SLJ Battle of the Books: Love

Ooooh, Round 1 Match 3 was announced this morning, and I have to make note of Helen Frost's review: that is how a match is judged! And I confess that I haven't read either book...but her reasoning was just, well-thought-out, and intelligent. So much fun to read.

So today is a little different. I am sharing two quotes from Kristin Cashore's Fire*, both of which say a tremendous amount about love and relationships.

The first:

We're not lovers anymore, she thought at him. This is the thing I needed to tell you. The closer you get to me the harder you pull, and your grip is too tight. You hurt me with it. You love me so much you've forgotten how to be my friend. I miss my friend, she thought at him fiercely. I love my friend. We're through as lovers. Do you understand?

And the second:

You asked me once why I trust you. This is not the entire reason, but it's part. I believe you have shouldered a great deal of pain for the sake of other people. I believe you're as strong and as brave as anyone I've met or heard of. And wise and generous in the use of your power.

I love the first because it captures that part of romantic relationships that is so important: friendship first. And the second is such an amazing letter - who doesn't want someone reassuring you how brave and strong you are? And that they love you for being that? Seeing yourself through another's eyes...

Swoon.

I'm having a blast with BotB this year and I hope you're tuning in as well.

Game on!

I Pine, I Swoon!

I want this now. And I have to wait until December 1st?!

SLJ Battle of the Books: Universality

I'll get right to it. I love this one. Here is the quote from Fire today:

She wondered if a person could be powerful, but inside be broken into pieces, and shaking, all the time.

Oh heavens, yes.

One thing I love about this book is that, even though it seems to be about adults, there's this commonality of emotion and human experience that makes it so accessible to teens. As a 30...something...parent, wife, friend, employee, etc., I soooo understand this passage. And you don't think a young teenager feels this way? Of course they do. We all feel this way.

On that same note, I sat on a bus with Kristin Cashore at an ALA Annual event a couple years ago, and I actually asked her (as it relates to Graceling), paraphrasing: "You used the term 'lover' when describing Po and Katsa's relationship. Do you think that...um...bumps it up to an adult level? Isn't that an adult sensibility?" To be honest, I actually don't remember Kristin's answer - I was too busy being embarrassed about the question. But it was there in Graceling and again in Fire - that adult sensibility.

But here is what I love about that: as an author, Cashore does not talk down to teens. For better or for worse, even if they don't understand the adult nuances, many teens know what it feels like to have (or be) a lover. They know what it feels like to be confused about sex and all its complications and implications. They know what it feels like to be shaking and vulnerable and scared...but capable of so much strength and power. Especially young teen women. This book is for them.

Think yesterday's decision was tough? Just look at the upcoming matches at SLJ BotB! Tales of Outer Suburbia vs. When You Reach Me?! Oy.

Game on!

SLJ Battle of the Books: Family

I don't know if you're keeping up with it or not, but Nancy Farmer put the smack down on my girl Fire today.

First, and foremost, I have to remember this is all in good fun. It is. It is, it is, it is.

Second, Nancy Farmer might get some flak for this vote. Not because Fire lost but for her reasoning.

Lastly, as I mentioned, I don't envy the judge that had to make this decision. It was not going to go well either way, I think. And, for the record, I truly enjoyed Calpurnia Tate.

So I'll just hope that Fire comes alive in the Undead Poll and, if you didn't vote, shame on you. Shame, shame. Hasn't recent history shown us how important it is to VOTE?!

In honor of today's BotB smackdown, I give you this quote:

It always struck Fire, the physical affection between these siblings, who as often as not were at each other's throats over one thing or another. She liked the way the four of them shifted and changed shape, bumping and clanging against each other, sharpening each other's edges and then smoothing them down again, and somehow always finding the way to fit together.

Well, if that isn't a wonderful, loving, happy tribute to the true nature of families, I don't know what is.

I'm going to finish up some work while I remind myself that BotB is all fun and games, which is true. But make no mistake that I have some very strong thoughts on how this match was judged which I don't feel free to express. So I invite you to have at it in the comments or air your thoughts on your own blogs.

Game on!

SLJ Battle of the Books: My Favorite Passage from Fire

Go check out SLJ Battle of the Books for the first elimination: Claudette Colvin vs. Charles and Emma.

Here is your Fire (by Kristin Cashore) quote for today (my favorite one):

And now it was the speed of Fire and Small versus the swarm descending upon her from the north and from above. Under her, Small was desperate and wonderful. He had never flown so fast.

When I first read this passage, the first time I read Fire, I gasped out loud. I do not exaggerate. The characterization was just gorgeous: this beautiful woman riding this leaning, stumpy, "small-minded" horse while these vividly colored flying monsters attack them from all sides, clawing and biting them. Small is the Hobbit of horses - he's determined and gentle and protective and loving. Don't even think of underestimating him just because of his size or his perceived intelligence. He is as loyal a companion as you could ever have, and he's one of the few things on earth that asks nothing of Fire. They have a true partnership, which is a rare and precious thing for her.

All captured in this brief passage. Brilliant.

