My Teen is Reading Again! #Books for Boys #amreading #YA

My son reading one of the ASOIAF
books on the London tube during a 2016 trip

Hands down, reading is my favorite pastime, and I love books so much, I write them as well.  I've always tried to get my two sons into reading, with varying results.  My younger son, who is now 17 (!!!!) was always the bigger reader, but they both could be hooked with a really great story.  The problem is, I can't always find those really compelling novels that will pull them in immediately.  And because I'm an author, they know terms like "the hook", "the conflict", "the author's voice", etc.  It's hard to argue if they tell me they can't connect with the characters or the pacing is slow. 

So, five years ago, I started blogging about some of the books and series they really loved (links to those posts are below).  I have three posts over the years with titles they've enjoyed.  My oldest son is now in college, with a summer internship in full swing as well, so his time is limited.  But my younger son has a lot of downtime this summer, and I really wanted to get him reading again.  I say "again", because we hit a roadblock a few years ago.  In 2016, he read the A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones), tearing through all five enormous books currently out (and I'd read them as well, so I do know there are adult scenes but my feeling has always been if my kids are reading, I'm happy, whatever it is).  The problem arose because those books are so incredible, so intricately plotted, so full of danger and battles and dragons and betrayals, so exciting and action-packed, that nothing he started reading afterwards could compare.  I tried several books that are similar in theme or genre, but he just kept saying they weren't as good and losing interest.   

I'm sad to say this went on for almost 3 years.  We tried The Dark Tower series, other Stephen King books, River God, Swan Song...all great books that I loved.  He would put them down after the first chapter.  The only novels he read were for school, and I generally don't find our school makes very compelling picks.

But this summer, I said we're going to get back into reading for pleasure.  I started with an Amazon search of books related in purchase history to the Quarantine series, which both my kids loved and couldn't put down.  I found a title called Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne.  He loved it!  This is a YA thriller revolving around a busload of kids of different ages trying to survive in a supermarket after an apocalyptic event.  Thankfully, there were two more books in the series, so we had July covered.

A few of my next picks didn't grab his attention, but another thing happened...he rented the first Lord of the Rings movie.  I was surprised he hadn't seen those movies already with his brother or his friends.  But now he's saying he'd like to read the books too (despite already seeing the movies)...yay!  That's how he got into the Game of Thrones books, so I'm hopeful.  And when a series is *his* idea, and not mine, it makes it all the more likely he'll keep reading.  And here on Cape, the kids don't go back to school until after Labor Day, so we have a few more weeks of beach reading relaxation!


Other recommendations over the years:


Books for Boys

Books for Boys 2

Books for Boys 3

Game of Thrones Characters A-Z #AtoZChallenge #GoT #GameofThrones

Game of Thrones is coming back!  To say I’m excited is an understatement.  This series of books has long been a favorite, and watching the show has become a treasured family event in a stage where convincing two teenage boys to spend time with me can be difficult.  A few years ago, I did a GoT version of “TheA-Z Blog Challenge”, something many authors participate in during the month of April.  The idea is to post a new topic every day, using the alphabet for inspiration, but instead, I made one big post highlighting one GoT character for each letter of the alphabet. It has been so popular, I decided to do it again with a new list.  I tried to find characters included in both the books and the show if possible, and if you’ve watched the show up to the latest season, you won’t find any spoilers.

A is for: Aerys II, the last Targaryen to rule the Seven Kingdoms.  He became known as the Mad King after grief and imprisonment contributed to his downward spiral of cruelty and paranoia.  When his eldest surviving son, Rhaegar, allegedly kidnapped Lyanna Stark, the eldest Stark brother, Brandon, rode to King’s Landing.  Aerys arrested Brandon for threats against the crown, and executed both Brandon and his father, Lord Rickard Stark, in a horrific manner.  When he then demanded the heads of Eddard (Ned) Stark and Robert Baratheon, Lyanna’s fiancé, the war known as Robert’s Rebellion began.  Aerys was killed by Jaime Lannister, a member of his own Kingsguard.

B is for: Balon Greyjoy, the Lord of the Iron Islands.  Shortly after Robert’s Rebellion and ascension to the throne, Balon declared Greyjoy’s Rebellion, seeking the title of King of the Iron Islands.  The revolt failed, and Balon was forced to send his only surviving son, Theon, to live as a ward of the Starks.

C is for: Catelyn Stark, wife of Eddard (Ned) Stark.  Cat grew up a Tully at Riverrun, where Petyr Baelish lived as her father’s ward.  She was betrothed to Brandon Stark but was later married to Ned when Brandon was executed.

