Lindsay Detwiler's Blog, page 56

Voice of Innocence: A Tale for Teens, Too

“You really captured what a high school cafeteria looks like.”   “You gave me hope that I can find a love like that.” “You reminded me of my first love, my teenage love.”

These are some of the responses I’ve had in recent weeks to my novel Voice of Innocence. Initially, I felt like my target audience was adult women; it is categorized as women’s fiction after all. However, after getting some feedback from younger readers, I’ve realized that Voice of Innocence really does crossover into young adult fiction as well.

Part of the reason for this crossover is the unique format of the book. Emma and Corbin are forty-seven in the “present day,” but much of the book uses flashbacks to focus on their youth. A large portion of the book actually focuses on their teenage lives and relationship. For this reason, I’ve found that teen readers also connect to Emma and Corbin.

I’ve been asked how I was able to capture the couple’s high school lives in such vivid detail; this is easy. First, I’m a high school teacher, so I’ve spent many days on cafeteria duty, in the hallways, and in the classroom observing teenagers. I’ve heard their fears, their dreams. I’ve witnessed the odd interactions in the hallways. I’ve seen the connections between first loves. Many writers say that you write what you know; I certainly know high school.

Furthermore, I know what it’s like to meet your first love at a young age since my husband and I met at the seventh grade art table (just like Emma and Corbin . . .coincidence? I think not.). I’ve been through the rocky, complicated, emotional rollercoaster of teenage love. I know the heartbreaks, the stupid fights, the immature comments, and the powerful emotions that accompany a high school romance. So when I was writing about Emma and Corbin, I simply drew from my own feelings.

I think that is my favorite thing about this book, the thing I’m most proud of: it doesn’t speak to just one age group. I think that it shows that no matter if you are sixteen or forty-six or ninety-two, you can understand the power of a true love, the depth of the emotions that accompany it, and the beauty of two people’s lives being intricately woven together.

So if you have a teen in your life, don’t be afraid to add Voice of Innocence to their summer reads.

Lindsay Detwiler, Voice of Innocence

Follow me on twitter @LindsayDetwiler

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TMX826K

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voice-of-innocence-lindsay-detwiler/1121237080?ean=2940046578041

Voice of Innocence: An Atypical Romance, A Tale of Realism, A Story of Love

Why read another romance? Why read a romance from an unknown author? Why buy this book?

These are questions I know arise when my potential readers are checking out my book. Several of my readers have noted, however, that this novel “isn’t your typical romance.” What does that mean? Below, find some things that are different about my novel, things that you will gain from reading J

Two different perspectives

I like to write in first person point of view to give my readers a truly emotional view of the events. In this novel, I decided to tell the story from both Emma and Corbin’s point of view. I felt like it was important to have a full view of both sides of the story. I wanted readers to see the agony that both the convicted and the loved one face when something like this happens. I think that both perspectives give the novel the depth and help you understand the mutuality of the feelings involved.

Flashbacks

Voice of Innocence focuses on the protagonists when they are in their forties. However, flashbacks help you piece together their early relationship and their teenage years. Thus, I’ve had readers in their teens, readers in their forties, readers in their eighties, and everyone in between—all groups can connect to the story because the book follows Emma and Corbin at various points of their lives

Emma’s humorous Mom

The book has a heavy tone to most of it . . .but I didn’t want it to feel like an emotional overload. Thus, Emma’s Mom helps serve some comic relief. Her zany, zesty attitude and her penchant to tell it like it is will give you a reason to laugh, even when you feel like crying.

The Passion and Love Feels Real

I’ve been told that I have a very descriptive writing style. Many readers have noted that they truly feel the connection to the protagonists and can understand the depth of the feelings. They can imagine the various scenes and events. I’ve even had readers note that Emma and Corbin’s relationship reminds them of their own first love. Plus, Emma and Corbin’s love isn’t your fake, picture perfect relationship. There are tragedies, fights, and problems that they have to deal with; they don’t work everything out on every page. I wanted to capture the realistic nature of love, and the truth is that love is far from perfect.

The Depth

Many wrongly associate “chick lit,” “romance,” and “women’s fiction” genres with fluff. Although I disagree with this sentiment wholeheartedly, I can also say that I believe even skeptics will leave my novel feeling like there is depth to it. It explores a unique, difficult subject: exploring the emotions, pains, and losses associated with a wrongful conviction leads to anything except mindless fluff. The novel will leave you thinking about our justice system, loss, and how life can change in the blink of an eye.

