I have this memory that probably happened a million times, but I only remember it happening once. This singular occurrence of a common occurrence has stuck with me for all these years. But recently, light has been shed upon it and it's become even more special.
When I was a kid I hated the idea of sinking. I once saw the ending to the Titanic and then panicked whenever the toilet overflowed. I would run and jump on my bed and cry about the fact that the world was about to sink. This is also why I'm afraid of space, there is no end. It's just infinite falling.
This fear didn't stop me from getting the bath, or swimming in pools or the ocean. I was more than okay with all of these activities, and though Shark Week changed my perception of the ocean, I still enjoy these activities. But you bet your ass I refused to get on boats as a kid.
This problem really only came up once a year when we took our yearly vacation to South Carolina. It was a wonderful time, and I'll write more on that topic late, but part of our vacation was to go visit the fort near by. The fort that was on an island. That required taking a boat. I was not about that. Luckily, my Memaw always volunteered to stay behind.
So this is the memory. I was sitting on top of the spiral staircase, looking down at the joined living room and kitchen, Memaw was on the couch. The house was quiet for once, and the contrast between the orange sun and the shadows of the window pane was stark. We didn't speak, but I went to the cabinet in the left front corner of the living room. Inside was a collection of wine glasses, us kids drank from them as often as we could, but we had to be careful. The glasses made a high and sharp cling as I pulled one from the cabinet. Memaw heard and warned me not to break anything. I nodded in agreement, and carried on.
That's the entire memory. A single paragraph so mundane it would hardly constitute as significant, but it does. I have a lot of memories from that house, with all my cousins and siblings, my aunts and uncles, and of course, Memaw. Most are specific, some are blurs of things we did regularly like beg to go to the beach, hanging out on the porch, ghost crab hunting, etc.. But none like this.
I've always remember this evening, but since Memaw has passed away I have often lingered on this memory. Now, let me tell you how this memory became even more significant recently.
In my final classes of undergraduate we read a book by Crystal Wilkinson, and then watched a brief lecture she gave as a homework assignment. In this lecture she discussed that she writes about what she is curious about, the topics that she has a childlike eagerness to explore. She then prompted the audience to write down their top three curiosities. I made a list longer than three, then began to create spider webs from the topics, going further and becoming more specific with what I'm curious about. Then I wrote. The assignment was a minimum of three pages to explore a curiosity, I sat down and had such a good flow I wrote 9 pages.
My curiosities included how women lived in the 1800's and early 1900's, country life, and family history. I started it as just the first two curiosities: A young woman living on a farm in the 1880's. I thought I'd explore her at different ages, but then I realized I needed names for my characters. So I texted my Mom and asked for her great-aunts and uncles names, they would be old enough and my family has a knack for beautiful names. She sent me a list of the first chunk of great aunts and uncles and I ran with it. As I wrote I based it off my family's land, and then remembered the story of a young girl who died on the farm and was buried on the land. I don't know the story very well, but I decided I'd write it.
Once I had that story down I decided to continue it by jumping fifteen years into the future and covering my Memaw's youth. I told my Mom about this endeavor, and I still need to send her the draft, and I explained that I couldn't remember how the little girl actually died, but I just made it a diabetic seizure that led to a coma and eventual death. She then told me that my great grandma had seizures as a kid. She even said it was rumored that they took her to a neighbors house and dipped her in an ice bath to try and cure her. Mom thought that was crazy, but as I was simultaneously writing a novel about sisters in an asylum during the 1920s I believed it 100%. Hydrotherapy wasn't even the wildest or cruelest way doctors attempted to cure patients. Anyways, Mom told me that she stopped having them for the most part, but did suffer a single seizure after having her fifth child.
As a result, the family then never left her alone. Since my Memaw was the oldest sibling she was often given the job of staying behind when the other kids went to the pond. Mom confirmed that she didn't mind, because Memaw was an avid reader. In that moment I recalled the day she stayed behind with me but in a different light.
I remembered what Memaw was doing in the chair. I'd always thought she was watching TV, but it was so quiet in the house. She was actually reading. She was doing exactly what she'd done for her mother all those years ago. Staying behind, enjoying the peace, and reading a book while someone kept her quiet company.
I picked up the story shortly after it, and had the character that is Memaw, Dorothy, escape from the house when she could, climb up a tree, and read. I'd like to memorialize her, and thank her for providing a near infinite amount of content for me as a writer. I like history, but I love family history, especially as it relates to Memaw.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Monday, June 4, 2018
Book Review: "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach
I believe I have mentioned several times that I love characters that are the worst. The book "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach has characters that are the epitome of THE WORST characters, and I love it endlessly.
