squeetus

Look what I got for my birthday

My sister come over a couple of months ago and I gave her some of my author copies of Forest Born. She asked me to sign one "Happy birthday" but leave the name off since she didn't know yet who to give it to. Turns out, it was for me, the duplicitous hussy! The post-it says, "Signed by the author!" I hope you all have sisters as generous as mine.

Thanks for the well wishes! Yep, it's my birthday, 38 today, though I guarantee I barely look a day over 37. Today I command you all to eat cake in my honor. Send me pictures and I'll post them.

Oh, and if you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I should announce here as well the title of the Princess Academy sequel:

PALACE OF STONE

One week till Austenland

I'm so happy in one week I get to share this book to the masses. I tweeted yesterday how I got my big box of books, the author copies of midnight in austenland (an event that always reminds of that one scene in Back to the Future). I sat down for my daily writing time and just opened the book to look it over. Sometime later I found myself on page 40. I got sucked in! By my own book! That I've read dozens of times already! Embarrassing, but still made me excited to share it.

I'm working on the midnight in austenland section of my website and will post here bits of it over the next week.

How it started:

This book started with a character sketch. Well, I suppose technically it started years before that with austenland, which was published in 2006. In November 2009, Jerusha Hess and I were working on the Austenland screenplay and I thought it would be helpful to her if I wrote up character sketches for all the major characters. With Colonel Andrews, I wrote that he is like the Julie McCoy of Pembrook Park. He enjoys making up little entertainments for the guests, such as performing theatricals, making up mini-mysteries for them to solve, etc.

I got to thinking about that last item, and the idea of it pleased me so much. What kind of mystery would Andrews invent? And what if there was a second, possibly real mystery as well? What if a guest wasn't sure which, if any, were make believe? Like Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey. Austenland was a perfect venue to further explore the ideas of reality and fantasy through mystery. The idea was positively alluring.

I had never considered writing a sequel to austenland. I liked Jane's story where it ended and nothing provoked me to bring her back. But now I was having ideas of another Austenland adventure. Pembrook Park went on without Jane, its inhabitants continued to live. Who else might visit and get entangled in Colonel Andrews's mystery? The idea of Charlotte's story came to me in such wonderful detail I knew immediately I was hooked.

It wouldn't be a sequel. I thought of it instead as a kind of Fantasy Island (note the Love Boat reference above as well--you know how I spent my Saturday nights in the early 1980s). Each week new guest stars came to Fantasy Island to live out their fantasy, got what they needed, then went home again. Pembrook Park was a sort of Fantasy Island, wasn't it? I could write another book where some of the characters from the first book are still present, but a new main character arrives on vacation. The idea that Miss Charming would still be there seemed an absolute (and made me laugh). Mrs. Wattlesbrook is still in charge. But there would be a new guest, new gentlemen, new adventures.

I started writing it almost immediately. As Jerusha and I continued to work on the screenplay through the first half of 2010, I kept getting more ideas for Austenland and was fully immersed myself. All in all, it was quite a quick book, taking me only a year from first to final draft. And it was a gift too. Most of my time writing, I was pregnant with twins (nausea leading into bed rest). Escaping to Austenland, like Charlotte, was exactly what I needed.

The mighty librarian

Newbery morning always feels like Christmas morning to me. Gleeful congrats to the many winners! I love that the most prestigious book awards for children's literature (and, indeed, any literature) are awarded by librarians. Longtime squeetusers know my tenderness for librarians and libraries, and so might well understand how thrilling it was for me to receive the following email (posted with the author's permission). I often feel so quiet and isolated here in my house, taking care of kids and often reaching out only via a computer. It's a humbling reminder to me that what I say and do affects others.

-----------

My name is Katelynn, and I have to start by saying that I love your books. I cannot wait to read Midnight in Austenland and the Princess Academy sequel this year. I've been following your blog for some time as well, and I really enjoy reading your thoughts. I am currently a senior English major at the University of Georgia and am in the process of applying to graduate programs in library and information science. My ultimate goal is to work as a youth services librarian, to help teenagers find books that they love as much as I loved (and still love) The Goose Girl when I was fourteen. After I fell in love with the book, I started poking around on your website and was really intrigued by the things I read there. The section that you call "ramblings" played a part in my choice of career path. This is an excerpt from my statement of purpose that was submitted with my graduate applications, which can hopefully explain a little better why I'm writing to thank you.

