Updates: The Next Week

Photo found here.

This coming week I am taking my first true solo vacation. It's also part business trip and will take me from Essex, Connecticut, through Brooklyn, NY, and then on to Oswego which is nestled along the coast of Lake Ontario in Upstate NY. While I will be stopping with people in each location, no one is traveling with me. This may not seem like a huge deal, but I've never done it before, so it's kind of exciting. :)

What this means is that I probably won't be posting until Tuesday, January 31st. I might pop in and out with some pictures from the trip if I can get it to post correctly from my phone, but otherwise I'm taking a hiatus.

If you're still new to the blog, you can always check through the back posts, otherwise I shall see you all upon my return!

<3 Sera

Books: What Should Kids Read?

Photo found here.

I was recently pointed toward an article about teens and reading by another blog. I wish I could remember which blog, but I saved the link to the article and not the blog post. Very silly of me. I shall try not to do that in the future.

Anyway, this article was written by an English teacher who teaches primarily in lower-income urban schools and he proposed (and I'm poorly paraphrasing here) that kids should not be reading contemporary fiction about the lives they're living, they should be reading things like Lysistrata and Oedipus. I read his arguments and could understand where he was coming from, but at the end I was left with one huge question.

Why in the world do the classic and contemporary fiction have to be mutually exclusive subjects?

Growing up, I never really understood Shakespeare. I read it, I passed the tests on what I read, but if I picked up a play on my own I probably would have been completely lost a couple pages in. Not until I got to college and found a teacher who knew how to teach Shakespeare was I really interested and intrigued, not only by his work but by the man behind the words. How did he (the teacher, not Shakespeare) do this? By relating the classic to the contemporary. I think that teachers who are able to do this have a much better chance of pulling their students in. This may not always involve contemporary literature, but why does it have to exclude it? I would have found it amazing if a teacher had assigned, for example, Wuthering Heights and then asked us to read a contemporary novel that is a spin off that story and find the parallels. How cool is the teacher who teaches Romeo & Juliet and then plays the Baz Lurhmann version for the students? I know so many kids--especially in my younger sister's generation--who just don't read. At all. Ever. I find this so sad. And these kids aren't from low-income environments. Most of them are thoroughly middle class, but it takes the right book to spark a lifelong interest and none of them have found it. For my middle sister it was Harry Potter. Before those, we couldn't pay her to read; now we have to pay her to pry her away. Not everyone is going to be sparked by the classics and I believe children should be encouraged to find their interests before being taught to broaden their horizons.

Also, on a personal note, I disliked the way the article's author concentrated his attack on contemporary literature almost solely on Walter Dean Myers, a YA author whose books center mainly on African-American children in the projects. This attack seemed almost like a personal vendetta by the end of the argument and, at least to my way of thinking, actually took away some of his credibility. Sometimes it is exactly what someone needs to look at a book written by a stranger and see a reflection of one's own life. To know that someone somewhere really knows what you're going through because they were there to. To have the hope that they survived and so can you. Taking that away entirely would be as cruel as losing the classics the article's author is so worried about.

Reviews: Cross My Heart by Katie Klein

Jaden McEntyre lives a life that is about as perfectly organized as you can make it. She has everything planned out from her next fundraiser for the children of Bangladesh to the next ten years of her life as she goes from Harvard to med-school and beyond. Her boyfriend Blake is sweet and popular and sends her good morning text messages every day and even if her contractor father hasn't gotten around to fixing her bathroom sink for the past couple years, she still knows her family loves her. Everything is fine until she's late for class one day and is assigned a partner for a group project: Parker Whalen.

Parker moved to town a few months ago and the rumors about his past are as outrageous as the motorcycle he rides to school every day. Jaden isn't sure if she believes even half of them, but she isn't about to let something as ridiculous as rumors keep her from getting an A on this project. She's extremely frustrated when Parker avoids speaking to her at first, but she eventually wears him down. Then it's only everyone else she has to worry about. Her boyfriend is jealous of, her parents are worried about, and her best friend is mystified by the time Jaden is suddenly spending with Parker. But Jaden is finding that the more time she spends with him, the less he seems like the devil-may-care rebel everyone else has him pinned as. When Jaden's plans for her future suddenly fall apart, Parker is there to help her reassemble the pieces, but what will happen when she discovers the secret he's been hiding for the past six months? Will she ever be able to move past it and trust him again or has their love been shattered just like her plans?

