BEFORE I WAKE Published in the Gazette December 6, 2009

Yo. Below's my latest column. On to make Christmas cookies now. I should weigh at least 5 pounds more next time I post.

Robert J. Wiersema’s “Before I Wake” is filled with all sorts of ingredients I don’t like — a young girl who’s dying, a husband who’s cheating, an immoral spiritual figure — and, yet, the book is an absolutely delicious read.

There were moments I considered returning “Before I Wake” to the library unfinished. For the most part, these moments occurred early in the book. A minute into “Before I Wake,” I knew that three-year-old Sherry Barrett was going to be hit by a truck. A few minutes further, and I began to suspect that Sherry’s father, Simon, was cheating on his wife, Karen.

I was tempted to close the book on these tragedies and find something more obviously uplifting to read. I’m so glad I didn’t. By working through the difficulties in the lives of Wiersema’s characters, my spirits were indeed raised.

Karen, in particular, is inspiring. She follows her motherly heart and gut throughout the story. When Sherry is taken off life support, Karen arranges her daughter just so, and snuggles next to her for mutual comfort. Stoically, Karen ignores advice that is contrary to her motherly intuition. And Karen shows a heroic amount of forgiveness. As a reader, the only reason I consider forgiving Simon’s indiscretions is by following Karen’s lead.

Without giving too much away, I must tell you that Sherry survives her initial injuries. Her life is a miracle, and there are other miracles and spiritual elements in the book, too. Many characters are affected by Sherry and benefit from her presence. But Wiersema keeps “Before I Wake” from becoming overly preachy by making Karen, Simon and other characters in the book flawed. There are chasms in the lives of these people that can’t be filled in a few hundred pages.

The uncertainty of what happens to Wiersema’s characters after the book is over is one of the things I think readers will enjoy most. Some of the liveliest book discussions I’ve had center around what happens after the last page. As for me, I like to think the characters in “Before I Wake” live thoughtfully ever after, learning from their mistakes and the blessing of Sherry’s life.

“Before I Wake” is told from the multiple viewpoints of its characters, a writing technique I love. While there are some viewpoints I enjoyed reading more than others, all together the characters tell a delectable, filling story.

Opening Word.

You know when you open Word and it lists the last four or so documents you've had opened? (or is this something Husband set up for me?) Anyway...if my current manuscript isn't listed there, I know it's been too long since I've worked on my book. What's your clue that it's been too long for you?

USAFA visit

So yesterday I was invited to visit a couple Reading Enhancement classes at the United States Air Force Academy. The Academy is like West Point for the Air Force (for you non-military folks).

Anyway, they had this eyeglass contraption hooked up to a computer. You put the eyeglasses on and read a passage and the computer keeps track of where each eye is going on the page, how many times you look back at parts of the passage and how fast you're reading. Interesting stuff.

I have a feeling most people who write are efficient readers, so I won't bore you with the problems some people have, except to say that a lot of people read Each. Word. At. A. Time. Can you imagine?! And some people read each syllable. No wonder there are people who hate reading. Yikes!

Word verifications

I like word verifications as much as the next guy....I once had one that read "anita." But if you notice, you don't need a word verification to post on my blog, and I've never had any trouble...except for one time that I used the three letter word for "relations" in a post title...then I got some Spam, let me tell you.

Another reason I love writing...

...because it's not math.

My nephew is going to college in Springs. He was at our house doing Calculus with Husband today for SIX HOURS!

I love writing.

Moonrat contest! Moonrat contest!

My favorite editor is hosting a contest and I know followers of my blog are going to ROCK it! Below is Moonrat's description of the contest. Go to her blog to find out more about her and the contest.

The contest: Create a tribute to (or a character assassination of) someone who contributed significantly (positively or negatively) to your path toward becoming a writer.

Rules: Email me at moonratty@gmail.com your submission in the body of an email. (No attachments please.) The submissions can be any length you like, but please keep in mind I have a fairly short attention span, and that submissions may be judged accordingly. The submissions may be prose, verse, acrostic, or whatever other verbal form inspires you.

Submissions due: December 15, 2009, at 11 pm EST

Prize: One hardcover copy of MENTORS, MUSES & MONSTERS, signed by Elizabeth Benedict, Lily Tuck, Alexander Chee, Martha Southgate, and Mary Gordon. Also, the winner and the finalists (a number I have yet to determine) will be posted on Editorial Ass (so your submission will be considered permission for me to do so).

David Baldacci: Published in the Colorado Springs Gazette 11-29-09

OK, so I'm a little stuck on BALDACCI. But even Husband is reading him, and Husband is difficult to please (bookwise only, very easy to please otherwise). Anyway, here's my latest recommendation column:

World-renowned thriller author David Baldacci is helping me lose weight.

No, Baldacci isn’t counting sit ups for me, though I’d probably do more if that was the case. Baldacci’s latest novel sat on my treadmill’s book rack for a few days. The result? I flew through pages as I exercised, and ran twice as many miles as normal.

I’ve previously recommended Baldacci in this column. His books are consistently sharp and fast paced. Still, Baldacci readers sometimes complain to me that the author uses too many characters.

It’s true Baldacci’s books almost always start with a rundown of numerous characters. But the character introductions only last a couple of short chapters. Then readers’ brains can take a backseat while their hearts start doing the work.

Baldacci’s latest novel, “True Blue” was released in October of this year. Already it’s hit all the important best-seller lists, and with good reason.

“True Blue” follows Mace Perry, a female D.C. cop who was framed for a crime and stripped of her badge. “True Blue” opens with Mace serving her last day in a two-year prison sentence.

Upon Mace’s release, not even her police chief sister, Beth Perry, can give Mace her badge back. Mace thinks her only hope of being reinstated is by solving a major crime. This opportunity falls into her lap when a high-powered D.C. attorney is murdered and stuffed into an office refrigerator. Beth allows Mace to accompany her to the crime scene. That’s where Mace meets the dead attorney’s colleague, Roy Kingman.

Mace and Roy quickly become friends, and work together solving the crime. The pair soon discovers the situation is bigger than one dead attorney. By the time the book ends, other characters die, political webs are untangled, and terrorist strategies are revealed.

Basketball is a recurring component of “True Blue.” Mace strengthened her skills on the prison’s court, and Roy was a college player. The basketball aspect reminds me of another good thriller I recently read, Harlan Coben’s latest novel, “Long Lost.”

My favorite Coben character, Myron Bolitar, is the star. Bolitar is an agent to athletes, and is a former basketball player himself. When a love from his past seeks Bolitar’s help, Bolitar uses his winner’s instincts to battle the worst of foes.

With Baldacci and Coben accompanying me on my workouts, I may be ready to battle just about anything, too.