Kelly Van Hull's Blog, page 2
September 18, 2013
The Difference Between YA and NA
I recently participated in a Goodreads discussion where the topic was whether or not sexual content was appropriate in YA novels. Everyone seems to have a different opinion. Those who support it and find it perfectly acceptable state “it’s a real topic for young adults, so it has a place in YA” and the others like me can’t quite put our finger on it, but we’d rather not see sex scenes in our YA novels. So here’s the breakdown. Let’s pretend our novels are movies.
Movie Ratings
G (Early readers)– Think Finding Nemo. There are no swear words or sexual content. “Hey look, Dori and Marlin are getting busy in the sea anemone…said no one…ever. This would be early reader books. See Spot Run.
PG –(Middle Grade) Parent Trap. Still perfectly okay for kids, but maybe gets a higher rating due to the subject of divorce. Preschoolers are not watching this, but maybe the middle schoolers are; hence category for Middle Grade novels.
PG-13 (Young Adult) – Titanic – Now we are moving into some more mature subjects. It’s mostly a love story and we even have that steamy love scene in the car on the boat. But we don’t actually see the deed going on. This would lead us to believe we can know that it is going on and that it DID happen, but don’t show it, otherwise we are moving on to rated R.
R – (NA) Pretty Woman – So this one is going to get an R rating no matter what because it’s the story of a prostitute. So even though Julie Roberts does some pretty questionable things…while getting paid for it, we never actually see it. We just know they are doing it. Jog down memory lane with me. Piano scene, bed scene, even their first night together with her watching TV and him watching her. When he gives her the eyes, we never actually see what’ happens after that, even though we all know. There is also use of the F bomb. A lot of times, I think of NA as having permission to actually describe the sex scenes as opposed to just saying it happened.
X – (Adult/Erotica) – I don’t know, Debbie Does Dallas? Actually the one I’m thinking of is Savages (not rated X, but it should be), in which not only are there a couple of really racy scenes, the boys also share the same girlfriend. There are many adult books that if they were actually filmed in the way it was described in the book, would hit this rating. In my opinion, X rating (erotica) would be not just describing the sex scenes, there would also be a lot of them and some scenes that would make the modest squirm.
So after my breakdown (even though it’s my own) I believe that the YA category should be left to just kissing and stuff and leave the heavier business to the adult books.
Movie Ratings
G (Early readers)– Think Finding Nemo. There are no swear words or sexual content. “Hey look, Dori and Marlin are getting busy in the sea anemone…said no one…ever. This would be early reader books. See Spot Run.
PG –(Middle Grade) Parent Trap. Still perfectly okay for kids, but maybe gets a higher rating due to the subject of divorce. Preschoolers are not watching this, but maybe the middle schoolers are; hence category for Middle Grade novels.
PG-13 (Young Adult) – Titanic – Now we are moving into some more mature subjects. It’s mostly a love story and we even have that steamy love scene in the car on the boat. But we don’t actually see the deed going on. This would lead us to believe we can know that it is going on and that it DID happen, but don’t show it, otherwise we are moving on to rated R.
R – (NA) Pretty Woman – So this one is going to get an R rating no matter what because it’s the story of a prostitute. So even though Julie Roberts does some pretty questionable things…while getting paid for it, we never actually see it. We just know they are doing it. Jog down memory lane with me. Piano scene, bed scene, even their first night together with her watching TV and him watching her. When he gives her the eyes, we never actually see what’ happens after that, even though we all know. There is also use of the F bomb. A lot of times, I think of NA as having permission to actually describe the sex scenes as opposed to just saying it happened.
X – (Adult/Erotica) – I don’t know, Debbie Does Dallas? Actually the one I’m thinking of is Savages (not rated X, but it should be), in which not only are there a couple of really racy scenes, the boys also share the same girlfriend. There are many adult books that if they were actually filmed in the way it was described in the book, would hit this rating. In my opinion, X rating (erotica) would be not just describing the sex scenes, there would also be a lot of them and some scenes that would make the modest squirm.
