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| Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 |
kellyrfineman
|
9:19p |
Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
 Today was the release day of Chasing Brooklyn, a novel in verse by Lisa Schroeder. I had the great pleasure (and luck!) of reading this one in ARC form prior to my interview of Lisa for the Winter Blog Blast Tour. I had read and enjoyed Far From You and I Heart You, You Haunt Me*, Lisa's prior YA novels, but Chasing Brooklyn breaks new ground. For one thing, it's written in two voices: that of Brooklyn, a teenage girl who has been traumatized by the death of her boyfriend, Lucca, in an accident that happened a year ago, and that of Nico, Lucca's brother. Brooklyn would give anything to see of hear from Lucca again, but it turns out that Lucca is in communication with Nicco, urging Nicco to help Brooklyn. Brooklyn, you see, who has barely started to climb out of the pit of depression that followed Nicco's death, is being haunted by Gabe, a mutual friend who committed suicide out of remorse over Nicco's death. Impelled to help Brooklyn, Nicco does what he can to console her, including getting her interested in training for a triathlon. Brooklyn finds that running, swimming, and cycling help her to feel better and perhaps work through her grief - that must be why she enjoys spending time with Nicco, right? If only Gabe would leave her alone. If only she could tell someone. But who on earth would believe she's receiving messages from beyond the grave? I'll say no more about the plot, but I will say that this is the most poetic of Lisa's novels yet, and that the alternating chapters and viewpoints totally works. While this novel, like the two before it, deals with overcoming loss (coincidental, according to my interview with Lisa, it manages to examine different sorts of loss (a brother and a son, as described from Nicco's descriptions of himself and his family, a boyfriend and a friend, as described by Brooklyn) and different ways of manifesting grief (during the various stages of grief, as well). Once again, Lisa demonstrates her understanding of the intensity of first love, and offers an understanding of the grief process as well. The story is every bit as beautiful and haunting as that lovely cover. *Fans of I Heart You, You Haunt Me will be pleased to learn that Ava, the main character from that book, makes an appearance in Chasing Brooklyn.
 Current Mood:  tiredCurrent Music: Somewhere Only We Know by Keane (brainradio) |
lisa_schroeder
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11:20a |
The traditional release day vlog
It's become sort of a tradition to do a vlog on release day. This one is quite silly, but sometimes, you just have to let the silly out! Enjoy!! |
boreal_owl
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1:46p |
Quick Book Looks
Three YA novels I've read and enjoyed recently. The owl symbol means I know the author. All of my Quick Book Looks are recommendations.
MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore. Bloomsbury. 
Jackie is on my Friends List. Her debut novel is a unique combination of gothic romance and steampunk fantasy (I think that's the definition of "steampunk." It has an alternate-world Victorian-era setting.) Echoes of Jane Eyre with a well-drawn, unique setting. The ending is satisfying but leaves room for the possiblity of a sequel. Take a look at this stunning trailer, made by her partner, Dale:
Some of the figures were Jackie's own art. A very special book, meant to be savoured and reread. Way to go, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) fabulousfrock !
CRASH INTO ME by Albert Borris. Simon Pulse.
This was an ARC I won in a contest from robinellen .Thanks, Robin!
Albert Borris's debut novel features two boys and two girls, troubled teens who meet online and take a road trip to visit the graves of celebrities who had committed suicide. Will they keep their suicide pact or will they find a reason to live? I liked the narrator's honest voice. The four characters had distinct personalities--some more likeable than others. The structure was interesting, with flashbacks of the online conversations sprinkled throughout. The author worked as a counsellor with depressed teens and his book rings with authenticity. Edgy YA contemporary, available now.
JUMPING OFF SWINGS by Jo Knowles. Candlewick Press.
Jo is on my Friends List. Her second YA novel, told from four points-of-view, is not just a heartbreaking look at teen sex and its consequences. Its four characters are achingly real; the story will haunt you long after you've finished reading. Edgy YA contemporary. Congrats, jbknowles !
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newport2newport
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8:19a |
Close encounters of the best kind
On New Year’s Eve, we dined at The Milky Way, a kosher dairy restaurant in West Los Angeles. Nestled among a stretch of Jewish bookstores, delicatessens and synagogues, this homey place belongs to Leah Adler, aka “Stephen Spielberg’s mom.” The décor is a visual homage to Hollywood luminaries, from chalky autographs in the exposed brick entryway to Sharpie-signed glossies on the stucco walls. The hallways give special tribute to Spielberg's movie accomplishments, E.T. to Schindler’s List.
But make no mistake: Leah's the star of this establishment. She driftes between the kitchen and the cozy banquettes, hovering over her guests like the Jewish mother she is. “Everyone loves my pistachio pasta,” she said, as she passed out copies of her eclectic menu. “Try it—you’ll want to take the recipe home.” My family ordered chimichangas, Asian stir-fry, spinach crepes, and cheese blintzes. But who was I to argue with Spielberg’s mama? Everything was tasty, but oh, that pistachio pasta was out of this world! I complimented her, of course, and as predicted, I asked her for the recipe.
