In Honor of This Year’s Banned Books Week…Speaking Loudly for Speak

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Cover of "Speak"

Cover of Speak

CENSORSHIP Silences

I’m not here to decry Censorship, even though I am vehemently against it.  It’s such a huge and multi-faceted debate, and even now, my mind is too unsettled (and maybe too inferior) to put into words all the random thoughts that are pinging around in there involving the big and abstract concept of Censorship.

So, instead of talking about Censorship, or even about the much-celebrated “Banned Books Week,” I will just react to the Twitter and Blogging buzz that surrounded Laurie Halse Anderson’s book, Speak this past week.  Basically, Dr. Wesley Scroggins wrote to the School Board of Republic, MO (and also an opinion piece in the News-Leader of Springfield, MO), equating two (delicately handled) rape scenes to soft-core pornography; for these scenes, and for the irreverent tone of the novel (I don’t think he understands irony or wit), he believes the book ought to be banned from being taught in schools.

Of course, there’s a lot to respond to, especially since Dr. Scroggins says a lot of provocative statements.  But, I don’t want to talk about Him, and His Illogical Conclusions. Nor, do I want to talk about Parental Supervision and Parents’ Rights in Raising Their Child.  These are Important Issues, sure, but are quite frankly, superficial.

The issues of Censorship and Parental Rights and even School Board Responsibilities are so BIG, that they detract (and distract) people about the worth and beauty found in the singularity and uniqueness of a specific book, like Speak.  I believe that the best way to handle Censorship is to take abstract and general words (Sex or Disrespectful Behavior or Uncomfortableness) away from a Group of Books, and instead take the time to handle each book individually.

There are other important books that were banned from school, or threatened with banning, too, and should have their moment in the spotlight (I was saddened to hear that Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian was banned from several school districts this year).  I chose to champion Speak, because of the heart-breaking feedback, discussions, whispered statements that I have read/heard resulting from this one specific book.

SPEAK…

…saved my life.

…helped me say the word “rape.”

…gave words to my anguish.

…helped me feel that I am not alone.

All these beautiful words…and that’s only a casual glance at readers’ remarks.  A tenth anniversary poem which is basically a compilation from letters to Anderson can be found here.

We read to know that we are not alone. (CS Lewis)

I read a passing tweet that said, “keeping Speak in schools won’t stop rape from happening.”  Of course that’s true.  But again, not the point.

Speak is for the rape survivors.  Speak gives the survivors words for their pain.  Speak gives the survivor’s loved ones words of comfort to share.  Speak provides a community for a survivor who might otherwise feel ostracized.

Speak makes specific and personal that which can easily become General, Vague, and Meaningless.

Final Words

Please never forget that this world is so large, and we can oftentimes feel so distant and disconnected, even among our own peers.  But, This Book…This Specific Book, Speak, can help bridge that distance, and I am so proud to know and be a part of a (writing) community that would support something as beautiful as Speak.

Because Sun and Sand Make Me Ridiculously Happy, AKA, The Requisite Post-Vacation Post

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Still a little travel-sore

Well, I’ll go ahead and say it: I need a vacation from my vacation!

I got in at 5am after road tripping back home to Indiana from Marco Island, Florida.  A 1200-mile trip that should have taken 20ish hours took me about 18 hours…my excuse if I had been pulled over?  “Officer, I really really want to get home.” :lol:

A little back story:

Every year for our anniversary (September 25! This year was our seventh anniversary, woohoo!),  we do something a little more beachy or adventurous (in honor of the fact that we flitted off to Maui for our own wedding).

For our first 2 anniversaries, we had the opportunity to explore different Hawaiian islands.  In 2004, we tagged along with my parents when they visited friends in Oahu, and were able to be in my cousin’s wedding on Kauai.  Of course, we had to return to Maui in 2005, because Maui no ka oi! (Maui’s the best). ;)

In 2006, we spent it with family in New York, because we knew that my grandmother was not long for this world (she died February 2007).

In 2007, we explored California, driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway.  My parents had recently moved there in the latter half of 2006 to be closer to my grandmother after being New Yorkers for 20+ years.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to inherit my parents sporty CR-V, and get a cross-country road trip out of it (something I’ve always wanted to do!).  So, we flew out to California, and meandered our way back to Indiana, taking lots of pictures along the way!

In 2009, I was craving sun and sand again, so, we decided to take up our father-in-law’s offer of using his condo on Marco Island, Florida for our sun and fun needs.  Since we’re trying to be responsible adults, we decided to return to my father-in-law’s condo on Marco Island this year so that we had another year to save for a trip back to Maui.

