{fiction, instead of lies}

“…While We’re Waiting.”

Remember that song from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood? Apparently the people during the writer’s strike have thought of something to do: write children’s books. (Via Mitali’s Fire Escape.) The article is titled, “Striking Writer’s Turn to Child’s Play.” Let me tell you something, Washington Post: the picture book writing: SO not child’s play.

I expect a few goodies in the mix since the people who write The Simpsons and other long-running TV favorites are writing. Will this be a shot in the arm for children’s books, or a really annoying (semi-BACA-y) idea? Time will tell.

“…While We’re Waiting.”

Remember that song from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood? Apparently the people during the writer’s strike have thought of something to do: write children’s books. (Via Mitali’s Fire Escape.) The article is titled, “Striking Writer’s Turn to Child’s Play.” Let me tell you something, Washington Post: the picture book writing: SO not child’s play.

I expect a few goodies in the mix since the people who write The Simpsons and other long-running TV favorites are writing. Will this be a shot in the arm for children’s books, or a really annoying (semi-BACA-y) idea? Time will tell.

While the Significant Other is narrowing down his PhD project topics, he’s started talking with people in the Humanities Advanced Technology And Information Institute at the University, and is leaning heavily toward a project dealing with the ethical philosophy of data management and archiving. Archiving means libraries, and so he may actually take a few library science courses in the course of his studies. Since I always wanted to be a librarian (okay, BIG nerd alert) this is kind of cool to me – Mac is one step closer to being an even bigger booknerd than me!

Libraries on the brain today — did you know that in the UK, authors can make (a little) money from their books in the library? Public Lending Right, or PLR as its called, is “the right for authors to receive payment under PLR legislation for the loans of their books by public libraries. To qualify for payment, applicants must apply to register their books with us. Payments are made annually on the basis of loans data collected from a sample of public libraries in the UK.” Isn’t this interesting? I wonder if there’s any American library equivalent. This certainly encourages a relationship between authors and libraries.

I’m obsessed with book covers. Some of them — like Laura Ruby’s Chaos King are so well done – suffused with color and movement — and others… like Northlander or Nightwalker leave a bit to be desired in the imaginative design realm, which is unfortunate, because they’re both such great books. That’s why I like
JacketWhys — the site combines commentary on covers with mini book reports.

“I’d like to be able to see the past – the bulk of the children and teen book jackets from ten years ago. How often were these techniques used then? What will be the future? The big trend ten years from now?”

It’s good to know someone else wonders what’s up with some of the strange crop jobs and repeat themes that are dominating cover art. Year before last it was headless females, last year it was head bits and feet. Who knows what this year will bring? Arms? Knees?

The other day, I read that there was to be a musical of The Diary of Anne Frank. I chose not to believe it. However, I read it in the paper, and so I must.

People —

Never mind. There are no words.

A recent conversation with my editor came to mind when I read the Guardian Blog’s mini-rant against tidying up children’s book reprints. One of the characters in my latest YA-work-in-revision smokes, and while I definitely do not advocate it for young adults – old adults — monkeys or marsupials, and have never done it, will never do it, and think it’s a bad idea all-round — the character who smokes is seventy-eight or so, and has been in the military. It’s something the character DOES – it goes with the time period when they were born, when people still thought that tarring your lungs was a way to lose weight and look cool. Despite the fact that it’s a grandparent smoking, my editor gently insists that I change a scene where it’s hinted at that the character smokes in a car with teens.

I have no problem with that, but it strikes me as really interesting. This is a trend that started with this publishing company awhile back when they voted to digitally change the picture of the author of Good Night, Moon to erase his cigarette. While I have no problem whatsoever with making this infinitesimal change, I am bothered by the idea that everything I write is meant to stand as an Example to Young People somehow. That’s almost a churchy thought; I grew up with the idea that I’m meant to be an Example to the World. It made me paranoid and uncomfortable then, ditto this is publishing terms now. Do the rest of you feel like you’re meant, in all ways, to write as an example?

I think of a writer like John Green (whose Nerdfighter “Happy Dance” made me tear up for some weird reason) who was training to be a minister of some sort at one point, and people like Maureen Johnson and Sara Zarr and the myriad others whose work has been sharply criticized for language or content and banned. I wonder if anyone ever really feels just a little like they deserve the slap on the wrist for their book content… I mean, it follows if we believe that we really are Examples to the Young…

I don’t know. I am so anti-smoking, it’s not even funny. But I also don’t really expect teens to pick up on a habit someone from who is a.) old, b.) scary c.)and in a book, for goodness sakes.

What struck me even harder is that an underage character in the novel has a drink … and my editor didn’t say a word. Not one.

What strange mortals we be. What strange morals have we.

Don’t mind me, though, I’m still having a lot of “hmm” moments from my last editorial letter. My editor’s mind works so differently than mine, and that’s why I love her. She’s given me lots and lots to think about.

Aaaaargh!!!!
Oh, now this is painful… Knight Rider… lives. What is it with resurrecting every single bad sci-fi show from my childhood? Somewhere, someone is reshooting Automan. *Shudder.*

Awhile back, some of us had a conversation about class in YA lit. And then e.lockhart posted a quiz about privilege and I read Liz’s response to it just the other day.

I skimmed through all 31 question, and the quiz didn’t hold many surprises. I didn’t grow up particularly privileged, to my mind. The only ‘original artwork’ we had in our home was what we drew or painted and put on the fridge. Our parents didn’t buy us cars, we didn’t stay in hotels or fly anywhere. Some of the questions, though, are less about the amount of money and more about class. The question about the number of books in your home when you were a child made me wonder, is that privilege, really? In this day of libraries both public and private, bookmobiles and the like, doesn’t every teen, at least, who really want books have access to them? Another question was having someone read to you — does that denote privilege or literacy? Are the questions defining privilege in terms of literacy?

On one hand, it’s good that the upwardly-mobile escalator isn’t broken in most ways, but on the other, is a hand-me-down car, as is listed in question 21, something that means you’re underprivileged? I didn’t have a car until I graduated from college and bought one! Using public transportation is then classified as something for the underprivileged, despite the fact that if more people used it, both the privileged and the less so would be much better off. How bizarre what comes across as privilege.

Ignoring things like immigration status or family size/type, urban or suburban or rural settings, race, sexual orientation, or physical handicaps (there are studies that clearly show that people who carry something as innocuous as extra weight have distinct disadvantages) leaves this quiz less helpful than it could have been. Though it’s inaccurate in terms of living, breathing people, in terms of characters in novels I read or write, I think it can be fairly telling. Are the characters you’re writing always the three W’s: White, Wispy (skinny) and Wealthy? Does your writing reflect reality or wish fulfillment? Does wish fulfillment always satisfy the reader?

I often think of this question when I read novels that name drop labels and brands. Does that say more about the author or the character? Hm. I haven’t decided yet.

Now that the Cybils are over, many of us have tons of books and have to begin the task of digging ourselves out from beneath them. People, please don’t forget your local juvenile hall. Check with your local branch or public library for information about kids in lockdown and the books they can use. Deborah Davis at Two Black Cats and a Cup of Tea has California and Seattle donation information. It’s my privilege to pass along the books I’ve enjoyed to libraries and lockdowns. Things like THIS are what makes the difference between privileged and underprivileged…

Finally, the story of Diego Palacios made me smile. Monday morning, he glued himself to his bed. He figured gluing himself to the bed would mean he didn’t have to go to school.

His mother, the paramedics and his teacher thought otherwise.

Poor Diego. Good try, though.