Conrad Wesselhoeft's Blog, page 3
February 10, 2011
‘Adios, Nirvana’ recognized as teen resource on grieving and healing
The Capital Area District Library (CADL) of mid-Michigan included “Adios, Nirvana” in its list of recommended reading for young adults dealing with grieving and healing. Grieving and healing are key themes in the novel, and we’re pleased that “Adios, Nirvana” is having a positive impact on readers.
Click here to visit the CADL Blog for a list of resources.
'Adios, Nirvana' recognized as teen resource on grieving and healing
The Capital Area District Library (CADL) of mid-Michigan included "Adios, Nirvana" in its list of recommended reading for young adults dealing with grieving and healing. Grieving and healing are key themes in the novel, and we're pleased that "Adios, Nirvana" is having a positive impact on readers.
Click here to visit the CADL Blog for a list of resources.
What a teacher of ‘at-risk’ teens says about ‘Adios, Nirvana’
“Adios, Nirvana” was recently reviewed on DeRaps Reads, a blog for ‘young adult lit reviews & more’. We’re pleased that “Adios, Nirvana” is having a positive impact on readers. Here’s an excerpt from the review:
“Many of you know that I am a teacher, but what I don’t usually talk about is the fact that I work (pretty exclusively) with teens who are considered to be “at-risk.” In our local jargon, this means that my students will probably not graduate if they have no intervention. I am telling you this because this story, this character, Jonathan, reminded me of so many young men that I’ve met over the eight years that I’ve been doing this.
Jonathan typifies the most difficult type of at-risk teen to work with, in my opinion. He is super smart, creative, sensitive, and in serious pain. He is gifted, so school work does not really pose a challenge to him. His mother is a single mother, and is very lax and in a great amount of anguish over her son’s death. More than this, Jonathan pretty much sees the world for what it is — a series of hoops to jump through, a means to an end.
I was impressed with the way that the school dealt with Jonathan. Rather than coming up with a generic, impersonal academic plan, they allotted time for Jonathan to find his strengths and his bearings as a teen who has lost his twin brother, his best friend.
This book is raw and beautiful and mentions all sorts of music and writers that I love. Poetry and lyrics and intelligence are a focal point. Jonathan feels like a real person, one that you’ll want to encourage, unsure if he’ll actually make it.
I loved this book for its writing, its realism, and its honesty. Very good indeed.”
Click here to visit DeRaps Reads for young adult lit reviews & more.
What a teacher of 'at-risk' teens says about 'Adios, Nirvana'
"Adios, Nirvana" was recently reviewed on DeRaps Reads, a blog for 'young adult lit reviews & more'. We're pleased that "Adios, Nirvana" is having a positive impact on readers. Here's an excerpt from the review:
"Many of you know that I am a teacher, but what I don't usually talk about is the fact that I work (pretty exclusively) with teens who are considered to be "at-risk." In our local jargon, this means that my students will probably not graduate if they have no intervention. I am telling you this because this story, this character, Jonathan, reminded me of so many young men that I've met over the eight years that I've been doing this.
Jonathan typifies the most difficult type of at-risk teen to work with, in my opinion. He is super smart, creative, sensitive, and in serious pain. He is gifted, so school work does not really pose a challenge to him. His mother is a single mother, and is very lax and in a great amount of anguish over her son's death. More than this, Jonathan pretty much sees the world for what it is — a series of hoops to jump through, a means to an end.
I was impressed with the way that the school dealt with Jonathan. Rather than coming up with a generic, impersonal academic plan, they allotted time for Jonathan to find his strengths and his bearings as a teen who has lost his twin brother, his best friend.
This book is raw and beautiful and mentions all sorts of music and writers that I love. Poetry and lyrics and intelligence are a focal point. Jonathan feels like a real person, one that you'll want to encourage, unsure if he'll actually make it.
I loved this book for its writing, its realism, and its honesty. Very good indeed."
Click here to visit DeRaps Reads for young adult lit reviews & more.
January 27, 2011
‘Don’t forget to snack!’: A lesson in writing from Django
The most productive part of the writing day — Conrad and Django at Alki Beach.
Nobody understands the power of peripheral vision better than Django.
Django (pronounced JANGO) is a standard poodle named after the Belgian jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt. Each morning while I write, he inches into my periphery so that I become aware of him by slow degrees, the way one becomes aware of, say, a change in temperature. Then — bang! — I am aware. He has wrenched me from my cozy fictional playground into the harsher, prosaic “real” world.
The instant our eyes meet, Django raises a paw and transmits this message telepathically: “It’s snack time.”
In Django’s mind, the most powerful word in English is not “No!” It’s “cheese!” He will do anything short of a felony for a bite of Tillamook Medium Cheddar.
How does Django’s behavior lend itself to writing? First, he keeps me company. He’s not as well-mannered as Ernest Hemingway’s springer spaniel, “Black Dog,” who would curl at the author’s feet and not twitch a muscle until Ernest had set down his pencil for the day. Black Dog revered the craft of writing and his master. Django does not.