"The summer after I turned fourteen, I was wandering through the teen section of my public library searching for books to bring along on my family’s upcoming beach vacation. These types of aimless excursions are not always fruitful, but on that particular day I got incredibly lucky: I picked up Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl. The book didn’t even make it to the beach; I completely devoured it on the six-hour car ride. Hungry for more of Hale’s lyrical language and her complex, vivid world, I researched the author and discovered that a companion novel would be released the following August. The day I bought Enna Burning I shut myself in my room and read until my eyes were dry, and still I wanted more. As I began researching Hale’s books and exploring her website, I discovered a lengthy discussion she had written on a topic that deeply interested me. Why do so many teenagers dread and then avoid the books they have been assigned in their English classes? I never understood why I loved to read so much outside of class but had to fight tooth and nail to simply get through my school-assigned reading. Hale suggests in her articles that kids do not always relate to the characters and stories with which they are presented in school, and she believes that the solution to the teenage reading apathy is simple: libraries. After considering this problem and Hale’s presented solution, I have become convinced that librarianship is the path for me. I can think of no better career than one that gives me the ability to help children and teens find books that pull them in, enchant them, and light a fire inside them. I want the ability to help others discover the world of literature that exists beyond the classroom and its research papers and analysis essays. There is no doubt that those things are valuable, but so many children miss out on the wealth of knowledge, experience, and insight that can be obtained through the literature they can find in their local libraries. I want to pursue a career that allows me to connect middle- and high-school aged teens with words and stories that give them the feeling of endless possibilities I had when reading Hale’s works."

I know that you must receive thousands of emails every day and many of them might look something like this, but I felt that I needed to share this little bit of my life with you since you had such a great deal to do with it. I'm so grateful for your books, your language, and the fact that you put this important discussion on your website. I hope that I can become one of the awesome librarians that you talk so much about.

Again, thank you. I am a huge lover of literature, and it makes my heart smile that it was your beautiful book that led me to choose the right path for my life.

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Speechless.

In which naughty words are used in an academic way

Thanks for all your great comments on the last post. I saw that a few people misunderstood me, so let me clarify two points. Sorry I was so muddy-tongued.

1. With the numbered list, my point was that, in my opinion, none of those things are true.

2. I do not believe that YA lit and nothing else should be taught in schools. In fact, I don't understand the either/or mentality in any instance. One must study classics or nothing. One must love young adult literature or nothing. Why? Who says? This confuses me. My whole point is--variety! Spice! Limitless possibilities!

And now...a guest post! I sent the article to my very dear, very old, very smart friend Rebecca. We celebrated New Year's Eve together in 1989, her birthday in 2011, and everything in between. She taught middle school English and now has been a high school English teacher for many years. She's one of those teachers who parents cross their fingers and hope their kids get, whether advanced or barely speaking English. This is her response.

"What an interesting article. It is a vivid reflection of a popular philosophy girding the teaching of Language Arts and literature in our country. However, I find it telling that the author must dangle the carrot of "fellatio and anal sex" to get that classical reading horse to move along. That said, as a Language Arts instructor, I believe in a heavy diet of variety. For one, it is important to me that my students are undaunted by the written word. I want them to have a sense of confidence in their ability to navigate the many waters of the written word without fear of drowning. Building confidence comes from providing students with multiple opportunities to interact with multiple types of text. There is something powerful in watching someone discover the fluidity of language and the many artful ways it can be used to express "truth". Further, I can't begin to put into words the honor of being there when a student "conquers" their first novel or comes back for a second helping after reading a great story. Sadly, forcing Shakespeare on an emerging reader does little in building confidence or independence. At its worse, it turns the reader off to the written word entirely (regardless of the number of times a bawdy line or raunchy lyric is pointed out).

"Once a student has developed a proficiency and love of reading, it is so much fun to explore  more "complex" texts. However, text complexity is not determined by the age of the story. Nor is it determined by how many elite academics say it is important. Instead, I think it is determined by narrative style, variance in characterization, theme, layers of irony, the use of figurative language or allusions to other texts (just to name a few elements we discuss in class). My students are exposed to digital texts, graphic novels, poetry, vignettes, children's stories, Y.A. fiction and excerpts from a few classics. As we read through the various texts, we discuss genre style, effective storytelling techniques and the "relevance" of the text in both historic and modern contexts. In short, we build a relationship with the text. 

"I think a teacher is doing her students a disservice if she fails to address all the creative and aesthetic ways the written word can be used to enrich our lives. In the end, I like to believe that my students are "elevated" and truths are revealed, in part, because we do not narrow ourselves as readers. I have no problem with the article author's passion for "classical" literature. But, I fear he is misguided and antiquated in his thinking if he truly believes it is the ONLY text that can artfully expose human truth. There exists a graveyard of former readers whose love of reading was strangled by this singular perspective, I don't want my students to join them."

