An Apology to Keren David and the Jewish Community For My Offensive Review

This post is an acknowledgement and an apology. It has come to my attention that last year, I wrote an offensive review.

Offensive reviews have been a big topic in the YA book community recently, with the events surrounding VOYA magazine's review of Run by Kody Keplinger. Because of this, Malinda Lo, YA author and co-founder of Diverstiy in YA, tweeted a link to an article she wrote from last year on DiYA, Perceptions of Diversity in Book Reviews. The article discusses reviews in trade magazines and some of the problems with how they write about diverse books. Despite being about trade magazines, I thought people who write reviews on book blogs could learn from the article, too, so I read it. And I was right.

The third issue in reviews on diverse book Lo covers is about reviews that complain about terminology or phrases from non-white/non-Western cultures that aren't explained or defined, and why this is offensive. I immediately remembered the review I wrote last year for This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David. In my review, I mentioned being jarred by the Jewish terminology used by Kitty and Theo and that I felt lost, and had to look things up - exactly what the article is talking about

Continue reading An Apology to Keren David and the Jewish Community For My Offensive Review

Review: This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David

This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David (review copy) - Kitty dreams of a beautiful life, but that's impossible in suburban London where her family is haunted by her father's unexpected death. So when her mum suggests moving to Amsterdam to try a new life, Kitty doesn't take much persuading. Will this be her opportunity to make her life picture perfect?

In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo. Two enigmatic boys, who each harbour their own secrets. In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.

But will love be everything she expected? And will anyone's heart survive? From Goodreads.

Review edited on 4th October 2016 due to Malinda Lo's article, Perceptions of Diversity in Book Reviews. My original review was offensive, due to my privilege leading me to find Jewish terminology jarring, and I apologise. You can read my acknowledgement of my mistake and my apology here. For transparency, you can find a screen cap of original wording here. 

Continue reading Review: This Is Not a Love Story by Keren David

Weekly Gossip

Here is your weekly news!

I have a number of cover reveals for you. First up, Halequin Teen have revealed the cover for Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers Volume 2 omnibus:

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Interview with Keren David

Keren David, author of When I Was Joe, has kindly let me interview her about her debut release. Thank you, Keren, for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions!

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up a small town in Hertfordshire, desperate to escape to London, the big city. But every time I’ve lived in London something has dragged me away - first to Glasgow, where I lived for two years, then to Amsterdam for eight years. We’ve been back in London for two years now, but I don’t feel exactly settled.

I’ve worked in journalism since I was 18 and got a job as a messenger girl on a newspaper. I’ve been a news reporter, feature writer, news editor and comment editor on local and national papers, dailies and Sundays. In Amsterdam I worked for an agency which sold features to magazines around the world. Now I do freelance journalism - I can turn my hand to most things but news editing is my favourite journalistic job.

When I came back to London from Amsterdam my friend Anna suggested that I took a course in Writing for Children at City University. She made the suggestion on January 5 2008 – and two years and two days later When I Was Joe, the book I wrote on that course, is going to be published. I’m very grateful to Anna, and to Amanda Swift the fabulous tutor on the course.

How did you come up with the idea for When I Was Joe?

I was watching the news and there was a story about a young boy who had to go into witness protection. We’d just moved back to London from Amsterdam, and were coping with the trauma of new schools, new friends etc. I could easily imagine how much more difficult it would be to have to cope with new names, enormous fear and no contact with your old life.

What research did you have to do for When I Was Joe? Was there anything you found that surprised you?

I read a lot about witness protection and knife crime. I also talked to a barrister who had worked with protected witnesses. I already knew quite a bit from my days as a news editor, but I was surprised at how patchy witness protection is in the UK - there’s no national scheme, and how sometimes the police fail to protect people properly.

When I Was Joe deals with some serious subjects. Did you find it difficult to write when addressing these issues?

Not really, as my background is news journalism I’m used to writing about serious subjects. It was interesting and fun to tackle them in fiction. I didn’t want to scare readers off with everything being deadly serious and scary, so I tried to inject humour into the book as well.

How was your route to publication?

