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Reading and writing Children's lit...and then there's the brain stuff
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“I think you should learn, of course, and some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It’s hollow.”
-- Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in E.L.Konigsburg’s Newbery-award-winning novel, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (p.153 in the paperback version)
Of course, she wasn't talking to Claudia about writing, but I think the quote applies just as easily to what we do, as writers. The more I write, the more I need to learn about writing. And many people have suggested I buy this craft book or that one. Sometimes I do. There's a great deal to be learned from books like Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass or Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell or my favorite, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.
But there comes a time when you need to stop all the studying and let it "swell up inside of you." Let all the advice simmer; let your own ideas marinate so you can feel something. What do you think? Have you learned something invaluable from a craft book? Do you depend on craft books or are you finding your own way?
First, I want to thank everyone who participated in the lively discussion on my last post. Even discounting my replies, that post generated more comments than any other post in my four years of blogging. Now for this week's recommendation:
Will Sparrow's Road by Karen Cushman (Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin, November 2012, for ages 10 and up)Synopsis (from the book jacket): Will Sparrow, liar and thief, is running away -- from the father who sold him for beer, the innkeeper who threatened to sell him as a chimney sweep, from his whole sorry life. Barefoot and penniless, without family, friends, or boots, Will is determined to avoid capture and, of course, to find something to eat.
Some of the travelers he meets on the road have a kind word for him and a promise of better things to come, such as coins and juicy beef ribs. Eager to go along, Will repeatedly finds himself tricked by older and wiser tricksters.
Why I liked it: Will's a remarkable character, who at first cares for "no one but myself and nothing but my belly!" Writers who struggle with character growth should study this because Will grows and changes more than any protagonist I've come across recently. And if you're a fan of historical fiction, you'll love the story. The inimitable Karen Cushman infuses the novel with colorful personalities and plenty of Elizabethan flavor as Will travels from one market fair to another, along with an assortment of "Oddities" in search of a place to call home.
(My only trouble with this book was every time I read the name "Will Sparrow" I kept picturing Will Turner and Jack Sparrow. Guess I've watched "Pirates of the Caribbean" too many times!)
Now for the giveaway. Since I didn't receive an arc, I purchased a hardcover copy. And I'm eager to share it with one of you. To enter the giveaway you must be a follower and leave a comment on this post. International entries welcome. This giveaway will end at 10 pm EDT on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced Monday, March 25. Good luck!
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. See her blog for the links, or check out my sidebar.
In the December 4, 2012 issue of Shelf Awareness, in an article on YA authors and their social media platforms, Andrea Cremer (author of Nightshade and its sequels) admits she started out with a blog, but "now finds that medium too slow and relies primarily on Facebook and Twitter."
She also says her "social media activity takes up three to four hours of her day." And that's without blogging!
Further evidence that blogging is losing its appeal: several of the authors I follow have essentially stopped blogging. The last time Maureen Johnson (Name of the Star) posted to her blog was five months ago. Yet you can find the Queen of Teen on Twitter nearly every waking hour of the day. Laurie Halse Anderson also hasn't blogged for five months. Mike Jung (Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities) is another author with a Twitter empire. His last blog post was Feb 23, certainly recent enough. Yet the one before that was Oct 7, 2012!
What does this mean?
I think it means the future of blogging is Twitter and Facebook! The internet is changing our brains and the way we process information. People simply don't have the patience to read long blog posts anymore (Go on, admit it, you've skimmed more than one of my longer posts -- and yes, I've probably skimmed one or more of some other blogger's posts. Not yours! No!). And it's possible that LinkedIn, Google+, Tumblr and especially Pinterest also vie for a portion of your allotted social media time. When does anyone have time to write or read books?
Wait until Facebook buys out Twitter and they'll be the same thing. Then it will be one looming tower of babble.
What do you think?
First, I need to announce the winner of the prize package of a paperback of Hattie Big Sky and an arc of Hattie Ever After! According to random.org, the winner is:
creativewritingintheblackberrypatch
(aka Janet)
Congratulations, Janet! Expect an email from me, asking for your mailing address.
Now to today's MMGMM. Yes, there's an extra M in there, for mystery.
I've been writing a middle grade mystery, so I thought it wise to read more mysteries over the past few months. And I really liked this one:
Source: paperback purchased from local bookstore
Synopsis (from Indiebound): Ted and Kat watched their cousin Salim board the London Eye, but after half an hour it landed and everyone trooped off—except Salim. Where could he have gone? How on earth could he have disappeared into thin air? Ted and his older sister, Kat, become sleuthing partners, since the police are having no luck. Despite their prickly relationship, they overcome their differences to follow a trail of clues across London in a desperate bid to find their cousin. And ultimately it comes down to Ted, whose brain works in its own very unique way, to find the key to the mystery.
Why I liked it: Oh, without a doubt the character of Ted! He wants to be a meteorologist when he grows up, so he's obsessed with weather forecasts. His autism is never defined, but he nonetheless works out puzzles in his head, counts his breakfast cereal Shreddies as he eats them, and doesn't like to be hugged. Dowd, who sadly died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 47, makes Ted both likable and memorable. Ted tells the story in first person and London comes to life through his eyes. The mystery kept me guessing, and I also liked the way Ted and his sister grow closer together while they try to figure out what happened to Salim.
What middle grade mysteries have you read lately?
Hattie Ever After, a sequel to the Newbery-honor winning Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, pubs tomorrow, and I'm thrilled to be hosting Kirby for an exclusive interview. Don't forget the giveaway at the end of the post.
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (Delacorte Press, February 12, 2013, for ages 10 and up)
Synopsis (from the publisher): After leaving Uncle Chester's homestead claim, orphan Hattie Brooks throws a lasso around a new dream, even bigger than the Montana sky. She wants to be a big-city reporter. A letter and love token from Uncle Chester's old flame in San Francisco fuels that desire and Hattie jumps at the opportunity to get there by working as a seamstress for a traveling acting troupe. This could be her chance to solve the mystery of her "scoundrel" uncle and, in the process, help her learn more about herself. But Hattie must first tell Charlie that she will not join him in Seattle. Even though her heart approves of Charlie's plan for their marriage, her mind fears that saying yes to him would be saying no to herself.
Why I liked it: This novel is bursting with historical flavor, so if you're a fan of historical fiction, you'll definitely want to read this. I learned a lot about the time period. And even if you're not into historical fiction, read it for Hattie herself. She's wonderful -- a strong female character full of life and sass and gumption.You'll find yourself cheering her on as if she's a real person.
You could read this without reading Hattie Big Sky, but it definitely helps to be familiar with the first book. And although it's considered YA and it's all about careers and marriage, there is absolutely nothing too mature about the book. I suspect it's the kind of novel I would have cherished when I was 11 or 12.
Hi Kirby! Welcome to My Brain on Books! In your author note you state that when you wrote Hattie Big Sky, you had no intention of continuing her story. I'm so glad you changed your mind. Can you tell us about the seeds that grew into Hattie Ever After and how much influence your reader fans had on the decision?
