I cried three times related to Harry Potter.
1) When Fawkes flew away in Half-Blood Prince.
2) During the walk into the forest in Deathly Hallows.
3) The day after I finished the series and realized there were no new Hogwarts experiences to be had.
What do you think about profanity in literature? Some people can’t stand it, think it reveals sloppy writing, insist that writers can still get their point across without using curse words.
Wendy Lawton, an agent at Books & Such Literary, recently blogged:
But for me the biggest reason to avoid questionable language in a book is that it is usually lazy writing. It’s like telling instead of showing. Rather than just put a cuss word in a character’s mouth, there are so many more powerful ways to get the attitude and language across.
(You can read her entire post here.)
My friend and fellow writer Addie Zierman, whose memoir was released this week, likewise blogged about why her Christian memoir has R-rated words, saying:
And yet maybe there’s that person who needs to hear it. The bad word, the foul word, the one that cuts into the hard reality of her life. Maybe she needs to know that God is big enough to go even there. That his grace makes beauty from what is hard and ugly and foul. That he loves her more than all that.
Grace Biskie, a Christian blogger, used some profanity in one of her posts and then later defended her swearing, saying this:
Jesus is my life. Jesus is my everything. Jesus is my all in all. ALL MY EGGS are in the Jesus basket. I have no other eggs, no other baskets. Everything about me lives and breathes and moves and longs for Jesus. I long to live life in the presence of God, faithful to the work that He’s given me. What I want you to know about why I swear, in light of allegiance to my faith is this: I’m trying to fucking survive. That’s all I can say. That’s all I can tell you. … If you are worried about me, don’t. I have an inner circle. I have a therapist. I have Jesus. And thankfully, antidepressants.
I’d like to hear your thoughts, readers– Christian and otherwise. My young adult novel (on submission right now) has more than a handful of curse words, including a couple of the dreaded F-bombs. When I was writing those scenes, though, it truly felt that no other word would capture the complete devastation of those moments. They are sad, scary, heartbreaking scenes where the characters are broken, and no other word felt powerful enough to reach out and slap the reader’s heart in a way that they could realize the ruins my characters lay in.
I will lose some readers because of this, I imagine. My own mother and sister don’t understand my “need” to use such harsh words in my writing. I know that if my brother reads my story, he will be disappointed with my word choices. But I don’t feel guilty, and I know that part of that is due to the spiritual freedom I’ve experienced since God and ERP broke my shackles four years ago.
Let’s start a discussion in the comments below, friends! All opinions welcome! Play nice.
Picture this.
You’ve been working on your novel for almost two years. The first draft was so long ago that you laugh over your silly non-ending and lack of conflict with friends who have read the completed story. For a year and a half, you’ve been refining, editing, polishing the story to a high gloss. You’ve had the luxury of being picky and choosy over individual words and phrases. You can decide to drop in an extra image here or there as if you’re scattering flower petals. You know your characters so well that their reaction to things comes automatically, without reaching.
And then
you start all over with a new story, new first draft. It’s rough and ugly and the characters are stereotypes. You barely know how to start, and every paragraph you write, you want to go back and fix, make perfect. But that’s not what a first draft is like, and you know it. You can remember that years ago, the novel that you’ve just perfected also came out stilted and wrong, but it’s so far away and you’ve become so accustomed to polishing instead of drafting that it’s
quite
jarring.
First of all, happy 3rd birthday to my church!
Secondly, Between Shades of Gray, which, by the way, is not connected in any way to Fifty Shades of Gray. Between Shades of Gray is a young adult novel about 15-year-old Lina, a Lithuanian refugee, in the time of Joseph Stalin.
The book was fascinating, sad, brutal, and important.
It seems to me that while there are many books recounting the horrors of the Holocaust at the hand of Adolf Hitler, there are relatively few stories sharing the atrocities of Stalin (who, by the way, is responsible for more deaths than Hitler).
