Reading to Kids

Is there anything better than reading to kids? Walking behind waterfalls ispretty cool, and I do love chocolate. But really, reading to kids is right up there in my favorite things to do. Kids are so responsive, so eager, and so easy to please. And I love doing all the funny voices; I am a theatre teacher, after all.

I am so excited right now because my son is about to turn four, and we have recently opened a new chapter in his reading life. We're reading chapter books. Some of them don't have pictures for at least six pages. And he is totally okay with this! He's actually loving it.

When I asked him if he missed reading books with more pictures, he said, "It's okay because I see the pictures in my head."

We started on the Lighthouse Family series and have moved on to the Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. We'll be reading those books for a while. Today, we began Little House in the Big Woods. Of course, now Alexander wants to find a hollow log and put a roof on it so we can smoke the deer meat we get when we go hunting.

I'm so excited to read all the books I loved as a kid. I'm thinking we'll get to Pippi Longstockings soon, and the Wizard of Oz should be fun.

What I want to know is...What books do you love reading to your kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews/neighbors/etc? And what books did you love having read to you when you were a kid?

Dropbox Anyone?

I'll confess right up front that I'm terrible about backing up my documents. I was using a memory stick for a while but only remembered to do it once a month or so. Then there was the emailing-novel-to-myself phase. I remembered to do that about twice a month. I checked out some of the online services that you pay for (mozy, etc), but I'm so cheap I just can't stand paying for things if I don't have to. (Actually, I think they offer 2 gigs free now.)

But still, I thought there must be another way.

I just discovered dropbox. I'm not terribly tech-saavy, so this may be old news, but I'll share anyway. You go to dropbox, download it, and a folder will appear on your computer. Anything you put in this folder can be accessed from any computer connected to the internet.

They market dropbox as a way to organize your files across multiple computers, phones, etc, but all of the files you drop in your dropbox folder are also instantly uploaded to the internet. So, if your computer breaks and your phone bursts into flames, you still have access to your files via "cloud computing."

Now, when I sit down to write, I open Chapter 18 from the dropbox folder and work on it. When I hit "save," the doc is saved not only on my computer but also on the internet. I don't have to remember to back up. I don't have to do anything special. I'm loving it.

So, what do you use to back up your writing and how do you like it? Ever tried dropbox? Have concerns I haven't thought about?

Books to Treasure

I have a new baby and a three year old. (And there's my wonderful husband, too.) They're the first grandchildren on both sides of the family, so they're getting spoiled with way too many toys. I've started telling people that if they absolutely must buy things for my kids (and sometimes you just gotta), they should get books.

But there are a lot of not-so-great books out there, ones that I get sick of reading. What can I say? I'm picky about my children's literature.

So, I'm creating a list of books I want my children to have, books I loved as a child, books they will treasure for years, books they will save for their own children.

There are the picture books: Goodnight Moon, Blueberries for Sal, Where the Wild Things Are.

And then there are ones for as they get older. Beautiful, illustrated, hardcover editions of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, the Chronicles of Narnia, the stories of Hans Christian Anderson, and on up through Beverly Cleary, Charlotte's Web, A Little Princess, and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Oh, the list goes on and on. But I need help. Which books would top your list? Quick, before we get another toy that makes horrid bleeping noises. We need more books!

Re: Not For Lisa

This was the subject line on many, many emails between most of the Slushbusters over the past several months. Lisa is expecting her second child any time now, and we wanted to do something special for her. So we knit her a blanket.

It was a challenge. It's hard to coordinate getting together often outside our regular meetings. While Sarah and I had been knitting for years, Steph and Bridget were new to knitting, Joan knew how to crochet, but not knit, and Alison had never knit before. And of course, Lisa is on Skype with us during meetings, so she can see us. But those of us who had been knitting for a while taught those who were new, and sometimes one of us hid her knitting under the table during a meeting. If Lisa had been in town, it would have been even more difficult to keep the project secret. We managed a few knitting get-togethers and one night to sew the whole thing together. Here are the photos of our progress:

Alison concentrated hard on her work.
We laid the squares out on the coffee table.
Bridget and Steph chatted while sewing squares together.

The finished blanket, pinned out for shaping.

Lisa on Skype, opening her package.
It took months, but we did it. We worked together, each bringing something a little different to the project. Each color square represents a different person. Some were knit in simple garter stitch, some in lacy patterns. Some were knit loosely, others with tight stitches. But somehow it all came together in one project. I look at it as representative of what we can accomplish when we work together.

Lisa loved it. And fortunately, none of those "not for Lisa" emails were leaked, so it was a surprise.

In Lieu of Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

If I were one for making resolutions, I would resolve to write more in the New Year. Instead, I prefer to complain about what keeps me from writing.

So, I’m pregnant…not that that, in itself is a good excuse. In the first trimester it was morning sickness. It’s hard to sit down and write when you’re throwing up all the time (or eating so that you won’t throw up, or crashed out on the couch so you won’t have to be awake to feel like you’re going to throw up.)

Now I’m in the third trimester, and mostly I feel great. Hey wait, that’s not a good excuse. Um, I have a two year old who has decided that he doesn’t need to nap anymore. Poof! There goes my writing time. I still make him have “quiet time” (ha ha) in his room, but something about that rhythmic thump thump of his foot against the wall hinders the creative flow.

Also, for those of you who’ve been pregnant, you may remember that your brain is a different organ than it used to be. Seriously, the chemistry changes and you find that you can’t even think in the same way. It’s like you have to get used to thinking with someone else’s brain. Someone very unlike you. Take a moment to imagine that. Now imagine trying to continue writing the novel that you started with your normal brain. See what I mean?

Okay, what else keeps me from writing? My shrinking bladder. Really, if you have to get up every 15 minutes to pee, it’s going to disrupt your flow. And then of course there’s that diaper I forgot to rinse out, and oh, I should start a load of laundry while I’m at it. Now where was I? Oh yes, writing.

Good books keep me from writing. I like to tell myself that I’m doing research. And of course I do learn things from reading—new techniques, inspiration, etc. But really, it shouldn’t take the place of writing.

Of course, writing blog entries and reading other blogs—that keeps me from writing.

Oh, and the aliens too.

So what are your excuses? See if you can beat mine.

Okay, now that we’ve got that off our chests, let’s rise above it and write. Deal?

Travel and Writing (Not Travel Writing)

I love to travel. I love the adventure of it. I love plunging head first into the unknown. Sure, I plan a bit. I take a map. I try to learn a bit of the language. I have in mind a few must-sees. But the best things about traveling, for me, are the surprises along the way.

Sometimes it's scary—lost on country roads in France with a huge pack on my back, blisters on my feet, and not a town in sight. Then it starts to snow. It is both beautiful and terrifying. Will I freeze to death in France?

Sometimes it's just plain miserable—finding three museums in a row closed. Is there a holiday we don’t know about?

And sometimes it is magical—hacking through the jungle in southern Mexico and happening upon stone ruins and a hidden waterfall. Sunlight filters through the canopy and we lay down our machetes to rinse our sticky skin in the cool pool.

For me, writing is like traveling. The best things come when I lay myself open to adventure.
Sometimes, afterwards, I look back and think that I could have got a lot more out of Paris if I'd had a better travel plan. But then I would have missed that flock of birds rising out of a tree in front of the Moulin Rouge that I’d just walked by without noticing. Or the funny little couple that we kept bumping into.

Like anything, there's a balance to strike.

Now that I'm slogging through revisions on my novel, I sometimes wistfully think that this stage would be so much easier if I'd started with a more comprehensive outline. As is, some chapters have to be completely re-written. (I'm talking, scrap everything but two paragraphs and fill up that blank page.) But, if I'd had a more detailed outline, Annabel would have walked right by the lovely family in the woods. She never would have met Mieka and Lumi and Nana Trots. She also might never have had that vision of her mother, the one that plays before her eyes throughout the rest of the book. And I never would have written pages and pages of back-story on one supporting character that helped me understand the rest of the story in a whole new way.

So this is my homage to first drafts, to plunging boldly into the unknown, to going forward and not looking back until you have something whole to look back on.

More is Less

Since Sarah started it, I'm happy to continue the discussion about REVISION. (Somehow, it merits all caps.)

I am deep into revisions right now and it seems the more I write, the more I cut. And the characters and story get stronger the more I carve away from them. The funny thing is, whenever I cut entire pages or multiple paragraphs from a chapter, replacing them with one or two sentences, the Slushies always comment about how they like that I've included MORE description or explaination or history in this version of the chapter.

I look back at the earlier version and find that yes, indeed, I have taken three paragraphs and reduced them to one sentence, and lo and behold, my critiquers tell me I've added something.

What that tells me is that I've clarified. I've eliminated what doesn't need to be there and reduced the important stuff to its very essence. It tells me that my writing is getting better.

Good, because I don't know how many more revisions I can do. This is tough stuff.

Lately, I Feel Like a Writer

Because I don’t get paid to do this all day long, I often don’t feel I have the right to call myself a writer. But lately, I lay full claim to that title. Why? Because I’m earning it. For the past two weeks I have had my butt in this chair every day for at least a couple of hours. (I do have a job and a toddler.) And I’m not browsing the internet. (Haven’t seen a post from me in a while, have you?) I am sweating and bleeding onto the page. I am toiling over words. It feels fantastically awful and awfully fantastic, depending on when you ask me.

I’m feeling like a writer because I’m pushing through the tough parts. A few days ago, I plunged into the next chapter of revisions and found I had to rewrite an entire scene. I sat down and wrote it, and it was really, really bad.

Usually, I would be so discouraged by this initial failure that it would take me a few days to face the page again. But this time, I went right back to it the very next day. I worked it. Then I moved on. And it’s better. Not perfect, but better. I can live with that.

I’m feeling like this is my job that I go to every day without question, without stalling, without excuses. Inspiration doesn’t make me feel like a writer. Working at it every day does. Hey, I may finish this novel yet!

When do you most feel like a writer?

I hope all of the NaNoWriMo participants out there will also feel like writers very soon, if you don’t already.

Interview with Ellen Jensen Abbott

Today we are thrilled to present an interview with Ellen Jensen Abbott, author of the debut novel, Watersmeet. Ellen is a member of the Class of 2K9.

Here’s a little bit about WATERSMEET (Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books):

From her birth, Abisina has been an outcast—for the color of her eyes and skin, and for her lack of a father. Only her mother’s status as the village healer has kept her safe. But when a mythic leader arrives, Abisina’s life is ripped apart. She escapes alone to try to find the father and the home she has never known. In a world of extremes, from the deepest prejudice to the greatest bonds of duty and loyalty, Abisina must find her own way and decide where her true hope lies.

Welcome, Ellen. I’m so excited for the opportunity to chat with you about your book. All of us Slushies are as of yet unpublished in the children’s lit. world, so we’re just dying to know:

As of April 1st you are officially a published author…how does it feel?

Thrilling—to hold that solid, glossy, real book in my hands. Overwhelming—to realize that I am so central to the process of getting the word out about my book. I didn't realize until publication neared that I needed an MBA in marketing! Unbelievable—I walked into a Barnes and Noble recently and saw a poster of myself. A poster. Of me. How did this happen?

Talk a bit about your journey to publication. How did it all start? How long did it take you? We all know it’s hard to get published; give us some insights into how you got there.

It was yen years from the moment I started my first novel to a book arriving on my doorstep. The book I sold was the second book I wrote and submitted for publication; the first did not sell. Key to the publication process for me was the networking I did. As everyone will tell you, you have to write well and have a solid manuscript to offer. But I found that it also really helped to meet people in the industry, learn from them, and develop relationships with them. I attended the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature One-on-One Conference three different times. While there I met two critical mentors, the woman who became my agent, and the woman who became my publisher. From each of these four women, I learned both about the business and about writing. I made a point of staying in touch with each over the years as I continued to hone my skills. When I had a manuscript ready, I had people to send it to who knew me. I also felt like I had allies out there—folks I could contact who were in the business and would answer questions and encourage me when I got despondent. My advice is to make a point of meeting those people at conferences with whom you feel a connection, whose work you admire, or who you respect. Get their cards. Follow up with a quick e-mail. Stay in touch—not so much that you are annoying, but enough to keep you on their radar.

