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Blog: From the land of Empyrean (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: science fiction, NY Times, marriage, self-published, independent, Wool, Shift, boating, Dust, best seller, Lexicon, Mark Miller, Hugh Howey, interview, fantasy, photography, Add a tag
Blog: Ypulse (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: shift, Campus, Medill School of Journalism, news 21, Add a tag
The latest installment in our Ypulse Youth Website Profile series is a review of Shift, a Gen-Y focused news site launched earlier this summer as part of the ongoing reporting project from News 21, a national initiative among journalism... Read the rest of this post
Add a CommentBlog: Stacy A. Nyikos (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Montana, Jennifer Bradbury, Shift, cycling, American landscape, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Add a tag
Shift
Jennifer Bradbury
May 2008
Atheneum
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4732-5
Retail: $16.99
Jen and I spoke together on a panel at NCTE, and I got her book then. I've been meaning to read it ever since. I'm so glad I finally did.
Shift is the story of two 18 year-old high school graduates, Win and Chris, who bicycle across America the summer before college starts. It's a journey of self discovery, a YA coming of age story about how the journey is the goal, where you end up may not be where you were headed.
The story is told in retrospective. Chapters alternate deftly between reflection and present day events. Win disappears on the trip shortly before the two reach the West Coast. When he doesn't show up to start college at Dartmouth, his wealthy and influential father begins a search for him. He sends his FBI buddy to Chris at Georgia Tech to start the search, ultimately forcing Chris to find his friend before Win's father ruins Chris' life.
Author, Jen Bradbury, took a similar trip with her husband after they were married, a two month trek across America on a bike. Her experiences give this story an organic, I've-been-there feel. It makes me want to pull my mountain bike out of the garage and give it a go. It also reminds me a little of Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maintenance and the idea that nature, landscape, the world around us can only truly be experienced if you put yourself in the middle of it,not watch it pass by through a window.
This is a great summer read. It'll have you longing for open spaces, the taste of a hearty meal after a day of grueling exercise, the welcome softness of the cool earth against your back and the glory of the wide open spaces, creeks, rivers and plains that beckon us to experience them firsthand. If ever there was a road trip book, this is it! Sign me up.
For more great reviews and must reads, head over to Book Review Club central, Barrie Summy's site. There are some real temptations waiting there that even the most reluctant reader won't be able to pass up.
Blog: The YA YA YAs (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Reviews, Fiction, jennifer bradbury, shift, cybils ya fiction nominee, Add a tag
Chris and Win have been best friends for years, less because of anything they had in common than for the simple reason that neither one had any other friends. And while Win’s antics sometimes aggravate Chris, their friendship lasts through their senior year of high school, when they set off on a post-graduation bike trip across the country.
Chris’ mother was afraid of what might happen to Chris on the trip; Win’s parent’s frankly didn’t care. None of them expected that when Chris returned home at the end of the summer, it would be without Win, who ditched Chris with no explanation just short of Seattle, their final destination.
As Chris starts his freshman year at Georgia Tech, he learns that Win didn’t just ditch him, he’s disappeared. Win’s wealthy and powerful father, who never seemed to approve of anything Win did, is now desperate to find him. And since Chris, as far as anyone knows, was the last person to have seen Win, Chris is the one under pressure—or is that suspicion?—in the form of questioning by an FBI agent and not-so-subtle threats from Win’s father, to discover what exactly happened to Win.
After a bumpy first couple of pages, I really enjoyed Shift, Jennifer Bradbury’s debut novel. Bradbury’s author bio notes that “she and her husband took a two-month long bicycling trek from Charleston, South Carolina, to Los Angeles, California,” and you definitely get a sense of this in the book, from the people and small towns Chris and Win encounter, to the technical details of planning and actually completing such a trip. The story is told by Chris, but the time frame alternates with each chapter, switching back and forth from Chris’ current perspective, as he learns that Win never returned home and attempts to find out what happened, and flashbacks covering the events of the bike trip. And it’s all told in such a way that unfolds smoothly, that never left me feeling cheated or upset that certain information was (or was not) withheld. Instead, I was drawn into the story and invested in the characters.