“It’s so simple,” she said, “You chop up your pistachios, and then you saute them with olive oil and garlic. Next, you add your shallots and soy sauce…” “Wait, wait, wait,” I said. “I’m so not a cook! Could you help me by writing this down?” “If you’re not a confident cook,” she said with twinkle in her eyes, “invite someone with decent taste buds to join you.” She grabbed my son's arm, pulling him into our conversation. “Pretend you’re in Betty Crocker’s test kitchen.” Then she whispered a secret behind her hand, “If it doesn’t taste quite right, you probably need more soy sauce.” As we made our way toward the door, I admired her photographic memorabilia. "That one's my favorite," I said, pointing to a candid shot, in which Leah's beaming face is cuddled up close to her smiling son's. "I can tell that you love being a mama."
She nodded. "Oh yes!"
We exchanged knowing glances. "Yeah, me, too,” I said.
We kvelled about our kids, of course, but we also talked about the joys of being our own true selves. "I love your spunky attitude," I said, giving her studio portrait as an example. Inside the milky white frame, Leah is sprawled in a snow-white chaise lounge. She's wearing white from head to toe, save for black-rimmed eyeglasses and a Groucho Marx moustache. “That picture," I said, "has happiness written all over it." “That’s why it's hanging outside the bathrooms," she said with a wink. "People rush past Stephen's posters in a blur, but while they’re waiting for the toilet, I’ve got a captive audience.” We cozied up for a few pictures of our own, and as we hugged good-bye, I thanked her for a delicious meal—and more than that, for all the ways she'd fed my spirit.
She caressed my arm. “You nourished me." And then I got all misty-eyed. "And you, me," I said.
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tamarak
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9:21a |
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kellyrfineman
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9:33a |
A Winter's Persuasion - Chapter Three
We come today to Chapter Three of Persuasion, in which Netherfield Park is let at last. Oh. Wrong novel. Let us say, rather, that a tenant is found for Kellynch Hall. And that while we are on chapter three, we are still in the preliminary scene-setting section of the story, which does not involve the info-dump and tremblings that you may have seen in any film versions of Persuasion. If you are in need of a version of the text to read, having left your own copies at home or whatever, you can read Chapter 3 online at Molland's.com, which begins in media res, a phrase that here means "in the morning room at Kellynch Hall", rather than in the middle of any action, as it appears that Mr. Shepherd, the solicitor/agent, and Sir Walter Elliot, the foolish father of our beloved main character, are sitting about reading newspapers, which, while a form of action, isn't exactly active. Mr. Shepherd suggests that the house might be let to an admiral of the Navy, showing him to be either prescient or else already working to find a tenant for the house and working to soften up Sir Walter Elliot. This chapter gives us one of the first discussions of the Navy found in the book, and is noteworthy for the variety of opinions expressed. Mr. Shepherd and his daughter, Mrs. Clay, use terms like wealthy, liberal (meaning will to spend their money), neat and careful. Anne Elliot speaks of sailors as being hard-working and deserving of all the comforts and privileges any home can give. Sir Walter, of course, looks down on them for two quite separate reasons - one to do with rank, and the other to do with appearance. . . .Sir Walter's remark was, soon afterwards-- "The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it."
"Indeed!" was [Mr. Shepherd's] reply, and with a look of surprise.
"Yes; it is in two points offensive to me; I have two strong grounds of objection to it. First, as being the means of bringing persons of obscure birth into undue distinction, and raising men to honours which their fathers and grandfathers never dreamt of; and secondly, as it cuts up a man's youth and vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man. I have observed it all my life. A man is in greater danger in the navy of being insulted by the rise of one whose father, his father might have disdained to speak to, and of becoming prematurely an object of disgust himself, than in any other line. One day last spring, in town, I was in company with two men, striking instances of what I am talking of; Lord St. Ives, whose father we all know to have been a country curate, without bread to eat; I was to give place to Lord St. Ives, and a certain Admiral Baldwin, the most deplorable-looking personage you can imagine; his face the colour of mahogany, rough and rugged to the last degree; all lines and wrinkles, nine grey hairs of a side, and nothing but a dab of powder at top. 'In the name of heaven, who is that old fellow?' said I to a friend of mine who was standing near, (Sir Basil Morley). 'Old fellow!' cried Sir Basil, 'it is Admiral Baldwin. What do you take his age to be?' 'Sixty,' said I, 'or perhaps sixty-two.' 'Forty,' replied Sir Basil, 'forty, and no more.' Picture to yourselves my amazement; I shall not easily forget Admiral Baldwin. I never saw quite so wretched an example of what a sea-faring life can do; but to a degree, I know it is the same with them all: they are all knocked about, and exposed to every climate, and every weather, till they are not fit to be seen. It is a pity they are not knocked on the head at once, before they reach Admiral Baldwin's age." I have to say that I kind of love Mrs. Clay's reply to him in this scene, for she cajoles him into accepting that other positions also take a toll on a man's health, going so far as to come up with issues that might affect still more "gentlemanly" professions such as soldiering, the law and the clergy: "'The lawyer plods, quite care-worn; the physician is up at all hours, and travelling in all weather; and even the clergyman--' she stopt a moment to consider what might do for the clergyman;--'and even the clergyman, you know, is obliged to go into infected rooms, and expose his health and looks to all the injury of a poisonous atmosphere.'" HA!  Sure enough, not all that long thereafter, Mr. Shepherd comes to Sir Walter with word of a proposed tenant: Admiral Croft, a retired Navy officer, who is married, but with no children. You can see C.E. Brock's representation of him off to the left. Mr. Shepherd was eloquent on the subject; pointing out all the circumstances of the Admiral's family, which made him peculiarly desirable as a tenant. He was a married man, and without children; the very state to be wished for. A house was never taken good care of, Mr. Shepherd observed, without a lady: he did not know, whether furniture might not be in danger of suffering as much where there was no lady, as where there were many children. A lady, without a family, was the very best preserver of furniture in the world. He had seen Mrs. Croft, too; she was at Taunton with the admiral, and had been present almost all the time they were talking the matter over.