Want to know more? Check out the trailer below and visit Amazon.com for some more extensive reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TMX826K

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voice-of-innocence-lindsay-detwiler/1121237080?ean=2940046578041

Selfishness: Is it Instinctual?

Lately, I feel like I’ve been swimming in a sea of selfishness, wading through a bunch of bragging. It’s not anyone in particular. . .just all of humanity.

You know what I’m getting at if you’re being honest. Have you ever been around people who are just consumed with themselves? The answer is probably yes because, as humans, it sometimes seems like we are inherently selfish. We “listen” to others’ worries/dreams/life stories/humorous tales . . .but do we really hear them, or are we just waiting to find a point where we can make the conversation about us? Are we really sharing details about our husbands/kids/dogs/jobs to connect with someone, or are we just saying “look at me”? I feel like I come across so many people in this world who are the latter, who are about drawing attention to their own lives, progress, and accomplishments in order to be noticed. It’s okay to be proud. We all want to be recognized when something great is happening for us. What’s not okay? Being self-absorbed with only your own accomplishments and not stopping to recognize others around you.

I feel like lately, I’ve been having this revelation or perhaps just a face to face meeting with reality: everyone is selfish to some extent. I am certainly no exception. We all want attention, we all want others to value us, and we all want others to show up for us when we need support. However, if we are all acting in this manner, then no one is winning. Everyone is just existing in a sea of individuals looking out for their own interests. If we are all selfish, then no one is actually getting the attention craved. We are all fooling each other, pretending to care about each other when really we are just waiting for an opening to shift the attention to ourselves. Life, then, becomes a constant tug of war for power, attention, and conversations.

I know what you’re thinking– wow this is a depressing post. But in reality, it’s not. It’s just a wake up call. We can overcome this social issue and start shifting our society from a “me,me,me” culture to one where we actually care about others.

It doesn’t have to be a Mother Theresa kind of move, either, where we give up everything we own and live only for others. It can be a small move. The next time you’re listening to someone talk. . .actually listen. In fact, promise yourself that you aren’t going to say anything that is remotely about you. Instead, comment on the other person’s story, ask questions . . .make it about that person.  Or the next time a friend has something big happening in his or her life, be there for him or her. Don’t show up out of obligation or so that he or she will show up for you. Show up with no strings attached, no payback required.  Try to do something for someone everyday that isn’t about you. Try to do something everyday that isn’t about bettering your career, your social status, or your reputation. If we all start stepping out of ourselves a bit and start really seeing those around us, really trying to support those around us, maybe we can break the reputation we have as a species. Maybe we can break the common belief that selfishness is an instinct we can’t overcome, that it’s a survival technique.

Maybe, just maybe, we can put a little bit more selflessness back into humanity.

Don’t be that person, that “me” person who only talks about yourself. If you need more inspiration, check out the Toby Keith video below :)

One Plus One

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second novel I’ve read by Jojo Moyes, and it certainly won’t be my last.

One Plus One follows the story of truly endearing characters. Jess is trying to better her family as a single mom to Tanzie, a math prodigy, and Nicky, her stepson who is struggling to fit in. Through a series of events, they end up driving across the country with Ed, a business man whom Jess cleans for. Through the trip, the four characters learn to relate to each other in a new way and bring out the best in each other.

This isn’t your typical romance; it focuses a lot on the themes of family, survival, and identity. Both Jess and Ed are looking for something in life; although they do find it in each other to an extent, the more accurate description is that they find it through each other. Each leads the other to a better life and to being a stronger person, something that true love should do.

I loved that the novel flipped between four perspectives. I also truly enjoyed the humor incorporated into the novel. I found myself laughing out loud at times, especially at the crazy things that happened with the family’s dog Norman. There were also very deep, tender moments. I was satisfied with the ending as well. I love the feeling of hope that this novel instills.

At first, I couldn’t find myself invested in Ed. I found him to be smug and even a bit repulsive–but I feel like that was the point. As he lets his walls come down and learns to be selfless, we start to see new layers to his character. Just as Jess starts to view him differently, the reader does as well. I think this development of character heightened the plot and themes of the work.

Once I started reading this novel, I found msyelf hooked. I read over two hundred pages today! If you want a novel that will explore romance and family in a unique way, pick up this book. You won’t be disappointed.