Tomorrow's the day: Fire vs. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Make the right choice, Nancy Farmer*!

* I certainly don't envy her this decision - I loved Calpurnia Tate, I did. And these are such different books - how do you even compare them? But in the case that Fire loses, you bet your arses that I voted for Fire in the Undead Poll so I'll keep posting quotes, hoping for a resurrection!

Note: I'm also tweeting this (a little) at #sljbotb.

SLJ Battle of the Books!

Let the Battle of the Books begin!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'll be quoting all things Fire by Kristin Cashore in an effort to prove the brilliance and superiority of the writing.

And I won't hold back. So here's the first heavy-hitter:

It had been easy once, taking Archer into her bed; not so long ago it had been simple. And then, somehow, the balance had tipped between them. The marriage proposals, the lovesickness. More and more, the simplest thing was to say no.

Why this one? Because in a brief paragraph, so many themes of the book are revealed: power, sex, love, feminism. So many teen girls are confronted with this dilemma - namely, the power they hold by the giving and withholding of sexual intimacy - but how many books for them really put voice to it? It's a scary power to have at such a young age, and it's moments like this in the book where I feel glad that Fire is in the hands of teenage girls (and grown women too, for that matter).

In that way, I'm reminded of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. When that one came out, so many reviewers (myself included) heralded it as feminist literature for the modern teen set. The same could be said of Graceling and Fire.

Likewise, I'm reminded of Megan Whalen Turner's work as well. Adult characters and adult themes that somehow still reach out to the teen reader. In Turner's work, the balance of power is such a prevalent theme. It's no wonder that teens are drawn to the works of Cashore, Lockhart, and Turner: teens feel powerless to change their world - they're beholden to family, teachers, and friends. These stories, though, demonstrate ways in which the balance of power is a subtle, ever-changing idea and perhaps they have more strength than they believe. Once again, I find myself wishing that I had access to these writers when I was 14 or 15.

And that's my Fire quote of the day. All my Battle of the Books quotes won't be nearly this long, I assure you, but it's a rainy miserable Sunday...I'm still in my PJs...a steaming cup of coffee beside me...it's the perfect time to wax poetic about my favorite book of 2009!

Game on!

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Weird blog post title, right? But it's relevant, I swear!

I had a phenomenal weekend. Amazing. And you know what? I didn't take a single photo. Part of me cursed about the fact that I "forgot" to document the whole thing...

...but then I was glad. Sometimes you don't need to make sure the whole thing is recorded. There are memories. There is an emotional high. I swear, this high will get me through the entire upcoming week.

It's hard to live on the other side of the country from my family - I struggle with it daily. It's hard to find that work-life-home balance that we're all striving for. It's hard to have the majority of our friends here be child-free...mostly because I worry that we're inconveniencing them with our child. And it's hard to develop your own community, your own inner circle, and your own chosen family in a place where you did not come from.

But today was one of those days. 58 degrees - the first REAL spring day we've had in NYC this year. We spontaneously invited anyone from our "adopted family" to join us for a picnic in Central Park. Totally last minute.

Friends showed up. Lillet was introduced to those who had never experienced it. Taleggio was enjoyed by all. Bug played aerobie with Adam and her adopted uncle. I forgot that the grass areas are still fenced off so we lounged on top of a large boulder. At one point I thought it looked like we were warming ourselves on the rock like lizards. In a good way. We talked food, movies, books...and lots in between.

So the revolution will not be televised. It will be live. The moment when I don't take a picture because I'm so in the moment. The instant where I realize and appreciate that we do have a family here. The millisecond where I feel that we are right where we need to be right now. I needed this day and it was given to me.

Eat, drink, and thank you to New York for all of this.

Note: the lyrics/poem can be found here. And infinite thank yous to Amy for the mix CD(s) that brought me this song. It spoke to me.

San Antonio Regrets

I think I've made it clear to anyone who asks that, yes, my new job in publishing is kicking my arse...but it's doing so in the most challenging, most fulfilling way possible. I'm exhausted but I'm also engaged and enthralled by my new world.

One thing I do love is the travel. At least I do at this point (I'm only 7 months in so that could change eventually). For instance, in a month, I'll be at the Texas Library Association conference. I've never been to Texas, let alone San Antonio, and I'm so excited. I've heard Texan librarians are super friendly and super fun - many folks in publishing passionately declare that the TLA conference is their favorite all year. I'm stoked.

But then...

...I read my blogroll and Kitchn seems to be writing love letter after love letter to foodie haunts in San Antonio.










Like Tienda de Cocina, Melissa Guerra's shop.

Or the Pearl Farmers Market.

And guess what? I won't get to go to either of these places. Conferences do give me a chance to travel and go to great restaurants in the cities I'm visiting...but farmers' markets and pottery shops? Ha! Don't I wish!

So if you're Texan...or at least going to the TLA conference in April...stop by the booth and say hi. And tell me about all your fabulous San Antonian finds so that I might live vicariously through you and experience the city!

Eat, drink, and do it like a Texan!