Michael Huisman as Daario Naharas
on HBO's Game of Thrones

D is for: Daario Naharas, one of the captains of the Stormcrows, a mercenary company hired to defend Yunkai from Daenerys’ invading army.  When Daario meets Daenerys, she invites him to switch allegiance, and after killing the other captains, he brings the Stormcrows to her side.  Eventually they become lovers.

E is for: Ellaria Sand, a paramour of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne.  She is the father of several of his illegitimate daughters, a group known as the Sand Snakes. 

F is for: Free Folk, the term those who live north of (or “beyond”) the wall use to describe themselves, because they do not recognize the authority of a royal king.  Those in the Seven Kingdoms refer to the Free Folk as Wildlings because of their more primitive lifestyle.

G is for: Gilly, one of women held at Craster’s Keep.  Craster, a Wildling who married his daughters and granddaughters, sacrificed all his male babies to the White Walkers (The “Others”).  When the Night’s Watch sheltered at the Keep, Gilly begged one of the brothers, Samwell Tarly, to help her escape in order to protect her male child.

H is for: High Sparrow, the name taken by the current High Septon, or head, of The Faith of the Seven, the religion followed by the majority of the Westeros (the exceptions being the north and the Iron Islands).  The term “new gods” refers to the “Seven Who Are One” worshiped in The Faith: Father, Mother, Warrior, Maiden, Smith, Crone, Stranger.

I is for: Ilyn Payne, whose tongue was removed with hot pincers by the Mad King when he repeated a rumor that Tywin Lannister, the King’s Hand at the time, was really running the Seven Kingdoms.  He was later named the King’s Justice, or the royal executioner, under King Robert Baratheon.

J is for: Jaqen H’ghar, one of the Faceless Men who worship a god of death known as the Many-Faced God.  He was imprisoned in a cage on a trip north to join the Night’s Watch, and when Arya Stark saved his life, he gave her a coin and a phrase to give to any man of Braavos should she need help in the future.

K is for: King Tommen, the young, newly crowned ruler who became king when King Joffrey was poisoned at his own wedding.  While Tommen inherited the Iron Throne through his Baratheon name, his claim is disputed since he appears to be the son of Cersei and Jaime Lannister and thus both illegitimate and the child of an incestuous relationship.  He married Margaery Tyrell, the bride of his deceased brother.

Dean-Charles Chapman and Natalie Dormer as King Tommen
and Queen Margaery on HBO's Game of Thrones

L is for: Loras Tyrell, the Knight of the Flowers and Queen Margaery’s brother.  He is a handsome and skilled knight and the former lover of Renly Baratheon, one of the three claimants of the Iron Throne during the War of the Five Kings.  The two other “kings” involved were the leaders of separatist groups, Robb Stark as the King of the North and Balon Greyjoy as the King of the Iron Islands.

M is for: Missandei, a handmaid and confidant of Daenerys Targaryen.  Originally from Naath, or the Isle of Butterflies in the Summer Sea, she was captured and sold into slavery in Astapor.  She serves as a translator when Daenerys buys the Unsullied, and is then offered employment once Daenerys sets all the slaves free.

N is for: Nissa Nissa, the wife of the hero Azor Ahai in legends.  According to followers of R’hollor (the Red God, the Lord of Light), Azor Ahai was chosen to fight the darkness blanketing the world, and in order to create the sword he needed, he sacrificed his wife Nissa Nissa, driving the blade through her heart so her soul melded with the steel.  Followers of R’hollor believe Azor Ahai will return to stand against the Others.

O is for: Osha, a wildling woman captured by the Starks during an assault on young Bran.  Although forced into servitude in exchange for her life, she formed a strong bond with the Stark children remaining in Winterfell, and along with Hodor and the direwolves, helped them escape a siege.

P is for: Podrick Payne.  Pod is a distant cousin of Ser Ilyn Payne and served as Tyrion Lannister’s squire.  At the Battle of the Blackwater, he intervened when a member of the Kingsguard attacked Tyrion.  As a result, Tyrion survived the assassination attempt, although he suffered a terrible wound to his face.

Q is for: Qyburn, a former maester stripped of his chains and title for performing unethical experiments on live patients.  He attends to Jaime Lannister’s severed limb at Harrenhal and then returns to King’s Landing with him.  After Ser Gregor Clegane, The Mountain, is gravely wounded fighting Prince Oberyn Martell, Qyburn conducts extensive experiments and possibly dark magic on the poisoned knight.

R is for: Ramsay Bolton, a former bastard of Roose Bolton known as Ramsay Snow.  He is a cruel sadist who enjoys hunting humans and the Bolton tradition of flaying enemies alive.  When the Boltons attack Winterfell, Ramsay takes Theon as his prisoner, renames him “Reek” after a former servant, and tortures him extensively.  After Ramsay’s wedding, which gives him a claim to Winterfell, King Tommen I grants a decree of legitimization to make Ramsay a Bolton.

