Selene Castrovilla's Blog, page 3

Halloween excerpt from my new women’s fiction, Luna Rising!

Because it’s Halloween, I want to share this excerpt from Luna Rising, my first women’s fiction, coming Spring 2017!

This is a flashback to Halloween when Luna was eight years old.

An excerpt from my forthcoming first women’s fiction, Luna Rising.

 

Luna was eight, and she could call Dad at his friend’s house and ask him to come and get her. He promised and promised he would but he didn’t say when.

Finally, he said he would take her to the Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village.

New York City!

After trick or treating she sat on her patchwork quilt and waited. She was a witch in pointed black hat with a bristly broom at her side.

She waited, waited, waited for her dad.

Raggedy Ann and Gus watched Luna from the end of the bed but she didn’t want to play. She didn’t want to read her books piled on the floor. She didn’t want to watch TV, even though Batman was on. She didn’t want any candy from her trick-or-treat bag. She just wanted to go.

Dad was late.

He was always late, but now he was really, really late.

Mom said it in her razor sharp voice over and over and over. “He’s late, and he’s probably not going to show.”

Luna’s lamp shined in the corner. Light coming from under, over, through the

shade. Looking at the light usually felt good, made her feel warm and glowing inside,

but tonight it was too bright. It hurt Luna’s eyes.

Mom was getting louder, sharper, her voice could cut wood, could slice through Luna’s broom. It felt like it was carving through Luna. Mom was angry, behind Luna, going back and forth, her voice switching sides of the room, pinging against the walls. Luna held onto her broom, circled her hands around the smooth handle. Even though she didn’t know any magic and it was just a piece of wood, still it felt good to hold onto something.

Mom didn’t like that Luna liked Dad. “He’s a bastard,” Mom yelled. “You can’t trust him, he’s not coming, when will you get that you can’t depend on him, he’s no good!”

Luna sat on her patchwork bedspread, staring so much that the colors blurred. She wished Mom’s voice would blur like that, mix the words together so they didn’t make sense, so she wouldn’t have to understand the truth.

It was cold.

This place was always so cold.

Her hat, her broom, her shoulders slumped. Her brown hair swept across her face and covered it like curtains but still there were colors through the spaces in her hair. Blue, red, yellow, green blend, blend, blended through strands; her mom yelled, yelled, yelled that Dad wasn’t coming, and she got it.

She got it.

She was alone.

Her mom was ranting, ranting, ranting. Not talking to her, she talked at her.

Loud, loud, LOUD.

Luna was alone.

Her dad wasn’t coming.

She was alone.

Her broom dropped to the floor.

Something inside her fell too.

A Halloween Story for Elementary School Kids!

[Scroll down for a fun Halloween story!]

Happy Halloween!

I’ve been substitute teaching, and what an experience it is. Last week I spent one day helping in a class of autistic kids, one day teaching English to 7th and 8th graders, two days teaching 2nd graders and one day teaching social studies to ninth and eleventh graders. I enjoyed all these assignments, though there was also much work involved! Being a teacher is a tremendous responsibility, even if it’s  only for a day. I was best suited for the English teaching, of course. But I think Idid a great job every day.

The second graders are an amazing, loving bunch who eagerly absorb everything. They are good role models for us in terms of enthusiasm and joi de vive. They do need help with respect and empathy.

I’m returning to Thursday’s second grade class today, and I told them I might bring them a Halloween surprise. I woke up Sunday wondering what I would bring them. I didn’t feel like going to a party store, especially since the day was so beautiful.

I give out Happy Clams as a gift to readers at book festivals. I thought: It would be great to give clams to the kids. But the clams had nothing to do with Halloween. Yet.

I decided to write a Halloween story for the kids reviving around the clam, now named Clarence.

And guess what? I like my story. So much that I’m sharing it with you.

This is a Halloween story about friendship and consideration. If you like it, please share it with some little critters you know! (For extra fun, ask them to create illustrations!)

THE VERY, VERY, VERY WET HALLOWEEN

By Selene Castrovilla

Splash, splash, splash! It was a very, very, very wet Halloween.

KID QUESTION: Why do you think it was so wet?

Just like every other day for the creatures living in the Big Sea. The little critters, who were the youngest creatures, swooshed and swirled through the current at recess.

KID QUESTION: Can you name some of the creatures and little critters who might live in the sea?

