Brain to Books Cyber Convention (FAIRGROUNDS) discussion
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Hopping the counter - from librarian to author
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Too many details to stick in this lil' booth of mine! Didn't tell you a thing about my novel, did I?
Well.
It has a young woman, Liara, who is destined to be a great mage --- or so she'd have you think.
It features an accomplished wizard, Nagarath, who --- well, he's a touch shy, he'd rather us move on from him.
And it takes place in a real time, in a real place . . . the Limska Draga valley, caught between the Venetian Republic and the Habsburg Monarchy in the late 17th century.
And now for a philosophical bent...Why is it we do what we do? What led me to becoming a librarian? What led me to write?
You'd think the obvious: I love books.
Right? That's the old stereotype of librarians, anyhow. Sitting around, reading all day.... (I have words on that but won't share them here.)
But, for me, I think it goes deeper than that. I have an appreciation for "old things."
Old things and the stories they carry with them. Not just the books. But books make the stories obvious. :)
The past is my playground -- and subsequently why I like fantasy. Because I cannot really know the past. Not to a level I would be comfortable writing about and calling it 'truth.'
I have tried -- with limited success and joy -- writing about 'modern' or even futuristic settings. It is the past that calls to me.
Imagine my booth a coffee shoppe...Ha. So, I just realized that most of the things running through my brain as "things to talk about" are really conversations I want to have about books. Two way. Not just me jawing--or, I suppose, typing--away.
Truly, feel free to get in the conversation if you have a thing to say.
So, again, imagine my booth a coffee shoppe. I'm having a decaf, whole milk, wet cappuccino. And you?
And while I am drinking my coffee, I made the mistake of popping off on the internet and lost myself in New Big Cosplay Goals!!! Eeep!See? I can chat about all sorts of non bookish things.
But I probably shouldn't.
So books.
Fun fact: The working title for "The Bookminder" was "Wizard's Librarian" --- I was dying to give a nod to where I was working when I cooked up the story. (Managed to get the phrase in the text itself... an Easter Egg for myself.)
Aaaaand I'm back - switched to full octane deliciousness now (read: coffee). Proof is on the Twitter.Confession. I'm a 33 year old whose favorite genre is "young adult." And I go back and re-read my favourites from time to time. Why is that?
Honestly, I don't think it's the universal truths. Or the fact that YA tends to have a strong 'clean read' showing. I think it's the freedom of thought combining with these other features. In YA you can get fantasy, steampunk, paranormal, fairy tale elements presented in a way both pure and fresh.
In my personal life I tend to rail against the 'adulting' complaints that have become rather trendy of late. You're an adult. Adult! But escape in your leisure time. Books are still one of my favorite escapes. It's the length of them, I believe, that draws me in. Books take hours. They cannot often be absorbed in one sitting. They require a commitment of time and I find that infinitely lovely. The book will wait for you to come back to it. I love that.
What book do you come back to over and over? And Why?*Lightbulb!!*
Going to have to go make a new Goodreads shelf of my multi-reads. Because I think it'd be interesting to see when it's all done.
Sorry, just spent the last 10 minutes looking for the most fascinating article I read the other day. It was talking about "strong female heroines" and picking apart the idea of what that meant.In essence: The article fixated on the word 'strong' and did give a good deal of attention to the more visual arts -- movies, comic books -- but did have some bearing on books. Basically, they looked at what people are calling strong female characters and asking questions.
What is meant by strong? Physically? Emotionally? Can a broken character be strong?
I found this interesting, since I have never looked at 'strong' from the literal "physical strength" standpoint. Or even the emotional angle, come to think. Strong character, for me, is any character that feels real - lives and breathes within their story whether they are broken or whole, good or evil, nuanced or plain, lovable or detestable.... (this was also, more or less, the conclusion of the article).
So what they really wanted were well-made female characters.
No brainer there. We all do, right? And authors, creators, artists, writers... we all want to create well-made characters. Male, female, and everything in between.
