I Don't Do History: The Case For Historical Fiction

Cross-posted at Fiction, Instead of Lies, and kind of a continuation of the response/discussion to the comments on this blog post.

Imagine two best friends, united against a common enemy. It is the pitch of midnight, and they are making a desperate flight across country, to deliver a package necessary to the scrappy resistance fighters desperately battling a corrupt government for their freedom. There's been a car accident, so they're the emergency fill-ins. Neither of them are supposed to be where they are. And then there's another, bigger accident. In a foreign country, neither with any business being there, the girls have to split up and vanish -- and those who are caught disappear into the night and fog -- for good.

It is the pitch of midnight. And the enemies of truth and right are playing for keeps.

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Wouldn't you be on the edge of your seat reading this book? I know I was...at times feeling quite hopeless and desolate upwellings of terror and the word, "Nooooooo!" pulled from deep within. I could imagine myself there -- and making a horrible mess out of all of it. If you read it, you'd imagine yourself there, too.

It's exciting. There's espionage, airplanes, parachutes, firefights, and girls hunched in dark places under umbrellas, waiting for safety in breathless silence. There's fear -- bleak terror -- great laughs, and the best friends you could ask for.

So, why'd we want to go and ruin it all by calling it historical fiction???

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For a long time, one of the biggest concern of the Gatekeepers in our world o' books was where to put historical fiction in the canon for young people. Was it "edutainment?" Was it fictionalizing history or historicizing fiction, sliding in a character's fears and hopes and their thoughts where students perhaps ought to be better employed with learning dates and facts? Was it, and could it ever be, authentic?

These big questions were hashed out in historical journals and literary papers and I think it's safe to say that though some historians remained uncomfortable, the majority of teachers, especially in the middle grades and junior high, where I served most of my time, felt that historical fiction was an important lamp to illuminate some darker corners. Especially with the rise of multiculturalism, some pieces of history that "we" - as in mainstream, dominant culture America - had not realized were part of "our" story needed to be dug out, rediscovered, and explored. Historical fiction was a great tool to bridge the gap with the unknown pasts of a commingled people with the commonality of the human story. Through the insertion of tiny, literal accuracies, historical fiction maintains a sturdy cover story of "true enough," and more quickly engages young minds with the history before them. For most students, blending stories into a study of history helps to recreate the past as a dynamic place.

For MOST students.

For other students -- and for many of the rest of us -- it's an automatic "No." Seriously. Go back and read the comments of the people who have talked about CODE NAME VERITY. "I don't usually read war books..." "I'm not usually a fan of wartime historical fiction..." "I don't normally do historical fiction..." Is it the war? Or is it just the past?

Author and teacher Ashley Hope Pérez responded to a post a few days ago, "I have a kind of knee-jerk recoil from the term "historical fiction," probably because I know how it would make my kiddos eyes glaze before they even tasted the prose." Jen over at Reading Rants agrees: "In my experience, most teens won’t even look at hist. fic. unless they have to read it for a school assignment. You know, stuff like My Brother Sam is SO Dead, or Johnny TREmain (as in TREmendously booorrrriiinnggg!)."

It's baffling, really -- no one characterizes, say, The Great Gatsby as historical fiction -- or, a better example, The Key to Rebecca, not really. They're listed as what they are, first - a novel of manners. An espionage thriller. Nothing to do with their setting and time period and everything to do with their plot content. In part, the sticky label of "historical fiction" is a marketing key for parents and librarians to identify the book: Here is something semi-educational to slap into the unsuspecting hands of innocent youth. Go to it!

That, mainly, explains why it doesn't work.

Oh, come on: how many of us pick up a book of fiction for the its educational aspects? Not me! When I pick up a book, I want a good story, period. Unfortunate, but the label attached to this genre can sometimes shoot even a very good book in the foot. The only thing we can really do about that is to book talk, book talk, book talk. Word of mouth will win the day! Talk up the other aspects of the story - the plot, the characterizations, the types of planes, the outfits, the guns. You can order the story bits by their importance: CODE NAME VERITY is a.) a thriller, b.) a story of the kind of friendships that start in a bomb shelter c.) a fast-paced, dangerous tale full of espionage, spies, and double agents d.) a cracking good read, which just happens to be, e.) set about sixty-some years ago.

I think we can just leave off that last one.

As an author, I can say that one of the hardest things about writing historical fiction is the tightrope walk the author has to do -- between historical accuracy and humanity. It's important not to infodump dates and names, but it's also crucial not to veer the characters - and the details of their daily lives - into obvious anachronisms by using more modern tools, language, and attitudes about social tolerance which make the historical accuracy a lie. Further, I know that writing about a war is tough because historical accuracy is a must - the dates have to match up, including when historical people die, and when troops moved in fact, they must move in fiction, too. But people's characters -- their loves and needs and fears and even their grocery lists -- are much the same, no matter what era they're in. Sure, they might swear a bit less or a bit more, wear their hair down, their pant-legs shorter; they might speak another language, but the human animal remains a constant - an important thing to know.

As a (former, now) teacher, I know that this is the saving grace of historical fiction, or any fiction, really -- the people. The characters make the story, and you just have to close your eyes to the fact that since it's history, you think you already know how it's going to end, jump in to knowing the characters, and let go --

-- you may find yourself on the edge of your seat, in the pitch of midnight, with two best friends, delivering a necessary package, having an accident, and disappearing into the night and fog...

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Call it "historical fiction" or "historical suspense" or anything you'd like, the word is out: CODE NAME VERITY is a sensational novel. Don't forget to check out the other stops along the way for the blog tour.

* Chachic's buzzing about Verity; stop by and read her great review, as well as some discussion on starting an All Spoilers, All the Time discussion group so that people don't have to keep the spy secrets to themselves.

* The Scottish Bookstrust is a fab organization interesting young people in books. Visit them at BookTrust.org.uk for more from Elizabeth Wein about friendship in CODE NAME VERITY. And stay tuned for Monday's review of the novel, and links to Elizabeth's interview on the BBC's Book Cafe!