All except Clarence, who couldn’t budge.

KID QUESTIONS: What does budge mean? Why do you think Clarence couldn’t move?

Clarence was a clam.

Clarence was used to being stuck in the muck. He was born that way. He’d stayed buried in the sand until this school year. That’s when the Big Sea School Board voted to transport clams to class, so they could learn too. Now Stanley Sea Turtle, the district’s official transporter, surged through the reeds, scooped Clarence up and swam him over to school every day.

At first Clarence’s parents were afraid to let Stanley take their son.

KID QUESTION: Why do you think they were afraid?

But Stanley was sworn to protect all the little creatures who were students, and to respect their families. Even though it was in his nature to eat clams, he never ate Clarence or his family. In fact, Stanley liked Clarence — and all the other little critters too.

So Clarence went to class, and he made friends with everyone. His special friends were Barry Bluefish and Stella Squirrelfish. They usually played tick tac toe with Clarence in the sand.

But today, on the very, very, very wet Halloween, Clarence sat alone.

KID QUESTION: Why do you think Clarence was alone?

All of the other critters, including Barry and Stella, were caught up in the Halloween excitement. They could’t wait to go out trick or treating for kelp. Zipping through the the bubbling water, the critters called out what their costumes were.

“I’m going as Nemo,” Barry babbled. “My mom got me waterproof fin paint!”

“I’m going as Sandy from Sponge Bob,” Stella sang, in a southern twang.

KID QUESTION: What do you think a twang is?

All the critters swung round and round the reeds, calling out their costumes.

Except for Clarence, stuck in the muck. He was used to being stuck, and he was used to being very, very, very wet on the outside. But today, on very, very, very wet Halloween, he felt very, very, very damp on his inside.

KID QUESTIONS: What does damp mean? What do you think this last sentence means?

Clarence had never heard of Halloween. And watching his friends having fun without him, he wished he still had never heard of Halloween. In fact, Clarence wished Halloween would just go away.

But it didn’t.

When recess finally ended, the critters came back to their seats. Mrs. Grouper, their teacher, started her math lesson. She called on Clarence for an answer, but Clarence clammed up.

“What’s the matter, Clarence?” Mrs. Grouper asked. “You love math.”

“I’m sad because my friends played without me today,” said Clarence.

KID QUESTION: How do you think Barry, Stella and the rest of the class feel?

“Oh Clarence, I’m sorry,” said Barry. “I got so excited about my costume that I didn’t think about you. Please forgive me.”

“Me, too,” agreed Stella.

The rest of the class murmured their apologies.

KID QUESTIONS: What do you think “murmured” means? What does “apologies” mean?

But Clarence said nothing.

“What’s the matter now, Clarence?” Mrs. Grouper asked.

“I’m sad because I can’t go trick or treating like everyone else,” Clarence said. “Stanley takes me straight home after class. Those are the rules.”

“Oh Clarence, you can come trick or treating with Barry and me,” Stella said.

“We’ll meet at your clam bed,” said Barry.

“But I can’t trick or treat!” Clarence exclaimed. “I can’t move!”

KID QUESTION: What do you think Barry and Stella can do to solve this problem?

“Don’t worry,” said Barry.

“We’ll carry you between us,” said Stella.

The whole class clapped at this wonderful solution. Except for Clarence, who remained closed off.

KID QUESTION: Why do you think Clarence is not saying anything?

“What’s the matter, Clarence?” Mrs. Grouper asked.

“I don’t have a costume!” cried Clarence.

“Oh, Clarence. Of course you do,” Mrs. Grouper said. “You have the best outfit of all.”

KID QUESTION: What do you think Clarence’s outfit is?

Mrs. Grouper said, “Clarence, you’re wearing a smile!”

Everyone cheered and hugged Clarence. And even though it was a very, very, very wet Halloween, Clarence felt very, very, very warm and toasty inside.

Clarence was a happy clam.

THE END

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! MAY YOU BE AS HAPPY AS CLARENCE THE CLAM.

This is a special gift I received from a second grader!

 

Welcome to my stop in the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Welcome to the October 2016 YA Scavenger Hunt! I’m Selene Castrovilla, your host for this stop, and I’m a hunt virgin!

This is me airbrushed, just in case we meet in person and you’re like, “What???”

About me:

I love quotes and fill my house with them (this picture is of my bannister.)