View all my reviews

The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley

I picked up this book for two reasons, if I’m being honest: I liked the cover, and it was on clearance.

I am so glad that I did, regardless.

This is one of the most emotional novels I have ever read. It certainly isn’t a lighthearted, fluffy read. It is deep, it is raw, and it will make you think about your life. I love that type of book.

Matt and Elle have known each other their entire lives. They have dated, they have broken up, they have gotten married. The novel, however, starts on the darkest day in their relationship; Matt, a doctor, sees his wife wheeled into the ER. After a tragic accident, she is in a coma. By a few pages into the novel, however, he finds out even more shocking news; against all odds, she is pregnant.

The novel follows the couples present day struggles. Elle isn’t slated to survive, and Matt must make difficult end of life decisions for both Elle and the baby. It also uses flashbacks to further develop their love story, their fertility struggles, and their bond.

The tale seamlessly weaves the past and the present together, adding to the heartbreak Matt is enduring. Told from first person point of view, the reader is fully engulfed in his loss and the choices he must make.

Sibley’s writing style is my favorite type; it is poetic and flowery at points but punchy and concise at others. It has a perfect balance that allows me to emotionally connect to the events while also keeping the plot moving. I never lost interest in this book, not for a single second.

I would definitely give this book five stars, which isn’t something I usually do (as an English teacher, I’m a pretty picky reader). I was even satisfied with the ending, although I will say it isn’t predictable. Don’t go into this novel thinking you already know what will happen. Sibley keeps it engaging by throwing some surprising tidbits at you.

Find out more about this novel at http://www.amazon.com/Promise-Stardust-Priscille-Sibley-ebook/dp/B0089LOHB0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431956643&sr=1-1&keywords=the+promise+of+stardust.

~Lindsay Detwiler, author of Voice of Innocence

Voice of Innocence: Highlighting the Tragedy of Wrongful Convictions

As Americans, we like to believe we live in a society where justice prevails. Our justice system is, in our opinions, solid, trustworthy, and reliable. Sadly, this is not always the case.

Wrongful convictions aren’t a thing of one decade in particular or one culture. Sadly, the innocent have been persecuted since the beginning of man.

I’ve always been haunted by the prospect that justice doesn’t always prevail, that the innocent don’t always go free. We like to tell ourselves that the truth always wins, that the good can’t be hurt. How wrong we are.

In college, this concept started to really plague me. I had seen many stories in the news of innocent men being convicted of crimes, spending decades in jail, only to be set free once the truth came out. The news always treated the story with a celebratory aire; how wonderful that the truth came out! For me, though, I always saw the story as a tragedy. Yes, the cliché “better late than never” certainly applies here. However, how can one celebrate the fact that a man lost twenty, thirty, or even forty years of his life? My mind always wandered to the family of the convicted. Although their faces weren’t plastered on the news, they certainly suffered, too. I got to thinking about what it would be like to be a loved one or even a lover of one these men. What emotions would you feel upon conviction? Would you eventually doubt the innocence of your loved one? Would you end up walking away, only to regret it once he was freed? All of these questions wouldn’t quiet, and eventually Emma and Corbin emerged from the resonating ideas.

Once I started writing their story, I became much more sensitive to the reality in their fictional tale. Sure, Emma and Corbin were simply fictional characters, but their story certainly has validity in the real world. When teaching The Crucible by Arthur Miller a few years later, I was reminded that many innocents were convicted and executed due to wrongful convictions during the Salem Witch Trials. As Arthur Miller highlights with his allegorical play, the McCarthy Era also produced similar results of false accusations. Fast forward to the 1980s and 1990s and the lack of DNA evidence provided many errors. If you log onto the Innocence Project’s web page, you will find hundreds of stories of the innocent being convicted. One of those men, Kenny Waters, is the subject of the movie Conviction starring Hilary Swank (it is worth watching, by the way!).

In Voice of Innocence, my goal was to go behind the factual nature of the newspaper articles that highlight the plight of the wrongfully convicted. I wasn’t concerned with emphasizing the flaws of our justice system as much as I was highlighting the emotional torture that would accompany these situations. I wanted to examine the feelings that not only the convicted face but those around them. I wanted to explore the idea of whether or not a real love could survive something as life altering as a wrongful conviction. Emma and Corbin are simply the tools I used to delve into the emotional aspects of this concept.