This book seems like the normal girl-falls-for-a-boy-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks story, but don't let that fool you. It's not. Klein's characters are interesting and relatable and she knows how to keep your interest right from the start. Jaden has never had anyone question her plans or her need for control, so when Parker starts pushing buttons she didn't know she had everything changes. The dynamic of Jaden's family is an interesting subplot--she's the youngest of three kids with two older brothers and a soon-to-be sister in law still living at home--and it's amazing how something as simple as a broken bathroom sink takes on grand proportions as it pops up again and again through the story. On top of all this, when you get to the twist ending you'll immediately want to go back and reread the whole book looking for the clues Klein leaves along the way like bread crumbs. The building relationship between Parker and Jaden is well developed with just the right amount of tension as both of them fight the pull for their own reasons. I found myself just as curious about and captivated by Parker as Jaden was and I think it would be fascinating to see pieces of the story from his perspective.

Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a contemporary YA romance with a twist. And also, I plan on rereading it. Just FYI. :)

Sera's Rating: 5/5

Reviews: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

This book is exactly what it says it is: the story of why Min--short for Minerva--and Ed broke up. Told in a letter written from Min to Ed as she returns a box of keepsakes from their relationship, you hear about their first meeting when Ed shows up uninvited to Min's best friend's sixteenth birthday party and everything that follows. Min and Ed struggle to fit each other into their lives, but Min doesn't belong in Ed's athletic, basketball groupie, beer drinking clique and Ed doesn't really mesh with Min's classic movie loving "artsy" friends. But the more people try to tell them this relationship will never work, the more determined they become to see it through. You know--and since she's writing this after the fact, so does Min--that the relationship is doomed before Ed shows up in the first chapter, but the little vignettes and the moments captures by the trinkets and tokens Min has collected draw you along as you find out why.

Not necessarily in plot, but in style this book is a daring departure from the norm in young adult fiction. Why We Broke Up mixes first and second person with the narrative written to "you" (Ed) and since Min's letter is written in a single sitting on a single day, it ends up being almost stream of consciousness as she pours out every moment and every thought and every secret. I loved the originality and the authenticity of Min's voice, but found myself lost sometimes in descriptions that would carry on for so long I forgot what she was describing. Working to concentrate on following her train of thought pulled me out of an otherwise captivating book. I did, however, love the addition of the artwork by Maria Kalman, renderings of the items Min is returning to Ed. Seeing these items described by Min added something unique to this story.

Overall, I believe Handler and Kalman have created something beautiful here. There's a poetry to Min's meandering narrative and this is one of those books that proves the journey is more important than the destination. Knowing where we're headed doesn't take anything away from this novel.

Sera's Rating: 4/5

Reviews: Heart On A Chain By Cindy C. Bennett

Kate lived a normal live once, but it was so long ago she barely remembers what that was like. After her father lost his job and her mother miscarried, Kate's life was never the same again. Her father started staying out and drinking. When he did come home, it was only to vent his anger on Kate's mother. It didn't take long for Kate's mother to turn her frustrations on the only person left: Kate. Without any friends or anyone she trusts to turn to, Kate is left to suffer in silence as her mother slowly kills her spirit.

Henry Jamison knew Kate when they were little and he thought she was beautiful, kind, vibrant, and smart. But then his family moves just as he and Kate begin to realize how much they care about each other. Six years later Henry moves back and he can't understand what happened to the little girl he once knew. He'd never forgotten her, but now she runs if he even tries to say hello. The other students either ignore or antagonize her and it doesn't seem like he'll ever be able to break through the walls she's erected around herself. Will Kate be able to trust his intentions or will she fail to recognize the first person to see through her protective barriers and care about the person underneath? What happens when an unthinkable tragedy threatens the delicate balance they've found?

This book is beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful. Bennett has created characters who live and breathe on the pages--even some of the minor characters--and she sucks you into a world no one wants to live in yet people somehow survive. The tormenting Kate suffers at school may seem overblown, but having seen it in action during my childhood I can say it's not overdramatized by much. The cruelties of children are equalled by their kindnesses. It's a strange phenomenon. This is also true of the families presented in the book. Henry's family is almost too good to be true: loving, warm, generous, accepting and a perfect foil to the cold, angry home Kate has grown up in. Bennett shows readers both extremes of the spectrum and somehow manages to give the book balance, not letting it get too dark or overly fluffy and light.

