It's almost Banned Books Week! Click the image above to go to the ALA website for more info!
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Banned Books Week: 25 Sept - 2 Oct, 2010
It's almost Banned Books Week! Click the image above to go to the ALA website for more info!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Importance of LGBTQ Books in Our Schools
Lately on the web there has been much discussion about the difference between Literature-Capital-L and popular literature and which kind should be studied in the classroom and why. Quite honestly, the best answer here is the easiest: both. Students, from middle school through university, should be studying a wide array of literature, including "The Classics," poetry, manifestos, short stories, plays, modern novels, and even young adult (YAL) and middle grade (MG) books. If all students are presented with are the Classics, then that's all they'll know. The same is true if they are only taught modern novels that are written for their specific age group. What we need is balance, and that doesn't apply only to the kind of books read and taught, but also to the content within the books.
The last few decades have been full of revolutions in the way literature has been taught, prompting authors and educators to integrate new voices and focus on minorities such as women, African American, Latino, Eastern and Oriental cultures, etc. Now is the time for the revolution in which LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, & Queer/Curious) literature is brought into the classroom as well. It may not be an easy change, but it is a necessary one.
Why should students study LGBTQ books, authors, and topics in the classroom? For the same reason they are asked to study any other books, authors, and topics: because the books have something to offer, because they represent a part of culture, and because they are needed to teach tolerance. Every day in schools students are teased, bullied, and in some cases even beaten, for not fitting into the "norm." The truth of the matter is, however, that having a student in class that identifies as LGBT is becoming the norm and statistically there is a very good chance that at least one of your students or classmates does identify that way. The norm is changing and so should class reading choices. Educators should create a sense of normalcy by presenting LGBTQ books to students so that the ones who do identify LGBTQ can explore their own identity through literature just as a heterosexual student would with any of the Classics or modern novels with a heterosexual main character, but these LGBTQ books will also provide a "window" (as Katherine Mason calls it) for heterosexual students to see into lives of LGBTQ members. Teaching these books can help all students relate to the characters in these books, not based upon a shared sexual preference, but upon the fact that they feel the same emotions, act the same way, and make the same mistakes as the reader. A good way to do this is to include a book that isn't necessarily deemed LGBTQ, but has homosexual characters or themes presented in them in a normal and respectful way, such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan.
By presenting works of literature wherein homosexuality is normal, educators help to make it normal in the classroom as well, which may hopefully lead to less bullying against homosexual students.
Part of creating this sense of normalcy is to teach and make available LGBTQ books, but not just to throw them into the curriculum as the Token Gay Book, just like the problem faced with The Token Girl Book. So often it is the case in Literature classes that the curriculum is comprised predominantly of male authors and that authors like Emily Dickinson or Mary Wollstonecraft are tossed in as an afterthought, often in an awkward place, just so they can include a female writer. The same could so easily happen with LGBTQ books, that educators add them in out of a necessity to have at least one book of its kind, but never really integrate it into the curriculum. The way to fix this is not to think of the text as a Gay Book, but as a book that happens to have gay characters. Teach it the same way you would any other text: by talking about the plot, the characters, the writing style, the cultural significance--surely if professors take the time to read the books as books, they can find a way to teach them as such.
This is not to say, of course, that choosing to include books with LGBTQ characters or themes won't be met with opposition. Some parents may object and ask that you remove the book from the curriculum in order to teach something "more appropriate." The best thing to do here is to let that particular child study another book instead, but do not remove the book completely because one parent has decided to take a stance against it. A parent has every right to censor what their child reads and frankly, it is commendable, because it means they are taking an active role in their child's education. However, there is a difference between not wanting your own child to read a book and trying to take away the opportunity to read said book from the entire class or even the school. If you want someone to respect your choice not to read it or have your child read it, then you must also respect the choice of those who do want to read it and arguably should for the reasons listed above. In her article in the ALAN Review, Katherine Mason quotes a teacher in saying that representing books such as these is part of being a "democratic and culturally responsive classroom," an ideal educators should live up to, despite the beliefs of some parents.
Most of the time the controversy surrounding LGBTQ books has to do with what might be considered "The Usual" in book banning/challenging, i.e. sex, language, and violence. Generally The Usual complaints come out of a person not reading said books. In classrooms, high school and college levels especially, language and violence become less of an issue, if they're presented in literature. The main issue raised against LGBTQ books are that they are supposedly all about sex, and they'd have to be, because the main character is wondering about their sexuality or alienated by it, right? Not exactly. These books are no more all about sex than heterosexual books are. Some will have them, some won't, but generally this is not the focus of the book and many books of this nature do not feature sex at all or treat it like any other YAL book would. In the coming week many bloggers will be discussing this idea that a single sex scene or reference dominates a book in the eyes of a potential book challenger, as a part of Banned Books Week. Just as it is the case with books such as Speak
, Catcher in the Rye
, and The Color Purple
(all challenged in 2009/10), the book in question is more than just sex and still sustains literary merit.
Sometimes educators and librarians, students especially, need to take a stand against injustice, both with the challenging of LGBTQ books and with the way they are excluded from curriculai. The way students are treated by their peers, and sometimes faculty members, for their sexual preference, is an injustice. Writing off an entire genre of literature as not worthwhile because of the themes it presents, is an injustice. In all of these cases, educators and readers can fight back and take a stand, just by integrating books with LGBTQ themes and characters into school curriculai and placing these books on the shelves of school libraries where students can access them, if they want to.
For more on this subject, read "Creating a Space for YAL with LGBT Content in Our Personal Reading" by Katherine Mason, from The ALAN Review, Vol 35, number 3, which you can find here.
The last few decades have been full of revolutions in the way literature has been taught, prompting authors and educators to integrate new voices and focus on minorities such as women, African American, Latino, Eastern and Oriental cultures, etc. Now is the time for the revolution in which LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, & Queer/Curious) literature is brought into the classroom as well. It may not be an easy change, but it is a necessary one.
Why should students study LGBTQ books, authors, and topics in the classroom? For the same reason they are asked to study any other books, authors, and topics: because the books have something to offer, because they represent a part of culture, and because they are needed to teach tolerance. Every day in schools students are teased, bullied, and in some cases even beaten, for not fitting into the "norm." The truth of the matter is, however, that having a student in class that identifies as LGBT is becoming the norm and statistically there is a very good chance that at least one of your students or classmates does identify that way. The norm is changing and so should class reading choices. Educators should create a sense of normalcy by presenting LGBTQ books to students so that the ones who do identify LGBTQ can explore their own identity through literature just as a heterosexual student would with any of the Classics or modern novels with a heterosexual main character, but these LGBTQ books will also provide a "window" (as Katherine Mason calls it) for heterosexual students to see into lives of LGBTQ members. Teaching these books can help all students relate to the characters in these books, not based upon a shared sexual preference, but upon the fact that they feel the same emotions, act the same way, and make the same mistakes as the reader. A good way to do this is to include a book that isn't necessarily deemed LGBTQ, but has homosexual characters or themes presented in them in a normal and respectful way, such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan.
By presenting works of literature wherein homosexuality is normal, educators help to make it normal in the classroom as well, which may hopefully lead to less bullying against homosexual students.Part of creating this sense of normalcy is to teach and make available LGBTQ books, but not just to throw them into the curriculum as the Token Gay Book, just like the problem faced with The Token Girl Book. So often it is the case in Literature classes that the curriculum is comprised predominantly of male authors and that authors like Emily Dickinson or Mary Wollstonecraft are tossed in as an afterthought, often in an awkward place, just so they can include a female writer. The same could so easily happen with LGBTQ books, that educators add them in out of a necessity to have at least one book of its kind, but never really integrate it into the curriculum. The way to fix this is not to think of the text as a Gay Book, but as a book that happens to have gay characters. Teach it the same way you would any other text: by talking about the plot, the characters, the writing style, the cultural significance--surely if professors take the time to read the books as books, they can find a way to teach them as such.
