Let's Bust a Recap : Ravensboro

So my BFF Christina participated in and completed the NaNoWriMo Challenge last month. For those of you who don't know what in the world that means: November is National Novel Writing Month, and there is an internet challenge open to any aspiring writers who desire to participate to write a 50,000 word novel. 

And my girl did it. And not only that, she let me read it and bounced ideas off me as she was writing it. And speaking as a completely objective third party outsider with absolutely no personal interest in the matter (NAME THAT MOVIE), I have to say, her book was really good. I think she has a real shot at getting it published.

Ravensboro follows the adventures of three siblings as they discover their magical heritage after the sudden death of their parents and their subsequent attempts to defeat the evil schemes of a wicked foe. I would classify it as a young adult fantasy. 

Christina did a great job of weaving this compelling plot together and writing it in such a way that leaves the reader eager for more. She created quirky characters that I immediately fell in love with and a few odious ones that I wanted to see go down. There were several days throughout the month of November where I was nagging her to send me the next installment because I was dying to know what was going to happen next. I even got my husband to read it, and he loved it, too. (And he's not the type to throw away compliments, so that's saying something.)

And lest you think that 50,000 words isn't a real book, here are some other novels that have approximately 50,000 words:

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (46,118 words)
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (50,061 words)
• The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane (50,776 words)
• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (52,000 words)
• As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (56,695 words)

Be on the lookout for Ravensboro by Christina J. Volpe, coming to a bookstore near you soon. I'm sure of it.

Christina, way to go! You are awesome. I'm looking forward to your next book. When you're totally famous, I can say I knew you when. 

Circa Summer of '07