Today, I began rereading a perennial favorite: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. I've mentioned on the blog before how much I enjoy this book, and I'll continue to endorse it if anyone asks. This is probably the third time I've read it through -- not counting the times I've basically reread it to pillage for quotations. I've enjoyed it ever time.
There are a few books I have that I've read more than once. I listened to the Harry Potter books so often growing up that there are portions I can recite from memories. Sometimes, if I just want something cute, I'll grab a romance I enjoy and flip to a random page.
Sometimes, I think the real test of a book is whether or not it holds up on re-reading. Is the book still interesting, now that the surprise factor is gone? Are the characters still interesting now that the reveals are already revealed? Basically, do you still care the second time around.
Usually, when I read a good book for a second time, I enjoy getting to see how it unfolds the next time around. If the book is well done, it unfolds in a process, and you can watch it play out. Now that you know where you're going, you can be really impressed with how they get you there. In a good book, you can appreciate the subtle clues they laid in in advance so that you can say, "Oh, my gosh, I should have seen that coming."
I think there's something fun and even educational in rereading a really good book. It'll help you see why you thought it was good in the first place.
How about you? Do you enjoy rereading books? What books do you read time and time again?
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Monday, March 19, 2012
Friday, July 29, 2011
Stats are Whack (and Wicked Helpful)
Once upon a time, I was discussing Miss Snitch with my dad, and I mentioned that two of the secondary male characters were dating each other. Now, I tend not to bring up my characters' personal business unless it's actually related to what they're doing, and in this case it was. But my dad's reaction was something along the lines of "Isn't that a bit much for YA?"
Me, I didn't think so. Because, near as I can tell, most teens have met LGBT people. There are LGBT people in the schools YA readers go to. Most teens are fans of LGBT celebrities. Some readers will be LGBT people. To boil this down: No, because LGBT people are a fact of life and thus are fit for books.
Once upon a time, in the fantastic play The Importance of Being Ernest by the utterly wonderful Oscar Wilde, "I don't know whether there is anything particularly exciting about the air in this particular part of Hertfordshire, but the number of engagements that go on seem to me to be considerably above the proper average that statistics have laid down for our guidance." This is very useful advice, even when one isn't trying to get engaged.
In life, the shadow (stats) move in response to the sun (people), but in fiction, if you want it to look like life, the the shadows of actual life need to tell us, as writers, where our suns should be pointing.
Hannah from Invincible Summer once posed the question: Why aren't there more characters like me?
This is a good question. Readers want to be able to recognize themselves in the books they read. But, if that's really going to happen, books have to reflect actual life with characters like actual people. That includes the statistical minorities. They exist in life, so why aren't they in the books?
I, for one, think sometimes I try so hard not to make every character in my book just like me that maybe I forget to make them like people. To include a little something for everyone. But it's definitely something I'm trying to work on. Because everyone reads books, so everyone should have someone to relate to in them. No one should be out there thinking, "Why aren't there characters like me?"
How do you feel about this? Do you let stats or your life experiences tell you how to make up your world? Do you have trouble finding characters like you?
Me, I didn't think so. Because, near as I can tell, most teens have met LGBT people. There are LGBT people in the schools YA readers go to. Most teens are fans of LGBT celebrities. Some readers will be LGBT people. To boil this down: No, because LGBT people are a fact of life and thus are fit for books.
Once upon a time, in the fantastic play The Importance of Being Ernest by the utterly wonderful Oscar Wilde, "I don't know whether there is anything particularly exciting about the air in this particular part of Hertfordshire, but the number of engagements that go on seem to me to be considerably above the proper average that statistics have laid down for our guidance." This is very useful advice, even when one isn't trying to get engaged.
In life, the shadow (stats) move in response to the sun (people), but in fiction, if you want it to look like life, the the shadows of actual life need to tell us, as writers, where our suns should be pointing.
Hannah from Invincible Summer once posed the question: Why aren't there more characters like me?
This is a good question. Readers want to be able to recognize themselves in the books they read. But, if that's really going to happen, books have to reflect actual life with characters like actual people. That includes the statistical minorities. They exist in life, so why aren't they in the books?
I, for one, think sometimes I try so hard not to make every character in my book just like me that maybe I forget to make them like people. To include a little something for everyone. But it's definitely something I'm trying to work on. Because everyone reads books, so everyone should have someone to relate to in them. No one should be out there thinking, "Why aren't there characters like me?"
How do you feel about this? Do you let stats or your life experiences tell you how to make up your world? Do you have trouble finding characters like you?
Monday, June 20, 2011
Did We Read the Same Source Material?
Ever go see a movie based on a book you really like and walk out thinking, "I'm sorry, did we read the same book?" Characters have disappeared or been created, entire story arcs were cut or doubled in size, moments of deep symbolic meaning or absolutely no meaning whatsoever materialized from nowhere while deeply meaningful moments vanished in a puff of smoke.
I think we've all been there. And, if you're like more, you tend to leave the theater in something of a huff. It's very rare that I leave a theater having seen a flick that made radical changes to the text where I didn't think, "You're not seriously claiming that was based on the book? You barely nodded to the original text!"
Because for me, there's a line between Based On, Inspired By, and Loosely Connected To (See How We Kept The Names the Same).
I'm not saying I've never seen it well done. The movie Stardust in 2007 got very free with Niel Gaiman's novel -- a book I liked quite a bit -- and when I saw many of the changes, I said, "Nice. I see why you did that." Because many of the adaptations were made as concessions to the medium rather than in total disregard for the original text.
On the other hand, Elton John's rock opera version of Aida is, to my mind, more Inspired By Verdi's original than actually based on it. They cut 3 of the acts, change most of Amneris's character arc, and rewrite a fair amount of Radames's backstory. But, you know, they kept the names the same. It's a nice reference, but, to me, almost a different play entirely.
Captain Film Major tends to come to the defense of adaptations. He says I expect them to bear too strong a resemblance to the book. Maybe I do. But that's because I have a very strict interpretation of the line between Based On and Inspired By. I think when you start getting jiggy with the plot, you're crossing over. He doesn't share that opinion.
For the first time, the project I'm working on was inspired by certain source material, and I chose to work closely with that material in the creation of the text. On the other hand, as the piece grew on its own, it moved away from the original source. I'd already changed most names, many motivations, a fair amount of characterization, and the ending. I think I've moved from Based On to Inspired By and, who knows, maybe even closer to Connected To (See How I Make All Those References). But that's just where the project wants to go.
How about you? Where do you draw the lines of Based On and Inspired By? Do you ever do Based On work? Inspired By?
I think we've all been there. And, if you're like more, you tend to leave the theater in something of a huff. It's very rare that I leave a theater having seen a flick that made radical changes to the text where I didn't think, "You're not seriously claiming that was based on the book? You barely nodded to the original text!"
Because for me, there's a line between Based On, Inspired By, and Loosely Connected To (See How We Kept The Names the Same).
I'm not saying I've never seen it well done. The movie Stardust in 2007 got very free with Niel Gaiman's novel -- a book I liked quite a bit -- and when I saw many of the changes, I said, "Nice. I see why you did that." Because many of the adaptations were made as concessions to the medium rather than in total disregard for the original text.
On the other hand, Elton John's rock opera version of Aida is, to my mind, more Inspired By Verdi's original than actually based on it. They cut 3 of the acts, change most of Amneris's character arc, and rewrite a fair amount of Radames's backstory. But, you know, they kept the names the same. It's a nice reference, but, to me, almost a different play entirely.
Captain Film Major tends to come to the defense of adaptations. He says I expect them to bear too strong a resemblance to the book. Maybe I do. But that's because I have a very strict interpretation of the line between Based On and Inspired By. I think when you start getting jiggy with the plot, you're crossing over. He doesn't share that opinion.
For the first time, the project I'm working on was inspired by certain source material, and I chose to work closely with that material in the creation of the text. On the other hand, as the piece grew on its own, it moved away from the original source. I'd already changed most names, many motivations, a fair amount of characterization, and the ending. I think I've moved from Based On to Inspired By and, who knows, maybe even closer to Connected To (See How I Make All Those References). But that's just where the project wants to go.
How about you? Where do you draw the lines of Based On and Inspired By? Do you ever do Based On work? Inspired By?
Monday, February 7, 2011
You've Got To Look For What You Like
Once upon a time, I sat in a Bio Lab where the prof assigned us a pair of articles and asked for our critiques. After a while, she explained that part of the point was for us to get used to looking at reports objectively, since we'd have to write them later. Then she said, "When you read things, you get a sense of what you like to see. Then you can do that."
That's when I had one of those *ding* moments. Like a little light bulb over my head.
It was like rehearing all of those things that writing sites and books always say all over again:
What have you been reading lately? What books have taught you about writing?
