Book Rec's

Okay, I don't typically post a ton of book reviews or recommendations- but Wow.


I don't know why I hadn't read any of Courtney Summers' novels before. I'd heard about them, but there is just so much awesomeness out in YA that I hadn't made it to that corner of my TBR stack.


Anyway, I had one of my manuscript's edited by (author/editor/one girl band), the amazingly helpful Tara Kelly a while back and she mentioned Courtney's books. My main character in the novel  she edited is not the nicest of gals, and Tara asked if I had read any of Courtney's novels because she writes the perfect "mean girl," without making her unrelatable or unlikeable.


Last night, while downloading some more books for our trip, I decided to download CRACKED UP TO BE. Then, I made the mistake of reading the first page. And then the second. And then I stayed up all night because- It.blew.me.away. Seriously. This is the kind of book I wish I had when I was a teen. THIS was real. This is Contemporary Young Adult at it's best. There a zillion amazing reviews on Goodreads and Amazon about her books, I can't write well enough to do them anymore justice- except to say that I have a to-do-list about 3 miles long before we leave Thursday for three weeks- and 3 kids to be taking care of right now, but I HAD to stop and spread the word about how glad I am that Tara passed along the recommendation. And how thankful I am that authors like Courtney write characters who bend the rules of the "cookie cutter" YA main character- aren't afraid to be different, even cruel- real.


These books are why I read and write Young Adult.

I went ahead and downloaded the rest of her novels, and am forcing myself to set the Nook down until our trip Thursday, but I doubt I'll be successful. Give them a shot!

Escape at Bedtime

When I was growing up, my favorite books were Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry and From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. After that, I loved The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High and anything R.L. Stine that I could get my hands on. But before that- before I picked out my own books- there were a few that stuck with me- and continue to to this day. I still have these cherished books, and read them to my own children. This is the gloriousness of children's literature. 


This copy of NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS by Irma Joyce- Illustrated by George Buckett is almost 30 years old. 

How awesome are these illustrations?? Also, I apparently used to be okay with writing in books (cringe) because I wrote down "Trina's" phone number on the bottom of the cover page. Should I call her up? I don't remember a Trina....






MY kids adore this just as much as I did (and still do) THE VERY WORST MONSTER by Pat Hutchins. I remember this book so vividly- especially because it was originally a library book that I lost and that my parents had to buy. I found it later, and I'm so glad that I did. 

This book was not only MY favorite when I was little, but also my older sister and younger brothers- as you can tell by the wear and tear. :(  My mom said that she used to get so sick of reading the same book over and over night after night that she would try to skip pages. We would never fall for it... Poor mama. MICKEY'S HAUNTED HOUSE (a Walt Disney Book)

And last, but definitely not least. Tasha Tudor's BEDTIME BOOK. You guys, this book is so amazing. I know that there a zillion bedtime story collections out there, but this one- ah, this is what I think of when I think of a story collection. These stories have not only stayed in my heart, but even in the heart of my stone-cold sister, who we sometimes question whether she actually has a heart. (Hey, Jen!) :)  She and I actually fought over who would get the book when we left home. She won. What's new. I ordered a copy online. So what if it isn't the *exact* copy from my childhood- I already have Trina's number in a different book! ;)

THE SUGAR PLUM TREE
by Eugene Field
I remember how magical this poem felt when I was young- it still does

THE STAR DIPPER. My sister and I tear up when we think of our
mom sitting on the end of one of our beds, reading this one to us.
I get a lump in my throat when I read it, still.

ESCAPE AT BEDTIME
by: Robert Louis Stevenson


The lights in the parlor and kitchen shone out
Through the blinds and the windows and bars;
And high overhead and all moving about,
There were thousands and millions of stars.
There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree,
Nor of people in church or the park,
As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me,
And that glittered and winked in the dark.
The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter and all,
And the Star of the Sailor, and Mars,
These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall
Would be half full of water and stars.
They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries,
And they soon had me packed into bed;
But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes,
And the stars going round in my head.

Writerly Inspiration...

Comes in the form of a Damien Rice song a good 70% of the time.... xo

What I've learned about writing dueling narratives

Someone on the QT forum recently posted a question asking for input on how to write a novel that it from two different pov's. The manuscript that I am currently querying has alternating pov's, the chapters go back and forth between  a male and female's perspective. I have always loved books like this, and when I sat down and began writing, I knew after completing the first chapter that I wanted a second pov. Why? I don't know- I just did. Turns out, that isn't a good enough reason. 


I, of course, am no expert, and these are basically common sense things, but I thought I'd mention them just the same. 


The first thing I learned: 
THERE HAS TO BE A REASON. (I wish that I could make this in neon flashing lights)


Really, there does. Simply just *wanting* to write from two perspectives isn't  a good enough reason. Each character has to have their own story and subplots outside of each other or it won't work. Readers won't understand why they are supposed to care about that character if they have no substance. You can't write all of your female character scenes day dreaming about the male narrator. There has to be something else that makes her interesting and keeps readers attention- just like in a single narration. Each characters individual struggles have to matter just as much as the ones that they face together.


The second thing that I learned: 
YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE VOICES SEPARATE. 


This was easier said than done. I really thought that I had done a decent job with making each character walk, talk, sound completely different in my drafts. But then I had an über helpful beta point out, "um, they both say [fill in the blank] an awful lot." Really? I had no idea. Really, I didn't. It is so easy to let the voices meld together. Or to let both characters scratch their noses when they are nervous. It is a lot easier to keep the characters sounding distinctively different when they have enough of their own lives, interests, favorite foods, plots, etc... to distinguish them from each other. 


Some books that have pulled this off extremely well are:


1. Simone Elkeles PERFECT CHEMISTRY (Flawless job of separating the two main characters. I *wish* that I could write like this!)


2. Jodi Picoult's MY SISTER'S KEEPER (She pulls off not just two pov's but several very, very well!)


3. David Levithan & Rachel Cohn's NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST (Amazing job by the two authors- I'd love to try a dueling narrative with someone else someday!) also, their DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES is a great example, as well!


4.  Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER & LINGER. Maggie does a great job of letting you get to know each of the characters through her alternating narrative.


5. Stephenie Meyer's BREAKING DAWN. Yeah, I went there. I know there is some argument about whether she writes "well" or not, but truly, she does an amazing job with keeping Bella and Jacob's narration interesting, relevant and real.
So!
Do you enjoy reading multiple points-of-view, or to stay inside one narrator's head? Any other good examples that you can think of?