Posts by slthomson@earthlink.net

What I’ve Been Reading: Hope Was Here

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Aug 22, 2014 in Children's Literature, What I've Been Reading | Comments Off on What I’ve Been Reading: Hope Was Here

Not too many writers can turn out genuine poetry about waitressing in a diner the way Joan Bauer can.

There’s soemthing about diner setup that soothes the soul. Something about making good coffee in a huge urn glistening in fluorescent light, something sweet about filling syrup pitchers and lining them on the back counter like soldiers ready to advance. It gives your courage to face another day.

What I’ve Been Reading: Guys Read

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Aug 20, 2014 in Children's Literature, What I've Been Reading | Comments Off on What I’ve Been Reading: Guys Read

For a long time I’ve been convinced that both readers and writers are badly served by the fact that children’s lit is such a female-dominated industry. (And so heavily white, too, but more about that later.) Yes, there are some great male editors, but not too many. Librarians? Teachers? Also skewed toward the female. That has to have an effect on what books get read, published, given awards, and handed to kids.

So this series seems like a solid idea. I was a bit disappointed at first glance, however. The stories seemed so boyish as to be stereotypic. (What do boys like? Fart jokes! All boys! All the time!) It was redeemed for me, however, by David Yoo’s quirky and deeply unsettling “A Fistful of Feathers.” Nice to see that there is more than one way of being a boy. Plus I won’t be enjoying a turkey sandwich for quite some time.

What I’ve Been Reading: Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Aug 19, 2014 in Children's Literature, What I've Been Reading | Comments Off on What I’ve Been Reading: Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux

I have been making a concerted effort to discover exactly what everybody loves so much about Kate DiCamillo. Nope. Didn’t find it.

Where Do Your Ideas Come From?

Posted by Sarah L. Thomson on Aug 14, 2014 in Book: Cub's Big World, Book: Dragon's Egg, Children's Literature | Comments Off on Where Do Your Ideas Come From?

A Young Girl Reading, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, c. 1776

For some reason a lot of writers hate this question. I’m not sure why. Myself, I don’t mind it. I can usually track down where my idea for a particular book came from. (Dragon’s Egg came from a conversation with my nephew, Cub’s Big World came from the moment I learned that polar bear cubs are born in snow dens and don’t see the outside world until they’re a few months old).

But for everyday purposes I have a short and simple answer: From other people’s books.

I don’t mean copying, I don’t mean stealing (Who was it who said that if you steal, always do it from at least three different sources and call it research?); I mean inspiration. If I stopped reading tomorrow, I’d stop writing next week. Filling myself up with stories, characters, settings, facts, and discoveries is the only way to allow my subconscious to come up with new ideas of my own. The trouble is, it’s been tough finding enough time for the last several years to read as much as I’d like to.

So I am declaring a summer sabbatical. For a good part of the month of August, I am not going to write; I am going to read. Award winners, classics, new and popular stuff that I haven’t kept up with, books people recommend or books that just catch my eye. Anything you think I shouldn’t miss? Please let me know.