Megan Wong's Blog, page 6
May 21, 2019
Book Review: May
For this Season, I've chosen to review:
I was given this book by one of my high school teachers.
The book club at our school was run by me and a fellow classmate,
this teacher was one of our advisors and she suggested
several excellent books for us to read.
When it was time for me to graduate, she gave me this.
The Miser of Mayfair is a regency novel which means that it takes place in England during the Regency period which was named because England was ruled by a prince regent instead of a king. Fiction under this heading generally takes place from 1811 until 1820. While this novel is set in 1807, I think we can qualify it as a regency and forego the specifics.
Not only is it a regency novel, but a romance/adventure novel as well.
To set the scene, it is important to know that the Season was when eligible young women came to London looking for husbands. People would come in from all over to rent a house and take part because husband-catching is a profitable business.
Mayfair is a part of London which is fashionable and its houses are rented for the Season. In particular, this story is focused around Number 67 Clarges Street. Any house for the well-to-do is stocked with a full staff, composed of a butler, a cook, a housekeeper, a footman, a chambermaid, and a pot boy. The story begins with a closer look at this staff, who are all stuck in their current positions; they form an informal family which looks after each other.
What is great about Chesney's writing is that a reader can feel the story and time period. It's not overly stiff or complicated either, so a reader will have no trouble enjoying it. The details are thought out and nothing stands out as historically inaccurate (but then, I'm not a regency scholar).
So the scene is set and the problem is told immediately. Number 67 Clarges Street is seen as cursed and the only way that the staff will get by is having some tenant rent the space. Needless to say, they need someone to come and soon.
Bring in Roderick Sinclair, a drinking enthusiast and retired lawyer. He has just learned about the death of his brother Jamie, and Jamie is wealthy. Roderick's pockets are threadbare and so he goes to hear the will, only to learn that his brother left him one thing: a ward, Fiona.
When Roderick meets Fiona, he thinks of her as a simpleton. Fiona is beautiful, a stunning natural beauty and Roderick begins to scheme. He's heard about the Season and how else can he take care of her and himself.
Thus begins their journey. Roderick is poor though and it takes nearly everything to get there. Along the road, they have to stop for bad weather and meet Earls and Lords and Ladies. One man in particular stands out, Lord Harrington. If you know romance, then you know our dashing hero and stud has just arrived on scene.
However, he dismisses Fiona as well. What is a poor girl to do?
I've neglected to mention that Fiona is clever. Quite clever that she knows people see what they want to see and she acts like the air-headed innocent that everyone assumes she is. She knows what is at stake and she's determined to have a choice in who she is going to marry. She is the one who spreads the rumor that Mr. Roderick Sinclair is a miser, explaining their homely appearance and making others believe that they are rich.
It's quite an entertaining read as our lovers dance around each other. Truths will be revealed, liars and schemers chastised, and a race against time and treachery.
So take the time to go to the Season and learn all about it. If this review captures your interest, then I don't think you'll be disappointed with the novel.
I was given this book by one of my high school teachers.The book club at our school was run by me and a fellow classmate,
this teacher was one of our advisors and she suggested
several excellent books for us to read.
When it was time for me to graduate, she gave me this.
The Miser of Mayfair is a regency novel which means that it takes place in England during the Regency period which was named because England was ruled by a prince regent instead of a king. Fiction under this heading generally takes place from 1811 until 1820. While this novel is set in 1807, I think we can qualify it as a regency and forego the specifics.
Not only is it a regency novel, but a romance/adventure novel as well.
To set the scene, it is important to know that the Season was when eligible young women came to London looking for husbands. People would come in from all over to rent a house and take part because husband-catching is a profitable business.
Mayfair is a part of London which is fashionable and its houses are rented for the Season. In particular, this story is focused around Number 67 Clarges Street. Any house for the well-to-do is stocked with a full staff, composed of a butler, a cook, a housekeeper, a footman, a chambermaid, and a pot boy. The story begins with a closer look at this staff, who are all stuck in their current positions; they form an informal family which looks after each other.
What is great about Chesney's writing is that a reader can feel the story and time period. It's not overly stiff or complicated either, so a reader will have no trouble enjoying it. The details are thought out and nothing stands out as historically inaccurate (but then, I'm not a regency scholar).
So the scene is set and the problem is told immediately. Number 67 Clarges Street is seen as cursed and the only way that the staff will get by is having some tenant rent the space. Needless to say, they need someone to come and soon.
Bring in Roderick Sinclair, a drinking enthusiast and retired lawyer. He has just learned about the death of his brother Jamie, and Jamie is wealthy. Roderick's pockets are threadbare and so he goes to hear the will, only to learn that his brother left him one thing: a ward, Fiona.
When Roderick meets Fiona, he thinks of her as a simpleton. Fiona is beautiful, a stunning natural beauty and Roderick begins to scheme. He's heard about the Season and how else can he take care of her and himself.