I am a firstborn and am very much into following the rules and keeping other people happy. So, even though I thought I had completed Hattie's story, when I kept hearing from readers, I felt compelled to pay attention. And, honestly, who wouldn't like spending a little more time with such a spunky and stubborn orphan? But I knew that if I were to take on a sequel, I couldn't simply do another version of the homestead story. I would need to find something completely different. I was sure Hattie was going to go on a road trip, but she had other ideas. After fighting with her for some time, I finally got the picture: she wanted to be a writer. I certainly knew about that dream! Once that fell into place, so many other things did, too. I think when we completely give ourselves over to a book -- a terrifying experience!-- we will be given what we need to tell the story. At least, that is how it seems to happen for me.
I love it when a character takes over! Please tell us a little about your journey to publication. Was Hattie Big Sky the first novel you ever wrote? How long did it take you to find an agent? And how much time passed before you signed your first publishing contract?
[chuckling] First novel? Um, HBS was perhaps my fifth. But, it was my first effort at historical fiction. My first published book, a chapter book, came out in 1994; then I had four more books published, including two ghost written series books. Beginning in 1997, I contracted submission pox -- everything I submitted for the next seven years was rejected. I was ready to pitch it all in and go to work as a Starbucks' barista. Or maybe a Walmart greeter. Then, through a sad and wonderful set of circumstances, I was led to my great-grandmother's story of homesteading in eastern Montana as a young woman and spent four years researching and writing Hattie Big Sky. When the manuscript was ready to submit, I sent it to half a dozen editors--one of whom called me ten days after receiving it to say she wanted to publish it. Though I had had agents (two) earlier in my career, HBS was unsolicited/agentless. After the book won the Newbery Honor, I was introduced to Jennifer Holm's agent, Jill Grinberg, and the rest, as they say, was history.
That's quite a journey. How amazing that Hattie Big Sky was agentless! You used to teach writing classes. What advice can you give us on revising a rough draft?
First, celebrate the fact that you have completed a first draft. Most people never make it that far! Have you adequately celebrated? Really? Was there chocolate involved? Okay. Now you can move on. I'd say the first thing to do is find a trusted reader. Mine is my picture book co-author, Mary Nethery, who has earned several jewels in her heavenly crown for nudging me to actually include a plot in my novels. Respond to the concerns of that trusted reader (e.g. in my case, add a plot). Then, scout the manuscript for narrative chunks: such chunks probably indicate telling, rather than scene-building. Convert those sections to scenes and you're most of the way there! Don't forget to take a look at motivation: yes, you need John and Jenny to have a spat in Chapter Four. But why are they having that spat? And does the spat grow organically out of the preceding action? Finally, read EVERY SINGLE WORD aloud. That will save you from all kinds of clunkers and faux pas.
Ah, yes, I did celebrate with chocolate when I finished my first draft, thank you! And thank you for the rest of this great advice too. Do you listen to music while you write? Do you have a theme song that best fits Hattie Ever After?
Good lord, no. I have to have it very quiet while I write. Theme song? I think Etta James' version of At Last fits almost any situation!
Other than music, what's your writing process like? Are you an early morning writer or an evening writer? Do you write in your PJ's? Drink gallons of coffee? Do you chain yourself to a writing desk or take your laptop and spread out on the couch?
I'm an all-day writer because this is my job. In fact, both my husband and I office at home, so are a trifle workaholic. We have resolved for 2013 to quit work earlier a couple of times a week and have some non-writing or acounting kind of fun. Two nights ago we went to the Seattle Opera. The week before that, it was a date to see Silver Linings Playbook. Next week, it's a tour of the newly relocated Seattle Museum of History and Industry.
As the result of an unfortunate event that occurred when our son was in elementary band, I do not write in my PJs (long story). I get up around 6:30 or 7 and have a cup of coffee and do the NY Times crossword puzzle (on Mondays, I feel like the smartest person in the world!). Then I walk Winston the Wonder Dog and we come back and have breakfast (he eats a bit of kibble with a home-cooked patty of turkey and veggies; I often eat a poached egg and toast). Then we are in my office by no later than 9. I write all day (breaking for lunch and that very important afternoon constitutional for Winston). I now use a Mac mini hooked up to a big monitor so I am pretty much chained to my office. But I do have an iPad so sometimes go to my local coffee shop to play around. I especially like to print out my manuscripts and take those to a coffee shop to work on revisions.
You're so good at writing historical fiction (the Hattie novels, The Friendship Doll and even a Dear America book!). Will your next book also be that genre? Or will you go back to nonfiction picture books like Nubs or The Two Bobbies? Which is your favorite to write: picture books or novels?
[Thank you for that lovely compliment; I do work very hard on my historical fiction.] Mary and I are dying to find a third narrative non-fiction book together, along the lines of Two Bobbies and Nubs. So I am hoping a book like that is in the not-too-distant future. As for my individual work: I am totally and passionately in love with historical fiction. My next three books will be in that genre, for sure. After that -- who knows? As far as which is my favorite genre: such a thing doesn't exist. It's the story, not the genre, that counts.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. And congratulations on tomorrow's release of Hattie Ever After!
Thank you so much for taking the time to come up with such thoughtful questions! I really appreciate your support and encouragement of my work.
* * * * *
Readers, to celebrate Kirby Larson's book launch tomorrow, I'm giving away my ARC of
Hattie Ever After, along with a paperback of
Hattie Big Sky (in case you haven't read it). To enter, simply be a follower and leave a comment on this post. This giveaway is open internationally and will end at 10 pm EST on Saturday February 23, 2013. Winner to be announced on Monday, February 25. Good luck!
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 2/8/2013
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As an adult, have you ever purchased a picture book for yourself? Or as a gift for another adult? Hop on over to Random Acts of Reading where this month, the book blogger panel discusses picture books that aren't just for kids.
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 2/1/2013
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Come visit me over at Random Acts of Reading, where I'm a guest blogger today, discussing a new book that I love. I bet it would delight you too.
I'm writing and posting this before the Caldecott and Newbery awards are announced, so I can't talk about them, darn it all. Guess that's what Twitter is for...
Instead, I want to talk about another kind of award-winner. And it's something I rarely read: a graphic novel.
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan (Candlewick Press, 2009, for ages 10 and up; Winner of the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction)Source: paperback purchased last summer from local bookstore (which, sadly, is now closed)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): In Kansas in the year 1937, eleven-year-old Jack Clark faces his share of ordinary challenges: local bullies, his father’s failed expectations, a little sister with an eye for trouble. But he also has to deal with the effects of the Dust Bowl, including rising tensions in his small town and the spread of a shadowy illness. Certainly a case of "dust dementia" would explain who (or what) Jack has glimpsed in the Talbot’s abandoned barn — a sinister figure with a face like rain. In a land where it never rains, it’s hard to trust what you see with your own eyes — and harder still to take heart and be a hero when the time comes.
Why I liked it: Well, it's certainly not just because Matt Phelan autographed it last summer when he visited the bookstore, and drew me a little picture of Jack in his cap! I normally shy away from graphic novels, but this one is compelling. It's a fascinating combination of historical fiction and fantasy. That sinister figure in the barn turns out to be something otherworldly. Phelan's imagination soars in this beautifully-illustrated book.
