This is Willa R. Finnegan's blog, where she shares books and authors she loves, what it's like to be a young author and how to get your foot in the door, plus all kinds of tips and tricks that she's stumbled across when creating her stories and so much more!
August, 2025
Written By Willa R. Finnegan
TOPIC ON THE TABLE: BOOK SIGNINGS
Are you an author looking for a better way to connect with your readers? Are you a reader looking for a better way to connect with your favorite authors? Are you an aspiring writer looking for a better way to get some helpful advice from someone who's been published?
Before we get into this month's blog post, I should probably introduce myself. I am Willa R. Finnegan, the award-winning author of Snow: Cursed. I originally wrote the book that you've probably seen all over my website when I was eleven, got it published when I was twelve, and I am now thirteen years old. But that's enough about me.
The answer to those three questions above is this: book signings.
Doing book signings at various Barnes and Nobles and other additional places has helped me so much on my author journey. Book signings (as a writer) are SUCH a good way to get your name out there, especially if you aren't traditionally published. And you get to connect with your readers and get them truly invested in you, and that is something truly special. If you are an author reading this, I implore you to call or email your local Barnes and Noble, book store, or library to see if you can book an author signing there, because it will help you in more ways than one.
Now, from the standpoint of a reader, book signings are also SO...MUCH...FUN! You get to actually talk face to face with your favorite writers. How cool is that? And also if you happen to be at a B&N book signing...you get to go to STARBUCKS! I mean, is that a win-win situation or what? And you're surrounded by the aroma of books. If you are a reader and want to connect more with authors, I encourage you to check your local book retailers' social media to see if there's one in your area coming up.
And lastly, if you are an aspiring author, I cannot even tell you the amount of advice and encouragement you will get by attending a book signing. Every single time someone comes up to me and says, "I want to be an author" or "When I was your age, I used to write books", I tell them to keep going or start it up again, because writing is such a rewarding thing to do. When I talk to these people about writing, we usually chat for a bit, and they'll ask me all sorts of questions and I'll just keep firing back answers. And I can guarantee you that every single author at any signing you attend will do exactly the same thing.
So in conclusion, wherever you stand on the spectrum (whether you're an author, reader, or aspiring writer), book signings are an amazing thing, and authors LOVE meeting readers. Here's a short TikTok video with lots of pictures of me meeting my readers and, as always, loving it.
I hope that you really enjoyed this post today. Please sign up and subscribe at the bottom of this page. I'll see you again next month!
July, 2025
Written By Willa R. Finnegan
TOPIC ON THE TABLE: TAKES ON POPULAR BOOKS
Sometimes people will come to me for book recommendations, and sometimes I'll recommend one of those series that's just....REALLY popular. I'm talking massive fandoms, blockbuster movies, the works.
Now, before we dive into this month's subject, I think an introduction is appropriate. Hi! I'm Willa R. Finnegan, and for those of you who don't know me yet, I am the 13-year-old, published, award-winning author of Snow: Cursed. I originally wrote my debut novel when I was eleven, published it when I was twelve, and it was released in paperback form by my publisher for my 13th birthday. Now I am working on the sequel for Snow: Cursed, which is only the first book in the Snow Saga. But enough about me.
Anyways, when I do make those recommendations to people, I'll usually sort of tell them what that particular series or book is about and whether I liked it or not. For this month's blog post, I'm going to tell you the exact same thing: my takes on popular books, my ratings for them, and whether I like them or not, along with some personal opinions and insights. I'm going to cover five series/books today. Here they are: the Hunger Games (including both prequels as part of the series), the School for Good and Evil, the Twilight Saga, Eragon (just the first book, not the entire Inheritance Cycle), and Harry Potter. Are you ready?
The Hunger Games:
Five stars. You CANNOT persuade me otherwise. While the writing isn't exactly my favorite, Katniss is 1,000%. I just really love her character arc, and the overall premise of the original trilogy. The prequels just add on to my love for these books. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is definitely my favorite out of the two prequels because it's Snow's origin story, but Haymitch's Games is really cool too. I will never stop recommending this series to people. The movies are awesome too and definitely expand the story.
The School for Good and Evil:
Okay. While the first book was a little slow to get into, I really did like and enjoy the other five, and it truly might be my favorite series of them all. So, on that note, I will award it five stars too. The characters are just so funny, and the bond between Sophie and Agatha is to die for. The overall message of this book was so heartfelt and truthful too. The illustrations throughout the books were also really good and helped me visualize the characters and certain scenes as well. Trust me, once you've gotten past...maybe the first five chapters and they're actually at the school, you'll never want to stop reading. Also, make sure you check out the movie which is also pretty good. It can't beat the books though! This is also one of those series I'll never stop recommending to kids, teenagers, and adults.
The Twilight Saga:
Ahh, Twilight. Where to begin?
I'll probably give this four stars. The series gradually got better, but it can't beat the Hunger Games or the School for Good and Evil. One of the major flaws with this book is that Bella is a complete Mary Sue, and Edward is your stereotypical love interest. The writing was pretty good though. I also enjoyed how Stephenie Meyer tied all the Native American heritage and vampire lore together. The movies were definitely not as good as the books. I'll recommend this to some people, but not everyone. If it fits your interests, then you should definitely read it.
Eragon (not the entire Inheritance Cycle, just the first one):
Let me preface this by saying that it's SO cool that Christopher Paolini wrote this when he was so young, which is why I'll award it with four stars. While this book has a quite interesting premise, and the prose is immersive, it just took me a while to get into it. At some points it was SOOOO slow that I just wanted to quit and move on. Once I finished Eragon, I tried to start Eldest, but I just didn't have it in me. I was also probably 10 or 11 at the time, so I just couldn't will myself to sit through something I didn't really enjoy when I could be reading something else. In hindsight, it really was a cool book, but it just isn't one of my favorites. The movie was pretty good. I don't usually recommend this one to people because I DNF'd Eldest, but if you're into dragons, fantasy, and you're willing to power through a few dull chapters, this one might become one of your favorites. It just wasn't for me. I might re-read it this school year to see if my thoughts have changed.
