Leaving Hope Chapter 15--In which Anya tries to talk to Ryan Lancet, who is avoiding her--and being avoided by Borsk.Talking things through only works if you can manage to connect with that person. Sometimes that connection takes the cooperation of the other person.Have you ever tried to avoid a looming…
Leaving Hope Chapter 14--In which Anya's rebellious art goes public, and she misleads her father about her colony intentions. What do you think of Anya's strategy for dealing with her father in this chapter? Clever? Deceptive? Doomed to failure? Some of all of that? Something else? Remember to leave your…
Leaving Hope Chapter 13--In which Borsk finishes his hacking job, argues with his family, and has a showdown with Ryan Lancet. This was a fun chapter to write---as are all the scenes where Ryan and Borsk have to deal with each other--they're such different people. How well do you think…
Leaving Hope Chapter 12--in which Anya gets surprisingly invested in math homework, and Borsk untangles a digital disaster.Unlike Anya, I love math, and in this chapter, I got to play around with how someone who isn't as naturally attracted to the subject might find a way in.Have you ever had…
In which Borsk and Anya hang out in Central Park, and Borsk teaches Anya how to control cameras and use math for art. One of the big ways Anya is different from me is in not liking math. In this chapter, it was fun to give her a glimpse of…
Leaving Hope Chapter 10--ln which Anya finds a Wash-n-Wear place, and Sarka sends Borsk on a rescue mission. Anya's a rich kid, and as such, there are certain things she's never done. Using a public shower and laundry is one of them. Now, I'm not from a society that has…
Leaving Hope Chapter 9--in which Anya has a run-in with her father and is forced to flee home (at least temporarily) This is a super short chapter, so there isn't a whole lot to say--except that this is one of the first places where we see how little privacy Anya…
Leaving Hope Chapter 8--in which Anya discovers new restrictions on her life and one of Borsks secrets is uncovered. I love this chapter because it gets us a little deeper into Borsk's family, introduces a new neighborhood, and drops us right into a few sticky issues since I've been thinking…
Leaving Hope Chapter 7--in which Borsk and Anya exercise their talents and one of them is nearly late to school I love this chapter because it lets us see both Anya and Borsk doing what they do best. So, what do you think? When Anya messes around with art instead…
Leaving Hope Chapter 6--in which Anya reevaluates her relationship with Ryan. She also develops a plan for convincing him to try out with her. Though Anya isn't thrilled with Ryan, she'd rather let it continue than bring her father's wrath down on her head. She believes these are her only…
Leaving Hope Chapter 5--in which Anya and Borsk share a greenhouse detention on the grape trellis -- and then a meal with Borsk's mama. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, especially the part in the greenhouses when Anya and Borsk are pollinating the grapes. I read about…
Leaving Hope Chapter 4--in which Anya's father shows his true colors, and Anya uncovers Borsk's shenanigans with her bank account. This, by the way, is one of the chapters that might need a trigger warning. (Domestic abuse) And, might I just say, the action that Anya witnesses at the beginning…
Leaving Hope Chapter 3--in which Anya fails to express herself to Ryan, and Borsk pulls off a tricky hacking job. I have some conflict avoiders in my family, and Anya definitely takes after them in that regard. Obviously, what she's doing now to try and follow her dreams isn't working,…
Leaving Hope Chapter 2–in which we meet Anya and Borsk's families. I know which I'd rather live in, for sure.Families--and especially sibling relationships are a blast to write. And though none of the characters here are based on anyone in my family, the general feeling, especially in the restaurant, makes…
Leaving Hope Chapter 1--in which we meet Anya, Borsk, and a few other main players, including Mr. Greeley (aka Sam Greeley from Hope Gardens). Did you know that in the first draft of this book, Borsk was only in a single scene? Yeah, it's true. He played a fairly minor…
R. L. S. Hoff's Golden Terrace Colony series starts with Leaving Hope and ends with Shindashir--which I hope to publish this summer (2023).Want to get ready? Read along through Leaving Hope to get back into the story. To encourage people to "talk" about what they're reading, I have a couple…