That's when I had one of those *ding* moments. Like a little light bulb over my head.
It was like rehearing all of those things that writing sites and books always say all over again:
- Write what you'd like to read.
- Study published books. See how they're put together and learn from it.
- Remember what made you like reading that book, and try to absorb that awesome.
What have you been reading lately? What books have taught you about writing?
Monday, December 20, 2010
Books, Books, and Books
Once upon a time (read: January), I posted my New Year's Resolutions on the blog. While some of them (such as my resolution to post five times a day), didn't last until the end of the year, others actually made it through. The one that actually surprised me was reading 50 books this year. I felt reasonably sure I'd be holing up on New Year's Eve to finish the last few, but I actually rounded that one out back in October. Made me feel accomplished.
When I finished 'em up, I told myself I'd do a post about it here on the blog. Well, this should be an indication about my fantastic capability to procrastinate. But here goes my efforts:
Names that appeared multiple times on my list (yes, there was a list) :
Biggest surprise on my list: Mauprat by George Bernard Sand. I felt pretty nerdy for reading a French novel. Plus, it's a love story with a happy ending, and I think we know how I feel about love stories with happy endings.
Favorite Debut: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White I loved that this book turned prior tropes on their heads. I think I took a strange amount of joy in the fact that I've followed this woman's blog for more than a year, so I'd heard a lot about the book before it came out. Totally psyched me up for the book. Definitely worth all the hype.
Biggest Surprise: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson I picked this up at the library, because I saw a movie based on it. I thought it would be dry and boring, because it's old. (I stereotype like that. I'm heinous. Truly heinous.) Then again, there are pirates, and I'd enjoyed the movie I saw, so I had some hope. I actually enjoyed it. Plenty of good plot, even if they don't seem to include in it English classes these days. Surprisingly kid friendly, by the by.
How have your goals been going? What have you read this year? What have you particularly enjoyed? What's your sort of book?
When I finished 'em up, I told myself I'd do a post about it here on the blog. Well, this should be an indication about my fantastic capability to procrastinate. But here goes my efforts:
Names that appeared multiple times on my list (yes, there was a list) :
- Rick Riordan
- Ally Carter
- Julia Quinn
- Lisa Kleypas
- Simone Elkeles
Biggest surprise on my list: Mauprat by George Bernard Sand. I felt pretty nerdy for reading a French novel. Plus, it's a love story with a happy ending, and I think we know how I feel about love stories with happy endings.
Favorite Debut: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White I loved that this book turned prior tropes on their heads. I think I took a strange amount of joy in the fact that I've followed this woman's blog for more than a year, so I'd heard a lot about the book before it came out. Totally psyched me up for the book. Definitely worth all the hype.
Biggest Surprise: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson I picked this up at the library, because I saw a movie based on it. I thought it would be dry and boring, because it's old. (I stereotype like that. I'm heinous. Truly heinous.) Then again, there are pirates, and I'd enjoyed the movie I saw, so I had some hope. I actually enjoyed it. Plenty of good plot, even if they don't seem to include in it English classes these days. Surprisingly kid friendly, by the by.
How have your goals been going? What have you read this year? What have you particularly enjoyed? What's your sort of book?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A Banned Book Review
The Rejectionist and Tahereh suggested that the perfect way to celebrate Banned Books Week would be to post a review of a great Banned Book. I like this idea. In fact, I like it so much, I've decided to do it. (Didn't see that coming, did you. ;))
Introducing: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Quick Intro:
Jonas was born into the perfect world. Here, couples are matched by the government for a perfect balance, careers are given out by the government for the perfect match, and death and birth are arranged by the government for perfect timing. But when Jonas turns 12 and is assigned the role of Receiver of Memories, he learns that his world isn't as perfect as it seemed.
My thoughts:
By the time I'd left grade school, I'd probably read this book three times. Most of my grade had read it, too. (I know at least one teacher assigned it.) Quotes from this book were actually an inside joke in my classroom.
I think of this book as dystopia-light, intro reading for the kids who'll grow up to adore 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and other books on the Banned Books list. Moreover, it's got a male MC and a gender neutral plot, doesn't involve too much violence or sexuality, and the diction is not overly advanced, so this book is appropriate for anyone 10+. Actually, I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't enjoy the book. (Though, I could be repressing the opinions of some of my 6th grade class. Can't remember all of those.)
Other thoughts:
A West Wing quote about book banning: "He banned Fahrenheit 451 which is about banning books." I'd like to take this moment to appreciate the irony (and irony makes the world go 'round) of the fact that many books people like to ban either involve banning books or involve worlds where there are no disseminated books. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, etc.
In other news: Talei, thank you for giving me the award. As I've previously received it, I'll simply link to that post.
Introducing: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Quick Intro:
Jonas was born into the perfect world. Here, couples are matched by the government for a perfect balance, careers are given out by the government for the perfect match, and death and birth are arranged by the government for perfect timing. But when Jonas turns 12 and is assigned the role of Receiver of Memories, he learns that his world isn't as perfect as it seemed.
My thoughts:
By the time I'd left grade school, I'd probably read this book three times. Most of my grade had read it, too. (I know at least one teacher assigned it.) Quotes from this book were actually an inside joke in my classroom.
I think of this book as dystopia-light, intro reading for the kids who'll grow up to adore 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and other books on the Banned Books list. Moreover, it's got a male MC and a gender neutral plot, doesn't involve too much violence or sexuality, and the diction is not overly advanced, so this book is appropriate for anyone 10+. Actually, I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't enjoy the book. (Though, I could be repressing the opinions of some of my 6th grade class. Can't remember all of those.)
Other thoughts:
A West Wing quote about book banning: "He banned Fahrenheit 451 which is about banning books." I'd like to take this moment to appreciate the irony (and irony makes the world go 'round) of the fact that many books people like to ban either involve banning books or involve worlds where there are no disseminated books. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, etc.
In other news: Talei, thank you for giving me the award. As I've previously received it, I'll simply link to that post.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Banned Books, a Blogfest, and Good Advice
Banned Books Week kicked in on Sept. 25h. Since we all know how I feel about banning books (if you're desperate to hear it, click here or here. I wouldn't fault you. I like my posts.) I'll spare you another rant/diatribe/epic poem on my feelings on the issue. Instead, I'll tell you a story.
(Unfortunately, I'm too far away from any of my old diaries to participate in the Public Humiliation Uncontest, this story can suffice for that moment too. Except I think of it more as fun than humiliating.)
When I was in high school, I was a member of the debate team. (This should not be construed as a representation that my friends and I were any good at it. But we had a lot of fun.) For my first and second years of high school, Debate Club was sort of a Geek Collective. Even the team captain admitted that you had to be something of a geek to want in.
Anyway, if you've ever participated in something called Cross-Examination Debate, like our captain did, then you'll know that Cross-Ex debaters travel with what we called Debate Boxes. They contained the deep knowledge of the universe, and all the information you might need to combat any argument made by the opposing side, ever. That too.
If you're like just about every single other person in the world, you've probably never made a thorough examination of one of these boxes. But it can be a long trip to a meet, and those were some pretty interesting boxes. Now, in one of the boxes, there was something called the Porn is Good file.
Before you scream at me and threaten to call the FCC, Google, The Hidden League of Blog Controllers, or whoever moderates blogs these days, I'm going to remind you that this box contained any argument needed to block any point your opposition could ever make. So, if you tried to shut down an opponent by saying they were destroying free speech, they'd say that the free speech is secretly bad, citing pornography, and thus you needed to defend pornography.
My friends and I spent some time debating the merits of this file and its counter file, the Porn is Bad file. (Oh, Debate Club, I miss you.) This led to some interesting conversations between my friends, me, and the Debate Captain (who once sold me his soul for a water bottle, but that's a different story).
(It should be noted, to protect the innocents, that nothing said during a real or mock debate cannot be assumed to be that person's actual views. You flipped a coin to see who defended what side, so you could easily win a debate saying something you firmly believed to be false. Anything said on the bus, likewise, was an intellectual exercise and shouldn't be held against a person. (Note: unless you're running for office. In that case, everything from debates, press statements, and shoe size will be held against you in the court of public opinion.))
Debate Captain: So, you see, pornography will lead men to think about women in a sexualized way. Therefore, we must ban it.
The Other One: But, don't romance novels cause women to think about men in a sexualized manner? Do we have to ban those too?
Debate Captain: You are absolutely right. **He points to a sticker on the Debate Box that states READ BANNED BOOKS.**
So, in the spirit of my Debate Captain and Banned Books Week, I'd like to urge you to take some time this week and, you guessed it, read a banned book. (If you're looking for suggestions, click here.) Me, I'm working my way through 1984 by George Orwell. So far, plusgood ;).
