Sarah Jamila Stevenson's Blog: Blog - Sarah Jamila Stevenson, page 80

A Writing Epiphany, Plus Links

I don't always post thoughts about writing as much as I really should--I often leave those for my personal blog, reasoning that it's mostly semi-coherent stream-of-consciousness meandering anyway, and we're professionals around here.

Today I'm saying nuts to that, because I can't help sharing yesterday's epiphany.

I've often wondered why it is that I seem to follow a particular pattern when plotting and planning my stories: I'll start working on setting and characters, coaxing the seed of an idea into something a little less formless, and then, as I start to write the beginning and take notes about the middle, I'll suddenly have these exciting ideas about the climax and endpoint that I didn't have back when I was in the exclusively notetaking stage. Then, it's a matter of finding my way from Point A to Point, um, D.

I'm back in that exciting, bottom-dropping-out-of-my-stomach stage of first-drafting, working on a brand-new project, and yesterday morning I had a realization about WHY the above strategy, or method, or whatever, ends up being the case for me when I write. Writers, remember all that stuff about the importance of knowing what your character wants, what motivates him/her, what is at stake for him/her? I think what happens for me is this: once I start writing a scene from a character's viewpoint, with their desires and motivations in mind...(here's the part that makes me feel like a jerk)...then I become much clearer on what the character has to lose over the course of the story's events.

If they want X, then part of my job as author, in order to create tension, is to come up with plot events that thwart them in their achievement of X. And, if they really, really LOVE something, then a great climactic moment for the story would be the actual or apparent or even partial loss of whatever that thing is that they love. All you need to do is start with that character's drive, their desires, what would make them happy and comfortable, and then take it away or make it somehow difficult or impossible to achieve. Plot events will arise from that, as long as you've got your characters and setting, your backdrop, in place.

What cruel, cruel puppetmasters we writers are...


Aside from all that writerly stuff, here are a few interesting links that came my way lately. Firstly, an article from the New York Times that's very timely with respect to the release of The Latte Rebellion--it's called "Race Remixed: Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the Above," and one of the author's assertions is that "Many young adults of mixed backgrounds are rejecting the color lines that have defined Americans for generations in favor of a much more fluid sense of identity." I'm not entirely convinced by everything the author puts forward in this piece, but it's excellent food for thought, and brings an important topic up for discussion.

Speaking of the NYT, via the Expression Online newsletter, I learned that they've named a
Lastly, we're very glad that fellow authors Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy made it safely out of Cairo during the tumult of the past weeks!

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A Seasonal Pick: Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

I picked up an advance review copy of this book at ALA Midwinter. Mad Love is now available in hardcover.

Reader Gut Reaction : I have to admit—I wasn't entirely sure I'd like a retelling of the story of Cupid and Psyche. Fortunately, this wasn't a straight retelling; the author took a "REAL story of Cupid" approach, setting the tale in modern-day Seattle. Not only that, she made the book not so much about Mr. Eros—currently known as Errol—as it was about the narrator, Alice, and her coming into her own. Helping Errol commit the true story of his life to paper provides the vehicle for Alice to sort through her own confusing life, and helps Errol/Cupid become immortal in a different way. Though a few aspects of the story seemed rushed in terms of their resolution toward the end, this was great light reading, and perfect for Valentine's Day.

Concerning Character : This book's cast of characters is surprisingly multilayered—at first glance, they may seem like a collection of humorous types (and, in some cases, archetypes), but everyone is realistically flawed, unique and human. Yep, even Cupid. Alice—cursed with the last name Amorous, thanks to her romance-writer mother—is an engaging narrator, just a regular girl in many ways, struggling to cope with a rather unusual life. Her mother is in a care facility being treated for bipolar disorder, which they're trying to keep a secret from her mother's publisher and the media. Alice really wants what a lot of other girls want: a stable life, free from the extra responsibilities that her mother's situation has forced her to take on; friends; maybe even a boyfriend. Her potential love interest, Tony Lee, is appealingly geek-cute and the kind of nice guy who makes you go "aww..." Cupid is enigmatic and, well, mercurial, to say the least. And Alice's 4-unit apartment building is populated with an interesting cast of side characters and surrogate family members who all contribute to the plot in their own small, fun ways.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Myth and fairy tale retellings like Ice by Sarah Beth Durst, Troy by Adele Geras, and the Ellen Datlow-Terri Windling-edited series of anthologized fairy-tale retellings.