Thus begins their journey. Roderick is poor though and it takes nearly everything to get there. Along the road, they have to stop for bad weather and meet Earls and Lords and Ladies. One man in particular stands out, Lord Harrington. If you know romance, then you know our dashing hero and stud has just arrived on scene.
However, he dismisses Fiona as well. What is a poor girl to do?
I've neglected to mention that Fiona is clever. Quite clever that she knows people see what they want to see and she acts like the air-headed innocent that everyone assumes she is. She knows what is at stake and she's determined to have a choice in who she is going to marry. She is the one who spreads the rumor that Mr. Roderick Sinclair is a miser, explaining their homely appearance and making others believe that they are rich.
It's quite an entertaining read as our lovers dance around each other. Truths will be revealed, liars and schemers chastised, and a race against time and treachery.
So take the time to go to the Season and learn all about it. If this review captures your interest, then I don't think you'll be disappointed with the novel.
May 14, 2019
Unusual Statistics
The "Stats" tab is one of the most interesting features of blogger.
I can see how many people have viewed my blog.
I can see how many viewed each post.
I can see the general geographic location of these people.
I can even see which browser and operating system.
Most of the data isn't helpful to me and some of it is downright strange.
For instance, when I first began writing this blog, I had regular views from locations such as Portugal and Ukraine. Now, I'm all for the spread of knowledge and communication across the globe, but I find it highly unlikely that there were people in Portugal and Ukraine who were viewing my blog.
I've speculated with others before as to why this occurs:
Perhaps bots are running across my site and triggering the cookies or something. Perhaps some people have their computers set to bounce their location around so the actual countries aren't representative, but the views are. Or, perhaps, there really are people in these countries that are viewing my blog.
If that last one represents you, dear reader, then welcome! It's nice to know that I have an international audience. It's amazing how the Internet has brought some of us closer together.
As for the other data, it is useful for me to know which posts people have enjoyed. If a post has higher traffic, then that represents the content I should be displaying on my blog. I try to do a general mix of topics and include posts about my own work as well as others.
If you have any suggestions or have questions about anything, feel free to comment and let me know!
I can see how many people have viewed my blog.
I can see how many viewed each post.
I can see the general geographic location of these people.
I can even see which browser and operating system.
Most of the data isn't helpful to me and some of it is downright strange.
For instance, when I first began writing this blog, I had regular views from locations such as Portugal and Ukraine. Now, I'm all for the spread of knowledge and communication across the globe, but I find it highly unlikely that there were people in Portugal and Ukraine who were viewing my blog.
I've speculated with others before as to why this occurs:
Perhaps bots are running across my site and triggering the cookies or something. Perhaps some people have their computers set to bounce their location around so the actual countries aren't representative, but the views are. Or, perhaps, there really are people in these countries that are viewing my blog.
If that last one represents you, dear reader, then welcome! It's nice to know that I have an international audience. It's amazing how the Internet has brought some of us closer together.
As for the other data, it is useful for me to know which posts people have enjoyed. If a post has higher traffic, then that represents the content I should be displaying on my blog. I try to do a general mix of topics and include posts about my own work as well as others.
If you have any suggestions or have questions about anything, feel free to comment and let me know!
May 7, 2019
Literature Lessons: Loss
In Island Whispers, Angelica has lost someone even before the novel has started. Her father has been missing for weeks and the end result isn't hopeful. At this point, she is on her own. Her mother died when she was a baby so her father was all she had.
There are different types of loss. Everyone has a different experience. The people that are important to us can't be replaced or easily forgotten. However, how we cope with that loss is vital to how we continue living.
For Angelica, living is hard and getting out of bed is a struggle. Many people may remember similar actions after losing a loved one, as though a sort of foggy lens has been put between you and reality. Grief makes us tired. It drains our energy and Angelica has been dealing with it hard.
Now, she does have a social worker, Estella, who comes to speak to her in the weeks after her father's disappearance, but as stated above, no one can replace or fill the void. We bear what we can and cope how we are able. There are different ways to cope too and we'll say that Angelica's initial coping mechanism isn't healthy. She isn't participating in life. She gets up later and is tired. She doesn't interact with others. Essentially, she is missing out on the good experiences that she could be having.
Her next method of coping is healthier and spurred by Estella's advice. Angelica applies for a partner. In this world, she can become bonded with a pegasus, gryphon, dragon or unicorn. Her visit to the Partner Adoption Center leads to a purpose and external reason for living. She is taking care of another creature and is responsible for Swift - her pegasus.
Responsibilities often wake us up. They give us purpose. When you have to care about someone else's well being, you find strength to get up and reasons to take action. However, that is not a long term solution by any means. You must live for yourself, but finding ways to get involved and active in life helps you find your way back.
Angelica starts going to classes with Swift and meets angels around her age. She becomes involved in the community and finds things to occupy her mind. In no way is she forgetting her father, but she is learning to live her life and find happiness of her own.
There are different types of loss. Everyone has a different experience. The people that are important to us can't be replaced or easily forgotten. However, how we cope with that loss is vital to how we continue living.