"And a very well-spoken, genteel, shrewd lady, she seemed to be," continued he; "asked more questions about the house, and terms, and taxes, than the Admiral himself, and seemed more conversant with business; and moreover, Sir Walter, I found she was not quite unconnected in this country, any more than her husband; that is to say, she is sister to a gentleman who did live amongst us once; she told me so herself: sister to the gentleman who lived a few years back at Monkford. Bless me! what was his name? At this moment I cannot recollect his name, though I have heard it so lately. Penelope, my dear, can you help me to the name of the gentleman who lived at Monkford: Mrs. Croft's brother?" It is Anne Elliot who supplies Mr. Shepherd with the name "Mr. Wentworth", and then works herself into quite a tizzy thinking about him: Mr. Shepherd was completely empowered to act; and no sooner had such an end been reached, than Anne, who had been a most attentive listener to the whole, left the room, to seek the comfort of cool air for her flushed cheeks; and as she walked along a favourite grove, said, with a gentle sigh, "A few months more, and he, perhaps, may be walking here." Oh, Jane, I see what you did there. What reader, upon suddenly finding Anne Elliot all flushed and fluttery, would be able to refrain from turning the page to learn more about the mysterious he? And that, my friends, is the magic of ending a chapter with a hook. Modern masters of this technique include Dan Brown (love him or hate him, he writes page-turners) and Suzanne Collins in her Gregor the Overlander and Hunger Games series. I am a fan of the chapter-ending hook. And I must say that this sudden interjection of an air of mystery is, like the cool air Anne seeks out in the grove, a pleasant, refreshing thing. Because now we are all certain that our Anne has a Story - a back story, and one to come as well - and we are eager to find out more about it. And we will. In the next chapter. Which we will discuss on Thursday, in keeping with the reading schedule for the month that has us covering six chapters each week (Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday), thereby allowing a few more people to catch up with us (I hope) and giving us room for Shakespeare on Wednesday. And maybe some additional conversation about Persuasion. You can read Chapter Two discussion here.
Current Mood:  nervousCurrent Music: Lullabye for an Anxious Child by Sting (iPod) |
lisa_schroeder
|
6:20a |
Dream big 2010 - courtesy of Lisa Schroeder
 I remember the moment clearly. It was May, 2000. I was on an airplane, reading a book called BUILDING YOUR FIELD OF DREAMS by Rev. Mary Manin Morrisey. The first chapter of the book talked about identifying your dream. She asked the reader, kindly, gently - Do you know what your dream IS? It couldn’t be something completely selfish – like to make a million dollars. It needed to have certain qualities. I read over those qualities and then pondered them. At the time I had a home-based business, through a direct-selling company, in order to stay at home with my small children. I had quit the corporate world because I didn’t want to miss those fun days with my little boys. But we desperately needed some kind of income from me, thus the reason for the home-based business. So, I wondered, did I dream of working hard and moving up the ranks? Did I dream of selling and recruiting my way to the top, helping people along the way? I thought maybe I did. But when I closed my eyes and listened to the still, small voice, this is what I heard: Write for kids. Write for kids. Write for kids. Where did that come from, I wondered? And soon after, a big, loud voice jumped in. I now understand that voice was my ego, trying to protect me from pain and failure. Or something. It yelled at me - What!? You don’t know the first thing about writing for kids. You didn’t go to school to do that. YOU CAN’T DO THAT! But the still, small voice nagged at me in the coming days and weeks. And nagged at me some more. And so I continued to read the book. And I started to put stories down on paper. And I continued to be open to the idea that ANYTHING is possible, and many things in life have happened only because someone dreamt the idea first. And then, at a neighborhood fourth of July picnic, I was talking to one of the women and she told me SHE had written a few stories for kids, and was submitting them to publishers. It was the first of many times when the universe sent me just what I needed at the right time. Because, I’ve learned, that’s what happens when you do what you are supposed to do with your time and talents. In the coming years, I listened to the still, small voice. I worked hard. I never gave up. So here I am, with a third YA novel released today, my first mid-grade novel coming out in March, and a beautifully illustrated picture book coming out in September. I still have more dreams. Some are small. But a few are big. And yeah, it’s scary, wondering what’s next, if anything will be next. And then I remind myself – you really don't have to do anything differently from what you've done since the beginning. Listen to the still, small voice. Work hard. And never give up. ~*~ Lisa Schroeder is the author of three verse novels for teens, including I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, a YALSA 2009 quick pick for reluctant readers, FAR FROM YOU, a Texas TAYSHAS selection, and CHASING BROOKLYN, all with Simon Pulse. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two sons.  bouncy |
cynthialord
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8:24a |
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cynthialord
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7:11a |
ALA Books
My daughter and I are going with friends to ALA in Boston to enjoy the exhibits on Saturday the 16th. If any of you are going, I'd love to see you!