Later, Sucker

Or, rather, now, Sucker! SUCKER LITERARY MAGAZINE is the name of a new YA literary 'zine, and it's full of writers - undiscovered writers - unagented, published or no - doing their best work under the skillful guidance of Hannah Goodman, who does a lot of things, including write and teach writing, win awards and parent and all that good stuff. She also dreams big, and has launched this project on the strength of an idea she had whilst getting her MFA ...and the rock-bottom slump that comes after you get that MFA, and the Real World does not hold you close and support you with warmth and kindness and beams of light, but rather, with, you know, reality. And rejection notices.

I've read and read until I realized I was down to the last story, so I paused to save and savor it -- and write this post. Truly mesmerizing reading, the sort of addictive, read-right-on-to-the-next, the feeling you get from the most tightly written professional literary mags. There's well-edited and brilliant stuff here - plus, lovely use of white space, artistic input, and a great recurring placement of suckers. A welcome place to rest the eyes and engage the brain when you're in need of Really Good Story. An unpretentious but highly readable, quality lit 'zine, the likes of which we haven't seen since... Tallboy. Yeah. It's good like that, except online only.

Consider getting involved, because young adult aficionados, writers and readers, ought not be on the receiving end all the time of industry information. We ought to be creating the industry information, harnessing our own collective enthusiasm and interest and making news, instead of reacting to it or being dragged along in its wake. We know who YA lit bloggers, readers, and writers are, and it's when I see stuff like this that I think, "Yay! we can be both fans and creators, and producers and make our own mark in this world."

Now, all I have to do is find a few grantwriters to fund and resurrect The Edge of the Forest again, and remind us further that we don't just review and shout into a vacuum, but that what we read and think matters...

Get involved with SUCKER. Check it out. Maybe you'll have the next bright idea for changing the world.

(Also, the why behind "sucker" title - whoa. Who--a. There's a whole novel in that there little piece of history. Whew.)

Thursday Review: A SWIFT PURE CRY by Siobhan Dowd

Reader Gut Reaction: Every time I read another of Siobhan Dowd's books—there aren't many—I'm reminded anew of the tragedy that her loss constitutes. Her writing is amazing, and so is her own personal history. This novel is her first, and while I don't want to give too much away, I will say that I don't necessarily gravitate toward serious, weighty stories about family scandal and the limitations of small-town life. But I will read everything she writes, because her prose is so clear, perfect and striking, regardless of theme. She brings out the exquisite pain and beauty even in difficult, ugly situations. And, in the end, I couldn't put this one down.

Concerning Character: The main character, Shell Talent, is fifteen years old, but she's the woman of the house now, mothering her little brother and sister and keeping a wide berth around her father, who has slipped into alcoholism since her mother died. School and church hardly seem relevant when she has dinner to cook, laundry to do, and an unpredictable father to avoid. She's got a tough exterior, but inside she's still hurting, and she's got more questions than answers. When the young, handsome new priest Father Rose moves to their tiny Ireland town and provides a sympathetic ear for Shell and her troubles, he also inadvertently provokes gossip, and things start getting even more complicated. Then comes the scandal, and the mystery...

Recommended for Fans Of...: Stories about coming to terms with the death of a family member, and books with quiet but vivid and lyrical writing, like Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart (reviewed here), The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta (reviewed here and Deadville by Ron Koertge.

Themes & Things: I would be remiss if I didn't note that this one owes a great debt to the work of James Joyce, the Quintessential Irish Writer in the minds of many. Though the two writers share a national identity and other profound similarities with respect to growing up Irish, this is not the story of a young man struggling with intangible issues of faith and identity, but that of a young woman grappling with all-too-harsh realities. While Shell's story isn't always an easy one to read, it's testament to the human spirit's ability to endure and heal.

Authorial Asides: A Swift Pure Cry is Siobhan Dowd's first novel. I also reviewed Bog Child (here) and hope to read A Monster Calls soon—her posthumously published work written with Patrick Ness. Siobhan Dowd won the 2008 Cybils Award in Middle Grade Fiction for her novel The London Eye Mystery.

Review Copy Source: Library.

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You can find A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd at an independent bookstore near you!

A Few Notes on Inspiration

Whether you prefer to tap into a sense of inspiration, motivation, or just plain old perspiration (aka Butt In Chair), sometimes it's hard to get started on whatever it is you're supposed to be writing. Excuses flow much more easily than the words of the story you're trying to write, and procrastination becomes a shining beacon, a siren song.

Distraction can take a lot of different forms, but so can inspiration (as these two blog posts by Kate Messner--Part 1 and Part 2--attest). I found a combination of both in this week's announcement of the various YALSA Book Awards.

There were some surprises--such as the fact that I hadn't heard of this year's Printz winner at all (probably because I spent several months of last year in a study cave). Also surprising, but gratifying, was finding out that Susan Cooper won an Edwards Award for her contribution to teen literature in the form of The Dark Is Rising sequence.

I find it hard to put into words the influence these books had on me when I was growing up. I was about 11 or 12 when I first read them, and they both fascinated and scared the pants off me. I was kind of shocked, when I read the press release, to see that they were written in the 1960s and 1970s, because they felt modern when I read them circa 1988-ish. I suppose a better description would be that they had a timeless quality.

I was already interested in things English and Celtic and Arthurian when I read them, but The Dark Is Rising books hooked me, and kind of made me obsessed. (They also gave me more than a few scary nightmares.) Among other things, they were a very large stepping stone on my path to eventually learning Welsh language (which I learned here and here). Also, when I think about iconic children's fantasy, when I think about books that hooked both my heart and my head, that made me believe in magic--the magic of words--I think about these. And I hope someday I'm able to write something that has just a tiny fraction of that magic.

Cheers, Susan Cooper!