Do you like graphic novels?
Which ones have you (or your kids) read?
MMGM is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger.
Check her blog for the links, or see my sidebar.
Every winter I eagerly await the ALA Youth Media Awards. Recently it occurred to me that I'd never read Dead End in Norvelt, last year's Newbery winner. So I set aside a few days for that -- and then read it in one day.
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, September 2011)Source: advance reading copy from publisher (yes, I still have old arcs!)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional,
Dead End in Norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews blood at every little shock he gets.
But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launched on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder.
Why I like it: This is hilarious, weird, and wise. It's historical fiction, but also a fast-paced murder mystery. And since it takes place in 1962, when I was a child, I got a kick out of reading about bomb shelters, drive-in movies, and typewriters (anyone remember typewriters?). But it's the characters who draw you in and offer immense entertainment here, especially old Miss Volker, with her obituaries, and old Mr. Spizz with his tricycle. The most fun, of course, is watching Jack get into predicaments and wondering how he'll get out of them. Even reluctant readers would enjoy this.
MMGM is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger.
See her blog for the links, or check out my sidebar.
Have you read
Dead End in Norvelt? And what do you hope wins
this year's Newbery award?
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 1/11/2013
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Today, I'm hanging out over at
Random Acts of Reading, where the blogger panel answers the question,"What Are Your ALA Award Predictions?"
Head over there and join the discussion, or comment here. What do YOU hope will win the Caldecott, the Newbery, or the Printz award? You have until January 28 to figure it out!
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 12/20/2012
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 |
| Fifteen of the twenty children killed: (Top row from left) Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana Marquez-Green. (Middle row from left) Dylan Hockley, Catherine Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli. (Bottom row from left) Grace McDonnell, Emilie Parker, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos
|
We were all shocked and saddened by the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last week. Yes, I was taking a blogging break, but this is simply too important. It's been nearly a week, and it's still hard to comprehend this atrocity.
I'm not going to get into a discussion here of the many issues involved but I'm sure we can all agree that this massacre was a tipping point for a lot of Americans. I've decided that I will refuse to utter the name of the shooter and instead choose to learn and remember the names of the victims at the school:
Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Olivia Engel, 6
Josephine Gay, 7
Ana Marquez-Greene, 6
Dylan Hockley, 6
Madeleine Hsu, 6
Catherine Hubbard, 6
Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6
James Mattioli, 6
Emilie Parker, 6
Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6
Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison N. Wyatt, 6
Rachel Davino, 29, Teacher
Dawn Hochsprung, 47, School Principal
Anne Marie Murphy, 52, Teacher
Lauren Rousseau, 30, Teacher
Mary Sherlach, 56, School psychologist
Victoria Soto, 27, Teacher
What can we do that's positive?
Shelley Moore Thomas, a teacher as well as a writer, suggests doing good. Ann Curry started
#26acts of Kindness to honor the victims. Many groups are collecting funds, but the best suggestion I've seen so far was in an article by Judith Rosen in PW's
Children's Bookshelf this week. We're all book lovers here. Donating books to preserve the memories of the children (and teachers) who died is one of the most positive things you can do right now. Let their names live on! You could donate to Newtown, CT schools or to your own local schools or libraries. I plan to donate some picture books to my local library and elementary school in memory of the children.
Drum roll, please! Here is a list of all the books I've read in 2012 (divided up by months and not counting picture books. And please note that most of these were arcs, unless otherwise noted):
January1. Cinder - Marissa Meyer
2. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
3. A Diamond in the Dust - Kathryn Fitzmaurice
4. Chomp - Carl Hiaasen
5. Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
6. Looking for Alaska - John Green
7. Gil Marsh - A.C.E. Bauer
8. Never Fall Down - Patricia McCormick
9. Jake & Lily - Jerry Spinelli
February10. What the Dog Said - Randi Reisfield
11. So Close to You - Rachel Carter
12. Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler (paperback purchased from indie bookstore)
13. Wonder - R.J. Palacio
14. Curveball: How I Lost My Grip - Jordan Sonnenblick
March15. Breath of Eyre - Eve Marie Mont
16. critique partner's MG novel
17. Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator - Josh Berk
18. Embrace - Jessica Shirvington
19. Insurgent - Veronica Roth
20. Kaspar the Titanic Cat - Michael Morpurgo
21. Small Damages - Beth Kephart
22. The Year of the Book - Andrea Chang
23. Remarkable - Lizzie K. Foley
April 24. The Wicked and the Just - J. Anderson Coats
25. Summer of the Gypsy Moths - Sara Pennypacker
26. Drowned Cities - Paolo Bacigalupi
27. Starters - Lissa Price
28. The False Prince - Jennifer Nielson
29. Chains - Laurie Halse Anderson
30. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick
May31. Devine Intervention - Martha Brockenbrough
32. The Patron Saint of Beans (now called If You Find Me) - Emily Murdoch
33. Keeping the Castle - Patrice Kindl
34. Don't Turn Around - Michelle Gagnon
35. Gilt - Katherine Longshore
36. Lucid - Adrienne Stolz and Ron Bass
37. The Mapmaker & the Ghost - Sarvenaz Tash
38. A World Away - Nancy Grossman
39. Keeping Safe the Stars - Sheila O'Connor
40. Gold Medal Summer - Donna Freitas
41. The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy - Nikki Loftin
42. This is Not a Drill - Beck McDowell
43. Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson
June44. Jump Into the Sky - Shelley Pearsall
45. Noah's Compass - Anne Tyler (paperback purchased from indie bookstore)
46. What Came From the Stars - Gary D. Schmidt
47. Forge - Laurie Halse Anderson
48. Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers
49. Son - Lois Lowry
50. Ungifted - Gordon Korman
51. Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
52. Capture the Flag - Kate Messner
53. Edge of Nowhere - Elizabeth George
July54. Nerve - Jeanne Ryan
55. Burning Blue - Paul Griffin
56. The Great Unexpected - Sharon Creech
57. Malcolm at Midnight - W. H. Beck
58. Ten - Gretchen McNeil
59. Lindsey Lost - Suzanne Phillips
60. The Diviners - Libba Bray
61. Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker
August62. What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang
63. critique partner's YA novel
64. Third Grade Angels - Jerry Spinelli
65. Beholding Bee - Kimberly Newton Fusco
66. Space Station Seventh Grade - Jerry Spinelli
67. The Spindlers - Lauren Oliver
68. Every Day - David Levithan
September69. Empty - K.M. Walton
70. If I Lie - Corrine Jackson
71. True Colors - Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
72. Popular - Alissa Grosso (paperback I purchased at PAYA)
73. Pretty Crooked -- Elisa Ludwig (hardcover I purchased at PAYA)
74. Dying to Know You - Aidan Chambers
75. Seven Tales of Trinket -- Shelley Moore Thomas (hardcover purchased from indie bookstore)
76. Glass Heart -- Amy Garvey
77. Unspoken -- Sarah Rees Brennan
78. Liar & Spy -- Rebecca Stead
October79. The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons - Barbara Mariconda
80. Lovely, Dark and Deep -- Amy McNamara (hardcover from S&S)
81. Breathe - Sarah Crossan
82. A Dog Called Homeless -- Sarah Lean
83. Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities -- Mike Jung (hardcover purchased from indie bookstore)
84. Touching the Surface - Kim Sabatini (hardcover from S&S)
85. Ask the Passengers - A.S. King
86. The Secret Underground - Natalie Bahm (paperback purchased to help Baby Jayden)
87. The Brides of Rollrock Island
November88. Double Vision - F.T. Bradley
89. The Tide-Changers -- Sandy Green (paperback purchased from Amazon)
90. Through to You - Emily Hainsworth
91. The Flight - C.F. Runyan (old paperback I've read before)
92. Circle of Secrets - Kimberley Griffiths Little (hardcover won from
Deb Marshall)
93. A Tale of Time City - Diana Wynne Jones (paperback purchased from indie bookstore)
94. A Thunderous Whisper - Christina Diaz Gonzalez (hardcover won from
Medeia Sharif)
95. Recipe for Trouble - Sheryl Berk & Carrie Berk (paperback won from
Jennifer Rumberger)
96. Hokey Pokey - Jerry Spinelli
December97. Hattie Ever After - Kirby Larson
98. When We Wake - Karen Healy
99. Dead End in Norvelt - Jack Gantos
100. A String in the Harp - Nancy Bond (paperback lent by a friend)
101. Storm in the Barn - Matt Phelan
So I've read more than 100 books and December isn't over yet. If you have questions about any of these books, feel free to ask! Which one's my favorite? Oh gosh, I couldn't possibly pick ONE favorite. For YA, I'd have to say
The Fault in Our Stars, but
Small Damages and
Devine Intervention both hold a special place in my heart. For MG, I love
Wonder, but also
What Came From the Stars, and
Malcolm at Midnight. Of course, I also loved
The One and Only Ivan (but I read it last year!). One of those books had better win a Newbery.
