WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria’s a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan’s a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they’ve got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can’t run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

This book was made for me. I’ve been dying to read it for quite some time because travel is very close to my heart, and while I’ve never backpacked, I’ve always wanted to. Desperately, really. So, I cracked this open with high hopes. And oh my goodness, did it grab ahold of my heart.

I love Bria. She is fantastic. She is the perfect mixture of hope and insecurity and strength. And the intensity of her character arc is magnified because, really, that’s what travel does to you. It shows you the world in new ways, changes you, forces you to grow. It is life-changing. Bria overcomes so much and enhances who she is over the course of this three-week trip, and I felt as if I were right there with her. All of this told against the backdrop of beautifully-described Central America. A place that was honestly not on my radar before, but now I must see. Must. The writing is so strong that every single location Bria visited was incredibly vivid in my mind. I really felt like I was there, and I fell in love with a place I’ve never been. That’s a magical reading experience.

Bottom line: this is a beautiful book. It has affected me to the point that I was madly researching European backpacking destinations last night. For hours. It’s like I’ve been bit by the travel bug all over again, and for that alone, this is a novel I’ll be reading again and again.

More Bookanistas Posts This Week

Christine Fonseca interviews author Denise Grover Swank

Jessi Kirby is wowed by WANDERLOVE

Corrine Jackson is mesmerized by MAY B.

Stasia Ward Kehoe interviews DIES IRAE author Christine Fonseca

Debra Driza is entranced by HEMLOCK

Katy Upperman delves into THE DISENCHANTMENTS

Nikki Katz celebrates CINDER

Tracy Banghart marvels at JULIET IMMORTAL

Jessica Love spotlights SHINE

A deadly virus killed every adult on Earth, leaving only us kids behind. My parents are gone, so I’m responsible for my little brother, Todd. I have to make sure we stay alive. Many kids are sick or starving, and fierce gangs are stealing and destroying everything they find. Lots of people have given up, but here on Grand Avenue, some of us are surviving. Because of me.

In a world like this, someone has to take charge. But do I have the strength to take charge of a whole city?

I loooove graphic novels so I was excited to read this adaptation of a MG novel originally published back in the 70s. The first thing that struck me is how gorgeous the art is. Very beautifully done, with coloring that really set the tone of the book.

When a virus wipes out the adult population, the kids are left to fend for themselves. And THE GIRL WHO OWNED A CITY is about a tough-as-nails girl who steps in and takes charge when the kids on her street aren’t doing so great. I loved reading about this character because not only is she tough, but she’s smart and quick-on-her-feet, and trying her hardest to improve everyone’s lives…but she’s not perfect either. She makes mistakes and she doesn’t always do things for the right reasons. Flawed characters with room for growth are the best kind to read about.

I also loved reading about how the world worked and how things changed due to the virus. It seems bleak and grim at times, but the characters make the best of their situation, and I loved how they went about setting up their city, seeing how they ran it. There are a lot of dystopian books out there, but this one really stood out to me, especially since it’s both MG and a graphic novel. I’m very tempted to find the original now!

More Bookanistas Posts This Week

Christine Fonseca brings you a special Guestanista review of SPRINKLES AND SECRETS

Shannon Messenger delights in DEAD TO YOU – with giveaway

Beth Revis interviews TEMPEST author Julie Cross – with giveaway

Jessi Kirby takes a shine to the SURRENDER and new POSSESSSION covers

Stasia Ward Kehoe adores IN HONOR

Veronica Rossi is crazy for INCARNATE

Nikki Katz marvels at A MILLION SUNS

Gennifer Albin is on fire over CINDER

Tracy Banghart is all about THE OTHER LIFE

Jessica Love wonders at THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Hilary Wagner mourns over THE DEATH OF YORIK MORTWELL — with giveaway

Since it’s the start of a new year, I decided to join the challenge. Not the weekly version, that’s a bit too much for me at this point in time. I don’t see how I could possibly write a short story every week for a year without sacrificing my novel writing. Instead, I’m doing the monthly version. Write and submit one short story every month. It combines both my desire to improve my short story writing and get more stories out there circulating.

I’ve already made the challenge for January as last week I wrote a new flash fiction piece, polished it up and sent it out.

The creators of this challenge were inspired by Ray Bradbury and how he used to go about writing and submitting his own stories. He’s someone to aspire to, that’s for sure, with over 400 short stories published. Plus, some of the best science fiction novels ever written.