February Book Lovin'

This year's Cybil's reading had the unexpected reaction of causing a bit of brain atrophy. I was reading frantically right up to the last day, and anxiously pestering the postman, waiting for my next book. I feel like I did only a "meh" job of reading, in the end being unable to gain access to forty of the contenders. Because we have such a doughty crew, though, the books ALL got read by at least two people, but still! I wanted to have done better than I did.

January I took to just relearn to look at words on a page without them swimming around; meanwhile, AF got all thoughty and started rereading Plato's Republic (And today's UNSHELVED is also just for her!!). Now that February is on the horizon, complete with flying dragons, the books are calling us back. February brings with it the read-a-bration that is 28 Days Later, and two blog tours. Look for things to be a little busier around here in the coming days. It's time to set aside the winter blahs and get back to the books!

As I'd thought, Elizabeth Wein's novel Code Name Verity is really, really good... review coming up shortly.

It's always a nail-biter, reviewing a book of someone you know and like, and you just end up doing Liz Burns' patented Hope It Doesn't Suck dance while you read it - fingers tapping, crossed legs swinging, anxiety pouring from every pore.

Of course it didn't suck.

One thing Elizabeth knows how to do (well, she knows how to do more than one thing, but please - this is big) is RESEARCH, research, research. She makes the past come alive, no matter what piece of the past she happens to be into. She immerses herself into her topic - she visited Africa to write her last books -- and she pretty well stayed in WWII era - complete with outfits (dolls!!!), old planes, music, etc. -- to get into character for writing these. (I'd actually like to see what she would do to write a novel set in modern times -- how does one prepare for that?) She is an impeccable historian and her plotting is tight, and ... ah. As I said: review to come.

But, I had to say this: whilst snooping around the web, I found a couple of things that made me laugh -- one was a blog post by someone waiting for their copy of Code Name Verity. They used the 'd' word -- as in debut.

People, people, people.

Google is our friend, all right?
Elizabeth Wein has written SEVERAL other books; please take a moment to check them out, yes? Meanwhile, check THIS out!!

Toon Thursday: NEVER Gonna Happen.

This cartoon's not writing-related, really, but I woke up yesterday morning with this one taking shape in my half-awake brain. (So if it's goofy and makes little sense, you can blame it on that. Unfortunately, I have no such handy excuse for the goofiness of any OTHER cartoons.)

Geek Bonus Points if you get the ironic math joke. Happy Thursday!

Monday Randomness

After spending much of the weekend reading Plato's Republic, I find my brain has decided to retreat into a tiny corner of my skull and refuses to work any more. And, I'm again pondering blog-related what's-the-point-itis and rethinking what I want to do in my blogging life. So...here are a few links for your amusement while I return to normal. Enjoy.

• If you're interested in writing for educational publishers and live in...er...Central California, there's a seminar by writer Christine Peterson on March 3rd in Bakersfield. Why Bakersfield? I dunno. I liked the sound of it until I saw it would be a 3-hour drive (each way), so I am unlikely to attend, but for those who live a little closer, check out this link. For those of you on the opposite side of the country, in April our blog bud Mitali Perkins is leading a Highlights workshop on Creating an Authentic Cultural Voice.
• Also, in an e-mail to the Kidlitosphere Yahoo Group, author Martha Brockenbrough says: "YALSA reached out to authors, asking us to sign a petition that asks for school libraries for every child in America. They are in need of almost 15,000 more signatures. If you feel so inclined, might you write a blog post about what school libraries meant to you, to your kids, or to kids you know?" Here's the petition--they still need signatures, but I agree with Martha that a heartfelt blog post might also be in order. I know I spent a ton of time in the school library, not just browsing books, but studying and being a tutor. (Weirdly, I was a chemistry tutor. Go figure.) My middle school library was where I first checked out and read Ursula LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea. I even remember the two librarians there: Mrs. DeLeon, who was the mom of a girl in my class, and Mrs. Y, who had a long and unpronounceable last name. As an adult and as a writer I've had some amazing school library experiences, too, talking to kids in book clubs and creative writing clubs and just regular kids. I can't imagine a world without school libraries. If you feel the same, go sign the petition! And if you write a blog post, let Martha know for her roundup.
• Lastly, I'm proud to say that my advice, such as it is, has been included in Katie Davis's new e-book, How to Promote Your Children's Book. Katie does the podcast Brain Burps About Books and her book is an amazing collection of first-hand marketing information from the likes of Our Jane, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Liz Garton Scanlon, and plenty of others. I know I'm going to find it useful, and I'm happy to give it a plug!

Thursday Review: PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ by A.S. King

What really happened to Charlie Kahn? He was Vera Dietz' best friend, but now he's dead, and Vera knows more than she's telling. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King (author of Dust of 100 Dogs, reviewed here) was a 2010 Cybils nominee.

Reader Gut Reaction: This one was gripping as well as heartbreaking. What do you do when your best friend is in trouble? What if he's your EX-best friend? Alternating between past and present, eventually the two strands of the story come together in a way that's both shocking and satisfying. This one had me thinking about the story long after I was done; had me wondering what I'd do if someone close to me was in a terrifying situation and I had to make a tough choice about whether to try to help or take the seemingly simpler route of putting my head in the sand.

Concerning Character: Vera Dietz is a relatable character with multiple issues to deal with—not only her betrayal by Charlie, but also the absence of her mother and the fact that she's trying to live down an embarrassing secret about her family. She WANTS to be ignored. Especially after what happened to Charlie. But the side characters are well developed, too—most notably Charlie, shown to us in flashbacks, who suffers from even more horrifying and emotionally damaging issues; and Vera's father, who has struggles of his own. All of the main figures in this book are hurting in some way or another. Those who are able to reach out to others when they can't cope alone, the ones who stop ignoring their own pain and their own damaged selves, are the ones who can finally move forward and grow. But if you ignore the warning signs, it might take a shocking wake-up call to provide enough impetus to make a real change.

