Armchair BEA: Blogger Ethics

Design by Emily @ Emily's Reading Room

To plagiarize or not to plagiarize?  That is the question.

Except it shouldn't be.  Ever.  To me the answer to that question should be a no-brainer.  Plagiarism, or the stealing of someone else's words or ideas, should be something that no sane person would consider.  Ever.  However, if my several years of experience in education have taught me anything, it's that plagiarism is an all too common resort for many budding writers.  But why?

I tell my students on the first day of class every semester that there are two reasons why students plagiarize.

1. They did not understand the assignment.
2. Their life blew up near a deadline.

Are these good excuses?  Of course not.  There is never a good excuse to plagiarize; however, it happens.

But how does this translate to the blogging community?  

Fortunately, my experiences (and they have been numerous) with plagiarism have remained firmly in the academic setting.  Although I have read accounts of other bloggers who have had their reviews plagiarized, I personally have never experienced that type of infringement (as far as I know).  I imagine, though, that plagiarism in the blogosphere stems mostly from blogger envy, something I touched on in my blogger development post for Armchair BEA a few days ago.  It can be tough to watch your little blog languish while another's grows by the hour.  Sometimes someone else was able to articulate exactly what you were thinking or feeling while reading better than you every could, so you "borrow" a few of their phrases or ideas.  It's a form of flattery, right?  WRONG.

So how does one avoid plagiarism while blogging?  For me it's pretty easy.  I started my blog because I wanted to share my thoughts on the books I read.  Mine.  So no content worries there.  However, I follow some amazing bloggers, and sometimes their posts inspire me, and I want to respond in more detail than just the comments section, or I want to reference something they said.  To avoid plagiarism in an academic setting I would bust out my MLA handbook (I have numerous editions), format my in-text citations (author's last name and page number), and painstakingly construct my Works Cited list (organized alphabetically by the authors' last names); however, the blogging world is much more casual, so I just link to the blogger's post that inspired me or whose concept I referenced or survey I filled out.  Pretty straightforward, and most of them are grateful for the shout-out.  Bonus: It ups traffic on their site.  Win-win.

The grey area for me is images.  While most people who plagiarize content do so intentionally, many people infringe copyright on images accidentally.  It's easy to see why.  You can find anything on the web these days.  The content is so diverse, and there's so much of it.  Also, it's constantly growing and changing.  What was there yesterday may have been amended, moved, or deleted altogether today.  Not to mention, so much of the Internet's content today is user-generated, and it's so easy to share things you find on the web.  Look at YouTube for example.  There's a "Share" button underneath each video encouraging re-posting.  I think things sometimes just get lost on the inter-web.  An image or a video is posted and then re-posted, so many times it becomes nearly impossible to track down the original source.  As the Internet continues to grow and change, most of us take for granted that what's there is fair game.  You post it, and it's open for general public use.  Except it's not always.  Images, like content, are subject to credit.  In the case of a fantastically original art piece, it seems obvious, but photographs of public people and places are more obscure.  Especially if you are using a search engine like Google image which may return to you thousands of nearly identical images.  Like I tell my students, when in doubt, cite it.  But do book covers fall into this category?  If I upload an image of a book cover from Barnes and Noble or Amazon or even the author's website, does that deserve a shout-out?  Despite my firm stance on blogging ethics, this question more than any other has stumped me today.  I did a little low-brow research and never found a clear-cut answer.  At best, I found that book covers fall under the fair use act, and most publishers and authors are happy to have their books promoted.  Any insight into this murky water would be appreciated!

All in all, the topic of blogger ethics all boils down to one word: respect.  That's right, R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  And who am I to argue with Aretha?

Video from YouTube.com by Tatan Brown

Armchair BEA: Literary Fiction

Design by Emily @ Emily's Reading Room

Literary Fiction.  The genre title alone is enough to inspire fear and aversion in most readers.  This is most often because many of our first encounters with works deemed literary fiction occurred as part of the dreaded required reading component of our middle school and high school English classes.  The archaic language and puritanical themes of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter do not translate well to today's contemporary tenth-grader.  The overwhelming prose of William Faulkner is tough for a graduate student to decipher much less a student who is used to conversing in 140 characters or less.  Personal experience has taught me that most classical literary fiction is worth a revisit and a re-read due to the more mature life experiences and perspectives I can now bring to a work.  Does that mean I don't think literary fiction should be taught as part of the middle school and high school curriculum?  No.  I do, however, think that educators can structure their curriculum to build a bridge between readers and more challenging texts by broadening the definition of "literary fiction" and incorporating more accessible texts with similar themes into the classroom.

Before I expand upon this theory, let's attempt a working definition of literary fiction.

According to Merriam-Webster, the term "literary" means "of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning or literature" or "of or relating to authors or scholars or to their professions," which means literary fiction would be fiction with these qualities. But what does that mean? Through my experience, this broad and very vague definition refers to books that have been esteemed as possessing merit by critics of note. Still broad and confusing, eh? Most classics fall into this category, but that doesn't mean contemporary novels and novelists are not also considered literary fiction.