I love purple, and have painted my house different shades. (As evidenced by my bannister.)

I love the classics, and Shakespeare is my number one favorite! (The fierce quote is his.)

I love my job so, so much!!!

And, I love love. It’s my mission to be the change I wish to see in the world, and that translates to spreading love through my words.

At the bottom of this post you’ll find two Rafflecopter giveaways I’m giving!
About the hunt:

This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Hock (who is hosting me!) as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are eight contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GOLD TEAM—

but there is also a red team, an orange team, a green team, a teal team, a blue team, a purple team, and a pink team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!

If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve hidden my favorite number. It’s in gold! Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the gold team, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 9, 2017, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

And now, I’m pleased to introduce the fabulous Kathleen Baldwin!

 

 

Award-winning author, Kathleen Baldwin, loves adventure in books and in real life. She taught rock climbing in the Rockies, survival camped in the desert, was stalked by a mountain lion, lost an argument with a rattlesnake, spent way too long in college, fell in love at least a dozen times, and married her very own hero. They have four free-spirited adventurous children.

 

 

Kathleen’s The Stranje House Series
“…kept me reading until late into the night.” –Meg Cabot, NYT – USA Today bestselling author of The Princess Diaries

 

Kathleen is sharing Exile for Dreamers, Book 2 in the Stranje House series!

 

About the book:
By the summer of 1814 Napoleon’s spies, in the Order of the Iron Crown, have assassinated King Louis XVIII, and Napoleon, having escaped his exile in Elba, has usurped the French throne. With his Grand Armée restored, Napoleon sets his sights on Britain. Invasion is imminent, and Stranje House sits squarely in the path of catastrophe.
Some would call her dreams a gift, but Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her. Dreams bring nothing but death and grief. Tess refuses to accept that she may be destined for the same madness that destroyed her mother, until her disturbing dreams become the only means of saving Lord Ravencross, the young man she loves, and her fellow students at Stranje House. Tess’s old friend, the traitorous Lady Daneska and Ghost, the ruthless leader of the Iron Crown, have returned to England, intent on paving the way for Napoleon’s invasion of England. Can the young ladies of Stranje House prevail once more? Or is England destined to fall into the hands of the power-mad dictator?

Fans of Gail Carriger, Patricia Wrede, and Caroline Stevermer will love this Regency-era alternate history filled with spunky heroines, handsome young lords, and dastardly villains.
I could give you 9 awesome reviews, but here’s a couple to start you off…
“Impossible to put down!” -5 Girls Book Review
“Aww. Dudes, I’m such a sucker for this series . . . I loved the heck out of it.”

-RachelsBookReviews.com
You’ve got to see the trailer for this book!

 

And now for the super amazing BONUS CONTENT from Kathleen!

The cover reveal for Book 3 in the Stranje House series:

Refuge for Masterminds

 

Lady Jane Moore has a secret. A secret that must be kept buried. For if anyone discovered the truth, her life at Stranje House would crumble. And with Napoleon Bonaparte threatening to invade England, everyone at Stranje House is already in mortal danger.

There’s a traitor in the house. Someone is sneaking information to Napoleon’s spies, Lady Daneska and Ghost. Jane is determined to find out who it is before suspicions rip apart the bonds of friendship at Stranje House. Her desperate hunt for the traitor ensnares a brash young American inventor, Alexander Sinclair, Robert Fulton’s nephew, into an ambush that puts his life in danger. Sinclair is the most maddening young man in all of Christendom, a sharp-tongued rascal with boorish manners, but Lady Jane cannot bear the thought of the golden-haired genius being harmed.

Is Jane enough of a mastermind to save Alexander, her friends at Stranje House, and possibly England itself?

Book Three will be out May 2017.
Kathleen is also running a cover reveal contest right now – for a chance to win the entire series, check out the cover reveal contest on her website!
Be sure to add Exile for Dreamers to your TBR list on Goodreads !
If you’re as excited to read this book as I am, : you can get your hands on a copy here!
And sign up for Kathleen’s Newsletter so you never miss out on contests, story extras, or important book news.

___________

THANKS FOR VISITING MY FIRST EVER YA SCAVENGER HUNT HOST POST!!! 
I’M A VIRGIN NO MORE!!!
Before you go, check out my personal giveaways !
The first giveaway runs concurrent to the hunt – it ends on Oct. 9!

