Blah Days Binge Worthy Shows: Anime Edition

October 17, 2017October 17, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! This week has been pretty blah so far. Monday, I was the kind of sick where you feel mentally fine and physically okay for the most part, but you have to keep leaving the computer (or whatever you’re doing) because of reasons I won’t get into. Needless to say, I wasn’t very productive that day, though I did finish reading a book (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Message me on Facebook if you’ve read it and want to discuss). As I’m writing this (it’s Tuesday), I woke up with the general blahs and am blaming ragweed and allergies for it. Normally, I’d put off working in favor of binge watching something when I feel this cruddy, but I figured I should attempt a blog anyway. So, here’s a list of five anime I’d rather be binge watching (again) than writing this!

maxresdefault

1. Fullmetal Alchemist or FMA: Brotherhood (whichever one I can find the dub of at the time). I’ve seen both versions multiple times, but I still come back to it every couple of years. The only problem with them is that I can only get through so many episodes before I hit the first one that turns me into a sobbing mess (if you’ve seen it, you know the one I mean). Who wants to melt into a puddle of tears when they already feel like crap? So, I usually save these two for when my nose isn’t already leaking like faucet.

Club_I_D_by_Ouran_HSHC_Directory

2. Ouran Highschool Host Club. It’s stupid and hilarious and usually easily found on Netflix, so it’s perfect for when the blahs strike. I know it’s full of typical shoujo goodness (commoner girl gets roped into spending her days with the hot rich guys and falls in love), but it totally makes fun of all the usual tropes along the way, which is why it’s awesome. Granted, the ending was rushed because they decided not to do a second season, but you can always read the manga too if the blahs hold onto you for a few days.

tenor (2)

3. Yuri on Ice. I actually only watched this for the first time a few months ago on a couple of my blah days. Who wouldn’t want to watch a bunch of male figure skaters with vaguely yaoi undertones? Okay, maybe just me. But it was lovely and I really want to watch it again even though I saw it not too long ago (which is actually really weird for me).

CCSGaurdians1

4. Cardcaptor Sakura. I’ll watch the whole thing, but I prefer the episodes after Yue shows up, especially when I feel blah. I love the show, but it’s mostly on the list because Yue is my eye candy. I know that’s not an appropriate reason to watch something, but I don’t really care. Also, I can’t wait for the new CCS series coming out soon!

maxresdefault (1)

5. Sailor Moon. Specifically, the Black Moon Clan arc. Why? Because even though he’s a villain and an idiot, Prince Demande/Demando/Diamond was my favorite bad guy (still is when it comes to SM). I might have an eye candy problem when I feel blah. I also just noticed that I apparently have a type. I’m okay with this.

So, that’s one of my go-to lists for binge worthy shows when I’m not feeling 100%. What about you? Do you have any shows you go back to when you’re not feeling well and don’t feel like following new story lines?

The Problem With Privilege…

October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! Any time something awful happens in the world, after the initial shock wears off, there seems to be an uptick in talk about “privilege” among my Interwebz friends. I don’t know why. Awful things happen because people suck, not because they’re privileged. But still, the debates arise. Normally, I avoid these conversations and keep my opinions to myself because, frankly, my opinion doesn’t really matter and doesn’t mesh with most of my friends’ opinions. So, instead of joining the debates on Facebook and Twitter (which almost always devolve into name calling), I thought I would share my thoughts about privilege and my experience with it here.

gt036 — I, in fact, do not like to live dangerously, but here it goes

I actually really hate it when people start throwing around the word “privilege.” It’s not because I don’t believe it exists, but because I don’t believe it’s an insult to the people you’re calling privileged. Nor is it something to be ashamed of. A privilege is a good thing. According to the OED, a privilege is “a right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by an individual, corporation of individuals, etc., beyond the usual rights or advantages of others.” Why would anyone in their right mind be ashamed of that? Granted, not everyone has earned these benefits, but be honest… if you received some kind of special treatment from other people, would you feel guilty? I don’t, and I get a lot of special treatment (cripple privilege is very much a thing).