S is for: Samwell Tarly, a member of the Night’s Watch and Jon Snow’s best friend.  He was forced to “take the black” by his father, who felt his timid oldest son did not deserve the position of inheritance.  With Jon’s support, Sam grows braver, and eventually earns the nickname Sam the Slayer after killing an Other with a piece of dragonglass.  Sam’s dream is to become a maester, and after Jon is made Lord Commander, he allows Sam—with Gilly and her baby—to leave for Oldtown to begin his studies.     

T is for: Tysha, a peasant girl saved from a group of men by Jaime and Tyrion Lannister.  A 13-year-old Tyrion fell in love with her and quickly married her.  When his father Tywin found out his son had married a crofter’s daughter, he instructed Jaime to lie to his brother, telling Tyrion she was a whore, paid to sleep with him; he then forced Tyrion to watch the guards gang rape her.  

  

U is for: the Unsullied, slaves chosen at a young age to train as soldiers in Astapor.  The Unsullied are treated brutally, castrated, and stripped of any individuality.  Those who survive become disciplined and highly skilled fighters.  While Daenerys is in Astapor, she buys every Unsullied from the slaver and then orders her new army to kill all the Good Masters and other supporters of the slave trade.

The baby dragons in a scene
from HBO's Game of Thrones

V is for: Viserion, one of the three dragons born from the eggs gifted to Daenerys for her wedding to Khal Drogo.  They hatch when Daenerys burns the eggs in Drogo’s funeral pyre in the Dothraki Sea.  Viserion is named for Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys’s older brother.  The ancient connection between House Targaryen and dragons dates back to the Doom of Valyria, which left only five dragons in existence—the five House Targaryen had brought to Dragonstone when they went into exile. 

W is for: Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins (also called the Crossing)—identical towers on either side of the Trident river connected by a stone bridge.  He is almost 90 years old and has many offspring, both legitimate and illegitimate.  A deal is struck to marry two Freys to Robb and Arya Stark when Robb Stark’s host requires the bridge during the War of the Five Kings, but Robb breaks his promise and marries another.  “The Red Wedding” is Frey’s revenge.  

  

X is for: Xanda Qo, a female warrior and princess who lived on the Summer Isles.  Once a slave herself, she put an end to the “Years of Shame” by uniting the islands under her rule and eventually ending slavery there.  Current lords from the Summer Isles attended Daenerys and Khal Drogo’s wedding, and dancers from the Summer Isles performed at the royal wedding of King Joffrey and Queen Margaery.

Y is for: the Yunkai’i, citizens of the city of Yunkai in Essos.  Yunkai sits on the coast of Slaver’s Bay and the Wise Masters participate in slave trade.  After Daenerys attacks and defeats Yunkai, she sets all the slaves free before continuing on to Meereen.

Z is for: Zamettar, a ruined city on the coast of Sothoryos, which is one of the four known continents in the A Song of Ice and Fire world (the others being Westeros, Essos, and Ulthos).  Nymeria, a Princess of the Rhoynar, led her people into exile after defeat by the Valyrian Freehold and settled briefly on Zamettar before continuing on to Dorne, where she married a Martell.  Their allied forces conquered the remainder of Dorne, and previous kings were sent to the wall.

There you have it, my A-Z wrap-up--hope you enjoyed!  See my first A-Z Game of Thrones Characters here for more.  And if you’re a fan of spooky suspense and steamy romance, grab one of my books to help pass the time to premier day!

SILVER LAKE – A haunting, an old flame, and secrets from the past…

GULL HARBOR – A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await Claire…

DIVINE FALL – (Young Adult) Revenge, Romance, and a Rogue Fallen Angel…

Sources: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin and A Wiki of Ice and Fire. 

#Books for Boys~ Teen Version Upper #YA #amreading

My younger son, attempting
to read while standing up
on the crowded tube in
London (the A Song of Ice
and Fire series)

Hands down, my absolute favorite pastime is reading...even more so than writing.  I've literally never been bored in my life, thanks to my love of reading, and things like waits in airports and doctors' offices make me happy, because it's an excuse to read.  I've done my best to instill my love of reading in my kids, but it hasn't always been easy.  It requires a bit of work on my part, in terms of searching out the type of books that capture their attention fast, and that can actually compete with all the technology available to kids today.  But I'm up for the challenge!

