Summer Readin'

I always crash into summer with some reading. As soon as that last bell rings and I put that last box of papers away, I head to my little stash of books that I have been tucking away until I have "more time." Here are some of the reads I am looking forward to or have already enjoyed in my first few days of summer. Fun reading with cute boys--my favorite!

233 in the Library

I've been neglecting my blog. Sorry. The winter months are always hard for me. It is bitterly cold here in Texas, I am stuck in my house, my kids are stuck in the house, I am tired of wearing frumpy layers, yada, yada, yada . . .

So, I'm trying to snap out of my funk, and here goes.

I thought I would write about our recent trip to the school library. I try to take my classes every couple of weeks, but we hadn't been there in several weeks because of the Christmas break. I am happy to say that there were lots of books checked out that day.

Here are some of the more popular titles that students were asking about:

1. Hunger Games

2. Catching Fire

3. Mockingjay

4. Crank

5. Burned

6. A Child Called It

7. Dear John

8. Looking for Alaska

There were many other books that they talked about that day, but this is what I remember for now. I will get more info tomorrow to share. Happy reading.

I also opened a GoodReads account. Feel free to peruse my shelves!

Speaking up for SPEAK

Several years ago I did a unit of Literature Circles with a group of students. The process of Lit Circles has students choose novels and the students who read the same novel work their way through the book together. The few years that I have done this, I usually choose a book and read with a group as well.

One year, I chose to read the novel Speak with a group. That year the group happened to be all girls--there were three of them, and I made member number four.

I remember talking about how sassy Melinda was, how we loved how she nicknamed her teachers, and that we ached for her lonely situation. One of the girls in the group was very artistic and made wonderful art pieces to go along with the book.

I got to "the scene" before the girls did, so I knew what was coming, but I was unprepared for their reaction. They had read that part on their own, and then we were to have a discussion. I remember that day as the girls sat kind of quietly for a while, we didn't really know what to say. Then one of girls looked up at the rest of us and there were tears streaming down her face. We all froze; we all knew what she was trying to say. One of the other girls reached over and grabbed her hand. I knew if she wanted to talk, she would, and I did the only thing I could think of--I read the next part to them. I wanted desperately to show them that Melinda was okay, that she was able to overcome what happened to her. I remember looking up to see those hands clasped together as I read to them. It still chokes me up to this day. A few days later, the girl came up to my desk during class, her copy of Speak in her hands, and asked to go see the counselor. She seemed like a weight had been removed from her shoulders. She never told us her story, she didn't need to, Melinda told it for us.

The power of this novel speaks volumes. Students and teens must have a chance to read this book. Taking this book away from students or calling it "soft porn" is the same ignorance that took Melinda's voice away. We must continue letting this story get to students and the world.
I had the good fortune of meeting Laurie Halse Anderson a few years ago. I wanted to tell her this story of my student, but just got choked up instead. That's the power of this book. It speaks for us--for all of us.

For more information about Laurie Halse Anderson or the article that is misleading people about her book, please visit her blog and please SPEAK up for her book.

Using Screenwriting Techniques for Novels

I have given in to temptation and started working on a new idea. I am not going to go so far as to say I am writing a new book, because, well, no writing is happening yet. And we leave tomorrow to take my son to a place to help with his developmental issues, so I don't want a book to take over my life as we embark on this important journey for him.

The thing is--the idea has become a nag. Nag, nag, nag. It's like when your ears get stopped up after flying and you can't really think of much else but relieving that tension. So, here I go.

To get started, I know I want to use a three-act structure, similar to a screenplay. I headed out on the trusty ol' internet, and found a great source from the master himself--Syd Field. I have read The Foundations of Screenwriting and studied the makings of a screenplay. Many people recommend using this structure for novels, and since I write books for teens, and teens watch lots of movies, I think this is the best route to go.

On Syd Field's website, he explains the Three-Act Paradigm (in a great slideshow nonetheless), and even offers some exercises to help a writer work with the paradigm. It is a great resource and inspiration.

Influence

Things have been a little quiet around here. School has hit the busy testing/research time of year, we had lots of rain, and my kids and dogs all have spring fever. So while I may not have had a chance to blog, edit, or write, I have been thinking and reading. I finished two books over the last couple of weeks that have influenced me to try something to help my own WIP.

The two books, When It Happens and Two-Way Street both have two points of view--alternating chapters with the girl and the boy. I have always been a little skeptical of multiple points of view--it can feel like head-hopping, but it worked well in both of these books. One of the strongest elements that contributed to the clarity of the narrator were that the chapter headings made it clear who it was that was talking.

These two books got me thinking that I needed to get to know my characters better by writing as if I were them. I don't think the multiple point of views will work for this WIP, but I am off to write some chapters from Daniel's point of view as a writing exercise. My editing has reached a crossroads where I really have to deepen my book and up the stakes--and who better to tell me what to do than the characters I created.

Ten YA Books

Over on the Verla Kay Blueboards (which is a great place for aspiring writers, by the way), they were discussing the top ten books that every young adult author should read, and it got me thinking about my list. I don't know about calling it a "must read" list, but I do have ten books that I feel were influential for me. They influenced me in different ways. Some sparked an urge to read more by that author, some made me run to my computer and type out a chapter, others transported me back to being a teen and things were ok, and some just left me speechless.

In no particular order, I am listing them below.

1) Forever by Judy Blume
2) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
3) Looking for Alaska by John Green
4) The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen
5) The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
6) Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan
7) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
8) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
9) The New Girls by Beth Gutcheon
10)Seventh Heaven by Alice Hoffman (I know this isn't considered YA, but still influential to my writing.)
This will change soon; it is ever evolving. Maybe I should go read some of them now.