Recommended for Fans Of...: Stories about coping with changing relationships and overcoming the baggage of the past, like Melina Marchetta's The Piper's Son (reviewed here) and The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston (reviewed here).

Themes & Things: Growth as a human being, of course, is one of the overarching themes of the book. A part of that growth is learning to deal with one's conscience, one's regrets, and coming to terms with what you know you should do even when it seems impossibly hard. This is also a book about what happens when abuse is allowed to become a pattern and take its toll unchecked. The idea of closure is also an important one in the story—when less tangible wounds go unhealed, that too takes its toll.

Review Copy Source: Library.

Authorial Asides: A.S. King keeps a blog here, and she also tweets.

Cover Chatter: I think this one has a really awesome cover. Just sayin'.

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You can find Please Ignore Vera Dietz at an independent bookstore near you!

Glad-Making Bits of News...

Welcome to the third week in the first month of the new year!

And welcome, all 156+ of you who have delurked and are participating in the Comment Challenge with Lee Wind & Mother Reader this month. I have to admit that I don't particulate in the Comment Challenge - mainly because I'm a regular Chatty Catrina in terms of blogs, and I routinely comment more than five times a day. (I have more than a hundred blogs I visit regularly on my Reader.) I am a person who's not on FB or any other social media, though, so it's easier for me to read what people are writing, and comment there. (I think blogging will always be Just About My Speed. Just don't ask me to talk to five people in a room in public.)

It's always nice to get comments from new people. We have a dedicated group of "followers" on our Blogger site, but we also know that beyond those hundred plus folks are those who follow on Readers, those who pop up when others direct them this way, and those who never comment at all, but who are a part of our silent friend group. We're glad to hang with all of you in a Shrinking Violet-y sort of quiet, holding-up-the-walls way, or in a chatty, we-know-you're-there fashion.

Greg Pincus, blogging at social media blog The Happy Accident, has as primer on commenting, to help with the challenge this month. And we must give full props to Lee for the hilarious Blogging Vacuum Diva. I laugh every time I see her. (Randomly: I found a link to a most hilarious Ed DeCaria poem, Who Is This Woman, And Why Is She Trying to Kiss Me whilst reading the comments from Greg's post. I laughed right out loud - it's so my entire childhood in a few short stanzas. See what commenting can do for you?)

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Last week, I got THIS BOOK in the mail. (Why, yes, I AM special!) I know that many of my friends in the U.S. have been awaiting this snippet of historical fiction eagerly, and would have dived right in.

It's a book written by a friend - ample reason again to dive right in!

Instead, I sat and sort of looked at it with horrified fascination. It is Going To Be Scary. I knew this because I knew the topic of the book...

I read the first chapter and hyperventilated. Bargaining! For the return of clothing!!! SCARYNAZIS.

Yes. I am a scaredy-cat. Five words in, you know our heroine has already been captured by the Axis in WWII and Further Bad Things Will Commence.

This book is KILLING ME. And yet, I keep picking it up and reading chunks, when I fully intend to just move it to another spot on my desk. Yikes. It's addictive.

Out Feb. 6 - Stay tuned for the review.

(Also: I LOVE this cover. But the other cover, with the hands tied together... oh. Oh, oh, oh... poignant and scary and gorgeous. Must have been so hard to choose.)

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CONNIE WILLIS, author of fifteen novels and over fifty short stories and novellas, is the Grand Master of science fiction. We knew that. But, she's just been awarded this officially, as winner of the 2011 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. You'll recall our 2007 interview with her. Or, maybe you won't. Maybe you've never yet read a Willis book. Well - do. Her hallmark talent is writing on brilliant science fiction topics, and bringing the reader along so that they, too, feel smart, and in on the joke and all the brainy stuff. She writes strong, smart female characters who don't take themselves too seriously; there's a touch of humor in her stories, and she's very, very good indeed. She's also gracious to answer questions from random bloggers. Well done, Grand Master Connie!

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The Brown Bookshelf has officially announced their line-up for this year's 28 Days Later campaign, highlighting the books of African American authors, in honor of Black History Month. I always like to peruse the names - and note how many of them are utterly new to me. I did a happy dance for Malorie Blackman -- I've enjoyed discovering her books here in the UK. But, Debbi Chocolate? Really? I am ENVIOUS of that name for all kinds of reasons. As spokeswoman Paula says, "The Brown Bookshelf is the place to hit for any reader, parent, teacher or librarian looking for great books by and about people of color. Tell a friend to tell a friend to come back every single day in February..." Please support the work of these five doughty bloggers who do their best to shine a light on African American literature each year.

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Please go over and join the discussion on YA speculative fiction, featuring our blogosphere babes Tarie Sabado, Gwenda Bond, and one of our fave YA spec fic authors, Malinda Lo, too.

The conversation at SF Signal tends to be dominated by ...science fiction aficionados. Obviously. They tend to be male and perhaps not as informed on YA stuff as we tend to be in our blogosphere, so please, please, please go over and show your support and welcome some fresh new ideas as our 'spheres overlap. (I'm thinking of the thread on appreciating the place of romance in YA spec fic for young girls - it's not all Twilight, my peoples! I don't care for Twilight especially myself, but I will throw elbows and hip-check you across the room so that others get to read it if they want to, all right???) I'm so excited that a mainstream SF site is talking about the great big elephant in the room: specifically marketed young adult lit in the subgenre of science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction, and I hope that hearing from such intelligent and cool people will help to sort of ease the "Ugh!" factor that a lot of the aficinado set feels when faced with the whole YA SFF thing (I mean, we have UN-IRONIC nail polish that goes with our books and movies now. How scary-cool are we??).

Also: new blog alert! I'm a big fan of The Enchanted Inkpot but am glad to hear about The League of Extraordinary Writers, which is focused on dystopia, and The Interagalactic Academy which is hopefully going to fill the space that The Spectacle used to fill for me.

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O, life is a glorious cycle of song,
A medley of extemporanea!
And love is a thing that can never go wrong,
And it's Tuesday already!

Have a happy week.

With apologies to Dorothy Parker.

Bits and Bobs: The Power of Words, The Art of Books

Holly Cupala is one of our longtime author friends and blog buds, as well as a kindred spirit, so we're happy to help plug her newest book, Don't Breathe A Word, which is already getting some great buzz. Not only that, ten percent of the author proceeds go toward Hope for Sexually Exploited Girls. All of those are reasons why I was happy to do my part to help get the word out, along with numerous other amazing (far more amazing than me!) YA authors, as part of this YouTube video on how Words Have Power:

I can only wish I was less dorktacular in this video, but I hope my words and everyone's still ring true. I was thrilled to be a part of it and join Justina Chen, Melissa Walker, Stephanie Kuehnert, Beth Kephart, Denise Jaden, Lish McBride, Lisa Schroeder, Cynthia Jaynes, Tara Kelly, Joelle Anthony, Stasia Ward Kehoe, Janet S. Fox, Tina Ferraro, and Janet Lee Carey in such a worthwhile endeavor. Thanks, Holly, and congrats on your latest!

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Need motivation, but the shoulds and the expectations keep bogging you down? Dear Sugar says, don't write "like a man." Don't write "like a woman." Write like a motherfucker. (I would say Pardon my French, but it isn't MY French. I'm just quoting. Plus Tanita sent it to me in the first place.)

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If that's not working for you, here are some pretty pictures.

More wild, gorgeous repurposed books are in the slideshow accompanying this Sydney Morning Herald article. (Link via Jim at This Into That, whose work is mentioned in the article.)

Writers' Rites: On Motivation

"BIC. Butt In Chair. There is no other single thing that will help you more to become a writer. William Faulkner said: 'I write only when I’m inspired. Fortunately I’m inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.' BIC." ~ Our Lady Jane

Happy New Year, again - I took a little hiatus from having a brain for awhile, but it's mostly back in working order, so here I am.

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I don't remember who said it, but it's one of those jokes of which I can only remember the punchline - or the sort-of punchline. Basically what the joke was saying is that it's a bullpuckey kind of job that we have, where we can check out of it because we lack motivation. That's just not an excuse that anyone else can have.

Judge: I'm sorry, this case is going to have to go back on the docket. I'm just not feeling moved to pass sentence right now.

Obstetrician: Chica, you're gonna have to just hold all that in, because I am so not motivated to deliver your child today.

Policeman (over the crackling of the radio): Meh. Another call. Whatever. The Muse of the law enforcement just isn't whispering to me today.

Teachers: I'm not feeling it today, kids. Just color for awhile or whatever. I'm going to stretch out and read.

(Oh, wait. That last one did happen a couple of times while I was teaching. Never to me, of course.)

You see what I mean? It's kind of ...well, bull, as I said. You're a writer if you write, and if you don't write... well, you're kind of like those knitters who still call themselves that, and haven't picked up a pair of needles in ten years, yet still have skeins of yarn in a box somewhere. We call those folks people who need to declutter and donate some stuff. (And if this is you, please: don't make the scary people from Clean House have to come and see you, all right?)

Wait - I saw that flinch. Don't think I'm coming at you with judgment -- Oh, my goodness, I am not. I am coming at you from a seat on the couch next to you, wherein I have whined to myself that I am not motivated and this doesn't feel like anything but the most grinding of work, and what was I thinking, hoping I could come up with anything sharp and fresh and new, but which is turning out to be stupid nattering, and shouldn't I get a real job, one which will help pay for the roof and put my metaphorical kids through college, and one which will allow me to respect myself, and not be at the mercy of strangers and -- gah! -- critics for the rest of my life. I am coming at you from the place of being a writer in a funk, but we both know that if we stay here for too long, that "unmotivated" thing will twist us into someone we are not meant to be.


'Cause, here's the thing. We have the motivation. We do. Without motivation and will and the ability to put sentences on paper, we wouldn't be writers. And we are.

What we're lacking isn't motivation and the murmuring of the muse.
What is lacking is the courage to just get on with it.

How easy is it to say that we're too tired, too busy, too stressed to finish a story? How simple are the distractions of Dancing With the Stars or the Food Channel, or the sudden need to have a clean house or to pet the cat so you can get started with work?

...How hard is it to actually look at what we're writing, and know that it's not working, not one word of it, and to delete the whole file and start again?

Yeah. Sometimes, it's like that.

The thing is, nobody is going to give the time or attention span to do the work that you want to do. No one is going to give you the clarity and the focus and the plot. You have to really work for it. You're going to have to sweat and sit down and say things out loud and mutter to yourself; stand up and shadowbox or shuffle your feet to make sure you've got the movements right. You're going to have to suffer and bite down and maybe bleed.

Writing is sometimes work - more work than any of us want to admit. It's a pain. It's singing this writing song louder than the other little neurotic tunes playing in your head. It's bouncing in your chair when your butt-glue (thank you, Yat Yee) comes unstuck, and having to hold yourself there by bracing your feet.

And then, after all of that, your end result might be mediocre or even awful. You might find your creation laughable. You might be shocked. You might be deeply disappointed, as the wonderful Ira Glass says, but you'll have proven something -- to yourself, and to the watching world. You can write. You can finish. You did it once. You'll do it again. And, as your good taste and your love of story will still exist, you'll do it better the next time.

So, from my position next to you on the couch - perhaps let's call it the Whining Couch - I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. What I'm telling you is this: we're all on the same couch. The springs poke into our bums and the stuffing is leaking out, and we're all here, at one time or another. I'm sitting here, looking over at you, and deciding that I'm going to stop looking at the output or plot brilliance of other writers, and mind my own keyboard. I'm going to stop waiting for lightning to strike, and I'm going to strap down my own cold, unwieldy prose, and hit the switch and make my own magic. I'm going to let loose the leash on my motivation, let go of the tether to caution and safety and --

jump -

Toon Thursday: Revenge of the Pie Chart

It's the first shiny new Toon Thursday of the New Year. How 'bout them apples? (Um, no pie-related pun intended there...)

