All posts by Emily

interrupting a reader

Nobody likes an interrupter. While the mother of two is simply trying to have a conversation with her husband and her youngest is pulling at her shirt sleeve asking her for a juicebox, she feels as if she might explode on her sweet little child. While the teenager is sprawled out on her bed on the phone and her brother is yelling at her from the other room to bring him more toilet paper, she thinks she’s about to whop him upside the head. While the two little boys are having a thought provoking discussion about their favorite video game at the dinner table and their mother is dabbing at their mouths with a napkin and telling them they need to mind their manners and be neater, they both think they’re about to burp just to annoy her.

Everybody hates an interrupter, no matter who it is, what they’re talking about, or whether or not the interrupter is trying to interrupt. But when the interrupter is interrupting a good book… well, that’s a whole other story. You see, you must never interrupt a reader. It’s forbidden. All readers know the agony, annoyance, and utter explosion that bubbles up inside when the interrupter interrupts a good book. Interrupt me when I’m talking, interrupt me when I’m listening to my iPod, interrupt me when I’m doing homework. But never, ever, interrupt me when I’m in a book.

There’s no reason to do it. Imagine you’re sitting on your couch, minding your own business, and your great-aunt Ida interrupts to tell you she has a pair of old shoes of hers you might like. Dear Aunt Ida, I really, truly, don’t want your shoes, you think to yourself, but she babbles on, and you feel like smoke may spout from your ears. And right when the heroine in your book was about to defeat the antagonist of your story! ARGH! Or… picture yourself in a Starbucks and you’re sitting in an armchair, laptop on your lap, reading an online book and a man sits down next to you with a cup of steaming Caramel Frappe (Mm-mm… you make a mental note to try that), and he goes, “So… what are you doing?” You answer him you are reading, but he only sips his beverage and ask what it’s about. “Oh… a girl who becomes invisible,” you respond, and then tell him she’s right about to – oh, but you missed it! He only sniffs disdainfully and tells you about his job at the bank.

Annoying, right? There’s nothing like being interrupted in a middle of a book. Really, the best way to befriend a reader is to keep your mouth shut while they’re reading. And, in their own way, they’ll see you respect them and their escape from their reality. (Isn’t that what books are for, after all? The wonderful joys and fantasies of books are usually a whole lot better than the either boring or sometimes harsh realities of real life.) Besides, if this reader is even semi-aware of their surroundings, they’ll notice you and hopefully be polite enought to shut the book and make an effort to talk to you. And… if not, they’re probably just enjoying a really good book.

 

Emily

paper passion – a perfume that smells like books (!!!!!!!!)

Do you even realize how huge of a discovery this is?!! Like, seriously. There is a perfume. That smells like BOOKS! My dad and I always joke that “Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone would make a perfume that smells like books?” AND NOW HERE IT IS! The name is even perfect – paper passion. I JUST LOVE IT!!

Mostly because THIS is my life

BUT since it’s out of my budget… I know what I’ll put on my birthday list.

Emily

my love/hate relationship with descriptions

I love descriptions. I am particularly fond of weather. The rain seemed to pour from all different directions. The sun drenched the spot on the desk where her pencil lay, rolling back and forth, just as she left it a few minutes before. The wind whistled, blowing whispers through her wild hair.  The problem is (or so I have recently discovered), that sometimes we (as writers; as readers), tend to get a bit wishy-washy in the descriptive department.

Google tells me that the word wish-washy means “watered down.” And when authors use too many descriptions, that’s just what your writing turns out to be. My writing mentor, Rachel Coker (go check out my review on one of her books, Interrupted!), said several weeks ago that adverbs and descriptions can really bring your writing down. Those of you who have read my writing before know I absolutely love  using descriptions, so that was a pretty hard concept for me to swallow. But with a little time and effort, you can still get your writing to flow easily in a way that makes your reader know exactly what you meant without so much descriptions preventing your story from moving forward.

Take this example Rachel gave me one week when I was working on a mystery story. (The story was kind of challenging for me to write because while I love descriptions, with mysteries you really have to dive right in to keep the reader hooked.) Instead of “She laughed playfully before slowly falling asleep,” read this next example and see which of the two you like better – “He heard her tinkling laughter dying out as her heavy eyelids closed in sleep.”

The first is a really great sentence! … for an average writer, who, in this example, clearly used over-used adverbs that would put one to sleep if he/she constantly used sentences like that in a book. And the truth is, reading my writing in my head, I notice I use adverbs and sentences like that all the time. I hate it when my mom or dad reads my writing aloud, because suddenly I hear all the flaws and errors I made. How can I possibly call myself a writer? I think. Listen to this… this mess!