My first Books for Boys post (written in 2014, when my boys were 12 and 15), was so popular, in terms of hits, that I followed it with More Books for Boys a few months later.  Now, my kids are 15 and 18 (how did that happen?), so I thought I'd write about a few other series that have been favorites of my sons in the past few years.  Both boys are very picky, one because he's a reluctant reader, and the other because he's such an avid reader, with an author for a mother, that he's able to quickly vocalize things he doesn't like...i.e., he'll tell me there's no hook, the pace is too slow, etc. -- what can I say to that?  Those are all valid complaints, and I can't argue that he's at least picked up some of the topics I teach in my writing classes.  So hopefully these suggestions will work for other teenage boys looking for page-turning entertainment!  Fair warning, though...like me, my boys appreciate some pulse-pounding, life-or-death action, as well as some scary scenes that up the stakes for the characters.  Younger teens or those who don't like that sort of thing might want to avoid the scarier titles.

The Loners (Book 1 of The Quarantine series) by Lex Thomas: a YA dystopian thriller series described as "Lord of the Flies in a 21st century high school setting".  When a high school devolves into chaos following a military quarantine, survival becomes a desperate challenge.  With no adults left inside to fill the vacuum of authority, violent gangs form as social cliques band together to maintain strength in numbers.  But protagonist David Thorpe and his younger brother, Will, have been always been loners...and now, it's just the two of them against the rest of the students.

My kids could NOT put these books down, even my older reluctant reader.  In fact, when I packed the second in the series for him for our trip to London, he finished it in a few days and I had to download the next one and share my Kindle!  Comparisons have been made to popular YA novels The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Gone, so any fans of those books might want to give this series a try!  The books are: The Loners, The Saints, The Burnouts, and the latest release, The Giant.

These covers alone are super creepy!

Lockdown (Book 1 of Escape from Furnace series) by Alexander Gordon Smith: another survival-type thriller, this time set in a hellish prison for teen offenders called Furnace.  There are many terrors lurking in the prison, and when the protagonist Alex realizes justice will not help save him from this nightmare, he devises an escape plan--but the secrets he learns about the Furnace soon put him in even more danger.  Fast-paced action and enough scares to keep readers engaged.  Books in the series include Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives, and Execution.  

There have been a few different covers
for these amazing books

A Game of Thrones (Book 1 in the A Song of Ice and Fire series) by George R.R. Martin: *not* a YA series, but the inspiration for the very popular HBO show featuring the dark high fantasy series filled with amazing characters, dramatic plot twists, epic battles, and unrelenting action in the quest not just for power and control, but for human survival as well.  

As I mentioned, this is not a YA series, and there is heavy subject matter and scenes with sex and violence.  Unfortunately, actual history is filled with similar incidents, so we use these topics as a springboard for conversation (for example, the main plot is loosely based on The Wars of the Roses in England). So, yes, I let my teens watch the show, which certainly employs some racy scenes.  But there are only a few things my two teen boys want to do with me, and watching the show based on books I raved about is one of them.  The show veered away from the books in a number of very significant ways, so I mentioned they might want to read the novels to not only see what happens in the books, but to discover plot points, backstories, and characters that never made it into the show.  This worked on my younger son, and he tore through all five huge novels, and now we both anxiously await the sixth.  The books are: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons.  These books were also part of my annual "Favorites Books" post for 2012.

The Gunslinger (Book 1 in The Dark Tower series) by Stephen King: Another epic high fantasy series with a memorable cast of characters on a quest to find The Dark Tower, complete with touches of the spine-tingling horror King is known for.  The journey through this world, which has "moved on", takes readers through bleak landscapes, deserted cities, desolate beaches, and magical spots that connect to our own world.  While my kids haven't read these yet, almost everyone I know who has liked Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire has also enjoyed The Dark Tower.  It's now being made into a movie, so I've purchased the first book to get them started before it comes out.

So there you have it, what my teens have been reading this past year.  Feel free to add your own suggestions in comments below!
  

A Bit of Zombie History - Zombies #TWD #TheWalkingDead

My books, while romance, almost always also deal with a ghost--the spirit of a being who has passed away, yet can appear or communicate in ways similar to a living person.  In essence, an incorporeal (without a physical body) version of the undead.  But in fiction and legend, there are also many examples of physical manifestations of the undead: vampires, mummies, wights, and of course, zombies.

These zombies want a piece of Rick Grimes
The Walking Dead

I'm a fan of all things paranormal, and I've been watching The Walking Dead since the very first episode aired on October 31, 2010 - Halloween.  Fans of the show (or the comic series, on which the show is based) know the zombies on TWD are referred to as "walkers".  There are also zombie-like creatures on another show I love, Game of Thrones.  This show is of course based on the amazing novels in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin.  In Westeros, beyond the Wall, a zombie-like race known as wights wait to attack those with warm blood.  The wights are dead humans or animals who have been raised back up by the Others, an inhuman race also lurking beyond the Wall.  The Others, or White Walkers, are ancient humanoid beings associated with cold whose only weakness appears to be dragonglass.

