A Winner, Interviews and The Cybils Awards

Nerds Heart YA. The tournament to highlight under represented literature, has a winner
Last Night I Sang to The Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz.
I let out a little squeal of happiness with I discovered who won. Benjamin Alire Saenz is such a talented writer and deserves a lot more attention then he gets.

On Wednesday, I will be posting an interview with Jewell Parker Rhodes. I loved Ninth Ward. When I finished it my first thought was "I want to interview the author" But I was hesitant to ask. It was Jewell Parker Rhodes after all. Ninth Ward is her first children's novel but she has an extensive body of work. When, I finally did ask, Rhodes was kind enough to say yes.

If you missed it do check out my recent interview with Jen Cullerton Johnson the author of Seeds of Change. I had difficult time coming up with questions. I had some serious question block ( is that a real thing? If not it should be.) Finally it hit me, with the exception of a group G. Neri interview with Edi and Ari about Yummy , this would be the only other time I would be asking an author questions about a non fiction book. Once I knew what the problem was, it got easier.

This is the fifth year of the Cybils awards or Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Award. I love this award, it gives some well deserved attention to some great books. Anyone is free to nominate a 2010 release. The Cybils site is very easy to browse and the organizer's make everyone feel welcome. I say the same thing about Cybils award every year. Though this the first year, I put my name in to be a judge. I will be on one of the panels but I won't say which one until the full panel is released on the site. I am very happy with my placement and to have the opportunity to participate in the Cybils awards.

NerdsHeartYA - 2nd Round

This is the second year of the NerdsHeartYA tournament. It started with 32 YA books published in 2009. All the books got little fanfare. Hopefully this will bring some much needed attention to some very good books.

First Round Results. For this second round bracket, I must decide between

Almost Perfect by Brain Katcher

Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee


I will start with Say the Word, since I read it first. I had already read Say The Word and I really enjoyed it. I was looking forward to reading it again. Though this time I read it with a more critical eye.

Shawna is being raised by her father in Ohio. Shawna was seven, when are mother leaves her father for another woman. Now 10 yrs later, Shawna gets a call from, Fran her estranged mother's partner. Shawna's mother had a stroke and is in the hospital. Shawna makes it to NY to see her mother before she dies. Though there is no last conversation. Say The Word is about what happens after. Shawna is caught between her father's demands, his need to always be in control, and Fran's family. There was no updated will. The right thing for Shawna's father to do would be to give everything to Fran and her sons Arye and Schmule. Instead in takes everything out of spite.

Shawna trying to live up to her father's expectations, straight A's, follow in his foot steps and become a doctor. Shawna's father is emotionally abusive always calling her stupid putting her down in front of others. Shawna's best friend Lee Lee is always there for her. Though when Shawna finds out LeeLee, is a lesbian, she wonders what that means about herself and what people will think. When truth comes out that Scumule is Shawna's brother everything gets more complicated. Shawna's father wants full custody and refuses to give Fran visitation privileges. If it sounds like there is a lot going on in this book that's because there is.

Garsee does a wonderful job of balancing the many storylines. I found Shawna likable from the beginning. Shawna is a well drawn out character. Though I found her father to be a little one dimensional, a bad guy with no redeemable qualities. Its true some people are like that, the first time I read Say the Word I was okay with Shawna's father. This time I wished the author would've given us something to like about him, so it wasn't so easy to hate him.

Reading Say the Word with a purpose, took some of the fun out of it. I wasn't able to simply enjoy, I had to question. Besides Shawa's father there were a few other things that didn't stand up too well to a closer look. This time I wondered why Shawna doesn't have a another story about her mother after she moves in with Fran. The one time Shawna visit her mother, things go very badly. So focused on an opening art exhibit, Shawna's mother doesn't realize how sick Shawna is. After that, mother and daughter don't see each other again until Shawna's mother is in the hospital. Without another interaction, I am left wondering what type of mother Shawna had. Was she insensitive and self centered artist or was she a loving mother who for a moment lost her head to her art.

This story really made me think about the rights ( or lack of ) same sex partners have. When Shawna's mother is in the hospital, Fran must pretend they are sisters in order to see her. Even though they've been together for 10 yrs. Shawna's father being able to take over everything including funeral arrangements is just wrong. Though Fran has been raising Scumule since he was born, she has no legal rights to him. I knew this could and does happen, though I've never really thought about it. However, I know there are people who have never considered problems gay and lesbian couples face because they can't marry. While telling a good story Garsee also educates.

Almost Perfect by Katcher - My first time reading, I saw two very positive reviews last year. So I was excited for an excuse to read it. Logan is a senior. He lives with his mother in a small Missouri town. Logan can't stop thinking about his ex girl friend, Brenda. Then, a new girl moves to town, Sage. Logan, is instantly attracted. Sage wants the two of them to just be friends. Logan wants more but accepts being friends. After Logan kisses Sage, Sage confesses to being a boy. Logan questions is sexuality for liking a transgender person.

It took me much longer to get into Almost Perfect than I would've liked. I simply wasn't connecting with Logan. Early on their many references to his ex- Brenda and what they didn't do. They were together for three years, they never did more then kissing. Brenda wasn't ready for more. When Brenda's ready, she has sex with someone else.

When Logan looks back on his years with Brenda he remembers how patient he was. Its nice to see a guy, is willing to wait and not be too pushing. Though I found it difficult to believe Logan wasn't frustrated that his physical relationship with his longtime girlfriend was stagnant. If Logan was, he never expressed it. Logan was simply a little too nice for my liking.

I found myself enjoying this story a little more midway in. When Logan and Sage meet at a cemetery to talk about the kiss. Its the first time, we get to hear Sage's voice. Its a voice I wish would've come earlier in the story. This story is about a teenage boy coming to terms with understanding and falling for a transgender person, so its Logan's story to tell. Still I wanted more of the complex character that was Sage.

One of the Almost Perfect's strengths were the conversations between Logan and Sage, after Logan knew Sage's secret. Logan always does his best to understand. The little we see of Sage is honest and open. Logan has two close friends since grade school, but these friendships aren't drawn out. Katcher is focused on Logan and Sage's relationship.

I found Almost Perfect to be a good read. I think its really hard for a narrator to carry many scenes by themselves. Logan must do exactly that. My not connecting with the main character kept me from enjoying this book as much as I would've liked. Logan's feeling of confusion over Sage were very believable. I think the author wrote this with the intention of getting people be more understanding and accepting of transgendered individuals. I believe he succeeded.

Not More of the Same

Say the Word and Almost Perfect are worthwhile reads. Both deal with subjects that don't get much attention within YA literature.

I've never reread a novel to judge for a competition. Before I started I thought Say the Word, would have an advantage. However, I quickly realized that wasn't true. This time I would be looking to poke holes in everything I liked about Say The Word the first time.

Though, I was reading Almost Perfect for the first time, my expectations were high thanks to reviews and the premise. So in the end neither book had an advantage. Both had something to live up to .

It came down to one thing for me. Say the Word's multiple story lines vs Almost Perfect's single storyline. Logan is considering life after high school and possibly going to college but this still revolves around Sage.

Single storylines are very hard to pull off, especially if it features one main character. There is nothing else to focus on , every little perceived missed opportunity by the author is noticed. Whereas with a multiple storylines I may not notice or care if something is just little off because so much is going on.

This time questioned a few things Garsee did or didn't do, I still really liked it and thought it was the stronger of the two.

My decision

Say the Word moves on

When this tournament is over, one book will be declared the winner. Though I hope everyone will take a moment to look at the 32 wonderfully diverse shortlisted books.

A NerdsHeartYA Interview W/ Terra Elan McVoy

This the second year of the NerdsHeartYA . This year the tournament is looking at under represented YA literature. Over the next week or so, a few of the shortlisted authors will be interviewed by bloggers turned judges. I am a second round judge. I love the diversity of the shorlisted titles. I've read reviewed and enjoyed 15 of the 32 titles.

Including Pure by Terra Elan McVoy. I do hope you'll take a moment to check out the shortlisted titles. After reading this interview of course. Because right here, right now, its all about Terra Elan McVoy and her wonderful YA debut Pure. My review



Hi Terra - congratulations on the recent release of your second novel After the Kiss. Can you tell us a little about yourself and Pure?

Well, I grew up in Tallahassee, FL, and was in love with reading and writing pretty much as soon as I learned how to them. I've always written poems and stories, and I've almost always had jobs that have something to do with reading or writing in some way, including teaching fiction and composition when I was a grad student at Florida State University.

I started writing Pure when I was working in publishing in New York. I was reading a lot of YA fiction that I felt didn't really represent what life was like being a pretty "normal" teenager, and I thought that was weird. I mean, I didn't go to an elite boarding school; my parents weren't incredibly rich (and always leaving me on my own while they traveled to Japan or wherever), or dying of cancer; I wasn't plotting the revengeful murder of any of my friends, and I certainly wasn't in love with a vampire (as far as I know). I had pimples and boys and clothes and work and church and friends to deal with, and that was dramatic enough! So I wanted to write something about how hard it is, having to grow up, define yourself, and choose your own morality. When I was given an article about purity rings, it all sort of clicked together, and I felt like I'd found the hook for my story.