Quick but bumpy. I wrote the first draft of When I Was Joe very quickly, and immediately started querying agents because the subject matter was so topical. I got some rejections, and then, just as I was starting to despair, three offers of representation in one week. Once I’d signed with Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates, she started approaching publishers. Again there were rejections - all for different reasons, which was confusing - but happily Frances Lincoln Children’s Books made a two book offer, followed a few months later by an offer from DTV for the German rights.

Working with the team at Frances Lincoln has been great, my editor Maurice Lyon made various suggestions which made the book better, and Jane Donald designed a gorgeous cover.
How does it feel to know your book will soon be in the hands of readers?

It’s exciting! Of course the big fear is that no one will buy it at all.

Tell us about how you write; do you write in a particular place? Do you have any music playing? Do you have any must-haves with you while writing?

Physically writing When I Was Joe was a complete nightmare. My husband and I were sharing a computer and a desk, and we were always squabbling over it. The book got written in fits and starts whenever I could grab the keyboard and kick him out of the room.

It caused so much friction that we decided to invest in a laptop for Almost True, which I thought would be easier, but he kept the workspace, so I’ve been working at the dining table which is awful - constant interruptions and noise. I managed to write the book, but I need a better solution. I might try borrowing someone’s house or working at the library. In an ideal world I’d have my own study…I can dream…

Sadly, I can’t write with music on - I need to hear the words in my head. Sometimes though I listen to Ty’s sort of music before I start, to get me in the mood. The internet is another big distraction.

My biggest must-have is my writing group, which we set up after the City University course. The help criticism and support I get from the brilliant women there is essential.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

When I was at primary school I wanted to be a ‘lady writer’ and write children’s books. I then discovered journalism and nearly forgot my early ambition. But when I came back to England I remembered it again, and it seemed like the right time to have a go.

What was most surprising to you during the writing process? And the publication process?

I was surprised how easily I transformed into a 14 year old boy. And the publication process seems very slow to me - remember I’m used to daily newspapers - although I appreciate that less than two years from starting writing to publication is actually very fast.

Can you tell us a little about what we can expect from Almost True, the sequel to When I Was Joe?

Here’s the latest version of the back cover blub for Almost True.

This isn’t the first time that someone’s tried to silence me forever. It’s just the first time that someone else has died instead.

Ruthless killers are hunting Ty. The police move him and his mum to a quiet seaside town. But a horrific attack and a bullet meant for Ty prove he’s not safe yet.

On the road again, Ty’s in hiding with complete strangers . . . who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he’s desperate to see his girlfriend, and terrified that she may betray him. Ty can’t trust his own judgement and he’s making dangerous decisions that could deliver him straight to the gangsters.

Ohh, exciting! Anything else you would like to add?

I started blogging this year, thinking I’d write a bit about the books and the path to publication. In fact I ended up writing about anything and everything. I love the freedom of blogging and I’ve met some great people though it. So I’d love to gather more followers on http://www.wheniwasjoe.blogspot.com/ and that if people read the book and want to get in touch they’ll do so via the blog.

Thanks Jo for interviewing me and for reviewing my book.

You're welcome, thank you for letting me interview you! Make sure you all check out my review of When I Was Joe, and get your hands on a copy!

Continue reading Interview with Keren David

Review: When I Was Joe by Keren David

When I Was Joe by Keren David (review copy) - When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent. From Amazon UK

When I first heard about this book, I wasn't too keen. The idea of a book on knife crime just didn't appeal to me; living in London, you see news reports on it all the time, and living in East London, they happen not too far from home. It's not really something I wanted to be reminded of in a book. But I started this blog to read YA of all genres; if I can read historical fiction and enjoy it, I can read something on violence - so I decided to give When I Was Joe a go, and I am so glad I did!

This book is just brilliant! Really, just so good! Reading the first few pages, I was reminded quite a bit of things that have happened near me, to people I know, or to people I knew of, and I thought I would find it such a hard read. But it was great! It's not all violence; once Ty and his mother Nicki are rehouse with new identities, it mainly follows Ty - now Joe - coming to terms with his new life, and becoming a new person. Ty makes Joe someone he wants to be; someone cool, someone who has friends, someone strong, and people flock around him. Joe is popular, Joe is a brilliant athlete, Joe could have his pick of any of the girls. But Joe is really Ty, and he can't escape what he saw, and the threat he constantly fears.