Examples of classic literary fiction by author:
The Bronte Sisters
Mark Twain
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Henry James
William Faulkner

T. S. Eliot

Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Virgina Woolf 

Examples of classic/contemporary literary fiction crossovers by author:

Toni Morrison

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Examples of contemporary literary fiction by author:
Nicole Krauss*
Jonathon Safran Foer*

Don DeLillo

J. M. Coetzee 

John Updike

A. S. Byatt

Philip Roth

Jeanette Winterson
*ironically these two are married

There is something exclusive about literary fiction.  In an attempt to narrow down the definition and put some meat on its bones, I often find literary fiction to be meta-textual. It makes allusions to other (often prestigious) works, which creates two audience camps, those who "get" the references and those who do not, thus, heralding those in the know as literary experts and excluding those who do not as simpletons. Literary fiction can be very alienating that way. Similarly, literary fiction is often meta-cognitive. It talks a lot about itself and literature in general and the writing and reading processes. Personally, this is one of the draws for me. I love a book within a book, and I can't deny that when an author makes an allusion to a favorite book/author/play/poem etc. I feel a sense of kinship. Bonus warm and fuzzy feelings if the reference is to something obscure, and I still get it.

However, literary fiction endures despite its snobbery because it delves into the recesses of the universal human experience. It is this complex dichotomy of exclusion and inclusion that makes literary fiction such a compelling if challenging read. Literary fiction often deals with over-arching big issues from companionship to racism to aging. Therefore, the closer your experience to these issues, the more likely that piece of fiction will resonate with you, which is why I stand by the observation I made above:

Personal experience has taught me that most classical literary fiction is worth a revisit and a re-read due to the more mature life experiences and perspectives I can now bring to a work.

It also highlights the struggle then with teaching more classic and literary texts in a classroom full of students with limited life experience.  What is the solution?

Tandem teaching or pairing a contemporary work and a literary work that have similar themes.  The contemporary work acts as a bridge for students to understand the more complex literary work.  This pairing also opens the door for discussions on tone, writing style, and exploration of common rhetorical modes like compare and contrast and analysis.

One of my favorite pairings, and actually the one that inspired this post, is Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Laurie Anderson's Speak.  The two texts have many parallels in terms of theme, imagery, and character and relationship development.  Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings would also be excellent additions to a unit including the two titular novels.  Also, When She Woke by Hillary Jordan is a contemporary espionage tinged re-telling of The Scarlet Letter that may spark interest, or at least understanding, of this century old text.  Rick Riordan's acclaimed Percy Jackson series would make an excellent introduction to a unit on classical mythology, and there are numerous contemporary revisions of Shakespeare's works.  Similarly, The Help by Kathryn Stockett would be a wonderful companion to traditional texts discussing race relations.  Another pairing rich for comparison and exploration would be Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Megan McCafferty's Bumped, which reflects on present-day attitudes towards teen pregnancy.  Incorporating Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried and Don DeLillo's Falling Man into a historical unit to trace attitudes towards war and national security.

What are your feelings towards literary fiction?  Love it?  Hate it?  Proceed with caution?  I want to know!

Armchair BEA: Blogger Development

Design by Emily @ Emily's Reading Room

Today's Armchair BEA prompt echoes a topic that has been on my mind and making rounds in the blogosphere recently - personal blogging habits and development. I still consider myself a newbie to the blogging world.  As I stated in my introductory post, I began blogging for purely personal reasons.  I was just looking for a space to share my thoughts on what I was reading, especially since my built in book club (AKA: other grad students) had recently dissolved.  Although most of the blogs I followed were accepting ARCs and boasting followers in the triple digits, I didn't strive for that kind of notoriety.  However, as my follower count slowly creeped into the double digits and I read review after review for books by some of my favorite authors that I wouldn't be able to get my hands on for MONTHS, I began to get a little envious and to consider my own ability to make it in the blogging big leagues.  That's about as far as I got though, considering.  I attempted a move to Wordpress thinking a more professional and customizable site was what I needed and was immediately overwhelmed by all the techie options that are not present in my very simplified and functional Blogger domain.  I moved back.  I re-evaluated my blogging habits from a practical standpoint (i.e. time and drive) and realized that trying to keep up with seasoned bloggers was taking an activity I loved and making it stressful.  Since then, I have been taking my blog both more and less seriously. I strive for quality reviews.  I participate in memes and challenges and discussions like Armchair BEA when and if I can when the topic strikes me, and if I don't meet the deadline?  No big deal.  My blog is for fun, and since I quite obsessing over my pageviews and how often I posted, I've been more relaxed and oddly more productive.  With this frame of mind, I have realized that although I wouldn't turn down an ARC from a favorite author, I don't want to seek out a commitment and a deadline I'm not equipped to meet.  Similarly, a cornerstone of my life philosophy, which may seem out of sync with my love for blogging, is no social networking sites.  I have been off Facebook, Twitter, and Pintrest for over a year now, and I can say with absolute certainty that I have been happier (and once again more productive) without the drama these sites usually invite.  I know I am missing out on chances to promote my blog and network with other bloggers, but  I'm not willing to compromise my time and energy for those sites.  I've seen blogs I love go under due to creative burnout.  I'd rather use my time to recharge my creative batteries and write a kick-ass blog post, plan an engaging lesson for my students, lose myself in a great book, watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls, play with my niece, kiss my dog, and spend time with my husband. Can you blame me?

