Samantha

I love the TV show Bewitched. Yes, I know it’s dated; the eternal question of why such a magical, beautiful, talented, and smart woman would give up everything to marry a rather cranky and ordinary man seems old fashioned and perhaps a bit sexist.

But Samantha, in many ways, was a ground breaking woman. I never once believed Sam felt trapped. She chose to be with her mortal husband. And I do believe this was the first major representation of a pretty witch, aka, a woman who was powerful and sexy in the same package.

But she did struggle to balance her need for love and her desire to express her natural gifts, something women were just beginning to address back when this show was created. And still do today.

This show inspires me. My female characters are always strong. They can take care of themselves. But sometimes they long for someone to take care of them.

I consider myself an independent and capable women. But there have been times in my life I wanted someone to swoop me up on a white horse, although I would have never admitted it. I would bet many women have had similar thoughts, if only for a fleeting moment.

One could argue this female see-saw is nurture or nature and I’m not sure it really matters, at least, as far as writing goes. Woman, because of their unique internal battles, make fabulous protagonists.

Thanks, Sam.

Book Review & What Is Young Adult Fiction, Anyway?

I’ve been reading The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I’ve finished two of the books so I’m doing a review now. I like them. But I don’t love them. I’ve spent a large part of the weekend trying to analyze why.

Ms. Atwater-Rhodes tells a good story. Her vampire world is unique. I even like the characters. But I didn’t fall in love with these books. Which has caused me to contemplate just what is young adult literature? The most common definition is that the protagonist is a young person. Wow. That covers a lot of ground.

I read a lot of what would be classified as YA, because I need to for my career since I write a lot within that genre, but also because I love to read it. For me, I’ve discovered the following dividing line: there seems to be YA books that are written as if the protagonists really are teens, and those that are written as if the teen is an adult in teen clothing.

NOTE: Not all teens are “typical” teens. ;-)

The Den of Shadows would be the first category; these teens are teens. Vampire teens yes, but their focus seems to be finding friends, getting a mate, wedging themselves into the correct clique, getting even when someone has wronged them, fighting with parents. I think the Artimis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are also this variety. These are excellent, fun, books, but I didn’t fall in love with these, either. The main teen, Artimis, is brilliant, but what is he doing mostly? Trying to prove himself by getting away with stuff his parents don’t know about, and often is involved in petty fights with his friends.

The other YA is very different. In these books teens behave more like adults and are dealing with adult problems. Twilight is this variety. Belle, in many respects, IS the adult in her family; her mother is flighty, and even her father who is more stable, needs to have his dinner made for him. She isn’t concerned about fitting in with other teens. The Harry Potter books fall into this realm. Even though Harry does have some normal teen problems, the main focus of the story is not trying to impress his parents (dead), and he certainly doesn’t care what his adoptive parents think. Cornelia Funke's Inkheart books I would place here, too; Meggie does not behave like a typical teen. Her relationship with her father is more like a friend. And her biggest problems are not teen ones.

I’ve read that middle grade books deal with internal family strife while true YA should be external to the family struggles, and perhaps this is some of the difference I’m seeing. The best YA, in my opinion, does deal with some teen problems yet blends in adult concerns as well, hence the mass appeal of books such as HP…kids AND adults find themselves within the pages and both groups love them.

I’m still figuring all of this out. And to be clear, I don't think either variety is right or wrong, better or worse. I can see why teens would like to read stories in which teens act like teens.

All I know is what I like to write. And to read.

Maxfield Parrish

A reader asked if I did the painting from my last post. Um, no…but thanks. I wish. That wonderful painting is by Maxfield Parrish, my very favorite painter in the world. He is, in my opinion, THE painter of light, even though a modern artist has claimed that title.

He was a famous illustrator in the early 1900s into the 20s and 30s and even worked late in life. His paintings are still loved today. He dabbled in many subjects, including fairy tales. The painting I posted last time was his version of Cinderella. I like the way he portrays Cindy, young and lovely yes, but this Cinderella is not a teenager, she is a woman...a woman who knows what she wants.

Parrish portrays all of his woman like this…beautiful, but you can see personality there, too. His women can be powerful, free, strong-willed, fun loving, or contemplative, you know, like a human being instead of just a gorgeous woman.

Check these out. These are just a few of his many many paintings and illustrations. Like a good book, Maxfield Parrish takes you somewhere else, somewhere magical. Sigh.

When the Clock Strikes Midnight

There comes a time in every novel that I call I Don’t Want To But I Have To. This event usually arrives ¾ into my book; the proverbial story “arc,” where all of the plot points meld. In my books this means all the protagonist’s foibles merge, and then she or he gets a big whack. After that comes the exciting conclusion (hopefully) and final resolutions.

The trouble is, I don’t much like writing the big whack. But it is absolutely necessary. Let’s face it, it’s not too interesting to read about someone living a stress-free life. Conflict is more exciting. You don’t hear much about Cinderella’s life after she gets married, for example. Small domestic squabbles don’t make for page turners, at least, not for me. I’m guessing Cindy and Prince argued over how many dresses that silver tree shook down for her. In the original tale. Read it sometime. Much better than the Disney version.

Anyway, I know there must be a story arc, I know my protagonist must reap what she has sown, I know this makes for exciting reading after the sad part is completed, but I don’t want to. By this point I care about her. I want her to be happy. And perhaps she will be, but first…WHACK!

The other interesting thing for me as a writer is that I know in general terms what the learning will consist of, but I never know for sure until I write it. That’s uncomfortable, because sometimes those scenes are more debilitating, horrifying, or unexpected than I had ever imagined.

But I must. Connor, my detective from my new book, must plow into what my readers will know she is heading for even if she doesn’t. To do otherwise wouldn’t be fair, and wouldn’t make for a good read.

I’ll try to be gentle.

Quiet

I’m a quiet person by nature, an introvert. For those of you not familiar with personality typing, introversion is not a bad thing; it simply means one is internally motivated. Behaviorally, most introverts listen more than they talk. I chose a career as a psychologist because my introversion played into this natural tendency.

But I worked in a corporate arena, which is very different from private practice.

In corporate America quiet people are often labeled as less smart or capable. So I developed a fast talking, sarcastic, morbidly witty persona. This wasn’t all bad. I became very good at public speaking. I learned how to defend myself. And most importantly, the executives I worked with responded well to dark wit; they wanted quick solutions to their problems delivered in a humorous manner.

But that persona was never me. After I left the corporate world, I interacted less and less with people who appreciated that personality overlay. And of course, I had never used it with my friends and family. I worried for a while that I was loosing my “edge.”

My husband and I were taking a walk the other day and he asked me if everything was OK. I was surprised. We were strolling through the woods, listening to the birds, admiring the beautiful fall colors and bright blue sky. I asked him why he asked. Because you’re so quiet, he said. I just smiled and said everything was wonderful.

Paying attention to my own thoughts and observations was my first step in reclaiming the quiet. I had doused my internal voice for many years. Step two has been listening to other people’s thoughts and observations without necessarily trying to fix. I’ve realized that fixing has been a way for me to prove my worth and my intelligence, and that usually people don’t want to be fixed, they just want someone to listen.

This change in my thinking has caused me to understand people in a way I’ve never done before. Good for personal growth of course, but it also gives me a huge pallet upon which to paint stories. Humans are endless fascinating. And everyone has a story to tell.

It’s amazing what one can hear when not talking. :-)

Halloween is in the Air

Today I'm bringing in the outside chairs and umbrella; I leave them out until October, always hoping for one last day on the porch. And it never happens.

Don't get me wrong...I love fall...but there's a tinge of sadness as the last warm days fade into the coming winter. Living in the Midwest displays the turning wheel of the year in a way that cannot be ignored.

As a writer, the changing seasons remind me that I only have so much time to get down on paper all the stories that whirl about in my head. I must balance that hard cold fact with living in the moment, as that is where my inspiration comes from.

I never want to forget that life should be fun, and is often funny. I found some wonderful Halloween invitations that capture that humorous feeling. Check them out: a ghost and witch tug-of-war, and a bunch of elves helping a witch get ready for a party. Doesn't get much better than that.

I Love You Because

My niece, Ruthie, is in yet another play at Buckcreek. She isn't onstage, but she served as stage manager and worked with props. Check out the broccoli and everything else you see the actors handling. That would be the work of Ruthie.

Here's a bit about the play off Buckcreek's website:

"Premiering for the first time in Indiana, the new musical I Love You Because is a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride and Prejudice with the gender roles reversed. Described as "a modern day musical love story," this new work boasts a rich and tuneful score by Joshua Salzman with book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham. This slightly nutty take on modern dating is set in New York, the city of romance where relationships end badly, and where those on the rebound fall for the wrong person."