The word “privilege” is, however, an insult to everyone you’re not including in it. I’m white, which comes with its own set of privileges according to the people who bandy that word around. I’m also female, crippled, and not entirely heterosexual. All of which, according to these same people, make me somehow lesser in the eyes of others. Don’t get me wrong, these people will tell me that I’m just as good as everyone else, just as good as a straight, white, able bodied male, then they turn around and say that the male has more privilege (read: is treated, and thus viewed as, better by others) because of the way he was born. That’s a contradiction. I’ve had this conversation before (oddly enough, never with the straight, white, able males because I’ve never met one with the gall to insinuate I’m lesser to my face) and I really want to tell people to make up their damn minds. Are we equal or is he (the so-called privileged guy) better? You can’t have it both ways.

75fad7b2eef950a7b3d35a5e30ef73eaa4e4f4c8ba4e5bdee8930d05d3502e6c

I also dislike calling people privileged just because they got certain genes, because it gives them a kind of power they don’t deserve. Everyone deserves respect and courtesy, but that’s because we’re all humans. Treat people the way you want to be treated until they give you a reason to treat them differently. Don’t give them special treatment then call them privileged, because at that point they’re just accepting what others are offering them. Now, if they demand to be treated better than everyone else, they’re entitled asshats. Entitlement is different from privilege. Entitlement means they’re assuming they’re special. Privilege means you’re assuming they’re special. At least, that’s how I feel about it.

1340967745945_1427049 — This is what I think of when they talk about privilege.

I know this post will piss people off, but it’s just my own thoughts. “Privilege” isn’t something we should feel bad about having. It’s something that is given to us by other people and it can be taken away. All the word really does is reinforce the idea that some of us are lesser because of genetics, which is stupid and hurtful. I think a better phrase to describe people who think they’re privileged is to say they have an unhealthy “sense of entitlement.” That’s all.

Feel free to share your thoughts or comments here or on my social media pages!

Books Vs. eBooks

October 3, 2017September 29, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! It’s October already, so I wanted to give you a quick update on my September goals before I get into this week’s ramblings. I wrote about 19,000 words (huzzah!), finished reading two books and am working on a third (which is where this post is coming from), queried my 100th agent (the waiting continues), submitted a flash piece to my critique group, and messaged some different people (the conversations didn’t last long, but at least I tried). In other words, September was super productive and I hope October will be as well!

Now, onto what this post is really about: books. Pretty much everyone I know has strong opinions on whether regular old books or ebooks (Kindle, Nook, etc.) are better. Here are my thoughts.

First up are books. Personally, I adore them. The smell of an old book is basically the best thing ever. The feel of a page against your hand is lovely. And going into a library or bookstore (or our back bedroom) to peruse titles is one of the funnest activities in the world. Or maybe it’s just a nice activity because it doesn’t usually have to involve other people (unless you’re me), which is a plus for introverts. There’s also something about seeing book covers outside of a screen that’s awesome. I bought one book online and had no idea its cover was shiny and metallic until it got here, which only made it cooler. So yes, I love books.

On the other hand, books are a pain in the ass for me. If they aren’t in a couple of very particular places, I can’t grab them by myself when I’m in the mood to read. I know asking someone (read: Dad) to hand me a book isn’t a big deal, but it requires them to stop whatever they’re doing just for that. It’s weird. Plus, I sometimes have trouble opening/keeping a book open (especially when they’re new). If you’ve ever had a book close itself and forgot what page you were on, you know how annoying it is.

Books-are-a-uniquely-portable-magic.

Next up are ebooks. In my opinion, they aren’t nearly as magical as regular books. No one can see the cool cover as you read or how far along you are, so they can’t really strike up a conversation about the book (but who really wants that when they’re reading?). They don’t smell, they don’t have weird stains on the pages, they don’t have the right feel. BUT! They’re easier for me to use. I can pull a book up on my phone or computer whenever I want. I can browse for titles online without any help. They’re just really convenient for people with a limited range of motion. And that makes them awesome in their own special way.

62577fb9dd031506741285beac71dbf0 — It’s true.