There are certainly myriad others I haven't listed here, such as the all-important "so you'll have something to show for all those hours you spent sitting at the computer surfing Twitter" and "so you'll have something to tell your nosy relatives during holiday get-togethers," but I particularly like these. May we all find our sources of writerly motivation during the new year...

Monday PREview: FRIENDS WITH BOYS by Faith Erin Hicks

Liked 2011 Cybils nominee Anya's Ghost (reviewed here)? Then I highly recommend checking out First Second's new title Friends With Boys. It's also a story about fitting in at school and in your own family, and, hey—it's also got a ghost! Friends With Boys will be available at the end of next month, and I was thrilled to get to read an advance copy and give it a little buzz. I'm happy to see First Second and other GN publishers stepping in to fill the niche that I'd hoped DC's short-lived Minx imprint would fulfill: graphic novels that appeal to teen girls but aren't "girly."

Reader Gut Reaction: With a quick, engaging storytelling style that's well-suited to a manga-influenced page format, Faith Erin Hicks has created a story that highlights classic themes like fitting in at a new school, making friends, appreciating your family for who they are, and learning that you don't have to struggle through life alone. The great balance of laugh-out-loud humor and relatable high-school angst, along with a fun cast of characters and just a touch of mystery and hijinks, made this one hard to put down.

Concerning Character: The main character, Maggie, lives in a house full of boys—three older brothers and her dad—but things are about to get even crazier. After being homeschooled for years, she's about to start (GASP) high school. She doesn't know anyone at school or have much contact with people besides her brothers, but despite being nervous, she meets friendly, endearingly goofy punky chick Lucy and her brother Alistair, and they quickly become friends. But they've got a few secrets, especially Alistair—and, of course, there are plenty of pre-existing tensions and social dramas that Maggie has no inkling of, having been homeschooled until now. Even her brothers have their own issues. But so does Maggie...and that's where the ghost comes in.

Quiet and thoughtful, I found Maggie an easy character to relate to, even though my experience with homeschooling is pretty limited. After all, we've all (mostly) faced the first day of high school, and whether you're new or not, it's nervewracking even if you're excited. She's also a really good-hearted person--she tries her best to be open and friendly, and she doesn't judge people by appearance alone.

Recommended for Fans Of...: School stories with plenty of humor, like Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (reviewed here), The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci (reviewed here), Americus by MK Reed and Jonathan Hill (reviewed here), and Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (reviewed here).

Themes & Things: The more general theme of fitting in at the beginning of high school is nicely underscored by Maggie's more unusual story of starting public school after being homeschooled by her mother for all of her school career prior. I like the fact that this is a story homeschooled kids will relate to, as well as kids with a more traditional school experience. Family, too, forms a big part of this story—coping with the loss of a family member and the complex and ever-changing sibling relationships that occur when you're a girl with three older brothers. Friendships—looking beyond appearances to the person inside—always a good theme. Also, forgiveness comes up again and again, in big ways as well as little ones; sometimes people act like doofuses and you have to learn when it's better to forgive and let go than to hold a grudge.

Authorial Asides: Friends With Boys was released as a webcomic, too, and you can read parts of it online there.

Review Copy Source: First Second (publisher)

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You can pre-order Friends With Boys at an independent bookstore near you!

A New Year's Link Roundup and A Bright Idea

While Tanita braces herself against a brisk Scottish wind, and while I wait for my library holds to come in (Cybils graphic novels shortlist; woo hoo!) I've been accumulating a small collection of interesting links and tidbits from around the Kidlitosphere. Hope you enjoy!

• First, are you ready for the 2012 Comment Challenge? MotherReader and Lee Wind are once again encouraging all of us to spend a month trying to leave five comments per day on blogs around the kidlitosphere and beyond. The jump-starting of our good blogger habits kicks off tomorrow. I'm not sure yet whether, or to what extent, I'll be able to commit to participating, but I know I've already been trying to poke my head up a bit more than usual, and I do plan to continue that good behavior. :) Anyway, if you want to officially sign up, check MotherReader tomorrow.
• Via Leila at Bookshelves of Doom, I found a link to Lizzie Stark's hilarious post on If Famous Writers Had Written Twilight. For instance, Annie Proulx might've written a story that went something like this: "Edward and Jacob defy society’s expectations up in the mountains." OODLES more in the comments to the original post.
• On Fuse #8, Betsy Bird speculates on which children's literary conferences she'd attend If She Were a Rich Girl, and I sulk, having discovered several more new conferences I won't be able to afford to go to. 
• Of course you all know this already, but Walter Dean Myers has been named the next Ambassador for Young People's Literature and has chosen the platform "Reading Is Not Optional." Not much to say other than bravo!
• AbeBooks highlights major literary events of 2011, including the death of Ms. Diana Wynne Jones and the demise of Borders.
• And, last but not least, a fascinating story from the intersection of literature and science--after 150 years, a Penn State anthropologist may have deciphered the mysterious cause of death of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Oh, one more thing--and this is especially for all you Cybils Round 1 folks wondering what to do with the ARCs or review copies you might not have space for: the ARCs Float On effort is a searchable database that helps match bloggers with teachers looking to augment their classroom libraries. Why not send your post-Cybils stash to a needy teacher? If that doesn't work out, ARCs Float On's host site Reach A Reader has a great list of links to other ways to help and places to donate. Think of it as Boxing Day for books!

*Bright Idea Time* In fact, maybe that's something the Kidlitosphere should institute...Book Boxing Day, during which bloggers commit to boxing up one average-sized file box of books and donating it to their chosen location--a library, a teacher, even some lucky reader! Look, we get LOTS of books in the mail, and we BUY lots of books on top of that (c'mon, you know you do). Filling (or nearly-filling) a file box per year, or even every other year, shouldn't be a problem, should it? And it would make a fun blogosphere-wide event. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments. Or let me know if my bright idea is already being implemented somewhere by someone, so I can slink off in embarrassed silence. Thank you kindly!