This past week, I was working hard on the final essay of one of my library modules. The essay question basically asked, “To what extent do you support censorship? What reasons justify it?” And I found myself writing a fairly passionate essay that basically said, “Nope. Nothing.”

I am against censorship. Yes, there are people and books and movies and websites out there saying all kinds of things that I do not agree with. Sometimes it can be frustrating, sometimes offensive. But they still have the right to say it, just as I have a right to share my ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Free speech is important.

Freedom of thought and expression is important.

But in addition to that, freedom of information is important. This includes the internet. If the SOPA and PIPA bills get passed, the very way the internet works and the way information is shared so freely will completely change. It’s a change I don’t wish to imagine. Do I support piracy? No. But the loose speak of the bill pretty much ensures that corporations will have the power to shut down sites like Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, just to name a few.

This is why I support the SOPA Strike.

Goal #1: Finish the new book I’ve begun writing, including revisions on it.

Goal #2: Write three short stories. Submit them.

Goal #3: Finish the academic year with a 2:1 or a 1st. (This is the UK grading system, which basically means around a 3.5 GPA or higher.)

Goal #4: Travel (budget travel) to two more countries. In 2011, I visited England, Wales, Ireland and Spain. And since I’m over here, I want to take advantage of the cheap flights to other parts of Europe. I’d love to go to Scotland and The Netherlands or France. And Germany. And Croatia. Oh, everywhere really.

Goal #5: Continue building and growing as a freelancer.

Goal #6: Get a publishing contract. I put this last, even though it’s my highest hope, because in the end, this isn’t completely in my control. But I have to list it in my goals anyway.

Extras: Those are my “minimum” goals, but I have some more I want to shoot for. Write a second book for the year. Not just travel to two countries, but go on a budget backpacking trip over summer break (this all depends on my funds, which are pretty limited at the moment). Write more than three short stories. I’d love to shoot for five. Get a freelance travel writing piece accepted. Eat better. Exercise more.

And to start it all off, I’ll be working on a research essay today. Happy 2012 everyone!

January: In January, I packed up all my belongings in NYC and put them in a truck heading down to my parents’ house in TN for my big months-long trip/move over to England with Victoria. I did quite a bit of first drafting on my NYC book.

February: I landed in England early on the morning of February 1st and settled into the house in Liverpool. I did more first drafting on my NYC book, I started my freelance career, and I got my acceptance letter for postgraduate study at Aberystwyth University in Wales!

March: I finished the first draft of my NYC book. Finally!

April: Revised and revised and revised my NYC book. I walked to an island and back at low tide. I started getting all my accommodation and funding in place for university.

May: I finished revising my NYC book and sent it to my agent with fingers crossed. I took a glorious two week trip to southern Spain, and when I got back, I got my revision letter from my agent and got to work.

June: I finished the first revision pass with my agent and sent the manuscript back over. I also took a day trip to Wales to visit the university and get more information about the course and accommodation. Oh, and take photos of the sea.

July: Ah, July. This was the month of the last Harry Potter movie. It was also my birthday, which I got to celebrate in England before taking a one-night trip to Ireland and then heading home to visit with my family in America. I also got my second round of revision notes from my agent.

August: In August, I finished up revisions for my agent on my NYC book! I spent three weeks in Tennessee with my family, re-reading Harry Potter and enjoying real summer weather. I also got my student visa and packed up a couple boxes for school. Then, I headed off for ten days in Spain before flying back to England.

September: In September, I got the short story bug and wrote three in quick succession. I submitted two of them. One didn’t pan out, unfortunately, and I’m still waiting to hear back on the other. We shall see! I’d like to do more of them in the future. I also moved to Wales, registered for classes and got back into university life!

October: This month was all about school, school, school for me. I handed in my first postgraduate UK essay. I didn’t do much fiction writing this month, mostly brainstorming ideas and making plotting notes for my next project.

November: Another month where I focused on schoolwork and handed in the hardest research essay I’ve ever had to write. Again, I didn’t do much fiction writing, but I did nail down exactly what my next project would be and made progress on an outline.

December: Handed in another essay! Sensing a theme here, yes? I also started working on (what I’m doing now) the four assignments I have due mid-January. Eep. I took a weekend trip to London where I hung out with Shana Silver, talked books, stopped by a Tardis and visited Platform 9 3/4. I did more outlining on that next project and got some first drafting done on it as well. For the holidays, I took a trip to Liverpool (where I still am) for a British Christmas and to ring in the New Year.

