Lorie Ann Grover's Blog, page 37
February 17, 2014
February 16, 2014
February 15, 2014
February 14, 2014
February 13, 2014
Poetry Friday: Matched
Matched Foil hearts, paper lace cut to be my Valentine years before we met. by Lorie Ann Grover, 2014 My husband made this fifteen years before we met. He's been my Valentine for 30 years.
February 12, 2014
The Heart of the Matter: Gendercide and Firstborn
I've been waiting to write this post, the heart of the matter, and now it is time. I shared these words at All Girls Allowed yesterday. But let's start with a trailer.
And now my story...
In 2004 I happened upon a snippet of an article which spoke of ekthesis, the word for infant exposure in Greek antiquity. I was dumbfounded to learn that girls were still being left in the elements to die, just because they were female. Today we use the term gendercide. Having learned of the modern practice, my rage looked for a place to turn. The release came through my writing craft. What if I could create a fictional story illustrating a society practicing gendercide? What if that story could raise awareness and sympathy, and ultimately action against the atrocity? About that time, my youngest daughter came home from her college cultural anthropology class and shared that there have been societies, with a shortage of males, who have resorted to declaring young girls male for the benefit of the group. With that information, I had the predicament for my main character. She wouldn’t be hiding her sex. Society would be devaluing her sex and suppressing it. Everyone would know she previously was female. I created Tiadone, whose father has the choice to either leave his firstborn daughter in the wilderness to die or declare her a male. He chooses the latter to save her life. An amulet is tied to her hips, and she is destined to hold a male role in an oppressive society the rest of her life. Tiadone matures with everyone knowing of her former sex. They believe her amulet suppresses those characteristics. Everyone knows but Tiadone. Reaching puberty, called to her initiation and service for her people, she struggles against rising feminine traits and desires within herself. Her heroine’s journey will take her to see the value and worth of a female, newborn or grown. As Firstborn takes flight, I hope readers are outraged by gendercide. I hope they watch It’s a Girl movie, visit All Girls Allowed, and grow familiar with the Global Gendercide Advocacy and Awareness Project. As I share imagery across social media for 30 days, beginning on Valentine’s Day, I hope more hear of gendercide and experience the same rage I felt and continue to feel. As we say at readergirlz, I hope they read, reflect, and reach out—to their sisters: those carrying a female child, the unborn child herself, and the newborn daughter. May they all be allowed to live. That is the heart of FIRSTBORN. More soon. ~Lorie Ann
And now my story...
In 2004 I happened upon a snippet of an article which spoke of ekthesis, the word for infant exposure in Greek antiquity. I was dumbfounded to learn that girls were still being left in the elements to die, just because they were female. Today we use the term gendercide. Having learned of the modern practice, my rage looked for a place to turn. The release came through my writing craft. What if I could create a fictional story illustrating a society practicing gendercide? What if that story could raise awareness and sympathy, and ultimately action against the atrocity? About that time, my youngest daughter came home from her college cultural anthropology class and shared that there have been societies, with a shortage of males, who have resorted to declaring young girls male for the benefit of the group. With that information, I had the predicament for my main character. She wouldn’t be hiding her sex. Society would be devaluing her sex and suppressing it. Everyone would know she previously was female. I created Tiadone, whose father has the choice to either leave his firstborn daughter in the wilderness to die or declare her a male. He chooses the latter to save her life. An amulet is tied to her hips, and she is destined to hold a male role in an oppressive society the rest of her life. Tiadone matures with everyone knowing of her former sex. They believe her amulet suppresses those characteristics. Everyone knows but Tiadone. Reaching puberty, called to her initiation and service for her people, she struggles against rising feminine traits and desires within herself. Her heroine’s journey will take her to see the value and worth of a female, newborn or grown. As Firstborn takes flight, I hope readers are outraged by gendercide. I hope they watch It’s a Girl movie, visit All Girls Allowed, and grow familiar with the Global Gendercide Advocacy and Awareness Project. As I share imagery across social media for 30 days, beginning on Valentine’s Day, I hope more hear of gendercide and experience the same rage I felt and continue to feel. As we say at readergirlz, I hope they read, reflect, and reach out—to their sisters: those carrying a female child, the unborn child herself, and the newborn daughter. May they all be allowed to live. That is the heart of FIRSTBORN. More soon. ~Lorie Ann
February 10, 2014
Happy Book Birthday, FIRSTBORN!
My first young adult fantasy is launching today! Thanks for celebrating with me!
"A fantasy that reads like a lost history tome and deftly examines issues of gender...An engrossing story with welcome depths." Kirkus Starred Review
Girls Life magazine calls it, "a dystopian read packed with a fierce punch."
Where does a firstborn girl fit in a world dominated by men? When Tiadone was born, her parents had two choices: leave their daughter outside the community to die, or raise her as a male. Now grown, Tiadone must prove her father didn't make a mistake by letting her live. As her male initiation approaches, feminine gifts and traits emerge, and the bird she's been twined with is seen as a sign of evil. Drawn to her male best friend, Tiadone tries to become what she must be while dealing with what she indeed has become. For more information, visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Books, or Indiebound.
