Annie Cardi's Blog, page 69
October 18, 2012
Broken Spines, Blanking on Recommendations, and Other Book Confessions
We all have bookish habits we’re a little embarrassed about. Maybe you can never remember an author’s name. Maybe you can’t finish a book without starting five others and it takes you forever to get through any of them. Maybe you run in very literary circles but secretly love cheesy action novels.
Reader Shaming helps readers come clean about their bookish habits. I scanned through the submissions so far and agreed with more than a few of them.
A couple of my book confessions:
I never remember titles or author names. I always say things like “That one with the dog…”
I get overwhelmed when people ask me for recommendations. It’s like all the books I know and love fly right out of my head. Plus, I feel a lot of pressure to get it right–how am I supposed to know what you feel like reading next?
I reread a lot and am surprised that most people don’t.
I don’t lend books to a lot of people. I lost two copies of The Princess Bride that way and have gotten really protective of my collection.
Share your book confessions in the links, or submit to Reader Shaming.
(H/T Book Riot)
October 17, 2012
The Pun is Mightier Than the Sword
Puns plus literature plus art? It’s like “things Annie likes” bingo. Mattias Adolfsson’s illustration rocks:
Click through to see the larger image for all the pun goodness, and make sure to check out Adolfsson’s other illustrations as well.
October 16, 2012
A Sacrifice to the Spider God and Other Children’s Book Classics
It’s not even 9:30 and it’s already feeling like one of those days. At least there are these new titles for children’s books based on their covers to keep me laughing. My favorites:
Make sure to click through to see the rest.
October 15, 2012
Song Books
I’ve mentioned before that I like creating playlists for my writing projects, but I never thought of making playlists for beloved books. Fortunately, Tapes on Books is on the case. What a cool way to delve deeper into classic novels and discover new music.
One suggestion from their take on Lord of the Files is (I’m) Stranded by the Saints:
The boys might have fared a little better if they’d had some tunes and rocked out.
(H/T Doubleday)
True Friends and Good Writers
Charlotte’s Web turns 60 this year, and even though I absolutely hate spiders, the ending gets me a little teary. Apparently E.B. White felt the same:
‘”He, of course, as anyone does doing an audio book, had to do several takes for various things, just to get it right,’ [author Michael] Sims says. ‘But every time, he broke down when he got to Charlotte’s death. And he would do it, and it would mess up. … He took 17 takes to get through Charlotte’s death without his voice cracking or beginning to cry.’”
And just in case you’re not already tearing up, here’s my favorite quote from the book:
“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.”
I’ll just be over here with a box of tissues, thank you.
October 12, 2012
Friday Fifteen
Happy Friday, everyone! Are you ready for this week’s fifteen-word-or-less book reviews? (If you’re not, buckle up!)
1. Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom by Leonard S. Marcus
A must-read for anyone interested in children’s books. Great glimpse into some classics.
2. Emma by Jane Austen
I tell myself I’m Lizzie. Then I try to match up friends—such an Emma.
3. The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook by King Arthur Flour
Lots of great recipes with explanations of why ingredients and techniques work. Tastiness through science!
4. The Magic School Bus On the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole
Miss Frizzle and giant sea creatures. I was totally the target audience.
5. The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
It’s like an episode of Sister, Sister but with snappier dialogue.
Links Galore
A few more links for today
How to ask good author questions at readings. (My own tip: please, make it a real question and don’t ramble about your own life experiences for five minutes.)
We try to avoid it in real life, but in fiction we need to increase the conflict.
A cool look at how the Printz Award came to be.
Sorry guys, you need to put on pants, and other writing lies exposed.
The Animaniacs are totally the key to understanding the teen mind and being a great teen librarian. (Also, this made me remember how awesome that show was.)
Are you a YA or MG author with a debut novel coming out in 2014? Then join us!
Fifty Years of Wolves
Guys.
A 50th anniversary celebration for The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Aka, the book I was obsessed with in fifth grade.
It’s times like these when I wish I lived in New York. SO WANT TO GO.
(via The Horn Book)
October 11, 2012
This Is Real Life
The Hub is currently going through a great series about the “next big thing” in YA. One post I was especially glad to see was this one about contemporary/realistic fiction. As a writer of contemporary realistic YA, I know it doesn’t always seem as fun and flashy as some of the other genres–no monsters, no time travel, no awesome steampunk outfits. (Unless we’ve got a real-life steampunker on our hands, in which case I want to read that book.) But it’s a solid standby for the genre. As Kelly says:
“It is the bread and butter of YA fiction because it is the essence of what the teenage experience is. It’s happy. It’s dark. It’s tough. It’s romantic. It’s mysterious.”
Which is one part of what I love about contemporary YA. As much as I love to read about other worlds and heroic adventures, it’s also great to connect with characters who are dealing with very real issues and having very real adventures.
Kelly offers many suggestions for contemporary realistic YA reading that covers a breadth of topics like grief, sex, graduation, obesity, and secrets. There are so many topics and options because YA is ever-evolving and expanding. Kelly says it way better than I could:
“Nothing in contemporary YA fiction is sacred. There are no topics too light nor too dark to dig into, nor should there be. Even topics that emerge again and again — things like cancer or depression or first love or friendship — are still new and fresh upon each telling. Teens live a million different experiences, and even when faced with similar challenges, each individual tackles it in his or her own unique manner.
This is why there is and never will be a “next big thing” in contemporary fiction. The only trend and the only prediction that can be made for reality is that teens live it each and every day, and having a robust selection of stories about real experiences is crucial. But it’s not simply about having them that matters — reading them and knowing about them is just as critical.”
I want to put this on a big flag and wave it around. Contemporary YA may not get the buzz that some other genres do, but it’s filled with love and hope and truth and humor, and all of that matters.
Make sure to check out the full post because it’s so good.
A Little Tea If You Please
Kind of love these descriptions from the Jane Austen Tea Series. For example, Mr. Knightley’s Reserve:
“An Earl Grey that is true and balanced. The Bergamot is smooth and steady. A tea to depend on and love more with each passing cup!”
I might be the target audience for this tea, but their marketing is just so fun.
In case you’re even more in the target audience, check out this article on the Jane Austen Society of North America’s recent gathering in New York. These people know their literature and can put together a historically accurate costume. Rock on.