When I Was Joe is more than just an entertaining read; it was fascinating seeing how it works when someone goes into the witness protection programme. From TV, you know these witnesses aren't allowed to contact anyone, but I didn't really realise how cut off they are, and how they have to distance themselves. It was great seeing Joe trying to compromise what he was supposed to do with what he actually wanted, and the lies he always had to tell.

There were a great cast of characters, some who had more important roles than others; Ellie, who trained Joe, is disabled, Claire, Ellie's sister and a girl in Joe's class, has her own issues, and Nicki, who doesn't adjust to the new life well. And Joe himself is just great seeing him change back and forth between the two people he is. They're all just so interesting!

This is just such a fantastic book, and one everyone should read. It really opens your eyes to what might actually happen in such a situation, and could really educate and dissuade people to carrying knives; this story is fictional, but it could very much happen. Such a brilliant book, I'm so glad I read it! I highly recommend it, and I can't wait to read the sequel, Almost True!

Thank you to Keren David for sending me a review copy.

Published: 7th January
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Pre-order on Amazon UK
Pre-order on Amazon US
Keren David's Blog

Other Reviews:
Nayu's Reading Corner
The Bookette
Chicklish
So Many Books, So Little Time

Continue reading Review: When I Was Joe by Keren David

Author's Chanucah - Guest Post from Keren David

Keren David, author of When I was Joe, due to be published on 7th January 2010, has kindly wrote a guest post to go along with my Authors' Christmas posts. Being Jewish, Keren doesn't celebrate Christmas, but there is another holiday she celebrates this time of year...

Forget mince pies and Christmas pudding, mistletoe, trees and Santa. For our family, December is all about doughnuts, candles and spinning tops.

We’re Jewish and so while our non-Jewish friends are frantically shopping, decorating and cooking we’re celebrating the much more leisurely and low key festival of Chanucah.

Chanucah commemorates the victory of the Jewish rebels led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers over the Syrian Empire led by King Antiochus. At the rededication there was only enough consecrated olive oil to keep alight the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared. This makes a great story for Jewish children to act out every year. My son, born just before Chanucah, was actually named after Judah Maccabee - a big strong superhero name.

Compared with other Jewish festivals Chanucah is easy-peasy - no lengthy synagogue services, no big meals. Instead there’s a candle-lighting ceremony every night, with one more candle added to the nine-branched candelabra. One candle is there as the ‘servant’ to the others which represent the eight days of the miracle. Part of the fun is choosing which colour candle you’re going to light each night. We say some blessings, sings some songs, exchange presents every day for eight days. Because it lasts so long it’s easy to share with family and friends.

Oil being the focus of the miracle, it is traditional to celebrate Chanucah by eating fried foods - it’s not a great time for weight-watchers. Doughnuts of all shapes and flavours are sold in Jewish bakeries and at some point during the week I’ll be making potato latkes – fried pancakes of grated potato, egg and flour.

We give presents at Chanucah, but it’s more traditional to give money. And the game played at Chanucah time is a gambling game - although you can play it with sweets instead of coins. You have a special spinning top, called a dreidel which has four Hebrew letters on its sides. According to which letter you get, you take half, none or all of the pot - or you have to add to it.

When I was a kid I envied my friends their Christmas trees and decorations, I longed for Santa to visit and I felt extremely left out. But the Chanucah candles were always magical. And now I'm grown up I'm just so grateful to avoid the hard work of Christmas!

Keren also told me when I asked about presents, that "it's generally only kids that get presents every night - and we keep it small! By the end of the week they're making do with the kind of stuff other kids get in their stockings."

Click the candles image to see a larger view.

How interesting is Chanucah? Eight days of celebration, and it all sounds so fun! If you're interested in finding out more about When I Was Joe, and Keren herself, please check out her blog, Almost True.

Continue reading Author's Chanucah - Guest Post from Keren David