Back at the beginning of this year, I did take the time to carve out a few loose book and blogging resolutions.  Since this conversation is occurring mid-year, it seemed like an opportune time to re-visit my resolutions and check on my progress.

Original resolution: Scripted Verses - a weekly feature on my blog sporting original poetry and fiction
Current status: I kept up with Scripted Verses for a few weeks, but my blogger identity crisis detailed above derailed it a bit.  I still have several drafts in progress for this feature, so it will be back!

Original resolution: Write more
Current status: Check!  I plan on sticking even closer to this resolution this summer by blocking out weekly writing time to work on this blog, write an article on teaching banned books for the Teaching English in the Two-Year College journal, and whatever else crosses my mind.

Original resolution: Listen to audiobooks 
Current status: I have listened to a few audiobooks via free apps through my library.  It is a valuable way to spend my commute to and from work, but I find the selection to be a fairly limited.  After exhausting the few books I had access to and wanted to read, I've let this resolution fall by the wayside.  I'm not giving up on audiobooks yet though!

Original resolution: Read Anna Karenina and Les Miserables 
Current status: Check minus - I finished Anna Karenina (thanks to the previous resolution), but I've yet to start Les Miserables yet.  I've still got a half a year left (and it may take me that long to finish it...).

Original resolution: DNF 
Current status: Check!  Just as I've let go of a lot of my personal negative blogging expectations and energy, I've gotten better at quitting books that weren't working for me for whatever reason.  Recent DNF's include A Prayer for Owen Meany and You Were Always Mom's Favorite!: Sisters in Conversations Throughout Their Lives.

Original resolution: Utilize the public library 
Current status: Check!  In fact, by taking advantage of inter-library loan, I have access to new releases my library doesn't have, and I haven't spent a dime on books in months!

Original resolution: Read what I own/limit book buying 
Current status: Check (with the help of the previous resolution)!  I will be enacting an exemption at the end of June for Sarah Dessen's newest book The Moon and More.  I already own all her other novels (all signed), so I can't break tradition!

Original resolution: Reading Outside the Box Challenge by Musings of a Book Lover 
Current status: Check!  Although I haven't been sticking to the schedule I original laid out for myself (I'm slightly OCD if you can't tell), I have been reading and reviewing books for this challenge fairly regularly, and I'm looking forward to continuing to participate.

Here are the books I've read and reviewed for the challenge so far:
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Annie's Ghost: A Journey into a Family Secret by Steve Luxenburg
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman (illustrator) 
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
You Were Always Mom's Favorite!: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives by Deborah Tannen

Not so bad!  And I have a half a year to address any areas of weakness.  The blogging community is one filled with great conversations, great fun, and most of all, GREAT BOOKS, and if my blogging development over the past two years has brought me closer to any of those three, then I count it a great success.

Happy reading (and blogging) from my armchair to yours!

Review: You Were Always Mom's Favorite!: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives by Deborah Tannen

Image from Musings of a Book Lover

I've been exposed to Deborah Tannen's linguistical prowess in various forms since graduate school. What is most awe inspiring to me is Tannen's down to earth, conversational writing style. No matter the complexity of the subject, Tannen manages to make readers feel as if they are chatting with an old friend. Despite my previous exposure to Tannen's research, I had never read one of her book length studies. I spotted You Were Always Mom's Favorite!: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives at the same time I found Rachel Simmons' The Curse of the Good Girl. I was immediately drawn to the study because the title is exactly what I've heard my sister say many times in conversations throughout our lives. Recent breakdowns in communication between my sisters and me propelled me to pursue Tannen's study of sisterly conversations with interest. Tannen's intimate, conversational style did not disappoint; however, much of the content included accounts of older and younger sisters in competition, which I was very familiar with from personal experience. When Tannen wasn't describing sisters in conflict, she was painting a portrait of sisters so close they finish each others sentences - an ideal I haven't had as much experience with. These descriptions left me feeling jealous and slightly ashamed. I had entered into Tannen's books with the hope of uncovering conversational analysis and templates to improve my communication with my sisters. What I found was an extended description I could have written myself paired with idealized accounts of sisters that made me feel like a failure in my own relationships. These feelings coupled with an overdue library book with no renewals made me put down this book unfinished.

I may return to it later when I can have more time with it. If you've read it, let me know: Is there more of what I'm looking for in the second half of the book? Or is it more of the same? Is it worth revisiting?

Read for the Reading Outside the Box Challenge hosted by Kate at Musings of a Book Lover
Level Four: 3 Opposites Attract (or in this case, not so much) 

Armchair BEA Introductory Post

Design by Emily @ Emily's Reading Room

The blogosphere has been blowing up lately with chatter about the upcoming Book Expo America, but as a North Carolinian on a budget, there was no way I was going to make it New York for a few days of book and blog partying. However, I discovered through Melissa at Confessions of an Avid Reader just the solution for homebound bloggers like me - Armchair BEA. Each day there will be a prompt so that bloggers who are unable to attend BEA will get a chance to join the conversation. But first, a little about me: 

• Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 

My name is Kristin. I teach English at my local community college. I began my blog 2 years ago because I missed the bookish conversations I used to have while in graduate school and was looking for a place to begin those conversations again. I found that space in the book blogging community! 