Wights in ASOIAF can be easily
recognized by their bright blue eyes
Game of Thrones

The fictional (hopefully!) nature of zombies allows an author to decide how these already-dead creatures can be destroyed.  In TWD, the walkers' reanimated brains must receive another fatal blow.  It takes fire to stop a wight in ASOIAF. 

The book credited
with introducing
"zombi" into US speech

This fictional nature also allows for various interpretations of what a zombie is, but the general definition is a reanimated corpse with an appetite for human flesh.  In Haitian folklore, the reanimation is due to some type of magic, such as witchcraft.  During the U.S. Occupation of Haiti (1915-1934), more people became aware of the idea of zombies after apparent case histories emerged.  The journalist, explorer, occultist, and cannibal William Seabrook traveled through Haiti in the late 1920s, and he recorded a sensationalistic version of his experiences involving Haitian Vodue (Voodoo).  The book, The Magic Island, was published in 1929 and is credited by Time Magazine with the introduction of the word "zombi" to Western culture. 



One of the most famous zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead (1968), did not even use the term zombie at all.  The reanimated corpses were referred to as "ghouls" in the screenplay.  One of the writers of this cult classic, George A. Romero, admits basing the screenplay on the novel I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson (a great book and a recent movie as well!)  In I Am Legend, the infected beings lurking around the last human's house are referred to as vampires, not zombies.  But the general idea of a battle for human survival in an apocalyptic scenario has become very popular, which brings us back to The Walking Dead.  This group of survivors struggles daily not just to stay alive, but to maintain their humanity after society has crumbled.

There are too many novels and films featuring zombies to discuss here, but I hope you enjoyed a little history on the undead.  If you'd like to try some undead suspense in the form of a spooky ghost story (mixed with steamy romance!), download a copy of GULL HARBOR or SILVER LAKE.  The characters face a haunted house, not a zombie apocalypse, but the plot twists, dangerous secrets, and chilling messages from desperate spirits should make your pulse pound a little faster!     

A-Z #GameofThrones Characters - My #AtoZchallenge #GoT

A lot of authors are doing April's A-Z Challenge, which involves aiming for a blog post a day using that day's letter as inspiration.  It definitely sounds challenging to me, in terms of time...aside from teaching classes, I have to work on my fourth manuscript, get my older son to regular PT appointments, get my younger son to baseball and soccer, and just keep up with life in general.

But it also sounds kind of fun, so I came up with my own way to participate.  I've written about how much I enjoyed the A Song of Ice and Fire series in the past, on my favorite books list.  When my teenage son broke his leg in February, he and I started watching the Game of Thrones television series together to help keep him occupied during those days on the couch.  And I was happily back in George R. R. Martin's world, hooked all over again.

So my twist on the A-Z Challenge was to see if I could find a character name or nickname for each letter of the alphabet.  One post, with a long list.  Some letters had so many popular characters, it was difficult to choose who to profile!  But here's what I came up with.  If you're just watching the shows, you won't find any spoilers here.  If I included a name only mentioned in the books, I only gave basic background information.  Overall, I tried to stay away from major plot points and just list history and interesting facts.  I thought I knew the series fairly well, but I learned a lot from my A-Z Challenge!

Arya Stark of
Winterfell

A is for: Arya Stark, the only character to have POV (point of view) chapters in all 5 of the published novels.  She is the third of five children of Catelyn and Eddard Stark of Winterfell.  Also known as Arya Underfoot, she’s a fiery, spirited girl who shuns the proper behavior of a noblewoman to pursue adventure and sword fighting.

B is for: Brienne the Beauty, a sarcastic nickname for Brienne of Tarth which refers to her unfeminine appearance and demeanor.  Brienne’s height and strength allow her to become an adept swordfighter, and she is allowed to join Renly Baratheon’s Rainbow Guard.  Later she pledges her service to Lady Catelyn Stark of Winterfell.

C is for: Cersei, the eldest child of Tywin Lannister, born seconds before her twin brother Jaime.  She became Queen of the Seven Kingdoms when she married Robert Baratheon. 

D is for: Drogo, a Khal of the Dothraki nomadic tribes.  Drogo led the largest khalasar on the Dothraki Sea, and his long braid symbolized his status as an undefeated warrior.  Drogo is given Daenerys Targaryen as a bride in exchange for providing an army for Viserys Targaryen to take back the Iron Throne.

E is for: Edmure Tully, the son of Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun and the younger brother of Catelyn (Tully) Stark and Lysa (Tully) Arryn.

Worth her weight
in silver

F is for: Fat Walda, a granddaughter of Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins.  The heavy-set Walda is selected by Lord Roose Bolton as a bride when Lord Frey offered a dowry equal to the chosen bride’s weight in silver.

