy, nothing is taken for granted.
• In YA, your characters learn with your readers. They are average kids with a good heart.
• Apprentice-type characters are accessible to readers because they are learning about the world at the same time as the MC. This is part of the reason why Harry Potter was so big.
• A good way to write YA fiction is to take a normal world and just change one thing in it.
• The "control" in a YA novel are the human characters. The "experiment" is what happens to them.
• Ender's Game = Hoosier's in Space

 Thanks to the Provo Library for such an awesome event. Also, it was fun to see (briefly) Natasha from Maw Books and Suey from All About Books.

And I will leave you with two photos of celebrity sightings....

Wild Thing... You make my heart sing...

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison

The Princess and the Bear

By: Mette Ivie Harrison

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

He was once a king, turned into a bear as punishment for his cruel and selfish deeds. She was a once a princess, now living in the form of a hound.


Wary companions, they are sent—in human form—back to a time when magic went terribly astray. Together they must right the wrongs caused by this devastating power—if only they can find a way to trust each other.
 
But even as each becomes aware of an ever-growing attraction, the stakes are rising and they must find a way to eliminate this evil force—or risk losing each other forever.

My Review:
My first impression of the book was that it was a little slower than The Princess and the Hound.  Also, this book is really more of a companion novel rather than a sequel. It could definitely hold it's own. (I'd recommend reading Princess and the Hound first though, just because it's easier that way and you wouldn't run the risk of spoiling the first book).

The writing in this book is so beautiful, it's obvious that Harrison knows her stuff. It's so eloquent and smart. The character development is wonderful, and the relationship between King Richon and Chala is so well done. It grows in a way that is not only possible but beautiful.

Like I said, the book was a little slower than Princess and the Hound. Also, the writing is different than you'd find in other fairy tales. I was reading a bio of Mette Ivie Harrison and saw that she has a Ph.D. in German Literature, so her writing style heavily reflects that type of book. I find it absolutely wonderful and really cool to read, but not all readers will feel the same way as me. Have you ever read some of the original fairy tales? They are nothing like the Disney versions that we have today. Many of them are much darker and more gruesome.

I didn't feel like The Princess and the Bear was gruesome, but it certainly isn't light-hearted. The themes in the book were deep and let's face it, the cat man was just creepy.  And, the book doesn't quite end happily-ever after.  But, if you like the older-style fairy tale, this book is definitely for you!


Book-A-Likes: Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

My Rating:

 4 Stars!

Profanity: None
Drugs and Alcohol: Mild, mentioned once
Sexuality: None
Violence: Moderate

Teaser Tuesday 4/20

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison; pg. 204

He had said he believed she was human in many ways, but he still did not know what name to give his feelings for her, and it seemed wrong to offer less than his whole self.

*Yes, I know that's only one sentence. But none of the other sentences were very good, and the sentence before and after weren't related. Don't judge me!

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison: Review

The Princess and the Hound

By: Mette Ivie Harrison

Description:
He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule.

She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound.

Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden at all costs. Proud, stubborn, bound to marry for the good of their kingdoms, this prince and princess will steal your heart, but will they fall in love?

Review: This book really surprised me in how much I enjoyed it. It was told from the male perspective, which was not only refreshing, but very well done. Prince George's mother dies when he is still quite young, and his father never seems to learn how to connect with him.  Having animal magic is frowned on, and while George does his best to ignore his abilities, they are still a huge part of who he is. In the beginning of the book, most of George's development is learning how to cope with his powers and try to live a life that will set him up for his future as a king.

I loved George's relationship with Beatrice. It's difficult to describe without giving a lot away, but basically, George wasn't expecting what he found in Beatrice. This causes him to do some reflection on who he is, and what he wants out of life.

Anyway, the characters were fantastic, and I loved the story. I highly recommend it to those that love fantasy.

Rating:

I gave the book 5 stars

Book A-Likes:

I can't think of a good book to compare it to, but the writing was similar to that of Robin McKinley, Jessica Day George, and Gail Carson Levine.

Profanity: None

Drugs and Alcohol: None

Sexuality: None

Violence: Very Mild