This will now be the second comment, I believe, where I mention "the feels" --- a statement I always called the grammatical equivalent of "nails on a chalkboard" but one I'm starting to warm to. Because it makes sense. It is a playful way of expressing, very simply, what we want/get out of a story. I can't, in good conscience, knock that sentiment from the lofty tower of grammar. :)
I suppose I'd better be careful. I'm about to show my hand. (Hint: I seem to be gender and race blind when I read/write.)Ok, cat's out of the bag now.
Is that blindness of mine merely an extension of the privilege of who I am/where I sit in the world? E.g. I can afford to be gender/race blind in stories because I can always find someone who "looks like me".
Or is this blindness simply me being me?
Do you look for 'you' when you read?
Some thoughts on book trends:I always knew that I was YA-biased so I never really noticed before but... isn't it kind of interesting that most of the Big Big Books that are Wildly Popular are YA? Just pointed this out last week in conversation and it blew our minds.
I think that's rather cool. Validating, even.
M.K. wrote: "Some thoughts on book trends:I always knew that I was YA-biased so I never really noticed before but... isn't it kind of interesting that most of the Big Big Books that are Wildly Popular are YA?..."
To that end, it makes me wonder why people seem to stick YA into a "for kiddies" corner, a "not serious literature" corner. It's not like a lot of these stories are thin on plot, character, or even sophisticated language...
Maybe we need a #YAandPROUD trend on Twitter? Who's with me?!!!
A.F. wrote: "Stopping in to say hi."Hey, hey! Thanks for stopping by. I'm now camped on the live stream -- which I can do in cyberspace without leaving here. :) Very cool.
Hi, back! I'll have to catch you in the steampunk panel later this afternoon.
Interesting thought. In library school we really didn't talk a whole lot about genre. Even in cataloging class, genre seemed a 'given', something that grew out of careful reading and consideration.But authors (and editors and publishers) stress about genre. What makes a book fit here versus there? Is a YA book only YA because of the age of its protagonist?
#questionsthatkeepmeupatnight
Mod
That question came up recently in a book discussion I was involved in about Uprooted. Several readers thought it shouldn't have been classed as YA, and that classification was used as a marketing tool.
A.F. wrote: That question came up recently in a book discussion I was involved in about Uprooted. Several readers thought it shouldn't have been classed as YA, and that classification was used as a marketing tool.Fascinating.
Am trying to find that book now. Naomi Novik's? Everything about that book screams YA from what I am seeing.... what about it prompted the discussion?
Mod
Yes, it's Naomi Novik. The discussion was triggered by the book's sexual content and a few other things. A couple of readers thought a YA classification was misleading.
Yes, it's Naomi Novik. The discussion was triggered by the book's sexual content and a few other things. A couple of readers thought a YA classification was misleading.Ah.... too, ahem, intense? (Am presuming. Haven't read it.)
I think that just begs the question of what "YA" really means as a genre ... perhaps it is the genre itself that is broken.
*and, at that, everyone's heads explode!*
Mod
Ah.... too, ahem, intense? ..."
I'm assuming, that sort of thing doesn't bother me, so I'm not a good judge. I think it was also that they weren't expecting it because YA has a tame rep when it comes to sex scenes.
A.F. wrote: "I'm assuming, that sort of thing doesn't bother me, so I'm not a good judge. I think it was also that they weren't expecting it because YA has a tame rep when it comes to sex scenes. "Ah.... yes. I am quite a prude when it comes to foul language and sexual content. :) I'll admit that freely.
But, looking at the genre in light of these viewpoints, I think I can say, once more, that the genre is rather ill-defined, it meaning different things for different people. It's still rather a 'catch all' for any book with a main character of a certain age range. Which is weird, when you think of it. We don't have an "over the hill" genre or "senior citizens" genre, really. Which brings us, logically, right back to where the YA genre begins... age of the protagonist because of the growth, the coming-of-age 2.0 situation that most, if not all, face as the plot progresses. Which can include rough language and sex for some audiences and is unthinkable for others.
