Today at Steamed! the lovely Leanna Hieber, aka my sister, is musing writing and her upcoming gaslamp romance novella which ties into her popular "Percy Parker" Gaslamp romance series.
What I'd like to know is that since people confuse us, how much mayhem could we cause if we wore matching outfits?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Banned Book Week 2010
It's Banned Books Week. This is the week we raise awareness for all the books that have or are being censored in schools, libraries, and communities.
Many bookstores and libraries have events where banned books are displayed or read out loud.
There are a lot of things you can do, too. The easiest is to go to your local bookstore or library and buy/checkout a book on the Frequently Challenged Book List.
The Top Ten Most Challenged Books for 2009 are:
1. “TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs
2. “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality
3. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide
4. “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee
Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
6. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
7. “My Sister’s Keeper,” by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence
8. “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things,” by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
9. “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
10. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
In one of my WIP's there's an issue of censorship which where people in the book feel a particular series is "unsuited to age group."
As my MC says, "That's the great thing about the first amendment. She can write whatever she wants and you don't have to read it."
How many books from the Frequently Challenged Classics List have you read?
I've read 31, most of them in school.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Blogging at Steamed! Today
It's Monday. That means I'm musing over at Steamed! It's Banned Books week, so pop over and tell us what you're doing to celebrate.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday Fun: Banned Book Week Video
The American Library Association's 2009 Banned Books Week PSA.
Banned Book Week runs September 25-October 1, 2010
This weekend go read a banned book. In public.
For more info visit bannedbooksweek.org
Banned Book Week runs September 25-October 1, 2010
This weekend go read a banned book. In public.
For more info visit bannedbooksweek.org
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Little Things
“Can I have $.50?” the tot asks.
“For what?” I reply.
“We can buy popscicles now.”
“Afterschool? I already give you money for ice cream afterschool?”
“No. At lunch. ”
It seems that we’re just a few weeks into school and the little things are adding up – milk money, hot lunch, popcorn day, pizza day, ice cream money. It might be $1 here and a few quarters there, but when you add it up for the week, the total can be surprising. I had to sit down, figure it out and set aside a pool for all those little extras so they didn’t wreck havoc on the budget (also, no one *needs* ice cream twice a day, every day, no matter what they might think).
Little things can add up and it’s the same with writing. “I’ll just check my email” or “I’ll just pop over really quickly and see what’s happening on twitter” can easily stretch from the intended couple of minutes into 20 or 30. Even if we're only spending 5 minutes, how many times a day do we do that on every site we belong to?
Social networking it a great thing. It’s an easy way to reach readers, peers, and people you admire. We can squee over good news, discover obscure facts, or poll people on the name of our MC. It can be a way to de-stress and take a little break from the task at hand.
As writers we need to do a fair amount of networking and self promotion. We’re all guilty of using social networking to procrastinate sometimes. That is okay. But like with the quarters, all those minuites can add up if we're not careful.
Many of us not only write, we’re moms, wives, we have jobs. Writing time is at a premium.
If you add up all the time you spend checking twitter, facebook and the like today, even if it’s just for a moment, what does it come to?
What happens when you compare it to how much time you spent writing today?
The number may surprise you. Certainly, it surprised me.
A certain amount of social networking is healthy and necessary. Maybe you’re really disciplined and set aside an amount of time for social networking. But maybe, like me, you're aren’t truly aware of exactly how much time social networking chips away at your writing time.
Like setting aside money for those extra little treats, it may help to set aside a certain amount of time just for social networking and keeping it separate from your writing time so you’re not cutting short your precious writing moments.
It can be hard to break that habit of “just popping over.” You might try an egg timer, or setting “office hours” where you do those little “business” things like replying on twitter and facebook. Some people use alpha smarts or unplug their wireless so there’s no temptation.
Maybe you don’t need any of that and popping over helps make you more creative. It’s all about what works for us as writers—and what helps us to be more productive. Everyone has their own style.
What it comes down to in the end is being productive and writing a good story. We can’t write if all ourtime is being chipped away (tots and hubbies is a whole separate blog post, lol).
In order to have a story to promote, we need time to write. Also, well, some say that writing a really great book is the best promotion of all.
