Seeing the Write Sights

I just got back from a trip to Italy a few days ago and, while I might already want to go back, have found a lot of writing inspiration from this vacation. I'd been in a writing rut for a long time, avoiding writing anything new or editing anything old for a long time. Thankfully, my sister gave me a travel journal before I left, and I quickly filled it with detailed notes about our trip. Additionally, my tour director told me that she writes a story for every place that she visits, so I've decided to try something new and write a story for each of the cities I visited. Not only have I found inspiration to write through seeing Venice, Florence, and Rome, but I also found some interesting spots for writers in these historic cities. These "write sights" might be of interest to writers making a trip to Italy.

  Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice- My sister's friend recommended that I make a stop by this unique store, and I'm glad that I did. This store, right on one of the canals, has books in every nook and cranny imaginable. Upon entering, I noticed a gondola filled with books, chairs made out of old volumes, and a tower to climb made out of books. While this store may have too many books for the reluctant reader to handle, it is a must-see for any avid readers or writers. I bought myself a copy of The Travels of Marco Polo, who was essential to the development of Venice, as a souvenir.


Santa Croce Scuola del Cuoio, Florence While Florence may house a lot of famous art such as Michelangelo's David and several famous paintings in the Uffizi Gallery, the city is also known for its leather. There are many nice bookmarks and journals available at the Santa Croce Leather School. Florence is always famous for its paper.


Vatican City Finally, the Vatican City houses many interesting Bibles and an old printing press which had been used several years ago. Additionally, the architectures and artwork here is unbelievable.

Creating a To-Read List

My house is full of lists: to-do lists, grocery lists, but most interestingly, a to-read list. As a writer, it is important to be informed about the industry. From reading others' books, writers can get a better sense of technique, style, and tone. Just as researcher has to go out into the field and conduct clincial studies to collect data, a writer should constantly be reading. So, it is a good idea to maintain a list of books to read. This list should include a variety of novels, but a few important classes to consider are classics, the tried-and-true novels of your discipline, and what's currently popular.

Classics Reads-

Classics have been read, studied, and enjoyed for years, and sometimes centuries, for a reason: they were gracefully written and tell an interesting story in a well-crafted way. These novels get to the core of writing, so it's a good idea to tag a few of these on your list. A few authors to begin with are William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and Agatha Christie. Make sure a wide spectrum of years and styles is represented on your list.

Industry Reads-

Also choose some books which are classics in your specific field. It is important to know what your intended audience enjoys. If you write for children, you should definitely read or reread E.B White's Charlotte's Web, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Norton Jester's The Phantom Tollbooth. While you may feel silly reading these books now, they are among the best in children's literature and will be useful tools in your writing.

Popular Reads-

Finally, it is a good idea to look at those prominent displays at the bookstore to find out what everybody else is reading. J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan are popular with both their intended middle-grade audience, young adults, and adults. Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books are often shared and sought out by young adults and women (at one point, there were three copies of this book in my house, one for each woman, which were bought or lent). Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy can be found almost anywhere as well. It is good to be familiar with "Pop-Lit" because these are the books which are currently doing well. They represent ideas, themes, humor, style, and tone which people today can't get enough.

Now, with your list prepared, spend some time at the Westborough Public Library and Tatnuck getting the books from your list. Every writer should also own a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Also, if you're in Westborough, read A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Deitz. The Community Reads project is a fantastic initiative and this book is great.

Hamlet

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Of the Shakespeare plays I have read, this is one of my favorites. There is so much emotional, philosophical, and theological conflict which makes this interesting to read. I recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh film while or after reading.



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Please (Don't) Ignore Vera Deitz

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this book for part of a Community Reads project and really enjoyed it. King is in touch with what it means to be a teenager and her writing reflects this understanding. I definitely recommend this book to all who like high-stakes and suspensful reads.



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Citizen Science

Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Although I am not much of a scientist, I loved this book. Each of the projects which Burns presents is so intriguing and the way she explains everything really makes me want to get out into the field and explore. I highly recommend this book to share with kids and nature-lovers. It's fun to read, there are beautiful pictures, and it has great projects. Citizen science all the way!



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Clarity is a Clear Hit

Clarity by Kim Harrington

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a fantastic read. I love a good mystery and this book definitely exceeds my criteria for a good mystery. It's fast-paced, has a great mood, and will keep you puzzling until the very end. Also, the Fern family's abilities are really intriguing and add a lot to the excitement of the book. I highly recommend it to anybody looking for an interesting, thrilling, and chilling novel.



