LET'S ESCAPE FROM OUR COMFORT ZONES

I'm certain it will come as no surprise that I love YA literature. I write for the YA audience, after all. But, this cannot be stated enough, we should read and practice writing outside of our normal/comfort zone parameters. I write science fiction and fantasy but I have written poems, short stories, a novella...all for the sake of practicing. But also as a tool to learn. The more you do something the better you'll get at it. Right?

Some of my favorite literature isn't found in the YA section at the library. I thought I'd share some of my literary favorites that aren't YA. Maybe you've heard of a few. If you haven't, you could check them out for yourself. They are rich with symbolism, uncommon/ingenious metaphors, and some are a bit satirical.

Short Story/Essays:

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Lagoon
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
The Canterbury Tales - The Wife of Bath's Tale

Poetry:

Daddy by Sylvia Plath
The Flea by John Donne
Lord Randall by Anonymous
The Ladies Dressing Room by Jonathan Swift
We Wear the Mask by Paul Lawrence Dunbar

Mythology:

Greek: Herakles - Hercules
Greek: Theseus
Greek: Daedalus and Icarus

Plays:

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

Did I list any of your favorites? Did I leave your favorite off my list. Please let us know in the comments.




Have a great day! Read a book and laugh.

CHARACTER: TEENAGER

As I sat talking with my daughters, I realized that though pop culture changes constantly there are some things that remain the same. I write young adult fiction and though many of my tales are not based in reality, I write fantasy and science fiction, my stories and characters do have to be grounded in a real world. A part of creating this real world entails me making their make-believe world as real to the reader as possible.

How do I do this?

Though there are many fantastical elements to many of the stories I write I ground the story from the beginning using our natural laws or natural order. For instance, in the natural world it is strange for a character to have the ability to move objects with their minds. It is the same in my stories, unless the character is a Peacekeeper sent to protect the earth. They will have this ability.

Another way I make my imagined world more believable is by making my characters more believable. Though my characters sometimes have extraordinary power, are different in appearance and/or can travel through space and time – they are no different than regular teenagers.

How do I know what teenagers are like or what they want?

Well, duh! I was one once. Plus, my daughter says all the time.

This is how I break it down:

In 9^th grade (between 14 and 15): OMG! I cannot believe I’m in high school. I’m so scared. I’m so excited. This is going to be the best four years of my life. I’m going to make a lot of friends and my life will be completely different.

In 10^th grade (between 15 – 16): I’m still super excited about high school. This year will be different than last year. I can do this. I’ve got this. Parent’s always tell me I can do anything so I know I can do this.

In 11^th grade (between 16 – 17): I can’t do this. Help!!!! I’m so freakin’ lame. My parents are ruining my life and school is a joke. I’ve got to get a good score on the SAT. I’ve got to pass physics. I’ve to get a good GPA or else its McDonald’s instead of college. I absolutely hate my life.

In 12^th grade (17 – 18): I’m so badass! I’ve got this. No problem. I’m outta here…good riddance. Can’t wait to leave this god-awful place. College here I come. My life will be so much better once I leave this place.

This is some of the emotions my daughter says she had (she’ll be a senior next year) and this is how I felt at times. This cycle doesn’t change too much. So even if you write that your protagonist is a 16 year-old serial killing mermaid, they’ll most likely exhibit some of the emotions above. Your readers will appreciate the fact that though the main character is different from them physically, they do share some similarities. This will add empathy for your character. And empathy is definitely a good thing.

Can you think of behavior you or a friend exhibited in high school that you incorporate into your writing to create empathy and believability for your characters?

TOTAL RANDOMNESS

I couldn’t think of anything witty and smart to say so I decided to talk about what’s been going on in my life. I’m not a superstar so my life isn’t glammed out but it is mine. I’m not the most interesting person in the world but who is…

 

1. My daughter is going to Prom tonight. Kids grow up so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was sending her off to high school. I remember her saying not too long ago, "I'm not worried about guys, Mom. I'm concentrating on my grades so I can get into a good college." Where'd that girl go! She’s been dating a senior on the football team all year. They went to Homecoming and I thought, yeah, this won’t last long. I was wrong. I guess now I’m trying to see what will happen for her senior year next year.