On the other hand, Django understands that we must get on with life — must get out there and sniff the wind, chase the ball, and wag the tail.
At day’s end, we go for a walk, along the bluff and down to the water. Django splashes in the creek. Tugs on the leash. Barks at other dogs. On a lucky day, we spot an eagle or sea lion. In short, we do the most important thing a writer can do — get distracted by life — it’s little, tasty snacks. These “snacks” may be the most productive parts of my writing day. My best ideas often reveal themselves while Django and I are out walking.
By day’s end, Django has more than earned that slice of Tillamook Medium Cheddar. He’s earned a bacon chew strip as well.
His message to me, and all writers:
“Keep it real — and don’t forget to snack.”
'Don't forget to snack!': A lesson in writing from Django
The most productive part of the writing day — Conrad and Django at Alki Beach.
Nobody understands the power of peripheral vision better than Django.
Django (pronounced JANGO) is a standard poodle named after the Belgian jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt. Each morning while I write, he inches into my periphery so that I become aware of him by slow degrees, the way one becomes aware of, say, a change in temperature. Then — bang! — I am aware. He has wrenched me from my cozy fictional playground into the harsher, prosaic "real" world.
The instant our eyes meet, Django raises a paw and transmits this message telepathically: "It's snack time."
In Django's mind, the most powerful word in English is not "No!" It's "cheese!" He will do anything short of a felony for a bite of Tillamook Medium Cheddar.
How does Django's behavior lend itself to writing? First, he keeps me company. He's not as well-mannered as Ernest Hemingway's springer spaniel, "Black Dog," who would curl at the author's feet and not twitch a muscle until Ernest had set down his pencil for the day. Black Dog revered the craft of writing and his master. Django does not.
On the other hand, Django understands that we must get on with life — must get out there and sniff the wind, chase the ball, and wag the tail.
At day's end, we go for a walk, along the bluff and down to the water. Django splashes in the creek. Tugs on the leash. Barks at other dogs. On a lucky day, we spot an eagle or sea lion. In short, we do the most important thing a writer can do — get distracted by life — it's little, tasty snacks. These "snacks" may be the most productive parts of my writing day. My best ideas often reveal themselves while Django and I are out walking.
By day's end, Django has more than earned that slice of Tillamook Medium Cheddar. He's earned a bacon chew strip as well.
His message to me, and all writers:
"Keep it real — and don't forget to snack."
January 13, 2011
‘Adios, Nirvana’ makes list of 2011 best fiction for young adults
YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, just came out with its 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. I’m thrilled to have “Adios, Nirvana” on the list. Here’s the selection criteria:
“The books, recommended for ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, science fiction and novels in verse.”
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. YALSA is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), which is the oldest and largest library organization in the world.
Click here to view the complete book list and learn more about YALSA.
'Adios, Nirvana' makes list of 2011 best fiction for young adults
YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, just came out with its 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. I'm thrilled to have "Adios, Nirvana" on the list. Here's the selection criteria:
"The books, recommended for ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teens. The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, including contemporary realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, science fiction and novels in verse."
For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audiobooks for teens. YALSA is a division of the American Library Association (ALA), which is the oldest and largest library organization in the world.
Click here to view the complete book list and learn more about YALSA.
‘Adios Nirvana’ makes The Librarian Chick’s Top 10 List
“Notes from The Librarian Chick” is the blog of a librarian at the Winter Park Public Library in Winter Park, Florida. She put “Adios, Nirvana” on her list in the #1 position. Here’s what The Librarian Chick says:
I can’t keep up. There are SO MANY teen books on my “To Be Read” list that it’s impossible to read all the latest. I did really enjoy some of the 2010 books that I managed to read. I’d like to share my Top Ten with you and would love to hear what books you enjoyed reading this past year.
1. Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft is one of those books that most people will never hear of. It will never get the kind of publicity that Twilight, Lighting Thief and the Hunger Games get. But I fell in love with the Wesselhoeft’s beautiful, lyrical language, and I was devastated along with Jonathan over the loss of his brother.
'Adios Nirvana' makes The Librarian Chick's Top 10 List
"Notes from The Librarian Chick" is the blog of a librarian at the Winter Park Public Library in Winter Park, Florida. She put "Adios, Nirvana" on her list in the #1 position. Here's what The Librarian Chick says:
I can't keep up. There are SO MANY teen books on my "To Be Read" list that it's impossible to read all the latest. I did really enjoy some of the 2010 books that I managed to read. I'd like to share my Top Ten with you and would love to hear what books you enjoyed reading this past year.
1. Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft is one of those books that most people will never hear of. It will never get the kind of publicity that Twilight, Lighting Thief and the Hunger Games get. But I fell in love with the Wesselhoeft's beautiful, lyrical language, and I was devastated along with Jonathan over the loss of his brother.