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Photo and review from Goodreads

The Literary Whale Challenge

Have you ever had something that you've always wanted to try but just have been a little too afraid to try it? A challenge that seems as colossal as a whale? So have I and I am left with no choice but to attempt this challenge.

In English class, we were assigned Herman Melville's Moby Dick this past Thursday. This book is infamous in school for destroying grades and being a difficult read to say the least. This book seems as daunting as a whale is large. In honor of this book, I pose a challenge: the Literary Whale Challenge. In honor of reading the wonderful Moby Dick I challenge you to attempt a feat appropriate for yourself,possibly pertaining to literature (ie. reading a challening book, writing a novel, etc)to complete the Whale Challenge. Comment on this post with what your challenge will be or even just that you will be trying the challenge. I will periodically announce my progress with my English assignment and once the book is assigned to be completed, the challenge will end within a few days or so. If you meet your goal, post it on the blog and you might be able to win a certificate. Good luck, and have fun!

Everything is Booked on New Year's

Today is New Year's Eve and 2011 is quickly approaching. As always, we usually create New Year Resolutions for ourselves. The first few days can come easily but it's more challenging to committ in the long run. Work, school, taking down Christmas decorations, and schedules interfere with goals and may sometimes cause the resolution to fade away. One book may be able to help with that problem.

When Turtles Fly by Nikki Stone, gold medal Olympian and motivational speaker, tells stories about intriguing people who have accomplished great things. I've been reading the book recently and the stories are incredible. They show how people's efforts pay off with practice, dedication, and hard work. At the end of each story there is a tie-in to the book's theme and a challenge. These challenges are truly helpful in achieving goals. I definitely recommend this book for people striving to accomplish that New Year's Resolution.

2011 is almost here. A quick stop to the bookstore may be a good way to start the year off.

More details on Nikki Stone's book can be found on her website, http://www.whenturtlesfly.com/index.html

Fast Facts: Recent Writer Updates

I have a few writer related updates at the moment:

-Misadventures in Filgersville is now available on Amazon's Kindle store for devices supporting Kindle programs. It can be viewed through this link. Filgersville on Amazon

-With that said, a new edition has been added to Goodreads of Misadventures in Filgersville for the Kindle edition. Feel free to review/rate that edition if you so please.Kindle Edition

Author Andrew Clements signing books at Tatnuck.

-The last Local Author Extravaganza on Black Friday went great. Thanks to everybody who came. It was nice to see some familiar faces and meet new authors from the area and reconnect with old friends from last time. I will also be attending the same event on December 26th at Borders from 1-4/5.

-Finally, I attended Andrew Clement's book signing at Tatnuck recently. It was really great to meet an author who I read and enjoyed through my childhood. He was very friendly and I was amazed by his timeline of book covers which was so long that it needed to be held up by multiple people. That's impressive!

Big Screen Books...In Pieces

Ever wonder why some books are so good as movies? I sure have.

This year I am taking a Film and Society class and we've been discussing and viewing early films from names like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. These movies have been enjoyable and I have began to look at the big screen with a more critical eye: how music affects a scene, different camera angles and lighting effects, and even things as simple as costumes all contribute to the ambiance of a movie. I've even had a chance to consider a movie in school outside of film class.

In English class, we have been reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and have kept up to date with the 1995 mini-series during class. While watching the installments of this series I've thought about how books can effectively come to the big screen and believe that one issue of books as movies is their ability to be true to the text while remaining enjoyable. The production team of this film battled this issue through installments in a series, a logical and effective approach. Through spaced out clips, the series can remain accurate to the book as it is spread over a period of time and maintains interest through shorter episodes. Because the whole plot is not presented at one time, the viewer is left in suspense and continues to view the accurate depiction of the story. This doesn't seem to be such a bad idea.

Another movie that is using such an approach is hitting theaters in November: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released in two separate movies to remain as accurate to the final book in Rowling's series as possible. This is a logical decision for this movie as well; as this book is rather long it makes sense to deliver as much information as possible in the movie to be accurate. The desired accuracy would create a lengthy film to view and cutting it into two parts is a perfect compromise.

Although there are specific directorial decisions which make all the difference in big screen entertainment, simply releasing content in installments may be a feasible solution for this issue in longer novels.

The Dog Days of Summer

Although the temperature outside may slowly be decreasing, there is still plenty of time for dogs this summer and I've read two perfect books about man's best friend.