For Angelica, living is hard and getting out of bed is a struggle. Many people may remember similar actions after losing a loved one, as though a sort of foggy lens has been put between you and reality. Grief makes us tired. It drains our energy and Angelica has been dealing with it hard.
Now, she does have a social worker, Estella, who comes to speak to her in the weeks after her father's disappearance, but as stated above, no one can replace or fill the void. We bear what we can and cope how we are able. There are different ways to cope too and we'll say that Angelica's initial coping mechanism isn't healthy. She isn't participating in life. She gets up later and is tired. She doesn't interact with others. Essentially, she is missing out on the good experiences that she could be having.
Her next method of coping is healthier and spurred by Estella's advice. Angelica applies for a partner. In this world, she can become bonded with a pegasus, gryphon, dragon or unicorn. Her visit to the Partner Adoption Center leads to a purpose and external reason for living. She is taking care of another creature and is responsible for Swift - her pegasus.
Responsibilities often wake us up. They give us purpose. When you have to care about someone else's well being, you find strength to get up and reasons to take action. However, that is not a long term solution by any means. You must live for yourself, but finding ways to get involved and active in life helps you find your way back.
Angelica starts going to classes with Swift and meets angels around her age. She becomes involved in the community and finds things to occupy her mind. In no way is she forgetting her father, but she is learning to live her life and find happiness of her own.
April 30, 2019
Like Calls to Like
Are you familiar with the laws of magic?
Before our modern age, there were rituals practiced throughout the world. There were similarities between these magics as well. Certain rules that appeared so frequently, they seemed to be embedded in us internally.
They are the law of similarity and the law of contagion.
In summary, the law of similarity means that like calls to like and things that are similar attract each other. It can also mean that the cause of something will elicit a similar effect.
Then, there is the law of contagion. This means things that have been in contact can still have an effect upon each other, even after being separated.
These two laws come into play in the mechanics of the Island Whispers magic. Rather unconsciously, I might add. I didn't learn about these two laws until this year.
The Magic of Island Whispers
Magic is woven into the very existence of every living thing. In essence, magic is energy and some have more of it than others.
Vampires don't have a lot of energy; they have to steal it from others. Once they've drunk the blood (life/energy) of a creature, they can perform magic and their own natural abilities are heightened. Angels naturally are able to work magic, but can be affected if they use too much at once. They use "light magic" which requires drawing upon their own energy. If they don't have enough strength, then they won't be able to perform the magic.Demons also have innate wells of magic, but on a much lesser scale. The magic in their blood calls to fire, which is their element, and they can wield it if they've got the mental strength. Much of their magic relies on their mind/will.Merpeople also have innate magic, but it is rare. Magic is like a recessive gene and appears every so often in a family. Magic can be cultivated through practice, but still requires that spark to work it.Keith is another story. He is a syran. A being literally made of energy which means that most everything is possible. Magic is inside him and is a part of him more so than any of the others. All of the others have specialized magic - magic that speaks to the core of them. Keith's core is magic, thus he can wield it in ways that aren't possible for the others.
Essentially, the law of similarity governs the magic of each creature - "like calls to like" - thus, magic of angels is like them: air, sunlight, weather, a bit of chaos, and sympathy. Likewise, I think you can see how the magic of the other three correlate with their base natures.
Sometimes these ancient ideas come to us naturally because they make sense. They follow the rules of the world and can be believed accordingly. It reminds me of Carl Jung's philosophy on archetypes and a collective unconscious. There are themes present in our minds that are also present in our history.
Before our modern age, there were rituals practiced throughout the world. There were similarities between these magics as well. Certain rules that appeared so frequently, they seemed to be embedded in us internally.
They are the law of similarity and the law of contagion.
In summary, the law of similarity means that like calls to like and things that are similar attract each other. It can also mean that the cause of something will elicit a similar effect.
Then, there is the law of contagion. This means things that have been in contact can still have an effect upon each other, even after being separated.
These two laws come into play in the mechanics of the Island Whispers magic. Rather unconsciously, I might add. I didn't learn about these two laws until this year.
The Magic of Island Whispers
Magic is woven into the very existence of every living thing. In essence, magic is energy and some have more of it than others.
Vampires don't have a lot of energy; they have to steal it from others. Once they've drunk the blood (life/energy) of a creature, they can perform magic and their own natural abilities are heightened. Angels naturally are able to work magic, but can be affected if they use too much at once. They use "light magic" which requires drawing upon their own energy. If they don't have enough strength, then they won't be able to perform the magic.Demons also have innate wells of magic, but on a much lesser scale. The magic in their blood calls to fire, which is their element, and they can wield it if they've got the mental strength. Much of their magic relies on their mind/will.Merpeople also have innate magic, but it is rare. Magic is like a recessive gene and appears every so often in a family. Magic can be cultivated through practice, but still requires that spark to work it.Keith is another story. He is a syran. A being literally made of energy which means that most everything is possible. Magic is inside him and is a part of him more so than any of the others. All of the others have specialized magic - magic that speaks to the core of them. Keith's core is magic, thus he can wield it in ways that aren't possible for the others.