If you can't go, but you have a book that could be on display, Julia and I would be more than happy to try to get a photo of it at ALA for you. Just leave me a comment with the title and the publisher, so we'll know which booth to check. We love a book mission! So we'd be more than happy to do that for you. Current Mood:  content |
trishalynn
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6:00a |
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| Monday, January 4th, 2010 |
kellyrfineman
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11:21p |
Review of CAPTIVATE and M's Top 10 of '10 list
M is nothing if not a rabid fan of carriejones's books (and with good reason, I might add). And so it is no surprise to me that CAPTIVATE is #1 on her "Top 10 of '10" list, which lists off the books coming out this year that she most wants to read. In fairness, I have to point out that she's already read ARCs of four of them (lucky girl that she is to have a mother with at least some access to these things). But first, her review of Captivate. CAPTIVATE
Well, it's number 1 on my "Top 10 of '10", and I was super psyched for it. Carrie Jones's Captivate does not disappoint. Once again [as in Love and Other Uses for Duct Tape, the sequel to Tips on Having a Gay (ex)Boyfriend], Carrie made me fall even more in love with each character. I mean, Zara's ass-kickingly awesome (more than ever) and Nick is just super swoon-worthy throughout. Don't even get me started on Devyn and, of course, my bunny-loving favorite, Issie.
Each character shines (and a few leave behind shiny things) in Captivate. But even more impressive is how Carrie manages to make Norse mythology cool. (There's something I never would've thought possible.) The way Jones incorporates the old tales into this new, action-packed book is "mind bottling."*
I honestly loved every minute of it, and yes even when I was crying at 1 a.m. while reading a particular scene, I STILL loved it. Carrie Jones continues to (oh yeah, I'm going there) Captivate me.
*yes, I mean "mind bottling". Blades of Glory. And here, as promised, is M's Top 10 of '10 list. I should note that these are books she is looking forward to either because they are sequels, or because she especially loves the author(s). There are books to come that she will undoubtedly adore, and if asked at year's end, this list might look significantly different - although I rather expect she might leave Captivate at #1 - she really, truly loves Carrie's writing. M's Top 10 of '101. Captivate by Carrie Jones 2. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater 3. The Dead-Tosses Waves by Carrie Ryan 4. The Hunger Games Book 3 by Suzanne Collins 5. The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig 6. Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder 7. Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev 8. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard 9. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan 10. Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson
Current Mood:  proud of MCurrent Music: I'm Henry the 8th, I Am by Herman's Hermits (brainradio) |
kellyrfineman
|
2:43p |
Thank you, Jon Scieszka!
Jon Scieszka, author of The Time Warp Trio series, the Trucktown series, The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and Math Curse! and more, founder of Guys Read and, from what I can gather, all-round good guy, has spent the past two years as the first-ever National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, a post appointed by the Library of Congress. And boy, did he take the role seriously - from wearing a sash when the situation called for it to making huge numbers of public appearances to forming new initiatives to spread an interest in and love for reading, Jon Scieszka showed what a reading ambassadorship ought to look like: active, fun and always interesting, just like reading. Thank you, Jon, for your tireless work to engage young readers!