Themes & Things : Obviously, LOVE is a major theme here—but we get to introduced to the different kinds of love as the Greeks saw them (Eros vs. friendship vs. agape and all that stuff), in a way that fits well into a modern setting. Alice comes to realize that loving her mother isn't necessarily about protecting her from everything like a delicate hothouse flower, but about connecting and communicating. She learns the difference between Cupid's lightning bolt of desire and her feelings for Tony Lee. I think the most important thing Alice figures out, though, is that love involves trust, and reaching out, and even a little risk.

Authorial Asides : There were a lot of sly nods here to writers, and writerly in-jokes that seemed to jump out at me—these might or might not be intrusive to some, but for the most part, I think teen readers (especially aspiring writers) will enjoy them, as well as the glimpse into the inside world of writing and publishing.

You can find Mad Love at an independent bookstore near you!

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Toon Thursday: Writer's Trading Cards

Today marks the start of a new Toon Thursday series...it may seem a bit similar to Common Species of the Literary World, but...it's just, um, NOT, okay?! Okay. Here you go:


Can you believe Valentine's Day is almost here? Mr. Aquafortis and I will be celebrating ours rather belatedly, a few days later, with dinner and a concert--but what about the young readers and children's lit enthusiasts in your life? What to do? Well, to us Cybils folk, the answer seems obvious--the Cybil Award winners will be announced on Feburary 14th, so it's a doubly exciting day. And Cybils Literacy Evangelist (and blog bud) Jen Robinson came up with a fabulous idea--instead of giving corporate mass-produced stuff, why not give a book? It lasts longer. :)

You can check out the short lists for ideas--and feel free to click through to Amazon from the Cybils page in order to buy, since each purchase via a Cybils affiliate link kicks a teeny bit of dough back toward purchasing prizes for the winning authors and illustrators. Everybody wins.

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Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

I purchased a copy of this book.

Reader Gut Reaction : There's an immediacy to this story, and a clarity of detail, that made it easy for me as a reader to relate to the characters, even though we're immediately plunged into a setting that won't be a familiar one for most people—modern-day Burma. Because we start with Chiko, and Chiko's a fellow reader and book lover, there's something we can immediately cling to amid the unfamiliar welter of sights, sounds and smells. He's our anchor, and his strength of character helps sustain the reader, too, as we follow him through his forcible conscription and into an army training camp with dozens of other young men.

Concerning Character : Chiko is such a sympathetic character with relatable needs and desires, and I was easily drawn into his day-to-day relationships with his mother and their family friends. This made it easy to identify with him, despite the fact that life as a teenager in Burma is so different from teenage life in America. And, later, when we switch to Tu Reh's point of view, I felt quickly brought up to speed on life as an oppressed ethnic minority desperately trying not to fall into the cracks. Both young men are willful and determined, but where Chiko is quiet, Tu Reh is angry; where Chiko is book-smart, Tu Reh is cunning and desperate. The author skillfully brings the two together in a way that heightens both their differences and their similarities; she puts them in a situation that tests their mettle and calls upon them to make difficult decisions about what kind of people they want to be.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories of real-life wartime in other countries, like Nancy Bo Flood's Warriors in the Crossfire. Books about the lives of young soldiers, like Walter Dean Myers' Sunrise Over Fallujah, Flygirl by Sherri Smith, or Mare's War by our own Tanita Davis.

Themes & Things : This is, in great big capital letters, a Coming Of Age Book—both characters are forced into a situation that ends their childhoods early, that brings into stark relief the question of what kind of adults they want to become. Tu Reh makes a difficult choice between revenge and mercy, between seeing the enemy as "them" or as individuals. Meanwhile, Chiko learns that his inner strength and innate kindness and open-heartedness are just as effective tools in his survival as the outer strength he develops in the army training camp.

Authorial Asides : I was so impressed by the seeming ease with which the author brings us into the lives of these young men, and paints a picture of what it means to survive in today's Burma—not something that many readers will be familiar with. And I was riveted by both young men's personal journeys, as well as by their tense and suspenseful circumstances. Great work, Mitali!

You can find Bamboo People at an independent bookstore near you!