How are you guys celebrating Banned Books Week? Anyone else participating in a blogfest at the moment? Anyone else a debater in H.S.? Or a member of any other geeky clubs?
Also, while this post might have anything to do with writing or banned books, her advice is both useful and important, so I strongly urge everyone click read Kiertsen White's post on ectopic pregnancy. It could save your life.
(Unfortunately, I'm too far away from any of my old diaries to participate in the Public Humiliation Uncontest, this story can suffice for that moment too. Except I think of it more as fun than humiliating.)
When I was in high school, I was a member of the debate team. (This should not be construed as a representation that my friends and I were any good at it. But we had a lot of fun.) For my first and second years of high school, Debate Club was sort of a Geek Collective. Even the team captain admitted that you had to be something of a geek to want in.
Anyway, if you've ever participated in something called Cross-Examination Debate, like our captain did, then you'll know that Cross-Ex debaters travel with what we called Debate Boxes. They contained the deep knowledge of the universe, and all the information you might need to combat any argument made by the opposing side, ever. That too.
If you're like just about every single other person in the world, you've probably never made a thorough examination of one of these boxes. But it can be a long trip to a meet, and those were some pretty interesting boxes. Now, in one of the boxes, there was something called the Porn is Good file.
Before you scream at me and threaten to call the FCC, Google, The Hidden League of Blog Controllers, or whoever moderates blogs these days, I'm going to remind you that this box contained any argument needed to block any point your opposition could ever make. So, if you tried to shut down an opponent by saying they were destroying free speech, they'd say that the free speech is secretly bad, citing pornography, and thus you needed to defend pornography.
My friends and I spent some time debating the merits of this file and its counter file, the Porn is Bad file. (Oh, Debate Club, I miss you.) This led to some interesting conversations between my friends, me, and the Debate Captain (who once sold me his soul for a water bottle, but that's a different story).
(It should be noted, to protect the innocents, that nothing said during a real or mock debate cannot be assumed to be that person's actual views. You flipped a coin to see who defended what side, so you could easily win a debate saying something you firmly believed to be false. Anything said on the bus, likewise, was an intellectual exercise and shouldn't be held against a person. (Note: unless you're running for office. In that case, everything from debates, press statements, and shoe size will be held against you in the court of public opinion.))
Debate Captain: So, you see, pornography will lead men to think about women in a sexualized way. Therefore, we must ban it.
The Other One: But, don't romance novels cause women to think about men in a sexualized manner? Do we have to ban those too?
Debate Captain: You are absolutely right. **He points to a sticker on the Debate Box that states READ BANNED BOOKS.**
So, in the spirit of my Debate Captain and Banned Books Week, I'd like to urge you to take some time this week and, you guessed it, read a banned book. (If you're looking for suggestions, click here.) Me, I'm working my way through 1984 by George Orwell. So far, plusgood ;).
How are you guys celebrating Banned Books Week? Anyone else participating in a blogfest at the moment? Anyone else a debater in H.S.? Or a member of any other geeky clubs?
Also, while this post might have anything to do with writing or banned books, her advice is both useful and important, so I strongly urge everyone click read Kiertsen White's post on ectopic pregnancy. It could save your life.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Books To Read Before They're Banned
Most of you who've been hanging around this blog for a while -- or just long enough to catch Monday's post -- might be aware that I think censorship is about as a good an idea as sleeping under, over, and between some smallpox blankets. To put it mildly, I'm not a fan.
But, since the present issues with Speak (and if you've missed those, look below) have reminded me that censorship has yet to stop rearing its ugly head in our public schools, local libraries, and other places where books should be allowed, I've decided to give out the names of books I think people should read before people succeed in banning them.
Any of the books listed above is one I consider a great book and would recommend to a friend or a high-schooler in a heart beat. Too bad the qualities that I think make them important and memorable are the qualities that might make people want to ban them.
What books do you think every high school student should read? What books you love do you worry might get banned?
But, since the present issues with Speak (and if you've missed those, look below) have reminded me that censorship has yet to stop rearing its ugly head in our public schools, local libraries, and other places where books should be allowed, I've decided to give out the names of books I think people should read before people succeed in banning them.
- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: The novel, begins on Melinda's first day as a high school freshman. At school, students call her names and harass her; her best friends from junior high scatter to different cliques and abandon her. Why? Over the summer Melinda called the police at a summer party, resulting in several arrests. Why? A popular senior raped her that night. Because of her trauma, she barely speaks at all. Only through her work in art class, and with the support of a compassionate teacher there, does she begin to reach out to others and eventually find her voice.
Why should you read this? Yesterday's post, enough said.
- Define Normal by Julie Anne Peters: Nerdy Antonia is assigned to peer-counsel Jazz, whom Antonia assumes is a druggie and a gang hanger. After a few agonizing sessions, Antonia begins to realize how much she needs someone to talk to. Her dad's split, and her mom's she can't get out of bed. The two become friends and help each other get their lives back on track. They both learn that judging people by their outside appearance can be misleading.
I probably drove some Junior High friends crazy recommending this book to them, but sometimes books are so good you can't stop trying to pass them on.
- Luna by Julie Anne Peters:Regan has always been there for her transgender brother, Liam, sacrificing her needs for his, but when he announces that he is ready to "transition" into Luna permanently, Regan is not sure she can handle the consequences. She has been Luna's confidant all her life' however, when the hot new guy in chem class shows an interest in Regan, she wishes her sibling would just go away and give her a chance to live her own life. Liam realizes that in order for his sister to be free, he, too, must free himself to become the woman who lives inside him.
This is one of the few books I've read that accurately depicts the struggle of transgender individuals and their friends and family. This story touched me with its honesty, it's love, and its acceptance. I couldn't recommend this book highly enough.
- Far from Xanadu by Julie Anne Peters: Mike Szabo must deal with more than her share of problems in this engaging, angsty novel. Her alcoholic father committed suicide, her obese mother has given up on life, and her no-good brother has driven the family plumbing business into the ground. To make matters worse, Mike falls deeply in love with a new girl in their small Kansas town. Bad-girl Xanadu has been sent to live with her aunt and uncle after getting into serious trouble dealing drugs. She befriends Mike instantly, though she's undeniably straight, and Mike suffers when Xanadu starts dating. Mike copes by working out at the gym, fixing her neighbors' plumbing, leading her softball team to a winning season, and occasionally binge drinking with her friends. Throughout the novel, she struggles to come to terms with her sexuality– while everyone in town know, including Mike, knows that she likes girls, Mike's not quite achieved what her friend Jamie calls "coming out to yourself."
This book manages to take some of the cliches about homosexuality in America and depict them in a new light and with new heart. This is a touching coming of age story that handles the difficult topics with grace and honesty.
- Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles: This book portrays a romance between two unlikely lab partners. Brittany is her Chicago high school's "golden girl" but few of her friends know that her parents are totally dysfunctional and that she is highly invested in caring for her physically and mentally disabled older sister. Alex is a member of the Latino Blood, but he wishes he could leave gang life and pursue a college career. The plot thickens as Alex accepts a bet from a friend that he cannot bed Brittany by Thanksgiving. But as mutual enmity fades into mutual understanding and respect, which leads to mutual affection, the two must face their difficult personal lives and try to make their lives fit together.
This book manages to depict with honesty and heart two radically different characters, perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures. For me, it was the realistic treatment of the difficulties of having a disabled family member that showed the merits of the book, but it's knowledgeable and reasonably nuanced understanding of gang-life make the book memorable.
- Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles: Maggie has just returned home from a long stay in the hospital to repair the leg that was badly injured in an automobile accident; Caleb has just returned from prison, where he served nine months for driving the car that hit Maggie. In spite of a court order to stay away from her, Caleb continues to encounter Maggie and even ends up working for Mrs. Reynolds, the same elderly lady who Maggie helps. Telling the story in alternate chapters, Elkeles reveals the traumatic accident and its consequences from both victims' points of view. Maggie can no longer play tennis and is now convinced that she is ugly; Caleb must endure the harassment of his former friends, especially the beautiful, seductive Kendra.
This book's raw emotions and blunt depictions of the American criminal justice system for minors stick out in my mind as things that make this book memorable, even for the sort who don't go for romances. The author captures accurately the emotional states and minds of two characters in difficult situations they didn't chose to be in.
- Returning to Paradise by Simone Elkeles: [This book is a sequel to the above mentioned book, and therefore its plot will not be given, due to potential spoilers.]
This book is well worth reading for much the same reasons as the first.