Henry doesn't ride in to her rescue as much as give her a place to turn when things get bad. In fact, for most of the book he has no idea what's going on. He has suspicions that something isn't right, but coming from his loving household, it's hard for him to conceive of the abuse Kate is suffering. He is steadfast, protective, and sweet and the growing love between the two teens is a major part of what drew me into the story.

One of Kate's strengths is her ability to forgive and let go even when faced with those I don't know if she should forgive. Some people may interpret this as weak--I've seen a couple of reviews who really railed on her for this--but I think it takes a much stronger character to let go of grudges than hold onto them. By doing this Kate is not only helping herself move past this horrible phase in her life, she's (hopefully) helping the others grow and learn from her example. Just by being who she is, Kate changes the lives of the people around her. She never even realizes she's doing it. I think a lot of people underestimate the quieter kinds of power and strength.

A warning to the squeamish. There are a couple of rather brutal physical abuse sequences, so just be aware of that before picking up the book.

Sera's Rating: 5/5

Poems: You Probably Won't Ever Find This In An Anthology, But...

Photo found here.

Oh. My. Goodness. I was going through some of my grandfather's things this weekend and found a letter written on the back of a typed poem. The letter was dated in 1945 while my grandfather was still serving in the Army, but when I started reading the poem I bust out laughing. For some reason my grandpa held onto this for more than fifty years! WTH?! :D

Just, um, as a warning, the poem isn't explicit, but it's implicitly explicit... FYI for my few younger readers and those who don't care for such things. 

Hope you're as amused by this as I was!

Book of the Month - Author Unknown

Suzzanne was a lady

with plenty of class

who knocked them all dead

when she wiggled her

Eyes at the fellows

as girls sometimes do

to make it quite plain

that she wanted to

Take in a movie

or go for a sail

and hurry home

for a piece of

Cake or ice cream

And a slice of roast duck

and after each meal 

she was ready to

Go for a ride

or a stroll on the dock

with any young man

with a sizable

Roll of big bills

and a pretty big front

and if he talked fast

she would show him her

Little pet dog

who was subject to fits

and maybe she'd let him

take hold of her

Little white hands

with a movement so quick

why she'd reach right out

and tickle his

Chin while she showed him

a trick learned in France

and asked the poor fellow

to take off his

Coat while she sang

off the Mandalay shore

for whatever she was

Suzanne was a bore.

Movies: A Book's Worst Nightmare

Someone posted this comic on Facebook and I laughed. It's so true! This is why I try to see movies before I read the book. This seems counter-intuitive to a lot of people, but let me explain.

I get really attached to books. The story, the characters, the little moments that only seem to work on paper. A movie changes all that and, sure, it may be great in it's own way, but if I walk in expecting what I read in the book, I'm disappointed 99% of the time. The only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head? The newest version of The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe and A Walk to Remember. However, if I see the movie first (for example, the newer version of The Count of Monte Cristo) I can appreciate the cinematic qualities of the movie and then fall in love all over again with the book.

Thinking about it makes me wonder if I'll be able to let go of the rights to my books when I'm published some day. Will I be able to trust some screenwriter and director to mold the story I've created into something worth seeing? Right now, I'm not sure, but I guess I'll have to jump that bridge when I come to it.

Writing: Doing What Scares You

Photo found here.

I don't know who said it originally, but whoever it was is right: "You should do the thing that scares you." Or something close to that, anyway.

Now this doesn't mean that if you're afraid of poisonous spiders you should go buy one for a pet (some fears are survival-based, after all), but it does mean that you shouldn't let thinking you can't or shouldn't do something keep you from ever trying it.

As writers this could mean many things. Maybe tackling a particular genre, or subject, or style, or narrative voice. Maybe someone told you men can't write believable female voices. Maybe you think no one will read a book written in the second person. Maybe you think you suck at memoirs. Maybe you're right about all these things, but are you right because you tried and failed or because you're too scared to make the attempt?

Poetry is not my thing. Never has been. I like reading some--The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, for example, is great--but writing it has always seemed too hard. I have this in my head despite the fact that my AP high school English teacher--a woman who was notoriously stingy with compliments--told me that the poem I turned in as a response to Eve's Apology in Defense of Women was one of the best things she'd ever seen at a high school level. If interested, you can read an excerpt of the poem here (the original, not mine) and I found this awesome comic strip here.