Ultimately, for me, both books and ebooks have their pluses (neither of the plurals for that word look right) and minuses. If I love an author and can be reasonably sure I’ll like the book, I’ll automatically opt for a hardcopy. If I don’t know the author or have doubts about whether I’ll enjoy a book, I automatically go the ebook route. For everything in between, my choice usually boils down to how fast I want/need the book.

What about you? Do you prefer one over the other? Why or why not? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

Thoughts On HALF PAST

September 26, 2017September 6, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Welcome to the first monthly installment of book reviews! A friend recently introduced me to Net G alley, a site through which publishers offer ARCs (advance reader copies) in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. While going through their options, I came across Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone, which came out September 19th, 2017, and decided to give it a shot. First and foremost, I have to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. Here’s my review.

51n7fhiyAwL._SY346_ — The cover is nice.

I originally chose to read Half Past because it sounded interesting. Hannah Smith, the 45-year-old protagonist, has returned home to rural Iowa in order to take care of her ailing mother and recover from a divorce and being let go from her job. She discovers that she might be adopted and decides to go on a journey of self-discovery in the hopes of finding out about her origins. The back blurb hints at a dark story, so even though it’s not something I would normally pick up, I tried it.

The whole premise of the novel turned out to be flawed. Hannah is O- blood type and she discovers that her mother who has dementia is AB+. The narrator mentions that anyone who took high school biology knows this isn’t possible, and a brief Internet search seemingly supports that, but I happened to have a doctor’s appointment while reading this book and she said it technically was possible. So, I dug a little deeper (it wasn’t even a difficult search) and discovered articles by a geneticist who teaches at Stanford that explain that while it’s extremely rare, there are a few ways an AB parent can have an O offspring. And if it was just Hannah assuming she knew everything, I could overlook this, but a doctor tells her she must be adopted instead of telling her she needs to consent to more tests to be positive. The whole thing tainted my view of the book, but I kept reading.

QtFZ0PR — Facepalm was an accurate reaction throughout the book.

Then there was Hannah herself. Honestly, she acted more like a fifteen-year-old than anything. Everything was a major drama that she couldn’t handle, so she constantly ran away and blamed everyone else. She complained about never fitting in, but she never made an effort to do anything about it. And I’m sorry, but at 45 years old, you should know that the woman who raised and loved you (because her childhood was a happy one) is your mom. You don’t run away from her in her time of need to search for your “mom.” I had no way to connect to Hannah until the very end when she finally takes a little responsibility for everything, but by that point I already disliked her. If she were younger and this was a story about her finally becoming an adult, I probably would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. As it is, she came off as a flaky, annoying, crybaby.

The story itself was a quick, easy read. It felt a little predictable, but my mind goes to the dark places a lot easier than other people. I did think it was a little too drawn out. If I found out I was adopted and the only lead I had was a strange birth certificate, the first thing I would’ve done was look for the witness listed on it. Maria Diaz ends up being an afterthought when nothing else pans out. I think Hannah conveniently forgot the name so she could go on a vacation. That’s what it felt like anyway.

tenor (1) — This was the look that accompanied the facepalm while I was reading.

I will say that I enjoyed the writing style. It was comfortable and kept me reading despite my issues with the story and with Hannah. While I wouldn’t put it on my list of favorites by any means, I wouldn’t tell people not to read it. It simply wasn’t my cup of tea, but other people might enjoy it.

Ultimately, I’d give it three out of five stars. I wasn’t a fan and I think some things should’ve been better researched, but beyond that it was well written.

Character Questionnaires: Yes Or No?

September 19, 2017September 19, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! While I was searching for something writerly to blog about, I kept coming across ideas for character questionnaires (getting to know your characters, things to know about your character before you start writing, etc.). The questions varied from basic stuff about looks and personality to weird things like “what’s in their fridge right now?” (the main character of my novel-in-progress currently has pizza, coffee creamer, and pouches of blood in her mini fridge, in case you were wondering). And, at first, this seemed like a really neat idea, until I came across a list of 1,000 questions I was supposed to know answers to for my characters. Yes, three zeroes. It seemed pretty excessive to me. I started to wonder when something like that went from a useful tool to being something to procrastinate with.