G is for: Gendry, a blacksmith apprentice who, unbeknownst to most, is also the bastard son of King Robert Baratheon.  His mother died when he was young, and an anonymous patron paid double the customary fee for his apprenticeship at a King’s Landing blacksmith.  Gendry is later sold and leaves King’s Landing with Yoren, a recruiter for the Night’s Watch, the men who guard the Wall.

H is for: Hodor, the nickname of Walder, a mentally challenged stableboy at Winterfell.  He says only one word: “Hodor”.  Because of this, the Stark children believed this to be his name.  His is kind and loyal, and his superior size and strength allow him to carry the injured Bran Stark on his back.

I is for: the Imp, a nickname, along with the Halfman, for the dwarf Tyrion Lannister, third child of Tywin.  Tyrion’s birth resulted in the death of his mother, Joanna Lannister; his father blames him for this and abhors his deformity.  But Tyrion makes up for his lack of height and respect with a clever mind and a quick wit.

J is for: Joffrey Baratheon, the son of the Queen Regent Cersei, who claims the throne as a young boy when King Robert dies in a hunting incident.  Joffrey is the eldest Baratheon child and is known for being spoiled, cruel, and temperamental.  He is twelve years old at the start of the books.  Nicknames include Joffrey the Illborn, the Young Usurper, and Aerys the third.

K is for: Kingslayer, the nickname earned by Jaime Lannister when, as a member of the Kingsguard, he drew his sword on the king he vowed to protect and killed the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen.  Jaime was knighted by Ser Arthur Dayne at the age of fifteen, and joined the Kingsguard as the order’s youngest member in history, partly in an attempt to avoid a marriage to Lysa Tully. 

L is for: Lord Snow, the nickname of Jon Snow, a bastard (and therefore not likely to ever be a lord) apparently fathered by Ned Stark of Winterfell.  Jon is fourteen years old at the start of the books; his true-born brother, Robb, was only slightly older.  Growing up among nobles, Jon is constantly made aware of his diminished status and prospects.  Eventually this leads to him follow his Uncle Benjen’s path to the Wall to join the Night’s Watch.

M is for: Melisandre, the Red Woman, a priestess of R’hllor originally from Asshai.  Melisandre, a former slave sold at auction, came to Dragonstone because she believed Stannis Baratheon was Azor Ahai reborn.  Ancient prophecy claims that Azor Ahai, a legendary hero who forged a sword of fire, defeated the Others (White Walkers) thousands of years ago and will return to fight them again.  Conflicting legends give credit to the first men of the Night’s Watch for defeating the Others in the Battle for the Dawn.

A gray direwolf is
the sigil of House Stark

N is for: Nymeria, a huge wolf belonging to Arya.  Nymeria was one of the six direwolves found orphaned in the woods and adopted by the five legitimate Stark siblings and Jon Snow, the bastard sibling.  Although now rare, the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark.

O is for: the Onion Knight, the nickname of former smuggler Davos Seaworth.  Davos began as a lowborn child in Flea Bottom, but eventually came to command his own ship, the Black Betha.  When a blockade had the men at Storm’s End starving during Robert’s Rebellion, Davos snuck through with onions and other food, thus sustaining Stanis Baratheon’s garrison there until help arrived in the form of Eddard Stark.  As a result, Stannis knighted Davos, but cut off the fingers of his left hand to exact payment for the Onion Knight’s past crimes.

P is for: Lord Petyr Baelish, known as Littlefinger.  Petyr was born on the Fingers, which are rocky strips of land in the Vale of Aryyn which protrude into the narrow sea.  A friendship between his father and Hoster Tully resulted in Petyr being fostered as a child at Riverrun; the Tully children gave him his nickname in reference to his family’s small land holdings.  Petyr fell in love with Catelyn, although the feelings were not returned.  He challenged Brandon Stark to a duel when their engagement was announced, and Cat begged Brandon not to kill him.  At the opening of the books, Littlefinger has risen to the court’s small council, serving as Master of Coin.

Q is for: Queen of Thorns, a nickname given to Lady Olenna Redwyne based on her clever, sharp comments.  She is the mother of Mace Tyrell and the grandmother of Margaery.  She is quite loyal to House Tyrell, which she married into long ago, but that does not stop her from making her trademark sarcastic criticisms of its members as well.

R is for: Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, the eldest son of the Mad King Aerys II and an heir to the Iron Throne.  His alleged abduction of Lyanna Stark, who was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, triggered Robert’s Rebellion and consequently the end of the Targaryen rule.  Although the Targaryen custom was to wed brother to sister to maintain a pure bloodline, Daenerys had not been born when it was time for Rhaegar to marry; he was eventually married to Elia Martell, a Dornish princess.  They had two children, a daughter Rhaenys and a son Aegon.  However, at the Tourney of Harrenhal, Rhaegar crowned Lyanna the “Queen of Love and Beauty” instead of his wife; he kidnapped Lyanna a year later and died at the Battle of the Trident, killed by Robert.