Essentially, the law of similarity governs the magic of each creature - "like calls to like" - thus, magic of angels is like them: air, sunlight, weather, a bit of chaos, and sympathy. Likewise, I think you can see how the magic of the other three correlate with their base natures.
Sometimes these ancient ideas come to us naturally because they make sense. They follow the rules of the world and can be believed accordingly. It reminds me of Carl Jung's philosophy on archetypes and a collective unconscious. There are themes present in our minds that are also present in our history.
April 23, 2019
Who do you call?
Have you ever scrolled through your contacts list and tried to figure out who to call? It could be for any reason, but mainly just wanting to talk to someone - to hear someone else on the other end. Sometimes I have those days where I just want to hear from somebody.
It's funny that I have over 200 contacts listed, but I'll scroll through the list several times. Usually I can't decide and I end up calling no one. The problem is that I overthink it. Perhaps you've done this as well. You look at their name and think so-and-so won't want to hear from me. They probably will wonder why I'm calling or they'll think something is wrong, because I usually don't call them.
Or my mind will say, don't bother them. They have a lot on their plate. They're probably stressed or working on something. It's not worth it to take up their time.
These are the sort of self-defeating thoughts that come into my mind when I just want to talk to someone. And it is so difficult to work up the courage to hit that call button.
What if they don't answer?
Sometimes, I just leave a message so that they don't think there is anything wrong or just to explain why I called them out of the blue. It's usually an awkward message too.
One of those, "Hey! I know it has been a while and this is completely random. Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing, but you know, well I suppose you don't - anyway, goodbye. I mean, nevermind...bye!"
Then I cringe for several minutes wishing that I could delete that message. Since it seems to be a pattern with me, you would think that I'd come up with a way to break it. Unfortunately, my awkwardness has not left me and I am probably doomed to leave many more strange messages on voicemails.
On the other hand, those times when I do call can often help me reconnect with people that I haven't heard from in a while. Usually I find myself scrolling through my contacts, because I need someone to talk to me and I need someone to listen. Those are the rough days when everything happens and you just feel like nothing is going right.
So, I look for someone to talk to. However, I'm faced with that gnawing fear that I'm not worth the time of the person on the other end. Some of my characters have those relationship issues. In Island Whispers, Adam lives in isolation so that meeting Monica makes his world brighter and makes him feel better. For the first time, he gets to speak with someone unaware of his power - someone that sees him for who he is and wants to talk to him. He can't speak to his family because of the tragedy with his mother and the whole of mer-society is afraid of him. He doesn't have face-to-face connections and it hurts him.
In our world, we have so many different technologies to communicate with others across distances, but we're lacking in those face-to-face connections too. There is a reason that many people feel lonely and perhaps there are small ways in which we can fix that. Small ways like figuring out who is on our call list. It might be worth it to ask yourself, who do I trust and who can I call when I just need to talk?
Offer your time to others as well! If there are people that you really care about, let them know that you will always be willing to hear them and that you'll pick up or call them back. Don't assume that they know. It's good to have that reminder that someone cares and supports you. If we all do our part to strengthen our connections, maybe everyone won't feel so alone.
It's funny that I have over 200 contacts listed, but I'll scroll through the list several times. Usually I can't decide and I end up calling no one. The problem is that I overthink it. Perhaps you've done this as well. You look at their name and think so-and-so won't want to hear from me. They probably will wonder why I'm calling or they'll think something is wrong, because I usually don't call them.
Or my mind will say, don't bother them. They have a lot on their plate. They're probably stressed or working on something. It's not worth it to take up their time.
These are the sort of self-defeating thoughts that come into my mind when I just want to talk to someone. And it is so difficult to work up the courage to hit that call button.
What if they don't answer?
Sometimes, I just leave a message so that they don't think there is anything wrong or just to explain why I called them out of the blue. It's usually an awkward message too.
One of those, "Hey! I know it has been a while and this is completely random. Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing, but you know, well I suppose you don't - anyway, goodbye. I mean, nevermind...bye!"
Then I cringe for several minutes wishing that I could delete that message. Since it seems to be a pattern with me, you would think that I'd come up with a way to break it. Unfortunately, my awkwardness has not left me and I am probably doomed to leave many more strange messages on voicemails.
On the other hand, those times when I do call can often help me reconnect with people that I haven't heard from in a while. Usually I find myself scrolling through my contacts, because I need someone to talk to me and I need someone to listen. Those are the rough days when everything happens and you just feel like nothing is going right.
So, I look for someone to talk to. However, I'm faced with that gnawing fear that I'm not worth the time of the person on the other end. Some of my characters have those relationship issues. In Island Whispers, Adam lives in isolation so that meeting Monica makes his world brighter and makes him feel better. For the first time, he gets to speak with someone unaware of his power - someone that sees him for who he is and wants to talk to him. He can't speak to his family because of the tragedy with his mother and the whole of mer-society is afraid of him. He doesn't have face-to-face connections and it hurts him.