• What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013? 

Currently, I've been doing a lot of re-reading. I've had a very busy semester, so I haven't had a lot of time to pursue new reads. Since I'm not teaching this summer though, I hope to spend more time reading new releases. I've currently got Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell on the way!

• Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. 

I would secretly love to try out for The Voice. Sometimes when I'm in the car listening to music, I pick out the songs that I would audition with. My current favorite is "Drinkin" by Holly Williams.

• If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? 

I would love to pick J. K. Rowling's brain. I am a huge Harry Potter fan, but most of all I really admire her character development and world-building. Even though I didn't love The Casual Vacancy, I cannot deny that her writing style is captivating. If I was allowed an additional choice, I would go with Sarah Dessen. I'm currently re-reading all her novels in anticipation of the release of The Moon and More. Although I won't be seeing her at BEA, I will be seeing her at one of the independent bookstores in Raleigh at the end of June. She is such a down-to-earth person, and from reading her blog and seeing her speak numerous times, I think we are a lot alike!

• What literary location would you most like to visit? Why? 

Ever since I declared a Brit. Lit. major in college, I have wanted to visit the Lake Poets' various hangouts - Grasmere, Dove Cottage, etc. Now if I could just convince my husband to leave the country...

Top Ten Tuesday Rewind: Tough Subjects 5/28

Image from The Broke and the Bookish

A year ago I wrote a post about why I, as an adult, read YA (young adult literature).  I summed it up with one word - hope.  Even in the face of the most tragic of circumstances, most YA characters display a resilience and desire to move forward and overcome the obstacles in front of them.  Today, I would like to explore another reason why I read (and teach!) YA literature.  The books are relatable.  They help readers identify problem areas in their own lives and explore ways to overcome them.  They show readers they are not alone, and most importantly, they can teach readers valuable lessons about empathy, tolerance, and respect as Christine at Buckling Bookshelves recently reminded me.  Unfortunately, many of these books are challenged and banned every year because they dare to represent unflinchingly a typical teenage experience.  They hold a magnifying glass up to life today, and what they find is not always pretty, but their focus never wavers until they can locate the good on the other side.  I greatly admire YA authors because I think it takes a lot of courage to do what they do, to say this subject may be uncomfortable but it's important to write about, it's worth starting a conversation.  So for this Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, I've chosen to highlight those books and authors that make the case for YA literature better than I ever could.

Books

Speak and Wintergirls Laurie Halse Anderson
Issues: acquaintance rape, self-mutilation, suicide, grief, eating disorders
Lessons learned: speak up when you or a friend are harming yourself or others, seek help from trusted sources

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chobosky

Issues: depression, suicide, sexual abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, homosexuality

Lessons learned: talk it out, find friends you can trust

13 Reasons Why Jay Asher

Issues: suicide, bullying

Lessons learned: empathy

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

*not technically YA but has been adopted by the YA culture

Issues: racism, poverty, rape

Lessons learned: tolerance, perseverance, determination, strength of character

Hold Still Nina LaCour

Issues: suicide, depression, grief

Lessons learned: pay attention, don't internalize guilt over external circumstances, acceptance

Stargirl Jerry Spinelli

Issues: peer pressure, conformity

Lessons learned: be secure in who you are

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes Chris Crutcher

Issues: bullying, abuse

Lessons learned: power of friendship
*Bonus Points: Chris Crutcher writes some of the most realistic teen dialogue I've ever read.

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
*not technically YA but has been adopted by the YA culture
Issues: racism, rape, growing pains
Lessons learned: tolerance, tact, empathy, strength of character, stand up for what you believe in

Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars John Green

Issues: suicide, bullying, grief, terminal illness
Lessons learned: sanctity of life and friendship

Authors

Ellen Hopkins
Issues: you name it, she's written about it
Lessons learned: acceptance, tolerance, destructive behavior is not the answer to life's problems, don't give in to peer pressure, appreciate the supportive family members you have

Sarah Dessen
Issues: grief (specifically death of a parent), eating disorder, sibling rivalry, teen pregnancy, abusive relationships
Lessons learned: talk it out, no one and nothing is worth risking your physical and mental health for, know who you are and cultivate that girl, don't be afraid to take risks

Judy Blume
Issues: puberty, growing pains, sexuality, grief
Lessons learned: the original girl power, there is nothing wrong with bodily changes/hormones/growing up, know how to and who with you can explore those changes safely

Review: The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence by Rachel Simmons

I've thought a lot about this book since I finished it at the end of April. In fact, hardly a day goes by in which I'm not reminded of something Simmons wrote or I don't recall with startling clarity the image of "The Good Girl" Simmons so deftly painted. The book resonated with me so deeply because I am the quintessential Good Girl evoked in Simmons' title and painstakingly illustrated in the first half of her book, but I didn't need Simmons to tell me that. All my life I've been told by family, friends, teachers, and employers alike that I'm such a good [insert your chosen role here] - daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend, student, worker, person, girl. What goes unspoken is the expectations those labels carry, and they are no less of a burden for being unspoken. In fact, they are often heavier because the expectations are not clearly defined, and I must interpret what their definition of a good X is in order to then live up to it. Which means, I'm living my life to please others instead of myself.

