There’s been a lot since the last update. More, eventually, on that later. For now, I found a story I wrote and illustrated when I was younger. I hope you enjoy!
Category: Uncategorized
TLDR: I find this book to be useful, funny, knowledgeable, and empowering and recommend you acquire a copy as soon as you can! Writing is accessible to all ages 😀
Litore has compiled a highly useful collection of advice, explanations, and exercises, all carefully designed to welcome writers of varying skill levels. His references include passages from his own writing, pop culture movies, and fellow writers; with each example, he carefully breaks down the reasons why or why not the character construction is useful in engaging the reader. The book is broken into ten chapters; I have summarized here some of the most major points:
1) developing strengths and how they drive “nearly everything in your story — including plot, conflict, what choices the character needs to make and how she makes them, everything” (6)
2) how authors need to create a powerful first impression to draw readers into identifying with the character
3) the trap of cliches in physical sensation description, and ways to expand our vocabulary from different perspectives
4) balancing the knowledge of when to conceal or reveal important information, and the levels of concealing (from hidden from character, from reader, from both, etc)
5) Character habits/tendencies and intimacies, background and contextual history
6) What the character most: desires, fears, is wounded by, etc
7) How to design a strong character arc, and how this fits into setting
8) General tips to become a better writer and discover the barriers or weaknesses which hold you back from giving it your whole effort
9) Offering resources if you have more questions!
As a writer, these questions were initially very useful in drawing my attention to areas where I felt uncertain in developing characters. Following the exercises demonstrated where my focus had been, and helped narrow down what elements were needed to make the character as strong as possible and which I could cut out. Particularly, the segment where he discusses levels of knowledge and concealment resonated with me; learning how to create elements of uncertainty and potential from how the information is distributed and in what amounts has shifted how I plot, and I can see the positive difference. His humor throughout likewise made this book an easy read, and this helped when I was feeling timid about the blank page, or about my characters who weren’t quite driving the plot as they should have.
I have much more confidence in my writing now; as a grad student finishing up my MFA in Creative Writing, this book has still offered great insight into how I form my characters in my thesis piece (as well as my fanfiction). While working out the backstories of the characters, his question in chapter 6, “What might trigger your characters’ most significant past experiences and feelings (whether terrifying or joyous)? What is a touch, a smell, a sound, that is meaningful and historical to your character? The trigger can be something quite small and subtle.” (48).
I keep this book close to hand while writing, and would highly recommend other writers and aspiring authors also get their hands on a copy because of how much knowledge and use is enclosed in such a slim writing craft book. The writing is accessible to all ages, so if younger readers also would like to give it a go, they are welcomed!
Sending love and hoping you are safe, O Reader!
[It happened in just this way.
A bird sang in the night before the dawning, glistening crisp notes like fresh dew beneath moonlight.
A bird sang in the night before the dawning, stirring the sleeping dreamers beneath the scrub brush, causing one to turn over and stretch long limbs, glimpsing the shadows closed around tightly as warm hugs.
A bird sang in the night before the dawning, calling the early secret frothy clouds to gather together so that the sun, when she rose would appear behind her veils in demure grace, to hide her shyness this morning.
At the far corner of the sky, the moon collapsed all blowsy bleary into the cushions etched by the long mountains to sleep away the daylight.]
(And I did see a couple of grammatical and punctuation things after I posted this, but I’m keeping them as is because that’s part of the protocol I have for these little books. Embrace the mistakes!!!)
Stay safe, stay healthy, wash hands and love one another!!!
Once
Upon
A
Time….
The Covid post was pretty heavy, so, here are FAR TOO MANY books! 😀 if there can be such a thing.
Here are some shorter reviews! These were written for a high school library audience, and most are not Mature fiction, and YA is a really good genre and shouldn’t be made fun of. I particularly love fantasy most of all, but there will be more of these to come 😀 Many books are online if you don’t have copies on the shelf, so please try that option first if you possibly can.
BEHOLD A MASSIVE LIST!
This is alphabetical author’s last name 😀 That’s how you know I was a librarian, right? This being said, I’ve had my books organized alphabetical last name on my shelves at home at least since I was sixteen, so….. @_@
The books are out of a total of 5 and I included ones I didn’t love quite so much here also, because maybe you will! and if you do find any you like, or have any others you want to offer up, please add your reviews in the comments 😀
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (4.5 out of 5)
Arthur Dent is having the worst day. His house is being demolished to make way for a bypass, and then his friend, Ford Prefect, tells him Earth is also going to be demolished. To make a space speedway. What is a man to do? As the Hitchhiker’s Guide instructs him, Don’t Panic, and Don’t Forget Your Towel. How bad can hitchhiking in space be? Arthur is about to find out.
+ Witty, humorous approach to extraterrestrial life and culture, exploration of space and probability, and how to react to the complete unpredictability that life deals out in this cult-classic.
– Older writing, some technologies and writing styles are out of date.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (4 out of 5)
Fans of Avatar the Last Airbender will enjoy this debut novel.
Zélie Adebola has suffered oppression her whole life because of the magic that lies dormant in her blood. When the princess whose family has brutalized her people escapes with a relic that can help bring magic back to the world and waken Zélie’s own power, will they be able to make that hope a reality?
+ strong character dynamics, expansive world building, acknowledgment of social issues and the effects they have on individual lives, asks the reader if you can understand something you yourself haven’t experienced.
– at times the change in perspective can feel a little contrived, some animal descriptions are difficult to understand
The Wrath & The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh (3 out of 5)
The first book in the series, the story is a retelling of the classic Arabian Nights – a bride marries a king who has killed each of his previous wives with every morning. Only Shahrzad is not as helpless as she seems – she has a plan for revenge, and the talent to carry it out. But can she keep herself alive long enough to succeed?
+ Beautiful imagery, world building is rich and feels authentic; plot was developed enough that the cliffhanger made me want to read more
– Characters are shallow and underdeveloped, somewhat static, and the love story is somewhat trite
Flame in the Mist by Renée Ahdieh (4 out of 5 stars) (Book One of the Duo)
Mariko has never quite fit into the role that society dictates; she is headstrong, intelligent, curious, and an alchemist. And when someone tries to assassinate her, she fights back in the best way she knows how- by investigating the ones she knows attacked her to find out why. But Mariko is alone now, and the world is not the way it seemed from her family home. Can she discover the truth? And what will happen when she finds herself falling in love with the enemy?
+ Strong and intelligent female protagonist, mystery and magic go hand in hand and the real culprit is hard to decipher; the sense of imminent danger is very strong; character development is dynamic; easy to read
– Cliffhanger is very annoying, while it makes me want to read the next one I feel robbed of a conclusion of any sort; there are a lot of names to keep track of, some graphic combat
The Hazel Wood: A Novel by Melissa Albert (5 out of 5 stars)
Alice is used to life on the run; something bad is chasing her, and when she and her mom get news that her grandmother is dead, it finally starts catching up with her. Suddenly she’s surrounded and intertwined into the dark fairy tales her grandmother wrote, and if she isn’t careful, she might never escape her own grim fate.
+ Delightfully dark, includes original fairytales that seem both familiar and include thriller or horror type twists; Alice’s growth leads naturally to the conclusion of the novel. Fans of Holly Black will likely enjoy this book.
– A little jolting transitioning between life on the road, life in the city, and life in the magical realm. Sometimes unclear as to where the plot is going; can be hard to decide which characters to empathize with
Clockwork Lives by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart (3.5 out of 5)
Marinda can’t imagine wanting anything more than her reclusive life taking care of her father and living quietly in the village she was born in. But when her father’s will dictates that she must fill the pages of a magical, alchemical book with the stories of other people’s lives before she can have her inheritance or even live in her house, she sets out to fulfill the dying wish. Along the way, she discovers the world around her, interacts with a variety of people, and learns to want more than a dreamless, simple life. Fans of the Canterbury Tales or the Arabian Nights will enjoy this book.
+ Interesting concept, pacing and types of stories are diverse and provide a broad spectrum of perspectives as well as Marinda’s character growth in response to them. Dynamic characters, fascinating world of steampunk complete with Clockwork Angels and airship voyages (including pirates); lovely illustrations accompany individual stories; some romance
– Many loose ends, writing is poorly executed at times and is jarring; some plot devices are a little too deus ex machina
Speak: the Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, Artwork by Emily Carroll (5 out of 5 stars)
What can’t you say? To your friends? to anyone?
A compassionate look at the recovery from a traumatic assault, Anderson portrays a girl coming to terms with the attack through art, and how she begins to tell her story. This artistic rendition of the novel by the same name uses gray-scale imagery to add subtle layers to the narrative.
+ Simple language, gentle and respectful handling of a complex and dark topic, the artwork adds to the mood and impressions the narrator experiences
– Narrator can seem distant at times, honest approach to a heavy topic can be oppressive or difficult to connect with. Can be hard to read for survivors.
Munmun by Jesse Andrews (5 out of 5)
A story of three kids (a brother, a sister, and a friend) who live in a world where the amount of money you make determines what your physical height, and where dreaming is shared and variably lucid. They strive to overcome literal and societal obstructions in order to make a better life for themselves and those others who are disadvantaged. Written in a loose dialect, touches on issues of social status and responsibility, politics, and religion, as well as dangers facing those who are disadvantaged.
+ Compelling read, hard to put down; divisions of points of life help delineate one phase from the next so that each experience is concrete and individual, the dialect adds characterization
– At times the dialect gives you pause while you break apart the meaning
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (5 out of 5 stars)
Vasilisa is the youngest child in her family – the one her mother died to birth, the one who can see spirits and speak to animals. She’s also the one the frost demon, Morozko, has taken an interest in, and the only one who can save Russia – maybe! – from the evils she’s only ever heard about in fairy tales.
+ Intense experience of Russia as a culture, vividly told, good transition between the magical and the real, believable characters
– Can be either a little heavy handed or a little sparse on explanation in the book itself about the cultural elements of fairytales that are familiar to the characters but possibly not the reader. The glossary in the back is smaller, so it can be hard to find while reading
The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden, 5/5
Vasilisa can see things- magical things- others can’t. And to her family’s dismay, she won’t act the way culture says she should. Instead, she sets out to make her own way in the world, despite the consequences. With elements of common Russian folktales, blended with romance, this book questions what makes us human. Fans of Robin McKinley’s Hero and the Crown will enjoy this novel, sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale.
+ compelling characters, surprising plot turns, gentle pacing
– slow start, references first book even though this one can stand alone, some missing context on character interactions if read on its own
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden (5 out of 5 stars)
A stunning emotional, clever conclusion to Vasilisa’s magical journey; a story of love, loss, conflict, clashing beliefs, and identity. Will she be able to save Morozko from an old enemy? Will she be able to save herself? What new wonders will she discover along the way? And most of all, will she be able to save the mortal realm – as well as the magical ones?
+ Very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy; quick paced, character depth and growth is intense, magic/ folklore/religion interactions are fascinating, historical roots are believable, Arden’s writing draws you in and won’t let you go.
– It ends! Could be predictable, in the loosest sense of the word – after all, how do fairytales really end?
The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo (4 out of 5 stars)
Retelling fairytales such as Beauty and the Beast, The Nutcracker, and The Little Mermaid, Bardugo adds elements of both the cultures of origin of each of the tales and a touch of the dark and foreboding. Between her words and Sara Kipin’s illustrations, be prepared to be swept away into a beautiful and deadly landscape full of promise and danger.
+ Familiar tales recreated in new ways, told in easy-to-read language dealing with more complex themes. Six tales and beautiful illustrations both build upon themselves to create an entirely new experience.
– A certain amount of predictability, each of the tales is very short, some very dark themes do arise which makes this not (necessarily) for light reading
Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Magic is real, but love is conditional: Mina knows this, as her magician father has made her heart out of glass to keep her alive, rendering her unloveable except for her physical beauty.
Love is conditional, and image is everything: Lynet looks exactly like her mother did, but has a wild streak that frightens everyone – except for her stepmother Mina.
A dramatic, feminist retelling of Snow White which overthrows your expectations in the best possible way. Fans of Wicked will love this book!
+ Developed character relationships, makes sense of the interactions in the original tale, female empowerment, presents the option of free will in the face of predestination; underdog story! Beautiful fantasy elements, incredibly emotionally complex narrative.
– Inherently a little predictable, as it is a retelling of a classic fairy tale
The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell (4 out of 5 stars)
Bell offers useful, practical advice with exercises designed to help any writer work through the difficulties of writing and publishing. With humor and personal experience to share, this is a must read for aspiring authors.
+ Funny, positive and encouraging, useful advice and knowledge from the industry
– The shortness leaves you wanting more details and explanation at times; is somewhat abrupt
Blink Once by Cylin Busby (4 out of 5 stars)
West cannot move, can barely communicate with the people around him, as he recovers from an accident he has trouble remembering. Only Olivia, another patient in the hospital, is able to find a way to talk to him. A story of healing and growth, with hints of ghost stories and mystery.
+ Character driven plot, easy to read, gentle mystery that entices but doesn’t overcomplicate the clues, deals with real world injury and recovery
-The setting and circumstance restrict action, pacing slow at times
Storm Front by Jim Butcher (3 out of 5 stars)
Harry Dresden is a detective for the magical world; he knows the rules, he knows how to get by. But dealing with vampires and bloody murder makes things…. Tricky.
A solid beginning to the rest of the Dresden Files series, with lots of mystery, consequence and turmoil.
+ Full of magic, a step into a thoroughly constructed world, a good mystery with a hint of Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes.
– The pacing is a little slow at times; sometimes the characters aren’t written as well-rounded as they are later in the series.
LAST BOOK OUT JULY 2020!! 😀 get excited 😀
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty (5 out of 5 stars)
What is the truth? And how can you know it, if everyone’s version is slightly different?
Nahri has been able to know truth from lie her whole life, as well as know how to heal. But when she finds herself suddenly immersed in a world of magic and djinn, everything begins to seem a lot more complex and a lot less straightforward.
Alizayd, prince of the regime Nahri suddenly finds herself a part of, is from a family who values loyalty above all. His idealism has led him to clash with his father and brother growing up, and the consequences are catching up with him. Now, he has to decide for himself what the right thing is to do.
Warnings: CLIFFHANGER, Author Debut
+ Excellent worldbuilding, character driven plot, intersecting storylines provide different perspectives; a non-european base for the ethnic, religious, and geographic tensions evident
– A large cast of characters, the caste dynamics and naming can be difficult to keep track of
Addendum to the original review — This is probably one of my most favorite series of all time. Book two was absolutely delightful and also BOTH of the first two in this series had cliffhangers that I CANNOT handle!!!!! Last book comes out soon 😀 😀 😀
What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses by Daniel Chamovitz (4 out of 5 stars)
A brief foray into the five senses as experienced by plants, with clear explanations of how plant memory, perception, and interaction (among other things) works. A useful resource for the amateur botanist or anyone interested in ‘how plants do’.
+ Knowledgeable, thoughtful, concise, scientific base, full of useful references
– At times dry, does set itself as an essay with more truth value than The Secret Life of Plants and other ‘metaphysical’ studies or interactions with plants
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton (3 out of 5 stars)
Camellia has the gift of making people magically beautiful in a world where beauty can fade overnight to grayness. But she has never imagined that the people who control this power are the ones who it’s used on – instead of the one using it. Caught in a whirlwind of politics and prestige, will she be able to survive?
+ Easy to read, fun concept of power and magic, many empowered female characters; cliffhanger ending
– Plot is a bit cliché, characters are shallow
Worlds of Ink and Shadow: A Novel of the Brontes by Lena Coakley (4 out of 5 stars)
Takes the known life and writing of the Brontes, adds a touch of a deal with the devil (or something very like) and creates a world where reality is less true than novelization. Each sibling is dramatically different, and each perspective is honored, all the while telling the tale of a family falling apart from illness. Offers another reason why their father outlived all the children, and how certain characters from childhood have persisted through each Bronte’s writing. The focus on truth versus lies is a bit heavy handed if apropos.
+ Liked the characters and the touches of reality
– Some of the dramatic moments are a bit more drawn out than perhaps strictly necessary.
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (5 out of 5 stars)
Annaleigh was one of twelve sisters; now, four are dead. She and her other sisters have found a door which leads them night after night to balls and dances! but Annaleigh is beginning to think that her older sisters didn’t die of natural causes, and that she and her other sisters might be in danger as well. A terror-inducing, thrilling retelling of the fairytale, where even trust and love might be warped into lethal intent!
+ Easy to read, interesting and complex family dynamics, retold in a way that makes even the expected feel new, strong female characters and gothic horror all mixed together!
– Some subplots felt contrived, if you aren’t into horror/thriller/scary this is probably not for you
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher (4 out of 5 stars)
Eric (called Moby) has worked to keep his position as a social outcast in order to protect and stay friends with Sarah Byrnes, whose scarred appearance makes her stand out. But as he thrives as a swimmer, she retreats into silence and only he can figure out why. Full of mystery, danger, and compassionate consideration of difference, Crutcher deals with complex issues of abortion, abuse, and the interaction of church and state, all in a high school setting.
+ Deals with difficult issues with consideration for different perspectives while still presenting a strong character-driven morality; offers complexity of character development and depth
– The element of danger rather abruptly ramps up at the end instead of building up throughout; feels like it escalates a bit too quickly for plausibility
Kill the Farm Boy by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne (5 out of 5 Stars)
Once upon a time, a Farm Boy became the Chosen One and set off with his talking goat on a quest– which immediately ended when a Warrior Woman fell off Sleeping Beauty’s Tower, landed on his head, and killed him DEAD. All this in the first 30 pages! Full of puns, character deaths George R.R. Martin would approve of, and LGBT(rabbit) Romance, this is a must read!
Fans of Monty Python, Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman will love this rollicking adventure!
+ Hilarious; character driven; references to quest games, movies, and NSFW material; puns, puns everywhere; Keeps you guessing
– There isn’t a sequel!!
Addendum!!!! There IS a sequel now, and another one after that!!! Go check them out 😀 They’re also fabulous
A Spy’s Devotion by Melanie Dickerson (2.5 out of 5 stars)
In the style of Jane Austen, with a touch of mystery and the threat of violence, set amongst the high Regency English culture. Jane, a ward of wealthy relatives, and Nicholas, a former soldier returned home, find themselves working as partners while they make haste to reveal a high-level conspiracy before someone gets hurt – or killed. Can they trust their families? Their friends? Each other?
+ Reads similarly to Austen in the focus of correct behavior at all times, consequences to social faux pas, elements of conspiracy speed up the romantic drama common to regency literature
– At times the pacing is slow, or events seem to happen without narrative reason; the culprit is revealed very early on, the end of the romance plot was trite.
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline (4 out of 5)
What would you do if you lost the ability to dream? In this world, the answer is to harvest the marrow of the last people who can – the indigenous people of North America. Frenchie and his companions band together to try to escape to the north where they can hide from the harvesters. But with betrayal and danger at every step, can they survive? And more, can they turn the tide?
+ Fascinating concept, narratives interweave and develop a rich and tragic world, depicts natives not as ‘noble savages’ or ‘dangerous others’ but as complex and normalized cultures at risk, some romance
– The ending feels a bit contrived or coincidental, at the very least improbable in an otherwise well-thought out world; a couple of the scenes are written unclearly
Wicked Saints, by Emily A. Duncan (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Two warring countries can’t agree on a religious division: one believes that that magic is a gift from the gods; the other believes the gods can’t give magic, and that bloodmagic is the way to power. Can the Chosen of the Gods keep believing her magic comes from them, even when she sneaks into enemy territory? Does anyone know who really has power?
Readers who like Avatar: the Last Airbender, or Twilight should enjoy!
+ Interesting subplots of religious questions and trust issues, explored in unexpected ways
– Ending is a bit messy, but leaves plenty of room for an interesting sequel without being trite.
Do I Make Myself Clear? Why Writing Well Matters by Harold Evans (3 out of 5)
An editorial take on why writing clearly and precisely is important to being understood and presenting yourself well. Evans offers examples and demonstrates how to improve writing, while also including anecdotes from his own extensive experience for flavor.
+ A useful manual for bettering technical and journalistic writing, written by an editor in the industry
– Very dry, can be sometimes overbearing and dismissive of other forms of composition
A Lab of One’s Own: Science and Suffrage in the First World War by Patricia Fara (4 out of 5)
A collection of historical narratives about women in WWI and their contributions to the war effort and the subsequent scientific developments. Discusses the socioeconomic and cultural oppressions of the time and how women responded to these stressors. Written with detailed research and resources made available in the bibliography, this is a must-read for anyone who is interested in scientific progress and the efforts of brave women as revolutionaries in a male-dominated world.
+ Detailed representations of many different women in different fields who made a difference in the world around them, gives context to their actions, struggles and successes.
– Can be dry or read as a textbook at times rather than a compelling narrative; the author’s attention to detail can at times feel too exhaustive.
Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman (5 out of 5 stars)
The third book of the series, this novel works as a standalone as well. Tess comes from strictly religious family, but when the opportunity comes to find her freedom from their judgements, she sets out to rediscover herself. Along the way, she learns that her decisions and mistakes do not define her future, and to heal from past traumas. Full of dragons, great and small! As well as commentary on religion, gender roles, strength, and adventure.
+ Compassionate, thoughtful, deals with difficult subjects carefully and respectfully; easy to read, expansive worldbuilding, dynamic characters
– Falls into some literary tropes (however well-executed), does not entirely subvert them
Handsome Heroines: Women as Men in Folklore by Shahrukh Husain (4 out of 5 stars)
Twelve tales of women crossdressing and transitioning; full of realizations about gender, love, justice, loyalty, independence, faith, and courage. A multicultural grouping, this collection includes heroines from Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Italian, Scottish, Mongolian, Roman, Jewish, Indian, Islamic, Spanish, Indo-Palestinian, and central Asian Steppe backgrounds.
+ Short stories, self-contained, diversity of reason and experience of cross-dressing, respectful approach to transgender individuals, easy to read, includes references
– A couple of the tales sort of bleed together, some are less powerfully told than others and are forgettable because of this
Dial-A-Ghost by Eva Ibbotson (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Oliver has inherited a fortune – and his cousins are not happy about it. Their dastardly plan to take back the family home revolves around hiring a bloodthirsty ghost couple to scare Oliver to death. As luck would have it, the agency they hire from has a mix up and instead of the terrifying Shriekers, the Wilkinsons move in instead – a friendly and caring ghost family who adopt Oliver as their own. Can Oliver survive his cousins? Can the Wilkinsons stay with Oliver? And why are the Shriekers so terrible?
+Easy to read, comedic, story of coming home and finding or making family
– Occasionally graphic descriptions of ghostly horror, some plot lines wrap up a little too tidily
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (4 out of 5 stars)
Jane lives in the Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War, ended in this case by the rise of the undead who attack relentlessly and without prejudice. She is trained to become an Attendant, to look after the well-to-do and kill any threats, living or otherwise, to her employers. But families are beginning to go missing, and Jane must fight to escape the deceptions that threaten to make her vanish too.
Warning: Use of offensive racial language as a context of the post-Civil War Culture, depictions of racism, some gore and gratuitous violence
+ Alternative History which explores race, culture, class, gender, family, and religious confrontations in the wake of the Civil War; strong and vulnerable protagonist who accepts and challenges her place in the world despite the stresses around her
– The ending feels rushed and could have been developed further, there are references to events which should be impactful on the narrative that are breezed over in passing only
Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones (5 out of 5 stars)
Derk is a wizard who specializes in genetic magic — creating griffins and invisible cats, among other things. When he’s chosen by the capitalist villain and tour operator Mr. Chesney to remake his world into a tourist attraction, can Derk break Chesney’s hold over his world? Our will he be doomed to cookie-cutter commercialism and destruction like all the others before him?
+ Hilarious, consistent magical system, family drama with Griffins, believable & relevant look at privilege/consequence, expansive world building, and a series of unfortunate events…
– There are a lot of names and places, and sometimes there is magical creature ex machina to tie up plot problems which can be repetitive.
This is book 2, and I love it also!!!
Dogsbody by Diana Wynne Jones (4.5 out of 5 stars)
Sirius is the constellation of the Dog Star – or he was, until he was falsely convicted of murder. His punishment is to live as a dog on Earth until he can find the weapon called the Zoi. On Earth he does his best to find the Zoi, with help from several cats, dogs, the Earth, and the Sun, but more and more he realizes how much he and Kathleen (his person) need each other to survive.
+ Creative imagining of celestial and terrestrial creatures, set during the conflicts of Ireland and the UK in the mid-1900s; complex relationships and bittersweet ending
– The start can be jarring and the transition to the rest of the plot is a little confusing; bittersweet ending
Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame by Michael Kodas (4 out of 5)
Four Mile Canyon resident writes about a team of ‘hotshots’ firefighters on the front lines battling against wildfires, as they try to control the blazes and keep people safe. He remind us that our methods of firefighting and choice in the location of our homes aren’t as reliable or safe as we like to think they are.The understated and overlooked bravery of our firefighters, and tragedy of the Granite Mountain Hotshots should make us think; if we continue without change, we will suffer more dangerous and destructive fires – can we stop this from happening? Or are we doomed?
+ Compelling, personal accounts, graphic narrative, included pictures of many firefighters and tactics in action, memorializes the crew who died
– Can be almost over-detailed and painful to read; the order of the narrative and argument jumps around so much that it can be confusing to follow
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (4 out of 5 stars)
Liga escapes from a nightmarish life into her ideal world; no violence, no hate, no threat. Her two daughters grow up here. But as they grow, reality comes creeping back in, and the family of three must learn how to cope with new dangers and hardships.
Lanagan draws from the fairytale “Snow White and Rose Red” to explore themes of coming of age, strength, good and evil, and family.
+ Character driven plot, retold fairytale, gentle approach to recovery from abuse
– Can be vague at times or confusing, sometimes the writing can be a little clumsy as it switches perspective
No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin (5 out of 5 stars)
A collection of blog posts and writing exploring spare time, cats, language and swearing, vegempathy, belief and life. Full of beauty, revelation, humor, and introspection, a thought-provoking read from a prominent SciFi writer about what it all means.
+ Lighthearted, intentional, gentle, self-critical, playful writing
– Topics can feel random
Coach: Lessons on the Game of Life by Michael Lewis (3 out of 5)
Coach Billy Fitzgerald, called Coach Fitz by his team, instilled lessons of how to win and also to become a better man in his players. Lewis describes how despite parental concerns of how his temper affected his coaching, Coach Fitz nonetheless instilled a sense of pushing through easy excuses and never giving up on a team or on a child.
+ Easy to read, short, offers different opinions of different players Fitz coached
– Clear bias against any criticism of Fitz’s style, reads more like an essay than a memoir
Snow by Tracy Lynn (3 out of 5 stars)
Jessica’s mother died when she was very young; when her father remarries, he chooses a woman who will do anything to conceive a male heir – and who has the scientific and magical background to do something about it. With her life at risk, Jessica flees to London and becomes ‘Snow’ in an effort to hide from her stepmother; there she makes her home with a group of outcasts and misfits. But can she really escape her stepmother’s powers?
+ Retelling of Snow White fairy tale in a Regency-era setting; new take on the ‘dwarves’ and the reasons for the stepmother to hunt for her heart; endearing and easy to read
– Story is still very predictable, even with the characters having different motives and tricks to achieve their goals. No new ground is really covered in terms of plot.
The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man who Captured Lincoln’s Ghost by Peter Manseau (3 out of 5)
Exploring the era of early photography and the influence religion and spirituality gave and took from the early images, Manseau offers the biographies of some of the earliest photographers and how they turned the potential faults in the technology into ghostly images that caused wonder – amazed or skeptical – in all who saw them.
+ Interesting topic, have not read many of the histories of early pictures, discussion of how the spiritualist movement and the photography movement intermingled is interesting
– Inherent bias in several directions, and the ending feels like something of a let-down
Blood Paint Water by Joy McCullough (5 out of 5 stars)
A poetic expression of the life of Artemisia, a real-life painter in Rome in the 1600s, who is unable to claim her work as her own. Told as she grows and is able to explore her autonomy, with flashbacks to her life with her mother; a respectful approach to sexual assault and a battle for dignity in the face of denial.
Warning: Deals with sexual assault
+ Poetry is approachably short, detailed and fluent; the sections of narrative storytelling add a different dimension of the mother’s voice; the focus on different biblical characters from a feminine perspective helps to define and place the character in the world around her.
– Interpretation of the poetry might be tricky to follow as it is brief and self-referential at points
Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley (4 out of 5 stars)
Sleeping Beauty revisited in a land where magic mundane and even powerful fairies can make mistakes. Rosie is saved by Katriona, a young fairy, and raised away from her parents, the king and queen. But Katriona’s sometimes unorthodox parenting raises Rosie in a way that not even the strongest spells could have predicted, and reshapes the fate of the kingdom along the way.
+ A retelling of the familiar with a twist, well-constructed characters with complex motives and desires, shows strengths of non-traditional family
– Can be a bit dry or slow paced at times, sometimes confusing in the way the magic is described. Very little of the Disney version in this retelling, if that is something you are looking for.
Radium Girls by Kate Moore (4 out of 5 stars)
Lip… dip… paint. That is how the girls were told to paint radium on the watch dials and airplane instruments at the Radium Luminous Materials Corp. in 1917: point the brush by putting it into their mouths, dip the brush into the radium, and paint the dials. Then repeat. What they weren’t told was that the radium would eventually kill them in horrific ways. As the girls began to get sick, the company denied any knowledge of radium poisoning and fought against them in court, even as their teeth were falling out, their bones were disintegrating, and they were dying. Eventually, the Radium Girls were responsible for workplace safety laws that saved untold numbers of workers from unscrupulous labor practices – but they paid with their lives.
+ Heartbreaking story, not sensationalistic, personal narratives drive the storytelling
– Writing seems a bit stilted and preachy, could have used more narrative than summation
Uprooted by Naomi Novik (5 out of 5 stars)
Agnieszka is chosen by the terrifying Dragon, a powerful wizard who keeps the monsters and dark magic of the Wood from overrunning her little village. She discovers she is a witch, and learns all about her unusual powers; but she and the Dragon must stand against the Wood when it starts to destroy everything they hold dear. Will she be able to reveal the secrets of the Wood? or will it overpower her and cruelly doom the whole kingdom to a fate worse than death!
+ Wonderful character development, terrifying enemies, easy to read, unexpected ending! Very small romantic plot constructed well
– It ENDED and there ISN’T a SEQUEL!
Addendum: BUT! Naomi Novik is amazing and has many other books that she has written which you should totally go read!!!!
Seafire by Natalie C. Parker (3.5 out of 5 stars)
Caledonia Styx is the captain of the Mors Navis, and has one goal in life: to undermine or destroy the forces of the warlord who destroyed her family: Aric Athair. But when fate drops one of Aric’s soldiers looking to defect into her hands, can she use this chance to destroy Aric once and for all? Can she keep her crew safe if she tries? The first of a trilogy that is a must read. Fans of Mad Max: Fury Road and Wonder Woman as well as Throne of Glass will love this series!
+ Strong female characters in a all-woman ship of bamfs, developed character driven plot, constant twists and turns in the effort to survive or defeat an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, complex emotional structures and interactions; focus on drug addictions and the effect of relapse and withdrawal
– The pacing is slow at the start, and somewhat predictable; the cliffhanger is a little unresolved; some of the technologic descriptions feel irrelevant or thrown in just because and not for plot reasons
East by Edith Pattou (4 out of 5 stars)
Rose has always been a wild child, but when she leaves her family with a great white bear she finds that she will need every one of her unique strengths to set right an act of selfishness. Based on the tale “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”, a vibrant retelling with many different perspectives on a journey to the north.
+ Character driven, expansive world-building, detailed and complex relationships
– The writing is at times slow-paced or vague, plot builds slowly
Raising Steam: A Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett (5 out of 5 stars)
Into a world of bewildered wizards, passable swordsmanship, and meat peddlars with low morals comes a new invention: progress in the form of a steam engine! Ankh-Morpork is in for an unpredictable ride as Moist von Lipwig and Harry King join with rising star and first engineer Dick Simnel to bring all citizens and creatures alike into a new era. Even a dwarvish rebellion can’t stand in the way of this team — or can it?
+ Typical Pratchett humor, interesting take on technology changing the world, great new characters, fun take on goblins and gollum horses, and an amazing engine with a mind of her own!
– Dry at times, does refer back to books in the series which might confuse new readers (recommend reading Going Postal and Making Money first)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (4 out of 5 stars)
Jacob’s grandfather always told him stories. He had stopped believing them; but when his grandfather is suddenly murdered, he sees one of the monsters himself. He travels to Wales to find the truth, and discovers a world of uneasy magic and ever present danger. Can he save those who have helped his grandfather and himself? Can he even save himself, when the darkness comes? Read on to find out – but read at your own peril!
+ Very creepy feeling of danger and even discomfort at some of the happy and lighthearted moments; elements of magic and magical realism integrated naturally along with the real life vintage photos that are interspersed. There are sequels!!
– Some of the plot points seem contrived; at times, the rules of the magic seem at times inconsistent
In a world where Fair Folk cannot create, only alter, and will buy from mortals who can Craft, Isobel can paint truth or idealism more beautifully than anyone else. But when she paints Rook, the Autumn prince, she reveals a weakness of the Fair Folk, and is drawn into an even more dangerous world than she imagined existed. Along the way, she must use talents and strengths she never knew she had; but can she resist a forbidden romance while she races to save Rook and herself?
+ New and interesting take on fairies and the interactions of magic and mortality; pacing is constant and threatening, sense of danger is real; Isobel is clever and determined, well-developed and active as a protagonist; beautiful imagery; distinguishes between internal and external beauty
– Some amount of focus of the trope of the heroine being beautiful but not realizing it
Divergent by Veronica Roth (3.5 out of 5 stars)
Beatrice lives in a world where your choice of faction determines how you live your life, and your position in society. But when she’s tested for her aptitudes, she discovers that she is divergent – she doesn’t fit neatly into any of the categories, and this puts her in danger. While becoming Tris, discovering inner strength and love, she also discovers that the system is not working as well as it seems. Can her Divergent nature help her uncover the dangers surrounding her? Or is it already too late?
+ Interesting concept of dystopian caste systems; some romance; deals with issues of trust, betrayal, family, and integrity; empowered women who also show compassion; characters are multidimensional
– Plot has been done before; trope of strong female protagonist discovering herself through physicality; focuses on protagonist’s internal turmoils a little too much and slows the pace because of this
BIOSHOCK: Rapture by John Shirley (3 out of 5 stars)
A short introduction to the world of Bioshock, describing the collapse of Utopia and a world similar yet vastly different than our own.
+ Fun jaunt with familiar characters and settings
– Doesn’t really cover any new ground, or introduce any other story information to enrich the game
Timekeeper by Tara Sim (4 out of 5 stars)
Danny is a clockwork mechanic, fixing the clock towers which control time itself. An accident can be deadly – one left him with PTSD, one left his father trapped in a town where the time has frozen. Can he discover the mysteries of the towers and the bombings which are endangering them? Will a surprise meeting lead to true love? And what will he sacrifice for just a little more time?
+ LGBT romance, steampunk adventure and mystery, complex character interactions, encounters with the supernatural time magics!
– Pacing a little slow or redundant at times, some character rivalries don’t have adequate context given
Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History by Tori Telfer, 4/5
A brief look at female serial killers in history; nonetheless, engaging, description, and straightforward. At times subjective, further details are provided in her source list. This is not a murder mystery; the facts as Telfer has them are laid out from the first murder to the arrest or disappearance of these killers.
+ Easy to read, compelling narrative arcs, extra resources provided; offers a perspective which attempts to remove the sexualization or diminishing of the women by cultural perspective. Includes killers from multiple times and countries.
– At times subjective or arguing towards a specific read on each of the women – includes some casual judgement of their actions showing inherent bias.
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson (4 out of 5 stars)
Two sisters are gifted by a goddess – will it bring them wisdom? luck? death? Through this beautiful retelling of the French fairy tale set in precolonial India, it becomes clear that the gifts we are given are perhaps less important than how we use them.
+ Solid world-building, Tomlinson complicates what seems inherently positive or negative in order to explore empowerment, no single clear villain to face as characters have more complex and realistic motives
– The resolution feels very rushed; some questions about the conclusion, doesn’t quite feel finished
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (Translated by Anthony Bonner) (4 out 5 stars)
Wrecked at sea while in search of a mysterious and deadly sea creature, Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and master harpooner Ned Land are taken aboard the Nautilus, a submarine with a captain and crew who have turned their backs on civilization and instead live beneath the sea. The professor and Conseil experience a journey of scientific delight and discovery from the view of the aquanauts; but there is more danger here than simply the Captain whose vendetta against mankind may lead them all to destruction.
+ Clever crew and ship design for the time period written and still today; the Professor and Conseil are fascinating if static characters; Captain Nemo acts with a cold and vindictive thoughtfulness that is terrifying and amazing to experience
– Writing is dense and sometimes difficult to understand; I was jolted out of the plot by the occasional mathematical exploration of pressures, etc.; some politically incorrect implications of savages versus civilization
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (4 out of 5 stars)
A simply illustrated graphic novel telling the story of a prince who sometimes wants to present as a princess and a dressmaker who just wants to be recognized for her unique work.
+ The relationship between the princess and the dressmaker is not a romance but it does present a strong relationship; shows personal recognition and growth of respect throughout the story.
– At times the story is a little silly or stilted in order to serve the theme of self-truth and acceptance
The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire by Jack Weatherford (5 out of 5 stars)
A detailed look at the women who helped form and shape Genghis Khan’s empire, amid shifting gender dynamics and threat to their dominion.
+ Well written, thoughtful exploration of these women and their historic importance, expands context of this period, focuses on humanizing the Mongol empire, provides further resources
– Less information on the daughters of Genghis Khan (as less is known about them historically) and more on the granddaughters and great granddaughters.
Warning: Discusses the use of rape as a tactic of warfare
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (5 out of 5 stars)
Ned and Verity are time-travelling historians from the future who travel back for research projects, and are studying the Victorian era. When a project goes wrong and the timelines get mixed up, will they be trapped in the past? Or can they find the McGuffin Bishops Birdstump in time?
+ Humor, Time travel, Character depth and development, mystery with a sense of urgency
– It ends!!! Names are old-fashioned & can be hard to remember; occasionally had to go back and follow the storyline to find the detail I’d missed (after the first time no issues at all!)
One of my favorite authors!!
I actually met her at WhimsyCon 2019, and she liked my paper dress, and I am still giddy about that to this day 😀
How do you redefine yourself after the loss of a loved one? Three teens must answer this question as they recover from the loss of their friends and family, as they grow together and rediscover themselves.
+ Focuses on the emotional and mental state of the characters, and how they try to start to live again
– At times the writing is shallower than the emotion it portrays, slow plot that doesn’t have external drivers
I don’t have quite as much time to read for funsies right now but I have this batch bottled up and have been thinking about doing this post for long enough that it’s just time…. Perhaps there will be more to come in the future when I have time again 😀
Happy reading! And be safe and healthy and well!!!!!
BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT
To quote : “…the 3 most important things are:
– Wash your hands (properly)
You can sing the alphabet song twice, if you can’t think of anything else.
And beyond how long you wash, remember! Missing places during handwashing can lead to a false sense of security and germs spreading.
Also, Guys?? …. Please wash your hands when you go to the bathroom AT ALL. I know a lot of you just. touch the toilet seats or wherever, do your business and walk away. Please stop doing that. It’s gross anyway and it’s REALLY unsanitary.
– Don’t touch your face (it’s harder than you think)
– Disinfect your phone (COVID19 can likely live up to 96 hours on phone screens)
Social distancing is also being strongly recommended.”
Business Insider Reports, Updated as of March 16, 2020 at 4:00 pm EST
Spread of COVID-19
Global
TOTAL DEATHS 7,081 CONFIRMED CASES 179,165 COUNTRIES 155
United States
TOTAL DEATHS 73 STATES 49 CONFIRMED CASES* 4,200
*Includes persons from Diamond Princess cruise ship and evacuees from Wuhan, China.
I would also like to say, regardless of your political views;
the measures health officials are suggesting are NOT for YOU in all likelihood.
These efforts are to keep people you care about safe, such as family or friends who, for one reason or another, are in a life or death situation because of their health and or age. People like my brother, who still hasn’t had either the chicken pox vaccine or chicken pox because of medical reasons, or our neighborhood grandmother, or your mentors, or….. (the list goes on. You know a lot of people. So do I.)
Washing your hands?
Keeps your friends and coworkers safe, because you aren’t bringing the germs to them! This helps their friends and families also, because you aren’t sharing through your friend to their niece or… (etc)
Not touching your face?
Good way to help ensure that even if you’re
asymptomatic (not showing symptoms, but still carrying the virus)
the germs don’t spread to your elderly family or friends who take
immunosuppressants (drugs that make your immune response less)
because they have long term health conditions, or are in the middle of an organ transplant.
Don’t touch your face, your great aunt will thank you.
Disinfect your phone?
I feel like I don’t need to explain how germs can stick to things like your phone from other surfaces and basically couch surf their way to your eyes and mouth when you use your phone. Or laptop. Cleaning off these surfaces really helps to make sure all the hard work you’re doing to keep hands clean and away from your face isn’t wasted when you text your friends that you are planning on becoming a hermit until this situation settles down.
You aren’t a hero if you force yourself to go to work when you’re sick.
If you are unable to work from home, or take time off, I’m so sorry. It’s a no-win situation and I really hope we get a vaccine for you especially soon.
If you can work from home and aren’t, ….. why????
John Oliver made his Coronavirus II video in order to inform us about government efforts, and issues we need to watch for, and Actions We Can Take.
Stay healthy and think of other people if you can ~ not everyone has the ability to shrug it off, and even though I know I’m in the age bracket that I should be fine, there are other medical reasons for me to worry. And also I keep having awful fears that anyone I contact will catch something from me that I didn’t know I was carrying, and it will really hurt them….
Welp. That should about do it.
Stay safe!!!!!!! Be kind to people, and think about who you’re impacting, not so much who’s impacting you 😀
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I live with mental illness. It’s kind of a constant battle of good days, better days, and days when, as I’ve heard some youtubers put it, the bits of my brain I’m against just… win. It’s not that I’m not trying, that I don’t care, or that I can’t do things at all, it’s just that at this time, I’m not able to do the things I really want to do.
And I’m having problems with that. I’m working on accepting that I can’t change certain things, just my reactions to them; learning ways to slow my system down so I don’t helicopter off into the stress-osphere, and trying to be okay that some days getting out of bed before noon is the accomplishment that I need to be okay with. I’m working on putting things in my life on hold, because I don’t want to give them up but know I don’t have the physical ability to do everything. I’m looking at my life and figuring out where I can set myself up for success and not for relapse.
I’m not there at acceptance, yet.
From their Website: Come to Hakubai // Where the air is fragrant // The water pure // And flowers bloom in the clear sky. //// Come to Hakubai // The Way is hard to find. // The more you seek it, // The more it will elude you // If you don’t try with your whole being // You’ll never find it. //// Come to Hakubai // Where the stones talk, // The trees walk, // And flowers bloom in the clear sky.
[Despite some very wise words from my dad, who has the benefit of practicing zen buddhism to help give me advice from.]
[Full credit, because it’s been making some parts of this process more doable and I am very grateful.]
[Thanks, Dad.] 
[Incidentally, these are photos from Hakubai in Boulder, which is a practicing Zen Buddhist site and very, very beautifully and lovingly maintained]
So, why am I here, writing a post, when there are a million and one other things for me to do?
It kind of felt like the right place to try to make something of a resolution.
October is lovingly known as Preptober by participants of the National Novel Writing Month.
While artists all around make some crazy good art for their Inktober, writers and participants of Nanowrimo take October to prepare for the month-long insanity that November induces.
[click through the link for a more coherent description of the two writing styles]
If you are a Plotter style writer, it’s time to lovingly draft out the arcs of your characters, plotlines, research and file away information in a way you can get to, draft journals or use online sites like Scrivener (which I have heard good things about and know nothing about personally), or World Anvil (another one I’ve heard good things about and know nothing about), or even use things like tabletop character sheets from D&D, Exalted, Traveller, or any number of other ways; and if you’re a Pantser style writer, you come up with a vague idea to start, maybe some characters or world details, and do your best to clear everything else out of your schedule because who knows what’s going to come out of you.
Typically, I’m a Pantser. This year, I’m doing a lot more Plotting, because I’ve already tried to write this particular novel before and I have some ideas of what doesn’t work, and what I’d like to try instead. I’m also doing more Plotting because one of my grad school classes this semester is a novel workshop, and this is the novel that I want to get through so I can have some peer reviews and also maybe the chance of figuring out not only how to get done but who to send it to when it is done, and maybe then I’ll have a book! or something resembling one.
{note- this is a remake of a thing I made on tumblr a while back, but the moving form got lost, so I did it again… @_@ link is to the original post}
Instead of this feeling like an additional task, set for me by the gods of overbooking and crash&burning, this is actually one of the things that I’m actually really looking at and trying to do as a method of getting me back out of this depression I’m in, and back onto my feet. I was reading a book called “Writing as a Way of Healing“, and in the first nine pages discovered that the best way for me to work my way back out of the depression and back to being healthy is to write myself out of the situation.
**** caveat I am also getting medical help because depression is real and not something I can willpower myself out of****
If you need help, PLEASE GET HELP. None of us have to do this alone! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
The thing about writing is that it offers (among many other things):
the ability to write exactly where I’m at and see that my feelings exist and have an impact,
space to look at what I’ve written and see where my brain is lying to me
I can explore different ways or tactics of coping with things that are hard for me/find deeprooted connections I wasn’t aware of/find a way of expressing how I’m feeling other than ‘sad’
and at the end of it all,
there’s writing for someone to look at and maybe also feel something or find a way out of something themselves.
I’m not published so I have only heard that this is how it works from the writer’s perspective, but having read a lot of books, the magic definitely lurks there. I feel connected. I feel like maybe the world isn’t so isolating, that your brain can lie to you and tell you that you are alone, and that the monsters are too big, that your friends don’t like you AND that you’re too tired; but that it can also remind you that monsters can be defeated, that there other people who also don’t want to be alone, and that sometimes you just need to take a break, sleep, dream, and get back up and at it again even if the story in your head is a hard one to overcome.
Just go to sleep. I’ve discovered the answer is nearly always just go to sleep.
So here I am, in Preptober. And lo and behold on the Nano website, is a badge for taking care of yourself.
I want to keep that badge.
And there are communities of friends I know I have (shout out to the best writing coven in the world) and ones I’m just meeting (yay grad cohort! and students!) and ones I’m going to meet very soon (possibly even in person if the times work out locally).
Maybe I can’t get my life all together right now, and maybe right now I just need to work on putting one more word on the page every day. I started today with the goal of putting one word more onto my document. And, it’s late, and technically I haven’t done that.
But instead, I finished another step in the process of getting accommodations that I need; I finished grad school work; I GOT PANTS ON AND OUT OF THE HOUSE! ; I posted on the nano boards for the first time ever; and I’ve written a whole long train of thought (WITH IMAGES AND STUFF) on a blog that I struggle to give enough attention to, as well as made dinner for myself and talked to friends about how sometimes things are hard.
I’m not making the progress I necessarily want to be making, right now.
Today, I did a lot more than I thought I would.
And the day’s not quite over yet.
I’m making an announcement here and now to keep myself accountable.
This year, I’m doing my novel writing, and I’m going to make sure that I take care of myself along the way, even when it’s really hard. And 50k or no, I’m going to have more of the writing done and more of the things I want to do also done by the end of November.
I’m writing a novel about a steampunk spaceship named False Paradox, her engineer (Dara Seagraves) and her crew, and their adventures in space.
I’m going to write the future I want to see.
I’m going to write the way I want people to remember to be, because it’s important to remember and move towards.
It’s going to be hopepunk, because even though the world is really hard, and getting up to deal with it every day is crazy, there is still so much beauty that it’s impossible not to keep moving towards that something better. And there are a LOT of people who will tell you (and have argued with me) that it’s pointless, that it’s naive to think such a thing, that everything is dark and hateful and there isn’t a reason to keep doing your best to make even little changes around you, but they are all WRONG.
And if I feel particularly down, or particularly victorious, I might even remember to share how it’s going on here.
Happy Preptober! Happy Nano Season!
Please be safe and well!
I’m currently struggling with mental illness alongside grad school crazies. But I think HelloFutureMe made a very good video about how to write mental illness in fiction, but it also really resonates as ways to interpret and experience media. There are also resources for support for those who need it, and a video of kittens attached if you need a cuteness injection.
Please stay safe and get help if you feel like you’re struggling!
Rain/Fire/Life
So tight pressure warm — between — thoughts, did you hear here we are have you seen are you hungry who is this?
Shield pressed up to warmth of sun, cold beneath fluid full of prey, of words of change of haste of remembering — this radiance!
Creep through, taste the soil, searching searching, hairs expanding, everyway I taste I taste it tastes of sweet — decay — released power deep in salty granules, forage forage; here
Here I taste strong
Devour my fill
Slowly.
Delicious.
Furl, breathe the night. Uncurl, the sun, small with sinking heat, expansive in the warming day.
Exhale.
This! Pain, what is taking my leaf? It is my own! Change change change remake myself, remake my taste? The way I smell? The leaf still trembles smaller and smaller, enzymes tasting enemy mouth, scissoring parts of my memory – this was when I first sprouted! That is my second grown leaf!
Ask them to come, say the voices in the hunting grounds, ask the others to come and they will. But how? I cry, and wail when again my leaf, my only leaves!
Help me! Come, here is a feast. These hold onto my limbs to be. Come, eat as much as you want. I will shelter you, I know the burn of these compounds now, I know you to avenge my chlorophyll.
But until you arrive — here, to the murderers of my first growth, take these sugar drops on my skin, how sweet; how sweet I am, what kindness, come and eat, come and eat. How you will startle when the ones who bite you come.
At last, relief.
At night relief.
Come hither, carry my pollen. I will offer choice, but first, your mothers, your mothers. They tire me. I would speak to the day instead.
Imagine a longer shape of cup, a brighter color, a different scent; a new perfume to woo a new counterpart. They fly as you might, but daylit, hum as you might but the breeze from their wings does not soothe dusty, their narrow caress limber and fleeting. A fond memory and gone.
Notes:
- Plant roots demonstrate hunting behavior, albeit on a much slower scale. They dig through the soil until they find where nutrients or minerals are more plentiful, then slow their growth until they’re done absorbing. The leaves also track the sun so as to better use sunlight for photosynthesis and will jostle one another for better positioning during the day and as they grow.
- Tomato Hornworm Moths will seek out Wild Tobacco plants to lay their eggs on; while the moths do help the plants pollinate, the caterpillars eat the leaves and can cause the plant to have to kick into defense mode before it gets eaten to death. When the caterpillars bite into the leaves or stems, the enzymes in their saliva interact with the chemicals in the plant. These plants have the ability to use their fragrance to encourage other predators to come in hopes they will eat the caterpillars, and also are able to emit sugary beads on their skin which (when) the caterpillars eat them make the caterpillars smell strongly to their predators. However, when these defenses don’t do the trick, the Wild Tobacco plant is capable of changing the structure, fragrance composition, and timing of its flowers. Over a period of eight days, the plant is able to change from a night blooming, moth attracting, shorter cup-shaped blossom to a day blooming, hummingbird attracting, longer cup-shaped blossom. Scientists are not entirely sure why the plants don’t just make the change permanent, but some theorize that hummingbirds are not consistent enough pollinators to serve the plants needs; the Wild Tobacco can change the flowers back when they choose to, also over an eight day period of time. Scientists are also not entirely sure how the plants are causing this change.
Daughter Vines
Radius
Diameter
Choice
Complexity of breath
Sweet, tangy, sour, bitter.
Tomato.
Yes.
Reach, forage, stretch —
There —
There.
Need. Feed. Attack.
Bite deep. Screams aerosolize.
They taste fresh, taste full, taste strong.
Help me? Help me? No.
I am here. I am
Hungry.
Feed me.
Scream for help — when they come, if they come
It is already too late
I drink your sap, make it mine
I drink your life, make it mine
I grow full, complete
My skin bloats purple
I reach the sun and rest. You will feed me.
Comfortable. Sustain my needs
That I may have daughters of my own.
Notes:
- Dodder Vines are a part of a genus which consists of somewhere between 100-170 species. They are now known to be part of the morning glory family. They like to grow in warmer climates, and only four species are native to the northern parts of Europe. Dodder vines are able to hunt other plants by searching for the odor given off by their future host.
- There are many folk names for dodder vines; strangle tare, lady’s laces, fireweed, wizard’s net, devil’s guts or hair or ringlets, goldthread, hail or hair or scald or strangle or beggarweed, helbine, love vine, pull-down, angel or witch’s hair or witches shoe laces.
- The leaves on dodder are so small and scale like that it seems like there aren’t any at all. They can make small fruits and flowers, and their seeds can survive typically 5-10 years in the soil. This is important because while they can sprout on their own, they do need to find a host plant quickly (5-10 days) after or they will die. When they find a host, they make what are called haustoria which insert and integrate into the vascular system of the host. Each plant can attach to multiple hosts. When the haustoria embed in the host, the spray of plant sap and odor released is equivalent to a human scream; this scent-scream is also best know to us as the smell of freshly cut grass.
- While dodder vines are parasitic, they do also transfer genetic information and chemical reactions which can help multiple hosts respond to herbivorous or disease based attacks by warning those not immediately impacted to being ramping up their defenses.
Fields Forever: Strawberry Song
We live to jump! firmly
push off roots one long step
stem arching like the sky
above until – tap – earth
And so! become again
sister to my sister
daughter after daughter
land and moving again.
Earth grows cold; we share space
in this small world poke leaves
and fruits out to see sun
but no! All’s cold and wet
huddling roots close for warmth
the solid world shell breaks
but not us! Look, we’re still here
in spring. Jumping, skipping
ground to shell, shell to ground
racing along, let’s see
who can reach the farthest
newest dirt and beyond!
Crown over earth, morning
pink blooms blush to berry.
Summer’s sensation’s here
and we all live to jump!
Notes:
- Strawberries create daughter versions of themselves at the end of long stalks, called runners; these stretch further out from the mother plant and, when they are long enough to bend back down to the earth from the weight of the stems, grow roots and leaves at the new contact point. They can do this many times during the growing season, which is partially why they grow in patches and also can cover ground so quickly.
- The ones which grow in our backyard live in two red ceramic strawberry pots which my mother has brought with us as we moved house to house for many years, and now live with me. We planted strawberries in them two summers ago, let them grow and left them be for the winter. Without any care or support from us, they not only survived through the winter but thrived. The pots actually broke apart a bit; they lost the little support cups that we originally planted the strawberries in, but the strawberries don’t seem to have cared because they fruited several times this year. They have come back through their second winter so far and have even been hardy enough to handle the temperature fluctuations like pros. They are very resilient berries.
- Strawberries can be one of three genders; male, female, or hermaphroditic. Male plants produce only pollen, and females can produce fruit from their pollinated flowers, but for either of these genders to reproduce you need to have the other. The hermaphroditic plants are able to self-pollinate to bear fruit. Apparently, there are two different genes which combine to determine the gender of a given plant.
- Strawberry plants tend to grow their leaves in clusters of three to a stem; they do have many stems to one plant, which creates the fullness above ground.
Opining for Conifers
I
survive
everything
I
require fire
to open seed cones
feed small pines with ash
clear complications
old branches, useless limbs, flame
exfoliates I am relieved
carrying needles I spend three years
long, patient growth I build armored bark
around water flowing I drink seasonally when
sun shining warms me I hold carbon and will keep
your energy even I revive and remake
lean and living sapwood I cling to dead heartwood
giving strength I will remember
I
when I grow
older diffuse
store energy sugars
travelling everywhere distant
cousin carbon dated eldest
sustaining acclimating water moving
lipids forming sugars dissolving and still
steady flexible adaptable alive despite
destruction alive and here stand
I
Notes:
- To opine is to explain one’s position or to make an argument but the etymology traces back to the Latin, opinari, to “have an opinion, be of opinion, suppose, conjecture, think, judge” (emphasis added).
- Conifer; earliest known usage from the Latin, meaning “cone-bearing, bearing conical fruit (conus – cone, added to ferre– to bear, carry, as in the root which means ‘to carry’ or ‘bear children’)
- Conifer trees are incredibly resilient, and can be found in some of the most difficult terrains to survive in. Instead of losing leaves every year, like deciduous trees, confers retain their needles for up to three years, which saves the tree energy wasted making and releasing new leaves. This style of growth does require more water and can create more water loss from the leaves respiring; however, the needles are also coated with cutin, which is waxy and helps prevent water from freezing and killing needles. The cutin also keeps snow from accumulating on the branches. Another way to year-round protect their needles and the small and constant photosynthesis they work through, conifers have needle structures that are very close together in order to reduce evaporation. The leaves only hold a small amount of water in them during the winter.
- The movement of water in the trees is also adapted carefully to give conifers an edge in snowy or cold terrain. Conifers have evolved a system where their cell walls are stronger than other trees cells, which helps them to withstand greater pressures of freezing and thawing expansion and compression during winter than other trees. One source records the conifer cell ability to resist pressures up to 900 psi! [Michigan State] They are also able to control the flow of water through their trunk and other places in winter so that instead of hibernating, on warmer days they can restart the system, and on colder ones they can prevent themselves from cells bursting.
- Conifers are also adapted for fire. The cutin is actually flammable, but this is good; as the tree grows older, the lower limbs age, fall into shadow, and become more of an energy drain than a benefit. With wildfires, the lower dead wood is removed and transformed into ash, and other growing things are also cleared out from where the tree is hunting for resources. Some of the conifers specifically design their cones to only open when exposed to intense temperatures, so the seeds will have a better chance of finding soil full of nutrients and room to expand.
- Carbon (and other nutrients) are drawn up through the trunk, and the conifers can produce sugars and lipids from these, but they also stock carbon; when they grow older they have these savings and don’t rely on photosynthesis as much as younger trees do. Trees also absorb radiation; the best known and studied example of this is the Red Forest, where the trees have died from the radiation but remain standing; there are signs of regrowth and the wildlife treating the area as something like a preserve as it is inhabitable, and very slowly the ecosystem is reviving itself. However, there is concern because these trees are steeped and holding all of this radioactivity; when there next comes a fire which burns the red forest, the smoke will kick up all of the absorbed radioactivity. On a smaller and less frightening scale, Suzanne Simard, a professor at the University of British Columbia, has used small amounts of radioactive material to trace how trees share nutrients and ‘talk’ to one another with great success.
- Carbon dating has shown that conifers can be the longest living and oldest trees in the world currently. There is a bristlecone pine in California named Methuselah, who is confirmed to be almost 5,000 years old. The location of Methuselah is actually kept secret for its protection.
- Sapwood is the living wood inside the bark and outer layers of the tree. Heartwood is actually dead wood at the center of the tree which the sapwood encircles. Heartwood is used to support the structure and weight of the tree as it grows, and is therefore essential.
Save
Plum shadows —
Earthshine,
moon faced —
apple peels curl —
rain drips, slow drops
falling silent — soil soaked
persists nevertheless —
seeks alluvial plains,
release
Channels grooved deep,
limnology suggests contained
flow — familiar, fierce,
enduring reptilian confidence
whispering meaningless rainfall,
soothing rivers, banked catfish,
wallowing within waterfalls
false promises: hushed creekwater,
Blossoms open, softly
dreaming honeyed nectar
Suitors floating, humming —
Listen — Invisible signs
beckon discerning eyes, soulful/
alive — pollen written love letters
hovering winds whirl heavenward
Maternal molds — meadows meeting
saplings, springing — strands stand
welcoming cultivation — extension — exploration —
speech sampled — mother tongue —
woven, composing compost
abstractions — growth —
musings — murmurs — daydreams —
limbs stretching sunward
freely
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bibliography/ Further things to read!
Cook, Bill. “How Do Trees Survive in the Winter?” Native Plants and Ecosystem Services, Michigan State University | College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, 4 Oct. 2018, http://www.canr.msu.edu/news/how_do_trees_survive_in_the_winter.
Michigan State has done fascinating research on conifers, including this straightforward article, which includes an explanation on how conifers in particular are able to survive very challenging environments.
De Moraes, Consuelo M., and Mark Mescher. “What Plants Talk About.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 6 Oct. 2014, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/what-plants-talk-about-video-dodder-vine-sniffs-out-its-prey/8234/.
This is a part of a longer piece; this particular section focuses on Dodder Vines and their ability to hunt for tomato plants based on the smell tomatoes give off. I found this very helpful in understanding and engaging with the movements of an active organism as opposed to simply seeing a plant hunt for nutrients with their roots.
“Douglas Fir.” The National Wildlife Federation, http://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Douglas-Fir.
Based off the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Forest Service, includes very short, detailed paragraphs of information on Douglas Fir trees.
Eckenwalder, James Emory. “Conifer.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 May 2018, http://www.britannica.com/plant/conifer.
Encyclopedia Brittanica has a very up to date, approachable article about Conifers in general and the different types in specific; I found the scale charts so helpful I expanded on theirs to share the one included above. However, if you cannot afford to pay for the article, it will only show part of the entire entry.
Franzen, Harald. “Plants Attract Enemy’s Enemies To Survive.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2001, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plants-attract-enemys-ene/.
Scientific American presents a straightforward and easy to approach article on how tobacco plants react and defend themselves against caterpillar attacks. Brief, and useful.
Hill, J. C. “What Plants Talk About (Full Documentary).” YouTube, DocumFeed / YouTube, 28 Feb. 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrrSAc-vjG4&index=2&list=PLhk1Y01WpCBR8Kf_9OzmAK2nMo9yklr74&t=2183s.
This is the documentary that helped to inspire this entire series of plant poems. I found it engaging, detailed, funny at times, and overall fascinating. I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in learning a basic level of information on how plants communicate without humans even noticing (most of the time!).
Howell, Catherine Herbert. Pocket Guide to the Wildflowers of North America. National Geographic, 2014.
Less useful in writing this particular paper, but very helpful in beginning to identify the plants in the backyard that I wanted to narrow in on.
Kaiser, Bettina, et al. “Parasitic Plants of the Genus Cuscuta and Their Interaction with Susceptible and Resistant Host Plants.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 16 Jan. 2015, http://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2015.00045/full.
A very dry and scientific article, nonetheless very detailed and useful look at the interaction between Tomato Plant defensive response systems in reaction to Dodder Vines (of the genus Cuscuta) written by members of the Institute of Plant Biochemistry, (Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, University of Tübingen) and the Department of Botany (Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology, Julius-von-Sachs-Institut für Biowissenschaften, Botanischer Garten der Universität Würzburg, University of Würzburg).
Kershner, Bruce. Field Guide to Trees of North America. Sterling Publ. Co., 2008.
Very useful book in identifying trees, but also particularly helpful to my research on conifers and their variations
Malakoff, David. “Devious Dodder Vine Sniffs Out Its Victims.” NPR, Science / NPR, 28 Sept. 2006, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6160709.
Another reference from a radio station article, this also links the reader the journal “Science” which featured this article, as well as including audio. I was more familiar with this article when I started.
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. “Tobacco plant thwarts caterpillar onslaught by opening flowers in the morning.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 January 2010. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100121135659.htm>.
I found this site useful for the scientific facts and explanations of how these plants were able to change from one form to another in order to attract different types of pollinators.
McLendon, Russell. “This Parasitic Vine Helps Plants Communicate.” MNN – Mother Nature Network, Mother Nature Network, 13 Sept. 2017, http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/dodder-vine-plant-communication.
An approachable, easy to read article about research on dodder vines and their ability to transfer warnings of infestations from one plant to another.
MidiSprout. “Plants FM.” Plants FM, MidiSprout / Plants FM, http://www.plants.fm/.
This site offers the best selections of sound, produced as the nodes on a plant read the electrical currents the plants emit and turns that current into a tonal frequency; the sound is quite beautiful, and reminiscent of my imagined Farandolae from Madeleine L’Engle’s Wrinkle in Time Series. The exhibit of the MidiSprout device, which is what is transferring plant response to audible music, that is currently at the Denver Botanical Gardens in the Orchid Room is what began this entire endeavor, as I was startled into thinking about how plants react to the world around themselves, to each other, and also to us. Youtube has a great variety of plant recordings, including one where a man played music to his plant for 6 hours with the midi sprout transmitting, and over time the plant’s rhythms and patterns changed to interact with the sounds the man was playing. I would strongly recommend starting at Plant FM and then looking up the Midi Sprout on Youtube for more adventures in plant song.
Nuwer, Rachel. “Forests Around Chernobyl Aren’t Decaying Properly.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 14 Mar. 2014, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/forests-around-chernobyl-arent-decaying-properly-180950075/.
Really useful introduction to the environmental effect of the Chernobyl radiation disaster, and how it is impacting the plant life around the area.
“Online Etymology Dictionary.” Edited by Anonymous, Index, www.etymonline.com/.
The OED has been an accurate source of information for a large lexicon and the roots, or lineages, that led to modern or archaic word meanings. It is a very useful and reliable resource for definitions and linguistic backgrounds, and is also fun to see what words mean or where they started.
Peterson, Lee Allen, and Roger Tory Peterson. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999.
Very dry and somewhat difficult to navigate, but did have some useful information on evergreens and conifers that helped me narrow down what information I was actually missing.
PBS, Nature on. “Wild Tobacco Plant Tricks Caterpillars for Self-Defense | Nature on PBS.” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Mar. 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wunMErJJl00.
This source is a nice little documentary style explanation of one of the tactics the wild tobacco plant uses to prevent caterpillars (and presumably other herbivorous predators) from devouring its leaves or other necessary parts.
Wernick, Adam, and Alexa Lim. “The ‘Vampire Plant’ Is Even More Nefarious than Scientists Thought.” Public Radio International, PRI, 22 Aug. 2014, 4:00 pm, http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-08-22/vampire-plant-even-more-nefarious-scientists-thought.
Interview with James Westwood, both audio and written form, about dodder vines and their tactics and tendencies. I found it useful to listen to the article to confirm facts in conjunction with my other sources.
Yao, Stephanie. “Strawberry Gender Decided by Two Genes, Not One.” Dark Green Leafy Vegetables : USDA ARS, United States Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service , 6 Aug. 2009, www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2009/strawberry-gender-decided-by-two-genes-not-one/.
A preview of future poetic entries to come:
Garden Medley
Snow caught
Snow drop
Daffodils
present March
glow
Rose:
thorn throats
thrones throve
Opium orange
Ghost tears
Witch socks
Disturbed growth
Summer poppies
Godlike
viewing green
foliage/pests
herbivorous insects
“Release
the Ladybugs”
Chemical Warfare
Spotted Knapweed vs. Wild Lupine
Royal purples – Wars of Roses
historically tame: these intruders
murdered innocent bystanders (grasses)
Spotted Highwaymen vs. Wild Shield Walls
(winner?) only worms
Note on Rose:
- There are two types of embryonic leaves that form the two major categories of flowering plants; monocotyledons (single embryonic leaves) and dicotyledons (which have two embryonic leaves). Roses are dicots in terms of their embryonic leaves.
Notes on Chemical Warfare:
- The Spotted Knapweed is a destructive invasive species, brought to North America from Europe. Here, the climate and insects haven’t deterred growth and they have spread widely because of the lack of any natural enemies; they are also very sturdy, as even insects burrowing into the taproots don’t slow them down. These plants grow best in places of turbulent soils, and the monocultures (especially around human roads and houses) cause huge drops in biodiversity
- Spotted Knapweed deploys chemicals through its roots into the soil in order to break down the nutrients; however these chemicals are also fatal to the native grasses and the death of the natives allows the Knapweed to take over vast swathes of land. This type of area denial is rare in plants. The problem with Knapweed is that it releases (-)-catechin where most plants are working in the (+) spectrum.
- Wild Lupines, however, release oxalic acid to take apart the nutrients; oxalic acid acts as a shield barrier, preventing further spread of the (-)-catechin and providing protection to other plants nearby (for example, to the grasses!) This balance and positive feedback of plants is much more typical, demonstrating how different attributes of various flora can work together to more effectively form a healthy community/ecosystem.
Shadow Dancers: Fuchsia
I am sunsets sepals and petals
curled tongues, outstretched carapaces
autumnal hummingbird alizarin crimson
whispered fuchsia poison dart frog violet
wispy daybreak clouds pale eggshell indigo
nightmare mauve sliced yam peelings
Shadow / Light
branches as canopy synthesize sun
hammocks between limbs create sanctuary
rocks as bulwark constricting membranous scales
laddered bark supports escaping floods
companionship as community
epiphytic
Notes:
- Diagram of the parts of a fuchsia flower (from the Solent Fuchsia Club). The sepals are the outermost petals that close around the flower before it actually blooms; they’re a bit thicker and act as armor for the petals until they’re ready to emerge. There are typically four petals which curl around each other like a group hug with the stamens and pistils in the center.
- Fuchsia flowers have grown wild and still grow in the oak forests of South America, among other places. Cuttings and seeds from these have been taken for the more ‘domestic’ variations we grow in gardens. They are most often found either wrapping their roots around rocks between ferns, mosses, and other ground covers, or up about 3 – 6 feet off the ground. They don’t like to live in flooded soil, but they also dislike being too dry, so they tend to bloom and do best in the seasons of the year with more precipitation.
- Epiphytic plants are those which grow on and around other plants but don’t predate on them; instead, they photosynthesize and gather water and other nutrients on their own. In the case of fuchsia plants, which like to live in oak trees, they don’t even compete for pollinator attentions, as oak trees are wind pollinated and fuchsia plants draw hummingbirds and others to pollinate and help their seeds to travel.
- Fuchsia roots wrap around the bark of the host, or the rock, and create a sort of ‘scaly’ like dry skin, papery membrane around themselves to anchor on.
- We have a variant of fuchsia in our backyard called ‘shadow dancers’; they need to keep cool and grow best in partial shade. They are very sturdy little flowers but look incredibly delicate; the colors are very vibrant, and they bloom often during late summer to early fall, when watered carefully.
(Image also from the Solent Fuchsia Club site)
Copyright © 2019 Anastasia Barnett
Briar Roses and Thorns 