Pretty sure this would be the reaction from my novel-in-progress’ main character and her bestie.

I just feel like there are things you should naturally know about your characters before you start writing, even without a questionnaire. Name/nickname, the basics of how they look, main personality type, any distinguishing features. For me, these are all things that come naturally with the voices in my head. I don’t need to write them down, because I know them. Occasionally, I’ll make a conscious decision to change an eye color or hair color if I have too many blue eyed blondes or whatever, in which case writing it down somewhere is helpful. But all the questionnaires that start off with these things feel more like a way to procrastinate than anything useful. On the other hand, if you’re the type of writer who works on multiple projects at once, I can see how you might mix up characters without having some kind of reference sheet.

Then, there’s the group of questions about character motivations which seems a lot more helpful to me. Knowing why your characters do things helps when you’re writing and trying to decide how they’ll react to different scenarios. It makes writing believable scenes easier. Say your main character freaks out when their roommate pulls out a sword in a non-threatening manner. Why? Well, if you know they witnessed their sibling getting stabbed, you can hint at that or build around it even if the reader doesn’t know it yet. Something less severe: why does your main character throw a tantrum every time her boyfriend steals her Oreos even though she’s a grown woman? Maybe her siblings always ate all the cookies when she was a kid. If you know their motivation, you can figure out how they’ll handle things realistically.

4hnrl — A completely acceptable reaction.

Last, they have the really out there questions. The “what’s in the fridge” and “favorite sex positions” types of things. These are the ones that I’m almost positive people answer to feel productive, but they’re really just procrastinating. I don’t think my character’s preference for red Gatorade over blue has any impact on my story, unless there are monsters in the Gatorade, then maybe. These are the questions that are fun if you’re having trouble writing one day and are hoping answering them will spark something. Otherwise, you’re just goofing off. And that’s okay! I understand the desire to put things off, but don’t lie to yourself about it.

Overall, I don’t find character questionnaires that helpful. They’re fun and something to do if I’m stuck or really don’t feel like writing, but, honestly, I’d rather just write most of the time. What about you? Do you fill out character questionnaires wen you create your characters? What are some questions you find the most useful? Which ones do you ignore or consider unhelpful? Feel free to comment here or on my social media pages!

The Tendency To Assign Blame

September 12, 2017September 13, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Last week, I had a really good writing week, despite having a day of errands (after which I wrote a book review blog post even though I didn’t want to/have to) and taking a day off because I felt crappy. I met all my goals and even had time to watch some anime along the way. But looking back, I realized that I never really took credit for my productivity (not last week or ever, that I can remember). At least, never for the little every day things. I have this weird tendency to blame inanimate objects for my success, like taking credit for it will somehow ruin it. Or maybe because inanimate objects have awesome powers that make me productive. I don’t know. I’ve just always done this.

67d7f9f70f4bbc42e0e008215be3d1e2db88acc654b8d238748b617c0627f25d — I do that too. You’d think they were people.

I’ve seen a lot of people do this. Instead of saying they rocked that day, they give all the credit to some good luck charm or special t-shirt or whatever. And I totally understand the compulsion to have something tangible to blame for things that otherwise seem to come from thin air, because it’s easier than acknowledging that it’s all you (especially if you’re terrified of failing and need something to blame for that too, just in case). But I sometimes think I’m weird because I don’t have just one special item I blame for everything, good or bad. I use whatever happens to be handy.

For example, last Saturday I was feeling particularly procrastinate-y (I don’t know how else to describe it), and a neighbor brought over a little rubber rat for me as an early Halloween gift, so it sat on my computer watching me while I worked. At the end of the day, when I gave Facebook my boring little update on what I did that day, instead of saying that I fought off my procrastination and wrote the words, I said that I wrote because my new friend was keeping an eye on me. I’ve blamed shirts. I’ve blamed pictures. I’ve blamed dolls. The more I think about it, the stranger I think I am.

21430152_10154837514876716_7380031451789172606_n — My little rat friend. His name is Yuki Sohma, like from *Fruits Basket*.