Although the target audience for Simmons' book is actually mothers with middle/high school daughters, anyone who works with that age range or has been (or is currently) a good girl herself can benefit from reading this book.  Early on Simmons stresses that she is not telling girls to shirk all manners and responsibility but instead to not efface their own wants and needs to meet the expectations of others.  What often happens in middle/high school, and surprisingly between mothers and daughters, is conflict is viewed as the harbinger to the end of a relationship.  In reality, refusing to deal with conflict immediately and head-on results in a wedge that ultimately does terminate or irreparably damage a relationship.  In the latter half of her book, Simmons provides conversational templates for approaching conflict in a tactful way that encourages resolution and growth in a relationship.  She also offers exercises for strengthening an individual's confidence and ability to interact with others.  Simmons' book includes anecdotes from her time leading the Girls Leadership Institute as well as numerous interviews with mothers, daughters, students, teachers, and coaches.

One of the most important messages in Simmons' book is that conflict resolution and building self-esteem takes time, and no strategy is 100% effective.  I, personally, have yet to master saying "no" to the good girl voice in my head.  I have, however, gotten very good at identifying her, which allows me to evaluate the choices I am making in my personal, social, and professional lives and begin projecting a more confident, boundary oriented self instead of a yes-girl.

Best matched with good girls trying to break the curse.

Re-Read Review: Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Keeping the Moon is the perfect beach book.  I should know; I just re-read it in its entirety while on the beach.  Something about sitting in the sand with the sun beating down on me and listening to the waves really made me connect with Colby, the beach town that first appears in Keeping the Moon but makes appearances in much of Dessen's later fiction including her newest novel, The Moon and More, that is due out in June.  Colie is unwillingly deposited in Colby to live with her eccentric aunt in her beach front home populated with run-down furniture while her mother, the newly minted Kiki Sparks, is taking the weight-loss gospel transcontinental.  Colie's experience in Colby is defined by the people she meets, Isabel, Morgan, and Norman, all employees at the beach shack Last Chance Grill.  Through her interactions with these three, Colie tentatively begins to navigate the sometimes treacherous pathways of friendship and ultimately accept the person she has grown to become.  Isabel and Morgan are easily tied with Scarlett and Halley from Someone Like You in the race for best Dessen friendship.  Their easy give and take relationship of honesty and support is peppered with the rituals and inside jokes that are the envy of Colie and readers alike.  And then there is Norman.  Norman Norman (not to be confused with Cat Norman) is arty.  Norman is also incredibly sweet and quite possibly one of my favorite Dessen male leads.  There is something so unassuming but incredibly soulful about him.  Unlike Dreamland, Keeping the Moon is a fun, breezy read that will make you want to don your favorite sunglasses and hit the beach ASAP.  Be sure to stop in at your local beach dive, and leave a good tip!

Other Dessen Re-Read Reviews can be found below:

Just Listen
The Truth About Forever
This Lullaby
Someone Like You
Dreamland

Re-Read Review: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

I grew up on Sarah Dessen.  I discovered my favorite of her novels, Someone Like You, early in her career and proceeded to follow her closely for the rest of my teen years and into my early twenties.  I never thought of her novels as "issue books" as so many contemporary readers seem to label them.  I just thought of them as realistic portrayals of teens embroiled in family and romantic turmoil...with one exception - Dreamland.  Dreamland is so different from Dessen's other novels.  It is her fourth published novel and is the only one that deals most directly, in my opinion, with abuse in all its forms.  For someone with no sisters, Dessen describes the relationships between sisters in all their complexity very well.*  This is the first thing that struck me as I was re-reading Dreamland.  Caitlin admires her older sister Cass but also has complex feelings of jealousy and guilt regarding her sister's success.  As the oldest, Cass shoulders immense familial responsibility, and when she shirks that, Caitlin is left to fill Cass' very large shoes.  The pressure threatens to drown her.  Desperate for a reprieve, Caitlin turns to Rogerson Biscoe.  She is immediately immersed in a world of substance abuse that shrouds her real life in a dreamland fog.  Caitlin continues to float along in this dreamland, waiting for her sister to return, until Rogerson's protectiveness turns violent.  Suddenly Caitlin is jerked from her dreamland into a very real world of verbal and physical abuse in which she must constantly be on her guard.  Caitlin's fear of Rogerson and the way her world narrows to just his black eyes and his fist is palpable.  Caitlin more than any other Dessen character evokes a visceral reaction in me, and I cried for her when her mother discovered her bruises.  I cried for her when, against all reason, she still misses Rogerson.  I cried for her as she began to piece together the broken girl she had become, and I cried hardest of all when the last piece of her puzzle, her sister Cass, finally returns to her.  Dreamland is the issue book every new Dessen reader fears, but it is an extremely powerful exploration of abuse and the support system that can help the victim reach the other side.

*So I just googled Dessen, and she does have a brother.

Other Dessen Re-Read Reviews can be found below:

Just Listen
The Truth About Forever
This Lullaby
Someone Like You

This Mother's Day

On this Mother's Day, they sit dressed in various shades of black and white - sisters from different corners of this southeastern state with the uncanny ability to show up in complimentary outfits.  They are all mothers, but they are not here together to celebrate this day set aside to honor that distinction.  Instead, they rally around the daughterless mother who moments ago sat in the front row and watched her daughter transition from present to past tense.