Happy writing.
WHat do you do to keep the little things from eating away your writing time?
“For what?” I reply.
“We can buy popscicles now.”
“Afterschool? I already give you money for ice cream afterschool?”
“No. At lunch. ”
It seems that we’re just a few weeks into school and the little things are adding up – milk money, hot lunch, popcorn day, pizza day, ice cream money. It might be $1 here and a few quarters there, but when you add it up for the week, the total can be surprising. I had to sit down, figure it out and set aside a pool for all those little extras so they didn’t wreck havoc on the budget (also, no one *needs* ice cream twice a day, every day, no matter what they might think).
Little things can add up and it’s the same with writing. “I’ll just check my email” or “I’ll just pop over really quickly and see what’s happening on twitter” can easily stretch from the intended couple of minutes into 20 or 30. Even if we're only spending 5 minutes, how many times a day do we do that on every site we belong to?
Social networking it a great thing. It’s an easy way to reach readers, peers, and people you admire. We can squee over good news, discover obscure facts, or poll people on the name of our MC. It can be a way to de-stress and take a little break from the task at hand.
As writers we need to do a fair amount of networking and self promotion. We’re all guilty of using social networking to procrastinate sometimes. That is okay. But like with the quarters, all those minuites can add up if we're not careful.
Many of us not only write, we’re moms, wives, we have jobs. Writing time is at a premium.
If you add up all the time you spend checking twitter, facebook and the like today, even if it’s just for a moment, what does it come to?
What happens when you compare it to how much time you spent writing today?
The number may surprise you. Certainly, it surprised me.
A certain amount of social networking is healthy and necessary. Maybe you’re really disciplined and set aside an amount of time for social networking. But maybe, like me, you're aren’t truly aware of exactly how much time social networking chips away at your writing time.
Like setting aside money for those extra little treats, it may help to set aside a certain amount of time just for social networking and keeping it separate from your writing time so you’re not cutting short your precious writing moments.
It can be hard to break that habit of “just popping over.” You might try an egg timer, or setting “office hours” where you do those little “business” things like replying on twitter and facebook. Some people use alpha smarts or unplug their wireless so there’s no temptation.
Maybe you don’t need any of that and popping over helps make you more creative. It’s all about what works for us as writers—and what helps us to be more productive. Everyone has their own style.
What it comes down to in the end is being productive and writing a good story. We can’t write if all ourtime is being chipped away (tots and hubbies is a whole separate blog post, lol).
In order to have a story to promote, we need time to write. Also, well, some say that writing a really great book is the best promotion of all.
Happy writing.
WHat do you do to keep the little things from eating away your writing time?
The First Ladies of Steam
Today author Philippa Ballantine visits Steamed to talk about eh first ladies of steam -- Suffragettes!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Guest Blogging today at Word For Teens
I'm talking about steampunk today over at Word For Teens. Stop by and say hello.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Arthur Slade Visits Steamed!
Today author Arthur Slade visits Steamed! to talk about his new tween/teen thriller "The Dark Deeps." Stop by and say hi, we've got a copy of the book up for grabs!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Friday Fun: Choose Your Sides--Zombies Vs. Unicorns
The Tot thinks my next book should involve Zombie Unicorns...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Who’s watching?
Sometimes it’s easy to think we’re anonymous online. We get comfortable in our sandboxes or online personas and think we have privacy.
We don’t. You never know who’s watching.
Case in point. There’s a little sandbox I visit online with some writers and we talk about all sorts of things. Granted I’ve never said anything I wouldn’t want my mother, husband, or agent to read, nor do I feel I revealed any major personal details that aren’t otherwise available, but I also felt safe, comfortable. It was *our* little place.
Last week not one, but *two* people started posting in “our” sandbox, admitting that they’ve been lurking since the very beginning.
I was shocked. I even felt a little violated.
But I had to remind myself that this is the internet. Nothing is truly private. You never know who’s reading, who’s watching, whether it’s a webpage, a forum, or a social network. We have to remember not to get too comfortable, to say things we might regret, to reveal too much, that nothing is truly private.
The amount of information that can be found about online can be frightening. Have you ever tried Googling yourself or your persona? Try Google images while you’re at it.