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie: Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA. The bright 14-year-old expects disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white school in Reardan, but soon finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students and starting on the basketball team. Meeting his old classmates on the court, Junior grapples with questions about what constitutes one's community, identity, and tribe. The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the protagonist's grandmother, dog, and older sister would be all but unbearable without the humor and resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world. The teen's determination to both improve himself and overcome poverty, despite the handicaps of birth, circumstances, and race, delivers a positive message in a low-key manner.
I'm a little late on this one, since some districts have already succeeded in pulling it from their shelves, though I can't imagine what part of it they found inappropriate for teens, except maybe the parts that mirror reality. (Have I mentioned I think censorship is stupid?) To that end, I'm declaring this touching coming of age story, which deals handily with the topics of racism, disabilities, and poverty, a red alert book. Read it before someone tries to tell you you can't.
- Looking For Alaska by John Greene: 16-year-old Miles Halter's adolescence has been one long nonevent until he leaves Florida for a boarding school in Birmingham, AL. His roommate, Chip, a dirt-poor genius scholarship student with a Napoleon complex, lives to one-up the school's rich preppies. Chip's best friend is Alaska Young, with whom Miles instantly in love, is literate, articulate, and beautiful, and she exhibits a reckless combination of adventurous and self-destructive behavior. She and Chip teach Miles to drink, smoke, and plot elaborate pranks. Alaska's story unfolds in all-night bull sessions, and the depth of her unhappiness becomes obvious.
A friend once gave an annotated copy of this book to her girlfriend as a guide to understanding her. Alaska is that well realized a character. This book somehow manages to be light-hearted and quirky and deep and dramatic at the same time.
Any of the books listed above is one I consider a great book and would recommend to a friend or a high-schooler in a heart beat. Too bad the qualities that I think make them important and memorable are the qualities that might make people want to ban them.
What books do you think every high school student should read? What books you love do you worry might get banned?
Monday, September 20, 2010
Time to SPEAK
Today, I had other plans for posted material; however, due to a post by Janet Reid, a certain disturbing situation has come to my attention. A man named Dr. Wesley Scroggins wrote an editorial for the News-Leader in Springfield, Missouri. I've linked to it, because I'm sure you'll find it enlightening. I did. Until I read it, I hadn't realized that the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is soft porn.
That's right. He called it soft porn.
Now, I've read the book Speak. I've listened to the audiobook. I've watched the movie. And let me tell you this, it is not porn. In no way, shape or form, do I believe these things could be confused.
In case you have not previously read the book or seen the movie, Speak deals with the story of a young woman who is raped and chooses not to speak out about it. It's a rough book to read, as it deals with the challenging topic of rape, elective mutism, and PTSD.
Yes, the book and movie contain rape scenes. They are not pornographic. I can only characterize Mr. Scroggin's assertions that they are as terrifying. If you think I might be wrong, read the book, watch the movie. Double check me. I'm begging you.
I am not a Christian, but I do know many, and I've yet to meet the one who finds these books out of keeping with the tenants of their faith. I've yet to meet any religious person who's said that of Speak.
I am not a parent, but I know that I would not shrink from letting my teenaged daughter or son read this book. I know my parents didn't shrink from letting me see it as a teenager, nor did the parents of my friends.
What I am is a human being, and what I know is that the best way for us to grow and understand ourselves as people is to turn to others and hear their stories, even fictional ones. To find the truths in the stories of others and allow ourselves to be moved by and to learn from them. I know that the book Speak had nothing but a positive impact on my life.
Today, I will begin writing letters to the school district where Mr. Scroggins lives and encourage them not to ban the book. If you would like to do the same, you can get the addresses from a link on Ms. Anderson's response on her website.
To hear another Myra McEntire speak out on this issue, click here. I found her response considered, eloquent, and pointed.
To read one of the most moving pieces I've ever seen on the Internet, click here. C.J. Redwine is one of the most qualified commenter on the subject I could possibly imagine, and her response demonstrates a poise and grace I don't think I could have managed.
That's right. He called it soft porn.
Now, I've read the book Speak. I've listened to the audiobook. I've watched the movie. And let me tell you this, it is not porn. In no way, shape or form, do I believe these things could be confused.
In case you have not previously read the book or seen the movie, Speak deals with the story of a young woman who is raped and chooses not to speak out about it. It's a rough book to read, as it deals with the challenging topic of rape, elective mutism, and PTSD.
Yes, the book and movie contain rape scenes. They are not pornographic. I can only characterize Mr. Scroggin's assertions that they are as terrifying. If you think I might be wrong, read the book, watch the movie. Double check me. I'm begging you.
I am not a Christian, but I do know many, and I've yet to meet the one who finds these books out of keeping with the tenants of their faith. I've yet to meet any religious person who's said that of Speak.
I am not a parent, but I know that I would not shrink from letting my teenaged daughter or son read this book. I know my parents didn't shrink from letting me see it as a teenager, nor did the parents of my friends.
What I am is a human being, and what I know is that the best way for us to grow and understand ourselves as people is to turn to others and hear their stories, even fictional ones. To find the truths in the stories of others and allow ourselves to be moved by and to learn from them. I know that the book Speak had nothing but a positive impact on my life.
Today, I will begin writing letters to the school district where Mr. Scroggins lives and encourage them not to ban the book. If you would like to do the same, you can get the addresses from a link on Ms. Anderson's response on her website.
To hear another Myra McEntire speak out on this issue, click here. I found her response considered, eloquent, and pointed.
To read one of the most moving pieces I've ever seen on the Internet, click here. C.J. Redwine is one of the most qualified commenter on the subject I could possibly imagine, and her response demonstrates a poise and grace I don't think I could have managed.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Character Cliches
When it comes to the question of putting together/discovering/unveiling a character, or however else you care to put it, there comes a time when you need to determine whether or not the character in question is a unique individual.
Most human beings are, in my estimation, unique, at least in some respect. Heck, my sister and I share parents, a best friend, schools for K-12, and DNA, and we somehow pulled off being different people. Thus, I feel reasonably sure that everyone else on the planet can certainly manage to be an individual in some respect.
That said, some people have a lot in common with other people. Pretty much everyone I know has read and loved Harry Potter. Some more devotedly than others, but they've all read it. Most girls I know read Twilight. They didn't all like it, but they've probably read it. Most people like sweets, summer vacation, and funny movies. Some things are universal.
That doesn't, though, give us as writers the excuse to default to stereotypes. When we do that, we both perpetuate often ridiculous conceptions of certain groups and create characters that no one's going to believe. (I don't know about the rest of the world, but in my experience, a person who actually aligns with the stereotype is more the exception to the rule than the rule itself.)
And even the most original person can become a fiction stereotype. I've actually created a genre in my head of books in which my friend-- let's call her Lee -- dies in the middle. Lee is a dear girl and definitely not traditional. She's the sort of girl who likes tattoos, dies her hair, wants to study Gaelic, is intensely loyal to her friends, and always seems to know a person in need to help. She flips off authority but has an ethos she believes in. I'm sure you've seen her in a book, even if you've never met her in person. Somehow, one of the most exceptional people I've ever met has become something everyone's seen in a book or movie.
(I kid you not, I once lent her a book, because I thought that, as she bore so strong a resemblance to the supporting character, she'd like it.
Me: What'd you think?
Lee: I hated it.
Me: Why?!
Lee: I DIE IN THE MIDDLE!
Me: Oh, right. That.
Probably should have realized she wouldn't be keen on that bit. She's since grown fond of the book and once gave someone a copy as a means of understanding her.)
When I see that same character over and over again, it makes me wonder if the writers know how many times someone's written her. They change the back story and the reasons why, but they end up with the same girl anyway, and she looks mighty familiar.
When I create a character, I try to make sure he or she isn't someone I know. Then I make sure he or she isn't someone I've read or seen. If my character is someone else or someone else's work, I'm not doing my job right. I don't know my character well enough, or I'm not painting them clear enough. I'm letting my characters become cliche.
Do you ever see characters in books, movies, radio shows, etc. that you feel like you've seen before? Did it bother you? Do you ever feel like someone you know appeared in a book you read? You wrote? Have you ever seen a character that bore a startling resemblance to you?
Most human beings are, in my estimation, unique, at least in some respect. Heck, my sister and I share parents, a best friend, schools for K-12, and DNA, and we somehow pulled off being different people. Thus, I feel reasonably sure that everyone else on the planet can certainly manage to be an individual in some respect.
That said, some people have a lot in common with other people. Pretty much everyone I know has read and loved Harry Potter. Some more devotedly than others, but they've all read it. Most girls I know read Twilight. They didn't all like it, but they've probably read it. Most people like sweets, summer vacation, and funny movies. Some things are universal.
That doesn't, though, give us as writers the excuse to default to stereotypes. When we do that, we both perpetuate often ridiculous conceptions of certain groups and create characters that no one's going to believe. (I don't know about the rest of the world, but in my experience, a person who actually aligns with the stereotype is more the exception to the rule than the rule itself.)