For the next few weeks I'll be taking a blogging break to spend time with my family and to work on my third novel. In January, I hope to be querying my second novel, but I'm also joining Katia Raina's
31-Minute a Day Challenge. If you've never checked out
Katia's blog, you should hop right over there. She's a lovely young writer I met at the New Jersey SCBWI conference last year, and her first novel is coming from namelos in 2013! Join the challenge! All it takes is a commitment to work on your project (whatever it is) for 31 minutes a day, every day, throughout the month of January. And there's a prize for a random winner at the end! Sign up on Katia's blo
g. See you in a few weeks. Enjoy your holidays!
Yes, it's another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday!
MMGM is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. For other participants see my sidebar or Shannon's links.
A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Knopf, October 2012, for ages 10 and up)Source: hardcover won from
Medeia Sharif's blog (and if you haven't checked out her blog, you should! She's the author of
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. and she reads more than anyone I know.)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): Ani believes she is just an insignificant whisper of a 12-year-old girl in a loud world. This is what her mother tells her anyway. Her father made her feel important, but he's been off fighting in Spain's Civil War, and his voice in her head is fading. Then she meets Mathias. His family has just moved to Guernica and he's as far from a whisper as a 14-year-old boy can be. Ani thinks Mathias is more like lightning. A boy of action. Mathias's father is part of a spy network and soon Ani finds herself helping him deliver messages to other members of the underground. She's actually making a difference in the world.
And then her world explodes. The sleepy little market town of Guernica is destroyed by Nazi bombers. In one afternoon Ani loses her city, her home, her mother. But in helping the other survivors, Ani gains a sense of her own strength. And she and Mathias make plans to fight back in their own unique way.
Why I liked it: This is historical fiction as it was meant to be. Gripping. Moving. Beautifully written. The Spanish Civil War and the plight of the Basques come alive through Ani. Before reading this, I knew absolutely nothing about Guernica, other than the fact that Pablo Picasso created a famous painting about it. And if you're looking for multi-cultural books, you can't go wrong with this one. (Parental note: This might be a bit scary for younger readers, with the descriptions of dead bodies after the bombing.)
 |
| Christina Diaz Gonzalez (from her website) |
You can find the Author's website here.
Christina is the author of
The Red Umbrella, which I reviewed for my very first MMGM (you can see that
in this post from November 29, 2010 -- sheesh, have I really been doing this for more than two years?!). I had hoped to include an interview with Christina, but she's been too busy to answer my questions. And I'm happy for her that she has so many book signings to go to!
Be sure to come back on Friday December 14, when I'll be listing all the books I've read this year. That will be my last post before January, as I'll be taking a blogging break to work on the rough of my third MG novel.
What historical fiction has you excited this month?
Yes, it's another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday! UPDATED TO INCLUDE INTERVIEW!
MMGM is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. For other participants see my sidebar or Shannon's links.
A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Knopf, October 2012, for ages 10 and up)Source: hardcover won from
Medeia Sharif's blog (and if you haven't checked out her blog, you should! She's the author of
Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. and she reads more than anyone I know.)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): Ani believes she is just an insignificant whisper of a 12-year-old girl in a loud world. This is what her mother tells her anyway. Her father made her feel important, but he's been off fighting in Spain's Civil War, and his voice in her head is fading. Then she meets Mathias. His family has just moved to Guernica and he's as far from a whisper as a 14-year-old boy can be. Ani thinks Mathias is more like lightning. A boy of action. Mathias's father is part of a spy network and soon Ani finds herself helping him deliver messages to other members of the underground. She's actually making a difference in the world.
And then her world explodes. The sleepy little market town of Guernica is destroyed by Nazi bombers. In one afternoon Ani loses her city, her home, her mother. But in helping the other survivors, Ani gains a sense of her own strength. And she and Mathias make plans to fight back in their own unique way.
Why I liked it: This is historical fiction as it was meant to be. Gripping. Moving. Beautifully written. The Spanish Civil War and the plight of the Basques come alive through Ani. Before reading this, I knew absolutely nothing about Guernica, other than the fact that Pablo Picasso created a famous painting about it. And if you're looking for multi-cultural books, you can't go wrong with this one. (Parental note: This might be a bit scary for younger readers, with the descriptions of dead bodies after the bombing.)
|
| Christina Diaz Gonzalez (from her website) |
You can find the Author's website here.
Christina is the author of
The Red Umbrella, which I reviewed for my very first MMGM (you can see that
in this post from November 29, 2010 -- sheesh, have I really been doing this for more than two years?!).
And now, I'm updating this post to add a mini-interview with Christina Diaz Gonzalez. 1) Tell us a little about your research. It must have been daunting! Did it take you months or years? What was it like to travel to Guernica and see these sites with your own eyes? The preliminary research took a few months and then I added more detail and fine-tuning once I went to Guernica myself. The trip there was amazing (although way too short) and the people were fantastic. They were so incredibly friendly and helpful... really gave me a sense of understanding what it was like during that time period.