Don’t even get me started on Facebook.
Go forth and play online. But play carefully. Those @reply convos on Twitter are being read by other people. So are your wall posts.
We all know not to reveal personal info, but sometimes we get comfortable in some groups and reveal more. If it’s any place other people might be watching, think carefully about what you want strangers to know. Do you want them to know your child’s name? What your real job is? Your city?
Just remember that even in forums and out of the way webpages there may be lurkers. Watch what personal info you post and never ever post anything you wouldn’t want your mom to read. For all you know, she’s reading your twitterfeed right now…
We don’t. You never know who’s watching.
Case in point. There’s a little sandbox I visit online with some writers and we talk about all sorts of things. Granted I’ve never said anything I wouldn’t want my mother, husband, or agent to read, nor do I feel I revealed any major personal details that aren’t otherwise available, but I also felt safe, comfortable. It was *our* little place.
Last week not one, but *two* people started posting in “our” sandbox, admitting that they’ve been lurking since the very beginning.
I was shocked. I even felt a little violated.
But I had to remind myself that this is the internet. Nothing is truly private. You never know who’s reading, who’s watching, whether it’s a webpage, a forum, or a social network. We have to remember not to get too comfortable, to say things we might regret, to reveal too much, that nothing is truly private.
The amount of information that can be found about online can be frightening. Have you ever tried Googling yourself or your persona? Try Google images while you’re at it.
Don’t even get me started on Facebook.
Go forth and play online. But play carefully. Those @reply convos on Twitter are being read by other people. So are your wall posts.
We all know not to reveal personal info, but sometimes we get comfortable in some groups and reveal more. If it’s any place other people might be watching, think carefully about what you want strangers to know. Do you want them to know your child’s name? What your real job is? Your city?
Just remember that even in forums and out of the way webpages there may be lurkers. Watch what personal info you post and never ever post anything you wouldn’t want your mom to read. For all you know, she’s reading your twitterfeed right now…
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Today at Steamed! Gail Carriger
Today over at Steamed we have the fabulous Gail Carriger blogging with us. Stop by and say hello.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Libraries with no books...and why it's a problem
I'm in the middle of a rather painful book buying diet and *so so so* many amazing books are coming out. Books by authors I *really* want to support.
I want to read these books.
I really *really* want to read them.
I want to read them because I've heard so much about them. Because I love the women who wrote them. Because I want to tell the whole world how amazing they are and make all my friends read them.
But I can't even seem to check them out of the library.
Not because there's a waiting list, but because no one has them. Not even in audio book. The *entire* county library system does not seem to own a single copy of the Linger audio book. Not one.
That is so sad.
It's also beyond frustrating.
Unfortunately, it seems to be the new normal.
The libraries here can't even afford librarians let alone new books, and the campus library has no "leisure books" to speak of that I would read. They can't afford much in the way of new books either.
I tried to get some audio books to listen to during my ginormous commute through campus inter-library loan (Mockingjay, Linger, and Dark Flame) and was told they were "too new" and to try back in four-six months. Yes. Months! I guess I'm not going to be getting Paranormalcy, Firelight , or several other books that I really want to read through inter-library loan either.
I try to request books to help these titles get bought and am basically told there's no budget to buy any even if a ton of people ask for them.
Will someone please get these libraries some books? Especially YA books?
If I can't find the books I want to check out, and I live in a large city, I can only imagine what it's like for so many other people out there.
How many frustrated readers are out there who *want* to read an author's book and can't because their libraries not only don't have them but can't afford to buy them?
I work at a college...I have a sneaking suspicion that some students may read YA books for fun when not studying. If the library had them, the students would read them. Same for the local public library.
It hurts my heart that so many libraries can't afford books. What is a library without books people want to read?
I understand not being able to buy *every* single new book that comes out. But really.
It all comes down to money.
I guess the libraries don't have money to buy books for the same reason I don't. With the economy the way it is, you can't always buy everything you want.
It still makes me so very, very sad. New books shouldn't be a luxury. Especially for libraries.
Libraries need books. They are libraries. How else will people discover new authors and re-read old favorites? How can people support their favorite authors when they can't afford to buy a copy in the book store if their libraries not only don't carry the book, but can't even afford to buy it if it's been requested by multiple people? How will new generations discover the classics?