I first read this book upon John Green's recommendation (if you are ever stuck on what to read next check out some of your favorite author's recommendations, they will not let you down). He posted a video about the books he had recently read and loved and suggested "The Art of Fielding" if one wanted to become unexplainably and uncontrollably attached to the characters. To that I said, "Sign me up!"
Guys, the characters are so flawed and so magnificent. You wouldn't think so as they all start out so shiny and new. We're introduced to characters with high hopes, starting new, and eager to achieve their goals. Okay, so maybe not so perfect like that, but they had least had hints of it when we first meet the five main characters. But then, we get their flaws. Their glorious, horrific, flaws.
I found myself screaming at Henry, "THROW THE BALL!" and telling Pella to get her shit together, as well wanting to wring Mike's neck, and cheering on Geurt's happiness, despite the danger it imposed. All while having the occasional change of pace with Owen, who was so delightful.
The book was actually featured on the Netflix show "Thirteen Reasons Why" because both are the story of a baseball team bonding. But "The Art of Fielding" is better, I'm just saying.
If you want a book that will rip out your heart, play baseball with it, then stab it, then stomp on it, and finally bury it, dig it up, and toss it in a lake then this is the book for you! This is one of those books that will take you to your knees from pain, and at times make your heart race with love and joy. It's not your typical story of overcoming struggles, because it's mostly just the characters trudging through their struggles and making them forty times worse because of their flaws.
Harbach crafted such wonderfully horrible people, and for that I love him. Even though they couldn't achieve their goals because of all that happened, I still cheered for them and recommend their story to anyone who will listen. So, since you're here listening: read "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach.
I first read this book upon John Green's recommendation (if you are ever stuck on what to read next check out some of your favorite author's recommendations, they will not let you down). He posted a video about the books he had recently read and loved and suggested "The Art of Fielding" if one wanted to become unexplainably and uncontrollably attached to the characters. To that I said, "Sign me up!"
Guys, the characters are so flawed and so magnificent. You wouldn't think so as they all start out so shiny and new. We're introduced to characters with high hopes, starting new, and eager to achieve their goals. Okay, so maybe not so perfect like that, but they had least had hints of it when we first meet the five main characters. But then, we get their flaws. Their glorious, horrific, flaws.
I found myself screaming at Henry, "THROW THE BALL!" and telling Pella to get her shit together, as well wanting to wring Mike's neck, and cheering on Geurt's happiness, despite the danger it imposed. All while having the occasional change of pace with Owen, who was so delightful.
The book was actually featured on the Netflix show "Thirteen Reasons Why" because both are the story of a baseball team bonding. But "The Art of Fielding" is better, I'm just saying.
If you want a book that will rip out your heart, play baseball with it, then stab it, then stomp on it, and finally bury it, dig it up, and toss it in a lake then this is the book for you! This is one of those books that will take you to your knees from pain, and at times make your heart race with love and joy. It's not your typical story of overcoming struggles, because it's mostly just the characters trudging through their struggles and making them forty times worse because of their flaws.
Harbach crafted such wonderfully horrible people, and for that I love him. Even though they couldn't achieve their goals because of all that happened, I still cheered for them and recommend their story to anyone who will listen. So, since you're here listening: read "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach.
Book Review: "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
This book is a hot topic right now, and if you haven't read it, you should. Seriously. You should read this book.
"The Hate U Give" is about a girl who witnesses her friend get shot by a police officer, and then she goes through the process of trying to get him justice. She also gives the reader a chance to explore her personal world, from the empowered family she is surrounded by, to handling a double consciousness when attending a majority white private school, and everyday life in Garden Heights. It is so much in one novel, but it is done perfectly by Angie Thomas.
I think Thomas is a brilliant author, and I'm sure this blog post won't do her justice, but I'm going to try. The first thing I would like to note is that about a page into the novel I realized this narrator was unique. It's not because she's spunky or smart, or any other traits other authors give their characters in attempts to make them stand out, but because I have rarely read a book with this voice. The perspective of black teenagers is grossly low in mainstream fiction. One would have to really search the teen section to find this kind of book, but even then they'd probably have to order a print on demand title because bookstores won't carry the item regularly. I thought I was a well-rounded reader, I thought I had exposed myself to a lot of different perspectives, but after getting into "The Hate U Give" I realized I needed to read more books like this. Everyone should. We should be reading more authors of color, because their stories are not only entertaining and wonderful, but informative of a world America often forgets about, or doesn't even recognize at all.
