How Sweet It Is!

Our Southern Magic chapter is extraordinary. The friendships, support, and shared knowledge. Short programs, jammed with new information, or all day workshops like yesterday's with presenters with hands-on, been-there done-that experiences critical to making our fiction as real as possible. Sometimes, just chatting through lunch yields that one particular nugget of information you didn't even know your pail was missing. And then there's even more.

Last month I won one of the door prizes. As most of us are, I'm a voracious reader (even cereal boxes are fair game) so choosing a book for my prize was perfect. Completely clueless as to plot or even genre, I chose The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. (I liked the cover.) Well, can I just say - Wow! My only previous experience with YA paranormal/fantasy had been Twilight. Not anymore. I am now the proud owner of all of The Iron Fey novels and eagerly await The Iron Prince out this October. Each one has been a blast to read. I now have a whole new genre to explore. Hunter Games, anyone?

And how tremendously inspiring. To strive to be that writer who creates a new world and a set of characters so magical and enjoyable that not only did I hate for each book to end, but I couldn't wait to go out and buy the next. No matter the genre, how awesome is that?

So thanks, Southern Magic. Once again.