On primates and plays

Having an infant always reminds me that humans are animals. I feel so mammalian, nursing my young, smelling them, knowing them by scent. I'm constantly kissing their heads and breathing in through my nose. I can smell when other people have been holding them, can sense the alien on their skin.

I'm also so aware that we are primates. I feel best when my babies are on me: asleep on my chest, in my arms, hanging on me in a baby carrier. Like all primates, babies are social. It fascinates me that babies this young are already aware of being alone. When they realize they are alone, they fuss. "Hey, I'm alone over here! Doesn't anyone care? It's not right!" They want to be picked up, held, rocked, talked to, sung to, those powerful affirmations of togetherness. And we respond instincitvely. A baby makes eye contact, and we look back. A baby smiles, and we smile. A baby coos, and we coo too. A conversation! Every bit as important as any college campus dialog or theatrical reparte.

Speaking of theater, I had the opportunity last week to see a university student one-act play adapted from my book austenland. It was an interesting and somewhat surreal experience to view people playing characters I made up speaking lines I wrote. It was my story...and yet it wasn't. I finally put my finger on it. It was like getting a glimpse inside the head of a reader, seeing the story they tell themselves when they read my book. It's famililar yet looks and feels a little different than it does when I imagine it. Just one reader's experience. Thrilling! I think this is a good way to think about movies-from-books as well. Sure, the movie is not what was in my head when I read the book, but it's getting a glimpse of another reader's experience, having a chance to experience the book in another way. It shouldn't replace our own reading experience, but can be fun and fascinating too.

P.S.  I'm the online host for Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect Fairy Tale Party on Dec 10.

Comments

[Shannon Morris]

How cool that your book has been done as a one-act. What a compliment! Any more on movie talk?

[Enna Isilee]

Squee! Oh, the whole cast was SO happy you came, Shannon. Honored, really. :)

And as someone who practically LIVES on a college campus, I must say that our dialog is very primate-ish in nature. ;)

[Christy Grigg]

Ahhh! I'm only half-way through this pregnancy and already craving those "primate" moments. I can't wait to snuggle, kiss, and smell my baby girl. What a tantalizing post!

Awesome about the play...I just love that book. Can't wait for MIA!!

[Shortina]

Getting to see your book as a play, what a cool experience. But also odd, liking watching someone else play and coddle your child.

[gracie]

Soooooo true...
Whenever a person sees a movie based on a book, they usually say that the company changed the book completely into a whole new, different story. That may be true, but did we ever stop and think that maybe, they altered the story from what we imagine it to be, to what they imagine it to be? Now I know that next time I see a movie, I can appreciate the castings, the storyline, and the settings much more, and not critique it so harshly.

P.S. Must be really cool to see a play of your own book!

[Katie]

How fun to see a play made from your book! I bet it was surreal - but what an honor. :)

[Christen]

Babies are incredible... :)

[Sara B. Larson]

What an interesting experience that must have been, very cool.

And I totally understand what you mean about smelling my babies. I totally do the same thing. I have to tell you--you look AMAZING. I can't believe you just had twins. Wow, girl. And also, your babies are too darn cute! I'm so glad I got to see you and Dinah on Saturday. :)

[Cassie]

I was there!!! If only I didn't have a class on the other side of campus right after! I had to rush out even before they had the discussion.

[Elinor]

These are good points, but still, I can never forgive the Harry Potter movie makers! At least for the movies 3-7.
It is interesting, though, the way we watch someone else's interpretation. It's really a wonder we can like movies at all, everyone's so unique and complex.

[Alexandra Wood]

Babies are so sweet.

[Amber]

People always give me an odd look when I say that I could tell my twins apart in the dark just by smelling them. I'm glad someone else knows what I'm talking about!

[Abigail]

Just wondering, how would you feel if one of your books was made into a movie? Would you want to be involved at all, or just wait to see the finished product?

[Samantha Stewart]

sniffing babies is a favorite pasttime of mine. I know exactly what you mean when someone else holds your baby and the smell comes back with them.

[Amber]

I would love to see The Goose Girl become a movie!

[Abby Minard]

So cool, a one act play with your book? And I loved Austenland! And I totally get that about books-to-movies- it's a reader's interpretation (I hope the creator of the movie has at least read the book ;p)

[Raindrops]

"A baby makes eye contact, and we look back. A baby smiles, and we smile. A baby coos, and we coo too."
It's so true!:) And when they laugh, we laugh.

--Raindrops

[Nadia]

Any change the play will be performed again -- and advertised so those living close can come and see it?

[Nadia]

Any chance, not change. Shesh! I should just stop typing now

[yaks]

Babies re so cute!

[Ing]

That bit about babies is so true. A friend of mine commented on that the other day. How adults will do anything to make a baby smile. We'll laugh, coddle, make strange noises, act like children ourselves, and just to see a smile or hear a laugh. What would this world be like without babies? Terrible.

[Lee Jee Young]

Hello, Ms. Hale.
I'm sorry not to visit your blog for long time because of my school exam.
My name is Lee Jee Young, one of your korean fans, and I'm Korean fan cafe's staff.
I want you to admit our cafe as your official fan cafe.
It'll be honored to 134 cafe members if you admit.
I'm waiting your reply.
Korea fan site : http://cafe.naver.com/vmflstptmtlflwm

Best regards,
Lee Jee Young

[Angi Parks]

I've got one of those teeny beanie primates myself - Delia Claire was born on October 5. She's my third little girl, and I am soaking up every bit of her sunshiny goodness.

Shannon, I just finished "The Actor and The Housewife," and I miss hanging out with Becky and Felix! Thank you for that marvelous book. I find myself thinking of Becky often, and hoping to somehow emulate her good spirit and kindness. The book came along at the perfect time. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you'll publish next. - Angi in Indiana

[Lillie]

babies r adorable :)

[Sae-yoen]

Hi! I love your story book.
I'm your fen cafe in Korea.
http://cafe.naver.com/vmflstptmtlflwm/1992
My name is sae yoen. And my nick name is 'lovely isi'.
As Bo kyung said, she and I are members of your fan cafe in Korea.
In this cafe, there are 131 members are join it!

[Nashelie]

Hello Ms.Hale i love the books of bayern, when i read them its like they come to life. Isi, Enna, Dasha, Rin are my favorite charcters. Thank you so much for sharing your wounderfull talent with the rest of the world.

[Kym @ Twinsideout]

Shannon, do your twins smell distinctly different?? I always knew a mom knows her baby's smell, but that it was ONE smell (like a family scent) - it never occured to me that the babies would smell so different from each other, and yet so MINE at the same time... And also so different from their older sister!

Oh, I thought everything from that first few months was gone into "the blur", but I'm so glad your post brought back that sensory memory! Thank you...

[Je Reve]

When I read the post title, I imagined you and the twins in monkey costumes.

How absolutely cool, to see your work on a stage!

[Lisa Asanuma]

I don't know if you backread comments on older posts, but I offer you this:

"After all, reading is arguably a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the colors of the sky during the setting sun, or the smell of a warm summer's breeze on their face, they should reserve as much praise for themselves as the do for the writer - perhaps more."
— Jasper Fforde (The Well of Lost Plots)