That being said, I started writing a book about two musicians and knew going into it that I would need to come up with song lyrics. I think that somewhere in the back of my head I had the vague idea of asking someone else to do it for me, but how realistic is that? And do I really want to rely on someone else's vision for something as important as this? Nope. I don't. I shut off my inner editor and started writing--I mean, it's a first draft, right? Things can always be changed down the road.

I surprised myself. This writing form that I'd kept away from so long is suddenly consuming me. I'm writing more songs than I can possibly squeeze into the book (and I'm squeezing them in anyway, hoping most of them will make it through the editing process) and I'm actually liking them! I'm going to take a chance and post the song I wrote this morning. Keep in mind it's a first draft, but feel free to tell me what you think!

Staring out my window

Dreaming of the sky 

Locked here in this tower 

Tho no one else knows why 

You appear then out of nowhere 

And try to help me fly 

And stare uncomprehending 

When I shake my head and sigh 

Your white horse don’t belong here 

But then, of course, if you’re sincere 

Won’t force this rescue till you here 

Why my tower’s worth fighting for, dear 

Cause what you didn’t see 

When you came barging through the door 

Is that the lock you broke through 

The one now lying on the floor 

Was done up on the inside 

And then, of course, what’s more 

Your horse stomped through my roses 

And I’m left with the chore 

Of picking up the pieces 

Of my once strong oak wood door 

Your white horse don’t belong here 

But then, of course, if you’re sincere 

Won’t force this rescue till you here 

Why my tower’s worth fighting for, dear 

Cause they may call me Cinderella 

But I’d much rather be 

The girl who stands up by your side 

Cause fallin' behind ain’t me 

So take your horse and ride off 

Come back when you can see 

The truth behind my tower 

How the walls aren’t what they seem 

You think they’re meant to keep me in 

But in actuality 

That strong red brick I built by hand 

Wasn’t meant for me 

Wanted to keep the world out 

But now that I’m set free 

How ‘bout you and your horse 

Come fix these walls for me?

Writing: Methods

One thing I've learned about my writing style over the years is that methods don't work for me. How I approach one novel doesn't work for another one. The lifespan of one book doesn't look anything like the lifespan of another. For example, during my marathon writing sessions on Sing, Sweet in November I watched a lot of movies. I don't know why, but I did. Working on my previous project, I usually wanted silence. Now? Bring on the music.

Photo found here. 

Maybe it's because music is an integral part of the book, but I write better for these characters listening to my iPod. Listening to songs I love is helping me write songs for my bands and helping me imagine their life and their story. It's working so well I've written about 20,000 words just in the past few days. But will this continue? Who knows. The scariest thing about my mind is not even I understand how it works.

What is the point to this post? There are a lot of people and books and sites that will tell you they have a "foolproof" way you can write a book in three days or a month or three months or whatever. The truth? There's no such thing. What works for me may not work for you. The best thing to do is take all these suggestions in, try them out, and throw out the ones that feel more or less worthless. If you can, try to develop a system that works for you because you're more likely to have consistent results, but don't lock yourself into a "method" thinking that it's the only way to get the job done. The most important things are the words in your mind and how best to translate them onto paper. Or computer screen... Whatever. You get the idea. :)

Responsibility: Should We All Ruffle Some Feathers?

From last year's Golden Globes. Photo found here. 

We can't figure out why, but my mom gets a lot of magazines for free. It's usually Men's Health, US Weekly, and things like that, but my favorite is Entertainment Weekly. In the most recent issue, they present an article written by comedian/actor/writer/director Ricky Gervais about his controversial performance as the host of last year's Golden Globes Awards. Essentially, he offended almost everyone in Hollywood at some point or another with biting commentary and off-color jokes. But isn't that what comedians are supposed to do?

Entertainment Weekly gave Gervais the chance to explain his reasoning and his views on the purpose of comedy as we head into the 2012 Golden Globes. Surprisingly (maybe), Gervais is hosting it again this year.

Well written and insightful, the article talks about how sometimes what he says in no way relates to how people interpret his intentions. A particular joke about Scientology made last year, for example, was not an attack on any member of Hollywood royalty, it was an attack on an organized religion that tries to control and conform human behavior. All in all, it made me actually want to watch the award show this year--something I never do.

I tried to find the full article online, but didn't have any luck. If you can, stop by a drug store or doctor's office and look for this piece. It's well worth reading, and not just for writers who (I believe) have the same responsibility Gervais attributes to comedians. This article shines a light on a deficit in human understanding, one that's behind more arguments and wars than I want to contemplate.

Also, if anyone does find the article online, let me know?