Here’s your chance to get a signed copy of Melt, Book One in The Rough Romance Trilogy — and possible even more! Three people will receive a signed copy of Melt, and one person will receive a signed copy of Melt, a signed copy of The Law of Loving Others by Kate Axelrod and a $10 Amazon gift card!

ENTER HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



2.  If you’ve read Melt and/or Signs of Life, write a review on Amazon and Enter for a $25 Amazon gift card plus read everything I’ve written so far in Book Three one my Rough Romance Trilogy! This one has a longer entry time, so hurry up and read them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Birthday for Black Flowers, White Lies!

Happy book birthday to my fellow YA author and friend, Yvonne Ventresca!

 

I met Yvonne when we were both contributors to the UncommonYA authors blog, and we met in person during the Teen Author Festival in NYC a couple of years ago. Yvonne is so lovely (in all ways!), and I’m excited to be a part of her book release day!

Yvonne is a co-member of the Gold Team with me on the YA Scavenger Hunt, which started today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And because we’re both writers, I especially love the story of how her book came to be!

So here is a guest post by Yvonne:

 

The Evolution of Black Flowers, White Lies
By Yvonne Ventresca

 

Black Flowers, White Lies started as a middle grade mystery about a daughter searching for her mother who recently disappeared. The story was set in Hoboken, New Jersey, where Emma lived and worked in their family-owned bookstore. The premise: Emma was reluctantly psychic, but she needed to use her abilities to rescue her mother, even if she didn’t quite believe in the supernatural.

Over the years, I submitted versions of the story without success, writing a nonfiction biography in the interim. I continued to revise the novel based on feedback from my critique group and from workshopping the story at multiple conferences. I eventually abandoned the psychic angle, making it more of a haunting instead, and I made the cause of the mother’s disappearance less obvious. But despite the many improvements, it still didn’t sell. Some editors questioned the plot. Some questioned the voice. ͞While the voice is clearly teen, the adventure is middle grade,͟ one editor said.

After 60+ rejections, I didn’t know how to fix the novel and lost the enthusiasm to try. I put it aside and started something new. With Pandemic, I moved more definitively into the young adult world, in voice, in concept, and in length. After I finished and submitted it, I reread the previous story and realized it was not meant to be a middle grade mystery. Creating Pandemic allowed me to see the novel’s potential as a YA thriller.

Sky Pony Press acquired Pandemic, and the sale bolstered my confidence. I opened a new document and startedfrom scratch. The story remained set in Hoboken, and her mother still owned a bookstore, but Emma got a fresh beginning as Ella. I decided that instead of being reluctant, Ella adamantly believes in ghosts. The mother is no longer missing or divorced—I started earlier in time so that she remarries and goes on her honeymoon, leaving Ella with her new stepsibling. One of my original characters, a charismatic stepsister, became a stepbrother instead. This resulted in another major rewrite, but sparked some creative changes.

In this new version, I focused on the relationship between Ella and her stepbrother, a belief in her father’s spirit, and unexplainable events that make Ella question her perception of reality. I finally found her voice and the heart of the story. Instead of rescuing her mother, the way I originally planned, Ella needs to rescue herself. Over nine years, Black Flowers, White Lies transformed into a journey of strength and self-belief, for Ella as a character and for me as a writer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More details about this release!

 

 

A New Life for Arts in Education!

I’ve just returned home from an Artist to Artist Meeting at Eastern Suffolk BOCES on Long Island. I found out it’s National Arts in Education Week, so let’s celebrate with some Arts in Ed great news!

Ding, Dong, No Child Left Behind is Gone!

 

My poor kids were both victims of this test-frenzied policy, which left the arts behind. (One on a list of reasons why the policy was destructive for our youth.)

Welcome Every Student Succeeds Act! (ESSA)
This new act embraces the arts as part of a well-rounded education.

 

(I’m so happy!)

In addition:

STEM has been amended to STEAM, meaning that the arts have been integrated into STEM.

 

We also learned that New York has taken its own specific steps toward the advancement of the arts in education, even recommending an Arts Pathway for graduation! (I so would have loved that!)

I hope other states are taking similar steps. If you know of any, please share. We need to spread good news in this country!