Karen was a tall woman.  She dwarfed her mother and her mother's sisters - all slight in body but incredibly strong in spirit.  That much is clear as they hold hands and share stories and swap tissues.  Karen, too, shared in this strength.  The gray-blue urn at the center of the room is too small to contain her.  Her brother jokes, "She hated to be the center of attention."  Yet there she sits.  She does not linger on the perimeter of the room as she so often did at family Christmas gatherings.  But even then I could always find her - a gentle presence next to my mother, her friend and family confidant, sharing their own knowing smiles like secret sisters.

The Friday before Karen died I stood by my mother and held her hand, the cash box, and a blinking LED balloon at Relay for Life.  As the balloon slipped from my fingers and soared alone into the night sky, I thought of Karen and the kidney cancer that had invaded her body overnight.  On Sunday, I donned my purple t-shirt to brag about the money we had raised -$6000 in all.  That night my mother called.  "Karen's slipped away."  Like that balloon right out of my fingers, floating up to the heavens out of sight.

So on this Mother's Day, I dressed in black crepe and sat between my mother and hers to celebrate a mother of four.  I held each of her children because she couldn't today.  I winked at her granddaughter, and I watched the sisterhood that is larger than life mark this day of celebration with another tragedy.  I wouldn't have chosen this way or this day, but I'm grateful for the time we shared.

Review: The Night Cicus by Erin Morgenstern

Image from Musings of a Book Lover

Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus cannot be reviewed; it must be experienced.

Morgenstern has created a story as intricate and amazing as the circus she so artfully describes. Each vinigette is its own black and white striped tent - the contents of which will astound and mystify the reader.

The Night Circus captivated my imagination and promises to be a novel I will return to again and again - each time unveiling a new and fascinating portrait of the mysteries that lie at the heart of each shade of grey.

I wrote the lines above long before I finished The Night Circus. They are as true then, having finished the novel, as they were when I was only just beginning it. As one of the characters states,

Someone needs to tell those tales.  When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative.  There's magic in that.  It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict.  From the mundane to the profound.  You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose.  That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words.

It's a novel about a circus, yes, but the circus itself is merely the stage for an epic exploration of the art of storytelling.  The non-linear plot requires readers to immerse themselves in that element of the story much like the circus patrons entering into a different tent each night and becoming enchanted by its contents.  In fact, Morgenstern's writing style reminds me very much of Nicole Krauss' in The History of Love, one of my favorite books of all time.  There's a central slow-burn romance, which is full of so. much. longing that when Morgenstern finally brings the characters together in two simple sentences, I cried.  Even though the lovers themselves are central to the story, the novel follows many characters, weaving them together artfully, exploring love, friendship, passion, and obsession in a variety of mediums.

Best matched with rêveurs.

Read for the Reading Outside the Box Challenge hosted by Kate at Musings of a Book Lover
Level Four: 5 Star Day (and it earned every one of them)

Recommendation: Gifts for Bibliophiles

Graduation is swiftly approaching as is the season of weddings and baby showers.  Mother's Day is around the corner.  Throw in a couple of summer birthdays, and your gift list will be a mile long.  Cruising around the Internet on my lunch break today, I stumbled across several fantastic gifts for the bibliophiles in your life.  After shouting at my officemate to come look at my computer screen every 30 seconds, I figured I needed to broaden my bookish gift fan base.  Thus this totally spur of the moment post was born.  Enjoy my bookish finds from around the web on this May Wednesday, and consider snagging something for the book lover in your life!

I am a sucker for things that are decorative and functional, so I cannot stop obsessing over these books turned iPhone docks by RichNeelyDesigns.  I so want the Jane Eyre one.  The red stitching would totally match my home decor although I also love the light green Jane Austen Persuasion one as well!  There are tons of book designs to choose from - classic to contemporary.

P.S. The vintage cookbook set for an iPad would be great for the kitchen when you're following an online recipe!

Speaking of electronics, if you want to keep your iPhone or iPad safe and stylish while on the go, outofprintclothing.com has amazingly durable and decorative cases in classic book designs.  My best friend got me the peacock inspired Pride and Prejudice iPad case for Christmas. (which is why she is my best friend ;-)  They also have great t-shirts and bags. (The new Little Women one is to die for!)

If you or your reader prefer a more subtle profession of your love for a book or character, jewelry may be the way to go.  Etsy has the best selection by far.  My favorites are the Snape confession necklaces and the Jane Austen cuff bracelets, but I'm sure you can find just the right piece for any literary lover.  If you really want to make a statement, Tiffany & Co. has designed a set of Gatsby headpieces to celebrate the upcoming release of the Baz Luhrmann The Great Gatsby film.  A little over the top, but so is Gatsby.  Tres chic!

Every good bibliophile loves nothing more than curling up with a steaming cup of [insert your chosen drink here] and a good book.  A mug with a line from a favorite novel, like this "I am half agony, half hope" Persuasion mug, would be the perfect compliment!