Where would I be if there hadn't been a library full of books to discover when I was a teen? (scary thought)
It was thanks to the library that I discovered fantasy and sci-fi, where I spent countless hours in the back of the stacks reading Bradbury, Bradley, and McCaffery. Where I read my very first Steampunk book before I even knew what Steampunk was. Where I discovered authors that had a major impact on my life.
We need libraries.
We need libraries to be open, with knowledgeable librarians, and to have books...lots of books that we want to read...including the classics and new releases.
If someone couldn't find a book in the library and couldn't borrow if from a friend and really wanted to read it...they might be tempted to go online and read it illegally. I personally wouldn't do this, knowing that not only is e-piracy illegal but that it really hurts authors. But people might go to such means if they feel it's their only option, even though it's wrong.
Teens (and all people) need to be able to discover new books and read their favorites. Reading is not an elitist sport. Everyone should be able to read a book if they want to, regardless of whether or not they can afford to go to the bookstore and buy it.
So please, what do we need to do to get these libraries some books?
I want to read these books.
I really *really* want to read them.
I want to read them because I've heard so much about them. Because I love the women who wrote them. Because I want to tell the whole world how amazing they are and make all my friends read them.
But I can't even seem to check them out of the library.
Not because there's a waiting list, but because no one has them. Not even in audio book. The *entire* county library system does not seem to own a single copy of the Linger audio book. Not one.
That is so sad.
It's also beyond frustrating.
Unfortunately, it seems to be the new normal.
The libraries here can't even afford librarians let alone new books, and the campus library has no "leisure books" to speak of that I would read. They can't afford much in the way of new books either.
I tried to get some audio books to listen to during my ginormous commute through campus inter-library loan (Mockingjay, Linger, and Dark Flame) and was told they were "too new" and to try back in four-six months. Yes. Months! I guess I'm not going to be getting Paranormalcy, Firelight , or several other books that I really want to read through inter-library loan either.
I try to request books to help these titles get bought and am basically told there's no budget to buy any even if a ton of people ask for them.
Will someone please get these libraries some books? Especially YA books?
If I can't find the books I want to check out, and I live in a large city, I can only imagine what it's like for so many other people out there.
How many frustrated readers are out there who *want* to read an author's book and can't because their libraries not only don't have them but can't afford to buy them?
I work at a college...I have a sneaking suspicion that some students may read YA books for fun when not studying. If the library had them, the students would read them. Same for the local public library.
It hurts my heart that so many libraries can't afford books. What is a library without books people want to read?
I understand not being able to buy *every* single new book that comes out. But really.
It all comes down to money.
I guess the libraries don't have money to buy books for the same reason I don't. With the economy the way it is, you can't always buy everything you want.
It still makes me so very, very sad. New books shouldn't be a luxury. Especially for libraries.
Libraries need books. They are libraries. How else will people discover new authors and re-read old favorites? How can people support their favorite authors when they can't afford to buy a copy in the book store if their libraries not only don't carry the book, but can't even afford to buy it if it's been requested by multiple people? How will new generations discover the classics?
Where would I be if there hadn't been a library full of books to discover when I was a teen? (scary thought)
It was thanks to the library that I discovered fantasy and sci-fi, where I spent countless hours in the back of the stacks reading Bradbury, Bradley, and McCaffery. Where I read my very first Steampunk book before I even knew what Steampunk was. Where I discovered authors that had a major impact on my life.
We need libraries.
We need libraries to be open, with knowledgeable librarians, and to have books...lots of books that we want to read...including the classics and new releases.
If someone couldn't find a book in the library and couldn't borrow if from a friend and really wanted to read it...they might be tempted to go online and read it illegally. I personally wouldn't do this, knowing that not only is e-piracy illegal but that it really hurts authors. But people might go to such means if they feel it's their only option, even though it's wrong.
Teens (and all people) need to be able to discover new books and read their favorites. Reading is not an elitist sport. Everyone should be able to read a book if they want to, regardless of whether or not they can afford to go to the bookstore and buy it.
So please, what do we need to do to get these libraries some books?
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