I’ve offered school programs since my first book came out, and I’m fortunate in that my Revolutionary War theme ties to the Common Core. Still, I found it challenging to book visits with schools when the poor teachers and administrators were under pressure to prepare their students for a deluge of standardized tests.

We cannot standardize students! Each expresses himself in his own unique way.
It’s so wonderful to learn of this movement for creativity and individuality. Hooray for ESSA!
And hooray for Arts in Education!

 

I hope to be invited to more high schools, because those are the students who suffered doing No Child Left Behind. Their school budgets and curriculums were stripped bare of art in some cases. These students are in need of stimulation, and they’re at the age where they’re searching for some kind of way to express themselves in this world and make a difference. They want to make their marks, but they don’t know how. This is what happened to me when I was a teenager. I knew I was a writer, but had no idea how to make it happen — and I thought, Who am I to think I can be a writer? This is the biggest reason why I reach out to students of all ages: to show them that I’m a regular person who had a dream and set out to live it.

To learn about my school programs, please check out  my “author visits” page.

I’m BOCES registered in Nassau, Eastern Suffolk, Westchester and Albany, NY. If you have a BOCES and would like me to register there, I will!

If you would like to use my books in conjunction with Arts in Education at your school, please contact me for ideas.

This is my mission, to helps people — most especially young ones — be their change. And that change will shine through with the arts.

[contact-form]

Discarded: The State of YA Literature

I read a Facebook post yesterday by a teacher friend who found hundreds of YA titles being “weeded” out of his public library collection — recent books, some of them even award-winners from the past year. He was giddy, because he’s adding fifty-five of them to his classroom library and distributing the rest to other teachers. And I’m happy for him and all the young readers who will benefit.

But what do you think it feels like for YA authors to have our books yanked like weeds? What was the point of writing them, to be so fast uprooted? What is the motivation for us to continue to produce unappreciated work? And how long will YA books even continue to be published if they are not being read?

Some of the books discarded by the library, in their new classroom home.

We do not write books for a “season” — to be stamped “discarded” (such a heinous word!) after a year.

Most of us cannot make a living although we pour our hearts and energies into our work, torturing ourselves in a way that seems absurd given the lack of respect we yield from society, let alone reward.

Here are some problems YA authors face:

Problem #1

Success seems more and more hinged not on the quality of the work but on the diversity of our characters. The thing is, were are all diverse. Every one of us has our own unique personality and circumstances. We are all human, we all bleed. I have done many FREE high school visits in the poorest NYC neighborhoods and guess what? African-American and Latino students love my books about white teens. Why? Because the human condition is universal. We are all in pain. And the point of literature is not to find someone who is just like you in an exterior way — but inside. This is how we find relief — to know that we are not alone in our suffering. Or, our joys. This is also how we unite, as we learn that people in other circumstances are in fact the same as us inside.

It is no service to youth to segregate books. To say, “Look, this one’s for you.” They should all be for “you.” It’s not about reading books that mirror your skin. It’s about reading books that mirror your heart. Books are not Barbie dolls.

What really needs to be conveyed in our books is the truth. And each author has his own truth to tell. And that truth will then encounter and affect each reader in his own unique way. And this is how we ensure the continuation of a thoughtful, empathetic society.

 

(Don’t attack me please, I’m not against any books being published. I’m for all good books being published, and noticed. Let’s take away all labels and agendas except getting teens reading compelling, well-written, provocative literature.)

I am reminded of when I used to go to the Unitarian church, and they wanted me to wear a pin for a week. It was the symbol Hitler made gays wear in the concentration camps. The concept was to contrive conversations about what the pin meant, and then report back. I refused to wear it. At the gathering the next week, I was condemned by the members of my “all welcoming” church.They refused to accept the reason that I didn’t perform the task, and even accused me of not liking gays. If you know me, you know that’s absurd. Race and sexuality are non-issues to me. I just don’t see people through those lenses. What I don’t like are labels. I think we are better served to rally together as humans. If we concentrate on differences, we will continue to be divided.

If you think I’m wrong, take a look at what’s going on in our society. The hate is on the rise. Opposition breeds opposition.

 

Books are a way to bring us together. To enlighten, and lighten. But to do this, they must be read. 

Problem #2

Just as in Hollywood, certain names become “big” and “bankable.” What causes some authors to skyrocket in popularity? Are these writers so much better than the rest of us? Or did do they get more exposure and backing? Did they just get lucky and “hit?’ Is there room for all of us to somehow thrive?