Finally, we've all got keys - a literary themed key chain would be a great way to keep up with them!

Have I collected some fun book-themed gifts for readers of all types?  Maybe.  Have I created a list of literary collectables I would love?  Most definitely.  So maybe this post was a little too self-indulgent, but I hope you had as much fun browsing as I did!

Liebster Blog Award

Stormy at Book.Blog.Bake nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award aaagggeeessss ago.  I feel like it may even be rude to post my acceptance now since so much time has passed, but I really did (and still do!) appreciate the nomination, and part of what took me so long to formulate my acceptance is that Stormy asked some hard questions!!  I gave it my best shot though, and I want to thank her again for sharing the blogging love.  I always enjoy reading her very thoughtful review posts, and this award highlights what is best about the blogging community - the sharing of ideas and support in a collaborative space. 

In order to accept and participate, here are the steps laid out:
1. Tell 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
3. Post 11 questions for those who will be nominated by you.
4. Nominate 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
5. Get in contact with those 11 bloggers in order to inform them that you nominated them.

About Me

I don't have an "About Me" section on my blog because I don't like to put a lot of personal information out there.  Ironically, blogging itself is pretty personal because I am posting my personal reactions to and assessments of the books I read, which often include stories about my family, friends, or students. However, for Stormy, I will acquiesce and list eleven things about me.

1. I collect Betty Boop memorabilia - I have coffee mugs, stamps, signs, notepads, figurines, and even a Madame Alexander doll.
2. I was born on Father's Day.  I was my parents' first child; what a great Father's Day present, no?
3. I've sung in the Vatican.  I attended Peace College (when it was all-women - but that's another story), and I was a member of the Chamber Singers there.  During the summer of 2007, we went on a European tour and sang at different churches and venues in Spain, France, and Italy.  One of our singing stops with St. Peter's Basilica.  It was a once in a lifetime experience.
4. I have several notebooks full of the poems and stories I wrote from about third grade to tenth grade.  I was convinced I would be an author when I grew up. 
5. Confession: Half of the stories mentioned in number 4 are boy band fan-fiction.
6. I used to play piano and guitar.  Singing is my true musical passion and the one I've continued to cultivate as an adult; however, I took piano lessons as a child and guitar lessons while I was in college, but I didn't keep up with either.  I wish I had.  I can pick out notes and simple songs on both instruments now, but I won't be rocking a music hall near you anytime soon.
7. I am obsessed with Frank Warren's Postsecret Project.  I own all the books, and I read his Sunday Secrets blogspot religiously (pun intended).  I used to teach Postsecret in my composition class at N. C. State.
8. I was a cheerleader in high school and competed in the Miss Cheerleader of America pageant, where I was one of the top ten finalists, and in my hometown Jr. Miss pageant.  (I felt like I was writing about a different person when I just typed that sentence!)
9. Despite number 8, I still can't do a cartwheel.
10. I come from a long line of long marriages - both my grandparents have been married for 60 years, and my parents have been married for 30.    
11. I was an active participant in the Annual Livestock Show and Sale through 4-H from ages 9-16.  I raised, showed, and sold lambs mostly, but I did have a goat one year.

Stormy's Thought-Provoking Questions

1. What is your favorite fictional friendship?
No brainer - Halley and Scarlett in Sarah Dessen's Someone Like You.  This is easily one of my favorite books of all time precisely because of that deep-rooted friendship.

2. If you could live the story of any particular book, which one would you choose? The actual plot, not just the world. In essence, you’d replace the main character but have to go through everything they did.
Oooohhhh hard one because I would LOVE to live in Harry Potter's world, but I don't think I'd be brave enough to BE Harry Potter.  (I would definitely not be in Gryffindor - I lack the courage - I would be in Ravenclaw.)  I'm going to take a pass on this one.  Here's why - conflict is a key component of good literature.  It's what makes it interesting and gives the novel some depth.  The conflict can be big or small.  Personally, I am not a fan of conflict in real life; therefore, I would not willingly put myself into a situation in which I would be in conflict with someone, something, or myself.  You can see my dilemma then in choosing a character's life to live. The best ones (Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, etc.) are ripe with conflict.

3. Who is your favorite secondary character in a book who you believe should have really been the protagonist? (ex: If, for example, you believe Hermione or Ron should have been the narrator of HP)
I hate to steal from Stormy's question, but I do really love Hermione.  As I wrote in my Top Ten Kick-Ass Heroines post, I love that Hermione made smart girls look cool.  I would also like to see the character of Ginny Weasley developed further.  Unlike Hermione, Ginny never really becomes a stand out character to me.  First she's Ron's little annoying sister; then BAM, she's all grown up and Harry's love interest.  Yeah, Rowling indicates that she's a rocking wizard (she's great at hexes), but there's little development in her own right.  I think the movies give her a bit more personality, but I would love to follow her character development and really see her come into her own.

4. What is your earliest bookish memory?
Among others...Reading Peter Rabbit books at my paternal grandmother's house - she had a little yellow boxed set, perfect for small hands, that she kept on the top of her dining room hutch.  Whenever I went to visit her, I would make a beeline for that hutch, grab the books, and read and re-read about Peter's scrapes to my heart's content.