This is not to say, of course, that choosing to include books with LGBTQ characters or themes won't be met with opposition. Some parents may object and ask that you remove the book from the curriculum in order to teach something "more appropriate." The best thing to do here is to let that particular child study another book instead, but do not remove the book completely because one parent has decided to take a stance against it. A parent has every right to censor what their child reads and frankly, it is commendable, because it means they are taking an active role in their child's education. However, there is a difference between not wanting your own child to read a book and trying to take away the opportunity to read said book from the entire class or even the school. If you want someone to respect your choice not to read it or have your child read it, then you must also respect the choice of those who do want to read it and arguably should for the reasons listed above. In her article in the ALAN Review, Katherine Mason quotes a teacher in saying that representing books such as these is part of being a "democratic and culturally responsive classroom," an ideal educators should live up to, despite the beliefs of some parents.
Most of the time the controversy surrounding LGBTQ books has to do with what might be considered "The Usual" in book banning/challenging, i.e. sex, language, and violence. Generally The Usual complaints come out of a person not reading said books. In classrooms, high school and college levels especially, language and violence become less of an issue, if they're presented in literature. The main issue raised against LGBTQ books are that they are supposedly all about sex, and they'd have to be, because the main character is wondering about their sexuality or alienated by it, right? Not exactly. These books are no more all about sex than heterosexual books are. Some will have them, some won't, but generally this is not the focus of the book and many books of this nature do not feature sex at all or treat it like any other YAL book would. In the coming week many bloggers will be discussing this idea that a single sex scene or reference dominates a book in the eyes of a potential book challenger, as a part of Banned Books Week. Just as it is the case with books such as Speak
, Catcher in the Rye, and The Color Purple (all challenged in 2009/10), the book in question is more than just sex and still sustains literary merit.Sometimes educators and librarians, students especially, need to take a stand against injustice, both with the challenging of LGBTQ books and with the way they are excluded from curriculai. The way students are treated by their peers, and sometimes faculty members, for their sexual preference, is an injustice. Writing off an entire genre of literature as not worthwhile because of the themes it presents, is an injustice. In all of these cases, educators and readers can fight back and take a stand, just by integrating books with LGBTQ themes and characters into school curriculai and placing these books on the shelves of school libraries where students can access them, if they want to.
For more on this subject, read "Creating a Space for YAL with LGBT Content in Our Personal Reading" by Katherine Mason, from The ALAN Review, Vol 35, number 3, which you can find here.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
On the Semenya Gender Dispute
Earlier today Caster Semenya, olympic running champion for South Africa, was welcomed back into the world of sports after eleven months of trials and tests to determine her gender and ability to race in the women's division. Many challenged Semenya's gold medal at the last summer Olympics because she ran so much faster and had a bigger muscular build than other racers, calling into question her gender. The truth was that Semenya had both male and female sexual organs, making her an intersexual* individual. I have been doing loads of research on intersex conditions lately, in preparation for my next novel, and I learned that there are different types of the condition, none of which should have kept Semenya out of the competition. Most intersex people identify strongly with one gender or the other and this is backed up by physical characteristics, such as genitalia, without being equally male or female.
What this athlete was exposed to was inappropriate, demeaning, ridiculous, and as I see it, unnecessary. If an intersex individual who is primarily female and identifies as such wants to represent her country in the world Olympics, she should be able to. And now that she has returned many question whether or not she had a surgery to make her body more female so that she could be considered one. If this is the case, I am royally pissed off and overall very disappointed in the world, based on their treatment of this woman. She is a person, a living human being, and to go through that kind of ridicule and trial is beyond what any person should have to deal with. Intersex people are people too and should be treated with the same kinds of respect.
Caster Semenya, on the other hand, has handled the situation very well and is an inspiration to intersex people. I plan drawing a little on her strength and her story when I write about Sky's dilemma in my next novel. Semenya, I am very sorry that you were treated the way you were, but you have my support in anything you do. Good luck on the race.
*Another term is hermaphrodite, but there is a slight difference.
What this athlete was exposed to was inappropriate, demeaning, ridiculous, and as I see it, unnecessary. If an intersex individual who is primarily female and identifies as such wants to represent her country in the world Olympics, she should be able to. And now that she has returned many question whether or not she had a surgery to make her body more female so that she could be considered one. If this is the case, I am royally pissed off and overall very disappointed in the world, based on their treatment of this woman. She is a person, a living human being, and to go through that kind of ridicule and trial is beyond what any person should have to deal with. Intersex people are people too and should be treated with the same kinds of respect.
Caster Semenya, on the other hand, has handled the situation very well and is an inspiration to intersex people. I plan drawing a little on her strength and her story when I write about Sky's dilemma in my next novel. Semenya, I am very sorry that you were treated the way you were, but you have my support in anything you do. Good luck on the race.
*Another term is hermaphrodite, but there is a slight difference.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
I'm just going to leave this here...
In the digital era by ~Marco-art on deviantART
Doesn't that image/title just break your heart? Very powerful statement here, when you throw in that title.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Novel: Good Days & Bad Days
My good friend Jordyn is also an aspiring novelist and together we press through all the hardships and celebrations that come with writing. Mostly hardships. And we listen to each other as we bang our heads on the table repetitively, hoping the words will leak out our ears and onto the page. We talk each other up and through things, and we realize that writing makes us bipolar. We will love it and we will hate it and none of that will stay consistent.
There are good days and there are bad days, and basically, this is what I sound like when I am writing.
On a bad day:
Aaaauuuugggghhhh. Just aaaauuuugggghhhh.
On a good day: (like today)
Jordyn: Yeah. I've planned a lot for this though, so I don't know. I feel like I'm kind of diving in through and it's like I don't quite know how to swim. You know?
Jez: I think that's kind of what writing a novel is like, honestly. It's undiscovered territory and we are without a clear map, so we have to experiment and take chances and hope the next step we take doesn't land us in a nest of scorpions or take us over the edge of a cliff.
Jordyn: Well that's terrifying.
Jez: But it's exciting, because we're the first humans ever to walk that path, ever to see that flower, ever to drink from that pure spring, untainted by chemical run-off. It's an adventure and we are explorers.
Also, if you're interested, you can follow Jordyn's journey through her recent novel (about spies!) here.
There are good days and there are bad days, and basically, this is what I sound like when I am writing.
On a bad day:
Aaaauuuugggghhhh. Just aaaauuuugggghhhh.
On a good day: (like today)
Jordyn: Yeah. I've planned a lot for this though, so I don't know. I feel like I'm kind of diving in through and it's like I don't quite know how to swim. You know?
Jez: I think that's kind of what writing a novel is like, honestly. It's undiscovered territory and we are without a clear map, so we have to experiment and take chances and hope the next step we take doesn't land us in a nest of scorpions or take us over the edge of a cliff.
Jordyn: Well that's terrifying.
Jez: But it's exciting, because we're the first humans ever to walk that path, ever to see that flower, ever to drink from that pure spring, untainted by chemical run-off. It's an adventure and we are explorers.
Also, if you're interested, you can follow Jordyn's journey through her recent novel (about spies!) here.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Contest: Will Grayson, Will Grayson ARC
Hey everyone, just stopping in real quick to let you know there is a great contest going on over at Hey! Teenager of the Year to win an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Will Grayosn, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan. Go here to enter!
I'll be back with book reviews & a few blog posts as soon as I finish my novel. I have a DEADLINE you guys. It's coming up faster than I'd like.
I'll be back with book reviews & a few blog posts as soon as I finish my novel. I have a DEADLINE you guys. It's coming up faster than I'd like.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Cleveland.Com Interviews Calvin & Hobbes Creator Bill Watterson
As a huge fan--but also as a writer & a reader in general--I found this interview really interesting.
Here are a few of the highlights:
Cleveland: With almost 15 years of separation and reflection, what do you think it was about "Calvin and Hobbes" that went beyond just capturing readers' attention, but their hearts as well?
Watterson:: The only part I understand is what went into the creation of the strip. What readers take away from it is up to them. Once the strip is published, readers bring their own experiences to it, and the work takes on a life of its own. Everyone responds differently to different parts.
I just tried to write honestly, and I tried to make this little world fun to look at, so people would take the time to read it. That was the full extent of my concern. You mix a bunch of ingredients, and once in a great while, chemistry happens. I can't explain why the strip caught on the way it did, and I don't think I could ever duplicate it. A lot of things have to go right all at once.
Watterson: Ah, the life of a newspaper cartoonist -- how I miss the groupies, drugs and trashed hotel rooms!
You can read the full interview here!
Here are a few of the highlights:
Cleveland: With almost 15 years of separation and reflection, what do you think it was about "Calvin and Hobbes" that went beyond just capturing readers' attention, but their hearts as well?