In which I gamely stick out my tongue

I tried to ignore this article, but a rant has been boiling up in me for days and I'm afraid I've got to let out some steam. But hopefully in a kind and respectful way. The NY Post saw fit to give this man and his ideas a loud podium. I feel like it merits a response from my own quiet one. In my opinion, this article is riddled with faulty assumptions:
1. Books can only do one thing: elevate. If they entertain, then they can't elevate too. [WHY THE HECK NOT?]
2. Only books written in dead languages hundreds of years ago can truly elevate, or even "save," inner city teens. [So strange and limiting!]
3. Shakespeare, Homer, etc., didn't write to entertain. [Ha!]
4. A teacher's responsibility is to introduce students to literature they can't access on their own, not without a wise scholar to aid their journey, like Virgil led Dante through hell. [I believe the best books are widely accessible at first read and reveal layers upon study, but that's just me. Wouldn't it be great if students devoured the assigned reading at home, and then in class, with the aid of the teacher, discovered a depth and invigorating ideas they hadn't noticed before?]
5. Because Walter Dean Myers's books entertain, because the students could relate to the characters and recognize in them their own world, they are not elevating. [pbbbth...]
6. The older the book, the better for you. [I talked a bit about that idea here.]

To quote librarian Betsy Bird: "To sum up: Gee, why didn't they make Homer the new National Ambassador?"

I find it interesting how many people have a real problem with young adult literature and believe the only good books for teens are adults books, preferably written by long-dead authors. I think in order to respect young adult literature, you have to have a certain philosophy about young adults. Here is my philosophy: I believe that teenagers are not children. I believe teenagers are not adults. I believe that the teen years are essential, that a person needs those years to explore, learn, question, and play. I believe that teenagers are often capable of understanding and appreciating literature that is written for adults but that they deserve their own category of books as well. Books that both resemble their own world as well as question it, turn it on its side, and leave it light years behind. Books that present characters teens can relate to and think with. Books that celebrate that unique time of life along with encouraging growth. Books that help them mold their identity by presenting many options and ideas. Books that are breezy reads, anguishing tragedies, laugh-out-loud romps, heart-stopping adventures, heady tomes, or blood-rushing romances. Books that can be as many things as a teenager can.

Here's where i get a little rude: I suspect that people who can't respect young adult lit also don't respect young adults. I suspect that people who belittle children's literature don't think much of children. I suspect those kinds of adults only respect other adults and wish teenagers would hurry up and become adults already.

Teen years are not years of shame to be hurried over so "real life" can begin. They are to be explored and relished. With caution, hopefully, as these proto-adults are so powerful they can make choices now that forever change their lives. No adult should be judged by what they did as teenagers. And no teenagers should be prodded to shut their eyes and hurry through their teen years. It's painful and beautiful, just like life. Maybe because, it is just that.

These are a few of my favorite words

I want some good words today, peeps. I want to infuse my writing with some choice words that I may be neglecting. So let's do a nice trade, shall we? Off the top of my head, here are some words I love, and then you give me some you love in the comments. That's fair, isn't it? Words you like the look of, words you like to taste on your tongue, words whose meanings are unique and fun, whatever you like. Have you noticed how any group of lucious words together sounds like a poem?

pumpkin

struedel

lozenge

kestrel

disappear

wash

shriek

gallant

shudder

rife

succulent

peevish

tattered

clack

din

canter

lilt

round

yarn

ominous

stale

fish

please

What's the symbol of a symbol?

Re: last post, commentor ruthie directed me to a wonderful article in the Paris Review with decades-old author responses on the subject of symbolism in writing. I love that they rarely agree! My favs were Ralph Ellison's and Ray Bradbury's. I found myself thinking "here, here!" with both, even though they don't totally agree. Explaining the process of writing a book may be even harder than actually doing it. But it's fun to try, isn't it?

Working hard, every free moment. At last the title is official! PRINCESS ACADEMY 2: Revenge of the Mountain Goats*

 

*this title is a lie. Believe nothing Shannon says. She is clearly insane.

Savory Story (TM): Now stuffed with meaning!

There's an (apocryphal?) story people have plied me with many times over the past decade. It involves Robert Frost. A woman approaches him at a reading, praising one of his poems for invoking such-and-such metaphor or allusion. Robert Frost is surprised and says he didn't think about that when he wrote it. And so, the people who tell me the story conclude, poets just write poems and writers just write stories and have no idea the multi-layered meanings that readers take from it.