With the exception of The Book Thief, historical fiction is generally not my favorite to read (although I was a history minor in undergrad!). That said, this novel is so important and eye-opening. It drew me in, this story of a promising young artist being deported to Siberia with her mother and brother– for reasons she didn’t know. It’s a lovely story of the ferocity of the human will, and it definitely made me cry.
Stories like these are hard for me– and often result in a one-time-through read (i.e. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Casual Vacancy, etc.). That said, I cannot stress what an important book this is– and I recommend it.
After reading The Scorpio Races by Stiefvater (and wanting to roll around it and coat myself with awesomeness), I figured I’d better read The Raven Boys, also by her … and on my shelf since January (Des’s husband Matt bought it for me for my birthday!).
The premise is a little involved: Blue’s mom is a psychic, and she’s been told forever that if she (Blue) kisses her true love, then he’ll die. Enter four boys from the nearby prep school: Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah. They all have very distinct and awesome personalities, and the brotherhood between the four is incredible! Gansey is on a personal mission to find a ley line. Craziness ensues.
You know what? I liked it. But moreso for the characters and their relationships and interactions with each other than for the whole psychic-and-ley-line-search plot.
Which reaffirmed to me that contemporary is the right “genre” for me to be writing in.
I do so love Gansey and Adam, though, and I already requested the audiobook* for The Dream Thieves (book two) from the library. Looking forward to it!
* The audiobooks are read by Will Patton, and it’s a treat to listen to his Virginia drawl!!! A definite bonus.
Have you read The Raven Boys? Will you?
It’s time for an update on my love life.
(Please note: my entire love life is fictional.)
(For now.)
And so I present to you …
My Top 8 Literary Boyfriends
1. Silas Hart of Truest
Is it unfair that I put the boy from my own book first? I essentially created him to be my perfect boyfriend, were I seventeen years old. A deep-thinking, goofy-as-all-get-out, handsome young poet. Yup.
2. Augustus Waters of The Fault in Our Stars
He takes metaphorically fraught freethrows, for goodness sakes.
3. Jonah Griggs of Jellicoe Road
Causing a riot is what he does best.
4. Sean Kendrick of The Scorpio Races
My newest love! He can swallow you with his eyes.
5. Will Trombal of Saving Francesca and The Piper’s Son
“His voice is deep and gravelly. I once heard one of the girls say that he had the voice of a sex god, but because I’ve never really heard what a sex god sounds like, I can’t verify that.” Works for me.
6. Gilbert Blythe of Anne of Green Gables
Oh Gil! You can call me “Carrots” anytime!
7. Max Vandenberg of The Book Thief
I want a Jewish fist-fighter to protect me.
8. Joe Fontaine of The Sky is Everywhere
The smile. It always comes back to that smile.
Your turn!!
How to keep your finger on the pulse of the YA writing world?
1) Read YA lit like a fiend.
2) Subscribe to the Goodreads YA newsletter.
3) Follow author blogs/websites.
4) Follow amazing YA lit blogs!
Here are some of my favorites (click the graphic to go to the blog):
P.S. I sometimes disagree with their reviews, but I am always grateful for the way they keep me up to speed on what’s new in the YA world.
P.P.S. I actually follow about 80 writing- & literature-related blogs (not to mention the OCD-related, faith-related, and miscellaneous blogs I follow). I hope to introduce you to some more amazing blogs soon.
P.P.P.S. I don’t watch TV. (The answer to your question of “How do you have the time to read so many blogs?”)
Five things I want:
1. A book deal.
This one is the top of the list.
2. A boyfriend.
And I want him to be funny and handsome and strange.
3. Money to go to all the conferences I wanted!
I’d really love to attend BookExpo America, the OCD national conference, SCBWI, and VidCon.
4. A bigger platform.
In other words, I wish my blog had 10 million followers or that I was an internet celebrity.
5. To meet Melina Marchetta and John Green.
I would die.
Random 5 Friday is a weekly meme over at A Rural Journal.
Almost a year ago, I made a valiant attempt at writing fan fiction. I used an already-created set of 50 words as one-sentence prompts. Today, I’m going to use those same 50 words as the framework for a word association book survey. Join me and post your own!
