Looks at Books from LTUE

LTUE was amazing in so many ways. First, and foremost, as Sheena said, getting to meet a couple Prosers in real life. I felt like I'd known them forever. Then, of course, was the chance to meet my favorite YA author, Megan Whalen Turner, who was the guest of honor. She is just as smart and gracious and witty as I had imagined. Third, the classes were excellent - I ended up with 36 pages of notes.

And lastly, the subject of today's post. On the plane flight home, I read over all my notes and kept finding scrawled in the margins the names of all these books. So many people on the panels made references to and gave suggestions of books I'd never read, or only heard of in passing. It was like getting my library piggy bank filled up and overflowing.

So, I thought I'd list out all the books I'd written down and see if any of you had read any of them, and what you thought of them. Most are YA, some are adult or tools of writing books.

Here we go:

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder - I'd heard of his 'beat sheet,' but never read the book.

The Winter Prince by Elizabeth E, Wein - Yes, I bawled my way through Code Name Verity, and now it looks like I've got some Arthurian legends to read. Elizabeth Wein is an exceptional writer.

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

Arkfall by Carolyn Ives Gilman - Nebula nominee 2009

The Thursday Next Novels by Jasper Fforde

The Key of Kilenya by Andrea Pearson - I got to listen to Andrea at LTUE and really enjoyed her perspective. This book is a free download on Kindle right now.

Black's Pocket Law Dictionary - One of the most interesting classes I went to was on contracts, which I know nothing about. They suggested spending a month after getting a contract looking up every word that wasn't 'a' or 'the' in this book because common words don't have the same meaning in law. thepassivevoice.com was recommended in several places as a great site to get information. From what I understand, the owner is a intellectual rights lawyer specializing in the publishing industry.

Sorcery and Cecelia or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia Wrede - I love Patricia Wrede, why have I not read this one?

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Novel by Katherine Paterson - Either the panelist couldn't remember the name or I didn't write it down. Katherine Paterson also wrote Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved. This novel is about a girl who leaves home and afterward her entire village dies of the plague. It was used as an example of  a tight 3rd that 'broke the rule' to switch to show the village's demise. Anyone got a clue?

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Agatha Christie - lots of them.

Summer of Night and The Crook Factory by Dan Simmons

The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer - Sherlock Holmes has a little sister!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith - This is a perennial favorite for Megan Whalen Turner fans.

Dairy Queen and Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Kate Coombs is a very fun author I met, and sat with! She has several books out as well as a website, Book Aunt, where she reviews books and has all kinds of fun stuff.

Gail Carson Levine - no books specified, so they must all be good :)

The Virgin's Promise by Kim Hudson - the Hero's Journey from the female perspective.

Dangerous Voices by Rae Carson

Danyelle Leafty is another author on several panels I attended. I found her thoughtful insight very helpful. 

And Julie Wright was downright hilarious.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

The Sweetness of Salt by Cecilia Galante


And there you have it. I'm sure I missed a ton, but what a feast!
Thanks LTUE and all the people who made it awesome.

~Susan