Teenage Lexicon

I had the wonderful opportunity and honor to interview McCaid Paul, author of the Summersville series, for Teenage Lexicon! A teen author from Northwest Florida, McCaid has already published two mystery/thriller novels at just fifteen. I asked him about writing, inspiration, and other interests:  What got you interested in writing? Was there a special person in your life who encouraged you, or did you read a book so compelling that you decided to write your own? I first became interested in writing during the first-grade, after my teacher gave our class a writing prompt every day for the rest of the school year. I enjoyed writing in my journal as much as I could, especially after my dad began writing short stories to motivate and inspire me to “keep going.” My mom was also a source of encouragement since she was a teacher. She played a huge part in keeping me on track, and helping me to develop a love for reading and writing at an early age. The teachers and staff of my...

I’m a sucker for ragtag groups of outcasts, dynamic fantasy creatures, strong narrative voices, and eclectic origin stories. Prison of Outcasts, the first book of Kyra Johnson’s Mizlie Series, checks each of these boxes, and it does so marvelously. It had been so long since I’d read a fantasy book I’d enjoyed, let alone one that I couldn’t put down until well past midnight. Here is a book that intrigues, surprises, and has you laughing and crying simultaneously from the first word to the last.  Warning: Mild spoilers ahead! Nathan/Ning’s origin story is by far one of my favorite origin stories of all time. It’s memorable, humorous, and so out there that you can’t help but find it absolutely brilliant. What an incredible way to set up an incredible book. Ning is a deceivingly dynamic character. At first, he seems to be the only dull character in the vibrant cast. But he isn’t dull. He just doesn’t know who he is. A reader meets Ning right alongside Ning himself. I so ...

I haven’t been reading a lot of middle grade fiction lately, but Dawn Chandler reminded me of all I’ve been missing—innocent characters, whimsical settings, and a straightforward plot driven by an overarching moral of the story. Dawn Chandler beautifully checked each of these boxes and more. Warning: mild spoilers ahead! Eliza Noel, coming from a big family herself, wonderfully captures the blithe chaos of a large family with her natural, affable dialogue and leapfrogging focal points. The very first scene of the book was reminiscent of busy mornings—there’s a tangible energy among her words that allows the reader to be in the Jennings’ kitchen as they get ready for the day. These first few pages pulled me into the book. Noel has a knack for balancing a large cast of characters. Aided only by a list in the front of the book—a unique feature that reminded me of the old American Girl books, which, needless to say, I absolutely adored—she gives each character their own id...

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book with such pure and innocent magic, as one finds in Lydia Green of Mulberry Glen . As we grow older, we tend to forget that fairy tales exist, but Lydia Green of Mulberry Glen , reminiscent of the leather bound storybook tucked next to the fireplace at my grandma’s house, restores a part of your heart you didn’t realize needed restoration.  Warning - Spoilers ahead! I found myself lost in Lydia’s world on every page. Millie Florence strikes the perfect balance between flowering poetry and compelling prose—she allowed the inventive imagery to exist without compromising the pace of her plot, an equilibrium I rarely find in middle grade fiction. I knew the language Florence was capable of after reading Honey Butter , her first novel, but the growth Lydia Green showcases is astounding. She takes you by the hand and pulls you straight to the heart of her mystical world. And her world-building is stellar. Without ever explaining the P...

One of my favorite things about being a teen author is that we have the entire world at our fingertips, which makes for wonderful communication among us, regardless of where we are. Even though Eliza Noel lives in California and I’m over in New York, I was able to participate in her blog tour, which allows her to reach the computers of people worldwide without any strenuous travel.  I had the opportunity—and the honor—to interview Eliza about her upcoming release, Dawn Chandler. Regarded as “a story of faith, family, and contentment”, the middle-grade novel follows twelve-year-old Dawn from Fresno to Lone Pine, California as her parents decide to homeschool her and the rest of her siblings. Dawn isn’t thrilled about being homeschooled, but she’s even more upset about the fact that her family might be moving.  I asked Eliza questions about her book and her writing process to share, marking Teenage Lexicon a stop on her blog tour. Dawn Chandler  is a mi...

I haven’t read something as deeply raw and emotional as Set Me Free in a very long time. This was a story told by the only person who could really tell it. Warning: spoilers ahead! I’m always a sucker for books with interesting perspectives, and Laura Freeman—who spends the majority of the book dead—fulfilled this perfectly. Even if she weren’t unique in the fact that she narrates the absence of her life rather than the presence of it, her moxie, sensitivity, and tenacity would differentiate her from other YA characters anyway. Too often, in books with similar situations as Set Me Free, I see protagonists who are whiny, annoying, or just plain boring. Laura is absolutely none of these things. She’s deep. She shows emotion like a normal person. The relationships she has with people are messy and strong and wonderful all at once, like real relationships are.  Right now, in the time and place we are in, the story that Set Me Free tells is one that so desperately needs ...

Honey Butter is one of those rare books that is pure magic. I don’t think any words I write can accurately capture the essence of this story, but I can certainly try to find some. Warning: (mild) spoilers ahead! The premise of the book—a somewhat overlooked child finding solace in paint chips—is endearing. Jamie is such a beautiful, well-written character. Like any seven-year-old, she is naïve, slightly aloof, and has a wondrous imagination. She makes mistakes, but she has such a good heart. The reader knows Jamie within a few pages. It is impossible to meet Jamie and not smile at least once a chapter. Laren is also a wonderful, detailed character. She remains remarkably positive, regardless of the troubles she’s endured. Jamie is entranced by her, and the sister-like relationship that emerges goes beyond heartwarming.  The setting—and the language describing it—can only be described by “ebullient ”, as Laren would say. The summertime vibes are so strong—I wanted...

It’s difficult to write a book like The Flames that Corrupt Us. Stories that take place in intricate universes tend to lack in either world-building or character development. Isabel Jordan has woven a story that doesn’t lack either. Warning: spoilers ahead! From the very first encounter, you are pulled into the Valley. You take that plane with Insley and Andrew through the hole in the sky, and you are there . This level of world-building surpasses some from adult authors, yet Jordan has struck genius. I cannot fathom the depth of her imagination. She details what can best be described as augmented reality: she strikes a balance between magic, science, and reality with delicacy. Her world doesn’t rely on any one aspect—it’s extraordinarily balanced. But the focus on world-building doesn’t distract from characterization. Insley and Andrew are especially developed; their tenacity is astounding without defying normal fourteen-year-old tendencies. They embark on this jour...