Harry Potter:
Okay. These books are super funny, entertaining, magical, fantastical, immersive, and so many other things, and Harry Potter is definitely the most popular series out of the five listed on this blog post. BUT...I haven't read all of them because I just couldn't get through the Order of the Phoenix because it was just SO slow. And Umbridge just really grated on my nerves, even more so in the movies. This being said, I will give it four stars because the first four books were really pretty good. I might pick these books up again later on because the movies are just amazing, but we'll see. I'll definitely keep recommending these books to people, but if you're not a fan of chunky books I suggest you watch the movies instead.
Thanks so much for tuning into my opinon-filled post today! Make sure you visit my website again for August's blog post from me, Willa R. Finnegan. And oh! I almost forgot! There's one more book that will ALWAYS be my favorite! Drumroll please....
SNOW: CURSED, my debut twisted fairytale fantasy novel that you can find on Amazon. And if you'd like to connect with me further, please visit my social media accounts. The links should be on the right of this post. Sign up and subscribe at the bottom of the page today! Thanks again for coming. I'll see you next month.
June, 2025
Written By Willa R. Finnegan
TOPIC ON THE TABLE: SPRAYED EDGES
To spray or not to spray? That is the question....
Hi, I'm Willa R. Finnegan. For those of you who don't know me, I am the 13-year-old published, award-winning author of Snow: Cursed. I originally wrote my debut novel when I was eleven, published it when I was twelve, and it was released in paperback form by my publisher for my 13th birthday. Now I am working on the sequel for Snow: Cursed, which is only the first book in the Snow Saga. But enough about me. Let's dive into this subject!
Every time I walk into a bookstore these days, whether that's Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, or our local bookstore in Salina, Kansas (Red Fern Booksellers), I am bombarded by colors. "Well what do you mean by that, Willa?" I mean that I am bombarded by magnificent sprayed edges.
I'm going to tell you right now that I LOVE those edges. This publishing fad (in my humble opinion) is turning books into works of art. Now don't get me wrong. Books are already complete works of art, and their covers are too. But somehow, I think sprayed edges make it more personal.
Here's an example. You could be standing halfway across the store, flipping through a book (let's say that book is Snow: Cursed, my debut novel that you can find on Amazon), and then you see another book with beautiful sprayed edges. You feel so warm inside just by laying eyes on those colors that you are instantly compelled to travel all the way to the other side of the store (Snow: Cursed still in hand, because how could you put that down) just so you can pick up that book you saw. And you don't even know the name of the book. Or what it entails. But the artwork and those sprayed edges, drew you to it.
I'd say that at least half of the books you see nowadays have a deluxe edition with sprayed edges or something of that sort just because it draws people in.
Currently, I have four books on my shelf with sprayed edges. The Wizard of Oz, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Elphie by Gregory Maguire. Each book is different and unique. Each book pulled me in.
I highly encourage you to count up how many books with sprayed edges you have on your shelf right now. I want you to recall those wonderful memories of picking each of those books up. I want you to ask yourself: was I drawn in by the edges, or the story? Or maybe the cover, even?
Remember those times you picked up each piece of art. And never let go!
Thanks so much for tuning in to my blog! Come to my website again for July's blog post from me, Willa R. Finnegan. Sign up and subscribe at the bottom of the page today!
May, 2025
Written By Willa R. Finnegan
TOPIC ON THE TABLE: LITERACY
People are constantly asking my parents and I how I accomplished publishing a book at such a young age. The answer is: literacy. That's right, literacy.
Hi, I'm Willa R. Finnegan, and for those of you who don't know me, I am the 13-year-old published author of Snow: Cursed. I originally wrote my debut novel when I was eleven, published it when I was twelve, and it was released in paperback form by my publisher for my 13th birthday. But enough about me. Let's dive into this subject!
My mom was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer when I was barely five years old and was really, really sick, so she couldn't do much with me. One of the only things she could do was read. We read and read and read in bed all these different kinds of stories, and it was always really important to her if something happened and she didn't make it that I knew how to read. My mom always says that if you know how to read, you can do pretty much anything else, along with excelling in school. You can do math, science, social studies...if you can name it, you can do it. Additionally, reading and writing go hand in hand. The more you read, the more you're exposed to good writing. Good writing is modeled in published books that you read. My parents have always had the philosophy that they don't mind spending money on books because books are an investment in your literary future.
Studies show that 1 in every 4 children grow up without adequately learning how to read by the age of eleven. I truly believe that one of the biggest things impacting this statistic is screens. Everywhere you go you see kids on screens, whether they're at the store or eating at a restaurant. This statistic is startling. Limiting screen time and opening a book instead will help build a strong foundation in literacy.
Also, there's a large divide between people that read books and people who don't. When you walk into a Barnes and Noble, you're not going to see someone in there who hates books. There's a large polarization between the two sides. And honestly, how many people do you see with library cards nowadays? Libraries are great resources for communities. You can join a book club, research a topic, etc.
I have a challenge for you. Consider decreasing your screen time and reading one book a month to start. I encourage you greatly to take on this task. If you really start missing your screen, you can always read an eBook as a compromise. Start changing literacy one book at a time.
Thanks so much for tuning in to my blog! Come to my website again for my blog for the month of June. Sign up and subscribe under the avatar icon today!
