November RandomCat: Celebrating NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month is an annual internet based creative writing project that takes place in November. The participants are challenged to write 50,000 words during the month.

Although not all NaNoWriMo entries are from unpublished authors, the majority are. So in honor of NaNoWriMo and first time published works, my RandomCat Challenge for November is to read an author’s debut book. This could be a book by a favorite author whose first book you have yet to read, or you can introduce yourself to a new author.

Please let us know what books you are planning to read and don’t forget to add your books to the Wiki



Just for interest sake, since 2006 about 100 NanoWriMo novels have been published by well-known publishing houses. Some of these are:

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
The Darwin Elevator by Jason M. Hough
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Assassin’s Heart by Sarah Ahiers

I am planning on reading Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Oh, what an excellent theme! I'm looking forward to a root through my tbr.

Ok, some options for me:

- The Snow Child / Eowyn Ivey
- 3,096 Days / Natascha Kampusch
- Shotgun Lovesongs / Nickolas Butler
- The Bees / Laline Paull
- White Oleander / Janet Fitch

>4 LibraryCin: Snow Child was a five star read for me last year and I am very intrigued by The Bees but I have already set it aside for one of the AwardCat Reads next year. Yes, I am the book nerd who is already making a pile of books that I hope to read in 2017!

I have a category this year for 1st novels and there's still one spot open. I may move Snow Child from my book bullets category to here or I may read Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

ETA: My sister-in-law's grandmother (who passed away a couple of weeks ago at 96 - wonderful woman) used to love to read debut novels. She would search them out when looking for something to read.

I found one! Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton is in my TBR stash. http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2010/04/paige-shelton-on-getting-published...

That's really interesting to hear about NaNoWriMo novels that actually got published!

Because I have a lot of big books on the TBR pile this month, I think I'll slip in a short one: The Crime on Cote des Neiges, by David Montrose. This is part of a series set in Montreal in the 1950s and featuring a private eye in the mould of Marlowe or Lew Archer.

Deltaqueen, I adore this theme! I haven't decided yet whether or not I'll participate in NaNoWriMo this year, but I'll certainly participate here :) I also adore Purple Hibiscus--I've taught it in classes a number of times, and never mind re-reading it!

>4 LibraryCin: and >6 dudes22:, Snow Child is one of my favorite reads for 2016--it really is enchanting! I also recently read A Robot in the Garden, which was Deborah Install's debut novel, and it's simply wonderful. That one will probably end up being my top read for 2016--I just adored it, and can't speak highly enough of it.

Meanwhile, I'll have to look through my stacks to decide on what I'm reading, but I know I'll find plenty of choices!

I'm a dedicated NaNoWriMo participant, so obviously I think this is a great theme! Not sure what I'll read, yet. Since I'll be writing madly not sure how much I'll get read during November, but I'll definitely hope to join y'all. I'll be needing something after the madness of working at the polls this election!

So much to choose from! I'll be reading one of the following: Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty, or Rules of Civility by Amor Towles.

ETA: I'm also going to try and read Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym.

>5 DeltaQueen50: I have both of them (one in print and one ebook), so they'd be easy ones to grab. But, I also have White Oleander and have been trying to get to that one for years! I even had it as a possibility for 1 or 2 monthly challenges earlier this year, but never got to it, then, either! So, it's likely to be the first one I reach for. But, we'll see. Things happen, I might change my mind. Good to know The Bees will fit one of the awards next year, as well, though.

I think I'll read (finally) The Martian.

How great is it that we have members of the Category Challenge that are participating in NaNoWriMo! Good luck and good writing wishes are on their way to you.

Great topic! According to a tag search I have several debut novels on the tbr shelf:

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
Before I go to sleep by S.J. Watson
Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone by J.K. Rowling
The Spellman files by Lisa Lutz
A robot in the garden by Deborah Install
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
The girl on the train by Paula Hawkins
Purple hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I'm going to try to read three, so we'll see how it goes. My hope is to read: To Kill the Potemkin, Death of a Red Heroine, and Dark Rooms. I'm at least hoping to get through the first two--whether I get to three will probably depend on whether or not I end up deciding to participate in NaNo, and on how my workload shakes out...

I've started The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood, her first novel written way back in the 1960s.

I didn't get round to it when it was appropriate for the SFFKIT so I'm looking at Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.

I read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for this months RandomCat, but then when I was looking up information about the author I realized that she had done a couple of children's picture books before this novel. So, although it doesn't count here, I wanted to mention it because it is such an excellent YA novel.

I've read some books by Erma Bombeck, but not her first book, At Wit's End. It's now on my list for this month.