What book(s) do the following words make you think of?
#01 – Comfort
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
When kids act like grown-ups …
#02 – Kiss
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Oh, Jonah Griggs.
#03 – Soft
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
“He mimicked her soft soprano.”
#04 – Pain
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Just read it.
#05 – Potatoes
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
One more thing to steal. Oh Arthur Berg.
#06 – Rain
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Joe Fontaine. Rain. Kiss. Yes.
#07 – Chocolate
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. “Here,” he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. “Eat it. It’ll help.”
#08 – Happiness
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Mixed candy.
#09 – Telephone
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
“Seamus told me that Dean told him that Parvati …”
#10 – Ears
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
When Adam’s ears turned pink and Blue noticed!
#11 – Name
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
I can’t not think of it with a prompt like “name.”
#12 – Sensual
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
When Perry is teaching Aria about poisonous berries … gosh.
#13 – Death
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Death is, after all, the narrator of this book.
#14 – Sex
Froi of the Exiles
Am I right, or am I right?
#15 – Touch
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The main character’s touch is lethal.
#16 – Weakness
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
#17 – Tears
The Shatter Me series
Does it feel like Juliette is always crying?
#18 – Speed
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
#19 – Wind
Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Sailboat!
#20 – Freedom
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Out in the Death Shop!
#21 – Life
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
#22 – Jealousy
The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Oh Tom.
#23 – Hands
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
“Holding Eleanor’s hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive.”
#24 – Taste
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Dirty girl, Jackie Lea!
#25 – Devotion
The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Will Trombal’s tatt. Enough said.
#26 – Forever
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
Fo. Sho.
#27 – Blood
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
Not why you’d expect.
#28 – Sickness
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The kiddos meet in cancer support group.
#29 – Melody
Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Blood sings to blood.
#30 – Star
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Coriakin. Ramandu.
#31 – Home
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Mmm.
#32 – Confusion
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Giant HUH moment.
#33 – Fear
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
Earth’s rotation is slowing …
#34 – Lightning/Thunder
#35 – Bonds
Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Another tatt.
#36 – Market
The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis
Chippingfoot.
#37 – Technology
The Chaos Walking trilogy!
#38 – Gift
Everyday by David Levithan
Just read it. You’ll see what I mean.
#39 – Smile
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
I have never read a more walloping description of a smile.
#40 – Innocence
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montegomery
#41 – Completion
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Duh.
#42 – Clouds
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The cover. 🙂
#43 – Sky
Under the Never Sky series
Aether.
#44 – Heaven
The Mortal Instruments series
It’s about angels, yo!
#45 – Hell
The Mortal Instruments series
It’s about demons, yo!
#46 – Sun
This is Shyness by Leanne Hall
The sun doesn’t rise in Shyness.
#47 – Moon
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
“All night, Aslan and the moon stared at one another with unblinking eyes.” (Or something like that.)
#48 – Waves
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
#49 – Hair
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
I always think of that line: “The kiss was serious. Serious like my hair, thought Janie.” 🙂
&
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Oh, that hair!
#50 – Supernova
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Because Augustus is amazing. 🙂
What book did these words make YOU think of?
Not literally. (Not yet– although today was a rainy and cool Minnesota autumn day.)
But a little paralyzed about moving forward with my new novel idea. (Is “a little paralyzed” an oxymoron?)
I have done my pseudo-writing.
I found an idea I’m really excited about. (Surprise [to you and me]: it’s not at all what I thought it would be.)
I am armed with a first draft manifesto to wield against doubts, poor choices, and bad writing.
Heck, I even thought out the entire storyline. I’m generally a pantser, so this is extreme, folks.
BUT …
I’m scared to commit to this idea.
And I’m intimidated by other great writers.
And I don’t know where to start.
HOWEVER …
That’s what my creative process looks like. I need to trust it.
It’s just another go-around on the writing rollercoaster.
Here I goooooooooooooooooo!!!
JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 