Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 115

WRITER 2 WRITER: SEX IN YA - HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

Not too long ago I read a handful of young adult novels that were really, really good--until the protagonists had sex. Then I hated the books and wished I hadn't wasted my time on them. I love a steamy romance. I love sexual tension between characters. But when it comes to underage characters, going all the way is going too far.
Some might accuse me of being unrealistic, that teens today are promiscuous (and yes, I use that word on purpose) and so the books they read ought to reflect that. But why? Why is it necessary to encourage that behavior and use sex as a means to entertain [because that is a primary purpose of fiction, isn't it?] readers?
Maybe the part of me talking is the mother of five children, two of which are teens and one who has just graduated teenhood. I don't want my kids behaving that way, so why would I create characters who do? Maybe it's the part of me who adheres to a strict Christian moral code and tries to pass that code down to her children. Either way, there is a definite "sex" line in YA books and I will not cross it.
Relating to this issue is also the habit of some writers to create "bad boy" love interests for female protagonists, boys who brood and are borderline emotionally abusive and controlling. Boys who convince their female counterparts that sex is a way to express love. What a bunch of baloney! I, for one, would not want my daughters coming home with a guy  like that. Nor would I want my characters to be manipulated by self-indulgent creeps with a handsome face and sexy haircut. Blech!
My male characters are gentlemen. They don't take advantage of the girls they love. They are attracted to them, yes, but won't cross that line. They are the kinds of young men I hope my sons will be someday, the kind of men I hope my daughters will find.
Just out of curiosity, how far is too far for you as a reader of YA? Or is there a too far?

WIN A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD for the BLOG TOUR - EKHO by Marie D. Jones

Welcome to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (MMGM), a weekly event hosted by author Shannon Messenger. For a list of other MMGM posts, click HERE .
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EKHO: EVIL KIDS HUNTING ORGANIZATION
Marie D. Jones, with Max Jones
Premier Digital Publishing
250 pp.
Ages 8 - 12

Ten-year-old Elvis Jones is tired of being picked on, taunted, and teased by the bullies at his elementary school, so he does what any smart, technologically brilliant kid his age would do: he creates EKHO, the Evil Kid Hunting Organization, a sophisticated network of kid spies and secret agents that utilize a variety of cool gadgets to stay one step ahead of the enemy – the bullies. They hire kids, make them swear allegiance to the organization, and train them as Commandos, Privates, and Elite Spies. As kids rise through the ranks, the missions, posted on an encrypted EKHO website, require more smarts and skill, especially when the bullies form their own counterspy group called DEKE (Destroy EKHO Kids Everywhere).
It’s all in good fun, until the kids of EKHO must put their pretend skills to use for far more serious, and dangerous, missions. As field agents come across evidence of more sinister forces, they now have to deal with the strange, weird, and the unknown as they look for the truth about the bizarre and creepy threats to their school, their families, and their own lives. They experience betrayal, intrigue, infiltration and counter-espionage as well as teachers and adults who act more mysterious with each passing day, which leaves Elvis and his EKHO team wondering: who can you trust when the person standing next to you might not be entirely human?
INTERVIEW w/ MARIE D. JONES



