Month: January 2014

Word Count and Middle Grade Novels

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Uncategorized

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I know I’ve written before about young adult books and word count already, but recently a friend asked me my opinion on the ideal length of a debut middle grade novels. It seems to me like there is the most variation in this type of book, because they are generally written for children between the ages of eight and twelve. There is a lot of changes in both reading ability and subjects of interest during that time. I’ve read online that MG novels should be between 20,000 and 45,000 words. Here are examples of how many words are in between the covers of some of the most popular MG novels.  Continue reading “Word Count and Middle Grade Novels” →

Marry, Date or Dump: Katniss, Artemis, and Susan Pevensie

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Marry Date or Dump

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After last week ranking some male archers from literature, I thought it would be interesting to give you the option of three female archers from fiction and mythology. These are three of my favorite characters, and I’m interested to see what arguments you have for marrying, dating, or dumping Katniss Everdeen, Artemis, and Susan Pevensie. I’m still figuring out what I would want to do … maybe marry all of them and live on a commune somewhere? Let me know your choices in the comments!  Continue reading “Marry, Date or Dump: Katniss, Artemis, and Susan Pevensie” →

Links for a Lazy Sunday

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Links for a Lazy Sunday

tumblr_mrgc1n1lb11rduqoco1_500Happy Sunday friends. I am (probably) freezing my behind off traipsing around NYC right now and wishing I were snuggled up in bed taking a look at these fun links from around the web:

Four Ways to Show the World Your Favorite Book

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Uncategorized

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I’m guessing if you are reading this post right now you are either related to me or you really really like books. There are lots of ways to show the world your truly bookish shelf that might be more socially acceptable than punching a hole in your library card and wearing it on a chain around your neck (although think of the easy access). Whether your favorite book is Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, or Pride and Prejudice, here are some ideas that go beyond cute bookish t-shirts.  Continue reading “Four Ways to Show the World Your Favorite Book” →

Marry, Date or Dump: Robin Hood, Eragon, and Legolas

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Marry Date or Dump

bowArrowHappy Monday. Today you can choose who you would marry, who you would date, and who you would dump when it comes to three of literature’s most famous archers. Let me know in the comments who you’d pick between Robin Hood, Eragon, and Legolas from Lord of the Rings. I can’t wait to see who you pick!

Continue reading “Marry, Date or Dump: Robin Hood, Eragon, and Legolas” →

The Bone Season: All the Ingredients but not the Right Recipe

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Book Reviews

The-Bone-SeasonI approached The Bone Season, by Samantha Shannon with equal parts of intrigue and trepidation. The intrigue was because of the incredible hype surrounding the book. A twenty-one year old getting a six figure, seven book deal is definitely something that merits attention. I figured the book must be pretty good to get that deal and that attention. The trepidation was a worry of over hype. I highly doubted The Bone Season would be the elusive “next Harry Potter”. Once that expectation is in someone’s head, it is almost impossible for the book to live up to that. Continue reading “The Bone Season: All the Ingredients but not the Right Recipe” →

What were the Best Adapted Screenplays Adapted From?

Posted on by Alison Doherty in Uncategorized

the-oscars-and-social-media-by-the-numbers-630dfbfb1cOscar Nominations came out yesterday. While perusing the list, I found myself looking at the nominations for best adapted screen play and wondering what exactly those screenplays were adapted from.Here’s what I found out.

Continue reading “What were the Best Adapted Screenplays Adapted From?” →