Part of me thinks it’s because I’ve always been easily annoyed by people who brag too much, so I don’t want to become one of them. Ooo, I wrote words and did all the other stuff I needed to do… big deal. Right? But at the same time, I like seeing my friends celebrate all their accomplishments, no matter how small. So, why shouldn’t I celebrate mine? Probably because it’s a super thin line between celebrating and bragging and I don’t want to cross it. I guess blaming inanimate objects makes it feel less like bragging and more like praising whatever inspired my productivity that particular day.

But screw all that! Some days, you need to own your accomplishments, even the tiny ones. Especially when people act like you aren’t doing anything. Stop blaming inanimate objects for your successes. You did it. You rock. And it’s okay to pat yourself on the back once in a while.

self five — We could all be a little more like Barney. Just a little, though.

What about you? Do you blame your successes (or failures) on inanimate objects? Do you have a lucky item that lends you its powers from time to time? Or do you take all the credit for yourself? Feel free to comment here or on my social media pages!

Three Golden Rules For Writing That I Never Follow

September 5, 2017September 5, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I recently talked to a friend from my critique group about some comments I sent her on a story, and she mentioned the notion of writing rules. These are the things that get constantly reiterated in writing programs (like our MFA program). We’re told all of the things we can and can’t do. Meanwhile, authors who are getting published are breaking all the rules and no one else seems to care. Does that mean the rules are really suggestions? No, not necessarily. It simply means people are choosing to break the rules that don’t work for them or their stories. Some of them do this more successfully than others, in my opinion. But I’m glad I learned the rules because breaking them deliberately tends to work better than breaking them because you don’t know any better.

But here are three of the rules of writerhood that I never follow:

1. Write EVERY day, even on holidays and when you’re sick. Because everyone knows you’re not really a writer unless you write a bunch of words every single day and never take a break. Except, that’s complete bullshit and anyone who tells you otherwise is a Liar McLiarson. Yes, it’s good in the beginning and helps train your brain to take writing seriously, but beyond that, it’s just not possible and you shouldn’t feel obligated to work that way if it doesn’t help you. Personally, I need a weekend, even though I mostly just sit around and play mindless games. Self care is important and you deserve it. Plus, who wants to write after they’ve been up all night projectile vomiting (just an example)? It’s okay to take breaks.

2. ALWAYS read your work aloud. This is great advice if you’re practicing for a reading or if something doesn’t feel right and you can’t figure out what it is, but I don’t like reading things out loud. For one, I feel stupid doing it. But mostly, I don’t want to read my novels out loud because I’m lazy. It would take forever at the pace I speak. Plus, the voices in my head make reading silently more interesting for me and I can hear when things sound abnormal in their voices, whereas if I’m reading aloud, I might find out where I stumble over phrasing, but I’ll miss things that feel natural to me even though my character wouldn’t actually say it. So, reading everything out loud isn’t for me.

quote-the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-adverbs-stephen-king-57-42-06 — Stephen King said it, so it must be true!

3. Adverbs are BAD. This is one of those rules that I ignore when I’m writing, but follow when I’m revising. Yes, there’s usually a better way to say things than using adverbs, but I’ll be damned if they aren’t awesome in a first draft (which is the writing part of writing for me). It’s difficult to think of the perfect phrasing when your goal is to get words down on a page. That’s where adverbs come in handy. Sure, there are better, more evocative ways of saying “she walked slowly upstairs,” but it’s a perfectly acceptable phrase for a first draft. You can decide in your edits whether she trudged, or hobbled, or snuck (sneaked?), or whatever. But adverbs are great placeholders until that point.

So yeah, those are a few of the golden rules of writerhood that I break. What about you? Are there any rules of your craft that you don’t follow? Anything that seems like it was created by an overzealous person who didn’t understand that not everyone works the way they do? Feel free to share your thoughts, comments, etc. here or on my social media pages!

