Author Archives: Victoria Waddle

About Victoria Waddle

Victoria Waddle is a Pushcart Prize-nominated writer and has been included in Best Short Stories from The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest. Her books include a collection of feminist short fiction, Acts of Contrition, and a chapbook on grief, The Mortality of Dogs and Humans. Her YA novel about a polygamist cult, Keep Sweet, launches in June 2025. Formerly the managing editor of the journal Inlandia: A Literary Journey and a teacher librarian, she contributes to the Southern California News Group column Literary Journeys. She discusses both writing and library book censorship on her Substack, “Be a Cactus.” Join her there for thoughts on defiant readers and writers as well as for weekly library censorship news.

Throwback Thursday: “Interview with the Vampire”

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

In an interview, the vampire Louis discusses his life from its beginning in New Orleans during the late 1700’s. he became a vampire at age twenty-five in 1791. Louis has a brother who was very pious and came to … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Mature Readers, Supernatural | Tagged Adult books for teens, Anne Rice, book reviews, Interview with the Vampire, supernatural, Throwback Thursday, undead, vampires | Leave a comment

“The Vast Fields of Ordinary”

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd “’We’re all sick,’ Alex said. ‘I was thinking that the other night. . . . I remember in high school seeing people who seemed like they had it all together. . . … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged abusive relationships, coming of age, divorce, emotional abuse, extra-marital affairs, family problems, fathers and sons, gay teens, GLBTQ, LGBTQ, mothers and sons, Nick Burd, partner abuse, romance, Vast Fields of Ordinary, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Since You Asked”

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

I had a great time at Maurene Goo’s presentation a few weeks ago at the Ontario City Library, Ovitt Branch. She’s the author of Since You Asked, a YA novel in journal form about Holly Kim. “Fifteen-year-old Holly Kim, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Multicultural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, cliques, high school, Holly Kim, homecoming (high school), journalism, Korean American culture, Korean Americans, Maurene Goo, popularity, San Diego, school newspapers, writers, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: “The Circle”

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

The Circle by Dave Eggers With job prospects slim, Mae Holland, a 24-year-old college grad, has been working at a local utility company for a few years. She sees her job as a dead end, but what can she do? … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Literary Read Alike, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Sci-Fi/Futuristic | Tagged 1984 readalike, Adult books for teens, book reviews, Brave New World readalike, future dystopia, monopolies, privacy, social media, surveillance, technology | 2 Comments

Throwback Thursday: “The Hot Zone”

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston This nonfiction thriller opens with the story of “Charles Monet,” a Frenchman in Western Kenya who contracts Marburg’s Disease after a visit to Mt. Elgan (between Uganda and Kenya)—a “biological island of rain … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Issues, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged 1989, Army, book reviews, Center for Disease Control, diseases, Ebola, Marburg, monkeys, plagues, Reston, Richard Preston, scientific research, scientists, U.S. army, Virginia | 1 Comment

Adult Books for Teens: “A Tale for the Time Being”

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki Nao, a Japanese American girl, was born in California’s Silicon Valley, her father a successful ‘dot-com’ programmer. But as time passes, her dad and his projects become superfluous. In dire straits, … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Multicultural, Over 375 pages, Supernatural | Tagged Adult books for teens, book reviews, British Columbia, bullying, high school, Japan, Japanese Americans, kamikaze pilots, literary fiction, suicide, teenage girls, writers, writing, writing life | Leave a comment

“Sticks and Stones”

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Sticks and Stones by Beth Goobie “Jujube” got her nickname because she has one green eye and one blue. She’s a moderately popular girl at school—fifteen, sweet and friendly. She lives with her mom and has her friend Sophie and … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged gossip, hi-low reading, Read 180, reluctant readers, reputations, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

“Masked”

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Masked by Norah McClintock Daniel has a secret and not altogether ethical task to complete when he enters a convenience store. While he is snapping pictures of documents from a cabinet in a dirty old storeroom, a masked man … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Read 180, Young Adult Literature | Tagged hi-low reading, Norah McClintock, Read 180, reluctant readers, robberies | Leave a comment

Throwback Thursday: “Breathing Underwater”

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Victoria Waddle

Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn Nick is in court, facing a restraining order. He tells the judge that he never hit his girlfriend, Caitlin. The judge isn’t buying it. And it’s a good thing, too, because in the journal that … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Human Rights Issues, Mature Readers, Read 180, Sports, Young Adult Literature | Tagged abusive men, affluent teenagers, anger management, body image, book reviews, dating, football, friendship, high school, male-female relationships, partner abuse, self-esteem, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

New Dictatorships Series–In Print and as eBooks