Sarah Jamila Stevenson's Blog: Blog - Sarah Jamila Stevenson, page 77

Random Bits and Pieces, and a Toon From Elsewhere

Quick--just quick--go over to Guys Lit Wire and check out how THRILLED the librarian of Ballou Sr. High School is at the generosity of bloggers and supporters of this year's book fair. You still have today and tomorrow to donate, so if you haven't yet, PLEASE consider doing so. This year can be a sellout, too.


It's still May, and still Mental Health Month. Have you checked out Reach Out Reads yet? Besides their really thoughtful booklist of YA reads addressing various mental health topics, they've still got some great author chats lined up for the next few days, including Michael Northrop and Blake Nelson, in partnership with the Readergirlz. Tanita and I have been working on our own humble contribution to Mental Health Month, too--Erika's List, a small but growing lineup of our favorite YA books that deal with mental illness. The list was compiled in honor of Erika's open letter to the coach of the Waunakee Wisconsin High School cheer squad, and includes links to our reviews of the titles, where available. Immense thanks to all the YA authors and blog readers who suggested titles for the list.


Because I hate to leave you without a toon of some kind on Thursday, go check out Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal from the other day. OK, so it's got little to do with writing per se, but it's funny, particularly if you've ever seen the British comedy The IT Crowd, or have ever had a frustrating experience with tech support. "Please have your man-servant cease cranking the mill, then commence cranking once again." HA! Thanks to Sian Jones for the tip.

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Book Fair Winds Down--Have You Donated Yet?

The Guys Lit Wire Book Fair for Ballou Sr. High School in Washington, D.C. is winding to a close this week, but there's still time to donate to this fantastic cause. Due to problems with blogger last week, the fair has been extended through Friday, May 20th. So if you've been waiting 'til the last minute, you're not out of luck yet.

The school library had fewer than one book per student. That's unconscionable. Go watch the video if you need more proof. And then go donate. We're hoping to hit 900 books donated by the end of the week--check out the great titles that still haven't been purchased. Even if you can only donate one or two, EVERY little bit helps. And every donor gets props on the Guys Lit Wire site.

Please help spread the word if you can, too. Last year we got the Neil Gaiman Bump on Twitter, but this year we seem to be on our own again, so if you know anyone who might be willing to buy a book, send them over to Guys Lit Wire. Books are purchased via a Powell's Books wishlist, so we're even supporting indie booksellers in the process.

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Monday Review: BLACK HOLE SUN by David Macinnis Gill

I checked this book out at my library.

Reader Gut Reaction : After the zany ride that was David Macinnis Gill's first novel, Soul Enchilada, I wasn't sure what to expect from Black Hole Sun. But I figured, I'm a fan of the song of the same title, so I was already positively inclined before even reading page one. This time, the author forays into science fiction, namely a sort of dystopian/post-apocalyptic Mars. Narrator Durango leads a mercenary platoon-for-hire, a motley band of misfits with, of course, hearts of gold (and, in Durango's case, an extra AI named Mimi implanted in his brain). The story is action-packed, full of snappy dialogue, and sure to satisfy hard SF fans.

However, a nit-pick, if you'll allow it. I couldn't help noticing that the timestamp on the chapter headings reset to zero at some point and was zeroed out for each chapter thereafter. I don't think that was deliberate. I suppose I only noticed because I like to read that stuff, and to have a sense of the story's timeline as it moves forward.

Concerning Character : Durango is a fun character to follow, as we gradually discover his unusual backstory and the various skeletons in his closet. The author does a nice job of developing the character of the protagonist and revealing more and more about him without skimping on action and forward movement. The side characters are mostly foils for Durango, providing a few obstacles and a liberal dose of humor and comic relief—except for his second-in-command, the dangerously hot Vienne, and his AI implant Mimi, who has a whole backstory of her own.

