Too Preachy? Opinions please.

I just finished my NaNoWriMo novel this past Monday--a 50,000 word book in nineteen days.  One of the beauties of writing a novel so fast, is that it tends to take on a life of its own, often taking you to places you hadn't contemplated when you started.

That's exactly what happened with my NaNo nove, the second in my Tree Boy series.

As Sprout, a boy who was sprouted from a seed (book one), discovers his super powers, his adoptive brother and sister try to convince him to become a super hero (book two). They form the Super Hero and Detective Organization, or SHADO, and they try to dig up acts of service that might require a superhero, or solve crime mysteries so Sprout can step in and "save the day." But he longs to know who he is and why he is here on this earth.

From the onset, I knew this was the protagonist's struggle within the book. But what I didn't really know was his true purpose in being here. By the end of the book, almost like magic, his purpose emerged: He was planted on the earth by the Creators in case mankind grew heartless over time. He would be a catalyst to restore the earth to a point where it was ruled by love of nature and of neighbor, rather than by deviousness.

I liked this purpose as it emerged. but I'm worried that it might be too preachy for a kid's book. I would love some opinions.

Blog Tour Stop/Review of Cindy Hogan's new book: Created

I am honored to be an official stop in the book blog tour for Created, by Cindy Hogan

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A spy school.
A choice.
A destiny discovered.

Created is the third book in this fun, teen suspense series by Cindy Hogan. I had read and enjoyed her previous two books, Watched, and Protected. But in this third novel, it seemed as if Cindy bumped her writing up another notch and gave me a story with even more exciting twists and turns that made it hard to put down. In Created, the main character, Christy is sent to Belgium to hide in a spy school because The Witness Protection Program is failing to keep her safe. While there, test scores reveal her true abilities and the director wants her to become a spy. Once the terrorists back home are all caught, and the danger gone, she is forced to make the decision to either go home and live a normal teen life or use her gifts and become a spy. Of course there is some romance in there. And lets not forget a traitor or two to keep you on your toes.

I would easily recommend this book to anyone who likes a good suspense novel, whether your are sixteen, or sixty. One thing I really like about Cindy Hogan's books, is that they are good, clean entertainment, proving once again that you don't need sex and dark stories to draw and audience.

Author website: 

http://cindymhogan.blogspot.com/

Places to purchase:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Check out some recent stops and the next few stops on the tour:

8 Donna McNicol http://donnamcnicol.blogspot.com/
Karly Kirkpatrick http://www.karlykirkpatrick.com/
Tristi Pinkston http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com

9 Shantal Hiatt Sessions http://shantalhiatt.blogspot.com/
Stacey Benefiel http://staceywallacebenefiel.com/

10 Jennifer Jensen http://jenniferjensen.com
Christine Bryant http://www.ckbryant.com/

11 Gaynell Parker
Elle Strauss http://www.ellestraussbooks.com/

12 Renae Mackley http://renaeswritespot.blogspot.com/
Deanna Henderson http://deannahenderson.blogspot.com/


13 Tamara Heiner http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/
Carolyn Frank http://franklycreative.blogspot.com/

15 C.Michelle Jefferies http://cmichellejefferies.blogspot.com/16 Deborah Davis
RaShelle Workman http://www.rashelleworkman.com/

17 Arla Cook http://leavemommyalone.blogspot.com
18 Melanie McCullough http://melaniemccullough.blogspot.com/
19 Monique Bucheger http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com
20 Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com/

21 Rachelle Christensen http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

Do You Consider Yourself Creative?

A friend pointed me to this video. I loved every minute of it, totally relating to her message. If you are the creative type, you'll want to watch this. It inspired me.

That's why I'm sharing it.

Freedom to Follow Your Dreams

Okay, it's election day. You might think I would post something about the importance of voting. Though I feel this is a very precious right that we should all value, I feel moved to discuss a different blessing we have as citizens of this great country. That being the freedom to follow our dreams and earn a living at what we choose to do.

I am a writer. A newly self-published author. I have only begun to taste that freedom. Very little has made its way into my pocketbook in the form of money. But my drive to write is able to move forward unencumbered by the fear that it will it will do no good, or get me nowhere.

Two days ago I returned from a writers' retreat; four days and three nights of answering only to the call of my muse. I came close to composing half of my next novel. True, it was a very rough, NaNoWriMo draft, but it opened my eyes to my potential. It showed me that I truly have the ability to become successful and my chosen new profession if I am willing to put in the time.

And as I prepared to go and vote, I reveled in the greatness of this country, thanking God for my freedoms. It was then my mind wandered with gratitude to the above revelation. I am free to publish my books, use my talents to make the world a better place and possibly be the means of inspiring a child through uplifting literature.

Now I want to finish this post and go write.

Today is the first day of a new novel

Yes, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year. That means I will be working hard to complete a novel in the month of November. I completed NaNo last year, and I am determined to do so again this year. For my NaNo novel I will be writing a sequel to a novel I just finished a week ago. Hopefully, the characters and setting will be fresh in my mind and thus make the process easier.

In a nut shell, the series is about a boy who is sprouted from a seed. One by one, he discovers his super plant powers and uses them to make the world a better place to live.

With a degree in botany, this book has been mulling around in my head for some time. I'm excited to write it, and hopefully as children read this fun story they will also gain an appreciation for nature at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed working on the first book in the series. I hope I can do the second book the same justice. Watch for detail on my progress.