Current Mood:  impressedCurrent Music: Soul Cake by Sting (iPod) |
mountainmist
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11:22a |
hot coffee and pecan pie for breakfast
It's the first blog of 2010 so why not just go for it fired up on coffee and pecan pie. My husband is out running, the girls are still sleeping, and the boy has gone back to college for his last two quarters at UCSB, which means hopefully, by spring, we'll have a college graduate on our hands or better yet - off our hands if he can find a job on a film set, which is his goal after he shoots his rock&roll Noir film this summer. Tomorrow I will board a flight back to Alabama where I will resume my commuting life between Los Angeles and Birmingham...I love the job and my students and the faculty but loathe the tyranny of distance. Norah, who is forever after me to write a fantasy novel, thinks we should write a fantasy novel together where the United States gets mixed up and you can open a door between Alabama and California...We brainstormed in line at Trader Joe's, so maybe this will be a new project to work on together over SKYPE and I-CHAT. Lucy has two more weeks of sunshine before she goes to back to Sarah Lawrence, and Kiffen and Norah are coming to Alabama for Valentine's/President's Day Weekend. I have to write an essay by Friday with the theme of taking my writing went to "the next level," and I think I'm going to write about the dark time I was in small claims court in Los Angeles facing Chastity Bono (now Chaz) and her girlfriend trying to get paid for a book proposal that I'd ghostwritten for them in 2001/2002. It was the lowest of the low...and I suppose it finally deserves full telling. The horror of that experience made me vow to write only stories I loved and cared about, and the very next book was WRITING SMARTS, followed by GENTLE'S HOLLER. I'll write the essay on the plane tomorrow... I'll close with Norah's birthday party...she was born on December 23, 1998 and came home on Christmas Day...She celebrated her 11th birthday this year with a slumber party of making ornaments of out of salt and flour, playing Hide & Seek, and watching "Charlie's Angels."  Wishing everybody a lovely 2010...We had an amazing time with my parents in San Diego with 14 people ages 1-74, so we covered nearly every single decade, and my parents 49th wedding annivesary! I'm very glad to have so many friends in my life and dear family members... And I was also really happy to discover THE MOTH podcast in 2009 for spectacular stories and THIS AMERICAN LIFE just keeps getting better! http://www.themoth.org/ http://www.thisamericanlife.org/ Okay, the coffee's cold, the pie is gone...time to wake up my daughters. So many amazing highlights and new friends and faces of 2009...and book trips to Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington DC, North Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, and a move to Alabama...Okay, now it's really time to roust the kids! Happy New Year! Current Music: Dolly Parton |
kellyrfineman
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1:48p |
A Winter's Persuasion - Chapter Two
 We continue today with the second chapter of Persuasion by Jane Austen. (Here's the text online at Molland's, if you need it.) It continues our introductions to the characters in the text - we learn more about Mr. Shepherd and Lady Russell, and our omniscient narrator roots this chapter rather more in Lady Russell's viewpoint without adopting it. We also meet Mrs. Clay, who will play an interesting and important role later in the book. Much of the chapter focuses on the importance (and self-importance) of Sir Walter, whom you can see preening off to the right. This chapter picks up with two characters introduced briefly in the prior chapter: Mr. Shepherd, an attorney who is Sir Walter's agent and solicitor, and Lady Russell, a friend of the family. I should point out that Lady Russell's husband was the one with the title, hence the use of his surname along with her title. He was a knight, a title also obtained by payment to the crown, but not one that could be inherited - therefore, a baronet is of higher rank than a knight, although both of them are below the aristocracy and nobility (where one finds Dukes and Earls and such). Were she endowed with a title of her own, she'd likely be called by her first name (as in the case of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, whose title came from her father and not her husband). In case you were wondering why there's a difference in the mode of address. Mr. Shepherd knows that Lady Russell will push Sir Walter to do the right thing, so rather than prod Sir Walter himself, he waits for her to do it, then agrees with her. Lady Russell's character is quickly listed off for us, but I'd like to encourage all of us to slow down and read it again, because it is all too easy for modern readers to get pissed at her as they read the book and to consider her as meddlesome in a negative way and are apt to think of her not treating Anne like an equeal, rather than as a good-hearted, well-intentioned woman with a bias favoring titles. Here's the paragraph on Lady Russell, which emphasizes her economic good sense, slowness in coming to decisions, and strong attachment to the Elliots, as well as her deference to rank: She was a woman rather of sound than of quick abilities, whose difficulties in coming to any decision in this instance were great, from the opposition of two leading principles. She was of strict integrity herself, with a delicate sense of honour; but she was as desirous of saving Sir Walter's feelings, as solicitous for the credit of the family, as aristocratic in her ideas of what was due to them, as anybody of sense and honesty could well be. She was a benevolent, charitable, good woman, and capable of strong attachments, most correct in her conduct, strict in her notions of decorum, and with manners that were held a standard of good-breeding. She had a cultivated mind, and was, generally speaking, rational and consistent; but she had prejudices on the side of ancestry; she had a value for rank and consequence, which blinded her a little to the faults of those who possessed them. Herself the widow of only a knight, she gave the dignity of a baronet all its due; and Sir Walter, independent of his claims as an old acquaintance, an attentive neighbour, an obliging landlord, the husband of her very dear friend, the father of Anne and her sisters, was, as being Sir Walter, in her apprehension, entitled to a great deal of compassion and consideration under his present difficulties.
