All of us at The Winged Pen are looking forward to seeing the end of 2020 and have high hopes for 2021…especially all the new Pennie books coming out, including Halli Gomez’s LIST OF TEN, Jessica Vitalis’s THE WOLF’S CURSE, Gabrielle K. Byrne’s THE EDGE OF STRANGE HOLLOW, and Gita Trelease’s EVERYTHING THAT BURNS.
To prepare for the excitement, we’re going to take a few weeks off. But never fear – we’re leaving you with some things to check out while we’re gone. Including, of course, a whole lot of great books to read.
Go Behind-the-Scenes
Love graphic novels? Check out Portland, Oregon-based Literary Arts’ archived discussions with illustrators and graphic novelists, including a conversation with Sloane Leong, author of A MAP TO THE SUN. (You will need to register to watch the videos, but that gets you access to all the archived presentations from the Portland Book Festival that took place in November.)
If you like fantasy and the incomparable Dianna Wynne Jones, check out this deep dive into her work.
Ready to Read?
Released just this week is BEYOND THE LATCH AND LEVER, an anthology of speculative short stories. Look out for a contribution from Pennie Julie Artz, whose adult literary fantasy story is a must-read for these times.
If you’re getting down to the wire on holiday gifts or just need a recommendation of what to read this winter, check out this list of YA authors recommending YA books.
One of the best parts of browsing the shelves at famed indie bookstore Powell’s Books is seeing the little “Staff Recommendation” tags sticking off the shelves and knowing the highlighted book is going to be good. If your browsing has gone online this year, never fear – Powell’s offers their staff picks on their website – including these for YA and children’s books.
Hone Your Craft
Jones-ing for some craft lessons? Wondering how to take your WIP from good to great? If you’re looking to up your game, get insight into the publishing world, or just grab a little inspiration, take a look at the SCBWI Online Winter Conference has to offer.
Knowing how long to make your chapters and when to end them is more art than science…but it’s a skill that could take your book from “a good read” to “un-put-downable”. Check out this post on how to make chapter endings work for you.
Subplots are a great way to add depth to your novel. Check out this post from Writer’s Digest on 7 ways to add subplots.
Staying Inside?
With more and more parts of the country going back into COVID lockdowns, now is a great time to retreat from the world – why not make it a writing retreat? Tara Mohr, author of PLAYING BIG, is leading a year end virtual writing retreat for all kinds of writers. And if you can’t swing the retreat, her ten truths about writing are worth a read.
Winter is a great time to reassess your writing goals and hopes. If you need some help, here’s a post about how to tell if it’s time to give up on your WIP and write something new.
Maybe you need to take a break from writing and reading altogether. If that’s the case, why not try one – or more! – of these bingeable series?
We hope you stay safe and sane in these final weeks of 2020. And here’s to a better 2021!