(I will not even get into the pressure to “produce” our manuscripts — as though we just crank them out effortlessly. There’s no room for gestation. There’s no more resting on laurels. JD Salinger and Harper Lee would never have survived in this climate. You’re only as good as this year’s book.)

Problem #3 — THE ROOT

All of the above does not even get to the root of the problem: so many teens are not reading. And why do they not like to read? Because, as a teacher friend of mine said to me yesterday, they have been tested on everything they’ve read since they were little. And so reading is not fun. Reading is work, and worry. It’s stress.

Our teens are the victims of aversion therapy.

 

In conclusion???

So how do we solve these problems? I don’t know. I have to go fill out my BOCES Art-in-Education forms. I used to do visits for free because I wanted to help and inspire kids, but I can no longer afford to give myself away.

I love the Michael Jackson song “Man in the Mirror.” It’s a musical version of Gandhi’s mantra: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I’m being the change as much as I possibly can.

It’s time for each of us to look in that mirror:

“Take a look at yourself and make that change.”

More of the discarded books in their new home.

 

Goodreads Giveaway for Melt!

Hello friends!

I’m pleased to invite you to a Goodreads Giveaway for a signed copy of Melt – Book One in my Rough Romance Trilogy. Good luck!

Goodreads Book Giveaway


Melt
by Selene Castrovilla

Giveaway ends August 07, 2016.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Other Than Writing

I love what I do, when I'm writing.
You would think that means I love what I do all the time. Alas, this is not the case.

Sadly, these days the publishing world has become a popularity contest. I guess in a way it always was, but now it's about things other than the quality of writing. It's about getting "likes" and "retweets" and "buzz" that's just so hard to do because it's like I'm back at school in the lunchroom, looking for a place where I can sit but feeling so alone.I write about teen years because I've never left them in my heart. I just don't feel like I fit in.

I do love connecting with readers, but that's different than asking someone to read my book. My readers are friends, I've shared a piece of myself with them - and when they contact me, they share back.

Other than writing, this job is tough.

On Reading — and Teaching — Melt

Greetings, old chums! Things have been so wild since Signs of Life came out — with readers embracing it just as excitedly as they did Melt. And some, even more!

Because these books are so intertwined (the Midwest Book Review calls them “literary Siamese twins”), we’re celebrating both of them in the Rough Romance Trilogy Tour. In addition, I’ve asked some dear friends to write guest posts on what Melt has meant to them. (Last time, Kelly Hager raved about me and my writing — which I must say felt awesome.)

Today, Cammie Smith shares her thoughts about Melt, and what it meant for her to teach it.  Thanks, Cammie!

Take it away:

My introduction to Melt, and the subsequent journey I took with the novel, were both unique and life-changing. My friend, Joli, is very involved in the Young Adult fiction community, and is always recommending good books to me, as I am a high school teacher and I like to keep in touch with what my students are reading and what interests them. In December of 2014, Joli texted me and said, “You’ve got to enter this giveaway! This book is fantastic!” So, I entered Selene’s teacher giveaway, knowing nothing about her or her novels, and won 30 signed copies of Melt and the promise of a video conference with my students if I taught the novel in my classroom that year! I didn’t actually read the book until Selene sent me the signed copies, but I figured it would be great to have the free books for students to borrow, even if the novel wouldn’t work with my curriculum. Clearly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This novel grabbed my heart and held on tight from the moment I started reading it until long after I finished and put the book down. Melt is a phenomenal novel that, though painful, edgy, and realistic, teaches powerful lessons about life and human nature.

 

I have read, analyzed, and taught a lot of novels, and I can tell you without a doubt that this novel is the most accurate, realistic portrayal I have ever read of what it is like to be the child of an alcoholic/abusive parent. As a COA (child of an alcoholic) myself, the first time I read the novel, there were moments when I legitimately had to put the book down and walk away because I was so overwhelmed with Joey and Dorothy’s reality. I flew through the closet scene and when it was over, I realized that I had been holding my breath the entire time. The language is realistic, the situations are realistic, the mental repetition is realistic, the attempt to make sense of a world in which you have no control is realistic…this novel IS reality. And the lessons to be learned from it are undeniable…it isn’t just about drug use/abuse, or the dangers of teenage sex. It is about the redemptive power of love, it is about the vicious cycle of violence/abuse, it is about family and identity construction…and above all, it is about not judging a book by its cover. It introduces us to a girl who took a chance on a boy who was from the wrong side of town, walking down the wrong path in life. Instead of giving into the peer pressure from her friends, stereotyping him and walking away, she chooses to get to know him, ultimately falls in love with him, and plays a critical role in his journey to surrender and recovery. And because of her faith in him and the innate goodness that God gave him, he ultimately finds faith in himself. Without a doubt, the novel is an emotional roller coaster ride. One cannot possibly read this book and come away thinking that Joey’s behavior is acceptable; and yet, we have sympathy for him and we hope he will have the strength to break the cycle. We have nothing but respect and admiration for Dorothy as she navigates the waters of being the catalyst of change for Joey; we’d be remiss, though, if we didn’t admit that we thought it was crazy of her to take a chance on a boy from the wrong side of town with a drinking problem and an explosive temper.

As an English teacher, I believe that part of my job is to expose students to literature that teaches them about the world around them, about the human experience…about the plethora of human experiences. Teaching Melt gave me the opportunity to open up those lines of communication with my students, lines I never would have been able to cross had this novel not affected them so deeply; it was truly the highlight of my teaching career. My College Prep students last year flew through this novel because they were invested in the characters and the story; I had kids come to my room that I didn’t even know asking to borrow a copy of the book because they had heard about it through word of mouth and wanted to read it. They wanted to read. That doesn’t happen in high school! It’s a crying shame, but the reality is that kids lose their love of reading by the time they come to us at the high school. I believe we should embrace the use of this type of literature as a meaningful opportunity to discuss the impact that making bad choices (i.e. drugs, alcohol, violence, lack of self-control, etc.) can have on us and those we love. Essentially, what I’m trying to say here is simple: good literature is so important, be it canonical or current, because it gives us insight, knowledge, and wisdom about humanity and the world around us. It teaches us empathy, so that hopefully we can break down the barriers of judgment that we use to stereotype people who aren’t like us.

So…if you only have time for one book to read this summer, this needs to be the one (followed by the sequel, Signs of Life, which is just as fantastic, if not more so, than Melt!). Is there coarse language in this novel? Yes. Are there sexual references? Yes. Is the subject matter uncomfortable and raw and painful for some? Of course. But, does this novel make an impactful statement about the power of love…about what love can overcome? Does it show us that as dire as circumstances may be, there is always hope? That we can change the course of our lives if we face the darkness and refuse to be devoured by it? Absolutely!

 

WHY SELENE CASTROVILLA IS AWESOME: a guest post

WHY SELENE CASTROVILLA IS AWESOME: a guest post

By me,
Kelly Hager,
a blogger you don’t know.

If you’re reading this, that headline is not news to you.

You probably have your own reasons for agreeing with me, too. They probably center around Selene’s novels (Melt and its sequel, Signs of Life, are two of my favorite books ever) or may just have to do with Selene as a person.

You know those people who work tirelessly to help other people, to give voice to people who don’t have one?

That’s Selene.

She does it in real life and she does it through her books.

I’m trying to keep talking about Signs of Life (because that’s why I was invited here),
but instead, I’m talking about Selene.  As I’m writing this, it’s the same day that a man murdered 50 people and injured 53 more in a gay nightclub.

It would be very easy for me to give up on humanity.  Selene is one of the reasons I am not. 

She’s a helper.  (You’ve seen that Fred Rogers meme, right, about looking for the helpers.)

Her novels aren’t pretty, and I love that.  They are candles on the water, no doubt giving people in similar situations hope that they, too, can survive what they’re going through. 



You’ve heard the CS Lewis quote about reading to know we’re not alone.  Selene shows us that we aren’t alone and that she’s willing to walk through the darkness with us.  I am honored to be her friend.



————-

Note from Selene:
Wow. It’s hard to believe I’ve inspired emotion like this. Me, who wasn’t a good enough reader to be allow to order books from the Scholastic Book Club in second grade (yeah, they did that. Only the top reading group could order. I could’ve been another Gordon Korman!)

But I knew I was a reader, and a writer. Screw you, Number One School. (I think they closed it – ha!) And Kelly loves my novels!

Seriously, I’m honored — for this, and to have her as my friend, too.

(Cue the mushy music)