S is for: Sandor Clegane, known as the Hound because of his family’s crest of three dogs as well as his size and demeanor.  His older brother, Ser Gregor Clegane, The Mountain, shoved Sandor’s face into a brazier when they were children; as a result, the Hound’s face is horribly scarred, and although he became a fierce warrior, he fears fire.  Although he refused to take a knight’s vows, Sandor was named to the Kingsguard when Ser Barristan Selmy was dismissed.

T is for: Theon Greyjoy, last living son of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands.  Following the Greyjoy Rebellion, Theon became a hostage as a ward of Lord Stark of Winterfell.

Daenerys Stormborn

U is for: the Unburnt, one of the many nicknames of Daenerys Targaryen, the last known survivor of House Targaryen.  Having been born in exile, she has no memory of the kingdom her father, the Mad King Aerys II, once ruled.  Her mother, Rhaella, the wife and sister of Aerys, died as she gave birth to Dany while a terrible storm lashed the walls of Dragonstone.  The infant Dany and her brother Viserys were then smuggled to the city of Braavos with the help of men loyal to the Targaryen House.

V is for: Lord Varys, a eunuch known as the Spider; he is part of the court’s small council as the Master of Whisperers.  Born a slave in Lys, he ended up in Pentos, and his reputation as the leader of a spy network earned him the notice of the Mad King Aerys II, who was sinking deeper and deeper into paranoia.

W is for: Wymen Manderly, Lord of White Harbor, also known as Lord-Too-Fat-To-Sit-A-Horse.  He is often mocked for his size and subsequently dismissed as an ineffectual leader; this is a label Lord Manderly uses to his advantage.  He is the warden of the north’s primary trade port and a loyal supporter of House Stark.

X is for: Xaro Xhoan Daxos, a member of the Thirteen of Qarth, a group of influential merchants.  When Daenerys and her small group arrive in Qarth, desperate and exhausted, Xaro allows them into the walled city and offers them respite in his palace.

Y is for: Ygritte, a wildling from north of the Wall.  While the wildlings embrace their freedom from “kneeling”, they chose to follow their elected leader, Mance Rayder, “The-King-Beyond-the-Wall”.  Ygritte encounters Jon Snow when a wildling scouting party is ambushed by members of the Night’s Watch.

Z is for: Zollo, known as Zollo the Fat, a Dothraki member of the Brave Companions, a sellsword company also referred to as the Bloody Mummers.  The Brave Companions are a particularly vicious group of mercenaries comprised of criminals and outcasts from other nations, led by Vargo Hoat, The Goat.  

Hooked on #GameofThrones - Kathryn Knight

I read all five books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series in 2012, and when I did my round up of favorite books of the year, they were on top of the list.  High fantasy is not my usual go-to genre, but a friend recommended the series, and at that point the television show had already premiered.  I didn't watch--I don't even have that channel--but I figured all the buzz had to mean something.



When I started the first book, A Game of Thrones, I was almost ready to give up after the first few chapters.  The writing was incredible, but the many characters, their relationships, houses, and siguls were confusing, to say the least.  Throw in the fact that each character has about 5 different names, and things get overwhelming fast.  I wish I'd had the sense to check the back of the book, because I later discovered handy "cheat sheets", with characters, nicknames, and relationships arranged by house. 

Before I gave up, I reminded myself that I'm a fairly smart person (despite my failure to find the charts in the back), and if so many others could figure all this stuff out, so could I.  And I did.  It took a lot of paging back at first to connect each character to multiple nicknames, but it also made everything more colorful and realistic--the characters were starting to come off the page.  "The Kingslayer" reveals so much more about Jaime Lannister than just his birth name alone; the same can be said about Tyrion Lannister's unkind nickname "The Imp".  "Arya Underfoot" really sets the tone for what that character represents, and where her journey will lead.

The world building in the books is incredible as well.  I truly felt as though I could picture each land, village, castle, keep, and ocean.  Descriptions of The Wall made me shiver.  King's Landing felt dirty and desperate beneath the shadow of The Red Keep.  The Iron Islands stood by the merciless sea, bleak and damp.

I didn't feel like I needed to watch the shows, because I could see the characters and settings so clearly in my head.  Besides, I knew exactly what was going to happen--and some of it was so brutal, I wasn't sure I needed a visual to compete the picture.  The biggest factor, though, was the fact that we don't have HBO.