Why, yes. It is windy in Scotland.

But, I'm still alive. Thanks to those of you who asked.

Drum Roll...

It's a New Year, and you all should know what that means by now.

Yep, the Cybils shortlists have been announced! After all of the amazingly hard work reading, rehashing, and winnowing, the Round 1 judges (including our own Tanita) have come up with their picks for the most kid-friendly and blogger-approved titles of 2011 in a dizzying array of genres. Go check it out.

And now, my work as a Round 2 judge will begin. (I can hardly wait. I already read two of the finalists earlier in the year, and I know the rest will be just as awesome.)

Happy New Year, everyone!

New.

Emerging, slitty-eyed and wrinkled into the light of midnight-plus-one, the year stares up at you, astounding in its ...newness. No missed deadlines, no editorial rejections, no misused adverbs or deleted lines marring its pristine wee face.

Can you treat it as carefully as you would an infant?
Can you support its dreams as firmly as you would the wobbly head of a child?
Can you allow it to live and move and grow, and not doubt it, not dither at it with indecision, not allow its inexorable forward momentum to drag you beneath it, and crush you?

In its toddlerhood, the new year might work your nerves. Have some dim sum and a few fireworks, rekindle your relationship at the Lunar celebration, and keep your patience.

In its adolescence, the new year will try your patience. But, June is also the time to celebrate the first soft brush of summer -- and you and the year will have become acquainted enough to know each other's faults and weaknesses. Forgive. Grit your teeth. Start over.

In its mellow adulthood, anything is possible. September will find you recovering from the last gasp of the summer, ready to start again, as everywhere, students give you a good example to follow. You can do this "life" thing. With a newly sharpened pencil and a fresh sheet of paper, anything is possible - the year has shown you this before.

The year will spin 'round again, before you know it. Open your hands, and cup the treasure it brings: hope. Possibility.

The present is, after all, a gift.

Bonne année (Fr),
Feliz año nuevo (Sp),
bliadhna mhath ur (Scots Gaelic),
& Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (kinda Welsh)
from the writer girls in the Wonderland Treehouse.

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For Y2

Toon Thursday: Throw Out the Old...

...Ring in the new, right? Well, in preparation for a New Year, with a New Agent (WOO!) and hopefully plenty of new writing successes for all of us, here's an old favorite from a Toon Thursday Past (in fact, I think it was the 7th Toon Thursday ever posted). Please to enjoy, and have a truly wonderful new year from me, Tanita, and CitySmartGirl.

I've also updated the Toon Thursday Archive, so if you're still on vacation and want a few writing-related laughs, (insert self-deprecating joke here). Or you could check out more Toons from the Past! Har.

Also, don't forget to check the Cybils website on New Year's Day for the announcement of shortlists! As you've seen, Tanita's Round 1 work is coming to an end, and soon I'll be hard at work on the Round 2 panel for Graphic Novels. I can hardly wait!

Bleary Eyed Bloodshed: The Cybils Finalists

Yaaaaaawn. After three and a half hours of argument and six hours of sleep (::my brain switched back on, and woke me up::) I'm back for the YA SFF summation.

The 2011 Cybils in Science Fiction and Fantasy ~ what a long, strange trip it's been. One hundred and seventy-one books - of which I read just over one hundred and thirty -- and all the books on the list were read by at least two readers, huzzah! Some sterling small press and self-pubbed books this year, and with the new rules about having books available by electronic publishing, we all read books on various Devices, which brought the future of publishing and concerns about quality vs. quantity right in the center of things.

Quite a few debut authors were nominated this year - but some familiar faces as well, which is always nice. Several adult crossover authors from paranormal romance circles came through - not all of them were successful imports, but a couple of them have a great future writing for MG readers, if they can get their marketing folk to agree. It's all about finding one's correct audience.

Fewer vampires were nominated this year, but they are still there - though the conventional wisdom (of Secret Agent Man and others) is that after the final Twihard movie, None Shall Pass with editors and publishing houses. We shall see.

There were nominated a lot more angels - gah!!! - and other paranormal abnormalities like witches, but only three books that I recall with werewolves (is that because Team Jacob lost? Aww). We were into ad infinitum with the Greek gods and goddesses - hello Persephone as hot YA romance of the season? - though some truly were special and original - which is well-nigh impossible, given such old, ancient stories and tropes with which to work, so well done to those authors. There were a goodly number of princess novels nominated this year, which was kind of fun, though most of them weren't as hardcore as a real princess would need to be - I mean, hello, girls, never mind the prince. If you're going to be queen someday, your whole purpose is the queendom, no? ::sigh::

As usual, there were tons of book series, which was hard - I'm getting to the point that I don't even like books with sequels anymore, because they just produce annoyance - (Dear Publishing peeps, please don't let your authors/editors talk you into creating an incomplete novel and calling it the first novel in a trilogy. Each novel must. have. a. full. story. arc. Thank you so much.) - and as usual, jumping in on the third in a set of eight means that if the novel often doesn't have a compelling enough plot to stand alone, I don't know where I am in it - but fortunately, most of our nominations were the first or second novel.

2011's most obvious SFF Cybils nomination trend was conception novels. Clearly, there was some Super Seekrit Shindig somewhere, and publishing houses got together and decide the thematic content of popular books. "Hey, let's harp on pregnancy. Endlessly. Let's have novels about locking girls up, and bartering, buying, selling, stealing, and otherwise commodifiying their sexual/marital relationships and their fertility." And everyone else says, "Ooh, let's do! That'd be soooo FUN!

