R.L.S. Hoff's Blog, page 10
December 2, 2020
Hope Gardens Excerpt
Here’s a small taste of Hope Gardens–the serial that’s coming out in my newsletter and on Channillo.com. If you’d like to read the story so far (and sign up for my newsletter), you can do so here. If you’d like to read the first chapter only, that’s available here.
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November 30, 2020
Little Women
I’ve been rereading Little Women the past few weeks, and I’m reminded what a wonderful book it is. I started reading it for a The Enchanted Book Club, but I’m way behind, and haven’t been able to participate in the discussions. Maybe I’ll do better with next month’s selection.
Moral Pap for the Young?
Louisa May Alcott may well have considered Little Women to be “moral pap for the young,” but that’s not how I see it. The characters are so well-drawn that it’s hard to help loving them. Even though it’s more than a century since she published the book, I feel like I know Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.
What I’ve always liked best about this is the sister-relationships. They’re so life-like. My sisters have occasionally angered me the way Amy angers Jo. We’ve all strained each others’ nerves. And we have each others’ backs. The particulars may be different, but the experience is the same.
I even like the “moral pap.” At least, I relate to the need to control one’s temper–and appreciate now (as I did when I was young) finding a character who struggled with this in her life. I’m not the only one. And it is a real need. Sometimes maturity requires learning to control oneself–and that’s not necessarily an easy thing.
True Beauty
I also like a book (an old book!) that appreciates women for more than just outward beauty. These “little women” are intelligent, well-read, ambitious, creative, and often exuberant, and they strive to develop good character in themselves. I like them for it. It helps me to recognize that these are the kinds of things (not just physical attractiveness) that make someone beautiful. I want to be this kind of woman.
If you haven’t read this classic, I recommend it. And if you have, it might be worth picking up again.
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November 27, 2020
Thanksgiving 2020
Thanksgiving 2020 was a bit unusual. We usually go somewhere else for holiday meals. My parents’ house, or my sister’s house. Or we trek farther afield to my husband’s parents’ place. We bring a pie or two and maybe some rolls, and at least one Chinese dish (for the Chinese parts of our family). But we’re not usually responsible for the whole meal.
This year, for our family, as for many families, things were different. We stayed at home, and had no guests. We cooked everything ourselves, which we haven’t needed to do in years. But there was still more than enough to eat. Craig cooked the turkey and the cranberry sauce. K and I did rolls and pie. B handled the mashed potatoes and gravy. And J fried up the Chinese green beans and pork.
It was delicious–and also fun to work together. A nice interlude in a press of busy days. A bit of human interaction in a life that’s increasingly online. Sometimes it is good to change things up and take stock of our lives.
It’s also good to give thanks. I am so thankful for my kids. And Craig. And for far-flung family that I haven’t been able to see, but am yet close to. I’m thankful for encouraging people in my life–at church, in my family, in my critique group, and yes, even on social media. I’m thankful for good health for my family and for the recovery of some of the people I know who have been sick (though some are still in the thick of it). I am thankful that I’ve had the chance to publish some books this year, and I’m thankful for other meaningful work as well (and praying for those who have lost jobs). I am thankful for a beautiful home where we can safely shelter and get on each others’ nerves.
Thanksgiving 2020 was a different holiday toward the close of a difficult year, but I am indeed thankful.
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November 23, 2020
Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess
I became interested in Enola Holmes when I saw the movie (on Netflix) titled with her name. I loved it, and her, and so did my husband and daughter, who watched it with me.
But, of course, Enola Holmes lives in a book, too. A set of books, really, by Nancy Springer. As I usually find with good films made from books, the books are even better. Well, at least the first one is. (I imagine the later ones will be as well–I just haven’t read them yet. I have added them to my “want to read” shelf on Goodreads).
Enola is lovable and smart and funny–and she’s dealing with a whole boatload of patronizing hogwash (because women were treated quite deplorably in her day). It’s delightful to watch her succeed where her brothers assume she cannot. Like Adelaide from a few weeks ago, she refuses to let other people’s assumptions box her in.