Watterson:: The only part I understand is what went into the creation of the strip. What readers take away from it is up to them. Once the strip is published, readers bring their own experiences to it, and the work takes on a life of its own. Everyone responds differently to different parts.
I just tried to write honestly, and I tried to make this little world fun to look at, so people would take the time to read it. That was the full extent of my concern. You mix a bunch of ingredients, and once in a great while, chemistry happens. I can't explain why the strip caught on the way it did, and I don't think I could ever duplicate it. A lot of things have to go right all at once.
Watterson: Ah, the life of a newspaper cartoonist -- how I miss the groupies, drugs and trashed hotel rooms!
You can read the full interview here!
Monday, February 01, 2010
Writing as a Profession
Here's a fun, interesting video from the wonderful Maureen Johnson on writing as a career.
Also, be sure to check out Maureen's new book Scarlett Fever which came out in stores today! I have only read the first two chapters so far, but I can tell you that I love it already. I have already written down one quote, I kid you not.
Additionally, check out the contest running over at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time for a chance to win a signed copy of Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachman. The contest is open internationally so that anyone can enter, but hurry and leave a comment because this contest is only open for a day!
Also, be sure to check out Maureen's new book Scarlett Fever which came out in stores today! I have only read the first two chapters so far, but I can tell you that I love it already. I have already written down one quote, I kid you not.
Additionally, check out the contest running over at Laina Has Too Much Spare Time for a chance to win a signed copy of Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachman. The contest is open internationally so that anyone can enter, but hurry and leave a comment because this contest is only open for a day!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Apple iPad: Communications & Publication
Okay, this is not a technology blog, but I am going to talk about the new Apple iPad. Why? Because we live in a technologically advanced society where each new toy--shiny as they may be--affects the way we live, and even the way we read. This is not a technology blog, but it is a blog that looks at literature, publishing, and communications, and the iPad, and Steve Job's unveiling of it, encompasses all of those.
Communications - Audience, Rhetoric & Presentation
What I like about Steve Jobs is that he is not the corporate CEO archetype. When Jobs showed up on stage earlier this morning to present the new Apple gadget, he was wearing jeans and tennis shoes. Not exactly what you would expect from the head of a leading technology company on the day of its big presentation. In doing this he presents himself to the people as one of the people, as someone just like them. Now, this is a great strategy for gathering attention, reaching out to those who are not the technology-following geeks, and essentially it helps them identify with Jobs. What they see is an average man sitting on his couch using the new iPad. Jobs is showing the community at large that they too can easily use and apply this new technology to their everyday lives, they don't need to be technology wizzes in order to understand it. In fact, for many people who already have the iPhone or the iPod Touch, the technology may not be that much different. That's two (or arguably three) audiences that Jobs is already appealing to in his presentation, without having to say anything yet, and then you add in the technophiles of all sorts and you have a ready-made fanbase. And, he's also adding one more audience: those who have trouble viewing small screens. Now, I'm not saying that the elderly are going to pick up the new iPad or anything like that, but they might. Why? Because the larger screen, with the ability to magnify and resize text easily, would be appealing to them, especially in conjunction with the new iBooks app. They would be able to use an eReader on a larger scale that would be backlit and easy to read. The same applies to any webpage, now that the older generation are also becoming a part of the new technological world. The topic of iBooks & the iPad as an eReader is something I'll come back to in a moment, but first I want to look at the rhetoric and presentation of this new device, from a communications standpoint.
I don't want to spend too much time on this, but I believe that it is important to examine the syntax that Jobs uses. Sure he may have overused hyperboles* like "magical" and "awesome," but they work well for him. Through his use of hyperbole Jobs has built up this product in the consumer's mind--which could help or hurt him in the future, only the sales will show. Will some consumers look into getting an iPad based on the colourful and ambitious dialogue? Maybe. Will some others criticize Apple for not living up to it? Probably, in fact, I would argue, definitely. How this plays out in sales though, remains to be seen.
Another effective strategy for the Apple team is the way they have used communication and social medias as a business tool. What's the best way to get the word out quickly these days? Social medias like twitter, where rumours of the new Apple "tablet**" have been circulating for weeks. There have been talk about the new features the iPad might employ, as well as what it will look like, and what the cost will be. What I find brilliant, when looking at this strategy from a marketing standpoint, is that Apple "accidentally slipped" a few price ranges that one should expect from the new toy, generally centering around $1000 a pop. Why does this matter? Because everyone went in expecting that sort of price, and were then shocked to find that it was only going to cost $499 (with additional data packages at $14.99 & $29.99 a month). This may seem expensive, but in comparison to the $1k we were expecting? It's a steal. Now, I will admit that this may have also hurt them in a way. By releasing a higher price, they made the public expect a larger product, like a tablet computer, which is not what this is. So now the public's attention might be shifted (as my friend Mike pointed out again just now) more towards what the iPad isn't, based on rumours and early projections, and less on what it actually is. But make no mistake, it's still a great way to market and make the product seem as if it has more value. Not to mention that the web has been craving for any solid data for months, creating all sort of buzz. By keeping most things under wraps, this works in the same way that GoogleWave did in that people want to know more, simply to be in the know. We're a very nosy society that way, and Apple is great at using that in their favour. They keep it a secret and therefore we want to know. And as soon as any hard data gets out, it's everywhere. Even now, hours later, 7 out of the top 10 topics trending worldwide on twitter are related to Apple, the iPad, and the release this morning (also how it will compare/compete with Amazon's kindle). Social media is a great thing for this, creating all sorts of hype.
Possible Effects for Publishing & the eReader Market
This new device is probably going to be used primarily as a multimedia device, and I don't see anyone writing anything long form such as novels on it, at least not without the aid of the keyboard dock***, but I do see people using it to watch movies and listen to music. The new larger screen even makes it somewhat superior over the iPhone in that it allows high definition videos to play on YouTube. More and more I am finding that I--as well as many others--cannot view a video on YouTube in regular dimensions because it has been recorded to be viewed in high def. And really, if you have the option, high def is the way to go, so it's great to see that in a device such as this (I'm still unsure of what to describe it as). But one thing I think the iPad is going to be great for is that it can be used as an eReader with the new application, iBooks. What is iBooks? Think kindle, only Apple. In the presentation today Apple even said that they would be using the same kind of idea--as well as interface--as Amazon's highly-acclaimed Kindle. And with the ebook market growing so rapidly****, it's no shock that Apple would want to get in on the action. Like I mentioned previously, this ebook is something that others are not: it's big. That may sound silly and obvious, but it's true, and that's going to appeal to a lot of readers out there. It is all the convenience of an eReader, on a bigger format, and one you can easily maneuver thanks to the touchscreen technology. Something else that you can do with the new iPad is you can buy books right from the iTunes store without having to connect with a computer to do so. Plus, there are already so many free ebooks online free that you can read! But the great thing? A lot of large publishing houses have teamed up with Apple to make iBooks work. Some may even be releasing books earlier on iBooks than they will for the Kindle, Sony, & Nooks--spelling trouble for companies who previously held the market and now may have bigger competition than they expected.
So what will this do to publishing? Well, I predict that we will see an increase in ebook sales, or rather, a continuation of a trend that is already in place. Though this might also speed that up. Another thing is that prices may go down as these companies compete with each other, and that could be a huge problem for hard copy books, a market that is already taking a hit from ebooks. Who wants to spend $20 or more on a hardcover book, or even $10 on a paperback, if soon you will be able to buy many books online for far less--or even free? How this, and also other digital readers like the Kindle, will affect the publishing market remains to be seen, but you can be sure that the market is there for an eReader and that it's not about to go away. Another thing this may do for publishing is, again, an extension of a trend that is already there, but some publishers may choose to release a book only in ebook format, possibly only on iBooks. This could be good or bad for marketing, but it saves on publishing costs (especially those of overprinting a book, which could also be disastrous for a novelist), and it creates a kind of exclusivity for that book, making readers value a digital reader, and possibly one eReader over another.
These are all very early predictions for something that was just released today, but certainly things to think about. I would be very interested in what others have to say, so please, let's get a discussion going in the comments. Again, this is not a technology blog and I am focusing on this new iPad from a communicative, rhetorical, and publishing standpoint, so I am looking for things primarily related to those subjects.
And thank you for reading this far, that was a lot to take in, I know.
*Is an overuse of hyperbole redundant in and of itself?
**I would argue now that this is not a tablet computer, nor is it the new version of the iPhone rumoured to come out sometime this quarter, but it is somewhere in between and therefore we cannot truly call it a tablet any longer.
***Which, I must say, looks really shiny. And is a great idea, because it then makes the iPad into a touchscreen desktop computer. I think that's a huge selling point, at least for me. I don't mention this because again, this is not a blog to look at the technological aspects, you can find those anywhere else.
****I refer you to this very interesting article on ebooks & advertising that features Maureen Johnson!
Communications - Audience, Rhetoric & Presentation
What I like about Steve Jobs is that he is not the corporate CEO archetype. When Jobs showed up on stage earlier this morning to present the new Apple gadget, he was wearing jeans and tennis shoes. Not exactly what you would expect from the head of a leading technology company on the day of its big presentation. In doing this he presents himself to the people as one of the people, as someone just like them. Now, this is a great strategy for gathering attention, reaching out to those who are not the technology-following geeks, and essentially it helps them identify with Jobs. What they see is an average man sitting on his couch using the new iPad. Jobs is showing the community at large that they too can easily use and apply this new technology to their everyday lives, they don't need to be technology wizzes in order to understand it. In fact, for many people who already have the iPhone or the iPod Touch, the technology may not be that much different. That's two (or arguably three) audiences that Jobs is already appealing to in his presentation, without having to say anything yet, and then you add in the technophiles of all sorts and you have a ready-made fanbase. And, he's also adding one more audience: those who have trouble viewing small screens. Now, I'm not saying that the elderly are going to pick up the new iPad or anything like that, but they might. Why? Because the larger screen, with the ability to magnify and resize text easily, would be appealing to them, especially in conjunction with the new iBooks app. They would be able to use an eReader on a larger scale that would be backlit and easy to read. The same applies to any webpage, now that the older generation are also becoming a part of the new technological world. The topic of iBooks & the iPad as an eReader is something I'll come back to in a moment, but first I want to look at the rhetoric and presentation of this new device, from a communications standpoint.
I don't want to spend too much time on this, but I believe that it is important to examine the syntax that Jobs uses. Sure he may have overused hyperboles* like "magical" and "awesome," but they work well for him. Through his use of hyperbole Jobs has built up this product in the consumer's mind--which could help or hurt him in the future, only the sales will show. Will some consumers look into getting an iPad based on the colourful and ambitious dialogue? Maybe. Will some others criticize Apple for not living up to it? Probably, in fact, I would argue, definitely. How this plays out in sales though, remains to be seen.
Another effective strategy for the Apple team is the way they have used communication and social medias as a business tool. What's the best way to get the word out quickly these days? Social medias like twitter, where rumours of the new Apple "tablet**" have been circulating for weeks. There have been talk about the new features the iPad might employ, as well as what it will look like, and what the cost will be. What I find brilliant, when looking at this strategy from a marketing standpoint, is that Apple "accidentally slipped" a few price ranges that one should expect from the new toy, generally centering around $1000 a pop. Why does this matter? Because everyone went in expecting that sort of price, and were then shocked to find that it was only going to cost $499 (with additional data packages at $14.99 & $29.99 a month). This may seem expensive, but in comparison to the $1k we were expecting? It's a steal. Now, I will admit that this may have also hurt them in a way. By releasing a higher price, they made the public expect a larger product, like a tablet computer, which is not what this is. So now the public's attention might be shifted (as my friend Mike pointed out again just now) more towards what the iPad isn't, based on rumours and early projections, and less on what it actually is. But make no mistake, it's still a great way to market and make the product seem as if it has more value. Not to mention that the web has been craving for any solid data for months, creating all sort of buzz. By keeping most things under wraps, this works in the same way that GoogleWave did in that people want to know more, simply to be in the know. We're a very nosy society that way, and Apple is great at using that in their favour. They keep it a secret and therefore we want to know. And as soon as any hard data gets out, it's everywhere. Even now, hours later, 7 out of the top 10 topics trending worldwide on twitter are related to Apple, the iPad, and the release this morning (also how it will compare/compete with Amazon's kindle). Social media is a great thing for this, creating all sorts of hype.
Possible Effects for Publishing & the eReader Market
This new device is probably going to be used primarily as a multimedia device, and I don't see anyone writing anything long form such as novels on it, at least not without the aid of the keyboard dock***, but I do see people using it to watch movies and listen to music. The new larger screen even makes it somewhat superior over the iPhone in that it allows high definition videos to play on YouTube. More and more I am finding that I--as well as many others--cannot view a video on YouTube in regular dimensions because it has been recorded to be viewed in high def. And really, if you have the option, high def is the way to go, so it's great to see that in a device such as this (I'm still unsure of what to describe it as). But one thing I think the iPad is going to be great for is that it can be used as an eReader with the new application, iBooks. What is iBooks? Think kindle, only Apple. In the presentation today Apple even said that they would be using the same kind of idea--as well as interface--as Amazon's highly-acclaimed Kindle. And with the ebook market growing so rapidly****, it's no shock that Apple would want to get in on the action. Like I mentioned previously, this ebook is something that others are not: it's big. That may sound silly and obvious, but it's true, and that's going to appeal to a lot of readers out there. It is all the convenience of an eReader, on a bigger format, and one you can easily maneuver thanks to the touchscreen technology. Something else that you can do with the new iPad is you can buy books right from the iTunes store without having to connect with a computer to do so. Plus, there are already so many free ebooks online free that you can read! But the great thing? A lot of large publishing houses have teamed up with Apple to make iBooks work. Some may even be releasing books earlier on iBooks than they will for the Kindle, Sony, & Nooks--spelling trouble for companies who previously held the market and now may have bigger competition than they expected.
So what will this do to publishing? Well, I predict that we will see an increase in ebook sales, or rather, a continuation of a trend that is already in place. Though this might also speed that up. Another thing is that prices may go down as these companies compete with each other, and that could be a huge problem for hard copy books, a market that is already taking a hit from ebooks. Who wants to spend $20 or more on a hardcover book, or even $10 on a paperback, if soon you will be able to buy many books online for far less--or even free? How this, and also other digital readers like the Kindle, will affect the publishing market remains to be seen, but you can be sure that the market is there for an eReader and that it's not about to go away. Another thing this may do for publishing is, again, an extension of a trend that is already there, but some publishers may choose to release a book only in ebook format, possibly only on iBooks. This could be good or bad for marketing, but it saves on publishing costs (especially those of overprinting a book, which could also be disastrous for a novelist), and it creates a kind of exclusivity for that book, making readers value a digital reader, and possibly one eReader over another.
These are all very early predictions for something that was just released today, but certainly things to think about. I would be very interested in what others have to say, so please, let's get a discussion going in the comments. Again, this is not a technology blog and I am focusing on this new iPad from a communicative, rhetorical, and publishing standpoint, so I am looking for things primarily related to those subjects.
And thank you for reading this far, that was a lot to take in, I know.
*Is an overuse of hyperbole redundant in and of itself?
**I would argue now that this is not a tablet computer, nor is it the new version of the iPhone rumoured to come out sometime this quarter, but it is somewhere in between and therefore we cannot truly call it a tablet any longer.
***Which, I must say, looks really shiny. And is a great idea, because it then makes the iPad into a touchscreen desktop computer. I think that's a huge selling point, at least for me. I don't mention this because again, this is not a blog to look at the technological aspects, you can find those anywhere else.
****I refer you to this very interesting article on ebooks & advertising that features Maureen Johnson!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Why We Write
I've just finished my last day in a short interim course on writing & publishing, lead by Travis Thrasher. He's a great teacher and it's great to take a class on these things where a writer is the teacher instead of just another professor who is saying what he's told to say. Thrasher worked in publishing and he is now a full-time writer, so it's great to get that sort of insight.
I was just looking through Thrasher's blog, The Journey is Everything & I came across an entry from the beginning of this year about why he writes. I thought it was a really great post and I share a lot of his reasons.
You can read Travis Thrasher's post here, and I recommend looking through the rest of his blog as well, there's plenty of tips for writers to be found there.
What are my own personal reasons for writing?
Whenever I'm asked this question, or why I'm writing a particular project, I think back to something Madeleine L'Engle once said. "You have to write the book that wants to be written." I have always identified with that quote* and I think it really applies here. I could write a novel on any subject you want to give me, but it wouldn't be mine. I write because I have new stories within me, just waiting to be told. Stories that are just busting to get out and onto the page. I write because I have a story to tell.
And I write because it's what feels right and what makes sense in my life. I am not about to pretend that my life is all sunshine and daisies right now--nor has it ever really been--but in spite of all of that, writing makes sense. And it's somewhere I can work out my real life problems, even just in small ways. My characters are not me, and the stories I tell are not my memoirs, but everything I write has a piece of me in it. Moreover this is a reason I write Young Adult fiction, because I feel that in YA you can work through different problems than you can in adult literature. Which reminds me of another quote from literary agent Kate Schaffer (aka Daphne Unfeasible): "I don't believe that most teens think their lives are "normal and uneventful." I think every moment is fraught with anxiety & excitement." I feel like that's true also, and therefore I can fit most of that into my books, and if it helps me, great, if others can identify with it and it can maybe help them also, even better.
I write to satisfy my curiosity & to explore all of the "what if"s in life. I can't get rid of all of the world's air travel in real life, but I can write about what would happen if that were to occur. I can't give myself a horrible fatal disease (and still be alive to write about it afterwards), but I can write about it. Life is full of "what if"s, and I write to see what would happen.
And, like Thrasher, I write to say the things I wish I could say and do the things I wish I could do.
That's why I write, and so I'm curious, what about you? For all the writers out there--serious or recreational--what makes you write?
*And the second part where she says "And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children,” but that's a whole other topic for another blog.
I was just looking through Thrasher's blog, The Journey is Everything & I came across an entry from the beginning of this year about why he writes. I thought it was a really great post and I share a lot of his reasons.
You can read Travis Thrasher's post here, and I recommend looking through the rest of his blog as well, there's plenty of tips for writers to be found there.
What are my own personal reasons for writing?
Whenever I'm asked this question, or why I'm writing a particular project, I think back to something Madeleine L'Engle once said. "You have to write the book that wants to be written." I have always identified with that quote* and I think it really applies here. I could write a novel on any subject you want to give me, but it wouldn't be mine. I write because I have new stories within me, just waiting to be told. Stories that are just busting to get out and onto the page. I write because I have a story to tell.
And I write because it's what feels right and what makes sense in my life. I am not about to pretend that my life is all sunshine and daisies right now--nor has it ever really been--but in spite of all of that, writing makes sense. And it's somewhere I can work out my real life problems, even just in small ways. My characters are not me, and the stories I tell are not my memoirs, but everything I write has a piece of me in it. Moreover this is a reason I write Young Adult fiction, because I feel that in YA you can work through different problems than you can in adult literature. Which reminds me of another quote from literary agent Kate Schaffer (aka Daphne Unfeasible): "I don't believe that most teens think their lives are "normal and uneventful." I think every moment is fraught with anxiety & excitement." I feel like that's true also, and therefore I can fit most of that into my books, and if it helps me, great, if others can identify with it and it can maybe help them also, even better.
I write to satisfy my curiosity & to explore all of the "what if"s in life. I can't get rid of all of the world's air travel in real life, but I can write about what would happen if that were to occur. I can't give myself a horrible fatal disease (and still be alive to write about it afterwards), but I can write about it. Life is full of "what if"s, and I write to see what would happen.
And, like Thrasher, I write to say the things I wish I could say and do the things I wish I could do.
That's why I write, and so I'm curious, what about you? For all the writers out there--serious or recreational--what makes you write?
*And the second part where she says "And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children,” but that's a whole other topic for another blog.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Girls and Breaking Out of the Boxes
I don't normally post anything personal here, but I don't think this is just me and I feel like I should address it somewhere. Here seemed as good a place as any.
My friend Jordyn, of Ten Cent Notes did a piece awhile back that was printed in Red: Teenage Girls in America Write on What Fires Up Their Lives Today and was afterwards interviewed by Bitch Magazine, which you can read here. I have yet to read Jordyn's piece (no worries, I soon will), but the interview struck a chord with me.
This part especially:
I spoke briefly with Jordyn after she posted that, telling her how I liked that bit and we had this little interchange over twitter:
And, honestly guys? I don't think that's too far off from what most girls want. This is also something that I believe most girls have dealt with in life, too, and not just in high school. From the time we are young we, as girls and boys, are taught a duality for how women are to be perceived. It's something women have fought against for a long time, but has become so engrained in our lifestyles and in the media that it's hard to break free from it. There are the pretty girls, and there are the smart girls. But do we ever look at a pretty girl, say, the homecoming queen, and think "wow she's so intelligent"? Or look at a really smart girl, the bookworm in your calculus class with the glasses, and talk about how gorgeous she is? I don't see a lot of that happening around here, to be honest.
As I mentioned in the quote above, I've been perceived as both pretty and smart, but never can I think of an instance where it has happened at the same time. I have had guys come up to me and hit on me without ever having spoken to me, because they think I'm pretty (and for the record, I hate that). I'm more than my looks, and I want people to see that. Or sometimes I write something really great, or give a good speech, and someone tells me how smart I am. Like Jordyn, I feel that the word "smart" can sometimes mean "boring." Smart girls aren't exactly known for having fun or being fun, and in the media especially, they are rarely portrayed as pretty.
So we get put into boxes, like Jordyn says, and we feel like we're stuck there. Sometimes, we are--but that's only because the girl accepts her fate to remain there. A "smart" girl gives up on her looks, why should she bother if no one is going to notice? A "pretty" girl gives up on her studies. Why does it matter when everyone tells her she can get by without them? It's a cycle spurred on by those very same girls who are trapped within it.
I'm not saying we can start a revolution here, because that can't happen overnight. What we can do though, is start with one girl. Maybe it's a guy telling the bookworm she's pretty, maybe it's telling the model that something she said had depth and meaning. There are girls like that out there, most girls are not one or the other, despite which box she's been thrown into. All a girl wants is to be accepted for all that she is, not for one quality or the other, and we should be able to see that in them. Not only that, but we should tell them, because sometimes they've been in one box too long to see that they can break free. The pretty girls don't always think they are pretty, and the smart girls don't always feel so smart. Sometimes, all a person needs is someone else to remind them of how great they are. That's not such a hard thing to do. It's a start, anyway.
Thoughts on the subject? Experience with it? Share them in the comments please!
My friend Jordyn, of Ten Cent Notes did a piece awhile back that was printed in Red: Teenage Girls in America Write on What Fires Up Their Lives Today and was afterwards interviewed by Bitch Magazine, which you can read here. I have yet to read Jordyn's piece (no worries, I soon will), but the interview struck a chord with me.
This part especially:
On the biggest misconceptions about teenage girls in America: The idea of "pretty or smart." Many girls are both, but everyone gets lumped into one category or the other in spite of it, and sometimes that holds girls back. A lot of times it's hard to step out of the box others put you in, even if you want to, and I think it's especially difficult for girls, because the lines are firmly drawn.
I spoke briefly with Jordyn after she posted that, telling her how I liked that bit and we had this little interchange over twitter:
Jordyn: I've had guys tell me that I "look smart". I kind of figured that was code for "boring". lol
Me: I've gotten both, but never at the same time. I'm either smart & boring/nothing special, or I'm pretty with nothing to offer. And I really hate that. I want someone to think I'm pretty (even when I don't) and to tell me I'm special (even when I'm not).
And, honestly guys? I don't think that's too far off from what most girls want. This is also something that I believe most girls have dealt with in life, too, and not just in high school. From the time we are young we, as girls and boys, are taught a duality for how women are to be perceived. It's something women have fought against for a long time, but has become so engrained in our lifestyles and in the media that it's hard to break free from it. There are the pretty girls, and there are the smart girls. But do we ever look at a pretty girl, say, the homecoming queen, and think "wow she's so intelligent"? Or look at a really smart girl, the bookworm in your calculus class with the glasses, and talk about how gorgeous she is? I don't see a lot of that happening around here, to be honest.
As I mentioned in the quote above, I've been perceived as both pretty and smart, but never can I think of an instance where it has happened at the same time. I have had guys come up to me and hit on me without ever having spoken to me, because they think I'm pretty (and for the record, I hate that). I'm more than my looks, and I want people to see that. Or sometimes I write something really great, or give a good speech, and someone tells me how smart I am. Like Jordyn, I feel that the word "smart" can sometimes mean "boring." Smart girls aren't exactly known for having fun or being fun, and in the media especially, they are rarely portrayed as pretty.