From the first few pages of Watersmeet you plunge the reader into a bleak and dangerous world. We can feel it, smell it, (almost) taste it along with your MC, Abisina. Can you give all us fantasy writers out there a few tips on world-building?

World building is the work and joy of writing fantasy. At times it is frustrating because you have worked out a complex plot point only to realize that the mountains you had to have in the last scene now prevent you doing what you want in the next! My advice is to go insane with details—and then cut lots of them out. You need to be familiar with all the particulars of your world to give it verisimilitude, but if you weigh it down with too much, your reader can get lost in minutia. Record keeping is key for me, too. I kept a calendar of my main character's quest, so that I knew how the weather would be changing as the days passed. I also marked phases of the moon so that it wouldn't be full in each scene. I also kept a map both of villages and the land as a whole so that I always knew which way Abisina, the main character, was headed, where the sun would be, and what she would see on the horizon. My world is pre-industrial and forested, so I keep tree books, bird books, animal books on hand. I researched survival guides, herbal remedies, and pre-industrial economies. Even a little reading in these areas gave me all kinds of ideas that translated into plot progression or details that gave more depth to my world.

Take us through a typical day in your life as a writer. How do you organize your time?

Ah! How I long for words like "typical" and "organized" in my life! The truth is that my writing life at the moment is catch as catch can. For the last two years, I have been teaching high school English. I'm not full time, but I am 80%. Think grading, grading, grading. I also have two children who play sports, take music lessons and go to a school that requires a lot of parent involvement. Then there's the mundane stuff: paying bills, cleaning the house, feeding the chickens. (Yeah—we have a tiny flock of chickens!) I've learned not to look for huge chunks of time for writing. If I wait until then, I will simply never write. I grab an hour here and an hour there—between when I get home from work and before my kids get home from school; on a free period at school; after the family has gone to bed. On weekends I take a bit more time, leaving the house for a café so that my husband and kids don't feel tempted to interrupt me. Summers are heaven! And I am cutting back on my teaching next year so I can find more time.

What are you working on now?

The sequel, of course! It's great to be back in the same world, working with characters I am familiar with. At the same time, it's really exciting that these familiar folk are facing new problems and challenges.

Because we are a critique group, the Slushbusters help each other improve our writing and support each other through successes and failures. How have other writers in your community done the same for you?

One of the worst aspects of my ridiculously busy schedule is that I don't have time for a critique group. I can’t even scrape together the time I need to do my own writing! I have been in critique groups before and I know how valuable it can be to get feedback. I have just teamed up with another member of the Class of 2k9, which is a group of authors debuting YA and MG novels in 2009. (Check us out at www.classof2k9.com) Joy Preble, my partner, lives in Texas and I live in Pennsylvania, but we are both writing sequels to our fantasy novels. We've agreed NOT to read each other's first book. It's killing me because I really, really want to read her book (Dreaming Anastasia) but by being a new reader to her second book, I can see more clearly where there is too much or too little back-story about the first book. She can do the same for me. She recently read my first two chapters and helped me rethink some of the narrative style. I think readers are critical, in part, to remind you of what you know. She marked one spot saying, "I'm hearing you here instead of your MC." Duh! How many times have I given the same advice to authors or students—but here I was making the same mistake! That one comment sent me back to the whole MS as I realized there were loads of places I could do more with my character's voice.

What is the question you never get asked but are always dying to answer? And then, of course, give us the answer.

I really want to be asked what it feels like to win a Newbery Award! And as soon as I know the answer, I'll let you know!

And when that happens, I'll be one of the first to ask you! Ellen, it's been a pleasure chatting with you. Thanks for sharing. Best of luck with the sequel!

Moving Home

Five days ago, I came back to my home town--not to visit, but to live. Yikes! I haven't lived here since the 90's. It's a small town nestled in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. There are swaths of farmland all around and mountains rising up in the distance. It's a cute town, a conservative town, but we have the first transgender mayor in the US. Go Silverton!