2) Do you outline your novels before beginning to write? I never outline my novels before writing but I do know how the book will end. It keeps me going in a certain direction.
3) As a pantser, I'm happy to hear that. I love the character of Ani and how much she grows and changes. I also loved Mathias. Is there any of you in Ani? And is Mathias like anyone you know? There is always a little of me in my characters.
4) Can you tell us what we can expect from you next? Will it be another historical novel?I'm working on a contemporary/ quest-like story. It has a touch of historical to it, also. More than that, I can't talk about!
That's understandable, Christine. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.Readers, be sure to come back on Friday December 14, when I'll be listing all the books I've read this year. That will be my last post before January, as I'll be taking a blogging break to work on the rough of my third MG novel.
What historical fiction have you read recently or look forward to reading?
Today, I'm hanging out over at Random Acts of Reading, where the book blogger panel is discussing gifts for the holidays. Come join us!
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 10/22/2012
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Okay, the full title of today's MMGM feature is actually GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES and it's Mike Jung's action-packed debut novel. Yes, I'm giving away a signed, hardcover copy. Holy bananas! Another giveaway?? Yep. Details at the end of the post. Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of Shannon Messenger. For other participants, see my sidebar or Shannon's links.
Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung, with illustrations by Mike Maihack (October 2012, Scholastic, for ages 8 to 12)
Source: hardcover purchased from
Mrs. Dalloway's, an indie bookstore in Berkeley, CA -- wait, did I fly three thousand miles for a booksigning? Heck, no! When I read about Mike's launch, I preordered two copies. One for me. One to give away. And both are signed,
including cool superhero doodles.
Synopsis (from Indiebound, naturally): Vincent Wu is Captain Stupendous's No. 1 Fan, but even he has to admit that Captain Stupendous has been a little off lately. During Professor Mayhem's latest attack, Captain Stupendous barely made it out alive - although he did manage to save Vincent from a giant monster robot. It's Vincent's dream come true... until he finds out Captain Stupendous's secret identity: It's Polly Winnicott-Lee, the girl Vincent happens to have a crush on. Captain Stupendous's powers were recently transferred to Polly in a fluke accident, and so while she has all of his super strength and super speed, she doesn't know how to use them, and she definitely doesn't know all the strengths and weaknesses of his many nemeses. But Vincent and his friends are just the right fan club to train up their favorite superhero before he (she?) has to face Professor Mayhem again. And if they make it through this battle for the safety of Copperplate City, Vincent might just get up the courage to ask Polly on a date.
Why I liked it: Dude! Are you kidding? This would be so much fun if I was a 10-year-old superhero-loving geek! It's fun anyway. And I'm not. Mike has created an original world, lovingly based on comic books, that's a lot like our world, only with superheroes battling bad guys on a regular basis. Vincent and his friends even get Captain Stupendous alerts on their cell phones.
Yes,
Mike's blog was one of the first blogs I followed, way back in the dark ages of blogging, yo,
and I'm totally one of his minions but that's not why I'm pushing his book.
Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities is a sure hit for both boys and girls in the traditional middle-grade age range. It's crammed with action, realistic dialogue, and humorous situations (wait until you find out why big Max is Vincent's self-appointed bodyguard). It has conflict galore, humungous robots, evil scientists, a first crush, and a group of friends who argue and insult each other but would never let each other down.
And there's another reason all this is so cool: Mike can play the ukulele and sing. Yes! I'm thrilled that he chose an indie for his launch party and man, I wish I could have been there!
To enter the giveaway for the signed, hardcover copy, you must be a follower and you must comment on this post. Extra entries for tweeting, mentioning on facebook, or mentioning on your own blog. Please let me know you've done that and if possible, give me the links. International entries welcome. This giveaway will end at 10:00 pm on Saturday November 3, 2012. Good luck!
Today, I'm honored that for my final Class of 2K12 interview,* I'm talking with Kim Sabatini, a delightful debut author I've actually met in person (at the SCBWI Eastern PA Poconos retreats)! First, let me tell you about her book:
Synopsis (from Indiebound): When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right. Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed. As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.
My take: I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book, and I can tell you all, it's a ravishing and unique look at the afterlife. The lives of four characters are woven together in an intricate dance after death. As the story unfolds, layer by layer, we grow to love Elliot and her friends and realize the truth of E.M. Forster's famous phrase: "Only connect." Touching the Surface is all about connecting with other lives, and making choices. Even the most minor decision can affect the other people in your life. This is one of those stories you can't stop thinking about long after you've finished the last page. And isn't that cover gorgeous? I'll be giving away my review copy; details at the end of the interview.
Kim's Pinterest site
Welcome to my blog, Kim! I'm almost as excited as you are that Touching the Surface makes its official debut in four days! (And it's already been selling out in bookstores!)
Did the idea for your book spring from your own childhood or from some other source? And did you start with a character or with an image or phrase or setting?
The idea for my book came mostly from the fact that my father had died recently. I think I chose to write a story that took place in the afterlife so that I could explore my own feelings about my where my dad had gone and why he had to leave. It also came from hearing the story of a local girl who had done something “unforgivable.” I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I realized that if I’m so hard on myself about small things, I didn’t know how someone could survive making a life-altering mistake. It made me want to write something that would make her feel better—and make me feel better too.
Do you outline before you write? If so, does it end up changing before you finish the first draft? What change surprised you the most?
I’m a pantser. A definite fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of a girl when it comes to a written outline, but that doesn’t mean I don’t plan ahead. I’m a mullet girl at heart. I mull over my story, characters and plot in my head for long periods of time before I write it down. Perhaps you could even call it a mental kind of an outline, because when I sit down to write I have very strong ideas about where I’m headed. But having said that, I’m really open to going where the story leads me. This is when it’s advantageous to be a mental outliner—it’s very easy to make corrections to the master plan. I just head in the new direction and start mulling all over again. I swish my imagination all around until the new ideas are real to me.
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while writing? And where do you write? Briefly describe your writing space.
HOT CHOCOLATE!!!! Don’t forget the whipped cream. I have a cute little desk area with a nice window view that I’ve put together with a couple of folding tables. But recently I’ve developed some achy spots from running and dancing and I find that sitting at my desk too long makes my legs hurt. So…I’ve kind of moved my office onto my bed. In essence, I’ve become my cat. We get up in the morning, make the bed, do the mom thing, exercise and/or run errands then curl up in a nest on the bed for the afternoon. Of course the cat gets to sleep on a pillow like a princess and I’m working like a crazy person, but I have hot chocolate with whipped cream—so I’m not complaining.
You were the first author I knew to go on Pinterest, when you posted on your blog about your Touching The Surface board. Can you talk about why you're so enthusiastic about Pinterest? How has it helped your writing?
I have always been a visual person. As a writer, I very clearly need to see my characters and setting in order to be able to create a believable story. Pinterest is a quick, easy and portable way to visually support my writing. I've always manually built a bulletin board on the wall at home, but now I can write anywhere and access it from any place. I also think it's cool to be able to share an extra layer with readers. Some people don't want to have their own imagery spoiled, which I completely understand, but like myself, many are fascinated with what the author was thinking about when they were writing. I love checking out these kinds of author boards.