So after my breakdown (even though it’s my own) I believe that the YA category should be left to just kissing and stuff and leave the heavier business to the adult books.
September 17, 2013
Return To Tent City Coming Soon
I just finished another rewrite and I'm so excited about it that I just had to share where I'm at in the process.
This book has been particularly hard to write. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to live up to the ending in book one. I was riddled with self doubts and I even had points where I considered abandoning the project all together.
I actually finished the rough draft months ago, but I felt deep down that it wasn't good enough to release. The last thing I wanted was to put something out there that people thought was "just okay."
So I left it alone for a while and went back and did another rewrite. Frustration was at a high level in this house when I realized I still wasn't happy with it. The pieces were just not falling together right.
I left it alone for a while again (this really is the cure I'm finding) and then came back to it this week.
Two rewrites later (and it's only Tuesday) and I'm happy to announce, it's ready for the editor.
I want to say a huge thank you to my beta readers. I think you were the push that put this thing where it needed to be. I will send out your clean copy when it comes back from the editor. Thank you again! Return to Tent City needed your help and I will always be grateful.
This book has been particularly hard to write. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to live up to the ending in book one. I was riddled with self doubts and I even had points where I considered abandoning the project all together.
I actually finished the rough draft months ago, but I felt deep down that it wasn't good enough to release. The last thing I wanted was to put something out there that people thought was "just okay."
So I left it alone for a while and went back and did another rewrite. Frustration was at a high level in this house when I realized I still wasn't happy with it. The pieces were just not falling together right.
I left it alone for a while again (this really is the cure I'm finding) and then came back to it this week.
Two rewrites later (and it's only Tuesday) and I'm happy to announce, it's ready for the editor.
I want to say a huge thank you to my beta readers. I think you were the push that put this thing where it needed to be. I will send out your clean copy when it comes back from the editor. Thank you again! Return to Tent City needed your help and I will always be grateful.
August 14, 2013
The Obsession May Cost You
I think every writer has a moment in their lives when something ignites. They may have gotten some positive feedback on a story idea, had their own epiphany of what they want to do in life, made their first sale, or even completed a novel. When this moment happens and they figure out there is nothing more they want to do in life, it’s almost irreversible. And it’s kind of like crack. Or at least how I imagine crack to be. You get that first hit and the rest is history.
For me, this happened when I was dabbling in some writing courses and realized that writing a novel was a for real, actual possibility. I stuck with it and eventually reached the end. I thought I was done. I finished a novel. Hit spell-check and send right? Wrong. There’s more to this love story. There is revision after revision after revision. Then it goes to the editor and there is revision after revision after revision. I spent many a 14-hour days doing editing and revising and the weird part? In some sort of manic (caffeine fueled) sort of whirlwind of a long writing day, I was having the time of my life (cue Patrick Swayze.) Sometimes I would stare at my desk and feel slightly embarrassed by the aluminum stockpile (but not enough to withhold posting the picture on Facebook) and the 12-pack of empty diet Mount Dew cans would actually stare back at me. (I’m not ready to admit yet that these empty cans actually had personalities.) But to me, that was some hours well spent.
So all is hunky-dory in the world of writing right? Wrong again. Somewhere along the line, even my most steadfast supporters grew a little weary of hearing about my made up world and all the progress I was excited to be making. “I made eight sales today! Isn’t that the most fascinating thing you have ever heard in your entire life? Oh wait, it gets better, I have a new ending figured out! You want to hear the 20-minute play-by-play of how it works? Even better, I’ll change my mind and make you listen to it again! You are so lucky to be in my life, right?” And I actually did this to these people every day of their lives. How I haven’t been kicked out of the house, roaming the streets clinging only to my laptop is truly astonishing to me.
This is the only thing I can think to compare it to: A man who talks about sports ALL the time. Eventually, you get good at responding in the appropriate ways with “mmmm….yes…and that’s nice.” If you are really good at it, you have a playback button in your mind in case you get caught. But that can last only so long. The point where they scream at me, “I’ve had enough” is dangerously close. I can feel it.
I’d really like to keep the people in my life and not chase them away screaming like banshees, running wildly with their hands in the air “I can’t take it anymore!” so I’ve learned a few things. No one likes my particular type of crack quite like I do and that’s okay. So my new rule: Unless absolutely necessary…like say, oh maybe something small like getting signed with an agent or coming on board with a publishing company, I’m going to try to stop talking about it. Maybe it’s time to behave like a true addict and keep my obsession hidden within the shadows of its shame. Hard to do when it’s something you are so passionate about, but I can only imagine the dread I would feel if the person I loved only wanted to talk about sports 24 hours a day. Maybe I’ve figured this out before it’s too late and I can become a normal person again, to them at least. I’ve already tried slipping them the crack. It doesn’t work. So for now, I’ll hang out with my fellow addicts I’ve come to know as friends on Goodreads…thank you all for making me feel normal.
For me, this happened when I was dabbling in some writing courses and realized that writing a novel was a for real, actual possibility. I stuck with it and eventually reached the end. I thought I was done. I finished a novel. Hit spell-check and send right? Wrong. There’s more to this love story. There is revision after revision after revision. Then it goes to the editor and there is revision after revision after revision. I spent many a 14-hour days doing editing and revising and the weird part? In some sort of manic (caffeine fueled) sort of whirlwind of a long writing day, I was having the time of my life (cue Patrick Swayze.) Sometimes I would stare at my desk and feel slightly embarrassed by the aluminum stockpile (but not enough to withhold posting the picture on Facebook) and the 12-pack of empty diet Mount Dew cans would actually stare back at me. (I’m not ready to admit yet that these empty cans actually had personalities.) But to me, that was some hours well spent.
So all is hunky-dory in the world of writing right? Wrong again. Somewhere along the line, even my most steadfast supporters grew a little weary of hearing about my made up world and all the progress I was excited to be making. “I made eight sales today! Isn’t that the most fascinating thing you have ever heard in your entire life? Oh wait, it gets better, I have a new ending figured out! You want to hear the 20-minute play-by-play of how it works? Even better, I’ll change my mind and make you listen to it again! You are so lucky to be in my life, right?” And I actually did this to these people every day of their lives. How I haven’t been kicked out of the house, roaming the streets clinging only to my laptop is truly astonishing to me.
This is the only thing I can think to compare it to: A man who talks about sports ALL the time. Eventually, you get good at responding in the appropriate ways with “mmmm….yes…and that’s nice.” If you are really good at it, you have a playback button in your mind in case you get caught. But that can last only so long. The point where they scream at me, “I’ve had enough” is dangerously close. I can feel it.
I’d really like to keep the people in my life and not chase them away screaming like banshees, running wildly with their hands in the air “I can’t take it anymore!” so I’ve learned a few things. No one likes my particular type of crack quite like I do and that’s okay. So my new rule: Unless absolutely necessary…like say, oh maybe something small like getting signed with an agent or coming on board with a publishing company, I’m going to try to stop talking about it. Maybe it’s time to behave like a true addict and keep my obsession hidden within the shadows of its shame. Hard to do when it’s something you are so passionate about, but I can only imagine the dread I would feel if the person I loved only wanted to talk about sports 24 hours a day. Maybe I’ve figured this out before it’s too late and I can become a normal person again, to them at least. I’ve already tried slipping them the crack. It doesn’t work. So for now, I’ll hang out with my fellow addicts I’ve come to know as friends on Goodreads…thank you all for making me feel normal.
June 25, 2013
Dear Writing
Dear Writing,
First of all, please hear me out. I’m not leaving you. Please just give me a chance to explain. I’m not in love with Goodreads, I’m just having an affair. I feel like we just need a break. Sometimes you are controlling and aggressive and you never let me see my friends. You take up my mornings, afternoons, nights and let’s be honest here, my dreams too. I think about you before I go to bed and when I wake up in the morning. But Goodreads understands me and sometimes a girl just wants to go out and party. I’ve met all kinds of new friends and had so many awesome conversations. Yes, sometimes we are talking about you, but it’s nothing bad, I promise. I had to let you go a little so that our relationship can get better. If we just take a breather, I think I can appreciate you more when I come back to you and maybe even make you better. Just think about it. It could be good for us.
Yours always,
Kelly
First of all, please hear me out. I’m not leaving you. Please just give me a chance to explain. I’m not in love with Goodreads, I’m just having an affair. I feel like we just need a break. Sometimes you are controlling and aggressive and you never let me see my friends. You take up my mornings, afternoons, nights and let’s be honest here, my dreams too. I think about you before I go to bed and when I wake up in the morning. But Goodreads understands me and sometimes a girl just wants to go out and party. I’ve met all kinds of new friends and had so many awesome conversations. Yes, sometimes we are talking about you, but it’s nothing bad, I promise. I had to let you go a little so that our relationship can get better. If we just take a breather, I think I can appreciate you more when I come back to you and maybe even make you better. Just think about it. It could be good for us.
Yours always,
Kelly
June 19, 2013
Refreshing self-published Dystopian
Recently, there has been a lot of buzz about self-publishing and how authors are going the “Indie” route and having a much greater shot at achieving their dream and becoming published by doing it themselves. Companies such as Lulu and Createspace are making it easier than ever to become a real published author. The days of desperately seeking an agent (and if you really hit it big) the interest from one of the Big Six in publishing might be over. Authors no longer have to wait around for their manuscript to be picked from a slush pile or wait eagerly by the phone, hoping to get picked up. Aspiring writers are living in a very interesting time in that if they want to make their dream happen…they can.
The drawback to this is that a lot of books out there are becoming junk and not worth the read. You could consider yourself lucky if you found yourself a rare gem in the world of the self-published books. There is a reason that the percentage of making it with a major publisher is so low. Writing is hard. For some authors, it can take months if not years to create one novel and just like every other artistic industry, some writers just don’t know that they don’t have what it takes or just can’t accept it and they plunge forward anyway. Creating a truly magical novel takes hard work and talent, which let’s face it, not everyone has.
I’ve been sleuthing around the self-published world for a while and at best, I find something that is worth reading and maybe even good, but not the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page. Well, I’ve found the book. I’m kind of surprised the author is an Indie author. It’s that good. It’s refreshing to see that Indie’s can have a book just as amazing as the traditional publishers.
This book is called Fire Country by David Estes. It is a dystopian novel that follows a group called “The Heaters” who live in desert like conditions and the life expectancy doesn’t reach past 30 due to toxic air environment. The main character is a 15-year-old girl by the name of Siena and it only took chapters to fall in love with her and her best friend Circ. The most amazing thing about this book is the world-building that Estes provides by creating almost everything.
The setting is very clearly dystopian. There are other groups besides The Heaters that all have names of their own such as the Glassies and The Wild Ones. There is new dialogue that the reader has to interpret at first, but comes naturally as time goes on, and an underlying mystery that keeps the pages turning. I fell in love with this book for so many reasons, but most of all the characters and the world they live in.
So self-publishing is crossing another milestone. In the beginning everyone was doing it and you had to fight through the sludge to find a gem. I believe now that the competition is even fiercer, someday there will be just as many jewels in the Indie world as there are in the traditionally published world.
The drawback to this is that a lot of books out there are becoming junk and not worth the read. You could consider yourself lucky if you found yourself a rare gem in the world of the self-published books. There is a reason that the percentage of making it with a major publisher is so low. Writing is hard. For some authors, it can take months if not years to create one novel and just like every other artistic industry, some writers just don’t know that they don’t have what it takes or just can’t accept it and they plunge forward anyway. Creating a truly magical novel takes hard work and talent, which let’s face it, not everyone has.
I’ve been sleuthing around the self-published world for a while and at best, I find something that is worth reading and maybe even good, but not the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page. Well, I’ve found the book. I’m kind of surprised the author is an Indie author. It’s that good. It’s refreshing to see that Indie’s can have a book just as amazing as the traditional publishers.
This book is called Fire Country by David Estes. It is a dystopian novel that follows a group called “The Heaters” who live in desert like conditions and the life expectancy doesn’t reach past 30 due to toxic air environment. The main character is a 15-year-old girl by the name of Siena and it only took chapters to fall in love with her and her best friend Circ. The most amazing thing about this book is the world-building that Estes provides by creating almost everything.
The setting is very clearly dystopian. There are other groups besides The Heaters that all have names of their own such as the Glassies and The Wild Ones. There is new dialogue that the reader has to interpret at first, but comes naturally as time goes on, and an underlying mystery that keeps the pages turning. I fell in love with this book for so many reasons, but most of all the characters and the world they live in.
So self-publishing is crossing another milestone. In the beginning everyone was doing it and you had to fight through the sludge to find a gem. I believe now that the competition is even fiercer, someday there will be just as many jewels in the Indie world as there are in the traditionally published world.
May 29, 2013
Public Speaking: No diapers required
I’ve reached another amazing milestone on this journey to become an author. About two weeks ago, I had the librarian from Joe Foss ask me if I would come in and speak to the kids. Speak to the kids you say? Like giving a speech? Suddenly I have a vision of myself breaking into a cold sweat, hands trembling and gripping a podium until my knuckles go white and quite possibly in need of a diaper.
I thought my days of getting up and speaking in front of people were long gone the day I gave my last speech in college. I can actually even remember the moment of the last sentence of my last speech. I was never going to do that again. Ever.
But then something happened. I realized that I’ve never wanted anything so bad in my life…this affair I’m having with writing, and I decided that if it was going to help the cause, then by golly, I was going to do it.
Know what happened? I loved it. Every second. I got to the school and for some reason, my nerves were behaving. I think it had something to do with me actually deciding that I wasn't going to be anxious about it. It was like an order I was giving myself. Surprisingly, it actually worked and the kids were amazing. They had fresh voices and a genuine curiosity that only a child can possess. By the time I left, they were fighting over who was going to get to read the school’s only copy first. I left with a smile on my face.
Then comes the hard part. You see, Joe Foss only asked to have me speak to about 15 kids. I had one more speech left for the year. I had to go to Whittier and speak to about 100 sixth graders in an auditorium. How did I just go from a small classroom to an auditorium? Seriously rethinking that diaper.
I gave myself the same order. Play it cool. Act like you know what you’re doing. Be someone else. Strange right? Be someone else? For one hour, I was someone else. I was a professional author coming to a school to speak about my love of writing and attempting to inspire the kids to chase their dreams. The kids sat captivated (I don’t remember giving speakers that much respect when I was younger) and the coolest part of all is that when my speaking portion was over, the kids went crazy with questions.
The best part of all, I suppose though, was having my son there to witness his mom in action. It happened to be his birthday so I decided to sneak him out of class to come watch his mom in action. I know for me, having my kid watch me command a room is a memory I will treasure forever. I might have even seen a hint of pride on his face. Or was it happiness from getting to ditch Math? Either way, it’s not a memory either of us are soon to forget.
I think I read somewhere once that one of the keys to happiness was pushing yourself to new levels and mastering a new skill. While I will probably never be a professional speaker, there is no doubt in my mind that this step in becoming a writer was the one where I had the biggest leap in growth I've had so far. Not only am I not afraid of going to schools now, I look forward to it. No diapers necessary.
I thought my days of getting up and speaking in front of people were long gone the day I gave my last speech in college. I can actually even remember the moment of the last sentence of my last speech. I was never going to do that again. Ever.
But then something happened. I realized that I’ve never wanted anything so bad in my life…this affair I’m having with writing, and I decided that if it was going to help the cause, then by golly, I was going to do it.
Know what happened? I loved it. Every second. I got to the school and for some reason, my nerves were behaving. I think it had something to do with me actually deciding that I wasn't going to be anxious about it. It was like an order I was giving myself. Surprisingly, it actually worked and the kids were amazing. They had fresh voices and a genuine curiosity that only a child can possess. By the time I left, they were fighting over who was going to get to read the school’s only copy first. I left with a smile on my face.
Then comes the hard part. You see, Joe Foss only asked to have me speak to about 15 kids. I had one more speech left for the year. I had to go to Whittier and speak to about 100 sixth graders in an auditorium. How did I just go from a small classroom to an auditorium? Seriously rethinking that diaper.
I gave myself the same order. Play it cool. Act like you know what you’re doing. Be someone else. Strange right? Be someone else? For one hour, I was someone else. I was a professional author coming to a school to speak about my love of writing and attempting to inspire the kids to chase their dreams. The kids sat captivated (I don’t remember giving speakers that much respect when I was younger) and the coolest part of all is that when my speaking portion was over, the kids went crazy with questions.
The best part of all, I suppose though, was having my son there to witness his mom in action. It happened to be his birthday so I decided to sneak him out of class to come watch his mom in action. I know for me, having my kid watch me command a room is a memory I will treasure forever. I might have even seen a hint of pride on his face. Or was it happiness from getting to ditch Math? Either way, it’s not a memory either of us are soon to forget.
I think I read somewhere once that one of the keys to happiness was pushing yourself to new levels and mastering a new skill. While I will probably never be a professional speaker, there is no doubt in my mind that this step in becoming a writer was the one where I had the biggest leap in growth I've had so far. Not only am I not afraid of going to schools now, I look forward to it. No diapers necessary.
May 10, 2013
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The good: Writing a book. For a shy and naturally curious person like me, writing is the perfect career. Leave me alone in the office for the day with no interruptions and the only thing to keep me company being the tap, tap, tap of the keyboard, life is good.
The bad: The utter terror of releasing your book and letting the world see what’s in your head. This could be about as scary as walking naked down the street. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little. But the public portion of being an author is a little daunting. My hometown newspaper, The DeSmet News, did an article on Tent City and it actually made the front page! Exciting and terrifying. So far, all of the feedback for Tent City has been great and I’ve even had a guy tell me it’s the first book he has read since 1995 and that he wants to read more. Does it get any better than that?
The ugly: The book signing. The last time I felt like this maybe would have been in high school when I learned I would have to give a speech. You mean I have to get up in front of people and talk? Just me? Well, a book signing is kind of like that. I just found out that one of my favorite stores in downtown Sioux Falls, Zandbroz Variety, is going to host a book signing for Tent City on April 27, 2013. As cool as that sounds to go to a place where I can introduce my book to people, I’m scared of how to act, what to say, if I’ll look like an idiot, or worse, green. Green as in, I don’t know what I’m doing. But here’s what I know about things that scare me: I lose a little sleep worrying about what might happen, but in the end when I’ve tackled it, I feel like I’ve grown and become a better person. So check in with me after the book signing, or better yet, come down! I’ll let you know if I would have rather walked down the street…well, you know.
Tent City
The bad: The utter terror of releasing your book and letting the world see what’s in your head. This could be about as scary as walking naked down the street. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little. But the public portion of being an author is a little daunting. My hometown newspaper, The DeSmet News, did an article on Tent City and it actually made the front page! Exciting and terrifying. So far, all of the feedback for Tent City has been great and I’ve even had a guy tell me it’s the first book he has read since 1995 and that he wants to read more. Does it get any better than that?
The ugly: The book signing. The last time I felt like this maybe would have been in high school when I learned I would have to give a speech. You mean I have to get up in front of people and talk? Just me? Well, a book signing is kind of like that. I just found out that one of my favorite stores in downtown Sioux Falls, Zandbroz Variety, is going to host a book signing for Tent City on April 27, 2013. As cool as that sounds to go to a place where I can introduce my book to people, I’m scared of how to act, what to say, if I’ll look like an idiot, or worse, green. Green as in, I don’t know what I’m doing. But here’s what I know about things that scare me: I lose a little sleep worrying about what might happen, but in the end when I’ve tackled it, I feel like I’ve grown and become a better person. So check in with me after the book signing, or better yet, come down! I’ll let you know if I would have rather walked down the street…well, you know.
Tent City