So we get put into boxes, like Jordyn says, and we feel like we're stuck there. Sometimes, we are--but that's only because the girl accepts her fate to remain there. A "smart" girl gives up on her looks, why should she bother if no one is going to notice? A "pretty" girl gives up on her studies. Why does it matter when everyone tells her she can get by without them? It's a cycle spurred on by those very same girls who are trapped within it.
I'm not saying we can start a revolution here, because that can't happen overnight. What we can do though, is start with one girl. Maybe it's a guy telling the bookworm she's pretty, maybe it's telling the model that something she said had depth and meaning. There are girls like that out there, most girls are not one or the other, despite which box she's been thrown into. All a girl wants is to be accepted for all that she is, not for one quality or the other, and we should be able to see that in them. Not only that, but we should tell them, because sometimes they've been in one box too long to see that they can break free. The pretty girls don't always think they are pretty, and the smart girls don't always feel so smart. Sometimes, all a person needs is someone else to remind them of how great they are. That's not such a hard thing to do. It's a start, anyway.
Thoughts on the subject? Experience with it? Share them in the comments please!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Reading Meme
You ever realize most of my entries start with "I'm not dead" or "Sorry I haven't been around"? Yeah...if you miss me, check out my twitter, my tumblr, & my livejournal. There's also the 5NerdsomeWriters, where I post on Tuesday. Actually, all the blogs I would normally put up here, tend to go there, which is why you're not seeing them very often. So if you're used to my regular chatter about books, publishing trends, & mass communication, you might want to check that out. Be sure to read the other girls' posts as well, because they're amazing.
Anyway, here's a book reader meme I snagged from Jordyn of Ten Cent Notes.
Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Chances are, I am always snacking, especially while reading. The better the book, the less I snack because I start to forget about food, haha.
Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
I would never ever ever write in a book! I might put in sticky notes if it were for a class, but generally if I feel like making notes, I open up a file on my computer to keep track. This is usually how I start my reviews.
How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Generally bookmarks. And by bookmarks I mean anything I can find that is flat. Sometimes I will not use anything and just trust myself to be able to find the right page, but sometimes that can be tricky.
Laying the book flat open?
Absolutely not! It ruins the covers & spines of the books, and I can't stand that.
Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Fiction, but every now & again I'll read some nonfic if it's good & looks interesting. Or is on a subject I really enjoy.
Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. I don't really like audiobooks all that much. They're convenient for someone like me who rarely has a minute to breathe, but at the same time, the voice, tone, & style of the reader on the tape has too great of an influence on the person listening. I think people should be able to make those distinctions for themselves.
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I can put it down whenever, and generally have to. My life doesn't always accommodate me enough time to finish chapters.
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Generally I just keep on reading & can infer from the context what it is supposed to me, and I'll maybe look it up later. If I'm near my computer, I might look it up right then.
What are you currently reading?
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
What is the last book you bought?
I just had a birthday last month & got a few gift cards, which I used to buy an array of books. I purchased 2 EL Koningsburg books, City of Ember, The Book Thief, Memoirs of a Teenaged Amnesiac, & I think one other but I can't remember.
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I can and do read more than one at a time.
Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Any time, anywhere. Though I seem to most read when I am waiting in lines or in cars.
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
It depends on the book. Some series should have been stand alones, some stand alone books I wish were series.
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
I am constantly recommending The Great Gatsby, Looking for Alaska, anything by Maureen Johnson, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, & The Higher Power of Lucky
Anyway, here's a book reader meme I snagged from Jordyn of Ten Cent Notes.
Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Chances are, I am always snacking, especially while reading. The better the book, the less I snack because I start to forget about food, haha.
Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?
I would never ever ever write in a book! I might put in sticky notes if it were for a class, but generally if I feel like making notes, I open up a file on my computer to keep track. This is usually how I start my reviews.
How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Generally bookmarks. And by bookmarks I mean anything I can find that is flat. Sometimes I will not use anything and just trust myself to be able to find the right page, but sometimes that can be tricky.
Laying the book flat open?
Absolutely not! It ruins the covers & spines of the books, and I can't stand that.
Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Fiction, but every now & again I'll read some nonfic if it's good & looks interesting. Or is on a subject I really enjoy.
Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. I don't really like audiobooks all that much. They're convenient for someone like me who rarely has a minute to breathe, but at the same time, the voice, tone, & style of the reader on the tape has too great of an influence on the person listening. I think people should be able to make those distinctions for themselves.
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I can put it down whenever, and generally have to. My life doesn't always accommodate me enough time to finish chapters.
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Generally I just keep on reading & can infer from the context what it is supposed to me, and I'll maybe look it up later. If I'm near my computer, I might look it up right then.
What are you currently reading?
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
What is the last book you bought?
I just had a birthday last month & got a few gift cards, which I used to buy an array of books. I purchased 2 EL Koningsburg books, City of Ember, The Book Thief, Memoirs of a Teenaged Amnesiac, & I think one other but I can't remember.
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I can and do read more than one at a time.
Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Any time, anywhere. Though I seem to most read when I am waiting in lines or in cars.
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
It depends on the book. Some series should have been stand alones, some stand alone books I wish were series.
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
I am constantly recommending The Great Gatsby, Looking for Alaska, anything by Maureen Johnson, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, & The Higher Power of Lucky
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Liar in the Publishing Industry
For my 5NerdsomeWriters post for video week, I decided to talk about Justine Larbalestier's new book Liar, and the recent controversy surrounding its cover. Enjoy.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Link: Contest: 20 Boy Summer Goody Bag!
Are you excited for 20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler? No? You should be! Go read the excerpt on Sarah's website. Okay, are you excited now? Good. Now let's add to that excitement with a little contest, hosted by the Beautiful Creatures Book Club. Enter the contest by leaving a comment on their blog, and earn extra entry points through a variety of ways. Contest prizes include an ARC of 20 Boy Summer, a lovely seaglass bracelet, a notebook, a California postcard, a beach bag, and blue frosting flavored lip gloss. I think, honestly, the lip gloss is my favorite part. Go read the excerpt if you want to know why.
Anyway, contest is this way. GOOD LUCK!
In related news, I bought 20 Boy Summer at Barnes & Noble today! It hit the shelves early (original pub date 1 June) in some stores, so maybe it's out by you too! I'm glad I found it before the long weekend, because I'll be at my aunt's house and on a few long car trips, so this is great! I'm also 1/3rd of the way done with Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph which I will finish tonight or tomorrow, so that's also awesome. I love books, especially debs from such nice authors!
You can follow both Sarah & Danielle on twitter! @sarahockler and @DanielleJoseph1
Anyway, contest is this way. GOOD LUCK!
In related news, I bought 20 Boy Summer at Barnes & Noble today! It hit the shelves early (original pub date 1 June) in some stores, so maybe it's out by you too! I'm glad I found it before the long weekend, because I'll be at my aunt's house and on a few long car trips, so this is great! I'm also 1/3rd of the way done with Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph which I will finish tonight or tomorrow, so that's also awesome. I love books, especially debs from such nice authors!
You can follow both Sarah & Danielle on twitter! @sarahockler and @DanielleJoseph1
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Another Chance to Win!
Didn't win Danielle Joseph's Shrinking Violet (btw, I did!) or the copy of How to Buy a Love of Reading that Jordyn was giving away? Fear not, there's another chance for you to win something! Jordyn, of Ten Cent Notes is holding another contest! This time it's for Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix, which has a fabulous looking cover. Pon is another debut novelist, so let's show her our support, okay? Plus, free stuff, what's not to love?
Check out the contest here.
Check out the contest here.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Children's Book Week, May 11-17 2009
Today marks the first day of Children's Book Week 2009 and I'm pretty excited for it this year. I have a few things planned and will try my best to post every day this week (exam week actually gives you time, go figure).
To kick things off, what are some of your favorite children's books, and why do you love them? You need not rate them if that's too hard, all you need to do is name a few off the top of your head.