Moving back to Silverton inspires me to write. After all, this is where I first sounded out letters and read my first stilted sentence. This is where I first fell in love with the magic of books, where I met Miss Suzy, Harold, and Sylvester, where I was first swept away into the worlds of Jane, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, and Bilbo. It is where I walked down the broken sidewalks, kicked leaves in the gutter, and thought that maybe I could make something beautiful out of this world with words on a page.

Years later, I'm back, and still striving for beauty. Oh, and a little truth too.

So, I guess I'm interested in hearing: What made you a writer?

Place Names

I'm on the road with my husband and two year old. We've loaded up all our worldly possessions and are off on the epic family road trip from Charlottesville, VA to Silverton, OR. No, I'm not crazy. Really, I'm not. We've made it to Owatonna, MN without anyone going crazy and without resorting to the DVD player.

The only problem is I'm not writing. At all. It makes me nervous to be away from my story and characters for so long. To assuage my guilt, I'm doing writerly things like making lists of place names I like the sound of and filing them away for later use. Here's some I've lifted directly from road signs:

Trillium
White Sulfur Springs
Summersville
Lick Creek Road
Snap Dragon Falls
Tamarack
Laurel Springs
Eagle Creek
Greenup

How do you name the places in your stories? I always have a hard time with this. If I make them up they sound too airy and fanciful, and if I lift them from somewhere they sound too, well, real. The right name is hard to find.

I came across a website recently that is a random place name generator. After clicking through about 30 names I realized I wasn't going to find my answer. Still, it's kinda fun. Here's another for fantasy names...like you need more ways to waste time on the internet.

Favorite Words

This is a little fun thing inspired by one of Tess Hilmo's tips about keeping a word journal. I've just started compiling my own for inspiration. So, let's share our favorite words. Here's the first few on my list:

clutch (n.)
twine (v.)
scrabble (v.)
skirl (n. or v....I like them both)

I have oodles more (oodles is one of them), but I'll leave it at that for now. What are some of your favorite words?

My Little Experiment

I recently conducted a little experiment (in the least scientific way possible). I wanted to see how much something being in print (like, book form) influenced the way I read a text; namely, how critical I am?

Let’s face it, we don’t read books the same way we read submissions from our critique group. When I pick up a book, I assume it’s good. After all, it’s been published, right? (Don’t even go there…that’s another blog post.) When I pick up a Slushie submission, I assume it needs work. That’s what the critique group is for.

But what if I were to pick up a book and read it with the same critical eye that I read our submissions? Yup, that’s right, they all need work.

The Phantom Tollbooth—a little more descriptive narrative when he goes through the tollbooth, please.

Eragon—Maybe it would be better if the main character didn’t go unconscious every other chapter…just a thought.

Harry Potter—watch those adverbs.

The Secret Garden—I’m just a teensy bit unclear about what’s happening here.

Yes, even The Secret Garden, a book I adore, could be improved (in my humble opinion). I read one chapter as I would read a Slushie submission, and though I found little to comment on, there were a few places where the meaning was unclear or someone appeared out of nowhere.

All this leads me to say that a book is not an equation with a definite answer. Plots can always be tightened, characters fleshed out, and words tinkered with. But you have to stop somewhere.

It also makes me realize that we Slushies are a tough set of gals; we don’t let anything get by. So the next time I’m overwhelmed by the amount of feedback on my chapter or all the suggestions for change, I’ll just remember that we would have done the same to Harry Potter.

There is a Madness to My Method

I've never been good at making a detailed outline. I've always preferred to throw myself out there, writing four or five chapters until I get stuck. Then I decide what I'm writing about and where I'm going, make a sketchy outline, and keep plowing through the story.

This method gets me into trouble--on many levels. The main trouble is that the story and the characters keep changing. By the time I reach the last chapter, most of the previous chapters need heavy revision, if not complete re-writes. Usually, as I'm writing forward, I'm at the same time going back to revise. I may be writing chapter 19 and revising chapter 10.

It was working fine for a while, but now it's getting confusing. I'm so involved in the story, working on it so much, that I have no perspective. I forget all the things I've changed, what each character knows and doesn't know.

