Favorite Fiction February: The Golden Compass

It's been a short month and I want to squeeze one more book into my Favorite Fiction series: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman.

I discovered this story when I was about to embark on the greatest adventure of my life, moving to the Middle East to teach and study for three years. Pullman was already a familiar author. I devoured his Sally Lockhart mysteries as a middle schooler.

When I found The Golden Compass on the bookshelf at Powell's books in Portland twelve years later, I was thrilled. I opened the book and was hooked by the first sentence. "Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen." So many questions in one sentence! What's a daemon? Why are they keeping out of sight? Why is the hall dark?

What follows is a wild, fantastical tale of a girl and her daemon, Pullman's visual representation of a soul in animal form. Lyra and Pantalaimon are caught up in the mystery of disappearing children in London. Determined to find her kidnapped friend Roger, Lyra follows clues North to Svalbard, where she discovers both talking polar bears and an evil scientific plot to separate children from their daemons.

Even though Lyra rescues her friend, she ultimately brings him to her death by taking him to her Uncle Asriel, though she couldn't have predicted what her actions would bring. When her uncle creates a bridge to other worlds, Lyra realizes she must follow to understand what he's doing and to stop him as well. Lyra and her daemon are propelled forward into an ever expanding plot where they are both a small part of the vastness of the universe and the key the entire series turns on.

Pullman's fascinating ideas of a soul in animal form, of talking bears and worlds beyond our own that just might be in reach keep me returning to this book to experience the adventure over again.

If I had a daemon, this would be it. The cat, not the donkey!

"Parliament" Image courtesy of Nicholas Tarling at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Polar Bear" Image courtesy of Hal Brindley at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 

Favorite Fiction February: The Horse and His Boy

February is just flying by! I better get to it if I want to showcase another favorite read. This next book is one I reread many times in my childhood for two reasons - it was about a horse and twins.

The book is The Horse and His Boy, Book 5 from C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. I've always felt this book doesn't get the attention it deserves in the series. It's not introducing Narnia and it doesn't follow the main characters, the Pevensie children, but it's a story I love.

The Horse and His Boy is the only book in the series that takes place entirely in Narnia. Shasta and his talking horse flee his greedy guardian, cross a desert pursued by a lion (Aslan), and unknowingly pull a twin switch on Prince Corin and his Narnian entourage. Shasta warns the Narnians of an impending attack and helps in the battle which turns the Calormenes back. To top it off, Shasta discovers he's actually Cor, Prince Corin's long lost twin brother, and heir to the throne of Archenland.

When I think about it, this story has many of the elements I love in stories even today: an intense journey across unknown lands with an animal companion (one that talks!). The land of Calormen has many middle eastern qualities to it, a more recent affection I can't seem to escape in my own writing.

But it's probably the discovery that Shasta is twin brothers with Corin that sealed the deal for me as a child, since I was a twin as well. I did always wonder how Corin really felt about Shasta since he turned out to be the elder brother and the true heir to the throne. I sympathized a little with Corin being the younger twin myself.

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I suspect he still wanted to be king, but sometimes when you're a twin, there's little you can do about your twin, except accept who they are and go on with life's adventures. And how lucky are you if you have a horse to share it with, and a talking horse at that!



"Brothers Laughing" from http://www.stockfreeimages.com
"Brown Horse" courtesy of Rosen Georgiev at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Favorite Fiction February: Little House on the Prairie

Today's favorite fiction is a classic - Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I've loved this book, and its sequels, since my mother read them to me and my sisters when we were young.

Even though it was written in 1935, Little House stays relevant because it is a historical story, detailing the  challenges faced by the brave settlers who traveled from their homes in covered wagons to settle in the midwest. What's more, Laura actually lived through the events in her books, preserving them for her daughter and millions of children.

I can remember the chills running down my back as I read about the Indians, a constant worry in their lives. I was amazed at the simplicity of the Christmas celebration and Mary and Laura's joy at their small gifts.

As in any great story, I could imagine myself alongside the characters, living the pioneer life, overcoming its hardships and rejoicing in triumphs like digging a well and being rewarded with fresh water and carrying glass window panes back from town to put in the cabin.

Laura's fascinating narrative of her childhood and the real life adventures she lived through keep me returning to this book time and again.