In our world, we have so many different technologies to communicate with others across distances, but we're lacking in those face-to-face connections too. There is a reason that many people feel lonely and perhaps there are small ways in which we can fix that. Small ways like figuring out who is on our call list. It might be worth it to ask yourself, who do I trust and who can I call when I just need to talk?
Offer your time to others as well! If there are people that you really care about, let them know that you will always be willing to hear them and that you'll pick up or call them back. Don't assume that they know. It's good to have that reminder that someone cares and supports you. If we all do our part to strengthen our connections, maybe everyone won't feel so alone.
April 16, 2019
Book Review: April
Oh my gosh, I love this book! This was one of my favorite books from childhood. I read this so many times and Cimorene is just the type of heroine I want to read. I found this copy of the book in a used bookstore. I just had to get it because it is a hardcover and the cover design is different from my other copy. Patricia C. Wrede is a genius and this book has everything: wizards, dragons, princesses, a witch and lots of cats.
The first chapter sets it off right. First off, I love all of the chapter titles. They are so entertaining. They make you want to read further just to see why they were named that way. Who could resist: "In Which Cimorene Refuses to be Proper and has a Conversation with a Frog." All of the chapters begin with "In Which" there is an almost storybook/fairytale way that the chapter information is related and yet a frank-no-nonsense way that it is stated.
When books break away from traditional themes, it makes them more entertaining and unpredictable. Cimorene is a princess but, unlike all her other sisters, she does not want to be a princess. Not when being a princess means she isn't allowed to fence, do magic, or even cook.
Now this book was initially published in 1990 before the 2000 age of spunky princesses who defy the norm. So, Cimorene was ahead of her time. She wanted to be different in a world of convention that wanted to silence her.
And what makes her different?As mentioned, she wanted to fence and do magic and cook, but her parents forbid those activities. She learned some latin, how to make cherries jubilee, the basics of enchantments along with curtsies, stitches, and the appropriate volume to scream when carried away by a troll. A mix mash of skills that she used in varying degrees once she goes off on her journey.
It's a rather short journey. She is told by a talking frog to go to a certain place where she might find beings that would help her.
The characters are the star of the show and soon we meet Kazul, a dragon not bothered by breaking convention and taking a volunteer. Kazul decides to give Cimorene a chance, beginning a relationship that evolves through the series from friendship to family.
It's an absolute delight to follow Cimorene as she figures out just what those wizards are up to. (The wizards are the antagonists of the novel - as will become very clear early on).
Anyway, I hope that you take the chance to enjoy this book and if you've already read it, what do you think? Do you agree with me?
The first chapter sets it off right. First off, I love all of the chapter titles. They are so entertaining. They make you want to read further just to see why they were named that way. Who could resist: "In Which Cimorene Refuses to be Proper and has a Conversation with a Frog." All of the chapters begin with "In Which" there is an almost storybook/fairytale way that the chapter information is related and yet a frank-no-nonsense way that it is stated.
When books break away from traditional themes, it makes them more entertaining and unpredictable. Cimorene is a princess but, unlike all her other sisters, she does not want to be a princess. Not when being a princess means she isn't allowed to fence, do magic, or even cook.
Now this book was initially published in 1990 before the 2000 age of spunky princesses who defy the norm. So, Cimorene was ahead of her time. She wanted to be different in a world of convention that wanted to silence her.
And what makes her different?As mentioned, she wanted to fence and do magic and cook, but her parents forbid those activities. She learned some latin, how to make cherries jubilee, the basics of enchantments along with curtsies, stitches, and the appropriate volume to scream when carried away by a troll. A mix mash of skills that she used in varying degrees once she goes off on her journey.
It's a rather short journey. She is told by a talking frog to go to a certain place where she might find beings that would help her.
The characters are the star of the show and soon we meet Kazul, a dragon not bothered by breaking convention and taking a volunteer. Kazul decides to give Cimorene a chance, beginning a relationship that evolves through the series from friendship to family.
It's an absolute delight to follow Cimorene as she figures out just what those wizards are up to. (The wizards are the antagonists of the novel - as will become very clear early on).
Anyway, I hope that you take the chance to enjoy this book and if you've already read it, what do you think? Do you agree with me?
April 9, 2019
The Cute and Complex Code for Children
Little humans are so interesting.
I have been a babysitter and I've worked with summer camps before so I've had my share of experiences with little knee-high people. They're all unique and their minds work in fascinating ways. I'm currently in child psychology so you see where this post is going.
There are so many different theories around child development. It depends on what school of thought you choose to focus on. The beginning debate is nature vs nurture, but there are also other issues that you might not have considered. Is development continuous or discontinuous? Meaning does development occur in stages or is it gradual? What role do children play in their own development? How do our genes and environment interact to influence us? As you can see, there are many things to consider and we're only scratching the surface.