I've been getting a lot of critiques lately that go something like this: "Um, wouldn't she be scared/surprised/angry/sad to find this out?" Oh, yeah (hand smacks forehead), I cut that scene and forgot to change the rest accordingly. I feel like I'm trying to force these puzzle pieces together; but some of them have rounded edges and some square.

I am beginning to see the wisdom of a detailed outline. But oh, I hate the idea of doing it. Part of what I love about writing a first draft is the constant sense of discovery. There are surprises everywhere--about the plot, the characters, the themes. The very thought of having a detailed outline makes me not want to write. (I am one of those people prone to staring out the window thinking and calling it writing. If I think too much, I don't write.)

I suppose every writer has this to some extent, hence the common recommendation to put the finished manuscript in a drawer for a month so you can revisit it with fresh eyes. I don't think I'm at that point yet (the first two chapters need to be completely re-written), but I'm getting there.

All I really wanted to say is that I'm discovering a part of my process that doesn't work as well as I thought. I'm overwhelmed by all the little details I have to align. But then, I can't imagine figuring out the story any other way than through the process of writing.

Any thoughts on process?

More coming on the benefits of this method...

Renewed by Books

There are some serious gaps in my children's literature education. That's probably because until a year ago I hadn't read any children's lit since I was a child. Now I'm rediscoving the kind of books that got me excited to read in the first place, that shaped my love of words and made me want to tell my own stories.

I just started reading the Secret Garden. (I told you there were serious gaps.) Already I love it. I love this poor disagreeable girl who doesn't make you feel sorry for her but makes you want to see her grow. It's the perfect set-up for what has to happen later. We know she'll find the secret garden. We know she'll make some friends. We know that she'll learn to be human. We keep reading to find out how.

Before starting this book, I had drafted a blog post about what a snob I am about good writing and how I haven't been wowed by a book in a long time. It was a rather jaded and cynical post. I'm glad I never finished it. Because now I'm renewing my faith in the beauty of a simply story and the magic a good writer can conjure with the right combination of words.

Unlike many of the fast-paced adventure stories I've read lately, I want to read this slowly and savor every word.

Next on my reading list: A Little Princess and Bridge to Terabithia

Just Had to Share

The other night, in the wee hours of the morning, I wrote the last sentence of the last chapter of my book. I just had to share my excitement! It's a middle grade adventure story with magic stones, river pirates, steampunk flying machines and other fun stuff.

Celebrate with me, who started out as a little girl concocting stories inside while my siblings and cousins and friends all played outside. I went to school, learned a lot, published a few stories and poems. Then came years of writing as a hobby and never coming close to finishing anything.

Fast-forward to the woman in her thirties (early thirties!) who becomes a mother and finally decides to do what she's wanted to do since she formed her first wobbly letters with a thick pencil. In between changing diapers and moving across the ocean, I've managed to finish the story. Well, the rough draft at least. I know it's just the begining of the work. Now come the rewrites and the long ruminations over the perfect phrase. But I'm thrilled to have come this far.

So, please, if you need an excuse to celebrate anything...join me. Raise a glass of something good, and say, "Way to go, Lisa." I'll do the same for you.

And before I start slipping too far into acceptance speech mode (that little girl who stayed inside practiced many a speech to the bathroom mirror), I do have to thank all of the Slushbusters. This writing stuff is not something I can do alone, and they've been with me through every step. Thanks, Slushies!

Scenes with Many Characters

It's so exciting! I'm writing the final chapters of my book--you know, the ones where all the action happens and everything gets resolved. Practically every character in the book shows up for these scenes and well, I keep writing myself into sticky situations.

I find myself trying to turn each scene into a two-person dialogue and ignore the rest of the characters. They're just standing around the room watching. You'll never miss them, will you?

I think I slip into doing this because two characters, even three, are manageable for me. I'm scared of more people. Maybe this mirrors how I am in social siturations, but let's not get into that.

So, I need help. How do you juggle five, nine, fifteen characters in a scene? They all want to do or say something at the same time, but there's not enough room on the page, or in my brain.

I welcome any and all tips, tricks, advice, or thoughts on how to do it. Or examples of writers or books that do it well. How do you avoid making a tangled mess?