But then my brother-in-law gave us the season 1 DVDs as a gift, and I was incredibly impressed.  The casting could not have been closer to what I imagined, the costumes and settings were brilliant, and the writers and actors truly captured the essence of the first novel.  Most importantly, to me at least, the show stayed true to the events in the book.  And even though I knew what was coming, I still felt the suspense, laughed at the clever dialog, and enjoyed the breathtaking views of the lands in my head.



Shae looking down over King's Landing

After my husband and I had watched the first season, though, we were stuck--no HBO, and no season 2 DVDs available yet.  While I felt like I was missing out, I told myself eventually I could go back and watch the entire show with no painful wait between seasons.

Then, my teenage son broke his leg.  He had emergency surgery and could not go to school for over a week.  He was laid up on the couch, and since he's unfortunately not the reader my other son is, he spent most of his time watching TV.  I tried to keep him company, but eventually I thought I might scream if I saw one more silly, raunchy sitcom.

So I pulled out the DVDs.  Yes, I know, some scenes are fairly graphic in terms of sex.  But I'm not a mom who pretends sex doesn't exist--after all, I'm a romance writer.  A few scenes were a little uncomfortable to watch together, but I also knew which scenes could be fast-forwarded through without losing necessary information.

My son loved it.  We were both hooked, and even after he could return to school, it became our "thing" to do together.  Which is fun, because other than watching this and The Walking Dead, there aren't many activities we can't wait to do together.  I ordered season 2.  We finished that.  I ordered season 3, which we just started watching.

Last night, around 8:00 pm, my son came to me and suggested we get HBO.  "Why?" I asked.  "We just started season 3.  It's season 4 that's premiering tonight."

"We're going to want to watch season 4 right away.  We're not going to want to wait until the DVDs come out.  We could record the episodes so we have them."

I opened my mouth to argue that the last thing we needed was more television channels, but I realized he was right.  At 8:30, I was on the phone, holding for a Comcast customer service rep.  At 8:45, we were going over pricing plans.  Somehow, we were able to get all the premium channels for not much more than we already pay, for one year anyway.  By 8:59, HBO was no longer a blue screen with access denied.  That fantastic music began to play, and I had to set up the recording and turn it off.  For now.

I imagine we'll be caught up soon, and then Sunday night will become our night, and we can watch with the rest of the world.  And I'm so glad, because after last week's The Walking Dead finale, I felt a little sad--we wouldn't have our show together for another seven months or so.  Now we have this.  Unless the show catches up to the fifth book before the sixth one is finished.  I know a series like this can't be rushed, but I hope George R.R Martin is making progress on The Winds of Winter.  What a book release day that will be!

My Favorite Reads of 2012 - Kathryn Knight

Finding time to read AND write each day is a challenge, but I usually manage. As I was picking out some new titles from my Goodreads list, I took a quick look at what I'd read in 2012. Here's my list of my favorites from a few genres--I enjoy reading many different things. The one glaring omission, which people may notice because I'm a ROMANCE WRITER for goodness sake, is Romance. There were just too many great ones to pick from, although I will say that many of the books I chose from other genres have a romantic element.

Here we go:

Fantasy: the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin

I read all 5 ENORMOUS books in this series in the beginning of the year: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. This saga is so amazingly full of plot twists and turns, shocking developments, rich characters, medieval fantasy, and exotic places. The world-building alone is a staggering feat, and I anxiously await the next in the series.


Historical Fiction: The Winthrop Woman by Anya Seton

Published in 1900, this is a fantastic account of one woman's journey to the New World in 1631. I had to get used to the changing POVs, but I learned a great deal about Puritan society in the Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut colonies, and the hardships and dangers of that period as settlers moved along the east coast. And I related to Elizabeth Winthrop, the rebellious young woman who dared to challenge the rules of the time.

Biographies/Memoirs: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

People had been telling me I HAD to read this book for years--but memoirs are not my thing usually. Then I saw it on a friend's coffee table and picked it up, and I was hooked from the beginning. The childhood Ms. Walls had was unique: sometimes tragically sad and sometimes beautiful. I was so moved and astounded by this book I gave it to my husband and then had my older son read it.

YA: Wither by Lauren DeStephano (Book 1 of The Chemical Garden)

A poignant story of a young girl in a dystopian world, kidnapped and forced into polygamy for her ability to procreate before society disappears forever, thanks to a mutated gene that scientists created while trying to strengthen the human race.

Literary Fiction: Madeleine's Ghost by Robert Girardi (a re-read)

What can I say about this book? It's one of my all-time favorites. The ultimate combination (for me) of ghost story, love story, mystery, and history, this novel moves between the gritty streets of a run-down neighborhood in Brooklyn and the steamy bayous of New Orleans.

Those are the books that stood out for me over the last year! Did you have a favorite read of 2012?