You might be familiar with the conservation task. If you aren't, I found a video which shows the experiment. It's adorable and sad. You'll see. Here is the video: Piaget Conservation Task. Children learn different rules about the world at various times which is why their logic might not line up with an adult's. It's something to consider when you write young children. There are definitely going to be differences in cognition and that will in turn influence how they act in situations.
Communication is so important and children are avid learners of language. If you ask Chomsky, they have an internal language acquisition device that helps them. We'll save the theorizing for coffee shop talk, but the way in which children begin speaking that is what I am interested in. Holophrastic speech is defined by one word containing a wealth of meaning. The child might say, "Up," which is a clear indicator for, "Pick me up. Now."
Then children move onto telegraphic speech. Telegraphic speech gets its name from the old communication of telegrams. Do you know what telegrams are? They were the original text messages. Short bits of information could be sent over long distances. Because of the hassle of sending and receiving messages, sentences used only the necessary words. Children do this too. For example, when my mother was pregnant with me, she was driving to the hospital and my sister sat in the backseat saying, "Juice," and "More juice." It is the "More juice" that defines telegraphic speech. Children use two words to communicate ideas just as my sister did.
Children have adorable ways of communicating with us. It's worth it to listen to them. Here is a video of a poor little boy whose heart was poked, as you'll see it's very upsetting: "You Poked My Heart" Video.
Have you interacted with young children? What have they said? How do they act when they're happy? Sad? Frustrated?
I have been a babysitter and I've worked with summer camps before so I've had my share of experiences with little knee-high people. They're all unique and their minds work in fascinating ways. I'm currently in child psychology so you see where this post is going.
There are so many different theories around child development. It depends on what school of thought you choose to focus on. The beginning debate is nature vs nurture, but there are also other issues that you might not have considered. Is development continuous or discontinuous? Meaning does development occur in stages or is it gradual? What role do children play in their own development? How do our genes and environment interact to influence us? As you can see, there are many things to consider and we're only scratching the surface.
You might be familiar with the conservation task. If you aren't, I found a video which shows the experiment. It's adorable and sad. You'll see. Here is the video: Piaget Conservation Task. Children learn different rules about the world at various times which is why their logic might not line up with an adult's. It's something to consider when you write young children. There are definitely going to be differences in cognition and that will in turn influence how they act in situations.
Communication is so important and children are avid learners of language. If you ask Chomsky, they have an internal language acquisition device that helps them. We'll save the theorizing for coffee shop talk, but the way in which children begin speaking that is what I am interested in. Holophrastic speech is defined by one word containing a wealth of meaning. The child might say, "Up," which is a clear indicator for, "Pick me up. Now."
Then children move onto telegraphic speech. Telegraphic speech gets its name from the old communication of telegrams. Do you know what telegrams are? They were the original text messages. Short bits of information could be sent over long distances. Because of the hassle of sending and receiving messages, sentences used only the necessary words. Children do this too. For example, when my mother was pregnant with me, she was driving to the hospital and my sister sat in the backseat saying, "Juice," and "More juice." It is the "More juice" that defines telegraphic speech. Children use two words to communicate ideas just as my sister did.
Children have adorable ways of communicating with us. It's worth it to listen to them. Here is a video of a poor little boy whose heart was poked, as you'll see it's very upsetting: "You Poked My Heart" Video.
Have you interacted with young children? What have they said? How do they act when they're happy? Sad? Frustrated?
April 2, 2019
The Tidbits, Easter Eggs, and Suggestive Hints in Stories
When you're creating your characters, you have to build them up and to do that you have to know a lot about them. Sometimes the things you know are inconsequential and likely to come up once and never again. Other times the things are the bits that great scenes are built upon.
It's easier to give you examples than to explain it. I'll give you two examples that I think were done well.
(1) Harry Potter and (2) The Throne of Glass series.
Search your memories (if you've read them). If you're familiar with Harry Potter, then you know about the feud that Severus Snape had with James Potter. It was legendary. We heard about these moments through lots of characters before we actually saw it ourselves.
When the moment came, it was through Snape's own memories that we discovered the truth. James was horrible to Severus and while the memory was one-sided, it was easy to see where the hatred began. Even Harry is horrified by his father's actions and for once pities Snape. But would it have made as much as an impact if we hadn't gotten hints of this before? Most likely yes but, for readers, the story is enhanced by these dropped tidbits.
Now, for the Throne of Glass series, there are many mentions of things that we don't see in the main novels. However, Sarah J. Maas does not disappoint. Instead, she wrote The Assassin's Blade which is a collection of short stories. Celaena had made mention of her journey to the Red Desert and her stay with the Silent Assassins, but then we got to see it. She told us of rescuing two hundred slaves, but then we got to live the adventure alongside her. We knew how important Sam was to her and then we got to know him and love him as well.
Maas managed to bring those stories to life, which had been mere sentences in the scope of her novels. Maas does this so well that each of those stories adds to the later books and explains how things were stirring years ago in Erilea before the main story takes place. That is incredible planning and forethought, because every figure had some importance and every story brought more of the world to life.