I've searched for the source of this story and haven't been able to find it. But assuming it's true, I question the conclusion. Surely no one believes Robert Frost just threw a bunch of pretty words together with no thought about meaning. Of course there will always be unique connections and meanings a reader will bring to a piece of writing. Readers have their own experiences, beliefs, needs. That's part of the magic of reading. But that doesn't mean a writer takes no thought, especially not one like Robert Frost who poured and ached over each poem.

I was on an author panel once when a teen girl in the audience asked if writers really intend to put in all those symbols and themes and such that their English teachers have them ferret out. I had to respond, "Sorry, yes, some of us do." She seemed disappointed. Her English teacher found me after to thank me. I empathize with the students. I was such a student once and worn down by having to tear apart stories instead of just read for pleasure, but I think it was an invaluable exercise. The ability to analyze a text has been a huge boon for me, both as a student of any discipline and as a writer.

Many times I've been somewhere to speak and the introducer has talked about one of my books, outlining the themes and giving a really lovely review of the significance and resonance of the story. This is always very flattering, since most introducers just read my bio from my website or book jacket. But then so often she or he will turn to me and say congenially, "You probably didn't even know you put all that in the story, did you?"

But of course I did.

When I'm writing, I'm not thinking about what an English class might study. I'm not thinking in words like "symbol" and "theme." But I do take careful stock of the story. I study early drafts to see what motifs have started to occur, what ideas seem to repeat themselves naturally. Then I examine what the story needs and nurture those motifs into what an English teacher would call a theme, and I do that in order to make the story stronger, to add layers of meaning that will make the book more intriguing as well to give it an emotional connection. I am very aware of creating connections--with other works, with historical events unmentioned, with other ideas within the story. I do this all with a great deal of thought and purpose. I or another writer might be unaware of one of a reader's personal interpretations, but that doesn't mean we're unaware of any allusion or motif.

It's important for me to clarify this because I don't want anyone to dismiss writers as blind typists. That's unhelpful and unrealistic for the sake of budding writers. If all meaning is accidental, what motivation would a writer have for the hard labor of rewrites upon rewrites? And if writers don't do the hard labor, the quality of books deteriorates. Selfish of me maybe, because I'm a reader first and I want good books to read. As a writer, I aim to imbue my story with as much meaning as the seams can hold and yet keep it open enough to allow a reader to make her own personal connections as well. I suspect most writers do the same. Even Robert Frost.

This year on squeetus

I feel like I've been on maternity leave for a year and a half, but I can't lurk much longer. Two books coming out in 2012. My agent punned, "When it rains and pours, and 2012 is the year it Hales!"

• MIDNIGHT IN AUSTENLAND releases! Amazon says Jan 31 so I'm going with that. I should have a section on my website for that book by then.
• I'm doing more signings in Utah than I've done for any book, starting with the release party at The King's English on Feb. 4 and continuing through March. Also running out to the Indianapolis youth literature conference. 
• Come here for your PRINCESS ACADEMY sequel updates, including the official title, cover, & release date. Bloomsbury will be doing some fun stuff to build up to it, including contests. I'm really excited about one thing we're doing and I just know some of you squeetusers will be involved.
• I will tour for PA2 this fall. I don't control where I go. Publicists usually send authors to areas where there's a strong bookstore to organize a signing event, usually in conjunction with school visits and radio/TV interviews. All of that goes through Katy Hershberger: Katy.Hershberger (at) bloomsbury (dot) com. If you want me, she's the lady to talk to!
• Oh yeah, and there's a movie in the works! I'm sure I'll have updates on the AUSTENLAND movie this year.
• Blog! Um, I'm a bit over my head at the moment, and talking to other twins moms, that may continue for the next 2.5 years. But I'll try to post at least once a week. I Twitter-talk a bit more often.

Come for the talk, stay for the photos of my twin girls, leave with a book or two. I'm honored to have you at squeetus.

My kids play a mean kazoo

Time for photos? And some evidence of my musically-inclined offspring.

Clearly natural talents. And how lucky to have a duet partner. You should have heard their dulcet pounding playing!

Grandpa's music draws a crowd. They must have inherited their musical talents from him.

2011 Great Reads

Peeking my head up from rewrites and babies (so many babies!) to end the  year with my annual great reads roundup. This past year was probably the least productive reading year of my life. I just didn't have hands free, evenings free, days free, anything free for books. With my second baby, I listened to a lot of audio books, but I found even that challenging with twins. Two babies require three times the attention (math?). But I was able to read from time to time, and here are some of my outstanding reads.