2. I’m babysitting a toddler. My brother-in-law and his wife are going out for the weekend and asked if I could watch my adorable nephew. I fawn over him every time he comes to the house. He is the cutest little man I’ve seen in a long time. But he also cries a lot – mainly for his Daddy. And the biggest concern I have….he’s not potty trained. Guh! All the adorableness in the world can’t make up for a full diaper.

3. I’ve recently finished editing one of my WIPs and instead of sending it out to the slouch pile, I’ve been thinking about self-publishing. This is an older manuscript I took a break from to write another manuscript and now I’ve reworked it. I sent it to agents but got a lot of “this just isn’t for me” and “I like what you are trying to do here but I don’t think this is for me”…Grrr I haven’t sent it out to publishers yet though and I’m wondering if I should do this before I try to self-pub it.

What’s been going on in your world? Anything interesting you want to share.

 

 

Have a great day! Read a book and smile.

MY ADVICE...TO ME

What would I have told my newbie writer self four years ago…

About four years ago I thought, what the hey, I’ll write that book I’ve been dreaming about. And I did. Yeah me!

But it wasn’t that simple.

I toiled with the idea of writing a book for years. I put it off. Got married. Had kids. Dropped out of college - three times. Then one day I decided I was going to take a break from cooking, my day job, school, housework….and sit and read. I had always loved to read but I barely had time to shower let alone sit and enjoy a book. But I decided I had to make time. I needed the comfort books had always brought me. I started reading what was being called Young Adult – because that was what my daughter was reading. I wanted to be a responsible parent and monitor what she read. But I ended up liking it myself. I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading these books about these kids doing all this interesting things.

Then one day, I sat down and wrote out a recurring scene from a story that had been in my head for years. I let my oldest daughter read it. I didn’t tell her I had written the piece – I wanted her honest opinion. She loved it and wanted to read the entire story. But that was it I told her. “And I wrote it,” I triumphantly announced.

This was my first realization that I could actually write a novel. A whole, real, full length, novel. I was thrilled. And revving to go. I wrote that first story so fast I barely had time to breath. I was so proud of myself. I was so going to be famous for the wonderful story I had written. I quickly let my daughter, then in the 7^th grade, read what I had written. She loved the entire story. I was on my way – I even had a fan.

Let’s stop the story here…I think everyone can kinda see where this is going. It’s almost comical now. Almost. I also think it’s a bit sad. I had so much to learn. So what would I have said to myself four years ago had I the knowledge:

Have patience.

And

Read and Write. Then write more.

That’s it. That is what I would have said to myself or any other newbie writer. Without patience, perfecting your work is impossible. Without patience, the revision process becomes a joke. Without patience, you don’t make your manuscript shine, you bring yourself to shame.

Why read? Reading what you write and what you don’t write offers many opportunities to learn from those published authors. Just like a student needs to study for a test, a writer must study also. A writer studies the craft of writing. Not simply getting the story down but arranging the words and actions of the characters so that the audience will not want to put the book down.

Why write and write more. With anything, and everything in life ‘practice makes perfect.’ I can’t say how true this statement is. I have seen a drastic change in the manner in which I write. I was so serious about my craft that I decided to finish school this time *insert huge grin here* and I majored in English. Oh, the many papers I wrote that had nothing to do with kids with supernatural ability, or teenage angst over their first loves. But the lessons I learned were invaluable. I wrote short stories, poems, anything – not to have them published but to practice. To get better. And I did. And this time, it wasn’t my daughter who told me she loved my story…but that’s another post entirely.

What advice would you give your newbie writer self?

Have a great day. Read a gook and laugh!

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A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

What do you do when you’re not writing? I sleep – because usually I don’t get much of that. I also love to watch movies. Recently my daughter and I sat down and discussed our favorite horror movies. We both crave the adrenaline rush, sweaty palms, and racing heart that scary movies induce. I decided I’d share our top three with everyone. It’s amazing but we have similar taste in movies. Why is that amazing? Um, I did say she was a teenager – 17 to be exact. She never agrees with me on anything.  