Growing up I remember loving quite a few books, but some stood out more than others. First, there was the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard. My grandmother gave me Mandie and the Jumping Juniper (book 17) for Christmas one year and gave a different Mandie book to each of the girls from my generation. I read through mine and loved it, then I read through my sister's (which I loved more to be honest). Eventually I read through all 40 books, plus the special, the Young Mandie series, and now New Horizons. It actually kind of breaks my heart that I will never know what happens to my favorite young detective (and which guy she ultimately ends up with) because the wonderful author, Ms Leppard passed away last year. I really wish I could have met her and thanked her for how much this series has done for me and all the hard times it got me through. I owe her so much.
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll was another book that I read and reread constantly. The copy I owned had once belonged to my great (or possibly great-great) grandmother. It was leather bound and small enough to fit in my pocket, and believe me, I carried it every where. I remember one Spring I kept it in my coat pocket and any time I was in a car or a line, I would pull it out and read from wherever I had left off previously. I still own the copy, though I must admit that it is torn and ragged and the front cover fell off. I no longer read that one, but keep it safe, and own a brand-new hardcover version that comes with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I credit this book with first getting me to enjoy reading, and also to enjoy fantasy.
Holes by Louis Sachar holds a very special place in my heart as well. I'm feeling a little old now because I remember reading this book many times when I was younger, and just October I met Louis Sachar on the 10th Anniversary of his publication of Holes. I first saw it at a book fair and I'm not sure whether I chose it or my mother chose it for me, but somehow I ended up with my own copy. And we read it in school. My best memory, however, is after my mother read it, she decided to read it to the rest of the family. We would sit down together for dinner at that time (something we haven't done in ages now, I admit) and every night she would read us the next chapter of the book. Afterwards, we would discuss it, and sometimes convince her to read a second chapter. It really brought my family together, even for a short time. The Anniversary Tour was great because I was able to go with my mother and my brother (who, coincidentally was reading it in school at that time), so it was something we could share again, 10 years later, though there were only 3 of us instead of 7. Mr. Sachar is a wonderful man, as well. On that night we were also introduced to Small Steps which I had always known about, but had never known was related to Holes--this book is equally brilliant, though completely other.
It's no secret that these days I'm completely in love with Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky, and more recently, its sequel, Lucky Breaks. The messages of these books are so strong and the books are wonderfully and uniquely written as well. Patron's characters stand out among some of my favorite, especially the knot-tying Lincoln. You can read reviews I've written about her books here on my blog (Lucky Breaks was my last post). Ms Patron is a lovely person too, and recently friended me on facebook, which was quite a treat for me.
So, what are some of your favorites? Which ones should I be reading (and reviewing)?
For more information on Children's Book Week, please visit the official webpage. Be sure to check there for events in your area as well!
To kick things off, what are some of your favorite children's books, and why do you love them? You need not rate them if that's too hard, all you need to do is name a few off the top of your head.
Growing up I remember loving quite a few books, but some stood out more than others. First, there was the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard. My grandmother gave me Mandie and the Jumping Juniper (book 17) for Christmas one year and gave a different Mandie book to each of the girls from my generation. I read through mine and loved it, then I read through my sister's (which I loved more to be honest). Eventually I read through all 40 books, plus the special, the Young Mandie series, and now New Horizons. It actually kind of breaks my heart that I will never know what happens to my favorite young detective (and which guy she ultimately ends up with) because the wonderful author, Ms Leppard passed away last year. I really wish I could have met her and thanked her for how much this series has done for me and all the hard times it got me through. I owe her so much.
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll was another book that I read and reread constantly. The copy I owned had once belonged to my great (or possibly great-great) grandmother. It was leather bound and small enough to fit in my pocket, and believe me, I carried it every where. I remember one Spring I kept it in my coat pocket and any time I was in a car or a line, I would pull it out and read from wherever I had left off previously. I still own the copy, though I must admit that it is torn and ragged and the front cover fell off. I no longer read that one, but keep it safe, and own a brand-new hardcover version that comes with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I credit this book with first getting me to enjoy reading, and also to enjoy fantasy.
Holes by Louis Sachar holds a very special place in my heart as well. I'm feeling a little old now because I remember reading this book many times when I was younger, and just October I met Louis Sachar on the 10th Anniversary of his publication of Holes. I first saw it at a book fair and I'm not sure whether I chose it or my mother chose it for me, but somehow I ended up with my own copy. And we read it in school. My best memory, however, is after my mother read it, she decided to read it to the rest of the family. We would sit down together for dinner at that time (something we haven't done in ages now, I admit) and every night she would read us the next chapter of the book. Afterwards, we would discuss it, and sometimes convince her to read a second chapter. It really brought my family together, even for a short time. The Anniversary Tour was great because I was able to go with my mother and my brother (who, coincidentally was reading it in school at that time), so it was something we could share again, 10 years later, though there were only 3 of us instead of 7. Mr. Sachar is a wonderful man, as well. On that night we were also introduced to Small Steps which I had always known about, but had never known was related to Holes--this book is equally brilliant, though completely other.
It's no secret that these days I'm completely in love with Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky, and more recently, its sequel, Lucky Breaks. The messages of these books are so strong and the books are wonderfully and uniquely written as well. Patron's characters stand out among some of my favorite, especially the knot-tying Lincoln. You can read reviews I've written about her books here on my blog (Lucky Breaks was my last post). Ms Patron is a lovely person too, and recently friended me on facebook, which was quite a treat for me.
So, what are some of your favorites? Which ones should I be reading (and reviewing)?
For more information on Children's Book Week, please visit the official webpage. Be sure to check there for events in your area as well!
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Link: Contest: Free Copy of Shrinking Violet!
I read about Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph on the Simon & Schuester website a little while ago & I liked the premise! I've been waiting for this one to come out, and now Danielle is offering a free copy on her website! All you have to do is link to the contest. Go check it out!
About the Book (official): High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize -- Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...
About the Book (official): High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out -- doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T -- and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize -- Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Link: Contest: How to Win a Love of Reading
Over on Ten Cent Notes the ever-fabulous Jordyn is giving away a free copy of How to Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment. Extra entries for every link you post to the contest, which is what I'm doing. Even so, you should check out her other blog posts too, she's great!
Go here to enter!
Go here to enter!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Inkheart vs Stravaganza & A Wrinkle In Time
Okay, those of you who follow me here know that I also have a blog on which I post my favorite quotes: Typeset Quotes. When I was on there today I clicked the Madeleine L'Engle tag and it took me to all of the posts on wordpress with that tag (which is odd & I don't like this feature) but it lead me to this post (which contains big spoilers for A Wrinkle in Time). In the post the author compares A Wrinkle in Time with Cornelia Funke's Inkheart. I brought this up with my friend Casye and I think that blog would have been better if they had continued with the Inkheart line of thought, because it was interesting. So I have a few points to add to what they said.
I will do my best to exclude spoilers, but I promise nothing for the little stuff. Big spoilers will not appear here, ever.
A Wrinkle in Time: main character is Meg
Inkheart: main character is Meggie
Well...yes, that's true, but I don't think that really says much about the book.
A Wrinkle in Time: father is mysteriously missing
Inkheart: mother is mysteriously missing
Okay, a good point, and a driving point in each book. This is actually a very common theme in books, to not have one parent there. It's definitely prevalent in Disney movies and I really do not understand that. The fact that one of the parents is gone is a good emotional topic with the main character. Do they feel resentment? Do they feel pain or sadness? Are they indifferent? Something like this can be taken in a lot of different ways.
Now, when we bring in the "mysteriously missing" part, we open a whole new world of questions. Where have they gone? When did they go? How did they get there? Was it against their will? Will the child find out? Does someone else know and keep this secret from the child? Will the child go to find them? Will they ever find them? These kinds of questions are the things readers wonder, and that's exactly what the author wants. These are the kinds of questions, when approached in a good way, make a great book. I think this worked out well for both of the examples listed.