What can we expect from you next? What are you writing now?
Right now I'm revising my second novel, THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY. I'm really excited about it and I'm hoping that after the launch of TOUCHING THE SURFACE I'll have a little more time to polish it up. I've also decided to do NaNoWriMo for the first time this November. I know this sounds insane considering it kicks off two days after my book launch, but I feel like I've got book three, CHASING ADAPTATION, knocking on my brain right now. If you see me in a puddle on the side of the road in early December, you'll know that my head exploded. LOL!
Ha ha! Good luck with NaNo! And thanks for joining us today, Kimberly! Readers, I'm giving away my hardcover copy of Touching the Surface, AND some cool swag from Kim herself! One lucky person gets to win all this, plus the book (and yes, that is an origami crane!): To enter, you must be a follower and you must comment on this post. International entries welcome! Extra entries for tweeting, mentioning on facebook or your own blog. Please let me know. This giveaway ends at 10:00 pm EST on Wednesday, November 7, 2012. Winner to be chosen by random.org. Good luck!
*Special thanks to Caroline Starr Rose, for asking me to participate in the Class of 2K12 interviews/guest posts. It was an honor.
As I'm writing this blog post (on Saturday afternoon, Oct 27, 2012), Hurricane Sandy (or "Frankenstorm") is roaring toward the East coast of the US, and will undoubtedly pound us with a one-two punch by Monday. I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
Good book to read?
Check. (Thanks, Mariga)
Batteries?
Check.
Water?
Check.
Three bags of chocolate candy?
Check!
Well, if Trick or Treat gets canceled, someone has to eat it all!
I actually learned from
Hurricane Irene in August 2011 not to worry about stocking up on raw chicken or beef or anything else that requires cooking (since we lost power for days and I had to throw it all out in the end). Instead I have an assortment of foods we can eat as is: bananas, apples, carrots, two loaves of bread, two jars of peanut butter, grape jelly, cans of tuna, lots of cheese and crackers, juice, cans of almonds. I also have two bags of cough drops and plenty of Nyquil. Yes, I'm sick. My husband went out and bought me the bags of cough drops this morning, and also the last 5 miserable bananas in the grocery store. Why are bananas the first food to sell out when a storm is coming?
If the forecasters are right about those high winds, and we do lose power, I may not be visiting anyone's blog on Monday. I'll get to you later in the week, I hope. In the meantime, I wanted to remind you that I have TWO giveaways going on right now:
Enter here to win a SIGNED hardcover copy of GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES by Mike Jung. You have until Saturday November 3 at 10 pm EDT. International entries welcome.
Enter here to win a hardcover copy of TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini, plus a load of swag. You have until Wednesday, November 7 at 10 pm EST. Again, international entries welcome.
Stay safe, everyone! See you on the other side.
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/19/2012
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First, let me tell you about his book:
Samantha Sutton is a curious, headstrong twelve-year-old girl. She wants to be an archaeologist just like her Uncle Jay. When he offers to take her on one of his digs in Peru that summer, she jumps at the chance. The catch? Her older brother, who loves teasing her, comes along too. Not only that, but she has to work with her uncle's grouchy assistant. And then artifacts start to disappear from the dig site.
Combining history, mystery, and heart-racing adventure, Jordan Jacobs weaves a plot full of non-stop fun and incredible facts in Samantha Sutton and the Labyrinth of Lies. If you like Nancy Drew and other mysteries, you'll love this book. I received the galley from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher.
Ever wonder what it’d be like to be an archaeologist, to travel to exotic places and dig into the mysteries of centuries old civilizations? For today's guest post, Jordan explains what a day in the life of an archaeologist is really like.
Just Another Day at the Office
The movies don’t get everything wrong when it comes to archaeology. Even in real life, there’s plenty of adventure to be found.
As an archaeologist, I’ve gotten to work high in the Andes at Chavin de Huantar—crawling through unexplored tunnels full of bats and rubble and scattered human bones. I’ve excavated Crustumerium, just north of Rome, where Bronze Age peoples lie at rest in a sprawling city of the dead. I’ve worked in the United States as well, clearing cemeteries in advance of major construction projects, excavating cliff dwellings, and digging the toilet of a California governor from the wreckage of his earthquake-totalled mansion.
But of course, this sort of adventure is only part of the job.
An archaeologist’s task is to study past cultures through what they’ve left behind. These pieces of evidence—or “artifacts”—can be as big as an Egyptian pyramid or as small as a speck of pollen, stuck to an ancient cooking pot. But the information they contain can be surprising. Archaeologists can use these artifacts to reconstruct how people once lived—from the food they ate, to the way they fought, to the religions that they practiced and their views of the world around them.
The archaeologist’s “typical day” takes a variety of forms. Some work mostly in the field--surveying the land, digging precise excavation units into the earth, looking for patterns, making comparisons, and drawing careful conclusions from whatever pieces of the past still remain. Others work in laboratories, using the tools of science to discover how old an object is, exactly what it’s made of, or precisely where it came from. Still others spend their days in museum storerooms, re-examining the evidence recovered by their predecessors. And some archaeologists work with governments and companies in order to protect sites from destruction through development, looting, neglect, or war.
But archaeology also carries a lot of responsibility. One awkward truth is that excavation destroys sites, meaning that each particular discovery can be made only once. It’s up to the archaeologist to record everything he or she can--otherwise, that information is lost forever. Just as importantly, archaeologists have a responsibility to the people who live nearby the site, or who claim it as their ancestors’.
At its best, archaeology is a little like time travel. Holding an artifact in your hand can make you feel a connection to someone who lived centuries or millennia before. It’s intimate. It’s humbling. Seeing the fingerprint of a potter on the surface of a plain and broken pot is a reminder of the humanity all people share--no matter where, or when, we live.
* * * * *
Ooo, I love time travel, so I guess that means I love archaeology too! Thanks for joining us today, Jordan.
Readers, Sourcebooks has generously offered to give away a paperback copy of SAMANTHA SUTTON AND THE LABYRINTH OF LIES to one lucky winner from the U.S. or Canada (sorry, Sourcebooks won't mail outside of the US or Canada). To enter, you must be a follower and comment on this post. You have until Saturday, December 1 at 10 pm EST. Remember, only US and Canada addresses, please. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on Monday, December 3.
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/12/2012
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Today, I'm honored to have a guest blogger: Natalie Bahm, author of THE SECRET UNDERGROUND, published by NLA Digital Liaison Platform LLC (September 28, 2012)
First, let me tell you about her book: Twelve-year-old Ally is the only witness to a bank robbery in her small town. Unable to block out the memory of the robbers, a notorious gang known as the Gauze Men, Ally joins her little brother and a bunch of neighborhood boys digging a hole in her backyard. Only the hole isn't just a hole - it's a massive set of tunnels snaking beneath the neighborhood and heading for an abandoned steel mill. Ally is old enough to know the danger, but she reasons spending time with sixth-grade heartthrob Paul is more fun than sitting at home with her worries. And dangerous it is - none of the kids' parents realize the tunnels exist, but the Gauze Men might.