September Is Coming

August 30, 2017August 29, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ 2 Comments

Hello, hello! August is coming to a close, bringing the beginning of September with it. I’ve been having trouble finding the motivation to keep up with my work, despite my current novel attempt being enjoyable, so I thought I would post my main goals for the coming month right here. I find it more difficult to avoid the things I need to do once someone else knows what my goals are. The potential for public shame is an awesome motivator. Plus, I know I have a few friends who will crack the whip at me if they know I should be doing things and they catch me on Facebook instead.

whip — Whips and pleather can be motivational too, I guess.

Goal 1: write 18,000+ words. I know I’m capable of writing 4,500 words a week and September is about four weeks long, so I should at least be writing this much. Only words toward the WIP, short stories/flash pieces, and the blog count towards this number. And only words over my current written words, not revisions. It’s the goal I’ve been struggling with the most, so if I’m slacking, feel free to break out the whip.

Goal 2: read at least 2 books. One book will be for my review on the 27th, and the second will be for a book club I just joined. I’m also currently reading a book with my writing group, but we’re taking it slow, so I might not finish it by the end of the month. I admit that I don’t read nearly enough, so I’m trying to change that. I was able to read 2 books a month at Stonecoast and keep up with my writing, so it seems like a reasonable thing to do.

Goal 3: query 16 more agents. I’ve been querying four a week for what seems like forever now. No, I really have no clue how or why I settled on the number four. But I do know that I’ve currently sent out 84 queries and have no idea how many rejections/assumed rejections (because some agencies don’t send out rejections, but give you a “if you haven’t heard back in x weeks we’re passing” instead) I’ve gathered up and I don’t feel like checking my spreadsheet right now. It’s a numbers game, I’m told, and I’ll keep trying for a while longer. But I’m thinking 100 sounds like a good place to take a break and regroup and wait to see what happens with the queries still in limbo.

Goal 4: submit at least one thing to my critique group. The group seemed to go on hiatus for the past couple of months as our members used the summer for some much needed family time. But now that school has started, critique submissions are starting to trickle in and I want to be among them.

Goal 5: make time to text/message some people besides the usual two or three. Because I’ve been a shitty friend and I know that. I promise I’ll try to be better, but I usually fail miserably at this type of stuff too.

201508_1302_biidd — And I don’t even talk to them much.

So, those are my September goals. It feels a little overwhelming to see them written out like this, but I can do it. And if I can’t, you get to publicly shame me! What about you? What are your main goals for the month? Feel free to share them here or on my social media pages!

See you next week!

How Short Is Too Short?

August 23, 2017August 22, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I’ve noticed a strange trend in the world of short stories lately: they keep getting shorter. It kind of reminds me of cellphones. They started out as these huge, bulky things that people wanted smaller and smaller, then all of a sudden people wanted them bigger again. Is that what’s going to happen with short stories? I don’t know. But I do know that short stories are getting smaller and smaller at the moment. When I first noticed it, there was flash fiction (1,000 words or less), then micro fiction (100 – 500 words depending on who you ask) popped up, and now I’m seeing a lot of talk about 50 word stories. It’s not that I mind this trend, I’m just curious about what it means for the writing world in general.

mobile-phones-evolution-6 — I suppose we’ve reached the early 2000s by comparison.

Personally, I enjoy writing and reading flash fiction. It’s a challenge to write a story that feels complete and satisfying in under 1,000 words, but it’s possible. Micro fiction, on the other hand, I tend to look at more as poetry or as excerpts. It’s rare for me to find one that works as an actual story in my mind. And I have a feeling I’ll be looking at these 50 word stories the same way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve written things that were super short as an exercise in conciseness, but I never considered them to be worth submitting anywhere. I never realized it was something people were interested in to be honest. And why are people so interested in them? Is it because of the time we live in? In the day and age of Tweets and instant gratification, do we just not have the attention span to read something longer? The cynical part of me believes that has a lot to do with it. Another part of me thinks it started out the way I started doing it, as a personal challenge, that someone decided to share with other people who took the challenge upon themselves. Whatever the reason, it’s apparently a thing now.

it-s-a-writer-thing-unisex-tri-blend-t-shirt-by-american-apparel — It’s okay. I’m a writer and I don’t entirely understand.

I’m all for conciseness, but how short is too short? Are there going to be 10 word stories next? Serious questions, I’m not being facetious. I was always told that a story should have a beginning, middle, and end. That was the golden rule when I started writing. But nowadays, some stories start in the middle and only hint at a beginning or even start at the end and that’s all okay. I don’t mind things breaking the rules if it works. I’m curious though, when a reader has to build a story in their head around the 50 or 100 or however many words they get, can the author still really take credit for the story? Yeah, the words planted the idea, but the reader had to do most of the work. Maybe that’s the whole purpose of stories that short, to make the readers work for it.

I know I’m overthinking it. It’s what I do.

I don’t have the answers, but these are the kind of things I think about. What about you? What are your thoughts on 50 word stories and this trend of short stories becoming shorter in general? Feel free to post your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

Thoughts On THE SCORPIO RACES

August 16, 2017August 15, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Since I’ve been struggling to come up with ideas for blog post topics, I’ve been thinking about doing a monthly book review to ease my blog load a bit (I’d still be my usual random self the rest of the time). Maybe the last Wednesday of every month starting in September. Would that be something people are interested in? Of course, I would review more recent books or even ARCs (advanced reader copies of things soon to be released) when I can get my hands on them, because I realize that I’m totally reading older stuff right now. Anyway, feel free to let me know if it’s a completely stupid idea or if a different day would be better or whatever. You can do that here or on my social media pages! Let’s get on with today’s actual topic.

51l3TFMwN6L

On Sunday, I finished reading The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, which came out in 2011, so I’m late to the party. Anyway, my initial reaction, posted on my personal Facebook, consisted of: Might’ve spent three hours finishing reading a book today. There were probably tears. Strong, manly tears. Definitely not an ugly cry. Okay, maybe a little ugly. To which a friend inquired about what book could inspire such a “glowing recommendation.” I’m so glad I have friends who understand me, even when I ramble about things making me cry. Because I loved this book. Yeah, there were things left loose at the end and stuff I wasn’t entirely sure about, but it’s still one of the best books I’ve read lately.

It’s a YA fantasy, so there’s a lot going on in the background from romance (okay, that’s technically one of the major plot points) to family drama to life on a small island. But the whole reason we get introduced to this world is because Puck’s (the female protagonist’s) brother says “I’m going to do this thing!” and Puck responds with “Well, you can’t because I’m doing this other thing!” without thinking about the consequences. And everyone one the island tries to talk her out of it because she’ll probably wind up dead or they try to intimidate her into not doing it because it’s a man’s sport, but she keeps insisting that she has to do the thing even before it becomes a necessary thing for her to do. Meanwhile, in her head, she’s thinking “Why did I say I was doing the thing? How stupid can I be?” which is really relateable and endearing, especially when the majority of YA protagonists refuse to admit they’re being stubborn idiots. Puck acknowledges it and does the thing anyway.

the thing — How pretty much every YA novel starts.

At the end, I admit that I was left with a lot of questions. What was the point of the subplot between George Holly and Annie? Who was dressed as Epona? What happened to Brian? Because it was looking like there was going to be a little love triangle for a minute there, and then he just disappears. But all of my questions were little things that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme, so I can get past them. Otherwise, the ending was satisfying. You get the feeling that life on the island still goes on, even though it’s a standalone novel, which has kept my thoughts traveling back to Thisby the past few days. But there’s still this sense of closure, like this part of their lives is done and they’re moving forward.

952114 — It’s a little like we get to see one of those moments and then life goes on without us.

Also, I wanted to mention the writing style. The Scorpio Races was one of those books that feels poetic without using a bunch of words no one knows and without using an excessive amount of words in general. It flows, kind of like the sea. Sometimes, it’s smooth and relaxing while other times it’s short and choppy. In other words, not only was the story itself fun and engaging, but it was easy to read.

Ultimately, I’d rate it a 4.5 out of 5 and recommend it to anyone who likes YA or love stories or horses or good books in general.

Until next time!

Shawna's Blog of Doom

Maybe just randomness