I find myself editing and going over and over fixing every little thing, every tiny detail that caused my writing to sound drab. It bugs me like crazy, but how I adore descriptive details! So I try to make sure I have limited descriptions… in a fascinating, hooking way! This can be hard, but if I relax and take it all by stride, my writing looks nice, clean, and interesting! And what reader wouldn’t love that?

thinking

 

Emily

 

the view from saturday by e.l. konigsburg

I really liked this book. I visited the library Saturday with my mom and my sister, and I didn’t even glance at the blurb before adding it to my growing pile of books. I’ve wanted to read it for quite some time, but never got it around to it when I went to the Barnes & Noble as it kept getting pushed further and further down my list. I can’t believe I ever let it get out of my mind for so long, either. I was very impressed, and I plan on getting another book by E.L. Konigsburg as soon as I can!

This story is about four souls: Noah (fact: he loves facts), Nadia (swears up and down her dog, Ginger, is a genius), Ethan (hates sharing a seat on the bus with someone), and Julian (who has an English accent even though technically he’s American.) Each of them has a story to be told, and a friend to share it with. One afternoon, Julian, who is the… oddest out of all of them, invites each soul to a tea party, which starts it all. Soon, their paraplegic teacher, Mrs. Olinski, invites them all to participate in the school’s academic fair, and before they know it, they’re practicing and studying daily for an adventure they’ll never forget.

It was sort of hard to to write this review, because I felt like the book was short and choppy. I would have liked for the author to have spent more time on each character’s individual thoughts and feelings; however, I loved reading about the teacher’s point of view and how she felt about her students. It was really sweet and the characters were very unique.

I do recommend this book, but more to younger readers. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have maybe a year or two ago, but I appreciated the classically-told tale a lot; it’s definitely a timeless read! 🙂

Emily

love, stargirl by jerry spinelli

I have to admit, I normally hate sequels unless the books are completed series. What’s the point in a sequel to a story that’s already been told? But after reading StargirlI knew there was no way on Earth I’d pass up reading Love, Stargirl, the sequel to the original novel in which Stargirl writes the longest letter in the world to Leo, who, in the first novel of Stargirl and her wonderful ways, narrates.

In this sequel, Stargirl has moved away from Arizona, where her first (and only) year in public school was a flop. She’s now living in Pennsylvania with her mom, dad, and irresistible pet rat Cinnamon. She finds herself writing letters to her old boyfriend Leo, who although he loved her, wasn’t quite ready for, and didn’t deserve her at the time. (After all, he tried to make her the one thing that would destroy her – normal.) Her happy wagon is down to three pebbles – and seventeen unhappy pebbles sit beside it, waiting to be dropped back in. But a very loud, very sweet little five-year-old girl (Dootsie), an eleven-year-old girl with one sparkly nail who likes to fight (Alvina), a woman who hasn’t set foot out of her house in nine years (Betty Lou), and a boy found stealing lemons and bars of soap (Perry) all keep her company in her anguish and sadness over the separation from Leo.

The letters tell of all of her new friends, and the odd people she meets, and her countdown to the Winter Solstice; the longest day of the year. The ending was fantastic; Jerry Spinelli did it yet again – pulled on my heart just a little bit more with another of his wonderful stories. Stargirl made me think of things differently, and I plan on getting a happy wagon as soon as I find one suitable! 🙂

I thought that, considering I’m not too keen on the idea of sequels, Love, Stargirl was a very good addition to to Stargirl. I loved it. I fell in love with Stargirl when she entered quiet Mica High School in the first book, and I fell in love with her again when she moved to Pennsylvania and changed people’s lives the way I’ve never thought could be done before – with a bag of donuts, lots of hugs, and lemons.

Go read it.

Emily

interrupted: a life beyond words by rachel coker

This is a book that I have read many, many times. I was out of books, I needed books, and I found this one at a Christian bookstore one day looking for a decent book that didn’t concern witches, vampires, or two teens making out on the front cover. And boy, did I make the right choice!

WWII, a dead mother, daily doses of Emily Dickinson, a new foster mother, and a crazy, outgoing new best friend are what Alcyone (Al-cee-u-nee, the name of a star) Everly finds herself left with after the death of her beloved mother in 1939. “I have a home, and I have a mother, and neither one are in Maine,” she tells her new foster mother, Miss Beatrice Lovell defiantly one afternoon after a social party they attend. Allie finds herself shutting everyone who loves and cares about her out of her life, and she can’t seem to stop.

Then Sam Carroll, her childhood friend, pops back into her life again. He brings back wonderful memories of her mother, and spending a lifetime gardening the stars… before the sickness caught up to her. But with him comes a painful time for Allie – love, memories, both good and bad, and quite possibly the thought of letting God into her life are things she desperately tries to shut out. But God is working on her, and Allie can’t help but let her heart be melted of stone and find what she’s been missing all this time – love. 

This is an all-time favorite of mine – has been ever since I picked it up and couldn’t put it down! I definitely recommend it to those of you who love historical fiction and a good romance.  🙂 Worth the read, and a box of tissues!

Emily

 

 

cats are good company

Cats are great company. Really. They cuddle, purr, play, and love.  They’re great listeners. Sometimes they even respond to you. (A recent conversation with my cat went like this: “Mittens! There you are!” … *entwines his tail around my feet* “Meow.” … “Were you napping? …. “Meeow.” … “Really?” … “Meow.” … “Are you sure?” … “Meoow.”) And when you’re reading, they just settle right up on your chest so you have to lift your arms above them to read the book. Every one of them has a personality of their own. And, most of all, they’re great sidekicks.