And even the most original person can become a fiction stereotype. I've actually created a genre in my head of books in which my friend-- let's call her Lee -- dies in the middle. Lee is a dear girl and definitely not traditional. She's the sort of girl who likes tattoos, dies her hair, wants to study Gaelic, is intensely loyal to her friends, and always seems to know a person in need to help. She flips off authority but has an ethos she believes in. I'm sure you've seen her in a book, even if you've never met her in person. Somehow, one of the most exceptional people I've ever met has become something everyone's seen in a book or movie.
(I kid you not, I once lent her a book, because I thought that, as she bore so strong a resemblance to the supporting character, she'd like it.
Me: What'd you think?
Lee: I hated it.
Me: Why?!
Lee: I DIE IN THE MIDDLE!
Me: Oh, right. That.
Probably should have realized she wouldn't be keen on that bit. She's since grown fond of the book and once gave someone a copy as a means of understanding her.)
When I see that same character over and over again, it makes me wonder if the writers know how many times someone's written her. They change the back story and the reasons why, but they end up with the same girl anyway, and she looks mighty familiar.
When I create a character, I try to make sure he or she isn't someone I know. Then I make sure he or she isn't someone I've read or seen. If my character is someone else or someone else's work, I'm not doing my job right. I don't know my character well enough, or I'm not painting them clear enough. I'm letting my characters become cliche.
Do you ever see characters in books, movies, radio shows, etc. that you feel like you've seen before? Did it bother you? Do you ever feel like someone you know appeared in a book you read? You wrote? Have you ever seen a character that bore a startling resemblance to you?
Friday, August 27, 2010
Please Don't Slap Me In The Face.
Some of you who've been here a very long time (and if you have, I do really appreciate it, and if you haven't, that's okay, this'll just feel fresher for you), will know that I have expressed this sentiment before.
Last time I experienced this, it was a YA-Contemporary book that did a 180 in the middle of the text and suddenly became a book about vampires. All I could think was, "Umm... what the what?" because I felt like that had been sprung on me from out of nowhere.
This time, it occurred in an Adult Contemporary book that shall remain nameless because I'm about to give away the end. See, about five pages before this book, which had been uniquely told but definitely a solid contemporary clearly grounded in modern day Paris with absolutely no funny business going on, all of a sudden, this character, who'd been there the entire time, turned out to be dead. Yep, he'd been alive in the beginning, but he'd died halfway through the book, and the MC had just been hallucinating him this entire rest of the time.
I would probably have chucked the book against the wall at that point except I was reading the book on my laptop and Jessica (yes, she has a name) is just too precious to me to be tossed around like that. Seriously, though, I felt like the author had slapped me in the face with that ending, and a large part of me wanted to return the favor.
There's a reason I take umbrage with this sort of ending. It's not what you think. It's not even about my strong feelings about needing a good ending (which I've made so apparent, I don't even think I need to bother linking to them anymore).
I object because I think this sort of storytelling is both lazy and unfair to the reader.
It's lazy, because, to me, slamming a reader in the face like that just makes me feel like the author couldn't be bothered to at least drop in subtle clues along the way. If the author leaves a trail of inconsequential seeming bread crumbs, then when the big turn about comes, the reader can have the satisfaction of feeling all the pieces fall into place and seeing a bigger picture they hadn't even noticed. If the writer just whacks you with something, it makes me feel like they didn't make the effort to put the picture together.
It also strikes me as unfair to the reader, not only because they made the effort to read the book, so it's nice to make the effort to make it a good book, but because you left the reader out entirely. Reading is active process wherein the reader is in a give and take with the author. The author puts out clues, and the reader picks them up. The reader makes guesses, and the author either confirms them or not. If you do a 180, slam in the face, pull the rug out from under you routine, you haven't been letting the reader play along. They'll be sitting there wondering, "But... wait... where were my bread crumbs...." And then they'll feel sad and left out, and they'll go cry in a corner. (At least, that's what the imaginary reader in my head is doing, but she just doesn't like not being included in things. Maybe your imaginary reader has more spine and just gets very, very mad.)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking plot twists. I love them. I love being surprised by a book. I'm just saying it should be done well. If you look at a truly great twist, it's never a 180. It's more like a 105. Some things are reverting from what you previously expected, but the rules of the game have not changed, and if you think about it, there were all those signs, you just didn't notice them.
In Harry Potter, for example, when you find out that it's really Quirrel and not Snape who is in league with Voldemort/The Dark Lord/He Who Must Not Be Named, you're really surprised. Then you fall to the ground, groan, and say, "Oh, how did I miss that? There were so many signs?" Because it's not a 180 there. It's a 105.
How do you feel about 180s? Ever felt like you got slapped in the face by an author? How did that make you feel?
Last time I experienced this, it was a YA-Contemporary book that did a 180 in the middle of the text and suddenly became a book about vampires. All I could think was, "Umm... what the what?" because I felt like that had been sprung on me from out of nowhere.
This time, it occurred in an Adult Contemporary book that shall remain nameless because I'm about to give away the end. See, about five pages before this book, which had been uniquely told but definitely a solid contemporary clearly grounded in modern day Paris with absolutely no funny business going on, all of a sudden, this character, who'd been there the entire time, turned out to be dead. Yep, he'd been alive in the beginning, but he'd died halfway through the book, and the MC had just been hallucinating him this entire rest of the time.
I would probably have chucked the book against the wall at that point except I was reading the book on my laptop and Jessica (yes, she has a name) is just too precious to me to be tossed around like that. Seriously, though, I felt like the author had slapped me in the face with that ending, and a large part of me wanted to return the favor.
There's a reason I take umbrage with this sort of ending. It's not what you think. It's not even about my strong feelings about needing a good ending (which I've made so apparent, I don't even think I need to bother linking to them anymore).
I object because I think this sort of storytelling is both lazy and unfair to the reader.
It's lazy, because, to me, slamming a reader in the face like that just makes me feel like the author couldn't be bothered to at least drop in subtle clues along the way. If the author leaves a trail of inconsequential seeming bread crumbs, then when the big turn about comes, the reader can have the satisfaction of feeling all the pieces fall into place and seeing a bigger picture they hadn't even noticed. If the writer just whacks you with something, it makes me feel like they didn't make the effort to put the picture together.
It also strikes me as unfair to the reader, not only because they made the effort to read the book, so it's nice to make the effort to make it a good book, but because you left the reader out entirely. Reading is active process wherein the reader is in a give and take with the author. The author puts out clues, and the reader picks them up. The reader makes guesses, and the author either confirms them or not. If you do a 180, slam in the face, pull the rug out from under you routine, you haven't been letting the reader play along. They'll be sitting there wondering, "But... wait... where were my bread crumbs...." And then they'll feel sad and left out, and they'll go cry in a corner. (At least, that's what the imaginary reader in my head is doing, but she just doesn't like not being included in things. Maybe your imaginary reader has more spine and just gets very, very mad.)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking plot twists. I love them. I love being surprised by a book. I'm just saying it should be done well. If you look at a truly great twist, it's never a 180. It's more like a 105. Some things are reverting from what you previously expected, but the rules of the game have not changed, and if you think about it, there were all those signs, you just didn't notice them.
In Harry Potter, for example, when you find out that it's really Quirrel and not Snape who is in league with Voldemort/The Dark Lord/He Who Must Not Be Named, you're really surprised. Then you fall to the ground, groan, and say, "Oh, how did I miss that? There were so many signs?" Because it's not a 180 there. It's a 105.
How do you feel about 180s? Ever felt like you got slapped in the face by an author? How did that make you feel?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Gender Neutral?
The other day, I was chilling in my local used book store when I overheard a woman trying to find some books for her son. Well, since I'm the person who secretly wishes she worked in a bookstore (no, seriously, I want to get a job in a certain bookstore to stage a coup and reorganize their shelving system), and because I had free time and no life, I went over and offered her to help her find one.
Yes, for the record, my mother did tell me not to talk to strangers, but I think I'm mature enough to protect myself from random abduction by women in a bookstore who've never met me. (Any young people who've found their way onto this site, listen to your parents and don't take candy from strangers.)
During my conversation with this woman about the sort of books she was looking for for her son, we ended up on the topic of the limited availability of books for teen guys. The woman to whom I was speaking expressed the view that this was because the publishing industry was out to emasculate all guys and "take the boy out of the boy."
Now, I'm among the first to cede that there aren't enough books printed these days for guy readers. On the other hand, I'm rather inclined to believe that this is an entirely capitalist decision on their part, in that guys make up a smaller portion of modern readerships and therefore there are fewer books needed to fill the smaller economic niche, rather than that this is part of a subversive social scheme to feminize the youth of America.