Though Laura lived in a log cabin, many settlers lived in sod houses. Coincidentally, Caroline Starr Rose features Soddies on her blog Caroline By Line today. The pictures give you a great idea of what an actual prairie home looked like so head on over and check it out!

"Blue" Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Autumn Colors" Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 

Favorite Fiction February

February is the month of love so I'm jumping on the bandwagon, but not the romantic kind. This month's blog will be all about the books I love, both new romances and old paramours. These are the books I could read over and over.

I just finished Megan Whalen Turner's series based on The Thief. The political intrigue in each book is wonderful and keeps you guessing, usually wrongly, about the characters' motivations and decisions. Turner always includes some surprises, too.

The books were published over a span of fourteen years and each is distinct in its telling. The Thief is very much Gen's story and it's told from Gen's point of view. He's both the thief and the hero.

Gen introduces us to the three countries Turner created, Eddis, Attolia and Sounis, which are loosely based on Greece, but they have their own history, gods and even poetry. The books have a medieval feel. Guns have been invented, but most armies still fight with swords.

In the second story, The Queen of Attolia, we see a broader picture of the three countries through a viewpoint that allows us into the mind of more than just the thief's. When Gen is captured by the ruthless queen of Attolia, he is humiliated and sent back to his home country, Eddis, as a warning to their queen. Who could anticipate the intrigue that happens next as a one-handed thief sets out to steal the Queen?

 The King of Attolia took me by surprise. At first, I didn't like its narrator. It's not Gen or the Queen or any character from the previous two books, but a new character, Costis, a member of the queen's guard. Slowly, though, Costis grows to be a character dear to the king and to the reader. When Turner reveals her twists and ending, it becomes clear why she chose to tell this story through the eyes of a soldier, but make no mistake, this is still Gen's story.

The final story, A Conspiracy of Kings, features one of the main characters from the first story, the heir to the throne of Sounis. In The Thief, Sophos is just a boy who watches Gen's feats with amusement and amazement. Gen becomes a hero to him. Little is said about Sophos in the next two stories, with only allusions to a possible kidnapping and the disappearance of the heir to the throne.

In the last story, Turner takes the first person point-of-view to allow the king of Sounis to tell what happened in his own words. As always, Gen is a figure as well, and although this isn't his story, he's still the architect of all that's transpiring.

 If you're looking for a series that will make you think long after you've closed the book, this is it. Turner is a masterful storyteller and each book reveals more of her created world and her hero, Eugenides, who will always be the queen's thief.







"Diary of Love" Image courtesy of SweetCrisis at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Antique Safe Background" Image courtesy of gubgib at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Skiathos Kastro" Image courtesy of James Barker at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Jumpstart Your January: Accountability

I've been blogging about jumpstarting your writing life this month. We started with setting writing goals for the year, moved on to helpful books on writing and then looked at the benefits of taking a writing class. All of these actions will help get you started, but they won't keep you writing.

Writing is a solitary activity. It has to be, otherwise you'll never get words on the page. So it's perfectly normal for you to hole up in your office for the afternoon, or construct that invisible wall at your local coffee shop - the one that says, "Don't bother me. I'm writing."

But sooner or later, the drive you felt when setting those lofty goals or taking a class will run out. You'll find yourself squandering your precious writing time doing other activities - responding to emails, reading and writing blogs, surfing the internet, even cleaning. Yes, cleaning. That's when you know you've hit a roadblock and it's time to take action. And though writers are solitary, the solution lies in community.

Accountability is as important to writers as it is to sales associates and recovering addicts. When you have someone in your life who is consistently asking about your writing and reading your work, you're more likely to take your writing seriously and put words on paper.

This accountability takes two forms. One is having the support of other writers. This often means having a critique group or partner with whom you're regularly meeting with and sharing your work. These writers will sharpen your writing, of course. More importantly, these writers should be asking you for your work and holding you accountable to bring them something to read on a regular basis.

This isn't torture. Requiring your participation in a group or partnership like this is a form of respect and if they're not clamoring to see your work, they're not respecting you as a writer. Demand their respect. Show them your work and show them regularly.

The second form of support is just as important, if not more. It's support for your writing life outside your circle of writing friends. The people closest to you in life should also be the biggest supporters of your decision to be a writer. If they're not, you're in for a long battle.

If you're married, your spouse needs to be enthusiastic about your writing. They don't have to be your first reader, or even involved in the process, but if they're not excited about you pursuing your dream, how can you be? Because you'll eventually run into a wall you won't be able to get yourself over. It will take the strength of your closest loved one to lift you up and get you back on track.

 
If you're not married, take this into consideration. How does the person you're with feel about your writing? How do your friends and family feel? Again, if there's not encouragement and support there, you might need to consider a change in who you're spending your time with. 

Find your allies in your writing life and lean on them. They're worth more than all the words you'll put on paper.




Find more on critique groups here.

"Book of Love" Image courtesy of Nuttapong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Making It Possible" Image courtesy of Jeroen van Oostrom at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
"Couple Using Digital Tablet"  Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 

Jumpstart Your January: Books on Writing

This month I'm covering ideas on how to make your dream of writing become a reality. I've covered setting writing goals and taking a writing class so far. Did you make some goals? Did you look for a class online or in your area?

If you still don't know where to begin, I've found the easiest way to learn about writing is to read what other writers have to say. Today I'll highlight some of my favorite resources on beginning writing.


The first book I ever read on writing was Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. This book has been a classic on writing for over twenty years, but what helped me the most was Goldberg's way of encouraging the writer to be free to be yourself. Write without worrying about a teacher looking over your shoulder. Write without worrying what anyone else will think of what you've written. So Writing Down the Bones brought me my first taste of the freedom writing can give you.

 
 Next up is The Writer's Guide to Crafting Stories for Children by Nancy Lamb. I love the structure of this book. It clearly outlines the basics of great stories. Scenes, plot, character, point of view. It also covers the abcs of writing for children plus extra goodies like the structure of classical dramas and Your Turn sections that encourage you to take what you've learned to your own work.


For a beginning writer, there is no better book than John Gardner's On Becoming a Novelist. Gardner says it clearly himself in the book's preface: "I try here to deal with, and if possible get rid of, the beginning novelist's worries."

And in a genial but straight forward manner, Gardner spans everything from characters to education to publication. My copy is bent, highlighted and underlined as well. Gardner's book also gave me one of the funniest lines on writing I've ever read: "One of the best ways a writer can find to keep himself going is to live off his (or her) spouse."

That is enough to get you started. There are innumerable books on writing and I've found they always spark my desire to write and bring forth ideas I've never considered before. Just be sure you don't spend so much time reading about writing that you never get to your own!

Jumpstart your January: Take a Writing Class

Last week I blogged about setting writing goals to jumpstart your writing year and give you something concrete to aim for as the months fly by.

The next step in jumpstarting your writing life is taking a class on writing.

Some of you might be thinking, A class, that sounds intimidating. I'm not ready to show my writing to anyone. That's exactly the reason you need a class. If you don't force yourself into a challenging learning environment, you'll never get to the point where you're ready to show others your work.


For others, you might think, I spent years studying writing in high school or college. I already know I'm a good writer. I don't need a class to get better. If that's you, beware. You definitely need to take a class on writing!

Why? Of course, the short answer is, to become a better writer. The longer answer is that a class will provide you with structure and accountability you cannot provide yourself. Whatever form your class takes, you'll be required to write regularly, to submit your work to a teacher and other students, and to critique others' writing as well.

I cannot overstate the importance of accountability in writing. Knowing someone expects to receive your work is more motivating than even your best idea without anyone standing by. 

A class will also put you in contact with other writers. Writing is solitary work. It's hard when there's no one to complain to but the cat. Other writers understand what it's like to work on a scene and not get it right, or the struggle to sit down and work, or the constant battle against rejection, real and imagined. They'll bring encouragement when you need it, sharpen your work and become true friends, too.

It's easier than ever to take a writing class. Check your local library or community college. Classes are just starting and many places offer courses like these around the new year. If you're in Northwest Arkansas, Fayetteville Public Library is offering beginning and intermediate classes for the next six weeks.

I took my first writing course online. There are many websites offering courses. Shop around and look for classes that seem credible. Be wary of rip-offs, but also realize you get what you pay for. I took several classes from Writer's Digest and was very happy with the entire experience. More importantly, it was the catalyst I needed to pursue writing more seriously.

My final word on taking a writing class is to enjoy it. You'll only be with that group of writers for a short time. Soak up the experience, keep an open mind during those critiques, and above all, keep writing!



"Smiling Teenage Students" Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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"Typewriter Stand By Me"  Image courtesy of thaikrit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net