First up this month for me, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, debut novel by Charles Yu.

I've finished Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. I really enjoyed this one.

COMPLETED Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

I think that the mystery I am currently reading will qualify -- Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver.

I read the first Barbara Pym novel, Some Tame Gazelle which was not bad for a first novel, but not nearly as good as some of her later works. A bit plodding overall.

I'm going to read Dina Nayeri's A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea, which also fits for the GeoCAT, I think.

I'm reading The Girl on the Train which is unputdownable! I may have to stay up all night to finish.

I'm going to be finishing To Kill the Potemkin tonight since I've only got forty or so pages left and it's going really fast. Then I'll be starting The Death of a Red Heroine, which is another first novel, but given that it's near on 500 pages, I don't know that I'll finish it this month. We'll see what happens, I guess...

Does it have to be a first book, or can it be a first novel?

I originally thought that this Cat should celebrate the first published work of a particular writer, but then I read Speak and realized that although it was her first novel, she had had some children's books previously published. I mentioned her book here on the thread but didn't add it to the Wiki. I guess this a long-winded reply to say only first published works will count for this Cat.

I've finished Loving Frank by Nancy Horan which is the story of Mamah Borthwick Cheney who was the mistress of Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1900s. Recommended.

Here's my review of At Wit's End:

At Wit's End is Erma Bombeck's first published book, one that preceded many other volumes, columns, and movies. She was of the same generation as my parents, and a favorite author of my mother, who had several of her books on the shelves as I was growing up. But I'd not read this particular book before today.

For me, Erma's a combination of humorist, social commentator, and reminiscencer (is that a word?). Much of her work might be considered dated, as she describes her life as a mother and housewife from post World War 2 America. However, her humor transcends generations: men and women haven't changed that much, and children are about the same, sans electronics. A younger reader should still see the humor in much of what Bombeck has written.

But where Erma shines, in my opinion, is her remembrances of her own grandmother, her children's experiences (first day of school, etc.), and other events that should pull at the heartstrings of any human with a shred of feeling. What, indeed, do we recall about our own mothers, the lack of fingerprints on the refrigerator door, or the homemade cookies hot from the oven?

You don't have to be old enough to remember this author to appreciate her look at life. I'm sorry we lost her so young. Recommended.

I just finished Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This was a 5 star book for me and certain to be listed among the best of debut novels that I have ever read.

The Rosie Project / Graeme Simsion.
4 stars

2015 read: Don is a professor and has only three friends. He is extremely socially awkward. He decides to start “The Wife Project” and comes up with a questionnaire to filter out any unsuitable candidates. His friend Gene goes over some of the applicants to help Don out and sends over Rosie. Don can't figure out why Rosie, as she is completely unsuitable!

I loved this! Don and his never-ending quirks... It's a fun, humourous, happy read. I did feel badly for Gene's wife, though.

2016 reread: The first time I read this, I gave it 5 stars. I think I felt similarly as the first time throughout most of it and last time, maybe upped my star rating for the ending. This time around I’m leaving my rating, overall, at 4 stars. It was still enjoyable and still humourous, and to be honest, I’d forgotten most of what happened in the book, which was nice for a reread. This time around, though, I do think the 5 stars was a bit too much.

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect... / Elissa Wall
4.5 stars

Elissa Wall grew up as an FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, the polygamous sect of the Mormons) member. As she grew up, she watched many of her older siblings either leave or be kicked out of the FLDS. When she was 14-years old, she was forced to marry her first cousin, Allen – a man she loathed. She begged from the start to get out of the marriage, both because she was too young and he was her cousin. “Prophet” (or the mouthpiece for the current prophet, ailing Roulon Jeffs – Warren’s father) Warren Jeffs didn’t listen or care. She continued to try to be released from this awful marriage as Allen continually abused her.

I’ve read a few books about the FLDS. This is another horrifying story, as Warren Jeffs took power from his father and things got worse and worse for the members, in addition to young Elissa. It seems that it’s hard enough for victims of abuse to come forward; there is so much additional pressure for FLDS in that they first need to get away - for many, against the wishes of their families and other loved ones, and of course, against their church and religious beliefs. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a good job.

The Bees / Laline Paull
3.5 stars

In a bee society, Flora 717 is meant to be a worker bee, more specifically, a Sanitation worker, and she is not allowed to be anything else. But, somehow Flora manages to try out all kinds of different jobs, from working in the nursery to foraging, and she even manages to get invited to see the Queen! However, the Queen is the only bee who can procreate, but Flora manages to lay three eggs…

This was quite different, to read the story from the viewpoint of bees. It was good, but for me, wasn’t great. It was kind of interesting, as I really know very little about bees, including their predators. I guess I just had never thought about it. Like with historical fiction, I would have liked an author’s note of some kind, explaining which behaviours in the story really are bee-like and which behaviours were just for the story.