Captain Film Major will probably hunt me down and kill me for admitting this online, but when we were kids, he listened to the Princess Diaries books on tape the same time my sister and I did, and I would never describe Captain Film Major as emasculated. (Because he'd want it known, I will also say, in defense of his macho standing, that he has never read The Twilight Saga. Or, to my knowledge, anything by Ally Carter.)
I've listened to Lord of the Rings on CD, and I worship Ender's Game, and I would rather like to start handing Percy Jackson and the Olympians out to complete strangers on the streets. These are all books by guys, about guys, pretty much for guys. In the case of the first two examples, almost every die hard fan I've met has been a guy. And you know what, I don't feel femasculated (or whatever word people are using these days to feel express someone being rendered less feminine).
Would it be nice if there were more books written by guys and about guys and for guys these days? Yeah, probably. It'd be kind of cool, in my view, if when I met an aspiring author under the age of 25, they had a Y chromosome. Male MC YA, there could definitely be more of that.
Are these books full of female MCs and all the female oriented YA out there emasculating our youth and "taking the boy out of the boy"? I think not. If what we read literally made us who we were, I'd be wandering around in a corset or an earwig, or expecting some villain to attack me with his minions/buggers/swords of death. I know tons of guys who read, and contact with books -- even books by girls about girls for girls -- didn't turn any of them into women.
How do you feel the wash of female-drive youth reading material effects today's youth? Do we need more books for young guys?
Yes, for the record, my mother did tell me not to talk to strangers, but I think I'm mature enough to protect myself from random abduction by women in a bookstore who've never met me. (Any young people who've found their way onto this site, listen to your parents and don't take candy from strangers.)
During my conversation with this woman about the sort of books she was looking for for her son, we ended up on the topic of the limited availability of books for teen guys. The woman to whom I was speaking expressed the view that this was because the publishing industry was out to emasculate all guys and "take the boy out of the boy."
Now, I'm among the first to cede that there aren't enough books printed these days for guy readers. On the other hand, I'm rather inclined to believe that this is an entirely capitalist decision on their part, in that guys make up a smaller portion of modern readerships and therefore there are fewer books needed to fill the smaller economic niche, rather than that this is part of a subversive social scheme to feminize the youth of America.
Captain Film Major will probably hunt me down and kill me for admitting this online, but when we were kids, he listened to the Princess Diaries books on tape the same time my sister and I did, and I would never describe Captain Film Major as emasculated. (Because he'd want it known, I will also say, in defense of his macho standing, that he has never read The Twilight Saga. Or, to my knowledge, anything by Ally Carter.)
I've listened to Lord of the Rings on CD, and I worship Ender's Game, and I would rather like to start handing Percy Jackson and the Olympians out to complete strangers on the streets. These are all books by guys, about guys, pretty much for guys. In the case of the first two examples, almost every die hard fan I've met has been a guy. And you know what, I don't feel femasculated (or whatever word people are using these days to feel express someone being rendered less feminine).
Would it be nice if there were more books written by guys and about guys and for guys these days? Yeah, probably. It'd be kind of cool, in my view, if when I met an aspiring author under the age of 25, they had a Y chromosome. Male MC YA, there could definitely be more of that.
Are these books full of female MCs and all the female oriented YA out there emasculating our youth and "taking the boy out of the boy"? I think not. If what we read literally made us who we were, I'd be wandering around in a corset or an earwig, or expecting some villain to attack me with his minions/buggers/swords of death. I know tons of guys who read, and contact with books -- even books by girls about girls for girls -- didn't turn any of them into women.
How do you feel the wash of female-drive youth reading material effects today's youth? Do we need more books for young guys?
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tp of the Hat 2
Because, I couldn't do just one.
Senior year of High School, I got bored, and my health teacher released me from class to get a book from the library. (In hindsight, teachers let you wander the halls a fair bit at my HS.) Well, in the library, I discovered My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger. I decided to check it out.
Problem: It was just about the end of the year, and all the library books were technically due back to the library that day. See, the school believed that they couldn't check that book out to me and expect to get it back in time. It wasn't anything personal, since they had this policy for all students. (Though, they could've made it personal and had a fair point. I had their copy for Of Human Bondage for about 9 months -- 3 of which were summer vacation. But that book was just really dull.)
So, I did what any self-respecting nerd would do. I went and had a nice chat with the head librarian who was awesome and with whom I had a pretty good relationship. (What can I say, being on the competitive reading team gets you some sway with the people who care about books.) She let me take out the book if I promised to get it back within a week.
I finished that book in about 36 hours. It hooked me by page 4 and I couldn't put it down.
Quick Summary: Three Boston HS seniors recount their freshman year, which they consider the most excellent year of their lives. Ale just moved to Boston with her father, the retired ambassador to Mexico, her mother, and her perfect brother. She doesn't know how to tell them that she doesn't want to do International Relations. She wants to perform in musicals. T.C. is helping his father reenter the dating world after T.C's mom's death a decade prior, helping Augie with his relationship issues, and helping a young, deaf boy with his obsession with Mary Poppins. Augie finally realizes he's gay (something T.C.'s known for years) and falls for a player on the school soccer team who can't seem to come to terms with his own homosexuality.
I probably didn't do such a great job summing it all up there, but this book really is fabulous. There's baseball, musical theater, and young love, not to mention magazine clippings, transcripts of strange convos with guidance counselors, and IMs. Trust me, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love all over again.
I love this book.
Senior year of High School, I got bored, and my health teacher released me from class to get a book from the library. (In hindsight, teachers let you wander the halls a fair bit at my HS.) Well, in the library, I discovered My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger. I decided to check it out.
Problem: It was just about the end of the year, and all the library books were technically due back to the library that day. See, the school believed that they couldn't check that book out to me and expect to get it back in time. It wasn't anything personal, since they had this policy for all students. (Though, they could've made it personal and had a fair point. I had their copy for Of Human Bondage for about 9 months -- 3 of which were summer vacation. But that book was just really dull.)
So, I did what any self-respecting nerd would do. I went and had a nice chat with the head librarian who was awesome and with whom I had a pretty good relationship. (What can I say, being on the competitive reading team gets you some sway with the people who care about books.) She let me take out the book if I promised to get it back within a week.
I finished that book in about 36 hours. It hooked me by page 4 and I couldn't put it down.
Quick Summary: Three Boston HS seniors recount their freshman year, which they consider the most excellent year of their lives. Ale just moved to Boston with her father, the retired ambassador to Mexico, her mother, and her perfect brother. She doesn't know how to tell them that she doesn't want to do International Relations. She wants to perform in musicals. T.C. is helping his father reenter the dating world after T.C's mom's death a decade prior, helping Augie with his relationship issues, and helping a young, deaf boy with his obsession with Mary Poppins. Augie finally realizes he's gay (something T.C.'s known for years) and falls for a player on the school soccer team who can't seem to come to terms with his own homosexuality.
I probably didn't do such a great job summing it all up there, but this book really is fabulous. There's baseball, musical theater, and young love, not to mention magazine clippings, transcripts of strange convos with guidance counselors, and IMs. Trust me, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love all over again.
I love this book.
Tip of the Hat 1
Okay, this is me, totally jumping on the Spread the Love bandwagon. I recommend y'all jump on it, too. We have cookies. ;-) Anyway...
Senior year of High School, my philosophy teacher decided that for our final project, we had to do a ten minute presentation on our personal philosophy.
My presentation: "Okay, my personal philosophy is pretty much Ender's Game by Orson ScottCard. Yep, that's it."
Then, to stop my teacher from failing me on 15% of my grade, I expanded that into 15 minutes. But, yes, that's how much I think Ender's Game rocks. It's my philosophy, (and the subject of my English 12 Final Term Paper. Can we say obsessed-much?)
But, in time, my love of Ender's Game turned to a healthier level, where I no longer reference it so often my friends want to throw things at me. But, when people ask me what book I think anyone in high school should (and can) read, I always say Ender's Game.
Quick Summary: The world has already been attacked twice by the malevolent alien "buggers," and they're massing for another strike. To save the world, the government recruits top children to train as battle commanders. Ender Wiggin, a third child bred for this purpose, seems the only hope of finding a military leader smart and strong enough to defeat the buggers. At Battle School, the early military training takes the form of complex war games, and Ender always wins. He's smart enough to win any game, and he's smart enough to know that Earth is running out of time if they want to win against the buggers. But is he smart enough to save the planet?
What's not to love? Sports (in zero-gravity, which just makes them that much more awesome), great life advice (the enemies gate is down, people), a morally troubling but lovable main character, and an interesting cast of supporting characters.
I don't normally go for sci-fi, but this book made me give serious consideration to the genre.