Plus, I’ll admit that it was very refreshing to read a book about the friendship between two teenaged boys and growing up, with no wars, no trying to hook up with a love interest, and no spying involved.
Shift is a Cybils YA Fiction nominee.
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Shift, Book Reviewer Hot Seat, Reader Rabbit, jennifer bradbury, Add a tag
Next up for the hot seat, Reader Rabbit! Erm, or should that be hot seats--I see there are actually two of you! Okay, well this should be interesting... But just in case, let's also give away a book--just leave a comment to be entered to win Shift by Jennifer Bradbury! (Deadline to enter is June 29th, winner announced June 30th).
What's your handle? Reader Rabbit 1 & 2
What kind of books do you review? We primarily review YA but we'll review anything if it sounds good.
Approx # of books reviewed? About 40 and counting!
Where can we find your reviews? Readerrabbit.blogspot.com/ or on Chapters.ca
Reading turn-ons: Strong, well-developed characters, and descriptive writing. Any genre's good, though.
Reading turn-offs:
RR2: Annoying, and unrealistic characters, who get on my nerves. And then I want to shoot them. *waves gun, enthusiastically*
RR1: Ummm, RR2?
RR2: Uh, sorry *hastily puts gun away* Maybe not to that extent.
RR1: Agreed and slow moving plots can really put me off.
RR2: Slow beginnings are okay, though. Some of the best books I've read have slow beginnings.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed:
RR2: May I take this opportunity to gush enthusiastically about Shift? *gushes*
RR1: Ooh, yes, we loved Shift. One of the best books I've read this year.
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Read my Lips
And expect reviews of A Difficult Boy, Bewitching Season and The Lucky Place are coming up soon!
Yay, we can't wait! We love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours! A little bit about how you got into book reviewing would be cool too.
RR1: Do any of you remember those old Reader Rabbit Children's games...we were avid players. (LALAA WE'RE TOTALLY ORIGINAL)
RR2: *hums Reader Rabbit theme song*
Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?
RR1: Basically we average the score that we think the book deserves in rereadability, originality, characterization and it all adds up to how much we like it, out of 10. We're planning on changing the system soon so that all the categories are separately scored per review so look out of that coming soon...
That should be interesting! How do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?
RR2: If we're sent a book by an author or publisher, then we'll review it for sure. Other books we might review because we have something to say about it, or we just want to recommend it, because we think it's great.
What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?
RR1: The best way to find good books are to read our blog, of course.;) Ha, just kidding. But that is one way.
RR2: Another way is to read authors blogs. They often have recommendations. Or I suppose you could ask your librarian. Or, if you're anything like me then you may just stare at the bookshelf and choose whichever book pops out at you the most.
RR1: Advice? Hmm..well, sending us a review copy works…or really, just write a really good book. Good books speak for themselves.
RR2: Or if you want to be sure that we'll read it, then, you could just wave it in our face. That is a sure way to get it noticed.
RR1: That too, I suppose.
And don't forget to send carrots, right? Sorry, bad interviewer. Moving along, if you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?
RR1: For sure, especially if someone has taken the trouble to send it to us for reviewing.
If you really love a book—will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?
We adore rereading. I swear I've read every single book on my shelf at least 10 times, so I'll pick the ones I've reread a gazillion times!
RR1: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas and City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
RR2: Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
Both: All 7 Harry Potters <3>Great choices!
Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?
RR1: Well, we always include a summary, and some points on why we thought the book was good or bad.
RR2: But, really it depends on the book. Some books we'll have more to say on than others.
Tell us about the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book.
RR2: Hey, I never cry.
RR1: Uh, yeah, you do. You totally cried when you read The Book Thief.
RR2: Uh, no I didn-oh, fine, I did. But it was only a little. And, you cried when , when…
RR1: HA, you can't think of anything.
RR2: Well, you laughed when you read The Squad books. You laugh when things aren't even funny.
RR1: But Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Squad books are great, so check them out!
