Bull Rider Winner!

Congrats to Serena who won a signed copy of Bull Rider!!

I've already got your address so hopefully the book will be on it's way soon. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the giveaway and in the book tour and to the author for stopping by.

Suzanne Morgan Williams Guest Post & Giveaway

A couple of days ago I read and reviewed the wonderfully unique Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams. Today I am lucky enough to have Suzanne to stop by herself to talk about those books she wishes she had read as a fifteen year old. Get ready for some fabulous suggestions folks - I am in love wither her list!

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You asked which YA books I would give my fifteen year old self to read. I read more when I was fifteen. I had demanding teachers, a voracious reading appetite and a lot more time than I do now.  I put away a lot of books back then. I’ll never forget Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. These are books, by and large, that speak to social justice and, if there are women characters, they are powerful. Looking over this list it doesn’t surprise me that I was driven to write Bull Rider – which is about the real cost and sacrifice of war. These days I’m still drawn to that type of book.

So what books do I wish I’d read then that I’ve read since? Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson because it’s beautifully written and puts such an accessible and female face on slavery.  Reading that book might have helped me see that some people are really, really bad.  As a teen, I knew some ideas were bad, but it took me a long time to accept that some people turn out mean. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie because it honestly portrays a world on the reservation that I didn’t know existed then – and that’s always a good thing. And Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe. It presents a giant question and no answer – why did Kyle shoot and kill his friend? He can’t remember and through the book the reader has to decide what is important about the event. Everything is gray, no black and white answers here. That might have helped me understand some nuances of morality. 

But here’s the book that I most wish I’d read as a teen – The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. I love this book because it speaks to valuing what is important to you, not what the greater society says you should be. And then it shows how regular folks might actually act on those values and create a life that makes sense to them.   I wish I’d known that then. I’m learning now.

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Wow! Thank you again Suzanne! I'm going to have to track down both Freeze Frame and The Education of Little Tree - both of which I've never read but seem like ones I shouldn't miss out on.

So now for a chance to win your own copy of Bull Rider just fill out the form below. The giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until December 17th. For an added entry (or anyone feel free to chime in with this one -- I'm curious) answer the following question: What books would you have given your fifteen (or twelve) year old self? Good luck!

Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams

In the small town of Salt Lick, Nevada Cam O'Mara knows how to do two things real well. One is how to work cows on his family's ranch and the other is skateboarding. Which is a bit unusual since everyone in Salt Like knows that the O'Mara family is famous for turning out champion bull riders like Cam's Grandpa Roy and his older brother, Ben. But skateboarding is Cam's passion and nothing can change that. That is until his larger-than-life older brother returns home from his tour in Iraq with severe and life-changing injuries. That quickly, everything in the O'Mara household changes - Cam included. As the family draws closer in hopes of finding ways to simply stay afloat while trying to lift Ben's spirits in the process, Cam finds himself drawn to the rodeo ring. Putting himself on the back of a bull has always been the stupidest idea Cam could ever imagine, but suddenly the rush of adrenaline and those eight seconds of no thought seem to be just what he needs. And it just so happens that those eight seconds could also mean the best means for reaching Ben's wounded mind and body in a way nothing else can.

So I'm always on the lookout for good books for boys (mainly because I want to be prepared for when my own little man starts looking for good things to read) and Bull Rider offered an extremely intriguing premise. Skateboarding, rodeos, bull riding, the war in Iraq and soldiers -- you couldn't find a book more chock-full of attention grabbing hot topics than that. Nonetheless, it's the compelling family dynamics and the emotional struggles faced by the O'Mara family that will truly win over any reader - male or female, young or old. Suzanne Morgan Williams easily captures the voice of a teenage boy who loves his family but who also desperately wants to prove himself to the world around him. But where Cam's voice really shines is when he is describing his decision to ride a bull for the very first time. His indecision and fear come across clear and honest but his courage and ultimate reasoning for that choice are truly vibrant. Plus, the small town atmosphere of Salt Lick couldn't be more quaint or inviting inevitably adding to the overall welcoming feel of this fascinating novel. Bull Rider is a book I'll be recommending without hesitation and keeping on my shelf for my own little man to enjoy down the road.

*Be sure to come back on Friday when author Suzanne Morgan Williams will be stopping in to talk about Bull Rider and some of her favorite books.

Because Everyone Likes a Second Opinion:
Ashley's Bookshelf review
Semicolon review

book source: review copy for The Teen {Book} Scene tour