What book do you totally love? What books have impacted you?
Senior year of High School, my philosophy teacher decided that for our final project, we had to do a ten minute presentation on our personal philosophy.
My presentation: "Okay, my personal philosophy is pretty much Ender's Game by Orson ScottCard. Yep, that's it."
Then, to stop my teacher from failing me on 15% of my grade, I expanded that into 15 minutes. But, yes, that's how much I think Ender's Game rocks. It's my philosophy, (and the subject of my English 12 Final Term Paper. Can we say obsessed-much?)
But, in time, my love of Ender's Game turned to a healthier level, where I no longer reference it so often my friends want to throw things at me. But, when people ask me what book I think anyone in high school should (and can) read, I always say Ender's Game.
Quick Summary: The world has already been attacked twice by the malevolent alien "buggers," and they're massing for another strike. To save the world, the government recruits top children to train as battle commanders. Ender Wiggin, a third child bred for this purpose, seems the only hope of finding a military leader smart and strong enough to defeat the buggers. At Battle School, the early military training takes the form of complex war games, and Ender always wins. He's smart enough to win any game, and he's smart enough to know that Earth is running out of time if they want to win against the buggers. But is he smart enough to save the planet?
What's not to love? Sports (in zero-gravity, which just makes them that much more awesome), great life advice (the enemies gate is down, people), a morally troubling but lovable main character, and an interesting cast of supporting characters.
I don't normally go for sci-fi, but this book made me give serious consideration to the genre.
What book do you totally love? What books have impacted you?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
To Buy or Not To Buy
Recently, Miss Snark's First Victim invited readers to submit the first 25 words of their WIPs for critique. I posted mine and got some interesting feedback. (Sorry, not linking to it, since I've got to agree that it isn't my best.) The point was for the commenters to say whether or not they were hooked.
Now, this might just be me, but I can almost never tell if I'm hooked by a book within the first 25 words. I usually need the first 150 or so to figure it out. Really, at least one paragraph, sometimes more. But, rarely will I know whether I'm interested or not in the first 25 words. (If you've scared me off that fast, holy hopscotch, what did you do?) Usually, at such an early stage, most are in limbo, some are on probation, everyone is still awaiting judgment.
My book selection process is simple and gleaned from how agents pull books from the slush. (I kid you not, learning how agents pick books made me better at picking books up at the store. I now am better equipped to select my own reading material):
1) Read the summary on the back cover or book jacket. Basically, read query. (Books without 'queries' tick me off. I resent being asked to make a decision with basically no information.)
2) Read first page or so--
a)If I don't like it, put it back.
b)If I sort of like it, read a bit more (like requesting a partial) or set it back on the shelf to see if I like it enough to think about it (considering a partial/full MS).
c)If I love it, select for purchase/borrowing.
Now, for you guys. How do you decide which buys to buy/borrow? How long does it take you to decide if something is good/your type of book or not? Where did you get this decision making style?
Now, this might just be me, but I can almost never tell if I'm hooked by a book within the first 25 words. I usually need the first 150 or so to figure it out. Really, at least one paragraph, sometimes more. But, rarely will I know whether I'm interested or not in the first 25 words. (If you've scared me off that fast, holy hopscotch, what did you do?) Usually, at such an early stage, most are in limbo, some are on probation, everyone is still awaiting judgment.
My book selection process is simple and gleaned from how agents pull books from the slush. (I kid you not, learning how agents pick books made me better at picking books up at the store. I now am better equipped to select my own reading material):
1) Read the summary on the back cover or book jacket. Basically, read query. (Books without 'queries' tick me off. I resent being asked to make a decision with basically no information.)
2) Read first page or so--
a)If I don't like it, put it back.
b)If I sort of like it, read a bit more (like requesting a partial) or set it back on the shelf to see if I like it enough to think about it (considering a partial/full MS).
c)If I love it, select for purchase/borrowing.
Now, for you guys. How do you decide which buys to buy/borrow? How long does it take you to decide if something is good/your type of book or not? Where did you get this decision making style?
Monday, March 15, 2010
It's Weird That It Made Me So Happy, But I'm Okay With That
I've recently been reading the book Magyk by Angie Sage. (Don't ask for my opinion. I'm not done yet, so officially, I don't have one.) (Notice how I say that right before I'm about to mention an opinion. That personality trait might be important later.)
Well, the other day, someone asked me what I thought of the book. I said, among other things, "The author's really got a way with boldface." Which is totally true, by the by. Every now and then, I'll read a sentence and think, 'Her use of bold here is really great." It's especially impressive to me, because I never use boldface in my own writing. (I do use italics sometimes, as you might have noticed, but I never bold.) (Okay, I'm going to stop typefacing now, because even I know that's probably getting old.)
But, after kvelling about the use of boldface in Magyk, I transitioned into talking about Fly by Night by France Hardinge. That book makes incredible use of Capitalization. Fantastic, actually. The book's Capitalizing really made it that much better. Capitalizing is something that i do sometimes in my writing, but I don't think I do it quite as well as Ms. Hardinge. That's certainly something I'd like to work on.
Well, after we'd been having this conversation for about ten minutes, I realized that we'd just spent ten minutes discussing books in a very strange manner. I mean, I can talk about books for hours, but even I understand that talking about typeface and capitalization for ten minutes and meaning to go on for longer is quite unusual.
Still, I can't help it. Those aspects, when done well, can be Fantastic.
What are your thoughts? What are some things in books that you enjoy that might be unusual to enjoy?
Well, the other day, someone asked me what I thought of the book. I said, among other things, "The author's really got a way with boldface." Which is totally true, by the by. Every now and then, I'll read a sentence and think, 'Her use of bold here is really great." It's especially impressive to me, because I never use boldface in my own writing. (I do use italics sometimes, as you might have noticed, but I never bold.) (Okay, I'm going to stop typefacing now, because even I know that's probably getting old.)
But, after kvelling about the use of boldface in Magyk, I transitioned into talking about Fly by Night by France Hardinge. That book makes incredible use of Capitalization. Fantastic, actually. The book's Capitalizing really made it that much better. Capitalizing is something that i do sometimes in my writing, but I don't think I do it quite as well as Ms. Hardinge. That's certainly something I'd like to work on.
Well, after we'd been having this conversation for about ten minutes, I realized that we'd just spent ten minutes discussing books in a very strange manner. I mean, I can talk about books for hours, but even I understand that talking about typeface and capitalization for ten minutes and meaning to go on for longer is quite unusual.
Still, I can't help it. Those aspects, when done well, can be Fantastic.
What are your thoughts? What are some things in books that you enjoy that might be unusual to enjoy?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
What's Your Bag?
A while ago, probably when she realized that I'd given up sleeping to read some semi-addicting fanfiction (yes, I used to read that), my sister (a.k.a. The Other One) informed me that if someone wrote a series, I could be addicted to it.
Much as it generally pains me to admit it, The Other One wasn't wrong. I tend to read books that come in series, and I tend to read the whole series. I've read all of -- The Twilight Saga; Harry Potter; Midnighters; The Pit Dragon Trilogy; The Uglies Trilogy; the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy. I've also read the first three Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, with the fourth and fifth in my To Read stack, and 4/5 of the Wicked Series, which I thought was a tetrology (weird story that).
I think we can establish that that's my 'type,' as it were. Hello, I'm Me, and I am a Series addict. Maybe it's because I don't like to see the characters I loved go. Maybe it's because I can't bear the fact there's a part of the story that I'm missing (I do so hate not to be in the know on things). Either way, I think I've found a real trend here.
How about you? What's your 'type' in the book world? Do you have a 'type' irrespective of genre?
Much as it generally pains me to admit it, The Other One wasn't wrong. I tend to read books that come in series, and I tend to read the whole series. I've read all of -- The Twilight Saga; Harry Potter; Midnighters; The Pit Dragon Trilogy; The Uglies Trilogy; the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy. I've also read the first three Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, with the fourth and fifth in my To Read stack, and 4/5 of the Wicked Series, which I thought was a tetrology (weird story that).
I think we can establish that that's my 'type,' as it were. Hello, I'm Me, and I am a Series addict. Maybe it's because I don't like to see the characters I loved go. Maybe it's because I can't bear the fact there's a part of the story that I'm missing (I do so hate not to be in the know on things). Either way, I think I've found a real trend here.
How about you? What's your 'type' in the book world? Do you have a 'type' irrespective of genre?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Again, But This Time In Song
One day, a friend told me that if I liked Harry Potter, I absolutely had to watch the Very Potter Musical. (I actually linked to it a while ago on the blog, if you want to watch. I recommend it.)Well
, the Very Potter Musical is a fan musical, but it's certainly not the only musical that's been based on a books. There's, of course, the incredibly famous Wicked which is based, though not too closely, on a book of the same name. There is also Little Women: The Musical, which I have previously mentioned on the blog, not to mention a musical based on Jekyll and Hyde.While many people have opinions on books becoming movies, most people don't consider the possibility that their book might become a musical.