Compelling Characters

Thanks to the recent flurry of blog postings, I've been thinking a lot about character--the ones I'm writing and the ones I have most adored to read.

Piggybacking on Sarah's post on quiet characters (March 10th), here are a few of my thoughts on what makes characters compelling, quiet or not.

1. They fail and keep trying. We don't want to read about people who get everything right the first time, nor do we like characters who give up too easily. Success in the end is so much more rewarding if we've been with the character through failure after failure. And that's how they learn and grow. Hence, a satisfying character arc.

(Sounds simple, eh? But right now I'm having a hard time allowing my mc to fail. I just don't want to write those scenes, or I rush through them so quickly they become eyeblink failures. I haven't figured out why yet, but I'm working on it.)

2. They have unique reactions to situations. I love it when a character surprises me, when they do something I wouldn't have thought to do. It makes me want to keep reading to find out why. On this, the author must deliver. It's not enough to tell me, "she lashed out because she felt trapped." Show me the buildup, so I feel it physically with the character. Then, when she slaps her own mother, I'm surprised, but I understand what drove Miss Mabel Clark to do such a thing.

3. The strange things that happen when I compare them to myself. When I read a character and find nuggets of myself there, especially those things I'm not proud of (or too proud of) or quirks that I try to keep hidden--that I find compelling, particularly when it's something I didn't even realize about myself until the author worded it so beautifully.

Or, there's the flip side. When a character is so utterly different from myself, their mind working in a completely different way, I want to keep reading to find out what this fascinating creature will do next. Of course, there's lots of in-between, but I'm always looking for myself in characters, and the compelling part is either finding it or so totally not finding it.

Which brings me to the thing I need most from a character in order to like them:

4. I need to understand them. Or at least feel that I'm beginning to. This is what the author must do--make me understand. Because the moment I start understanding a character, I feel connected, and it is this connection that makes me keep reading. (I will keep reading for other things--intriguing ideas, a dynamite plot--but it's not the same as caring about a person.)

Even if the character does horrible things, I can roll with it as long as I understand why (and it's a plausible reason). Even if they're completely wrong, I'll likely stick with them as long as they have some fervor to their belief. In Les Miserables your sympathies are with Jean Valjean, the escaped convict who didn't do anything all that bad. But you can also completely understand Javert, the by-the-book police officer chasing the "dangerous" convict. And it's because Hugo made me understand Javert.

I'm sure I have more criteria for likable characters, but I'll stop for now. And of course, we're all different. I have hated some characters that other people seem to love. (I couldn't stand that mamby-pamby Kite Runner mc and would have stopped reading if it weren't for the story.)

But really, I'll stop now.

More on Character

One question that comes to mind with all this talk about character is: Are the standards for mc likability different in children's fiction or when the mc is a child?

Even with a child we probably won't tolerate whininess or undue stupidity. But as far as character arc goes, aren't most stories about children coming of age stories in some sense or another? The character growth often seems pretty clear, or clearer than with adult characters. Children can't help growing from new experiences. It's what they're built to do.

Adults seem to have to be dragged into it kicking and screaming. And that's the set-up for the reluctant hero. (I'm a sucker for a good reluctant hero.)

Really, my question is: Do we want anything different from our child mc's than our adult mc's?

In some ways I feel our child mc's have a harder time than adult ones. They have to act like children in order to be believable, but they also have to delve into adult problems, concepts and philosophies in order to be interesting to an adult audience (which we also want from our children's literature).

And one more question: Who are your favorite child characters?

I'll start. I love Scout. And as a kid, I especially loved Kate from the Good Master.

Fantastic Diaries

Yesterday I was in Den Haag again for a reading and talk with Leila Rasheed, the author of Chips, Beans and Limousines and its sequal, Socks, Shocks and Secrets. The books are about the fantastic diaries of Bathsheba Clarice de Trop, whose super-starry world might not be all that it seems. The third book will be out soon.

Leila read selections from her books--very funny, sweet, and real--then talked a bit about her path to publication, which is a complicated story. But she got there eventually, and her books are lovely. Check them out!