Our lives are stories made of stories: ancestor stories, environment stories, relationship stories, role stories. Many of these stories are given to u...moreOur lives are stories made of stories: ancestor stories, environment stories, relationship stories, role stories. Many of these stories are given to us without our awareness, while others are built from our experiences. We often dream of preserving the stories we hear and love by writing them down, but the task can be overwhelming for the beginning writer.
Family Folktales: Write Your Own Family Stories, provides the encouragement and guidance to first harvest the stories of our lives then preserve them for ourselves, family, and community. Using simple folktale motifs and lists to jog the memory, Gonzalez encourages nervous writers to start small with short periods of writing that focus on the concrete: describing a family heirloom like a baseball mitt or prom gown can provide a terrific story to write and share.
The workbook features: a short anthology of folktales to illustrate the method presented; a short resources section for further reading and pages for jotting down folktale ideas or to even draft stories; large font makes reading easy.
This excellent companion to a memoir workshop or writing group expands folklore beyond the oral and written, and helps readers with ideas on how to share their stories through mixed media, online video clips, podcasting, and more! (less)
Lukeman presents several methods for the beginning writer to examine and edit their work in a careful, methodical manner. By examining the mechanics o...moreLukeman presents several methods for the beginning writer to examine and edit their work in a careful, methodical manner. By examining the mechanics of good prose, Lukeman provides solid advice on strengthening not only the first few pages of a novel, but also the entire work. He breaks his book into convenient sections, the first dealing with raw text and problems of presentation, adverbs and adjectives, sound, comparison, and style. The second section deals with the mechanics, strengths, and pitfalls of dialogue, while the third section gives the beginning author solid advice on how to make the first few pages of their novel work to make the over all novel stronger and more satisfying to the reader. Covering numerous topics from “show vs. tell” to characterization and hook, Lukeman structures his book in such a way that a reader-writer can pick what troubles them most about their manuscript and find possible solutions. I highly recommend the book on the basis of its thoroughness.(less)
Format: 230 pages, appx. 44k words (28 chapters), first person, past.
Junior wants more for his life than living and learning on the Spokan...moreFormat: 230 pages, appx. 44k words (28 chapters), first person, past.
Junior wants more for his life than living and learning on the Spokane Rez. He's poor, he's angry, but most of all, he's ambitious, asking his alcoholic parents to allow him to attend the all-white school at Reardon. Alexie takes on several issues in his novel - poverty, prejudice, community, self-understanding, loyalty, self-loathing, death, and the meaning of life - but deftly tells his tale from the viewpoint of a freshman in high school. The realistic dialogue and cartoons give depth to the traditional plot arc tracing Junior's movement between life on the Rez and life outside the Rez, grounded in concrete movements of basketball. My only criticism is it's similarity to Diary of a Wimpy Kid which may be deliberate on Alexie's part or perhaps a coincidence, but the parallels did diminish the impact of the form for me.(less)
Format: 214 pages, appx. 50,000 words, first person, past.
Set in a village during a time when oxcarts and threat of the plague define the ...moreFormat: 214 pages, appx. 50,000 words, first person, past.
Set in a village during a time when oxcarts and threat of the plague define the lives of everyday people, this story unwinds as an unlikely romance. Central to Keturah's motivation is not just her own survival but the survival of her people, the ones she holds most dear to her heart. She bargains with Death himself for their survival, slowly revealing how her destiny is entwined with Death's. Written in a classic Aristotelian arc, each decision and turn of the tale brings the reader closer to the climax, clues to the ending dropped judiciously. The novel is both quiet and powerful in it's complexity, one I'll read time and again for it's use of myths regarding death and the power of love.(less)
Format: 375 pages, appx. 87,000 words, first person, past.
Enjoyable, fast-paced story which melds Greek myth with modern times. Percy dis...moreFormat: 375 pages, appx. 87,000 words, first person, past.
Enjoyable, fast-paced story which melds Greek myth with modern times. Percy discovers his true identity, is pursued by monsters bent on his destruction, learns of his role in a prophesy, understands the meaning of his destiny and ultimately survives a quest which serves as his coming-of-age. The arc is classic Aristotelian in shape with a satisfying emotional throughline. Can't wait to read the rest in the series!(less)
One of the earliest fantasy books I had ever read, re-reading this story was like...moreFormat: 186 pages, appx. 36,000 words, omniscient, past.
One of the earliest fantasy books I had ever read, re-reading this story was like coming home again to what enthralled me to fantasy in the first place - that magic and the real world are not so far apart, separated by, at the most, a door. The use of the omniscient POV renders the narrative in a timeless voice, one from a time very different from the current time. The movement of the plot is masterful, allowing the reader to identify with Lucy early in the plot, her viewpoint driving much of the action. The form is not multivocal, however, since the narration gives equal commentary for each character no matter who the main character of a chapter is.
Sarah is a few months shy of her tenth birthda...moreFormat: 116 pages, appx. 22,000 words, third person, past. Style: midgrade realist chicklit.
Sarah is a few months shy of her tenth birthday and she's afraid that her best friend Paige will join the dreaded Double Digit Club, an exclusive group of girls started by her rival Valerie. When Sarah's fears are realized, she sets off on a path to get her friend back, compromising her sense of right and wrong as she lies and steals to find the perfect lure for Paige. Sarah's schemes unravel as the story unfolds forcing her to make hard choices which could damage two of her most precious friendships. In the end, Sarah learns that part of growing up is taking responsibility for choices and having to live with the consequences and changes that occur. (less)
Format: 32 pages. Appx. 800 words. Third person, past.
Coyote, old bag of bones and trickster, is dying. Buzzard is ready to strike but als...moreFormat: 32 pages. Appx. 800 words. Third person, past.
Coyote, old bag of bones and trickster, is dying. Buzzard is ready to strike but also points out the Young Buffalo. Coyote has hope that Buffalo has magic to spare and he asks to be transformed. The Buffalo helps and Coyote becomes so enthused by the change, he tries to convince the other old animals that he has the power to give them youth. Hilarity ensues and Coyote is retuned to his baggy old self. He doesn't lose hope though when, at the end of the book, he sees a young elk.
A retold folktale complete with puns and onomatopoetic punctuations. (less)
Format: 32 pages. Appx. 400 words, third person past.
Bart, the Sheriff Dog, is about to retire after ten years of watching over Miss Kitty...moreFormat: 32 pages. Appx. 400 words, third person past.
Bart, the Sheriff Dog, is about to retire after ten years of watching over Miss Kitty, Buffalo Gal, Wild Bill Hiccup the Pig, and Miss Dixie the Chicken. But when Billy the Kid comes to town, the town begs him to stay sheriff and defeat Billy. Bart tells them that he can't do it alone and at first they are reluctant to help, but when Bart gets in a jam, they're there for him.
Lots of puns and a few rhymes make this a delightful book. (less)
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