5. What book would you really like to see adapted to a movie or a TV show?
Imdb.com tells me that The History of Love by Nicole Krauss is "in development," but it's been that way for a while, and I don't think it's going to happen.  Although this is easily my favorite book, I'm kind of glad the movie will not come to fruition.  This is a very meta-textual book that I don't think would translate well to the screen.  There are just some things you have to read to feel.  However, I do think Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why and Ronlyn Domingue's The Mercy of Thin Air would make great films.  Asher's would be a very important piece about bullying in schools, and Domingue's would satisfy the thirst for a supernatural love story without the fantastical creature element.  Ooohhh...speaking of fantastical creatures, Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races would be an AMAZING film.  I can already imagine sweeping panoramic shots of a desolate but breathtaking island and the heart-pounding excitement of a dangerous horse race.  Who's making this movie?!

6. If you could have the fashion sense of any literary character, who would it be and why?
Someone from historical fiction - I'd like to try on those ornate gowns for a day!  I hate to even put this in writing, especially since it's a book I did not finish, but the description of the gowns that the Duchess of Dunbarton wore in Mary Balogh's A Secret Affair were sumptuous.  Now I just need the figure to go with them...

7. Why did you decide to start book blogging?
As I stated in my introductory post (in June of 2011!), I started book blogging because I was fresh out of graduate school, and I missed having a community of people to talk books with.  What better community to join than the blogging world?  I love getting book recommendations, fangirling about my new favorite read or author, having a sympathetic listener when a favorite author's new book let me down, or reminiscing about books and reading habits that others might find odd.

8. What’s a plot you would really like to see in a book but haven’t yet?
When I find out, I'll write it!

9. What is your favorite POV for a book and why?
I tend to be drawn to YA female perspectives.  It was such a defining time in my life, and I really empathize with those characters. 

10. What instantly makes you love a book?
I love meta-textual books within books or when authors incorporate lines from other books or poems as part of their plot.  See John Green's The Fault in Our Stars and Gayle Forman's Just One Day.

11. What is one book you will insist on your future(or current!) child reading?
My niece is only one, but I already have a space set aside in my office as our reading corner.  It currently houses staples like Digby and Kate and Little House on the Prairie, but I will definitely be introducing her to Harry Potter when she gets older.  I can't wait to re-experience the wizarding world through fresh eyes!

Burning Questions

1. Classic or contemporary?
2. Character you want to be your best friend?
3. Bookstore or library?
4. Favorite cover?
5. DNF or solider through?
6. Hard copy or ebook?
7. Follow up - Kindle, Nook, iPad?
8. Number of bookshelves?
9. Number one rule of blogging?
10. Favorite reading spot?
11. Follow up - reading alone or reading partner?

Nominees!

Most of the blogs I follow have hefty followings, so the 200 follower limit posed a bit of a challenge. However, I managed to drum up (in alphabetical order - no favoritism here!) some blogs from my feed that I think deserve more love.

1. Book or Big Screen?: Danielle posts excellent and very thorough book vs. movie adaptions.
2. Buckling Bookshelves: Christine and I swap comments often.  Her reading habits and perspective are very similar to mine.  Also, she's hosting a Banned Books Challenge this year!
3. Hitting on Girls in Bookstores: Adam had taken a blogging hiatus, but he's back, and I'm so glad.  It is rare to have a male perspective on YA lit, and his is hilarious.
4. Real Men Read YA: Since YA lit male readers are so scarce, my final nominee is Aaron, who also offers a unique and hilarious perspective on popular YA novels.  Kudos to Christine at Buckling Bookshelves for introducing his blog to me in one of her roundups.

Recommendation: Sunny Point Cafe, Asheville NC (Part 3)

I finally posted Part 2 of my Asheville, NC vacation recap.  I was type, type, typing along when I realized, having carefully cataloged everything we ate from Sunday to Thursday in Parts 1 and 2, I could not for the life of me remember where we ate on Tuesday night.  I called my husband.  "Where did we eat dinner on Tuesday after we visited the Biltmore?" I queried.  He had no idea.  Although I didn't remember any mediocre restaurants on our itinerary, I chalked it up to a nondescript dinner, proofread Part 2, and hit "Publish."  About a week later, it hit me.

Sunny Point Cafe

HOW could I not remember that we ate at Sunny Point Cafe?!?!

This tiny, hole in the wall is off the downtown Asheville beaten track and was recommended to us by the receptionist at The Spa at Biltmore Village, which we had visited a day earlier to book our massage.  It's a casual place, but the food is AMAZING!

Rob and I read and re-read the menu for at least 10 minutes.  We wanted to order two of everything, but we finally decided on the fried green tomatoes appetizer with fresh goat cheese (Yum!!) and the huevos rancheros to split.

O. M. G. I would have taken a picture of the huevos rancheros when they came out because the presentation was beautiful, but I was too busy stuffing my face.  The blend of color and spice was perfection.

Like most places we went in Asheville, Sunny Point is a farm-to-table restaurant, which meant everything tasted oh-so-fresh.  It was definitely one of the top places we ate at, so I thought it deserved its own shout-out.

If you are trekking to Western Carolina for a little mountain air and foliage, stop at Sunny Point for breakfast, and then go back and check out their dinner specials.

Happy dining!