Stepping Out of the Real World

Thanks to the people who commented in last week’s post! Since the vote was unanimous, I’ve now jumped into the world of juggling two stories. While Lost and Found is set in the real world, my new story (right now I’m calling it Parlor) is set in a split universe- despite the world being what we know today, there are paranormal aspects. This is a new road for me, as everything I’ve written up to this point could easily happen in the real world.

I’ve found myself staring at my plot notes for Parlor, not knowing what direction I want to move the world into. Instead of just focusing on the plot, I must build a world that all characters can live cohesively. There are too many possibilities at my fingertips since the universe has no written rules. I don’t have the sticking point of “that can’t really happen” holding me back. It’s exhilarating, yet scary all at the same time.

As I venture into the paranormal world of teen fiction, I wonder just how far I will let myself go. I still want to hold on to real world aspects, but at what point does the fantasy part of the universe I’ve created feel haphazardly stuck on? When do people start to get pulled out of the world the author has created, saying “That can never happen” before putting the book down for good?

Questions for A.S. King

Got questions you're dying to ask A.S. King regarding her fabu pirate tale, The Dust of 100 Dogs, writing, or anything having to do with teen fiction? Here's your chance. Drop by our book club:

Remember to post your questions by Sunday, April 12 at 10 am PDT.

Poet and Didn't Know It: April is National Poetry Month

I just read several blog postings about the amazing activities poetry organizations are conducting to celebrate National Poetry Month--which is this month. And that’s groovy, because as a songwriter, as a writer, as a reader – I dig poetry.

When I was in high school I actually filled up a whole diary of poems. Not my own stuff though, which wasn’t worthy. No, I copied, by hand, my favourite, real live/dead poets', poems into a single bound, blue diary (indexed by first line, no less – can you tell I was destined to be a librarian??). I still have it on my bookshelf and skim the neat print on occasion.

I guess poetry has always been a thing for me. Now, I’m not going to say that I peruse a couplet daily, but I do go on poetry binges. I usually return to a few that I consider my favourites – my go to poetry beats if you will. I thought I’d share them. They’re short, they’re classics – part of the reason I love’m. Any errors in punctuation, formatting, etc….are, like, so my fault.

At the Last: Robert Louis Stevenson

She cometh no more:
Time, too is dead.
The last tide is led
From the last shore.
Eternity…
What is Eternity?
But the sea coming,
The sea going,
For evermore.

You Fit Into Me: Margaret Atwood

You fit into me
Like a hook into an eye

A fish hook
An open eye

The Living Hand: John Keats

This living hand, now warm and capable
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold
And in the icy silence of the tomb,
So haunt the days and chill they dreaming nights
That thou wouldst wish thine own heart dry of blood.
So in my veins red life might stream again,
And thou be conscience – calmed – see here it is –
I hold it towards you.

Reflections on Ice-breaking: Ogden Nash

Candy
Is dandy.
But liquor
Is quicker.

Reverses: Maya Angelou

How often must we
Butt to head
Mind to ass
Flank to nuts
Cock to elbow
Hip to toe
Soul to shoulder
Confront ourselves
In our past.

For more information about National Poetry Month activities, try these sites:

http://www.poets.org/
http://poets.ca/