same-old-same-old

Hope your week is going great. Mine has been straight up crazy in the time department. There’s just not enough of it these days. Those of you who are doing NANO, I hope you’re making progress. I’m not participating this year, but I’m with you in spirit! :-)

Below I’ve got 8 topics. You know the drill. Respond to whatever tickles your fancy or make up your own topic. What’s going on in your writerly life these days? Is the WIP actually working? Or have you come to a screeching halt? Please share.

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1. PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES

Author Cory Doctorow recently blogged about the 17-year-old hero in his Young Adult novel who did something that has a number of people frothing at the mouth. I’m talking angry letters and emails from a broad spectrum of folks—and it took him completely by surprise.

He writes:

“Marcus is 17, and the book is intended to be read by young teens or even precocious tweens (as well as adults). Naturally, I anticipated that some of the politics and technology in the story would upset my readers. And it’s true, a few of the reviewers were critical of this stuff. But not many, not overly so.

What I didn’t expect was that I would receive a torrent of correspondence and entreaties from teachers, students, parents, and librarians who were angry, worried, or upset that Marcus loses his virginity about two-thirds of the way through the book (secondarily, some of them were also offended by the fact that Marcus drinks a beer at one point, and a smaller minority wanted to know why and how Marcus could get away with talking back to his elders).”

He goes on to say the sex scene is kinda glossed over, ending with the hero’s girlfriend handing him a condom. The next scene opens in a sequel, with the teen hero reflecting on the experience and how much it wasn’t what he’d thought it would be.

My opinion? It’s tough a call. I’m speaking as both a mother, an ex-teenager and a writer who’s tackling this same issue in my own YA. Doctorow points out, teens DO have sex, they DO take drugs, they DO make wrong choices. Also, his book is geared towards 17+ year olds. Problem is, in the YAspectrum, kids usually “read up.” IOW, 17+ year olds usually want to read adult fiction. While a 17+ book has more appeal for tweens and 16 year olds. That’s where my own dilemma begins. Realism vs. Unreality. How responsible are we for the minds of our readers? I’d say we are very responsible, but by the same token, we know what happens in real life and teens aren’t stupid. They live this stuff every day. But I’m also a mom, which gives me a completely different perspective, especially when I read articles like this one. Long story short, I’m of two minds (The artist vs. The mother of three), soooooo what’s a writer to do?

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2. FIRELIGHT

Speaking of YA novels, SNL did a parody of Twilight. It’s kinda cute.

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3. THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS

As I mentioned last week, Amie sent me a copy of Rainwater, by Sandra Brown and I also bought a copy of the audio book. So when I got tired of reading, I’d listen to the CD and vice versa. Anyway, I finished the book this weekend and let me tell you, it was a rough ride! Oh, and did I mention Amie sent tissues in the package with the Rainwater logo on them? I guess she figured I would need them and she was right. I rarely cry over books, but Brown weaved such a compellingstory with real-to-the-touch sympathetic characters that it was impossible not to have an emotional reaction. I can’t tell you what made me cry because I’d spoil it for those of you who may want to read the story, but it is a tearjerker in the truest sense of the word. It wasn’t all bad though because the Epilogue was kinda upbeat and had a feel-good twist to it. Brown has penned a real winner here, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read from her. And I’ve read all her books.

To date, this is the first time she’s made me cry.

When was the last time a book actually made you reach for a Kleenex? And what book was it?

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4. NEED A GOOD LAUGH?

Look no further.


5. HARLEQUIN GOES DIGITAL

Carina Press is now up and running and Angela James has taken the helm. Check out the spread!

* Romance
* Science Fiction, Fantasy, Futuristic
* Erotica
* Mystery
* Thrillers
* Horror
* Family Saga
* Women’s Fiction
* Choose Your Own Adventure
* Previously Released Material

This looks rather interesting too:

Romance and Erotic Romance

We are seeking submissions in all subgenres and all levels of sensuality. We welcome everything from the very sweet to the incredibly sexy, featuring couples (or multiples) from all walks of life and sexual orientation, including same-sex romances. Romances should focus on the development of the relationship, as well as external and internal conflict; the heat level should be appropriate to the book and enhance the story, and the primary relationship in the book should offer a happily ever after (HEA) or happily for now in an emotionally satisfying manner.

They DON’T offer advances, so what’s RWA have to say about that? Hmmmmm. Inquiring minds and whatnot ….. Knowing them, they’ll probably keep Harlequin on the suburbs list, and stick Carina Press in their non-subsidy/non-vanity ghetto. BTW, I think the designations are stooopid. If a publisher is legit enough for RWA to list on their website, then the distinctions are really silly.

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6. THINKING ABOUT WRITING A SERIES

I thought this was interesting because I was seriously leaning towards doing a second book based on the one I’m writing now, starring a character who seems to be screaming for his own story. That is until I came across this on an agent’s blog:

[O]ne of the most common questions I’m asked as an agent is this one, roughly paraphrased:

“I have written a wonderful book. It is the first in a series of X books (where X>=3), and I am now shopping it around to agents. Should I write Book 2 in the series?”

Now that’s all well and good. As a reader, I love big, fat series. As an agent, not as much. And here’s why: if I can’t sell the first book in your series, then I’m not going to be able to sell books 2 through X for you. So you’re going to have spent however many months of your life writing the next three books in your series, and I’m going to have to tell you to write them off as practice.

So I guess it’s best to get the first one sold before you start on the next? Or maybe you should just do a very good outline before diving into the novel. What do you think?

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7. TO PDA OR NOT TO PDA

I found a funny video on the Samhain blog about PDA etiquette. Have you ever been in a situation where two people are PDAing in your face? Does it bother you or do you just smile and silently wish them well? I remember one time at the mall this guy had a girl in his lap in the food court and he had his hand on her breast, fondling her while they were deep throating each other. I’m not a prude or anything, but there were kids around—namely my son!

What’s the weirdest, funniest or most disturbing PDA you’ve witnessed? Are you a PDA type of person?


Dating Humor:
How To Make Public Displays Of Affection

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8. FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!

All courtesy of The Fail Blog: