HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

A LIMERICK FOR TEACHERS
by Carolee Dean

Have the luck of the Irish, I pray,
As state mandated tests come your way.
Please don't feel dejected
If student scores are reflected
In your evaluation and pay.

HOT PLOTS - MACBETH by William Shakespeare

Macbeth and the Tragic Hero’s Journey

I’m often asked if the hero’s journey plot analysis works for all types of stories, such as those involving tragic heroes, so I thought I’d try it out on one of the most famous tragic heroes in literature – Macbeth. Macbeth is often taught in high school English courses during junior year, making it a pertinent story to analyze.

A tragic hero is a character who starts out with great promise. He is usually of noble heritage and held in high esteem by his peers, but a tragic flaw causes a fall from grace. At some point in the story, the tragic hero realizes he has made an irreversible error in judgement that will lead to his doom, but he faces his demise with honor.

To read my plot analysis of Macbeth, visit the Spellbinders Blog.

HOT PLOTS - Romeo and Juliet

This week I'm over at the Spellbinders blog talking about The Secret Language of Stories and analyzing the plot for Romeo and Juliet. Students all around the country read this timeless story their freshman year of high school. If you fit into one of the following categories, this article may be of interest. Go to the link at the bottom of the page if...

1. You work with freshman and want some tips on how to help them understand the plot of the play.
2. You are a freshman and you can't see the forest (plot) for the trees (iambic pentameter).
3. You want to experience the nostalgia of times past and journey back to your high school English days.
4. You love Shakespeare.
5. You hate Shakespeare but you've always wondered what all the fuss was about.
6. You are a writer and want a better understanding of plot structure.

First go here to find the tab on my blog called The Secret Language of Stories to read how I analyze plots. Then head on over to the Spellbinders blog and check the article.

Author Chris Eboch on Voice

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, author Chris Eboch led a discussion on voice during our monthly SCBWI meeting at the Alamosa Reading Room (the latest addition to Alamosa Books).

She discussed the difference between character voice and author voice, pointing out that the author's voice is that unique style observed across a variety of different characters.

Editor's often say they are looking for authors with a strong voice, but what do they mean?
Chris said the secret is to create a voice that is distinct, consistent, and clear.

When people read examples of writing that shows a strong voice, the excerpts are often poetic and beautifully written, but it's important to note that not all strong voices are poetic. Chris prefers a style where she gets lost in the story even if the voice is harrowing or crude rather than literary and poetic.

After asking each audience member to write a list of some of their favorite books, she said to look for similarities between books.(i.e.stories with sense of humor, a lot of action, sweet picture books, or angsty young adult romances.) She suggested writers look at their own writing for styles they revisit and trends they lean toward.

She concluded by asking - Are you writing what you love? If so, that's a good sign.
That was the best advice of all!

Chris Eboch will be offering a workshop on voice. See the Details below.

FINDING THE ELUSIVE VOICE with Chris Eboch

 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Fellowship Reformed Christian Church

4800 Indian School. Rd. NE

 

Registration materials are available at www.scbwi.org.  Follow the links to the New Mexico home page and click on Events or contact ra@scbwi-nm.org.

THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson was at Alamosa Books on 1/10/14 on tour with her latest novel, The Impossible Knife of Memory. Laurie is a warm and endearing person as well as a fabulous author. She is probably most well known for her groundbreaking young adult novel, Speak, but she has also written numerous contemporary and historical novels as well as picture books and the middle grade series, Vet Volunteers.

Laurie confessed that she had a hard time learning to read and received assistance from a reading specialist in elementary school. Then she caught the reading fire and started reading everywhere. The library became her refuge. 

I found this aspect of her story fascinating since I work with struggling readers and am always wondering how to inspire them to love reading. 

Laurie said she has a dream of a literate America where every one reads for fun, surmising that if you still read for fun at eighteen then you will also read for information and learn to think for yourself. Unfortunately, every time we hand kids a book they can't connect with we kill that spirit. 

Reading canonical literature, written by old, dead white dudes, made English her least favorite class in high school. She understood the value of the classics later in life, when she had the perspective to appreciate them, so she sees their worth, but she also believes we must provide teens with stories they relate to. 

She suggested teachers read From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges Between Young Adult Literature and the Classics by Sarah K. Herz. One recommendation she shared from that text is to use YA fiction to teach literary devices while tying the teen novel thematically to canonical literature.  Many teachers using Speak in the classroom tie it to The Scarlet Letter.

The Impossible Knife of  Memory, Laurie's latest work, is about a girl, Hayley Kincain, and her father who have spent the last five years on the road, trying to outrun their demons and their memories. They return to her father's hometown to try to have a normal life, but the only method her father can find to deal with his PTSD is through drugs and alcohol.

The story was inspired by the experiences of Laurie's family and her father's bouts with alcohol and PTSD. She shared that during World War II, he helped liberate the inmates of Dachau, one of the most notorious Nazi concentration camps. Her father was working on a college campus during the Vietnam Nam era and it caused his experiences at Dachau to come back to him with a vengeance. He fell apart and lost his job. They lost their home. She said her father now has dementia and sometimes can't remember her mother but he wakes up screaming, remembering Dachau.

The power of memory.

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Laurie ended her talk by stating that one of her aims as an author is to produce literature that connects with the spirits of young people. Anyone who has read her work knows she had definitely accomplished that mission. 

Thank you for another fabulous story!

Outlaws and Friends and the Inside Story

LAST WEEK I was over at Alamosa Books for the Inside Story, an international event bringing local authors to bookstores all around the world.

Above is author, Lois Ruby, talking about her latest ghost story, Rebel Spirits. To her right is Kimberley Griffiths Little, Uma Krishnaswami, Me, and Lauren Bjorkman.

And here am I, talking about my latest ghost story, Forget Me Not. I'm sharing the poster featuring my favorite poem from the book... a 2Pac - Poe mash up.

After the event I had a chance to catch up with another local author, Vaunda Michaeux Nelson, standing to my left.

Speaking of Vaunda, THIS WEEK I'm over at The Spellbinders Blog with my analysis of her book, Bad News for Outlaws. I've used my twelve step story system to discuss the plot of the book. It's a Coretta Scott King Award winner.

NEXT WEEK Vaunda and I will be giving a plotting presentation for NaNoWriMo on Saturday, November 16 at 2:00p.m. at Esther Bone Library in Rio Rancho. It's free and it's open to the public, so come on down!!

FREE eBook Version of Tyger Tyger

Go to the Haunted Hearts post over at Spellbinders to read the November feature article by author, Kersten Hamilton, and find out  how to get a free eBook version of the critically acclaimed Tyger Tyger. This offer is available through the iTunes store through November 5!