Broken. Genre. :)
(Purposely so, I think.... after all, had I found a book with more 'raw' content as a young reader, I'd have learned something of it, folding it into my experiences and growth, regardless of whether my parents and other adult influencers approved or not. Which is a very 'young adult' reaction!)
Mod
YA for me is more type of content; if it's all teen romance/love triangles then I pass, but I've read some interesting books with teenage protagonists.
Thanks so much for jumping in on that thread. :)I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (and slow decline?) of the Dystopian.....
Mod
I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (and slow decline?) of the Dystopian....."
I've noticed sci-fi does tend to go in cycles with sub-genres.
A.F. wrote: "M.K. wrote: "Thanks so much for jumping in on that thread. :)I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (and slow decline?) of the Dystopian......."
Same thing with fantasy and paranormal, I suppose -- vampires were hot for a bit, then came the zombies. And let us not forget the wizards that started it all. :)
Mod
I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (and slow decline?) of the ..."
So true. That's why I stay away from trends and just write what I like. And thanks for the question in the steampunk panel.
A.F. wrote: "M.K. wrote: "A.F. wrote: "M.K. wrote: "Thanks so much for jumping in on that thread. :)I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (and slow decl..."
No prob. It was a delight to watch/listen. I had only a wish that it was more interactive but that would have been hard to pull off, I suppose. :) Kudos!
Yeah, as far as trends go.... I am the eternal hockey fan. Puck and skating to it and all that. ;) ;)
Mod
I had been hoping to steer the convo over to another thing I've been curious about - the rise (..."
I think you really have to be on Google+ or Youtube to be interactive with the live video via the chat threads.
Thanks, yeah, I could not get anything interactive to load. :/ I suppose that's fine though. I am an overly chatty sort. :D
Mod
Yeah, the tech never works when you want to.
Aaaaand back. :)With a sort-of-new topic to talk about with anyone interested.
Dystopian fiction:
its popularity...
what's its staying power?
where did it come from/why did it rise in popularity?
what does it mean for the society that spawned this trend?
Alright. Back to 'lurking' mode. See you around the Convention floor, folks!
M.K. wrote: "Aaaaand back. :)With a sort-of-new topic to talk about with anyone interested.
Dystopian fiction:
its popularity...
what's its staying power?
where did it come from/why did it rise in popularity..."
As long as the story is good. I believe there's a genre for everyone and everyone for their genre. Though I'm sure like anything else, it will cycle through and find it's niche. Will it remain as popular as it is now? Only time will tell!
Riley wrote: As long as the story is good. I believe there's a genre for everyone and everyone for their genre. Though I'm sure like anything else, it will cycle through and find it's niche. Will it remain as popular as it is now? Only time will tell! ""genre for everyone and everyone for their genre"..... Are you, by chance a librarian??? :D
(If that made no sense, see: Ranganathan's Laws of Library Science)
Brilliant!!
And thanks for adding to the convo!
I guess what occupies my mind most is - the 2008 economic tanking, the rise of massive student debt, fears over the environment, tech, The Future ... the world climate seems very much opposite of the "Bright-eyed Hope for a Better Tomorrow" that the '50s and '60s seemed to be aiming at. I wonder if that's where the dystopian trend comes from. Gosh I wish I still had the article I read but a few years back. It said that it is the job of sci-fi authors to dream up a brighter future, for that goes a long way in inspiring and guiding development.
Just something my brain chews on from time to time. :)
Good morning, all. Day 2 looks bright at the first from my end. Cheers!
Have more genre thoughts if there's anyone willing to have a chat over it.
Talked yesterday of the YA genre and its bounds... (convo still live in the thread if you like)
but now I'm pondering 'clean reads' and 'Christian fiction' -- both nebulous terms.
M.K. wrote: "...brighter future..."And then I found this Kickstarter.
Solarpunk? Where do I sign??