Recommended for Fans Of... : If you liked the TV series Firefly, you might like the feel of this one—like that show, this book provides a backdrop where anything and everything crazy might happen, out at the frontiers of human space settlement. It may also appeal to fans of other space sci-fi with YA appeal, like John Scalzi's Old Man's War books and Across the Universe by Beth Revis (reviewed here), and fans of humor-infused Mars sci-fi series The Company by Kage Baker.

Themes & Things : Durango's struggle against the pressures of family loyalty versus the need to do what's right and follow the Regulator principles he believes in makes him a layered character, and his internal conflict informs the story throughout. The book also poses the question, are all bets really off, even when you live in a wild and out-of-control society? What about your innermost ethics? We find out what Durango's made of when his limits are tested in a variety of ways, on a foolhardy mission that seems doomed to fail.

Authorial Asides : You can follow David Macinnis Gill on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thunderchikin. His official website is http://davidmacinnisgill.com/. And, hey, one more thing—it sounds suspiciously like his next book, Invisible Sun, might be a sequel (and it echoes ANOTHER great song in its title, thus guaranteeing that I will need to read it).

You can find Black Hole Sun at an independent bookstore near you!

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Toon Thursday: More Writing Life

I apologize for today's Toon Thursday being a rerun, but I am currently away from my desk enjoying a few days in a nice cabin with the Mr. in celebration of our 10-year wedding anniversary. I promise the next installment of TT, two weeks from now, will be shiny and brand new! In the meantime, please to enjoy this old fave which I've dusted off especially for you.


As always, Toon Thursday is © Sarah J. Stevenson and Finding Wonderland. Just in case you forgot. Please no reprints without permission. Except for me. I can reprint it whenever I want, THHHPPPPTT. :P

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Diversity in YA Kicks Off Tour at SFPL

...and I was there to witness it! If you don't know Diversity in YA, I highly suggest a visit to their website. It's an endeavor that celebrates and spreads the word about diversity in books for young people, founded by authors Malinda Lo and Cindy Pon.

The first tour stop, this past Saturday, included both of the aforementioned ladies of YA, as well as graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang (interviewed by us here some years ago) and author J.A. Yang (Exclusively Chloe). For a few more photos and a short recap of the wonderful sponsors, check out the DIYA website. (Sadly, since I was sitting on the very end of the front row, I am not pictured in the photo of the gratifyingly large audience, but I assure you I was there.)

Here are a few favorite highlights from the panel:
After each author introduced their work and read a short passage, the moderator asked the panelists when they first started to think about writing YA with Asian-American characters. This prompted some fascinating replies. Cindy Pon said that for years she didn't think about writing a character like herself because she'd never read any books with characters like herself. John (J.A.) Yang said that when he was young he sought out books as unlike his own experience as possible.

Malinda Lo said that when she was growing up in Colorado, she was only one of a few Asians at her school. One day a teacher gave her Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior to read, but she couldn't relate to it at all. Nevertheless, it prompted a major realization about the way people viewed her. It wasn't until college that Malinda learned more about what it was like to be Asian American, and Huntress is her first book with deliberate Asian influences.

Gene Yang said that as a young person, he didn't remember reading any books with Asian protagonists, and it wasn't until college that he started to use Asian-American characters in his comics. Gene went on to describe Superman as a great metaphor for being Asian American, as a character who negotiates two identities (and the extended metaphor was hilarious—down to Superman having two names, one Anglo name and one traditional name, complete with hyphen).


There was a fascinating discussion of the idea of authenticity, and feeling authoritative enough to write something about a character very different from oneself. After all, there are many, many facets to the Asian American experience. Malinda said that she felt she could "fudge" things more in fantasy novels. With more seriousness, she went on to point out that "authenticity is situational"--as writers, all we can do is think through our choices the best we can.


