Weekly Geeks 2010-11: In the Beginning

I'm asking you to think back to the moment when you realized "I am a reader!" The moment you felt that desire to read everything! The moment you knew you were different than most of those around you and that this reading thing was for real. Tell us what book you were reading when that moment occurred. If you can't pin it down to one book, what other books define this moment in your life? Do you have a story that goes along with this moment? Please do share.

I've been thinking about this topic all week and have been unable to sit down (with two free hands) to write about it!! The more I've thought about it, the more I see my beginning as a reader as a series of events.

(1)  I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing I was in 3rd grade when my older brother (7 years older) decided it was time for me to read real books, which meant fantasy books. He convinced me to check out The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander from my tiny school library (which was a big deal all by itself) and then set me up on his bed right next to him to read together. Can I even express what a huge thing that was?? I was in heaven. The only problem was that the book was still a little hard for me, and I had my first experience with reading the words but not understanding. (Many experiences with this and text books to follow in years to come.) My brother was annoyed and impatient with me when I confessed my weakness. Back on familiar ground. But I now had a goal. Read that book. Make my brother happy. Climb that mountain! (I think everyone should have an older brother - it keeps one humble.)

(2) I read that book about a year later. It was amazing. And my thoughts went from "read that book" to "so that's what this reading thing is about."

(3) I devoured the Prydain Chronicles and The Little House on the Prairie novels and Anne of Green Gables. Each of these were unique and glorious and I knew I LOVED reading. They were also my first experiences with becoming so involved with a set of characters that I would feel destitute when a series ended. What would I do now??

(4) So, I asked my older brother what I should read next. He mailed me a long list of fantasy novels. This started my saving up of my allowance to buy the next book. And the place that I started, the place that made sure I was a fantasy addict for the rest of my life, was Dragonlance. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

What is it about that (or those) book(s) that caused you to feel this way?

The magic! The epic adventure! The mystery! The suspense! The immersion into an entire world with history and myth and religion and races of people and geography... But I actually know the exact moment in this book, which stretched to include this entire genre, when there was no turning back. The moment when I met Tasslehoff Burrfoot. Do you know a kender? Depending on now you answer this question, you either know exactly what I'm talking about, or you are missing out on something very special. 

Oh Tass. How I love you!!

 

And just for fun, if you are able to, post a picture of what you looked like when this important event happened!

This is me at almost 11 (with my baby sister) and is the closest guess I have to how old I was when I got my hands on Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

Weekly Geeks 2010-10 : Literary Tattoos

Many lovers of books and tattoos have combined the two. In my opinion, there is a magic in being able to carry your favorite quote with you wherever you go. I'm far from being the only one who feels this way. LiveJournal has a group called Bookworms with Ink in which people share their literary tattoos and ask for advice before getting one.
And so I ask:

• Do you have a literary tattoo? Please share it with us and tell us why you chose it.

• Do you have any ideas for future literary tattoos? Are there any quotes that you might one day want to have printed on you? (No plans on ever getting a tattoo? Just let us know what you would get if you were to ever get a tattoo!)

• How do you think the author feels about having their work permanently inked on a fan's body?

I don't not have any tattoos, and because of my particular belief set, I will not be getting any tattoos.

BUT

I have forever thought tasteful tattoos are cool. (Tasteful to me = small, not on the face, not obscene, etc...) I have often teased my husband about how I wanted to get a little tattoo on my ankle or shoulder blade. I just didn't know what. A butterfly? Dolphin? Nothing seemed right.

A literary tattoo had NEVER occurred to me.

How completely AWESOME is that?!?

I clicked around in the links offered in this Weekly Geeks post, then went straight to an image search to inundate myself with the idea. Here is some shameless image swiping:

This exercise has put on more tick in the bibliophile category for me. I found that there aren't any quotes that come to mind that I'd want on me. (Except of course for "Don't Panic." Who wouldn't want that?) What I swoon over is that actual books. My favorite that I found was the huge stack of books (above ;) on the lady's arm. I would just want a smaller stack. So lovely.

While browsing I read on one lady who wanted the Desiderata on her back, but worried it wouldn't all fit. You're right, Honey. It won't. But I can sympathize. I love the poem with all my heart.

I also saw a lot of Twilight tattoos - especially that lion and lamb quote. I did wonder what Stephenie Meyer would think of that...and I decided she would...oh heavens I don't know. I only know what I would feel - flattered and embarrassed.

But as for Don't Panic...Douglas Adams was probably the one tattooing it on the guy's arm!

Weekly Geeks - 2010-08: What Is It About “THAT” Author

Tell your readers what is it about "an" author that you are most passionate about, that have you coming back for more from them, following their every blog post – literally blackmailing people to read their books?
Who are some of your all time favorite authors?
And what is it about them that makes you keep going back for more?

I've never considered myself much of a stalker, but that probably reflects more of my time constraints and internet ignorance. There are definitely authors whose books I wait impatiently for, and perhaps will even attend a release for. (Or at least dream about attending. My Littles often prevent such fun.) Some of those favorite type of authors are: Brandon Mull, Brandon Sanderson, Anne McCaffrey, Michael Buckley, Shannon Hale, Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, Lisa Wheeler...