A Wrinkle in Time: a stranger shows up on a stormy night (Mrs. Whatsit)
Inkheart: a stranger shows up on a stormy night (Dustfinger)
Okay, now this is the point that I really wanted to discuss. It is a very good correlation between the two books, but I think it can be taken a step farther. They are strangers that show up on a stormy night, yes, but they are also strangers who become integral to the plot and very important to the main character. Meggie would never have known about her father's gift in Inkheart if it were not for Dustfinger, nor would Meggie & Mo know about the kind of trouble they were in. If Dustfinger hadn't shown up at that time, who knows what would have happened. We may have never met Elinor! That would have been a travesty! And without Dustfinger the story would have ended at book 1 (and we wouldn't have been able to see Paul Bettany shirtless in the movie ;D )
In A Wrinkle in Time, nothing would have happened without the appearance of Mrs. Whatsit on that stormy night. We would not have known that Meg's father was still alive, that there was such a thing as a tesseract, anything about The Black Thing, never have met Mrs. Who & Mrs. Which, never gone to Uriel or anything else. We would have spent the next 100 pages sitting in the Murry's kitchen talking about how bed sheets have gone missing in the town. I don't think I am even exaggerating here. This is proof that a good character, or a good entrance, can be the deciding factor in the success of a book.
[On a side note, these are also my two favorite characters in their respective books.]
------
Now, when I was trying to think of other things to say between these books, all I could think of was how similar Inkheart was to the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman. I've been thinking this a lot lately as I've just begun reading City of Secrets the fourth and newest book in the series. Let's take a look, shall we?
Inkheart: Main character can be transported in & out of book worlds
Stravaganza: City of Masks: Main character is transported between worlds with the use of a book
This is very imporant in both books, in fact, the entire plot of each book rests on this point. Inkheart would be nothing without the ability to bookjump (I'll borrow the phrase from Fforde's Thursday Next series). I mean, really, do you want to read about a book doctor? Let's spend whole chapters on how he chooses which endpapers to use. NOT. And City of Masks would have been extremely depressing if all it we read about was how Lucian was slowly dying of cancer. No, it's so much better if he gets transported to Talia where he is healthy and awesome and gets to have adventures. As readers, don't we all wish books would open themselves up to us in new ways and let us simply fall in? They already take us on adventures, but we only get to live these vicariously, wouldn't it be so much better if we experienced these for ourselves? I thought so, that's why these books are such a hit.
I need to cut this short because it's 23:49 and I have an anthropology exam at 900 which I know nothing for. But let me just add this one last thing:
Inkheart: Meggie has an aunt Elinor who is obsessed with books
Stravaganza: City of Secrets: Matt has an aunt Eva who is obsessed with books
I will try to expand on this tomorrow if I can.
To all you readers out there, I do highly recommend Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Stravaganza: City of Maks by Mary Hoffman, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and also Thursday Next: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.
I will do my best to exclude spoilers, but I promise nothing for the little stuff. Big spoilers will not appear here, ever.
Inkheart: main character is Meggie
Well...yes, that's true, but I don't think that really says much about the book.
Inkheart: mother is mysteriously missing
Okay, a good point, and a driving point in each book. This is actually a very common theme in books, to not have one parent there. It's definitely prevalent in Disney movies and I really do not understand that. The fact that one of the parents is gone is a good emotional topic with the main character. Do they feel resentment? Do they feel pain or sadness? Are they indifferent? Something like this can be taken in a lot of different ways.
Now, when we bring in the "mysteriously missing" part, we open a whole new world of questions. Where have they gone? When did they go? How did they get there? Was it against their will? Will the child find out? Does someone else know and keep this secret from the child? Will the child go to find them? Will they ever find them? These kinds of questions are the things readers wonder, and that's exactly what the author wants. These are the kinds of questions, when approached in a good way, make a great book. I think this worked out well for both of the examples listed.
Inkheart: a stranger shows up on a stormy night (Dustfinger)
Okay, now this is the point that I really wanted to discuss. It is a very good correlation between the two books, but I think it can be taken a step farther. They are strangers that show up on a stormy night, yes, but they are also strangers who become integral to the plot and very important to the main character. Meggie would never have known about her father's gift in Inkheart if it were not for Dustfinger, nor would Meggie & Mo know about the kind of trouble they were in. If Dustfinger hadn't shown up at that time, who knows what would have happened. We may have never met Elinor! That would have been a travesty! And without Dustfinger the story would have ended at book 1 (and we wouldn't have been able to see Paul Bettany shirtless in the movie ;D )
In A Wrinkle in Time, nothing would have happened without the appearance of Mrs. Whatsit on that stormy night. We would not have known that Meg's father was still alive, that there was such a thing as a tesseract, anything about The Black Thing, never have met Mrs. Who & Mrs. Which, never gone to Uriel or anything else. We would have spent the next 100 pages sitting in the Murry's kitchen talking about how bed sheets have gone missing in the town. I don't think I am even exaggerating here. This is proof that a good character, or a good entrance, can be the deciding factor in the success of a book.
[On a side note, these are also my two favorite characters in their respective books.]
------
Now, when I was trying to think of other things to say between these books, all I could think of was how similar Inkheart was to the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman. I've been thinking this a lot lately as I've just begun reading City of Secrets the fourth and newest book in the series. Let's take a look, shall we?
Inkheart: Main character can be transported in & out of book worlds
Stravaganza: City of Masks: Main character is transported between worlds with the use of a book
This is very imporant in both books, in fact, the entire plot of each book rests on this point. Inkheart would be nothing without the ability to bookjump (I'll borrow the phrase from Fforde's Thursday Next series). I mean, really, do you want to read about a book doctor? Let's spend whole chapters on how he chooses which endpapers to use. NOT. And City of Masks would have been extremely depressing if all it we read about was how Lucian was slowly dying of cancer. No, it's so much better if he gets transported to Talia where he is healthy and awesome and gets to have adventures. As readers, don't we all wish books would open themselves up to us in new ways and let us simply fall in? They already take us on adventures, but we only get to live these vicariously, wouldn't it be so much better if we experienced these for ourselves? I thought so, that's why these books are such a hit.
I need to cut this short because it's 23:49 and I have an anthropology exam at 900 which I know nothing for. But let me just add this one last thing:
Inkheart: Meggie has an aunt Elinor who is obsessed with books
Stravaganza: City of Secrets: Matt has an aunt Eva who is obsessed with books
I will try to expand on this tomorrow if I can.
To all you readers out there, I do highly recommend Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Stravaganza: City of Maks by Mary Hoffman, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and also Thursday Next: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
The Triad of Dysfunction (My YouTube Collab Channel)
This year I will be doing a video correspondence channel with my two best friends who are away at school. You can all watch us here on YouTube, or just go to YouTube & search "triad of dysfunction"
You can also watch me on my regular channel, here.
So far we only have up our project introduction and my personal introduction, but I will be bothering the other girls to get up videos soon.
If you do watch, leave a comment! I love opening my email and seeing all the notifications for new comments. It brightens up my day.
Okay, that's all I wanted to say, really...hm...maybe I should make this more blog-y?
Well, today I pulled out my old laptop and started typing up everything on this laptop from one of my books. See, my old laptop only has a floppy drive (it's that old, I had a PC in between), so it's really hard to get information off of there. I could save it to floppy, transfer it to the PC, and then get it on my macbook via the network, but the PC is acting up and refuses to cooperate with much of anything today. And I really needed those old chapters. So I did it all manually and it's a pain, but I think I prefer it. This way I get to read through all of the older chapters and refresh my memory or find things to bring up again later. It's great for me! That, and I get to laugh at all my old jokes. :D
If anyone cares to read it, I wrote a ridiculous children's story here that is not meant to be a serious story, but as a joke for my friend Jenny. If I ever want to though, I'm convinced I could easily rework it into a real story.
You can also watch me on my regular channel, here.
So far we only have up our project introduction and my personal introduction, but I will be bothering the other girls to get up videos soon.
If you do watch, leave a comment! I love opening my email and seeing all the notifications for new comments. It brightens up my day.
Okay, that's all I wanted to say, really...hm...maybe I should make this more blog-y?
Well, today I pulled out my old laptop and started typing up everything on this laptop from one of my books. See, my old laptop only has a floppy drive (it's that old, I had a PC in between), so it's really hard to get information off of there. I could save it to floppy, transfer it to the PC, and then get it on my macbook via the network, but the PC is acting up and refuses to cooperate with much of anything today. And I really needed those old chapters. So I did it all manually and it's a pain, but I think I prefer it. This way I get to read through all of the older chapters and refresh my memory or find things to bring up again later. It's great for me! That, and I get to laugh at all my old jokes. :D
If anyone cares to read it, I wrote a ridiculous children's story here that is not meant to be a serious story, but as a joke for my friend Jenny. If I ever want to though, I'm convinced I could easily rework it into a real story.
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