Building Blind

I wonder how world-building works for other writers.  Right now, I'm working on a 12-year-old girl in the Midwest in the early 90s and a fantasy world trying to find a comparable historical time period, so I can do some research.  Since the story about the young girl is semi-autobiographical, you'd think it would be much easier, but my memory is so poor, and I hate to fictionalize if I can factualize.  As a result, I've been thinking more about the fantasy world. 

Most writers I know talk about an image being the first thing that happens to them, and the world grows from there.  I don't have that option because, for whatever reason, my mental lens cap is on, so I can't visualize like that.  Images don't come to me; words do.  All of my major advances in building this world (Napkin Epic World in honor of its humble beginnings in college) have come in the form of either dialogue explaining some action or me wondering what led to certain actions I know are part of the plot.  They just are.  It's my job to find out why, I guess.

What's your catalyst when it comes to world-building/writing?  Do you just write in your world and let the details come, or do you plan/plot things out carefully in advance?

Meeting Authors at the State Fair (and Humiliating Myself Unaware)

I met an author today at the State Fair.  It was unexpected.  I was wandering around before my shift volunteering at a booth, and I saw that the Library had a tent set up that day.  Will Weaver was supposed to be the guest right then.  I've been reading his books for a really long time (like, decades), so I was tickled. 

Check out the movie Sweet Land, based on a short story he wrote, ("A Gravestone Made of Wheat") and the anthology that he contributed to called Guys Write for Guys Read.  (Even adults get a kick out of the anthology, especially that story about the car trip . . .)  Will's books and short stories are an easy recommend for kids and adults, alike; he is a quality author and he evokes place like he owns it.  (They somehow managed to convey this in Sweet Land almost impossibly well.  I really wish you could have seen those skies on the big screen.  Wow.)

Back to the fair.  A librarian took me over to where Will was sitting under the bridge to the grandstand with his concept car and crew.  He signed and gave me a free book and explained that he was currently writing a series aimed at boys who like race cars but not English class.  A little boy came up and asked how fast the car went, and Will waved goodbye and talked to the kid for a bit.  (80 mph, if you were curious.)

Only later did I find out that I had ice cream all over my lips.  Fabulous.  At least I didn't give him my last name.  Ah, well.  I guess I didn't look much different than his other fans.

A Few Books that Look Interesting

There are always a lot of books that I see that catch my attention that I'm too poor to buy but that I want to check out further.  Here are a few recent ones.

• Retail Hell. I live it, and I enjoy reading a good rant about it.  This book will definitely fall under that rant category.  After reading the introduction, which is full of profanity and has a more dishy tone, I know I won't like it nearly as much as Pretending You Care: the Retail Employee Handbook by Norm Feuti.  I wonder if that's because Norm's complaints are cathartic and useful (or would be if any people in management would read the book), as shown by the fact that his book is in the business section rather than the humor section.

• Shelf Discovery.  For those of us who still read and re-read and love young adult novels of yore. It's a blast to read short essays written by people who love books and remember what it was like to love them back when they were members of the target audience.  I like reading people who are excited and passionate about something, and I love books, so this is a fun collection even if I've only read about half of the books mentioned.

 

• The Unlikely Disciple.  Ivy League college journalism student goes undercover at extremely conservative Christian University (as a study abroad credit).  But first, he has to figure out how to stop swearing . . .  it's kind of an intriguing idea, and it sounds like a great read for people who aren't sure that Christians are people too as well as for Christians who sometimes wonder what they look like to those on the "outside."

 

• Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic Lit Signs onto Facebook.  I am a casual Facebook user, and I get a huge kick out of this book. I can't imagine how much funnier it would be to alert major who is a hard-core Facebook user.  I have skimmed the book thus far and direct your attention to Wuthering Heights, Jane Austen, Dracula, and Oscar Wilde.  And everyone else. If you love literature or know someone who majored in it in college, this is a book you should share.  (What is with so much great literary criticism stuff coming out all at once?  It's an embarrassment of riches!) 

Have you read any of these?  Any comments?  Have you seen anything recently that you wish you had a couple days off to read right now?

Another Reason to Love John Scalzi

This is classic.   Be sure to read down to his paraphrase of the letter in question.

My favorite line:

"So, despite the fact that you’ve made science fiction a foundational part of your life, follow and support the genre, and are grown-up, accomplished people who are on average both smarter and better read than the average Joe, you are somewhat full of FAIL."

I wish The Vorkosigan Companion had won the Hugo for Best Related Book, but I am obviously completely biased, so congrats to Scalzi for taking that trophy for 10 years of "Taunting the Tauntable" in Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008.

Another Reason to Love Donald Miller

His new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, is about people, stories, and the power of story.  Check out his incredible blog post about truth, stories, and the lies we tell ourselves here.

This post made me think of all kinds of current events like political shenanigans and the debate about health care and other things it's hard but important to find the truth about.  "Seekers find."  I like that, even though it may not be true in the case of politics in a broken world.

Storytellers, take heart.  Seek truth.  Speak truth.  Don't settle for less.

Because of Winn Dixie and dead dogs

I kind of loved this book.  I'm doing some research on good books narrated by female protagonists, and I've been meaning to read this book for years.  I cried; I'll admit it.  I was glad no one else was out basking in the sun that day because I cried A LOT for no real reason except that it was kind of beautiful.

It seems to me like the books with male protagonists and animals all seem to end the same way.  Gordon Korman came to a similar conclusion in No More Dead Dogs, which my sister recently reminded me

• had no actual animals.
• still sort of resulted in the dog dying.

I'm curious, have you read any books with female protagonists where the dog/animal dies? 

Do you have any suggestions of books written since the late 80s that have a female narrator with some or all of the following qualities:

• bright
• funny
• quirky
• tomboy with no interest in being girly

I'm particularly looking for books that don't involve some big issue like the loss of a parent or innocence or moving to a new place or anything dramatic.  I'm trying to figure out how to tell a story where there's no real conflict/dramatic lesson learned, and I can't think of any I've read off the top of my head.  If you can think of any, please let me know.  I'd appreciate it.

What I Talk About when I Talk About Liking

It makes me a little crazy when people think that Christians should only read "Christian" books, and only Christian books they agree with completely.  For me, books are like people in that they are often complex, sometimes they are stupid, and just because some parts of them don't make them your favorite people doesn't mean you shouldn't ever associate with them. 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people group others by the objectionable content of the books they read because the same people who judge you by the books you read usually also judge you by the company you keep, meaning you'd better not have any non-Christian friends.  I mean, hanging out with sinners means you're obviously not holy enough to hang out with them, right?  (Do you ever get that guilt-by-association feeling from others within the body?)

I really need to just be okay with that, I think, because I'd ditch people like that way before I'd ditch books or friends.

So, just to clarify some things about books I review.  I'm writing for mature adults, and when I say I like something . . .

I don't (necessarily) mean the following:

• I loved every minute of it.
• I agreed with every bit of it.
• I approve of every characters' actions.
• I agree with all the worldviews/opinions expressed.
• I completely agree with the theology expressed.
• There is no objectionable content.
  
• You should read it, too.
• You will love it.
• It will not offend or challenge you.
  

I do mean some or all of the following:

• I enjoyed reading it.
• It made me think.
• It made me cry.
• I'm glad I read it.
• It challenged me.

I believe that people should exercise discernment, which I think includes elements of knowing your limits and stretching your mind.  It's a dynamic equilibrium all thinking folks must juggle, but that's how we keep growing.

Any thoughts?