This is what I want to add to my own writing because it takes a lot of skill and thought. You have to know your story and world well enough to know that there are events that don't take place during the main events of your novel (or novels as the case may be). These events are still important, but there may not be space to include them in the detail that they deserve.
I'm working on building a world this in-depth and understanding the origins of my characters from their rough childhoods to their rocky adolescence. Why rough and rocky? Let's just say that these characters have had their share of struggles and very little about their lives has ever been easy or happy. So that's where I'm at right now.. I'll keep developing my writing and techniques, and I'll definitely keep reading, because otherwise I wouldn't learn so much.
It's easier to give you examples than to explain it. I'll give you two examples that I think were done well.
(1) Harry Potter and (2) The Throne of Glass series.
Search your memories (if you've read them). If you're familiar with Harry Potter, then you know about the feud that Severus Snape had with James Potter. It was legendary. We heard about these moments through lots of characters before we actually saw it ourselves.
When the moment came, it was through Snape's own memories that we discovered the truth. James was horrible to Severus and while the memory was one-sided, it was easy to see where the hatred began. Even Harry is horrified by his father's actions and for once pities Snape. But would it have made as much as an impact if we hadn't gotten hints of this before? Most likely yes but, for readers, the story is enhanced by these dropped tidbits.
Now, for the Throne of Glass series, there are many mentions of things that we don't see in the main novels. However, Sarah J. Maas does not disappoint. Instead, she wrote The Assassin's Blade which is a collection of short stories. Celaena had made mention of her journey to the Red Desert and her stay with the Silent Assassins, but then we got to see it. She told us of rescuing two hundred slaves, but then we got to live the adventure alongside her. We knew how important Sam was to her and then we got to know him and love him as well.
Maas managed to bring those stories to life, which had been mere sentences in the scope of her novels. Maas does this so well that each of those stories adds to the later books and explains how things were stirring years ago in Erilea before the main story takes place. That is incredible planning and forethought, because every figure had some importance and every story brought more of the world to life.
This is what I want to add to my own writing because it takes a lot of skill and thought. You have to know your story and world well enough to know that there are events that don't take place during the main events of your novel (or novels as the case may be). These events are still important, but there may not be space to include them in the detail that they deserve.
I'm working on building a world this in-depth and understanding the origins of my characters from their rough childhoods to their rocky adolescence. Why rough and rocky? Let's just say that these characters have had their share of struggles and very little about their lives has ever been easy or happy. So that's where I'm at right now.. I'll keep developing my writing and techniques, and I'll definitely keep reading, because otherwise I wouldn't learn so much.
March 26, 2019
Book Review: March
I have mentioned this book several times in passing throughout my other posts, but now I shall review it. Get ready for "The Hound of Rowan" by Henry H. Neff.
I believe that this was a book that my Nana bought for my sister.
However, it remained on the shelf un-read for a long time.
I think my sister tried to read it, but was frightened by the vyes.
Years later, I discovered it when we were sorting through stuff
and decided to read it. I'm very glad that I saved it!The Hound of Rowan begins in a familiar setting. It takes place in modern day Chicago as Max and his father go to the art museum. Then Max discovers the tapestry. The tapestry that will change everything.
The tapestry depicts the Cattle Raid of Cooley and later the story will explain what that means. If you are already familiar with Irish mythology then you've got a bit of foreshadowing of what is to come. Soon after Max discovers the tapestry he finds a letter in his pocket. A letter from a school called Rowan where he is invited because he is special (Very Harry Potter-esque, but it has its own merits). The letter informs him that he will be visited the next day by someone from the school.
I'll stop here since I don't want to spoil the story for you, but if you like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or any book that has a world half in and half out of our reality, then you will enjoy this as well. (Maybe even more, if you choose to read the whole series).
One of the strengths is that the story is focused on Irish mythology and Celtic history. I don't think these topics are explored in young adult literature or at least it appears infrequently. I love anything with mythology and so this captured my attention right away. I wanted to know what the tapestry meant and, when they start talking about the Sidh and the Tuatha De Danann, I just had to learn more about those stories.
Since this is the first book, it is a set-up story and a foundation. The key factors to great stories are the characters. This book gives readers an understanding of Max and his background as well as seeing how he adapts to a new place. He faces challenges that increase in severity as the book goes along, just as Max grows in strength as the story progresses.
Now this might be me, but I love a main character who is brave when the time arises, humble about their deeds, grateful for aid offered, and flawed as much as anyone. Max fits each of these and having a likable character makes it easier to read.
Max has to grow up fast. It is a coming of age novel before he comes of age and if you choose to continue, you will see that he faces adversity that challenges him at every turn. What I love about Henry H. Neff's writing is that he doesn't do half-measures. He brings conflict into a full scale and then finds a way for it to resolve. It might not be a happy ending, but it is satisfying and I think that's all a story really needs.
I believe that this was a book that my Nana bought for my sister.However, it remained on the shelf un-read for a long time.