For these reasons, Voice of Innocence isn’t your typical romance, as many readers have pointed out. Yes, it focuses on the expected emotions that accompany love and the power of the feeling. However, I would like to think that it does more than that. It explores not only the bond of a first love, but also the power that life’s injustices can exert. It explores the torrential downpour of sorrow that can sometimes overpower even the strongest relationship. It examines the truth—some loves are tested more than others, and sometimes it takes a miracle for the two participants to get through it in one piece.

To explore Emma and Corbin’s relationship, the power of first love, and the cruelty of the life’s injustices, pick up Voice of Innocence today, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TMX826K

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voice-of-innocence-lindsay-detwiler/1121237080?ean=2940046578041

“I Never Saw Another Butterfly”: Poetry of the Holocaust

I am currently teaching a unit on literature of the Holocaust. It’s depressing, it’s emotional . . .and it’s so important. Our students need to be reminded of the horrors that happened because of propaganda and fear. Our society needs to pay tribute to those who survived this time and those who didn’t.

This week, we are studying the poetry of the children of Terezin. Dubbed Hitler’s “Gift to the Jews,” this “model town” was Hitler’s way of convincing the world that the Nazis weren’t mistreating the Jews. The Red Cross even visited this area and found well-fed Jews who were enjoying their new “settlement.” In reality, the majority of the hundreds of thousands of Jews from this “settlement” died from the conditions here or from deportation to other extermination camps. They were a part of an elaborate ploy on Hitler’s part to trick the world. They, like Jews in more infamous camps such as Auschwitz, were sentenced to die.

Of 15,000 children in Terezin, only 100 survived the war. For many, the only evidence of their existence in this world are the drawings and poems left behind. After the war, these relics of the innocent were found in mattresses and hidden throughout Terezin.  They have been compiled into a book called “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.”

Literature’s main goal is to move people, to make them feel something. If you do not feel something when you are reading these young poets’ works, then you are truly not human. To see their fears, the horrors of Terezin through their eyes, and also to see their hopes for better days is to see the Holocaust through a truly unthinkable perspective. Check out one of the most famous poems from these children below and then check out the collection. It will make you think about how much you take for granted and will help you pay tribute to the innocent lives lost during this horrendous time.

The Butterfly

The last, the very last,

So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.

Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing against a white stone…

Such, such a yellow Is carried lightly ‘way up high.

It went away I’m sure because it wished to kiss the world goodbye.

For seven weeks I’ve lived in here, Penned up inside this ghetto

But I have found my people here.

The dandelions call to me

And the white chestnut candles in the court.

Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.

Butterflies don’t live in here,

In the ghetto.

Pavel Friedmann 4.6.1942

I Never Saw Another Butterfly: Children's Drawings and Poems from the Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944

The Power of a First Love, of a Real Love: Voice of Innocence

“Nonetheless, love is a funny thing. More specifically, second loves are a funny thing. For no matter how special that second or third or even fourth love is, no matter how much you can’t live without him, the first one always creeps in. It’s always when I least expect it. We’ll be out to dinner and John will start talking about camping as a kid, and he’ll creep in. I’ll picture our tree in the woods and all of the moments that happened there. Or at Christmas time, I’ll be sitting beside John at midnight Mass when the twinkling lights around the manger scene will catch my eye, and I’ll go back to that barn where Corbin and I shared those special nights. No matter how much John fills my life and my heart, or how many years separate us as time marches on, Corbin always holds a place in my life. My relationship with John is always haunted by glimmers of Corbin. My heart is never completely my own.” ~Emma Ranstein

Voice of Innocence explores the power of first love, the injustices that sometimes plague our lives, and the idea that the power of love doesn’t always fade with time. Sometimes circumstances outside of our control dictate the paths we must follow.  Nonetheless, sometimes we are left with the possibility of changing these circumstances if we are willing to make sacrifices.

“Definitely not the normal contemporary romance.

It starts off with a sweet undetectable blossoming romance between both the young lovers and then throws you into a surprising ill fated endeavor. A climaxing ending leaves for an interesting wake. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope the author continues to write these powerful romance novels.” ~Pennie Mae Cartawick

“Hands down one of the best books I’ve read.” ~Brittany Spade, Amazon

“What an emotional story! Following Emma and Corbin through memories as they recount the past, the details of the moments that led to the present was such a heart rending journey.