Arguably, not all of these fertility novels are bad - but it still slightly gives me the creeps that they all came out the same year. What else can we blame this on? Surely there's not some zeitgeist that decided, "Hey, great, we all read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood in grad school. Let's see in just how many ways we can recreate it!" But, maybe there was, and A.F. and I didn't get the Author Mansion Memo... how else could there have been so many novels on essentially the same topic? Off the top of my head, the books I recall were:

Eve, by Anna Carey
Bumped, by Megan McCaffrey
Wither, by Lauren DeStefano
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Matched, by Ally Condie
Dark Parties, by Sara Grant

...and, to a lesser degree, Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, Glow, by Amy Kathleen Ryan, and Possession, by Elana Johnson, A Long, Long Sleep, by Anna Sheehan.

...there might have been more.

All in all this year, there were a couple of books of actual science in the science fiction field, and we were glad. There were a few more novels with male protagonists and gay protagonists, a few more male authors, and a few more authors of color. Progress - the slow, creaking kind - is being made. We have a list of books of which I think we can be proud, representing ethnic and gender diversity (not as much as we might have liked, but we must choose for the whole book, not for authors or characters alone), a balance between teen voices and various subgenres. It's a strong, solid list.

(And if I'm doing a little happy dance with my big boots because I got a couple of books on that I really wanted, please excuse the stomping.)

As for the SFF YA judging panel itself... it was midnight (7 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Mountain, 4 p.m. Pacific) for me when we started deliberating, and I met my bed after 3:30 a.m. There was some... er, bloodshed, screaming and quiet sobs (Poor Steve) involved in these deliberations. Daulton the cat may or may not have eaten either staggering amounts of turkey, or his drugged owner, who'd been in a minor car accident just before our meeting and was on painkillers, slightly loopier - and quieter - than usual. There were polite pauses and bursts of sarcasm. We fortified ourselves with pie, and found the strength to keep arguing. The word "sequins" was taken in vain, which made me think of jazz hands each time ; one panelist, who'd warned us in advance that she was prepared to "get all hostile" about her shortlisted choice found to her shock that she didn't need to. This year, the judging panel also, pre-discussion, unanimously shortlisted one book, - which has never happened in all the years I've been doing this! I cannot wait for everyone else to find out what that one was!

And now it's A.F.'s turn -- since she's on a final judging panel, and while I kick back and recover - my eyes, my bloodshot EYES!!! - she starts her final judgment part of the job with Graphic Novels. Over to you, Aquafortis!

Thank you, SFF peeps. You're so fun.

Thank you, Sheila, SFF Peeps Organizer. You're so organized, and we appreciate you not getting sick of us messing around.

Thank you, Overlord Anne, for putting in the long days, long nights, and pulling out your luxuriant hair one more year on behalf of the Cybils Awards.

Long may they reign.

2011 Cybils: The False Princess, by Eilis O'Neal

One of the great joys of the Cybs is discovering that rare new book which hasn't gotten on everyone's radar yet. Other than a fab review from the Book Smugglers of Awesome, I haven't heard this one reviewed many places, and that's a real and serious shame. Pick it up, folks! Part princess tale, part superhero adventure, this novel pivots on what a strong young woman can do, once she sets her mind to it, and re-prioritizes romance to something which keeps the heart warm, but which has to be considered after the important things. (Love is important, romance, less so.) A brilliant debut from the author.

Reader Gut Reaction: If you read The Man in the Iron Mask - or, okay, even saw the movie with whatshisname Di Caprio, you know the trope - royals switched at birth, yadda, yadda, yadda. There's a traditional amount of suspense and derring-do and running around that this trope entails. The author took these familiar things, and somehow, made them live and breathe.
Concerning Character: ...the story, for me, started with disappointment. When I could feel Nalia - or Sinda's disappointment that her life wasn't real, her quiet terror, resentment, and deep, deep hurt, then I was well and truly hooked. The characterizations in this tale are sharply done and thorough. They had to be, or the reader would have balked at revisiting the same old story. But, there's not only newness here, there's a twist.

She's never been all that good at the princess gig, but it was her life, and to be hustled out and shoved away -- with only a small chest of simple gowns and a merely adequate bag of gold -- it breaks her. Now Sinda is at a loss - she tried being as common as she had been raised to be, living with her cold, dyer aunt, but she messes up the simplest dyes and she misses her best friend, Kieran, with what's left of her heart. Finding out she has magic revives hope within her. She returns to the city -- but the college of magics won't have her. A stroke of luck brings her to the attention of a woman who can train her -- and things get better.

Or, they should have gotten better. However, nothing is ever that easy. Some people aren't destined to go their own way - and the needs of the world and of the kingdom turn out to be larger than a single person. Sinda responds to the needs around her, though it might cost her not only the home she's managed to carve out, but her life.

Recommended for Fans Of...: Shannon Hale's The Princess Academy, Alexander Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask, Northlander by Meg Burden, and the magical component reminded me of Nightwalker: The Warlocks of Talverdin, by K.V. Johansen. (The Smugglers note The Decoy Princess, by Kim Harrison, writing as Dawn Cook, but I haven't read it... it is so on my TBR list, though.)

Cover Chatter: I haven't seen umpteen covers for this novel, which is because the one it has, though using The Headless Girl cover trope, actually manages to do its job - not in any brilliant, notable way, but... well enough. The face in the locket around the headless girl's throat stares unhappily out at the viewer, and we know this is probably Sinda. Sadly, there was no locket in the novel. What was in the story was a birthmark which the princesses shared, and a prophesy... which could have been fairly easily depicted. My only conclusion about this Headless Girl cover is that the designers were afraid of giving too much away...?

Authorial Asides: Eilis is pronounced A-lish, and that's a really righteously Irish first name, is it not? Almost as good as Teagan, Sian, and Aisling. We're really collecting these great Irish first names in YA lit! Anyway, Ms. O'Neal was clearly going to write an excellent first novel because she is the managing editor of the Nimrod International Journal for Prose and Poetry at the University of Tulsa.

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You can find THE FALSE PRINCESS at an independent bookstore near you!