I think my sister tried to read it, but was frightened by the vyes.
Years later, I discovered it when we were sorting through stuff
and decided to read it. I'm very glad that I saved it!The Hound of Rowan begins in a familiar setting. It takes place in modern day Chicago as Max and his father go to the art museum. Then Max discovers the tapestry. The tapestry that will change everything.
The tapestry depicts the Cattle Raid of Cooley and later the story will explain what that means. If you are already familiar with Irish mythology then you've got a bit of foreshadowing of what is to come. Soon after Max discovers the tapestry he finds a letter in his pocket. A letter from a school called Rowan where he is invited because he is special (Very Harry Potter-esque, but it has its own merits). The letter informs him that he will be visited the next day by someone from the school.
I'll stop here since I don't want to spoil the story for you, but if you like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or any book that has a world half in and half out of our reality, then you will enjoy this as well. (Maybe even more, if you choose to read the whole series).
One of the strengths is that the story is focused on Irish mythology and Celtic history. I don't think these topics are explored in young adult literature or at least it appears infrequently. I love anything with mythology and so this captured my attention right away. I wanted to know what the tapestry meant and, when they start talking about the Sidh and the Tuatha De Danann, I just had to learn more about those stories.
Since this is the first book, it is a set-up story and a foundation. The key factors to great stories are the characters. This book gives readers an understanding of Max and his background as well as seeing how he adapts to a new place. He faces challenges that increase in severity as the book goes along, just as Max grows in strength as the story progresses.
Now this might be me, but I love a main character who is brave when the time arises, humble about their deeds, grateful for aid offered, and flawed as much as anyone. Max fits each of these and having a likable character makes it easier to read.
Max has to grow up fast. It is a coming of age novel before he comes of age and if you choose to continue, you will see that he faces adversity that challenges him at every turn. What I love about Henry H. Neff's writing is that he doesn't do half-measures. He brings conflict into a full scale and then finds a way for it to resolve. It might not be a happy ending, but it is satisfying and I think that's all a story really needs.
March 19, 2019
Sick as a Dog
Do you know that feeling when your head is pounding so hard you can't see straight or every step is like going from the oven to the freezer?
Currently my state of body and if you are feeling unwell then I empathize with you. It's tough when you live on your own, because you have to take care of yourself and really take the time to think (even if it feels like your thoughts are in a blender). Taking care of your health is one of the most important things that you can do. It starts with prevention.
Days before I felt this poorly, I must have come into contact with a viral infection. The thing is these infections will incubate inside your body for several days and you won't even know until the symptoms hit.
First rule and the one that saved many lives in the past centuries: washing your hands. It's important. We come into contact with so many germs that scrubbing our hands which come into contact with our mouth, eyes...and really our entire body, can really make a difference.
After that, eat healthy. If you want a strong immune system, then you need to maintain a healthy diet that provides you with all the nutrients necessary to keep your antibodies active and fighting back.
Sleep is also very important. Sleep is the time for your body to rest and recharge. We need sleep just as much as we need food and water to survive.
That's the next thing, stay hydrated. When you're burning up and sweating out the liquid of your body, you really need to get more liquid into your body. If you're in the throws of the illness, then sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade can help you by replenishing your body with electrolytes and fluid. (Fun Fact: did you know that if you are well hydrated gatorade tastes salty? Apparently when you are dehydrated it should taste sweet. Think about that the next time you have a bottle.)
So how did I succumb?
Good old stress, unhealthy eating habits and very little sleep. Yes, I really should take care of myself better, so take a lesson from this and I hope that you have a healthy season without the nasty side effects!
Currently my state of body and if you are feeling unwell then I empathize with you. It's tough when you live on your own, because you have to take care of yourself and really take the time to think (even if it feels like your thoughts are in a blender). Taking care of your health is one of the most important things that you can do. It starts with prevention.
Days before I felt this poorly, I must have come into contact with a viral infection. The thing is these infections will incubate inside your body for several days and you won't even know until the symptoms hit.
First rule and the one that saved many lives in the past centuries: washing your hands. It's important. We come into contact with so many germs that scrubbing our hands which come into contact with our mouth, eyes...and really our entire body, can really make a difference.
After that, eat healthy. If you want a strong immune system, then you need to maintain a healthy diet that provides you with all the nutrients necessary to keep your antibodies active and fighting back.
Sleep is also very important. Sleep is the time for your body to rest and recharge. We need sleep just as much as we need food and water to survive.
That's the next thing, stay hydrated. When you're burning up and sweating out the liquid of your body, you really need to get more liquid into your body. If you're in the throws of the illness, then sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade can help you by replenishing your body with electrolytes and fluid. (Fun Fact: did you know that if you are well hydrated gatorade tastes salty? Apparently when you are dehydrated it should taste sweet. Think about that the next time you have a bottle.)
So how did I succumb?
Good old stress, unhealthy eating habits and very little sleep. Yes, I really should take care of myself better, so take a lesson from this and I hope that you have a healthy season without the nasty side effects!