Some of my favorite no-longer-writing authors: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, David Eddings, Emily Dickinson, LM Montgomery....

And about that "one" author...the one that haunts me is Shannon Hale. I've read most of her books, and the ones I haven't read are because I haven't gotten my hands on them. Why does she haunt me?? First because I think she is amazing and I love her books. Her books are some of my Book Crushes. Her writing is lyrical and wonderfully escapist and her stories are addicting. I can't put them down. Most that I own have already been read more than once. I have even plotted to "spread the love" by choosing her books for book clubs and giving them away as gifts.

Yet there are other authors I could say the same things about. Why does she haunt me?? Because...this feels very confessional and perhaps arrogant or something else equally unflattering....but I feel like she writes exactly the kind of books I could write. Now to be clear, I don't feel jealous. I don't feel like she "beat" me to anything. I don't feel anything negative at all. More like she is my perfect personal role model. I read her books and think, "Yes! I could write something like this. I can do it. Someday. Someday I will!" In contrast, I do not feel the same about, say, Brandon Sanderson. I harbor no delusions of grandeur that I could create such epic scope of world and plot. I love his books, but he is not my "writing match."

So I hang on her work. I study the words and pacing and plotting and structure and world building. Her worlds are deceptively simple. They use a minimum of information, but that information creates the exact right setting without overload. She is amazing. I want to be her when I grow up.

I'm thinking perhaps I should work on that stalking thing. I need to find her online...

Weekly Geeks 2010-07: Commenting

Commenting. It can be a fun way to connect to your readers. It can be the a source of frustration as a blogger. A comment can make your day. A comment can cause an argument. Today let's talk commenting.

There were a million questions about comments, but as I'm new and don't get many comments, and don't have much experience. But I have a few things to say/ask.

1. Comments are wonderful. They are happy-making. Thrilling when it's someone who hasn't commented before. A single comment can make my day and make a post seem worthwhile. But I think comments are like chocolate or potato chips - once you have one you want more.
2. What are trolls and flamers?? Do people out there really say mean things? This is inconceivable to me! Can anyone tell me about some experiences?
3. As much as I love getting comments, I am not always very good at leaving them. Often because I can't think what to say beyond, "Cool review. I want to read that!" which sounds really dumb when I go to write it. Even more lately, as I read more blogs and see all the followers and commenters, I think my tiny drop in the bucket won't matter and my contribution would be unnoticed or even unwelcome. Any of you with many commenters have an opinion on that?
4. Resolution to comment: check.
5. Commenting on the comments I get? I am not always good at that. But I guess I should at least be saying Thankyou, huh? Where are my manners?
   

Weekly Geeks 2010-6: Romancing the Tome

In honor of Valentine's weekend, let's talk about romantic literature. By that, I don't necessarily mean the modern romance genre, but books that you find particularly romantic.

Feel free to explore any or all of these prompts:

• What literary couple is your favorite?
  
• How do you define romantic literature? Does it always involve sex? or the hint of sex?
  
• What author/s do you think writes romantic scenes particularly well?
• Do you have a favorite romantic scene in a book?

Favorite literary couples? Let's see...off the top of my head:

• Anne and Gilbert
• Elizabeth and Darcy (of course)
• Margaret and Mr. Thornton
• Jane and Mr. Rochester
• Percy and Annabeth
• Sarah and Jack Elliot
• Ron and Hermione
• Beauty and the Beast

I would have to define romantic literature as: a book wherein 2 characters develop a romantic relationship. (That turned out much shorter than I thought!)

There definitely does not need to be sex. In fact, the most romantic scenes do not have it. That being said, under certain circumstances, I do not mind it, I might even like it. Vague. Hmmmm.... I don't like sex when the protagonists are teenagers. Given my particular belief set, I prefer it to be after marriage. But I understand that others have differing values, characters included, and can handle it when we are talking about adults. But please, please, please, I don't need as much detail as is often included.

What is romantic? Conversation, conversation, conversation, and physical contact. I love dialogue between couples. I love sparring with words. I love those exchanges that have many layers of meaning. And I love it when they come in contact, be that kissing or hand holding or saving each other in a battle or bumping into each other in the dark or any sort of casual touch that is so much more because of how they feel about each other. Romance comes from overcoming difficulties like the rules of society (like Jane and Mr. Rochester), danger (like Ron and Hermione), and their own personal issues (like Margaret and Mr. Thornton). Tension is romantic. There is both physical attraction tension and emotional tension. Others things that can contribute: secrets, confusion, misunderstandings, separations,and longing. Having the characters thrown together into difficult or unlikely situations can be very romantically charged.

I don't go for RomanceRomance books. I am of the opinion that there has to be something else going on in the story - mystery and adventure being my top picks. I do NOT like romance in young teenagers. They need to be at least 14. Better yet, 16.

A romantic scene pops does into my head. It takes place in The Apprentice by Deborah Talmadge-Bickmore, a romanticif self-indulgent fantasy novel I've read a dozen times. I considered typing it out, but not only was it too much work, I started to feel like an idiot. I think there is something very personal about how one reactions to romantic scenes.

For me, romance should be present in most novels. I often feel the story is incomplete without it. Happy Romance Month!