I loved Corbin. I found myself looking forward to his chapters, hurting for him, feeling the helplessness, the overwhelming frustration and emptiness that he now lived. Emma and Corbin’s love was tested in the most extreme way, it made me question just how much a person can endure and still come out the other side with any sense of self or normalcy. I fell into the love story, I wrung my hands over the loss and I connected, strangely enough, to Corbin’s father. He had lost as much, if not more, than both Corbin and Emma.” ~Allyn, Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TMX826K

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voice-of-innocence-lindsay-detwiler/1121237080?ean=2940046578041

Balancing Function & Fun: The Fashion of a Twenty Something

For years, I was a “What Not to Wear” addict. I watched every episode, taking Stacy London and Clinton Kelly’s words to heart. Pointy toed shoes–check. Skip the capris–check. Form fitting blazer–check. Scrap the holey jeans, halter tops, and graphic tees–check. While watching the show, I started to feel like my entire wardrobe was a don’t and that I was dressing for disaster instead of success.

The show’s now over, and I do miss the friendly banter, the fashion advice, and the awesome transformations. However, I’ve come to realize one thing: there isn’t necessarily a formula for perfect fashion.

I do agree–you have to dress for the job you want. There isn’t a school out there who will hire a teacher wearing a skimpy leather mini and a crop top. However, there also isn’t a rule that once you hit twenty-one, you have to opt only for black pants suits and silk blouses in neutral colors.

I tried the “professional” route; I tried to follow the rules. I avoided the junior’s section like the plague, deciding I was too old for it. Do you know what I found? Sometimes following rules can be boring, especially when it comes to fashion.

Cast away from the Juniors department, I too often found myself facing a department of elastic waisted pants suits and gaudy florals. I felt like I was professional looking, sure  . . .but I also felt like I lacked any type of pizzazz.

In the past few years, I’ve started floating back toward the fashion don’ts. I’ve been bending the rules. I shop the Junior’s section from time to time. I buy shirts with flashy sequins. I even (gasp) have a few tees with words. I’ve traded the pointy-toed stilettos for more comfortable ballet flats or bedazzled flip flops.

I still believe “What Not To Wear” was one one of the best shows out there, and I feel the pain of its absence. However, I’ve also learned that as with everything in life, there isn’t a one size fits all approach to fashion. Thus, I’ve taken their ideas and molded them into my own life. I’d like to think that I’ve found a way to balance mature professional with funky twenty-something. Do I always get it right? Absolutely not. In fact, today what I thought was a funky, trendy patterned shirt was deemed to look like nurse’s scrubs by my husband. Hey, we can’t all be straight from a magazine, right? But I’ve learned that my clothes can still have personality, even if that personality results in sequined hot pink tops that may or may not be a don’t.

Lindsay Detwiler, Voice of Innocence author

Confessions . . .T Swift Style

So don’t you worry your pretty little mind,

People throw rocks at things that shine,

And life makes love look hard,

The stakes are high,

The waters rough,

But this love is ours,

You never know what people have up their sleeves,

Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me,

Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles,

But I don’t care,

‘Cause right now you’re mine,

I am twenty-seven . . .and I love Taylor Swift.

Why is that so hard to say? For years now, I’ve loved Taylor Swift’s songs. Okay, so I hated the “Tim McGraw” song. But after that, I’ve loved every other song Swift wrote. I have her cds. When her songs come on the radio, I blast them and sing every word. I love her lyrics, and I love that I can connect with her songs. I love her songs about growing up, about love, and about being in your twenties. I love that her songs make me want to get up and dance. I just love her.

Yet there’s such a stigma around Taylor Swift. When I mention her at school, I get a ton of groans from the kids. When I tell someone I love her music, I usually get “Ew, she’s weird,” or “She can’t sing,” or “She has too many boyfriends.”

So I’ve closeted my thoughts. I pretend that I don’t love her songs. I never admit that at twenty-seven, I like a girl who is considered an idol for teens.

But lately, I’ve been thinking: why? Why the self-consciousness over something as simple as music and lyrics? Why the shame for connecting with songs? Why the Taylor Swift denial?

Say what you want about Swift, but her lyrics are poetic. Look beyond her dating life, her hair, or even her voice, and you’ll see words packed with emotion and quality. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the lyrics for “Never Grow Up” or watch the video before for “Mine.” I dare you not to feel something.

Until then, I’ll keep singing “Style” and “Shake It Off.” Who knows, maybe I’ll just roll the windows down this time and let everyone hear me belt it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPBwXKgDTdE