Carson’s Comments (group member since Aug 27, 2015)

Carson’s comments from the Call It What You Want group.

Francesca Lia Block started her writing career with her first published work, a novella, in 1989. That book is the incomparable Weetzie Bat, the first of what would become the Dangerous Angels series.


'Love is a dangerous angel.' - Francesca Lia Block

I felt compelled to introduce anyone and everyone to Block's work as she is my favorite author. I read hundreds of books in a single year and I can confidently say that Francesca Lia Block is my favorite of all the authors I've come across. I was named after an author, Carson McCullers, the author of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and The Member of the Wedding to name her two most famous works. What Carson McCullers was to my mother is what Francesca Lia Block now is to me.

I have not read all of Block's work. Some may want to ask me, "But she's your favorite author?!" Yes, she is. But I keep her books for when I most need them, almost like saving something for a rainy day. With each book I read of hers, I grow to love her writing even more. It doesn't matter if I read them out of publication order; she simply grows more and more with each book.

I was unable to resist reading her newest, the sequel to Love in the Time of Global Warming. It just happened to be when I needed it. My basement had flooded and I had lost all of my Francesca except for three. The Island of Excess Love was in at the library and it helped me love her words more.

I've written her several times and have always received a response from her.

I highly recommend any of Block's books to anyone. It may take a few chapters to get used to her flow and quirks but she is wonderful. Thank you for reading.

One of my favorite genres, books in verse are books completely written in poetry aka verse. I've found modern books taking place in the medieval period and the author takes a creative step to write in iambic pentameter. I've found books that have several different styles of poetry found within them, and as a whole, the book is considered to be written in free verse.

One of the most popular authors of the genre is Ellen Hopkins, whose first book was Crank, the semi-autobiographical first book in a trilogy based on her daughter's struggles. Hopkins has written numerous other books in verse, recently writing for adults.


One of my favorite authors of the genre is Sonya Sones. Her first book, Stop Pretending, is also semi-autobiographical. I came across What My Mother Doesn't Know first and that is the book that eventually led to my writing a book in verse myself at 14. I had never finished any writing project in previous years and this was finally something that I had completed.

If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to add them below. Recommendations are also welcome.