And there we have it. My year in summary. I didn’t do a goals post at the beginning of the year, so I can’t cross things off a list, but I feel pretty good about my year! It’s been a big one. As for 2012 goals, I’ll do that post tomorrow. Happy New Year’s Eve everyone and so long 2011!

December is off to a great start.

1. My to-do list is a bit daunting at the moment, but I’m having trouble focusing because I’m distracted by…things. That and the logistics of my WIP are hurting my brain a bit, the topic of the essay I need to turn in on Monday is hurting my brain a bit, and the Christmas article I’m freelance writing…well, it’s not hurting my brain, but like I said, I’m distracted by…things.

2. Oh my, the wind! The rain! The cold! The weather in Wales has gotten quite gloomy and is supposed to continue this way for awhile, and I want to hide inside with my hoodie and rewind back to just a few days ago when it was like this:

Rolling Hills and Sunshine

3. Has anyone ever watched MAD MEN? I was supposed to start a marathon of DOCTOR WHO (the reboot) in my downtime, but…the first season…bleh. So, I got distracted by MAD MEN and am finding myself intrigued by life in the 1960s.

4. I use the library a lot here. Many days, I’ll go after my lectures are done and sit at a study table by a window that overlooks the sea. Around 4:30pm, the sunset turns glorious. I can get my work done there a lot better than I can in my room, for whatever reason. Maybe because the library feels so much like a place to put my head down and get things done, unlike my room, where I also hang out, surf the internet and watch TV.

View from the Library

5. Speaking of the library…at the moment I have 22 library books sitting on my desk. Over half of them are for this essay due Monday. O.O

I met a girl who kept tattoos

For homes that she had loved

If I were her I’d paint my body

Til all my skin was gone

Basically, he’s loved every place he’s been, and sometimes I feel that way. Not just sometimes. Always. In the past few years, I’ve had opportunities to visit a lot of new places, and I feel like every one has left an imprint on me and has left me feeling inspired. I’ve written a book set in the Southern states where I was born and grew up. My most recently finished book is set in New York City, and I tried my best to make it a character unto its own. A few years ago, I took a trip to Boston and the surrounding area, and I subsequently wrote a book set there (SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRITS). Right after my recent trip to Spain, I wrote a short story set in a small Spanish village. I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. For whatever reason, I fall madly in love with places, and this love is one of the biggest things that inspires my writing.

So, it’s only natural that I’m dying to write a book set in the UK as I fell so in love with it, I picked up my entire life and moved here. Specifically, I’d love the chance to write the sequel to my New York set book, which I plan to set in London. I’ve been to London twice, and this coming weekend I’m going a third time to explore with Shana Silver who came over for work. I can’t wait! It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we haven’t hung out in almost a year (that sounds so crazy).

Some day I want to write a story set in Italy, a story set in South America, a story set in California and stories set in places I’ve yet only dreamed of seeing.

Seafront

By The Sea

Up On Campus

Anyway, that’s probably more than any of you wanted to know about my allergies, and thankfully, I’m feeling a lot better now.

Unsurprisingly, the essays and research papers for my course are the hardest I’ve ever had to do. I’ve turned in two so far and another is due is a couple weeks. The fall semester is laid out differently here, officially starting early October and ending in late January. Yes, late January rather than December. Christmas holidays are in the middle of the term, and when they’re over, I have two research papers due that Monday, another due the following Monday and an open book practical for my Palaeography module right in the middle of it all. (Palaeography is translating 15th to 17th century English court hand on old documents into more readable text. This is what the old handwriting looks like if you’re curious.)

That’s an intense schedule. Needless to say, my holiday break isn’t going to be as relaxed as I’d imagined.

A Short Cut To Lecture

To be honest, though, I’m loving all this researching and writing, especially because it’s on topics I’m really interested in. Libraries, e-books, digital services in libraries, developing programs for academic library users, online catalogues of books, magazines and newspapers. Love, love, love. It’s truly the perfect meld of my favorite things: books and libraries, academia, and technology. This week, my course went on a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Library of Wales. Gorgeous, amazing place, where we learned about digitizing those old English court documents I’m learning to translate.

National Library of Wales

Amidst all this, I’m also working on my new WIP. I had a few plot setbacks, but armed with a new and improved outline, I’m ready to draft. I’m jealous of all those who are NaNoing, but I just couldn’t do it this year.

Anyway, I have a pile of reading to do and a research paper to start outlining. So, I will leave you with this:

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