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
Hey, stopping by to say hi!I also like YA, and I'm a lot older than 30-something. Of course, I taught middle school for over twenty years . . .
I'd been wanting to write a YA for years and finally it all clicked. Much different than my dystopian.
Anyway, have fun and good luck!
Tim
How's everyone's day going? Find some new reads. (I have.)
Great to meet you! Librarians are the guardians to every book's secrets... :)I enjoyed the discussion you and A.F. were having about YA/classification vs marketing. Age-appropriate is such a tough thing to nail down. Kids read over their age level, of course... so it's understandable that sometimes I come across YA books that seem super intense.
But I think that perhaps part of my perception comes from being a mom, not just an author. Maybe I have parental filters on? Could be. I classified my last book as NA because I felt that there were heavy subject matters: an exploration of death, the consequences of sexual intimacy... but I have come across reviews that stated while the book is called NA, there weren't any parts that weren't YA friendly.
So all that soul searching and agonizing I did when pinning down the audience went WHOOSH right out the window. Ah, well. Maybe it's time to get rid of the age classification altogether on this one...?
Anyway, thanks for being here. Glad to meet another deep thinker when it comes to serious book matters.
(and... Happy (upcoming) National Librarian's Day. I've got a giveaway going on at my booth that will send a big book bundle to a lucky public library so I hope you'll enter!)
Cheers!
Ash wrote: "Great to meet you! Librarians are the guardians to every book's secrets... :)I enjoyed the discussion you and A.F. were having about YA/classification vs marketing. Age-appropriate is such a toug..."
Hey there! Thanks so much, Ash, for stopping by and adding into our conversation/putting a bit more life into it. (Caught me while I was away at Mass that went a touch longer than anticipated!)
YA versus NA is one I still am mixed up over. I am part of a "clean reads" group that insists NA is merely YA but for slightly older readers.... Whereas I always heard it as YA but having more "adult" themes (e. g. Sexual content). ... Two very different things!
Genre is such a confusing thing sometimes. :)
On genre -- I used to be fond of telling the story:One of my fav places to find books in Half Price Books. Nice big store, some older materials, good pricing... One day, I was looking for a particular novel. And so I looked under sci-fi. The general fiction. (Because they don't have a fantasy section, you know. That always kinda seemed strange to me.) -- Both hard and soft cover, because they separate them there.
Then I slid over to YA since I knew the work to be pretty clean and therefore stood a chance of being there.
Ended up, at last, just trolling the mysteries and "Ah-ha!"
How did it end up there???? Because a mystery drives the plot. Huh.
So this YA-friendly, steampunk-y fantasy could well have lived in about 5-6 places in the store.
I maintain my assertion: genre only goes so far.
I'm author M. K. Wiseman and I am a YA fantasy addict.
Getting a few of the obvious questions out of the way:
Are you really a librarian?
Yes. I am a librarian-turned-author. I have the degree and everything. (Along with a lot of books on cataloging.)
What do you like to read?
I am still a sucker for British classics. Sherlock Holmes just cannot be beat. (When I was 9, I went through all the stories so I could diagram his rooms at 221B to try to determine, once and for all, whether he was left- or right-handed.)
Also am a huge YA fantasy fan.
And steampunk tends to grab me so long as it's a pretty 'clean' read.
Tell us a little about your work:
I'm a debut novelist currently, working on the second in a historical fantasy series. And just this week I indulged in starting a completely new writing project that hits my other area of interest -- my first, The Bookminder, providing an homage to my library background and my Croatian heritage.
Some Last Logistics for the Booth--
I write full time but a weekend is a weekend (and as my next two have bookish appearances in real life, I will be popping in an out sporadically.)
Manned Hours (in CST):
F 10-11 12-3 7-8
S 9-10 3-4 7-8
S 11-1* *less continuously than planned
And take a look around at the other lovely booths -- here's the "map" http://riverfiction.com/bookfair/
Personally, I'm hanging my hat under #Fantasy #Historical #YA
I may, myself, wander a bit. See you on the Convention floor!