Around the web, folks are partying. Readers are playing for a box of 11 books. Read about it here. Author friends are posting photos of their last release, sharing its birth order, and wishing FIRSTBORN well. All Girls Allowed is focusing on the impetus for the novel, gendercide. It's a great day! Thanks again. May all female infants be allowed to live! xox Lorie Ann
"A fantasy that reads like a lost history tome and deftly examines issues of gender...An engrossing story with welcome depths." Kirkus Starred Review
Girls Life magazine calls it, "a dystopian read packed with a fierce punch."
Where does a firstborn girl fit in a world dominated by men? When Tiadone was born, her parents had two choices: leave their daughter outside the community to die, or raise her as a male. Now grown, Tiadone must prove her father didn't make a mistake by letting her live. As her male initiation approaches, feminine gifts and traits emerge, and the bird she's been twined with is seen as a sign of evil. Drawn to her male best friend, Tiadone tries to become what she must be while dealing with what she indeed has become. For more information, visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Books, or Indiebound. Around the web, folks are partying. Readers are playing for a box of 11 books. Read about it here. Author friends are posting photos of their last release, sharing its birth order, and wishing FIRSTBORN well. All Girls Allowed is focusing on the impetus for the novel, gendercide. It's a great day! Thanks again. May all female infants be allowed to live! xox Lorie Ann
February 7, 2014
Poetry Friday: Worthy, and a Reader's Review
Today's Poetry Friday is inspired by an early review of Firstborn posted on a bookseller's site.
Worthy Between the pagesyou heard me whisper life truth:beautiful life...live. Lorie Ann Grover, 2014 A Review by Creazian"This reminded me of hunger games and a little bit about the Chinese culture. So this book was exciting to me. In the Chinese culture, many parents want a boy, so oftentimes, a girl is abandoned under the one child law. For me personally, I have a grandma who thinks girls are worthless. Whenever she calls my house from China, she always wants to speak to my brother and she will go so far as to hang up on me if I talk to her instead.So I can kind of relate to Tiadone in the book and together, we went on a journey."
January 31, 2014
Poetry Friday: Headlight
HeadlightSometimes it is all a little bit hair-raising.Blink, breathe; and just be. Lorie Ann Grover, 2014
January 29, 2014
11 Book Giveaway, February 11th, for Firstborn!
In preparation for the release of Firstborn, I'm delighted to list the 11 books I'll be giving away on the 11th! All you need to do to play is:
On February 11th:
1. Share the Firstborn trailer.
2. Stop by my Facebook Author Page and tell me your birth order. I'm a firstborn!
3. Visit a gendercide site such as It's a Girl Movie, All Girls Allowed, or the Global Gendercide Advocacy Alliance Group.
I'll choose a winner at the end of the day. Here's what you could receive:
Amazing, yes? This is going to be a long post...
Of course, Firstborn is in the box as that's what we are celebrating! Blink 
Oooo, I reviewed this work at rgz. Here's Donna Jo Napoli's foray into contemporary. Skyscape 
I got to hear Lucy Christopher speak at ALA Midwinter. So engaging. Chicken House 
All the way from London, Dyan Sheldon talks of love and how that is different for each person. Candlewick Press 
L.A. Weatherly's climactic series finale! Candlewick Press
Yay for a verse novel in three viewpoints from Australian author Emma Cameron! Candlewick 
Book II of the Amber House Trilogy by three authors: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed. Arthur A. Levine Books 
Colleen Gleason brings you the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock. Prepare for mystery and vampire hunting. Chronicle Books 
Inspired by Wuthering Heights, Alison Croggon offers romance, betrayal, and vengeance. Candlewick 
Nicky Singer's work of a glass flask of hope, possibly with the power to save her family. Chronicle Books 
And finally, Susann Cokal's work set in Scandinavia, where a prick of a needle alters history. Candlewick That's a wrap! All of these works will go to a winner on February 11th! Best to you!
On February 11th:
1. Share the Firstborn trailer.
2. Stop by my Facebook Author Page and tell me your birth order. I'm a firstborn!
3. Visit a gendercide site such as It's a Girl Movie, All Girls Allowed, or the Global Gendercide Advocacy Alliance Group.
I'll choose a winner at the end of the day. Here's what you could receive:
Amazing, yes? This is going to be a long post...
Of course, Firstborn is in the box as that's what we are celebrating! Blink Oooo, I reviewed this work at rgz. Here's Donna Jo Napoli's foray into contemporary. Skyscape I got to hear Lucy Christopher speak at ALA Midwinter. So engaging. Chicken House All the way from London, Dyan Sheldon talks of love and how that is different for each person. Candlewick Press L.A. Weatherly's climactic series finale! Candlewick Press Yay for a verse novel in three viewpoints from Australian author Emma Cameron! Candlewick Book II of the Amber House Trilogy by three authors: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed. Arthur A. Levine Books Colleen Gleason brings you the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock. Prepare for mystery and vampire hunting. Chronicle Books Inspired by Wuthering Heights, Alison Croggon offers romance, betrayal, and vengeance. Candlewick Nicky Singer's work of a glass flask of hope, possibly with the power to save her family. Chronicle Books And finally, Susann Cokal's work set in Scandinavia, where a prick of a needle alters history. Candlewick That's a wrap! All of these works will go to a winner on February 11th! Best to you!