Did you know Book Chic almost cried reading Alive and Well in Prague, New York? Just sayin'. Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?
RR2: Oh, yes, I wish that Eugenides from The Thief would come to life. (I mean, who doesn't?) And Flannery from the Basic Eight so I can figure out how mentally stable she really is.
RR1: *dreamily* I wish for Edward. No explanation necessary of course.
RR2: Uh-huh. Well, for places I was going to say Bayern from Shannon Hale's books, but then I realized that Bayern was real.
RR1: uh…no, it isn't.
RR2: Uh, look over there, I can see Enna Isilee galloping across- oh
RR1: yeah.
Focus rabbits! What books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?
RR2: The King of Attolia, and The Book Thief because they ROCK.
RR1: Uh, I don't think that's a good enough reason…
RR2: But it's true. Besides, I bet you can't do any better than me.
RR1: Bet you I can. *smugly* I do everything better than you.
RR2: Oh, yeah! Well, what about that time when you-
RR1: *whispers* Be quiet or I'll tell them about that other time-
RR2: I mean, do continue.
RR1: Harry Potter because-
RR2: You don't need to recommend that. Everyone's heard of it.
RR1: *elbows*
RR2: Owwww…
RR1: Anyway, Twilight because Edward's in it.
RR2: Typical. Jacob's better! UNITE, JACOB-FANS, UNITE!
RR1: *ignores RR2* And Fearless by Francine Pascal. They're so entertaining and the story just absorbs you with its quick pace.
RR2: Well, The King of Attolia because I love the way that the author allows you to figure out things on your own and I love the surprises that she throws in (and then you go back and realize that were she was hinting about it all along). It has a little bit of romance, quite of a lot of trickery and believable characters. The Book Thief, on the other hand- hey! Are you listening?
RR1: *snores*
RR2: ahem.
RR1: Wha-? Umm…that was brilliant. Wait, what were you talking about again?
Okay, this should wake RR1 up, our Extra Scandalous Question (note the capital letters! That means wake up!!)—really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?
RR2: Yes, I hate the idea of giving a bad review because I can hardly imagine the time and effort spent on such an enormous task. You'll notice that on our blog there are very few negative reviews. This is mainly because our blog was created to recommend books and we don't like to review books we don't like because we know that a book we may hate may be loved by someone else.
So, chances are the negative reviews seen on our site are reviews of books sent to us for review-as per our policy we review every book we receive. And if we dislike a book, we will give an honest review.
Advice? Hmm...just to not take it personally- remember that it's only my opinion. It's nothing personal. And I may hate a book that the rest of the world may love. Besides for all you know, I was grouchy the day I read it or maybe it was just personal taste. Either that or I spent too many hours listening to RR1 worship Edward…
Note: This conversation is (almost) entirely manufactured. In case you're wondering, this blog is not written by one schizophrenic-there are actually two of us. And we are not as crazy as we sound. RR1 is not an Edward-worshiper (well, not that much anyway). RR2 has never touched a gun in her life, and plans to keep it that way, and also, she does not hallucinate. (At least as far as she knows).
Yeah, right....we believe you (erm...both). We also believe you love Shift by Jennifer Bradbury--so much so we are giving a copy away--all you have to do is comment to be entered to win! (deadline to enter is June 29th--winner will be announced Monday June 30th)
"(Shift) is riveting, from the start to the finish, once I started I was unable to stop until I'd consumed the entire book.So basically, anyone (boy, girl, alien...) should pick Jennifer Bradbury's debut (Class of 2k8 baby!) up." Reader Rabbit
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, writing contests, class of 2k8, jennifer bradbury, delacorte, Shift, Children's Writers and Illustrators, Add a tag
As writers we often learn things about our industry and craft through trial and error. It can be painful at times, but inevitably we survive these experiences being smarter and stronger. We asked Jennifer Bradbury if there was anything that made her think she might never get published.
