Book Review: Return the Heart

Book Review for: Return the Heart
By: TK Richardson

You may recall TK Richardson (Website & Blog) from our author swap some time back. Well, guess what? She’s been busy writing and publishing her first book, Return the Heart. And you know what? It’s fabulous. This is a gal who has invested in her skill and it shows.

Lilly, the heroine, is well-developed, as is the rest of her ‘gang’ of new friends that have special, top secret talents. You know what motivates them, what their internal conflicts are, and all that high-tech writerly mumbo-jumbo. In other words, you totally get why each character acts the way they do and totally understand (and empathize) with the push-pull they feel at any given moment.

So, what’s up with Lilly anyway? Well, Lilly can read hearts. That is, she can look at someone (or a photo of someone) and read their feelings, histories, desires, and most telling, their secrets–good and bad. Her friends have similar, but unrelated talents, and together they mesh to create a powerful group that is wanted by agencies (both good and bad) around the world. But I’ve already told you enough. TK slowly doles out information in a way that intrigues the reader and causes them to want more and I don’t want to spoil that for you.

Watch for more from TK, and more in the series. (After reading the last chapter I emailed her and asked, so you totally led up to a sequel–is there one? The answer is yes. Yay!)

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Limbo for a Prize

TK Richardson is having a party to celebrate the upcoming release of her book, Return the Heart! And everyone is invited! I know, and it’s happy hour AND it’s Friday. AND for Americans it is a long weekend. AND there are prizes. AND I am doing the limbo over there! I know! You didn’t know I could limbo, did you? So go on, go check it out! You could win some writerly yummies. And if you aren’t a writer, they are still yummy.

See you there!

Over the Top Blogger

I am pleased to announce that TK Richardson over at Evening Masquerade has awarded me with the Over the Top Blogger Award. As a recipient, I must answer the following questions about myself. Oh yes, we will plaster the blog-o-sphere seven or so blogs at a time. (But TK said I didn’t have to follow the rules and I’m kind of pressed for time, so I’m going to do the unmentionable (winces and checks for lightning about to strike) and not pass it on. (Sorry)

Here goes…

Where is your cell phone? uh? My bag?
Your hair? getting curlier
Your mother? alive
Your father? alive
Your favourite food? Mom’s spaghetti
Your dream last night? I dreamt?
Your favourite drink? Water. Straight up.
Your dream/goal? get my stories in bookstores
What room are you in? living room
Your hobby? reading, writing, but not arithmatic
Your fear? Loss.
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy
Where were you last night? Why do I need an alibi? (Buying a car)
Something that you aren’t? Mean
Muffins? Sure, thanks
Wish list item? Those flower clogs, Disneyland
Where did you grow up? In a schoolhouse
Last thing you did? Breathed
What are you wearing? work outfit
Your TV? off
Your pets? 2 cats
Friends? Yes, I have some. Thanks for asking.
Your life? It’s gooooood
Your mood? It’s good, too
Missing someone? Sure, it I think about it.
Vehicle? ’94 Dodge Shadow Selling it.   (See above)
Something you’re not wearing? men’s underwear
Your favourite store? MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op)
Your favourite color? Blue
When was the last time you laughed? today
Last time you cried? Uh? December?
Your best friend? My husband
One place that I go to over and over? bathroom
One person who emails me regularly? Lots of people, I’m lucky that way.
Favourite place to eat? At the table

Thanks!

Like Phone Tag, Only More Fun

There’s something going around the Internet tubes. And no, it’s not a virus… it’s a game called (wait for it) Blog Tag! Yes! You can now play tag while sitting, and you won’t even spill your coffee. Does it get any better? (The correct answer is ‘no.’)

I have to admit, I was blindsided. Calista Taylor snuck up on me while I was drinking a chai latte with friends and tagged me. I just about spilled my chai, I was so surprised. I didn’t even know I was playing! (Aren’t those the best kind of games?)

So, having been tagged, I get to answer some writing questions that you didn’t even realize you wanted answers to. There are a lot of them, you might want to take a bathroom break first.

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1)What’s the last thing you wrote? What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?

Well, I just wrote this. Oh! You mean… Okay, um, the last thing I wrote was part of a work in progress–that was

yesterday. The first thing I wrote that I still have is probably some stories in my grade one notebook.

2) Write poetry?

On occasion, if a poem comes to me.

3) Angsty poetry?

When I was a teenager, but I haven’t been one in awhile, so, no.

4) Favourite genre of writing?

Romance is fun because you get to toy with character’s emotions and bring them down and then ‘wham,’ give them the greastest gift of all–love. Aw. I dapple with other genres, but romance is high-speed fun with the top rolled down.

5) Most annoying character you’ve ever created?

Well, there’s a guy character who always wore his shoes in the house and left mud on his friend’s coffee table. That annoyed the character. I’m not sure about reader’s though. I try not to annoy the reader.

6) Best plot you’ve ever created?

I think I might be creating it in my work in progress, but I’m not sure. It’s too soon to tell.

7) Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?

Uh… huh. Hmmm… ummmm. I dunno. It’s hard to answer these questions because it’s hard to pull it out of your own writing, because it just is. Either that, or I’ve never written a cool plot twist, in which case, that’s just sad and depressing and I thank you for bringing me down.

8 ) How often do you get writer’s block?

Never. There are times when I have to step back, go for a walk and let the next scene or move come to me.

9) Write fan fiction?

Nope. I’m not avid about a show or series enough to feel the desire to pen myself some fan fiction.

10) Do you type or write by hand?

I can type faster than I can write now, so brainstorming and here-and-there notes are by hand, the rest is a la computer.

11) Do you save everything you write?

Yeah, pretty much. I’m a natural packrat.

12) Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?

Define abandon. These are my kids, they might get neglected, but never truly abandoned.

13) What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever written?

That would be The 15 Date Rule. Not because it is the best, but because it was the most fun to write.

14) What’s everyone else’s favourite story you’ve written?

What? It isn’t The 15 Date Rule? Come on! Seriously though, people seem to love Caviar and Lemon Drops. It is pretty good, but it wasn’t quite as much fun to write as 15DR. (It came after 15DR and plotting it, etc, wasn’t as ridden with challenges to keep me on my toes.)

15) Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

Romance, yes. Teen drama, no.

16) What’s your favourite setting for your characters?

Honestly, I forget about setting a lot of the time. I’m more concerned with the mood, emotion, motivations, etc. I have to remind myself to add setting into each scene.

17) How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Of my own–just one. It’s a first draft, so everything else of mine gets to hang back for a bit. I am doing some editing work for other people’s projects. (You can contract me to edit, coach, critique, and more! I do queries, synopses, manuscripts, and proposals.)

18) Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Nope. I placed in a contest, but I’m not much of a contest hound. I won first in a province-wide art contest once, does
that count? No, no it doesn’t. I just wanted to feel special.

19) What are your five favourite words?

Leave me alone, I’m writing.

Not really–I don’t think I’ve ever said that. How about ‘pristine’. That’s a good word. Now, I need four more…

20) What character have you created that is most like yourself?

They all have pieces of me.

21) Where do you get your ideas for your characters?

They just show up, ready to kick a$$ (or whatever they are there to do).

22) Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Nope.

23) Do you favour happy endings?

Sure. If it fits the story. It has to be satisfying for the audience, that’s the number one requirement.

24) Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Sorta. I’ll backtrack to fix spelling. Mostly, it’s full steam ahead in the first draft. My first concern is the get the idea down before it disappears. I can make it flow or grammatically correct on the second pass.

25) Does music help you write?

It depends. Sometimes music interrupts, which is really annoying.

26) Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops in your head.

“Cynthia tossed her wavy hair, leaving it tousled, sexy, and perfect in a way that made Beth think of champagne and movie stars.” I wrote that line in one of my edits of Caviar and Lemon Drops and then forgot about it. I reread it months later and got all pissed off. I thought someone had been messing with my manuscript. But the worst part was that they were better than I was. It was an interesting moment when I figured out I wrote it.

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That’s it. You made it to the end. I hope I didn’t bore you too much.

Now… I get to tag another three writers!

I’m going to chase after Yvonne Osborne, snag TK Richardson, and grab J. Lea. Lopez because she posted an interview the other day with moi and some of these questions weren’t covered in her interview with herself back in June.

Hmmm… I’m noticing a trend here… I’ve been a guest on all three of these blogs! It’s tag nepotism at its best. Love it!

Five Minutes With Aspiring Author TK Richardson

TK Richardson is an aspiring author of young adult fantasy. Her favourite author is Leo Tolstoy as she says, “his writing and imagery take my breath away.” TK is currently seeking agent representation for her story Return to the Heart. She has always leaned towards the more literary, and more serious, thought-provoking stories. As a child her favourite story was Corrie ten Boom’s story about the Nazi occupation in Holland, In My Father’s House. If you read Richardson’s work, you will note how such writers may have affected her writing. You can learn more about TK on her website and blog as well as read some of her work.

A big welcome to TK Richardson. Thank you for joining me today.

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Jean: Tell us a bit about your latest project.

TK: My current completed project is RETURN THE HEART, a YA novel complete at 95,000 words. The pitch:

Seventeen-year-old Lilly is determined to keep her gift of reading the heart a secret, but when that secret is exposed and sold on the black market Lilly discovers her gift is more than just the target of criminal obsession– it’s the fulfillment of an old, Russian prophecy.

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Jean: What prompted you to start writing YA (young adult fiction)?

TK: I started writing a couple of years ago for my daughters. They had just finished a book they loved and I thought I could write one for them. When they read the finished product they were hooked. I have been writing novels ever since.

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Jean: What do you feel is your biggest writing strength?

TK: My biggest writing strength could be knowing what young adults want to read and trying, to the best of my ability, to write what interests them.

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Jean: How many novels/stories do you typically write in a year?

TK: A little over two novels per year, and that includes first draft to polished finish.

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Jean: Publishers depend upon authors doing some of their own publicity or generating word of mouth. What sort of ideas do you have to create a following or create a book buzz when you get published?

TK: My audience is YA, so I intend to use the social networking sites they use. I have already created a book trailer, a web site, and have plans for other promotional avenues. Those are top secret, though. You’ll have to sign me to know the details.

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Jean: Since you are seeking an agent, what is one thing you would like an agent to know about you that might not come out in a query letter?

TK: Well, I am pretty easy to work with and easy going. I am detail oriented and have a strong drive.

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Jean: Do you believe in the Perfect Agent?

TK: No, because there are no perfect people. Things happen, and people make mistakes. To expect anyone to be perfect is unrealistic. I believe there are many agents that would be a good business partner with me, and I look forward to that.

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Jean: Working with an agent/publisher is important –how well could you take editorial direction?

TK: I welcome it wholeheartedly! I am not so in love with my own words that I can’t see room for improvement– there’s always room to grow.

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Jean: What are you reading right now?

TK: Right now I’m reading history books and doing research for another project. I try not to read in my genre while I’m writing, so I don’t pick up another writers’ voice, etc.

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Jean: If we had more than five minutes, what would you like to add? Maybe share your rockstar writer superpower?

TK: I write stories that I believe young adults would love to read.

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Thank you TK. Best of luck in finding your agent. Check out TK’s Website and Blog.

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