Sidekicks?” You must be wondering. “How can a cat be a sidekick?” It’s simple, really – think about it. Lizzy had Mr. Whiskers. (Tinkerbell & The Great Fairy Rescue.) Ramona had Picky-Picky. (Ramona the Pest, Ramona & Beezuz… anyone?) Alice met the Cheshire Cat, did she not? And don’t forget good ol’ Miss Moppet – Beatrix Potter! The one who wrote “Peter Rabbit”? She wasn’t even just a sidekick, she was the main character! And, of course… the Cat in the Hat.

 

catinthehat

I think making a post about cats certainly has everything to do with being bookish. Not only are they there for you while reading a good book, or writing a story; they’re IN lots of books, too! I mean, come on. “Life of Pi”? Tiger! “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”? Lion! Even in other parts of the cats family (yes, I know, I rabbit trail… or should I say cat trail! Aha… see what I did there??) cats are very very much in books. They make great characters, friends, companions, and sidekicks.

morecat

I hope I always have a cat in my life.

Emily

stargirl by jerry spinelli

The other day, I finished reading Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I was quite happy with myself; the book was only $7 sold in my Barnes & Noble and it lasted me two days, so it was definitely worth the read! =) However, more than the fact that it was under ten dollars and long enough to last me over a day, Stargirl was a heartfelt, beautiful novel – the kind I’ll be keeping on my nightstand for the next few months!

Stargirl Caraway is her own person – a ukulele on her back, a rat on her shoulder, her beautiful sandy brown hair falling just perfectly –  she captures Leo Borlock’s heart with her stunning smile. Everyone loves her. The cheerleaders want her on the squad, Leo and his best friend Kevin want to do an interview with her – you get the picture. She’s new, she’s fresh. She’s everything little Mica High has never had to experience before – she’s different. 

But just as quickly as the bouncy little sprite that walked into Mica High that first day after being home schooled her entire life came… she left even quicker. Everyone turned on her. She was no longer ‘Stargirl.‘ She was Susan. No one liked her anymore. In fact, they hated her. They hated her for being different, they hated her for cheering for the other team at the games, they hated her for her stupid little ukelele and disgusting rat, and especially when she sang happy birthday to someone in the cafeteria. I mean, what is that? Everyone thought she was fake. It was a show, it was a stunt – yes, that’s what it is! The teachers just sent someone like her for everyone to get into the school spirit. So they ignored her. No one talked her. No one.

Except for Dori Dilson… and Leo. Leo, who stayed. Leo, who loved her… or did he? Did he really? After all, he was the one who wanted her to change. But when Stargirl left, and Susan came… “Who are you if you lose your favorite person? Can you lose your favorite person without losing yourself? I reach for Stargirl and she’s gone. I’m not me anymore.” And then she’s gone. Without even a goodbye; she and her family move far out of the state and Leo fears he’ll never see her again.

But everyone remembers Stargirl. The cheerleaders begin to cheer for the other team when they score, people still strum ukuleles every now and again… she’s still there. She left an impression on them – an impact – that they’ll never forget.

As for me, this is a heartwarming story that literally made my heart melt. Stargirl is indescribably wonderful in every way, and she changed my way of thinking… because, really, she’s not different. She’s just like everyone else. In fact, she is more so because she is who we really are. And I love how Jerry Spinelli spun this beautifully written tale like he did – he covers true love, and popularity, and ‘different’ people can be so much like us.  Is it possible? Read it for yourself.

Two thumbs up!

stargirl

Emily

bookish?

“Is ‘bookish’ really a word?” This was the first thing my dad asked me when I told him I wanted to start my very own book blog. “Well…” I hesitated. My word doc had always underlined the word in a red dotted line whenever I typed it out on my screen, so of course I wasn’t positive. (Spellcheck has spoiled me in its way of just right-clicking the misspelled word, and – voila – several suggestions for what you really meant.) So we had to look it up, and this is what we found…

bookish

I was bookish. I am bookish. If you look up “Emily” in the dictionary, bookish will be right next to my name. I am destined to be bookish for the rest of my long, bookish life. Words mean a great deal to me, and books are… well, books are an asset to life. Many people have got to feel the same way I do; surely I am not the only one who feels she is the very definition of ‘bookish,’ and bookish is the very definition of her. So, in order to share my love of books, and my very bookish life, I was determined to my get dad’s laptop and have him register my own domain name and share my bookish world with you. So this blog if for the bookish. I’ll post book reviews, and random ‘bookish’ things, and maybe even fragments of my own book.

Because (ugh, my teachers would get onto me for stating a sentence with ‘because’ …) BECAUSE – “what is a life of books if you only read what everyone else is reading? If you read what everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone is thinking.” (Hakuri Murakami) So I’ll share my favorite books, and perhaps you can share yours. I look forward to posting more of my bookish world!

Emily