I've just finished reading the book and it's filled with adventure and excitement... and mud! And every kid loves mud. I know when I was 10 or 11, I would have adored the idea of digging tunnels under the backyard. When I heard the extraordinary story of how and why this book was published (and where the proceeds are going), I bought the book from Amazon to show my support -- if you know me, you may realize how unusual this is, because normally I only support indies! And I welcomed the chance to have Natalie Bahm on my blog.
Take it away, Natalie!
Want to Write More? Get a Critique Partner.
A year ago I was so frustrated with writing I almost quit.
My life was chaotic, thanks mostly to my four little children. I hadn’t finished a book in over two years. I felt guilty about not making time to write.
I decided I needed a real critique partner—someone I could trade pages with on a daily basis.
I wanted someone who would push me to finish a book.
This person was
Wen Baragrey.
Wen and I started sharing books about a year ago. Since then, we’ve both written two complete books and started several more. I’ve written more pages this year than just about every year before combined.
This is why:
1) For me, being accountable on a daily basis is CRUCIAL. Before I started working with Wen, I didn’t write regularly. I needed to know someone was waiting for the story—someone I didn’t want to disappoint—before I felt motivated to get my daily writing done.
2) Reading her writing made me want work harder. Wen is an amazing writer, but more than that, she’s brilliant at some of the things that I struggle with—like description and humor. Reading her stuff makes me push harder when writing my own. I’m a way stronger writer now than I was a year ago.
3)She is ALWAYS positive about the first draft. I believe that once a manuscript is done you need a harsh critique or two… or ten. But during a first draft there’s no such a thing as too much praise.
Wen has taught me that positive reinforcement is important. As writers we’re hard on ourselves. If I had a dollar for every time I think I should quit writing because I suck and I’ll never be good enough, I’d be a rich woman. I’ve realized it’s essential to have a voice in our lives counteracting that negative self-talk.
Wen is also the biggest reason that my first book, The Secret Underground, is out now. Wen’s grandson, Jayden, has been very ill since birth and her daughter and son-in-law have struggled to pay the bills. I felt like I needed to do something to help them.
I called my agent, Sara Megibow, and asked if we could do a book for Jayden. She thought it was a great idea. Wen spent countless hours reading and rereading the book, offering critiques and advice, and drawing the beautiful interior illustrations.
All profits from sales of
The Secret Underground go directly to Jayden’s family. You can read more about the project
here. The paperback version is available on
Amazon.
The eBook can be purchased just about anywhere eBooks are sold.
The audiobook is available through
iTunes,
Audible, and
Amazon.
The paperback will be available through more booksellers soon.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Natalie. Readers, please consider helping Baby Jayden by buying the book!
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/16/2012
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How odd to be mentioned in a book.
Starting on p. 183 of MY BOOKSTORE: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop (Black Dog & Leventhal, Nov. 13, 2012), Philadelphia news personality Larry Kane shares his enthusiasm for Chester County Book & Music Company. And along with such key employees as Michael Fortney, he mentions... me.
It's ironic, of course, because I no longer work there. So I've decided to treat this as a tribute to the ten years of hard work I put in there, trying to make order out of chaos and helping customers find just the right book.
This isn't the first time I've seen my name in a published book, and I hope it won't be the last. Having reviewed all five volumes in Suzanne Collins' Underland Chronicles for Booksense (now called Indiebound), I was quoted in a compilation volume. And believe it or not,
Booksense Best Children's Books is still available through Indiebound!
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/9/2012
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According to random.org the winner of the hardcover copy of TOUCHING THE SURFACE, Kimberly Sabatini's stunning debut novel, (plus the cool swag) is:
CHRISTINA FIORELLI
Congratulations, Christina! Expect an email from me asking for your mailing address, so I can get this out to you as soon as possible!
And never fear, there will be other giveaways in the near future. Happy reading.
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/5/2012
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First, it's my pleasure to announce the winner of the signed, hardcover copy of GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES by Mike Jung. According to random.org, the winner is:
THIS KID REVIEWS BOOKS
Congratulations, Erik! Expect an email from me very soon, asking for your mailing address.
* * *
Now, instead of an MMGM post
here today, go check out my contribution to
Random Acts of Reading's book blogger panel, where this month we're talking about backlist books that deserve your attention.
Next week's MMGM: guest blogger Natalie Bahm!
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is the brainchild of
Shannon Messenger. She has the links, or you can check out my sidebar.
By: Joanne R. Fritz,
on 11/2/2012
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The news has been saturated with the endless coverage of Sandy and its aftermath so I'll keep this short.
We were lucky here in my little corner of Pennsylvania. We didn't even lose power for more than 1 minute! My parents were not quite as lucky. They just got their power back after two and a half days.
But a lot of people in New Jersey and New York, especially, were not at all lucky. Their lives have been changed forever. Please take a moment to think of them as you go about your day. Sometimes pictures really do say it best. The most haunting photos I've seen are these from Reuters.
In addition, if you feel moved to give money to the disaster relief, you can go directly to the donation
page of the American Red Cross right here.
OR, you can bid on the wonderful auction items -- including critiques from some pretty famous authors -- at Kid-Lit Cares (all donations going to Red Cross relief effort for Sandy).
See Kate Messner's website for details.* * * * *
Good luck to everyone who signed up for NaNoWriMo. I can't handle it, myself. That's not how I write.
Maggie Stiefvater explained it most eloquently:
I don’t have a problem with other people doing NaNoWriMo. If that’s what it takes to motivate you, go for it. If you work well that way, go for it (not that you were sitting around, waiting for my approval). But for my style of writing, for my creative process, it will literally never work. I cannot knowingly write crap. I just can’t. I can and do write crap, but I can’t realize that I’m doing it at the time. Read the rest of her
Annual Dear John Letter to NaNoWriMo here.
But after visiting
Caroline Starr Rose's blog yesterday and finding out that she's participating in a different activity this November, I realized... hey, I can handle
that! I've done it before (in 2010).
What's PiBoIdMo? Picture Book Idea Month! All you have to do is come up with 30 new ideas for picture books. You don't even have to write them yet. PiBoIdMo was created by the one and only
Tara Lazar. Visit
Tara's PiBoIdMo page for all the details and to sign up. Quick! While you still have time!
And you still have time to enter my two giveaways.
Enter here for GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES. But hurry! Giveaway ends tomorrow night!
Enter here for TOUCHING THE SURFACE. Giveaway ends Wed November 7.
What about you? Did you sign up for NaNo? Or PiBoIdMo? Or are you plugging away at a revision on your own? Yay for you!
First, I have a winner to announce. According to random.org, the winner of the paperback of SAMANTHA SUTTON AND THE LABYRINTH OF LIES is:
Jennifer Rumberger
Congrats, Jennifer, and expect an email from me asking for your address!
Now on to today's book recommendation:
Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli (coming January 8, 2013 from Knopf, for ages 10 and up)
Source: advanced reading copy from publisher
Synopsis: Jack wakes up one morning and everything is different. His beloved bike, Scramjet, is gone. Stolen by The Girl, Jubilee.