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Kids Lit Is Moving

Erm, no, I'm not talking about the entire world of kids lit moving, perhaps winging its way to some new utopian planet where everyone reads children's and YA books instead of declaring war on one another. (Although, honestly, I can't find too many problems with that scenario.) I'm just warning you that Tasha Saecker's long-running blog Kids Lit will soon become Waking Brain Cells and moving to a new URL. In fact, posts are already going up, so don't miss out!

And, well...aside from that brief interlude, I'm afraid I'm pretty quiet today. If it's morning, I'm probably working on the computer. If it's afternoon as you read this, I'm visiting teens at Gregori High School to talk about my book and about writing. If it's evening, I've probably crashed from exhaustion on the couch. It is one of those weeks. THOSE weeks. You know. But, if you're looking for entertainment, you could check out the latest post by new Guys Lit Wire contributor Chris Barton on "Dear 'Dear Teen Me,'" featuring links to some pretty awesome entries to the Dear Teen Me website. Warning: your reading list may grow.

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Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger

I received a review copy of this book from the author.

Reader Gut Reaction : When one of the quotations kicking off a book is by Lisa Simpson, I already feel positively disposed toward it—and I was already excited to read another book by Neesha Meminger, author of Shine, Coconut Moon, which I loved (reviewed here). I'm always interested in stories that address what it means to live the second-generation, children-of-immigrants life. Jazz in Love does that with a premise sure to hook not only South Asian readers but any young reader with strict parents, especially those who go a little overboard with respect to controlling their child's social life.

Because my dad is South Asian, I related A LOT to the narrator, Jazz (short for Jasbir), whose Indian parents are petrified that any opposite-sex contact that's not strictly related to school will automatically lead down a road of delinquency, immodesty, and embarrassment to the family. But, unlike Jazz, I did not have to embark on the Guided Dating Plan—a series of matchmaking "dates" with parentally-approved nice and upwardly mobile Indian boys. It's a step removed from arranged marriage, and Jazz is NOT happy. Even a whiff of arranged marriage—in our day and age, in the United States--is enough of a hook to keep readers absorbed from the beginning, even if it's from an outside-looking-in perspective.

Concerning Character : Jazz is very easy to relate to, especially for someone like me who was definitely the "good girl" during high school. She might have strict parents, but she's got the same longings that other girls have. What's more, she also wants to be able to talk to her guy friends without having to be grilled time and again by her parents—something that's not a problem for her school friends. Even Jeevan ("Jeeves"), a guy she's known since they were kids, is borderline off-limits--despite being Indian, he's not the right kind of Indian. There was a realistic and appealing range of characters in this book, from Jazz's best friend Cindy to potential marriage candidate Mit, who's got his own reasons for not being into the idea of matchmaking.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories like Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim or 1001 Cranes by Naomi Hirahara, featuring characters trying to balance their parents' wishes and values with their own; also, fans of books where there's a decision to be made between the good boy and the bad boy, and the bad boy doesn't end up quite as appealing as he originally might have seemed.

Themes & Things :The subtleties and complexity of what it means to be Indian are nicely dealt with here—all the characters are individuals, and there's a range of different South Asian subcultures introduced, along with the fact (which may be new to some) that those groups don't always seamlessly mesh with one another. I also loved the balancing act created by Jazz wanting to please her parents but, at the same time, wanting to follow her heart and not always wanting to stick to her parents' traditional values. That really rang true, and it's something a lot of readers will relate to regardless of cultural background. Lastly, the theme of finding love and friendship in unexpected places is always a good one. It permeates the story, as the concept of "love marriage" runs up against the traditions of matchmaking and arranged marriage, and Jazz (and her family) discover that neither approach precludes finding true love.

Authorial Asides : I firmly believe we need more stories like this, not because I feel that teen readers need to be educated, but because there are readers like I used to be who really NEED them—readers who want to see themselves in stories and see that they aren't the only ones questioning, testing, discovering what it means to be between cultures. Also important is the idea that culture is THERE, but it's not all that defines a character or a story, and it's not something exotic to be gawked at. It's simply part of the myriad of different stories out there to be told.

You can find Jazz in Love at an independent bookstore near you!