Middle grade:

Kat, Incorrigible, by Stephanie Burgis

An alternate, magical Regency period (Jane Austen's time), this reads like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for middle graders. The UK title is A Most Improper Magick, which I love. Kat starts the book by cutting off her hair and running away dressed as a boy to go save her family's fortunes. She gets as far as the front gate. But adventures still come her way--a mysterious magical legacy, evil suitors, highwaymen, and perhaps most dangerous of all, a house party. 

Palace Beautiful, by Sarah DeFord Williams

Reading this book made me feel 11 again and reminded me of what reading felt like at that age. I don't know how, but she managed to do that just right. A dual story--contemporary children find an old diary kept a century earlier by a girl who used to live in that house around the time of the horrible flu epidemic. Really lovely.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin

Perfect tale of a girl's adventure in a fantastical ancient China. Illustrations are lovely, story is simple and sweet.

Icefall, by Matthew Kirby

Not sure if this is middle grade or teen, but could be either. The narrator, the plain second daughter of a Viking king, spends a winter with her sister, brother, servants and a few warriors iced in a fjord hideaway, hoping to survive both the winter and the war raging out beyond the ice. So much atmosphere, such great characters. Kirby is a wonderful writer.

Princess Academy, by me

Had to reread this one as I was writing the sequel. First time I've ever read one of my own books after publication.

For Teens and up: (note that some of these books have mature content)

Divergent, by Veronica Roth

Many are looking for the successor to The Hunger Games, and many claim Divergent is it. I loved this book. Interesting dystopian future with memorable characters and lots of action. Sequels to come.

Matched, by Ally Condie

Another dystopian world, but less scifi and more romance. A lovely read with lots of great questions. The sequel Crossed is out, not that I've been able to read it. [inside scoop: Ally is even cooler than her books, if that's possible]

Red Glove, by Holly Black

Love Holly. Love her new series. Start with White Cat. Contemporary, urban fantasy, mixing the mob, grafters, and magic. Can't wait for the third.

Daugher of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor

Lush. Here's a book that will please fans of high fantasy, paranormal romance, and just plain good writing. Always a fan of Laini's, this book even exceeds her others. I didn't realize it was the first in a series until near the end, but the disappointment of a cliffhanger was far outweighed by my anticipation of returning to this world.

Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins

A really great, solid romance. Atlanta girl. Paris boarding school. Cute French/British boy. Complications. Humor. Kissing. Good time.

For Adults:

The Thin Man, by Dashiell Hammett

If you like film noir, it's fun to read Hammett's great works and see where it all came from. Tightly written detective mystery full of atmosphere and characters that seem like cliches until you realize that he invented those cliches. We read this as a group of friends, and no one enjoyed it as much as I did.

Madensky Square, by Eva Ibbotson

I read a piece in the Horn Book at the time of Ibbotson's death that this book she considered her best. I find it interesting that so often, the books we authors feel best about are often our least popular. I very much enjoyed this first person account of a seamstress and mistress in Vienna. Really like Ibbotson and have made a lifetime goal to read all her books.

Midnight in Austenland, by yours truly

I did read this one a lot this year, going over copy edits and proofs, etc. One month till I get to share it with all!

Audio books:

Room, by Emma Donoghue

The first half of this book was so stressful for me, at one point I just had to listen for several hours straight instead of sleeping. Interesting, tense. As a writer, really great to see how the author manages to tell an entire novel from the POV of a five-year-old. Not easy--impossible some might say--and I think she totally pulls it off. This one stayed with me.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson

Wonderful reader! I was so lost in the story, I never questioned the different voices. Contemporary setting in England, old world vs. new world, and a sweet, twilight romance. Perfectly, poignantly written.

When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris

I'm a Sedaris fan, and I love to hear his self-read pieces best. This collection is as good as all of his. Some vulgarity. If you don't know Sedaris, a good place to start might be The Santa-Land Diaries.

EDIT: Just realized how it looks to have two of my own books in a post called "Great Reads." Yikes! I didn't mean to tout them that way. I was just looking over my list of books read and they were on there, so I put them in since they were so much of my reading this year. Blerg.

My life equation

2 14-month olds +

1 2nd grader +

1 preschooler +

1 husband +

1 house +

15,000 useless items that are constantly strewn about and no matter how many times I put them away somewhere they reappear like a hydra with its endless supply of monstrous heads +

15,000 pieces of food on the floor (usually tossed from 2 highchairs) +

1 major holiday +

1 crushingly high pressure book deadline =

My life this month