We both agree that little kids are creepy and that a lot of blood does not equal scary. Case in point, no Saw movies are on the list. Neither of us have even seen all the movies. We love psychological thrillers, something to make us think. Our lists are below:

MY FAVORITE HORROR

John Carpenter's Halloween

  The Strangers

   Rosemary’s Baby

Honorable Mention:

The Little Girl that Lives Down the Lane – This movie stars a young Jodie Foster. She lives alone in a big house in what seems to be nowhere. She is creepy and mature for her years. I watched this as a child and for some reason I always remembered being terrified of this movie. But I watched it about 4 years ago and while it was creepy it wasn’t really that scary.

 

                                         AZIA’S FAVORITE HORROR FILMS

John Carpenter's Halloween (the original)

                                                       The Ring

                                             The Omen (the new version)

Honorable Mention:

The Amityville Horror (new version) - this movie starred Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George as the Lutz. This version closely resembles the original but with some extra scenes of Reynolds with no shirt on to make me audiences swoon as his chest ripples from the vibration...Um, okay...this was a great remake. I don't normally like remakes but this one was solid. And not only because we got serious body action from Reynolds - the acting was stellar.

What have you watched lately? Anything good? Share it in the comments.

Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!

I'm Done

I'm officially done, complete, finished...happy, thrilled, excited. I took my final the other day and let's just say I could've done better - much better. No crying about it now. It's over. I passed with a "C" and I must admit it was the happiest "C" I've ever received. Well, its the only "C" I've gotten. I'm a bit of a perfectionist/nerd but I had no problem accepting this grade. I earned it.
 
Now that school's finished...for now, (I'm a perpetual learner, need-to-knower, noisy) I'll focus on my writing more. One thing that work, family, and school could not distract steal from me was my love for reading. Here are a few of my recommendations:

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

 
This book was different with its strike throughs and poignant use of imagery. I loved it. As soon as I've finished my current read, I'll start on the sequel - Unravel Me. One thing I wasn't certain about with respect to the book was the "dystopian" reference. I didn't think it was a dystopian. The author did attempt to introduce the readers to a new world but it was mainly about the main character's reaction to her less-than-favorable "gift." This will be a great read for anyone who dares to be different with their work. This author was and I think it worked well for her. Read it and let us know what you think.

Hopeless - Colleen Hoover

 
This book was different from what I normally read. I like action, paranormal, suspense but this book was full of romance. I loved it, though. The author's voice is GREAT. She is my new YA hero. Her characters are flawed, beautiful, and you love and hate them. I 've been told there's a sequel and I can't wait to read it. Oh and this author is from Texas and she's self-published! Kudos to her. She totally rocks!!!! If you write YA, I recommend you reading this for the voice alone - but there are other bits of awesomeness going on here, too.

What the Dead Know - Laura Lippman

 
This is not YA! But this book hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end. This book, with my mommy pants on, makes me cringe. Like the plot of the story, I have two girls and couldn't imagine the story that unfolds in this book happening to me. Horrible, shattering. This book was spellbinding but I wouldn't read it again just because it makes me think too much. But if you haven't read it, you should.
 
 
What have you read? Share it with us.

 

Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!

Math and Movies: Not a Horrible Combination

Okay, my countdown has officially begun. I have one more week of school. YAY!!! I’m an English major so naturally I put off one of the most dreaded classes for my kind. Math! Specifically, Statistics and Probability. I abhor anything to do with numbers. Well, with the exception of counting money. Thankfully, my children are smart and my husband is readily available for homework so I don’t have to go in hiding. 

Other than stressing over my math class, I’ve been busy with my family, working on my WIP’s, reading and watching movies. Always watching movies…when I can. There are some awesome new movies out recently and others that are coming soon that I’m excited about. There are a few movies based on books I read that I can’t wait to see. I’m in the sharing mood so listen up! I hope you love them as much as I did.

Beautiful Creatures – haven’t seen this but can’t wait – loved the book. The chemistry between Lena and Ethan was spellbinding. Can’t wait to see if that chemistry extends to the big-screen.