Finished Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong, and loved every minute. I felt transported to Shanghai, and since this is the first book in a mystery series that I'm already addicted to, I'll be seeking out more in the series sooner than later. Full review written if you're interested :)

Starting I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

COMPLETED I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

I finished Rose et Blanche, ou la comédienne et la religieuse, the first work George Sand ever published, as far as I have been able to ascertain. She co-wrote it with Jules Sandeau, under the pseudonym of J. Sand, whose last part she then chose for herself. It is a tale of two young women who cannot find happiness where they are looking for it and ends on a sad note after much emotional upheaval.
It was first published in 1831 in five volumes which run to an amzaing 1214 pages, no doubt because of those long sentences, breathlessly piling up simile after simile, until they fill two pages. It is also very contemporaneous, starting in 1825 and ending shortly after the July revolution, there's much reference to current events.

I've read The Girl Who Came Home, the first book by Helen Gaynor. A quick and easy read, it's based on a group that left a small town in Ireland to sail on the Titanic to a better life in America. The protagonist is one of the two, out of fourteen, that survived. A sweet and somewhat sentimental story, but one that was right at the moment for me.

Starting Pompeii: A Tale of Murder in Ancient Rome, Robert Colton's first book.

Just finished Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn. First novel. This is a good novel to consider next year for the Woman Cat and also others. It is set in Jamaica and tells the story of three generations of a family of Jamaican women's struggles. It also includes LGBT issues. It was well written. 3.5 or 4 stars, not 5.

I should have posted this at the first of the month but in case anyone is trying to still get a book read before the end of the month, here is a site that takes you to the long list of debut novels that were considered for the 1016 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. http://centerforfiction.org/awards/the-first-novel-prize/2016-first-novel-prize-...

At the Drop of a Veil / Marianne Alireza
3.5 stars

In the mid-1940s, an American woman, Marianne, married a rich Arabic man. When she moved to Saudi Arabia with him, she was thrown into a culture so far removed from what she was used to. Not only that, her husband was away often and she had to find her way with the help of his family as she also struggled to learn the language, customs, etc.

I thought this was quite interesting. Despite the difficulties, you can see how much she loved her husband’s family. A little too quickly wrapped up, I thought, though. I would have liked to know more about what happened to everyone after the book ended (it was published in 1971, so more could have been said).

Dualed / Elsie Chapman
3.5 stars

Here, people are born with a doppleganger, a twin or Alternate (aka: “alt”) who they will grow up and have to fight to the death, sometime between the ages of 10 and 20. The winner, then, proves that they are the stronger, smarter person to survive and deserves to live to help defend the city. West has already lost two siblings and both parents.

******POSSIBLE SPOILERS (though this pretty much all happens near the start of the book)******
When her older brother, Luke, goes to help his best friend, Cord, fight Cord’s alt, Luke loses his life. West hasn’t had to fight her alt yet, but she is so angry that she decides to become a striker – an assassin for hire to kill other people’s alts before they have to themselves.
******END SPOILERS******

Then, her “assignment” comes up and she has to fight for her own life.

I like the idea of this story and it was good, but I felt like the striker angle took away from the rest of the story for me. I feel like it was more to add “filler” to the story. Just my opinion. Maybe strikers come more into play in later books in the series, but it just didn’t interest me as much as the main storyline. Although, overall, it was good, I’m not sure it’s enough for me to continue the series.

A Cat Named Squeeky / Vic Reskovic
4.5 stars

Though they liked animals, Vic and his wife, Cindy, had never owned a pet and didn’t want one, but when this pretty little kitty wandered into the yard, but she didn’t belong to any of the neighbours, she just made herself comfortable in their lives and stayed for 19 years!

Ok, this doesn’t really deserve such a high rating, but part of it is an emotional rating from me. It’s a simple story, large font, short chapters, short book. Much of the book focused on when they first found Squeeky and when she got old, but, it was humourous and what a sweet kitty! When she got old, she developed two health issues that my previous boy developed (though he didn’t make it to 20ish years old!). Miss Squeeky was also very chatty, as is my newest cat. Enjoyable book, but of course, heartbreaking at the end.

>47 LibraryCin: I'm partial to cat stories too!

I finished two novels for this challenge: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares and The Secret History by Donna Tartt. What a debut novel Tartt's was! I can see why expectations were so high for subsequent works.