They must retrench; that did not admit of a doubt. But she was very anxious to have it done with the least possible pain to him and Elizabeth. She drew up plans of economy, she made exact calculations, and she did what nobody else thought of doing: she consulted Anne, who never seemed considered by the others as having any interest in the question. She consulted, and in a degree was influenced by her in marking out the scheme of retrenchment which was at last submitted to Sir Walter.  We learn that Anne is in favor of an even more drastic plan that what Lady Russell concocts, for Lady Russell knows that Sir Walter will want to retain the appearance of rank and importance, whereas Anne is far more concerned with speaking honestly and in paying down the debt as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, Lady Russell's plan is influenced by Anne - she has found a diplomatic way to allow Sir Walter to pay off his debts within seven years (a significant period of time in this book, in which seven years have passed since Anne Elliot broke off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, although I am getting several chapters ahead in the text by telling you that). Sir Walter rejects Lady Russell's econimisation out of hand, declaring he'd rather quit Kellynch Hall than be seen to live to a lesser standard of living, which allows Mr. Shepherd to propose that he do just that: Pack up, move to Bath for a term (where one can live well without nearly as much expense), and lease Kellynch Hall out. "How quick come the reasons for approving what we like!" (A direct quote from the text that serves me well in everyday use, and not merely in the icon to this post.) Lady Russell loves Bath, and is keen to see the Elliots there, even though poor Anne prefers a house in the country. She's also hoping to separate Elizabeth from Mrs. Clay, Mr. Shepherd's widowed daughter (a mother of two children - you will note, perhaps, that they are not mentioned again), who is "beneath" Elizabeth in the same way that Harriet Smith is "beneath" Emma in Emma, but who is a manipulative sycophant. Lady Russell considers Elizabeth's relationship with Mrs. Clay to be potentially dangerous, for reasons which are not yet spelt out, and is pleased to hear the Elliots will be moving to Bath, thereby separating Elizabeth from an undesireable relationship. (Or will it?) Note that we still haven't been given too much information about our actual main character - we have a very little information from chapter one - she has "delicate features and mild dark eyes", quite different from her father, and her bloom had faded, and she was now quite thin (fashion called for a slight plumpness as the preferred female form at the time, so being thin was not a good thing). In chapter two, we learn that she doesn't really care for appearances (not merely physical appearance, but in all of the things to do with keeping up appearances for society). She is practical, honest and unconcerned with social status. The main thing we know from both chapters is that neither her father nor Elizabeth pays her any mind or accords her any sort of respect. And you ought not hold your breath that you'll learn much more in the next chapter - truly, an outdated way of starting into a story, and yet I adore the suspense. What do you think about it? Could this sort of opening work today? (I think perhaps it could - and does in, say, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, but that is written in 19th-century prose (kind of), so perhaps that's not a fair comparison?) Read the previous chapter.Move on to the next chapter.
Current Mood:  thirstyCurrent Music: You Only Cross My Mind in Winter by Sting & JS Bach (iPod) |
annemariepace
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12:53p |
I feel like I should say Happy New Year or something. So yeah. That. |
lorrainemt
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9:26a |
A mountain from a different angle
 Photo courtesy of Mt. Hood Meadows I spent Saturday skiing here under the magnificent summit of Mt. Hood. It's the side of the mountain that isn't visible to Portland, and it felt new and different to see the peak from this angle. Well, we only saw it a few times during our ride up the quad chairs when the mist magically cleared for a couple of minutes. To ride up a mountain through snow covered firs, deep snow below, and a majestic mountain top above is simply breathtaking, and it was a reminder for me to open my eyes and see familiar things in a different way. To be a little more specific, for my new year I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone to live outside of habit. In the waning month of 2009, I noticed how I had begun to live a little too much in habit. It made me feel cramped and a little grouchy, and I couldn't put my finger on why I felt like I was stuck in a rut. I've lived in this house for almost 13 years, longer than any other place I've ever lived, and it became easy to fall into doing things the same way year after year. Yikes. That's scary. Much more scary than being open to new things, new adventures, new perspectives. So here's to a year of shaking off habits, trying new things, and yes, slogging through difficult chapters by viewing them from all angles! And speaking of difficult chapters, I think I'm finally finally on track to finish my gnarly chapter 16. Whew. Onward. Happy beginning of 2010 to all my dear friends on LJ. |
tamarak
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9:59a |
My Dear Jon (Scieszka) Letter:
Dear Jon, You were great. You were inspiring. Plus, you looked fab in a sash.  Thanks for all you've done for children's literature. Sincerely, Tammi Sauer |
tamarak
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8:56a |
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newport2newport
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6:47a |
Close encounters & tight deadlines
First and foremost, I appreciate so much your anniversary wishes! You deserve bouquets much larger and more fragrant than this blog could ever hold.... And now, I ask for your indulgence. My computer's been abducted by an alien life force*, so please forgive the short delay in posting my Close Encounters story. It should be up in another day or two. * A project with an impossibly short timeline |
lisa_schroeder
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6:35a |
Dream big 2010 - written by Elizabeth Scott
 Dreams have made a huge difference in my life. I never thought about them that much though, until I started writing. When I first started, I got lots of advice, and one of the many things I was told was, "write down your dreams." I thought that was a little strange, but decided to give it a try. I figured the worst that would happen would be that I'd be unable to read my (admittedly very poor) handwriting, so I bought one of those cheap one-subject notebooks and stuck it on the bookshelf by my bed. And to this day, most of my dreams are either a. not worth writing down (even though I still do so) or b. have something interesting in them that I can never quite get to gel. But--and this is what hooked me on writing down my dreams and why I always do--is that every once in a while I will have a dream that does lead to a story. In fact, my novel Living Dead Girl came from a dream that I had not once, but over the course of several nights until I finally told myself, "All right, I'm going to go ahead and write this!" So the next time you wake up from a dream and find yourself thinking about it--even it's for a sleepy second in the middle of the night--write it down. See where it takes you.