I never thought I'd get published when I started trying to write YA back in 2002. I learned about the Delacorte press contest for first Young Adult Novel and decided that I would try and write and submit to this contest—having a deadline has always helped me be more productive. That first year, I actually got a really nice, detailed rejection, and ended up speaking with the editor and resubmitting later. I blew it, but felt the next year, when I submitted a story that I thought was way, way better that things would go differently. And they did. But not well. I got the standard, speedy form rejection.
And I was devastated.
Now when I look back at that manuscript, I realize it isn't even close to as wonderful as I thought it was then. But at the time, I was certain it represented the best I could ever pull off. Was certain it was superior to the one I'd submitted the year before. And I sort of folded up and felt sorry for myself for a while.
Eventually, I started revising, bought a copy of The Children's Writers and Illustrators Market, and started querying agents with that same story. And though no one ever bought it, getting through that disappointment was necessary and made me a better writer.
Incidentally, I submitted an early, very rough version of SHIFT to the contest as well (because by then, I'd sort of established a pattern of writing a novel a year and getting rejected). And whether it just wasn't ready, or the people opening the envelopes were put off by the fact that my well-meaning friend (who I had print and submit it for me because we were still out of the country) printed it double sided, I'll never know. But that rejection came back even more quickly than the two before it!
Double-sided? Eek! We're betting that's it. Tomorrow we're going to get to know Jennifer a little better by flipping through her photo album. We'll find out why she was in jail and where she found state-shaped blocks of cheese.
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, writing contests, veronica mars, librarians, superhero, class of 2k8, Shift, Jen Bradbury, Burlington-Edison High, cathy belben, Add a tag
In getting to know Jennifer we've learned her husband has been a strong influence on her writing, but we wondered if there was a teacher or librarian along the way who set her on her path to publication. Here's her heartfelt answer....
I'm pretty sure the expectation for this question was that I'd talk about a teacher or librarian from my own schooling that influenced me. And I had some great ones—Gail Kirkland at Daviess County High School and Linda Tatum from Tamarack Elementary to name two—but the person who really got me started writing in the way I'm writing now is Cathy Belben.
Cathy is the librarian at the school where I taught for eight years, Burlington-Edison High. She was assigned as my mentor my first year, and I'm so lucky for it. Cathy is an amazing teacher, a passionate librarian, and absolutely one of the funniest people I know. But she is also a gifted writer. She's published hundreds of articles on all sorts of topics. From incorporating crafts in the library for professional magazines to her piece on donating her own remains to the body farm for Bust Magazine. She's published award winning fiction, spent a season living in Hollywood writing for Veronica Mars, and generally inspires everybody who comes into contact with her. She's the one who really got me hooked on great YA, and who invited me to join her writing group even though I didn't really write much at the time. She's just one of those people who make you want to join the party of words and story and craft, and we're so lucky to have her in our community.
She's also a great friend. Here we are on one of our homecoming dress up days at school. I think it was superhero day, and we came dressed as twin triathletes. Goggles, running pants, towel capes. We took our bike helmets off for the photo so we wouldn't, ahem, look dumb.
Cathy truly is a superhero. (But she might need to hire a new costumer.) Tomorrow we learn why some writing contests left Jennifer wondering if she'd ever get published.
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: india, class of 2k8, atheneum, Shift, cycling, danny and the dinosaur, apart, Jen Bradbury, Add a tag
2k8: So tell us, Jen. Where do you do most of your writing?
JB: I do most of my writing in this chair. Since I write while my daughter is sleeping, I work in the opposite corner of the house from her bedroom, which happens to be our office/playroom (we call it the "rumpus" because the elderly woman we bought the house from called it that. Kept the name in her honor, but got rid of the geometric self-stick pea green linoleum.) The chair is sort of halfway between the office and play parts of the room, which is kind of appropriate for a calling that when its going right is equal parts work and play. Plus, I can kick back with the laptop.
2k8: We bet a lot of moms can relate. Can you tell us how SHIFT came about? How did you begin writing it?
2k8: Your husband rocks! And how did SHIFT find a publisher? What's the real scoop?