A "normal" teenager, so that's why there was homework and actual test to study for.
Purity rings is a topic I would have bet serious money, I would never have read a book about. Terra, you cost me a lot of imaginary money and I know I can't be the only one. Pure has been out for over a year. What has the feedback been from readers who were tentative about picking it up because of the subject matter?

Happily, for me, most people have had the same reaction you did. They thought "Oh my gah. I cannot read a book with all this Jesus stuff in it!" Some people have been put off, sure, but it seems like ultimately, when they got into it and gave it a chance, they saw that there was a lot more to Pure than a bunch of preaching in one direction or another. It was really, really important to me to be fair to everyone in the book, and to take each side as seriously as they would themselves, and that included religion. But nothing in life is really simple and clear-cut, even if, like Morgan, we want it to be sometimes. I'm glad that a lot of people are finding out that this book isn't clear-cut, either.

Pure is written in such a balanced and thoughtful matter, it could easily lead to questions and conversations. I will never understand purity rings, though in the end it comes down to respecting the choices of others. One way to do this is through dialogue.

That is definitely one thing I was trying to accomplish with this book.

I found your main character 15 Tabitha very likable and realistic. When you started writing, did you always know the type of girl Tabitha would be? Or did that change over time?

Tab was very, very clear to me from the second I started writing. I heard her voice right away and knew her pretty completely, including knowing how she'd handle things in the end. It's why I was able to write the book in the first place: something I'd never done before and never thought I'd try to attempt. Tabitha, thank goodness, was more certain and solid than I was a lot of the time!

Tabitha's friendships with her three closet friends (who also have purity rings) is broken when one of the girls has sex. Tabitha's best friend Morgan is strong in her convictions and will not have anything to do with the other girl. Tabitha must choose between a friend or a life promise. Being 15, its the first time she faces something like that and struggles with it. I always assume authors become very close to their main characters. Was it hard to put Tabitha in such a difficult position?

No because I knew she was going to be okay. And that dilemma you pinpoint is exactly what I wanted to write about. When you are in high school, you can lose friends almost overnight by making certain decisions: who you're going to hang out with, what classes you're going to take, if you'll get a job, what you wear . It's painful and awful and horrible, but it's also amazing and very, very important. I knew Tab was going to suffer, but because I had to go through very similar things once myself, I knew she was going to come out okay, and stronger in herself.

Tabitha's bestfriend Morgan likes to be in control and have the best of everything when compared to her friends. What did you want readers to take away from their relationship?

Mainly just that life is change. As you grow and develop, the relationships you have need to grow and develop with you --make room for who you have become-- because if they can't or don't, they aren't going to last very long. But also that growing and changing (and maybe losing things in the process) is okay

Religion is always a touching subject. How do you think you did? Would you have changed anything?
You're right that religion is touchy. But it's also a big part of a lot of people's lives. The hardcore stuff we see or hear about on TV is only a tiny-miney fraction of what's out there. Which is part of why I wanted to take on something like this: to show that there are other ways of believing in God, and trying to practice that in your life. I based a lot of Tabitha's church experience on my own background, so I think there I did okay. If there's one thing I'd change it's maybe where the Ring Thing celebration is in the book. With it being in there so early, and being so intense, it might've set a weird tone for some readers. But it makes such an impact on Tab, I couldn't have taken it out altogether!

Terra, thanks again and good luck in the tournament.

Thanks again to you, Doret, and I'm looking forward to the competition, though being chosen at all is a terrific honor to me!

NerdsHeartYA just announced two great prize packs that can be won for promoting the competition. There is a signed copy of Pure in second one. And remember every time you spread the word about NerdsHeartYA others get wiser to the goodness of the shortlisted authors.

I Am a Judge and More

This is the second year for the NerdsHeartYA tournament for under represented YA literature. The 32 books shortlisted were recently released. I love this list. Its filled with a lot of great books that could do from a little more attention. I am a judge in the second round

I will be posting an interview with on of the shortlisted authors Terra Elan McVoy very soon. Her wonderful novel Pure is out in paperback now.

Do check out author Zetta Elliott's three part series with author Rita Williams Garcia on her new middle grade novel One Crazy Summer. (I got nothing but love for that book). I know many people will probably miss this which is a shame, because like One Crazy Summer there is an openness to it that I loved.

I am still having a very hard time understanding the Gulf Oil Spill. How it happened and why its still spilling? As bad as the Exxon Valdez oil spill was in 89, I could grasp the why and the how. I wonder if the fisherman who are helping with the cleanup and taking people to and from on their boats are being paid for their time. Edi sent me this picture of a sad, funny, ironic and inappropriate sign at a BP station she got via twitter.