On coverfail: there was some discussion of the newly recast covers of Cindy Pon's books, which have a decidedly less Asian feel, and about what types of covers sell more books. Cindy was not sure whether the new covers were in fact helping sell more books. The conversation turned a bit more tongue-in-cheek after that, with Malinda pointing out that "abs sell really well" on covers. Gene Yang suggested that perhaps the best-selling cover of all would feature werewolf abs. John concluded that discussion on a more thoughtful note, bringing up the role of bloggers in the cover discussion, and wondering whether this might eventually lead to more minorities featured on book covers.
All in all, it was a wonderful panel, and I wish I could have stayed for the book signing and refreshments afterward. Still, it was great to meet the panelists (I made sure to show up a little early!) and I'm hopeful that they get as fabulous a turnout at their other tour stops.

I wanted to throw one last question out to any writers reading this post—the same question asked of the panelists: If you write stories with protagonists of color, when did you first think about doing that, and why?

For me, identity has always been an important theme in my writing, including the different factors that constitute identity, such as ethnicity. So it wasn't long after I decided to pursue writing that characters of color started to pop up, sometimes as minor characters and other times in starring roles. But the writing I did when I was younger—when it was still a hobby—had a noticeable lack of diversity, and I assume that's because I was trying to emulate the books I loved to read...many of which did not feature characters of color. (Not that that reflects badly on the books I loved—it's simply a fact.) What about you?

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Getting Poetry and Books into Schools

Those of us who blog in the kidlitosphere can accomplish a lot when we pull together. Need proof? Just check out the status of Greg Pincus's Kickstarter project, Poetry: Spread the Word--there are still 5 days to go on the project, and not only is it fully funded, it's OVERFUNDED. As of the writing of this post, he's got $5,870 in pledges, $870 more than his stated goal of $5,000. All the extra funds go towards additional school visits at no cost to schools, helping Greg bring poetry into classrooms and write original work to be made freely available, all over the course of the next year. In this time of dwindling funds for arts education, that's something to celebrate.

If you want to help, there's still time to contribute--or, if you fancy buying a book instead (or in addition!), why not contribute to this year's Guys Lit Wire Book Fair? It's only been going for a few days, but 150 books have already been bought and sent to Ballou Sr. High School in Washington, D.C.--including Tanita's A La Carte and my own The Latte Rebellion, which makes us jump up and down just a little. :) As usual, I'm waiting a bit to make my purchases, but this is such a worthy endeavor, and for the past couple of years GLW has massively augmented some really needy school libraries.

It's efforts like these--and the enthusiasm of people stepping up to get involved--that makes me feel like people truly do still value literature and arts in their children's schools, and are willing to go the extra mile to make sure kids and teens have access to such important aspects of the human experience as poetry, art, and stories. And it reminds me why I love being part of the kidlitosphere.

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Monday Review: WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by John Green and David Levithan

Source: I checked this book out at my library.

Reader Gut Reaction : What if you met your doppelganger? Someone who looks just like you, just walking around on the street? Will Grayson of Evanston, Illinois doesn't quite meet his doppelganger, but he meets...another Will Grayson, of Naperville, Illinois. They don't look like each other, and really, they aren't much alike at all, even below the surface—but that doesn't mean they won't make a difference in each other's lives. I thought this was a very cool premise, and the dual-author (dueling author?) collaborative nature of the book made each voice distinct and kept me on my toes as a reader, trying to guess how each Will Grayson would ultimately affect the other.

Concerning Character : The two Will Graysons are well-drawn, distinct characters with very different lives and motivations. Will Grayson #1 (I'm calling him that simply because he's the one who kicks off the story) is cool, controlled Alterna-Dude, into indie rock and going to concerts and hanging out as the somewhat drab sidekick to his gay best friend, Tiny Cooper—football player and theater geek extraordinaire. Will Grayson #2 is troubled, angry, depressed, and emotionally stretched almost to the breaking point.