JB: I'd queried my agent on that story that I mentioned above, and she'd liked it enough to ask for some revision, but ultimately passed. Then when I came home and decided to start sending out this new one, I thought of her again. I queried her, and her office requested a full. I took some time getting it to her (my daughter was born and I sort of forgot all about wanting to be an author for a while!), but they actually emailed again a few months later to ask why they hadn't seen it yet. So I sent it off, and she called within a few weeks with an offer of representation. I remember feeling like if this was as far as I got, I could be happy—just having someone who didn't love me but liked the story and had some faith in it. But it did go further. And quickly! The following Monday, my agent called to tell me she had an offer from Atheneum, and here we are!
2k8: They emailed you? Wow! Did anything surprise you or catch you off guard when you were writing your book?
JB: I was definitely shy about writing from a male point of view. But I ended up having a blast. My favorite bit of confirmation on this came from my brother-in-law, who is one of my early readers. He read a draft of the story while we were still over in India, and emailed me to tell me what he liked and said that he'd always known I'd make a really great guy. Which is really nice—maybe a little weird—but mostly nice.
2k8: That's a high compliment! Okay, now imagine you have an offer from your dream press to publish your dream book, no matter how crazy wild or unmarketable it might be (though of course it might not be). What story would you want to write and why?
JB: Um . . . whatever I'm working on at the moment? I do have a draft of something that I love but I think might be destined to languish in a drawer for a while. It’s a historical spy YA novel, dealing with debutantes and mummy unwrappings in 1815 London. But I love such a range of stories and subjects, that its fun to mash up my enduring adoration of Jane Austen with a past addiction to Alias. But I've always known fun for me isn't necessarily universal. I wrote it between SHIFT and APART, my next book for Atheneum. APART follows three sisters divided by a father's mental illness, the pressure ofliving with a secret everyone already knows, and what it means to makethe most of the family you find yourself in.
2k8: Please, please, please do NOT let the debutantes and mummies languish and APART sounds incredible. Can't wait for it. Last, but not least, what question won't most people know to ask you? And what's your answer?
JB: What's the first book you read all by yourself?
Answer: DANNY AND THE DINOSAUR by Syd Hoff. Love that book!
You've come a long way, baby!
Tune in tomorrow when we'll learn about a special librarian who had a lasting influence on Jennifer.
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: new york, class of 2k8, book trailer, daphne grab, jennifer bradbury, m.p. barker, book videos, A Difficult Boy, Shift, aliive and well in prague, Add a tag
We're unreeling three new book videos for your viewing pleasure....
Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab
Shift by Jennifer Bradbury
Blog: 2k8: Class Notes (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: elizabeth c bunce, jennifer bradbury, jody feldman, brooke taylor, lisa schroeder, A Curse Dark As Gold, The Gollywhopper Games, i heart you you haunt me, Shift, undone, ALA, Add a tag
Raising hand. Waving hand. Frantically. We have some Totally Important Posts!
Brooke Taylor's Undone and Lisa Schroeder's I Heart You, You Haunt Me have been nominated for ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers. Double congratulations!
What Shelf Elf has to say about Elizabeth C. Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold: "Highly recommended." And, Shelf Elf, thanks for posting the video too!
Others adoring fans (in alpha order) of A Curse Dark as Gold: Bookshelves of Doom, Bookwyrm Chrysalis, Miss Erin, Sarah Miller,
And Jennifer Bradbury's Shift is a Richie's pick.
Wow! Go Class of 2k8!
Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Health, celebration, gay, journey, Current Events, oxford, resources, websites, national, congratulations, transgender, out, coming, ease, provide, bisexual, homosexual, Add a tag
Today is National Coming Out Day and for all of you coming into your own I thought I would provide some useful resources. Below are some websites and books that should help your journey. Congratulations!
“And it’s all told in such a way that unfolds smoothly, that never left me feeling cheated or upset that certain information was (or was not) withheld”
Ooh, a rare good mystery, then! — Sounds fabulous.
This does sound really good. I don’t read a lot of fiction with younger male protags, but this book sounds great. Thanks!
I agree it sounds good–I will look for it after December….if I remember…..