~*~ Elizabeth Scott grew up in a town so small it didn't even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She's sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn't want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband, and firmly believes you can never own too many books. You can visit Elizabeth on the web at http://www.elizabethwrites.com and http://www.elizabethwrites.com/blog. |
jbknowles
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8:19a |
Spies Like Us... and a Declaration/Invitation
kellyrfineman gives the advice to start the New Year doing something that makes you happy. Doing something that you hope represents your activity for the rest of the year. I like this. One of the things I put on my dream list last year was to have more fun. So coming in just under the wire, Peter, E and I went to a party. Not just any party, a theme party at blackholly and theoblack's. This year's theme: Spies. libba_bray, bgliterary and their son came from NYC to visit us for a couple of days before the party. On this visit, we discovered that E and J are twins separated at birth. They are City Mouse and Country Mouse reunited. They played nonstop and had a blast putting together their own Spy costumes. Here is E incognito (he and J made t-shirts that said, "I Am NOT A Spy" [J] and "There Are No Spies Here" [E]). E had on his Spy sunglasses that let you see behind you. He is blowing on a horn just before midnight:  Peter and I went as Maxwell Smart and agent 99. (I know. I'm totally missing the bangs. Ah well.) I wish I had a better photo of the shoe phone Peter made because it was pretty dang cool.  The best part of the party was seeing friends. I always forget just how lonely I've been until I'm back with kindred spirits. Here is libba_bray, me, robinwasserman (who I didnt know was going to be there!) and blackholly sitting on Holly's HUGE couch. (I am not having 2 drinks, I promise. I was just holding Peter's concoction while he took the photo).  And here's a close-up of Libba, me and Robin, in which I have a bright idea. (Yes, that's a light bulb over my head).  Here is the very sweet and uncommonly warm naked cat, Lily, also in costume--and thus, not really naked.  And here is Theo. He was a fast-moving dancing machine. He was just a blur. In his *ahem* slightly inebriated state, he said some really nice things about my books that meant a lot to me. Thanks Theo!  We stayed at the party until 2:30am. For us, that is crazy. But I can't think of a better way to start the new year. And I'm also going to say new decade. Because I still think of it as one even if technically it is not. In the past, I've ended up not doing a lot of things because I think they're going to be too hard, too complicated, too expensive, or too uncomfortable. But every time I decide to be brave and just do them, I always have an adventure to remember. I am declaring 2010 The Year of Being Brave. Because honestly, I could say the same thing above and apply it to so many important aspects of my life, and especially my writing. Who's with me? Sign up below. :-) Happy New Year, everyone! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Monday Morning Warm-Up: Think about some way you could be more brave in your life and in your writing. Write about it privately or on your blog (if you're feeling really brave, heh). Current Mood:  rejuvenated |
cynthialord
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7:50a |
My Motto for 2010
Harpswell, Maine. Photo by my husband, John
Every year I pick a motto for the year. My motto for 2009 was:
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ~C.S. Lewis
Last January when I chose that motto, I wrote: The challenge of realizing a dream is that after the newness fades, after redefining yourself and your world, a corner comes. Around that corner are questions: "Now what?" "Now where?" and hardest of all, "Now why?" In 2009, I want to answer those questions.
I did answer those questions for myself--I turned that corner in 2009. I dreamed a new dream.
This year's motto comes from a student at York Middle School in York, Maine. I'm sorry that I don't know his/her name, but I saw this rule on a bulletin board when I did a school visit there, and it has stuck with me. This year, with two new books coming, I'm going to face a lot of judgment. I always find that challenging. . .so this year's motto is about not allowing negative thoughts and fear to color the fact that I am incredibly lucky to be doing what I love.
I'm going to work on not comparing my books or myself to other authors. I'm going to be careful how much of other people's judgment I let in (Goodreads, etc), and of the judgment I do read. . .not to let the negative things become more truthful to me than the positives.
This year, I'm going to focus on finding my happiness in the things I wanted most when I started writing: readers, the joy of creating a whole world from nothing, and the pleasure of holding in my hands a real book with my name on the cover--in bold red on TOUCH BLUE and in shiny gold on HOT ROD HAMSTER.
My motto for 2010 is simply:
 Think up.