I'm not sure how I'd take something like that. I'd certainly be flattered to have someone express that sort of interest in anything I wrote, but on the other hand, I'm not sure how I'd react to the changes the creators would doubtless have to make to suit the medium. Though, I won't lie, I'd be interested to see what kind of songs my characters would get.
How would you feel about someone turning your work into a musical? How do you feel about musicals (or, you know, straight up plays) based on books?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Packing Peanuts
This post is also related to the movie Stranger Than Fiction. And, I'm once again going to quote Dustin Hoffman's character, who amused me way too much. "Meeting an insurance agent the day your policy runs out is a coincidence. Getting a letter from the emperor saying he's visiting is plot. Getting your apartment eaten by a wrecking ball is something else entirely."
First of all, I've never had any domicile of mine consumed by any piece of heavy machinery, so I don't know if I'd consider it a plot-esque moment if it happened to me, but I'd probably call it 'something else,' too.
My alpha calls the 'something else' filler. (I do not dispute that there can be other varieties of 'something else,' however, I'm going to discuss the filler aspect only in this post.) Well, filler has never been something I'm super good at, but it's actually much more important than it sounds.
Filler is the stuff that happens in between Big Events. Not everything that happens in the story can be a Big Event. There has to be some lower key things to balance it all out, otherwise your Big Events won't look so big anymore. Also, it smooths things out between Big Events, so it doesn't feel like you're bouncing from Event to Event. It eases the transition.
The filler can be a subplot or a minor story arc created for the purpose of filling the time. As long as it gives the reader something to think about betwixt the more important things you really want their attention on.
One of my favorite examples of filler material is pretty much all of the Quidditch stuff in Harry Potter. (I remember a while ago, s
omeone mentioned in the comments section that they hadn't been able to figure out what the purpose of the Quidditch was. I'm sorry I've misplaced your name in my mind, however I am remembering you as I type this.) They might not be furthering the main plot or any of the major subplots; however, they are interesting to the readers and are something the reader can focus on while time has to pass and things have to stew.
I'm not so good at the filler stuff. I do the bouncy-bouncy thing with my Big Events, probably because it's the Events that come to me. I have to find the fill-in-the-blanks stuff along the way to get from A to B and hopefully all the way to Z eventually. But I know I need to get better at it. Otherwise, I might just leave my reader feeling like I'm racketing them from point to point.
How do you feel about filler? Do you use enough of it/not enough of it? Do you like it in books? If so, what kinds?
First of all, I've never had any domicile of mine consumed by any piece of heavy machinery, so I don't know if I'd consider it a plot-esque moment if it happened to me, but I'd probably call it 'something else,' too.
My alpha calls the 'something else' filler. (I do not dispute that there can be other varieties of 'something else,' however, I'm going to discuss the filler aspect only in this post.) Well, filler has never been something I'm super good at, but it's actually much more important than it sounds.
Filler is the stuff that happens in between Big Events. Not everything that happens in the story can be a Big Event. There has to be some lower key things to balance it all out, otherwise your Big Events won't look so big anymore. Also, it smooths things out between Big Events, so it doesn't feel like you're bouncing from Event to Event. It eases the transition.
The filler can be a subplot or a minor story arc created for the purpose of filling the time. As long as it gives the reader something to think about betwixt the more important things you really want their attention on.
One of my favorite examples of filler material is pretty much all of the Quidditch stuff in Harry Potter. (I remember a while ago, s
omeone mentioned in the comments section that they hadn't been able to figure out what the purpose of the Quidditch was. I'm sorry I've misplaced your name in my mind, however I am remembering you as I type this.) They might not be furthering the main plot or any of the major subplots; however, they are interesting to the readers and are something the reader can focus on while time has to pass and things have to stew.I'm not so good at the filler stuff. I do the bouncy-bouncy thing with my Big Events, probably because it's the Events that come to me. I have to find the fill-in-the-blanks stuff along the way to get from A to B and hopefully all the way to Z eventually. But I know I need to get better at it. Otherwise, I might just leave my reader feeling like I'm racketing them from point to point.
How do you feel about filler? Do you use enough of it/not enough of it? Do you like it in books? If so, what kinds?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Those Magic Words
Okay, I'm about to mention Avatar again. **ducks to avoid being hit with thrown objects** I can fully understand if you're thinking, "Oh my golly goodness gracious, are you kidding me?" I promise you, I did not set out to make this some sort of Avatar themed week or anything like that. Plus, I promise to connect this back to the things I said yesterday, so try to just think of me as smart or clever or something along those lines.
When people ask how I liked Avatar better than so many other movies that most would consider equally good, I have sometimes replied, "It told me things I like to hear." That may sound strange, but I think it's true.
All things with stories have a message or a set of beliefs around which the story is based. And, if you are partaking of those products, you have no real way of avoiding said beliefs or messages. For example, if you read the Harry Potter Series you had as good a chance of missing the message "Love triumphs over all evil" as I have of learning how to turn marbles into steaming hot cups of tea with milk. (If you missed that message, go back and read the books again. It was there.) No matter what you're reading or watching or listening to, you are being told something by the maker.
And, the very important question is, do you like what you are hearing?
A while ago, a class I took required us all to read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. (A very good book. I would highly recommend it, especially if you liked Avatar.) Well, about 2/3 of the class declared that the book had changed their lives and that it was awesome. I figured the book hadn't changed my life, because I'd already agreed with what the author was saying, but it told me things I liked to hear, and I declared it to be awesome. My sister (hereafter known as The Other One) said it didn't change her life and hadn't told her much she didn't already know; The Other One declared the book to be good, but definitely not life changing. It didn't tell her things she liked to hear.
What people like to hear is sort of like a demographic all of its own. "People who like to hear this sort of thing" could be a target audience in its own right. The message of the story can be just as important as genre and other target audience factors, if not more so, in determining whether or not an individual likes the book/movie/epic poem, etc.
In my life, I'm not a fan of sports, but there are some movies about football and rugby that I love, because the message about growth and interpersonal understanding is one that I enjoy. The message beat out 'genre' for me in those cases. Some books, I know, no matter how well written they are, I will never enjoy them, because the philosophy of those books just makes me want to chuck that tome against a wall. (Not that I would mistreat a book like that, but sometimes the stuff I'm reading just makes me want to drop-kick something. Maybe I should post a warning sign before reading books like that.) The message overwhelms the other aspects of the book for me.
How do you feel about art /books/movies saying what certain people like to hear? Does such a phenomenon effect your reading and buying?
When people ask how I liked Avatar better than so many other movies that most would consider equally good, I have sometimes replied, "It told me things I like to hear." That may sound strange, but I think it's true.
All things with stories have a message or a set of beliefs around which the story is based. And, if you are partaking of those products, you have no real way of avoiding said beliefs or messages. For example, if you read the Harry Potter Series you had as good a chance of missing the message "Love triumphs over all evil" as I have of learning how to turn marbles into steaming hot cups of tea with milk. (If you missed that message, go back and read the books again. It was there.) No matter what you're reading or watching or listening to, you are being told something by the maker.
And, the very important question is, do you like what you are hearing?
A while ago, a class I took required us all to read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. (A very good book. I would highly recommend it, especially if you liked Avatar.) Well, about 2/3 of the class declared that the book had changed their lives and that it was awesome. I figured the book hadn't changed my life, because I'd already agreed with what the author was saying, but it told me things I liked to hear, and I declared it to be awesome. My sister (hereafter known as The Other One) said it didn't change her life and hadn't told her much she didn't already know; The Other One declared the book to be good, but definitely not life changing. It didn't tell her things she liked to hear.
What people like to hear is sort of like a demographic all of its own. "People who like to hear this sort of thing" could be a target audience in its own right. The message of the story can be just as important as genre and other target audience factors, if not more so, in determining whether or not an individual likes the book/movie/epic poem, etc.
In my life, I'm not a fan of sports, but there are some movies about football and rugby that I love, because the message about growth and interpersonal understanding is one that I enjoy. The message beat out 'genre' for me in those cases. Some books, I know, no matter how well written they are, I will never enjoy them, because the philosophy of those books just makes me want to chuck that tome against a wall. (Not that I would mistreat a book like that, but sometimes the stuff I'm reading just makes me want to drop-kick something. Maybe I should post a warning sign before reading books like that.) The message overwhelms the other aspects of the book for me.
How do you feel about art /books/movies saying what certain people like to hear? Does such a phenomenon effect your reading and buying?
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