Both Will Graysons, though, are lonely, and have trouble reaching out and having fulfilling friendships, let alone romantic relationships. What's more, Will Grayson #2 is (EXTREMELY MINOR SPOILERS) gay, and has no idea how to deal with it. I really enjoyed reading about both characters' journeys, both separately and after they meet. My only thought was that Will Grayson #2's change of heart seemed to happen so quickly for such a dramatic change...I found him almost painfully unlikeable at the beginning, and so I was a little skeptical when he starting becoming a more empathetic person. Nevertheless, the process of change for both Wills—and their respective opening up to (and acceptance of) the risks and rewards of life—was ultimately satisfying.

Themes & Things : It's interesting to me how many of John Green's books are, in some way, about journeying to meet your destiny: An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns--and this one, too, even if the journey only takes each Will into the heart of Chicago. This story also plays a lot with the idea of coincidence. In particular, it raises the speculation that there's a fine line between coincidence and fate, because of what we make of the seemingly random things that happen to us.

Also, this book portrays the complexity of identity as a gay teenager—and the difficulties, as well as how those difficulties intertwine with the the challenges of coming of age that arise independent of sexual orientation. Both Will Graysons face the sorts of complications that come along with learning to accept yourself—and others—warts and all.

You can find Will Grayson, Will Grayson at an independent bookstore near you!

Have you heard? Today kicks off the 3rd annual Guys Lit Wire Book Fair, this year for Ballou Sr. High School in Washington, D.C. Go check out the video, check out the story, and go buy books for a great cause!

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Toon Thursday: The Return of Writing Dos and Don'ts!

You'll note that, rather ironically, the "corrections" to the "Writing Dos and Don'ts" title of the cartoon are, in fact, not correct. Just a little editing humor. Click to view larger.



Psst! Hey! Looking for somewhere to donate those ARCs? Or are you a school looking for books and authors to connect with readers? Take a peek at the freshly-launched, brand new site Reach A Reader, which can help you do just that. (Full disclosure: I helped with the site.) If you've donated to the ARCs Float On campaign at The Reading Zone, you'll be pleased to hear that it will soon find a permanent (searchable!) web home at Reach A Reader.

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WANT. Badly.

How much do I wish I had this awesome bookshelf?



Or this one?



Check out these and more on 20 Insanely Creative Bookshelves, which I found via Twitter today. They ARE insanely creative, although some of them, in my opinion, are also just insane...

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Writers' Worst Fears

Recently in our writing group we were talking about the satirical (yet oh-so-true) piece in The Onion about tiny audiences for readings.

It came out that this actually happened not a few days ago to a friend of ours. This friend, confronted with just one audience member, handled it bravely and with poise. I don't think I would have handled it nearly as well.

Then, as it turned out, today was Mortification Monday over at Shannon Hale's blog. No attendees at readings, introduced by the wrong name, strangers accusing her of stealing their ideas--all of this and more has happened. REALLY. And not just to Shannon Hale, of course, but to authors at large.

Thanks, I suppose, to misery loving company, I feel marginally better about my minor embarrassments: a YA book launch with no actual teenagers in attendance. (Sigh.) A school visit at which 75% of my audience were confused ESL students, and the only ones asking questions (except for one student) were the teachers and librarians. Profuse nervous sweating that was probably noticeable enough to see from space.

I have no doubt I'll have similar reports in the future, or worse. It's the life of a writer--the not-very-glamorous part. And if you're an introvert like me, sometimes you do sweat the small stuff (uh, no pun intended), regardless of the cliché advice not to.

If the prospect is getting you down, check out the Shrinking Violets' interview with Nancy Ancowitz (and basically anything on the Shrinking Violets' blog), and Nancy's website, Self-Promotion for Introverts. And remember that you're not alone! You aren't. In fact, if you have any embarrassing or just frustrating reading-related incidents haunting you, feel free to get them off your chest in the comments. We're here to listen. :)

Thanks go to Tanita for most of these links. 

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