Anyway, I strongly recommend The Case of the Missing Marquess for those who like history, or mysteries, or girls finding their way in the world.
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November 19, 2020
#SixWordStory
Magic Library
More powerful than crowns.
Twitter introduced me to six word stories (Specifically, @MQuigley1963 Wonderful author to follow. She’s so encouraging.) She usually starts them with a picture, and asks people to write a #sixwordstory or a a poem about it. She also writes her own (often quite good) stories and poems.
And, I thought, why not? I can write six words. Just for fun.
And I did. And then I did it again the next day. Because sometimes it’s nice (especially when your usual form is novels) to play around with a bit of writing that will be finished today. In a few minutes, in fact. Something fun that can be a complete departure from your usual writing style. That doesn’t have to follow a three-act (or any other) structure. Something that can be experimental–or sappy, brilliant or bad–and it doesn’t matter all that much in the scheme of things.
I sometimes write other things to experiment–short stories like “J Learns to Drive” or songs like “Your Will, Not Mine, Lord.” But none of those go quite as quickly as the six-word stories. So, often I don’t feel like I have time to play around with them. But playing is good, at least for me.
Need some fun language play in your life? Write a couple yourself. You could start by writing one about the picture above in the comments.
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November 16, 2020
Holes
This book has been on my shelf for quite some time, and somehow I never felt like picking it up. Maybe the cover was too bland. Maybe the Newberry sticker faded into the sand. I don’t know.
This weekend, though, I picked it up off the shelf, and wow.
I like Stanley and Hector and the other boys at the camp. I like the tiny hints of supernatural–happenings that are just a touch too convenient–but not so far out of the ordinary as to be unbelievable. It’s a surprisingly realistic book for an old-style fable that centers on a curse.
Like all the best old-fashioned fables, this story has a great ending, but the really wonderful part is the journey to get there. I’d highly recommend this if you still read middle-grade books at all.
November 10, 2020
If you love me, call me Dorrie
This is a nostalgic read for me…a book that someone gave me when I was in late elementary school.
It love the characters here, and the Parent-trap like machinations of the teens are both funny and heartwarming.
I loved and still love the way Dorrie finds her place in her family and gets to stability, even if it’s not exactly the way she envisions it. And though there are preachy moments in here they aren’t completely cringe-worthy.
This is a book I go back to from time to time–a comfort read when the world has gone crazy. Do you have any nostalgia reads like this?
November 4, 2020
Fran, the Second Time Around
Fran is starting over at a new school because of some tragedy in her past, and at first we’re not sure what that is, but we can see that it’s affecting everything about Fran.
I love the voice here, and I love the way that Fran struggles to move past her problems, but I’m not thrilled with how long it takes to learn what those problems truly are.
I also felt that there were some unresolved issues left hanging at the end of the story–issues related to her mother’s mental health, for example. And I’m not sure that Fran has truly come to a place of peace, though she seems to be on her way there.
But on the whole, this was a good book with strong character development, and I’d recommend it for people who like realistic young adult stories.
October 26, 2020
Binti
I picked this up from the library after a friend recommended it on Goodreads, and it’s every bit as good as she said it was. I’m probably going to want to get a copy of my own of this stunning little gem at some point.
When Binti leaves home to attend university off-world, her traditional family and people don’t approve. They say she’s selfish. That she’s ruining her future. That the university will separate her from her culture.
Binti goes anyway, lured by the promise of sinking into the mathematics that give her unique abilities to concentrate and communicate.
She doesn’t expect those abilities to become quite so critically important as they do. Her very survival depends on them, and that process of survival changes her in ways even her family couldn’t have predicted.
This is a fabulous story that explores (in an edge-of-the-seat danger kind of way, not a preachy way) what it means to leave home, and what it takes to keep some of home with you.
October 23, 2020
Birthday Bash
My kids made sure I had a wonderful birthday yesterday. B. made me a phalanx of origami dragons. K. made me a cake (and also got me presents). J. had nothing but smiles for me all day.
Oh, and they all cooperated to make sure my book launch party went well. It was a very good day.