1.  In one sentence, what is EKHO about?
EKHO tells the story of one boy's creative and resourceful way of dealing with grade school bullies…with a special sci fi twist!
2.  What was your inspiration for this story?My son Max, who has a disability, created EKHO, Evil Kid Hunting Organization, as a way for him and other bullied kids at his elementary school to spy on school bullies, and stay one step ahead of them and their plans. EKHO wasn't just some cute club…Max created a sophisticated spy agency with various rankings, training missions that were posted on a fully interactive website, and even utilized spy gear and modified toys. He even created a mirror website to deter bullies from finding the real site with the real missions. Eventually, every kid in school wanted to be in EKHO, and some of the bully kids created their own group called DEKE, Destroy EKHO Kids Everywhere, and the whole thing got very complex to where my son spent more time evolving EKHO missions and organizing the group than he did on his homework! At the time, I had no idea how sophisticated things really were, until I asked him one day what all these whisperings about EKHO were…and he told me. My mind was blown by his ability to use what he had, his technological savvy and clever mind, to fight bullies, and I was so impressed and proud!
3.  Are any of your characters based on real people?The lead character Elvis is based upon my son, Max and some of his actual experiences dealing with his disability and his past surgeries, although some of the details have been changed to protect some of his privacy, and other characters are really conglomerations of people he knew, teachers and kids that were in EKHO or DEKE, but not any one person in particular. The sci fi twist was added in because Max and I both LOVE science fiction and we wanted to add on an element to the real story of one boy's struggle with bullying that would kick it up a notch. In Book Two, which we are working on now, more of that will be developed, along with new struggles for Elvis as my own son faces new surgeries and challenges. I am always respectful of aspects of my son's life that are meant to stay private, but EKHO was a source of real pride and confidence for him and we both hope other kids get inspired by what it symbolized.
4.  What books did you enjoy reading as a kid?I read voraciously as a child and still do. I would go to the local library and take out a stack of books each week, whatever the limit was they allowed. I read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on, but was really into Nancy Drew mysteries, stories about horses (I wanted to be a jockey!) like "Misty of Chincoteague," and anything on Man O' War I could get my hands on, and ghost and UFO stories. I also read tons books about nature and wildlife, as I was really into birdwatching, tracking animals in the woods behind our New York home, the oceans and stars and planets. I loved Field Guides to rocks and minerals, sea shells, birds, trees…I was a science freak! Come to think of it, I read so much, I would read a TV Guide if it were in front of me. Books were like food to me, and still are. And I am totally old school, I love reading actual physical books…the feel of them, and the way the pages turn and present new ideas and new adventures. One day Max will drag me into the age of technology and I'll get an eReader!
5.  If you could have lunch with a character from any book, who would it be and why?Oh, Nancy Drew. For kids today, Nancy Drew was THE original Ghost Hunter and she and her friends Bess and George would have the most awesome paranormal adventures. Carolyn Keene, the author of the books, was really one of the original YA authors, long before those of today like Stephanie Meyer, J.K. Rowling and the rest…she really set the stage for writing cool mystery stories about young adults. They were rather stilted and formal, but they still stand the test of time with the excitement of watching a young woman solve spooky mysteries. Nancy would be my choice! If I had to choose a more modern character to lunch with, it would be Roland Deschain of Stephen King's brilliant "The Dark Tower Series." Roland is the ultimate hero/anti-hero wrapped in one!
6.  Are you working on another project? 
 Max and I are knee-deep in EKHO Book Two, which really kicks up the action a lot. I have a YA paranormal series called "FREAK" that debuts in June of this year, and I am also finishing up another YA series called "The Legend of the Shapeshifter Stone." I also have a new project underway called "Gridwalkers" that will be a sort of "Indiana Jones meets the X-Files," and is being written with Larry Flaxman, my co-author on a number of my non-fiction books I've written. And…I am toying with ideas for my very own monster movie script, having loved movies like "Godzilla" and "Destroy All Monsters" since childhood! I write as much as I read…voraciously! 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ends 2/28/14
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writerand sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

BOOK REVIEW: GREENHORN by Anna Olswanger

Welcome to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (MMGM), a weekly event hosted by author Shannon Messenger. For a list of other MMGM posts, click HERE .
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GREENHORN
Anna Olswanger
NewSouth, Inc.
48 pp.
Ages 8 - 12

In Anna Olswanger's Greenhorn, a young Holocaust survivor arrives at a New York yeshiva in 1946 where he will study and live. His only possession is a small box that he never lets out of his sight. Daniel, the young survivor, rarely talks, but the narrator, a stutterer who bears the taunts of the other boys, comes to consider Daniel his friend. The mystery of what's in the box propels this short work, but it's in the complex relationships of the school boys that the human story is revealed. In the end, Aaron, the stutterer, finds his voice and a friend in Daniel, and their bond offers hope for a future life of dreams realized, one in which Daniel is able to let go of his box. Greenhorn is a powerful story that gives human dimension to the Holocaust. It poignantly underscores our flawed humanity and speaks to the healing value of friendship. Families will want to read Greenhorn together. 
MY REVIEW:

This is a very short volume, but Greenhorn is a story you won't soon forget. Inspired by actual events, the story is told with tenderness, and is meant to remind us all of the horrors perpetrated on the Jews and others by the Nazis, hopefully so that the world would never let that happen again. Despite its length, Greenhorn deserves a permanent spot alongside other Holocaust books like Diary of Anne Frank, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and The Boy Who Dared. Highly recommend it.


CONTENT RATING:

Profanity:  None
Violence:  Mild
Sexuality:  None

BOOK REVIEW: PAPER TOWNS by John Green

PAPER TOWNS
John Green
Penguin
320 pp.
Ages 14 - 17

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.
MY REVIEW:

I loved John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (who didn't?) so I thought I go back and read some of his other books. While Paper Towns is not as heart-rending or memorable as Stars, it is a fun and soul-searching kind of story.
Quentin has had a crush on his neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegleman, for about as long as he can remember. Late one night a few weeks from graduation, Margo shows up at his bedroom window and coaxes him into driving her around town on the crazy, mixed up vengeance trip. And the next day Margo disappears. Quentin follows a long string of complicated clues to find her, dragging his best buddies along for the ride.
I enjoyed Paper Towns immensely. Q's two sidekicks are a bit stereotypical, and the last third of the book drags a little, but overall it was fun. I learned a lot about Walt Whitman and got caught up in Q's quest to decipher the undecipherable. The ending lacked the punch of Stars, but it was sweet. I would definitely recommend it.
[Read my review of The Fault in Our Stars HERE .]


CONTENT RATING:

Profanity:  High
Sexuality:  Moderate (lots of references to male genitalia)
Violence:  Mild

COVER REVEAL: THE RUBY PENDANT by Dorine White

THE RUBY PENDANT is book 2 in Cleopatra's Legacy.  It will be coming out in May! Click HERE to read my review of book 1, THE EMERALD RING.

WRITER 2 WRITER: THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS

You know the old adage, don't put all your eggs in one basket? This applies to writing just as well as anything else.
The first two books I've gotten published are books I and II in a middle grade fantasy series. Years ago when I first started writing the series, I envisioned myself as the next Anne McCaffrey with my series going on and on forever. I was fully invested in the story, the characters, and the entire world I had created.
Well, I can dream, can't I?
My publisher had a lot of confidence in the stories, and I was extremely grateful to be able to see them in print. But I was forewarned that selling middle grade, especially middle grade high fantasy, would be a long, hard road. That turned out to be a huge understatement.
Without the financial and promotional backing of a large press, my publisher and I did everything we could to sell those books. Yes, I've seen a measure of success, but mostly in my home town and the surrounding cities where I do a lot of school visits and author signings. Overall, and I'll just be blunt, sales have been less than optimal.
Now, I know as writers we consider ourselves artists of a sort. We write because we are driven to create, and as long as the kids who read our books love them, then we've succeeded, right? Well, yes and no. Eventually even the most art-lovin' writer would like to see some profit from all her efforts, and I am no exception. I work hard - very, very hard - at what I do. Hours every day in writing, editing, and promoting my work. I spend inordinate amounts of time on the road visiting schools, spending my own money on babysitting, gasoline, food, and marketing materials, more often than not without any money coming back to me. Frankly, after two years of this I am frustrated and, yes, discouraged. If I had placed all my hopes and dreams on this one book series, I would have reached the end of my road rather quickly.
BUT...
I haven't.  I love my fantasy series and will write and publish it as long as I can, if not for my young fans' sakes, then for mine. But that is not all I have written or will write. Discovering how challenging it is to market middle grade books prompted me to write a young adult thriller, CONTACT, which comes out in June with a new publisher, Hallowed Ink Press.  But not wanting to take the risk of getting pigeon-holed into a specific genre (just in case it doesn't work out for me) I have written a historical middle grade novel, a young adult horror/sci-fi novel, AND a contemporary young adult novel, each of which I hope will take me further down the road to eventual success.
And how do I define success as an author? For me it is simple really:  I want to earn a profit from my books on a regular basis, enough to help pay my bills and put my kids through college. I know my road to success will be longer than some writers', and that's okay. It's a road I'm willing and very happy to travel.

BOOK REVIEW: THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ by Frank L. Baum

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ
L. Frank Baum
Audible Recording



Anne Hathaway is nothing short of masterful in her narration of Baum’s beloved classic. As she guides listeners through the world of munchkins, winkies, and quadlings; witches; and the humbug Oz, Hathaway’s impressive vocal repertoire shines. As narrator, she is lithe yet precise; her voice sounds lilting or emphatic, as the story details require. In character, she is spectacular. Each character is filled with personality - a light-voiced Witch of the North; a brusque soldier at Oz’s palace; a monotone, robot-like Oz; and a usually cheerful and genuine Dorothy. The variety enriches the listening experience. Yes, one may know the story well, but Hathaway makes this recording a definitive one. 
MY REVIEW:

I had never read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz before. I know. Hard to believe. But I got a free version of it from Audible with Anne Hathaway as narrator, and you know what? I loved it! Hathaway was a wonderful narrator. And the story was both engaging and highly imaginative.
Baum masterpiece is as vivid and touching as it was when it was originally published in 1900. If you are familiar with the movie, you will find many of the memorable lines of dialog and events in the book, such as "There's no place like home!"  Toto, the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Dorothy are all here. And it is easy to read; I think young children would love it too.

BOOK REVIEW: BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE by Eugene Yelchin

*  Book Review:  POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil
*  Writer 2 Writer:  Writing Humor
*  The Book Truck Eagle Scout Project

Welcome to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (MMGM), a weekly event hosted by author Shannon Messenger. For a list of other MMGM posts, click HERE .
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BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE
Eugene Yelchin
Henry Holt
176 pp.
Ages 9-12


Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway.  And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.
This moving story of a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its plausibility.
MY REVIEW:
Breaking Stalin's Nose was a 2012 Newbery Honor book and for good reason. The story starts off simple enough, but very quickly becomes a heart-wrenching story of loss and a young boy's struggle to come to terms with his devotion to Communism and its leader, Joseph Stalin, and the very real tragedy and fear that plague the Russian people.
Through a child's eyes, readers are given a vivid and frightening view of what it was like to live under Communist rule in the 1930s. There are no happy endings here. I felt on the edge of tears many times, and my gut clenched when realizing that though Zaichek's story is fiction, the bigger story of Communism and the suffering it brought to untold millions was, and still is in some parts of the world, all too real.
One of the most memorable books I've read in a long time, Yelchin's beautifully illustrated story gets a teary-eyed:


CONTENT RATING:
Profanity:  NoneSexuality:  NoneViolence:  Mild (though death and executions are mentioned)

BOOK REVIEW: POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil

POSSESS
Gretchen McNeil
HarperCollins
384 pp.
Ages 13-17

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her over-protective mom, by Matt Quinn, the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, the voices are demons—and Bridget possesses the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. Literally.
Terrified to tell her friends or family about this new power, Bridget confides in San Francisco’s senior exorcist, Monsignor Renault. The monsignor enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession, but just as she is starting to come to terms with her freakish new role, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. And when one of her oldest friends is killed, Bridget realizes she’s in deeper than she ever thought possible. Now she must unlock the secret to the demons’ plan before someone else close to her winds up dead—or worse, the human vessel for a demon king.
MY REVIEW:
I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading Possess by Gretchen McNeil. Really? A teenage girl who can talk to demons? Yes!!!
From the very first page, Possess grabbed me by the throat and hurled me through the story of Bridgett Liu, high school geek by day and exorcist by night. The possession scenes are creepy and nightmarish, but McNeil's spot on adolescent snarky humor keeps it all just out of reach of "terrifying." The doll shop scene scent deliciously disturbing chills up my spine, and Bridgett's final showdown with the ultimate demonic bad boy had my stomach in knots. Plus, the make-out scenes between Bridget and Matt were hot, but did not cross the line into offensive territory.
I quite literally could not put this book down, which is rare for me. Most books, even ones I like, take me a month to get through. I read this in a matter of days, and the last hundred pages in a single night. Possess is a highly entertaining story with edge-of-your-seat thrills.  I give it a whopping:


CONTENT RATING:
Profanity:  HighSexuality:  ModerateViolence:   High

WRITER 2 WRITER: WRITING HUMOR

Funny books. Kids love 'em. I know my kids have been avid fans of Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid for years. But writing humorous books for kids requires a certain flare that I don't think I really have, though I did try to infuse humor through my fantasy books in the form of the snarky talking walking stick, Xerxes.

I wish I had a magic formula, but I don't. What I can share is a thought or two I gleaned from listening to Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver at a conference this summer, co-authors of the Ghost Buddy and Hank Zipzer series. You can read a hilarious interview with Lin and Henry in the January issue of Middle Shelf Magazine  HERE. Maybe I'll throw in a few thoughts of my own too.

One thing about Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver is that being funny is second nature to them. Everything that comes out of their mouths is funny, so of course their writing is funny too. But comedians and experienced actors do not have a corner market on writing funny. Here are some ideas that might help you.

1.  EXAGGERATE

Kids tend to exaggerate in normal everyday speech. When your characters are describing something stressful or exciting, make it over the top. For example, instead of saying something like "That candy bar cost me a whole two dollars!" Say "That freakin' candy bar cost me the whole of Fort Knox!"  Or "Johnny, I called you three times! Didn't you hear me?" Say "Johnny, I called your named like a gazillion times. Do you have marbles in your ears?"  Also characterizations and situations can be over the top too, like a super hero who wears whitey tidies and window curtains.

2.  UTILIZE THE STRAIGHT MAN

Abbot and Costello, Lucy and Ricky, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Pinky and the Brain!  Every great comedy duo has both the funny man and the straight man. Jokes are that much funnier when played off the serious guy who either doesn't find it funny or just doesn't get it. Winkler and Oliver's character Billy Broccoli and The Hoove are great examples of this.  The Hoove's hilarious jokes are often lost on Billy, but the readers laugh every time.

This opposition can be applied not only to characters, but also theme and genre. Gretchen McNeil, author of Possess, Ten, and 3:59 weaves horror and humor together in a way few other authors can. She injects typical teen snarkiness into the scariest of scenes, and the incongruity of it makes for an entertaining read.  Some great examples of this in films include Arachnophobia and Tremors.

3.  ACT IT OUT

Once you write a scene that needs to be funny, try acting out with a partner. Humor comes more naturally while we're talking. So read the scene aloud, encourage improvisation, and see where it leads. Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver do this while writing their books, and the results are hilarious!