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Toon Thursday: The Title-O-Matic

That's right, it's time for your semi-monthly edition of Toon Thursday. This one's got a little heavy reading, but I promise it's worth it. I even used type rather than writing it out. Don't say I never consider my loyal audience. All four of you.


Disclaimer: Toon Thursday is not responsible for the success or failure of the Title-O-Matic. Use the Title-O-Matic at your own risk. Do not taunt the Title-O-Matic. Thank you.

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International & Multicultural Children's Book Links

I ran across a few fascinating links via a recent issue of the Expression Online e-newsletter (the international SCBWI newsletter), and I thought I'd post those along with the news that the US Board on Books for Young People recently released their 2010 list of Outstanding International Books. The list includes some personal favorites by Shaun Tan, Patrick Ness, and Neil Gaiman--and I got a sneak preview (well, not REALLY sneaky) and copy of the bookmark at ALA! Go check it out and download the bookmark or the PowerPoint on the USBBY website.

Did you know there is an Iran Book News Agency? It's a nonprofit organization whose website includes all sorts of interesting news about the Iranian book scene, including news about teen books and authors. I found out that the classic stories of the gorgeously illuminated Shahnama will be rewritten for children--very cool.

Lastly, a fascinating article in the Twin Cities Daily Planet disputes an oft-quoted claim that there are few images of Muslims in children's literature today. According to the article's author, Mary Treacy:

The ten years since 9/11 have actually seen promising rise in books about Muslim history, Muslims in America, and books about young Muslims, particularly stories that debunk myths about Muslim girls and women.

Read the full article for numerous examples and other resources.

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Two from Kidlitcon: The Freak Observer and Split

I'm sorry to report that today's reviews are going to be on the brief side. They're also on the "better late than never" side. But I still wanted to share them--two titles that I picked up at fall's Kidlitcon in Minneapolis, by two authors I greatly enjoyed meeting and chatting with. One last thing: tune in next Thursday for another installment of Toon Thursday!

Source: I purchased both of these books.

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston

Reader Gut Reaction : Loa Lindgren is an enigmatic, troubled but sharp-witted narrator, and that kept me intrigued and kept me reading. I also loved the physics facts and problems that began each chapter--I kept scouring them for hints about the upcoming section, and they tied everything together in a neat way.

Concerning Character : Loa and her family are realistically flawed, and I was impressed by how much attention was given to their individual journeys through grief. It was not easy to read about any of them, because they seemed so true to life; yet because they were so clear as individuals, it kept this from being simply a straightforward or moralistic problem novel. And Corey, Loa's former best friend, was defined in many ways by his absence--a tricky approach that was really well done.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Catalyst.

Bonus Linkage : Author Blythe Woolston's blog

You can find The Freak Observer at an independent bookstore near you!


Split by Swati Avasthi

This book is a Cybils 2010 YA Finalist.


Reader Gut Reaction : Bravo for a convincing male narrator with the strength to escape from an abusive home. A lot of tension is created simply through the horror of Jace's situation, and the constant possibility that his father might track him down and drag him back into the cycle of abuse, a cycle his mother seems unable to escape. His relationship with his older brother is convincingly complex and rocky given the circumstances--Jace shows up out of the blue looking for a new home, and Christian is trying to leave his past behind.

Concerning Character : The depiction of Jace's struggle to break the abusive cycle that he sees germinating within himself is heartbreaking. His brother's internal struggles are nearly as wrenching, sort of an older-brother echo of Jace's, as Christian tries to maintain a normal relationship with his girlfriend Mirriam when his past has just been flung back in his face. Mirriam is kind of a saint, and I love both her patience and no-nonsense attitude. She makes a great foil for the two brothers learning to open up to other people--including each other.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Nancy Werlin's The Rules of Survival

Bonus Linkage : Author Swati Avasthi's website and blog

You can find Split at an independent bookstore near you!

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A First-Timer's ALA Recap

It's hard to describe such an overwhelming experience (to an introvert like me) of the bookish extravaganza that is the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting, so I'm going to take a page from CazzyLibrarian (whom I met this past weekend) and stick to a few key highlights.