Current Mood:  thinking up! |
trishalynn
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6:00a |
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| Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 |
lisa_schroeder
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5:21p |
Book Trailer
Tomorrow we return to Dream Big 2010, which will continue all month long, except for Sundays. I've left Sundays open for book-related news if I have any. And today, I have some! A book trailer to share. I hope you'll watch, enjoy, and share if you're so inclined. Just a couple more days until release day - yay! |
kellyrfineman
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6:33p |
A Winter's Persuasion - Chapter One
I find myself thwarted by technology on the header this time. Alas. Rather than spending even more hours fumpfing around trying to get the computer world and internet to bow to my will, I'm moving one to the meat of the project, our discussion of Persuasion. As I did for August at the Abbey, I'm not necessarily giving a blow-by-blow recap of the chapters, which I rather hope you have read or will read soon. I will be working from my Norton Anthology copy of Persuasion, although as I've said before, any version will work, and if you don't own a copy or haven't borrowed one from your local library, you may read it online at lots of places, including the e-text available at Molland's, a site which takes its name from a store in Bath mentioned in the text of Persuasion. The first chapter gives us a list of many of the principal characters in the book, some of whom we don't truly meet here. In fact, we really only see into the minds of the foolish Sir Walter Elliot and his equally foolish daughter, Elizabeth, who, being the eldest unmarried female child, is called "Miss Elliot" when in society. Sir Walter ElliotUnlike her previous book, Emma, which began with a brisk description of the main character, this book begins more in the vein of a much earlier composition, Pride and Prejudice, with an introduction to a foolish parent: in this case, it's Sir Walter Elliot, who is quickly and clearly established within the lengthy first sentence as a vain and silly member of the landed gentry. He is a baronet, which is a hereditary title, passed to the eldest male heir from generation to generation; it is not, however, actual aristocracy, but a title that was conveyed to an ancestor in exchange for large donations to the royal coffers. To be so puffed up over a title that is not actually a truly noble one marks Sir Walter Elliot as a fool, something that Austen's initial readers (with their knowledge of titles and status) would have immediately seized upon. Sir Walter is a widower, the father of three daughters, who lives at Kellynch Hall, an estate in Somersetshire that is, like that of Mr. Bennet's in Pride & Prejudice or the elder Mr. Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility, tied up in such a way that it cannot be divided up. Unlike Mr. Bennet, Sir Walter has the ability to sell the estate, but he would have to sell the complete parcel, something his pride will not allow him to do. The importance of Kellynch Hall is emphasized not only by its placement early on in the first sentence, but in the number of times the its name is repeated in the first page. The importance of the estate to the Elliot family cannot be trivialized: it is a source of pride, certainly, but also of income and sustenance. We learn rather rapidly that Sir Walter has grossly exceeded his means and needs to find some way to economize or risk financial ruin, which necessitates him leasing his estate to someone else for the time being as a means of increasing his own income through rent payments while also reducing his expenses - he will need fewer servants at a house in Bath. The issue of to whom he will lease the estate reveals Sir Walter's petty nature, but also makes clear that Austen is not opposed to the idea of a meritocracy, where one might be upwardly mobile by proving their worth, rather than by having an inheritance. William Walter Elliot, Esquire We don't actually meet Mr. Elliot in person until much later in the novel, but he and his existence hang over the Elliots of Kellynch Hall from the get-go. He is a cousin (removed a bit), and the closest male relative. We need know nothing more about him until later, except that he is an attorney, and that he and Sir Walter have had a falling out because the younger Mr. Elliot married a wealthy young woman instead of Elizabeth, Sir Walter's eldest daughter. Lady RussellLady Russell was the close friend of Mrs. Elliot. Mrs Elliot died when Anne, our main character, was only 14 years old. She has been a trusted friend of the family ever since. She did not remarry after the death of her husband, which Austen explains as follows: That Lady Russell, of steady age and character, and extremely well provided for, should have no thought of a second marriage, needs no apology to the public, which is rather apt to be unreasonably discontented when a woman does marry again, than when she does not[.] Elizabeth ElliotEldest daughter and "lady of the house" since the age of 16. Her personality is quite similar to that of her father's, and she is similarly vain and of a superficial nature, and similarly disinterested in the practicalities of life. Elizabeth's idea of economising is to cut off her charities, hold off on redecorating the drawing room, and to not purchase a gift for Anne when she and her father were living the high life in London. Elizabeth had once been quite the eligible beauty, but never married. She is now 29 years old, which essentially puts her "on the shelf", although she seems rather unaware of that being her position. She is nevertheless quite bitter about Mr. Elliot's disinterest in courting her when she was younger, and quite disinterested in renewing her acquaintance with the now-widowed Mr. Elliot. Mary Elliot MusgroveMary, the youngest of the three girls, is the only one to have married. She is married to Charles Musgrove, eldest son of a neighboring gentleman landowner who stands to inherit the estate of Uppercross when his father dies. We will learn far more about her in chapters to come, but suffice it to say that she eclipses even Mrs. Bennet from Pride & Prejudice when it comes to comic hypochondria. Anne ElliotWe come at last to an extremely slight description of Anne Elliot, our main character. Anne is now 27, and still single. She was once pretty, although her beauty was never valued by her father or elder sister, but is acknowledged as a woman of superior value by people with actual taste. She is a reliable, practical young woman who was once very much in love with a young sailor, although we do not find out that last bit of information for another several chapters. Mr. ShepherdMr. Shepherd is Mr. Elliot's agent - a gentleman, although not of any real rank, who is charged with overseeing Mr. Elliot's accounts. On to the next chapter.
Current Music: Battle for Minas Tirith (LOTR RotK on DVD) |
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Congratulations! It's a bouncing book-baby! 
Congratulations! It's a bouncing book-baby! 
happy