The Host – read the book, loved it. I liked the movie but it wasn’t my absolute favorite. It just wasn't want I expected. I wanted more action...sure the romance was good but it lacked the action I wanted.

Delirium  - the trilogy was awesome! One of my favorites. This one is supposed to be made into a TV series with Emma Roberts playing Lena, the lead character.

Divergent – this book was by far my favorite. I loved the characters, the pacing, EVERYTHING. Usually I find something that I don’t particular like about a book but that I can generally over look. Not this time. I read the first two books quick, too quick. I am angrily awaiting the third book – the release date got pushed back. Grrrrr!!!!

I’d also like to shout out a friend who is part of a comedy group in Michigan that is in a contest on The Game Show Network. His group, The Men of Motor City, need your votes to win the contest. Please take 2 minutes to vote here. Please and thank you!

 

Have a great Day! Read a book and laugh.

 

 

 

IT'S BEEN TOO LONG

Yes, I know I've been absent for a while. What can I say? I'm lazy. No. I don't think that's it. I'm selfish and don't want to share what's been going on. No, definitely not that. I've just been busy. Yes, that will suffice. I hope.

Not that I haven't been busy before. Before, when I updated my blog on a regular basis, when I read and commented on the blogs that I follow. Yeah, before, I did much better. But school, work, the kids...it all just got the better of me.

I still wrote. I kinda didn't have a choice most of the time being an English major and all but I also worked on my WIP's. A lot. And I read, a lot. I mean a whole lot. And I'm two weeks shy of finishing school. YAY!!!!! I'm super excited. I'm doing my happy dance. Good thing you can't see me because I have two left feet, one eye, and big flappy pajamas.





Have a great day! Read a book and laugh.

National Poetry Month

Did you know April was national poetry month? Well it is. In my current class, we had to write a poem in response to another piece. Okay, I’ll be honest and admit that I didn't like poetry much a short time ago. I've learned to appreciate the complexities and can actually say that I have favorite poets now. I think every fiction writer should take a poetry class. Poetry is infused with some of the most original figurative language. I’ve struggled as a writer to come up with original similes and metaphors for my pieces but if you read enough poetry and study how those authors did it, you can learn.

I thought I’d share my poem here. It is in response to a poem, “Chosen” by Marilyn Nelson. She wrote about the joy of a child born under the duress of rape. How many could find joy in such an event? You can read Nelson's poem here. My poem, not nearly as good, follows:

Rejected

Oh friend. What pain I feel. How many tears can I shed?

Filling the earth. Filling my empty heart.
The sand on the beach is hostile now. Grief and sorrow married
Took up residence in my soul. How could you take me? My friend?

Waiting, nails drumming like soldiers marching to the cadence.
Why did this happen? Not the question. What now? Patience
A lifetime of it, maybe. Mind twirling toward the abyss.
And yet. She is. Little one, wiggling and smiling in my minds eye.

No. No. Not you. Not now. I’m too young, too proud,

Two selfish. You need more than I can give.
Me - inadequate, false. Him – liar and thief. Thief of my purity.
No, you cannot be. You should not be. Yet you are.

For eighteen years I will look upon my betrayal with an afflicted heart. My friend, my friend how could you? Now we are united by blood because you were consumed with fire. I smolder in my obligation while you devour your next victim.

 

Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!

 

Really Exciting News

Made you look.

Yes, I know you almost fell over when you saw I'd actually posted something. I know, I'm terrible. The only good thing I can report is that I have actually been writing. Just not at the blog. My bad. I hadn't even had the time to post comments to some of my favorite blogs like, Kelly Hashway's blog, or LM Preston's blog, Jessie Harrel's blog - okay, there's too many to list here.

But I feel disconnected from the writing world and I don't like it. The blog, SheWrites, and YALitChat helped me to feel connected to things. I don't like this feeling and want to get back that old feeling I had. No I'm not about to start singin' but I am determined to not stay away for so long. I promise. So, I'll post something a couple times a week..even if it's only: "Hey. I feel like crap. Hope your week is better than mine."

Have a great day. Read a book and laugh!!!