Without his bike, nothing feels right to Jack.
In Hokey Pokey, Spinelli has imagined a world where childhood is a place, not a time. It's like one huge funscape. (Note that the map wasn't in the arc, so I can't wait to see the finished book!) There's an actual Playground, but also the Jungle, the Great Plains, Tantrums, Snuggle Stop (because Spinelli wisely realizes every kid needs a hug in the dark), Thousand Puddles, Cartoons, a Doll Farm, Trucks, The Forbidden Hut, the giant statue of The Kid, and much more. There are no grownups except the Hokey Pokey man, who arrives to hand out shaved ice treats every day at noon, when the sun is high in the sky. Any flavor you imagine is available.
It never rains in Hokey Pokey (yet those Thousand Puddles are always there, and one of the four Rules states, "Never pass a puddle without stomping in it."). A kid grows from a Newbie, just out of diapers, to a Snotsipper, then a Gappergum, a Sillynilly, a Longspitter, a Groundhog chaser, and finally a Big Kid. Jack's a Big Kid, and something is off today. He can't quite put his finger on it, but games aren't as much fun, and he keeps hearing a train whistle that no one else hears.
In Hokey Pokey, bikes are wild mustangs roaming the Great Plains. Scramjet was the most powerful black and silver stallion of all and Jack tamed him. But now Jubilee is riding Scramjet. She even had the gall to paint him yellow and girl him up with pink handlebars and pom-poms.
His best friends, Dusty and LaJo, help Jack look for the bike, but they also notice something different about him. As the day wears on, it's not the bike Jack thinks about, but that faraway train whistle.
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| Interestingly, this is the advanced reading copy cover - and I prefer this one! |
Why I liked it: Filled with inventive wordplay, this is a nostalgic look at an ideal childhood spent mostly outdoors, where distance is measured in spit lengths or frog flings. Where every kid has a bike, a cap gun and a slingshot. Where cartoons play all day long on a giant screen, yet there are no computers or video games. This is all bittersweet because it's also about growing up and leaving.
This isn't everyone's childhood, but Jerry Spinelli does an excellent job of convincing you this is what childhood feels like. This is what it's about. Or perhaps what it should be about.
Does anyone play outside anymore?
What would you add to Hokey Pokey? I'd include a huge library where every book you want to look at is always available. Sure, I spent my share of childhood outdoors, climbing trees and running races and playing King of the Hill, but I also remember many happy hours spent reading. And before I could read, I followed my mother around with a book in my hands and begged, "Read this to me?" That's the one thing I think is missing here. (Instead, in Spinelli's inventive world every kid carries a walnut shell. When held to your ear, the shell tells you The Story, but it's the same story every night. The story of The Kid. As beautiful as that is, I would want different stories every day.)
I'm sure my sons would add a video game area. What about you?
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I'm truly finding my own way. I tried reading Save the Cat but didn't glean much from what I read. Not surprising when I'm a learn-by-doing person. So that's what I'm doing...just doing, and by that I mean writing. Reading other middle grade books is what builds my writing.
Love this!
I love that quote, Joanne. It's so very true.
BIRD BY BIRD is one of my favorites, so is ON WRITING by Stephen King. Even though I've read them both multiple times, I learned the most about writing by actually writing.
Plot and Structure is one of my favorite craft books. I want to read his newer book on revising.
Barbara, I appreciate your honesty. I trudged along on my own for four years before I relented and purchased a couple of craft books. But I have to admit, I don't use them much. I've read thousands of MG and YA books, and I write. And that is more useful to me.
Two important things I learned from Anne Lamott, though: one is that rough drafts are meant to be crappy (she didn't use that word, but you can figure it out!) and the other is to carry an index card and pen everywhere you go, in case an idea hits you. You could, of course, do the same thing with a smart phone.
Thanks for stopping by, Caroline!
And you've clearly done the right thing, Kate, since you now have two published books under your belt!
Both of those books are as much memoir as how-to. Haven't read Stephen King's yet, but one of the things I love about BIRD BY BIRD is that you feel the author is talking to you and revealing herself along with all this wisdom. There are no writing exercises. Her best advice is simply to keep writing!
I have that book, too, Natalie, but I haven't read it yet! When I revised my first novel, I dipped into Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King.
To me Bird by Bird is more of a guidance book. I used to rely a lot on craft books when I decided to get serious about my writing. But I've only read one from beginning to end. Usually I skim or go to a specific chapter for reference.
I do have to agree with Barbara that I learned more by trial and error and also through a lot of MG fiction reading.
~Akoss
Excellent point, Akoss. Bird by Bird is as much about living as it is about writing.
And I've only read two advice/craft books all the way to the end. I've skimmed a few more!
As for learning by writing, one of my favorite quotes is one mentioned by mystery writer Joe Gores. When he asked a Notre Dame professor how to become a writer, the prof said: "It’s very easy to be a writer. Go to a big city and get a little room with a table and a chair in it. Put your typewriter on the table and your backside on the chair. Start writing. When you stand up ten years later, you’ll be a writer."
I always thought Hemingway said that but when I Googled it, this is what came up. I would argue with the big city part of it, but I love the rest!
The quote is awesome and works on so many levels! I had forgotten about it- but it came back to me as soon as I read the post. I do enjoy reading craft books and find them helpful- but I agree that after a while it is necessary to just let the information swell inside of us. :)
~Jess
Hi Jess! Yes, there's definitely something to be said for letting it all stew awhile.
lol I think you know the answer for me. I'm a writing craft book junkie. But I've learned so much from them, you can't blame me for being an addict. :D
GREAT analogy!
One of the reasons I'm so addicted to conferences. The ways I can improve as a writer are never ending, it seems! Thanks for the reminder... My crit group is focusing on writing more beautifully this year :)
Thanks, Erik!
I love writing conferences, Gina! If they weren't so expensive I'd attend several every year.
That's a wonderful goal for your crit group.
Oh yes, Stina! You read more craft books than anyone I know. But it's great that you've learned so much from them.
The last craft book I read was more inspiration than anything. There was one I read last year, about deep POV, that was really good, but I forgot the title.
I have other craft books on my TBR list that I really need to get to.
Oh, that would be a good book for me, Medeia. Was it Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson?
I enjoy reading craft books,especially when I have some aspect of writing that I especially want to improve, such as plotting. But my writing has grown the most through reading lots and lots of books.
That's one thing we all seem to have in common, Andrea. Reading lots of books! Thanks for stopping by.
Yes. That's the title.
Oh goodness! 10 years! reading it like that makes it very daunting but I totally see the point. :)
~Akoss
Yes, it sounds like a lot, but I'm getting there! I'm sure you are too.
Great post, Joanne. I enjoy reading craft books, but I have a hard time finishing them. I start out strong, but then end of stopping and picking up a middle grade novel instead. Sometimes, I feel like I can get too much advice from too many people. It does pay to simplify at times, I think. Just my two cents.
Hi Jennifer! Thanks for weighing in. And I know what you mean. I've done the same thing with several craft books.