At this moment I'm reminded of an episode of "Jane the Virgin." Jane is a latino woman, her grandmother was born and raised in Venezuela, and she is a writer. Jane has her book published, but it is eventually dropped by the publisher. Which evokes her to say, "Very few women of color get published. And when we do, we cannot afford to screw it up, because we don't get a second chance-- like our peers" (Season 4, episode 9). I know Angie Thomas had similar thoughts running through her head as she was publishing this book, especially since it covers Black Lives Matter topics. But she nailed it, and she is also working on her second book "On the Come Up" which I'm sure will be equally amazing.
To continue on with what makes "The Hate U Give" amazing is the pure beauty of her writing. Not only is the voice authentic and unique, but she just has these amazing quotes sprinkled into the book. The first one, for me, came 26 pages into the novel. Kahlil has just been shot and Star is sitting on the back of an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket, and her parents have arrived. Thomas writes that her mom holds her close, "She rubs my back and speaks in hushed tones that tell lies."
I was so blown away by this quote. In such an elegant way she shows the reader three things: (1) the mother is telling her everything will be alright, (2) Star reacts honestly because she doesn't believe that for a second, (3) it hints at how the story will go. And, the quotes don't end there!
Google "The Hate U Give quotes" and hit "images." You will find a plethora of beautiful quotes decorated with fan art. Allow me to give you a taste of what you will find:
"The Hate U Give" is about a girl who witnesses her friend get shot by a police officer, and then she goes through the process of trying to get him justice. She also gives the reader a chance to explore her personal world, from the empowered family she is surrounded by, to handling a double consciousness when attending a majority white private school, and everyday life in Garden Heights. It is so much in one novel, but it is done perfectly by Angie Thomas.
I think Thomas is a brilliant author, and I'm sure this blog post won't do her justice, but I'm going to try. The first thing I would like to note is that about a page into the novel I realized this narrator was unique. It's not because she's spunky or smart, or any other traits other authors give their characters in attempts to make them stand out, but because I have rarely read a book with this voice. The perspective of black teenagers is grossly low in mainstream fiction. One would have to really search the teen section to find this kind of book, but even then they'd probably have to order a print on demand title because bookstores won't carry the item regularly. I thought I was a well-rounded reader, I thought I had exposed myself to a lot of different perspectives, but after getting into "The Hate U Give" I realized I needed to read more books like this. Everyone should. We should be reading more authors of color, because their stories are not only entertaining and wonderful, but informative of a world America often forgets about, or doesn't even recognize at all.
At this moment I'm reminded of an episode of "Jane the Virgin." Jane is a latino woman, her grandmother was born and raised in Venezuela, and she is a writer. Jane has her book published, but it is eventually dropped by the publisher. Which evokes her to say, "Very few women of color get published. And when we do, we cannot afford to screw it up, because we don't get a second chance-- like our peers" (Season 4, episode 9). I know Angie Thomas had similar thoughts running through her head as she was publishing this book, especially since it covers Black Lives Matter topics. But she nailed it, and she is also working on her second book "On the Come Up" which I'm sure will be equally amazing.
To continue on with what makes "The Hate U Give" amazing is the pure beauty of her writing. Not only is the voice authentic and unique, but she just has these amazing quotes sprinkled into the book. The first one, for me, came 26 pages into the novel. Kahlil has just been shot and Star is sitting on the back of an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket, and her parents have arrived. Thomas writes that her mom holds her close, "She rubs my back and speaks in hushed tones that tell lies."
I was so blown away by this quote. In such an elegant way she shows the reader three things: (1) the mother is telling her everything will be alright, (2) Star reacts honestly because she doesn't believe that for a second, (3) it hints at how the story will go. And, the quotes don't end there!
Google "The Hate U Give quotes" and hit "images." You will find a plethora of beautiful quotes decorated with fan art. Allow me to give you a taste of what you will find:
So many good quotes! They give me chills. Angie Thomas is #writergoals.
This book is just so honest, so blunt, and beautifully written. The story moves you through the daily life of Star, from the major stuff like dealing with the trauma of witnessing a friend be shot and fighting for Black Lives, to the mundane parts of her life like boyfriend problems and working at her dad's grocery store. Everything is in there, and Thomas makes it magnificent. Read it if you are an activist, if you'd like to be exposed to a non-white perspective, or if you really just can't wrap your head around why the football players are kneeling during the national anthem. Basically everybody needs to read this book.
Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=jane-the-virgin-2014&episode=s04e09
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