The YA Blogger Meetup:
Courtesy of Stacked and Baen Books came Friday night's YA blogger/author meet-and-greet mingle-tastic event. Among the fab bloggers I talked to (NOT an exhaustive list! I know I've forgotten some--apologies) were Sarah of Green Bean Teen Queen, Bookalicious Pam, Kelly Jensen, Liz B, Melissa Wiley of Here in the Bonny Glen (who I'd met in person at Kidlitcon 2010), and Kelly Metzger of The Cazzy Files. I had a lot of fun talking to Flux publicity director Steven and fellow Flux author Rebecca Fjelland Davis (who wrote Chasing Alliecat—which is now on my TBR pile), both of whom I'd met at the Kidlitcon.


One of the most memorable moments of the evening was discussing the merits of Mockingjay as a conclusion to the Hunger Games trilogy with CazzyLibrarian, Melissa Wiley, author Brent Hartinger, and one other person I didn't formally meet and therefore, with apologies, cannot name. I even sneaked in the opportunity to meet Mitali Perkins by attending the first half-hour of the USBBY meeting where she was scheduled to speak before scooting off to the blogger event. I have to say, though—it was weird being there in my "authorial capacity" and not having any way to say "Hey! I'm a blogger, too!" Plus my name tag rather deceptively claimed that I worked for Flux and was from St. Paul, MN.

My First-Ever Book Signing:
I don't want to overplay this, as it was mainly a blur and went by surprisingly quickly. But I felt it was notable enough to mention—especially since I ended up meeting a couple of really awesome writers I'd been hoping to talk to in person: Cindy Pon (Silver Phoenix, Fury of the Phoenix) and Robin "R.L." LaFevers (the Theodosia books). So many of the wonderful fellow bloggers I talked to the previous night came, too. I'm really grateful to everyone who stopped by, and I'm especially grateful to the folks at Flux and Llewellyn who set it up, manned the booth and kept me company when the signing line died down. And my mom and stepdad made it, which was fantastic. I still felt sorta like maybe there were people who didn't assume that I was actually the author but instead some sort of nicely-dressed booth attendant, but oh well.

Flux Dinner:
Saturday night I went to dinner with Flux employees, including the fabulous acquisition editor, Brian Farrey, aforementioned publicity director Steven Pomije, and Llewellyn employee Eric and his wife Char, both lovely individuals; and other Flux authors: Brent Hartinger, Becky Fjelland Davis, Ann Finnan and Linda Joy Singleton. We went to a restaurant called the Hash House A Go Go, prompting me to wonder whether the suffix "A Go Go" automatically makes a restaurant good. (I mean, Crepes A Go Go in Berkeley is good. And what does A Go Go mean, anyway? This, perhaps?)

The portions were certainly ginormous. Chicken and waffles (which I did not personally order) included three or four waffles, a couple of chicken breasts, and, I'm told, the waffles were stuffed with bacon. (In case anyone was wondering, I had a very nice, also large, house salad with creamy cucumber dressing, and a bowl of wild boar chili, which was not bad but a bit salty. Sorry. I'm food-obsessed.) I feel like such a lucky duck, working with Flux. I really do. Everyone is so nice, and professionally and socially the whole process has been a pleasure. Hard work, but still. FAB.

I did a very pathetic job of taking pictures, mostly because the experience was such a whirlwind and my introverted little self was kind of overwhelmed, but it was also exhilarating to be around so many "book people" and, of course, so many BOOKS. I was lucky—speaking as a blogger, now—to pick up numerous awesome books and ARCs (and sequels!!). Some of the most exciting were:

two recently re-released Betsy-Tacy books with forewords by Mitali Perkins and Melissa Wiley
Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins (see photo! yay)
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Fly Trap by Frances Hardinge (Y AY YAY YAY)
Huntress by Malinda Lo
Eona by Alison Goodman
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (I had no idea she had a new book!)
Lost & Found by Shaun Tan
Books from fellow Flux authors—Chasing Alliecat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis and Shadow Walkers by Brent Hartinger

And much, much more! Well, not maybe not two "muches" worth. But definitely a handful more. I also had lunch with Adrienne, which I'd been looking forward to for ages because we last saw each other way back at the Portland Kidlitcon in 2008; I spent a lot of time walking around downtown San Diego (partly because I was mysteriously housed in a different hotel from the rest of the Flux people); and I even met some random Cybils judges, like the aforementioned Kelly Jensen and the very sweet Rene Colato Lainez.

What a weekend. But, because I'm me, I'm EXTREMELY glad to be home, too.

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