 

A typical day on Marco Island:

-Around 10, walk down to the beach to get some morning sun while doing my morning, pre-breakfast (but post-coffee!) cardio

-Back to the condo to swim in the pool for an hour, which for me means taking turns tanning in and out of the pool.  I’d bake for a bit on lounge chairs, and when it’s too hot, jump in the pool for a few laps before taking a break and baking on the chairs again.  That’s my idea of an interval workout!

(oh, and the elevator was being repaired, so it was 5 flights of stairs for us each time we wanted to go anywhere/do anything.  Some people may be inconvenienced by that.  But, I thought, “Cool. Sprints!”).

-Around noon, eat breakfast, which for the first half of our week is traditionally bacon, eggs, and toast (or croissants!).  The best aromatherapy is coming back to a condo that smells like maple-y bacon.

-From 12-4pm: Depending on the weather, either cool off in the condo, while watching copious amounts of HGTV, Animal Planet, and the Discovery Channel and deciding which local restaurant to eat at for dinner. (Generally, at this point it will rain for an hour anyway to break up the humidity; also, we don’t have cable TV, so HGTV is basically our secret indulgence). Or, cool down poolside, and if it’s especially hot, float around in the pool for a bit.

-Around 4-7: Go on the hunt for thrift store goodies, food, and ice cream.  Mark is obsessed with Good Will and other secondhand stores, and of course, who doesn’t like food and ice cream??  We try to patronize as many locally owned businesses as possible, but a trip to Coldstone Creamery did work itself in there.

-From 7pm on: Watch movie marathons, or episodes of home renovations on HGTV before passing out around midnight. (Again, we don’t have cable TV, so these are definitely treats for us!)

-Lather, rinse, repeat.


Anniversary Special

So, for my actual anniversary, we decided to walk on the beach again, yay…but this time, instead of enjoying a condo-cooked meal of bacon, eggs, and croissants (which, by the way, I’m a total expert at cooking), we walked up to one of the restaurants lining Marco Beach (aptly named, Quinn’s on the Beach), and splurged on a little brunch.

I ordered the shrimp BLT (which had arugula instead of a traditional lettuce, served on a French baguette, yum!).

We finished off our day bobbing around in the pool, and otherwise not moving until our requisite steak dinners at 7pm, for which we were only mildly hungry.

Afterward, we enjoyed a movie marathon of the living dead (Resident Evil! I Am Legend!), because nothing says “I love you” like watching survivors of an apocalypse kick butt!

Happiness is the meeting of sun and sand

I tend to be a lot more relaxed during these vacations because the holiday season in the retail industry is most frenetic (I don’t like using the word “stressful” as it has lost it’s meaning and impact), and I like to soak in as much sun and fun to carry me through till January (where I usually take a vaca in the middle of the month for my birthday.)

I always believe that the best souvenirs are a killer tan, and beautiful memories/pictures of a very relaxing and stress-free time. Here is my last view of the beach.  I’m sure you agree with me. ;)


The Little Things are Not Important…Until They Are

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PONTO DE VISTA - Point of View

hm, I like this Point of View

Writers have such a hard job, and until sitting down and really focusing on my current WIP (like, for real this time, and not a flight of fancy like it was in the past), I never thought about little things like “Voice” and “Perspective” and “Point of View.”  I always figured they would work themselves out, as I wrote, no problems, since they would be a natural extension of The Story.

Well, all those things seem so little compared to the other things that come into play when writing, but when they don’t mesh well with the story, they become really BIG things.  As a reader, I judge a book’s readworthiness by how well the book kept me engaged.  If it was a breath of fresh air to read, then I know that book was ridiculously good.  (Yeah, I don’t buy into that stupid notion that if a book is hard to understand, or difficult to read, then the book has to be good.  Or, the flip side: if the book was easy to read, then it must not be good.  Who came up with that?  Stupid people who want to feel stupid, that’s who. Sorry for the harshness.  You can imagine me saying that in a cute little squirrel voice to lessen the blow.)

Part of what makes a book enjoyable to me, is a “Voice” that matches the “Point of View” and/or “Perspective.”  But, it’s these things that have me going around in circles recently (and honestly, I don’t know why.)

I’m concerned because I feel like my subject matter is supposed to be “bleak” and “serious.”  But, whenever I write “seriously” (imagine scholarly librarian here :)), I end up with a silly, sarcastic voice (which is probably just my own stupid commentary) that I keep needing to edit out. (Hm, maybe my pretty purple robe doesn’t set me up for a serious mindset…nah, that can’t be it.) 🙂

My initial instinct is just to keep writing and experimenting, and I know it will eventually work itself out once I know more of The Story, but I didn’t realize how “blocked” I am about it till I tried to sit down to work on The Novel today.  I actually thought to myself, “What if I get all the way through in third person point of view with multiple perspectives, and I actually should have gone with first person point of view, single perspective through the main character?”

I know, I know.  Little thing to quibble about, and as soon as I post this, I will go back and work my multiple perspectives, one perspective at a time, from beginning to the end of the plot chronology, working in my character biographies one person at a time.  I just needed not to feel like I’m crazy thinking about these “little things.”

Please tell me that you have felt this way, so I feel less crazy.  Thank you!

Huzzah, and the Magic of Being in My Pretty Purple Robe!

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I had a cute little conversation this morning with another Tweep, and she convinced me that my pretty purple robe definitely qualified as a swirly cape.  I promptly replied that I was so happy that I can now swagger around my house and declare, “Huzah!” at inanimate objects, and they must obey me!  First up, my coffeemaker!  (Didn’t I warn you that I’m a little goofy in the morning?)

So, I know that I’ve said maybe once or twice that I want to be a full-time-writer-specifically-novelist.  But, I wanted to step back and acknowledge the fact that I am in a position at my paythebills job that allows me to be in my pretty purple robe on most (90%) mornings, and considering all the jobs that I could have had to pay my bills, I am extremely thankful.  I recognize that I have a perfect situation to write before and after The Job, giving me literally hours to work on The Novel in my pretty purple robe. (coughcoughwhenidon’tturnonsocialmediacoughcough)

Among other things I get to do in my pretty purple robe is read through other authors’ journeys and get a “second wind” whenever I feel a little tired of this effort.  I can see the obstacles they’ve gone through (mostly, mental and emotional obstacles, huh, imagine that), and see that the only difference between a published, full-time writer and an unpublished part-time writer (or, full-time scribbler) is the discipline and persistence of staying in The Novel and getting that Bad Boy DONE!

So, with 75 days till the end of November, I am committing this blog to my Novel’s journey, and making myself accountable to its progress.

In 75 days, I will hold a finished rough draft with all its flaws and imperfections and declare it beautiful and glorious.  I am proud of it, and of myself for finishing and accomplishing my goal.  I am also looking forward to the next phase of revisions and polishing and otherwise prettying it up for submission.

“Huzzah!” I say, and it was so.

Technically, it's metallic lilac 😉 If you were curious, I bought it 5 years ago, at Victoria's Secret: a satin-y, ankle-length, belted robe with flannel lining. Pretty much perfect.

I Discovered I Really Hate Coming Up With Titles to Blog Posts

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So, I discovered lots of things today!  So many things, that I should probably list them for ease of reading.  (Plus, I feel like I’ve been more productive on my day off from my paythebills job when I see it in list form…especially since I have the Friends’ influenced urge to say “check!” after naming each point in the list, thus further emphasizing how truly productive I am).  In no particular order of importance, relevance, or chronology here are Today’s Discoveries! (Exclamation points and Capitalization also imply things of Great Importance and Prominence.) (!)

1. I discovered that I find lots of Important Things to busy myself with in the mornings rather than write.  On an unrelated note, Twitter is shiny.

2. I discovered that I can’t write dialogue worth crap—argh!  [Excuse me, let me take the moment to write a positive affirmation: I write fantastic dialogue!  The dialogue is natural, smooth, and sounds just like two people having a real conversation in my living room.] * eye roll *

3. I discovered a little extra protein in the form of a grub in my would-have-been spaghetti squash lunch. (You can imagine me throwing up a little in my mouth right…here.  I also promptly threw it away right about…now.)

4. I discovered that 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil, dried garlic and other seasonings can really jazz up regular spaghetti (the aforementioned seasonings were my original toppings for the spaghetti squash; not as healthy, but I was having spaghetti one way or another!)

5. I discovered that I CAN tell someone about my Work in Progress!  I did it in email form, but it really helped me to sit down and think about it, and I’m so happy!  That’s like, half a query letter right there, see productive, ha!

6. I discovered that I found a great method of plotting out my story that I can stick with …but I have way too much procrastinating to do before I sit back down and play with said story.

7. I discovered that it’s hard to write about the bleak and depressing parts of the novel when I’m too goofy to settle down and compose my own thoughts.

8. I discovered that even though I’m a really goofy, silly person who can laugh at anything, when I sit down to write, I have a weird librarian voice going on in my head.  What’s up with that?

9. I discovered that coffee is such a joy and comfort to me in the mornings.  I already knew that but it’s always worth mentioning things I’m grateful for. (Is it ludicrous that I automatically edited in my head: “…for which I’m grateful.”  Really?)

10. I discovered that quite possibly the number one reason that I’m so distracted, and kinda goofy is the fact that I’m not listening to any music right now.

So, after getting myself another cup, I’ll flick on the Pandora Radio, and get back to The Novel!