The Dog Gone Mystery by Bryan Gatley is for children ages eight through twelve and features siblings Colin and Verity as they search for their missing dog, Strags. This story "takes place in the northeast corner of America a long time ago," and reflects tidbits of local history. The character Ruth B. Thistletip is one such example as she was inspired by Ruth Buck, a suspected witch from Westborough. Colin and Verity use their sleuthing skills and resourcefulness to find their dog and face the terrifying Ruth B. Thisteltip. This would be a great story to read with a class or aloud with an audience.

White Dog Haikus and Things We've Learned from our Westie by Kathy Troidle Jackson is another great book for all ages. This books contains several haikus about the Westie, Islay Bear, in different situations like  facing the different seasons, finding mice and chipmunks, seeing other dogs, and eating. There are great pictures of Islay Bear, a cute Westie, decorating the pages. There is even a list of advice, "The Things I've Learned from my Westie,"  with items like "Hold no grudges," "Live in the moment," and "A little bacon makes everything taste better." This a light-hearted read that I'd recommend to any dog-owner.

These dog books may be purchased through the following sites:
The Dog Gone Mystery
White Dog Haikus and Things We've Learned from our Westie

An A+ for The Alphabets

Wow! Cecelia In Lee's The Alphabets is quite the read. This story follows ten different seniors in high school. The reader realizes how they relate to each other and is left hanging with suspenseful twists and serious issues like divorce, drug addictions, and secretive scandals with this rich young adult group in the city called The Alphabets. As this group goes through several parties and hangovers they realize how important they are to each other.

This book has very dynamic characters. They really pop off of the page and each deal with their own issue in a distinct way that reflects their strong personalities. I felt like I was among them when I read and I really cared about the people. Cecelia also creates a clear image of their relationships with each other with both comical and serious scenes. I definitely recommend this book to somebody who is looking for a fast-paced, action-filled read.

To purchase, visit the book's website. See http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=72671

Pay it Forward: Random Act of Publicity Week

We've always been told that it's better to give than receive, to pay it forward, and to essentially be generous to others. So why don't we do this in the writing world? Author Darcy Pattinson has addressed this issue with Random Acts of Publicity Week. From September 7-10, writers can participate in this "holiday" by reviewing friends' books on Goodreads, posting to their blogs, buying books, or doing generous things to promote others' works. September is always a productive month what with returning to school and work, so why shouldn't we all try to read a good book and post something nice about it somewhere, suggest it to a friend, or write a positive review on  Goodreads. So take some time now to read a book and prepare to pay it forward.

More details can be read on Darcy Pattinson's website. (Note, the banner displayed is Darcy's and does not belong to me.)

The Last Olympian= Gold Medal Success

Although it doesn't have to do with the Olympics, Rick Riordan's The Last Olympian is an outstanding book.
This book may have been a quick read, but I loved it. Rick Riordan describes his characters so well that they became clear people and images in my brain. Quite often when I read books I picture the characters looking like somebody I have seen before but with his series, I have always had a clear illustration of who the people are. They really pop off of the page and make the reader care about them and their multi-faceted personality. One character who I particularly liked was Hestia. She came off as a sweet girl but with great wisdom and values.


The ending was not in the least disappointing either. I was curious as to how Riordan would end his series. I was afraid that Percy was going to end up being the hero and somehow work the Great Prophecy so he is not defeated by Kronos. But I was more than happy with the twists in the ending, between Sliena's valiant death (another scene which was vivid in my mind) and Luke's ultimate sacrifice in the end when he realized that he had made a big mistake. The ending to this series is not at all cliché but still has a happy resolution that left me smiling. 5 out 5 stars!

(This is a link to my Goodreads account where you can find this review and others.)
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118400964

The Alphabets

Yesterday I went to a book signing for Cecelia Lee's book, The Alphabets. I walked through the bookstore to the event room and found a table full of books food, and people surrounding it. I was introduced to some of the other attendees (one happening to be from another town and is best friends with one of my friends from camp) and bought a copy of her book. She casually signed it and returned it to me.

At the party, we talked about summer vacation, the upcoming school year, the school's track team, and our favorite video game characters from our childhood, a semi-unrelated yet intriguing topic. But after nibbling on a handful of chocolates, I had to leave for a dinner with my sister. All in all, the launch party was great and I can't wait to read the book. Good job Cecelia!